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'One of the best history books you will read this decade' History Today'Fascinating, suspenseful, revelatory, alive' The TimesThere can be few more exciting or frightening moments in European history than the spring of 1848. As if by magic, in city after city, from Palermo to Paris to Venice, huge crowds gathered, sometimes peaceful and sometimes violent, and the political order that had held sway since the defeat of Napoleon simply collapsed.Christopher Clark's spectacular new book recreates with verve, wit and insight this extraordinary period. Some rulers gave up at once, others fought bitterly, but everywhere new politicians, beliefs and expectations surged forward. The role of women in society, the end of slavery, the right to work, national independence and the emancipation of the Jews all became live issues.Clark conjures up both this ferment of new ideas and then the increasingly ruthless and effective series of counter-attacks launched by regimes who still turned out to have many cards to play. But even in defeat, exiles spread the ideas of 1848 around the world and - for better and sometimes much worse - a new and very different Europe emerged from the wreckage.

A grand new vision of cognitive science that explains how our minds build our worlds‘One of the most important books yet published this century’ SpectatorFor as long as we've studied the mind, we've believed that information flowing from our senses determines what our mind perceives. But as our understanding has advanced in the last few decades, a hugely powerful new view has flipped this assumption on its head. The brain is not a passive receiver, but an ever-active predictor.At the forefront of this cognitive revolution is widely acclaimed philosopher and cognitive scientist Andy Clark, who has synthesized his ground-breaking work on the predictive brain to explore its fascinating mechanics and implications. Among the most stunning of these is the realization that experience itself, because it is guided by prior expectation, is a kind of controlled hallucination. We don't passively take in the world around us; instead our mind is constantly making and refining predictions about what we expect to see. This even applies to our bodies, as the way we experience pain and other states is shaped by our expectations, and this has broader implications for the understanding and treatment of conditions from PTSD to schizophrenia to medically unexplained symptoms. From the most mundane experiences to the most sublime, it is our predictions that sculpt our experience.A landmark study of cognitive science, The Experience Machine lays out the extraordinary explanatory power of the predictive brain for our lives, mental health and society.

Winner of the Wolfson History Prize, Christopher Clark's Iron Kingdom: The Rise and Downfall of Prussia 1600-1947 is a compelling account of a country that played a pivotal role in Europe's fortunes and fundamentally shaped our world.Prussia began as a medieval backwater, but transformed itself into a major European power and the force behind the creation of the German empire, until it was finally abolished by the Allies after the Second World War. With great flair and authority, Christopher Clark describes Prussia's great battles, dynastic marriages and astonishing reversals of fortune, its brilliant and charismatic leaders from the Hohenzollerns of Brandenburg to Bismarck and Frederick the Great, the military machine and the progressive, enlightened values on which it was built.'Fascinating ... masterly ... littered with intriguing detail and wry observation'Richard Overy, Daily Telegraph'A terrific book ... the definitive history of this much-maligned state'Daily Telegraph Books of the Year'You couldn't have the triumph and the tragedy of Prussia better told'Observer'A magisterial history of Europe's only extinct power'Financial Times'Exemplary ... an illuminating, profoundly satisfying work of history'The New York TimesChristopher Clark is a lecturer in Modern European History at St Catharine's College, University of Cambridge. He is also the author of Kaiser Wilhelm II: A Life in Power.

