Are you an art-movie buff or a blockbuster enthusiast? Can you reel off a list of New Wave masterpieces, or are you more interested in classic Westerns? Most of us love the movies in one form or another, but very few of us have the all-round knowledge we'd like. 30-Second Cinema offers an immersion course, served up in neat, entertaining shorts. These 50 topics deal with cinema's beginnings, with its growth as an industry, with key stars and producers, with global movements--from German Expressionism to New Hollywood--and with the movies as a business. By the time you've worked your way through, you'll be able to identify the work of George Melies, define auteur theory or mumblecore in a couple of pithy phrases, and you'll have broadened your knowledge of global cinema to embrace not only Bollywood but Nollywood, too. All in the time it takes to watch a couple of trailers.

The 50 fundamentals of his work, life and legacy, each explained in half a minute Spend 30 seconds a day in the company of a colossus from the world of science, and you will soon have his whole story-both his scientific attainments and his extraordinary life-in your head. Einstein was not only an unparalleled scientific genius, but also a human rights campaigner, a political activist, and the iconic archetype of the mad professor. Is it any wonder that he continues to fascinate scientists and non-scientists alike? 30-Second Einstein will show you why at approximately the speed of light. An internationally bestselling series presents essential concepts in a mere 30 seconds, 300 words, and one image Einstein's complex life and theories, explained concisely and without jargon The quickest way to understand einstein's starring role in the history of science

From Rubik's cubes to Godel's incompleteness theorem, everything mathematical explained, with colour illustrations, in half a minute. Maths is enjoying a resurgence in popularity. So how can you avoid being the only dinner guest who has no idea who Fermat was, or what he proved? The more you know about Maths, the less of a science it becomes. 30 Second Maths takes the top 50 most engaging mathematical theories, and explains them to the general reader in half a minute, using nothing more than two pages, 200 words and one picture. Read at your own pace, and discover that maths can be more fascinating than you ever imagined.

Whether you're looking for a new author or genre to explore, 30-Second Literature provides you with summaries of the major literary genres, styles and histories. Part of the 30-Second series, this introductory guide to literature is split into 7 chapters that cover: The History of Literature – from Sanskrit to Modernism The Novel – in all its glorious genres Literary Prose – non-fiction from diaries to philosophies Poetry – from the sonnet to the haiku Drama – interesting theatrical forms and genres Literary Devices – the techniques authors use in their works Literary Styles – the features and history of different styles of writing Each topic is summarized in 300 words and contains a small bibliography for you to expand your bookworm horizons. You can also brush up on literary terms ahead of that book-club meeting, as each chapter features its own glossary. Interspersed throughout the book are profiles of key literary figures that have impacted one of our most beloved hobbies. Literature is not just any written work; it is work that has stood the test of time, that is most widely thought to be of lasting merit. Just how particular books are elevated to literary status, reflects the values and judgements of society and mirrors the development of civilisation. This book is a broad overview of the multitude of voices used to describe our human experience. If you like this, you might also be interested in 30-Second Mythology . . .

The 50 most significant principles and styles in architecture, each explained in half a minute. The bestselling 30-Second series offers a new approach to learning about those subjects you feel you should really understand. Every title takes a popular topic and dissects it into the 50 most significant ideas at its heart. Each idea, no matter how complex, is explained using a mere two pages, 300 words, and one picture: all easily digested in only half a minute. 30-Second Architecture presents you with the foundations of architectural knowledge. Expert authors are challenged to define and describe both the principles upon which architects depend, and the styles with which they put those principles into practice. So, if you want to know your arch from your elevation, and your Baroque from your Brutalism, or you wish to top off your next dinner party with a stirring speech on how form follows function, this is the quickest way to build your argument.

When was radium discovered? Who are Dmitri Mendeleev and Glenn T. Seaborg? Who discovered uranium's radioactivity? Which element is useful for dating the age of Earth? And why doesn't gold have a scientific name? 30-Second Elements presents you with the very foundations of chemical knowledge, explaining concisely the 50 most significant chemical elements. This book uses helpful glossaries and tables to fast track your knowledge of the other 68 elements and the relationships between all of them.

Almost two centuries since his death, Napoleon Bonaparte remains the subject of vigorous debate. On one side are those with a romantic attachment to ideals of liberty and democracy, on the other are those who would rather see him as an ambitious warlord, bent on establishing a colonial empire in the heart of Europe. 30-Second Napoleon takes in both viewpoints, presenting an engrossing introduction to one of the most recognizable figures in history and one of extraordinary interest whichever point of view you take, romantic or pragmatic: one who did much to modernize Europe, and who stood for both a powerful state and for rational and efficient government, plus such principles as equality before the law and the career open to talent--achievements that explain his continued fascination for so many people.

