Polaris Publishing Limited Books

Description: This is a complete history of the England rugby union team - told by the players themselves. Based on a combination of painstaking research into the early years of the England team through exclusive interviews with a vast array of Test match stars from before the Second World War to the present day, world-renowned rugby writers Stephen Jones and Nick Cain delve to the very heart of the English international rugby union experience, painting a unique and utterly compelling picture of the game in the only words that can truly do so: the players' own. This is the definitive story of English Test match rugby - a story etched in blood, sweat and tears; a story of great joy and heart-breaking sorrow; a story of sacrifice, agony, endeavour and triumph. Behind the Rose lifts the lid on what it is to play for England - the trials and tribulations behind the scenes, the glory, the drama and the honour on the field, and the heart-warming tales of friendship and humour off it. Absorbing and illuminating, this is a must-have for all supporters who have ever dreamed of walking the hallowed corridors of Twickenham as a Test match player, preparing themselves for battle in the changing rooms and then marching out to that field of dreams with the deafening roar of the crowd in their ears and the red rose emblazoned on their chest.

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ISBN: 9781913538217

Description: René Stauffer has been closely covering Roger Federer's career for nearly 25 years. In this comprehensive biography, Stauffer talks at length to the man himself, his family, friends, coaches and rivals to paint an unrivalled picture of the greatest male tennis player of all time. From his early life in Basel, Switzerland, where he first picked up a tennis racquet, to the heights of his 20th Grand Slam victory and all points in between, Stauffer reveals the secrets to Federer's success, the hardships and doubts that he has faced and examines the legacy that Federer has created in the modern game.

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ISBN: 9781915359216

Description: This critical history of Doctor Who covers the series 60 years, from the creation of the show to its triumph as Britain's number one TV drama. Opening with an in-depth account of the creation of the series within the BBC of the early 1960s, each decade of the show is tackled through a unique political and pop cultural historical viewpoint, exploring the links between contemporary Britain and the stories Doctor Who told, and how such links kept the show popular with a mass television audience. Timeless Adventures reveals how Doctor Who is at its strongest when it reflects the political and cultural concerns of a mass British audience (the 1960s, 1970s and 21st Century), and at its weakest when catering to a narrow fan-based audience (as in the 1980s). The book also addresses the cancellation of the show in the late 1980s (following the series becoming increasing self-obsessed) and the ways in which a narrowly-focused dedicated fandom contributed to the show's demise and yet was also instrumental in its regeneration for the 21st Century under Russell T. Davies, and analyses the new series to reveal what has made it so popular, reflecting real world issues like consumerism and dieting.

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ISBN: 9781915359070

Description: It's not a high concept movie, there's actually no story there really. It's what happens in between the story that's important' - Bill Forsyth The story of an American businessman sent to buy the Scottish village of Ferness with the aim of turning it into an oil refinery, Local Hero is one of Scotland's most beloved, and most misunderstood, films. When Bill Forsyth's incredible success with the low-budget That Sinking Feeling and Gregory's Girl found him collaborating with Britain's best-known film producer, David Puttnam, he soon found his independent ethos clashing with Hollywood's desire for superstar actors and a happy ending. Jonathan Melville checks into the Mac Askill Arms and looks back at Bill Forsyth's career with the help of new and archive interviews, before spending time with the cast and crew, including stars Peter Riegert and Denis Lawson, who made Local Hero on location in Houston and Scotland in 1982. With access to early drafts of the Local Hero script (including hand-written notes) that reveal more about Mac and mermaids, excerpts from a previously unpublished interview in which Bill Forsyth explains why he refuses to call his film 'feel-good', and a look at long-lost deleted scenes with exclusive commentary from those involved, this is the definitive history of the Scottish classic.'Genuine fairy tales are rare; so is film-making that is thoroughly original in an unobtrusive way. Bill Forsyth's quirky disarming Local Hero is both. it demonstrates Mr. Forsyth's uncanny ability for making an audience sense that something magical is going on, even if that something isn't easily explained' - Janet Maslin, The New York Times' Local Hero is kind of transcendent. It's poetic in a way that most films can't hope to be' - Frank Cottrell-Boyce' Local Hero is one my favourite films of all time. A timeless masterpiece' - Mark Kermode.