'The decade's most stimulating art book' Financial Times A Guardian History Book of the Year 'For those, though, who relish brilliant analysis of painting – as well as former students of art history, like me, for whom, at university, Clark was a sort of god – Those Passions will be essential reading. Its finest essays engage in depth with painting’s subtle minutiae, observing and explaining how tiny touches can contribute to powerful overall effects. A bravura study of Henri Matisse’s Woman with a Hat (1905) is a case in point. ... Likewise, his scintillating exposition of The Lion Hunt (1855) by Eugène Delacroix – a detail from which, reproduced on a French poster which he bought in 1966, dominates his study' Sunday Telegraph 'A timely study of the connection between art and politics' Observer The careful distillation of a lifetime’s writing by the internationally renowned art historian T.J. Clark, who addresses key issues of art’s relationship with politics. Is art obliged to engage with politics? If so, how? By taking sides in political struggle; by singing the song of the barricade, the new nation, the bombed city? Or by giving form to the deeper patterns of experience – the raw materials of ‘society’ – from which any politics is made? Using case studies stretching across the centuries, from Hieronymus Bosch to Jacques-Louis David and the French Revolution, from Walter Benjamin to Pier Paolo Pasolini, Those Passions aims to show how modern art has responded to the chaos and danger of modern life. In the book’s three sections – ‘Precursors’, ‘Moderns’ and ‘Modernities’ – internationally renowned art historian T. J. Clark unpicks the nature of capitalist society and its visual culture. He tries to understand the politics of appearance which is now our natural home – the twists and turns of consumerism, the arrival of the 24-hour image-world, the changing modes of symbolic production and the ongoing saturation of life by pictures and ‘data’ – and take stock of our guilty love affair with the imagery of violence, our attitude to the dream-world of advertising, the power and pathos of screen time. Written over the course of twenty-five years, these radical, provocative essays rethink issues central to art-making and political life today.

The pacy, sensitive and formidably argued history of the causes of the First World War, from acclaimed historian and author Christopher ClarkFINANCIAL TIMES BOOKS OF THE YEAR 2014SUNDAY TIMES and INDEPENDENT BOOKS OF THE YEAR 2012Winner of the Los Angeles Times History Book Prize 2014The moments that it took Gavrilo Princip to step forward to the stalled car and shoot dead Franz Ferdinand and his wife were perhaps the most fateful of the modern era. An act of terrorism of staggering efficiency, it fulfilled its every aim: it would liberate Bosnia from Habsburg rule and it created a powerful new Serbia, but it also brought down four great empires, killed millions of men and destroyed a civilization. What made a seemingly prosperous and complacent Europe so vulnerable to the impact of this assassination?In The Sleepwalkers Christopher Clark retells the story of the outbreak of the First World War and its causes. Above all, it shows how the failure to understand the seriousness of the chaotic, near genocidal fighting in the Balkans would drag Europe into catastrophe.Reviews:'Formidable ... one of the most impressive and stimulating studies of the period ever published' Max Hastings, Sunday Times'Easily the best book ever written on the subject ... A work of rare beauty that combines meticulous research with sensitive analysis and elegant prose. The enormous weight of its quality inspires amazement and awe ... Academics should take note: Good history can still be a good story' Washington Post'A lovingly researched work of the highest scholarship. It is hard to believe we will ever see a better narrative of what was perhaps the biggest collective blunder in the history of international relations' Niall Ferguson'[Reading The Sleepwalkers], it is as if a light had been turned on a half-darkened stage of shadowy characters cursing among themselves without reason ... [Clark] demolishes the standard view ... The brilliance of Clark's far-reaching history is that we are able to discern how the past was genuinely prologue ... In conception, steely scholarship and piercing insights, his book is a masterpiece' Harold Evans, New York Times Book Review'Impeccably researched, provocatively argued and elegantly written ... a model of scholarship' Sunday Times Books of the Year'Superb ... effectively consigns the old historical consensus to the bin ... It's not often that one has the privilege of reading a book that reforges our understanding of one of the seminal events of world history' Mail Online'A monumental new volume ... Revelatory, even revolutionary ... Clark has done a masterful job explaining the inexplicable' Boston Globe'Superb ... One of the great mysteries of history is how Europe's great powers could have stumbled into World War I ... This is the single best book I have read on this important topic' Fareed Zakaria'A meticulously researched, superbly organized, and handsomely written account' Military History'Clark is a masterly historian ... His account vividly reconstructs key decision points while deftly sketching the context driving them ... A magisterial work' Wall Street Journal'This compelling examination of the causes of World War I deserves to become the new standard one-volume account of that contentious subject' Foreign Affairs'A brilliant contribution' Times Higher Education'Clark is fully alive to the challenges of the subject ... He provides vivid portraits of leading figures ... [He] also gives a rich sense of what contemporaries believed was at stake in the crises leading up to the war' Irish Times'In recent decades, many analysts had tended to put most blame for the disaster [of the First World War] on Germany. Clark strongly renews an older interpretation which sees the statesmen of many countries as blundering blindly together into war' Stephen Howe, Independent Books of the YearAbout the author:Christopher Clark is Professor of Modern History at the University of Cambridge and a Fellow of St Catharine's College. He is the author of The Politics of Conversion, Kaiser Wilhelm II and Iron Kingdom. Widely praised around the world, Iron Kingdom became a major bestseller. He has been awarded the Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.

