New Releases by Elizabeth Foley

''A daily dose of joy and wisdom. Just what we need to chase the gloom away!'' OLIVIA COLMAN Why is a heart not heart-shaped? Will I ever understand cryptocurrency? What am I doing when I apricate? And is everything getting worse? Finding the time to appreciate the bounty of our world can be tricky amid the demands of work, family and scrolling our phones. Happily, E. Foley and B. Coates have curated A Year of Living Curiously, a book of daily shots of knowledge that will lift your spirits and expand your mind in a flash. In 365 joyfully random, utterly fascinating entries, you''ll learn what the Japanese mean by ''kuchisabishii'' and how the Victorians communicate through flowers; you''ll start to get quantum computing and discover the secret history of the bobble hat. There are tales of footballing bees and Viking mice, the beginning of the thesaurus and the end of the library of Alexandria. Spend just two minutes a day with this glorious almanac of curious treasure and you''ll end your year full of wonder and just that little bit wiser.

''What guts. What attitude! These are the immortals I wish I''d learned about at school.'' OLIVIA COLMAN Channel the feminist power of mythical goddesses in this witty, inspirational gift book. ''Wonderful.'' CERYS MATTHEWS Whether it''s the Norse warrior goddess Freya breaking all the rules, the Yoruba goddess Oshun being unafraid to ask for what she''s owed, or the Japanese goddess Uzume finding humour and playfulness in even the most embarrassing of situations: this fierce and fantastic tour of 25 ancient deities reclaims these feminist icons for a new generation. Why settle for mere mortal excellence when you could be living like a goddess? Divinely illustrated by Georgia Perry, You Goddess! will help you conquer today''s world.

Channel the outstanding sisters of history to beat the system today.

Which literary giant also held the post of Controller of the Custom of Hides, Skins and Wools in the port of London? Which former concubine went on to become the first, and only, empress of China? Which French diplomat gave his name to the notoriously addictive nicotine? How old was George Harrison whent the Beatles split up? Test your wits, compete with your loved ones and check if it''s all still there upstairs with these devilishly diverting questions on all the old-school subjects.

“Fun, cheeky” (Booklist), and a visual delight, What Would Cleopatra Do? shares the wisdom and advice passed down from Cleopatra, Queen Victoria, Dorothy Parker, and forty-seven other heroines from past eras on how to handle common problems women have encountered throughout history and still face today. What Would Cleopatra Do? tackles issues by reminding us of inspiring feminists from the past, telling their stories with warmth, humor, and verve. From sticking up for yourself, improving body image, deciding whether to have children, finding a mentor, getting dumped, feeling like an imposter, being unattractive, and dealing with gossip, we can learn a lot by reading motivational stories of heroic women who, living in much tougher times through history, took control of their own destinies and made life work for them. Here are Cleopatra’s thoughts on sibling rivalry, Mae West on positive body image, Frida Kahlo on finding your style, Catherine the Great on dealing with gossip, Agatha Christie on getting dumped, Hedy Lamarr on being underestimated—to list only a few—as well as others who address dilemmas including career-planning, female friendship, loneliness, financial management, and political engagement. Featuring whimsical illustrations by L.A.-based artist Bijou Karman, What Would Cleopatra Do? is a distinctive, witty, and gift-worthy tribute to history’s outstanding women.

''Rather jolly and very helpful’ The Times Need to swot up on your Shakespeare? The ultimate guide to the Bard, perfect for the Shakespeare aficionado and general reader alike. If you’ve always felt a bit embarrassed at your precarious grasp on the plot of Othello, or you haven’t a clue what a petard (as in ‘hoist with his own petard’) actually is, then fear not, because this, at last, is the perfect guide to the Bard. From the authors of the number-one bestselling Homework for Grown-ups, Shakespeare for Grown-ups is the essential book for anyone keen to deepen their knowledge of they plays and sonnets. For parents helping with their children’s homework, casual theatre-goers who want to enhance their enjoyment of the most popular plays and the general reader who feels they should probably know more about Britain’s most splendid scribe, Shakespeare for Grown-ups covers Shakespeare''s time; his personal life; his language; his key themes; his less familiar works and characters; his most famous speeches and quotations; phrases and words that have entered general usage, and much more.

Don''t know your isosceles from your equilateral? Forgotten what actually happened in 1066? Perplexed by past participles? Bewildered already? Fret no longer. Swot up with Homework for Grown-ups - a brilliantly informative and entertaining book of old-school knowledge for adults. ''An obvious candidate to take to a desert island, along with Shakespeare and the Bible'' Daily Telegraph [pictures of Beth and Liz as children either side of biog:] E. Foley and B. Coates were star pupils who always got their homework in on time. Based in London, they now check other people''s homework and grammar for a living. [jpegs of covers of Advanced Homework for Grown-ups and Homework for Grown-ups quiz book]

Cambridge, UK, 9th November 2010-Parts of at least 1,069 Tigers have been seized in Tiger range countries over the past decade, according to new analysis of Tiger seizures carried out by TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network. Reduced to Skin and Bones (PDF, 4 MB) shows that from January 2000 to April 2010, parts of between 1,069 and 1,220 Tigers were seized in 11 of the 13 tiger range countries-or an average of 104 to 119 animals per year

Malachy Foley (1740-1814) was born in County Clare, Ireland and was the father of Patrick Foley (1782-1866) who was born in Killinny, County Clare, Ireland. Patrick married Mary Keating and they were the parents of eleven children, one of whom was Mathew Foley (1829-1911) who was born in Ireland but immigrated to America where he married Mary Ann Griffin (1839-1893). They were the parents of nine children. Descendants live in the United States.