A brilliant memoir from the celebrated Chilean novelist on friends family & life in California her adopted home. Isabel Allende has sold more than 50 million copies of her books worldwide. The most beloved & successful of her books ' The House of the Spirits' was based on her Chilean childhood & her autobiographical works include the deeply moving ' Paula'
- a family history written at the bedside of her daughter while she lay in a coma
- & the fascinating ' My Invented Country' which explored the events of her native Chile where she lived until Pinochet's military coup. Now in ' The Sum of the Days' we have Isabel describe in an exceptionally vivid human & deeply personal way her life in California where she has lived for more than 25 years. The first page picks up from where Paula ends
- her daughter never did wake up from her coma & died in 1992
- when Allende recounts spreading Paula's ashes in her favourite part of the woods by their home. It is fair to say that Isabel has never recovered from losing her daughter but has managed to survive by keeping her husband son grandchildren as well as close friends
- kindred spirits
- central to her life. ' The Sum of the Days' based on Allende's own journals & daily correspondence with her mother in Chile reveals the author to be a dazzling generous warm & hysterically funny matriarch within her swirl of family & friends.





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This new companion to the Sumerian civilization of the third millennium BC is a mine of information with 32 chapters exploring a vast array of topics. After an initial section exploring physical & linguistic contexts & the origins of Sumerian culture successive sections explore the material world government & administration everyday life the wider Near Eastern context & the ends of the Sumerian world. Chapters attempt to provide an up-to-date synthesis of current research & range from overarching perspectives on subjects as broad as agriculture to more in-depth discussion of topics such as fashion & calendars & counting. ...

Six months have passed sine the last Ellerton teenager died but Darina is still traumatized by the stabbing of her own beloved Phoenix. But there's work to be done as Darina must now turn her attention to the shooting of Summer Madison
- the beautiful & gifted singer-song-writer with a heart of gold. It's been nearly a year since the random shooting in a shopping mall caused Summer's meaningless death. Summer left behind recordings of her wonderful songs & a deep sadness amongst high school friends. Now Darina must act as Summer's agent to track down the psychotic killer in a clear search for justice. With the sound of Summer's music constantly playing inside Darina's head recalling the wonderful months when she was alive & performing her first gigs Darina Phoenix & the Beautiful Dead are determined to catch the crazed killer. & all the while Darina's love for Phoenix continues to beat.. .
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Meet teenage Carrie Bradshaw as she hits the bright lights big city of New York for the very first time! Find out how Carrie transforms from country girl to super-cool fashionista in the second explosive CARRIE DIARIES novel from the globally bestselling author of SEX & THE CITY. Summer is a magical time in New York City & Carrie is in love with all of it
- the crazy characters in her neighbourhood the vintage-clothing boutiques the wild parties & the glamorous man who has swept her off her feet. Best of all shes finally in a real writing class taking her first steps toward fulfilling her dream. This sequel to THE CARRIE DIARIES brings surprising revelations as Carrie learns to navigate her way around the Big Apple going from being a country sparrow"
- as Samantha Jones dubs her
- to the person she always wanted to be. But as it becomes increasingly difficult to reconcile her past with her future Carrie realises that making it in New York is much more complicated than she ever imagined. With her signature wit & sparkling humour Candace Bushnell reveals the irresistible story of how Carrie met Samantha & Miranda & what turned a small-town girl into one of the New York Citys most unforgettable icons Carrie Bradshaw."


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Raffaella Moretti by far the most beautiful girl in the southern Italian town of Triento is about to marry the only boy she has ever loved. It seems that nothing but happiness lies in store for Raffaella. Yet just one year later she is a widow & has had to take a job as housekeeper in the Villa Rosa for the young American who is temporarily working in Triento. As Raffaella struggles to recapture her own lost happiness she starts looking for ways to help those around her to do the same. There is Silvana the bakers wife her passion barely hidden; Carlotta the gardeners daughter with her mysterious grief & the kind & gentle owner of the Gypsy Tearoom who offers Raffaella friendship. As the lives of these villagers interweave Raffaella is pulled into the centre of a conflict that threatens not only to divide Triento but also to destroy all she holds dear. Filled with food love & longing SUMMER AT THE VILLA ROSA is like taking a seat in a sun-drenched piazza & becoming a tiny part of the endless spectacle of life there. ...

An elderly artist & her six-year-old gr&-daughter are away on a summer together on a tiny island in the gulf of Finl&. As the two learn to adjust to each other's fears whims & yearnings a fierce yet understated love emerges
- one that encompasses not only the summer inhabitants but the very island itself. Written in a clear unsentimental style full of brusque humour & wisdom The Summer Book" is a profoundly life-affirming story. Tove Jansson captured much of her own life & spirit in the book which was her favourite of her adult novels. This new edition with a Foreword by Esther Freud sees the return of a European literary gem
- fresh authentic & deeply humane."

