Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We have not used OCR(Optical Character Recognition), as this leads to bad quality books with introduced typos. (2) In books where there are images such as portraits, maps, sketches etc We have endeavoured to keep the quality of these images, so they represent accurately the original artefact. Although occasionally there may be certain imperfections with these old texts, we feel they deserve to be made available for future generations to enjoy.

Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We have not used OCR(Optical Character Recognition), as this leads to bad quality books with introduced typos. (2) In books where there are images such as portraits, maps, sketches etc We have endeavoured to keep the quality of these images, so they represent accurately the original artefact. Although occasionally there may be certain imperfections with these old texts, we feel they deserve to be made available for future generations to enjoy.

Rose Cottage, a tiny thatched dwelling in an idyllic English country setting, would appear the picture of tranquility to any passersby. But when Kate Herrick returns to her childhood home to retrieve some family papers in the summer of 1947, she uncovers a web of intrigue as tangled as the rambling roses in its garden. The papers are missing. The village is alive with gossip. Did her elderly neighbors, suspected of being witches, really see nighttime prowlers and ghosts in the cottage garden? Kate's search for the truth brings her together with many childhood friends and neighbors and leads her down a trail of family bitterness, jealousy, and revenge. She ends up discovering a long-hidden secret that will change her life dramatically--along with romance in a place she least expects. First published in 1997 and a major bestseller, "Rose Cottage" is, to date, the last and most mature novel from one of Britain's greatest writers.

Mary Grey had come from Canada to the land of her forebears: Northumberland. As she savored the ordered, spare beauty of England's northern fells, the silence was shattered by the shout of a single name: "Annabel!" And there stood one of the angriest, most threatening young men Mary had ever seen. His name was Connor Winslow, and Mary quickly discovered that he thought she was his cousin--a girl supposedly dead these past eight years. Alive, she would be heiress to an inheritance Connor was determined to have for himself. This remarkably atmospheric novel is one of bestselling-author Mary Stewart's richest, most tantalizing, and most surprising efforts, proving her a rare master of the genre.

First published in 1956, this haunting novel of suspense and romance set in the Scottish Hebrides blends pungent description with sheer terror as only Mary Stewart can. Most visitors to the Isle of Skye are there to climb the jagged peaks of Blaven or fish the many sparkling streams, but Gianetta Brooke came to forget Nicholas Drury--the husband she had painfully divorced. Upon arrival, however, Gianetta realizes that this won't be a typical vacation when she discovers that Nicholas is numbered among the guests at the small inn. Then, upon the treacherous slopes of Blaven, a murder is committed, and although Gianetta missed the first act of an eerie, unearthly crime, the murderer is set to strike again and again before a thrilling finale that pits Gianetta face-to-face with a madman.

Born the bastard son of a Welsh princess, Myridden Emrys -- or as he would later be known, Merlin -- leads a perilous childhood, haunted by portents and visions. But destiny has great plans for this no-man's-son, taking him from prophesying before the High King Vortigern to the crowning of Uther Pendragon . . . and the conception of Arthur -- king for once and always.

A governess in a French chateau encounters an apparent plot against her young charge's life in this unforgettably haunting and beautifully written suspense novel. When lovely Linda Martin first arrives at Chateau Valmy as an English governess to the nine-year-old Count Philippe de Valmy, the opulence and history surrounding her seems like a wondrous, ecstatic dream. But a palpable terror is crouching in the shadows. Philippe's uncle, Leon de Valmy, is the epitome of charm, yet dynamic and arrogant--his paralysis little hindrance as he moves noiselessly in his wheelchair from room to room. Only his son Raoul, a handsome, sardonic man who drives himself and his car with equally reckless abandon, seems able to stand up to him. To Linda, Raoul is an enigma--though irresistibly attracted to him, she senses some dark twist in his nature. When an accident deep in the woods nearly kills Linda's innocent charge, she begins to wonder if someone has deadly plans for the young count.

