Travel writing Books

Book SynopsisIt took Kinglake seven years before he had finished crafting this `lively, brilliant and rather insolent tale. The physical details of the journey, undertaken in 1834 across the Balkan frontiers of the Ottoman Empire, through Constantinople, Smyrna, Cyprus into the Near eastern cities of Jerusalem, Cairo and Damascus, are never as significant as the conversations, chance encounters and attitudes of the author. Packed full of an infectious charm and a youthful delight at the world, it is above all things funny as it lampoons the pomposity of earnest, middle?aged travellers seeking to establish themselves as professional authorities.

Read more less

Book SynopsisDespite personal tragedy, occupation and civil war, Powell s affair of the heart continued. She returned time and again through the `40s and `50s, and with each visit there was a reconciliation with her idyllic memories, despite the changing reality of Greece. Both with Hunfry and without, she explored remote mountains in the company of shepherds, isolated stretches of coast and island with local fishermen and olive-dotted hillsides with their subsistence farmers.

Read more less

Book SynopsisWe get to share in his personal discoveries through the humour and good fellowship of the road, full of entertaining misadventures. But there is never any doubt that there is an ultimate purpose to these journeys: a passionate need to bear witness to the truth about the past, after centuries of persecution by an alien ruling class. So through the dense clouds of historical tragedy, Wright exchavates hope that a revival of pride and dignity in Andean culture is possible.

Read more less

Book SynopsisParis, by custom and design, is a pedestrian's city - each block a revelation, every neighbourhood a new feast for the senses, a place rich with history and romance at every turn. The Most Beautiful Walk in the World is your guide par excellence to the true, off-the-beaten-track heart of the City of Lights.Trade ReviewThe Most Beautiful Walk in the World is as close as a reader can get to the feel of a languid spring walk along Baron Haussmann's boulevards. * Los Angeles Times *Anyone who loves Paris and loves to walk will feel this book was written just for them... Charming. * USA Today *A splendid memoir... Reading The Most Beautiful Walk in the World is the next best thing to a Paris vacation. * Boston Globe *Fabulous - the perfect companion for anyone inspired to hop over to France after seeing Midnight in Paris * NPR.org *Westminster's boys and girls were no angels,' as John Rae puts it, 'but they were always good company.' As we follow his campaign to turn a single-sex establishment with a reputation for arrogance, slackness and drug-taking into the best school in the country, the same holds true of the author. * The Telegraph *

Read more less

Book SynopsisLonglisted for the Financial Times Business Book of the Year Award Wealth and power on the trail of the super-rich In 2012, Brazilian tycoon Eike Batista was the eighth richest man in the world, his $30bn fortune built on Brazil's incredible natural resources. By the middle of 2013 he had lost it all, engulfed in scandal. Brazillionaires is a fast-paced account of Batista's rise and fall: a story of helicopter flights, beach-front penthouses and high-speed car crashes. Along the way, it tells the parallel story of Brazil itself, a country caught in the cycle of boom and bust, renewed hope and dashed promise; a country where the hyper-rich are at the heart of the economy - and where their wealth can buy immense political power. Stefan Zweig said in 1941 that Brazil was the country of the future; Brazilians joke that it always will be. Today, rampant corruption and endemic inequality threaten to derail the new Brazilian Dream. The brazillionaires are the key to understanding that dream; through them Brazillionaires tells the story of their country's past, present and future.Trade ReviewThere is no way to understand Brazil, the world's fifth largest country, without understanding how a handful of billionaires shape the country's politics, media and economy. With his profound insights and deep reporting, Alex Cuadros is an indispensable voice in telling this story of excess, corruption and a society torn between hope and turmoil. -- Glenn Greenwald * Intercept *A wild, richly reported tale about Brazil's recent economic rise and fall, and some of the biggest, most colorful characters in business in Brazil who now have a global reach -- Andrew Ross Sorkin * The New York Times *In this excellent book (Cuadros) has managed to use billionaires to illuminate the lives of both rich and poor Brazilians, and all those in between. * Economist *Brazil's shocking rise and even more shocking fall is one of the biggest stories of our young century. Alex Cuadros tells it through the stories of its billionaires - whose genius, hubris and (in some cases) utter folly come through in vivid, human detail throughout this book. -- Brian Winter, author of The Accidental President of BrazilBrazillionaires is an essential guide to understanding modern Brazil, its ups and downs, its flaws and lasting allure. But what makes it exceptional is how Cuadros uses insights into how a particular set of exceptionally wealth individuals in a particular historical context made money to ask a broader question: why? What drives them? How are they different from the rest of us - or are they? This turns this unique feat of reportage into something even more fascinating: an exploration of wealth, what fuels our desire for it, and how it transforms us. -- Juliana Barbassa, author of Dancing with the Devil in the City of GodAlex Cuadros has written a splendidly original book. Brazillionaires gets into the heart and soul of present-day Brazil through the fascinatingly operatic lives of its billionaires, while also explaining the country's unresolved battles in overcoming poverty, corruption, racism, and a great deal more. Written with verve, as well as a merciless eye for the truth, Brazillionaires is as engaging as it is timely. -- Jon Lee Anderson, author of Che Guevara: A Revolutionary LifeThe lunatic, insular world of Brazil's ultra-rich is opened up for scrutiny in Brazillionaires. Alex Cuadros's skillful reportage and vivid prose illuminate the ideology of the some of the richest people anywhere, providing a meditation on the meaning of wealth and inequality not only in Brazil but in the United States and around the world. -- Kim Phillips-Fein, author of Invisible Hands: The Businessmen's Crusade against the New DealBrazillionaires should be required reading for anyone seeking to understand Brazil's one per cent - the billionaires who wield so much influence in Latin America's richest country. Cuadros, a diligent and gifted reporter, does not shy away from asking tough questions as he digs deep into the country's economic and social history to chronicle how these outback entrepreneurs got rich in the first place, and how they continue to support the culture of corruption that has led to Brazil's most recent implosion. Once I started reading, I couldn't stop. -- Isabel Vincent, author of Gilded Lily: Lily Safra, The Making of One of the World's Wealthiest WidowsNot only does Brazillionaires provide a perceptive and entertaining look into the rarified world of Brazil's super wealthy elite, it also opens a window of insight into an utterly bewitching land of stark contrasts and colossal dimensions. From the grit of the Amazon rainforest to the lilting laughter of cocktail parties in the penthouse condos of São Paulo, Alex Cuadros brings all his journalistic and storytelling talents to bear in this important and highly readable book. -- Scott Wallace, author of The Unconquered: In Search of the Amazon's Last Uncontacted TribesAn incisive and entertaining romp through the follies of Brazilian wealth, power and hubris. * Bloomberg View *

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisExplore the deserts, mountains and souks of the Middle East, with best-selling author and artist David Bellamy. Following on from David’s highly acclaimed Arctic Light, this book provides an intriguing and often entertaining insight into South Arabia and the Swahili Coast, Jordan, Lebanon and Oman. It describes the history, culture, customs and geography of the region and the daily life of its inhabitants, as viewed through the eyes of a world-renowned watercolour artist and life-long adventurer. Filled with personal anecdotes and humour, David Bellamy’s unique account shines a light on the Middle East and highlights the incredible beauty and fascinating culture of this much-neglected region. David’s stunning artwork, that he painted during his various expeditions, features throughout the book and captures perfectly the diverse and majestic nature of the region. Watercolourists will be inspired by the author’s awe-inspiring ability to depict sweeping vistas and create a sense of space in his paintings, and to capture the very essence of a place through his art.Trade ReviewIf you thought the Middle East was just sand and showy ziggurats, think again. David Bellamy has always been a travel writer at heart and this book explores the spirit of a region the West often dismisses. His skill lies in finding the hidden corners that define the character of a place rather than its public faces and spaces. He also explores the life of the region through its people as they go about their daily lives; again, these are things done for practical purposes rather than public show. Thus, we get a quiet corner of Cairo at night (David doesn’t completely eschew the larger settlements), the eerie light of midday heat among the rocks of a wadi (a dry valley), where scale is provided by middle-ground figures. At the same time, David also visits Petra and Abu Simbel, somehow managing either to avoid the crowds, or at least edit them out. These results typify his ability to capture atmosphere – in words as well as pictures – with an assuredness that betokens both familiarity and understanding. David is no wide-eyed first-time tourist, and the book tells the stories of several journeys, giving each section an effective narrative arc, for he is also a master storyteller whose words and pictures are part of a whole, rather than one being an adjunct to another. Travel books are often separated between a writer and a photographer whose visions are – even if subtly – different. As a result, you look at the pictures as one piece of the jigsaw and the words as another, the illustrations being a counterpoint to what you are told. When the author is an artist, the images are not necessarily a blindly faithful record, but rather an assemblage that captures both the essence of the scene and the impression it made on the painter. That eerie light would be almost impossible to capture with a camera, but responds perfectly to the subtle hues and granulation of watercolour. The overall impression of this beautiful book is of the narrative arc I referred to before. It’s the story not just of a journey, but of a place and its people and David has done it supreme justice. -- Henry Malt * Artbookreview.net *Following Bellamy's highly acclaimed Arctic Light, this book goes to the other extreme in terms of heat, with a fascinating look at South Arabia, the Swahili Coast, Jordan, Lebanon and Oman. With his usual humour and personal insight, David creates a unique account in words and beautifully captured watercolour and sketches, of this ancient region, its history, culture, customs and geography. There's plenty to inspire the watercolourist here with a dedicated chapter and practical advice on capturing the essence of place and working in the heat with a fast-drying medium. * Leisure Painter *If you thought the Middle East was just about sand and glass skyscrapers, think again. David Bellamy is one of the best travel guides around and he introduces a world that’s filled with variety, colour and spectacle. As well as being an accomplished painter, David is a very capable writer and his career as a popular teacher has always been punctuated by books that absolutely capture the character and essence of a place. Here, he describes and illustrates the landscapes, culture, history and people of a region that will probably be unfamiliar to many. David works in a variety of weather and lighting conditions. He also finds the hidden corners as well as the wide vistas and includes traditional buildings and boats, as well as mountains, monuments and busy markets. Above all, he meets and talks to the people, learning about legend and tradition and bringing to life a world that teems with animation. The book is written as a journey and we learn about all corners of this fascinating area, as well as some of the practical aspects of painting in hot places – how to deal with washes that dry too quickly, blinding glare, suitable palettes and quite simply the etiquette of working with people to whom you are a complete stranger. Merely describing facts can be as dry as an empty oasis, but David is a canny narrator and he’ll take you with him on a journey of discovery that’s full of colour and light as well as stories and anecdotes, many of them more than a little amusing. When I knew this was coming up, I wasn’t at all sure what I was going to say about it: my interest in the Middle East was limited at best. But David has converted me. I’m more of an armchair traveller and I have every intention of reading this from cover to cover. * Paint Magazine (SAA) *David Bellamy is a master of travelogue. Take a journey with him here into a world that will be unfamiliar to many, but which presents riches for both the artist and the enquiring mind. In this enthralling book, he explores a wide area of the Middle East, examining landscapes, buildings and settlements. He meets its people and explains much of its history, illustrating both wide vistas and intimate corners. Although not a traditional tuitional book, the secret to its success is the symbiosis of words and pictures, for David is a compelling writer as well as a master of watercolour and drawing. While many travel books have a tension between the writer and the illustrator, here you are in the same sympathetic hands throughout. David's work is often dramatic, and there is indeed drama here, but also quiet views and corners. Above all, there is light, for the region is about so much more than sand and deserts and presents broad skies, varying weather and deep shadows in both towns and mountains. This is an eye-opening book, filled with beauty, information and anecdote that satisfies the enquiring and creative mind in every way. * SAA Catalogue *David Bellamy is fast establishing himself as a travel writer of the very finest quality. His publishing career began that way, of course, with The Wild Place of Britain, but this and his Arctic book are of a different order altogether. If you think the Middle East is all about glass skyscrapers and sand, think again. There are mountains, gorges and landscapes of breathtaking beauty as well as villages, markets, and above all, the people David meets on his travels. There's light and colour too, but this is a narrative that's told through words as well as pictures, with eloquent descriptions, narrative and anecdote complementing the images of stunning quality that the production here does full justice to. It's easy to dimiss the Middle East as perhaps of only passing interest, but tour de force makes it clear that it's a region whose beauty and variety should not be ignored. -- Henry Malt * The Arist *Table of ContentsIntroduction South Arabia & the Swahili Coast Egypt Jordan Oman Gilf Kebir Expedition Lebanon Painting in hot places Afterword Glossary Select bibliography Index

