medina publishing ltd newport (47 results)

Paperback. Condition: Very Good. The year 2012 will be a momentous one for Great Britain, for London is to host the Olympic Games and the Queen will celebrate her Diamond Jubilee. Not only is Greenwich to be the site of the Olympic equestrian events, but one of the highlights of the Diamond Jubliee celebrations is the granting of royal status to the Borough of Greenwich, which has long had royal associations. What better time to publish an account of Greenwich and the London River? Paul Tempest's timely book covers the past, present and future of an area rich in history and a key to the City's safety and success. The River Thames is the lifeblood of London, and on its southern shore lies the jewel that is Greenwich - a World Heritage Site, man's agreed base-point of time and space, home of the Royal Observatory, the National Maritime Museum, the Cutty Sark and so much more. Paul Tempest has lived in Greenwich for more than 50 years, and has researched it in loving detail. His book, which is greatly enhanced by the beautiful drawings by Peter Kent (another longstanding Greenwich resident and a well-known artist) and the photographs by his son Stephen, captures the spirit of the place and of the people who live and work in the Borough. It is, as he says in the Preface, not so much a formal guidebook as a drawing together of disparate threads, an expression of affection and love. The author also offers his assessment of how the River has changed over the last 50 years, and what might lie in store in the coming decades. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Paperback. Condition: Very Good. Emirates Diaries tells the story of how Peter Clark came to love the Emirates and its people. He got to know Abu Dhabi sheikhs and Dubai merchants and people at every level of society. The country was on the cusp of enormous economic expansion and this book is an affectionate picture of the Emirates when it was still like a chain of large informal villages. The people of the UAE were aware of their good fortune and were, he found, open, generous and innovative. Clark arranged for the explorer Wilfred Thesiger to return to the country he had celebrated before it became oil-rich. Thanks to Peter, Thesiger met up with his old companions who had accompanied him in crossing the Empty Quarter 40 years earlier. Peter embedded himself in the local cultural scene and translated stories by Dubai's best known writer, Muhammad al-Murr. Emirates Diaries tells of opera in Ras Al Khaimah, how Shakespeare was brought to large audiences of young people, how to organize a royal visit, an outbreak of foot and mouth disease among the oryx in the Al Ain zoo, the culture of camel racing and an unpaid bill left by Margaret Thatcher. The diaries sparkle with mischievous humor and acute observation. This book is a prequel to Peter Clark's Damascus Diaries: Life under the Assads, described by The Economist as 'quirky, digressive and indiscreet'. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Paperback. Condition: Very Good. Harriet's parents hoped that, after leaving boarding school and doing `the Season', she would meet and marry a suitable young man. But she was to disappoint them. Just after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, she set off for Peshawar to see for herself the plight of thousands of displaced Afghan refugees. Determined to do something about their dire situation, Harriet set up a small silk weaving project for illiterate Turkmen refugees, and was sent by UNESCO to Mazar-i-sharif to work with Afghanistan's last remaining silk ikat weavers. During those years she was arrested by the KHAD, narrowly missed being blown up, survived acute bacterial meningitis in a Kabul hospital, and rescued an abandoned pi-dog puppy who became her devoted companion. At the end of the first Gulf War she travelled with the Peshmerga in the newly-liberated Iraqi Kurdistan. Then in 1994 she joined a group of unemployed builders and decorators driving convoys of food and aid from Croydon to the Muslim enclaves in Bosnia Herzegovina. Much has been written about conflicts in these countries, by war correspondents, diplomats and military personnel, but this is a different story. It is about young woman from a sheltered and privileged background travelling and working alone, in and around war zones, frequently with no financial or practical support, at a time of increasing Islamic fundamentalism. Harriet left her traditional, comfortable home and chose to live a life of adventure and danger helping refugees who had nowhere else to turn. She continues to raise money for charity through her business selling oriental textiles and remains friends with the refugees she helped in Afghanistan. However, she is now married, to just the sort of husband her parents always hoped for. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Paperback. Condition: new. Al Fakhri, Patricia (illustrator). Paperback. The winning charm of Patricia Al-Fakhri's watercolours combine with Julia Johnson's narrative to make The Pearl Diver an outstanding book for children aged 8-12. Saeed is going to learn how to dive - his father has promised to teach him. It is the start of the pearling season and this is his first trip out on to the waters of the Arabian Gulf. Leaving the rest of his family behind on the shore, Saeed and his father join the crew of a pearling dhow and set out to spend the hot summer months on the high seas. He learns how the pearl divers hunt for the treasures of the seabed, and discovers the secrets and dangers story, carefully researched from oral and written sources - some dating from more than a hundred-and-fifty years ago - offers an insight into the way of life that sustained the Arabian Gulf right up until the discovery of oil. The winning charm of Patricia Al-Fakhri's watercolours combine with Julia Johnson's narrative to make The Pearl Diver an outstanding book for children aged 8 - 12. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

hardback. Condition: New.

