Ian Thompson Books

Explore the Yorkshire town of Whitby in this fully illustrated A-Z guide to its history, people and places.

Warmonger, womanizer, and autocrat, Louis XIV may also have been history's most fanatical gardener. At Versailles, twelve miles outside Paris, France's self-styled "Sun King" created not only Europe's most lavish palace, but, beginning in 1661, the most extensive gardens the Western world has ever seen. Assisting Louis in this enterprise was the low-born gardener André Le Nôtre, whose character and temperament were as different from those of his sovereign as it is possible to conceive. Where Louis was ruthless and relentlessly driven, Le Nôtre was down to earth, witty and amiable – and also phenomenally talented. While Louis could strike fear into the highest in the land with just a look, Le Nôtre enjoyed the king's trust and friendship for more than 40 years. In this lavishly illustrated book, Ian Thompson tells more comprehensively than ever before the intertwined stories of an extraordinary garden and an extraordinary friendship.

This book weaves in all the reasons why the residents of Scotland love to live here; landscape, beautiful scenery, an air of mystery and the great history of the land. Thompson conveys Verne's deep fascination with Scotland and takes the reader on a journey with Verne from his beloved Heart of Midlothian to exploring in the Highlands. This book also explains how Verne's love for Scotland flooded into his literature. Jules Verne, pioneer in the science fiction genre, wrote world- famous books including Journey to the Centre of the Earth and Around the World in 80 Days. His literary legacy is still celebrated today, his books have scarcely been out of print and have spawned a host of films and TV adaptations.

Celebrated poet and broadcaster Ian McMillan transports you to a world of childhoods by the sea in this warm, darkly funny and sublimely crafted book.

Maggie Houlihan's journey from an abusive marriage to becoming a prominent figure in a small coastal town highlights her resilience and determination. Choosing poverty over a toxic relationship, she navigates the complexities of her new life, ultimately becoming a controversial yet influential presence in her community. Her story sheds light on themes of empowerment, survival, and the impact of personal choices on public perception.

A puddle, lighthouses, the financial crisis (in three parts) or seeing a goal scored from a passing train, these typically sharp-eyed and brilliantly inventive McMillan poems often can't help being very funny, while also being, as usual, more serious than they seem, and more hurt.

A practical, light-hearted introduction to intonation.

Kniha sa zaoberá vývojom automobilov, lodí, lietadiel a kozmických lodí od primitívnych začiatkov až po ich súčasné najmodernejšie typy. Informácie sú zaujímavé, zrozumiteľné pre strednú a starší školský vek.