I write this sitting in the kitchen sink. That is my feet are in it; the rest of me is on the draining-board which I have padded with our dog's blanket & the tea-cosy". This is the diary of Cassandra Mortmain which tells of her extraordinary family & their crumbling castle home. Cassandra's father was once a famous writer but now he mainly reads detective novels while his family slide into genteel poverty. Her sister Rose is bored & beautiful & desperate to marry riches. Their step-mother Topaz has habit of striding through the countryside wearing only her wellington boots. But all their lives will be soon be transformed by the arrival of new neighbours from America & Cassandra finds herself falling in love..." ...

At least 5000 years old the I Ching" is a book of oracles containing the whole of human experience. Used for divination it is a method of exploring the unconscious; through the symbolism of its hexagrams we are guided towards the solution of difficult problems & life situations. It can also be read as a book of wisdom revealing the laws of life to which we must all attune ourselves if we are to live in peace & harmony." ...

For centuries THE I CHING OR BOOK OF CHANGES has been consulted for wise advice. Its enduring popularity lies in the lessons it teaches about how to attain life's greatest rewards
- prosperity understanding & peace of mind. On the surface it is merely a book that has survived for thousands of years in many different forms. Underneath however THE I CHING is a living breathing oracle a patient & all-seeing teacher who can be relied upon for flawless advice at every turning point in our lives. Briant Browne Walker's highly accessible translation of THE I CHING OR BOOK OF CHANGES means that you can make the wisdom of the ancient Chinese sages your own. Whether you need specific advice or general guidance THE I CHING will help to promote success & good fortune & impart balance & perspective to your life.
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Join a young boy & girl on thrilling adventures as they imagine themselves as space-travelling astronauts ferocious dragons jungledwelling monkeys & more. The fine line between childrens make-believe & the fantastic worlds they create is cleverly portrayed through Barrouxs bright landscapes. Adventurous scenarios played out by an inventive & spirited boy & girl provide children with inspiration for dressing up & make-believe play. Sensitively conveyed message about the importance of being yourself. A Summer Reading Challenge selection 2011 Illustrated by bestselling French artist Barroux who has also created our Barefoot Young Artist titles Dotty Spotty Doodles & Zig Zag Zebra.

Includes:: a mask-making activity at the end.

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Sir -I understand that the death of (sic) Lee" Alexander Mc Queen could be seen as a major event in the shallow world of fashion. However to allow your Hilary Alexander free rein to express such an amount of emotion over a chap who simply designed a few frocks is as modern speech has it simply "OTT". Sir
- I have said this before & I say it again; the BBC has got to stop its PC assault on the game of mens rugby by using so many rugby-ignorant female commentators. We talk beef not salad dressing. What else will the Telegraphs indefatigable outraged & above all very funny letter-writers fail to get the Letters Page to take seriously in 2010
- with the result that we have to collect their memorable missives in another book? Already there are enough fulminations on Chris Evans replacing Terry Wogan to fill an entire chapter. Gordon Browns temper? Bankers bonuses? E-books? The state of Ashley & Cheryl Coles marriage? One thing is for sure: the result will be the only review of the year you really need a book to make Victor Meldrew look as pure as driven snow & a handsome little volume to sell once again in its tens of thousands."

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Broken into thirty-one parts this book will help readers reach the truth of God's word & how speaking God's promises can bring about His blessings. Each part will open with a faith-building declaration followed by a story to demonstrate the power of God & Scripture references to give testimony to His ability.' May the Lord bless you & protect you. May the Lord smile on you & be gracious to you. May the Lord show you His favour & give you His peace.' (Numbers 6:24-26) ...

One small East African country embodies the battered history of the continent: patronised by colonialists riven by civil war confused by Cold War manoeuvring proud colorful with Africas best espresso & worst rail service. Michela Wrong brilliantly reveals the contradictions & comedy past & present of Eritrea. Just as the beat of a butterflys wings is said to cause hurricanes on the other side of the world so the affairs of tiny Eritrea reverberate onto the agenda of superpower strategists. This new book on Africa is from the author of the critically acclaimed In the Footsteps of Mr Kurtz. Eritrea is a little-known country scarred by decades of conflict & occupation. It has weathered the worlds longest-running guerrilla war & the dogged determination that secured victory against Ethiopia its giant neighbour is woven into the national psyche. Fascist Italy wanted Eritrea as the springboard for a new racially-pure Roman empire Britain sold off its industry for scrap the US needed headquarters for its state-of-the-art spy station & the Soviet Union used it as a pawn in a proxy war. Michela Wrong reveals the breathtaking abuses this tiny nation has suffered & with the sharp eye for detail that was the hallmark of her account of Mobutus Congo she tells the story of colonialism itself. Along the way we meet a formidable Emperor a guerrilla fighter who taught himself French cuisine in the bush & a chemist who arranged the heist of his own laboratory. An arresting blend of travelogue & history I Didnt Do It For You pierces the dark heart of our colonial history. ...

Enjoy the best of Italian food whilst still losing weight! The I diet" combines simple fresh good-quality ingredients for an easy way to shed pounds. The Mediterranean diet is renowned for its health benefits (less saturated fats less processed food more good fats & omega oils more antioxidants) resulting in less heart disease & cancer for those that follow it. & you can enjoy truly delicious dishes
- this is no starve-yourself diet but a healthy living approach to eating with exceptional recipes that can be prepared for breakfast lunch or dinner. With a dietitians advice on what to eat & what not to eat & daily & weekly menu plans so you can easily follow the diet this is an attractive stress-free approach to losing weight."
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Humans are hardwired with five basic food instincts: hunger (we need to feel full & satisfied); variety (we are driven to seek a varied diet); calorie density (we are drawn to foods high in calories); & familiarity & availability (if food is around we eat it). By taking advantage of our biological hardwiring
- by feeding rather than depriving our five food instincts
- we can reach & maintain a desired body weight. Full of tips & strategies (next time you want a high-calorie food like a Big Mac with cheese a small portion between two low-calorie items such as salad & fruit) success stories day-by-day menus & easy-to-follow recipes The I Diet" can help anyone break the vicious cycle of eating more food & enjoying it less. As David A. Kessler M.D. former FDA commissioner & author of the bestselling " The End of Overeating" says We know we eat too much. We want to stop but we cant
- its simply too hard to resist all the high-calorie food out there. That is the problem. With " The I Diet" we have a way to actually regain control of our appetites."


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This is a challenging & controversial book by Chris Hedges which examines & critiques the dangerous creed of the New Atheists belief system. Chris Hedges exposes the central pillars of the New Atheist belief system including a binary world view (us-v-them") a deep intolerance of others ways of being a belief that the West has a right to military domination of the rest of the world & a naive acceptance that all human issues (including the spiritual) can be addressed by science. This book challenges us to reject simplistic utopian visions & face reality however difficult. It is a call to accept the ineluctable limitations of being human." ...