Read more less

Book Synopsis1969: Loren McIntyre makes contact with the elusive Mayoruna 'cat people' of the Amazon's Javari Valley. He follows them - into the wild depths of the rainforest. When he realises he is lost, it is already too late. Stranded and helpless, McIntyre must adjust to an alien way of life. Gradually, he finds his perception of the world beginning to change, and a strange relationship starts to develop with the Mayoruna chief - is McIntyre really able to communicate with the headman in a way that goes beyond words, beyond language? Petru Popescu's gripping account of McIntyre's adventures with the Mayoruna tribe, and his quest to find the source of the Amazon, is reissued here to coincide with Complicite's acclaimed new stage production, The Encounter, inspired by McIntyre's incredible story. Pushkin Press are reissuing The Encounter: Amazon Beaming, with a new foreword by Simon McBurney and cover designed by David Pearson, to accompany McBurney's and Complicite's dazzling, highly acclaimed stage production inspired by the book.Trade Review[Petru Popescu] gives McIntyre's story the narrative drive of a thriller... a book that suggests new ways of looking at the world and our place within it Sunday Telegraph Blazing tale of mysticism and acculturation Financial Times [An] eye-popping account... according to several excited critics, McBurney's use of the very latest in sound technology has the miraculous effect of making you feel you're right there in the Amazon jungle with Loren McIntyre and the Mayoruna. But for proof that the same effect can be produced by the rather less advanced method of ink on paper, look no further than this book Daily Mail As powerful and mystical as any ancient epic... Travel writing in a class of its own: Heart of Darkness meets Walden The Lady A fascinating tale of ethical and spiritual dilemmas Wanderlust An extraordinary, gripping tale Publishers Weekly Strange and wonderful... Fascinating reading... A sort of Castaneda exercise in mystical and ecological inquiry Kirkus Reviews

Read more less

Strangers Like Angels chronicles the journeys of Alec and Jan Forman to far and distant lands as they embrace their pioneering spirit. Following adventures in Canada, Antarctica and the Sultanate of Oman they set off on the original gap year in the seventies. Travelling in their Land Rover, they use only a map and compass to navigate through the Sahara Desert and tropical rainforests in Africa, back to Europe and out to Asia via the Hindu Kush, and on to the Himalayas. They grapple with the realities of poverty and yet experience surprising hospitality and welcome from unlikely sources. In the confined space of their vehicle, Alec and Jan learn what it takes to support and sustain themselves and their relationship on an exciting and often harrowing journey. Exchange of news through airmail letters to and from England keeps them in touch with family matters. Beautiful photographs and illustrations with maps complement the text, taking the reader along on the journey with Alec and Jan. A light, entertaining read of a true story of adventures, travel and divine encounter, blended with winsome tales to delight the heart, Strangers Like Angels will appeal to fans of memoirs and travel books.

Read more less

Book SynopsisTravelling to the hard-living Dylan Thomas's Boathouse in Laugharne, Wales, psychiatrist Theodore Dalrymple considered along the way another foible - the folly of eminent people. Praised for their attainments in one area, high-achievers are more often than not prone to unexpected failings elsewhere. Enter a large cast of anti- and vivisectionists, surgeons, theologians, philosophers, admirals, judges, astrophysicists, Nazi-leaning homoeopaths, and writers such as D.H. Lawrence, Aldous Huxley, P.G. Wodehouse, and Conan Doyle. In his pithy and amusing style, Dalrymple casts a sobering light on an insuppressible trait of ours - the fallibility of the human mind.Trade Review‘Moves from the elegiac to the entertainingly ruthless in a single paragraph.’ The Oldie: ‘Characteristic acuity about human nature.’ Catholic Herald: 'One of our most celebrated essayists.' Mail on SundayTable of Contents1 Everywhere is Interesting - `I've been to England' 2 Natural Selection - The Staffordshire Bull Terrier 3 Shame - A Most Democratic Institution 4 Pain in the Room - Shocking Pink 5 Bullying - Guinea Pigs 6 Heredity - Twisting Round a Stick 7 Insanity - Paler in the Shade 8 Religion - Strange Positions 9 Free Will - Headless Frogs 10 Respect - Our Own Book 11 Change - A Pugilist at Work 12 Love - Chien professeur 13 Suffering - Drought and Leanness 14 `I feel it more' - D.H. Lawrence 15 Politics - Trinidadian Oranges 16 Causality - Kindred Delusions 17 Siren Questions - Delia Bacon 18 Coincidences - Oversmoking 19 Metaphysics - More Moral Children 20 Genius - The Indoor Aquarium 21 Goodness - The Conquest of Britain 22 Truth - Criticism that Truly Stings 23 Consciousness - `I say, Jeeves' 24 Excess - Holy Fools 25 Roles - Dylan Thomas 26 Hellfire

Read more less

Book SynopsisPakistan's largest city is a sprawling metropolis of 20 million people. A place of political turbulence, where lavish wealth and absolute poverty sit side by side, and where the lines between idealism and corruption can quickly blur. Through the stories of those who know the city best - including a journalist, an activist, and an ambulance driver - Samira Shackle paints a vivid, vibrant and often violent portrait of Karachi over the past decade: a period during which the Taliban arrived in Pakistan, adding to the daily perils of its residents and pushing their city into the international spotlight. Nuanced and fast-paced, Karachi Vice is an immersive, electrifying journey around one of the most compelling cities in the world.Trade ReviewAny of the finely drawn characters in Karachi Vice could be the subject of an entire book - placed beside each other they form a tapestry that reveals a violent, vibrant, remarkable, battered city. I was completely gripped by it -- Kamila ShamsieShackle expertly and empathetically leads the reader in ... the book reveals a city, a people - and through them a country - with tremendous poise and the skills of a fastidious reporter * Daily Telegraph *A blistering tour of Karachi's mean streets, seen through the eyes of the people who know it best. Heart-breaking and compelling in equal measure. To understand the forces shaping the mega-cities of the global south, join Shackle's characters and get under the skin of Pakistan's largest -- Ben RawlenceRemarkable... compelling... This is a sensitive and elegantly constructed book, which offers a moving snapshot of a restless city and its resilient citizens * Prospect *A moving account of the struggles of everday heroes - and of the unhappy metropolis that needs them * Economist *A brilliant portrait of a complex place... in some senses, the book is like a novel: each character is so beautifully drawn that we are in their heads with ease... alongside the brutality is the resilience, vitality and moral backbone of Shackle's five subjects: despite being battered day after day, they hold on to their values, and their character, and in doing so, they give us hope -- Razia Iqbal * Mail on Sunday *Gripping... Karachi Vice meticulously constructs a vibrant mosaic of a city's underbelly, while disentangling the ways in which Karachi is enmeshed with crime lords, gangs, political interests and militants. Samira Shackle's prose is nimble and propulsive, as she expertly combines interview, anecdote and reportage with in-depth socio-political analysis * TLS *Remarkable... compelling... This is a sensitive and elegantly constructed book, which offers a moving snapshot of a restless city and its resilient citizens * Prospect *

Read more less

Book Synopsis"...a fascinating barometer of the state of the nation right now, in the wake of austerity, Brexit and Covid." - Travis Elborough England's seaside is made up of a striking variety of coastlines including cliffs, coves, pebbled shore, wide sandy beaches, salt marshes, and estuaries cutting deep inland. On these coastal edges England's great holiday resorts grew up, developed in the early eighteenth century originally as spas for medicinal bathing but soon morphing into places of pleasure, entertainment, fantasy and adventure. Acclaimed writer Madeleine Bunting journeyed clockwise around England from Scarborough to Blackpool to understand the enduring appeal of seaside towns, and what has happened to the golden sands, cold seas and donkey rides of childhood memory. Taking in some forty resorts, staying in hotels, caravans and holiday camps, she swims from their beaches and talks to their residents to delve into their landscapes, histories and contemporary plight.Trade ReviewA brilliant new book... It is a travelogue, an impressive work of social history, an affectionate celebration and much more besides. But a grim English irony burns through almost every page -- John Harris * Guardian *A poignant picture of life on the edge of England -- Ysenda Maxtone Graham * Spectator *Eloquent and detailed... Britain's island story has never seemed so pertinent * Financial Times *[A] remarkable book, as bracing as a smack in the face by a stiff sea breeze, Madeleine Bunting tours the English coastline to discover what it reveals about the state of the nation today * Guardian *This superb tour of the English coastline is compelling, sometimes exhilarating but also profoundly sad... Bunting's wonderful travelogue offers us a powerful - and deeply dispiriting - microcosm of the whole nation * Observer *This was an epic journey... An ambitious, thorough and hugely readable investigation of this country's coastal fun-palaces * Mail on Sunday *Beautifully written... Our intrepid author, it has to be said, embraces the Spartan version of the seaside... Her trip brings out her lyrical powers and salt-and-vinegar sharpness * Literary Review *[The Seaside] is stuffed with statistics, scraps of conversation, longer interviews, literary allusion and potted history... Bunting is an engagingly dogged guide * TLS *Bracing * Strong Words *A fond exploration of our often conflicted relationship with the British beach resort. Its love for the institution is apparent and tender, but, rather like the country itself, Bunting also finds these locations to be divided and somewhat adrift. Her book makes for a fascinating barometer of the state of the nation right now, in the wake of austerity, Brexit and Covid -- Travis ElboroughI enjoyed this very much. We all have happy seaside memories , and even though Bunting, too, finds the reason for our resorts' decline in in the fact that they were beaten to the sunburned pound and Kiss Me Quick Hat by the Costa This or That, I'd very much like her to be taken at her word and employed to revive their fortunes. Gauleiter Bunting has an authentic whiff of whelk about it' -- Jeremy Paxman[Bunting] reminds the reader of what it is like to be beside, or in, the sea * Country Life *

