This is the first detailed Lib Dem insider account of the negotiations which led to the formation of the Liberal Democrats/Conservative coalition government in May 2010, along with an account of the early days of the government.

    It has been inspired by the scientific ferment that swept through Britain at the end of the 18th century, and which Holmes now radically redefines as 'the revolution of Romantic Science'.

     Let me test my presumption with a preview of four these ‘old’ stories. If I told you there was once a west coast sex cult with dozens of young girls, single ladies, and married women, who all fornicated with one well-endowed “prophet,” and he occasionally found it necessary to carry-out bondage S&M sessions here and there, you may not be surprised at all. But what if that sex cult began in 1903 and ended in 1906 with a couple of murders and suicides, does that sound like anything you have read about before? Or, how about a cheater who murders his inconvenient wife, disassembles her over a fifteen hour period, then puts her bones in the same stove he cooks breakfast for his sons before sending them off to school? If that doesn’t surprise you, perhaps the ending will–but you’ll have to find out for yourself. In ‘The Dandy and the Squire,’ a smooth-talking peacock from Kentucky visits his northern ‘cousins,’ and charms three of the women into his bed. He’s a big time operator who talks fancy, dresses fancy, and tells great stories of his days as an adventurer, riverboat gambler, and sharp-minded deal maker. He’s so smooth, he’s able to murder the patriarch’s son, make him look like the bad guy, and marry the boy’s tender-hearted sister before the Yankees get wise to his lies. Good thing, too, because he had also talked the father into giving him the family farm. Chapter Five is the stranger-than-fiction story of ‘Shoebox Annie.’ During the early 20th Century, this trollish-looking woman introduced her freakish-looking son to a life of crime. Their decade’s long spree of lyin’, cheatin’, and stealin’ led them to become America’s first mother and son team of serial killers. They were so good at disposing of bodies, none of their four victims have ever been found. If ‘old’ stories sound boring to readers of contemporary true crime, I hope this book will change minds, and fully reveal just how wicked and decadent our ancestors were. And deadly. Volume II in the Vintage True Crime Stories series is a wrecking ball that smashes to pieces that phrase, “The Good Old Days.” Maybe you will believe me when you get to the last page.

    For the past two millennia, the ability to produce it in ever more efficient ways has supported the proliferation of literacy, media, religion, education, commerce, and art; it has formed the foundation of civilizations, promoting revolutions and restoring stability. One has only to look at history’s greatest press run, which produced 6.5 billion copies of Máo zhuxí yulu, Quotations from Chairman Mao Tse-tung (Zedong)—which doesn’t include editions in 37 foreign languages and in braille—to appreciate the range and influence of a single publication, in paper. Or take the fact that one of history’s most revered artists, Leonardo da Vinci, left behind only 15 paintings but 4,000 works on paper. And though the colonies were at the time calling for a boycott of all British goods, the one exception they made speaks to the essentiality of the material; they penned the Declaration of Independence on British paper.Now, amid discussion of “going paperless”—and as speculation about the effects of a digitally dependent society grows rampant—we’ve come to a world-historic juncture. Thousands of years ago, Socrates and Plato warned that written language would be the end of “true knowledge,” replacing the need to exercise memory and think through complex questions. Similar arguments were made about the switch from handwritten to printed books, and today about the role of computer technology. By tracing paper’s evolution from antiquity to the present, with an emphasis on the contributions made in Asia and the Middle East, Mark Kurlansky challenges common assumptions about technology’s influence, affirming that paper is here to stay. Paper will be the commodity history that guides us forward in the twenty-first century and illuminates our times.

    The dos and don'ts of travelling and staying in Iceland. Five chapters with multiple tips in each one explain what is expected of you as a traveller - as well as some bonus tips on what you can do.

    Among these questions the most important one of all sometimes gets lost: Is Islam true? With his new book author Peter Townsend invites you to accompany him on a journey through the foundational texts of the Muslim religion. In the process the truth-claims of Islam will be respectfully, honestly and impartially evaluated. Along the way the following questions will be asked: - Can the traditional Islamic historical accounts be trusted? - Is the Qur'an a 'Perfect Book, Perfectly Preserved'? - Was Muhammad indeed a 'Beautiful Pattern of Conduct'? The answers to these questions will not be sought from modern commentaries on Islam. Instead Questioning Islam goes straight to the classic sources of Islam namely the Qur'an, hadiths (traditions) and biographies of Muhammad. Questioning Islam is not an attempt to promote any other belief system or ideology. Its focus is simply on asking the hard questions about Islam that are all too often ignored or swept under the carpet. Simply put, if you have ever wondered whether the truth-claims of Islam can withstand critical scrutiny then this book is for you!

