Search results for ""amber books ltd""

Book Synopsis Over 400 superb colour photographs of man's best friend at work and play Expert text explains the physical characteristics and lifecycle, behaviour of dogs From an Afghan Hound to a Border Collie, wide-ranging examples from all over the world

Read more less

Book SynopsisArranged in chapters covering family, shorthairs, longhairs, senses, and behavior, Kittens features a huge range of breeds from around the world.   There is nothing more cute or appealing than a little kitten who wants to play or to curl up on their owner’s lap for a well-deserved snooze. Kitten affection is a unique experience, and kittens can very quickly become attached to their owners. Although they do not open their eyes for the first 7–10 days of their young life, kittens very soon begin to explore the world around them, demonstrating an insatiable thirst for knowledge, adventures, and new experiences. From a fluffy Maine Coon and Scottish Fold to a short-haired Abyssinian or Siamese, this book expertly examines the cuddliest pet on the planet. With well-informed captions on every page, Kittens is a compact, engaging celebration of young cats in outstanding photographs.

Read more less

Book Synopsis 170 superb colour photographs Expert text explains the fascinating stories behind the beauty of Spanish culture Wide selection of photographs celebrating the landscape and different eras in Spain''s history from antiquity to the Moors and the present day

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe feral cousins of well-known domesticated breeds, wild horses live on the margins of human habitation. Wild Horses celebrates a wide variety of breeds from all around the world. Each photograph is accompanied by a caption with fascinating information about the characteristics of each breed.

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn Catholicism, sainthood is the highest state of holiness for any soul in Heaven. There are more than 10,000 saints that have been canonized by the Catholic Church – some were exemplary models, others extraordinary teachers, while some worked miracles or changed the lives of millions through their guidance and good works. Arranged in chronological order, the book covers all the major saints, from St Paul, the Apostle who did most to spread Christianity following the death of Christ, and established Christian communities in Asia Minor – to Pope John Paul II, famous for being a peacemaker and providing spiritual inspiration during the fall of communism. In between, this compact volume covers well-known historical figures such as Joan of Arc, who defended the honour of France in the Medieval era, the philosopher and theologian Thomas Aquinas, and lesser-known saints such as Zita, the 13th century patron saint of maids and domestic servants. Beautifully produced in traditional Chinese binding and with 150 illustrations and artworks of saints from every part of the world, this book will fascinate anyone interested in inspiring – and often very human – religious figures from Biblical times to the present.Table of ContentsContents:BC St. Raphael the archangel (2/3rd century BC) St Mary the Blessed Virgin (18 BC) St Joseph (1st century BC) St. Joachim (75 BC) St. Anne (49 BC) St. Gabriel, the Archangel Anna the Prophetess (1st century) St. Elizabeth (biblical – 1st century BC)1st Century AD The Holy Innocents (contemporaries of Christ) St. Mary Magdalene St Philip (1st century AD) St Bartholomew (1st century) St Matthew (1st century) St Thomas (1st century) St James the Less (1st century) St Jude (1st century) St Simon (1st century) St Matthias (1st century) St James the Great (1st century) Luke the Evangelist (1 AD-16 AD) St. John the Baptist (1st century) St. Paul (5 AD) St. Peter (30/64 AD) St. Stephen (5 AD) St. Andrew the Apostle (5 AD) St John the Apostle (6 AD) St. Mark (12 AD) St Veronica (1st Century)AD 100-400 St. Felicitas of Rome (101 AD) St. Apollonia (2nd Century) St. Michael the Archangel (2nd/3rd century) St. Valentine (3rd Century) St. Christopher (3rd Century) St. Catherine of Alexandria (4th century) St. Julian the Hospitaller (4th Century) St. Lawrence (3rd century) St. Denis of Paris (3rd Century) St. Augustine of Hippo (354 AD) St. Agatha (231 AD) St Cyprian (210) St. Blaise (276) St. Lucy (3rd/4th century) St. Monica (332 AD) St. Sebastian (255 AD) St. Philomena (291 AD) St. Agnes (291 AD) St. Victor and Corona (170 AD) Sts Andronicus, Probus, and Tarachus (239AD) St Helena (246/248 AD) St. Basil the Great (330) St. Nicholas (270 AD) St. Anastasia (281 AD) St Devota (d. 303) St Martin of Tours (316) St. Ambrose (339AD) St. George (303 AD) St. Fortunatus of Spoleto (400 AD) St. Patrick (5th century)AD 400-1000 St. Leo the Great (400) St. Alexis of Rome (c.400 AD) St. Brigid of Ireland (451) St. Genevieve (419 AD) St. Benedict (480) St. Columba (521 AD) St. Gobnait (6th century) St. Emma (975 AD) St. Chrodegang (712 AD) St. Alena (640 AD) St. Scholastica (480) St. Florentina of Cartagena (612 AD) St. Wilibald (700 AD) St. Adelaide (931) St Gertrude of Nivelles (628 AD) St. Virgil of Salzburg (700) St. Paulinus II of Aquileia (726) St. Hunna St Theophanes the Confessor (c. 758/760) Sts. Cyril and Methodius (826 and 815) St Ansgar (801) St. Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor St. Edward Pope Saint Gregory the Great (540) St. Wenceslaus (907 AD)**AD 1000-1500 ** St. Edward St. Lidwina (1380) St Joan of Arc (1412) St Catherine of Siena (1347) St. Hedwig (1174) St. Francis of Assisi (1181) St. Anthony of Padua (1195) St. Rita (1381) St. Veronica of Milan (1445) St. Casimir (1458) St. Clare of Assisi (1194) St. Elizabeth of Hungary (1207) St. Thomas Aquinas (1225) St. Gertrude the Great (1256) St. Roch (1295) St. Bridget of Sweden (1303) St. Bernard of Clairvaux (1090) St. John of God (1495) St. Zita (1212) St. Peregrine Laziosi (1260) St. Colette (1381) St. Margaret of Scotland (1045) St. Juan Diego (1474) St. Angela Merici (1474) St. Ignatius Loyola (1491)AD 1500-2000 St. Teresa of Avila (1515) St. Vincent de Paul (1581) St. Lorenzo Ruiz (1594) St. Philip Neri (1515) St. Charles Borromeo (1538) St. John of the Cross (1542) St. Martin de Porres (1579) St Rose of Lima (1586) St. Kateri Tekakwitha (1656) St. Alphonsus Liguori (1696) St. Junípero Serra (1713) St. Felix of Nicosia (1715) St. Mary Frances of the Five Wounds (1715) St. Elizabeth Ann Seton (1774) St. Gerard Majella (1726) St. Joseph of Cupertino (1603) St. Damien of Molokai (1840) St. Catherine Laboure (1806) St. Dominic Savio (1842) St Thérèse of Lisieux (1873) St. Frances Xavier Cabrini (1850) St. Maria Guadalupe Garcia Zavala (1878) St. Maria Goretti (1890) St. Bernadette (1844) St. Padre Pio (1887) St. Teresia Benedicta a Cruce (1891) St. Maximilian Kolbe (1894) St. Theresa of Los Andes (1900) Laura Montoya (1874) Toribio de Mogrovejo (1538) Mariana of Jesus Paredes (1618) St. Faustina Kowalska (1905) Benedict Daswa (1946) St. Ambrose of Optina (1812) Clelia Barbieri (1847) Andrew Kim Taegon (1821) Mother Teresa of Calcutta (1910) Oscar Romero (1917) St John Paul II (1920)

Read more less

Book SynopsisChivalry is a flower no less indigenous to the soil of Japan than cherry blossom are the opening words to Inazo Nitobe's Bushido. It was 1900 and Inazo, a Japanese academic living in the USA, had been prompted to write the book after an American professor had wondered how the Japanese imparted moral education on their children if schools didn't offer any religious instruction. The answer, Inazo realised, was through Bushido. Bushido is the chivalric code of moral principles that the Samurai followed: rectitude, courage, benevolence, respect, honesty, honour and loyalty. Influenced by Confucianism, Shinto and Zen Buddhism, it tempers the violence of a warrior with wisdom and serenity. Alongside Sun Tzu's The Art of War and Machiavelli's The Prince, Inazo's book has become influential among military and corporate leaders looking for ways to manage their people and overcome their opponents. Beautifully produced in a handy pocket format, Bushido: The Code

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisJapan’s origin story dates from the eight century CE, written in the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki. From the first creation of heaven, earth and the Japanese archipelago from the tip of a spear by the gods Izanagi and Izanami, Shinto and Buddhist traditions make up the cornerstones of Japanese mythology. Japanese Myths provides a clear, concise introduction to this fascinating if little- known world. Find out about Hachiman (八幡神), the mighty god of war and the divine protector of Japan and its people. Marvel at Fujin (風神), the god of the wind, a popular but terrifying demon – his bag of air is thought to move all the world’s winds, and he is a powerful force of nature alongside his brother, the thunder god Raijin. See Hotei (布袋), the “Laughing Buddha” and one of the most well-known symbols of Buddhism – rubbing his belly is said to bring good luck. And enjoy the myth of Shita-kiri Suzume, or “Toung-Cut Sparrow”, which explores the effects of greed, friendship and jealousy. Illustrated with 150 photographs and artworks, Japanese Myths is an accessible, entertaining and highly informative exploration of everything from the kami holy spirits venerated in Shinto religion to the divine origins of the Japanese imperial family.Trade ReviewWhat sets this book apart is Clegg's ability to blend scholarly research, travel writing and sociological analysis into one accessible and charming guide. Her summaries reflect her expertise and experiences of living in Japan, offering readers a glimpse into the nuances of Japanese culture … Japanese Myths is a beautifully illustrated reference guide which covers the beliefs, customs and historical events that form the basis of Japanese society, and this is what makes it worth purchasing beyond a separate collection of translated myths … this book would make a lovely gift for someone with a developing interest in Japan. -- Amanda Savita Alexander * EastWestNotes.com *When I picked up this book, I expected it to be a layman's guide to Japanese myths, maybe even like a Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark collection of short stories explaining them. Looking back, I have no idea why I thought that. It's actually better than that. Clegg's book is essentially a textbook-level comprehensive view of how Japanese belief has changed with its history, and it's an excellent reference. -- Samuel Morris * NetGalley *Table of ContentsContents to include:Introduction: Sources Two important sources for Japanese myths as they are recognized today are the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki. The Kojiki, or “Record of Ancient Matters,” is the oldest surviving account of Japan’s myths, legends, and history. Additionally, the Shintōshū describes the origins of Japanese deities from a Buddhist perspective Creation Myths & Cosmology According to this legend, after the creation of Heaven and Earth, the gods Izanagi and Izanami were given the task of forming a series of islands that would become what is now Japan. In Japanese mythology, these islands make up the known world. The creation of Japan is followed by the creation of the gods (kamiumi). The origins of the Sun and the Moon are accounted for in Japanese mythology through the myth of Izanagi's return from Yomi. After spending so much time in Yomi, Izanagi cleansed himself with a purification ceremony. As Izanagi cleansed himself, the water and robes that fell from his body created many more gods. Kami - Other Spirits and Deities Amaterasu (天照) is the Japanese sun goddess, daughter of creator deities Izanagi and Izanami, and central to the Shinto religion. Ame-no-Uzume is the Japanese goddess of the dawn, known for her merriment and humor. Benzaiten is a joyous Japanese goddess, dispenser of luck and wisdom. Daikokuten (大黒天) is the Japanese god of luck and fortune-seeking, who favors the bold. Hoderi is the Japanese kami of the sea, whose magical fish hook gave him power over all the ocean’s bounty. Inari (稲荷) is one of the most popular Japanese deities, a kami with influence over rice, tea, general prosperity, smithing, and foxes. Kichijoten (吉祥天) is Japanese Buddhism’s version of the Indian goddess Lakshmi. FEATURE: The Seven Lucky Gods Heroes & Legends The tale of first Emperor Jimmu is considered the origin of the Imperial family. Emperor Jimmu is considered to be the human descendant of Amaterasu the Sun goddess. His ascension to the throne marked the ‘Transition from Age of the Gods to Human Age’. There are many Japanese heroes that are associated with specific locations in Japan, and others that are more well-known across the archipelago. Some heroes are thought to have been real people, such as the Forty-seven rōnin, but their legacy has been transformed into great folktales that depict the historical figures as more gifted, powerful, or knowledgeable than the average person. The heroic adventures of these heroes range from acts of kindness and devotion, such as the myth of Shita-kiri Suzume, to battling frightful enemies, as in the tale of Momotaro. Mythological Creatures & Objects These four creatures are also referred to by a variety of other names, including "Four Guardians", "Four Gods", and "Four Auspicious Beasts". They are the Azure Dragon of the East, the Vermilion Bird of the South, the White Tiger of the West, and the Black Tortoise (also called "Black Warrior") of the North. Kirin were originally introduced to Japan via Chinese myths and legend, where they are known as qilin. Over time, the Chinese and Japanese version diverged into slightly different creatures. In Japan, the kirin is considered to be the most powerful and sacred beast of all, surpassing the hō-ō and tatsu in power. Ghosts and Urban Legends In addition to the most powerful gods and goddesses, there are also millions of kami, or “holy powers,” associated with forces of nature, geographical features, and the spirits of the venerated dead. Yōkai (妖怪, "strange apparition") are a class of supernatural entities and spirits in Japanese folk-lore. Their behavior can range from malevolent or mischievous to benevolent (friendly, fortuitous, or helpful) to humans. FEATURE: Ebisu is one of Japanese mythology’s Seven Lucky Gods, the kami of luck, wealth, and prosperity. Jovial and generous, he is the patron of fishermen and also very popular with corporations and restaurants. Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisOur beautiful planet is in danger: the warning signs are there, year after year – from vast forest fires across Australia to coral bleaching in the Pacific and the rapid break up of polar ice and the consequent rise in sea levels, threatening low-lying coastal communities everywhere. Arranged by continent, Endangered Places introduces the reader to many of the most stunning natural locations from the around the world that are currently under threat. Learn about the magnificent Bornean rainforest, home to threatened species such as orangutans, probiscis monkeys and the Sumatran rhinoceros; marvel at the beauty of the Great Barrier Reef, stretching 2,300 kilometres along Australia’s east coast and built by billions of tiny organisms, known as coral polyps; explore the Aral Sea, formerly the fourth largest lake in the world and today less than 10 per cent of it’s original size after the rivers that fed it were diverted by Soviet irrigation projects; and understand the process of desertification, which has led to the huge expansion of the Sahara Desert and the dramatic shrinkage of Lake Chad. Illustrated with more than 180 photographs of more than 100 threatened locations, Endangered Places celebrates the beauty of our planet while reminding us of how easily this can be lost through human behaviour and climate change.Trade Review"the book's 180 vibrant photographs feel at once like a call to travel and a call to action, inspiring readers to seek out these astonishing destinations and take steps to help conserve them before it's too late." * Frommers *Table of ContentsContents: Introduction EUROPE: Bittern, Reedbed, Suffolk Hurst Castle, Hampshire, England Thornham Marshes, Norfolk, England Bennerley Viaduct, Derbyshire– Nottinghamshire, England Canning and Salthouse Docks, Liverpool, England St-Émilion Vineyards, Nouvelle- Aquitaine, France St-Jorioz Reedbed, Lake Annecy, Haute-Savoie, France Gironde Estuary, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France Couvent de Récollets, Nivelles, Wallonia, Belgium De Duivelskuil Nature, Limburg, Netherlands Wadden Sea Salt Marsh, Netherlands Simbach-am-Inn, Bavaria, Germany Sylt Island, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany Historic Centre of Vienna, Austria Venice, Italy Civita di Bagnoregio, Lazio, Italy Lake Balaton, Veszprém, Hungary Zahara de la Sierra, Cádiz, Spain Orleans-Bourbon Palace, Sanlucar de Barrameda, Cádiz, Spain Neptune Baths, Baile Herculane, Romania Danube Delta, Tulcea, Romania Black Sea, Ukraine–Russia St Stephen, Nesebar, Bulgaria Patriarchate of Pec Monastery, Peja, Kosovo Big Kemeri Bog, Latvia Yelnya Reserve, Belarus AFRICA & MIDDLE EAST: Municipal Hall, Benghazi, Cyrenaica, Libya Atiq Mosque, Benghazi, Cyrenaica, Libya Ghadamès, Tripolitania, Libya Tadrart Acacus, Ghat, Libya Leptis Magna, Tripolitania, Libya Telouet, Drâa-Tafilalet, Morocco Lake Burullus, Kafr El Sheikh, Egypt Osireion, Abydos, Sohag, Egypt Temple of Ramesses II, Abydos, Sohag, Egypt Pyramids of Giza, Greater Cairo, Egypt Nuri, Northern State, Sudan Kasubi Tombs, Kampala, Uganda Timbuktu, Mali Great Mosque of Djenné, Mali Nabiyotum Crater, Lake Turkana, Kenya Ngorongoro Crater, Arusha, Tanzania Great Mosque of Kilwa Kisiwani, Lindi, Tanzania Mt Kilimanjaro, Tanzania Cape of Caotinha, Benguela, Angola Table Mountain National Park, Western Cape, South Africa Etosha National Park, Kunene, Namibia Congo Basin Rainforest, Democratic Republic of the Congo Garamba National Park, Haut-Uélé, Democratic Republic of the Congo Salonga National Park, Democratic Republic of Congo Batammariba Home, Koutammakou, Togo Comoé National Park, Côte d’Ivoire Ashanti Shrine, Ashanti, Ghana Aïr and Ténéré Natural Reserves, Arlit, Niger Adrar Plateau, Mauritania Niokolo-Koba National Park, Senegal Hebron Old Town, West Bank Petra, Ma’an, Jordan Dead Sea, Jordan–Israel–West Bank Beirut Central District, Lebanon Damascus, Syria Citadel of Aleppo, Syria Zabid, Al Hudaydah, Yemen ASIA, PACIFIC & the POLES Sea Ice, Svalbard, Arctic Ocean Aral Sea, Kazakhstan–Uzbekistan Minaret of Jam, Ghor, Afghanistan Bamyan Valley, Afghanistan Shakhrisabz, Qashqadaryo, Uzbekistan Shahdara Bagh, Lahore, Pakistan Taj Mahal, Agra, India Chand Baori, Abhaneri, India Western Ghats, Karnataka, India Hawksbill Turtle, Maldives, Indian Ocean Panam Nagar, Narayanganj, Bangladesh Horton Plains National Park, Central Province, Sri Lanka Yongtai Fortress, Gansu, China Zhuangzhai, Fujian, China Choijin Lama Temple, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia Kaathe Swayambhu Shree Gha Chaitya, Kathmandu, Nepal Bunong Village, Mondulkiri, Cambodia Preah Khan, Siem Reap, Cambodia Sea Pong Lai Waterfall, Bolaven Plateau, Laos Inle Lake, Myanmar Huai Mae Khamin Waterfall, Khuean Srinagarindra National Park, Thailand Rainforest of Borneo, Indonesia– Malaysia–Brunei Mt Kinabalu, Sabah, Borneo, Malaysia Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia Barrington Tops National Park, New South Wales, Australia Lord Howe Island, New South Wales, Australia Yarra Ranges National Park, Victoria, Australia Cassowary Falls, Daintree, Queensland, Australia Stirling Range National Park, Western Australia Torres Strait Islands, Queensland, Australia Nan Madol, Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia Coastal Dunes, New Zealand Cape Bird, Ross Island, Antarctica Juhyo, Mt Zao, Yamagata, Japan NORTH AMERICA North Shore Alvar Preserve, Kelleys Island, Lake Erie, USA Herschel Island–Qikiqtaruk Territorial Park, Yukon, Canada Athabasca Glacier, Canada Bull Kelp, Alexander Archipelago, Alaska, USA Bandelier National Monument, New Mexico, USA Boston Harbor, Massachussetts, USA Cachuma Lake, California, USA Everglades, Florida, USA Logan Pass, Glacier National Park, Montana, USA North Sixshooter Peak, Bear Ears Monument, Utah, USA Fallen Roof Ruin, Bears Ears Monument, Utah, USA SOUTH AMERICA Hotel Oloffson, Port-au-Prince, Haiti Gulf of California, Baja California, Mexico Old Town, Ponce, Puerto Rico Barrier Reef, San Pedro, Belize Temple I, Tikal, Guatemala Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, Costa Rica La Mosquitia, Honduras Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, Riviera Maya, Mexico Fortifications of Portobelo and San Lorenzo, Colón, Panama Tepuis, Venezuela Madidi National Park, Beni, Bolivia Salar de Uyuni, Potosí, Bolivia Potosí, Tomás Frías, Bolivia Machu Picchu, Cusco, Peru Chan Chan, La Libertad, Peru Huaquis, Nor Yauyos Cochas Reserve, Lima, Peru Monte Alegre State Park, Pará, Brazil Amazon Rain Forest, South America Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works, Iquique, Chile Grey Glacier, Southern Patagonian Ice Field, Chile Floreana Island, Galápagos Islands, Ecuador Moai, Easter Island, Chile

