In this entrancing new book, historian Michael Wood journeys to some of the remotest places on earth in search of four of our most powerful myths: Shangri-La, Jason & the Golden Fleece, the Queen of Sheba & King Arthur. His adventures take him from the fantastic landscapes of Tibet & the mountains of Georgia to the coasts of Ethiopa & Yemen. Michael asks why these famous legends still captivate us as he goes in search not just of the historical past & literal truth but also the mythic past.

In the first of these journeys, Michael investigates the legend of the hidden valley of Shangri-La
- a place where the ancient wisdom of humanity is preserved for future ages
- immortalized in James Hilton's novel & Frank Capra's Hollywood movie.

The Greek legend of Jason's search for the Golden Fleece is the ultimate quest, older even than Homer's Iliad & Odyssey - but was there really an expedition beyond the limits of the known world back in the mists of prehistory, before the Trojan War?

Travelling from Jerusalem to the Horn of Africa, Michael uncovers the legends of the Queen of Sheba, King Solomon & the Ark of the Covenant, stories found in the Jewish & Christian Bible, the Ethiopian Book of Kings & the Muslim Koran.

FInally, Michael travels through the Celtic countries of the British Isles in search of the tales of King Arthur, the Knights of the Round Table & the Holy Grail. Where do these stories come from? & why are we still fascinated by the once & future king?

Illustrated with a wonderful series of specially commissioned photographs by the Himalayan photographer & mountaineer Steve Razzetti, In Search of Myths & Heroes is at once a book of great journeys, a historical adventure & an exploration of some of humanity's most enduring myths.











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Everyone knows the story of the Delta blues, with its fierce, raw voices & tormented drifters & deals with the devil at the crossroads at midnight. In this compelling book, Marybeth Hamilton radically rewrites that story. Archaic & primeval though the music may sound, the idea of something called ...

Everyone knows the story of the Delta blues, with its fierce, raw voices & tormented drifters & deals with the devil at the crossroads at midnight. In this compelling book, Marybeth Hamilton radically rewrites that story. Archaic & primeval though the music may sound, the idea of something called ...

Five thousand years ago there began the most momentous revolution in human history. Starting in Mesopotamia, city civilization emerged for the first time on earth, to be followed in Egypt, India, China & the Americas. The ideals of these ancient civilizations still shape the lives of the majority of mankind. In Search of the First Civilizations (previously published as Legacy) asks the intriguing question: what is civilization? Did it mean the same to the Chinese, the Indians & the Greeks? What can the values of the ancient cultures teach us today? & do the ideals of the West
- a latecomer to civilization
- really have universal validity? In this fascinating historical search, Michael Wood explores these ancient cultures, looking for their essential character & their continuing legacy. A brilliant exploration. Sunday Times Well-written, gorgeous & guaranteed to induce thought... Wood takes great care to put everything in a large historical perspective, which is actually more disturbing than comforting. New York Post

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Ian Stafford has tried his hand at most sports. & what's more, for his two previous books In Your Dreams & Playground ...

For thousands of years we have been enthralled by tales of Troy & its heroes. Achilles & Hector, Paris & the famed beauty Helen remain some of the most enduring figures in art & literature. But did these titanic characters really walk the earth? Was there ever an actual siege of Troy? In this extensively revised edition, historian Michael Wood takes account of the latest dramatic developments in the search for Troy. His wide-ranging study of the complex archaeological, literary & historical records has been brought up-to-date. Detailing the rediscovery in Moscow of the so-called jewels of Helen & the re-excavation of the site of Troy begun in 1988, which continues to yield new evidence about the historical city, In Search of the Trojan War takes a fresh look at some of the most excited discoveries in archaeology. A dazzling & exhaustive analysis. Washington Post This beautifully illustrated book vividly evokes themes that are central to our civilizations quest for its past. The New York Times Book Review ...