- Table View
- List View
The Wall Street Journal Guide to Power Travel: How to Arrive with Your Dignity, Sanity, and Wallet Intact
by Scott McCartneyImagine a world without late planes, missed connections, lost luggage, bumped passengers, cramped seating, high fees and higher fares, surly employees, and security lines. . . .Ordinary travel is an extraordinary ordeal. Yet despite the high prices and huge hassles, travel is essential—along with the need for tips, tricks, and techniques to improve the journey. The Wall Street Journal Guide to Power Travel is an entertaining road trip and a helpful guide, drawn from Scott McCartney's popular Middle Seat column, which explains why bad things happen to good travelers and what you can do to improve your lot. Expert advice and tips include:How to get cheap fares, first-class upgrades, and better seats.How to minimize chances of lost luggage and what to do when baggage doesn't show up.How to avoid delays, get around TSA bottlenecks, and minimize the chances you'll get stuck at some distant airport—and what to do if you do get stuck.How to complain to an airline and get some attention, right down to what to ask for in compensation and how to get the government's attention.
The Wanderer
by Peter Van den EndeSociety of Illustrators, Dilys Evans Founder's Award WinnerA New York Times Best Book of 2020A Wall Street Journal Best Book of 2020PRAISE"Electrifying. Extraordinary. Enigmatic and gorgeous." —The Wall Street Journal"An epic dream captured in superbly meticulous detail." —Shaun Tan"Danger, magic, surprise and awe abound in this masterly, wordless debut." —The New York Times"I love Van den Ende's passion." —Brian Selznick, New York Times Book ReviewSTARRED REVIEWS★ "Marvelously engrossing—a triumph." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review★ "Remarkable. Absolutely sui generis." —Booklist, starred reviewWithout a word, The Wanderer presents one little paper boat's journey across the ocean, past reefs and between icebergs, through schools of fish, swaying water plants, and terrifying sea monsters. The little boat is all alone, and while its aloneness gives it the chance to wonder at the fairy-tale world above and below the waves, that also means it must save itself when it storms. And so it does.Readers young and old will find the strength and inspiration in this quietly powerful story about growing, learning, and life's ups and downs.
The Wandering Pine: Life as a Novel
by Per Olov EnquistWhen everything began so well, how could it turn out so badly? A blisteringly frank autobiographical novel by Sweden's great man of letters - for readers of K. O. Knausgaard's My Struggle."Some life. Some novel . . . Wonderful, brave, evocative . . . It is a remarkable story, and Enquist is remarkably frank in narrating every last detail" HeraldWhat was it about Hjoggböle, a farming village in the northernmost part of Sweden, that created so many idiots - and writers? There was nothing to indicate that P.O. Enquist would be stricken by an addiction to writing. Nothing in his family - honest, hardworking people. Not a trace of poetry. And yet he worked his way, via journalism, novels and plays, to the centre of Swedish politics and cultural life. His books garnered prize after prize. His plays ran for decades and premiered on Broadway. Why then, living with a new wife in Paris, does he hole up in their palatial Champes-Élysées apartment, talking only to his cat? How is it that he wakes to find himself in an uncoupled carriage on a railway siding in Hamburg, two - or was it three? - days after the first-night party finished? And what is it that drives him to run shoeless through the deep January snow of an Icelandic plain, leaving the lights of the drying out clinic far behind? Narrating in the third person, as if he were merely a character in the eventful, perplexing and ultimately triumphantly redemptive drama of his own life, P.O. Enquist is as elliptical as Karl Ove Knausgaard is exhaustive. Clear-eyed, rueful, written with elegance and humour, this is the singular story of a remarkable man.
The Wanderlust Kitchen: A spiritual guide to healing recipes from around the world
by Samantha DormehlDiscover how different cultures enjoy the abundance of the earth in an epic food journey to inspire you to a healthier way of livingDo you love food and have a taste for adventure? This indispensable guide to food as medicine for body and soul is filled with bold and beautiful travel photography and over 150 delicious, anti-inflammatory recipes inspired by global cuisines.Learn all about incorporating adaptogens into your diet, intermittent fasting, practicing the art of fermentation, creating healing elixirs and so much more. This book is a spiritual guide to cooking, plotting a map to improved health and vitality.