New and better than ever, Launching the Imagination treats design as both a verb and a noun-as both a process and a product. Design is deliberate-a process of exploring multiple solutions and choosing the most promising option. Through an immersion in 2-D 3-D and 4-D concepts students are encouraged to develop methods of thinking visually that will serve them throughout their studies and careers. Building on strengths of the previous five editions Launching the Imagination 6e is even more: Concise. Content has been refined so that maximum content can be communicated as clearly and concisely as possible. Colorful. In addition to the full color used throughout the book, the writing is livelier than that in most textbooks. Analogies expand communication, and every visual example has been carefully selected for maximum impact. Comprehensive. Launching the Imagination is the only foundational text with full sections devoted to critical and creative thinking and to time-based design. The photo program is global, represents a myriad of stylistic approaches, and prominently features design and media arts as well as more traditional art forms. Contemporary. More than half of the visual examples represent artworks completed since 1970, and over 100 represent works completed since 2000 Compelling. Interviews with exemplars of creativity have always been an important feature of this book. Three of the best past profiles have been revised and a new profile has been added. Now inserted into the body of the text, each interview deliberately builds on its chapter content. In Chapter Five, designer Steve Quinn describes the seven-step sequence he uses in developing websites, logos, and motion graphics. In Chapter 8, Jim Elniski describes The Greenhouse Chicago, an innovative home that is both highly energy efficient and elegant. In Chapter 11, ceramicist David MacDonald describes his influences and work process. And, in the new profile in Chapter 6, artist Sara Mast describes an ambitious art and science collaboration begun in celebration of the ideas of Albert Einstein. We have also added a new feature called Success Stories. These short interviews explore connections between foundational coursework and career success. In Chapter Five, Elizabeth Nelson discusses her wide-ranging design work at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. In Chapter Six, Jane Parkerson Ferry describes her work as Curator of Education at the Orlando Museum of Art. Jason Chin's interview in Chapter Seven connects directly to his self-designed project in the Self Assignment feature earlier in the chapter. As a freshman at Syracuse University, he completed this ambitious illustration project as the final project in a Two-Dimensional Design course. In the Chapter Seven interview, he describes his current work as a professional illustrator. In Chapter Eight, Dennis Montagna describes connections between his art and design major and his current historical preservation work for the National Park Service. Almost fifty new images have been added, representing major contemporary artists and designers including Wolfgang Buttress, Do Ho Suh, Garo Antresian, Janet Ballweg, Phoebe Morris, Alain Cornu, and Natalya Zahn.

The Higher Court (1911) is a novel of religion and romance by Mary Stewart Daggett, a writer well-known in her community of Pasadena, California whose work has yet to find the audience it deserves. Father Barry, a young Catholic priest in the Midwest, is beginning to question his vows. A tense meeting with the local bishop, combined with a feeling of mental unease, have shaken Barry's faith to the core. Meanwhile, in the midst of a heavy blizzard, a letter arrives from Isabel Doan, a friend of Barry's from before he took his orders-she is stopping by to see him on her way to Southern California, where she is moving with her young son Reginald. When they arrive, Barry is shaken by a series of events-Reginald has come down with a terrible illness; news arrives of the death of his estranged mother; and his love for Isabel threatens to tear down the final vestige of his already fleeting faith. Faced with a choice, Father Barry abandons the cloth and travels to Europe, but he will soon find something stronger than religion to guide his heart back home. Mary Stewart Daggett's The Higher Court interrogates tradition in order to get to the truth, while simultaneously illuminating the inexorable changes faced by the nation and world in the early-twentieth century. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Mary Stewart Daggett's The Higher Court is a newly unearthed classic of American literature reimagined for modern readers.

