UK

Pub Date:13/01/2015 - For centuries, Somerset depended on its harbours and rivers as its lifeblood. This is the story of the county's (read more)

Pub Date:13/01/2015 - For centuries, Somerset depended on its harbours and rivers as its lifeblood. This is the story of the county's ports, pills and waterways - the unique vessels and the skilled men that used them, the cargoes they carried and the day-to-day practicalities of their lives. Over 2,000 years of history is explored in this illustrated volume, from the earliest waterborne activity right up to the present day and the enduring preservation, restoration and new-build legacy.

Encompassing the whole of the Somerset coast, with detailed explorations of the ports, the vessels and their owners, skippers and crews, and the evolution of the inland distribution process, Any Muddy Bottom presents a comprehensive and vivid portrait of the county's remarkable shipping heritage. (hide)

If there's one thing we Brits never say no to, it's stopping at four o'clock for a cup of tea and a slice of something tasty. After (read more)

If there's one thing we Brits never say no to, it's stopping at four o'clock for a cup of tea and a slice of something tasty. After all, we invented afternoon tea. Ours is a land rich in moist, mouth watering flavours, of sponges and scones, fruitcakes and fancies.

So what better way to tour Britain than to devour its many teatime treats, slice by sumptuous slice? That's what Caroline Taggart set out to do one day - nothing more energetic than taking a table by the window, and investigating one mouthful at a time what (other than geography) separates a Coventry God Cake from an Eccles Cake, or Grantham Gingerbread from Whitby Gingerbread. In her encounters with those people making traditional cakes, she unravels the stories behind why they originated, where and when they did, and meditates on their resurgence today, as we look to revive and celebrate local produce. (hide)

In the heroic days of rail travel, you could dine on kippers and champagne aboard the Brighton Belle; smoke a post-prandial cigar (read more)

In the heroic days of rail travel, you could dine on kippers and champagne aboard the Brighton Belle; smoke a post-prandial cigar as the Golden Arrow closed in on Paris, or be shaved by the Flying Scotsman's on-board barber. Everyone from schoolboys to socialites knew of these glamorous 'named trains' and aspired to ride aboard them. In Belles and Whistles, Andrew Martin recreates five of these famous train journeys by travelling aboard their nearest modern day equivalents.

Sometimes their names have survived, even if only as a footnote on a timetable leaflet, but what has usually - if not always - disappeared is the extravagance and luxury. As Martin explains how we got from there to here, evocations of the golden age contrast with the starker modern reality: from monogrammed cutlery to stirring sticks, from silence on trains to tannoy announcements, from compartments to airline seating. For those who wonder whatever happened to porters, dining cars, mellow lighting, timetables, luggage in advance, trunk murders, the answers are all here.

Martin's five journeys add up to an idiosyncratic history of Britain's railways, combining humour, historical anecdote, reportage from the present and romantic evocations of the past. (hide)

Drawing on extensive knowledge and celebrating London's diverse riches, this quiz book invites you to come on a wide-ranging exploration (read more)

Drawing on extensive knowledge and celebrating London's diverse riches, this quiz book invites you to come on a wide-ranging exploration of the megacity the author calls 'The Big Onion'. Peel away its many layers in the company of one of London's top Blue Badge tourist guides. These 22 tours will inspire you, your family, colleagues and friends to leap from page to pavement in the entertaining company of a local expert.

Have fun! This is the first in a series of regional quiz books written exclusively by Blue Badge guides - 'Britain's best guides' - local, professional guides rigorously examined by the Institute of Tourist Guiding, the industry's standard-setting body. World-renowned for their knowledge, interpretation skills and enthusiasm for their area! (hide)

Since its foundation in 1602, the Bodleian Library has acquired manuscripts, printed books, maps, music and ephemera in all languages, (read more)

Since its foundation in 1602, the Bodleian Library has acquired manuscripts, printed books, maps, music and ephemera in all languages, from all ages and from all corners of the globe. From this huge collection David Vaisey, former Bodley's Librarian and Keeper of the University Archives, has selected over one hundred treasures that have a story to tell. Many of these treasures are well-loved around the world and include Jane Austen's manuscript for The Watsons, Shelley's notebooks, a map of Narnia illustrated by C.S.Lewis and the original Wind in the Willows manuscript. Others are known for their beauty and historical value, such as the thirteenth-century Douce Apocalypse, the Magna Carta and the Gutenberg Bible. Many items hold poignant stories, like the little book hand-written by the eleven-year-old girl who would later become Queen Elizabeth I, given as a New Year present in 1545 to the third of her stepmothers, Katherine Parr. (hide)