Read more less

Book SynopsisLONGLISTED FOR RSL ONDAATJE PRIZE 2021 'Terrific... Britain's urban landscape is just as freighted with myth and mystery as its castles and ancient monuments and [Rees] proves it by unearthing a treasure trove of riveting stories.' - Sunday Times, Best Books of the Year, 2020 ----- There is a Britain that exists outside of the official histories and guidebooks - places that lie on the margins, left behind. A Britain in the cracks of the urban facade where unexpected life can flourish. Welcome to UNOFFICIAL BRITAIN. This is a land of industrial estates, factories and electricity pylons, of motorways and ring roads, of hospitals and housing estates, of roundabouts and flyovers. Places where modern life speeds past but where people and stories nevertheless collect. Places where human dramas play out: stories of love, violence, fear, boredom and artistic expression. Places of ghost sightings, first kisses, experiments with drugs, refuges for the homeless, hangouts for the outcasts. Struck by the power of these stories and experiences, Gareth E. Rees set out to explore these spaces and the essential part they have played in the history and geography of our isles. Though mundane and neglected, they can be as powerfully influential in our lives, and imaginations, as any picture postcard tourist destination. 'Unexpected and fascinating' - Melissa Harrison, author of The Stubborn Light of Things 'The mythical and the municipal collide in a weirdly compelling tour of Britain's built environment.' - Financial TimesTrade Review"The mythical and the municipal collide in a weirdly compelling tour of Britain's built environment" - The Financial Times"Rees finds soul in these soulless locations, charting stories and encounters as rich as those found among rolling hills and chocolate box villages. A delight." - The New European"Terrific... Britain's urban landscape is just as freighted with myth and mystery as its castles and ancient monuments and [Rees] proves it by unearthing a treasure trove of riveting stories." - Sunday Times, Best Books of the Year, 2020"Should be required reading in every motorway service station coffee shop up and down this land" - The Psychogeographic Review"A wonderful ramble through the Brexit Britain of today - warts and all." - Elsewhere: A Journal of Place"Essential reading if you are interested in the urban wyrd and how folklore is mutating and developing in modern times." - Folk Horror Revival"Unofficial Britain was my book of 2020" - Paul Cheney, Half Man Half Book"Effortlessly combining urban folklore and personal memoir, history and psychogeography, road-trip narrative and gonzo journalism." - Ends of the World"Unexpected and fascinating" - Melissa Harrison, author of The Stubborn Light of Things"A fascinating and sometimes unnerving book" - Shiny New Books"Dry and often very funny" - Bookmunch"[...] harnesses the personal and philosophical, offering thoughts that are penetrating yet always entertaining [...] A fresh take on vistas some may too readily dismiss." - Never Imitate"You should read this book. It will make you stay up too late, laugh out loud, and then freak yourself out looking out of the window at the haunted-looking binbag blowing past Carpet Right in the dead of night." - Michael Smith, author of Unreal City"An appreciation of quotidian, overlooked and sometimes grotty landscapes; part memoir, part 'hauntology', and a stiff dose of nearness and weirdness to counter the tweeness that afflicts some topographical writing." - Will Wiles, author of Care of Wooden Floors

Read more less

Book SynopsisA spellbinding travel book, exploring the psychology of walking, pilgrimage, solitude and escape.'An extraordinary, dreamlike journey through West Africa' Adharanand FinnAt the age of twenty-seven and afraid of falling into a life he doesn't want, Robert Martineau quits his office job, buys a flight to Accra and begins to walk. He walks 1,000 miles through Ghana, Togo and Benin, to Ouidah, an ancient spiritual centre on the West African coast.As he travels alone across rainforest, savannah and mountains, Martineau meets shamans, priests, historians, archaeologists and kings. Through the process of walking each day, and the lessons of those he encounters, Martineau starts to build connections with the natural world and the past - and, at last, to find the meaning he craves.'Marvellous... A book about how to travel' Jay Griffiths, author of Wild'[Martineau's] story, beautifully written, of how his pilgrimage of sorts changed him forever' Evening StandardTrade ReviewA story of tenacity, told with humility, in a West Africa experienced deeply at the pace of a walk. I loved this book - its thoughtfulness, turn of phrase and lightness of touch as the author escapes one life to rediscover another. -- Sophy Roberts, author of The Lost Pianos of SiberiaMartineau segues effortlessly from practical desert challenges to striking encounters... [he] finds trust in the road and learns to trust his unrest... there is a sense that the waypoints he encounters inspire a new, and encouraging, optimism. -- Caroline Eden * Times Literary Supplement *[Martineau] is fine and thoughtful company for the journey, sensitive to the fraught history of Europeans who have used Africa and Africans as a backdrop for their exploits * Washington Post *Waypoints wonderfully explores how walking animates resilience in times of stress, anxiety and worry, illustrating, through personal experience, how the journey is often our collective human goal. -- Shane O'Mara, author of 'In Praise of Walking'An astonishing dream-like journey... Martineau has written a deeply affecting book which sears itself on the memory like the sun of the western Sahel. -- Philip Marsden, author of 'Rising Ground', 'The Spirit-Wrestlers' and 'The Crossing Place'A wonderful book. -- Giles Foden * i *An epic journey and a book worthy of it. A thrilling and poignant meditation on the elusive reasons for getting out of bed in the morning; a dazzling kaleidoscope of colour, sensation, and time. An important new voice has arrived. -- Charles Foster, author of 'Being a Beast'Terrific... a travel-writing gem. -- Tim Butcher, author of Blood River

Read more less

Book SynopsisA unique title from Bradt, showcasing a brand new collection of remarkable travellers' tales with a different slant, following on the heels of To Oldly Go!, one of the UK's best-selling travel titles of 2015. All the contributors were initially reluctant solo travellers, apprehensive about taking the plunge to go it alone after years of travel with a partner or friend. Some have embarked on the trip of a lifetime, walking or cycling alone through potentially hostile countries, but finding only kindness and hospitality - with a few hairy adventures thrown in. One story is by Bradt founder Hilary Bradt, who confronted her fears and set out to fulfil a childhood dream to ride a horse through Ireland shortly after her marriage broke up. Others are widows and widowers in their later years who were anxious about joining an organised trip on their own or who wanted to make a difference in the world by volunteering their experience and knowledge. Many ages, many personalities, one goal: to travel, and one stumbling block: anxiety. Part literature, part guide, with tips for successful solo travel. Reassuring, entertaining and inspiring.Trade Review'A must book.' Burnley Express 'This collection of reassuring, entertaining and inspiring tales is a tribute to the healing power of traveling alone.' Longitude Books 'Roam Alone: Inspiring Tales by Reluctant Solo Travellers can't fail to inspire even the most trepidatious.' The Simple Things Magazine 'The contributors to Roam Alone are everyday likeable people of all ages, whose tales may well embolden others to set aside their doubts and set off to have their senses sharpened and experiences heightened by traveling alone.' Perceptive TravelTable of ContentsForeword Jan Leeming Introduction Hilary Bradt THE FIRST STEP India - Really? On my own? Sandra Reekie USA - Short Notice Helen Brown Gabon Confidential Ian Packham Berlin - The Unexpected Consolations of Getting It All Wrong Kirsty Fergusson Australia - Of Red Earth and Fruit Bats Amanda Lumley BRIEF ENCOUNTERS Eight Hours in Fiji Matt Dawson Gibraltar and Tangier - Abroad Janice Booth Australia - The Ghan Debbie Parrott A January Jaunt to Jordan Zoe Efstathiou Russia - Taxi Ride in Vladivostok Nicole Teufel FACE THE FEAR Darkness in Laos Ian Oliver Unenlightened in Nepal Claire Davies Morocco - Tea and Oranges Kelly Dignan Philippines - Finding Freedom Hannah Stuart-Leach SAFETY IN NUMBERS Thailand - A Coconut with Three Candles Ian Douglas Himalayas - The Start of a Passion Jane Vincent-Havelka UK - The Social Mobility of Cycling Hazel Pennington Cruise - Not so Solo at Sea Phoebe Smith TRAVEL WITH A PURPOSE France - Getting Going Again Elspeth Cardy Ecuador - Where Everyone Knows Your Name Vicki Brown France - The Wandering Goose Janet Rogers Australia - The Pet Project Jennifer Barclay Mallorca - Doing a Shirley Valentine Christine Green CONNECTING India - First Night Michelle Kennedy Cuba - A Sack of Beans and a Sun-Bleached Chair Mandy Huggins Oslo - Alf Matthew Pointon USA - Guns and Canyons Gillian Gain Mongolia - When the Ice Melts Suzy Pope Ireland - Mollie Hilary Bradt WHAT AM I DOING HERE? Cycling Shetland Pat Smith Italy - The Mountain Retreat Martha Hales Solo Ways in Sulawesi Ella Pawlik Colombia - My Daughter's Laugh Dom Tulett Beijing - A Night in Room 13 Sarah Pope A Thaw in Naples Claire Morsman A BIG ADVENTURE USA - What If You Get Lost and Die? Katie Grayson Madagascar - Beginning Anne Axel Mexico - No Way Back Graham Mackintosh Kashmir - The Road to Srinagar and Beyond Sheelagh Reynolds Asia - Going it Alone Sally Watts

Read more less

Book SynopsisDavid Attenborough, Dion Leonard (Finding Gobi), Dervla Murphy and Brian Jackman are just four of the authors whose work features in this new anthology from Bradt focusing on true stories about travelling with animals. In Beastly Journeys, there are 46 tales of extraordinary animal travel experiences, from hilarious holidays with pets to journeys on which wild animals somehow came along for the ride, including: David Attenborough tries to get an armadillo through Paraguayan customs; adventurer Ash Dykes takes a white cockerel to Maromokotro to ward off evil spirits; Mike Gerrard shares a car journey from Belsize Park to Canvey Island with a python; Brian Jackman rides, walks and swims with Abu the elephant; Bradt New Travel Writer of the Year Dom Tulett rows with a kingfisher; and John Rendall travels to Africa with Christian, the lion he bought at Harrods and raised in west London. Also included is a brand new piece of writing from ultramarathon runner Dion Leonard about his experience with Gobi, the stray dog who accompanied him for 80 miles over the treacherous Tian Shian mountains. A mix of new, previously unpublished writers and old favourites are included, with extracts from writers such as Mark Shand (Travels on my Elephant), Dervla Murphy (Eight Feet in the Andes) and Robert Louis Stevenson (Travels with a Donkey), not to mention Gerald Durrell, 19th-century explorer Isabella Bird and renowned publisher Michael Joseph. Compelling, engaging, surprising, humorous and entertaining. if this book proves one thing it's that travel with animals is every bit as unpredictable as you would expect it to be.Trade Review'Quirky collection' - BBC Wildlife MagazineTable of ContentsIntroduction Hilary Bradt THE AMERICAS From Zoo Quest in Paraguay Sir David Attenborough The Llama that Couldn't Gordon Thompson Running with Parrots Katharine Lowrie From Eight Feet in the Andes Dervla Murphy Barry's Flying Visit Adrian Phillips Pepper Pays her Passage Celia Dillow Just a Dog Emma Laing From The Whispering Land Gerald Durrell Beer and Burras Graham Mackintosh Spinny the Sea Cat Frances Howorth Dapple the Reluctant Donkey John Harrison EUROPE Goldfish Trek Emma Macdonald From Travels with a Donkey in the Cévennes Robert Louis Stevenson Monty in a Basket Mike Gerrard Smuggling Fleur Hugh Tucker From High Albania Edith Durham, selected and introduced by Elizabeth Gowing Polly Kala Mary Johns Understanding Peggy Hilary Bradt From Zarafa Michael Allin One Man and a Mule Hugh Thomson Hedgehogs on the Road Tanis Jordan From The Bible in Spain George Borrow The Show Must Go On Sarah Pope Lost and Found in the Arctic Kelsey Camacho From Charles: The Story of a Friendship Michael Joseph From Me, My Bike and a Street Dog Called Lucy Ishbel Holmes AFRICA Habibi Sheelagh Reynolds From The Sky is on Fire Magsie Hamilton Little The White Cockerel Ash Dykes Painted Wolves Jonathan Scott Annie's Story Richard Kitzinger An Elephant Called Abu Brian Jackman Follow the Leader Suzy Pope Our Long-Eared Holiday Companion Alison Ely From Christian the Lion: the Ilustrated Legacy John Rendall ASIA From Travels on my Elephant Mark Shand Finding Gobi Dion Leonard Kenny Dom Tulett From Unbeaten Tracks in Japan Isabella Bird The Road to Blue Paradise Lu Barnham Rani and Me Harjeet Johal From Across Coveted Lands Henry Savage Landor AUSTRALASIA Piloted across the Indian Ocean Sarah Outen Starboard Michael Howorth Jack Sparrow Rachel A Davis From Tracks Robyn Davidson

