Recommended Reads
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Liverpool Kids of WWII, Part 2
The boy was growing into youth – not yet a teenager – but was bright enough to know his country was in a war that it mustn’t lose, that his brother and uncles were also part of this deadly struggle…Melodious harmonies and helmets were heard and seen at the impromptu Christmas party his mum and dad had arranged. He was as inquisitive as could be because it sounded like the Americans had arrived with Uncle Jim for the little house party he’d eavesdropped about over the last few days.“Gosh a’mighty!” he heard one over-the-pond voice exclaim. “You got gas lighting but no electricity in the house, huh?”The front room was alive with noise generated by adults, both seated and standing, in a happy conversation. Already, a smoky fuzz was forming from lit cigarettes, held firmly between thumbs and forefingers and used sometimes to emphasise a point or two in the friendly interchange of chit-chat.The first thing he noticed was one policeman’s helmet and two American army white military police garrison caps grouped together at one end of his mum’s upright piano top. Railway policeman, Uncle Jim was in boisterous good humour with the two Americans.Suddenly, his young eyes lit up as he spied a crumpled untidy mess of military equipment in the corner of the room, which drew him onto it immediately. He could see a US army belt with what looked like a brown wood baseball bat attached, as well as a set of handcuffs.
£9.99 -
Living in Interesting Times: Curse or Chance?
These are the memoirs and reflections on the most acute issues of the contemporary world by a boy from the Estonian countryside who, through accident and pure ambition, ended up as a professor at Moscow University and adviser to President Gorbachev on matters of international law. After a stint as head of Estonian diplomacy at crucial moments in the restoration of its independence, he later became a centennial professor at the LSE and chair of international law at King’s College London. This is not a traditional autobiography. Besides reflecting on issues he dealt with while advising Soviet leaders, such as Yakovlev in his speech on the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact or the status of the Kuril Islands, and their repercussions in today’s world, the book analyses the roots of the crisis within liberal democracy, the upsurge of populism, the rise of China and the re-emergence of Russia as a great power. A Marco Polo fellow at Jiaotong University in China and recently awarded the highest Russian Order for foreigners – the Friendship Order by President Putin, Professor Müllerson, who lives in London, feels equally at home discussing the renewal of great-power competition, the problems of the European Union including Brexit, the conflict in Ukraine, as well as the negative impacts of political correctness both in the former USSR and today’s West. Having lived equal thirds of his life in three different worlds and worked in and visited many countries as a UN diplomat, he is a man who understands small country mentality, though being ‘spoilt’ by great-power mindset.
£10.99 -
Lokemele's Quest
An emotional and deep journey in which Rosemary (Lokemele) introspectively fights with her personal demons.
Will the pain of betrayal, loss, temptation, and the forbidden fruits of love haunt her until her dying day?
Will a guilty secret be her ultimate downfall?
What role will Keoki play in her life?
And the mysterious, beautiful Ocean Tia - will she be Lokemele’s saviour, or will she add to her woes?
Will Lokemele find her quest for inner peace; or will serenity of her mind, heart, body, and soul forever remain elusive and out of her reach?
£14.99 -
Lola and Beau - The Lost Frisbee
Flying saucers, colourful planets, shining stars and erm... a playful game of hide and seek with aliens?
Not your usual day at the park! But one that Lola and her trusty pooch Beau won’t forget in a hurry!
An intergalactic adventure for all to enjoy.
£7.99 -
Lollypop Stew
Ella and Isaac were cooking up a brew that any cool kids would love, it’s true.
Until Ella screamed, ‘Oh no that’s not right,’ she got an awful fright.
With a dash of delicious, a sprinkle of fun, with a hint of mischief all rolled into one.
Who would have known working together could be so much fun?
When Ella takes her turn to stir the stew, watch what jumps out, it may be a rabbit, it may be a shoe, but you won’t know until you make this tasty brew!
£8.99 -
London's Firefighters
London's Firefighters is a wonderfully readable, lavishly illustrated
anthology of articles, fiction and verse about the London Fire Brigade,
most of it gathered from the Brigade's house magazines London Fireman
(1966-82) and London Firefighter (1982-2005).
The book's editor David C. Pike, himself a retired firefighter, has cleverly
selected material that delivers both a comprehensive history of the
London Fire Brigade and a fascinating portrait of individual firemen
and women, at work and (occasionally) at play. The book includes
vivid, occasionally harrowing articles on important events involving the
Brigade - the Sidney Street Siege of 1911, the London Blitz and the 1981
Brixton riots, to name just a few - as well as covering key figures within
the Brigade like James Braidwood and Massey Shaw. The more personal
sections provide a revealing insight into the bravery, commitment and
camaraderie of ordinary working firefighters and their families.
The numerous, often highly dramatic illustrations, many from the London
Fire Brigade's own collection, offer a lively commentary on the text.
All the profits from this book will go to the Fire Service charity,
Firemen Remembered.
David Pike was a London firefighter for more than 30 years, retiring at
senior rank in 1996. His first book, Beyond the Flames, was published by
Austin Macauley in 2013.
