The Ayatollah Begs to Differ is a revealing insight into a culture that remains something seen mostly through the headlines by most people. Hooman Majd, acclaimed journalist & New York-residing grandson of an Ayatollah, has a unique perspective on his Iranian homel&. In this vivid, warm & humorous insider`s account, he opens our eyes to an Iran that few people see, meeting opium-smoking clerics, women cab drivers & sartorially challenged presidential officials, among others. Revealing a country where both t-shirt wearing teenagers & religious martyrs express pride in their Persian origins, that is deeply religious yet highly cosmopolitan, authoritarian yet reformist, this is the one book you should read to understand Iran & Iranians today. ...

Iran is a country with global ambitions, an elaborate political culture, & enormous implications for world peace. How will its diversity of political positions resolve itself? Drawing on privileged access to Iranian society, Hooman Majd has spoken to ayatollahs, politicians & ordinary people to show that, despite the violence of the 2009 elections, the ideal of an Iranian republic is still alive. A personal, candid tour of the political landscape, ” The Ayatollahs` Democracy” is a powerful dispatch from a country at a historic turning point. ...

` In the gloom it came along the branches towards me, its round, hypnotic eyes blazing, its spoon-like ears turning to & fro independently like radar dishes.. .it was Lewis Carroll`s Jabberwocky come to life.. .one of the most incredible creatures I had ever been privileged to meet`. The fourth largest island in the world, Madagascar is home to woodlice the size of golf balls, moths the size of Regency fans & the Aye-Aye, a type of lemur held by local superstion to be an omen of death. But when Gerald Durrell visited the isl&, the destruction of the forests meant that the Aye-Aye & many other creatures were in danger of extinction. Told with his unique sense of humour & inimitable charm, Gerald Durrell`s ” The Aye Aye & I” is the final adventure from one Britain`s best loved conservationists. ...

Guide to walking or backpacking along the Ayrshire & Arran Coastal Paths, not far from Glasgow on the western coast of Scotl&, UK, passing through Girvan & Ayr & taking in the Isle of Arran from Ardrossan. Featuring 11 day stages across a 150-mile coastline full of beautiful sandy beaches & secluded coves, this guide to the Ayrshire & Arran Coastal Paths is a wonderful showcase of long-distance coastal walking at its finest. Historic sites including many castles passed along the way show the area`s rich past, & there are obvious links here to significant Scottish figures including Robert the Bruce & Robert Burns. The route is described in seven days on the Ayrshire mainland & a four-day tour round Arran & illustrated with fantastic photography of the area`s exceptional views & scenic beauty. Detailed information about the good public transport links, which make it possible to tackle the route in day or weekend stages over time, & also the accommodation options along the way. ...

` Curious` is perhaps not the first word you would use to label Essex. But `curiouser & curiouser` it becomes when you dig below the surface. Meet larger-than-life characters, including the one-time fattest man in England whose waist was wider than the height of an average man. & talking of big, discover the origin of Humpty Dumpty. Did you know that explorer David Livingstone, who trekked across Africa, got lost in Essex; that the Essex villain Dick Turpin was only identified because a relative refused to pay the cost of a `stamp`, or that St George saw off his dragon here? Surprising & bizarre tales abound if you dig a little deeper. & if you literally look below the surface in Essex, you`ll discover one of the most incredible Government `secrets` of all time. ...

From the NEW HORIZONS series, a look at the Aztecs who created a refined society at the same time as carrying out mass human sacrifice, examining how these apparently contradictory aspects co-existed, & covering Aztec history from nomadic beginnings to the period of Spanish rule. ...

