A Scrap Screen by Alice Buchan

A Scrap Screen by Alice Buchan lands on the |> SALE <| shelves in my shop.

Hamish Hamilton, 1979, Hardback in dust wrapper.

Illustrated by way of: Black & White Photographs; Black & White Drawings;

From the cover: "In the nurseries of Alice Buchan's childhood there used always to be 'scrap' screens, three-leaved, with pictures of St Bernard dogs, royal personages, kittens and children with hoops. She has given the modest title of A Scrap Screen to a book of delightful, often humorous reminiscences, not only of her own 'lost domains of childhood', often spent in great houses, but from hearsay about her ancestors from the mid-eighteenth century onwards. Although descended from Lady Mary Wortley Montagu and the Earl-Bishop of Derry, she writes mostly of people who are not necessarily known to readers of biographies but who nevertheless were closely connected with famous personalities and were typical of a leisured, privileged style of life, now gone for ever. She writes of Stuart Wortleys, Wellesleys, Pagets, Grosvenors; of an elopement, alarm over the Reform Bill, Whig families and Tory families, Morris and the Pre-Raphaelites, country house parties, servants; of nouses such as Eaton Hall and Moor Park. Finally there comes the marriage of her mother, Susan Grosvenor, to an unknown young barrister from Scotland, the son of a Presbyterian minister: John Buchan. Alice was the eldest of four — all 'wanted, encouraged, praised'; in due course she became chatelaine of Charlecote Park, now National Trust, through whose rooms more people now pass in a season than did in a hundred or even two hundred years previously.

Letters and diaries from battered tin boxes have played a part in illuminating Alice Buchan's forbears for us. Yet, above all, perhaps unconsciously, she is writing of herself and what she is — observing, identifying, recording, in a haunting yet lyrical book."

Very Good — in Good Dust Wrapper. Price Clipped. Dust wrapper has been sealed in a protective mylar layer. Leans slightly. Text complete, clean and tight.

Orange boards with Silver titling to the Spine. 182 pages. Index. 8¾" x 5¾".

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Dickens' London by Rosalind Vallance

Dickens' London by Rosalind Vallance lands on the |> SALE <| shelves in my shop.

Folio Society, 1966, Hardback.

Illustrated by way of: Steel Engravings; Compiled chiefly from 'Sketches by Boz' and 'The Uncommercial Traveller', first published in the Gentleman's Pocket Magazine in 1827 and 1829.

Very Good — in Very Good Slip Case. Gently faded at the spine.

Light Brown boards with Gilt titling to the Spine & Upper Board. 239 pages. 9" x 5¾".

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The Young Church in Action: A New Translation of the Acts by J. B. [John Bertram] Phillips

The Young Church in Action: A New Translation of the Acts by J. B. [John Bertram] Phillips lands on the |> SALE <| shelves in my shop.

Geoffrey Bles, 1956, Hardback in dust wrapper.

4th impression. [First Edition: 1955] Illustrated by way of: Maps [4]; Maps to the endpapers and blanks;

From the cover: "The Rev. J. B. Phillips is already well known the world over for his fine translation of the New Testament Epistles (called Letters to Young Churches) and of the four Gospels (see back of this wrapper). He has here turned to the Acts which he says he has enjoyed translating more than any of his previous work. "It has such possibilities" he writes, "in the vividness of the narrative, particularly when Luke describes scenes in which he himself took part". There have been other translations of the Acts, but none display the same dexterity, the same easiness of reading without losing any of the qualities in which it was originally written. Luke's work is rendered into contemporary English for new readers, for lovers of the Bible, and also for those who have given up reading their Bible because its familiarity dimmed its meaning. Of equal interest is the Appendix which contains four of the Addresses, reconstructed, enlarged and more broadly interpreted than the same addresses already translated in the main text. These augmented addresses have all been broadcast on the BBC and much admired."

Very Good — in Good Dust Wrapper. Unlaminated dust wrapper a little edgeworn and faded with a short, closed, tear to the head of the spine. Previous owners' inscription to the first blank.

