In the fascinating “ Cochineal Red” Hugh Thomson`s details his extensive travels through the principal sites of Ancient Peru, intelligently weaving five turbulent millennia of Peruvian history, expert archaeological knowledge & the author’s personal accounts. Peru wears its ancient cultures wrapped around in layers, like one of the mummified bodies so well preserved by the nitrates of its deserts. After his acclaimed book on the Incas, _ The White Rock_, Hugh Thomson unwraps those layers to show how civilisation emerged so early & so spectacularly in this toughest & most arid of terrains. Many of the extraordinary cultures of Ancient Peru, from the lines of Nasca to the temple-cult of Chavín, buried in the mountains, & the great pyramids of the coast, have only started to give up their secrets & antiquity in just the last few years. Hugh Thomson has been at the forefront of some of these discoveries himself, having made headlines with his work near Machu Picchu. Now he takes the reader on a journey back from the world of the Incas to the first dawn of Andean civilisation, to give an immensely personal & accessible guide to the wonders that have been revealed.‘A fascinating, intelligently told tale, full of intriguing revelations, that penetrates deeper into the Andean past than previously attempted`
- *TRAVELLER MAGAZINE*‘[ Hugh Thomson] artfully blends technical archaeological knowledge with a readable & exciting account of his own Peruvian odyssey, from the search for lost ruins to life in modern Peru & even Lima`s politics... [ Thomson has] a deft touch & an evocative style`
- *GEOGRAPHICAL*

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In 1818, the revolutionary government of Chile was poised to attack Peru, the last bastion of Spanish power on the continent. The new ruler, the half-Irish Bernardo O` Higgins, threw his energies into creating a navy. Short of local naval manpower, the Chileans looked to Britain & the United States for the sailors needed to man & command their squadrons, many of them unemployed veterans of the Royal Navy. &, to be the new navy`s commander-in-chief, they recruited one of the most fearless & controversial officers of the age: Thomas, Lord Cochrane. The story of the naval war in the Pacific is an exciting one. Under Cochrane`s audacious leadership, coasts were blockaded, fortresses stormed & ships seized in bloody h&-to-hand fighting. The result was that Chile & Peru gained their freedom from Spain, while Cochrane enhanced his reputation & made a fortune in pay & prize money. For one hundred & fifty years, the accepted story of the war has been based on Cochrane`s own version of events. But how accurate is Cochrane`s account? To find out, Brian Vale goes back to the original documents, despatches, diaries & newspapers. The result is a new & vivid account of the war in the Pacific & a reassessment of one of Britain`s legendary naval heroes seen at the peak of his career. ...

Explore the tropical flavors & rich culinary traditions of America`s island paradise. Puerto Rico, a land of gorgeous beaches & luxurious ...

” First floor grill room of The Cock overlooking Fleet Street” in a series of prints of sepia photos of some of old London’s best loved landmarks, presented by Soho Publishing in an A3 (29.6 x 39.6 cm) format. Under the photo are brief notes about tavern which is mentioned in the Pepys’s diaries. Ideal for framing, these reproductions show many long gone or much changed sites & offer a unique way of decorating your home or office with photos of near by or close-to-your-heart parts of the capital. Please note: the prints are supplied flat rather than rolled, with an A3 protective piece of cardboard, so the package will be larger than the standard size letterbox. To see other titles in this series please click on the series link. ...

Cockermouth in 1898 in a fascinating series of reproductions of old Ordnance Survey plans in the Alan Godfrey Editions, ideal for anyone interested in the history of their neighbourhood or family. The map is double-sided. The main map covers the town centre, extending northward to Bell Vue & Hamesbottom Wood, & from Derwent Lodge & The Fitz eastward to St Helen`s Tannery. Features include Hames Hall, Goatmill Bridge, Derwent Mills, River Derwent, Cockermouth Castle, Goat area, Fitz Mill, Agricultural Hall, railway with goods station, Workhouse, Main Street area, All Saints church, Drill Hall, Castle Brewery etc. On the reverse is part of adjacent sheet 54.08 extending coverage southward to include railway station, Atlas Works, cemetery, Tanneries, Double Mills, golf course, Rubbybanks Mill, The Moor & River Cocker. About the Alan Godfrey Editions of the 25” OS Series: Selected towns in Great Britain & Ireland are covered by maps showing the extent of urban development in the last decades of the 19th & early 20th century. The plans have been taken from the Ordnance Survey mapping & reprinted at about 15 inches to one mile (1:4, 340). On the reverse most maps have historical notes & many also include extracts from contemporary directories. Most maps cover about one mile (1.6kms) north/south, one & a half miles (2.4kms) across; adjoining sheets can be combined to provide wider coverage.FOR MORE INFORMATION & A COMPLETE LIST OF ALL AVAILABLE TITLES PLEASE CLICK ON THE SERIES LINK. ...

