While writing a novel set in South America, John Hopkins travelled back there to ”reacquaint himself with the scene”. In 1972-3, he travelled by train, bus & boat from Mexico City to the centre of the continent, through Belize, Guatemala & Nicaragua & on to Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay & Argentina. Hopkins travelled slowly, deliberately, savouring every experience along the way. But the journey was fraught with his angst-ridden strivings to write his novel & with the troubled love he had for Madeleine, his travelling companion. In these heat-scorched, tequila-infused pages, Hopkins paints a sultry, exquisite portrait of South America & in so doing masters an art that he believed would forever elude him. ...

China`s rise has upset the global balance of power, & the first place to feel the strain is Beijing`s backyard: the South China Sea. For decades tensions have smouldered in the region, but today the threat of a direct confrontation among superpowers grows ever more likely. This important book is the first to make clear sense of the South Sea disputes. Bill Hayton, a journalist with extensive experience in the region, examines the high stakes involved for rival nations that include Vietnam, India, Taiwan, the Philippines, & China, as well as the United States, Russia & others. Hayton also lays out the daunting obstacles that stand in the way of peaceful resolution. Through lively stories of individuals who have shaped current conflicts
- businessmen, scientists, shippers, archaeologists, soldiers, diplomats
- Hayton makes understandable the complex history & contemporary reality of the South China Sea. He underscores its crucial importance as the passageway for half the world`s merchant shipping & one-third of its oil & gas. Whoever controls these waters controls the access between Europe, the Middle East, South Asia, & the Pacific. The author critiques various claims & positions (that China has historic claim to the Sea, for example), overturns conventional wisdom (such as America`s overblown fears of China`s nationalism & military resurgence), & outlines what the future may hold for this clamorous region of international rivalry.

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China`s rise has upset the global balance of power, & the first place to feel the strain is Beijing`s back yard: the South China Sea. For decades tensions have smoldered in the region, but today the threat of a direct confrontation among superpowers grows ever more likely. This important book is the first to make clear sense of the South Sea disputes. Bill Hayton, a journalist with extensive experience in the region, examines the high stakes involved for rival nations that include Vietnam, India, Taiwan, the Philippines, & China, as well as the United States, Russia, & others. Hayton also lays out the daunting obstacles that stand in the way of peaceful resolution. Through lively stories of individuals who have shaped current conflicts--businessmen, scientists, shippers, archaeologists, soldiers, diplomats, & more--Hayton makes understandable the complex history & contemporary reality of the South China Sea. He underscores its crucial importance as the passageway for half the world`s merchant shipping & one-third of its oil & gas. Whoever controls these waters controls the access between Europe, the Middle East, South Asia, & the Pacific. The author critiques various claims & positions (that China has historic claim to the Sea, for example), overturns conventional wisdoms (such as America`s overblown fears of China`s nationalism & military resurgence), & outlines what the future may hold for this clamorous region of international rivalry. ...

Acutely sensitive to rhythms of the countryside, Edward Thomas`s lyrical, passionate, & sometimes political writing merges natural history with folk culture, & gives us a free-form record of the feelings & observations of one of the great poets of the English language. First published 1909 by J.M. Dent & Sons ...

The South Downs has throughout history been a focus of English popular culture. With chalkl&, their river valleys & scarp-foot the Downs have been shaped for over millennia by successive generations of farmers, ranging from Europe`s oldest inhabitants right up until the 21st century. ”...possibly the most important book to have been written on the South Downs in the last half-century.. . The South Downs have found their perfect biographer.” Downs Country ...

Matthew Baxter was almost there. Almost a writer, almost a lover, almost a traveller. He wrote for the Tread Lightly range of travel guides, he loved his boss & he was about to catch a plane to the south. His job was to give an out-of-season slant to the Italian guide, & he was ready. Almost. For everything wasn`t exactly as it should have been. In fact, nothing was exactly as it should have been. Especially Matthew Baxter. Peter Benson`s new novel is a story of (almost) unrequited love & a meditation on the possibility of redemption. It`s also a tour of southern Italy, & aims to prove that although some people say ” Never go back”, some people don`t know what they`re talking about. ...

Wending its way from Banbury to Oxford, the South Oxford Canal passes through some of England`s most picturesque landscapes & picture-postcard villages. The guide is suitable both for those taking a holiday along the stretch of the canal as well as those interested in the area & what it has to offer. Covering an area a mile or two either side of the canal, it is an invaluable resource for the canal boater, day tripper, angler, walker & interested local & covers the area from Napton to Oxford, a stretch of just under 50 miles. The South Oxford Canal is the first in a series of towpath guides. ...

The Geographic South Pole is a place of paradox. It is a point around which the Earth, quite literally, pivots; yet it has a habit of falling off the edge of our maps. An invisible spot on a high, featureless ice plateau, the Pole has no obvious material value, but is nonetheless a much sought-after location. The endpoint of exploration`s most famous `race` between teams led by Robert F. Scott & Roald Amundsen, the Pole has more recently become a favoured destination of `extreme` tourists. Like the whole of Antarctica, `90 South` does not belong to any nation, but six national claims meet there, & for nearly sixty years the US has occupied the site with a series of scientific stations. The Pole is a deeply political place. In South Pole Elizabeth Leane explores the important challenges that this strange place poses to humanity. What is its lure? How & why should people live there? How can creative artists respond to its apparent blankness? What can it teach us about our planet & ourselves? Along the way, she considers the absurdities & banalities of human engagement with the Pole. Ranging from the ancient Greeks to the present, & featuring spectacular images of the South Pole, this book offers a fascinating history of the symbolic `heart` of the Antarctic. ...

Double-sided map from the British Antarctic Survey: on one side is a bathymetry & geological setting map of the South Sandwich Islands Volcanic Arc at 1:750, 000; on the reverse individual islands are shown on separate panels at 1:50, 000 or 1:25, 000. Both sides include explanatory notes & addition information panels. Full BAS ref. number: BAS GEOMAO 2 Series, sheet 6, edition 1, 2014.PLEASE NOTE: to see the list of other detailed topographic & specialist maps from BAS please click on the series link. BAS maps of wider general interest are listed on our website in a separate series. ...

With nineteenth century origins as a coastguard patrol route to restrict smuggling, the modern day South West Coast Path is Britain's longest waymarked footpath. This challenging National Trail hugs the coast from Minehead in Somerset, all the way around the South West peninsula of Cornwall before ending at Studland in Dorset. The full path is not for the fainthearted; it runs for 630 miles up & down endless cliffs which, when added together give a height gain of almost four times the height of Mount Everest. But the path is not solely the domain of the endurance walker. Its various segments are enjoyed by many millions of visitors throughout the year, who come to marvel at the natural scenery on offer. This is the true wonder of the South West Coast Path; this single trail connects visitors with some of the finest coastal scenery to be found anywhere in the world. ...