Wilfred Thesiger, arguably last century`s greatest explorer, recalls his travels among the mountain ranges of Asia. Although he originally wanted it to be a book of photographs, his diaries contained enough information to accompany the pictures with a full narrative. He is not driven by the desire to conquer an unclimbed mountain, he is not a trained mountaineer, he loves mountains as they are. With great respect & awe he travels extensively at intervals, over the years, among mountains & mountain people in remote areas of the Middle East & Asia; particularly in the mountains of Iraqi Kurdistan, the Karakorams, the Hindu Kush & Ladakh, visiting Chitral & wild, untravelled Nuristan. Spanning a period of over 30 years (1951-1983) this book draws on Thesiger`s original diaries of his various journeys & his vivid memories of them, &

Includes:: some 80 or so previously unpublished photographs of the stunning mountain scenery he saw & the people he encountered.`I have always been attracted by mountains...` Wilfred Thesiger, 1987

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As a civil war shatters a country & consumes its people, historian Christian Sahner offers a poignant account of Syria, where the past profoundly shapes its dreadful present. Among the Ruins blends history, memoir & reportage, drawing on the author`s extensive knowledge of Syria in ancient, medieval, & modern times, as well as his experiences living in the Levant on the eve of the war & in the midst of the ` Arab Spring`. These plotlines converge in a rich narrative of a country in constant flux -- a place renewed by the very shifts that, in the near term, are proving so destructive. Sahner focuses on five themes of interest to anyone intrigued & dismayed by Syria`s fragmentation since 2011: the role of Christianity in society; the arrival of Islam; the rise of sectarianism & competing minorities; the emergence of the Ba`ath Party; & the current pitiless civil war. Among the Ruins is a brisk & illuminating read, an accessible introduction to a country with an enormously rich past & a tragic present. For anyone seeking to understand Syria, this book should be their starting point. ...

Among the Russians is a marvellous account of Colin Thubron`s solitary journey by car from St Petersburg & the Baltic states, south to Georgia & Armenia. A gifted writer & intrepid traveller, Thubron grapples with the complexities of Russian identity & relays his extraordinary journey in characteristically lyrical style. This is an enthralling account of the habits & idiosyncrasies of a fascinating nation & also a sharp & insightful social commentary on Russian life. ...

As the summer draws to a close, a few snowbeds
- some as big as icebergs
- survive in the Scottish Highlands. Christopher Nicholson`s

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John Mc Gahern is widely considered to be one of Ireland`s greatest writers, with fans including John Updike, Hilary Mantel, Colm Toibin & John Banville. Often hailed as his greatest work, Amongst Women is a poignant novel of family & togetherness. Once an officer in the Irish War for Independence, Moran is now a widower, eking out a living on a small farm where he raises his two sons & three daughters. Adrift from the structure & security of the military, he keeps control by binding his family close to him. But as his children grow older & seek independence, & as the passing years bring with them bewildering change, Moran struggles to find a balance between love & tyranny. ”A masterpiece... It is the sort of book which you can give anyone of any age & know that they will be changed by it.” (Colm Toibin). ...

L`appetito vien mangiando!
- Appetite comes while you are eating. Vicky arrives in Tuscany to study the language & culture of Italy,
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The island of Amorgos in the Cyclades on a light, waterproof & tear-resistant, contoured & GPS compatible map at 1:32, 000 from Anavasi. 16 recommended walks are accompanied by brief descriptions & the map also

Includes:: a street plan of Chora. Landscape is vividly presented by contours at 20m intervals with hill shading & spot heights. The map indicates dirt roads in poor condition with distances on most routes plus locations of petrol stations & car parks. Also marked are stops of the local bus service. Country paths distinguish between wide & well defined or narrow and/or poorly defined routes. Symbols highlight various facilities & places of interest including hotels, campsites, restaurants, beaches, historical remains, etc. All place names are in both Greek & Latin alphabets. The map has a 1km UTM grid plus latitude/longitude margin ticks & crosshairs at 1’. On the reverse is a separate, simplified map of the island designed to highlight 16 hiking trails which are accompanied by brief descriptions. Also provided here is a street plan of Chora showing locations of tavernas, cafes, etc. Map legend & all the text include English. To see which other Greek islands are covered by maps from Anavasi, please click on the series link.

