Travel and holiday Books

Book SynopsisDiscover the world's most peaceful destinations.In Quiet Escapes, award-winning travel writer Emma Thomson curates 50 inspirational trips from across the globe, each carefully selected to help you find your Zen. Including a host of natural wilderness adventures, remote island retreats, sacred pilgrim routes and unexpected oases of quiet in urban areas, this definitive guide equips you with the very best places to unwind and enjoy some true quiet reflection.From stargazing in New Zealand to feeding mind, body and soul in Bali, an art safari in Zambia to a quiet city break in Switzerland, you will be spoilt for choice when planning your next calming escape.

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Book SynopsisDiscover some of the world's most AWE-INSPIRING and HOLY places, from Stonehenge to Uluru, and Easter Island to Angkor Wat.

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Book SynopsisFrom the Neolithic cave paintings in Wadi Sura – created long before it was a desert when the region was savannah grassland – to the Valley of the Kings to the rock-cut temples at Abu Simbel, and from the vast temple complexes at Karnak and Luxor to the funerary mask of Tutankhamun and, of course, to the pyramids and the Sphinx, Ancient Egypt is a hugely colourful guide to the surviving wonders of Egyptian antiquity. Today the exceptional beauty and scale of the antiquities is legendary, drawing millions of visitors to Egypt’s monuments each year. Arranged by region, the book takes the reader along the ancient settlements that were established on the banks of the River Nile. Through beautiful photographs and expert captions, the reader gains an understanding of how ancient Egypt developed its trade links and became such a powerful and wealthy force across North Africa and the eastern Mediterranean. Alongside the world-famous places, there are also fascinating, lesser-known entries, such as the Step Pyramid of Djoser, the bent pyramid at Dahshur and the Statue of Khaefre. Featuring monuments and obelisks, hieroglyphics and jewelry, funerary masks, tombs and mausoleums, mummies of cats and statues of falcon-headed gods, Ancient Egypt includes 160 outstanding photographs and captions.Table of ContentsIntroduction Old Kingdom Giza Pyramids The Great Sphinx Great Pyramid of Khufu Queens’ Pyramids Khufu Ship, Giza Pyramid Complex Sheikh el-Balad, Saqqara Necropolis Mastaba of Seshemnefer IV, Giza Plateau Pyramid of Khaefre, Giza Plateau Menkaure Pyramid, Giza Triad of Menkaure Pyramid of Djedefre, Abu Rawash Pyramid of Neferirkare Kakai, Abusir Pyramid of Djoser, Saqqara Mastaba of Rahotep Tomb of Mereruka, Saqqara Bent Pyramid, Dahshur Red Pyramid Saqqara Necropolis Pyramid of Unas Pyramid of Meidum Cave of the Swimmers, Wadi Sura Narmer Palette Middle Kingdom Mortuary Temple of Mentuhotep II, Deir el- Bahari Pyramid of Amenemhat III (Black Pyramid), Dahshur Pectoral of Amenemhat III Pyramid of Amenemhat I, Lisht Osiride Pillar of Senusret I Obelisk of Senusret I, Heliopolis Pyramid of Senusret II Tomb of Senusret III, Abydos Pectoral of Princess Mereret, Funerary Complex, Dahshur Beni Hasan Rock Tombs Tomb of Khnumhotep II Egyptian Soldiers, Tomb of Mesehti, Asyut Stela of Abkau, Abydos Colossal Statue of Mentuhotep II, Deir el-Bahari White Chapel of Senusret I, Karnak New Kingdom Pharaoh Rameses II, Memphis Tomb of Horemheb, Saqqara Necropolis Temple of Seti I, Abydos Statue of Rameses II, Memphis Statue of Thutmose III, Karnak Festival Hall of Thutmose III, Karnak Temple of Khonsu, Karnak Chair of Princess Sitamun, Luxor Colossi of Memnon, Luxor Red Chapel of Hatshepsut, Karnak Solar Court, Luxor Great Hypostyle Hall, Karnak Luxor Temple Temple of Merenptah Victory Stele of Merenptah, Thebes Tomb of Thutmose III, Theban Necropolis Hathor Chapel, Temple of Thutmose III, Deir el-Bahari Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut, Deir el-Bahari Tomb of Ramose, Theban Necropolis Funerary Mask of Tuya, Theban Necropolis Tomb of Tutankhamun, Valley of the Kings Ramesseum, Theban Necropolis Osirian Statues, Temple of Hatshepsut, Deirel-Bahari Tomb of Nefertari, Valley of the Queens Medinet Habu Tomb of Seti I, East Valley of the Kings Side Chamber, Tomb of Seti I Great Temple, Abu Simbel Temple of Nefertari, Abu Simbel Late Period City of Tanis, Nile Delta Tomb of Psusennes I, Tanis Stature of Osiris, Tomb of Psamtik, Saqqara Statue of Isis, Tomb of Psamtik, Saqqara Funerary Mask of Psusennes I, Tanis Ushabtis, Al-Ghoreifa, Tuna al-Gabal Sarcophagus of Wennefer, Memphis Avenue of Sphinxes, Luxor Gate of Nectanebo I, Temple of Amun, Medinet Habu Avenue of Sphinxes, Luxor Tomb of Pabasa, Hatshepsut’s Temple, Deir el-Bahari Tomb of Pabasa, Hatshepsut’s Temple, Deir el-Bahari Head of Shabataka Temple of Hibis, Kharga Oasis Tomb of Baenentyu, Bahariya Oasis Greco-Roman Period Catacombs, Kom el-Shoqafa, Alexandria Catacombs, Serapeum, Amoud Al Sawari Kom el-Dikka, Alexandria Villa of the Birds, Kom el-Dikka Fort Babylon, Nile Delta Temple of Athribis Pompey’s Pillar, Alexandria Temple of Sobek-Re, Dionysias, Faiyum Catacombs of Kom el-Shoqafa, Alexandria Roman Temple, Qasr Qarun, Faiyum Wine Cistern, Roman Farm, El Heiz Oasis Roman Fort, Daydamus, Eastern Desert Temple of Hathor, Dendera Ceiling, Great Hypostyle Hall, Dendera Dendera Light, Temple of Hathor Temple of Khnum, Esna Temple of Edfu Temple of Kom Ombo, Aswan Temple of Philae, Aswan Temple of Mandulis Temple of Kalabsha

