万本电子书0元读

万本电子书0元读

Britain AD: A Quest for Arthur, England and the Anglo-Saxons
Britain AD: A Quest for Arthur, England and the Anglo-Saxons
Francis Pryor
¥73.58
Leading archaeologist Francis Pryor retells the story of King Arthur, legendary king of the Britons, tracing it back to its Bronze Age origins. The legend of King Arthur and Camelot is one of the most enduring in Britain's history, spanning centuries and surviving invasions by Angles, Vikings and Normans. In his latest book Francis Pryor – one of Britain’s most celebrated archaeologists and author of the acclaimed ‘Britain B.C.’ and ‘Seahenge’ – traces the story of Arthur back to its ancient origins. Putting forth the compelling idea that most of the key elements of the Arthurian legends are deeply rooted in Bronze and Iron Ages (the sword Excalibur, the Lady of the Lake, the Sword in the Stone and so on), Pryor argues that the legends' survival mirrors a flourishing, indigenous culture that endured through the Roman occupation of Britain, and the subsequent invasions of the so-called Dark Ages. As in ‘Britain B.C.’, Pryor roots his story in the very landscape, from Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh, to South Cadbury Castle in Somerset and Tintagel in Cornwall. He traces the story back to the 5th-century King Arthur and beyond, all the time testing his ideas with archaeological evidence, and showing how the story was manipulated through the ages for various historical and literary purposes, by Geoffrey of Monmouth and Malory, among others. Delving into history, literary sources – ancient, medieval and romantic – and archaeological research, Francis Pryor creates an original, lively and illuminating account of this most British of legends.
Harmony: A New Way of Looking at Our World
Harmony: A New Way of Looking at Our World
H.R.H. Prince of Wales,Tony Juniper,Ian Skelly
¥173.05
A practical guide to what we have lost in the modern world, why we have lost it and how easily it is to rediscover. Harmony is a blueprint for a more balanced, sustainable world that the human race must create to survive. For more than 30 years His Royal Highness Prince Charles The Prince of Wales has been at the forefront of a growing ecological movement. Originally treated with scepticism, many of his ideas are now widely accepted and gaining increasing impact and influence. His work has sought to meet a huge range of modern challenges, from urbanisation to deforestation. In every case, however, the philosophy that is the foundation of his work has always been the same, but has always been unspoken, until now. For the first time, Prince Charles, with the help of his two leading advisors, has brought together his vast knowledge and experience to set out this philosophy - a philosophy that is as robust as it is practical. In Harmony, Prince Charles looks at different aspects of our modern world to demonstrate how many of the challenges seen in areas as diverse as architecture, farming and medicine can be traced to how we have abandoned a classical sense of balance and proportion. From the rice farms of India to America's corn belt, Harmony spans the globe, dissecting the specific practices of modern life that have put us at odds with the world and showing how this imbalance manifests itself throughout our lives. Harmony shows how the imbalance that has emerged is at heart of a crisis which now threatens our very civilisation. It tells the story of how our disconnection from Nature has contributed to the greatest crisis in the history of mankind and how seeking balance in our actions will return us to a more considered, secure, comfortable and cleaner world. Drawing on his own practical experience, Prince Charles charts how changes to how we look at the world could lead us toward a better future. He describes how knowledge and perspectives now largely lost could help us meet very modern challenges, including in the built environment, engineering, medicine and farming.
The Age of Wonder: How the Romantic Generation Discovered the Beauty and Terror
The Age of Wonder: How the Romantic Generation Discovered the Beauty and Terror
Richard Holmes
¥95.75
Shortlisted for the Samuel Johnson Prize and winner of the Royal Society Prize for Science Books, Richard Holmes’s dazzling portrait of the age of great scientific discovery is a groundbreaking achievement. The book opens with Joseph Banks, botanist on Captain Cook’s first Endeavour voyage, who stepped onto a Tahitian beach in 1769 fully expecting to have located Paradise. Back in Britain, the same Romantic revolution that had inspired Banks was spurring other great thinkers on to their own voyages of artistic and scientific discovery – astronomical, chemical, poetical, philosophical – that together made up the ‘age of wonder’. In this breathtaking group biography, Richard Holmes tells the stories of the period’s celebrated innovators and their great scientific discoveries: from telescopic sight to the miner’s lamp, and from the first balloon flight to African exploration.
