Journey upwards with Cliffhanger, a dizzyingly beautiful presentation of the people and places that make up the world of climbing. Climbing has recently exploded as a global phenomenon, thanks to a plethora of dedicated gyms springing up and media coverage that has had a wide reach. Using breathtaking imagery and in-depth stories, Cliffhanger gives you a complete look at the world of this outdoor pursuit--both as a sport and a lifestyle--by highlighting the people, places, history, and culture that make the activity so fascinating. Whether you've been doing it for a long time or have never climbed in your life, this book will make your palms sweat and your heart race. WHAT TO EXPECT - A book encapsulating a golden moment in climbing, with the activity enjoying peak popularity - Inspiration for long-term climbing fans, beginners, and outdoor enthusiasts seeking to conquer new summits - A mix of detailed illustrations, photographs, personal stories, and tips

Bind: hardback

Pages: 256

Dimensions: 225 x 290 mm

Publication Date: 30-04-2020

Jim Wilson is an adventurer: mountaineering; Antarctic exploration; adventure films with Sir Edmund Hillary (on one of which he drove a jet boat up Mother Ganga from ocean to sky); climbing and school building with Sir Edmund in the Everest region of Nepal; and sailing to Pacific islands in a small yacht. These physical adventures provide an exciting backdrop to this book. But Jim is also a religious adventurer. He relates in depth, with clarity and humour, his long journey in search of a satisfying way of understanding and experiencing the true nature of his self, and of his place in this mysterious universe. Studying Western philosophy and theology moved him away from intense involvement in the liberal Christianity of his parents. So he looked to India, inexhaustible source of inspiration. For two years he studied Indian philosophy and religion at Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi. Then he taught for 23 years in the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand, returning many times to India and Nepal. Though profoundly moved by the religions he studied and taught about, he was unable to accept the metaphysical beliefs underpinning them. Increasingly, though, he became fascinated by modern scientific discoveries about the universe, and about our planet and the evolution of life on it. So he wove together elements from religious and scientific traditions. In particular, he took Adi Shankara’s Advaita, also known as spiritual monism, and applied it to the physical universe, adding in also feelings and attitudes from New Zealand’s indigenous Maori religion. He now believes that the centre of his being is the physical energy of the universe, with which, therefore, he is at one. He finds this deeply satisfying in understanding, and emotionally and morally experiencing, his place on this planet and in the universe. Because it owes so much to spiritual monism he calls it physical monism, or physical Advaita.

Bind: paperback

Pages: 230

Dimensions: 153 x 230 mm

Publication Date: 01-11-2019

The N1 was the booster rocket for the Soviet manned moon program and was thus the direct counterpart of the Saturn V, the rocket that took American astronauts to the moon in 1969. Standing 345 feet tall, the N1 was the largest rocket ever built by the Soviets and was roughly the same height and weight as the Saturn. Though initially ahead of the US in the space race, the Soviets lagged behind as the pace for being first on the moon accelerated. Massive technical and personnel difficulties, plus spectacular failures, repeatedly delayed the N1 program. After the successful American landings on the moon, it was finally canceled without the N1 ever achieving orbit. The complete history of this rarely known Soviet program is presented here, starting in 1959, along with detailed technical descriptions of the N1’s design and development. A full discussion of its attempted launches, disasters, and ultimate cancellation in 1974 completes this definitive history.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 144

Dimensions: 153 x 230 mm

Publication Date: 29-11-2019

Embarking on a public toilet tour from London to San Francisco to Toronto, from pay potties to deserted alleyways, No Place To Go is a marriage of urbanism, social narrative, and pop culture that shows the ways public toilets just don't work. Peel back the layers on public bathrooms and it's clear many more people want for good access than have it. Public bathroom access is about cities, society, design, movement, and equity. The real question is: Why are public toilets so crappy?

Bind: paperback

Pages: 224

Dimensions: 129 x 198 mm

Publication Date: 01-11-2019

Passages is a personal, yet universal story of a life in harmony with nature. When Linda, her husband David, and their two small boys, Sam and William, bought a yacht called Hornpipe and set sail for tropical waters, they cast off from all security. So began a nomadic adventure when they had to depend on their own resources, navigating by the sun and stars. This beautifully illustrated book presents a thrillingly honest, yet poetic reflection on the challenges of fulfilling a dream, as seen from a mother's perspective. Those ocean passages were a non stop roller coaster ride: "There were times when they plunged into the deepest trough of the wave and there were times when they rode, in exhilaration, the highest crest". Linda's literal and metaphorical passages braid together both past and present to reveal how her family's extraordinary voyages inspired their future accomplishments. "This story is for all explorers. The passages we weave through our lives find their truth in those we touch along the way: - Linda Trubridge

Bind: paperback

Pages: 441

Dimensions: 155 x 230 mm

Publication Date: 02-11-2019

The flight campaign for the American space shuttle began on April 12, 1981, with the launch of STS-1 from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, and ended on July 21, 2011, with wheels stop of STS-135. During the 30 years and 135 missions in between, the program experienced triumphs and tragedies, amazed the world with its orbital exploits, and was frequently the subject of admiration, condemnation, pride, and despair. This book provides a detailed overview of the history of winged spacecraft and the development of the vehicle we call the "space shuttle," and provides a technical description of the orbiter, main engines, external tank, and solid rocket boosters. Two pages are dedicated to each of the 135 missions flown by the American space shuttle, including technical data, crew names, and photos of each mission. The Challenger and Columbia accidents are discussed, along with a discussion of what NASA did to fix the flaws and continue flying. The book concludes by covering the retirement of the vehicle and the delivery of the four remaining orbiters to their final display sites.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 336