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Book SynopsisMore Australian Birding Tales takes up where the author's best-selling first book, An Australian Birding Year, ended. In this new book Bruce Richardson describes his further birding adventures, which take his total 'life list' from 672 to 759, well exceeding his initial target of 700 species. He delights in finding new 'lifer' species, whether they are common but not yet seen by him or mega rarities, but he also glories in the fact that his birding trips take him to stunning parts of Australia that he wouldn't normally have visited. He travels through the outback, takes the ferry over to Tasmania, makes several pelagic expeditions and goes on a memorable trip to Cocos/Keeling and Christmas Islands. He describes his travels with humour, and intersperses the ticks and the dips of birding with personal anecdotes of a life lived through good times and bad. Although reaching the 700 species target was a milestone, for Bruce birding is equally about the vibe, the good friends he makes along the way and his exploration of the glorious Australian countryside. He certainly does see some cool birds though.Trade Review"I love it! The same combination of cracking wit and deep insight that made An Australian Birding Year so memorable....this is a wonderful, major success" --Kenn Kaufman, Kaufman Field Guides

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Book SynopsisGreat Railway Journeys in Asia showcases 34 of the best rail journeys in South, Southeast and North Asia. The journeys chosen by David Bowden, an avid rail traveller, range from quirky trains used as essential travel for locals, such as the North Borneo Railway, to trains on which passengers can experience 5 star luxury as they travel through stunning scenery, as, for example, the opulence of India's Palace on Wheels. Other journeys are chosen for the marvel of their engineering, Thailand's Death Railway for instance, features the 300 metre-long Tham Krasae trestle bridge or for the length of a country that they traverse, like the Trans-Mongolian Railway that connects Beijing with Moscow via vast plains and steppes. Some are slow trains and some travel at super-high speeds. For each journey, there is historical, technical and practical information as well as interesting details on the places accessible from the main stations. Each is accompanied by a route map. Whether you are planning a special trip by train or delighting in discovering Asia's best railway journeys from the comfort of your armchair, this book is an informative and entertaining read.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisA fun, fully illustrated puzzle with travel inspiration!

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Book SynopsisWinner of the National Outdoor Book Award. Celebrating the 50th anniversary of when Dick Proenneke first broke ground and made his mark in the Alaskan wilds in 1968, this bestselling memoir features an all-new foreword by Nick Offerman plus color photographs not seen in print for over 20 years.To live in a pristine land unchanged by man...to roam a wilderness through which few other humans have passed...to choose an idyllic site, cut trees, and build a log cabin...to be a self-sufficient craftsman, making what is needed from materials available...to be not at odds with the world, but content with one’s own thoughts and company...Thousands have had such dreams, but Dick Proenneke lived them. He found a place, built a cabin, and stayed to become part of the country. One Man’s Wilderness is a simple account of the day-to-day explorations and activities he carried out alone, and the constant chain of nature’s events that kept him company. From Dick’s journals, and with firsthand knowledge of his subject and the setting, Sam Keith has woven a tribute to a man who carved his masterpiece out of the beyond.Trade Review"[Proenneke's] journals from the text of this handsome book, and his sparkling color slides illustrate it with a beauty that tugs at your heart and sets your heels to itching just a little. You owe yourself the pleasure of this book." * Biloxi Sun Herald *"The best modern piece of prose about Alaska, the one that gives the truest picture of what living in the bush today is like for the lone individual." * Anchorage Daily News *"This book made a big splash when it debuted in 1973. Keith based the text on the journals and photography of Richard Proenneke, who, after racking up years of 50-hour work weeks, did what many of us only fantasize about: he chucked it all and went to live in the woods. . . Proenneke has become an icon for naturalists. Though few will follow Proenneke's lead, his story can be quite inspiring." * Library Journal *"Richard Proenneke, an emigre from Iowa to Alaska, kept a journal during the time he was fulfilling his dream of living in an altogether undeveloped part of Alaska. Parts of the journal have been made into a book by Sam Keith, along with colored photos that prove Alaska is certainly one of, if not the, most beautiful places anywhere." * Boston Globe *"It is soul-reading -- the simplicity of a man's inner feelings stated in terms which leave no misunderstandings . . . A classic of its kind." * Lansing State Journal *"Many of us will never realize the dream of such an escape from our hectic, complex life to that of the solitude of the wilderness. But in the pages of this book we can share with a man who lived his dream. The book is certain to bring much pleasure to anyone who loves the outdoors." * Portsmouth Times *"This is a record of a man in our own time who went into the bush. It is the story of a dream shared by many, fulfilled by few, brought into sharp focus by the beautiful color photographs and the simple account of Proenneke's life." * Burlington Free Press *"Sometimes it is difficult for a person to know their strengths and weaknesses while living among others; one way to discover them is to live alone. Of course, most people will never venture far from the comforts of home, but Proenneke felt the call of the wild and lived the second part of his life in Alaska. . . . Keith and Proenneke were coworkers on Kodiak Island and formed a friendship that lasted for decades. . . Keith’s writing is clear and descriptive; one can sense each strike of the ax and draw of the knife. The reader feels he is experiencing the adventure as well. The journal descriptions of the Alaskan wilderness flow from the page to the reader." * Foreword Reviews *