The War at the Shore: Donald Trump, Steve Wynn, and the Epic Battle to Save Atlantic City
by Richard D. Bronson Andrew Meisler A. M. Silver“With Trump and Wynn, Skip Bronson nails the drama and muscle of a Super Bowl Sunday . . . A manual of strategy and tactics, smeared with sweat and blood” (Steve Tisch, chairman of the New York Giants). From 1995 to 2000, two of the world’s best-known companies―Mirage Resorts and Trump Resorts―run by two of the most flamboyant businessmen of our time, fought a bare-knuckled, high-stakes battle over a prime piece of real estate in one of America’s most famous resort towns. No money was spared, no punch was pulled, no invective went unhurled in what became known as “The War at the Shore.” Now Bronson, who was a member of the board of directors of the Mirage and president of New City Development Company, the Mirage subsidiary whose primary purpose was to build a top-level new casino and hotel complex in Atlantic City, tells the inside story of this epic struggle. Along the way, Bronson weaves in fascinating and inspiring anecdotes from his complicated past. Gripping from beginning to end, The War at the Shore is a rare up-close look at the world of casino development and the essential modern chapter in the history of America’s “Boardwalk Empire.” “Two powerful personalities clash in this first-hand account of Steve Wynn’s bid to open a new casino on Donald Trump’s turf. . . . An engaging insider’s account of the down-and-dirty machinations that go into high-stakes real estate development.” —Kirkus Reviews “Marked by casinos, boardrooms, and double-dealings, Bronson’s account is a vivid portrayal of Atlantic City’s revitalization.” —LA Confidential “What an amazing backstage look into the world of casinos, moguls and politics.” —Peter Morton, chairman & founder of Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and Hard Rock Cafes
The Ward
by Michael Mcclelland John Lorinc Ellen Scheinberg Tatum TaylorFrom the 1870s to the 1950s, waves of immigrants to Toronto - Irish, Jewish, Chinese and Italian, among others - landed in 'The Ward' in the centre of downtown. Deemed a slum, the area was crammed with derelict housing and 'ethnic' businesses; it was razed in the 1950s to make way for a grand civic plaza and modern city hall. Archival photos and contributions from a wide variety of voices finally tell the story of this complex neighbourhood and the lessons it offers about immigration and poverty in big cities. Contributors include historians, politicians, architects and descendents of Ward residents on subjects such as playgrounds, tuberculosis, bootlegging and Chinese laundries.With essays by Howard Akler, Denise Balkissoon, Steve Bulger, Jim Burant, Arlene Chan, Alina Chatterjee, Cathy Crowe, Richard Dennis, Ruth Frager, Richard Harris, Gaetan Heroux, Edward Keenan, Bruce Kidd, Mark Kingwell, Jack Lipinsky, John Lorinc, Shawn Micallef, Howard Moscoe, Laurie Monsebraaten, Terry Murray, Ratna Omidvar, Stephen Otto, Vincenzo Pietropaolo, Michael Posner, Michael Redhill, Victor Russell, Ellen Scheinberg, Sandra Shaul, Myer Siemiatycki, Mariana Valverde, Thelma Wheatley, Kristyn Wong-Tam and Paul Yee, among others.
The Wares of the Ming Dynasty
by R. L. HobsonThis book explains and illustrates as many varieties of Ming ceramics as possible. The text is based primarily on information obtained from Chinese sources and the occasional notes made by Europeans who visited China in Ming times. To these, Mr. Hobson has added his own penetrating deductions, made after careful study of well-authenticated specimens and of observation by earlier scholars. His presentation is not only clear and precise but also incontestably authoritative and at the same time highly readable.The first twelve chapters of the book deal almost exclusively with the porcelain produced at Ching-te Chen; the next four, with the porcelain and pottery made at other centers. The bulk of the 129 pieces illustrated (12 in color) are drawn from private collections, but references is also made to important examples in museums. Of particular interest are Mr. Hobson's comments on collecting and on the identification of genuine Ming wares. A special chapter on marks, inscriptions, and Chinese characters is included, together with a selected bibliography.
