Places and peoples: general and pictorial works Books

Book SynopsisForever linked in the public mind with the Pol Pot tyranny, Phnom Penh only became Cambodia's permanent capital in 1866. Long neglected by Western travellers, in the sixteenth century it was home to Iberian missionaries and freebooters who briefly held Cambodia's fate in their hands. It faded in significance until France established a colonial protectorate over Cambodia in 1863. As the colonialists robbed the Cambodian king of his temporal power, their protection enhanced his symbolic importance, setting the scene for the emergence of one of the most intriguing rulers of the twentieth century, King Norodom Sihanouk. The city Sihanouk ruled from 1941 to 1970 was a mix of traditional palaces, Buddhist temples and transplanted French architecture. In the 1960s Phnom Penh deserved its reputation as the most attractive city in Southeast Asia.But after 1970 all this was to change, and a terrible civil war was followed by the Khmer Rouge's capture of the city in 1975. Since the defeat of Pol Pot in 1979, Phnom Penh has slowly recovered, once again attracting perceptive travellers. It is a city of royalty and colonizers - Kings, courts and battles with French administrators; royal ceremonies, dancers and elephants; foreign intrigue and carpetbaggers who sought and failed to find riches. It is a city of culture - A rich local culture that became a headache for French officials; traditional architecture and colonial buildings that remain today; notable literary visitors from Somerset Maugham to Andre Malraux. It is a city of evil and rebirth - The terrible rule of Pol Pot; the Tuol Sleng extermination centre where 17,000 men, women and children were tortured and killed as "enemies of the state"; the return to a fragile normality.Trade Review"As described by Milton Osborne, who has known it for 50 years, Phnom Penh does so deserve first-rank writing." -- The Guardian

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Book Synopsis**Featured by Ski Asia on their list of "Best Gifts for People Who Love Skiing in Japan" "…if you're looking for more information on Japan's number one ski island, then this is a fantastic book for you or that other person who loves skiing in the land of the rising sun!" Embark on an unforgettable journey across Japan's vast northern island!This stunning guide covers all the places and experiences that foreign and Japanese visitors alike find so fascinating about Hokkaido—including the island's spectacular volcanic landscapes, the world's best powder skiing and some of Japan's most incredible ramen and sushi!Author Aaron Jamieson is a professional photographer, film-maker and journalist who has lived on Hokkaido for over a decade—devoting his time to seeking out the hidden wonders of this special island. In this book, he provides his personal tips on places to explore and things to do in and around the main cities of Sapporo, Otaru, Hakodate and Asahikawa. Then he leads you on a grand tour into the wild and lesser-known places around the island, including: The resorts around Lake Toya and Niseko, now famous as "the Aspen of Asia" The vast hinterland with its rainbow fields of lavender and towering volcanic peaks The rugged east—home to the native Ainu people and their traditional culture Hokkaido's stunning national parks, hot springs, waterfalls and distinctive wildlife This unique book—the first of its kind—allows you to view Hokkaido through the eyes of a local and to explore one of the last undiscovered regions of Japan.Trade ReviewAuthor Interview: Aaron Jamieson's Journey on Japan's Great Northern IslandsFeatured by Ski Asia on their list of "Best Gifts for People Who Love Skiing in Japan""…if you're looking for more information on Japan's number one ski island, then this is a fantastic book for you or that other person who loves skiing in the land of the rising sun!" --Ski Asia

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Book SynopsisFrom the bright blue hues of Jodhpur, Rajasthan's medieval metropolis, to the deep purples of Provence's lavender fields, discover the world through a stunning collection of photographs with the first and only travel guide by colour palette. This inspiring book features 400 photographs of amazing destinations and events across a plethora of vivid shades. From the deep reds of Tambopata National Reserve's scarlet macaws to the verdant greens of the Peak District's rolling hills, be inspired to travel by colour all around the world. From the kaleidoscopic coral reefs of Indonesia's remote Raja Ampat archipelago to the striking blue-washed facades of Morocco's pretty hill town Chefachouen, no corner of the globe is left unturned in the 180 pages of this colourful book. With stunning photography throughout and words compiled by a wide range of trusted Lonely Planet writers, the world's first and only travel guide by colour is a must-have addition for any travel aficionados. About Lonely Planet: Lonely Planet is a leading travel media company and the world's number one travel guidebook brand, providing both inspiring and trustworthy information for every kind of traveller since 1973. Over the past four decades, we've printed over 145 million guidebooks and grown a dedicated, passionate global community of travellers. You'll also find our content online, on mobile, video and in 14 languages, 12 international magazines, armchair and lifestyle books, eBooks, and more.

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Book SynopsisMicronesia, Hawaii, Polynesia, Bora Bora, Seychelles, Maldives, Australia - where does the mind go when imagining such places. Drawn from the best travel blogs and Instagram images, this book brings together the most beautiful locations near, on, or under water. From eco resorts to remote, pristine islands; from sailing on ultra-blue oceans to diving in translucent waters; in aerial and underwater photography, the focus is on finding paradise. Whether thinking about a trip or longing for sun and sand, this book is where those daydreams begin.

