Powerful symbols of remote antiquity, the pyramids have intrigued & fascinated generations. In ” The Complete Pyramids”, newly available in paperback, Mark Lehner surveys the history, building & use of these fascinating & mysterious monuments in unprecedented scope & detail, looking at both the practical aspects
- the quarries, ramps & tools used in building them
- as well as the conceptual
- the cosmology & iconography of the pyramids & the intriguing Pyramid Texts.


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Robuchon is the most influential French chef of the post-nouvelle cuisine era. Since the mid-eighties, he has been called the primus inter pares of Paris` three star chefs for his work both at Jamin & at his eponymous restaurant. He is renowned for the relentless perfectionism of his cuisine. His food was seen as instrumental in leading French cuisine away from the excesses
- & excessive reductionism
- of nouvelle cuisine. In particular, his cuisine is seen as harkening back to a more authentic, even bourgeois French cuisine
- cuisine actuelle
- which focuses on making each ingredient taste of itself. He has mentored such distinguished chefs as Gordon Ramsay & Michael Caines & his signature dishes include a cauliflower cream with caviar & potato puree. In ” The Complete Robuchon” he offers us his recipes (over 800), secrets & tips: from the perfect omelette to vegetable soup, leg of lamb to marinated mussels, to his renowned potato puree every dish is described in detail starting with the ingredients, he tells you how to clean & prepare them down to the way to hold the pan & precise cooking times. It is all here
- a catalogue of the basics of French cuisine & a broad sampling of dishes that have earned the author his titles of glory & his truly imaginative recipes from L` Atelier. Born in Poitiers in 1945, Joel Robuchon became the official chef of La Tour de France, where he learnt a variety of diverse regional techniques. At 28, he became head chef at Harmony-Lafayette, overseeing 3, 000 meals a day. In 1981 he launched Jamin in Paris & within three years had received three Michelin stars. In 1996 he left his Parisian restaurant, establishing L` Atelier de Joel Robuchon in Tokyo. He opened another L` Atelier in Paris in 2003 & has since established Ateliers in Las Vegas, New York & London.




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Two best-selling books on The Mother Road come together in one volume, offering unbeatable value for anyone interested in ...

The ultimate illustrated guide for sailors is now fully revised & updated. With a foreword by Olympic gold medallist Sir Ben Ainslie, & covering the latest developments in sailing & navigation technology, this manual is the undisputed market leader in sailing guides. The Complete Sailing Manual now offers even more extensive coverage of sailing practice, including foiling catamarans, apparent wind sailing, long-distance cruising, & electronic navigation. Former British national champion Steve Sleight offers a complete tuition course on seamanship, & his expert advice is brought to life with breathtaking action photography. Packed with essential information, handy diagrams, & step-by-step artwork, this is only sailing handbook you need when out on the waves. ...

Fairy tales, ghost stories, detective fiction & comedies of manners
- the stories collected in this volume made Oscar Wilde`s
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` Wilde did not converse
- he told tales.` Oscar Wilde was already famous as a brilliant wit & raconteur when he first began to
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This volume contains all of Kafka`s shorter fiction, from fragments, parables & sketches to longer tales. Together they reveal the breadth of Kafka`s literary vision & the extraordinary imaginative depth of his thought. Some are well-known, others are mere jottings, observations of daily life, given artistic form through Kafka`s unique perception of the world. ...

From the cruel irony of `A member of the Family` to the fateful echoes of ` The Go-Away Bird` & the unexpectedly sinister ` The Girl I Left Behind Me`, in settings that range from South Africa to the Portobello Road, Muriel Spark probes the idiosyncrasies that lurk beneath the veneer of human respectability, displaying the acerbic wit & wisdom that are the hallmarks of her unique talent. The Complete Short Stories is a collection to be loved & cherished, from one of the finest short story writers of the twentieth century. ...

” To compare Anita Desai`s fiction with that of Chekhov or the short stories of Tolstoy is not extravagant; it is entirely warranted”. (Irish Times). Anita Desai is amongst our greatest & most insightful writers. On the occasion of her 80th birthday, The Complete Stories gathers together the short story collections Diamond Dust & Games at Twilight & the novellas of The Artist of Disappearance, with a new preface from the author. From the icy suburbs of Canada to the overcrowded B& Bs of Cornwall, via the hill towns & cities of India, Anita Desai observes human behaviour unflinchingly but not unkindly, recognising our ordinariness & our strangeness, & capturing both with quiet precision. ” All her stories are full of a confidence in human nature that is a rarity & a pleasure to encounter”. (Spectator). ” Anita Desai is one of the most brilliant & subtle writers ever to have described the meeting of eastern & western culture”. (Alison Lurie). ...

Here, at last, is the book that this outstanding monument deserves, by the author uniquely qualified to tell the story. Ebba Koch leads the reader through the whole complex & gardens of the Taj Mahal, illustrated by hundreds of new photographs & drawings & with an in-depth explanation of each building. This encounter is framed by a complete account of the mausoleum's urban setting, its design & construction, its symbolic meaning, & its history up to the present day, with the result that the most familiar image in the world is suddenly endowed with new significance & added wonder. ...