They gave us democracy, philosophy, poetry, rational science, the joke. They built the Parthenon & the Library of Alexandria. They wrote the timeless myths of Odysseus & Oedipus, & the histories of Leonidas` three hundred Spartans & Alexander the Great. But who were the ancient Greeks? & what was it that enabled them to achieve so much? Here, Edith Hall gives us a revelatory way of viewing this geographically scattered people, visiting different communities at various key moments during twenty centuries of ancient history. Identifying ten unique traits central to the widespread ancient Greeks, Hall unveils a civilization of incomparable richness & a people of astounding complexity
- & explains how they made us who we are today. ”A thoroughly readable & illuminating account of this fascinating people... This excellent book makes us admire & like the ancient Greeks equally.” (Independent). ”A worthy & lively introduction to one of the two groups of ancient peoples who really formed the western world.” (Sunday Times). ” Throughout, Hall exemplifies her subjects` spirit of inquiry, their originality & their open-mindedness.” (Daily Telegraph).”A book that is both erudite & splendidly entertaining.” (Financial Times).
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The Ancient Near East reveals three millennia of history (c. 3500-500 bc) in a single work. Liverani draws upon over 25 years` worth of experience & this personal odyssey has enabled him to retrace the history of the peoples of the Ancient Near East. The history of the Sumerians, Hittites, Assyrians, Babylonians & more is meticulously detailed by one of the leading scholars of Assyriology. Utilizing research derived from the most recent archaeological finds, the text has been fully revised for this English edition & explores Liverani`s current thinking on the history of the Ancient Near East. The rich & varied illustrations for each historical period, augmented by new images for this edition, provide insights into the material & textual sources for the Ancient Near East. Many highlight the ingenuity & technological prowess of the peoples in the Ancient East. Never before available in English, The Ancient Near East represents one of the greatest books ever written on the subject & is a must read for students who will not have had the chance to explore the depth of Liverani`s scholarship. ...

When Graham Robb made plans to cycle the legendary Via Heraklea, he had no idea that the line he plotted -- stretching from the south-western tip of the Iberian Peninsula, across the Pyrenees & towards the Alps -- would change the way he saw a civilization. It was an ancient path that took him deep into the world of the Celts: their gods, their art, &, most of all, their sophisticated knowledge of science. Gradually, a lost map revealed itself, of an empire constructed with precision & beauty across vast tracts of Europe. Oriented according to the movements of the Celtic sun god, the map had been forgotten for almost two millennia. Its implications were astonishing. Minutely researched & rich in revelations, The Ancient Paths brings to life centuries of our distant history & reinterprets pre-Roman Europe. Told with all of Robb's grace & verve, it is a dazzling, unforgettable book. ...

Graham Robb`s new book will change the way you see European civilization. Inspired by a chance discovery, Robb became fascinated with the world of the Celts: their gods, their art, &, most of all, their sophisticated knowledge of science. His investigations gradually revealed something extaordinary: a lost map, of an empire constructed with precision & beauty across vast tracts of Europe. The map had been forgotten for almost two millennia & its implications were astonishing. Minutely researched & rich in revelations, The Ancient Paths brings to life centuries of our distant history & reinterprets pre-Roman Europe. Told with all of Robb`s grace & verve, it is a dazzling, unforgettable book. ...

Scattered across the Scottish Highlands are the last surviving remnants of the Caledonian forest which have survived, naturally seeding & growing since the last ice age. Visiting these ancient woods provides an emotional connection to the past with visible traces of the people who lived & worked there over the centuries. There is also a chance to look forward, after one of the greatest conservation success stories means a new future for the pinewoods & their spectacular wildlife. This journey to the pinewoods introduces a natural wonder alongside a rich cultural heritage. ...

