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Slash and Burn
by Claudia HernándezThrough war and its aftermaths, a woman fights to keep her daughters safe. As a girl she sees her village sacked and her beloved father and brothers flee. Her life in danger, she joins the rebellion in the hills, where her comrades force her to give up the baby she conceives. Years later, having outlived countless men, she leaves to find her lost daughter, travelling across the Atlantic with meagre resources. She returns to a community riven with distrust, fear and hypocrisy in the wake the revolution. Hernandez’ narrators have the level gaze of ordinary women reckoning with extraordinary hardship. Denouncing the ruthless machismo of combat with quiet intelligence, Slash and Burn creates a suspenseful, slow-burning revelation of rural life in the aftermath of political trauma.
Slaughter on the Eastern Front: Hitler and Stalin’s War 1941-1945
by Anthony Tucker-JonesIn the summer of 1941, a collective madness overtook Adolf Hitler and his senior generals. They convinced themselves that they could take on and defeat a superpower in the making – the Soviet Union. Foolishly, they thought in a swift campaign they could smash the Red Army and force Stalin to sue for peace, despite dire warnings that Stalin was amassing a reserve army of more than 1 million men on the Volga. The end result would be such carnage that it would tear the German forces apart. In his major reassessment of the war on the Eastern Front, Anthony Tucker-Jones casts new light on the brutal fighting, including such astounding German defeats as at Stalingrad, Kursk, Minsk and, finally, Berlin. He controversially contends that from the very start intelligence officers on both sides failed to influence their leadership resulting in untold slaughter. He also reveals the shocking blunders by Hitler, Stalin and even Churchill that led to the appalling, needless destruction of Hitler’s armed forces as early as the winter of 1941–42. Step by step, Tucker-Jones describes how the German war machine fought to its very last against a relentless enemy, fully aware that defeat was inevitable.
Slaughterhouse 5: The Children's Crusade A Duty-Dance With Death
by Kurt VonnegutRead Kurt Vonnegut's powerful masterpiece, which is as timely now as when it was first published.‘An extraordinary success. A book to read and reread. He is a true artist’ New York Times Book ReviewBilly Pilgrim – hapless barber's assistant, successful optometrist, alien abductee, senile widower and soldier – has become unstuck in time. Hiding in the basement of a slaughterhouse in Dresden, with the city and its inhabitants burning above him, he finds himself a survivor of one of the most deadly and destructive battles of the Second World War. But when, exactly? How did he get here? And how does he get out?Travel through time and space on the shoulders of Vonnegut himself. This is a book about war. Listen to what he has to say: it is of the utmost urgency.‘The great, urgent, passionate American writer of our century, who offers us a model of the kind of compassionate thinking that might yet save us from ourselves.’ George Saunders
The Slave Trade, Abolition and the Long History of International Criminal Law: The Recaptive and the Victim
by Emily HaslamModern international criminal law typically traces its origins to the twentieth-century Nuremberg and Tokyo trials, excluding the slave trade and abolition. Yet, as this book shows, the slave trade and abolition resound in international criminal law in multiple ways. Its central focus lies in a close examination of the often-controversial litigation, in the first part of the nineteenth century, arising from British efforts to capture slave ships, much of it before Mixed Commissions. With archival-based research into this litigation, it explores the legal construction of so-called ‘recaptives’ (slaves found on board captured slave ships). The book argues that, notwithstanding its promise of freedom, the law actually constructed recaptives restrictively. In particular, it focused on questions of intervention rather than recaptives’ rights. At the same time it shows how a critical reading of the archive reveals that recaptives contributed to litigation in important, but hitherto largely unrecognized, ways. The book is, however, not simply a contribution to the history of international law. Efforts to deliver justice through international criminal law continue to face considerable challenges and raise testing questions about the construction – and alternative construction – of victims. By inscribing the recaptive in international criminal legal history, the book offers an original contribution to these contentious issues and a reflection on critical international criminal legal history writing and its accompanying methodological and political choices.