The Higher Court (1911) is a novel of religion and romance by Mary Stewart Daggett, a writer well-known in her community of Pasadena, California whose work has yet to find the audience it deserves. Father Barry, a young Catholic priest in the Midwest, is beginning to question his vows. A tense meeting with the local bishop, combined with a feeling of mental unease, have shaken Barry's faith to the core. Meanwhile, in the midst of a heavy blizzard, a letter arrives from Isabel Doan, a friend of Barry's from before he took his orders-she is stopping by to see him on her way to Southern California, where she is moving with her young son Reginald. When they arrive, Barry is shaken by a series of events-Reginald has come down with a terrible illness; news arrives of the death of his estranged mother; and his love for Isabel threatens to tear down the final vestige of his already fleeting faith. Faced with a choice, Father Barry abandons the cloth and travels to Europe, but he will soon find something stronger than religion to guide his heart back home. Mary Stewart Daggett's The Higher Court interrogates tradition in order to get to the truth, while simultaneously illuminating the inexorable changes faced by the nation and world in the early-twentieth century. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Mary Stewart Daggett's The Higher Court is a newly unearthed classic of American literature reimagined for modern readers.

Even after her friends and family discourage the journey, Mariposilla decides to leave her childhood home in Spanish Colonial Mexico to travel to America, where she can have a fresh start. While Mariposilla herself longs for the beautiful sight of American lands, she wants the experience for her frail and ill child, Marjorie, even more. As the two leave behind their old home, they are in awe of the scenery and people they meet along the way. Befriending strangers and staying in hotel after hotel, Mariposilla is delighted by the sight of her child become full of wonder and happiness, livelier than she had ever seen her before. Each person Mariposilla meets is characterized with intimate detail, as she exposes them with her sharp intelligence, compassion, and wit. Taking the advice of someone they met on the journey, Mariposilla and her daughter settle in a town in Southern California called San Gabriel. There, they meet Mrs. Sanderson, who, though seems agreeable at first, has less than desirable intentions. Caught up in Marjorie's steady improvement and happiness, Mariposilla finds herself overlooking red flags, and submitting to Mrs. Sanderson without meaning to. Meanwhile, as Mariposilla adjusts her perspective and settles into her new home, she falls hopelessly in love. With her daughter's health improving, and the blossoming of a new romance, Mariposilla feels at peace and content for the first time in a long time. However, even though the promise of the American dream brought her into the country, as Mariposilla becomes immersed in the culture, she soon realizes that a nightmare is much more common. Through thorough description and a unique perspective Mariposilla examines human nature at both its best and worst. Featuring beautiful and vivid descriptions of the landscapes, characters, and events, Mariposilla by Mary Stewart Daggett enlightens readers on social conventions and customs of Southern California during the 19th century. By depicting a setting not often represented and featuring a main character who immigrated to America, this novel offers a fresh perspective on historical fiction with representation uncommon in literature published during the 19th century, or even in recent literary works. This edition of Mary Stewart Daggett's Mariposilla is now presented in an easy-to-read font and features a new, eye-catching cover design, making it both readable and modern.

Keeping watch over the young Arthur Pendragon, the prince and prophet Merlin Ambrosius is haunted by dreams of the magical sword Caliburn, which has been hidden for centuries. When Uther Pendragon is killed in battle, the time of destiny is at hand, and Arthur must claim the fabled sword to become the true High King of Britain.

Arthur Pendragon is King! Unchallenged on the battlefield, he melds the country together in a time of promise. But sinister powers plot to destroy Camelot, and when the witch-queen Morgause -- Arthur's own half sister -- ensnares him in an incestuous liaison, a fatal web of love, betrayal, and bloody vengeance is woven.

The Crystal Cave
The Hollow Hills
The Last Enchantment

The prophetic voice of Merlin, the mysterious enchanter of Arthurian legend, has completeted his story. Written over a period of ten years, Mary Stewart's three best-selling novels now stand together in one volume -- the finest work of her distinguished career.

Hers is the most extended portrait in all literature of this compelling figure of Dark Age myth and history. Merlin, the protector and tutor of Arthur, has usually been protrayed as an old man. But The Crystal Cave begins the trilogy with the story fo his perilous childhood as the bastard son of a Welsh king's daughter and the secret discovery of the magic arts that will set him apart from other men.

