Everyone talks about 'Middle England'. Sometimes they mean something bad, like a lynch mob of Daily Mail readers, and sometimes they mean something good, like a pint of ale in a sleepy Cotswold village in summer twilight. But just where and what is Middle England? Stuart Maconie didn't know either, so he packed his Thermos and sandwiches and set off to find out... Is Middle England about tradition and decency or closed minds and bigotry? Is it maypoles and evensong, or flooded market towns and binge drinkers in the park? And is Slough really as bad as Ricky Gervais and John Betjeman make out? From Shakespeare to JK Rowling, Vaughan Williams to Craig David, William Morris to B&Q, Stuart Maconie leads the expedition, with plenty of stop-offs for tea and scones, to discover the truth.

A NEW YORK TIMES BOOK OF THE YEARHenrietta Lovell is best known as 'The Rare Tea Lady'. She is on a mission to revolutionise the way we drink tea by replacing industrially produced teabags with the highest quality tea leaves. Her quest has seen her travel to the Shire Highlands of Malawi, across the foothills of the Himalayas, and to hidden gardens in the Wuyi-Shan to source the world's most extraordinary teas.Infused invites us to discover these remarkable places, introducing us to the individual growers and household name chefs Lovell has met along the way - and reveals the true pleasures of tea. The result is a delicious infusion of travel writing, memoir, recipes, and glorious photography, all written with Lovell's unique charm and wit.

Afternoon Tea: A History explores the development of the afternoon tea meal, diving deeper than the popular tale of the Duchess of Bedford’s afternoon gatherings to find the meals that inspired those early afternoon teas. Julia Skinner carefully separates the fact and lore around the meal and sets the story of afternoon tea within its historic contexts. Recognizing that a meal’s birth and life never happen in a vacuum, the book sets aside the already well-documented conversations surrounding tea etiquette, instead exploring the social contexts that made the meal possible and popular, moving it from one small subset of the population to a widespread and beloved phenomenon, one that nearly died out at the end of the 20th century before experiencing a resurgence in the 21st. Afternoon tea is a meal that came of age during the British Empire’s most aggressive expansion, and as such became a meal that was transported to new continents with colonial forces. The book explores how this movement took place and uncovers the different ways tea and colonialism intersect in both the colonial and postcolonial worlds. It also looks at afternoon tea in America, a country that broke from the Empire before the meal was established as a set ritual, but which still has its own complex relationship with the beverage and a continuing fascination with the meal. The book concludes by looking at afternoon tea today, including a handful of interviews that show the range of perspectives about the meal and its place in society, as well as its resurging popularity in the last decade.

Successfully navigate the rich world of travel narratives and identify fiction and nonfiction read-alikes with this detailed and expertly constructed guide. Just as savvy travelers make use of guidebooks to help navigate the hundreds of countries around the globe, smart librarians need a guidebook that makes sense of the world of travel narratives. Going Places: A Reader's Guide to Travel Narratives meets that demand, helping librarians assist patrons in finding the nonfiction books that most interest them. It will also serve to help users better understand the genre and their own reading interests. The book examines the subgenres of the travel narrative genre in its seven chapters, categorizing and describing approximately 600 titles according to genres and broad reading interests, and identifying hundreds of other fiction and nonfiction titles as read-alikes and related reads by shared key topics. The author has also identified award-winning titles and spotlighted further resources on travel lit, making this work an ideal guide for readers' advisors as well a book general readers will enjoy browsing.

