Search Results

My favourite tree is the Ankerwyke Yew, beside the River Thames at Runneymede. While that remains outside the scope of this book, it is my pleasure to recommend visiting these great trees of London. - Tristan

This remarkable novella first appeared in Beeton’s Christmas Annual for 1887 and was Conan Doyle’s first significant work of fiction. Being a reprint from the reminiscences of John H Watson MD, we are introduced to Sherlock Holmes for the very first time. An unexplained murder reveals its antecedents in a travesty of justice in Salt Lake City, Utah. - Tristan.

A darkly comic novel that manages to capture the ambience, tone and snappy dialogue of classic noir fiction, while at the same time creating something unique. Louie Knight is a detective straight out of a Raymond Chandler novel. Only he is not working cases is Los Angeles, but in Aberystwyth! - Tristan.

This remarkable novella first appeared in Beeton’s Christmas Annual for 1887 and was Conan Doyle’s first significant work of fiction. Being a reprint from the reminiscences of John H Watson MD, we are introduced to Sherlock Holmes for the very first time. An unexplained murder reveals its antecedents in a travesty of justice in Salt Lake City, Utah. - Tristan.

Comprising the veteran Leibstandarte and newly formed Hitlerjugend divisions, the 1st SS Panzer Corps provided the most tenacious opposition faced by the allied forces in Normandy. Initial counterattacks against the allied beachhead were followed by desperate resistance from increasingly beleagured and ground down Kampfgruppen , the gamble of the Mortain offensive and the final immolation of both divisions at Falaise. A former British general, Reynolds examines the alchemy of doctrine, training, equipment and personalities which produced such a formidable instrument of war for Hitler's Reich. - Sean.

The slave trade is a scar across humanity that refuses to heal. The forced displacement of so many still resonates today. Marcus Rediker uses individual narratives to create a powerful social history of this unforgiven period, the foundation-stone of empire. - Tristan

Definitive account of a long ignored conflict. Stone analyses the preparation, performance, challenging many accepted myths. - Sean.

“Often the same men who commanded the legions in battle dominated the senate in peacetime.” Goldsworthy examines the careers of fifteen leading Roman commanders throughout the life of the Roman Empire. Each chapter considers the achievements of a leading Roman general from the heyday of Republican/Imperial expansion to later defensive battles against encroaching Barbarian nations. The interplay between the political and military spheres is well covered to provide a picture of the “climate” at the time. A highly readable and innovative book by an outstanding historian of ancient Rome. - Sean.

Madden’s Exercises in Style is a series of one-page comics that tell the same story in a variety of ways. This is a really clever, amusing and addictive book with plenty of ideas to spark the imagination of anyone involved and/or interested in the creative process. Who would have thought you could have so much enjoyment out of seeing some guy looking in a fridge on every page! - Susan

This beautifully illustrated children’s book tells the story of early man’s ineffectual attempts to acquire protein in the days before animal husbandry. A perfect present for vegetarian or vegan friends who have recently become parents for the first time! - Tristan

“Often the same men who commanded the legions in battle dominated the senate in peacetime.” Goldsworthy examines the careers of fifteen leading Roman commanders throughout the life of the Roman Empire. Each chapter considers the achievements of a leading Roman general from the heyday of Republican/Imperial expansion to later defensive battles against encroaching Barbarian nations. The interplay between the political and military spheres is well covered to provide a picture of the “climate” at the time. A highly readable and innovative book by an outstanding historian of ancient Rome. - Sean.

I don’t like Derren Brown. At least, that’s what I thought until I read this book. It is the antithesis of his television ‘magic’ shows, and reveals the incredibly thoughtful, intelligent man behind his carefully-crafted stage persona. Oh, and his tricks for remembering are very useful indeed! - Tristan.

In 2008, just after the publication of this wonderful book, I attended a meeting of the Residents’ Society of Mayfair and St James’s. The author, a rather scruffy young Oxford graduate, was the guest speaker and I watched in admiration and disbelief as he managed to convince the audience of the benefits of anarchistic reclamation of urban space via ‘guerrilla gardening’! A novel take on the quintessentially English pastime. - Tristan.

On 14th February 2007, I turned over the last page of this remarkable book and extinguished my final cigarette. This simple exercise in positive thinking, by someone with no medical training or clinical expertise, has literally saved the lives of hundreds of thousands of people - myself included. Allen Carr, I salute you! - Tristan.

This remarkable novella first appeared in Beeton’s Christmas Annual for 1887 and was Conan Doyle’s first significant work of fiction. Being a reprint from the reminiscences of John H Watson MD, we are introduced to Sherlock Holmes for the very first time. An unexplained murder reveals its antecedents in a travesty of justice in Salt Lake City, Utah. - Tristan.