The Jukebox Queen of Malta is an exquisite and enchanting novel of love and war set on an island perilously balanced between what is real and what is not. It's 1942 and Rocco Raven, an intrepid auto mechanic turned corporal from Brooklyn, has arrived in Malta, a Mediterranean island of Neolithic caves, Copper Age temples, and fortresses. The island is under siege, full of smoke and rubble, caught in the magnesium glare of German and Italian bombs. But nothing is as it seems on Malta. Rocco's living quarters are a brothel; his commanding officer has a genius for turning the war's misfortunes into personal profit; and the Maltese people, astonishingly, testify to the resiliency of the human spirit. When Rocco meets the beautiful and ethereal Melita, who delivers the jukeboxes her cousin builds out of shattered debris, they are drawn to each other by an immediate passion. And, it is their full-blown affair that at once liberates and imprisons Rocco on the island. In this mesmerizing novel, music and bombs, war and romance, the jukebox and the gun exist in arresting counterpoint in a story that is a profound and deeply moving exploration of the redemptive powers of love.

This new, thoroughly updated fourth edition of Bradt's Malta - written by an expert who has been visiting for more than a decade - remains the most comprehensive guide available and has built a reputation for being the essential guide for getting beneath the surface of this island nation and discovering what lies beyond the beaches. Sun, sand and sea there may be, but Malta boasts so much more, and this new edition is packed with historical and archaeological insights, from the Stone Age to the Romans, the Knights Hospitaller to World War II. It also showcases the islands' wildlife and bird-watching opportunities, summer festas, and the less commercialised islands of Gozo and Comino. Malta has been changing at the rate of knots, with Valletta's year as European Capital of Culture accelerating restoration and renovation. Copious openings - of historic sights, key fortresses, a new national gallery and boutique accommodation, particularly in Valletta - are covered, while the culinary scene continues to thrive, with notably greater choice for vegetarians and vegans. Malta has recently become much more socially accepting and is now considered one of the top places for LGBT travellers, while the offering for younger travellers has expanded, too. The Isle of MTV festival is going strong, Annie Mac now has a spring festival in Malta and a host of bars and clubs has sprung up. There is also lots on offer culturally, with festivals, concerts, exhibitions, theatre and opera all contributing to a full programme. Bradt's Malta contains all the information needed for a successful trip. Whatever your budget, it is the ideal guide for everyone from culture aficionados to history and archaeology buffs, foodies, war veterans, families and couples escaping for a romantic break.

The extraordinary drama of Malta's WWII victory against impossible odds told through the eyes of the people who were there. In March and April 1942, more explosives were dropped on the tiny Mediterranean island of Malta - smaller than the Isle of Wight - than on the whole of Britain during the first year of the Blitz. Malta had become one of the most strategically important places in the world. From there, the Allies could attack Axis supply lines to North Africa; without it, Rommel would be able to march unchecked into Egypt, Suez and the Middle East. For the Allies this would have been catastrophic. As Churchill said, Malta had to be held 'at all costs'. FORTRESS MALTA follows the story through the eyes of those who were there: young men such as twenty-year-old fighter pilot Raoul Daddo-Langlois, anti-aircraft gunner Ken Griffiths, American Art Roscoe and submariner Tubby Crawford - who served on the most successful Allied submarine of the Second World War; cabaret dancer-turned RAF plotter Christina Ratcliffe, and her lover, the brilliant and irrepressible reconnaissance pilot, Adrian Warburton. Their stories and others provide extraordinary first-hand accounts of heroism, resilience, love, and loss, highlighting one of the most remarkable stories of World War II.

Malta has long been known for package holidays but this island nation has 7,000 years of fascinating and visible history. Updated throughout, this new edition delves into Malta's temples and archaeology more comprehensively than any other guidebook. Packed with historical and archaeological facts it also showcases bird-watching and wildlife opportunities, summer festas, and the less commercialised islands of Gozo and Comino. With new hotels opening in Birgu and across the islands the guide includes greater coverage of accommodation and restaurants. There is more to the island than sun and sea and this guide will help readers to discover the Malta beyond the tourist resorts.

This publication is part of a series of reviews of national youth policies carried out by the Council of Europe, in collaboration with researchers, non-governmental youth organisations and governmental agencies responsible for the development and implementation of youth policy. The review comprises of a national report produced by the individual country, together with a critical analysis of national policy and practice undertaken by a team of international experts in the subject. This report focuses on national youth policies and programmes in Malta.