Paperback. Condition: new. Paperback. NUB. A country in need of stability needs to repose political power in people who don't care about politics. Take a multitude who do not attend the rallies, do not wear the T-shirts, do not shout the slogans and cannot spell ideolagy. Shipping may be from our UK warehouse or from our Australian or US warehouses, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Condition: new. Paperback. The English may say, 'Where there's a will there's a way,' and the Japanese, 'A concentrated mind pierces even a rock', but the meaning is clearly the same; 'Too many boatmen sail the boat up the hill' may be the same as the English, 'Too many cooks spoil the broth', but the Japanese version has a delightful absurdity about it which is illustrated in Kathryn Lamb's witty cartoon. These and many more proverbs and sayings feature in Where There's a Will There's a Way, which joins the family of six other bilingual illustrated proverb books, devised in 1985 by Primrose Arnander and the late Ashkhain Skipwith: three in Arabic, and one each in Italian, French and Chinese. Each title in the series gives the proverb in its original (and where the scripts are different, provides the original script and its transliteration), the literal translation and the English equivalent. They are not intended as weighty works of scholarship, but rather as a source of entertainment. They make the perfect gift, as well as being useful to language students, whatever their native tongue. The cartoonist Kathryn Lamb has brought her skills to all seven titles. This latest title in the hugely popular series of proverbs from around the world focuses on the richness of Japanese culture and language and highlights the uncanny similarity of inherited wisdom between the East and West. Shipping may be from our UK warehouse or from our Australian or US warehouses, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Condition: new. Lamb, Katheryn; Lamb, Kathryn (illustrator). Paperback. Fortunately, old enemies make the best friends, and Don't Toss Granny highlights the many similarities between the cultures. Witness 'Porter l'eau a la riviere' and 'To carry coals to Newcastle', or 'Quand le chat n'est pas la, les souris dansent' - dancing mice as opposed to their English rat counterparts, who play in the cat's absence. Continuing the popular series of proverbs from around the world, each paired with an English equivalent, Don't Toss Granny in the Begonias sheds an amusing and often intriguing light on the rivalry between the French and the English: an odd couple who, from time immemorial, like to dislike - or is it dislike liking? - each other. Shipping may be from our UK warehouse or from our Australian or US warehouses, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Condition: new. Paperback. This delight-ful children's tale tells of a man's love for his horse, the jealousy of his servant and the theft by bandits of his precious Arabian.Will Sharifa find her way back to him and can the Sheikh find for-give-ness in his heart for those who stole her away? This delightful children's tale tells of a man's love for his horse, the jealousy of his servant and the theft by bandits of his precious Arabian. Shipping may be from our UK warehouse or from our Australian or US warehouses, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Condition: new. Paperback. Simon Chance, Anglican bishop and former missionary, has withdrawn in mid-life to research his enduring mentor Dante, creator of The Divine Comedy. He is recently widowed, after the prolonged descent into dementia of his devoted wife Marigold. To recuperate from bereavement, he is invited by a life-long confidante, Clare, to join a house party of several friends from their university days in the hills behind St Tropez in southern France. The reunion coincides with the collapse of global banking confidence. On a walk in the forest of the Massif des Maures surrounding the villa, in search of a church abandoned centuries ago, Chance loses his way - in a 'dark wood', as once experienced by Dante - while the night turns wild. Marigold has not been the only love of Chance. The passionate liaison of his earlier life, pre-ordination, was with a student botanist. This very Evie, with her Parliamentarian spouse, is about to join the house party of Clare and a vital element in that intense, abandoned youthful liaison is yet to be reconciled with Chance's ordained self. The working-through of the nature of love, physical and spiritual, in love's innocence and purity, will redeem or destroy him. Or both. A Dark and Stormy Night is the new novel by award-winning author Tom Stacey. In this fascinating work the protagonist Simon Chance explores his past through the lense of Dante's The Divine Comedy, losing himself in a dark wood in Southern France. Shipping may be from our UK warehouse or from our Australian or US warehouses, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Condition: new. Paperback. In Royally Suited, Prince Harry tells of the effect of his parents' divorce and the devastating loss of his mother, Princess Diana, and Meghan Markle talks of the racial difficulties she faced growing up as the daughter of a white Caucasian father and an African American mother. The book also reveals the story of how they fell in love; from a blind date to the abuse Meghan received which led to Prince Harry publically defending her. Both Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have won the nation's hearts and the much-anticipated announcement of their engagement on 27 November 2017 caused a cheer in the Twitter-sphere. This comprehensive collection of quotes by the couple themselves gives a real insight into this modern day fairytale. Royally Suited reveals the true story behind Prince Harry's and Meghan Markle's romance through a selection of quotations from the couple.Beginning with Prince Harry's childhood, Royal Correspondent Phil Dampier has dug deep into the lovers' pasts to reveal their shared mischievous sense of humour and how both grew up with divorced parents. Shipping may be from our UK warehouse or from our Australian or US warehouses, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Condition: new. Paperback. 