Harvard professor Robert Langdon receives an urgent late-night phone call while on business in Paris: the elderly curator of the Louvre Jacques Saunlere has been brutally murdered inside the museum. Alongside the body police have found a series of baffling codes. As Langdon & a gifted French cryptologist Sophie Neveu begin to sort through the bizarre riddles they are stunned to find a trail that leads to the works of Leonardo Da Vinci
- & suggests the answer to a mystery that stretches deep into the vault of history. Langdon suspects the late curator was involved in the Priory of Sion
- a centuries old secret society
- & has sacrificed his life to protect the Priorys most sacred trust: the location of a vastly important religious relic hidden for centuries. But it now appears that Opus Del a clandestinesect that has long plotted to seize the Prirorys secret has now made its move. Unless Langdon & Neveu can decipher the labyrinthine code & quickly assemble the pleces of the puzzle the Priorys secret
- & a stunning historical truth
- will be lost forever... Breaking the mould of traditional suspense novels The Da Vinci Code is simultaneously lightning-paced intelligent & intricately layered with remarkable research & detail. From the opening pages to the unpredictable & stunning conclusion Dan Brown proves himself to be a master storyteller.




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This title presents a dazzling array of invention insight & observation from perhaps the greatest genius of Western civilisation. Towering across time as the painter of the Mona Lisa forever famous as a sculptor & an inventor Leonardo da Vinci was one of the greatest minds of both the Italian Renaissance & Western civilisation. His celebrated notebooks display the astonishing range of his genius. Dan Browns The Da Vinci Code" & recent in-depth biographies have stimulated renewed interest in Leonardo & his complex & enquiring intelligence. This br&-new selection of sketches diagrams & writings from the notebooks is a beautiful & varied record of Leonardos theories & observations embracing not only art but also architecture town planning engineering naval warfare music medicine mathematics science & philosophy. Complete with a short biographical essay describing Leonardos life & achievements this is the perfect introduction to a mysterious & endlessly fascinating genius." ...

Imagine you have an old painting a Madonna & Child that has been in your family for years. It is beautiful serene & spellbinding. It hangs on your wall & for a long time you take it for granted. But curiosity to know more about it gradually grows until it becomes irresistible. You call in the experts. They get excited. What if that old family painting was thought to be by a pupil of Leonardo da Vinci
- or even the great master himself? You start researching communicating with academics & institutions all over the world. The results of your research are nothing short of astounding. What would you do if that painting pointed to one of the greatest heresies of our time? & what if it revealed an incredible story that the Roman Catholic Church has been desperate to keep secret at all costs for centuries? Da Vincis Last Commission by Fiona McLaren is one of the most astonishing detective stories in the history of art. It is also an account of the courage & tenacity of a woman who challenged the international art establishment orthodox history & the Church in her quest for the truth.
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Your first child will change your life. But what if you have three at the same time! Eleven years ago Ian Mucklejohn had triplet sons as a single father & was outnumbered three to one from the very beginning. Ian had to do it all by himself: juggle organise cook keep sane stay calm & handle every obstacle. There was always one hand short one child who felt left out or needed an extra hug. Ian has gathered the best stories of his sons over the years: the hilarious moments the fights & crocodile tears the tough questions to which there is no right answer. You may well recognise yourself
- just multiply by three & deduct one parent! Lars Piers & Ian Mucklejohn live in Newbury with their single father Ian. After studying English Ian's first job was as a postman after which he became a teacher.
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The Dad Manual" is aimed at fathers who want to involve their sons & daughters in a variety of projects & activities & also build them traditional play equipment
- from go-karts to wendy houses. Getting kids away from computer games & spending quality time with their families is recognised to be a good thing & this manual will give dads (and mums) plenty of inspiration to keep them entertained for hours
- whether its for a weekend a long car journey or a wet bank holiday. There are projects suitable for all ages of children with guidance on duration & skills required for each exercise. Each subject is accompanied by clear colour photographs or diagrams & written in a light-hearted accessible style."

