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Nightingales and Roses: Recipes from the Persian Kitchen
by Maryam SinaieeOver 100 authentic, seasonal recipes from Persian cook and food blogger, Maryam Sinaiee. *Winner of the Guild of Food Writers First Book Award* *Shortlisted for Edward Stanford Travel Writing Awards* Nightingales and Roses offers you a true taste of Persian home cooking. Iranian food blogger and cook, Maryam Sinaiee, takes us through a full year in the Persian kitchen, explaining the stories and traditions behind each delicious dish. From Lamb and Aubergine Stew and Baked Fish with Tamarind to Rosewater Ice Cream and Saffron Rice Pudding, Maryam's recipes reveal the diverse range of flavours that make up this unique cuisine. Beautifully photographed throughout, this is the perfect introduction to real Iranian food. 'A beautiful evocation of Persian cooking, and a memoir of a beloved country' Judges comments, GUILD OF FOOD WRITERS. 'A delightful cookbook... Persian cuisine is made both approachable and alluring' PUBLISHERS WEEKLY. 'A must for fans of Middle Eastern cooking' CHOICE.
One Summer in Positano: An uplifting love story perfect for the summer!
by Georgie CapronEscape to sun-drenched Italy with a summery romance that will warm your heart and make you believe in love. When Libby reaches the grand old age of 30, she decides it's time to grow up, find Mr Right, and settle down. But first she wants one last summer of fun – so she buys a one-way ticket to beautiful Positano in Italy. There, despite all her good intentions, she can't help but fall a little in love with handsome Italian Luca and, as the summer draws to a close, Libby has some big decisions to make. Should she head back home and face up to her responsibilities? Could Luca be the right man to start a family with? Or has the perfect man been waiting in the wings back home? Perfect for fans of Sue Moorcroft, Ruth Kelly and Lucy Diamond, this romantic summer read asks: is it really better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all? Previously published as It Was Always You. What readers are saying about One Summer in Positano: 'A very sweet read, perfect for sunny days on the beach. The characters are lovely and it will leave you with a big smile on your face' Karen Whittard, NetGalley. 'Libby's story is beautiful and full of life' Bharti Chandnani, NetGalley. 'I loved the descriptions of Italy – the places Libby visited were brought alive for me. A lovely story, perfect as a summer read' Helen Edwards, NetGalley. 'Sweetly romantic and swoonworthy, this book will make you believe in love!' Lindsey Kramer, NetGalley.
Great Books of China
by Frances WoodDiscover – or rediscover – the major achievements of Chinese culture and civilization.Great Books of China offers concise introductions – each of them accompanied by generous quotation (in English) from the book in question – to sixty-six works in the canon of Chinese literature.The books chosen reflect the chronological and thematic breadth of Chinese literary tradition, ranging from such classics as The Book of Songs and the Confucian Analects, through popular dramas and novels (The Romance of the Western Chamber; The Water Margin), twentieth-century political and biographical works (Quotations from Chairman Mao, the autobiography of the last emperor) and modern novels that are little known in the West (Memories of South Peking, Six Chapters from a Cadre School Life).Frances Wood presents a comprehensive, accessible and richly informative primer for the uninitiated; a box of delights that opens up an entire literary culture to the inquisitive reader.
