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The Uncannily Strange and Brief Life of Amedeo Modigliani
Par Celia Hawkesworth, Velibor Colic. 1997
The life of the painter Amedeo Modigliani (1884-1920) was chaotic and tragically brief. Consisting of a series of vignettes, mostly…
set in the painter's studio and peopled by his lover Jeanne Hébuterne (who ended her own life the day after Modigliani's death), the prostitutes who were his occasional models and several Bohemian visitors, the novel spans the last months of Modigliani's life, evoking the strange workings of the painter's troubled and often drug-fuelled mind and its expression in his paintings, ultimately succeeding in conveying something of the intense artistic life of Paris in the first decades of the twentieth century.Amazing Escapees - A Short eBook
Par Charles Margerison. 2011
There are many forms of escape, and many reasons for needing to do it. In psychological terms, it's the 'fight…
or flight' response. Some, like Harry Houdini, turned escape into a death defying form of entertainment, but for others, escape was the only way of fleeing a miscarriage of justice or the brutality of a concentration camp. Henri Charrière attempted to escape from a penal colony in French Guiana nine times and was finally successful in 1941. Find out what happened! Mary Bryant was one of the first successful escapees from the fledgling Australian penal colony. Discover her amazing story. Hear about Rudolph Vrba's incredible escape from the Auschwitz concentration camp and his subsequent attempts to alert authorities about the atrocities there. Who can forget Bram van der Stok, the most decorated aviator in Dutch history, and one of only three men to escape from the German POW camp Stalag Luft III in "the Great Escape" of 1943. Discover more about the lives of these and others in this unique collection of eStories from the Amazing People Club. Each story comes to life through BioViews® which are short biographical narratives, similar to interviews. These inspirational stories provide a new way of learning about amazing people who made major contributions and changed our world.Gonzo Girl
Par Cheryl Della Pietra. 2015
"Long after the last drink is poured and the final gunshot fired, Cheryl Della Pietra's novel inspired by her time…
as Hunter S. Thompson's assistant will linger in your mind. This debut novel is raucous, page-turning, head-spinning, and side-splitting as it depicts a boss and mentor who is both devil and angel, and a young heroine who finds herself tested in the chaos that surrounds him. An intense story, Della Pietra's tale about writing, firearms, psychotropics, and the pros and cons of hot tubs will suck you in and take you on ride. Gonzo Girl is a ticket you want to buy." --Piper Kerman, author of Orange Is the New BlackAlley Russo is a recent college grad desperately trying to make it in the grueling world of New York publishing, but like so many who have come before her, she has no connections and has settled for an unpaid magazine internship while slinging drinks on Bleecker Street just to make ends meet. That's when she hears the infamous Walker Reade is looking for an assistant to replace the eight others who have recently quit. Hungry for a chance to get her manuscript onto the desk of an experienced editor, Alley jumps at the opportunity to help Reade finish his latest novel. After surviving an absurd three-day "trial period" involving a .44 magnum, purple-pyramid acid, violent verbal outbursts, brushes with fame and the law, a bevy of peacocks, and a whole lot of cocaine, Alley is invited to stay at the compound where Reade works. For months Alley attempts to coax the novel out of Walker page-by-page, all while battling his endless procrastination, vampiric schedule, Herculean substance abuse, mounting debt, and casual gunplay. But as the job begins to take a toll on her psyche, Alley realizes she's alone in the Colorado Rockies at the mercy of a drug-addicted literary icon who may never produce another novel--and her fate may already be sealed. A smart, rollicking ride told with heart, Gonzo Girl is a loving fictional portrait of a larger-than-life literary icon.Ballad of an American: A Graphic Biography of Paul Robeson
Par Sharon Rudahl. 2021
The first-ever graphic biography of Paul Robeson, Ballad of an American, charts Robeson’s career as a singer, actor, scholar, athlete,…
