BOOK CLUB NOW IN PORT ERIN AS WELL AS RAMSEY!
For details click HERE.
Upcoming events...
Wednesday 19th February 2020, 7pm An Evening With Chris Ewan - hosted by Henry Bloom Noble Library Chris will be talking about his new book, "A Window Breaks". Tickets are £2.50 and are fully redeemable against a copy of the book which is available on the evening, the day before official publication. For tickets, visit Henry Bloom Noble Library in Douglas. 
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Thursday 5th March 2020 World Book Day We will be running a book fair at a local primary school, come and visit one of our bookshops to spend your £1 World Book Day Voucher, Click HERE for details of the special £1 World Book Day Books. You can also redeem your voucher against any book worth £2.99 or more. Please note only one voucher can be redeemed per person per book, for full terms and conditions, click HERE 
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Thursday 12th March 2020, 7 pm at 1886 Bar, Grill & Cocktail Lounge (The Loft) A Lawyer’s Stories Of Murder, Guilt & Innocence - William Clegg QC Hosted by Isle of Man Sporting and Dining Club, see HERE for details and tickets. An evening with author and veteran QC William Clegg, as he discusses his debut legal memoir "Under the Wig". In this memoir, he revisits his most intriguing murder trials, from the acquittal of Colin Stagg to the shooting of Jill Dando, to the man given life - because of an earprint. William many murder cases include the famous The Chillenden Murders as well as defending Britain's first 'Nazi war criminal' and he also represented Vincent Tabak, who was accused and convicted of murdering Joanna Yeates, saying his conduct was “frankly disgusting”. Hear William discuss his memoir, the gripping secrets of his profession and the fascinating reality of a murder trial. There will be a book signing after the talk |
Now in stock! New book by Michael Rutter...
New Isle of Man titles...
SIGNED The Life of a Racer by Michael Rutter
Only a few left!
SIGNED COPY - while stocks last
by Michael Rutter and John Macavoy
Foreword by John McGuinness
Hardback
In 1992, when Michael Rutter was just 20 years old, he followed in his Dad's footsteps and began a career as a professional motorcycle racer, he has been racing ever since. This is his story of highs and lows, survival, luck and persistence, set against the raw, infectious atmosphere of the racing paddock. It is also a story of growing up with a global superstar for a father.
Read Michael's account of spending his childhood watching his dad's career - from fighting for world championships to fighting for his life after a devastating crash in 1985. Undeterred, Michael would go on to build his own career and forge his own unique path.
This is the remarkable tale of how Michael has stayed competitive for 30 years, and stepped out of his 4-time world champion dad's shadow to add his own name to the list of all time greats of the sport.
Michael has started 431 British Superbike races, 20 World Superbike races, and 16 MotoGP races while also competing in road racing, where he has started 90 Isle of Man TT, 83 Northwest 200 and 24 Macau Grand Prix races.
The Life of a Racer is a gripping journey into the mind and life of someone who was born in to the race paddock and who has been there ever since.
Port Erin, Past & Present by Ray Stanfield
Available now.Published by Loaghtan Books
Paperback 128 pages
210 mm x 210 mm
When holidaymakers discovered the Isle of Man, Port Erin became a favourite place to visit. Hotels were built and life started to revolve around the needs of its visitors. The old photographs in this book are drawn from the postcards such visitors sent home.
Now the town is reinventing itself again. Gone are most of the Victorian hotels, with their ballrooms, live entertainment and seaside competitions. Bathing machines have been turned into garden sheds and donkeys no longer trot along the sand. This book reminds us of the dramatic changes which have taken place in this seaside town.
Living with the Sea by Rushen Heritage Trust
Published Oct 2019 by Rushen Heritage Trust, pre-order now
Paperback, 24cm x 17cm
Pages : 264
The fascinating history of Port St Mary and its people.
HOW A SMALL SEASIDE VILLAGE PARTNERED WITH THE SEA
If you live by the sea you get to know it as a partner, adapting to its moods, from calm, sunny days to furious stormy nights. Throughout its history, the people of Port St Mary – known locally as Purt Le Moirrey – have lived by and with the sea. It has provided them with a living, from fishing to shipbuilding to tourism. Without the sea, the village would not exist. The sea in question is the Irish Sea, in which the Isle of Man sits at the centre – from Port St Mary, you can look across to England and Wales, and from its neighbouring twin, Port Erin, you can see the Mountains of Mourne in Northern Ireland.
This book, written by a team of ten volunteer authors who love Port St Mary, traces its fascinating history from 1829, when it depended entirely on fishing and farming, to 1979, the Millennium Year when the Isle of Man celebrated one thousand years of continuing independent government, the oldest in the world.
This is the story of a port and its people, from school teachers to shopkeepers, from boarding house owners to WWII German internees, from nurses to those who travelled the world by sea. It begins at a time when few people owned land and transport was primitive; moves on to the great days of herring fishing, with a 100+ strong fleet, the harbours bustling with fisher folk, gutter girls, kipper curers and ship builders; and through to the development of tourism and its glory days spanning the 1920s to the 1960s.
