In The Classical Country House architectural historian David Watkin takes a fresh & innovative look at the traditional British country house & shows how Classicism has been a seminal influence on British architecture since the seventeenth century. He demonstrates how the antecedents of the British Classical house, which lie in both Greek & Roman antiquity, were vigorously revived in the masterpieces of the Italian Renaissance, & enjoyed new life when transplanted to Britain by Inigo Jones, after his Grand Tour of the Continent in 1613-14. The book consists of five parts. The first looks at the birth of English Classicism in the seventeenth century, when houses such as Wilton House in Wiltshire (where Jones & John Webb designed the celebrated Double Cube Room) & Coleshill in Berkshire, reflect a rejection of contemporary styles in favour of a Renaissance-influenced design. The second part shows how the flowering of Classic design in the eighteenth century led to the creation of some of the most celebrated houses of the period: Chiswick House, Holkham Hall, Sir John Soane's Pitzhanger Manor, & the Grecian templar house, Grange Park. The third part recounts how the austerity of many buildings designed in the 18th century gave way to the richer styles of the Italian Renaissance Revival in the 19th century
- seen, for example, in Kingston Lacy, Dorset & Brodsworth Hall, Yorkshire. The final two chapters, on the twentieth century & beyond, reveal how even as individual an architect as Sir Edwin Lutyens immersed himself in a Classical language of design, in houses as diverse as Nashdom, Gledstone & the British Embassy in Washington D.C; & how, as the influence of Modernist design has waned, Classical styles have been revived
- most notably in the houses of Raymond Erith after the Second World War, & more recently by architects such as Quinlan Terry. David Watkin has selected over 150 of the finest images from the Country Life archive to illustrate an incisive study of 26 major houses & their architects. This highly informative & enlightening survey of Classicism through the centuries is a major addition to architectural history.

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Why is Chelsea so important to the Mozart story? Who really headlined at the first ever Glastonbury Festival? Which small Welsh village do Faure, Stravinsky & Prokofiev have in common? ` The Classical Music Map of Britain` is a charming & fascinating journey around the UK from a classical music perspective. Extensively researched & beautifully written, each entry explains why a particular site in Britain was so special to the composer in question, which pieces were composed there, & whether it is currently open to the public. Including h&-illustrated maps depicting key areas of interest, ` The Classical Music Map of Britain` is an enchanting adventure around some of our lesser-known landmarks
- perfect for any lover of history or classical music, or those keen to discover a bit more about how music has shaped our country.
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Robin Lane Fox`s ” The Classical World: An Epic History of Greece & Rome” is a comprehensive & enthralling introduction to Ancient civilization. The classical civilizations of Greece & Rome dominated the world for centuries & continue to intrigue & enlighten us with their inventions, whether philosophy, politics, theatre, athletics, celebrity, science or the pleasures of horse racing. Robin Lane Fox`s spellbinding history, spans almost a thousand years of change from the foundation of the world`s first democracy in Athens to the Roman Republic & the Empire under Hadrian. Bringing great figures such as Homer, Socrates, Cicero, Alexander, Antony & Cleopatra, Julius Caesar, Augustus & the first Christian martyrs to life, exploring freedom, justice & luxury, this wonderfully exciting tour brings the turbulent histories of Greece & Rome together in a masterly study. ” Epic in the true sense”. (” The Times” Books of the Year). ” He writes supremely well.. .a keen eye for the telling detail & powerful example.. .the humanity of the exercise shines through.. .compulsory, & compulsive, reading”. (Peter Jones, ” Sunday Telegraph”). Robin Lane Fox is a Fellow of New College, Oxford, & a University Reader in Ancient History. His other books include ” Alexander the Great”, ” Pagans & Christians” & ” The Unauthorized Version”. He was historical advisor to Oliver Stone on the making of Stone`s film ” Alexander”, for which he waived all his fees on condition that he could take part in the cavalry charge against elephants which Stone staged in the Moroccan desert. ...

Set in the Welsh Borders in 1980, The Claude Glass charts an unlikely friendship between two neighbours: Robin, the seven year old son of English hippie sheep farmers, & Andrew, a child so neglected by his impoverished parents that he is left almost mute, seeking solace among the farm dogs. Exploring his parents` semi-derelict farmhouse, Andrew finds an antique convex mirror
- a Claude Glass
- &, gazing into it, the two boys see their wild, rural landscape strangely ordered. But this comforting vision proves fragile as tensions & sexual jealousy rock the adult world around them. Written with a lyricism & freshness that echoes the work of Bruce Chatwin & Esther Freud, The Claude Glass draws you into the lives of its startling characters & their tarnished romance with nature.

