Blue-Water Empire" is Robert Hollands magnificent narrative of Britains military & cultural ties with the Mediterranean Sea in the style of the epic naval histories of N. A. M. Rodger. Britain has been a major presence in the Mediterranean from the Battle of the Nile to the end of empire as both a military & a colonising force on the islands & coastlines of the sea. Robert Holland traces the fascinating story of that presence from its legacies in culture language & law to the Mediterraneans own influence on Britain. Evoking the conflicts & contrasts between British & local societies caught up in dramatic events as well as their mutual resilience under pressure " Blue Water Empire" charts with vigour flair & clarity the British experience in the Mediterranean in the age of empire. Reviews: " An important corrective to current historical amnesia...the definitive account of Anglo-Mediterranean history for years to come". (Amanda Foreman " New Statesman"). "A rich & readable account of the British in the Middle Sea... As Hollands learned lucid & enjoyable work makes clear many British politicians saw the Mediterranean as the pre-eminent global strategic arena representing the key to victory in Europe & Asia". (Dominic Sandbrook " Sunday Times"). " This is an important subject & it has never before been drawn together into a single coherent narrative..." Blue-Water Empire" puts the land not the sea at the heart of the story". (" Literary Review"). " Robert Hollands masterly history of the Mediterranean is a pleasure to read. " Blue-Water Empire" shows how Britains mastery of the Middle Sea shaped the modern world whilst reminding us how profoundly the Mediterranean has influenced the British". (Simon Ball (author of " The Bitter Sea: The Struggle for Mastery in the Mediterranean" 1935-1949)). " Lively & absorbing". (Philip Mansel " Spectator"). About the author: Robert Holland is one of the worlds leading historians of the Mediterranean & the author of " Britain & the Revolt in Cyprus" 1954-59 & (with Diana Markides) " The British & the Hellenes: Struggles for Mastery in the Eastern Mediterranean" 1850-1960. He holds professorial positions at the Centre for Hellenic Studies in Kings College London & the Institute of Commonwealth Studies in the same University." ...

During World War II Mary Smallwood went with her family to live on a farm in a Warwickshire country village. Bluebells & Gypsies" is a record of those early childhood years. Memories of that idyllic time have stayed with her vividly not as a historic record but colouring the rest of her life. After leaving school she trained as a State Registered Nurse & a Health Visitor in Birmingham & was also a freelance writer. She married Birmingham journalist John Daniels & is a mother & grandmother. Mary now raises money for charities through her membership of International Inner Wheel." ...

Since the early 1920s the name Bluebird has been synonymous with world speed record breaking on land & water. Driven first by Sir Malcolm Campbell then his son Donald & latterly by Donald's nephew Donald Wales in electric powered vehicles they have consistently pushed records ever higher. This book is the story of the design & construction of the fastest of the Bluebirds the Campbell-Norris 7 (CN7). This car now resident in the National Motor Museum at England is the most sophisticated design ever produced for a wheel-driven record breaker. Using methods & materials developed for the aircraft industry the CN7 given suitable running conditions was capable in 1960 of a speed exceeding that produced by the present wheel-driven record holder 19 years later. The author was first employed by the designers Norris Brothers Ltd as a design draughtsman on the Bluebird K7 hydroplane. After completing his National Service in the RAF he rejoined the company to work with the two chief designers developing the

Specification for CN7 & he later became project coordinator for its construction.

...

The philosophy of the blues From B.B. King to Billie Holiday Blues music not only sounds good but has an almost universal appeal in its reflection of the trials & tribulations of everyday life. Its ability to powerfully touch on a range of social & emotional issues is philosophically inspiring & here a diverse range of thinkers & musicians offer illuminating essays that make important connections between the human condition & the Blues that will appeal to music lovers & philosophers alike. ...

Do you wish you could play your favorite blues music on guitar? Even if you dont read music its not difficult with Blues Guitar for Dummies. With this hands-on guide youll pick up the fundamentals instantly & start jamming like your favorite blues artists! Blues Guitar for Dummies covers all aspects of blues guitar showing you how to play scales chords progressions riffs solos & more! Its packed with musical examples chords charts & photos that let you explore the genre & play the songs of the great blues musicians. This accessible guide will give you the skills you need to:* Choose the right guitar equipment & strings* Hold tune & get situated with your guitar* Play barre chords & strum to the rhythm* Recognize the structure of a blues song* Tackle musical riffs* Master melodies & solos* Make your guitar sing cry & wail* Jam to any type of blues In addition to this must-have book a bonus CD is included so that you can listen to famous songs practice your riffs & chords & develop your style as a blues musician. It also features a quick guide to musical notation & suggestions on albums artists & guitars for further enjoyment. With Blues Guitar for Dummies you can re-create the masterpieces of the blues legend without the expensive lessons! ...

THE BLUEST EYE chronicles the tragic torn lives of a poor black family in 1940s Ohio: Pauline Cholly Sam & Pecola. Pecola unlovely & unloved prays each night for blue eyes like those of her privileged blond white schoolfellows. She becomes the focus of the mingled love & hatred engendered by her family's frailty & the world's cruelty as the novel moves toward a savage but poignant resolution. ...

When Ernest Fletcher is found bludgeoned to death in his study everyone is shocked & mystified: Ernest was well-liked & respected so who would have a motive for killing him? Enter Superintendent Hannasyde who with consummate skill begins to uncover the complexities of Fletchers life. It seems the real Fletcher was far from the gentleman he pretended to be. There is in fact no shortage of people who wanted him dead. Then a second murder is committed with striking similarities to the first giving a grotesque twist to a very unusual case. ...

Lenny Smile has been run over by a steamroller. He used to run a children's charity called Dream Time financed by millionaire Joe Carter. Now Carter wants to know what happened to Smile... & to his money. Unfortunately he's hired the Diamond Brothers
- the world's worst private detectives
- to solve the mystery!

...

Blurton situated on the outskirts of the Stoke-on-Trent Potteries has always been agricultural. It was originally created out of the ' Waste' by the religious house at Trentham which had been attracted to the area by the natural springs of Cauldwell & Blorewell
- the latter giving its name to the village. It was still regarded as a village right up until the 1950s when large council housing estates sprang up around it built to house the arriving 'strangers'. The only structure to withstand the march of time is the ancient church & this book starts its journey there. The pictures follow a circular route around the area taking in the many farms mills & cottages that characterise this pretty rural village. Virtually nothing remains of most buildings featured so the odd field image is essential to show where they stood. Take the book with you & walk the route
- happy hunting!

...

Funny full of surprises & always arousing this is a brilliant collection of stories about innocent young women drawn into scenarios that result in the sensual pleasures of spanking. Girls who feel compelled to manipulate & engineer situations in which older authority figures punish them over their laps desks or chairs. ...