Green boards with Gilt titling to the Spine. [XVI] 110 pages. 8¾" x 5¾".

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Prayers From The Ark by Carmen Bernos de Gasztold

Prayers From The Ark by Carmen Bernos de Gasztold lands on the |> SALE <| shelves in my shop.

Macmillan & Co., 1964, Hardback in dust wrapper.

2nd printing. [First Published: 1963] Illustrated by way of: Black & White Drawings;

From the cover: "Prayers from the Ark, by Carmen Bernos de Gasztold, are translated from the French by Rumer Godden, who has caught and re-created the spirit of the original text.

In the first poem, Noah speaks — 'The days are long. Lord, guide Your Ark to safety…' A prayer from each animal in the Ark follows, each one beautifully illustrated by Jean Primrose. Every animal keeps its own character ; prayer springs from its hopes, its pride in its work, or its humility, according to its kind : the Cock — 'Do not forget, Lord, it is I who make the sun rise'; the Donkey — 'O God, who made me to trudge along the road always'; the faithful Dog — 'Lord, do not let me die until, for them, all danger is driven away'; the Mouse — 'I am so little and grey, dear God'. The Foal, falling over its own feet in its joy, dreams of wind and young grass, the Cat of a mouse — 'It is not, exactly, that I have something to ask of You!'; the Butterfly speaks with its butterfly brain; the Ox with a plea for time.

The directness, appeal and humour of the lines will delight readers of every age. Their charm has nothing to do with whimsy: Carmen de Gasztold is not a sentimental animal lover — ironically; she has little use for pets. In her world a dog is to guard the house, a horse to work, a pig to be fattened and there is an economy and sense about her work that is typically French; it is the truthfulness of the prayers, especially as it reflects on us, unthinking humans, that causes pain, and there is a timeless echo in the Dove's words — 'The Ark waits, Lord, the Ark waits on Your will. And the sign of Your peace'…"

Introduction by: Rumer Godden

Very Good — in Good Dust Wrapper. Unlaminated dust wrapper a little edgeworn and faded with tears to the head of the spine, price clipped and tanning to the reverse. Text complete, clean and tight.

Green Spine strip with Pictorial boards with Gilt titling to the Spine. 71 pages. 9¼" x 6¼".

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Paperweights and Other Glass Curiosities by E. M. Elville

Paperweights and Other Glass Curiosities by E. M. Elville lands on the |> SALE <| shelves in my shop.

Spring Books, 1968, Hardback in dust wrapper.

3rd impression. [First Edition: Country Life, 1954] Illustrated by way of: Black & White Photographs; Colour frontispiece;

From the cover: "Paperweights, those enchanting and exquisitely fashioned glass objects which the Victorians enjoyed at the cost of a few shillings, are nowadays regarded as collectors' items. In recent years, the rarer and more elaborate examples have changed hands in salerooms at prices well over the three-figure and occasionally four-figure mark.

Mr. Elville, author of English Tableglass and English and Irish Cut Glass, here provides a concise review of the history of paperweights and the technique of their manufacture, illustrating his text with some of the finest specimens of this very specialised craft. He rightly devotes much attention to the superb weights which come from the famous French factories of Baccarat, St. Louis and Clichy and traces the development of paperweight manufacture in England down to the present day. His classifications and descriptions of the different types of weights — millefiori, flower weights, rare subject weights, overlays, magnums and miniatures — are of the greatest value for all serious collectors.

Under the term "curiosities" and occupying the latter half of his fascinating book, Mr. Elville groups such collectors' items as glass clock lamps, candlesticks, candelabras, sconces, mirrors and drinking glasses, especially from the eighteenth century; and he rounds the book off with interesting miscellaneous items such as fingerbowls, jelly-glasses, marbles and coloured vase lustres.

The book was enthusiastically reviewed when first published and now, thanks to the author's clearly presented and attractively illustrated survey, an even wider circle of readers will gain access to a little-known but most rewarding corner of the collectors' world."

Very Good — in Very Good Dust Wrapper.

