Travel writing Books

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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’.

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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.

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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 *

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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 *

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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 *

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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 *

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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.

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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 *

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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 *

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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

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

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

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Book SynopsisOn 4 August 2020 a massive explosion in the port area obliterated parts of Beirut and damaged many others, bringing fresh international attention to a city already recovering from civil war and weakened by economic instability. This book contributes to the rediscovery of Beirut by inviting the visitor and reader to explore a city that is unique in the region for its multicultural heritage, where antiquity jostles with Ottoman and French colonial influence as well as with striking expressions of modernity. The history of Beirut, as with so many other cities, is multi-layered; but this is exceptionally conspicuous in the cultural, denominational and economic diversity of its neighbourhoods. These are best investigated slowly and on foot, a strategy both practicable and pleasurable despite a tyrannical car culture. Between 2019 and 2021, in the aftermath of the explosion, Beatrice Teissier walked through the city’s streets and recorded her impressions as a record of Beirut’s architectural fabric and turbulent recent history. Beirut: Scarred City offers twelve itineraries in parts of west, central and east Beirut, with a foray south, which take the reader to easily accessible areas of the city. From crumbling mansions to brutalist high-rises, from seascapes to inner-city parks and cemeteries, from ancient ruins to the latest reconstruction, from graffiti to international street art and contemporary art galleries, each area tells its story. The present crisis is not avoided, and the author discusses Lebanon’s economic crisis, the political problems that have beset the city since the civil war and the controversies surrounding reconstruction. References to contemporary Arab literature on Beirut and, more personally, private insights and conversations give voice to the spirit of the city and to the resilience and creativity of its citizens.

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Book SynopsisThe last of Lawrence's travel books, Etruscan Places is an ephemeral and vivid account, replete with hauntingly evocative descriptions of the way of life of this once great civilisation. The Etruscan civilisation, which flourished from the 8th until the 5th century BC in what is now Tuscany, is one of the most fascinating and mysterious in history. An uninhibited, elemental people, the Etruscans enthralled D.H. Lawrence, who craved their 'old wisdom', the secret of their vivacity and love of life. To him they represented the antithesis of everything he despised in the modern world, perhaps because their spontaneity and naturalness struck a chord with his own quest for personal and artistic freedom - so often censured or repressed. Lawrence approaches the enigmatic Etruscans as a poet, passionately and searchingly, and so the reader is swept up in his luminous descriptions of a utopian world where dancing and feasting, art and music were everything. The exhilaration of Lawrence in his Etruscan adventures stands in stark contrast to his intimations of the darkness of Mussolini's Italy - at a time when Europe was beginning its inexorable drift towards tragedy.Trade ReviewHe wrote something like three dozen books, of which even the worst page dances with life that could be mistaken for no other man’s, while the best are admitted, even by those who hate him, to be unsurpassed. * Time and Tide *He is an extraordinarily acute noticer of the world, human and natural. And it is not just the natural world that beckons Lawrence to flood it with beautiful language . . . he can be as precise and compact an observer of human interaction as Flaubert or Forster. * The Guardian *Table of ContentsForeword by Michael Squires 1. Cerveteri 2. Tarquinia 3. The Painted Tombs of Tarquinia 4. The Painted Tombs of Tarquinia 5. Vulci 6. Volterra