A spectacular compilation of animal illustrations from the awe-inspiring works of Kerby Rosanes, as part of an exciting new series called Kerby’s Selection.This beautiful colouring book brings together the most astonishing animal images from Kerby’s World and Morphia series, featuring fantasy scenes of strange, shape-shifting animals as well as real-life depictions of our fragile world and its natural beauty.Fifty-eight detailed drawings of wondrous animals and their environments are just waiting to be brought to life with colour – from an enchanting eagle leaving a trail of doodles in its wake and an intricate beetle made from cogs to a cute otter floating along a river and giant pandas surrounded by bamboo.Please note: This book contains material previously published in Fragile World, Worlds Within Worlds, Animorphia, Mythomorphia, Geomorphia and Imagimorphia.

This book explores the relationship with time in early childhood by arguing for the valuing of slow pedagogies and slow knowledge. Alison Clark points to alternative practices in Early Childhood Education and Care that enable a different pace and rhythm, against the backdrop of the acceleration in early childhood and the proliferation of testing and measurement. Diverse approaches are explored to enable an ‘unhurried child’ and less hurried adults. Slow Knowledge and the Unhurried Child is divided in three parts. Part 1, Reasons to be slow, looks at the pressures in Early Childhood Education and Care to speed up and for children to be ‘readied’ for the next stage. The book then explores different relationships with time for young children and educators. Part 2, Slow pedagogies and practices, explore some of the forms slow practices can take including outdoors, in the studio, in everyday routines, through stories, in pedagogical documentation and in ‘slow’ research. Part 3, Moving forward, shows what a ‘timefull’ approach to ECEC can look like, whilst debating the challenges and possibilities that exist. The book serves as a catalyst for urgent discussion about the need to slow down in early childhood education and teacher education and explores case studies of where slow early childhood education are already happening. It will be a key reading for researchers, practitioners and policy-makers about the relationship with time in early childhood and the importance of taking a longer view.

The latest thrilling entry in the bestselling Under Suspicion series by Queen of Suspense Mary Higgins Clark and Alafair Burke.  Two identical brothers, both handsome, intelligent and popular recent college graduates, seemingly perfect in every way. That is, until the shocking summer night when one of them killed their parents in cold blood. The other has an iron-clad alibi, but which twin was where during the murders? And is it possible the two of them planned the perfect crime together?  Years later, the case is still unsolved, and the brothers are long estranged. Each of them claims that the other is responsible for the deaths of their parents, and they turn to television producer Laurie Moran and her team to reinvestigate. But as the Under Suspicion crew gets closer to the truth, the danger that was assumed to be left in the past finds its way into the present . . .  Featuring chilling suspense, a cast of characters whom loyal readers have come to love, and a final jaw-dropping twist, It Had to Be You is not to be missed.PRAISE FOR MARY HIGGINS CLARK AND ALAFAIR BURKE:‘I adore Mary Higgins Clark’ KARIN SLAUGHTER‘Should come with a warning: start in the evening and you’ll be reading late into the night’ USA TODAY‘Mary Higgins Clark’s awesome gift for storytelling has always been the secret of her strength as a suspense novelist’ NEW YORK TIMES