Red boards with Gilt titling to the Spine. 116 pages. Index. Bibliography. 10" x 6¼".

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The Women In Shakespeare's Life by Ivor Brown

The Women In Shakespeare's Life by Ivor Brown lands on the |> SALE <| shelves in my shop.

The Bodley Head, 1968, Hardback in dust wrapper.

Jacket illustration: Taken from an engraving by W. I. Colls after a portrait, by an unknown artist, of Mary Fytton.

From the cover: "This is not another book about the female characters in Shakespeare's plays. The women in his own life are the subject. He was much away in London but as soon as he made money he bought 'the Great House' in Stratford and settled his wife and daughters in comfort. What were they like, these women at home? Mary, his mother, had her background of the prosperous Arden stock. His wife, Anne Hathaway, came from a poorer farm. The elder daughter, Susanna, kind and witty, married early and well. Her elusive sister Judith married late and not so well. Were they as ignorant as some have supposed?

Ivor Brown examines the status of women in Stratford and London. In the capital Shakespeare met ladies of great learning and high fashion, patrons of the poets. Women of all ranks were members of his play-house audience. The identity of his Dark Lady of the Sonnets has been constantly debated, and something has to be said of her. But she is only one of many, and the book begins and finishes in the countryside where his affections lay. If Stratford bored him he could have stayed with his colleagues in the London theatres, talking 'shop' amid the excitements of the town. But he came back to his home, his wife and his daughters."

Very Good — in Good Dust Wrapper. Price Clipped. Unlaminated dust wrapper a little edgeworn and faded with a tape repair to the head of the spine on the reverse. Text complete, clean and tight.

Green boards with Gilt titling to the Spine. 224 pages. Index. Bibliography. 8¾" x 5¾".

This book will be eventually reach my delightful website...(added to my Biography category.) but get 60% off buying from this very blog blog... Buy it now for just £2.60 + P&P! Of course, if you don't like this one there are plenty more available here!

Hidden Treasure Houses by James Miller

Hidden Treasure Houses by James Miller lands on the |> SALE <| shelves in my shop.

Macmillan, 2006, Hardback in dust wrapper.

Illustrated by way of: Colour Photographs; Gazetteer;

From the cover: "In Hidden Treasure Houses, the country-house enthusiast James Miller explores eleven great country houses and the treasures they contain. James is a guest in each house and he explores the historical legacies and treasures with each of his hosts. The result is an evocative, highly illustrated portrait of some of the most beautiful houses in Britain, as well as a unique history of this diverse country.

The houses have been chosen for their historical, architectural and geographical range — Dalmeny House in West Lothian; Penshurst Place in Kent; Holker Hall in Cumbria; Stanway House in the Cotswolds; Deene Park in Northamptonshire; Burghley House in Lincolnshire; Scampston Hall in North Yorkshire; Arundel Castle in Sussex; Sherborne Castle in Dorset; Berkeley Castle in Gloucestershire; Goodwood in West Sussex.

James Miller is a jovial guide, with a sharp eye for detail as well as an encyclopaedic knowledge garnered from over thirty-five years visiting country houses. In Hidden Treasure Houses he brings these incredible properties vividly to life, producing a book that will appeal to all of us curious about what lies behind their closed doors."

Very Good — in Very Good Dust Wrapper. Dust wrapper pulled at the head of the upper panel otherwise a very well presented copy.

Blue boards with Silver titling to the Spine. 256 pages. 10½" x 8".

This book will be eventually reach my delightful website...(added to my Antiques & Collecting category.) but get 60% off buying from this very blog blog... Buy it now for just £2.60 + P&P! Of course, if you don't like this one there are plenty more available here!

Convoy! Drama In Artic Waters by Paul Kemp

Convoy! Drama In Artic Waters by Paul Kemp lands on the |> SALE <| shelves in my shop.

Brockhampton Press, 1999, Hardback in dust wrapper.

