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Adventures in Solitude
by Grant LawrenceFrom Captain George Vancouver to Muriel "Curve of Time" Blanchet to Jim "Spilsbury's Coast" Spilsbury, visitors to Desolation Sound have left behind a trail of books endowing the area with a romantic aura that helps to make it British Columbia's most popular marine park. In this hilarious and captivating book, CBC personality Grant Lawrence adds a whole new chapter to the saga of this storied piece of BC coastline.Young Grant's father bought a piece of land next to the park in the 1970s, just in time to encounter the gun-toting cougar lady, left-over hippies, outlaw bikers and an assortment of other characters. In those years Desolation Sound was a place where going to the neighbours' potluck meant being met with hugs from portly naked hippies and where Russell the Hermit's school of life (boating, fishing, and rock 'n' roll) was Grant's personal Enlightenment-an influence that would take him away from the coast to a life of music and journalism and eventually back again.With rock band buddies and a few cases of beer in tow, an older, cooler Grant returns to regale us with tales of "going bush," the tempting dilemma of finding an unguarded grow-op, and his awkward struggle to convince a couple of visiting kayakers that he's a legit CBC radio host while sporting a wild beard and body wounds and gesticulating with a machete. With plenty of laugh-out-loud humour and inspired reverence, Adventures in Solitude delights us with the unique history of a place and the growth of a young man amidst the magic of Desolation Sound.
Adventures in the Arctic
by Richard Gill MontgomeryAdventures in the Arctic, first published in 1932 as “Pechuck,” is a fascinating account of exploration, based on the diary of Lorne Knight, who sailed on the Polar Bear in 1915, later joined the Canadian Arctic Expedition, and accompanied Vilhjalmur Stefansson on his journeys in far northern and western Canada in 1917-18. Knight died of scurvy on Wrangel Island in 1923, during a failed attempt to establish a settlement there. Included are 10 pages of maps and photographs.
Adventures in the Connaught Rangers. Vol. I (Adventures in the Connaught Rangers #1)
by Lt.-Colonel William GrattanThis ebook is purpose built and is proof-read and re-type set from the original to provide an outstanding experience of reflowing text for an ebook reader. Born into a well-known and respected family in Dublin, William Grattan has left no sketch of himself or his reasons for joining the 88th Regiment of Foot, the most Irish of all the Irish regiments according to Oman, as a subaltern in 1809. It is conceivable that he thirsted for adventure, and advancement, however little did he know that he would be joining as hard fighting, drinking and pilfering regiment that ever fought in the Peninsular under Wellington. Christened "The Devil's Own" by their divisional commander Picton, the Connaught Rangers as they were also known are detailed in all their varied adventures by Grattan. The "Adventures" are particularly well written by an author who had two sterling attributes as a writer above and beyond his contemporaries, the first an un-erring ability to describe the actions, skirmishes and battles that he was involved in despite smoke, carnage and confusion around him at the time. The second is an ability to provide a plethora of details and anecdotes that breathe life into normal day-to-day events in the army and more specifically his famous regiment. Wellington was to famously to congratulate them along with four companies of the 45th Regiment of their charge at Busaco; "Upon my honour, I never witnessed a more gallant charge than that just now made by your regiment." Grattan would eventually leave the service in 1817, with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, but his association with the regiment that he dearly loved would continue on his continued writings in defence of Sir Thomas Picton, his divisional chief and his regiment in the pages of the United Service Magazine and monographs of his own. Warmly recommended. This is the first volume of the original two volume account left by Lieutenant-Colonel Grattan, rather than the heavily edited version commonly found. Author - William Grattan - (???? - ????) Text taken, whole and complete, from the edition published in 1847, London, by Henry Colborn Original - 329 pages. TOC included
Adventures in the Connaught Rangers. Vol. II (Adventures in the Connaught Rangers #2)
