From the gardens of the Palace of Versailles to Beatrix Potter’s garden in the Lake District, from Monet’s garden in France to the Tivoli Gardens in Rome, from the Japanese garden in Portland, Oregon, to city gardens in Tokyo, Amazing Gardens is a wide-ranging celebration of all types of gardens around the globe.
Including formal French gardens and English landscape gardens, famous botanical gardens and little-known curiosities, Iranian and Persian gardens, grand, country house gardens and inner-city gardens, Zen gardens, strolling Japanese gardens and Chinese gardens, medicinal gardens and one poison garden, knot gardens and Roman gardens, the book explores a huge variety of the approaches and uses of gardening around the world over millennia.
In telling the stories of these places, the book touches on the lives of the people who worked in them, designed them and owned them – people such as Prince Charles, Capability Brown, Gertrude Jekyll, Edith Wharton and Agatha Christie.
Illustrated with more than 200 outstanding colour photographs and expert captions, Amazing Gardens not only champions the splendour of the world’s most magnificent gardens but also reveals many fascinating stories about the history of these places and the people who created them.
From the Azteca to the Appaloosa, Choctaw to the Palomina, Brumbys in Australia to the Mongolian, from rare breeds such as the Polish Konik to the semi-feral Pyrenean Pottok, Horses celebrates a wide variety of breeds from all around the world.
Ranging from dressage to police horses, from racing horses to rodeo and polo, the book looks at the anatomy and lifecycle of foals and yearlings, colts and fillies, stallions, mares and geldings around the globe. It includes draft horses and warmbloods, light horses and thoroughbreds, gaited horses, ponies and breeds that have become feral. Each photograph is accompanied by a caption with fascinating information about the characteristics of each breed.
Illustrated with 200 outstanding colour photographs, Horses is an exquisitely produced work packed with lively information about this beloved animal.
Why 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.
Built to last, built to impress, built with style and grandeur – it is all the more remarkable when the most ostentatious of buildings fall into disrepair and become ruins. From imperial residences and aristocratic estates to hotels and urban mansions, Abandoned Palaces tells the stories behind dilapidated structures from all around the world.
From ancient Roman villas to the French colonial hill station in Cambodia that was one of the final refuges of the Khmer Rouge, the book charts the fascinating decline of what were once the homes and holiday resorts of the most wealthy. Ranging from crumbling hotels in the Catskill Mountains or in Mozambique to grand mansions in Taiwan, and from an unfinished Elizabethan summerhouse to a modern megalomaniac’s estate too expensive ever to be completed, the reasons for the abandonment of these buildings include politics, bankruptcy, personal tragedies, natural and man-made disasters, as well as changing tastes and fashions.
With 150 outstanding colour photographs exploring more than 100 hauntingly beautiful locations, Abandoned Palacesis a brilliant and moving pictorial examination of worlds we have left behind.
At the outbreak of hostilities in 1939, many of the aircraft in service with Britain and Commonwealth countries were outdated, and the RAF had to urgently expand production of the new types, such as the superb Supermarine Spitfire fighter and twin-engined de Havilland Mosquito.
British & Commonwealth Fighter Aircraft of World War II is a detailed guide to all the fighter types deployed by the RAF, RAAF, RCAF and RNZAF from 1939 to 1945. Organised chronologically by type, this book includes all-time classics, such as the Hawker Hurricane fighter that was so crucially effective during the Battle of Britain; the highly-adaptable Bristol Beaufighter, which was deployed as a torpedo bomber, night-fighter and maritime patrol aircraft; the Supermarine Spitfire, Britain’s most accomplished World War II fighter and one of the greats of all time; and the Curtiss Kittyhawk fighter-bomber, a stalwart of the North African campaign. The guide is illustrated with profile artworks and three-views, as well as two-page dynamic artworks of some of the key aircraft in service, such as the rocket-armed Hawker Typhoon that menaced German communications during the Normandy campaign.
Illustrated with more than 100 authentic artworks with accurate markings and camouflage, British & Commonwealth Fighter Aircraft of World War II is an essential reference guide for modellers and military aviation enthusiasts.
