The Tin Boy

The true cost of the tin that goes into our electronic devices is revealed in this striking and gripping story from the bestselling author of Young Bond.

Scotsman Billy Ferguson is a fanatical Glasgow Blue Crew supporter and a promising prospect on the football field. Just as hes set to become a sports star, however, hes called up for active duty in Afghanistan. There, everything changes for Billy when a hidden explosive injures him and results in the loss of his leg. Back home, Billy has trouble returning to normal life. With the loss of his leg also comes the loss of dreams on the fieldbut he refuses to give up. Billy endures an ambitious physical therapy routine with the help of a talented therapist named Isabel. He wears a prosthetic leg, and as his condition improves he even earns himself a nickname with football fansthe Tin Boy. As Billy strives to return to the sport he loves, he develops feelings for Isabel. She has become a strength and support in his life, and despite their professional relationship he cant help but feel a romantic attachment. Now, despite all odds, Billy is ready to take his shot at the goal: on the football field and on the playground of love.

The greatest German novel since the end of World War II, The Tin Drum is the autobiography of Oskar Matzerath, thirty years old, detained in a mental hospital, convicted of a murder he did not commit. On the day of his third birthday, Oskar had "declared, resolved, and determined [to] stop right there, remain as I was, stay the same size, cling to the same attire" (striped pullover and patent-leather shoes). That same day Oskar receives his first tin drum, and from then on it is the means of his expression, allowing him to draw forth memories from the past as well as judgments about the horrors, injustices, and eccentricities he observes through the long nightmare of the Nazi era. As that era ebbs bloodily away, as drum succeeds drum, Oskar participates in the German postwar economic miracle -- working variously in the black market, as an artist's model, in a troupe of traveling musicians. With the onset of affluence and fame, Oskar decides to grow a few inches, only to develop a humpback. But despite his newfound status (and stature), Oskar remains haunted by the deaths of his parents, afflicted by his responsibility for past sins -- and so assumes guilt for a murder he did not commit as an act of atonement and an opportunity to find consolation.The rhythms of Oskar's drums are intricate and insistent, and they lead us, often by way of shocking fantasies, through the dark forest of German history. Through Oskar's piercing, outspoken voice and deformed little figure, through the imaginative distortion and exaggeration of historical experience, a pathetically hilarious yet startlingly true portrayal of the human situation comes into view.

"Once upon a time, there were twenty-five tin soldiers who were all brothers, as they were all born from an old tin spoon. They held their weapons on their arms, their heads were turned to the right and their uniform, red and blue, was rather smart." One tin soldier, though he was exactly the same as his brothers, found himself, by accident, setting out alone on a series of adventures. But do not worry, this tin soldier was afraid of nothing. Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875) was a Danish author, poet and artist. Celebrated for children’s literature, his most cherished fairy tales include "The Emperor's New Clothes", "The Little Mermaid", "The Nightingale", "The Steadfast Tin Soldier", "The Snow Queen", "The Ugly Duckling" and "The Little Match Girl". His books have been translated into every living language, and today there is no child or adult that has not met Andersen's whimsical characters. His fairy tales have been adapted to stage and screen countless times, most notably by Disney with the animated films "The Little Mermaid" in 1989 and "Frozen", which is loosely based on "The Snow Queen", in 2013. Thanks to Andersen's contribution to children's literature, his birth date, April 2, is celebrated as International Children's Book Day.

In this gripping, imaginative, and hilarious adventure -- comprised of an unforgettable crew of misfits -- a boy and his mechanical friends discover the truth about his past. "Robots never seemed so human. One of a kind and utterly fantastic." -- Eoin ColferIn an alternative England of the 1930s where the laws of mechanics govern even the most talented engineers, a mismatched group of mechanicals want nothing more than to feel human. Under the guardianship of the devious and unlicensed Gregory Absalom, an engineer who creates mechanical children, they have no choice but to help him in his unlawful practice. But through his unethical work, Absalom winds up creating a loyal and lively group of friends who will go to the ends of the Earth for one another. When the story's protagonist, Christopher, discovers a devastating secret about himself and the friends are torn apart, it's up to his friends to find him. What they'll discover is the secret about the dark experiment that ended in disaster many years before... Tin is an adventure story about friendship, courage, and loyalty, and what it means to be human.

This is an inspirational guide to baking from the winner of 'The Great British Bake Off 2010'. From the traditional to new twists on old favourites there are recipes to suit all abilities. The book covers cakes, cookies, pastry, desserts, and even ice-creams.