‘A fascinating peek into the world of the London Fire Brigade. A finalist
and highly recommended.'
The Wishing Shelf Book Awards 2014/15, on Beyond the Flames£19.99 -
Loose Ends
Matthew Bartimaeus, a blind yet notorious hitman, strikes fear into the hearts of all who hear his name. When a routine job takes a disastrous turn, Matthew’s world unravels as he’s double-crossed by a former employer. In a desperate twist of fate, he finds himself compelled to form an unlikely alliance with undercover detective Zoe Garland.As they join forces, their partnership grows stronger by the day, igniting a deadly game of cat and mouse across the sprawling city of London. Hot on their heels is Arif, the relentless son of the Berkant crime family’s patriarch. Fast-paced car chases and high-stakes gunfights ensue, pushing Matthew to the brink as he relies on his finely honed skills and remaining senses to survive.But this isn’t just a quest for vengeance, it’s a mission to protect Zoe, who holds the key to exposing corruption within the Met Police. In Loose Ends, Matthew’s determination to settle old scores collides with his unwavering commitment to safeguarding his newfound partner. In a world where justice hangs in the balance, this duo will stop at nothing to uncover the truth.
£9.99 -
Lorela: Dog Warriors
Lorela is a red planet…a dead planet! For several hundred years, the human colony of Lorela was thought to have been wiped out but they survived deep underground, out of sight of those who would use them. The lucky ones made it to the mines, locked in away from the harmful radiation. The unfortunate ones wept, surviving as best they could. Over time, the humans that were left breathing in polluted fetid air began to mutate. As the generations passed, all they knew were howls in the dark and the taste of flesh, bitten from that of those who howled with them.
Memphis Grimm was the first to step out to view a tortured landscape; his pack hounded by those who would consume them. Pack Grimm raced across the barren landscape, in search of sanctuary, freedom from the pack lands and a place they could call their own. None could have known how far this journey would take them, not even those who watched from a distance—far across the galaxy, amused at what crawled out from the darkness.£11.99 -
Lost Brothers
Jay and Perry are fraternal twins separated at birth. Their biological mother, Gloria, kept Jay to raise and Perry was given up for adoption. Two brothers living their early stages of life in Paris attended high school together, unaware of their relation, and later became good friends. What would you do if you found out you were separated at birth from your sibling? Although Perry was raised by wealthy loving parents, he lacked confidence; whereas, Jay, raised in poverty, was more of an outgoing self-assured person. In high school, Jay always protected Perry from the typical bullies. They were the complete opposite yet the same. As time passed, their lives moved in different directions. Perry was determined in search of his birth mother, Gloria. Will his search of Gloria lead him to Jay? A friendship bonded by loyalty and brotherly love will be tested. What will be the outcome?
£8.99 -
Love's Caravan
Everyone has an imagination, but how many of us can say we use it to its full potential? Not only Ibn Arabi, the “greatest Shaykh” of Sufism, but poets and mystics in every age have developed their imagination to the point where they can apprehend a silence that speaks in symbol and a dynamic stillness that can transform the world.
This journey starts from where we are as novice meditators in a bustling, distracted world and guides us into the mystical imagination with twelve short discussions, each illustrated by accessible, memorable poems. With creative challenges in each chapter, you can chart your own exploration by writing a poem, painting a picture, or making a piece of music using the suggestions as a starting point.
Stops along the route of this armchair pilgrimage include dreams, alchemists, Sufi stories, bardo states, angels, synchronicities, prophecies, a mermaid, and a well-known crucifixion. This book is for seekers, yogis, and believers of all traditions and at all stages, as well as those who simply want to better connect with their creative imagination.
£10.99 -
Love's Oneing
Grounded in Christian love mysticism, Love’s Oneing gives voice to the luminous consciousness that awakens from within our oneness in God in contemplation. With great sensitivity, the book offers nuanced insight into the marriage of kenosis and desire in contemplation, through the rich tapestry of writings from nine mystics: Julian of Norwich, the Cloud of Unknowing author, Meister Eckhart, Mechthild of Magdeburg, Clare of Assisi, John of the Cross, Teilhard de Chardin, Beatrice Bruteau and Ilia Delio. With the delicate eye of a spiritual director immersed in mystical literature, Kerrie Hide situates these mystical teachings within contemplative prayer, whilst offering a scholarly exploration of contemplative practice to embody the insights. Deeply grounded in traditional and contemporary mystical classics, Hide celebrates how the Christian mystical tradition lays a foundation for the evolutionary growth of communion consciousness and the insights of quantum science, highlighting key moments in contemplation that when surrendered into, open into divine love. Born of intellectual reflection, lived experience and contemplative wisdom, Love’s Oneing makes a unique contribution to the existing literature on contemplation at a time when the recovery of the mystical dimension of life is crucial for the future of our planet in this climate crisis moment.
£10.99 -
Lucie
Lucie the beaver feels left out because she is different from the rest of her family. One day a storm threatens to destroy the dam in which her and her family live but Lucie is strong and Lucie is brave. Can this extraordinary beaver save her home?
£9.99
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