Travel writing Books

Book SynopsisAt a time when that 1960s notion of air travel as decadent and exceptional is experiencing an unexpected revival, this book ... could be the G&T in a plastic glass you need.' The SpectatorTravel writer Julia Cooke's exhilarating portrait of Pan Am stewardesses in the Mad Men era.Come Fly the World tells the story of the stewardesses who served on the iconic Pan American Airways between 1966 and 1975 - and of the unseen diplomatic role they played on the world stage.Alongside the glamour was real danger, as they flew soldiers to and from Vietnam and staffed Operation Babylift - the dramatic evacuation of 2,000 children during the fall of Saigon. Cooke's storytelling weaves together the true stories of women like Lynne Totten, a science major who decided life in a lab was not for her, to Hazel Bowie, one of the relatively few African American stewardesses of the era, as they embraced the liberation of a jet-set life.In the process, Cooke shows how the sexualized coffee-tea-or-me stereotype was at odds with the importance of what they did, and with the freedom, power and sisterhood they achieved.Trade ReviewJulia Cooke's entertaining, sexism-skewering history shows how female flight attendants were also flag-flying diplomats' * Financial Times *Cooke is good on the way an industry with rigid, deep-rooted notions about female service, looks and behaviour became a ticket to unparalleled independence . At a time when that 1960s notion of air travel as decadent and exceptional is experiencing an unexpected revival, this book . could be the G&T in a plastic glass you need.' * The Spectator *

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Book SynopsisThis is not a book about French Gardens. It is the story of a man travelling round France visiting a few selected French gardens on the way. Owners, intrigues, affairs, marriages, feuds, thwarted ambitions and desires, the largely unnamed ordinary gardeners, wars, plots and natural disasters run through every garden older than a generation or two and fill every corner of the grander historical ones. Families marry. Gardeners are poached. Political allegiances forged and shattered. The human trail crosses from garden to garden. They sit in their surrounding landscape, not as isolated islands but attached umbilically to it, sharing the geology, the weather, food, climate, local folklore, accent and cultural identity. Wines must be drunk and food tasted. Recipes found and compared. The perfect tarte-tartin pursued. None of these things can be ignored or separated from the shape and size of parterre, fountain, herbaceous border or pottager. So this is a book filled

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Book SynopsisIn a stunning memoir-cum-travelogue Peter Carey charts this journey, inspired by Charley''s passion for Japanese Manga and anime, and explores his own resulting re-evaluation of Japan. Although graphically violent and disturbing, the two mediums are both inherently concerned with Japan''s rich history and heritage, and hold a huge popular appeal that crosses the generations.Led by their adolescent guide Takashi, an uncanny mix of generosity and derision, father and son look for the hidden puzzles and meanings, searching, often with comic results, for a greater understanding of these art forms, and for what they come to refer to as their own ''real Japan''. From Manhattan to Tokyo, Commodore Perry to Godzilla, kabuki theatre to the post-war robot craze, Wrong about Japan is a fascinatingly personal, witty and moving exploration of two very different cultures.Trade Review"'The mysteries of Japan and father-son relationships prove to be rich subjects, especially for a writer at the peak of his powers, and they make for an entertaining and uplifting book.' Sunday Times 'Fast-paced, readable and highly entertaining.' Sunday Express"

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Book Synopsis''In the gloom it came along the branches towards me, its round, hypnotic eyes blazing, its spoon-like ears turning to and fro independently like radar dishes . . . it was Lewis Carroll''s Jabberwocky come to life . . . one of the most incredible creatures I had ever been privileged to meet.''The fourth largest island in the world, Madagascar is home to woodlice the size of golf balls, moths the size of Regency fans and the Aye-Aye, a type of lemur held by local superstion to be an omen of death. But when Gerald Durrell visited the island, the destruction of the forests meant that the Aye-Aye and many other creatures were in danger of extinction.Told with his unique sense of humour and inimitable charm, Gerald Durrell''s The Aye Aye and I is the final adventure from one of Britain''s best loved conservationists.Trade ReviewA renegade who was right . . . He was truly a man before his time -- Sir David AttenboroughIf animals, birds and insects could speak, they would possibly award Mr Gerald Durrell one of their first Nobel prizes * Times Literary Supplement *Durrell has an uncanny knack of discovering human as well as animal eccentricities * Sunday Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisIn this uproarious memoir and meticulously researched cultural journey, writer Michael Moran keeps company with a gallery of fantastic characters. In chronicling the resurrection of the nation from war and the Holocaust, he paints a portrait of the unknown Poland, one of monumental castles, primeval forests and, of course, the Poles themselves. This captivating journey into the heart of a country is a timely and brilliant celebration of a valiant and richly cultured people.Trade Review'Erudite, humbling and rhapsodic A... No thinking traveller interested in Poland should overlook this essential book.' Guardian'Moran is a sensitive, intelligent companion, as able to capture the rapacious spirit and chaotic conditions of modern Poland as he is the mournful, savage ghosts of its past. The result is moving and absorbing' Metro 'A Country in the Moon is literary travel writing at its best: elegiac, informative and profound. It's probably the best travel book I will read this year.' Wanderlust'A well-crafted, spirited and original polonaise, triumphantly balancing humour with scholarship' Observer'There is so much to admire in this well-researched and hugely entertaining book, and so much to learnA...if you fancy elegant erudition, A Country in the Moon is a three-star feast' - Time Out

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Book SynopsisOne woman, one bike and one richly entertaining, perception-altering journey of discovery. In 2015, as the Syrian War raged and the refugee crisis reached its peak, Rebecca Lowe set off on her bicycle across the Middle East. Driven by a desire to learn more about this troubled region and its relationship with the West, Lowe's 11,000-kilometre journey took her through Europe to Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Sudan, the Gulf and finally to Iran. It was an odyssey through landscapes and history that captured her heart, but also a deeply challenging cycle across mountains, deserts and repressive police states that nearly defeated her. Plagued by punctures and battling temperatures ranging from -6 to 48C, Lowe was rescued frequently by farmers and refugees, villagers and urbanites alike, and relied almost entirely on the kindness and hospitality of locals to complete this living portrait of the modern Middle East. This is her evocative, deeply researched and often very funny account of her travels - and the people, politics and culture she encountered. 'Terrifically compelling ... bursting with humour, adventure and insight into the rich landscapes and history of the Middle East. Lowe recounts the beauty, kindnesses and complexities of the lands she travels through with an illuminating insight. A wonderful new travel writer.' Sir Ranulph Fiennes

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Book SynopsisNew introduction by Ian Rankin_________________________________________‘One of the most playful and entertaining writers of our generation’ Val McDermid, Guardian In an absorbing voyage as interesting to non-drinkers as to true whisky connoisseurs, sci-fi and literary author Iain Banks explores the rich heritage of Scottish whisky, from the most famous distilleries to the most obscure operations. Whisky is more than a drink: it's a culture that binds together people, places and products far across Scotland's rugged terrain. Switching from cars to ferries to bicycles, Banks criss-crosses his homeland, weaving an engrossing narrative full of fascinating traditions, peculiar people, and the downright bizarre places he encounters on his journey down Scotland's great golden road.'The book I return to most often . . . It's is like slipping into a warm bath.'James Graham, THE TIMES (playwright and creator of ITV's Quiz)'Filled withinsightful and witty observations . . . this is a rip-roaringand informative delve into the unique history and enduring appeal of this iconic spirit.'VISIT SCOTLAND, 9 'must read' booksTrade ReviewIt does what every good book should manage to do, and what a hundred other books on whisky (and a thousand other books on Scotland) have signally failed to do: makes you want to go for a drink with the author. * Observer *Studded with bracing shots of pure insight and eloquence. And he's sound on the scotch as well. * Independent *A very readable and hugely informative book, and Bank’s gentle humour permeates the pages. * Time Out *It’s an engaging piece of work, part love letter, part memoir. * Esquire *A very beguiling fusion of memoir, history and current affairs. * Glasgow Herald *

