14 Hobbies


72561 ANNALS OF A FORTRESS: Twenty-Two


Centuries of Siege Warfare by Eugene-Emmanuel Viollet- Le-Duc


A brilliant, inspired account of how a French castle, La Roche-Pont, could, if it had existed, have grown from a vast Gallic camp on a promontory to a castle which saw plenty of action and many battles, ending with the


Franco-Prussian War. It explains the history and evolution of fortifications and siege tactics by managing to weave his extensive knowledge into an account spanning 22 centuries of European history. Although the book was written over 100 years ago, it is still an entertaining, enlightening read, and is an excellent study of siegecraft. Diagrams and sketches, unabridged republication of the 1876 edition. Paperback, 390pp. $19.95 NOW £5


71515 THE BATTLE FOR CHRISTENDOM: The Council of Constance the East-West Conflict


and the Dawn of Modern Europe by Frank Welsh


In 1938, Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain’s dismissal of Hitler’s threat to Czechoslovakia as ‘a quarrel in a faraway country between people of whom we know nothing’ was thought by some to be disgraceful. The author sets out to prove that the Council was, in fact, a turning point. At the beginning of the 15th century, Islam invaded Europe from the East and it was obvious that Christendom was under threat. The burning of the Czech divine, Jan Hus, was also the opening salvo of the Reformation. The story rises to a crescendo on the battlements of Constantinople in 1453 where, despite all of Sigismund’s former attempts to repel the Ottomans, Islam took up the challenge. 283 pages, illus and maps. $27.95 NOW £4.50


71526 HINGE FACTOR: How Chance and


Stupidity Have Changed History by Erik Durschmied


Durschmied takes us through 16 of the most important battles and campaigns of the past 3,000 years. The French cavalry’s overconfidence did for them at Agincourt, Hitler halted his Panzers when they were within a whisker of annihilating the BEF at Dunkirk, a swarm of angry bees caused the defeat of the British by the Germans in Tanzania in 1914 and the fondness of one Sgt John Bloss of the Union Army for cigars handed his commanders the Confederate Army’s plan to take Washington, thus extending the Civil War by years. Astute analysis and enthusiastic writing. 410pp paperback.


$16.95 NOW £3.50 71851 COSMETICS AND PERFUMES IN THE


ROMAN WORLD by Susan Stewart Covering the 300 years from the writings of Ovid to the Price Edict of Diocletian, the perception of the use of these aids to beauty is thoroughly investigated. Mulberry juice was applied not only as rouge but also as a mouthwash, and the root of the plant cinquefoil was boiled down and used to treat halitosis. Strong-smelling substances such as southernwood were used for cleaning wounds while rose perfume was used both as a deodorant and a laxative. 160 paperback pages, illus, price list and index of Latin words. £16.99 NOW £4


71901 EMPIRE: What Ruling the World Did to the British by Jeremy Paxman


The influence of the British Empire is everywhere, from the very existence of the United Kingdom to the ethnic makeup of our cities. Paxman brings the triumph and disaster, comedy and tragedy of Empire brilliantly to life, as only he can. From the selection of colonial officers to the life of the successful candidate’s wife - “to grasp the fleeting moment between toughness and putrefaction when the joint [of meat] may possibly prove eatable” and from the importance of sport to the crazy mission of General Gordon (“courageous, self-reliant and slightly loopy”) to Khartoum and his subsequent gruesome death. 356 page paperback, map and illus. £14.99 NOW £5


72236 OLD STONE MONUMENTS IN ALL


COUNTRIES: Their Age and Uses by James Fergusson


Originally titled Rude Stone Monuments, this highly illustrated text, first published in 1872, is a classic study of megaliths around the world, and includes examples, many now long gone, not only from India, Ceylon, North Africa and Europe but also from Western Asia, North America, Central America and Peru. Relates to the origin and purpose of the many ancient mounds and monuments to be found in almost every country. 559 paperback pages in facsimile reprint with 234 b/w illustrations and three appendices: Glens Columbkills and Malin, Oden’s Howe, Upsala and Antiquities of Caithness. ONLY £3


72701 AMAZING AND EXTRAORDINARY


FACTS: Kings and Queens by Malcolm Day A fascinating compilation of trivia, we learn how the Trojan Brutus may have been Britain’s first Jew, that King Mulmutius might have made Britain’s first laws, the early town planner of London, Lud, asks if Constantine the Great had a British grandfather and if could it have been Old King Cole. How did a shooting star spell the end of Saxon England, Henry II and his turbulent priest, civilised Henry III loses touch, Edward I expels Jews and prostitutes, England’s nine day queen, Mary I’s popularity turns sour without an heir, right through to stuttering Bertie becoming the people’s champion. Line art, 144pp.


