In this book Mr. Sacheverell Sitwell, looking at the Netherlands through his own eyes rather than through those of his many predecessors, has produced a pic-ture of the country which may appear un-orthodox only because of its unfamiliarity. In his belief Holl&, as a country, is as individual as Russia or as Spain, & there is a great deal more to be seen & enjoyed in it than the picture galleries, windmills, canals, flower markets & bare empty churches which seem to have impressed previous writers. It has been Mr. Sitwell`s endeavour to get out of the museums & into the open-air-out of the museums &, likewise, away from the great cities (although not without having entered some of the old & forgotten patrician houses of The Hague & Amsterdam). In this way the author has discovered a new & beautiful Holland in which the architecture of the eighteenth century, the strange villages & costumes of Friesl&, or the art of a Daniel Marot & a Cornelis Troost are taken as truly representative of this at once phlegmatic & poetical people & the man-made wonders of their largely artificial country. The result is a book both to awaken curiosity &, so far as a book may do so, to satisfy it-more especially as the very numerous photographs go side by side with the text & illustrate it at almost every point. If the traditionally pic-turesque & quaint appear as seldom among these illustrations as they do in the text the intelligent reader is presented all the more with a picture of a country whose proximity & unfamiliarity will form added inducements to a visit. ...

The world is about to change... In the months leading up to 9/11 the intelligence community is on high alert for terrorist threats. Former army officer Anthony Taverner is recruited by the Secret Intelligence Service for an apparently straightforward mission: to destroy a cache of the CIA's precious Stinger missiles in Taliban-held Afghanistan. But in the kaleidoscopic world of spying, nothing is what it seems. & as the struggle to avert a catastrophe begins, Taverner's allegiance is to an authority he must keep secret from even his closest allies. ...

The world is about to change... In the months leading up to 9/11 the intelligence community is on high alert for terrorist threats. Former army officer Anthony Taverner is recruited by the Secret Intelligence Service for an apparently straightforward mission: to destroy a cache of the CIA`s precious Stinger missiles in Taliban-held Afghanistan. But in the kaleidoscopic world of spying, nothing is what it seems. & as the struggle to avert a catastrophe begins, Taverner`s allegiance is to an authority he must keep secret from even his closest allies... ...

For a decade ” National Geographic Adventure” magazine has been committed to telling great stories about the outdoors & adventure travel. To celebrate its 10th anniversary, editor-in-chief John Rasmus & staff assemble 30 of the best articles reported from the ends of the earth in an unbeatable anthology. More than great travel writing, gripping narratives & excellent reportage, the stories collected here explore our world & its inhabitants & ask important questions about travel in the 21st century. The list of contributors is impressive, with topics ranging from the new high-speed railway to Tibet, angry elephants in India, & visiting a Shaman in Peru. Sebastian Junger chronicles his experiences with the great Pashtun fighter Amed Shah Massoud, who defeated the Russians in Afghanistan & liberated Kabul from the Taliban; David Quammen waxes lyric & geologic while kayaking down the Grand Canyon with old friends shortly after 9/11; legendary climber Reinhold Messner writes about his encounter with a yeti; Michael Finkel crosses the Sahara & finds `13 ways of looking at a void`; & Tim Cahill retraces legs of Lewis & Clark`s westward journey. This is a vivid collection for adventurers
- armchair or otherwise.
...

Less than twenty-four months after the hope-filled Arab uprising, the popular movement had morphed into a dystopia of resurgent dictators, failed states, & civil wars. Egypt`s epochal transition to democracy ended in a violent military coup. Yemen & Libya collapsed into civil war, while Bahrain erupted in smothering sectarian repression. Syria proved the greatest victim of all, ripped apart by internationally fueled insurgencies & an externally supported, bloody-minded regime. Amidst the chaos, a virulently militant group declared an Islamic State, seizing vast territories & inspiring terrorism across the globe. What happened? The New Arab Wars is a profound illumination of the causes of this nightmare. It details the costs of the poor choices made by regional actors, delivers a scathing analysis of Western misreadings of the conflict, & condemns international interference that has stoked the violence. Informed by commentators & analysts from the Arab world, Marc Lynch`s narrative of a vital region`s collapse is both wildly dramatic & likely to prove definitive. Most important, he shows that the region`s upheavals have only just begun--and that the hopes of Arab regimes & Western policy makers to retreat to old habits of authoritarian stability are doomed to fail. ...