It’s a story which has universal significance, demonstrating how independent-minded people in a small place lived with the sea, made a living from it, and rode its changing moods.
This book is published by Rushen Heritage Trust, a not-for-profit charity, with all proceeds going towards the work of the Trust.
Isle of Man ABC Colouring & Activity Book by Gemma Hjerth & Kim Gee
By Gemma Hjerth, illustrated by Kim Gee
PRE-ORDER NOW, available very soon...
In this Isle of Man ABC:
learn how creative you can be!
Hunt around Our Island, the Isle of Man.
Customise your treasure map - yes, you can!
Chose how to colour the Manx cat's face.
Add patterns to the biker in the TT race.
Record your memories of a smoky train ride.
Write 'Hello Little People' on the note that's inside.
Practise your letters, play Hunt the Wren,
match the Manx words with their pictures and then...
Make your own alphabet book, at the end.
Add a rainbow of colours, then read to a friend!
Manx culture, heritage, wildlife too.
A keep sake to treasure - and the artist is YOU!
M is for MANX CAT! An Isle of Man ABC by Gemma Hjerth and Kim Gee
Paperback
Gift Wrap available in Blue or Red with Manx patterns - see options
Manx ABC Poster available for £3.50 - see options
An informative, interactive and wonderfully illustrated celebration of Our Island.
It will appeal to young children, early readers and Isle of Man enthusiasts from near and far away.
You can even listen to the Manx translations in the book at www.isleofmanabc.com
Each letter of the alphabet is represented by a colourful, digital illustration of an Isle of Man icon, a rhyming couplet and a Manx translation and pronunciation.
The book also features:
• A full page of Manx Gaelic translations and pronunciations, provided by Culture Vannin (with sound files of these to listen to at www.isleofmanabc.com)
• Four Manx Songs (the Manx National Anthem, The Laxey Wheel Song, Ramsey Town and Hunt the Wren)
• Two pages of interesting facts about the Isle of Man
• A little wren to hunt for
• Lots of Three Legs of Man to count!
Lighting The Manx Coast by Dermot O'Toole
Author : Dermot O'Toole
Softback, 21cm x 21cm
Pages 192
Publisher : Lily Publications
There is no more a place that is so hostile to mariners than the south-east coast of the Isle of Man, where the pitiful wind howls and the tide runs at six miles per hour. Many a sorrowful story is told of vessels tossed by the wild waves upon the cruel, sharp-edged rocks of Langness. Here at the Island’s southernmost point the cruel sea has taken countless men to a watery graves.
This book is mixed with bravery and with sorrow; the publication covers many of the main ship disasters of this wild coast, the construction of Langness lighthouse and the various lighthouses built on the Calf of Mann and the new Chicken Rock lighthouse. It is a story also of how a vigorously hard-fought twenty-year campaign by the inhabitants of Castletown, its High Bailiff and agent for the Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society, led to improved lighting on the Isle of Man’s most dangerous shore.
Ghosts, Bugganes & Fairy Pigs: Karl Roeder's Manx Notes & Queries
From Culture Vannin, Published Sept 2019
Ghosts, Bugganes & Fairy Pigs is one of the most important books of Manx folklore ever published.
It offers one of the richest sources of traditional tales from the Isle of Man, including fairies, bugganes, ghosts, giants, witches and so much more.Collected over a hundred years ago by Karl Roeder, it is reprinted here for the first time since 1904 and now includes exciting additional material.Stories include the origins of Hunt the Wren, the murdered witch of Slieu Whallian, and perhaps the Isle of Man’s oldest UFO sighting…The book is one of the richest sources of traditional tales from the Isle of Man, much of which was gathered from Edward Faragher – ‘Ned Beg Hom Ruy’ – the legendary poet of Cregneash.As well as folklore, it contains fascinating pieces on history, language, literature and other things of Manx interest, as well as some more theoretical discussions of Manx matters unmatched then or since.All of it has been faithfully transcribed and introduced by Stephen Miller, whose knowledge of the material is second to none.Anyone interested in the Isle of Man will find this book enormously fascinating and endlessly rewarding.
Saving The Gaiety
By Mervin Russell Stokes MBE
Edited by Miles Cowsill
Second edition
Hardback, 22.5cm x 25cm
Pages : 120
Publication Date : November 2019
Publisher : Lily Publications
And other misadventures of the former theatre manager – 2nd edition
Due to popular demand, this book is being republished and updated, originally published in 2006. The book is not a blow-by-blow account of the extraordinary restoration of the Gaiety Theatre and Opera House in Douglas, nor is it intended to be. The words are a ‘trip’ through the often hilarious memories and misfortunes of Mervin Russell Stokes, the man who has spent much of his working life serving the Gaiety and whose dedication in reincarnating this magnificent Frank Matcham playhouse became an all-consuming passion.
This book is a must-have for all theatre lovers.
Due to be published November 2019 – available to pre-order.
