` Love does not need any comforting. It does not even need requiting. All it needs is itself.` Florence, 1502. Marshal Louis de La Tremouille`s small army has stopped off en route to Naples, to buy objects d`art for King Louis XII of France. Naturally, Leonardo da Vinci`s workshop is on the shopping list; & during their visit to his house, the young nobleman de Bougainville chances upon the not-quite-finished Mona Lisa. He promptly, utterly & hopelessly falls in love with the woman in the painting, & is determined to find her
- despite rumours that she has long ago died. A visit to an empty tomb, assault upon an Italian nobleman`s mansion, duel & execution later, the secret of la Gioconda`s smile is (possibly) revealed. An entertaining story, told with style
- about love, life, art, & the Quixotic things that a man will do to realise his dream.

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Mona Lisa's Pajamas gives readers a round-trip ticket for a journey around the world, carrying them to distant destinations most of us will never visit. Originally written for The Wall Street Journal & Bloomberg News, Copetas' delightfully surprising columns are now collected in book form for the first time. Covering exotic locales, improbable business ventures, artisan winemakers & memorably oddball characters, Copetas' vivid writing brings his subjects alive with richly-textured descriptions only a truly gifted observer can capture. From Sparta's souvenir sword-makers swamped with demand thanks to the hit movie 300, to a Russian golf pro whose favourite clubs were built from the scrapped metal of a Soviet nuclear missile, Copetas writes of unorthodox business pursuits & faraway locations with an infectious joie de vivre & an unerring eye for what makes enjoyable reading. ...

A haunting legend from the Undercity of Naples ” Goblin” ” Gremlin!” ” Demon!” Strange little creature. Strange pale eyes, so full of fear. Strange little monk, his habit black as nightmares, his surplice grubby as spilt milk. Strange little boy shaped like a question mark, who are you? Intrigue, superstition & adventure feature in the first book of two books set in the dark world of medieval Naples & brought to life by spectacular double-spread graphic artwork. An orphaned boy is dressed as a monk & ostracised by everyone except the roaming wild cats of the Undercity for his scary looks & his ability to make bad things happen. Monacello searches above & below ground, determined to solve the mystery of his parents. After he encounters friendship from a little girl with a mysterious background of her own, it seems he can also bring good luck
- a bringer of fortune; a wish granter. When a case of mistaken identity brings near disastrous consequences, this little monk must shake off his bad luck for good...THE AUTHOR SAYS
- I visited a friend in Naples, & she showed me the city`s best secret
- its Undercity: a gloomy, buried world of ruined houses & streets. Then I found out Naples has a secret inhabitant too
- part-good, part-bad; a bringer of good luck & trouble; a boy with a sad history of his own. Legends like Monacello`s date from a time when stories were not just for children; when they hovered in everyone`s brain, somewhere between made-up & true. I never cared much for wicked villains or superheroes. Monacello is a mixture of sun & shadow
- like we all are. My sort of hero. REVIEWS ” This story is very unique. It is beautifully illustrated with a very eye-catching cover. It tells the story of Monacello the little monk, searching for his mother in Italy after being abandoned as a baby. Raised to be poor, dirty & ugly, the city folk deem him to be `bad luck`. It runs along with a great textual rhythm & the plot is simple but imaginative, moving & absorbing all in one. Perfect for children & adults. The landscape within this world will stay with you for days. I really look forward to reading the sequel.” -- WATERSTONE`S. ” There are so many poignant & poetic gems scattered throughout this haunting tale. The quality of Mc Caughrean`s writing is stunningly original & the effectiveness of the descriptive, emotive language, creates a multi-layered & memorable story. Combined as it is, with stylish & atmospheric illustrations, Monacello has all the qualities of a classic fairy-tale. The themes of sadness & loneliness are woven so elegantly through the action-packed storyline that they burrow into the reader`s heart, in the same way as the sadness of Monacello & Napolina seems to seep into the heart of the city, affecting even the well- water, so that it brings tears to horses ”blue-brown eyes”. Unforgettable.” -- ARMADILLO MAGAZINE. ” Mc Caughrean`s reworking of a classic Italian folk story reads aloud wonderfully with its tale-teller`s seeming simplicity & its frequent alliterations & internal rhymes. The menacing illustrations of Jana Diemberger, an artist of Italian/ Austrian upbringing, will also invite shared talk between listener & reader. Her choice of viewpoint is often startling & dramatic. The dark, crater-eyes set in the pale moon of the foundling`s face haunt the pages. Only once is that face lit by a wan smile when Monacello has reached out to warm Napolina`s icy sadness... Designed with such care, this layered tale will demand to be revisited many times.” -- BOOKS FOR KEEPS. ” Think of your average children`s picture book & loveable monsters, fluffy animals & shiny trains probably spring to mind. An odd little creature-boy causing mischief in medieval Naples almost certainly does not. Mind you, the creator of Monacello The Little Monk isn`t your average illustrator. In fact Jana Diemberger is an Italian-born, multi-tattooed boxing champ, & the story of how she came to the profession is something of a fairytale itself. ” It was so exciting, ” she [ Jana Diemberger] says. ”I didn`t know it would definitely happen; I`m really proud of it.” & proud she should be; with its delicate, haunting images, Monacello is the kind of book that stays with you long after you`ve closed it.” -- CAMBRIDGE EVENING NEWS.




