{"title":"April Birthday Series","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"krakauer-into-thin-air","title":"Into Thin Air","description":"\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"3\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"3\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"\u003e\"A harrowing, deeply moving journey into the extremes of human endurance and the high price of ambition.\"\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"4\"\u003eIn March 1996, \u003ci data-path-to-node=\"4\" data-index-in-node=\"15\"\u003eOutside\u003c\/i\u003e magazine sent veteran journalist and seasoned climber \u003cb data-path-to-node=\"4\" data-index-in-node=\"77\"\u003eJon Krakauer\u003c\/b\u003e on an expedition led by the celebrated Everest guide Rob Hall. What was intended to be a report on the growing commercialization of the world’s highest peak turned into a desperate struggle for life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"5\"\u003e\u003ci data-path-to-node=\"5\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"\u003eInto Thin Air\u003c\/i\u003e is the definitive, 24-hour account of three separate expeditions caught in a sudden, catastrophic storm. Trapped in the \"Death Zone\" and battered by hurricane-force winds, climbers faced the lethal effects of extreme altitude and exposure. By the end of summit day, eight people were dead, marking what was then the worst single-season death toll in the mountain's history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"6\"\u003eWritten within months of the events, Krakauer’s narrative is visceral and hauntingly evocative. He masterfully blends the majestic allure of the Everest landscape with a raw, honest analysis of the factors—from human error to sheer bad luck—that led to the disaster.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Pan Macmillan","offers":[{"title":"New - Paperback","offer_id":32688230203477,"sku":"9781447200185N","price":5.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/files\/71iQnGnNXSL._SL1500.jpg?v=1776362146"},{"product_id":"echos-bone-1","title":"Echo's Bones","description":"\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"3\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"3\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"\u003e\"A vital link in the evolution of Beckett's early work.\"\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"4\"\u003eOriginally intended as the \"recessional\" or final piece to Samuel Beckett's 1934 short story collection \u003ci data-path-to-node=\"4\" data-index-in-node=\"104\"\u003eMore Pricks Than Kicks\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003cb data-path-to-node=\"4\" data-index-in-node=\"128\"\u003eEcho's Bones\u003c\/b\u003e was written at the specific request of his publisher. However, it was ultimately held back and has remained a legendary, unpublished fragment of the Beckett canon—until now.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"5\"\u003eThis definitive edition finally brings the story to light, following the protagonist Belacqua Shuah into a surreal, purgatorial afterlife. More than just a literary curiosity, the text is a bridge between Beckett's early, exuberant prose and the minimalist mastery of his later masterpieces.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"6\"\u003eEdited by \u003cb data-path-to-node=\"6\" data-index-in-node=\"10\"\u003eMark Nixon\u003c\/b\u003e, Director of the Beckett International Foundation, this volume provides essential biographical context and unpicks the dense web of intertextual references that define Beckett's intellectual landscape. It is an indispensable addition to the library of any Beckett scholar or dedicated fan of 20th-century modernism.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Faber \u0026 Faber","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":39660639289429,"sku":"9780571246380N","price":11.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/products\/d927080b-b98f-465e-8aa0-f25712d5031a.jpg?v=1644277715"},{"product_id":"heaney-district-circle","title":"District and Circle","description":"\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"3\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"3\" data-index-in-node=\"0\" class=\"\"\u003e\"District and Circle offers resistance as the poet gathers his staying powers and stands his ground.\"\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"4\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003eIn this powerful collection,\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e Nobel Laureate Seamus Heaney traverses the distance between a rustic past and a menaced future.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e The journey begins \"in an age of bare hands and cast iron\"—rooted in the tactile memories of a childhood spent safe from the horrors of World War II—and concludes with the clinical clunk of an automatic lock in an eerie,\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e twenty-first-century world.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"5\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003eThrough poems of visionary clarity,\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e Heaney assays the weight of memory.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e Familiar artifacts of rural life—railway sleepers,\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e sledgehammers,\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e and the \"heavyweight silence\" of cattle—stand alongside the anxieties of the contemporary era,\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e from the transit of the London Underground to the environmental haunting of melting glaciers.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"6\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003eFeaturing a compelling mix of lyric verse,\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e prose poems,\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e and translations,\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci data-path-to-node=\"6\" data-index-in-node=\"74\" class=\"\"\u003eDistrict and Circle\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e finds the poet standing his ground in the \"hiding places of love and excited language.