HarperCollins Publishers

Systems of measurement were created to quantify natural phenomena and to allow us to deal more effectively with everyday life. People have measured lengths, weights and time since earliest times. Accurate measurements of weight were needed for trading goods and of length for marking out property and for building – and for these measurements to work they have to be based upon agreed standards. From those early measurements, many other units have been developed, each designed for a particular purpose. This book covers units used in the following areas: numbers; length and distance; areas; volume; time; speed; mass; weight and density; energy; force; temperatures. It provides • units and their sub-division • conversions to other types of unit • formulae for quick calculations • an explanation of how the unit is measured • what the unit is used for In addition there are listings of abbreviations used for units, instruments used for measuring, and individuals who invented particular units.

My First Picture Dictionary contains a selection of common everyday words, grouped in familiar themes such as In the Park, At the Seaside, and Things We Like to Eat. Each word is accompanied by a bold, colourful illustration, and many spreads also feature an action-packed scene incorporating the words. A special feature of the dictionary are the questions posed by the cat, the dog and the family of children who appear throughout the book. These questions help parents and teachers to share the book with their children, encouraging them to look closely at the words and pictures, and talk about what they see. The dictionary opens with an introduction for adults, explaining how to get the most out of the book, and ends with a range of fun spreads that explore simple concepts such as colour, numbers and ‘doing’ words.

Collins First School Dictionary has been especially designed to support the language and literacy needs of children aged 5+. It introduces early learners to essential dictionary features such as headwords, definitions and other forms of the word (for example, plural forms). It includes example sentences which highlight the headword to show how it can be used. Simple full sentence defintions and example sentences show the headword in a context familiar to the child. The A–Z on each page helps with alphabet skills and ensures that the dictionary is easy-to-use. Guidewords are also given on every page. Bright, colourful illustrations and photographs support language learning and make the dictionary lively and fun. PLUS new, updated word lists, writing help and support for using the internet, as well as an interactive quiz. Researched and developed in consultation with Literacy and Numeracy Consultants, teachers, parents and children.

Collins Junior Illustrated Dictionary has been especially written to support the needs of children aged 6 to 8. It introduces key dictionary features such as showing parts of speech (noun, verb, adjective or adverb) and other forms of a word (for example plurals or past tense of a verb). The clear, spacious layout, colour headwords, guidewords at the top of each page plus the A–Z ‘tab’ index on each page ensure that the dictionary is easy-to-use. Bright, colourful illustrations and photographs support language learning AND make it fun. Full sentence definitions and example sentences show the headword used in a context familiar to children. The Collins Word Wizard section gives extra help with illustrated topic pages, support for writing and using the Internet as well as really useful word lists and games to play. Written by established children’s dictionary author, Evelyn Goldsmith.

New ideas on how to design, build, and decorate a home are always of essential value to architects, designers and homeowners alike. This book offers an extensive collection of family houses from all over the world, devised by distinguished international architects and designers who have worked to achieve practical, innovative and stunning solutions adapted to the specific needs and particular tastes of their clients. This compilation expresses the diversity of current trends in house design and provides an inspirational source of ideas for those active in the field of design or interested in catching up on the latest in contemporary residential architecture.

Now available in mass market is the definitive collection of short stories that reveals one of the world's most gifted fantasy writers at the peak of his form. Includes a sneak peek at Gaiman's new hardcover «Anasi Boys», available in September.

From the no. 1 bestselling author of PS, I Love You comes an enchanting novel about two childhood friends whom fate and destiny can't help toying with! From naughty children to rebellious teenagers, Rosie and Alex have stuck by each other through thick and thin. But just as they're discovering the joys of teenage nights on the town and dating disasters, they're separated. Alex's family moves from Dublin to America — and Alex goes with them. For good. Rosie's lost without her best friend. But on the eve of her departure to join Alex in Boston, Rosie gets news that will change her life forever — and keep her at home in Ireland. Their magical connection sees them through the ups and downs of each other's lives but neither of them knows whether their friendship can really survive the years and miles — as well as new relationships. And at the back of Rosie's mind is whether they were meant to be more than just good friends all along. Misunderstandings, circumstances and sheer bad luck have kept them out of each other’s' arms, but when presented with the ultimate opportunity, will they gamble everything — including their friendship — for true love? Destiny, Alex and Rosie discover, is a funny thing and fate isn't quite done with them yet!

Chili Palmer plunges into the seediest, most dangerous corners of Hollywoods music business.

Defense attorney David Nash has made a career out of setting monsters free — and no one does it better. Now a case has come to «The Ice Man» that could help cleanse Nash of the guilt and doubts that torment him: that rarest of all defendants, an innocent man. A fellow lawyer has been accused of a heinous crime — the brutal murder of an undercover vice cop. But the case that is supposed to be Nash's redemption could prove to be his downfall, dragging him into a dark and sinister world where lies and the truth are interchangeable; where the manipulator becomes the manipulated; and where every answer spawns more complex and terrifying questions. And as the shadows close in around him, the final question that remains for David Nash concerns his own fate: life ... or death?