Carbon Counter (Collins Gem)
Carbon Counter (Collins Gem)
Mark Lynas
¥36.79
What effect are you having on the environment? If you buy Kenyan green beans what is the CO2 cost? What about your journey to work, your fridge or your clothes? The Gem Carbon Counter is your portable instant green reckoner. This handy little book includes: ? Introduction by Mark Lynas author of Hide Tide: News from a Warming World ? Welcome to the Greenhouse: Explains what the Greenhouse effect actually is, all the issues surrounding global warming and your carbon footprint? ? Your Carbon Footprint: Measure your own carbon footprint covering all aspects of your life from your food shopping to your work, holidays and clothes. Starting with your home gas and electricity supplies and usage, the handy green reckoner takes you through each part of your life and helps you add up the impact you are making on the environment. So, in turn, it allows you to identify the key parts of your life which you’ll need to adapt to reduce your carbon footprint: from which coffee you drink to how often you go on holiday. ? Sustainability: How do you measure up in comparison to the average person’s carbon footprint? What can you do to generate your own energy and therefore reduce your footprint and what sort of targets can you set yourself? ? Helpful Appendices: Includes information on carbon emissions for journeys by car, train and plane. A list of corporate companies, their emissions and what they are doing to reduce their carbon footprint so that as a consumer, you can make decisions on who you support. A helpful carbon diary where you can record your carbon footprint for the year. Useful websites where you can read more about green issues.
Men of War: The Changing Face of Heroism in the 19th Century Navy (Text Only)
Men of War: The Changing Face of Heroism in the 19th Century Navy (Text Only)
David Crane
¥221.12
Through the lives of three outstanding naval officers – each considered the most brilliant commander of his generation – David Crane offers a unique portrait of the Royal Navy at a time when it held unchallenged dominion over the world's oceans. Although all three died young, their careers covered virtually every war of significance in which the navy was involved during the nineteenth century. They fought against French and Americans, Russians, Turks, Egyptians, Indians and Chinese, in fleet engagements and naval bombardments, on the walls of Canton and the banks of the Mississippi, against Malay pirates and sepoy mutineers. As an eleven-year-old volunteer, Frank Hastings saw action at Trafalgar, and he went on to be revered as a hero of the Greek War of Independence. Yet, as the architect and captain of the first successful steam warship and the champion of gunnery and total war, he unwittingly prepared the way for much that would be bloodiest in the century ahead. Nobody who saw him in the trenches of the Crimea would ever forget William Peel's air of inviolable self-mastery under fire, and it was the same in India, where he could ride through a landscape of decomposing corpses as if it were some mythological world conjured up to try his knightly resolve. What was it that enabled a man of his intelligence, temperament, piety and background to fight with such brilliance in defence of an Ottoman Empire that was repugnant to every tenet he held most strongly? If James Goodenough chased Glory as assiduously as Hastings and Peel had done, it was the Glory of the next world, and not this. Throughout his career he strove to reconcile the demands of his faith and his profession, but when he finally met his martyrdom at the hands of the 'savages' of the Pacific islands, a shocked nation was left to face up to the inconsistencies, hypocrisies and self-deceptions on which floated its vision of divine election. Combining thrilling scenes of battle with acute psychological insight, Men of War provides a remarkable picture of the nature of courage, command and warfare. Note that it has not been possible to include the same picture content that appeared in the original print version.
Dusty Warriors: Modern Soldiers at War (Text Only)
Dusty Warriors: Modern Soldiers at War (Text Only)
Richard Holmes
¥72.30
Foremost military historian Richard Holmes offers us a compelling and at times terrifying account of what it means to be a contemporary soldier. In this remarkable book, Holmes draws on the testimonies and personal photographs of the 700 soldiers of the Princess of Wales Royal Regiment in Iraq to vividly capture their day-to-day experiences of the conflict, from camp kitchens to the heart of an armoured convey barrelling out across the desert. As colonel-in-chief of the Princess of Wales Royal Regiment himself from 1999 until 2007, Holmes combines acute observation with heartfelt experience to produce a gripping and deeply moving vision of his regiment at war.
