HarperCollins Publishers

From bestselling author Bill Bryson comes this compelling short biography of William Shakespeare, our greatest dramatist and poet. Examining centuries of myths, half-truths and downright lies, Bill Bryson makes sense of the man behind the masterpieces. As he leads us through the crowded streets of Elizabethan England, he brings to life the places and characters that inspired Shakespeare's work. Along the way he delights in the inventiveness of Shakespeare's language, which has given us so many of the indispensable words and phrases we use today, and celebrates the Bard's legacy to our literature, culture and history. Drawing together information from a vast array of sources, this is a masterful account of the life and works of William Shakespeare, one of the most famous and most enigmatic people ever to have lived - not to mention a classic piece of Bill Bryson.

This is a new paperback edition of JRR Tolkien's fantasy masterpiece, The Hobbit". "The Hobbit" is a tale of high adventure, undertaken by a company of dwarves in search of dragon-guarded gold. A reluctant partner in this perilous quest is Bilbo Baggins, a comfort-loving unambitious hobbit, who surprises even himself by his resourcefulness and skill as a burglar. Encounters with trolls, goblins, dwarves, elves and giant spiders, conversations with the dragon, Smaug, and a rather unwilling presence at the Battle of Five Armies are just some of the adventures that befall Bilbo. Bilbo Baggins has taken his place among the ranks of the immortals of children's fiction. Written by Professor Tolkien for his own children, "The Hobbit" met with instant critical acclaim when published."

The million-copy bestseller, which is a ground-breaking meditation on war, memory, imagination, and the redemptive power of storytelling. 'The Things They Carried' is, on its surface, a sequence of award-winning stories about the madness of the Vietnam War; at the same time it has the cumulative power and unity of a novel, with recurring characters and interwoven strands of plot and theme. But while Vietnam is central to 'The Things They Carried', it is not simply a book about war. It is also a book about the human heart - about the terrible weight of those things we carry through our lives.

HarperCollins is proud to present its range of best-loved, essential classics. 'The reaches opened before us and closed behind, as if the forest had stepped leisurely across the water to bar the way for our return. We penetrated deeper and deeper into the heart of darkness.' At the peak of European Imperialism, steamboat captain Charles Marlow travels deep into the African Congo on his way to relieve the elusive Mr Kurtz, an ivory trader renowned for his fearsome reputation. On his journey into the unknown Marlow takes a terrifying trip into his own subconscious, overwhelmed by his menacing, perilous and horrifying surroundings. The landscape and the people he meets force him to reflect on human nature and society, and in turn Conrad writes revealingly about the dangers of imperialism.

Develop key speaking skills and become more confident when speaking in English. To improve your speaking skills you need to learn how to get your message across in the right way and make sure people understand what you say. With Collins Speaking (A2) you will learn what to say and how to say it, by practising the right words, phrases and pronunciation. Includes practice on: * meeting new people * buying and ordering things * speaking on the phone * apologizing * asking for and giving opinions * making a complaint * agreeing and disagreeing * * Twenty units with a clear design in full colour. * Recordings of both native and non-native speakers of English, covering a wide variety of accents from around the world. * Appendices contain detailed advice targeting specific speaking skills. * Mini-dictionary with definitions of the most difficult words in each unit, taken from the Collins COBUILD dictionary. * Answer key Collins Speaking (A2) is part of the English for Life series. It is suitable for self-study and classroom use, and can help towards Cambridge ESOL KET preparation. Suitable for pre-intermediate learners of English (CEF level A2). The English for Life series uses authentic material from the Collins Corpus. The 4.5-billion-word Collins Corpus is the world's largest database of the English language and is updated every month. Also available in the Collins English for Life series: For Pre-Intermediate (A2) learners: Reading * Writing * Listening For Intermediate (B1+) learners: Reading * Writing * Listening * Speaking

An activity book to accompany Collins First English Words, winner of the Best Entry for Young Learners prize at HRH The Duke of Edinburgh English Language Book Awards 2012. Encourage a love for learning English and capture the imagination of children. Through fun and engaging activities, young learners can practise the English words they need to learn with the help of Ben, Daisy and Keekee the monkey. * Covers the first English words children need to learn * Words grouped into themes * Fun, varied and engaging activities, written specifically to help young children develop their skills of analysis and improve their linguistic awareness * Beautiful illustrations * Plenty of space for children to practise their writing and drawing skills * Notes for parents and teachers Collins First English Words Activity Book 1 can be used independently or alongside the beautifully-illustrated dictionary, Collins First English Words. Activity Book 1 contains simple but engaging activities that will encourage children to look and read, and to pick up a pencil and write. It is the ideal starting point for developing a love of learning English, reading and writing for young children. Also available: First English Words, First English Words Activity Book 2, First English Words Teacher's Book, First English Words Activity Pack.

