porto press ltd caithness (543 Ergebnisse)

Paperback. Zustand: new. Paperback. This is a mixture of folk-tale, magic, myth, love story and hymn of praise to the natural world of Scotland's high and low lands, their landscapes and creatures, and the poet-guardians who timelessly maintain their care for them. It is the legend-story of the mysterious Wanderer, who comes from the North to Striveling (Stirling) and its great Castle Rock, and the tales he tells to the five men and a woman who befriend him there. Who is this Wanderer, who seems ageless, who has profound affinities with animals and birds, who can take on the shape of swans and what is his mission to the South? Who are these friends, whose friendship becomes more, as they begin to realize that they are part of the strange, timeless and mythic destiny of a country older than civilization? What is the meaning of the unearthly love of the Wanderer and the mysterious Bella? This volume is a mixture of folk-tale, magic, myth, love story and hymn of praise to the natural world of Scotland's high and low lands, their landscapes and creatures, and the poet-guardians who timelessly maintain their care for them. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Zustand: new. Paperback. Generation after generation, people dragooned by government rise up and struggle with the bonds of law and ownership which oppress them, and so it was on Tayside at the end of the 18th century and in the Outer Isles in 1849. From time to time a person of unusual resolve and clarity of mind finds him - or herself thrown up into the vanguard of the rising, to speak and decide and rally. Angus Cameron, a wright from Lochaber, spoke up for the families around Loch Tay who were faced with losing their young men to a Conscription Act in the summer of 1797. Cameron knows how his people have suffered through decades of eviction and military recruitment and is anguished by how little the ordinary people can do against a heartless Establishment which has weapons, powers and privileges. Arrested and outlawed, he survived to live on. King Cameron imagines a later life for him, as husband and father, then again as spokesman for crofters facing eviction on North Uist. These are times of famine, emigration, and the desperate fight with stones and tangle-stems against clearance from the homeland. David Craig writes with power and anger of lives which have few memorials.Past times are not museum-frozen, they are brought near enough to hear and touch and smell. The whole experience of countryfolk as they fish and plant argue and sing, love and bear children are revealed to the reader. Here is an entire class, shown (as it rarely is) in lifelike close-up, during the most testing episodes in its history, enduring the Potato Famine, battling with their bare hands against clearance. It will appeal to everyone with an interest in the Clearances, Scottish history or anyone who appreciates a good read by an expert storyteller. For a fuller appreciation of the story, readers will enjoy its sequel, the acclaimed "The Unbroken Harp". Angus Cameron, a wright from Lochaber, spoke up for the families around Loch Tay who were faced with losing their young men to a Conscription Act in the summer of 1797. Cameron knows how his people have suffered through decades of eviction and military recruitment. Arrested and outlawed, he survived to live on. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Zustand: new. Paperback. Horrific experiences of the blitz in wartime London and the spiritual bankruptcy of her lover and his Marxist acquaintances are seen through the eyes of Nan, a young Scotswoman, who has returned to her native Highlands to recover from a nervous breakdown. Her letters to her lover from the warm and friendly ambience of a widowed aunt's farmhouse reflect her innermost thoughts on the essence of being and the restorative effects of the quiet rhythm of country life. The shadows of the immediate past begin to recede, but her return to health is rudely interrupted by news of the brutal murder of a neighbouring crofter and the unsolicited attentions of a sinister stranger. The inevitable relapse brings her aunt, a practical and cultured woman, into contact with both lover and stranger and pits her optimistic, human and emotional approach to life against the theories and bleak logic of the two men. The recovery of the young woman brings aunt and niece even closer together in their understanding of life, but the final denouement, although imbued with hope, is inconclusive and leaves the reader to imagine the eventual outcome.This is a subtly thoughtful and gripping novel, written with all the power of a master hand. Although written over fifty years ago, the book has a strange relevance to today's events. The blight of terrorism, the dominance of consumerism in everyday life, the absence of a spiritual dimension in domestic affairs and fears of the harmful effects of globalisation on the freedom and development of small communities, are symptoms of an uneasiness with regard to world stability and the erosion of traditional values and beliefs. Horrific experiences of the blitz in wartime London and the spiritual bankruptcy of her lover and his Marxist acquaintances are seen through the eyes of Nan, a young Scotswoman, who has returned to her native Highlands to recover from a nervous breakdown. The shadows of the immediate past begin to recede, but her return to health is interrupted. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Zustand: new. Paperback. "The Lost Glen" vividly portrays a clash of cultures and personalities against a background of a landscape in visible decay. The cultural collision and its effects are explored through Ewan, a young local man recently returned from university in disgrace, and a retired English colonel staying at the village hotel. Both men in a sense are alienated from the community, the younger because of a haunting sense of failure, and the older through an unwillingness to understand the local culture. They have a mutual antipathy. The Colonel's self-imposed cultural isolation leads to aggressive bullying and an openly lascivious attitude towards local young women. His unworthiness as a representative of Anglo-Saxon culture is largely compensated for by his young niece, who behaves with sensitivity and integrity. She is clearly attracted to Ewan whose sense of failure is complex and does not only concern his enforced withdrawal from university and his involvement in an incident at sea that cost his father his life; it concerns the feeling he has of himself as a spiritual exile - a man who had intended to emigrate but who had remained as an outsider in the land that meant so much to him.He is fascinated by the experience of a local piper, whose finding of a lost glen that had a strange beauty and primordial freshness had been translated into a pibroch. The haunting tune acts as a stimulant to Ewan's Hamlet-like musings on the possibility of a rejuvenation of the landscape or a final disappearance of its life and meaning. The antipathy between the two main protagonists leads to a physical struggle between them that brings to an end a novel, layered with meanings, that is more a symbolic drama than a novel of realism. One of the earliest novels to appear in the Scottish Literary Renaissance of the 1920s and 1930s, "The Lost Glen" turns its back on the form of writing that had depicted Scotland as a rural paradise in favour of describing Highland life as it really was at that time. Portrays a clash of cultures and personalities against a background of a landscape in visible decay. This work explores the cultural collision and its effects, through Ewan, a young local man returned from university in disgrace, and a retired English colonel staying at the village hotel. Both men, in a sense, are alienated from the community. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Zustand: new. Paperback. At the heart of The Silver Bough is a cairn on a knoll surrounded by standing stones. This is of professional interest to an archaeologist, around whom the story revolves. The life-enhancing qualities of the crofting family with whom he lodges and the quiet tenor of Highland life bear a curious similarity to his speculations on how 'the cairn people' lived in the distant past. His ideas spread outwards like ripples in a loch, fascinating his colleagues and giving some meaning to the life of a neighbouring landowner, who is mentally scarred from his experiences in the War. The plot of the book is imaginative and intricate, and includes the mystery of skeletons found in a cist in the cairn. As the dig proceeds, gold is discovered and then disappears. Has it been taken by the lad the archaeologist has been employing and, if so, where is it? The search is on and the standing stone claims its sacrificial victim. A cairn on a knoll surrounded by standing stones becomes intriguing to the archaeologist around whom this story revolves. Skeletons are found in a cist in the cairn, and then gold is discovered and later disappears. The search is on and the standing stone claims its sacrificial victim. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Zustand: new. Paperback. A novel set in a Highland shooting lodge, where the focus is a hunt in a remote deer forest; but this is no ordinary thriller. A shooting lodge party of wealthy English people, a team of Highland stalkers, a legendary stag to be hunted and a background of glen and corrie, shrouded from time to time by impenetrable mist. A marvellous blend of ever-changing landscape - be it light and shadow, swift transitiions from light to half light, mist, rain, tones and flowing lines - contribute to the dramatic essence of the novel. Culture and personality clashes and mystery, which portent much deeper clashes between spiritual and material values, provide a vastly enjoyable read. Set in a Highland shooting lodge, this thriller features a shooting-lodge party of wealthy English people, a team of Highland stalkers, a legendary stag to be hunted and a background of glen and corrie, shrouded from time to time by impenetrable mist. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Zustand: new. Paperback. Neil M Gunn, one of Scotlands most distinguished 20th century authors, wrote over a period of 30 years, starting in 1926 and ending in 1956 with his so-called spiritual autobiography The Atom of Delight. Two years before this he wrote his last novel, The Other Landscape, the setting being the east coast of Scotlands most northerly mainland county. This provides the perfect backdrop a fishing hotel and its English residents, the local ghillies who served them, and a solitary white house near the cliffs in which the occupant, a man from the South, lives alone.Add to this the Major, a retired military officer-cum-diplomat, who quickly shows himself to be an insensitive and overbearing man, disdainful of his fellows and aggressive towards those who challenge his views or show any form of disrespect towards him. His paternalistic behaviour towards the local community masks a contempt for it. Life in the hotel is lightened on a more mundane level by two incidents, both directly relating to the Major a false alarm over a drowning incident and a fire in his bedroom, both of which end happily, but with a damaging loss of face for the Major and much amusement for the guests and staff at the hotel.Juxtaposed with the sporting life at the hotel, and in a subtle way connected to it, is the fate of the solitary and bereaved occupant of the white house. The shadow of death, both present and past, hangs over the house and blends with the palette of second sight and the strong phenomenon of recurrence, when patterns of events inexplicably repeat themselves. The reader is thus invited to consider the realities of life and death and the inherent tragedies that are contained within them, but in the end is presented with a glimpse of hope and renewal. Neil M Gunn, one of Scotlands most distinguished 20th century authors, wrote over a period of 30 years, starting in 1926 and ending in 1956. This is his final novel. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Zustand: new. Paperback. During the long winter nights and before the advent of television, people in Caithness used to hold informal gatherings in each other's houses, and spend the night in general conversation around the firesides. These gatherings were known as ceilidhs. The news of the day was always discussed along with other topics of interest. The conversation very often turned to events of long ago and it was then that the storytellers came into their own.With his customary enthusiasm, Robert Gunn has selected a number of these tales and historical events with links to or origins in Caithness, to provide a fascinating read and a few surprises! The author recalls that in the Dunbeath district there were several storytellers who held their audiences spellbound with their tales of long ago. One such story was The Prisoner's Leap this raised considerable debate as to whether it was possible to jump the gorge at Crageneath although the conversation often ended with people agreeing that the distance between the two rocks at the gorge was much less than it was currently!Most people believed that an Earl of Orkney was killed at the battle of Leodibest and that one of the stones near the road marked his grave. Alexander Gunn's recollections of his schooldays at Badbea will be an eye-opener for many when they read of the terrible hardships that the children who lived there had to endure. Swein Asleifson a northern pirateThe son of a Norse governor, Swein followed a life of raiding and looting which encompassed Northern Scotland, Orkney and Shetland, Ireland and the Isle of Man. He travelled as far south as Wales and the Scilly Isles and became one of the most powerful men of his time, commanding fear from the people, respect from Earls and admiration from Kings. This book brings together all the action, double-dealing and bloodthirsty adventures surrounding Swein and his people. A new, combined edition of two well-loved Caithness books Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Zustand: new. Paperback. Unlike most of Gunns novels, The Lost Chart is set in a city the city of Glasgow and its sea approaches. The untypical choice of background for the story is not the only departure from Gunns usual approach to his novels. The book is also