Read more less

Book Synopsis“From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the Continent. Behind that line lie all the capitals of the ancient states of Central and Eastern Europe. Warsaw, Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Belgrade, Bucharest and Sofia” – Winston Churchill, 5 March 1946 Following the Allies’ victory in World War II, the European continent was soon divided into two broad zones of influence, with Eastern Europe coming under communist Soviet control, and the west under the oversight of the liberal democracies led by the United States. What developed over the next 40 years was a military and ideological stand-off that defined Europe and much of the world until 1989. In countries such as Germany, the Cold War divided families between the two zones of control. The two opponents competed for global dominance, building up ever greater arsenals of nuclear weapons, funding and fighting costly proxy wars in Southeast Asia, Africa and Central America, deploying espionage and trade embargoes, and even seeking technological advantage in space exploration, which became known as the “Space Race”. The Cold War provides a pictorial examination of this crucial era in 20th century history, offering the reader an instant understanding of the key events and figures in this 40-year period through 150 dramatic photographs.Table of ContentsContents: Introduction For the decades between 1946 and 1991, the Soviet Union and its allies in the Eastern Europe – the so-called ‘Soviet bloc’, united under the banner of the Warsaw Pact – and the United States of America and its allies in Western Europe, united under the banner of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) – were involved in a massive geo- political and military stand-off, known as the Cold War. 1940s • Best of Enemies. Yalta Conference, Feb. 1945. Decided post-war reorganization of Europe. • Thinking the Unthinkable. Britain’s plans for ‘Operation Unthinkable’, June 1945. Didn’t happen, but intriguing straw in wind/indication of the way western strategists were thinking. NB Britain’s assumption of continued leadership role (despite recognition that plan couldn’t succeed without US help). All this about to change ... • Big Boy. Bombing of Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Aug. 1945 doesn’t just end WWII secures superpower status for USA • A War of Rhetoric. Stalin/Churchill speeches – incompatibility capitalism and communism (Feb. 1946)/’Iron Curtain’ (Mar. 1946) • Gifts to the Greeks. Civil war in newly-liberated Greece. Communists backed by USSR; monarchists by Britain. Civil War breaks out (May 1946). US support for Greek anti-communists (and, by implication, other comparable groups) firmed up in ‘Truman Doctrine’, March 1947. • Au Revoir, Indochine. First Indochina War, 1946–54. Against French, of course – though they had discreet support from USA, while Viet Minh openly assisted by Soviets. Final defeat for French at Dien Bien Phu, March–May 1954. (Maybe just mention Algeria here? Not sure it merits own entry in this context ...) Ho Chi Minh’s communists in control in North; succession of US-backed dictatorships in Republic of Vietnam. • ‘People’ Power. Communist takeover in Czechoslovakia, Feb. 1948. Quick sketch of situation in other Iron Curtain countries. • Buying Allegiance? Marshall Plan inaugurated, Apr. 1948. (NB aid offered to Soviet Bloc as well but refused. Underlined East–West divide.) • Blockade! Berlin Blockade and Air Lift, Jun. 1948–May 1949. Dramatically highlighted Europe’s new divisions. • Colonial Concerns. Malayan Emergency, Jun. 1948–60. (Paradigmatic for succession of liberation struggles in former European colonies now vacated by Japan.) • The Yugoslav Exception. Tito’s split with Stalin, 1948–9. Leadership of Non- Aligned Movement, from 1955. • A Dismal Prophecy. Having already ruffled Soviet feathers with his satirical allegory Animal Farm (1945), Eng. writer George Orwell summed up the dismal achievements of the totalitarian in Nineteen Eighty-Four, published Jun. 1949. • Parity Restored. Soviet nuclear bomb tested, August 1949. • ‘Bamboo Curtain’. Establishment of PRC, Oct (and of west-orientated RoC, Taiwan, Dec.) 1949 1950s • ‘I have here in my hand ...’ Joe McCarthy speech, 9 Feb. 1950. Start of witchhunt. HUAC hearings; Hollywood Blacklist, etc. • The Red Rosenbergs. Julius and Ethel arrested as Soviet spies, July 1950. Convicted and executed 1953. (Despite strenuous campaign to save their posthumous reputations, and suggestions that the charges against them had been antisemitic in origin, discoveries in Soviet archives later confirmed their status as Russian agents. • A Friend in Francisco. A reluctant Pres. Truman prevailed on to mend fences with Franco’s dictatorship as bulwark against Communism. Marshall aid, hitherto withheld, made available to Spain from late 1950. • Cambridge Reds. Defection of Guy Burgess and Donald Maclean. Cambridge 5. Kim Philby to follow Jan. 1963. • ‘The Forgotten War’. Korea, Jun. 1950–Jul. 1953 • An Escalating Arms Race. British A-Bomb detonated, 3 October, 1952; US H-Bomb first detonated, 1 Nov, 1952 • ‘Dissolve the People ...’ Workers’ Uprising in E. Berlin, 1953. Violent suppression famously satirized by leftist playwright/poet Bertolt Brecht. • Playing Dominos. US interventions Iran, Guatemala, both March 1954. Eisenhower introduces idea of ‘domino theory’ in speech that April. • ‘His Intolerance, His Brutality and His Abuse of Power’. Stalin’s rule denounced by Khrushchev at 20th Congress Sov. Comm. Party, 25 Feb. 1956. • Repression Resumed. Soviet interventions Posnan, Poland, Jun., Hungary, Oct. 1956 • Stand-Off in Suez. Row over Nasser’s Egypt buying arms from the Soviet bloc prompts West to withdraw aid from Aswan Dam project. Nasser retaliates by nationalizing Suez Canal. Attempt by Britain, France and Israel to topple him. Suez Crisis, Oct. 1956 • The Frontier Above. Sputnik 1957; prompted Kennedy’s ‘New Frontier’ speech Jul. 1960. • Look Before You Leap. China inaugurates ‘Great Leap Forward’ Jan. 1958. Will end in catastrophic famine. • What the Doctor Ordered. Poet and novelist Boris Pasternak (author of Doctor Zhivago, 1957) wins Nobel Prize for Literature, 1958. Soviets furious. • ‘Socialism or Death!’ Cuban Revolution (broke out 1953) prevails, Jan. 1959. (Explicitly aligned with USSR from Dec. 1960.) • Law or Brigandage? Khrushchev’s shoe-banging address at UN, Sept. 1959. Angry at intrusions by US spy-planes. Main content of speech largely about USSR’s support for winding up of colonialism. • Road of Resistance. NVA begin opening up ‘Ho Chi Minh Trail’ to south, where Viet Cong are campaigning against Ngo Dinh Diem’s US-backed government. (Much of it ran through Laos, drawing that country into conflict later.) 1959. 1960s • The Man Who Fell to Earth. U2/Gary Powers, May 1960 • Red Flag Rift. Sino-Soviet Split. Jun. 1960. • Castro Comes to Harlem. Cuban leader arrives in NY to address UN; meets Malcolm X, Allen Ginsberg and other US figures as well as leading ‘Third World’ statesmen. Sept. 1960. • ‘No Longer Your Monkeys’. Life and death of Patrice Lumumba. Quote is from 1960. Republic of Congo (now DRC) independent from June 1960; Lumumba its PM but for just a few weeks before being overthrown by US-(and France- and Belgium-)backed Mobutu. Killed 17 Jan. 1961. • Counterrevolutionary Carve-Up. Bay of Pigs, Apr. 1961 • Dancing for Democracy. Rudolf Nureyev defects, Jun. 1961 • The Concrete Curtain. Berlin Wall built, Aug. 1961 • Superpower Poker. Cuban Missile Crisis 1963 • The False Flag of Freedom. Gulf of Tonkin Incident, Aug. 1964. • The Atomic Orient. China tests A-Bombs, Oct. 1964 • Confusion in the Caribbean. US Marines sent to Dominican Republic, Apr. 1965. Some years of instability after Trujillo’s death, 1961. Overthrow of military dictatorship spooked Johnson Administration after Cuba. Glance at situation Nicaragua, Haiti, etc. • Thunderstorm. US presence in Vietnam, established by JFK, 1961, beefed up with launch of Operation Rolling Thunder against NVA and Viet Cong positions in Vietnam and Laos (Feb. 1965) and dispatch of additional 60,000 US troops (more from allies) Apr. 1965 • Big News from Bangkok. Anti-communist ASEAN alliance launched, Aug. 1967. • ‘Shoot, Coward ...’ Che Guevara killed, La Higuera, Bolivia, 9 Oct. 1967 • ‘Never Forget History’. Quote’s from Indonesian leader Sukarno, now deposed at second attempt by Suharto (sworn in as Pres., Mar. 1968). Wave of anti- Communist repression ensues. • Spring Turns Sour. Prague Spring. Uprising crushed August, 1968. 1970s • The Storm Spreads. Tet Offensive of early 1968 had underlined ineffectiveness of what should have been irresistible US assault in Vietnam and Laos up to that point. Mounting US frustration reflected in extension of conflict to Cambodia, Apr. 1970. • Egypt Swings West. Nasser having died in 1970, Sadat’s ‘Corrective Revolution’ de-Nasserized the govt in Egypt. Soviet advisers expelled, May 1971. • Meeting Mao. Pres. Nixon’s visit to PRC, Feb. 1972. • Bobby Beats Boris. Fischer–Spassky, Reykjavik, Sept. 1972. • Saving Face. Loss of US momentum in Vietnam – and increasing ‘Vietnamization’ of the conflict, from 1970 (maybe even 1969 – despite ‘Storm Spreads’ entry above) led, slowly but inevitably, to ceasefire with North, Jan. 1973. • A Chilean Tragedy. Pinochet’s US-backed Coup in Chile, Sept. 1973. Death of Allende. • Aleksandr in Exile. Novelist Aleksandr Solzhenitsy, Nobel Prizewinner 1970, stripped of Soviet citizenship, 1974. • The Scientist and the State. Physicist and peace activist Andrei Sakharov, Nobel Peace Prize, 1975. Not allowed to go to Stockholm to collect it. • Red Ruin. Pol Pot’s Khmer Rouge come to power in Cambodia, ushering in era of ‘Killing Fields’. • Fall of Saigon. Republic of Vietnam left fighting increasingly futile rearguard action. State finally collapsed and capital taken, Apr. 1975. • Democracy and Death. East Timor’s declaration of independence (Nov. 1975) sparks long and bloody programme of repression by Suharto’s Indonesia. • African Agony. Soviet- (and Cuban-)backed MPLA take power in Angola, Feb. 1976. Lengthy civil war with UNITA (till 2002) ensues. Parallel conflict in Mozambique, where FRELIMO govt beset by RENAMO insurgency, 1977–92. • A Thorn in the Flesh. CIA’s persistent (and sometimes bizarre) attempts to assassinate Castro over the years revealed by Church Committee, 1975–6. • A Post-Mao Mellowing? Death of Mao, 1976. Economic reforms in China announced by Deng Xiaoping, Dec. 1978 • Of Socialists and Sonsofbitches. Sandinistas come to power in Nicaragua, Jul. 1979 • Afghan Outrage. Soviet-supported government in Afghanistan tottering. Russian intervention, Dec. 1979 1980s • Time Out. Moscow Olympics. Boycotted by 66 countries, following US example, in aftermath of Afghanistan invasion. Jul./Aug. 1980. (Will lead to retaliatory boycott of LA, 1984.) • Faith, Hope and Solidarity. Poles inspired by visit of Pope JPII (1979). Gdansk shipyard protests, Poland: birth of Solidarity, Aug. 1980. Lech Walesa becomes international hero. (But Gen. Jaruzelski will introduce martial law, Dec. 1981.) • ‘Star Wars’. Couple of weeks after his ‘Evil Empire’ speech, Pres. Reagan’s SDI announced, Mar. 1983 • Rematch in Moscow. Shades of Fischer–Spassky (1972) in Karpov v Kasparov Chess Match, 1984–5 • A New Broom. Mikhail Gorbachev becomes Soviet Premier (Mar. 1985). Policies of Perestroika and Glasnost. Moratorium on nuclear weapons testing. • Out of Afghanistan. After accession of Mohammad Najibullah’s National Reconciliation govt the previous year, Sov. withdrawal from Afghanistan begins, May 1988. • Drawing the Curtain. Gorbachev announces USSR will no longer intervene militarily in Eastern Europe, Dec. 1988. Consequences in e.g. Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Romania in months that follow. (See also Berlin Wall bit below ...) • Beijing Bloodshed. Massacre of pro-democracy demonstrators in Tiananmen Square, Jun. 1989 • Breaking Down the Wall. Fall of Berlin Wall, Nov. 1990 1990s • Under New Management. Boris Yeltsin elected Pres. Russia, May 1990. (Though NB, Gorbachev’s USSR still exists, at least in theory, as overarching state.) • Breaking Free. Referendums in Baltic states and Georgia lead to their independence, early months of 1991; other Caucasian and Central Asian states follow in course of the year. • Red Reaction. Unsuccessful (but scary while it lasts) ‘August Coup’ in Russia, Aug. 1991. • A Post-Communist Christmas. Gorbachev resigns; Soviet Union essentially wound up; Yeltsin calls George H.W. Bush, who announces end of the Cold War. Time for a ‘New World Order’ ... • The End of History? Fukuyama’s study. Glance at other potential problems, from gangsterism in states of former Soviet Union to Islamic radicalism elsewhere.

Read more less

Book SynopsisGaining insight into our deeper selves through the use of divination tools to help decide future actions has preoccupied mankind since ancient times. In Europe, cards which became known as Tarot have been used to map the soul and predict the future since the 16th century. The 78 cards in the Tarot deck each has its own imagery, symbolism and story. This beautiful hand-bound edition showcases each card from the Rider-Waite set, the one most commonly used by Tarot readers. Practitioners believe that the 22 Major Arcana cards represent life’s karmic and spiritual lessons, and the 56 Minor Arcana cards reflect the trials and tribulations of everyday life. Tarot offers an elegantly presented, concise guide to the 78 cards, from number 0 The Fool – who represents unlimited potential, through The Hermit – who represents a break from everyday life, to number 21 The World – which indicates a sense of wholeness, completion and fulfilment.Table of ContentsIntroduction ------- The standard modern tarot deck is based on the Venetian or the Piedmontese tarot. It consists of 78 cards divided into two groups: the major arcana, which has 22 cards, also known as trumps, and the minor arcana, which has 56 cards. The Rider-Waite card set featured was first issued in 1909 and is the most commonly-used set by readers worldwide. Major Arcana cards 0 The Fool 1 The Magician 2 The High Priestess 3 The Empress 4 The Emperor 5 The Hierophant 6 The Lovers 7 The Chariot 8 Strength 9 The Hermit 10 Wheel of Fortune 11 Justice 12 The Hanged Man 13 Death 14 Temperance 15 The Devil 16 The Tower 17 The Star 18 The Moon 19 The Sun 20 Judgement 21 The World Minor Arcana cards There are four different card suits that make up the Minor Arcana: Wands, Cups, Swords, and Pentacles. Every one of these suits contains 14 cards: 10 numbered cards, and four cards called "court cards" that include the Page, Knight, Queen, and King.

