Methuen – The Bell Bookshop

Pony Cavalcade

Emma — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 00:00:00 +0000

This omnibus edition contains much of Norman Thelwell’s invaluable advice to aspiring equestrians on how to get into the saddle and stay there; each item is illustrated with inimitable and deadly clarity. From the first publication of Angels on Horseback in 1957, the Thelwell pony entered the language-and the libraries of horse-lovers everywhere. The angels in Angels on Horseback are children, but there is plenty here about their parents. Both for those who know Thelwell, and for those who have not met him before, this book is a savory at all times-but especially after attending a gymkhana.

Pony Panorama

Emma — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 00:00:00 +0000

1066 and All That

Emma — Mon, 14 Dec 1998 00:00:00 +0000

One of the most well-loved and best-selling British humor titles of all time

“Canute began by being a Bad King on the advice of his Courtiers, who informed him (owing to a misunderstanding of the Rule Britannia) that the King of England was entitled to sit on the sea without getting wet.”

This humorous “history” is a book that has itself become part of the UK’s history. The authors made the claim that “All the History you can remember is in the Book,” and, for most Brits, they were probably right. But it is their own unique interpretation of events that has made the book a classic; an uproarious satire on textbook history and a population’s confused recollections of it.

Love for Lydia

Emma — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Lydia Aspen, a seemingly shy girl from a wealthy but isolated background, is encouraged by her aunts, her new carers, to discover the delights of growing up. They entrust her education to Mr. Richardson, the young apprentice for Evenford’s local newspaper, who is sent to their house to “get a story” about the recent death of Lydia’s father. Richardson’s access to the Aspens is unusual, as they are rarely seen by anyone from the town and hide behind their stone walls and perimeter of trees; introducing Lydia to the town’s inhabitants gives Richardson a great sense of pride. Visiting the Aspen estate also allows him the chance to escape from the great engulfing vacuum of Evensford, with its endless stretch of factory roofs and back alleys. As Lydia and Richardson spend more time together, he realizes that his initial concept of Lydia was wrong, that she is far from being shy, and is often impetuous and demanding and enjoys captivating the young men who become her companions. Richardson soon discovers that his promise to love her, no matter what she does to him, will push him beyond the pain and feelings he thinks he is capable of experiencing. One of H. E. Bates’ best-loved and most enduring books, Love for Lydia is an extraordinary tale of love and longing, set against the backdrop of 1920s decadence, and the fall of the English upper classes.

Fairly Incomplete Monty Python Songbook

Emma — Mon, 10 Oct 2005 00:00:00 +0000

Re-issue of a classic Monty Python humour title containing all their most famous songs, with a foreword by ‘Elvis Presley’, and complete instructions on how to play the piano. From The Lumberjack Song to Always Look on the Bright Side of Life, The Fairly Incomplete & Rather Badly Illustrated Monty Python Songbook does pretty much what it says on the cover, collecting up the cream of the Python team’s musical output from the four TV series and the various feature films. Included are such gems as Eric the Half-a-Bee, Sit on My Face and Tell Me That You Love Me, Bruces’ Philosophers Song, Oliver Cromwell, The Knights of the Round Table, Christmas in Heaven, and All Things Dull & Ugly amongst many others, all arranged with music for the piano and accompanied by Terry Gilliam’s incomparable cartoons.

Ella Minnow Pea

Emma — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 00:00:00 +0000

Nevin Nollop left the islanders of Nollop with the treasured legacy of his pangram 'the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog'. The island's council forbids the use of the letters which have fallen from his statue and silence threatens Ella Minnow Pea.