With the birth of Arthur, Merlin's guardianship began and the ancient legend continues in The Hollow Hills with the dramatic immediacy that is Mary Stewart's special gift. Arthur grew to young manhood, ignorant of his royal parentage, in the deep and dangerous forests of fifth-century England and Wales, where no law was stable and fierce battle rages amongst the brooding mountains. When, in due course, Merlin guided him to the sword that tested his claim to power and the crown, Arthur became king by right, and soon Merlin, his adviser, was to emerge, however obscurely, as the architect of the first United Britain.

King Arthur plunged instantly into violent warfare against the Saxons. But in The Last Enchantment there are also more dangerous and subtle enemies ranged against him: Mortgause, half-sister and seductress of Arthur; their child, Mordred; the friends and kin who will betray him. Merlin's darkest prophecies were realized one by one, yet his bright vision of the future kingdom did prevail, and he foresaw the mystic power that would be at the King's service as long as Arthur lived.

The imaginative brilliance of the Merlin Trilogy completes the life and character of Merlin which are left untold in the early legends. At the end of each of the novels, Mary Stewart has set down the substance of the original legends and with it the sources of her own variations. Her portrait of Merlin is a new legend in itself.

Nicola Ferris, impetuous, attractive, and on holiday from the British Embassy in Athens, arrives in Crete a day ahead of schedule and discovers adventure and romance. Blithely savoring the wild beauty of the countryside, she stumbles across an assured young Englishman hiding out in the hills who is less than pleased to have been found. Before long, events begin to spiral in an alarmingly perilous fashion, leading to a stunning climax among the fishing boats of Agios Georgios Bay. With her keen delineation of character, Mary Stewart once again casts an enviable spell of suspense on readers.

First published 45 years ago, this is a beautiful new edition of Mary Stewart's beloved magical classic illustrated by Shirley Hughes - soon to be adapted into an animated film by the producer of The Tale of The Princess Kaguya.

'The little broomstick gave a leap, a violent twist, a kick like the kick of a pony.'

Mary's been exiled to her deaf great-aunt deep in the English countryside. Miserable and lonely, she befriends strange black cat Tib who leads her deep into the forest to a clump of unusual purple flowers and an ordinary looking little broomstick. Before Mary can gather her wits, the broomstick jumps into action, whisking her over the treetops, above the clouds, and in to the grounds of Endor College, school of witchcraft.

But something is terribly wrong at Endor. Students are taught spells that are petty and ill-wishing, and when Mary discovers evidence of a terrible and cruel experiment in transformation, she decides to leave. But the moment her broomstick takes off, she realises that Tib the cat has been captured ...

Mary Stewart is the bestselling author of fourteen romantic thrillers, including the classic novels This Rough Magic and The Moon-Spinners, and five historical fantasy novels of Arthurian Britain.

The animated film, called Mary and the Witch's Flower will be released in cinemas in 2017 by Yoshiaki Nishimura, producer of The Tale of The Princess Kaguya and When Marnie Was There.

Bryony Ashley knows that her family's grand estate is both hell and paradise -- once elegant and beautiful, yet mired in debt and shrouded in shadow. Devastated by her father;s sudden strange death abroad, she is nonetheless relieved to learn the responsibility of running Ashley Court has fallen to a cousin. Still, her father's final, dire warning about a terrible family curse haunts her days and her dreams.

MusicalCharacters: 1 male, 9 femaleA revised version of the hit musical Stepping Out, this good-natured comedy from Richard Harris chronicles several months in the life of a beginning dance class. Each of the eight students, who come from a variety of backgrounds, has his or her own reason for joining. For instance, Maxine, a confident, fast-talking saleswoman (and former Ovaltine dancer), is there on doctor's orders, while self-sacrificing Andy participates because it is the only thing she does for herself. Whatever the cause, they make a point of coming every week to chat, relax and, if they can manage to, learn a couple of dance steps. Led by Mavis, their eternally patient instructor, and accompanied by the acerbic pianist Mrs. Fraser, the students (who range from hopeless to competent) strive to master the basics of dance. But the steps and routines are just the background for the real focus of the play - the relationships and interactions of these ten very different people. By their final performance, not only have the class members developed some degree of skill, but they have also overcome the inhibitions, awkwardness and personality conflicts that have kept them out of sync.

