The Vulcan, the second of the three V bombers built to guard the UK during the Cold War, has become an aviation icon like the Spitfire, its delta shape instantly recognisable as is the howling noise it makes when the engines are opened for take-off.

Vulcan Boys is the first Vulcan book recounted completely first hand by the operators themselves. It tells the story of the aircraft from its design conception through the Cold War when it played out its most important job as Britain’s nuclear deterrent; before unbelievably, at the end of its service life, also playing a significant role, with its bombs and missiles, in liberating the Falkland Islands for which it gained much celebrity.

The individual accounts detail how hours at a time were spent on readiness, waiting to be scrambled to defend their country in the event of a third world war. In addition how their aggressive skills were honed by carrying out Lone Ranger sorties flying to the States and westward around the world, and taking part in Giant Voice and Red Flag, competitive exercises against the United States Strategic Air Command. The attacks in the Falklands using Shrike missiles are described accurately and in great detail for the first time including the landing at Rio de Janeiro alongside a vivid account of Black Buck 2.

Vulcan Boys is a fascinating and completely authentic read reminding us of the Cold War, how it was fought and the considerable effort required to prevent all-out nuclear war.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 198

Dimensions: 156 x 234 mm

Publication Date: 09-05-2014

Congratulations – you’re starting another exciting new decade! This little book, packed with wise and witty quotations, is the perfect way to show the world that you are 40 and proud of it.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 160

Dimensions: 101 x 136 mm

Publication Date: 05-05-2014

Congratulations – you’re starting another exciting new decade! This little book, packed with wise and witty quotations, is the perfect way to show the world that you are 60 and proud of it.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 160

Dimensions: 101 x 136 mm

Publication Date: 05-05-2014

Congratulations – you’re starting another exciting new decade! This little book, packed with wise and witty quotations, is the perfect way to show the world that you are 80 and proud of it.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 160

Dimensions: 101 x 136 mm

Publication Date: 05-05-2014

The Black-bearded Bai is the first of six plays based on Asian folk lore and written specifically for use by junior and middle secondary students.

The plays are:


The Secret Housewife

The Secret Housewife illustrates a common theme in Oriental folklore. The story may be about a tien, or immortal, but it is really about loneliness, growing old and the difficulty of adapting to a changing world. This sad tale works well as a quiet, tragic mystery.

The Black-bearded Bai

A favourite theme in Chinese folklore is the triumph of intelligence over brute force. This idea is often linked with the victory of a poor person over a wealthy one. The story of Aina-kizz and the Black-bearded Bai fulfils both of the above, and is an amusing and satisfying tale. It seems natural to present it as a Brechtian comedy.

Ido and the Devil

This is a traditional story of good versus evil. Rather than turn Ido into an angel it seemed more fun to portray him as a large, innocent, artless adolescent schoolboy. And rather than portray the Devil as a traditional monster, it seemed more entertaining to depict him as a comic character, lacking in confidence but with a cheeky irrepressible nature. This script has turned into a modern-day absurdist morality play.

Ken Arok

Ken Arok is a fascinating, complex character. He is both a treacherous man and also a brave warrior. To some he is a hero, to others a villain. There is some cheerful comic banditry in Act 1, but the piece ends as a riveting physical drama, complete with stage fights and murder.

The Kimono of O Same San

This story is set in old Tokyo during a famous tragedy that took place in 1657. It is a gentle tale about a girl named O Same. It is also a very violent story. These two seemingly opposing qualities of gentleness and violence have always lain together at the heart of Japan’s history. This play, then, is a tragic love story.

Harisarman

There are many folktales in other cultures about being in the right place at the right time. This is a satisfying story imbued with a quiet Indian humour. It seemed appropriate to present it as a short Bollywood musical.

Apart from being enjoyable and relevant plays, they offer an insight into the culture of the country the play comes from.

Bind: paperback

Publication Date: 28-08-2013

Exploring Asian Voices explores literary and media texts suitable for Asian Studies within the secondary English Curriculum. Texts about Asian places, people, events and traditions give historical information as well as how their culture has been represented over time. Asian poets, writers and film makers often examine issues of migration, exile or the refugee experience and the traumatic emotional impact it can have on those who experience it first-hand. Similarly, Asian memoirs, autobiographies and diaries frequently deal with the hardships of coping with war, poverty and social injustice. The voices that are heard can be confronting but are often also inspirational in their desire to promote social and cultural reform and freedom.

Cultural adjustment and assimilation problems are other recurring themes in many Asian texts. This is not surprising with estimates that as many as twenty million Asian migrants have left their homelands to settle elsewhere. Studying such texts deepens historical and cultural familiarity and builds empathy through identification with often youthful protagonists. They can also increase student appreciation for virtues such as resilience, courage and determination in overcoming physical, cultural and language barriers. The rich literary history and diversity of Asian texts offer students many opportunities to broaden their learning and communication skills.

Contents:

Introduction

Social Reformers
- Mahatma Gandhi
- Aung San Suu Kyi
- Benazir Bhutto
- Malala Yousafzai

Poetry
- Writing a Poetry Analysis
- Japan
- India
- Vietnam
- China
- Life Writing

Autobiography and Memoir
- Chinese Cinderella —Autobiography
- Little Daughter-Memoir
- Hiroshima Hibakusha Stories
- Picture Books and Fairy Tales

Exploring Picture Books
- My Hiroshima
- Folk and Fairy Tales
- Ye Xian
- Japanese Folk Tales
- The Grateful Crane
- The White Crane

Prose
- Little Brother
- The China Coin

Film
- Film Study Skills
- Bend It Like Beckham
- Bride and Prejudice
- Responding and Composing

Life-writing and Non-fiction Texts
- True Blue
- My China

Bind: paperback

Publication Date: 23-08-2013