Amazing Places [Portrait format] – serie

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.

The strange cries heard at night in a dilapidated penitentiary, the glimpse of a ‘White Lady’ floating through a graveyard, the face at the window in a room that has been locked for decades – stories of hauntings never cease to intrigue us. From palaces to prisons, from an 11th century chateau in France to 'The Island of the Dolls' in Mexico City, Haunted Places features the world’s most fascinating spooky locations. Some hauntings are recent, others are ancient, but all the stories are striking: from the deceased monks who pace the boundaries of a ruined former priory, to the lift operator in a Canadian hotel still working his shift decades after he died, to the infamous Vlad the Impaler, who haunts a Romanian castle where he was imprisoned for seven years. With tales of the ‘Mad Old Woman’ who searches Highgate cemetery in London for the children she supposedly murdered to strange laughter heard at night, from apparitions to floating orbs to radios suddenly changing station, Haunted Places features 150 outstanding photographs of haunted sites. Each eerie photograph is accompanied by a caption explaining the story of the haunting, from tragic accidents to brutal murders, from executions to disease and other sorrowful endings.

Temples have been places of worship, a focus for spirituality and a place for communities to gather since the earliest days of human civilisation. The first temples date back to ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt, deriving from the cult of deities and residing places for gods and immortals. Today, temple buildings remain lively focal points for the Jewish, Buddhist, Hindu, Jain and Sikh religions. Organised by continent, Amazing Temples of the World offers the reader an intimate portrait of some spectacular and unusual places of worship dating from the fourth millennium BCE to the present. Ornate or spartan, immense or intimate, from the Middle East to California, this book features such impressive places of worship as the Mahabodi Temple, India, built in the location where Buddha is thought to have achieved enlightenment; the fifth century BCE Temple of Confucius in Qufu, China, the largest Confucian temple in the world; Abu Simbel, in southern Egypt, the great carved monument to the Pharaoh Ramses II; the Golden Temple in Amritsar, Punjab, the spiritual home of the world’s 25 million Sikhs; and the Shri Swaminarayan Temple in Neasden, London, the biggest Hindu temple outside India. Illustrated with more than 180 photographs, Amazing Temples of the World includes more than 150 places of worship, from Ancient Greece and Rome, through traditional synagogues to modern Buddhist, Taoist and Sikh temples.

When we hear the word ‘reef’ we most often think of tropical coral reefs and, indeed, those are the most diverse habitats with thousands of different species living on them. But reefs can also be found off the coast of Canada, Brazil and even further north. Off Canada’s coast there are both the Atlantic deep-water coral habitat and the Pacific rocky reef habitat. Reefs is a pictorial celebration of the hugely varied marine life on coral, rock and sand reefs all around the world. From the Great Barrier Reef off Queensland, Australia, to Mabul Island off Borneo, from east African coral reefs stretching from the Red Sea down to Madagascar to the Amazon Reef off Brazil, from the Mesoamerican Reef off Belize to Vancouver Island, the book explores how life on each reef is interdependent. The book also includes examples of how coral bleaching has killed off reefs. Arranged geographically by reef and illustrated with more than 200 colour photographs, each entry is completed with a caption explaining the magnificent natural world on display. From the gender-swapping clownfish to single-cell zooxanthellae, from coral polyps to purple starfish to harlequin shrimp and octopuses, the book is a feast of marine life.

Did you know that there are more than 60 active volcanoes in Europe today? Or that the longest-existing lava lake is in Ethiopia? Or that Mount Stromboli off the coast of Italy has been in almost continuous eruption for the past 2000 years? Illustrated with 200 spectacular photographs, Volcano is a fascinating visual journey around the globe, selecting the most striking live and extinct volcanoes from Alaska to Antarctica, from Tanzania to Tasmania, from Kamchatka in Russia’s far east to Indonesia and the Philippines. Alongside famous volcanoes such as Mount Etna in Sicily, Mount Vesuvius on the Italian mainland and Mount St Helens in Washington State, the book features many lesser known but equally interesting volcanoes across all the continents. Each entry is accompanied with a fascinating caption explaining not only the geological forces at work, but also how the volcano has shaped the history of the surrounding areas across millennia. Presented in a landscape format and with more than 190 outstanding colour photographs of around 100 entries, Volcano is a stunning collection of images.

