Travel writing Books
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Land of the Turquoise Mountains: Journeys Across
Book SynopsisA compelling personal journey of discovery, illuminating the Iran that lies beyond the headlines. For Cyrus Massoudi, a young British-born Iranian, the country his parents were forced to flee thirty years ago was a place wholly unknown to him. Wanting to make sense of his roots and piece together the divided, divisive and deeply contradictory puzzle that is contemporary Iran, he embarked on a series of journeys that spanned hundreds of miles and thousands of years through the many ebbs and flows of Iranian history. Rich portrayals of Sufis and ageing aristocrats, smugglers and underground rock bands are all woven together with history, religion and mythology to form a unique portrait of contemporary Iranian society. The thread running through the heart of the narrative is Massoudi's poignant personal quest; his struggle echoing that of Iran itself, as it fights to forge a cohesive modern identity. Land of the Turquoise Mountains reveals a world beyond the propaganda-driven, media-fuelled image of fractious, flag-burning fundamentalism and provides a compelling glimpse both into the heart of a deeply misunderstood nation and what it is to seek out and discover one's heritage.Trade ReviewA fascinating insider-outsider view of a complex country we badly need to know more about. Writers like Cyrus Massoudi who illuminate our ignorance are vitally important. -- William DalrympleTable of ContentsPreface Land of the Turquoise Mountains Notes Bibliography
£14.47
Little, Brown Book Group Off Grid Life
Book SynopsisBestselling Van Life author Foster Huntington shares his experiences - as well as others - living by his own rules in this aspirational book filled with awe-inspiring photographs of unique homes in unexpected places.After spending three years on the road living in a camper van, Foster Huntington continued his unconventional lifestyle by building a two-story treehouse. Foster, like many others, are finding freedom, tranquility, and adventure in living off the grid in unconventional homes.Perfect for fans of Van Life and Cabin Porn and those who yearn for a simpler existence, Off Grid Life showcases unique dwellings from all around the world. Organized into sections like tree houses, tiny houses, shipping containers, yurts, boathouses, barns, vans, and more, the 250 aspirational photographs feature enviable settings like stunning beaches, dramatic mountains and picturesque forests. Also included are images of fully designed interiors
£17.09
HarperCollins Publishers Where My Feet Fall
Book SynopsisThe Independent Best Book for Walkers 2022 Where can a walk take you?Trade Review Praise for WHERE MY FEET FALL The Independent Best Book for Walker 2022 ‘If you think great travel writing is all about moving through places in another person’s shoes, then you need this collection of essays from 20 writers about the pleasure of putting one foot in front of another. From bustling walks through Karachi with Kamila Shamsie, to rain-soaked treks in Germany with Jessica J Lee, every entry comes with its own unique flavour and makes you realise that this most rudimentary form of transport can be one of the most evocative. Editor Duncan Minshull, who pulled the collection together, has written three books about walking, so he knows a thing or two about it’Helen Coffey, Independent ‘A new collection of essays both sprightly and ruminative.. exploring the delights – and the challenges – of the placing of one foot in front of the other. . . Where My Feet Fall features such appropriately sturdy literary names, among them Richard Ford, Kamila Shamsie and Patrick Gale . . . Reading about walking in Where My Feet Fall allows you to inhabit the walker's imagination fully – surely the ultimate in armchair travel’Hephzibah Anderson, Observer ‘This wonderful new anthology about walking and creative thinking’Inside A Mountain, Charlie Lee Potter ‘A beautiful book’Walk The Pod, Rachel Wheeley ‘Another great book by the writer and editor now established as the go-to authority on walking. His latest is a collection of twenty thoughtful essays… twenty strolls around the imaginations of some great writers’Chris Paling, author of After The Raid and A Very Nice Rejection Letter
£9.49
Ebury Publishing The Luberon Garden A provencal story of Apricot
Book Synopsis''The rollicking adventures of an English garden designer in Provence'' Independent ''Escapist reading-magic'' The TimesAlex Dingwall-Main left London with his wife and dog nine years ago for the Luberon region of the South of France. A landscape gardener of international renown he was in search of a challenge - a new climate, a new way of gardening and a new way of life. This is his account of gardening his way round Provence, and in particular, of attempting to restore the secret garden of M-nerbes. Situated high on the plains of the Luberon region, M-nerbes is a famously beautiful village - but this garden had long been forgotten. It trailed down over seven levels, thick with brambles and hornets'' nests, almond blossom and ancient fig trees. It was an archetypal Proven-al garden and for one whole year it dominated Alex Dingwall-Main''s life. From distant dreams came growth and disasters, but ultimately, the garden is reclaimed. From truffle dealers to local mayors, film starTrade Review'The rollicking adventures of an English garden designer in Provence' Independent 'Escapist reading...magic' The Times
£14.39
Ebury Publishing A Piano in the Pyrenees
Book SynopsisInspired by views and romantic dreams of finding love in the mountains, the author impulsively buys a house in the French Pyrenees. Here, he plans to finally fulfil his childhood fantasy of mastering the piano, untroubled by the problems of the world. This book shares his experience on how not to buy a house in France.Trade ReviewHugely entertaining * The Mirror *Funny and irreverent as ever * Wanderlust *A warmly comic adventure * Daily Mail *Hawks is effortlessly entertaining...a delightful holiday read for anyone * Waterstones Books Quarterly *
£13.49
Ebury Publishing I Never Knew That About Scotland
Book SynopsisChristopher Winn's first book was the bestselling I Never Knew That About England. Volumes on Ireland, Scotland, Wales, London, the English, Irish and Scottish followed and he has recently published books on the Lake District, Yorkshire and the River Thames alongside an illustrated edition of I Never Knew That About England. A freelance writer and collector of trivia for over 20 years, he has worked with Terry Wogan and Jonathan Ross and sets quiz questions for television as well as for the Daily Mail and the Daily Telegraph. He is married to artist Mai Osawa, who illustrates all the books in the series. His website is www.i-never-knew-that.com.
£15.29
Cornerstone Travels With Boogie
Book SynopsisTravels with Boogie is the story of two city slickers - one an unattractive but streetwise mongrel from Stockwell, the other the long-suffering author - and how they came to terms with England''s countryside and waterways.First they had to survive against all odds as they embarked on a heroic journey up hill and down dale, with rucksacks full of Kennomeat, along Britain''s longest coastal footpath - from Somerset to Devon, from Cornwall to Dorset. And they did it. Then, undaunted, they took on the treacherous waters of the Thames. Not exactly as Mark had planned, however: this time his companion was to be the delectable Jennifer - but she was held up at the office, and when Boogie was dropped off at the kennels the other dogs complained.Travels with Boogie is a witty and fascinating account of a mismatched couple and of the people they meet and places they visit.Trade ReviewThe humorous travel book we've been waiting for * Daily Mail *
£10.44
Vintage Publishing Chasing the Devil
Book SynopsisTim Butcher is a best-selling author who blends travel with history. His first book, Blood River, was a number one bestseller, a Richard & Judy Book Club selection and was shortlisted for the Samuel Johnson Prize, while his next, Chasing the Devil, was longlisted for the George Orwell Prize. A journalist with the Daily Telegraph from 1990 to 2009, in 2010 he received an honorary doctorate from the University of Northampton for services to writing. Born in Great Britain, he is based in Cape Town with his family.Trade ReviewEngaging...descriptions of walking through the bush, of sweltering heat, sweat and swelling blisters are juxtaposed against moments of beauty...a test of endurance -- Aminatta Forna * Sunday Telegraph *A brave book by a writer of skill and principle... He exposes the toxic cocktail of colonial exploitation, tribal conflict, ritual violence and blood diamonds that spits out regional monsrosities such as Charles Taylor... an admirable book -- Brian Schofield * Sunday Times *Tim Butcher has a respect and affection for West Africa that is genuine and touching, writing in a way that brings out the exuberance and wit of its people. This book is required reading for anyone even vaguely interested in this remote and enigmatic region * Daily Mail *Butcher is really a Victorian explorer and writer endowed with the sterling grit of that age... He is tough and he's honest * Evening Standard *Butcher's book is packed with incident... fascinating, harrowing and eventful -- Joan Smith * Independent *
£11.69
Penguin Books Ltd To Jerusalem and Back
Book SynopsisIn the mid-1970s, Saul Bellow visited Israel and To Jerusalem and Back is his account of his time there. Immersing himself in its landscape and culture, he records the opinions, passions and dreams of Israelis of varying viewpoints from Prime Minister Rabin to a kibbutznik escaped from the Warsaw ghetto.