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Book SynopsisNEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * “One of the best golf books this century.” —Golf Digest Tom Coyne’s A Course Called Scotland is a heartfelt and humorous celebration of his quest to play golf on every links course in Scotland, the birthplace of the game he loves. For much of his adult life, bestselling author Tom Coyne has been chasing a golf ball around the globe. When he was in college, studying abroad in London, he entered the lottery for a prized tee time in Scotland, grabbing his clubs and jumping the train to St. Andrews as his friends partied in Amsterdam; later, he golfed the entirety of Ireland’s coastline, chased pros through the mini-tours, and attended grueling Qualifying Schools in Australia, Canada, and Latin America. Yet, as he watched the greats compete, he felt something was missing. Then one day a friend suggested he attempt to play every links course in Scotland and qualify for the grTrade Review“One of the best golf books this century.” —Golf Digest “Tom Coyne has a knack for setting impossible tasks for himself. . . . Mr. Coyne is back at it again with A Course Called Scotland. This time he avails himself of cars, planes, and ferries, but the task he sets is no less preposterous: to play 107 courses in 56 days. . . . Readers who enjoyed Mr. Coyne’s rollicking Irish book will be interested to learn how their fearless travel guide has fared in the intervening years. . . . There’s no less wit in the writing—British weather forecasts, he concludes, are ‘as useful as ashtrays on motorbikes’—and almost as many well-rendered characters, both locals he meets and friends and readers who join him along the way. . . . All the famous courses are here: St. Andrews, Dornoch, Turnberry, Carnoustie. But even seasoned golf travelers will be unfamiliar with many of the courses Mr. Coyne finds. He tees it up where nature carved holes that no architect would dream of, where 12 holes instead of 18 suit the members just fine, and where munching sheep, not mowers, keep the fairway grass short. Does he discover the secret to the game? He finds several, including, most practically, ‘never, ever give up.’ ” —John Paul Newport, The Wall Street Journal “They said it couldn’t be done—that he’d never be able to top Ireland. But with Scotland, he did it. Damn you, Tom Coyne!” —Michael Bamberger, author of Men in Green “A fast-moving, insightful, often funny travelogue encompassing the width of much of the British Isles . . . One of the reasons A Course Called Scotland works so well is because Coyne extended an offhanded invitation to listeners of a radio show to join him in Scotland. . . . The eclectic cast of characters who pop up throughout the story underscore the deep connections forged through travel.” —Golfweek “Coyne has a wonderful way of making the reader feel a part of the quest. You experience his trials and tribulations as well as the sense of wonder and awe that comes with playing golf in Scotland.” —Chicago Tribune “There is a purity in the Scots’ game that isn’t about manicured greens or a ball’s ‘spin rate.’ Coyne admires their ‘homemade’ swings that merely focus on getting the golf ball around the course and in the hole. He becomes convinced that perfection is an illusion, though a powerful one. He slowly accepts his limitations, one day at a time, swing after swing.” —Bloomberg “Tom Coyne’s much-anticipated follow-up to his fun book A Course Called Ireland lived up to my high expectations. Who wouldn’t be jealous of Coyne’s adventures getting to play every links in Scotland? He mixes well his commentary on the courses with the historical significance of each place he visits. This is a must-read.” —Golf Advisor “The author entertains us with accounts of foul weather, fair friends (one of whom got hit in the face with a drive), and astonishing courses, some dating back centuries. . . . Golfers and golf-o-philes will gobble this down.” —Kirkus Reviews “In this witty and charming follow-up to A Course Called Ireland, Coyne continues living a golfer’s dream by playing every links course in Scotland, golf’s birthplace. . . . Enthusiasts will revel in Coyne’s eloquent narration of his course-by-course adventures, while casual fans might be tempted to pick up their clubs a little more often.” —Publishers Weekly “Fighting through physical exhaustion, self-doubt, homesickness and spates of nasty weather, Coyne knocks out 111 full or partial rounds on 107 courses, sometimes three rounds a day, in his search for the ‘secret’ of great golf. It’s no secret that his passion for the game (and life) shows through on every page, and we get to follow his every step through modern golf’s birthplace.” —Golf Tips Magazine “News of a new tale by Tom Coyne is always reason to celebrate—assuming you love golf, irresistible storytelling, a cast of colorful characters and a poignant journey through the birthplace of the game. Lots of us share Tom’s Mitty-dream of running away to the great links lands and the lesser known coastal gems of Scotland. But he’s masterfully accomplished the feat with his charming pilgrimage around the game’s Holy Land that unfolds as smoothly as a fine single malt. Coyne's trademark wit, humor, unerring ear for the locals, and deep knowledge of the game are on full display, rendering this a poetic journey you won’t soon forget.” —James Dodson, author of Final Rounds Praise for A Course Called Ireland "There is no golf trip like an Irish golf trip, and Tom Coyne has risen to meet that road. I look forward to reading this again. Pack it with your sticks." —Bill Murray "Equal parts touching, wry, and hilarious." —The New York Times "Witty and winning . . . A joy from start to finish." —The Wall Street Journal "Like the country itself, Coyne's book is an affable ramble through a charmed land." —Chicago Tribune "A Course Called Ireland explores the history of the land being traveled and pauses for tales both tall and short, as well as, in this case, for pub songs. Coyne finds plenty of all of the above from Kilkee to Kerry, the long way. Golfers reading this book may wish they'd been walking by Coyne's side." —Boston Globe "A delightful and fun book." —Minneapolis Star-Tribune "A really good read." —The Modesto Bee

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Book SynopsisCreate a memento of your trip to Japan that you'll cherish forever!If you're planning a trip to Japan this travel journal is a must-have, from the planning stages to the end of your vacation. The book opens with 16 pages of beautiful, full-color photos, maps and illustrations in scrapbook style, which not only provide useful information about Japan's top tourist destinations, but will also inspire you in your own scrapbooking and journaling. Use the 106 blank pages, alternately plain and lined, to record your own memories of your trip in words and pictures. The journal finishes with 4 pages of Japanese words and phrases that will come in handy as you explore this fascinating country! pages 1-16: Travel information including subway maps & must-see destinations, such as: Tokyo, Harajuku and Meiji Shrine, Kyoto's Top Temples, Himeji Castle, and many more! pages 17-123: Alternate plain and lined blank pages for sketching, scrapbooking, notes and journaling pages 124-127: Useful words and phrases in Japanese Includes an interior back pocket for safekeeping tickets, momentos, and more