and activist who achieved global fame. Through his films, concerts, and records, he became a potent symbol representing the promise of a multicultural, multiracial American democracy at a time when, despite his stardom, he was denied personal access to his many audiences. Robeson was a major figure in the rise of anti-colonialism in Africa and elsewhere, and a tireless campaigner for internationalism, peace, and human rights. Later in life, he embraced the civil rights and antiwar movements with the hope that new generations would attain his ideals of a peaceful and abundant world. Ballad of an American features beautifully drawn chapters by artist Sharon Rudahl, a compelling narrative about his life, and an afterword on the lasting impact of Robeson’s work in both the arts and politics. This graphic biography will enable all kinds of readers—especially newer generations who may be unfamiliar with him—to understand his life’s story and everlasting global significance. Ballad of an American: A Graphic Biography of Paul Robeson is published in conjunction with Rutgers University’s centennial commemoration of Robeson’s 1919 graduation from the university. View the blad for Ballad of an American.My Kind of Happy - Part One: A new feel-good, funny serial from the Sunday Times bestseller
Par Cathy Bramley. 2020
The new feel-good, funny serial from Sunday Times bestseller Cathy Bramley about one woman's search for happiness... Fearne Lovage has…
always believed that life seems brighter with fresh flowers. She treasures the memories of her beloved grandmother's floristry and helping her arrange beautiful blooms that made everyone smile. But a family tragedy a year ago left Fearne searching for her own contentment. What she needs is a fresh start.Then a chance discovery inspires her to start a happiness list, and Fearne feels a spark of hope. Life is full of surprises, and soon Fearne is well out of her comfort zone and loving every minute of it. So when an exciting opportunity arises, will Fearne take the leap and say yes? Join Fearne in her search to discover happiness on her own terms. My Kind of Happy is a joyful and funny novel told in four parts, also featuring some of your best-loved characters from Cathy's other bestselling stories, such as The Lemon Tree Cafe and A Patchwork Family.* * * * * *Praise for Cathy Bramley from some of your other favourite authors:'A book full of warmth and kindness. I loved it' Sarah Morgan'A warm hug of a book' Phillipa Ashley'A gorgeously romantic comfort read' Rachael Lucas'Delightful' Katie Fforde'A page-turner of a story' Milly Johnson'Delightfully warm with plenty of twists and turns' Trisha AshleyBetty: The International Bestseller
Par Tiffany McDaniel. 2020
'Breahtaking'Vogue'So engrossing! Betty is a page-turning Appalachian coming-of-age story steeped in Cherokee history, told in undulating prose that settles right…
into you'Naoise Dolan, Sunday Times bestselling author of Exciting Times 'I felt consumed by this book. I loved it, you will love it' Daisy Johnson, Booker Prize shortlisted author of Everthing Under'I loved Betty: I fell for its strong characters and was moved by the story it portrayed' Fiona Mozley, Booker Prize shortlisted author of Elmet 'A girl comes of age against the knife.' So begins the story of Betty Carpenter. Born in a bathtub in 1954 to a Cherokee father and white mother, Betty is the sixth of eight siblings. The world they inhabit is one of poverty and violence - both from outside the family and also, devastatingly, from within. When her family's darkest secrets are brought to light, Betty has no choice but to reckon with the brutal history hiding in the hills, as well as the heart-wrenching cruelties and incredible characters she encounters in her rural town of Breathed, Ohio.Despite the hardship she faces, Betty is resilient. Her curiosity about the natural world, her fierce love for her sisters and her father's brilliant stories are kindling for the fire of her own imagination, and in the face of all she bears witness to, Betty discovers an escape: she begins to write.A heartbreaking yet magical story, Betty is a punch-in-the-gut of a novel - full of the crushing cruelty of human nature and the redemptive power of words. 'Not a story you will soon forget' Karen Joy Fowler, Booker Prize shortlisted author of We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves 'Shot through with moonshine, Bible verses, and folklore, Betty is about the cruelty we inflict on one another, the beauty we still manage to find, and the stories we tell in order to survive' Eowyn Ivey, author of The Snow Child'The whole book is a delight... Perfect reading whilst sipping a g & t in a beautiful garden somewhere in…
the sun!' Rosanna LeyA buried secret... Present day: Anna is focused on growing her new gardening business and renovating her late grandmother's house. But when she discovers a box hidden in a wall cavity, containing water colours of exotic plants, an old diary and a handful of seeds, she finds herself thrust into a centuries-old mystery. One that will send her halfway across the world to Kew Gardens and then onto Cornwall in search of the truth.A lady adventurer...1886: Elizabeth Trebithick is determined to fulfil her father's dying wish and continue his life's work as an adventurer and plant-hunter. So when she embarks on a perilous journey to discover a rare and miraculous flower, she will discover that the ultimate betrayal can be found even