£10.44
Little, Brown & Company Here There Elsewhere
Book SynopsisHERE, THERE, ELSEWHERE draws together for the first time William Least Heat-Moon''s greatest short-form travel writing. From Japan, England, Italy, and Mexico to Long Island, Oregon, Arizona, and more, HERE, THERE, ELSEWHERE is a sharply observed, funny, and touching series of uncommon adventures narrated by America''s keenest writer of place, people, and sublime connection.For decades, William Least Heat-Moon''s readers have been clamoring for him to gather his shorter pieces; now, that wait is over. A perfect treasury of prose and wry provocation for readers old and new, HERE, THERE, ELSEWHERE is further confirmation of Least Heat-Moon''s status as an American master.Trade ReviewHeat-Moon wanders off in every direction in this scintillating collection of short writings...A master at conjuring place, Least Heat-Moon intertwines primeval geology with modern social mores, gorgeous scenery with tourist tackery, vast landscapes with intricate psychologies...There is a dazzling variety of places, people and curiosities, linked by a highway of funny, perceptive, and generous prose. - Publishers WeeklyHallelujah! William Least Heat-Moon is on the road again...[He] slices down through layers of biography, history, folklore and geology to deliver a place in full." - Bill Marvel, Dallas Morning News[Heat-Moon is] at his finest when in often overlooked places...Here, There, Elsewhere is worth the investment in time, a good dictionary, and open-mindedness. - Katherine Hauswirth, Christian Science Monitor[Heat-Moon's] curiosity and adventurous nature have not dimmed, however, making him a first-rate travel guide. He is an original, memorable word-smith. - Steve Weinberg, St. Louis Post-DispatchThis captivating new collection of his short-form travelogues ... are always greater than the sum of their parts. But the most endearing tales are those closest to his home and heart. - Kristin Baird Rattini, American WayLeast Heat-Moon is truly one of this nation's best travel writers, if not the best. He takes travel writing seriously as a literary genre. An essential title; highly recommended. - Lee Arnold, Library JournalPRAISE FOR ROADS TO QUOZ: "Altogether wonderful . . . Heat-Moon loves the funky byways of America. . . . His destinations matter less than the infectious curiosity he brings to every journey." - Entertainment Weekly"This is a call to get out a map and explore rural America the beautiful. If urban life makes you feel like you're losing your mind and your way, set out to your own blue highway to quoz." - Fort Worth Star-Telegram
£17.51
Pan Macmillan Parisians
Book SynopsisGraham Robb was born in Manchester in 1958 and is a former Fellow of Exeter College, Oxford. He has published widely on French literature and history. His 2007 book The Discovery of France won both the Duff Cooper and Royal Society of Literature Ondaatje Prizes. For Parisians the City of Paris awarded him the Grande Médaille de la Ville de Paris. He lives on the English-Scottish border.Trade ReviewQuirky, amused and très British. -- Julian Barnes, author of The Sense of an Ending'A collection of true stories, culled from Robb's insatiable historical reading and lit by his imagination . . . So richly pleasurable that you feel it might emit a warm glow if you left it in a dark room. -- John Carey, Book of the Week * Sunday Times *This book is the sort of triumph that we have no right to expect to come from anyone in the steady way that Robb's masterly books come from him. -- Philip Hensher * Daily Telegraph *As Parisian and as bracing as a freshly mixed Pernod and water. * New York Times *
£10.44
Pan Macmillan Beyond Belief
Book SynopsisV. S. Naipaul was born in Trinidad in 1932. He came to England on a scholarship in 1950. He spent four years at University College, Oxford, and began to write, in London, in 1954. He pursued no other profession.His novels include A House for Mr Biswas, The Mimic Men, Guerrillas, A Bend in the River, and The Enigma of Arrival. In 1971 he was awarded the Booker Prize for In a Free State. His works of nonfiction, equally acclaimed, include Among the Believers, Beyond Belief, The Masque of Africa, and a trio of books about India: An Area of Darkness, India: A Wounded Civilization and India: A Million Mutinies Now.In 1990, V. S. Naipaul received a knighthood for services to literature; in 1993, he was the first recipient of the David Cohen British Literature Prize. He received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2001. He lived with his wife Nadira and cat Augustus in Wiltshire, and died in 20Trade ReviewSceptical, enquiring, sharply observant and unfailingly stylish. * Guardian *Peerless . . . the human encounters are described minutely, superbly, picking up inconsistencies in people’s tales, catching the uncertainties and the nuances . . . there is a candour to his writing, a constant precision at its heart. * Sunday Times *
£11.69
Little, Brown Book Group Frost On My Moustache
Book SynopsisInspired by the swashbuckling travelogues of Victorian diplomat Lord Dufferin, frail surburbanite Tim Moore sets out to prove his physical and spiritual worth before his sceptical Nordic in-laws by retracing Dufferin''s epic voyage to Iceland and Spitzbergen. Dufferin''s battles with icebergs, polar bears and the deep potations of hospitable Norsemen is a tale of derring-do; Moore''s struggle against seasickness, vertigo and over-priced groceries is all too plainly one of derring-don''t. As his bid to emulate the Empire tradition of fearless pluck in the face of adversity crumbles before haughty Icelandic skippers, a convoy of Norwegian Vikings and Spitzbergen''s Soviet ghost towns, he finds himself transferring his affections to Dufferin''s valet Wilson, a man so profoundly gloomy that ''he was seen to smile but once, when told that his colleague, the steward, had been almost thrown overboard''. As Moore says, ''Dufferin seems the personification of Kipling''s ''If''. I''m more of a ''But... '' man myself.'' FROST ON MY MOUSTACHE is the wretched apologia of a big earl''s blouse.Trade ReviewThere won't be a funnier or more original contender until Tim Moore publishes his next volume ... There hasn't been such a fresh voice among itinerant writers since Redmond O'Hanlon or Bill Bryson got started * SPECTATOR *Regularly had me laughing out loud * SUNDAY TIMES *His is a rare comic talent, and his debut a brilliantly sustained piece of travel writing * THE TIMES *One of the funniest travelogues you will ever read * EXPRESS *Made me laugh out loud helplessly in public, like an escaped psychopath * Observer *A Joy -- Vic ReevesBook of the Year * Spectator *A hilarious journal of sustained sardonic humour * Esquire *
£11.39
Little, Brown Book Group APassage to Africa
Book Synopsis''One of Britain''s most respected television journalists, with a reputation built up over many years of covering world events'' Guardian''Tributes will rightly be paid to a fantastic journalist and brilliant broadcaster - but George was the most decent, principled, kindest, most honourable man I have ever worked with'' Jon SopelAs a five-year-old, George Alagiah emigrated with his family to Ghana - the first African country to attain independence from the British Empire. A Passage to Africa is Alagiah''s shattering catalogue of atrocities crafted into a portrait of Africa that is infused with hope, insight and outrage. In vivid and evocative prose and with a fine eye for detail, Alagiah''s viewpoint is spiked with the freshness of the young George on his arrival in Ghana, the wonder with which he recounts his first impressions of Africa and the affection with which he dresses his stories of his early family life. A sense oTrade ReviewThe emphatic authority that George Alagiah has brought to his reports from Africa for BBC News is just as strong a component of his book * THE TIMES *'Without rhetoric or rancour, his eloquent book places these issues in their true context, and frames some of the major moral questions of our time * INDEPENDENT *
£10.44
Little, Brown Book Group Rolling Through The Isles
Book SynopsisFrom the bestselling author of Jupiter''s Travels and Dreaming of Jupiter comes an entertaining and inspiring new journey round Britain.Having crisscrossed the globe twice, Ted returns to the British Isles to rediscover the country of his youth. The result is a revealing portrait of modern Britain and a witty and affectionate journey back to the past, when Ted would hitchhike across the country visiting friends (and girlfriends).He returns to the site of his old school with its astonishing war time history and visits familiar haunts where he did his National Service and got his first job in newspapers. He also visits less-familiar places. Some inspire him (Winchester Cathedral). Others defeat him (a tax office in Nottingham). As he rolls through the Isles, he discovers that a great deal has changed: busier roads, bureaucracy and, worst of all, the dreaded ''Sat Nav''. But there is also much to celebrate and enjoy along the way.Packed with