by Lt.-Colonel William GrattanThis ebook is purpose built and is proof-read and re-type set from the original to provide an outstanding experience of reflowing text for an ebook reader. Born into a well-known and respected family in Dublin, William Grattan has left no sketch of himself or his reasons for joining the 88th Regiment of Foot, the most Irish of all the Irish regiments according to Oman, as a subaltern in 1809. It is conceivable that he thirsted for adventure, and advancement, however little did he know that he would be joining as hard fighting, drinking and pilfering regiment that ever fought in the Peninsular under Wellington. Christened "The Devil's Own" by their divisional commander Picton, the Connaught Rangers as they were also known are detailed in all their varied adventures by Grattan. The "Adventures" are particularly well written by an author who had two sterling attributes as a writer above and beyond his contemporaries, the first an un-erring ability to describe the actions, skirmishes and battles that he was involved in despite smoke, carnage and confusion around him at the time. The second is an ability to provide a plethora of details and anecdotes that breathe life into normal day-to-day events in the army and more specifically his famous regiment. Wellington was to famously to congratulate them along with four companies of the 45th Regiment of their charge at Busaco; "Upon my honour, I never witnessed a more gallant charge than that just now made by your regiment." Grattan would eventually leave the service in 1817, with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, but his association with the regiment that he dearly loved would continue on his continued writings in defence of Sir Thomas Picton, his divisional chief and his regiment in the pages of the United Service Magazine and monographs of his own. Warmly recommended. This is the second volume of the original two volume account left by Lieutenant-Colonel Grattan, rather than the heavily edited version commonly found. Author - William Grattan - (???? - ????)Text taken, whole and complete, from the edition published in 1847, London, by Henry Colborn Original - 346 pages. TOC included
Adventures in the French Trade: Fragments Toward a Life
by Jeffrey MehlmanMehlman (French literature, Boston University) deconstructs and recreates his intellectual and, at times, personal life in this freewheeling memoir. His fascination with French authors and literary theorists, such as Derrida, Mauron and Lacan, along with a desire to understand the love/hate relationship of Jewish intellectuals with France are recurrent riffs in the story. However, Mehlman's memories skip about, as they do in reality, one recalling another, leaping back and forth in time, occasionally repeating themselves in slightly different ways. It does not surprise that Mehlman is a devotée of Proust. The memories are compelling in themselves. One doesn't need to have read Mehlman's other works to enjoy his ramblings through life. It does help if one is a Francophile with a sense of humor. Annotation ©2011 Book News, Inc. , Portland, OR (booknews. com)
Adventures in the Land of Oz: Red Roofs and Blue Pools
by Alexandra AitkenWith much trepidation, a young recently qualified nurse leaves the security of her home to embark on a 6 month adventure to the other side of the world. Having never been abroad she feels nervous about flying, anxious about the etiquette within the plane but also excited to be travelling all the way to Australia on her own. Approaching Sydney airport she experiences overwhelming emotion as the images below become clearer and she sees the first glimpses of the red roofs and blue pools which characterised the Sydney suburbs. In Australia she finds a land filled with sunshine, beaches, beautiful scenery and amazingly warm people. Adapting to a new way of life comes easy and she soon finds she loves everything Australian, including her aunt's collection of rescued animals and the never ending quest for the ultimate cream tea.
Adventures in the Orgasmatron: How the Sexual Revolution Came to America
by Christopher TurnerOne of The Economist's 2011 Books of the Year A Boston Globe Best Nonfiction Book of 2011 Well before the 1960s, a sexual revolution was under way in America, led by expatriated European thinkers who saw a vast country ripe for liberation. In Adventures in the Orgasmatron, Christopher Turner tells the revolution's story—an illuminating, thrilling, often bizarre story of sex and science, ecstasy and repression. Central to the narrative is the orgone box—a tall, slender construction of wood, metal, and steel wool. A person who sat in the box, it was thought, could elevate his or her "orgastic potential." The box was the invention of Wilhelm Reich, an outrider psychoanalyst who faced a federal ban on the orgone box, an FBI investigation, a fraught encounter with Einstein, and bouts of paranoia. In Turner's vivid account, Reich's efforts anticipated those of Alfred Kinsey, Herbert Marcuse, and other prominent thinkers—efforts that brought about a transformation of Western views of sexuality in ways even the thinkers themselves could not have imagined.
