In this book I have set out prove that statement is completely untrue and in fact with customers like these then maybe the opposite could be said. So sit back, grab your self a drink perhaps an alcoholic one if you feel that way inclined and enjoy some of the strangest, ridiculous and most outrageous complaints and statements from all walks of life. The second volume is out now and is much longer and in my opinion even better than the first, though i would say that.

    With their unique perspective, the Japanese have a way of looking at the world that has long been a source of great interest for the Western mind. Here, Japan’s most talented creative professionals strut their stuff in the form of posters, advertisements, print media, visual identity, and print design. Divided into chapters by media type, this highly visual guide presents a diverse selection of graphics and includes an index of designers, complete with website addresses and contact information.

    The techniques, methods, and rituals of the budo can provide invaluable lessons for today's martial artists—and serve as guides to a well-lived life.In Traditions, Davy Lowry discusses unique aspects of the budo ranging from hacho, or deliberate asymmetry, to uke-waza, the art of "receiving" an attack. The spirit of ryomi, the process of self-evaluation and improvement, is illustrated through the story of Kaofujita, a master swordsman who never stopped practicing the first movement he learned. You'll also learn the importance of yuyo, the distance where an attacker must focus his strike, from the story of Jubei, whose mastery of yuyo saved him in a life-and-death encounter, and the significance of shikaku—, the dead zone, on maintaining balance in combat and in life.With its focus on traditional Japanese martial arts, and fascinating stories that illustrate key principles and martial arts philosophy,Traditions will be required reading for serious martial artists.

    At the dawn of 250 years of civil war, in the opulent court of Lord Norimasa, the beautiful but cruel poet Lady Utsu wages war with men's hearts and holds the fearsome lord and his devoted samurai Matsuhito in her thrall. As the two men raze Japan's landscape in futile battles for unity, Utsu falls for Matsuhito even as Lord Norimasa continues to love her. The epic romance of Utsu and Matsuhito resumes itself decades later, when they meet as vagrants so transformed by time that they no longer recognize each other; they are reunited through their mystical connection to a pair of snow foxes that are their only company in the Japanese wilderness. The heartbreaking story of their renewed love is fraught by the Japanese concept of mono no aware—life's ephemeral nature—that weighs on the lovers. Reading group guide included.

    This book features a selection of 60 of the master's woodcut prints, culled from the complete series of the 'Manga' volumes.

    And it's a snip at the price! Fans of Douglas Lindsay's genre-defining barbershop death junky novels will be delighted to know that THE BARBERSHOP SEVEN includes the complete, unabridged text from the following Barney Thomson novels:#1 THE LONG MIDNIGHT OF BARNEY THOMSON#2 THE BARBER SURGEON'S HAIRSHIRT#3 MURDERERS ANONYMOUS#4 THE RESURRECTION OF BARNEY THOMSON#5 THE LAST FISH SUPPER#6 THE HAUNTING OF BARNEY THOMSON#7 THE FINAL CUTPraise for the Barney Thomson novels"This chilling black comedy unfolds at dizzying speed... an impressive debut novel." – Sunday Mirror"The plot, Russian literature fans, is a modern spin on Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment. The bloody ending, movie buffs, is pure Reservoir Dogs." – The Mirror"This is pitch-black comedy spun from the finest writing. Fantastic plot, unforgettable scenes and plenty of twisted belly laughs." – New Woman"A mad, macabre romp with surreal characters and cutting black humour." – The Sunday Mirror"Gloriously over the top, very bloody and very, very funny." – Daily Telegraph"A novel which is both genuinely silly and a fun read." – The Scotsman"Extremely well-written, highly amusing and completely unpredictable in its outrageous plot twists and turns." – The List"Lindsay’s burlesque thrills offer no sex, no drugs, no desperation to be cool. Just straightforward adult story; fantastic plot, classic timing and gleeful delight in the grotesque. With more talent than Irvine Welsh could dream of, Lindsay has crafted a macabre masterpiece where content lives up to style." – What’s On About the author Douglas Lindsay is the author of the Barney Thomson crime series, which begins with THE LONG MIDNIGHT OF BARNEY THOMSON. He is also the author of the thriller, LOST IN JAUREZ, as well as the police procedurals, THE UNBURIED DEAD (Thomas Hutton #1), A PLAGUE OF CROWS (Thomas Hutton #2) and WE ARE THE HANGED MAN (DCI Jericho #1). Douglas lives in Somerset.

    P. J. Miller is back! Following his first installment, Cute Poodles, Sweet Old Ladies & Hugs, Dr. Miller has compiled another volume of truly awesome veterinary tales. Come along for the ride again as Dr. Miller delivers stories that feature colorful clients, endearing pets, his own beloved bulldog, and a hurricane. All the sassy hospital staff that readers came to love are back, including that special staff member who seems to work by her own particular standards of professionalism (you know the one). In Designer Dogs, Awkward Hugs & Pigeons, Dr. Miller goes behind the scenes of his veterinary practice to provide a true insider’s view into life as an animal doctor. Dr. Miller employs the same unique style of humorous storytelling that readers loved in his first novel. Hidden behind the humor, Dr. Miller gives a deeper glimpse into how emotional and strong the human-animal bond can be. A must read for any aspiring veterinary professional or animal lover.

