Clarks' reach extends to all corners of the globe & yet it remains a family-owned business firmly rooted in its Quaker origins, (unlike other well known Quaker firms like Cadburys, now part of US giant Kraft.) Founded in 1825 by two brothers, Cyrus & James Clark, the company began as a rug-making operation in the then tiny village of Street, Somerset. One day, James Clark began making slippers from off-cuts of rugs & found that people wanted to buy them. Slippers became shoes & boots
- & a business was born. Over the years it has had its ups & downs but it has always strived to remain true to its Quaker values in its commitment to the well-being of its workforce & the local community. Schools, libraries & recreation halls were built
- & trade unions banned. As the sun set on the British Empire, Clarks opened up new frontiers across the world. Clarks brand logo became one of the most famous in the world. Every parent in the 1950s swore by Clarks shoes for their children as well as buying them for themselves. But increased competition from within the UK & overseas saw concerns for the future heightened during the 1980s. A hostile bid for the company in the early 1990s saw the board & the family split. Eventually, shareholders voted to reject the bid. The company was reorganised with all its lines made outside the country. This resulted in the closure of all its UK factories & the laying off of hundreds of Clarks employees. But the outcome has been a transformation in the company's fortunes. In 2010 its profits were over ?100 million & its retro desert boots & other styles have become the height of fashion, especially in China & America.

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Includes: topics as useful & diverse as: the perils of bicycle ownership; why Australians
- not Brits
- need bull


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In this wide-ranging book Ali challenges assumptions on both sides, arguing that Islamic civilization has an important role in Western modernity, & that what we have experienced with the rise of fundamentalism is the return of history in an horrific form. ...

A beautifully presented slipcased edition of A Clash of King's, the second volume in the hugely popular & highly acclaimed epic fantasy series A SONG OF ICE & FIRE: the ultimate collector's item for any fan. Now a major Sky Atlantic TV series from HBO, starring Sean Bean. ...

The second volume in the hugely popular & highly acclaimed epic fantasy series A SONG OF ICE & FIRE Released for the first time since 1998, at the request of fans, in br&-new series style hardback. Now a major Sky Atlantic TV series from HBO, starring Sean Bean. ...

Jamie, Tom & Wanna are back in the Triassic, on the trail of an enormous prehistoric crocodile. It's not long until they're high in the trees looking down on two of the ferocious beasts fighting over their lunch
- but disaster strikes! Splash! Wanna's in the water
- & the monster crocs want him for their pudding.. .

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Wanted: Dead or Alive! (Or smashed into little bits & delivered in boxes.)

The Steampunk Pirates are lured back to England

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The Clash: trendsetters, icons, revolutionaries. They were the pioneers of British punk rock & their story is steeped in mythology. Many people have an opinion about what made them who they were. This book gives the chance to read the full story, from the band themselves. ...

In May 1992 Fergies Fledglings won the FA Youth Cup for the first time in a generation, since the era of George Best. Soon, many of the kids from that side were seizing their opportunity in the first team & winning more silverware. They played a key role in United's famous Treble-winning side of 1999 & continue to have an impact on the club. The Class of 92 tells the story of how this group of players came together & learned their trade under Eric Harrison, the youth team manager. It follows their development during 1991-92 as they went on their cup run, & discovers the fascinating story of what happened next to the other members of this illustrious side. Youth Team football is always exciting because of the tantalising prospect of seeing players who might be on the verge of greatness. Such potential was never more completely fulfilled than with the lass of 92. Their story reveals how sometimes dreams really do come true. ...

* Revisionary look at the Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB) showing small numerical size but deep influence in British political society. * Set in imperial & international context
- but Eurocentred. * Based on newly-available CPGB & other sources.
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