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Delivery cost: 2.99

ISBN: 9781913538866

Description: SHORTLISTED FOR THE TELEGRAPH SPORTS BOOK AWARDS 2020 - RUGBY BOOK OF THE YEAR This is a complete history of the Welsh rugby union team - told by the players themselves. Based on a combination of painstaking research into the early years of the Wales team to interviews with a vast array of Test match players and coaches from the Second World War to the present day, Ross Harries delves to the very heart of what it means to play for Wales, painting a unique and utterly compelling picture of the game in the only words that can truly do so: the players' own. Behind the Dragon lifts the lid on what it is to pull on the famous red shirt - the trials and tribulations behind the scenes, the glory, the drama and the honour on the field, and the heart-warming tales of friendship and humour off it. Absorbing and illuminating, this is the ultimate history of Welsh rugby - told, definitively, by the men who have been there and done it.

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Delivery cost: 2.99

ISBN: 9781913538705

Description: The Beatles are not only a rock n' roll group, but a social and cultural phenomenon that have captivated music fans for decades. For many, John Lennon, Paul Mc Cartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr changed everything. This guide distils their amazing story into 101 informative and entertaining chapters, taking you from their rough and ready early Liverpool days through their world-shattering success in sound, stage and screen, to an afterlife that could never have been predicted when they first started out. Here, you'll find facts and figures about their chartbusting songs, albums and films, meet the people that helped them along the way, and visit milestones and controversies such as their first appearance on the Ed Sullivan show, meeting Elvis Presley, John Lennon's 'Bigger than Jesus' comments, experimenting with drugs and the avant-garde, and starting up Apple. The Beatles 101 is a perfect introduction for new fans, a refresher for superfans, and ideal reading for quizmasters everywhere.

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Delivery cost: 2.99

ISBN: 9781913538149

Description: The ultimate World Cup showdown, in the words of those who were there. Shortlisted for the Sports Book Awards Rugby Book of the Year. From 1997 to 2003 England and Australia battled for domination of the rugby world in one of the greatest rivalries the sport has ever known. In The Men in the Arena, William Hill shortlisted authors Peter Burns and Tom English explore every aspect of the teams' journey to the 2003 Rugby World Cup final, telling the story primarily in the words of the protagonists at the centre of the battle. Featuring exclusive new interviews with players and coaches from both teams plus an array of superstars who faced them from New Zealand, Ireland, France, Wales and beyond, this is the inside story like it has never been told before.'A splendid re-telling of English rugby's most celebrated story. Cracking stuff from start to finish' - Robert Kiston, The Guardian.

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ISBN: 9781915359155

Description: This book is aimed at players and coaches (male & female) of all levels. James Knott and Andrew O' Connor have created a comprehensive and up to date guide to bowling for coaches, players and parents featuring photographs and diagrams along with sixty accessible drills. This is an essential guide to the intricate skills required to become a successful bowler for both players and coaches. With input from a wide range of elite players and coaches, past and present, this is an invaluable guide to developing bowling skills for young and old alike. Polaris Publishing Limited Bowling - shop the best deal online on thebookbug.co.uk

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Delivery cost: 2.99

ISBN: 9781915359223

Description: The English rugby team has been scrummaging its way around the rugby fields of the world since 1871. James Stafford's An Illustrated History of English Rugby takes you on a thrilling journey through a century and a half of glory, failure, mediocrity and brilliance. Mixing stats and facts with player profiles, match reports and social history, this book is perfect for hardcore and casual fans aged eight to 80. Packed with delightful illustrations from Raluca Moldovan, this follow up to Stafford's best-selling An Illustrated History of Welsh Rugby will give readers a new appreciation of the stars of today and the pioneers of yesteryear.

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ISBN: 9781913538767

Description: The ultimate guide to Real Madrid. The Real Madrid Handbook is an entertaining compendium of fascinating facts, match coverage, stories, personalities and trivia from the biggest club team on the planet. Rab Mac William traces the history of Real Madrid from the early 20th century, examining its progress in the domestic cup and league, and analyses the impact that the Republic, the Spanish Civil War and the repressive authoritarian aftermath had on the club. He relates how the stunning success in European football in the mid-1950s to the early 1960s was one of the factors that helped to ease Spain's integration into Europe and explores the club's rise to become one of the most skilful and dominant teams in the global game over the last thirty years. Fascinating, informative, irreverent and insightful, The Real Madrid Handbook is the perfect guide to the history of this extraordinary club.

