Collecting three comedies that show Aristophanes tackling the consequences of war & social upheaval in Athens with his characteristic wit Lysistrata & Other Plays" is translated from the Greek with an introduction & notes by Alan H. Sommerstein in " Penguin Classics". Writing at a time of political & social crisis in Athens Aristophanes was an eloquent yet bawdy challenger to the demagogue & the sophist. In Lysistrata the titular heroine persuades the women of Greece to withhold sex from their husbands forcing them to end the Peloponnesian War; & in " The Archanians" a lone peasant enters into a private peace treaty with the Spartans much to the chagrin of his fellow Athenians. The darker comedy of " The Clouds" satirises Athenian philosophers " Socrates" in particular & reflects the uncertainties of a generation in which all traditional religious & ethical beliefs were being challenged. For this edition Alan H. Sommerstein has completely revised his translation of the three plays bringing out the full nuances of Aristophanes ribald humour & intricate wordplay with a new introduction explaining the historical & cultural background to the plays. Aristophanes (c.4 45-386 BC) was probably born in Athens. Little is known about his life but there is a portrait of him in " Platos Symposium". He was twice threatened with prosecution in the 420s for his outspoken attacks on the prominent politician Cleon but in 405 he was publicly honoured & crowned for promoting Athenian civic unity in " The Frogs". Aristophanes had his first comedy produced when he was about twenty-one & wrote forty plays in all. The eleven surviving plays of Aristophanes are published in the " Penguin Classics" series as " The Birds & Other Plays" " Lysistrata & Other Plays" " The Wasps & Other Plays" & " The Frogs & Other Plays". If you enjoyed " Lysistrata & Other Plays" you might like Aristophanes " The Birds & Other Plays" also available in " Penguin Classics"." ...

This fascinating collection of old & new photographs of Lytham Fairhaven & Ansdell provides a wonderfully nostalgic look at these towns on Lancashires Fylde coast. In their heyday these towns famous for their gardens mansions spacious streets & luxurious hotels attracted some of the wealthiest people in the country. Businessmen commuted daily into Manchester retired industrialists played golf & the rich sent their children to be educated here. This was also a coast of many contrasts & extremes; as the resorts also welcomed some of the poorest people in the country. Each year charities brought thousands of children from the slums of the industrial towns of the north here to holiday camps & homes. This book will appeal to all who know & love this area whether it be as a home or as a place they come back to year after year. ...

A little learning library using artwork from Eric Carle's classic The Very Hungry Caterpillar". Introducing first concepts this wonderful board book collection makes a perfect first library. Each book is filled with Eric Carle's much-loved collage art & large simple text. Ideal for little hands to hold the sturdy board pages are durable enough to withstand the rough & tumble of toddlers. Preschoolers will love learning with " The Very Hungry Caterpillar"! Eric Carle is an internationally bestselling & award-winning author & illustrator of books for very young children. Eric lives in Massachusetts with his wife Barbara. The Carles opened The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Massachusetts in 2002. Don't miss all the other " Very Hungry Caterpillar" & Eric Carle books: " The Very Hungry Caterpillar"; " Eric Carle's Very Special Baby Book"; " Polar Bear Polar Bear What do You Hear?"; " The Very busy Spider"; " The Very Quiet Cricket"; " The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse"; "1 2 3 to the Zoo"; " Baby Bear Baby Bear What do you See?"; " The Very Hungry Caterpillar Pop-Up Book"; " Polar Bear Polar Bear What Do You Hear?" ; " The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Buggy Book"; " Brown Bear Brown Bear What Do You See?"; " The Bad-Tempered Ladbybird"; " The Very Hungry Caterpillar: Little Learning Library"; " The Very Hungry Caterpillar: Touch & Feel Playbook"; " My Very First Book of Words". Also

Includes:: Eric Carle books: " The Very Hungry Caterpillar Book & Toy"; " Little Cloud"; " Today is Monday"; " My Very First Book of Shapes"; " The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Sound Book"; " The Very Hungry Caterpillar"; " From Head to Toe"; " The Very Hungry Caterpillar Big Board Book"; " Draw Me a Star"; " Mister Seahorse"; " Do You want to be My Friend?"; " The Tiny Seed"; " The Mixed-up Chameleon"; " The Very Hungry Caterpillar: Book & CD"; " Baby Bear Baby Bear What do you See?"; " The Very Hungry Caterpillar Board Book & Block Set"; " Rooster's Off to See the World"; " Count with the Very Hungry Caterpillar: Sticker Book"; " My Very First Book of Colours"; " The Very Hungry Caterpillar: Finger Puppet Book"; " My Own Very Busy Spider Colouring Book"; " Slowly Slowly Slowly Said the Sloth"; & " The Very Hungry Caterpillar & Friends: My Very First Annual"."

