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.




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For its final battleship design Italy ignored all treaty restrictions on tonnage & produced one of Europes largest & most powerful capital ships comparable with Germanys Bismarck class similarly built in defiance of international agreements. The three ships of the Littorio class were typical of Italian design being fast & elegant but also boasting a revolutionary protective scheme
- which was tested to the limits as all three were to be heavily damaged in the hard-fought naval war in the Mediterranean; Roma had the unfortunate distinction of being the first capital ship sunk by guided missile. These important ships have never been covered in depth in English-language publications but the need is now satisfied in this comprehensive & convincing study by two of Italys leading naval historians. The book combines a detailed analysis of the design with an operational history evaluating how the ships stood up to combat. It is illustrated with an amazing collection of photographs many fine-line plans & coloured artwork of camouflage schemes adding up to as complete a monograph on a single class ever published. Among warship enthusiasts battleships enjoy a unique status. As the great success of Seaforths recent book on French battleships proves that interest transcends national boundaries & this superbly executed study is certain to become another classic in the field.
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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 ...

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. ...

Joe Coughlin is nineteen when he meets Emma Gould. A smalltime thief in 1920s Boston he is told to cuff her while his accomplices raid the casino she works for. But Joe falls in love with Emma
- & his life changes for ever. That meeting is the beginning of Joe's journey to becoming one of the nation's most feared & respected gangsters. It is a journey beset by violence double-crossing drama & pain. & it is a journey into the soul of prohibition-era America...A powerful deeply moving novel Live By Night is a tour-de-force by Dennis Lehane writer on The Wire & author of modern classics such as Shutter Island Gone Baby Gone & The Given Day.
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The sixth book in the bestselling Dan ' Spider' Shepherd series. Mickey & Mark Moore are Ordinary Decent Criminals
- hard men who
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Victor Jenner is a sociopath. After ten years in prison for shooting
- & permanently crippling
- a young policeman Victor is

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The relationship between those who wield power & those whose job it is to tell us what they are doing has always been fraught with tension. Politicians now expect to be on camera & facing aggressive questions from the moment they open their front door to the moment they return home at night. Everything they say & do is instantly broadcast & dissected on 24-hour news channels blogs & Twitter. It was not always this way. Live from Downing Street" takes us on an absorbing journey through the hard-fought battles for the right to tell the public about the decisions taken on their behalf. Parliament once imprisoned those who dared to report what MPs had said. Broadcasters used to be banned by law from debating anything newsworthy & even from covering elections. Since that censorship ended the two sides have clashed repeatedly. We follow the fluctuations of the power struggle from Walpole to modern times dwelling in fascinating detail on those who fought back
- Churchill Wilson Thatcher & Blair. At the same time we learn of the emergence of the equally charismatic key players from radio & television: the Dimblebys Day Frost Walden Paxman & Humphrys. Nick Robinson provides a colourful & personal examination of what life is like as the BBC's Political Editor
- a role described in a report for the White House as 'the most important job in British political journalism'. Peppered with informative but witty anecdotes his account reveals his own considered view of the controversial issue of impartial reporting. " Live from Downing Street" is a gripping story written by someone uniquely placed to add his own perceptive insights & observations."

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