Search results for ""Author Roy"
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Hitler's Attack U-Boats: The Kriegsmarine's WWII Submarine Strike Force
The success of German submarines during the First World War in almost cutting off Britain's vital imports had not been forgotten by Adolf Hitler and when, in March 1935, he repudiated the Treaty of Versailles, Britain, magnanimously, signed up to an Anglo-German Naval Agreement. This allowed the Germans to build their submarine strength up to one third of the British Royal Navy's tonnage. When war broke out in 1939, German U-boats went quickly into action, but with only four years of production and development, the main armament of these submarines was considerably weaker than equivalent boats in other navies and many of the other main features, such as living and the fighting conditions, were also significantly inferior. Nevertheless, the German U-boat onslaught against British merchant ships during the autumn of 1940 was highly successful because the attacks were made on the surface at night and from such close range that a single torpedo would sink a ship. Soon, though, Allied technology was able to detect U-boats at night, and new convoy techniques, combined with powerfully-armed, fast modern aircraft searching the seas, meant that by 1941 it was clear that Germany was losing the war at sea. Something had to be done. The new generation of attack U-boats that had been introduced since Hitler came to power needed urgent improvement. This is the story of the Types II, VII and IX that had already become the workhorse' of the Kriegsmarine's submarine fleet and continued to put out to sea to attack Allied shipping right up to the end of the war. The Type II was a small coastal boat that struggled to reach the Atlantic; the Type VII was perfectly at home there, but lacked the technology to tackle well protected convoys; whilst the Type IX was a long-range variety that was modified so that it could operate in the Indian Ocean. In this latest book by the renowned Kriegsmarine historian Jak Mallmann Showell, these attack U-boats are explored at length. This includes details of their armament, capabilities, crew facilities, and just what is was like to operate such a vessel, and of course the story of their development and operational history.
£25.93
Whittles Publishing The Life and Works of Glasgow Architects James Miller and John James Burnet
This is the first full biography of two of Scotland's most eminent Architects, James Miller and John James Burnet. While born just three years apart into very different circumstances - Burnet was the son of a wealthy Glasgow architect and Miller a farmer's son - their careers and lives became intertwined as they competed for work and eventually the role of Scotland's leading architect. Born in 1857 and 1860 respectively, one inherited and the other established successful practices in Glasgow at the zenith of that city's wealth in the late 19th century. John James Burnet, who was educated at the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris, and led his profession in Glasgow in the latter years of the 19th and early years of the 20th centuries, produced many of the city's finest buildings. These include The Athenaeum on Buchanan Street; Charing Cross Mansions; numerous city-centre commercial buildings such as Waterloo Chambers and Atlantic Chambers and the Townhouses on University Avenue. After moving to London, his work included the extension of the British Museum, The Daily Telegraph Building on Fleet Street and Adelaide House by London Bridge. Burnet was knighted and awarded the RIBA's Gold Medal in 1923 and is recognized as one of Scotland's finest architects. James Miller is simply Scotland's most prolific architect. During his long career he designed The Empire Exhibition of 1901, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Glasgow Central Station, Wemyss Bay Station, St Enoch's Underground Station, Turnberry Hotel, Peebles Hydro Hotel, Gleneagles Hotel, the interiors of the SS Lusitania and SS Aquitania, Hampden Park, Forteviot Model Village, the Institution of Civil Engineers in Westminster, numerous banks, commercial buildings and churches in Glasgow and beyond as well as schools, country houses, factories and town halls. Despite this extraordinary output and his considerable architectural contribution to Scotland's heritage, he has received relatively little acclaim, until now. This is a fascinating double biography, the story of Burnet and Miller's parallel lives and work, set against the background of the booming Empire's 'Second City'.
£17.99
APA Publications Insight Guides Pocket Sydney (Travel Guide with Free eBook)
Insight Guides Pocket Guide SydneyTravel made easy. Ask local experts.The definitive pocket-sized travel guide, now with free app and eBook.Compact, concise and packed full of essential information about where to go and what to do, this is an ideal on-the-move guide for exploring Sydney. From top tourist attractions like Sydney's glorious harbour, bountiful Aquarium and stunning Opera House, to cultural gems, including Sydney's favourite ocean playground, Bondi Beach, the lush and peaceful Royal Botanic Gardens, and the beautiful Blue Mountains, a rugged wilderness right on the city's doorstep, plan your perfect trip with this practical, all-in-one travel guide. Features of this travel guide to Sydney:- Inspirational itineraries: discover the best destinations, sights and excursions, highlighted with stunning photography- Historical and cultural insights: delve into the city's rich history and culture, and learn all about its people, art and traditions- Practical full-colour map: with every major attraction highlighted, the pull-out map makes on-the-ground navigation easy- Key tips and essential information: from transport to tipping, we've got you covered- The ultimate travel tool: download the free app and eBook to access all this and more from your phone or tablet- Covers: Sydney Harbour; Harbourside attractions; Central Sydney; Darling Harbour; Eastern suburbs; Inner west suburbs; Western suburbs; The beaches; Excursions from SydneyLooking for a comprehensive guide to Australia? Check out Insight Guides Australia for a detailed and entertaining look at all the country has to offer.About Insight Guides: Insight Guides is a pioneer of full-colour guide books, with almost 50 years' experience of publishing high-quality, visual travel guides with user-friendly, modern design. We produce around 400 full-colour print guide books and maps, as well as phrase books, picture-packed eBooks and apps to meet different travellers' needs. Insight Guides' unique combination of beautiful travel photography and focus on history and culture create a unique visual reference and planning tool to inspire your next adventure.
£6.99
Anomie Publishing Daphne Oram - an Individual Note of Music, Sound and Electronics
Daphne Oram (1925–2003) was one of the central figures in the development of British experimental electronic music. Having declined a place at the Royal College of Music to become a music balancer at the BBC, she went on to become the co-founder and first director of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. Oram left the BBC in 1959 to pursue commercial work in television, advertising, film and theatre, to make her own music for recording and performance, and to continue her personal research into sound technology – a passion she had had since her childhood in rural Wiltshire. Her home, a former oasthouse in Kent, became an unorthodox studio and workshop in which, mostly on a shoestring budget, she developed her pioneering equipment, sounds and ideas. A significant part of her personal research was the invention of a machine that offered a new form of sound synthesis – the Oramics machine.Oram’s contribution to electronic music is receiving considerable attention from new generations of composers, sound engineers, musicians, musicologists and music lovers around the world. Following her death, the Daphne Oram Trust was established to preserve and promote her work, life and legacy, and an archive created in the Special Collections Library at Goldsmiths, University of London. One of the Trust’s ambitions has been to publish a new edition of Oram’s one and only book, An Individual Note of Music, Sound and Electronics, which was originally published in 1972. With support from the Daphne Oram Archive, the Trust has now been able to realize this ambition.An Individual Note is both curious and remarkable. When commissioned to write a book, she was keen to avoid it becoming a manual or how-to guide, preferring instead to use the opportunity to muse on the subjects of music, sound and electronics, and the relationships between them. At a time when the world was just starting to engage with electronic music and the technology was still primarily in the hands of music studios, universities, and corporations, her approach was both innovative and inspiring, encouraging anyone with an interest in music to think about the nature, capabilities and possibilities that the new sounds could bring. And her thinking was not limited to just the future of the orchestra, synthesizer, computer and home studio, but ventured, with great spirit and wit, into other realms of science, technology, culture and thought. An Individual Note is a playful yet compelling manifesto for the dawn of electronic music and for our individual capacity to use, experience and enjoy it.This new edition of An Individual Note features a specially commissioned introduction from the British composer, performer, roboticist and sound historian Sarah Angliss.
£31.80
Faber & Faber Lord of the Flies: New Educational Edition
First published in 1954, William Golding's debut novel, now a classic, is a stark story of survival, probing the depths of human nature, and what happens when civilization collapses. As dystopian stories like The Hunger Games and Battle Royale surge in popularity, this haunting tale of a group of young boys stranded on a desert island still captivates schoolchildren around the world, raising timeless and profound questions about how easily society can slip into chaos and savagery when rules and order have been abandoned. This new educational edition provides supplementary material, chapter summaries, discussion questions and additional teaching resources to help guide students and support teachers throughout the text. When a plane crashes on a remote island, a group of schoolboys are the sole survivors. As the reality of their situation sets in, the boys attempt to establish control and their world gradually descends into brutal savagery. As Catcher in the Rye became the classic coming-of-age tale, Lord of the Flies is the classic story of innocence lost. A teacher himself, Golding clearly understood how to interest children with a gripping story and strong, sympathetic characters. The novel serves as a catalyst for thought-provoking discussion and analysis of universal issues, not only concerning the capabilities of humans for good and evil and the fragility of moral inhibition, but beyond. The boys' struggle to find a way of existing in a community with no fixed boundaries invites readers to evaluate the concepts involved in social and political constructs and moral frameworks. Symbolism is strong throughout, revealing both the boys' capacity for empathy and hope, as well as illuminating the darkest corners of the human spirit. Ideas of community, leadership, and the rule of law are called into question as the reader has to consider who has a right to power, why, and what the consequences of the acquisition of power may be. All of these concerns are current today and can be easily related to the novel through effective teaching and learning. This new educational edition encourages original and independent thought from students, as well as guiding them through the text. The supplementary material includes a biographical section on William Golding, and his own interpretive essay 'Fable' on Lord of the Flies, as well as providing information about the novel's historical context, which will be ideal for students completing GCSE and A-Level courses as well as those studying the novel worldwide. At the end of the text there are chapter summaries, comprehension questions, discussion points and activities plus a glossary of less familiar words or phrases. All of these are intended to inspire and generate creative teaching, learning and love of the novel.
£8.99
Cornerstone At Home at Highclere: Entertaining at The Real Downton Abbey
'A gorgeous book with beautiful photos, and a historical document to boot.' - Steve Wright, BBC Radio 2Join Lady Carnarvon and discover the fascinating life behind the scenes at the 'real Downton Abbey'.Lady Carnarvon's love of history is richly rewarded at Highclere Castle with its mine of family records going back some 300 years. She has delved into the archives to create a book that invites you inside the Castle, past and present. Throughout the centuries, Highclere has welcomed Royalty, Statesmen, Egyptologists and pioneers of technology along with men and women from the worlds of music, art and letters. The etiquette of the invitation, the balance of guests at a weekend house party, their 'placement' at dinners, and the entertainment of friends, as well as the domestic management required to execute the perfect occasion, have all preoccupied successive generations of châtelaines. This book tells the story four real life weekends - from 1866 to 1936 - when the great and the good gathered at Highclere to change the world in some large or small part. It then reflects on how the current Countess entertains 'At Home' at Highclere today. Each weekend showcases the life of the house, both upstairs with the rich and famous and below stairs with the staff and employees. You are transported to a world where guests were collected from the long since defunct Highclere Station in carriages or later in the earliest cars having had the train stop specifically for them and where the allocation of the most prestigious bedrooms really did matter. It looks at what should be served for dinner, the hot topics of conversation and gossip, traditional breakfasts and shooting parties with the Prince of Wales. She explores how menus were, and still are now, put together with the chef, what were the de rigueur cocktails of the day (and why) - and how to make them at home wherever you are. Each chapter will explore some of the recipes and, where practical, have adaptations and photos of the recipes which can be cooked in today's kitchens. Many recipes are little-changed to this day and Lady Carnarvon shares her commentary on their context at Highclere.'Highclere works hard to steer a steady course in today's world, but the Castle was built for entertainment and pleasure, for convivial weekends. I hope this book gives a glimpse inside a great house, with mouth-watering recipes, eye-catching photographs and fascinating stories about some of the remarkable people who have stayed here.' - Lady Carnarvon
£25.00
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Hitler's V-Weapons: The Battle Against the V-1 and V-2 in WWII
At 04.08 hours on the morning of 13 June 1944, two members of the Royal Observer Corps were on duty at their post on the top of a Martello tower on the seafront at Dymchurch in Kent. At that moment they spotted the approach of an object spurting red flames from its rear and making a noise like a Model-T-Ford going up a hill'. It was a development that they, and many others throughout the UK, had been anticipating for months. The first V1 flying bomb, an example of what Hitler had called his Vergeltungswaffen or Vengeance Weapons, to be released against Britain was rattling towards them. The two spotters on top of the tower may well have been aware that a new Battle of Britain had just begun. For years, key individuals in the UK had been aware of experiments by Germany to build long-range weapons. From leaked documents, reports from the French Resistance and the result of aerial photography a picture was gradually put together of an extensive programme by the Nazis to build pilotless aircraft, the Fi 103 V1 flying bomb, and the V2, the A4 rocket, which could be directed at the United Kingdom. By 1943, enough information had been gathered for Britain and its American allies to act, and the first bombing raids were undertaken against the long-range weapons installations. From August 1943, every effort was undertaken by the RAF and the USAAF Eighth Air Force to destroy every site lined to the V-weapons. This book, written by the Air Ministry's Air Historical Branch is the official account of the measures undertaken by the Air Defence of Great Britain, Fighter Command, Anti-Aircraft Command, Bomber Command and even the Balloon Command to defend the UK from what was potentially the greatest threat it had ever encountered. It was only through this multi-disciplinary approach that the actual effect of the V-weapons was contained to the level it was. Even so, the extent of the damage and deaths the flying bombs and rockets caused and the fear they generated, was considerable and had this coordinated approach not been undertaken the UK's resolve in the crucial months of the war might have been seriously challenged. This highly detailed, accurate and unbiased account is a valuable addition to the history of the Second World War. It demonstrates the difficulties the UK faced in identifying the nature of the highly secret German weapons and how, through an enormous combined effort, this threat was overcome.
