Dear Sir or Madam is the autobiographical account of one of the unsung heroes among British transsexual people. Born a girl in wartime Britain, Brenda never fitted in as a child. The young Rees even looked like a boy. Thus it was that he finally found the means to permanently become a man almost thirty years later, in 1971. Whilst Mark was accepted by neighbours and friends, he rapidly found that his new embodiment was not accepted by the state. He would be unable to marry as a man and the...

Behind Swansea’s familiar streets and sweeping bay lies another city: one of heroic dogs, vanished chapels, haunted pubs, and seaside legends. Quirky Swansea uncovers the stories that give this city its distinctive character, celebrating the people, places and moments that make Abertawe unlike anywhere else. From roaring rugby and football stadiums, beloved local food, seafront promenades, and iconic landmarks, every corner of Swansea brims with life and history. Step inside Gower’s ancien...

Did you know?Richard Burton claimed that he would rather have played rugby for Wales at Cardiff Arms Park than Hamlet at the Old Vic.Local rivalries between choirs in the 'land of song' used to be so fierce that fights would break out following singing competitions.Roald Dahl was an RAF fighter pilot during the Second World War, and a near-death crash landing inspired his first published work.The Little Book of W...

In the Victorian era, sensational ghost stories were headline news. Spine-chilling reports of two-headed phantoms, murdered knights and spectral locomotives filled the pages of the press. Spirits communicated with the living at dark séances, forced terrified families to flee their homes and caused superstitious workers to down their tools at the haunted mines. This book contains more than fifty hair-raising – and in some cases, comical – real life accounts from Wales, dati...

“The book” of Christopher Gabriel, planemaker and tool seller in London from 1770 until 1809, has fortuitously survived to give those interested in tools and trades a unique insight into a family business in late 18th century London. From this andother sources it has been possible to draw a picture of a small but developing business in an uncommon trade—planemaker and tool seller—and to trace Gabriel’s connections with othertoolmakers of the time, both in London and elsewhere. Perhaps the ...

Wales' history is packed with peculiar customs and curious characters. Here you will discover alien landscapes, ancient druids and a Victorian ghost hunter. Find out why revellers would carry a decorated horse's skull on a pole door to door at Christmastime, how an eccentric inventor hoped to defeat Hitler with his futuristic ray gun, and why a cursed wall is protected by a global corporation for fear it might destroy a town. From the folklore surrounding the red dragon on...

This second edition of the Rees’ book provides descriptions, illustrations and interestinginformation (much hitherto unpublished) on 80 categories of English tools.The tools are meticulously described and include prices (in English pounds). Includescollecting tips, toolmaker information, patents and registered designs, and more.,

Did you know?The Wales Coast Path is the only continuous footpath in the world that runs the entire length of a country's coastline, a staggering 870 miles.Wales is home to the largest concentration of medieval castles in the UK, with four iconic castles – Caernarfon, Conwy, Harlech and Beaumaris – designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.St Davids, home to an awe-inspiring cathedral surrounded by Pembrokeshire's rugged coastal beauty, i...

Published continuously since 1944, the Advances in Protein Chemistry and Structural Biology serial has been a continuous, essential resource for protein chemists. Covering reviews of methodology and research in all aspects of protein chemistry, including purification/expression, proteomics, modeling and structural determination and design, each volume brings forth new information about protocols and analysis of proteins while presenting the most recent findings from leading experts in a br...

A red and white dragon fighting tooth and claw in the moonlit sky; mischievous fairy folk luring unwary travellers deep into their underground lairs; a kind-hearted mermaid saving the lives of those in peril on the high seas; and a charmed boy who transforms into an otter and a bird to outrun a wicked witch. In Illustrated Tales of Wales, author Mark Rees explores the fantastical myths, legends and folk stories of Wales which have long fired the imagination of young and old alike. From the...

Behind Cardiff’s familiar landmarks lies another city: one of lost chapels, ghostly legends, hidden treasures and secret passageways. Quirky Cardiff uncovers these stories, celebrating the people and places that make the city so unmistakably Cardiffian.Step inside the lavish fairy-tale chamber created for Sleeping Beauty; meet Captain Morgan, the real-life pirate of the Caribbean; and explore the childhood worlds of Roald Dahl and Shirley Bassey. The city has an uncanny edge too: D...

Wales is said to be the most haunted country in the world. Restless spirits roam the ancient land, from the lofty peaks of Snowdonia to the dark depths of the abandoned mines. In Paranormal Wales author Mark Rees takes the reader on a spine-chilling journey to dozens of these locations, which include well-known tourist landmarks and more secluded spots well off the beaten track. These accounts of disembodied voices, supernatural mists and pesky poltergeists range from centuries-old legends...