Most of the scientific establishment predict that the North Pole will be free of ice around the middle of this century. As Peter Wadhams, the world`s leading expert on sea ice, demonstrates in this book, even this bleak assessment of the future is grossly optimistic. Wadhams has visited the Polar Regions more often than any other living scientist
- 50 times since he was on the first ship to circumnavigate the Americas in 1970
- & has a uniquely authoritative perspective on the changes they have undergone & where those changes will lead. From his observations & the latest scientific research, he describes how dramatically sea ice has diminished over the past three decades, to the point at which, by the time this book is published, the Arctic may be free of ice for the first time in 10, 000 years. Wadhams shows how sea ice is the `canary in the mine` of planetary climate change. He describes how it forms & the vital role it plays in reflecting solar heat back into space & providing an `air conditioning` system for the planet. He shows how a series of rapid feedbacks in the Arctic region are accelerating change there more rapidly than almost all scientists
- & political authorities
- have previously realised, & the dangers of further acceleration are very real. A Farewell to Ice is a report from the frontline of planetary change in the Arctic & Antarctic by a leading authority, presenting incontrovertible scientific data, but always in clear language which the layman can easily underst&. It is one of the most important books published in recent years about the existential challenge which human civilization now faces.



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Ice is beautiful & complex. It regulates our planet`s temperature. & it is vanishing
- fast. Peter Wadhams, the world`s leading
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‘ For me, the bond I have with Peg, my border collie sheepdog is priceless. I know how very lucky I, & thousands of other shepherds & farmers, are to have these extraordinarily bright, enthusiastic dogs at our side. But we, who work the land & our flocks, are not the only beneficiaries of the extraordinary relationship between man & dog …’ In A Farmer & His Dog, Adam Henson explores the unique relationship between a farmer & his most loyal friend. Sheepdogs come in a variety of shapes & sizes from border collies to Australian kelpies (rumoured to be a distant relative of the dingo). Not only are they essential to the running of a farm, but they are also fiercely intelligent & exceptionally devoted companions, having evolved over millennia to make the make the work of a shepherd possible. But it is not just the farmer working the land who benefits from the extraordinary relationship between man & dog. Beginning by introducing us to the dogs who have been faithful companions to the Henson family over the years, Adam goes on to explore the impact made by the UK’s hardest working breeds. From traditional herding dogs & gundogs – such as the Labrador’s he grew up with & the Hungarian wire-haired Vizslas like Boo & Olive who live with him now – to the assistance dogs, sniffer dogs & even search & rescue dogs, whose stories have reinforced Adam’s belief that we humans owe an enormous debt to our wet-nosed, four-legged friends. ...

In A Farmer & His Dog, Adam Henson explores the unique relationship between a farmer & his most loyal friend. Sheepdogs come in a variety of shapes & sizes from border collies to Australian kelpies (rumoured to be a distant relative of the dingo). Not only are they essential to the running of a farm, but they are also fiercely intelligent & exceptionally devoted companions, having evolved over millennia to make the make the work of a shepherd possible. But it is not just the farmer working the land who benefits from the extraordinary relationship between man & dog. Beginning by introducing us to the dogs who have been faithful companions to the Henson family over the years, Adam goes on to explore the impact made by the UK`s hardest working breeds. From traditional herding dogs & gundogs
- such as the Labrador`s he grew up with & the Hungarian wire-haired Vizslas like Boo & Olive who live with him now
- to the assistance dogs, sniffer dogs & even search & rescue dogs, whose stories have reinforced Adam`s belief that we humans owe an enormous debt to our wet-nosed, four-legged friends.

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A spellbinding concoction of crime, history & horror
- perfect for fans of Sherlock Holmes & Jonathan Creek. New Year`s Day,
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A Field Guide to Getting Lost is an investigation into loss, losing & being lost. Taking in subjects as eclectic as memory & mapmaking, Hitchcock movies & Renaissance painting, Rebecca Solnit explores the challenges of living with uncertainty. Beautifully written, this book combines memoir, history & philosophy, shedding glittering new light on the way we live now. ...

In this investigation into loss, losing & being lost, Rebecca Solnit explores the challenges of living with uncertainty. A Field Guide to Getting Lost takes in subjects as eclectic as memory & mapmaking, Hitchcock movies & Renaissance painting, Beautifully written, this book combines memoir, history & philosophy, shedding glittering new light on the way we live now. ...

A guide to critical thinking in the `post-truth` era, from the author of Sunday Times best-seller The Organized Mind We live in a world of information overload. Facts & figures on absolutely everything are at our fingertips, but are too often biased, distorted, or outright lies. From unemployment figures to voting polls, IQ tests to divorce rates, we`re bombarded by seemingly plausible statistics on how people live & what they think. Daniel Levitin teaches us how to effectively ask ourselves: can we really know that? & how do they know that? In this eye-opening, accessible guide filled with fascinating examples & practical takeaways, acclaimed neuroscientist Daniel Levitin shows us how learning to understand statistics will enable you to make better, smarter judgements on the world around you. ...

` Extraordinary, wise, funny, adventurous` A. L. Kennedy ` So utterly startling & inventive, it`s almost an act of resistance` Miriam Toews `I couldn`t put it down. A cult following seems certain` Literary Review ` Refreshing as well as disconcerting to read a novel that sets aside convention so resolutely` Guardian ` Opts to push the boundaries of what the novel is` Telegraph `A comic metaphysical thriller` Scotland on Sunday In this darkly ironic novel
- a quest for truth, a satire, an elegy
- Joanna Kavenna displays fearless originality & wit in confronting the strangeness of reality & how we contend with the death of those we love. Beautiful, ethereal drawings by Oly Ralfe illustrate this haunting journey through time, space & human understanding.

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China is one of the largest countries in the world, covering 7% of the earth`s land surface, & encompassing a hugely diverse range of habitats. As a result it boasts a rich & diverse avifauna, including some of the most spectacular & fascinating birds to be found anywhere in the world. John Mac Kinnon & Karen Phillipps` important new guide will be the first truly comprehensive, taxonomically modern, & fully illustrated field guide to the birds of China. Over 1300 bird species are illustrated in 128 original colour paintings, by Karen Phillipps & Dave Showler. The species accounts stress the key points for field recognition & give a full description of the plumage, voice, range, distribution, status, & behavioural characteristics for every bird, with additional descriptions provided for hundreds of subspecies. Colour distribution maps are provided for all illustrated species. The book also

Includes:: a useful introductory section that presents a background to the ecology of China, a brief history of Chinese ornithology, & plenty of practical hints on birdwatching in China. The guide`s portable format means it will fit easily into a backpack or pocket. John Mac Kinnon lived in China & Hong Kong for eight years, & has extensive experience of watching & writing about Chinese birds. He has been working in ecology & conservation in Asia for over 30 years, & his work in China included co-authoring the master plan to save the Giant Panda & its habitat. He has written & co-authored many books on the natural history of Asia, including a number of other bird guides. Karen Phillipps was born in Borneo, lived in Hong Kong for over 20 years, & has illustrated several other books on the birdlife of the region.

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