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The Chef the Bird and the Blessing by...
Compelling to the last page, The Chef, the Bird and the Blessing is a story about the power of suppressed memory, of friendship, and of our relationship with the natural world. Set within vivid images of a backwater in an unnamed African country, the novel is both poignant and funny.
Mozzy is a cook in a struggling safari business and dreams of escaping the perilous wilderness and his despised employer to become head chef in an upmarket restaurant in London. Spurred on by his wife, a member of a visionary religious sect, his fantasy becomes reality. But will his sanity and marriage survive in this new world? Can a small bird help him find his way?
Mozzy’s path takes him from Africa to London and back, but it is the painful journey of the heart that ultimately fulfils Mozzy’s destiny.
Escape to Wonderland: A Colouring Boo...
Escape to Wonderland is an enticing, extraordinarily intricate and beautiful colouring book filled with highly detailed line artwork that allows the magical fantasy of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland to be brought to be life in an entirely unique way.
Pictures include iconic scenes from Wonderland and its array of extraordinary characters - the Mad Hatter, the Cheshire Cat and the Queen of Hearts and more - threaded with delicate patterns all clearly outlined in pen and ink, making ideal spreads to colour. Pivotal moments from the story of Alice are scattered throughout for inspiration, and there are spaces left within some of the compositions for individual design and embellishment.
This highly original, exquisite colouring book for older children and adults alike is in a handy-sized square format, a perfect size to carry around in your handbag or schoolbag with a tin of crayons - you'll be ready to colour and relax wherever and whenever the moment takes you.
Living in Love and Happiness by Steph...
Men Don’t Cry by Faiza Guene
Born in Nice to Algerian parents, Mourad is fuelled by the desire to forge his own destiny. His retired father spends his days fixing up things in the backyard; his mother, bemoaning the loss of her natal village in North Africa. Mourad lives in fear of becoming an overweight bachelor with salt and pepper hair, living off his mother's cooking. When Mourad’s father has a stroke, he makes his son promise to reconcile things with his estranged sister Dounia, a staunch feminist and aspiring politician, who had always felt constrained living at home. Now living in the Paris suburbs himself, Mourad tracks down Dounia and battles to span the gulf separating her and the rest of the family.
Gods of Management: The Four Cultures...
The business classic for understanding management styles and finding your own
For over fifty years, Charles Handy has set the tone for leadership thinking. In this business classic, he lays out one of his most famous ideas: the four types of organizational culture, as exemplified by the Greek Gods.
Culture is central to a company's efficiency and success, whether it is shaped by a Zeus-like central power or the task-oriented focus of Athena, by Apollo's hierarchical assignment of roles or the person-centred preference of Dionysus. Successful leaders know their own styles, and cultivate these qualities to create dynamic, productive teams that are top of their field.
A Friend of the Court by Muroki Ndung...
The Rift Valley Province of Kenya is an opposition stronghold, their secret eviction is ordered. The regime is clinging to power, ethnic hatred is rampant. In this first novel from a new Kenyan writer, an unlikely trio emerges: a foul character seeking to redeem himself, a young smart lawyer drawn in against her will, another lawyer not averse to bending the law to achieve his ends. The effort to call a halt is a powerful fictional evocation of attempts to halt an overweening regime.
The Jungle Book By Rudyard Kipling
'There is no harm in a man's cub.'
Best known for the 'Mowgli' stories, Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book expertly interweaves myth, morals, adventure and powerful story-telling. Set in Central India, Mowgli is raised by a pack of wolves. Along the way he encounters memorable characters such as the foreboding tiger Shere Kahn, Bagheera the panther and Baloo the bear. Including other stories such as that of Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, a heroic mongoose and Toomai, a young elephant handler, Kipling's fables remain as popular today as they ever
Truth to Power: 7 Ways to Call Time o...
YOU HAVE MORE POWER THAN YOU THINK.
At a time when many of us feel the world isn't listening, Jess Phillips offers inspiration to those of us who want to speak out and make a difference.
No stranger to speaking truth to power herself, she will help you dig deep and get organised, finding the courage and the tools you need to take action.
As well as bringing us hope through her own experiences Jess talks to the accidental heroes who have been brave enough to risk everything, become whistle-blowers and successfully fight back.
Numbers Don’t Lie: 71 Things Yo...
Is flying dangerous? How much do the world's cows weigh? And what makes people happy?
From Earth's nations and inhabitants, through the fuels and foods that energize them, to the transportation and inventions of our modern world - and how all of this affects the planet itself - in Numbers Don't Lie, Professor Vaclav Smil takes us on a fact-finding adventure, using surprising statistics and illuminating graphs to challenge lazy thinking. Smil is on a mission to make facts matter, because after all, numbers may not lie, but which truth do they convey?
Voices
n the small town of Soghor in Nyanza, Kenya, there exists a myth dating back to colonial times. It relates to people, termed kachinja, who were rumoured to prowl the area, arresting passers-by and tapping their blood. Supposedly, Songhor survived this way throughout the colonial period and into Kenya’s independence.
