The daughter of an impoverished aristocrat, Catherine was married aged 16 to Grand Duke Peter, heir to the throne of all the Russias, a feckless teenager with a weakness for drink. Catherine was only able to give him an heir by passing off her lover's son as his own. In 1762, Catherine rode out of St Petersburg at the head of an army to arrest her husb&. Three months later she became sole empress of the largest empire on earth. She was 33 years old. She ruled Russia as a benevolent autocrat for 34 years, fighting the Turks abroad & rebellion at home, & shepherding her people through the upheavals of the French Revolution. She took on many lovers but gave her heart to General Potemkin, the foremost statesman of her time. She died in 1796 aged 67, revered by her people as 'our mother', praised by Voltaire as a philosopher, reviled by her enemies as the Messalina of the North & remembered in history as Catherine the Great. From this extraordinary life of great events, fabulous splendour & barbaric cruelty, Robert K. Massie has woven a thrilling narrative based on impeccable scholarship & a cinematic eye for detail. ...

While it is true that Catherine the Great shocked the Russian court with the number & age of her lovers, there is no truth in the rumour of her death by stallion. Unhappily married to the Grand Duke Peter, she turned her attentions to a certain Sergey Saltykov who fathered the future Tsar Paul I. This biography reveals this extraordinary woman. ...

Enjoy Cathy Woodman's novels with five books in The Talyton St George series. Katie Fforde meets James Herriott in these charming tales of romance & country manners set in the fictional town of Talyton St George
- Britain's most romantic town! This set

Includes:: The Village Vet The Sweetest Thing Vets in Love Must be Love Trust Me, I'm a Vet


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These three works exemplify the Roman historian Sallust's condemnation of the excesses of the late Republic. In the conspiracy of Catiline & the war against Jugurtha he sees moral & political corruption & the tragedy of civil strife. This new translation captures Sallust's distinctive style & considers his work as history & literature. ...

Calling all Cat-lovers! Do you struggle to figure out what your beloved pet friend is thinking most of the time?

Get inside

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Cats are our favorite pet they are lovable, unpredictable, individual & totally inscrutable. Beautifully illustrated with quirky cartoons by cat-loving illustrator Jenny Mackendrick, this book captures the essence of one of our favorite animals. Each illustration shows the endearing behaviors of cats, & is accompanied by a one-liner." ...

If youve a favourite feline friend then this book will help you immortalize them in a piece of jewellery!

Taking inspiration

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Details: From dot-to-dot to matching pairs & more, there are over 40 different puzzles & pictures to complete in this
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Details: The purrrrfect search & find book for anyone crazy about cats or dotty about dogs! Backwards, forwards, top
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A gorgeous set of 6 cute Cat & Dog themed clear stamps, perfect for any cards or themed craft projects.

Perfect for a

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