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Have a night to remember as you enjoy a glorious summers evening of fine music & entertainment complete with a spectacular firework display. All concerts are picnic style & set in the grounds of one of the UKs most historic & beautiful country houses or castles creating a majestic environment in which to enjoy a superb evening of entertainment. Featuring a full piece orchestra you are guaranteed an evening of superb popular classics & movie themes alongside all the traditional flag-waving favourites associated with the Last Night of the Proms" such as Rule Britannia 1812 Overture Jerusalem & Land Of Hope & Glory. At selected locations youll see breathtaking pyrotechnics for example cannons firing & Napoleonic cavalry displays. Many of the concerts also feature an aerial display by an original WWII Spitfire as the orchestra performs rousing music such as the Dambusters Theme (check for details on booking). & for the finale sit back & enjoy the spectacular fireworks. This is truely the perfect way to enjoy a magical summers evening you will never forget! For safety reasons please note barbecues garden flares & pets are not permitted. Most people bring a picnic although public catering is available. There is no seating at these concerts so please bring along rugs or garden chairs. The use of recording equipment is prohibited & please allow sufficient time to park your car as no vehicles are allowed on the concert area. What You Will Receive On purchasing this experience you will receive a Silver A5 Presentation Pack. Your Silver A5 Presentation Pack is embossed with a ribbon design great if you are buying this experience as a gift. Included within your presentation pack: Your Gift Experience Voucher
- Keep this safe! You will need this to book your experience & may be required to take this with you on the day of your experience. An Information Booklet
- Detailing all you need to know about your experience including personal injury cover cancellation cover & full terms & conditions of the experience. How to Book Guide
- A personal guide based on your chosen experience detailing all the available locations & contact numbers you need to ensure you experience runs smoothly. "


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What if you had always dreamed of something more.. .? Nell Mc Namara has a happy life: her boyfriend Olly adores her their four-year-old daughter Petal is the centre of their world & Nell has a steady job in the local chip shop. When the chippy needs a makeover Nell jumps at the chance to unleash the creativity fizzing inside her. Inspired by what she can achieve
- & encouraged by the very best friends a girl can have
- Nell is determined to try something new. Waving goodbye to the chip shop she starts up a new business making her own line of must-have handbags which are soon flying off the shelves. It seems Nells dreams are finally coming true but her success doesnt come without a price. Before too long Nell has to ask herself if its really possible to have it all.. . Full of fun love & laughter soak up the sunshine with Summer Daydreams.

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When dynamic power-dressing Christie blows in like a warm wind to take over their department five very different women find themselves thrown together at work. But none of them could have predicted the fierce bond of friendship that her leadership would inspire... Anna 39 is reeling from the loss of her fiance who ran off with a much younger woman. Her pride in tatters these days Anna finds it difficult to leave the house. So when a handsome mysterious stranger takes an interest in her she's not sure whether she can learn to trust again? Then there's Grace in her fifties trapped in a loveless marriage with a man she married because unable to have children of her own she fell in love with his motherless brood. Grace worries that Dawn is about to make the same mistake: orphaned as a child engaged to love-rat Calum is Dawn more interested in the security that comes with his tight-knit boisterous family? When a sexy footloose rock singer catches her eye will Dawn have the courage to follow her heart? At 28 Raychel is the youngest member of their little gang. & with a loving husband Ben & a cosy little nest for two she would seem to be the happiest. But what dark secrets are lurking behind this perfect facade that make sweet pretty Raychel so guarded & unwilling to open up? Under Christie's warm hand the girls soon realise they have some difficult choices to make. Indeed none of them quite realised how much they needed the sense of fun laughter & loyalty that abounds when five women become friends. It's one for all & all for one! ...

A novel tracing the enduring power of love & commitment against the forces of war & the equally dangerous forces of keeping the peace From the bestselling author of The Girl in Times Square comes the magnificent conclusion to the saga that was set in motion when Tatiana fell in love with her Red Army officer Alexander Belov in wartime Leningrad in 1941. Tatiana & Alexander have since suffered the worst the twentieth century had to offer. After years of separation they are miraculously reunited in America the land of their dreams. They have a beautiful son Anthony. They have proved to each other that their love is greater than the vast evil of the world. But though they are only in their twenties in their hearts they are old & they are strangers. In the climate of fear & mistrust of the Cold War dark forces are at work in the US that threaten their life & their family. Can they be happy? Or will the ghosts of yesterday reach out to blight even the destiny of their firstborn son? Epic in scope masterfully told The Summer Garden is a novel of unique & devastating emotional power that spans two thirds of the twentieth century & three continents. ...