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Book SynopsisHighlights the larger meaning of what is happening to the author's subjects with an imagery that testifies to the fundamental dignity of all humanity while simultaneously protesting its violation by war, poverty, and other injustices.Trade Review"While art should speak for itself, Salgado's photography is first and foremost a documentary way of bearing witness to something else. His work is both an anguished cri de coeur and, although he professes not to be religions, something of a votive offering presented in the hopes of getting the attention of a world that sometimes seems to have fallen asleep." - Orville Schell, from the Foreword"Table of ContentsForeword Sahel: Man in Distress / Orville Schell Introduction Twenty Years Ago, and Later / Fred Ritchin Photographs Captions Afterword Salgado / Eduardo Galeano Biographical Note Acknowledgments

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Book SynopsisFeatures thirty-six villages from all over Tuscany from those clustered around the great cities of Lucca and Florence, which produce some of the finest olive oil and are home to some of the world's greatest works of art, to the Chianti region and the valley of the Orcia, devoted to the cultivation of aromatic herbs.Trade Review'Beautifully composed photographs … sublime landscapes graceful, knowledgeable text' - Country Living'Breathtaking photographs … the riches and variety of tuscanyare laid out for all to see … a well balanced, well presented and well written exploration of one of italy’s most beautiful regions' - Contemporary ReviewTable of ContentsIntroduction • Around Florence and Lucca: Bagni di Lucca; Castelnuovo di Garfagnana; Castiglione de Garfagnana; Cutgliano; Uzzano; Collodi; Vicopisano; Artimino; Scarperia; Vicchio; Stia; Poppi; Camaldoli • Around Arezzo and Siena: San Gimignano; Casole d’Elsa; Radda in Chianti; Castellina in Chianti; Monterchi; Monte San Savino; Foiana della Chiana; Lucignano; Pienza; Montalcino; San Quirico d’Orcia; Castiglione d’Orcia • The South: Cetona; Radicofani; Sovana; Arcidosso; Abbadia San Salvatore; Saturnia; Pitigliano; Montemerano; Magliano in Toscana; Populonia; Ansedonia

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Book SynopsisEd Glinert was born in Dalston. In addition to The London Compendium, he is the author of Literary London, East End Chronicles, West End Chronicles and The Manchester Compendium, among other titles. He founded Manchester's City Life magazine, has written for Private Eye and and leads walking tours in both London and Manchester.

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Book Synopsis“This book is as beguiling as a book can be … From the first glimpse of its most agreeable small format – so satisfying to hold and with a cover that positively sings of the delights to be found within – you are charmed out of your wits.” - Lucinda Lambton in The Oldie “This is at one level a book about a part of London and its buildings. At another, it’s a book about learning to savour our lives” – Alain de Botton Take a walk around a park trodden by many but known by few. From Lancaster House, venue of famous speeches and summits, to 100 Piccadilly, the stage of an ongoing Soviet-themed reality experience, The Buildings of Green Park captures the unseen history of these well-travelled streets. Green Park boasts a plethora of London landmarks, including Bridgewater House and the Canada Gates. The Buildings of Green Park gives each of these sites the attention they deserve, while also celebrating a multitude of overlooked buildings: those that are passed every day without comment from the guides. Local history, old photographs, paintings and floorplans offer a tantalising peek into the backstory behind these backdrops. Moving through the winter and into the spring, Andrew Jones’s crisp photography captures a London shaped by past, present and hopes for the future. Trade Review“This book is as beguiling as a book can be... From the first glimpse of its most agreeable small format – so satisfying to hold and with a cover that positively sings of the delights to be found within – you are charmed out of your wits.” - Lucinda Lambton, The Oldie“The result is a concise insight into a slice of the capital’s architecture that many of us walk past, but which few of us appreciate.” - Country Life"[Andrew] Jones, a local resident and self-proclaimed 'Green Parkie' is a passionate and informed cicerone. His observations are acute and amusing, and his book sits happily within the genre of strangers' guides to the metropolis." - Todd Longstaffe-Gowan, The Georgian

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Book SynopsisWhen you think of Canada do you picture the awe-inspiring natural beauty of the Rocky Mountains, the sprawling metropolis of Toronto, or its many national parks? Perhaps moose, maple syrup or the vast expanse of the northern territories spring to mind. Canada is blessed with rugged mountains, ancient forests and large cosmopolitan cities; it stretches west from the Atlantic to the Pacific and north to the Arctic Ocean. There is much to discover in this breathtakingly beautiful and vast country. Canada is a fascinating exploration of the second largest country in the world. From Churchill ‘Polar bear capital of the world’ in northern Manitoba to the sleek streets of Toronto – the most populous city in Canada, from the excitement of dog-sledding in Montreal to relaxing on a beach in Vancouver, this book is packed with more than 200 spectacular photographs. Presented in a handy pocket-sized landscape format and with captions explaining the story behind each entry, Canada is a stunning collection of images celebrating this beautiful country.Table of ContentsIntroduction The Atlantic Region St. Johns Goose Bay Cape Spear Jiggs Dinner St Anthony Iceberg Vodka / Iceberg Beer Moose Puffins Elliston Fogo Island Gros Morne National Park Prince Edward Island Anne of Green Gables Red Point National Park Singing Sands Halifax Lobster Peggy’s Cove Old Town Lunenburg Annapolis Valley Whale Watching in Cape Breton Bay of Fundy Kingsbrae Garden Grand Manan Island Cape Enrage Central Canada Ice fishing Maple syrup Saguenay fjord Snowshoeing Poutine Tadoussac Old Quebec Dog sledding Montreal Quebec City Trois-Rivières Niagara Falls Toronto CN Tower Baseball game Ottawa Algonquin Provincial Park Lake Muskoka Burlington Casa Loma Lake Erie The Blue Mountains Mississauga The Prarie Provinces The RCMP Heritage Centre Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park The Churchill River Prince Albert National Park Little Manitou Lake Milton Lake Lodge Remai Modern Art Gallery of Saskatchewan The Forks Polar Bears Churchill Grand Beach Festival du Voyageur Winnipeg Calgary Banff Edmonton Lake Louise Athabasca Glacier Elk Island The West Coast Downtown Vancouver Stanley Park Grouse Mountain Granville Market Victoria Whale-watching Whistler Rockies Pacific Rim National Park Reserve Alaska Highway Raccoons Okanagan Valley Great Bear Rainforest Ice Hockey Capilano Suspension Bridge Vancouver Island The North Iqaluit Naujaat Auyuittuq National Park Sirmilik National Park West Baffin Eskimo Co-Operative Limited Ellesmere Island The Northwest Passage Yellowknife Inuvik Northern Lights Ice Roads Keele River White horse Dawson City Caribou Yukon River

