K2 is almost 800ft shorter than Everest, yet it`s a far harder climb. Many great mountaineers became obsessed with reaching its summit, not all of them lived to tell of their adventures. Capturing the depth of their obsession, the heart-stopping tension of the climb & delving into the controversy that still surrounds the first ascent, Mick Conefrey delivers the definitive account of the ` Savage Mountain`. From drug-addicted occultist Aleister Crowley to the brilliant but tortured expedition leader Charlie Houston &, later, the Italian duo who finally made it to the top, Conefrey resurrects the tragic heroes, eccentric dreamers & uncompromising rivalries forever instilled in K2`s legacy. This is the riveting, groundbreaking story of the world`s deadliest mountain. ...

A giant-sized adventure story from bestselling author Julia Donaldson. Every giant knows beanstalks & little people don`t exist. Almost every giant, anyway... When Jumbeelia`s curiosity leads her to a real-live bimplestonk at the edgeland of Groil & down, down, down into Colette, Stephen & Poppy`s lives, the children find themselves in BIG trouble! They`re desperate to get home
- but it`s not easy when even the wasps are giant sized! This upside-down fairy tale is perfect for fans of Roald Dahl & David Walliams, as well as children who enjoyed The Gruffalo when they were younger.
...

The Giant`s Causeway on Ireland`s north Antrim coast is a place where myth & science meet. For over 300 years visitors have pondered the choice between giants & geology to explain this natural & cultural wonder. From tales of the Irish giant, Finn Mac Cool, & his building of the huge stone causeway, to the ancient & mysterious cooling of lava to form the basalt columns, The Giant`s Causeway takes the reader on an illustrated tour of the history, folklore, people, geology, wildlife, & stunning landscape of this unique place. Today the Giant`s Causeway is one of Ireland`s most popular tourist attractions, with half a million visitors each year from all over the world. ...

The definitive guide to one of Ireland`s most fascinating natural & cultural wonders. The Giant`s Causeway is a place where myth & science meet. Were the spectacular basalt columns formed through the rapid cooling of lava from an underwater volcano, or created by mythical Irish giant, Finn Mac Cool? For centuries visitors have explored the causeway`s unique rock formations. Today the Giant`s Causeway is one of Ireland`s most popular attractions, with three-quarters of a million tourists each year from all over the world. This book takes the reader on an illustrated tour of this unique place. With a wealth of recent research into the landscape, history, folklore, wildlife & the underwater world, it

Includes:: walks & driving routes through the beautiful surrounding north Antrim coast.

...

A tense & thrilling ghost story from the internationally acclaimed author of War Horse. It all began with a necklace, made from glistening pink cowrie shells. A long, long necklace that had taken Cherry days
- weeks
- of careful, painstaking work. It was nearly complete, & Cherry was determined it would be the longest necklace she had ever made; that it would be fit for a giant! But the end of the holidays had arrived. ” You`ve only got today, Cherry, ” said her mother. ” Just today, that`s all.” Cherry didn`t mind, a day would be enough
- she only needed a few more shells. So, amidst the taunts of her older brothers, she set out to search for them. Then the clouds grew dark & the waves grew large, & as the storm blew in, Cherry realized, to her horror, that she was cut off from the shore. From then on, events began to take a decidedly dark turn. One from which there was no turning back...


...

Penang, 1939, sixteen-year-old Philip Hutton is a loner. Half English, half Chinese & feeling neither, he discovers a sense of belonging in an unexpected friendship with Hayato Endo, a Japanese diplomat. Philip shows his new friend around his adored island of Penang, & in return Endo trains him in the art & discipline of aikido. But such knowledge comes at a terrible price. The enigmatic Endo is bound by disciplines of his own & when the Japanese invade Malaya, threatening to destroy Philip's family & everything he loves, he realises that his trusted sensei
- to whom he owes absolute loyalty
- has been harbouring a devastating secret. Philip must risk everything in an attempt to save those he has placed in mortal danger & discover who & what he really is. With masterful & gorgeous narrative, replete with exotic & captivating images, sounds & aromas
- of rain swept beaches, magical mountain temples, pungent spice warehouses, opulent colonial ballrooms & fetid & forbidding rainforests
- Tan Twan Eng weaves a haunting & unforgettable story of betrayal, barbaric cruelty, steadfast courage & enduring love.