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Dads Army has been an enduring highlight of the small screen since its debut on British television in 1968. The show which follows the exploits of the Home Guard of Walmington-on-Sea a fictional seaside town on the south coast of England ran for nine series in total comprising 80 episodes & regularly attracted viewing figures of over 18 million at the height of its popularity. Today it is still shown weekly on BBC 2 & was recently placed fourth in a BBC poll of Britains Best Sitcoms Ever. The show has permeated British society with the characters signature catchphrases (particularly Captain Mainwarings Stupid boy!) having entered the lexicon of popular culture. Such is its appeal that in August 2008 Jonathan Ross paid tribute to Dads Army with an hour-long special looking back on the shows success & reliving its funniest moments. Yet Dads Army is also credited with drawing attention to the important role that Local Defence Volunteers (later known as the Home Guard) played in the Second World War in guarding coastal areas of Britain & other important industrial & military sites such as factories & explosives stores & in observing & reporting enemy aircraft. Bill Pertwee found fame as ARP Warden Hodges in the series & has put together a comprehensive tribute to all aspects of the show. This book

Includes:: extensive features on the two creators of Dads Army Jimmy Perry & David Croft along with biographies of the whole cast of actors who brought this British comedy classic to life paying particular attention to such memorable figures as Arthur Lowe (Captain Mainwaring) John Le Mesurier (Sergeant Wilson) Clive Dunn (Corporal Jones) & Ian Lavender (Private Pike). As an integral part of the show itself Bill Pertwee is uniquely positioned to give an intimate view of his co-stars their families & the supporting production team. His colourful account

Includes:: many hilarious incidents on & off the set such as filming for Columbia Pictures & being invited to tea at 10 Downing Street. Numerous colour photos as well as a fine selection of well-reproduced original stills supplement the informative text & a full episode listing is included together with articles on the many Dads Army spin-offs & side projects including the highly successful stage play movie adaptation & radio series.



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Practical hands-on information for fathers-to-be Dad's Guide to Pregnancy For Dummies is packed with practical straightforward information for fathers-to-be covering all of the logistical physical & emotional aspects of pregnancy from a dad's unique point of view. When it comes to pregnancy dads' roles have changed so much in the past few decades that expectant fathers don't always know where to turn to for guidance & advice on this milestone event. Now they do! Dad's Guide to Pregnancy For Dummies covers: What to expect at doctor's visits Tips for being a supportive partner during pregnancy & preparing for fatherhood Advice on birth plans labour & delivery & the first days & weeks of a baby's life Packed with helpful information on the typical struggles & feelings expectant fathers face Dad's Guide to Pregnancy For Dummies gives first-time fathers & veteran dads alike a wealth of useful information. ...

The avant-garde movements of Dada & Surrealism continue to have a huge influence on cultural practice especially in contemporary art with its obsession with sexuality fetishism & shock tactics. In this new treatment of the subject Hopkins focuses on the many debates surrounding these movements: the Marquis de Sades Surrealist deification issues of quality (How good is Dali?) the idea of the readymade attitudes towards the city the impact of Freud attitudes to women fetishism & primitivism. The international nature of these movements is examined covering the cities of Zurich New York Berlin Cologne Barcelona Paris London & recenlty discovered examples in Eastern Europe. Hopkins explores the huge range of media employed by both Dada & Surrealism (collage painting found objects performance art photography film) whilst at the same time establishing the aesthetic differences between the movements. He also examines the Dadaist obsession with the body-as-mechanism in relation to the Surrealists return to the fetishized/eroticized body. ...

This is a funny fatherhood memoir that chronicles how a real man learned to become a real dad without giving up his real manhood. A fresh take on the foibles pratfalls & occasional successes of fatherhood Dadditude" is a rollicking new twist on the "daddy book". Lerman an older dad spins a yarn about his trek from producing " Americas Most Wanted"
- one of Americas longest-running network television shows
- to tackling one of the longest-running jobs known to man: full-time parenthood. Going in Lerman believes that mums are like God
- most of their important work is done in the first week so after that they can rest on their laurels. Dads on the other hand he figures are the Avis rent-a-cars of parenthood always trying harder. But surprise: Even his many years of highly structured management experience have left him unprepared for the chaos that awaits him. Ultimately Lerman learns that good parenting isnt about your gender & that controlling your child is paradoxically a matter of learning to let go. By turns poignant & hilarious " Dadditude" shows that in the process of almost losing your mind you can find your heart."


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Ages birth to 2 years. Written in a simple question-based format Daddy Do You Love Me?" is a perfect opportunity for fathers to express their love to their little ones. The repetitive questions & adorable photographs remind fathers of just how important a role they play in their babys life. The precious photography playful questions & sturdy board book construction will make this book a favourite bonding moment for daddy & baby." ...