Award-winning travel writer Paul Theroux invites you aboard The Old Patagonian Express by Train through the Americas"; packed with powerful descriptions & portraits of the many colours of humanity " The Old Patagonian Express" is an unforgettable read. A witty sharply observed journey down the length of North & South America. Beginning his journey in Boston where he boarded the subway commuter train & catching trains of all kinds on the way Paul Theroux tells of his voyage from ice-bound Massachusetts & Illinois to the arid plateau of Argentinas most southerly tip. Sweating & shivering by turns as the temperature & altitude shoot up & down thrown in with the appalling Mr Thornberry in Limon & reading nightly to the blind writer Borges in Buenos Aires Theroux vividly evokes the contrasts of a journey to the end of the line. " Fascinating beautifully written.. .a vivid travelogue described with the sensitive richly observant pen of a born writer". (" Sunday Express"). " This is travel writing at its most accomplished.. .even the bored are funny & human & the description of homeless children is painfully unforgettable". (" Sunday Telegraph"). American travel writer Paul Theroux is known for the rich descriptions of people & places that is often streaked with his distinctive sense of irony; his other non-fiction titles " Riding the Iron Rooster" " The Happy Isles of Oceania" " Sunrise with Seamonsters" " The Kingdom by the Sea" " The Tao of Travel" " Ghost Train to the Eastern Star" " The Great Railway Bazaar" " Dark Star Safari" " Fresh-air Fiend" " Sir Vidias Shadow" " The Pillars of Hercules" & his novels & collections of short stories including the James Tait Black Memorial Prize winner " The Mosquito Coast" are available from Penguin." ...

' The Buddha was the source. Venerable Svasti & the young buffalo boys were rivers that flowed from the source. Wherever the rivers flowed the Buddha would be there.' In Old Path White Clouds scholar poet & peace activist Thich Nhat Hanh retells the story of the Buddha in his own inimitably beautiful style. He draws upon Pali Sanskrit & Chinese sources to trace the Buddha's life slowly & gently through the course of eighty years. Seen partly through the eyes of the Buddha himself & partly through those of Svasti the buffalo boy Old Path White Clouds brings the Buddha closer to us as we journey with him on his path to enlightenment & nirvana. ...

Cats! Some are sane some are mad & some are good & some are bad. Meet magical Mr Mistoffelees sleepy Old Deuteronomy & curious Rum Tum Tugger. But youll be lucky to meet Macavity because Macavitys not there! In 1925 T.S. Eliot became co-director of Faber & Faber who remain his publishers to this day. Throughout the 1930s he composed the now famous poems about Macavity Old Deuteronomy Mr Mistoffelees & many other cats under the name of Old Possum. In 1981 Eliots poems were set to music by Andrew Lloyd Webber as Cats" which went on to become the longest-running Broadway musical in history. This charming new edition contains original colour illustrations by the award-winning illustrator of " The Gruffalo" Axel Scheffler." ...

Cats! Some are sane some are mad & some are good & some are bad. Meet magical Mr Mistoffelees sleepy Old Deuteronomy & curious Rum Tum Tugger. But youll be lucky to meet Macavity because Macavitys not there! In 1925 T.S. Eliot became co-director of Faber & Faber who remain his publishers to this day. Throughout the 1930s he composed the now famous poems about Macavity Old Deuteronomy Mr Mistoffelees & many other cats under the name of Old Possum. In 1981 Eliots poems were set to music by Andrew Lloyd Webber as Cats" which went on to become the longest-running Broadway musical in history. This new edition published on the 70th anniversary of the book & on the 80th anniversary of Faber & Faber contains original colour illustrations by the award-winning illustrator of " The Gruffalo" Axel Scheffler." ...

Cats! Some are sane some are mad & some are good & some are bad. Meet magical Mr Mistoffelees sleepy Old Deuteronomy & curious Rum Tum Tugger. But you'll be lucky to meet Macavity because Macavity's not there! In 1925 T.S. Eliot became co-director of Faber & Faber who remain his publishers to this day. Throughout the 1930s he composed the now famous poems about Macavity Old Deuteronomy Mr Mistoffelees & many other cats under the name of Old Possum". In 1981 Eliot's poems were set to music by Andrew Lloyd Webber as Cats which went on to become the longest-running Broadway musical in history." ...

