In "The Incomparable 29th and the 'River Clyde,' George Davidson masterfully chronicles the remarkable yet often overlooked contributions of the 29th (Light) Division during World War I, with particular emphasis on their deployment to the trenches of the Western Front and the enduring significance of the River Clyde landing. Davidson's narrative style combines meticulous historical research with vivid storytelling, creating a rich tapestry of lived experiences that encapsulate the brutalit...

The History of English Spelling“Fifty years ago, G. H. Vallins contributed a book on spelling to the Language Library. Since then, there have been several major surveys, and new opportunities to explore the history of English words. The time is therefore ripe for a fresh presentation, and this is what George Davidson has done, building on the huge collection of historical data amassed by Christopher Upward, and giving it narrative shape. I have been waiting for a source-book like t...

Admired by J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis and considered by W. H. Auden to be “the only English children’s book in the same class as the Alice books,” The Princess and the Goblin is a classic example of nineteenth-century children’s literary fairy tales. This is an ageless tale of courage and loyalty, beauty and mystery, and above all, good and evil.The discovery of a secret stairway running to the top of the castle where she lives leads Princess Irene to a revelation even more w...

Says Charles Pooter, “I fail to see—because I do not happen to be a ‘somebody’—why my diary should not be interesting.” Surprisingly, Mr. Pooter’s life is fascinating. The fascination is two-fold: firstly, his astounding arrogance that we should care about his domestic trivia and narcissistic scribblings. Secondly, we can all sympathize with (and wince at!) this ridiculous slave to convention.Above all, Mr. Pooter’s life is funny. His constant battles with tradesmen, his pathetic p...

Perfect Wedding Speeches and Toasts is an invaluable guide to preparing and delivering unforgettable speeches. Covering everything from advice on mastering your nerves to tips about how to make a real impact, it walks you through every aspect of preparing for the big day and speaking in public. Whether you're the father of the bride, the bride herself, the groom or the best man, Perfect Wedding Speeches and Toasts will help make sure your speech goes off ...

Perfect Best Man is an indispensable guide to every aspect of the best man's role. Covering everything from organising the stag night to making sure the big day runs according to plan, it walks you through exactly what you need to do and gives great advice about getting everything done with the least possible fuss.With checklists to make sure you have it all covered, troubleshooting sections for when things go wrong, and a unique chapter on choosing and organising...

"The Incomparable 29th and the 'River Clyde'" by George Davidson is a captivating exploration of the unique relationship between a group of soldiers and their experiences during a pivotal moment in history. Davidson's narrative weaves together personal stories and broader historical contexts, providing readers with a vivid portrayal of camaraderie, bravery, and the challenges faced by those who served. The book delves into the emotional and psychological impacts of war, making it a poignan...

A wonderful gift, here are more than 100 pages of photographs of animals, wild and domestic, each accompanied by quotations by insightful observers ranging from Mahatma Gandhi to Stephen King, Fyodor Dostoyevsky to William Shatner, Isaac Bashevas Singer to Farley Mowat. Rather than viewing animals through the bars of a zoo, you will delight in these magnificent photos of lions and tigers and bears, oh my! All in full color.

Between the Fourth and Fifth Crusades there occurred a lesser known but important Crusade. The Albigensian Crusade, launched in 1209, was mounted to eliminate the heretical Christian Cathars of Occitania in the south of what is now modern-day France. It was a decades-long struggle to extirpate both the Cathars and the independence of southern France. Prior to the fall of Montsegur, the last bastion of the Cathars, on the 12th of March 1244, legend has it that Cathar treasure was spirited a...

On the Origin of Species is a book that changed the way we think about the development of life on earth. The author's controversial theory of natural selection, would make him internationally famous and put the issue of evolution at the centre of a fierce debate which still rages some 150 years after the book's first publication.The text used for this edition was the last to be published during Darwin's lifetime and is considered to be the definitive version.

Written in the 1850s when its author was a young doctor, Gray's Anatomy was the most comprehensive and accessible medical textbook of its time. This edition comprises an abridged version of the classic 1860 text - the last to be published during Gray's lifetime - and the masterly wood-block illustrations that ensured the runaway success of the original book.A national and international treasure, the original Gray's Anatomy is a pleasure to dip into or to consult i...

Fun and learning come together in North Carolina's Amazing Coast, an inviting collection of one hundred short, self-contained features about the flora, fauna, and natural history of that fascinating place where land meets sea. Each page includes a full-color illustration and breezy, fact-filled commentary on coastal wildlife from fifty-foot-long northern right whales to single-cell plankton, from shy red wolves to overbearingly sociable sand gnats. Readers will learn about the sup...