Gerald Diffey has spent four decades immersed in the world of food, wine and hospitality, from early days waiting tables in old English hotels to establishing two of the best places in the world to drink and eat: the award-winning Gerald's Bar in North Carlton -- Heston Blumenthal described it as 'a proper, proper old-fashioned sort of bar' -- and Gerald's Bar in San Sebastian. Beggars Belief is a collection of funny, poignant, insightful and just plain ludicrous stories from Gerald's life in kitchens and behind bars: his formative years in the UK, memories of food and family; tales and tips from forty years of service; journeys and meals, people and places, from lunch on the side of a volcano in Sicily to dinner on a beach in East Timor; stories and recipes and drinks suggestions from North Carlton and San Sebastian; vignettes, slices of life, observations. 'Romance', writes Gerald in the introduction. 'That's what I sell. Sensual pleasures. Sights, sounds, smells, touch, taste. Cyrano de Bergerac said: I have tried to live my whole life with panache. If I said that, I'd sound like a twat. But you get the drift. I'm off to bone some quails.'

Jane Jacobs (1916-2006) is history's most celebrated urban critic. In addition to her classic, "Death and Life of Great American Cities", Jacobs authored another half dozen influential books on urban planning, economics, and design. She was also a tireless advocate of vibrant city neighbourhoods. "Ideas That Matter: The Worlds of Jane Jacobs" offers students, enthusiasts, and critics unprecedented insights into the work of this seminal thinker. Originally published in 1997, and continually sought after ever since, this 2011 edition includes a new introduction by distinguished urban scholar Mary Rowe. The book is a unique combination of Jacobs' own writing (including previously unpublished speeches, letters, and articles), biography, and analysis by other scholars. Arranged by topic, it sheds light both on the development of Jacobs' theories and on her life. A chapter on "Death and Life of American Cities" reveals a debate between the author and her publisher about changing the book's title. A section on Europe includes letters home from Frankfurt, Paris, London, Venice, and other cities that shaped her sensibilities. And a chapter titled "Ideas" offers analysis from ten contributors who examine Jacobs' thoughts on issues from population growth to urban infill, self-employment to the wealth of nations. What results is a captivating scrapbook, offering a distinctive understanding of Jacobs' most important ideas.

The next incredible instalment in the case books of Ms Tree, private detective, from famed Hard Case Crime author Max Allan Collins! From the minds of author Max Allen Collins and artist Terry Beatty, comes the fourth collection of 5 classic Ms Tree stories. Join Michael Tree, the 6ft, 9mm carrying private detective on her thrilling adventures. No case is too small, no violence too extreme, just as long as it gets the job done. Fans of hard-boiled detective and crime fiction will get a thrill from these tales! Featuring the stories: "Deadline" "Skin Deep" "Runaway" "Runaway II" "Death, Danger and Diamonds"