The Slave Trade, Abolition and the Long History of International Criminal Law: The Recaptive and the Victim
by Emily HaslamModern international criminal law typically traces its origins to the twentieth-century Nuremberg and Tokyo trials, excluding the slave trade and abolition. Yet, as this book shows, the slave trade and abolition resound in international criminal law in multiple ways. Its central focus lies in a close examination of the often-controversial litigation, in the first part of the nineteenth century, arising from British efforts to capture slave ships, much of it before Mixed Commissions. With archival-based research into this litigation, it explores the legal construction of so-called ‘recaptives’ (slaves found on board captured slave ships). The book argues that, notwithstanding its promise of freedom, the law actually constructed recaptives restrictively. In particular, it focused on questions of intervention rather than recaptives’ rights. At the same time it shows how a critical reading of the archive reveals that recaptives contributed to litigation in important, but hitherto largely unrecognized, ways. The book is, however, not simply a contribution to the history of international law. Efforts to deliver justice through international criminal law continue to face considerable challenges and raise testing questions about the construction – and alternative construction – of victims. By inscribing the recaptive in international criminal legal history, the book offers an original contribution to these contentious issues and a reflection on critical international criminal legal history writing and its accompanying methodological and political choices.
Sleep When You're Dead: A Financial Times 2022 Thriller of the Year (A Michael North Thriller)
by Jude O'ReillyA FINANCIAL TIMES 2022 THRILLER OF THE YEARIn thirty-six hours, thousands of innocent people will die. There's not a second to waste. And no time for sleep...Michael North has a bullet lodged in his brain which could kill him any second. That makes him the perfect MI5 asset: he's ruthless, loyal, brave. And, best of all, disposable.Teenage computer expert Fangfang Yu does not feel the same way. She's determined to keep her friend out of danger – however many cyber laws she has to break to keep him alive.Now North has been sent undercover into a doomsday cult on a remote Scottish island. He has thirty-six hours to stop their charismatic leader from inciting the murder of thousands. He can only do it with Fangfang's help – but when they uncover a shocking link between the cult and the dark heart of the US defence establishment, it doesn't just put North's life at risk... it threatens Fangfang too.Perfect for fans of David Baldacci, Lee Child and Mark Dawson, Sleep When You're Dead is a rollercoaster action thriller packed with twists that will keep you up all night.'A terrifically entertaining roller coaster ride of an adventure that keeps up a furious pace from start to finish.' Fiona Erskine'Richly layered characters crackle with energy and intrigue... a complex, satisfying read.' Financial Times'A nail biting, high octane thriller.' Jonathan Whitelaw, The Sun'A fast-paced, exciting narrative that holds the reader spellbound.' My WeeklyPraise for the Michael North series: 'A slick, fast-paced thriller from a master storyteller... Do yourself a favour and buy this book!' LJ Ross 'Packed with no-holds-barred action and memorable characters.' James Swallow 'A terrific future-shock thriller full of pace, tension, character, and emotion.' Lee Child 'A high-octane plot that centres around the dark heart of British political power.' Sunday Times 'Starts off like a fired bullet and never lets up.' David Baldacci 'Thought-provoking, pacy and thrilling.' Sunday Mirror 'Fast-paced and packed with action.' Mick Herron 'A gritty, action-packed, page-turner.' Andy McNab
Sleeper 13: A gripping thriller full of suspense and twists (Sleeper 13 #1)
by Rob Sinclair'One of the most intense and engrossing thrillers of the last decade' - Amazon reviewerAn action-packed and utterly gripping, globetrotting thriller - for fans of I AM PILGRIM by Terry Hayes, NOMAD by James Swallow, Mark Dawson's THE CLEANER, and THE DECEIVERS by Alex Berenson.**************Smuggled to the Middle East as a child.Trained as one of the most elite insurgents of his generation. Forced to do things no one should, for a cause he couldn't believe in. But as his brothers were preparing to kill, he was looking for a way out. Now, on the eve of the deadliest coordinated attacks the world has ever seen, he finally has his chance. He will break free and hunt down those who made him a monster. He must draw on all his training to survive.He is SLEEPER 13.