£10.44
John Wiley & Sons Inc Investment Biker Around the World with Jim
Book SynopsisThis book is about the authora s amazing trip across six continents and the world economy and society. It discusses whoa s sinking and whoa s swimming, which countries are on the rise and which are collapsing, where you can make a million and where you could lose one.Trade Review"Eclectic and didactic, yet strangely compelling." -- Business AgeTable of ContentsPart I: Dunquin to Tokyo. 1. A flight to Russia. 2. New York. 3. Crossing Europe. 4. Linz. 5. Central Europe. 6. On to Istanbul. 7. Old Turkistan. 8. China. 9. Xi'an. 10. Xi'an to Beijing. Part II: Tokyo to Dunquin. 11. First class in the first world. 12. At the edge of the world. 13. Across the wild Tayga. 14. Siberia. 15. Ulan-Ude, Zima, and Kansk. 16. Novosibirsk and west. 17. Moscow. 18. On to Ireland. Part III. 19. Africa: the Sahara Desert. 20. Sub-Saharan Africa. 21. Down a lazy river. 22. Home of the always victorious warrior. 23. Escape. 24. Zambia and the Great Zimbabwe. 25. Botswana. 26. South Africa. Part IV. 27. Overland Down Under. 28. The uttermost edge of the world. 29. Buenos Aires. 30. Chile and Easter Island. 31. On the shining path. 32. On Darwin's trail. 33. The Darien Gap. 34. The canal to the Rio Grande. 35. Home and beyond. Afterword. Appendix I. Appendix II. Index.
£12.59
Transworld Publishers Ltd The 8.55 To Baghdad
Book SynopsisFascinated by the exotic history of this quintessentially English crime writer, he decided to retrace the trip from London to Baghdad which she made in 1928 - a journey which was to change Agatha Christie completely and led to her other life as the wife of an archaeologist in the deserts of Syria and Iraq.Trade ReviewIf there ever was a lesson in how to construct a travel book, this is it. Eames has the acute eye and polished pen of an outstanding observer ... a splendid read * The Daily Telegraph *Two terrific subjects ... the surprisingly adventurous life of Agatha Christie and the major hotspots of current world politics * Daily Mail *Vivid and atmospheric ... Eames has succeeded in the difficult task of closing an entertaining travel narrative with the brutal conclusions of modern history * Independent *The best travel book of 2004 * Daily Mail *A thoroughly enjoyable read that combines an Agatha-centric travelogue with a thought-provoking journey through a benighted land * Geographical Magazine *
£13.49
Transworld Publishers Ltd A Dog Named Beautiful The true story of the
Book SynopsisFor fans of Nala''s World and Arthur, this is an uplifting and unforgettable true story about how the love of a good dog can save your life.Rob Kugler adopted his chocolate Lab Bella as a puppy - a bundle of fun and love to keep his girlfriend company as he headed off to war. But when Rob''s brother died and his relationship fell apart, it was Bella who was there to help heal the wounds, and make Rob''s life worth living again. So when Rob was told Bella had cancer - first in her leg, which had to be amputated, and then in her lungs - he was devastated.With only months of Bella''s life left, he knew just what he had to do for his furry best friend. Determined to show her the same unconditional love she had always shown him, Rob decided to give Bella the farewell adventure of her doggy dreams. Criss-crossing the USA from coast to coast, making many new friends along the way, Bella taught Rob never to give up and to live each day as thoTrade ReviewFor fans of Marley and Me. * Best *Engaging and sometimes heart-rending ... a certain tear-jerker for dog lovers. Love, devotion and slobbery kisses abound in this heartwarming story of a man and his treasured chocolate Lab. * Kirkus *Give me a good pet story and I'm hooked... [This] is about the encounters man and dog had with strangers who became friends along the way - teaching the reader a wealth about the value of making human connections. * Forbes *A beautiful memoir. * Psychologies *A beautiful, beautiful book. * Jenna Bush Hager *
£11.07
Transworld Publishers Ltd Holy Cow
Book SynopsisSarah Macdonald is a journalist and radio broadcaster who lives in Sydney with her husband, ABC journalist Jonathan Harley, and their baby daughter Georgina. HOLY COW! is her first book.Trade ReviewFunny, touching and addictive * More *British images of India are invariably filtered through the apologetic hangover of the Raj or the ganja whiff of the hippy trail. In this refreshingly cliche-free and highly readable memoir, we are given a blunter, Australian view... frequently wry and thoughtful * Daily Telegraph *Refreshingly ambivilent about the country's so-called charms. Part travelogue, part life-changing odyssey, part love story * The Scotsman *Kathy Lette meets Tom Robbins on a slow train to Varanasi with Bill Bryson supplying the onion bhajis... Very, very funny. Sarah MacDonald captures everything that is frustrating, infuriating and exhilarating about India and presents it in an irresistible package. Will make even the most die-hard atheist want to don a sari and go on a spiritual journey -- Peter MooreSarah Macdonald pays up in the spiritual mega-market... Raunchy religion with redemption on the side -- Justine Hardy, author of Bollywood Boy
£10.44
Ebury Publishing In The Footsteps Of Alexander The Great
Book SynopsisMichael Wood retraces Alexander the Greats amazing journey from Greece to India, searching for the truth behind the legend and experiencing the tremendous scale of his achievements. Using the ancient historians as his guides, Wood follows Alexanders journey as closely as possible, crossing deserts and rivers, from Turkey to war-torn Afghanistan. As the journey progresses, he recreates the drama of Alexanders epic marches and bloody battles. All along the way he finds proof of the survival of the legends surrounding Alexander, a leader whose life has excited the worlds imagination for the 2,000 years. ''Wood tells a glorious story with some very dark shadows.'' New York Times ''Wood is a perceptive, entertaining and enthusiastic companion.'' Sunday Times ''Wood is a lively storyteller.'' The Washington Post
£14.39
Faber & Faber A Writers World Travels 19502000
Book SynopsisIn a wonderfully evocative collection of her travel writing and reportage from over five decades, Jan Morris - a constant traveller - has produced a unique portrait of the twentieth century. Ranging from New York to Venice, Sydney to Berlin, and the Middle East to South Africa, Jan Morris was a witness to such seminal moments as the Eichmann trial, the first ascent of Everest, the fall of the Berlin Wall and the handover of Hong Kong. Offering a tremendously perceptive and highly personal view of the world, she is as much concerned with conveying the ''feel'' of these moments as the events themselves. And, as ever, she displays her unique and inimitable literary style, at once funny, wise and sad. Jan Morris''s collection of travel writing and reportage spans over five decades and includes such titles as Venice, Coronation Everest, Hong Kong, Spain, Manhattan ''45, A Writer''s World and the Pax Britannica Trilogy. Hav, her novel, was shortlisteTrade Review'A matchless collection... Required reading.' Conde Nast Traveller; 'A five-star portrait of our planet.' Daily Express; 'A reminder of just how entertaining, how informative and how thought-provoking a restless, inquisitive, experienced writer can be.' Sunday Times
£13.49
Faber & Faber Coronation Everest
Book Synopsis''Exquisite, powerful . . . I can think of no better way of commemorating British exploration''s culminating triumph.'' Simon Winchester? Coronation Everest offers a breathtakingly intimate evocation of the most famous of all mountaineering exploits - and of perhaps the last great old-fashioned Fleet Street scoop. ''It was Morris who broke the news that a British-led expedition had conquered Mount Everest the day before the Queen''s coronation in 1953 . . . Allied to physical courage in getting down the mountain and a dogged resourcefulness in getting the news home, Morris scooped the world and was launched on one of the most remarkable literary careers in the second half of the twentieth century.'' Guardian Jan Morris''s collection of travel writing and reportage spans over five decades and includes such titles as Venice, Coronation Everest, Hong Kong, Spain, Manhattan ''45, A Writer''s World and the Pax Britannica Trilogy. Trade Review'Morris scooped the world'. Guardian
£10.44
Faber & Faber Coast to Coast
Book SynopsisFresh from her successful scoop reporting the first ascent of Everest in 1953, Jan Morris spent a year journeying across the United States, by car, train, ship and aeroplane. In herwords a period piece, Coast to Coast describes an American identity markedly different from today. In her brilliant prose, Morris records with exuberence and curiosity a time of innocence in the US - when television was in its infancy, the Big Mac had not been invented and the popular song of the day was Chattanooga Choo-Choo.
