Showing results by narrator "Charles Armstrong" in All Categories

Nature took on a new importance for thousands of people when the coronavirus pandemic arrived in Britain, providing solace in a time of great anxiety - not least because the crisis struck at the beginning of spring, the season of hope and renewal, and furthermore, in an extraordinary conjunction, the spring of 2020 turned out to be the loveliest spring ever recorded in Britain. Three nature writers, living like everyone else under lockdown, but walking out each day to exercise, resolved to record their experiences of the coronavirus spring, in widely contrasting parts of the country.

What is philosophy? It's the issues and theories that are most intriguing and relevant to curious teen minds - questions like: what is knowledge, identity, human nature, right and wrong, faith, freedom, and justice? are all addressed, offering big ideas, simply explained. Written and designed specifically for the teen market, Heads Up Philosophy explains challenging but clear text to clarify and explain theories and arguments.

This anthology is a thorough introduction to classic literature for those who have not yet experienced these literary masterworks. From the finding of Merlin to the death of King Arthur, follow every thrilling adventure in the Arthurian legend! For those who have known and loved these works in the past, this is an invitation to reunite with old friends in a fresh new format.

From the medieval cobbles, through Dickensian iron and fog, to the neon lights and bustle of the twenty-first century, the ever-changing streets of London map out the vibrant stories, triumphs and struggles of everyone who ever called London home. From the Roman and Celts marching along the ancient Old Kent Road, to the rattling newspaper presses of Fleet Street, the game of Monopoly has painted London's story across cheerful coloured tiles. But those Monopoly streets live and breathe—they don't just illuminate our history.

Does money make the world go round? Can money buy happiness? What would happen if a bank simply printed more money? Heads Up Money introduces economic theories to everyday life for young adults. From the pennies in our pocket to the global financial boom, Heads Up Money puts theory into practice and explains the important issues surrounding all areas of economics including the market, supply and demand, currencies, spending, and saving.

In Agatha Christie’s short story, “The Tragedy at Marsdon Manor,” Poirot investigates the case of a middle-aged man who died under suspicious circumstances just weeks after insuring his life for 50,000 pounds. Could the man, who was in financial straits, have killed himself to benefit his beautiful young wife? This short story originally appeared in the April 18, 1923 issue of The Sketch magazine.

On October 15, 1958, Sotheby's of Bond Street staged an "event sale” of seven Impressionist paintings. The seven lots went for £781,000—at the time the highest price for a single sale. The event established London as the world center of the art market and Sotheby's as an international auction house. It began a shift in power from the dealers to the auctioneers and paved the way for Impressionist paintings to dominate the market for the next forty years.

In Agatha Christie’s short story, “The Lost Mine,” Poirot investigates the suspicious disappearance of a Chinese businessman in London. Suspicion is focused on two Englishman, one of whom has an alibi and another who was in an opium den the night of the disappearance. A clear-cut case for Poirot soon becomes murky however. This short story originally appeared in the November 21, 1923 issue of The Sketch magazine.

Ranging from epistemology to existentialism and featuring ideas from philosophers as varied as Plato, Immanuel Kant, and Jean-Paul Sartre, this essential guide will bring you up to speed on the core themes and theories of this great subject.

This lively history traces the evolution of the idea of evolution, showing how it has changed and been changed by different societies over time. It will put 'Darwin’s Dangerous Idea' into its proper context, showing how it built on what went before and how it was developed in the 20th century, through an understanding of genetics and the biochemical basis evolution. None of this diminishes the achievement of Darwin himself, but his contribution was one link in a chain that extends back into antiquity and is still being forged today.

It was a 166-year-old bastion of Swiss banking, amongst the most important and influential financial institutions in the world – but a veneer of high-class service disguised a darker, dirtier reality.

The seven volumes of Studies in the Psychology of Sex by Havelock Ellis (1859-1939) that appeared between 1900 and 1928 were each a landmark in the more open considerations of sexual impulse in the Western world. And none more so than Volume 2, which appeared in 1900. It examined homosexuality, though Ellis more frequently used the term sexual inversion, which, at the time, had broader (but not derogatory) implications.

Immerse yourself in more than 400 years of the world's most celebrated operas and discover the fascinating stories behind them. Explore the lives of singers such as Maria Callas, Luciano Pavarotti, and Jonas Kaufmann. Meet composers like Mozart, Wagner, and Britten, and the librettists with whom they collaborated to create the magical blend of words and music that make up opera.

This is a book for those that want to learn to scan the beach for fossils, who love the simple pleasure of getting outside or those who want to develop their relationship with the world around them. From the Jurassic Coast to the Antrim Coast, our nation is home to some of the most incredible fossil sites in the world. Weaving an intricate tapestry of knowledge on the landscape of our own prehistoric planet, palaeontologist and education officer of the Bristol Dinosaur Project, Rhys Charles communicates the joy of fossil hunting and where best to hunt for them in the country.

Tracing the epic 5,000-year story of warfare from the earliest battles to the War on Terror, The Military History Book explores and explains the causes and consequences of each, offering a new angle on military history. Entries analyse the key social and political driving forces, the arms and armaments, and the technologies and tactics of war over the last 7,000 years – from the tactics of early infantry and siegecraft to the rise of naval combat steel, steam, and shellfire, and from trench warfare and aerial dogfights to chemical weapons and cyber warfare.

In an idyllic resort on the island of La Réunion, Liane Bellion and her husband, Martial, are enjoying the perfect moment with their six-year-old daughter. Turquoise skies, blue sea, palm trees, a warm breeze. Then Liane disappears. She went up to her hotel room between three and four p.m. and never came back. Her husband, worried, went to the room along with the concierge - the room was empty, but there was blood everywhere. Despite his protestations of innocence, the police view Martial as their prime suspect.

In Agatha Christie’s short story, “The Adventure of Johnnie Waverly,” Poirot investigates the kidnapping of Johnnie Waverly, the three-year-old son of a wealthy couple in Surrey. Could the butler be in on the plot? And why were all the clocks in the house set 10 minutes ahead at the time of the kidnapping? This short story originally appeared in the October 10, 1923 issue of The Sketch magazine.

It is the winter of 1893, and in London the snow is falling. It is falling as Gideon Bliss seeks shelter in a Soho church, where he finds Angie Tatton lying before the altar. His onetime love is at death's door, murmuring about brightness and black air and about those she calls the Spiriters. In the morning she is gone. The snow is falling as a seamstress climbs onto a ledge above Mayfair, a mysterious message stitched into her own skin.

Sera Skohlidon longs for adventure, to be like the brave crusaders of lore. In her guarded imagination, fauns have rejected the Royal Coven, the Coven’s magic, and the questionable trades faunkind makes for it. One day, her quest for answers unearths a family secret that draws her to the heart of the Coven's malfeasance. What is the true source of her world's magic? With the help of a shape-shifting deadringer, Sera embarks on an epic journey that sharpens her self-image, emboldens newfound confidence with a dashing, cavalier classmate, and levels the magical playing field.

A true celebration of food in all its forms, The Food Book follows the human quest for sustenance through the stories of individual ingredients, and examines our millenia-long relationship with nearly 200 foods - from nuts and seeds to noodles and meat - with the help of tales from all over the world. Packed with glorious stories that surprise and enthral, this is the ultimate feast for foodies, a global smorgasbord packed with unforgettable tales and eye-opening facts.