**************SLEEPER 13 is a fast-paced thriller filled with twists and turns and intrigue that will appeal to readers of big-hitting thriller authors such as Terry Hayes, J.B. Turner, Mark Dawson, Lee Child, David Baldacci, Mark Greaney, Alex Berenson, Michael Connelly, and Scott Mariani.'An original action-packed international thriller with tension and danger on every page' - Michael Wood, author of For Reasons UnknownWHY THRILLER READERS ARE GIVING SLEEPER 13 FIVE STARS:'Perfect for spy thriller lovers and fans of I Am Pilgrim, Orphan X' - Goodreads review'I could not put down this book' - Netgalley review'Brilliant, gripping' - Netgalley review'Superb' - Amazon review'Wow just wow!' - Amazon review'This has got to be a best seller' - Amazon review'Loved it, loved it, loved it' - Amazon review'Cracking read' - Amazon review'Very believable' - Amazon review'Screams bestseller on every page' Amazon review'Loved, loved, loved this book' Amazon review
Sleeper 13 Trilogy: Sleeper 13, Fugitive 13 and Imposter 13
by Rob SinclairThe complete SLEEPER 13 trilogy from international bestselling author Rob SinclairSmuggled to the Middle East as a child. Trained as an elite insurgent. Forced to do things no one should, for a cause he didn't believe in. Aydin Torkal will break free and hunt the men who made him a monster, and bring down the terrorists who threaten global peace.'Perfect for spy thriller lovers and fans of I Am Pilgrim and Orphan X' - Goodreads reviewer'I could not put down this book' - Netgalley reviewer'Brilliant, gripping' - Netgalley reviewer'One of the most intense and engrossing thrillers of the last decade' - Amazon reviewer****************This Kindle boxset includes every book in the explosive trilogySLEEPER 13 - Smuggled to the Middle East as a child. Trained as an elite insurgent. Forced to do things no one should, for a cause he didn't believe in. On the eve of the deadliest coordinated attack the world has ever seen, Aydin Torkal finally makes his escape. He will break free and hunt down those who made him a monster. He will need to draw on all his training to survive.FUGITIVE 13 - Aydin Torkal is being hunted by international intelligence agencies and by the elite brotherhood he betrayed. He has lived the past year as a ghost. Until now. MI6 agent Rachel Cox is the only person who believes he is an ally, not an enemy. So when a coded message arrives from him, warning her not to trust her own colleagues, Rachel must choose between her career and the truth.IMPOSTER 13 - Now living a secret life in London, MI6 needs Aydin Torkal's help infiltrating a sinister new terrorist cell. In order to halt their deadly ambitions, he must convince the world's most dangerous terrorists that he's one of them. He must do it before the world suffers another deadly attack. And he must do it alone.Own the complete series now!
The Sleeping Sword
by Michael MorpurgoAn enchanting take on the legend of King Arthur from Britain’s best-loved children’s author, Michael Morpurgo.
Sleeping With Ghosts
by Lynne PembertonA blockbuster novel of suspense, intrigue and revenge, from the celebrated author of Platinum Coast and Eclipse
Sleeping With the Enemy: Coco Chanel, Nazi Agent
by Hal VaughanCoco Chanel, high priestess of couture, created the look of the chic modern woman: her simple and elegant designs freed women from their corsets and inspired them to crop their hair. By the 1920s, Chanel employed more than two thousand people in her workrooms, and had amassed a personal fortune. But at the start of the Second World War, Chanel closed down her couture house and went to live quietly at the Ritz, moving to Switzerland after the war. For more than half a century, Chanel's life from 1941 to 1954 has been shrouded in rumour. Neither Chanel nor her biographers have told the full story, until now.In this explosive narrative Hal Vaughan pieces together Chanel's hidden years, from the Nazi occupation of Paris to the aftermath of the Liberation. He uncovers the truth of Chanel's anti-Semitism and long-whispered collaboration with Hitler's officials. In particular, Chanel's long relationship with 'Spatz', Baron von Dincklage, previously described as a tennis-playing playboy and German diplomat, and finally exposed here as a Nazi master spy and agent who ran an intelligence ring in the Mediterranean and reported directly to Joseph Goebbels.Sleeping with the Enemy tells in detail how Chanel became a German intelligence operative, Abwehr agent F-7124; how she was enlisted in spy missions, and why she evaded arrest in France after the war. It reveals the role played by Winston Churchill in her escape from retribution; and how, after a nine-year exile in Switzerland with Dincklage, and despite French investigations into her espionage activities, Coco was able to return to Paris and triumphantly reinvent herself - and rebuild the House of Chanel.As Hal Vaughan shows, far from being a heroine of France, Chanel was in fact one of its most surprising traitors.
