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Organized alphabetically by type, Modern Civil Aircraft offers a highly-illustrated guide to the most important civil aircraft used across the world over the last 30 years. The book includes chapters on airliners, regional jets, turboprops and business aircraft. Discover the Airbus A380, the largest and most spacious passenger aircraft today; explore the Embraer E-Jet family, a series that revolutionised regional jet travel with its efficiency and performance; learn about the venerable Boeing 737, with more than 11,000 aircraft still operated in almost 200 countries since first flying in the 1960s; and be amazed at the long-serving Beechcraft King Air, a twin-turboprop utility aircraft produced continuously since 1964. Each featured profile includes authentic markings and paint schemes, while every separate model is accompanied by exhaustive specifications. Packed with 120 vivid artworks, Modern Civil Aircraft is a key reference guide for aircraft modellers and aviation enthusiasts.

Illustrated with detailed artworks of modern military aircraft and their markings with exhaustive captions and specifications, Modern Military Aircraft is an extensively researched review of the military aircraft deployed by the world’s air forces in recent conflicts in the Balkans, the Caucasus, Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria and elsewhere. Organised alphabetically by manufacturer, this book includes every type of aircraft in use in the world today, from the F-22 Raptor through the Dassault Mirage 2000 to the MiG-29 and Su-33. The book includes multirole fighters, ground attack aircraft, high-level bombers, reconnaissance aircraft, carrier aircraft, and unmanned drones. The guide is illustrated with 12 fold-out gatefold artworks as well as profile artworks, three-views, and special cutaway artworks of the more famous aircraft in service, such as the F-15E Strike Eagle, Sukhoi Su-27 and Eurofighter Typhoon. Illustrated with more than 120 artworks, Modern Military Aircraft is an essential reference guide for modellers and enthusiasts with an interest in modern military aircraft.

You may rob the Three Armies of their commander, but you cannot deprive the humblest peasant of his opinion – Confucius (Analects 9.25)The Analects of Confucius has been one of the most widely read and studied books in China for the last 2,000 years, and continues to have a substantial influence on thought and values today. His words largely concern ethics, morality within the family, within marriage and within government, social relationships, justice and sincerity, valour and virtue. But whether you regard this as high philosophy or self- help for all the ages, whether your interest is in Chinese culture or leadership, whether it is spirituality or success that occupies your thoughts, Confucius has wise and accessible things to say about them all.This complete edition of the Analects, which is made up of 20 books of brief passages from Confucius and his disciples, is presented with a new introduction and new editorial notes. Beautifully produced in traditional Chinese binding and with a timeless design, Confucius: The Analects will appeal to anyone interested in philosophy, spirituality and Chinese culture.

World War II was the greatest conflict in the history of mankind. It penetrated into every corner of the globe, from the Arctic to the Pacific Oceans. Immense armed forces engaged one another in battle in every type of environment, from the desert sands of North Africa to the jungles of Burma and New Guinea. The Allied and Axis forces met in brutal encounters ranging from small commando raids to gigantic armoured battles. World War II Illustrated Atlas is a comprehensive visual guide to this complex conflict. It plots the exact course of the land, sea and air campaigns in fine detail, enabling the reader to trace the ebb and flow of the fortunes of both sides. With the aid of over 160 full-colour maps, every theatre of war is covered. Contents include the land campaigns in North-west Europe, Italy, North Africa, Russia, South-East Asia and the Pacific; the naval war in the Atlantic and Mediterranean; the great carrier battles of the Pacific war; and the strategic bombing campaigns of Europe and the Pacific, culminating in the destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This new edition provides another 25 maps showing the key raids and battles of the war, ranging from the St Nazaire raid in 1942 to the battle for Corregidor in February 1945. The isometric map views give a new perspective on the war, and are accompanied by detailed descriptions of the battles and raids along with photographs from the event. This complete atlas provides an invaluable work of reference for both the general reader and the serious student of World War II.