    Radiation: What could go wrong? In short, plenty. From Marie Curie carrying around a vial of radium salt because she liked the pretty blue glow to the large-scale disasters at Chernobyl and Fukushima, dating back to the late nineteenth century, nuclear science has had a rich history of innovative exploration and discovery, coupled with mistakes, accidents, and downright disasters. In this lively book, long-time advocate of continued nuclear research and nuclear energy James Mahaffey looks at each incident in turn and analyzes what happened and why, often discovering where scientists went wrong when analyzing past meltdowns. Every incident, while taking its toll, has led to new understanding of the mighty atom—and the fascinating frontier of science that still holds both incredible risk and great promise.

    Legendary screen star Aubrey Hepburn and designer Hubert de Givenchy were a brilliant meeting of fashion-forward minds. Over the course of their forty-year friendship and professional partnership, both became fashion icons whose collaborations influenced trends for generations to come -- the words "Audrey style" still conjure images of ballet flats, little black dresses, bateau necklines, capri pants, and countless stunning fashions. With gorgeous photography throughout, Audrey and Givenchy is a celebration of the duo's collaborations both onscreen and off, featuring fashion profiles on such classic films as Sabrina, Breakfast at Tiffany's, Charade, How to Steal a Million, and Funny Face, as well as their greatest off-screen fashion hits for awards shows and events.

    You've probably already considered container gardening - but what about vertical gardening with vining plants that can grow up the wall or using a vertical aeroponics gardening system that can grow 20+ plants in a 4 square foot area?And rooftops are the perfect spot for an urban garden! Not only will you love all the fresh food but the building owner will love the reduction in their heating and cooling bills and the fact that the rooftop will need less repairs and maintenance due to the protection from the plants.Grow Vegetables And Fresh Food With An Indoor GardenEven if you only have a window sill to work with or just a small area by a window, you can build or buy a window garden to grow at least 20 food plants like tomatoes, lettuce and kale.You don't need fancy equipment or expensive gear to start an indoor urban garden - just a little bit of creativity and the plans and step by step instructions included in this book.Also included is a list of the 15 best indoor plants for cleaning, purifying and removing toxins from polluted city air. Even in the heart of Manhattan you can breath fresh, pure air thanks to these incredible plants that have been studied by NASA and proven to remove pollutants like benzene, formaldehyde and Volatice Orcanic Compounds (VOCs).Plant An Incredible Garden In Your Small Yard Or Abandoned City PlotYou might only have a very tiny yard to work with - that's okay! You can still grow a lot of incredible, fresh food and enjoy your beautiful garden. Even if you don't have a yard to work with, there's probably an abandoned plot of land somewhere in your neighborhood. You can start a community garden there often without any cost using the land as long as it's a community project. Not only will you be helping beautify the city but you'll be helping your community as well. Did you know communities that garden have lower crime rates and the residents live longer, happier lives with less stress? What if you could leave a legacy in your community by starting an urban garden?How To Start A Garden For BeginnersWhether you're a complete beginner or just want to learn more, this gardening guidebook will teach you everything you need to know to enjoy the fruits of your own special garden. Every section includes action steps, pictures and step by step tutorials so you will know what to do and how to do it to create your perfect garden.Special Section On Aeroponic Vertical GardeningYou'll learn how to start your own aeroponics vertical garden for less than a few hundred dollars. In the past, aeroponics and hydroponics systems were only available to the wealthy and those with extensive knowledge of agriculture and hydroponics.If you're looking for gardening books on kindle and you're ready to start an urban garden, this is the book for you!Ready to start gardening? Let's go!Learn how to grow an urban garden

    In Tudor, England, when Mary, Queen of Scots, was under house arrest, her needlework carried her messages to the outside world. From the political propaganda of the Bayeux Tapestry, World War I soldiers coping with PTSD, and the maps sewn by schoolgirls in the New World, to the AIDS quilt, Hmong story clothes, and pink pussyhats, women and men have used the language of sewing to make their voices heard, even in the most desperate of circumstances. Threads of Life is a chronicle of identity, protest, memory, power, and politics told through the stories of needlework. Clare Hunter, master of the craft, threads her own narrative as she takes us over centuries and across continents—from medieval France to contemporary Mexico and the United States, and from a POW camp in Singapore to a family attic in Scotland—to celebrate the age-old, universal, and underexplored beauty and power of sewing. Threads of Life is an evocative and moving book about the need we have to tell our story.

