Karen Dolby – författare

Quick!  Name the planets in the solar system!  Not so easy, is it?  All the facts and scraps of knowledge we’ve learned throughout our education can be forgotten over time, and are often impossible to recall when we need them most (i.e., an intense game of Trivial Pursuit!).  But with You Must Remember This, all those facts and trivia will come flooding back, for good.  From the beloved master of the color spectrum “Roy G. Biv”, to easy tips to help learn the basics of any language, You Must Remember This is the perfect addition to anyone’s book shelf.  It includes hundreds of handy mnemonics to help you remember a wealth of information: The four oceans of the world:I Am A Person The presidential heads carved on Mount Rushmore:We Just Like Rushmore And of course, those planets (sans Pluto):My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Noodles Whether you want to remember fact, poems, or speeches, or just learn how to remember daily errands without being so dependent on lists, this book is for you. Discover techniques used by memory experts, how actors learn their lines, and how your brain works to store memories.  Both an invaluable collection of memory tricks and a fascinating look at the workings of our memory, You Must Remember This is the perfect resource to ensure that you''ll never be short of memory again!From the Trade Paperback edition.

A charming collection of quotes and anecdotes celebrating the incomparable Queen of EnglandWhen we think of the queen, we probably picture a serious, dignified personage complete with majestic hat and matching handbag. But The Wicked Wit of Queen Elizabeth II reveals a side of the monarch the public rarely sees, her healthy sense of humor: sometimes silly, sometimes sarcastic—and occasionally unintentional (to guitar legend Eric Clapton: “Have you been playing long?”)!This is a delightful celebration of the queen’s humor revealed through her own words on topics from family and travel to pets and hobbies, as well as stories from the royal household of Britain’s longest-serving monarch. In addition to the queen, other royals get in their two cents, including the famously filterless Prince Philip and the acerbic Princess Margaret, as well as Prince Charles and Princess Anne.

'Nothing fixes a thing so intensely in the memory as the wish to forget it' How many times have you said: 'I've got a memory like a sieve'? Who hasn't cursed their inability to remember information for exams? And been jealous of those that seem to be able to retain anything with ease? Well, it's not a God given talent. It's something you can easily learn.If you want to remember poetry, speeches, lists, I will show you how. Everything from language and spelling, general knowledge, history, astronomy, science, geography, which monarch followed which, how many days in each month, the sequence of planets and much much more. Did you know that there are just 100 words in French, Spanish and German that give you the fundamentals to communicate? Did you know how easy it is to remember numbers and shopping lists and indeed almost anything? After all, I'm just like you. I've got a memory like a sieve as well. That's why I wrote this book!

At last! The book that gives you all the facts about how to defy the signs of ageing. Are you worried about the way a particular part of your body is ageing? Would you like to prevent the appearance of wrinkles? Get your flat, pre-kids tummy back? Have whiter teeth but are unsure about which procedure to choose? Presented by Anna Richardson, How Not to Get Old is the new Channel 4 programme that will tell you everything you need to know about, well, how not to get old.This beautifully designed book will be published to coincide with the first series of the show and will look at all the anti-ageing treatments available, helping you to make an informed choice about how you might want to improve the appearance of a part of your body as it ages. For example, if you are unhappy with how your bust is looking, should you be considering bust-lifting creams or surgery - or would specific exercises be enough? As well as taking a complete look at all of the procedures and treatments available, How Not to Get Old will be packed with vital information such as expert advice on what you should know before you go ahead with a procedure, pioneering techniques that are being developed around the world and whether the more expensive products on the market are actually any more effective than the high-street brands.You won't want to grow old without it!

With each new generation we all tend to think of our predecessors as 'old-fashioned', 'conservative', 'prim', 'proper' - and downright dull. The sexual revolution happened in the 1960s, right? Wrong. History's Naughty Bits is full of incredible stories that would curl the hair of the most liberal-minded and sets the record straight with true stories of debauchery and titillation from Ancient history to the twentieth century.In it, you'll find a huge range of well-known figures, from the Borgias to various kings and queens, Popes and priests, Presidents and Prime Ministers, doctors, lawyers, saints and philosophers. Quite frankly, they were all 'at it' in one way or another, and have been since time immemorial.Fascinating, funny and mind-blowing in turn, this enlightening book will turn your preconceived view of history on its head ... if that's your thing ...

