VoltaireWe think of Voltaire as the epitome of the Enlightenment; in his own time he was also the most famous and controversial figure in Europe. Davidson tells the whole, rich story of his life (1694 1778) his early imprisonment in the Bastille; exile in England and his mastery of English; an obsession with money, of which he made a huge amount; a scandalous love life; his infatuation with Frederick the Great; a long exile on the borders of Switzerland; his

And why is everyone

collecting his wits in hospital after a train crash

And they should know by now that I'm always watching

'This is a book that takes you by the hand and promises the gentlest comfort in the darkest of times

in a town on the coast of Italy

though Kunon might have found an even greater prize than gold or jewels¦The blind prodigy's repertoire continues to grow as he delves further into the mysteries of magic and defies all common sense

A local asylum plays a part

Walter is a member of a spy ring that sends US war production data to Germany and gives shelter to escaped German prisoners of war

Each of the 10 world-changing events is examined in detail - what were the circumstances

he asks for three sets of armor: one to wear

who have tried traditional spelling strategies but with limited success

prioritise what we are going to do for the day ahead and track our progress