For fans of The Holiday & Letters to Juliet. Remember what it was like to feel twenty-one again . . . but with all the wisdom of thirty-five. Book 2 of The Irish Heart Series Original Trilogy. Elizabeth Lara has just finished her tour of Ireland. She’s moved on to London, but the dashing Connor Bannon isn’t far from her thoughts as she searches for Mags’ lost love. From dinner with the Queen, to an unexpected encounter with someone from her past, to the tabloids—London proves to be more excitement than she expected. Will she find Mags’ Matthieu? Will Connor be able to win her back or will she choose her gorgeous friend Wes? Both men will take her to exclusively exotic locations and bring her face to face with royalty. Find out what happens next in Beth’s life as she travels, experiences more romance, makes her way through the box of seventeen letters—and continues to find the missing pieces to her life. Come journey with Elizabeth in a story that explores the twists and turns of life and the magic of reconnection. This is more than a romantic story—it’s an invitation to rediscover life’s possibilities. Lose your way and find your life in The Irish Heart Series. READING ORDER: The Irish Heart Series Original Trilogy: The Irish Cottage: Finding Elizabeth (Book 1) The London Flat: Second Chances (Book 2) The Paris Apartment: Fated Journey (Book 3) . . . and for the readers who wanted more . . . 5 years later . . . The Irish Heart Series Continuing Trilogy: The Irish Castle: Keeping Elizabeth (Book 4) The Irish Secret: Wild Fire (Book 5) The Irish Wedding: A Novel Romance (Book 6) Juliet Gauvin’s books are feel-good romantic women’s fiction. They include international travel, holidays, contemporary women, and epic love. INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR Q: How did you come up with The Irish Cottage? Juliet: Well the story came together in pieces. I love Ireland, I've always been attracted to the country, the people, the music, the dancing. I've spent time traveling the country so I knew I wanted to set the book there. And then the character of Elizabeth was based on a lot of the experiences I had when I was in law in San Francisco. When I was immersed in that world--it was a very dark time, and I really did lose my way--like Elizabeth. I even let long-time relationships die because I was in such a dark place, it was difficult to see anything past my own nose. So yeah, I knew I wanted my heroine to be a "recovering attorney" and I knew that I wanted her to have this great love affair in Ireland that would open her up to the truly great possibilities life has to offer. Q: And what about Connor Bannon? Is he based on anyone? Juliet: Ummm...he might be an amalgamation of several people, but I think I'll refrain from commenting further--have to keep some of it to myself, don't I? Q: Why did you elect to write romantic women's fiction as opposed to traditional contemporary romance? Juliet: I knew I wanted to write in the romantic women's fiction space because writing a story where the heroine's evolution is paramount--not just her relationship with Connor--is what really gets me, drives me--I love those types of stories. I like writing herstory--women's lives and journeys are so complex--I wanted to write a series that included a great love story, but didn't sacrifice the heroine's journey in any way. It's about Elizabeth finding her way--we all need to find our way. Sometimes people help with that, but ultimately each of us has to find our own path...and we all need love too. Q: Why London and then Paris? Juliet: I lived in London for a time--I love it so much. It's one of the best cities on the planet, really. When I closed my eyes and thought about where Elizabeth's journey would take her I knew London would be next. And Paris--I lived in Lyon for a time as well and I've spent a lot of time in Paris so it seemed only natural for the final book to be set there. I also set certain things in motion in The Irish Cottage that make it impossible to end anywhere else--I knew I wanted to end it in France. Plus, Elizabeth has a major sweet tooth, like me, and Paris has the most amazing dessert masters in the world. I spent many hours pouring over the websites of my favorites and discovering some new ones. Those were the hardest and best research nights--I'm nocturnal, I write at night--and pouring over the websites of my favorite masters was heaven and hell. I wanted to get on a plane already. My sugar intake definitely went up while I was writing The Paris Apartment--and my waistline with it.

When Peter took charge of the flight deck of the 777 and took off from Beijing airport, there was nothing to suggest that this trip would be anything other than a routine flight of the sort he had made so many times before. It was not until moments before landing that anything went wrong. Coming in to Heathrow Airport, the plane suffered inexplicable loss of power to both engines, and it was suddenly likely that the plane would plough into a built-up area outside the airport, with the loss of all lives on board. Peter tells us in graphic detail his thoughts and actions when he managed to help save the plane at the last moment thanks to a flash of inspiration that led him to change the position of the wing flaps, which appeared to gain the vehicle enough precious time to make it over the perimeter fence and land on the grass, short of the runway. For both Maria and Peter, their lives following the crash have resulted in experiences that they never would have expected to have happened. There isn't a handbook with rules to follow after a crash so the subsequent aftermath was laced with events that could have been handled better from all sides, which lead to Maria and Peter having to find strength inside them that they had never needed before. A little more than a year later, they have used these strengths to begin a new chapter in their lives; starting with leaving British Airways and celebrating a second chance to enjoy life. But there are still nights when they find themselves awake, crying about what could have happened on that fateful day.