This is a comprehensive survey of the social historical & architectural importance of the English parsonage & its future. Traditional English rectories & vicarages sold out of service by the Church have become uniquely desirable to property buyers & are now cherished by their new private owners. They combine many coveted qualities: their fine architecture their air of civilization their charm & character the traditional values & quality of essential ' Englishness' which they evoke; their large gardens & often splendidly rural locations. Despite their historical social & architectural importance there is no comprehensive book about them currently in print. This book examines the place of rectories & vicarages in the history of the Church & of this country & traces their evolution through the centuries. It looks at their many & varied styles of architecture profiling some individual houses & highlighting some of the most architecturally outstanding & interesting ones. It is handsomely illustrated with quality color & black-&-white photographs. Although rectories & vicarages have had their ups & downs throughout history the period from the early twentieth century to the present day has posed perhaps the greatest challenge: why if they are so desirable has the Church been selling off its finest houses? The Old Rectory" examines the contribution to our culture made by the clerical families who occupied these houses & looks at some of the famous people (and eccentrics) who have been associated with them." ...

Power: Two clever stylish & ambitious women are fighting for control of a multi-million cosmetics empire. Mystery: What is the secret that lies behind its charming ruthless creator Julian Morell? & why when he dies does he leave half his fortune to a complete stranger? Glamour: Here are the designer interiors the jewels cars & to-die-for couture of the rich & the super-rich
- the glittering fabulous world Julian created for himself & the women who loved him. Passion: & here is a love story
- poignant sexy tempestuous
- featuring a mother a mistress a wife & a daughter all of whom are overshadowed by.. .old sins.


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John Lowe is one of Britain's greatest ever darts champions. Unruffled on the oche even in the face of the greatest challenges ' Old Stoneface' as John is known became an indomitable force in the darts world. With every major darts accolade under his belt his name has gone down in the history of the game. It was fate that kick-started John's career in the sport when one evening he was asked to take someone's place during a match. Had it not been for this John would have followed his father down the mine & led quite a different life. In this fascinating book John speaks candidly of his two marriages the glamour & the strain brought about by jetting around the world to play in tournaments as well as tales from all the major matches & what he really thinks about his big-name opponents. A must-read for any sports fan. ...

First published in 1925 THE OLD STRAIGHT TRACK remains the most important source for the study of ancient tracks or leys that criss-cross the British Isles- a fascinating system which was old when the Romans came to Britain. First in the Herefordshire countryside & later throughout Britain Alfred Watkins noticed that beacon hills mounds earthworks moats & old churches built on pagan sites seemed to fall in straight lines. His investigation convinced him that Britain was covered with a vast network of straight tracks aligned with either the sun or the path of a star. Although traces of this network can be found all over the country the principles behind the ley system remain a mystery. Are they the legacy of a prehistoric scientific knowledge which is now all but lost? & was their purpose secular or religious? ...

As one of the richest sources of diversion for the people of Britain between the end of the First World War & the 1960s the variety theatre emerged from the embers of music hall a vulgar & rumbustious entertainment that had held the working classes in thrall since the 1840s. Music hall bosses decided they would do better business if a man going to theatres on his own could take his wife & children with him knowing they would see or hear nothing that would scandalise them. So variety a gentler less red-blooded entertainment was gradually established. At the top of the profession were Gracie Fields a peerless singer & comedienne & Max Miller a comic who was renowned for being risque but who in fact never cracked a dirty joke. They were supported by acts that matched the word variety: ventriloquists drag artists animal acts acrobats jugglers magicians & many more. But the variety theatre was constantly under threat first from revue then radio the cinema girlie shows the birth of rock n roll & finally television. By the end of the 1950s the variety business seemed to have given up but the recent & extraordinary popularity of talent shows on television has proved the public appetite is still there. Variety could be about to start all over again. ...