Saudi Arabia is a country defined by paradox: it sits atop some of the richest oil deposits in the world, & yet the country`s roiling disaffection produced sixteen of the nineteen 9/11 hijackers. It is a modern state, driven by contemporary technology, & yet its powerful religious establishment would have its customs & practices rolled back to match those of the Prophet Muhammed over a thousand years ago. In a world where events in the Middle East continue to have geopolitical consequences far beyond the region`s boundaries, an understanding of this complex nation is essential. With ” Inside the Kingdom”, British journalist & bestselling author Robert Lacey has given us one of the most penetrating & insightful looks at Saudi Arabia ever produced. More than twenty years after he first moved to the country to write about the Saudis at the end of the oil boom, Lacey has returned to find out how the consequences of the boom produced a society at war with itself. Filled with stories told by a broad range of Saudis, from high princes & ambassadors to men & women on the street, ” Inside the Kingdom” is in many ways the story of the Saudis in their own words. ...

Return to the wizarding world & discover how director David Yates & producer David Heyman brought J.K. Rowling`s all-new adventure, Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them to the big screen. Discover how director David Yates, producer David Heyman & a talented team of No-Majs brought J.K. Rowling`s Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them to the screen. Meet Newt Scamander, Magizoologist, & explore such wonders as MACUSA, United States counterpart to the Ministry of Magic, the magical secrets of Newt`s case, & the fantastic beasts themselves. Let Inside the Magic: The Making of Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them take you on a filmmaking journey into 1920s New York. Learn about the film`s costumes, wands, & special effects, & find out which character`s wand is made from shell, which famous wizard is Newt`s friend, which witch is a Legilimens, & which beast ends up at the zoo! Packed with exciting photos & revealing, behind-the-scenes detail from J.K. Rowling, David Yates, production designer Stuart Craig, Eddie Redmayne & other cast members, this is the definitive companion to the film, & perfect introduction to Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them. ...

This is the ultimate resource for any visitor to the area. These pages cover every inch of the Mani with over 500 colour photos clearly illustrating the text. Background information in the introduction details the area's history as well as providing an overview on tower houses & feuds, churches & their frescos & visitors who have come to the Mani & written about their experiences. The body of the guide is colour-coded, section by section to make it quicker to find a particular place. Each section, as well as having its own colour, has a road map & a brief introduction summarising the main characteristics of that area. There are 10 circular walks at the back of the book, spread out throughout the peninsula, again with maps to compliment. If you want just one day out in a hired car to get a feel for the Deep Mani, or you want to embark on a detailed study of Byzantine churches, or want to take a jeep up into the mountains or find a secluded cove on the east coast, then the answers will be found in this book. There is also an accommodation section for the independent traveller. The features include: an introduction on history, tower houses & church frescoes; user-friendly
- eight, colour-coded sections help quickly plan an itinerary; road maps for each section; detailed village maps, including Stoupa & Kardamyli; nine circular walks throughout the area, varying in difficulty; & an accommodation section for the independent traveller.
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Acclaimed Israeli intelligence analyst Avi Melamed has spent more than thirty years interpreting Middle East affairs. His long-awaited Inside the Middle East challenges widely-accepted perceptions & provides a gripping & uniquely enlightening guide to make sense of the events unfolding in the region--to answer how the Arab world got to this point, what is currently happening, what the ramifications will be, how they will affect Israel, & what actions must immediately be undertaken, including how Western leaders need to respond. Melamed considers all the major power players in the Middle East, explains the underlying issues, & creates a three-dimensional picture, an illustration that connects the dots & provides a fascinating roadmap. He elucidates developments such as the Arab Spring, the downfall of the Muslim Brotherhood, the rise of ISIS, the epic Sunni-Shiite animosity, the essence of the war in Syria, the role of the Caliphate & Jihad, & the looming nuclear arms race. He also provides a rare opportunity to journey into the psyche of Arab society. Look through the lens of its leaders & its most ruthless terrorists. See what makes them tick & what they want. Discover how they can be overtaken. This unparalleled volume is a milestone in our understanding of the Middle East. It is the untold story of the struggles that will shape the region, & the world, for decades to come, & a groundbreaking guide that will shake you to the core, force you to reevalute your outlook, & give you tips to navigate the future. ...

