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Penguin Group
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Everyone needs a holiday — but who knows where it will lead? Sophie and Andrew are looking for relief from the daily grind — if not each other — so when a friend puts them in touch with William and Beth, newlyweds looking to swap houses for the summer, it seems a solution of sorts. They find themselves in a stylish Connecticut home, a stone's throw from New York, while William and Beth take over their lived-in family house in South London, ideal for spending time with William's teenage sons. The weeks away work an unexpected magic for Sophie, who begins to find a sense of happiness... but Beth has no such luck and, no longer the centre of William's world, grows increasingly miserable. And so the two marriages — one crushed by the weight of years, one shiny and new — slide into reverse. But who can foreseen the dramatic consequences of their lives, and hearts, intertwining? This innocent holiday might just prove devastating... |
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In the current financial crisis, Keynes has been taken out of his cupboard, dusted down, consulted, cited, invoked and appealed to about why events have taken the course they have and how a rescue operation can be effected. Why have we gone back so emphatically to the ideas of an economist who died fifty years ago? There are three main ideas of Keynes' worth thinking about now. The first is that the future is unknowable, and therefore that economic storms are part of the normal workings of the market system. The second idea is that economies wounded by these 'shocks' can, if left to themselves, stay in a depressed condition for a long time. That is why governments need to have and use fiscal ammunition to prevent a slide from financial crisis to economic depression. The third concerns what he termed 'organicism': societies are communities not, as he put it, 'branches of the multiplication table'. These ideas have never been more timely. |
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John Updike was always as much a poet as a storyteller and the poems in this, his final collection, celebrate the everyday, even as they address his own imminent mortality. It is in the connected series of poems, Endpoint, written on his last few birthdays and culminating with the illness that killed him, that Updike's work is at its most touching and poignant. |
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Hidden in a remote corner of the South American jungle is a clandestine research facility known simply as Meros. Here, working in laboratories buried a thousand feet underground, military scientists have developed the most astonishing and deadly weapon known to man... Meanwhile, on the other side of the globe, a Chinook helicopter lands a highly trained squad of special forces soldiers deep in hostile territory — their mission: to clean up a black-ops killzone. As they enter the cave, they hear the faint buzz of the weapon — like the beating of a thousand pairs of insect wings. |
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'I didn't say anything. I didn't return his smiles. I looked at him in the wide mirror in front of where I was sitting. He grew uncomfortable and avoided my eyes. I hate those who think fat people are stupid'. An obese woman and her lover, a dwarf, are sick of being stared at wherever they go, and so decide to reverse roles. The man goes out wearing make up and the woman draws a moustache on her face. But while the woman wants to hide away from the world, the man meets the stares from passers-by head on, compiling his 'Dictionary of Gazes' to explore the boundaries between appearance and reality. Intertwined with the story of a bizarre freak-show organized in Istanbul in the 1880s, The Gaze considers the damage which can be inflicted by our simple desire to look at others. |
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'I am not Number 6. I am not a prisoner. I am a free man'. This is the classic novel of the TV series The Prisoner, by cult author Thomas M. Disch. First published in 1968, this new edition celebrates the long-awaited remake of the series, from ITV1 and the producers of Mad Men, starring Sir Ian McKellen and Jim Caviezel. Combining the power of a great spy thriller with Orwellian science fiction, The Prisoner follows a former British secret agent who has quit the force, only to find himself trapped in an anonymous place called the Village. Known only as 'Number 6', he struggles to maintain his identity in the face of the nameless powers-that-be, who use increasingly sophisticated and terrifying methods to extract his secrets. |
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'The more solitary, the more friendless, the more unsustained I am, the more I will respect myself'. Rejected by her guardians and offered cold charity at an orphanage, Jane Eyre has come to rely on her own intelligence and strength of character to guide her through life. But when she becomes governess at Thornfield Hall, working for the gruff Mr. Rochester, she finds a man who may be her equal — and a secret that threatens to destroy them both. Published in 1847 under the pseudonym Currer Bell, Jane Eyre enthralled and appalled readers with its passionate, defiant heroine. It remains a novel of unparalleled narrative grip, vivid imagery and naked emotional power. |
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'Lady Audley uttered a long, low, wailing cry, and threw up her arms above her head with a wild gesture of despair'. Robert Audley is pleased for his uncle when he brings home a pretty young bride, even though her past is shrouded in mystery. But when his old friend Talboys is treated strangely by Lady Audley, then goes suddenly missing, Robert has no choice but to begin investigations. Lady Audley's Secret epitomized the scandalous sensation fiction of the 1860s. Lady Audley herself, a beautiful woman with a mysterious past, embodied the concerns of the age with the rise of the middle class and with madness and morality. |