Storm of Steel (The Bernicia Chronicles #6)
by Matthew HarffyAD 643. Anglo-Saxon Britain. A gripping, action-packed historical thriller and the sixth instalment in the Bernicia Chronicles. Heading south to lands he once considered his home, Beobrand is plunged into a dark world of piracy and slavery when an old friend enlists his help to recover a kidnapped girl.Embarking onto the wind-tossed seas, Beobrand pursues his quarry with single-minded tenacity. But the Whale Road is never calm and his journey is beset with storms, betrayal and violence.As the winds of his wyrd blow him ever further from what he knows, will Beobrand find victory on his quest or has his luck finally abandoned him?Praise for Matthew Harffy: 'Nothing less than superb... The tale is fast paced and violence lurks on every page' Historical Novel Society'Beobrand is the warrior to follow' David Gilman'A tale that rings like sword song in the reader's mind' Giles Kristian'Historical fiction doesn't get much better than this' Angus Donald'A brilliant characterization of a difficult hero in a dangerous time. Excellent!' Christian Cameron'A terrific novel. It illuminates the Dark Ages like a bolt of lightning' Toby Clements'Battles, treachery, revenge and a healthy dose of Dark Age adventure' Simon Turney'Matthew Harffy tells a great story' Joanna Hickson'Harffy's writing just gets better and better... He is really proving himself the rightful heir to Gemmell's crown' Jemahl Evans'Harffy has a real winner on his hands... A genuinely superb novel' Steven McKay'A breathtaking novel that sweeps the reader into a dark and dangerous world' Paul Fraser Collard
Fortress of Fury (The Bernicia Chronicles #7)
by Matthew HarffyBeobrand is besieged in the action-packed instalment in the Bernicia Chronicles set in AD 647 Anglo-Saxon Britain. War hangs heavy in the hot summer air as Penda of Mercia and his allies march into the north. Caught unawares, the Bernician forces are besieged within the great fortress of Bebbanburg. It falls to Beobrand to mount the defence of the stronghold, but even while the battle rages, old and powerful enemies have mobilised against him, seeking vengeance for past events. As the Mercian forces tighten their grip and unknown killers close in, Beobrand finds himself in a struggle with conflicting oaths and the dreadful pull of a forbidden love that threatens to destroy everything he holds dear. With the future of Northumbria in jeopardy, will Beobrand be able to withstand the powers that beset him and find a path to victory against all the odds? Love these historical thrillers? Pre-order A Time for Swords today – the start of an exciting new series from bestselling author of the Bernicia Chronicles, Matthew Harffy. Praise for Matthew Harffy: 'Nothing less than superb... The tale is fast paced and violence lurks on every page' Historical Novel Society. 'Beobrand is the warrior to follow' David Gilman. 'Visceral tales of battle, revenge, and honour, but the saga of Beobrand never loses sight of what it means to be a hero in such a bloody age' Graham McNeill.'A tale that rings like sword song in the reader's mind' Giles Kristian. 'Historical fiction doesn't get much better than this' Angus Donald. 'A brilliant characterization of a difficult hero in a dangerous time. Excellent!' Christian Cameron. 'A terrific novel. It illuminates the Dark Ages like a bolt of lightning' Toby Clements. 'Battles, treachery, revenge and a healthy dose of Dark Age adventure' Simon Turney. 'Matthew Harffy tells a great story' Joanna Hickson. 'Harffy's writing just gets better and better... He is really proving himself the rightful heir to Gemmell's crown' Jemahl Evans. 'Harffy has a real winner on his hands... A genuinely superb novel' Steven McKay. 'A breathtaking novel that sweeps the reader into a dark and dangerous world' Paul Fraser Collard.
The Cabin in the Mountains: A Norwegian Odyssey
by Robert FergusonThe wooden holiday cabin, or hytte, is a staple of Norwegian life. Robert Ferguson, author of Scandinavians, explores the significance of a national icon in this charming, affectionate history.Turf-roofed and wooden-built, offering fresh air, breathtaking views and peaceful isolation, the wooden cabin home – or hytte – is a crucial part of Norwegian national identity. In 2016, Robert Ferguson and his wife bought a piece of land high up in the Hardangervidda, and on it they built a cabin.As the cabin takes shape, Ferguson learns how native Norwegians have married a new-found urban affluence to their past as a tight-knit rural community-nation, and confronts his own ideas about the dream-tradition of the hytte, drawing an affectionate but unsentimental portrait of Norwegian culture, society and landscape.'Singular and captivating: the pursuit of a dream' Professor John Carey'Illuminating' TLS'An uncompromising journey into the dark cold north, to reveal the warmth that comes from deep community bonds' Tim Ecott
The Po: An Elegy for Italy's Longest River
by Tobias JonesA 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' Guardian 'Tobias Jones is the perfect guide' SpectatorThe 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 in the east. Flowing next to many of Italy's most exquisite cities – Ferrara, Mantova, Parma, Cremona, Pavia and Torino – the river is a part of the national psyche, as iconic to Italy as the Thames is to England or the Mississippi to the USA.For millennia, the Po was a vital trading route and a valuable source of tax revenue, fiercely fought over by rival powers. It was also moat protecting Italy from invaders from the north, from Hannibal to Holy Roman Emperors. It breached its banks so frequently that its floodplain swamps were homes to outlaws and itinerants, to eccentrics and experimental communities. But as humans radically altered the river's hydrology, those floodplains became important places of major industries and agricultures, the source of bricks, timber, silk, hemp, cement, caviar, mint, flour and risotto rice.Tobias Jones travels the length of the river against the current, gathering stories of battles, writers, cuisines, entertainers, religious minorities and music. Both an ecological lament and a celebration of the resourcefulness and resilience of the people of the Po, the book opens a window onto a stunning, but now neglected, part of Italy.