A beautiful collection celebrating the Queen’s humour, with amusing quotations and stories about royal life.When thinking of the Queen, our first image is one of dignity and authority. She is the very definition of majesty: the British monarch, the Supreme Governor of the Church of England and the head of the Commonwealth. But as anyone who knows her will tell you, in person she has awicked sense of humour:* Occasionally unintentional (when meeting guitar legend Eric Clapton she enquired 'Have you been playing a long time?')* Sometimes cannily astute ('I have to be seen to be believed')* At times downright silly (nicely demonstrated when staff at Balmoral discovered the Queen jumping up and down with glee exclaiming 'I've won, I've won!' after hearing that England had beaten Australia in the cricket)… the Queen’s sense of humour is like no other. Revealing a side of the Queen's personality that the public rarely see, this joyous book is a timely celebration of royal humour as Elizabeth II succeeds Victoria as Britain's longest-serving monarch.

A valuable home schooling resource, and a must-have for any parent, here is everything you need to know to help your child with their homework.Every parent will be familiar with the cry for help that comes from their child when it's homework time. Many parents find themselves having to help a great deal with all subjects – yet with teaching methods having changed so much since their own schooling, it's often the parent who could use a helping hand. Homework Help for Mums and Dads provides parents with tips, from teachers and other parents, on how to get to grips with each subject and, most importantly, on how to pass that knowledge on to their child during primary school. From reading to literacy, science to history, this book includes shortcuts and tricks that will make subjects easier to grasp. It even includes tips on homework layout, writing practice, learning habits and on how to make some subjects more fun by thinking creatively about each task set. Accessible and light-hearted in tone, this book will make schoolwork more enjoyable for both parent and child, taking the horror out of homework.

His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, KG, KT, OM, GBE was at the forefront of British public life since he married Princess Elizabeth in 1947. In the seventy years since, his wit (and the occasional ‘gaffe’) continued to endear him to the nation, as he travelled the world taking his unique and charmingly British sense of humour to its far-flung corners. Hailed as a god by a tribe in Vanuatu, the Prince had his fair share of brickbats from the media nearer home, but his outspokenness never failed to raise laughs – and eyebrows.From notorious one-liners to less newsworthy witticisms and from plain speaking to blunt indifference, the Prince did what we all wish we could do now and again – forget polite conversation and say what he thought.

Celebrate the rapier-like wit of the royal rebel, the late, great Princess Margaret – or ‘Ducky’ as she was known behind closed doors.Even as a child, Princess Margaret – younger sister of Elizabeth – was noted for her theatrical and witty demeanour. Her nanny, 'Crawfie’ described her as a ‘born comic’ and her sister, now Queen Elizabeth II, remarked that parties were always better with Margaret in attendance as she made everyone laugh. She made John Lennon blush and Pablo Picasso was infatuated with her – and she made no secret of her intolerance for the dim-witted, the disobedient or the boring – and her one-liners are legendary: On considering that Elizabeth would one day be Queen, Margaret’s response was one of sincere commiseration, ‘Poor you’, she told her.Attending a high-society party in New York, the hostess asked politely how was the Queen? ‘Which one?’ Margaret replied coolly, ‘My sister, my mother, or my husband?’

Using excerpts from her letters and diaries, this book shows the very human face of Queen Victoria, from spirited young princess to caring Queen, passionate bride and loving mother to great-grandmother of a royal dynasty who gave her name to the age of improvement.Photographs of Queen Victoria most often show a plump Empress wearing widow’s black; serious and regal. The posed portrait photos were stiff, formal affairs, partly because subjects needed to stay still for the exposure and partly because in Victorian England life was a serious business.In reality, the character of Alexandrina Victoria, Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, and latterly in her long reign, Empress of India, is rather different. In private, at least, Victoria had a reputation for being fun-loving and entertaining. Victoria kept a daily journal from the age of thirteen, which by the time of her death ran to 122 volumes. She writes openly and in great detail, revealing herself to be emotional and honest about her own feelings and experiences, as well as her opinions of other people. She praises Albert and pours out her love and desire for her husband, her adored lover, friend and companion.This book shows the redoubtable Victoria at her most human, whether enthusing over her hobbies and interests, delighting in her children and grandchildren, commenting on the ten different Prime Ministers who served during her reign, or sharing her love for her dearest, dearest Albert.