£10.44
Faber & Faber Contact A Book of Glimpses
Book SynopsisIn Contact! Jan turns her brilliantly observant eye to the human contacts she made, across the globe and though the decades. As a series of vignettes, some only a few lines long, she records hundreds of brief glimpses and fleeting encounters, celebrating the people who helped spark her view of the world and mould her responses. A vast range of human experience is here: most are anonymous, everyday encounters - children playing, a homeless man in Manhattan, a lascivious taxi-driver - but she also remembers celebrated figures, from Yves San Laurent to King Hussein of Jordan, President Truman to Peter OToole. Contact! is a must for any fans of Jan''s writing. Her great sense of amusement, shrewd eye for detail and huge enthusiasm for her contacts makes these episodes incredibly enjoyable - and often profound.
£10.44
Transworld Publishers Ltd A Curious Guide to London
Book SynopsisFrom petticoat duels and lucky cats to the Stiffs Express, Lord Nelson''s spare nose, the Piccadilly earthquake and the Great Beer Flood of 1814, A Curious Guide to London takes you on a captivating, wildly entertaining tour of the city you think you know, unearthing the capital''s secrets and commemorating its rich, colourful and unusual history. Brimming with tales of London''s forgotten past, its strangest traditions and its most eccentric inhabitants, this book celebrates the unique, the unusual and the unknown. Perfect for tourists, day-trippers, commuters and the millions of people who call London home, this alternative guidebook will make you look at the city in a whole new light.
£12.34
Manchester University Press Unfolding Irish landscapes
Book SynopsisThis is the first scholarly edited collection devoted to the work of the Anglo-Irish writer and cartographer Tim Robinson -- .Trade Review‘Robinson comes across not only as a brilliant storyteller and interpreter of the landscape but also as intensely human. Thus, the contributors to Unfolding Irish Landscapes mirror Robinson’s own practice: just as he unfolds the Irish landscape, revealing its history to his readers, so, too, do these scholars reveal Robinson to us.’Leila Crawford, University of Otago, Irish Studies Review, Issue 24.4, November 2016‘The volume is an impressive, ambitious and timely endeavor to chart the depth and range of the career of one of the most influential and original figures in the field of Irish Studies and the philosophy of landscape.’Anne Karhio, National University of Ireland, Nordic Irish Studies -- .Table of ContentsForeword – Robert MacfarlaneIntroduction: Ireland’s ‘ABC of earth wonders’ – Christine Cusick and Derek GladwinPart 1: Explorations in cartography and geography1. Genius loci: the geographical imagination of Tim Robinson – Patrick Duffy2. Catchments – John Elder3. ‘The fineness of things’: the deep mapping projects of Tim Robinson’s art and writings, 1969-1972 – Nessa Cronin4. Documentary map-making and film-making in Pat Collins’ Tim Robinson: Connemara – Derek GladwinPart 2: Topographic writing and narrative5. ‘And now intellect, discovering its own effects’: Tim Robinson as narrative scholar – Christine Cusick6. Not-knowing as aesthetic imperative in Tim Robinson’s Stones of Aran – Kelly Sullivan7. Thirteen ways of looking at a landscape: the poetic in the work of Tim Robinson – Moya Cannon8. Tim Robinson and Chris Arthur: in defence of the Irish essay – Karen BabinePart 3: Place and the Irish cultural imagination9. ‘But his study is out of doors’: Tim Robinson’s place in Irish studies – Eamonn Wall10. Maps, movements, and migrants: reading Tim Robinson though Gluaiseacht Chearta Sibhialta na Gaeltachta – Jerry White11. ‘About nothing, about everything’: listening in / to Tim Robinson – Gerry Smyth12. ‘another half-humanized boulder lying on unprofitable ground’: the visual art of Tim Robinson/Timothy Drever – Catherine Marshall13. ‘An ear to the earth’: matrixial gazing in Tim Robinson’s walk-art-text practice – Moynagh Sullivan14. Essayist of place: postcolonialism and ecology in the work of Tim Robinson – Eóin FlanneryEpilogue: On the rocks road – Andrew McNeillieBibliography Index
£23.75
John Murray Press The Man Who Invented History
Book SynopsisA sensational blend of travel and history in the spirit of the man who invented it.Trade Review'Inspired' * Anna Kirk, Telegraph Review *'Marozzi is a fine advocate for Herodotus' * Sunday Herald *'Marozzi is a seasoned traveller-historian who pursues his scholarly quarry with the tenacity of a beagle...a rattling good read and a superior work of reflective instruction' * History Today *The most brilliant of the new generation of travelwriter-historians * Sunday Telegraph *'Justin Marozzi is that most precious rarity: a serious traveller who is also a real writer, with a wonderful feel for language, a gift for narrative and an enviable sensitivity and lightness of touch. Brave, romantic, erudite and humane, South from Barbary is a genuinely remarkable debut' * William Dalrymple *'The perfect travel book ...observant, shrewd, patient and exceedingly well attuned ... It is a measure of Marozzi's skill that he handles the big themes of history and the small irritations of third-millennium camel travel with equal charm and felicity' * Financial Times *'Excellent...a superbly rounded and vivid portrait of one of history's most fascinating personalities' * Andrew Roberts, Evening Standard *'Captivating, a delightful and fortunate conjunction between the world of [Tamerlane] then and that world transformed today' * Spectator *'Herodotus may have lived 24 centuries ago but he is our 21st century contemporary and companion - the father not just of history but of comparative ethnography too, not only a brilliant storyteller and indefatigable traveller but also a shrewd and tolerant observer of human fads and foibles on the grandest global scale. Justin Marozzi, himself a veteran traveller and journalist and intrepid crosser of cultural frontiers, does his hero full justice in this scintillating, thought-provoking and entertaining hommage' * Paul Cartledge, Cambridge University *'A tour de force of travel writing' * John Keay, Literary Review *'Intellectually stimulating but still able to raise a smile from the reader' * Adventure Travel *'This is a book of remarkable substance and style, brimming with humanity' * Jeremy Seal, Telegraph *'A tribute to the man acknowledged as "the father of history", who was also the world's first travel writer, a geographer, anthropologist, explorer and moralist' * Bookseller *'This is a book of remarkable substance and style, brimming with humanity' * Sunday Telegraph *'Intellectually stimulating yet still able to riase a smile from the reader' * Adventure Travel *'The Man Who Invented History proves to be a tour de force of travel writing' * Literary Review *It's a good excuse to return to his outlandish stories of war and the exotic sexual practices of forgotten cultures * Sunday Times *'Marozzi sets out faithfully to dog the footsteps of Herodotus, reporting the modern world in its customary warlike