SUMMARY:'I have not become the King's First Minister in order to preside over the liquidation of the British Empire.' These notorious words, spoken by Churchill in 1942, encapsulate his image as an imperial die-hard, implacably opposed to colonial freedom a reputation that has prevailed, and which Churchill willingly embraced to further his policies. Yet, as a youthful minister at the Colonial Office before World War I, his political opponents had seen him as a Little Englander and a danger to the Empire. Placing Churchill in the context of his times and his contemporaries, Richard Toye evaluates his position on key Imperial questions and examines what was conventional about Churchill's opinions and what was unique. Combining a lightness of touch and entertaining storytelling with expert and insightful analysis, the result is a vivid and dynamic account of a remarkable man and an extraordinary era. 'Wonderfully informative' Daily Telegraph 'Excellent' Spectator 'Mature, intelligent, thoughtful, judicious' Washington Times 'One of Britain's smartest young historians' Independent Views: 57
THEY BEGAN AS
STRANGERS -- FOUR TEENAGE GIRLS WITH NOTHING IN COMMON BUT THEIR
MISERABLE CHILDHOODS. SOON, THEY WOULD REALIZE THAT THEIR SECRET PASTS
HAD BOUND THEM TOGETHER FOREVER.... Misty, Star, Jade, and Cat
first came together in Dr. Marlowe's group therapy sessions. They
trusted no one but each other -- and even that bond was fragile at best.
One by one, each of the Wildflowers told her own story and bravely
unveiled the inner wounds inflicted by years of lies, deceit, and untold
family secrets; each revealed the shocking tales of how their parents
hurt them, used them, or simply abandoned them. And as they shared their
darkest feelings, they no longer felt like lost souls with nowhere to
turn. Finally, years of loneliness and pain gave way to the realization
that someone else in this world understood them. But then the
sessions ended, and the girls didn't know if they would ever see each
other again. Now they are coming together one more time. Jade
has sent out invitations to her parents' mansion -- the sprawling,
opulent home that served as a battleground for much of her young life.
There, the four will rekindle their bonds of friendship and trust. But
this time, away from Dr. Marlowe's watchful eye, it will be different.
Today, in the mansion's attic, Star, Jade, Cat, and Misty will take each
other's hands and swear to tell the real truth -- the
shattering secrets that lie deep within them like smoldering coals. And
once the darkest secret of all is spoken aloud, there will be no turning
back. For there may be some things the Wildflowers should leave buried
forever.... Views: 57
In a world where life has become very cheap, dog eat dog methods take over and readers are left wondering if there are any heroes left in this hostile, surreal environment. Only Leonard realises that the gloves are really off and organised evacuation plans are just a series of corrupted lies. Can his resourceful wild card, set on securing an eccentric escape route, offer those worth saving some kind of future? Views: 57
A centuries-old conspiracy is about to explode into the present with devastating consequences. Views: 57
Slaka! Land of lake and forest, of beetroot and tractor. Slaka! Land whose borders are sometimes here, often further north, and sometimes not at all! Dr Petworth is on a cultural exchange to the small (and fictional) Eastern European country of Slaka. Pallid and middle-aged, Dr Petworth might appear stuffy, but during his short stay he manages to embroil himself in the thorny thickets of sexual intrigue and love, while still finding time to see the major sites. Shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 1983, Rates of Exchange took Bradbury's satirical gifts to a new level. Views: 57
A Scandalous MistressA move to Richmond was the fresh start Lady Amelie Chester needed to escape the rumours surrounding her husband's death. But scandal soon followed Amelie and unwittingly, she falsely confessed to an intimate relationship with Lord Nicholas Elyot heir to the Marquess of Sheen! Enchanted and intrigued, Nicholas was quick to take every advantage of the situationDishonour And DesireHaving run from two previous engagements, Caterina Chester knows that marriage cannot be avoided for much longer. But to be parcelled off as part of a wager and sold to society's most disreputable rake? Caterina is outraged!Yet Sir Chase Boston for all his impeccable manners and charm reveals an undeniably exhilarating wild streak that taunts and teases her. Now it seems that this most improper husband may be the only man who can free her! Views: 57
Dame Cecile Savoy's "revolting floor mop" of a Pekinese has passed away at a ripe old age. Now, the aging British actress convinces her rivals on stage and screen, Trixie and Evangeline, to support her in her hour of grief...by accompanying her to a taxidermist. But it's a cab ride straight to a cat-astrope! No sooner do the three elderly thespians enter "Stuff Yours" than they discover a dead body, a live kitty in a cage, and flames bursting from the back room. Fortunately for a rare Japanese bobtail called Cho-Cho-San, Trixie grabs the cat before fleeing the scene. But who's the victim? Who set the fire? And why was a gorgeous feline going to be stuffed? Of course, Cho-Cho-San knows more than she's letting on as the curtain goes up on foul play, murderous jealousies, and a killer who may be going to the dogs.... Views: 57
