A laugh-out-loud miscellany of everything you ever wanted to know about death. From bizarre funeral practices and macabre urban myths to lucrative jobs in the death business. Accompanied by cartoons from the creators of the hit webcomic, ‘Cyanide & Happiness.’There’s just something about the end that makes us want to run screaming back to the beginning…Did you know that three American states still use the firing squad as a means of execution? Or that you can see Galileo’s preserved middle finger in Florence? How about the new trend of having your loved one’s ashes turned into a diamond? Loaded with funny and fascinating facts, The Pocket Book of Death is a jaw-dropping miscellany of macabre word origins, hysterical famous last words, bizarre death rituals, the last meals of death row inmates and more. This is a side of death you’ve never seen before.Is your job killing you? Maybe it’s time to find the perfect career in the death business. Browse through the list to find the most lucrative jobs in the industry. A little paranoid perhaps? Then discover some of the deadliest jobs in the world or the tiniest animals that can kill you.Accompanied by side-splitting cartoons from the creators of the hugely popular webcomic, ‘Cyanide & Happiness’, The Pocket Book of Death is so packed with info that it leaves no stone unturned…er, tombstone that is.
A gorgeous short story from the collection, BEYOND THE STARS, written and illustrated by two great Irish talents in children’s fiction todayAs battle rages beyond the castle walls and soldiers fall like flies, the king despairs. His kingdom is crumbling around him, and he has lost his fighting spirit. His people know that without that, they will surely lose the war.While the bombs fall and arrows rain down, a black cat wanders silently amongst them, invisible but for her footprints in the snow. Only she may pass unnoticed through the deserted courtyards and along the empty corridors and snow-covered battlements of the once-bustling palace. For she has taken a silent vow to protect the princess who once saved her from drowning as a kitten. Watching her at play, lonely as can be, the cat knows she can never abandon her charge; she must help her and the young prince find each other, even if she is the last one remaining.A beautifully crafted tale by a highly regarded author with delicate illustrations to match by one of Ireland’s rising stars.
New York Times bestselling author Mercedes Lackey In an isolated land where the lure of the «Moontide» leads to shipwrecks, a woman is torn between obeying her father or her king.When she chooses to follow a Fool, she discovers magic she'd never expected… at a price that might be too high…. World Fantasy award winner Tanith Lee Struggling under the curse of a dead comrade, Clirando, a warrior priestess unready to face the powers trapped within her, must face «The Heart of the Moon» to reveal what has been hidden….C.E. Murphy In «Banshee Cries,» ritual murders under a full moon lead Jo Walker to confront a Harbinger of Death. Maybe this «gift» she has is one she shouldn't ignore– because the next life she has to save might be her own!
This book provides a remarkably revealing picture of your total personality, by going beyond the simple twelve Sun signs and combining them with the twelve Moon signs. Sun Sign, Moon Sign gives you a deeper insight into your own-and your friends' and family's-true personality, and leaves you truly astounded at just how accurate astrology can be!Contents:Find your Sun and Moon signs instantly with the easy-to-use tables.• Learn the characteristics of each of the 144 Sun-Moon combinations.• How the different Sun-Moon personalities behave in love, and their greatest strengths and weaknesses.• Discover the personality secrets of your friends and family.• Analysis of the Sun-Moon personalities of famous people.
All foods are either acid- or alkaline-forming and the body's health and beauty is entirely affected by choosing the right balance.Too many acid-forming foods can lead to conditions such as low energy, lifeless skin and hair and brittle bones.This practical book provides a 3 stage plan, food lists and simple recipe ideas.Each food we eat is either acid- or alkaline-forming due to how it is metabolised at cellular level. As our body is held within a particular alkaline range, alkaline-forming foods pose no problems to the body- but if we eat too many acid-forming foods, our body does not have the mechanisms to deal with them.A diet too high in acid-forming foods, such as cheese, wheat, sugar, processed foods and meat, can result in a wide range of health problems, including low energy, weight gain, skin problems, dull hair and eyes, brittle bones and hormonal imbalances.The plan has three stages:1) concentrates on your drinking habits, getting you to drink water on the hour and replace coffee, tea, and fizzy drinks with healthier options, bit by bit.2) helps you decrease the wheat and dairy in your diet, increasing vegetable content to replenish your mineral store and the calcium in your bones.3) is the alkaline diet where you are introduced to more raw or less cooked veggies. At this stage you can reintroduce more fruit and fruit juice (which are acid forming)The book contains a list of 80 alkaline forming foods to use and 20 of the better acid-forming foods and over 40 simple recipe ideas to reduce your toxic load.
