PHILIPPA BREWSTER

She is an editor. Philippa has worked closely with such authors as Jeanette Winterson, Ruth Rendell, Helen Simpson, Alex Cox, Diana Souhami and John Tusa.

THE MAKING OF MARMALADE

It is a cookery book written by Mrs Beeton (Isabella Mary) in 1924. It shows how to make a real English marmalade.

QUOTATION

Quando sono usati pezzi grossi la superficie deve essere accuratamente schiumata, o la schiuma rovinerà l'apparenza finale.

NELL GWYNN

Eleanor "Nell" Gwyn (2 February 1650 - 14 November 1687) was a long-time mistress of King Charles II of England.

Called "pretty, witty Nell" by Samuel Pepys, she has been called a living embodiment of the spirit of Restoration England and has come to be considered a folk heroine, with a story echoing the rags-to-royalty tale of Cinderella.

BIBLE

Genesis:  Content: Genesis is a bottom line, this-it-how-it-is, no sugarcoating kind of book. When we ask the big question, "Where do we come from?" Genesis gives the big answer, "We come from God. He made us and wants to be in relationship with us." When we ask the big question "Who do we come from?" Genesis gives the honest answer, "this is who they are, but you might not like everything you see." Genesis has loads of famous stories and people, from Adam to Noah to Abraham to Joseph. It's a who's who of the lightly populated days of the heart. What's amazing about this book thought s that, unlike a who's who, Genesis tells us the real scoop on these people who established the original cultures of the world. We read about their failures, not just their successes. We read about they mess-ups and their doubts. From this very first book of the Bible, God lays a foundation. We are what he created when he chose to love and to be loved. He is the God who embraces us humans, "warts" and all, and even uses us to make the world a better place.
Exodus:  Content: The Book of Exodus (from Greek ἔξοδος, Exodos, meaning "going out"; Hebrew: שמות‎, Šemot, "Names") is the second book of the Hebrew Bible, and of the five books of the Torah (the Pentateuch). The Greek and English name originates with the Septuagint translation of the 3rd century BCE.

The book tells how the children of Israel leave slavery in Egypt through the strength of Yahweh, the god who has chosen Israel as his people. Led by their great prophet Moses they journey through the wilderness to Mount Sinai, where Yahweh promises them the land of Canaan (the "Promised Land") in return for their faithfulness. Israel enters into a covenant with Yahweh who gives them their laws and instructions for the Tabernacle, the means by which he will dwell with them and lead them to the land.

Leviticus: The Book of Leviticus (from Greek Λευιτικός, Levitikos, meaning "relating to the Levites"; Hebrew: ויקרא‎, Wayiqra, "And He called") is the third book of the Hebrew Bible, and the third of five books of the Torah (or Pentateuch).

The English name is from the Latin Leviticus, taken in turn from Greek and a reference to the Levites, the tribe from whom the priests were drawn; Leviticus is not, however, a manual for priests, as it concerns itself at least equally with the role and duties of the laity.

Leviticus rests on two crucial beliefs: the first, that the world was created "very good" and retains the capacity to achieve that state although it is vulnerable to sin and defilement; the second, that the faithful enactment of ritual makes God's presence available, while ignoring or breaching it compromises the harmony between God and the world

Numbers:  The Book of Numbers (from Greek Αριθμοί, Arithmoi; Hebrew: במדבר‎, Bəmidbar, "In the desert [of]") is the fourth book of the Hebrew Bible, and the fourth of five books of the Jewish Torah/Pentateuch.

The first half of Numbers tells what happened to the generation of Israelites who left Egypt with Moses.

Numbers begins at Mount Sinai, where the Israelites have received their laws and covenant from God and God has taken up residence among them in the sanctuary. The task before them is to take possession of the Promised Land. The people are numbered and preparations are made for resuming their march. The Israelites begin the journey, but immediately they "murmur" (complain or kvetch) at the hardships along the way. They arrive at the borders of Canaan and send spies into the land, but on hearing the spies' report the Israelites refuse to take possession of Canaan and God condemns them to death in the wilderness until a new generation can grow up and carry out the task. The book ends with the new generation of Israelites in the plain of Moab ready for the crossing of the Jordan River.

Numbers is the culmination of the story of Israel's exodus from oppression in Egypt and their journey to take possession of the land God promised their fathers. As such it draws to a conclusion the themes introduced in Genesis and played out in Exodus and Leviticus: God has promised the Israelites that they shall become a great (i.e. numerous) nation, that they will have a special relationship with Yahweh their god, and that they shall take possession of the land of Canaan. Against this, Numbers also demonstrates the importance of holiness, faithfulness and trust: despite God's presence and his priests, Israel lacks faith and the possession of the land is left to a new generation.