The Sleepwalkers: How Europe Went to War in 1914
by Christopher ClarkThe pacy, sensitive and formidably argued history of the causes of the First World War, from acclaimed historian and author Christopher Clark SUNDAY TIMES and INDEPENDENT BOOKS OF THE YEAR 2012 The moments that it took Gavrilo Princip to step forward to the stalled car and shoot dead Franz Ferdinand and his wife were perhaps the most fateful of the modern era. An act of terrorism of staggering efficiency, it fulfilled its every aim: it would liberate Bosnia from Habsburg rule and it created a powerful new Serbia, but it also brought down four great empires, killed millions of men and destroyed a civilization. What made a seemingly prosperous and complacent Europe so vulnerable to the impact of this assassination? In The Sleepwalkers Christopher Clark retells the story of the outbreak of the First World War and its causes. Above all, it shows how the failure to understand the seriousness of the chaotic, near genocidal fighting in the Balkans would drag Europe into catastrophe. Reviews: 'Formidable ... one of the most impressive and stimulating studies of the period ever published' Max Hastings,Sunday Times 'Easily the best book ever written on the subject ... A work of rare beauty that combines meticulous research with sensitive analysis and elegant prose. The enormous weight of its quality inspires amazement and awe ... Academics should take note: Good history can still be a good story' Washington Post 'A lovingly researched work of the highest scholarship. It is hard to believe we will ever see a better narrative of what was perhaps the biggest collective blunder in the history of international relations' Niall Ferguson '[Reading The Sleepwalkers], it is as if a light had been turned on a half-darkened stage of shadowy characters cursing among themselves without reason ... [Clark] demolishes the standard view ... The brilliance of Clark's far-reaching history is that we are able to discern how the past was genuinely prologue ... In conception, steely scholarship and piercing insights, his book is a masterpiece' Harold Evans, New York Times Book Review 'Impeccably researched, provocatively argued and elegantly written ... a model of scholarship' Sunday Times Books of the Year 'Superb ... effectively consigns the old historical consensus to the bin ... It's not often that one has the privilege of reading a book that reforges our understanding of one of the seminal events of world history' Mail Online 'A monumental new volume ... Revelatory, even revolutionary ... Clark has done a masterful job explaining the inexplicable' Boston Globe 'Superb ... One of the great mysteries of history is how Europe's great powers could have stumbled into World War I ... This is the single best book I have read on this important topic' Fareed Zakaria 'A meticulously researched, superbly organized, and handsomely written account Military History Clark is a masterly historian ... His account vividly reconstructs key decision points while deftly sketching the context driving them ... A magisterial work' Wall Street JournalAbout the author: Christopher Clark is Professor of Modern History at the University of Cambridge and a Fellow of St Catharine's College. He is the author of The Politics of Conversion, Kaiser Wilhelm II and Iron Kingdom. Widely praised around the world, Iron Kingdom became a major bestseller. He has been awarded the Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.
A Slice Of Heaven: Stealing Home A Slice Of Heaven (A Sweet Magnolias Novel #2)
by Sherryl WoodsDana Sue might run the best little restaurant in Serenity, but when you're feeding a small town of neighbors, busybodies and best friends, things can get a bit hot in the kitchen.