Sensate Focus in Sex Therapy: The Illustrated Manual is an illustrated manual that provides health professionals with specific information on the use of the structured touching opportunities used regularly by Sexologists to address their clients’ sexual difficulties (Sensate Focus 1) and enhance intimate relationships (Sensate Focus 2). This book is the only one to: vividly describe and illustrate the specific steps of, activities involved in, and positions associated with Sensate Focus; emphasize the purpose of Sensate Focus as a mindfulness-based practice; and distinguish between the purposes of Sensate Focus 1 and Sensate Focus 2. Through the use of artful drawings and descriptive text, this manual engages mental health and medical professionals and their clients by appealing to both the visual and the analytical. It discusses how modifications to Sensate Focus can be applied to diverse populations, such as LGBTQ clients, the elderly, the disabled, trauma survivors, and those with challenges such as Autism Spectrum, anxiety, and depression. The book also offers suggestions for dealing with common client difficulties such as avoidance, confusion, and goal directed attitudes. This comprehensive approach to Sensate Focus will remind readers of the beauty and power of touch while offering suggestions for moving from avoidance to sensory transcendence.

The brand-new instant USA Today bestselling standalone thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of The Flight, Julie Clark. Perfect for fans of Gillian McAllister, Lisa Jewell and Claire Douglas.'A powerful, ultimately moving whodunnit' THE TIMES'Expertly plotted and exquisitely twisted' ASHLEY ELSTON, #1 NYT-BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF FIRST LIE WINS'Intriguing and twisty' C. J. TUDOR"I know what your dad did."I set down my sandwich. "He wrote a book."The boy, whose name I no longer remember, had shaken his head, eyes sparkling with glee to be the one to tell me. To shatter my childhood right there in the school cafeteria. "Your dad killed his brother and sister. Murdered them in their own home."Ghostwriter Olivia Dumont has spent her entire professional life hiding the fact that she is the only child of legendary horror author Vincent Taylor, famous not only for his novels, but for being the prime suspect in the brutal slaying of his siblings. On the brink of financial ruin, Olivia reluctantly agrees to ghostwrite her father's last book, not realising that she will be forced to reckon with the ghosts that live at the centre of her family. Because after fifty years of silence, Vincent Taylor is finally ready to talk. But is he ready to tell the truth?

An intellectual tour de force: the major essays of the esteemed author of international bestseller The SleepwalkersChristopher Clark's The Sleepwalkers has become one of the most influential history books of our century: a remarkable rethinking of the origins of the First World War, which has had a huge impact on how we see both the past and the present.For the many readers who found the narrative voice, craftsmanship and originality of Clark's writing so compelling, Prisoners of Time will be a book filled with surprises and enjoyment. Bringing together many of Clark's major essays, Prisoners of Time raises a host of questions about how we think about the past, and both the value and pitfalls of history as a discipline.The book includes brilliant writing on German subjects: from assessments of Kaiser Wilhelm and Bismarck to the painful story of General von Blaskowitz, a traditional Prussian military man who accommodated himself to the horrors of the Third Reich. There is a fascinating essay on attempts to convert Prussian Jews to Christianity, and insights into everything from Brexit to the significance of battles. Perhaps the most important piece in the book is 'The Dream of Nebuchadnezzar', a virtuoso meditation on the nature of political power down the ages, which will become essential reading for anyone drawn to the meaning of history.

This isn't your ordinary travel guide. Beyond Nashville’s legendary music venues are charming farmers' markets, hidden patio bars and joyful street art murals that locals love. Whether you're a restless Nashvillian on the hunt for a new hangout or a visitor keen to discover a side you won't find in traditional guidebooks, Nashville Like A Local will give you all the inspiration you need.Turn the pages to discover: The small businesses and community strongholds that add character to this vibrant city, recommended by true locals 6 themed walking tours dedicated to specific experiences, such as brewery hopping and musical historyA beautiful gift book for anyone seeking to explore NashvilleHelpful what3word addresses so that you can pinpoint all the listed sightsA thoughtfully updated second edition, including new places to visitCompiled by two proud Nashvillians and revised and updated for 2024, this stylish travel guide is packed with Nashville’s best experiences and secret spots, handily categorised to suit your mood and needs.About Like A Local:These giftable and collectable guides from DK are compiled exclusively by locals. Whether they're born and bred or moved to study and never looked back, our experts highlight what it means to be a local: pride for their city, community spirit and local expertise. Like a Local will inspire readers to celebrate the secret and the iconic - just like the locals who call the city home.