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Amorgos on a light, waterproof & tear-resistant, contoured & GPS compatible map at 1:35, 000 from Terrain Editions with a street plan of the Hora of Amorgos at 1:3, 500, plus an enlargement at 1:15, 000 of the Eghiali/ Aegiali
- the island`s principal rock climbing area. On the reverse is information on climbing sites, plus descriptions of 14 specially selected hiking trails. All place names are shown in both Greek & Latin alphabet. Map legend & all the text include English. Maps of the Greek islands from Terrain Editions have topography well presented by contours at 20m intervals (unless indicated differently in the map`s individual description), enhanced by spot heights, subtle relief shading & additional altitude colouring. Road network is very clearly graded according to width & the type of surface, distinguishing between good & rough dirt roads. Distances are marked on most small local roads, as well as locations of petrol stations and/or tyre repair workshops; scenic routes are highlighted. Each map also shows which ports are served by ferry services. Hiking paths are graded as main or narrow trails. National parks & other protected areas are marked & a wide range of symbols indicate various places of interest & recreational facilities, with main sights clearly highlighted. Most titles distinguish between sandy & pebble beaches; some also indicate beaches with natural shade and/or the type of sea bed. The maps have a UTM grid, plus latitude & longitude margin ticks. The reverse side of each title is covered by general information about the isl&, illustrated with colour photos. Many titles also include brief descriptions of recommended hiking trails and/or a street plan of the island’s main town, with colouring clearly showing various tourist facilities. To see the other titles in this series please click on the series link.
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Amorgos, Naxos, Paros & Eastern & Northern Cyclades in the Walking the Greek Islands series from Dieter Graf describes the best & oldest walking trails. It

Includes:: detailed maps, exact times, GPS points & colour photographs of outstanding places
- & lots of information about the ”islands of light”. Olive groves, forsaken monasteries, the scent of thyme, sleepy villages, Byzantine chapels, secluded coves, there is much to be discovered on the Cyclades. Hiking & swimming for isl&-hoppers on the following islands:- Amorgos; Andros; Antiparos; Donoussa, Iraklia, Koufonisi, Mykonos, Naxos, Paros, Schinoussa, Syros, Tinos.


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Topographic survey of Catalonia at 1:25, 000 from the Institut Cartogràfic i Geològic de Catalunya, an attractive alternative to Spain’s national topographic survey at this scale, offering a much larger area per sheet with extensive tourist information & vivid presentation of vegetation & land use. These large, detailed maps have contours at 10m intervals enhanced by hill shading & fine colouring and/or graphics to portray of vegetation or land use (different types of woodlands, marshl&, vineyards, crops, etc). An overprint highlights waymarked local & long-distance GR footpaths plus CT cycling routes. Also highlighted are picturesque locations such as villages, isolated buildings or natural features. A very wide range of symbols indicate various facilities, places of interest & recreational sites: tourist information centres, campsites & other rural accommodation, cultural heritage, vineries, wildlife observation areas, viewpoints & beauty spots, sites for recreational pursuits including horse riding, water sports, paragliding, etc The maps are divided by the publishers into three types: Administrative Units, Natural Protected Areas, & Geographical Areas, as shown on our grid for this series. Coverage by each sheet varies; most maps present an area of 30 x 23km (19 x 14km approx). The maps have a 1km UTM grid, with latitude & longitude values shown for the map corners. Excellently presented topographic map legend is in Catalan only but the legend for the tourist information & the road network

Includes:: English. To see the list of all the titles in this series please click on the series link.

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