A timely celebration of the many attributes our Queen brings to the nation – fortitude, stoicism, diplomacy, family values, sense of fun and style among them.Queen Elizabeth II – Britain’s longest-serving monarch, Supreme Governor of the Church of England and the Head of the Commonwealth – has reigned over us for a record-breaking sixty-seven years. Now in her ninety-fourth year, this timely celebration sheds new light on the myriad attributes and personal qualities she brings to the nation. From fortitude in the face of adversity to standing as the nation’s ambassador all over the world, no one could doubt the work ethic that powers this remarkable woman, even into her nineties. Equally, her love of family – from her rock of over sixty years’ marriage, Prince Philip, to her great grandchildren – shines through. But what are the secrets of her success? How does she still approach her day-to-day with such vitality and aplomb, even when culture and society are changing rapidly all around her?The Queen on fame: When an MP commented that it must be a strain meeting so many strangers all the time, the Queen smiled, ‘It is not as difficult as it might seem. You see, I don’t have to introduce myself. They all seem to know who I am.’The Queen on fashion: In the late sixties when Mary Quant and the mini skirt came to epitomize all that was fashionable, Princess Anne suggested her mother might also consider shortening her hemline. The Queen was adamant, ‘I am not a film star.’ The Queen on family: As Great Britain’s most famous great grandmother, it is no surprise that the Queen values family life. ‘Marriage gains from the web of family relationships between parents and children, grandparents and grandchildren, cousins, aunts and uncles.’In this book Karen Dolby unpicks the key elements that make the Queen so special to – and so loved by – the nation and presents a guide to how you too could put into practice some of Her Majesty’s traits to help overcome adversity, find inner strength and present yourself as wonderfully considered and calm, even when all about you seems in chaos.

A timely celebration of the many attributes our Queen brings to the nation – fortitude, stoicism, diplomacy, family values, sense of fun and style among them.Queen Elizabeth II – Britain’s longest-serving monarch, Supreme Governor of the Church of England and the Head of the Commonwealth – has reigned over us for a record-breaking sixty-seven years. Now in her ninety-fourth year, this timely celebration sheds new light on the myriad attributes and personal qualities she brings to the nation. From fortitude in the face of adversity to standing as the nation’s ambassador all over the world, no one could doubt the work ethic that powers this remarkable woman, even into her nineties. Equally, her love of family – from her rock of over sixty years’ marriage, Prince Philip, to her great grandchildren – shines through. But what are the secrets of her success? How does she still approach her day-to-day with such vitality and aplomb, even when culture and society are changing rapidly all around her?The Queen on fame: When an MP commented that it must be a strain meeting so many strangers all the time, the Queen smiled, ‘It is not as difficult as it might seem. You see, I don’t have to introduce myself. They all seem to know who I am.’The Queen on fashion: In the late sixties when Mary Quant and the mini skirt came to epitomize all that was fashionable, Princess Anne suggested her mother might also consider shortening her hemline. The Queen was adamant, ‘I am not a film star.’ The Queen on family: As Great Britain’s most famous great grandmother, it is no surprise that the Queen values family life. ‘Marriage gains from the web of family relationships between parents and children, grandparents and grandchildren, cousins, aunts and uncles.’In this book Karen Dolby unpicks the key elements that make the Queen so special to – and so loved by – the nation and presents a guide to how you too could put into practice some of Her Majesty’s traits to help overcome adversity, find inner strength and present yourself as wonderfully considered and calm, even when all about you seems in chaos.

