The Little Book Of The Isle Of Wight

Did you know? A new species of cat-like dinosaur, yet to be named, was discovered on the Isle of Wight in 1988. Darwin began his world famous 'On the Origin of the Species' while staying at the Kings Head Hotel. There are 21 tourists to every Island resident. The Little Book of the Isle of Wight is a funny, fact-packed compendium of the sort of frivolous, fantastic or simply strange information which no one will want to be without. The Island's most eccentric inhabitants, blood-curdling murders and literally hundreds of facts combine to make this required reading for locals and visitors alike. Illustrated with humorous cartoons and delivered with wit and flair, this captivating compendium is almost impossible to put down.

William Sharp (1855-1905) was a prolific writer; friend and confidant to the literati of the day; an active member of the occult world of the late Victorian period; and a man who spent his life cloaked in layers of secrets - the most important being that he was the pen behind the writings of the mysterious Fiona Macleod. He kept her true identity a closely guarded secret. Many famous people - W.B. Yeats, "AE", MacGregor Mathers, Dante Gabriel Rossetti - were involved in Sharp's short life; he was a member of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn and Yeats' secret Celtic Mystical Order; and he and Fiona Macleod were involved with the mysterious Dr. Goodchild whose ancient bowl was proclaimed by many to be the Holy Grail. But the enduring legacy of these two fascinating writers is the wealth of Faery magical lore contained in the writings of Fiona Macleod. For the first time this book reveals previously unknown secrets from the life of William Sharp and shows clearly how to recover the Faery lore contained in Fiona Macleod's literary output. These writings are not only about the Realm of Faery, they are the first authentic first-hand accounts from the Realm of Faery, revealing previously unknown Faery gods and goddesses, Faery belief, lore and magic. The Little Book of the Great Enchantment adds significantly to the corpus of serious writings on this greatly misunderstood subject.

The Little Book of Dorset is a funny, fast-paced, fact-packed compendium of the places, people, legends and true stories about the county's past and present.

Compiled by paranormal historian Paul Adams, this spine-chilling book features intriguing, obscure, and strange trivia about all things that go bump in the night. Here you will find haunted houses and castles, parks and woods, highways and byways, phantom animals, royal ghosts, angry poltergeists and haunted objects. Also included are spooky séances and time slip ghosts, as well as some of the famous ghost-hunters themselves, including Harry Price, Elliott O'Donnell and R. Thurston Hopkins. Anyone curious enough to pick up this book will be terrified and enthralled and never short of some frivolous fact to enhance a conversation or quiz!

The Little Book of Wiltshire is a compendium of fascinating information about the county, past and present. Contained within is a plethora of entertaining facts about Wiltshire’s famous – and occasionally infamous – men and women, its towns and countryside, history, natural history, literary, artistic and sporting achievements, agriculture, transport, industry and royal visits.A reliable reference and a quirky guide, this book can be dipped in to time and again to reveal something new about the people, the heritage, the secrets and the enduring fascination of the county. A remarkably engaging book, this is essential reading for visitors and locals alike.

This little gem of a book is a repository of intriguing, fascinating, obscure, strange and entertaining facts and trivia about Britain and all the things that have made it great. Within this volume are such themes as myths and legends, traditions and customs, great Britons and great British places, while not forgotten is a celebration of the best of British music, food, entertainment and sport and a host of topics that explore the more eccentric and eclectic people and things that contribute to and define Great Britain. Despite being a relatively small collection of islands, there is always something new, fascinating, frivolous or even bizarre to discover about Great Britain – you will find much of it here. Did You Know? There is no location in Britain which is more than 741⁄2 miles from the sea. The first person in Britain to be convicted of speeding was Walter Arnold of Kent, who in 1896 was fined 1s plus costs for driving at a breakneck 8mph. Britain has some thoroughly unusual pub names, including: The Bucket of Blood in Phillack, Cornwall, The Honest Lawyer in Folkestone and The Old Thirteenth Cheshire Astley Volunteer Rifleman Corps Inn in Stalybridge – which also enjoys the honour of having Britain's longest pub name. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II is a well-known corgi fan. She has owned no fewer than 30 during her reign, the first being Susan, who was given to her in 1944.

Do you know?Which MP was the first woman to take her seat in parliament?Who was the man they could not hang?Which member of the Beatles lost his temper at a famous Devon landmark?A compendium of fascinating information about Devon past and present, this book contains a plethora of entertaining facts about the county’s famous and occasionally infamous men and women, its towns and countryside, history, natural history, literary, artistic and sporting achievements, agriculture, transport, industry, and royal visits.A reference book and a quirky guide, this can be dipped in to time and time again to reveal something new about the people, the heritage, the secrets and the enduring fascination of the county. A remarkably engaging little book, this is essential reading for visitors and locals alike.

For many young people, smoking is everywhere – people on television and in films smoke, their parents might smoke, and many of their friends will probably smoke. If everyone else is doing it, why shouldn't they? This resource is packed with activities that inform young people about the facts and help them to think and talk about all the issues related to smoking so that they can make positive, informed choices. The activities consider how smoking can affect health, addiction, how to cope with peer pressure, smoking and the media, young people's attitudes to smoking, and smoking and society. Activities on giving up smoking, support and motivation are also included. These fun but informative activities will be great to use with young people aged 13–19, in groups and on-to-one. Teachers, youth workers, drug support workers, youth offending teams and social workers will all find this an invaluable resource.