Illustrated history of Barclays Bank from a private Quaker partnership in 1690 to 1996.

Based on unparalleled access to those involved, and told with compelling pace and drama, The Bank that Lived a Little describes three decades of boardroom intrigue at one of Britain's biggest financial institutions. In a tale of feuds, grandiose dreams and a struggle for supremacy between rival strategies and their adherents, Philip Augar gives a riveting account of Barclays' journey from an old Quaker bank to a full-throttle capitalist machine. The disagreement between those ambitious for Barclays to join the top table of global banks, and those preferring a smaller domestic role more in keeping with the bank's traditions, cost three chief executives their jobs and continues to divide opinion within Barclays, the City and beyond. This is an extraordinary corporate thriller, which among much else describes how Barclays came to buy Lehman Brothers for a bargain price in 2008, why it was so keen to avoid taking government funding during the financial crisis, and the price shareholders have paid for a decade of barely controlled ambition. But Augar also shows how Barclays' experiences are a paradigm for Britain's social and economic life over thirty years, which saw the City move from the edge of the economy to its very centre. These decades created unprecedented prosperity for a tiny number, and made the reputations of governments and individuals but then left many of them in tatters. The leveraged society, the winner-takes-all mentality and our present era of austerity can all be traced to the influence of banks such as Barclays. Augar's book tells this rollercoaster story from the perspective of many of its participants - and also of those affected by the grip they came to have on Britain.

In November 1998, Barclays chief executive Martin Taylor walked out of his job. Widely regarded as one of Britain's most talented businessmen, Taylor had reached the end of his tether after a series of trading disasters and boardroom clashes and together with discredited chairman Andrew Bruxton, had lost the confidence of many colleagues. What had brought this once-great British institution to the brink? The story of the decline of Barclays is rich in personality, intrigue and social nuance. It reflects all the elements of change in Britain over the past twenty years; the competitive forces of the Thatcher years and the greed that came with them, the ravages of the early-nineties recession, the uncertainties which followed and the shock of the 1998 Asian crisis. Martin Vander Weyer is uniquely placed to tell this fascinating story. He worked for Barclays from 1981 to 1992 and was responsible for setting up several overseas operations. He has access to most of the senior figures at Barclays. The book will be written in an anecdotal style and aimed at a broad readership rather than a business audience, focusing on the personalities of the Barclays story but set in a wider context of economic and social change.

Some of William Barclay's most beloved prayers and meditations, originally appearing in his Prayers for the Christian Year and Epilogues and Prayers, have been brought together in this collection. While some of the prayers were written for private use, and others for use in public, so personal was the stamp that Barclay put on them that it is difficult to tell which are which. Written so many years ago but still as fresh and meaningful as ever, these prayers invite us to experience the wellspring of spirituality that nourished this timeless theologian's creativity. Arranged both topically and chronologically through the church year, A Barclay Prayer Book is perfect for personal devotional study and a useful resource for worship leaders.

One of the Boston Globe's Best Crime Novels of the Year! One of Suspense Magazine's Best Books of 2013! Since private investigator Cal Weaver’s teenage son died in a tragic accident, Cal and his wife have drifted apart. Cal is mired in a grief he can’t move past. And maybe his grief has clouded his judgment. Driving home one night, a rain-drenched girl taps on his car window and asks for a ride. He knows a grown man picking up a teenage hitchhiker is foolish—but he lets her in. Cal soon senses that something’s not right with the girl or the situation. But it’s too late. He’s already involved. Drawn into a nightmare of secrets, lies, and cover-ups in his small, upstate New York town, Cal knows that the only thing that can save him is the truth. And he’s about to expose the town’s secrets one by one—if he lives long enough.