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Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR STANFORD DOLMAN TRAVEL BOOK OF THE YEARFrom a trip to The Lightning Field in New Mexico, to chasing Gauguin's ghost in French Polynesia, White Sands is a creative exploration of why we travel. Episodic, wide-ranging and funny, Geoff Dyer blends travel writing, essay, criticism and fiction with a smart and cantankerous wit that is unmatched. From one of the most original writers in Britain, this is a book for armchair travellers and procrastinating philosophers everywhere.Trade ReviewBrilliant . . . Dyer's eyes miss nothing -- PETER CONRAD * * Observer * *An examination of some of the most fundamental questions of life . . . Inspiring and informing * * Guardian * *Even Chekhov might have envied Geoff Dyer's talent . . . Almost perfect -- JAN MORRIS * * Spectator * *[A] disregard for genre boundaries is a hallmark of his work, along with erudition, a brilliant use of language and irreverent humour . . . The nearest thing to White Sands in Dyer's back catalogue is Yoga for People Who Can't Be Bothered to Do It * * Daily Telegraph * *Surpassingly eloquent . . . there's no other writer quite like Dyer * * Time * *Illuminating . . . A collection unified by a focus on our impermanence. Why are we here? Dyer asks. With his customary elegance of thought, he sees that our attempts to transcend our situation through travel and art are motivated by our awareness of our final destination: "We are here to go somewhere else". -- LUKE BROWN * * Financial Times * *A national treasure -- ZADIE SMITHDyer's virtue is not the whole-hearted embrace of experience and exotic locales but the parsing of degrees of disappointment. He also doesn't pretend to be heading anywhere, but then White Sands turns into a memoir and becomes unexpectedly moving . . . Dyer's tone as he relates his frightening brush with tragedy is calm and full of curiosity, possibly as a result of eschewing drama for his entire life. -- JANE SMILEY * * Los Angeles Times * *White Sands isn't just a catalog of travel mishaps, with Mr. Dyer cast as an English-speaking Monsieur Hulot. It is also a rumination on the meanings we assign the strange destinations of our pilgrimages. * * New York Times * *Reading Dyer is akin to the sudden elation and optimism you feel when you make a new friend, someone as silly as you but cleverer too, in whose company you know you will travel through life more vagrantly, intensely, joyfully * * Daily Telegraph * *Geoff Dyer is a true original - one of those rare voices in contemporary literature that never ceases to surprise, disturb and delight -- William BoydQuite possibly the best living writer in Britain * * Daily Telegraph * *A collection of essays fusing travel writing and fiction . . . Dyer plays fast and loose with genre and category * * Telegraph * *The title essay, about picking up an ex-con hitchhiker on US Route 54 before passing a warning sign against doing exactly that, reads like a brilliant short story. It's electrifying - unlike the Northern Lights * * Tatler Magazine * *Cleverer, more self-deprecating and funnier in these essays, set all over the world and in his unique mind. Dyer's last travel book, Yoga for People Who Can't be Bothered to Do It, sold over 50,000 copies in the UK alone, and this is just as good: a travel title that asks not just where, but why, with Dyer's typical sardonic wit * * The Bookseller * *

