Search results for ""Whittles Publishing""

Caithness, the most northerly county in mainland Britain, is one of the richest cultural landscapes in Europe. The relative geographical isolation of the area, traditional landholding and the survival of large estates, combined with the use of flagstone as the main building material since earliest times, has ensured the survival of a wide range of monuments in a profusion unequalled elsewhere in Scotland. In the 19th century, Caithness was at the forefront of archaeological endeavours with many sites central to our understanding of Scottish prehistory. Since then, despite intermittent activity, the archaeology of Caithness has become somewhat marginalized and there is a perception that there are only a handful of archaeological sites for visitors to enjoy and the archaeologist to uncover and interpret. However, the county is full of hidden riches and traces of the past are visible everywhere. Caithness is dominated by landscapes rich in archaeological remains of all periods; chambered cairns, stone settings, brochs, Pictish settlements, wags, castles, harbours and post-medieval settlement, amongst many others. The authors have presented a cross section of these monument types in an attempt to re-centre the county in archaeological and early historical narratives. For the last decade, the authors have been involved in a range of heritage projects in the county, thus allowing them time to discover, observe and consider its archaeology. Their peregrinations provided opportunities for deeper contemplation of the county's archaeology, the result of which is presented in some new interpretations and perspectives which convey the excitement of working on heritage in Caithness.

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Foreword by Admiral Lord West of Spithead Few people, even in the Navy, are even aware of this dreadful incident [the loss of submarine HMS Truculent in the Thames] and certainly not the details of human error that led to this huge loss of life. The account is gripping, and explains the strange title of the book. ... John Johnson-Allen has put Fred Henley's personal accounts in the context of world-changing events, and in particular provides a wonderful snapshot of the Royal Navy of that era. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- This compelling story is the result of many hours spent recording the memories of Fred Henley. His life at sea is at the centre of his being and his own words are at the heart of the book. At the age of 14 Fred worked on a Thames sailing barge, then after his training at HMS Ganges, he joined his first ship which took him from the icy Arctic Ocean to the heat of West Africa where the Bismarck and her support ships were hunted. His experiences included visiting Archangel, sailing on Arctic convoys, capturing German supply ships, the failed attack on Oran, landings in Piraeus, Salonika and the French Riviera and operating with special forces in the Greek Islands. There is inevitably some humour when Fred recounts his encounters with girls. The book then explores the tragic loss of his last submarine, HMS Truculent. In the cold January waters of the Thames Estuary, within sight of Southend, over 60 men were lost in a major disaster, just five years after the end of the war. The voices of the survivors are heard telling how they stood in complete blackness in a sunken submarine, waiting for the water to come in so that they could escape to the surface, only for all but a few to drift away and die in the darkness. The story concludes with happier times with Fred visiting ports in the Mediterranean during peacetime as a married man.

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As a barefoot lad in the Outer Hebrides, Bill Innes dreamed the impossible dream of becoming a pilot and this book tells how that dream came to pass. The author's career of over forty years spanned a period of incredible advances in the air - now regarded as a golden era in aviation. After gaining his RAF wings in Canada he really started to learn his trade by flying pre-war Dakotas for British European Airways around the Highlands and Islands of Scotland - one of the most testing aviation-operating areas in the world. The experience was to stand him in good stead as he moved to London to fly classic 20th century British aircraft such as the Viscount, Comet, Vanguard and Trident. The narrative comes alive through tales of the many characters encountered in a time before flight recorders. There are authentic versions of some of the most famous anecdotes in the folklore of the sky, but also reflections on training philosophy and techniques which have a relevance outwith aviation. Along the way he explored his limits, barnstorming vintage aircraft in Tiger Club displays - surviving one breach of those limits which should have proved fatal! Progressing to being a training captain, Bill was happy to pass on his experience to colleagues. As one of the team that introduced the Boeing 757 to British Airways, post-retirement, he was privileged to be the trainer on the first flights of charter airlines such as Air 2000 and Canada 3000 before his swansong, flying long range Boeing 767s for Alitalia. Technical background is lightened by the thread of humour which runs throughout and there are also some sage words of comfort for the nervous passenger.

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This wonderful book describes the fascinating lives of the two most ubiquitous shorebirds in the world. Between them the Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos) and Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularia) make use of a large part of the world's terrestrial habitat and they exhibit many of the exciting features of shorebirds. As the birds arrive on the breeding ground, their displays are spectacular and their sounds are an exciting announcement of springtime. Unusually, the Spotted Sandpiper appears to be the only bird where the female is the territory holder, laying successive clutches of eggs for different males to care for, while the male of the Common Sandpiper holds the territory, has one mate, and shares most duties. They stay on the breeding grounds only as long as is essential to reproduce before making a migration southwards to a broad range of non-breeding homes in Central and South America, Africa, India, and eastwards to Australia with vagrants reaching as far as Tristan da Cunha and New Zealand. The Common Sandpiper has also been recorded breeding in East Africa and wintering in Scotland so their flexibility is amazing. The author has spent over 40 years studying the lives of these fantastic birds and provides a wealth of information including their breeding behaviour, migrations, distribution, food sources, habitats and their history from the present back to 36 million years ago. This beautiful book will hopefully stimulate others to watch these worldwide birds more appreciatively and add to our knowledge.

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Little Ross is an attractive and unspoiled island and its lighthouse, beautifully designed by the famous Stevenson family, is officially a 'lesser' light, far away from busy sea lanes, at the summit of this remote island.The island was unknown to most people until 1960 when a murder in the lighthouse buildings brought it widespread notoriety, to the grief and consternation of all who were involved. The author was at the island on the day of the murder, and was a witness in the High Court trial that followed. Over the subsequent 57 years, he has repeatedly been asked to tell his story but the 117 years of diligent tending of the light by numerous lighthouse keepers and their families has been largely forgotten. In Life and Death on Little Ross, the author has redressed the balance by telling the story of the island, its lighthouse and its people who lived and worked there including extracts from a detailed diary that has survived from WWI. Also featured are the island's earliest inhabitants, the ships and their crews that came to grief, the case made by concerned local people for a lighthouse to be erected, the political wrangling that frustrated its approval for many years, the lighthouse design, and the eventual construction of the buildings.The story did not end with the murder. The process of automation began immediately after the event and the work of conversion, repair and maintenance, including first-hand accounts by some of the tradesmen is provided. The story of the restoration and conversion of the lighthouse keepers' derelict cottages is one of courage, patience, stamina, skill and resourcefulness which should inspire all of the many people that love wild, beautiful and unspoiled places like Little Ross Island and care about the future of buildings of distinction.