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Book SynopsisSlowly Down the Ganges' is seen as a vintage Newby masterpiece, alongside A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush' and Love and War in the Apennines'. Told with Newby''s self-deprecating humour and wry attention to detail, this is a classic of the genre and a window into an enchanting piece of history.On his forty-forth birthday, Eric Newby sets out on an incredible journey: to travel the 1,200-mile length of India''s holy river. In a misguided attempt to keep him out of trouble, Wanda, his life-long travel companion and wife, is to be his fellow boatwoman. Their plan is to begin in the great plain of Hardwar and finish in the Bay of Bengal, but the journey almost immediately becomes markedly slower and more treacherous than either had imagined - running aground sixty-three times in the first six days.Travelling in a variety of unstable boats, as well as by rail, bus and bullock cart, and resting at sandbanks and remote villages, the Newbys encounter engaging characters and glorious mishaps, inTrade Review'All the dusty enchantment and the recurrent dottiness of India - its exasperating charm - are in these pages' Eric Linklater 'Any book by Eric Newby is an event' Len Deighton 'Impossible to describe adequately the flavour of this delicious story … vintage Newby delicately salted with “The Wind in the Willows” and “Three Men in a Boat”' Guardian 'No journey into an unmapped interior to carry the word or find a lost explorer was more obstinately seen through to its end than this do-it-yourself pleasure trip … Mr Newby has fine descriptive gifts and a deft touch in casual portraiture' Times Literary Supplement 'One of the finest and certainly the funniest of British travel writers' Sunday Times

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Book SynopsisCairngorms: A Secret History is a series of journeys exploring barely known human and natural stories of the Cairngorm Mountains. It looks at a unique British landscape, its last great wilderness, with new eyes. History combines with travelogue in a vivid account of this elemental scenery. There have been rare human incursions into the Cairngorm plateau, and Patrick Baker tracks them down. He traces elusive wildlife and relives ghostly sightings on the summit of Ben Macdui. From the search for a long-forgotten climbing shelter and the locating of ancient gem mines, to the discovery of skeletal aircraft remains and the hunt for a mysterious nineteenth-century aristocratic settlement, he seeks out the unlikeliest and most interesting of features in places far off the beaten track. The cultural and human impact of this stunning landscape and reflections on the history of mountaineering are the threads which bind this compelling narrative together.Trade Review'Describing a series of walks, Baker illuminates the bleak landscape, revealing the many stories linked to its ruined bothies, ancient gem mines and even haunted summits' * FT Weekend *'Packed with great stories and vivid descriptions' * Scotland Outdoor *'Exploring the Cairngorms has been a lifetime fascination for Patrick Baker and in this book he generously shares the results' * Scotland Magazine *

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Book SynopsisA powerful unforgettable journey through China with one of our greatest travel writers.''An achievement of great and lasting brilliance'' Patrick Leigh FermorHaving learned Mandarin, and travelling alone by foot, bicycle and train, Colin Thubron set off on a 10,000 mile journey from Beijing to the borders of Burma. He travelled through the wind-swept wastes of the Gobi desert and finished at the far end of the Great Wall. What Thubron reveals is an astonishing diversity, a land whose still unmeasured resources strain to meet an awesome demand, and an ancient people still reeling from the devastation of the Cultural Revolution.Trade ReviewAn achievement of great and lasting brilliance -- Patrick Leigh FermorThis transcendentally gifted writer is, of course, one of the two or three best living travel writers * Independent *A travel book which tells us more about this strange, sometimes terrible region and its people than a library of more pretentious works * Literary Review *An intrepid traveller, who also writes beautifully, with wit and erudition... The result is a rare first-hand account of a country seen through the eyes of one who has experienced what he describes and who is in a position to understand what he sees... He penetrates where most would believe it is impossible for a foreigner to go * Spectator *

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Book SynopsisMike Carter grew up in Birmingham and now lives in south-west London, from where he commutes to his freelance shifts at the Guardian and Observer on a bicycle. Although still married to his motorbike, the capital's traffic jams, speed cameras and bendy buses have somewhat cooled the relationship.Trade ReviewAs wise and witty a travelling companion as you could wish for -- Tim MooreOne of the most honest and funniest writers around -- Carole CadwalladrA fantastic read -- Charley Boorman author of * A Long Way Round *Wry, moving and very funny * Daily Express *Buy it for the 42-year-old in your life. You'll recognise the signs -- Nicholas Lezard * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisRedmond O'Hanlon is an explorer in the nineteenth-century mould. In addition to his four bestselling travel books, Into the Heart of Borneo, In Trouble Again, Congo Journey and Trawler, he has published scholarly work on nineteenth-century science and literature. For fifteen years he was the Natural History editor of the Times Literary Supplement. He lives outside Oxford with his wife and two children.

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Book SynopsisA travel book on Croatia, which presents an abundant culture of Roman remains, Venetian and Hapsburg-era palaces.

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Book SynopsisThe narrator arrives in his 117th rented room at the end of an epic journey, abandoned by his lover, almost broke and certainly feverish. His obsession with the insects he shares the room with and his beautifully articulated observations of himself on the edge of a physical and mental collapse extend out to include the insect-like habitues of the local cafe - the charlatans, the indolent landowners and even a levitating priest who has been dead for six years. This razor-sharp chronicle of experience, which grew out of Bouvier's seven-month stay on the island of Ceylon, shows that if you travel, you must be prepared to discover not only delights but also the worst as well.Trade ReviewDazzling, profound and unforgettablethis beautifully written (and translated) book is a gift and a treasure. - J. Dargan, Choice

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Book SynopsisNot content with walking the Pennine Way as a modern day troubadour, an experience recounted in his bestseller and prize-wining Walking Home, the restless poet has followed up that journey with a walk of the same distance but through the very opposite terrain and direction far from home. In Walking Away Simon Armitage swaps the moorland uplands of the north for the coastal fringes of Britain''s south west, once again giving readings every night, but this time through Somerset, Devon and Cornwall, taking poetry into distant communities and tourist hot-spots, busking his way from start to finsh.From the surreal pleasuredome of Minehead Butlins to a smoke-filled roundhouse on the Penwith Peninsula then out to the Isles of Scilly and beyond, Armitage tackles this personal Odyssey with all the poetic reflection and personal wit we''ve come to expect of one of Britain''s best loved and most popular writers.

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Book SynopsisWelcome to Iceland, a very small nation with a very large number (two hundred and sixty five) of (mostly) very small museums. Founded in the backyards of houses, begun as jokes or bets or memorials to lost friends, these museums tell the story of an enchanted island where bridges arrived only at the beginning of the 20th century, and waterproof shoes only with the second world war. A nation formerly dirt poor, then staggeringly rich, and now building its way to affluence once again. A nation where, in the remote and wild places, you might encounter still a shore laddie, a sorcerer or a ghost. From Reykjavík's renowned Phallological Museum to a house of stones on the eastern coast; from the curious monsters which roam the remote shores of Bíldudalur to a museum of whales which proves impossible to find, here is an enchanted story of obsession, curation, and the peculiar magic of this isolated island.

