In 1907 J. M. Synge achieved both notoriety & lasting fame with The Playboy of the Western World. The Aran Islands, published in the same year, records his visits to the islands in 1898-1901, when he was gathering the folklore & anecdotes out of which he forged The Playboy & his other major dramas. Yet this book is much more than a stage in the evolution of Synge the dramatist. As Tim Robinson explains in his introduction, ” If Ireland is intriguing as being an island off the west of Europe, then Aran, as an island off the west of Irel&, is still more so; it is Ireland raised to the power of two.” Towards the end of the last century Irish nationalists came to identify the area as the country`s uncorrupted heart, the repository of its ancient language, culture & spiritual values. It was for these reasons that Yeats suggested Synge visit the islands to record their way of life. The result is a passionate exploration of a triangle of contradictory relationships
- between an island community still embedded in its ancestral ways but solicited by modernism, a physical environment of ascetic loveliness & savagely unpredictable moods, & Synge himself, formed by modern European thought but in love with the primitive.
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The archaeology & architecture of Afghanistan have never been the subject of their own book before; through concise description & discussion Edgar Knobloch here reveals their importance both as works of art, & as symbols of the country`s past, geography & character. Tracing the historical & cultural development of artistic & architectural styles, this book comprehensively examines the major sites, with detailed description of their buildings & decoration. The extent to which these structures were influenced by Afghanistan`s long history of war & invasion
- from Alexander the Great to the present day
- is discussed against a clear & informative outline of the country`s past & present. Illustrated with evocative photographs of both monuments & daily life, the book describes in detail the artistic movements & achievements of Afghanistan, while constantly reminding the reader that these images, taken by the author in 1978, show a cultural heritage which may no longer exist. Edgar Knobloch studied Middle Eastern History at the Charles University & the Oriental Institute in Prague. He has visited, researched & photographed archaeological sites & architectural monuments throughout the Islamic world. His photographs have been exhibited at the British Museum, the Royal Geographic Society & the School of Oriental & African Studies.

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In this definitive book, prominent archaeologist John M. Camp presents an up-to-date survey of the monuments of ancient Athens & Attica to create a complete archaeological tour of the area. Camp`s lavishly illustrated work will appeal not only to scholars & students of Greek civilization but also to visitors exploring the ancient sites. ...

The second thrilling adventure in a new historical series from million-copy-selling Caroline Lawrence, set in Roman Britain during the reign of the evil Emperor Domitian. Britannia AD 94. On the run from the Emperor Domitian, fifteen-year-old Fronto has joined the Roman army in order to find the security & structure he craves. But when his younger sister Ursula is captured by a terrifying Druid called Snakebeard, he must make an impossible decision. Can he leave the army, when desertion is punishable by death? His desire: To become a good soldier His quest: To rescue his sister His destiny: To find his place in Roman Britain From the bestselling author of THE ROMAN MYSTERIES, perfect for children studying at Key Stage 2. Historical locations featured in this book are a British Iron Age Village, Bath Spa & the fortress at Caerleon. ...

This innovative book is the first to provide a fun, interactive way to learn about architecture. Filled with an array of beautiful & elegant drawings, it poses all manner of architectural challenges for the user: from designing your own skyscraper, to drawing an island house or creating a Constructivist monument, plus many others more. Aimed at anyone who loves drawing buildings, it encourages the users to imagine their own creative solutions by sketching, drawing & painting in the pages of the book. In so doing, they will learn about a whole range of significant architectural issues, such as the importance of site & materials, how to furnish a space, how to read plans, how to create sustainable cities & so on. The book also

Includes:: numerous examples of works & ideas by major architects to draw inspiration from & will appeal to everyone from children to students to architects.

