On Wednesday 14 February 1945, the body of Charles Walton was discovered on the lower slopes of Meon Hill near the sleepy Warwickshire village of Lower Quinton, his torso pinned to the ground by a pitchfork. Myths and rumours soon swirled about the crime. Accounts claim Walton, a retired labourer and a lifelong resident of Lower Quinton, was believed by many to be a clairvoyant who could talk to birds and exercise control over animals. It has even been reported that many villagers attributed Walton’s death to ritual witchcraft. But what is fact and what is fiction?The most famous police officer in Britain, Chief Inspector Robert Fabian, was promptly dispatched by Scotland Yard to solve this increasingly peculiar and foreboding mystery. ‘Fabian of the Yard’ was not a man prone to superstition and had dealt with some of the most notorious killers of his time – but there was something strange about the Walton murder. Did the clues point to ritual witchcraft as the modus operandi, or was the black magic angle merely a ruse? With the villagers unable – or unwilling – to shed light on the matter, Fabian faced, for the only time in his glittering career, the daunting prospect of failure. The Case That Foiled Fabian lays out for the first time what actually happened and distills the truth from the many myths about this case that are today mistaken for facts.
First published in 1997, this volume will revolutionise the study of watercolour painting in Britain. The Royal Watercolour Society archive constitutes a major academic resource covering two hundred years of the history of watercolour painting in Britain. The rediscovery in 1980 of ‘the Jenkins Papers’, the early records of the Society, was a major find for the history of British art. The archives are substantial and remarkably comprehensive. Minutes of annual general meetings, Council and committees, are all intact; extraordinarily, the Society’s catalogues for its own exhibitions have also survived, with details of who bought the pictures and for how much. It contains biographical information on several hundred artists who practised throughout the United Kingdom from the end of the eighteenth century to the present day. Prepared by the archivist to the RWS, Simon Fenwick, this is not just a work of reference, but an absorbing book to dip into again and again. The Society of Painters in Water Colours, as it was then titled, was founded in 1804 to promote the interests of painters using watercolour and to provide a platform for members to sell their work. As such, its archives provide an excellent insight into the evolving debate on the status of the artists and their medium, and an authoritative account of the way in which watercolour paintings were sold, distributed and acquired. The substantial introduction by Greg Smith surveys some of the purposes and practices of watercolour from 1750 to the present day and highlights key issues, many yet to be examined, relating to the study of watercolour. His survey is arranged around a number of topics including the notion of watercolour as a British art, collecting and display, book illustration, architectural drawing, map-making and topography, antiquarian studies, decorative arts, printmaking, portrait miniatures and drawings, amateur practices and the changing status of the sketch.
In Light without Heat, David Carroll Simon argues for the importance of carelessness to the literary and scientific experiments of the seventeenth century. While scholars have often looked to this period in order to narrate the triumph of methodical rigor as a quintessentially modern intellectual value, Simon describes the appeal of open-ended receptivity to the protagonists of the New Science. In straying from the work of self-possession and the duty to sift fact from fiction, early modern intellectuals discovered the cognitive advantages of the undisciplined mind. Exploring the influence of what he calls the "observational mood" on both poetry and prose, Simon offers new readings of Michel de Montaigne, Francis Bacon, Izaak Walton, Henry Power, Robert Hooke, Robert Boyle, Andrew Marvell, and John Milton. He also extends his inquiry beyond the boundaries of early modernity, arguing for a literary theory that trades strict methodological commitment for an openness to lawless drift.
“Webb takes what we know about these magical beings via pop culture and explores their origins and how their respective images have changed over time.” —The Portalist This book tells the fascinating story of the origin of our ideas about wizards, witches, and fairies. We all have a clear mental image of the pointed hats worn by such individuals, which are based upon actual headgear dating back 3,000 years to the Bronze Age. Carefully sifting through old legends, archaeological evidence, and modern research in genetics, Simon Webb shows us how our notions about fairies and elves, together with human workers of magic, have evolved over the centuries. This exploration of folklore, backed by the latest scientific findings, will present readers with the image of a lost world; the one used as the archetype for fantasy adventures from The Lord of the Rings to Game of Thrones. In the process, the real nature of wizards will be revealed, and their connection with the earliest European cultures thoroughly documented. After reading this book, nobody will ever be able to view Gandalf the wizard in the same light and even old fairy tales such as “Beauty and the Beast” will take on a richer and deeper meaning. In short, our perception of wizards, witches and fairies will be altered forever.
An impressive array of expert contributors come together to provide a study of issues, such as labour market regulation and wages, that have arisen from the fact that people have come to accept longer working hours as a way of life.