For more than 3,000 years, Egypt was home to the greatest civilization on earth. Illustrated with more than 1,500 photographs and specially commissioned illustrations, The Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt is a celebration of the wonders of ancient Egypt, from the mask of Tutankhamun to the Valley of the Kings and the great pyramids of Giza, and from tomb hieroglyphs to golden treasures decorated with ankhs and scarabs. Exploring the history, religion, literature, and art of the ancient Egyptians, as well as the day-to-day experience of ordinary citizens such as pyramid builders, scribes, and craftsmen, this book brings to life the world of the pharaohs in vivid detail, providing a wealth of information about this fascinating and mysterious culture.

“Chivalry is a flower no less indigenous to the soil of Japan than cherry blossom” are the opening words to Inazo Nitobe’s Bushido: The Soul of Japan. It was 1900 and Inazo, a Japanese academic living in the USA, had been prompted to write the book after an American professor had wondered how the Japanese imparted moral education on their children if schools didn’t offer any religious instruction. The answer, Inazo realised, was through Bushido. Bushido is the chivalric code of moral principles that the Samurai followed: rectitude, courage, benevolence, respect, honesty, honour and loyalty. Influenced by Confucianism, Shinto and Zen Buddhism, it tempers the violence of a warrior with wisdom and serenity. Alongside Sun Tzu’s The Art of War and Machiavelli’s The Prince, Inazo’s book has become influential among military and corporate leaders looking for ways to manage their people and overcome their opponents. Beautifully produced in traditional Chinese binding and with a timeless design, Bushido: The Soul of Japan includes the classic Inazo text with a new introduction. It will appeal to anyone interested in leadership, the code of the Samurai and Japanese culture.

Nestling more than 1000km (600 miles) from the South American coast among the azure waters of the Pacific Ocean, the Galapagos are famous as the source of Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution, following his historic visit to the archipelago aboard HMS Beagle in 1835. Today, these 19 islands and the surrounding marine reserve have been called a unique ‘living museum and showcase of evolution’. Located at the confluence of three ocean currents, the Galápagos are a melting pot of diverse marine species. Local volcanic activity is testament to the process that originally formed these islands. Combined with the extreme isolation of the archipelago, this has led to the development of some rare and unusual animals, such as the land iguana, blue-footed booby and the many types of finch, which are featured – along with the penguins, sea lions and Galapagos hawks – in vivid detail in this book. Arranged in chapters that include geology, sea life, fauna and flora, Galapagos Islands is an evocative exploration of this remarkable ecosystem and the life that has developed there – from the volcanic peaks of Cerro Azul and Wolf Volcano to the famous giant tortoise, flightless cormorant and waved albatross.

Every great church makes a statement, and it is seldom simply theological. An offering of thanks to a beloved minister, a monument to a powerful ruler, a colonialist vaunt – a church is never really just a church. Ornate or spartan, immense or intimate, from the Middle East and across Europe, from Alaska to Argentina, Asia to Africa, the construction of churches has given the world some of its most beautiful buildings – its most splendid interiors, its most atmospheric spaces, an inspiration not just to Christians but to humankind. Including Catholic, Anglican, Orthodox, Coptic, Lutheran, Baptist, Calvinist, Pentecostal and Mormon places of worship, Amazing Churches features early basilicas and magnificent medieval cathedrals, mud-hut churches and soaring 21st century edifices. In exploring these sacred places, Michael Kerrigan reveals not just the different approaches to faith across continents and over centuries, but gives us a glimpse into a wider history of the world touched by Christianity. Illustrated with more than 190 photographs, Amazing Churches includes more than 150 chapels, basilicas and cathedrals dating from the Middle Ages to the present day.

