Showing results by narrator "Charles Armstrong" in All Categories

What is philosophy? It's the issues and theories that are most intriguing and relevant to curious teen minds - questions like: what is knowledge, identity, human nature, right and wrong, faith, freedom, and justice? are all addressed, offering big ideas, simply explained. Written and designed specifically for the teen market, Heads Up Philosophy explains challenging but clear text to clarify and explain theories and arguments.

In Agatha Christie’s short story, “The Lemesurier Inheritance,” Poirot and Hastings are asked to keep an eye on the heir of a Northumberland estate. The house, thought to be cursed since the middle ages, is the locale of several recent near-death accidents for a young boy and rumors of the curse increase. But is it possible the accidents are man-made? This short story originally appeared in the December 19, 1923 issue of The Sketch magazine.

In Agatha Christie’s short story, “The Cornish Mystery,” Poirot is asked to help a Cornwall woman who believes she is being poisoned by her husband. When Poirot and Hastings visit her home, they are shocked to find she has died. But is it really her husband who did the poisoning? This short story originally appeared in the November 28, 1923 issue of The Sketch magazine.

This lively history traces the evolution of the idea of evolution, showing how it has changed and been changed by different societies over time. It will put 'Darwin’s Dangerous Idea' into its proper context, showing how it built on what went before and how it was developed in the 20th century, through an understanding of genetics and the biochemical basis evolution. None of this diminishes the achievement of Darwin himself, but his contribution was one link in a chain that extends back into antiquity and is still being forged today.

Immerse yourself in the history of ancient Rome - from its origins as a small settlement on the Palatine Hill to its peak as an empire reigning over 90 million people, and its tumultuous decline. Covering more than 1,000 years of history, and an empire that stretched from Scotland to Syria, Ancient Rome reveals in vivid detail all of the key political, cultural, and military events that shaped the Roman Empire and explores what it was like to live in a society that laid the foundations for many aspects of the modern world.

This collection of Culture Smart guidebooks introduces listeners to China, Japan, and India. Each guidebook includes concise chapters on the local customs, traditions, and values of the country's inhabitants and, crucially, the key historical and cultural events that have shaped them. There are sections on social and business etiquette, tips on communication, both verbal and non-verbal, and advice on how to be a good guest.

Nature took on a new importance for thousands of people when the coronavirus pandemic arrived in Britain, providing solace in a time of great anxiety - not least because the crisis struck at the beginning of spring, the season of hope and renewal, and furthermore, in an extraordinary conjunction, the spring of 2020 turned out to be the loveliest spring ever recorded in Britain. Three nature writers, living like everyone else under lockdown, but walking out each day to exercise, resolved to record their experiences of the coronavirus spring, in widely contrasting parts of the country.

In Craven House, among the shifting, uncertain world of the English boardinghouse, with its sad population of the shabby genteel on the way down and the eternal optimists who would never get up or on, the young Patrick Hamilton, with loving, horrified fascination, first mapped out the territory that he would make uniquely his own. Although many of Hamilton's lifelong interests are here, they are handled with a youthful brio and optimism conspicuously absent from his later work.

Sera Skohlidon longs for adventure, to be like the brave crusaders of lore. In her guarded imagination, fauns have rejected the Royal Coven, the Coven’s magic, and the questionable trades faunkind makes for it. One day, her quest for answers unearths a family secret that draws her to the heart of the Coven's malfeasance. What is the true source of her world's magic? With the help of a shape-shifting deadringer, Sera embarks on an epic journey that sharpens her self-image, emboldens newfound confidence with a dashing, cavalier classmate, and levels the magical playing field.

This is a book for those that want to learn to scan the beach for fossils, who love the simple pleasure of getting outside or those who want to develop their relationship with the world around them. From the Jurassic Coast to the Antrim Coast, our nation is home to some of the most incredible fossil sites in the world. Weaving an intricate tapestry of knowledge on the landscape of our own prehistoric planet, palaeontologist and education officer of the Bristol Dinosaur Project, Rhys Charles communicates the joy of fossil hunting and where best to hunt for them in the country.

History: An Encyclopedia is a way in to understanding the diversity of world history, from the African kingdoms that pre-dated colonialism and the cultures of the pre-Colombian Americas to the dynasties that have ruled China for thousands of years and the many empires that have come and gone over the centuries in Asia and Europe.

With timeless classics from some of the most notable names in literature, this Christmas story bundle is the perfect listen for the most wonderful time of the year.

Explore the stories of more than 85 of the world's most inspirational and influential scientists with this innovative and bold book of biographies. From mathematicians to meteorologists, geologists to geneticists, each scientist is presented through a combination of stimulating words. Combining elements of biography, history, and analysis, Scientists Who Changed History explains the groundbreaking contributions made by these revolutionary men and women in a clear and informative way.

On 11 September 2001 19 al-Qaeda-inspired jihadists hijacked four aircraft and mounted the deadliest terrorist attack in history. The outrage triggered a chain of events that saw British forces drawn into a lengthy military campaign against a fierce insurgency in Afghanistan. Sergio Miller served in Defence Intelligence in Whitehall throughout the campaign, and Pride and Fall answers the many questions surrounding the conflict. Based on abundant open-source material generated by the war and first-hand testimonies, this is the story of the men and women who served.

You know about MI5. You know about MI6. Now uncover the story behind Britain’s most secretive intelligence agency in the first-ever authorised history of GCHQ.

In Agatha Christie’s short story, “The Lost Mine,” Poirot investigates the suspicious disappearance of a Chinese businessman in London. Suspicion is focused on two Englishman, one of whom has an alibi and another who was in an opium den the night of the disappearance. A clear-cut case for Poirot soon becomes murky however. This short story originally appeared in the November 21, 1923 issue of The Sketch magazine.

James Stourton tells the story of the London art market from the immediate postwar period to the turn of the millennium in engaging and fast-paced style, populating his richly entertaining narrative with a glorious rogues’ gallery of clever amateurs, eccentric scholars, brilliant emigrés, cockney traders and grandees with a flair for the deal.

In Agatha Christie’s short story, “The Market Basing Mystery,” Poirot and Hastings are called on to investigate the suspicious death of a landowner in a small English town. What looks at first like a simple case of suicide quickly becomes more complex as Poirot interrogates the suspects in the home. This short story originally appeared in the October 17, 1923 issue of The Sketch magazine.

In Agatha Christie’s short story, “The Adventure of "The Western Star,” Poirot investigates the case of a missing diamond, “The Star of the East”, belonging to Lady Yardly. But what is the connection between it and a similar diamond owned by the famous American film actress Mary Marvell? And why does a Chinese man want it returned? This short story originally appeared in the April 11, 1923 issue of The Sketch magazine.

This collection of Culture Smart guidebooks introduces listeners to Italy, Germany, and Spain. Each guidebook includes concise chapters on the local customs, traditions, and values of the country's inhabitants and, crucially, the key historical and cultural events that have shaped them. There are sections on social and business etiquette, tips on communication, both verbal and non-verbal, and advice on how to be a good guest.