Homer`s Odyssey is one of the supreme masterpieces of Western literature. Of this much acclaimed translation by Robert Fitzgerald, George Steiner has written, ` Fitzgerald is taking his place beside Chapman & Pope in the unbroken lineage of English Homeric translations...it has an economy & soar of a poet`. Introduced by Seamus Heaney ...

Homer`s great epic, The Odyssey, is perhaps Western literature`s first adventure story, & certainly remains one of its finest. It describes King Odysseus of Ithaca`s epic, ten-year quest to return home after the Trojan War. He encounters giants, sorceresses, sea-monsters & sirens, while his wife Penelope is forced to resist the suitors who besiege her on Ithaca. Both an enchanting fairy tale & a gripping drama, The Odyssey is immensely influential, not least for its rich complexity & the magnetism of its hero. This Macmillan Collector`s Library edition uses a translation by T. E. Lawrence, now remembered as ` Lawrence of Arabia` & the author of Seven Pillars of Wisdom. First published in 1932, his translation took four years to complete & has been continuously in print ever since. It is recognized as the first translation to be both faithful to the original text & written in accessible language. This edition also features an afterword by Ben Shaw. Designed to appeal to the book lover, the Macmillan Collector`s Library is a series of beautiful special gift editions of much loved classic titles. Macmillan Collector`s Library are books to love & treasure. ...

Ibn Battuta was, without doubt, one of the world's truly great travellers. Born in fourteenth-century Morocco, & a contemporary of Marco Polo, Ibn Battuta has left us an account in his own words of his remarkable journeys throughout the Islamic world & beyond: journeys punctuated by adventure & peril, & stretching from his home in Tangiers to Zaytun in faraway China. Whether sojourning in Delhi & the Maldives, wandering through the mazy streets of Cairo & Damascus, or contesting with pirates & shipwreck, the indefatigable Ibn Battuta brings to vivid life a medieval world brimming with marvel & mystery. Carefully observing the great diversity of civilizations which he encountered, Ibn Battuta exhibits an omnivorous interest in such matters as food & drink, religious differences (between Christians, Hindus & Shi'a Muslims), ideas about purity & impurity, disease, women & sex. Recounting the many miracles which its author claims to have experienced personally, his al-rihla or Travelogue is a fascinating mosaic of mysticism & reportage offering a prototype magic realism. David Waines discusses the subtleties of the al-rihla, revealing all the wonders of Ibn Battuta's world to the modern reader. This is a gripping treatment of the life & times of one of history's most daring, & at the same time most human, discoverers. ...

In June 1812, Napoleon begins his invasion of Russia leading the largest army the world has ever seen. But amongst the troops of the Grande Armee is a savage murderer whose bloodlust is not satisfied in battle. When an innocent Polish woman is fatally stabbed, Captain Quentin Margont of the 84th regiment is put in charge of a secret investigation to unmask the perpetrator. Armed with the sole fact that the killer is an officer, Margont knows that he faces a near-impossible task & the greatest challenge of his military career. ...

June 1812. Napoleon begins his invasion of Russia leading the largest army Europe has ever seen. But amongst the troops of the Grande Armee is a savage murderer whose bloodlust is not satisfied in battle. When an innocent Polish woman is brutally stabbed, Captain Quentin Margont of the 84th regiment is put in charge of a secret investigation to unmask the perpetrator. Armed with the sole fact that the killer is an officer, Margont knows that he faces a near-impossible task & the greatest challenge of his military career. ...

When the CIA commissioned a top secret undercover operation in 1953, against the backdrop of the Cold War, they enlisted the help of famous magician John Mulholland to write two manuals on sleight of hand & undercover communication. In 1973 all documents related to the mission were destroyed, Mulholland`s magic manuals were thought to be lost, until recently a single copy of each document was found. This is the first publication to reconstruct John Mulholland`s manual from the original pages. With chapter headings such as Handling of Powders, Surreptitious Removal of Objects & Special Aspects of Deception for Women, working examples & detailed, h&-drawn illustrations, The Official CIA Manual of Trickery & Deception is a fascinating read into a world of wizardry & spycraft. For example, do you know how to use cars for transporting bodies, cigarette papers for surreptitious notes, fake coins to hide poisonous powder? Read on & become an accessory to espionage! ...

The daring ” Dambusters” raid on 17 May 1943, when a special force of British Avro Mark III Lancasters attacked & destroyed the Eder Dams in Germany, was one of the iconic moments of the Second World War. ” The Dambusters Experience” tells the story behind the attack, & relives the attack itself under the leadership of Wing Commander Guy Gibson, as he & his men deployed, for the first time, the devastating new secret weapon developed by brilliant scientist Barnes Wallis. Discover how the hours-long raid, a pinpoint attack on a target chosen for its economic & symbolic value, took many months of development & planning. Explore in detail the story behind the attack: Wallis` realization that the Dams offered a unique
- if technically difficult
- opportunity to sever one of the vital industrial arteries of the Third Reich, his struggles to develop the science behind the ”bouncing bomb” & his campaigns to persuade a sceptical Bomber Command that his plan would work. Relive the testing of the bomb, the choice & training of the crew of the Dambusters squadron & finally the nerve-wracking flight through anti-aircraft fire, as the first attempts fell short of the target, with only the final bombs succeeding in shattering the structure of the dams. Fully illustrated & accompanied by beautifully reproduced memorabilia surrounding the raid, from log-books & flight-plans to eye-witness accounts of the damage inflicted on the dams, this unique homage to the Dambusters squadron is an essential companion to one of the war`s most exciting & memorable moments.

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This official England Rugby book previews Rugby World Cup 2015 from England`s perspective. Expert analysis & outstanding action photography make this Tournament guide an essential companion for all England rugby fans. Read about every member of Stuart Lancaster`s likely squad, their strengths, skills & background; recall England`s greatest Rugby World Cup matches & get the lowdown Stuart Lancaster & his coaching team. Can England win Rugby World Cup 2015 in front of a home crowd? The Official England Rugby Book: Rugby World Cup 2015 Edition will discuss just how this is possible. The book
Includes:: England Match Previews Rugby World Cup 2015 England Player Profiles Behind the Scenes Classic England Rugby World Cup Matches Tournament Progress Chart
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Train to be a Jedi with Rey! Complete with a Rey LEGO minifigure. Have you ever wanted to move things with your mind? Would you like to explore the galaxy & team up with ancient Jedi Masters? Want to wield a lightsaber? Then this is the training manual for you! Let Rey teach you the ways of the Jedi in the handbook section, & then see if you have what it takes to master the Force in the activities section! It`s an out-of-this-world galactic adventure! ...

This book enables you to discover a galaxy of adventures with the Lego (registered) Star Wars (trademark) Official Annual 2017. The all-new Official Lego (registered) Star Wars (trademark) Annual is packed full of galactic entertainment with all-action comic stories, challenging puzzles & fun games. & it comes with a fantastic Lego (registered) & the rest of the Star Wars (trademark) gang for hours of fun in a galaxy far, far away. Lego (registered) Star Wars (trademark) is the best-selling Lego (registered) theme ever! ...