The Kashmir Kidnapping that changed the face of modern terrorism. In July 1995, ten Western backpackers take a trip of a lifetime. hey have come in search of many things
- nirvana, exhilaration, a sense of self. But over the course of the next week, their holidays take a terrifying turn when they become entangled in a nail-biting hostage drama that will suck them into an alien world of jihad & Islamic fundamentalism. In the months that follow, their fates will become caught-up in a bloody struggle between India & Pakistan, fought out in the airless heights of Kashmir. With the world looking on, four of the captured travellers will vanish off the face of the earth, never to be seen again, creating one of the region`s great mysteries. Written with access to diaries, letters, unprocessed film & personal recollections from those enmeshed in the drama, drawing on classified police reports & secret tape recordings of Indian government negotiations, as well as interviews with the jihadis themselves & excerpts from their journals, Adrian Levy & Cathy Scott-Clark`s book is a real-life thriller, a startling but compelling story told from the perspective of all involved. The Meadow charts how the fates of two groups of young men from different hemispheres became inextricably entwined on the mountain trails they followed. It tells of the terrifying escape of one hostage, the heart-rending secret letters another wrote on birch bark & hid in his clothing as he contemplated his situation, & how, with a brutal beheading, the kidnappers took an irreversible step into the abyss. Packed with explosive revelations, The Meadow provides the first definitive answers as to what happened to the missing backpackers, revealing how the kidnapping of July 1995 changed the face of modern jihad, its architects going on to sow the seeds of a cold-hearted war against the West.
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The shocking true story of a brutal kidnapping high in the mountains of Kashmir that marked the beginning of modern terrorism. In July 1995, ten backpackers journeyed into the foothills of the Himalayas, trekking to an idyllic campsite known as the Meadow. But their search for tranquillity was savagely interrupted when they were taken hostage by Islamic extremists. Using diaries, letters, classified police reports & interviews with the jihadis themselves, The Meadow traces the escalating tension between kidnappers, victims & police, while examining the high-level conspiracies surrounding the abduction. It tells of the single escape attempt & how
- with a brutal beheading
- the hostage takers took an irreversible step into the abyss. The shocking true story of the crisis that foreshadowed a new epoch of global terrorism, this is the book that forced Intelligence & government authorities to uncover what really happened in the Meadow.

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Just five miles west of New York City, the Meadowlands is an untamed, vilified, half-developed & smelly tract of swampl&. It is home to rare birds & missing bodies, tranquil marshes & a major sports arena, burning garbage dumps & corporate headquarters, the remains of the original Penn Station & possibly those of more than one mafioso. Acclaimed writer Robert Sullivan proves himself to be the perfect explorer, historian & archaeologist for this fragile yet amazingly resilient region. He tramps through the muck on foot & navigates the polluted rivers in a canoe, all the while describing the industrial detritus with as much zeal as he observes the surprisingly rich diversity of wildlife. ” The Meadowlands” is an ode to an overlooked American borderl&, a delightfully incongruous battleground marking the ongoing struggle between the forces of progress & nature. ...

One of our most eloquent nature writers offers a passionate & informative celebration of birds & their ability to help us understand the world we live in. As well as exploring how birds achieve the miracle of flight; why birds sing; what they tell us about the seasons of the year & what their presence tells us about the places they inhabit, The Wisdom of Birds muses on the uses of feathers, the drama of raptors, the slaughter of pheasants, the infidelities of geese, & the strangeness of feeling sentimental about blue tits while enjoying a chicken sandwich. From the mocking-birds of the Galapagos who guided Charles Darwin toward his evolutionary theory, to the changing patterns of migration that alert us to the reality of contemporary climate change, Simon Barnes explores both the intrinsic wonder of what it is to be a bird
- & the myriad ways in which birds can help us understand the meaning of life.
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One of our most eloquent nature writers offers a passionate & informative celebration of birds & their ability to help us understand the world we live in. As well as exploring how birds achieve the miracle of flight; why birds sing; what they tell us about the seasons of the year & what their presence tells us about the places they inhabit, The Meaning of Birds muses on the uses of feathers, the drama of raptors, the slaughter of pheasants, the infidelities of geese, & the strangeness of feeling sentimental about blue tits while enjoying a chicken sandwich. From the mocking-birds of the Galapagos who guided Charles Darwin toward his evolutionary theory, to the changing patterns of migration that alert us to the reality of contemporary climate change, Simon Barnes explores both the intrinsic wonder of what it is to be a bird – & the myriad ways in which birds can help us understand the meaning of life. ...