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This stunningly beautiful and informative book celebrates the Arctic, one of the last great wildernesses on the planet; a place where animals have survived for thousands of years protected only by fur and feathers. Humans also survive in the Arctic, but only those who have adjusted to the climate over millennia and who clad themselves in the skins of the animals they hunt. For the casual visitor, this is a place where survival for any extended period requires taking advantage of the best that modern technology can offer. But the rewards are immense: the Arctic can be harsh, but it is also stunningly beautiful - days during which the sun glints on ice, nights illuminated by the ethereal dancing light of the aurora and with a glimpse of some of the most remarkable animals on the planet. Many travel to the Arctic to see the animals, the land mammals, the whales and seals, and the birds. However, the Arctic also has an absorbing human history. The origins of the Inuit in North America, and the array of Eurasian northern peoples, from the Sami of Scandinavia to the Yuppik hunters from Asia's Bering Sea coast, are still debated, while the discovery, just a year or so ago, of the second ship of Franklin's doomed expedition to find the North-West Passage has reopened the arguments over exactly what did happen to more than 100 Royal Navy seamen. The Arctic provides not only an understanding of the formation of the Arctic but the science of snow and ice including the phenomena of aurora and parhelia, and the way in which the area's wildlife contends with the chilling harshness of its climate. This fascinating, magnificent area is now under severe threat. Global warming is causing the sea ice to shrink, in both area and volume. This allows easier access to its probable resources and, ironically, this access merely adds to the threats to the area and its wildlife. Due to feedback mechanisms, the Arctic warms about twice as fast as the Earth. The area therefore acts in the way that canaries once acted in coal mines, giving an early warning of danger: melting sea ice not only threatens the local wildlife but indicates the threat to the Earth as a whole. This is a truly remarkable book encompassing the diverse facets of this magnificent area and its vital importance as an indicator of the planet's health.

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'Inspiring leadership lessons from the sea,' Rear Admiral Robert O. Wray Jr, USN (ret), author of Saltwater LeadershipAlthough merchant ships carry 90% of the world's trade, the mariners who run them have little guidance on leadership. This can result in disasters such as the Titanic, Costa Concordia, the Exxon Valdez, and the recent El Faro. With modern ships being worth several million dollars, seafarers need leadership advice at every level of their career. Golden Stripes, Leadership on the High Seas provides this guidance, and much more.Captain Parani weaves together his rich experience, cutting-edge insights and real-life stories in this book which has already garnered international acclaim. The reader will discover how to run a tight ship; enhance expertise; lead and communicate with a team; implement safety leadership; decide effectively in high-stake situations and be inspired by legendary sailors. It is a practical leadership action plan which can be applied at sea, or in any other workplace, anywhere.Golden Stripes is the first leadership book of its kind, written by a mariner specifically for commercial shipping.The author's experience both on board and from his corporate roles gives him a unique perspective on why, when and how sailors fail or succeed. Important messages are woven around engaging stories, quotes and practical leadership models, making this an indispensable read for all leaders.

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Mike Tomkies gives a remarkable picture of the whole cycle of nature around him, in a harsh and testing environment of unrivalled beauty. Vivid colours and sounds fill these pages - exotic wild orchids, the roar of rutting stags, a pair of dragonflies mating, the flight of the redwing, the territorial movements of foxes, otters and badgers, an oak tree being torn apart by hurricane-force gales. Nothing seems to escape his penetrating eye, to which the selection of his photographs in this book - some revealing little-known aspects of animal behaviour - immediately testifies. Yet Mike's extraordinary insights into the wildlife that shared his otherwise empty territory of 300 square miles are not gained without perseverance in the face of perilous hazards. Every pound of supplies (including heavy gas canisters) has to be manhandled in and out of his boat, which once sank beneath him in a storm. Thousands of miles of rock faces and hillside must be trekked each year in summer and winter, the tussock grass concealing sodden peat holes that will break an ankle. Hours on end, day and night, are spent in cramped hides on windy, precipitous ledges.A Last Wild Place is much more than the chronicle of a man who left city life in order to study the wilderness. It is a celebration of nature at its most rugged and spectacular in all Britain. Like the enormous ageing salmon he threw back because he felt he had no right to claim its life, Mike Tomkies reveals through his quest our urgent need to become retuned to natural rhythms if mankind is to regain a measure of health and sanity in a world bent on self-destruction.

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This book provides a visual reconstruction of Palmyra, a World Heritage Site situated in Syria, which flourished in Greco-Roman times. Palmyra is situated in a desert oasis and served as a vibrant caravan station on the Silk Road connecting the Roman world with the East. It has been called 'the Queen of the Desert' and 'Venice of the Sands'.In 2015-2017 the city was conquered by ISIS who destroyed its monuments and museum, also killing several of its inhabitants. Their aim was to erase the memory and identity of the place, its people and our common heritage. However, through the use of modern technology including photogrammetry, digital imagery and 3D modelling, it has been possible to recreate the documented monuments, thus overcoming to some extent the trauma, cultural destruction and loss. The book unveils the rediscovery of the site by the West and revives and reconstructs the ancient city through images and history. The reader is taken through the spectacular city and its past by providing the information to follow the roots and development of the site, its monuments and its people through the ages, including rulers such as Queen Zenobia. The combination of visualization and written accounts interlink the environment and its people, the monuments and archaeological small finds by using ancient written sources, old photographs, new imagery, 3D models and 3D printing. Thus this ancient site and its past is revived in multiple dimensions. Monuments are visualized as digitally reconstructed ruins or as complete virtual models. This text is therefore the perfect guide for readers who wish to immerse themselves visually in the history of the area and to discover more about the archaeology and its preservation using diverse methods employing modern technology.

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A Homeland Denied follows the horrific journey of Waclaw Kossakowski, a young Warsaw University student whose peaceful life was changed dramatically and with far reaching consequences that fateful day of 1st September, 1939. From imprisonment in the notorious Kozelsk prison to the forced labor camp in the Siberian Arctic Circle, the compelling story pulls the reader into a world of suffering and brutality it would be impossible to imagine. Forced to dig runways in temperatures as low as-50oC while under constant threat from sadistic guards, it was an indescribable living hell with death the only companion. He endured and witnessed atrocities which haunted him for the rest of his life with so many friends murdered or frozen to death in the unforgiving cruelty of Siberia. But fate intervened and the icy wasteland was replaced by the blistering heat and dry deserts of the Middle East, where the student who had never picked up a gun was taught to fight-in the Italian campaign, at Monte Cassino, Ancona and Bologna.Yet the intense desire to return to his homeland never left him and only memories of his idyllic life before the war sustained him when he sank to the lowest depths of despair. Waclaw could not know of the terrible suffering of his family or the sacrifices of his countrymen as they fought so desperately to keep Warsaw, only to be denied their homeland in the cruelest way imaginable. Although they were ultimately the victors, they lost everything-their home, their loves, their country and nothing was ever the same again. In a country governed by Communist Russia and controlled by their secret police, it was impossible to return under fear of imprisonment or death and no knowledge of the achievements and bravery of the Poles was allowed to be known. No one was safe under the Stalinist reign of terror. Everything was strictly censored or destroyed and with the passage of time few people were left alive to tell their story. It was only in 1989 that Poland truly broke free from the Russian yoke and its people gained the freedom they had fought so valiantly for.This dramatic and poignant story based on the memories of Waclaw Kossakowski is recounted in vivid detail and documents a tragic period in the history of the Polish people in Europe. His story demands to be told and ensures that many other unrecognized Poles will not be forgotten.

