Oxygen has had extraordinary effects on life. Three hundred million years ago in Carboniferous times dragonflies grew as big as seagulls with wingspans of nearly a metre. Researchers claim they could have flown only if the air had contained more oxygen than today
- probably as much as 35 per cent. Giant spiders tree-ferns marine rock formations & fossil charcoals all tell the same story. High oxygen levels may also explain the global firestorm that contributed to the demise of the dinosaurs after the asteroid impact. The strange & profound effects that oxygen has had on the evolution of life pose a riddle which this book sets out to answer. Oxygen is a toxic gas. Divers breathing pure oxygen at depth suffer from convulsions & lung injury. Fruit flies raised at twice normal atmospheric levels of oxygen live half as long as their siblings. Reactive forms of oxygen known as free radicals are thought to cause ageing in people. Yet if atmospheric oxygen reached 35 per cent in the Carboniferous why did it promote exuberant growth instead of rapid ageing & death? Oxygen takes the reader on an enthralling journey as gripping as a thriller as it unravels the unexpected ways in which oxygen spurred the evolution of life & death. The book explains far more than the size of ancient insects: it shows how oxygen underpins the origin of biological complexity the birth of photosynthesis the sudden evolution of animals the need for two sexes the accelerated ageing of cloned animals like Dolly the sheep & the surprisingly long lives of bats & birds. Drawing on this grand evolutionary canvas Oxygen offers fresh perspectives on our own lives & deaths explaining modern killer diseases why we age & what we can do about it. Advancing revelatory new ideas following chains of evidence the book ranges through many disciplines from environmental sciences to molecular medicine. The result is a captivating vision of contemporary science & a humane synthesis of our place in nature. This remarkable book will redefine the way we think about the world.
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Oysters are older than us older than grass. They have been present at every turn of human history. They have inspired great writers painters cooks sustained whole communities & fashioned legend & history. Their pearls have funded empires & caused the invention of modern-day slavery. The evidence oysters leave behind shows us there was a seafaring empire along Western Europe before the Romans & that the world was colonised not west to east but south to north. We were not cavemen at all but covemen exploring the world along the coastlines because oysters were a sign of a safe & healthy marine economy. Besides being an unusual species in themselves oysters provide a fascinating insight into how the world has evolved. From pleasure pearls politics piracy piety & poverty this book will reveal a whole array of incredible facts you never knew before. ...

In The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Dorothy & her faithful dog Toto find themselves far from home in a strange land called Oz after their Kansas house is swept away by a cyclone. Here they meet the Munchkins & join the Scarecrow Tin Woodman & the Cowardly Lion on an unforgettable journey to the Emerald City where the all-powerful Wizard of Oz lives. Can he help Dorothy return home? In The Marvellous Land of Oz a young boy named Tip escapes from a witch & sets out to explore land of Oz. Along the way he meets the Scarecrow & Tin Woodman as well as some new friends like Jack Pumpkinhead & the Wooden Sawhorse. Eventually Tip's journey takes him to the Emerald City where he realizes that his life will be changed forever. In Ozma of Oz Dorothy is sailing to Australia when a huge storm washes her overboard. She only survives by clinging to a chicken crate. Eventually she & a yellow hen named Billina wash up on the magic shore of Ev where they meet the mechanical man Tik Tok. But Dorothy & Billina are taken prisoner by the evil Nome King who has captured the royal family of Ev. Only Ozma of Oz can save them but will she be in time? ...

In The Patchwork Girl of Oz the Munchkins Unc Nunkie & Ojo the Unlucky call on the Crooked Magician who introduces them to his latest creation: a living girl made out of patchwork quilts & cotton stuffing. But when an accident leaves beloved Unc Nunkie a motionless statue it is up to Ojo to save him. As he searches for the magic ingredients that will restore his uncle to life Ojo wonders if the mighty Wizard of Oz can help? In Tik-Tok of Oz Betsy Bobbin & her loyal mule Hank wash up on the shores of an unknown fairyland during a storm. There they meet the clockwork man Tik-Tok & find themselves trapped in a battle with the king of the Nomes. In The Scarecrow of Oz Capn Bill & Trot journey to Oz & with the help of the Scarecrow overthrow the cruel King Krewl of Jinxl&. ...

In Rinkitink in Oz Prince Inga of Pingaree must rescue his parents & all of the subjects from his kingdom who were kidnapped by marauders form Regos & Coregos. Prince Inga along with the visiting King Rinkitink & Bilbil the goat set off on a series of grand adventures that will lead them to the underground kingdom of the Nome King. Will Ingas bravery & courage be enough to save his parents & all of their subjects? In The Lost Princess of Oz Ozma the beloved ruler of Oz has disappeared so Dorothy the Wizard the Cowardly Lion & a band of friends must search the vast land of Oz to find her. In The Tin Woodman of Oz Tin Woodman Woot the Wanderer & Captain Fyter set off on a quest to find the lovely Munchkin Nimmie Amee. Once upon a time she & the Woodman were going to marry but then the Wicked Witch of the West turned him to tin. Can the Tin Woodman find Nimmie Amee? & will she remember him? ...

Were a nation of drinkers but what do we drink? Following their previous highly amusing journeys around France & California Oz & James embark on a summer road trip around their homeland on a quest to find the drink that defines modern Britain. This is an account of their thinly disguised drinking holiday through Britain & Ireland & what they found out about British booze en route. The pair start out in a barley field in Yorkshire with Oz showing James what goes into beer & why. As they travel round Britain they explore the best & worst of British beers & move on to other drinks that might define modern Britain: wine & whisky of course & gin vodka cider & perry. Oz & Jamess hunting grounds are great British pubs maltsters small breweries & distilleries sparkling wine makers hop growers & many more all set against the beautiful backdrop of the British countryside. This odd couple squabble & revel in their differences in an irreverent & highly amusing tribute to British drink in its many forms. ...

Oz Clarke Britains favourite wine writer & broadcaster is absolutely in tune with what wine drinkers want today
- flavour individuality
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Refreshingly witty & readable guide to the worlds most famous wine region. Every producer in the world with ambitions to make great red wine still looks to Bordeaux for inspiration & the region is brought to life by Oz with his evocative descriptions & personal anecdotes accompanied by stunning photographs & maps. Oz turns his spotlight on each of the famous Bordeaux wine areas (including St-Emilion Pomerol Margaux & Pauillac). He also recommends hundreds of affordable modern Bordeaux wines for drinking today. Returning to his wine roots Oz shows how whatever crises may be affecting the French wine industry in general & the lower end of the market in particular Bordeaux is on the whole in optimistic mode. However much we now appreciate wine from all over the world there is still nothing quite as magical as the best bottles from the best producers in this historic wine region. There is no better introduction to the worlds most dazzling wine region. Decanter A well-planned well-executed approachable book packed with information & illustrations. The Sunday Times ...

Oz Clarke Britains favourite wine writer & broadcaster is absolutely in tune with what wine drinkers want today
- flavour individuality
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Approaching wine through grapes is in tune with the way consumers now think & learn about wine. This is the definitive up to date guide to the worlds greatest grapes & the wines they make
- the history the places the people the wine styles & the flavours. Highly acclaimed winner of the Lanson Wine Book of the Year award Grapes & Wines has been updated to make it once again a helpful thorough & very readable guide to the worlds most interesting wines & grapes.
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