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn a world historically dominated by male rulers, the women who have sat on thrones of their own shine out brightly. Some queens and empresses were born to greatness, while others fought their way to power. Queens ranges from the ancient world to the present day, telling the stories of these women who ruled, from murderous former courtesan Wu Zetian in 7th century China to Elizabeth I, the ‘Virgin Queen’ of England. In 6th century Constantinople, Empress Theodora, who had been a street performer before catching the eye of Emperor Justinian, extended rights for women, passing laws that allowed them to divorce and own property and made rape a crime punishable by death. In 12th century Europe, Eleanor of Aquitaine first married the king of France and then the king of England. At the Mughal court in Lahore in the early 17th century, Nur Jahan, wife of the Mughal Emperor Jahangir, was the political powerhouse behind the throne. In more recent history, the book explores the reigns of Catherine the Great, revealing how a minor German aristocrat came to rule and expand the Russian Empire, Queen Victoria, whose family dominated the world in the early 20th centuty, and her more recent descendent, Elizabeth II, the longest-ruling queen in history. Female rulers are often described as ambitious rather than bold, as devious rather than diplomatically astute and as intriguers and meddlers, all characterizations that are destructive to the reality of women’s lives in the world’s monarchies. Even genealogies still often leave out the women of royal families, overlooking their genuine contributions. To some extent, we will never know these great women of history as well as we know their menfolk; the sources simply leave too many gaps. However, we can and will do better in giving the women rulers of history the recognition they deserve Carefully researched, superbly entertaining and illustrated throughout with more than 180 photographs and artworks, Queens highlights the true personalities and real lives of the women who became monarchs and empresses.Trade Review[A] brilliant tour of the nature of queenship throughout history and all over the world. Rather than the usual list of European monarchs, Jestice demonstrates an impressive range as she introduces readers to queens from Africa, Asia, the Pacific Islands, South America—wherever she can find evidence for women rulers… The book is more than an engaging history of women who all deserve to be better known. Each page features illustrations carefully chosen to represent the wide cultures these women came from… Even better, Jestice succeeds in proving that queens have played important parts throughout history—and continue to do so. -- Marissa Moss * New York Journal of Books *Table of ContentsIntroduction The Ancient World Hatshetsup, Pharaoh of Egypt (c.1493–1479 BCE) – the first and longest reigning woman pharaoh in Egyptian history. After her husband Thurmose’s death, Hatshetsup reigned for 20 years. She restored her country’s prosperity by rebuilding trade routes. One expedition returned with myrrh trees for making scent – the first recorded transplant of foreign trees. Hatshetsup left an extraordinary legacy of buildings including her mortuary temple at the entrance to Egypt’s Valley of the Kings. Queen Tomyris of the Massagetae, a nomadic people in Central Asia. Artemisia I of Caria (484–460 BCE) Greek queen in Asia Minor, she helped Persian king Xerxes at the Battle of Salamis in 480 BCE. Cleopatra (51–30 BCE) – The last the last active ruler of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, Cleopatra was diplomat, naval commander, linguist, and medical author. Boudicca – led a revolt against the Romans in England in 60 CE. Trung Sisters – a pair of fantastically brave Vietnamese warrior women who fought to oust their Chinese overlords in the first half of the 1st century CE. Zenobia (267–272 CE) – queen of the Palmyrene Empire in Syria The Early Medieval World Theodora (500–548 CE) – Empress of Byzantium, wife of Emperor Justinian. A street performer who caught the emperor’s eye, Theodora rose to rule the empire alongside her husband. She extended rights for women, passing laws that allowed them to divorce and own property and made rape a crime punishable by death. Wu Zetian (690–705 CE) – the sole officially recognized empress regnant of China in more than two millennia. She entered court as a concubine and may have strangled her daughter and poisoned her son to advance her status. Skulduggery aside, the importance to history of Wu Zetian’s period of political and military leadership includes the major expansion of the Chinese empire, extending it deep into Central Asia. Within China, besides the more direct consequences of her struggle to gain and maintain supreme power, Wu’s leadership resulted in important effects regarding social class in society and in relation to state support for Taoism, Buddhism, education, and literature. Æthelflæd (911–918) – Daughter of Alfred the Great and married to the ruler of the kingdom of Mercia, the fierce Queen became known as the ‘Lady of the Mercians’. The High Middle Ages Eleanor of Aquitaine – the richest woman in 12th century Europe. She married first the king of France, introduced courtly literature to the French court and accompanied him on crusade. With the marriage annulled, she then married the king of England. The Renaissance Mary Queen of Scots (1552–67) – ultimately, reluctantly executed by her cousin Elizabeth I Elizabeth I (1558–1603) – After the short reigns of her half-siblings, Elizabeth I’s 44- year-rule brought welcome stability, relative religious tolerance, no major foreign wars and managed to see off the Spanish Armada. Plots and rebellions against her failed and culturally England flourished. Early Modern Nur Jahan (1611–1645) – the twentieth (and last) wife of the Mughal emperor Jahangir, Nur Jahan was a far sharper intellect than her incompetent husband and would whisper advice to him at court. From their court at Lahore, she built up diplomatic and trading relationships across Asia. Catherine the Great (1762–1796) – Catherine was a minor German princess who married the heir to the Russian throne, Tsar Peter III, who turned out to be mentally unstable. When the Tsar was assassinated after only two years in power, Catherine assumed command of Russia. Helped by her lovers Giorgy Orlov and Giorogy Potemkin, she conquered the Ukraine extending the Russian empire to the shores of the strategically important Black Sea. She gave the nobility greater powers following peasant unrest. Late Modern Queen Victoria (1837–1901) – As the British Empire expanded to cover quarter of the globe, she came to rule over more subjects than any other woman in history. Empress Dowager Cixi (1861–1908) – Cixi effectively controlled the late Qing dynasty in China for 47 years after the death of her husband, the Xianfeng Emperor. Queen Elizabeth II (1952–Present) – the world’s longest reigning queen regnant and female head of state, the oldest and longest-reigning current monarch and the longest-serving current head of state. Bibliography Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisThere is always a sense of adventure when going on a railway journey. Whether it is aboard the Orient Express from London to Istanbul, or travelling the Transcontinental railroad through the Canadian Rockies to the Pacific coast, or riding the Serra Verde Express through the Brazilian rainforest, Rail Journeys takes the reader on a journey through some of the most unusual, romantic and remarkable landscapes in the world. Find out about the Coast Starlight, which carries passengers from Los Angeles along the Pacific coast to Seattle and all points in between; or the 7,000 kilometre Trans-Siberian, crossing the entirety of Mongolia and Russia from Beijing to Moscow; or ‘El Chepe’, the Mexican Copper Canyon railway, a line which took 90 years to build and negotiates 87 tunnels, 36 bridges and sweeping hairpin bends as it climbs from sea level to the rim-top views it offers at 2,400m; or enjoy the engineering excellence of the Konkan Railway in India, connecting Mumbai with the port of Mangalore via some 2,000 bridges and 90 tunnels; or experience the Shinkansen ‘Bullet Train’ as it races at speeds of more than 300 km/h between Tokyo and Kyoto, passing the iconic Mount Fuji on the way. With 210 outstanding colour photographs, Rail Journeys takes the reader to some of the most historic, spectacular and remotest locations in the world, places where trains still offer romantic and astounding experiences of rail travel at its best.Table of ContentsIntroduction America • Mount Washington Cog Railway, New Hampshire, USA – dating from 1868, this was the world’s first mountain-climbing cog railway (rack-and-pinion railway) • Rocky Mountaineer, Canada – connects Calgary and Vancouver, offering spectacular views of the Canadian Rockies • Grand Alaska Railroad, Alaska, USA – Meanders through the beauty of Alaska, past dramatic icebergs, glaciers and snow-capped mountains, from Fairbanks to Anchorage. • Expreso del Sur, Bolivia – Crosses the “white desert” of Bolivia from Oruro to Villazon. • Guayaquil & Quito Railway, Ecuador – Running through Ecuador’s Andes, this train travels through cloud forests, tropical coastal landscapes, vertiginous mountains and passes the “Avenue of Volcanoes” before descending to sea level. • Aguas Calientes, Peru – Named for the “discoverer” of Machu Picchu, the “Hiram Bingham” is the luxury service on the Cuzco-Macchu route, with Pullman-style passenger cars and dining facilities.. • La Trochita/Old Patagonia Express, Argentina – Described by Paul Theroux as “the railway almost at the end of the world”, this narrow-gauge steam locomotive runs for 300 miles from the foothills of the Andes to the Atlantic coast. • Serra Verde Express, Brazil – Runs through deepest rainforest in southeast Brazil • Copper Canyon railway/El Chepe, Mexico – Running from Chihuahua to Los Mochis, the famous El Chepe train runs through the Copper Canyon’s many gorges. Europe • Flåm Railway, Norway – Considered to be Norway's most scenic railway, the Flåm line descends from a junction with the Oslo-Bergen railway to Flåm, at the inner end of Aurlandsfjord, descending 863 metres (2848ft) in just over 20km (12.5 miles), past waterfalls, gorges and dramatic mountain vistas. • Orient Express – Glamorous and rich in history, this old-world luxury long- distance passenger train was created in 1883 to carry passengers from Paris to Istanbul. • Snowdon Mountain Railway, Wales – Since 1896, trains have trundled up and down the highest mountain in England and Wales (1085m/3560ft) on this rack- and-pinion worked railway. • West Highland Line, Scotland – known as Rathad Iarainn nan Eilean (gaelic for “Iron Road to the Isles”), the line links the ports of Mallaig and Oban in the Scottish Highlands to Glasgow in Central Scotland • Cinque Terre Express, between Levanto and La Spezia, Italy • Central Rhine Railway between Bingen and Koblenz, Germany – meanders along the west bank of the River Rhine, showcasing the calm water and vineyard-laden slopes of the valleys • Schönbrunn Metro Station, Vienna – Vienna has one of the most highly integrated and efficient urban transport systems in the world. This is the station for Schönbrunn Palace, built as part of a suburban railway scheme in 1898, and since 1964 a stopping-point on Metro line U4. • Zermatt-Gornergrat Railway, Switzerland – Breathtaking views of the Matterhorn are had from the train on the 33-minute journey between Zermatt and the Gornergrat terminus at 3089m (10,134 ft). • Belgrade, Serbia to Bar, Montenegro – travelling from the Serbian capital to the seaside town, the mountains and canyons of southwest Serbia and the north of Montenegro provide a jaw-dropping backdrop • Novosibirsk-Glavny Station, Siberia, Russia – Novosibirsk is the largest station on the Trans-Siberian Railway. Opened at the foundation of the city in 1894, the present buildings date from 1939 and were renovated in 1999. • Trans-Siberian Railway, Russia to China – With a length of 9,289 kilometres (5,772 miles), from Moscow to Vladivostok, it is the longest railway line in the world. There are connecting branch lines into Mongolia, China and North Korea Africa • Marrakech Express, Morocco – overnight journey from Tangier to Marrakech • Tangier to Casablanca – first high-speed line in Morocco and Africa • Nairobi to Mombasa, Kenya – new Chinese-built standard-gauge railway has reduced the journey time from a putative 16–24 hours by the old narrow-gauge line to just over four hours by the Intercity Train • Bulawayo to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe – travels through spectacular game country and national parks to one of the great wonders of the African continent • Cairo to Luxor, Egypt – a train that hugs closely to the Nile river, running past great temples, pyramids and the fertile Nile Valley • Umgeni Steam Railway, South Africa – The Durban to Pietermaritzburg line was built in the 1880s; it runs through a 53 metres (174 ft) long tunnel at Drummond built in 1878, which is probably the oldest tunnel in use today in South Africa • Dakar Station, Senegal – The railway between Dakar and St Louis was the first in French West Africa, opened in 1885. Asia • Jungle Train, Malaysia – The 300-mile (480km) Jungle Train was built by the British to harvest Malaysia’s tin, rubber and tea. It still weaves through defunct mines, rubber estates and vast tea plantations. • Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, West Bengal, India – The entire 88km (55-mile) railway, completed in 1881, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. • Kyoto to Tokyo, Japan – Passengers on the Shinkansen "bullet train" heading for Nagoya and Kyoto from Tokyo prefer to have right-hand seats to see Mount Fuji as the train speeds past at 320km/h (200mph). • Beijing to Shanghai, China – The world’s fastest passenger train completes the 819 mile (1,318km) trip in four and a half hours. • ‘Train Street’, Hanoi, Vietnam – Known to visitors as 'Train Street', this thoroughfare in Hanoi's Old Quarter sees a long-distance train squeeze past twice daily, a popular venue for tourists. It is the train from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City, running 1600km (990 miles) on the metre-gauge track between the two cities. • Eastern & Oriental Express – running from Singapore to Bangkok, this luxury train passes through rubber plantations, rainforest, and tropical beaches in connecting the city state with the Thai capital • Alishan Forest Railway, Chiai County, Taiwan – Running for 86 km (53 miles) in Taiwan's mountainous centre, this 762mm (2ft 6in) gauge line was opened in 1912 as a logging railway, bringing hardwood timber down to the coast. • Trans-Australian Railway, Nullarbor Plain – This line has the world's longest straight section of railway, 478km (299 miles) across desert and scrubland.

Read more less

Book SynopsisMost of the world’s exquisite and rare bird species are found in tropical rainforests – the Amazon, Sumatra, Borneo, Daintree Rainforest in Australia, and the Congo basin in Africa. These lush, wet biospheres are home to some of the most colourful creatures on our planet. Did you know that parrots can live for 80 years or more? Or that most tropical birds are omnivores and will eat seeds, nuts, fruit and insects, while a few will eat small lizards or animals? The world’s longest parrot is the stunningly bright hyacinth macaw (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus), checking in at more than a metre from tip to tail. From the screeching red-and-green macaw to the majestic great hornbill, from the rainbow lorikeet of northern Queensland to the endangered Spix’s macaw of the Amazonian rainforest, Tropical Birds explores the fascinating lifecycles, diets and, where applicable, migratory patterns, of hundreds of species from every part of the tropical belt. With full captions explaining the origins, habitat and behaviour of these exotic creatures, Tropical Birds is a concise exploration in 180 brilliant photographs.Table of ContentsContents include: Introduction 1: PARROTS AND CUCKOOS Parrots Lorikeets / Lories Parakeets / Lovebirds Macaws Cockactoos Turacos Hoatzin Cuckoos — tropical species 2: TOUCANS AND WOODPECKERS Toucans Honeyguides Barbets Woodpeckers 3: HORNBILLS AND RELATIVES Hornbills Kingfisher / Kookaburra Motmots Todies Bee-eaters Hoopoes Roller 4: HUMMINGBIRDS AND SWIFTS Hummingbirds Swifts Trogons / Quetzals 5: GROUND BIRDS Ratites: Ostrich /Emu / Rhea / Cassowaries Game birds: Pheasant / Guinea fowl / Megapodes Herons Stork Spoonbill Flamingo 6: SONGBIRDS Broadbills Lyrebird Ovenbird (with nest) Flycatchers (this name covers many groups) Pitta Cock of the rock Sunbirds Swallow Shrikes Warblers Flycatchers Tits White-eyes Honeyeaters Buntings Tanagers Finches Weavers (with nests) Orioles (with nests vis. golden oriole) Hooded pitohui (an oriole not New Guinea that is the only venomous bird.) Drongos Bowerbirds (with bower) Birds of paradise Magpies

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe first species to be domesticated, dogs have been selectively bred over thousands of years. Today they’re man’s best friend – but while many are pets, many, too, are working animals: for the police, for the blind, as guard dogs, as sheepdogs, pulling sleds and as therapy animals. Arranged in chapters covering physical characteristics, senses, lifecycle, communication, behaviour and working dogs, Dogs is a hugely informative visual celebration. From huskies to German shepherds, from collies to Chihuahuas, Shih Tzu to Jack Russell Terriers, Labradors to Bullmastiffs to Dachshunds, the book includes a huge range of breeds. With fascinating captions on every page, even dog lovers will learn something new. Dogs is a brilliant examination in 150 outstanding colour photographs.Table of ContentsContents include Introduction PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS Size, skeleton, skull, Coat, tail SENSES Not only do a dog’s senses include vision, hearing, sense of smell, sense of taste and touch, but also sensitivity to the Earth’s magnetic field. LIFECYCLE Reproduction, puppies, reaching maturity COMMUNICATION Visual communication includes mouth shape and head position, licking and sniffing, ear and tail positioning, eye gaze, facial expression, and body posture. Dog vocalizations, or auditory communication, can include barks, growls, howls, whines and whimpers, screams, pants and sighs. Dogs also communicate via gustatory communication, utilizing scent and pheromones. BEHAVIOUR Sociability, grooming, feeding, hunting fighting, playing WORKING DOGS Sled dogs, police, law enforcement, sniffer dogs, sheepdogs, hounds, gun dogs, performing dogs, guide dogs, therapy dogs BREEDS FEATURED INCLUDE: Clumber Spaniel English Springer Spaniel Sussex Spaniel Cocker Spaniel Italian spinone Standard poodle Norwegian Elkhound Bloodhound Basenji Pharaoh Hound Irish Wolfhound Basset Hound English Foxhound Afghan Hound Greyhound Otterhound Ibizan Hound Airedale Terrier Bull Terrier Cesky Terrier Lakeland terrier Norfolk terrier Scottish terrier Yorkshire Terrier Chihuahua Italian Greyhound Maltese Papillon Pekingese Shih Tzu Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Shar-Pei Bulldog Dalmatian Lhasa Apso Japanese spitz Boston Terrier Bernese Mountain Dog German Boxer Briard Bullmastiff Doberman (Pinscher) Japanese Akita Bearded Collie Border Collie Smooth Collie Komondor Hungarian Puli Hungarian Kuvasz Leonberger Alaskan Malamute Mastiff Neapolitan Mastiff Australian Shepherd Dog Belgian Shepherd Dog Newfoundland German Pinscher Pembroke Welsh corgi

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhy do cats purr? How much can you learn about a cat’s mood from the direction it flicks its tail? How do cats show trust with their eyes? Why do cats rub against their owners’ legs? Arranged in chapters covering physical characteristics, senses, lifecycle and behaviour, Cats features a huge range of breeds from all around the world. From Siamese to Russian Blue, Manx to American Bobtail, Burmese to Bombay, the book expertly explores and celebrates this most beloved pet. With fascinating captions on every page, even cat lovers will learn something new. Cats is a brilliant examination in 150 outstanding colour photographs.Table of ContentsContents to include Introduction PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS Size, skeleton, skull, ambulation, claws SENSES Vision, hearing, smell, taste, whiskers, balance LIFECYCLE Reproduction, kittens, litters, maturity BEHA VIOUR Sociability, grooming, feeding, hunting fighting, playing, communication BREEDS FEATURED INCLUDE: Abyssinian American Bobtail American Curl Balinese Bengal Birman Exotic Shorthair Cat Manx American Shorthair American Curl Chartreux Bengal Cat Japanese Bobtail Russian Blue Cat Korat Burmese Bombay Singapura Ocicat California spangled cat Snowshoe cat Cornish Rex Cat Devon Rex Sphinx Cat Selkirk Rex Siamese Cat Tonkinese Oriental Shorthair Cat Havana Brown Cat Egyptian Mau Cat Persian Birman Turkish Angora Cat Turkish Van Cat Maine Coon Norwegian Forest Ragdoll Siberian