Read more less

Book Synopsis"A vivid and intoxicating account of these beautiful islands" - Victoria Hislop. "A must-read for anyone who loves the Greek islands" - Richard Clark 'There's something about abandoned places which moves me and captures the imagination.' So says seasoned travel writer Jennifer Barclay as she walks with her dog and her backpack through the deserted spaces of the Dodecanese, islands that were once bustling but are now half forgotten and reclaimed by the wild due to a mix of misfortune and the lure of opportunity elsewhere. Join her on a journey through abandoned villages and farms, cave-houses and captains' mansions, the homes of displaced Muslim fishermen and poets, as she discovers beauty in the ruins, emptiness and silence, and inspiration in the stories of people's lives. A long-term resident of Greece, Jennifer Barclay spent more than four years researching Wild Abandon, visiting islands multiple times and talking to local people to hear their stories. She travels from the very west to the very east of the Dodecanese, from the very south almost to the very north, taking in some of the smallest and the biggest islands, and highlighting different stories along the way to show the complex history behind these havens of tranquillity. She discovers a villa intended for Benito Mussolini's retirement, an island that links a gramophone from St Petersburg and a portrait in the American National Gallery via a pack of cigarettes, and reflects on the days when an economy based on sponges and burnt rock supported thousands. Wild Abandon is an elegy in praise of abandoned places and a search for lost knowledge through the wildest and most deserted locations.Trade Review"A vivid and intoxicating account of these beautiful islands" - Victoria Hislop. "Jennifer Barclay takes the reader on a delightful serendipitous journey along paths less well trodden in the Dodecanese. She is an engaging travelling companion whose knowledge of and affection for the islands she holds dear shines through. Wild Abandon is a must read for anyone who loves the Greek Islands." Richard Clark, author of The Lost Lyra and The Greek Islands Notebook. "I loved it, it's a magical book; and so great to be taken beyond the tourist enclaves by someone who knows these islands and their history so well. Barclay travels and writes with wonderful energy, affection and honesty and I was transported by to the dusty tracks and into the cool waves with her and her dog Lisa. She travels with a brave freedom that so many of us will envy - a three-day journey to one island turning into a year and a half - and this allows her to dig beneath the surface and tell us the stories, the real stories, of these out-of-the-way places that take time to emerge. Highly recommended... " - Iain Campbell, author From the Lion's Mouth "(Jennifer Barclay's) solitary wanderings, her constant contact with nature. and her attachment to simplicity and freedom render her book exceptionally timely." - Greece Is magazine "Adored this absolute gem of a book. I dare you to read it and not immediately want to move to Greece." Charlie Carroll, author of 'The Friendship Highway and The Lip' "This is a beautiful and well researched book documenting in superb detail the rugged charm, changing landscape, and the tumultuous history of the Dodecanese islands. You can almost smell the wild oregano and taste the saganaki cheese. This is a must read for anyone visiting the area, and for anyone interested in modern Greek history." Atulya K Bingham, The Mud Home blogTable of ContentsCONTENTS Introduction Ghosts and Goats: Tilos The Maker and Breaker of Fortunes: Nisyros Faith in Water: Kos Gold in the Sea: Kalymnos Bee Windows and Burning Rocks: Astypalea When the Bird Flies: Rhodes Bridge of Light: Kastellorizo Clouds over Olympos: Karpathos No More than Stories: Kasos Roads to Nowhere: Halki Enough: Arki Refuge: Tilos Dodecanese History: Some Key Dates Resources and Further Reading What We Leave Behind

Read more less

Book Synopsis'Without doubt JBS, as many know him, is one of the world's most eminent explorers' Sir Ranulph Fiennes, Bt. OBE For over 60 years John Blashford-Snell has been exploring some of the planet's most remote, inaccessible and dangerous places; his name is known globally for his daring adventures and intrepid journeys of discovery. Now, well into his eighties (and still planning future trips), he has gathered together in a single volume a collection of tales from Africa, Asia and the Americas, a mix of mostly new writing combined with some old favourites, extracts from some of the 100 or so expeditions he has led in pursuit of archaeological, anthropological, botanical, biological and zoological objectives. From the Blue Nile to the Darien Gap, the Kalahari to Colombia, Blashford-Snell is one of the most experienced explorers in the world. He has met with royalty and presidents, worked with Clint Eastwood and Sean Connery, been on a quest to find a giant pachyderm in the forests of West Nepal, led investigations into Atlantis and even delivered a grand piano to a remote tribe in Guyana! Mountains, rivers, forests and jungle have been his domain and he has seen some of the most extraordinary places known to man. If meetings with dangerous wildlife, stories of navigating rapid-filled rivers and tales of encounters with bandits are your thing, this new collection from a man who has become an institution in his own right is an essential read. John Blashford-Snell is the founder of Operation Raleigh and of the Scientific Exploration Society. He has been awarded an MBE, OBE and CBE for exploration and has received multiple awards from countries and organisations around the world. For 20 years he chaired the British Chapter of the Explorers Club of America. Films of his expeditions have been broadcast worldwide.Trade Review"A jolly good read - I highly recommend it" - Robin Hanbury-Tennison, Country live "A delight to read and will inspire and educate enormously" - The Pennant, magazine of the Forces Pension SocietyTable of ContentsPART 1 Chapter 1-3 Blue Nile - Ethiopia Chapter 4 Magdala and Dahlak Quests - S.Ethiopia Chapter 5 Wildlife Quests - S. Ethiopia Chapter 6 Desert Exploration - Libyan Sahara Chapter 7 Kalahari Quest Chapter 8 The Mighty Congo Chapter 9 Gorilla Hunt and Adventures in Zimbabwe PART 2 Chapter 10 The Darien Gap Chapter 11 The Lost Scots Colony (Panama) Chapter 12 Panama Expeditions Chapter 13 Atlantis? And the path between the seas Chapter 14-15 The Kota Mama Voyages Chapter 16-18 The Wai-Wai and the Grand Piano Chapter 19 Colombian Ventures Chapter 20 With Amazon People Chapter 21 Drake, Raleigh and HMS Wager PART 3 Chapter 22 Mammoths and Tigers Chapter 23 To the Abode of God (Tibet) Chapter 24 Far NE India Chapter 25 In Ghengis Khan's Footprints Chapter 26 Papua New Guinea Chapter 27 Burma Chapter 28 EPILOGUE

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Taverna by the Sea is an enchanting, funny, poignant travel memoir about answering the call of adventure by taking on the challenge of running a Greek beach taverna. During a walking holiday on the island of Karpathos, a chance encounter with a Greek-American hotel owner results in a once-in-a-lifetime experience for Jennifer Barclay. The best-selling travel writer and long-term resident of Greece drops everything, returning with dog and tent to the remote bay that will form her home for one hectic, event-filled summer. This book offers a rare account of life in north Karpathos in the South Aegean, famous for its traditional community and dramatic, rugged landscape. While primarily a light, engaging, amusing read full of anecdotes, one-liners, twists and turns - perfect for summer - Barclay's fourth book about life in Greece also conveys the life-affirming importance of trusting one's instincts, taking risks and grasping opportunities. Wake with Jennifer to experience a summer of pink dawns over the olive grove and an empty bay, and swim with her in moonlight, hearing only the waves. Or help yourself to local cuisine - creamy yoghurt and local honey and warm figs, olive oil and rosemary, freshly baked bread, and wine on tap. Alongside a cast of characters from farmers to fishermen, mad guests and a wicked witch, meet Minas the hotel owner, a creative, unconventional Greek-American with the ability to fix anything mechanical and create money out of thin air with food, plus a penchant for drinking, singing and falling asleep. Experience days full of music, days of no running water, and days with a goat tied to a tree - but also nights when the overworked taverna manager awoke convinced there was a large fish in the tent, and customers outside waiting to be served. In The Taverna by the Sea, Barclay reveals what happens behind the scenes of an apparently blissful, peaceful paradise, capturing both the magic and the difficulties of island life. Underpinning an entertaining read for lovers of Greece and its cuisine is an inspiring call to live life to the full - and even escape the rat race.Trade Review"A feel-good book to put you instantly in the holiday mood" - Irini Tzortzoglou, MasterChef champion 2019 and author of Under the Olive Tree "Full of enthusiastic, vivid descriptions of the landscape, tender reminiscences of people. a love letter to the Greek summer" - Kathimerini, Greece "This book has changed forever how I see the tavernas by the sea that we so often visit (and love) while in Greece" - mygreektravellingspoon.comTable of ContentsContents The Hotel on the Mountain The Taverna at the Beach Open for Business Hooked Birthday Lunch and Live Music New Arrivals Speedy George Goat Dancing End of the Season After the Summer

Read more less

Book Synopsis'The average woman will live 30 years after menopause. You can have lots of fun in that time. This is our third act, the time that many women learn to ROAR! I'm now marinating in all the things I love most and writing about them.' After retiring from a distinguished career in education and health, Jay Courtney found life rather beige. 'I realised that I didn't know how to do this part of my life' she says. 'There was no route map to follow, only a looming 'Exit' sign, so I went on a quest to find a colour that suited me.' Courtney's métier transpired to blend travel and inspirational writing, combined with a talent for finding others whose experiences resonate. In Juicy Crones she fêtes the lives of women embracing their 'third act' with gusto. Written by a Telegraph travel-writing competition winner and former Women's Hour guest, Juicy Crones is a joyous celebration of post-menopausal women life travellers. 'Crones were revered as wise women, warriors, speakers of uncomfortable truths, carrying with them the wisdom of life' says Courtney. 'As for the 'juicy' part, this is me thumbing my nose at language often used of older women as 'dried-up', wrinkled, barren. Many older women I have met have been the very opposite: beautiful, vibrant, outrageously funny, full of self-knowledge, free-spirited. There is no better group to be part of. What we lack in collagen we make up for in wisdom!' Courtney's debut is a unique title with an infectious enthusiasm for living life to the full, that blends adventure with feminism, women's health with well-being, and autobiography with self-help. This is a book for the UK's 12 million 'crones' and anyone who shares their life, for women adventurers and for fans of Raynor Winn's The Salt Path, Caitlin Moran's More than a Woman and Helen Lewis' Difficult Women. And the first subtitle? 'Free for the Strangest Adventure' is a quotation from Virginia Woolf in To the Lighthouse. 'For me it represents the state of mind that enables a Crone to be juicy!' says Courtney. 'This is when the magic happens.'Table of ContentsPreface Chapter 1 Atrophy, Entropy Chapter 2 Well-Groomed Women Chapter 3 Ariadne's Thread Chapter 4 Reaching Scratch Chapter 5 Starting from Scratch Chapter 6 Hearing Voices Chapter 7 Alex's Story: Poo(h) Sticks at Sixty Chapter 8 Debs's Story: Tea in Hungary Chapter 9 Andie's Story: Lower the Nose Chapter 10 Caroline's Story: Back in the Picture Chapter 11 Ginny's Story: Walking Beside You Chapter 12 Deborah's Story: Laughter Really Is the Best Medicine Chapter 13 Janette's Story: I Am Chapter 14 Jane's Story: Mrs K Eats Her Way around Italy Chapter 15 Jorj's Story: Honouring the Matriarchs Chapter 16 Lesley's Story: A Heart-Led Life Chapter 17 Supriya's Story: Bombay to Björk Chapter 18 Tamsin's Story: Boil. Zebra. Feast. Chapter 19 Peaches and Figs Epilogue How Was Your Crossing? 'Listen' by Melanie Ward Croneography Acknowledgements

Read more less

Book SynopsisShots Across the Water: travel narrative about a young man's African adventure, walking or hitch-hiking from Egypt to Swaziland, and back to Britain. Carrying just 250 and a small rucksack, the author relied on the kindness of strangers to traverse the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic, Cameroon, Nigeria and the Sahara Desert.