£9.99 NOW £4


71528 IMPERIAL CAPITALS OF CHINA: A Dynastic History of the Celestial Empire by Arthur Cotterell


To write a history of China in a single readable volume is quite a challenge. Xianyang was created by the first emperor Qin Shi Huang Di who is buried there with his terracotta army. The first chapter explains the Daoist


principle whereby the city mirrors the cosmic order in a miniature version of the patterns observed in the earth and sky. When Confucianism replaced Daoism as the cult of choice, starting with the Han emperor Wu Di, a stress on integration with nature and the balance of yin and yan entered town planning. The first millennium saw a succession of imperial capitals until the Mongol emperors under Kublai Khan established Beijing, and although the first Ming emperor moved to Nanjing, the third returned to Beijing, with the Purple Forbidden City at its centre in alignment with the Pole Star. 303pp, b/w reproductions.


$27.95 NOW £4 HOBBIES


73428 CHAMBERS BOOK OF GAMES, QUIZZES AND PUZZLES FOR ALL THE


FAMILY by Una McGovern Packed with original quizzes, card games originally published in ‘Chambers Pocket Card Games’ by Peter Arnold, and Sudoku puzzles from the master James Pitt, for ages six to 106, here are crosswords, card games, quizzes, the hurly burly party game of flapjack for children,


poker, Newmarket, Klondike, cribbage, clocks and masses more fun. All packed into 294pp, now at a bargain price for the first time. £9.99 NOW £3.50


73495 HOLIDAY ACTIVITY


BOOK FOR GROWN-UPS: Over 100 Puzzles and Games to Keep You and Your Family Amused by Michael O’Mara Books Limited


This bumper activity volume is guaranteed to keep you occupied on the beach, or on long journeys, or on rainy days when you are


wondering what on earth to do with yourself. There are puzzles of different types to please all personalities, and the family will soon be fighting to claim it. Maybe you need more than one copy! The book encompasses brain-training exercises, Sudoku and number chains, fun and challenging quizzes on countries, sport, film, music and a host of other subjects and - most important of all - there are solutions to all the puzzles, so you will not be left wondering whether there is actually an answer or whether the author has just got fed up and gone home. 64 paperback pages 24.5cm x 19cm with line drawings. £5 NOW £3


72811 MENSA: Challenge Your Intelligence by John Bremner, Philip Carter and Ken Russell


Taking the tests helps you discover what type of thinker you are while looking at all the issues that surround IQ tests. Looks at what ‘Intelligent Quotient’ is, what the tests attempt to measure, and that a real test is made up of three separate groups - verbal, numerical and visual/ spatial. A combined score is then rated against the national average. Limber up those brain cells and take the test! 224 huge pages in softback with big diagrams. £7.99 NOW £4


HOME ENTERTAINMENT DVDs AND CDs


73437 GREAT BRITISH


CLASSICS: Two CDs by Reader’s Digest


Arrival of the Queen of Sheba by Handel from Solomon, Fantasia on Greensleeves by Vaughn Williams, Spem In Alium, Jerusalem, Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1,


Zadok the Priest: Coronation Anthem (our Annie’s wedding march), A Shropshire Lad and Crown Imperial are among the 21 tracks on two CDs of inspiring anthems from Britain’s favourite composers. ONLY £6


73425 MOST BEAUTIFUL VIOLIN CONCERTOS: Three


CDs by Reader’s Digest Beethoven Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D, Op.61, Bruch Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in G minor no.1, Op.26 and Sarasate’s


Zapataedo Op.23 no.2 are the first seven tracks on disc one of this compilation of violin masterpieces. Mozart, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Vivaldi, Mendelssohn-Bartholdy and Tchaikovsky complete the selection. Discontinued line from Reader’s Digest with booklet enclosed. ONLY £5


73469 A WORLD OF FAVOURITE CLASSICS: Three


CDs by Reader’s Digest Soothing and relaxing, the CDs are entitled Sighs, Lullabies and Countrysides and include 12, 14 and 12 tracks respectively including


Solveig’s Song from Peer Gynt, Pie Jesu, Clair de Lune, Andante Cantabile, Ave Maria, the Cradle Song, So Deep is the Night, Bird Songs at Eventide, Autumn Festival and Fantasia on a Theme. A Reader’s Digest discontinued line now at a bargain price. ONLY £6.50


66160 DYLAN THOMAS POETRY CD read by Richard Burton


Includes Fern Hill and Death Shall Have No Dominion, Lament, Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night, A Winter’s Tale, The Ballad of the Long-Legged Bait, The