state' * The Times *This is a book of remarkable substance and style, brimming with humanity * Sunday Telegraph *'Marozzi's energy drives the book forward ... where (he) succeeds above all is in whetting the appetite' * Financial Times *'The power of the story is the essence of this book and it is to Marozzi's immense credit that his storytelling is almost as good as his mentor's. Together they are marvellous' * Sunday Herald *'A delightful book, fit companion to the Father of History himself' * Scotsman *'A very Herodotean book ... entertaining, engaging and humane' * Times Literary Supplement *'Compelling ... Where Marozzi succeeds above all is in whetting the appetite, making us long to return to the master' * Financial Times *'Marozzi himself is an unambiguously Herodotean figure ... The English Patient ... inspired thousands to rish out and buy the Histories. This book deserves to have the same effect' * Anglo Hellenic Review *'This is a fascinating and rich tale of a truly influential and seminal writer' * Catholic Herald *'Marozzi's excitement is catching,' * Seven Magazine, The Sunday Telegraph *'His enthusiasm is everywhere apparent" * Saturday Guardian *"Marozzi has an easy, readable style...but he does connect the ancient and modern worlds in an entertaining way" * The Observer *
£10.44
Vintage Publishing River of Time
Book SynopsisBetween 1970 and 1975 Jon Swain, the English journalist portrayed in David Puttnam''s film, The Killing Fields, lived in the lands of the Mekong river. This is his account of those years, and the way in which the tumultuous events affected his perceptions of life and death as Europe never could. He also describes the beauty of the Mekong landscape - the villages along its banks, surrounded by mangoes, bananas and coconuts, and the exquisite women, the odours of opium, and the region''s other face - that of violence and corruption.Trade ReviewA remarkable heart-breaking book -- Gavin YoungJon Swain's powerful and moving book goes further than anything else I have read towards explaining the appeal of Indo-China and its tragic conflicts... A brilliant and unsettling examination of the age-old bonds between death, beauty, violence and the imagination, which came together in Vietnam and nowhere else -- J. G. Ballard * Sunday Times *An absolutely riveting book... Haunting, compulsive and beautifully written, River of Time looks set to become a classic -- Alexander Frater * Observer *His book is a damning indictment and a triumphant witness. Brief, wrenching, it is surely the freshest and most sensitive account of those times -- Michael Binyon * The Times *A sombre, magnificent book * Daily Mail *
£10.44
Crown La Bella Lingua
Book SynopsisA celebration of the language and culture of Italy, La Bella Lingua is the story of how a language shaped a nation, told against the backdrop of one woman’s personal quest to speak fluent Italian. For anyone who has been to Italy, the fantasy of living the Italian life is powerfully seductive. But to truly become Italian, one must learn the language. This is how Dianne Hales began her journey. In La Bella Lingua, she brings the story of her decades-long experience with the “the world’s most loved and lovable language” together with explorations of Italy’ s history, literature, art, music, movies, lifestyle and food in a true opera amorosa — a labor of her love of Italy.Over the course of twenty-five years, she has studied Italian through Berlitz, books, CDs, podcasts, private tutorials and conversation groups, and, most importantly, time spent in Italy. In the process the Italian language became not just a passion and a pleasure, but a passport into Italy’s storia and its very soul. She invites readers to join her as she traces the evolution of Italian in the zesty graffiti on the walls of Pompeii, in Dante’s incandescent cantos and in Boccaccio’s bawdy Decameron. She portrays how social graces remain woven into the fabric of Italian: even the chipper “ciao,” which does double duty as “hi” and “bye,” reflects centuries of bella figura. And she exalts the glories of Italy’s food and its rich and often uproarious gastronomic language: Italians deftly describe someone uptight as a baccala (dried cod), a busybody who noses into everything as a prezzemolo (parsley), a worthless or banal movie as a polpettone (large meatball). Like Dianne, readers of La Bella Lingua will find themselves innamorata, enchanted, by Italian, fascinated by its saga, tantalized by its adventures, addicted to its sound, and ever eager to spend more time in its company.
£13.49
Oneworld Publications Black Ops and Beaver Bombing
Book SynopsisFrom central Glasgow to rural Wiltshire, a husband-and-wife team track down Britain’s enigmatic mammalsTrade Review‘Spring has barely ticked over into summer, but I’ve already found the book that I’ll be recommending for the rest of the year.’ -- BBC Countryfile Magazine'If you care about Britain’s beautiful mammals – which of course you do – this hilarious book is a must-read. Weasely my favourite book of the year so far.' -- Dave Goulson, author of Silent Earth'Engaging, humorous and full of fascinating facts you probably never knew, Black Ops and Beaver Bombing celebrates, mourns and champions the wonderful variety of British mammals.' -- Waterstones, Best Books of 2023'You will laugh and learn in equal measure.’ * BBC Wildlife Magazine *‘Delightful… The authors’ sadness is clear, yet the text is more readable because they don’t take themselves too seriously, and scatter the text with memorable details.’ -- Irish Times‘Everything you could hope for in a book about our beleaguered native mammals. Elegiac, informative and funny; some truly magical encounters in the wild; an almost baffled indignation at our institutional and collective failures of policy and imagination; and best of all… some actual solutions.’ -- Peter Fiennes, author of Oak and Ash and Thorn'Packed full of useful information and acutely up to date… As she's one of the ablest mammalogists of our age, it's well worth listening to Fiona Mathews. I would heartily recommend this book to all.' -- Derek Gow, author of Bringing Back the Beaver‘This book is, or should be, a big wake-up call to anyone who hasn’t already realised that Britain’s native mammals are in trouble… Black Ops and Beaver Bombing provides an entertaining and informative look at some of our native mammalian species as well as the wider issues associated with species conservation in Britain. It should be required reading for anyone with a passing interest in our native wild mammals as well as for those who would like to do more to help with conservation. I particularly hope that it will be read by the politicians and other people who are in a position to make positive changes to reverse the decline of our native mammals.' -- GreenSpirit Magazine
£16.19
Eland Publishing Ltd The Hill of Kronos
Book SynopsisPresents a portrait of the Greece the author came to know through a lifetime of exploration. This work is a fusion of experience, a gift of insight from one philhellene to all those who have come to love Greece.
