Russia`s recent past has encompassed revolution, civil war, mass terror & two world wars, & the country is still undergoing huge change. In his acclaimed history, now updated to 2015, Robert Service provides a superb panoramic viewpoint on Russia, exploring the complex, changing interaction between rulers & ruled from Nicholas II, Lenin & Stalin through to Gorbachev, Yeltsin, Putin & beyond. This new edition also discusses Russia`s unresolved economic & social difficulties & its determination to regain its leading role on the world stage & explains how, despite the recent years of de-communization, the seven decades of communist rule which penetrated every aspect of life still continue to influence Russia today. ...

` This is the finest single-volume history of Vietnam in English. It challenges myths, & raises questions about the socialist republic`s political future` Guardian ` Powerful & compelling. Vietnam will be of growing importance in the twenty-first-century world, particularly as China & the US rethink their roles in Asia. Christopher Goscha`s book is a brilliant account of that country`s history.`
- Rana Mitter `A vigorous, eye-opening account of a country of great importance to the world, past & future`
- Kirkus Reviews Over the centuries the Vietnamese have beenboth colonizers themselves & the victims of colonization by others. Their country expanded, shrunk, split & sometimes disappeared, often under circumstances far beyond their control. Despite these often overwhelming pressures, Vietnam has survived as one of Asia`s most striking & complex cultures. As more & more visitors come to this extraordinary country, there has been for some years a need for a major history
- a book which allows the outsider to understand the many layers left by earlier emperors, rebels, priests & colonizers. Christopher Goscha`s new work amply fills this role. Drawing on a lifetime of thinking about Indo-China, he has created a narrative which is consistently seen from `inside` Vietnam but never loses sight of the connections to the `outside`. As wave after wave of invaders
- whether Chinese, French, Japanese or American
- have been ultimately expelled, we see the terrible cost to the Vietnamese themselves. Vietnam`s role in one of the Cold War`s longest conflicts has meant that its past has been endlessly abused for propaganda purposes & it is perhaps only now that the events which created the modern state can be seen from a truly historical perspective. Christopher Goscha draws on the latest research & discoveries in Vietnamese, French & English. His book is a major achievement, describing both the grand narrative of Vietnam`s story but also the byways, curiosities, differences, cultures & peoples that have done so much over the centuries to define the many versions of Vietnam.




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Over the centuries the Vietnamese have beenboth colonizers themselves & the victims of colonization by others. Their country expanded, shrunk, split & sometimes disappeared, often under circumstances far beyond their control. Despite these often overwhelming pressures, Vietnam has survived as one of Asia`s most striking & complex cultures. As more & more visitors come to this extraordinary country, there has been for some years a need for a major history
- a book which allows the outsider to understand the many layers left by earlier emperors, rebels, priests & colonizers. Christopher Goscha`s new work amply fills this role. Drawing on a lifetime of thinking about Indo-China, he has created a narrative which is consistently seen from `inside` Vietnam but never loses sight of the connections to the `outside`. As wave after wave of invaders
- whether Chinese, French, Japanese or American
- have been ultimately expelled, we see the terrible cost to the Vietnamese themselves. Vietnam`s role in one of the Cold War`s longest conflicts has meant that its past has been endlessly abused for propaganda purposes & it is perhaps only now that the events which created the modern state can be seen from a truly historical perspective. Christopher Goscha draws on the latest research & discoveries in Vietnamese, French & English. His book is a major achievement, describing both the grand narrative of Vietnam`s story but also the byways, curiosities, differences, cultures & peoples that have done so much over the centuries to define the many versions of Vietnam.