Since the 1950s, helicopters have developed to become a key component of armies everywhere, providing attack, transport and reconnaissance capabilities to land and maritime forces throughout the world.From deadly fighting machines like the US Army’s AH-64 Apache and the Russian Mil Mi-24 ‘Hind’, to efficient, multipurpose utility helicopters such as the Bell 222 and Harbin Z-9, Modern Military Helicopters is an accessible guide to the most important rotary-winged aviation in service today.The book is organised by type: attack, reconnaissance, utility, transport and maritime. Find out aboutthe Bell AH-1Z Viper gunship, armed with enormous firepower, including a three-barrelled 20mm cannon, Hellfire anti-tank missiles and Sidewinder air-to-air missiles;the Kamov Ka-52 Alligator all-weather combat helicopter, capable of destroying ground armour with beyond-visual-range (BVR) missiles;the Bell V-22 Osprey, a tiltrotor aircraft with vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capability;and the massive Russian Mil Mi-26, the world’s largest production helicopter with the ability to carry up to 100 combat troops or two combat vehicles.Illustrated with 90 detailed artworks, *Technical Guide: Modern Military Helicopters* is an essential reference for modellers and aviation enthusiasts.

Warplanes of World War II provides a detailed look at 50 key aircraft in service between 1939 and 1945. Warplanes profiled include fighters, bombers, fighter- bombers, ground attack and other aircraft from the US, USSR, Germany, UK, Japan, France, Poland and Italy. A large-format side-on artwork in full colour shows every detail of each aircraft, with annotations pointing out features that made it unique. This is followed by an in-depth description of the aircraft’s development, manufacturing history and technical profile – all accompanied by photographs and a detailed specification panel.

If you know your enemies and know yourself, you can win numerous battles without a single loss. – Sun Tzu, The Art of War Written in the 6th century BC, Sun Tzu’s The Art of War is still used as a book of military strategy today. Napoleon, Mae Zedong and Douglas MacArthur all claimed to have drawn inspiration from it. And beyond the world of war, modern-era business and management gurus have also applied Sun Tzu’s ideas to politics and corporate strategy. This illustrated dual-language edition not only presents the original Chinese characters with James Trapp’s translation on the facing page, it also tests Sun Tzu’s ideas against history. Each of the 13 chapters includes a new commentary giving examples of how Sun Tzu’s wisdom has been borne out on the world’s battlefields. When, for example, has information provided by spies changed the course of a battle? How has history shown Sun Tzu’s ideas on the importance of terrain in conflict to be true? And where can we best find examples of strategic warfare being waged? From the ancient world to the 20th century, the battles featured will be illustrated with colour battle maps, paintings and artworks. Of immense influence to leaders across millennia, The Art of War Illustrated is a classic text richly deserving this illustrated and expanded dual-language edition.

“Chivalry is a flower no less indigenous to the soil of Japan than cherry blossom” are the opening words to Inazo Nitobe’s Bushido: The Soul of Japan. It was 1900 and Inazo, a Japanese academic living in the USA, had been prompted to write the book after an American professor had wondered how the Japanese imparted moral education on their children if schools didn’t offer any religious instruction. The answer, Inazo realised, was through Bushido. Bushido is the chivalric code of moral principles that the Samurai followed: rectitude, courage, benevolence, respect, honesty, honour and loyalty. Influenced by Confucianism, Shinto and Zen Buddhism, it tempers the violence of a warrior with wisdom and serenity. Alongside Sun Tzu’s The Art of War and Machiavelli’s The Prince, Inazo’s book has become influential among military and corporate leaders looking for ways to manage their people and overcome their opponents. Beautifully produced in traditional Chinese binding and with a timeless design, Bushido Illustrated: The Soul of Japan includes the classic Inazo Nitobe text with a new introduction and colourful illustrations throughout. It will appeal to anyone interested in leadership, the code of the Samurai and Japanese culture.

On 14 April 1912, less than a week into a transatlantic trip from Southampton to New York, the largest luxury cruise liner in the world struck an iceberg off the coast of Labrador, causing the hull to buckle. The massive 50,000 ton ship hailed as ‘unsinkable’ was soon slipping into the cold Atlantic Ocean, the crew and passengers scrambling to launch lifeboats before being sucked into the deep. Of the 2,224 passengers and crew aboard, more than 1,500 died, making the sinking one of the deadliest for a single ship up to that time. The sinking has captured the public imagination ever since, in part because of the scale of the tragedy, but also because the ship represented in microcosm Edwardian society, with the super-rich sharing the vessel with poor migrants seeking a new life in North America. Other factors, such as why there were only enough lifeboats to hold half the passengers, also caused controversy and led to changes in maritime safety. In later years many survivors told their stories to the press, and Titanic celebrates these accounts. A final chapter examines the shipwreck today, which has been visited underwater by explorers, scientists and film-makers, and many artifacts recovered as the old liner steadily disintegrates. Titanic offers a compact, insightful photographic history of the sinking and its aftermath in 180 authentic photographs.