a thriller. The story unfolds in a social ambience of fear and speculation within which certain sinister political forces are at work. Nuclear war is a possibility, if not a certainty. Shipping executive Dermot Cameron gets involved in a street brawl, loses the chart of the approaches to a remote Hebridean island and finds himself in a tussle between the British Secret Service and a locally-based communist fifth-column. The plot turns almost exclusively on the date of a looming crisis, and the imminence of that date pervades the thoughts and feelings of those in conflict with a locally-based sinister and elusive enemy.This timeless work, from one of the most important writers of the twentieth century, has a remarkable relevance to the events of today. When it was written in 1949 there was an uneasiness in the West regarding changes to the old order of society and the decline in certain moral standards and spiritual beliefs. Today the problems facing humanity have not changed. The threatening political situations in the Far East, Middle East and Eastern Europe and the concomitant danger of nuclear warfare are all too evident. Against such a background, the way of life on the remote Hebridean island depicted by the author has an almost irresistible appeal. This timeless work, from one of the most important writers of the twentieth century, has a remarkable relevance to the events of today. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Zustand: new. Paperback. Roger Redfern - author, writer and photographer - had been writing about his travels and exploration of different areas of Britain and abroad for over 50 years, most notably as a regular contributor to The Guardian newspaper's Country Diary feature. He is the author of over 30 books and was once described as 'the doyen of countryside writers', an accolade that recognised his lyrical and poetic writings about his travels. This book, the first in a short series, reveals the unknown side of Redfern, his photography, in stunning fashion. This first volume, to be followed by A Mountain Camera and An Island Camera, focuses upon his images of Britain's countryside from his wanderings amongst the hills, valleys and villages of rural England, Wales and Scotland. He always had a camera with him to record his journeys; the countryside, the people and animals, and the weather - all captured on colour slides that date back to the 1950s. Many of his early images constitute valuable documents of social history - each one is meticulously captioned and dated to give an accurate record of its content and captures the changing nature of our countryside over the decades.Many would qualify as 'art' images because of the careful balance of colour, composition and atmosphere in these stunning colour photographs. The author, a life-long friend of Roger Redfern, inherited the entire Redfern Collection of images and in the process of reviewing and sorting them has unearthed some absolutely magnificent photographs that deserve a wider audience. He has included quotations from Roger's books and Country Diary articles, as well as snippets of personal information, to help the reader gain more of an insight into his life and character - a highly enjoyable mix of memorable images and colourful nostalgia from the past 50 years. Focuses on the photography of Roger Redfern - his images of Britain's countryside from his wanderings amongst the hills, valleys and villages of rural England, Wales and Scotland. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Zustand: new. Paperback. This book is a softback reprint of the popular hardback, Horse Welfare: Use not Abuse and is dedicated to the protection of horses, ponies and donkeys and is based on first-hand international experience from a lifetime spent with horses hunting, racing and welfare whether with The Pony Club, The Jockey Club or international horse charity. It covers all equines to the highest levels of performance racing, show jumping, eventing and endurance riding and encourages all owners to care for their animals. Horses are beautiful animals that can work with their owners to the best effect; it is only right that they should all be cared for with respect so that the partnership is equal, one of working together and free from abuse. Christopher also looks at the world of working horses, donkeys and mules in the developing world, where they are often the only means of transporting people and goods, provide the only power to work the land and are essential for their owners survival. He calls for them to be given closer attention and care and that training is given to the owners who may not be aware of how to care properly for their animals. He also writes about people in equestrian sports both nationally and internationally and the work of the major charity World Horse Welfare of which he was chairman, calling on his role as a leading regulator and lifelong horseman. He held one of the highest profile jobs in the Jockey Club, steward in charge of enforcing the rules of horse racing and provides an insight into the high stakes world of racing where winning is everything. But whatever the activity or level, readers will be aware that horses are the real stars. Message from The Princess Royal. Authoritative account from a lifetime working with horses and for horse welfare. An inside story on the high stakes racing world. Highlights the challenges facing developing countries whose people depend on their horses, donkeys and mules. Foreword by Roly Owers of World Horse Welfare. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Zustand: new. Paperback. Based upon detailed observation in the New Forest, this delightful book tells the story of Buckie, a fawn from a small herd of fallow does which the author was first privileged to observe just before sunset one magical June evening. Following this defining moment, the author, accompanied by her dachshund George, spent every spare moment watching deer - red, sika and roe but mostly the beautiful fallow deer. She observed the deer in all weathers, how they interacted with each other or with other wild creatures amongst the New Forest's ancient stands of oak and beech. Buckie's contacts with a variety of people such as those who befriend him, the local keepers and poachers are all described in realistic detail. Every November the author went to the New Forest to observe the rut, an exciting time in the deer world, when the great belching roars echoed out over twilight in autumnal woods, evoking a thrill of pleasure. Ferny Wood is a closely observed, lovingly detailed account of a deer's first three years of life and also an illuminating portrait of a forest in all its moods. Observation of deer behaviour providing insight into forest life Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Zustand: new. Paperback. In clear and utterly compelling English, this moving memoir tells the story of the agony, and the ecstasy, of one refugee and of every refugee. A must read for anyone interested in the triumph of Afghanistans spirit over its seemingly endless suffering. Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles, British Ambassador to Afghanistan, 20072010 Flight From Afghanistan is a harrowing account of what drives a man to flee his home country in fear of his life, the trauma of refugee camps and the dangers he faces even when he reaches the sanctuary of the West. Afghans are the second largest refugee group in the world.When confronted by certain death at the point of a gun, Tella Omeri, an uneducated boy from a peasant family knew he had no alternative but to put his life in the hands of ruthless human traffickers, living on his wits and instincts. His 11-year flight, which began as a six-year- old child, is a story combining brutality with courage, hopelessness with resilience. The author asks for no pity, but in his short story he seeks to explain the motivation behind his decisions and paints a radically different picture of life in a troubled region, challenging world leaders and domestic warring factions to find a solution to the endless conflict.While thousands of refugees flee conflict and danger every day, Flight from Afghanistan shines a powerful light on what it actually means to undertake such a journey, and gives a voice to the often forgotten silent victims of the long running wars in the authors home country. Afghan refugees represent one of the worlds largest protracted refugee populations. Over the past four decades, many have been forced from their homes to never see them again. Some were able to return, for a while, but had their lives upended by a fresh eruption of conflict and violence either to be displaced elsewhere in the country, or to become refugees yet again. Amnesty InternationalAfghanistan is the worlds least peaceful country. Institute for Peace and Economics, June 2019Tella Omeri now lives in the UK as a British Citizen with his wife and children. This book is a moving memoir telling the story of the agony and ecstasy of one refugee and of every refugee. A must read for anyone interested in the triumph of Afghanistans spirit over its seemingly endless suffering. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Zustand: new. Paperback. This is the story of a WW2 airfield that wasnt there.RAF Wick was a decoy airfield near Sarclet, by Thrumster in Caithness. For a brief period it was busy, active and vital, full of people and buildings with three broad and very obvious tracks with lights and noise. It was very much on the map, specifically designed to draw attention to itself. But it was an illusion dreamed up by military strategists and cinema-set designers.Air Ministry cartographers transposed the design of a real aerodrome onto a blank area on the map. Planners added standard building designs in the right places. Construction workers created runways that a plane could not land on. Artists and craftsmen made planes that couldnt fly. Men and women from all over the country came to work at a place that was not a working airfield, although their very presence was an essential part of the deception.This book tells the story of how RAF Wick became a part of the lives of the people who built it, worked there or lived nearby. This is the story of a WW2 airfield that wasnt there. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Zustand: new. Paperback. Across Europe to Azerbaijan, Afghanistan and onward to Siberia, Japan and Australia, this is a work that is rich in many dimensions. In essence its a travel story about an eight-month, long and gruelling motorbike ride, but it contains so much more. The author paints a picture with evocative and detailed descriptions of cities and landscapes, accounts of people in different economic and political systems, whose lives were often harrowing, and the unending challenge of riding the machine across diverse terrains in changing conditions.But it has the added perspective of a spiritual journey as the author grapples with the reality of the world about him and his inner demons, bringing an open mind to bear on the people and places confronting him a journey into the writers own soul as well as a cultural education.But most of all its a page-turning adventure story touched with humour and wit, a book that can be opened anywhere with the reader certain to find something interesting, surprising or amusing.Malcolm Dunkeld began his trek in his mid-sixties in sober England and finished it in the Australian desert after a thundering crash. This book has it all! This book tells the tale of an eight-month motorbike ride across Europe to Azerbaijan, Afghanistan and onward to Siberia, Japan and Australia. But it is so much more than that! Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Zustand: new. Paperback. Seasonality is an uplifting look at British wildlife through the seasons of the year, but it is also about our relationship with that wildlife. The author, a keen and passionate naturalist, takes us on a journey through spring, summer, autumn and winter, and on this journey we look at how our wildlife lives throughout the year, how it adapts and changes as necessary. The author shares how wildlife makes him feel, how he derives joy and a sense of well-being from the wildlife he sees and describes. But he also shares his frustration at how some of our actions and land management impact on our increasingly pressurised wildlife. It shares the delight of watching birds in the garden, fox cubs in the countryside and peregrines in the city. It shares the sadness of seeing stuffed examples of extinct birds, the anger at the mismanagement of potentially wildlife rich hedgerows, and the confusion and contradiction of the management of our so-called natural spaces. It is a book of delights and frustrations, but above all hope and celebration. Whether it is the flash of bright yellow butterfly wings signalling that spring has arrived, the slicing of the air by sickleshaped swifts telling us that summer has come, the wonderful show of colour that the leaves of trees display in the autumn, or the deep-throated chuckle of fieldfares gleaning berries in the winter, the seasons are full of life and this book describes them in vivid detail. The role of the seasons in our own lives may have diminished, but for wildlife the seasons are everything, they are the framework within which everything happens. Seasonality is your guide, through a naturalist's eyes and thoughts, to the incredible journey of the four seasons. The seasons of the year roll on regardless, an endless cycle that dictates the rhythm of life. This book uses seasonality as a guide, observed through a naturalist's eye. The seasons of the year roll on regardless, an endless cycle that dictates the rhythm of life. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Zustand: new. Paperback. For one hundred years Scottish medical explorers were at the forefront of exploration within the British Empire, as exemplified by these five individuals.This dominant role was facilitated by the convergence of four events: the unification of Scotland and England, the Scottish Enlightenment, Scotlands unique method of preparing doctors, and the need for a new type of explorer. These events provided the men of Scotland with a trajectory that was quite different from their English counterparts.Throughout the century of exploration, Britain concentrated on expanding its already extensive global empire, and leading this movement were the men of Scotland. Over half of the British explorers from this era were Scottish and often doctors who had received their training at Scottish universities. Those graduating from the University of Edinburgh outnumbered those from other Scottish universities by a ratio of almost 9 to 1. Why were there so many Scottish doctors exploring a dangerous and unknown world and why were these medical explorers uniquely more qualified to lead this effort?A key factor was that the British Imperial Century required a new type of explorer. Prior exploration had focused on finding new lands, establishing trade routes, and creating colonies. Although trade and profit were still significant considerations, new focuses like economic botany and voyages exclusively for the sake of science took precedence. Losing Sight of the Shore shines a light on this most productive and adventurous era while providing detail and context about the people and the times in which they lived.Although Losing Sight of the Shore profiles five medical explorers in detail, this is not a biography but a history which aims to understand and explain the ideology and philosophy of a group of Scottish-trained physicians and surgeons; and how their interaction within the political, cultural, intellectual, and social context of the time helped define the British Imperial Century. This book follows the fortunes of a handful of Scotland's medical explorers. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Zustand: new. Paperback. Recounted for the first time and in detail, this is the unbelievable true story of the Edwardian confidence trickster who fooled the world three times.Violet Charlesworth, the beautiful young heiress to a fortune was briefly the most famous woman in the world, hunted across the globe, pursued by the press, and living the life of royalty. With country estates, fast cars, furs, fabulous jewels, and expensive tastes, she lived life in the fast lane until her lifestyle and her creditors finally caught up with her on a lonely, clifftop road in North Wales.Clever, resourceful, cunning, ruthless and beautiful, Violet Charlesworth had it all, until her luxurious motorcar smashed through a low wall on a dangerous bend in a moonlit clifftop road, hurling her into the waves below. As the search for her body continued, the shocking truth about her life finally emerged.In the era of the Suffragettes, Violet found another way to beat male-dominated society at its own game. Setting the bar for all female con artists to follow, she changed womens fashion, her exploits entered the lexicon of the English language, and she rapidly became more famous than the King and the Prime Minister. She even had a racehorse named after her. She ruined lives and reputations, broke promises and shattered dreams but, like all great con artists, left us guessing until the end. And she did it all with style and panache. This book tells the unbelievable true story of the Edwardian confidence trickster who fooled the world three times! Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Zustand: new. Paperback. William Balfour Baikie was a surgeon, naturalist, linguist, writer, explorer, and government consul who played a key role in opening Africa to the Europeans. As an explorer he mapped and charted large sections of the Niger River system as well as the overland routes from Lagos and Lokoja to the major trading centres of Kano, Timbuctu and Sokoto. As a naturalist, major beneficiaries of his work included Kew Gardens and the British Museum for the rare and undiscovered plant and animal species and yet today he remains largely unknown. On 10th December, 1864 Baikie was on his way back to London and was living in his temporary quarters in Sierra Leone. There he worked to regain his health and to complete the various reports and publications expected by the Colonial and Foreign Offices. He had been away from England for seven years and living conditions in West Africa had caused his health to suffer. While his wife and children waited for his return 600 miles away in Lokoja, the city in Nigeria he had founded, his father waited for his return to Kirkwall, Orkney. Baikie would never return to his wife, nor ever see his father again. In two days, he would be dead and buried at Sierra Leone before his fortieth birthday. In his short life Baikie became such a hero among the Nigerian people 150 years ago that white visitors to the region today are still greeted warmly as Baikie. After studying at University of Edinburgh he was assigned to the Royal Hospital Haslar where he worked with the noted explorers Sir John Richardson and Sir Edward Perry. Baikies reputation as a naturalist, and the sphere of influence provided by Richardson and Perry, allowed him to enter the elite British scientific community where he also worked alongside the most famous naturalist of the time, Charles Darwin. During his time at Haslar, Baikie made two voyages exploring the Niger and Benue Rivers to establish trading centres for the Liverpool merchant Macgregor Laird. The first was a resounding success. He conducted the first clinical trial using quinine as a preventative for malaria. For the first time in history, his initial exploration of these rivers was conducted without the loss of a single life to fever. Returning to London to a heros welcome, he was nominated for one of the Royal Geographic Societys prestigious awards. His second voyage was a pure disaster. His ship was wrecked; members of the expedition died and he was stranded for over a year in the vast remote territory known as the Sokoto Caliphate. Following his rescue, he elected to remain alone in Africa for what would be his final years in order to complete his personal mission.Although he was born 4,000 miles away in Orkney, Baikie was designated the King of Lokoja by the ruler of the Sokoto Caliphate. This book defines the man and his accomplishments and reveals how he is so fondly remembered by the Nigerians and yet apparently so totally forgotten by the rest of the world. This book tells the extraordinary story of William Balfour Baikie. Born in Orkney he became the King of Lokoja, a north-central city in Nigeria. It lies at the confluence of the Niger and Benue rivers and is the capital city of Kogi State. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Zustand: new. Paperback. Archibald Menzies (17541842) is recognized as an accomplished botanist but, as author Graeme Menzies has discovered, that is only a part of his story. In this compelling new biography, the author reveals that Archibald Menzies was a remarkable product of the Scottish Enlightenment: a boy raised in the shadows of ancient Neolithic standing stones who was sponsored by his clan chief to study in Edinburgh and through talent, curiosity, perseverance, and circumstance became one of the top medical doctors and social raconteurs of Victorian London. Along the way readers learn of Archibalds experience as a Royal Navy surgeon in the epic Caribbean Battle of The Saintes, his encounters with the Indigenous people of Pacific Northwest Coast and the islands of Hawaii, his near court-martial by Captain Vancouver, his life-threatening and little-known experiments in the nascent field of virology, and his post-navy life in London. The result of this work is not just a full accounting of the subjects career but a work which also provides insights into his character and personality. His attitude toward issues such as slavery, human rights, religion, and the opportunities and dangers of European contact with Indigenous peoples are explored and show a man of intelligence, compassion, and wisdom.His personal relationships are also explored revealing new insights into the background of his wife Janet and their friendships with Linnean Society founder James Edward Smith and his wife Pleasance. His relationships with the father of naval medical science Sir Gilbert Blaine, the renowned and influential Sir Joseph Banks, encounters with the half-mad Lord Thomas Pitt, friendships with Hawaiian King Kamehameha and Nuu-cha-nulth Chief Maquinna, the influences of his early mentor, the Kings botanist in Scotland John Hope, and his professors are also revealed including many other characters whose work, ideas, and fates shaped much of the nineteenth century. This book explores the life and adventures of accomplished botanist Dr. Archibald Menzies (17541842). Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Zustand: new. Paperback. Rivers, canals and Britain's glorious waterways are championed and admired at every opportunity. They are the subject of countless photos, television programmes and books - and are places to visit and enjoy whenever considering a walk in the countryside. Sadly, not so the humble ditch; yet they are the all-important capillaries supplying the veins of our far more visual watercourses. Sometimes straight, sometimes meandering, they are essential in ensuring that water passes from its source and eventually to the sea with the minimum of disruption and damage to the surrounding land.As well as having a practical farming purpose and being important in preventing flooding, ditches are an essential habitat for many species of flora and fauna. Along their banks grow many native grasses and flowers and, in the water itself, there are likely to be an inordinate number of oxygenating plants plus threatened invertebrates. In no way a dry riverbed of hard facts, A Year in a Ditch is informative and a source of knowledge to anyone interested in exploring the delights of this vital habitat.Whilst discussing the role of the ditch past, present and future - particularly with regard to the flooding of recent winters - the book is full of relevant quirky notes and obscure snippets, the fanciful and factual; old wives' tales; quotations and snippets of poetry.Ditches are an integral part of some very bizarre sports and pastimes indeed and there are even suggestions as to how one can actually dine out in a ditch! A Year in a Ditch will be a wonderful read for anyone wishing to know more about the 500,000 kilometres of these often-neglected waterways that have threaded their way through the British countryside for millennia. Explores the world of ditches - prepare to be surprised! Explains how ditches are faring in the 21st century and reveals the steps being taken to ensure their survival, and the plants, reptiles and animals that frequent these places. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Zustand: new. Paperback. Set atop the rocky plateau of Lundy Island in the Bristol Channel, the Old Light stands proudly - a monument to the skill of its builder, Joseph Nelson. It is of a pleasing construction, both solid and graceful, and when built in 1820 it had two lights - an upper and a lower, and was the highest lighthouse in the country. In this fascinating history of the old lighthouse and the fog signal station, the author has combined her wide knowledge of the island's history with information gleaned from extensive research into Trinity House's archives. Some tantalising insights into the life of the keepers and their families have emerged - the keeper who was too tall for the lantern room; the keeper's wife who tragically died of water contamination, and the gunners who poached their dinners and hid their numerous children when the Elder Brethren came to inspect the cottages! Interwoven throughout the story are details of the numerous wrecks from the 15th century until 1897. Accounts from newspapers are often included, and the wrecks are linked to the lighthouse keepers of the time and the heroic rescues performed by the lighthouse staff.There are also some wonderful snippets of island history - one owner regarded Lundy as independent of mainland authorities and issued his own 'puffin' coins and stamps - the latter are still in use to cover postage to the mainland although the coins are now collectors' items. The height of the Old Light soon proved to be its downfall and eventually the reason why it was extinguished. Due to Lundy's plateau-top fogs which completely obscured the lantern, although there was clear visibility at ground level, a programme of alterations and intensifications took place under the advice of Professor Faraday. In 1862, a fog signal station was built on the west coast, providing shipping with another warning. This was not wholly successful either and it was not until 1897 that the Old Light was replaced by new lights on lower levels at the north and south ends of the island. Since the light was extinguished, the Old Light and the fog signal station reverted to the owners.The Landmark Trust restored the lighthouse and holiday-makers can now stay in the keepers' quarters, climb the 147 steps to the lantern room, and enjoy the breathtaking views across the whole island to the coasts of Wales and Cornwall. Owned by the National Trust, Lundy Island is an outstanding area of great natural beauty which attracts many visitors, who frequently return year after year to enjoy this special place. Set atop the rocky plateau of Lundy Island in the Bristol Channel, the Old Light stands proudly - a monument to the skill of its builder, Joseph Nelson. This work tells the story of Lundy's Old Light, which is set into the context of the island as a whole. It features photographs, drawings, maps, plans and newspaper extracts. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Zustand: new. Paperback. The Girl who Killed a Nation is a fast-paced tale that is deeply reflective, readable and down to earth, and will draw in lovers of travel, history, and personal memoir. It is a true African story that will change readers perceptions.How did a teenage girl cause the death of 40,000 of her own people in 1856 and why do some compare her to an African Joan of Arc or Greta Thunberg? Was she a black liberation leader, a malicious liar or the disruptor of a conservative patriarchal society?Join Treive Nicholas on a moving physical and spiritual journey from the Wild Coast of South Africa to a highly symbolic grave in Cambridgeshire, England as he searches for the infamous teenage prophetess Nongqawuse leader of the popular mass movement known as the Great Cattle Killing (185657). Fate is his constant companion, gently leading him to the rivers, woods and pastures where mercurial spirits, kings, prophets, witch doctors and colonial leaders played out this visceral African story in the cauldron of nine wars, settler invasion