Whether you're a business-person trying to develop your own letterhead set or a graphic designer trying to come up with that next great idea, your challenge is to communicate the «look and feel» of your company in the space your card and letterhead allows. «The Little Book of Business Cards» presents an unparalleled source of inspiration. In these pages, David Carter has gathered more than 260 representative examples of effective business cards and matching letterhead sets. Learn how to get the most from your choice of fonts, color, size, layouts, and logos — and even what to do when you don't have a logo.

A topical novel about branding, code breaking, insidious marketing and strangely powerful toys from Scarlett Thomas.

The first book in a brand new series, «The Last Kingdom» is set in England during the reign of King Alfred. Uhtred is an English boy, born into the aristocracy of ninth-century Northumbria. Orphaned at ten, he is captured and adopted by a Dane and taught the Viking ways. Yet Uhtreds fate is indissolubly bound up with Alfred, King of Wessex, who rules over the only English kingdom to survive the Danish assault. The struggle between the English and the Danes and the strife between christianity and paganism is the background to Uhtreds growing up. He is left uncertain of his loyalties but a slaughter in a winter dawn propels him to the English side and he will become a man just as the Danes launch their fiercest attack yet on Alfreds kingdom. Marriage ties him further still to the West Saxon cause but when his wife and child vanish in the chaos of the Danish invasion, Uhtred is driven to face the greatest of the Viking chieftains in a battle beside the sea. There, in the horror of the shield-wall, he discovers his true allegiance. «The Last Kingdom», like most of Bernard Cornwells books, is firmly based on true history. It is the first novel of a series that will tell the tale of Alfred the Great and his descendants and of the enemies they faced, Viking warriors like Ivar the Boneless and his feared brother, Ubba. Against their lives Bernard Cornwell has woven a story of divided loyalties, reluctant love and desperate heroism. In Uhtred, he has created one of his most interesting and heroic characters and in «The Last Kingdom» one of his most powerful and passionate novels.

Suze is used to trouble, but this time she's in deep: Ghostly Jesse has her heart, but Paul Slater, a real flesh — and — blood guy, is warm for her form. And mediator Paul knows how to send Jesse to the Great Beyond. For good. Paul claims he won't do anything to Jesse as long as Suze will go out with him. Fearing she'll lose Jesse forever, Suze agrees. But even if Suze can get Jesse to admit his true feelings for her, what kind of future can she have with a guy who's already dead?

The Trojan War rages at the foot of Olympos Mons on Mars — observed and influenced from on high by Zeus and his immortal family — and twenty-first-century professor Thomas Hockenberry is there to play a role in the insidious private wars of vengeful gods and goddesses. On Earth, a small band of the few remaining humans pursues a lost past and devastating truth — as four sentient machines depart from Jovian space to investigate, perhaps terminate, the potentially catastrophic emissions emanating from a mountaintop miles above the terraformed surface of the Red Planet.

Stunning and vibrant artwork can be found on buildings, sidewalks, street signs, and other surfaces in cities from New York to London to Barcelona. «Street Art» presents a comprehensive overview of this movement that began in the late 1960s with anonymous spray-can art in New York and Philadelphia and that has since grown into a major cross-cultural phenomenon. Street Art begins with an explanation of the difference between street art and graffiti, along with new trends and styles. Each medium is then explored in a different chapter — stickers, posters, stencils, textured surfaces, traffic signs, buildings, and furniture. Also included are chapters on street art characters and panoramic murals. Woven throughout are biographies of the artists — all internationally known — and an interview with each one. «Street Art» is an exciting look at an art movement that has been around for decades but that is just now beginning to emerge in the mainstream.

Collins English Dictionary is a rich source of words for everyone who loves language. Not only is the dictionary comprehensive and authoritative, but it also offers outstanding coverage of world, regional and dialect English. Including a much wider range of words than ever before, the extensive coverage of geographical, scientific, and technical entries has been updated by our team of leading academic experts. Fully-revised language notes give advice on using the right word in the right place, and thousands of word histories trace the roots of modern English. All this has been complemented with a refreshingly clutter-free design, which is easy to use and easy on the eye, taking you straight to the information you need with the minimum of fuss. Have confidence Discover all the latest words as they appear in the language. Get it right You can rely on Collins; all our definitions, examples, idioms and usage notes are based on the Collins Word Web – our unrivalled and constantly updated 2.5 billion-word database of today’s English. Get there fast Accessible brand-new layout that’s easy on the eye, guiding you quickly to what you want.

