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On a cold December day in 1840 Parisians turned out in force to watch as the body of Napoleon was solemnly carried on a riverboat from Courbevoie on its final journey to the Invalides. In this book Alan Forrest tells the remarkable story of how the son of a Corsican attorney became the most powerful man in Europe: a man whose charisma and legacy have endured since his lonely death on the Island of St Helena. Forrest cuts away the many layers of myth that have grown up around Napoleon, a man who mixed history and legend promiscuously. Drawing on original research and his own distinguished background in French history, Forrest undercuts the 'Great Man' theory of history to demonstrate that Napoleon was as much a product of his times as he was their creator.

The first book to cover in detail Europe's 50 greatest climbs, Mountain High is a book for cyclists of all interests and abilities - from experienced club racers to enthusiastic amateurs who might just want to take on a new challenge. This handy smal

Love Me Do tells the story of the Beatles by highlighting and then examining in detail fifty significant events in their amazing career. Taking a completely new approach to the band, Paolo Hewitt creates one of the great Beatle biographies in time for the 50th anniversary of the release of the band's first single. Using huge amounts of research and personal insight, Paolo Hewitt will take the reader on a rollercoaster ride, from little-known moments such as the Beatles' audition to be Billy Fury's backing band, the band's early recording of 'That'll be the Day' and George Harrison being deported from Hamburg, to more famous moments, such as the band's stint at The Cavern, their 1969 rooftop gig and the making of the Sgt Pepper album. Beginning with the formation of the Beatles in the late 1950s and concluding with the band's reformation in 1996 - when Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr recorded and released two of John Lennon's songs - this book traces how the Beatles influenced their generation and countless others since.

This illustrated tour of the world's most extraordinary trees provides an insight into some of the natural world's most astonishing structures. Through 100 photographs, The Beauty of Trees tells the story of our relationship with trees throughout history. Each image is supported by information about the botany of the tree, along with the stories, traditions and legends associated with it. From the giant sequoias of California to the bonsai of Japan, the pink tulip tree of the Himalayas to the Scots pine - and even the humble acorn - award-standard photography and insightful text bring the majesty and mystery of the world's trees to life.

This illustrated tour of the world's most extraordinary trees provides an insight into some of the natural world's most astonishing structures. Through 100 photographs, The Beauty of Trees tells the story of our relationship with trees throughout history. Each image is supported by information about the botany of the tree, along with the stories, traditions and legends associated with it. From the giant sequoias of California to the bonsai of Japan, the pink tulip tree of the Himalayas to the Scots pine - and even the humble acorn - award-standard photography and insightful text bring the majesty and mystery of the world's trees to life.

In The Big Questions: Evolution, one of the world's leading experts, Francisco Ayala, examines key facets of genetics, evolution and cloning. He uses the most up-to-date research to answer the 20 key questions of evolution, and investigate what they tell us about life on Earth. What is evolution? What is natural selection? Is evolution a random process? What are chromosomes, genes and DNA? What is molecular evolution? What is the tree of life? What does the fossil record tell us? Is intelligence inherited? Can I clone myself? Is language a uniquely human attribute? Was Darwin right? What is 'survival of the fittest'? What is a species? How do genes build bodies? How did life begin? Am I really a monkey? What is the missing link? Will humans continue to evolve? Where does morality come from? Is Creationism true?

Simon Sebag Montefiore, one of our pre-eminent historians, presents the lives of the giants who have made our world. The cast varies from conquerors, poets, kings, empresses and whores to psychopaths, composers and explorers. Informative, entertaining, inspiring and sometimes horrifying, this is a history of the world that contains the stories and characters that everyone should know and no one should forget.

Rebecca is happily married to Olly and content with her job at a glamorous London art gallery. But when tragedy strikes, she decides to move back to her childhood home in the country, hoping time will help her to heal. Joe, born in the same country town as Rebecca, had a falling out with her a decade earlier. Now he's the successful owner of a wine bar, Maison Joe, and is breaking local hearts by dating a striking actress, Peta. Rebecca finds living with her parents again a challenge. Nor is it easy to discover that Joe lives and works too close for comfort. When she sees him once more, memories rush back to haunt her, along with unanswered questions about the past. Why did they lose touch? What was Olly hiding? Can Rebecca answer those questions and move on?

Invention and innovation are what distinguish the human race from all of the other species on Earth. Throughout history the imagination and pioneering spirit of human kind has compelled us to question why we do things in a certain way and, more importantly, how we can do things better. Celebrating the ingenuity, creativity and resourcefulness that has led to some of the most amazing technological leaps through the ages, Breverton's Encyclopedia of Inventions examines the key innovations and breakthroughs of all time and the genius behind them. Starting with the building of the pyramids in ancient Egypt and the discovery of the solar system, moving through surgery, dynamite and rockets, to modern technology such as the smart card and genetic engineering, Terry Breverton springs many surprises. He uncovers fascinating and little-known facts: for example, that Price, not Fleming, discovered penicillin; that Swan, not Edison invented the electric light, and that Wallace, not Darwin first advanced the theory of evolution. Tracing the sheer persistence of brilliant men and women across the globe, who fought the prevailing ideas of their times and advanced technology, Breverton's Encyclopedia of Inventions will inspire anyone interested in the history and developments that have changed our lives and shaped our planet's future.