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Book SynopsisDiscover wonder. "A wanderlust-whetting cabinet of curiosities on paper."- New York Times Inspiring equal parts wonder and wanderlust, Atlas Obscura is a phenomenon of a travel book that shot to the top of bestseller lists when it was first published and changed the way we think about the world, expanding our sense of how strange and marvellous it really is. This second edition takes readers to even more curious and unusual destinations, with more than 100 new places, dozens and dozens of new photographs, and two very special features: twelve city guides, covering Berlin, Budapest, Buenos Aires, Cairo, London, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Moscow, New York City, Paris, Shanghai, and Tokyo. Plus a foldout map with a dream itinerary for the ultimate around-the-world road trip. More a cabinet of curiosities than traditional guidebook, Atlas Obscura revels in the unexpected, the overlooked, the bizarre, and the mysterious. Here are natural wonders, like the dazzling glow-worm caves in New Zealand, or a baobob tree in South Africa so large it has a pub inside where 15 people can sit and drink comfortably. Architectural marvels, including the M. C. Escher-like stepwells in India. Mind-boggling events, like the Baby-Jumping Festival in Spain-and no, it's not the babies doing the jumping, but masked men dressed as devils who vault over rows of squirming infants. Every page gets to the very core of why humans want to travel in the first place: to be delighted and disoriented, uprooted from the familiar and amazed by the new. With its compelling descriptions, hundreds of photographs, surprising charts, maps for every region of the world, and new city guides, it is a book you can open anywhere and be transported. But proceed with caution: It's almost impossible not to turn to the next entry, and the next, and the next.Trade Review“The Second Edition of Atlas Obscura is a hefty book but one that the world traveler in your life will love. There are hidden gems with over 100 more places added from the original. Travel through Budapest, Moscow, Tokyo, and more with the turn of the page and showcase all the curiosities this world holds.” — The Daily Beast “Beholding hundreds of off-the-beaten-path gems, this book is a treasure chest of wanderlust where readers are transported to places they’re certain to have never encountered.” — Marie Claire “The second edition of “Atlas Obscura” is a gift so enthralling that it may draw the recipient into a kind of extended trance. Crammed fore-to-aft with “the world’s hidden wonders,” this collaboration by Joshua Foer, Dylan Thuras and Ella Morton features mesmerizing photos, maps, drawings, info and addresses. On one page there’s a Thai monk standing in saffron serenity in a village temple built of brown and green beer bottles; on another a bust of Vladimir Lenin, erected in 1958 by Soviet scientists who made it to Antarctica’s “Southern Pole of Inaccessibility.” If you can get there (the authors have advice about that), you may find, depending on the weather, only the top of the tyrant’s head poking from the snow.” — Wall Street Journal "Satisfy your wanderlust and plan your next travel adventure with the help of this brilliantly illustrated guide." —Car and Driver MagazinePraise for the first edition of Atlas Obscura:An Explorer's Guide to the World's Hidden Wonders “A wanderlust-whetting cabinet of curiosities on paper” —The New York Times “This book is as curious and enthralling as the world it covers. Each page reveals some hidden realm—a realm that is frightening, or funny, or magical, or simply mad, but that always leaves the reader in wonder.” —DAVID GRANN, author of Killers of the Flower Moon “I thought I had seen most of the interesting bits of the world. Atlas Obscura showed me that I was wrong. It's the kind of book that makes you want to pack in your workaday life and head out to places you'd never have dreamed of going, to see things you could not even have imagined. A joy to read and to reread.” —NEIL GAIMAN, author of Sandman and American Gods “Atlas Obscura is a joyful antidote to the creeping suspicion that travel these days is little more than a homogenized corporate shopping opportunity. Here are hundreds of surprising, perplexing, mind-blowing, inspiring reasons to travel a day longer and farther off the path. . . . Bestest travel guide ever.” —MARY ROACH, author of Stiff and Gulp “My favorite travel guide! Never start a trip without knowing where a haunted hotel or a mouth of hell is!” —GUILLERMO DEL TORO, filmmaker, Pan’s Labyrinth “Fair warning: It's addictive.” —NPR, “Cosmos Culture” “In this gorgeous collection, the celebrated Atlas Obscura website is condensed into 480 pages of awe-inspiring destinations. For lovers of history and exploration, the striking color photographs will spark immediate wanderlust.” —Entertainment Weekly “Odds are you won’t get past three pages without being amazed at something truly strange that you didn’t know existed.” —San Francisco Chronicle “Richly illustrated, delightfully strange, this compendium of off-beat destinations should spark many adventures, both terrestrial and imaginary.” —Boston Globe “This book is PACKED with wonderful, amazing, fascinating places all around the world. This is the perfect gift for the person who thinks they’ve done it all and seen it all because this shows that there’s so much more in the world to explore. It’s a wonderful, wonderful coffee table book.” —NBC, “TODAY” “A perfect tome for the armchair explorer and the actual traveler alike.” —Austin American Statesman “Whether describing a Canadian museum that showcases world history through shoes, a pet-casket company that will also sell you a unit for your severed limb, a Greek snake festival, or a place in the Canary Islands where inhabitants communicate through whistling, the authors have compiled an enthralling range of oddities. Featuring full-color illustrations, this hefty and gorgeously produced tome will be eagerly pored over by readers of many ages and fans of the original website.”—Booklist (Starred Review) “If this compendium of the weirdest, wackiest, and most wonderful destinations on the planet doesn't fill you with insatiable wanderlust, then you need to check your pulse.” —mental_floss “This is the fun way, a deep dive (sometimes literally) into places you’d never find otherwise, the weird and wild wonders of the world.” —WIRED “The book is for people who prefer to live like locals when they travel, seek out new cultures on vacation, or just prefer the weirdness of history to traditional by-the-book experiences. Even if you can’t travel, Atlas Obscura is a window into places you’d otherwise never know existed.” —lifehacker “A travel guide for the most adventurous of tourists . . . a wonderful browse [for] armchair travelers who enjoyed Brandon Stanton’s Humans of New York and Frank Warren’s PostSecret.” —Library Journal “The most addictive book of the year.” —Colin McEnroe, WNPRPraise for the second edition of Atlas Obscura:An Explorer's Guide to the World's Hidden Wonders “The Second Edition of Atlas Obscura is a hefty book but one that the world traveler in your life will love. There are hidden gems with over 100 more places added from the original. Travel through Budapest, Moscow, Tokyo, and more with the turn of the page and showcase all the curiosities this world holds.” — The Daily Beast “Beholding hundreds of off-the-beaten-path gems, this book is a treasure chest of wanderlust where readers are transported to places they’re certain to have never encountered.” — Marie Claire “The second edition of “Atlas Obscura” is a gift so enthralling that it may draw the recipient into a kind of extended trance. Crammed fore-to-aft with “the world’s hidden wonders,” this collaboration by Joshua Foer, Dylan Thuras and Ella Morton features mesmerizing photos, maps, drawings, info and addresses. On one page there’s a Thai monk standing in saffron serenity in a village temple built of brown and green beer bottles; on another a bust of Vladimir Lenin, erected in 1958 by Soviet scientists who made it to Antarctica’s “Southern Pole of Inaccessibility.” If you can get there (the authors have advice about that), you may find, depending on the weather, only the top of the tyrant’s head poking from the snow.” — Wall Street Journal "Satisfy your wanderlust and plan your next travel adventure with the help of this brilliantly illustrated guide." —Car and Driver Magazine

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Book SynopsisTravel is good for us. It makes us happy!Escape more, celebrate more, "weekend" more with DK travel guides and create memories that last a lifetime.Each of our books is jam-packed with gorgeous pictures, helpful maps and expert insights, making them totally comprehensive, really easy to use, and full of ideas and inspiration. And we know what we're doing we've been publishing guides for over 30 years. So forget the ordinary. Travel extraordinary.