Have you ever been lost for words in the East End markets? Ever got your Gertie Gitanas (bananas) confused with your corns & bunions (onions) & it`s all gone a bit Pete Tong (wrong)? Cockney Rhyming Slang is a quick, easy-to-use guide to some of the most frequently used, up-to-date as well as old-fashioned phrases. Including: `apples & pears`
- stairs; ` Barnet Fair`
- hair; `sausage & mash`
- crash; `bubble bath`
- laugh; ` Britney Spears`
- beers; `has beens`
- greens; & `dig a grave`
- shave. An entertaining collection that explains the ever-evolving dialect of London`s East End, with Cockney Rhyming Slang you`ll be conversing with the street traders of the East End with no Barney Rubble (trouble).






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The definitive guide to the vibrant & inventive language of the East End, featuring history, trivia & anecdotes. Cockney rhyming slang originated as a secret code among the thieves of London`s East End. Adopted by costermongers & market traders, it fast became a vibrant patois that defined a community, confused the police & evolved to include ever more colourful rhyming phrases. Constantly updated & added to ever since, & fostered by Londoners citywide, it has long enlivened the streets of one of the world`s most quirky & fascinating capitals. Cockney Rhyming Slang explores the origins & meanings of both commonly used & lesser-known phrases, taking in traditional slang as well as modern additions. Combining history, trivia, "es & anecdotes, it is the definitive guide to cockney rhyming slang for locals & language lovers alike. ...

This is a compact & handy summary of things a skipper & crew may need to know. It covers lights, shapes & sound signals, knots, ropes, engine troubleshooting & much more. With diagrams & illustrations throughout, this quick reference guide will help to keep you safe when out at sea. It is also splash-proof, making it the perfect reference guide to keep onboard. ...

Harry is on a special mission Detective Harry Hole arrives in a steaming hot Bangkok. The Norwegian ambassador has been found dead in a seedy motel room, & Harry has been sent to investigate. It`s clear that the Ambassador`s family are hiding some secrets of their own, but few people are willing to talk. He needs to solve a crime & avoid a scandal. When Harry lays hands on some incriminating CCTV footage, things only get more complicated. The man who gave him the tape goes missing, & Harry realises that failing to solve a murder case is by no means the only danger that faces the unwary. But in an unfamiliar city, who can you trust? ...

Cocktail Hour Under the Tree of Forgetfulness tells the story of the author`s mother, Nicola Fuller. Nicola Fuller & her husband were a glamorous & optimistic couple & East Africa lay before them with the promise of all its perfect light, even as the British Empire in which they both believed waned. They had everything, including two golden children
- a girl & a boy. However, life became increasingly difficult & they moved to Rhodesia to work as farm managers. The previous farm manager had committed suicide. His ghost appeared at the foot of their bed & seemed to be trying to warn them of something. Shortly after this, one of their golden children died. Africa was no longer the playground of Nicola`s childhood. They returned to England where the author was born before they returned to Rhodesia & to the civil war. The last part of the book sees the Fullers in their old age on a banana & fish farm in the Zambezi Valley. They had built their ramshackle dining room under the Tree of Forgetfulness. In local custom, this tree is the meeting place for villagers determined to resolve disputes. It is in the spirit of this Forgetfulness that Nicola finally forgot
- but did not forgive
- all her enemies including her daughter & the Apostle, a squatter who has taken up in her bananas with his seven wives & forty-nine children. Funny, tragic, terrifying, exotic & utterly unself-conscious, this is a story of survival & madness, love & war, passion & compassion.


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