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This is a thought-provoking work, capturing the march of time which overtook the maritime world in the last quarter of the 20th century. The final crumbling of the British register caused officers like Hall to find themselves in a strange new world, sailing under flags of convenience with all the old certainties of life at sea having vanished. There is both sadness and a rage at seeing a way of life disappear forever under the wheels of commerce, made more poignant by the author himself swallowing the anchor and moving on. Expelled from Indonesia as an undesirable, medically discharged in Honolulu, confined in Nigeria, Hall's turbulent life takes him from West Africa to Japan, from Europe to the Persian Gulf to the South Pacific. At last a Master Mariner, he serves on one last break-bulk general cargo ship, before transferring to the new maritime world. The prose is as elegantly expressed as in his earlier works. Steaming along the Yemeni coast, he writes: The bleakness of the South Yemen coastline made the green sea seem sharper in contrast, almost emerald in colour.The sun sat as a bright white orb in a blue white sky, the colours scourged out by dust blown offshore from the desert interior. In a typhoon near the Macclesfield Bank: Us; wild-eyed in the wheelhouse, braced against the forward bulkhead, awaiting our fate, helpless against a show of nature's fickle anger that could take us down among the fishes before we could cry Noo-ooooo...Maturity and marriage finally see off his tendency towards alcohol abuse: I began to yearn to make myself a better person and abandon the self-serving creature I had become. Wistful, unvarnished, droll, in powerless rage against the changes, this is an important companion to Hall's previous acclaimed books, a fine work that captures, in arresting style, the life of men who go down to the sea in ships. .

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This book provides an invaluable update on the science and technology of plant fibre and its growing importance as a source material. The book presents a basic and clear understanding of the most advanced developments of a wide range of functional plant fibre materials. The development and utilisation of plant fibre resources are considered to be one of the strategies with most potential for reducing consumption of petrochemicals, whether for direct use to produce energy in place of oil, coal and gas, and chemicals or to develop new materials. The ready supply and low cost of these 'green' products and processes provide endless opportunities. The book considers structure, processing, properties, and applications with a comprehensive examination and discussion of the structure, chemistry and behaviour of plant fibre. This is followed by basic information and a thorough understanding of functional materials directly derived from plant fibres, mainly including nanocellulose, physically and chemically treated plant fibre, cellulose film, cellulose textile, cellulose detection materials, and nanocellulose aerogel. The processing, property and application of functional plant fibre composites is then considered, including nanocellulose composite, plant fibre/natural resin composite, wood plastic composites and long fibre composites.

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Rivers, canals and Britain's glorious waterways are championed and admired at every opportunity. They are the subject of countless photos, television programmes and books - and are places to visit and enjoy whenever considering a walk in the countryside. Sadly, not so the humble ditch; yet they are the all-important capillaries supplying the veins of the UK's far more visual watercourses. As well as having a practical farming purpose and being important in preventing flooding, ditches are an essential habitat for many species of flora and fauna. In no way a dry riverbed of hard facts, A Year in a Ditch is informative and a source of knowledge to anyone interested in exploring the delights of this vital habitat. The book is full of relevant quirky notes and obscure snippets, the fanciful and factual; old wives' tales; quotations and snippets of poetry.Ditches are an integral part of some very bizarre sports and pastimes indeed and there are even suggestions as to how one can actually dine out in a ditch!A Year in a Ditch will be a wonderful read for anyone wishing to know more about the 500,000 kilometres of these often-neglected waterways that have threaded their way through the British countryside for millennia.

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The surrender of the German U-boat fleet at the end of World War II was perhaps the principal event in the war's endgame which signified to the British people that peace really had arrived. This revised, updated and expanded new edition gives career details of not only the 33 commanders who accompanied their boats to Loch Eriboll but also of a further 23 previous commanders of those U-boats, including four who might be considered 'Aces' because of the damage they inflicted, sinking and disabling Allied shipping. The book also features an analysis of the Allied naval operation under which the surrendering U-boats were assembled in Scotland and Northern Ireland; asks who first contacted those U-boats after the capitulation - armed British trawlers, frigates of the Allied navies or aircraft of the Royal Air Force; and discloses how U-boats spared destruction were distributed to the navies of the USA, France, USSR and the Royal Navy. Also revealed are more unpublished recollections of British and German naval personnel present at the Loch Eriboll surrenders and how 116 surviving U-boats came to be sunk in the waters of the Western Approaches in the winter of 1945/46.The Grey Wolves of Eriboll includes a wealth of historical insights including the German Surrender Document; detailed descriptions of the construction, service careers and circumstances of each surrendered U-boat; details of the frigates that supervised the surrenders, contemporary newspaper reports and descriptions of the naval Operations Pledge, Commonwealth, Cabal, Thankful and Deadlight, each of which involved Eriboll U-boats. The mysteries surrounding Hitler's yacht and the alleged 'Norwegian Royal Yacht' (which did not exist at the time) are also explored. The pivotal role played by Loch Eriboll in ending the U-boat menace is little-known and lesser celebrated - this book rights that wrong.

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New Ways: The Founding of Modernism features the rise during the interwar period of a group of engineers, architects, sculptors, ceramicists, artists, furniture-makers, craftsmen and patrons to the forefront of British art and design. Important to the Founding of Modernism was the cooperation between a group of emigre architects and engineers, and their home-grown counterparts who, between them, found ways to bring into being the strict geometric and modernistic forms that were demanded by the Movement. In the 1920s, the technology of concrete casting was developing very rapidly as was that of steel reinforcement and new developments gave rise to greater possibilities for structures. Initially, expertise, and then the promotion of this new technology to architects and their clients, fell to a number of specialist overseas contracting companies. The early decades of the twentieth century in the UK saw, in place of an architect to contractor relationship, a rise of the new profession of consultant structural engineer. Up to this point, architects had fulfilled the role of both building designer and engineer. The British Modern Movement was profoundly influenced by this group of European emigre architects and engineers, some of whom remained in the UK thus ensuring that the Modern Movement re-emerged and continued in the UK once peace returned to Europe after WWII. Through an expert combination of words and illustrations, the author weaves an illuminating tapestry of people and structures in all sectors of life from residential to worship, media to entertainment, commerce and more thus creating a forceful appreciation of the movement. This fertile period of art, architecture and design was typified by a great commonality of purpose between designers, their clients and patrons. Buildings and artefacts were produced such that their designers might appreciate and wish them for their own use, especially in housebuilding and home-making. Friendships and associations by Modernists in allied professions presented a unified approach to design and patronage.