Empire’s Children: Trace Your Family History Across the World (Text only)
Empire’s Children: Trace Your Family History Across the World (Text only)
Anton Gill
¥76.91
From the makers of 'Who Do You Think You Are?' comes 'Empire's Children' – a tie-in edition to a six part TV series for Channel 4 – which tells the story of Empire, and follows the personal journeys of six British celebrities as they retrace their steps through their multicultural past. British society is in every way defined by its Imperial past. It is home to 2.3 million British Asians, 570,000 Caribbeans and 250,000 Chinese. Not to mention Cypriots, Australians and southern Africans. These people represent different cultures and divergent experiences but they all share a common heritage: they are the children (grandchildren, or great grandchildren) of Empire; and their lives have been shaped by that legacy. In the second part of the 20th century, Britain relinquished control of 64 countries and half a billion subjects. During that period, many thousands of those same former British subjects fled their homes to build new lives here. What were they hoping to find? Why did they want to come to the very country they'd fought so hard to free themselves from? What kinds of lives were they leaving behind? What was the reality of their new life here? And how was British society itself shaped by their arrival and assimilation here? Real concerns that are very much in forefront of our minds in the multicultural melting pot that Britain is today. ‘Empire’s Children’ seeks to answer these questions by concentrating on the personal and emotive journeys of six chosen celebrities as they retrace the steps which they – or their parents or grandparents – took in order to reach this country for the first time. The stories will cover post colonial histories of Africa, the subcontinent, the West Indies, Australasia, South East Asia and Cyprus. In some cases, they will spend some time in the former colony and experience the motivations as well as the drama of the journey itself.
Art of the New Naturalists: A Complete History
Art of the New Naturalists: A Complete History
Peter Marren,Robert Gillmor
¥456.66
The stunning, specially commissioned cover illustrations are one of the great joys of the New Naturalist series, lending it a distinctive style which has inspired nature enthusiasts for many decades. The Collins New Naturalist series is the longest-running and arguably the most influential natural history series in the world with over 100 volumes published in over 60 years. Throughout the years, the highly characteristic dust jacket illustrations have become iconic, lifting the books to a level of collectibility and increasing the level of admiration for an already well-established and respected series. With early cover illustrations prepared by Clifford and Rosemary Ellis, later and more recent covers have been designed by Robert Gillmor. Featuring prints of the awe-inspiring artwork of the New Naturalists, the book will offer a unique insight into Gillmor’s approach to each subject matter and the intricate and creative way through which he has brought his own distinctive style and craft of printmaking to the New Naturalist series. Marren explores the findings from the Ellis archive, which has thrown up considerable information on how the old covers were developed, approved, in some cases rejected, and then proofed. The Art of the New Naturalists offers a fascinating insight into how the creation of these eminent cover designs has developed and progressed and will be essential reading for everyone interested in the frantic workings behind the seemingly serene collection of artwork that is one of Britain’s iconic book series.
British Bats (Collins New Naturalist Library, Book 93)
British Bats (Collins New Naturalist Library, Book 93)
John D. Altringham
¥456.66
British Bats is a comprehensive account of the natural history of these fascinating animals, from their origins and evolution to their feeding habits and reproduction. This edition is exclusive to newnaturalists.com Bats are arguably the most successful and diverse mammals ever to evolve. In Britain, one in three of our native land mammals is a bat. Their ecology and behaviour is fascinating. Few mammals live closer to humans; in fact many species roost unnoticed in our homes, and some are now almost entirely dependent on man-made structures for their survival. Bats are the only mammals capable of powered flight. They are also one of just two groups which have a sophisticated echolocation system (the other being the dolphins and their relatives). In this book, John Altringham discusses all the different aspects of the natural history of bats, from their origins and evolution to their behaviour, feeding habits and reproduction. He also discusses the threats to the survival of bats, and how we are working to conserve them. Finally, he gives an account of how to watch and study bats in the wild.
