Embark on an exploration of what lies behind our eyelids when we surrender to the secret life of sleep. What makes us cross the line from waking to slumber? According to Harvard scientists it’s our `sleep switch` – a cluster of neurons in the hypothalamus. For the ancient Greeks it was the god Hypnos, caressing you with his wings. For the Blackfeet Indians, a butterfly. From the meaning of dreams to the dangers of sleeping pills, Kat Duff brings insights from the latest in sleep science, the paintings of Salvador Dali, the musings of Michel de Montaigne, & rituals from around the world to paint a portrait of an activity that we all cherish but know little about. Why do we sleep? What happens in our brains when we sleep? Why are sleep patterns in Western industrialised countries so unhealthy? Is the boundary between sleep & wakefulness as clear cut as we might have supposed? Tackling the full breadth of what sleep means to us, The Secret Life of Sleep blends cutting-edge research with captivating narrative to explore a hidden world that is both intimate & mysterious. ...

Why is the Portuguese coat of arms set at an angle of 17 on the facade of Rossio station? Where in Portugal was The Magic Flute played for the first time & why did Mozart dedicate it to his master Cagliostro? What is the theory concerning the fifth dynasty of Portugal, traces of which are found in the street layout? Where can you find the most beautiful azulejos secreted around the city? Why & how did Lusitania become Portugal (Porto Graal), the place harbouring the legendary Holy Grail? Where can you find the Lisboan serial killer s head preserved in formalin? Why was the south doorway of the Jeronimos Monastery designed according to Hebrew Kabbalistic principles? What symbols are concealed within the Saint Vincent polytych at the Museum of Antique Arts? Who in fact are the Sebastianists, messianic in the style of Shiite Muslims, awaiting the return of the lost King Sebastiansince the Middle Ages Lisbon has been a favorite site for the development & application of the theories of alchemist kings, masonic ministers, occult poets, followers of hermeticism & the secret knowledge of the Knights Templar, who found refuge in Portugal after they were banned from the rest of Europe in the 14th century. Vitor Manuel Adriao, acclaimed historian & philosopher, is heir to all this esoteric knowledge in Portugal. Here for the first time he reveals his incredible knowledge in this truly initiatory guide, with a mind-boggling interpretation of the arcana of a city which some consider is on the way to becoming the spiritual capital of Europe. An exceptional guide. ...

Let Secret Lisbon guide you around the unusual & unfamiliar. Step off the beaten track with this fascinating Lisbon guide book & let our local experts show you the well-hidden treasures of this amazing city. Ideal for local inhabitants & curious travellers alike. The places included in our guides are unusual & unfamiliar, allowing one to step off the beaten track. Now in it`s third edition, Secret Lisbon features 160 secret & unusual locations. Inside Secret Lisbon: The most beautiful hidden tiles of the city, the head of the serial killer Lisbon preserved in formalin, the Kabbalistic principles of the south portal of the Jeronimos Monastery or the theory of the fifth Portuguese empire of which we find so many traces in the geography of the city, charming forgotten dead ends, the outstanding panoptic architecture of a former hospital, the impressive wax masks from the Dermatology Museum, a secret passage at the hotel Avenida Palace, the mysterious abbey below Palacio Foz, the reason why the coat of arms of the Portugal is inclined at 17 Degrees on the facade of the Rossio station.. . Don`t miss
- Each chapter of this Secret Lisbon travel guide book corresponds to a different neighbourhood of the city so that one can always find a hidden or secret place to discover. Perfectly planned walks
- Make sure that you do not miss any Secret location, by discovering each one featured in this guide by planning a walking tour of each neighbourhood.

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Ngugi wa Thiong`o is renowned for his political novels & plays, yet he honed his craft as a short story writer. First published in 1975, Secret Lives & Other Stories brings together a range of Ngugi`s political short stories. From tales of the meeting between magic & superstition, to stories about the modernising forces of colonialism, & the pervasive threat of nature, this collection celebrates the storytelling might of one of Africa`s best-loved writers. ...