Slim's Burma Boys
by John HillThe battle for Burma was the longest and bloodiest campaign fought by the British in the Second World War. John Hill, one of the few men to survive the entire campaign, shares the personal experiences of men who fought against the merciless Japanese Army, painting a vivid picture of what it was like to be there – the intensity of war, the adrenaline rush and the fear and courage of those who took part in swollen river crossings, patrols, ambushes, skirmishes and major actions against a ruthless and determined enemy who would never surrender. Hill’s memoir is a fitting tribute to the courageous men who fought in one of the most gruelling campaigns of the Second World War.
Slovakian and Bulgarian Aces of World War 2 (Aircraft of the Aces #58)
by John Weal Jiri RajlichIn 1939, Slovakia signed a protection agreement with the German Reich and joined the attack on Poland, where its Avia B-534-equipped fighter squadrons claimed their first kills. In October 1942, having made do with obsolete aircraft, the Slovaks were equipped with Bf 109Es and eventually acquired 43 Messerschmitt fighters. The Slovaks would claim over 215 kills. Although it supported German efforts in Yugoslavia and Greece, Bulgaria did not declare war on Russia. First seeing action in August 1943, Bulgarian fighter pilots used their Bf 109Gs to good effect. From late 1943 through to mid-1944, the Bulgarian pilots attempted to defend the country from American bombers, and Stoyanov and Bochev made ace during this period.
Slovakian and Bulgarian Aces of World War 2 (Aircraft of the Aces #58)
by John Weal Jiri RajlichIn 1939, Slovakia signed a protection agreement with the German Reich and joined the attack on Poland, where its Avia B-534-equipped fighter squadrons claimed their first kills. In October 1942, having made do with obsolete aircraft, the Slovaks were equipped with Bf 109Es and eventually acquired 43 Messerschmitt fighters. The Slovaks would claim over 215 kills. Although it supported German efforts in Yugoslavia and Greece, Bulgaria did not declare war on Russia. First seeing action in August 1943, Bulgarian fighter pilots used their Bf 109Gs to good effect. From late 1943 through to mid-1944, the Bulgarian pilots attempted to defend the country from American bombers, and Stoyanov and Bochev made ace during this period.
The Slovak–Polish Border, 1918-1947
by Marcel JesenskýThe first English-language monograph on the Slovak-Polish border in 1918-47 explores the interplay of politics, diplomacy, moral principles and self-determination. This book argues that the failure to reconcile strategic objectives with territorial claims could cost a higher price than the geographical size of the disputed region would indicate.
Slovenia 1945: Memories of Death and Survival After World War II
by John Corsellis Marcus FerrarAt the end of May 1945, 12,000 Slovenian soldiers boarded trains in Austria. They thought they were on their way to freedom in Italy. Their true destination was Slovenia, and death. One of the most moving and tragic diaspora stories of World War II, Slovenia 1945 follows the fate of a strongly Catholic and non-Communist community in Slovenia - including members of the anti-Communist Home Guard 'domobranci' - caught up in the maelstrom of war and politics in the Balkans in World War II and the problems of post-war settlement. Thousands of soldiers returned to face death and exile at the hands of their war-time enemies - Tito's Partisans - who had triumphed by the war's end. Six thousand more civilians narrowly escaped the same fate, after the intervention of Red Cross and Quaker aid workers. Yet the story of exile is also one of triumph as the surviving refugees built new lives in Argentina, the USA, Canada and Britain. In this unique book, the authors call on more than half a century of research and an unsurpassed knowledge of the Slovene migrant communities around the world to tell their stories. For the first time, the survivors tell their vivid tales of wartime cruelty, of reviving their battered community in refugee camps, and of their emigration to Argentina, the US, Canada and Britain building successful new lives through courage, self-help and strong cultural identity.Slovenia 1945 is a vivid, personal and deeply moving story of an episode that marked all those involved indelibly.
