Elite athletes arent born. Theyre made. Michael Johnson From a living icon of the Olympic Games
- as both an athlete & now as a
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In 1945 US Intelligence officers in Manila discovered that the Japanese had hidden large quantities of gold bullion & other looted treasure in the Philippines. President Truman decided to recover the gold but to keep its riches secret. These would be combined with treasure recovered inside Japan during the US occupation & with Nazi loot recovered in Europe to create a worldwide American political action fund to fight communism. Overseen by General Mac Arthur President Truman & John Foster Dulles this Black Gold" gave Washington virtually limitless unaccountable funds providing an asset base to reinforce the treasuries of America's allies to bribe political & military leaders & to manipulate elections in foreign countries for more than fifty years. Drawing on a vast range of original documents & thousands of hours of interviews Gold Warriors exposes one of the great state secrets of the twentieth century." ...

The Brit Writers' Awards (www.britwriters.co.uk) is nothing short of a writing & publishing phenomenon. It has attracted tens of thousands of entries in its eight categories & is offering the largest prize ever for unpublished writers in a creative writing competition. Infinite Ideas will publish this year's deserved winner of the Children's story category Catherine Cooper's wonderful novel The Golden Acorn. When Jack Brenin finds a golden acorn lying in the grass little does he know that it is the beginning of a thrilling & magical adventure. Just an ordinary boy Jack has been chosen for a hugely important task & enters a world he believed only existed in legend. Full of twists & turns talking ravens & mischievous Spriggans The Golden Acorn is a hugely entertaining & exciting tale from a very talented new author. Your kids will love it & so will you! ...

Moving between Spanish conquest abroad & the court of the astute Charles V Hugh Thomas The Golden Age: The Spanish Empire of Charles V" is the second volume in a planned trilogy on the Spanish Empire. When the Spanish conquistadors arrived in South America in the sixteenth century they swept across the continent in a blaze of imperial expansion & brutal savagery. Beginning with the return of the remnants of Magellans circumnavigation in 1522 & ending with Charles death in 1558 Hugh Thomas masterful work brilliantly brings to life one of the most extraordinary periods of the Renaissance revealing how the Spaniards were able to conquer Guatemala Yucatan Columbia Venezuela Peru & Chile; how the audacious conquistador Francisco de Orellana sailed down the Amazon why Cabeza de Vaca walked from Florida to Mexico & what drove Hernando de Soto to pursue worldly riches in Florida Mississippi & Georgia. While adventurers & explorers like Cortes & Pizarro build entire cities & amassed vast wealth from the treasures of the land they also killed thousands & left the indelible mark of Spains language & religion for centuries to come. " Thomas tells the story of missionary zeal & military plunder with a zest worthy of a swashbuckling historical novelist". (" The Times"). "A riveting story of adventure & cruelty.. .a considerable scholarly accomplishment". (Ben Wilson " Daily Telegraph"). " This monumental history is an extraordinary achievement...A beguilingly-written account of a fascinating subject". (Alexander Samson " The Times Higher Education"). Supplement Hugh Thomas is the author of among other books " The Spanish Civil War" (1962) which won the Somerset Maugham Award " Cuba: The Pursuit of Freedom" (1971) " An Unfinished History of the World" (1979) & the first volume of his " Spanish Empire trilogy Rivers of Gold" (2003)." ...

From some of the earliest attempts at art to the plant hunters of the nineteenth & twentieth centuries the images produced in the study of plants have held a fascination for all those who love nature. The Golden Age of Botanical Art" brings together the stories of the intrepid explorers (some of whom became botanical artists by default) & the many professional artists who recorded the flora that they discovered on their travels & expeditions. Truly global in its scope this beautifully illustrated book moves across centuries & continents looking at the artistry of China & India delving into the sketchbooks of explorers in the Himalayas & following the voyages of those who discovered new worlds & new species as far apart as Russian & South America. Alongside special features on key figures in the botanical art world the book highlights the work of some of the great names of botanical art including Ehret & Bauer. " The Golden Age of Botanical Art"

Includes:: a host of rarely or previously unpublished images & shows how what might have been a pastime for some also made a significant contribution to our understanding of the world & the glories of nature."

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In June of 1938 Action Comics debuted with a new kind of comic book character on its cover: A costumed man with two identities who possessed extraordinary strength & powers a man able to protect the public when ordinary measures would not do. He was not the first super hero but the Man of Steel would become the prototype for all super heroes thereafter. Superman's story & those of Batman Wonder Woman & hundreds of other DC Comics characters are all told in The Golden Age of DC Comics". The single most comprehensive book on the subject this volume traces the company's first decades from its pulp origins up to the comic book burnings of the Mc Carthy '50s in over 400 pages bursting with comics art comics photographs & more comics. Plus an exclusive interview with legendary Sgt. Rock/ Hawkman artist Joe Kubert! TASCHEN's series on "DC Comics" explores the origins of comics' most enduring legends & the behind-the-scenes stories of the men who created them era by era. Expanded from the Eisner Award
- winning XL book "75 Years of DC Comics" this new series hits the shelf at a reader friendly size with essays updated by author Paul Levitz & over 500 new images across five volumes. Thousands of covers & interiors original illustrations photographs film stills & collectibles have been reproduced using the latest technology to bring the story lines the characters & their creators to vibrant life making this an invaluable reference for comics fans."
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The post-war era was British speedways golden age. Ten million spectators passed through the turnstiles of a record number of tracks at the sports peak. With league gates as high as 80 000 speedway offered a colourful means of escape from the grim austerity of the times. A determinedly clean image with no betting & rival fans mingling on the terraces made speedway the family night out of choice. The sport thrived despite punitive taxation & Government threats to close down the speedways as a threat to industrial productivity. A three-division National League stretched from Exeter to Edinburgh & the World Championship Final attracted a capacity audience to Wembley. Test matches against Australia provided yet another international dimension. Even at the height of its popularity speedway was a sporting edifice built on unstable foundations which crumbled alarmingly as the 1950s dawned & Britains economic & social recovery brought competing attractions like television. ...

Was the Golden Age of Spain in the sixteenth century an illusion? By introducing & examining some of the key issues & themes involved Henry Kamen offers a balanced discussion of this question. The second edition of this book has been thoroughly revised & rewritten in the light of recent research while new chapters have been added which cover such material as religion & culture. ...

From Chocolate Coconut Cupcakes & Apple & Strawberry Pie to Lemon Yogurt Cake & Cherry Doughnuts this beautifully illustrated & easy-to-follow guide to creating scrumptious freshly baked treats will delight every time & for every type of social occasion. With more than 300 luscious recipes
- for cookies muffins cupcakes butter cakes layer cakes pies & tarts pastries yeast cakes & savouries
- this is the only baking book you will ever need. All the recipes in The Golden Book of Baking have been graded by difficulty & can easily be prepared at home with a well-stocked pantry & some basic kitchen equipment. There are a few more challenging recipes for those who want to test their skills! These include Almond Berry Supreme Red Fruit Dacquoise & Chocolate Eclairs. Happy baking!

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A scrumptious dessert makes the perfect finish to any meal whether it be a week-night or weekend lunch or supper for the family & friends or an elegant formal dinner party. Here you will find more than 250 delectable dessert ideas ranging form flans custards mousses trifles charlottes ice creams & meringues to layer cakes & rolls pies tarts puddings souffles crepes fritters & pastries. The Golden Book of Desserts also

Includes:: many step-by-steps sequences explaining basic techniques. This is the one-stop dessert book for home cooks. Enjoy!

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