In 1879, King Leopold II of Belgium launched an ambitious plan to plunder Africa’s resources. The key to cracking open the continent, or so he thought, was its elephants — if only he could train them. And so he commissioned the charismatic Irish adventurer Frederick Carter to ship four tamed Asian elephants from India to the East African coast, where they were marched inland towards Congo. The ultimate aim was to establish a training school for African elephants.
 
Following in the footsteps of the four elephants, Roberts pieces together the story of this long-forgotten expedition, in travels that take her to Belgium, Iraq, India, Tanzania and Congo. The storytelling brings to life a compelling cast of historic characters and modern voices, from ivory dealers to Catholic nuns, set against rich descriptions of the landscapes travelled. She digs deep into historic records to reckon with our broken relationship with animals, revealing an extraordinary — and enduring — story of colonial greed, ineptitude, hypocrisy and folly.

Magical interlinked stories about what one girl learns from talking to trees throughout Time and from around the world in a sumptuous gift book presentation. From the team who brought you Eight Princesses and a Magic Mirror, Costa Book Award winning Natasha Farrant and Lydia Corry. Olive's best friend is a four-hundred-year-old oak tree, and it is in danger. As she tumbles into its magic world, she makes it a promise. From deep roots to high branches, a Persian garden to an underwater forest, from tulip trees to wild apple to vengeful box, she listens to the trees telling stories for all time. And she keeps her promise. With a conservation message and facts about tree science alongside the magic and wonder of seven beautifully imagined original stories, this full-colour gift book enchants and reminds us of the importance of trees in our lives. 'Terrific and inspirational' Irish Times

'A belter of a thriller. Creepy, convincing, it kept me gripped and guessing' Peter James A twisty and chilling thriller about a woman who did one bad thing when she was young... and must now suffer the consequences. She thought she'd got away with it. She was wrong. Hannah Godley is an agony aunt on a London radio show Queen of Hearts. She's warm and empathetic; a good listener. Her catchphrase is: Always be kind. But when a stranger phones in to tell a tragic story about her brother who killed himself after he was the victim of a terrible prank by two people, Hannah goes cold. Because she remembers Diane's brother well. In fact, all these years later, he still haunts her dreams. All because of that one bad thing she did when she was young... Is Diane just a sad, lonely woman looking for a friend, or does she know what Hannah did, and is looking for revenge? Because as Diane insinuates herself into her life and family, Hannah is going to discover that you can never truly escape that One Bad Thing you did - sooner or later, you're going to have to pay the price... Praise for M.K. Hill: 'One Bad Thing is chock-full of suspense... I genuinely had no nails left by the end!' Lisa Hall 'A tense and twisted page-turner that kept me guessing right to the very clever end' Susi Holliday 'Thoroughly enjoyable' Daily Mail 'An engaging, creepy thriller full of twists. One Bad Thing had me so absorbed I read it in a day' Elisabeth Carpenter 'Chilling' Crime Monthly 'A rollercoaster ride with an abundance of twists' William Ryan 'One Bad Thing is addictive right from the go... Impossible to put down!' Rachael Blok 'An addictive read that pulled me in and didn't let go' Cass Green 'Absorbing and twisty' Mark Edwards 'This is a real rollercoaster of a read! Packed full of twists, turns, secrets and suspicions it's a total must read for all psychological thriller lovers. Murderously good!' Steph Broadribb

A SUNDAY TIMES BEST PAPERBACK OF 2021 * Shortlisted for the 2021 Stanford Dolman Travel Book of the Year prize * A critically-acclaimed Sunday Times, Spectator and Independent Book of 2020 * Now with colour photography by Michael Turek 'Richly absorbing... An impressive exploration of Siberia's terrifying past.' Guardian 'Evocative and wonderfully original.' Colin Thubron __________ Siberia's expansive history is traditionally one of exiles, bitter cold and suffering. Yet there is another tale to tell. Dotted throughout this remote and beautiful landscape are pianos created during the boom years of the nineteenth century. They tell the story of how, ever since entering Russian culture under the influence of Catherine the Great, piano music has run through the country like blood. How these pianos made the journey into this snow-bound wilderness in the first place is remarkable. That they might be capable of making music in such a hostile landscape feels like a miracle. The Lost Pianos of Siberia is an absorbing story about a piano hunt - a quixotic quest through two centuries of Russian history and eight time zones stretching across an eleventh of the world's land surface. It reveals not only an unexpected musical legacy, but profound and brave humanity in the last place on earth you might expect to find it. __________ What readers are saying about The Lost Pianos of Siberia: ***** 'You know a book's good when, on finishing it, you just want to start again.' ***** 'Beautifully written, full of compelling anecdotes celebrating Siberia's extraordinary history.' ***** 'The most unusual and intelligent way to tell a travel story.'

