Telling Tales in Latin: A New Latin Course and Storybook for Children

Our latest new title for spring, TELLING TALES IN LATIN by Lorna Robinson brings Latin teaching into the twenty-first century.

TELLING TALES IN LATIN: A New Latin Course and Storybook for Children, now available from Souvenir Press, teaches Latin through the magic of storytelling, using Soham De’s vivid illustrations to bring the stories to life.

Narrated by the chatty and imaginative Roman poet Ovid, this new course takes young learners on a journey through some of the tales from Ovid’s Metamorphoses. Along the way, they pick up Latin words and grammar, explore the connections between Latin and English and discover how Ovid’s stories still speak to us today. The book features all the vocabulary and grammar needed for the OCR entry level Latin qualification. It is already attracting a lot of advance praise and support, including Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, who is a keen supporter of the teaching of Latin in schools.

“Yet again Lorna Robinson has come up with a wonderful way of getting us to read and love Latin. Not to be missed!” – Boris Johnson, Mayor of London

This is the ideal first introduction to Latin for primary school children, packed with colourful, original illustrations to bring the subject to life. Latin has been found to help children with their literacy, and with learning foreign languages, so the benefits of this Latin course are manifold.

Author Lorna Robinson is the founder of The Iris Project, a charity dedicated to bringing classical culture and languages into the curriculum for all schools, not just those in more privileged areas. The Iris Project’s Literacy Through Latin project has been shortlisted for the 2013 European Language Label for Innovative Projects in language teaching and learning.

TELLING TALES IN LATIN is now available in paperback and as an e-book.

Code Name Caesar: The Secret Hunt for U-Boat 864 During World War II

Published today by Souvenir Press, CODE NAME CAESAR by Jerome Preisler and Kenneth Sewell reveals one of World War II’s most intriguing untold stories: the hunt by MI6, the British Navy, the Norwegian resistance and the RAF’s 617 Dambusters Squadron for the German U-Boat U-864 towards the end of the Second World War.

What made U-864 such an important target was what was on board: with German forces suffering huge losses at the hands of the Allies, Hitler made one last attempt to prolong the war and land a decisive blow against the Allied forces. He prepared to send plans and parts for Germany’s weapon technology – jet aircraft, rockets, mini-submarines – along with scientists to develop the technology, to his Japanese allies. U-864 was ordered to transport this most valuable cargo, carrying on board the opportunity to lengthen the war.

With German technology and expertise, the Japanese would divert more Allied troops to the war in the Pacific, giving Germany time to regroup.

British codebreakers based at Bletchley Park discovered Hitler’s plan and, working with the Norwegian resistance movement, the RAF sent its Dambuster Squadron on bombing raids against German naval installations in an attempt to destroy U-864… and its deadly cargo. But the submarine escaped, and slipped out to sea.

Now the British Navy had only one chance to destroy the U-Boat.

CODE NAME CAESAR is the thrilling true story of the hunt for U-864, an event that changed the course of the war, and the course of history. As gripping as a thriller, it brings to life the tense, action-packed underwater battle, recreating one of the least-known but most crucial victories of World War II.

If you want to try a sample of CODE NAME CAESAR, you can read the introduction and beginning of part one on Amazon using the ‘Look Inside’ feature.

CODE NAME CAESAR is available now in hardback and as an e-book.

New reviews

Tomorrow sees the publication of one of our new spring titles, but today is your chance to read what people have been saying recently about a selection of our other books, both new and backlist titles. As if you need reminding of the variety of books published here at Souvenir Press, below you’ll find reviews of everything from cricket to creativity, Tao to pregnancy and birth.