Adventures in the Rifle Brigade, in the Peninsula, France, and the Netherlands from 1809 to 1815 [Illustrated and Annotated Edition]
by Pickle Partners Publishing Captain Sir John KincaidThis ebook is purpose built and is proof-read and re-type set from the original to provide an outstanding experience of reflowing text for an ebook reader. This edition contains over 60 annotations, illuminating the people and events recounted by Sir John, and also 6 maps illuminating the battles of Fuentes de Oñoro, Salamanca and Vittoria, also the sieges of Cuidad Rodrigo and Badajoz and the fortifications of Torres Vedras. Sir John Kincaid served with the 95th Rifles throughout the Peninsular War and the Waterloo campaign in 1815. Written with verve and wit and an eye for an amusing story, Adventures in the Rifle Brigade (as the 95th was known at the time), Kincaid provided an oft imitated pattern for British Rife memoirs. Published originally in 1830 the originality of the book has led to numerous re-editions since. The narrative includes; The Battles of Sabugal, Fuentes D'Oñoro, Salamanca, Vittoria, the Nivelle and Waterloo,and the sieges of Badajoz and Cuidad Rodrigo. The Text has been taken from the edition published by T. and W. Boone, 1830 London Author - Sir John Kincaid 1787-1862
Adventures in the Scream Trade: Scenes from an Operatic Life
by Charles LongCharles Long thrilled opera audiences for more than two decades, performing on some of America's and the world's most famous stages and singing alongside some of the medium's greatest stars. Now retired, Long vividly recounts many of those experiences in this insightful, frank, and humorous memoir. Sparing no one, especially himself, from his acerbic wit and keen observations, he sheds a bright light into a world many of us respect and admire but few of us have ever encountered in such intimate detail. In the process he illustrates why the word opera, which means work in Italian, truly is a labor of love for so many who have given their all to their art.
Adventures in the South, Volume 4: Depart Switzerland
by Jacques CasanovaThis book is the number 4 of the "Adventures in the South"
Adventures in the South, Volume 4e: Milan
by Jacques CasanovaAdventures in the South, book 4e "Milan"
Adventures in Volcanoland: What Volcanoes Tell Us About the World and Ourselves
by Tamsin MatherA mix of memoir, travel and popular science, charting journeys across deserts, through jungles and up ice caps, to some of the most important volcanoes around the world In this captivating book from one of the most influential geochemists in the field, Tamsin Mather takes us along on her globe-spanning excursions from Nicaragua to Hawaii, Santorini to Ethiopia and beyond. With warmth and lyricism, she explores the cultural roles volcanoes play throughout history, and the growing and evolving science behind their formation and eruptions.Adventures in Volcanoland is an urgent and poetic exploration into the world's most mysterious geological mountains and how they make and shape our world.
Adventures of a Cold War Fast-Jet Navigator: The Buccaneer Years
by David HerriotDavid Herriot served almost 40 years in the Royal Air Force as a navigator, first on the Buccaneer S2 and subsequently on the Tornado GR1. This volume recounts his early career operating the Buccaneer on three operational flying tours plus a tour as an instructor on the Operational Conversion Unit. With almost 2500 hours on an aircraft that was operated at high-speed, in all weathers and at ultra low-level, his task in the rear seat was a demanding one. But Herriot was more than just the guy in the back of a Buccaneer; he was, quite routinely, and often to the exasperation of his seniors, the life and soul of any party that was taking place either at home base or when overseas defending the flanks of NATO.This is an epic adventure for the aviation enthusiast, particularly those with affection for the Blackburn Buccaneer, and is one that provides a great deal more than the usual introduction to a specific aircraft type and the people who flew it. Here the reader will find an absolute insight into life on a fast jet squadron, at work and mischievous play during the Cold War and they will be introduced to some of the modern Royal Air Forces greatest characters.
