Penguin Group

Dana Thomas, 2008

Fashion may be fabulous, but what price true luxury? With incredible access to the glamorous world of the luxury brand, Deluxe goes deep inside the workings of today’s world of profit margins and market share to discover the fate of real luxury. From the importance of fashion owners, to red carpet stars and the seasonal ‘must-have’ handbags, Dana Thomas shows how far illustrious houses have moved from their roots. Thomas witnesses how these ‘luxury’ handbags are no longer one in a million, discovers why luxury brand clothing doesn’t last as long, and finds out just who is making your perfume. From terrifying raids on the Chinese sweat shops to the daunting chic of Paris workshops, from the handcrafting and economics of early-twentieth century designers to the violent truth behind the ‘harmless’ fakes, Deluxe goes deep into the world of extravagance, and asks: where can true luxury go now? Подробнее

Until It's Over

Nicci French, 2009

Young and athletic, London cycle courier Astrid Bell is bad luck — for other people. First Astrid's neighbour Peggy Farrell accidentally knocks her off her bike ... and not long after is found bludgeoned to death. Then a few days later, Astrid is asked to pick up a package from a wealthy woman called Ingrid de Soto, only to find the client murdered in the hall of her luxurious home. For the police it's more than coincidence. For Astrid and her six housemates it's the beginning of a nightmare: suspicious glances, bitter accusations, fallings out and a growing fear that the worst is yet to come … Because if it's true that bad luck comes in threes — who will be the next to die? Подробнее

The Masters and Commanders: The Military Geniuses Who Led The West To Victory In World War II

Andrew Roberts, 2009

»Masters and Commanders» describes how four titanic figures shaped the grand strategy of the West during the Second World War. Each was exceptionally tough-willed and strong minded, and each was certain that he knew best how to win the war. Yet each knew that he had to win at least two of the others over in order to get his strategy adopted. The book traces the mutual suspicion and admiration, the rebuffs and the charm, the often explosive disagreements and wary reconciliations which resulted. Подробнее

The Rotters' Club

Jonathan Coe, 2008

Jonathan Coe's widely acclaimed novel is set in the 1970s against a distant backdrop of strikes, terrorist attacks and growing racial tension. A group of young friends inherit the editorship of their school magazine and begin to put their own distinctive spin onto events in the wider world. A zestful comedy of personal and social upheaval, The Rotters' Club captures a fateful moment in British politics — the collapse of 'Old Labour' — and imagines its impact on the topsy-turvy world of the bemused teenager: a world in which a lost pair of swimming trunks can be just as devastating as an IRA bomb. Подробнее

The Memory Game

Nicci French, 2009

You remember an idyllic childhood. But your memory is deceitful. And possibly deadly... When a skeleton is unearthed in the Martellos' garden, Jane Martello is shocked to learn it's that of her childhood friend, Natalie, who went missing twenty-five years ago. Encouraged by a therapist to recover lost memories, Jane hopes to find out what really took place when she was a child — and what happened to Natalie. But in learning the truth about hers and Natalie's past, is Jane putting her own future at terrible risk? Подробнее

In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto

Michael Pollan, 2009

This book is a celebration of food. By food, Michael Pollan means real, proper, simple food — not the kind that comes in a packet, or has lists of unpronounceable ingredients, or that makes nutritional claims about how healthy it is. More like the kind of food your great-grandmother would recognize. In «Defence of Food» is a simple invitation to junk the science, ditch the diet and instead rediscover the joys of eating well. By following a few pieces of advice (Eat at a table — a desk doesn't count. Don't buy food where you'd buy your petrol!), you will enrich your life and your palate, and enlarge your sense of what it means to be healthy and happy. It's time to fall in love with food again. Подробнее

The Ascent of Money: A Financial History of the World

Niall Ferguson, 2009

Bread, cash, dosh, dough, loot. Call it what you like, it matters now more than ever. In «The Ascent of Money», Niall Ferguson shows that finance is the foundation of all human progress and the lifeblood of history. From the cash injection that funded the Italian Renaissance to the stock market bubble that sparked the French Revolution, from the bonds that fuelled Britain's war effort to the Wall Street Crash and today's meltdown, this is the story of boom and bust as it's never been told before. Whether you're scraping by or rolling in it, there's no better time to understand the ascent of money. Подробнее

The Conscience of a Liberal: Reclaiming America from the Right

Paul Krugman, 2009

In «The Conscience of a Liberal» Paul Krugman, one of the US’s most respected economists and outspoken commentators, lays out his vision of a New Deal for a fairer society. After the Second World War it seemed that, in the West, society was gradually becoming more equal. Welfare States had been established in many countries, there was a general reduction in income inequality and in America Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal seemed to ensure strong democratic values and broadly shared prosperity. So what went wrong? Why, in the past thirty years, has the gap between the poor and the super-rich become such a gulf? Why are we so disillusioned with the political system? And what can be done about this huge economic inequality and bitter polarization? Krugman argues that the time is ripe for another era of great reform. Here he outlines a programme for change, explaining what can be done to narrow the wealth gap. And he shows how a new political coalition can both support and be supported by reform, making our society not just more equal but more democratic. The Conscience of a Liberal promises to reshape public debate and become a touchstone work. Подробнее

