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In My Sister's Shoes
by Sinéad MoriartyIn one of the many fantastic reviews for Sinéad Moriarty's fourth novel, In My Sister's Shoes, the reviewer praised Sinéad's ability to apply 'the light tender touch to dark, painful subjects'. It's a perfect description of how Sinéad tells the story of a younger sister stepping in to help out when her older sister is diagnosed with cancer. In a similar way to Marian Keyes, Sinéad manages to balance light and dark with wonderful finesse, warmth and humour.Kate O'Brien is thirty and has very little to think about except trying to keep her balance as she totters up London's media-land ladder.Fiona O'Brien is Kate's responsible older sister - with a husband, twin boys, a dog and now ... a life-changing problem.It's a problem that means Kate going back to Dublin. Pronto. There she finds herself stepping into Fiona's shoes - and discovering that she's definitely not cut out to be a domestic goddess. On top of that, the ex she thought she'd got over years ago turns up to haunt her.Will either of the O'Brien sisters survive? And even if they do, can either of them slip back into their old shoes ever again?Sinéad Moriarty's novels have sold over half a million copies in Ireland and the UK and she is a four times nominee for the popular fiction Irish Book Award. She has won over readers and critics telling stories that are funny, humane, moving and relevant to modern women. In My Sister's Shoes is Sinéad at her very best.Sinéad Moriarty lives with her family in Dublin. Her other titles are: The Baby Trail; A Perfect Match; From Here to Maternity; Keeping It In the Family (also titled Whose Life Is It Anyway?); Pieces of My Heart; Me and My Sisters and This Child of Mine.
L'Affaire
by Diane JohnsonA wickedly funny and observant novel about the delicate questions of love, death and money.Amy Hawkins, Californian millionairess, is travelling in Europe, to find her culture, her roots and a cause to which she might devote her considerable fortune. She lands at one of the finest small hotels in the French Alps - a hotel noted for skiing and its famous cooking lessons - and soon finds that Americans are not the flavour of the month in France.A few days into her trip, she narrowly survives an avalanche. Two of the hotel's other guests, English publisher Adrian Venn and his much younger wife Kerry, are not as fortunate and both lie comatose in a nearby hospital. Amy steps in as Adrian's children - young and old, legitimate and illegitimate - assemble in Valmeri to protect their interests should he not pull through, and in her innocence sets in motion a series of events in France and England that threaten to topple carefully built family alliances once and for all. Add one or two small affaires and soon it is, as the French would say, a situation.
Superloo: Queen Victoria's Potty (Superloo Ser. #Vol. 4)
by W. C. FlushingSuperloo has an ego as big as a planet, a microchip that belongs to NASA and a mission to rescue its toilet ancestors from the past. In this fourth book, it's off to Victorian times with Finn, his reluctant human helper, to rescue the magnificent musical 1812 Overture Toilet, designed by the great Sir Walter Closet. Along the way Finn gets stuck in a chimney while Superloo ends up at the bottom of the river - but nothing stops our heroes when there's a toilet in peril! A rollicking, rumbustious ride through Victorian times, involving slums, evil factory owners and a great deal you never knew about Victorian potties.All history books should be like this!
The Fat Ladies Club: Facing the First Five Years
by Andrea Bettridge Hilary Gardener Lyndsey Lawrence Sarah GrovesFollowing up from the huge success of their first book, The Fat Ladies Club now write about their experiences as mums of under 5's. In their refreshingly open and intimate style, they talk about all the issues that every new mum faces ...How do you deal with a toddler who will only eat chocolate? How do you juggle a second and third child into your hectic life? What do you do when your potty trained child does a wee on a fake tree in a restaurant? Will you ever get a full night's sleep again, without the entire family ending up in one bed? What happens to your sex and social lives? And how on earth will you cope when you eventually have to wave goodbye to your child on their first day of school?