China remains an enigma to many. It is suspended in limbo between media reports & the filtered reality of friends & family visits. This enormous & complex country is either vilified for its shortcomings or praised for its vibrancy, culture & heritage. The truth lies somewhere in between. The stories in this fascinating book unearth the modern-day truths of China, in all its complexity, through the words of those who live there. It is a beguiling series of insights & nuggets of knowledge that will educate, inform & surprise you. In reading these stories, you will gain a deeper appreciation of the country & particularly of the people who have laid the foundation for China`s remarkable rise & influence in the world. ...

Inside the Peloton, based on its author’s acclaimed diaries of life as a professional cyclist, is a fiercely honest account of the incredible sacrifices & effort required to climb up the ranks. Nicholas Roche, the son of Stephen Roche – the second of only two cyclists to win the triple crown of the Tour de France, the Giro d’ Italia & the World Road Race Championship, tells a candid & cliché-free tale of a life on the road with all its glory & suffering, with long painful days in the saddle, the strictest of diets & the constant need to rest & recover. ...

In 1999, shortly after arriving in Beijing as The Times`s China correspondent, Oliver August set out on the trail of China`s most wanted man, Lai Changxing. An illiterate peasant from the coastal city of Xiamen, Lai created his own shipping empire from nothing before vanishing abruptly when the Communist Party accused him of corruption & fraud. Once the richest man in the country, Lai was now public enemy number one because his immense wealth became a threat to Beijing`s power. Oliver August`s highly entertaining search for Lai takes him to the brothels, backwaters & boardrooms that define the spirit of an emerging nation. Fascinated by Lai`s story, the author visits the town where he was born, travels on the boat used by his smuggling racket & stays in the hotel where government investigators interrogated & tortured his helpers. The book investigates the tycoon`s meteoric rise, his catastrophic demise & the mystery that surrounds his disappearance. After two decades of capitalist reforms, the New China seems to have more cliches than people. Both free & oppressive, anarchic & authoritarian, totally chaotic yet highly regulated, China is changing completely whilst seeming to stay itself. Part investigation, part personal memoir, Inside the Red Mansion is a deeply atmospheric journey into the New China. From the austere bureaucrats of Beijing to the gilded pirate coast opposite Taiwan; from the Gobi desert plains where migrant labour is recruited, to the skyscrapers & nightclubs of boomtowns like Xiamen, Oliver August`s gripping yet thoughtful account reveals the dark side of China`s economic miracle & a nation finally awakening to its desires. ...

This is the story of the House of Osman, the imperial dynasty that ruled the Ottoman Empire for more than seven centuries, an empire that once stretched from central Europe to North Africa & from Persia to the Adriatic. The capital of this empire was Istanbul, ancient Byzantium, a city that stands astride Europe & Asia on the Bosphorus. & it was in the great palace of Topkapi Sarayi that the sultans of this empire ruled. Inside the Seraglio a classic of Ottoman history takes us behind the gilded doors of the Topkapi & into the heart of the palace: the harem, where the sultan would surround himself with his wives, concubines, eunuchs, pages, dwarfs & mutes & where all the tempestuous events of empire were so often played out. This is the history of a remarkable palace in all its colour & opulence & the story of its influence on a great empire. ...

Inside the Tomb of Tutankhamun approaches its subject from two angles. Firstly it explores the world of Ancient Egypt & the politics surrounding the rule of the boy Pharaoh, Tutankhamun. Secondly, it looks at the pioneering work of Howard Carter & Lord Carnarvon in the 1920s, & the fascination as the world looked on in awe at their discoveries. The book not only provides an invaluable introduction to a particularly turbulent period of Egyptian history, but also seeks to answer questions about what happened to the Tomb in the years following Tutankhamun's burial. The book features cutaway diagrams, picture-strips of the lives of Tutankhamun & Carter, illustrations of Ancient Egyptian life, maps & impressive photographs taken during the excavation & after wards. Informative captions, a complete glossary, time lines & an index make this title an ideal educational text. Fits into the guidelines for Key Stage 2 History
- 'A' study of the key features, including the everyday lives of men, women & children, of Ancient Egypt'. It also fits into Key Stage 3 History as a 'study of some of the significant individuals, events & developments from across the twentieth century'. It helps achieve the goals of the Scottish Standard Curriculum 5-14, promoting 'positive attitudes to learning', 'knowledge, understanding & appreciation of the world' & 'skills in literacy'.
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An extraordinary pop-up book that reveals the secrets of the most famous fairy-tale villains--the giant, the wolf & the witch--with interactive flaps, a twist on well-known tales, & personality cards for each villain. Lift the flaps to see the diabolical thoughts inside the villains` heads, what hides beneath their disguises, or the victims of their last meals (now comfortably settled inside their stomachs!). ...