In 1776, American Patriots attempted to destroy the British flagship Eagle using a man-operated semi-submersible, the Turtle, in New York harbour. The attack failed, but the idea stuck. Almost 90 years later, the CSS Hunley successfully rammed into the Federal sloop USS Housatonic with a spar torpedo. The Housatonic became the first ship in naval history to be sunk by a submarine. Submarines features the most significant submarines built, from the German U-9 – which sank three British cruisers on 22 September 1914 – through the huge Japanese I-400 class to the great nuclear-powered submarines of the Cold War, such as the USS Los Angeles and Soviet Oscar class. Also included are the ‘undersea cruiser’ Surcouf; the highly successful Type VII U-boats of World War II; and the latest attack and ballistic missile submarines, such as HMS Astute, USS Virginia, the Chinese Type 094 and the Russian Yasen class. Each entry includes a brief description of the submarine’s development and history, a colour profile or cutaway, key features and specifications. Packed with more than 200 artworks and photographs, Submarines is an accessible guide for those interested in naval history.

First developed in the final years of World War I, aircraft carriers have been the dominant technology in naval warfare since World War II, following the devastatingly effective carrier-borne air raid on the Italian base of Taranto by the British in 1940, and the even more infamous air attack by hundreds of Japanese bombers on the US base at Pearl Harbor in December 1941. Today, the aircraft carrier is a key component of national navies around the world, offering a mobile aircraft platform that can be used to defend local waters as well as project power to every corner of the globe. Technical Guide: Aircraft Carriers features more than 50 of the most significant aircraft carriers from 1918 to the present, including the World War I-era converted battleship HMS Eagle, through the Japanese carriers Akagi and Kaga that were sunk at the famous Battle of Midway in 1942, to the great nuclear-powered supercarriers USS Enterprise and USS Nimitz of the Cold War era. The book comes up to date with the leading carriers of today, including the HMS Queen Elizabeth, Chinese Liaoning and Indian Vikrant. Illustrated with more than 80 vivid artworks and 40 photographs, Technical Guide: Aircraft Carriers is an essential reference guide for modellers and naval warfare enthusiasts.

Illustrated with detailed artworks of motorized division vehicles and their markings with exhaustive captions and specifications, Panzergrenadier Divisions, 1939–45 is the definitive study of the equipment and organization of Germany’s motorized army divisions during World War II.Organized chronologically by division and formation date, the book describes in depth the various models of tank and other armoured and soft vehicles in service with each panzergrenadier division, with listings of unit commanders, vehicle types and numbers, and unit structures. Each divisional section is further broken down by campaign, accompanied by orders of battle, a brief divisional history of the campaign, and any specific unit markings. Every motorized division is featured, including the elite Grossdeutschland and Hermann Göring divisions.This compact volume also includes three-views of key types, such as the SdKfz 251, an armoured infantry carrier that was able to deliver panzergrenadiers to the battle zone, and the Sturmgeschütz StuG IV assault gun, a key infantry support weapon during urban assault, especially during the infamous battle for Stalingrad.Panzergrenadier Divisions, 1939–45 is a key reference guide for modelers and military history enthusiasts with an interest in the motorized divisions of the Wehrmacht.

