British Life

John Waltham was born in 1778 and was last seen in 2007. At one time a magistrate in England, after decades of service in the Army, he faked his own death, escaping to the jungles of India. He thought he had come there to die in peace. He was sixty three, then, in 1841. But instead he started a new life. He met Vina, the woman of his dreams and had three daughters. Just when they were of the age to get married, John traveled back to Britain to settle his sister's estate. On his return, he found the entire settlement where he and his family lived, a tribal one, of Semitic origin, wiped out ...

January 2001: A small ship, led by wealthy Scotsman Daniel Hamilton, arrives in the Sundarbans, a vast archipelago of islands in the mythical river Ganges, a half-drowned land where the waters of the Himalayas merge with the incoming tides of the sea.

The unabridged, downloadable audiobook edition of Mary Berry's autobiography, Recipe for Life, read by the actress Patricia Hodge. From Queen of Tarts to the nation's heart, Mary Berry shares her Recipe for Life. "In the words of my father, my birth caused no end of trouble..." From the moment she came into the world - two weeks early, throwing her parents' lives into disarray - Mary has gracefully but firmly done things her own way.

A top-10 list is nobody’s perfect tool, especially when trying to measure up 10 of the most significant and influential bands of the British Invasion. Nevertheless, this book presents 10 biographies of classic bands of the era widely regarded as the best of the best, putting their contributions to music in sharp focus. And what contributions they have made! Over half a century later, their songs still ring out on radios, their names are well-known to many, and songs released today are inspired by the music they produced.

We make countless decisions every day, from the mundane to the life-altering. But what if there was one simple question, that could provide the framework to guide you toward a life of greater purpose, meaning, and fulfillment? The main book, IIWI? A Simple Question That Can Transform Your Life, is that book. This Workbook is your accompanying hands-on guide to that book applying the powerful IIWI question to revolutionize your decision-making and empower you to create a life that truly reflects your values. Through practical exercises, guided prompts, and interactive activities, you will ...

It’s 1942 and as shortages of staff – and goods – begin to bite, young Lily Collins is thrilled to step up to sales junior in her job at Marlow’s department store. But bombs are still falling and Lily and fellow shop girls Gladys and Beryl need a stiff upper lip to wave boyfriends, husbands and brothers goodbye, especially with a baby on the way and grim news on the wireless. When Jim, who works with Lily at the store, seems restless, things are bad enough, but nothing can prepare Lily for the secrets that come tumbling out when her favourite brother comes home on leave....

You might know Mo as the critically acclaimed stand-up comedian, BAFTA-winning presenter, Masked Singer judge and social media mega star. But do you know the moments that really made him? Opening up on the turning points, the good times, the challenges and the lessons learned, this is Mo as you've never seen him before.

The voice, the dressing-down, the cigarette in its holder, remain unmistakable. There is rarely a week when one of Private Lives, Hay Fever, and Blithe Spirit is not in production somewhere in the world. Phrases from Noël Coward's songs - "Mad About The Boy", "Mad Dogs and Englishman" - are forever lodged in the public consciousness. He was at one point the most highly paid author in the world. Yet some of his most striking and daring writing remains unfamiliar.

In a world where heroism and self-sacrifice sometimes seem to be in short supply, the exploits of the famed Admiral Horatio Nelson stand out to us as a refreshing reminder. His noble actions serve to show us of what it means to go above and beyond the call of duty and to put petty differences aside for the greater good. Despite the larger-than-life legend that two centuries have brought us, Horatio Nelson was not some swashbuckling caricature, he was a real flesh and blood human being, just as flawed as the rest of us.

Get ready to be swept away in a raw and powerful collection of modern poetry. "Walking Toward The Noise" by Bowie is a journey through life's complexities, inspired by the likes of Charles Bukowski, Sylvia Plath, Rupi Kaur, Sarah Kane, and Ted Hughes. As the words on the page come to life, the setting shifts from gritty city streets to quiet, contemplative moments in nature. Through it all, we follow the main character, a complex and relatable individual navigating the ups and downs of life. But just when we think we know where the journey is headed, a twist sends us reeling and questioning...