The Story of Philosophy sees philosophy for what it is: a passionate, exhilarating quest for human understanding that cannot be reduced to dry categories or simple definitions. It's a story with plot twists, a murder, accidental discoveries, disastrous love affairs, geniuses, idiots, monks, and vagabonds. At the heart of it all are the ideas and obsessions that have captured great thinkers from the very beginning. Packed with intriguing anecdotes and fascinating detail, James Garvey and Jeremy Stangroom bring us face to face with the most important philosophers in western history. Rigorous, refreshingly free of academic jargon, and highly accessible, this is the ideal introduction for anyone who wants to gain a new perspective on philosophy's biggest thoughts.

The Big Questions series is designed to let renowned experts address the 20 most fundamental and frequently asked questions of a major branch of science or philosophy. Each 3000-word essay simply and concisely examines a question that has eternally perplexed enquiring minds, and provides answers based on the latest research. This ambitious project is a unique distillation of humanity's best ideas. In The Big Questions: God, Mark Vernon answers the 20 key questions: Can reason prove the existence of God? Why do people still have religious beliefs? Can drugs induce religious experiences? Have you seen a miracle? If you're not religious, is nothing sacred? Is religion inherently violent? What is Buddhist enlightenment? Is nature divine? Does human suffering rule out God? Are we living in the end times? Will science bring the end of religion? Is religion a mistake of evolution? Can you be spiritual without being religious? What is the literal meaning of Scripture? Can an agnostic pray? What is it like to be a fundamentalist? Is Confucianism a religion? Is there a perennial philosophy? Can we be good without God? Is there life after death?

Sometimes finding your dream man is a job for a professional...Alice Brown has the best job in the world. She's a matchmaker and spends her days helping people fall in love, all the while imagining her own Prince Charming, who's somehow never come along. Her latest client is Kate. She's 569 days from her 35th birthday and she's already five years behind in her life plan. Desperate to find the perfect man, she enlists Alice's help, but will anyone measure up to her standards? Meanwhile Alice is coping with her awful boss, Audrey, and trying to stop herself falling in love with someone else's man. But what if she's got it all wrong? Will Alice find Kate's Mr Right? And when it comes to her own Prince Charming, will she be able to take her own advice?

Fuzzy and Coco are guinea pigs who live with their kindly owners, Ben and Henrietta Bliss. Coco likes to spend her days pampering herself and listening to harp concertos. Fuzzy is much more down to earth - he is a passionate cook who wants nothing more than to learn to make delicious meals for Ben and Henrietta. So when Fuzzy spots an ad run by glamorous local chef Scarlet Cleaver stating 'Guinea Pigs Wanted', he is enormously excited - what a chance to learn some cooking skills! Coco warns him that the ad is not what he thinks, but he won't listen; when she's not looking, he sneaks off to find the restaurant. And so Coco has to get online to try track Fuzzy down. But when Micespace reveals that guinea pigs from all over town have been taken away in a van by Scarlet Cleaver herself, Coco must set off on a rescue mission to prevent Fuzzy from ending up as main course on The Meat Cleaver's menu! A captivatingly funny story that will delight readers age 5+.

It begins on a quiet city street. A young woman is robbed, with the crime witnessed by a man holding a camera. In the aftermath, victim and voyeur meet. It ends six months later, by which point both their lives - and the way they choose to live them - have changed irrevocably. This is the story of what happened in between.

Join us on a voyage of discovery to the world's most incredible places. This once-in-a-lifetime experience surveys every continent on the planet, selecting the most spectacular, heart-stirring and inspirational journeys - across landscapes so breathtaking that once seen they are never forgotten. Part reference, part travel guide, Dream Journeys contains a unique combination of inspirational photography, descriptive narrative and travel information: it will inspire and inform in equal measure. The 50 once-in-a-lifetime journeys featured in the book have been carefully selected by acclaimed travel writer Mary-Ann Gallagher. Geographically grouped and presented in easily accessible spreads, featured routes include America's renowned Route 66 and spectacular Pacific Coast Highway, the old and beautiful Orient Express and Silk Routes, stunning drives along Australia's Gold Coast and Stuart Highway, as well as more adventurous journeys across the plains of the Kalahari, to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, or around the magical Golden Triangle of the Orient. Beauty and nature abound on these journeys: discover incredible treks along Inca trails, winding paths along the foothills of the Andes, or the serene wilderness of the Trans-Siberian Railway and Antarctica. Or perhaps you would prefer to lay back and enjoy the romantic cities of Europe along the Appian Way; the paradise scenery of Costa Rica; or the awe-inspiring cruises down the Amazon or the Nile. Packed with travel tips and advice, as well as fascinating facts and descriptions of the world's most memorable routes, Dream Journeys allows the intrepid traveller to plan a trip of a lifetime or simply to explore the very best locations around the planet from the comfort of an armchair.

Ahalya Ghai is just seventeen when a tsunami rips through her Indian village. Ahalya and her sister Sita are the sole survivors of their family. Destitute, their only hope is to find refuge at a convent in Chennai, many miles away. A driver agrees to take them. But the second they get into that car they are doomed - the two sisters are sold. Ahalya doesn't understand why any man would pay so much money for them. She will soon find out. On the other side of the world, Washington, D.C. lawyer Thomas Clarke witnesses the kidnapping of a young girl. Struggling to cope after the death of his baby daughter and the collapse of his marriage to Priya, he takes a sabbatical from his high-pressure job and accepts a position with the Bombay branch of CASE, the Coalition Against Sexual Exploitation. He is now on a path that not only involves saving himself and his marriage, but the lives of Ahalya and Sita Ghai. A Walk Across The Sun is about cruelty and loss. It is about family and survival. And ultimately it is about love, and the immeasurable strength of the human spirit.