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.’

Over last thirty years, new technology, fashion, and social set-ups have spawned new cliches galore. Everything on the Internet is available at the 'click of a mouse', TV presenters ask the audience to 'give it up' when they want them to applaud, call centres tell us 'we value your call' even though 'all our operators are busy'. And if you're 'gobsmacked' by all this you may be told to 'get a life', 'chill out' or 'whatever'. It's Not Rocket Science sifts through all aspects of modern life to find the most prevalent, ubiquitous and downright irritating cliches of our age. This high-octane, caffeine-fuelled, dictionary of cliches highlights the freshly-hackneyed phrases we're being subjected to 24/7. So how good is that? And what's not to like?

Jargon and slang have wormed their way into almost every business document, speech, and conversation that we have today. With online business communications being much more conversational and informal than the written business communications of the past, they positively encourage the use of figurative speech: ergo, more jargon, more slang. This book is by no means all encompassing, but the author has researched and shared several hundred of the most commonly used terms. Not only do we now know what they all mean but, where appropriate, we also learn their origins—some of which are fascinating and very surprising. A very valuable handbook for any student or practitioner in business to help demystify this crazy language called “English.”

An exclusive new translation of the most perceptive and influential book ever written about American politics and society—“the bible on democracy” (The Texas Observer) This Library of America volume presents de Tocqueville’s masterpiece in an entirely new translation—the first to fully capture his style and provide a rigorous, faithful rendering of his profound ideas and observations Alexis de Tocqueville, a young aristocratic French lawyer, came to the United States in 1831 to study its penitentiary systems. His nine-month visit and subsequent reading and reflection resulted in this landmark masterpiece of political observation and analysis. In Democracy in America, Tocqueville vividly describes the unprecedented social equality he found in America and explores its implications for European society in the emerging modern era. His book provides enduring insight into the political consequences of widespread property ownership, the potential dangers to liberty inherent in majority rule, the vital role of religion in American life, and the importance of civil institutions in an individualistic culture dominated by the pursuit of material self-interest. He also probes the deep differences between the free and slave states, writing prophetically of racism, bigotry, and prejudice in the United States. Brought to life by Arthur Goldhammer’s clear, fluid, and vigorous translation, this volume of Democracy in America is the first to fully capture Tocqueville’s achievements both as an accomplished literary stylist and as a profound political thinker.

McNiven 'One Hope' This book is the sequel to McNiven 'The Kingdom Guardian'. The Queen's head of security takes on the fanatical Messiah, who is about to launch a modern-day crusade around the world, and the 'Ndrangheta, a Mafia-type criminal organization in Italy. McNiven finds himself caught up in a plot by Messiah to kidnap the Queen and force her to hand leadership of the Church of England over to his puppet archbishop so that the two major Christian churches can be reunited. Old enemies reappear to exact revenge and to prevent McNiven from destroying a significant part of the slave trade. Loyalties are tested as betrayals and the murder victims pile up. Non-stop action races from the United Kingdom through parts of Europe and the Middle East countries to Asia. No one is safe.

'In every sense, a good word guide' Times Educational Supplement 'This intelligent guide is an essential addition to the bookshelves of all readers and writers' Good Book Guide Our language is changing faster than ever before. Modern communications are breaking down distinctions between formal and informal English, raising ever more questions as to how to speak and write correctly. This fully updated edition of the bestselling Good Word Guide offers information and advice on spelling, grammar, punctuation, pronunciation, confusables and the latest buzzwords and provides clear, straightforward answers to everyday language problems. This edition contains a new feature: 'Your Turn' sections - new interactive quizzes for the reader to test their own knowledge of grammar, plain English, punctuation, spelling and usage - a perfect resource for language courses. Endorsed by the Plain Language Commission.

In a world where the slightest edge can mean the difference between success and failure, Leisha Camden is beautiful, extraordinarily intelligent ... and one of an ever-growing number of human beings who have been genetically modified to never require sleep. Once considered interesting anomalies, now Leisha and the other "Sleepless" are outcasts -- victims of blind hatred, political repression, and shocking mob violence meant to drive them from human society ... and, ultimately, from Earth itself. But Leisha Camden has chosen to remain behind in a world that envies and fears her "gift" -- a world marked for destruction in a devastating conspiracy of freedom ... and revenge.