Coming Soon

Written on the brink of World War II, Rebecca West’s classic examination of the history, people, and politics of Yugoslavia illuminates a region that is still a focus of international concern. A magnificent blend of travel journal, cultural commentary, and historical insight, Black Lamb and Grey Falcon probes the troubled history of the Balkans and the uneasy relationships among its ethnic groups. The landscape and the people of Yugoslavia are brilliantly observed as West untangles the tensions that rule the country’s history as well as its daily life.

Fog obscured the channel today … I had no idea it would be the beginning of a very long stay. As soon as I speak, I always get the question, "Where are you from?" My typical answer is, "California," where I grew up. I notice most of the time I don't even mention Britain. That is a disservice--the place shaped me more than know. The poems, vignettes, and stories from the UK in this book are an effort to acknowledge both place and experience. Before I left, while on a trip to Venice, I found a handmade notebook, leather bound with paper perfect for ink and quill, as well as watercolor. So, ...

Sweden is a strikingly beautiful country with a reverence for the natural environment. Its extremes in geography, climate, and history have given rise to a population that values honesty, self-sufficiency, and harmony. Swedes are a rights-driven, modern, and tech-savvy people who also retain a deep respect for their own cultural legacy. Culture Smart! Sweden offers insights into the lives and personalities of the Swedes today, along with tips on socializing, communication, and how to make the most of your time there.

In this love letter to the world’s favorite country, you’ll find everything you know and love about Italy: the classic food, the dreamy landscapes, and the Renaissance masterpieces. Along the way, you’ll meet the people who make Italy what it is, the philosophies they live by, and the traditions that make la dolce vita. We all want to live the Italian life. With this book, you’re one step closer.

Not everything that glitters is gold—which is why Ben Aitken went to Wolverhampton for the weekend. Over the next year, the bestselling author of A Chip Shop in Poznan and The Gran Tour visited twelve of the least popular spots in the UK and Ireland for a city break, as ranked by national tourism boards. The motivation wasn't to take the biscuit or stick the boot in, but to seek out the good stuff, to uncover the gems, to have a nice time. By doing so, he hoped to demonstrate that anywhere—like anyone—can be interesting and nourishing and enjoyable if approached in the right fashion.

Saxon, Tudor, Georgian, Regency, even Victorian and Edwardian are all well-recognised architectural styles, displaying the influence of the events that mark each period. Thurley looks at how the architecture of England has evolved over a thousand years, uncovering the beliefs, ideas and aspirations of the people who commissioned them, built them and lived in them. He tells the fascinating story of the development of architecture and the advancements in both structural performance and aesthetic effect.

Culture Smart! Iceland will take you to the heart of this plucky Nordic nation. It will equip you with a deeper understanding of your hosts and with the tools to turn your visit into a more meaningful and enriching experience, whatever your reason for traveling. Behind a stoic veneer lies a proud, industrious, and egalitarian people, whose straightforwardness and ability to wing it have seen them thrive in this beautiful but unforgiving environment.

Otto Julius Bierbaum, der als erster Mensch den Brenner mit einem Automobil überquert hat (zusammen mit seiner Frau und Chauffeur) bekommt von seinem Hausarzt eine Seereise empfohlen und so unternimmt das Ehepaar Bierbaum auf dem Ozeanriesen „Yankeedoodle“ einen Urlaub der besonderen Art.

After New York City emptied out in March 2020, Glynnis MacNicol, aged forty-six, unmarried with no children, spent sixteen months alone in her tiny Manhattan apartment. The isolation was punishing. A year without touch. Women are warned of invisibility as they age, but this was an extreme loneliness no one can prepare you for. When the opportunity to sublet a friend's apartment in Paris arose, MacNicol jumped on it. Leaving felt less like a risk than a necessity. What follows is a decadent, joyful, unexpected journey into one woman's pursuit of radical enjoyment.