They define landscapes, people risk their lives to climb them, and they can even make their own weather. Mountains often serve as geographic features that determine natural borders of countries. Their height can influence weather patterns, stalling storms that roll off the oceans and squeezing water from the clouds. And many are the subject of myth and legend, both expressions of nature’s power and symbols of the sacred. Mountains is arranged by geographical region, featuring the greatest, most spectacular, most infamous and legendary mountains from every part of the world. Read about Mount Aconcagua, with an elevation of 6,959 metres (2,831ft), and the highest peak in the Western Hemisphere; or Half Dome, the semi-spherical mountain that towers over the valley floor in Yosemite National Park; or Mount Olympus, reputed home of the Ancient Greek gods; or K2, considered by many to be the most difficult mountain to climb in the Himalayas; or Mount Kinabalu in Sabah, Malaysia – a popular hike for many thousands of tourists each year, and the highest mountain in Southeast Asia; or Gunung Agung, the active volcano that remains sacred to the Balinese people as a replica of the mythological Mount Meru of Hindu legend. Each entry is accompanied with a caption explaining the significance and history of the mountain. Illustrated with 200 outstanding colour photographs, Mountains is a visual feast for those who want to gaze down from the roof of the world.

Graveyards, burial sites and cemeteries are as old as human civilization, resting places and memorial sites for loved ones, the great and sometimes the infamous. Some of these places retain a poignant atmosphere that tells of heroic or deadly deeds – the 210 men of George Custer’s command are remembered by graves scattered around the memorial marking their defeat at Little Bighorn in Montana, USA. Other, older graveyards retain a haunting quality that tells of the long history of their country and people – the 16th century Greyfriars Kirkyard in Edinburgh was soon filled with the bodies of victims of bubonic plague. Graveyards reveals both the universality of death, and the diversity of how we commemorate or memorialize our dead, from the hanging coffins of Sagada, Philippines, where, among the jungle-clad peaks of the stunning Echo Valley, hundreds of wooden coffins are hung from impossibly sheer rock faces, to the Old Jewish Cemetery in Prague, testament to the huge Jewish community that lived in the Czech capital before the Holocaust. Readers can marvel at the Cairo Necropolis, known as the ‘City of the Dead’, a series of vast Islamic-era tombs and cemeteries dating back more than a thousand years, and enjoy the Merry Cemetery in Romania, famous for its brightly coloured tombstones with paintings describing, in an original and poetic manner, the lives of the people who are buried there. With detailed captions explaining their history and often ghostly past, Graveyards is a vivid pictorial exploration of the best-known, most-haunted and quirkiest burial places in the world today.

Four thousand years before the birth of Christ, ancient Egypt was the cradle of modern civilization. Powerful pharaohs built great cities on the fertile banks of the Nile, and employed thousands of labourers to create lavish tombs and temples such as Thebes and the pyramids of the Giza plateau. Today the exceptional beauty and scale of ancient Egypt’s antiquities is legendary and draws millions of visitors to Egypt’s museums and monuments each year. Treasures of Ancient Egypt is a celebration of these wonders, from Tutankhamun’s tomb to the pyramids, from ancient papyrus scrolls covered with hieroglyphs to golden amulets in the form of ankhs and scarabs. Featuring 160 colour photographs, Treasures of Ancient Egypt tells the stories of the pyramids, the Sphinx, the Valley of the Kings, and the artefacts that have been found there. From necklaces to mummies, from wall paintings to statues, this is a fascinating, highly colourful exploration of a mighty ancient civilization.

Mesoamerica experienced a significant flourishing in the years beginning with Early Classic period, through to the Maya civilisation and culminating in the eventual fall of the Aztec civilisation in the 16th Century CE. Through these treasures of fine art and architecture we can uncover the mysteries of the myths, gods and religions of the time and appreciate the true cultural legacy left behind. Did you know that flat top pyramids such as the Temple of the Feathered Serpent in Teotihuacan are characteristic of ancient Aztec and Mayan architecture? They were not only religious structures but served as sites of internment for leading rulers of the time. Aspects of the Mesoamerican cultural heritage still survived among the ensuing Spanish colonial rule and continues to be observed today among the indigenous peoples who inhabit the area of Mesoamerica. Explore the closer details of familiar sites such as the archaeological site of Chichén Itzá, and discover hidden treasures at the Mayan zone of Edzna. Many artefacts from this period are now displayed for the public to enjoy in museums such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Treasures of the Aztecs, Inca & Other Mesoamericans tells the tale of some familiar places and artefacts – alongside many which are less familiar, but just as spectacular – framed by a knowledgeable, detailed account of the rise and fall of Mesoamerica. Over 150 colour photographs complete this fascinating exploration of Ancient Aztec, Inca and Mayan cultures and their lasting contributions to world history, art and architecture.