Cardus on Cricket / A Fourth Innings with Cardus by Neville Cardus

“The writing is alive, full of daring and almost novelistic observation… Like Grace or Bradman, Sehwag or Gayle, he showed a way towards the future.” – The Cordon Blog, ESPN Cricinfo

Tao: The Watercourse Way by Alan Watts

“Alan Watts’ classic book on Chinese wisdom capturing the spirit of the Taoist attitude to life through its calligraphy and literature.” – Kindred Spirit magazine

The Vein of Gold: A Journey to your Creative Heart by Julia Cameron

“The essential companion to The Artist’s Way, taking you on the next stage of your creative journey… This powerful book inspires artistic mindful living.” – Watkins Review

The FitMama Method by Marie Behenna

“There is advice on how to push your baby out, how to breathe & pant for labour, birthing positions, and other secrets of the labour ward which no one else will tell you! …  I had read this book before I gave birth.” – More4Mums blog

If you’ve seen any reviews (or written one yourself) of a Souvenir book that we might have missed, or if you’d like information about any of our books, you can check out our current catalogue or contact me using the details here.

Author Corner: Dr Kai Kermani on Autogenic Training

Dr Kai Kermani is author of Autogenic Training and a leading name in this field of holistic therapy. Read his exclusive blog post for Take Home a Souvenir, to find out what autogenic training is, and how discovering autogenic training changed his life.

About 30 years ago I came across the name Autogenic Training for the very first time, in one of my post graduate study courses for stress management. Like many of you, I had never heard of this technique, and enrolled upon an 8 week course.

This turned out to be the best decision I have ever made: it stood me in good stead for the very difficult times that were to follow over the years. From an accident which left me blind, to the death of my beloved partner six months after my accident, a major heart operation and a massive fire at my home which destroyed everything dear and precious to me, daily practise of Autogenics for the last 30 years has helped me navigate all the major and minor stresses and trials that life has thrown at me.

Despite everything, including my blindness, I am now in a state of complete inner peace, tranquillity, joy and contentment; if my inner peace is disturbed by external circumstances, I can easily return to my peaceful centre with the help of autogenic training.

What is Autogenic Training?

It is one of the most powerful relaxation and self-healing techniques which I have ever come across in my long career in holistic general practice and after my blindness in the use of complementary therapies especially healing which is now my profession.

The technique has 3 different parts which can be utilised for whatever the individual’s needs are. First and foremost, of course, it is a powerful relaxation technique. The emotional off-loading exercises are amazingly powerful and effective in ridding one of suppressed emotions whether current or long standing – something which I used copiously during the various traumatic times in my life. The exercises on gratitude and forgiveness are particularly powerful as they enable the individual to free themselves from the bondage of guilt and regret that afflicts most of us. With the help of some powerful positive and specifically designed affirmations, it can also be a very powerful self-healing technique.

It also has two short exercises which can be used anywhere or any time to help one remain completely relaxed in situations where there is no possibility of doing a full exercise or any other form of meditation. For example while driving, or even using it in some of our interminably long and boring meetings!

As for my book, Autogenic Training, it consists of 3 different sections. The first gives advice on general health and wellbeing. The second section consists of a tutorial on Autogenics so that the individual can easily learn it even if they have no access to qualified trainers, and third section covers over 50 specific conditions which can be helped by the practise of Autogenics in combination with other mentioned techniques.

I thoroughly recommend Autogenic Training to anyone who is interested in making an investment for life for their wellbeing and happiness. This recommendation is not just based on my own personal experiences but also hundreds of people whom I have taught personally or thousands who have used the book before.

Anyone who is interested in finding out more about my healing work can do so by visiting my website.

Dr.Kai Kermani, BSc(Hons.), MBBS, LRCP.,MRCS.,DRCOG.,MRCGP.,BCRP.

50 Years of Modesty Blaise

Monday 13th May will mark exactly fifty years since the very first Modesty Blaise cartoon appeared in the Evening Standard. The hugely popular comic strip was serialised around the world, in more than 40 countries, and Modesty’s popularity spawned a series of 13 novels, all of which are published by Souvenir Press.