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This new edition of Brogan`s superb one-volume history
- from early British colonisation to the Reagan years
- captures

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This is the completely updated edition of J. M. Roberts & Odd Arne Westad`s widely acclaimed, landmark bestseller The Penguin History of the World For generations of readers. The Penguin History of the World has been one of the great cultural experiences
- the entire story of human endeavour laid out in all its grandeur & folly, drama & pain in a single authoritative book. Now, for the first time, it has been completely overhauled for its 6th edition
- not just bringing it up to date, but revising it throughout in the light of new research & discoveries, such as the revolution in our understanding of many civilizations in the Ancient World. The closing sections of the book reflect what now seems to be the inexorable rise of Asia & the increasingly troubled situation in the West. About the authors: J.M. Roberts, CBE, published The Penguin History of the World in 1976 to immediate acclaim. His other major books include The Paris Commune from the Right, The Triumph of the West (which was also a successful television series), The Penguin History of Europe & The Penguin History of the Twentieth Century. He died in 2003. Odd Arne Westad, FBA, is Professor of International History at the London School of Economics. He has published fifteen books on modern & contemporary international history, among them The Global Cold War, which won the Bancroft Prize, & Decisive Encounters, a standard history of the Chinese civil war. He also served as general co-editor of the Cambridge History of the Cold War. Reviews: ”A work of outstanding breadth of scholarship & penetrating judgements. There is nothing better of its kind”. (Lord Jonathan Sumption, Sunday Telegraph). ”A stupendous achievement”. (A. J. P. Taylor). ”A brilliant book.. .the most outstanding history of the world yet written”. (J. H. Plumb).

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An indispensable, fully up-to-date phrasebook for travellers to both Portugal & Brazil, in a pocket-size format & beautiful cover design This newly revised & updated Portuguese Phrase Book contains a wealth of useful words & phrases for travellers in both Portugal & Brazil, with a particular emphasis on Brazilian Portuguese. The book

Includes:: basic grammar, a pronunciation guide, additional vocabulary & phrases to suit every place, event & situation. Clearly presented & easy to use, it is the perfect pocket-sized travelling companion.- Essential phrases for travel, eating out, shopping, sightseeing- Numbers, times & dates- Pronunciation given- Grammar basics & vocabulary list- Designed for use in both Brazil & Portugal- Particular emphasis on Brazilian Portuguese

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A heart-warming classic full of animal antics by Jill Tomlinson. Otto is a penguin chick, that much he knows, but other than this he has a lot to learn. Life at the bottom of the world is a curious thing & life can change at a moment`s notice. The next blizzard, the next meal & the threat of being orphaned are all challenges that must be faced. But how will Otto & his friends manage? The only way that penguins can do
- by looking after each other. A perfect story for animal lovers young & old, filled with tenderness & love combined with a subtle humour. Jill Tomlinson`s animal stories have been enjoyed by children who want to snuggle down with a good read for decades. This edition of The Penguin Who Wanted to Find Out is beautifully illustrated by Paul Howard.
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From the winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature, Isaac Bashevis Singer, The Penitent is the story of Joseph Shapiro, a disillusioned & aimless man who discovers a purpose to his life through the Jewish faith. Following his journey as he flees Nazi persecution in Poland in 1939, through wealth & a failed marriage in New York, & on to Israel, it charts his transformation from worldly confusion to spiritual certainty in orthodox Judaism. This powerful work is an examination of the nature of faith, the question of identity & the notion of how to lead a good life. ...

The Pennine Way is the first, & some would say the toughest, of Britain`s National Trails. It runs for 256 miles up from Edale in the Peak District along the crest of the Pennines
- sometimes known as the Backbone of England
- & the Cheviot Hills of Northumberland across the Scottish Border to the village of Kirk Yetholm. The idea of access campaigner & outdoor journalist Tom Stephenson in 1935, the Pennine Way took 60 years to come into being, & is now probably the best-known test of long distance walking in the country. This book is a celebration, rather than a guide to the Pennine Way. While covering the important highlights, it does not stick to the designated route religiously but meanders from the official path where there are points of interest along the way. Illustrated by John Morrison`s perceptive photography & award-winning writer Roly Smith`s insightful prose, The Pennine Way is at once a beautiful & refreshingly different look at the grand daddy of our long distance footpaths.

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About this series: Fold-out sheets on water-resistant paper, providing maps & directions for popular long distance walks. Each sheet is divided into sections each covering a particular stage of the walk. Detailed mapping shows the route & printed along side are the directions for that particular stage.

Includes:: accommodation & transport information. All the map extracts are at a good walking scale, with contours, walls, fences, power lines, woods, lakes, rivers, campsites, pubs & carparks marked, The scales vary between 1 inch to the mile & 1.75 inches to the mile.

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