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Book SynopsisThe third-largest country in Latin America, Mexico is hugely diverse, having both rural backwaters where time seems to have stood still and manic urban centers like Mexico City, one of the most densely populated and exciting cities in the world. This complex and fascinating country is where European and American civilizations first clashed. The repercussions of the meeting in 1519 between the Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes and the Aztec Emperor Montezuma II, and the subsequent devastation wrought by the Spanish conquest, is still felt today. Culture Smart! Mexico takes you to the heart of Mexican society and introduces you to the proud, spiritual, dynamic, fatalistic, and fun-loving people who call this country home. It describes how people socialize, the dynamics of daily life, the importance of family, and the annual cycle of feasts and fiestas. There's advice on how to negotiate a Mexican menu, as well as information on traveling safely, communicating, and provides you with the tools to make the most of your time in Mexico.Trade Review""Culture Smart! has come to the rescue of hapless travellers," - Sunday Times Travel;""...the perfect introduction to the weird, wonderful and downright odd quirks and customs of various countries," - Global Travel;"...full of fascinating, as well as common sense, tips to help you avoid embarrassing faux pas," - Observer;"...as useful as they are entertaining," - Easy Jet Magazine;"...as useful as they are entertaining," - Easy Jet Magazine"Table of ContentsKey History - Politics - Economic Life - Values - Attitudes - Religion - Traditions - Taboos - Festivals & Holidays - Friendships & Family - Women in Society - Humour - Hospitality & Home life - Cultural Life - Cuisine & Dining Out - Socializing - Dos and Don'ts - Business Etiquette - Punctuality & Time Keeping - Meetings & Presentations - Negotiating - Bureaucracy - Communication & Language - Tips

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Book SynopsisWhat's the #1 experience in the United Kingdom? The British Museum? Giant's Causeway? Edinburgh Castle? Sailing the Isles of Scilly? Hull Pier Toilets? For the first time, the experts at Lonely Planet have ranked the top 500 unmissable experiences and hidden gems across Great Britain, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands - to create the ultimate UK travel hitlist. Ultimate United Kingdom Travelist is the regional follow-up to our bestselling Ultimate Travelist and the must-own bucket list for both travellers to the UK and residents who want to discover their country's most iconic sights and activities. With glorious photos, insightful commentary and details of how to visit each place, this is your essential guide to exploring the very best of the British Isles - from tiny pubs and giant cathedrals to world-class coastal walks and rollicking music festivals. Destinations include: Edinburgh Fringe Festival Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Punting in Cambridge London's Borough Market Skara Brae Windermere Robin Hood's Bay Bonfire Night in Lewes The Making of Harry Potter Cairngorms National Park Titanic Belfast Cromer crab Boating on the Norfolk Broads Literary pubs of Oxford Henley Royal Regatta Natural History Museum Snowdon Brighton Pride Bristol International Balloon Festival Eden Project How many have you visited and what's your number one? About Lonely Planet: Lonely Planet is a leading travel media company and the world's number one travel guidebook brand, providing both inspiring and trustworthy information for every kind of traveller since 1973. Over the past four decades, we've printed over 145 million guidebooks and grown a dedicated, passionate global community of travellers. You'll also find our content online, on mobile, video and in 14 languages, 12 international magazines, armchair and lifestyle books, ebooks, and more.

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Book SynopsisIstanbul's history is a catalogue of change, not least of name, yet it has managed to retain its own unique identity. John Freely captures the flavour of daily life as well as court ceremonial and intrigue. The book also includes a comprehensive gazetteer of all major monuments and museums. An in-depth study of this legendary city through its many different ages from its earliest foundation to the present day - the perfect traveller's companion and guide.

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Book SynopsisA new Pathfinder(R) walking guide for Surrey, featuring 28 circular walks around the county ranging in length from 2 to 13 miles for all abilities. Areas covered include the North Downs Way and Box Hill, with all walks accompanied by GPS waypoints, Ordnance Survey maps and beautiful photography.

