Holiday Memoir

When Mr Alec Quigley, superannuated insurance clerk, leaves the Bedfordshire bungalow of his indomitable niece Angela and makes his way to the Spanish village that he once read about in a history book, things are unlikely to go smoothly. A man with many foibles, not least his tendency to fantasise, his guardian Angela wants him home before he can get into any of the frequent scrapes that have dogged his – and, of late, her – existence. He is, however, intent on carving out a new life for himself in the Spanish interior and soon enlists the help of Fernando the fireman, Jorge the ...

AMAZED BY SPAIN is a light-hearted account of two couples’ unexpected relocation to inland Alicante. Before sisters Sue and Linda inherit a village house in the hills they have little interest in Spain, but on travelling out to see their new possession they begin to warm to the idea of spending time there with their husbands Paul and Bill. After an enjoyable summer holiday the prospect of living in the village becomes irresistible and this book describes their transition from visitors to residents and the diverse selection of people they meet along the way. This amusing and informative ...

'The Complete Diaries' includes: Part One - Integration Part Two - Invasion Part Three - Consolidation Part Four - Conclusion Please see individual diary descriptions and reviews for more information.

CLIVE AND KEN, REMOVAL MEN is a humorous and touching tale about two friends who are reunited in Spain after over thirty years apart. Ken Bradshaw and Clive Ogden, alias Oglethorpe, were two teenagers in Ramsbottom when Clive was whisked off to prison, wrongly accused of pinching old Mrs Sutcliffe’s jewellery. Thirty-odd years later, Clive, now an art and antiques dealer, feels a burning desire to give his old mate a call, not least because he believes Ken to be the owner of a flourishing van rental business. Clive invites his long-lost pal to fly over to visit him in Spain, a meeting ...

GETTING AHEAD is the third instalment of THE RELUCTANT EXPAT, Alan Laycock’s light-hearted account of his life in Spain. The fourth and final part of Alan’s story is now available.

It was supposed to be a stress-free holiday... A chance to see Israel's beauty and Petra's magnificence on a normal, safe group tour. That’s what Noor thought she was signing up for… but no one told her about passport officers on a power trip. Or about grumpy bus drivers leaving tourists behind. And then, that important detail about border crossing the travel agent forgot to mention. Will this adventure be more than Noor can handle? ★ This is a light-hearted memoir of an inexperienced traveller on a typical tour of Israel and Jordan. If you enjoy travel tales about friendly locals and...

Much like The Stories Behind The Best-Loved Songs Of Christmas, The Stories Behind The Great Traditions of Christmas and More Stories Behind The Best Loved Songs of Christmas this new Collins Christmas book will fill a void in the book world.

An idyllic holiday in the Italian Alps... After a typical tour of Italy, Noor heads north to spend a nice, quiet winter with her Grandma. It’s going to be great. She’ll go for walks and enjoy the fresh mountain air, read by the wood-burning stove and under no circumstances use the chamber pot under the bed. At least, that was the plan. She didn’t plan on running out of money. Or riding on the back of a bicycle, in traffic, with no helmet on. Oh, and there was that one time a giant pig tried to force his way into the kitchen. And there’s so much she’s forgotten about her childhood ...

Lost luggage and a missed train, but who cares? We’re in Spain! Six years ago Noor promised her grandma she would return to Italy, but this time she’s not coming alone. With her fiancé Andy, they’ll celebrate Christmas in Spain, shiver through Switzerland, Austria, Prague and put on costumes for the Carnevale in Venice. And of course, spend time with family and friends in Italy. It will be a magical adventure in a winter wonderland. Well, except for an unwelcome visit from ‘Mr. Flu’ and Venice flooding, but with Andy by her side they’ll have a happy holiday. Most of the time. ...

مصر منذ أيام الرئيس حسني مبارك تحت اسم سلسلة (مبارك وزمانه)، فالكتاب الأول أتى بعنوان (مبارك وزمانه من المنصة إلى الميدان)، والثاني هو (ماذا جرى في مصر ولها؟) والثالث (مصر إلى أين) وهو يحتوي على حوارات ولقاءات أجراها الكاتب والصحفي من فبراير 2011 وحتى فبراير 2012.

