Peter Edwards

The Isle of Skye is famed for its magnificent scenery and abundance of fine walking country. The awesome Cuillin Hills and the otherworldly realms of the Quiraing and the Storr Sanctuary are among Scotland's most recognisable landscapes, but the island also has much more to offer the adventurous walker, including some of the most dramatic coastline in the British Isles. These 25 varied walks reflect Skye's diverse range of terrain and provide opportunities to experience the island's spectacular wildlife, its geological wonders and the physical traces of its often tumultuous history.

The fortunes of the education service in Britain have been intimately bound up with the vitality of the local education authorities, particularly in the decades following the 1944 Education Act. The passing of the 1988 Education Reform Act saw the LEAs in serious—perhaps terminal—decline. First published in 1992, Policy and Power in Education sets out to map the contours of this decline in power. It relates these changing fortunes not only to the social and political environment in Britain but also to wider developments in the industrialised world. It argues that post-colonial decline, economic retreat and insular self-satisfaction combined with basic structural flaws in the LEA system threaten its very existence in the last decade of the millennium. The capacity of the system to reform itself into more responsive modes is left as an open question in the face of ever tightening constraints from the Thatcherite tendency in government. The associated challenge to the curriculum is also explored, with the suggestion that an over-prescribed and specified curriculum will prove to be maladaptive against rapidly changing conditions for the twenty-first century. New paradigms of learning are described, while the broadly irrelevant search for utopias on the left is also sceptically reviewed.

Guidebook to Rum, Eigg, Muck and Canna with 25 coastal and mountain routes ranging from short rambles to an epic three-day, 25-mile (41km) round of the coast of Rum. The wild, rugged and beautiful islands of the Small Isles archipelago lie scattered off mainland Scotland’s Atlantic coast. From Rum’s towering volcanic Cuillin hills and the pitchstone crest of An Sgùrr on the Isle of Eigg to Canna’s awe-inspiring cliffs and Muck’s fascinating coastline, explore the hidden gems of the Hebrides with his essential guidebook for adventurous walkers of a range of abilities. 25 detailed routes from 2-25 miles (3-41km) with OS 1:50,000 mapping, step-by-step descriptions, information on distance, ascent, time, difficulty and terrainPractical advice on trip planning, including transport, accommodation, amenities and suggested kitFascinating background information on each island’s geology, history and wildlifeGPX routes available for download

Bestselling author Peter Edwards exposes Canada's evolving criminal underworld in this unflinching account of Shane Dankoski, a gang member who rescued himself from certain death by turning his back on criminal life. In this gripping tale of a modern-day outlaw, Shane Dankoski meticulously recounts his time as a high-ranking member of the United Nations gang of British Columbia in the early 2000s. Under constant threat from other gangs, including the Wolfpack and Hells Angels, Shane spent a decade evading the law and building his drug empire. Shane seemed destined for gang life. He grew up in a violent home on a small block in a neighbourhood of Surrey where a nation-spanning gang war would later take root. After losing numerous friends and becoming addicted to the very drugs he helped put on the street, Shane would eventually be picked up by police officers whom, recognizing a man with enough conscience to want out, turned him into a cooperator of their own. Now retired from crime and settled down as a family man, Shane's story proves that it's possible to triumph over life's obstacles. Peter Edwards deftly weaves a tale of betrayal, grief and astounding resilience, in this gut-wrenching portrait from the inside of Canada's criminal underworld. A Gangster's Life brings alive the structure and international scope of modern gang life, and of ultimately finding a way out of it.

The fortunes of the education service in Britain have been intimately bound up with the vitality of the local education authorities, particularly in the decades following the 1944 Education Act. The passing of the 1988 Education Reform Act saw the LEAs in serious—perhaps terminal—decline.First published in 1992, Policy and Power in Education sets out to map the contours of this decline in power. It relates these changing fortunes not only to the social and political environment in Britain but also to wider developments in the industrialised world. It argues that post-colonial decline, economic retreat and insular self-satisfaction combined with basic structural flaws in the LEA system threaten its very existence in the last decade of the millennium. The capacity of the system to reform itself into more responsive modes is left as an open question in the face of ever tightening constraints from the Thatcherite tendency in government. The associated challenge to the curriculum is also explored, with the suggestion that an over-prescribed and specified curriculum will prove to be maladaptive against rapidly changing conditions for the twenty-first century. New paradigms of learning are described, while the broadly irrelevant search for utopias on the left is also sceptically reviewed.

The South Downs is a mountain biker's paradise. Thousands of kilometres of well-maintained byways and bridleways can be combined to create seemingly inexhaustible route combinations. The 26 routes in this book are graded (blue, red and black) for a range of abilities, and grouped into 6 sections: The South Downs Way National Trail (the whole route described in 3 stages) and routes around Winchester, Chichester and Petersfield, Arundel and Worthing, Brighton and Lewes and Eastbourne. They range from 14km to 57km in length and up to 95% off road, providing plenty of challenge for any mountain biker. Many tracks traverse well-drained chalk downland, providing superlative off-road conditions for much of the year. All routes are clearly illustrated on OS maps with numbered stages linking the route descriptions to maps. Extensive information is also included on facilities and services, including bike shops and mechanics, cafes, pubs and food shops, accommodation and transport links and tips on bike gear and preparation.