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Book SynopsisNorthern Ireland has made headlines around the world for three decades. The province has become synonymous with conflict, terrorism and tortuous efforts to forge peace. But what is life there really like? In this enchanting and highly original book Martin Fletcher presents a portrait of Northern Ireland utterly at odds with its dire international image. He paints a compelling picture of a place caught in a time warp since the 1960s, of a land of mountains, lakes and rivers where customs, traditions and old-world charm survive, of an incredibly resourceful province that has given the world not just bombs and bullets but the Titanic, the tyre and the tractor, a dozen American presidents, two prime ministers of New Zealand and a Hindu god. He meets an intelligent, fun-loving, God-fearing people who may do terrible things to each other but who could not be more welcoming to outsiders. He describes a land of awful beauty, a battleground of good and evil, a province populated by saintsTrade ReviewCharming * summer round up, DAILY TELEGRAPH *If you read his previous book, ALMOST HEAVEN, you will know Fletcher's qualities include insight and eloquence...his compassionate, witty book is rich with insight into a place of cockfights, witchcraft, eccentricity and magic * SUNDAY TIMES *When it comes to Northern Ireland, we have not so much switched off as forgotten to change channels. Fletcher hands us the remote * INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY *

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Book SynopsisProvence is a land apart, a territory of outstanding beauty and distinction that has fascinated outsiders since earliest times. This title features photographs and accounts of the most beautiful villages of Provence such as Vaucluse and the Bouches-du-Rhone and more.Trade Review'Evocative photographs whet the appetite for a trip to the south' - Sunday Express'A glowing celebration of the lovely villages of Provence … a perfect choice for either armchair travel or to inspire your next trip to the South' - Destination France Magazine'The photographs of simple churches, fountains, shady squares and cobbled lanes demand leisurely observation … beautiful. Highly recommended' - Library JournalTable of ContentsIntroduction • Vaucluse and Bouches-du-Rhône: Ansouis; Bonnieux and Pont Julien; Crestet; Gordes; Lacoste; Lourmarin; Ménerbes; Oppède-le-Vieux; Roussillon; Séguret; Vaison-la-Romaine; Venasque; Eygalières; Les Baux-de-Provence • Var and Alpes- Maritimes: Ampus; Bargemon; Cotignac; Entrecasteaux; Les Arcs- sur-Argens; Seillans; Tourtour; Trigance; Villecroze; Éze; La Brigue; Lucéram; Peillon; Saint-Paul-de-Vence; Saorge • Alpes-de-Haute- Provence: Annot; Colmars-les-Alpes; Entrevaux; Lurs; Méailles; Riez

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Book SynopsisCinematic Places is a guide to 25 essential cinematic destinations around the world, spanning different decades, directors and movie genres.Table of ContentsCONTENTS Introduction London, England, Paddington Wells, England, Hot Fuzz Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland, The Wicker Man Belchite & the Sierra de Guadarrama, Spain, Pan’s Labyrinth Montmartre, Paris, France, Amélie Bruges, Belgium, In Bruges Görlitz, Germany, The Grand Budapest Hotel Fårö, Sweden, Persona Salzburg, Austria, The Sound of Music Rome, Italy, La Dolce Vita Matmata & Tozeur, Tunisia, Star Wars: A New Hope Wadi Rum, Jordan, Lawrence of Arabia Mumbai, India, The Lunchbox Hong Kong, China, Enter the Dragon Seoul, South Korea, Parasite Tokyo, Japan, Lost in Translation Outback, Australia, The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert Karekare Beach, New Zealand, The Piano Alberta, Canada, The Revenant Philadelphia, USA, Rocky San Francisco, USA, Vertigo Brooklyn, New York, USA, Do the Right Thing Dead Horse Point State Park, Utah, USA, Thelma & Louise Jamaica, Dr. No Cusco & Machu Picchu, Peru, The Motorcycle Diaries

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Book SynopsisAn international bestseller upon publication, MAXIMUM CITY was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and remains a classic study of the metropolis of Bombay. ''If there''s been a more striking snapshot of the changing face of Asia, I''ve never read it'' Sunday TimesBombay''s story is told through the lives, often desperately near the edge, of some of the people who live there. Hitmen, dancing girls, cops, movie stars, poets, beggars and politicians - Suketu looked at the city through their eyes.The complex texture of these extraordinary tales is threaded together by Suketu Mehta''s own history of growing up in Bombay and returning to live there after a 21-year absence, and in looking through the eyes of his found the city within himself.Part memoir, part journalism, part travelogue, and written with the relentless observation and patience of a novelist, Maximum City is a brilliantly illuminating portrait of Bombay and its people - a book as vTrade ReviewPick of the Week - 'If there's been a more striking snapshot of the changing face of Asia, I've never read it. With energy, wit and endless reserves of empathy, Maximum City leaves you desperate to see Bombay for yourself...' * Sunday Times *'... it is Mehta's enthusiastic and intrepid self at the centre of his narrative that lends his account its appeal and memorable poetic charge.' * Observer *'Mehta's extraordinary, and extraordinarily rich book, is both testimony and warning; a snapshot of a city full of vitality and hate.' * The Telegraph *'Combining an insider's knowledge with a visitor's detachment, he prises open the rotten underbelly of the city to expose an unforgettable picture of depravity, greed sectarian strife and corruption. This is a stupendous book' * Mail on Sunday *

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Book SynopsisThis is a collection of portraits of a shepherd, a farmer, a painter and blind man, a sylph of Byzantine arrogance and a vagabond cyclist with primroses growing in her basket. The backgrounds range from Prague, Paris, Athens and Lahore, to countrysides and mountainscapes.