The Adventures of a Curious Cat: wit and wisdom from Curious Zelda, purrfect for cats and their humans
by Curious Zelda'A purrfect gift for a loved one with a special affinity for the feline' 'An absolute must for any cat lover''Curiosity is more than a desire to discover. It's a lifestyle, and a purrvilege. It's hours of observing a fly on the wall. It's entering the sock drawer just before it closes. It's sniffing the lampshade one more time . . .'Such is the wisdom of Curious Zelda: social media star, agony aunt, yoga teacher, cat. In The Adventures of a Curious Cat she gives insight into her view of the world and dispenses unparalleled wisdom. Zelda explains, in her unique voice, how to handle humans, how to communicate with furniture, and most importantly how to live a life curiously. It's the ultimate self-help guide for any cat, or indeed, their human.
The Adventures of a Curious Cat: wit and wisdom from Curious Zelda, purrfect for cats and their humans
by Curious Zelda'A purrfect gift for a loved one with a special affinity for the feline''An absolute must for any cat lover''Curiosity is more than a desire to discover. It's a lifestyle, and a purrvilege. It's hours of observing a fly on the wall. It's entering the sock drawer just before it closes. It's sniffing the lampshade one more time . . .'Such is the wisdom of Curious Zelda: social media star, agony aunt, yoga teacher, cat. In The Adventures of a Curious Catshe gives insight into her view of the world and dispenses unparalleled wisdom. Zelda explains, in her unique voice, how to handle humans, how to communicate with furniture, and most importantly how to live a life curiously. It's the ultimate self-help guide for any cat, or indeed, their human.
The Adventures of a Curious Cat: wit and wisdom from Curious Zelda, purrfect for cats and their humans
by Curious Zelda'Curiosity is more than a desire to discover. It's a lifestyle, and a purrvilege. It's hours of observing a fly on the wall. It's entering the sock drawer just before it closes. It's sniffing the lampshade one more time . . .'Such is the wisdom of Curious Zelda: social media star, agony aunt, yoga teacher, cat. In The Adventures of a Curious Cat she gives insight into her view of the world and dispenses unparalleled wisdom. Zelda explains, in her unique voice, how to handle humans, how to communicate with furniture, and most importantly how to live a life curiously. It's the ultimate self-help guide for any cat, or indeed, their human.
Adventures of a Deaf-Mute and Other Short Pieces
by Kristen C. Harmon William B. SwettIn Adventures of a Deaf-Mute, Deaf New Englander William B. Swett recounts his adventures in the White Mountains of New Hampshire in the late 1860s. Given to us in short, energetic episodes, Swett tells daring stories of narrow escapes from death and other perilous experiences during his time as a handyman and guide at the Profile House, a hotel named for the nearby Old Man of the Mountain rock formation. A popular destination, the hotel attracted myriad guests, and Swett’s tales of rugged endurance are accompanied by keen observations of the people he meets. Confident in his identity as a Deaf “mute,” he notes with wry humor the varied perceptions of deafness that he encounters. As a signing Deaf person from a prominent multigenerational Deaf family, he counters negative stereotypes with generosity and a smart wit. He takes pride in his physical abilities, which he showcases through various stunts and arduous treks in the wilderness. However, Swett’s writing also reveals a deep awareness of the fragility and precariousness of life. This is a portrait of a man testing his physical and emotional limits, written from the vantage point of someone who is no longer a young man but is still very much in the prime of his life. This collection also includes “Mr. Swett and His Diorama,” an article from 1859 in which Swett describes his miniature recreation of the Battle of Lexington, as well as Manual Alphabets, a pamphlet published in 1875 on the history of manual alphabets that includes short biographies of Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet and Laurent Clerc, two pioneers of Deaf education in the United States. The work is accompanied by a new introduction that offers a reflection on Swett’s life and the time in which he lived.
