Showing results by narrator "Ben" in All Categories

The End of Enlightenment offers a radical re-evaluation of one of the most important moments in human history. Tracing around the world the changing perspectives of economists, philosophers, politicians and polemicists, historian Richard Whatmore argues that, for figures as diverse as David Hume, Edmund Burke, Adam Smith and Mary Wollstonecraft, the Enlightenment was a profound failure. They had strived to replace superstition with reason, fanaticism with toleration, but witnessed instead terror and revolution, corruption, gross commercial excess and the continued growth of violent empire.

Semyon Dukach was known as the darling of Las Vegas. A legend at twenty-one, this cocky hotshot was the biggest high roller to appear in Sin City in decades, a mathematical genius with a system the casinos had never seen before and couldn't stop -- a system that had nothing to do with card...

In his startling and singular new short story collection, David Foster Wallace nudges at the boundaries of fiction with inimitable wit and seductive intelligence. Among the stories are 'The Depressed Person', a dazzling and blackly humorous portrayal of a woman's mental state; 'Adult World'...

WINNER OF THE AUDIE AWARD FOR AUDIOBOOK OF THE YEAR #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER WINNER OF THE BOOKER PRIZE The “devastatingly moving” (People) first novel from the author of Tenth of December: a moving and original father-son story featuring none other than Abraham Lincoln, as well...

Ben Edge is a rising star of both the art world and the current folk renaissance. This first trade book of Edge's art, featuring over 200 artworks, is a unique insight into his creative process as well as the first mainstream book to explore the amazing and wildly popular folk customs of the British ritual year. Ben Edge has travelled the length and breadth of Britain recording the weird and wonderful folk customs alive in communities all over the country.

Prisoners of Geography meets Bill Bryson: a funny, fascinating, beautifully illustrated – and timely – history of countries that, for myriad and often ludicrous reasons, no longer exist. ‘Countries are just daft stories we tell each other. They’re all equally implausible once you get up...

Two magical adventure stories from the queen of fantasy Immerse yourself in the magical world of Susan Cooper’s imagination. Drawing upon Celtic and Norse mythology and English folklore, Cooper creates worlds like no other. She is best known for her The Dark Is Rising series, the first of...

It is the summer of 1961, and the brutal Cold War between East and West is becoming ever more perilous. Two young prodigies from either side of the Iron Curtain, Yulia and Michael, meet at a chess tournament in London. They don't know it, but they are about to compete in the deadliest game ever played. Shadowing them is Greta, a ruthless resistance fighter who grew up the hard way in the forests of Lithuania, but who is now hunting down some of the most dangerous men in the world.

Of Human Bondage charts the life of Philip Carey, a sensitive and introspective individual born with a clubfoot. Orphaned at a young age, Philip searches for meaning through pursuits such as religion, art and medicine, but much of his early life is marked with emotional turmoil. Grappling with loneliness, unrequited love and existential doubt, Philip gradually learns the art of acceptance and how to live in harmony with the imperfections of life.

FROM ONE OF THE MOST ORIGINAL VOICES IN FANTASY COMES A HEART-WARMING TALE OF PEACE, LOVE, AND BATTLEFIELD SALVAGE. If you're going to get ahead in the battlefield salvage business, you have to regard death as a means to an end. In other words, when the blood flows, so will the cash...

God loves you just the way you are, but he refuses to leave you there. He wants you to be just like Jesus. Can you think of a better offer? In Just Like Jesus, pastor and bestselling author Max Lucado reminds us that being just like Jesus feels like an impossible goal until we accept one simple...

Alex Locke is desperately trying to hold on to the disparate threads of the complex web of time he has created. He travels to the First World War, living through the horrors of trench warfare in order to befriend a young soldier crucial to his story, then to the 1930s to uncover the secrets of a mysterious stage magician. He moves back and forth in time, always with the strange and terrifying Dark Man on his heels, gradually getting closer to uncovering the true nature of his destiny with the obsidian heart.

Nick and Delaney each think they've planned the perfect romantic getaway – a mystery holiday designed by a travel matchmaking service. But when the itineraries go astray, Nick walks into a hotel suite that's already occupied – just not by his fiancée. Two frantic phone calls later, Nick and Delaney discover the truth: their partners are together in Reykjavík and they're stuck sharing a room in one of the most romantic places on earth. As they scramble to fix the mix-up, fate steps in and they start to wonder if the wrong holiday might just be the right one after all.

‘Witty, funny, warm and wise’ Marian Keyes Is it a break? Or is it a blip? ‘You’ve just had a holiday,’ I pointed out, trying not to yawn. ‘Wasn’t that enough of a break?’ ‘I don’t mean that kind of break.’ There’s nothing worse than the last day of holiday. Oh wait...

Are you overwhelmed by the myriad of gardening information and confused by the complexities of companion planting? Do you wish you had a simple, go-to guide that breaks down everything you need to know to get started? Are you eager to grow lush, healthy fruits, vegetables, and herbs but don't know where to begin? If so, you're in the right place. Many new gardeners just like you feel the same way. They understand the benefits of companion planting but get lost in the conflicting advice and endless possibilities.

I am fire and all I touch turns to ash. Despite the odds, Cutter and his companions managed to bring Matt to the capital, where he was crowned king. But instead of getting better, things have only gotten worse. The Known Lands and its people stand at a precipice. One false move, one mistake, and they will all fall into the abyss. Cutter wants only to protect his people, to right his many wrongs. But a warrior’s hands are made for killing, not healing, and fingers drenched with blood can only ruin anything they touch. Such is the warrior’s truth. Such is the warrior’s curse.

When life gets difficult, is God paying attention? If I'm facing challenge after challenge, will God help? When my days become dark and stormy, does God notice? The answer in the life-giving stories in the Gospel of John is a resounding yes. In You Are Never Alone, pastor and New York Times...

In our increasingly polarised society, having productive discussions about social justice issues has never been more challenging, or more crucial. From the persistent ('not all men,' 'I don't see colour') to the insidious ('to play devil's advocate...', 'climate change is coming'), too often, antagonistic or problematic responses threaten to distract and derail our most urgent conversations. Tackling twenty of the most enduring conversation-stoppers, No Offence, But... equips listeners with the knowledge, tools and context to respond with confidence.

My name is Jack Steen, and for those who arrive on my 'death' ward at the Asylum, I'm the last face many will see before they die. I am the night nurse at an Asylum for the Criminally Insane, and most of my patients know me as their Angel of Death. I know them as mass murderers, rapists, and serial killers - among other things. Here's what happens: they come on my floor, they give me their deathbed confession, and I help to make their death less painful. There's a catch, though: I want the real story, the one they haven't told anyone else.

What is talent? How do you get the best out of yourself? What are the secrets of leadership? In Edge, Ben Lyttleton gets unprecedented access to some of the world’s top football clubs to discover their innovative methods for developing talent – and reveals how we can use them in our everyday...