Kathryn Brooker is the headmaster's wife at a prestigious prep school. This morning she will cook breakfast for her family & launder last night's sheets. This afternoon she will prune the flowerbeds & bake a cake for her son's cricket match. This evening she will kneel before her husband & await his judgment. For every rule broken she receives a punishment. Her body is a latticework of scars. For the sake of her children she never makes a sound. Tonight Kathryn Brooker snaps. She takes a paring knife from her pocket & kills the man who has abused her for sixteen years. Tomorrow she will face prison a trial & the loss of her children. Only then can she begin slowly to rebuild her life. ...

We all know Jeeves & Wooster but which is the best Jeeves story? We all know Blandings but which is the funniest tale about Lord Emsworth & his adored prize-winning pig? & would the best of Ukridge or the yarns of the Oldest Member or Wodehouses Hollywood stories outdo them? This bumper anthology means that you can choose bringing you the cream of the crop of stories by the twentieth centurys greatest humorous writer. There are favourites aplenty in this selection which has been compiled with enthusiastic support from P.G. Wodehouse societies around the world. With additional material including novel extracts working drafts articles letters & poems this anthology provides the best overall celebration of side-splitting humour & sheer good nature available in the pages of any book. ...

Sophie Sturgeon cant wait for her annual summer holiday. Not only will it be a week away from work it will be a chance to reconnect with her boyfriend Callum. So this upcoming trip to Majorca is a big deal. Sophies spent a lot of time getting ready. Shes bought a new wardrobe. Shes been waxed to within an inch of her life. Shes determined she & Callum will have the best time ever. Then Callum dumps her the night before theyre due to leave. In a show of bravery & independence Sophie says shell go to Majorca alone
- but in fact she hides in her London flat. But when her friends family & even Callum seem so surprised & delighted at her single girl courage Sophie decides to go all out & recreate the ultimate fake break.. .with hilarious results.
...

In part one read about the time Jon inadvertently made a lewd gesture to a passing fourteen-year-old girl late at night in the lobby of a country-house hotel. & about his burgeoning obsession with a new neighbour who refused to ask him what he did for a living despite Jon's constant dropping of intriguing hints. & about the embarrassment of being caught recycling small talk at a party. In part two read some of Jon's longer stories which explore manifestations of insanity in the wider world: the tiny town of North Pole Alaska where it's Christmas 365 days of the year; behind the scenes at Deal or No Deal which Jon likens to a cult with Noel Edmonds as its high priest; a meeting with TV hypnotist Paul Mc Kenna who has joined forces with a self-help guru who once stood trial for murder -- but can they cure Jon of his one big phobia? As hilarious as it is perturbing Jon Ronson's new collection is a treat for everyone who has ever suspected themselves to be at the mercy of forces they can barely comprehend. ...

This is the story of two men who first become friends in 1970s New York of the women in their lives & of their sons born the same year. Both Leo Hertzberg an art historian & Bill Weschler a painter are cultured decent men but neither is equipped to deal with what happens to their children
- Leos son drowns when hes 12 while Bills son Mark grows up to be a delinquent & the acolyte of a sinister guru-like artist who spawns murder in his wake. Spanning the hedonism of the eighties & the chill-out nineties this multi-layered novel combines a plot of mounting menace with a deeply moving account of familial relationships & a superbly observed portrait of an artist set against the backdrop of a society reaching new depths of depravity in its frenetic quest for the next fashion drug & thrill.
...

Valentino Rossi is the greatest living motorcyclist. His legions of fans adore him (over 4 000 turned up to see him in Leicester Square last March). He has fought through the 125 & 250 class groups to win the World Championships five times & has been ranked in the top three places at the World Championships for the last nine years. He is currently the Moto GP World Champion & has won on a Honda bike
- considered the best
- & most recently on a Yamaha
- considered the worst. He is arguably the greatest racer ever
- & certainly the most entertaining
- his post race antics & cheeky personality have won him as many fans as his on-track prowess. He is the kind of star who only comes along once in a while
- a Muhammad Ali or Pele
- hugely talented massively driven yet also scorchingly charismatic unnervingly rebellious & totally endearing
- a twentieth-century version of the hell-raisers of old. All who know Rossi say he is a consummate professional that he works harder than anyone could ever realise but that most of all he still loves what he does. He just seems to win more because hes still enjoying himself so much. He is infamous for his on the edge riding pushing himself & his bike to the very limits of what they can do & screaming around racecourses in record times. But he is also well known for his good looks his techni-coloured hair & cheeky humour
- & for his sheer youthful exuberance in victory
- his post-match victory laps have become a thing of legend. Previously he has driven victory laps in full beach gear including flip-flops with a man sized chicken riding pillion (and also in a jibe to Max Biaggi who had an unceremonious break-up with the model Naomi Campbell with a life size doll of Claudia Schiffer strapped on behind him.) His warmth of character coupled with his amazing career statistics to date
- his first GP win aged 17 his first world title at 18 his first 500 class win at 21 & his first Moto GP win at 22
- mean that this young man has the motorcycle racing world at his feet. His raw talent coupled with his firm belief in the entertainment aspect of his sport & the importance of his fans means that he really is the David Beckham of bikes
- he has done the near impossible & transcended his own territory. His appeal
- being at the top of his game without being a purist still being seen to be young & excited by the game & being a perfectionist on & off the track when it comes to his driving
- means that he really is one of the superstars of the sporting world.














...

' Anyone interested in military history or indeed history in general will find it fascinating to read'
- Spectator". " What If?"
...

What Is Is provides a powerful new approach to life change that eliminates stress regret worry & self-blame removes conflict & improves relationships. In this book chartered psychologist Graham W Price transforms the way people think about life & work generating significant & lasting improvements in stress resilience motivation relating to others well-being achievement & dealing positively with change. Live the amazing life you deserve! ...

This book provides a short & accessible introduction to the field of gender history one that has vastly expanded in scope & substance since the mid 1970s. Paying close attention to both classic texts in the field & the latest literature the author examines the origins & development of the field & elucidates current debates & controversies. She highlights the significance of race class & ethnicity for how gender affects society culture & politics as well as delving into histories of masculinity. The author discusses in a clear & straightforward manner the various methods & approaches used by gender historians. Consideration is given to how the study of gender illuminates the histories of revolution war & nationalism industrialization & labor relations politics & citizenship colonialism & imperialism using as examples research dealing with the histories of a number of areas across the globe. Written by one of the leading scholars in this vibrant field What is Gender History? will be the ideal introduction for students of all levels. ...

One of the most fundamental questions in our life is to find out what we value
- what principles we want to live by & which
...