Adventures of a Female Medical Detective: In Pursuit of Smallpox and AIDS
by Mary Guinan Anne D. Mather"A rip-roaring read."—NatureFresh out of college in the 1960s, Mary Guinan aspired to be an astronaut—until she learned that NASA's astronaut program wasn't recruiting women. Instead, Guinan went to medical school and became a disease detective with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Epidemic Intelligence Service. Selected to join India's Smallpox Eradication program, Guinan traveled to remote villages to isolate smallpox cases and then vaccinate all uninfected persons within a ten-mile radius. By May 1975, the World Health Organization declared Uttar Pradesh smallpox-free.During her barrier-breaking career, Dr. Guinan met arms-seeking Afghan insurgents in Pakistan and got caught in the crossfire between religious groups in Lebanon. She was one of the first medical detectives on the ground in San Francisco at the start of the AIDS crisis. And she served as an expert witness in a landmark decision that still protects HIV patients from workplace discrimination. Randy Shilts's best-selling book on the epidemic, And the Band Played On, features her AIDS work, as does the HBO movie of the same name.In Adventures of a Female Medical Detective, Guinan weaves together twelve vivid stories of her life in medicine, describing her individual experiences in controlling outbreaks, researching new diseases, and caring for patients the world over. Occasionally heartbreaking, sometimes hilarious, Guinan's account of her pathbreaking career will inspire public health students and future medical detectives—and give all readers insight into that part of the government exclusively devoted to protecting their health.
Adventures of a Louisiana Birder: One Year, Two Wings, Three Hundred Species
by Marybeth LimaThis candid and humorous chronicle shows how one woman goes from casual observer to obsessive bird nerd as she traverses Louisiana’s avian paradise. In Adventures of a Louisiana Birder, readers follow Marybeth Lima across her adopted state in search of 300 species of birds. Bisected by the Mississippi flyway and home to 400 miles of coast, Louisiana has a variety of habitats, which serve as a beautiful backdrop to this remarkable journey. In birding circles, some devotees attempt what is known as a “big year,” a bird-sighting challenge to identify as many bird species as possible in a particular geographical area over the course of one year. Lima’s initial effort amounted to 11,626 miles in sixty-one road trips to log an impressive 280 species. But on a subsequent quest to exceed her record, she endures elusive birds, embarrassing misidentifications, and hungry insects in an effort to reach her goal. In the midst of these obstacles, Lima celebrates the camaraderie and friendly competition among fellow birders, from novices to a world-renown ornithologist. Requiring both mental focus and physical agility, birdwatching becomes an active sport through Lima’s narration. She vividly conveys the elation over a rare species seen or heard and the disappointment when one is narrowly missed. An appendix provides the location and date of every species she identifies. Lima’s personal experiences are interwoven with the excitement of tracking down one intriguing species after another. She faces a near-fatal burn accident to her spouse, end-of-life care for her mother-in-law, and Louisiana’s great flood of 2016. In the midst of these situations, her devotion to birding provides a much-needed outlet. “Somewhere in the roiling confluence of birds, locales, and human personalities,” writes Lima, “the center of my heart sings with utter abandon.” Adventures of a Louisiana Birder is the author’s call to a deeper passion for and awareness of Louisiana’s unique natural beauty and vulnerability.