Dimensions: 217 x 279 mm

Publication Date: 27-09-2019

Long-distance trekking, short day trips out of town, an extended weekend escapade; the first series installment of our bestselling Wanderlust has it all. Experienced outdoor enthusiasts and those lacing-up their boots for their first time: prepare to hike the diverse American landscape. Whether aiming to conquer epic expeditions, or simply complete a day hike to recharge, paths of every size await the intrepid wayfarer in Wanderlust USA, a book that serves as a blueprint for adventurous souls in search of new summits. Stunning photography and insightful tips from veteran long-distance hiker Cam Honan bring many bucolic treks to life, including the unmissable California ancient redwoods and misty waterfalls of Yosemite Park, as well as Utah's dramatic canyons, and the Atlantic cliffs of Maine.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 320

Dimensions: 225 x 290 mm

Publication Date: 28-09-2019

The Mediterranean... Knowing that man has been traveling these waters for thousands of years, it's easy to imagine that the sea no longer holds any secrets. Knowing that it has been conquered and mistreated, easy to imagine that it's also been devastated. And yet, the Mediterranean remains a thriving body of water still waiting to be fully explored. Over its depths lie extensive and abundant territories that mankind has barely gotten to know: the coral reefs. These biodiversity 'hotspots' whose beauty rivals that of the reefs lie in the "twilight zone" between 60 and 120m (196 and 393 ft) below the surface, where less than 1% of light actually penetrates. Study, illustrate and expose the unfamiliar part of the teeming undersea life of the Mediterranean: such is the challenge undertaken by Laurent Ballesta, famous photographer, biologist and leader of expeditions. Mediterranean Planet forms a sequel to Laurent Ballesta's latest works: Secrets d'Oceans (Oceans' Secrets), Adelie Terre& Mer (Adelie Earth & Sea) and 700 requins dans la nuit (700 Sharks in the Dead of Night). It represents the accomplishment of his personal endeavors during the eponymous July 2019 expedition, while also providing closure to the more comprehensive effort underway in the Mediterranean. This publication is thus a compilation of the biologist-photographer's most spectacular shots from 2010 through the present day. Accompanied by minimal textual content, the photographs of rare creatures never before illustrated exhibiting unusual behavior tell the story with each page turned of natural history and lived history. From the extraordinary biodiversity of the coral reefs to the seascapes far beneath the surface, Laurent Ballesta has embarked on an excursion into these otherworldly ecosystems that actually exist on Earth and make up the Mediterranean Planet. This book also conforms with the longstanding tradition of works that pay tribute to the marine world by offering unique insights into an ecosystem that has not yet unveiled all its secrets. After several deep-sea diving expeditions spanning the globe under the "Gombessa" flag, the Gombessa V "Mediterranean Planet" campaign is Laurent's last at the helm. A World First, this expedition meant Laurent Ballesta and three other divers would cohabitate for 28 days inside a 5-m2 pressurized module designed for both saturation diving and deep sport diving, from Marseille to Bandol, Carqueiranne to Saint-Tropez, Sainte-Maxime to Antibes, and finally from Antibes to Monaco.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 304

Dimensions: 300 x 245 mm

Publication Date: 30-11-2020

The azure-blue Mediterranean restores the body, mind and soul! Discover the most breathtaking destinations and places to dream of in this updated, lavishly illustrated book: from the cave-like suites at Perivolas, in a majestic position high above the Aegean on Santorini, to the Hôtel Le Corbusier in Marseille, a place of pilgrimage for lovers of architecture. Every hotel is presented with spectacular photos, a short text and essential information such as the address and directions for arriving, as well as tips for books to pack.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 360

Dimensions: 238 x 302 mm

Publication Date: 31-10-2020

In four dozen meticulous, informative and annotated drawings Gloria Wilson has recorded, both afloat and ashore, the functional beauty of the fishing boat in both timber and steel—mainly of north-east Scotland (with a few craft from Yorkshire, where the artist now lives). A number of vessels were victims of fisheries legislation which mandated not only their decommissioning, but their destruction. “Kipperman” Mike Smylie, co-founder of the 40+ Fishing Boat Association, editor of Fishing Boats, and champion of Britain’s fishing heritage, has contributed a Foreword. Gloria Wilson was born in Surrey but spent her childhood in the Yorkshire fishing village of Staithes. She studied at Durham University under Victor Pasmore and Kenneth Rowntree and gained a BA (Hons) in Fine Art. She has written eight books on fishing craft of the British Isles, and has written extensively for maritime journals including Classic Boat, Fishing News, and Maritime Life and Traditions. Gloria lived in Scotland for some years, but now lives and works in the north-east of England.

Bind: paperback

Pages: 112

Dimensions: 216 x 216 mm

Publication Date: 01-03-2013