2019 marks the golden anniversary of the mass musical gatherings that saw the hippiegeneration at their 1969 zenith. Two events stand out, staged within days of each other that magical August: in the United States, there was Woodstock, and in the UK the Isle of Wight Festival of Music.Woodstock drew 400,000 fans and a quality bill that was a Who's Who of contemporary talent - all bar the main man the organisers hoped to lure on the doorstep of his home, Bob Dylan. Instead, Dylan opted to headline at the Isle of Wight, in front of close to 200,000 adoring fans.Here Bill Bradshaw celebrates the events of that summer 50 years on. and how the Isle of Wight, off England's southern coast, staged what was then the nation's biggest festival - and how it pulled off such a huge coup. Eye-witness accounts from fans, artists and the promoters bring alive that gilded summer and how it influenced both Dylan and the rock festival movement for generations to come. In 1969, Bob Dylan turned down his invitation to Woodstock. He opted instead to make his first pre-announced concert performance in more than three years at the Isle of Wight Festival of Music, off England's southern coast. This is the story of that extraordinary festival in the English Channel - and Dylan's huge part in it - 50 years ago. Shipping may be from our UK warehouse or from our Australian or US warehouses, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Condition: new. Paperback. Ancient Alexandria was built by the Greek Macedonians. Ptolemy started the dynasty and in thirty years completed the first lighthouse, and the grand library and museum, which functioned as a university with an emphasis on science, known as "The Alexandrian School". Scholars attended as "the birthplace of science" from all over the ancient world. Two of the most eminent were Euclid, the father of geometry, and Claudios Ptolemy, writer of The Almagest, a book on astronomy. These are the oldest surviving science textbooks. Herein there are stories about scientists, poets and religious philosophers, responsible for influencing the western mind with their writings.Modern Alexandria was rebuilt in 1805 by multi-ethnic communities who created a successful commercial city and port with an enviable life-style for its inhabitants for 150 years. In 1952 the Free Officers of the Egyptian Army masterminded a coup to free the country from the monarchy and British domination. In 1956 the socialist regime under Colonel Gamal Abdel Nasser closed the Suez Canal, resulting in the Anglo-French-Israeli invasion.This outburst of Egyptian nationalism and military revolution by this understandably anti-Western regime included the confiscation of property belonging to foreigners and the subsequent mass exodus of business and artisan classes that hitherto had made the city so successful. The author was an eye-witness to these events and he sets out the political errors and failures of both Egyptian and Western leaders. The legacy of the resulting political and social confusions is deeply apparent in the continuing unrest in the Middle East, and in particular in Egypt. Alexandria: City of Gifts and Sorrows was first published in English in 2014 and received critical acclaim. This new Arabic edition takes the reader on an historical journey from the third century to the multiethnic metropolis of the twentieth century, bringing together two diverse histories of the city. Shipping may be from our UK warehouse or from our Australian or US warehouses, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Condition: new. Paperback. Like any country, the United Arab Emirates have had their share of criminals, accidents, natural disasters and downright weird incidents. Most of these events merit a few pages in the newspapers before disappearing from history. This book brings the tragic, strange and illuminating stories from the 1970s back to life in a compilation of 168 of the best, drawn from past UAE newspapers - UAE News, Emirates News, Abu Dhabi News and the Gulf Weekly Mirror. The common theme of the articles are that they have all had an impact on safety, security and stability of the UAE, and cover a vast range of topics from smuggling deaths to murders, from assassinations to plane hijackings, and from mermaid hoaxes to UFO sightings. Together, they provide a fascinating glimpse into the past, and many of the stories still resonate today. The United Arab Emirates have had their share of criminals, accidents, natural disasters and downright weird incidents. Most of these events merit a few pages in the papers before disappearing from history. This book brings the tragic, strange and illuminating stories from the 1970s in a compilation of 168 of the best, from past UAE newspapers. Shipping may be from our UK warehouse or from our Australian or US warehouses, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Condition: new. Paperback. From the Arab world comes a love story between an Arab man and an American woman that lasted more than half a century. Their lives spanned both sides of the Jordan River, and their love was tested by the traditions of an ancient and proud Christian tribe and the contrasts between their cultures. Although surrounded by conflicts in the Middle East, they built family hotels that survive as a tribute to his dreams and strength and her unwavering determination to support him. From the Arab world comes a love story between an Arab man and an American woman that lasted more than half a century. Their lives spanned both sides of the Jordan River, and their love was tested by the traditions of an ancient and proud Christian tribe and the contrasts between their cultures. Shipping may be from our UK warehouse or from our Australian or US warehouses, depending on stock availability.