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Book SynopsisShine a light into the unknownThere are still dark corners of our planet that are yet to be explored. In this remarkable book, Steve Backshall offers an unflinching account of his adventures into these uncharted territories around the globe, in search of world firsts. Each location brings its own epic challenges - whether it's the first climb of an arctic ice fall in Greenland, the first recorded navigation of a South American river, or the first exploration of the world’s longest cave system in Mexico. But all of them represent new tests of the limits of human endeavour.Accompanying a major 10-part series on BBC and Dave, Expedition is a breathtaking journey into the unknown, and a brilliantly written celebration of the pleasures of genuine discovery.

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Book Synopsis“If one keeps on walking, everything will be alright.” So said Danish writer Søren Kierkegaard, and so thought philosophy buff Gary Hayden as he set off on Britain’s most challenging trek: to walk from John O’Groats to Land’s End. But it wasn’t all quaint country lanes, picture-postcard villages and cosy bed and breakfasts. In this humorous, inspiring and delightfully British tale, Gary finds solitude and weary limbs bring him closer to the wisdom of the world’s greatest thinkers. Recalling Rousseau’s reverie, Bertrand Russell’s misery, Plato’s love of beauty and Epicurus’ joy in simplicity, Walking with Plato offers a breath of fresh, country air and clarity for anyone craving an escape from the humdrum of everyday life.Trade Review'Affable'. * Times Literary Supplement *"Walking with Plato is a highly personal read, and Hayden’s warm, funny style lends itself well to this approach, inviting the reader along for the adventure...The book should appeal to fans of travel writing, hiking, and philosophy alike." -- Psych Central‘Hayden’s trains of thought are fascinating, informative and often surprising’. * The Great Outdoors *‘A warm, engaging page-turner that still delivers on the profundity promised in the title’. * Countryfile Magazine *‘[A] wonderful new book…pondering the philosophical truths of walking’. * Country Walking *'A helpful and delightful reminder of the important things in life' * Washington Post *‘Gary Hayden is the armchair traveller’s ideal companion as he tramps “end to end” from northern Scotland to Land’s End. He is an adroit peripatetic teacher.’ -- Daniel Klein, bestselling author of Every Time I Find the Meaning of Life, They Change It and Travels with Epicurus"A compelling reminder that serious reading sustains—even transforms—lived experience." -- Booklist"Part travelogue, part philosophical notebook, Hayden's chronicle lifts the spirits with its lightness of touch." -- Mark Vernon, author of Plato's Podcasts: The Ancients' Guide to Modern Living"Truly amusing anecdotes and lovely writing" * Publisher's Weekly *

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Book SynopsisLife at Full Tilt is a whirlwind tour of Dervla Murphy s travels. It begins in Spain in 1956, before her first book, and follows in her tracks for over fifty years, including descriptions of her beloved Afghanistan in 1963, of the Peruvian Andes, of South, West and East Africa and most recently of the troubled territories of Palestine and Israel. Dervla s style of travel, to go somewhere that interested her and see who she met, made for fresh encounters every day, recorded faithfully each evening in her journal. She read hungrily to prepare for her journeys and folded her learning seamlessly into her books. Finally, between these covers, we are able to catch up with her work in its entirety. What shines through is her passionate engagement with the world and its injustices, and her utter independence of mind. Ethel Crowley, an Irish sociologist, has for the first time looked at all Dervla s writing her journalism and her twenty-four books selecting half-a-dozen extracts from each. She introduces us to a complex character, hard to pin down, but a role model for women and environmentalists, Irish to her fingertips and a crucial part of the larger English tradition of travel writing. With a preface by Colin ThubronTrade ReviewIt s unimaginable to me how anyone could not be familiar with Ireland s greatest travelling icon, our courageous, eloquent, world wanderer, whose seminal works of travel literature over five decades and four continents count as one of Ireland s greatest literary achievements. Manchan Magan, Irish Times

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Book SynopsisA travelogue exploring the life and work of George Orwell through the places he lived, worked and wrote Following in the footsteps of his literary hero, researcher and historian Oliver Lewis set out to visit all the places to have inspired and been lived in by George Orwell. Over three years he travelled from Wigan to Catalonia, Paris to Motihari, Marrakesh to Eton, and in each location explored both how Orwell experienced the place, and how the place now remembers him as a literary icon. Beginning in Northern India, where Orwell was born in 1903, and ending in the Oxfordshire village of Sutton Courtenay, where he was laid to rest in 1950, The Orwell Tour offers an accessible and informative new biography of Orwell through the lens of place.Trade ReviewOrwell roamed widely, living in London, Southwold, Henley, Wallington, Hayes and Jura. It's this rootless, restless man that writer Oliver Lewis pursues in his innovative and thorough book, The Orwell Tour. -- Daily TelegraphIf you enjoy Orwell and if you enjoy travelogues, you'll find a lot here to like. -- The Orwell Society

