Longlisted for the Wainwright Prize, a pilgrimage through the shapes & shades of autumn. In autumn nature stages some of its most enchantingly beautiful displays; yet it`s also a period for reflection
- melancholy, even
- as the days shorten & winter`s chill approaches. Charting the colourful progression from September through October & November, Jim Crumley tells the story of how unfolding autumn affects the wildlife & landscapes of his beloved countryside. Along the way, Jim experiences the deer rut, finds phenomenal redwood trees in the most unexpected of places, & contemplates climate change, the death of his father, & his own love of nature. He paints an intimate & deeply personal portrait of a moody & majestic season.

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” The Nature of Britain” is another landmark primetime series brought to us by the formidable Natural History Unit. In each programme Alan turns wildlife detective, taking us on a journey of discovery through eight different British natural habitats & their unique flora & fauna, week by week piecing together the jigsaw that makes up our homel&. Tying in with the series, ” The Nature of Britain” is an inspirational, practical & definitive guide to British wildlife. Written by Alan, the book offers the reader a closer look at the animals & plants of Britain`s landscape, following the structure of the series with chapters ranging from Mountains, Lakes, Forests & Seashores to Urban Landscapes.” The Nature of Britain” paints a beautiful contemporary portrait of Britains wildlife, & features fascinating essays on each habitat, followed by identification guides to the species that can be found in each one. It will be visually stunning, illustrated with over 900 breathtaking images. ...

` One of the very few necessary & inevitable utterances of the century.` William Morris, in the Preface. ` The Nature of Gothic` started life as a chapter in Ruskin`s masterwork, ` The Stones of Venice`. Ruskin came to lament the ` Frankenstein monsters` of Victorian buildings with added Gothic which ` The Stones` inspired; but despite his misgivings the original moral purpose of his writing had not fallen on stony ground. ` The Nature of Gothic`, the last chapter of the second volume, had marked his progression from art critic to social critic; in it he found the true seam of his thought, & it was quickly recognised for the revolutionary writing it was. As Morris himself put it, ` The Nature of Gothic` `pointed out a new road on which the world should travel`; & in its indictment of meaningless modern labour & its celebration of medieval architecture it could be called the foundation stone of Morris`s aesthetic & purpose in life. Forty years after he first read it, Morris chose Ruskin`s text for one of the first books to be published at his Kelmscott Press, using his own Golden type. It is one of the summits of his career, & one of the most beautiful books ever published. Few book can so completely sum up an era. The Kelmscott Nature of Gothic encapsulates the meeting of two remarkable minds & embodies their influence in word, image & design. But more than that, Ruskin`s words are increasingly relevant for our times. In this facsimile edition, the first ever made from this rare book, the reader can fully appreciate their importance & their legacy, as understood by one of the most potent visual imaginations to have worked in Britain. In this enlarged edition, essays by leading scholars, Robert Hewison (who was one of Ruskin`s successors as Slade Professor of Fine Art at Oxford University), Tony Pinkney (Senior Lecturer at Lancaster University) & Robert Brownell (lecturer, stained glass maker & author of ` Marriage of Inconvenience`) explain the importance of this book for Ruskin, for Morris & for us today. ...

From the highly-acclaimed author of The Great Stink comes The Nature of Monsters, a gloriously-written tale of consuming passions & obsessions. It is 1718 &, in a small parish near Newcastle, Eliza Tally, a headstrong girl of 15, embarks on a reckless love affair that will prove her undoing. When her lover casts her off, denying their union, she is forced to travel to London, a city that attracts & alarms her in equal measure. There she takes up a position in the house of an apothecary, Grayson Black, whom she trusts to salvage what remains of her reputation. Set against the clamour & roar of eighteenth-century London, The Nature of Monsters brings vividly to life a world where the line separating science & madness is dangerously blurred, & where a single life counts for little in the relentless pursuit of progress. ...

During winter, dark days of wild storms can give way to the perfect, glistening stillness of frost-encrusted winter landscapes
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Cartographers have known for decades that maps are far from objective representations of the world; rather, every map reflects the agendas & intentions of its creators. Yet that understanding has had almost no effect on the way maps are viewed & used by the general public. In ” The Natures of Maps”, cartographers Denis Wood & John Fels present a compelling exploration of a wide range of maps to answer the question of, as they put it, why maps have ”gotten away with it.” To answer that question, the authors turn to a category of maps with a particularly strong reputation for objectivity: maps of nature. From depictions of species habitats & bird migrations to portrayals of the wilds of the Grand Canyon & the reaches of the Milky Way, such maps are usually presumed
- even by users who should know better
- to be strictly scientific. Yet by drawing our attention to every aspect of these maps` self-presentation, from place names to titles & legends, the authors reveal the way that each piece of information collaborates in a disguised effort to mount an argument about reality. Without our realizing it, those arguments can then come to define our very relationship to the natural world
- determining whether we see ourselves as humble hikers or rampaging despoilers, participants or observers, consumers or stewards. Richly illustrated, & crafted in vivid & witty prose, ” The Natures of Maps” will enlighten & entertain map aficionados, scholars, & armchair navigators alike. You`ll never be able to look at Google Maps quite the same way again.


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The Nautical Institute on Command is the Institute’s flagship publication & distils the best advice available for aspiring officers, new Mastersand experienced Masters. It aims to promote reflection on aspects of the job that they may not have yet experienced. Commanding a ship requires all the skills & knowledge, professional & technical, gained up to the point of taking up comm&, plus soft skills. The book’s expert authors cover these in short practical articles that will guide the transition from chief officer to Master & also serve as reference for years to come. The book leads readers through the basics of comm&, looking at legislation & how it affects the day job & relationships with the various stakeholders. The focus on day-to-day management

Includes:: operations andpersonnel management.

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Traditional maritime skills like sailmaking & canvas work have been handed down for generations but seldom recorded. There are few authoritative sources of information on this subject but the Royal Navy has maintained this knowledgein this classic handbook. The diagrams & illustrations are particularly fine while the text is the distilled expertise of countless sailmakers. This book will interest naval historians & anybody who wishes to practise the skill of sewing & canvas work. ...

Fire at sea is one of the most dangerous hazards. This handbook complements training given to naval firefighters, covering safety, correct principles & use of equipment, types of fire & emergency response. The last chapter, contributed by The Nautical Institute & written by FGM Evans FNI GIFire E, examines the hazards on commercial vessels, particularly cargo fires. The handbook provides a refresher for drills & exercises & is a valuable guide for training. ...

Abandoning ship is a team effort & this classic handbook is designed to complement the training given to naval personnel for the 25-person liferaft. It covers evacuation, inflation, equipment, communications, search & rescue, survival techniques, what to do when landing in remote areas, how to collect water & avoid heat stroke or hypothermia. This book is issued to all Royal Navy seagoing personnel & has been made available to The Nautical Institute sothat all can benefit from the naval experience. ...