Adventures of a Soldier; or Memoirs of Edward Costello, K.S.F. Formerly a Non-Commission Officer in The Rifle Brigade...
by Pickle Partners Publishing Edward CostelloThis ebook is purpose built and is proof-read and re-type set from the original to provide an outstanding experience of reflowing text for an ebook reader. Edward Costello enlisted into his local militia regiment in Ireland in 1806, and transferred, not without having a few adventures in his native Ireland, to the 95th Rifles. Not quite well drilled enough to join in Sir John Moore's 1808-1809 campaign, he narrates some stories of his comrades who did including Tom Plunket, famous for shooting the French General Colbert. His service in the Peninsular campaign, started almost immediately with the epic forced march to Talavera under General "Black Bob" Crauford, a fierce discipliarian, but liked by his men as Costello points out. Numerous skirmishes, affairs of outposts and combats punctuate Costello's narrative, along with amusing asides of his comrades and their japes, drinking and occasionally their punishment by the lash. Present at the battles of Fuentes d'Oñoro, El Bodon, Salamanca, Vittoria, Nivelle and the storming of Cuidad Roderigo and bloody Badajoz, he captures the mood of the men and the hellish atmosphere of a battle, and the sorrow of lost friends. After a brief break in his active service Costello once more engages during the Waterloo campaign, and is heavily engaged at Waterloo and Quatre Bras. After the fall of Napoleon Costello's career turns to the British Legion , which is no sinecure despite his elevation to Lieutenant as he is posted to join the expedition to Spain and sees the vicious civil war at first hand, with scenes that remind him of the savagery of his experiences between the Guerillas and the French many years before. A gem in the sparkling vein of memoirs written by the men and officers of the famed Rifle brigade during their adventures in the Peninsular war. Costello writes with a verve and wit, and some idiosyncratic spelling, often only found in the works of the officers of his regiment such as Kincaid. A justly acclaimed classic. Author - Edward Costello - (26th October 1788 - ????) Text taken, whole and complete, from the edition published in 1841, London, by Henry Colbourn Original - 410 pages. Linked TOC
Adventures of a Suburban Boy
by John BoormanJohn Boorman came of age as a filmmaker in the 1960s--the golden age of world cinema. Then as now, his celebrated films embrace the spirit of the era: challenging authority, questioning accepted morality, and examining the thin line between civilization and savagery. In Adventures of a Suburban Boy, Boorman delves deeply into these themes, applying his subversive sensibility to his life story as well as to some of the most important political and cultural events of the twentieth century. The result is a heady fusion of personal memoir and cinematic study, as a child of the London Blitz becomes the influential director known for films such as Point Blank, Excalibur, Hope and Glory, Deliverance, and The General--discussing the cultural role of the motion picture and the art of filmmaking along the way. With a vividly depicted supporting cast that includes Sean Connery, Richard Burton, Burt Reynolds, and Cher, among others, this entertaining and witty tour through the life, times, and works of one of the cinema's great practitioners is not only essential for anyone seeking a fuller understanding of Boorman's incredible body of work, but is also indispensable resource for anyone who is fascinated by film's impact on our lives.
Adventures of a Terribly Greedy Girl: A Memoir of Food, Family, Film & Fashion
by Kay Plunkett-HoggeAs featured in the Sunday Express and Evening Standard Must Haves'...a heady and enchanting book and a manifesto of our times ...if you're interested in food, film, fashion or simply fantastic adventures to far-flung places, you'll want to devour Kay Plunkett-Hogge's Adventures of a Terribly Greedy Girl'.Metro'This eclectic memoir, with its evocative vignettes of life in some of the world's mostvibrant cities, is punctuated with mouthwatering recipes - everything from sashimi with Thai salsaverde to the perfect dry martini'.Daily Mail'...a romp through the life of one-time male model-booker Kay Plunkett-Hogge. There are recipes and checklists peppered among the riotous stories. Dip in and out or read on the train to brighten your commute - it's better than a Berocca fix (and far more entertaining'.delicious.magazine'[A] feisty, funny memoir, interspersed with personal recipes. Best enjoyed with a Martini'.Sainsbury's MagazineWith a dry martini in hand, Kay Plunkett-Hogge looks back at the happy accidents, regrettable errors and unexpected opportunities that led to a career as a food and drink writer, via stints in the worlds of fashion and film. It is a celebration of a tumbling through life, of mistakes, and opportunities laid bare. As you read, Kay shares 25 delicious recipes she discovered along the way, from her grandmother's apple crumble to sashimi with Thai salsa verde. Chapters include 10 Things I Learnt in New York, The Comfort of a Roast Chicken and What Would Martha Do? Joyful, witty and occasionally indiscreet, Adventures of A Terribly Greedy Girl is about the benefits of letting your curiosity trump your good sense.
