` Since Bob had appeared, I`d made huge strides in my life. For more than a decade I`d been a homeless drug addict. I`d been lost to the world & forgotten what was important in life. Now I`d got myself back on my two feet, but as I put the past behind me, I was still stepping unsteadily into the future. I still needed help in the right direction. Bob was always there to offer guidance & friendship.` James & his street cat Bob have been on a remarkable journey together. In the years since their story ended in the bestselling A STREET CAT NAMED BOB James, with Bob`s help, has begun to find his way back to the real world. Almost every day, Bob provides moments of intelligence, bravery & humour, at the same time opening his human friend`s eyes to important truths about friendship, loyalty, trust
- & the meaning of happiness. In the continuing tale of their life together James shows the many ways in which Bob has been his protector & guardian angel through times of illness, hardship, even life-threatening danger. As they high five together for their crowds of admirers, James knows that the tricks he`s taught Bob are nothing compared to the lessons he`s learnt from his street-wise cat.
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This is the life & times of T. S. Garp, the bastard son of Jenny Fields
- a feminist leader ahead of her times. It is also the
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National treasure, godfather of glam & thinking grandmother`s crumpet, Noddy Holder possesses that megastar quality that has made him a living legend. In The World According to Noddy he shares her life experience with trademark humour & insight. He recalls all-conquering Top of the Pops appearances, endless world tours, epoch defining anthems, thespian triumphs, & gluing some mirrors onto a top hat to change the face of fashion forever. From his early days on the West Midlands beat scene, including a stint as a roadie for Robert Plant, Noddy charts his rise from skinhead stomper to international pop-star, statesman, playboy, male model & philosopher. From marriage to modern technology via music & fashion, to Christmas & travel, Noddy takes on the subjects that are close to his heart. Witty, wise & hilariously funny, this Noddy Holder at his glittering best. ...

” An enlightening & surprisingly personal tour of a galaxy... Sunstein offers plenty of fun details & opinions.”
- Washington Post
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China is now the most powerful country on earth. Its manufacturing underpins the world`s economy; its military is growing at the fastest rate of any nation & its leader
- Xi Jinping
- is to set the pace & tone of world affairs for decades. In 2017 Xi Jinping became part of the constitution
- an honour not seen since Chairman Mao. Here, China expert Kerry Brown guides us through the world according to Xi: his plans to make China the most powerful country on earth & to eradicate poverty for its citizens. In this captivating book we discover Xi`s beliefs, how he thinks about communism, & how far he is willing to go to defend it.


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Between 1680 & 1807 British publishers produced a sequence of double-hemisphere world maps each printed on two sheets & conjoined. These maps are a peculiarly British phenomenon of this period & they provide a key indicator of the way the British map trade specifically targeted a newly prosperous & upwardly aspiring class of purchasers. The buyers were hungry for geographical information, but were also eager to acquire such maps for display, as a statement of their intellectual pursuits. The scientific appearance of the maps was more important as a selling point than standards of contemporary geographical accuracy, which few of them achieved. This is the first time that this type of map has been studied as a genre, partly because of their great rarity. The British Library holds the most comprehensive collection of these maps & studying them together has enabled the identification of broader themes. In particular, a greater understanding of the British map trade in the 18th century, its business practices, the economics of map-making & new techniques of marketing emerges. ...

The World Atlas of Beer is the definitive & essential guide to beer, with information on brews ranging from the Trappist ales of Belgium to the wheat beers of Bavaria, Breton black beers, barrel-aged Californian beers, British bitters, Vietnamese bia hoi, traditional Finnish sahti, & the output of the hundreds of craft breweries around the world, from the USA & Canada, to Japan & even the Easter Islands. It explores the development of beer & the myriad brewing techniques in use across the world today. Country by country the book considers a vast range of beer styles & traditions, with full tasting notes for over 500 beers. Detailed maps locate key breweries worldwide, & describe crucial trends in major territories. Features such as matching beer with food & how to pour different kinds of beer complete the picture. Craft brewing continues to go from strength to strength across the world, & this book is the perfect companion to help you explore the best beers the world has to offer. ...

Coffee has never been better, or more interesting, than it is today. Coffee producers have access to more varieties & techniques than ever before & we, as consumers, can share in that expertise to make sure the coffee we drink is the best we can find. Where coffee comes from, how it was harvested, the roasting process & the water used to make the brew are just a few of the factors that influence the taste of what we drink. Champion barista & coffee roaster James Hoffmann examines these key factors, looking at varieties of coffee, the influence of terroir, how it is harvested & processed, the roasting methods used, through to the way in which the beans are brewed. Country by country
- from Bolivia to Zambia
- he then identifies key characteristics & the methods that determine the quality of that country`s output. Along the way we learn about everything from the development of the espresso machine, to why strength guides on supermarket coffee are really not good news. This is the first book to chart the coffee production of over 35 countries, encompassing knowledge never previously published outside the coffee industry. For everyone who wants to understand more about coffee & its wonderful nuances & possibilities, this is the book to have.

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Coffee has never been better, or more interesting, than it is today. Coffee producers have access to more varieties & techniques than ever before & we, as consumers, can share in that expertise to make sure the coffee we drink is the best we can find. Where coffee comes from, how it was harvested, the roasting process & the water used to make the brew are just a few of the factors that influence the taste of what we drink. Champion barista & coffee expert James Hoffmann examines these key factors, looking at varieties of coffee, the influence of terroir, how it is harvested & processed, the roasting methods used, through to the way in which the beans are brewed. Country by country
- from Bolivia to Zambia
- he then identifies key characteristics & the methods that determine the quality of that country`s output. Along the way we learn about everything from the development of the espresso machine, to why strength guides on supermarket coffee are really not good news. This is the first book to chart the coffee production of over 35 countries, encompassing knowledge never previously published outside the coffee industry. For everyone who wants to understand more about coffee & its wonderful nuances & possibilities, this is the book to have.

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Filled with eye-catching images of 100 styles from around the globe, The World Atlas of Street Fashion is a celebration of those who dare to think differently. From the Chinese skinheads of Beijing to the feminist funkeiras of Sao Paolo, the raggare of Stockholm to the Junglists of Whistler, this is world street style as you`ve never seen it before. Street style exists to turn heads & create comment. The message can be one of resistance, subversion, musical affiliation, or a combination of all three. A group of likeminded individuals can create a powerful sartorial force, moving beyond fashion`s mere billboards for the latest brands. Organized geographically by continent, this book examines street style in all its international diversity, by tracing the many & varied ways in which it has developed in different regions of the world. Written by acclaimed fashion historian Caroline Cox, The World Atlas of Street Fashion offers a ground-breaking portrait of world street style. ...