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Learn to bake with Britain's favourite women's fiction author, Marian Keyes. Saved by Cake gives an extremely honest account of Marian Keyes' recent battle with depression, and how baking has helped her. A complete novice in the kitchen, Marian decided to bake a cake for a friend and that was it — she realized that baking was what she needed to do in order to get her through each day. And so she baked, and she wrote her recipes down, and little by little the depression has started to lift, along with her sponges... With chapters on cupcakes, cheesecakes, meringues and macaroons, chocolate cakes, fruit cakes and favourite classics, Marian's recipes are aimed firmly at beginner bakers, offering hints and tips to help along the way. Never patronizing, always honest and witty, accessible and full of fun, the bakes and cakes that Marian serves up in this cookbook will put a smile on your face and make you happy. From her Consistently Reliable Cupcakes and Very Chocolately Macaroons, to the ease of her Fridge-set Honeycomb Cheesecake, you will want to have a go at making all of Marian's recipes. The shoe and handbag biscuits particularly. Very covetable. Very Marian. |
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After the Iron Duke freed England from Horde control, he instantly became a national hero. Now Rhys Trahaearn has built a merchant empire on the power — and fear — of his name. And when a dead body is dropped from an airship onto his doorstep, bringing Detective Inspector Mina Wentworth into his dangerous world, he intends to make her his next possession. Mina can't afford his interest, however. Horde blood runs through her veins, and becoming Rhys' lover would destroy both her career and her family, yet the investigation prevents her from avoiding him. But when Mina uncovers the victim's identity, she stumbles upon a conspiracy that threatens the lives of everyone in England. To save them, Mina and Rhys must race across zombie-infested wastelands and treacherous oceans — and Mina discovers the danger is not only to her countrymen as she finds herself tempted to give up everything to the Iron Duke. |
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'There was no warning of any kind...' Friday rush-hour. Martin Gregory, laden with packages, just manages to catch the 4.48 train. Tomorrow is his wife's birthday — he has a surprise in store — and he plans to devote the weekend to her and their beloved dogs. But Saturday morning, Martin rises early and does something so horrific, so inexplicable and so out of character, and his only option is to run... And from this shocking incident the journey begins. With the help of a therapist he can't trust, and friends who no longer trust him, Martin's quest for meaning takes him down shifting realities and twisted corridors of time into the deepest recesses of the human mind. It is a world of menace and obsession from which neither he — nor the reader — can escape, for Martin Gregory is either lost in a dark maze of madness and horror, or frighteningly sane. |
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It's Fran's thirtieth birthday and things are good... She's bluffed her way into a Very Posh Job and her outlandishly handsome and talented boyfriend Michael is escorting her to the Ritz with a bulge the shape of a ring box in his pocket. But something has gone wrong. Very wrong. By the end of the evening Fran is howling in bed with a bottle of cheap brandy and one of Michael's old socks. In her quest to figure out why her life has suddenly gone down the pan, Fran comes up with a failsafe plan: live like a badger, stalk a stranger called Nellie and cancel her beloved Gin Thursdays in favour of drinking gin every night. But then Fran's friends force a very different plan on her and it's nowhere near as fun. How could eight dates possibly make her feel better? But eventually she agrees. And so begins the greatest love story of all time... |
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'If you see the Black Banners coming, then go to them, even if you have to crawl' — Prophet Muhammad. Ali Soufan was for years the FBI's lead agent in the war against Al Qaeda, as well as its most effective interrogator. On September 11th 2001, he was handed a secret file that could have prevented the attacks, and he has prevented many others by gaining important confessions from Al Qaeda terrorists — without ever laying so much as a hand on them. He is also not afraid to critique the US government's approach to combating terrorism. In The Black Banners he takes us into hideouts, planning meetings, and interrogation rooms. He explains why the pervasive use of torture is not helping in the War on Terror, and how a more enlightened approach to intelligence is not only possible, but better. This is a gripping and important book that gives us a ringside seat in Bin Laden's lair. |
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This brand new edition Insight Guide to Spain features illuminating text written by expert, local writers alongside inspiring full-colour photography. This new edition contains over 250 brand-new photographs, vividly bringing Spain and its people to life at the turn of a page. The top attractions are highlighted to help you plan your trip priorities, and a brand new 'Best of' section features recommendations on many exclusively Spanish experiences. An in-depth 'Places' section covers the entire country, including its cities and diverse regions. All the principal sites are cross-referenced by number to the accompanying full-colour maps found throughout the guide, whilst additional maps inside the front and back covers enable instant orientation and easy navigation at a glance. This new edition also has a brand new Editor's Choice section, with illustrated spreads featuring the author's take on the most quirky and interesting things to do during your trip. Colour-coded sections explore Spain's intriguing history and also provide fascinating features, giving a rare insight into the culture and heritage of Spain and its people. A comprehensive 'Travel Tips' section covers transport, accommodation for all budgets, eating out, nightlife, shopping, museums, and much more. A quick-reference A-Z section of further practical information includes useful contact telephone numbers, invaluable travel information for people with disabilities and for those travelling with children, to ensure your trip goes smoothly. The unique combination of insightful exploration alongside practical advice means that this guide truly is a pleasure to read before, during and after your visit. |