‘Thames & Hudson’s new, affordable, covetable ‘Pocket Perspectives’: beautifully illustrated essays by canonical writers’ Financial Times A Financial Times Book of the Year: T.J. Clark offers profound insights on Bruegel’s art, where we encounter a reality formed from wholly worldly materials, yet suspended between belief and disbelief. Renowned art historian T. J. Clark unveils the hidden depths of Bruegel the Elder’s work in this captivating analysis of some of the artist's most famous masterpieces. Taking the medieval concept of Schlaraffenland, a whimsical dreamland of milk and honey, as his starting point, Clark reveals the satire behind Bruegel’s depictions of paradise and damnation. In an age marked by enforced orthodoxy, religious wars and threats of burning hellfire, Bruegel the Elder reflected on the powers as well as limitations of religion, deriding the sanctimonious and ridiculing the righteous. At the heart of this book stands Bruegel’s ironic yet highly tender picture of The Land of Cockaigne, where we encounter a vision not of heaven above, but on earth. A parody of paradise, Bruegel’s heaven is consumptive, empty, idle and irresponsible; made of wholly worldly materials, just on the precipice of possibility.

The book is a beautifully handwritten Victorian grimoire, covering almost the whole of magical knowledge as it was known just 30 years before the appearance of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. It is painstakingly complete, and might well provide a full magical syllabus.

Now part of the Russian Baltic enclave of Kaliningrad, the former Prussian and German port of Königsberg has always been a somewhat sleepy place, doomed to be famous for having once been the residence of Immanuel Kant. But in the late 1830s, just for a short while, it became famous for all the wrong reasons.Christopher Clark’s brilliant new book is the result of many years of fascination with this strange case. Sensational accusations were bandied about, implying that beneath the town’s somnolent surface there were dark erotic currents and wrenching betrayals of trust. For the Prussian authorities this was just the sort of moral collapse they feared most. In the aftermath of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, which had unsettled a generation, every lapse could be seen as the harbinger of new storms.A Scandal in Königsberg beautifully brings to life a time and a place that we would now situate in the tranquil ‘Biedermeier’ years between the seismic upheavals of the 1810s and 1840s. But there is a timeless quality to this small vortex of turbulence, in which spiritual hunger, vanity, professional rivalry, sexual incontinence, naivety and sheer human waywardness threatened to tear a city apart.

A Times Best Book of the Year 2025A remarkable micro-history from the author of The Sleepwalkers and Revolutionary Spring'It takes a confident historian to write a short book… the story is distilled to its powerful essence; he knows precisely what’s important… This small book is many things, but for me what shines brightest is a tale of two renegade preachers who understood women and love' - Gerard de Groot, The Times Now part of the Russian Baltic enclave of Kaliningrad, the former Prussian and German port of Königsberg has always been a somewhat sleepy place, doomed to be famous for having once been the residence of Immanuel Kant. But in the late 1830s, just for a short while, it became famous for all the wrong reasons.Christopher Clark’s brilliant new book is the result of many years of fascination with this strange case. Sensational accusations were bandied about, implying that beneath the town’s somnolent surface there were dark erotic currents and wrenching betrayals of trust. For the Prussian authorities this was just the sort of moral collapse they feared most. In the aftermath of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, which had unsettled a generation, every lapse could be seen as the harbinger of new storms.A Scandal in Königsberg beautifully brings to life a time and a place that we would now situate in the tranquil ‘Biedermeier’ years between the seismic upheavals of the 1810s and 1840s. But there is a timeless quality to this small vortex of turbulence, in which spiritual hunger, vanity, professional rivalry, sexual incontinence, naivety and sheer human waywardness threatened to tear a city apart.