Moroccan Dreams: Oriental Myth, Colonial Legacy (International Library of Human Geography)
by Lauren Wagner Claudio MincaMorocco has long been a mythic land firmly rooted in the European imagination. For more than a century it has been appropriated by writers, artists and explorers such as Pierre Loti, Edith Wharton, Eugene Delacroix, Paul Bowles and Elias Canetti. In Moroccan Dreams, the authors explore the ways in which this legacy is being recreated for nostalgic consumption by those seeking the authentic experience of the orient. Taking the reader on a tour, both real and imaginary, to sites that form the quintessential Morrocan experience, including the capital city Rabat, the medina at Fez, Marakkech, the Kasbah, the desert, Tangier, and the gentrified colonial elegance of Essaouira, they unravel the elements that are so appealing about this imagined experience. Richly illustrated, Moroccan Dreams provides an enticing journey that will delight all those captivated by the culture and spatialities of the European colonial enterprise and all those enamoured of Morocco and its extraordinary geographies.
Speedy Motor: Travels across Asia and the Middle East in a Morgan
by John CarswellIn the summer of 1974, against the backdrop of the Lebanese Civil War, ceramics expert and Morgan sports car enthusiast John Carswell set off with his young family from their home in Beirut on an expedition across Asia and the Middle East. Their mode of transport was their beloved motor car, a Morgan 4/4 four seater, named 'Speedy'. Following in the steps of Ibn Battuta, their destination was the Maldives, where Carswell hoped to find evidence of the Chinese blue and white pottery which he was researching. The family travelled via Syria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, from where they sailed to Bombay (Mumbai). What followed was an extraordinary journey across the length of India to Sri Lanka and from there to the Maldives. Speedy Motor tells, with wit and sparkle, the trials and tribulations of one family car over several decades in the Middle East and latterly Europe. When the family were forced to flee Beirut during the Civil War, Speedy temporarily fell into the hands of Hizbollah but years later 'he' was reunited with his family in England. John Carswell's vivid account of a unique expedition and a much-loved car provides a vibrant portrait of a region in the grip of change.
Visitors to Verona: Lovers, Gentlemen and Adventurers
by Caroline WebbEven before the advent of mass tourism, Verona was a popular destination with travellers, including those undertaking the popular 'Grand Tour' across Europe. In this book, Caroline Webb compares the experiences of travellers from the era of Shakespeare to the years following the incorporation of the Veneto into the new kingdom of Italy in 1866. She considers their reasons for visiting Verona as well as their experiences and expectations once they arrived. The majority of English visitors between 1670 and 1760 were young members of the aristocracy, accompanied by tutors, who arrived on their way to or from Rome, as part of a 'Grand Tour' intended to 'finish' their classical education. With the Industrial Revolution in the second half of the eighteenth century, and the resultant increasing wealth of the upper middle classes, the number of visitors to Verona increased although this tourism was derailed once Napoleon invaded Italy in the late 1790s. After 1815 and the allied victory at Waterloo there was a new flood of visitors, previously deprived of the opportunity of continental travel during the Napoleonic wars. As the nineteenth century progressed, especially with the arrival of the railway, an increasing number of visitors appeared from across Europe and even from across the Atlantic, keen to explore the fabled city of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. In comparing a myriad of varied accounts, this book provides an unrivalled perspective on the history of one of Italy's most seductive cities.
Chasing the Chinese Dream: Stories from Modern China (20170922 Ser. #20170922)
by Nick HoldstockChina is undergoing the biggest and fastest societal and economic change in human history. Driving this dizzying transformation is the idea of the 'Chinese Dream', the promise that in the new China, anyone can make it. Journalist and writer Nick Holdstock has travelled the length of this huge country in order to find out the reality behind this rhetoric – from the factory-owner, to the noodle seller, from the karaoke maids to the hoteliers, and from the deserted, ageing countryside to the young and overcrowded cities.Chasing the Chinese Dream follows a cast of extraordinary characters: we meet the people getting rich; running factories and buying luxury cars and Louis Vuitton bags. But we also meet those left behind, trapped by a system which forces long hours and no prospects upon them. A spell-binding and magical narrative, this book looks to tell the story of modern China through the people who are living it.