An explosive and historic book of true crime and an emotionally powerful and revelatory memoir of a man whose ten-year search for his biological father leads to a chilling discovery: His father is one of the most notorious-and still at large-serial killers.Soon after his birthmother contacted him for the first time at the age of thirty-nine, adoptee Gary L. Stewart decided to search for his biological father. It was a quest that would lead him to a horrifying truth and force him to reconsider everything he thought he knew about himself and his world.Written with award-winning author and journalist Susan D. Mustafa, The Most Dangerous Animal of All tells the story of Stewart’s decade-long hunt for his father following a complex trail of startling twists and connections. Combing through government records and news reports and through conversations with his father’s relatives and friends, Stewart turns up a host of clues, including forensic evidence, identifying his father as one of the most infamous and still-wanted serial killers in history.Mustafa and Stewart construct a chilling psychological profile of Stewart’s father, raise disturbing questions about law enforcement-what they know and what they’ve suppressed-and present overwhelming evidence that should force relevant authorities to review the status of the case. Throughout, Stewart’s pressing need to know the truth about his parents and himself drives the narrative to its climactic discovery.
The 40-year-old Scot has been Britain's most successful Grand Prix racer since the legendary Barry Sheene. At his final race in Knockhill in August 2001, more than 20,000 fans turned up to watch Mackenzie and to bid farewell to their local hero.Niall has come a long way from Denny where he would regularly get into trouble for racing round the streets, as well as in and out of the local chip shops, to impress the girls.As an amateur it was recognized he had an abundance of talent, especially after winning his first race at Knockhill, but he also had a wild side and looks back on a time when chasing girls and getting drunk were as important as winning races.After moving up through the amateur ranks and securing his first factory 500cc rides on a Suzuki, Niall notched up a host of 500cc GP podium finishes before moving to Superbikes. He proved unbeatable between 1996 and 1998 when he claimed a hat-trick of British Superbike titles. On each occasion he beat big-name team-mates such as Jamie Whitham, Chris Walker and Steve Hislop.This fascinating look into the British GP and Superbike scene through the eyes of one of its legends, has now been fully updated with Mackenzie’s latest adventures in his career off the track in 2003.
From the million-copy bestselling author of THE PARENT AGENCY and BIRTHDAY BOY comes a wildly entertaining wish-fulfilment adventure that asks the question: what would happen if the strictest head teacher swapped bodies with the naughtiest kid in school?Strictest head ÷ naughtiest boy = chaos.Bracket Wood is about to be visited by the school inspectors. But there’s one big problem: Ryan Ward.The maestro of practical jokes, Ryan has played so many tricks that in the end the Head Teacher just walks out. And then the new Head Teacher, Mr Carter, arrives. A man so strict even the teachers are scared of him. So imagine his surprise – and Ryan’s – when they swap bodies.Now Ryan is Head Teacher – and his mortal enemy is one of his pupils. It’s every naughty kid’s dream!But soon Bracket Wood School is in a total mess – and only its worst ever pupil can fix it…
Told from the perspective of the Russian dog Tsygan, this is the incredible true story of the Soviet space dogs – the first living creatures to be sent into space and the ‘star dogs’ of the title.Roddy Doyle’s brilliantly accessible voice is complemented by the illuminating illustrations of Steve Simpson.Look out for the other eleven stories – also available as e-shorts!
A tie-in to the TV series, offering practical advice to beginners wanting to learn more about wildlifeBill Oddie's How to Watch Wildlife is a practical beginner's guide to enjoying the wildlife of Britain. Organised into a calendar of months, Bill tells you the best places to visit, how to catch a glimpse of our best-loved species, and things you can do for each month of the year. For example, in May, you could visit some wild flower meadows which are in their prime, see a nightingale, and experience the dawn chorus.Written in Bill's endearingly frank and witty style, this is an inspiring and refreshingly straightforward approach to watching wildlife. There are suggestions for places to visit within reach of wherever you live in Britain, and advice on watching wildlife with children. With stories of Bill's experiences in the field, it offers you and your family the know-how to start out with confidence.Bill Oddie sets out to demystify wildlife watching, giving advice on basic equipment and field craft, as well as explaining how to make the most of your encounters with animals. To guide you successfully through some of the finest wildlife experiences, there are top tips, advice for things to take with you that you might never have considered, and helpful addresses and websites for some of the activities less close to home. And in case you really get bitten by the bug, there is information on taking the next step, with hints on getting more advanced equipment, which conservation trusts to join, and wildlife holidays to make the most of your new-found skills.