The evening with Mr Alpha in a luxury suite is already intense, but when the hot barman from downstairs is also invited to the private party, the passion enters unchartered territory.The idea of reviving a spark of romance at an ice hotel, might seem like an instant freeze for a jaded wife, but the thawing power of an unusual and exotic location cannot be underestimated.Farrah’s trip to a swish Honolulu hotel becomes a journey filled with gift-wrapped surprises that come with a single instruction: Use Only With Me.
A unique collection of stunning photographs and detailed portraits of over fifty of the most striking owl species around the world.The less we know about something, the more we create a mythology around it. This is especially true for owls. Mainly nocturnal, generally silent, and reliant on the element of surprise in their attacks, they seldom encounter humans, but we have still created a vast body of legend around these mysterious avians – for some, they symbolise wisdom, for others they are the agents of evil or harbingers of death.Understanding these birds is a great challenge outstandingly met by award-winning natural history author Mike Unwin and David Tipling, one of Britain’s foremost photographers. Unwin, who has watched and admired owls all over the world, captures the essence of each species, while explaining the unique natural history that has made these silent assassins the most effective feathered predators of darkness. He describes a fascinating range of breeding and hunting behaviour, the unusual calls that have given rise to so much superstition, and the cultural impact of owls around the world. The stunning range of photographs, taken and compiled by David Tipling, captures the beauty of each species and the drama of the landscapes they inhabit.At once an investigation and a celebration, A Parliament of Owls looks at over fifty species of these infinitely fascinating birds, from the Snowy Owl hunting lemmings in the Arctic tundra to the rodent-eating Burrowing Owl of the dusty hollows beneath the South American pampas.
Whatever happened to middle England? Two of our funniest writers set out on a journey through conservative country – with hilarious results.The Women's Institute. Polo matches. The Duke of Edinburgh. Nimbys, shooting and game fairs. Pall Mall clubs, the Countryside Alliance and Boris Johnson. Hampshire Police’s brass band, the rubber chicken circuit – and of course the Conservative party itself.Middle England, with all the social rituals, institutions and traditions that hold it together, has lasted for a long time. And Chris Horrie and David Matthews, two left-leaning journalists – Chris is from Manchester and David's parents are from Guyana – are fascinated by it.So off they go, armed with two ballpoints and a sharp sense of humour, to see what they can see. Sometimes, it’s as simple as hanging out at the proms, munching scones with the vicar at a village cricket match, or chatting with Michael Howard. And other times, a bit more guile is needed – so Chris and David baffle Conservative party members by helping out with their campaigns.With backgrounds as investigative reporters, the authors infiltrate Middle England and capture its denizens at their least guarded. What they find is at times cheering, and sometimes a bit worrying – but it is always very entertaining.True Blue is Bill Bryson meets Spitting Image – and a must-read for fans of John O’Farrell, Private Eye and Jon Ronson.
Building on the popularity of Sophie's range of gourmet ready-made pies, this book will offer inventive new takes on the classic dish.Recipes include both savoury and sweet, modern and traditional, from classic favourites such as Steak and Kidney pudding to pies for the real connoisseur like Duck with Figs.There are also plenty of mouth-watering vegetarian pies, like Endive with Walnuts and Blue Cheese, portable pies for picnics and little pies to appeal to kids – tested on Sophie’s own children.Recipes are equally inventive with their ‘tops’, which include puff pastry, filo, parsnip mash, polenta and crumble.In a detailed techniques section, Sophie divulges the secrets of perfect pastry-making (with shortcut tips if you’re in a hurry), encourages getting creative with pie decoration, and explains just why you might need a little china blackbird poking out the middle of your pie.Please note that this is an expanded edition of Sophie Conran’s Little Book of Pies.
In a world where we're bombarded with advice on going green, authors Mark Townsend and David Glick take a refreshing line and tell us how NOT to go green. Indeed, they're here to help us f**k up the planet good and proper. And it's easier than you think.An irreverent celebration of environmental doom and gloom, 50 Ways to F**k the Planet takes the 'eco-handbook' in an outrageous new direction, exposing fifty very real and very scary threats facing the world today and showing just how entertaining and easy it is for us to make them worse.Forget the future. Why expend our energy on a lost cause? This is the defeatist (but not altogether unrealistic) stance taken by Townsend and Glick as they revel in the dire fate of our planet. Combining bleak facts with hilariously ironic commentary, the authors applaud our environmental incompetence and stick two fingers up at the whole damn thing. Punctuated with checklists and handy hints to f**k things up faster, this book is for those who want to stop pretending they are responsible world citizens and just get with the party. How much you get involved is up to you, but don't be fooled into thinking that doing nothing is any better.From the familiar honeybee, whose dwindling numbers have huge repercussions on our food chain, to the environmental implications of the smoking ban, the topics cover endangered species and declining terrain as well as social (mis)conduct and the devastating effects of commerce. Outspoken and unabashedly brazen, this is your ultimate countdown to the end of the world.