The book is a beautifully handwritten Victorian grimoire, covering almost the whole of magical knowledge as it was known just 30 years before the appearance of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. It is painstakingly complete, and might well provide a full magical syllabus.

Christopher Clark's Kaiser Wilhelm II: A Life in Power is a short, fascinating and accessible biography of one of the 20th century's most important figures.King of Prussia, German Emperor, war leader and defeated exile, Kaiser Wilhelm II was one of the most important - and most controversial - figures in the history of twentieth-century Europe. But how much power did he really have?Christopher Clark, winner of the Wolfson prize for his history of Prussia, Iron Kingdom, follows Kaiser Wilhelm's political career from his youth at the Hohenzollern court through the turbulent decades of the Wilhelmine era into global war and the collapse of Germany in 1918, to his last days. He asks: what was his true role in the events that led to the outbreak of the First World War? What was the nature and extent of his control? What were his political goals and his success in achieving them? How did he project authority and exercise influence? And how did his people really view him?Through original research, Clark presents a fresh new interpretation of this contentious figure, focusing on how his thirty-year reign from 1888 to 1918 affected Germany, and the rest of Europe, for years to come.'Clark's fresh and enlightening history brings the Kaiser's life into critical and illuminating review'German HistoryChristopher Clark is a lecturer in Modern European History at St Catharine's College, University of Cambridge. His book Iron Kingdom: The Rise and Downfall of Prussia 1600 to 1947 was the winner of the Wolfson Prize for History.

This is the last Book of this Compendium written in 1346.

Over 100 recipes for the BEST-LOVED dishes and a masterclass in Italian cookery from hugely experienced author and teacher MAXINE CLARK.EXPERT step-by-step instructions to achieve PERFECT RESULTS every time you cook.Choose from ANTIPASTI, PASTA, GNOCCHI & POLENTA, PIZZA & BREAD, plus salads, vegetables, meat and sweet things.With good ingredients, a little basic cooking knowledge and a big warm cook's heart, you will be ready to cook the best Italian food. Italian cooking techniques are simple, because good natural ingredients need nothing much done to them to create great food.Beginning with the basic principles and moving on to more sophisticated recipes, the masterclasses included cover everyday foods as well as more ambitious dishes. In addition, mini step-by-steps offer professional tips on preparing key Italian ingredeints, guaranteeing perfect results every time you cook.Choose from elegant Antipasti such as Fresh Tuna Carpaccio, rustic Soups like La Ribollita, classic pasta plates like Pasta all Norma plus meaty offerings such as Meatballs with Porcini Mushrooms & Pecorino. Italian Chocolate Truffles and Zabaglione, to name just a few, finish off this collection of authentic recipes. First published in 2009, this is a new edition

From comforting classics to contemporary takes, discover why pies are the perfect way to create luscious, fresh and seasonal dishes that everyone is sure to enjoy.Nothing beats a proper pie. Whether savoury or sweet, for a crowd or just for one, there’s something irresistible about breaking through that golden pastry crust and tucking into the succulent filling inside. First you’ll learn about basic equipment, pastry-making techniques and tips on latticework for a show-stopping pie topper – mastering your skills before creating your perfect pie. Then, in Everyday Pies you'll find wholesome recipes you can share any day of the week. Next, in Posh Pies you'll discover more elegant dishes that are sure to impress your dinner guests, before turning to Portable Pies, perfect for a picnic basket. Finally, delve into Sweet Pies where you'll be tempted with all the sticky-sweet fillings fit for a cosy dessert. Guaranteed to eat each dish with a smile on your face, there are over 50 flavoursome pies that will have you coming back for more. Indulge in favourites such as Chicken Pot Pie or Steak & Kidney Pie. Step up your pie game with something more complex such as Fillet of Beef en Croûte or Roast Smoked Salmon Koulibiaca. And when you need something sweet, fill your home with the smell of Deep-Dish Toffee Apple Pie or Lattice-Topped Cherry Pie. For every taste and every occasion, there is a glorious pie to please.