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Book SynopsisAlmost everyone on safari hopes for a glimpse of the charismatic and elusive leopard. Chui was the first of a new generation of leopards Jonathan Scott watched and photographed in Kenya's Masai Mara Game Reserve in the 1970s and 1980s. He spent every available moment watching and photographing Chui and her cubs, Light and Dark, aware that he was only privileged to do so for as long as they chose to remain visible. His classic account tells the story of the mother leopard as a solitary hunter providing for herself and her offspring. He records encounters with baboon, hyaena and man, hazards facing the cubs as they learn to fend for themselves and periods of play and relaxation. Some years after Chui disappeared, a young female appeared, Half-Tail. Jonathan and Angela have followed her and her daughter Zawadi, stars of the BBC's Big Cat Diary, for the past twenty years, bringing the story up to date. Nobody has studied leopards more closely or known them more intimately Jonathan says: 'The update is based on our work with Half-Tail and Zawadi from both the pictures and text perspective - Angie worked with us on Big Cat Diary as the stills photographer from 1996 and before that we both worked with Half-Tail from the time she first appeared around Leopard Gorge and Fig Tree Ridge - our kids grew up on safari with Half-Tail and Zawadi as stars of their own Mara adventures.'Trade Review'In wonderful photographs and prose, here is an account that, because of new challenges to leopard populations as much as the observational difficulties, few are likely to replicate.' Conde Nast Traveller 'The authors certainly convey inexhaustible enthusiasm and an undimmed sense of wonder at the natural world.' Good Book Guide 'The new final third of the book, which whisks through the leopard dynasty chronicled by Big Cat Diary, is compelling' BBC Wildlife MagazineTable of ContentsForeword by Simon King vii Preface to the 2013 Edition ix Map xii Introduction 1 1 The Birth of the Cubs 10 2 The Predators' Kingdom 30 3 Chui's Competitors 54 4 Waiting for the Rains 67 5 The Leopard Family 86 6 Instinct and Experience 108 7 Struggling for Food 132 8 Growing Independence 156 9 The Leopard's Future 175 10 Epilogue 1: The Paradise Female 185 11 Epilogue 2: Half-Tail's Legacy 201 Authors' and Photographers' Note 219 Acknowledgements 224 Bibliography 227

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Book SynopsisHigh up in the remote mountain passes on the Indian border with Tibet, China and Pakistan, Ladakh has been a centre for Buddhist meditation since three centuries before Christ and is one of the last places on earth where a Tibetan Buddhist community still survives. Arriving by rickety bus, Andrew Harvey was unprepared for the breathtaking splendour, colour and silence of the landscape, and was entranced by the simple way of life of its people, for whom the sacred and everyday merge into one. Frustrated by the spiritual poverty of his sophisticated, western, intellectual lifestyle, Andrew Harvey finds peace, hope and freedom in the Buddhist teachings of Thuksey Rinpoche at Shey monastery, and discovers spiritual strength.

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Book SynopsisIn 1938, Arthur Calder-Marshall, a young British novelist and communist visited Trinidad, just a year after the ‘Butler Riots’ had rocked the oil-belt in the south of the island and demonstrated that the British colonial hold over the island could not be sustained for long. Calder-Marshall’s account of his stay, first published in 1939, is insightful, unsparing in its exposure of appalling social conditions, and sometimes just humanly entertaining in its satirical description of, for instance, the hypocrisy of those of the middle-class who thought of themselves as radicals but would not perform in a play with actors who were too black. It is highly readable, with a novelist’s eye for characters and situations, adding to the slim body of writing about 1930’s Trinidad by C.L.R. James, A.H. Mendes and Ralph de Boissiere. It documents just how stifling was the hand of Crown Colony government in reinforcing white privilege in Trinidad, and it shows the huge gulf between the Trinidad being promoted as a destination for tourists, and the abysmal quality of housing and health-care that inflicted premature death on the urban poor. If Calder-Marshall does not have enough to say about the lives of rural Indo-Trinidadians, he is acute on the growth of race and revolutionary political consciousness amongst the most advanced sections of the Afro-Trinidadian working class. One valuable chapter records his interview with the then trade union leader, Adrian Cola Rienzi, on the global nature of radical anti-colonialism, connecting Rienzi’s work with Sinn Fein in Ireland and the workers’ struggle in Trinidad. Calder-Marshall’s was a sadly rare voice amongst the white British left as a critic of empire, in comparison to the covertly racist paternalism of the mainstream of the Labour Party.

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Book SynopsisMost travel guides suggest that the Llyn Coastal Path can be completed in 10 simple walks, perhaps over a week or two. Jean and her husband Jim, who have been visiting Llyn regularly since 1991, took a more leisurely approach, dividing the journey into 42 return walks and completing their ramble in August 2021 after just over three years!