The Warnings
by Jeanne B. HargettDespite the danger in doing so, Travis’s family helps escaped slaves find freedom in the North. While his father is away, one of their neighbors comes to inform them that he’s searching for a missing slave. He suspects Travis’s family may be helping the slaves escape, but hasn’t found a way to prove it. Will Travis and his family be able to shake off the neighbor’s suspicions and avoid trouble?
The Wasting of Borneo: Dispatches from a Vanishing World
by Alex ShoumatoffAcclaimed naturalist Alex Shoumatoff issues a worldwide call to protect the drastically endangered rainforests of BorneoIn his eleventh book, but his first in almost two decades, seasoned travel writer Alex Shoumatoff takes readers on a journey from the woods of rural New York to the rain forests of the Amazon and Borneo, documenting both the abundance of life and the threats to these vanishing Edens in a wide-ranging narrative.Alex and his best friend, Davie, spent their formative years in the forest of Bedford, New York. As adults they grew apart, but bonded by the “imaginary jungle” of their childhood, Alex and Davie reunited fifty years later for a trip to a real jungle, in the heart of Borneo. During the intervening years, Alex had become an author and literary journalist, traveling the world to bring to light places, animals, and indigenous cultures in peril. The two reconnect and spend three weeks together on Borneo, one of the most imperiled ecosystems on earth. Insatiable demand for the palm oil ubiquitous in consumer goods is wiping out the world’s most ancient and species-rich rain forest, home to the orangutan and countless other life-forms, including the Penan people, with whom Alex and Davie camp. The Penan have been living in Borneo’s rain forest for millennia, but 90 percent of the lowland rain forest has already been logged and burned to make way for vast oil-palm plantations. Among the most endangered tribal people on earth, the Penan are fighting for their right to exist.Shoumatoff condenses a lifetime of learning about what binds humans to animals, nature, and each other, culminating in a celebration of the Penan and a call for Westerners to address the palm-oil crisis and protect the biodiversity that sustains us all.
The Waterloo Campaign in 100 Locations
by John GrehanIn the 200 years since the famous battle in the muddy, bloody fields of Waterloo, almost every aspect of the fighting has been examined and analyzed, apart from one – that of finding and illustrating locations relating to the campaign. From Napoleon’s landing on the Golfe Juan on France’s Côte d’Azur, along the Route Napoleon and through Grenoble, the Emperor’s journey back to Paris, and back to power, is shown in glorious full color. In this beautifully produced book, we see where Napoleon distributed the Imperial Eagles to the regiments of his army, and where his forces assembled before marching to war, and where the Due of Wellington’s Anglo-Allied army gathered in Brussels. The camera follows the initial encounters on the banks of the River Sambre and the maneuvering of the French and Coalition forces leading to the first great battles of the campaign at Quatre Bras and Ligny. The key sites occupied by the opposing armies at these battles are investigated as are the routes of the withdrawal to Mont St Jean by Wellington’s army and to Wavre by Blücher’s Prussians. The Waterloo battlefield and its associated buildings are examined in pictorial detail, as are the locations which marked the pivotal moments of the battle. The sites of the corresponding battle at Wavre are also shown, as well as the pursuit of the two wings of beaten French Army, including the sieges of the fortresses by the British army, before Paris was finally reached. The uprising in the Vendée and the last clashes of the campaign before Napoleon’s abdication are also featured. The book closes with Napoleon’s journey from Paris to St Helena via l'Île d’Aix and Plymouth. Headquarters buildings, observation posts, monuments and memorials, bridges and battlefields, and the principal locations of the campaign are portrayed in unique photographs – and behind every plague and place is a tale of political posturing, military maneuvering, sacrifice and savagery. Together these images tell the story of Napoleon’s greatest gamble, and we know that a picture is worth a thousand words!