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The Collins Gem Latin Dictionary offers the learner of Latin extensive coverage of Latin & English in a compact portable format. The Collins Latin Gem is designed for all learners of Latin & comes with a handy index of geographical names * The Collins Latin Gem Dictionary offers extensive coverage of Latin & English. * The perfect complement to the dictionary
- a handy supplement of Latin verbs & nouns. * The clear layout ensures that you can find the information you want quickly & easily. Other titles available in the Collins Latin dictionary range are the Collins Latin Dictionary & Grammar & the Collins Pocket Latin Dictionary.
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The Last Straw" is the rib-tickling belly-aching & laugh-out-loud third title in the bestselling & award-winning " Diary of a Wimpy Kid" series by Jeff Kinney. Perfect for both boys & girls of 8+ reluctant readers & all the millions of devoted Wimpy Kid fans out there. " The Last Straw" was also combined with " Dog Days" the fourth book in the series to become the major movie hit at the box-office " Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days". The third hilarious book in the bestselling phenomenon that is the " Diary of a Wimpy Kid" series. You know how you're supposed to come up with a list of "resolutions" at the beginning of the year to try to make yourself a better person? Well the problem is it's not easy for me to think of ways to improve myself because I'm pretty much one of the best people I know. But Greg's dad has other ideas. He wants Greg to change his wimpy ways toughen up & enlist in other 'manly' endeavours. & when he threatens to send Greg to military academy Greg realizes he has to shape up...or get shipped out. Praise for Jeff Kinney & the " Diary of a Wimpy Kid" series: " The world has gone crazy for Jeff Kinney's " Diary of a Wimpy Kid" series". (" Sun"). " Kinney is right up there with J K Rowling as one of the bestselling children's authors on the planet". (" Independent"). " Hilarious!". (" Sunday Telegraph"). " The most hotly anticipated children's book of the year is here
- " Diary of a Wimpy Kid". (" The Big Issue"). As well as being an international bestselling author Jeff Kinney is also an online developer & designer. He is the creator of the children's virtual world poptropica where you can also find the Wimpy Kid boardwalk. He was named one of " Time" magazine's 100 Most Influential People in 2009. He lives with his family in Massachusetts USA."
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Rook Barkwater lives in the network of sewer-chambers beneath Undertown the bustling main city of the Edgeworld. He dreams of becoming a librarian knight
- one of those sent out to explore the mysteries of their world. Somewhere out there lie the secrets of the past
- including the lost floating city of Sanctaphrax
- & maybe hope for a future free from the fear of tyranny. When his chance comes Rook grabs it! Breaking all the rules he sets out on a journey to the Free Glades & beyond. His luck & determination lead him from one peril to another until buried in the heart of the Deepwoods Rook encounters a mysterious character
- the last sky pirate
- & is thrust into a bold adventure that dares to challenge the might of the dread Guardians of the Night.




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It was the week before Thanksgiving when Kinsey Millhone first heard the sad story of the late Johnny Lee the World War II fighter pilot of whom rather mysteriously the military authorities have no record. His family are concerned -- perhaps Kinsey could make a few calls straighten things out? Then Johnny's apartment is ransacked. In the debris a hidden safe is uncovered -- & in that safe is a mysterious key marked LAWLESS. That night Kinsey's on a plane to Dallas at the start of a thrilling rollercoaster ride through Texas & Kentucky on the trail of long-buried treasure. Unfortunately there's a fire-raising psychopath on her tail.. . And she's going to be late for a very important wedding.. .' An alphabet of prime puzzles' Sunday Times ...

The seventh novel in the Rougon-Macquart cycle LAssommoir (1877) is the story of a womans struggle for happiness in working-class Paris. It was a contemporary bestseller outraged conservative critics & launched a passionate debate about the legitimate scope of modern literature. At the centre of the novel stands Gervaise who starts her own laundry & for a time makes a success of it. But her husband Coupeau squanders her earnings in the Assommoir the local drinking shop & gradually the pair sink into poverty & squalor. LAssommoir is the most finely crafted of Zolas novels & this new translation captures not only the brutality but also the pathos of its characters lives. This book is a pwerful indictment of nineteenth-century social conditions & the introduction examines its relation to politics & art as well as its explosive effect on the literary scene. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford Worlds Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxfords commitment to scholarship providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features including expert introductions by leading authorities helpful notes to clarify the text up-to-date bibliographies for further study & much more. ...

The small commune of Fogas in the French Pyrenees has been thrown into turmoil by the revelation that the Auberge des Deux Vallees has been bought by an English couple & not by the Mayors brother-in-law as had been expected. With everyone aghast at the idea of an English run restaurant & the certainty of gastronomic disasters Mayor Serge Papon is in the mood to take revenge. Within hours of hearing the news he has called an emergency Committee meeting & his machinations to force out the new owners have begun. But the Mayor hasnt reckoned on one of his deputies Christian Dupuy whose conscience always leads his politics. Refusing to condone Mayor Papons calls to compulsory purchase the Auberge he proposes an alternative solution which will prevent the Mayor from getting his own way. Or will it.. . ...

The woman was one of those irritating expat types who felt she owed it to the world to impart on her all her superior knowledge of life in France. I realised that if I didn't stop her now she'd be bending my ear all the way to Bergerac. ' Actually ' I said leaning in toward the woman 'I'm planning to integrate my way into the boxers of the first good-looking Frenchman I see. Can't think of any better way to learn the language myself. You wouldn't happen to know the French for fancy a shag?" would you? Voulez-vous coucher avec moi just seems a bit nineteen-seventies these days.' After one particularly bad day at work advertising executive & confirmed city girl Melanie Jones decides to give up her old life in search of something new & simpler in South West France. With little knowledge of the country even less of the language & just the memory of a disastrous school French exchange & a few day trips to Calais she embarks on her adventure with a suitcase full of optimism & not a little bit of naivety. After all how different can life in France be? After a series of adventures with skirt-ripping tractors handsome twin farmers celebrity not-quite-beens unusual toilets & a bonkers ex-pat community all topped up of course with lashings of rose Melanie begins to discover that her new life in France isn't quite what she'd thought it would be." ...