Jacket illustration: Convoy PQ18: The Mass Attack by Ju 88 Bombers of the Luftwaffe on Convoy PQ18 by John Hamilton. . Illustrated by way of: Black & White Photographs; Tables;

From the cover: "Some of the most hard-fought naval actions of World War Two took place in the most northerly waters of the world — the Arctic Ocean. Ships progressively covered in ice, their crews steadfast in the bitter cold, battled through heavy seas, all the while under threat of attack from German submarines, aircraft and surface ships, as they braved the route from Britain to northern Russia.

The PQ/QP convoys began in late September 1941 and continued throughout the war. Despite pre-war ambivalence between Britain and Russia, the danger of the common enemy in Germany clearly dictated that all aid possible be provided — but the greatest challenge was yet again that of limited Allied naval resources being over-committed.

German forces were initially slow to react to the vulnerability of the regular, heavily laden convoys but quickly concentrated aircraft, submarines, destroyers and heavy ships in Norwegian bases. It was there, in her northern fiord lair, that Bismarck's powerful sister-ship Tirpitz waited for the opportunity to intercept and prey upon the slow-moving convoys. Thus Britain was forced to retain large capital ship superiority close at hand to counter the threat of a heavy strike by these Kriegsmarine units.

Weather conditions made service on the PQ routes a constant battle to survive against the bitter wind, hard packed ice and sub-zero temperatures. Nevertheless, the supplies kept going through. And the cost to the Allies was high. For supplying the Russians with close on £500,000,000 worth of vital weapons, transport and ammunition, 18 warships and 104 merchant vessels were sunk. The materiel losses resulting from the debacle of Convoy PQ17 alone were the equivalent of a major land battle.

The Arctic convoys still exert a special fascination for the historian, and the exciting nature of the actions is well delivered in this new study by a popular naval writer. Paul Kemp sets the scene for the history of the convoys before a lively narrative covering their entire history. Highlights include a full section on PQ17 alone and a stirring account of the Battle of the North Cape.

Meticulously researched from original operational orders and reports, and including new Russian perspectives, this is an authoritative history as well as an entertaining narrative account of a fascinating period of naval history."

Very Good — in Very Good Dust Wrapper.

Pictorial boards. 256 pages. Index. 9½" x 6¼".

This book will be eventually reach my delightful website...(added to my Military — Naval category.) but get 60% off buying from this very blog blog... Buy it now for just £2.60 + P&P! Of course, if you don't like this one there are plenty more available here!

The Pilot in Command by Martin Cass

The Pilot in Command by Martin Cass lands on the |> SALE <| shelves in my shop.

Airlife, 1980, Hardback.

From the cover: "There is no statute that actively enforces on the pilot the employment of common sense. It is inevitable that there will soon be some changes made, to restrain at least some pilots from the more obvious risks. The law may do its best, but whatever its armoury, the policeman of air sense must be the Pilot in Command.

From the decision to fly until engine shutdown the pilot is in command of every aspect of the flight. Whether it is a jumbo jet with sophisticated technology, carrying hundreds of people, or a fun circuit in a single sealer, the pilot is responsible for the safety of not only the aircraft and its contents, but of people and property on the ground below, and other traffic in the airspace.

Vividly illustrated with accounts of actual incidents The Pilot in Command draws attention to the multifarious nature of the emergencies which a pilot may encounter. In almost all cases the correct decision can avert disaster; in all too many cases, one error can lead to a chain reaction, resulting at best in a near miss at worst in fatality.

The book is written primarily for the student and private pilot, but it is a book that should be read by all who fly — all pilots will learn from others' mistakes and recognise their own."

Good. Heavily faded at the spine and onto the margins of the boards. Text complete, clean and tight. A good working copy.

Pictorial boards. 213 pages. Index. 9" x 5¾".

This book will be eventually reach my delightful website...(added to my Transport — Air category.) but get 60% off buying from this very blog blog... Buy it now for just £2.60 + P&P! Of course, if you don't like this one there are plenty more available here!

Combat Ready: The Making of a Fighter Pilot by David Mason

Combat Ready: The Making of a Fighter Pilot by David Mason lands on the |> SALE <| shelves in my shop.