across the seas...Two women, separated by centuries. Can one mysterious flower bring them together?Readers and authors love The Botanist's Daughter:'I loved this book and really look forward to reading the next book by Kayte Nunn; perfect for reading in the garden with a glass of something cold.' Bookliterat'Fast-moving and full of surprises...while delivering a poignant and heart-warming story of romance and new beginnings ' Kate Forsyth'The Botanist's Daughter is a quick paced but mysterious read, which transports you across time and place and is filled with an abundance of flowers.' Foreword Books'A sweeping and exotic read. I was completely swept away. Perfect for readers of Kate Morton.' Lorna Cook'The Botanist's Daughter is an intriguing story about the strength of women who, for their own reasons, are willing to travel halfway across the world and end up with the same goal. It's also a family mystery that slowly reveals its secrets, just like a blooming flower.' The Bookish Gurl 5/5 starsMrs. Spitzers Garden
Par Edith Pattou. 2001
Before the Garden on Holly Street: Valentine's Day
Par Megan Attley. 2019
Get a taste of the coming series about how 'family' can come from the most unlikely of places from debut…
talent, Megan Attley. It's Valentine's Day and Abby is ready to celebrate with her long-term partner, Gavin - the music is on, the wine is breathing and Abby is wearing some (uncharacteristically) sexy underwear. There's only one problem - Gavin isn't home yet. But Abby has a very good idea where he is . . . Find out where the journeys in The Garden on Holly Street started in this free prequel to the series, before the heartwarming Part One: Spring Seedlings comes out in March.In Your Silence: The Wildham Series (The Wildham Series #3)
Par Grace Lowrie. 2019
Reeling from his ex-girlfriend Cally's disappearance, Liam, a giant of a man and teetotaller, wins a commission to restore the…
neglected grounds of a mansion, Wildham Hall, for its owner Gregory Sinclair. It is there that Liam meets Gregory's daughter Melody, who is mute. Liam has always suppressed the darkest side of himself, but as his clandestine liaison with Melody develops, she tests him and his deepest desires are dragged to the surface.The Weekend: The international bestseller, shortlisted for the Stella Prize 2020
Par Charlotte Wood. 2020
A #1 INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER One of The Times books of the year: 'Ripples with wit, insight and vitality' 'The Weekend…
is so great I am struggling to find the words to do it justice... Wood is an agonisingly gifted writer: I am now going to read all her other books!'Marian Keyes'It was refreshing to encounter a novel that so profoundly sympathises with women on the forbidding cusp of being classified as "elderly". Wood ably conveys that older women didn't used to be old, and that the experience of ageing is universally bewildering'Lionel Shriver (Observer, Books of the year) 'Riveting' Elizabeth Day 'A perfect, funny, insightful, novel about women, friendship, and ageing. I loved it'Nina Stibbe 'Authentic, funny, brutally well-observed... As with the novels of Elizabeth Strout or Anne Tyler, these are characters not written to please, but to feel true'The Sunday Times 'Glorious... Charlotte Wood joins the ranks of writers such as Nora Ephron, Penelope Lively and Elizabeth Strout' Guardian'The Weekend triumphantly brings to life the honest, inner lives of women' Independent'A lovely, lively, intelligent, funny book' Tessa Hadley 'One sharp, funny, heartbreaking and gorgeously-written package. I loved it' Paula Hawkins'One of those deceptively compact novels that continues to open doors in your mind long after the last page' Patrick GaleSylvie, Jude, Wendy and Adele have a lifelong friendship of the best kind: loving, practical, frank and steadfast. But when Sylvie dies, the ground shifts dangerously for the remaining three.These women couldn't be more different: Jude, a once-famous restaurateur with a spotless life and a long-standing affair with a married man; Wendy, an acclaimed feminist intellectual; Adele, a former star of the stage, now practically homeless. Struggling to recall exactly why they've remained close all these years, the grieving women gather for one last weekend at Sylvie's old beach house. But fraying tempers, an elderly dog, unwelcome guests and too much wine collide in a storm that brings long-buried hurts to the surface - a storm that will either remind them of the bond they share, or sweep away their friendship for good.'It's a beautiful story of love blossoming in the most unexpected places.' Phillipa Ashley, bestselling author of A Perfect Cornish…
