Category Archives: Travel Guides
Guy Martin: Worms to Catch
`I was never going to sleep in and take it easy, there were worms to catch.` In August 2015 Guy Martin crashed out of the lead of an Ulster Grand Prix superbike race held on the world`s fastest racetrack. He had invasive surgery to bolt his broken spine and hand back together, and within days
The Airbnb Story: How Three Guys Disrupted an Industry, Made Billions of Dollars … and Plenty of Enemies
`An engrossing story of audacious entrepreneurism` — Charles Duhigg`Captures the remarkable journey of Airbnb exceedingly well` — Reid Hoffman`fast paced, fun dive into one of the seminal firms of our time` — Rana Foroohar In 2008, two broke art school graduates and their coder-whiz friend set up a platform that – in less than a
Ivy and the Inky Butterfly
Bring your own colour to the story. From colouring book queen Johanna Basford, a lavishly illustrated fable about a girl named Ivy who stumbles upon a secret door leading to the magical world of Enchantia. A charming story that interacts playfully with beautiful, colourable artwork in Johanna`s signature style, Ivy and the Inky Butterfly is
London Walks: London Stories
“London Stories” is written by the expert guides who also produce the ‘London Walks” series, and their knowledgeable stamp can be seen throughout this wonderful book.It will take you on at trek through London’s rich history and is a great way to discover hidden gems: explore London’s literary life, from Shakespeare to Dickens; tread cautiously
The Longest Climb
The Longest Climb is the utterly compelling account of Dominic and his team`s expedition from the Dead Sea to the peak of Everest. His team EverestMax were the first ever to make this extraordinary journey. Following an old Victorian route, Dominic cycled through Jordan, Syria, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan and India on his way to Tibet
Walking the Amazon
In April 2008, Ed Stafford began his attempt to become the first man ever to walk the entire length of the River Amazon. Nearly two and a half years later, he had crossed the whole of South America to reach the mouth of the colossal river. With danger a constant companion – outwitting alligators, jaguars,
Dark Summit
Everest – the highest mountain in the world and the ultimate climbing challenge. In 2006, 11 people died attempting to reach the summit, the most fatalities since 1996. But unlike 1996, 2006 saw no surprise blizzard, only the constant dangers posed by unstable ice, merciless cold, thin air – and human nature. Nick Heil tells
Cocaine
Cocaine has started wars, prompted invasions, embarrassed politicians, toppled governments, filled prisons, created billionaires, fuelled parties, bankrupted countries and taken thousands of lives. All because of a small, unremarkable-looking shrub. Dominic Streatfeild`s highly-praised and comprehensive study examines the history of the world`s most popular, most problematic drug, from its origins with the Incas, to early
Birdwatching Watching
Alex Horne is not a birdwatcher. But his dad is, so with the prospect of fatherhood looming on his own horizon, Alex decided there was no better time to really get to know both his father and his father`s favourite hobby. So he challenged his dad to a Big Year: from 1 January to 31
Two Wheels in the Dust: From Kathmandu to Kandy
Two Wheels in the Dust: From Kathmandu to Kandy covers Anne Mustoe’s amazing trip by bicycle from the mountains of Nepal, across the hectic cities of India, to the tranquil charm of Sri Lanka’s ancient capital Kandy. The author interweaves her evocative descriptions of her journey, full of keen observations and enjoyment of the open
The Monster Of Florence
The Monster of Florence, which was shortlisted for the prestigious CWA Gold Dagger Award for Non Fiction in 2010, is a true account of brutal serial murder in idyllic Florence. After settling in Italy in 2000, Douglas Preston discovered that the olive grove in front of his family`s new home had been the scene of
Cleopatra`s Needle: Two Wheels by the Water to Cairo
In Cleopatra`s Needle: Two Wheels by the Water to Cairo, Anne Mustoe charts her bicycle journey from London to the monument’s original site at Heliopolis in Egypt. Determined to travel close to water wherever possible, she cycles along the rivers and canals of France, along the Po and the Adriatic coast of Italy, the coastline
In Shackleton`s Footsteps
On the 29th of October 1908, a party of four men, led by Ernest Shackleton, set out to be the first to reach the South Pole. Three months later, their mission was in ruins and they faced certain death if they carried on. Just 97 miles from the South Pole, Shackleton turned back. One hundred
Amber, Furs and Cockleshells
The unstoppable Anne Mustoe tackles the Amber Route, the Santa Fe Trail and the Pilgrim Way to Santiago de Compostela: three very different but equally evocative journeys rich in history and spectacular landscape.Amber beads have been highly prized for their magnetic power and beauty for millennia, making their way from the Baltic Sea to ancient
Behind The Scenes At The Museum Of Baked Beans
`I am fascinated by people turning their daft dreams into a reality. How did they do it and why?` Driven by his own passion for collecting Hunter Davies has packed his notepad and set off in search of Britain`s maddest museums. As he explores these hidden gems he soon discovers that they are everywhere and
The Reluctant Tuscan
Rising From The Mist in the sun-blushed hills of Tuscany is Il Piccolo Rustico, a 300-year-old stone farmhouse that Nancy Doran dreams of lovingly restoring into an idlyllic home. All her husband Phil can see is a crumbling money pit that, as far as dreams go, is more of a nightmare. Reluctantly leaving behind high
Smile You`re Travelling
Using his trademark wit, insight and verve, icon Henry Rollins shares journals from his gruelling world tours of 1997 and 1998, as well as a record of the fulfilment of his longstanding dream to journey through Africa. He takes us on a rollercoaster of highs and lows, frustrations and exhilaration – from roving gangs of
Black Coffee Blues
If I lose the light of the sun, I will write by candlelight, moonlight, no light, If I lose paper and ink, I will write in blood on forgotten walls. I will write always. I will capture nights all over the world and bring them to you.` Henry Rollins, renowned spoken-word performer, musician, actor and
Do I Come Here Often
`I believe that one defines oneself by re-invention. To not be like yourparents. To not be like your friends. To be yourself. To cut yourself out of stone.` Using his trademark wit, insight and verve, hardcore punk rock icon Henry Rollins interviews Jerry Lee Lewis, John Lee Hooker and Isaac Hayes, includes articles on Roky
No Frills – The Truth behind the Low-Cost Revolution in the Skies
Simon Calder’s No Frills is the highly acclaimed story of a modern-day travel phenomenon, told by a leading expert with exclusive access to the airline’s main players. Low cost air-travel has become one of the biggest business success stories in the world in the last few decades and in this intriguing read Calder explore the