Real English for life beyond the classroom English in the real world is constantly evolving, and learners need to move with it. But sometimes the English you can learn from your coursebook just isn't enough for real life. Being able to understand English as it is really spoken will give you the confidence to succeed in any English-speaking environment. Using a wide range of authentic, unscripted recordings of everyday people from around the world, Collins Listening (B2+) will help you to feel confident and prepared for anything. > Hear the language people really use when they are speaking > CD with over 40 authentic recordings in a wide variety of scenarios > Useful tips to increase your understanding of tone, slang and context Units are divided into the following themes: * Lifestyle * Practical advice and information * Attitudes and behaviour * Passions * Memorable experiences Each of these areas includes analysis of high-level, natural recordings between one, two and three people. Some conversations took place face-to-face while others were over the phone. All are 100% unscripted and unedited and do not use actors. About the series: What is it? Collins' innovative English for Life series adds the extra bit of authenticity to your studies that traditional coursebooks often lack. The series includes helpful up-to-date and relevant topics needed to get by in English and uses authentic material from the Collins Corpus, the world's largest database of the English language. How can the series be used? The series can be used for independent study (self-study) and extra assignments, it's a great supplement to existing coursebooks, and the books can also be used as stand-alone coursebooks for short courses. All books have accompanying teacher resources available online. What levels are available? There are three levels available: A2 (Pre-intermediate) B1+ (Intermediate) B2+ (Upper intermediate)

Real English for life beyond the classroom English in the real world is constantly evolving, and learners need to move with it. But sometimes the English you can learn from your coursebook just isn't enough for real life. Using real everyday language, English for Life: Speaking (B2+) will help you to sound natural, clear and confident. > Hear the language people really use when they are speaking > CD with over 100 model conversations and practice exercises > Useful tips to increase your understanding of tone, slang and social context Includes practice of: * Dealing with difficult conversations * Expressing annoyance and anger * Showing sympathy * Convincing * Being tactful About the series: What is it? Collins' innovative English for Life series adds the extra bit of authenticity to your studies that traditional coursebooks often lack. The series includes helpful up-to-date and relevant topics needed to get by in English and uses authentic material from the Collins Corpus, the world's largest database of the English language. How can the series be used? The series can be used for independent study (self-study) and extra assignments, it's a great supplement to existing coursebooks, and the books can also be used as stand-alone coursebooks for short courses. All books have accompanying teacher resources available online. What levels are available? There are three levels available: A2 (Pre-intermediate) B1+ (Intermediate) B2+ (Upper intermediate)

Advokátka a láska Zack - srdcem i duší námořník - se vydává do rušného Manhattanu, aby zachránil bratra, který se dopustil krádeže a sedí ve vězení. Avšak mladá obhájkyně Rachel Stanislaski není zrovna člověkem, kterého by si pro tak těžký úkol představoval. Copak může věřit dívce s hezkou tvářičkou a dlouhýma nohama, že se bude své práci věnovat naplno? Ani Rachel není Zackem příliš nadšená. Připadá jí příliš hrubý, příliš neomalený a příliš hlučný. Pak ovšem pochopí, že se o bratra jen zoufale bojí. I když se tomu urputně brání, její srdce se ocitá v ohrožení… Jak přesvědčit detektiva Policejní detektiv Alex Stanislaski rozhodně nemá pocit, že by vyhrál v loterii, když se musí postarat o poněkud svéráznou spisovatelku Bess McNeeovou. Ta si totiž vezme do hlavy, že prozkoumá život žen lehkých mravů v New Yorku téměř na vlastní kůži. A nevybere si k tomu právě tu nejvhodnější chvíli - ve městě totiž zrovna řádí nebezpečný šílenec, který těmto ženám usiluje o život velmi nevybíravým způsobem!