The Slowworm's Song
by Andrew Miller***Pre-order Andrew Miller's new novel THE LAND IN WINTER now - coming October 2024***'ANDREW MILLER'S WRITING IS A SOURCE OF WONDER AND DELIGHT' Hilary Mantel 'ONE OF OUR MOST SKILFUL CHRONICLERS OF THE HUMAN HEART AND MIND' Sunday Times'Sublime' Independent 'Masterful' Sunday Times 'Beautiful' Spectator A profound and tender tale of guilt, the search for atonement and the hard, uncertain work of loving from the critically acclaimed author of PureAn ex-soldier and recovering alcoholic living quietly in Somerset, Stephen Rose has just begun to form a bond with Maggie, the daughter he barely knows, when he receives a summons - to an inquiry in Belfast about an incident during the Troubles, which he hoped he had long outdistanced. Now, to testify about it could wreck his fragile relationship with Maggie. And if he loses her, he loses everything. He decides instead to write her an account of his life - a confession, a defence, a love letter. Also a means of buying time. But as time runs out, the day comes when he must face again what happened in that distant summer of 1982. PRAISE FOR ANDREW MILLER 'Unique, visionary, a master at unmasking humanity' Sarah Hall 'A writer of very rare and outstanding gifts' Independent on Sunday 'A highly intelligent writer, both exciting and contemplative' The Times 'A wonderful storyteller' Spectator
The Small Back Room (Cassell Military Paperbacks Ser.)
by Nigel BalchinA true modern classic, THE SMALL BACK ROOM is a towering novel of the Second World War.Sammy Rice is a weapons scientist, one of the 'back room boys' of the Second World War. A crippling disability has left him cynical and disillusioned - he struggles with a drink problem at home, and politics and petty pride at work. Worse still, he fears he is not good enough for the woman he loves.The stakes are raised when the enemy begin to drop a new type of booby-trapped bomb, causing many casualties. Only Sammy has the know-how to diffuse it - but as he comes face to face with real danger, all his old inadequacies return to haunt him.Can he, at last, prove his worth and put his demons to rest?
Small Bomb At Dimperley: The joyful new historical novel from the Sunday Times bestselling author of Old Baggage
by Lissa EvansDiscover the heartwarming, witty, and poignant new historical novel about changing (sometimes reluctantly) with the times set in the aftermath of WW2, perfect for fans of Maggie O'Farrell and Rachel Joyce.'Generous, touching and romantic' Clare Chambers'Incredibly assured and affecting... the perfect novel to be read in such dark times’ Graham Norton'Wodehouse meets Barbara Pym… Funny, poignant, perfect' Daisy Goodwin__________It's 1945, and Corporal Valentine Vere-Thissett, aged 23, is on his way home.But ‘home’ is Dimperley, built in the 1500s, vast and dilapidated, up to its eaves in debt and half-full of fly-blown taxidermy and dependent relatives, the latter clinging to a way of life that has gone forever.And worst of all - following the death of his heroic older brother - Valentine is now Sir Valentine, and is responsible for the whole bloody place. To Valentine, it’s a millstone; to Zena Baxter, who has never really had a home before being evacuated there with her small daughter, it’s a place of wonder and sentiment, somewhere that she can’t bear to leave.But Zena has been living with a secret, and the end of the war means she has to face a reckoning of her own…Funny, sharp and touching, Small Bomb at Dimperley is both a love story and a bittersweet portrait of an era of profound loss, and renewal.____________Praise for Small Bomb at Dimperley'Sharp, witty and warm. Press it on friends' Lev Parikian‘A wonderful writer' Jojo Moyes'Brilliantly funny, moving and joyous' Catherine Johnson‘A glorious read. I laughed many times rejoicing in the wit, cleverness and humanity’ Elizabeth Buchan'This is Lissa Evans at the peak of her mighty powers' India Knight
Small Country: A Novel
by Sarah Ardizzone Gaël Faye'A luminous debut novel… This is a book that demanded to be written... With a light touch, Faye dramatises the terrible nostalgia of having lost not only a childhood but also a whole world to war' GuardianBurundi, 1992. For ten-year-old Gabriel, life in his comfortable expat neighbourhood of Bujumbura with his French father, Rwandan mother and little sister, Ana, is something close to paradise. These are happy, carefree days spent with his friends sneaking cigarettes and stealing mangoes, swimming in the river and riding bikes in the streets they have turned into their kingdom. But dark clouds are gathering over this small country, and soon their peaceful idyll will shatter when Burundi and neighbouring Rwanda are brutally hit by war and genocide. A haunting and luminous novel of extraordinary power, Small Country describes a devastating end of innocence as seen through the eyes of a young child caught in the maelstrom of history. It is a stirring tribute not only to a time of tragedy, but also to the bright days that came before it.