Bloomsbury, 1991, Hardback in dust wrapper.

Illustrated by way of: Diagrams;

From the cover: "The pilot of a modern fighter aircraft has one of the most exhilarating and exacting jobs in the world. It is also one of the most coveted, and every year thousands of keen, hopeful, even desperate young men apply for training. For the young aspirant the route to qualification is supremely challenging, and few make it into a profession that remains difficult and dangerous. The fighter pilot may be barely out of his teens, yet he is equipped to go out, often entirely alone, in an aircraft that has cost up to £20 million, loaded with enough weapons to start World War III.

Few have any real idea of what life in the high-tech cockpit is really like. David Mason has done what millions have only dreamed of. Uniquely for a civilian, he has followed the entire selection and training process, from the first interview at Biggin Hill to flying solo in a Tornado. (His prowess in the back seat of a Hawk trainer moved the instructor to observe that he was wasted as a journalist!)

Combat Ready is the perfect book feral armchair aviation enthusiasts; more than that, it offers to everyone a rare glimpse of the working lives of the heirs of the Few-from streaking through the Welsh hills at treetop height to air combat manoeuvres at 30,000 feet."

Very Good — in Very Good Dust Wrapper. A little rubbing to the edges of the dust wrapper. Leans slightly. Text complete, clean and tight.

Red boards with Gilt titling to the Spine. 196 pages. 9½" x 6¼".

This book will be eventually reach my delightful website...(added to my Military — Air Force category.) but get 60% off buying from this very blog blog... Buy it now for just £2.60 + P&P! Of course, if you don't like this one there are plenty more available here!

Silent Wings: The Story of the Glider Pilots of World War II by Gerard M. Devlin

Silent Wings: The Story of the Glider Pilots of World War II by Gerard M. Devlin lands on the |> SALE <| shelves in my shop.

W. H. Allen, 1986, Paperback.

A Later Printing. Illustrated by way of: Black & White Photographs; Maps;

From the cover: "Glider pilots are a special breed of men. During the Second World War they were among the most uninhibited individuals on either side. Their uniquely perilous situation — flying a fragile, unpowered machine on assaults into heavily guarded positions without parachutes — has not yet been fully appreciated. This book remedies that omission.

SILENT WINGS vividly recreates the outstanding parts played by gliders on both the British and the German sides during the last war, from Hitler's air offensive against Belgium to the Allied victory in the battle for Sicily at the cost of almost 20,000 casualties; from Operation Overlord, where over 1,000 gliders spearheaded the Normandy invasion, to the vital part played by gliders in the taking of Burma.

Lavishly illustrated, SILENT WINGS is alive with fascinating personal anecdotes and, although totally factual, is packed with the excitement of fiction."

Introduction by: William C. Westmoreland & Sir Napier Crookenden

Very Good. Light reading creases to the spine with a crease to the join of the upper wrapper. Text complete, clean and tight.

[XXII] 410 pages. Index. Bibliography. Trade Paperback (9¼" x 6").

This book will be eventually reach my delightful website...(added to my Military — History category.) but get 60% off buying from this very blog blog... Buy it now for just £2.60 + P&P! Of course, if you don't like this one there are plenty more available here!

Guinness Aircraft Facts and Feats by Michael Taylor & David Mondey

Guinness Aircraft Facts and Feats by Michael Taylor & David Mondey lands on the |> SALE <| shelves in my shop.

Guinness Superlatives, 1984, Hardback in dust wrapper.

Illustrated by way of: Black & White Photographs; Colour Photographs; Tables;

From the cover: "Although essentially a fourth edition of the highly successful Air facts and Feats, this refilled Aircraft Facts and Feats represents what is virtually a complete rewrite of the third edition, first published seven years ago. In that historically brief space of time there have been some tremendous achievements in the field of aviation, and the key events of that period have their place in this edition.