For Crying Out Loud: The World According to Clarkson Volume 3

Jeremy Clarkson, 2009

The publication of «The World According to Clarkson» in 2004 launched a multi-million-copy bestselling phenomenon. But to no avail. Jeremy's one-man war on crimes against common sense has not yet been won. And our hero's still scratching his head at the madness of it all. But it's not all bad. He's learned a little along the way, including: Why binge drinking is good for you The worst word in the English language The remarkable secret of eternal youth The pleasure and pain of middle-aged drumming The problem with America And how to dispose of a seal For anyone who's ever been driven to wonder just what is the matter with people these days, «For Crying Out Loud» is the perfect riposte. Surprising, fearless and always laugh-out-loud funny, Clarkson's back. And he's got a point... Подробнее

Allen Carr's Easy Way to Stop Smoking: Be a Happy Non-smoker for the Rest of Your Life

Allen Carr, 2009

The revolutionary international bestseller that will stop you smoking – for good. ‘If you follow my instructions you will be a happy non-smoker for the rest of your life.’ That's a strong claim from Allen Carr, but as the world's leading and most successful quit smoking expert, Allen was right to boast! Reading this book is all you need to give up smoking. You can even smoke while you read. There are no scare tactics, you will not gain weight and stopping will not feel like deprivation. If you want to kick the habit then go for it. Allen Carr has helped millions of people become happy non-smokers. His unique method removes your psychological dependence on cigarettes and literally sets you free. Accept no substitute. Five million people can't be wrong. Подробнее

Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth and Happiness Every day we make decisions: about the things that we buy or the meals we eat; about the investments we make or our children’s health and education; even the causes that we champion or the planet itself. Unfortunately, we often choose poorly. We are all susceptible to biases that can lead us to make bad decisions that make us poorer, less healthy and less happy. And, as Thaler and Sunstein show, no choice is ever presented to us in a neutral way. By knowing how people think, we can make it easier for them to choose what is best for them, their families and society. Using dozens of eye-opening examples the authors demonstrate how to nudge us in the right directions, without restricting our freedom of choice. Nudge offers a unique new way of looking at the world for individuals and governments alike. This is one of the most engaging, provocative and important books you will ever read. Подробнее

Luck of Devil: The Story of Operation Valkyrie

Ian Kershaw, 2009

'It is now time that something was done. But the man who has the courage to do something must do it in the knowledge that he will go down in German history as a traitor. If he does not, however, he will be a traitor to his own conscience' — Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg, July 1944. The July 1944 plot to kill Adolf Hitler was a desperate attempt by a group of senior officers to redeem Germany's honour and end the Second World War. They were heroic because they knew their chances of success were slight and that the result of their failure would undoubtedly be a terrible death.They wanted to leave a message for later generations: that there were Germans who understood the evils of Nazism and were willing to act against it. This extraordinary story is the basis for Bryan Singer's major new film «Valkyrie», due to be released in February 2009. Published for the first time as a separate book, «Luck of the Devil» is taken from Ian Kershaw's bestselling «Hitler 1936-1945: Nemesis» and is a brilliant account of just what happened in those fateful days at Hitler's Wolf's Lair headquarters, when his opponents came so astonishingly close to assassinating what is one of the modern era's most terrible figures. Подробнее

Asta's Book

Barbara Vine, 2009

It is 1905. Asta and her husband Rasmus have come to East London from Denmark with their two little boys. With Rasmus constantly away on business, Asta keep loneliness and isolation at bay by writing a diary. These diaries, published over seventy years later, reveal themselves to be more than a mere journal. For they seem to hold they key to an unsolved murder and to the mystery of a missing child. It falls to Asta's granddaughter Ann to unearth the buried secrets of nearly a century before. Подробнее

A Fatal Inversion

Barbara Vine, 2009

In the long hot summer of 1976, a group of young people are camping in Wyvis Hall. Adam, Rufus, Shiva, Vivien and Zosie hardly ask why they are there, what they are doing or how they are to live; they scavenge, steal and sell the family heirlooms.In short, they exist. Ten years later, the bodies of a woman and a child are discovered in the Hall's animal cemetery. Which woman? Whose child? Подробнее

This Charming Man

Marian Keyes, 2009

‘Everybody remembers where they were the day the heard that Paddy de Courcy was getting married’. But for four women in particular, the big news about the charismatic politician is momentous… Stylist Lola has every reason to be interested in who Paddy’s marrying because she’s his girlfriend, yet she definitely isn’t the bride-to-be… Journalist Grace wants the inside story on the de Courcy engagement and thinks Lola holds the key… While Graces sister Marnie still can’t forget her first love: a certain Paddy de Courcy. And what of the soon-to-be Mrs de Courcy? Alicia will do anything for her fiance and is determined to be the perfect wife. But does she know the real Paddy? Four very different women. One awfully charming man. And the dark secret that binds them all… Подробнее