The inspirational bestseller that ignited a movement and asked us to find our WHY Discover the book that is captivating millions on TikTok and that served as the basis for one of the most popular TED Talks of all time—with more than 56 million views and counting. Over a decade ago, Simon Sinek started a movement that inspired millions to demand purpose at work, to ask what was the WHY of their organization. Since then, millions have been touched by the power of his ideas, and these ideas remain as relevant and timely as ever. START WITH WHY asks (and answers) the questions: why are some people and organizations more innovative, more influential, and more profitable than others? Why do some command greater loyalty from customers and employees alike? Even among the successful, why are so few able to repeat their success over and over? People like Martin Luther King Jr., Steve Jobs, and the Wright Brothers had little in common, but they all started with WHY. They realized that people won't truly buy into a product, service, movement, or idea until they understand the WHY behind it. START WITH WHY shows that the leaders who have had the greatest influence in the world all think, act and communicate the same way—and it's the opposite of what everyone else does. Sinek calls this powerful idea The Golden Circle, and it provides a framework upon which organizations can be built, movements can be led, and people can be inspired. And it all starts with WHY.
Described by one contemporary as the 'sweet singer of The Temple', George Herbert has long been recognised as a lover of music. Nevertheless, Herbert's own participation in seventeenth-century musical culture has yet to be examined in detail. This is the first extended critical study to situate Herbert's roles as priest, poet and musician in the context of the musico-poetic activities of members of his extended family, from the song culture surrounding William Herbert and Mary Sidney to the philosophy of his eldest brother Edward Herbert of Cherbury. It examines the secular visual music of the Stuart court masque as well as the sacred songs of the church. Arguing that Herbert's reading of Augustine helped to shape his musical thought, it explores the tension between the abstract ideal of music and its practical performance to articulate the distinctive theological insights Herbert derived from the musical culture of his time.
Bradshaw’s Guide provides a fascinating account of Victorian railway travel in the south-east of England. For the first time it is presented in a highly readable form in this new annotated volume, fully illustrated throughout with old and new colour images.
From the stages of Broadway and London to university campuses, Paris, and the bourgeoning theaters of Africa, Greek tragedy remains constantly in production. This global revival, in addition to delighting audiences, has highlighted both the promise and the pitfalls of staging ancient masterpieces in the modern age. Addressing the issues and challenges these performances pose, renowned classicist Simon Goldhill responds here to the growing demand for a comprehensive guide to staging Greek tragedy today. In crisp and spirited prose, Goldhill explains how Aeschylus, Euripides, and Sophocles conceived their works in performance and then summarizes everything we know about how their tragedies were actually staged. The heart of his book tackles the six major problems facing any company performing these works today: the staging space and concept of the play; the use of the chorus; the actor’s role in an unfamiliar style of performance; the place of politics in tragedy; the question of translation; and the treatment of gods, monsters, and other strange characters of the ancient world. Outlining exactly what makes each of these issues such a pressing difficulty for modern companies, Goldhill provides insightful solutions drawn from his nimble analyses of some of the best recent productions in the United States, Britain, and Continental Europe. One of the few experts on both Greek tragedy and contemporary performance, Goldhill uses his unique background and prodigious literary skill to illuminate brilliantly what makes tragedy at once so exciting and so tricky to get right. The result will inspire and enlighten all directors and performers—not to mention the growing audiences—of ancient Greek theater.
Reeds Nautical Almanac is the indispensable trusted annual compendium of navigational data for yachtsmen and motorboaters. Known as the Yachtsman's Bible, Reeds provides all the information required to navigate Atlantic coastal waters around the whole of the UK, Ireland, Channel Islands and the entire European coastline from the tip of Denmark right down to Gibraltar, Northern Morocco, the Azores and Madeira. The 2025 Almanac continues the tradition of year on year improvement and meticulous presentation of all the data required for safe navigation. Now with an improved layout for easier reference and with over 45,000 annual changes, it is regarded as the bible of almanacs for anyone going to sea. The 2025 edition is updated throughout and includes: 700 harbour chartlets; tide tables and tidal streams; buoyage and lights; 7,500 waypoints; invaluable passage notes; distance tables; radio, weather and safety information; first aid section. Also: a free Marina Guide. Also available: free supplements of up-to-date navigation changes from January to June at: www.reedsnauticalalmanac.co.uk
A Commerce of Knowledge tells the story of three generations of Church of England chaplains who worked in Ottoman Aleppo during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. By reconstructing their careers, Simon Mills shows the links between English commercial and diplomatic expansion, and English scholarly and missionary interests.