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Street plan of the whole principality of Monaco including Monte Carlo &, across the border in France, Beausoleil, Cap-d’ Ail & La Turbie. Enlargements are provided for the central part of Monaco around the cathedral & the marina (1:4, 000) & for La Turbie (1:3, 350). The plan overlaps with the publisher’s map of Menton to provide continuous coverage of that part of the Côte d’ Azur. Also included is a road map of the region at 1:250, 000, extending west beyond Cannes, east across the Italian border to the outskirts of San Remo, & inland to Sospel. This title is part of an extensive series of street plans of French towns from Blay-Foldex, the country’s largest, oldest & most experienced publisher of urban mapping. Blay plans include outer suburbs &, where appropriate, adjoining localities forming part of the urban agglomeration & provide brief descriptions of the town’s main sights, contact details for hotels & other places of interest, etc. The plans show one way streets, car parks & pedestrian zones. Important public buildings are clearly marked & identified. Blay street maps are usually double-sided & include an enlargement for the town centre & a street index with separate lists of “edifices publics”: main public buildings, places of worship, schools, sport facilities, stations, etc. Each of the outer suburbs or the adjoining localities, identified with its postcode, has a separate index. Many titles also provide a road map of the environs. All the text is in French only.PLEASE NOTE: to see the list of Blay-Foldex street plans of French towns & cities please click on the series link – the series description also

Includes:: a comparison between Blay & IGN street plans.

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A detailed topographic map of Monadhliath Mountains North & Strathdearn from the Ordnance Survey Explorer series, showing part of Cairngorms National Park Edition A1; Publication date September 2007 About this series: These highly detailed maps show all the administrative boundaries, settlements as small as isolated farms, the road network down to unfenced roads & country tracks, & field boundaries (hedges & drystone walls) which make navigation across the countryside much easier. Steep gradients on roads are indicated. Various landmarks, e.g. powerlines, archaeological sites, windmills, churches & lighthouses are shown & additional graphics indicate natural terrain features such as cliffs, scree, mud & vegetation variations. The contour interval is 5 metres in the lower parts of the country & 10 metres in the uplands, & spot heights are marked. Each map covers an area of 30 x 20km (i.e. approx. 19 x 12 miles), with some double-sided maps covering more, as indicated in the individual descriptions. The maps are fully GPS compatible, with the National Grid shown at 1km intervals & latitude & longitude indicated by margin ticks at 1'. The Explorer series has replaced the earlier, green-cover Pathfinder maps. The Explorer series is now complete & covers all of Engl&, Wales & Scotl&. Some sheets for popular areas like the National Parks are still branded as Outdoor Leisure (OL) maps, but are now included in this series as the cartography is the same as that in the Explorer Maps. The Explorer maps offer a substantial improvement on the Pathfinder series, with greater use of colour, larger area per map, & stronger emphasis on information for ramblers & tourists. This series is ideal for walking & other outdoor pursuits & each map shows a large amount of information for ramblers & tourists. Public rights of way are shown (except in Scotland), together with other routes with public access: National Trails & Recreational Paths, permitted paths & bridleways, & selected cycle routes. Open access land created under the Countryside & Rights of Way Act 2000 is marked. Tourist information

Includes:: caravan & camp sites, Park & Ride locations, recreation/leisure/sport centres, museums, historic buildings, English Heritage & National Trust sites, rural pubs, etc. The map legend is in English only, except for the tourist information content which is also in French & German.

