Peter Millar

"An engrossing portrait" IndependentBased on a lifetime living in and reporting on Germany and Central Europe, award-winning journalist and author Peter Millar tackles the fascinating and complex story of the people at the heart of our continent.Focussing on nine cities (only six of which are in the Germany of today) he takes us on a zigzag ride back through time via the fall of the Berlin Wall through the horrors of two world wars, the patchwork states of the Middle Ages, to the splendour of Charlemagne and the fall of Rome, with side swipes at everything on the way, from Henry VIII to the Spanish Empire. Included are mini portraits of aspects of German culture from sex and money to food and drink. Not just a book about Germany but about Europe as a whole and how we got where we are today, and where we might be tomorrow."From the first page you know that Peter Millar knows his territory well, and has found real tales to tell" The Times

Back in 1969 when Morocco's ancient capital was a hashish clouded happy mecca, Crosby, Stills and Nash recorded their cheesy (and hopelessly inaccurate) foot-tapping anthem 'Marrakech Express'. A generation on, award-winning journalist, author, and one-time glamrock fan Peter Millar uses what is now the country's best visited tourist destination as the embarkation point for a literally reverse-engineered train journey through this still exotic, diverse and challenging North African country, struggling to maintain its unique blend of tradition and tolerance in the turbulent winds of the Arab Spring.

Follow Peter Millar on a journey in the heart of Cold War Europe, from the carousing bars of 1970s Fleet Street to the East Berlin corner pub with its eclectic cast of characters who embodied the reality of living on the wrong side of the wall.

Starting in the ramshackle but romantic capital of Havana, Peter Millar travels with ordinary Cubans, sharing anecdotes, life stories and political opinions to the far end of the island, the Guantanamo naval base and detention camp.

It is easy to domesticate God, but when we do that we disconnect the Christian faith from the struggles, hopes and possibilities of the world around us. In A Time to Mend Peter Millar seeks to reaffirm that fundamental connection between belief in God and commitment to and awareness of God's world; to affirm God's justice and goodness in our globalised society where many are marginalised, and where integrity and compassion often seem to be overshadowed by the need for economic growth. A Time to Mend is a call to recommit ourselves to the way of love in our uncertain times - to reconnect with the depths of our own souls and celebrate the hope which continues to lie at the heart of our human family. Peter Millar is a former Warden of Iona Abbey and the best-selling author of several books, including An Iona Prayer Book, Finding Hope Again and Our Hearts Still Sing.

Suitable for modern Britons keen to get beneath the skin of the country that more than any other influences their lives, for intelligent Americans open to an oblique look at their own country, and for railway lovers everywhere.

Many people find the modern world a threatening place. Technologies than can control life, social and moral changes, ethnic tensions and other events that dominate our daily news often make the world seem an alien place. Yet for all its failings, it is God's world and Waymarks teaches us to recognize and celebrate his presence and activity, even where we least expect it. Waymarks explores the ways in which life's difficult challenges can be transformed into 'moments of possibility', where we can co-operate in bringing good even out of seemingly hopeless situations. These include attentiveness to Scripture, sensing our interconnections with the earth and with each other, giving expression to our creative imagination, letting go in laughter and in tears, rediscovering prophecy, healing, confession, finding friendship with God and regaining the sense that life is provisional and death is part of the journey we are making. These themes have been developed in reponse to the many questions brought by countless visitors and pilgrims to Iona and they offer an authentic and practical spirituality for life in today's complex world.

The year is 1949 and the Allied Powers' advance on Moscow in the wake of Nazi defeat has failed. As Stalin's tanks rumble through the streets of London, Winston Churchill decides to put an end to his life. Fast forward to 1989 and England is divided between the Soviets and the Americans, with the capital split in two. Metropolitan People's Police detective Harry Stark is called to investigate a corpse found hanging under Blackfriars Bridge. An American infiltrator tells him the body is linked to a dissident plot involving Churchill's notorious suicide...

