This historical novel tells of three families, British, Hungarian and Russian, whose lives are linked for 50 years during and after the Cold War. Their experiences reflect the danger, bravery, heartbreak, joy, and sorrow of those days when Europe was divided by the Iron Curtain. Four 11-year-olds spend an idyllic seaside holiday in England in August 1956, just before the Suez crisis and the Hungarian Uprising intensify the Cold War. John Symons skillfully portrays how world events, including the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968, the Solidarity movement in Poland in the early 1980s, the end of Communism in Eastern …

Arguing that an efficient economic system can be compatible with a fair share for all, this novel centers on a United States president who changes his mind about his policies. A deliberate parable about today’s political wars, the novel illustrates the reforms posed by a real 19th-century figure, the American economist Henry George. Accordingly, this fictional reelection campaign provides a convenient stage for speeches and debates when the incumbent president goes missing, only to return with a platform for social justice that enrages those with vested interests and confounds his party operatives.

Marcus Aurelius, one of the greatest Roman emperors, is remembered less for his military exploits than for his private reflections. His Meditations, as they became known, have been a major influence on Western thought and behaviour down through the centuries, proving that the pen is mightier than the sword. Seeking an alternative to faith-based religion, Alan Stedall came across the book and found rational answers to questions about the meaning and purpose of life that had been troubling him. Here too were answers to his concern that in the absence of moral beliefs based on religion, we risk creating a …

The country is in crisis. Unrest and inner city tensions feed on unemployment, and as the government struggles to contain the soaring debt, no one listens. Most are tired of PR-savvy words and tired of the blame game that poses as debate. Divisions in the Cabinet force the premier’s resignation. Because circumstances are too dire to afford the luxury of an election, the queen calls a meeting of the three main party leaders. Some days efore, the leader of the opposition received a letter that intrigued him. The writer had held little hope of making contact, but gave it one …

Beings from a distant planet impact the political, economic, and spiritual life of both Britain and the world in this tale that uses a touch of science fiction to explore human potential. Dealing with a suffering economy and rising inflation, the prime minister is a year into office and faces nothing but frustration. Then, visitors with impressive technological skills and an astonishingly tranquil presence arrive claiming to be from a distant world. This perceptive narrative lifts current political debate out of its rut when these aliens explain that, thanks in part to the wise Teachers of Earth, they have established …