Read more less

Book Synopsis"Listening to the gentle lapping of the river, I ponder the strange fate that brought me, a Soviet kid from a small Russian town, right here, to this very table in the middle of the Surinamese jungle on this particular night." From early childhood spend in an akademgorodok (purpose-built academic community) in the USSR, Kaminski has been obsessed with food. Fuelled by ancestral wanderlust, as an adult she put her obsession to good use, contributing to several dozen Lonely Planet and Rough Guides guidebooks and traversing six continents in search of sustenance and something even less tangible. Part-memoir, part-travelogue, "Eyeball Tacos & Kangeroo Stew" explores a life less ordinary through the prism of memorable meals, from sharing burgers with death row inmates in San Quentin Prison to feasting on spam and cassava with the crocodile-skinned men of Papua New Guinea's Middle Sepik, and being adopted by an Aboriginal family in the Outback over a pot of kangaroo stew. Through breaking bread with strangers and travel to the further corners of the former Soviet Union and beyond, the author discovers that her roots stretch further than she'd ever imagined and that kinship can be found in the strangest of places.Table of ContentsForeword by Zora O'Neill Introduction 1 Chapter 1.... DEATH ROW - United States, Egypt Chapter 2 ON TRIAL - Ukraine Chapter 3 ISLAND IN THE SUN - Jamaica Chapter 4 WANDERING JEW - Israel, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia Chapter 5 RIDING THE RAILS - Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan Chapter 6 AMONG THE TSAATAN - Mongolia Chapter 7 JUNGLE DEEP, MOUNTAIN HIGH - Chile, Nepal, Peru, Colombia Chapter 8 RAINMAKERS AND CROCODILE SKIN - Papua New Guinea Chapter 9 THE BLESSING OF BARON KRIMINEL - Haiti Chapter 10 HONORARY WONGUTHA - Australia Chapter 11 DINNER WITH TOM JONES - Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia Chapter 12 THE ARCTIC CALLS - Canada Chapter 13 EYEBALL TACOS AND RENEGADE SAINTS - Mexico Chapter 14 ACCIDENTAL IMMIGRANT - Spain

Read more less

Book SynopsisAmid wars, failed revolutions and the shifting of frontiers, the bit-part players often have the best tales to tell - an astonishing, genre-blurring travelogue from Italian master Claudio Magris.In the tiny borderlands of Istria and Italy, from the forests of Monte Nevoso, to the hidden valleys of the Tyrol, to a Trieste café, Microcosms pieces together a mosaic of stories - comic, tragic, picaresque, nostalgic - from life's minor characters. Their worlds might be small, but they are far from minimalist: in them flashes the great, the meaningful, the unrepeatable significance of every existence.Trade ReviewA haunting amalgam of travelogue, autobiography and impressionist sketch book -- Jonathan Keates * Literary Review *Claudio Magris is engaged on a seductively exciting journey of the imagination, which enriches and enthrals -- Eileen Battersby * Irish Times *Microcosms, in its subtly magical blend of the public and the personal, of the inner voice and the voices without, of the café and of the study, of the hearth and of the world, is a unique and wonderful achievement -- John Banville * New York Review of Books *A haunting series of evocations and recollections... the very antithesis of your run-of-the-mill travel book -- Jan Morris * Observer *

Read more less

Book SynopsisColin Thurbon’s beautiful prose unfolds along the Silk Road, unearthing a richly layered past on his most ambitious journey. On buses, donkey carts, trains, jeeps and camels, Colin Thubron traces the drifts of the first great trade route out of the heart of China into the mountains of Central Asia, across northern Afghanistan and the plains of Iran into Kurdish Turkey. A magnificent account of an ancient world in modern ferment, Thubron covers over 7000 miles in eight months enduring a near-miss with a drunk-driver, incarceration in a Chinese cell, and undergoing root canal treatment without anaesthetic, along the way.VINTAGE VOYAGES: A world of journeys, from the tallest mountains to the depths of the mindTrade ReviewIt is hard to think of a better travel book written this century * The Times *A beautiful and profound travel book * Mail on Sunday *A masterpiece of travel writing ... a classic * New Statesman *Thubron is a very hardy traveller, and a very fine writer...[it is] a book of exceptional erudition, adventure and elegance -- Robert Macfarlane * Spectator *A poetic volume - interesting, shocking and deeply engaging, the work of a mature writer at the top of his game -- Sara Wheeler * Daily Telegraph *

Read more less

Book SynopsisA compulsively readable account of an African country now virtually inaccessible to the outside world and one journalist's daring and adventurous journey.When Daily Telegraph correspondent Tim Butcher was sent to cover Africa he quickly became obsessed with the idea of recreating H.M. Stanley's famous expedition - but travelling alone. Despite warnings that his plan was 'suicidal', Butcher set out for the Congo's eastern border with just a rucksack and a few thousand dollars hidden in his boots. Making his way in an assortment of vessels including a motorbike and a dugout canoe, helped along by a cast of characters from UN aid workers to a campaigning pygmy, he followed in the footsteps of the great Victorian adventurers.VINTAGE VOYAGES: A world of journeys, from the tallest mountains to the depths of the mindTrade ReviewA remarkable, fascinating book by a courageous and perceptive writer. One of the most exciting books to emerge from Africa in recent years * Alexander McCall Smith *An intrepid adventure. In making and describing this journey, Tim Butcher has followed in the footsteps of Stanley and Conrad. It takes a lot of guts to yomp through the Congo and he obviously has plenty of those. But it is the wit and passion of the writing which keeps you engrossed * Giles Foden *Blood River represents a remarkable marriage of travelogue and history, which deserves to make Tim Butcher a star for his prose, as well as his courage * Max Hastings *A story of the extraordinary courage, tenacity and endurance of two men: H. M. Stanley, and Tim Butcher...a great achievement. * John Simpson *This is a terrific book, an adventure story about a journey of great bravery in one of the world's most dangerous places. It keeps the heart beating and the attention fixed from beginning to end * Fergal Keane *

Read more less

Book SynopsisAfter spending three decades advising multinational companies on geopolitics and security crises, Richard Fenning knows all about danger and intrigue. Kidnappings, terrorist attacks, coups d'etat, corruption scandals, cyber attacks, earthquakes and hurricanes were all in a day's work in a career that coincided with the rise of China, the tumult of the Middle East wars, the resurgence of populism and the digital revolution. Amid chaos and upheaval, he also found humanity and humour. Often witty and always insightful, What on Earth Can Go Wrong takes us from the battlefields of Iraq to the back streets of Bogota, from the steamy Niger Delta to the chill of Putin's Moscow. In a remarkable memoir of a life on the frazzled edge of globalisation, Fenning looks back with humanity and insight on the people and places he got to know, while offering some timely thoughts on the relationship between risk and fear in a profoundly volatile world.Trade Review‘A funny and personal account of life in the risk business’ - Financial Times, 'Take a spoonful of Evelyn Waugh, add a sprinkle of P.J. O'Rourke and garnish with a touch of Michael Palin. Fenning is not just wry, perceptive and informative: he is also laugh-out-loud funny' - Boris Starling, 'A fascinating insight into the space where politics and business meet, filled with wit and wisdom' - Lord Sedwill, former UK Cabinet Secretary, 'A must-read...This beautifully written memoir is a roller-coaster ride of risk, more relevant than ever in today's uncertain world' - Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles

Read more less

Book Synopsis'Both moving and hilarious' Spectator, Books of the Year'A tale of gloriously eccentric British pensioners. Aitken rivals Alan Bennett in the ear he has for an eavesdropped remark ... boy, can he write.' Daily Mail, Book of the WeekFROM THE AUTHOR OF THE ACCLAIMED A CHIP SHOP IN POZNAN.One millennial, six coach trips, one big generation gap.When Ben Aitken learnt that his gran had enjoyed a four-night holiday including four three-course dinners, four cooked breakfasts, four games of bingo, a pair of excursions, sixteen pints of lager and luxury return coach travel, all for a hundred pounds, he thought, that's the life, and signed himself up. Six times over.Good value aside, what Ben was really after was the company of his elders - those with more chapters under their belt, with the wisdom granted by experience, the candour gifted by time, and the hard-earned ability to live each day like it's nearly their last.A series of coach holidays ensued - from Scarborough to St Ives, Killarney to Lake Como - during which Ben attempts to shake off his thirty-something blues by getting old as soon as possible.Trade ReviewAs funny and moving account of inter-generational friendship as you could wish to read. -- Mark Mason, Daily MailBoth moving and hilarious -- Spectator * Books of the Year *A tale of gloriously eccentric British pensioners [and] a light-hearted travelogue ... [but] so much more than that as well. The pen portraits of his fellow holidaymakers are wonderful. And boy, can he write. -- Daily Mail * Book of the Week *Funny and moving ... the type of gentle travel writing that will leave you aching to visit a local seaside resort. -- StylistOne of the ... most enjoyable travel books I've ever read ... Aitken has an astonishingly sharp eye and ear for the wisdom and weirdness of his elderly companions. * Daily Express *

Read more less

Book SynopsisGraham Greene saw the Castros rise; Sarah Rainsford watched them leave. From the street where Wormold, the hapless hero of Greene’s Our Man in Havana, plied his trade, BBC foreign correspondent Rainsford reports on Fidel’s reshaping of a nation, and what the future holds for ordinary Cubans now that he and his brother Raul are no longer in power. Through tales of literary ghosts and forgotten reporters, believers in the revolution and dissidents, entrepreneurs optimistic about the new Cuba and the disillusioned still looking for a way out, Our Woman in Havana paints an enthralling picture of this enigmatic country as it enters a new era.Trade Review‘An unmissable insight into a still hidden world.’ -- Mishal Husain‘[A] colourful and affectionate account of this complex and fascinating place.’ * Literary Review *‘Rainsford confronts a country of enigmatic contradictions with eyes and heart wide open in this fascinating, enlightening read.’ * Booklist *‘Sarah Rainsford has written a lively and detailed account of her time in Havana and evokes the spirit of Graham Greene in delightful and surprising ways.’ -- Thomas P. O’Connor, director of Dangerous Edge: A Life of Graham Greene, and Professor Emeritus, James Madison University

Read more less

Book SynopsisThrough past and present, the country and the city, Peter Fiennes takes a literary journey through the British Isles ‘As enjoyable a guide to the relationship of writers to the landscape of Britain as one could hope to read: beautifully written, moving in its reflections, and often very funny.’ Tom Holland ‘The premise of this book is simple, or that is what it seemed when I started.’ Peter Fiennes follows in the footsteps of twelve inspirational writers, bringing modern Britain into focus by peering through the lens of the past. The journey starts in Dorset, shaped by the childhood visions of Enid Blyton, and ends with Charles Dickens on the train that took him to his final resting place in Westminster Abbey. From the wilds of Skye and Snowdon, to a big night out in Birmingham with J. B. Priestley and Beryl Bainbridge, Footnotes is a series of evocative biographies, a lyrical foray into the past, and a quest to understand Britain through the books, journals and diaries of some of our greatest writers. And as Fiennes travels the country, and roams across the centuries, he wonders: ‘Who are we? What do we want? They seemed like good questions to ask, in the company of some of our greatest writers, given these restless times.’ *** A Guardian Travel Book of the Year Shortlisted for the Edward Stanford Travel Writing Awards ‘Fiennes is a perceptive reader and a good-humoured guide and his book offers a superb commentary on the connections between lesser-known places and writers… Footnotes is a passionate, partisan call for readers to take action before the British countryside may be encountered only between the pages of a book.’ TLS ‘Honing his easy-going and often witty style in this new book, Fiennes takes us on the journeys of famous writers… There’s an infectious enthusiasm and self-deprecating authority to Fiennes’s insights and he’s a most agreeable companion… There will be many nature titles vying for a place on Christmas lists this year… This one should be towards the top’ Guardian ‘Marvellously quotable... Fiennes’ literary journey makes for a provocative and engaging book.’ Financial TimesTrade Review‘As enjoyable a guide to the relationship of writers to the landscape of Britain as one could hope to read: beautifully written, moving in its reflections, and often very funny.’ -- Tom Holland‘This is not only a splendid, vigorous and amusing book, it is also important. On his travels with Enid Blyton, JB Priestley, Dickens and others, Peter Fiennes brilliantly assembles a vivid picture of that most elusive issue of the age, English identity.’ -- Alistair Moffat, author of To the Island of Tides, A Journey to Lindisfarne‘Fiennes is a perceptive reader and a good-humoured guide and his book offers a superb commentary on the connections between lesser-known places and writers… Footnotes is a passionate, partisan call for readers to take action before the British countryside may be encountered only between the pages of a book.’ -- TLS‘Always an amiable and engaging companion, Fiennes is gently teasing of macho travel writers… Fiennes is always self-deprecating and an acute observer… His occasional whimsical flourishes lighten the pudding, but his points hit home… Fiennes does something original in this highly enjoyable book where writers become more than ghostly companions and imaginary narrators – they remind us of what was once ‘normal’ and allow us to see how far we have fallen as well as travelled.’ -- Elementum‘A funny and reassuring snapshot of our national identity.’ * Daily Mail * ‘Honing his easy-going and often witty style in this new book, Fiennes takes us on the journeys of famous writers… There’s an infectious enthusiasm and self-deprecating authority to Fiennes’s insights and he’s a most agreeable companion… There will be many nature titles vying for a place on Christmas lists this year… This one should be towards the top’ -- The Guardian‘Marvellously quotable...Fiennes’ literary journey makes for a provocative and engaging book.’ * Financial Times *‘Part travelogue, part biography, part meditation on British identity, Footnotes is altogether delightful, and Fiennes is a wise and genial travelling companion.’ -- Gregory Norminton, author of The Devil’s Highway‘I didn’t really know that I’d been waiting for a more literary and stylish Bill Bryson to update Notes from a Small Island, but that’s just what Footnotes is, and I loved it.’ -- The Observer'I think this book deserves the praise and is indeed "beautifully written, moving in its reflections and often very funny." [...] I particularly enjoyed the comic elements [...] But behind the self-effacing wit, there is a serious attempt to "bring modern Britain into focus" (as he says in the Preface) which he achieves with charm and humanity.' -- Perceptive Travel