The Vicar of Wakefield: Der Landprediger Von Wakefield
by Oliver Goldsmith Stephen CooteWhen Dr Primrose loses his fortune in a disastrous investment, his idyllic life in the country is shattered and he is forced to move with his wife and six children to an impoverished living on the estate of Squire Thornhill. Taking to the road in pursuit of his daughter, who has been seduced by the rakish Squire, the beleaguered Primrose becomes embroiled in a series of misadventures - encountering his long-lost son in a travelling theatre company and even spending time in a debtor's prison. Yet Primrose, though hampered by his unworldliness and pride, is sustained by his unwavering religious faith. In The Vicar of Wakefield, Goldsmith gently mocks many of the literary conventions of his day - from pastoral and romance to the picaresque - infusing his story of a hapless clergyman with warm humour and amiable social satire.
The Diary of a Nobody: Large Print (Isis Large Print Ser.)
by George Grossmith Weedon Grossmith Ed GlinertTHE DIARY OF A NOBODY began as a serial in Punch and the book which followed in 1892 has never been out of print. The Grossmith brothers not only created an immortal comic character but produced a clever satire of their society. Mr Pooter is an office clerk and upright family man in a dull 1880s suburb. His diary is a wonderful portrait of the class system and the inherent snobbishness of the suburban middle classes. It sends up contemporary crazes for Aestheticism, spiritualism and bicycling, as well as the fashion for publishing diaries by anybody and everybody.
Vanity Fair: A Novel Without A Hero
by John Carey William ThackerayNo one is better equipped in the struggle for wealth and worldly success than the alluring and ruthless Becky Sharp, who defies her impoverished background to clamber up the class ladder. Her sentimental companion Amelia, however, longs only for caddish soldier George. As the two heroines make their way through the tawdry glamour of Regency society, battles - military and domestic - are fought, fortunes made and lost. The one steadfast and honourable figure in this corrupt world is Dobbin with his devotion to Amelia, bringing pathos and depth to Thackeray's gloriously satirical epic of love and social adventure.
A Long Way Down: the international bestseller (Tie-in Ser.)
by Nick HornbyNarrated in turns by a dowdy, middle-aged woman, a half-crazed adolescent, a disgraced breakfast TV presenter and an American rock star cum pizza delivery boy, A Long Way Down is the story of the Toppers House Four, aka Maureen, Jess, Martin and JJ. A low-rent crowd with absolutely nothing in common - save where they end up that New Year's Eve night. And what they do next, of course. Funny, sad, and wonderfully humane, Nick Hornby's new novel asks some of the big questions: about life and death, strangers and friendship, love and pain, and whether a slice of pizza can really see you through a long, dark night of the soul.
Animal Farm: Large Print (Penguin Modern Classics #Vol. 8)
by George Orwell Malcolm Bradbury'All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others'When the downtrodden animals of Manor Farm overthrow their master Mr Jones and take over the farm themselves, they imagine it is the beginning of a life of freedom and equality. But gradually a cunning, ruthless élite among them, masterminded by the pigs Napoleon and Snowball, starts to take control. Soon the other animals discover that they are not all as equal as they thought, and find themselves hopelessly ensnared as one form of tyranny is replaced with another.
Arm-ball to Zooter: A Sideways Look at the Language of Cricket
by Lawrence BoothWhat's the difference between short leg and deep midwicket? When would you be thinking about bowling a yorker? What's so great about the sound of leather on willow? Cricket’s vocabulary is a mixture of jargon and cliché, poetry and prose, misty-eyed romanticism and old-gits’ cynicism. Arm-ball to Zooter is a witty guide to the peculiarities of the game, its history and major figures; cricket-lovers might find their own pet hates confirmed; cricket newcomers might be amazed at what cricket-lovers have been up to all these years.
Bollocks to Alton Towers: Uncommonly British Days Out (Bollocks to Alton Towers #1)
by Joel Morris Jason Hazeley Alex Morris Robin HalsteadThe British Lawnmower Museum, Keith Harding's World of Mechanical Music and Mad Jack's Sugar Loaf. In a world of theme parks, interactive exhibits, over-priced merchandise and queues, don't worry, these are names to stir the soul. Reassuring evidence that there's still somewhere to turn in search of the small, fascinating, unique and, dammit, British.In a stumbling journey across the country in search of the best we have to offer our intrepid heroes discovered dinosaurs in South London, a cold war castle in Essex, grown men pretending to be warships in Scarborough, unexplained tunnels under Liverpool and a terraced house in Bedford being kept warm for Jesus's return. And along the way they met the people behind them all: enthusiasts, eccentrics and, you know, those who just sort of fell into looking after a vast collection of gnomes ...Makes you proud!