    "The History of the World in Bite-Sized Chunks" pulls it all together, from the world's earliest civilizations in 3500 BC to the founding of the United Nations in 1945, passing by the likes of Charlemagne, the Ottoman Empire and the Crimean War, to name a few. Here's your chance to introduce yourself to the full spectrum of world history, and discover just how the modern world came to be.

     Legendary comedic actor, John Candy, is often described as one of the sweetest men in Hollywood. Police Academy legend, Tim Kazurinksy, once said that “John wasn’t just a one in a million guy - he was a one in a hundred million guy”. Incredibly talented, full of heart and extraordinarily hard working, with over forty movies under his belt, Candy was a screen icon during the 80s and early 90s. His starring roles in Uncle Buck, Cool Runnings, Spaceballs and Planes, Trains and Automobiles are testament to a rare and much loved talent. Candy could make you laugh and cry on the turn of a dime. Searching for Candy is an extensive overview of his career. The book reveals his early years growing up in post-war Toronto, his breakthrough as part of the legendary Second City comedy group, Candy’s wonderful movie career and his stint as a co-owner of the Toronto Argonauts Gridiron Team, right through to his tragic passing in 1994. The book features first-hand original interviews with over 70 of Candy’s colleagues and friends, some speaking on record for the first time. Stars interviewed include Mel Brooks, Mariel Hemingway, Carl Reiner, Dave Thomas, Juul Haalmeyer, Valri Bromfield and others, building a vibrant and authentic portrait of the much-missed actor, comedian and humanist.

    It is essentially a conversation among hundreds of women of all nationalities—famous, anonymous, religious, secular, married, single, young, old—on the subject of clothing, and how the garments we put on every day define and shape our lives. It began with a survey. The editors composed a list of more than fifty questions designed to prompt women to think more deeply about their personal style. Writers, activists, and artists including Cindy Sherman, Kim Gordon, Kalpona Akter, Sarah Nicole Prickett, Tavi Gevinson, Miranda July, Roxane Gay, Lena Dunham, and Molly Ringwald answered these questions with photographs, interviews, personal testimonies, and illustrations. Even our most basic clothing choices can give us confidence, show the connection between our appearance and our habits of mind, express our values and our politics, bond us with our friends, or function as armor or disguise. They are the tools we use to reinvent ourselves and to transform how others see us. Women in Clothes embraces the complexity of women’s style decisions, revealing the sometimes funny, sometimes strange, always thoughtful impulses that influence our daily ritual of getting dressed.

    Design journalist Kassia St. Clair guides us through the technological advancements and cultural customs that would redefine human civilization—from the fabric that allowed mankind to achieve extraordinary things (traverse the oceans and shatter athletic records) and survive in unlikely places (outer space and the South Pole). She peoples her story with a motley cast of characters, including Xiling, the ancient Chinese empress credited with inventing silk, to Richard the Lionhearted and Bing Crosby. Offering insights into the economic and social dimensions of clothmaking—and countering the enduring, often demeaning, association of textiles as “merely women’s work”—The Golden Thread offers an alternative guide to our past, present, and future.