Read more less

Book SynopsisRandom House presents the audiobook edition of Erebus, written and read by Michael Palin. In September 2014 the wreck of a sailing vessel was discovered at the bottom of the sea in the frozen wastes of the Canadian Arctic. It was broken at the stern and covered in a woolly coat of underwater vegetation. Its whereabouts had been a mystery for over a century and a half. Its name was HMS Erebus.Now Michael Palin – former Monty Python stalwart and much-loved television globetrotter – brings this extraordinary ship back to life, following it from its launch in 1826 to the epic voyages of discovery that led to glory in the Antarctic and to ultimate catastrophe in the Arctic. He explores the intertwined careers of the men who shared its journeys: the dashing James Clark Ross who charted much of the ‘Great Southern Barrier’ and oversaw some of the earliest scientific experiments to be conducted there; and the troubled John Franklin, who at the age of sixty and after a chequered career, commanded the ship on its final, disastrous expedition. And he vividly recounts the experiences of the men who first stepped ashore on Antarctica’s Victoria Land, and those who, just a few years later, froze to death one by one in the Arctic wastes as rescue missions desperately tried to reach them.To help tell the story, he has travelled to various locations across the world – Tasmania, the Falklands, the Canadian Arctic – to search for local information, and to experience at first hand the terrain and the conditions that would have confronted the Erebus and her crew. Illustrated with maps, paintings and engravings, this is a wonderfully evocative and epic account, written by a master explorer and storyteller.Trade ReviewBeyond terrific. I didn’t want it to end. -- Bill BrysonThoroughly absorbs the reader. . . Carefully researched and well-crafted, it brings the story of a ship vividly to life. * Sunday Times *[Palin’s] narrative is driven by a deep sympathy for explorers and adventurers, while also being illuminated by flashes of gentle wit . . . It’s a fascinating story that he brings full-bloodedly to life, stripping away the barnacles of the past to reveal the hidden history of a ship. -- Robert Douglas-Fairhurst * Guardian *Everybody’s talking about it . . . A brilliant book. -- Chris Evans, BBC Radio 2With this irresistible and often harrowing account, Michael Palin makes a convincing case that one heroic little ship embodied the golden ago of polar exploration better than any other: HMS Erebus. -- John Geiger, co-author of Frozen in Time

Read more less

Book SynopsisLonely Planet: The world's leading travel guide publisherHumorous tales of travel and misadventure.Lonely Planet knows that some of life's funniest experiences happen on the road. Whether they take the form of unexpected detours, unintended adventures, unidentifiable dinners or unforgettable encounters, they can give birth to our most found travel lessons, and our most memorable - and hilarious - travel stories.These 31 globegirdling tales that run the gamut from close-encounter safaris to loss-of-face follies, hair-raising rides to culture-leaping brides, eccentric expats to mind-boggling repasts, wrong roads taken to agreements mistaken. The collection brings together some of the world's most renowned travellers and storytellers with previously unpublished writers.Includes stories by Wickam Boyle, Tim Cahill, Joshua Clark, Sean Condon, Chistopher R.Cox, David Downie, Holly Erikson, Bill Fink, Don George, Karl Taro Greenfeld, Jeff Grenwald, Pico Iyer, Amanda Jones, Kathie Kertesz, Doug Lansky, Alexander Ludwick, Linda Watanabe McFerrin, Jan Morris, Brooke Neill, Rolf Potts, Laura Resau, Michelle Richmond, Alana Semuels, Deborah Steg, Judy Tierney, Edwin Tucker, Jeff Vize, Danny Wallace, Kelly Watton, Simon Wichester, Michelle WittonAbout Lonely Planet: Started in 1973, Lonely Planet has become the world's leading travel guide publisher with guidebooks to every destination on the planet, as well as an award-winning website, a suite of mobile and digital travel products, and a dedicated traveller community. Lonely Planet's mission is to enable curious travellers to experience the world and to truly get to the heart of the places where they travel.TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice Awards 2012 and 2013 winner in Favorite Travel Guide category'Lonely Planet guides are, quite simply, like no other.' - New York Times'Lonely Planet. It's on everyone's bookshelves, it's in every traveller's hands. It's on mobile phones. It's on the Internet. It's everywhere, and it's telling entire generations of people how to travel the world.' - Fairfax Media (Australia) *#1 in the world market share - source: Nielsen Bookscan. Australia, UK and USA. March 2012-January 2013

Read more less

Book SynopsisLonely Planet: The world's leading travel guide publisher*Life-changing food adventures around the world.From bat on the island of Fais to chicken on a Russian train to barbecue in the American heartland, from mutton in Mongolia to couscous in Morocco to tacos in Tijuana - on the road, food nourishes us not only physically, but intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually too. It can be a gift that enables a traveller to survive, a doorway into the heart of a tribe, or a thread that weaves an indelible tie; it can be awful or ambrosial - and sometimes both at the same time. Celebrate the riches and revelations of food with this 38-course feast of true tales set around the world.Features stories by Anthony Bourdain, Andrew Zimmern, Mark Kurlansky, Matt Preston, Simon Winchester, Stefan Gates, David Lebovitz, Matthew Fort, Tim Cahill, Jan Morris and Pico Iyer. Edited by Don George.About Lonely Planet: Started in 1973, Lonely Planet has become the world's leading travel guide publisher with guidebooks to every destination on the planet, as well as an award-winning website, a suite of mobile and digital travel products, and a dedicated traveller community. Lonely Planet's mission is to enable curious travellers to experience the world and to truly get to the heart of the places where they travel.TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice Awards 2012 and 2013 winner in Favorite Travel Guide category'Lonely Planet guides are, quite simply, like no other.' - New York Times'Lonely Planet. It's on everyone's bookshelves, it's in every traveller's hands. It's on mobile phones. It's on the Internet. It's everywhere, and it's telling entire generations of people how to travel the world.' - Fairfax Media (Australia) *#1 in the world market share - source: Nielsen Bookscan. Australia, UK and USA. March 2012-January 2013

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis terrific book is a guide to the occult world, featuring 10 itineraries and maps of magical tours across the globe. Spanning countries and continents in pursuit of occult themes, it is meant to be pursued by the astral or armchair traveller rather than on the ground, although we expect readers to be inspired to plan epic trips of their own. It takes a fantastically fresh approach to the occult, with a nod to the retro Shell Guides in the use of collage artwork and humorous, on-point suggestions of places to stay and eat. Expand your occult horizons by trying these tours – and many more! Necromancy through the Ages Tour: Travel from Ancient Nineveh to northern England, tracing sites of necromantic practice. Crowley & Choronzon Desert Tour: Hike across the Algerian desert in the footsteps of the magicians Aleister Crowley and Victor Neuburg, invoking angels and meeting the terrifying demon Choronzon. The Descent & Rise of Witchcraft Tour: Visit the temples of Hekate and Circe in Turkey and Italy, the Spanish sites of the Inquisition's witch-hunts, and the haunts of the Norse sorceresses. Curse, Protect and Divine Tour: Travel across Europe to the United States and Kenya unearthing buried curses and counter-magic, from tiny frog coffins in Finnish churches to sinister village hexes. After completing the journeys, the book offers the unique Geonomicon – a simple divinatory and meditational tool that invites the reader to develop their own creative approach to magical practice.Trade Review"A splendid and informative book . . . absolutely jam-packed with useful information about the occult and what's even better, it is written in a very engaging style." - Phenomena magazine

Read more less

Book SynopsisA Financial Times Travel Book of the Year 2021 Where can travel writing go in the twenty-first century? Author and lifelong travel writing aficionado Tim Hannigan sets out in search of this most venerable of genres, hunting down its legendary practitioners and confronting its greatest controversies. Is it ever okay for travel writers to make things up, and just where does the frontier between fact and fiction lie? What actually is travel writing, and is it just a genre dominated by posh white men? What of travel writing's queasy colonial connections? Travelling from Monaco to Eton, from wintry Scotland to sun-scorched Greek hillsides, Hannigan swills beer with the indomitable Dervla Murphy, sips tea with the doyen of British explorers, delves into the diaries of Wilfred Thesiger and Patrick Leigh Fermor, and gains unexpected insights from Colin Thubron, Samanth Subramanian, Kapka Kassabova, William Dalrymple and many others. But along the way he realises how much is at stake: can his own love of travel writing survive this journey? The Travel Writing Tribe tackles head on the fierce critical debates usually confined to strictly academic discussions of the genre. This highly original book compels readers and travellers of all kinds to think about travel writing in new ways.Trade Review'The pleasure of The Travel Writing Tribe comes from Hannigan’s diligent efforts to get to the bottom of it all — setting off on trains and planes, sometimes roughing it at hostels, on mini-adventures to meet travel writers and record interviews. The result is, effectively, a "travel book" about “writing about travel”"' -- The Critic'A timely book amid this pandemic, which has exacerbated the inequities between those that can move and those who can’t. [The Travel Writing Tribe] appears to be the first of its kind aimed at the general reader, and does a comprehensive job of collecting the myriad perspectives already percolating on the subject.' -- Mekong Review

Read more less

Book SynopsisModern Singapore is a miracle. Half a century ago, it was thrown out of the Malay Federation and unwillingly became an independent nation. It was tiny, poor, almost devoid of resources, and in a hostile neighbourhood. Now, this unlikely country is at the top of almost every global national index, from high wealth and low crime to superb education and much-envied stability. But have these achievements bred a dangerous sense of complacency? Singapore now faces challenges from the constraints of authoritarian democracy to changing geographic realities and migration. Walking across this tiny island state, Nicholas Walton teases out its story from British rule and the war years to independence and beyond, exploring the problems and prosperity of the real Singapore.Trade Review'By traversing this island city state on foot, Walton explores questions worth asking . . . he is clear-eyed and unflinching in his portrayal of Singapore and its people.''Walton writes fluently and engagingly . . . his book is an excellent one-volume primer on the country.' * Literary Review *‘In this lively account of the republic. . . [Walton] writes engagingly . . . with a light touch and with a sense of humour, making judicious use of anecdotes which reveal the subterranean cracks in Singapore’s society.’ 'A rare jewel of a book--enchanting, illuminating and at times bloody funny. Much more than a travelogue or history, this is the story of a grand adventure, told in the tradition of Conrad with the eye of Theroux and the wit of Bryson. Brilliant.' -- James Brabazon, journalist, documentary filmmaker and author of 'The Break Line''What better way to discover Singapore than to walk across it? In this splendid book, Walton serves up riches of the island's history, geography, economics, and, most of all, serendipity.' -- Tyler Cowen, author of 'The Complacent Class' and 'Average Is Over''When Nicholas Walton moved with his family to Singapore, he began a voyage of discovery into the history of the city-state. Join him on his journey across the length and breadth of the island, from the fourteenth century to the present day.' -- Mark Leonard, Director of the European Council on Foreign Relations'Duly pays tribute to the way Singapore and its 5.6m inhabitants have come to top the charts that define success in the modern world. ... [Walton's] conclusions are more nuanced than either Singapore’s detractors or its cheerleaders would like.' -- The Financial Times

