This vintage book contains an interesting and practical study of the identification of gemstones, pearls, and ornamental minerals. A comprehensive and profusely-illustrated handbook for both novice and experienced practitioners, this volume is not to be missed by anyone with a keen interest in the subject. The chapters of this book include: “Crystallography”, “Physical Properties”, “Specific Gravity”, “Light”, “Measurement of Refractive Index”, “Colour in Gem Distinction”, “The Microscope”...

A funeral director reveals why anyone would want to hang out with dead bodies and other curiosities of a life spent inside a mortuary.With unusual anecdotes and unbelievable truth, funeral director and embalmer Robert Webster shares empathetic yet entertainingly quirky stories about the funeral business. He answers those embarrassing questions foremost in our minds and provides readers with behind-the scenes stories of what really goes on after you're dead with bot...

Robert Webster Jones invites you on a whimsical journey beyond the grave — in “Light Interviews with Shades”, the ethereal voices of longdead legends converse with the living, revealing witty confessions, hidden truths and mordant humor from the beyond. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}Imagine sitting down with the ghost of Bluebeard, Queen Elizabeth I, Hippocrates, Don Quixote, or even King Solomon — hearing them speak candidly about their liv...

A witty and imaginative series of fictional interviews with historical and literary figures from beyond the grave.

Letters to Guy by Lady Barker is a charming and insightful collection of personal letters that offer a vivid glimpse into Victorian society, family life, and the author’s experiences within the British colonial world. Written with warmth, wit, and keen observation, these letters capture everyday events, social customs, travel impressions, and reflections on culture and character. Lady Barker’s engaging narrative voice transforms ordinary correspondence into lively social commentary, reveal...

Henry D. Rack is one of the most profound historians of the Methodist movement in modern times. He has spent a lifetime researching and writing about the rise and significance of John Wesley and his Methodist followers in the eighteenth century and has also uncovered the historical significance of the Methodist Church in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Collected here in this volume are thirteen essays honoring the life and scholarship of Dr. Rack from a host of international schola...

Hoist up the incontinence pants, brush the fluff from your slippers, and make a nice cup of cocoa.THEY'RE BACK!The Fossils return for their second hilarious action-packed thriller. This time, the peace and tranquillity of Fossdyke get shattered when our mischievous wrinkled rockers and their megastar friend have a sensational new album in production.Once again pursued by the now-disgraced record producer, and things take a dangerous twist, following...

Getting old doesn't mean you can't have fun. It just means you know how to get away with it!Fossdyke Retirement Home has seen its fair share of quirky characters, but it's never seen the likes of these four geriatric rockers!To outsiders, they are sweet, funny, if not a tad bit ornery. To those in the know, they are meddlesome, rebellious, and in way over their heads. When chaos erupts, they're not far behind.What begin as ordinary days, where other...

Follow the adventures of a combatant monk and two unlikely heroes as they inject chaos into every situation in Siam Storm, a hilarious action-packed thriller!From an isolated Thai monastery in the Cardamom Jungle to the glitz and glamour of Sin City, Pattaya. The last surviving Warrior monk and two English scallywags leave no stone unturned and no mishap untouched as they inject chaos into every situation in the hunt for the oft-missing golden box that contains anc...

When a new influenza virus emerges that is able to be transmitted between humans, it spreads globally as a pandemic, often with high mortality. Enormous social disruption and substantial economic cost can result. The 1918 Spanish influenza pandemic was undoubtedly the most devastating influenza pandemic to date, and it has been Webster's life's work to figure out how and why. In so doing he has made a remarkable contribution to our understanding of the evolution of influenza viruses and ho...

Who in their right mind would kidnap the daughter of a high-ranking Vietnamese National Assembly member and the mad monk’s wife? Moreover… why?After receiving a chilling ransom demand, our hapless heroes go to Vietnam and while fumbling a rescue, they encounter an old foe, driven by obsession in his revenge driven quest.Outnumbered, they need to learn new skills if they want to defeat this adversary and survive the many challenges in both their adventure and personal circum...

Death comes to us all; whatever creed, colour, religion, or gender we are, it is an inescapable fact.For most of us, our work on this mortal plane is over, but for the select few, their job has just begun.Introducing, PATH, Paranormal Assisted Treasure Hunters, three psychically gifted individuals brought together to form a powerful mediatory force between the Mortal World and the Spiritual Plane. Assisted by their spirit protectors and commissioned by lost...