Laurie Lee left his childhood home in the Cotswolds when he was 19, but it remained with him throughout his life until, many years later, he returned for good. This collection brings to life the sights, sounds, landscapes and traditions of his home - from centuries-old May Day rituals to his own patch of garden, from carol singing in crunching snow to pub conversations and songs. Here, too, he writes about the mysteries of love, living in wartime Chelsea, Winston Churchill's wintry funeral and his battle, in old age, to save his beloved Slad Valley from developers.

If Billie Holiday wanted to become a jazz singer, she chose the best of all eras in which to attempt it. A wave of great jazz and jazz/pop crossover artists swept over the United States from the 1920s through the 1950s, generating a golden age for the genre. Emerging from such a powerful group of talented vocalists was not easy. The woman who has come to represent a model of great, instinctive jazz singing came from nowhere, had nothing, and virtually had no one. She was raw and untrained, but went forward with limited and quirky vocal gifts.

The stories in Chicken Soup for the Soul will encourage listeners to stay upbeat, because there's always a brighter way to look at life. This collection includes 32 Stories of Christmas humor, memories, and holiday traditions.

In Jrue Holiday: The Inspiring Story of One of Basketball’s All-Star Point Guards, you'll learn the inspirational story of one of basketball's all-star guards, Jrue Holiday. Holiday has carved out a steady NBA career for himself, having been selected as an all-star back in just his fourth season, and having received a number of accolades including but not limited to All-Defensive First Team, Teammate of the Year, and the Sportsmanship Award.

British mother Rosie Ayliffe thought her 21-year-old daughter, Mia, would be safe travelling around Australia on a gap year. But Mia wanted to extend her visa and in order to do that needed to find 88 days of work on a farm - a requirement that would lead to catastrophic events. Four short days after Mia moved to a hostel in Queensland to take a job on a sugarcane farm, she was brutally murdered.

Ascolta e rivivi la storia della mitica cantante americana. Un ritratto a tutto tondo di una delle grandi voci della musica! Da Valentina Mattarozzi, cantautrice bolognese da sempre appassionata di musica, danza, disegno e recitazione. Valentina ha all'attivo album e concerti, e naviga ogni giorno nelle acque profonde dello swing, del jazz, del blues e anche del pop.

Richard heads off to Thailand on holiday - alone - and reflects on getting older over a bottle of beer and a plate of chicken satay. An hilarious episode from Richard's new book, How Not to Grow Up.

«Non ero brava a ballare, ma a cantare sì. Ci misi cuore e anima, così come bisognerebbe fare quando si canta un blues. Quando ebbi finito, tutti stavano piangendo nella loro birra». Reno Brandoni racconta un'altra indimenticabile leggenda del jazz, Billie Holiday (1915-1959), attraverso la voce narrante di Debora Mancini. Un viaggio appassionato negli abissi più profondi del blues, per raccontare la storia di una delle più grandi cantanti jazz di tutti i tempi.

SO LONG, STAN is the humorous account of a hair-raising tour around Spain and Portugal. When young Andy Lambert meets a friendly compatriot at a beach near Benidorm, little does he suspect what lies ahead. Tempted away from his dull hotel job, he and his new pal Stan head north on a road trip which gradually turns into an odyssey so strange and perilous that Andy can’t believe what he’s let himself in for. Initially unprepared for this unexpected walk on the wild side, he becomes so embroiled in Stan’s shenanigans that he fears there’ll be no way back to his previous life. His only ...

Double Luck is filled with examples of how the human spirit can triumph over adversity. In the Chinese language, the word "crisis" is written with two symbols: one meaning "danger", and the other meaning "opportunity". Although Chi Fa's childhood was filled with crisis, he always looked for opportunity. His successful triumph over crisis after crisis is an inspiration for all who seek hope in the face of great challenges.