Death on the Downs

Death on the Downs
Author: Simon Brett
Publisher: Penguin
Total Pages: 334
Release: 2002-09-03
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1101204265

The second novel in the Fethering Mystery series! Exploring the South Downs of the well-to-do town of Weldisham, Carole Seddon is caught in a sudden rainstorm. She finds refuge in an old barn—but relief turns to revulsion when she discovers the bones of a human skeleton packed inside two bags. Some townspeople believe the remains are those of a missing girl named Tamsin Lutteridge, who disappeared after becoming involved with several practitioners of alternative medicine—including Carole’s friend Jude. On her own investigation, Jude discovers that Tamsin is very much alive and keeping close company with a very charismatic New Age healer. Now Jude and Carole have two mysteries to unravel. Why is Tamsin deliberately hiding from her father? And if the skeleton wasn’t hers…whose was it?

Sick from Freedom

Sick from Freedom
Author: Jim Downs
Publisher: OUP USA
Total Pages: 279
Release: 2012-05-14
Genre: History
ISBN: 0199758727

Sick from Freedom provides the first study of the health conditions of emancipated slaves and reveals the epidemics, illnesses, and poverty that former slaves suffered from when slavery ended and freedom began.

Death at Epsom Downs

Death at Epsom Downs
Author: Robin Paige
Publisher: Penguin
Total Pages: 305
Release: 2002-02-05
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1101204087

Lord Charles Sheridan has launched an investigation into a jockey's recent (and mysterious) death-while his wife, Kate, puzzles over the long-ago theft of an actress's jewels. But soon the Sheridans can't help wondering if the two strange events are, somehow, connected.

Maladies of Empire

Maladies of Empire
Author: Jim Downs
Publisher: Harvard University Press
Total Pages: 273
Release: 2021-01-12
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0674971728

A sweeping global history that looks beyond European urban centers to show how slavery, colonialism, and war propelled the development of modern medicine. Most stories of medical progress come with ready-made heroes. John Snow traced the origins of LondonÕs 1854 cholera outbreak to a water pump, leading to the birth of epidemiology. Florence NightingaleÕs contributions to the care of soldiers in the Crimean War revolutionized medical hygiene, transforming hospitals from crucibles of infection to sanctuaries of recuperation. Yet histories of individual innovators ignore many key sources of medical knowledge, especially when it comes to the science of infectious disease. Reexamining the foundations of modern medicine, Jim Downs shows that the study of infectious disease depended crucially on the unrecognized contributions of nonconsenting subjectsÑconscripted soldiers, enslaved people, and subjects of empire. Plantations, slave ships, and battlefields were the laboratories in which physicians came to understand the spread of disease. Military doctors learned about the importance of air quality by monitoring Africans confined to the bottom of slave ships. Statisticians charted cholera outbreaks by surveilling Muslims in British-dominated territories returning from their annual pilgrimage. The field hospitals of the Crimean War and the US Civil War were carefully observed experiments in disease transmission. The scientific knowledge derived from discarding and exploiting human life is now the basis of our ability to protect humanity from epidemics. Boldly argued and eye-opening, Maladies of Empire gives a full account of the true price of medical progress.

Do Death

Do Death
Author: Amanda Blainey
Publisher: Do Book Company
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2019-10-08
Genre: Family & Relationships
ISBN: 9781907974670

'Most people spend their whole lives asleep and then wake up a few days before they're about to die.' – Olivia Bareham, Sacred Crossings Death has a 100 per cent success rate. We can't escape its inevitability nor can we deny its existence. So, when someone close to us dies or we are confronted by our own mortality, why are we utterly unprepared? In Do Death, social activist Amanda Blainey seeks to transform our lives through our relationship with death. By inviting us to accept death as a natural part of life, she encourages us to think about what really matters – and live more consciously. With uplifting wisdom from leaders and visionaries, Do Death will: • Help us rediscover the power of human connection • Inspire us to think and talk about death more openly • Offer sage advice on how to navigate grief, and talk to children • Empower us to be better prepared, both practically and emotionally Death can be our greatest teacher. This book is a manual for living, at any stage in life.

All in the Downs

All in the Downs
Author: Shirley Collins
Publisher: MIT Press
Total Pages: 290
Release: 2018-06-26
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 1907222413

A memoir from one of Britain's legendary singers, folklorists, and music historians. A legendary singer, folklorist, and music historian, Shirley Collins has been an integral part of the folk-music revival for more than sixty years. In her new memoir, All in the Downs, Collins tells the story of that lifelong relationship with English folksong—a dedication to artistic integrity that has guided her through the triumphs and tragedies of her life. All in the Downs combines elements of memoir—from her working-class origins in wartime Hastings to the bright lights of the 1950s folk revival in London—alongside reflections on the role traditional music and the English landscape have played in shaping her vision. From formative field recordings made with Alan Lomax in the United States to the “crowning glories” recorded with her sister Dolly on the Sussex Downs, she writes of the obstacles that led to her withdrawal from the spotlight and the redemption of a new artistic flourishing that continues today with her unexpected return to recording in 2016. Through it all, Shirley Collins has been guided and supported by three vital and inseparable loves: traditional English song, the people and landscape of her native Sussex, and an unwavering sense of artistic integrity. All in the Downs pays tribute to these passions, and in doing so, illustrates a way of life as old as England, that has all but vanished from this land. Generously illustrated with rare archival material.