Read more less

Book SynopsisBeing essential to the survival of civilisations, rivers run through mythology – think of ancient Egypt – and religion – think of the Ganges and Hinduism. And they continue to inspire writers and artists – think of Mark Twain’s Mississippi and John Steinbeck’s Salinas. From the Ganges rising in the Himalayas to the Nile Delta, from the Amazon rainforest to the Bow River flowing out of the Rocky Mountains, from the Rhine to the Rhone, Yangtze to the Mekong, Danube to the Volga to the Ebro, Rivers explores the grandest and most interesting rivers around the world. Arranged by continent, the book reveals the fascinating stories of how rivers have supported and shaped civilisations, the significance that rivers have gained in religion and myth, the battles that have been fought over them, the borders that they have marked, and how rivers have altered their courses, thus changing lives and livelihoods. Illustrated with more than 200 spectacular colour photographs supported by expert captions, Rivers is a fascinating journey from the mountains to the sea.Table of ContentsIntroduction NORTH AMERICA Mississippi St Lawrence Missouri Colorado Kentucky Delaware Salinas Hudson Yukon Bow Columbia Kicking Horse SOUTH AMERICA Amazon Orinoco Parana Madeira Jurua Purus Paraguay EUROPE Rhine Rhone Dordogne Garonne Tarn Loire Seine Danube Douro Main Thames Severn Ouse Shannon Wye Tiber Vistula Volga Don Neva Ebro THE MIDDLE EAST Jordan Tigris Euphrates Karun Helmand AFRICA Nile Zambezi Congo Niger Limpopo ASIA Yellow Yangtze Indus Mekong Ganges Kwai Chao Phraya Mekong PACIFIC Yarra, Australia Murray, Australia Darling, Australia Waikato, NZ Mataura, NZ Buller, NZ

Read more less

Book SynopsisLighthouses may stand watchfully over serene waters one day and be bombarded by immense waves the next. They may look out on the most spectacular views, mark the entrance to a busy harbour or be placed in some of the world’s most desolate locations. To seafarers they are guiding lights in dangerous waters, but, once decommissioned, they can acquire an air of mystery. They are the most strictly functional of all civilian buildings and yet they can be surprisingly beautiful and varied in design. Are they square, cylindrical or octagonal? Are they single structures or towers on top of other buildings? Are they made of wood, stone, brick, or concrete? Are they coloured with stripes or bands? From Lake Michigan to the Arctic Circle, from the British Isles to Brazil, Lighthouses celebrates more than 200 structures and the stunning vistas that surround them. Taking examples from all around the world, the book features an immense array of operating and disused lighthouses from the 18th century to the present day, from those marking ocean coastlines to structures besides lakes and on rivers, from lighthouses cloaked in ice to Art Deco classics to tilting structures abandoned in sand dunes. Presented in a handy pocket-sized format, Lighthouses is arranged geographically, with more than 200 colour photographs and captions explaining the construction, operation and history of each entry. Trade ReviewBeautiful photos of the maritime world's wonders * Nautilus Telegraph *Table of ContentsIntroduction Michigan City, Michigan City, Indiana, USA Cleveland Harbor West Pierhead, Ohio, USA Portland Head in South Portland Maine, USA Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA Port Washington Breakwater, Wisconsin, USA St. Joseph North Pier, Saint Joseph, Michigan, USA Alcatraz Island, California, USA Point Sur, California, USA Point Reyes, Marin County, California Gibraltar Point, Toronto, Canada Louisberg, Nova Scotia, Canada Race Rocks Light, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada California Lighthouse, Aruba, Caribbean Texel, Netherlands Vuurtoren Breskens, Netherlands Rubjerg Knude, Denmark Hailuoto, Finland Roker, Sunderland, England Seaham, County Durham, England Hartland Point, Devon, England Whiteford, Gower Peninsula, Wales Talacre, North Wales Povoa do Varzim, Portugal Les Sables d’Olonne, Vendée, France Ploumanach, Brittany, France Kermorvan, Finistere Brittany, France Stromboli, Italy Ancona, Italy Genoa, Italy Rabat, Morocco Chumbe Island, Zanzibar Aniva Rock, Sakhalin Island, Russia Pantai-Kok, Langkawi Malaysia Joyato, Japan Castle Point, Wairarapa New Zealand

Read more less

Book SynopsisBees is an outstanding collection of photographs showing these fascinating insects in their natural habitat. Honey bees, bumblebees, mining bees, dwarf bees, carpenter, leafcutter and mason bees: bees come in many different types, with more than 16,000 species worldwide. The bees we are most familiar with, bumblebees and honey bees, live in colonies and play a major role in pollinating the crops, plants and flowers around us. And bees produce honey – reputedly the food of the gods – a function of bees’ lifecycle, which humans have exploited for millennia. Many bees today are domesticated, and beekeepers collect honey, beeswax, pollen, and royal jelly from hives for human use. A typical bee produces a teaspoon of honey (about 5 grams) in her lifetime. Bees can communicate many ways through the movement of their wings and bodies – most famously, with the ‘waggle dance’, where they make figure-of- eight circles to let other bees know the direction and distance of nectar. With full captions explaining how bees live, function communally, communicate, feed and reproduce, Bees is an insightful examination in 190 outstanding colour photographs of mankind’s favourite insect.Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. Social Bees There are around 16,000 species of bees worldwide in the Anthophila clade. Some bees live and work together. This chapter covers the eusocial life cycle of queens, drones and worker bees, revealing facts about their nests and general activity. It also introduces the most famous type of bee, the honey bee (Apis), as well as bumblebees (Bombus) and stingless bees (Meliponini). 2. Solitary Bees Not all bees live and work with others; some like to lead their own lives. This chapter is a roll call of solitary bees, and includes mason bees, carpenter, bees, plasterer bees, digger bees, mining bees, orchid bees, cuckoo bees and sweat bees. 3. Bee Anatomy Bees have a hard outer shell called an exoskeleton. They have three main body parts: the head, thorax and abdomen. A pair of antennae is attached to their head and they have two pairs of wings. This section contains fascinating close-up shots of every aspect of a bee’s physiology – its eyes, mouthparts, legs, feet, wings (at rest and in flight), waist, stinger, ovipositor, hairs and antennae. 4. Behaviour There are three types of honey bees: the queen, the workers and the drones. A queen bee is the only female bee in the hive that reproduces. Worker bees are all female, and are all offspring of the queen. The males in the hive are called drones. Drones fly off to reproduce with other young queens who will start a new colony. Here we look at these roles, as well as brood care, honey production, building the honeycomb, foraging, defence and swarming. 5. Bees and Flowers Pollen and nectar collection is a vital part of the ecosystem bees operate in, and they will fly up to 2 kilometers (1.3 miles) from the nest to collect nectar and pollen from flowers. Forager bees usually live just 30 days after they begin foraging. This is because foraging is one of the most dangerous tasks. Bees also collect water for drinking and cooling the nest.

Read more less

Book SynopsisNew York is one of the world’s megacities, with almost 20 million people living in the wider metropolitan area. America’s most populous city has been described as the cultural, financial and media capital of the world. It is also a universally recognizable city, home of the Manhattan skyline, Central Park, Brooklyn Bridge and the headquarters of the United Nations. New York provides a pictorial exploration of the city’s five boroughs: Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, the Bronx and Staten Island. The book introduces the reader to some classic architecture, such as the art deco Chrysler Building and Empire State Building; quirky neighborhoods, such as Greenwich Village, Chinatown, and Hell’s Kitchen; iconic landmarks, such as the Statue of Liberty and One World Trade Center; and great cultural centres, such as Broadway, the home of North American theatre; Times Square, the ‘Crossroads of the World’; and Madison Square Garden, an indoor sports and events arena. Presented in a pocket-sized landscape format and with captions explaining the story behind each photo, New York is a stunning collection of images that vividly brings to life the world’s greatest city.Table of ContentsIntroduction Everyday New York Walking the High Line Meat Packing district Manhattan Greenwich Village Chinatown Brooklyn Harlem Bronx street art Little Italy Walking the Brooklyn Heights Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn Boating on Hudson River off Pier 66 Parks and Spaces Waterways – Hudson River, East River, Upper Bay Astoria Park Pool Governors Island Battery Park Central Park Union Square Park Fort Tryon Park Brooklyn Botanic Garden New York Botanical Garden Prospect Park Washington Square Park Liberty State Park Brooklyn Bridge Park Pier 5 Pelham Bay Park Food and Entertainment Museum of Modern Art Brooklyn Museum Guggenheim Museum Metropolitan Museum of Art American Museum of Natural History Metropolitan Opera House Lincoln Center – opera, ballet, music Broadway shows Jazz in West Village MHOW Sports: Yankee Stadium Madison Square Gardens Baseball Football Basketball Street food: bagels, doughnuts, pancakes, pizza, hot dogs, cheesecake Chelsea Market Landmarks Chrysler Building Statue of Liberty Ground Zero Sept 11 Memorial Empire State Building Flatiron Building Rockefeller Center One World Trade Center/One World Observatory New York Public Library The Unisphere UN headquarters Transport Brooklyn Bridge George Washington Bridge New York Transit Museum Grand Central Station Penn Station Lincoln Tunnel Staten Island ferry Subway Taxis City traffic Airports – JFK, LGA Manhattan Cruise Terminal

Read more less

Book SynopsisWorld’s Worst Military Disasters examines some of the worst battle defeats in military history from ancient times through to the present day, including some of the most famous battles in history. The accounts range from remarkable stories of how the world’s great powers met military defeat at the unlikely hands of ill-equipped native peoples, such as the events at Little Big Horn, to embarrassing technical failures and miscommunication evidenced during Operation Eagle Claw. World’s Worst Military Disasters investigates military catastrophes originating from all kinds of circumstances. Each fascinating account gives a full and detailed analysis of the events leading up to the disaster, followed by studies of the strategies used during the manoeuvres and the reasons for their failure. Learn about the blunders at Pearl Harbor, the attack at Stirling Bridge and find out the reasons for thousands of people dying at the siege and fall of Jerusalem. Each story is highly illustrated bringing every battle and military mishap to life, plus key facts outline the most important information and allows the reader the see facts at a glance. Whether the result of enemy action or pure human error, World’s Worst Military Disasters offers an educational and riveting read.Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. Ancient Battles 2000BC-300BC Battle of Megiddo (c.1479) Kadesh (c.1274 BC) Marathon (490 BC) Salamis (480 BC) Battle of Gaugamela (331 BC) 2. Roman Victories, Roman Defeats 300 BC-AD450 Cannae (216 BC) Battle of Zama (202 BC) Battle of Carrhae (53 BC) Battle of Actium (31 BC) Teutoburger Wald (AD 9) Battle of Adrianople (378) 3. The Dark Ages 450-1100 Battle of Vouille (507) Battle of Dara (530) Battle of Tours (733 or 734) Battle of Talas (751) Jerusalem (1099) 4. Medieval Melees (1100-1500) Hattin (1187) Stirling Bridge (1297) Bannockburn (1314) Crecy (1346) Nicopolis (1396) Battle of Tannenberg (1410) Agincourt (1415) Fall of Constantinople (1453) Nancy (1477) Battle of Bosworth (1485) 5. Early Modern Disasters 1500– 1763 Flodden (1513) Lepanto (1571) Battle of Nagashino (1575) Spanish Armada (1588) Yellow Ford (1598) Magdeburg (1631) Breitenfeld (1631) Blenheim (1704) Culloden (1746) Rossbach (1757) Leuthen (1757) Minden (1759) 6. Imperial Disasters 1760–1900 Saratoga (1777) Ulm (1805) Austerlitz (1805) Jena/Auerstadt (1806) Retreat from Moscow (1812) Burgos (1812) Afghanistan (1842) Antietam (1862) Fredericksburg (1862) Little Bighorn (1876) Isandlwana (1879) Adowa (1896) Spion Kop (1900) 7. Modern Catastrophes 1900–2000 Verdun (1916) Somme (1916) Dunkirk and the Fall of France (1940) Crete (1941) Kiev (1941) Pearl Harbor (1941) Singapore (1942) Midway (1942) Dieppe (1942) Stalingrad (1942/43) Kursk (1943) Byelorussia (1944) Warsaw uprising (1944) Arnhem (1944) Korea (1950) Dien Bien Phu (1954) Six-Day War (1967) Operation Eagle Claw (1980) Bravo Two Zero (1991) Mogadishu (1993) Fall of Mosul (2014) Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhen you think of Canada do you picture the awe-inspiring natural beauty of the Rocky Mountains, the sprawling metropolis of Toronto, or its many national parks? Perhaps moose, maple syrup or the vast expanse of the northern territories spring to mind. Canada is blessed with rugged mountains, ancient forests and large cosmopolitan cities; it stretches west from the Atlantic to the Pacific and north to the Arctic Ocean. There is much to discover in this breathtakingly beautiful and vast country. Canada is a fascinating exploration of the second largest country in the world. From Churchill ‘Polar bear capital of the world’ in northern Manitoba to the sleek streets of Toronto – the most populous city in Canada, from the excitement of dog-sledding in Montreal to relaxing on a beach in Vancouver, this book is packed with more than 200 spectacular photographs. Presented in a handy pocket-sized landscape format and with captions explaining the story behind each entry, Canada is a stunning collection of images celebrating this beautiful country.Table of ContentsIntroduction The Atlantic Region St. Johns Goose Bay Cape Spear Jiggs Dinner St Anthony Iceberg Vodka / Iceberg Beer Moose Puffins Elliston Fogo Island Gros Morne National Park Prince Edward Island Anne of Green Gables Red Point National Park Singing Sands Halifax Lobster Peggy’s Cove Old Town Lunenburg Annapolis Valley Whale Watching in Cape Breton Bay of Fundy Kingsbrae Garden Grand Manan Island Cape Enrage Central Canada Ice fishing Maple syrup Saguenay fjord Snowshoeing Poutine Tadoussac Old Quebec Dog sledding Montreal Quebec City Trois-Rivières Niagara Falls Toronto CN Tower Baseball game Ottawa Algonquin Provincial Park Lake Muskoka Burlington Casa Loma Lake Erie The Blue Mountains Mississauga The Prarie Provinces The RCMP Heritage Centre Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park The Churchill River Prince Albert National Park Little Manitou Lake Milton Lake Lodge Remai Modern Art Gallery of Saskatchewan The Forks Polar Bears Churchill Grand Beach Festival du Voyageur Winnipeg Calgary Banff Edmonton Lake Louise Athabasca Glacier Elk Island The West Coast Downtown Vancouver Stanley Park Grouse Mountain Granville Market Victoria Whale-watching Whistler Rockies Pacific Rim National Park Reserve Alaska Highway Raccoons Okanagan Valley Great Bear Rainforest Ice Hockey Capilano Suspension Bridge Vancouver Island The North Iqaluit Naujaat Auyuittuq National Park Sirmilik National Park West Baffin Eskimo Co-Operative Limited Ellesmere Island The Northwest Passage Yellowknife Inuvik Northern Lights Ice Roads Keele River White horse Dawson City Caribou Yukon River