and cruel natural disasters. The ripples of this almost unbelievable tragedy are still felt today.On the grassy hills of the Eastern Cape, Treive concludes the South African leg of his pilgrimage, holding an open-air court at the grave of the revered amaXhosa ruler, King Hintsa. The verdict on his death? Bloody regicide, at the hands of Sir Harry Smith, the Hero of Aliwal and darling of Victorian society.After recovering from four tropical diseases, and much to Treives great surprise, the journey does not end there. Instead, it all comes uncomfortably closer to home. Much closer. A shocking but true African story that will change readers perceptionsTravel with the author to the South African bush in search of the teenage girl who caused the death of 40,000 of her own people in 1856. How and why?Facts prove stranger than fiction as a story of Shakespearian proportions unfolds Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Zustand: new. Paperback. Money Talks is a fast-paced history of the humble British coin, the events which at times literally shaped it and the stories reflected in its creation.It has been used to barter and to bribe, to hold a cloak in place and to pay a kings ransom, been an object of pride and a symbol of courage. The coin has witnessed the great events in history about kings and queens and the transfer of power and it speaks to us of generations passed, of battles and heroic deeds, of countries and empires as well as of moments we would rather forget.Money Talks is about how such a small object of desire has been regarded as a symbol of power and authority for more than 2,500 years. It traces British history through the one thing that has come to dominate our lives hard cash and it demonstrates how monarchs down the centuries have used it to fund their wars, maintain their lifestyles and portray their image to prove their position or legitimatise dubious claims to the throne.From time to time the coin has slipped out of use altogether as bartering goods was preferred to poor quality coinage for day-to-day business. It has been hoarded for safer times and simply used as adornment. But even as the modern world turns increasingly to electronic transactions moving billions around the world at the touch of a button, the coin retains its place at the heart of everyday life. An illustrated story of British Monarchs and history featuring over 60 images of coins. Reveals the hidden stories behind coins and the background to designs. The story of Great Britain from the Iron Age to the present day. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Hardcover. Zustand: new. Hardcover. The autobiography of Tony Bentley-Buckle, a child of the Empire who was left to grow up in the care of maiden aunts. Having joined the Royal Navy before the war, he found himself on the Northern Patrol during the blockade of Germany and as a teenager in command of captured ships. When he brought a ship through the minefields into Scapa Flow, the young Midshipman Bentley-Buckle was interviewed by the famously ferocious Admirax Max Horton who recommended him for advanced promotion. In a fit of derring-do he volunteered for 'special service' without knowing what this meant and began training for one of Britain's secret navies. As a beach commando he was one of the first ashore at the Allied landings on Sicily and one of the first Allied officers to cross the Straits of Messina. On Reggio beach he became one of the few people to order General Montgomery to stop talking and not to block the exit of the beach! He was soon seconded even deeper into British secret services when he was lent to MI9, the escape and evasion agency, helping to rescue hundreds of British prisoners of war in Italy.He was captured in a fierce hand-to-hand battle with the Germans, escaped, recaptured and was badly-beaten, eventually reaching Prisoner-of-War Camp 'Marlag O'. There he helped organise one the cheekiest escapes from a prisoner-of-war camp by making the eyes for a dummy known as 'Albert RN'. Post-war he learned to fly, sailed a small boat to East Africa and founded a shipping empire and an airline. This is a remarkable and exciting true story including escape and evasion behind enemy lines in Italy, Yugoslavia and Germany; life in a prisoner-of-war camp and adventure in the Indian Ocean. A true and gripping story of incredible bravery. An original memoir, recounted in his own voice. Reveals new information about one of Britain's secret navies in the Second World War. Escape and evasion behind enemy lines in Italy, Yugoslavia and Germany. Life in a prisoner-of-war camp. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Zustand: new. Paperback. The West Highland Way is Scotland's first official Long Distance Route and runs near 100 miles from Milngavie to Fort William. It was nicknamed the 'Way Way' by a trio from Fife who set off to walk it in the year of the Millennium. This is not a guidebook but an account of their experiences, the highs and lows which any challenge presents of their marvellous, surprising, amusing and weird memories. They met many hundreds of people along the way but, naturally, those they recall were the more eccentric. Although the trio never managed another bigger trip together they realize how lucky, and wise, they had been to grab the chance when it came. There is remarkably pleasant rural walking at the start to reach the Highlands at Loch Lomond, fine woodland on its banks and later, the contrast of lonely, empty miles across Rannoch Moor, the Devil's Staircase and the great pass of the Lairig Mor to finish. Encounters with other people are an important part of Long Distance Routes. Anyone who has walked the Way Way (or is planning to do so) will enjoy this story, bringing back plenty of similar memories of people and places, adventures and misadventures.The illustrations too give a wonderful idea of the rich variety of country traversed and well capture the atmosphere of this walk through Scotland's fine landscapes. An entertaining narrative that encapsulates the complete experience of walking the West Highland Way. It brings to life one of the classic Long Distance walks. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Zustand: new. Paperback. This book reveals the skills and stories behind the art of figurehead carving and two of the primary families involved - the Hellyers and the Dickersons.Over centuries past, powerful nations and empires have expressed their might and control in part through the strength of their navies and their industrial and commercial prowess through fleets of vessels whether powered by sail or later steam. The desire to add ornamentation to even the most utilitarian of objects is evident throughout history, and ships were no exception. The task to create decorative forms that became part of a functional object was for the shipping industry the job of the ship's carver; a profession that demanded artistic ability together with a knowledge of the functional requirements of the vessel. When decoration was applied to a military vessel, it was for the purpose of presenting an overwhelming sense of indomitable strength. Imagery taken from biblical texts or ancient myths and legends provided heroic figures that not only emphasised power, but also established the political and theological ideology that each nation wished to uphold or impose.Written by a professional ship's carver who has restored many figureheads, this book reveals the skills and stories behind the profession and some of the primary families - the Hellyers and the Dickersons - back to the 18th century. Originally from Hampshire, the Hellyer family carved figureheads for the Royal Naval yard at Portsmouth, whilst the Dickerson family carved for the Royal Naval yard at Plymouth. Following generations set up carving workshops at many of the London yards, and as ship building moved north, they also set up in Tyneside and Scotland. In all they carved over 350 figureheads for the Royal Navy plus many for merchant yards. The smaller Dickerson family remained in Plymouth carving over 220 figures.Ships' Figureheads reveals information about these and other carving families, providing a socio-historic account of the times and in so doing an insight into the world they inhabited, with an in-depth practical knowledge of their work. Through exhaustive research the author has discovered many of the trials and tribulations experienced by each family, thus giving a sense of who they were, where they lived and how their work was viewed by society. It includes many heart-rending episodes that each family endured helping to bring to life the period in which they lived This book reveals the skills and stories behind the art of figurehead carving and some of the primary families involved - the Hellyers and the Dickersons. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Zustand: new. Paperback. When Lake Mburo National Park in Uganda was created in 1983, thousands lost their land and livelihoods. Three years later people reclaimed the land and set out to destroy the park and its wildlife. Reduced in size and settled throughout, the park seemed lost. This was the challenge faced by Mark Infield on arrival in Uganda as a young conservationist. A programme of recovery over a 10-year period proposed and implemented by the author and colleagues in Uganda National Parks used community conservation approaches, and today the park is saved and visited by thousands.With this project as its primary focus, Beautiful Beasts, Beautiful Lands looks back at Mark's 30 years in conservation and asks the questions 'What really works?' and 'Why?' This is a personal account of the author's 30 years work in nature conservation, focused on the rise and fall and rise again of this national park.Despite this and other successes, and while lands under conservation increase, the natural world continues to wane. Local support is critical if national parks are to survive, and efforts over many years building links to communities must have more than a fleeting success - as this book amply demonstrates.After five years explaining to Bahima pastoralists who named the land Karo Karungi - the Beautiful Land - why the national park was important, the author finally thought to ask for their views. Their answers changed his thinking about the park, about working with communities, and about how and why to protect nature.Beautiful Beasts, Beautiful Lands provides a commentary on nature conservation, casting light on its failures, and explaining why protected areas are stronger when based on local values than when based on financial worth. It puts forward a way of thinking that reaches out to ancient connections between people and nature, putting beauty and meaning firmly back at its centre. A critique of modern conservation in the face of climate and biodiversity emergencies. It describes the author's journey from nature lover to conservationist Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Zustand: new. Paperback. A revealing picture of a time when Britain was losing its empire. It draws on letters written at the period by an airman, his vivid memories and experiences from the Canal Zone, Kenya during Mau Mau times, Cyprus and Jerusalem. His time encompassed conducting church services, being shipwrecked, numerous wildlife encounters and the formation of many lifelong friendships. The Canal Zone was no easy life and 50 years later a medal was awarded when the government was forced to admit it was deserved and to confess its own political chicanery in the events. Hamish paints a picture of the highs and lows of RAF life, a station being run down in Egypt, working in oppressive heat and now and then being shot at! He saw the Windrush a week before it exploded and sank in the Mediterranean; both the Windrush story and that of building the Suez Canal are detailed in an appendix. There is much to find in this story including background histories to events and the politics of the time. As a whole it provides a fascinating account of the era. This book paints a revealing picture of a time when Britain was losing its empire. It draws on letters written at the period by an airman recalling his vivid memories and experiences from the Canal Zone, Kenya during Mau Mau times, Cyprus and Jerusalem. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Zustand: new. Paperback. Foreword by Admiral Lord West of SpitheadFew people, even in the Navy, are even aware of this dreadful incident [the loss of submarine HMS Truculent in the Thames] and certainly not the details of human error that led to this huge loss of life. The account is gripping, and explains the strange title of the book. . John Johnson-Allen has put Fred Henleys personal accounts in the context of world-changing events, and in particular provides a wonderful snapshot of the Royal Navy of that era.------------------------------------------This compelling story is the result of many hours spent recording the memories of Fred Henley. His life at sea is at the centre of his being and his own words are at the heart of the book. At the age of 14 Fred worked on a Thames sailing barge, then after his training at HMS Ganges, he joined his first ship which took him from the icy Arctic Ocean to the heat of West Africa where the Bismarck and her support ships were hunted. His experiences included visiting Archangel, sailing on Arctic convoys, capturing German supply ships, the failed attack on Oran, landings in Piraeus, Salonika and the French Riviera and operating with special forces in the Greek Islands. There is inevitably some humour when Fred recounts his encounters with girls. The book then explores the tragic loss of his last submarine, HMS Truculent. In the cold January waters of the Thames Estuary, within sight of Southend, over 60 men were lost in a major disaster, just five years after the end of the war. The voices of the survivors are heard telling how they stood in complete blackness in a sunken submarine, waiting for the water to come in so that they could escape to the surface, only for all but a few to drift away and die in the darkness. The story concludes with happier times with Fred visiting ports in the Mediterranean during peacetime as a married man. An incident-filled naval life during WWII seen through the eyes of a young manFeatures the tragic loss of HMS Truculent and includes eye-witness accounts from survivors Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.