Catastrophic storms, searing heat waves, crumbling waterfronts, warming oceans, air-fouling forest fires and mass extinction have become facts of life. Under these conditions, it is difficult to imagine that the global industrial civilization will continue in its present form. This requires us to reconsider the subject of ecocomposition from a new perspective: “What does it mean to teach college writing in the face of this sobering reality?” The introduction reviews the history of ecocompo...

Archie O'Neill, A Birkenhead Boy, is based on a true story of a boy's lifelong journey -- from under the wheels of a tram to the front of the footlights -- and home again. It features some of the British music halls' biggest stars, events and theatres in the early 1910's and through the first World War. At its heart, however, is a family story about a man who, while deeply scarred as a child by abuse, poverty, and a life-changing accident, overcomes it all to become "the world's g...

Discover the inspiring story of Augustus Jackson, an African American entrepreneur who is known as "the father of ice cream," in this beautifully illustrated picture-book biography.Augustus Jackson was born in 1808 in Philadelphia. While most African Americans were enslaved at that time, in Pennsylvania, slavery was against the law. But while Augustus and his family were free, they were poor, and they depended on their garden and their chickens for food. Augustus e...

The definitive biography of the late, great comedy legend, Paul O'GradyThe late, great comedian, teatime talk show host and all-round entertainer, Paul O'Grady was one of the most popular figures on British television. But his real-life journey was more dramatic than any of his on-stage stories.Born into a noisy Irish Catholic household in Birkenhead, Paul was always determined to live a colourful life. He was a boxing champion as a boy and became a dad as ...

In this scorching crime collaboration, bestselling author Ian Rankin and Scottish crime-writing legend William McIlvanney join forces for the first ever case of DI Laidlaw, Glasgow’s original gritty detective.Lawyer Bobby Carter did a lot of work for the wrong type of people. Now he’s dead and it was no accident. Besides a distraught family and a heap of powerful friends, Carter’s left behind his share of enemies. So, who dealt the fatal blow?DC Jack Laidla...

Alan Johnson's childhood was not so much difficult as unusual, particularly for a man who was destined to become Home Secretary. Not in respect of the poverty, which was shared with many of those living in the slums of post-war Britain, but in its transition from two-parent family to single mother and then to no parents at all...This is essentially the story of two incredible women: Alan's mother, Lily, who battled against poor health, poverty, domestic violence and loneliness to t...

Here is the perfect little book for anyone—teenage or otherwise—who has ever wanted to master the art of good table manners. Written by Walter Hoving, former chairman of Tiffany's of New York, it is a step-by-step introduction to all the basics, from the moment the meal begins to the time it ends ("Remember that a dinner party is not a funeral, nor has your hostess invited you because she thinks you are in dire need of food. You're there to be entertaining"). In addition to the essentials ...

Michael Redhill's new Hazel Micallef mystery, written under the pen name of Inger Ash Wolfe, is his strongest yet. For readers of crime fiction who enjoy such writers as Giles Blunt, Linwood Barclay, Lee Child, Louise Penny, Peter Robinson.The fourth novel in this acclaimed series is brilliantly paced, addictively suspenseful--the author's best yet. Hazel Micallef (played by Suzanne Sarandon in the recent film of the series' debut, The Calling) has become ...

**Imagine learning to read at the age of 116! Discover the true story of Mary Walker, the nation's oldest student who did just that, in this picture book from a Caldecott Honor-winning illustrator and a rising star author.One of Slate’s 25 Greatest Picture Books of the Past 25 Years**In 1848, Mary Walker was born into slavery. At age 15, she was freed, and by age 20, she was married and had her first child. By age 68, she had worked numerous jobs, including cooking...

The first in a nostalgic and heart-warming WWII saga series by bestselling author Maisie Thomas. Perfect for fans of Ellie Dean and Lesley Eames will love. ❤️Manchester, 1941Kitty learned early on in her marriage that her husband, Bill Dunbar, isn’t reliable with money. So when they inherit the Dunbar family hotel at the start of the war, she's hopeful that their financial worries are over… until the bailiffs turn up! Wit...

Have You Thanked an Inventor Today is an Amazon Best Seller and is recognized by Microsoft as a book that informs and inspires STEM. It takes its reader on a unique journey into the often overlooked contributions of African-American inventors, and highlights their lasting impact on our daily lives. This book follows the day of a little boy, demonstrating with each page, how African-American minds have greatly enri...

'At sixteen I was very interested in palmistry. The fate line on my right palm had a distinct break at the age of thirty. It broke into two parts that ran for a quarter of an inch on parallel tracks. I used to look at it and wonder, 'What will happen to me when I am thirty that will change my life?'Of course, it was Johnny's death. But, in fact, my life was changed twice by death.'June Brown, who died in April 2022 aged 95, was an institution - a classically trained actress...