Gabriel Allon, master art restorer & assassin, returns in a spellbinding new novel from the 1 New York Times bestselling author For Gabriel & his beautiful Venetian-born wife, Chiara, it was supposed to be the start of a pleasant weekend in London-a visit to an art gallery in St. James's to authenticate a newly discovered painting by Titian, followed by a quiet lunch at an Italian restaurant along the Str&. But a pair of deadly bombings in Paris & Hamburg has already marred this sparkling autumn day. & while walking along Wellington Street, the ever-vigilant Gabriel notices a man whom he believes is about to carry out a third attack. The man is exhibiting several traits common to suicide bombers-traits that Gabriel, one of the world's most experienced counterterrorism officers, knows all too well. Armed with a concealed Beretta pistol, he follows the man into the crowded Covent Garden market, determined to prevent the massacre of innocents he fears is about to take place. But before Gabriel can draw his weapon, he is knocked to the pavement by two undercover London police officers. A moment later he looks up to find a scene from his nightmares. Bodies & blood, Baghdad on the Thames.. . ...

Books Contemporary Fiction Books This was how things began: Boston on the cusp of fall, the Sackler Museum robbed of 23 pieces of priceless Chinese art. Even in this back room, dust catching the slant of golden, late-afternoon light, Will could hear the sirens. They sounded like a promise. Will Chen, a Chinese American art history student at Harvard, has spent most of his life learning about the West
- its art, its culture, all that it has taken & called its own. He believes art belongs with its creators, so when a Chinese corporation offers him a (highly illegal) chance to reclaim five priceless sculptures, it's surprisingly easy to say yes. Will's crew, fellow students chosen out of his boundless optimism for their skills & loyalty, aren't exactly experienced criminals. Irene is a public policy major at Duke who can talk her way out of anything; Daniel is pre-med with steady hands & dreams of being a surgeon. Lily is an engineering student who races cars in her spare time; & Will is relying on Alex, an MIT dropout turned software engineer, to hack her way in & out of each museum they must rob. Each student has their own complicated relationship with China & the identities they've cultivated as Chinese Americans, but one thing soon becomes certain: they won't say no. Because if they succeed? They earn an unfathomable ten million each, & a chance to make history. If they fail, they lose everything... & the West wins again.   Product Information:  •†ISBN:† 9781529386417 •†Author: Grace D. Li •†Publisher:†  Coronet •†Format:†  Paperback •†Pages:† 384 •†Dimensions:† 12.8 x 3.2 x 19.6 cm
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The invention of photography in the mid-19th century gave people a completely different way to record what was happening around them, & people took to the new hobby with gusto. Professional & amateur photographers turned their lenses on to every subject imaginable & people flocked to have their photograph taken. Gathered together in this new series are selections of these photographic records, offering a dramatic, moving & fascinating portrait of three different eras in recent British history. This first title in the series covers the years from the death of Queen Victoria & the heyday of the Edwardian era to the end of the Second World War. The years 1900-1945 saw many changes in Britain; this comprehensive & beautifully illustrated history is packed with insight into the politics, the people & the events that filled the years from the turn of the century to the Labour victory in the election of 1945. ...

Belfast has had a long & varied history & its development through the centuries is immediately apparent in the hugely varied architecture & landscapes that you discover on a visit to the city. Ancient monuments from the Bronze Age can be found on the outskirts of Belfast & are in stark contrast to the intricate eighteenth & nineteenth century architecture that marks Belfast's standing as one of the major urban centres in the UK & Ireland at the time. These once again contrast with the heavy industries that made Belfast famous
- the linen mills & worldfamous Harland & Wolff Shipyard where the Titanic was built, being only two of many worth noting.
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Carmarthenshire
- the largest of the original old 13 counties of Wales & certainly one of the most fascinating. Here is a county
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Up until local Government re-organisation in 1974, Wales had thirteen counties & arguably the most important of these was Glamorgan. Not only did Glamorgan boast two of the largest cities in the Principality (Cardiff & Swansea) but it was also the administrative centre of this ancient country. Glamorgan (not Glamorganshire) was originally an early medieval kingdom, with names & boundaries that varied over time. However, conformity arrived in the shape of Robert Fitzhamon, around 1090, who invaded & consolidated Glamorgan, dividing the spoils, so it is said, between his twelve followers. Glamorgan at this time stretched roughly from Neath in the west to Cardiff in the east, & from Merthyr Tydfil in the north to the Bristol Channel in the south. Gower was added into the Glamorgan boundary later. In 1974 Glamorgan was split into three new counties; Mid Glamorgan, West Glamorgan & South Glamorgan. This has all changed again, the county name all but disappearing completely, apart from the name of Vale of Glamorgan Borough Council. However, the old Glamorgan still lives on in the hearts & minds of many people & for the purposes of this book can be fairly conveniently divided into the northern industrial valleys, the agriculturally rich Vale of Glamorgan & the Gower peninsula, the first area of the United Kingdom to be nominated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The sheer variety of landscape that makes up Glamorgan can be fully appreciated in the 140 colour pictures by renowned photographer Nick Jenkins, that go to capture the very essence of this culturally rich region. The old county is explored from the northern uplands & deep valleys right down to the Glamorgan Heritage Coast, & from Gower in the west to Cardiff in the east, to present a fully rounded portrait of this fascinating landscape. ...

From the majesty of the Beacons themselves to the intimate detail of remote mountain llyns, cwms & the elusive wildlife & flora of the area, Tom Hutton's portrait of the area is unlike anything seen before. It will become a must on the bookshelves of Beacon lovers everywhere. ...

Looks at the images made from & by African Americans, extending back to the 1700s when a portrait of African-born poet Phillis Wheatley was drawn by her friend, the slave Scipio Moorhead. This book features colour reproductions of over 100 portraits in various media, ranging from paintings & silhouettes to book frontispieces & prints. ...

From Cervo in Italy, to Massif de l' Esterel in France, discover a different Riviera. Delve beneath the surface & discover the art, architecture & culture of this enticing destination. This book provides a very personal perspective of 150kms of coastline of Italy & France known worldwide as The Riviera. For dedicated travellers & for readers who simply want to sit back & dream. ...

Exploring the world of portraiture from a number of vantage points & asking key questions about its nature this book considers issues of identity, modernity & gender within a cultural & historical context. West uncovers much detail about a genre which has often been seen as purely representational. ...