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Book SynopsisBeautiful Somerset is a book showcasing photographically the stunning beauty of the counties of Somerset, North Somerset, and Bath and North East Somerset, plus the adjoining city of Bristol.

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Book SynopsisIn this extensive photo-location and visitor guidebook, award winning landscape and wildlife photographer Drew Buckley describes the most beautiful places in South Wales to visit and photograph whether you are using a high-end DSLR or a mobile phone camera.

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Book SynopsisBring Great Britain to life with this beautiful three-dimensional pocket guide, featuring its most famous sites.Remember Great Britain for ever with this exquisite three-dimensional expanding pocket guide. Presented in a beautiful slipcase, the guide unfolds to a length of 1.5 metres and features 13 of Great Britain''s most famous sites, including Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London, Tate Modern, Windsor Castle, Stonehenge, Oxford, Canterbury Cathedral, Shakespeare''s Birthplace, Bath, Caernarfon Castle, the Lake District, the Scottish Highlands and the Giant''s Causeway. The perfect souvenir for anyone wishing to remember a visit to this fascinating place, steeped in thousands of years of culture and heritage.

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Book SynopsisThis glorious book of photography, now in a giftable package, celebrates America's unique natural and cultural treasures with more than 250 National Geographic images from all 50 states, plus commentary from a vaunted group of luminaries who call this country home.

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Book SynopsisThis fascinating selection of photographs traces some of the many ways in which Manchester Ship Canal has changed and developed over the last century.

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Book SynopsisThis fascinating selection of photographs traces some of the many ways in which Stirling has changed and developed over the last century.

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Book SynopsisA guided tour of Liverpool City Centre, showing how it has changed over the past century and more.

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Book SynopsisA guided tour of London's East End, showing how this famous port has changed over the past century and more.

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Book SynopsisA guided tour of Oxford, showing how the 'City of Dreaming Spires' has changed over the past century and more.

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Book SynopsisAn illustrated history one of Englandâs finest cities - Leeds.

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Book SynopsisDearest New York is a visual homageto The City That Never Sleeps.Authored by native New Yorker Deirdre Gartner, this compendium of starkly rich and uniquely personal images isher love letter to the city. Compiled over the past four years throughher high-profile Girl in the Yellow Taxi NYC Instagram and blog,she dedicates this book to all those who dream of the New York Citythat was and will always be, 21st-century pandemic notwithstanding.Packed with photos, illustrations, and guides to both the classic andoff-the-beat architectural wonders, cafes, shops, and sundry hiddengems, Dearest New York reminds us of the vibrantspirit, elasticity, and resiliency that is New York City.

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Book SynopsisFrom the author of 1,000 Places to See Before You Die, a rallying cry to get off the couch and out into the world. WHY WE TRAVEL is filled with personal stories and anecdotes, quotes that inspire, and reasons to motivate–plus images so lush you can’t wait to be there. For years Patricia Schultz has been telling us where to travel, and we love listening. Now, in telling us why to travel, she reveals what makes her such a compelling guide and what makes travel such a richly rewarding experience. There’s the time she was on safari in Zambia yet found her most lasting memory in a classroom of five-year-olds. The comedy of mishaps that she and friends endured on a canal trip through southern France—and how it brought them together in an unexpected way. She quotes favorite authors and luminaries on the importance of travel and, in a series of memorable aphorisms, gets to the essence of why to travel. And gives us a few travel hacks, too. Travel is, as the writer Pico Iyer says, the thing that causes us to “stay up late, follow impulse, and find ourselves as wide open as when we are in love.” Why We Travel is all about rekindling that feeling. Just book a ticket, pack a bag, and dive headlong into an adventure.Trade Review"Patricia Schultz has happily once again woven her wisdoms and recommended wanderings into an uplifting gem of a new book." —Forbes