Read more less

Book SynopsisThink of the Renaissance and you might only picture the work of fine artists such as Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo and Van Eyck. Or architecture could spring to mind and you might think of St Peter’s in Rome and the Doge’s Palace in Venice. Or you might consider scientists like Galileo and Copernicus. But then let’s not forget the contribution of thinkers like Machiavelli, Thomas More or Erasmus. Someone else, though, might plump for music or poets and dramatists – after all, there was Dante and Shakespeare. Because when it comes to the Renaissance, there’s an embarrassment of riches to choose from. From art to architecture, music to literature, science to medicine, political thought to religion, The Renaissance expertly guides the reader through the cultural and intellectual flowering that Europe witnessed from the 14th to the 17th centuries. Ranging from the origins of the Renaissance in medieval Florence to the Counter- Reformation, the book explains how a revival in the study in Antiquity was able to flourish across the Italian states, before spreading to Iberia and north across Europe. Nimbly moving from perspective in paintings to Copernicus’s understanding of the Universe, from Martin Luther’s challenge to the Roman Catholic Church to the foundations of modern school education, The Renaissance is a highly accessible and colourful journey along the cultural contours of Europe from the Late Middle Ages to the early modern period.Table of ContentsIntroduction 15th century Europe Some historians dispute the term ‘Renaissance’ and its dates. The Mediterranean Trade revived with the crusades. Looting of Constantinople in 1204. Influx into western Europe of Byzantine scholars and scholarly texts after the fall of Constantinople in 1453. How western Europe benefited from Arabic copies of ancient Greek texts: after the Fall of the Roman Empire in the West, much ancient Greek though was lost, or at least overlooked, in the West. Decline in feudalism. Impact of the plague on the Renaissance. Chapter One: Origins Florence – how Italian city-states, led by Florence, unencumbered by heavy Papal influence or empire, and growing rich on wool production and east-west, north-south Mediterranean trade, were well placed to leap ahead intellectually and artistically. From Florence, the Renaissance reached Venice. Medici. Banking. Chapter Two: Art and Architecture Fine Art – laws of perspective. Giotto, Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raphael, Botticelli Pigments – Titian’s blue. How Venetian Mediterranean trade enabled Architecture: Brunelleschi’s Duomo in Florence, Doge’s Palace in Venice, St Peter’s Basilica, Rome. Papal patronage Northern Renaissance: Van Eyck, Pieter Brueghel the Elder, Albrecht Durer, Hieronymus Bosch Chapter Three: Science and Medicine How studies in anatomy advanced figurative art Understanding blood flow in the body Copernicus. Galileo. Inquisition. Chapter Four: Exploration Wealth, advances in shipbuilding and navigation skills, as well as the pioneering zeal of some Renaissance minds, enabled travellers to sail far further by sea. Age of Discovery. The Americas. Mapmaking. Amerigo Vespucci, Christopher Columbus. Chapter Five: Literature and Music Tallis, Taverner and Byrd. Polyphony in the Netherlands. Boccaccio, Petrarch, Dante. Elizabethan and Jacobean Theatre. Shakespeare and the English stage. Chapter Six: Humanism, Political Thought and Religion Machiavelli’s The Prince. Thomas More’s Utopia. Erasmus. Martin Luther, Vasari. Bookkeeping: Luca Pacioli Chapter Seven: Legacy Bibliography Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisIreland holds a special place in people’s hearts – even for many who haven’t been there. To some the appeal is its natural beauty, to others it’s the history; to some it’s the country’s strong folk tradition, to others it even seems to be a mystical place. Ireland presents more than 200 outstanding photographs celebrating the island’s most evocative and beautiful places, whether in nature or man-made, from the miles of near empty beaches to the Mourne Mountains in County Down, from the pretty fishing towns of County Cork to Dublin’s elegant Georgian streets. Featuring images from both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, the book ranges widely across landscapes and history, from rugged cliffs and rolling hills to mysterious stone circles, magnificent cathedrals and ruined abbeys; and from medieval forts and castles to grand Victorian follies and villages abandoned during the Potato Famine. While some images such as the striking basalt columns of the Giant’s Causeway may be familiar, others you may know only from Game of Thrones and the Star Wars films but never realized that they, too, are in Ireland. Presented in a handy pocket-sized landscape format and with captions explaining the story behind each entry, Ireland is a stunning collection of images celebrating the island’s natural beauty, culture and history.Table of ContentsIntroduction Beaches & Coastlines Achill Island, County Mayo Black Castle, County Wicklow Tory Island, County Donegal Tory Island, County Donegal Keem Beach, Achill Island, County Mayo Brittas Bay, County Wicklow Doolin, County Clare Corrib River, County Galway Sandycove, County Dublin Rush, County Dublin Ballybunion, County Kerry Giant’s Causeway, County Antrim Baltimore, County Cork Fanad Lighthouse, County Donegal Coastal County Sligo Kinvara, County Galway Rossbeigh Beach, County Kerry Cliffs of Moher, County Clare Dingle Peninsula, County Kerry Coastline, County Donegal Ballintoy, County Antrim Mulranny Bay, County Mayo County Mayo Clogher Head, County Louth Blackrock Diving Boards, Salthill, Galway Mussenden Temple, County Londonderry Downpatrick Head, County Mayo Dundalk, County Louth Roundstone, Galway Dingle Peninsula, County Kerry Valentia Island, County Kerry Fanore Beach, County Clare Malin Head, County Donegal Fenit Lighthouse, Dingle Peninsula Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, County Antrim Dunquin Pier, County Kerry Great Blasket Island, County Kerry Malinbeg, County Donegal Portmagee, County Kerry False Bay, County Galway Tramore Beach, County Donegal Forts, Castles and Country Houses Blarney Castle, County Cork Ross Castle, Killarney Markree Castle, County Sligo Adare Manor, County Limerick Powerscourt Estate, County Wicklow Birr Castle, County Offaly Duckett’s Grove House, County Carlow Castle Roche, County Louth Redwood Castle, County Tipperary Dunluce Castle, County Antrim Dunamase Castle, County Laois Lismore Castle, County Waterford Ballybunion Castle, County Kerry Ardmore, County Waterford Leamaneh Castle, County Clare Grace O’Malley’s Tower, Achill Island Powerscourt Estate, County Wicklow Duckett’s Grove, County Carlow Castletownsend Castle, County Cork Crom Castle, County Fermanagh Johnstown Castle, County Wexford Rock of Cashel, County Tipperary Lismore Castle, County Waterford Donegal Castle, County Donegal MacDermott’s Castle, County Roscommon Ballystaggartmore Towers, County Waterford Mallow Castle, County Cork Castle Desmond, County Cork King John’s Castle, County Limerick Dunguaire Castle, County Galway Puxley Manor, County Cork Foulksrath Castle, County Kilkenny Muckross House, County Kerry Ormond Castle, County Tipperary Hills & Mountains Wicklow Mountains, County Wicklow Narrow Gauge Railway, County Antrim Bog Village Museum, County Kerry Mountains of Mourne, County Down The Burren, County Clare Glencar Waterfall, County Leitrim Wicklow Mountains, County Wicklow Derryveagh Mountains, County Donegal Glenbarrow Waterfall, County Laois Union Wood, County Sligo Dark Hedges, County Antrim Benbulben, County Sligo Black Valley, County Kerry Tipperary Mountains County Louth Ring of Kerry, County Kerry Skellig Michael Island, County Kerry Beehive Clocháns on Skellig Michael Island Skellig Michael Island, County Kerry Saint Fiachra’s Garden, County Kildare Bogland in County Offally Lough Corrib, County Galway Killarney National Park, County Kerry Dun Eochla, County Galway Torc Waterfall, Killarney National Park Derryclare Lough, County Galway Gweedore, County Donegal Beara Peninsula, Southwest Ireland Clifden, County Galway Galtee Mountains, Southern Ireland The Burren, County Clare Lough Leane, County Kerry Belfast Hills, Northern Ireland Blue Stack Mountains, County Donegal Lough Tay, County Wicklow Doo Lough, County Mayo Religious Places Quin Abbey, County Clare St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin Ennis, County Clare Dunlewey Church, County Donegal Rock of Cashel, County Tipperary Clonmacnoise, County Offally Kylemore Abbey, County Galway Bective Abbey, County Meath Glenalough, County Wicklow Caldragh Graveyard, County Fermanagh Kilcatherine Cemetery, County Cork Newgrange Megalithic Passage Tomb, County Meath Claregalway Abbey, County Galway Ballybunion, County Kerry St. Patricks Cathedral, Dublin Boyle Abbey, County Roscommon Celtic Crosses, County Sligo Inishmurray Island, County Sligo Slane Abbey, County Meath Muckross Abbey, Killarney Drombeg Stone Circle, County Cork Dunlewey Church, County Donegal County Rosserk Abbey, County Mayo Ballintoy Church, County Antrim Towns & City Life Queen’s University of Belfast, Belfast Lismore Castle, County Waterford Bishop Gate, Londonderry Crane Street, Dublin Dublin Castle, Dublin Sandymount Station, Dublin Belfast, Northern Ireland Galway Dock, County Galway Batchelor’s Walk, Dublin Waterford Walls, Waterford The Four Courts, Dublin Trinity College, Dublin The Guildhall, Londonderry St Anne’s Cathedral, Belfast Halfpenny Bridge, Dublin North Earl Street, Dublin River Lee in Cork River Foyle seen from Waterside Station Londonderry Peace Bridge, Londonderry Lagan Bridge, Belfast Old Fruit Market, Dublin St George’s Market, Belfast O’Connell Street, Dublin Chapel Royal, Dublin Castle Belfast Castle, Belfast Daly’s Footbridge, Cork Samuel Becket Bridge, Dublin Historic Irish Pubs Saint Canice’s Cathedral, Kilkenny The Old Library, Trinity College, Dublin Titanic Museum, Belfast Sightseeing Wheel, Belfast Cobh Cathedral, County Cork Kinsale, County Cork River Liffey Island Bridge, County Dublin Famine Memorial, Dublin Queen’s University, Belfast Botanic Gardens, Belfast Big Fish Sculpture, Belfast Galway Hooker, Galway Poolbeg Lighthouse, Dublin Bay Blennerville Windmill, County Kerry Galway Cathedral, Galway City Victoria Square Shopping Centre, Belfast Dublin City Hall

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhen you think of Scotland do you picture rugged castles amid mountains, lochs and glens, or Edinburgh’s elegant streets? Perhaps tartan kilts, the Loch Ness Monster, or golf, which originated in Scotland in the Middle Ages, spring to mind. Scotland’s landscape and culture make it stand out as one of the most enchanting places on earth. There is much to discover in this breathtakingly beautiful country. Scotland’s wilderness and charming cities, high mountains disappearing into the mist and tiny islands, and grandiose mansions and, even, palm trees, make it a country of immense variety. Scotland is a fascinating exploration of the most magnificent country of the British Isles. From the Georgian houses of Edinburgh’s New Town to the Victorian grandeur of Glasgow, from the Highlands to the many lochs, from the remote islands in the Hebrides to the majesty of Glenfinnan Viaduct, this book is packed with more than 200 spectacular photographs. Presented in a handy pocket-sized landscape format and with captions explaining the story behind each entry, Scotland is a stunning collection of images celebrating this beautiful country.Table of ContentsIntroduction Edinburgh Empress of the North Edinburgh Castle and the Old Town Hogmanay Fireworks Military Tattoo Dugald Stewart Monument Nelson Monument Waverley Station East Princes Street Gardens National Gallery of Scotland Scottish Parliament Building National Monument of Scotland St Giles’ Cathedral Scott Monument, Princes Street Gardens City Chambers, Royal Mile Old College, University of Edinburgh The Royal Mile Tavern, Statue of David Hume Palace of Holyroodhouse The Quadrangle Kilts Tartans Twill Circus Lane The Vennel Tolbooth Tavern Statue of Greyfriars Bobby New Calton Burial Ground Old Calton Burial Ground Canongate Kirkyard Canongate Kirk and Salisbury Crags Arthur’s Seat Newhaven Harbour Leith Forth Bridge Queensferry Crossing The Highlands: Mountains and Lochs Praying Hands of Mary Glenfinnan Viaduct, Inverness-shire Neptune’s Staircase, Caledonian Canal Caledonian Canal and Ben Nevis Three Sisters of Glen Coe Torren Lochan Buachaille Etive Mòr Loch Rannoch Folly The Wee Hoose, Loch Shin Loch Shiel Loch Cluanie Mallaig Harbour Arisaig Plockton Dornie Avoch Kilchurn Castle, Loch Awe Castle Stalker, Loch Laich Ardvreck Castle, Loch Assynt Eilean Donan Castle Inveraray Castle, Argyll and Bute Balmoral Castle, Aberdeenshire An Teallach Scots pine, Lairig Ghru Pass Cairngorms National Park Waterfall at Glen Feshie Red deer stag, Loch Arkaig Reindeer, Ben Macdui Loch Arklet Loch an Eilein Loch Eilt Stac Pollaidh Loch Katrine Ardnamurchan Lighthouse Cromarty Lighthouse Loch Linnhe Loch Leven Loch Lochy Loch Maree Luss Pier, Loch Lomond Loch Ness The Islands: Ancient Worlds Red deer stag, Blue Pool Cabbage palms, Arran Goat Fell, Arran Brodick Bay, Arran The Twelve Apostles, Catacol, Arran Machrie Moor, Arran Giant’s Grave, Arran Lochranza Castle, Arran Millport Bay, Great Cumbrae Bruichladdich Distillery, Islay Lagavulin Distillery, Islay Oronsay Priory, Oronsay Kiloran Beach, Colonsay Seil, Slate Islands Baile Mòr, Iona Iona Abbey, Iona Staffa Tobermory, Mull Duart Castle, Mull Laig Bay, Eigg, Small Isles Port Mòr, Muck, Small Isles Sligachan Bridge, Skye The Cleat, Skye Old Man of Storr, Skye Mealt Falls and Kilt Rock, Skye Neist Point, Skye Portree, Skye Kisimul Castle, Barra Eriskay South Uist Cleits, St Kilda Summit view from Clisham, Harris Callanish Stones, Lewis Skara Brae, Mainland, Orkney Highland Park Distillery, Kirkwall, Mainland, Orkney Auskerry Lighthouse, Auskerry, Orkney St Margaret’s Hope, Orkney Bressay, Shetland Hermaness National Nature Reserve, Unst, Shetland Atlantic puffins, Isle of May National Nature Reserve Harbour seal, South Uist White-tailed eagle, Skye Glasgow: Dear Green Place River Clyde Tradeston Bridge, River Clyde Clyde Arc, River Clyde SEC Armadillo and SSE Hydro Glasgow Science Centre The Glenlee and Riverside Museum Finnieston Crane McLennan Arch, Glasgow Green South Portland Street Suspension Bridge Statues, George Square Glasgow City Chambers, George Square Ashton Lane, West End Barrowland Ballroom, East End Princes Square, Buchanan Street Central Station Buchanan Street Hutcheson Street and Hutchesons’ Hall Interior, Glasgow Cathedral Glasgow Cathedral, Cathedral Square University of Glasgow House for an Art Lover, Bellahouston Park The Willow Tea Rooms Glasgow School of Art Queen’s Cross Church Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum Gallery of Modern Art Pollok House Knot Garden People’s Palace and Winter Gardens Linn Park Ha’penny Bridge Glasgow Necropolis Villages, Towns and Burghs: Industry and Innovation Mercat Cross, Castlegate, Aberdeen Linlithgow Palace, Linlithgow, West Lothia Fort George, Inverness-shire River Ness, Inverness Stirling Castle, Stirling Balvenie Castle, Dufftown, Moray Glenfiddich Distillery, Dufftown Statue of William and Elizabeth Grant The Law, Dundee Statue of Desperate Dan and Dawg, High St, Dundee McManus Galleries, Dundee Victoria and Albert Museum, Dundee North Carr lightship, Victoria Dock, Dundee Harbour, Aberdeen Melrose Abbey, Melrose, Scottish Borders Jedburgh Abbey, Jedburgh, Scottish Borders New Bridge, Ayr, Ayrshire St Matthew’s Church, Perth, Perth and Kinross Anchor Mill, Paisley, Renfrewshire New Lanark, Lanarkshire Old Course, St Andrews Links, Fife Undergraduates, St Andrews, Fife East Sands, St Andrews Crail, Fife Lobster creels, Crail St Monans, Fife St Abbs, Berwickshire Chatelherault, Hamilton, South Lanarkshire Hamilton Mausoleum, Hamilton Falkirk Wheel, Falkirk The Kelpies, The Helix, Falkirk Invergordon, Ross and Cromarty Oil refinery, Grangemouth, Falkirk Inveraray, Argyll and Bute Duncansby Stacks, John O’Groats

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhen you think of Paris do you picture the Eiffel Tower? The medieval city of Notre Dame? The elegant boulevards of Baron Haussmann? The Montmartre of Toulouse- Lautrec? The grandeur of the Louvre? The Art Nouveau of the Paris Metro? The Grand Projets of François Mitterrand? Or...? Yes, there is just so much beauty to Paris. In 150 striking images, Paris celebrates the French capital, from its world-famous landmarks to evocative alleyways and corners that might surprise you. You may have heard, for instance, about the Paris catacombs and sewers that you can visit, but did you know about La Petite Ceinture, a disused 19th century railway line that circumnavigates the inner city? From the medieval marvels of Sainte-Chapelle to the 1970s Pompidou Centre to the latest pop-up beaches beside the Seine, the book explores a great many sides to the city. In collecting these images of the city today, we come to understand something of its history – from the executions that took place at the Place de la Concorde during the Revolution to the Arc de Triomphe honouring those who served in the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars to the skyscrapers of La Défense. Presented in a landscape format and with captions explaining the story behind each entry, Paris is a stunning collection of images celebrating the world’s most romantic city.Table of ContentsIntroduction Medieval City Notre Dame Sainte-Chapelle Île de la Cité Pont Neuf La Sorbonne La Conciergerie 16th Century to the 19th Century Louvre Les Invalides Place de la Concorde Arc de Triomphe Boulevard Haussmann Luxembourg Gardens Place de Furstenberg Eglise Saint-Sulpice Pere Lachaise Cemetery Sacre Coeur and Montmartre Eiffel Tower The Modern City Art Nouveau and Art Deco Paris Louvre Pyramid Pompidou Centre La Defense Musée d’Orsay, housed in the Beaux-Arts railway station Gare d’Orsay Underground City Paris Metro stations The Catacombs The Paris Sewers La Petite Ceinture Railway