Seashore (Collins New Naturalist Library, Book 94)
Seashore (Collins New Naturalist Library, Book 94)
Peter J. Hayward
¥456.66
A comprehensive, authoritative account of the natural history of the seashore, from earliest times to the present day. The seashore, with its endlessly changing tides, is one of the most fluctuating physical environments on the planet. Home to an abundance of animal and plant life, it is also one of the richest habitats the naturalist can explore. Here in Britain, we are fortunate to have a long and varied coastline, and our relatively large tidal ranges mean that our seashore offers a wide range of coastal habitats, including mud, sand, shingle and rock. In New Naturalist Seashore, Peter Hayward looks at: ? Resident and migrant species, including fish, barnacles, limpets, winkles, sponges, algae, lichens and sea grasses ? The effects of tourism and pollution on these habitats ? The geology of the British Isles, with its sinking and rising coastlines ? The responses and adaptations of plant and animal life to a changing physical environment This narrow strip of beach between the land and the sea that we call the seashore, has always attracted man, in the early years as a source of food, and in Victorian times as a rich habitat that the early naturalists would explore. In this fascinating addition to the highly regarded New Naturalist series, Peter Hayward brings the natural history of the seashore right up to date.
Mushrooms and Toadstools (Collins New Naturalist Library, Book 7)
Mushrooms and Toadstools (Collins New Naturalist Library, Book 7)
John Ramsbottom
¥456.66
Britain's neglect of fungi as table delicacies has perhaps been responsible for our surprising ignorance of the natural history of such fascinating plants. This edition is exclusive to newnaturalists.com Puff-balls, more than a foot in diameter; mouls in jam-pots; dry rot; truffles; these are examples of the wide range of the Group, comprising over 100,000 species. Many are of economic importance – for example, the rusts that attack wheat and other crops, and the yeasts which ferment beer – and there are others of great biological interest, such as the mycorrhizal fungi which live in association with the roots of forest trees, orchids and other plants, and help them to absorb food from the soil. Penicillin, of course, has become a household word, and this book's final chapter on the industry is one of the best short accounts of the subject yet writtern. Dr. Ramsbottom was for many years Keeper of Botany at the Natural History Museum, and has devoted his life to the study of fungi in all their aspects. He is equally at home in the field, the laboratory and the library. One of the special features of Mushrooms and Toadstools is the wealth of historical allusion to fungi extracted from old books. Set out in a style reminiscent of Robert Burton, this volume can truly be described as a 20th century Anatomy of Toadstool. Indeed, in fairy rings, science and superstition have gone hand in hand to produce a lively story of alternating surmise and research – and even today a full and final explanation of these mysterious rings has not yet been made. Many of the larger toadstools are brightly coloured and lend themselves admirably to colour photography, as shown by the 80 remarkable illustrations by Mr Paul de Laszlo.
Insect Migration (Collins New Naturalist Library, Book 36)
Insect Migration (Collins New Naturalist Library, Book 36)
C. B. Williams
¥456.66
Highlighting the significance of the widespread distribution of the migratory habit throughout the insect world. This edition is exclusive to newnaturalists.com This is a pioneer book, a real milestone in the progress of biology. Only in recent years have the scientists begun to realise the significance of the widespread distribution of the migratory habit throughout the insect world. Dr. Williams's own personal observations and adventures have played a fundamental part in the wakening of human consciousness to the extent to which insects migrate. His opportunities of studying the problem in remote corners of the world - such as British Guiana, Costa Rica, Egypt, Tanganyika and the Pyrenees - make the book as exciting as a world detective story. For Insect Migration deals with the subject on an international basis, with Britain - the home of the development of the present theories - as the natural peg on which a biological problem belonging to the world can properly be hung. From 1932 to 1955 C. B. Williams was chief entomologist at the Rothamsted Experimental Station. This book is the distillation of a subject which has occupied him for nearly the whole of his life. His theories are marshalled and summarised with modesty, economy and skill. The New Naturalist is honoured to publish what will certainly prove to be, above all things, the stimulus for new search and fresh discoveries.
