Ronnie Barker is one of the best-loved & most celebrated entertainers in British television history. As well as starring in the ever popular & critically acclaimed sitcoms Porridge" & " Open All Hours" he was of course one of the bespectacled " Two Ronnies" who topped the TV Charts for more than 15 years & are returning to our screens in spring 2005. A celebration of Ronnies life & career published to coincide with Ronnies 75th birthday this book contains original contributions from people who have worked with & know him best including John Cleese David Jason (who provides the foreword) David Frost Eric Idle Michael Palin. Written with the full consent & collaboration of Ronnie himself this biography is full of interviews & unseen personal illustrations from his own collection. Bob Mc Cabe is a respected author & journalist & contributes regularly to film magazines & BBC radio arts programmes. He is the author of several books." ...

Cricket has perhaps held more writers in its thrall than any other sport: many excellent books have been written about it & many great authors have played it. The Authors Cricket Club used to play regularly against teams made up of Publishers & Actors. They last played in 1912 & include among their alumni such greats as PG Wodehouse Arthur Conan Doyle & JM Barrie. A hundred years on from their last match a team of modern-day authors has been assembled to continue this fine literary & sporting tradition in a nationwide tour in search of the perfect day's cricket. The Authors XI is the story of their season. Over the course of a summer they played over a dozen matches each one carefully chosen for capturing an aspect of cricket in some of England's most spectacular & historic grounds & against a wide range of opponents. Each player contributes a chapter about one of their fixtures using a match report as a starting point for an essay on cricket & its appeal both historically & today. From Matthew Parker on cricket & empire & Kamila Shamsie on the women's game to Tom Holland on cricket & ageing & Thomas Penn on cricket & history this is an engaging look at cricket's enduring appeal. Further chapters from other team members examine issues such as class empire & sport & the stage. ...

Parents of children on the Autism Spectrum are constantly searching for new innovations & a new diet is showing extraordinary results. The Gluten-Free/ Casein-Free (GFCF) Diet as well as removing all artificial dyes & preservatives have proven to be very successful for autistic children in removing many of their autism traits & symptoms. A breakthrough of hope for parents The Autism Diet" is the new tool in the fight against autism." ...

Parents have been reporting a connection between autism & diet for decades but for many years the science behind the connection was evasive. Today we see a growing body of research to back up parental-reported evidence that certain foods & other environmental sources can affect the developing brains of some children & trigger adverse behavioural episodes. Written by an autism expert who has witnessed in her own child the dramatic improvement that can be made through dietary intervention this book offers an easily digestible guide to the science behind the considerations; strategies for implementing a safe diet; a handy list of ingredients to be avoided; as well as a concise bank of essential resources & useful contacts. This book offers an accessibly concise guide to all aspects of dietary invention in children with autism & is an ideal resource for parents teachers & any other family member or caregiver who needs to know how to help implement a safe & healthy diet for an autistic child. ...

The Autism Spectrum in the 21st Century" is the definitive guide to the autism spectrum introducing the reader to key concepts & developments in diagnosis psychological & biological research theoretical models evidence-based intervention educational strategies & family issues. The book charts how developments in theory research & practice have shaped & continue to shape the evolving concept of autism which is at the core of this field. The book explores: diagnostic principles & practice & their implications for prevalence; psychological functioning in autism including sensory-perceptual cognitive & socio-cognitive processes; genetics & brain function in autism & the neurobiological basis for autism spectrum conditions; the range of therapeutic approaches available including behavioral communication-based & biological interventions & their evidence base; educational implications the options for individuals & families & the issue of inclusion; how autism affects the family unit; & overarching issues & challenges for research practice & people. " The Autism Spectrum in the 21st Century" is essential reading for anyone personally or professionally interested in autism spectrum conditions such as individuals on the spectrum & their families students & researchers clinical practitioners teachers social workers & healthcare professionals." ...

The top-selling auto repair guide--400 000 copies sold--now extensively reorganized & updated Forty-eight percent of U.S. households perform at least some automobile maintenance on their own with women now accounting for one third of this $34 billion automotive do-it-yourself market. For new or would-be do-it-yourself mechanics this illustrated how-to guide has long been a must & now it's even better. A complete reorganization now puts relevant repair & maintenance information directly after each automotive system overview making it much easier to find hands-on fix-it instructions. Author Deanna Sclar has updated systems & repair information throughout eliminating discussions of carburetors & adding coverage of hybrid & alternative fuel vehicles. She's also revised schedules for tune-ups & oil changes included driving tips that can save on maintenance & repair costs & added new advice on troubleshooting problems & determining when to call in a professional mechanic. For anyone who wants to save money on car repairs & maintenance this book is the place to start. Deanna Sclar (Long Beach CA) an acclaimed auto repair expert & consumer advocate has contributed to the Los Angeles Times & has been interviewed on the Today show NBC Nightly News & other television programs. ...

