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HarperCollins Publishers
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A vivid, evocative, page-turning read that leaps off the page, with a dazzling evocation of the diamond and gem trade The King's Diamond opens in 1527, as the chaos of war is spreading out across Europe. Charles V is extending his empire in a series of ruthless and aggressive moves. The Medici Pope has formed an alliance to drive Charles out of Italy for good. Only England holds aloof from the great struggle that is to come. The 36-year-old Henry VIII presides over an opulent and glamorous court, thinking only of the woman with whom he has fallen in love. In the midst of this politically sensitive and dangerous world, steps Richard Dansey, a young and ambitious jewel merchant, determined to break his mother's stranglehold on the family firm after his father's early death. Richard's reckless pursuit of jewels worthy of Henry's wooing of Anne Boleyn, lead him across Europe to Venice and Rome. Obsessed with one diamond, but dangerously distracted by love, Richard finds himself thrust into the heart of the murderous politics of the Tudor court. The King's Diamond is a story of obsession and love, in a world of political conniving and treachery, that grips from the first page. |
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This reissue of the Collins Paperback Thesaurus is the perfect reference for everyday use. With practical usage notes, and a fantastic supplement, this is the ideal thesaurus to take your language use and knowledge further. Specially tailored to meet the needs of the user at home, school, or in the office, the Collins Paperback Thesaurus has all the words and alternatives the user might need, as well as a huge choice of opposites. This thesaurus is based on the Collins Word Web, Collins' 4-billion-word database of today's English. The clear, accessible layout makes the thesaurus easy to use and ensures users can find the language they need when they need it. This reissue also includes a new supplement. |
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Designed to accompany and complement the dictionary and grammar in the widely acclaimed Collins Easy Learning range, and now including a free verb wheel, Collins Easy Learning Spanish Verbs offers beginners a clear and easy-to-understand guide to Spanish verbs. |
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The first book after Doris Lessing's Nobel Prize takes her back to her childhood in Southern Africa and the lives, both fictional and factual, that her parents lead. |
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Collins Pocket Italian Dictionary offers excellent coverage of today's language and usage. Clear presentation and colour layout allow maximum accessibility in a portable, hard-wearing format. Features include: — All the latest words in both languages, such as downloadable, Wi-Fi in English, and faccina, riscrivibile in Italian; — Full GCSE coverage; — An in-depth and up-to-date supplement with information about Italy, its people and its language to help you take your learning to the next level; — Help with Italian verbs; — Clear, colour layout, useful examples, language and cultural notes. Collins Pocket Italian Dictionary has been designed to give travellers, business people and the general user alike all the information they need in a portable, hard-wearing format. It includes all the latest words reflecting changes in modern lifestyle, as well as all the features you would expect from a Collins dictionary: an easy-to-read colour layout, special treatment of key words such as can, that, di, fare, notes about life in Italian-speaking countries and warnings on commonly confused words. An in-depth and up-to-date supplement helps you to develop your knowledge of Italian and your confidence in the language, with a section on common translation difficulties to guide you. There is information on pronunciation and improving your fluency, as well as the words and phrases you will need in different situations, like sending an email or making a phone call. The supplement also gives you an insight into Italy, its people and other Italian-speaking countries. Verb tables show all verb forms for the most common Italian verbs and give examples of how these are used. Also available in the Collins Italian dictionary range are Collins Italian School Dictionary, Collins Easy Learning Italian Dictionary, Collins Italian Dictionary & Grammar and Collins Italian Phrasebooks for mobile phone and iPod. |
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The language and culture of China. A topic so complex and epic it would surely take years of study to scratch the surface. Wrong! Collins Chinese Language and Culture is a sharp and informative introduction to the Chinese language and way of life. You'll learn essential phrases and grammar points, the origins of Chinese characters and how to form them. There are lessons about Chinese etiquette, how to haggle your way down a street market and what to do in a restaurant. Whether as an accompaniment to studies or a stand-alone guide, Collins Chinese Language and Culture gives you access to the life and language of this ancient empire and modern superpower in the making. |