The Folklore of Birds (Collins New Naturalist Library, Book 39)
The Folklore of Birds (Collins New Naturalist Library, Book 39)
Edward A. Armstrong
¥456.66
Tracing the magico-religious beliefs surrounding birds as far back in time as is possible, to the cultures in which these beliefs arose. This edition is exclusive to newnaturalists.com Edward A Armstrong is already known to readers of the New Naturalist as the author of the remarkable study on the wren. His wide scholarship and talents have fitted him outstandingly for this book, which could only have been written by a man with his deep understanding, not only of ornithology, but of social anthropology, psychology and comparative religion. Mr Amstrong has selected a number of familiar birds - such as the swan, the raven, the owl, the robin and the wren - and has traced magico-religious beliefs concerning them as far back as possible to the cultures in which these beliefs arose. With the scientist’s eye and methods of analysis he has examined the development of myth and ritual with originality and ingenuity. Many odd and interesting facts are cited, and explanations are given, for example of the customs of breaking the wish-bone, and of fables concerning weather-prophet birds and the generation of the Barnacle Goose from shell-fish. This book is the first treatment of a group of folklore beliefs as a series of artefacts are treated by an archaeologist, classifying them in order according to epochs. Archaeological data, as well as oral and literary traditions, have been used to illustrate the origins and significance of the current folklore. The illustrations are of exceptional quality and consist of over 140 carefully chosen photographs and line drawings from worldwide sources.
Finches (Collins New Naturalist Library, Book 55)
Finches (Collins New Naturalist Library, Book 55)
Ian Newton
¥456.66
This illustrated survey of finch behaviour is a thorough, non-technical account of the habits of these birds throughout the world. Greenfinches nest in plantations, large shrubby gardens and churchyards with lots of evergreens, thickets and tall hedges. After breeding, goldfinches forage on waste land, overgrown rubbish dumps, neglected allotments of food, and rough pastures. Bullfinches, in their breeding season, develop in the floor of their mouths special pouches in which food for the young is retained. These pouches open, one on each side of the tongue and, when full, extend back under the jaws as far as the neck, when they together hold about one cubic centimetre of food. Cocks of the Chaffinch and Brambling species sing in the breeding season to repel other cocks and attract hens. This illustrated survey of finch behaviour is a thorough, non-technical account of the habits of these birds throughout the world. Dr. Newton uses his extensive bird-watching experience and knowledge of the published literature to document the main patterns of feeding, development of feathers, breeding, and migration. As a result, he presents the changing relationship of the birds to their environment. The author is on the staff of the Nature Conservancy at Edinburgh, Scotland. His several scientific papers on finches have appeared in Birds, Journal of Animal Ecology and other scholarly periodicals.
Heroes: The Greatest Generation and the Second World War
Heroes: The Greatest Generation and the Second World War
James Holland
¥82.01
‘Heroes’ is the story of an extraordinary generation of young men, mostly British, who came of age in the Second World War. These young men – and women – found themselves facing life-threatening danger and the kind of responsibility few would be prepared to shoulder today. Whether fighting in the jungles of Burma or on the D-Day beaches, as submariners, pilots, spies or prisoners of war, young soldiers in WWII displayed astonishing courage and resilience, united by honour and bound by the fellowship of their comrades. Those who made it home are now a passing generation, and for many this is the last chance for them to tell their stories – men like football legend Tom Finney, who saw action in southern Italy; or James Bond set-designer Ken Adam, a German Jew who flew as a fighter pilot for the RAF; or identical twins Tom and Dee Bowles, who landed together on Easy Red beach on D-Day. Many of these young men never returned home and those who did faced insurmountable challenges assimiliating back into civilian life. ‘Heroes’ is a moving and uplifting tribute to an remarkable generation.