“From the fury of the Northmen, good Lord deliver us.” –Anonymous monk, Noirmoutier, France, 9th century AD
Beginning in 789AD, the Vikings raided monasteries, sacked cities and invaded western Europe. They looted and enslaved their enemies. But that is only part of their story. In long boats they discovered Iceland and America (both by accident) and also sailed up the Seine to Paris (which they sacked). They settled from Newfoundland to Russia, founded Dublin and fought battles as far afield as the Caspian Sea. A thousand years after their demise, traces of the Vikings remain all the way from North America to Istanbul. They traded walruses with Inuits, brought Russian furs to Western Europe and took European slaves to Constantinople. Their graves contain Arab silver, Byzantine silks and Frankish weapons. In this accessible book, the whole narrative of the Viking story is examined from the eighth to the eleventh centuries.
Arranged thematically,Vikings: A History of the Norse People examines the Norsemen from exploration to religion to trade to settlement to weaponry to kingdoms to their demise and legacy. But today questions remain: what prompted the first Viking raids? What stopped their expansion? And how much of the tales of murder, rape and pillage is myth? Illustrated with more than 200 photographs, maps and artworks, Vikings: A History of the Norse People is an expertly written account of a people who have long captured the popular imagination.
Discover every corner of Venice in this remarkable collection of spectacular colour photography that showcases Venice’s magical beauty and hidden gems, from the Piazzo San Marco to the island of Giudecca, the banks of the Grand Canal to the Arsenal district.
Venice is the ultimate showcase of the city’s bustling streets and canals. Every fascinating detail of the sprawling streets is revealed, from the splendor of its palaces, the beauty of its piazzettas, the romanticism of its bridges and canals, the delights of its gastronomy, the charm of its sestieri—the districts that make up the city of the Doges— and the wealth of its museums and its arts and crafts.
Presented in a pocket-sized landscape format and with captions explaining the story behind each photo, Venice is a stunning collection of images bringing to life the wonder of this historic European city.
From the late 1940s until 1991, the Soviet Air Force was the largest military air arm in the world, providing the core of Warsaw Pact air power that matched NATO during the five decades of the Cold War. A highly sophisticated air force capable of supporting ground troops, gathering intelligence and launching long-range air strikes, the Soviet Air Force could deploy 10,000 aircraft at its peak in 1980.
Illustrated throughout with detailed artworks with authentic markings and exhaustive specifications, Technical Guide: Russian Aircraft of the Cold War is a compact guide to the military aircraft deployed by the Russian Air Force from the end of World War II to the break-up of the Soviet Union in 1991. Organised by type, this book includes every significant aircraft used by the Soviet Air Force, from the MiG-15 jet that enjoyed such huge success against Western aircraft during the Korean War, to the Tu-95 long-range bomber, which was capable of carrying nuclear devices, and the ever-adaptable Mil Mi-8 ‘Hip’ helicopter, which has been used as a troop transport, reconnaissance, electronic warfare, assault platform, artillery spotter and airborne command post. The guide is illustrated with profile artworks, three-views and dynamic view artworks of the more famous aircraft of the period, such as the Ilyushin Il-28 ‘Beagle’, a jet bomber that fought in Middle Eastern wars in the 1950s and 1960s, to the MiG-21 ‘Fishbed’ interceptor, the most widely produced aircraft of all time.
Illustrated with 100 detailed artworks, Technical Guide: Russian Aircraft of the Cold War is an essential reference for modellers and aviation enthusiasts.
Ancient Chinese culture has a been a rich source of wisdom for many millennia: Chinese Wisdom provides a concise insight into the ideas of great Chinese thinkers, arranged thematically.
Living in the 5th century BCE, great teacher Confucius laid the foundations for an outlook and way of life that focused on correct behaviour, humaneness and respect for one’s elders, precepts that are deeply embedded across East Asian countries to this day.
His disciple, Meng Ke, outlined new ideas for rulers which provided the basis of Chinese political culture for many centuries afterwards. Laozi, the founder of Taoism and author of the Tao Te Ching, wrote about the Tao, or the Way – the correct way of living attainable to all and which links all things.
Sun Tzu’s Art of War provides advice on how to overcome and outwit an opponent (the basic tenets of which are often applied to business strategy today), while Zhu Xi taught the advantages of meditation as a method for self-knowledge and self-cultivation.
Beautifully produced in traditional Chinese binding, Chinese Wisdom offers more than 80 succinct quotes from Chinese thinkers through the ages, on topics as wide- ranging as filial piety, love, clear thinking, work, business, war and family.
Steam trains half-buried in the desert, roller coasters entangled in trees, hulks of ships perched high and dry miles from water – images like these are bound to make us wonder: what happened here?
