Falling Upwards tells the story of the enigmatic group of men & women who first risked their lives to take to the air, & so discovered a new dimension of human experience. Why they did it, what their contemporaries thought of them, & how their flights revealed the secrets of our planet in wholly unexpected ways is its subject. In this heart-lifting book, the Romantic biographer Richard Holmes floats across the world following the pioneer generation of balloon aeronauts, from the first heroic experiments of the Montgolfiers in 1780s to the tragic attempt to fly a balloon to the North Pole in the 1890s. It is a compelling adventure story of the kind that only Holmes could tell. Dramatic sequences move from the early Anglo-French balloon rivalries, the crazy firework flights of beautiful Sophie Blanchard; the revelatory ascents over the great Victorian cities & sprawling industrial towns of Northern Europe; & the astonishing long-distance voyages of the American entrepreneur John Wise, & the French photographer Felix Nadar. Later we find balloons used to observe the horrors of modern battle during the American Civil War (including a memorable flight by General Custer); the legendary tale of sixty balloons that escaped Paris during the Prussian siege of 1870; & the terrifying high-altitude flights of James Glaisher FRS who rose above seven miles without oxygen, helping to establish the new science of meteorology as well as the environmental notion
- so important to us today
- of a 'fragile' planet. Besides the aeronauts themselves, readers will also discover the many writers & dreamers
- from Mary Shelley to Edgar Alan Poe, from Charles Dickens to Jules Verne
- who felt the imaginative impact of flight & allowed it to soar in their work. Through all these adventures, the narrative continually lifts off in unexpected literary & scientific directions, exploring the interplay between technology & science fiction, the understanding of the biosphere, & the metaphysics of flight itself. Most of all, through the strange allure of the great balloonists, Holmes offers another of his subtle portraits of human endeavour, recklessness & vision.



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Lowri Vaughan is in need of refuge
- where better to find it than Badgers Brook?

Rumours abound that her father

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In the land of Caladom the gods are a very real & cruel presence; bringing destruction to any that dare to break their law. For generations the people have served the demands & whims of divine authority without question, under the constant yoke of fea ...

This is a moving & beautifully crafted tale that makes an important statement about life in the face of tragedy, loss & failed ambitions & how in the end, these things can become the paving stones on the road to wisdom & the affirmation of life. ...

Mary Golightly was not a happy woman. Yet, in the last few weeks before she went missing, she was looking happier, as if something had happened to make her life sweeter. That was before a bin man found her thigh in a refuse sack. Her husband makes no pretence at sorrow over her death, but does that mean he killed her? ...

Expansive & sprawling
- like his stomach
- Falstaff's memoirs take the unsuspecting reader into the world of a character so

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Fame soars even higher with the extended dance edition of the film, featuring over 15 minutes of thrilling dance footage you couldn't see in cinemas. Passions will be tested. Hearts will be broken. Talent, dedication & hard work will triumph! Fame is the inspiring story of a group of dancers, singers, musicians & actors at the New York City High School of Performing Arts, & their spirited drive to live out their dreams of stardom. In an incredibly competitive atmosphere, each student must shine amidst the tumult of schoolwork, deep friendships, budding romance & self-discovery. Debbie Allen, Charles S. Dutton, Kelsey Grammer, Megan Mullally & Bebe Neuwirth co-star alongside a group of gifted young performers in this soaring reinvention of the Oscar Winning hit film. ...

An expose of what really happens to reality TV contest winners & losers. It examines the highs & lows of being a star of reality television & the price people are willing to pay for fame. It asks if winning really is everything & whether the nation has reached saturation point with TV talent shows? ...

The raw beauty of Sabrina Leon demands the attention of all, having been plucked from obscurity, she's suddenly become the new darling of the film scene. But she has a problem, a new You Tube sensation spreading through the web looks set to destroy everything she's worked hard for. Meanwhile, hotshot movie producer Dorian Ramirez has his own problems. A feud with rival producer & playboy, Harry Greene, has caused every project he goes near to be pulled. But will casting Sabrina in his remake of Wuthering Heights be a risk that costs him? Viorel Hudson was always destined for great things, now he's scored the enviable role of Heathcliff. While he might be at the height of his career, is he really ready for his next role? Not to mention his fiery co-star? ...

This great DVD & book set provides a great dance workout with handy steps & routines to help you lose weight. A Fame Dance Workout Little Book: Dancing is a fabulous way to not only keep fit, but to also give you a fantastic looking body. The little book highlights many dance steps & routines that will help you lose weight, get fit, tone up & improve muscle tone & flexibility. Beginning with a warm-up section, this is then followed by the aerobic phase
- the dance class, & finally a dance stretch is covered to avoid injury. A Fame Dance Workout DVD: This sensational workout, inspired by the film, is designed to help you improve muscle tone, flexibility, burn calories & so aid in losing weight; all done to an amazing soundtrack in a fun & energetic workout.
Includes:: Intro with tips & techniques, Warm Up, Dance Workout (4 Phases), Barre Workout (Tone those legs & buns), Floor Workout (Abs, Triceps, Pecs), Stretching to cool down & Body Revival.

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