World War I might conjure up images of the trenches of the Western Front where the fighting raged for nearly four and half years, but this was only part of what was truly a world war. It was a complex conflict fought in a number of theatres: an air war, a land war fought in the Balkans, Italy, Africa, Turkey and the Middle East, and also a naval war fought in the North Sea, South Atlantic, South Pacific and Indian Oceans. The ‘Great War’ introduced killing on an unprecedented scale and resulted in the loss of millions of lives. World War I Illustrated Atlas is a comprehensive visual guide to this complex conflict. In fine detail, it plots the exact course of the land, sea and air campaigns, enabling the reader to trace the ebb and flow of the fortunes of all sides. With more than 180 full-colour maps, every theatre of war is covered – from the Western Front to Penang, from Gallipoli to Galicia, from Dogger Bank to Dalmatia, from Romania to Rhodesia and from the Falklands to Togo and the Sinai desert. All the maps have been specially commissioned from an expert cartographer. Each map is designed to highlight a particular aspect of the war – thus maps vary in shape and size, with some giving a global perspective while others depict the exact movement of armed forces on land, sea or in the air. Battles such as Jutland, the Somme, Cambrai and the Gallipoli campaign are shown in great detail. All maps are accompanied by an explanatory key. With expert, accessible text and accompanying archival photographs, this complete atlas provides an invaluable work of reference for both the general reader and the serious student of World War I.

Written by a former SAS Survival Instructor, SAS and Special Forces Self-Defence provides easy-to-follow, illustrated instructions on coping with all kinds of threatening situations, from muggings to knife attacks. The author teaches you strategies for both avoiding conflict and getting out of a dangerous situation quickly and safely. Learn how mental attitude, body language, assertiveness, and the ability to overcome fear can prevent you from becoming a prime target for criminals. Learn which parts of the body are the most effective weapons in fending off an attacker, and which are the most likely targets for attack. Defend yourself from sudden grabs, strangles, weapons, and road rage. And find out how to deliver the SAS five-second knockout, a defence previously available only to British SAS Special Forces soldiers. Illustrated with black-and-white photographs and instructive artworks and including expert advice throughout, SAS and Special Forces Self-Defence is a comprehensive guide to self-defence for both men and women.

No understanding of Chinese civilization is possible without a grasp of Taoism, the philosophy that has shaped not just Chinese spirituality but also art, science and politics. And it was in the Tao Te Ching, written around 300BC, that the fundamental beliefs of Taoism were first gathered. This short book went on to influence Chinese philosophy, religion and politics. In a compellingly simple rhetorical style the book addresses how to live a simple, peaceful and harmonious life, how to rid oneself of desires and free society of institutions that promote greed. This compact dual-language highly-illustrated edition of Tao Te Ching presents the original Chinese characters with a new translation on the facing page. With a new introduction that discusses the questioned authorship of the text and editorial notes, all 81 brief chapters are included, ranging from advice for politicians to wise words for the everyday person.

Illustrated with accurate artworks of aircraft, armoured fighting vehicles, artillery and missiles, Aircraft, Tanks & Artillery of the Ukraine War is a detailed guide to all the weaponry currently being deployed in the War in Ukraine. The War in Ukraine is being fought using tanks, aircraft and artillery dating from the Cold War deployed alongside state-of-the-art weapons systems supplied by Western powers. Arranged chronologically by type, Aircraft, Tanks & Artillery of the Ukraine War offers a complete survey of the weapons deployed, from the venerable Ilyushin Il-76 strategic airlifter and T-64 medium tank to the latest American-made M142 HIMARS rocket artillery and the Bayraktar TB2 combat drone. The guide is illustrated with accurate profile artworks of fighter aircraft, bombers, attack helicopters, tanks, APCs, artillery systems, missile launchers and unmanned aerial vehicles from Russian, NATO, Turkish and other sources. Illustrated with more than 100 detailed artworks, Aircraft, Tanks & Artillery of the Ukraine War is an essential reference guide for those who want to understand the war being fought in Europe today.

Modern Military Aircraft features more than 100 of the most important and influential military aircraft serving today, ranging from the latest F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter and Chinese Shaanxi KJ-500 AWACS aircraft, to the venerable Soviet era Tu-160 heavy bomber and Mitsubishi F-2, the Japan Air Self-Defense Force’s development of the F-16 multirole fighter.Each aircraft is illustrated with three artworks and a photograph, showing the markings and camouflage of each model. Accompanying text puts the type’s development, production and service history into context.There is also a specifications table for each aircraft detailing dimensions, performance, weight, engine(s) and armament.Presented in a compact, pocket-size volume, Modern Military Aircraft is a vivid and authoritative guide to the greatest military aircraft in service today.