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Book Synopsis'When we walk, we walk through two landscapes: an exterior land of trees, seas, cities, mountains and fields but we also follow the paths that lead into our own interior world.'This thoughtful, and beautifully written, book offers 21 circular walks. They span the length and breadth of the British Isles: Suffolk, Northamptonshire, Wiltshire, Wales, Staffordshire, Scotland, Sussex and Cornwall are just a few of the varied landscapes that they cover.As one of the prime 'walks correspondents' of The Sunday Times, Peter Owen Jones already has a loyal following. This book will only increase his audience, and will be both for those who love walking in the countryside and those who enjoy reading, and musing on it, in their armchair at home.Trade ReviewPerceptive...brilliant -- Robin Page * The Daily Telegraph *A beautiful book, lucid and inspiring -- Satish Kumar * Resurgence *

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Book Synopsis‘A profoundly satisfying read’ Financial TimesIn Field Notes from the Edge, the acclaimed writer of the Guardian's 'Country Diary', Paul Evans, takes us on a journey through the in-between spaces of Nature – such as strandlines, mudflats, cliff tops and caves – where one wilderness is on the verge of becoming another and all things are possible. Here, Evans searches out wildlife and plants to reveal a Nature that is inspiring yet intimidating; miraculous yet mundane; part sacred space, part wasteland. It is here that we tread the edge between a fear of Nature’s dangers and a love of Nature’s beauty.Combining a naturalist’s eye for observation with a poet’s ear for the lyrical, Field Notes from the Edge confirms Paul Evans's place among our leading nature writers today.Trade ReviewField Notes from the Edge's magic lies partly in the sheer quality of the prose, partly in Evans’ ability to loop together disparate threads[...] a profoundly satisfying read. -- Melissa Harrison * Financial Times *A wonderfully original book…Evans has a superb eye, a fine ear for all kinds of speech, a love of droll reality and a lyrical sense of all life...a joy. -- Richard Kerridge, author of Cold BloodThe best account I know of how it goes with our wilds...[a] deeply loveable book -- Tim Dee, author of Four FieldsThis lyrical prose makes the reader itch to get out into nature...Ultimately, Evans draws on the past to confront our present and ask what kind of future might be possible * Independent *Paul Evans’s important new book is the first indisputable classic of twenty-first-century nature writing…A masterpiece -- Jim Perrin, author of West

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Book SynopsisWinston Churchill famously described Russia as 'a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma' and even today it remains a country little understood by the West. In this revealing portrait, Jonathan Dimbleby crosses eight time zones and covers 10,000 miles in an attempt to get to the beating heart of the new Russia.His epic journey takes him from the Arctic city of Murmansk in the west to the Asian port of Vladivostok in the east, and he encounters an extraordinary range of people: urban intellectuals and entrepreneurs, war veterans and migrant labourers, spiritual leaders and aging rock stars, bootleg vendors and fish poachers, loggers in the forests of Siberia and fellow journalists under siege in an increasingly autocratic society. Russia is both a deeply personal odyssey and a mesmerizing account of a country undergoing profound economic, cultural and political change.Trade ReviewA spirited and in many cases brave attempt to describe one of the world's most important civilisations.' * Peter Hitchens, Mail on Sunday *The ugly authoritarianism of Vladimir Putin's Kremlin and Russia's hydrocarbon fuelled diplomatic bolshiness are now well documented.There are fewer worthwhile accounts of ordinary life across the vast, eccentric Russian continent in the Putin era. Mr Dimbleby's perceptive travelogue is one of them. * The Ecomonist *Dimbley's book is a splendid achievement....He constitutes the essence of a good traveller - companionable, thoughtful, sceptical and sometimes wide-eyed with wonder. * Daily Express *All the major issues facing contemporary Russia are raised and dealt with... [Russia] engages the brilliant analytical journalist in Jonathan Dimbleby. * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisIn the wake of apartheid, the flotsam of the divided past flows over Johannesburg and settles, once the tides recede, around Ivan Vladislavic, who, patrolling his patch, surveys the changed cityscape and tries to convey for us the nature and significance of those changes. He roams over grassy mine-dumps, sifting memories, picking up the odd glittering item here and there, before everything of value gets razed or locked away behind one or other of the city's fortifications. For this is now a city of alarms, locks and security guards, a frontier place whose boundaries are perpetually contested, whose inhabitants are 'a tribe of turnkeys'. Vladislavic, this clerk of mementoes, stands still, watches and writes - and his astonishing city comes within our reach. This is for readers who want to put their faith in a writer who knows - and loves - his city from the inside out, bearing comparison with Suketu Mehta's Maximum City, Orhan Pamuk's Istanbul and Joseph Brodsky's Watermark.

