An exuberant and entertaining biography of Charles Dickens that captures the essence of the great novelist. Simon Callow's sparkling biography explores the central importance of the theatre to the life of the greatest storyteller in the English language. From his early years as a child entertainer in Portsmouth to his reluctant retirement from 'these garish lights' just before his death, Dickens was obsessed with the stage. Not only was he a dazzling mimic who wrote, acted in and stage-managed plays, all with fanatical perfectionism; as a writer he was a compulsive performer, whose very imagination was theatrical, both in terms of plot devices and construction of character. Like many actors, Dickens felt the need to be completed by contact with his audience. He was the original 'celebrity' author, who attracted thousands of adoring fans to his readings in Britain and across the Atlantic, in which he gave voice to his unforgettable cast of characters. In Charles Dickens, Callow brings his own unique insight to a life driven by performance and showmanship. He reveals an exuberant and irrepressible talent, whose 'inimitable' wit and personality crackle off the page.

This reissue of the second edition of the Collins COBUILD Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs offers comprehensive coverage of the most important phrasal verbs in English. With up-to-date coverage of thousands of phrasal verbs, the Collins COBUILD Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs offers learners of English detailed help with this difficult language area. Thousands of examples of real English from the Bank of English provide essential guidance on context and usage. It also includes additional help with pronunciation and stress, and special labelling of core phrasal verbs. Attractively presented, the Collins COBUILD Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs is invaluable for all learners of English wishing to gain a fuller understanding of phrasal verbs and use them more effectively.

Collins Easy Learning Grammar is an accessible guide to English grammar and punctuation. With clear, concise explanations on everything from adverbs to word order, and from apostrophes to semicolons, this book is indispensable for understanding correct usage. Collins Easy Learning Grammar is a uniquely helpful guide to all areas of English grammar and punctuation, providing clear guidance through the intricacies of the English language. Each grammatical and punctuation point is clearly described in a user-friendly format that combines explanations with examples from modern English.

Collins Easy Learning Irish Dictionary is an up-to-date, easy-reference dictionary with a practical and fun supplement, ideal for learners of Irish of all ages. Collins Easy Learning Irish Dictionary is designed for learners of Irish of all ages, whether you are learning at school or in an evening class. The entries cover everyday Irish (including all essential set expressions) so that you can be sure of having all the vocabulary you need. There is additional help in the form of a full guide to using the dictionary, essential grammar pages, a section on expressing yourself in Irish, and free extra study material available online. With extensive language notes, Collins Easy Learning Irish Dictionary gives a solid foundation for Irish language learning. * Easy to use: thousands of examples of real Irish show you exactly how translations are used. With no jargon or unclear symbols, this is the easiest Irish dictionary to use. * Easy to read: clear colour layout takes you quickly to the words you want, with all Irish words, phrases and translations in blue, and all English text in black. * Easy to remember: a fun guide to communicating and a handy grammar section help you use written and spoken Irish correctly. * Easy to access: find extra learning material on www.collinslanguage.com — for free.

Designed to accompany and complement the Easy Learning Irish Grammar in the widely acclaimed Collins Easy Learning range, Collins Easy Learning Irish Verbs offers beginners a clear and easy-to-understand guide to Irish verbs. Collins Easy Learning Irish Verbs has been designed for all those learning Irish at school, work or home. The main section of the book consists of 115 fully conjugated verbs, both regular and irregular. The introduction gives a clear explanation of the main tenses and moods in which the verbs are conjugated. It also points out that the forms given in the verb tables conform to the Official Standard of Irish, with additional notes on the principal dialect variants. Finally, an alphabetical index lists many widely used Irish verbs, including the key verbs which appear in full in the verb tables. • Collins Easy Learning Irish Verbs shows all the major tenses and moods of the most important Irish verbs in full. • A list of the 115 key verbs is given in the introduction. • Clear layout ensures that you find the information you need quickly and easily. Other titles available in the Collins Irish range are: Collins Easy Learning Irish Dictionary, Collins Easy Learning Irish Grammar, Collins Irish Gem Dictionary and Collins Irish Pocket Dictionary.

The autobiography of the fastest man of all time and a superstar whose talent and charisma have made him one of the most famous people on the planet. Whether you know Athletics or not, and even whether you know sport or not, chances are you know Usain Bolt. The fastest man on the planet, not just now but ever, Usain has won the hearts of people everywhere with his mind-blowing performances and his infectious charisma — uniting supporters around the world. In this, his full autobiography, Usain tells his story in his own words: from humble beginnings in Jamaica, to international stardom at Beijing and on to the new heights of superstardom he has reached since lighting up London 2012. Full of the charm and charisma that has made him the most popular sporting figure of our time and a universal celebrity, this is a book that Usain's millions of fans will love.

The penultimate volume in The Conclave of Shadows from worldwide bestselling author Raymond E Feist. Featuring one of the most fascinating characters and scenarios ever created in the genre. The series promises to become one of the great all-time classics in the field. Once absolute ruler of his nation Kaspar, former Duke of Olasko, has been cast into exile. Abandoned in the wilds of a continent on the other side of the world and left with nothing but his wits and determination, he must fight merely to survive. Armed with guile, cunning and an iron will, he starts his odyssey with a single goal: to return to his home and revenge himself upon the man who cast him down, Talwin Hawkins. But fate has other plans for Kaspar, and as he struggles against adversity, he encounters dangers greater than any he had imagined. More is at stake than he realised and Kaspar is but a single player in a far greater game than he imagined, for pitted against the Conclave of Shadows are the agents of the Dark Empire, a looming menace that threatens not only Kaspar's homeland, but the entire world of Midkemia.

The international Number One bestseller Dean Koontz's most-loved character, Odd Thomas, is back. A gripping and powerful thriller — full of suspense, mystery and horror. Evil never backs down, so neither can he. Odd Thomas, that unlikely hero, once more stands between us and our worst fears. Odd never asked to communicate with the dead — they sought him out, in the small desert town of Pico Mundo, which he can never leave. He has already lost the love of his life; and now a childhood friend has disappeared and the worst is feared. But as Odd applies his unique talents to the task of finding his friend, he discovers something far worse than a dead body. Evil personified has come to visit this desert community of souls both living and dead...

With over 400 million copies of his books sold worldwide, Dean Koontz is one of the most popular writers of our time. Read this page-turning, heart-breaking thriller to find why Odd Thomas is the master storyteller's most-loved creation. He sees what no one else does. He does what no one else can. Odd, a charismatic young man with a sense for the otherworldly and the downright strange, is in self-imposed exile. Tragic events have led him from his sun-bleached desert home of Pico Mundo to a monastery in the High Sierra, searching for peace. It's December and the remote abbey is besieged by icy winds and snow. But even in the silence of the mountains, danger and desperation haunt him still...As ever, where Odd Thomas goes, strangeness goes too. A white dog named Boo befriends him — as does the ghost of Elvis. And a world-famous physicist is conducting experiments in the catacombs of the abbey. Could this be why Odd can once again see bodachs, shadowy harbingers of violence? They prowl the halls, suggesting horror to come. But what form will it take? And how will Odd defeat an enemy that eclipses any he has met before?