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Architect C. Anjalendran, aided by an army of assistants & students, has been recording Sri Lanka`s architectural heritage for almost 30 years. The result is a collection of exquisite measured drawings, all made with ink & pencil on tracing paper documenting many interesting & often neglected buildings in Sri Lanka. This book features these, along with photographs & insightful text, to highlight a broad cross-section of buildings of many different types & from many periods from the ancient classical era of Anuradhapura & Polonnaruwa, from medieval times, from the colonial period & from the years after Sri Lanka regained its Independence in 1948. The book continues the work of Barbara Sansoni who started to record ancient buildings of Sri Lanka during the early 1950s. With the help of her husband Ronald Lewcock, her photographer son Dominic Sansoni & her friend Anjalendran, she published her drawings in a book called ` The Architecture of an Island` in 1998. ...

Transport buildings
- railway stations, airport terminals, bus & coach stations, motorway service areas, filling stations,
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Is it better for a martini to be shaken, not stirred? Does it matter which order you add the ingredients of a Long Island Iced Tea? How many ice cubes can you add to a margarita without compromising the flavour? The perfect home begins with a blueprint & a dream, & your perfect cocktail should start the same way! The Architecture of the Cocktail will reveal the answers to all your cocktail queries & more. Focusing on the precise measurements to make the perfect drink as well as the recommended garnish & embellishments, you`ll no longer have to guess what a cocktail should taste like. Laying out the exact measurements from the bottom of your glass to the top, you`ll discover the order in which you should layer your liquor, the precise measurements needed, & even recommended brands. Not sure which stemware is appropriate? Consult the mini guide on identifying the correct stemware in the back of the book. Featuring 75 different cocktails & recipes (including specifications, notes, & embellishments), this is the perfect gift for the cocktail lover in your life. Don`t waste another minute on watered-down cocktails
- become a cocktail master with this beautifully illustrated guide.
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Until the early 1990s the southern & eastern towns of Yemen were extremely difficult to access. The result of nearly two decades of research, this is the first book to offer an in-depth investigation into the characteristic architecture of the region. The authors first-hand research provides detailed insights into building techniques & methods that, though still practised, are little known outside the area. Refreshingly, this book moves out of the more familiar major cities into the hinterlands & explores regions that could be said to be the last strongholds of traditional Arab architecture. The author was allowed to visit locations & sites that had previously been closed to architectural historians. As a result of this privileged access, the text & images combine to convey unique insights & viewpoints: those of the master builders & house owners who actually create & inhabit the buildings. ...

The Architect`s Apprentice is a dazzling & intricate tale from Elif Shafak, bestselling author of The Bastard of Istanbul. ` There were six of us: the master, the apprentices & the white elephant. We built everything together...` Sixteenth century Istanbul: a stowaway arrives in the city bearing an extraordinary gift for the Sultan. The boy is utterly alone in a foreign l&, with no worldly possessions to his name except Chota, a rare white elephant destined for the palace menagerie. So begins an epic adventure that will see young Jahan rise from lowly origins to the highest ranks of the Sultan`s court. Along the way he will meet deceitful courtiers & false friends, gypsies, animal tamers, & the beautiful, mischievous Princess Mihrimah. He will journey on Chota`s back to the furthest corners of the Sultan`s kingdom & back again. & one day he will catch the eye of the royal architect, Sinan, a chance encounter destined to change Jahan`s fortunes forever. Filled with all the colour of the Ottoman Empire, when Istanbul was the teeming centre of civilisation, The Architect`s Apprentice is a magical, sweeping tale of one boy & his elephant caught up in a world of wonder & danger. ”A gorgeous picture of a city teeming with secrets, intrigue & romance.” (The Times). ” Shafak`s most ambitious novel yet her best
- generous & imaginative.” (Independent). ” Exuberant, epic & comic, fantastical & realistic...like all good stories it conveys deeper meanings about human experience.” (Financial Times). ” Fascinating. A vigorous evocation of the Ottoman Empire at the height of its power.” (Sunday Times). ” Intricate, multi-layered, resplendent, vividly evoked, beautifully written.” (Observer). ” Sumptuous, absorbing, moving.” (Independent on Sunday).
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