Hardcover. Condition: new. Hardcover. This is a love story from start to finish, Irene and Rachael's. Based on the diaries of Rachael Dixey who looked after her civil partner Irene after she developed early onset Alzheimer's disease, the book opens with the lines: Irene, Alzheimer's and me - Alzheimer's came between us. It does that, drives you and the love of your life apart, going your separate ways because you cannot follow. That's the story really, that's it. The end. But it is also the beginning of the story, which shows how life can still be lived despite losing a life partner to dementia, and how to cope emotionally and practically with a disease that robs you of your loved one a thousand times before they die. The story charts the daily decline and inexorable loss of Irene to dementia. With the dramatic deterioration in Irene's health Rachael turns from lover and soul mate to career and, finally, single woman. Eventually, no longer able to cope with Irene at home, she makes the agonizing decision to allow Irene to be put in a care home. There she spent her last six years. When she died aged 66, the couple had spent half their life together.This book is a powerful and moving account of the progression of dementia, and raises serious questions about how our society cares for those who develop the disease, especially at a young age and in the gay, lesbian community.It also deals with loss and grief, during the illness and afterwards. Their memoir will be invaluable for anyone affected by dementia, those working in mental health and those caring for a loved one with a life-changing and incurable illness. Our Dementia Diary tells with brutal honesty of love, loss and life with Alzheimer's and opens up discussion of how dementia can be handled better." This is a love story from start to finish, Irene and Rachael's. Based on the diaries of Rachael Dixey who looked after her civil partner Irene after she developed early onset Alzheimer's disease. Shipping may be from our UK warehouse or from our Australian or US warehouses, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Condition: new. Paperback. The Power of Authenticity: Leading with Your Heart, Mind and Soul is a fascinating and candid account of the obstacles and triumphs that Dr Raja Al Gurg faced on her path to becoming one of the most influential businesswomen in the Arab world.Dr Al Gurg is the Chairperson and Managing Director at the Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group, an eminent family business in the UAE. In The Power of Authenticity she gives invaluable insight into the lessons she learned first as a secondary school principal before climbing the ladder of a diversified conglomerate that represents businesses ranging from retail to real estate.As a respected business leader in the region, Dr Al Gurg has defied conventional understandings about women in the Middle East, acknowledging that it was her handling of these all-too-pervasive challenges that ultimately shaped her leadership style and fostered her drive for success. Turning setbacks into strategies, she shares with readers the tactics and tools that she has gleaned from her illustrious career that will inspire the next generation of business leaders.Perfect for fans of Sheryl Sandberg, Indra Nooyi and Kashmir Maryam, Dr Al Gurg's lessons, and how they relate to her background and broader business philosophy, are a unique and essential contribution to literature on an increasingly competitive and diverse corporate world. By harnessing the emotional, intellectual, and spiritual energy that resides within each person, Dr Al Gurg explains how a leadership style based on personal authenticity can lead to business success. Along the way she considers What does it take to steer a company? How can a failure be turned into an advantage? How can women business leaders break down barriers and make a difference in the corporate world? Confident and encouraging, The Power of Authenticity answers these questions, and many more. This is a fascinating and candid account of the obstacles and triumphs that Dr Raja Al Gurg faced on her path to becoming one of the most influential businesswomen in the Arab world. Shipping may be from our Sydney, NSW warehouse or from our UK or US warehouse, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Condition: new. Paperback. Harriet's parents hoped that, after leaving boarding school and doing `the Season', she would meet and marry a suitable young man. But she was to disappoint them. Just after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, she set off for Peshawar to see for herself the plight of thousands of displaced Afghan refugees. Determined to do something about their dire situation, Harriet set up a small silk weaving project for illiterate Turkmen refugees, and was sent by UNESCO to Mazar-i-sharif to work with Afghanistan's last remaining silk ikat weavers. During those years she was arrested by the KHAD, narrowly missed being blown up, survived acute bacterial meningitis in a Kabul hospital, and rescued an abandoned pi-dog puppy who became her devoted companion.At the end of the first Gulf War she travelled with the Peshmerga in the newly-liberated Iraqi Kurdistan. Then