    Brimming with amusing anecdotes and absorbing trivia, this captivating collection is a treasure trove of curiosities.With tales from the kitchen, the bedroom, and every room in between, these pages expose how napkins got their start as lumps of dough in ancient Greece, why forks were once seen as immoral tools of the devil, and how Plato devised one of the earliest alarm clocks using rocks and water—plus so much more.• A charming gift for anyone who loves history, design, or décor• Readers discover tales from every nook and cranny of a home. • Entries feature historical details from locations all over the world, including Europe, Asia, North America, and Africa. As a design historian and former managing editor of Design*Sponge, author Amy Azzarito has crafted an engaging, whimsical history of the household objects you've never thought twice about. The result is a fascinating book filled with tidbits from a wide range of cultures and places about the history of domestic luxury.• Filled with lovely illustrations by Alice Pattullo• Perfect as a housewarming or wedding gift, or for anyone who adores interior design, trivia, history, and unique facts• Great for those who enjoyed The Greatest Stories Never Told: 100 Tales from History to Astonish, Bewilder, and Stupefy by Rick Beyer, An Uncommon History of Common Things by Bethanne Patrick and John Thompson, Encyclopedia of the Exquisite: An Anecdotal History of Elegant Delights by Jessica Kerwin JenkinsSome of the books included in The Elements of a Home Bibliography BathtubDalby, Andrew. Empire of Pleasure: Luxury and Indulgence in the Roman World. London: Routledge, 2000. de Bonneville, Francoise. The Book of the Bath. New York: Rizzoli, 1998. Billiard TableBaird, Sarah. “The Life and Death of the American Pool Hall.” Punch, January 23, 2015. Accessed July 11, 2017. http://punchdrink.com/articles/the-life- and-death-of-the-american-pool-hall. Levron, Jacques. Daily Life in Versailles in the Seven-teenth and Eighteenth Centuries. New York: The Macmillan Company, 1968. BookshelfMari, Francesca. “Shelf Conscious.” Paris Review, December 27, 2012. https://www.theparis review.org/blog/2012/12/27/shelf-cons....Petroski, Henry. The Book on the Bookshelf. New York: Vintage Books, 2000. CandleBremer-David, Charissa, ed. Paris: Life and Luxury in the Eighteenth Century.Los Angeles: J. Paul Getty Trust, 2011. Dillon, Maureen. Artificial Sunshine: A Social History of Domestic Lighting. London: The National Trust, 2002. Canopy BedBard Graduate Center. History of Design: Decorative Arts and Material Culture, 1400–2000. New York: Bard Graduate Center, 2013. Carlano, Anne, and Bobbie Sumberg. Sleeping Around: The Bed from Antiquity to Now. Seattle, WA: University of Wash-ington Press, 2006. Chaise Longuede Dampierre, Florence. Chairs: A History. New York: Harry N. Abrams, 2006. DeJean, Joan. The Age of Comfort: When Paris Discovered Casual and the Modern Home Began. New York: Bloomsbury Press, 2013.Chess SetBrown, Nancy Marie. Ivory Vikings: The Mystery of the Most Famous Chess-men in the World and the Woman Who Made Them.Prince Frederick, MD: Recorded Books, 2015. Dean, George, with Maxine Brady. Chess Master-pieces: One Thousand Years of Extraordinary Chess Sets. New York: Abrams Books, 2010. Chiavari Chairde Dampierre, Florence. Chairs: A History.New York: Harry N. Abrams, 2006.ChopsticksVisser, Margaret. The Rituals of Dinner: The Origins, Evolution, Eccentricities, and Meaning of Table Manners. New York: Pen-guin Books, 1992. Wang, Edward Q. Chopsticks: A Culture and Culinary History. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2015.ClockBremer-David, Charissa, ed. Paris: Life and Luxury in the Eighteenth Century. Los Angeles: J. Paul Getty Museum, 2011.Chevallier, Bernard, and Marc Walter. Empire Splendor: French Taste in the Age of Napoleon. New York: The Vendome Press, 2008.Cocktail Shaker Grimes, William. Straight Up or on the Rocks: The Story of the American Cocktail. New York: North Point Press, 2001.Lanza, Joseph. The Cocktail: The Influence of Spirits on the American Psyche. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1995. Crystal ChandelierCooke, Lawrence S. Lighting in America: From Colonial Rushlights to Victorian Chandeliers. Pittstown, NJ: Main Street Press, 1984.Fioratti, Helen Costantino. Illuminating Their World: Three Hundred Years of Light. New York: L’Antiqu- aire and the Connoisseur, Inc., 2007. Curule Chair de Dampierre, Florence. Chairs: A History. New York: Harry N. Abrams, 2006.Miller, Judith. Furniture: World Styles from Classical to Contemporary. London: DK, 2011. Deck ChairRybczynski, Witold. Now I Sit Me Down: From Klismos to Plastic Chair: A Natural History. