Antiquities & Oddities

//Antiquities & Oddities
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  • Hilarious. Incredible. Bizarre. Witty. Deliciously malicious! Where There's a Will is an absorbing collection of odd and curious wills from many countries and many times. Vindictive wills, revealing wills, wills written on nurses' petticoats, eggshells, tractor fenders and wills found in a bottle at sea included in the book reflect the full range of man's virtues and vices. The colorful individuals whose Last Will and Testament grace the pages of this book give more than their money away - they give themselves away. They use their wills to get back at obnoxious relatives, to maintain control beyond the grave, to reward, to punish, to defy those who say you can't take it with you. And to have the last word. Among the famous and the infamous whose wills are featured are: George Bernard Shaw, W.C. Fields, Patrick Henry, Janis Joplin, Napoleon, Jack Kelly, Howard Hughes, William Shakespeare, Ian Fleming, Billy Rose, Picasso, Marilyn Monroe, Aristotle Onassis. . . and many more.
  • This book contains the sort of things one might expect to come up on QI...Such as... the worst computer ever invented, the shortest-lived newspaper, the least successful round the world cyclist and the shortest period of marital bliss. Great fun to dip into at random.
  • The man with no name rode into San Miguel and saw the chance to make himself a fistful of dollars. He set two rival families against each other and managed to survive the bloodshed unscathed, while each side paid his hire. Then a massive shipment of Mexican gold arrived and violence exploded in the streets, the man with no name - the stranger, the Americano - came near to losing his life; that was when he ceased to be dangerous and became lethal...Cover art shows representation of Clint Eastwood as the Stranger in the 1964 film of the same name.
  • Originally published over 300 years ago as The Compleat Housewife - and 100 years before the famous Mrs Beeton - Eliza Smith, drawing on her vast experience while 'constantly employed by fashionable and noble families' compiled this collection of over 600 recipes which had 'met with general approbation'. There are also  remedies and cures for the 'benefit of every accomplished noblewoman' for every ailment from the bite of a mad dog to a case of pimples. This book was not only famous in Britain, but also in America where it has the distinction of being the first ever cookery book to be published there. N.B. Please exercise caution if you should decide to try any of the remedies mentioned; this is a 300 year old book and some of the recommendations and ingredients therein would definitely NOT  be advisable to try.
  • The legendary Robin Hood will never go out of style - he fights for the poor and for justice. This collection traces him from the day of his outlawry, his meeting with Little John, the forming of his band of men of like mind, outlaws all; the embarrassment of the Sherrif and the eventual return of King Richard.  Illustrations by R.C. Smith.
  • The plays of Noel 'The Master' Coward still draw audiences today.  This is a compilation of the Mermaid Theatre's Cowardy Custard which brought together the best of Noel Coward, as well as some of his less well-known songs and poems.  Beautifully illustrated with colour and black and white drawings and photos.
  • The true and unforgettable story of the Gilbreth clan as told by two of its members. In this endearing and amusing memoir, siblings Frank Jr. and Ernestine capture the hilarity and heart of growing up in an oversized family. Mother and Dad are world-renowned efficiency experts, helping factories fine-tune their assembly lines for maximum output at minimum cost. At home, the Gilbreths themselves have twelve kids and Dad can prove demonstrably - well, almost! - that efficiency principles can apply to family life as well as the workplace. Made into a film (1950) with Clifton Webb and Myrna Loy as Dad and Mum Gilbreth and remade in 2003. (See the original, it's funnier!)
  • A shiralee is a swag, a burden - and Macauley tramps through the back towns of New South Wales, looking for work, with his swag and his shiralee - his four year old daughter, Buster, taken from her loose-living mother by Macauley in a fit of vengeful rage. Buster is a bundle of loyalty, fortitude and natural childishness, yet she is no joy to Macauley, who treats her with uncompromising firmness.  She must go on walking with him; she must stop her chattering when he wants quiet; she must not complain.  But he has a grudging affection for her, an affection which grows without his realising it - until it is threatened. Now, not only must he admit his love for his daughter, his shiralee, but he must also realise how many true friends he really has. Here are other very real Australian characters: shopkeepers, stock agents, publicans, shearers, ex-fighters - all set against the Australian bush background of the 1950s.  Niland's first novel, filmed twice.
  • Bride-to-be Sophie is on a quest to find her father before the big day.  The only problem is - she's not sure who he is! After reading her mother's diary, she narrows it down to three great loves.  So she invites them all - knowing her mother would not approve - and tries to conceal their presence...but it's not long until the secret's out!