in 1994 she joined a group of unemployed builders and decorators driving convoys of food and aid from Croydon to the Muslim enclaves in Bosnia Herzegovina. Much has been written about conflicts in these countries, by war correspondents, diplomats and military personnel, but this is a different story. It is about young woman from a sheltered and privileged background travelling and working alone, in and around war zones, frequently with no financial or practical support, at a time of increasing Islamic fundamentalism.Harriet left her traditional, comfortable home and chose to live a life of adventure and danger helping refugees who had nowhere else to turn. She continues to raise money for charity through her business selling oriental textiles and remains friends with the refugees she helped in Afghanistan. However, she is now married, to just the sort of husband her parents always hoped for. Silk weaving in Afghanistan, bartering in Peshawar and snipers in Bosnia, Harriet Sandys reveals her remarkable travels in her memoir, Beyond that Last Blue Mountain. Shipping may be from our UK warehouse or from our Australian or US warehouses, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Condition: new. Paperback. The first book of its kind to be published for a general readership from youngsters upwards, Hidden in the Sands: Uncovering Qatar's Past is the fascinating, fun and educational story of Qatar's heritage and the exciting discoveries being made by archaeologists. This informative and delightful book is published through the generosity of Maersk Oil as part of its programme to support education and unlock Qatar's history and heritage. Hidden beneath the sand and sea and revealed on rocks are the clues which explain why this ancient land has been such a key region throughout history. Here you can follow the detective work of archaeologists and discover Qatar's rich past. In conjunction with a fully interactive website and also available in an Arabic edition, Hidden in the Sands describes in words and pictures the treasures uncovered by archaeologists, the methods they use, and the significance of their discoveries. Today, using state-of-the-art technology for excavation, dating and conservation, teams of experts are working all over Qatar to reconstruct its past.Hidden in the Sands is fully illustrated with photographs, maps and diagrams, and embellished by the vivid and evocative illustrations of the artist Norman MacDonald. Told simply and with in-depth and up-to-date detail, it leads readers through the fascinating world of archaeology. Like reconstructing an earthenware jar from a hundred little shards, this work pieces together the fragments of the past to produce a complete and beautiful whole. The first book of its kind to be published for a general readership from youngsters upwards, Hidden in the Sands: Uncovering Qatar's Past is the fascinating, fun and educational story of Qatar's heritage and the exciting discoveries being made by archaeologists. Shipping may be from our UK warehouse or from our Australian or US warehouses, depending on stock availability.

Hardcover. Condition: new. Hardcover. Ancient Alexandria was built by the Greek Macedonians. Ptolemy started the dynasty and in thirty years completed the first lighthouse, and the grand library and museum, which functioned as a university with an emphasis on science, known as "The Alexandrian School". Scholars attended as "the birthplace of science" from all over the ancient world. Two of the most eminent were Euclid, the father of geometry, and Claudios Ptolemy, writer of The Almagest, a book on astronomy. These are the oldest surviving science textbooks. Herein there are stories about scientists, poets and religious philosophers, responsible for influencing the western mind with their writings.Modern Alexandria was rebuilt in 1805 by multi-ethnic communities who created a successful commercial city and port with an enviable life-style for its inhabitants for 150 years. In 1952 the Free Officers of the Egyptian Army masterminded a coup to free the country from the monarchy and British domination. In 1956 the socialist regime under Colonel Gamal Abdel Nasser closed the Suez Canal, resulting in the Anglo-French-Israeli invasion.This outburst of Egyptian nationalism and military revolution by this understandably anti-Western regime included the confiscation of property belonging to foreigners and the subsequent mass exodus of business and artisan classes that hitherto had made the city so successful. The author was an eye-witness to these events and he sets out the political errors and failures of both Egyptian and Western leaders. The legacy of the resulting political and social confusions is deeply apparent in the continuing unrest in the Middle East, and in particular in Egypt. Alexandria: City of Gifts and Sorrows was first published in English in 2014 and received critical acclaim. This new Arabic edition takes the reader on an historical journey from the third century to the multiethnic metropolis of the twentieth century, bringing together two diverse histories of the city. Shipping may be from our UK warehouse or from our Australian or US warehouses, depending on stock availability.

