White Owl – The Bell Bookshop

From Bicycle to Bentley, A Bookmaker’s Story

Emma — Tue, 15 Aug 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Stephen takes the reader from his earliest school days when it became clear he was academically bright, especially in maths, attending prep school, winning a scholarship to major public school Uppingham where he won maths prizes and, aged 16, passed 3 S (scholarship) levels.

Garden Wildlife

Emma — Tue, 30 Jul 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Garden Wildlife is a book that looks at the habitats in our gardens from the point of view of wild animal and plants. If we understand our gardens in this way, then we can appreciate that different parts of our gardens essentially mimic wild habitats in microcosm. This means that we can provide places for wild animals and plants to flourish in our gardens, whether they happen to be in rural, suburban or urban settings. Above all, we need to get away from the current obsession with tidiness and sterility in our gardens, and allow odd corners to go wild, so that our native species can live alongside us in the modern world. Without wildlife to discover and observe in our gardens, our lives are impoverished, so we have a duty to ourselves and our children to invite nature back into our outside spaces.

Monty Panesar The Full Monty

Emma — Thu, 30 May 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Having spent 5 years learning his trade in County Cricket, Monty Panesar established himself with England in 2006, quickly becoming a national hero, with his trademark black turban, wide eyes and eager fielding. Monty was a different type of spinner to those which had gone before, here was someone who was not afraid to ‘give it some air’ and attack batsmen. For a time, he was considered the saviour of English spin bowling. His commitment and enthusiasm for the sport made him stand out. His performances encouraged others to hone their skills to the extent that others emerged and took his place. The England team saw glimpses of him after that, most notably when Graeme Swann and Monty combined in Mumbai in November 2012, dubbed the “dust devils” as they returned joint figures of 19 for 323, in one of the greatest England spin double acts in history, only the fourth occasion that England spinners had combined to take 19 wickets or more wickets in a Test and the first time for 54 years. As Monty’s career declined however, so did his health. He struggled with a tiresome shoulder injury before struggling with mental health issues.

History Of Trees

Emma — Tue, 30 Oct 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Have you ever wondered how trees got their names? What did our ancestors think about trees, and how were they used in the past? This fascinating book will answer many of your questions, but also reveal interesting stories that are not widely known. For example, the nut from which tree was predicted to pay off the UK’s national debt? Or why is Europe’s most popular pear called the ‘conference’? Simon Wills tells the history of twenty-eight common trees in an engaging and entertaining way, and every chapter is illustrated with his photographs. Find out why the London plane tree is so frequently planted in our cities, and how our forebears were in awe of the magical properties of hawthorn. Where is Britain’s largest conker tree? Which tree was believed to protect you against both lightning and witchcraft? The use of bay tree leaves as a sign of victory by athletes in ancient Greece led to them being subsequently adopted by many others – from Roman emperors to the Royal Marines. But why were willow trees associated with Alexander Pope, Napoleon Bonaparte, and Samuel Johnson? Why did Queen Anne pay a large sum for a cutting from a walnut tree in Somerset? Discover the answers to these and many other intriguing tales within the pages of this highly engrossing book.