From forgotten railway stations to flooded shopping malls, from secret Cold War bunkers to radiation zones, Abandoned Places explores more than 100 fascinating lost worlds from all around the globe. Surveying the ruins of industrial sites and military bases, ghost towns, holiday resorts and airports, the book explains the story of how each place came to be abandoned – whether through natural or chemical disaster, war, economic collapse, or changing tastes and customs. Throughout, though, a picture emerges, not only of what has been lost, but of what remains. Left to the elements but ignored by humanity, these ramshackle settlements and dilapidated structures illuminate times and designs that we thought were long gone.
With 150 outstanding colour photographs exploring hauntingly beautiful locations, Abandoned Places is a brilliant and moving pictorial examination of worlds we have left behind.
The 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.
“Zen is not effort. Effort is tension, effort is work, effort is to achieve something. Zen is not something to achieve. Just relax, relax so deeply that you become a revelation to yourself.” – Zen proverb
“Zen” is the Japanese pronunciation of Chinese chán, meaning “meditation”. Rather than representing a particular ethic or set of beliefs, Zen Buddhism – as practiced in Japan since the 12th century – is a discipline that seeks to reveal profound insight into the nature of things through thought, experience and meditation, passing on wisdom from master to disciple, rather than through reliance on formal doctrine and ideas.
Zen emphasizes rigorous self-restraint, the practice of meditation, and perceiving the true nature of reality through mindfulness. This insight can be expressed in daily life through acts of kindness towards others.
Beautifully produced in traditional Chinese binding, Zen Wisdom offers more than 80 succinct quotes from Zen masters such as Bankei Yōtaku, Matsuo Bashō, and the Buddha, on topics as wide-ranging as discovering purpose, maintaining concentration, mindfulness, tranquility, learning, kindness and finding joy.
The mythology of the Vikings is still alive today in popular culture: everyone knows of Thor, the Norse god of war (made popular through the Marvel Cinematic Universe); Ragnarök, the great battle at the end of the world, where many gods and heroes perish and the earth is submerged in water; the tragic love story of Siegfried and Brunhild, central to the music and operas of German composer Richard Wagner; the characters of Loki the Trickster, the great god Odin’s eight-legged horse Sleipnir, and elves, dwarfs and trolls, all popular motifs in 20th century fantasy literature. In Norse Gods & Myths see how Odin exchanged his eye in order to drink from the wisdom-giving Mímisbrunnr magical well; learn how Loki cut off the hair of the beautiful goddess Sif as a practical joke, and had to repay Thor by obtaining the all- powerful hammer Mjöllnir from artisan dwarves; explore how Asgard, the mythical dwelling place of the gods, was fortified by the giant jötunn in exchange for the fertility goddess Freya’s hand in marriage; and marvel at Yggdrasil, the sacred tree around which the Norse cosmos developed. Beautifully produced in traditional Chinese binding with 100 illustrations and photographs, this book will fascinate anyone interested in the mythology that brought us the terrifying giant wolf Fenrir and the goddess Hel, ruler of the underworld.
Stoicism is a school of philosophy founded by Zeno of Citium in Athens in the 3rd century BCE. It is a philosophy that stresses positive emotions over negative and helps in providing a framework for living well and achieving happiness.
Embraced by emperors in Rome, Stoicism has been an influence on philosophers throughout the years, such as Thomas More and Descartes, and is currently undergoing a cultural resurgence.
Divided thematically, Stoics Illustrated contains over 100 quotes from key philosophers, including Zeno of Citium, Cleanthes, Diogenes of Babylon, Cato the Younger, Seneca, Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius, and will give the reader many emotional and practical tools for living a better life.
The joy of chess lies in its endless possibilities. With each move, you immerse yourself in a world of strategy, calculation and creativity. Every game presents a unique challenge, testing players’ intellect and intuition to the maximum.
Chess is also known for its ornate and beautiful pieces as much as it is for strategy and tactics. Even many people who don’t play will often display a polished wooden set in their homes.
Chess Illustrated offers a compact, accessible introduction to the pieces, classic sets and basic moves of this supreme game of strategy. Learn about the Staunton chess pattern, which provides a model for most modern chess sets; marvel at the Isle of Lewis chess pieces, which offer a fascinating insight into the culture and wider connections of medieval Scotland; and understand how skilled players use pawns to control the centre of the board.
The book also includes features on some of the great players and classic games of the modern era.
Beautifully produced in traditional Chinese binding with 100 illustrations and photographs, Chess Illustrated will fascinate anyone interested in the material culture of one of the world’s oldest and most widely played games.