Yes, But is it Good for the Jews?: How to Bring Out the Jew in You (A\beginner's Guide Ser. #Vol. 1)
by Jonny GellerWhat do google, guilt, musicals and Scarlet Johansson have in common? Answer: they’re all Good for the Jews! But what about Christmas? Or Jordan (the celebrity, naturally)? or Scientology? . Luckily the Judological Institute of Spiritual Mathematics (JISM) are pleased to reveal to the outside world – yes, Non-Jews are allowed to buy this book – the ancient mystical formula for calculating which people, products and places is, in fact, Good for the Jews. Here the secret art of Judology (think of it as a third cousin of Kabbalah) will reveal: • Big Brother is , in fact, Good for the Jews . since when has someone watching your every move, listening to all your conversations, NOT been a Jewish experience? • eBay , of course, is Not . Where else can one happily buy Hitler's nasal trimmer or mint conditioned first editions of Mein Kampf?. Additional help in getting the J factor comes with handy lists of who to marry, which Jews changed their names, and the essential Vacation Spots that are good for the Jews One final note. Please do not borrow this book from a friend or library as borrowing is not Good for the Jews. Buying is. Heimische.
Dead Souls (Pocket Penguins Ser.)
by Robert A Maguire Nikolay GogolChichikov, a mysterious stranger, arrives in the provincial town of 'N', visiting a succession of landowners and making each a strange offer. He proposes to buy the names of dead serfs still registered on the census, saving their owners from paying tax on them, and to use these 'souls' as collateral to re-invent himself as a gentleman. In this ebullient masterpiece, Gogol created a grotesque gallery of human types, from the bear-like Sobakevich to the insubstantial fool Manilov, and, above all, the devilish con man Chichikov. Dead Souls, Russia's first major novel, is one of the most unusual works of nineteenth-century fiction and a devastating satire on social hypocrisy.
Three Men in a Boat: To Say Nothing Of The Dog (Penguin Modern Classics)
by Jerome K. Jerome Jeremy LewisMartyrs to hypochondria and general seediness, J. and his friends George and Harris decide that a jaunt up the Thames would suit them to a 'T'. But when they set off, they can hardly predict the troubles that lie ahead with tow-ropes, unreliable weather-forecasts and tins of pineapple chunks - not to mention the devastation left in the wake of J.'s small fox-terrier Montmorency. Three Men in a Boat was an instant success when it appeared in 1889, and, with its benign escapism, authorial discursions and wonderful evocation of the late-Victorian 'clerking classes', it hilariously captured the spirit of its age.
Whose Life is it Anyway?
by Sinéad MoriartyAlso published under the title Keeping It In the Family.In her fifth novel, Whose Life Is It Anyway?, Sinéad Moriarty has done it again: taken a complex topic - what happens when a young woman falls in love with someone dramatically different than the kind of man her family would have expected - and created an insightful, gripping and moving story filled with delightfully sparky characters, plenty of straight-talking, and all her trademark fun and humour. In balancing of light and shade, pathos and comedy, Sinéad manages to pull off a unique feat - a story that combines the provocative qualities of a Jodi Picoult story with the warmth and humour of Marian Keyes.It's tricky for Niamh O'Flaherty, growing up in a North London home that's a shrine to all things Irish. But it's even trickier being an adult and realizing that her family expects her to settle down with a nice Irish lad, especially now that she's living in Dublin.When Niamh finally meets the love of her life he is the last person she would expect to fall for her. Pierre is older and an intellectual, but she loves his ability to laugh at himself, his calmness and strength of character, and, of course, his stunning looks.There's just one problem: if Pierre's parents - Jean and Fleur - are sniffy about their pride and joy hooking up with a girl who writes a fluffy newspaper column, her parents, Mick and Annie, are going to go ballistic when they hear that their daughter intends to marry someone who couldn't be less Irish if he tried . . .Sinéad Moriarty's novels have sold over half a million copies in Ireland and the UK and she is a four times nominee for the popular fiction Irish Book Award. She has won over readers and critics telling stories that are funny, humane, moving and relevant to modern women. Whose Life Is It Anyway? is Sinéad at her very best. Sinéad Moriarty lives with her family in Dublin. Her other titles are: The Baby Trail; A Perfect Match; From Here to Maternity; In My Sister's Shoes; Pieces of My Heart; Me and My Sisters and This Child of Mine.
