' Rich or poor we will keep together & be happy in one another' Christmas won't be the same this year for Meg Jo Beth & Amy as their father is away fighting in the Civil War & the family has fallen on hard times. But though they may be poor life for the four March sisters is rich with colour as they play games put on wild theatricals make new friends argue grapple with their vices learn from their mistakes nurse each other through sickness & disappointments & get into all sorts of trouble. BACKSTORY: Learn all about the author's life & how it inspired her famous story & find out which of the March sisters you most resemble! ...

Little Women is one of the best-loved childrens stories of all time based on the authors own youthful experiences. It describes the family life of the four March sisters living in a small New England community Meg the eldest is pretty & wishes to be a lady; Jo at fifteen is ungainly & unconventional with an ambition to be an author; Beth is a delicate child of thirteen with a taste for music & Amy is a blonde beauty of twelve. The story of their domestic adventures their attempts to increase the family income their friendship with the neighbouring Lawrence family & their later love affairs remains as fresh & beguiling as ever. Good Wives takes up the story of the March sisters some three years later when as young adults they must face up to the inevitable trials & traumas of everyday life in their search for individual happiness. ...

Life in the March" household is full of adventures & accidents as the four very different March sisters follow their varying paths to adulthood always maintaining the special bond between them. Sensible Meg impetuous Jo shy Beth & artistic Amy each have to confront different challenges as they grow up together & attempt to learn how to be both happy & good." ...

When Josephine Marchs great-great-granddaughter stumbles across her letters the Little Women" shed a glorious light on a new generation of sisters. The Atwaters are a loving sprawling mess of a family & Fees three daughters Emma Lulu & Sophie couldnt be less alike if they tried. Emma is planning her wedding Sophie is an up-&-coming actress but Lulu
- the cleverest of them all
- is more than a little lost. If life is for living why is she stuck in a series of dead-end jobs? Grandma Jos letters had been gathering dust in the attic for decades but when Lulu gets her hands on them everything seems to change & different worlds begin to open up. & even though dark family secrets emerge Jos words offer comfort & guidance across the centuries. Sometimes family is all that matters. & sisters are the closest friends you can find."

...

John Wisden at his peak known as ' The Little Wonder' was a key member of the England cricket team who in 1859 sailed across the Atlantic on the world's first overseas cricket tour. In 1864 after his retirement Wisden published the first edition of the book that would make his name immortal. He printed 'full & accurate scores' along with indispensable facts about the Derby the St Leger the university rowing matches 'and other Interesting Information' including potted histories of the Wars of the Roses. The 1864 edition is now valued at anything up to GBP25 000 & Wisden Cricketers' Almanack has been published continuously ever since
- not for nothing is it known as 'the cricketer's bible'. The Almanack has despite some close shaves never missed a year. In 1937 it was just 48 hours from liquidation & in the Second World War a German bomber set fire to the company's headquarters destroying its records. & yet somehow the yellow (since 1938) book has retained its antique rugged character. It is a labour-of-love collection of records for cricket obsessives but also a hearty eccentric. It loves to count the number of wides in a season but also delights in relating tales from far-flung pavilions. Through the telling of Wisden's story we also glimpse the history of English
- & world
- cricket. The book is a window onto the game's most charismatic characters its high points lows & political storms. In The Little Wonder Robert Winder traces the central role the game has played in national life for so long. The book's 150th anniversary in 2013 is the ideal time to tell the extraordinary story of Wisden's
- & cricket's
- journey from Victorian times to the modern world. New every year it feels as though it has been with us for ever.




...

Qigong is an aspect of traditional Chinese medicine that involves coordinating breathing patterns with physical postures to maintain health & well-being. Liu Zi Jue: Six Sounds Approach to Qigong Breathing Exercises is an accessible fully-illustrated guide to this particular qigong exercise which focuses on breath control. Liu Zi Jue regulates & controls the rise & fall of Qi (vital energy) through the inhalation & exhalation of six sounds. The exercises feature slow gentle movements that are safe & easy to learn & are suitable for people of all ages & in all conditions of health. The routine strengthens the liver heart spleen lungs & kidneys thus helping to balance the energy & functions of the internal organs & has also been shown to have a calming effect & to alleviate stress. Each routine is described step-by-step & is illustrated with photographs & key points. The authors also point out common mistakes & offer advice on how to correct these. Complemented by an appendix of acupuncture points & accompanied by a DVD this book will be of interest to Qigong & Tai Chi practitioners at all levels students of martial arts & anyone interested in Chinese culture. ...