Topsy & Tim find fun & adventure in the real world. Their engaging stories are reassuring for young children having first experiences of their own. In ” Topsy & Tim: The New Baby”, the twins` friend Tony has a new baby brother called Jack. At first Tony is a bit jealous of the new baby but he soon learns how to be a helpful big brother. A trusted & well-loved pair who can help guide parents & children through `first experiences`, ” Topsy & Tim” books have been beautifully updated with contemporary artwork. ” Topsy & Tim” remain instantly recognisable to parents while in a fresh style that will appeal to a new generation of fans. Re-launching in April 2008 with the bestselling titles ” Learning to Swim”, ” The New Baby”, ” Start School”, ” Go on an Aeroplane”, ” Go Green” & ” Have a Birthday Party”, these wonderful books deserve a place on the bookshelves of the next generation. ...

Filled with mouthwatering recipes, beautiful photographs, & scenes from some of the most vibrant restaurants in America today, ” The New Brooklyn Cookbook” celebrates the wave of culinary energy that has transformed this thriving borough & infused its kitchens & dining rooms with passion, vigor, & big flavors. Starring the trail-blazing chefs & entrepreneurs who made it all happen, this gorgeous book helps readers recreate the signature dishes of Brooklyn in the comfort of their own kitchens. With enthusiasm & insight, husb&-&-wife duo Melissa & Brendan Vaughan highlight the `new` tastes of Brooklyn, including: Steak & Eggs Korean Style, The Good Fork; Cast Iron Chicken, Vinegar Hill House; Tofu with Broad Beans & Chili Bean Paste, The General Greene * Spaghetti Alla Vongole, Al Di La; Swordfish with Sauteed Grape Tomatoes, Fresh Corn & Kohlrabi Salad, Avocado Aioli, Rosewater; Beef Sauerbraten with Braised Red Cabbage & Pretzel Dumplings, Prime Meats; Doug`s Pecan Pie Sundae, Buttermilk Channel; &, Hoppy American Brown Ale-Homebrew Recipe, Sixpoint Cragt Ales Brewery. The Vaughans also profile some of Brooklyn`s best food makers & purveyors, from cheesemakers & picklers to chocolatiers & bakers, giving readers an inside look at the ingredients behind their favourite restaurant dishes & the food culture that supports their creation. ...

In this new edition of his acclaimed book, Olivier Roy examines the political development of Central Asia, from the Russian conquests to the ` War on Terror` & beyond. During the anti-Gorbachev coup in August 1991, most communist leaders from Soviet Central Asia backed the plotters. Within weeks of the coup`s collapse, these very same leaders
- now transformed into ardent nationalists
- proclaimed the independence of their nations, designed new flags, invented new slogans & discovered a new patriotism. How were these new nations built, without any traditional nationalist reference points? In ” The New Central Asia”, Olivier Roy argues that Soviet practice had always been to build on local institutions & promote a local elite. Thus Soviet administration
- as opposed to Soviet policy making
- was always surprisingly decentralized. With home-grown political leaders & administrative institutions, national identities in Central Asia emerged almost by stealth. Roy`s compelling analysis of the new Central Asian states
- Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kirghizstan & including Azerbaijan
- makes an invaluable contribution to our understanding of the geopolitics of Central Asia.





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Featuring topics ranging from giant galaxies to microscopic bacteria, this encyclopedia explores & explains the world we live in & beyond. Bring key school subjects to life for your child with this encyclopedia packed with hundreds of topics, thousands of fantastic pictures & countless ways to find out more about everything. Open up a whole universe of knowledge & wonder for your child. Starting with an exciting voyage through outer space, they`ll explore the living world, people & places & even have an under-the-skin encounter with the workings of the human body. It is perfect for dipping in & out of, or for reading through, your child will learn from special features including maps, charts, timelines & thousands of facts on key curriculum topics. It is perfect for homework, projects or just for fun! ...

With a preface by Norman Davies, author of Europe: A History. Revised & updated following Russia's attack on Georgia. No longer the sick man of Europe, Russia is run by an authoritarian ex-KGB regime with the cash to put its ideas into practice. Under Vladimir Putin's autocratic rule, it silences its critics & bullies its neighbours. The murders of Anna Politkovskaya & Aleksander Litvinenko have sent a grim warning to other critics & the sham presidential 'election' in 2007 that put Dmitry Medvedev in the Kremlin as Putin's h&-picked successor showed how Russia's rulers, not the voters, dictate the country's political future. The New Cold War explains the Kremlin's use of energy blockades & trade sanctions, military sabre-rattling & propaganda wars against its neighbours
- & why a divided & demoralised West is responding so feebly. It is an incisive & disturbing account of why we are perilously close to defeat
- & how we can still win.

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