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e\" In acclaimed sequences like \"The Tollund Man in Springtime,\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e\" Heaney transforms the gravity of a memorial into the grace of recollection,\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e proving that even in a dangerous present,\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e there is a mystery to be found in everyday renewals.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Faber \u0026 Faber","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":39664461611093,"sku":"9780571279418N","price":6.59,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/files\/71W-CyeJ1JL._SL1500.jpg?v=1776359410"},{"product_id":"gather-together-in-my-name","title":"Gather Together In My Name","description":"\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"3\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"3\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"\u003e\"A brilliant writer, a fierce friend and a truly phenomenal woman.\"\u003c\/b\u003e — \u003ci data-path-to-node=\"3\" data-index-in-node=\"70\"\u003eBarack Obama\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"4\"\u003eMaya Angelou’s second volume of autobiography, the sequel to the legendary \u003ci data-path-to-node=\"4\" data-index-in-node=\"75\"\u003eI Know Why the Caged Bird Sings\u003c\/i\u003e, begins in the wake of World War II. 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It is a vital chapter in the life of a woman who would become one of the most celebrated voices in literary history.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Little, Brown Book Group","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":39664519217237,"sku":"9781844085026N","price":5.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/files\/91hkPEQfyhL._SL1500.jpg?v=1776358649"},{"product_id":"the-unadulterated-cat","title":"The Unadulterated Cat","description":"\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"3\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"3\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"\u003e\"Real cats never wear flea collars... or appear on Christmas cards... and real cats DO eat quiche.\"\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"4\"\u003eFrom the legendary mind of \u003cb data-path-to-node=\"4\" data-index-in-node=\"27\"\u003eSir Terry Pratchett\u003c\/b\u003e comes the ultimate manifesto for the feline purist. In a world increasingly cluttered with \"mass-produced\" cats—the kind that purr politely for television commercials and eat from gold-plated bowls—the \u003cb data-path-to-node=\"4\" data-index-in-node=\"249\"\u003eCampaign for Real Cats\u003c\/b\u003e is here to remind us what a true, unadulterated cat actually looks like.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"5\"\u003eA real cat doesn’t need a bell on its collar, and it certainly doesn't care for your Christmas card aesthetics. A real cat has ears that look like they’ve been through a hedge backwards, can hear a fridge door opening from two rooms away, and will eat anything left on the table the moment your back is turned.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"6\"\u003eThis classic edition is brought to life by the unmistakable, scratchy, and wickedly funny illustrations of \u003cb data-path-to-node=\"6\" data-index-in-node=\"107\"\u003eGray Jolliffe\u003c\/b\u003e. His drawings perfectly capture the \"battered-ear\" aesthetic and chaotic energy of Pratchett’s unadulterated felines. Whether you are a long-time Discworld fan or a first-time cat owner, this guide is essential reading for anyone who wants to separate the Real Cats from the riff-raff.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Orion Publishing Co","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":39666423693397,"sku":"9780752853697N","price":7.79,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/files\/61d0jgFLItL._SL1098.jpg?v=1776361176"},{"product_id":"hornby-high-fidelity-2","title":"High Fidelity","description":"\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"3\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"3\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"\u003e\"Do you know your desert-island, all-time, top five most memorable break-ups?\"\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"4\"\u003eRob Fleming does. He owns a struggling record shop in London, he’s obsessed with making top-five lists for every occasion, and his girlfriend, Laura, has just dumped him. The problem? Laura didn't even make his \"all-time\" list—and yet, he can't seem to get over her.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"5\"\u003eNick Hornby’s \u003cb data-path-to-node=\"5\" data-index-in-node=\"14\"\u003eHigh Fidelity\u003c\/b\u003e is the ultimate novel for the music-obsessed and the romantically challenged. As Rob revisits his past relationships to figure out where it all went wrong, he’s forced to confront big questions about adulthood, self-sabotage, and the redemptive power of a great record.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"6\"\u003eWickedly funny, painfully relatable, and deeply moving, this million-copy international bestseller is a modern classic that captures the soul of the \"arrested development\" generation. Whether you’re a vinyl enthusiast or just someone who’s ever been dumped, Rob’s journey is essential reading.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Penguin Books Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40151401594965,"sku":"9780241969816N","price":6.59,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/files\/81zn-8F0_jL._SL1500.jpg?v=1776361392"},{"product_id":"small-wonder","title":"Small Wonder","description":"\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"3\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"3\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"\u003e\"A hopeful examination of the people we seem to be, and what we might yet make of ourselves.