In the definitive memoir of his life and career, Dan Biggar bares his innermost emotions, from the joy of captaining Wales to victory in South Africa, through Grand Slam glory and World Cup woe, to the devastation of losing his mother just weeks before becoming the Lions number 10. He opens the changing room door on some of rugby’s most compelling episodes – from the threatened strike action that could have bankrupted the game, to the proposed club merger that nearly derailed a Grand Slam campaign.

When you know you have met the love of your life, the last thing you expect is for your sister to lure him away. Clare Ronson is faced with this scenario when her sister Isabel marries singer and guitarist Ross Tyler. To compound Clare’s jealousy and bitterness, Ross hits the big time and becomes a wealthy tax exile, relocating to France with his family. Clare cannot bring herself to speak to Isabel or Ross for the next 30 years. However, when tragedy occurs in 2002 causing Ross to arrive back in England at Clare’s doorstep, Clare must try to put the past behind her for her sister’s ...

The Gazette Box Set is a vivid eye-witness portrait of British life, capturing the turbulent and colourful events in British history and re-telling them in the words of those who were there. Presented in six volumes and performed by an outstanding company of award-winning actors including Dame Eileen Atkins, Cheryl Campbell, Nigel Davenport, Alex Jennings, Richard Johnson OBE, Hugh Laurie CBE, Michael Maloney, Geoffrey Palmer OBE, Michael Pennington, Prunella Scales CBE, Samuel West, John Wood CBE and full supporting cast.

For more than half a century, the name J. R. R. Tolkien (1892-1973) has been synonymous with epic fantasy. Known across the world for his classic The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Tolkien both revived interest in fantasy literature and set the standard for the genre. Today he is widely acknowledged as the father of modern fantasy and its most famous author.

The reverberations from Fred West's crimes continue to this day. The story never dies. West was perhaps one of Britain's most evil, feared serial killers. His horrifying compulsion to kidnap, rape and torture his victims before murdering them showed a savagery and cruelty that can barely be believed. His 'House of Horrors' at 25 Cromwell Street, Gloucester, became a burial ground for the women who fell into his hands. This new publication of Geoffrey Wansell's iconic, best-selling true-crime masterpiece comes 30 years after West was arrested, in 1992.

A Handful of Primroses A Story for Mothering Sunday By M.M.Wake - My gift to all Mothers this Mothering Sunday In the quiet village of Low Fellburn, where the chapel bell tolls through coal-dusted winds and wild primroses bloom beneath the hawthorn tree, four generations of women mark the rhythm of love, loss, and resilience. From Maggie in 1880, returning home with dirt under her nails and grief clenched in her pocket, to her great-great-granddaughter Rachel in the present day, baking simnel cake while raising her own children amid broken marriages and biscuit tins full of memory — this ...

If someone was in your house, you’d know...wouldn’t you? But the Hunter family are deaf and don’t hear a thing when a shocking crime takes place in the middle of the night. Instead, they wake up to their worst nightmare: the murder of their daughter. The police call Paige Northwood to the scene to interpret for the witnesses. They’re in shock, but Paige senses the Hunters are hiding something. One by one, people from Paige’s community start to fall under suspicion. But who would kill a little girl?

Elizabeth Bennet is a pickpocket, and she first meets Mr. Darcy when she tries to steal his watch. Mr. Darcy has never met a young woman like Elizabeth Bennet. She is intelligent and pretty, and she has her own opinions. Against his better judgement, he finds himself falling madly in love with her. Mr. Darcy and the Pickpocket is based on Jane Austen’s iconic lovers, with a fun twist – Elizabeth comes from a crime family and considers herself like Robin Hood. Yes, she is a thief, but she wants to help the poor. She thinks most wealthy men are arrogant and selfish, so how can she fall in...

A lot of ink has been spilled covering the lives of history’s most influential figures, but how much of the forest is lost for the trees? In Charles River Editors' British Legends series, listeners can get caught up to speed on the lives of Great Britain’s most important men and women in the time it takes to finish a commute, while learning interesting facts long forgotten or never known.

While in A. J. P. Taylor's words, Churchill was 'the saviour of his country', he was also a deeply flawed character, whose personal ambition would cloud his political judgement - and, as a result, he was often plain wrong. But the book's central argument goes beyond biography - it argues that Churchill has cast a dark shadow over post-war British history and contemporary politics - from the 'Churchillian stance' of Tony Blair taking the country to war in Iraq, to the delusion of a special relationship with the United States, to the fateful belief in British exceptionalism.