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Books > Fiction > General & literary fiction > General
It's the summer of 1985 and the residents of Delmont Close are
preparing a neighbourhood barbecue to watch the biggest music event in
history: Live Aid. A day like no other that will end having reached
millions and changing the lives of all who attend.
House-proud Lydia Gordon, whose idols are Princess Di and Delia Smith,
is determined to put on a show that will impress everyone - with her
posh garden and state-of-the-art television, and her sweet husband and
two children, Hanna and David.
But as the guests flood into number nine, so do all of the secrets that
have been kept in the close.
Rita, a new neighbour from Australia, is hoping for a fresh start but
harbours a shocking event in her past; Steve, a young Falklands
veteran, battles his own demons; and Mr Wilson is surely too
good-looking to ever be trusted.
But as the hours count down to the last performance of the night, it's
Lydia who faces the heart-breaking truth that her immaculate home and
flawless family might not be so perfect after all.
And if each of their neighbours is guilty of hiding something, so are
the Gordons at number nine ...
Brother Caleb, a Cistercian monk,has lived undisturbed in the
Monasteryof the Holy Trinity for many years.When the young,
alluring, red-hairedRosa stays on retreat, he becomesobsessed with
her. But her presence unearthsthe ghost of an old,
pre-monasticromance. Caleb experiences a terriblestruggle between
his spiritual andcarnal nature, a struggle that canonly end in
tragedy....
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Basil
(Paperback)
William Wilkie Collins
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R533
Discovery Miles 5 330
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Ships in 10 - 15 working days
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Since it was first published in 1954, William Golding's classic debut novel has remained a stark allegory of civilization, survival, and human nature. As dystopian stories like Hunger Games and Battle Royale surge in popularity, this haunting tale of a group of young boys stranded on a desert island still captivates schoolchildren around the world, raising timeless and profound questions about how easily society can slip into chaos and savagery when rules and order have been abandoned.
When a plane crashes on a remote island, a small group of schoolboys are the sole survivors. From the prophetic Simon and virtuous Ralph to the lovable Piggy and brutish Jack, each of the boys attempts to establish control as the reality- and brutal savagery-of their situation sets in.
A teacher himself, Golding clearly understood how to interest children with a gripping story and strong, sympathetic characters. The novel serves as a catalyst for thought-provoking discussion and analysis of universal issues, not only concerning the capabilities of humans for good and evil and the fragility of moral inhibition, but beyond.
The boys' struggle to find a way of existing in a community with no fixed boundaries invites readers to evaluate the concepts involved in social and political constructs and moral frameworks. Symbolism is strong throughout, revealing both the boys' capacity for empathy and hope, as well as illuminating the darkest corners of the human spirit. Ideas of community, leadership, and the rule of law are called into question as the reader has to consider who has a right to power, why, and what the consequences of the acquisition of power may be.
Often compared to Catcher in the Rye, Lord of the Flies also represents a coming-of-age story of innocence lost.
Beloved Prophet; What made St John's Gospel so different from the
other gospels in the New Testament? "Prophecy", as we see in the
New Testament, was an activity of Christians in many different
parts of the young, expanding Church. Calvin Ward proposes a way to
gauge its distinctive effect on St John's Gospel, and he shares the
insight it provides into the life and experiences of the First
Century Christians in the Johannine community. In a final chapter
he highlights the spirituality of St John's Gospel with its
continuing value for Christian discipleship today
Grimm's Complete Fairy Tales collects more than two hundred tales
set down by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm in the early decades of the
nineteenth century, among them some of the best-loved and most
famous fairy tales in all literature: "Little Red Riding Hood,"
"Snow-White and the Seven Dwarfs," "Cinderella," "Sleeping Beauty,"
"Rapunzel," "Rumpelstiltskin," and "Tom Thumb". Derived from folk
tales that had been part of the oral storytelling tradition for
centuries, these stories are acknowledged as literary landmarks
that transcend their time and culture. This edition also features
ten rarely seen "Children's Legends" and the full-colour artwork of
Arthur Rackham. Grimm's Complete Fairy Tales is one of Barnes &
Noble's Leatherbound classics. Each volume features authoritative
texts by the world's greatest authors in an exquisitely designed
bonded-leather binding, with distinctive gilt edging and a
silk-ribbon bookmark. Decorative, durable, and collectible, these
books offer hours of pleasure to readers young and old and are an
indispensable cornerstone for every home library.
Generally considered to be F. Scott Fitzgerald's finest novel, The
Great Gatsby is a consummate summary of the "roaring twenties", and
a devastating expose of the 'Jazz Age'. Through the narration of
Nick Carraway, the reader is taken into the superficially
glittering world of the mansions which lined the Long Island shore
in the 1920s, to encounter Nick's cousin Daisy, her brash but
wealthy husband Tom Buchanan, Jay Gatsby and the mystery that
surrounds him. The Great Gatsby is an undisputed classic of
American literature from the period following the First World War
and is one of the great novels of the twentieth century.
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The Safety Net
(Paperback)
Andrea Camilleri; Translated by Stephen Sartarelli
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R372
Discovery Miles 3 720
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Ships in 10 - 15 working days
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Set on the coast of Sicily, The Safety Net is the twenty-fifth
novel in the bestselling Inspector Montalbano series by Andrea
Camilleri. ***Adapted for BBC4's Inspector Montalbano series***
Vigata is bustling as the new filming location for a Swedish
television series set in 1950. In the production frenzy, the
director asks the locals to track down movies and vintage photos to
faithfully recreate the air of Vigata at that time. Meanwhile,
Montalbano is grappling with a double mystery, one that emerges
from the past and another that leads him into the future . . .
Engineer Ernesto Sabatello, rummaging in the attic of his house,
finds some films shot by his father between 1958 and 1963, always
on the same day, 27 March, and always the same shot: the outside
wall of a country house. Montalbano hears the story and, intrigued,
begins to investigate its meaning. Meanwhile, a middle school is
threatened by a group of armed men, and a closer look at the case
finds Montalbano looking into the students themselves and delving
into the world of social media.
HarperCollins is proud to present its range of best-loved,
essential classics. 'The reaches opened before us and closed
behind, as if the forest had stepped leisurely across the water to
bar the way for our return. We penetrated deeper and deeper into
the heart of darkness.' At the peak of European Imperialism,
steamboat captain Charles Marlow travels deep into the African
Congo on his way to relieve the elusive Mr Kurtz, an ivory trader
renowned for his fearsome reputation. On his journey into the
unknown Marlow takes a terrifying trip into his own subconscious,
overwhelmed by his menacing, perilous and horrifying surroundings.
The landscape and the people he meets force him to reflect on human
nature and society, and in turn Conrad writes revealingly about the
dangers of imperialism.
Published during the heyday of fascism in Europe, It Can't Happen
Here is a chilling cautionary tale by one of the greatest American
writers of the twentieth century, which is still startlingly
relevant almost a century later. Charting the rise to power of
Berzelius 'Buzz' Windrip, who whips his supporters into a frenzy
while promising drastic reform under a banner of patriotism and
traditional values, It Can't Happen Here decries the tactics used
by politicians to mobilise voters, and exposes the danger of
authoritarianism arising from populist platforms, and the chaos
such regimes can leave in their wake.
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