\"\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"4\"\u003eIn this soul-stirring collection of essays, the bestselling author of \u003ci data-path-to-node=\"4\" data-index-in-node=\"70\"\u003eThe Poisonwood Bible\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci data-path-to-node=\"4\" data-index-in-node=\"95\"\u003eHigh Tide in Tucson\u003c\/i\u003e offers an extended love song to the world we still have. Written during one of history’s darker moments, \u003cb data-path-to-node=\"4\" data-index-in-node=\"220\"\u003eSmall Wonder\u003c\/b\u003e finds Barbara Kingsolver at her most reflective, moving from the global to the deeply personal with ease and grace.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"5\"\u003eThe journey begins with an astonishing parable of a lost child and expands to explore a vast array of subjects: the majesty of the Grand Canyon, the simple joy of a small daughter tending to backyard chickens, the complexities of genetic engineering, and the history of civil rights. Whether she is discussing the impact of television or the quiet resilience of her vegetable garden, Kingsolver remains grounded in the belief that while our greatest problems may be global, the answers often lie in our own backyards.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"6\"\u003eIn a voice that is sometimes grave, occasionally hilarious, and always persuasive, these essays serve as a reminder of the beauty worth saving and the human impulses that can lead us toward a better future.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Faber \u0026 Faber","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40741925584981,"sku":"9780571215775N","price":7.79,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/files\/71ZoS-Bk8oL._SL1398.jpg?v=1776359171"},{"product_id":"alex-rider-10-book-slipcase-1","title":"Alex Rider: The Complete Missions (10-Book Set in Slipcase)","description":"\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"3\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"3\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"\u003e\"Action, adrenaline, and adventure at every turn.\"\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"4\"\u003eIn this high-octane collection, fourteen-year-old Alex Rider is forcibly recruited by MI6 into the deadly world of international espionage. Armed with secret gadgets and a reluctant set of skills, Alex is thrust into a life where danger is the only constant. From the chilling secrets of the Point Blanc Academy to the global threats of the criminal organization Scorpia, Alex must use his wits to survive missions that would break even the most seasoned adult spies.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"5\"\u003eThis comprehensive 10-book set brings together the explosive adventures that have made Alex Rider a global phenomenon. Whether he is infiltrating space hotels or facing off against legendary contract killers, Alex’s journey is a non-stop masterclass in suspense and survival.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"7\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"7\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"\u003eTitles Included:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul data-path-to-node=\"8\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"8,0,0\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"8,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"\u003eStormbreaker\u003c\/b\u003e (Book 1)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"8,1,0\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"8,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"\u003ePoint Blanc\u003c\/b\u003e (Book 2)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"8,2,0\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"8,2,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"\u003eSkeleton Key\u003c\/b\u003e (Book 3)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"8,3,0\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"8,3,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"\u003eEagle Strike\u003c\/b\u003e (Book 4)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"8,4,0\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"8,4,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"\u003eScorpia\u003c\/b\u003e (Book 5)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"8,5,0\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"8,5,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"\u003eArk Angel\u003c\/b\u003e (Book 6)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"8,6,0\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"8,6,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"\u003eSnakehead\u003c\/b\u003e (Book 7)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"8,7,0\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"8,7,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"\u003eCrocodile Tears\u003c\/b\u003e (Book 8)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"8,8,0\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"8,8,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"\u003eScorpia Rising\u003c\/b\u003e (Book 9)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"8,9,0\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"8,9,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"\u003eRussian Roulette\u003c\/b\u003e (Book 10)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Walker Books Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57806046658947,"sku":"9781406364835N","price":19.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/files\/fe8b4d8f-b19d-40b7-9326-9543e37a4e6c.jpg?v=1776357227"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/collections\/collection_cover18.png?v=1776525633","url":"https:\/\/smeikalbooks.co.uk\/collections\/april-birthday-series.oembed","provider":"smeikalbooks","version":"1.0","type":"link"}