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Michael McIntyre has become Britain's biggest comedy star. His debut stand-up DVD, Live & Laughing, was the fastest selling of all time, only to be eclipsed by his second, Hello Wembley, that sold over 1.4 million copies and was the 2009 Christmas number one. He hosts his own BAFTA nominated BBC1 series, Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow, and won the British Comedy Award for Best Live Stand-up in 2009 following his record breaking fifty-four date Arena tour. But how did he get there? Michael reveals all in his remarkably honest and hilarious autobiography Life & Laughing. His showbiz roots, his appalling attempts to attract the opposite sex, his fish-out-of-water move from public to state school and his astonishing journey from selling just one ticket at the Edinburgh Festival to selling half a million tickets on his last tour. Michael's story is riveting, poignant, romantic and above all very, very funny. |
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When everything has been taken from you... There's nothing left to lose. Martin Harris has been in a coma for three days. When he wakes up, otherwise unharmed, he is shocked to discover that no one knows who he is — he no longer exists. Worse still, another man is living Martin's life. His identity, his home, even his wife have been stolen. He has lost everything. Except his memory... Will anyone believe that he is the real Martin Harris? If not, is he mad? Or is there a far darker explanation? |
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Read each year around the Seder table, the Haggadah recounts through prayer and song the extraordinary story of Exodus, when Moses led the ancient Israelites out of slavery in Egypt to wander through the desert for forty years before reaching the Promised Land. In this new version of the traditional Haggadah text, Jonathan Safran Foer brings together some of the most preeminent voices of our time. Nathan Englander's new translation, beautifully designed and illustrated by the Israeli artist and typographer Ozed Ezer, is accompanied by thought-provoking essays by major Jewish writers and thinkers, including Howard Jacobsen, Daniel Handler and Rebecca Goldstein. |
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Are love and devotion enough to create a happy family? When Andi married Ethan she not only got the man she loved but also the chance to be a mother, to his daughters Emily and Sophia. Unable to have a child of her own, Andi saw this opportunity at motherhood as a precious gift. If only it were that simple. For this is not a happy family, and the trouble lies with Emily. Her conflicted feelings towards her stepmother leave Andi feeling hated in her own home despite years of trying to reach out to her stepdaughter. And with each new drama, Emily drives Andi and Ethan further apart. Just as Andi starts to contemplate a life without Ethan and the girls, Emily comes home with some shocking news. News that will change their lives forever. In 1996 Jane Green revolutionized women's literature with Straight Talking and its free-spirited heroine Tasha. Fifteen years later, Jane a 2.5 million bestselling author, now a mother of four, married twice and dealing with all the things a woman in her forties faces on a daily basis, is releasing her best ever coming of age tale that will satisfy her most demanding fans. |
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July, 1964. In bed at home in Kent, Winston Churchill is waking up. There's a visitor in the room, someone he hasn't seen for a while, a dark, mute bulk, watching him with tortured concentration. It's Mr Chartwell. In her terraced house in Battersea, Esther Hammerhans, young, vulnerable and alone, goes to answer the door to her new lodger. Through the glass she sees a vast silhouette the size of a mattress. It's Mr Chartwell. He is charismatic and dangerously seductive, and Esther and Winston Churchill are drawn together by his dark influence. But can they withstand Mr Chartwell's strange, powerful charms and strong hold? Can they even explain to anyone who or what he is? Or why he has come to visit? For Mr Chartwell is a huge, black dog. In this utterly original, moving, funny and exuberant novel, Rebecca Hunt explores how two unlikely lives collide as Mr Chartwell's motives are revealed to be far darker and deeper than they seem. |
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This brand new edition provides a comprehensive and highly visual introduction to Paris; over 600 superb photographs capture the history, local people and variety of everyday life in France's vibrant capital city. The 'Places' section provides a detailed, district-by-district exploration of all the places to visit and principal sites along the way are clearly cross-referenced by number to the full-colour maps found throughout the guide. Expanded and updated restaurant listings feature the best eateries to suit all budgets within each area, providing the address, phone number, opening times and price range, followed by a useful review. Paris is a shopping hotspot and this guide reveals insider tips on where to find the best buys. A brand new 'Editor's Choice' section illustrates everything you simply can't afford to miss, including lesser-known attractions, family activities and money-saving hints. Expert local writers provide authoritative essays on the city's history and interesting cultural features. A fully-indexed street atlas enables instant orientation, helping you to navigate around the city with ease and also plots restaurants. The comprehensive 'Travel Tips' section provides all the essential information you'll need for a hassle-free trip, covering accommodation for all budgets, transport, activities and useful booking information, plus a handy A-Z of further practical advice and contact details. The unique combination of insightful exploration alongside practical advice makes this guide a fascinating background read and an invaluable on-the-spot companion. |
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