Born on Christmas Eve, Arthur Pendragon is the illegitimate son of the married duchess Ygraine and Uther Pendragon, brother of a great king: a union Merlin arranged. But Arthur's birth is not welcomed by everyone: his father demands he be hidden until a legitimate son can be born, and Merlin is forced to give the babe to his own childhood nurse for safekeeping and go into hiding. In a dream, Merlin learns of a sword of unparalleled beauty and extraordinary craftsmanship, hidden in a long-deserted Roman temple. Merlin retrieves the sword and hides it in a cave on an island in the centre of a lake, where it remains for years. But what is hidden must be revealed. For it is foretold that the irrepressible young man named Arthur will find a sword and claim his birthright: as heir to Uther Pendragon and king of the Britons.

Mary Stewart, one of the great British storytellers of the 20th century, transports her readers to rural Northumberland for this tale of romance, ambition, and deceit - a perfect fit for fans of Agatha Christie and Barbara Pym. 'There are few to equal Mary Stewart' Daily Telegraph 'Mary Stewart is magic.' New York Times Whitescar is a beautiful old house and farm situated in Roman Wall country. It will make a rich inheritance for its heirs, but in order to secure it, they enlist the help of a young woman named Mary who bears remarkable resemblance to missing Whitescar heiress, Annabel Winslow. Their deception will spark a powder-keg of ambition, obsession and long-dead love. The ivy had reached for the tree and only the tree's upper branches managed to thrust the young gold leaves of early summer through the strangling curtain. Eventually the ivy would kill it . . . 'One of the great British storytellers of the 20th century' Independent 'The Ivy Tree has the ideal thriller blend of plot, suspense, character drawing and good writing' Daily Express

Born of an incestuous relationship between King Arthur and his half sister, the evil sorceress Morgause, the bastard Mordred is reared in secrecy. Called to Camelot by events he cannot deny, Mordred becomes Arthur’s most trusted counselor -- a fateful act that leads to the "wicked day of destiny" when father and son must face each other in battle.

When Lucy comes to Corfu to visit her sister, she is elated to discover that the castello above their villa is being rented to Sir Julian Gale, one of the brightest lights in England's theatrical world. As a minor player in the London theatre herself, Lucy naturally wishes to meet him--that is, until her sister indicates, with uncharacteristic vagueness, that all is not well with Sir Julian and that his composer son discourages visitors, particularly strangers. Yet Lucy has already encountered Sir Julian's son on the morning of her arrival, in a tempestuous run-in that involved the attempted shooting of a friendly dolphin. First published in 1964, this spirited novel will hold Mary Stewart fans breathless as it uncovers a series of mystifying and frightening events, tinging the otherwise sparkling setting of Corfu with dark hues of violence.

The spellbinding story of Merlin's rise to power. Vivid, enthralling, absolutely first-class - Daily Mail So begins the story of Merlin, born the illegitimate son of a Welsh princess in fifth century Britain, a world ravaged by war. Small and neglected, with his mother unwilling to reveal his father's identity, Merlin must disguise his intelligence - and hide his occasional ability to know things before they happen - in order to keep himself safe. While exploring the countryside near his home, Merlin stumbles across a cave filled with books and papers and hiding a room lined with crystals. It is the home of Galapas, who becomes Merlin's tutor and friend, and who teaches Merlin to understand the world around him... and to harness the power of the crystal cave to see the future. Merlin will rise to power and enter history - and legend - as advisor to King Arthur. But all stories must begin somewhere. And this is his. The Crystal Cave is the first of Mary Stewart's brilliant Arthurian Saga, telling the story of King Arthur from the perspective of the extraordinary, mysterious Merlin.