Paul Brummell – författare

This thoroughly updated fourth edition of Bradt's Kazakhstan remains the only guidebook dedicated solely to the world's ninth largest country - a thrillingly fresh destination that even well-seasoned travellers will find unfamiliar and exotic. Geographically, this Central Asian state is impressively varied: choose from snow-covered peaks with excellent skiing opportunities, hiking trails through valleys, secluded lakes in the Tian Shan Mountains, endless semi-desert steppes and the Caspian Sea's blue waters. Culturally, Kazakhstan is similarly diverse, enabling visitors to enjoy authentic local hospitality from 130 ethnic groups. Kazakhstan is a modern country with a profound appreciation of its nomadic roots; petroglyph sites with ancient rock art plus the remains of Silk Road settlements testify to its varied history. Politically and socially, Kazakhstan now oscillates between east and west - a vibrancy reflected in its architecture, lifestyle and national ambitions. The small Caspian city of Aktau served as the cultural capital of the Turkic world during 2025, while the country's capital (Astana) is a statement of western-inspired modernity. Leafy Almaty, meanwhile, with its fountains and parks, remains by far the most charming (and somewhat nostalgic) city. Where you venture depends, in part, on when you visit - and every season offers something special. Late summer is best for mountain hiking, particularly in the Altai Mountains, sleeping on the shores of the Kolsai Lakes, or exploring the Caspian Sea coast. Winter is idyllic for skiing and skitouring. Spring and autumn are optimum for southern cities of Shymkent and Turkestan (where the Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yassaui is unmissable). And Baikonur Cosmodrome, of course, is best visited during a spaceport launch.Safe and politically neutral, Kazakhstan is also more accessible than ever: tourist visas are no longer required, and there are numerous direct flights from Europe. Tourist infrastructure has also significantly improved, with faster trains, more comfortable buses and efficient internal flights making it easy to get around. The new edition of Bradt's Kazakhstan covers all recent developments, including more practical information to make independent travel easier. Bradt's guidebook provides the perfect companion for all travellers, from nature lovers to cultural explorers, teenage backpackers to family groups.

This new, fourth edition of Bradt's Romania: Transylvania remains the only standalone, full-length, English-language travel guidebook to Transylvania - the legendary, enchanting and increasingly popular region of Romania. Co-authored by former British Ambassador to Romania Paul Brummell, Romania: Transylvania has been thoroughly updated by prolific travel writer Tim Burford, who wrote his first Romania guide in 1991. Transylvania (the 'land beyond the forest') is a wild, wooded, intensely romantic region, filled with mountains and gorges, myths and legends, dragons, bears, wolves - and vampires. Bram Stoker called it 'one of the wildest and least-known parts of Europe', a description that remains true today. Comprehensive chapter-per-county coverage caters for a diverse range of interests, from city breaks to rural escapes, skiing to wildlife watching.One of the most beautiful regions in central Europe and home to three UNESCO World Heritage sites, Transylvania preserves its cultural and artistic treasures in a landscape bordered on three sides by the Carpathian Mountains, which provide Romania's finest skiing and hiking destinations. Hay meadows in the Lower Carpathians form a grassland ecosystem of extraordinary diversity, offering beautiful wildflower displays. The Carpathians are home too to lynx, wild boar and one of Europe's largest populations of brown bear. Other natural phenomena include the Scarisoara Ice Cave in the Apuseni Mountains and the Sfanta Ana volcanic crater lake in Harghita County.Transylvania's cultural riches include the Dacian fortresses of the Orastie Mountains, including Sarmizegetusa Regia, conquered by Roman Emperor Trajan in AD106. Historic Sighisoara is a picture-perfect medieval hill town. The fortified churches of southern Transylvania are testament to the perils of life in medieval Saxon communities, subject to frequent attacks from Ottoman raiders. The historic cities of Cluj, Sibiu and Brasov are rightly feted (and host internationally renowned film, electronic music and theatre festivals). At Turda's salt mine, you can ride the big wheel in an underground amusement park. And, if you're inspired by the Hotel Transylvania or Twilight films, why not follow the Dracula trail, visiting sites linked to Bram Stoker's novel? Whatever your interests, with Bradt's Romania: Transylvania, you can discover the region's many and varied attractions.

Gifts have been part of international relations since ancient times. They can serve as tokens of friendship, apology or authority; as taunts, bribes, boasts or tricks. They can also go wrong: Mali’s 2013 gift of a camel to French President François Hollande was reported to have ended up in a tagine.Exploring fifty diplomatic gifts given through the ages, Brummell explains the great complexity of this political art—an exercise in brand-building for the giver, via an item that must suit the recipient’s own interests and character. Byzantine emperors sent fragments of the True Cross to fellow Christian rulers around Europe; Kings Louis XV and XVI of France used Sèvres porcelain, while the Ottoman sultans favoured robes of honour. In some cases, recipients have made no secret of the gift they would want. The Amarna Letters, dating to around 1350 BCE, record a communication from Hittite Prince Zita to the Egyptian Pharaoh, offering sixteen men—and hinting rather heavily that he would like some gold in return.From the Trojan Horse to Cleopatra’s Needle to the Statue of Liberty, this rich history offers a new take on both the curious detail and the grand spectacle of global politics.

The new, sixth and thoroughly updated edition of Bradt's Latvia remains the only standalone guide to this fascinating and ever-changing Baltic nation. This is a small but enchantingly varied country that will appeal to culture vultures, history buffs, outdoors enthusiasts and foodies alike.Latvia is best known internationally through its capital city Riga, whose centre is a UNESCO World Heritage site combining a medieval core providing testimony of its importance as a port of the Hanseatic League and an outer area containing the most extensive assemblage of Art Nouveau buildings in Europe. Latvia is much larger than Denmark or Switzerland yet, with a population of under two million, is one of the most verdant countries in Europe. A low-lying landscape of forests, lakes and marshes offers an increasing range of rural tourism options facilitated by recent EU infrastructural investments. Why not go hiking or kayaking in Gauja National Park, go cycling or explore Latgale's lakes? In summer, Latvia's Baltic Sea coast comes into its own: almost 500km long, much comprising pristine sandy beaches backed by dunes. Seaside options range from cosmopolitan Jurmala, once a favoured holiday destination of the Soviet elite, to out of the way idyllic spots the visitor will have to themselves. Latvia's complex history results in tourist attractions ranging from medieval castles to the Baroque splendour of Rundale Palace, and from Daugavpils's Mark Rothko arts centre to a once-secret Soviet nuclear bunker. Latvian culture and identity reaches peak expression in the five-yearly Song and Dance Festival, involving forty thousand performers. If you can't wait for that, why not uncover Latvia's pagan roots, including the mystical stones of the Pokaini Forest, or relax in a combination of traditional saunas and modern spas. For something completely different, you could even visit Karosta former military prison, where the intrepid can book a night in a cell, sleeping on an iron bunk.Balancing coverage of the country's cultural attractions with guidance on where and how to enjoy its natural environment, Bradt's Latvia is the perfect guidebook to inform and inspire your visit.