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Book SynopsisThis is the story of a journey like no other, as Jacek Hugo-Bader makes his way across Siberia, from Moscow to Vladivostok, in the middle of winter. Travelling alone in a modified Russian jeep, he traverses a continent that is two-and-a-half times bigger than America, awash with bandits and not always fully equipped with roads. Along the way, Hugo-Bader discovers a great deal of tragedy, but also plenty of dark humour among the reindeer shepherds, nomadic tribes, the former hippies, the shamans, and the followers of some of the many arcane religions that flourish in this isolated, impossible region.

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Book SynopsisRelying on atmosphere and sensation over fact and statistic, Christine Jordis has written a deeply personal, vividly impressionistic account of several journeys to the Indonesian islands of Bali and Java. Dazzled, wide-eyed, but always astute, Jordis describes famous monuments, native dances, encounters with locals. She conjures up the various literary and artistic figures who sought refuge and inspiration in Indonesia - Arthur Rimbaud, Herman Melville, Joseph Conrad - and brings ancient legends to life. From the heart of the lush tropical forests, Jordis guides her readers through the technicolor paradise that makes Paris seem grey in comparison. Ultimately, it is these very colours that infuse her life - and her readers' lives - with new meaning.

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Book SynopsisNoo Saro-Wiwa was brought up in England but spent her childhood summers in Nigeria - a country she considered an unglamorous parallel universe, devoid of all creature comforts. After her father, activist Ken Saro-Wiwa, was murdered there in 1995, Noo rarely returned to the land of her birth. More than a decade later, she decided to come to terms with Nigeria. From the exuberant chaos of Lagos, to the calm beauty of the eastern mountains; the eccentricity of a Nigerian dog show to the empty Transwonderland Amusement Park, Noo combines travelogue with an exploration of corruption, identity and religion. Looking for Transwonderland is the first major non-fiction narrative of modern Nigeria; an engaging portrait of a country whose beauty and variety few of us will experience, depicted with wit and insight by a refreshing new voice in contemporary travel writing.

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Book SynopsisAll At Sea is a celebration of the epic absurd, an attempt to explain just how out of hand things can become from a very simple starting point. The book follows the author's death-defying 200-mile journey in his antique Thomas Crapper bath - not just across the Channel, but around Kent - right up to the tremendous reception and huge media attention which awaited him under Tower Bridge. Tim met the Queen, and his bath now resides in the National Maritime Museum of Great Britain.Trade ReviewTim FitzHigham is unhinged. He is completely without hinges. -- Eddie IzzardIt is a very, very brave man who takes to the wild seas in a copper bath with only a rubber duck for support ... This is a very difficult challenge, so well done for keeping the art of British eccentricity well and truly alive. -- Sir Ranulph FiennesI think it's fair to say that though I'm fairly well connected in the boating world, I only know one person who has crossed the Channel in a bath! Tim is one of those special people you meet rarely in life ... I respect him very much for being who he is, and not at all afraid of it! -- Ellen MacArthurTim FitzHigham only exists because P. G. Wodehouse didn't invent him first. -- Dave GormanTim FitzHigham, I salute you ... Thank you for making this epic and hilarious voyage. -- Richard Hammond