HarperCollins is proud to present its new range of best-loved, essential classics. 'O, beware, my lord, of jealousy! It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock The meat it feeds on.' Dramatic and powerful in its scope, Othello explores the perils of suspicion and jealousy and the ensuing breakdown of relationships and disaster that can arise from such emotions. Othello, a revered soldier, secretly marries Desdemona, the daughter of a Venetian senator, but is led to believe that she has been unfaithful to him by his ensign, Iago, leading to tragic events.

HarperCollins is proud to present its new range of best-loved, essential classics. 'Clanless, lawless, homeless is he who is in love with civil war, that brutal ferocious thing.' The epic poem The Iliad begins nine years after the beginning of the Trojan War and describes the great warrior Achilles and the battles and events that take place as he quarrels with the King Agamemnon. Attributed to Homer, The Iliad, along with The Odyssey, is still revered today as the oldest and finest example of Western Literature.

A forgotten childhood. A discovered life. What if you only had one day to find out who you really were? When Sabrina Boggs stumbles upon a mysterious collection of her father's possessions, she discovers a truth where she never knew there was a lie. The familiar man she grew up with is suddenly a stranger to her. An unexpected break in her monotonous daily routine leaves her just one day to unlock the secrets of the man she thought she knew. A day that unearths memories, stories and people she never knew existed. A day that changes her and those around her forever. The Marble Collector is a thought-provoking novel about how the most ordinary decisions we make can have the most extraordinary consequences for how we live our lives. And how sometimes it's only by shining on a light on someone else, that you can truly understand yourself.

Called "The Black Pope" by many of his followers, Anton La Vey began the road to High Priesthood of the Church of Satan when he was only 16 years old and an organ player in a carnival: "On Saturday night I would see men lusting after halfnaked girls dancing at the carnival, and on Sunday morning when I was playing the organ for tent-show evangelists at the other end of the carnival lot, I would see these same men sitting in the pews with their wives and children, asking God to forgive them and purge them of carnal desires. And the next Saturday night they'd be back at The carnival or some other place of indulgence. "I knew then that the Christian Church thrives on hypocrisy, and that man's carnal nature will out!" From that time early in his life his path was clear. Finally, on the last night of April, 1966-Walpurgisnacht, the most important festival of the believers in witchcraft-LaVey shaved his head in the tradition of Ancient executioners and announced the formation of The Church Of Satan. He had seen the need for a church that would recapture man's body and his carnal desires as objects of celebration. "Since worship of fleshly things produces pleasure," he said, "there would then be a temple of glorious indulgence ..."

HarperCollins is proud to present its range of best-loved, essential classics. 'How fleeting are the wishes and efforts of man! how short his time! and consequently how poor will his products be, compared with those accumulated by nature during whole geological periods.' Still considered one of the most important and groundbreaking works of science ever written, Darwin's eminently readable exploration of the evolutionary process challenged most of the strong beliefs of the Western world. Forced to question the idea of the Creator, mid-nineteenth century readers were faced with Darwin's theories on the laws of natural selection and the randomness of evolution, causing massive controversy at the time. However, Darwin's theories remain instrumental in providing the backbone to modern biology today.

HarperCollins is proud to present its new range of best-loved, essential classics. 'You can't depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus.' Knocked unconscious, it is only when mechanic Hank Morgan comes to that he finds himself in 6th-century England rather than nineteenth-century America. Surrounded by the traditions and customs of Camelot and King Arthur's court, Morgan dislikes the hereditary social class structure and state church and attempts to instil his American idealism and love for technology and progress in King Arthur's people. Hugely comedic and satirical in its take on the British monarchy and society, the book remains one of Twain's most original and best-loved works.

HarperCollins is proud to present its incredible range of best-loved, essential classics. Set in the fictional country of Ruritania, The Prisoner of Zenda tells the story of Rudolf Rassendyll, identical cousin to King Rudolf of Ruritania, who must stand in for the king at his coronation when a plot to steal the crown leaves the king drugged and unable to attend. Rudolf must foil the plans of the king's brother, Prince Michael, and when the king is kidnapped and taken to a castle in Zenda, Rudolf must overcome the plots of the prince's mistress and his henchman in order to rescue him. Anthony Hope's swashbuckling adventure is held up as his greatest work of fiction and sparked its own genre, Ruritanian romance, named after the fictional country in which the story is set.