In this book you ll discover that: Teddy Roosevelt was blinded in a White House boxing match John Quincy Adams loved to skinny-dip in the Potomac River Gerald Ford once worked as a Cosmopolitan magazine cover model Warren G. Harding gambled with White House china when he ran low on cash Jimmy Carter reported a UFO sighting in Georgia. With chapters on everyone from George Washington to President 45, whoever he (or she!) may be, Secret Lives of the U.S. Presidents tackles all the tough questions that other history books are afraid to ask: Which president claimed that God struck down Abraham Lincoln on purpose? How many of these folks were cheating on their spouses? & are there really secret tunnels underneath the White House? American history was never this much fun in school! ...

Mingle with the most extravagant handlebar moustaches in Britain, pay your respects at the dog cemetery in Hyde Park, visit a Masonic temple, take trapeze lessons in a former power station, pray in a floating church, sail on a disused reservoir, discover the stone from which Arthur drew Excalibur, admire the sacred penis of a pharaoh, take aim on the City s last bowling green, go stargazing at Greenwich Observatory, examine a rare cucumber straightener, a stuffed mermaid or a cow s heart... Far from the crowds & the usual cliches, London still holds hidden treasures for those who know how to wander off the beaten track. An indispensable guide for those who thought they knew London well, or who would like to discover the hidden face of the city. ...

Secret London
- Bars & Restaurants in the Jonglez series of guides; profiling a range of European cities as well as thematic titles
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Discover a secret club frozen in time since 1946, press the champagne button to summon the bubbly trolley to your booth, read the infamous list of house rules of a members` club hidden behind a door with no sign outside, join a louche club in the original dressing & rehearsal rooms of a theatre, sweet-talk your way into a secret bar frequented by the Pogues & John Lydon, find a guide who`ll squeeze you into an intriguing slice of Soho history that`s only accessible from a door behind the bar, meet the members of the glorious Handlebar Moustache Club at their pub, go for serious food at knock-down prices in cookery schools, travel back to the heyday of the USSR in a hidden Polish gem of a restaurant, seek out a bar in a converted subterranean public convenience built for the 1908 Olympic Games, eat curry for free in a Sikh temple, frighten yourself in a haunted bar that contains an ancient stone marking the dead centre of the City, go to the oldest surviving Grand Music Hall in the world, have lunch in secret gardens...140+ places with amazing decor, eccentric owners, bizarre food, old-time survivors & more that will please & astonish underground & post-industrial fans, refined gourmets & cocktail drinkers, world food lovers & anyone curious enough to discover the infinite possibilities to have fun in London. An absolute must-have to finally enjoy the amazing hidden London bar/restaurant/pub/club scene. ...

Set off on an exploration of London with this beautiful colouring book from London illustrators Alice Chadwick & Rosie Goodwin. Take a trip down the Thames, enjoy a ride on the London Eye, hang out in hipster Hoxton & perhaps pick up some flowers in Columbia Road on the way. Choose your colours & lose yourself in city life. Pick up insider information & historical facts as you wander the city`s streets, & don`t forget to check the map if you get lost! As you focus on colouring in & start to forget the stresses of everyday life, you`ll find calm returning. ...

Secret Madrid in the Jonglez series of guides; profiling a range of European cities as well as thematic titles & designed to explore the undiscovered & hidden attractions usually hidden from tourists. The ‘ Secret’ titles present a range of sites
- including gardens, museums, squares, churches, parks & distinctive architecture
- that are often not covered by other guides. Double page spreads have a description of the site & a glossy full length photograph opposite. Addresses, opening times, contact details & relevant transport information is also provided. Jonglez also publish a range of “ Unusual…” titles, with an emphasis on thematic experiences, including hotels & shopping, to a range of destinations. Each guide has a similar format to the ‘ Secret’ series, with individual recommendations & suggestions accompanied by colour photographs throughout the text.

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