SummerSometimes you have to dig a little deeper to get the life you want . . . Abby Hamilton's world has turned upside down in a matter of months - it seems that change is definitely in the air. But moving into Willow Court might just be the fresh start and happy distraction she needed.Meeting her intriguing new neighbours helps push Abby out of her comfort zone. Then she finds an overgrown patch of garden in desperate need of love and time - something Abby has in spades! Throwing herself into bringing the garden back to life, Abby discovers that new beginnings can come from the most surprising places... An uplifting, feel-good novel, perfect for fans of Holly Hepburn, Heidi Swain and Isabelle Broom.Readers and authors love 'The Garden on Holly Street''An inspirational and touching read' Heidi Swain, bestselling author of 'Poppy's Recipe for Life''I sat up until 4AM reading this book I just couldn't put it down' Amazon Reviewer'The Garden on Holly Street by Megan Attley is a wonderful, heartwarming read about friendship and community, overcoming loneliness and finding happiness in unexpected places. It's so uplifting!' Cressida McLaughlin'The Garden on Holly Street is a stunning and sweet novel I beg you to read. It is the definition of the perfect comfort read, with friends waiting for you between the pages.' Chocolate 'n' Waffles'A heart-warming story about a community coming together. I loved the residents of Holly Street!' Catherine Miller'I was hooked all the way to the end it was a lovely read' Amazon Reviewer'A truly scrumptious, 5* read! This is such a sweet, endearing, and ultimately uplifting story.' Lucy ColemanOne of Publishers Weekly Best Books of 2018!Big Bad Cowboy is Carly Bloom's sexy Western romance about a cowboy who…
comes home to save his ranch, only to find love along the way. Perfect for fans of Harper Sloan, Kelly Elliott, Diana Palmer, Jennifer Ryan and Jessica Clare.'This story is full of hilarious moments, heart, and tons of swoon-worthy scenes!....I just loved this book SO MUCH! Big Bad Cowboy was a five star read for me' 5 * review'This heartwarming, humorous, captivating read will give you hours of entertainment while its characters live on in your heart long after the last page' 5* review'It's witty, sexy as hell, and full of Texas Charm' 5* review'One of the best romances I've read in a long time' 5* review Travis Blake had dreams that stretched beyond Big Verde, Texas. He never planned on running his family ranch or becoming a father, but when his little brother gets into trouble, Travis must return home to pick up the pieces. With the ranch struggling, this big, bad cowboy needs all the extra income he can get. But he never expected to compete for a big job with the irresistible woman he shared a steamy, unforgettable, no-strings Halloween fling with. Trouble is she has no idea it was him...Maggie Mackey needs this job and she knows she can do it better than anyone - especially Travis Blake. It's too bad her mind is occupied with memories of that sexy, masked man dressed as the Big Bad Wolf. The texts he's still sending make her blush and leave her wanting more. But what happens when the masks come off and Maggie finds herself face-to-face with everything she never knew she wanted?Look out for the next Once Upon a Time in Texas westerns, Cowboy Come Home and Must Love Cowboys!Praise for Carly Bloom and Big Bad Cowboy:'Sexy, smart, sensational!' Lori Wilde, New York Times bestselling author 'Big Bad Cowboy is sweet and sexy!' Jennifer Ryan, New York Times bestselling author 'Fans of Susan Elizabeth Phillips will delight in this funny, optimistic, quirky contemporary' Publishers Weekly, starred reviewThe Garden on Holly Street Part One: Spring Seedlings
Par Megan Attley. 2019
Part One of the new feel-good series about finding your soulmates and your place in the world for fans of…
Cathy Bramley, Holly Hepburn, Heidi Swain and Kirsty Greenwood. Meet the neighbours of Willow Court . . .Newly single Abby has just moved in after finding an explicit message on her boyfriend's phone that was definitely not from her. Then, when she thought things couldn't possibly get any worse, she loses her job. Having been in a relationship for so many of her thirty-six years, she feels utterly helpless and in need of something - but she has no idea what that could be. Seven-year-old Ernie spends much of his day playing Zombies in the communal gardens. It's more a demolition site than a flowerbed, but he loves it out there. It helps him forget that his mum isn't around and that his dad is away so much with work. Lucky for them both, Ernie and Abby are about to become good friends. But only after they have run-ins with Arthur. The old man likes his quiet and is a stickler for routine. He's been that way since his treasured wife, Julia, died a year ago. Although Arthur isn't aware of it, he's slowly pulled away from life and everything he ever loved about it - what's the point, anyway, without Julia by his side? And that eyesore of a garden reminds him every day of losing her . . .All three are lonely, all three are lost. But with a little nurturing, can they find their way back to happiness?Dress Your Family In Corduroy And Denim
