This fascinating collection of old & new views explores the histories of Weymouth & Portl&. Edwin Seward was a pioneer in news photography recording many dramatic scenes long before photographs were even a feature of newspapers. This book draws upon his postcard views & reveals both towns as they appeared at the dawn of the age of the motorcar. Many of the scenes in this book have changed dramatically over the last century but many others will be instantly recognisable today. Accompanied by informative & entertaining captions exploring the histories of Weymouth & of the Isle of Portland this nostalgic collection will delight both residents & visitors alike. ...

Along with Wolf Solent" "A Glastonbury Romance" & " Maiden Castle" this modern classic originally published in 1934 forms the quartet that are just about the only novels produced by an English writer that can fairly be compared with the fictions of Tolstoy & Dostoyevsky"
- George Steiner " The New Yorker. Drawing on his vivid childhood memories of the seaside town of Weymouth Powys tells the story of Jobber Skald
- a large somewhat brutish man obsessed with the urge to kill the local magnate of the town because of the mans contempt for the workers of the local quarry
- & his redeeming love for Perdita Wane a young girl from the Channel Islands. " Weymouth Sands" boasts a striking collection of human oddities including a famous clown & his mad brother a naive Latin teacher a young philosopher & an abortionist. Against the mysterious & haunting background of the sea the sands & the stones of Dorset coast Powys weaves together his characters ever-fascinating patterns of behaviour into an epic tale which depicts the power of Eros the inscrutability of the universe & the nature of madness while highlightling Powys deep sympathy for the variety eccentricity & essential loneliness of human beings."


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With Weymouth & Portland hosting the London 2012 Olympic & Paralympic Games sailing events the profile of the area will be raised considerably in the years leading up to the Games. Weymouths seaside history & heritage will be a focus of attention & will contribute significantly to the regeneration of the town in the coming years. Weymouth has been a popular seaside resort for over 250 years. Likened to Montpelier & Naples for its natural beauty & healthy climate it received the endorsement of King George III. His presence helped the town to expand rapidly in the late 18th & early 19th centuries resulting in a stunning legacy of seafront terraces that continue to provide accommodation for thousands of holidaymakers each year. Weymouth boasts an eclectic mix of medieval town planning harbour-side industry & former military sites that have had an impact on the towns development as a seaside resort. Many of the buildings associated with declining brewing & maritime industries have now been redeveloped & serve as amenities & accommodation for residents & visitors. An English Heritage opinion poll in 2007 found that seventy-five percent of respondents felt that the historic character of seaside towns is what makes them beautiful & enjoyable. This book describes the colourful story of Weymouths seaside history & the buildings & open spaces that survive to tell this story. It also demonstrates how the historic environment can play an important part in the future development of the town. ...

John Burningham comes up with yet again with a book like no other. WHADAYAMEAN is a fascinating look at the damage we are doing to our environment. When God returns to the beautiful Earth we have misused two small children are instructed to find a way of bringing people to their senses. ...

A mystical story of Maori culture The birth of a daughter
- Kahu
- breaks the lineage of a Maori tribe. Rejected by her grandfather

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The first in the Oathsworn series charting the adventures of a band of Vikings on the chase for the secret hoard of Attila the Hun. Life is savage aboard a Viking raider. When young Orm Rurikson is plucked from the snows of Norway to join his estranged father on the Fjord Elk he becomes an unlikely member of a notorious crew. They are the Oathsworn -- so named after the spoken bond that ties them in brotherhood -- & they ply a casual trade on the ocean wave selling their swords to the highest bidder. But times are changing. Loyalty to the old Norse Gods is fading & the followers of the mysterious White Christ are gaining power across Europe. Hired as relic-hunters by the merchant rulers of a bustling city the Oathsworn are sent in search of a legendary sword of untold value to the new religion. With only a young girl as guide their quest will lead them onto the deep & treacherous waters of the whale road toward the cursed treasure of Attila the Hun. & to a challenge that will test the very bond that holds them together. Robert Low a significant up & coming voice in historical fiction has created a startlingly modern tale in the style of the great Viking sagas. A heady mix of powerful suspense blockbuster battles & religious intrigue THE WHALE ROAD is a must for fans of Bernard Cornwell & Tim Severin. The Oathsworn series is sure to hook old & new readers alike. ...

Elly Tash & Sierra are off on a whale-spotting adventure! But when one of Sunday Islands freak storms rolls in theyre tossed into the sea & Tashs precious boat The Mojo is shipwrecked. Stranded on an island the girls put up a flag in the hope of being rescued. But theyre not the only ones who need rescuing
- the whales have swum too close to the beach & the calf is stuck in shallow water. While Sierra sings to it to keep it calm Tash & Elly construct a raft to float the calf back to its anxious mother. As the reunited whales swim away the girls sift through the driftwood thats been washed up by the storm. Why is there so much? Donning snorkels the girls investigate discovering a beautiful underwater world of starfish & coral. But the sun is sinking in the sky & they still havent been rescued. If nobody knows where they are...will the girls have to spend a night under the stars
- alone on a deserted island?

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From the No. 1 bestseller & author of Richard & Judy pick The Savage Garden: an award-winning crime novel set in post-war New York for fans of Carlos Ruiz Zafon & Jed Rubenfeld Long Island 1947 The men of Long Island have fished the wild Atlantic waters over the centuries. For Conrad Labarde recently returned from the Second World War the nets hold a sinister catch -- the body of Lillian Wallace a beautiful New York socialite. Is it an accident or murder? Police chief Tom Hollis is convinced the roots of the tragedy lie in the twisted histories of local families. But the enigmatic Labarde insists on pursuing his own investigation. It seems the fisherman may have powerful reasons for wanting answers to the questions surrounding her death. & in this strange place where tradition meets power & riches the truth is a rare thing indeed! ...

Jock Murray looks back over an extraordinary & varied life in this entertaining autobiography. From humble beginnings on a croft in the Outer Hebrides at the age of fifteen he went on to work in the Hydro tunnels on the mainland as the Hydro-Electric board embarked on some of the most ambitious civil engineering projects of the century. By seventeen he had sailed several times round the world & spent two years as a whaler in the Antarctic. & over a long career in the Metropolitan Police he served on 6 Divisions as well as in specialised squads (regional crime squad flying squad stolen car squad central drug squad as well as several murder squads) which gave him an intimate & unrivalled knowledge of the murkier aspects of London life. In 1977 he was involved in Operation Ohio as the police dealt with a major & vicious spate of armed robbery in the Midlands & south of Engl&. Since returning to Lewis he has maintained a high profile both for his charity work (he has raised money for Leukaemia research & the Anthony Nolan Trust) as well as more controversial things such as serving alcohol in his pub on Sundays & campaigning for Sunday flights & ferries. All this & much more is covered in this witty & amusing memoir which is bound to appeal to Hebrideans both at home & abroad as well those with an interest in true crime & all readers who appreciate the story of those with a remarkable zest for life. ...