Deuteronomy: The Book of Deuteronomy (from Greek Δευτερονόμιον, Deuteronomion, "second law"; Hebrew: דְּבָרִים‎, Devarim, "[spoken] words") is the fifth book of the Hebrew Bible, and of the Jewish Torah/Pentateuch. The Hebrew title is taken from the opening phrase Eleh ha-devarim, "These are the words..."; the English title is a mistranslation of the Hebrew phrase mishneh ha-torah ha-zoth, "a copy of this law", in Deuteronomy 17:18, as to deuteronomion touto - "this second law".

The book consists of three sermons or speeches delivered to the Israelites by Moses on the plains of Moab, shortly before they enter the Promised Land. The first sermon recapitulates the forty years of wilderness wanderings which have led to this moment, and ends with an exhortation to observe the law (or teachings); the second reminds the Israelites of the need for exclusive allegiance to one God and observance of the laws he has given them, on which their possession of the land depends; and the third offers the comfort that even should Israel prove unfaithful and so lose the land, with repentance all can be restored.

Traditionally accepted as the genuine words of Moses delivered on the eve of the occupation of Canaan, a broad consensus of modern scholars see its origins in traditions from Israel (the northern kingdom) brought south to the Kingdom of Judah in the wake of the Assyrian destruction of Samaria (8th century BCE) and then adapted to a program of nationalist reform in the time of King Josiah (late 7th century), with the final form of the modern book emerging in the milieu of the return from the Babylonian exile during the late 6th century.

Joshua:  The Book of Joshua (Hebrew: Sefer Y'hoshua ספר יהושע‎) is the sixth book in the Hebrew Bible and of the Old Testament. Its 24 chapters tell of the entry into Canaan, its conquest and division under the leadership of Joshua, and of serving God in the land.

Joshua forms part of the biblical history of the emergence of Israel which begins with the exodus of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, continues with their conquest of Canaan under their leader Joshua (the subject matter of the book of Joshua), and culminates in Judges with the settlement of the tribes in the land. The book is structured in two roughly equal parts, the story of the campaigns of the Israelites in central, southern and northern Canaan and their destruction of their enemies, followed by the division of the conquered land among the twelve tribes; the two parts are framed by set-piece speeches by God and Joshua commanding the conquest and at the end warning of the need for faithful obedience of the Law (torah) revealed to Moses.

Almost without exception scholars agree that the book of Joshua holds little historical value.[4] Rather than being written as history, the Deuteronomistic history - Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Samuel and Kings - was intended to illustrate a theological scheme in which Israel and her leaders are judged by their obedience to the teachings and laws (the covenant) set down in the book of Deuteronomy.[5] Although tradition holds that it was written by Joshua, it is probable that it was written by multiple editors and authors far removed from the time.

Judges:  The Book of Judges (Hebrew: Sefer Shoftim ספר שופטים) is the seventh book of the Hebrew bible and the Christian Old Testament. Its title describes its contents: it contains the history of Biblical judges, divinely inspired prophets whose direct knowledge of Yahweh allows them to act as decision-makers for the Israelites, as military deliverers from oppression for foreign rulers, and models of the proper behaviour required of them by their god, Yahweh following the exodus from Egypt and conquest of Canaan. The events of Judges takes place "between c. 1380 [B.C.E.] and the rise of Saul, c. 1050." The stories follow a consistent pattern: the people are unfaithful to Yahweh and he therefore delivers them into the hands of their enemies; the people then repent and entreat Yahweh for mercy, which he sends in the form of a judge; the judge delivers the Israelites from oppression, but after a while they fall into unfaithfulness again and the cycle is repeated.

Ruth: The Book of Ruth (Hebrew: מגילת רות‎; Sephardic, Israeli Hebrew: [məɡiˈlat rut]; Ashkenazi Hebrew: [məˈɡɪləs rus]; Biblical Hebrew: Megilath Ruth "the Scroll of Ruth") is one of the books of the Hebrew Bible, Tanakh, or Old Testament. In the Jewish canon the Book of Ruth is included in the third division, or the Writings (Ketuvim). In the Christian canon the Book of Ruth is placed between Judges and 1 Samuel. It is a rather short book, in both Jewish and Christian scripture, consisting of only four chapters.

Information taken from Wikipedia