Par David Sedaris. 2004
'No one has a turn of phrase like David Sedaris. This series of essays about his life and family is…
a joy from start to finish' Adam KayDavid Sedaris plays in the snow with his sisters.He goes on vacation with his family.He gets a job selling drinks.He attends his brother's wedding.He mops his sister's floor.He gives directions to a lost traveller.He eats a hamburger.He has his blood sugar tested.It all sounds so normal, doesn't it?In his new book David Sedaris lifts the corner of ordinary life, revealing the absurdity teeming below its surface. His world is alive with obscure desires and hidden motives - a world where forgiveness is automatic and an argument can be the highest form of love. Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim finds one of the wittiest and most original writers at work today at the peak of his form.'Thoroughly entertaining. The characters are warm and well drawn. I thoroughly recommend this book if you are looking for a…
light-hearted read. 5 stars' SUE ROBERTS'I loved spending time on Shetland with this story!' CHRISTINA COURTENAYIf you love Lucy Diamond, Phillipa Ashley, Sue Moorcroft and Holly Martin, you'll LOVE Erin Green's novels of love, life and laughter!'Wow! Reading this book was like comfrey tea. The more it fermented the better it got' 5* reader review'What a lovely and uplifting read. I really really enjoyed it. Definitely one of my faves from 2021 so far!' 5* reader review'A perfect heartwarming read which has provided a great escape' 5* reader review'Loved this thoroughly feel good read & now I'm just off into my garden to plant some carrot seedlings!' 5* reader reviewFriendship can blossom in the most unexpected places...When Jemima loses her beloved grandfather, keeping his allotment alive seems like the ideal way to feel close to him. She's never fitted in before - is this her chance to find where she really belongs?Finally Melissa has the allotment she's been longing for to distract her while her husband works away - even if it is chest-high in weeds. But when she looks for help in the wrong place, she finds she's the hottest topic of gossip. For Dottie, her allotment and part-time job of 'a little light dusting' at Lerwick Manor keeps a spring in her eighty-year-old step - and her ears open for secrets.Though generations apart, these three women are about to find a common bond in a new-found passion and that true friendship can grow anywhere.Spend your holiday season at gorgeous Lerwick - look out for From Shetland, With Love at Christmas!You are invited to holiday at gorgeous Rose Cottage - where friendship, home comforts and romance are guaranteed... look for New Beginnings at Rose Cottage - out now! 'Utterly charming...an uplifting and optimistic story' Hot Brands Cool PlacesIf you don't ask you'll never know... don't miss Taking a Chance on Love - out now!'A perfect story full of hope, love and friendship' 5* reader review'An uplifting, engaging and heart warming book. Loved it' 5* reader review'An amazing book and makes you really think that your dreams of changing your life can really happen' 5* reader review'The author has the knack of making her characters spring off the pages so real that you'll care about them' Peterborough TelegraphMy Sisters And Me: THE Hilarious, Feel-Good Book To Curl Up With
Par Lisa Dickenson. 2018
Meet the Lake sisters... 'Fresh, funny and hugely entertaining' CATHY BRAMLEY'The perfect book!' HEIDI SWAIN'Cracking, cosy, emotional and witty'KIRSTY GREENWOOD…
'You are all going to completely fall in love with this story' HOLLY MARTIN 'A feel-good hoot of a read' HEAT The BRAND NEW feel-good, kick-ass novel about sisterhood and second chances. Perfect for fans of Sophie Kinsella, Lindsey Kelk, Mhairi McFarlane and Anna Bell. **** They're fixing up their childhood home. It's going to get messy. When Willow Lake asks her daughters for help renovating the family home, each has a reason to hesitate about returning to Maplewood . . . For quiet and bookish Emmy going back to the town that ridiculed her fills her with dread. The youngest Noelle is perfectly comfortable in herself now, but once wanted to fit in so badly that she walked away from her first love. A first love who still lives in Maplewood. And outspoken Rae is painfully aware of how much the townspeople hurt her little sisters growing up. She didn't protect them then, but there's no way she'll let history repeat itself. The sisters agree to go home and make the best of it. After all if they've changed over the years, it's possible the townspeople have too . . . isn't it? The BRAND NEW feel-good, kick-ass novel about sisterhood and second chances. Perfect for fans of Sophie Kinsella, Lindsey Kelk, Mhairi McFarlane and Anna Bell. Praise for Lisa Dickenson 'PERFECT' - Miranda Dickenson 'FLAWLESS' - Holly Martin 'Sprinkled with humour' - Cathy Bramley 'HILARIOUS' - Fabulous 'Will have you laughing out loud... A must read' - Daily Express 'DELICIOUS' - Jo Thomas 'A classic' - Sun 'SPARKLING' - Sunday Express 'Feisty, fun, and fierce!' - Ali McNamara 'HEART-WARMING' - Red 'Perfect poolside reading' - The Lady 'LOVELY' - Marie Claire 'UPLIFTING' - BellaThe Dare and the Doctor: Winner Takes All 3 (Winner Takes All)