The classic bestselling Chinese novel spanning four decades following the creation of the People`s Republic in 1949, translated into English for the first time. Originally published in 1987, two years before the Tiananmen Square protests, The Ancient Ship immediately caused a sensation in China. Wei`s award-winning first novel is the story of three generations of the Sui, Zhao, & Li families living in the fictional northern town of Wali during the troubled years of China`s post-liberation. Wei vividly depicts the changes in Wali, where most people have made their livelihood by simply cooking & selling noodles. Once the home to large sailing ships that travelled along the Luqing River, Wali is now left with an unearthed hull of an ancient wooden ship. The ship stands as a metaphor for China, mirrored in the lives of the townspeople, who in the course of the narrative face such defining moments in history as the Land Reform Movement, the famine of 1959-1961, the Great Leap Forward, the Anti-Rightist Campaign, & the Cultural Revolution. A bold examination of a society in turmoil, a study in human nature, the struggle of oppressed people to control their own fate, & the clash between tradition & modernization, The Ancient Ship is a revolutionary work of Chinese fiction that speaks to people across the globe. ...

Clear, concise yet wide-ranging, The Ancient World in Minutes is the quickest way to understand the great civilizations of the distant past. From the first-ever cities of Sumeria & Babylon around 3500 BCE to the fall of Rome & the bloody demise of the Aztecs, here
- in 200 mini-essays
- are the critical leaders & wars; ideas & inventions; myths & religions; & art & architecture of the first 5000 years of recorded history. Discover the spiritual, cultural, technological & artistic innovations of the ancient civilizations that still amaze & influence us today
- from the Pyramids & Parthenon to Machu Picchu & the Great Wall of China; & from the first hieroglyphic writings & great epics of world literature to democracy & the Olympic Games. The great civilizations are brought to life in vivid illustrations with 200 maps, iconic artworks & ancient artefacts. Contents include Mesopotamia, Ancient Egypt, Ancient India, Ancient China, The Persian Empire, Classic Greece, The Roman Republic, the Maya, The Inca & many more.


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Hector: Lover. Killer. Crime lord. Lars: Stalker. Policeman. Addict Jen: Ex lover. Arms dealer. Hero? Sophie: Nurse. Mother. Victim? Living a quiet life in the suburbs, Sophie Brinkmann is captivated by the handsome & sophisticated Hector Guzman. She has no idea that beneath Hector's charm lies something far more dangerous. Hector is the head of an international crime syndicate. He is used to getting what he wants, & what he wants now is the total annihilation of his rivals. Before she can fully grasp the extent of Hector's world, Sophie is trapped within it. Her house is under surveillance, her family is at risk. Hector is at war
- with Russian hit men, South American drug traffickers, German gangsters
- & now Sophie is too. But who can she trust when even the people who have sworn to uphold the law are as dangerous as those dedicated to breaking it? If Sophie is to get out alive, & with her integrity intact, she will have to summon everything within her to navigate this intricate web of moral ambiguity, deadly obsession & ruthless killers.

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When Sophie Brinkmann meets Hector Guzman, she knows everything that she needs to: he`s handsome, he`s charming & he makes her happy. But what she doesn`t know is that Hector has some nasty friends, some even nastier enemies, & an unscrupulous police operation relentlessly following his every move. With her house under surveillance by the law & her life under threat from drug traffickers, gangsters & hitmen, Sophie must decide who she can trust
- & whose side she really wants to be on.
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The Andes at 1:4, 500, 000 from Nelles Verlag on a double-sided map offering a convenient format for use when travelling. The map

Includes:: street plans of main cities & enlargements for the Cusco area & the region around Santiago. Coverage of the Andes is divided into two sections, each accompanied by the appropriate plans or enlargements. The northern half extends to Antofagasta in Chile &

Includes:: insets with street plans of central Bogota, Quito, Lima & La Paz, plus & enlargement of the Cusco area with Machu Picchu & Cordillera Vilcabamba. The southern half start at Iquique, providing a good overlap with the northern side, &

Includes:: street plans of central Santiago, Antofagasta, Iquique, Arica & La Serena, plus an enlargement of the region around Santiago. Relief shading, spot heights & names of mountain ranges & peaks present the topography. Road network indicates highways in good or poor condition &

Includes:: partly surfaces roads & selected tracks. Driving distances are marked on main routes. Railway lines & local airports are included, & the map also shows internal administrative boundaries within each country with names of the provinces. National parks or protected areas & main places of interest are highlighted. Latitude & longitude are indicated by margin ticks at 4







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