Country folk have their own way of doing things and their own sense of humour too. They are naturally wary of men in suits and university types, and such people have to be put to the test before they can be accepted. They are not too keen on new-fangled ways of doing things either; a meal of mountain oysters is one thing, but washed down with a glass of bull’s semen? What’s the world coming to? 'Once Upon A Cowpat' is a hugely enjoyable collection of rural yarns, with subjects ranging from the Hokitika Wildfoods Festival, country rugby and encounters with farm machinery, to uppity animals, time in the pub and Mystery Creek. The stories are peopled with a diverse collection of oddball farming types, tough hunter-gatherers, ten-acre blockers and wet-behind-the-ears farm workers. They frequently find themselves in some pretty hair-raising and sometimes downright hilarious predicaments. Tall tales or gospel truth? Well, Graham Hutchins has met some real characters in his time, but he is also a master story-teller, so you’ll have to make up your own mind on that one. One thing’s for sure though: this is a book that men and women of all ages will enjoy, whether in gumboots or fireside slippers.

Where do words come from?—Teaching kids ages 9 to 12 vocabulary through word origins The English language is made up of words from different places, events, and periods of time. Each of those words has an exciting story to tell us about where, when, how, and why they came about. Once Upon a Word is packed with easy-to-understand definitions and awesome word origin stories. With this dictionary for kids, you can understand the history and meaning of English words, improve your vocabulary and spelling, and learn to play with language. Explore how weird words like gnome, fun words like zombie, and common words like caterpillar came to exist. Discover why some words sound funnier than others (like cackle, sizzle, and twang) and why some groups of words start with the same few letters (like hydrate, hydrogen, and fire hydrant). In this dictionary for kids, there's a whole world of English words to uncover! This unique dictionary for kids includes: Roots & branches—Learn about the building blocks that make up words, called roots, prefixes, and suffixes. Kid-friendly definitions—Look up definitions designed for your reading level in this dictionary for kids. Word tidbits—Find out where your favorite food words got their start, from bacon to marshmallow, spaghetti, yogurt, and beyond. See how the English language evolved with this colorful dictionary for kids.

Set in different cities around the world, Elaine Chiew's award-winning stories travel into the heart of the Singaporean and Malaysian Chinese diasporas to explore the lives of those torn between cultures and juggling divided selves. In the title story, four writers find their cultural bonds of friendship tested when a handsome young Asian writer joins their group. In other stories, a brother searches for his sister forced to serve as a comfort woman during World War Two; three Singaporean sisters run a French gourmet restaurant in New York; a woman raps about being a Tiger Mother in Belgravia; and a filmmaker struggles to document the lives of samsui women—Singapore's thrifty, hardworking construction workers. > Acutely observed, wry and playful, her stories are as worldly and emotionally resonant as the characters themselves. This fabulous debut collection heralds an exciting new literary voice.

From 'shotclog', a Yorkshire term for a companion only tolerated because he is paying for the drinks, to Albanian having 29 words to describe different kinds of eyebrows, the languages of the world are full of amazing, amusing and illuminating words and expressions that will improve absolutely everybody's quality of life. All they need is this book! This bumper volume gathers all three of Adam Jacot de Boinod's acclaimed books about language - The Wonder of Whiffling, The Meaning of Tingo and Toujours Tingo (their fans include everyone from Stephen Fry to Michael Palin) - into one highly entertaining, keenly priced compendium. As Mariella Frostup said 'You'll never be lost for words again!'

Hadji Murat, one of the most feared and venerated mountain chiefs in the Caucasian struggle against the Russians, defects from the Muslim rebels after feuding with his ruling imam, Shamil. Hoping to protect his family, he joins the Russians, who accept him but never put their trust in him - and so Murat must find another way to end the struggle.Tolstoy knew as he was writing this, his last work of fiction, that it would not be published in his lifetime, and so gave an uncompromising portrayal of the Russians' faults and the nature of the rebels' struggle. In the process, he shows a mastery of style and an understanding of Chechnya that still carries great resonance today.

Meet the girlfriends! Polly, Keri, Frizz and Lily. They're the Gang of Four, and they're going to stick together for ever and ever! But, why then does Keri keep inviting her new school friend, Jemima, to their special Saturday 'Gang of Four' meetings? And why is Frizz behaving so strangely? Polly can't help wondering what her friend isn't telling her. Can the girlfriends make everything groovy again? A lively, humorous story perfect for top junior girls facing the momentous change to secondary school.

Biodynamic techniques recognise that plant life is intimately bound up with the life of the soil; that the soil itself is alive and that the degree of vitality influences the health of the crops. You will soon be able to grow quality produce which possesses vitality and has the highest flavour, through the nurture of the soil.Whether you are an experienced gardener or not, whether or not you have used permaculture or grown organic produce before, this book offers valuable, easily accessible tips

"...all the makings of a comedy classic..." Ian Timms - Presenter, BBC Radio Cumbria. Read this hilarious account of one couple's adventures walking Wainwright's famous Coast to Coast Walk across northern England. It is nominally a diary of their progress through the magnificent landscapes of Lakeland, Swaledale, and the North York Moors, that have made this one of the most popular long-distance walks in the world, but the story is also laced with numerous comic asides, witty reflections, and humorous portraits of their fellow 'Coasters' and the people who offer accommodation along the route. An ideal travelling companion for first-time Coasters or a delightful memory-jogger for experienced old hands with a sense of humor. "...a highly entertaining and humorous book." John Burland - The Wainwright Society

Gathering No Moss is the autobiography of a possibly autistic child, born in 1925, who, idiosyncratically educated, grew up to see out, as a member of the Colonial Service, the end of the British Empire in East Africa. In later service with the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation, he witnessed novice states exulting in new-found independence. His last appointment, as deputy director of the Centre for International Briefing, at Farnham Castle in Surrey, was in an organisation devoted to inculcating, in those going ‘abroad’, better understanding of cross-cultural relations. Post-retirement, he keeps an eye, Pooter-like, on our changing world.

In The Cow in the Elevator Tulasi Srinivas explores a wonderful world where deities jump fences and priests ride in helicopters to present a joyful, imaginative, yet critical reading of modern religious life. Drawing on nearly two decades of fieldwork with priests, residents, and devotees, and her own experience of living in the high-tech city of Bangalore, Srinivas finds moments where ritual enmeshes with global modernity to create wonder—a feeling of amazement at being overcome by the unexpected and sublime. Offering a nuanced account of how the ruptures of modernity can be made normal, enrapturing, and even comical in a city swept up in globalization's tumult, Srinivas brings the visceral richness of wonder—apparent in creative ritual in and around Hindu temples—into the anthropological gaze. Broaching provocative philosophical themes like desire, complicity, loss, time, money, technology, and the imagination, Srinivas pursues an interrogation of wonder and the adventure of writing true to its experience. The Cow in the Elevator rethinks the study of ritual while reshaping our appreciation of wonder's transformative potential for scholarship and for life.