Par Kate Noble. 2016
From Kate Noble, part of the sensational writing team behind The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, comes the third novel in a…
dazzling and superbly witty historical romance series that's part Trading Places, part Pride and Prejudice. Perfect for fans of Julia Quinn, Stephanie Laurens and Tessa Dare.The best of friends might be the perfect match . . . What's the worst that can happen?Margaret Babcock had always been content with her quiet life in the country. But with her late mother's words 'What's the worst that could happen?' ringing in her ears, she longs to spread her wings. So when her long-time correspondent Dr Rhys Gray invites her to London, she eagerly accepts.Many happy hours are spent touring the wonders of the city - purely as friends, of course. But would friends miss each other so fiercely when they're apart? Or feel such a spark together? And matters are complicated even further when it transpires that Rhys may be promised to another. Will their 'friendship' survive?Be dazzled by Kate Noble's previous Winner Takes All books: The Game and the Governess and The Lie and the Lady.Barrel Fever: Stories And Essays
Par David Sedaris. 1994
In David Sedaris's world, no one is safe and no cow is sacred. A manic cross between Mark Leyner, Fran…
Lebowitz and the National Enquirer, Sedaris's collection of stories and essays is a rollicking tour through the American Zeitgeist: a man who is loved too much flees the heavyweight champion of the world; a teenage suicide tried to incite a lynch mob at her funeral; and in his essays, David Sedaris considers the hazards of rewards of smoking, writing for Giantess magazine, and living with his scrappy brother Paul, aka 'The Rooster'.With a perfect eye and a voice infused with as much empathy as wit, Sedaris writes and reads stories and essays that target the soulful ridiculousness of our behaviour. Barrel Fever is like a blind date with modern life - and anything can happen.Quantick's Quite Difficult Quiz Book
Par David Quantick. 2021
'Best quiz book ever'HARRY HILL'Quantick is the Captain Beefheart of quizzing'MARK BILLINGHAM'The antidote to every deathly dull pub quiz you've…
ever been to. This is how a quiz book should be written - where having fun is the most important outcome'GARY WIGGLESWORTH, author of The Book Lover's Quiz BookDistinctive, unusual, difficult, but spectacularly entertaining, this quiz book is to other pub quizzes what Trivial Pursuit was to Ludo, what The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy is like to the Rhyl phone directory, and what the Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost is like compared to a kid's scooter. Loads better.David Quantick works regularly with Armando Iannucci, including on the new HBO series, Avenue 5. He won an Emmy as part of the writing team on Veep, a BAFTA for Harry Hill's TV Burp and a Writers' Guild Award for The Thick of It. For over fifteen years, David has also hosted his own very popular quizzes at festivals, events, pubs, clubs, cinemas and in tents: the quizzes range is broad and the questions are tricky. They're not about statistics, there's no sport, the picture rounds are conceptual, and there's sometimes a round called 'Martin Amis Character or Blur Song'. Each quiz is funny and entertaining even if you don't know the answers. The quizzes are informative and opinionated. In some ways, they're like stand-up with questions. This is a book based on David's excellent live quizzes, described by many people as 'quite difficult'.But they are quizzes. Quite difficult quizzes that tax the brain and make it go in directions it didn't know it could. That's not to say the questions are fiendishly scientific and packed with questions about dates and the periodic table. They're about books and music, movies and actors, strange events and interesting quotes. You don't leave a Quantick quiz knowing how many times Spurs have won the League, but you may know how many Shirleys have sung a Bond theme or how George V made the front page of The Times.The effectiveness of David's quizzes is down to their unusual variety and almost stream-of-consciousness leaps and bounds of factual imagination. There's not even much point in cheating, because the answers often require mental agility as well as just knowing where Calais is (it's in France, but it wasn't always, even when it was).David's quiz book includes twenty-five main quizzes, four Christmas quizzes and four specialist quizzes, so thirty-three quizzes in total. Entertaining in its own right, this is also a conceptual yet very practical guide to staging excellent quizzes of your own.