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn 2013, three friends set off on a journey that they had been told was impossible: the north-south crossing of the Congo River Basin, from Kinshasa, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, to Juba, in South Sudan.Traversing two and a half thousand miles of the toughest terrain on the planet in a twenty-five year old Land Rover, they faced repeated challenges, from kleptocracy and fire ants to non-existent roads and intense suspicion from local people. Through imagination and teamwork - including building rafts and bridges to cross rivers, conducting makeshift surgery in the jungle and playing tribal politics - they got through. But the Congo is raw, and the journey took an unexpected psychological toll on them all.Crossing the Congo is a story of friendship, what it takes to complete a great journey against tremendous odds, and an intimate look into one of the world's least-developed and most fragile states.Trade Review'A remarkable story of psychological and physical endurance, and a compelling account of what pushes people to embark on impossible journeys against the greatest odds.' * Ranulph Fiennes *'The narrative moves along easily from nervous excitement at the beginning of each day to exhausted relief at the end. Moments of suspense, surprise, joy, anger and danger keep the daily round interesting … If you would like to know what is involved in crossing the vastness at the heart of the African continent with a couple of enterprising friends … you will find it here in all its mud-splattered glory.' * Wall Street Journal *'For all the bloodshed, emotional upheavals and catastrophic breakdowns, their account is also punctuated with heart-warming tales of the kindness, hospitality and generosity shown by village communities with little to share.' * The Telegraph *'Their success, as it unfolds in this lively narrative, reflects a unique combination of skills -- an Army veteran of Afghanistan to deal with logistics, a doctor to look after medical issues and a photojournalist to set it down for the record in a splendid set of illustrations.' * Geographical Magazine *'Crossing the Congo gives you a deeply, brutally honest view of what it is like to complete a great journey. At times they were lucky to survive.' * Robin Hanbury-Tenison, OBE, DL, Dsc, Dhc, MA, FLS, FRGS. President, Survival International *‘A story of human endurance . . . [and] a searing condemnation of the corruption that is endemic in the Congo’.

Read more less

Book Synopsis** AS SEEN ON BBC FOOTBALL FOCUS AND BT SPORT **** 'Excellent and thoroughly enjoyable' Sunday Sport **** 'Informative and eye-opening . . . an inspirational and motivational book' footballbookreviews.com **'ONE MAN AND HIS QUEST TO SEE A GAME IN EVERY UEFA NATION IN ONE SEASON' Paul Doyle, GuardianIn June 2017, Matt said farewell to his job, surrendered his Fulham FC season ticket and set off for Georgia, the first stop on his mission. He would end his adventure eleven months later in Montenegro, having conquered the continent and captured the imagination of its sporting media.His epic journey would pose its challenges. Yet no amount of airport confusion in Iceland, unusual betting activity in Latvia, spectator bans in Albania or ropey breakfast buffets in Moldova would make Matt miss a matchday. And then there were the games themselves: showcasing the full spectrum of footballing theatre, from the truly sublime to the utterly ridiculous.This is the story of one fan on a once-in-a-lifetime experience: travelling to Europe's unseen corners, talking with its unsung supporters, and tracing the beautiful game across the breadth of our brilliant, bizarre continent.Trade ReviewExcellent and thoroughly enjoyable. - Sunday SportInformative and eye-opening . . . an inspirational and motivational book.

Read more less

Book SynopsisOctober 1812, Napoleon enters Moscow. The Russians have set fire to the city, soon it will be reduced to a pile of ash. The Emperor equivocates, decides to turn back. This is the beginning of the retreat from Russia, a page of history that has become legendary for its degree of suffering and horror, but also for the heroic acts that took place.Two hundred years later, Sylvain Tesson, accompanied by four friends (two Russians and two French), decides to follow the route of the retreat. Perched on two Soviet Ural sidecar motorcycles, they will rejoin Paris from Moscow, guided only by the spectres of the two hundred thousand soldiers who died through cold, starvation, and in battle. Twenty five hundred miles travelled in a wild escapade to salute the ghosts of history, across the white plains of Russia.Trade Review“A hermit's vodka-tossed praise-poem to retreat and solitude.” (on The Consolations of the Forest) -- Justin Marozzi * The Financial Times *“There's humour and humanity here, but also a serious attempt to answer the question, how should a person live?” (on The Consolations of the Forest) * The Guardian *“Written with great charm and beauty, and humour…” (on The Consolations of the Forest) * The Sunday Times *

Read more less

Book Synopsis"For those who love boats, architecture and original enquiring minds, this book is a dream. " -Jeremy Irons World-famous architect Renzo Piano and his son Carlo set sail from Genoa one late Summer day, guided by the ancestral desire felt by many explorers before them: to find Atlantis (in Italian, Atlantide). Atlantis is the perfect city, built to harbour a perfect society. This is its true beauty, precious and elusive. Renzo Piano, a man who can not only measure land at a glance but also the sea’s infinite geometry, returns to the places where he has erected his works, mosaic pieces in the infinite, necessary quest for perfection. With his son he sails across the Pacific, along the banks of the Thames and the Seine, reaching as far as Athens, San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park and Osaka Bay. In search of beauty, he finds the imperfections that every building project carries within it. And so, all that remains is to sail on.Trade Review“The pair reflect in a series of conversations on architecture, art, philosophy and much else besides, linked by Carlo's lyrical descriptions of life at sea.”“We find a great wealth of observation and contemplation in their writing…. Atlantis is a travelogue, a handbook on sailing and architecture, and a rumination on what beauty means.” * The TLS *"Travel, memoir, family relations. It’s a bit of everything. A very enjoyable blend of architectural tails and the musings of a highly successful perfectionist." * Geographical *A starred review: “An intimate and insightful chronicle of exploration and revelation.”“Complex, tender, moving.” * La Repubblica *“Engaging and endlessly original.” * Bon Culture *"An audaciously ambitious, unfailingly beguiling book." * Bookanista *"Totally engaging, from start to finish; the narrative interesting and intriguing, with the addition of that element of humanity that only two people who know each other as well as these two could bring." * Word By Word *

Read more less

Book Synopsis“Fresh and diverting, informative and topical.” —Australian Financial Review, Best Books of the Year Night, Sleep, Death and the Stars by Lauren Groff・The Universe Underground by Paolo Giordano・We All Hated Each Other So Much by Frank Westermann・Plus: discovering new planets and destroying satellites; returning to the Moon (this time to stay); the Mars delusion; the hunt for extra-terrestrial life, and much more… In the 1960s, the rivalry between the superpowers brought us into space, adding a whole new dimension to human life. The last frontier was open: between 1969 and 1972 twelve men (but no women) walked on the moon. No one has since. The space race revealed itself for what it really was: a political and military competition. Space agencies, however, have not been idle and the exploration of the solar system has continued with probes and robots. Without politics, science has thrived. But the lack of government funding has opened space exploration to the forces of capitalism: the race has started again, with different rules and different players. For those of us who remain on Earth, space offers a spiritual dimension, and the search for answers to age-old questions. Colonizing Mars might not be the solution to humanity’s problems, but the promise of space—whether expressed in a tweet by Elon Musk or a photo taken by a NASA rover on Mars—keeps proving irresistible.Trade Review“These books are so rich and engrossing that it is rewarding to read them even when one is stuck at home.” * The TLS *“Few travel guides are confident enough to tell the stories of a destination’s complex realities as well as those of their beauty. [The Passenger] has a strong focus on storytelling, with pages given over to a mix of essays, playlists and sideways glances at subcultures and thorny urban issues.” * The Stack *“Half-magazine, half-book . . . think of [The Passenger] as an erudite and literary travel equivalent to National Geographic, with stunning photography and illustration and fascinating writing about place.” * Independent.ie (Best series of the year – 2021) *“The Passenger readers will find none of the typical travel guide sections on where to eat or what sights to see. Consider the books, rather, more like a literary vacation--the kind you can take without braving a long flight in the time of Covid-19.” * Publisher's Weekly *“Fresh and diverting, informative and topical without being slight or ephemeral [...] This supremely well-edited combination of current affairs, journalism, commentary, and fun facts is perfect for our pause-button moment.” * Australian Financial Review (Best Books of the Year) *“Tremendously eclectic and classily produced . . . each volume gets under the skin of a country or a city in a multifaceted way that feels essential in these times of narrowing national horizons.” * The Bookseller *