Hardcover. Condition: new. Hardcover. A Soldier in Arabia reveals the behind-the-scenes story of the events which lead up to and followed the creation of the present day United Arab Emirates in December 1971, followed, a few months later, with Ras Al Khaimah joining the Federation. Soldier and adventurer David Neild was the youngest officer to serve in the legendary Trucial Oman Scouts when he joined them at the age of only 20 in 1959. In 1968 Sheikh Saqr bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, the Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, with whom Neild had formed a good working relationship, called on Neild - now a Lt Colonel - to set up and command a national defence force for the Sheikhdom, with the rank of Lt Colonel. Then, in 1972 after the Ruler of Sharjah was assassinated, Neild was asked to establish and command the Sharjah National Guard.The account of Neild's career in Arabia is set against the backdrop of unrest and uncertainty and the emerging national politics of the day.It is both a valuable historic record as well as an entertaining and honest account told with empathy, and in the lean, objective style of a military man who, on a daily basis, had to balance the need for rapid political, strategic and tactical decisions with respect for the traditional ways of a complex tribal Arab culture.The evidence of his success is revealed through the enduring relationship that has been forged with HH Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, son of the founding Ruler and his former employer, as well as the continuing presence and strength of both the Ras Al Khaimah and Sharjah Defence Forces.A Soldier in Arabia is a unique first-hand account of a life lived to the full during a significant period of history on the Arabian Peninsula. The author writes with understanding and insight of the sheikhs and soldiers, statesmen and scoundrels encountered along the way.Part memoir, part history, but always full of adventure, this compelling account will provide the reader with a better understanding of a part of the world frequently misunderstood by outsiders and an appreciation of the remarkable man who earned the lasting respect of both the leaders he served and the soldiers he led. A Soldier in Arabia reveals the behind-the-scenes story of the events which lead up to and followed the creation of the present day United Arab Emirates in December 1971, followed, a few months later, with Ras Al Khaimah joining the Federation. Shipping may be from our UK warehouse or from our Australian or US warehouses, depending on stock availability.

Hardcover. Condition: new. Hardcover. From the Arab world comes a story of the love between an Arab man and an American woman which lasted more than half a century. In 1958, Sami Sawalha took his young bride to his Jordanian homeland. Uprooted from all that was familiar to her, Ann faced the cultural and linguistic challenges head on and began to assimilate herself into her husband's tribe - a proud and ancient Bedouin people who trace their roots to before the coming of Islam. Building up the family hotel business on both sides of the Jordan River posed even greater challenges: the lack of privacy in living cheek by jowl with relatives in half-built hotels, bringing up a family under Israeli occupation, constantly under threat during the on-going strife in the region, the shortage of basic amenities and services, and their love repeatedly tested by their own contrasting cultures and attitudes. As their business prospered, through the doors of The Palace Hotels came a succession of well-known faces, including many of the power brokers and minences gris of the Middle Eastern conflict. Ann Sawalha, an accute observer of human nature, tells the story of her life with Sami with love and humour. Set against the backdrop of the momentous political upheavals of the late 20th and early 21st centuries, it is a compelling memoir. The family's hotels survive as a tribute to Sami's dreams and strength, and Ann's unwavering determination to support him. From the Arab world comes a love story between an Arab man and an American woman that lasted more than half a century. Their lives spanned both sides of the Jordan River, and their love was tested by the traditions of an ancient and proud Christian tribe and the contrasts between their cultures. Shipping may be from our UK warehouse or from our Australian or US warehouses, depending on stock availability.

Hardcover. Condition: new. Morgaine Crossley, Angharad (illustrator). Hardcover. In the capital, Nineveh, resides a deep and complex man, the power behind the King of the World. Faced with unforeseen disaster that threatens his authority, he emerges as a psychopathic killer.The author uses his familiarity with ancient writings preserved in the world's museums to recreate a vanished world in which those who step from the shadows in ruthless violence to pursue ultimate control show themselves at the same time to be disconcertingly human.The tight prose and graphic illustrations make this a gripping and unusual tale not of this world, but at the same time weirdly familiar. The landscape of this dark and powerful story is the ancient world of Assyria some 3000 years ago, a time when writing was in the world's oldest script, cuneiform, and the domination of unseen forces firmly in the hands of the states leading Exorcist. Shipping may be from our UK warehouse or from our Australian or US warehouses, depending on stock availability.