Finding Eden: A Journey into the Heart of Borneo
by Robin Hanbury-TenisonFifty years ago the interior of Borneo was a pristine, virgin rainforest inhabited by uncontacted indigenous tribes and naïve, virtually tame, wildlife. It was into this 'Garden of Eden' that Robin Hanbury Tenison led one of the largest ever Royal Geographical Society expeditions, an extraordinary undertaking which triggered the global rainforest movement and illuminated, for the first time, how vital rainforests are to our planet. For 15 months, Hanbury Tenison and a team of some of the greatest scientists in the world immersed themselves in a place and a way of life that is on the cusp of extinction. Much of what was once a wildlife paradise is now a monocultural desert, devastated by logging and the forced settlement of nomadic tribes, where traditional ways of life and unimaginably rich and diverse species are slowly being driven to extinction. This is a story for our time, one that reminds us of the fragility of our planet and of the urgent need to preserve the last untamed places of the world.
Imagining the Arctic: Heroism, Spectacle and Polar Exploration (Tauris Historical Geographical Series)
by Huw Lewis-JonesImagining the Arctic explores the culture and politics of polar exploration and the making of its heroes. Leading explorers, the celebrity figures of their day, went to great lengths to convince their contemporaries of the merits of polar voyages. Much of exploration was in fact theatre: a series of performances to capture public attention and persuade governments to finance ambitious proposals. The achievements of explorers were promoted, celebrated, and manipulated, whilst explorers themselves became the subject of huge attention. Huw Lewis-Jones draws upon recovered texts and striking images, many reproduced for the first time since the nineteenth century, to show how exploration was projected through a series of spectacular visuals, helping us to reconstruct the ways that heroes and the wilderness were imagined. Elegantly written and richly illustrated, Imagining the Arctic offers original insights into our understanding of exploration and its pull on the public imagination.
Strolling through Florence: The Definitive Walking Guide to the Renaissance City (20161030 Ser. #20161030)
by Mario ErasmoTo walk through Florence is to step into one of the most remarkable histories of any European city. From its establishment by Julius Caesar in the first century BC, through its Golden Age at the epicentre of the Italian Renaissance, to its position as an iconic cultural destination in the twenty-first century, Florence is a small city that packs a lot of punch. This is the city of Dante and Boccaccio, Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, the Medici, Botticelli, Donatello and the 'Mad Monk' Savonarola. Their stories permeate every corner of Florence, but the city's contemporary scene is just as alluring, from cutting edge art and fashion to food. It is only by exploring Florence on foot that the visitor can truly experience everything the city has to offer.
The Land Beyond: A Thousand Miles on Foot through the Heart of the Middle East
by Leon McCarronThere are many reasons why it might seem unwise to walk, mostly alone, through the Middle East. That, in part, is exactly why Leon McCarron did it.From Jerusalem, McCarron followed a series of wild hiking trails that trace ancient trading and pilgrimage routes and traverse some of the most contested landscapes in the world. In the West Bank, he met families struggling to lead normal lives amidst political turmoil and had a surreal encounter with the world's oldest and smallest religious sect. In Jordan, he visited the ruins of Hellenic citadels and trekked through the legendary Wadi Rum. His journey culminated in the vast deserts of the Sinai, home to Bedouin tribes and haunted by the ghosts of Biblical history. The Land Beyond is a journey through time, from the quagmire of current geopolitics to the original ideals of the faithful, through the layers of history, culture and religion that have shaped the Holy Land. But at its heart, it is the story of people, not politics and of the connections that can bridge seemingly insurmountable barriers.
Jane Austen's England: A Walking Guide
by Anne-Marie EdwardsIt is impossible to fully appreciate Jane Austen without experiencing the landscapes which inspired her. Jane Austen's England - the first book of its kind - takes the reader on a series of walking tours into the very heart of her world. These fifteen picturesque walks describe the country houses, churches, great estates and elegant cities that were the settings for her novels and introduce the reader to the real-life people she met, many of whom became characters in her books. An indispensable guide for all Austen fans, some of the sights include Godmersham House, the inspiration for Pemberley in Pride and Prejudice, the view from Box Hill, scene of the 'exploring party' in Emma, Lyme Regis' treacherous Cobb in Persuasion, Bath's Assemmbly Rooms in Northanger Abbey and many more.