From bestselling true-crime author Peter Edwards and Governor General's Award-winning playwright Kevin Loring, two sons of Lytton, BC, which burned to the ground in 2021, offer a meditation on hometown―when hometown is gone. Before it made global headlines as the small town that burned down during a record-breaking heat wave in June 2021, while briefly the hottest place on Earth, Lytton, British Columbia, had a curious past. Named for the author of the infamous line, "It was a dark and stormy night," Lytton was also where Peter Edwards, organized-crime journalist and author of over a dozen books, spent his childhood. Although only about 500 people lived in Lytton, Peter liked to joke that he was only the second-best writer to come from his tiny hometown. His grade-school classmate's nephew Kevin Loring, Nlaka'pamux from Lytton First Nation, had grown up to be a Governor General's Award-winning playwright. The Nlaka'pamux called Lytton "The Centre of the World," a view Buddhists would share in the late twentieth century, as they set up a temple just outside town. In modern times, many outsiders would seek shelter there, often people who just didn't fit anywhere else and were hoping for a little anonymity in the mountains. You'll meet a whole cast of them in this book. A gold rush in 1858 saw conflict with a wave of Californians come to a head with the Canyon War at the junction of the mighty Fraser and Thompson rivers, one that would have changed the map of what was soon to become Canada had the locals lost. The Nlaka'pamux lost over thirty lives in that conflict, as did the American gold seekers. A century later, Lytton hadn't changed much. It was always a place where the troubles of the world seemed to land, even if very few people knew where it was. This book is the story of Lytton, told from a shared perspective, of an Indigenous playwright and the journalist son of a settler doctor who quietly but sternly pushed back against the divisions that existed between populations (Dr. Edwards gladly took a lot of salmon as payment for his services back in the 1960s). Portrayed with all the warmth, humour and sincerity of small-town life, the colourful little town that burned to the ground could be every town's warning if we don't take seriously what this unique place has to teach us.

A large-format guidebook to 29 short backpacking excursions of 2–4 days, plus one single-day route, in the Scottish Highlands and Islands. Perfect for a long weekend or short break, the routes cross rugged remote terrain, calling for good fitness, navigational skill and self-reliance. Covering the Inner and Outer Hebrides and the northern half of Scotland, the routes range from 13 to 94km (8–58 miles). Many offer the option to stay in a bothy, although the majority require at least one night’s wild camping. Clear route description illustrated with 1:100,000 mappingGPX files available for downloadPractical information for planning your trip, plus notes on history, geology, plants and wildlifeA list of the Munros and Corbetts visited on the routesInspirational colour photography

The Isle of Harris is home to some wonderful walking country, from the rugged ridges and glens of the Harris Hills to the astonishingly beautiful white sand beaches of the island's west coast, while the remarkably complex eastern coastline is punctuated with sea lochs, headlands, coves and bays. These environments are also full of historical interest and spectacular wildlife. These 25 walking routes explore the island's range of landscapes, including strolls along the west coast beaches, half-day walks on rocky coastal paths, day-long mountain ridge traverses and wild country backpacking routes.

The elemental landscapes of Uist and Barra include some superb walking country. The dune-backed beaches, machair and croftland of the Atlantic shores contrast with the lochan-scattered moorland and rugged hillcountry of the islands' interiors, while the frayed edges of the eastern coastline, with numerous islands, skerries and sea lochs, is a place apart. Each of the islands has its own distinctive character, geography and history. These 25 walks reflect the range of terrain in the islands and provide opportunities to experience the spectacular wildlife and the physical traces of island history.

The Isle of Lewis is a magnificent domain of rugged hillcountry and lochan-scattered moorland, fringed by tenacious crofting townships. The coastline is a realm of rocky cliffs, sea lochs, islands and skerries while the west coast is garlanded with dazzling dune-backed beaches. History is everywhere in Lewis, with remarkable monuments to human endeavour - ancient and more recent - punctuating the landscape. These 25 walks explore the island's range of environments, providing opportunities to experience its spectacular wildlife and encounter the physical traces of its history.