A century after the Industrial Revolution began, some Victorians finally began to confront the problems industrialisation and urbanisation (read more)

A century after the Industrial Revolution began, some Victorians finally began to confront the problems industrialisation and urbanisation had wrought. The remarkable proliferation of new factories, railways and docks owned by massively wealthy entrepreneurs created new depths of poverty and deprivation, which outraged philanthropist and researcher Charles Booth. These two maps, commissioned by Booth and the first of their kind, classify London streets into seven categories, from the very poor lowest class mainly in the east end (but with some surprising enclaves in the fashionable west) right up to the wealthy upper classes in Marylebone and Mayfair.

It is a fascinating resource for genealogists, historians and all lovers of London's past. (hide)

A quirky and fascinating guide to Britain's railways, Bradt's Britain from the Rails is perfect not only as an entertaining armchair (read more)

A quirky and fascinating guide to Britain's railways, Bradt's Britain from the Rails is perfect not only as an entertaining armchair read but as a handy guidebook to help readers explore the country at a slower, more personal pace. This expanded and updated second edition has an attractive fresh design, clear maps and a new section on 'Britain's Secret Railways'. Full of fascinating titbits, weird accidents and odd characters, it is a thorough and humorous collection perfect for commuters and local history fans alike.

With the number of 'staycations' on the rise and increased interest in lowering one's carbon footprint, this guide helps those who don't, can't or won't drive or fly. Author Benedict Le Vey is a national newspaper sub-editor who has also written Bradt's popular Eccentric titles. (hide)

***stocked 26/09//13***For hundreds of thousands of years our ancestors have walked these isles burying, dropping and throwing away (read more)

***stocked 26/09//13***For hundreds of thousands of years our ancestors have walked these isles burying, dropping and throwing away their belongings, and now these treaures lie waiting for us, keeping their secrets until we uncover them once more. Every year, hundreds of vaulable artefacts are discovered by ordinary members of the British public. Here in Britain's Secret Treasures, which accompanies the ITV series, the British Museum chooses eighty of the most fascinating finds ever reported and Mary-Ann Ochota shares with us the moving histories that bring each piece to life.

There is also a detailed chapter showing you how you can get involved in archaeology too. From hoards of Roman gold and Bronze Age drinking vessels to tiny Viking spindle whorls and weapons from dozens of wars, all manner of treausres are described here. Some help prove that our ancestors were alive over half a million years ago, some saw their modern-day finders receive a generous reward, all provide an insight into the wodnerful, dynamic, colourful history of our nation. (hide)

From the wonderfully rustic to the wildly luxurious, from The Highlands to St Ives, we've taken the hard work out of finding Britain's (read more)

From the wonderfully rustic to the wildly luxurious, from The Highlands to St Ives, we've taken the hard work out of finding Britain's loveliest hotels. Each hotel combines character with comfort and a great welcome. A weekend break in a historic city, a night away on business, a family holiday by the sea - there's something for everyone here.

We are committed to the small hotels of Britain, run by enterprising people. We look for what we like; we celebrate the beautiful and the unusual. The winning combination of fresh honest write-ups, colourful photographs, clear symbols, excellent maps, clear directions and quick reference indices is what makes our guides so popular.
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14/7/2015 - Brunel's Kingdom is the story of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, told through the works he left behind. More than just a biography (read more)

14/7/2015 - Brunel's Kingdom is the story of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, told through the works he left behind. More than just a biography of this most famous British engineer, the book is designed to be used as a guide so that the reader can, if they wish, visit any of the relics, sites and structures featured within the book. This is an entertaining, readable and informative look at Brunel's life and career, part biography, part travel book, and lavishly illustrated.

John Christopher takes a refreshing approach to look at the work of Brunel in this biographical account of the man often called the second greatest Briton of all time. (hide)