Tigers is an outstanding collection of photographs in a pocket flexibound format showing these fearsome yet magnificent animals in action. Tigers are the largest big cats in the world and because of this, many cultures consider the tiger to be a symbol of strength, courage and dignity. They are featured in ancient mythology and folklore and continue to be depicted in modern films and literature. You’ll discover how tigers are adapted for hunting: A tiger’s paws and claws are one of its greatest weapons during the hunt. Strong, and powerful enough to kill prey with a swipe, the bones in their paws also have cord-like ligaments to buffer them from the impact of hitting prey at a full run. You’ll also learn many other fascinating facts, such as how each tiger is unique – did you know that no two tigers have the same pattern of stripes? Or that you can tell a tiger’s age by its nose? Young tigers have a pink nose which gradually darkens, turning orange, then a blackish-brown as it reaches maturity. With full captions explaining how these incredible animals hunt and feed, rear their young and survive in the wild, Tigers is a brilliant examination in 150 outstanding colour photographs of this beautiful animal.
Classic superbikes are at the pinnacle of two-wheeled production engineering. Designed for adrenalin-inducing speed, breath-taking handling and head-turning good looks, these superb machines are the most glamorous and desirable bikes on the road. Classic Superbikes represents a fresh and informative approach to the subject. In handy pocket-sized form it chronicles 75 of the world’s greatest machines, from the earliest superbikes such as the Honda CBX 1000 and Suzuki RG500, to the Yamaha YZF R-1 and Ducati 996 SPS. Each of the 75 bikes in the book is examined in great detail over four pages. Stunning cut-out photography from a variety of angles and detailed annotations describe the motorcycle’s special features, while lively text explores the history of the bike and aspects of its design. For the real enthusiast there is a comprehensive specification box containing fact and figures, from engine size and tyre measurements to top speed, weight, power output and gearbox.
We live in an increasingly urbanised world, but there are still many magnificent stretches of wilderness unaltered by humankind. From the most remote mountains and valleys in Alaska to the southern tip of Chile and Argentina, from Europe’s primeval forest on the Polish-Belarusian border to Norway’s fjords, and from the Namib Desert to Kamchatka in far-eastern Russia to canyons in Kurdistan and rainforests in Cambodia, The Wild celebrates the beauty of uncultivated landscapes all around the globe. Arranged by continent, the book roams across landscapes and climates, from Antarctica’s dry valleys to African burning deserts, from European marshlands to Arabian rugged peaks and on to Tanzania’s craters, Indonesia’s volcanoes and New Zealand’s bubbling mud pools. Each entry is supported with fascinating captions explaining the geology, geography, flora and fauna. In doing so, the book reveals some of the world’s most naturally bizarre places. Illustrated with more than 200 colour photographs, The Wild leads the reader to the planet’s least cultivated places, from jungles to tundras. Take a step into the wild.
Humans are instinctively drawn to care for animals that are young, fluffy and cute, in much the same way that they want to look after their own young. And puppies are especially appealing, being energetic, enthusiastic companions always ready for fun and frolics.
Did you know that puppies cannot open their eyes until the age of two weeks, and they are not able to walk straight after birth? However, they are able to smell their mother’s milk and fight their way to a teat. Most puppies are entirely dependent on their mother for the first four weeks and then spend more time away from her. They are weaned around week eight.
Arranged in chapters covering family, working dogs, companion dogs, senses, and behaviour, Puppies features a huge range of breeds from all around the world. From a fluffy Alaskan Malamute to a sparky little Corgi, the book expertly examines the cuddliest pets on the planet.
With informative captions on every page, Puppies is a compact, engaging celebration of young dogs in 175 outstanding photographs.
Can cats really be accessories to a planned prison break? Yes. In 2013, a cat was found walking into the grounds of a Brazilian prison with saws and drill bits strapped to its belly. Can cats terrorise humans? Yes. In 2012, a couple in Seattle had to call the Police after their violent pet cat cornered them in their bedroom. And when is a cat also a mule? When it’s a drug mule. These, and many more, are true stories included in the Purrlitzer Prize-winning Cats Gone Bad. Each spread features a photograph or photomontage of an erring feline, such as squeezed into a fridge tucking into its contents, chewing its way through your wardrobe or in its element dressed as a cat burglar. Along with amusing text to accompany the image, there is also a paragraph on real-life cats caught in the act – the kind of cats who run away when they see a rat, are scared of mice, and steal so many of your neighbours’ possessions that you have to have a reverse garage sale to give them all back again. Featuring a colour photo or photomontage of each feline felon, Cats Gone Bad is a fun book of 45 funny images and quirky real-life cases.
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