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Roger Redfern - author, writer and photographer - had been writing about his travels and exploration of different areas of Britain and abroad for over 50 years, most notably as a regular contributor to The Guardian newspaper's Country Diary feature. He is the author of over 30 books and was once described as 'the doyen of countryside writers', an accolade that recognised his lyrical and poetic writings about his travels. This book, the first in a short series, reveals the unknown side of Redfern, his photography, in stunning fashion. This first volume, to be followed by A Mountain Camera and An Island Camera, focuses upon his images of Britain's countryside from his wanderings amongst the hills, valleys and villages of rural England, Wales and Scotland. He always had a camera with him to record his journeys; the countryside, the people and animals, and the weather - all captured on colour slides that date back to the 1950s. Many of his early images constitute valuable documents of social history - each one is meticulously captioned and dated to give an accurate record of its content and captures the changing nature of our countryside over the decades. Many would qualify as 'art' images because of the careful balance of colour, composition and atmosphere in these stunning colour photographs. The author, a life-long friend of Roger Redfern, inherited the entire Redfern Collection of images and in the process of reviewing and sorting them has unearthed some absolutely magnificent photographs that deserve a wider audience. He has included quotations from Roger's books and Country Diary articles, as well as snippets of personal information, to help the reader gain more of an insight into his life and character - a highly enjoyable mix of memorable images and colourful nostalgia from the past 50 years.

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Chalk has proved to be one of the more difficult rocks to core-log as it breaks up readily during the drilling process leading to core-loss and destructuring, particularly where flints, nodular chalks and/or fractures are present. One of the greatest difficulties is the identification of chalk engineering grade which relies heavily on fracture aperture. Obtaining the correct grade to define the depth of weathering and the depth at which fractures become closed is essential whether for tunnels in London or for wind turbine piled foundations in the offshore chalks. Very few geologists and engineers have had the opportunity to study field sections in the Chalk so there is little visual appreciation of the grades or the variation to expect or even what flint bands look like. To partly overcome this difficulty, both field and core sections are illustrated in this book. Equally important to recognising Chalk grade is the building of conceptual ground models for construction projects. This can only be achieved if the various Chalk formations, beds and marker beds can be identified from cores and then boreholes correlated using the marker beds.The Chalk stratigraphy is accordingly covered with key formations and marker beds illustrated, and the best field sections for viewing them identified. This book is based on the standard lithostratigraphy and method of engineering description of Chalk developed over many years. Also important are over 3000 onshore and offshore chalk-cored boreholes undertaken by the author over more than 30 years. In addition, typical lithologies and weathering profiles representing the Chalk formations likely to be encountered in the various onshore and offshore construction projects are illustrated using field exposures, rotary core samples and geophysical borehole wire-line logs. There will be geological settings where information on the Chalk is poor and unexpected lithologies and stratigraphies may be found. This book will enable geologists to work from first principles to construct a lithostratigraphy and define weathering boundaries.

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The West Highland Way is Scotland's first official Long Distance Route and runs near 100 miles from Milngavie to Fort William. It was nicknamed the 'Way Way' by a trio from Fife who set off to walk it in the year of the Millennium. This is not a guidebook but an account of their experiences, the highs and lows which any challenge presents of their marvellous, surprising, amusing and weird memories. They met many hundreds of people along the way but, naturally, those they recall were the more eccentric. Although the trio never managed another bigger trip together they realize how lucky, and wise, they had been to grab the chance when it came. There is remarkably pleasant rural walking at the start to reach the Highlands at Loch Lomond, fine woodland on its banks and later, the contrast of lonely, empty miles across Rannoch Moor, the Devil's Staircase and the great pass of the Lairig Mor to finish. Encounters with other people are an important part of Long Distance Routes. Anyone who has walked the Way Way (or is planning to do so) will enjoy this story, bringing back plenty of similar memories of people and places, adventures and misadventures. The illustrations too give a wonderful idea of the rich variety of country traversed and well capture the atmosphere of this walk through Scotland's fine landscapes.

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The previous edition of this book has been widely adopted internationally by the petroleum and mining industries and by geotechnical engineers as an authoritative guide for use at the wellsite, in the laboratory or office. This new edition has been brought up-to-date and incorporates modern developments in coring techniques and core handling. All aspects of cores are covered including cutting and recovery; wellsite handling and logging; recognition of coring damage; laboratory analysis; logging and sampling; and, preservation and storage.In this work, logging and interpretation are dealt with in detail, encompassing structural and engineering investigations in addition to sedimentology. Emphasis is laid throughout on those features most important to the economical development of geological resources. Because the methodology is dealt with extensively, the reader with a background in sedimentology, geotechnical engineering, petrophysics or a related subject is able to put the principles and techniques of core studies into practice. As such, this book will prove invaluable for those working with cores and anyone who uses information derived from them.

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...It is remarkable that one man should have been involved in so much action in so few years...I commend his biography to the reader: ...by any standard he was a hero, and he tells his life's story with modesty and humour. Extract from the Foreword by Admiral Lord Boyce Captain Mervyn Wingfield was one of the last of his generation of submariners who made their reputation in the Second World War. Pre-war he had served on the China station and lived the riotous life of a young officer; in the war he commanded three submarines, Umpire, Sturgeon and Taurus, survived a collision in the North Sea, spent a winter in the Arctic, penetrated the Norwegian fjords submerged through a minefield, surfaced off St Nazaire in view of German guns to act as a navigation marker for the raiding force, fought cavalry in the northern Aegean, and later, off Penang, was the first British submariner to sink a Japanese submarine - and barely survived the subsequent, vicious counterattack after Taurus was severely damaged and became stuck in the mud at the bottom. Any one of these incidents would have merited a place for Wingfield in the history of naval warfare and the pantheon of submarine heroes. The Royal Navy's most senior submariner, Admiral Lord Boyce, notes in his Foreword that the diesel-powered submarines in which both men served were not so different, but the risks which Wingfield took in wartime were greater and Lord Boyce admired the way in which Wingfield led his crew and was loved by them. Many men were burned-out by the war, but in the postwar years Wingfield enjoyed a successful peacetime career in the Royal Navy where, finally, his personal qualities and his diplomacy were put to the test as a naval attache. In retirement Wingfield was well-known for hosting lively beef and Stilton lunches at the London Boat Show! He was also one of the last of the generations of Anglo-Irish families who served the Crown and provided officers and men for the Army and the Navy, and his story additionally gives some insights into his early days, especially with regard to being a young officer in the Royal Navy in the 1930s.

