The "twisted tree" is a blackthorn branch, picked by Tansy Penderil, a naive young Cornish girl, on the same day she meets the handsome but diabolical Roger Chailey in the woods for the first time. But it is not the only souvenir of their encounter: eighteen years later, Tansy's son, David, is the living image of Chailey, sharing not only his father's good looks but also his immoral ways. David's resemblance to her first lover triggers powerful feelings in Tansy and leads to a strange rela...

Thousands, even millions, of birds are descending on London - gathering, sitting, watching. At first their arrival is met with curiosity and amusement, as people debate where the birds have come from and what they're doing here. But soon the feathered invaders start to show their sinister side, attacking, maiming, and even killing in incidents of tremendous brutality and violence. Are they an example of nature gone horribly awry, or a paranormal manifestation? Only one thing is certain: th...

When, on the spur of a moment, Norman Huntley and his friend Henry invent an eighty-three year-old woman called Miss Hargreaves, they are inspired to post a letter to their new fictional friend. It is only meant to be a silly, harmless game - until Miss Hargreaves arrives on their doorstep, complete with her cockatoo, her harp and - last but not least - her bath. She is, to Norman's utter disbelief, exactly as he had imagined her: enchanting, eccentric and endlessly astounding. He hadn't i...

The world holds many strange mysteries and strange incidents occur every day.In this book there are a collection of weird and eerie tales of the unexplained. From headless ghosts to small green aliens on a moor. From strange phone calls from the dead to human blood leaking from a ceiling during a dinner party. These mysteries will hopefully fascinate as well as scare.I hope you enjoy this carefully selected spooky compilation of chilling and bizarre unexpla...

Sadly neglected today, Frank Baker (1908-1983) was an intriguing and highly original author of fantasy and horror fiction, best known for his post-apocalyptic novel of an avian attack, The Birds (1936), which may have been an influence on Hitchcock's film, and Miss Hargreaves (1940), a classic in which two young men invent a story about an unusual old woman only to discover that they have actually brought her to life.First published in 1983 and long unavailable, Stories of the Stra...

Many people are fans of the great British spy James Bond. James Bond was first introduced to the world by creator Ian Fleming with his first Bond novel Casino Royale in 1953. In 1962 the official James Bond film series started with Dr No. The film series would make James Bond a phenomenon and cultural icon, breaking box office records, introducing new ways of filmaking and marketing. The world of Bond also includes comics, toys, animated series and has numerous fanatical fans. James Bond i...

Teach middle school students to become savvy consumers of the TV, print, and online media bombarding them every day. In this timely book copublished by Routledge and MiddleWeb, media literacy expert Frank W. Baker offers thematic lessons for every month of the school year, so you can engage students in learning by having them analyze the real world around them. Students will learn to think critically about photos, advertisements, and other media and consider the intended purposes and messa...

In 2003, Methodists celebrated the 300th anniversary of the birth of their founder, John Wesley. Today, there are more than 300 Methodist denominations in 140 nations. Covering the activities of this group that plays an important role in the ecumenical movement through its many social and charitable activities in world affairs, this book offers more than 400 entries that describe important events, doctrines, and the church founders, leaders, and other prominent figures who have made notabl...

Classic western adventure. Made for the next generation. The Boys Book of Western Stories brings together the best of the pulp West: hard-riding heroes, outlaw showdowns, and wide-open country where courage is the only currency that matters. Eight short stories spanning the golden age of American frontier fiction and bold new voices curated for boys ages 10 to 16 who are ready for stories with real grit. Perfect for reading aloud around the campfire or quietly at the end of a long day.Buil...

The church is tired of seeing Christians act ungraciously toward one another when they disagree. Social media has added to the carnage. Christians routinely block each other on Facebook because of doctrinal disagreements. The world watches the blood-letting, and the Christian witness is tarnished.But what if every Christian discovered that their favorite teacher in church history had blind spots and held to some false--and even shocking--views?Bestselling author Frank Viola...

Pedro Gomez of ESPN was a beloved figure in baseball. His death from sudden cardiac arrest on Feb. 7, 2021, unleashed an outpouring of heartfelt tributes. He was 58, both a hard-nosed reporter and a smiling ambassador of the sport. These 62 personal essays soar beyond sports to delve into life lessons.Pedro, a proud Cuban American, was known for his dramatic reporting from Havana. Fully and fluidly bilingual, he did as much as anyone to bridge the wide gap that had...

Cal Baker is a lifelong rocker who had a number one hit in 1979. Since then, he's managed to barely cling to a career by chasing every musical trend that looked promising. Along the way, he was married and divorced a dozen times. Now, he's sixty-two and his thirteenth wife informs him that she wants a divorce, threatening to make it a baker's dozen of divorces. On top of that, the timing couldn't be worse, as he has a new record coming out soon.This news sends Cal ...