In addition to revision of the text, the opportunity has been taken to present the 'facts and feats' of all heavier-than-air craft in a more coherent form, and combining in their appropriate periods the separate chapters that recorded formerly the fields of rotary-winged aircraft, and sport and competition flying. The authors considered that the fascinating story of lighter-than-air craft, which first carried man into the navigable 'sea' of air above the Earth, was not adequately covered, and this separate chapter has been given special attention. The story of space flight has previously been given little more than passing mention. But now that NASA's Space Shuttle has demonstrated to the world the exciting promises made by a craft which can orbit and manoeuvre in space, and re-enter the Earth's atmosphere to land conventionally, it seemed an appropriate moment in time to introduce a chapter dealing specifically with space flight.

The new Aircraft Facts and Feats is, consequently, far more comprehensive than ever before in its overview of the aviation scene. Coupled with striking illustrations, it is a fascinating book for the general reader or aviation enthusiast, and its far more comprehensive index ensures that it is a ready source of reference for anyone needing to find facts and figures."

Very Good — in Very Good Dust Wrapper. Gently bruised at the head of the spine and the top corners of the boards with commensurate wear to the dust wrapper.

Blue boards with Gilt titling to the Spine. 256 pages. Index. 9½" x 7".

This book will be eventually reach my delightful website...(added to my Transport — Air category.) but get 60% off buying from this very blog blog... Buy it now for just £2.60 + P&P! Of course, if you don't like this one there are plenty more available here!

Fortress Europe by Rudi Rolf & Peter Saal

Fortress Europe by Rudi Rolf & Peter Saal lands on the |> SALE <| shelves in my shop.

Airlife, 1988, Paperback.

First in this, paperback, edition. Illustrated by way of: Black & White Photographs; Plans;

From the cover: "The German capture of the supposedly impregnable Belgian fortress of Eben-Emael in May 1940 shocked the world, while the vaunted Maginot Line proved useless against an enemy who virtually ignored and bypassed it. As always, military planners had designed for the last rather than for the next war, ignoring the advances in tank and aircraft technology which had revolutionised warfare. Even the Germans fell into the same trap, building the Atlantic Wall and the Channel Island defences against invasion from the sea and the West Wall (the so-called 'Siegfried Line') against any possible invasion of Germany itself from the west. As a result, throughout the 1930s and '40s Western Europe was covered in deeply dug-in bunkers, artillery, machine-guns and anti-aircraft emplacements, observation and fire direction towers, underground magazines and other fortifications, a vast number of which survive to this day due either to their inherent strength or the work of preservation enthusiasts.

This book explores the history of modern fortifications from the 1870s, showing how designs changed radically to meet new threats, particularly in the form of artillery. It shows how some of the major forts fared in battle in both World Wars, and with the aid of dozens of clear maps and photographs, provides a detailed travel-guide for everyone wishing to explore their frequently well-preserved remains. Most are open to the public and many house museums, so opening times are also included. These defensive lines and positions, fashioned from steel and concrete, have stood idle now for over forty years yet still exercise a tremendous pull on the imagination. This book will thus be invaluable not only to students of fortifications but also to anyone touring France, Holland, Belgium, Germany or the Channel Islands."

Very Good. A hint of tanning to the edges of the leaves otherwise a very well presented copy.

166 pages. Index. 9½" x 6¼".

This book will be eventually reach my delightful website...(added to my Military — History category.) but get 60% off buying from this very blog blog... Buy it now for just £2.60 + P&P! Of course, if you don't like this one there are plenty more available here!

British Military Operations 1945-1985 by John Pimlott

British Military Operations 1945-1985 by John Pimlott lands on the |> SALE <| shelves in my shop.

Guild Publishing, 1984, Hardback in dust wrapper.

Illustrated by way of: Black & White Photographs; Colour Photographs; Maps;

From the cover: "Most British people would consider that their country has been at peace since the end of World War II but, in fact, British forces have been involved in fighting somewhere in the world in every year since 1945 with the exception of 1968.