Modesty is the fore-runner of Charlie’s Angels and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the original hard-hitting heroine who could, you feel, have held her own alongside James Bond. Modesty is as much a cult favourite today as ever she was, and her enduring appeal was highlighted by the 2012 radio adaptation of A Taste for Death which aired on BBC Radio 4.

Discover the full list of Modesty Blaise books, or find out more on the Souvenir Press website:

Modesty Blaise | Sabre-Tooth | I, Lucifer | A Taste for Death | The Impossible Virgin | Pieces of Modesty | The Silver Mistress | Last Day in Limbo | Dragon’s Claw | The Xanadu Talisman | The Night of Morningstar | Dead Man’s Handle | Cobra Trap

Introducing: Code Name Caesar

Code Name Caesar: The Secret Hunt for U-Boat 864 During World War II by Jerome Priesler and Kenneth Sewell is published later this month, so if you love your naval history, read on!

In 2003 the Royal Norwegian Navy discovered the wreck of a German U-boat that was potentially leaking mercury into the Atlantic Ocean. It turned out to be U-boat U-864, destroyed by the British submarine HMS Venturer in February 1945. U-864 is the only recorded instance of a submarine destroyed during an underwater battle with another submarine.

As World War II was drawing to a close Hitler made one last attempt to survive. He prepared to send plans and parts for Germany’s new weapon technology – jet aircraft, rockets and mini-submarines – along with scientists to develop the technology to his Japanese allies. Hitler was gambling that if the war in the Pacific could be escalated, diverting Allied troops from Europe, it could give Germany an opportunity to regroup. U-Boat U-864 was ordered to transport the technology that could prolong the war but codebreakers at Bletchley Park intercepted the plan and the British Navy had one chance to destroy the U-Boat. Working with MI6 and the Norwegian Resistance, along with the RAF’s 617 Dambusters Squadron, HMS Venturer tracked the German U-Boat and launched an attack.

Code Name Caesar reveals the full history, for the first time, of an extraordinary event that changed the course of history and the course of the war. Drawing on contemporary documents and letters, as well as interviews with the surviving families of German sailors who died on board U-864, Code Name Caesar brings to life the tense, action-packed underwater battle with all the suspense of a thriller.

So if naval history is your thing, you’ll love Code Name Caesar.

New Spring titles now available from Souvenir Press:

• The Vein of Gold by Julia Cameron
• Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards
• Do Chocolate Lovers Have Sweeter Babies? by Jena Pincott
• How Puzzles Improve Your Brain by Richard Restak and Scott Kim

Are you ready to discover our authors?

Things have been a little quiet here on the Souvenir Press blog over the last couple of weeks – sorry about that. I’ve been busy working away behind the scenes of the Souvenir  website, and have been lining up some fantastic blog posts for you guys over the coming weeks/months.

We’re going to be bringing back our Author Corner feature, and have currently got several of our authors scribbling away to bring you an exclusive view into their lives. Whether they’re sharing their inspiration, telling the story of how their book came to be, or sharing tips and advice, you won’t want to miss it!

Our previous Author Corner posts featured Jessica Thom writing about her book Welcome to Biscuit Land, Richard Smyth on Bum Fodder: An Absorbing History of Toilet Paper, and Arthur Plotnik, author of Better than Great with a handy guide to terms of endearment for your loved one, suitable for Valentines Day and the rest of the year.

Away from the blog, we’ve had some exciting post this week: finished copies of three of our new Spring titles: Code Name Caesar by Jerome Preisler and Kenneth Sewell, Telling Tales in Latin by Dr Lorna Robinson (both published later this month), and Where the Ghosts Walk by Peter Underwood, published early next month. What do you think?

I hope you all have a lovely weekend, and we’ll be back in the Souvenir Press office on Tuesday after the Bank Holiday. As always, if you’ve got any queries (Where can I buy these books? Can I get your books on my new Nook? Where’s the British Museum in relation to your office?) feel free to leave us a comment below, or you can drop me an email.