Following emancipation, the White Highlands reverted to the indigenous population, and a settlement for the Luo, Kalenjin and Kisii communities. Folklore has it that people routinely dashed for the bushes whenever they saw a red car approaching. Its white owner is said to have used the car to transport captured Africans for slaughter. The man lived near the Songhor Museum Site that was founded by two white men in 1932, and gazetted in 1981. Two African families in nearby Tamu and Muhoroni are rumoured to have been complicit, acting as ‘catchers’ of Africans.
At the white man’s homestead, the main house had a bunker-like hole with a small door, and a grilled opening. Keen observations lead to curious revelations.
This is a fictionalized account based on a long-held myth. It is meant for enjoyment.
Proverbs of the Abagusii of Kenya
Like most cultural groups, the oral tradition of Abagusii People of Kenya is expressed in, among others, proverbs. These capture lessons and meaning, modulated by time and context as they are passed down generations. Like riddles and metaphors, proverbs express the wisdom of a culture and find apt applications in many situations. Christopher Okemwa's work documents some of the proverbs of Abagusii, their meaning, context in which they are used and application thereof. In this book proverbs are documented in the original form accompanied by English translations in addition to lessons they offer. Embedded in this collection are cultural aspects such beliefs and norms which touch on many aspects of Abagusii society. These aspects include relationships among people, communal life, gender matters, economic issues and many more.
Here is what others say
"Through careful transcription and translation of proverbs of Abagusii people of Kenya, Okemwa shares knowledge and cultural diversity as a wide range of themes and motifs recur hence multiplying meanings and implications. The proverbs explore both socio-political and socio-economic issues, in addition to fulfilling an aesthetic function." - Gladys Nyaiburi Ogaro, Mount. Kenya University
"The uniqueness of this work lies in its use of Ekegusii language to impart culture of Abagusii on the reader through the imagery in proverbs. The advantage of 'hearing' Ekegusii first hand, its literal and deep meaning provided, makes it ideal for students and teachers of language and culture in learning institutions. The work also preserves, for posterity, wisdom that may become extinct with the passage of time." - Margaret Kemunto Obaga, Catholic University, Nairobi, Kenya
"Christopher Okemwa's Proverbs of Abagusii of Kenya: Meaning & Application captures and radiates, with delight, the wisdom and beauty in Abagusii proverbs. For Ekegusii speakers, the proverbs nudge one to take a deep look at oneself and see how entertaining they can be. For non-speakers of the language the translation provided gives the poems versatility in content and pervasive reach, thus making them universal pieces of erudition that challenge and encourage. The proverb, 'Naigure ndumo boina ko mosiori ntamanya' (I have heard noise coming from grave diggers, but I am not sure who will be first to be interred), for instance, warns everybody against the barbarism of intransigence and physical confrontations, a universal piece of wisdom. Reading this invaluable book is a sure-fire route to intellectual nourishment. Okemwa has documented answers to our deep-seated questions on our socio- cultural, socio-economic and socio-political queries as captured by Abagusii proverbs. The wisdom therein helps one pry into one's own inadequacies and learn to challenge adversity." - Bwocha Nyagemi Bwocha, St. Augustine University, Tanzania
Aviara by Othuke Ominiabohs
When twenty-five-year-old Anthony Mukoro returns from the city, to his hometown Aviara, it is with news that shatters the hopes of his retired parents – he is dying. This startling revelation sends his family into a frantic search for answers. But the answers they seek will come at a cost.
To save his life, he must confront forgotten memories from a traumatic experience in his past and a darkness that swells and grows unnoticed within the town. Unknown to Anthony, this begins a journey that will lead him into a dark world of murder and a town’s history steep in blood and shadows.
Aviara explores the complex balance between science and spirituality, fate and ancestry, within the labyrinth of one man’s unravelling reality.
Pleasantview by Celeste Mohammed
Coconut trees. Carnival. Rum and coke. To many outsiders, these idyllic images represent the supposed easy life in Caribbean nations such as Trinidad and Tobago. However, the reality is far different for those who live there—a society where poverty and patriarchy savagely rule, and where love and revenge often go hand in hand.
Written in a combination of English and Trinidad Creole, Pleasantview reveals the dark side of the Caribbean dream. In this novel-in-stories about a fictional town in Trinidad, we meet a political candidate who sets out to slaughter endangered turtles for fun, while his rival candidate beats his “outside-woman,” so badly she ends up losing their baby. On the night of a political rally, the abused woman exacts a very public revenge, the trajectory of which echoes through Pleasantview, ending with one boy introducing another boy to a gun and to an ideology which will help him aim the weapon.
Merging the beauty and brutality of Trinidadian culture evoked by writers such as Ingrid Persaud and Claire Adam with the linguistic experimentation of Marlon James’s A Brief History of Seven Killings, Pleasantview is a landmark work from an important new voice in international literary fiction.
All That It Ever Meant by Blessing Mu...
Family, grief, ghosts, and a mystery: this clever and compelling young adult novel heralds a masterful new voice from Zimbabwe.
Mati’s family is reeling from the death of Mati’s mother. Her Baba has drawn into himself, her sister Chichi is rebelling, and her young brother Tana is desperate for love and normalcy.