Millions of tourists have visited Spain & wondered if there is any way they could move there to work or retire; the country remains the most popular country for British people looking for a home abroad. This fully revised & updated fifth edition of Live & Work in Spain provides an indispensable source of knowledge for everyone interested in living or working temporarily or permanently starting a business or just buying a holiday home there. The book is illustrated with first-hand accounts from people living in Spain & is full colour with numerous helpful maps & photographs. Set out to be easily accessible each chapter guides you through the practicalities of a move to Spain from setting up home to finding a job or setting up a business. In particular it gives advice on renting accommodation opening the right bank account finding your ideal home & making the most of your leisure time. There is also easy access to urgent information such as emergency phone numbers laws & regulations & healthcare advice. The employment section of the book covers vital information such as information on business etiquette the skills & trades most in demand permanent seasonal & temporary work salaries working hours & holidays trade unions & contracts starting or buying your own business & sources of advice & assistance. Excellent series" The Times" ...

Moving to Canada is a life changing but daunting experience. Many of us dream of experiencing Canadas relaxed culture & great outdoors perhaps living in one of its cosmopolitan cities only hours from dramatic mountain ranges & beautiful scenery. But many are intimidated by its complicated & lengthy immigration process or on arrival are overwhelmed by its vastness or seasonal coldness. However once you settle in & embrace your new country youll discover a vibrant diverse & friendly country with wide open spaces to explore. Crammed with practical information advice & peoples personal experiences Live & Work in Canada will save you time & help you avoid making mistakes. This book will help you learn about the country its culture & its people as well as help you: * Decide whether its right for you * Get any visas you need * Set up your new home * Start & run a business * Choose the right schools * Enjoy your time off ...

Live & Work in France is the definitive book to living & working in France & is full of personal case histories from people who have made the move there. The book gives essential information on the customs laws & regulations & way of life that will be encountered there & gives advice on securing a residence permit getting the best health care making friends with the locals opening the right bank account finding your ideal home obtaining a competitive mortgage dealing with surveys & conveyancing & making the most of your leisure time. Set out to be easily accessible each chapter guides you through the practicalities of a move to France from setting up home to finding a job & leisure time. In particular it gives advice on renting accommodation in the major cities especially Paris with a city map showing its main residential areas & describing which areas are best for families single people & students. The employment section of the book covers vital information such as the skills & trades most in demand permanent seasonal & temporary work salaries working hours & holidays trade unions & contracts starting or buying your own business & sources of advice & assistance. Special features for the job-seeker include an indispensable regional employment guide & directories of major employers. ...

On 22 September 1914 between 6.20am & 7.55am three British cruisers went down off the Dutch coast HMS Aboukir Hogue & Cressy. Of the combined crew of 2296 no less than 1459 men perished on their ships or in the sea. There were 837 survivors. The perpetrator was a simple German submarine U-9. This event in the early days of the First World War came as a big boost to the Germans. But for the British it was a dire blow the biggest loss ever inflicted on the Royal Navy hitherto deemed invincible. The suffering was the more grievous now that among the fatalities were thirteen young boys aged 15 & 16 while most of the other victims were reservists mainly young family fathers from a few villages in the Chatham area. After some years of research the author has written a uniquely accessible reconstruction of this tragedy. Successively he pictures the build-up to this calamity the crew's trials & tribulations as well as the consequences of the incident from both a British & a German point of view. The hard times of the crewmembers had to go through are reflected in the personal accounts of some of the survivors of the catastrophe. Two Dutch merchant vessels had rescued a number of them & the men were then received & looked after in Holl&. That too is part of this pitiful tragedy which though almost forgotten was one of the largest calamities ever in the history of naval warfare. ...