DR NICHOLAS COURTNEY
Dr Nicholas Courtney is an author, historian and lecturer who has written 26 works of non-fiction, mostly biographies but also histories of livery companies, clubs, - even satire.
After studying at the Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester, he worked as a land agent managing estates in Northamptonshire and Leicestershire, before moving to the island of Mustique in the West Indies. Mustique later became the subject of his PhD in history.
His extensive research into Admiral Sir Francis Beaufort took him to the archives of the Public Records Office Kew, Ireland, UK Hydrographic Office in Taunton and the Huntington Library, San Marino in California. There he broke Beaufort's secret code that revealed a previously hidden side of the celebrated naval officer.
Gale Force 10: The Life and Legacy of Admiral Beaufort
Few of us hear the familiar numbers of the Shipping Forecast without recognising the Beaufort Scale, yet the man behind it had a life every bit as remarkable as his famous invention. Nicholas Courtney's acclaimed biography tells the story of Rear-Admiral Sir Francis Beaufort — self-taught midshipman, naval officer, hydrographer, scientist and explorer — whose influence extended from polar exploration and meteorology to the voyage of HMS Beagle that carried Charles Darwin. Drawing on Beaufort's letters, journals and naval records, Courtney reveals both the public achievements and extraordinary private life of one of the nineteenth century's great scientific figures.
“Meticulously researched and highly readable.” — Geographical
“A very good, well researched and rather heartening account.” — The Spectator
The Dying Light
In The Dying Light, Ann Cleeves returns with another gripping and atmospheric mystery filled with tension, secrets and expertly crafted suspense. Set against a vividly evoked landscape, the novel explores the hidden fractures beneath seemingly close-knit communities as dark truths begin to emerge. With her trademark insight into human nature and a masterful sense of pace, Ann delivers a compelling crime novel that will keep readers guessing until the very final page.