The Reeds Eastern Almanac is the complete guide for North Sea mariners, offering ready access to essential navigation information covering the UK east coast from Ramsgate to Cape Wrath including the Shetland and Orkney Islands, and from Niewport to Delfzjil and Helgoland. Completely updated for 2025, topics include seamanship, pilotage, tide tables, safety procedures, navigation tips, radio, lights, waypoints, weather forecast information around UK and European waters, communications, Mayday and distress procedures. The large type and clear layout, including full colour harbour plans and diagrams throughout, makes information easy to read even in adverse conditions. This handy volume is ideal for anyone cruising the North Sea. Includes a free Reeds Marina Guide. Also available: free supplements of up-to-date navigation changes from January to June at: www.reedsnauticalalmanac.co.uk 'There are some things I would not go to sea without - Reeds is one of them.' Sir Chay Blyth
Meet Charles Paris: a washed-up actor with a taste for wine, women . . . and solving crimes! A binge-worthy cozy mystery series from the original king of British cozy crime, internationally best-selling, award-winning author Simon Brett, OBE. For fans of Richard Osman - but with added bite! "Like a little malice in your mysteries? Some cynicism in your cosies? Simon Brett is happy to oblige" THE NEW YORK TIMES "Few crime writers are as enchantingly gifted" THE SUNDAY TIMES "One of British crime's most assured craftsmen . . . Perfect entertainment" THE GUARDIAN "A new Simon Brett is an event for mystery fans" P.D. JAMES "Murder most enjoyable" COLIN DEXTER _______________________ A middle-aged actor - and sometimes sleuth - with farcical trousers An audio producer discovered dead in a locked studio . . . A key in the outside lock . . . It all points to a DEAD ROOM FARCE! When Charles Paris isn't dropping his trousers while rehearsing his role in Not On Your Wife!, a farce premiering in Bath, he's recording an audio book in a tiny studio known as the 'dead room'. The studio's owner, Mark Lear, has found success as an audio producer after being dumped by the BBC many years ago. But the day after the theatre company record a radio commercial for the farce at the studio, Mark is found dead, locked in the now aptly named room. Was Mark's sudden announcement that he was going to write a tell-all book about the corporation a direct threat to someone in the cast or crew? Charles must negotiate dark secrets and skeletons jangling in old cupboards to unpick the truth! Fans of Agatha Christie, The Thursday Murder Club, Anthony Horowitz, Alexander McCall Smith, M.C. Beaton and Faith Martin will love this hilarious cozy traditional mystery series featuring one of the funniest antiheroes in crime fiction. Written over a fifty-year-period, it perfectly captures life and contemporary attitudes in 1970s London - and beyond! READERS ADORE CHARLES PARIS: "A sure hit" Library Journal "Perfect for Paris' fans and for anyone who likes a comic but challenging mystery" Booklist "Brett, who remains better known on his own side of the pond, is a master of breezy, boozy buffoonery" Publishers Weekly "For a page-turning, laugh-out-loud but truly clever read Brett's Charles Paris cannot be beaten" Judith Cranswick, 5* Goodreads review "Charles Paris always delivers a great combo of humour and mystery. Very enjoyable!" Fay, 5* Amazon review "Brilliant as usual. Charles Paris never fails to entertain and amuse" Jacqueline, 5* Amazon review "A very good read" Zena, 5* Amazon review THE CHARLES PARIS MYSTERIES, IN ORDER: 1. Cast in Order of Disappearance 2. So Much Blood 3. Star Trap 4. An Amateur Corpse 5. A Comedian Dies 6. The Dead Side of the Mike 7. Situation Tragedy 8. Murder Unprompted 9. Murder in the Title 10. Not Dead, Only Resting 11. Dead Giveaway 12. What Bloody Man is That 13. A Series of Murders 14. Corporate Bodies 15. A Reconstructed Corpse 16. Sicken and So Die 17. Dead Room Farce 18. A Decent Interval 19. The Cinderella Killer 20. A Deadly Habit 15. A Reconstructed Corpse 16. Sicken and So Die 17. Dead Room Farce 18. A Decent Interval 19. The Cinderella Killer 20. A Deadly Habit
A stunning musical biography of Stevie Nicks that paints a portrait of an artist, not a caricature of a superstar. Reflective and expansive, Mirror in the Sky situates Stevie Nicks as one of the finest songwriters of the twentieth century. This biography from distinguished music historian Simon Morrison examines Nicks as a singer and songwriter before and beyond her career with Fleetwood Mac, from the Arizona landscape of her childhood to the strobe-lit Night of 1000 Stevies celebrations. The book uniquely: Analyzes Nicks's craft—the grain of her voice, the poetry of her lyrics, the melodic and harmonic syntax of her songs. Identifies the American folk and country influences on her musical imagination that place her within a distinctly American tradition of women songwriters. Draws from oral histories and surprising archival discoveries to connect Nicks's story to those of California's above- and underground music industries, innovations in recording technology, and gendered restrictions.