Especially designed for children aged 8 and over, «Collins Primary Illustrated Dictionary» contains full sentence definitions, example sentences, parts of speech (noun, verb, etc) as well as synonyms, word histories, cross-references and pronunciation. Collins Word Wizard gives extra grammar, writing and spelling support. «Collins Primary Illustrated Dictionary» has been especially designed to support the language and literacy needs of children aged 8-10. Written in a clear, straightforward style, it places words within a context familiar to the student. It extends and reinforces key dictionary skills by showing parts of speech (for example, whether a word is a noun or verb) and other forms of a word (for example plural forms as well as adjectival forms). Numbered definitions show multiple uses. Pronunciation help is given for difficult or easily confusable words. Synonyms (similar words) and antonyms (opposite words) are given to build vocabulary. The clear layout, highlighted headwordsd colour guide words plus the A--Z on every page ensure that the dictionary is an easy-to-use reference tool. Clearly labelled colour illustrations and photographs add extra meaning and information. It also includes the Collins Word Wizard section which provides unbeatable homework help with writing, grammar, spelling strategies, and how to use the Internet as well as fiendish dictionary games.

It should be the most natural thing in the world. But in Tony Parsons' latest bestseller, three couples discover that Mother Nature can be one hell of a bitch.

The undisputed master of the high-concept thriller has written his most gripping and entertaining book yet In Paris, a physicist dies after performing a laboratory experiment for a beautiful visitor. In the jungles of Malaysia, a mysterious buyer purchases deadly cavitation technology, built to his specifications. In Vancouver, a small research submarine is leased for use in the waters of New Guinea. And in Tokyo, an intelligence agent tries to understand what it all means. Thus begins Michael Crichton's exciting and provocative techno-thriller State of Fear. Only Crichton's unique ability to blend scientific fact with pulse-pounding fiction could bring such disparate elements to a heart-stopping conclusion. This is Crichton's most wide-ranging thriller. State of Fear takes the reader from the glaciers of Iceland to the volcanoes of Antarctica, from the Arizona desert to the deadly jungles of the Solomon Islands, from the streets of Paris to the beaches of Los Angeles. The novel races forward on a roller-coaster thrill ride, all the while keeping the brain in high gear. Gripping and thought-provoking, State of Fear is Michael Crichton at his best.

The story of an independent young woman whose life is changed forever by a chance encounter with a childhood friend. A magical blend of compelling action, exotic locations and intriguing characters, told with Paulo`s characteristic power and insight. Pilar is an independent and practical young woman who is feeling bored and frustrated by the daily grind of her university life. Looking for a deeper meaning to her existence, she happens to meet an old childhood friend, now a handsome, mesmerizing spiritual teacher — and a rumoured miracle worker. As he leads her on a magical journey through the Fench Pyrenees, Pilar begins to realize that this chance encounter is going to transform her life forever. With Paulo`s trademark blend of mysticism, magical realism and folklore, Pilar`s story is a poignant and deeply inspiring tale.

From the acclaimed master of action and suspense. The all time classic. An airliner crashes in the polar ice-cap. In temperatures 40 degrees below zero, six men and four women survive. But for the members of a remote scientific research station who rescue them, there are some sinister questions to answer — the first one being, who shot the pilot before the crash?

A classic thriller from the bestselling master of action and suspense. The atomic submarine Dolphin has impossible orders: to sail beneath the ice-floes of the Arctic Ocean to locate and rescue the men of weather-station Zebra, gutted by fire and drifting with the ice-pack somewhere north of the Arctic Circle. But the orders do not say what the Dolphin will find if she succeeds – that the fire at Ice Station Zebra was sabotage, and that one of the survivors is a killer…

The new bestseller from the country’s number one storyteller is a deeply moving and powerful tale of love and courage and a sacrifice no man should be asked to make. Three strangers are thrown together by chance. It’s an encounter which is destined to change all of their lives for ever. When Ben Morris comes to the aid of Lucy Baker and her daughter Mary, he is intrigued by the story behind their frequent visits to the local graveyard. Later, invited into their home, an old Edwardian place suffused with secrets of the past, Ben hears Lucy’s remarkable tale – one she must tell before it’s too late. The story of Barney Davidson, his family and the part Lucy played in his extraordinary life, is one of a deep, abiding love and an incredible sacrifice, spellbinding in its tragedy and passion. And it still exerts a powerful influence in the present day … The Journey is Josephine Cox at her mesmerising best. Spanning decades, generations and continents, it will stay with you for ever.

Shortlisted for the Orange Prize for Fiction. Hilarious and sinister, ‘Beyond Black’ is a tale of dark secrets and secret forces in suburban England. Alison Hart is a medium by trade: dead people talk to her, and she talks back. With her flat-eyed, flint-hearted sidekick, Colette, she tours the dormitory towns of London's orbital road, passing on messages from dead ancestors: 'Granny says she likes your new kitchen units.' Alison's ability to communicate with spirits is a torment rather than a gift. Behind her plump, smiling and bland public persona is a desperate woman. She knows that the next life holds terrors that she must conceal from her clients. Her days and nights are haunted by the men she knew in her childhood, the thugs and petty criminals who preyed upon her hopeless, addled mother, Emmie. They infiltrate her house, her body and her soul; the more she tries to be rid of them, the stronger and nastier they become. ‘Beyond Black’ is a witty and deeply sinister story of dark secrets and forces, set in an England that jumps at its own shadow, a country whose banal self-absorption is shot through by fear of the engulfing dark.