Other Non Fiction

These islands have long been a stronghold of eccentricity and peculiar behaviour. For whatever reason, eccentricity seems to have (read more)

These islands have long been a stronghold of eccentricity and peculiar behaviour. For whatever reason, eccentricity seems to have been enthusiastically embraced as being one of the defining characteristics of the British people, one of the many things that have become part of our national identity. Is it our status as an island people, set apart from the rest of the world, that has made so many of our countrymen turn in on themselves and go a little strange? Has our long libertarian tradition of the idea of the freedom of individuals to live their own lives as they please, just so long as they do no harm to anybody else, allowed weirdness to flourish within our land? Or is there just something dodgy in the water? There are probably plenty of reasons, but one thing is for certain: historically, this country has produced some of the strangest people who have ever lived, and in this book Steven Tucker compiles the details of both some of the most well-known and the most obscure oddballs ever to have been eligible to hold a British passport.

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There are five races of tiger on our planet and all but one live in tropical regions: the Siberian Tiger Panthera tigris altaica (read more)

There are five races of tiger on our planet and all but one live in tropical regions: the Siberian Tiger Panthera tigris altaica is the exception. Mysterious and elusive, and with only 350 remaining in the wild, the Siberian tiger remains a complete enigma. One man has set out to change this.

Sooyong Park has spent twenty years tracking and observing these elusive tigers. Each year he spends six months braving sub-zero temperatures, buried in grave-like underground bunkers, fearlessly immersing himself in the lives of Siberian tigers. As he watches the brutal, day-to-day struggle to survive the harsh landscape, threatened by poachers and the disappearance of the pristine habitat, Park becomes emotionally and spiritually attached to these beautiful and deadly predators. (hide)

This book is aimed at the majority of us who live in terraced houses, high rise flats, town houses and semi-detached properties with (read more)

This book is aimed at the majority of us who live in terraced houses, high rise flats, town houses and semi-detached properties with a small garden and often nowhere to grow but the patio. It shows how to make the most of pots and planters; how to plan for a reasonable yield; and how never to run out of at least something to special eat. You might not have all the space in the world, but you can enjoy all the flavour in the world.

With the step-by-step instructions in this book you will be able to grow, nurture and harvest your own fruit, vegetables and herbs in a range of pots and containers, including recycled ones such as plastic milk bottles, and kitchen sinks. (hide)

Science fiction and fantasy is one of the most challenging--and rewarding!--genres in the bookstore. But with New York Times bestselling (read more)

Science fiction and fantasy is one of the most challenging--and rewarding!--genres in the bookstore. But with New York Times bestselling author Philip Athans and fantasy giant R. A.

Salvatore at your side, you'll create worlds that draw your readers in--and keep them reading! Just as important, you'll learn how to prepare your work for today's market. Drawing on his years of experience as one of the most acclaimed professionals in publishing, Wizards of the Coast editor Athans explains how to set your novel apart--and break into this lucrative field. From devising clever plots and building complex characters to inventing original technologies and crafting alien civilizations, Athans gives you the techniques you need to write strong, saleable narratives. (hide)

Guitar Effects Pedals: The Practical Handbook opens up the world of effects pedals, vintage and new alike, for the guitarist. In (read more)

Guitar Effects Pedals: The Practical Handbook opens up the world of effects pedals, vintage and new alike, for the guitarist. In an easy, guitarist-friendly style, the book explores the history of different effects pedals, what each type of effect does and how it does it, the best ways in which to use and combine your own effects, and how to make the most of the pedals you own. It includes exclusive author interviews with a dozen leading pedal makers and designers, plus a cover-mounted CD with nearly 100 recorded sound samples of effects pedals, both popular and obscure.

This updated edition includes the addition of profiles of more than 20 other contemporary makers, 50 percent more manufacturer interviews, and revisions to the original text. This is the only book on the market that includes all of these important elements in the examination of effects pedals - a comprehensive history of the art; profiles on both vintage and contemporary (including boutique) units; and expert advice on all aspects of using these tools. For any serious player interested in honing the perfect tone the right way, this is the go-to reference. (hide)

'Grammar is the science of using words rightly, leading to thinking rightly, leading to deciding rightly, without which - as both (read more)

'Grammar is the science of using words rightly, leading to thinking rightly, leading to deciding rightly, without which - as both common sense and experience show - happiness is impossible. Therefore: happiness depends at least partly on good grammar.' So writes Mr Gwynne in his small, but perfectly formed new book. Mr Gwynne believes passionately that we must regain our knowledge of the lost science of grammar before it is too late.

Formerly a successful businessman, Mr Gwynne has for many years been teaching and tutoring just about every sort of subject to just about every sort of pupil in just about every sort of circumstance. His teaching methods are very much the traditional, common-sense ones, refined over the centuries, that were almost everywhere until they were abolished in the 1960s. Being disappointed in the standards of grammar he encountered in his pupils, Mr Gwynne, over time, wrote this wonderful, succinct and yet comprehensive little book - because nothing quite as suitable already existed. (hide)

For every cat that hisses and stares at you, there is a happy cat somewhere in the world that would love to receive your attention. (read more)

For every cat that hisses and stares at you, there is a happy cat somewhere in the world that would love to receive your attention. A celebration of joyful and jubilant felines, this book is especially crafted for all the cat lovers out there who are desperate to have a puss that loves them back.
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Hatton Garden... straight from the horse's mouth, as told to the factual producer on ITV's new HATTON GARDEN drama series.For this (read more)

Hatton Garden... straight from the horse's mouth, as told to the factual producer on ITV's new HATTON GARDEN drama series.For this team of old-school career criminals, The Hatton Garden Heist was supposed to be one last job, the fortune that would sort their retirement for good. The plan was to smash in and grab tens of millions of pounds from beneath the world-famous gold-and-jewellery district, and get away to live in luxury.But somewhere it all went wrong.

Now, for the first time ever, we hear what happened from the gang behind bars.Based on exclusive interviews and featuring shocking revelations from their associates, this explosive and gripping read includes fresh information on the whereabouts of 'Basil' - the only robber still at large - and evidence from unheard sources. This is the full story of one of the most audacious crimes in British history.
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Fully authorised and supported by Heathrow, the Haynes Heathrow Airport Manual takes the reader behind the scenes of the world's (read more)

Fully authorised and supported by Heathrow, the Haynes Heathrow Airport Manual takes the reader behind the scenes of the world's busiest airport, investigating all aspects of its organisation. The author covers airport management, runways, terminals, air traffic control and airport operations, including fuelling, baggage services, freight, passenger services, retail, engineering, emergency services, ground transportation systems, security, meteorology, simulator training and telecommunications. This is a fascinating subject, ripe for the Haynes Manual treatment. (hide)

For 50 years Heavy Weather Sailing has been regarded as the ultimate international authority on surviving storms at sea aboard sailing (read more)

For 50 years Heavy Weather Sailing has been regarded as the ultimate international authority on surviving storms at sea aboard sailing and motor vessels. The first edition was compiled by Kaines Adlard Coles himself in 1967. Since then technology may have improved, but the weather certainly hasn't.

This is the seventh updated edition, edited by racing yachtsman Peter Bruce, ensuring that in its 50th year the book remains as relevant and as essential as it has been for the previous five decades. The book brings together a wealth of expert advice from many of the great sailors of the present, including fresh accounts of yachts overtaken by extreme weather, from Ewan Southby-Tailyour, Alex Whitworth and Dag Pike to Larry and Lin Pardey, Matt Sheahan and Andrew Claughton. It also includes a new Foreword by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, Britain's most high profile yachtsman of the past 50 years.
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