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Book Synopsis'Fascinating' - Robert Macfarlane, author of The Old Ways'Truly a thing of wonder' - Kerri ní Dochartaigh, author of Thin Places'Lyrical [and] thoughtful' - Cal Flyn, author of Islands of AbandonmentVisiting Iceland as an anthropologist and film-maker in 2008, Sarah Thomas is spellbound by its otherworldly landscape. An immediate love for this country and for Bjarni, a man she meets there, turns a week-long stay into a transformative half-decade, one which radically alters Sarah's understanding of herself and of the living world.She embarks on a relationship not only with Bjarni, but with the light, the language, and the old wooden house they make their home. She finds a place where the light of the midwinter full moon reflected by snow can be brighter than daylight, where the earth can tremor at any time, and where the word for echo - bergmál - translates as 'the language of the mountain'. In the midst of crisis both personal and planetary, as her marriage falls apart, Sarah finds inspiration in the artistry of a raven's nest: a home which persists through breaking and reweaving - over and over.Written in beautifully vivid prose The Raven's Nest is a profoundly moving meditation on place, identity and how we might live in an era of environmental disruption.Trade ReviewA deeply thoughtful, vivid, enquiring, genre-traversing book, closely attentive to the people and the landscapes with which it dwells. It asks hard questions - and offers no easy answers - about what it means to belong to a place, and to live well upon a part of the earth. Sarah's writing - crisp in its details, patient in its rhythms - draws its readers northwards and inwards upon a fascinating journey. * Robert Macfarlane *Sarah Thomas' lyrical, thoughtful prose takes us on a journey, both physical and emotional, to the far north. * Cal Flyn, author of Islands of Abandonment *An insightful, intuitive introduction to Icelandic culture, folklore, mysticism, language and nature. * Times Literary Supplement *A quiet, generous and beautifully written meditation on what it means to try to belong to a singular culture on the 'edge' of Europe. * Literary Review *Thomas' writing is the stuff of dreams - not in any whimsical way - rather, in the way of bones and stones; light and dark; hopes and fears. She leads the reader through various portals - from a place of unknowing - to one of hope. This book maps the self, the world and the spaces in between with such tender care. Truly a thing of wonder. * Kerri ní Dochartaigh, author of Thin Places *A metamorphic book bursting with ideas and insights about belonging, acceptance, and supernatural joy. A chronicle of Iceland's ever-strange, prismic beauty and the myriad ways it works on the heart. * Dan Richards, author of Outpost: A Journey to the Wild Ends of the Earth *The Raven's Nest asks what it means to belong to a place from which we do not originate. Anthropological and tender in detail. * Abi Andrews, author The Word for Woman is Wilderness *The Raven's Nest is a candid yet beautiful memoir, an homage both to Iceland and a rapidly changing way of life, and a meditation on the constantly shifting nature of human identity. Thomas's evocative prose leaves striking images which glow in the memory long after the reading has ended. * Katharine Norbury, author of The Fish Ladder *Sarah Thomas evokes characters and the culture, a sense of time and the landscape in beautiful prose which makes my brain do cartwheels. * Nancy Campbell, author of The Library of Ice *The Raven's Nest is about a meeting of worlds. Sarah arrives in Iceland with a 'guest's clear eyes', as Icelanders say. A sincere and perceptive book that explores love, adventure and the search for connections in a big world. * Andri Snær Magnason, author of On Time and Water *A delicate cartography of emotional landscapes as well as place, The Raven's Nest is also a journey into to the heart of our planetary crisis. Beautiful, moving and fascinating. * Nick Hunt, author of Outlandish *Table of Contents1: Breaking Up 2: Landing 3: Shift 4: Tónleikar - Concert 5: Fjallafang - Embrace of the Mountains 6: Mataræði - Diet 7: Gíslholt 8: Seal Wife 9: Að smala og að slátra - Gathering and Slaughtering 10: Gos - Eruption/Gas/Fizzy Drink 11: Flytja - To Move 12: Krummi - Raven 13: Bogguhús 14: The Frozen Bell 15: A Floating House 16: Trúlofun - Engagement 17: Selur - Seal 18: Þakið - Roof 19: A Walk in My Valley 20: Göng - Passage/Corridor/Tunnel 21: Að snúa - To Turn; Snúið - Complicated 22: Innflytjandi - Importer/Immigrant 23: The Strangest Silence 24: Svartfuglsegg - 'Black-bird's-egg' 25: Hvalurinn - The Whale 26: Seljavallalaug - 'Shieling-plains-pool' 27: Herring Adventure 28: To Hell and Back 29: The Raven's Nest 30: Sjóndeildarhringur - Horizon

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Book Synopsis'He effectively combines the genre of travel writing with investigative journalism, and brings to light little-known conflicts and events from around the world.' - Perceptive TravelIn Journeys to Impossible Places, best-selling author and presenter Simon Reeve reveals the inside story of his most astonishing adventures and experiences, around the planet and close to home.Journeys to Impossible Places continues the story Simon started in his phenomenal Sunday Times bestseller Step by Step, which traced the first decades of his life from depressed and unemployed teenager through to his early TV programmes.Now Simon takes us on the epic and thrilling adventures that followed, in beautiful, tricky and downright dangerous corners of the world, as he travelled through the Tropics, to remote paradise islands, jungles dripping with heat and life, and on nerve-wracking secret missions. Simon shares what his unique experiences and encounters have taught him, and the deeper lessons he draws from joy and raw grief in his personal life, from desperate struggles with his own fertility and head health, from wise friends, fatherhood, inspiring villagers, brave fighters, his beloved dogs, and a thoughtful Indian sadhu.Journeys to Impossible Places inspires and encourages all of us to battle fear and negativity, and embrace life, risk, opportunities and the glory of our world.Trade ReviewHe effectively combines the genre of travel writing with investigative journalism, and brings to light little-known conflicts and events from around the world * Perceptive Travel *"Not only is Simon good at manoeuvring in and out of precarious situations, but he is also deft at painting those moments on the page." * Scottish Field *

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Book SynopsisWinner of the Stanford Dolman Lifetime Contribution to Travel Writing Award 2020Paul Theroux left Victoria Station on a rainy Saturday in April thinking that taking eight trains across Europe, Eastern Europe, the USSR and Mongolia would be the easy way to get to the Chinese border - the relaxing way, even. He would read a little, take notes, eat regular meals and gaze contentedly out of windows. The reality, of course, was very different.In fact, Theroux experienced a decidedly odd and unexpected trip to China that set the challenging tone for his epic year-long rail journey around that vast, inscrutable land - a journey which involved riding nearly every train in the country. ''Wry, humorful and occasionally querulous ... as Theroux makes excruciatingly clear, travelling alone in the Middle Kingdom is not for the faint of heart or stomach'' Time.Table of ContentsThe train to Mongolia; the inner Mongolian express to Datong; train number 24; night train number 90 to Peking; the Shanghai Express; the fast train to Canton; train number 324 to Hohhot and Lanzhou; the iron rooster; train number 104 to Xian; the express to Chengdu; the halt at Emei Shan; train number 209 to Kunming; the fast train to Guilin - Number 80; the slow train to Changsha and Shaoshan "Where the Sun Rises"; the Peking express - train number 16; the internatinal express to Harbin - train number 17; the slow train to Langxiang - number 295; the boat train to Dalian - number 92; on the "Lake of Heaven" to Yantai; the slow train to Quingdao - number 508; the Shandong express to Shanghai - train number 234; the night train to Xiamen - number 375; The Qunghai local to Xining - Number 275; the train to Tibet.

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Book SynopsisThe third spellbinding volume in the series begun by A Year in Provence, ENCORE PROVENCE continues the account of an English couple''s life abroad. Among other curiosities, explore a school for noses in Haute Provence, the mysterious death of an oversexed butcher, the quest for the finest bouillabaisse and an assortment of the characters who lie in wait in bars and on boules courts. And, of course, the essential importance of lunch. BON APPETIT!''One of the most successful travel books of all time... Mayle created anew travel genre'' GuardianDelightful'' Washington Post''Engaging, funny and richlyappreciative'' New York Times Book Review''Stylish, witty, delightfully readable'' SundayTimes

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Book Synopsis''You''ve had some pretty crazy ideas in your life, Newby, but this is the craziest.'' Grandmother Wanda Newby was exasperated after continuous rain, snow, and gales that knocked from her bike. Twice.To avoid other tourists, Eric Newby had decided that the depths of winter would be the very best time to explore Ireland by mountain bike. More astonishing still, he managed to persuade Wanda, his long-suffering wife and life-long co-traveller, to accompany him - mainly, she admitted, to ''keep him out of trouble''. Lashed by winter storms, fuelled by Guinness and warmed by thermal underwear, their panniers laden with antique books on Ireland, the elderly adventurers cycle the highways and byways, encountering hospitable locals, swaying saints and ferocious dogs.From the shores of Donegal to the holy mountains, Newby guides the reader on a tale of mishap and magic, all in his own peculiar style of humour and charm, relishing his never-ending curiosity of the world and his insatiable quest Trade Review'Funny, revealing and thoroughly enjoyable' Irish Independent 'Another delightful book – and one, surely, without risk of imitation' Sunday Times 'A relaxed and affectionate book' Irish Times 'Hilarious Gaelic gallimaufry put together by that prince among travel writers, the literary conqueror of the Hindu Kush' Daily Telegraph 'His eternal curiosity in common humanity, his love of obscure facts and random delving into byways of history, mean that he is always entertaining. He carries his readers with him, effortlessly sharing his own enthusiasm' Literary Review 'Although he deplores the increasing uniformity of travel, he writes and travels with a sense of wonder that his 68 years have failed to diminish' Scotsman

