` 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.

...

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.

...

Judge not, lest ye be judged. This timeless wisdom has guided the Anglican Church for hundreds of years, fostering a certain tolerance of eccentricity among its members. Good thing, too. The ` Mermaid of Morwenstow` excommunicated a cat for mousing on a Sunday. When he was late for a service, Bishop Lancelot Fleming commandeered a Navy helicopter. ` Mad Jack` swapped his surplice for a leopard skin & insisted on being carried around in a coffin. & then there was the man who, like Noah`s evil twin, tried to eat one of each of God`s creatures... In spite of all this they saw the church as their true calling. After all, who cares if you`re wearing red high heels when there are souls to be saved? ...

Explore the colourful world of alpine flowers. This practical book will help you make a quick, reliable identification of each plant, with concise descriptions & illustrations for individual plants to enable differentiation from similar species. Flowers can be identified quickly from colour & shape. The notable characters of each plant are clearly highlighted. Covering 500 species, each with colour photographs, this compact guide is designed for walkers & botanists. For each plant the common name, scientific name, flowering time, plant height, protected status, & distribution (habitat & altitude) are described. ...

Home to the Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Crater, & Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania offers some of the finest big game watching in the world, from elephants & rhinos to chimpanzees & lions. This field guide covers all the larger mammals of Tanzania, including marine mammals & some newly discovered species. Detailed accounts are provided for more than 135 species, along with color photos, color illustrations of marine mammals, & distribution maps. Accounts for land species give information on identification, subspecies, similar species, ecology, behavior, distribution, conservation status, & where best to see each species. The guide also features plates with side-by-side photographic comparisons of species that are easily confused, as well as first-time-ever species checklists for every national park. The definitive, most up-to-date field guide to the larger mammals of Tanzania, including marine mammals Features detailed species accounts & numerous color photos throughout Provides tips on where to see each species

Includes:: species checklists for every national park

...

South-East Asia is home to one of the most diverse reptile faunas on Earth. A Field Guide to the Reptiles of South-East Asia is the first comprehensive guide to the snakes, lizards, crocodiles, tortoises & turtles of the region. Covering more than 1000 species & subspecies in thorough detail, this field guide provides authoritative, up-to-date information on identification, habitat, behaviour, subspecies, distribution & status. The informative text explains the behaviour & morphology of reptiles, as well as how to measure & identify species according to scale counts & other anatomical features. South-East Asia is one of the most important ecotourism destinations in the world, with an expanding local market as wildlife conservation assumes greater prominence locally. This guide is essential reading for anyone interested in the wildlife of the region
- wildlife enthusiasts, students, conservation planners & specialists alike.
...

South Georgia is rich in wildlife & spectacular scenery, & it is a prime destination spot on most Antarctic tours. This beautifully illustrated field guide depicts the birds, mammals, insects, flowering plants, & other vegetation found in this unique part of the world. It features 368 full-color photographs of more than 180 species, including 65 species of birds, 20 species of sea mammals, nearly 60 species of insects, & more than 40 species of flowering & nonflowering plants. Detailed species accounts describe key identification features, with information on status, behavior, threats, & distribution. This one-of-a-kind photographic guide also

Includes:: introductory chapters on South Georgia`s geography, climate, ecology, & conservation.

...

A Field Guide to Whisky is a one-stop guide for all the information a whisky enthusiast needs. With the whisky market booming all over the world, now is a perfect time for a comprehensive guide to this popular brown spirit. What are the basic ingredients in all whiskies? How does it get its flavour? Which big-name brands truly deserve their reputation? What are the current whisky trends around the world? & who was Jack Daniel, anyway? This abundance of information is distilled (!) into 323 short entries covering basic whisky literacy, production methods, consumption tips, trends, trivia, geographical maps & lists of distilleries, whisky trails, bars, hotels, & festivals by an industry insider. Boasting 230 colour photographs & a beautiful package to boot, A Field Guide to Whisky will make a whisky expert out of anyone. ...

* Chosen as a Book of the Year by The Times, History Today & the Sunday Telegraph*‘ Wonderfully entertaining, comprehensive & astute.’ The Times‘ Genuinely hard to put down.’ BBC History Magazine From murder to duelling, highway robbery to mugging: the darker side of English life explored. Spanning some seven centuries, A Fiery & Furious People traces the subtle shifts that have taken place both in the nature of violence & in people’s attitudes to it. How could football be regarded at one moment as a raucous pastime that should be banned, & the next as a respectable sport that should be encouraged? When did the serial killer first make an appearance? What gave rise to particular types of violent criminal
- medieval outlaws, Victorian garrotters – & what made them dwindle & then vanish? Above all, Professor James Sharpe hones in on a single, fascinating question: has the country that has experienced so much turmoil naturally prone to violence or are we, in fact, becoming a gentler nation?‘ Wonderful... A fascinating & rare example of a beautifully crafted scholarly work.’ Times Higher Education‘ Sweeping & ambitious... A humane & clear-eyed guide to a series of intractable & timely questions.’ Observer‘ Deeply researched, thoughtfully considered & vividly written... Read it.’ History Today‘ Magisterial... The outlaw’s song has surely never been better rendered.’ Times Literary
...

Set in mid-1970s India, A Fine Balance is a subtle & compelling narrative about four unlikely characters who come together in circumstances no one could have foreseen soon after the government declares a ` State of Internal Emergency`. Like much of Mistry’s other work, it engrosses the reader & engages them in such a way that whilst following the narrative, they are also unwittingly educating themselves in the complex & vast social strata that remains even in today’s modern India. It is a breathtaking achievement: panoramic yet humane, intensely political yet rich with local delight; &, above all, compulsively readable. ...