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Stroke by stroke, you will learn 250 Chinese characters with Collins Easy Learning Chinese Characters. With thousands of characters to learn, beginning to read and write Chinese is a daunting task. Aimed at learners seeking to master Chinese writing, this book shows you how to form 250 of the most important characters. It explains the meaning of each character, the radicals it includes and some of the most useful compound words it can make. Stroke by stroke practice on every page lets you practice writing each character for yourself. In no time at all you will become familiar with reading writing characters and start to feel at ease within the Chinese writing system. |
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This new edition of Collins Pocket Dictionary and Thesaurus ensures you'll always have the words you need at your fingertips. With matching dictionary and thesaurus entries on the same page, you'll never be stuck for words again! With all the main entry words shown in colour, Collins Pocket Dictionary and Thesaurus is easy on the eye and will help you find all the words, definitions and alternatives you need -- and fast. Clear, straightforward definitions reflect today's language, while the matching thesaurus entries provide a generous choice of synonyms and antonyms. And you can always rely on Collins to provide you with today's English as all our definitions, examples, idioms and usage notes are based on the Collins Word Web -- our unrivalled and constantly updated 4-billion-word database. |
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A fantastic new colour school thesaurus for ages 10+ in the best-selling Gem format. Written specially to help with school work and homework, this new edition of the Gem School Thesaurus provides thousands of synonyms to increase vocabulary, with examples to show context for every synonym listed. This handy thesaurus includes all the newest words in the English language, plus an updated supplement to provide help with finding the right word. Unlike any other school thesaurus, with the Collins Gem School Thesaurus you can be sure you're using the right word every time. Every entry has a definition, and each alternative word is followed by its own example, helping you decide which word is the most appropriate to use. The perfect companion to the new Collins Gem School Dictionary, and an indispensable tool for any school student aged 10+. Using a thesaurus has never been easier! |
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The Hobbit is the unforgettable story of Bilbo, a peace-loving hobbit, who embarks on a strange and magical adventure. A timeless classic. Bilbo Baggins enjoys a quiet and contented life, with no desire to travel far from the comforts of home; then one day the wizard Gandalf and a band of dwarves arrive unexpectedly and enlist his services — as a burglar — on a dangerous expedition to raid the treasure-hoard of Smaug the dragon. Bilbo's life is never to be the same again. Seldom has any book been so widely read and loved as J.R.R. Tolkien's classic tale, 'The Hobbit'. Since its first publication in 1937 it has remained in print to delight each new generation of readers all over the world, and its hero, Bilbo Baggins, has taken his place among the ranks of the immortals of fiction. |
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Filled with artistry and images, this book showcases the work of twenty-seven established and emerging artists in the area of science fiction and fantasy art. From the utterly bizarre and remarkable, to the down-right creepy, it is suitable for all science fiction and fantasy fans as well as those interested in art and graphic design. |
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A manga retelling of Tim Burton's Classic Holiday Fantasy. Jack Skellington comes vibrantly to life in this beautiful redrawing of Tim Burton's seminal children's horror fantasy. English version of the original Japanese manga. Jack Skellington, King of Halloweentown, is bored. He wants more than just Halloween to rule. When he discovers Christmastown, replete with goodwill to all men and a large man in a red suit, he rounds up a gang of colourful followers and sets about hijacking the holiday... A hugely entertaining fantasy; a love story; a morality tale — The Nightmare Before Christmas is a true masterpiece of the imagination. Tim Burton's gleeful holiday tale is translated brilliantly to the manga format, with bold panes and stylish artwork recreating and reinventing the atmosphere of one of the most successful animated films of all time. |
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In this fable about the dangers of destroying our forests and woodlands, the long-suffering Lorax struggles to save all the Truffula Trees from the wicked Once-ler's axe. This text is a Yellow Back Book, which means it is suitable for fluent readers aged five and over. |