72815 MENSA TRAVEL PUZZLES 2 by Robert Allen, John Bremner et al Hundreds of stimulating mental challenges - three mind mazes, number puzzles, lateral thinking and family quizzes. There is no need to work your way through the book from start to finish as you may wish to feel like doing the quizzes first or the number puzzles all in one go. Keep your brain in gear while you relax your body. 224 page paperback with line art. £5.99 NOW £2.50


72814 MENSA: Logic Puzzles by Philip Carter and Ken Russell


Sharpen your wits and hone your problem solving skills with this collection of puzzling posers, lexical logic, number problems and crafty conundrums. It is a fiendish collection of over 150 mind games to tax your powers of logic. Lost Time: a clock on the wall falls to the floor and the face breaks into three pieces. The digits on each piece of the clock adds up to the same total. What are the digits on each piece? Answer on page 104. 224 page very large softback with big diagrams on every page.


£7.99 NOW £3.50


72897 500 FAMILY CAMPSITES by AA Publishing


A mini guide aimed at families with children looking for the right caravan or camping park for their holiday. All are child friendly, offering at least a play area and many offering swimming pools, tennis and other facilities. With a unique AA campsite classification scheme, full directions, prices, opening times, description, services, contact details, arrival times and other useful information. Cornwall, Cumbria, Dorset, to Surrey and East Sussex, Aberdeenshire, the Highlands and Wales all covered in 256 page handy small softback. £4.99 NOW £2.50


72900 1001 GREAT FAMILY WALKS by Martin Andrew et al


Revised and updated 2010 softback edition. Nothing beats a good walk. Here are 1001 circular routes all around the country, graded in difficulty from 0 to 3, all between two and ten miles long and with full directions, distances, grid refs, route maps, parking to ensure a successful day out. Arranged by region - Southwest England, Southeast England, Wales, Central England, Eastern England, Northwest England, Northeast England and Scotland - every entry has an OS map ref. Plus architecture/urban, famous footsteps, historic, industrial heritage, mystery/ancient, nature/woodland, parkland, rural and list of Tourist Information Centres. 360pp. £9.99 NOW £3.50


73161 ARTIST’S ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO


WATERCOLOUR by Gerald Green How can an amateur watercolourist get that loose, confident style which characterises the greatest painters in the medium? In this user-friendly book the author explains watercolour technique in clear bite-sized paragraphs, fully illustrated with examples of his own work. The Jigsaw Method means you work up the picture in sections, seeing the subject as a simplified group of shapes. A restricted palette creates energy, especially with the introduction of a contrasting colour in a limited area. The author emphasises the importance of planning a painting with regard to light, composition, focus and tonality, and when all the preparations have been made the idea is to work quickly. 121pp, watercolours, tonal sketches and drawings. £18.99 NOW £6


Hunchback in the Park, excerpts from Homage to Dylan Thomas recorded at the Globe Theatre 1954 plus bonus tracks by Hugh Griffith and Emlyn Williams. ‘He was greatly affected at the death of his favourite drinking companion, Dylan Thomas…When Burton died in 1984 he was buried with a copy of Dylan Thomas’s Collected Poems.’ - James Murray. Bargain CD, 72 minutes running time. ONLY £6


73483 WAGNER A


CELEBRATION: Three CDs by Reader’s Digest


!


Overture to ‘The Flying Dutchman’, Overture to ‘Rienzi’, Prelude to ‘Tristan and Isolde’ and Siegfried Idyll plus Overture to ‘Tannhäuser’


are the five tracks on the very first CD entitled Splendour and Romance. The second CD is entitled Drama and Fantasy and includes Dawn and Siegfried’s Rhine Journey, the Spinning Chorus, the Sailors’ Chorus and the Bridal Chorus, Wotan’s Farewell. The third CD is entitled Dignity and Passion and includes Siegfried’s Death and Funeral March, The Ride of the Valkyries, Liebestod, Dance of the Apprentices and Procession of the Mastersingers. A discontinued Reader’s Digest product with booklet. ONLY £5


71977 VERY BEST OF


GRACIE FIELDS: 3 CDs by Gracie Fields


The inimitable Rochdale-born singing superstar entertains us with humorous ditties from the revues, sing-along songs from her many films, wartime anthems she made


her own, and moving love songs and ballads. Includes Singin’ in the Bath Tub, The Punch and Judy Show, Rochdale Hounds, Nagasaki, The Isle of Capri, Looking on the Bright Side, The Biggest Aspidistra in the World, Mrs Binns’ Twins, Stop and Shop at the Co-op Shop, The Woodpecker Song, The Ugly Duckling, Mary’s Boy Child, Wish Me Luck and many more. 26, 23 and 26 tracks respectively on three CDs. ONLY £6


72073 RICHARD BURTON READS JOHN


DONNE LOVE POETRY CD by John Donne Tracks one to 20 are read by Richard Burton, tracks 21 to 25 Meditations from Devotions Upon and Emergent Occasions, tracks 26 to 33 are Sermons read by Herbert Marshall. Total playing time just under 79 minutes on CD.