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”A lovely book.. .wise at heart & filled with colourful characters”. (Joanne Harris, author of Chocolat). Salley Vickers, the top ten bestselling author of Miss Garnet`s Angel & Dancing Backwards, returns with The Cleaner of Chartres, a perfect book club book, for readers who loved Joanne Harris` Chocolat. There is something special about the ancient cathedral of Chartres, with its mismatched spires, astonishing stained glass & strange labyrinth. & there is something special too about Agnes Morel, the mysterious woman who is to be found cleaning it each morning. No one quite knows where she came from
- not the diffident Abbe Paul, who discovered her one morning twenty years ago, sleeping in the north porch; nor lonely Professor Jones, whose chaotic existence she helps to organise; nor Philippe Nevers, whose neurotic sister & newborn child she cares for; nor even the irreverent young restorer, Alain Fleury, who works alongside her each day & whose attention she catches with her tawny eyes, her colourful clothes & elusive manner. & yet everyone she encounters would surely agree that she is subtly transforming their lives, even if they couldn`t quite say how. But with a chance meeting in the cathedral one day, the spectre of Agnes` past returns, provoking malicious rumours from the prejudiced Madame Beck & her gossipy companion Madame Picot. As the hearsay grows uglier, Agnes is forced to confront her history, & the mystery of her origins finally unfolds. The Cleaner of Chartres is a compelling story of darkness & light; of traumatic loss & second chances. Told with a sparkling wit & captivating charm, but infused throughout with deeper truths, it speaks of the power of love & mercy to transform the tragedies of the past. ” Subtle & utterly joyous.. .a contemporary moral & psychological drama every bit as absorbing as Miss Garnet`s Angel”. (Sunday Times). ”A magical & at times sinister story about love, loss, secrets & forgiveness.. .with Chocolat-type charm”. (Scotland on Sunday). ” If you`re looking for a book to take you by surprise, Salley Vickers` latest is the perfect choice”. (Psychologies). Salley Vickers is the author of the word-of-mouth top 10 bestseller Miss Garnet`s Angel & several other bestselling novels including Mr Golightly`s Holiday, The Other Side of You & Dancing Backwards as well as a collection of short stories Aphrodite`s Hat. She has worked as a cleaner, a dancer, a university teacher of literature & a psychoanalyst & is an Impac award winning novelist. She is currently a RLF fellow at Newnham College Cambridge & she divides her time between Cambridge & London.
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All the mapping you need to complete the Cleveland Way national trail. A long-distance route of 177 km (110 miles), giving around 9 days of easy & enjoyable walking through the North York Moors National Park, taking in open heather moorlands, gentle dales, interesting towns & villages, & dramatic cliff coastlines. This booklet of Ordnance Survey 1:25, 000 Explorer maps has been designed for convenient use on the trail. It shows the full & up-to-date line of the national trail, along with the relevant extract from the OS Explorer map legend, & can be used when walking the route in either direction. It is conveniently sized for slipping into a jacket pocket or the top of a rucksack & comes in a clear PVC sleeve. ...

For all the fellow campers & explorers, we want to share with you our favourite recipes for eating well on the road. Having spent months exploring the world in our trusty VW camper, we`re experts at putting together incredible food equipped with just a two-burner camping stove & a tiny fridge or cool box. The Clever Camper Cookbook features over 20 of the best recipes we came up with on our travels-there`s no fuss, nothing too fancy, just deliciously simple cooking. Whether you`re on top of a mountain, down by the water`s edge or setting up for a few nights at a festival, we`ve got all your food needs covered. Start the day with one-pot Mexican poached eggs with chorizo, tuck into satay chicken for lunch & enjoy an al fresco feast under the stars with ideas for Spanish meatballs, Asian stir fries, fiery curries, & more. No longer does food on the road have to involve yet another portion of beans on toast! ...

The Climb by Chris Froome
- the inspirational memoir from the British winner of the 100th edition of the Tour de France. The Climb
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In May 1996 a number of expeditions attempted to climb Mount Everest on the Southeast Ridge route. Crowded conditions slowed their progress & late in the day 23 men & women, including the expedition leaders, were caught in a ferocious blizzard. Disorientated & out of oxygen, climbers struggled to find their way to safety. Alone & climbing blind, Anatoli Boukreev rescued a number of climbers from certain death. This honest & gripping account

Includes:: the transcript of the Mountain Madness debriefing, recorded five days after the tragedy, as well as G. Weston de Walt`s response to Jon Krakauer. ` Powerful.. .a breath of brisk, sometimes bitter clarity.. . Boukreev did the one thing that denies the void. He took action. He chose danger, & he saved lives.` New York Times Book Review ` The best book I`ve read this year.. . The Climb has a story that will grip & haunt you.` Alex Garl&, author of The Beach & The Tesseract

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The Climbing Handbook is the essential reference for anyone interested in climbing, from those just discovering the sport to experienced climbers. It is a full-colour book packed with stunning photography & illustrations giving detailed & easy-to-follow guidance on every aspect of climbing. This book takes the reader from the very first steps to detailed drills to improve skills & fitness. It covers: getting started equipment essential safety skills key techniques improving skill & strength descending & ascending types of climbing. The Climbing Handbook is from the same series as the well received Sailing Handbook & forthcoming Scuba Handbook. ...