There are somersaults and there are somersaults. Physically ... no big deal. Lots of people can do them. This book is about the other kind of somersaults - through life. In this case, from a little girl plunked into the mid-fifties in socialist Czechoslovakia to a rebel at school with beliefs twisted and turned by social storms. Then in 1968, her family lives through morphing into socialism with a human face, the consequent invasion of the Warsaw Pact armies, and ultimately, the Russian occupation. And eventually, for many ordinary people, the reality of the so-called Velvet Revolution of 1989.When the girl grows into a young woman, she fights with traditions and old thinking. Plenty of humour, the discovery of limits, many sides of the same coin, the power of friendship, stepping into worlds of taboo, and challenging one's own fear - every somersault has consequences. Intimate, funny, honest.If you enjoyed this book, try the sequel: Czech Mate

James is a successful entrepreneur living the metropolitan life with a beautiful wife and a swanky London flat. But when the creditors move in and his wife moves out, James suddenly finds he’s left with nothing. Nothing but words. James’ father is dying – his last connection to his childhood and the language of his birth, Scots Gaelic. With this link gone, James fears he will simply cease to exist. As the words start to slip away, he journeys home to confront his past and search for his true identity – as he desperately struggles to remember the language of his birth and the word for ‘somersault’. A stunning new play exploring the role of language and how it defines who we are by the UK’s leading Scots Gaelic playwright Iain Finlay Macleod.

They're back! Rediscover the zaniest characters you've ever met in this best-selling series which has sold millions worldwide. Bright and charming, with easily recognizable characters and a small take-along format, Mr. Men and Little Miss books are easy enough for young readers, witty enough for humor-prone adults, and highly collectible for one and all. Also check your local listings to view the Mr. Men & Little Miss TV show. Back to the Mr. Men & Little Miss microsite.

For fans of Cathy Cassidy and Holly Willoughby's School for Stars - tumble into the world of competitive gymnastics - friendships, dreams, tears, and tumbles! Ellie has reached the national gymnastics squad training camp. Now it feels like she is just a somersault away from her dream of competing in the Euros! But with training harder than ever, rivalries even fiercer and a new coach who seems determined to make sure she fails, Ellie feels as though she has to do whatever it takes ... including hiding a potentially-career ruining injury. How far is Ellie really willing to go for gold?

Modern sport relies heavily on science in order to enhance performance, maintain safety, and ensure long-term health. By combining the best of both scientific/medical and gymnastics-related literature, the authors of this book enable scientists, physicians, parents, coaches and gymnasts to understand how gymnastics works. They provide a unique and systematic presentation of the scientific aspects of training and performance while incorporating some of the 'culture' of gymnastics. Their very close ties to gymnastics guarantee that the subject becomes intelligible to anyone as it provides an encyclopedic overview of the scientific/medical research in womens gymnastics, including new information that will not be found in typical computer databases. 'Scientific Aspects of Womens Gymnastics' provides the most up-to-date information on gymnastics by covering all relevant topics such as biomechanics, physiology, injury epidemiology, growth and injury, and kinanthropometry.

First revised edition of interviews with 14 prominent activists whose writings influenced the 1979 Nicaraguan revolution and help us understand present-day Nicaragua Margaret Randall presents a dynamic collection of personal interviews with Nicaragua's most important writer-revolutionaries who played major roles in the 1979 revolution and the subsequent reconstruction. This revised first edition includes a new preface and additional notes that frame the narrative in high relevance to the present day. The featured writer-activists speak of their work and practical tasks in constructing a new society. Among the writers included are Gioconda Belli, Tomás Borge, Omar Cabezas, Ernesto Cardenal, Vidaluz Menéses, Julio Valle-Castillo, and Daisy Zamora. The work also features 50 evocative photographs from the era by Margaret Randall.