£11.69
Sam Manicom Into Africa Africa by Motorcycle Every Day an
Book Synopsis
£13.99
Sort of Books Paddle A long way around Ireland
Book SynopsisOne summer, writer and musician, Jasper Winn set himself an extraordinary task. He would kayak the whole way round Ireland - a thousand miles - camping on remote headlands and islands, carousing in bars and paddling clockwise until he got back where he started. But in the worst Irish summer in living memory the pleasures of idling among seals, fulmars and fishing boats soon gave way to heroic struggles through storm-tossed seas ... and lock-ins playing music in coastal pubs.Circling the country where he grew up, Jasper reflects on life at the very fringes of Ireland, the nature and lore of its seas, and his own eccentric upbringing - sprung from school at age ten and left free to explore the countryside and its traditional life.Charming, quietly epic, and with an irresistible undertow of wit, Paddle is a low-tech adventure that captures the sheer joy of a misty morning on Ireland''s coast. As the sun breaks through, you''ll be longing to set off too.Trade ReviewDelightfully immersing -- Chris StewartA fantastic voyage. Mad, inspiring, funny and a great read -- Nick CraneI really enjoyed Paddle - a genuine adventure story with nothing gimmicky and dangers understated. I especially enjoyed the affectionately shrewd vignettes of life ashore, the swift changes of mood, the neat little parcels of unexpected information and, best of all, his laconic descriptions of the power and the glory of the sea. -- Dervla Murphy
£9.49
Austin Macauley Publishers You Never Walk Alone
Book Synopsis
£15.29
Austin Macauley Publishers How the Ship Changed My Life
Book Synopsis
£24.64
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Gotham Rising
Book SynopsisOften described as the greatest city in the world, New York is one of the iconic cities of the world. Yet much of its architecture and culture which so defines the city we know today only came into being in the 1930s, in what was perhaps the most significant decade in the city's 400 year history.Jules Stewart shows how, after the roaring twenties, the catastrophic Wall Street Crash and ensuing Depression, New York rose from the ashes and underwent an architectural, economic, social and creative renaissance under the leadership of Mayor Fiorello La Guardia. After seizing power, he declared war on the mafia mobs running vast swathes of the city, attacked political corruption and kick-started the economy through a variety of construction and infrastructure projects. At the same time, a cultural revolution was underway as the jazz age and the Harlem Renaissance took hold. From the Empire State Building to the Pastrami Sandwich and the Cotton Club, Gotham Rising tells the Trade Review[This] book may not be revelatory for many New York aficionados, but its historical digressions, nuggets of forgotten footnotes and the stark contradictions in a city ascendant — but also disproportionately poor, homeless and unemployed — make for riveting reading. * The New York Times *'Gotham Rising is an insightful look at what New York was like in the 1930s. Jules Stewart takes you from the Great Depression right up to the beginning of World War II' * Manhattan Book Review *Filled with enticing details and vivid portraits of the titans who drove New York in the 1930s, Gotham Rising is a delightful romp through one of the city's most dynamic eras. Jules Stewart deftly weaves history with heroes and villains, with fascinating tales of LaGuardia, F.D.R., and Robert Moses, as well as the men who built the Empire State Building and Rockefeller Center. * Eric Schmitt, Pulitzer-prize winning New York Times correspondent *"From its opening irreverent quotations from John Steinbeck and E. B. White, Jules Stewart's Gotham Rising: New York in the Thirties offers a roguish romp through a remarkable decade that in many ways still defines much about the great American metropolis...The Harlem Renaissance, Greenwich Village bohemia, Tammany Hall politics, the Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center, and all the larger-than-life figures directing so much of the action it's an amazing story, well worth telling.' * Anthony W. Robins, author of New York Art Deco: A Guide to Gothams Jazz Age Architecture *Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Foreword by Amor Towles Acknowledgements Preface Introduction 1. Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? 2. The Little Flower and Goliath 3. Trouble in the streets 4. ‘I Can’t Figger What Dis City is Comin’ To’ 5. All That Jazz 6. Gotham Gets a Facelift 7. The Thing about Skyscrapers 8. Seventy-Seventh Floor, Please 9. Anything You Can Do 10. You’re the Top 11. They All Laughed at Rockefeller Center 12. Village Life 13. Huddled Masses Yearning to Breathe Free Notes Bibliography Index
£21.84
Penguin Books Ltd Is It Really Too Much To Ask
Book SynopsisThe fifth volume in the mega-bestselling World According to Clarkson series.Well, someone''s got to do it: in a world which simply will not see reason, Jeremy sets off on another quest to beat a path of sense through all the silliness and idiocy. And there''s no knowing what might catch Jeremy''s eye along the way. It could be:-The merits of Stonehenge as a business model-Why all meetings are a waste of time-The theft of the Queen''s cows-One Norwegian man''s unique approach to showing his gratitude-Fitting a burglar alarm to a tortoise-Or how Lou Reed was completely wrong about what makes a perfect dayPithy and provocative, this is Clarkson at his best, taking issue with whatever nonsense gets in the way of his search for all that''s worth celebrating. Why should we be forced to accept stuff that''s a bit rubbish? Shouldn''t things work? Why doesn''t someone care? I mean, is it really too much to ask?It''s a goodTrade ReviewPraise for Clarkson * - *Brilliant . . . laugh-out-loud funny * Daily Telegraph *Very funny . . . I cracked up laughing on the tube * Evening Standard *Outrageously funny . . . will have you in stitches * Time Out *
£10.44
Penguin Books Ltd Latitude
Book SynopsisTold for the very first time, this is the true story of the adventure that shaped the world . . .''A thrilling story of courage, survival and science. It''s an extraordinary, visceral and vivid read'' Geographical Magazine________Three hundred years ago no one knew the true shape of the world.It wasn''t a sphere - but did it bulge at the equator or was it pointed at the poles? Until we found out no map could ever be truly accurate. So a team of scientists was sent to South America - to measure one full degree of latitude.But South America was a land of erupting volcanoes, sodden rainforests, earthquakes, deadly diseases, tropical storms and violent unrest. And the misfit scientists had an unfortunate tendency to squander funds, fight duels, stumble into mutinies or die horribly.The tale of their ten-year odyssey of exploration, discovery, flirtations with failure and ultimate triumph becomes in Nicholas Crane''s hands Trade ReviewThis wonderfully readable and rollicking story of adventure and scientific exploration is as gripping as any novel. Full of big ideas and even bigger personalities, it's a book that sparkles with intelligence and wit * Alex Preston, author and journalist *Crane has a rare knack for showing people things they really ought to see across space and time without them having to get out of their chair. Latitude applies his trademark blend of pace, rigour and attention to enticing detail, in order to fill in a key segment of historical and geographical knowledge * Joe Smith, director of The Royal Geographic society *Latitude is a thrilling story of courage, survival and science. It's an extraordinary, visceral and vivid read * Geographical Magazine *A story for our times * Eastern Daily Press *An amazing story -- Jeremy Vine
£9.99
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC A Savage Dreamland