£24.98
HarperCollins Publishers Born Trump: Inside America’s First Family
As a writer at Vanity Fair covering the Trump family, Emily Jane Fox has spent the last year doing a deep dive into the lives of the President’s children. Born Trump is the explosive narrative of her findings as an insider within the most influential family in America. Journalist Emily Jane Fox has developed a personal relationship with Ivanka and has cultivated sources close to Eric, Donald Jr., and Tiffany. She has scoured their Instagram accounts, combed through all their public speeches, spoken to their childhood friends, college acquaintances, business associates, close advisors, and campaign operatives. She’s become the foremost expert on the Trump kids and, now, in this exclusive account, Fox chronicles the experiences of the Trump children, individuals who possess more control than any other First Children in the history of the presidency. Wonderfully gossipy, Born Trump examines what shaped the Trump children into who they are – a shared familial history that will inevitably form American history in the coming years. Born Trump explores what it was like to grow up Trump and what this reveals about living in Trump’s America, in turn painting an intimate portrait of the 45th President of the United States from the perspective of his most inner circle. Given their father’s need to be in the spotlight, his bellicose and litigious nature, and how often his personal life played out in public, it seems astonishing that his children remain so close to him. And yet this is part of the Trump ethos – like royalty, they stand together, encased not in palaces, but in Trump Tower. Fox looks at the childhood privileges and traumas, the individual adolescences and early adulthoods that have been lightly chronicled in the tabloids but never detailed thoughtfully or in depth, the family business that brought them back together and the dynamics therein, the campaign that tested the family in ways the children could not have imagined, and now, the wide-open slate in front of them in Washington, D.C.Full of surprising insights and previously untold stories, Born Trump will quench the ever-increasing desire for a greater understanding of who these people are, how they were raised, and what makes them tick.
£9.99
MAIRDUMONT GmbH & Co. KG London Marco Polo Pocket Travel Guide 2018 - with pull out map
Marco Polo Pocket Guide London: the Travel Guide with Insider Tips Explore London with this handy, pocket-sized, authoritative guide, packed with Insider Tips. Discover boutique hotels, authentic restaurants, the city's trendiest places, and get tips on shopping and what to do on a limited budget. There are plenty of ideas for travel with kids, and a summary of all the festivals and events that take place. Let Marco Polo show you all this wonderful city has to offer... The distinctive, red double-decker buses, Big Ben, the huge dome of St. Paul's Cathedral, the Victorian Gothic towers of Tower Bridge: London is a city that you simply have to visit - a city with so much to see that you'll always leave wanting to see more. Let Marco Polo London guide you through this extraordinary city of contrasts: first class museums next to trendy shops, royal palaces next to graffiti... This is London! Your Marco Polo London Pocket Guide includes: Insider Tips - we show you the hidden gems and little known secrets that offer a real insight into the city. Discover where you can learn the Balboa swing dance or how to kayak from Big Ben to Tower Bridge. Best of - find the best things to do for free, the best `only in' London experiences, the best things to do if it rains and the best places to relax and spoil yourself. Sightseeing - all of the top sights are organised by areas of the city so you can easily plan your day. Discovery Tours - 5 specially tailored tours that will get you to the heart of London. Culture, cathedrals and culinary delights are yours to discover with these inspirational itineraries. London in full-colour - Marco Polo Pocket Guide London includes full-colour photos throughout the guide bringing the city to life offering you a real taste of what you can see and enjoy on your trip. Touring App - new for 2018, you can download any of the Discovery Tours to your smartphone, complete with the detailed route description and map exactly as featured in the guide, free of charge. The maps can be used offline too, so no roaming charges. The perfect navigational tool with distance indicators and landmarks highlighting the correct direction to travel in as well as GPS coordinates along the way. Enjoy stress-free sightseeing and never get lost again! Street Atlas and pull-out map - we've included a detailed street atlas and a handy, pull-out map so you can pop the guide in your bag for a full-on sightseeing day or head out with just the map to enjoy your Discovery Tour. Trust Marco Polo Pocket Guide London to show you around this extraordinary city. The comprehensive coverage and unique insights will ensure you experience everything London has to offer and more. The special tips, personal insights and unusual experiences will help you make the most of your trip - just arrive and enjoy.
£10.78
Random House USA Inc Bartolomé y el glúpiti (Bartholomew and the Oobleck Spanish Edition)
Edición en español del álbum ilustrado de Dr. Seuss, ganador de la Mención de Honor Caldecott, que trata el tema de hacernos responsables de nuestros propios actos y de ser capaces de decir «¡lo siento!». En este divertido álbum ilustrado, el joven paje Bartolomé Cubbins (protagonista de Los 500 sombreros de Bartolomé Cubbins) le da una lección de buen comportamiento al viejo rey Derwin. Aburrido de la lluvia, el sol, la niebla y la nieve, Derwin ordena a sus magos crear algo «nuevo» que caiga del cielo. ¡Lo que obtiene es un aguacero de una sustancia verde y pegajosa llamada glúpiti, que amenaza con destruir todo su reino! Pero con la ayuda del sabio Bartolomé, el Rey (y los lectores) aprenden que, a veces, las palabras más sencillas pueden resolver los mayores problemas.Las ediciones rimadas y en español de los clásicos de Dr. Seuss publicadas por Random House brindan la maravillosa oportunidad de disfrutar de sus historias a más de treinta y ocho millones de personas hispanohablantes en Estados Unidos. Los lectores podrán divertirse con las ediciones en español de The Cat in the Hat (El Gato Ensombrerado); Green Eggs and Ham (Huevos verdes con jamón); One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish (Un pez, dos peces, pez rojo, pez azul); The Lorax (El Lórax); Oh, the Places You'll Go! (¡Oh, cuán lejos llegarás!); How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (¡Cómo el Grinch robó la Navidad!), y Horton Hears a Who! (¡Horton escucha a Quién!). Ideal tanto para leer en casa como en la escuela, estos libros han sido meticulosamente traducidos, respetando la rima, por autores y traductores latinoamericanos, y supervisados por Teresa Mlawer, reconocida y galardonada traductora durante más de cincuenta años.A Spanish edition of Dr. Seuss's Caldecott-Honor winning picture book about taking responsibility and saying you're sorry!In this hilarious picture book featuring unrhymed verse, young page boy Bartholomew Cubbins (star of Dr. Seuss's The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins) teaches old King Derwin a lesson in good behavior. Bored with rain, sun, fog, and snow, Derwin orders his royal magicians to create something "new" to fall down from the sky. What he gets is a downpour of sticky green goo called Oobleck, which soon threatens to wreck his entire kingdom! But with the assistance of wise Bartholomew, the king (along with young readers) learns that the simplest words can sometimes solve the biggest problems.Random House's rhymed Spanish-language editions of classic Dr. Seuss books make the joyful experience of reading Dr. Seuss books available for the more than 38 million people in the United States who speak Spanish. Readers can enjoy over 30 different classic Dr. Seuss titles including The Cat in the Hat (El Gato Ensombrerado); Green Eggs and Ham (Huevos verdes con jamón); One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish (Un pez dos peces pez rojo pez azul); The Lorax (El Lórax); Oh, the Places You'll Go! (¡Oh, cuán lejos llegarás!); How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (¡Cómo el Grinch robó la Navidad!); and Horton Hears a Who! (¡Horton escucha a Quién!). Perfect for home and classroom use, they are meticulously translated in rhyme by native Latin American Spanish speakers overseen by award-winning translator Teresa Mlawer.
£15.64
ISTE Ltd and John Wiley & Sons Inc Process Engineering and Industrial Management
Process Engineering, the science and art of transforming raw materials and energy into a vast array of commercial materials, was conceived at the end of the 19th Century. Its history in the role of the Process Industries has been quite honorable, and techniques and products have contributed to improve health, welfare and quality of life. Today, industrial enterprises, which are still a major source of wealth, have to deal with new challenges in a global world. They need to reconsider their strategy taking into account environmental constraints, social requirements, profit, competition, and resource depletion. “Systems thinking” is a prerequisite from process development at the lab level to good project management. New manufacturing concepts have to be considered, taking into account LCA, supply chain management, recycling, plant flexibility, continuous development, process intensification and innovation. This book combines experience from academia and industry in the field of industrialization, i.e. in all processes involved in the conversion of research into successful operations. Enterprises are facing major challenges in a world of fierce competition and globalization. Process engineering techniques provide Process Industries with the necessary tools to cope with these issues. The chapters of this book give a new approach to the management of technology, projects and manufacturing. Contents Part 1: The Company as of Today 1. The Industrial Company: its Purpose, History, Context, and its Tomorrow?, Jean-Pierre Dal Pont. 2. The Two Modes of Operation of the Company – Operational and Entrepreneurial, Jean-Pierre Dal Pont. 3. The Strategic Management of the Company: Industrial Aspects, Jean-Pierre Dal Pont. Part 2: Process Development and Industrialization 4. Chemical Engineering and Process Engineering, Jean-Pierre Dal Pont. 5. Foundations of Process Industrialization, Jean-François Joly. 6. The Industrialization Process: Preliminary Projects, Jean-Pierre Dal Pont and Michel Royer. 7. Lifecycle Analysis and Eco-Design: Innovation Tools for Sustainable Industrial Chemistry, Sylvain Caillol. 8. Methods for Design and Evaluation of Sustainable Processes and Industrial Systems, Catherine Azzaro-Pantel. 9. Project Management Techniques: Engineering, Jean-Pierre Dal Pont. Part 3: The Necessary Adaptation of the Company for the Future 10. Japanese Methods, Jean-Pierre Dal Pont. 11. Innovation in Chemical Engineering Industries, Oliver Potier and Mauricio Camargo. 12. The Place of Intensified Processes in the Plant of the Future, Laurent Falk. 13. Change Management, Jean-Pierre Dal Pont. 14. The Plant of the Future, Jean-Pierre Dal Pont.
£189.95
Quarto Publishing PLC Mozart: Volume 105
In this book from the critically acclaimed, multimillion-copy bestselling Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the incredible life of Mozart, world-renowned classical musician and composer. Wolfgang Mozart first started playing the keyboard at just three years old. Inspired by his sister’s talent, little Wolfgang soon mastered several instruments and was even writing his own musical compositions. As a young boy, he travelled from city to city with his father and sister, playing for Europe’s royal families and delighting them with his talents. When his father fell ill, and Wolfgang had to keep quiet in their home, he wrote a whole symphony from just hearing the instruments in his head! As he grew, Mozart pushed the boundaries of western music and created exciting masterpieces: from dances and masses to symphonies and operas. Wolfgang wrote over 600 pieces during his short life. Wolfgang became a world-renowned musician and composer, known for his prodigious talent and ability to write across a wide variety of styles. His music has become a key part of western music education, and continues to inspire young musicians to keep playing and practicing their instruments. Today, Wolfgang’s music still delights audiences across the world, from the smallest school hall to the biggest opera house. This inspiring book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the incredible musician and composer’s lifeLittle People, BIG DREAMS is a bestselling biography series for kids that explores the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream. This empowering series of books offers inspiring messages to children of all ages, in a range of formats. The board books are told in simple sentences, perfect for reading aloud to babies and toddlers. The hardback and paperback versions present expanded stories for beginning readers. With rewritten text for older children, the treasuries each bring together a multitude of dreamers in a single volume. You can also collect a selection of the books by theme in boxed gift sets. Activity books and a journal provide even more ways to make the lives of these role models accessible to children.Inspire the next generation of outstanding people who will change the world with Little People, BIG DREAMS!