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'I agree with Professor Ozdemir that there was no genocide of 'Assyrians', but a total migration of Nestorians (with attendant casualties), and a gradual and partial migration of Syrian Monophysites and Uniates, with fewer casualties'. Dr. Andrew Mango, author of Ataturk: the Biography of the Founder of Modern Turkey Until the beginning of the 19th century, Nestorians, Chaldeans and Syrian Christians, belonging to various different branches of Eastern Christianity, lived as small, little-known communities within the eastern provinces of the Ottoman Empire. This book examines the situation of these Eastern Christians during the First World War using a wide range of Western and Ottoman archival sources. At the outbreak of the First World War, the Nestorians, Chaldeans, and Syrian Christians found themselves trapped in the middle of the struggle between the Ottoman Empire and the Entente powers. The Syrian Christians and Chaldeans remained faithful to Ottoman rule and were generally quiescent during the war, while the Nestorians, encouraged by Russia, entered the war as the Entente powers' 'smallest ally'. The Eastern Christian communities appeared on the stage at the most critical period of the First World War, and left a tragic story behind them. Owing to modern claims that a mass murder or 'genocide' of the Nestorians and Syrian Christians was committed during 1915, the issue is no longer obscure and has become an international historical and political problem. This book presents interesting new historical material and provides a fascinating perspective on this issue for all scholars and students of Middle Eastern history and geopolitics that is relevant to the regional situation today.

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As windfarms proliferate across the UK, visualisation as a means of predicting the scale and impacts of wind turbines has become a highly controversial subject. The purpose of any visualisation is to inform so that judgements can be made by professionals and the general public alike. Yet after nearly two decades, post-construction shocks are still common and the public demand for comprehensible and reliable pre-planning visuals increases. In Windfarm Visualisation, the author draws together a blend of knowledge and experience to explain the many scientific disciplines involved. He gives an overview of how some simple fixed standards facilitate proper validation and testing to restore confidence in visualisations which allow realistic prediction and effective planning. Photography is both an art and a science which, if used scientifically, must be capable of being tested. Current practice is found at best to be impractical and at worst an artifice to diminish potential impacts. Under scrutiny, flaws in the adopted methodology are exposed, pseudo-science is repudiated and wide-ranging problems for the public, planners and decision-makers explored and explained.The assumption that perspective geometry equates to what we see is challenged and the case is made that visual representation must take full account of human visual perception. This simple subject has been subverted by needless complexity. In Windfarm Visualisation this complexity is stripped away to provide a refreshingly informative text covering the fundamentals of photomontage visualisation, the unique challenges of representing windfarms and some simple recommendations for fixed photographic standards and presentation formats to restore confidence in predictive visualisation. It is also a scientific detective story into what we see, how it can be misrepresented and manipulated by self-interested parties and how visualisation itself has become the unwitting victim of its own potential to reliably inform the planning system and the public.

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This is a blend of biography and bibliography that traces the emergence and development of the specialist book literature on concrete at a time when reinforced concrete was a new technology. From 1897, and the first complete building of reinforced concrete in the UK to 1935, when the literature mushroomed and the basic technology was understood and codified. Some Writers on Concrete contains the biographies of significant figures from the UK and USA, in the development of concrete technology and provides comprehensive bibliographical coverage of their work published in book form. These include Oscar Faber, C.E. Reynolds, F.M. Lea, C.A.P. Turner, G.A. Hool and Harvey Whipple. It collates the work of numerous writers to form a corpus of literature and engender an understanding of the unfolding narrative of concrete theory and practice. The emergence of specialist organisations aiming to develop the use of concrete took a similar path over this period with the creation of bodies such as the Concrete Institute, the Concrete Utilities Board and the Reinforced Concrete Association which was founded in 1933.In the USA the pattern was similar with the establishment of the Portland Cement Association (PCA) and American Concrete Institute (ACI).

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Following the successful previous book, this new and expanded edition is the most informative and comprehensive book available, particularly for the diving fraternity, and will be essential for divers wishing to experience the rich underwater heritage around the 28 Farne Islands. However, it is not only a diver's guide to the Farnes underwater and the surrounding wrecks, as it will also be a must for visitors to the islands with the wealth of information on the area's history and wildlife. The author has dived every one of the 178 sites and explains what can be seen at each one. This includes the little-known underwater Nature Reserve, north of the North Wamses Island in the Outer Farnes. For ease of location, WGS84 GPS coordinates have been introduced in this new edition for many of the sites. The book also benefits from a vast amount of technical detail and history about the 50 or so extra shipwrecks that have been added to this new edition, many of which can be easily reached from Seahouses and Beadnell harbours. Another major plus for divers who are unfamiliar with the islands' tides, currents, general depths, wrecks and marine life is the author's star rating for each site, so that divers will waste no time in selecting the right and most suitable dive site. Other interesting features include the sometimes bizarre but fascinating history of the islands and the local villages of Bamburgh, Seahouses and Beadnell, together with information about the local seabirds, wildlife, seals and marine life.

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With a small population, it is remarkable that so many people from the county of Caithness have had such a huge impact, not only in Scotland but worldwide. The sheer hard work and determination of people from the county, both past and present, has guaranteed their place in history. From scientists, explorers, ministers and politicians to engineers, artists and writers, this area in the far north of Scotland has a rich tapestry of folk who have made their lasting mark on the world and each chapter deals with their lives, loves and labours. These include Arthur St Clair, 9th President of the Continental Congress in the United States; Robert Dick, geologist and botanist; Andrew Geddes Bain, road builder and engineer in South Africa; the British Empire's first-ever Lady Mayor, Elizabeth Oman Yates; James Bremner, famed for his wreck - raising skills and harbour design; Donald Sutherland Swanson, a high profile detective with the Metropolitan Police during the Whitechapel Murders in 1888; Robert Brown, explorer and Alexander Henry Rhind, one of the world's greatest Egyptologists. The life of Sir John Sinclair, father of the Statistical Accounts for Scotland, is recounted, as is the life of the man best known simply as Ross of Cowcaddens. The modern era is not forgotten with Ian Charles Scott, the New York-based artist and David Graham Scott, a documentary film maker.