Read more less

Book Synopsis“Fresh and diverting, informative and topical without being slight or ephemeral. This supremely well-edited combination of current affairs, journalism, commentary, and fun facts is perfect for our pause-button moment.” —Australian Financial Review, Best Books of the Year Fully illustrated, The Passenger collects the best new writing, photography, art and reportage from around the world. IN THIS VOLUME: Growing Uncertainty in California’s Central Valley by Anna Wiener • What Does It Mean to Be a Solution? by Vanessa Hua • Shadows in the Valley by Francisco Cantú. Plus: direct democracy and unsustainable development, the rise of the Land Back movement, LA’s cultural renaissance in the face of rampant gentrification, visions of the future, the death of the Californian Dream, the burning of Paradise and much more . . . “Wildfire season had already begun, and, as the car pitched along the road through Kings Canyon, I tried to tamp down a feeling like dread. In California, where the effects of global warming are pervasive and unsubtle, spending time in the forest always makes me feel unspeakably lucky and dizzy with remorse. Families in masks stomped through the Giant Forest to pose for photographs in front of General Sherman, a 275-foot-tall tree. Children licked ice-cream bars by the visitor center. In the parking lot, some of the oldest living trees in the world shaded eight-seat SUVs: Kia Tellurides, Chevy Tahoes, Toyota Sequoias.” —From “Growing Uncertainty in California’s Central Valley” by Anna WienerTrade Review“These books are so rich and engrossing that it is rewarding to read them even when one is stuck at home.” * The TLS *“Few travel guides are confident enough to tell the stories of a destination’s complex realities as well as those of their beauty. [The Passenger] has a strong focus on storytelling, with pages given over to a mix of essays, playlists and sideways glances at subcultures and thorny urban issues.” * The Stack *“Half-magazine, half-book . . . think of [The Passenger] as an erudite and literary travel equivalent to National Geographic, with stunning photography and illustration and fascinating writing about place.” * Independent.ie (Best series of the year – 2021) *“The Passenger readers will find none of the typical travel guide sections on where to eat or what sights to see. Consider the books, rather, more like a literary vacation--the kind you can take without braving a long flight in the time of Covid-19.” * Publisher's Weekly *“Fresh and diverting, informative and topical without being slight or ephemeral [...] This supremely well-edited combination of current affairs, journalism, commentary, and fun facts is perfect for our pause-button moment.” * Australian Financial Review (Best Books of the Year) *“Tremendously eclectic and classily produced . . . each volume gets under the skin of a country or a city in a multifaceted way that feels essential in these times of narrowing national horizons.” * The Bookseller *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThese books are so rich and engrossing that it is rewarding to read them even when one is stuck at home.The TLSThe Passenger makes its first stop in Southeast Asia. A journey to one of the world''s major tourist destinations.In this volume: Pitchaya Sudbanthad: Buddhism, the State, and Superpowers Emma Larkin: The Country of Spirits Claudio Sopranzetti: Monarchy Under Attack and, soft power and the working class, the heart of rural Thailand and the separatism of the southern peninsula, the success of Boy Love, the palm oil scandal, and much more...Recent Thai history is a thrills-and-spills tale filled with street clashes, palace coups, intrigues, attempted revolution, restoration and democratic elections. It is an impossible democracy where the working classes, progressives, and young urban professionals push for reforms and clash with the conservative nobility and business elite. Thailand is perceived as permissive and tolerant, but it hides a prudish core. And yet, one of its main cultural exports is Boy Love stories, romantic tales featuring male protagonists. These stories are the flagship of a cultural revolution and has brought investment in the entertainment industry and Thai soft power to new levels. Behind this sparkling Thailandexemplified by its capital Bangkok, the most visited city in the world in 2023are vast regions like Isaan in the Northeast (a third of the area and population) that remain far from the familiar tourist routes. With their ethnic and linguistic diversity and rural character, regions such as these embody the kaleidoscopic soul of a country often overwhelmed by waves of assimilation and centralization. Despite efforts to impose a single culture, ethnicity, and religion, Thailand''s true strength seems to be syncretism, religious and otherwise, as demonstrated by the millions of Chinese immigrants who over the past century have increasingly mingled with the local populations to the point of becoming indistinguishable.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis is the tale of an epic three-month adventure through unexplored jungle terrain – and it might even change your life Fuelled by a zest for life and the desire to explore the world around her, Pip Stewart took on a world-first challenge: following Guyana’s Essequibo River from source to sea. With the help of guides from the Waî Waî indigenous community, Pip and her teammates journeyed through the rainforest, facing peril every day as they kayaked rapids, traversed waterfalls and hacked their way through the mountainous jungle of the Guiana Shield, before finally reaching the Atlantic Ocean. Survival skills and a flesh-eating parasite weren’t the only things Pip took home from the rainforest. From contending with snakes to learning about the value of community, forgiveness and self-belief, in Life Lessons from the Amazon Pip shares many pearls of wisdom that we can all apply to our own lives. Her hard-won insights invite us to embrace the wildness within ourselves and live more every day.Trade ReviewA book with the power to inspire change. * Helen Skelton, adventurer and TV presenter *A remarkable journey. * Ed Stafford, explorer and the first person to walk the length of the Amazon River *A tough jungle expedition by an even tougher team. Life lessons from the Amazon is their story told with humour, humility and honesty. * Ben Fogle, broadcaster, writer and adventurer *A wonderful read, exhilarating from start to finish. Pip shares her unique knowledge of this jungle frontier and takes us on a journey of discovery through some of the harshest terrain on earth. An incredible adventure. * Levison Wood, explorer, writer and photographer *An absolute page-turner in which Pip shares her fascinating inner journey including doubt, struggles and overcoming challenges. A brilliantly candid and thought-provoking escape to the wild. * Reza Pakravan, explorer, filmmaker and writer *Brave, strong and determined female adventurers. * Paul Chekema, leader of Masakenari *Fascinating insights that I will apply to my own life. * Ross Edgley, extreme adventurer and writer *Stewart is a wonderful travelling companion. Not only does she take us through the physical and mental highs and lows of adventure travel, she tackles head-on the ethics and morals of modern-day travel, addressing privilege, over-tourism and sustainability: an absolute joy. * Monisha Rajesh, journalist and travel writer *

Read more less

Book Synopsis'Tenacious, revelatory, and humane.' - Paul Theroux 'The Buried is the kind of book that you don't want to end and won't forget. With the eye of a great storyteller Peter Hessler weaves together history, reporting, memoir, and above all the lives of ordinary people in a beautiful and haunting portrait of Egypt and its Revolution.' - Ben Rhodes Winner of the The Peter Mackenzie Smith Book Prize 2021 In 2011, while revolution swept across Egypt, Peter Hessler was reporting on the everyday lives and ancient secrets of a country in turmoil. The result is this unforgettable work of literary and documentary brilliance. In The Buried, Hessler traces the human stories alongside the broader sweep of historic events: Tahrir Square, the massacres and the coup form the background, but so too do ancient cults, buried cities in the desert and dead pharaohs with huge ambitions. Most important are the people forging their lives in this world. We follow rubbish collector Sayyid; Arabic teacher Rifaat; and Manu, a translator. There are also the Chinese immigrants who have built a lingerie empire, politicians and ingenious archaeologists. Together, they raise the question: is revolution just repetition, or can things ever really change?Trade ReviewDrawing both from daily life and from interviews with highly placed political figures, the book is an extraordinary work of reportage ... Sensitive and perceptive * Wall Street Journal *It is both beautiful and heartbreaking ... Hessler has a genius for structuring a narrative. ... Every page is vivid and engaging, and each chapter packs in surprises. * Literary Review *Peter Hessler is one of the finest storytellers of his generation. -- Larissa MacFarquharAt once engrossing and illuminating ... this stakes a strong claim to being the definitive book to emerge from the Egyptian revolution. * Publishers Weekly *This is writing at its best and highly recommended for anyone interested in Egypt, modern or ancient. * Library Journal *Hessler introduces unexpected prisms of enquiry and the intimate perspective of an endlessly curious observer ... The book achieves a great deal. It provides outstanding reportage of the Arab Spring but, better yet, are Hessler's accounts of the people he encountered. ... this spirited, deeply insightful book. * Geographical *Original, richly layered, and often delightful reporting. Hessler has a sharp sense of humor, a gift for observation, a healthy skepticism, and a knack for using memorable characters and anecdotes to demonstrate larger truths . . . This is what reporting can be at its best: clear-eyed and empathetic, an addition to the historical record. * New York Review of Books *Hessler 'spin[s] golden prose from everyday lived experience ... The result is a small triumph, one of the best books yet written about the Arab spring. -- William Dalrymple * Guardian *Nuanced and deeply intelligent-a view of Egyptian politics that sometimes seems to look at everything but and that opens onto an endlessly complex place and people. * Kirkus Starred Review *Destined to become the title that all first-time visitors to Egypt are urged to pack. . . . Hessler is an extraordinary writer. * Foreign Affairs *The Buried is wonderfully impressive, not a conventional travel book at all, but the chronicle of a family's residence in Egypt, in a time of revolution - years of turmoil in this maddening place. And yet Peter Hessler remains unflustered as he learns the language, makes friends, puts up with annoyances (rats, water shortages, mendacity) and delves into the politics of the present and the ancient complexities. It is in all senses archeology - tenacious, revelatory, and humane. -- Paul TherouxThe Buried is the kind of book that you don't want to end and won't forget. With the eye of a great storyteller Peter Hessler weaves together history, reporting, memoir, and above all the lives of ordinary people in a beautiful and haunting portrait of Egypt and its Revolution. -- Ben Rhodes, author of The World As It is: A Memoir if the Obama White HouseIn The Buried, Peter Hessler brings to life the secret history of the Arab Spring, masterfully weaving together a memoir of his time in Cairo with the hidden, intimate lives of ordinary Egyptians. With lyrical prose, Hessler introduces us to a side of the Middle East we never see in news accounts: an enterprising garbage collector, a gay man skirting police repression, an Arabic language instructor nostalgic for the country's socialist past. These stories unfold on the backdrop of Egypt's 5,000-year-old history, as we learn about the parallels Egyptians draw to their pharaonic past. Witty and deeply humane, The Unburied is unlike any other book I've read about the Egyptian revolution, and stands as a remarkable testament to the country's extraordinary history and to the struggle for human freedom. -- Anand Gopal, author of NO GOOD MEN AMONG THE LIVING: America, the Taliban and the War Through Afghan EyesThe Buried ... is Mr. Hessler's closely observed, touching and at times amusing chronicle of this tumultuous time. Drawing both from daily life and from interviews with highly placed political figures, the book is an extraordinary work of reportage ... Sensitive and perceptive, Mr. Hessler is a superb literary archaeologist, one who handles what he sees with a bit of wonder that he gets to watch the history of this grand city unfold, one day at a time. * Wall Street Journal *It is both beautiful and heartbreaking ... Hessler has a genius for structuring a narrative. Here he has crafted a miraculously coherent arc out of several disparate themes ... Every page is vivid and engaging, and each chapter packs in surprises. * Literary Review *Peter Hessler is one of the finest storytellers of his generation. The beauty of his writing is subtle and cumulative-it gets under your skin. After his years in China, Hessler moved with his family to Cairo during the electric, chaotic days of protests in Tahrir Square. Through him, you come to know many Egyptians as he came to know them-casually, intimately, forming deepening ties. And through them you experience Egypt's turbulent recent history as it was happening, as it felt to live through it. -- Larissa MacFarquhar, author of STRANGERS DROWNINGPraise for The Oracle Bones 'One of the most profoundly original books about China * The Economist *A swirl of interconnecting stories and histories make up Peter Hessler's extraordinary, genre-defying second book * Daily Telegraph *[An] extraordinary survey of contemporary China...really quite unforgettable * The Observer *Praise for River Town 'Written with great clarity and affection, River Town should be read by anyone with any interest in finding the Chinese less inscrutable * The Times *If you read only one book about China, let it be this * Jonathan Mirsky *

Read more less

Book SynopsisInspired by a life-long passion for travel, Stuart McMillan embarked on a journey of over 2,000km, crossing the continent from the Baltic Sea to the Balkan coast. The book provides personal observations and reflections on a fascinating world hidden for decades behind an Iron Curtain. It gives the reader a glimpse of how the history, culture, years of oppression and brutal wars have shaped these beautiful lands and the people who live there. Starting in Lithuania, a journey weaving through the beautiful and often mysterious Slavic lands all the way to Croatia - taking in Ukraine, Hungary, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It includes travelling in a 44-degree heatwave; taking a short-cut via Moscow; experiencing a chaotic sleeper train out of Ukraine; coping with the failure of all air-conditioning and lighting on a long-haul train down to Serbia; learning about the legacy of both Nazi and Communist oppression; and seeing first-hand the scars and re-built splendour of Sarajevo and Mostar following the recent brutal, and often forgotten, Yugoslav wars. As well as recounting the beauty of the countries and cities visited, and reflecting on the years of oppression and wars that shaped the landscapes and cultures, it also captures the emotions of travelling alone for weeks through foreign lands – the freedom to experience so much of countries hidden away from the world for so long; the reliance on internal narrative for company; and the bouts of homesickness that often conflict with the author’s love of travel.

Read more less

Book SynopsisFive essays introduce the general reader to this part of the Côte d''Azur, its varied and compelling history and its most interesting inhabitants, with an emphasis on ''La Belle Époque'' and ''Les Années Folles'', but also looking at the more recent arrival of Russian oligarchs.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book will give tourists and travellers a description of each of 50 leading destinations from around Europe with a personal explanation offering an insight as to why, and how, these destinations consistently deliver high-quality visitor experiences.

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn 1697, a 34-year-old woman mounted her horse and set off on a 3,000-mile journey which over two summers would take her to every county in England. Her name was Celia Fiennes. It was a time when women didn’t do such things. It could be gruelling, unhealthy and dangerous. As she discovered, most roads were unsigned, marshy tracks, lodgings could be filthy and vermin-ridden, and highwaymen lay in wait for the unwary.Luckily for us, Celia Fiennes kept a detailed diary about the places she saw and the people she met. She reports on the brutal justice system and political shenanigans of the time, and is fascinated by industry and commerce – workshops, shipping and especially coal-pits and tin mines. What she tells us is significant as the Industrial Revolution would soon change England forever.Yet this remarkable woman and her story have, until now, been largely neglected.In England From a Side-Saddle, historian and journalist Derek J. Taylor seeks to put that right. As we follow the route Celia Fiennes took, we see through her eyes an England of 320 years ago, and learn of the courage, determination and curiosity of one woman who was centuries ahead of her time.

Read more less