In the ruins of Gaza, the war-torn Palestinian city that has been a metropolis since the time of the Pharaohs, a plucky young female archaeologist has made a remarkable find: possibly the earliest known image of the Virgin Mary, created during her lifetime. But before she can reveal it to the world, it is stolen from her amidst the chaos of an Israeli airstrike. Who has stolen it and why? And what hidden secret does it conceal? 'A truly compelling, globetrotting thriller...Look out, Dan Brown, make way for Millar.' - Jeffery Deaver

Many people believe in a Christian spirituality which actually relates to the modern world - in all of its division, hope, violence and interconnectedness. Others find belief in a God of any kind impossible. Our human future is uncertain in many ways and this is not a time for the churches to respond with easy answers. This Easter book is not about easy answers. The words of Jesus from the Cross are difficult and challenging. And yet the fact that they emerge from a situation of human agony gives them huge relevance for our times. And the God whom Jesus addresses from the Cross remains at the heart of humanity and continues to weep with us. Each contributor to the book shares what a particular word means to her or him. These various reflections will enable the reader to encounter the words of Jesus in new ways; to be spiritually refreshed in order to listen more tenderly to the cries and longings of our sisters and brothers around the world. Includes reflections by Jan Sutch Pickard, Ruth Burgess and others, and an introduction by Donald Eadie.

Reflections for Advent from members, associates and friends of the Iona Community around the world - from Uganda, Scotland, Wales, Palestine, Switzerland, India, Malawi, Australia, China, Iona, Sweden, Kenya, Canada, Argentina, Brazil, the Netherlands, Germany, Jerusalem, Japan, Ireland, Taiwan, Cuba, Alaska - and more. Many people are seeking for a meaningful spiritual dimension in their lives. There is evidence of that in the huge number of people who work for peace and justice, who accompany the marginalised, and who, in trying to live more simply, become deeply attentive to the cries of our wounded planet. The writers in this book come from different parts of the world. In everyday language they reflect on the challenge and hope of Advent - a time in the Christian year both of waiting and of expectancy. Their thoughts relate directly to our present world situation in which both hope and uncertainty are interconnected. They also remind us that many are seeking the reality of God's presence in the midst of human experience - or in more traditional language, 'the light of the Lord upon us'. The various reflections point us to places and people in many parts of the world where that light shines, often - surprising as it may seem - brightly. Their insights enable us to walk more creatively and compassionately in our own local situations, and to discover that God's light sometimes shines where we least expect it.

Advent is a special time in the Christian year. In our troubled world, which is also a world of extraordinary possibility and creativity, we need such times more than ever. Times to renew our soul so that our lives may express a deeper compassion and a more joy-filled awareness. Traditionally in the days of Advent there has been an emphasis on the coming of Light - that Light which illumines all our journeys and brings healing to the nations. May these readings enlarge your hope, and bring you to Christmas morning with Christ's light steadily illumining your path.

This essential companion for all pilgrims and visitors covers all the principal sites on the island of Iona - one of world's most visited holy places. Every Wednesday, there is a pilgrimage around the island and this guide follows its route, stopping at all the principal sites to reflect on the island's history rooted in Celtic spirituality, and to pray for the needs of the world.

Author and former warden of Iona Abbey, Peter Millar reflects on where the sacred may be found in the modern world. This book shows how to recognise and celebrate the authentic presence and work of the Holy Spirit.

A collection of daily readings designed to help us re-connect with the energies of God and to centre our lives upon things that ultimately matter, this title covers an inspiring, wide range of subjects, including: the mystery and power of prayer, faith and a global perspective, healing, commitment, pilgrimage and Christ's companionship.

A book of comfort and encouragement for all those facing difficulty or distress, this text is based on the author's own story of the sudden death of his wife. It includes letters and poetry from friends and strangers alike - all pointing to the mystery of God's transforming presence.

Two weeks before Christmas, Rajiv Mahendra, a trainee doctor at Oxford's John Radcliffe hospital encounters a patient with rare symptoms that are sinisterly familiar. In India, the disease is known as bubonic plague. The last time it occurred on a large scale in Europe, it was known as the Black Death and one third of the population died. Has the bacteria come back to life? And if so, how many will it kill this time?

Set in 1945 and the present day, this novel provides an evocation of the race to build the atom bomb with an account of a conspiracy turned sour. The book blends fact and the speculations of history so the reader is left wondering whether it really happened.

Many worlds meet on the romantic Hebridean island of Iona. With its breathtaking beauty and its ancient saints, it is a place where the material and the spiritual are closely interwoven. Every year, thousands of pilgrims come from all over the world to experience the striking simplicity of worship at its Abbey. This collection of prayers and meditations follows the themes which permeate daily worship in the Abbey, each day having a distinctive focus. Outlines are given for morning, midday and evening prayer to enable you to join your voice, your joys and your concerns with those who pray daily on Iona and with the friends of Iona around the world.