He who boasts of what he will do, succeeds in nothing. – Tao Te ChingNo understanding of Chinese civilization is possible without a grasp of Taoism, the philosophy that has shaped not just Chinese spirituality but also art, science and politics. And it was in the Tao Te Ching, written around 300BC, that the fundamental beliefs of Taoism were first gathered by the sage Laozi. This short book went on to influence Chinese philosophy, religion and politics for thousands of years afterwards. Beautifully produced in traditional Chinese binding, Tao Wisdom offers more than 80 succinct quotes from key Taoist figures, with advice on how to live a simple, peaceful and harmonious life, and how to rid oneself of desires and free society of institutions that promote greed.

The first species to be domesticated, dogs have been selectively bred over thousands of years. Today they’re man’s best friend – but while many are pets, many, too, are working animals: for the police, for the blind, as guard dogs, as sheepdogs, pulling sleds and as therapy animals. Arranged in chapters covering physical characteristics, senses, lifecycle, communication, behaviour and working dogs, Dogs is a hugely informative visual celebration. From huskies to German shepherds, from collies to Chihuahuas, Shih Tzu to Jack Russell Terriers, Labradors to Bullmastiffs to Dachshunds, the book includes a huge range of breeds. With fascinating captions on every page, even dog lovers will learn something new. Dogs is a brilliant examination in 150 outstanding colour photographs.

Organised chronologically by type, British Aircraft of World War I offers a highly-illustrated guide to the main types of aircraft used by British and Commonwealth air forces during World War I. At the start of the war, the fledgling Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) were engaged mainly in artillery spotting and photographic reconnaissance for ground forces, which led the British pilots into aerial battles with their German counterparts. As the war progressed, the RFC also attacked German frontline airfields and bombed German strategic and transport facilities, leading to the development of specialist bomber types. All the major and many minor aircraft types are featured, including single-seat fighters, reconnaissance aircraft, bombers, floatplanes and airships. This includes the highly-successful Sopwith Camel, which is thought to have achieved more aerial victories than any other fighter in the war; the French-made Farman MF.11 Shorthorn reconnaissance plane, which served with the Royal Navy as well as in the Dardanelles and Mesopotamia; the Handley Page Type O, Britain’s first true heavy bomber, which was used to attack industrial targets in the Rhineland; and the highly-manoeuvrable Felixstowe F.2 flying boat, which flew patrols over the North Sea throughout the war, often fighting U-boats and Zeppelins. Each featured profile includes authentic markings and colour schemes, while every separate model is accompanied by exhaustive specifications. Packed with 110 vivid artworks with detailed specifications, British Aircraft of World War I is a key reference guide for military modellers and World War I enthusiasts.

Beginning in the sixth millennium BCE, in the Indus Valley, Mesopotamia and along the Nile River, human civilization expanded to develop writing systems, farming methods, social organization and modes of government. Today, humans inhabit every part of the planet, connected by digital technology and modern infrastructure. Arranged chronologically, History of the World offers a broad overview of the most important events in human history, including the building of great funerary tombs in Ancient Egypt, the Trojan War, the development of democratic forms of government in Ancient Athens under Pericles, the birth of Christ, the expansion of Islam from Arabia, the Viking raids across northwest Europe, the capture of Jerusalem during the Crusades, Martin Luther nailing his 95 Theses to the church door in Wittenberg, Copernicus proposing a new model of the Universe, the rule of the Tokugawa shoguns in Japan, the Boston Tea Party and the American Revolution, Napoleon’s domination of Europe following the French victory at Austerlitz, Stephenson’s development of the steam locomotive, the break up of great empires following the end of World War I, the use of nuclear weapons at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the advent of the modern computer, beginning with Alan Turing’s code-breaking Bombe machine at Bletchley Park during World War II. History of the World provides a sumptuous, pictorial guide to the most significant events in human history, from the Bronze Age to the 21st Century.