The Birthday Present

Barbara Vine, 2009

The latest Vine novel, published by Viking in August, is called The Birthday Present, and I believe it is destined to take its place beside the very best of her novels. It has a sensational plot: a right-wing government minister is conducting an illicit sado-masochistic affair with a young married woman. As a surprise birthday present, he arranges for her to be 'kidnapped' off the street, and taken — bound and blindfolded — to a secret destination where he will be waiting. But she fails to turn up, and he soon finds out that something has gone horribly wrong. Подробнее

Plague Ship

Clive Cussler, 2009

For four novels, Clive Cussler has charted the exploits of the Oregon, a clandestine spy ship completely dilapidated on the outside, but on the inside packed with sophisticated weaponry and intelligence-gathering equipment. Captained by the rakish, one-legged Juan Cabrillo and manned by a crew of former military and spy personnel, it is a private enterprise, available for any government agency that can afford it — and now Cussler sends the Oregon on its most extraordinary mission yet. The crew has just completed a top-secret mission against Iran in the Persian Gulf, when they come across a cruise ship adrift in the sea. Hundreds of bodies litter its deck, and as Cabrillo tries to determine what happened, explosions rack the length of the ship. Barely able to escape with his own life and that of the liner's sole survivor, Cabrillo finds himself plunged into a mystery as intricate — and as perilous — as any he has ever known, and pitted against a cult with monstrously lethal plans for the human race... plans he may already be too late to stop. «Plague Ship» is a high-stakes, high-seas journey that proves once again that Cussler is the master of high octane adventure. Подробнее

The Widows of Eastwick

John Updike, 2009

More than three decades have passed since the events described in John Updike’s The Witches of Eastwick. The three divorcées — Alexandra, Jane, and Sukie — have left town, remarried, and become widows. They cope with their grief and solitude as widows do: they travel the world, to such foreign lands as Canada, Egypt, and China, and renew old acquaintance. Why not, Sukie and Jane ask Alexandra, go back to Eastwick for the summer? The old Rhode Island seaside town, where they indulged in wicked mischief under the influence of the diabolical Darryl Van Horne, is still magical for them. Now Darryl is gone, and their lovers of the time have aged or died, but enchantment remains in the familiar streets and scenery of the village, where they enjoyed their lusty primes as free and empowered women. And, among the local citizenry, there are still those who remember them, and wish them ill. How they cope with the lingering traces of their evil deeds, the shocks of a mysterious counterspell, and the advancing inroads of old age, form the burden on Updike’s delightful, ominous sequel. Подробнее

Tell Me Something

Adele Parks, 2009

Elizabeth has wanted two things her entire life to keep her happy and fulfilled — an Italian husband and lots of rosy-cheeked bambini. The first is ticked off now she's bagged dark and sexy Roberto, the second is proving harder to achieve. But when Roberto loses his job and decides to leave London for Italy and the family business, Elizabeth hopes the change in lifestyle might help her relax and boost her chances of conceiving. Except, no matter how much ice cream she eats in the sun-drenched piazza, it's impossible to relax when her wily mother-in-law (the original black widow) seems hellbent on destroying her marriage.The language barrier is tricky, as is Roberto's beautiful, significant ex who practically lives next door. Is Elizabeth's desire for a baby enough to hold her marriage together or is it ripping it apart? And why is she suddenly craving the company of a gorgeous, blond American stranger? Her filthy, flirty thoughts about him are totally inappropriate. Yet undeniably temperatures are rising ...and it's nothing to do with the Mediterranean sun. Подробнее

The Lost Diaries of Adrian Mole, 1999-2001

Sue Townsend, 2009

Adrian Mole has entered early middle age and is now 'the same age as Jesus was when he died' (33). Father to the grammatically challenged Glenn, and William, who takes a 'Big Boy Arouser' condom to nursery school as his innocent contribution to a hot air balloon project, Adrian is a single parent who has an on/off relationship with his housing officer, Pamela Pigg. Will she help him to move from the notorious Gaitskell estate before William joins the Mad Frankie Fraser fan club? In the meantime, Adrian continues to be scandalised by his irresponsible parents who are conducting a matrimonial square-dance with the Braithwaites — the parents of the beautiful but unobtainable Pandora, who is ruthlessly pursuing her ambition to be New Labour's first woman P.M. — and to confide in his diary. His current worries include: indestructible head-lice; his raging jealousy when his accomplished half-brother Brett arrives on his doorstep; moral decline in «The Archers»; his desperate attachment to two therapists; his mild addiction to Starburst (formerly Opal Fruits); a small earthquake in Leicester; and, perhaps most significantly, the dawn of a new millennium. Подробнее

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