The Wave: In Pursuit of the Rogues, Freaks and Giants of the Ocean
by Susan CaseyFrom Susan Casey, bestselling author of The Devil's Teeth, an astonishing book about colossal, ship-swallowing rogue waves and the surfers who seek them out. For centuries, mariners have spun tales of gargantuan waves, 100-feet high or taller. Until recently scientists dismissed these stories--waves that high would seem to violate the laws of physics. But in the past few decades, as a startling number of ships vanished and new evidence has emerged, oceanographers realized something scary was brewing in the planet's waters. They found their proof in February 2000, when a British research vessel was trapped in a vortex of impossibly mammoth waves in the North Sea--including several that approached 100 feet.As scientists scramble to understand this phenomenon, others view the giant waves as the ultimate challenge. These are extreme surfers who fly around the world trying to ride the ocean's most destructive monsters. The pioneer of extreme surfing is the legendary Laird Hamilton, who, with a group of friends in Hawaii, figured out how to board suicidally large waves of 70 and 80 feet. Casey follows this unique tribe of people as they seek to conquer the holy grail of their sport, a 100-foot wave.In this mesmerizing account, the exploits of Hamilton and his fellow surfers are juxtaposed against scientists' urgent efforts to understand the destructive powers of waves--from the tsunami that wiped out 250,000 people in the Pacific in 2004 to the 1,740-foot-wave that recently leveled part of the Alaskan coast.Like Jon Krakauer's Into Thin Air, The Wave brilliantly portrays human beings confronting nature at its most ferocious.
The Way Around: Finding My Mother and Myself Among the Yanomami
by David GoodRooted in two vastly different cultures, a young man struggles to understand himself, find his place in the world, and reconnect with his mother—and her remote tribe in the deepest jungles of the Amazon rainforest—in this powerful memoir that combines adventure, history, and anthropology.“My Yanomami family called me by name. Anyopo-we. What it means, I soon learned, is ‘long way around’: I’d taken the long way around obstacles to be here among my people, back where I started. A twenty-year detour.”For much of his young life, David Good was torn between two vastly different worlds. The son of an American anthropologist and a tribeswoman from a distant part of the Amazon, it took him twenty years to embrace his identity, reunite with the mother who left him when he was six, and claim his heritage.The Way Around is Good’s amazing chronicle of self-discovery. Moving from the wilds of the Amazonian jungle to the paved confines of suburban New Jersey and back, it is the story of his parents, his American scientist-father and his mother who could not fully adapt to the Western lifestyle. Good writes sympathetically about his mother’s abandonment and the deleterious effect it had on his young self; of his rebellious teenage years marked by depression and drinking, and the near-fatal car accident that transformed him and gave him purpose to find a way back to his mother.A compelling tale of recovery and discovery, The Way Around is a poignant, fascinating exploration of what family really means, and the way that the strongest bonds endure, even across decades and worlds.
The Way Out: A True Story of Ruin and Survival
by Craig ChildsA breakout book from a writer increasingly celebrated as the 21st-century bard of the American Southwest--a writer in the tradition of Barry Lopez, Peter Matthiessen, Terry Tempest Williams, among others. In March 2003, Craig Childs received the Spirit of the West Literary Achievement Award, given to a writer whose body of work captures the unique spirit of the American West. As a chronicle of adventure, as emotionally charged human drama, as confessional memoir, The Way Out is a transcendent book, a work destined to earn a lasting place in the literature of extremes. Not since John Krakauer's bestselling Into the Wild has a book so compellingly explored the boundary between wilderness adventure and madness.