Optimised for larger screens.If you're younger than 15 or older than 50, there is an 87% chance that something in this book will offend you.The #1 web comic, Cyanide & Happiness, is back with a brand new collection of comics sure to leave you gasping in horror or guffawing with laughter.Featuring 150 comics, including 30 brand new strips, each jam-packed with more inappropriate jokes and deviant behaviour than ever before! Laugh at Obese Maurice, Ass Rape Man, the Purple-Shirted Eye Stabber, and the not-so-loveable superhero, Superjerk.You'll never see stick figures this twisted! Also features a brand new “activity” section where you can draw your own Cyanide character, build–a–boner, or connect the dots to reveal a hidden image!
The story of the short, tragic life of Bowland Beth – an English Hen Harrier – which dramatically highlights the major issues in UK conservation.The Hen Harrier has become the conservation cause célèbre in the UK – with only three nesting pairs in England it is seen as a totemic species in the battle between the conservationists and the ruralists. Extensive research has revealed that persecution is possibly the major issue highlighted by the death by shooting of a Hen Harrier called Beth. David Cobham has been at the centre of this research. In Bowland Beth he follows the short life of this Hen Harrier, interweaving her story with the story behind the species’ plight.Following the style of Henry Williamson’s Tarka the Otter and Fred Bodsworth’s Last of the Curlews, Cobham has dramatized Bowland Beth’s short life between 2011 and 2012, entering her world to show what being a Hen Harrier today is like. He immerses himself not only in the day-to-day regimen of her life, the hours of hunting, bathing, keeping her plumage in order and roosting, but also the fear of living in an environment run to provide packs and packs of driven grouse for a few wealthy sportsmen to shoot.As one of the key players in this emotive debate, David Cobham is uniquely placed to reflect on Beth’s life and tragic death. In this powerful narrative, he provides us with a profound story which helps to illuminate the larger implications of the species’ decline, highlighting the urgent need for conservation efforts to reverse this.
The official companion to ITV’s hotly anticipated new drama, The Victoria Letters delves into the private writings of the young Queen Victoria, painting a vivid picture of the personal life of one of England’s greatest monarchs.From the producers of Poldark and Endeavour, ITV’s Victoria follows the early years of the young Queen’s reign, based closely on Victoria’s own letters and journals. Now explore this extensive collection in greater depth, and discover who Victoria really was behind her upright public persona.At only 18 years old, Victoria ascended the throne as a rebellious teenager and gradually grew to become one of the most memorable, unshakeable and powerful women in history. The extensive writings she left behind document this personal journey and show how she triumphed over scandal and corruption. Written by Internationally bestselling author, historian of 12 books and Victoria historical consultant, Helen Rappaport, and including a foreword by Daisy Goodwin – acclaimed novelist and screenwriter of the series – The Victoria Letters details the history behind the show. Revealing Victoria’s own thoughts about the love interests, family dramas and court scandals during her early reign, it also delves into the running of the royal household, the upstairs-downstairs relationships, and what it was like to live in Victorian England.Full of beautiful photography from the series and genuine imagery from the era, come behind the palace doors and discover the girl behind the Queen.
Just how far will one woman go to fulfil her fantasies?I prefer to chase the news, not be the news. But when the delectable Liuz, with his uncannily accurate perception of my secret desires weaved its way into my life, it wasn’t long before I was in way too deep, submerged and intoxicated with a passion I was afraid was more than I could handle.Or was it? Because although my heart was overwhelmed with feelings I had no resistance against, and while my deceitful body was consumed by a burning passion, I still had a plan. A plan I prayed would keep me afloat as I was pushed to the very edge of my limits, while the journey got tougher than even my wildest flights of fantasy could have imagined.I claimed him and I felt that he was rightfully mine. My heart simply couldn’t beat without a permanent connection between our hearts, minds and bodies. Losing was not an option, not when my sanity depended on winning him.Because I would, quite literally, do anything for him.
This book offers Irish learners a clear and easy-to-understand guide to Irish verbs to help in their exam revision.Designed for all those learning Irish at school, work or home. The main section of the book consists of 115 fully conjugated verbs, both regular and irregular.The introduction gives a clear explanation of the main tenses and moods in which the verbs are conjugated. It also points out that the forms given in the verb tables conform to the Official Standard of Irish, with additional notes on the principal dialect variants.• Shows all the major tenses and moods of the most important Irish verbs in full.• A list of the 115 key verbs is given in the introduction.• Clear layout ensures that you find the information you need quickly and easily.