The Secret Life of Evie Hamilton: Abridged Us Edition
by Catherine AlliottFrom the bestselling author of One Day in May and A Crowded Marriage comes a heart-warming look at what happens when your whole world is turned upside-down.Evie Hamilton has a secret . . . one she doesn't even know about. Yet . . .Evie's an Oxfordshire wife and mum whose biggest worry in life is whether or not she can fit in a manicure on her way to fetch her daughter from clarinet lessons. But she's blissfully unaware that her charmed and happy life is about to be turned upside-down. For one sunny morning a letter lands on Evie's immaculate doormat. It's a bombshell, knocking her carefully arranged and managed world completely askew and it threatens to sabotage all she holds dear. What will be left and what will change forever? Is Evie strong enough to fight for what she loves? Can her entire world really be as fragile as her best china?Praise for Catherine Alliott:'Classy, wonderfully gossipy and breathless' Red'We defy you not to get caught up in Alliott's life-changing tale' Heat'Alliott at her best' Daily Telegraph
My Brother's Hot Cross Bottom
by Jeremy StrongNicholas and his family are hatching eggs for his school's Easter Fair. But the eggs keep going missing and their new rabbits, Saucepan and Nibblewibble, are causing havoc in the garden. Perhaps Cilla, their nosy new neighbour, is even more trouble than she seems?
There's A Pharaoh In Our Bath!
by Jeremy StrongTony Lightspeed is always bringing home sick and injured animals, so when he turns up with an unconscious man dressed from head to tie in rather stinky bandages, his family aren't too surprised. But then they discover that the man is an ancient Egyptian pharaoh named Sennapod, who has been dead for over 4,000 years. Brought back to life by two dastardly grave robbers, Sennapod is on the run. Can he persuade the Lightspeeds to help him?
There's a Viking in My Bed and Other Stories
by Jeremy Strong John LeversAfter falling overboard from his longboat, Sigurd the Viking finds himself in modern-day Flotby - a small English seaside town. Finding refuge in the aptly named Viking Hotel, Siggy's attempts to embrace modern ways end in disaster. His attempt at romance is no better off as even the course of true love doesn't run smoothly when Siggy's involved!
Port Out, Starboard Home: The Fascinating Stories We Tell About the words We Use
by Michael QuinionCan it really be true that 'golf' stands for 'Gentlemen Only Ladies Forbidden'? Or that 'rule of thumb' comes from an archaic legal principle that a man may chastise his wife, but only with a rod no thicker than his thumb?These and hundreds of other stories are commonly told and retold whenever people meet. They grow up in part because expressions are often genuinely mysterious. Why, for example, are satisfying meals 'square' rather than any other shape? And how did anyone ever come up with the idea that if you're competent at something you can 'cut the mustard'?Michael Quinion here retells many of the more bizarre tales, and explains their real origins where they're known. This is a fascinating treasure-trove of fiction and fact for anyone interested in language.
Martin Lukes: Who Moved My BlackBerry?
by Lucy KellawayHi!Let me introduce myself. I'm Martin Lukes, Special Projects Director at a-b global (UK).In your hands is a highly unique book, which pushes the envelope literature-wise. As you will see, it is a 120 per cent honest account of a year of my life - a phenomenal year of personal progress, corporate scandal and marital drama. It not only chronicles my promotion to one of the foremost executive positions globally, but is also a profound journey of personal learning, aided and abetted by my coach, Pandora. I am often asked why I want to share my deeply private philosophies with such a wide audience. I always say it is because I am passionate about learning. I have grown from my own mistakes, both in the professional space and the personal one, and I believe that there are many key takeaways for you here too.Who Moved My BlackBerry (TM)? is a creovative(TM) work - to use a phrase of mine that has now entered the business lingo. I anticipate it will be the must-read of 2005.All my very bestestMartin.