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Book SynopsisPatrick Leigh Fermor was only 18 when he set off to walk from the Hook of Holland to Constantinople, described many years later in A Time of Gifts and Between the Woods and the Water. It was during these early wanderings that he started to pick up languages, and where he developed his extraordinary sense of the continuity of history: a quality that deepens the colours of every place he writes about, from the peaks of the Pyrenees to the cell of a Trappist monastery. His experiences in wartime Crete sealed the deep affection he had already developed for Greece, a country whose character and customs he celebrates in two books, Mani and Roumeli, and where he has lived for over forty years. Whether he is drawing portraits in Vienna or sketching Byron''s slippers in Missolonghi, the Leigh Fermor touch is unmistakable. Its infectious enthusiasm is driven by an insatiable curiosity and an omnivorous mind - all inspired by a passion for words and Trade ReviewThere is a pleasure to be had on every page. Here is a writer who can find something fascinating in the dullest characters and the most drab towns. He is a master stylist, too, revelling in the possibilities of language, striving always to be exact. Few travel writers can create atmosphere quite as thickly, but then few have such extraordinary anecdotes to tell...it [the anthology] serves as a reminder that Leigh Fermor is one of the greatest travel writers of all time * Anthony Sattin, Sunday Times *'The finest travel writer of his generation' Colin Thubron'The greatest of living travel writers' Jan MorrisPatrick Leigh Fermor is an exquisite among travel writers * Sunday Telegraph *Paddy Leigh Fermor - war hero, linguist, adventurer - is at heart a great storyteller ... he draws the reader, like his huge acquaintance, into instant intimacy. His achievement is to be who he is - even more than what he has done. This collection beautifully illustrates both. * Max Hastings, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH *He makes exotic and entertaining friends wherever he goes, has read everything, been everywhere and writes like a dream * The Times *

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Book Synopsis''A beguiling book about a lifestyle that many of us dream about'' Daily MailPaul Richardson fled the city to live on the land in a rough-and-tumble village on the edge of Europe. Immersing himself in the culture of his remote Spanish community, he learned the traditional arts of animal husbandry and vegetable growing, wine-making and home distilling, and made bread from the rye he sowed on the stone-walled terraces of his twelve-acre farm. In Richardson''s hands, off-grid living both becomes an act of rebellion and a heartening proof that a simpler, better life is possible, if only we can remove ourselves from the ethos in which conspicuous consumption is a duty and success/failure the wheel on which society turns. Hidden Valley is a glorious narrative of one man''s journey towards self-reliance. Original and thought-provoking, it is also hugely entertaining.Trade ReviewA beguiling book about a lifestyle that many of us dream about, but few achieve * Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisFrom Miss Lou to Bob Marley and Usain Bolt to Kamala Harris, Jamaica has had an outsized reach in global mainstream culture. Yet many of its most important historical, cultural, and political events and aspects are largely unknown beyond the island. The Jamaica Reader presents a panoramic history of the country, from its precontact indigenous origins to the present. Combining more than one hundred classic and lesser-known texts that include journalism, lyrics, memoir, and poetry, the Reader showcases myriad voices from over the centuries: the earliest published black writer in the English-speaking world; contemporary dancehall artists; Marcus Garvey; and anonymous migrant workers. It illuminates the complexities of Jamaica's past, addressing topics such as resistance to slavery, the modern tourist industry, the realities of urban life, and the struggle to find a national identity following independence in 1962. Throughout, it sketches how its residents and visitors have experienced and shaped its place in the world. Providing an unparalleled look at Jamaica's history, culture, and politics, this volume is an ideal companion for anyone interested in learning about this magnetic and dynamic nation.Trade Review“Jamaica is an endless paradox, virtually impossible to summarize neatly in any single document. In The Jamaica Reader, Diana Paton and Matthew Smith extend an invitation to us to reflect on this paradox, its histories, and its cultural-political implications. In their thoughtful and diverse selection of texts (some expressive, some analytical, some narrative), framed by an engaging introduction, they offer a searching panorama of sometimes competing perspectives on the very idea of Jamaica.” -- David Scott, Columbia University“This is a bird's-eye view of the island shaped like a swimming turtle. It is a learned and joyful compendium of everything anyone needs to know about the place Columbus called the fairest isle that eyes ever beheld. Diana Paton and Matthew J. Smith have done a brilliant job of curating what is surely the most complete and all-encompassing gathering of writing about Jamaica ever assembled.” -- Lorna Goodison, Poet Laureate of Jamaica"This is an essential text for students of Jamaican history, society, culture and politics, and I am confident it will be a standard reader in Caribbean studies for many years to come.… It is impossible to see this book as anything other than the best introduction to the history of Jamaica, and the lives of the Jamaican people." -- F.S.J. Ledgister * Caribbean Quarterly *"The Jamaica Reader will prove highly useful to students and scholars alike. Indeed, such is the nature and layout of the excerpts that have been included that it appeals simultaneously to those looking for a general introduction to the history, politics and culture of Jamaica, and to those who may be already familiar with the island, but wish to explore further and in greater depth. Additionally, the generally short nature of each of the extracts actually makes the book an ideal teaching resource, whether as an introduction to engaging with the historiography of Jamaica, or as a way of exploring a wider variety of contemporary sources and accounts." -- Ben Markham * History *"It’s hard to think of a better introductory resource on the island, replete with bibliography, illustrations, and excellent brief introductions to each chapter." -- Richard Price and Sally Price * New West Indian Guide *"The cultural selections on visual arts—enhanced by color illustrations—and the worldwide influence of reggae are welcome additions to the more familiar material. Best for courses on Caribbean and Latin American studies in general. Recommended. General readers through graduate students." -- R. M. Delson * Choice *Table of ContentsNote on Abridgment xvii Acknowledgments xix Introduction 1 I. Becoming Jamaica 7 II. From English Conquest to Slave Society 49 III. Enlightenment Slavery 109 IV. Colonial Freedom 159 V. Jamaica Arise 209 VI. Independence and After 289 VII. Jamaica in the Age of Neoliberalism 363 VIII. Jamaicans in the World 435 Suggestions for Further Reading 487 Acknowledgments of Copyrights and Sources 493 Index 503

