In December 1577, a fleet of five small ships left Plymouth with Sir Francis Drake in comm&. By the time the expedition reached the Pacific Ocean only one remained
- the Golden Hind. The adventures of Drake as he devastated Spanish treasure ships, charted unknown lands & became the first captain safely to circumnavigate the globe make this one of the most compelling of all human adventures, but Samual Bawlf adds more. He suggests that Drake had secret orders, which he fulfilled & which make him
- 200 years before Cook
- one of the greatest explorers the world has known.


...

Examining the espionage & intelligence stories of World War II, on a global basis, bringing together the British, American, German, Russian & Japanese histories. Spies, codes & guerrillas played critical roles in the Second World War, exploited by every nation in the struggle to gain secret knowledge of its foes, & to sow havoc behind the fronts. In ` The Secret War`, Max Hastings presents a worldwide cast of characters & some extraordinary sagas of intelligence & Resistance, to create a new perspective on the greatest conflict in history. Here are not only Alan Turing & the codebreaking geniuses of Bletchley Park, but also their German counterparts, who achieved their own triumphs against the Allies. Hastings plots the fabulous espionage networks created by the Soviet Union in Germany & Japan, Britain & America, & explores the puzzle of why Stalin so often spurned his agents, who reported from the heart of the Axis war machine. The role of SOE & American`s OSS as sponsors of guerrilla war are examined, & the book tells the almost unknown story of Ronald Seth, an SOE agent who was `turned` by the Germans, walked the streets of Paris in a Luftwaffe uniform, & baffled MI5, MI6 & the Abwehr as to his true loyalty. Also described is the brilliantly ruthless Russian deception operation which helped to secure the Red Army`s victory at Stalingrad, a ruse that cost 70, 000 lives. ` The Secret War` links tales of high courage ashore, at sea & in the air to the work of the brilliant `boffins` at home, battling the enemy`s technology. Most of the strivings, adventures & sacrifices of spies, Resistance, Special Forces & even of the codebreakers were wasted, Hastings says, but a fraction was so priceless that no nation grudged lives & treasure spent in the pursuit of jewels of knowledge. The book tells stories of high policy & human drama, mingled in the fashion that has made international bestsellers of Max Hastings` previous histories, this time illuminating the fantastic machinations of secret war. ...

` As gripping as any spy thriller, Hastings`s achievement is especially impressive, for he has produced the best single volume yet written on the subject` Sunday Times ` Authoritative, exciting & notably well written` Daily Telegraph `A serious work of rigourous & comprehensive history.. .royally entertaining & readable` Mail on Sunday In ` The Secret War`, Max Hastings presents a worldwide cast of characters & extraordinary sagas of intelligence & Resistance to create a new perspective on the greatest conflict in history. The book links tales of high courage ashore, at sea & in the air to the work of the brilliant `boffins` battling the enemy`s technology. Here are not only the unheralded codebreaking geniuses of Bletchley Park, but also their German counterparts who achieved their own triumphs & the fabulous espionage networks created, & so often spurned, by the Soviet Union. With its stories of high policy & human drama, the book has been acclaimed as the best history of the secret war ever written. ...

Secret Washington 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.

...

John, Susan, Titty & Roger, the crew of the Swallow, take on the job of mapping the mass of small islands round Pin Mill while living on the biggest one. But who are the mysterious savages who lurk in the islands
- & is the tribal totem they find in their campsite a threat of attack. ?
...

` Gripping` Good Housekeeping on The Secret. From the 1 bestselling author of The Letter comes The Secret
- a heartbreaking novel
...

Made from cherry & birch woods with a 2 toned black & honey slightly distressed French finish. Beautiful, heavy, brass campaign handles & drawer pulls with dove tail joints. Two stacked units offer campaign style compact storage. No wasted space here. Create a workspace in close quarters by sliding out the desktop. Your knees will thank you. At the same time you access a secret document box in the back. Big enough to store personals, stacks of banknotes & your first love letters. Check out the lustrous French finish & the intricate joinery. If we do not have this item in stock we will order it for you from our supplier. Delivery generally takes 3 weeks within the UK. For overseas delivery queries please email sales@stanfords.co.uk ...

London, 1922.A discovery from ancient Egypt... A cursed package... The untold story of a young pharaoh... When Lilian Kaye finds a parcel on her grandad`s doorstep, she is shocked to see who sent it: a famous Egyptologist, found dead that very morning, according to every newspaper in England! The mysterious package holds the key to a story... about a king whose tomb archaeologists are desperately hunting for. Lil & her friends must embark on an incredible journey
- to return the package to its resting place, to protect those they love, & to break the deadly pharaoh`s curse...
...

With its dramatic vistas, its attractive, hospitable people & its rich cultural traditions, the magical isle of Bali has captured the hearts & imaginations of millions, ever since visitors from the West began to arrive in the early 20th century. Incredibly, ancient Balinese cultural traditions remain intact today, even in the face of 21st century modernity & a highly developed tourist industry. However, few visitors ever really begin to understand the colourful pageantry that surrounds them virtually everywhere they travel on the isl&. Secrets of Bali is the key to this understanding. From Balinese life, religion, festivals & offerings, architecture, music, dance, textiles, dress, carvings & paintings, masks, manuscripts, cuisine & much more, this is the one book to which the visitor can turn for the answers. A `must` for foreign visitors, residents, & those everywhere who have fallen under the spell of ” The Morning of the World”. ...

Explore the secret, the quirky & curious history of London`s well-known squares. Authors David Brandon & Alan Brooke have made some strange discoveries in these famous places, from the personal dedications on the benches in Berkeley Square to the Grade II listed Cabman`s Shelter at Russell Square. There are details on the hidden history of the squares, weird & wonderful incidents & little-known facts about the notable houses & the people who lived there. Fully illustrated with photographs old & new, & with helpful maps for navigation, this book will delight anyone with an interest in the more bizarre aspects of the capital`s illustrious past. ...