Sex fame & scandal in the theatrical literary & social circles of late 18th-century Engl&. One of the most flamboyant women of the late-eighteenth century Mary Robinsons life was marked by reversals of fortune. After being raised by a middle-class father Mary was married at age fourteen to Thomas Robinson. His dissipated lifestyle landed the couple & their baby in debtors prison where Mary wrote her first book of poetry & met lifelong friend Georgiana the Duchess of Devonshire. On her release Mary quickly became one of the most popular actresses of the day famously playing Perdita in The Winters Tale for a rapt audience that included the Prince of Wales who fell madly in love with her. She later used his copious love letters for blackmail. This authoritative & engaging book presents a fascinating portrait of a woman who was variously darling of the London stage a poet whose work was admired by Coleridge & a mistress to the most powerful men in England & yet whose fortunes were nevertheless precarious always on the brink of being squandered through recklessness excess & passion. ...

Reissue of J. A. Baker s extraordinary classic of British nature writing Despite the association of peregrines with the wild outer reaches of the British Isles The Peregrine is set on the flat marshes of the Essex coast where J A Baker spent a long winter looking & writing about the visitors from the uplands
- peregrines that spend the winter hunting the huge flocks of pigeons & waders that share the desolate landscape with them. Including original diaries from which The Peregrine was written & its companion volume The Hill of Summer this is a beautiful compendium of lyrical nature writing at its absolute best. Such luminaries as Richard Mabey Robert Macfarlane Ted Hughes & Andrew Motion have cited this as one of the most important books in 20th Century nature writing & the bestselling author Mark Cocker has provided an introduction on the importance of Baker his writings & the diaries
- creating the essential volume of Bakers writings. Since the hardback was published in 2010 papers maps & letters have come to light which in turn provide a little more background into J A Baker s history. Contemporaries
- particularly from while he was at school in Chelmsford
- have kindly provided insights remembering a school friend who clearly made an impact on his generation. In the longer term there is hope of an archive of these papers being established but in the meantime & with the arrival of this paperback edition there is a chance to reveal a little more of what has been learned. Among fragments of letters to Baker was one from a reader who praised a piece that Baker had written in RSPB Birds magazine in 1971. Apart from a paper on peregrines which Baker wrote for the Essex Bird Report this article
- entitled On the Essex Coast
- appears to be his only other published piece of writing & with the kind agreement of the RSPB it has been included in this updated new paperback edition of Baker s astounding work.





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The second novel in Lewiss science fiction trilogy tells of Dr Ransoms voyage to the planet of Perelandra (Venus). In the second novel in C.S. Lewiss classic science fiction trilogy Dr Ransom is called to the paradise planet of Perelandra or Venus which turns out to be a beautiful Eden-like world. He is horrified to find that his old enemy Dr Weston has also arrived & is putting him in grave peril once more. As the mad Westons body is taken over by the forces of evil Ransom engages in a desperate struggle to save the innocence of Perelandra... ...

Hailed as a classic from its first publication Perennial Garden Plants is the most comprehensive & detailed survey ever undertaken for gardeners. Over 2 000 species are described & practical information is given on planting seasonal flowering colour propagation & cultivation as well as on the origins of plants. In addition Graham Stuart Thomas covers a wealth of related subjects including display shad & moisture tender plants pests & diseases & other useful lists & suggestions for particular need. Throughout this masterly work Graham Stuart Thomas conveys his immense experience of plants & gardens to provide the standard work of reference on the subject. ...

The Guardian's" ' How to Make' food columnist Felicity Cloake is on a mission to find the perfect recipes for staple dishes from spag bol to apple pie & from brownies to fish pie in her first cookbook " Perfect
- 68 essential reciepes for every cook's repertoire". How can I make deliciously squidgy chocolate brownies? Is there a foolproof way to poach an egg? Does washing mushrooms really spoil them? What's the secret of perfect pastry? Could a glass of milk turn a good Bolognese into a great one? " Perfect" will answer all these questions & many many more. Having rigorously tried & tested recipes from all the greats
- from Elizabeth David & Delia Smith to Nigel Slater & Simon Hopkinson
- Felicity Cloake has pulled together the best points from each to create the perfect version of 68 classic dishes. Never again will you have to rifle through countless different books to find the your perfect roast chicken recipe mayonnaise method or that incredible tomato sauce
- it's all here in this book based on Felicity's popular " Guardian" column along with dozens of invaluable prepping & cooking tips that no discerning cook should live without. Whether you're a competent cook or have just caught the bug " Perfect" has a place on every kitchen shelf. " Brilliant.. .finely honed culinary instincts an open mind & a capacious cookbook collection... Miss Cloake has them all". (" Evening Standard"). " Guardian" & " New Statesman" food columnist Felicity Cloake is the winner of the 2011 Guild of Food Writers awards for Food Journalist of the Year & New Media of the Year; follow Felicity on Twitter @ Felicity Cloake."



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Here is the seventh title in the stunningly successful sequence that began in l 996 with The Great Grammar Book. Through flaps pop-up wizardry & superb illustrations this ingenious book explains how to use commas apostrophes brackets exclamation marks & lots more. By rescuing tadpole commas from a scary pike finding all the creatures that have escaped from Punctuation Park & listening to the chattering monkeys' advice on how to use speech marks children will soon feel confident about basic punctuation. Packed with clear & entertaining examples this book makes punctuation both easy & fun! ...

Perfection. Thats the key aim in Evas life. She works hard to be the girl all the other girls wish they could be: pretty popular smart & the queen of her gymnastics clique the Jimmies. She seems to have it all. But the arrival of new girl Patty threatens Evas perfect life & soon her mothers in rehab her fathers absent & her best friend seems more interested in snogging her brother than spending time with Eva. With her life quickly unravelling Eva clings to the one thing she can control her weight. But no matter how strong her willpower is the dark secret that Eva has worked so hard to conceal seems determined to reveal itself.. . ...

This delightful recipe book presents more than 160 delicious & appealing dishes to make for afternoon tea. It opens with a brief history of afternoon tea traditions & etiquette. A guide to classic & specialty teas of the world follows as well as information on how to choose blend & make a perfect pot of tea. Enjoy classics such as cucumber sandwiches with crusts removed squidgy chocolate eclairs & scones with jam & cream. There are also contemporary recipe suggestions such as shallot thyme & garlic cheese muffin ...

Everything the first time fish-keeper needs to know to set up a tank. Clear easy-to-follow instructions help you create & develop your aquarium
- whether it's coldwater tropical or marine. Charts & tables show how to deal with ailments & diseases & there's a guide to the most common fish. There are profiles of over 100 tropical marine & coldwater fish as well as plants & invertebrates.
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