MacDonald takes readers on another round of house calls, office visits, and emergency summons in this charming collection of vignettes--some hopeful, some heartbreaking--that offer a unique look at a bygone era of 20th-century rural America.

Bilbury Chronicles is the first of a series of books (all available on Amazon as Ebooks) describing the adventures (and misadventures) of a young doctor who enters general practice as an assistant to an elderly and rather eccentric doctor in Devon, England. When he arrives in Bilbury, a small village on the edge of Exmoor where central heating is a log fire in the middle of the room and where doors are never locked, the young doctor doesn't realise how much he has to learn. But he soon finds the extent of his ignorance when he meets his patients. There is Anne Thwaites who gives birth in the middle of a field and local rogue Thumper Robinson who knows a good many tricks that aren't in any textbooks. And there is Mike Trickle, a TV show host, who causes great excitement when he buys a house in the village. The young doctor's employer is elderly Dr Brownlow who lives in a house that looks like a castle, drives an old Rolls Royce and patches his stethoscope with a bicycle inner tube repair kit. The local pub, the Duck and Puddle, is run by Frank, the inebriate landlord, and the village shop is run by Peter who also drives the local taxi, delivers the mail and acts as the local undertaker. There is Miss Johnson, the receptionist with a look that can curdle milk; Mrs Wilson, the buxom district nurse and Len, her husband who is the local policeman with an embarrassing secret. And there is Patsy.The author of the Bilbury series of books, Dr Vernon Coleman, is a qualified doctor who has written over 100 books which have sold more than two million copies in hardback and paperback in the UK and been translated into 24 languages. Many of his books have been bestsellers. His novel Mrs Caldicot's Cabbage War has been turned into an award winning movie and his medical books include Bodypower and How To Stop Your Doctor Killing You - both of which have been huge international bestsellers. Dr Coleman has written columns for many of the world's leading newspapers and magazines and has presented hundreds of television and radio programmes.What the papers say about Vernon Coleman and his books: The tales he tells are truly uplifting and thought-provoking. They are a breath of fresh air in a troubled world and are also very amusing. The tale of the village cricket match in Bilbury Revels is the funniest thing I have ever read. Be warned -don't attempt to read it in a public place. - People's FriendVernon Coleman writes brilliant books - The Good Book GuideTruthful, well observed and consistently readable - Daily TelegraphHis dry humour transforms doctor-patient encounters into hilarious anecdotes - Publishers WeeklyMost of his adventures are funny, some hilarious; but he has the good sense to leaven the comedy with some that are sad, some touching. All are written lightly, easily, entertainingly. We could do with some more. - Oxford TimesHe has succeeded in writing a book that will entertain, a book that will entertain and warm the cockles of tired old hearts. - PunchThe funniest book I have read since Three Men in a Boat - Chronicle and EchoColeman is a very funny writer - This EnglandHis powers of observation combine with his penchant for brilliant word pictures to create a most delightful book that will appeal to all those who appreciate humour and sharp characterisation. - Sunday IndependentNo thinking person can ignore him - The EcologistSuperstar - Independent on SundayBrilliant - The PeopleThe calmest voice of reason - The ObserverCompulsive reading - The GuardianHis message is important - The EconomistThe man is a national treasure - What doctors don't tell youHis advice is optimistic and enthusiastic - British Medical JournalRevered guru of medicine - Nursing TimesMarvellously succinct, refreshingly sensible - The SpectatorProbably one of the most brilliant alive today - Irish TimesHe writes lucidly and wittily - Good HousekeepingBritain's leading health care campaigner - The Su

This is the first book in English to provide a close-up view of the emotional and rewarding experiences of clown-doctors working with hospitalized children. It describes the development of a new program in a pediatric hospital and all the challenges that confront clown-doctors. The book recounts work that takes place over a few months in 1999-2000. Most of the children that are described had been diagnosed with leukemia and other serious forms of cancer. They were hospitalized often and ran the risk of death. This book is a tale of love and humor and of dealing with great traumas and tragedy. It tells of the immense compassion and the amazing resilience of individuals in the most stressful and debilitating of circumstances. It is a small window looking onto what it is to be human with all our strengths and frailties and of how complete strangers can become bonded to one another through laughter and pain. The story presented here is based upon real case studies annotated with occasional commentaries to put these experiences into perspective. Above all else this book is a celebration and an homage to all the children, their parents and care-givers who have shared their lives with clown-doctors in many countries around the world. The Clown-Doctor Chronicles is written to 'speak' to people of all ages: men and women; professionals, trades people and homemakers in cities, towns and villages; for laughter and illness know no boundaries. It will be of particular interest to parents, artists in hospitals and anybody working with children (health care professionals, educators, psychologists).

This is the first of a series describing the adventures (and misadventures) of a young doctor, who enters general practice as assistant to an elderly and rather eccentric GP in North Devon. When he arrives in Bilbury, a village on the edge of Exmoor, he has no idea how much he has to learn.

A young Egyptian woman recounts her personal and political coming of age in this brilliant debut novel. Cairo, 1984. A blisteringly hot summer. A young girl in a sprawling family house. Her days pass quietly: listening to a mother’s phone conversations, looking at the Nile from a bedroom window, watching the three state-sanctioned TV stations with the volume off, daydreaming about other lives. Underlying this claustrophobic routine is mystery and loss. Relatives mutter darkly about the newly-appointed President Mubarak. Everyone talks with melancholy about the past. People disappear overnight. Her own father has left, too—why, or to where, no one will say. We meet her across three decades, from youth to adulthood: As a six-year old absorbing the world around her, filled with questions she can’t ask; as a college student and aspiring filmmaker pre-occupied with love, language, and the repression that surrounds her; and then later, in the turbulent aftermath of Mubarak’s overthrow, as a writer exploring her own past. Reunited with her father, she wonders about the silences that have marked and shaped her life. At once a mapping of a city in transformation and a story about the shifting realities and fates of a single Egyptian family, Yasmine El Rashidi’s Chronicle of a Last Summer traces the fine line between survival and complicity, exploring the conscience of a generation raised in silence.

Anthony Trollope's masterful work, 'The Barsetshire Chronicles - All 6 Books in One Edition', is a comprehensive collection of the interwoven stories set in the idyllic county of Barsetshire. Trollope's distinctive literary style blends social commentary with engaging storytelling, capturing the essence of 19th-century English society. The novels are characterized by rich character development, intricate plotlines, and astute observations of human nature, making them a captivating read for fans of Victorian literature. The series offers a glimpse into the complexities of interpersonal relationships, moral dilemmas, and the dynamics of a small community, making it a timeless classic in the canon of English literature. Readers will be transported to a bygone era filled with scandal, romance, and political intrigue, showcasing Trollope's ability to craft compelling narratives that resonate with readers of all ages.