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Book SynopsisAs read on BBC Radio 4 'Book of the Week'Shortlisted for the Stanford Dolman Travel Book of the Year AwardLonglisted for the RSL Ondaatje Prize'Sherman’s is a special book. Every sentence, every thought she has, every question she asks, every detail she notices, offers something. The Bells of Old Tokyo is a gift . . . It is a masterpiece.' - The SpectatorFor over 300 years, Japan closed itself to outsiders, developing a remarkable and unique culture. During its period of isolation, the inhabitants of the city of Edo, later known as Tokyo, relied on its public bells to tell the time. In her remarkable book, Anna Sherman tells of her search for the bells of Edo, exploring the city of Tokyo and its inhabitants and the individual and particular relationship of Japanese culture - and the Japanese language - to time, tradition, memory, impermanence and history.Through Sherman’s journeys around the city and her friendship with the owner of a small, exquisite cafe, who elevates the making and drinking of coffee to an art-form, The Bells of Old Tokyo presents a series of hauntingly memorable voices in the labyrinth that is the metropolis of the Japanese capital: An aristocrat plays in the sea of ashes left by the Allied firebombing of 1945. A scientist builds the most accurate clock in the world, a clock that will not lose a second in five billion years. A sculptor eats his father’s ashes while the head of the house of Tokugawa reflects on the destruction of his grandfather’s city (‘A lost thing is lost. To chase it leads to darkness’).The result is a book that not only engages with the striking otherness of Japanese culture like no other, but that also marks the arrival of a dazzling new writer as she presents an absorbing and alluring meditation on life through an exploration of a great city and its people.Trade ReviewSherman’s is a special book. Every sentence, every thought she has, every question she asks, every detail she notices, offers something. The Bells of Old Tokyo is a gift . . . It is a masterpiece. * Spectator *[Sherman's] perambulations around the bells yield fascinating, frequently moving narratives . . . In Tokyo's every nook and cranny, she finds the possibility of something profound, something elevating. * New Statesman *A subtle, beautifully written meditation . . . Profoundly moving . . . The bells of old Tokyo are no longer heard, but this lyrical yet serious work deserves ringing endorsement. * Literary Review *Delightful . . . Bells is unknowable, but brilliantly so. * Japan Times *A completely extraordinary book, unlike anything I have read before. At once modest in tone and vast in scale and ambition . . . Delicately wrought, precise, lucid and strange as a dream. -- Olivia LaingBeautifully written, surprising, original and humane . . . A truly stunning debut. -- Joanna KavennaThe Bells of Old Tokyo is part personal memoir, part cultural history, but wholly unique. The fragile, fragmentary poetry of its prose so beautifully captures the transience of Tokyo time, the constant cycle of destruction and reconstruction, and the nostalgia for that which has been lost and yet wonder at all that remains to be found. It is the best book I have read about Tokyo written this century, and deserves to take its place alongside the works of Donald Richie, Edward Seidensticker and Paul Waley as one of the great interpretations of this great city. -- David PeaceIt is very possible – refreshingly, exhilaratingly, possible – for a great book to exist that is all at once a memoir, a travelogue, a history book, and an examination of what defines a culture and its people: their customs, arts, architecture, habits, and priorities. That is what The Bells of Old Tokyo is. It is also a masterwork. * Books and Bao *Good travel writing is often hard to come by - it’s a delicate balance of bringing a destination to life while also informing of its noteworthy aspects, but Anna Sherman does so flawlessly. * Japan Today *A staggering reassembling of an ancient city turned neon metropolis . . . An exceptional and exceptionally original piece of writing. * The Big Smoke *A fascinating portrait of a city and its people, epic and intimate at the same time * The Weekly Times *Only a handful could match Sherman for respectful curiosity, detailed knowledge and sensitivity to her surroundings. * Canberra Times *A reading treasure . . . A work of literary art . . . Magnificent both in its content and in the exquisite, lyrical writing of its author. * Cape Times *In her haunting, beautiful debut travel narrative, Anna Sherman takes the reader along on her quest to find the bells of old Tokyo, illuminating a lost world hidden in plain sight . . . The Bells of Old Tokyo paints an intricate, rich portrait of this labyrinthine city . . . as much a history of Japan as it is a travelogue. * South China Morning Post *Sherman’s writing is elegant and accessible, and the story of Tokyo quickly becomes the story of time itself. -- Best Books of Summer 2019 * Uproxx *A beautifully written evocation of a place and a philosophical inquiry into the nature of time itself. An astonishing gift. * Shelf Awareness *A tour-de-force mapping, in four dimensions, of the amazing place we call “Tokyo.” I realized I barely know the city . . . So much is dealt with so beautifully – Mishima, the 1945 firebombs, the tangle that is Shinjuku . . . Wonderful . . . -- Liza DalbyAn enchanting read, drawing you into Sherman’s Tokyo world in a way that makes you wonder why you shouldn’t fly there right this minute, with her book as the only guide you’ll ever need. -- Xu Xi

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Book SynopsisBrackenridge Park began its life as a heavily wooded, bucolic driving park at the turn of the twentieth century. Over the next 120 years it evolved into the sprawling, multifaceted jewel San Antonians enjoy today, home to the San Antonio Zoo, the state’s first public golf course, the Japanese Tea Garden, the Sunken Garden Theater, and the Witte Museum.The land that Brackenridge Park occupies, near the San Antonio River headwaters, has been reinvented many times over. People have gathered there since prehistoric times. Following the city’s founding in 1718, the land was used to channel river water into town via a system of acequias; its limestone cliffs were quarried for building materials; and it was the site of a Civil War tannery, headquarters for two military camps, a plant nursery, and a racetrack.The park continues to be a site of national acclaim even while major sections have fallen into disrepair. The more than 400 acres that constitute San Antonio’s flagship urban park are made up of half a dozen parcels stitched together over time to create an uncommon varied landscape. Uniquely San Antonian, Brackenridge is full of romantic wooded walks and whimsical public spaces drawing tourists, locals, wildlife, and waterfowl.Extensively researched and illustrated with some two hundred archival photographs and vintage postcards, Brackenridge: San Antonio’s Acclaimed Urban Park is the first comprehensive look at the fascinating story of this unique park and how its diverse layers evolved to create one of the city’s foremost gathering places.Trade Review"Fisher takes the reader on a journey of discovery through the various strata of artifacts, people and policies that underlie both the soil and the social history of the park." — San Antonio Express-News "The 400-acre park we know today is a patchwork “crazy quilt” of time, dedication, neglect and occasional infusions of interest and controversy, much of which is included in the 200 pages of Fisher’s copiously illustrated book." — San Antonio Report "Fisher knows how much work will be required to prepare the park for the long haul. But he can see what is possible when history is taken into account." — San Antonio Magazine "Many believe that Brackenridge Park was first opened at the turn of the 19th century. However, Brackenridge: San Antonio’s Acclaimed Urban Park reveals that the history of the park as both a gathering spot and a water source predates widely held current explanations of the park’s history." — Texas Public Radio

