“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.
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.
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.
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.
Beaches, marshes, mangroves; cliffs, deserts, forests; bays, deltas, estuaries – coastlines take many different forms and are put to very different uses. From deserted beaches to busy ports, from pretty fishing villages to a surfers’ paradise, a salt marsh to a ship-breakers’ yard, Coast celebrates where the land meets the sea. From beautiful coastal paths to the shipwrecks left high and dry in the Aral Sea, from world famous locations such as Copacabana Beach in Brazil and Big Sur in California to the little explored coastlines of Yemen and Oman, from Algeria to Antarctica, the Amalfi Coast to the Dead Sea, the book celebrates a huge range in coastlines from all around the world. Including nature reserves and tourist resorts, rugged landscapes and desert island tranquility, fjords and fossils, eroding cliffs to whole towns lost to the waters, the book explores coastlines in all climates and conditions around the globe. Presented in a landscape format and with captions explaining the story behind each entry, Coast is a stunning collection of images and stories.
Featuring more than 200 intriguing images taken by space probes travelling billions of kilometres from Earth, The Solar System is an exhilarating exploration of the mysteries of our local planetary space.
Within the span of a human lifetime, our spacecraft have visited all eight planets of the Solar System, together with several dwarf planets, asteroids and comets. We have mapped the surface of Mercury and Venus in exquisite detail, landed rovers on Mars, placed orbiters around Jupiter and Saturn, and parachuted to the surface of Titan. Our emissaries have visited icy worlds five billion kilometres from home and continued onwards to reach interstellar space. The pictures and science returned by these intrepid travellers have transformed our understanding of the Solar System in which we live.
Travelling from the edge of our Solar System, through the Milky Way and to the outer edges of the observable universe, Deep Space is a spectacular photographic guide to galaxies, nebulae, supernova and clusters. Learn about the birth of stars in our own galaxy, planets beyond our own solar system, when they were first discovered and how we have managed to photograph these places.
Ranging from the Magellanic Clouds within the Milky Way to stellar life cycles, from other spiral galaxies such as the Andromeda Galaxy, to the Sombrero Galaxy, and from nebulae such as the Pillars of Creation to black and white dwarfs, this is accessibly written for the general reader to grasp the science and magnitude of deep space.
Featuring 200 outstanding images, Deep Space is an exhilarating journey to the outermost reaches of the Universe.
Can you spot the Big Dipper in the night sky? Or Orion’s Belt? Or Cassiopeia? Even in cities, and without the aid of a telescope, these are a few of the easier constellations to find. In fact, a great deal can be seen in the night sky with the naked eye – if you know what you’re looking for. Night Sky presents 200 colour photographs of stunning nocturnal vistas all visible to the naked eye. From the majesty of the Northern Lights (Aurora borealis) as seen from Norway or Canada, and the Southern Lights (Aurora australis) as seen from Australia, to seeing the clarity of the Milky Way over an Italian forest, from witnessing a lunar eclipse in Indonesia to charting the course of the International Space Station across the Indian night, and from seeing a Geminid meteor shower in New Mexico to recognizing the Great Bear (Ursa Major) constellation over New England, the book is a feast of nocturnal delights. Where necessary, additional inset photographs indicate the formation of a constellation. Presented in a landscape format and with 200 outstanding colour photographs supported by fascinating captions, Night Sky is a stunning collection of images.
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.
There is nothing more cute or appealing that a little kitten who wants to play or wants to curl up on their owner’s lap for a well-deserved snooze. Kitten affection is a unique experience, and they can very quickly become attached to their owners. Although kittens do not open their eyes for the first 7–10 days of their young life, they very soon begin to explore the world around them, demonstrating an insatiable thirst for knowledge, adventures and new experiences.
Arranged in chapters covering family, shorthairs, longhairs, senses, and behaviour, Kittens features a huge range of breeds from all around the world. From a fluffy Main Coon and Scottish Fold to a short-haired Abyssinian or Siamese, the 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 190 outstanding photographs.
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,... Read less
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 wild dogs, working dogs, companion dogs, dog behaviour, and puppies, 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 180 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.
Plato dismissed Greek mythology as ‘old wives’ chatter’ but such chatter, from the Minotaur to the Trojan Horse, from Zeus to Prometheus, Heracles to the Argonauts, has been of immense influence for thousands of years. Those tales of deities and beasts, and of heroes and villains, must have possessed some quality to have lasted so long. Thousands of years on, we still refer in our every day lives to Achilles, Pandora and Narcissus. From Hades in the Underworld to Pegasus in flight, Greek Myths & Legends is an accessible introduction to the world of such characters as the Titans, Aphrodite and Poseidon. The book tells the story of Greek mythology from its creation myths and gods to its tales of mortals. Along the way we see the development of the pantheon of the major Greek deities, the dynastic struggles among the early gods, the creation of the Underworld and we learn how Ariadne, Medea and Perseus, among many others, fit into the mythic universe. The book also examines how Greek myths have survived in written texts, ceramics, art and architecture, and the legacy of Greek mythology in Roman culture and the Middle Ages, as well as its revival in the Renaissance and its enduring appeal today. Illustrated with 180 colour and black-&-white photographs, artworks and maps, Greek Myths & Legends is an engaging, highly informative exploration of a fascinating world and will appeal to anyone interested in legends and ancient cultures.
The SAS is one of the world’s greatest elite military units and its soldiers are renowned for their ability to cope when under great physical and mental stress. Now you can acquire the unique range of skills taught to members of the Special Air Service through the SAS & Special Forces Fitness Training.
Written by an expert author, this book offers a total fitness programme for both body and mind. Special exercises and routines will help the reader improve strength, stamina and agility. There are also chapters on diet and nutrition, to help the trainee’s body gain the maximum benefit from eating the right food and drink. The chapters on mental agility and self-defence teach the trainee to cope with the challenges of modern combat, the SAS way.
Illustrated with black-and-white photographs and instructive artworks and including expert advice throughout, SAS & Special Forces Fitness Training is an exhaustive, lively guide to achieving a level of fitness that will match the world’s elite military soldiers.
The 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.
Native American culture is founded on stories told orally and handed down through the generations, outlining myths that reveal the origin of a tribe, legends that chronicle heroes who fought the gods, stories that tell of malevolent trickster spirits, and canny morality tales for the ages. In Native American Myths you can read about characters such as Old Man, Rabbit Boy, Blue Jay (the trickster bird), the Double-Faced Ghost, the Splinter-Foot Girl and Mondawmin, the Corn Spirit. You will also discover the meaning of the Potlatch Feast, the legend of the Great Turtle and the myth of the Bear Foster-Son. The book is divided into seven chapters, covering creation myths; people, family and culture; the natural world; ghosts and spirits; gods, demons and heroes; love, morality and death; and warfare. Illustrated with 180 photographs and artworks, Native American Myths is an exciting and informative exploration of the beliefs and culture of North America’s first inhabitants.
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![Okładka książki SAS and Special Forces Fitness Training [mini edition]](https://dobreksiazki.pl/Photos/7/MEDIUM/000079/sas-and-special-forces-fitness-training-mini-edition.jpg "SAS and Special Forces Fitness Training [mini edition]. Autor: Wiseman John. Dobreksiazki.pl")