Powering to the Rescue
by Nicholas Leach
Hardback, 22cm x 22cm
9781911177579
Pages264
Publication DateNovember 2019
PublisherLily Publications
A history of RNLI motor lifeboats.
The story of the motor lifeboat is one of continual development, the implementation of technological advances, improvements in design and construction, and the provision of ever faster and more sophisticated rescue craft to keep the volunteer crews of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution safe as they go about the task of saving lives at sea.
This comprehensive volume provides details of every RNLI motor lifeboat that has seen service in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
The individual lifeboat types are described in detail, with the text accompanied by numerous diagrams and line drawings, as well as outstanding and unusual photographs, many of which have never been published before.
Due to be published November 2019.
Island Kitchen Vol 2
Compiled byEmma Ames, Miles Cowsill, Sara Donaldson
Photography by Simon Park
Hardback, 24cm x 17cm
Pages 272
Publication Date :November 2019
Publisher Lily Publications
Following on from the hugely popular first edition, this new Island Kitchen brings you more mouth-watering recipes from the Island’s finest establishments. Using the Isle of Man’s world-famous ingredients, you can enjoy creating restaurant-quality meals and pick up tips from the Island’s talented chefs along the way. New recipes from large restaurants, small intimate cafes, bars and breweries allow you to create the quality meals served in your favourite Isle of Man eateries, all in the comfort of your own home.
Frank n Stan Bucket List...
Frank 'n' Stan's Bucket List #1: TT Races by J C Williams
by Isle of Man based author, J C Williams
Frank’s had better days…
The doctor gave him the news he didn't want and Frank's discovered the worst kept secret in Liverpool; that his wife’s fitness instructor is providing her services that extend beyond the gym.
With time a dwindling commodity, Frank decides it’s time to do something he wants to do. With a little encouragement from his oldest friend, Stan, the first destination for his ‘bucket-list’ is the Isle of Man TT Races.
They were content to just spectate, but fate had other ideas.
Frank 'N' Stan's Bucket List #2: TT Races by J C Williams
Frank’s too busy enjoying life just now to worry about dying.
Bucket list item №1 for Frank and his oldest friend, Stan, was the TT Races. They did it, and loved it so much, that now they’re heading back for item №2 on the list – TT Races yet again!
The fledgeling race team they’d cobbled together on their first outing – despite moments of definite glory – didn’t exactly thrive. But, despite this, they’ve once again secured the trusty services of Dave and Monty – the two most out of shape, yet passionate and dedicated, racers in the paddock – and they’re optimistically eyeing a top ten finish.
With his unhappy marriage and wallet-draining ex-wife now firmly in the past, Frank is ready for a positive change – time and health permitting. Life in the glorious Isle of Man has rejuvenated him, and he’s now eager, in fact, to make it his home. But he’s not going anywhere unless his mate Stan’s coming, too!
Frank 'n' Stan's Bucket List #3 Isle 'Le Mans' TT: Featuring Guy Martin by J C Williams
The Gang is back for another crazy adventure.The idea of the maverick racer, Dave Quirk, winning a TT was as probable as a seaside donkey winning the Grand National… But he'd been trying to do exactly that.
An unlikely victory would also secure the TT Farm for Frank and Stan’s charity, but it was a crumbling, financial black hole and filled with asbestos. Dave and Monty quitting their jobs to work there wasn’t fantastic timing, either. The charity needed a truckload of cash, and fast.
They had to go big on their fundraising ideas, so, the Isle of Man – home of the famous TT Races – would play host to a twenty-four-hour racing extravaganza and they’d need a high-profile celebrity for maximum exposure.
The object of Stella’s darkest desire, Guy Martin, was kidnapped was willing and eager to offer his services for the inaugural Isle ‘Le Mans’ TT.
They were full of good intentions, but, as usual, the path was rarely smooth for Team Frank and Stan.
Frank N Stan's Bucket List #4 Bride of Frank n Stan
Only a few left!
by JC Williams
Paperback 268 pages
Published Jan 2020
The newly released fourth book in the "Frank n Stan's Bucket List" series from the Isle of Man based author, JC Williams.
Life rarely stands still when you find yourself surrounded by a bunch of loveable crackpots. Certainly, that was the case for Frank and Stan.
With their hugely successful ‘Le Mans’ TT now behind them, thoughts turned to their next adventure and, inevitably, also to the topic of their own mortality.
Still, the gang had their first Christmas at the TT Farm to look forward to, and the prospect of entering a team for the next Isle of Man TT races as well. So, on the whole, life was pretty darn good — and especially so, now that wedding bells could also be heard chiming in the distance. It seemed nothing could dampen their sprits…
Until, that is, an old cretinous, cravat-wearing acquaintance appears with an offer they simply cannot refuse, so to speak. Well, they could refuse the offer, of course. But doing so could mean losing all they’d worked so very hard to achieve and leaving them at real risk of having everything come crashing down around their ears.
There were certainly strong headwinds facing them, but Team Frank & Stan would never abandon ship and go down without a fight! And, besides, they’d always have Stella on deck, manning the canons!