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Book SynopsisA formally inventive debut collection of poetry driven by narrative and character. In this poetry collection, JD Debris focuses on characters who live on society’s outskirts and demand greater visibility in the face of marginalization. At the book’s heart are extended narrative elegies for two musicians. First, the poet follows Mexican singer and songwriter Chalino Sánchez as he avenges his sister’s sexual assault, and then he turns to Gato Barbieri, an influential Argentine tenor saxophonist who is haunted by a shadowy “man in dusk-colored glasses.” As these musicians question their purpose, we as readers are invited to reflect on our lives, our legacies, and ourselves. The Scorpion’s Question Mark is personal and mythological, representational and abstract. These formally inventive and metrically attuned poems compose a range of contrasts—boxers Manny Pacquiao and Marvelous Marvin Hagler appear alongside Tupac and Herman Melville, and apparitions of the Virgin Mary manifest in both human and mirage-like forms on public beachfronts. Looking to the scorpion’s tail that forms the shape of a question mark, Debris seeks to occupy uncertain space within the poems, bending forms to find both expansiveness and tension. The Scorpion’s Question Mark was the winner of the 2022 Donald Justice Poetry Prize. Trade Review“What a gift of storytelling, in such deft, memorable music. And, such an eye for detail!—the kind of detail that tells volumes. Listen, for instance, to this: ‘Cleaning his pistole, he must hum softly.’ So much power in this work, this music, and tone. Listen, also, to this: ‘What ridiculous luck, living long enough to sing / how your father was murdered by false policemen. / What ridiculous luck to make it through the chorus.’ I love this poet’s work.” -- Ilya Kaminsky, author of Deaf Republic"The Scorpion’s Question Mark delivers a poetry of lyrical sway, crisscrossing several cultures and languages, with a sound all its own, and does not apologize for natural earthiness. Each reader and listener must be ready to sing and dance, to engage gut feelings and modern realism. The Scorpion’s Question Mark deals in personal and public truths, a courageous voice of sheer beauty." -- Yusef Komunyakaa"All praise to Debris’s astonishing debut collection, The Scorpion’s Question Mark. Born of trumpet sway and the breath of strings, this book never misses a beat. Like a soulful corrido, he skillfully gives voice to a fractured past. Every turn of the page is a streetwise sonic sojourn, a barefoot samba, a bob and weave, a rhythm of return. Debris offers moments of enlightenment and uplift, 'as if I could fit every not-yet-forgotten name of my fallen / into a single comma-savaged sentence.' These poems sing!" -- January Gill O’Neil

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Book SynopsisPoems that consider the instability of identity through fictional and religious characters. In Ishmael Mask, Charles Kell reminds us that identity is precarious. Kell’s collection is a collage of the journeys and interior lives of various wanderers—from Ishmael, the son of Hagar, to Melville’s Ishmael, and from Pierre of The Ambiguities to Pierre Guyotat. Each poem strips back the mask and beckons us to witness humanity in its barest forms. Captain Ahab’s leg, Ishmael’s arm, and Pierre’s severed head serve as invitations to consider hunger and hope. The inspirations behind these poems—the Bible, Heraclitus, Melville, Guyotat, Tomaž Šalamun—are transformed by Kell, conjuring dreamscapes both dazzling and haunting. Ishmael Mask masterfully allows a glimpse into the human experience of feeling lost—even when right at home, even in our own bodies. Trade Review"In Ishmael Mask, Kell asks us to consider our existence, not in the context of a physical and metaphorical cage we might free ourselves from, but in the context of our wanderings through an often surreal, ultimately unknowable landscape. The literary characters who accompany him become subsumed into collection’s searching self, fellow companions whose creators he freely borrows from. They pull him back from the abyss and provide a frame to temper chaos. In Kell’s hands, the act of art-making becomes the means by which we embrace our deep sense of connectedness. . . . Ishmael Mask explores obsession, passion, and absurdity, leading us to the edge of the abyss. When we arrive, rather than falling, we revel." * Valparaiso Poetry Review *“We Americans are all imaginary orphans, forever seeking a new name, a new carapace, and the further adventure. ‘Call me Ishmael’ is thus a motto more proper to our republic, and more forward-looking, than ‘E Pluribus Unum.’ In Ishmael Mask, Kell has parsed the fossil record of our orphancy in beautiful and unguarded detail; he has adventured much and withheld nothing. For those who come to poetry in search of a credible future, Kell will prove to be a true and unfailingly honest companion.” -- Donald Revell, author of The English Boat“How does one hammer memory onto the page without nails or bullets? Kell wails his own mnemonic siren through the literary specter of Herman Melville’s Pierre, Kafka, etc., and we wail with him like a stone who can easily weep, but we don’t. There is touchless erection in this book and drowning and death and suicide and a ‘rat runs in small circles where the green hat used to lie’ and may suggest life and pain and existential revisitations have cast shadows that are bigger than meadows. Perhaps in this collection Kell is yelling from the top of his lungs, but all we could hear is wind and January or ‘black, red, green spiral of smoke.’ Or perhaps Kell and his poetry are a cellar we all wish we could descend into to grab mason jars of beauty and grace in times of existential hunger and famine.” -- Vi Khi Nao, author of Fish Carcass“Poetry is rarely so vividly an art of the face to face as it is in Kell's Ishmael Mask: the faces of the dead, the faces in the mirror, the faces of the lover, blurred by presence and distance. These poems, shadowed by Melville and Kafka, are also a history of one poet's encounters with the inscrutable relentlessness of fate and the inevitable privacy of suffering. ‘One can draw loss, draw frost, without anyone knowing,’ he writes. Yet knowing here becomes his reader's privilege, an unveiling slowly emerging through the voice of his haunting, indelible, lines.” -- Susan Stewart, author of Cinder: New and Selected Poems