Adventures of a Terribly Greedy Girl: A Memoir of Food, Family, Film & Fashion
by Kay Plunkett-HoggeWith a dry martini in hand, Kay Plunkett-Hogge looks back at the happy accidents, regrettable errors and unexpected opportunities that led to a career as a food and drink writer, via stints in the worlds of fashion and film. It is a celebration of a tumbling through life, of mistakes, and opportunities laid bare. As you read, Kay shares 25 delicious recipes she discovered along the way, from her grandmother's apple crumble to sashimi with Thai salsa verde. Chapters include 10 Things I Learnt in New York, The Comfort of a Roast Chicken and What Would Martha Do? Joyful, witty and occasionally indiscreet, Adventures of A Terribly Greedy Girl is about the benefits of letting your curiosity trump your good sense.
Adventures of a Tropical Tramp
by Harry La Tourette FosterThe Adventures of a Tropical Tramp, first published in 1922, is the first of several travel narratives by Harry La Tourette Foster (1894-1932), a World War One veteran who, seized by wanderlust, would spend much of his adult life traveling and working first in South America (the subject of this book), and later in Asia, the South Pacific, and the Caribbean. While in South America, Foster recounts his experiences as a miner, reporter, war correspondent, diplomatic attaché, guide, companion, and piano player, ending with an extended voyage down the Amazon and its tributaries. His writing vividly - and often humorously - portrays the people he met, the local culture, and his desire for new adventures. Included are 4 pages of photographs.
The Adventures of a Victorian Con Woman: The Life and Crimes of Mrs Gordon Baillie
by Mick Davis David LassmanThe true crime story of a master swindler and charming con-artist who became one of the most notorious female criminals of the Victorian Age.‘The story of Mrs. Gordon Baillie is stranger than anything to be met with in the field of fiction.’Mrs. Gordon Baillie, known throughout her life as Annie, was born in the direst poverty in the small Scottish fishing town of Peterhead in 1848. Illegitimate and illiterate, her beauty and intelligence nevertheless enabled her to overcome her circumstances and become a charming and wealthy socialite living a life of luxury while raising money for worthy causes and charitable works.Behind her supposed perfect and contented life, however, lay one of the most notorious and compulsive swindlers of the Victorian Age. Her fraudulent fundraising and larger-than-life schemes played out across four decades and three continents, and involved land owners, crofters, aristocrats, politicians, bankers, socialist revolutionaries, operatic stars, and the cultural icons of the day.She became mistress to a rich aristocrat, married a world-renowned male opera singer and later took as a lover a vicar’s son with anarchist tendencies. For most of her ‘career’ she kept one step ahead of the law and her nemesis, Inspector Henry Marshall of Scotland Yard, but finally becoming undone through her own compulsion for petty theft, despite her amassed fortune.During her life she used more than forty aliases, produced four children and spent her way through millions in ill-gotten wealth. But at the turn of the twentieth century, her notoriety was such that she took refuge in America and disappeared from history.“If you want to read about a Victorian woman who was able to hide her humble origins in Scotland to become one of the most notorious con-women in well-to-do society—an audacious figure who tried to live the life she felt she deserved rather than the one society wanted her to lead—then this book is highly recommended.” —Criminal Historian, Dr Nell Darby