Pop Goes the Weasel: The Secret Meanings of Nursery Rhymes
by Albert JackMr Jack has been nimble and he’s been quick, searching through the history of nursery rhymes and he’s found out all kind of plum tales, just like little Jack Horner. He's unearthed the answers to some very curious questions...Who were Mary Quite Contrary and Georgie Porgie? How could Hey Diddle Diddle offer an essential astronomy lesson? And if Ring a Ring a Roses isn’t about catching the plague, then, what is it really about? The ingenious book delves into the hidden meanings of the nursery rhymes and songs we all know so well and discovers all kinds of strange tales ranging from Viking raids to firewalking and from political rebellion to slaves being smuggled to freedom. Children have always played at being grown up and all kinds of episodes in our history are still being re-enacted today in a series of dark games (Oranges and Lemons traces a condemned man’s journey across London to his execution, Goosie Gander is about dragging a hidden Catholic priest to prison) And there are many many more… Full of vivid illustrations and with each verse reproduced, here are a multitude of surprising stories you won’t be able to resist passing on to everyone you know. Your childhood songs and rhymes will never sound the same again.
The Mummy Diaries: Or How to Lose Your Husband, Children and Dog in Twelve Months
by Rachel JohnsonRachel Johnson's hilarious take on life as a yummy mummy in West London and on Exmoor has been making her newspaper readers chortle for the last couple of years: now they are seamlessly turned into a diary of her year, from the dog's birthday party in January (games of Paws-the-Parcel) to the June sports days (where the mummies turn up at the school sports day in sports bras and running shorts with little back packs containing high energy drinks - and that's just for them) to summer on Exmoor hosting demanding visiting ponies.
The Other Side of the Story: British Book Awards Author of the Year 2022
by Marian KeyesThe lives of three women collide when a highflying literary agent finds herself representing two women who were once best friends . . . 'There are three sides to every story. Your side, their side, and the truth . . .'Sharkish literary agent Jojo has just made a very bad career move - she's slept with her married boss Mark . . . Lily - Jojo's bestselling author - has just blown her advance on a house with new boyfriend Anton, only to come down with writer's block . . . Gemma used to be Lily's best friend until Lily ran off with Anton. Now she's pouring her heart out and a certain literary agent likes her style . . . Soon the fortunes of Jojo, Lily and Gemma are horribly entangled. But each is about to discover that there's more than one side to every story . . . 'It had me in tears . . . and, barking with laughter' Daily Telegraph'A wonderful, subtle, hilarious and highly sophisticated novel. You can't stop reading' Evening Standard'Packed with sound writing, wit and common sense' Guardian
This Charming Man: A Novel
by Marian KeyesFour very different women, one awfully charming man and a dark secret that binds them all . . . Marian Keyes' This Charming Man follows women who have been caught in a web of modern love. 'Everybody remembers where they were the day they heard that Paddy de Courcy was getting married'Slick, handsome politician Paddy de Courcy is on the up. His party is set to do well in the elections and he's just announced his engagement to the beautiful Alicia. Which is news to his girlfriend, Lola, who, within hours, finds herself dumped and warned not to talk to the press.Yet journalist Grace is on the prowl. She has been after Paddy ever since he ruined her sister Marnie's life way back in college. Grace is looking for the inside story and thinks Lola holds the key.But do any of them know the real Paddy? 'So funny, so perceptive, so real. I changed my life for this book' Mail on Sunday'The laughs come fast and furious . . . a gripping, compelling tale' Sunday Independent'The queen of page-turners . . . brimming with her trademark down-to-earth wit' Cosmopolitan'Gripping from the start . . . the master at her best' Daily Telegraph