Books with author A. M. Williamson

From Waterstones Book Prize 2014 shortlisted author, Lara Williamson, The Boy who Sailed the Ocean in an Armchair is perfect for fans of Michael Morpurgo, Jacqueline Wilson and Wonder by R J Palacio.Becket Rumsey is all at sea. His dad has run away with him and his brother Billy in the middle of the night. And they've left everything behind, including their almost-mum Pearl. Becket has no idea what's going on - it's a mystery. So with the help of Billy and a snail called Brian, Becket sets out on a journey of discovery. It's not plain sailing but then what journeys ever are? An extraordinary story of courage, dreams and finding your way, from the bestselling author of A Boy Called Hope (shortlisted for the 2014 Waterstones Book Prize).

The Age of the Dictators presents a comprehensive survey of the origins and interrelationship of the European dictatorships. All the regimes are addressed, with ample coverage of the period 1939-45, and analysis of the Soviet government up to Stalin’s death in 1953.Exploring their ideological and political roots, and the role of the First World War in their rise to power, David Williams identifies the dictatorships as products of their time. He examines the Soviet, Italian Fascist and Nazi dictatorships, as well as the authoritarian regimes in Spain, Portugal, Eastern Europe and the Balkans, providing an analysis of each as an entity, of how they evolved and related to one another, and to what extent they were a common response to life after the First World War.Mindful of historiographical issues, the textbook attends to the arguments of key historians, and includes a list of relevant sources to assist students in their study of the period. Combining an accessible, succinct writing style with a broad historical scope, The Age of the Dictators is an illuminating and thorough account of a fascinating period in world history.

Set in our near future, the fear of global warming and our own rapidly advancing technologies spark the first and only global uprising. fuelled and made possible by social media, the Returner movement sets about plunging the entire globe back to a pre-industrial age. Five years on from the uprising only shadows of the old world are left with anything resembling infrastructure being destroyed by the ever more powerful Returners, who rule with increasing brutality. For five long years, every attempt to resist their rule have been quashed with merciless force, but when a small village in the newly formed marshes of East Anglia stand and fight in the face of starvation, the murky battle line are drawn. This is a fast paced action adventure from the 'Rib Bone Jack' author, offering an alternative suggestion as to where the human race might be heading. Don't expect ray guns and space age technology, everything about this book has a rural and historic feel, in keeping with the author's preferred genre.

A young gymnast learns that it's not the winning or losing that counts in life, but the "getting up" and moving on. In this touching story, a family must learn together to move forward in life after losing their father. Tess, Andrew and Monica help them face their grief and learn what is truly important in life. The book is based on the TV episode which featured cameo appearances by Olympic gymnasts Bart Conner, Nadia Comaneci, and Kerri Strugg.