The Trial: A History from Socrates to O. J. Simpson
The Trial: A History from Socrates to O. J. Simpson
Sadakat Kadri
¥94.67
In an extraordinary history of the criminal trial, Sadakat Kadri shows with wit, legal insight and a travel writer’s eye for detail, how the irrationality of the past lives on in the legal systems of the present. A bold and brilliant debut from a prize-winning writer. ‘The Trial’ spans a vast distance in time, opening in the dread silence of the Egyptian Hall of the Dead and ending with the melodramas and hubbub of the 21st-century trial circus. Reconciliation and vengeance, secrecy and spectacle, superstition and reason all intertwine continually. The book crosses from the marbled courtrooms of Athens through the ordeal pits of Anglo-Saxon England, past the torture chambers of the Inquisition to the judicial theatres of 17th-century Salem, and from 1930s Moscow and post-war Nuremberg to the virtual courtrooms of modern Hollywood. Kadri shows throughout how the trial has always been concerned with doing more than guaranteeing fairness and holding human beings to account for their deliberate crimes. He recounts how insentient and irrational defendants from caterpillars to corpses were once summonsed to court, before being exiled for their failure to attend or sentenced to die again – and argues that the same urge to punish lives on in today's trials of children and the mentally ill. But although Justice’s sword has always been double-edged – as ready to destroy a community’s enemies as to defend its dreams of due process – the judicial contest also operates to enshrine some of the western world’s most cherished values. The show trials of Stalin's Soviet Union were shams, but Guantanamo Bay and Abu Ghraib are a reminder that a lack of a trial is equally unjust, and at a time when our constitutional landscape seems to be melting away, an appreciation of the criminal courtroom’s history is more necessary than ever. As the Labour government launches an almost annual attempt to truncate trial by jury, and as authorities on both sides of the Atlantic are indefinitely detaining people in the name of an endless war on terror, ‘The Trial’ could hardly be more timely. Note that it has not been possible to include the same picture content that appeared in the original print version.
Beyond the Call of Duty: Heart-warming stories of canine devotion and bravery
Beyond the Call of Duty: Heart-warming stories of canine devotion and bravery
Isabel George
¥63.77
A second collection of incredible and heart-warming canine stories from around the world, from the bestselling author of The Dog That Saved My Life. Animals have accompanied man into battle since war first waged. Since those times, many stories have been told of the bears, camels, cats, dolphins, monkeys, mules, rats and other creatures that have served with the Armed Forces during both world wars and beyond. The four stories in this book represent the devotion and unquestioning loyalty of the canine companion in the darkest days of war. From the stub-tailed Bull Terrier that became a hero of the First World War, and the most decorated dog in history, after his bravery in the trenches of Flanders, to the remarkable loyalty of an Iraqi stray dog who attached himself to British troops in North Port and then patrolled their camp every night, protecting them from being attacked by the vicious packs of dogs living in the desert, each is an incredible tale of wartime bravery as well as an example of inspiring commitment and courage.
Salonica, City of Ghosts: Christians, Muslims and Jews (Text Only)
Salonica, City of Ghosts: Christians, Muslims and Jews (Text Only)
Mark Mazower
¥77.01
Mark Mazower is the author of ‘Inside Hitler's Greece’ (Yale), ‘Dark Continent’ (Penguin Press) and ‘The Balkans’ (Weidenfeld). He is professor of history at Birkbeck College, University of London.
Young and Damned and Fair: The Life and Tragedy of Catherine Howard at the Court
Young and Damned and Fair: The Life and Tragedy of Catherine Howard at the Court
Gareth Russell
¥73.58
Gareth Russell was a student at Down High Grammar School in Northern Ireland before studying Modern History at Saint Peter's College at the University of Oxford. A playwright, novelist and historian, he writes the blog The Confessions of a Ci-Devant, which profiles his historical research and artistic interests. He has written for the Sunday Times, Tatler and the Irish News. He is the author of the novels ‘Popular’ and ‘The Immaculate Deception’.
Courtesans and Fishcakes: The Consuming Passions of Classical Athens (Text Only)
Courtesans and Fishcakes: The Consuming Passions of Classical Athens (Text Only)
James Davidson
¥81.52
James Davidson lectures in ancient history and the classical languages at the University of Warwick. He was previously a Fellow of Trinity College, Oxford.
Food Combining for Health: The bestseller that has changed millions of lives
Food Combining for Health: The bestseller that has changed millions of lives
Doris Grant,Jean Joice
¥66.22
DORIS GRANT was Dr Hay's first emissary in the UK. A true pioneer in the natural health field, she helped to revolutionise the way we eat and was extremely influential in the early -- and continued -- popularity of the food combining system. JEAN JOICE worked as a radio and television producer specialising in health topics and has written extensively about herbs. She is co-author of the Food Combining for Health Cookbook.