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Delivery cost: 2.99

ISBN: 9781913538828

Description: This fully updated edition includes the 25th Bond film, No Time To Die, and also features a chapter covering Never Say Never Again, which starred Sean Connery as Bond but was not an official Eon film. The Bond films have entertained annoyed, excited, bored, aroused and invigorated cinemagoers (and ITV4 viewers) for more than fifty years. Who hasn't wanted to kick a big bloke with metal teeth in the groin? Fly a small plane out of a pretend horse's bottom? Or push a middle-aged man into space? No one, that's who. Thunderbook: The World of Bond According to Smersh Pod affectionately examines Bond with tongue firmly in cheek and elbow dug in ribs. Join John Rain as he goes film-by-film through the Bond saga as he points out all the good, the bad, and the double-taking pigeons contained within Bond's half-century of world domination. With one chapter for each of the twenty-five films, Thunderbook examines all the moments that are funny, silly, rubbish, nonsensical, bizarre and interesting, with the ultimate intention of celebrating Mr. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, and becoming the go-to companion book for the Bond fan at large.

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Delivery cost: 2.99

ISBN: 9780957507661

Description: Germany did not have professional players or a national league until the 1960s, yet it became one of the most successful football nations in the world. Tor! (Goal!) traces the extraordinary story of Germany's club and international football, from the days when it was regarded as a dangerously foreign pastime, through the horrors of the Nazi years to postwar triumphs and the crisis of the new century. Tor! challenges the myth that German football is 'predictable' or 'efficient' and brings to life the fascinating array of characters who shaped it: the betrayed pioneer Walther Bensemann; the enigmatic genius Sepp Herberger; the all-conquering Franz Beckenbauer; the modern misfit Lothar Matthäus. And even the radio commentator Herbert Zimmermann, whose ecstatic cries of 'Tor!' greeted the winning goal in the 1954 World Cup final and helped change a whole nation's view of itself. Fully revised and updated ahead of the 2022 World Cup, Tor! is the definitive history of German football.

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ISBN: 9781913538743

Description: Writer, producer, and director Wes Craven has successfully tapped into the horror vein for over forty years, serving up scary, funny, cutting-edge thrillers that have become classics in the genre. His films have been both critical and commercial successes, most notably Nightmare on Elm Street, which spawned a series of sequels and made Craven (and his creation, Freddy Kruger) an international sensation. He then created a second indelible series in the horror movie trope with Scream. In Screams & Nightmares, Brian J. Robb examines Craven's entire career, from his low-budget beginnings to his most recent box office hits, from the banned thriller The Last House on the Left and the cult classic The Hills Have Eyes to the outrageous Shocker and The People Under the Stairs. Through exclusive interviews with Craven, Robb provides in-depth accounts of the making of each of the films - including the final instalments of the Scream series - Craven's foray into writing novels, and his numerous television projects.

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ISBN: 9781913538729

Description: A modern classic. Absolutely riveting and frequently moving' - The Telegraph' Among the best books ever written on Irish sport' - Sunday Tribune' Brilliant. Stand Up and Fight is the definitive account. It captures the essence of what makes Munster rugby and its provincial team so unique' - Tony Ward, Irish Independent'A terrific combination of intelligent reportage and open-eyed mythmaking' - Sunday Times'A seminal account' - New Zealand Herald' Irresistible' - Guardian 31/10/1978, Thomond Park. On one of the greatest days in rugby history, Munster beat the All Blacks. More than 100,000 people claimed to have watched the game, even though the ground could only hold 12,000. Now, fully updated for the 45th anniversary of the match, Alan English tells the true story.

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ISBN: 9781915359285

Description: Aberdeen have competed on the European stage since season 1967/68 and have enjoyed some epic encounters along the way, culminating in the club's greatest ever victory - beating Real Madrid 2-1 in the 1983 Cup Winner's Cup final. Ally Begg charts a path through Aberdeen's storied history in Europe, vividly brining to life the most interesting, exciting, and unforgettable games by interviewing players from Aberdeen and their rivals and augmenting them with his own richly rendered memories. Aberdeen European Nights takes the reader on a nostalgic romp around the continent, crossing beyond the Iron Curtain and building a fortress at home at Pittodrie. Humorous, quirky and insightful, it is the perfect book for Aberdeen fans, young and old.