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Book SynopsisBestselling author Christopher Winn takes us on a captivating journey around London to discover the unknown tales of our capital''s history. Travelling through the villages and districts that make up the world''s most dynamic metropolis I Never Knew That About London unearths the hidden gems of legends, firsts, inventions, adventures and birthplaces that shape the city''s compelling, and at times, turbulent past. See the Chelsea river views that inspired Turner in his final years and find out where London''s first nude statue is. Explore London''s finest country house in Charlton and unearth the secrets of the Mother of Parliaments . Spy out the village that gave its name to a car and the Russian word for railway station. Discover which church steeple gave us the design of the traditional wedding cake, where the sandwich was invented and where in Bond Street you can see London''s oldest artefact. Visit the house where Handel and Jimi Hendrix both lived. Climb the famTrade ReviewA delightful and informative addition to the capital's literary legacy...I Never Knew that about London will not fail to enhance months, even years, of gentle urban exploration...Any number of morning or weekend outings can be constructed from these rich pages...Winn's touch is always light, and his knowledge is never overbearing, so the selections and observations remain unfailingly interesting -- Rory MacLean * Guardian online *

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Book SynopsisSalman Rushdie is the author of ten novels, one collection of short stories, three works of non-fiction, and the co-editor of The Vintage Book of Indian Writing. In 1993 Midnight's Children was judged to be the Best of the Booker, the best novel to have won the Booker Prize in its forty year history. The Moor's Last Sigh won the Whitbread Prize in 1995 and the European Union's Aristeion Prize for Literature in 1996. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and a Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres.Trade ReviewStirring and original * New York Times *A vivid and probing introduction for perplexed outsiders * Newsday *Salman Rushdie's extraordinary book...is a masterpiece of sympathetic yet critical reporting, graced with his marvellous wit, quietly assertive style, odd and yet always revealing experiences -- Edward Said

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Book SynopsisUnafraid of a challenge, Lois Pryce began the kind of adventure most of us could only ever dream of. She put on her sparkly crash helmet, armed herself with maps and a baffling array of visas, and got on her bike. Destination: Cape Town - and the small matter of tackling the Sahara, war-torn Angola and the Congo Basin along the way - this feisty independent woman''s grand trek through the Dark Continent of Africa is the definitive motorcycling adventure.Colourful and hilarious, Red Tape and White Knuckles is an action-packed tale about following your dreams that will have you packing your bags and jetting off into the sunset on your own adventure before you know it.Trade ReviewLois Pryce knows what it takes to be a fun, fearless female. She rode solo from London to Cape Town, with the barest of essentials * Cosmopolitan *A natural storyteller, she brings the African landscape to life in this funny, fast-paced travelogue * Sainsbury's Magazine *A gutsy tale of one woman and her bike, told with vigour and honesty....she manages to make the journey an enjoyable experience and a solid read. There are the usual chaotic scenes of jumble in border towns, and heart-warming tales of help en route. But there are also some genuinely chilling episodes and these make the book, and perhaps the journey, all too authentic * Irish Times *Lois Pryce defied convention when she decided to travel from London to Cape Town by motorcycle. Red Tape and White Knuckles reads like a non-fiction chick-lit adventure as the pasty skinned, heatstroke prone Pryce deals with cultural differences, Africa's troublesome roads and the company of various travellers she meets along the way * Metro *I really enjoyed this book...every chapter is filled with adventure and anecdotes about the people and situations she encounters along the way. It's a mix of hair-raising incidents, humorous episodes and serious insight into the history and cultural differences she experiences across the African continent. A travelogue with a difference, this would be a great read for the armchair adventurer, someone planning an African expedition or anyone who simply enjoys a good story! * Candis *

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Book SynopsisGuy Grieve''s life was going nowhere - trapped in a job he hated, commuting 2,000 miles a month and up to his neck in debt. But he dreamed of escaping it all to live alone in one of the wildest, most remote places on earth - Alaska. And just when he''d given up hope, the dream came true. Suddenly Guy was thrown into one of the harshest environments in the world, miles from the nearest human being and armed with only the most basic equipment. And he soon found - whether building a log cabin from scratch, hunting, ice fishing or of course dodging bears in the buff - that life in the wilderness was anything but easy...Part Ray Mears, part Bill Bryson, CALL OF THE WILD is the gripping story of how a mild-mannered commuter struggled with the elements - and himself - and eventually learned the ways of the wild.Trade Review'Guy Grieve jacked in his desk job to spend a year alone in the Alaskan wilderness. With only moose, bears and wolves for company, he survived freezing temperatures, built a log cabin, learned to hunt and handle a dog team and had several brushes with death.' * Metro *'The book captures Grieve's maverick adventure, and has an energy and pace to it, a compelling, rushing quality, like a dog sled chasing through the snowscape . . . also has a real flavour of the frontier, told by a man who shoots a hole in his roof for a chimney with his shotgun, and puts a recipe for beaver ribs and pea soup in the end notes. CALL OF THE WILD may be the perfect present to give your dreamy spouse for Christmas, but you risk him stealing out of the house at 2am with his snowshoes on. One awaits his next adventure with anticipation.' * Scotsman *'Hilarious' * Daily Mail *'A wild adventure' * Independent *

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Book SynopsisPassionate, affectionate and indefatigably curious, In Search of England makes a journey around the English countryside and character. England is the most various of countries; within its borders, life changes mile on mile. Roy Hattersley celebrates crumbling churches and serene Victorian architecture, magnificent hills and wind-whipped coast, our music, theatre and local customs, and, above all, the quirky good humour and resilience of England''s denizens. In Search of England is an unapologetic love story, a paean of praise for all the fascinating variety and flavour of England''s places and people.

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Book SynopsisFollowing in the footsteps of the Inca Trail.

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Book SynopsisMonocle heads north in this celebration of all things Nordic.

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Book SynopsisIn 2008, Mark Beaumont smashed the world record for cycling around the world, by an astonishing 81 days. His race against the clock took him through the toughest terrain and the most demanding of conditions. In 2009, Mark set out on his second ultra-endurance challenge. And this one would involve some very big mountains.The Man Who Cycled the Americas tells the story of a 15,000 mile expedition that once again broke the barriers of human achievement. To pedal the longest mountain range on the planet, solo and unsupported, presented its own unique difficulties. But no man had ever previously summited the continents'' two highest peaks, Mt McKinley in Alaska and Aconcagua in Argentina, in the same climbing season, let alone cycling between them. Oh, and Mark had never even been up Ben Nevis before.Full of his trademark charm, warmth and fascination with seeing the world at the pace of a bicycle, Mark Beaumont''s second book is a testament to his love of adventurTrade ReviewInteresting, engaging and truly knackering just reading about it * London Cyclist *One of the highlights of Beaumont's writing is the way he captures the subtle nuances of life... a brilliant read that really captured my imagination -- Mary Bor * curiousbookfans.co.uk *