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Son of a scientifically-minded Scottish aristocrat, Basil Hall joined the Royal Navy at the age of 13 in 1802. His first naval engagements in America and Spain during the Peninsular War are described, as are his travels in India and the Far East. His renowned interview with Napoleon, while still a prisoner on St. Helena is featured. He was a confidante of Sir Walter Scott, Dickens and many other distinguished authors of his day. Renowned for his curiosity and energy, he became a popular writer himself based on his world-wide travels and adventures, including his involvement in the liberation of Peru and friendship with General San Martin. He embarked on an epic, 10,000-mile journey with his family in North America and twice journeyed across the sub-continent of India under the patronage of the Admiral Sir Samuel Hood, providing delightful vignettes of Indian life of the time. Subsequent travels in Europe introduce personalities such as Lord Byron and the eccentric Countess Purgstall. Although the narrative of his journey in the United States earned him great opprobrium from Americans for his conservative attitudes, his support in Edinburgh to the great American bird painter, John James Audubon, was greatly appreciated by the artist. As an amateur scientist, Hall made important contributions to nautical astronomy, geology and naval technology, being a Fellow of both the Royal Society and the Royal Society of Edinburgh. Among his scientific friends were Sir John Herschel, Mary Somerville, and Sir Humphrey Davy, among many others. He was in the unusually privileged position of moving among the upper echelons of British society's distinguished writers, scientists and politicians thus providing a fascinating insight into the mores and manners of high society in Edinburgh and London. The inclusion of previously unpublished and often revealing correspondence has contributed to the first full biography of a very colourful individual and his times.

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An appealing book that rightfully raises the profile of the kestrel. It provides an extensive picture of this delightful falcon, including its lifestyle and the factors that affect its breeding success and survival. This is based upon almost 40 years' monitoring of the kestrel in south-west Scotland and further afield by the author and colleagues, giving a flavour of the integrated approach to monitoring and conservation. As well as the wealth of factual data, there are entertaining anecdotes and stories both from the author's experiences and from the wider media coverage of this raptor over the years. The reader is taken to exotic locations such as the Seychelles, Mauritius and the Cape Verde Islands to see the endemic island kestrels which have always held a great fascination for the author. Latest figures show an alarming decline of 36% in the kestrel population in the UK, with even more dramatic falls such as 64% in Scotland. The fieldwork techniques which play such an important role are detailed in a composite breeding season. The kestrel is not portrayed in isolation and the bird's current circumstance is tied into the bigger picture of raptor conservation and the struggle against sustained persecution. The author reflects upon the political, economic and conservation issues that have dominated this field in the past few decades and through this personal and well-informed account the reader gains access to the world of the kestrel.

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This book deals with the use of aluminium for structural and non-structural applications and provides an introduction to designing structures made from aluminium or aluminium alloy elements. It comprises a ready reference to the material properties and behaviour of aluminium, and its use in structural design. In the context of information about the material itself, fabrication, structural design and corrosion, structural analysis, serviceability, element design and fatigue the author considers the strengths of designing with aluminium alloy members and how any weaknesses can be overcome. Reference is made throughout to EN 1999, Eurocode 9, and its design methods are discussed and illustrated. With most of its structural strength properties close to steel and with consideration for the special properties of aluminium alloys, there is considerable scope to make better use of this material in construction. Many years of working with aluminium have provided the author with the knowledge to avoid pitfalls and problems in design, fabrication and protection of structures, thus avoiding costly remedial work.

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'Solo Round Scotland may be an 'amateur' adventure in its truest sense but it is as professional and daring in its execution as many a large scale international expedition'. Extract from Foreword by Sir Ranulph Fiennes, OBE In April 2006 the author became the first person to single-handedly circumnavigate Scotland by boat and bike. Setting out on this ultimate adventure from Kirkcudbright on the Solway Firth, Alan sailed around Scotland on a 50-foot yacht to the north-east coast of England. After 16 exhausting days on the yacht, he then cycled 163 miles back to the starting point in Kirkcudbright. The 1000-mile voyage took Alan in the yacht Pegasus to the wild open Atlantic Ocean passing Islay, Barra Head, St Kilda, North Rona and round Muckle Flugga, the most northerly point of the UK, before landing at Blyth, Northumberland. The cycle trip crossed England and brought Alan back into Scotland at Gretna and from there he followed the Solway coastal route back to the church gates in Kirkcudbright. This herculean challenge required detailed planning and attracted over 20 people into the support team including an Olympic weather router, an Olympic sail-maker, a round-the-world skipper, a renowned sleep management specialist and a multiple champion in Scottish sailing. The motivation behind the trip came from Alan's deep-rooted desire to take on a challenge that would test his skills, resolve, stamina and sheer willpower to get the job done. It also provided him with an opportunity to raise money for two charities - the Parkinson's Disease Society and Ocean Youth Trust Scotland which will both benefit from sales of this book. Solo Round Scotland is an account of the whole experience at sea and on the road. Alan vividly tells the story of preparing for the challenge and also experiences such as when he was beset with gear failure and was forced to take the wheel for 12 hours in force 8 gales. This exhilarating story follows the highs and lows as Alan battles to achieve his goal of becoming the first person to circumnavigate Scotland by boat and bike. For further background on Alan's challenge, please visit www.soloroundscotland.com

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This thought-provoking and challenging book is about sex and profits. It is not a book about Women's Lib, but it is a book that will lead to the recognition of women carried along by the wholehearted support of men; it is not another call for charitable donations, but it is a book about investment. It is not about improving the education of women. It is all about income generation. The poorest women of the Indian sub-continent and Africa represent a vast untapped resource which, if harnessed, could bring about a huge improvement in the worst-affected parts of the world. Women could feed the whole of Africa since they look after 80% of the agriculture. They are hard-working and eager to learn - the perfect workforce. But they have no sense of self-worth and too often are regarded as little more than beasts of burden or are hidden away, deprived of education and position. And yet a mother will not squander money, she will nourish her children rather than drinking herself into oblivion and she will remain loyal to her family. Shreela Flather cogently and powerfully argues that women must be central to every initiative, business project and political goal rather than being merely after-thoughts or decoration. She believes this is just as applicable to many countries in the West where the glass ceiling still constitutes an impenetrable barrier for women. She challenges politicians to turn talking shops into practical action; the much-vaunted United Nations' Millennium Development Goals' (MDGs) dream cannot be fulfilled by the target date of 2015. Its only hope is to shift the focus to women. While the UN rightly identifies the private sector as the engine of innovation and growthA" it fails itself by not targeting that effort at women. As part and parcel of that re-focusing it should start talking about family planning. As we continue to struggle in global economic depression this above all is a hopeful book offering a practical, affordable way forward. It requires no new energy source, it demands no vast capital investment and it will have no destructive impact on the environment. The workforce is vast, willing and able ...with no vices. Woman - Acceptable Exploitation for Profit is a solution for a world in trouble, a roadmap to greater opportunities, profit, prosperity, health and happiness for all, regardless of gender. We live in a world struggling to feed itself, fund itself, preserve itself so why reject the only asset and talent we have failed to consider?