The Wicked Wit of the Royal Family celebrates the flashes of fun and brilliance of the most famous family in the world.There is no doubt that the British royal family is THE most famous family in the world. Watched and picked over in the media for everything from fashion choices to baby bumps, sporting achievements to nightclub preferences, there doesn’t seem to be a moment when they can escape public scrutiny. But, somehow, they still manage to maintain a sense of humour – and it’s those flashes of fun and brilliance that this book celebrates.From Prince Philip’s gaffe-prone remarks (most of which appear ON camera rather than off) to the ‘in’ jokes shared by the knowing smiles of the younger royals and the Queen’s wickedly dry and often bitingly funny remarks; from Prince Charles’s asides to the Duchess of Cornwall to the self-deprecating smile of the Duchess of Cambridge and the belly laughs that appeal to Prince Harry. This book presents the other side of royal protocol and perhaps gives a glimpse of the real lives of this much-loved clan.

Pull up anchor, set sail and hit the open water with this wonderful collection of sea shanties and their fascinating history.People have been singing at sea since they first set sail and sea shanties still fascinate and entertain. Composed and performed by sailors to ensure the rhythmic operation of hauling and heaving tasks aboard huge merchant vessels, the songs also boosted camaraderie, positivity and motivation. Life at sea was harsh and relentless, and these songs brought some much-needed energy and humour.This bountiful book brings together over 50 of the best-loved ballads and their fascinating history, alongside stunning black and white illustrations. This is the perfect gift for anyone wanting to delve into the magical maritime world of 'Wellerman' and beyond.

The very best of the King’s wisdom and humour, covering a huge range of topics that have been close to his heart. Lighthearted and revelatory, this is a wonderful celebration of royal wit and a fascinating glimpse into the life of our new monarch.Charles Philip Arthur George, Prince of Wales and heir apparent for more than seventy years, became King on 8 September 2022. On 6 May 2023, the world watched as he was crowned at Westminster Abbey in an historic ceremony full of ritual and pageantry.Wise Words From King Charles III looks at the personality behind the pomp. Though more guarded than his famously outspoken father, Charles is not averse to sparking controversy with his views on subjects close to his heart. During his years as king-in-waiting, there has been plenty of time for his interests and personality to develop. Passionate about the environment and natural world, he was a conservationist, speaking out about climate change before it became the norm to do so. ‘I don’t want my grandchildren or yours to come along and say to me, "Why the hell didn’t you do something; you knew what the problem was."’A skilled horticulturalist, he embraced his eccentric image and relished his reputation for talking to plants, ‘Only the other day I was inquiring of an entire bed of old-fashioned roses, forced to listen to my ramblings on the meaning of the universe as I sat cross-legged in the lotus position in front of them.’He is also a keen sportsman and music lover, interested in the arts and architecture. His views on modern buildings have prompted some of his most colourful comments. He called the proposed extension to the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square ‘a monstrous carbuncle on the face of a much-loved and elegant friend’ and compared London’s evolving skyline to ‘an absurdist picnic table’ ... ‘We already have a giant gherkin, now it looks as if we are going to have an enormous salt cellar.’If he hadn’t been destined to rule, he may have liked to be a comedian. ‘I love imitating and mimicking… I enjoy making people laugh if I can.’ He acknowledges, ‘So much of what one does requires acting ability in one way or another and it’s extremely useful if you enjoy it.’Taking on a new role at an age when most people would be retiring, King Charles brings a lifetime’s knowledge and experience to the job. This book focuses on the wisdom the monarch has acquired during his long apprenticeship, told through the wise – and sometimes not so wise – words of the man himself.

When Joe, Polly and Sam stumble across an abandoned manor house, with strange, glowing lights, they decide to explore. Soon, they are on the trail of mysterious messages - and then a terrifying ghostly figure appears in a mirror. Could it be real? They'll need all the help you can give them to find out, solving brain-teasers, logic puzzles and curious codes along the way. There are extra clues and answers at the back of the book.Packed full of interactive puzzles and comic-strips, this Usborne classic has been updated and enhanced for a whole new generation of puzzle adventurers.

Max and Sally's camping trip takes a sinister turn when they stumble across a gang of ruthless crooks on the trail of smugglers' treasure.Packed full of interactive puzzles and comic-strips, this Usborne classic has been updated and enhanced for a whole new generation of puzzle adventurers.