Hardcover. Condition: new. Hardcover. Surviving the Storm is an analysis, undertaken by the Windsor Energy Group over the past 12 years, focusing on the availability of an ample global energy supply over the next 35 to 50 years. It charts a way through the storm but warns of the many political conflicts and economic obstacles looming. Shipping may be from our UK warehouse or from our Australian or US warehouses, depending on stock availability.

Hardcover. Condition: new. Hardcover. Part 1 looks at culture and tradition while part 2 looks at the various regions and fables. A brief look at What is an Arab and the difference between the Arab World, the Muslim World and the Gulf States. Islam; Oman's ancient history; MH Sultan Qaboos bin Said; Modern History; National dress; Forts; Mosques; Wildlife and more. Shipping may be from our UK warehouse or from our Australian or US warehouses, depending on stock availability.

Hardcover. Condition: new. Hardcover. This intriguing odyssey, set on the edges of time, encompasses biography, memoir, detective story, travelogue and history to tell a remarkable tale of East-West connections and a mysterious love. The author's quest begins when the word 'indigo' draws her to the illustrated journals, now in the British Library, of Victorian traveller Thomas Machell. She finds her life to have striking echoes of his, not least travels to and within India, a career in indigo, and a passion for journal writing. She is also intrigued by his aspiration to write 'a novel in the form of an autobiography' and by his quirky watercolour sketches. Retracing his footsteps - overland and by sea - from his ancestral home in the hills and dales of northern England to remote parts of the Middle East and Asia, she is often in her own footsteps too. Machell of Crackenthorpe, born in 1824, first demonstrated his yearning for adventure when only twelve, and at sixteen left the family rectory to fulfil his childhood dream of travelling to the East.By chance, he witnessed many important historical events, including the infamous First Opium War and the Indian Mutiny that profoundly affected British-Indian relationships.Machell spent most of his adult life in India, 'the land of my destiny' as he calls it; the author tracks him to the indigo and coffee plantations of rural Bengal and Kerala's Malabar Hills, to little known regions of central India; to the China Seas and remote islands of Polynesia and through the deserts of Arabia. This spellbinding book brings to life Machell's untold story, that of a spirited outsider at the time of the British Raj reaching into the future. Serendipity, intuition and an enchanting relationship, as well as the author's quest to uncover the missing years of Machell's life, give this book its magical extra dimension. This intriguing odyssey, set on the edges of time, encompasses biography, memoir, detective story, travelogue and history to tell a remarkable tale of East-West connections and a mysterious love. Shipping may be from our UK warehouse or from our Australian or US warehouses, depending on stock availability.

Hardcover. Condition: new. Hardcover. Two years before T E Lawrence received orders to travel to the Hejaz to liaise with the leader of the Arab Revolt, other British officers had already roamed the Arabian Peninsula's unforgiving Nejdi desert, to rally tribal support for the British war effort. The first was Captain William Henry Irvine Shakespear, a political agent from the Government of India's Political Department. Born in October 1878 in India, Shakespear spent much of his childhood away from his Anglo-Indian parents, schooling in Portsmouth and later in the Isle of Man, before entering Sandhurst as a British Indian Army Officer Cadet. On his return to India, Shakespear spent six years in military service before he joined the Political Department in 1904, serving twice in Bandar Abbas and briefly in Muscat. Shakespear's next mission was as a political agent in Kuwait, arriving at the coastal Sheikhdom in the spring of 1909. For the next four years, he travelled extensively into the Nejdi desert, providing both London and Delhi with valuable intelligence about the vastly unknown interior as well as cultivating a personal relationship with Ibn Sa'ud, the Emir of Riyadh. At a time when London and Constantinople were negotiating the Anglo-Ottoman treaty, Shakespear almost became persona non grata for advocating the need to back the emir after his tribal warriors had expelled the Ottoman garrisons in al-Hasa in 1913. When war was declared in July 1914, Shakespear was one of the first to try to join the British Army to fight in France, but when the Ottoman Empire looked set to ally with Germany, the powers that had previously shunned him now needed his unique knowledge of Central Arabia and relationship with Ibn Sa'ud. That October, as many of his peers and countrymen crossed the English Channel to reinforce those already in the trenches, Shakespear set sail for Kuwait on special duty to rendezvous with the emir. It was a mission that T E Lawrence would later commend, acknowledging the crucial role that the political agent played during the early stages the Middle Eastern theatre of war. Shakespear was a pioneer in exploring the Nejd, capturing many firsts with his camera, although there were a few other equally intrepid British officials who preceded him into the desert. From the late-18th century, the East India Company collided numerous times with the House of Sa'ud as both attempted to understand the intentions of the other, before the political agent finally laid the foundations for formal diplomatic relations with Ibn Sa'ud, and