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Great, the Pious, the Fair; the Wise, the Lame, the Mad. Imprisoned, deposed, exiled. Excommunicated, assassinated; devout, debauched; loved, loathed — the Middle Ages produced a fascinating array of monarchs. From Britain to Russia, from Scandinavia to Sicily, from the 9th century CE to the completion of the Reconquista of Spain in 1492, Kings & Queens of the Medieval World explores the captivating stories of monarchs from all across Europe. Arranged thematically, the book groups the kings and queens by their achievements – military leaders, law-makers, religious reformers, patrons of the arts. These are stories of monarchs leading their armies into battle to expand or defend their territory, and of kings – and queens – going on crusade – both within Europe and to the Holy Land. These, too, are stories of, on the one hand, countries united by marriage, and, on the other, sons scheming against fathers in an effort to gain – and maintain – power. And yet these are also the stories of the people who constructed beautiful cathedrals, who founded universities and supported artists, of religious kings who were later canonised, of kings who created more just legal systems, established parliaments and permanent armies, and laid the foundations for more modern governments and societies. Featuring the major European dynasties, Kings & Queens of the Medieval World is a lively account of monarchs from Charlemagne to Alexander Nevsky to Ferdinand and Isabella. Illustrated with 180 colour and black-and-white artworks, photographs and maps, this is a colourful, accessible history.Table of ContentsIntroduction MILITARY LEADERS Charlemagne (800-814) – king of the Franks who defeated the Lombards and made incursions into Muslim Spain and campaigned against the Saxons to the East. Uniting most of western Europe for the first time since the Romans, he was crowned Emperor of the Romans by the Pope. Louis the Pious (814–40) – King of Aquitaine and King of the Franks, Son of Charlemagne, reconquered parts of northern Spain from the Muslims, including Barcelona and Pamplona. William the Conqueror, Duke of Normandy, King of England – Norman invasion of England (1066). Alexander Nevsky (1221–63) – rose to legendary status in Kievan Russia on account of his military victories over German and Swedish invaders while agreeing to pay tribute to the powerful Golden Horde. Casimir the Great (1310–70) – doubled the size of Poland, mostly through wars in what is modern-day Ukraine. Władysław II Jagiełło (r.1386–1434) – Born a pagan in Lithuania, Władysław was the Grand Duke of Lithuania, before becoming King of Poland. The allied Polish–Lithuanian victory against the Teutonic Knights at the Battle of Grunwald in 1410, secured the Polish and Lithuanian borders and marked the emergence of the Polish–Lithuanian alliance as a significant force in Europe. Philip II Augustus of France – broke up the Angevin Empire presided over by the crown of England and defeated a coalition of his rivals (German, Flemish and English) at the Battle of Bouvines in 1214. Robert the Bruce, king of Scots, led Scotland during the First War of Scottish Independence, defeating King Edward II of England at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314. Edward III, who transformed the Kingdom of England into one of the most formidable military powers in Europe, launching the conflict that became known as the Hundred Years’ War to reclaim land in France, and defeating the French at Crécy (1346). Henry IV of England, deposed his cousin Richard II. Richard later died in prison, possibly of starvation. Henry went on to defeat the Welsh uprising led by Owain Glyndwr. Henry V of England and his defeat of the French at Agincourt (1415), bringing him close to conquering France. English civil conflict: The Wars of the Roses – Edward IV, Richard III and Henry Tudor (Henry VII) Ivan III ‘The Great’ of Russia (1462–1505) tripled the territory of his state, ended the dominance of the Golden Horde over the Rus. CRUSADERS, PERSECUTORS AND RELIGIOUS REFORMERS Monarchs on crusade: Richard I (the Lionheart) of England, Philip II of France, Frederick I Barbarossa, Holy Roman Emperor led the Third Crusade. Louis IX took part in the Seventh and Eighth Crusades, dying on the latter. Louis’ son, Philip III, later died on the Aragonese Crusade. Sigismund von Luxembourg, Holy Roman Emperor, led the last West European Crusade – the Crusade of Nicopolis of 1396 against the Turks. The crusaders, with forces from across Europe, were defeated in a single day. In attempting to reform England’s relationship with the Roman Catholic Church, Henry II of England (1154–89) came into conflict with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket. Becket was later murdered by followers of the king. Jews: In 1182, Philip II of France expelled all Jews from his lands; John I, Duke of Brittany drove them out of his duchy in 1239; and in the late 1240s Louis IX of France expelled the Jews from the royal demesne. In 1306, Philip IV ‘the Fair’ expelled the Jews from France. Edward I of England first exploited Jews, taxing them; in 1279, in the context of a crack-down on coin-clippers, he had 300 of them executed and finally expelled remaining Jews from the country in 1290. In contrast, Casimir the Great of Poland (1310–70) encouraged Jews to settle in his country. Devoutly religious, Louis IX of France (1226–70) punished blasphemy, gambling, interest-bearing loans and prostitution. Philip IV of France’s (1285–1314) persecution and execution of the Knights Templar. Władysław II Jagiełło (r.1386–1434) – the Pagan duke of Lithuania became a Christian and subsequently converted Lithuania to Christianity. Ferdinand and Isabella and the Spanish Inquisition QUEENS Following the death of Henry I of England, Empress Matilda, his only surviving child, fought his nephew, Stephen of Blois, for control of England in a war that lasted, on and off, for 20 years (1135–54). When her son, Henry II, became king in 1154, she settled in Rouen, was in charge of the administration of Normandy for her son and founded Cistercian monasteries. Eleanor of Aquitaine, first married Louis VII of France, but their marriage was annulled on grounds of consanguinity. Later she married Henry II of England, making her Queen of France (1137–1152) and then of England (1154–1189). She led armies several times in her life, including taking part in the Second Crusade (1147–1149). Blanche of Castile, mother of Louis IX (1226-70), reigned in the first years of her son’s reign until he reached maturity. She brought an end to the 20-year-long Albigensian Crusade against the Cathars. Isabella of France (1308–27) – estranged from her husband, King Edward II of England, Isabella began an affair with noble Roger Mortimer and led an army against Edward, deposing him. She may also have been responsible for Edward’s death. She then acted as regent to her 14-year-old son, Edward. Four years later, Edward led a coup against Mortimer, killing him and becoming King Edward III. No longer politically active, Isabella lived out the remaining decades of her life in style. Joanna I of Naples (1343–82) – who sided with the Avignon Papacy and was assassinated. Margaret I of Denmark (1387–1412), who was also monarch of Sweden and Norway. Isabella I of Castile (1474 –1504) – married Ferdinand II of Aragon and formed the basis for the later political unification of Spain under their grandson, Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. She reorganized the governmental system, brought the crime rate to the lowest it had been in years, and unburdened the kingdom of the enormous debt her brother had left behind. Ferdinand and Isabella completed the Reconquista of Spain, forcing the conversion to Christianity or expulsion of Jews and Muslims. They also financed Christopher Columbus’s exploratory voyage that led to the opening to the New World. PATRONS & BUILDERS Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor, founded the University of Naples, and is author of the first treatise on the subject of falconry. Edward the Confessor (r. 1042 – 5 January 1066) built an early Westminster Abbey, which was rebuilt in the 13th century by Henry III. Richard II finished Westminster Hall in the late 14th century. Philip II Augustus (1180–1223) played a significant role in one of the greatest centuries of innovation in construction and education in France. With Paris as his capital, he had the main thoroughfares paved, built a central market, Les Halles, continued the construction begun in 1163 of Notre-Dame de Paris, constructed the Louvre as a fortress, and gave a charter to the University of Paris in 1200. Roger II of Sicily (1130–54) – developed Norman-Arab-Byzantine culture, architecture, map-making. Louis IX of France (1226–70), having bought presumed relics of Christ, built Sainte- Chapelle. In response to the Mongol invasions, Bela IV of Hungary (1235-70) promoted the development of fortified towns, allowing the barons and the prelates to erect stone fortresses and to set up their private armed forces. Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor (1346–78), made Prague his capital. His patronage of the city led to the building of the first Charles Bridge, Charles University, Prague Castle and the Cathedral of Saint Vitus. Casimir the Great of Poland (1310–70) built extensively, including Wawel Castle in Krakow. Henry VI of England founded King’s College, Cambridge in the 15th century. Philip the Good of Burgundy (1419–67) was a great patron of Flemish musicians and artists, including Jan van Eyck. Ivan III of Russia renovated the Moscow Kremlin in the late 15th century. LAW-MAKERS & SOCIAL REFORMERS Philip II (1179-1223) transformed France from a small feudal state into the most prosperous and powerful country in Europe. He checked the power of the nobles and helped the towns to free themselves from seigniorial authority, granting privileges and liberties to the emergent bourgeoisie. King John of England agreed to the limitations of royal power in Magna Carta. Frederick I Barbarossa, Holy Roman Emperor, re-established Roman law, which counterbalanced the papal power that had dominated the German states since the conclusion of the Investiture Controversy earlier in the 12th century. Louis IX of France (1227-70) – Saint Louis – developed French royal justice, in which the king is the supreme judge to whom anyone is able to appeal to seek the amendment of a judgment. He banned trials by ordeal, tried to prevent the private wars that were plaguing the country and introduced the presumption of innocence in criminal procedure. Edward I of England (1272–1307) established Parliament as a permanent institution and thereby also a functional system for raising taxes. Known as the ‘Polish Justinian’, Casimir the Great (1310–70) reformed Polish law. John III of France (1350–64) created the Franc in an effort to stabilise the country’s currency. Charles V of France (1364–80) established the first permanent army paid with regular wages, which liberated the French populace from the companies of routiers who regularly plundered the country when not employed. Louis XI of France (1461–83) brought France out of the Middle Ages, establishing the modern structure of government that lasted until the French Revolution. George of Poděbrady, King of Bohemia between 1458 and 1471, a Hussite, attempted to spread a Message of Peace across Christendom by uniting the states in what can be regarded as an early idea of the European Union. It would have a Parliament and member states would pledge to settle all differences by exclusively peaceful means. He sent a member of his court on a European tour with a draft treaty, but the idea wasn’t taken up. In the late 15th century, Ivan III of Russia laid the foundations of what later became called the Russian state. Bibliography Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn 2006, a woman in China crashed her car while giving her dog a driving lesson. In 1924, a labrador was sentenced to life in Pennsylvania Penitentiary for having murdered the governor’s cat – and he was framed. In 2010, a dozy guard dog was retired from a bar after he slept through their only burglary in 12 years. These, and many more, are true canine stories included in Dogs Gone Bad. Each spread features a photograph or photomontage of an erring canine, such as driving a car, sleeping on the job or doing time behind bars. Along with amusing text to accompany the image, there is also a paragraph on bizarre real-life bad dog stories – the kind of dogs that don’t win awards for bravery, the dogs who run away, who chase the cops but not the thief, who eat religious offerings or tear up Christmas. Featuring a colour photo or photomontage of a deviating dog, Dogs Gone Bad is a fun book of 45 funny images and quirky real-life cases.Trade ReviewThere are currently no reviews for this title/productTable of ContentsThe Law’s Got Paws The Gym Bunny Travelling Indognito Sick as a Dog Free to Rover Ruff Justice Watchdog Cosmopolitan Canine Doggedly Undetermined Pinching Doberman Laptop Dog Top Cat What Price My Love? I Love a Tumble Yule Regret It Doggy Snoop Wagging the Dog Doggone It Barking Boss Hangdog on a Telephone Hush Puppy Money Have Dog, Will Travel I Think, Therefore I Chew Poodle and the Poulet Pug Under Par Who’s Walking Whom? The Bounder Jack Russell Terrier-ist Bow-Wow-Ow One’s Best Friend It’s Not a Yappy Day Hot Dog With This Ring, I Thee Dog Distressed Furnishings Dog on Wheels Howl Loud is My Bark? Love Me, Love My Dog Cool Drool Crying Waterfowl Gone to the Dogs Paper Shredder The Dogs of War Behind Closed Paws Why the Long Face? Bad Dog

Read more less

Book SynopsisWritten in the 6th century BCE, Sun Tzu's The Art of War is still used as a book of military strategy today, as well as being extremely popular among politicians. Napoleon, Mae Zedong and Douglas MacArthur all claimed to have drawn inspiration from it. And beyond the world of war, modern-era business and management gurus have also applied Sun Tzu's ideas to politics and corporate strategy. In this Chinese-bound journal, each spread page has ample space for your thoughts and notes, and features a key, insightful quote from Sun Tsu's famous and much-read work. The book is robust enough to be unpacked and repacked. You could fill the pages of this journal while sitting on a mountaintop, on a railway platform, in your office lunch hour or in the privacy of your own home. Beautifully made with traditional Chinese bookbinding techniques, this is more than a hardwearing book. It is something exquisite to be cherished. The Art of War Journal is the perfect place for you to record your thoughts - and be inspired by ancient Chinese military wisdom.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe United States built the best strategic bombers of World War II, and by the end of the conflict America’s bombers dominated the skies in both Europe and the Pacific. American Bomber Aircraft of World War II is a detailed guide to all the bombers deployed by the USAAF and US Navy from 1941 to 1945. Organised chronologically, this book includes all the great types of the era, such as the B-17 Flying Fortress, which led the daylight bombing campaign against German industrial targets; the B-24 Liberator, which carried out the famous raid on the Ploesti oil refinery in Romania in 1943; the rugged Grumman TBF Avenger torpedo bomber, flown by US Navy pilots at the Battle Midway in that key turning point in the Pacific War; and the B-29 Superfortress, the aircraft most responsible for degrading Japan’s ability to wage war with their constant aerial attacks throughout 1944 and 1945. The guide is illustrated with profile artworks and three-views, as well as two-page dynamic artworks of some of the more famous aircraft in service, such as the highly- adaptable B-25 Mitchell, which served in every theatre in a variety of roles, the Douglas Dauntless SBD naval scout plane, and the Martin B-26 Marauder, one of the fastest medium bombers of its era. Illustrated with more than 100 authentic artworks with accurate markings and camouflage, American Bomber Aircraft of World War II is an essential reference guide for modellers and military aviation enthusiasts.Table of ContentsIntroductionBOMBERS: Strategic Bombers Douglas B-18 Bolo Boeing B-17 B-17C B-17D B-17E B-17F B-17G Consolidated B-24 Liberator B-24A, B-24C B-24D B-24F, B-24G B-24H B-24J North American B-25 Mitchell B-25C B-25G B-25H B-25J PBJ-1H Boeing B-29 Superfortress Consolidated B-32 DominatorTactical Bombers Vultee A-31 Vengeance Martin 166 B-10 Martin 167 Maryland Martin 187 Baltimore Curtiss A-12 Shrike Douglas DB-7/A-20 Havoc Douglas A-26 Invader Martin B-26 Marauder: B-26A–G modelsNaval Bombers Northrop BT-1 Brewster SB2A Buccaneer Grumman TBF Avenger Curtiss SBC Helldiver Curtiss SB2C Helldiver Lockheed Hudson/Ventura Vought SB2U Vindicator Douglas SBD Dauntless Douglas TBD Devastator Douglas AD-1 Skyraider Consolidated TBY Seawolf Martin AM-1 MaulerTransports & Flying Boats DC-3/Douglas C-47 Skytrain Curtiss C-46 Commando Martin PBM Mariner Grumman J2F-4 Duck PBY Catlina Vought OS2U Kingfisher Curtiss SO3C-1 SeamewIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisFast, glamorous and extravagant, a supercar encapsulates the romance, power and freedom of the motor car in one beautifully-designed package. ClassicSupercars looks in detail at 75 of the most celebrated vehicles from Europe, Japan and America, providing a pocket-sized reference guide to those machines at the pinnacle of automotive engineering. Covering all the most famous makes, including AC, Ferrari, Lotus, Pontiac, Jaguar, Aston Martin, Lamborghini, Porsche and BMW, ClassicSupercars is packed with a wealth of technical and historical information. Each of the 75 vehicles is examined over four pages, with outstanding three-view colour photography and detailed annotations. A specification table provides full technical details, while under-the-bonnet photographs and artworks display the engine configuration and authoritative text fills the reader in on the vehicle’s development and production history. Arranged alphabetically from the AC 428 to the Venturi Atlantique, accessibly written and packed with colour photography of some of the world’s best cars, ClassicSupercars is a must for any car enthusiast.Table of ContentsIntroduction AC 428 to Aston Martin DB7 Bentley 4.5 Litre to Bugatti EB110 Caterham Super 7 to Duesenberg SJ Ferrari 250GT Lusso to Ferrari 360 Modena Fiat Dino to Jaguar XKR Lamborghini Miura to Morgan Plus 8 Panoz Roadster to Renault Sport Spider Swallow Sidecar SS100 to Venturi Atlantique Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisRobust, romantic and imposing, castles capture our imagination when we were children and continue to hold interest throughout our lives. From Europe to Haiti, from India to Japan, Castles of the World explores forts, strongholds, towers and citadels from the ancient world up to the 20th century. Entries range from well-known examples such as Corfe Castle in England, the crusader stronghold of Krak des Chevaliers in Syria and the romantic palace of Neuschwanstein in Bavaria, to lesser-known curiosities such as the Genoese Fortress in the Crimea, Rudkhan Castle in Iran and Morro Castle in Havana. Arranged chronologically, each entry includes a striking colour photograph and expert text briefly telling the story of the castle’s history. Built, rebuilt and expanded many times, castles often don’t just tell us about one period in history, but about many different times. They offer us layers of history – and sometimes mystery, too. With 200 outstanding colour photographs, Castles of the World is a beautiful examination of worlds gone by.Table of ContentsContents: Introduction Ancient Times to 700 CE Rayen Citadel, Iran David’s Citadel, Jerusalem, Israel Arg-E Bam, Iran Gongsanseong Castle, South Korea Samuil’s Fortress, Ohrid, Macedonia Citadel, Berat, Albania Durrës Castle, Albania Al-Ukhaidir Fortress, Iraq Early Medieval Period: 700–1200 Pembroke Castle, Pembrokeshire, Wales Château de Chillon, Lake Geneva Mehrangarh, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India Rayen Castle, Iran Qasr Kharana, Jordan Blagaj Fort, Bosnia & Herzegovina Hochosterwitz Castle, Austria Rabati Castle, Akhaltsikhe, Georgia Alcazar Castle, Segovia, Spain Blagai Castle, Bosnia Herzegovina Rudkhan Castle, Iran Burg Gussing, Austria Elz Castle, Germany Edinburgh Castle, Scotland Guaita Fortress, San Marino Leeds Castle, Kent, England Krak des Chevaliers, Syria Trim Castle, Ireland Nafpaktos Castle, Greece Heidelberg Castle, Germany Bran Castle, Romania Conwy Castle, Wales Windsor Castle, England Spiš Castle, Slovakia Peyrepertuse, France Late Medieval Period: 1200–1500 Alcázar of Seville, Spain La Alhambra, Granada, Spain Ananuri, Georgia Belogradchik Fortress, Bulgaria Bodiam Castle, England Castle Stalker, Scotland Eilean Donan Castle, Scotland Karlstein Castle, Czech Republic Bač Fortress, Serbia Koluvere Castle, Estonia Khotyn Fortress, Chernivtsi Oblast, Ukraine Malbork Castle, Poland Soroca Fort, Moldova Donegal Castle, Republic of Ireland Royal Fort, Lahore, Pakistan Early Modern Period: 1500–1750 Marmaris Castle, Turkey Osaka Castle, Japan Camber Castle, Rye, East Sussex, England Chateau de Chambord, France Egskov Castle, Denmark Morro Castle, Havana, Cuba Red Fort, India Castillo San Felipe de Barajas, Colombia Castle of Good Hope, South Africa Four Metal Cross, Ghana Modern Era: 1750 to the Present Citadelle Henry Christophe, Haiti Neuschwanstein, Bavaria, Germany Hohenschwangau, Bavaria, Germany Hohenzollern Castle, Germany Bojnice Castle, Slovakia Palacio Da Pena, Sintra, Portugal Vajdahunyad Castle, Hungary Pena Palace, Portugal Maunsell Forts, English Channel Watchtower, Gull Bay, Channel Islands