At the age of forty-seven Mary King won a Team Bronze at the Beijing Olympics. In the two ' Cavaliers'
- ' Call Again Cavalier'
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Agatha Christies most absorbing mystery -- her own autobiography with new exclusive CD containing newly discovered priceless recordings from more than 40 years ago of Agatha dictating excerpts about her life as a writer. Over the three decades since her death on 12 January 1976 many of Agatha Christies readers & reviewers have maintained that her most compelling book is probably still her least well-known. Her candid Autobiography written mainly in the 1960s modestly ignores the fact that Agatha had become the best-selling novelist in history & concentrates on her fascinating private life. From early childhood at the end of the 19th century through two marriages & two World Wars & her experiences both as a writer & on archaeological expeditions with her second husband Max Mallowan Agatha shares the details of her varied & sometimes complex life with real passion & openness. Then in 2008 Agatha Christies grandson made a remarkable discovery. While clearing out her old house in preparation for its opening to the public Greenway in Devon a box of old tape reels was found to contain the recordings of Agatha dictating her Autobiography for her typist. These remarkable recordings are not only an amazingly rare example of Agathas voice but they also partly explain the engaging nature of her Autobiography
- for they reveal the normally reclusive Agatha telling her own story in a lively spontaneous & often conspiratorial way whose passion in talking about her life is captured in the printed Autobiography. Now this new edition comes complete with a CD of highlights from these priceless tapes giving Agatha Christies millions of fans the opportunity to hear the Queen of Crimes story in her own words & rediscover her remarkable full story in this special edition of her book which is newly introduced by Mathew Prichard the grandson who discovered the tapes.
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The enormous respect & affection of the British public for Betty Boothroyd has its roots in a strong belief in what she stands for: fair play an unshakeable sense of honour & a passionate belief in the sovereignty of Parliament. Her convictions she has said are set in Yorkshire granite. Born into a working class family in Dewsbury in 1929 there was little money but Betty grew up in a home that radiated love & warmth. Betty popular & a talented dancer who went on eventually to become one of the celebrated Tiller Girls
- the full story of which she tells here for the first time. But by the age of 25 Bettys dreams of taking the West End by storm had crashed
- & her fathers ambition of seeing her settled with a nice safe job had been abandoned. Undaunted she won a national speaking award stood for election to the local council & became a full-time worker for the Labour Party. Nothing would ever part Betty Boothroyd from politics again. In 1953 Betty began work at the House of Commons for Barbara Castle & Geoffrey de Freitas. She speaks candidly about the devastation of losing two by-elections & the time she spent in America campaigning for JFK. Back in Britain Betty landed a top job with millionaire Labour Minister Lord Harry Walston & the Yorkshire girl became part of the inner circle of the socialist elite including Hugh Gaitskell & Roy Jenkins. She describes the elation she felt on becoming an MP at last in 1973 the huge debt she owes her mother for her support & the full story behind her role in the struggle to save the Labour Party from the hard left. Betty Boothroyds long political career reached its apogee in 1992 when she was appointed the first woman Speaker of the House of Commons with overwhelming support from both sides of the House. Her term of office coincided with John Majors attempts to defend his slim majority. Detailing many of the true stories behind the headlines she writes of the sleaze scandals that beset the Major government her feelings when Labour won their landslide election in 1997 & her strongly held views on the role of Parliament. Finally she tells why she decided to retire her plans for the future &
- in retrospect
- what she feels about her decision to put public service above marriage.



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A new-look printing of Agatha Christies most absorbing mystery to mark the 25th anniversary of her death. Agatha Christie died on 12 January 1976 having become the best-selling novelist in history. Her autobiography published in 1977 a year after her death tells of her fascinating private life from early childhood through two marriages & two World Wars & her experiences both as a writer & on archaeological expeditions with her second husband Max Mallowan. Not only does the book reveal the true genius of her legendary success but the story is vividly told & as captivating as one of her novels. ...