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2016. DeskGoodman, Dena, and Kathryn Norberg. Furnishing the Eighteenth Century: What Furniture Can Tell Us about the European and American Past. New York: Routledge, 2011. DollhouseBroomhall, Susan, Jennifer Spinks, and Allyson M. Poska. Early Modern Women in the Low Coun- tries: Feminizing Sources and Interpretations of the Past. Farnham, UK: Taylor and Francis, 2016.Eaton, Faith. Classic Dolls’ Houses. London: Phoenix Illustrated, 1997.Door, Knocker, and KnobBerry, Nancy E. Architec- tural Hardware: Ideas, Inspiration and PracticalAdviceforAddingHandles,Hinges, Knobs and Pulls to YourHome.Gloucester,MA: Quarry Books, 2006.Jütte, Daniel. The Strait Gate: Thresholds and Power in Western History.New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2015.DuvetWorsley,Lucy.IfWallsCould Talk:AnIntimateHistoryof the Home.New York:WalkerandCo.,2012.Wright, Lawrence. Warm & Snug: The History of the Bed.Stroud, UK: Sutton,2004.FireplaceGowlett,J.A.J.“TheDiscov-eryofFirebyHumans:A Long and Convoluted Process.” Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sci- ences371, no. 1696 (May 2016): 1697-1700.Lind, Carla. Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fireplaces.San Francisco: Pomegranate, 1995.Flokati RugSebastian, Don. The CompleteHandbook of Flokati and Carpet Making.Athens: Nick Kokkinos, 1978.Floral CenterpieceBelden,LouiseConway.TheFestive Tradition: TableDecoration and Dessertsin America, 1650–1900.NewYork:W.W.Norton, 1983.Berrall, Julia. A History ofFlower Arrangement.Lon-don:ThamesandHudson,1953.ForkHeugel, Inès. Laying the Elegant Table: China, Faience, Porcelain, Majol- ica, Glassware, Flatware, Tureens, Platters, Trays, Centerpieces, Tea Sets.New York: Rizzoli, 2006.Lupton, Ellen, et al. Feed- ing Desire: Designandthe Toolsof the Table,1500–2005.NewYork:Assouline, 2006.Front PorchDonlon, Jocelyn Hazelwood. Swinging in Place: Porch Life in Southern Culture.Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, 2001.Goldstein,B.Colleen.TheEvo-lution and Significance of the FrontPorch in Amer- ican Culture.Master’s dissertation, University of Georgia,1998.Glass WindowJütte, Daniel. The Strait Gate:Thresholds and Power in WesternHistory.New Haven, CT: YaleUniversity Press, 2015.Melchoir-Bonnet, Sabine.The Mirror: A History.London:Routledge,2002.GlobeGoodman, Dena, and Kathryn Norberg. Furnishing the Eighteenth Century: What Furniture Can Tell Us about the European and American Past.New York: Routledge, 2011.Jaffee, David. A New Nation of Goods: The Material Culture of Early America.Philadelphia, PA: Univer-sity of Pennsylvania Press,2012.Ice BucketDunne, Patrick. The Epicu-rean Collector: Exploringthe World of Culinary Antiques.Boston: Little, Brown, 2002.Glanville,Philippa,andHilary Young.Elegant Eating: Four Hundred Yearsof DininginStyle.London:V &APublications,2002.IncenseAftel, Mandy. Fragrant: The SecretLifeofaScent.NewYork:Riverhead Books, 2014.Classen, Constance, David Howes,andAnthonySyn- nott. Aroma: The Cultural HistoryofSmell.NewYork:Routledge,1994.Jewelry BoxCurrie, Elizabeth. Inside theRenaissance House.Lon- don: V & A Publications, 2006.Linley, David. Extraordinary Furniture.London: Mitchell Beazley, 1996.Jib DoorBoyer, Marie-France, and François Halard. The Private Realm of Marie Antoinette.London: Thames & Hudson, 2008.Donato, Giuseppe, and Monique Seefried. The FragrantPast:PerfumesofCleopatraandJulius Caesar.Atlanta,GA:EmoryUniversity Museum of Art andArchaeology,1989.Lock and KeyBuehr,Walter. The Story ofLocks.New York: Scribner, 1953.Delalex, Hélène. A Day with Marie Antoinette.New York: Rizzoli, 2015.Louis XVI ChairCondon, Dianne Russell. Jackie’s Treasures: The Fabled Objects from the Auction of the Century.New York: Clarkson Potter,1996.Delalex, Hélène. A Day with Marie Antoinette.New York: Rizzoli, 2015.MattressBeldegreen, Alecia. The Bed.New York: Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 1995.Carlano, Anne, and BobbieSumberg. Sleeping Around:The Bed from Antiquity to Now.Seattle, WA: Univer- sity of Washington Press, 2006.MirrorDeJean, Joan. Essence of Style:How the French Invented High Fashion.New York:Free Press, 2014.Johnson, Steven. How We Gotto Now: Six Innovations That Made the Modern World.London: Penguin, 2016.