A quirky, full-colour illustrated book jam-packed with over 2, 000 fascinating figures & facts, The World in Numbers lets figures do the talking. Each themed, colourful page is crammed with tonnes of fascinating number-led facts. Discover how fast a sneeze travels, how many Earths could fit inside the Sun, the size of a T-rex`s teeth & much, much more. From animals & adventures, to fashion, food, bugs & buildings
- there`s something for everyone in this brilliant book. Featuring light-hearted illustrations by Andrew Pinder.
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Samuel Johnson was a critic, an essayist, a poet & a biographer. He was also, famously, the compiler of the first good English dictionary, published in 1755. A polymath & a great conversationalist, his intellectual & social curiosity were boundless. Yet he was a deeply melancholy man, haunted by dark thoughts, sickness & a diseased imagination. In his own life, both public & private, he sought to choose a virtuous & prudent path, negotiating everyday hazards & temptations. His writings & aphorisms illuminate what it means to lead a life of integrity, & his experience, abundantly documented by him & by others (such as James Boswell & Hester Thrale), is a lesson in the art of regulating the mind & the body. Johnson`s story touches on many themes that have enduring significance. He was, & remains, a perceptive commentator on the vanity of human wishes, the rewards & dangers of charity, the need to cultivate kindness, the complexities of family life (especially marriage), the effects of boredom & the fleeting nature of pleasure. He writes & speaks incisively & humanely about the ego, ambition, hypocrisy, fallibility & disorders of the mind, as well as the corrosive effects of obsession, the precariousness of fame & the skulduggery of the literary world. He is a source of profound good sense about what it means to teach, read, write & travel. More than that, though, he continually translates his experience of poverty, scorn, pain & madness into a rich understanding of how to be. ...

Beautiful bold illustrations fill your kitchen with the colours of the world, while the vegetarian recipes will inspire any chef to produce the delicious smells & tastes of Africa, Asia & Latin America. Each year a new artist is exclusively commissioned to illustrate this delightful kitchen calendar. Every month suggests a favourite vegetarian world food recipe & illustrations are created to compliment the dish & the place it comes from. ...

This is the first major biography of V.S. Naipaul, Nobel Prize winner & one of the most compelling literary figures of the last fifty years. With great feeling for his formidable body of work, & exclusive access to his private papers & personal recollections, Patrick French has produced a lucid & astonishing account of this enigmatic genius: one which looks sensitively & unflinchingly at his relationships, his development as a writer & as a man, his outspokenness, his peerless creativity, & his extraordinary & enduring position both outside & at the very centre of literary culture. ` Its clarity, honesty, even-handedness, its panoramic range & close emotional focus, above all its virtually unprecedented access to the dark secret life at its heart, make it one of the most gripping biographies I`ve ever read` Hilary Spurling, Observer `A brilliant biography: exemplary in its thoroughness, sympathetic but tough in tone.. . Reading it I was enthralled -- & frequently amused (how incredibly funny Naipaul can be!)` Spectator `A masterly performance.. . If a better biography is published this year, I shall be astonished` Allan Massie, Literary Review ` Remarkable. This biography will change the way we read Naipaul`s books` Craig Brown, Book of the Week, Mail on Sunday ...

Pore over each of the world`s continents with this entertaining atlas & 300-piece jigsaw, with hundreds of animals, landmarks & attractions to spot & talk about. The sturdy box contains a vividly illustrated 300-piece jigsaw of a world map, plus a 32-page picture atlas. ...

The World Marathon Book celebrates the runners who conquer the legendary 26.2 miles, & the races they take part in, detailing their illustrious histories & greatest moments. It explores both the famed city-based marathons like London, Paris & New York as well as the more adventurous races like the Marathon du Medoc
- a must for anyone who prefers a glass of wine to than a Lucozade while racing
- or the Great Wall Marathon in China for those who prefer a further challenge. With inspiring photography, fantastic personal stories & essential infographic elements, this is the book for anyone who has ever taken on, or wishes to take on, the 26.2 miles.

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Sit back or saddle up as double Olympic gold medallist & multiple world champion Geraint Thomas gives you a warts & all insight into the life of a pro cyclist. Along the way he reveals cycling`s clandestine codes & secret stories, tales from the peloton, the key characters like Wiggins, Hoy & Cav, the pivotal races & essential etiquette. Geraint Thomas is treasured for treating his sport just as the rest of us see it: not a job but an escape & an adventure. He`s been with Team Sky since its inception, & is one of our most successful & gifted track & road riders, but Geraint reminds us that getting on the bike still puts a smile on your face & fire in the legs like nothing else. Funny, informative, diverting & droll, this is a joyful celebration of the world of cycling. ...

A spectacularly funny feast of all things Walliams for super-fans, new fans & anyone who likes laughing out loud a lot. In glorious colour throughout! Welcome to the World of David Walliams. This spectacularly funny book is bursting with Walliams wonderment! Insider sneak peeks, brilliant character quizzes, fabulous fun facts, design your own Walliams book cover & meet Raj in a brand new comic book adventure never seen before. You even get exclusive access to behind-the-scenes content from David Walliams himself. Hours of entertainment for all the family & the perfect companion to David`s novels. Featuring colour illustrations from the iconic Sir Quentin Blake & the artistic genius Tony Ross. ...

SIX hilarious & moving novels from bestselling, critically acclaimed author, David Walliams, in one MEGA box-set! DEMON DENTIST: Strange things were happening in the dead of night. When children put a tooth under their pillow for the tooth fairy, they would wake to find something creepy in its place. Evil was at work. But who or what was behind it? RATBURGER: Can Zoe keep her beloved pet rat safe from the clutches of the dastardly Burt of Burt`s Burgers? GANGSTA GRANNY: Ben`s grandma is the boringest grandma ever: all she wants to do is to play Scrabble & eat cabbage soup. But there are two things Ben doesn`t know about her: 1) She was once an international jewel thief. 2) All her life, she has been plotting to steal the crown jewels, & now she needs Ben`s help...BILLIONAIRE BOY: Joe has a lot of reasons to be happy. About a billion of them, in fact. He has absolutely everything he could possibly want. But there`s just one thing he really needs: a friend...MR STINK: Mr Stink stank. He also stunk. & if it was correct English to say he stinked, then he stinked as well... But there`s more to this vagrant than meets the nose! THE BOY IN THE DRESS: Dennis was different. Why was he different, you ask? Well, a small clue might be in the title of this book... ...

An original fill-me-in journal from the World of Moose, packed with ideas & complex illustrations to spark your creative imagination. Playful drawings & simple prompts invite creators of all ages to not only colour, but draw, imagine & finish his dense line drawings. Complete your own city, fill it with people, write a comic & more. The ultimate rainy day book, sure to keep little ones busy for hours! ...