Celebrating the joys of fishing, this collection features remarkable angling tales and anecdotes that resonate with game fishers, coarse, and sea anglers alike. Tom Quinn has meticulously gathered extraordinary stories from over two centuries of fishing literature, showcasing memorable experiences and triumphs by the water. This treasury captures the essence of those unforgettable days spent fishing, making it a must-read for enthusiasts of the sport.
In the tense atmosphere of the Cold War, John Fisher, a laid-back Australian, lands a job with a shipping line in Rotterdam, blissfully unaware of the concealed financial and political schemes harboured by some of his new friends and colleagues. He soon finds himself entangled in an international scandal involving influential entities, facing relentless pressure from various quarters. Navigating the challenges of dealing with intoxicated ship captains, irritable harbour masters, and antagonistic customs officers in Rotterdam and Antwerp seems trivial compared to the daunting task of untangling an accounting debacle for his London headquarters. This ordeal culminates in his role as a witness in a fraud trial in Southampton. Amidst this turmoil, a silver lining emerges as he meets and falls for Nina. However, the stakes escalate dramatically with a murder, thrusting Fisher into a maelstrom of political intrigue
After dropping out of university, getting a job as a storeman, doing drugs and then splitting up with his wife, Jack, in a fit of depression, joins the Australian Army and is sent to East Timor at the height of the troubles. He "volunteers" for a mission in Indonesia, where the United Nations, with help from the US Navy and the Royal Marines, are trying to rescue a group of foreigners, mostly Europeans, being held hostage by the local rebels. Jack completes his mission only to become the victim of misdirected revenge.
For as long as the British monarchy has existed, royal children have been brought up in ways that seem bizarre and eccentric to the rest of us. From medieval wet nurses to today's Norland nannies and elite boarding schools, princes and princesses have endured parental abandonment for centuries as their parents farmed out childrearing duties to paid staff. And as this marvelous romp of a book demonstrates, dysfunctional childhood experiences produce emotionally damaged adults, as evidenced by Edward VIII - who was horribly mistreated by his nanny - and his marriage to his substitute mother figure, Mrs Simpson; by alcoholic party girl Princess Margaret; and by rebellious Harry and his desperate desire to adopt Meghan Markle's world view, to the detriment of his relationship with his brother. Interweaving exclusive testimonies from palace staff with historical sources, Tom Quinn also uncovers outrageous tales of royal children misbehaving, often hilariously - from Edward VII smashing up his schoolroom to the Queen mischievously pranking unsuspecting visitors with dog biscuits to Prince William pinching a teacher's bottom. Amusing and shocking in equal measure, Gilded Youth examines how the royal family has clung to outmoded traditions that centre on emotional coldness and detachment, and how, when it comes to children, the British royal family is still living in the Dark Ages.
George Orwell once said that the British love a really good murder. He might
have added that the only thing the British love more than a good murder is a
really good scandal, and best of all are the sexual and political scandals
that take place behind the gilded doors of Britain's royal palaces.
Kensington Palace takes the reader behind the official version of palace
history to discover intriguing, sometimes wild, often scandalous, but
frequently heart-warming stories.
Test your London knowledge with this fascinating book, packed with fun and
challenging quiz questions based around the weirdest events from the
illustrious history of this wonderful city.
The extraordinary and unhappy life story of one of the world's richest men. By
the author of the best-selling Backstairs Billy ISBN 9781849547802 hb and
ISBN: 9781785900006 pb, with combined sales of 15,600 across cloth, paper and
Ebook.
More extraordinary but true tales from London's history, featuring a
mysterious mummy housed in a City church, a TARDIS at Earl's Court, and why
the mulberry tree in the gardens at Buckingham Palace isn't quite what it was
supposed to be.
A quirky collection of true stories from the stranger side of fishing,
including angling from a window at the Savoy, a fish-catching umbrella and a
very greedy otter.