” The Call of the Wild, White Fang & Other Stories” collects some of Jack London`s most profound & moving allegorical tales. This ” Penguin Classics” edition is edited by Andrew Sinclair with an introduction by James Dickey. ” The Call of the Wild”, London`s masterpiece about a dog learning to survive in the wilderness, sees pampered pet Buck snatched from his home & set to work as a sled-dog. White Fang, set in the frozen tundra & boreal forests of Canada`s Yukon territory, is the story of a wolf-dog struggling to survive in a human society every bit as violent as the natural world. This volume of Jack London`s famed stories of the North also

Includes:: ” Batard”, in which an abused dog takes revenge on his owner; & ” Love of Life”, in which an injured prospector, abandoned by his partner, must struggle home alone through the wilderness, stalked by a lone wolf. In his introduction, James Dickey probes London`s strong personal & literary identification with the wolf-dog as a symbol & totem. Andrew Sinclair, London`s official biographer & the volume`s editor, provides a brief account of London`s life as a sailor, desperado, socialist, adventurer & acclaimed author. Jack London (1876-1916) was born John Griffith Chaney in San Francisco, California. By the age of sixteen he had left school, worked in a canning factory, spent time as an oyster pirate & been a member of the Fish Patrol in the San Francisco Bay. In 1893 he joined a sealing cruise, which took him as far abroad as Japan. In 1896 he was caught up in the gold rush to the Klondike river in north-west Canada, which became the inspiration for ” The Call of the Wild” (1903) & ” White Fang” (1906). If you enjoyed ” The Call of the Wild”, you might like Rudyard Kipling`s ” Just So Stories”, also available in ” Penguin Classics”.

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The Ba� se & the lower Lot in a series of guides from Editions Grafocarte/ Editions de l` Ecluse to France’s canals & navigable waterways with mapping showing facilities & navigational hazards along each route, general information on signals & regulations, & descriptions of places of interest. Each guide provides mapping of the route showing locks, stop gates, mooring quays, tunnels, weirs, dangerous shoals, sand or mud banks, etc., as well as a wide range of facilities from drinking water & rubbish disposal to various types of shops, restaurants, pharmacies, shipyards & engine repair workshops, etc. The mapping is usually presented as vertical 28 x 8.5cm panels which, together with the annotations, occupy one whole page of the guide & so each cover 14km or more of the route. Also included as necessary are more detailed enlargements of main basins or photographs of bridges, shown usually as viewed from both directions. The text providing navigational information & tips as well as descriptions of places of interest & a general background are kept separate from the maps but, where possible, placed on the adjoining page to the relevant section of the route. The guides also provide general information on rules & regulations, plus illustrations of navigational signals. Each guide also has an index of locations along the route annotated with symbols indicating various facilities, accompanied where possible with contact details.* All of the text, explanations & the map legend are in French, English & German.** Please note:** The publishers’ name has changed from Editions Grafocarte to Editions de l’ Ecluse & the series name shown on each title is Fluviacarte of Navicarte depending on whether mapping of coastal waters is included. Various combinations of these names can be found"ed in other publications on French waterways. ...

This charming collection of five French illustrated classics follows the adventures of the world`s best-loved elephant, Babar, as he becomes king, builds a city, meets Father Christmas & has many other exciting adventures. One of the most iconic series of animal books in history, Babar has become a household name both as a character in children`s books & on TV. Jean de Brunhoff`s exquisite stories have charmed readers around the world for 80 years, & fans can now cherish a collection of his tales in this beautiful special gift book. This edition

Includes:: the original introduction by A. A. Milne

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Jane de la Rochefoucault has just brought home her firstborn & her world is in chaos. As well as the nappies, the night-time gurgling, & the constant feeding, she can barely move for packing cases & the cumbersome musical instruments that her aristocratic French composer husband keeps inventing. & then one evening, a knock on the door brings some unexpected visitors: three kung fu experts bearing gifts for the baby. When the kung fu trio go missing (along with some stolen cars), Jane & Charles suddenly find themselves being interrogated by the police who seem to suspect that the kung fu-ers had links to a mysterious underground organization, &
- ma foi!
- that Jane`s mother-in-law may have a hand in the whole thing too -

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