From acclaimed journalist Sophy Roberts, a journey through one of the harshest landscapes on earth--where music reveals the deep humanity and the rich history of Siberia Siberia's story is traditionally one of exiles, penal colonies and unmarked graves. Yet there is another tale to tell. Dotted throughout this remote land are pianos--grand instruments created during the boom years of the nineteenth century, as well as humble, Soviet-made uprights that found their way into equally modest homes. They tell the story of how, ever since entering Russian culture under the westernizing influence of Catherine the Great, piano music has run through the country like blood. How these pianos traveled into this snow-bound wilderness in the first place is testament to noble acts of fortitude by governors, adventurers and exiles. Siberian pianos have accomplished extraordinary feats, from the instrument that Maria Volkonsky, wife of an exiled Decembrist revolutionary, used to spread music east of the Urals, to those that brought reprieve to the Soviet Gulag. That these instruments might still exist in such a hostile landscape is remarkable. That they are still capable of making music in far-flung villages is nothing less than a miracle. The Lost Pianos of Siberia is largely a story of music in this fascinating place, fol-lowing Roberts on a three-year adventure as she tracks a number of different instruments to find one whose history is definitively Siberian. Her journey reveals a desolate land inhabited by wild tigers and deeply shaped by its dark history, yet one that is also profoundly beautiful--and peppered with pianos.

'A belter of a thriller. Creepy, convincing, it kept me gripped and guessing' Peter James A twisty and chilling thriller about a woman who did one bad thing when she was young... and must now suffer the consequences. She thought she'd got away with it. She was wrong. Hannah Godley is an agony aunt on a London radio show Queen of Hearts. She's warm and empathetic; a good listener. Her catchphrase is: Always be kind. But when a stranger phones in to tell a tragic story about her brother who killed himself after he was the victim of a terrible prank by two people, Hannah goes cold. Because she remembers Diane's brother well. In fact, all these years later, he still haunts her dreams. All because of that one bad thing she did when she was young... Is Diane just a sad, lonely woman looking for a friend, or does she know what Hannah did, and is looking for revenge? Because as Diane insinuates herself into her life and family, Hannah is going to discover that you can never truly escape that One Bad Thing you did - sooner or later, you're going to have to pay the price... Praise for M.K. Hill: 'One Bad Thing is chock-full of suspense... I genuinely had no nails left by the end!' Lisa Hall 'A tense and twisted page-turner that kept me guessing right to the very clever end' Susi Holliday 'Thoroughly enjoyable' Daily Mail 'An engaging, creepy thriller full of twists. One Bad Thing had me so absorbed I read it in a day' Elisabeth Carpenter 'Chilling' Crime Monthly 'A rollercoaster ride with an abundance of twists' William Ryan 'One Bad Thing is addictive right from the go... Impossible to put down!' Rachael Blok 'An addictive read that pulled me in and didn't let go' Cass Green 'Absorbing and twisty' Mark Edwards 'This is a real rollercoaster of a read! Packed full of twists, turns, secrets and suspicions it's a total must read for all psychological thriller lovers. Murderously good!' Steph Broadribb

'Melding noir with the fantasy genre, this is a rather clever read, one which feels especially prescient for our reality' SCIFINOW There's power in stories. But power comes at a price. Detective Cora Gorderheim has found the man who strangled the Wayward storyteller. But he was just a small part of a much bigger tale. Someone powerful ordered a murder on Cora's patch. That someone still lurks in the shadows. But as she continues her investigations, Cora is warned not to pry into the great and the good of Fenest. Too stubborn to know better, Cora keeps digging and begins to piece together a conspiracy that reaches from the gutter dwellers of the Union of Realms right to the top: the Chambers. As the Audience hear the Torn and Perlish tales, Cora realises she must return to her own story, to its very beginning, if she's going to have any say in its end. Widow's Welcome, the first book in the Tales of Fenest trilogy, is available now. 'It's rare to find such a richly imagined world about the art of myth and storytelling' CHRISTOPHER FOWLER 'Like a Philip Pullman rendition of Cloud Atlas. Widow's Welcome is an irresistibly thrilling introduction to a world of stories within stories - and I can't wait for more' TIM MAJOR 'There is more than meets the eye in this gripping and inventive debut ... Rife with intrigue, deceit and cultural tension' JAMES AITCHESON 'An utterly absorbing tale set in a fascinating world. A terrific start to the series' MICK FINLAY 'If you love storytelling, you'll love this' SIMON MORDEN

The new thriller from the author of The Boy at the Door.

What would you do to get your daughter back?

Three months ago Alison's world fell apart when her five-year-old daughter drowned at the local lake. Lost in grief, her husband and friends are unable to reach her.

Across town, Iselin's life is about to change. Her seven-year-old daughter has survived a life-saving operation. After years of treading water, they can now start thinking about the future.

These two mothers have never met. But their daughters will bring them together. And the consequences will be devastating...

This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger PublishingA AcentsAcentsa A-Acentsa Acentss Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of intere

A sweeping, exotic historical saga for fans of Dinah Jefferies.

One sultry evening in Kowloon, Dr Rowena Rossiter and Sister Alice Huntley are off-duty and in search of fun – little knowing that their world is on the brink of collapse.

That night, Rowena will meet two men who will fight for her heart for the next four years. Connor O'Connor, the rebellious Irish soldier, who will woo and then lose her, and Kim Pheloung. Immensely rich and the most beautiful man Rowena has ever seen, he is also the most ruthless, with a sinister need to possess and control.

When the Japanese invasion leaves this previously strong and independent woman raped and broken, who will succeed in claiming Rowena's body and soul? And will she ever learn to love the child born of that terrible Christmas Day?

Nachdruck des Originals von 1900 mit hunderten Rezepten aus ganz Deutschland.

Reprint der Originalausgabe mit 238 verschiedenen Rezepten mit Kartoffeln.