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Book SynopsisScotland is the birthplace and the home of golf, with a rich tradition which has now gone global. The Art of Scottish Golf is the perfect companion for golfers everywhere, with a mix of golfing lore, history, iconic Scottish golf courses, brilliant anecdotes from players and caddies past and present, and much more, all presented with beautiful photographs throughout.Golf is what most people around the world think of when sport and Scotland are talked about and the game now resonates in every corner of the globe. But in Scotland, the home of golf, it's a unique experience, where golfers can literally follow in the footsteps of the legends of the game, hallowed names from pioneers like Tom Morris Snr, Willie Park Snr, Tom Morris Jnr and Mungo Park, through to 20th century golfers like Harry Vardon, Walter Hagen, Bobby Jones and Gary Player and more recent superstars like Tiger Woods, Seve Ballesteros and Rory McIlroy, along with homegrown talents Sandy Lyle, Paul Lawrie, C

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Book SynopsisHaving crossed a continent by train and sailed around the world by container ship, Clive Wilkinson has always had a penchant for slow travel. As his eightieth birthday approaches, he and his wife Joan set out on a new expedition: to tour the edges of England by electric car. How hard could that be? Given the parlous state of the country's charge-point infrastructure back in 2018, the answer turns out to be 'very'. In a 1,900-mile odyssey through fading seaside towns, rainswept hilltop passes and England's only desert, each day's driving for these unlikely pioneers is overshadowed by a cloud of apprehension. Will they make it to the next charge point? Will it be in working order? Will someone else be using it? You could only undertake such a trip with a calm temperament and robust sense of humour. Fortunately Clive has both. With a relentless curiosity for history, geography and, above all, people, he and Joan explore the reality of life on England's periphery - the 'left behind' areas that, by voting for Brexit, changed the course of British history - making new friends with every mile.Trade Review'A delightful, original, amusing tour of some of the UK's less explored places' - Chris Mullin

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Book SynopsisA lyrical travelogue charting Tomas Espedal’s journeys to and ruminations around the world, from his native Norway to Istanbul and beyond. “Why travel?” asks Tomas Espedal in Tramp, “Why not just stay at home, in your room, in your house, in the place you like better than any other, your own place. The familiar house, the requisite rooms in which we have gathered the things we need, a good bed, a desk, a whole pile of books. The windows giving on to the sea and the garden with its apple trees and holly hedge, a beautiful garden, growing wild.” The first step in any trip or journey is always a footstep—the brave or curious act of putting one foot in front of the other and stepping out of the house onto the sidewalk below. Here, Espedal contemplates what this ambulatory mode of travel has meant for great artists and thinkers, including Rousseau, Kant, Hazlitt, Thoreau, Rimbaud, Whitman, Giacometti, and Robert Louis Stevenson. In the process, he confronts his own inability to write from a fixed abode and his refusal to banish the temptation to become permanently itinerant. Lyrical and rebellious, immediate and sensuous, Tramp conveys Espedal’s own need to explore on foot—in places as diverse as Wales and Turkey—and offers us the excitement and adventure of being a companion on his fascinating and intriguing travels.Trade Review"Even as his fame has grown in his native Norway, the range of what Tomas Espedal writes about has shrunk. Instead of an ever-expanding autobiographical space in which to tell his life story, Espedal's project is more of a paring-down, an endlessly repeated return to a single scene. In Tramp: Or the Art of Living a Wild and Poetic Life, Espedal journeys on foot to places like Germany, Wales, Greece, and Turkey, meeting a host of interesting figures along the way. . . . In establishing the silent context of family and home, Espedal brings to the foreground a past that is far more distant and not as clear-cut as the travels he explicitly relates. Chronological time and authorial distance give way to a personal history that is at once more primordial, and in its way, more poetic. Espedal's memoir thus becomes an especially vivid and deeply satisfying account of a 'wild and poetic life.' " -- David M. Smith * Contrary *Table of ContentsPart 1Why not begin with a streetGoing to the dogsBefore I goAn impossible living roomThe dream of vanishingTo walk away from a relationshipA lonely wanderer's reveriesI should have had a tradeDown the open roadSwansea. Wales. Summer '98Staufen. Germany. Spring '99The origin of lonelinessSo full of leave-takingThe perfect dayI found a resting placeBreakfast with the Dales in ModalTo the mountainsNight in the mountainsThe sun's reveilleWith Anders Øvrebø at OrtnevikBoots and the Man, I sing!At the hairdresser'sFaun's eveningTo go alone or with a companionThe wayfaring booksThe diariesAn attemptA midsummer night's dreamSleeping outOn the beachPart 2Sports and entertainmentGiacometti and the prostitutesThe Rimbaud routeHow does a journey begin?Finding the wayOut of Greece, into TurkeyWalking the streets of IstanbulThe Lycian wayA sojourn at OlymposHomesicknessEpilogue

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisAthênai, In Search of Home expands Niko J. Kallianiotis’ first monograph America in a Trance, and the work produced in Pennsylvania, which for two decades became his second home. If America in a Trance was about his departure from Athens, Athênai, In Search of Home is about coming back to his roots, eager to assimilate within a place that over the years grew to be foreign but at the same time maintained its layers of familiarity. The photographs navigate through the metro areas of Athens within an utterly diverse setting, all the way to the periphery and within a more rural and industrial stage that is vital to the character and condition of Athens. Throughout the years the city and the surrounding territories have experienced their share of socio-economic struggles and topographic transformations that have altered its identity. Despite these facts the city still stands, at times proudly and at others solemn, but always fervent to maintain its uniqueness and its yearning for a new identity, in search of new home, within one that already exists. And the city of Athens in Kallianiotis’ photographs is elliptically delineated as a vibrant environment that binds together luxury and social inequality, through which a colourful language of images and symbols makes itself all the more present, a city unpredictable and saturated with history. Kallianiotis eloquently depicts in this series of photographs a city in which the temporal and the spatial elements often clash with each other, while conducting his research for a home that has changed over the years as much as he did.