` The next Bill Bryson.` New York Times In this often hilarious yet deeply researched book, food & travel writer Michael Booth & his family embark on an epic journey the length of Japan to explore its dazzling food culture. They find a country much altered since their previous visit ten years earlier (which resulted in the award-winning international bestseller Sushi & Beyond). Over the last decade the country`s restaurants have won a record number of Michelin stars & its cuisine was awarded United Nations heritage status. The world`s top chefs now flock to learn more about the extraordinary dedication of Japan`s food artisans, while the country`s fast foods
- ramen, sushi & yakitori
- have conquered the world. As well as the plaudits, Japan is also facing enormous challenges. Ironically, as Booth discovers, the future of Japan`s culinary heritage is under threat. Often venturing far off the beaten track, the author & his family discover intriguing future food trends & meet a fascinating cast of food heroes, from a couple lavishing love on rotten fish, to a chef who literally sacrificed a limb in pursuit of the ultimate bowl of ramen, & a farmer who has dedicated his life to growing the finest rice in the world... in the shadow of Fukushima. They dine in the greatest restaurant in the world, meet the world champion of cakes, & encounter wild bears. Booth is invited to judge the world sushi championship, `enjoys` the most popular Japanese dish you have never heard of aboard a naval destroyer, & unearths the unlikely story of the Englishwoman who helped save the seaweed industry. Sushi & Beyond was also a bestseller in Japanese where its success has had improbable consequences for Booth & his family. They now star in their own popular cartoon series produced by national broadcaster NHK.

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What is science? Is it uniquely equipped to deliver universal truths? Or is it one of many disciplines
- art, literature, religion
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A refreshing distillation of insights into the human condition, by one of the best-known & most popular philosophers in the UK. Thinking about life, what it means & what it holds in store does not have to be a despondent experience, but rather can be enlightening & uplifting. A life truly worth living is one that is informed & considered so a degree of philosophical insight into the inevitabilities of the human condition is inherently important & such an approach will help us to deal with real personal dilemmas. This book is an accessible, lively & thought-provoking series of linked commentaries, based on A. C. Grayling`s ` The Last Word` column in the GUARDIAN. Its aim is not to persuade readers to accept one particular philosophical point of view or theory, but to help us consider the wonderful range of insights which can be drawn from an immeasurably rich history of philosophical thought. Concepts covered include courage, love, betrayal, ambition, cruelty, wisdom, passion, beauty & death. This will be a wonderfully stimulating read & act as an invaluable guide as to what is truly important in living life, whether facing success, failure, justice, wrong, love, loss or any of the other profound experience life throws out. ...

Did you know that people in Indonesia have a word that means to take off your clothes in order to dance? Or how many words the Albanians have for eyebrows & moustaches? Or the Dutch word for skimming stones is plimpplamppletteren? Drawing on the collective wisdom of over 154 languages, this intriguing book is arranged by theme so you can compare attitudes all over the world to such subjects as gastronomy, romance, the human body, recreation & the battle of the sexes. Here you can find not only those words for which there is no direct counterpart in English (such as the Japanese age-otori which means looking less attractive after a haircut), but also a frank discussion of exactly how many ' Eskimo' terms there are for snow, & a vast array of information exploring the wonderful & often downright strange world of words. Also reveals the meaning of Tingo... ...

This volume tells the story of how science, revolutionary politics, & the dream of a new economy converged to produce both the metric system & the first struggle over globalization. Amidst the scientific fervour of the Revolution, two French scientists, Delambre & Mechain, were sent out on an expedition to measure the shape of the world & thereby establish the metre (which was to be one ten-millionth the distance from pole to equator). Their hope was that people would use the globe as the basis of measure rather than an arbitrary system meted out by the monarchs. As one scientist went north along the French meridian & the other south, their experiences diverged just as radically. After seven years, they received a hero's welcome upon their return to Paris. Mechain, however, was obsessed over a minute error in his calculations that he'd discovered & concealed, & which eventually drove him to his grave. His death forced his colleague Delambre to choose between loyalty to his friend & his science. ...