When Chichi pulls her worst stunt yet, Baba uproots the family from their home in England for an extended camping holiday in their native Zimbabwe. Along for the trip is Meticais, a fabulously attired gender-neutral spirit—or ghost? or imaginary friend?—who only Mati can see and converse with.
Guided by Meticais’s enigmatic advice and wisdom, Mati must come to terms with her grief and with the difficulty of living between two cultures, while the family must learn to forge their way in a world without their monumental mother.
Full of captivating characters and stunning plot twists, All That It Ever Meant delivers a nuanced and unforgettable story of grief, love, and family.
The Top 10 Distinctions Between Milli...
If you’re ready to take the journey to wealth and personal fulfillment, here’s your ticket. In this life-changing little book, entrepreneur and inspirational speaker Keith Cameron Smith shows you how to think like a millionaire and reap the benefits of a millionaire mindset. The key to moving beyond the middle class and up the economic ladder is mastering ten vital principles, including
• Millionaires think long-term. The middle class thinks short-term. Create a clear vision of the life you desire, and focus on it.
• Millionaires talk about ideas. The middle class talks about things and other people. Ask some positive “what if” questions every day, and bounce ideas off successful people who will be honest with you.
• Millionaires work for profits. The middle class works for wages. Take calculated risks and learn to take advantage of good opportunities.
We all want to improve our financial position. In this inspirational and practical guide filled with savvy and sensible advice, Smith upgrades you from coach to first class. So follow these principles, transform your life, and realize your dreams!
Chip War: The Fight for the WorldR...
An epic account of the decades-long battle to control the world's most critical resource—microchip technology
Power in the modern world - military, economic, geopolitical - is built on a foundation of computer chips. America has maintained its lead as a superpower because it has dominated advances in computer chips and all the technology that chips have enabled. (Virtually everything runs on chips: cars, phones, the stock market, even the electric grid.) Now that edge is in danger of slipping, undermined by the naïve assumption that globalising the chip industry and letting players in Taiwan, Korea and Europe take over manufacturing serves America's interests. Currently, as Chip War reveals, China, which spends more on chips than any other product, is pouring billions into a chip-building Manhattan Project to catch up to the US.
In Chip War economic historian Chris Miller recounts the fascinating sequence of events that led to the United States perfecting chip design, and how faster chips helped defeat the Soviet Union (by rendering the Russians’ arsenal of precision-guided weapons obsolete). The battle to control this industry will shape our future. China spends more money importing chips than buying oil, and they are China's greatest external vulnerability as they are fundamentally reliant on foreign chips. But with 37 per cent of the global supply of chips being made in Taiwan, within easy range of Chinese missiles, the West's fear is that a solution may be close at hand.
Four Thousand Weeks: Embrace your lim...
What if you tried to stop doing everything, so you could finally get round to what counts?
Rejecting the futile modern obsession with 'getting everything done,' Four Thousand Weeks introduces readers to tools for constructing a meaningful life by embracing rather than denying their limitations.
Drawing on the insights of both ancient and contemporary philosophers, psychologists, and spiritual teachers, Oliver Burkeman sets out to realign our relationship with time - and in doing so, to liberate us from its tyranny.
Embrace your limits. Change your life. Make your four thousand weeks count.
Glint (The Plated Prisoner Series) by...
“You want to make your life easier? Then be the caged bird that you are and sing.”
For ten years, I’ve lived in a gilded cage inside King Midas’s golden castle. But one night changed everything.
Now I’m here, a prisoner of Fourth Kingdom’s army, and I’m not sure if I’m going to make it out of this in one piece. They’re marching to battle, and I’m the bargaining chip that will either douse the fire or spark a war.
At the heart of my fear, my worry, there’s him—Commander Rip.
Known for his brutality on the battlefield, his viciousness is unsurpassed. But I know the truth about what he is.
Fae.
The betrayers. The murderers. The ones who nearly destroyed Orea, wiping out Seventh Kingdom in the process. Rip has power sizzling beneath this skin and glinting spikes down his spine. But his eyes—his eyes are the most compelling of all.
When he turns those black eyes on me, I feel captive for an entirely different reason.
I may be out of my cage, but I’m not free, not even close. In the game of kings and armies, I’m the gilded pawn. The question is, can I out maneuver them?
This is the captivating second book of The Plated Prisoner series. It’s an adult epic fantasy story blending romance, intrigue, and beautiful imagery. Return to the seductive story of magic inspired by the myth of King Midas, and get caught up in the world of Orea.
Please note: There is explicit language and romance in this book, not suitable for those under the age of 18.
No Longer Human by Osamu Dazai
The poignant and fascinating story of a young man who is caught between the breakup of the traditions of a northern Japanese aristocratic family and the impact of Western ideas.
Portraying himself as a failure, the protagonist of Osamu Dazai's No Longer Human narrates a seemingly normal life even while he feels himself incapable of understanding human beings. Oba Yozo's attempts to reconcile himself to the world around him begin in early childhood, continue through high school, where he becomes a "clown" to mask his alienation, and eventually lead to a failed suicide attempt as an adult. Without sentimentality, he records the casual cruelties of life and its fleeting moments of human connection and tenderness.