Illustrated with detailed artworks of SS tanks and their markings with exhaustive captions and specifications, Waffen-SS Divisions 1939–45: The Essential Vehicle Identification Guide is the definitive study of the equipment and organization of Himmler’s armoured divisions. Organized chronologically by division and formation date, the book describes in depth the various models of tank and other armoured and soft vehicles in service with the ‘fighting’ SS, with listings of unit commanders, vehicle types and numbers and unit structure. Each divisional section is further broken down by campaign, accompanied by orders of battle, a brief divisional history of the campaign and any specific unit markings. Every SS division that saw combat is featured, from well-known units such as the elite Das Reich and Wiking divisions, to lesser-known divisions, such as the 11th Waffen SS Panzer Division Nordland and the Albanian-recruited 21st Waffen SS Gebirgs-Division Skanderbeg. With information boxes accompanying the full-colour artworks, all drawn to the same scale for easy comparison, Waffen-SS Divisions 1939–45 is a key reference guide for modellers and military history enthusiasts with an interest in the Waffen SS divisions of World War II.

No understanding of Chinese civilization is possible without a grasp of Taoism, the philosophy that has shaped not just Chinese spirituality but also art, science and politics. And it was in the Tao Te Ching, written around 300BC, that the fundamental beliefs of Taoism were first gathered. This short, wise but very humble book went on to influence on philosophy, religion and politics.In a compellingly simple rhetorical style the book addresses how to live a simple, peaceful and harmonious life, how to rid oneself of desires and free society of institutions that promote greed.This dual-language edition of Tao Te Ching presents the original Chinese characters with a new translation on the facing page. With a new introduction that discusses the questioned authorship of the text and editorial notes, all 81 brief chapters are included, ranging from advice for politicians to wise words for the everyday person.Of immense influence across millennia, Tao Te Ching is a classic text richly deserving this exquisite edition.

An ancient land with a turbulent past and haunting landscape, Scotland’s material culture stretches back to the time of ancient Roman incursions north of Hadrian’s Wall and includes Viking raids, wars with England, and clan wars that still stir the blood today. Now, remnants of the country’s history can be found in every corner of this dramatic land, from the thinly inhabited Western Isles to the remote Highlands and the fishing ports of the North Sea coast. In Abandoned Scotland, discover the ramshackle sanatorium of Glen O’Dee Hospital; see the rusting, neglected rides and rollercoasters of the Loudoun Castle Theme Park, closed after a fatal accident in 2007; quake at the site of New Slains Castle, Cruden Bay, said to be haunted by soldiers and mermaids; venture underground into the massive labyrinth of Cults Limestone Mine, which attracts treasure hunters and potholers, despite the dangers; explore Cramond Ghost Island, and the massive World War II teeth created to block the Firth of Forth in case of invasion; and see one of the country’s many ruined castles, including the 14th century Castle Stalker, set on a tidal islet on Loch Laich, or the atmospheric Buchanan Castle, set close to Loch Lomond. Illustrated with 180 photographs, Abandoned Scotland provides a fascinating pictorial exploration of the little-known corners of this glorious country.

An alphabet developed by Germanic and Nordic peoples during ancient times, runes were used to represent both simple things and more complex concepts, providing a written form of communication before the latin alphabet was adopted. Today, reading runes are a popular tool for understanding the present and divining the future. Divided into two broad chapters, showing how to use runes, and outlining the full runic alphabet as well as a section on standing runestones, Runes provides a compact, accessible guide to this ancient reading system. Discover the basic three rune layout, and how it can help bring clarity when seeking guidance; learn how to arrange the runes in a five rune cast, which offers a more complex reading; discover Uruz, U, which means a wild ox in Elder Futhark, the oldest runic alphabet; and see how runic inscriptions were combined on standing stones to mark burial sites and the deeds of great warriors. A compact guide with 130 illustrations and photographs of runes, rune readings and runestones, this book will fascinate anyone interested in this ancient writing form and its uses today.