Other books that might interest you

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  Why Q Needs U - A history of our...

  Danny Bate

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  'A breathtaking adventure through the alphabet... An absolutely delightful read, filled with jewels of lightly worn scholarship and dazzling insight. I just couldn't recommend it more highly.' Stephen Fry'An excellent read.' Susie Dent'You'll never look at a keyboard the same way after reading Danny Bate's fascinating linguistic history.' Sunday TimesWhy does 'W' sounds like 'double U'?What has the letter 'Q' got to do with monkeys?Why are the 'C's in circus pronounced differently?What's the point of the second 'N' in the author's first name, 'Danny'?And why does 'Q' need to be followed by 'U'?Every letter you're reading right now has a fascinating story to tell, having been on a long linguistic, historical, political and social journey.In Why Q Needs U, linguistic expert Danny Bate takes readers on a fascinating odyssey through the English alphabet, diving into history, archaeology, politics and linguistics to discover where we get our writing from. Sharing fun facts and revealing the alphabet's hidden mechanisms, he explains where we get our letters from and why the English language uses them so strangely.Explaining - and defending - the peculiar way English today uses our ancient letters, Bate's witty and entertaining book will help readers spot connections in languages across the world and inspire a newfound sense of wonder for the letters we use every day.'Charming' The Economist

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  Spitfire Command - A Fighter...

  Bobby Oxspring

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  Dunkirk, the Battle of Britain, the Channel Dash, North Africa, Sicily, Dieppe, D-Day, and the fight against the V1 menace—Group Captain Bobby Oxspring saw action in many of the most famous battles of the Second World War. 
   
   
   
  His memoir of time as a Spitfire fighter is the perfect book for fans of First Light by Geoffrey Wellum, Samurai! by Saburo Sakai, and The First and the Last by Adolf Galland. 
   
   
   
  Beginning in 66 Squadron, by the end of the Battle of Britain, he was already an ace with eight enemy aircraft destroyed: three Heinkel 111s, one Dornier 17, one Me110, and three Me109s. He then went on to become flight commander in No. 41 Squadron RAF and later took command of three more squadrons. 
   
   
   
  His memoir, Spitfire Command, is a remarkable account of life as one of The Few, charting his journey through the war, flying all marks of the Spitfire—from the Mk I to the Mk XIV—right through to when he ended operational duty just a week before the war ended. Written vividly, Oxspring provides an authentic insight into the lives of the men who fought in the air. It is a fascinating and inspiring story of bravery, good humor, and sacrifice.

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  Grammar Land - Grammar in Fun...

  M. L. Nesbitt

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  There’s a fuss in Grammar Land and Judge Grammar has dispatched Serjeant Parsing to call all the Parts-of-Speech to court and settle the matter. Dr. Syntax must be obeyed or all the laws of Grammar Land will go to wreck and ruin. Join the children of Schoolroom Shire and discover the outcome of Judge Grammar’s trial. This imaginative tale brings the parts-of-speech to life with an engaging story.

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  Escape from Kabul - The Afghan...

  Karen Bartlett

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  Coming soon...

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  Appalachian Trail The: The...

  Editors Charles River

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  A sizeable body of literature is available on the east-west pathways of the American continent, including the famous wagon train trails that helped to colonize the nation to the shores of the Pacific. Any study of these routes ranging from footpaths to early American highways is accompanied by an equally vibrant collection of popular literature. In the perception of the American history buff, the continent was fully peopled by the advent of the 20th century, and the American mystique began to shrink with the absence of unexplored land. 	However, those enamored of the primeval American experience can find comfort in a system of north-south trails designed to recapture the natural wonders of the continent, and to provide an escape from commercialism and the inherent noise of the city. The Pacific Crest Trail travels in one form or another from Canada to Mexico, while the Continental Divide Trail lies nearer the center of the county, following some of the highest points of the Rocky Mountains.  
  	Most iconic of the major American pathways is the Appalachian Trail that completes the “triple crown” of the national hiking experience. Covering a range from central Maine to Georgia at a distance of 2,193 miles, it is the longest of the three, following the crest of the Alleghenies and Blue Ridge Mountains through 14 states. All in all, it encompasses 465,000 feet in elevation and hosts three million visitors each year for at least a part of the total distance. On an annual basis, approximately 4,000 hikers begin a south to north trek beginning at Springer Mountain, Georgia, with the goal of hiking all the way to Maine. The northerly direction is greatly preferred, in part because of the weather calendar and because the northern terminus closes in mid-October, creating a difficulty for slow travelers.

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  Parenting That Works - Building...

  PhD Edward R. Christophersen,...

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  Being a parent is probably the most important job many of us will ever have. In this book, clinical psychologist Dr. Edward Christophersen and his colleague, child psychologist Dr. Susan Mortweet, show parents how to raise their child to become the adult we'd all like to be—one who is happy and compassionate, confident but not aggressive, and able to make and keep friends. 
   
   
   
  They point out that from babyhood on through the school years, children learn these qualities by observing and interacting with their parents. In clearly written, easy-to-follow chapters, parents are shown how to model and reward positive behaviors and avoid the need for ineffective, punitive discipline. 
   
   
   
  Two key areas are covered in the book: building one's own skills as a parent, and then building one's child's competencies. Scores of practical examples show parents how to teach their children what is important in life, how to communicate clearly, and how to effectively discipline their child. Special parenting topics such as managing a child's behavior in public, monitoring TV, toys, and games, and handling fallout from divorce are also discussed. Listeners then learn how to build their child's basic skills by teaching him or her how to quickly get over upsets and how to play independently.

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