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Book SynopsisThis visual travel guide explores the Spanish and Portuguese coastlines, with countless charming beaches, rugged cliffs and hidden gems.

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Book SynopsisPart of the elegant 150 series of themed international travel guides. From traditional Japanese tea houses to modern, trendy hotspots in global cities, each tea house in thisdelightful and functional book has its own story, ambience, and unique tea appreciation experience.

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Book SynopsisLocated on the foothills of the Alps, the Italian Lakes are a glorious combination of snow-capped mountains, sumptuous villas and exuberant gardens, spellbinding all who visit.Make the most of your trip to these captivating lakes with DK Eyewitness Top 10. Planning is a breeze with our simple lists of ten, covering the very best that Italian Lakes have to offer and ensuring that you don’t miss a thing. Best of all, the pocket-friendly format is light and easily portable; the perfect companion while out and about. DK Eyewitness Top 10 Italian Lakes is your ticket to the trip of a lifetime. Inside DK Eyewitness Top 10 Italian Lakes you will find: - Top 10 lists of Italian Lakes’ must-sees, including Isole Borromee, Lake Como, Milan, Verona and Lake Iseo- Italian Lakes’ most interesting areas, with the best places for sightseeing, food and drink, and shopping- Themed lists, including fami

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Book SynopsisThe Washington Post "10 Best Graphic Novels of the Year"New York magazine "The Year's Most Giftable Coffee-Table Books"Newsday "Best Fall Books"The Verge "10 Best Comics of the Year"Oklahoman "Best Graphic Novels of the Year"Winner of the New York City Book AwardFrom the #1 NYT bestselling author of Can''t We Talk About Something More Pleasant?, Roz Chast, an "absolutely laugh-out-loud hysterical" (AP) illustrated ode/guide/thank-you to Manhattan.New Yorker cartoonist and NYT bestselling author Roz Chast, native Brooklynite-turned-suburban commuter deemed the quintessential New Yorker, has always been intensely alive to the glorious spectacle that is Manhattan--the daily clash of sidewalk racers and dawdlers, the fascinating range of dress codes, and the priceless, nutty outbursts of souls from all walks of life. For Chast, adjusting to life outside the city was surreal (you can own trees!? you have to drive!?), but she recognized that the reverse was true for her kids. On trips into town, they would marvel at the strange visual world of Manhattan--its blackened sidewalk gum wads, "those West Side Storythings" (fire escapes)--its crazily honeycombed systems and grids. Told through Chast''s singularly zany, laugh-out-loud, touching, and true cartoons, Going into Town is part New York stories (the "overheard and overseen" of the island borough), part personal and practical guide to walking, talking, renting, and venting--an irresistible, one-of-a-kind love letter to the city.

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Book SynopsisA revised and updated edition of the definitive site guide to this bird-rich Spanish region.Southern Iberia is in the top rank of European birding hotspots, and the fourth edition of this popular book, first published in 1994, continues to ensure that visitors can make the most of the region''s many attractions. The information on all sites has been brought right up-to-date, with revised maps and full updated site access details and species lists. Popular localities such as Doñana, Monfragüe and the Strait of Gibraltar get prominent treatment, but the reader is encouraged to wander further afield to visit other, less well-known but equally rewarding sites, including a number of additional localities that are new to this edition.This new edition is indispensable for all birders visiting this remarkable corner of Spain.Table of ContentsForeword Introduction to the Fourth Edition How to use this book Visiting southern and western Spain Landscape and climate Birds and other wildlife of southern and western Spain Watching seabirds and the migration of raptors and storks Andalucia Extremadura Appendices Further reading Site index Species index

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewNew York Times Bestseller -- New York Times "The book is fantastic... Hilariously illustrated." -- The Brian Lehrer Show, NPR "Useful observations about life in New York City ... the tips work as well for tourists as they do for transplants." -- Associated Press "Every obsessive-compulsive New Yorker should circulate copies of Nathan W. Pyle's "NYC Basic Tips and Etiquette"... For a newcomer, he gets it. His helpful hints are particularly sensible these days when people preoccupied with digital devices seem oblivious to everyone around them." -- New York Times "The hilarious cartoons in Nathan Pyle's new book... are even funnier as animated GIFs. Pyle's do's and don'ts perfectly depict what makes New Yorkers tick." -- Fodor's Travel "Full of useful advice... do's and don'ts... and sage realisms... NYC Basic Tips and Etiquette by Nathan W. Pyle is equal parts funny and informative." -- NewYorkNatives.com

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Book SynopsisThis gorgeously photographed book offers a window into the finest courses in the UK and Ireland, with relatable tips and amusing commentary for the average golfer. Most golfers only dream of playing at St. Andrews, Ballybunion, Turnberry, or Royal County Down. With incomparable history, unique traditions, and ferociously beautiful seaside landscapes, it's no wonder that the British Isles are home to some of the most celebrated golf courses in the world. Peter Gray, a middle handicapper and weekend warrior, has nonetheless golfed his way around the UK and Ireland and has the misadventures to prove it: from a disaster on the legendary “Road Hole” at Old Course in St. Andrews, to braving gale force winds at Muirfield (characterized by locals as “a spot of bother”), and even being urged to drink an entire bottle of Jameson 18-year-old whiskey after a round at Lahinch to cure a fierce case of the shanks (it worked). Part amusing travelogue, part scenic showcase, Golfing the British Isles: The Weekend Warrior's Companion brims with the same beauty, character, and sheer fun exemplified by the courses it depicts.Featuring breathtaking photography from Gary Lisbon alongside insightful commentary and practical guidance, this distinctive book will have golf enthusiasts packing their clubs, booking tee times, and charting their own pilgrimage in celebration of this singular game.

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