{"title":"Books by Simon Thomas","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"9781399080798","title":"The Real Charles Dickens","description":"The Real Charles Dickens is an insightful look into the world of the life and work of the great 19th-century writer. Dickens led one of the most colourful and interesting lives of any author and this book delves into his difficult early life, his emergence as a major novelist, his troubled marriage and suspected relationship with another woman, his trips abroad to Italy and the United States, his late blossoming as a theatrical performer and his work as a social reformer. The book takes a detailed look at each of his major works, tracing the development of his fiction through one of the most productive periods of world literature. To complement this are original photographs of locations associated with Dickens and the opportunity to follow in his footsteps with some expertly crafted walks around the parts of London most associated with him. There are sections on Dickens’ enduring relationship with the theatre and one detailing the ten children that he and his wife Catherine had together. From his first foray into serialised novels, The Pickwick Papers, to his last, great, unfinished work, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, each of his books is given special attention.  Full of biographical detail and analytical insight, The Real Charles Dickens takes the reader on a journey into the heart of the world that nurtured some of the greatest stories ever written.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54911744770421,"sku":"9781399080798","price":22.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781399080798_621a5c8c-a1b7-48f0-84ea-77133c0f31b8.jpg?v=1786019772"},{"product_id":"9781445661179","title":"Class 40 Locomotives","description":"Mainly covering the mid-1960s to the mid-1980s, this collection of images offers a fascinating survey of one of the iconic locomotives of twentieth-century Britain: the Class 40. A common sight in Scotland and the north of England in the latter part of the century, the Class 40 continues to capture the imagination of railway enthusiasts everywhere. Used to haul both heavy freight and passenger trains, this book captures a locomotive at the peak of its powers, with previously unpublished images showing Class 40s both at work and rest.The vast majority of the photographs in this book were taken by the late Keith Holt. He was brought up in West Yorkshire and, like many youngsters at that time, developed an interest in railways as he cycled around the West Riding to visit places of interest. He always took photographs, including many of the iconic Class 40 locomotives. This book serves as a fitting tribute to his longstanding interest in the railways, and reflects the varied work carried out by the Class 40.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56312393007477,"sku":"9781445661179","price":15.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781445661179_696ac692-00a2-4541-8dce-39582097bbbd.jpg?v=1786020889"},{"product_id":"luna-the-lumiloon","title":"Luna the Lumiloon","description":null,"brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57483403297141,"sku":"9781035894628","price":7.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781035894628.jpg?v=1786178553"},{"product_id":"milo-and-the-magic-pebbles","title":"Milo and the Magic Pebbles","description":null,"brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57483404411253,"sku":"9781035894642","price":7.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781035894642.jpg?v=1786178555"},{"product_id":"rugby-lives","title":"Rugby Lives","description":"A collection of in-depth interviews from one of Wales' best rugby journalists, looking back on the careers of 26 of Welsh rugby's finest players.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57487663890805,"sku":"9781800993990","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781800993990.jpg?v=1786354890"},{"product_id":"welsh-rugby-greats-in-their-own-words","title":"Welsh Rugby Greats: In Their Own Words","description":"A collection of in-depth interviews, many of which have never been seen in print before, looking back on the careers of 27 of Welsh rugby's finest players. Includes Graham Price, Jonathan Davies, Andy Powell, Lou Reed, Gareth Llywelyn, Glenn Webbe, Jamie Roberts, Dan Biggar and many more.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57510152864117,"sku":"9781912631681","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781912631681.jpg?v=1787130483"}],"url":"https:\/\/backstory.london\/collections\/author-simon-thomas.oembed","provider":"Backstory","version":"1.0","type":"link"}