The French are different. You'll often hear this in conversations among the Anglo-Saxons, as the French like to call English speakers. Different means charming, challenging, questioning, stylish, and doing things in their own way and to their own advantage. By looking at the attitudes and values of the French, and explaining how French life and business works, Culture Smart! France shows you how to fit in as a foreigner.

The people of this land of white summer nights and pristine lakes are famous for their sisu, a form of enterprising stoicism. They are survivors: if you were stranded on a desert island, your ideal companion would be a Finn. Culture Smart! Finland describes the historical, geographical, and cultural influences that have shaped the Finnish psyche, and guides you through the working and social lives of the Finns today, offering you a deeper, more rewarding experience of this beautiful land.

Between 1990 and 1994, Colm Tóibín made a series of trips through Catholic Europe. His journey led him into close contact with people from all walks of life, from priests to politicians, from the intellectually open to the spiritually bigoted. He then set down his impressions in The Sign of the Cross, a beautifully written book filled with personal detail set within its historical context.

Call me Mark. My first time in the Roman district of Trastevere was in 1997 whilst covering the England World Cup qualifier for Radio 1. Nearly thirty years later, I'm headed back there, with my wife Bella and dog Arlo in tow. Call me Arlo. I normally hate the sight of suitcases in case it means Him and Her are leaving me, but this time I'm coming with them. I've got my favourite food packed and my doggy passport ready to go.

When she was seventeen years old, Hannah Kent travelled to Iceland from Australia. She’d never seen snow before, didn’t speak a word of Icelandic. All she knew was that she wanted to have an experience – to soak up something of the world. Soon she found herself isolated in a remote part of Iceland in a dark winter. It was a gruelling experience, but she quickly fell in love with the country: with its brutally beautiful landscapes and with its people. On returning home, Hannah had found a story, and so she began to write.

Beautiful and strange, ancient monuments have long captured our attention and curiosity. We stand in awe before them, asking who created the Uffington White Horse—and why? Uncovering the enduring mystery of ancient sites, award-winning writer Peter Ross once again invites listeners to sit beside him as he celebrates their influence on art, culture and society, explores the way their meaning has evolved over time and simply delights in their magic.

In this love letter to the world’s favourite country, you’ll find everything youknow and love about Italy: the classic food, the dreamy landscapes, the Renaissance masterpieces. Along the way you’ll meet the people who make Italy what it is, the philosophies they live by and the traditions that make la dolce vita. We all want to live the Italian life. With this book, you’re one step closer.

Postal paths span the length and breadth of Britain - from the furthermost corners of the Outer Hebrides to the isolated communities clinging to the cliffs of the Rame Peninsula in south-east Cornwall. For over 200 years, postmen and women have delivered post to homes across Britain on foot, no matter how remote. A chance remark by a farmer about a Postman's Path led Alan Cleaver on a quest to discover more about this network of lanes, short-cuts and footpaths in the British landscape.

With their Andalusian guesthouse ready to welcome visitors, Robert and Sabina face new challenges. They battle through a snowy winter and face another year of drought. With few bookings, no water, and very little money left, they start looking back and doubt their decision to leave their cushy jobs in the Middle East for the harsh reality of life in the countryside. Was moving to Andalusia a big mistake?

Am Beispiel des multiethnischen Österreichs vor der Zwangs-Annektierung durch den deutschen Nazi-Staat verdeutlicht Stefan Zweig auf wunderbare sprachliche Weise, warum alle Völker Europas Mischvölker sind und reine Rassen, falls es überhaupt so etwas wie Rassen gibt, nur in den Köpfen der ewigen Dummköpfe existieren. Die Parallelen zur heutigen Zeit sind unverkennbar, im Prinzip befinden wir uns jetzt – mal wieder – in der gleichen Situation.

Between 1990 and 1994, Colm Tóibín made a series of trips through Catholic Europe. His journey led him into close contact with people from all walks of life, from priests to politicians, from the intellectually open to the spiritually bigoted.