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Book SynopsisSo this is surfing in Britain, I told myself as I grumpily walked up a slope of wet rocks and wispy beach grass, trying to keep a foothold as rain and wind both tried their utmost to send me skidding back down to the freezing beach below. Tom Anderson has always loved surfing – anywhere except the UK. But a chance encounter leads him to a series of adventures on home surf… As he visits the popular haunts and secret gems of British surfing he meets the Christians who pray for waves (and get them), loses a competition to a non-existent surfer, is nearly drowned in the River Severn and has a watery encounter with a pedigree sheep. All this rekindles his love affair with the freezing fun that is surfing the North Atlantic.Trade ReviewFunny and Sharp, it's a great insight into what makes surfers in the UK so dedicated. * Surf Girl *Funny, humbling and actually pretty inspiring. * Cooler *The vivid descriptions of grey skies and green waves, the freedom and the attitude of living life to the full combine to deliver a travel book with a twist and one that may have inspired a non-surfer to don a wetsuit and have a go, * Offshore *Tom Anderson learns to love the freezing fun [Britain's] waters offer... this book records his adventures around country's chilly coast. * Waterstone's Books Quarterly *Featured on BBC Radio 4 - Excess Baggage * BBC Radio 4 - Excess Baggage *

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Book SynopsisThis book presents a portrait of the Pennine Way, Britain's oldest and best known long-distance footpath, tracing its remarkable history through the experiences of walkers past and present. As Andrew McCloy walks the 268-mile route from the Derbyshire Peak District to the Scottish borders, he discovers how the Pennine Way set a benchmark for personal challenge and adventure and how reconnecting with wild places and the unhurried rhythm of the long walk continue to provide a much-needed antidote to our busy modern age. The resilience of the long distance walker is mirrored in the path's fascinating history: the initial struggle for access, battles to tame the bogs, later challenges of path erosion and the fluctuating circumstances of the rural hostel. Above all else however this is a book about Pennine Way people - from crusading ramblers to resourceful B&B landladies, hard working rangers to fanatical trail walkers. Their conversations and memories are woven into the narrative to give an account of the changing fortunes of the path and its special significance. Personal, thoughtful and often humorous, The Pennine Way - the Path, the People, the Journey is an exploration of our desire for challenge and adventure, the stimulation of wild places and how a long journey on foot through our own country still resonates today. It will appeal to people who have walked or are preparing to walk the Pennine Way, as well as to those with an interest in the history and legacy of this iconic path.Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Overview map Introduction 1. Edale - Crowden: 'The cockpit of the battle for access' 2. Crowden - Hebden Bridge: 'Repairing the green trail' 3. Hebden Bridge - Malham: 'Tom Stephenson's big idea' 4. Malham - Horton-in-Ribblesdale: 'We have waited long enough' 5. Horton-in-Ribblesdale - Hawes: 'Racing and relaxation in the open hills' 6. Hawes - Keld: 'A tale of two trails' 7. Keld - Middleton-in-Teesdale: 'The Pennine Way's eccentric side' 8. Middleton-in-Teesdale - Dufton: 'Waterfalls, wildflowers and wilderness' 9. Dufton - Alston: 'Close to the sky: overcoming Cross Fell' 10. Alston - Once Brewed: 'In the footsteps of history along the Roman Wall' 11. Once Brewed - Byrness: 'A question of motivation in Northumberland's woods' 12. Byrness - Kirk Yetholm: 'The testing home stretch through the Cheviots' Afterword Bibliography and sources Index