£9.99
Whittles Publishing Roaming Wild: The Founding of Compassion in World Farming
Roaming Wild details the unconventional and pioneering lives of Anna and Peter Roberts, a British couple who were instrumental in making the animal welfare movement a respectable, highly-impactful and worldwide organisation. This book explores the paths that led Anna and Peter to found and steward what is now the world's largest and most successful animal welfare charity from a backroom of their own home, with few funds, and at a time when caring for animals and our planet was seen as 'crankish' and 'sentimental'. This is the story of their family, their era, influence, their rebellion and prophetic ideas and the development of Compassion in World Farming. It spans the period from the early 1920s when they were born, throughout the decades of their childhoods and World War II, to their highly romantic meeting and marriage in the 1950s, and then the next years of their lives as dairy and chicken farmers in rural Hampshire. This 'ordinary' part of their story preceded their move to change everything by making the 'extraordinary' decision during the tumultuous 1960s, of risking their livelihood, going vegetarian (as animal farmers), and losing the approval of their peers, to found their compassion-driven campaign. This personal transformation was at a time when the British countryside was also transforming, irrevocably and for the worse, when intensive, polluting farms were just taking root, the cruel battery and broiler system had recently been developed, and the countryside's biodiversity was being destroyed with the implementation of monoculture and the profligate spraying of lethal biocides, such as DDT. The Roberts were at first rejected by the popular animal charities of the day; believing that the public cared only about companion animals or those in circuses, rather than those animals who suffer the most at human hands - those in the food chain - and so the Roberts family went out alone and set up CIWF in the face of much public derision. Then followed the highs and lows of campaign life, a court battle with an order of veal-farming Catholic monks, famine campaigns in Ethiopia, work alongside comedian Spike Milligan, model Celia Hammond and philosopher Peter Singer, challenging EU legislation, and battles with agricultural and chemical giant Monsanto. Corporate giants like McDonald's were influenced to go free-range, even the British Royal family was challenged to go free-range, and animals were put on the agenda of every major political party in the 1970s and much more. The story interweaves the personal with the political and documents the highs and lows of family life, the judgement faced when they chose to raise their three daughters as vegetarians in the 1960s, their myriad spiritual quests, including the couple's time spent in the Indian ashram of Sathya Sai Baba, their rewilding of the land near their family home, and the story of their fifty-year love. This is a tale of an 'ordinary couple with an extraordinary vision'.
£18.99
Hodder & Stoughton The King is Dead, Long Live the King!: Majesty, Mourning and Modernity in Edwardian Britain
A Country Life 'Best Book of the Year' 2023The Times Book of the Week * * * 'I could read Martin Williams all day. He is a staggeringly communicative historian; this book throws shafts of light on recent history almost repeating itself, giving vivid glimpses into monarchy and the way things were, and are. Compulsory reading.' --- Dame Joanna Lumley'A social historian and gifted storyteller, Williams is by turns moved and amused as he reflects on the poignancy and rituals of a nation united (pretty much) in grief...' --- The Times'adroitly-written...[told by Williams] so skilfully, and with such silken prose, that it's a pleasure to spend the time inside his head' --- The Oldie'delightful details...to rekindle this vanished epoch' --- Country Life'Vivid, panoramic, skilfully written, this gripping book is an insight into a time and an age'. --- Kate Williams'Martin Williams has written a fascinating and absorbing account of the Edwardian era, the demise and funeral of the King, and the iconic Black Ascot that followed it. He has brought a lost age grippingly to light'. --- Hugo Vickers'witty, informative and immensely readable... captures the spirit of the times'. --- Miranda Seymour'A tour de force'. --- Dr Kate Strasdin'We tend to think that Cecil Beaton single-handedly invented the Edwardian Age. Martin Williams shows us succinctly and elegantly that perhaps it was the King himself.' --- Nicky Haslam'... moves with unflagging wit and style. A fresh perspective on a brilliant life and a lost era beautifully evoked, it is impossible not to be swept away by this gem of a book. Pure pleasure.' --- Robin Muir'a must-have... a wonderful and thought-provoking read.' --- The Historian'...a book about a changed and changing world trying to cope with even more change...beautifully written [and] timely' --- The Catholic Herald'...resonates powerfully with our own recent experience of collective mourning...Williams describes the king's gradual demise in evocative detail.' --- Air MailUnforgettable as it was, the public response to the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022 was not without precedent. When her great-grandfather King Edward VII - glamorous, cosmopolitan and extraordinarily popular - died in May 1910, the political, social and cultural anxieties of a nation in turmoil were temporarily set aside during a summer of intense and ritualised mourning.In The King is Dead, Long Live the King! Martin Williams charts a period of tension and transition as one era slipped away and another took shape. Witnessed by a diverse but interconnected cast of characters - crowned heads and Cabinet ministers, debutantes and suffragettes, artists and murderers - here is the swansong of Edwardian Britain. Set against a backdrop of bereavement and parliamentary crisis overshadowed by the gathering clouds of war, we see a people caught between past and future, tradition and modernity, as they unite to bid farewell to a much-loved monarch who had personified his age. From Buckingham Palace to Bloomsbury, and from the lying-in-state in Westminster Hall to a now legendary Royal Ascot enveloped in black, this is a vivid evocation of a world on the brink of seismic upheaval.
£22.50
Cornell University Press Nobility Lost: French and Canadian Martial Cultures, Indians, and the End of New France
Nobility Lost is a cultural history of the Seven Years' War in French-claimed North America, focused on the meanings of wartime violence and the profound impact of the encounter between Canadian, Indian, and French cultures of war and diplomacy. This narrative highlights the relationship between events in France and events in America and frames them dialogically, as the actors themselves experienced them at the time. Christian Ayne Crouch examines how codes of martial valor were enacted and challenged by metropolitan and colonial leaders to consider how those acts affected French-Indian relations, the culture of French military elites, ideas of male valor, and the trajectory of French colonial enterprises afterwards, in the second half of the eighteenth century. At Versailles, the conflict pertaining to the means used to prosecute war in New France would result in political and cultural crises over what constituted legitimate violence in defense of the empire. These arguments helped frame the basis for the formal French cession of its North American claims to the British in the Treaty of Paris of 1763. While the French regular army, the troupes de terre (a late-arriving contingent to the conflict), framed warfare within highly ritualized contexts and performances of royal and personal honor that had evolved in Europe, the troupes de la marine (colonial forces with economic stakes in New France) fought to maintain colonial land and trade. A demographic disadvantage forced marines and Canadian colonial officials to accommodate Indian practices of gift giving and feasting in preparation for battle, adopt irregular methods of violence, and often work in cooperation with allied indigenous peoples, such as Abenakis, Hurons, and Nipissings. Drawing on Native and European perspectives, Crouch shows the period of the Seven Years' War to be one of decisive transformation for all American communities. Ultimately the augmented strife between metropolitan and colonial elites over the aims and means of warfare, Crouch argues, raised questions about the meaning and cost of empire not just in North America but in the French Atlantic and, later, resonated in France's approach to empire-building around the globe. The French government examined the cause of the colonial debacle in New France at a corruption trial in Paris (known as l'affaire du Canada), and assigned blame. Only colonial officers were tried, and even those who were acquitted found themselves shut out of participation in new imperial projects in the Caribbean and in the Pacific. By tracing the subsequent global circumnavigation of Louis Antoine de Bougainville, a decorated veteran of the French regulars, 1766–1769, Crouch shows how the lessons of New France were assimilated and new colonial enterprises were constructed based on a heightened jealousy of French honor and a corresponding fear of its loss in engagement with Native enemies and allies.
£34.00
Facet Publishing The New Walford Guide to Reference Resources: Volume 1: Science. Technology and Medicine
First published in 1959, Walford's guide to reference material achieved international recognition as a leading bibliographic tool across all subject areas. But, in the 1990s, the web transformed the information universe; and so we have now transformed Walford. The New Walford (TNW) Volume 1: Science, Technology and Medicine is the first volume of a radically different guide. Published over 3 years, TNW will form the most substantial work of its kind in the English language. This book provides a pathway through the huge quantity of information now accessible via the web. The types of material cited have been greatly widened to reflect the revolution brought about by the use of networked information; but we have made sure that print resources are not ignored where these are still valuable. If you are approaching a subject for the first time, TNW will get you on your way, guiding you to the best starting points for your query. For the information professional, TNW's new way of categorizing resources reflects the fundamental changes that have taken place in the scientific, business, political and social information landscapes. Who is it for This new reference book will be valuable for professionals worldwide who need to suggest resources to people who are relatively unfamiliar with the nuances of a topic and who need to know where to start. The focus is on resources that are most likely to be found and used within public, government, education or business information services. If you are an LIS professional responsible for developing and revising a reference collection, new to reference work, staffing an enquiry desk, a research worker or student, you'll welcome publication of this new work - it's your paper portal to the world of reference resources. Subject coverage mathematics physics & astronomy earth sciences chemistry biological sciences agriculture, forestry, fisheries & food pre-clinical sciences; clinical medicine health natural resources & energy engineering information & communication technology. Subject fields include astrophysics & cosmology biodiversity & conservation genetics, genomics & bioinformatics infectious diseases information system security meteorology & climatology microengineering & nanotechnology palaeontology soil science sports & exercise medicine. Editor-in-ChiefDr Ray Lester held posts in Unilever and a number of university libraries before becoming Director of Information Services at the London Business School and then the Head of Library and Information Services at The Natural History Museum. Subject specialists Catherine Carr, Cranfield University Jim Corlett, Nottingham Trent University Joanne Dunham, University of Leicester Helen Hathaway, University of Reading Dr Jonathan Jeffery, Leiden University Gareth Johnson, University of York Nazma Masud, Royal Society of Chemistry Roger Mills, University of Oxford Lorna Mitchell, Queen Mary, University of London Dr David Newton, The British Library Linda Norbury, University of Birmingham Bob Parry, University of Reading Alison Sutton, University of Reading Elizabeth Tilley, University of Cambridge Dr Barry White, University of Manchester Fenella Whittaker, The Institution of Mechanical Engineers.
£259.95
Weldon Owen, Incorporated Walls Of Fame: The Unforgettable Sports Posters of the Costacos Brothers
“The poster made you cool, You didn’t make the poster cool.” –Charles Barkley, Basketball Hall of Famer From Poster Boys: How the Costacos Brothers Built a Wall Art Empire Rediscover your childhood sense of awe with the Costacos Brothers’ official collection of the iconic sports posters that adorned the bedrooms of a generation.John and Tock Costacos share stories of the hard work, luck, giant prop baseball bats, wild animals, explosives, Ferraris, and semi-automatic weapons that forged an indelible bond between fans and their NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL idols. With more than 100 posters and never-before-seen outtakes and concept art, Walls of Fame: The Unforgettable Sports Posters of the Costacos Brothers is an extraordinary look back at the golden age of sports heroes. More than 100 posters are featured, including: * Brian Bosworth: The Land of Boz (Seattle Seahawks) * Michael Jordan: Space (Chicago Bulls) * Jose Canseco & Mark McGwire: The Bash Brothers (Oakland A’s) * Bo Jackson: Black & Blue (Los Angeles Raiders & Kansas City Royals) * Aaron Judge: Judgement Time (New York Yankees) * Magic Johnson & Wayne Gretzky: L.A. Story (L.A. Lakers & L.A. Kings) * Roger Clemons: The Rocket (Boston Red Sox) * Lawrence Taylor: The Terminator (New York Giants) * Sergei Fedorov: From Russia with Love (Detroit Red Wings) * Charles Barkley: Get Off My Backboard (Philadelphia 76ers) * Jim McMahon & Walter Payton: Chicago Vice (Chicago Bears) * Dave Winfield: Class (New York Yankees) * Larry Bird: Legend (Boston Celtics) * Troy Aikman: Strong Arm of the Law (Dallas Cowboys) * Kirby Puckett: Wrecking Ball (Minnesota Twins) * Dominique Wilkins: The Highlight Zone (Atlanta Hawks) * Jerry Rice: Goldfingers (San Francisco 49ers) * Ken Griffey Jr. & Ken Griffey Sr.: The Next Generation (Seattle Mariners & Cincinnati Reds) * Shawn Kemp & Jeff Ament: Slam & Jam (Seattle SuperSonics & Pearl Jam) * John Elway: The Rifleman (Denver Broncos) * Kevin Mitchell: Batman (San Francisco Giants) * Luc Robitaille: Cool Hand Luc (L.A. Kings) * Shaquille O’Neal: Rim Shaker (Orlando Magic) * Christian Okoye: Nigerian Nightmare (Kansas City Chiefs) * Don Majkowski: Majik Man (Green Bay Packers) * Kirk Gibson: Big Game Hunter (L.A. Dodgers) * Patrick Ewing: Madison Square Guardian (New York Knicks) * Reggie White: Minister of Defense (Philadelphia Eagles) * Andre Dawson: The Hawk (Chicago Cubs) . . . and more!