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Shakespeare in Love for the sonnets: a fictional tale of how Shakespeare wrote his most famous poems. No one knows for sure precisely when and where Shakespeare wrote his sonnets or, more intriguingly, who he wrote them for. In this wonderfully entertaining novel acclaimed author Warwick Collins imagines the circumstances that inspired 30 of the Bard's most popular sonnets. The young Will Shakespeare is living under the patronage of Henry Wriothesley, Earl of Southampton. The controversial earl is under pressure from his family and those close to the royal court to settle down but he is far too busy drinking, carousing and cavorting with his motley band of acquaintances to pay attention. Not then, the obvious setting for poetic genius but within the politics (both State and sexual) of this lofty household Will finds lots to inspire his pen, and a few attractive distractions too. Collins has crafted a clever, witty and enjoyable novel from fragments of history. He interweaves 30 sonnets into the text in seamless fashion. The Sonnets wears its scholarship lightly and its love of Shakespeare and poetry proudly. |
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Feisty security expert Henrietta 'Harry' Martinez puts her life on the line when she goes undercover to expose an international criminal gang in this heartstopping thriller. |
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This new edition of the Collins Chinese Gem Dictionary has been specially designed to meet the needs of learners of both Chinese and English. A clear colour layout, up-to-date coverage of everyday words and phrases, and a handy travel supplement make this dictionary the ideal portable companion. Collins Chinese Gem has been written for all those learning Chinese or English for study or for travel. It is the ideal text for anyone who needs a wealth of reliable information in a portable format. |
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Collins Pocket Thesaurus has a wide range of up-to-date entries, a generous choice of synonyms, and thousands of antonyms, giving unrivalled everyday language coverage for a thesaurus of its size. The hard-wearing vinyl cover makes it an ideal reference book for carrying to school or work. This new edition of Collins Pocket Thesaurus provides up-to-date language coverage along with practical guidance on effective English for everyday use. All main entry words are highlighted in colour and the most helpful synonyms in each entry are given first and highlighted to ensure you find what you're looking for in the shortest time. With key antonyms included for many entries and the unique supplement, Collins Pocket Thesaurus is the ideal one-stop reference source for every home and office. |
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The Collins Japanese Gem Dictionary offers learners extensive and up-to-date coverage of Japanese and English in a compact, portable format. This Japanese dictionary is designed for all levels of language learner, whether at home, at school, or at work. It is the ideal text for anyone who needs a wealth of reliable information in a portable format. The Collins Japanese Gem Dictionary contains all the everyday words and phrases used in today's Japanese and English that you will need to know. An easy-to-use and reliable dictionary. The clear layout ensures that you can quickly find the information you need. |
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The new Collins Chinese Pocket Dictionary offers the user up-to-date coverage of today's Chinese and English. Colour layout and clear presentation of information makes it ideal for learners of both languages. This new edition of the Collins Chinese Pocket Dictionary has been designed for those studying both English and Chinese, whether at school, for work or for travel. It is the ideal text for anyone who needs reliable information in a handy, portable format. |
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How far would you go to find yourself? The lyrical, life-affirming new novel from the bestselling author of Private Peaceful There were dozens of us on the ship, all up on deck for the leaving of Liverpool, gulls wheeling and crying over our heads, calling good-bye! That is all I remember of England. When six-year-old orphan Arthur Hobhouse is shipped to Australia after WWII he loses his sister, his country and everything he knows. Overcoming enormous hardships with fellow orphan Marty, Arthur is finally saved by the extraordinary people he meets and by his talent for boat-design and sailing. Now he has built a special boat for his daughter Allie — a solo yacht designed to carry her to England in search of his long-lost sister. Will the threads of Arthur's life finally come together? I was there on the quayside to see Allie take her out for the first time, saw her dancing through the waves, and I knew I'd never built a finer boat. |
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