Book SynopsisThe first of its kind: an exploration of one of the most mysterious countries in the world, as told by one of the first outsiders to access the country in its entiretyFor almost fifty years Burma was ruled by a paranoid military dictatorship and isolated from the outside world. A historic 2015 election swept an Aung San Suu Kyi-led civilian government to power and was supposed to usher in a new golden era of democracy and progress, but Burma remains unstable and undeveloped, a little-understood country. Nothing is straightforward in this captivating land that is home to a combustible mix of races, religions and resources. A Savage Dreamland: Journeys in Burma reveals a country where temples take priority over infrastructure, fortune tellers thrive and golf courses are carved out of war zones. Setting out from Yangon, the old capital, David Eimer travels throughout this enigmatic nation, from the tropical south to the Burmese Himalayas in the far north, via the Buddhist-cTrade ReviewEimer’s journey takes him to all these trouble spots, including many not reported in the West. It’s a remarkable achievement because most are off limits to tourists and especially westerners … The result of Eimer’s intrepid endeavours is a revelatory and moving book, enriched by vivid descriptive colour and an incredible cast of characters -- James Holland * The Times *[Eimer] has served up something refreshingly different: an old-fashioned travelogue, and an excellent one at that … A rich and enjoyable mix of history, amateur psychology and personal reflection, with a few dabs of investigative journalism too … [Eimer's] sharp, always well-informed observations help to create a persuasive portrait of a country that remains beguilingly oblivious to Western notions of progress -- Richard Crockett * Literary Review *Eimer’s powerful account reveals a country plundered and brutalised during the colonial era and decades of autocratic rule, while struggling to come to terms with the reality of its present ethnic and religious diversity -- PD Smith * Guardian *[Eimer] proves to be an able guide, and A Savage Dreamland explores the beauty but also the troubling realities of Myanmar, offering a vivid portrait of a country struggling to overcome its past, but where things may get worse before they get better -- Kit Gillet * South China Morning Post *[Eimer] is one of the best travel writers to focus on politics and current affairs … During his researches, he interviewed a large cross-section of Burmese and visited areas normally off-limits, including war zones … Eimer’s wide-ranging portrait of a country in straits as dire as they’re prolonged is both fascinating and troubling * Spectator *Explains wonderfully well why Burma today is both compelling and combustible … [Eimer’s] book is a good primer on history, culture and modern-day politics, and on the power wielded by the Buddhist hierarchy … If Orwell could read A Savage Dreamland, he would be impressed by this choral-voiced account of a country where so many, for so long, have been silenced -- Michael Kerr * Daily Telegraph *[Eimer] is an intrepid reporter … He goes to places where tourists, and many journalists, fear to tread … Eimer's book takes readers closer to his fascinating subject * Economist *A luminous journey into the haunted, heartbreaking, dark fringes of the betrayed, golden land -- Rory MacLeanEimer’s informed peregrinations make A Savage Dreamland a fascinating and revelatory read * Irish Times *Eimer is a meticulous, fair-minded and empathetic observer, he takes interest in people of all kinds and from all walks of life, and is adventurous and curious enough to go off the beaten track -- Peter Gordon * Asian Review of Books *A chilling travelogue through modern Burma intertwined with helpful historical context ... Riveting -- Tom Freston * Airmail *Essential reading for anyone with an interest in Myanmar * Mekong Review *
£11.69
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Swamp Songs
Book Synopsis''Bracingly original'' Kathryn Hughes, Guardian''A mixture of travelogue, local history and reportage, Swamp Songs brims with evocative word sketches'' Times Literary SupplementFrom Romney Marsh to the Danube Delta, from Cyprus to the bayous of Louisiana and on to the Bay of Bengal, Tom Blass crosses swamps, marshes and wetlands to meet the people who have made these in-between worlds their homes.Here are true stories and myths of smugglers and runaway slaves, of fishermen, shepherds and salt-gatherers and of tiger gods, flamingos and floods. A dazzling exploration of the precarious lives led where land and water tussle, Swamp Songs is a vital reappraisal and vibrant celebration of people and environments closely intertwined.Trade ReviewBracingly original ... Blass reveals himself to be more ethnologist than naturalist. While he pays respectful attention to the fauna that he encounters as he tacks from the Romney Marshes to Louisiana’s bayous by way of the Danube delta, it is the people he is after. -- Kathryn Hughes * Guardian *A mixture of travelogue, local history and reportage, Swamp Songs brims with evocative word sketches -- Sara Hudston * Times Literary Supplement *Enriching and magical, Tom Blass's writing is a pleasure to read. -- Donald S. MurrayWhat a joy to roam with Tom Blass through some of nature’s most unjustly maligned and underappreciated habitats, where webs of life interconnect wildly and wondrously with human stories. Swamp Songs is a delicious blend of ecology and culture. -- Amy-Jane BeerPRAISE FOR THE NAKED SHORE: A wonderfully bracing journey around the North Sea. His gaze misses nothing, and his robust prose glitters with story and lore and surprise -- Philip MarsdenA hugely enjoyable anti-tour, and a wonderful eulogy to an implacable ocean * Times Literary Supplement *Tom Blass champions a subtlety of vision, a determination to discern the marvellous in the unprepossessing * Daily Telegraph *Remarkable ... I was relieved to find that his work is not of the trendy Thoreau-esque school of travel writing, but more down to earth ... Terrifically enjoyable * Literary Review *Captivating … Rich, evocative prose … Part travelogue, part history book and part anthropological study, Blass’s intensely rewarding memoir succeeds in scattering some light into the North Sea’s cold and murky depths, revealing both its wonders and its indivisible relationship with humanity * Independent *So extremely good that we hope it will bring a warmth and richness to your early spring reading. That said, you’ll probably want to dive into this fabulous account somewhere indoors rather than settling down on a blustery beach * Guardian *
£10.44
John Murray Press Walking Home From Mongolia
Book Synopsis Starting in the Gobi desert in winter, adventurer Rob Lilwall sets out on an extraordinary six-month journey, walking almost 5000 kilometres across China. Along the way he and his cameraman Leon brave the toxic insides of China''s longest road tunnel, explore desolate stretches of the Great Wall and endure interrogation by the Chinese police. As they walk on through the heart of China, the exuberant hospitality of cave dwellers, coal miners and desert nomads keeps them going, despite sub-zero blizzards and the treacherous terrain. Rob writes with humour and honesty about the hardships of the walk, reflecting on the nature of pilgrimage and the uncertainties of an adventuring career. He also gives a unique insight into life on the road amid the epic landscapes and rapidly industrialising cities of backwater China. Trade ReviewThe chapters are short and punchy, there's an unfolding story which keeps you gripped, and the insights into a vastly changing country are fascinating. * Inspire Magazine *...entertains, informs and makes you think * Inspire Magazine *The book was number two in a list of top travel reads. * Cathay Pacific In-flight Mag *
£11.69
Little, Brown Book Group The White Birch
Book Synopsis''A beautiful and profound meditation on the way landscape shapes art and life. I was entranced by The White Birch, a book that comes close to encapsulating the vast enigma of Russia in the form of a single tree'' Alex Preston, author of Winchelsea and As Kingfishers Catch FireThe birch. Genus Betula. One of the northern hemisphere''s most widespread and easily recognisable trees, and Russia''s unofficial national emblem.From Catherine the Great''s garden follies and Tolstoy''s favourite chair to the Chernobyl exclusion zone and drunken nights in Moscow, art critic Tom Jeffreys leads us across Russia''s diverse land to understand its dramatically shifting identity. As we walk through lost landscapes, discover historic artworks, explore the secret online world of Russian brides, and relive encounters between some of Russia''s greatest artists and writers, we uncover a myriad of overlapping meanings surrounding the humble birch tree. Trade ReviewA natural-political exploration of Russian relationships with the birch tree across past, present, and future. Moving from the Tsarina's garden to the Soviet Gulag, from Chernobyl to Lake Baikal, The White Birch is elegant and intrepid, like its subject -- Daisy Hildyard, author of The Second Body and Hunters in the Snow'Genuinely revelatory' -- Sophy Richards * TLS *There could be no better guide through the thickets of meaning, history and imagery that entangle with the birch tree than figurative forester Tom Jeffreys -- Melissa McCarthy, author of Sharks Death SurfersA beautiful and profound meditation on the way landscape shapes art and life. I was entranced by The White Birch, a book that comes close to encapsulating the vast enigma of Russia in the form of a single tree -- Alex Preston, author of Winchelsea and As Kingfishers Catch FireI love this book. Jeffreys admits he doesn't know where he's going at every turn, but trusts his instinct - and his ear for a good story - as he tries to untangle myth from fact . . . This is the great joy of The White Birch -- Mark Hooper * Caught by the River *With elegance, humour, and deep insight . . . The White Birch is a daring, at once sympathetic and critical, experiment in interpreting how national identity is entwined with a tree. More than a book, it is a mirror and a magnifying glass, through which to observe the all-too-human and the other-than-human worlds, as well as, of course, ourselves -- Michael Marder, author of Plant-Thinking and The Chernobyl HerbariumThe White Birch is a wonderful book: at once an idiosyncratic personal journey and an erudite and clear-eyed critical study. Jeffreys is a deeply human writer and a smart and honest critic who here, splitting the timber of the Russian birch, finds his way deep into the Russian idea of Russia -- Richard Smyth, author of The Woodcock and An Indifference of Birds
