The Desperate Diary Of A Country Housewife

If you've ever dreamt of a new life in the country, this highly entertaining and candid account of country living might make you think again...

Composites and other lightweight structures are being considered for use on ships in order to make marine transport more sustainable and efficient. Renewable energy production, such as offshore wind turbines, are experiencing tremendous growth with governments actively promoting and supporting investment into green energy production. One of the key success factors is the ability to join efficiently and reliably composites and other materials with adhesive bonding being the preferred joining method. This new book addresses the important aspects of design, testing, fabrication, inspection and repair of bonded structural joints. The first part encompasses adhesive selection, joint design and modeling. Part two addresses testing mechanical, thermal and chemical properties, assessing the moisture resistance and durability for marine environment and fatigue testing.

Evelyn Waugh: Fictions, Faith and Family is a wide-ranging survey of the prolific literary career of one of the most popular English writers of the 20th century. Michael G. Brennan here identifies three major themes as central to any understanding of Waugh's work: Catholicism, society and the concept of family. From Decline and Fall (published in 1928) to his final writings, this book draws not only on the major novels and short stories but also Waugh's substantial journalistic output, his private journals and correspondences and unpublished draft manuscripts. Through this comprehensive and systematic exploration, Brennan demonstrates the sustained creative importance of Catholicism to Waugh's literary work. In addition, the book goes on to consider how Evelyn Waugh's descendants - his son Auberon and his grandson Alexander Waugh - have echoed and developed these literary concerns in their own writing.

RICH. BEAUTIFUL. DAMNED. OCTOBER 1929: AS AMERICA HELTERSKELTERS THROUGH THE LAST DAYS BEFORE THE GREAT CRASH, THE CREAM OF HOLLYWOOD PARTIES HEEDLESSLY ON. Society couple, Max and Eleanor, let the prohibition champagne flow as the glittering facade of their marriage teeters on the brink. As the stock market tumbles they have nowhere to fall but into the arms of their waiting lovers. Hope is delivered in an invitation to one of the absurdly glamorous and legendary house parties at Hearst Castle, the epitome of decadence. With gossip and glamour swirling, the time has come for Max and Eleanor to make a decision. Either they sacrifice everything for fame and fortune or they plunge into the past and grasp one last chance to love each other again. 'Brilliant, compelling and epic'—Daily Mail

'It is odd that the galvanised industry of women's literature should have passed by that most telling of female malaises, Anorexia Nervosa... Daisy Waugh breaks the silence with a resounding clatter of imaginative energy. WHAT IS THE MATTER WITH MARY JANE? is far more than just a gruesome horror story with the moral "Don't slim" slung round its girth. It unites stringency with compassion and humour with social comment, in such a way that the reader not only gains a vivid insight into the insidious nature of this disease, but is treated to a mighty entertaining read in the process' Lucy Ingrams in The Literary Review A natural' Anne Haverty in The Times Literary Supplement 'Miss Waugh has perfect pitch and is hypersensitive to the silliness of the chatter of her London peer group at play...It suggests the rich potential of a whole new genre of light fictional psychopathology' Patrick Skene Catling in the Sunday Telegraph Achieving the right tone of voice for a book's narration is one of the hardest of the novelist's skills, and Daisy Waugh is to be congratulated on getting it dead right in her first novel' Punch