Joined by an award-winning Mexican journalist, leading organized-crime author Peter Edwards reveals the successors to Vito Rizzuto's criminal dominance, a motley assortment of millennial bikers, gangsters and Mafia whose bloody trail of murders and schemes gone wrong led to the arrival on Canada's doorstep of the world's most dangerous criminal organizations: the drug cartels of Mexico. Following the death of Mafia boss Vito Rizzuto in 2013, a group of young criminals rose to fill the vacuum in power on his old turf. Targetting the old guard of Mafia and 'Ndrangheta, still led in many cases by men in their seventies and eighties and steeped in a highly structured, quasi-religious criminal tradition, the newcomers were nothing like their predecessors. The impatient millennials leading this self-styled "Wolfpack" were organized-crime disruptors who grew up with technology at their fingertips in a socially networked criminal underworld. They're part of Canada's most ethnically diverse generation, and their organization was as inclusive as it is criminal. They shared an overwhelming sense of entitlement, with a self-assuredness that astonished their rivals but left them foolishly exposed to law enforcement, enemies and the force in global crime they were arrogant enough to think they could handle doing business with. The dominant and most violent force in the global narcotics trade through the 2000s, Mexico's Sinaloa and Los Zetas drug cartels, recognized the naivety of their eager new customers up north and invited themselves to Canada to take advantage. In times of chaos and collapsing orders, disruptors rule. But was this new gang the new underworld order, or just the latest challenger in an ongoing upheaval in the wake of Rizzuto's death? The bloody answers are in The Wolfpack.

The Lost and Forbidden LoveBy: Peter EdwardsA Lost and Forbidden Love is just such a tale richly told by a grandfather to his granddaughter. Each time they are together, this young girl eagerly waits to engage her grandfather's memory and wisdom, his revelation of this noble story carrying its enigmatic past across many settings of time and place.Truly, Grandpa's narrative is alive with historical and cultural details bearing expectations that influence fates of stories anywhere, everywhere. We are privileged stowaways in the space of each encounter where these tender two are walking through their days, their merged stories the very tangible present and the elusive past, as threads all woven together.As you read, Grandpa's life's path meanders through places that will make you glad you had a secret seat near the open fireplace in his every room About the AuthorBorn in Karlovy Vary, Czechoslovakia, Peter Edwards and his mother immigrated to United States in 1966 in order to avoid a political persecution. Edwards attended Niskayuna High School in Schenectady, New York, and received BA degree from State University of NY in Albany with emphasis on history and languages. After retiring from Delta Air Lines and Delta Community Credit Union after 38 years of service, he splits his time along with his wife, Connie, and their two pups between Peachtree City, Georgia, and East Berne, New York.Edwards is an active member of Evergreen Presbyterian church, and is an avid reader of history, historical fiction, a fan of classical music and opera, which he supplements by traveling around the world's historical sites and famous music houses. This is his first published book.

Neighbourhood planning, introduced by the Localism Act 2011, is now well established as the new 'first tier' of our planning system. The key to this brave new world of localism is the Neighbourhood Development Plan, which enables local communities to make planning policies for their area that have statutory effect and which must be taken into account by decision makers. But how does a neighbourhood plan get off the ground? How do communities make sure that it comes into force? And, more importantly, what are the essential features of an effective plan; one that can withstand the often intense pressures for new development? This unique book answers these and many other questions faced by neighbourhood planners with a clear, pragmatic focus and in sufficient depth to arm both lay readers and planning professionals with the knowledge they need to operate effectively within this novel planning regime. Along the way, some of the less well-known planning rules and procedures that can be invoked by neighbourhood planning groups and others at a local level are also explained. The author, a planning lawyer and consultant who has helped many parishes and communities since the advent of neighbourhood planning, also helpfully explores the place of neighbourhood planning within the wider planning system and offers a fascinating assessment of the potential of neighbourhood planning to address a whole range of important environmental issues. This insight and expertise makes The Power of Neighbourhood Planning an essential resource for everyone involved - whether as an interested member of the public, local councillor or parish clerk – or as a planning professional looking for an incisive introduction to this often controversial topic.

This inspirational guidebook describes 50 varied walking and backpacking routes on the Scottish Hebrides islands, set out in a larger format, and illustrated with a range of stunning photographs. The 50 walks are spread across both well-known and remote islands; from Skye, Mull, Rum, the Uists and Barra, Ulva, Iona, Eigg and Muck and more besides. Most of the walks provide a full day for experienced walkers, with a few multi-day backpacking adventures as well as some shorter routes. The walks also include Hebrides classics, like the Trotternish Ridge, Ben More, Skye and Rum Cuillins, the Paps of Jura and full circuits of smaller islands. Each walk combines clear route description with mapping and spectacular photography, while also advising on the route's facilities, public transport access, length and terrain. The result is a collection of the very best walks with which to uncover the wild and rugged beauty of the Hebrides.

Robert Marsden Hope (1919–99), a NSW Supreme Court judge, shaped the structures, operations and doctrines of Australia’s intelligence agencies more than any other individual.Commissioned by three Prime Ministers to conduct major inquiries, including two royal commissions, Justice Hope prescribed the structures, legislation, operational doctrines, and national and international arrangements that would ensure Australia had agencies that were effective in countering threats to its security, while also being fully accountable to the government, the law and the parliament.Not just a biography on Hope, Law, Politics and Intelligence also makes an important contribution to the history of Australia’s environmental policies, adds significantly to the debate on judges acting as Royal Commissioners, and contains new insights into the appointment of High Court and Supreme Court judges, as well as the dismissal of the Whitlam Government.This landmark biography is a groundbreaking account of the life and times of a man who shaped the way our intelligence agencies have operated for four decades.