£10.44
Hodder & Stoughton Mind of a Survivor
Book SynopsisAn inspirational survival memoir by one of the world's best known wilderness experts and right-hand woman to Bear Grylls, Megan Hine.Trade ReviewI love everything about her...but mostly I love her attitude. This kind of calm, can-do mindset is useful in day-to-day life. -- Lorraine Candy * Sunday Times Style *Hine is the real deal. * The Times *Meg is a refreshing proposition. Her new book Mind Of A Survivor not only reflects on her own awe-inspiring experiences, but also the psychology of survival. * Telegraph *This book powerfully uncovers the layers of where people draw strength from in their time of crisis - moving and inspiring. * Bear Grylls *
£9.49
John Murray Press Revolutionary Ride
Book Synopsis''Warm, funny . . . It''s had my whole family howling with laughter and shedding a few tears'' - Shappi Khorsandi, Guardian''A proper travelogue - a joyful, moving and stereotype-busting tale'' - National Geographic Traveller, Books of the YearIn 2011, at the height of tension between the British and Iranian governments, travel writer Lois Pryce found a note left on her motorcycle outside the Iranian Embassy in London:... I wish that you will visit Iran so you will see for yourself about my country. WE ARE NOT TERRORISTS!!! Please come to my city, Shiraz. It is very famous as the friendliest city in Iran, it is the city of poetry and gardens and wine!!!Your Persian friend,HabibIntrigued, Lois decides to ignore the official warnings against travel (and the warnings of her friends and family) and sets off alone on a 3,000 mile ride from Tabriz to Shiraz, to try to uncover the hTrade ReviewFunny, insightful and eye-opening, this adventure breaks down misconceptions and reveals a country of wonder and warmth. * Emerald Street *A warm, funny account of a road trip in contemporary Iran. It's had my whole family howling with laughter and shedding a few tears. -- Shappi Khorsandi * Guardian *Within a few pages I'd recognised a kindred spirit. Tourist-free solo travelling, lo-fi equipment including real maps instead of gadgets, a satisfying blend of action, thought and feeling, well-timed references to or quotes from one of my own heroines since I was a teenager. That central theme - the distinction between government and people - is not easy to maintain but it seemed to me Lois hit the right note every time. -- Dervla Murphy, author of 'Full Tilt'This is a proper travelogue - a joyful, moving and stereotype-busting tale. * National Geographic Traveller *An excellent, fascinating read. * Wanderlust *Pryce writes as she acts, with an easy ebullience, and this makes interesting things happen to her. Revolutionary Ride is likeable because she admits her ignorance and follows her nose. * Daily Telegraph *If you still need to know why the motorcycle is a magical device for revealing the truth about this wonderful, endangered world, read Lois Pryce's sometimes frightening, sometimes hilarious, always warm-hearted testament. That will do it for you. Thank you Lois, so much. * Ted Simon, author of 'Jupiter's Travels' *Lois Pryce writes with all the exuberance and verve with which she dons her helmet and takes to the road. -- Benedict AllenA thrilling blend of action and perception, a gripping yarn that lifts the veil on one of the world's most misunderstood countries. * Bike Magazine *Lois Pryce's motorbike takes her into corners of modern Iranian life that are full of the unexpected. -- James Buchan, author of 'Days of God: The Revolution in Iran and Its Consequences'The story of an epic journey that takes the myths and unravels them first hand. * Motorcycle Sport & Leisure *Long before the relaunch of BA's Tehran flights signalled a thumbsup to travel, Lois Pryce was gadding about the country on a motorbike. * Sunday Times *
£10.44
Orion Publishing Co Hit Factories
Book SynopsisIrish Independent Music Book of the YearGuardian Book of the WeekAfter discovering a derelict record plant on the edge of a northern English city, and hearing that it was once visited by David Bowie, Karl Whitney embarks upon a journey to explore the industrial cities of British pop music.Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle, Leeds, Sheffield, Hull, Glasgow, Belfast, Birmingham, Coventry, Bristol: at various points in the past these cities have all had distinctive and highly identifiable sounds. But how did this happen? What circumstances enabled those sounds to emerge? How did each particular city - its history, its physical form, its accent - influence its music? How were these cities and their music different from each other? And what did they have in common?Hit Factories tells the story of British pop through the cities that shaped it, tracking down the places where music was performed, recorded and sold, and the peoTrade ReviewThe book's a joy. I wanted to move to Hull while reading that chapter and - almost - wanted to listen to Black Sabbath for the first time since 1974 . . . I love the way Whitney makes such creative use of a good walk and I admire the way he makes the people who created the music we love seem like such nice, bright men and womenBook of the Week * Guardian *An extremely important addition to modern music writing * The Irish Times *A fine document of a golden era for music in the UK's regions * Financial Times *An interesting, sharp, swift overview of the UK's pop music history * Times Literary Supplement *Insightful and provocative * What Hi-Fi? Magazine *There are sounds here for everyone * MOJO *[Whitney's] curious compass leads this book on numerous worthwhile diversions. A trip * Q *
£9.49
Pen & Sword Books Ltd The Tapas Lovers Guide to Madrid
£14.39
Ebury Publishing Somebody Told Me
Book Synopsis''Shocking, timely and - as you'd expect from Danny Wallace - very funny'' - Adam Kay''Thrilling, thought-provoking, funny and wise. Danny has an incredible knack for taking the bizarre fringes and rabbit holes of humanity and making them compulsively laugh-out-loud readable.'' - Danny Robins, journalist, presenter of Uncanny and writer of 2:22 A Ghost Story''Danny Wallace lightens this dark topic about lies and propaganda with his trademark humour and gets the balance just right'' BBC, Books to Read in 2024Have you been keeping your eye on your grandma lately? Have you been calling her enough? You sure she's not spending too much time on YouTube? Is she talking fondly of dictators? Has she suddenly started quietly muttering in the Aldi queue about the Jewish Space Lasers she's heard are setting wildfires around the world to make sure everyone believes in climate change? When was the moment the world began to believe anything?
£18.70
Pullington Bogota to Beirut: Halcyon Days in the Whisky
Book SynopsisBeguiled by the eccentric, the foreign and the unusual, David Maxwell-Scott gives a lighthearted account of his time in the drinks business. From his first days in the wine trade in 1962 to his role as managing director of J&B Whisky, David's story spans three decades and five continents, and is enlivened by an engaging cast of characters. A compelling storyteller, David draws from an era when maverick traders and unorthodox marketing often combined to make his role both joyful and hugely successful. AUTHOR'S ROYALTIES WILL BE DONATED TO CAFOD'S HUMANITARIAN APPEAL FOR UKRAINE.Table of Contents1 In the Beginning PART 1 ~ BY WAY OF BACKGROUND ~ 1962-1969 2 A Wine Cellar under Charing Cross Station 3 Camden Town 4 Speyside Distilling 5 Ireland, North and South 6 Oporto and the Douro 7 Jerez and La Rioja 8 Bordeaux and Burgundy 9 Harlow and Stockwell PART 2 ~ EXPORTING ~ 1970-1996 10 Latin America 11 Colombia 12 Andre 13 Venezuela 14 Brazil 15 Argentina 16 Uruguay and Paraguay 17 The Competition 18 J&B Rare: The New Kid on the Block 19 Peru 20 Chile 21 Communication and Travel 22 Bolivia 23 Ecuador 24 The Guianas 25 Panama 26 Central America 27 Mexico 28 West Africa 29 Firing an Agent 30 The Caribbean 31 Hispaniola 32 Dorrien's Boys 33 The Port Game 34 Europe: Beginning with Spain 35 Intermezzo in Italia 36 Franco's Spain 37 Portugal 38 Back to Spain in the Sixties 39 A Cautionary Tale 40 Spain: The First Hurdle 41 Franz v the Professor 42 Spain: Overtaking Johnnie Walker 43 How to Catch a Condor 44 The Magic of Scotland 45 The Million Bottle Parties 46 Cooper Goes to Epernay 47 Publicite Francaise 48 Ignition in Spain 49 Don Rafael's Fish 50 Learning Italian 51 Modern Marketing 52 Lunch in Greece 53 Dinner in Las Vegas 54 Travelling with Great Uncle Bulgaria 55 Return to Go 56 Game Fishing off Cape Town 57 Musical Chairs 58 The End of the Ullivarri Era 59 Emerging Markets: The Third Wave 60 The Old School Tie at Work in Monte Carlo 61 The Power of the Label 62 On Tipping and Practical Jokes 63 The Barons Get the Sack 64 Operation Dunkirk 65 Spain: Was it Just Luck? 66 The Lebanon Acknowledgements Image and Photograph Credit
£9.49