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Book SynopsisThe inspiring story of one man''s record-breaking cycle around the world.On Monday 18th September 2017, Mark Beaumont pedalled through the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. 78 days, 14 hours and 40 minutes earlier he set off from the same point, beginning his attempt to circumnavigate the world in record time. Covering more than 18,000 miles and cycling through some of the harshest conditions one man and his bicycle can endure, Mark made history. He smashed two Guinness World Records and beat the previous record by an astonishing 45 days. Around the World in 80 Days is the story of Mark''s amazing achievement - one which redefines the limits of human endurance. It is also an insight into the mind of an elite athlete and the physical limits of the human body, as well as a kaleidoscopic tour of the world from a very unique perspective; inspired by Jules Verne''s classic adventure novel, Mark begins his journey in Paris and cycles through Europe, Russia, MTrade ReviewFollowing the most impressive attempt yet on the round-the-world record, Mark Beaumont has produced a book to match. Around the World in 80 Days will leave you in awe at the enormity of the challenge that he set himself – and the extent of his preparation. * Road.cc *

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Book SynopsisAfter twelve years in Spain, Jason Webster had developed a deep love for his adopted homeland; his life there seemed complete. But when he and his Spanish wife moved into an idyllic old farmhouse in the mountains north of Valencia, by chance he found an unmarked mass grave from the Spanish Civil War on his doorstep.Spurred to investigate the history of the Civil War, a topic many of his Spanish friends still seemed to treat as taboo, he began to uncover a darker side to the country. Witness to a brutal fist-fight sponsored by remnants of Franco''s Falangists, arrested and threatened by the police in the former HQ of the Spanish Foreign Legion, sheltered by a beautiful transvestite, shunned by locals, haunted by ghosts and finally robbed of his identity, Webster encountered a legacy of cruelty and violence that seems to linger on seventy years after the bloody events of that war.As in Webster''s previous books, Duende and Andalus, Guerra! reveals the esseTrade ReviewAn absorbing book that conveys the raw Spanish experience - its heat, dust, light and shade - with rare and startling actuality. Admirers of his first two books will have their high regard confirmed by this one. Newcomers should start here. They will not be disappointed * Literary Review *Written with considerable power and beauty * The Sunday Times *The term "romantic traveller", once used indiscriminately by Spaniards to describe any foreigner with a passionate interest in Spain, seems particularly applicable to Jason Webster... you are likely to be seduced by his powers as a storyteller * Independent *Squarely in the Almodovarian reality of contemporary Spain... goes straight to the heart * Tomas Graves *Webster's surely right to see the legacy of the war in terms of - often turbulent - undercurrents; for him it informs a little-known and largely nasty side of Spain... revelatory and rings true * The Scotsman *

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Book SynopsisBrought up in England, Jason Webster has lived for many years in Spain. His acclaimed non-fiction books about Spain include Duende: A Journey in Search of Flamenco; Andalus: Unlocking the Secrets of Moorish Spain; Guerra: Living in the Shadows of the Spanish Civil War; Sacred Sierra: A Year on a Spanish Mountain and The Spy with 29 Names. His Max Cámara series of crime novels started with Or the Bull Kills You, which was was longlisted for the CWA Specsavers Crime Thriller Awards New Blood Dagger 2011. This was followed by A Death in Valencia, The Anarchist Detective, Blood Med and A Body in Barcelona. Trade ReviewThe autobiography-as-travelogue that is also a rite of passage is a form which worked brilliantly for Laurie Lee and Bruce Chatwin - both novelists as well as seekers after the truth-behind-the-truth. Ladies and gentlemen, we have a new star of the genre: Jason Webster * Daily Mail *His descriptions of troubled modern day Spain are mesmerising, but the greater curiosity is in seeing just how much trouble the confused innocent can create for himself before finding out whom he might really be * Daily Express *Wonderfully told, with enough detail about flamenco to educate the curious, and enough drama and characters to fill a novel, Webster may not have turned out to be a guitar maestro, but his journey is recounted like a master * Wanderlust *Duende is an intensely personal portrait of a country in the throes of modernisation, whose spirit still defies definition * Observer *One of the best books ever written about Spain * Literary Review *

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Book SynopsisLose yourself in this vivid travelogue evoking the historic Mediterranean island of Sicily by the king of travel writing and real-life family member of The Durrells in Corfu. ''A magician.'' The Times Despite decades spent poetically chronicling Mediterranean life in Rhodes, Cyprus and Corfu, celebrated travel writer Lawrence Durrell had never set foot on the largest island: Sicily. For years, his friend Martine begged him to visit her on this sun-kissed paradise, but it took her sudden death to finally bring him to its shores - and he is not disappointed. Joining an eccentric tour group, Durrell immerses himself in the island''s spectacular archaeological remains, and becomes dizzy with Sicily''s rich history: its mysterious myths and meanings. Featuring unpublished poems and illustrated with elegant engravings. Sicilian Carousel is a gem that ranks with Durrell''s finest work.''Readers who have been to Sicily w

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Book SynopsisA wintry Russian adventure from the intrepid, enchanting, entertaining Irishwoman who has travelled the globe for the last fifty yearsTrade Review'It is Murphy's caustic opinions which make this book ...Dervla Murphy is a free-thinking traveller, at once a romantic and a realist, extraordinary for her determination to cross Eurasia at the age of 75 with only her walking sticks and a smattering of Russian ... One hopes that the new generation will inherit her indefatigable spirit and gift for good crack' * Rory MacLean, Sunday Telegraph *'One of Britain's best loved travel writers is back' * Bookseller *What is so delightful about Murphy is her perennial curiosity, her ability to make friends and her powers of description. This intimate and closely observed picture of the far reaches of Russia is a joy to read. It's always a great privilege to travel in the company of Dervla Murphy. * Publishing News *Murphy's great skill is her ability to win the friendship of locals in small town ... she remains a formidably intrepid traveller * James Owen, Daily Telegraph *'To say that she is intrepid is an understatement ... she writes with humour and empathy ... A delightfully idiosyncratic piece of writing' * Clover Stroud, Sunday Telegraph *'Outstanding ... richly illuminated by the blend of erudition and sympathy' * Celia Brayfield, The Times *'I've always thought the underlying strength of Murphy's writing is her genuine awe of people living in extremis, and her stalwart rejection of Western European and US squanderlust' * Louisa Waugh, Herald *'Dervla Murphy is the traveller many of us want to be: independent, insightful and intrepid with an ability to gain something edifying from almost any situation' * Ruby Millington, Daily Express *