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Monadhliath Mountains North & Strathdearn area on a detailed topographic & GPS compatible map No. 417, paper version, from the Ordnance Survey’s 1:25, 000 Explorer series. MOBILE DOWNLOADS: this title & all the other OS Explorer maps include a code for downloading after purchase the digital version onto your smartphone or tablet for viewing on the OS smartphone app.OS EXPLORER SERIES: to see the list of all the titles in the OS Explorer series, both paper & waterproof versions, please click on the series link. The Explorer series, Ordnance Survey’s most detailed maps recommended for anyone enjoying outdoor activities, provides topographic coverage of Great Britain at 1:25, 000 on GPS compatible maps with hiking trails, cycling routes & extensive tourist information. Each printed map is available either on paper or as a waterproof & tear-resistant OS Active Map, as indicated in its title. Britain’s National Parks & other areas of particular tourist interest are presented on often double-sided OL (Outdoor Leisure) maps, whilst most standard format Explorers cover an area of 30 x 20km (approx. 19 x 12 miles). All three versions (paper, waterproof & digital) are the same & provide plenty of recreational & tourist information, indicating the traditional public right of way paths (except in Scotland where different laws apply), including bridleways & byways. National Trails & other long-distance paths are marked, as well as permissive footpaths or bridleways & on-road or traffic-free cycle routes with, where appropriate, their National/ Regional Cycle Network numbers. Boundaries of access land are clearly marked. A wide range of symbols provides additional tourist information, highlighting camping & caravanning sites, information offices & visitors’ centres, parking & picnicking places, country pubs, sport & recreational facilities including cycle hire locations & mountain biking trails, historic buildings & museums, etc. Exceptionally clear presentation of the landscape is provided by contours at 5m or in the uplands at 10m intervals, with additional spot heights plus colouring and/or graphics for different types of woodlands, orchards, heath, marshl&, scree or boulders, & other topographic features. For GPS users the maps have British National Grid lines at 1km intervals, with latitude & longitude given by margin ticks at 1`. Clearly laid out map legend

Includes:: French & German translations for the tourist information symbols.

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Monadhliath Mountains North & Strathdearn area on a detailed topographic & GPS compatible map No. 417, waterproof version, from the Ordnance Survey’s 1:25, 000 Explorer series.MOBILE DOWNLOADS: this title & all the other OS Explorer maps include a code for downloading after purchase the digital version onto your smartphone or tablet for viewing on the OS smartphone app.OS EXPLORER SERIES: to see the list of all the titles in the OS Explorer series, both paper & waterproof versions, please click on the series link. The Explorer series, Ordnance Survey’s most detailed maps recommended for anyone enjoying outdoor activities, provides topographic coverage of Great Britain at 1:25, 000 on GPS compatible maps with hiking trails, cycling routes & extensive tourist information. Each printed map is available either on paper or as a waterproof & tear-resistant OS Active Map, as indicated in its title. Britain’s National Parks & other areas of particular tourist interest are presented on often double-sided OL (Outdoor Leisure) maps, whilst most standard format Explorers cover an area of 30 x 20km (approx. 19 x 12 miles). All three versions (paper, waterproof & digital) are the same & provide plenty of recreational & tourist information, indicating the traditional public right of way paths (except in Scotland where different laws apply), including bridleways & byways. National Trails & other long-distance paths are marked, as well as permissive footpaths or bridleways & on-road or traffic-free cycle routes with, where appropriate, their National/ Regional Cycle Network numbers. Boundaries of access land are clearly marked. A wide range of symbols provides additional tourist information, highlighting camping & caravanning sites, information offices & visitors’ centres, parking & picnicking places, country pubs, sport & recreational facilities including cycle hire locations & mountain biking trails, historic buildings & museums, etc. Exceptionally clear presentation of the landscape is provided by contours at 5m or in the uplands at 10m intervals, with additional spot heights plus colouring and/or graphics for different types of woodlands, orchards, heath, marshl&, scree or boulders, & other topographic features. For GPS users the maps have British National Grid lines at 1km intervals, with latitude & longitude given by margin ticks at 1`. Clearly laid out map legend

Includes:: French & German translations for the tourist information symbols.

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Map No. 28, Monaghan
- Keady, in the Discoverer series from the Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland presenting the country on
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Monaghan in 1907 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 covers most of the town of Monaghan. Coverage stretches from the town & canal bridge eastward to Gallanagh Wood, & from St Loui`s Convent northward to Milltown. Features include Convent Lake, Market Place, Old Cross Square, church, Court House, County Infirmary, Market Street, Church Square, railway with station & goods shed, Lunatic Asylum, Union Workhouse, Coolshannagh House, Mullaghmonaghan area, Mullaghadun area, Kilnacloy area, Gallanagh Housae, Knockroe, flax mill, etc. On the reverse are directories of Monaghan for 1897 & 1902. 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. ...

This text surveys the history of the ocean liners. Each great ship, from the ” Titanic” to the ”QE2”, epitomized the designs & fashions of its age while at the same time representing the national aspirations of its flag nation. With prestige at stake, competition between these ships was intense. Through this book we not only witness the evolution of 20th century style & design, which was encapsulated in the luxury liners, but also meet some of the icons of the century: the Duke & Duchess of Windsor, Winston Churchill, Charlie Chaplin, Albert Einstein & Frank Sinatra. ...