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During the last decade, concrete technology has made an enormous advance through the introduction of self-compacting concrete. This application of nanotechnology in construction provides benefits from the perspective of materials technology and environmental protection and is presenting diverse opportunities to engineers and architects alike. Good quality concrete is compacted, traditionally by vibration. This book defines the key properties that make fresh concrete self-compacting and outlines test methods for its assessment. It covers the basic principles and underlying scientific theory, practical advice for production of SCC and its use in construction practice, and is illustrated by practical case studies and applications. All stages of the self-compacting concrete construction process are reviewed, from selection of materials, mix design and mixing process to transport, placing and finishing. The range of benefits offered go beyond fundamental aspects of concrete quality and productivity; it includes a major improvement in the health and safety of workers.Reductions of noise levels on construction sites, together with utilisation of inorganic industrial wastes such as quarry dusts are additional benefits. Information necessary for maximising the benefits offered by self-compacting concrete is provided, with an emphasis on an integrated approach, in which SCC is already selected in the design stage. Novel structural elements become feasible, in part due to the facility to pump under pressure, and management of the construction process can be adjusted to minimise costs. Significant completed projects are described which illustrate the potential benefits and key aspects of the new self-compacting concrete technology in practice.

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This significant new book by foremost experts in the field will be the first that truly covers the topic of engineering geomorphology as a distinct discipline and, as such, will be of paramount importance to both practitioners and students. Engineering geomorphology is concerned with the evaluation of landform changes, especially the effects of construction on the environment, notably on the operation of surface processes and the risks from surface processes, whether current processes or the legacies of past processes. Engineering geomorphology provides practical support for engineering decision-making (project planning, investigation, design and construction) and engineering geomorphologists form an integrate part of the engineering or environmental team. Engineering geomorphology has developed in the last few decades to support a number of distinct areas of engineering, including river engineering, coastal engineering, and geotechnical engineering, where engineering geomorphology has complemented engineering geology and has proven to be valuable, especially for rapid site reconnaissance and slope stability studies.Geomorphology provides a spatial context for developing site models and explaining the distribution and characteristics of particular ground-related problems (e. g. landslides, permafrost or the presence of aggressive soils) and resources (e.g. sand and gravel). Engineering geomorphology can also be applied to agricultural engineering, primarily in the investigation and management of soil erosion problems. This book includes basic concepts that underpin efforts to explain the causes, mechanisms and consequences of landform change. It then considers how the land surface works in the context of wetland, flatland, hills, mountains, rivers and coasts; and the techniques that are available to the engineering geomorphologist in the field, in the laboratory, in the office and in the various forms of remote sensing. Each succinct chapter is packed with vital information, well-illustrated with diagrams and tables and fully referenced so that the detail of subject matter can be followed up.

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This volume, the first in a set of three, is a vital working manual which covers the basic tests for the classification and compaction characteristics of engineering soils. It will therefore be an essential practical handbook for all engaged on the testing of soils in a laboratory for building and civil engineering purposes. Based on the author's experience over many years managing large soil testing laboratories, particular emphasis has been placed on ensuring that procedures are fully understood. Each test procedure has therefore been broken down into simple stages with each step being clearly described. The use of flow diagrams and the setting out of test data and calculations will be of great benefit, especially for the newcomer to soil testing. The book is complemented with many numerical examples which illustrate the methods of calculation and graphical presentations of typical results. The reporting of test data is also explained. Vital information on good techniques, laboratory safety, the calibration of measuring instruments, essential checks on equipment, and laboratory accreditation are all included.A basic knowledge of mathematics, physics and chemistry is assumed but some of the fundamental principles that are essential in soil testing are explained where appropriate.

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This volume is designed to assist anyone with the mathematics involved in map making. It starts from an elementary standpoint and progresses to give the student a sufficient level of understanding to cope with most topics encountered by the map maker, including those of elementary surveying. The material is in two carefully cross-referenced parts. Mathematical topics and concepts are presented in the first part, enabling the relevance of each topic to be made clear, while the second part contains a glossary and formulae summaries with several appendices.

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Rock Lighthouses of Britain & Ireland is a new edition of the classic work on the subject – but with some of the most famous Irish rock lighthouses included. The text has been updated to include the modern technology being used by the lighthouse authorities, as well as all the historical advances made over the centuries at British and Irish rock lights, complemented by scores of new and many stunning photographs. Also included are historic plans and drawings, many of them highly colourful and artistic, as used by the original lighthouse builders. At the end are comprehensive and detailed tables about the rock lighthouses maintained by all three lighthouse authorities. Building on the acclaim received for the earlier editions, it brings the history of these iconic structures completely up-to-date, from the day the first granite block was laid, through their construction, automation, the disappearance of the lighthouse keeper, right up to today’s automated operation. Here are some of the world’s most famous rock lighthouses. There are stories of men battling against Nature’s most powerful forces to build a structure designed to save lives on a seemingly impossible site. Rock Lighthouses of Britain & Ireland spans the centuries between the world’s first rock lighthouse on the Eddystone reef, to the very last rock lighthouse, constructed in the traditional style, on Ireland’s Fastnet Rock and accordingly will remain the premier book about rock lighthouses.

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This book opens up a wonderland of natural history for all ages to enjoy, and will spark interest in the intricate web of Africa's natural history, one that is bursting with exuberance, a great variety of life. It covers a vast range of topics that are often neglected, and reveals untold mysteries hidden in this remarkable continent. It is written in a readable and clear style that allows the reader to gain an appreciation of its continent-wide approach, which is based upon half a century or more of knowledge. Delving into the intricate fossil history found in Africa, The Wonder of Africa's Natural History describes some of the largest dinosaurs that walked this earth and extraordinary giant mammals of the Pleistocene, to the largest mammal that still survives to this day. It also encompasses the tiny mites that reside inside animals' ears and the remarkable maggot that finds a home in the sole of the elephant's foot. This book discusses creatures great and small. The remarkable variety of animals described explores their colours, behaviours, displays of weapons and the meanings behind the differences. The book explains the animals' everyday lives, co-habitations, and how the large carnivores live alongside their prey. The reader is transported into their world from birth, through growing up to their social interactions. Fantastic migrations showing the exuberance of life are described from butterflies to wildebeest and elephants and the once huge increases in number of the springbok in South Africa. The Wonder of Africa's Natural History unfolds a great diversity of life from swamp to forest, rivers and lakes, each with their particular creatures. It shows how an antelope or the bizarre naked mole rat can survive in arid environments. It transports us across the vast panorama of the beautiful plains of Africa, revealing how they are exploited and how the real battles in Nature are fought among the small species, the myriad of insect forms. The co-evolution of the whole community is an astonishingly amazing tangled web of life, having its origin over 300 million years ago. This book is a natural history to be enjoyed by all.