ONLY £5


32528 NATURE COLOURING BOOKS SET 2 These four colouring books feature rather excellent charcoal and crayon originals in colour on the left hand side of each double page spread, and on the right, an outline only copy of the same artwork. In fact, the originals are in many cases good enough to detach and frame. The four titles are: Birds, Countryside, Animals and Flowers and there are in all 24 originals and outlines to colour, including a striking owl by moonlight, a tranquil castle on a loch, busy field mice on ears of corn and a loveable labrador puppy sitting amongst scarlet poppies. Each picture is 11½”× 9". ONLY £2.25


72868 ROYAL PHILHARMONIC


ORCHESTRA: The First 50 Years DVD


presented by Andrew Sachs From the somewhat humble beginnings of their first performance on 15th September 1946 at the Davis Theatre in Croydon, Sir Thomas Beecham’s Royal Philharmonic Orchestra has become


a recognisable global phenomenon. Hosted by Andrew Sachs, this documentary examines the first fascinating 50 years with interviews from former and current members and an in-depth look at how a group of talented musicians went from the brink of collapse to capturing the hearts and audiences around the world. Includes six scene selections looking at Hooked on Classics, Patrons, Residences at the Royal Albert Hall and the Gstaad Festical among them plus a slide show. 60 minutes running time in colour and b/w. £9.99 NOW £4


71978 A TOUCH OF FROST: Four DVDs by David Jason et al


A double DVD box set of Series Five of A Touch of Frost based on the novels by R. D. Wingfield and with a screenplay by Malcolm Bradbury. The four Episodes are entitled Penny for the Guy, House Calls, True Confessions and Love Me Tender and the supporting cast includes Anthony Bate, Anthony Calf and Bruce Alexander. Suitable for persons over the age of 15, running time six hours 46 mins on four DVDs made in 1992.


ONLY £11 72074 LA MÔME: The Very


Best of Edith Piaf CD by Edith Piaf


21 tracks total playing time 67 minutes beginning with La Vie en Rose, L’Accordéoniste, La Foule, Mon Dieu in both French and then the next tracks in English, Padam Padam, Sous Le Ciel de Paris,


Autumn Leaves and ending on, of course, Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien. Bargain priced CD. ONLY £5.75


71168 THE VOICE OF PETER PEARS CD by Regis Records


Peter Pears and Julian Bream, first published 1956 perform Fair Sweet Cruel, Shall I Come Sweet Love and six tracks to open this unique 75 minute CD.


Little Book Of… 73503 LITTLE BOOK OF PUZZLES


by Gareth Moore


Full of word, number and logic puzzles to tax your brain and test your patience for whenever you have a spare moment. There are 201 puzzles in total to amuse and infuriate you and test your word, number and logic skills. Puzzle 123 is called Identical Pairs. There are three different patterns in the arrangement with two of each design. Match each pattern with its identical partner. If you need a little help, the answers are at the back. Word ladders, crosswords, word pyramids, dominoes, sutoshiki, code crackers, Calcudoku, Sudoku and many more. Paperback. £3.99 NOW £2.25


73504 LITTLE BOOK OF CRYPTIC


CROSSWORDS by Gareth Moore 100 brand new cryptic crossword puzzles, all previously unpublished with full solutions at the back, arranged in a chronological flow rather than difficulty - let the battle commence! Ideal for crossword enthusiasts who love a challenge, the book is guaranteed to infuriate, confuse and entertain for hours on end. Small paperback. £3.99 NOW £2.25


73505 LITTLE BOOK OF NUMBER CHAINS by Gareth Moore


Hundreds of number chains to sharpen your wits, this is a great fun and highly addictive puzzle book organised by level of difficulty. It will keep you coming back for more and if you get stuck, find the answers at the back. They are 402 fiendish puzzles to tie you in knots. For example, 12÷2+47-13+8-4 a ¼ of this and what is the answer? Wee paperback. £3.99 NOW £2.25


73808 LITTLE BOOK OF... : Set of Three by Gareth Moore


Buy all three paperback books for hours of puzzling fun and save even more.


£11.97 NOW £5


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