later with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Captain William Shakespear was one of the first British officers to explore the Nejdi desert of the Arabian Peninsula. He provided London with valuable intelligence and cultivated a personal relationship with the Emir of Riyadh Ibn Sa'ud, laying the foundations for diplomatic relations with the emir, and later the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Shipping may be from our UK warehouse or from our Australian or US warehouses, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Condition: new. Paperback. Discovering Qatar evolved from a series of features on the archaeology, natural history and traditional life of Qatar that Frances Gillespie began publishing in a national newspaper in the late 1990s. There was little available on these subjects for the general reader, and many people, especially those involved in education, asked for them to be compiled into a book. The author had no idea at that time what the demand would be, and hoped that, perhaps, a few hundred copies might find a market. Two reprints and 12,000 copies later, the time has come for a thoroughly updated edition of the book, with new and improved illustrations, and including the latest information on such fascinating topics as the whale sharks which congregate in large numbers in an off-shore oil field, the presence of which had not been noted by scientists when Discovering Qatar was first published in 2006. Research into Qatar's past by teams of archaeologists has made huge progress in the last decade, culminating in the old pearling and trading settlement of Zubara being inscribed as a Word Heritage Site in 2013. During the 30 years Frances Gillespie lived in Qatar, the country made a gigantic leap forward in development, with a modern capital to rival any in the region. As a freelance journalist and writer she has the freedom to concentrate on subjects that interest her. Discovering Qatar reflects this, and the author and publisher hope that readers will share her enthusiasm and enjoy learning more about the 'real' Qatar - the Qatar that was there all the time. Explore Qatar's fascinating archaeology and natural history with this thoroughly updated edition of Discovering Shipping may be from our UK warehouse or from our Australian or US warehouses, depending on stock availability.

Hardcover. Condition: new. Hardcover. The Namib Desert is vast, arid expanse of constantly moving gravel plains and dunes. It covers more than 31,000 square miles stretching the whole of the western coast of Namibia, into Angola and South Africa. The winds blow relentlessly and thick fog frequently blankets the towering dunes along the coast. Although it supports a wide diversity of flora and fauna, it is a harsh environment for man and mammal. In the midst of this seemingly inhospitable region, near Garub, live the elusive wild horses that have fascinated people for almost a century. And into this wilderness a young slip of a girl ventured, alone and armed with little more than a camera, a tent and a burning desire to follow the call of the wild. As the weeks turned into months, Miona Janeke followed the herd from before sunrise until after dark: learning, understanding, photographing and becoming one with the free-spirited horses. This book is the result of an intrepid pilgrimage to discover the essence of the mysterious herds of feral horses. The exquisite photographs of the horses and their surroundings show a deep, almost spiritual, connection between subject and photographer.They are testament to a rare talent and an indomitable personality. This book is the result of an intrepid pilgrimage to discover the essence of the mysterious herds of feral horses. The exquisite photographs of the horses and their surroundings show a deep, almost spiritual, connection between subject and photographer. They are testament to a rare talent and an indomitable personality. Shipping may be from our UK warehouse or from our Australian or US warehouses, depending on stock availability.

Hardcover. Condition: new. Hardcover. The Isle of Wight is nationally acclaimed as a producer of quality food and drink known as Nammet to locals. Varied produce with an island provenance now finds its way to restaurants,food markets, delicatessens and shops all over the UK, all with a passion for quality and taste. Nammet is a celebration of the very best food and drink that originate from the beautiful,warm and sunblessed shores and waters of the Isle of Wight. Nammet vividly reveals the fascinating background to the dedicated and often eccentric Islanders behind the delectable produce. The book is produced for the Earl Mountbatten Hospice. This vital Isle of Wight charity raises funds through events such as Walk the Wight which every year attracts over 10,000 participants. The book is a perfect keepsake for Islanders, visitors and armchair travellers with taste. From the Island already famed for its scenery, Queen Victoria, Lord Tennyson, music festivals, dinosaurs, hovercraft, sailing and its very own curious dialect, here is a feast of brocks including dewbit, jipper and harlens. Put on yer yepper and get ready to get the finest island Nammet. Enjoy. Nammet is a celebration of the very best food and drink that originate from the beautiful warm and sunblessed shores and waters of the Isle of Wight. A team of talented Isle of Wight-based food writers as well as acclaimed photographers including Julian Winslow present producers with Island cheeses, honey, gin, meat, fish, veg, bakery. Shipping may be from our UK warehouse or from our Australian or US warehouses, depending on stock availability.