£40.00
Pen & Sword Books Ltd RAF Hawkinge: The RAF s Wartime Frontline Airfield; From Dunkirk to the Battle of Britain and D-Day
As the nearest RAF station to Occupied Europe, the airfield at Hawkinge in Kent found itself quite literally on the frontline during the Second World War. However, Hawkinge's association with British military aviation began more than two decades earlier, during the First World War. Already a pre-war airfield, it was in 1915 that the land was requisitioned for use by the Royal Fling Corps. The first personnel arrived a few months later to serve at was initially named Folkestone Field. Mainly used as a base for transporting aircraft across to France and the Western Front, a name change to Hawkinge Aeroplane Dispatch Station soon followed, at which point its remit also included the transportation of supplies to troops in France and Belgium. It was following the re-organisation of the RAF in 1923 that Hawkinge underwent the next stage in its development. New hangars and operations buildings were erected, with water and communications systems installed. The airfield's role changed to that of training for both RAF and the Army; 25 Squadron was the first full squadron to be based at Hawkinge. In the first months of the Second World War, airfield was re-designated as a Fighter Station in No.11 Group, following which the first Hurricanes from 3 Squadron arrived on 19 December 1939. Throughout the Battle of France and into the Dunkirk evacuation Hawkinge played a vital role providing around the clock air-cover for Allied forces. But it was in the summer of 1940 that Hawkinge endured its finest hour'. The first Luftwaffe attack on Hawkinge occurred on 12 August. Despite widespread damage, the grass runways were quickly repaired, ensuring that the Spitfires and Hurricanes which used it as a forward base were soon operating again. Despite the Luftwaffe's best efforts, Hawkinge remained operational throughout the war. As the RAF went on the offensive in 1941, Hawkinge had a vital part to play in maintaining these missions against Goering's forces - both as a location to refuel on the way out, or a place of refuge on the return, both for fighters and bombers alike, including those of the USAAF following America's entry into the war. Following the war, the fighter base was officially closed on 3 September 1945. In 1964 the Ministry of Defence sold the land, although for a short while in 1968, memories of the war were invoked with the airfield's use in the making of the classic film Battle of Britain. Only a small corner of the original site has survived and is today home to the renowned Kent Battle of Britain Museum.
£26.99
Pegasus Books The Times That Try Men's Souls: The Adams, the Quincys, and the Battle for Loyalty in the American Revolution
A compelling, intimate history of the Revolutionary period through a series of charismatic and ambitious families, revealing how the American Revolution was, in many ways, a civil war.“Posterity! You will never know, how much it cost the present Generation, to preserve your Freedom! —John Adams to Abigail Adams, 26 April 1777 All wars are tragic, but the "revolutionary generation" paid an exceptionally personal price. Foreign wars pull men from home to fight and die abroad leaving empty seats at the family table. But the ideological war that forms the foundation of a civil war also severs intimate family relationships and bonds of friendship in addition to the loss of life on the battle fields. In The Times That Try Men's Soul, Joyce Lee Malcolm masterfully traces the origins and experience of that division during the American Revolution—the growing political disagreements, the intransigence of colonial and government officials swelling into a flood of intolerance, intimidation and mob violence. In that tidal wave opportunities for reconciliation were lost. Those loyal to the royal government fled into exile and banishment, or stayed home to support British troops. Patriots risked everything in a fight they seemed destined to lose. Many people simply hoped against hope to get on with ordinary life in extraordinary times. The hidden cost of this war was families and dear friends split along party lines. Samuel Quincy, Josiah Quincy’s only surviving son, sailed to England, abandoning his father, wife, and three children. John Adam’s dearest friend, Jonathan Sewell, fled with his family to England after his home was stormed by a mob. Sewell’s sister-in-law was married to none other than John Hancock. James Otis’s beloved wife Ruth was a wealthy Tory. One daughter would marry a British Army captain and spend the rest of her life abroad while the other wed the son of a major general in the Continental Army. The pain of husbands divided from wives, fathers from children, sisters and brothers from each other and close friends caught on opposite sides in the throes of war has been explored in histories of other American wars, yet Malcolm reveals how this conflict reaches into the heart of our country's foundation. Loyalists who fled to England became strangers in a strange land who did not fit into British society. They were Americans longing for home, wondering whether there would—or could—be reconciliation. The grief of separated loyalties is an important and often ignored part of the revolutionary war story. Those who risked their lives battling the great British empire, and those who left home loyal to the government were all caught in a war without an enemy. In his rough draft of the Declaration of Independence Thomas Jefferson reflected sadly that “we might have been a free and a great people together.” The Times That Try Men's Souls is a poignant and vivid narrative that provides a fresh and timely perspective on a foundational part of our nation's history.
£23.73
Reardon Publishing The Hertfordshire Way: A Walker's Guide
The 195 mile trail covers a large part of this beautiful, populous and rich county, incidentally one of the smallest counties in England, only 634 square miles. It is a county of rich contrasts. In the north-east there are wide open panoramas over low hills and farm lands as seen in the area around Barkway. Standing on Therfield Heath you can look down on to the flat plains of Cambridgeshire. Then in the south west there are the steep wooded escarpments of the Chilterns. The route visits ancient market towns, the Cathedral City of St Albans and countless picture postcard villages nestling in an intimate landscape of farmland and woods. In 1801 Hertfordshire had a population of about 100,000; now it is well over one million. It has never been a heavily industrialised area but it has seen its own industrial changes from malting and brewing, plaiting of straw for hats, paper making, industries associated with wool such as fulling (cleaning the woven cloth) and silk mills. Today technical industries and service industries dominate the industrial scene. A good introduction to the county, and how it developed from pre-history can be found in "The Hertfordshire Landscape" by Munby (1977) and "Hertfordshire, a Landscape History" by Rowe and Williamson (2013). People have settled the area since prehistoric times. Along the very ancient Icknield Way there is evidence of many waves of people. On Therfield Heath (see Leg 1) there is a long barrow of the Neolithic Age (2500 BC) and round barrows of the Bronze Age (1000 BC). There is evidence of the Beaker People in Hertfordshire. The hill forts of the Iron Age settlers gave way at the height of their power to the might of the Roman invasion. Many Roman roads go through Hertfordshire, e.g. Ermine Street and Watling Street, and our walk crosses the remains of the Roman town of Verulamium (St Albans). In the Dark Ages Hertfordshire was part of the shifting boundary between the English settlers (Angles & Saxons) and the later invaders, the Vikings. It was a long and turbulent time before the country became united. A good novel, which covers this period, is the "Conscience of the King" by Alfred Duggan. In the Medieval period the great abbeys were founded and one can still be seen in St Albans (see Legs 4 & 5). Many fine Medieval churches can be seen on this walk and short detours will be worth your while to seek out some of these (unfortunately due to the presence of valuable historic items most country churches are now locked on weekdays). During the 16th to 18th centuries many country estates were established in Hertfordshire e.g. Hatfield House, Knebworth House and Ashridge House. Some of the houses have not survived but our walk will take you through parkland, which reminds the walker of those estates. Walkers passing through Ayot St Lawrence will be going through such parkland and Ashridge still has its great house. It was first a monastery, then a great house, now a management college. The growth of London and the coming of industry saw some rapid development in the county in the 19th and 20th centuries. An example of this development was the Ovaltine factory at Kings Langley with the model farm to feed its need for eggs and milk. The factory and farms are all now sadly gone (see Legs 7 & 8). No major rivers flow through the county, however it is still famous for the large number of chalk streams and their associated wildlife (the River Lee or Lea, a tributary of the Thames has its source just north of Luton, flows though the county and is navigable up to Hertford). The Grand Union Canal passes through our county on its way north west (see Leg 7). The railways opened up Hertfordshire for industry and settlement and such towns as Hemel Hempstead and Watford grew from several hundred people to 80,000 plus. Many of the great road routes, which fan out from London (such as the A1, A5, A6, A10 and M1) pass through our county. Finally we saw the first garden cities (Letchworth and Welwyn Garden City) and the new town of Stevenage. The great orbital road, the M25, cuts its way through the county (see Legs 7 to 9) not forgetting the electricity pylons, supplying our thirst for power. Many famous people are associated with Hertfordshire. Samuel Pepys was a regular visitor who once when staying in Baldock noticed that the landlady was very pretty but "I durst not take notice of her, her husband being there". Queen Elizabeth I, then a princess, was a virtual prisoner at Hatfield House when the Roman Catholic Queen Mary was on the throne. King James I had a palace at Royston (the start of our walk) from where he hunted on the lands of north Hertfordshire. The so called Rye House Plot to kill King Charles II was hatched on its borders. Izaac Walton of "Compleat Angler" fame knew the River Lea well. The earliest Christian martyr, St Alban, was executed in Roman times at the site of the city bearing his name. Francis Bacon lived at Gorhambury (an estate near St Albans through which our walk passes). He is buried in the church of St Michael nearby. George Bernard Shaw made his home in Ayot St Lawrence; his home is now a National Trust property and is close to our route. George Orwell, Barbara Cartland, Charles Lamb and W. E. Johns lived in the county. In spite of the development, most of your walking will be on rural pathways through fields, villages and woods where you can enjoy the peace and forget the might and noise of industry that remind you of the century we live in -- Good walking
£12.36
Random House USA Inc Bartolomé y el glúpiti (Bartholomew and the Oobleck Spanish Edition)
Edición en español del álbum ilustrado de Dr. Seuss, ganador de la Mención de Honor Caldecott, que trata el tema de hacernos responsables de nuestros propios actos y de ser capaces de decir «¡lo siento!». En este divertido álbum ilustrado, el joven paje Bartolomé Cubbins (protagonista de Los 500 sombreros de Bartolomé Cubbins) le da una lección de buen comportamiento al viejo rey Derwin. Aburrido de la lluvia, el sol, la niebla y la nieve, Derwin ordena a sus magos crear algo «nuevo» que caiga del cielo. ¡Lo que obtiene es un aguacero de una sustancia verde y pegajosa llamada glúpiti, que amenaza con destruir todo su reino! Pero con la ayuda del sabio Bartolomé, el Rey (y los lectores) aprenden que, a veces, las palabras más sencillas pueden resolver los mayores problemas.Las ediciones rimadas y en español de los clásicos de Dr. Seuss publicadas por Random House brindan la maravillosa oportunidad de disfrutar de sus historias a más de treinta y ocho millones de personas hispanohablantes en Estados Unidos. Los lectores podrán divertirse con las ediciones en español de The Cat in the Hat (El Gato Ensombrerado); Green Eggs and Ham (Huevos verdes con jamón); One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish (Un pez, dos peces, pez rojo, pez azul); The Lorax (El Lórax); Oh, the Places You'll Go! (¡Oh, cuán lejos llegarás!); How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (¡Cómo el Grinch robó la Navidad!), y Horton Hears a Who! (¡Horton escucha a Quién!). Ideal tanto para leer en casa como en la escuela, estos libros han sido meticulosamente traducidos, respetando la rima, por autores y traductores latinoamericanos, y supervisados por Teresa Mlawer, reconocida y galardonada traductora durante más de cincuenta años. A Spanish edition of Dr. Seuss's Caldecott-Honor winning picture book about taking responsibility and saying you're sorry!In this hilarious picture book featuring unrhymed verse, young page boy Bartholomew Cubbins (star of Dr. Seuss's The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins) teaches old King Derwin a lesson in good behavior. Bored with rain, sun, fog, and snow, Derwin orders his royal magicians to create something "new" to fall down from the sky. What he gets is a downpour of sticky green goo called Oobleck, which soon threatens to wreck his entire kingdom! But with the assistance of wise Bartholomew, the king (along with young readers) learns that the simplest words can sometimes solve the biggest problems.Random House's rhymed Spanish-language editions of classic Dr. Seuss books make the joyful experience of reading Dr. Seuss books available for the more than 38 million people in the United States who speak Spanish. Readers can enjoy over 30 different classic Dr. Seuss titles including The Cat in the Hat (El Gato Ensombrerado); Green Eggs and Ham (Huevos verdes con jamón); One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish (Un pez dos peces pez rojo pez azul); The Lorax (El Lórax); Oh, the Places You'll Go! (¡Oh, cuán lejos llegarás!); How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (¡Cómo el Grinch robó la Navidad!); and Horton Hears a Who! (¡Horton escucha a Quién!). Perfect for home and classroom use, they are meticulously translated in rhyme by native Latin American Spanish speakers overseen by award-winning translator Teresa Mlawer.