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Duncan's curiosity has got him into a lot of tight spots-quite literally! As a teenager, Duncan really wanted to be an astronaut but took to the exploration of inner space instead. Only a dozen men might have stood on the moon but Duncan has squeezed into many places that no-one has ever been before, and some places that no-one is ever likely to go again (probably for a very good reason). These memoirs recount the author's misadventures during his thirty-year involvement with caving and cave diving beginning with student antics in the caves of the Mendip Hills in England to a hair-raising escape from deep beneath an English stately home. Along the way we are treated to the ups and downs of subterranean enterprise-from the joys of discovering new caves to the sadness of losing close friends. Duncan tells his tales with characteristic candour, often making light of difficult situations: rock falls, serious illness and an embarrassing incident with a tick. There are tears and laughter, often at the same time: who else would perform an animal impression with a suspected metatarsal fracture? We dive beneath Welsh Valleys, Yorkshire Dales and the Blue Ridge Mountains, encounter sharks, unexploded bombs and secret nuclear research facilities. Technical concepts and jargon are explained clearly and concisely, allowing the reader to follow Duncan into the depths. These stories are a treat for anyone interested in exploration, above or below ground, over or underwater. People often tell Duncan that he must be 'mad' to go cave diving-read this and judge for yourself...

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In the 19th century, the Stevenson engineers pioneered marvelous lighthouses around the coasts of Scotland - lighthouses which inspire with their architectural elegance, and speak of compassion for sailors and fishermen risking their lives in these notoriously dangerous waters. But what was it actually like to be a Scottish lighthouse engineer, and how did the professional activities interact with social and economic conditions in Scotland at the time? How did the Northern Lighthouse Board's Engineer (almost invariably a Stevenson) cope with weeks aboard a small lighthouse vessel, traveling around the rugged Scottish coastline on dangerous tours of inspection and interacting with local people in some of the remotest regions of Europe? The author reveals the fascinating story of the Stevensons as family members as well as engineers - brilliant yet fallible, tough yet vulnerable, with private lives that are little known, even to lighthouse enthusiasts.It sets their work in a historical and social context, drawing heavily on eye-witness accounts by two of Scotland's most celebrated literary sons: Walter Scott, internationally famous poet and member of the Edinburgh establishment; and Robert Louis Stevenson, young family member and disenchanted engineering apprentice desperate to become an author. The reader is taken to the Orkney and Shetland Islands with descriptions of the chain of Stevenson lighthouses that illuminate a vital shipping route between the North Sea, Baltic, and North Atlantic. Finally we travel to Muckle Flugga, the northernmost outpost of the British Isles and last link in the chain, a vicious rock on which David and Thomas Stevenson dared to build their 'impossible lighthouse'.

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This is a much-needed and authoritative account of Common Buzzards gained from extensive studies by the author over 60 years and also from enthusiasts in the UK and across northern Europe. The accounts describe the life history and ecology of Buzzards mainly inhabiting the British uplands where historically they have always been most numerous. For the first time, population activities are followed through successive seasonal stages of their life cycle. These include the vital and inter-related aspects of Buzzard territories and social behaviour, diets and hunting methods, food requirements, prey abundance and breeding success, survival and life spans and how Buzzard numbers and distribution have changed, particularly in relation to the influence of Man. The book also demonstrates how well Buzzards have adapted to living in our modern and rapidly-changing landscapes, constantly adapting their habits in response to prey resources and environmental conditions. In the book's first section, The Year of the Buzzard, the sequential changes in the composition and behaviour of a Buzzard community, their seasonal patterns of food habits and hunting methods, their breeding season from courtship until fledging of broods and their subsequent dispersal are outlined. The second section, Special Topics, provides greater detail of six key aspects of their ecology which are explored within the following chapter topics: Territory; Energy and Food Needs; Predation; Food Supply and Breeding Success; Demography and Population Dynamics; and Changes in Buzzard Abundance.

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'...In this year celebrating the centenary of the conquering of the South Pole - it is more than fitting to have one of the unregarded figures of Antarctic history brought into the limelight of remembrance'. Extract from Introduction by Dr. Ross D.E. MacPhee, American Museum of Natural History As senior surgeon on board Discovery, Dr. Reginald Koettlitz played a vital role in the heroic period of polar exploration when Nansen, Amundsen, Shackleton and Scott dominated the headlines. He was awarded a medal by the Royal Geographical Society for his role in the Discovery Expedition, 1901-04. During the earlier successful three-year Jackson-Harmsworth Expedition to Franz Josef Land, Koettlitz fine-tuned his measures to prevent scurvy, became an experienced ski runner, dog and pony handler and expert in polar survival. These skills were available when Koettlitz was appointed senior surgeon on the Discovery Expedition led by Scott, but due to personal reasons and the inability to acknowledge Koettlitz's polar experience, both Scott's expeditions were beset by major life-threatening issues that Koettlitz had faced and resolved on Franz Josef Land. On the ill-fated Terra Nova Expedition Scott and his four companions died on their failed attempt to be the first to reach the South Pole. In addition, Koettlitz travelled across north-east Africa from Berbera to Cairo on foot, mule and camel, crossing the Blue Nile to Khartoum shortly after the Battle of Omdurman. Before leaving for South Africa he assisted Shackleton in planning the Nimrod Expedition which almost resulted in the South Pole being reached. This well-researched account is enriched with previously unseen archive material such as correspondence with Nansen and photographs relating to polar history during the period 1890-1916.

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Lignites are a fuel resource upon which there has been heavy reliance for a long time in several parts of the world. Indeed, lignite (also known as low-rank coal, brown coal or braunkohle), has been used for electricity generation in some regions for a century or more. These coals can, after a mild drying process, be used directly as a fuel and this remains the dominant form of usage. The coals can however be beneficiated in a number of ways including moulding into briquettes for export. Other new technologies applied to brown coals include slurrying and solar drying to make a hard product also suitable for export. Very importantly, over a period of 70+ years there has been hydrogenation of such coals to make liquid fuels. This volume covers all aspects of the subject from the nature of lignites in situ to detailed coverage of fuel usage including figures for electricity generation and carbon dioxide release. Processing technologies including briquetting and carbonisation are described as are gasification, to make a fuel gas or a synthesis gas, and their conversion to liquid fuels.The book provides an international review, setting in context the use of lignite in various regions of the world. Where appropriate the book includes information about industrial plant and processes and uses information from key research and development. It also considers the important issue of carbon dioxide emissions which in the past has sometimes worked against lignite utilisation. This issue is covered with some emphasis and also deals with carbon capture and sequestration from power plants. Co-firing of lignites with biomass is also considered. This is the only recent comprehensive volume on the subject, bringing together for the first time a full account of this important fuel.

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