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Book SynopsisThis book is a celebration of mountain huts, showcasing the the sheer variety and sometimes quirky nature of these buildings that allow walkers, trekkers and climbers to access remote corners of the mountains. Packed with entertaining stories that bring the places and people to life, it contains descriptions of the author's favourite huts in the Alps, along with suggestions for hut-to-hut tours of 3-13 days duration, including the Tour of Mont Blanc. It also traces the history of huts and how they have evolved from the most primitive of shelters to the often purpose-built, eco-friendly buildings of today. For the uninitiated, it unravels some of the mystery of huts and explains how to use them and what facilities to expect. Above all, it illustrates the way in which mountain huts can be truly sociable places, where like-minded people can spend a night or two in the most magical of locations and share a love of wild places.Table of ContentsContents Introduction 1 Rooms with a view Huts for all Huts for trekkers Huts for climbers Huts for watching wildlife Huts for walkers 2 Hut life House rules Sleeping and eating The hut guardian Paying for the privilege Not huts - Berghotels and gîtes d'#xe9;tape 3 Top ten huts Cabane d'Arpitettaz Refuge des Bans Refuge de Bellachat Rifugio Bolzano/Schlernhaus Burg Hut Cabane des Dix Refuge Entre Deux Eaux Grutten Hut Rifugio Longoni Totalp Hut 4 Hut to hut Tour of the Vanoise Rätikon Höhenweg Tour of the Jungfrau Region Stubai High Level Route Tour of the Bernina Tour of Mont Blanc Tour of Val de Bagnes Tour of the Oisans: GR54 Alta Via 2 Tour of the Wilder Kaiser 5 Hovels to hotels Bivouacs, boulders and caves Loathsome dens The age of the mountain hut The overcrowded Alps Between the wars The future has arrived Alpine Clubs and their huts 6 Beyond the Alps - bothies, huts and lodges Andes Appalachians Atlas Mountains Canadian Rockies Caucasus Corsica Himalaya Picos de Europa Pyrenees Southern Alps Tatras Appendix A Useful contacts Appendix B Directory of alpine huts Appendix C Glossary for alpine trekkers Appendix D Further reading Index

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Almost French takes readers on a tour fraught with culture clashes but rife with insight and deadpan humour - a charming true story of what happens when a strong-willed Aussie girl meets a very French Frenchman.Backpacking around Europe, twenty-something Sarah Turnbull meets Frederic and impulsively accepts his invitation to visit him for a week in Paris. Eight years later, she is still there - and married to him. The feisty journalist swaps vegemite for vichyssoise and all things French, but commits the fatal errors of bowling up to strangers at classy receptions, helping herself to champagne, laughing too loudly and (quelle horreur!) rushing out for a baguette in her 'pantalons de jogging'. But Paris' maddening, mysterious charm proves irresistible and Sarah makes spectacular progress. She finds work as a freelance journalist, learns to survive Parisian dinner parties and how to deal with grim-faced officialdom.As she navigates the highs and lows of Parisian life, covering the haute couture fashions shows and discovering the hard way the paradoxes of France today, Sarah succeeds in becoming 'almost French'.

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Book SynopsisSofka Zinovieff had fallen in love with Greece as a student, but little suspected that years later she would return for good with an expatriate Greek husband and two young daughters. This book is a wonderfully fresh, funny and inquiring account of her first year as an Athenian. The whole family have to get to grips with their new life and identities: the children start school and tackle a new language, and Sofka's husband, Vassilis, comes home after half a lifetime away. Meanwhile, Sofka resolves to get to know her new city and become a Greek citizen, which turns out to be a process of Byzantine complexity. As the months go by, Sofka's discovers how memories of Athens' past haunt its present in its music, poetry and history. She also learns about the difficult art of catching a taxi, the importance of smoking, the unimportance of time-keeping, and how to get your Christmas piglet cooked at the baker's.

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Book Synopsis

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Perfect for taking on vacation or as preparatory reading before a visit - or as entertainment for lovers of London and literature. Compiled by Robin Saikia, a London-based writer and journalist.

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Book SynopsisNicolas Bouvier was an image merchant and photographer as well as a writer. The Eland edition of "Japanese Chronicles" will be accompanied by many of his startling images of Japan. "The Japanese Chronicles" is a distillation of Bouvier's lifelong quest for Japan and his many travels, so that the reader is able to discover the country through the eyes of both a passionate young man, the sensual appeciation of a middle-aged artist and the serenity of an experience writer. 'Like other great literature, [Bouvier's] Chronicles pulls the reader into a timeless dimension where all is transformed and there is no separation between the reader and the work' - "San Francisco Review of Books". 'Some of the most resonant and perceptive travel writing in recent years'. - "Kirkus Reviews". 'Bouvier's distinguished accomplishments have culminated here in a book that succeeds in transforming personal experiences into a series of epiphanies for the reader'. - "Booklist".

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