The Descent from the Cross, or Deposition, is the last act in the human drama of Christ's mission on earth, in which Joseph of Arimathea obtains Pontius Pilate's permission to take Christ's body down from the Cross & bury it. The pathos of this particular scene has captured the imagination of artists from every age, & this book presents a chronological sequence of over 100 versions of the event selected from masterpieces of all periods by the greatest artists. Like its companion volumes, Descent presents an extended meditation on a single theme that has many facets: the universal human tragedy of loss, grief & the shattering of all hope on the one hand; & the promise, as yet unknown to the participants, of renewed hope & eternal life on the other. This complex web of emotions has inspired a rich heritage of interpretation, & the images presented here form a deeply moving & ever-evolving study of grief & resignation; of human & divine drama; of individual physiognomy & character; & of ultimate hope & salvation. The concentration on a single theme opens up an intense & heightened awareness of the intricacy of human emotion & the magnitude of the artist's expressive resources. Each respective image reveals a new insight, as the profoundest mysteries of religion, human experience & artistic creation are explored here in a concentrated form. Like its companion volumes Annunciation, Crucifixion & Last Supper, Descent presents a focused meditation on a single theme that is infinitely rich, allowing the viewer to appreciate the nuances of character & the endless skill with which artists have created new masterpieces out of old materials. Whether one focuses on the religious mystery, the human drama or the marvellous skill of the artist, these uncluttered & simply presented works of art provide endless food for thought & contemplation. ...

This text offers Martin Martin's narrative of his journey around the Western Isles, with information on custom, tradition & life, & an account of St Kilda, published in 1697, & Sir Donald Monro, High Dean of the Isles, visit after the fall of the Lords of the Isles, written in 1549. ...

Intends to teach the main characteristics of living & non living things against the backdrop of a particular habitat. This series

Includes:: a question & answer text to stress the understanding of scientific investigation & observation. It features habitat-specific photographs to appeal to teachers & children.

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Dr Jenny Stapleton has devoted herself to those in need around the globe. In Zaheer she meets Dr Kam Rahman, a man she thinks is only a doctor
- but actually he is a sheikh! He is soon to ascend the throne, & knows he wants this desert doctor as his queen!
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Sultan Gadaffi has escaped from Libya with a fistful of dangerous secrets.

The British Government want ex-Special Forces

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On the banks of the Nile, a hero will rise…

Egypt is under threat. Taita, a freed slave & the Pharaoh’s closest

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International star & martial arts master Jean-Claude Van Damme (Timecop, Maximum Risk) kicks into high gear in Desert Heat, a scorching, high-intensity action thriller. Desperate to flee the inner demons raging inside him, mysterious loner Eddie Lomax ( ...

BBC Radio 4 is much more than a radio programme. It is a unique & enduringly popular take on our lives & times. This book presents in rich detail the colourful & absorbing story of an extraordinary institution. It tells the story of one of BBC Radi ...

Suitable for fans of the popular BBC Radio 4 programme Desert Island Discs, & an introduction for those who have yet to discover its delights, this book reveals much about the castaways' drives & motivations, their influences &, of course, their l ...

The extraordinary story of the deserters of the Second World War. What made them run? & what happened after they fled? During the Second World War, the British lost 100, 000 troops to desertion, & the Americans 40, 000. Commonwealth forces from Canada, Australia, New Zeal&, South Africa & Britain's colonial empire also left the ranks in their thousands. The overwhelming majority of deserters from all armies were front-line infantry troops; without them, the war was harder to win. Many of these men were captured & court martialled, while others were never apprehended. Some remain wanted to this day. Why did these men decide to flee their ranks? In ' Deserter', veteran reporter & historian Charles Glass follows a group of British & American deserters into the heat of battle & explores what motivated them to take their fateful decision to run away. The result is a highly emotional & engaging study of an under-explored area of World War II history. ...