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Book SynopsisIn the bestselling Olive series by writer and actress Carol Drinkwater, author of THE FORGOTTEN SUMMER''She writes so well you can almost smell the sun-baked countryside'' BELLA''Her writing captures the true spirit of the people and places she visits'' THE TIMES''A thrilling tale tracing the journey of olive cultivation'' THE LADYTHE OLIVE TREE charts Carol Drinkwater''s colourful and often dangerous journey in search of the routes that olive cultivation has taken over the centuries. Set during a springtime Mediterranean that is evocative and perennial, it is above all a tale of our time.Troubled by challenges her own South of France farm is experiencing, Carol realises new approaches to farming are becoming essential. Her quest takes her south through Spain, Morocco, Algeria and Italy before she finally returns to her farm.Through her travels and vivid encounters, Carol confronts some of the critical issues of ouTrade ReviewHer writing captures the true spirit of the people and places she visits * THE TIMES *Carol Drinkwater has gone in search of olive growers in the west Mediterranean, documenting her travels and travails with good humour and not a little fortitude * CHOICE *An honest tale that brings to life the sights, smells and tastes of the Mediterranean * LIVING SPAIN *Drinkwater's passion and curiosity are contagious...lively prose holds unexpectedly poetic bursts and an insightful account of how the Mediterranean treats a woman travelling alone * THE TIMES *THE OLIVE TREE is a thrilling tale tracing the journey of olive cultivation * THE LADY *Gripping and passionate * GOOD BOOK GUIDE *The story contains some wonderfully evocative vignettes, written in prose that ignites the reader's imagination * GLOBALISTA *A tale of one lady's courageous, unusual and intrepid journey around the Mediterranean in the pursuit of something so many of us give little thought to in this country * REAL TRAVEL *Her writing is often lyrical and unexpectedly poetic, making this book a sure-fire hit on many levels * THE WEEKENDER (South Africa) *One cannot resist Drinkwater's courage and joie de vivre, nor the enormous appetite and enthusiasm for her subject * DAILY MAIL *I love Carol Drinkwater's Olive Farm series about her life in Provence. I read them on the beach, thinking how wonderful a summer in France would be -- Jane Brown * GOOD HOUSEKEEPING *Her writing captures the true spirit of the people and places she visits -- Carolyn Boyd * TIMES *An honest tale that brings to life the sights, smells and tastes of the Mediterranean. * LIVING SPAIN *`the story contains some wonderfully evocative vignettes, written in prose that ignites the reader¿s imagination' -- Jane Duru * GLOBALISTA *Drinkwater's passion and curiosity are contagious...lively prose holds unexpectedly poetic bursts and an insightful account of how the Mediterranean treats a woman travelling alone -- Kathleen Wyatt * TIMES *Carol Drinkwater has gone in search of olive growers in the west Mediterranean, documenting her travels and travails with good humour and not a little fortitude. -- CHOICE'The Olive Tree is a thrilling tale tracing the journey of olive cultivation' -- Paul Blezard * THE LADY *a tale of one lady's courageous, unusual and intrepid journey around the Mediterranean in the pursuit of something so many of us give little thought to in this country * REAL TRAVEL *The Olive Tree is travel writing of the highest order -- Jenny Crwys-Williams * The Book Show, Radio 702 (South Africa) *Gripping and passionate * GOOD BOOK GUIDE *Her writing is often lyrical and unexpectedly poetic, making this book a surefire hit on many levels. * THE WEEKENDER (South Africa) *

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisExpectation meets Julie and Julia, The Yellow Kitchen is a brilliant exploration of food, belonging and friendship. London E17, 2019. A yellow kitchen stands as a metaphor for the lifelong friendship between three women: Claude, the baker, goal-orientated Sophie and political Giulia. They have the best kind of friendship, chasing life and careers; dating, dreaming and consuming but always returning to be reunited in the yellow kitchen. That is, until a trip to Lisbon unravels unexplored desires between Claude and Sophie. Having sex is one thing, waking up the day after is the beginning of something new. Exploring the complexities of female friendship, The Yellow Kitchen is a hymn to the last year of London as we knew it and a celebration of the culture, the food and the rhythms we live by.Praise for The Yellow Kitchen: ‘Rich and thoroughly intoxicating, Trade Review'Mixing female friendship, romance, loss, redemption, and memorable meals, The Yellow Kitchen is the perfect recipe for a flavorful literary feast. With subtle dashes of wit and generous sprinklings of honesty, Margaux Vialleron has crafted a brave and tender tale' -- Kim Fay, author of Love & Saffron

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Book SynopsisTHE NUMBER ONE BESTSELLING HILARIOUS NEW BOOK FROM THE NATION''S FAVOURITE COMEDIAN, BILLY CONNOLLYBeing a Rambling Man was what I always wanted to be, to live the way I damn well pleased. I''ve met the weirdest and most wonderful people who walk the Earth, seen the most bizarre and the most fantastic sights - and I''ve rarely come across something I couldn''t get a laugh at. I don''t think I''ve ever had a bad trip. Well, apart from in the 1970s, but that''s a whole other story . . . When Billy set out from Glasgow as a young man he never looked back. He played his banjo on boats and trains, under trees, and on top of famous monuments. He danced naked in snow, wind and fire. He slept in bus stations, under bridges and on strangers'' floors. He travelled by foot, bike, ship, plane, sleigh - even piggy-backed - to get to his next destination. Billy has wandered to every corner of the earth and believes that being a Rambling Trade ReviewThis cheerful, joyously life-affirming ramble to every corner of the Earth should make you want to pick up your banjo and set out on the open road. On the other hand, we can't all be Billy Connolly, still Britain's greatest living comedian; and we won't usually be accompanied by a TV crew. Being a rambling man, says Connolly, is a state of mind: they are free spirits, enterprising and endlessly curious about the world . . . Full of excellent jokes and engaging anecdotes, this book makes you feel good to be alive. * Daily Mail, RAMBLING MAN *Our greatest living comedian . . . an easy-going ramble around his life and times. What a legend. He does make me laugh. -- Roger Lewis * Daily Mail *Book of the Week*, RAMBLING MAN *An ode to the restless soul, chronicling Billy's lifetime wanderings in his usual charming, irreverent and hilarious style. * The Guardian, RAMBLING MAN *A funny, life-affirming rhapsody . . . The Big Yin is an actual comic genius. He's led an extraordinary life. At no point, however, during this jolly globe-trotting tome will you detect a hint of self-aggrandisement or fake humility. He's just so grateful and delighted. His romantic hippie outlook and generosity of spirit are infectious. * Big Issue, RAMBLING MAN *[This is] not a standard travelogue; nothing about Connolly is ever that straightforward . . . The book is written in Connolly's voice and vernacular, and is shot through with his standard wit. There are more belly-laughs than you get in an entire series of an average sitcom . . . This is no mere celebrity memoir however. Connolly can write compellingly. * Irish Times, RAMBLING MAN *Full of choice lines and amusing anecdotes, this account of the Big Yin's rambling life is the kind of Christmas present that will cheer anyone up . . . Very engaging and good fun it is, and with lots of stories to make you smile or laugh. [Billy's] rambling days may be physically over, but he still rambles happily in his memories of them. -- Allan Massie * Scotsman, RAMBLING MAN *Brings together hilarious stories from the much-loved comedian's lifetime on the road, from riding his trike down America's famous Route 66 and building an igloo on an iceberg tobeing serenaded by a penguin in New Zealand... * Choice Magazine, RAMBLING MAN *Big Yin's memoir of a life on the road is funny, wise - and not pretentious. He squeezes humour from subjects as diverse as yodelling, Keith Richards, and the isolated hamlet ofTuktoyaktuk in the Arctic . . . Rambling Man meanders as pleasingly as the rivers Connolly loves to fish. His stories are thekind you couldn't make up, ones that revel in life's ludicrousness. Is Rambling Man funny? Is it sweary? Of course it is, ya daft f*ck. * The National, RAMBLING MAN *A paean to the wonder of travel . . . if your love of travelling is anything like Connolly's, you'll lose yourself in this odyssey with a difference. It's the world through Connolly's eyes, always alert for the absurd, the exotic quirk, the joy of each new destination. * Westmeath Examiner, RAMBLING MAN *This is everything a celebrity autobiography should be and more. * Scottish Mail on Sunday, WINDSWEPT & INTERESTING *A read that entirely fits the personality of the extreme personality who wrote it, Connolly's raucous run through his life is as furious, funny and foul-mouthed as you'd expect. His stand-up knack for easy storytelling shines through. * Sunday Times, TALL TALES AND WEE STORIES *One of stand-up's great naturals. No one told a story better. * Guardian, TALL TALES AND WEE STORIES *