Murder on the Downs

Murder on the Downs
Author: Julie Wassmer
Publisher: Constable
Total Pages: 178
Release: 2020-05-07
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1472130103

'While Oxford had Morse, Whitstable, famous for its oysters, has Pearl' Daily Mail Murder on the Downs is the seventh book in Julie Wassmer's popular crime series - now a major Acorn TV drama, Whitstable Pearl, starring Kerry Godliman as private detective and restaurateur, Pearl Nolan. A controversial new property development is planned in Whitstable which will encroach upon the green open space of the downs, to the dismay of Whitstable residents who view this as the thin end of the wedge with regard to local wildlife conservation. A campaign springs into life, spearheaded by a friend of Pearl's family, Martha Laker. A committed environmentalist, Martha is no stranger to controversy herself. She has also managed to divide opinion across town, with the locals viewing her as their fearless champion while establishment figures seeing only an interfering agitator. Tensions escalate between the developers and Whitstable residents, straining Pearl's close relationship with London-born police officer, DCI Mike McGuire, who harbours concerns that the local campaign will spiral out of control. Pearl's loyalties are torn, but the protest duly goes ahead - and newspaper headlines claim a moral victory for the residents in this David and Goliath battle. But the victory is short lived when Pearl discovers a dead body on the downs... Praise for Julie Wassmer's Whitstable Pearl Mysteries... 'While Oxford had Morse, Whitstable, famous for its oysters, has Pearl . . . True to the tradition of classic crime, [Julie Wassmer] weaves a strong story into a setting that has more to offer than murder and mayhem' Daily Mail 'As light as a Mary Berry Victoria sponge, this Middle-England romp is packed with vivid characters' Myles McWeeney, Irish Independent 'All of the thrills without any of the gore' The Sun 'This is a quality title...a very entertaining read' The Puzzle Doctor 'My new favourite author in the genre' George Galloway 'A wonderful way to explore Whitstable . . . if you love cosy mysteries, then get acquainted with Pearl (and her mum and her cats!) and enjoy a trip to Whitstable through the eyes of this very convincing author' Trip Fiction 'Proves she's mistress of her craft' John McGhie, author of White Highlands 'Thoroughly enjoyable with a host of wonderful characters - I adore Dolly! - and evocative descriptions of Whitstable. Perfect for foodies too. Pearl is great and the ongoing will they/won't they love story with McGuire is compelling. Comforting, cosy and entertaining with excellent Agatha Christie-style reveals. I love these books!' Jane Wenham-Jones, author of Mum in the Middle 'If you enjoy cosy crime fiction and you still haven't picked this series, then you are missing out' Alba in Bookland 'Julie Wassmer really knows how to tell a story' Victoria Best, Shiny New Books 'Good, solid whodunits, without gruesome details or gratuitous violence, Murder on Sea may be just your cup of tea' Bec Stafford 'Come to Whitstable without actually coming to Whitstable. A good read!' Anthony Jemmett Praise for the TV series 'Scandi noir meets the English seaside in Whitstable Pearl, a murder mystery series based on Julie Wassmer's novels...' Drama Quarterly '...explores all the murder and debauchery in the seemingly perfect English seaside town of Whitstable...' Washington Post '...you never know what might turn up, either on the menu or alongside an oyster boat.' Wall Street Journal

That Sounds Fun

That Sounds Fun
Author: Annie F. Downs
Publisher: Revell
Total Pages: 240
Release: 2021-02-02
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1493425897

A New York Times Bestseller! We know there are certain things we must have to survive--food, shelter, and safety to name a few. But there are also aspects of life that truly allow us to be joyful and fulfilled. For popular podcaster and bestselling author Annie F. Downs, fun is close to the top of that list. Few would argue that having fun doesn't enrich our lives, but so much gets in the way of prioritizing it. Tough days, busyness, and feelings that are hard to talk about keep us from the fun that's out there waiting to be found. With That Sounds Fun, Annie offers an irresistible invitation to understand the meaning of fun, to embrace it and chase it, and to figure out what, exactly, sounds fun to you--then do it! Exploring some research and sharing some thoughts behind why fun matters, she shows you how to find, experience, and multiply your fun. With her signature storytelling style and whimsical vulnerability, Annie is the friend we all need to guide us back to staying true to ourselves and finding the fun we need.

A Duty to the Dead

A Duty to the Dead
Author: Charles Todd
Publisher: Harper Collins
Total Pages: 352
Release: 2009-08-25
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 006190550X

“Another winner....Todd again excels at vivid atmosphere and the effects of war in this specific time and place. Grade: A.” —Cleveland Plain Dealer “Readers who can’t get enough of Maisie Dobbs, the intrepid World War I battlefield nurse in Jacqueline Winspear’s novels…are bound to be caught up in the adventures of Bess Crawford.” —New York Times Book Review Charles Todd, author of the resoundingly acclaimed Ian Rutledge crime novels (“One of the best historical series being written today” —Washington Post Book World) debuts an exceptional new protagonist, World War I nurse Bess Crawford, in A Duty to the Dead. A gripping tale of perilous obligations and dark family secrets in the shadows of a nightmarish time of global conflict, A Duty to the Dead is rich in suspense, surprise, and the impeccable period atmosphere that has become a Charles Todd trademark.