Are you prepared to defend the biblical account of Adam as a living man formed by God? Many theologians, pastors, and philosophers now teach that the Adam we find in Genesis was a myth, story, or parable. In Adam: First and the Last, Simon Turpin – Ex. Director of Answers in Genesis, UK/ Europe, reveals why understanding Adam to have been the first man created is critical for a consistent theological understanding of the biblical message of creation, the fall, and redemption. “If you deny the ‘First Adam,’ not only do you deny the sufficiency of Scripture and undermine its authority, but you ultimately attack the life, teaching, and person of the ‘Last Adam,’ our Lord Jesus Christ.” Ken Ham, CEO of The Ark Encounter, Creation Museum, & Answers in Genesis The very teachings of Jesus regarding creation and the flood are being attacked on the basis that, because of His human nature, there was error in some of His teaching. The theory of biological evolution, though lacking evidence, is why many reject Adam as a historical individual or see him as anything other than the originating head of the human race. The church is facing a crisis because too few of her people and leaders understand the consequences of combining the Bible and evolution. Sadly today, more and more evangelical Christian scholars are having to redefine passages of Scripture because they have adopted the idea of evolution and millions of years into their thinking. These questions may be the biggest doctrinal issues facing our generation, and the church’s attitude toward them could be a defining moment in Christianity. Adam: First and the Last will prepare you, your family, and your church to stand against today’s false teachers and strengthen your faith in the infallible Word of God. Turpin offers a true biblical apologetic that will be used for decades and even centuries to help the Body of Christ hold fast to their confession of faith without wavering (Hebrews 10:23).
Liverpool was once one of the greatest cities in the British empire but it no longer feels like it is in England, if it ever did. It had retreated as a significant port after the Second World War and by 1979, it was already on the brink. What it needed was support but instead, a Conservative Party with aggressive new ideas allowed it to slide. Thirty-years after the Toxteth Riots, classified government papers revealed that the prime minister, Margaret Thatcher, was urged to abandon the city and embark on a programme of 'managed decline'. Why did Liverpool's fortunes change so dramatically? Why did it fight back when other cities did not? This is the untold story of what it was like for Liverpool's people and how the period defines who they are.
This thoroughly revised second edition provides a clear overview of the functions and liabilities of insolvency practitioners (IPs). It considers the circumstances in which IPs are appointed, their duties and their powers, before offering a detailed investigation into their potential professional liabilities, as well as in-depth guidance to practitioners and advisers as to how claims might be framed and defended.
An authoritative guide covering the best birdwatching sites in Britain. This handy field guide covers the very best birding sites in Britain. In a format familiar to readers of this popular series, each site is considered in terms of 'Habitat', Access' and 'Birds', aiding birders of all levels to plan successful birding trips anywhere in Britain, and to maximise the chances of getting the best out of each site and each region. The book includes attractive and accurate line drawings, detailed maps of the larger sites, plus general maps of the regions covered. Extensively revised with several new sites added for this edition, it also includes important information on disabled access.
This volume reports the results of intermittent archaeological mitigation works for the A43 Corby Link Road, Northamptonshire, undertaken by MOLA (Museum of London Archaeology) between June 2012 to October 2013. Evidence was uncovered relating to Bronze Age, Iron Age, Roman and Saxon settlements.
The definitive biography of Liverpool legend and the most famous Egyptian footballer in the history of the sport, Mohamed Salah. Salah's achievements are, in many ways, unparalleled. A Champions League and Premier League winner, he is a two-time African Footballer of the Year who straddles two worlds. The first is the continent he comes from, as well as the Middle East. The second is Europe, where he has broken all sorts of goalscoring records at Liverpool, helping him to become the most identifiable Muslim player on the planet. And yet, despite his consistent success on the pitch, record-breaking, team victories and popular persona, little is known about the Liverpool forward, or the competing forces around him. That is, until now. Award-winning football journalist and author Simon Hughes expertly pieces together a fascinating portrait of this enigmatic football icon. From his relationships with his teammates to what motivates him; from how the events of the past decade in Egypt have impacted his life, to what's next in his career - Chasing Salah reveals all.
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