This grimoire dating from 1346 is the root of many other grimoires, and contains much practical magic that has been lost from later grimoires. It was owned and treasured by Trithemius and Dr John Dee, and was the root of Shemhamphorash, Solomonic and Enochian magic.

Hokusai created sublime works during the last thirty years of his life, right up to his death at the age of ninety. Publications have hitherto presented his long career as a chronological sequence. This book takes a fresh approach based on innovative scholarship: thematic groupings of works are related to the major spiritual and artistic quests of Hokusai’s life. Hokusai’s personal beliefs are studied here through major brush paintings, drawings, woodblock prints and illustrated books. The book gives due attention to the contribution of Hokusai’s daughter Eijo (Oi), an accomplished artist in her own right. Hokusai continually explored the mutability and minutiae of natural phenomena in his art. His late subjects and styles were based on a mastery of eclectic Japanese, Chinese and European techniques and an encyclopaedic knowledge of nature, myth, and history. Mount Fuji was the most significant model for Hokusai in his quest for immortality. This collection of Hokusai’s works draws on the finest to be found in Japan and around the world, making this the most important publication for years on Hokusai, and a uniquely valuable overview of the artist’s late career.

An eerie and evocative Victorian-set horror thriller about how a well-meaning butcher's daughter from London's Whitechapel grew up to become the baker who stuffed her pies with the flesh of Sweeney Todd's victims. Perfect for fans of Clare Whitfield, Jess Kidd and Ambrose Parry. Includes original Victorian pie recipes."You want to know the true tale of the wicked woman, the murdering monster, what baked the pies that she filled with the bits of her victims? The talk of London Town. I will tell you what you want to know, if it be the last that I do tell. And it may well be."Enclosed herewith: the hitherto untold story of Mrs. Lovett, Sweeney Todd's infamous partner in crime-a bloodcurdling correspondence of profound horror and intrigue.London, England, 1887: At the abandoned apartment of a missing young woman, a dossier of evidence is collected and sent to the Chief Inspector of the London Police for review. It contains a curious correspondence between an inquisitive journalist, Miss Emily Gibson, and the woman Gibson thinks may be the infamous Mrs. Lovett-Sweeney Todd's accomplice, who baked men into pies and sold them in her pie shop on Fleet Street.Rumours have swirled about Mrs. Lovett since the disappearance of hundreds of unwitting men decades ago-but is it actually Lovett, even if the suspected woman swears against it? As the woman relays the harrowing account of her life-from her upbringing on Butcher's Row in the unruly and perilous streets of Victorian London to her daring escape from a mad doctor-the correspondence unlocks an intricate mystery that brings Miss Gibson closer to the truth, even as that truth may cost her dearly.

A Financial Times 'Book of the Year'An intrepid reporter’s fast-paced investigation into the extraordinary life of Viktor Bout, the much-mythologised Russian fixer known as the ‘Merchant of Death’.Viktor Bout was a warlord’s warlord, according to MI6, the US National Security Council and the CIA—a terrorist facilitator, and the world’s most prolific arms dealer. They tracked him everywhere, smuggling weapons from North Korea and the former Soviet Union into the world’s bloodiest conflict zones, from Liberia to Afghanistan. Intelligence services called him a secret KGB asset; the White House, the most dangerous man in the world. But Bout strenuously denied this, describing himself as a businessman.Washington hunted Bout for more than a decade, before finally trapping him and jailing him for 25 years. Then, in December 2022, the story took an unlikely turn: President Biden pardoned Bout and sent him home to Moscow, in a prisoner exchange to rescue basketball superstar Brittney Griner, jailed in Russia on drugs charges. Soon enough, Bout cosied up with doomed Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin, Chechen strongman Ramzan Kadyrov and the Russian governors Putin had installed in occupied Ukraine.Has America’s extraordinary decision to swap Bout undermined Western interests? Has Putin put him back to work in his old business? Through candid interviews with US investigators and Viktor Bout himself, this book reveals the true story of the ‘Merchant of Death’.