'Daisy Waugh's featherlight satires are as refreshing and uplifting as a glass of chilled vintage champagne. . . Imagine Agatha Christie on laughing gas' Times The Todes are back, and they're taking on Hollywood . . . When Hollywood wants to do a remake of the film that made Tode Hall famous, India and Egbert are delighted. They envisage a summer of free money and star-studded dinner parties ahead . . . But the Hall is soon overrun by wardrobe trucks and catering tents, and lusty, insecure actors squabbling about nudity clauses. When the movie's producers threaten to sue over the exact colour of Tode Hall's rolling lawns, India and Egbert realise that having a film crew on their doorstep isn't such a breeze after all. With so many egos in one place things were bound to end badly, but no one would have predicted quite so literal a backstabbing . . . 'A glorious satire on aristocratic manners and mores, with a smidgeon of murder thrown in, Waugh's hilarious and entirely original twist on the country house murder mystery is 'a perfect antidote to all the real-life craziness going on' Daily Mail Praise for the Todes 'Ms. Waugh's novel offers plenty of satire, several good laughs and many dark chuckles.' Wall Street Journal Witty, well-written and determinedly entertaining . . . the perfect book for the staycation' Catholic Herald 'I couldn't put it down' Santa Montefiore 'A delightful treat' The Lady 'Deliciously entertaining' Andrew Wilson 'An irresistible champagne bubble of pleasure and laughter' Rachel Johnson 'A perfect antidote to wintry gloom' The Literary Review 'What a triumph!' Antonia Fraser 'A masterclass in how to write a rollicking good read' Sarah Vine 'A jolly farce that never takes itself too seriously' Red Magazine 'Fizzles, crackles and sparkles' Elizabeth Buchan 'A work of sublime silliness' Simon Brett 'An effervescent madcap whodunnit' Metro 'A marvellous rollicking read' Mary Killen 'She's skewered her targets brilliantly' Imogen Edwards-Jones 'This contemporary take on a golden age mystery is simply wonderful.' Belfast Telegraph

'A hilariously funny and bonkers book which I thoroughly enjoyed' ANNE GLENCONNER 'A witty, waspy, parody that hits its targets - hilarious' HELEN LEDERER The next in Daisy Waugh's hilarious Tode Hall series: a gloriously witty tale of toffs, terror and old school ties . . . The Todes are heading to Italy - and taking murder and mayhem with them. Close to Rome, set among ancient ruins and freshwater springs, languishes the magnificent Villa Rospo, a jewel in the Tode family portfolio, and one they had virtually forgotten - until Sir Ecgbert and Alice decide it's the perfect place for their honeymoon. Now suddenly everyone wants a piece. Sir Ecgbert's brother Esmé sees it as an opportunity to restore his lost fortunes by turning it into a luxury eco wellness hub. His business partner Charlie Tysedale only wants it to escape from his dreaded bestselling-author wife. India Tode sees in it the ideal holiday home, while Sir Ecgbert envisages a yoga retreat. Professional freeloader and everyone's old school chum, Piers Slayer-Wilson-Tite, has his eye on making it his personal love-nest. Meanwhile, some of the locals have excellent reasons for keeping it just the way it is. When the body of Piers's wife, Elizabetta, is discovered floating among grapefruits in the spring at the bottom of Villa Rospo's famous gardens, there's only one thing everyone agrees on . . . that there's absolutely no need to call the police. Praise for the Tode Hall series: 'Sharp, funny . . . the best sort of murder mystery' Tatler 'A perfect antidote to all the real-life craziness going on' Daily Mail 'I couldn't put it down' Santa Montefiore 'Deliciously entertaining' Andrew Wilson 'An irresistible champagne bubble of pleasure and laughter' Rachel Johnson 'A perfect antidote to wintry gloom' The Literary Review 'What a triumph!' Antonia Fraser 'A masterclass in how to write a rollicking good read' Sarah Vine 'A jolly farce that never takes itself too seriously' Red Magazine 'Fizzles, crackles and sparkles' Elizabeth Buchan 'A work of sublime silliness' Simon Brett 'An effervescent madcap whodunnit' Metro 'A marvellous rollicking read' Mary Killen 'She's skewered her targets brilliantly' Imogen Edwards-Jones

Celebrate 60 years of Britain's longest-running quiz show. Since 1962, University Challenge has brought TV viewing the most taxing questions on television. Now you can relive some of its most gripping moments, as well as test you and your family's own quizzing ability, with this unique quizbook. - Over 3,000 questions, including complete sets of questions from iconic episodes. - 'Where are they now?' features that reveal what notable contestants went on to achieve. - Interviews with question setters, famous contestants and producers - An entry quiz that contestants face so you can see if you've got what it takes to be on the show. With over 400 pages of trivia, behind-the-scenes detail and a raft of questions to test your knowledge, this is the ultimate gift for any University Challenge viewer.