Greece: A Literary Guide for Travellers (Literary Guides for Travellers #8)
by Michael Carroll"If in the library of your house you do not? have the works of the ancient Greek writers then you have a house with no light" George Bernard ShawThere is so much in the modern world which has its origins in Greece, most notably language and literature. As Shelley once said, “We are all Greeks”. This small, rugged, sea-girt country has the longest written history in Europe. Her myths and legends, so deeply embedded in Western consciousness, and her sublime landscapes, so infused with history, have been muse for writers, artists and travellers for millennia. Travelling from Athens to the scattered islands of the Ionian and Aegean seas, the words of literary titans in the West echo through the centuries: from Homer and Plato to Byron, Flaubert and Twain; Henry Miller to John Fowles; the Durrells to Patrick Leigh Fermor and Cavafy, Kazantzakis and Seferis. Their luminous portraits of Greece – poignant, provocative, always entertaining - enrich our own experiences of the country and shed light on a dramatic and often tragic past.
Riviera Dreaming: Love and War on the Côte d'Azur (20120730 Ser. #20120730)
by Maureen EmersonDuring World War II three distinct forces opposed the Allies - Germany, Italy, and Japan. Few areas of the world experienced domination by more than a single one of these, but southeastern France – the region popularly known as the Riviera or Cote d'Azur - was one. Not only did inhabitants suffer through Italian Fascism and German Nazism but also under a third hardship at times even more oppressive - the rule of Vichy France. Following a nine-month prelude, the reality of World War II burst onto the Riviera in June 1940 when the region had to defend itself against the Italian army and ended in April 1945 with a battle against German and Italian forces in April 1945, a period longer than any other part of France. In this book, George G. Kundahl tells for the first time the full story of World War II on the French Riviera. Featuring previously unseen sources and photographs, this will be essential reading for anyone interested in wartime France.
Iceland: A Literary Guide for Travellers (Literary Guides for Travellers)
by Marcel KruegerIceland is an island of multiple identities in constant flux, just like its unruly, volcanic ground. Shaped as much by storytelling as it is by tectonic activity, Iceland's literary heritage is one of Europe's richest – and most ancient.Iceland: A Literary Guide for Travellers takes the literary-minded traveller (either in person or in an armchair) on a vivid and illuminating journey. It follows Iceland's many stories that have been passed down through the generations: told and retold by sheep farmers, psalm-writers, travelling reverends, independence fighters, scholars and hedonists. From the captivating Norse myths, which continue to inspire contemporary authors such as A.S. Byatt, to gripping Scandinavian crime fiction and Game of Thrones, via Jules Verne and J.R.R Tolkien, W.H. Auden and Seamus Heaney, Iceland's influence has spread far beyond its frozen shores. Peopled by Norse maidens and witches, elves and outlaws and taking the reader and traveller from Reykjavik and the Bay of Smokes to the remote Westfjords and desolate highlands, this is an enthralling portrait of the Land of Ice and Fire.
Conan Doyle's Wide World: Sherlock Holmes and Beyond
by Andrew LycettWith fascinating extracts from his own writings, this book reveals the captivating travels and adventures of Arthur Conan Doyle - the creator of Sherlock Holmes.Arthur Conan Doyle was not simply the creator of the world's greatest detective; he was also an intrepid traveler and extraordinary travel writer. His descriptions of his journeys and adventures--which took him to the Arctic and the Alps, throughout Africa, Australia and North America, and across every ocean in between--are full of insight, humor and exceptional evocations of place. Until now, these captivating travelogues have never been gathered together. In this ground-breaking book, Andrew Lycett, Conan Doyle's celebrated biographer, collects and annotates the best of his writings from around the world, which illuminate not just the places he visited, but the man himself.
