Encyclopedia Handbook – serie

From the dawn of civilization man has held a fascination with the sea, and over the centuries has built myriad ships and sailing craft for an equally diverse range of purposes. Ships: Visual Encyclopedia provides a fascinating at-a-glance guide to more than 1200 of the most important ships from the earliest times to the present day. From the Viking longship through the 16th century galleon to the super carriers and nuclear submarines of the 21st century, Ships: Visual Encyclopedia includes every conceivable type of ship in which man has gone to sea. As well as warships from every century, this book also examines those vessels that have explored the globe, conducted trade, and afforded great adventure, luxury and entertainment. From the smallest coastal traders up to the vast oil tankers of today, from the graceful clippers of the 19th century to the modern passenger liners, Ships: Visual Encyclopedia is the comprehensive guide to all the world’s ships, both military and civilian. Each ship is illustrated with a profile illustration, accompanied by brief details and specifications, and vessels are arranged chronologically and by use to allow easy comparison. Timelines of design and development are also provided on many pages where appropriate, giving a sense of the history of each type of ship. With 1000 outstanding colour illustrations, Ships: Visual Encyclopedia is an essential reference book for all maritime and ship enthusiasts.

The history of aviation is full of striking and unusual designs, from the biplanes and triplanes of World War I, through the giant bombers and streamlined fighters of World War II to the stealthy shapes and unusual configurations of modern military aircraft like the Northrop Grumman B-2 and V-22 Osprey. Military Aircraft Visual Encyclopedia provides a fascinating guide to every major military aircraft type ever flown, all illustrated with a profile artwork, accompanied by brief details and specifications. Common types such as the Spitfire, Ju 87 Stuka, F-86 Sabre and F-4 Phantom are featured with several artworks showing the range of colour schemes and operators. Arranged chronologically by type to allow easy comparison, each featured aircraft or variant is illustrated with an excellent full-colour artwork, showing in great detail its characteristics and markings, and completed with an informative caption. Many aircraft are illustrated in profile, and others in a head-on view. With more than 1000 outstanding colour artworks, Military Aircraft Visual Encyclopedia is an authoritatively researched book that celebrates the many diverse designs of more than a century of military aviation.

For 150 million years, dinosaurs were the undisputed rulers of the Earth. Today, these great lizards still fire our imaginations. Dinosaurs describes the creatures who lived during the great Age of Reptiles, the real-life giants and monsters such as the Tyrannosaurus Rex and Stegosaurus who once dominated our planet. This stunningly illustrated and accessible reference work features the most impressive and formidable dinosaurs to have been discovered. The entries are arranged by chronological period, running from the Triassic period through to the late Cretaceous, and each entry is illustrated throughout with full-colour annotated artworks. Each of the dinosaur features also includes information boxes containing key facts and figures. The text, using the latest palaeontological research, outlines how the dinosaurs lived and died. Readers will discover the fantastic, extraordinary and outlandish types of dinosaurs that once roamed the Earth – making Dinosaurs essential reading, not only for dinosaur enthusiasts, but for anyone intrigued by nature at its most majestic.

Describing the most intriguing creatures on the planet, from the big cats of Africa to the apes that are our closest evolutionary ancestors and the whales and dolphins that roam the world’s oceans, Animals profiles over 400 of the world’s most fascinating species, offering a truly comprehensive overview of animals from every continent and giving a sense of the incredible diversity of animal types. Featured animals are grouped by order, then within each order by family; each family section contains examples of the key species, which are illustrated with beautifully detailed, full-colour artworks. For easy reference, each entry includes a table of information on scientific name, order and family, features, habitats, distribution, diet and breeding, as well as informative maps and detailed box features. Packed full of information and colour, Animals is guaranteed to appeal to any budding zoologist or animal enthusiast.