£21.70
HarperCollins Publishers Vintage Rolex: The largest collection in the world
For more than a century, Rolex has stood apart as the most legendary brand of watch in the world. A Rolex conveys many things: a luxury timepiece, a tool of power for movers and shakers and the symbol of passage into adulthood. New labels pop up, styles come and go, but the brand at the top never changes. Ever the record setter—the Daytona that had belonged to Paul Newman was auctioned by Phillips in New York in October 2017 for $17.8 million— it comes as no surprise that Rolex is the most collected watch brand in the world. The Vintage Watch Company is the only store of its kind in the world, with a devoted client base of devoted Rolex aficionados, from royalty to sporting legends to stars of the silver screen. Throughout, father and son, John and David Silver have been carefully cataloguing and amassing one of the largest pictorial records of vintage Rolex watches in the world. Published to celebrate the company's 25th anniversary in late 2020, the book contains a unique pictorial collection of vintage Rolex watches that have passed through the shop during the past 25 years. More than 1800 watches have been photographed and are described in detail in the book. From early Rolex pocket watches to the world’s first wristwatches, elegant in their simplicity yet revolutionary in their impact, to the very first Submariners, iconic Daytonas and jewel-encrusted Crown Collections, the mesmerizing archive of vintage timepieces charts the extraordinary rise of an extraordinary brand. Choose from the First Rolex Submariner, later coined the James Bond, or the Early GMT-Master made for Pan Am transatlantic pilots. Read about the First Explorers made famous by the 1953 Everest Expedition or the later Explorer II worn by Steve McQueen. Marvel at Early Vintage collections, from the Officer’s Pocket Watch to the Ladies’ Diamond; from the Oyster and the Stella & Stone collections, to the Sport Collection. This book is a perfect gift for all lovers of luxury retail as well as passionate collectors of Rolex watches who will want to read about the models they own.
£67.50
APA Publications Insight Guides Explore Barcelona (Travel Guide with Free eBook)
Insight Guides Explore BarcelonaTravel made easy. Ask local experts.Focused travel guide featuring the very best routes and itineraries, now with free eBook.Discover the best of Barcelona with this unique travel guide, packed full of insider information and stunning images. From making sure you don't miss out on must-see, top attractions like la Rambla, La Ribera and Sagrada Familia, to discovering cultural gems, including the unmissable Museo Picasso, the beautiful Parc de la Ciutadella and wonderful music museum, the Museu de la Musica, the easy-to-follow, ready-made walking routes will save you time, and help you plan and enhance your visit to Barcelona.Features of this travel guide to Barcelona:- 19 walks and tours: detailed itineraries feature all the best places to visit, including where to eat and drink along the way- Local highlights: discover the area's top attractions and unique sights, and be inspired by stunning imagery- Historical and cultural insights: immerse yourself in Barcelona's rich history and culture, and learn all about its people, art and traditions- Insider recommendations: discover the best hotels, restaurants and nightlife using our comprehensive listings- Practical full-colour map: with every major sight and listing highlighted, the full-colour maps make on-the-ground navigation easy- Key tips and essential information: packed full of important travel information, from transport and tipping to etiquette and hours of operation- The ultimate travel tool: download the free app and eBook to access all this and more from your phone or tablet- Covers: La Rambla; Royal Barri Gotic ; Official Barri Gotic; Sant Pere; La Ribera and El Born; El Raval; The waterfront; Ciutadella; Along the beach; The Eixample; Sagrada Familia and Park Guell; Montjuic; Barca; Pedralbes; Gracia; Tibidabo; Sitges; Wine tour; Dali tourLooking for a comprehensive guide to Spain? Check out Insight Guides Spain for a detailed and entertaining look at all the country has to offer.About Insight Guides: Insight Guides is a pioneer of full-colour guide books, with almost 50 years' experience of publishing high-quality, visual travel guides with user-friendly, modern design. We produce around 400 full-colour print guide books and maps as well as phrase books, picture-packed eBooks and apps to meet different travellers' needs. Insight Guides' unique combination of beautiful travel photography and focus on history and culture create a unique visual reference and planning tool to inspire your next adventure.
£8.99
APA Publications Insight Guides Explore Budapest (Travel Guide with Free eBook)
Insight Guides Explore BudapestTravel made easy. Ask local experts.Focused travel guide featuring the very best routes and itineraries, now with free eBook.Part of our UEFA Euro 2020 guidebook series. If you're planning to visit Puskás Aréna in Budapest to watch Euro 2020 matches, then this pocket guidebook provides all the information you need to make the most of your trip, from ready-made itineraries to help you explore the city when you're not at the game, to essential advice about getting around. Discover the best of Budapest with this unique travel guide, packed full of insider information and stunning images. From making sure you don't miss out on must-see, top attractions like the Royal Palace, Margaret Island and the Grand Synagogue, to discovering cultural gems, including a stroll down Andrássy Avenue, drinking in one of Budapest's vibrant ruin bars or taking a dip in Széchenyi Baths, the easy-to-follow, ready-made walking routes will save you time, and help you plan and enhance your visit to Budapest.Features of this travel guide to Budapest:- 10 walks and tours: detailed itineraries feature all the best places to visit, including where to eat and drink along the way- Local highlights: discover the area's top attractions and unique sights, and be inspired by stunning imagery- Historical and cultural insights: immerse yourself in Budapest's rich history and culture, and learn all about its people, art and traditions- Insider recommendations: discover the best hotels, restaurants and nightlife using our comprehensive listings- Practical full-colour map: with every major sight and listing highlighted, the full-colour maps make on-the-ground navigation easy- Key tips and essential information: packed full of important travel information, from transport and tipping to etiquette and hours of operation- The ultimate travel tool: download the free app and eBook to access all this and more from your phone or tablet- Covers: Castle Hill; Parliament; The Jewish Quarter; Andrássy Avenue; City Park; The Palace District; Margaret Island; South Pest; South Buda; Buda HillsLooking for a comprehensive guide to Hungary? Check out Insight Guides Hungary for a detailed and entertaining look at all the country has to offer.About Insight Guides: Insight Guides is a pioneer of full-colour guide books, with almost 50 years' experience of publishing high-quality, visual travel guides with user-friendly, modern design. We produce around 400 full-colour print guide books and maps as well as phrase books, picture-packed eBooks and apps to meet different travellers' needs. Insight Guides' unique combination of beautiful travel photography and focus on history and culture create a unique visual reference and planning tool to inspire your next adventure.
£8.99
Fonthill Media Ltd The Earls of Essex: A Tale of Noble Misfortune
This is the dramatic, often erratic, and at times unbelievable story of the fortunes and misfortunes over 900 years to the present day of one of England’s premier aristocratic families, who in 1661 were given the Earldom of Essex by Charles II. This fascinating, previously untold story begins just after the Norman Conquest with a Hugh Capel in AD 1100 and ends at the present day, with Frederick Paul de Vere Capell, 11th Earl of Essex and the future heir presumptive, William Jennings Capell, a former shelf stacker, who lives in Yuba City, California. Over a period of 400 years the Capell family built a fortune, and over the next 500 years lost it due to an incredible number of mistakes bad judgment calls, and misfortunes. Lord Arthur Capel, one of England’s richest men, changed sides from Parliament to support Charles I, and after a further series of poor decisions, was executed at Palace Yard, Westminster at the age of 41 in 1649 by the same executioner, using the same axe as had executed King Charles I barely three months earlier. His son, also Arthur Capel, created 1st Earl of Essex by Charles II became involved in a plot against the king, and was mysteriously found with his throat cut whilst awaiting trial in the Tower of London. Did he commit suicide to avoid the consequences of treason and to save the estates and titles for his son? Conspiracy theories abounded. The king commented sadly that he owed the Earl’s father had died for his father, and he owed him a life and would have spared him. Arthur’s young son became the 3rd Earl and went down in history as `the most debauched young man in London.’ The long-lived 5th Earl had numerous mistresses and, as a close friend of the debauched Prince Regent, shared a well-known courtesan, Mrs Robinson with the Prince. Unhappily married, with no legitimate male heir, living at the family seat, Cassiobury in Watford, at the age of 81 he married secondly a 44-year-old actress and died shortly afterwards, accompanied to the grave by some very irreverent press comments. The three-times-married 6th Earl, whose father was a bankrupt debauched gambler, had an illegitimate son, George Ingerfield Capel, who had an illegitimate daughter who was the mistress of the `Sundance Kid.’ The 7th Earl, in 1892 struggling to keep Cassiobury and the family fortunes together married a title-hunting American heiress, Adele Beach Grant, who was not really an heiress, and who became a member of the Edwardian `fast set’. Her alcoholic husband, known as `sulky’ stepped in front of a cab outside his London club in 1916 and was killed. Adele was found mysteriously dead in the bath in 1922. Her step-son the 8th Earl had eloped with and married young, and by the 1920s the extensive family estates had to be sold. The much-married 9th Earl died heirless in Bermuda in 1966. A contest broke out over whom should now inherit the titles. Robert Edward de Vere Capel, the next Earl, born in 1920 was the son of a railway parcel porter and was a Royal Air Force flight sergeant during the Second World War. He fought a dramatic battle to prove his right to the Earldom. His son, Frederick Paul de Vere Capell, the 11th Earl of Essex, who lives modestly not far from Lancaster, is a retired assistant schoolmaster and a classical music devotee. He has no children and unless the inheritance laws change, the title will one day go to his American cousins in Yuba City, California.
£18.00
Pen & Sword Books Ltd The Kaiser's U-Boat Assault on America: Germany's Great War Gamble in the First World War
Why did a long time reluctant US President Wilson finally enter World War I on the side of the Allies in April 1917? In retaliation of the British naval blockade of Germany since August 1914, the German Admirals determined at the beginning of 1915 to create a counter-blockade of the British Isles with their submarines. The U-boat commanders got – without knowledge of the government - a secret order to sink Allied passenger liners. The British Admiralty discovered the hunt for passenger liners by deciphering W/T messages to the U-boats. The sinking of the Lusitania on May, 6th, 1915, was no coincidence – the Royal Navy knew about the intentions of the U-boats and, after doing everything to protect the passenger liners in the beginning, they simply left the Lusitania alone in in the first week of May, to create frictions between America and the German Empire. A diplomatic quarrel between US President Wilson and Germany about U-boat warfare commenced. In spring of 1916 the German Navy acted again against the instructions of the Kaiser and ordered secretly the sinking of allied and neutral vessels in the British Channel, thereby opening an unrestricted U-boat war. When the channel ferry Sussex was attacked, Wilson threatened to break off of diplomatic relations with Germany. Under massive diplomatic pressure the German government had to give in. Further on, their U-boats only conducted a “soft”, restricted warfare, following the internationally agreed maritime rules and tolerated by Wilson. In Germany a heated debate set in after the Sussex case. The Navy promised the quick defeat of England by unrestricted U-boat war, and the Army joined this campaign end of 1916. The intention of the “war party” was to rule out any possibility of a negotiated peace and to set the German Empire on a – risky - course for definitive victory. But the government doubted the Navy’s capability for all-out U-boat warfare and argued that the only definitive result would be an America siding the Allies, leading to ultimate defeat. In the last months of 1916 it sent out peace feelers to Wilson, warning him, that in the case of a failure of his peace mediation they would get under unbearable pressure of the “military opposition” to begin unrestricted U-boat war again. At this time Britain was – like Germany – economically with its back against the wall: it suffered terribly by the sinking of its merchant ships, the moral of its Admiralty in Anti-Submarine-Warfare had completely broken down. Collapse was threatening. But the British government got wind of the conflicts inside Germany by the deciphering of the diplomatic cables between Wilson and the Germans. The new Prime Minster, David Lloyd George, chose a risky strategy – by rebuffing all American peace efforts he wanted to encourage the radical party in Germany to enforce total U-boat war. Finally this British strategy payed out: German Navy and Army pressed the Kaiser to declare unrestricted U-boat war from 1st of February 1917 on, and Wilson broke off diplomatic relations. But he still bristled to enter the war on Allied side – as long as American ships would be treated correctly by the Germans, he wouldn’t come in, not even after the publication of the Zimmermann-telegram. The tipping point came in the middle of March, when U-boats torpedoed American vessels without warning. This forced the American Declaration of War against the German Empire on April 6, 1917.
£26.81
Archaeopress De la provincia Celtiberia a la qūrā de Santabariyya: Arqueología de la Antigüedad tardía en la provincia de Cuenca (siglos V-VIII d.C.)