A Small Death in Lisbon (Isis Cassettes Ser.)
by Robert WilsonThis stunning, atmospheric thriller set in war-torn Europe won the CWA Gold Dagger and has now been reissued with the Javier Falcon series.
Small Pleasures: Longlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction
by Clare ChambersLONGLISTED FOR THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION 2021'A WORD-OF-MOUTH HIT' Evening Standard 'A very fine book... It's witty and sharp and reads like something by Barbara Pym or Anita Brookner, without ever feeling like a pastiche'David Nicholls'Perfect'India Knight 'Beautiful' Jessie Burton'Wonderful'Richard Osman 'Miraculous'Tracy Chevalier 'A wonderful novel. I loved it'Nina Stibbe 'Effortless to read, but every sentence lingers in the mind' Lissa Evans 'This is one of the most beautiful books I have ever read. I honestly don't want you to be without it'Lucy Mangan'Gorgeous... If you're looking for something escapist and bittersweet, I could not recommend more' Pandora Sykes'Remarkable... Small Pleasures is no small pleasure'The Times'An irresistible novel - wry, perceptive and quietly devastating'Mail on Sunday'Chambers' eye for undemonstrative details achieves a Larkin-esque lucidity' Guardian'An almost flawlessly written tale of genuine, grown-up romantic anguish' The Sunday Times 1957, the suburbs of South East London. Jean Swinney is a journalist on a local paper, trapped in a life of duty and disappointment from which there is no likelihood of escape. When a young woman, Gretchen Tilbury, contacts the paper to claim that her daughter is the result of a virgin birth, it is down to Jean to discover whether she is a miracle or a fraud. As the investigation turns her quiet life inside out, Jean is suddenly given an unexpected chance at friendship, love and - possibly - happiness. But there will, inevitably, be a price to pay.Book of the Year for: The Times, Daily Telegraph, Evening Standard, Daily Express, Metro, Spectator, Red Magazine and Good Housekeeping
A Small Room in Clarges Street: War-Time Lectures at the Royal Central Asian Society, 1942-1944
During the darkest days of the Second World War a select group of people gathered together in Mayfair to listen to a series of secret lectures organised by the Royal Central Asian Society (now the Royal Society for Asian Affairs). Lecturers and their hand-picked audience examined fast-moving events in the Middle East, Persia and Russia with the intention to propose strategies for Britain's post-war international role. The lecturers were chosen for their inside knowledge of these countries: a British General who had visited Russia's front-line held against the German invasion; an RAF officer who was in Iraq during the pro-German coup by Rashid Ali, and the subsequent defence of the Habbaniya air base; a Persian-speaking British diplomat stationed in Teheran; a Mancunian of Lebanese descent who spoke frankly about Arab hopes and fears; a Home Officer advisor sent to Moscow to inspect its fire-watching arrangements; and a Polish countess forcibly transported to a collective farm in Siberia, among others. Secrecy surrounded these lectures many of the scripts were marked 'Secret' or 'Confidential'; they were not published in the Society's Journal, and the audience was warned not to reveal the topics discussed outside the Clarges Street premises. The discussions which followed the lectures were held in the knowledge that frank views could be freely expressed, and are included in this volume. Although so much has changed in the international arena, these seventy-year old lectures, only recently rediscovered in the Society's Archives, have a peculiar poignancy and relevance in understanding today's unquiet Middle East and how war-time events and strategies were to shape post-war policy with regard to Arab nationalism and Arab unity.