Combining images from world`s leading marine & nature photographers & the latest in underwater photography techniques, The Life & Love of the Sea is a breathtaking visual tour of the ocean`s many facets. Readers will experience the land meeting the sea with images of dramatic coastlines, barrier reefs & island chains, & the breathtaking power of the ocean through a stunning collection of wave photographs. Forming an extensive survey of the ocean`s many fascinating inhabitants, Blackwell presents an incredible image collection of everything from whales, to manta rays, to seals, to endless schools of fish, to the creatures that reside in the deepest recesses of the ocean floor, & much more. The book also

Includes:: bonus footage via a scannable QR code from multi award-winning underwater cameraman Steven Hathaway, whose work has featured in numerous documentaries on BBC, Discovery Channel & National Geographic.

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Ruth Patchett never thought of herself as particularly devilish. Rather the opposite in fact
- simply a tall, not terribly attractive
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Bill Bryson`s first travel book opened with the immortal line, `I come from Des Moines. Somebody had to.` In this deeply funny & personal memoir, he travels back in time to explore the ordinary kid he once was, in the curious world of 1950s Middle America. It was a happy time, when almost everything was good for you, including DDT, cigarettes & nuclear fallout. This is a book about one boy`s growing up. But in Bryson`s hands, it becomes everyone`s story, one that will speak volumes
- especially to anyone who has ever been young.
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One night in St Petersburg, two men meet, both adrift in the brash new Russia: Shutov, a writer visiting after years of exile in Paris, & Volsky, an elderly survivor of the Siege of Leningrad & Stalin`s purges. His life story
- one of extreme suffering, courage & an extraordinary love
- he considers unremarkable. To Shutov it is a revelation, the tale of an unsung hero that puts everything into perspective & suggests where true happiness lies.

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This is a much-needed & authoritative account of Common Buzzards gained from extensive studies by the author over 60 years & also from enthusiasts in this country & across northern Europe. The accounts describe the life history & ecology of Buzzards mainly inhabiting the British uplands where historically they have always been most numerous. For the first time, population activities are followed through successive seasonal stages of their life cycle. These include the vital & inter-related aspects of Buzzard territories & social behaviour, diets & hunting methods, food requirements, prey abundance & breeding success, survival & life spans & how Buzzard numbers & distribution have changed, particularly in relation to the influence of Man. The book also demonstrates how well Buzzards have adapted to living in our modern & rapidly-changing landscapes, constantly adapting their habits in response to prey resources & environmental conditions. In the book`s first section, The Year of the Buzzard, the sequential changes in the composition & behaviour of a Buzzard community, their seasonal patterns of food habits & hunting methods, their breeding season from courtship until fledging of broods & their subsequent dispersal are outlined. The second section, Special Topics, provides greater detail of six key aspects of their ecology which are explored within the following chapter topics: Territory; Energy & Food Needs; Predation; Food Supply & Breeding Success; Demography & Population Dynamics; & Changes in Buzzard Abundance. ...

Mahatma Gandhi became a legend in his own time. A tireless fighter for human rights & for Indian independence, his strategy of satyagraha, or passive resistance, earned him the admiration of millions. Louis Fischer`s biography is the definitive account of Gandhi`s life; it tells the astonishing story of one man who changed the world forever. ...

Great traveller & explorer Wilfred Thesiger was born in Addis Ababa & spent his early years in Abyssinia. In this book he reveals to what extent the early experience of Abyssinia influenced his future & provides a precious personal account of the tragic history of East Africa. ...

Harper Collins is proud to present its incredible range of best-loved, essential classics. Meet the greatest entertainer of the 19th Century... In 1834, desperate to create a better life for his family, small-time Connecticut businessman P. T. Barnum moved to New York City. With true entrepreneurial spirit & against all odds, he wowed audiences with his ensemble of musical spectacles, attractions & variety shows
- often exploiting the vulnerable for entertainment value. A master showman, his crowning achievement was the world-famous circus, Barnum & Bailey`s Greatest Show on Earth. In this account of his life & work, written by the man himself & first published in 1855, P. T. Barnum creates an aura of excitement about himself & his enduring fame, confirming his reputation as the greatest impresario of all time & revealing the controversial decisions that helped him to his fortune.
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To celebrate the 100th anniversary of Roald Dahl`s birth, this book traces his life from his childhood, to his time in Africa & as a fighter pilot & his early writing
- leading to Roald becoming one of the funniest, most famous & best-loved children`s authors of all time. The book also

Includes:: information about his legacy. A fun quiz & brief summaries of four of Roald Dahl`s best-loved books (James & the Giant Peach, Matilda, Charlie & the Chocolate Factory, The BFG) are included to inspire children to read them. Every page features easy-to-follow text & a black-&-white line drawing to help bring Roald Dahl`s adventures to life. Accessible to readers aged 6 & up.


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In this book Steven Parissien examines the impact, development & significance of the automobile over its turbulent & colourful 130-year history. He tells the story of the auto, & of its creators, from its earliest appearance in the 1880s
- as little more than a powered quadricycle
- via the early pioneer carmakers, the advances of the interwar era, the ` Golden Age` of the 1950s & the iconic years of the 1960s to the decades of doubt & uncertainty following the oil crisis of 1973, which culminated in the global mergers of the 1990s & the bailouts of the early twenty-first century. This is not just a story of horsepower & performance. The Life of the Automobile is a tale of people: of intuitive carmakers such as Benz, Agnelli, Royce & Citroen; of exceptionally gifted designers such as Issigonis, Lefebvre, Michelotti & Bangle; & of visionary industrialists such as Ford, Tata & Porsche. Above all, The Life of the Automobile demonstrates how the epic story of the car mirrors the history of the modern era, from the brave hopes & soaring ambitions of the early twentieth century to the cynicism & ecological concerns of a century later.

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