The central position of the province of Cuenca, Spain, was a decisive factor in its relationship with Toledo, the capital of the Visigothic kingdom. Also, its location meant that, from the middle of the 6th Century, it was directly affected by some of the most relevant historical episodes of those times: the foundation of the royal city of Reccopoli, the establishment of the Servitanus monastery, the transformation of Toledo as the metropolitan seat of the Carthaginian province and the military campaigns against the imperial forces. Parallel to this, archaeological excavations document a process of disrupting the old urban centres in favour of small populations within their municipal territory. This process was resolved with a shift of power centres towards other cities supported by the political power of Toledo: Toledo itself in the case of Segobriga, Reccopoli in the Arcavica’s case and Illunum to the detriment of Valeria. In this way, the ancient Roman cities were reduced to serve as a symbolic reference of the small villages that developed in the shadow of the old urban centres. This volume presents a historical and archaeological study of the province of Cuenca in Late Antiquity. The study concludes with an examination of the archaeological collection from the province, which has been divided into three large groups: monumental sculpture and epigraphic items, ceramic productions and metalwork arts. The first group is mainly constituted by the findings made in the excavations of Cabeza de Griego (Segobriga). Most of the pottery productions correspond to vessels placed as funerary deposits. Due to the absence of excavations, the ceramics for kitchen and storage use are hardly represented, whereas there is an overrepresentation of types destined for use as libations or offerings. Finally, most of the elements of industrial arts correspond to elements of the Latin-Mediterranean fashion or Byzantine style of the 7th Century. The almost total absence of materials corresponding to the Pontic-Danubian fashion also should be noted. | La posición central de la provincia de Cuenca ha sido el factor determinante en su relación con Toledo, la capital del reino visigodo. Esta situación fue la causa también de que, desde mediados del siglo VI, se viera directamente afectada por algunos de los episodios históricos más relevantes del momento: la fundación de la ciudad regia de Recópolis, el establecimiento del monasterio Servitano, la transformación de Toledo en sede metropolitana de la provincia cartaginesa y las campañas militares contra los ejércitos imperiales. De forma paralela, las excavaciones arqueológicas documentan un proceso de desestructuración de los antiguos centros urbanos a favor de pequeñas poblaciones de su territorio. Este proceso se resolvió con un cambio de centros de poder hacia otras ciudades apoyadas por el poder político de Toledo: Toledo mismo en el caso de Segóbriga, Recópolis en el caso de Arcávica e Illunum en detrimento de Valeria. De este modo, las ciudades romanas quedaron reducidas servir como referentes simbólicos de las pequeñas poblaciones que se desarrollaron a la sombra de los antiguos centros urbanos. El presente trabajo se completa con el estudio de la colección arqueológica procedente de la provincia, que se ha dividido en tres grandes grupos: escultura monumental y epigrafía, producciones cerámicas y artes industriales. El primer grupo está constituido principalmente por los hallazgos realizados en las excavaciones de Cabeza de Griego (Segóbriga). Por otro lado, la mayoría de las producciones de cerámica corresponden a vasijas colocadas como depósitos funerarios. Debido a la ausencia de excavaciones, la cerámica de cocina y de almacenamiento apenas aparece representada, mientras que hay una sobrerrepresentación de tipos destinados a libaciones u ofrendas. Finalmente, la mayoría de los materiales de las artes industriales corresponden a elementos de la moda latino-mediterránea o del estilo bizantino del siglo VII. La ausencia casi total de materiales correspondientes a la moda póntico-danubiana es sumamente significativa.
£122.93
Fonthill Media Ltd Sailing and Soaring: The Great Liners and the Great Skyscrapers
The story of the Great Liners begins on the Atlantic route between the Old World and the New, between Europe and the United States. It was the most prestigious, most progressive and certainly most competitive ocean liner run of all time. It was on the North Atlantic that the largest, fastest and indeed grandest passenger ships were created. In this book, William Miller concentrates for the most part on these Atlantic superliners. It has been a race, sometimes fierce, that has continued for well over a century. Smaller passenger ships, even ones of 30,000 and 40,000 tons, are for the most part left to other books. The story begins even earlier, in 1889, when Germany's Kaiser Wilhelm II visited his grandmother, Queen Victoria, and attended the British Naval Review at Spithead. The British were more than pleased to show off not only the mightiest naval vessels afloat, but the biggest passenger ships then afloat, namely the 10,000-ton 'Teutonic' of the White Star Line. These ships caught the Kaiser's royal eye. His enthusiasm, his determination and, assuredly, his jealousies were aroused. Her returned to his homeland determined that Germany should have bigger and better ships.The world must know, he theorized, that Imperial Germany had reached new and higher technological heights. To the Kaiser and other envious Germans, the British had, quite simply, had a monopoly on the biggest ships long enough. British engineers and even shipyard crews were recruited, teaching German shipbuilders the key components of a new generation of larger ships. Shipyards at Bremen, Hamburg and Stettin were soon ready. It would all take eight years, however, before the first big German liner would be completed. She would be large enough and fast enough to be dubbed the world's first "super liner". She would only be the biggest vessel built in Germany, but the biggest afloat. The nation's most prominent shipowners, the Hamburg America Line and the North German Lloyd, were both deeply interested. It was the Lloyd, however, which rose first to the occasion. Enthusiastically and optimistically, the first ship was the first of a successive quartet. The illustrious Vulkan Shipyard at Stettin was given the prized contract. Triumph seemed to be in the air! The Kaiser himself went to the launching, on 3 May 1897, of this new Imperial flagship.Designed with four funnels but grouped in pairs, the 655-ft long ship was named 'Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse', honoring the Emperor's grandfather. With the rattle of chains, the release of the building blocks and then the tumultuous roar as the unfinished hull hit the water, this launching was the beginning of the Atlantic race for supremacy, which would last for some 70 years. Only after the first arrival of the trans-Atlantic jet in October 1958 would the race quiet down. The 'Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse' was the great beginning, the start of a superb fleet of what has been dubbed "ocean greyhounds" and later aptly called the "floating palaces". Worried and cautious, the normally contented British referred to the brand new Kaiser as a "German monster".
£17.99
Merrell Publishers Ltd Metroburbia: The Anatomy of Greater London
London's suburbs are home to many thousands of people who travel into the centre every day to work, but they also house many thousands who rarely find a reason to do so. They contain all the essential infrastructure for the city, too, including airports, offices, shopping centre, factories and warehouses. Outer London is therefore both metropolitan and suburban at the same time - it is Metroburbia. In this book Paul Knox examines the architectural history and development of London's suburbs, and celebrates their surprising variety and organized structure, refuting the common claim that they are monotonous or amorphous. The first chapter, The Foundations of Metroburbia, explains the foundation and development of Metroburbia and looks at how topography and geology influenced the siting of the villages that would become part of Greater London. The River Thames, of course, is one of London's most important and well-known structural elements, and in this chapter Knox examines how its meanders and bends have produced distinct patterns of settlement and development. He also describes in detail the seven distinctive sectors of London, which are (running clockwise from the west) the Thames Valley, Northwest London, North London, the Lea Valley, Northeast London, the Thames Estuary and South London. Finally, he looks at how early settlements, country estates and royal palaces shaped Metroburbia, and how the increase in roads and industry consolidated the development of what would become suburbia. Chapter 2, Pattern-book London, looks at Victorian and Edwardian suburbs - the first developments to be given that name. The building booms and their effect on employment in the city, and the difference in style and purpose between the various suburbs, are discussed, and Knox also examines the effects of immigration and industrialization on the city's housing requirements. He also describes the genesis of the parks, cemeteries and garden villages that now provide such valuable green space for Londoners, and the creation of the impressive industrial, civic and institutional buildings that are still striking parts of the city's infrastructure. Chapter 3, Inter-war Suburbia: Metro-Land and the Universal Plan, describes the acceleration of building projects between the wars and the beginning of the transition from Edwardian society to the modern welfare state. The term 'Metro-Land', introduced by the Metropolitan Railway Company in the early twentieth century, gives the chapter its title, and describes the expansion of residential London along the route of the Underground lines into Buckinghamshire. The effect of widespread car ownership is discussed, and the various housing styles - Stockbroker Tudor, Suburban Moderne, the mansion block, and so on - are described. The fourth chapter, Secular Reformation and Modernism, covers the thirty years from the end of the Second World War, during which time the welfare state brought about radical changes to life in London and the architecture of the city. Chapter 5, Counter-Reformation, describes the changes wrought on the country by the new neo-liberal agenda, as the welfare state was overtaken by a market-driven economy that fostered free-for-all development. By this time Metroburbia had spread outwards to incorporate Chelmsford, Southend-on-Sea, Maidstone, Guildford, Reading and Luton. This was an era of radical new infrastructure projects - from the rise of the suburban shopping centre to the construction of the new Thames Barrier - and huge increases in house prices. The regeneration of the Isle of Dogs into the Docklands commercial area is one of the most high-profile developments of the era, but infill house-building and small-scale environmental developments were also produced, and social housing regenerated. Finally, the last chapter, Megapolitan Futures, explores the various theories about the capital's future and conjectures about the shape of the city in the twenty-first century.
£31.50
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC The Bristol and Bath Art Book: The cities through the eyes of their artists
Bristol and Bath are two beautiful, closely connected cities. They are portrayed through the eyes of their artists in a delightful variety of styles in this stunning book. The Bristol and Bath Art Book portrays two very different cities. The beautiful images in the book capture the breath-taking landscape of rivers, hills and gorges which they share, but also the cities’ sights that are so unique. Bristol is painted as busy, quirky and vibrant, where Bath glows in more tranquil hues. These important cities in the history of the world are intimately connected. The river Avon that flows through both cities, gouges the spectacular Avon Gorge at Bristol, which is where its international maritime connections begin. The regenerated old docks (the ’floating harbour’), Wapping Wharf and the quayside are lovingly depicted by various artists. Now that the main docks are outside the city, the harbour-side now bustles with shops, bars and offices, but there are still cranes to be seen at the M shed. Underfall boatyard remains a home to maritime businesses and is also pictured in this lovely book, along with pleasure craft and houseboats in the harbour. John Cabot’s The Matthew is the ship that put America on the map. The reconstruction is depicted in drawings and paintings. She may have been a pirate ship at one time, too, as Bristol was the birthplace of Blackbeard and had a thriving piracy business. From this Atlantic connection, the list of items traded expanded from wool, wine and grain to tobacco and alas, to slaves. The profits from this trade endowed many of the fine public monuments drawn and painted here. Like many places, Bristol is undertaking a new reckoning with its history. The great engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel designed the Clifton Suspension Bridge to span the deep Avon Gorge. In the book, there are many images of this vertiginous bridge: ringed by balloons, luminous in the gloaming, stark in the snow, or painted to resemble a cathedral arch from below. It is a much-loved, living monument to the great man. His Great Western Railway terminus at Temple Meads features here in drawings and prints, along with his pioneering Bristol-built steamship, the SS Great Britain. Crossing Brunel’s famous bridge over the Avon, you will find yourself in the tranquil Leigh woods, painted as a hotspot for bluebells in spring. The old Railway Path, flat, traffic-free and lined with greenery, takes you from Bristol to Bath, where you will find more gorgeous parks: the Georgian garden in the town centre, Alexandra Park with panoramas of the city and the Botanical Gardens with its aerial walkway. Bath is a UNESCO world heritage site because of its Roman remains and exquisite Georgian architecture. Its famous Roman Baths were built around a hot spring the Romans believed sacred to the Goddess Sulis and the city became a centre for health and an inspiration for artists. Its 18th-century architecture: The Royal Crescent, The Circus, Pulteney Bridge and Assembly Rooms, are all examples of Bath’s heyday as a Georgian spa town and are featured in the art book in stunning paintings, drawings and collages. They capture the Bath that Jane Austen would have known from her time in the city. Here, movies of some of her novels have been filmed, along with many other Regency era series e.g. the record-breaking series Bridgerton.