From the great temperate landscapes of North America to the deserts of North Africa and the subtropical ecosystems of Asia, Amazing Gardens provides a brilliantly-informed snapshot of many of the greatest and best-known formal gardens from around the globe. In this book, wander the 200 hectares (500 acres) of England’s Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, reputed to have one of the largest and most diverse range of plants in the world; explore New York City’s High Line, where a disused railway track through the city’s Meatpacking District has been turned into a 2.3 kilometre (1.44 mile) elevated park; marvel at Beijing’s Summer Palace, a world heritage site dating from the 12th century, with a layout based on Chinese mythology and arranged according to the ancient principles of feng shui; see the palace complex of the Taj Mahal in Agra, designed in the Mughal style and with gardens planted with roses, narcissi, marigolds and jasmine, offering an intimation of paradise; wonder at the biophilic workspace of the Seattle Spheres, a futuristic office space populated by more than 40,000 plants; and experience the waterlilies and Japanese bridge of Claude Monet’s famous paintings at the great artist’s gardens at Giverny. Illustrated with more than 200 luxuriant images, Amazing Gardens not only champions the splendour of the world’s most magnificent gardens, but also reveals many fascinating stories about the history of these places and the people who created them.

In winter, nature takes on a new, almost mystical guise. Stripped bare, its bones are revealed and its delicate beauty exposed. Vivid summer hues drain away, fading to sepia brown and inky black, focusing the eye on shape and texture and encouraging us to slow down and appreciate the breathtaking beauty and detail of nature. Experience the tranquil beauty and stillness of the coldest months of the year through incredible images of every continent. Winter is December, January, February in the Northern Hemisphere and June, July and August in the Southern Hemisphere. The concept of winter in European languages is associated with the season of dormancy. In Persian culture, the winter solstice is called Yaldā meaning birth and it has been celebrated for thousands of years. It is referred to as the eve of the birth of Mithra, who symbolised light, goodness and strength on earth.With stunning photography Winter is a lively display of this icy season across the globe.

Some of the most romantic castles in the world are found in the Celtic nations on the northwestern fringes of Europe.These strongholds may now largely be ruined, but in their dilapidation they have gained an air of mystery and beauty. The people they once protected are gone, the borders they guarded have dissolved, the fragile communities and wooden buildings that built up around them have been dismantled. Only the castles, centuries on, remain – proof of how robustly they were constructed in the first place.From the tip of southern Ireland to northern Scotland, from castles maintained over the centuries to ones that are now mere ruins, Castles of Scotland, Ireland & Wales celebrates the stories behind more than 100 strongholds.In these we find tales of religious dissent, of English Parliamentarians attacking Irish Catholic refuges, of warring Scottish clans, of the Welsh fighting for independence. And in the buildings we find such curiosities as Britain’s only triangular castle or the hiding place for the Scottish crown jewels.With 150 outstanding photographs, Castles of Scotland, Ireland & Wales is a brilliant pictorial examination of worlds gone by.

Treasures of the Vikings explores the material culture of the Viking Age, and the raiders and traders who plundered and purchased across Europe and Central Asia.From battles in Estonia in the mid 8th-century and the apocalyptic Viking attack on the monastery at Lindisfarne on the remote northeast coast of Anglo-Saxon England in 793, until the demise of Scandinavian control of Shetland in 1472, Viking groups played a central role in history, as pirates, traders and mercenaries, leaving a trail of destruction, settlements and treasure from Newfoundland to the shores of the Black Sea.In between, Vikings traded along the great rivers of Russia and Ukraine, conquered in Britain and France, settled in Iceland and Greenland, and enriched Scandinavia with loot.Marvel at a Frankish Ulfberht high-carbon steel sword, prized by Viking warriors for its strength and lightness, and see the remarkable walrus ivory and whale tooth Lewis Chess Pieces, found on the eponymous Scottish isle in the 19th century.Packed with photographs of fascinating objects and sites, Treasures of the Vikings is ideal for any enthusiast for all things Viking.