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Delivery cost: 2.99

ISBN: 9781913538477

Description: The laws of rugby are as extensive as they are confusing, their nuances and interpretations argued over relentlessly by rugby fans around the world and virtually impenetrable to those who are new to the game. In an effort to provide some much-needed clarity, Paul Williams takes an irreverent, hilarious, p*ss-taking tour through the labyrinth that is rugby's rule book - or, for the pedantic, rugby's law book. Hilarious, off-beat and (surprisingly) insightful, this is the perfect gift for rugby fans all around the world. Polaris Publishing Limited Rugby Has F***ing Laws, Not Rules - shop the best deal online on thebookbug.co.uk

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Delivery cost: 2.99

ISBN: 9781913538668

Description: Rangers 101 distils the history of the most successful football club in the world, Glasgow Rangers F.C. From their founding in 1872 and their first (drawn) League Championship, all the way through to the present day, Rangers' history is brought to life via people, matches and objects. This fascinating volume traces the nearly 150 years of this unsurpassed institution - sometimes irreverent but always faithful to the characters, controversies, disasters and achievements that have taken place to give the club such a rich tapestry of triumph. Whether an old fan or new this is a perfect partner for those who support the club, are interested in its history and who love to recall past and present glories.

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Delivery cost: 2.99

ISBN: 9781913538545

Description: Fargo - that bloody tale of greed, kidnapping and murder set in the freezing tundra of Minnesota - was the Coen brothers' break-out film, scooping two Oscars and a towering snowdrift of critical and commercial acclaim. On the 25th anniversary of its release, former Minnesota resident Nige Tassell slips on his snowboots to revisit the film and its landscape. The result is a leisurely stomp around Fargo's intricate plot, its snappy dialogue and its unforgettable characters. Insightful, revealing, entertaining and esoteric, And It's A Beautiful Day strips back the film's multiple layers to pose intriguing questions. What has made car salesman Jerry Lundegaard such a desperate man? Does Carl Showalter deserve to be fed into a woodchipper? And just how much food can police chief Marge Gunderson put away in a single sitting? Sharp and snappy and full of quirkiness and humour, And It's A Beautiful Day is perfect companion to one of the all-time great cult movies. Polaris Publishing Limited And it's a Beautiful Day - shop the best deal online on thebookbug.co.uk

Category: Books

Delivery cost: 2.99

ISBN: 9781913538354

Description: Winner of the Telegraph Sports Book Awards Rugby Book of the Year 2021. Among the best stories in British team sport over the past decade has been the rise of Exeter Chiefs. How, exactly, did an unfashionable team from Devon emerge from obscurity to conquer the summit of English rugby? What makes them tick? What are their secrets? Exe Men is a compelling tale of regional pride, fierce rural identity, larger-than-life local heroes, remarkable characters, epic resilience, big city snobbery, geographical separation, steepling ambition and personal sacrifice which will strike a chord with anyone who enjoys a classic underdog story. This is not just any old rugby book, it is the inside story of how a small-town club from the edge of nowhere became every neutral's favourite team.

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ISBN: 9781913538712

Description: Fascinating and original. will tell you things even the most ardent United fan will not know' - Jim White, The Telegraph On 26 May 1999, Manchester United sealed their historic Treble of league, FA Cup and Champions League in the most dramatic fashion imaginable, scoring twice in stoppage time to snatch an unthinkable victory from Bayern Munich at the Camp Nou in Barcelona. The story of what happened on the pitch is well known, enshrined in the annals of football history. But less in known about how this rollercoaster campaign played out behind the scenes. Thanks to unparalleled insight gleaned from hundreds of exclusive interviews, with United players, coaches, opponents, backroom personnel, club staff, journalists and commentators, They Always Score: The Unforgettable, Improbable, Iconic Story of Manchester United's Treble Winners peels back the curtain to give readers the most comprehensive, illuminating and entertaining picture ever painted of one of the all-time great sports teams.

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Delivery cost: 2.99

ISBN: 9781913538958