Read more less

Book SynopsisThey define landscapes, people risk their lives to climb them, and they can even make their own weather. Mountains often serve as geographic features that determine natural borders of countries. Their height can influence weather patterns, stalling storms that roll off the oceans and squeezing water from the clouds. And many are the subject of myth and legend, both expressions of nature’s power and symbols of the sacred. Mountains is arranged by geographical region, featuring the greatest, most spectacular, most infamous and legendary mountains from every part of the world. Read about Mount Aconcagua, with an elevation of 6,959 metres (2,831ft), and the highest peak in the Western Hemisphere; or Half Dome, the semi-spherical mountain that towers over the valley floor in Yosemite National Park; or Mount Olympus, reputed home of the Ancient Greek gods; or K2, considered by many to be the most difficult mountain to climb in the Himalayas; or Mount Kinabalu in Sabah, Malaysia – a popular hike for many thousands of tourists each year, and the highest mountain in Southeast Asia; or Gunung Agung, the active volcano that remains sacred to the Balinese people as a replica of the mythological Mount Meru of Hindu legend. Each entry is accompanied with a caption explaining the significance and history of the mountain. Illustrated with 200 outstanding colour photographs, Mountains is a visual feast for those who want to gaze down from the roof of the world.Table of ContentsEUROPE Matterhorn Grossglockner Mount Aragats Mount Olympus Mont Blanc Pasterze Ben Nevis Snowdon Shkhara Triglav Dufourspitze Kirkjufell Mount Ahkka Mount Galdhøpiggen Trollveggen Mount Elbrus Tre Cime di LavaredoASIA & PACIFIC Mount Everest Jebel Shams Qurnat as Sawda’ Mount Ararat Karakorum Range Takht-e Soleyman Damavand Sabalan Hindu Kush Hemis National Park Kangchenjunga Himal K2 Makalu Mount Khan Tengri Khüiten Peak Mount Fansipan Lhotse Kumaun Himalayas Mount Tasman Mauna Kea Mount Hallasan Annapurna I Gasherbrum II / K4 Annapurna III Gasherbrum II Mount Hua Mount Kinabalu Mount Rinjani Mount Agung Mount Merapi Mount Tambora Mount Fuji Mount Yari Aoraki/Mount CookAFRICA Mount Toubkal Simien Mountains Kilimanjaro Mount Kenya Stanley Speke Drakensberg Mountains KarisimbiNORTH AMERICA Elbert Mount Mitchell Denali Saint Elias Mount Rainier Foraker Logan Lucania El Capitan Pico de Orizaba/Citlaltépetl Mount Whitney Lone Pine Peak Half Dome Grand Teton Popocatépetl Mount VancouverSOUTH AMERICA Mount Fitz Roy Pico Cristóbal Colón Pico Paraná Andes Cordillera Oriental Mount Huascarán Licancabur Aconcagua Ojos del Salado Mercedario

Read more less

Book SynopsisDiscover how the individual parts of the human body function in this anatomy book with a difference, and learn about the body through colouring in. Organised by body area and system, each page includes a detailed colour artwork alongside an identical, annotated line drawing, showing the elements of the featured body part. Following the detailed artworks, students can colour in the line drawings, learning about the different bones in the skull, the respiratory system, blood circulation, the workings of the heart – and every other body system – as they colour. By colouring, students absorb the information more effectively and learn more thoroughly. The book features 215 scientifically precise colour artworks accompanied by 215 highly accurate line drawings, organised by body area: head, neck, thorax, upper limbs, abdomen, reproductive system, pelvis, lower limbs and whole body systems. Human Body Colouring Book is a fun and effective way to learn about human physiology.Table of ContentsCONTENTS HEAD Skull Front of the skull Side of the skull Top and base of the skull Scalp Brain The brain Blood vessels of the brain Cerebral hemispheres Thalamus/hypothalamus Limbic system Basal ganglia Cerebellum Cranial nerves Face Facial muscles Arteries of the face and neck Facial nerves Eyes Eyeball Muscles, blood vessels and nerves of the eye Eyelids and lacrimal glands Nose Nose and nasal cavity Paranasal sinuses Jaw/Mouth Oral cavity Teeth Tongue Salivary glands Ears Ear Inside the ear NECK Inside the neck Vertebral column Cervical vertebrae Muscles of the neck The brainstem Brachial plexus Pharynx Larynx Oesophagus Thyroid and parathyroid gland THORAX Thoracic vertebrae Lumbar vertebrae Sacrum and coccyx Spinal cord Spinal nerves Muscles of the back Pectoral girdle Muscles of the pectoral girdle Ribcage Muscles and movements of the ribcage Female breast Diaphragm Lungs Respiratory airways Vessels of the lung The Heart Chambers of the heart Valves of the heart Vessels of the heart Conducting system of the heart UPPER LIMBS Shoulder joint Movements of the shoulder joint Axilla Structure of the humerus Ulna and radius The Elbow Muscles of the upper arm Muscles of the forearm Blood vessels of the arm Nerves of the arm Bones of the wrist Carpal tunnel Bones of the hand Muscles of the hand Nerves and blood vessels of the hand ABDOMEN Overview of the abdomen Muscles of the abdominal wall Stomach Small intestine Liver and biliary system Caecum and appendix Colon Rectum and anal canal Pancreas and spleen Inguinal region Overview of the urinary tract Kidneys Bladder and ureters REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM Male reproductive system Testes, scrotum and epididymis Penis Female reproductive system Uterus Cervix and vagina Ovaries PELVIS Pelvic bones Pelvic floor muscles Muscles of the gluteal region LOWER LIMBS Hip joint Femur Tibia and fibula Knee joint and patella Ligaments and bursa of the knee Muscles of the thigh Muscles of the lower leg Arteries of the leg Veins of the leg Nerves of the leg Ankle Bones of the foot Arches and ligaments of the foot Muscles of the upper foot Muscles of the sole of the foot GENERAL The skeleton Types of joint Types of muscle Overview of circulation Peripheral nervous system Autonomic nervous system Lymphatic system Skin and nails

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe first species to be domesticated, dogs have been selectively bred over thousands of years. Today they’re man’s best friend – but while many are pets, many, too, are working animals: for the police, for the blind, as guard dogs, as sheepdogs, pulling sleds and as therapy animals. Arranged in chapters covering physical characteristics, senses, lifecycle, communication, behaviour and working dogs, Dogs is a hugely informative visual celebration. From huskies to German shepherds, from collies to Chihuahuas, Shih Tzu to Jack Russell Terriers, Labradors to Bullmastiffs to Dachshunds, the book includes a huge range of breeds. With fascinating captions on every page, even dog lovers will learn something new. Dogs is a brilliant examination in 150 outstanding colour photographs.Table of ContentsContents include Introduction PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS Size, skeleton, skull, Coat, tail SENSES Not only do a dog’s senses include vision, hearing, sense of smell, sense of taste and touch, but also sensitivity to the Earth’s magnetic field. LIFECYCLE Reproduction, puppies, reaching maturity COMMUNICATION Visual communication includes mouth shape and head position, licking and sniffing, ear and tail positioning, eye gaze, facial expression, and body posture. Dog vocalizations, or auditory communication, can include barks, growls, howls, whines and whimpers, screams, pants and sighs. Dogs also communicate via gustatory communication, utilizing scent and pheromones. BEHAVIOUR Sociability, grooming, feeding, hunting fighting, playing WORKING DOGS Sled dogs, police, law enforcement, sniffer dogs, sheepdogs, hounds, gun dogs, performing dogs, guide dogs, therapy dogs BREEDS FEATURED INCLUDE: Clumber Spaniel English Springer Spaniel Sussex Spaniel Cocker Spaniel Italian spinone Standard poodle Norwegian Elkhound Bloodhound Basenji Pharaoh Hound Irish Wolfhound Basset Hound English Foxhound Afghan Hound Greyhound Otterhound Ibizan Hound Airedale Terrier Bull Terrier Cesky Terrier Lakeland terrier Norfolk terrier Scottish terrier Yorkshire Terrier Chihuahua Italian Greyhound Maltese Papillon Pekingese Shih Tzu Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Shar-Pei Bulldog Dalmatian Lhasa Apso Japanese spitz Boston Terrier Bernese Mountain Dog German Boxer Briard Bullmastiff Doberman (Pinscher) Japanese Akita Bearded Collie Border Collie Smooth Collie Komondor Hungarian Puli Hungarian Kuvasz Leonberger Alaskan Malamute Mastiff Neapolitan Mastiff Australian Shepherd Dog Belgian Shepherd Dog Newfoundland German Pinscher Pembroke Welsh corgi

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Russian Air Force is the world’s second largest military air arm, capable of deploying more than 4,000 military aircraft, including 1,522 helicopters, 497 trainers, 873 fighters, 424 transports, and more. Illustrated throughout with detailed artworks with authentic markings and exhaustive specifications, Technical Guide: Modern Russian Military Aircraft is a compact guide to the military aircraft deployed by the Russian Air Force from the end of the Cold War to the present. Organised by type, this book includes every significant aircraft used by the Russian military over the last 30 years, from the latest Sukhoi Su-57 stealth fighter and Kamov Ka-50 ‘Black Shark’ attack helicopter to the evergreen Sukhoi Su-25 close air-support aircraft and the venerable Ilyushin Il-76 airlifter transport. The guide is illustrated with profile artworks, three-views, and dynamic view artworks of the more famous aircraft still in service, such as the Sukhoi Su-27 ‘Flanker’, Mikoyan MiG-29 multirole fighter and Tupolev Tu-160 heavy bomber. Illustrated with more than 110 detailed artworks, Technical Guide: Modern Russian Military Aircraft is an essential reference guide for modellers and aviation enthusiasts with a passion for modern military aircraft.Table of ContentsContents include: Fighters & Attack Aircraft Mikoyan MiG-29 Mikoyan MiG-29K Mikoyan MiG-29M and MiG-35 Mikoyan MiG-31 Sukhoi Su-24M Sukhoi Su-25 Sukhoi Su-27 Sukhoi Su-30 Sukhoi Su-33 Sukhoi Su-34 Sukhoi Su-35 Sukhoi Su-57 Sukhoi Checkmate Long-Range Bombers Tupolev Tu-22 Tupolev Tu-95MS Tupolev Tu-160 Transport & Reconnaissance Antonov An-124 Antonov An-140 Antonov An-148 Beriev Be-200 Ilyushin Il-76 and Il-78 Ilyushin Il-112 Beriev Be-12 Beriev A-50 and A-100 Ilyushin Il-20 and Il-22 Ilyushin Il-38 Ilyushin Il-80 Ilyushin Il-82 Tupolev Tu-142 Tupolev Tu-214 Trainers Tupolev Tu-134 Yakovlev Yak-130 Yakovlev Yak-152 Helicopters Kamov Ka-27 Kamov Ka-29 Kamov Ka-31 Kamov Ka-52 Kamov Ka-226 Kazan Ansat Mil Mi-8 Mil Mi-14 Mil Mi-24 and Mi-35 family Mil Mi-26 Mil Mi-28 Mil Mi-38

Read more less

Book SynopsisOn 9 May 1912 the first airplane take-off from a ship was made from the deck of the HMS Hibernia. In July 1918, seven Sopwith Camels launched from the converted battlecruiser HMS Furious damaged the German airbase at Tønder and destroyed two zeppelins. The age of the carrier was born. In the interwar years the Lexington, Akagi and Courageous – class carriers were developed, but it was only during World War II that the aircraft carrier finally came into its own. Fleet carriers carrying 30–40 aircraft allowed the Japanese and US navies to project air power across the vast Pacific Ocean, with the Japanese raid on Pearl Harbor presaging a new kind of warfare. With the sinking of hundreds of ships during World War II, including the German battleship Bismarck in 1941, by the end of the war carriers ruled the waves and the era of the battleship had passed. Aircraft Carriers features 52 of the most significant flat tops and amphibious assault ships built since the 1920s until the present day, from the USS Yorktown, which survived direct hits during the battle of Midway (1942), through the Falklands War veteran HMS Invincible, to the mighty Nimitz class, the core of the US Navy’s carrier battle groups today. Also included are significant amphibious assault ships, such as the USS Tarawa and French Mistral. Each entry includes a brief description of the ship’s development and history, a colour profile view or cutaway, key features and specifications. Packed with more than 200 artworks and photographs, Aircraft Carriers is a colourful guide for the naval warfare enthusiast.Table of ContentsIntroduction CARRIERS OF THE WORLD WARS HMS Furious (1917) HMS Argus (1918) HMS Eagle (1924) Akagi (1927) USS Lexington (1927) Kaga (1928) HMS Glorious (1930) Hiryu (1937) USS Yorktown (1937) USS Enterprise (1938) HMS Ark Royal (1938) USS Wasp (1940) CAM and MAC Ships (1941) HMS Audacity (1941) Shokaku (1941) HMS Indomitable (1941) USS Sangamon (1942) Jun’yo (1942) USS Independence (1943) USS Princeton (1943) USS Lexington (1943) USS Intrepid (1943) USS Wasp (1943) Taiho (1944) Shinano (1944) USS Midway (1945) CARRIERS SINCE 1945 HMS Eagle (1951) USS Forrestal (1955) HMS Hermes/INS Viraat (1959) Clemenceau (1960) USS Enterprise (1961) HMS Fearless (1965) Veinticinco de Mayo (1969) USS Nimitz (1975) Kiev (1975) USS Tarawa (1976) Ivan Rogov (1978) HMS Invincible (1980) USS Carl Vinson (1982) Giuseppi Garibaldi (1985) Principe de Asturias (1988) Admiral Kuznetsov (1995) HMS Ocean (1998) Charles de Gaulle (2001) USS Ronald R. Reagan (2003) Mistral (2006) Liaoning (2012) HMAS Canberra (2014) Izumo (2015) HMS Queen Elizabeth (2017) USS Gerald R. Ford (2017) INS Vikrant (2018) Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisSupercars are exotic, powerful and expensive. Representing the ultimate in performance, styling and unadulterated driving thrills, a supercar encapsulates the romance, power and freedom of the motor car in one beautifully designed package. Classic Supercars celebrates the incredible machines built in the twentieth century, providing a detailed look at 300 great automobiles from around the world. All the great marques are covered, including Aston Martin, Chevrolet, De Tomaso, Ferrari, Jaguar, Maserati and Porsche. Illustrated with a photograph, each car entry includes detailed specifications, which include all the performance statistics, engine type, transmission, chassis, special features, running gear and dimensions. Packed with information, this handy reference guide is a must for all lovers of these powerful classic machines.Table of ContentsIntroduction AC Ace–Dodge Viper GTS-R Ferrari 250 GT SWB–Honda Prelude VTi Jaguar D-Type–Morris Minor 1 Nissan 200SX–Porsche Boxster Range Rover–TVR Tuscan Racer Ultima Spyder–Willys Coupe Glossary Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisIllustrated with detailed artworks of combat aircraft and their markings, Aircraft of World War I: The Essential Aircraft Identification Guide is a comprehensive study of the aircraft that fought in the Great War of 1914–18. Arranged chronologically by theatre of war and campaign, this book offers a complete organizational breakdown of the units on all the fronts, including the Eastern and Italian Fronts. Each campaign includes a compact history of the role and impact of aircraft on the course of the conflict, as well as orders of battle, lists of commanders and campaign aces such as Manfred von Richtofen, Eddie Rickenbacker, Albert Ball and many more. Every type of aircraft is featured, including the numerous variations and types of well- known models, such as the Fokker Dr.I, the Sopwith Camel and the SPAD SVII, through to lesser-known aircraft, such as the Rumpler C.1, and the Amstrong Whitworth FK8. Each aircraft profile is accompanied by exhaustive specifications, as well as details of individual and unit markings. Packed with more than 200 colour profiles of every major type of combat aircraft from the era, Aircraft of World War I 1914–1918 is an essential reference guide for modellers, military historians and aircraft enthusiasts.Table of ContentsChapter 1 Opening Moves Chapter 2 Air Combat Turns Deadly Chapter 3 Strategic Bombing Chapter 4 Maritime Aviation Chapter 5 The Eastern Front Chapter 6 The Italian Front Chapter 7 The Middle East Chapter 8 Air Combat Comes of Age Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisTabby cat or toucan? Airedale terrier or Angora rabbit? Python or Parakeet? If you didn’t have a pet as a child, you probably wanted one. Pets features a huge range of pets from everyday pets such as cats and dogs to exotic pets such as tropical fish, toucans and terrapins, from cute mice to formidable pythons, from energetic rabbits to docile tortoises to thoroughbred horses. Part of the highly successful Mini Encyclopedia series, Pets includes 300 pets from around the world, offering a wealth of fascinating information on the background, breeding and natural habitat of these animals. With a page and outstanding colour illustration given to each pet, and specification boxes detailing on the origins, appearance, size, diet and lifespan of each animal, Pets is an easy-to-use pocket reference book for anyone interested in domesticated animals.Table of ContentsBrittany Munsterlander English Pointer Curly Coated Retriever Labrador Retriever Golden Retriever English Setter Irish Setter Clumber Spaniel English Springer Spaniel Sussex Spaniel Cocker Spaniel Italian spinone Standard poodle Norwegian Elkhound Bloodhound Basenji Pharaoh Hound Irish Wolfhound Basset Hound English Foxhound Afghan Hound Greyhound Otterhound Ibizan Hound Airedale Terrier Bull Terrier Cesky Terrier Lakeland terrier Norfolk terrier Scottish terrier Yorkshire Terrier Chihuahua Italian Greyhound Maltese Papillon Pekingese Shih Tzu Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Shar-Pei Bulldog Dalmatian Lhasa Apso Japanese spitz Boston Terrier Bernese Mountain Dog German Boxer Briard Bullmastiff Doberman (Pinscher) Japanese Akita Bearded Collie Border Collie Smooth Collie Komondor Hungarian Puli Hungarian Kuvasz Leonberger Alaskan Malamute Mastiff Neapolitan Mastiff Australian Shepherd Dog Belgian Shepherd Dog Newfoundland German Pinscher Pembroke Welsh corgi British Shorthair Exotic Shorthair Cat Manx American Shorthair American Curl Chartreux Bengal Cat Japanese Bobtail Russian Blue Cat Korat Burmese Bombay Singapura Abyssinian Ocicat California spangled cat Snowshoe cat Cornish Rex Cat Devon Rex Sphinx Cat Selkirk Rex Siamese Cat Tonkinese Oriental Shorthair Cat Havana Brown Cat Egyptian Mau Cat Persian Birman Turkish Angora Cat Turkish Van Cat Maine Coon Norwegian Forest Ragdoll Siberian Tiffanie cat Javanese Scottish Fold American Bobtail Non-pedigree cat Banjo Catfish Hillstream Loach Bronze Cory Cardinal Tetra Redeye Piranha Freshwater Angelfish Lifalili Jewel Cichlid Common Discus Texas cichlid goldfish Harlequin Rasbora Striped Raphael Catfish Kissing Gourami Royal Pleco Threadfin Rainbowfish Siamese Fighting Fish Honey Gourami Glass Catfish Glass Knife Fish American Flagfish Guppy Spotted Scat Targetfish Achilles Tang Sohal Surgeonfish False Clownfish Clown Triggerfish Mandarin Dragonet Copperband Butterflyfish Clown Coris Harlequin Tusk Red Sea Eightline Flasher Pearly Jawfish Comet True percula clownfish Blacktail Humbug Emperor Angelfish Sulphur Damsel Domestic Goose Barbary Duck Yellow-crested cockatoo Moluccan Cockatoo Red-tailed Black Cockatoo Galah Cockatiel Domestic Pigeon Orange-Cheeked Waxbill Finch Blue-Capped Cordon-bleu Finch Canary Domesticated Turkey Ko-Shamo Chicken Dorking Chicken Fisher's Lovebird Turquoise-Fronted Amazon Parrot Blue and Yellow Macaw Scarlet Macaw Military Macaw Burrowing Parakeet Eclectus parrot Black-Capped Lory Parrot Budgerigar Crimson Rosella Red-Rumped Parrot Plum-Headed Parakeet Alexandrine Parakeet Rose-Ringed Parakeet African Grey Parrot Pesquet's Parrot Thick-billed Parrot Rainbow lorikeet Toco Toucan Sheltie Guinea Pig Smooth haired guinea pig Abyssinian guinea pig Long-tailed Chinchilla Dzungarian Hamster Golden Hamster Alaska Rabbit Angora Rabbit Checkered giant rabbit (was german piebald) Dutch Dwarf Hotot English Angora English silver rabbit (white guards) Oryctolagus cuniculus Florida White Giant Chinchilla Rabbit Harlequin Rabbit Himalayan Holland Lop Mini Rex Rabbit Mini/German Lop Netherland Dwarf New Zealand Rhinelander Rabbit Satin Swiss fox rabbit (longhaired rabbit) Pallid gerbil Mongolian gerbil House Mouse Common Rat Ferret Sugar glider Chinese Water Dragon Bearded dragon Painted Terrapin Emerald tree boa Rainbow boa Veiled Chameleon Jackson's Chameleon Common Snake-necked Turtle Victoria Short-necked Turtle Hilaire's Side-necked Turtle Mangrove Snake African egg eating snake Beauty Rat Snake Sungazer lizard Brown Basilisk Lizard Painted Turtle Red-Eared Slider Terrapin/Turtle Green Iguana Caroline green anole Geen tree python Short-Tailed Python Royal Python Common sandfish skink Radiated Tortoise Hermann's Tortoise Arabian horse Mongolian Horse Orlov horse Trakehner horse Lippizaner horse Kladruber Horse Knabstrup horse and pony Selle Francaise horse Ardennes Horse Baudet de Poitou Donkey Camargue horse Oldenburg horse Nonius horse Murgese horse Salerno horse Sanfratellano horse Haflinger Friesian horse Lusitano Andalusian horse Freiberger horse Clydesdale horse Hackney horse and pony Shire horse Thoroughbred Horse Akhal-Teke Horse Appaloosa Morgan horse American Quarter horse Standardbred horse Criollo horse Peruvian paso horse Anglo arabian horse Dulmen pony Dartmoor pony Fell pony Shetland pony Oriental fire bellied toad European Green Toad Blue Poison Dart Frog Barking Tree Frog Clown Tree Frog Asian Painted Frog Giant African Bull Frog American Bull Frog Pickerel Frog Marsh Frog European common frog Fire salamander Crested newt European honey bee Madagascar hissing cockroach Ladybird/Ladybug Leafcutter Ant Field cricket Stick insect Stag beetle Praying mantis Antlion Giant millipede Linnaeus leaf bug Rhinoceros beetle Dung beetle Black emperor scorpion Mexican red kneed tarantula King baboon tarantula Goliath bird eating tarantula