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Book SynopsisA complete revelation' NIGELLA LAWSON What a wonderful world Olia and this cookbook transport us to' ANNA JONES_______________________This summer, here are the only recipes you need...What is a summer kitchen'? In Ukraine, it means a small cooking space located in the veg garden, away from the main house. Calling on fond childhood memories and countless conversations and cooking sessions, Olia Hercules shows how you can truly make the most of summery ingredients to create new, inventive and utterly delicious plates of food. Her recipes include Ukrainian favourites like: burnt aubergine butter on tomato toast sourdough garlic buns poppyseed cake with elderflower and strawberriesWith each bite more delicious than the last. As you cook your way through generous salads, moreish mains and sweet delights, you'll discover a way of cooking that is both traditional and contemporary, because these techniques and flavour combinTrade ReviewSummer Kitchens is a complete revelation. This wonderful book is such a stunningly beautiful evocation of spirit of place and sensibility, and I long to cook my way through it -- Nigella LawsonThis is an important book. As a record of a way of life that wastes nothing and respects people, land and season, delight in the old ways runs through it like a silver thread. Wonderful stuff, and timely -- Elisabeth LuardWhat a wonderful world Olia and this book transport us to. Pure magic in its recipes and its storytelling -- Anna JonesReading my way through Summer Kitchens has set me off falling in love with Ukraine. I’ve never been there but Olia’s beautiful words, her do-able and delicious sounding recipes, and the snapshots and scenery are all absorbing. I'm so pleased she is sharing these culinary secrets -- Melissa HemsleyPacked with beautiful recipes and photographs of makeshift kitchens that proliferate in veg gardens her native Ukraine’ * Daily Telegraph *For those seeking new cuisines and inspiration, it’s a lovely guide * Sunday Times *In her evocative new book, Summer Kitchens, Ukrainian writer Olia Hercules shares memories of her homeland … Appetising recipes for fresh, preserved and fermented garden-grown produce -- Elisabeth Luard * Oldie *Celebrates the food of those long, hot Ukrainian summers, and the structures in which they were – and are – often cooked * Sunday Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisA Times, Financial Times and Telegraph Book of the Year 2023'Illuminates some of the great trends of our time' - Gideon Rachman, Financial Times'Vivid, urgent and unsettling' - Tom Holland, author of Dominion_____What does it now mean to call yourself European? Who makes up this population of some 750 million, sprawled from Ireland to Ukraine, from Sweden to Turkey? Who has always called it home, and who has newly arrived from elsewhere? Who are the people who drive our long-distance lorries, steward our criss-crossing planes, lovingly craft our legacy wines, fish our depleted waters, and risk life itself in search of safety and a new start?In a series of vivid but always empathetic portraits of other people’s lives, journalist Ben Judah invites us to meet them. Drawn from hours of painstaking interviews, these vital stories reveal a vibrant continent which has been transformed by Trade ReviewThrilling, first-hand tales that explore the danger and ambitions of life in Europe. * The Financial Times, A Book of the Year 2023 *If you wish to know what Europe is becoming without us in its club, you'd do well to read Ben Judah's This Is Europe. * Telegraph, A Book of the Year 2023 *Imagine Ballard and Houellebecq teaming up on a Grand Tour, and you will have some idea of just how vivid, urgent and unsettling this superbly written book is. * Tom Holland *Unflinching . . . a powerful piece of reportage. * The Guardian *An extraordinary series of interviews. -- Rory StewartDeeply empathetic. Judah is an ace reporter with a novelist's love of character. He conjures people and place in a modern literary form he has made his own. There's no romance to this journey across Europe — but an abundance of story which will make you lurch between fascination, laughter and tears. -- Sophy Roberts, author of The Lost Pianos of SiberiaMakes you expand the boundaries of your sympathies and your understanding. It’s an astonishing achievement. * Evening Standard *A kaleidoscope of bright human experience. Moving, poignant and compelling – I devoured this in a day. -- Jenny Kleeman, author of Sex Robots & Vegan MeatBrilliantly vivid. * Daily Mail *Illuminating . . . a bold literary and journalistic experiment. Judah knows how to tell a story and does so with panache. * The Spectator *Ben Judah has the ability to listen and retell, see and describe, feel and convey . . . Judah paints another Europe with intense and dramatic detail – a Europe that you may not recognize, but that you will look for every day having read this book. -- Andrey Kurkov, author of Death and the PenguinAn impressive work, like a chorus. * TLS *Superb . . . a compelling read. * The New European *A hallucinatory tour de force . . . life affirming. * The Jewish Chronicle *Such an ambitious project it automatically deserves applause . . . reminds us that below every system and conflict there are human beings. * Irish Times *Captivating. * Le Monde *A singular journalistic achievement. * The Fence *A fabulous book. -- Quentin Lafay * France Culture *'Poignant and powerful . . . reveals a Europe in a time of profound change. * Diplomatic Courier *Pick a chapter and you will be dropped in the middle of a fascinating tale . . . absorbing and addictive. * Politico podcast *Sprawling, impressionistic, occasionally exhilarating . . . narratives which rest upon the force of raw experience. * European Review of Books *

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Book SynopsisThe English Channel is the busiest waterway in the world. Ferries steam back and forth, trains thunder through the tunnel. The narrow sea has been crucial to our development and prosperity. It helps define our notion of Englishness, as an island people, a nation of seafarers. It is also our nearest, dearest playground where people have sought sun, sin and bracing breezes. Tom Fort takes us on a fascinating, discursive journey from east to west, to find out what this stretch of water means to us and what is so special about the English seaside, that edge between land and seawater. He dips his toe into Sandgate''s waters, takes the air in Hastings and Bexhill, chews whelks in Brighton, builds a sandcastle in Sandbanks, sunbathes in sunny Sidmouth, catches prawns off the slipway at Salcombe and hunts a shark off Looe. Stories of smugglers and shipwreck robbers, of beachcombers and samphire gatherers, gold diggers and fossil hunters abound.

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Book SynopsisLONGLISTED IN THE ADVENTURE TRAVEL CATEGORY OF THE 2017 BANFF MOUNTAIN BOOK AWARDS SUNDAY TIMES TOP 10 BESTSELLERBY THE AUTHOR OF WALKING THE HIMALAYAS, WINNER OF THE 2016 EDWARD STANFORD ADVENTURE TRAVEL BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD''Levison Wood has breathed new life into adventure travel.'' Michael PalinWalking the Americas chronicles Levison Wood''s 1,800 mile trek along the spine of the Americas, through eight countries, from Mexico to Colombia, experiencing some of the world''s most diverse, beautiful and unpredictable places.His journey took him from violent and dangerous cities to ancient Mayan ruins lying still unexplored in the jungles of Mexico and Guatemala. He encountered members of indigenous tribes, migrants heading towards the US border and proud Nicaraguan revolutionaries on his travels, where at the end of it all, he attempted to cross one of the most impenetrablTrade ReviewLevison Wood is a great adventurer and a wonderful storyteller. - Sir Ranulph FiennesBritain's best-loved adventurer... he looks like a man who will stare danger in the face and soak up a lot of pain without complaint. - The TimesLevison Wood has breathed new life into adventure travel. - Michael Palin

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