£16.99
Odyssey Publications,Hong Kong Mekong River: From Source to Sea Featuring Laos
This title includes: regional map of mighty Mekong river from source to sea; UNESCO World Heritage sites; French colonial Vientiane; exquisite Luang Prabang; Pak Ou Caves; Khone Pha Pheng Falls; and, coffee-growing regions. Laos has been discovered. Pristine and exotic in a changing world where other Asian cultures have been affected by rapid development, Laos is still green. The rivers mostly run free through sites well worth visiting, from the ancient Khmer temple of Vat Phou in the south to the former royal capital of Luang Prabang in the north. But if you want to see the old Laos you have to move fast. Luang Prabang, an exquisite little town on the banks of the life-giving Mekong, is a UNESCO World Heritage site and the main Mecca for tourists. The town is home to some of the finest Buddhist temples anywhere. Charming old colonial mansions are now hotels, trendy restaurants, or upscale boutiques. Al fresco restaurants serving spicy Lao fare line the riverside. A night bazaar with dozens of stalls offers high-quality woven silk scarves, silver jewellery, and embroidered Hmong bedspreads, just a few of the popular wares available. Laos has a long, rich tradition of silk weaving, and textiles are not just a "best buy" for tourists. They represent the most important craftwork done in the country and in some ways define the Lao nation. Also on the Mekong, the capital Vientiane still has the look of a French provincial town complete with tree-lined streets, fading colonial buildings, and sidewalk cafes. Its trendy restaurants offer fusion cuisine as a counterpoint to traditional fiery Lao fare. The city's most prominent monument, Patuxai, closely resembles the pride of Paris, the Arc de Triomphe. Upstream from Luang Prabang, at the confluence of the Ou River, are the Pak Ou Caves, an easy day trip by long-tail boat through pastoral countryside and jungle-covered mountains. The two caves, etched over millennia out of limestone karst cliffs, contain hundreds of images of the Buddha donated by generations of believers. To get away from the heat along the river, travellers head to the Bolaven Plateau, a fertile upland area known for its cooler climate, dramatic waterfalls, and (thanks to the French) some of the best coffee in the world. This is the gateway to the higher mountains to the east and the hill tribes. A trip to southern Laos should include a visit to the spectacular the Khone Pha Pheng Falls, where the usually languid Mekong boils and tumbles through eight miles of wild cataracts that effectively close the river to navigation. One of the key attractions of Laos is the people. Sixty percent of the population is ethnic Lao, who migrated from China a millennium ago. The rest are largely upland people representing about fifty hill tribes. The Lao are mostly Theravada Buddhists who live in the valleys and are famed for being easy-going, party-loving and affable. A precious pearl of a country blessed with pristine natural beauty, exotic flora and rare fauna, Laos hosts the mighty Mekong for a significant distance during its almost 5,000 kilometre journey from the Tibetan Plateau to the sea. Whether you chose to travel by land or by water or both, Odyssey's "Illustrated "Map will enhance your journey both as a pre-trip planner and as a post-trip souvenir. Unfolded map size 991mm x 686mm.
£10.43
APA Publications Insight Guides Explore Amsterdam (Travel Guide eBook)
Insight Guides Explore AmsterdamTravel made easy. Ask local experts.Focused travel guide featuring the very best routes and itineraries, now with free eBook.Part of our UEFA Euro 2020 guidebook series. If you're planning to visit the Johan Cruijff Arena to watch Amsterdam for Euro 2020 matches, then this pocket guidebook provides all the information you need to make the most of your trip, from ready-made itineraries to help you explore the city when you're not at the game, to essential advice about getting around. Discover the best of Amsterdam with this unique travel guide, packed full of insider information and stunning images. From making sure you don't miss out on must-see, top attractions like Anne Frank's House, the Van Gogh Museum and the Old Centre, to discovering cultural gems, including a trip in time to the Rembrandt House Museum, which has been restored to how it looked in the painter's lifetime, a family day out at the Artis Royal Zoo and a visit to the Oude Kerk (Old Church), one of Amsterdam's most impressive churches ,the easy-to-follow, ready-made walking routes will save you time, and help you plan and enhance your visit to Amsterdam.Features of this travel guide to Amsterdam:- 18 walks and tours: detailed itineraries feature all the best places to visit, including where to eat and drink along the way- Local highlights: discover the area's top attractions and unique sights, and be inspired by stunning imagery- Historical and cultural insights: immerse yourself in Amsterdam's rich history and culture, and learn all about its people, art and traditions- Insider recommendations: discover the best hotels, restaurants and nightlife using our comprehensive listings- Practical full-colour map: with every major sight and listing highlighted, the full-colour maps make on-the-ground navigation easy- Key tips and essential information: packed full of important travel information, from transport and tipping to etiquette and hours of operation- The ultimate travel tool: download the free app and eBook to access all this and more from your phone or tablet- Covers: The Golden Age Canals; The Principal Squares; The Museum Quarter; The Old Centre (The Wallen); The Zoo Disctrict; The Harbour; The Canals by Pedal Bike; Amsterdam by Tram; By Bicycle along the River Amstel; The Jordaan; The Jewish Quarter; Amsterdam Bos; Leidseplein; Rembrandtplein; Red-Light District; Haarlen and Zandvoort; The Usselmeer by Bike; The HagueLooking for a comprehensive guide to the Netherlands? Check out Insight Guides the Netherlands for a detailed and entertaining look at all the country has to offer.About Insight Guides: Insight Guides is a pioneer of full-colour guide books, with almost 50 years' experience of publishing high-quality, visual travel guides with user-friendly, modern design. We produce around 400 full-colour print guide books and maps as well as phrase books, picture-packed eBooks and apps to meet different travellers' needs. Insight Guides' unique combination of beautiful travel photography and focus on history and culture create a unique visual reference and planning tool to inspire your next adventure.
£8.99
Baen Books Jigsaw Assassin
Selei City is the capital of the Imerialte and one of the most desired locales in all of the Skolian Empire. But its thin veneer of civilization is cracked when a series of brutal crimes implicates those in political power in a vast conspiracy. Three prominent scientists have lost their lives to a serial killer—and notes at the scenes of the crimes lead to a connection to the Royalist political party. Major Bhaajan, former military officer turned private detective, is called back to Selei City to solve the crime. Bhaaj and her crew of Undercity Dust Knights plunge into the Byzantine world of Imperial politics—a jigsaw world where none of the pieces seem to fit. As the assassination plot becomes more and more convoluted, Bhaaj is kidnapped, threatened with death, and must fight for her life against the growing number of people threatened by her investigation. Bhaaj has faced all this and more, but now she must deal with something far deadlier—interstellar politics. About The Vanished Seas: “Catherine Asaro continues exploring the underbelly of her baroque, decadent Skolian Empire with this latest adventure of Major Bhaajan, private eye to the highest nobility. . . . It’s a story full of intrigue, mystery, and action. Along with Asaro’s trademark deeply human characters and intricate politics comes a noir-flavored plot that drips with menace and secrets. Major Bhaajan is a compelling character, smart and sympathetic, and both the squalid Undercity and the decadent City of Cries are engrossing. Those who are familiar with the Skolian Empire will find much to like here. For those who aren’t, the Major Bhaajan books make a fine jumping-on point to this vast and convoluted universe.”—Analog About the Major Bhaajan series: “. . . riveting. . . . The world is rich and vivid, with two distinct cultures in the Undercity and the aboveground City of Cries. This exciting novel stands alone for anyone who enjoys science fiction adventure.”—Publishers Weekly starred review “Asaro plants herself firmly into that grand SF tradition of future history franchises favored by luminaries like Heinlein, Asimov, Herbert, Anderson, Dickson, Niven, Cherryh, and Baxter . . . They don't write em like that anymore! Except Asaro does, with . . . up-to-the-minute savvy!”—Locus “Baahjan, who starts out keeping an emotional distance from the people in the Undercity soon grows to think of them as her community once more. Asaro . . . returns to the Skolian empire's early history to tell Bhaajan's story.”—Booklist “Asaro delivers a tale rich with the embedded history of her world and bright with technical marvels. Her characters are engaging and intriguing and there is even a bit of romance. What really touched my heart was Bhaaj's interaction with the children of the aqueducts. I spent the last fifty pages of the book sniffling into a tissue.”—SFcrowsnest “I‘m hooked, both on her writing and her Skolian universe. This book had everything I wanted: strong characters, a new and unique world, and a plot that isn't as simple as it first appears.”—TerryTalk About the Skolian Saga: “Entertaining mix of hard SF and romance.”—Publishers Weekly “Asaro’s Skolian saga is now nearly as long and in many ways as compelling as Dune, if not more so, featuring a multitude of stronger female characters.”—Booklist “Rapid pacing and gripping suspense.”—Publishers Weekly
£14.50
Maney Publishing Excavations at Dryslwyn Castle 1980-1995
Excavations at Dryslwyn between 1980 and 1995 uncovered a masonry castle, founded in the late 1220s by Rhys Gryg for his son Maredudd ap Rhys, the first Lord of Dryslwyn. The first castle was a simple round tower and polygonal walled enclosure, within which were constructed a kitchen, prison and wood-framed, clay-floored great chamber beside a great hall. In the mid 13th century a second ward was added and the great chamber rebuilt in stone. This castle was greatly expanded in the period 1283-87 by Rhys ap Maredudd, the second and final Lord of Dryslwyn, who built an Outer Ward and gatehouse. He also rebuilt much of the Inner Ward, adding an extra storey to the great hall and great chamber, apartments and a chapel. At the end of the 13th century a large three-ward castle stretched along the eastern and southern edge of the hill while the rest of the hilltop was occupied by a settlement defended by a wall and substantial ditch with access through a gatehouse. This castle and its associated settlement were besieged and captured in 1287 by an English royal army of over 11,000 men following damage inflicted by a trebuchet and mining of the walls. Throughout the 14th century the English Crown garrisoned and repaired the castle, supervised by an appointed constable, before it was surrendered to Owain Glyn Dwr in 1403. During the early to mid 15th century the castle was deliberately walled up to deny its use to a potential enemy and it was subsequently looted and demolished. By the late 13th century, the castle had a white rendered and lime-washed appearance, creating a very dramatic and highly visible symbol of lordship. Internally, the lord's and guest apartments had decorative wall paintings and glazed windows. Evidence from charred beams still in situ, the sizes, shapes and distribution of nails, sheet lead, slates and postholes recovered during excavation has enabled some of the wooden as well as masonry buildings to be reconstructed. Waterlogged deposits had preserAt just 132 hectares (325 acres) the parish of Caldecote is one of the smallest parishes in Hertfordshire. Today the settlement comprises the manor house, until recently surrounded by a range of traditional farm buildings, together with six labourer's cottages and the church. To the north lies the site of the old rectory and the earthworks of a medieval settlement. In 1973 the Department of Environment and the Deserted Medieval Village Research Group arranged a rescue excavation to examine the earthworks of the medieval village before they were levelled and ploughed. Five crofts, the old rectory site and much of the moated enclosure were investigated in one of the largest excavations ever conducted on a later medieval rural site in Britain. Though the excavations did recover a Bronze Age beaker burial and small quantities of Roman and Iron Age pottery, the medieval settlement at Caldecote was probably founded in the 10th century, and by the time of the Domesday Survey there was a church, a priest and nine villeins. A moated site was added in the 13th century. A century later, Caldecote was granted to the abbots of the Benedictine monastery in St Albans, at a time when there were seventeen householders. Early in the second half of the 14th century, the estate and demesne were subdivided into six farms, each complete with a hall-house and two or more barns. Following the dissolution of the monastery in 1539, the manor was again held by an absentee lord and the farms continued to prosper. However, the late 16th and early 17th centuries, for which there are several surviving wills and inventories, saw their gradual abandonment.After the desertion of Caldecote Marish in 1698, Caldecote was farmed as a single unit until 1970, when the estate was attached to that adjoining the manor of Newnham. Of particular importance from Caldecote is the archaeological evidence for medieval peasant structures, the development of the later medieval domestic plan and the structural tra
£49.98
Little, Brown Book Group Superstition and Science: Mystics, sceptics, truth-seekers and charlatans
'A dazzling chronicle, a bracing challenge to modernity's smug assumptions' - Bryce Christensen, Booklist'O what a world of profit and delightOf power, of honour and omnipotenceIs promised to the studious artisan.'Christopher Marlowe, Dr FaustusBetween the Renaissance and the Enlightenment, Europe changed out of all recognition and particularly transformative were the ardent quest for knowledge and the astounding discoveries and inventions which resulted from it. The movement of blood round the body; the movement of the earth round the sun; the velocity of falling objects (and, indeed, why objects fall) - these and numerous other mysteries had been solved by scholars in earnest pursuit of scientia. Several keys were on offer to thinkers seeking to unlock the portal of the unknown:Folk religion had roots deep in the pagan past. Its devotees sought the aid of spirits. They had stores of ancient wisdom, particularly relating to herbal remedies. Theirs was the world of wise women, witches, necromancers, potions and incantations.Catholicism had its own magic and its own wisdom. Dogma was enshrined in the collective wisdom of the doctors of the church and the rigid scholastic system of teaching. Magic resided in the ranks of departed saints and the priestly miracle of the mass.Alchemy was at root a desire to understand and to exploit the material world. Practitioners studied the properties of natural substances. A whole system of knowledge was built on the theory of the four humours.Astrology was based on the belief that human affairs were controlled by the movement of heavenly bodies. Belief in the casting of horoscopes was almost universal.Natural Philosophy really began with Francis Bacon and his empirical method. It was the beginning of science 'proper' because it was based on observation and not on predetermined theory.Classical Studies. University teaching was based on the quadrivium - which consisted largely of rote learning the philosophy and science current in the classical world (Plato, Aristotle, Galen, Ptolemy, etc.). Renaissance scholars reappraised these sources of knowledge.Islamic and Jewish Traditions. The twelfth-century polymath, Averroes, has been called 'the father of secular thought' because of his landmark treatises on astronomy, physics and medicine. Jewish scholars and mystics introduced the esoteric disciplines of the Kabbalah.New Discoveries. Exploration connected Europeans with other peoples and cultures hitherto unknown, changed concepts about the nature of the planet, and led to the development of navigational skills.These 'sciences' were not entirely self-contained. For example physicians and theologians both believed in the casting of horoscopes. Despite popular myth (which developed 200 years later), there was no perceived hostility between faith and reason. Virtually all scientists and philosophers before the Enlightenment worked, or tried to work, within the traditional religious framework. Paracelsus, Descartes, Newton, Boyle and their compeers proceeded on the a príori notion that the universe was governed by rational laws, laid down by a rational God.. This certainly did not mean that there were no conflicts between the upholders of different types of knowledge. Dr Dee's neighbours destroyed his laboratory because they believed he was in league with the devil. Galileo famously had his run-in with the Curia.By the mid-seventeenth century 'science mania' had set in; the quest for knowledge had become a pursuit of cultured gentlemen. In 1663 The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge received its charter. Three years later the French Academy of Sciences was founded. Most other European capitals were not slow to follow suit. In 1725 we encounter the first use of the word 'science' meaning 'a branch of study concerned either with a connected body of demonstrated truths or with observed facts systematically classified'. Yet, it was only nine years since the last witch had been executed in Britain - a reminder that, although the relationship of people to their environment was changing profoundly, deep-rooted fears and attitudes remained strong.
