The Battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC is one of the most famous battles in history. The heroism of the 300 Spartans who opted to remain behind to face the full might of the Persian host while their Greek allies made good their escape has become the stuff of legend. The story still inspires novelists & film-makers today (Frank Millers fanciful 300 was a huge hit in 2007 & the film rights to Steven Pressfields more historical novel Gates of Fire were bought by George Clooney the film expected to finally surface in 2011 or 2012). But what is the truth behind the legends & why was this bloody defeat immediately accorded a halo of glory that has endured for nearly two-&-a-half millenia? Beyond the Gates of Fire brings together experts on the classical period from Australia New Zealand & the United States to take a fresh look at various aspects of the battle. A substantial introductory section by the editors outlines the background to the conflict as well as the arms armour & fighting styles of the opposing sides. The following chapters (9 of them) then discuss such questions as whether the defence of the pass really was a suicide mission; the exact topography of the battlefield itself in 480 BC using the latest geological research & core samples; the impact of the battle on the Greek psyche; commemoration of the war dead; the impact of the original battle on the conduct of later battles in the pass right up to the German invasion of 1941. For the classical scholar or the general reader whose interest has been piqued by the popular books & films this book is sure to shed refreshing new light on the most famous last stand in history. ...

Amy & Dan are hot on the trail of the fourth Clue but their ruthless relatives will stop at nothing to eliminate them from the competition. Their hunt leads them to an ancient city that has been a hot bed of Cahill activity for centuries. All that stands between the siblings & the Clue is a cryptic riddle a missing relic & the secret of their grandmothers past. The clock is ticking for Amy & Dan but can they really solve a mystery that has eluded their ancestors for generations? ...

Sir Ranulph Fiennes has been hailed by the GUINNESS BOOK OF RECORDS as the worlds greatest living explorer. Following his most recent unsupported attempt to reach the North Pole which nearly cost him his life he looks back on three decades of adventures in all corners of the globe & what he has learned from them. Reflecting on such diverse themes as the importance of choosing the right team monitoring the opposition & dealing with the media Sir Ranulph presents a breathtaking collection of photographs from his personal archive & discusses the
- sometimes painful
- lessons he has taken away from each expedition. From the famous & successful Transglobe voyage in the early 1980s to his life-threatening attempt on the North Pole in 2000 this is a riveting & enlightening insight into the life of an extraordinary man.

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We knew from her recordings that Susan Tomes is a superb chamber player; now we know that shes a superb writer too. ...

Quentin Blake is one of the best-known & best-loved illustrators in the world creating brilliant & iconic characters for amongst others Russell Hoban Joan Aiken Michael Rosen & most famously Roald Dahl. He has won numerous awards over the years including the Whitbread Award the Kate Greenaway Medal & the Hans Christian Andersen Award for Illustration. In 1999 he was appointed the first ever Childrens Laureate & in 2005 was created CBE. In Beyond the Page" Blake writes about his projects since 2000 vividly describing his working processes his collaborators his travels & his various projects & commissions including his illustrated walls projects for hospitals in the UK & France. Generously illustrated with 240 full-colour reproductions of his inimitable work this is an unsurpassed collection of Quentin Blakes achievements which together with his fascinating story make it a must for aficionados & professionals alike." ...

Don Spencer's letters from spirit are literally amazing. This book also contains startling revelations from Princess Diana. Beyond The Rainbow" is a book you will read from cover to cover & never be quite the same again. Have you ever wondered what life is like in the next world
- the world we hope to travel to after death? What if you started receiving messages from a dead loved one telling you exactly what it was like to live in the spirit world? This is what happened to Nicola & Rosemary Spencer. " Beyond The Rainbow" will bring comfort to millions who are suffering from bereavement."
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In March 1808 as Napoleon holds Portugal & threatens his old ally Spain Vice-Admiral Sir Richard Bolitho is dispatched once more to the Cape of Good Hope to establish a permanent naval force there. Setting aside his bitter memories & the anguish of a friendship betrayed Bolitho takes passage in the ill-fated Golden Plover. With him sail others commanded by duty & lured by danger
- & those who wish only to escape. But when shipwreck & disaster overtake the Golden Plover off the desolate coast of Africa neither the innocent nor the damned are spared. Beyond the tortured hell of the reef Bolithos battle begins
- to summon the survivors last reserves of courage & hope.

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Learn to crochet make a granny square. It's a simple formula that has held true for decades. Crocheters love granny squares because the technique is simple to learn but the possibilities are endless. Vary the colours. Use the same colours but change their placement. Add unique images. Make the same square over & over but in different sizes. There is much to love about the classic square crochet motif. But if it's hip to make squares imagine the coolness"ient of circles stars triangles & hexagons. Beyond-The-Square Crochet Motifs" introduces crocheters to more than 150 designs of every size & shape. Full-colour photographs capture the intricate details & colour work in each motif & the stitching instructions offer the flexibility of being presented in both text & symbol formats. Each motif can be quickly crocheted & then used as a small embellishment on a larger item or combined with other motifs to create original pieces from baby blankets to tote bags. Edie Eckman inspires readers to see the world of possibility in each motif. Master the technique then let the imagination run wild. Motifs give crocheters the freedom to play with shape colour & texture in patterns that are small & quickly completed. Motifs
- each one a tiny work of art
- are at once addictive & rewarding. With its unexpected range of shapes designs & colour ideas " Beyond-The-Square Crochet Motifs" will keep enthusiasts happy for a very long time!"

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When the fiercest storm in living memory pounds the shores of 19th century Cornwall wrecking ships & bringing death & destruction to seafarers & coastal communities a young girl is found barely alive washed up among the rocks of a remote North Cornish cove. Her arrival & the mystery surrounding her background will affect the lives of those who come to know her & for Alice Kilpeck in particular nothing will ever be the same again. ...

In the untamed outback of Western Australia the Blake sisters are together again despite what seemed like unsurmountable odds. For Cassandra
- reunited again with the man she loves
- the Swan River Colony is a refuge that seems like a miracle after her ordeals. & two of her sisters have fallen in love with their new way of life. But then a messenger arrives from faraway England & it is the fourth sister Pandora who jumps at the chance to make her way back to the Lancashire moors that she misses so badly. The way home though will be even harder than the voyage to Australia. The only ship that can take her & her new protector back to England lies many days' journey away across country that would daunt even a hardened explorer. And when she reaches Outham a devious dangerous enemy will do anything to prevent her from taking charge of her family's inheritance.. .

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