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe elegant pen-strokes and visual harmony of Chinese writing, known as hànzì, have long been admired in the west. Classical Chinese calligraphy is a popular and valuable art form, and with the increasing economic and cultural power of China, its writing is becoming more widely appreciated and understood. In particular, the deep layers of history and symbolism which exist behind even the most everyday character have a strong appeal to those seeking understanding from an alternative philosophy. Chinese Characters: The Art of Hànzì features the most interesting of the three to four thousand characters are needed to write modern Chinese. Characters expressing concepts such as love, peace, respect and happiness are reproduced in a large format, enabling the reader to trace, scan or photocopy them for transfer to any other medium. Alongside the character is an accessible and inspiring explanation of how the character developed, what the particular strokes symbolize, and its various different meanings.Table of Contents愛 love 平 peace 安 peace 和 harmony 心 heart 信 belief 新 new 興 flourish, prosper 高興 happy 性 sex 幸 lucky 忠 honest, 敬 respect 永 eternal 永遠 forever 家 home 父 father 母 mother 友 friend 友誼 friendship 火 fire 水 water 土 earth 木 wood 金 metal/gold 玉 jade 雨 rain 風 wind 福 fortune 壽 long life 男 male 女 female 龍 dragon 鳳 phoenix 仁 benevolence 義 righteousness 禪 Zen 月 moon 日 sun 陰 Yin 陽 Yang 明 bright 光 light, radiance, glory 道 Tao 大 great 太 supreme 笑 laugh, smile 孝 filial piety, dutifulness 力 power, strength 禮 rites, correct behaviour 極 extreme. utmost 吉 auspicious 樂 happy; music 音樂 music 變 change 花 flower 中 middle; China 茶 tea 劍 sword 昌 glorious, prosperous 清 clear, pure 正 correct, upright 成 change, become 星 star 強 strong 皇帝 emperor 酷 cool 巧 clever, skilled 錢 money 知 to know 智 knowledge 加油 Go! 蘴 abundant 舞 dance 武 martial, warlike 氣 qi, energy 關係 connection 勇 brave 雷 thunder 熱 hot 冷 cold 冰 ice 兵 soldier 石 stone 失 lose 酒 wine, alcohol

Read more less

Book SynopsisFully illustrated in a striking landscape format, Ships contains 300 mercantile and military vessels arranged in chronological order, from ancient times to the present day. Every type of vessel from every part of the world is featured, from Phoenician war galleys from 1500BC, through the graceful trading clippers of the nineteenth century, to the sophisticated and heavily armed submarines of the nuclear era. In these information-packed pages you will find out about ancient galleys, Viking longships, medieval cogs, galleasses, galleons, men-of-war sailing ships, coastal gunboats, iron-clad steam boats, dreadnoughts, aircraft carriers and nuclear submarines. Many well-known ships are included, such as Nelson’s flagship HMS Victory, the ill-fated passenger liner Titanic, the infamous German World War II battlecruiser Bismarck and many, many more. Each ship is illustrated with a colourful artwork, while lively text offers a concise service history of the ship and a specification box provides comprehensive technical data, including displacement, dimensions, machinery, armament, speed and complement.Table of ContentsIntroduction Cheops ship/Egyptian warship Phoenician cargo ship Greek War Galley Roman War Galley Roman/Mediterranean cargo ship Viking longship English warship/Christopher Hanseatic Cog Chinese Junk Nao Caravel/Caravel Redonda/Nina Carrack/Santa Maria Great Harry Galleon/San Martin Mediterranean Galley Ark Royal Slave Carrack St Louis Sovereign of the Seas Fluyt Galleass Dutch Frigate Le Soleil Royal Chebeck Bucintoro Boston Endeavour Victory Santissima Trinidad South Carolina Turtle Bounty 74-gun ship/Vanguard Constitution Essex Fulton Claremont Astrolabe Demologos Morris Sirius Great Western Jane Gifford Congress Great Britain Bertha Washington Agamemnon Powhatan Bretagne Gloire Warrior Alabama Monitor/Monadnock Banshee Hope/Savannah Parramatta Adelaide Canada Friedrich Karl Natchez Devastation City of Berlin Collingwood Dogali Charleston Gymnote Lawhill Texas Havoc Louisville/St. Louis Esmerelda Forban Majestic D'Entrecasteaux Fuji Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse Chateaurenault Giuseppe Garibaldi Bayan Mikasa Deutschland Blucher Discovery Bainbridge Thomas W Lawson Archibald Russel Lusitania Chester class Dreadnought Scharnhorst (Gneisenau) Invincible Emden Wyoming Michigan/Delaware class Titanic Courbet class Gangut/Octyabr Revolutskya Cap Trafalgar E-class submarine Kongo class/Haruna Queen Elizabeth class Fuso Nevada class U-21 Baden Pennsylvania/Arizona R class/Royal Oak Courageous class Furious M1/M2 New Mexico class/Idaho Eagle Hood Hermes Java Akagi/Kaga William G Mather Lexington class Nelson class Takao class (Myoko) Koln Infanta Beatriz Ardent/A class Exeter/York Amerigo Vespucci Zara Conte di Savoia Rex Indianapolis Achilles/Leander Class Astoria Fantasque class Town class/Belfast Queen Mary Graf Spee/Deutschland class Mogami Normandie Condottiere class Dunkerque La Galissonniere/Gloire Brooklyn class Scharnhorst class Type II Type VII Yorktown class Giulio Cesare (modernised) Tromp Ark Royal Soryu/Hiryu Tribal class Vittorio Veneto Niew Amsterdam Atlantis Hipper class K, J and N classes/Kelly T-class subs T-class (German) Z class Shokaku/Zuikaku Audacity Bismarck class Hunt class/Atherstone Illustrious/Indomitable class Kagero class/Hamakaze Marconi class Renown 2nd mod Richelieu S boote Flower class/Acanthus King George V class/Howe Wasp North Carolina/Washington Ognevoi class PC class Type IX V and W classes (modernised)/Walker Yamato class J, O and P classes Akitsuki Gato class RO class South Dakota class Baltimore class Bogue class Essex class Fletcher class Independence class Iowa class S-class subs/Seraph S-W classes Ashland LSD Artemis attack transport Allen M Sumner class Taiho Esso Manchester C class destroyer Colossus class Gearing class/Duncan Shinano Type XXI Type XXIII Midway class/Coral Sea Daring class Ark Royal/Eagle Neutrashimyy United States Albacore Trieste Forrestal Endurance November class Hermes/Viraat Farragut Skipjack class Savannah Osa/Komar class Foxtrot George Washington class Long Beach/Bainbridge/Truxton Oberon/Porpoise class County class Dreadnought/Valiant Enterprise Iwo Jima Kitty Hawk class/JFK Kruppnyy class Canberra France/Norway Leander Class Galileo Galei Kashin class Alligator Moskva Fearless/Intrepid Queen Elizabeth 2 Sturgeon class Kresta class Resolution Type 201/206/209 Yankee class Gus class Vittorio Veneto Han class Knox/Baleares California/Virginia class Le Redoutable A class/Amazon class Kiev class Nanuchka Tango Class Type 42 class Charlie class Sparviero Agosta/Daphne Los Angeles Tachikaze Nimitz class Spruance Broadsword class Delta class Lupo/Maestrale Oliver Hazard Perry Class Tarawa Ivan Rogov Kirov class Invincible class Nacken class Sovremenny Typhoon/Akula Victor III MEKO series frigates Udaloy AP .1-88 CG47 class/Ticonderoga Giuseppe Garibaldi Sierra class Slava class T class submarines Aster Minehunter Whidbey Island Xia Jakob van Heemskerk Vastergotland Index Halifax Neutrashimyy Club Med Arleigh Burke Floreal Kongo Jervis Bay Futura Type 123 Brandenburg Le Triomphant Vanguard Murasame class Chakri Naruebet Oyashio Ferry Lavender Voyager of the Seas

Read more less

Book SynopsisAt its peak in January 1945, 10,000 people worked at Bletchley Park, reading 4000 messages a day, decrypting German and Japanese communications and helping the Allies to victory. But while we know that Bletchley was the centre of Britain’s World War II code-breaking, how did its efforts actually change the course of the war? Enigma: How Breaking the Code Helped Win World War II tells the story of Bletchley’s role in defeating U-boats in the Atlantic, breaking the Japanese codes, helping the Allies to victory in North Africa, deciphering the German military intelligence code, learning of most German positions in western Europe before the Normandy Landings, defeating the Italian Navy in the Mediterranean, and helping sink the German battleship Scharnhorst off Norway. In tracing these events, the book also delves into the stories of major Bletchley characters, ‘boffins’ such as Alan Turing and Gordon Welchman, and ‘Debs’ such as Joan Clarke and Margaret Rock. An accessible work of military history that ranges across air, land and naval warfare, the book also touches on the story of early computer science. Illustrated with 120 black-&-white and colour photographs, artworks and maps, Enigma: How Breaking the Code Helped Win World War II is an authoritative and novel perspective on WWII history.Table of ContentsIntroduction: Captain Ridley’s Shooting Party Unlocking Enigma The Battle of Cape Matapan North Africa The Atlantic War The Lorenz Code Battle of the North Cape The Eastern Front Bibliography Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe stories of Thor, Odin and Loki are familiar to most of us. Many people know that the Norse gods fought against giants and were ultimately betrayed by Loki the trickster. The end of the world and the death of the gods in a grim battle called Ragnarok has also found its way into popular culture. Ideas taken from Norse mythology are frequently found in modern fantasy and science fiction – such as elves, dwarfs and undead warriors rising from an unquiet grave, for example. Norse mythology is rich in adventure and ideas about creation, death and the afterlife. Norse Myths takes a wide-ranging approach, examining the creation stories of the Norse world, the monsters and the pantheons of the deities, including such figures as Heimdall, Freya and Baldr. It looks at the sagas and the Prose and Poetic Eddas, which tell of real and imagined people, featuring both heroic tales and humorous escapades. The book also examines how Norse myths were interpreted in a Christianized Europe and how their motifs influenced medieval German writers and, in turn, were used in the modern world in very different ways, by the likes of composer Richard Wagner and in the writings of J.R.R. Tolkien. Illustrated with 180 colour and black-&-white artworks and illustrations, Norse Myths is an engaging and highly informative exploration of a rich mythology that still resounds today.Trade ReviewThis truly is an exploration of Viking culture that everyone can enjoy. * All About History *Table of ContentsIntroduction The sources of Norse mythology and how it compared with other mythologies of the Middle Ages. 1. Creation Myths and the Cosmology Various forms of a creation myth are recounted, where the world is created from the flesh of the primordial being Ymir, and the first two humans are Ask and Embla. Also explores Asgard, where the gods live, and Midgard, where humans live. 2. The Deities Norse mythology is unusual in that it has two sets of deities who became a single pantheon. The clash between the Aesir (gods of war) and Vanir (gods of nature or fertility) could have a different mythic significance, however. It might indicate a change in society to a more martial outlook, since although the two sets of gods are supposedly equal, the Aesir seem to be the senior partners. 3. Jotnar Norse mythology was populated by a range of creatures, in addition to mortals and gods. Some were monsters, some personifications of natural forces, and some were powerful supernatural beings. Others, like the Jotnar, were very similar to the gods and could have children with them. Many of the gods had at least one parent who was a Jotunn. 4. Other Creatures Norse mythology tells of a variety of magical creatures. These include Elves, Dwarfs, Trolls, Valkyrie, multi-legged horses like Sleipnir, sea beasts such as Jormungand, the wolf Fenrir, and the gold-hoarding dragon Fafnir. 5. The Eddas Most of what is known today about the Norse religion and mythos comes from the Poetic and Prose Eddas, or from the sagas written about mortal heroes. 6. Ragnarok The Valkyrie are maidens who carry half of those slain in battle to Valhalla to be ready to do combat when Ragnarok, the foretold battle at the end of the world, arrives. Some dead go to Hel. At Ragnarok, the gods Odin, Thor, Tyr, Heimdallr, and Loki are killed by fire jotunn; the world is destroyed and then repopulated by two human survivors. 7. The Legacy of Norse Religion Norse mythology saw a Romantic revival in 19th century art and music, such as in Wagner’s opera The Ring of the Nibelund, which drew on the Old Norse Edda, the Volsunga saga and Thidrekssaga. J.R.R. Tolkien, a scholar of Anglo-Saxon, was influenced by Norse mythology in writing The Lord of the Rings. Marvel comics also use the characters of Thor and Loki in their Avengers books and movies. Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisMammals include some of the most intriguing creatures on the planet: the big cats of Africa, the monkeys that inhabit the trees of the Amazon basin, the whales and dolphins that roam the world’s oceans. This book profiles the mammals of the world, using an entry by entry approach. By including fascinating examples from all of the world’s major mammal families, Mammals offers a truly comprehensive overview of mammals from every continent and gives a sense of the incredible diversity of mammal types. The entries are grouped by order, then within each order by family (and, where necessary, within each family by subfamilies); each family section contains examples of the key species, which are illustrated with beautifully detailed, full-colour artworks. For easy reference, each entry includes a table of information on scientific name, order and family, features, habitats, distribution, diet and breeding. Table of ContentsIntroduction 6 Artiodactyla–Carnivora 14 Cetacea–Insectivora 149 Lagomorpha–Pinnipedia 182 Primates–Rodentia 230 Sirenia–Xenartha 304 Glossary 312 Index 314

Read more less

Book SynopsisDiscover the fascinating world of the treasures beneath your feet. Minerals and Gemstones is an accessible and informative reference guide to 300 different minerals and gemstones, from simple sandstones to sanidine, jade and diamond. Learn what the Earth is made of, how its rocks were formed and how minerals and gems are used today. Minerals and Gemstones is divided into sections covering the internationally recognised classification groups. Each entry includes an accurately reproduced and representative colour photograph, and a key information table including specifications such as the colour, lustre, streak, hardness, specific gravity, cleavage, habit and crystal system of each type of mineral and gemstone. Full of facts and with an engaging but expertly written text, this handy, pocket-size book is a valuable reference source as well as a fascinating read.Table of ContentsIntroduction Native Elements Sulphides Halogenides Oxides and Hydroxides Nitrates, Carbonates and Borates Sulphates, Chromates, Molybdates and Tungstates Phosphates, Arsenates and Vanadates Silicates Other Minerals Glossary Index

Read more less