Sardinia: Island of Myth and Magic
by Edward BurmanTourism in Sardinia is booming, yet there is nothing else in print that deals with the island's incredibly rich history and culture, which stretches back to the Neolithic period. This book details everyone from the Phoenicians to the Carthaginians and Aragonese who invaded Sardinia, which is covered with some of the most fascinating historical and archaeological sites in Europe - from thousands of nuraghi, Bronze Age towers and settlements, to 'giant's grave' and 'fairy house' tombs. It also holds eccentric festivals, from Barbagia's carnival parade of ghoulish mamuthones, said to banish winter demons, to the death-defying S'Ardia horse race in Sedilo. There are shipwrecks off Cagliari's coast, underwater caves and submerged Roman ruins in addition to ancient castles, churches, undisturbed hilltop villages and 2,000 miles of some of the most beautiful coastline in the world.
Tangier: From the Romans to The Rolling Stones
by Richard HamiltonIn Tangier, the Moroccan novelist Mohamed Choukri wrote, 'everything is surreal and everything is possible.' In this intimate portrait of a city, the former BBC North Africa correspondent, Richard Hamilton, explores its hotels, cafés, alleyways and darkest secrets to find out what it is that has inspired so many international writers, artists and musicians. Delving down through complex historical layers, he finds a frontier town that is comic, confounding and haunted by the ghosts of its past. Samuel Pepys thought God should destroy Tangier and St Francis of Assisi called it a city of 'madness and delusions.' Yet, throughout the centuries, it has also been a crucible of creativity. It was a turning point in Henri Matisse's artistic journey and had a profound impact on the founder of the Rolling Stones, Brian Jones. Tangier also produced two of the greatest American novels of the twentieth century: The Sheltering Skyand Naked Lunch. Besides Paul Bowles and William Burroughs, the book also looks at lesser known characters such as the flawed genius, Brion Gysin, as well as Ibn Battuta, who travelled three times further than Marco Polo. Featuring a thrilling cast of pirates, sultans, artists, musicians, writers, princes and playboys, this is an essential read about Tangier.
Cuba (Literary Guides for Travellers)
by Mike GonzalezCuba has always been one of the most compelling places in the world, but perhaps never more so than now. With Raoul's promise to resign in 2018, the era of Castroism is all but over and the 2014 US-Cuba rapprochement has opened the country up for the first time to a generation of Americans whose only previous way in was through film and literature. The coming years will undoubtedly bring significant changes to a country that has in many ways been frozen in time. There is no better time for a Cuba literary guide, which challenges some firmly-held western assumptions about the country and shines a light on one of the richest and most deeply embedded literary cultures in the world. Cuba: A Literary Guide for Travellers takes the reader on a dynamic journey into the imaginations of iconic writers and artists in the heart of one of the most alluring countries in the world.
Speedy Motor: Travels across Asia and the Middle East in a Morgan
by John CarswellIn the summer of 1974, against the backdrop of the Lebanese Civil War, ceramics expert and Morgan sports car enthusiast John Carswell set off with his young family from their home in Beirut on an expedition across Asia and the Middle East. Their mode of transport was their beloved motor car, a Morgan 4/4 four seater, named 'Speedy'. Following in the steps of Ibn Battuta, their destination was the Maldives, where Carswell hoped to find evidence of the Chinese blue and white pottery which he was researching. The family travelled via Syria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, from where they sailed to Bombay (Mumbai). What followed was an extraordinary journey across the length of India to Sri Lanka and from there to the Maldives. Speedy Motor tells, with wit and sparkle, the trials and tribulations of one family car over several decades in the Middle East and latterly Europe. When the family were forced to flee Beirut during the Civil War, Speedy temporarily fell into the hands of Hizbollah but years later 'he' was reunited with his family in England. John Carswell's vivid account of a unique expedition and a much-loved car provides a vibrant portrait of a region in the grip of change.
Imagining the Arctic: Heroism, Spectacle and Polar Exploration
by Huw Lewis-JonesImagining the Arctic explores the culture and politics of polar exploration and the making of its heroes. Leading explorers, the celebrity figures of their day, went to great lengths to convince their contemporaries of the merits of polar voyages. Much of exploration was in fact theatre: a series of performances to capture public attention and persuade governments to finance ambitious proposals. The achievements of explorers were promoted, celebrated, and manipulated, whilst explorers themselves became the subject of huge attention. Huw Lewis-Jones draws upon recovered texts and striking images, many reproduced for the first time since the nineteenth century, to show how exploration was projected through a series of spectacular visuals, helping us to reconstruct the ways that heroes and the wilderness were imagined. Elegantly written and richly illustrated, Imagining the Arctic offers original insights into our understanding of exploration and its pull on the public imagination.