Five full-length steampunk fantasy novels in one boxset. Come dive into five richly imagined worlds full of fascinating characters and rollicking adventure. The Bloodless Assassin by Celine Jeanjean The tropical city of Damsport clings to its independence from the vast and powerful neighbouring empire by only a few tenuous alliances. As a dreadlocked pickpocket and thief, Rory is mostly oblivious to the political stage, currently too busy blackmailing an assassin into training her to sword fight. That is, until the assassin is targeted by a plot to bring down Damsport, and Rory finds herself in the crosshairs along with him. It’ll take every bit of cunning she possesses if she’s to not only stop the plot but survive it. The Emperor's Edge by Lindsay Buroker An enforcer wanted dead for crimes she didn’t commit. An assassin wanted dead for crimes he did commit. Normally, they would be enemies, but they both seek the same thing: exoneration. Free-Wrench by Joseph R Lallo Beyond the islands of Caldera the world is a vicious place. A terrible calamity has poisoned the land. Those too ruthless or stubborn to die have crafted steam-powered mechanical wonders and taken to the sky. Yet somewhere in that wretched land there is a cure for a dire disease. With the eccentric crew of an airship called The Wind Breaker, Nita Graus means to find that cure, whatever the price. Third Daughter by Susan Kaye Quinn Being Third Daughter of the Queen means Aniri is free to love her fencing instructor--until a marriage proposal from a barbarian prince forces her to choose between preventing a war and breaking her heart. Dragon Airways by Brian Rathbone Dragons harbor mysteries and secrets revealed only to those most worthy. When a boy who can sense ancient magic becomes valuable to both sides of the war, enemies close in. Fleeing those sent to capture him, Emmet and his sister Riette board Dragon Airways. Not knowing friend from foe, they must rely on even those who might betray them. In a thrilling journey spanning land and sea, brother and sister come to know the true measure of Emmet's abilities along with the real value of love, friendship, and sacrifice. Keywords: Free Fantasy Books, Fantasy Omnibus, Top Rated Books, Omnibus Bundle, Free Box Set, Fantasy Box Set, Epic Fantasy Books Free, Omnibus Set, Free Fantasy Books, Epic Fantasy, Fantasy Bundle, Boxed Set, Fantasy Omnibus Collection, Best Rated Omnibus, Epic Free, Free Steampunk Books, Best Rated Steampunk Books, Fantasy female lead, Fantasy female character, Fantasy Box Sets, Free Series Box Sets Fantasy, Free to read and download, Fantasy action adventure, quirky characters, banter, snarky fantasy, fantasy humor, Strong female lead, Free fantasy steampunk, free book, free novel, free books to read and download, free fantasy, free novel, snappy banter, funny fantasy, fantasy with strong female lead, magic, original world-building, free full length fantasy, humorous fantasy books for free, free fantasy, free books to download, free to read and download.

The new Rough Guide to England is the definitive insider's guide to a country rich in history, heritage and culture. Now in full colour throughout, this fully updated guide has clear maps, detailed itineraries and regional highlights. Now available in PDF format. There's practical information and advice on visiting England's beautiful countryside and coastline, as well as the many diverse cities, towns and picture-postcard villages. Don't miss a thing with up-to-date reviews of the best places to stay, from boutique hotels to budget hostels, the most authentic pubs and new-on-the-scene restaurants, and the most exciting activities and experiences. Whether you're camping on a remote Cornish peninsula, hiking in the Peak District, being pampered in a spa town or browsing markets in London's East End, explore every corner of this superb country with easy-to-use maps and detailed sights information. Make the most of your time on EarthTM with The Rough Guide to England.

The Rough Guide to England is the ultimate insider's guide to this fascinating country, with clear maps and detailed coverage of all the best attractions in England. Discover England's highlights with stunning photography and information on everything from how best to explore England's beautiful countryside to the country's rich collection of castles, cathedrals and prehistoric remains, with plenty of offbeat attractions along the way. Find detailed practical advice on what to see and do in England, relying on up-to-date reviews of the best hotels and restaurants, the most authentic pubs and clubs, and the most exciting activities and experiences. The Rough Guide to England also includes two sections covering pubs and pints and England's spectacular coastline. Explore every corner of this superb country with easy-to-use maps to help make sure you don't miss the unmissable. Make the most of your time in England with The Rough Guide to England.

This pioneering study of migrant journeys to Britain begins with Huguenot refugees in the 1680s and continues to asylum seekers and east European workers today. Analyzing the history and memory of migrant journeys, covering not only the response of politicians and the public but also literary and artistic representations, then and now, Kushner’s volume sheds new light on the nature and construction of Britishness from the early modern era onwards. It is an essential tool for those wanting to understand why people come to Britain (or are denied entry) and how migrants have been viewed by state and society alike. The journeys covered vary from the famous (including the Empire Windrush in 1948) to the obscure, such as the Volga German transmigrants passing through Britain in the 1870s. While employing a broadly historical approach, Kushner incorporates insights from many other disciplines and employs a comparative methodology to highlight the importance of the symbolic as well as the physical nature of such journeys.