The definitive biography of Imran Khan the former Pakistan cricket captain & all-rounder -- the Oxbridge graduate & vociferous campaigner; the devout Muslim whose kaleidoscopic social life flooded the gossip columns; the man who raised $60 million for cancer research & who is now one of the most important political figures in Pakistan. On one thing Imran Khan's friends & enemies agree: it all began with the leopard print satin trousers. In November 1974 the Cricketer International published an article about the new elite group of young talented players 'into concepts like fashion & pop music' & bent on challenging cricket's eternal stereotypes. Of the five featured stars on the cover a superbly hirsute 21-year-old wearing a tight black shirt & gaudy trousers with a facial expression of supreme self-confidence stood out. Imran Khan has always been a controversial figure a man who gives rise to hot debate on account of his strong conviction & hard line views. From his achievements on the cricket field as the Pakistan captain who captured the World Cup & the game's best all-rounder in history through to his racy social life -- the practising Muslim boogieing on the dancefloor of Annabel's 'an astonishing lovemaker' according to one overnight partner praised by Diana Princess of Wales close friend to his then wife Jemima Goldsmith as a 'devoted husband' -- the Imran story is full of colour & contradictions. Acclaimed biographer Christopher Sandford has approached a richly varied cast list of Imran associates past & present -- from Geoff Boycott Javed Miandad Mike Brearley David Gower & John Major through to Nelson Mandela & close acquaintances male & female such as Eric Clapton Mick Jagger John Major Keith Richards sources close to the late Princess of Wales & Pakistan's General Musharraf. Imran Khan himself has agreed to be interviewed for the book & given Sandford exclusive access to his inner sanctum. ...

In & Around Swindon Works covers further aspects of the famous manufacturing centre of the Great Western Railway during its heyday of 1930 to 1960. This is the second half of a detailed work begun with the book Working at Swindon Works 1930
- 1960. In piecemeal form much has been written about Swindon Works but many aspects of it have remained until now neglected. From ex-employees both male & female & printed material such as surviving GWR circulars & internal documents the author has compiled a comprehensive study. Manufacturing processes factory conditions senior staff office routines design & development training & the significance of the Works within the railway company are all covered to some extent. There are chapters on: raw materials & General Stores the Drawing Office steam & diesel locomotive building & overhaul the Carriage & Wagon department & its staff wartime conditions & war work CME accounts fires accidents housing medical care & as the title suggests there is something of the home & social life of the staff as well. The end result is not complete but so long after the events its near enough as old Swindonians would have said.
...

Winchcombe once a royal Saxon borough lies in the secluded valley of the infant River Isbourne in the North Cotswolds. Through these pages its people & buildings are recorded over the last two hundred years. Here are the towns busy streets with their shops & public houses many long-forgotten. We can see again the horse fairs & processions; the towns watermill the First World War hospital & the later cottage hospital
- now all gone. These images paint a mixture of continuity & change. In Winchcombe St Peters church remains the jewel in the crown & Sudeley Castle has risen from ruin to stately home. The arrival of the railway its closure & restoration are charted & readers cannot fail to notice the change in road transport from horse-drawn vehicles to the ubiquitous motor car. This collection will delight all who are attracted to this picturesque Cotswold town.
...

During a blistering summer drought has depleted Thornfield Reservoir uncovering the remains of a small village called Hobbs End
-
...

In My Polish Country House Kitchen is a beautifully written cookbook that explores the fall of Communism & its wide-ranging culinary & cultural effects through the lens of food. This is not the discovery of a trend but rather the rediscover of something that was always there. The book contains 90 recipes & evocative headnotes that paint a picture of Polish country life that expands a reader's understanding of Polish history foodways & culture. ...

Sloane walks free from prison after taking the rap for a high-profile art scam. A failed painter he is now a failed forger. Awaiting him are two policemen anxious to remind him of his sins & a letter from a woman with whom he had a passionate affair in his youth. Now dying she summons him to tell him that he has a daughter Connie. Sloane agrees to return to New York a city of potent memories to look for his daughter. But Connie is locked in a relationship with a man the police believe has killed once & who will not hesitate to kill again. Sloane has to decide whether to walk away or stay & fight for her. & the deeper the police dig into Vincent Delaney's business affairs uncovering underworld associations the more Delaney feels cornered & the more unpredicable & dangerous he becomes. ...

In & Around Aston Through Time is a unique insight into the illustrious history of this part of the country. Reproduced in full colour this is an exciting examination of Aston the famous streets & the famous faces & what they meant to the people of this area throughout the 19th & into the 20th Century. Looking beyond the exquisite exterior of these well-kept photos readers can see the historical context in which they are set & through the authors factual captions for every picture & carefully-selected choice of images the reader can achieve a reliable view of this part of Astons history. Readers are invited to follow a timeline of events & watch the changing face of this diverse & vibrant area as Ted Rudge guides us through the local streets. There is something for everyone here whether they have lived in this area all their lives or whether they are just visiting for the first time. This book also shows how photography has continually evolved to keep up with an ever-changing society. ...

This book draws on evidence left behind by the Anglo-Saxons. It examines how they lived studied worked worshipped & played. There are also short stories about real people who lived during this period of history such as Alfred the Great Kenelm a young prince & Eanswida a girl who refused to marry. ...

The extraordinary outburst of artistic energy that occurred in Denmark between 1790 & 1910 has few rivals. Within three generations Danish painters developed a national school that matched the artistic centres of France Germany & Britain with a range of outstanding works by the Danish artists including Classicism Romanticism Impressionism & Symbolism. Yet surprisingly there have been few studies
- even in Danish
- of this vital artistic movement. That deficit is now corrected with the publication of this landmark study which allies a lucid & engaging text to scores of luminous reproductions.

...

Between 1790 & 1910 Danish painters developed a national school of art that matched the artistic centres of France Germany & Britain. The range of outstanding works created by Nicolai Abildgaard Jens Juel Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg Christen Kobke P. S. Kroyer & Vilhelm Hammershoi reflect & refract the great stylistic tendencies of European art of the 19th century including Classicism Romanticism Impressionism & Symbolism. Illustrated with over two hundred key works of art drawn from the leading Danish collections this is the only book available in English that surveys Danish painting across the 19th century. Written by a major scholar in the field & featuring all the icons of the Danish Golden Age this is an essential addition to all art libraries. ...