From the very beginning Caesars story makes dazzling reading. In his late teens he narrowly avoided execution for opposing the military dictator Sulla. He was decorated for valour in battle captured & held to ransom by pirates & almost bankrupted himself by staging games for the masses. As a politician he quickly gained a reputation as a dangerously ambitious maverick. By his early 30s he had risen to the position of Consul & was already beginning to dominate the Senate. His affairs with noblewomen were both frequent & scandalous. His greatest skill outside the bedroom was as a military commander. In a string of spectacular victories he conquered all of Gaul invaded Germany & twice landed in Britain
- an achievement which in 55BC was greeted with a public euphoria comparable to that generated by the moon landing in 1969. In just thirty years he had risen from a position of virtual obscurity to become one of the richest men in the world with the power single-handedly to overthrow the Republic. By his death he was effectively emperor of most of the known world.
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The Cafe Racer captures the very essence of motorcycling with its stripped-to-the-bone styling & a timeless blend of cat-quick chassis matched to a barn-storming engine. From its roots in the 59 Club home-brewed specials & the creation of the Triton by Dave Degens the Cafe Racer became the must-have Rockers motorbike. It then became the template for a new generation of fast road riders in the 1970s with the rise of Dunstall Rickman Seeley & many more bespoke bike builders. The factories jumped on the bandwagon. Machines like the Moto Guzzi Le Mans Mk I Ducati 900SS & the MV Agusta 750S all captured the spirit of the Cafe Racer. Then the slick super fast Japanese sport bikes of the 80s came along & looked set to consign the Cafe Racer special to the history books. But a revival had to happen. The Ace Cafe London re-opened bike builders as diverse as Wakan Fred Krugger Nick Gale & Roland Sands all began to create lean back-to-basics motorcycles but with their own unique twist on Cafe Racer heritage. From the Buell 1125 CR to the Guzzi V7 Sport mainstream modern bikes have also re-discovered their street racing soul. Packed with previously unseen photos machine profiles interviews & personal anecdotes from the glory days of Cafe Racer culture this book takes a look at the enduring cult of the Cafe Racer in all its ton-up glory. ...

The 1970s was the era of the cafe racer in its second phase that of the specialist manufacturers. Certain mainstream marques such as Ducati Moto Guzzi Laverda & Yamaha also catered for this emerging market by producing production factory cafe racers such as the 900SS [ Ducati] Le Mans [ Guzzi] Mongich [ Laverda] & RD Series [ Yamaha]. ...

In just four months in 2009 Sri Lankas 26 year-old desperate civil war came to a brutal & bloody end on a desolate stretch of beach in the islands north east. Tens of thousands of civilians were killed when the government decimated the guerilla organisation the Tamil Tigers. Gordon Weiss witnessed the conflict at first hand as a UN spokesman in Colombo. His devastating account unravels the compelling history that led up to that final horrific episode peeling back the Sri Lankan governments cloak of silence to reveal the truth of those tragic events. ...

Into the house. Down the stairs. Through the dripping dark of the cellar. Someone is there. Someone that shouldn't be there. As a building awaits demolition a horrifying discovery is made inside the basement: a cage made from human bones
- with a terrified feral child lurking within. Unbeknownst to DI Phil Brennan & psychologist Marina Esposito they have disturbed a killer who has been operating undetected for thirty years. A killer who wants that boy back. But the cage of bones is also a box of secrets
- secrets linking Brennan to the madman in their midst. With the death toll rising & the city reeling in terror Brennan & Marina race to expose a predator more soullessly evil than any they've ever faced
- one who is hiding in plain sight.


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Written by a teenage dyspraxic this inspiring book is a unique practical guide for dyspraxics & those around them struggling & determined to get to grips with the social physical & psychological chaos caused by developmental co-ordination disorders (DCDs). In her own conversational style Victoria Biggs discusses both the primary effects of her learning difference
- disorganization clumsiness & poor short-term memory
- & the secondary difficulties she & other dyspraxics encounter including bullying low self-esteem & loneliness. She offers down-to-earth advice on a wide range of issues from body language puberty health & hygiene to family life & social skills. Personal stories & this-is-what-its-like-for-me accounts from other dyspraxic adolescents are also included. Her positive & practical approach & profound empathy with others in her situation make this book a must-read for dyspraxics their parents & other family members & for professionals working with them.

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Raised a Muslim but increasingly outraged by her religions hostility towards women Ayaan Hirsi Ali has now become one of todays most talked-about admired & controversial political figures because of her desire to free women from an oppressive Muslim culture. Her bestselling collection of essays THE CAGED VIRGIN now available in English for the first time brings together some of her most passionate & compelling writing on a wide range of issues concerning Islam. Drawing on her own first-hand experience & cultural background she assesses the role of women in Islam both in practice & in theory; the rights of the individual; fanaticism; & Western policies towards immigrant communities. Provocative & compelling in equal measure THE CAGED VIRGIN is an important addition to the ongoing debate about the clash of civilizations & marks the debut of a writer & activist destined to be one of the key international figures of the early twenty-first century. ...

The bestselling series returns with an even deadlier challenge as a new enemy is revealed to be searching for The 39 Clues too... Amy & Dans race to save the hostages continues. Where will it lead them next? More titles available: CAHILLS VS VESPERS 1: THE MEDUSA PLOT (9780545298391) CAHILLS VS VESPERS 2: A KINGS RANSOM (9780545298407) & CAHILLS VS VESPERS 3: THE DEAD OF NIGHT (9780545298414). ...

The bestselling series returns with an even deadlier challenge as a new enemy is revealed to be searching for The 39 Clues too... Amy & Dan's race to save the hostages reaches its thrilling conclusion. Who will be victorious? The Cahills or the Vespers? More Library editions available: CAHILLS VS VESPERS 1: THE MEDUSA PLOT (9780545324090) CAHILLS VS VESPERS 2: A KING'S RANSOM (970545324106) CAHILLS VS VESPERS 3: THE DEAD OF NIGHT (9780545324120) CAHILLS VS VESPERS 4: SHATTERPROOF (9780545324137) & CAHILLS VS VESPERS 5 (9780545324151). ...

The official study text for the Level I Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) exam The Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) designation is the financial industry's first & only globally recognized program that prepares professionals to deal with the ever-growing field of alternative investments. The second edition of CAIA Level I: An Introduction to Core Topics in Alternative Investments contains comprehensive insights on the alternative investment issues a potential Level I candidate would need to know about as they prepare for the exam. The information found here will help you build a solid foundation in alternative investment markets--with coverage of everything from the characteristics of various strategies within each alternative asset class to portfolio management concepts central to alternative investments. Uses investment analytics to examine each alternative asset class Examines quantitative techniques used by investment professionals Addresses the unique attributes associated with the alternative investment space Offers an online study guide outlining learning objectives & keywords This book is a must-have resource for anyone contemplating taking the CAIA Level I exam. So if you're ready to take your first step toward the CAIA charter take the time to understand the insights offered here. ...