The geographical range and variety of military tasks involved during these operations has been immense. The major campaigns in Korea, Suez and the recent spectacular success in the Falklands can be set against peacekeeping duties in Zimbabwe/Rhodesia and Beirut or the bitter and controversial commitment of troops to Northern Ireland. No Western country has had as much experience in counter-insurgency or low-intensity operations in situations as diverse as Palestine 1945-48, the Mau-Mau troubles in Kenya or the EOKA campaign in Cyprus. Indeed the defeat of the communist terrorists in Malaya in the 1950s and the successful aid to Oman in the early 1970s are the only occasions when pro-Western governments have won a clear victory in such struggles.

British Military Operations 1945-84 provides a unique guide to Britain's role in all these conflicts and many others as well as explaining Britain's role within the NATO alliance. The strategies and tactics of each major campaign and battle are fully discussed along with the development of the counter-insurgency and counter-terrorist techniques in which Britain is a world leader. The authoritative text by a team of leading experts is fully complemented by a wide range of carefully selected photographs and together they make up a work that no student of contemporary history or military affairs can afford to be without."

Very Good — in Very Good Dust Wrapper. A little rubbing to the edges of the dust wrapper. Text complete, clean and tight.

Black boards with Gilt titling to the Spine. 192 pages. Index. 12¼" x 9¼".

This book will be eventually reach my delightful website...(added to my Military — History category.) but get 60% off buying from this very blog blog... Buy it now for just £2.60 + P&P! Of course, if you don't like this one there are plenty more available here!

Journeys to the Past: Travels in New Guinea, Madagascar, and the Northern Territory of Australia by David Attenborough

Journeys to the Past: Travels in New Guinea, Madagascar, and the Northern Territory of Australia by David Attenborough lands on the |> SALE <| shelves in my shop.

Lutterworth Press, 1981, Hardback in dust wrapper.

Illustrated by way of: Black & White Photographs [98]; Colour Photographs [16]; Black & White Drawings [4]; Maps [5];

From the cover: "No one writes more consistently entertaining travel books than David Attenborough, and this new collection will be widely welcomed and richly enjoyed.

In Journeys to the Past David Attenborough tells of four expeditions in search not only of animals but of unusual people and remote tribes who retain their ancient rituals and ways of life.

In New Guinea he attended a sing-sing performed by over five hundred dancers gloriously adorned with the multicoloured plumes of birds of paradise, and trekked for days into the Jimi Valley, then little explored. He watched a tribe making stone axes and met a pygmy people who wore extraordinary bulbous hats made from their hair clippings and woven to their scalps. On the island of Pentecost he marvelled at the courage of the sensational land-divers who jumped head first from a tower over eighty feet high with vines tied round their ankles. On Tanna he observed a cargo cult and talked to its leader, and on Tonga he filmed the Royal Kava ceremony, the most important and sacred of all the surviving ancient rituals.

David Attenborough describes Madagascar as 'one of Nature's lumber rooms, a place where antique outmoded forms of life that have long since disappeared from the rest of the world still survive in isolation'. Here he observed many species of lemur, including the enchanting snow-white sifakas and the 'dog-headed man', the indris, about whom there are many legends; he collected fragments of the largest eggs in the world laid by the now extinct Aepyornis, and saw the ritual of the turning the dead.

Finally, in the North Territory of Australia he filmed the aborigines' way of life, examined the remarkable rock paintings which parallel the first drawings made by mankind, learnt about the legends in which they describe their myths of the creation of the world, and met an old man who lived a hermit's life in a remote part of the outback in an upturned water tank.

Vivid descriptions, hilarious incidents, and extraordinary encounters make this book superb family reading."

Very Good — in Good Dust Wrapper. Dust wrapper heavily faded at the spine and onto the edges of the panels with a little wear to the same and a small sticker scar to the tail of the spine. Dust wrapper stained on the reverse at the foot of the spine. Text complete, clean and tight.

Blue boards with Gilt titling to the Spine. 384 pages. 9½" x 6¼".

This book will be eventually reach my delightful website...(added to my Travel category.) but get 60% off buying from this very blog blog... Buy it now for just £2.60 + P&P! Of course, if you don't like this one there are plenty more available here!