...

Penang, 1939. Sixteen-year-old Philip Hutton is a loner. Half English, half Chinese & feeling neither, he discovers a sense of belonging in an unexpected friendship with Hayato Endo, a Japanese diplomat. Philip shows his new friend around his adored island of Penang, & in return Endo trains him in the art & discipline of aikido. But such knowledge comes at a terrible price. The enigmatic Endo is bound by disciplines of his own & when the Japanese invade Malaya, threatening to destroy Philip`s family & everything he loves, he realises that his trusted sensei
- to whom he owes absolute loyalty
- has been harbouring a devastating secret. Philip must risk everything in an attempt to save those he has placed in mortal danger & discover who & what he really is. With masterful & gorgeous narrative, replete with exotic & captivating images, sounds & aromas
- of rain swept beaches, magical mountain temples, pungent spice warehouses, opulent colonial ballrooms & fetid & forbidding rainforests
- Tan Twan Eng weaves a haunting & unforgettable story of betrayal, barbaric cruelty, steadfast courage & enduring love.



...

Rivers are the theme of this new collection by US publishers Travelers` Tales. Among some of the acclaimed writers that appear in it is Isabel Allende with a piece on the Amazon River, Jan Morris on the Nile, Simon Winchester on the Yangtze. Human life probably developed along the banks of rivers, great civilizations certainly did. Once the easiest way of travelling, today rivers have been displaced by roads & air travel & have nearly disappeared from consciousness in the modern world. These often nostalgic tales help us bring rivers back on the map. ...

We all know eloquence when we hear it. But what exactly is it? & how might we gain more of it for ourselves? This entertaining &, yes, eloquent book illuminates the power of language from a linguistic point of view & provides fascinating insights into the way we use words. David Crystal, a world-renowned expert on the history & usage of the English language, probes the intricate workings of eloquence. His lively analysis encompasses everyday situations (wedding speeches, business presentations, storytelling) as well as the oratory of great public gatherings. Crystal focuses on the here & now of eloquent speaking-from pitch, pace, & prosody to jokes, appropriateness, & how to wield a microphone. He explains what is going on moment by moment & examines each facet of eloquence. He also investigates topics such as the way current technologies help or hinder our verbal powers, the psychological effects of verbal excellence, & why certain places or peoples are thought to be more eloquent than others. In the core analysis of the book, Crystal offers an extended & close dissection of Barack Obama`s electrifying ” Yes we can” speech of 2008, in which the president demonstrated full mastery of virtually every element of eloquence-from the simple use of parallelism & an awareness of what not to say, to his brilliant conclusion constructed around two powerful words: dreams & answers. ...

Gandhi was an icon, but what would he teach us if we knew him as a man? Arun Gandhi reveals his Grandfather`s ten vital & extraordinary lessons, more relevant than ever, in his SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING, The Gift (formerly published as The Gift of Anger)... The moving, often irreverent, story of Arun`s years growing up at the iconic Sevagram ashram provides the setting for the treasured moments spent his grandfather, which are an engaging & often surprising read. These memories give a rare insight into Gandhi the man behind the icon, & reveal the motivations behind his ten inspirational lessons. Arun believes that the violence in the world today makes Gandhi`s teachings more vital than ever, & The Gift places these lessons in a modern context, shedding new light on how Gandhi`s principles can
- & must
- be applied to today`s concerns.` Anger is good. It is an energy that compels us to define what is right & wrong`
- Mahatma Gandhi, to his grandson, Arun


...