Discover ancient stone wonders and the secrets of architectural preservation through the eyes and hands of one of the world’s greatest stonemasons.Around the world and across time, the buildings of the gods and royalty have mostly been made of stone. For more than forty years, the eminent stonemason and conservator Simon Warrack has worked on many of the greatest of them. In Monumental, Warrack takes readers on a charming journey to some of the most extrao...

Discover ancient stone wonders and the secrets of architectural preservation through the eyes and hands of one of the world's greatest stonemasons.Around the world and across time, the buildings of the gods and royalty have mostly been made of stone. For more than forty years, the eminent stonemason and conservator Simon Warrack has worked on many of the greatest of them. In Monumental, Warrack takes listeners on a charming journey to some of the most extr...

Explore more than forty forsaken urban destinations around the world in a "highly entertaining read . . . for history buffs, mystery fanatics and travel junkies alike" (GoNomad).Cities are mortal, but the traces they leave behind tell a fascinating story. In Atlas of Lost Cities, an accomplished travel writer reveals the rise and fall of notable places, each pithy portrait illuminated by a vintage map that puts armchair explorers right in the scene. Wander ...

In this vivid and captivating journey through the colors of an artist’s palette, Victoria Finlay takes us on an enthralling adventure around the world and through the ages, illuminating how the colors we choose to value have determined the history of culture itself.How did the most precious color blue travel all the way from remote lapis mines in Afghanistan to Michelangelo’s brush? What is the connection between brown paint and ancient Egyptian mummies? Why did Robin Hood wear Lin...

A journey to forty-five unexpected destinations near and far, with quirky histories, beautiful maps, and evocative photography: "First-class armchair travel." — South China Morning PostA New Statesman Best Book of the YearTake an armchair voyage to places both infamous and unknown that have, often by chance or by haphazard means, been destinations of discovery that shaped our world. Set foot on the aptly named Just Enough Room Isla...

The morning of August 24, AD 79, seemed like any other in the Roman city of Pompeii. So no one was prepared when the nearby volcano Mount Vesuvius suddenly erupted, spouting ash that buried the city and its inhabitants. The disaster left thousands dead, and Pompeii was no more than a memory for almost 1,700 years. In 1748, explorers rediscovered the port city with intact buildings and beautiful mosaics. This easy-to-read account is gripping and includes photos of the ruins.

A thrilling journey through 100,000 years of art, from the first artworks ever made to art’s central role in culture today“This lively volume is ideal for the precocious high-schooler, the lazy collegian . . . and any adult who wishes for greater mastery of the subject. . . . Mullins leav[es] readers with an expansive, no-regrets appreciation of art and the human story.”—Meghan Cox Gurdon, Wall Street Journal“A fresh take o...

The British Empire stole a lot of stuff. Much of it still sits in museums, galleries and private collections today, accompanied by calm labels and polite plaques. The reality, however, is far messier.The British Museum alone holds eight million objects, many taken in ways that were anything but legitimate. When award-winning journalist and author Marc Fennell encounters one such item—a mechanical tiger that mauls a British soldier when you turn the handle—he asks the obvious questi...

Chapter from Blue Guide Greece the Aegean Islands: what to see, where to stay and eat, history, archaeology, art, culture, leisure. With superb, award-winning maps.Written and edited by a team of three experts: historian, art historian and archaeologist, two of whom lead cultural tours in Greece."Blue Guides still hold the cultural high ground" Sunday Times.

From the #1 travel magazine in the country, a collection of travel tales from some of today's finest writersTravel writing maintains its seemingly endless popularity, and this volume offers a particularly transporting body of work, pairing exotic locales with writers of the highest caliber: Russell Banks writes on the Everglades, Francine Prose explores the secrets of Prague, Robert Hughes takes us on a tour of Italy, and more. From the most beautiful gardens to vi...

A captivating journey along the iconic River Po and through Italian history, society and culture.'Delightful... A wonderful cornucopia of history' TLS'Uncovers the Po's fascinating history' GuardianThe Po is the longest river in Italy, travelling for 652 kilometres from one end of the country to the other. It rises by the French border in the Alps and meanders the width of the entire peninsula to the Adriatic Sea i...

Featuring over 200 photographs, this stunning book by renowned television historian Dan Cruickshank tells the history of architecture through the stories of 100 iconic buildingsJourneying through time and place, from the ancient Egyptian pyramids to the soaring skyscrapers of Manhattan, renowned architectural historian Dan Cruickshank explores the most impressive and characterful creations in world architecture.His selection includes many of the world’s best-known buildings...