£14.99
Blast Books,U.S. The Secret World of Renaldo Kuhler
A sumptuous monograph presenting for the first time the extraordinarily imaginative and delightful work of visionary artist Renaldo Kuhler (American, 1931–2013). The Secret World of Renaldo Kuhler catapults a thrilling new discovery into the pantheon of the most accomplished visionary—or “outsider”—artists. Like Henry Darger, Howard Finster, George Widener, and Adolf Wölfli, Renaldo Kuhler was an exceptionally gifted artist and possessed an imagination all his own. By day Kuhler was a self-taught scientific illustrator under the employ of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, for which he created thousands of wonderfully precise illustrations of myriad natural history specimens—reptiles, fish, turtles, and the like. Renaldo Kuhler was an unusual individual, as was instantly clear from his appearance alone. Six-foot-four, with a white beard and ponytail, he wore a custom-tailored uniform consisting of a sleeveless Kelly green suit jacket with wide, black, notched lapels, epaulets, and brass buttons, a matching suit vest, yellow flannel dress shirt, a fleur-de-lis Boy Scout neckerchief, and tight-fitting knee-length shorts (“cotton-blend lederhosen”). However, unbeknownst even to family, friends, and coworkers, Kuhler was more than an eccentric, gifted scientific illustrator. He was a prolific visionary artist, who, as a teenager in the late 1940s, invented an imaginary country he named Rocaterrania—after Rockland County, New York, where he had lived as a child. For the next sixty years, in secret, he illustrated the nation’s entire history and the prominent characters of its populace. Rocaterrania is a fantastical world, a richly illustrated amalgam of Kuhler’s personal cultural and aesthetic fascinations. Situated just north of the Adirondacks in New York, at the Canada–United States border, Rocaterrania is a sovereign nation of immigrants, from Scandinavia to Eastern Europe. Kuhler invented a complete world populated by a royal family and a succession of leaders resembling historical Russian figures, Women reminiscent of Marlene Dietrich and Janet Leigh play important roles as do bearded men of a seeming Hasidic Jewish heritage, men bearing curious physical similarities to American presidents, and neutants—individuals neither male nor female. Amid forests, mountains, lakes, and rivers, Kuhler’s imaginary country is made up of provinces and cities filled with distinctive Rocaterranian architecture and well-planned railroad and metro systems. Its government is unique, and it has its own religion, Ojallism, and its own evolving language and alphabet. With an organized labor service, a prison system (modeled after a New Jersey state penitentiary), a university system, a Rocaterranian Olympics, and an independent movie industry, Rocaterrania is a nation bustling with dozens of characters and their intrigues. Initially meant to be an escape, Kuhler's Rocaterrania became a secret lifelong obsession, an intricately coded, metaphorical account through Rocaterrania’s tumultuous history, which dovetailed with Kuhler’s own struggles for independence and freedom. Renaldo was the son of the German-born industrial designer Otto Kuhler, renowned for his Art Deco–era streamlined trains; his Belgian mother had little patience for her son, who was ostracized and bullied throughout his life for being “different.” The Kuhler family moved in 1948 from Rockland County, New York, to a remote cattle ranch in the Colorado Rockies—an unbearably isolated environment for the teenaged Renaldo. Retreating to his sketchbooks, journals, and watercolors to invent his imaginary nation of Rocaterrania, young Kuhler wrote, “The ability to fantasize is the ability to survive.” The Secret World of Renaldo Kuhler is filled with more than 400 illustrations in pencil, ink, acrylic, oil, gouache, watercolor, colored pencils, and markers, demonstrating Kuhler’s phenomenal draftsmanship and wide range of style—from delicately shaded graphite works to comic-book ink drawings. Complementing Kuhler’s impressive artistry is his gift for analogical thinking, which flowered in his appropriation and reimagining of personalities, places, and events from world history to form a cohesive and fully imagined world. After decades of secrecy, Kuhler eventually first shared his work and the story of his imaginary country with filmmaker Brett Ingram, whom he met by chance in the mid-1990s. In 2009 Ingram released Rocaterrania, a feature-length documentary with prized footage of Kuhler at home and at work, and talking about his creation. With The Secret World of Renaldo Kuhler Ingram has written the complete story of Rocaterrania as relayed to him over time by Kuhler, resulting in a fascinating, highly entertaining first and major book about this rare, newly discovered, full-blown visionary outsider artist.
£28.79
Grove Press / Atlantic Monthly Press Alexander the Great
The facts of Alexander's life are extraordinary, and it's no surprise that two major Hollywood films on his life are in production. Born Alexander III, king of Macedonia, and the first king to be called "the Great," he was born in 356 BC and brought up as crown prince. Taught for a time by Aristotle, he acquired a love for Homer and an infatuation with the heroic age. When his father Philip divorced Olympias to marry a younger princess, Alexander fled. Although allowed to return, he remained isolated and insecure untilP hilip's mysterious assassination about June 336. Alexander was at once presented to the army as king. Winning its support, he eliminated all potential rivals. No sooner had Alexander ascended the throne, than the Illyeians and other Northern tribes, which had been subdued by his father Philip, erupted into Macedonia, but they were quickly dispatched by the armies of Alexander. Some Grecian states, with Athens and Thebes at their head, thinking this a favorable oppurtunity, attempted to shake off the macedonia yoke; but the sudden appearance of the youthful Alexander in their midst soon put an end to all resistance. Thebes was taken by strom and razed to the ground, only the house of the poet Pindar and several other dwellings being spared; and the inhabitants were sold into slavery. Athens and the other Greek states immeaditly submitted, and were generously pardoned by Alexander. Then he took up Philip's war of aggression against Persia, adopting his slogan of a Hellenic Crusadeagainst the barbarian. He defeated the small force defending Anatolia, proclaimed freedom for the Greek cities there while keeping them under tight control, and, after a campaign through the Anatolian highlands (to impress the tribesmen), met and defeated the Persian army under Darius III at Issus (near modern Iskenderun, Turkey). He occupied Syria and--after a long siege ofTyreE--Phoenicia, then entered Egypt, where he was accepted as Pharaoh. From there he visited the famous Libyan oracle of Amon (or Ammon,identified by the Greeks with Zeus). The oracle hailed him as Amon's son (two Greek oracles confirmed him as son of Zeus) and promised him that he would become a god. His faith in Amon kept increasing, and after his death he was portrayed with the god's horns. After organizing Egypt and founding Alexandria, Alexander crossed the Eastern Desert and the Euphrates and Tigris rivers, and in the autumn of331 defeated Darius's grand army at Gaugamela (near modern Irbil, Iraq). Darius fled to the mountain residence of Ecbatana, while Alexander occupied Babylon, the imperial capital Susa, and Persepolis. Alexander acted as legitimate king of Persia, and to win the support ofthe Iranian aristocracy he appointed mainly Iranians as provincial governors. Yet a major uprising in Greece delayed him at Persepolis until May 330 and then, before leaving, he destroyed the great palace complex as a gesture to the Greeks. At Ecbatana, after hearing that the rebellion had failed, he proclaimed the end of the Hellenic Crusade and discharged the Greek forces. He then pursued Darius, who had turned eastward. Darius was assassinated by Bessus, the satrap of Bactria, who distrusted his will to keep fighting and proclaimed himself king. As a result, Alexander faced years of guerrilla war in northeastern Iran and central Asia, which ended only when he married (327) Rozana, the daughter of a localchieftain. The whole area was fortified by a network of military settlements, some of which later developed into major cities. During these years, Alexander's increasing preoccupation outside of Greece led to trouble with Macedonian nobles and some Greeks. Parmenion, Philip II's senior general, and his family originally had a stranglehold on the army, but Alexander gradually weakened its grip. Late in 330, Parmenion's oldestson, Philotas, commander of the cavalry and chief opponent of the king's new policies, was eliminated in a carefully staged coup d'etat, and Parmenion was assassinated. Another noble, Cleitus, was killed by Alexander himself in a drunken brawl. (Heavy drinking was acherished tradition at the Macedonian court.) Alexander next demanded that Europeans follow the Oriental etiquette of prostrating themselves before the king--which he knew was regarded as an act of worship by Greeks. But resistance by Macedonian officers and by the Greek Callisthenes (a nephew of Aristotle who had joined the expedition as the official historian of the crusade) defeated the attempt. Callisthenes was then executed on a charge of conspiracy. With discipline restored, Alexander invaded (327) the Punjab. After conquering most of it, he was stopped from pressing on to the distant Ganges by a mutiny of the soldiers. Turning south, he marched down to the mouth of the Indus, engaging in some of the heaviest fighting and bloodiest massacres of the war. He was nearly killed while assaulting a town. On reaching the Indian Ocean, he sent the Greek oooooofficer Nearchus with a fleet to explore the coastal route to Mesopotamia. Part of the army returned by a tolerable land route, while Alexander, with the rest,marched back through the desert of southern Iran, chiefly to emulate various mythical figures said to have done this. He emerged safely in the winter of 325-24, after the worst sufferings and losses of the entire campaign, to find his personal control over the heart of the empire weakened by years of absence and rumors of his death. On his return, he executed several of his governors and senior officers and replaced others. In the spring of 324, Alexander held a great victory celebration at Susa. He, and 80 close associates, married Iranian noblewomen. In addition, he legitimized previous so-called marriages between soldiers and native women and gave them rich wedding gifts, no doubt to encourage such unions. When he discharged the disabled Macedonian veterans, after defeating a mutiny by the estranged and exasperated Macedonian army, they had to leave their wives and children with him. Because national prejudices had prevented the unification of his empire, his aim was apparently to prepare a long-term solution (he was only 32)by breeding a new body of high nobles of mixed blood and also creating the core of a royal army attached only to himself. In the autumn of 324, at Ecbatana, Alexander lost his boyhoodfriend Hephaestion, by then his grand vizier--probably the only person he had ever genuinely loved. The loss was irreparable. After a period of deep mourning, he embarked on a winter campaign in the mountains, then returned to Babylon, where he prepared an expedition for the conquest of Arabia. Weakened from numerous battles, he died in June 323 without designating a successor. His death opened the anarchic age of the Diadochi. Alexander at once became a legend. Greek accounts blended almost incredible fact with pure fiction (for example, his meeting withthe Queen of the Amazons). What remains as fact are Alexander's indisputable military genius and his successful opportunism and timing in both war and politics. The success of his ambition, at immense cost in terms of human life, spread Greek culture far into central Asia, and some of it--supported and extended by the Hellenistic dynasties--lasted for centuries. It also led to an expansion of Greek horizons and to the acceptance of the idea of a universal kingdom, which paved the way for the Roman Empire. Moreover, it opened up the Greek world to new Oriental influences, which would lay the groundwork for Christianity.
£11.99