I am Moth a girl from the lowest part of Chrystie Street born to a slum-house mystic & the man who broke her heart. So begins THE VIRGIN CURE a novel set in the tenements of lower Manhattan in 1871. As a young child Moths father smiled tipped his hat & walked away from her for ever. The summer she turned twelve her mother sold her as a servant to a wealthy woman with no intention of ever seeing her again. These betrayals lead Moth to the wild murky world of the Bowery filled with house-thieves pickpockets beggars sideshow freaks & prostitutes where eventually she meets Miss Everett the owner of a brothel. Miss Everett caters to gentlemen who pay dearly for companions & the most desirable of them all are young virgins like Moth. Through the friendship of Dr Sadie a female physician Moth learns to question & observe the world around her where her new friends are falling prey to the myth of the virgin cure to heal the incurable & tainted. She knows the law will not protect her that polite society ignores her & still she dreams of answering to no one but herself. Theres a high price for such independence though & no one knows that better than a girl from Chrystie Street... ...

The court of the Queen Elizabeth is a hot-bed of intrigue & ambition... It is a place where reputations can stand or fall on the merest hint of scandal. Lingering rumours even surround the Virgin Queen herself despite the fate of those foolish enough to besmirch her reputation. Recently arrived in court Nell de Lacey is surprised to discover that many think she bears more than a passing resemblance to the younger queen. That coupled with an old mystery about a missing portion of the Queens past some years prior is enough to set tongues wagging. & wherever the truth lies even the rumour is sufficient to place Nell on a dangerous path that could all so easily end with her head on a block... ...

' It rained a lot & steamed when the sun shone. It was always hot. But it was safe...' One way or another the Communist guerrilla war in Malaya kept a whole British army occupied from 1948 until 1952. They were the virgin soldiers. Idle homesick afraid bored oversexed & unsatisfied. A young virgin like Brigg had to grab his fun while & where he could
- in the Liberty Club in Juicy Lucy's flat or up in Phillipa's room
- in one frantic attempt at living before he died or got demobbed...

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The shocking thing about the girls was how nearly normal they seemed when their mother let them out for the one & only date of their lives. Twenty years on their enigmatic personalities are embalmed in the memories of the boys who worshipped them & who now recall their shared adolescence: the brassiere draped over a crucifix belonging to the promiscuous Lux; the sisters breathtaking appearance on the night of the dance; & the sultry sleepy street across which they watched a family disintegrate & fragile lives disappear. ...

John Balmforth provides readers with a look at the history of Virgin Trains as they celebrate 15 years of service. Emerging from the franchising process in the 1990s Virgin Trains although branded as a single entity was in fact the product of two distinct franchises: the West Coast Main Line & Inter City Cross-Country. The two franchises were to a considerable extent amongst the most difficult on offer
- the former as a result of its ageing infrastructure & rolling stock & the latter due to the convoluted route network over which it operated
- & in its early years of operation Virgin Trains suffered significant adverse comment. However as the WCML modernisation scheme was gradually completed & as the new high-speed Voyager & Pendelino units came into service so the performance of the franchises enhanced as did the companys reputation. However come franchise renewal the Cross-Country franchise was modified & reallocated to Arriva leaving Virgin Trains to continue operating the West Coast franchise. This album will mark the 15th anniversary of Virgin Trains & will be packed with colour illustrations portraying the evolution of Virgin Trains operations over the period from 1997 to 2012.

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Sumptuous historical novel set in the court of Elizabeth I from Sunday Times No.1 bestseller Philippa Gregory the author of The Other Boleyn Girl. Elizabeth I has acceded to the throne of England a position she has waited & schemed for all her life. She is surrounded by advisers all convinced that a young woman cannot form political judgements. Elizabeth feels that she can rely on just one man: her oldest friend Robert Dudley. It is soon plain that he is more than merely a friend. In a house in the countryside waits a very different woman Amy Robsart
- Robert's wife. She has no taste for life at court & longs for the day when her husband will return home. She has loved him since she was a girl but now they are adults she hardly sees him. Meanwhile the pressure grows for Elizabeth to marry for it is unthinkable that a queen should rule on her own. Elizabeth's preference is clear but he is unavailable. But what if the unthinkable were to happen... Philippa Gregory blends passion personalities & politics in this stunning novel of the Tudor court & a country divided.
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Getting old? Get over it! For too long those in short skirts have been telling us oldies we dont matter: youre out of touch! Get out of the way grandma! The next generation is coming through. Well enough is enough. Because getting old is great. For a start you no longer need to care what anyone thinks. You can let
- if youve got any left
- your hair down. No one will tell you off for grumbling. & no one minds if you forget (or pretend to forget) who youre talking to. Being rude has never been so easy
- or liberating. & thats not all you can get away with now that youve seen it all (and done most of it)... Let Virginia Ironside take you through the top twenty reasons why getting old is good for you
- & let the young & dumb keep their callow youth!



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This prize-winning biography newly revised sees Virginia Woolf as she saw herself. The first to set out the private life behind the well-known facts of her public career A Writers Life rocks back & forth between memories & art to reveal an explorer of the infinite oddity of the human position. Instead of the doom-&-death often imposed on women of genius here is the robust walker & seeker for what was fertile in her intimacies in womens nature & in resistance to power. This edition brings out her ideas for biography itself: to fall on a life like a roll of heavy waters...laying bare the pebbles on the shore of the soul. ...

Hermione Lee sees Virginia Woolf afresh in her historical setting & as a vital figure for our times. Her book moves freely between a richly detailed life-story & new attempts to understand crucial questions
- the impact of her childhood the cause & nature of her madness & suicide the truth about her marriage her feelings for women her prejudies & obsessions. This is a vivid close-up portrait returning to primary sources & showing Woolf as occupying a distinct even uneasy position with ' Bloomsbury'. It is a writer's life illustrating how the concerns of her work arise & develop & a political life which establishes Woolf as a radically sceptical subversive courageous feminist. Incorporating newly discovered sources & illustrated with photos & drawings never used before this biography is a revelation -informed intelligent & moving.
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With his trademark blend of knowledge insight & wit Dadhichi shares his predictions & reveals what 2013 will hold for you. Your focus is centred squarely on your career & reputation this year Virgo. You can expect growth in your professional life & finances but make sure this is not at the expense of your colleagues. If you make an effort to balance your work with your relationships this year is sure to be a good one. In Dadhichis horoscope for Virgo you will discover which star signs can stimulate your body & your mind how to make the most of your detail-oriented nature in the workplace & what 2013 has in store for you. YOUR STARS WILL REVEAL Monthly & daily predictions for 2013 Insights into the Virgo woman man & child Which star signs you are best matched with as well as who to avoid in the areas of love friendship & the workplace Ways to harness your career potential & tips for financial success ...