    The Army Foundation College in Harrogate is a long way from home for Liam Scott. The training is intense; has he got what it takes to stay in the game when he's faced with CS gas and the firing range?Full story available in hardback and ebook formats.

    I’m religious, he’s his own God. He’s a playboy, I’m a virgin. He’s chiseled. Well, I have my own curves! And yet we fit perfectly together. Tristan Blackwood and Bethany Ballard are an unlikely couple, especially with Tristan’s eccentric older sister warning her neighbor Bethany, to stay away. Bethany is ecstatic when Tristan shows an interest in her. And there is no way she was going to let Colleen ruin her one chance of real love. In a drunken stupor, Colleen reveals a dark secret of the Blackwood family. A secret that can never be revealed to Tristan. If exposed it could shatter the very foundation of his existence. Yet, if Bethany keeps this secret away from him, will he ever be able to forgive her?

    Extensively revised, updated, and expanded since its first publication, this authoritative survey of the arts of Japan from the prehistoric period to the present brings together the results of the most recent research on the subject. Profusely illustrated with examples from all the arts—painting, calligraphy, the decorative arts, and architecture—and with a wide-ranging bibliography, Japanese Art addresses itself equally to those who come to the subject for the first time and to the student. It is a concise overview of a fascinating and perplexing culture in which interest has never been greater than it is today.

    Some of the 50 flower images in this collection, all in colour, date from the early 1980s, but many of them from the months leading to his death in 1989.

    

    She is not looking to fall in love, either. Her only ambition, when she and her daughter, Lily, take their first summer trip to New Hampshire’s Squam Lake, is a restful, scenic vacation. But she will soon learn that the world has another offering. Within minutes of their arrival that first summer, they meet a man named Aidan Heron. His is a gift that will teach them both, with an easy humor and a nearly fearless penchant for adventure, that life has more to offer than they'd ever understood. Shaped by tragedy in her youth, Hannah has learned to live a timid, closed life. And without realizing it, she has taught her daughter to do the same. But Aidan, a man who has experienced his own tragedy and responded very differently, will show them both a new way. Through ten years of shared summer vacations, Hannah will experience enthrallment, love and heartache. She will be challenged and will learn to challenge herself. And in the course of meeting these challenges, she will learn how to truly live.

    FALL IN LOVE with SEVEN BRAND-NEW, NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED STEAMY CHRISTMAS STORIES From New York Times & USA Today Bestselling, Award-Winning AuthorsTWO HEARTS’ CHRISTMAS RESCUE: Tamara Ferguson, USA Today Bestselling Author: Christmas has been a time of terrible loss for the two of them, so neither has celebrated for years. Will a gang of needy rescue pets help Kinley and Jake rescue each other’s Christmas, aided by the magic of love?MISTLETOE MAGIC by Natalie Ann, USA Today Bestselling Author: Can the magic of Christmas help Robin and Brian find what is hiding in their hearts?BAYOU CHRISTMAS by Suzanne Jenkins, USA Today bestselling Author: When Maggie Angel makes a discovery under Bayou Cottage it might change her life if she lets it. What does a mother dog, her six pups and a handsome veterinarian have in common? Maggie’s heart will bring them together.CANDY’S CHRISTMAS WISH by Cynthia Cooke, USA Today bestselling Author: On the verge of losing her house, her business, and her dog, Candy needs a Christmas miracle. What she gets is Lincoln, the man who broke her heart, back in her life.MELT MY HEART by Alicia Street, USA Today Bestselling Author: A rescue mutt. A mysterious letter. A secret history shared. Can the challenge that brings Wynter and Caleb together melt the hearts of two people who have given up on love?PLAYING SANTA by Stephanie Queen, USA Today Best1selling Author: Why stop at rescuing a puppy when there’s a struggling beauty who might need Santa to come to her rescue?A SNOWY SEASIDE CHRISTMAS by Traci Hall, USA Today Bestselling Author: Only unconditional love can save Gemma and Bryce from hiding their battered hearts forever – will these two heroes be brave enough to let down their guard?

    With his gorgeous, successful wife, Jenny, his country pile, and gold discs hanging in his plush bathroom, he seems to have it all. But all is not well between Jenny and Solomon; as her business continues to grow, her affection for her husband begins to diminish, and soon divorce is on the cards. To try and win Jenny back, Solomon throws his bruised heart into trying out for a reality TV show that turns lapsed pop acts into opera singers. The ace up his sleeve is an eccentric octogenarian opera coach he employs to get ahead of the competition but, to his surprise, Solomon learns far more than how to improve the quality of his vibrato; especially when his coach asks Solomon to duet with newly single Samantha... Sex, Drugs & Opera is the debut novel of Tears for Fears musician, Roland Orzabal.