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Book SynopsisDid you know that Kakadu National Park in Australia boasts some of the oldest exposed rock on the planet and is known to have been inhabited continuously for over 40,000 years? That Lake Malawi contains the largest number of fish species of any lake in the world-over 3,000? Or that the tiny Madeiran archipelago off the coast of Northern Africa is the last vestige of the original majestic laurel forests that once covered most of Southern Europe? Published in partnership with UNESCO World Heritage, Our Natural World Heritage showcases 50 of the planet's most beautiful and biodiverse landscapes, each identified as a site of outstanding universal value and an irreplaceable source of life and inspiration. Over 900 colour images and evocative, accessible text reveal what makes each site unique, through an exploration of its flora, fauna, and natural history. This is awe-inspiring natural beauty that belongs to us all.

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Book SynopsisWildernessis a fresh and inviting coffee table book featuring40 of the most sensational wilderness destinations on planet Earth, both the far-reaching and those that exist within reach of human populations. It will be a source of travel inspiration, and a reminder to protect what is still ours. The word ''wilderness''itself conjures images constantly looping on our social media feeds:towering forests, sparkling streams, the sun's shadow falling across a desert dune, polar bear cubs walking across a tundra.The fact that our popular culture constantly draws us to these elusive destinations says much about their place in our psyche. In times of inner turmoil or outer chaos they are escape rooms. When we want adventure, they are freedom calls to strap on the walking shoes or backpack. When we seek quietude, inner peace or renewal, they ignite a dormant instinct.Ayearningto be among nature. Our increasing urbanlives havemade this call to the wild louder and stronger.And as the population emerges froma modern-age global catastrophe, a new reality dawns:a truth-telling that says the planet's greatest commodity is not its iron ore or petroleum.It's our wilderness that needs to be protected, the pockets of the planet where, by definition, we humans have been mostly absent.

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Book SynopsisThose who know the downs and chalk streams of Hampshire are quietly fortunate but rarely boastful. So it is fascinating to rediscover this home county, on the eastern edge of Wessex, as a place of extraordinary richness. Those rounded chalk hills have protected not only the ancient capital of Anglo-Saxon England but also the two-thousand-year-old arsenal-harbour of the Royal Navy. It was in Hampshire that the novel reached its fullest expression through the native genius of Jane Austen, where fly-fishing and cricket were first organized and whence D-day was launched. But not the least of its claims is that it is also the heartland of nature writing, where Gilbert White first opened up a whole universe of observation to the world, by confining himself to the infinite details of his Hampshire parish of Selborne. It is a tradition which was furthered in the county by W H Hudson, observing nature in the wooded heathlands of the New Forest and reached its apogee with the night walks of the poet Edward Thomas before his early death in the trenches. If Hampshire is revealed to be a crystalisation of all quiet virtues of England, we also get to delight in the affectionate mocking attention of Beryl Bainbridge, P G Wodehouse and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

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Book SynopsisInis Oírr is the smallest and most easterly of the Aran Islands situated at the mouth of Galway Bay, Ireland. Renowned for its captivating beauty, this unique book documents the island from the 1970s to the present day in stunning photographic form, offering an intimate look into aspects that make Inis Oírr such a treasured destination. As you turn the pages, you'll be transported to the enchanting world of Ireland's most visited off-shore island, where the past and present intertwine to create a truly unforgettable experience. 'Inis Oírr: The Jewel of the Aran Islands' is a tribute to the island's beauty and its resilience and spirit. The book is a celebration of both heritage and progress, from its warm-hearted people and rich history to its breathtaking landscape and vibrant cultural life. This visual anthology presents the island's stunning landscape, historical and archaeological sites, as well as the charm of everyday life. Fascinating images highlight the hardworking islanders and their visitors and showcase the diverse aspects of the island's economy and infrastructure, from traditional fishing to modern tourism. Discover the evolution of transportation on the island, from humble donkeys to electric vehicles, and immerse yourself in the rich cultural tapestry of Inis Oírr through its music, art, and sporting events. Special moments are captured in this exquisite photographic journey, providing a deep connection to the heart and soul of Inis Oírr. Let this photographic book be your guide as you explore the wonders of Inis Oírr and fall in love with this magical island.

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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