The Way of Being Lost: A Road Trip to My Truest Self
by Victoria PriceAfter a tumultuous period of crisis, Victoria Price rebuilt her life by embracing a daily practice of joy, healing childhood wounds and reconnecting to the example set by her father Vincent, the famed actor. Her journey involved stepping away from externalities and into her father's legacy — his love for people and compassion for others, his generosity of spirit and simple kindnesses, his enthusiasm for new experiences, and his love of life. "As I've gotten older, I've come to understand that every day, in everything we do, we have a choice — between expanding into our lives or contracting into our fears, into saying Yes! to life … or saying No," Victoria observes. This intimate and inspiring book shares the lessons learned from a powerful family heritage of remaining curious, giving back, and saying Yes. Join her as she shares the stories, experiences, and lessons that led her back to her truest self, including her lifesaving daily practice of joy."A brilliant account of finding and following one's inner light by a true pioneer that will help every reader do the same." — Mike Dooley, New York Times bestselling author of Infinite Possibilities and Notes from the Universe"In The Way of Being Lost, Victoria does what all of us wish to do — seek out her own relationship with spirituality and make the sacred a part of her everyday life, merely by observing the world around us in all its glory. Her writing shows the struggles of this way of being, but also its rewards." — Miranda McPherson, author of Meditations on Boundless Love "Too often we think that to lead a spiritual life requires doing everything right. That is not just a tall order, it is an erroneous one. Spirituality is about a quest for a home in love, which we will find when we finally listen to the call of our truest selves. As Victoria Price knows, this journey may come later than we hoped, but it bears the fruit of our life experience, and takes its own time to ripen. This beautiful recounting of Victoria's voyage shows us a path for discovering the Third Way and living it fully." — Fr. Richard Rohr, Founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation"In her inspiring memoir The Way of Being Lost, Victoria Price walks us all back home. A must read for anyone who dares to live a life of joy." — Rebecca Campbell, bestselling author of Light Is The New Black and Rise Sister Rise"The Way of Being Lost takes us on the most exquisite journey that one can take — the road home to one's true self … told through the particular lens of the author's life. Though it takes great courage to make this trip, the rewards are beyond measure. And in the case of The Way of Being Lost, the journey is beautifully told, universally relevant, and deeply meaningful." — Christiane Northrup, M.D., New York Times bestselling author of Goddesses Never Age"Victoria Price's journey is a truly inspiring one. She looks both outward and inward to find joy all around her. She has been a close friend to me for years and I have always been moved by her story and thrilled that she is finally sharing it with the world." — Melissa Etheridge, Grammy®- and Oscar®-winning musician and activist"Victoria Price is a fighter — for her belief in a world that is connected by Love, and for her own connection to Joy. Her commitment to living as her truest self is an inspiration for us all — match point, Ms. Price." — Martina Navratilova, tennis player, activist, wife, parent, and author of Shape Yourself and other books"Heartfelt testimony of an arduous search for self-affirmation that will appeal to fellow seekers." — Kirkus Review
The Way of Herodotus: Travels with the Man Who Invented History
by Justin MarozziIntrepid travel historian Justin Marozzi retraces the footsteps of Herodotus through the Mediterranean and Middle East, examining Herodotus’s 2,500-year-old observations about the cultures and places he visited and finding echoes of his legacy reverberating to this day. The Way of Herodotus is a lively yet thought-provoking excursion into the world of Herodotus, with the man who invented history ever present, guiding the narrative with his discursive spirit.
The Way of Wanderlust
by Don GeorgeAs a professional travel writer and editor for the past 40 years, Don George has been paid to explore the world. Through the decades, his articles have been published in magazines, newspapers, and websites around the globe and have won more awards than almost any other travel writer alive, yet his pieces have never been collected into one volume. The Way of Wanderlust: The Best Travel Writing of Don George fills this void with a moving and inspiring collection of tales and reflections from one of America’s most acclaimed and beloved travel writers. From his high-spirited account of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro on a whim when he was 22 years old to his heart-plucking description of a home-stay in a muddy compound in Cambodia as a 61-year-old, this collection ranges widely. As renowned for his insightful observations as for his poetic prose, George always absorbs the essence of the places he’s visiting. Other stories here include a moving encounter with Australia’s sacred red rock monolith, Uluru; an immersion in country kindness on the Japanese island of Shikoku; the trials and triumphs of ascending Yosemite’s Half Dome with his wife and children; and a magical morning at Machu Picchu.
The Way of Whisky: A Journey Around Japanese Whisky
by Dave BroomWinner of the André Simon John Avery award'This book is incredible' - Alex KratenaAn in-depth, personal journey around Japan's whisky distilleries.Award-winning author and Japanese whisky expert, Dave Broom, tells their story and unveils the philosophy that lies behind this fascinating whisky culture, and how it relates to many Japanese concepts. Dave looks at the history and output of each distillery, considering the elements that make that particular whisky what it is, and including tasting notes. Features on aspects of Japanese life and culture that are crucial to a wider understanding, from the importance of the seasons to the role of craftsmanship, add to the picture. And interwoven throughout the book is the fascinating narrative of the journey across Japan which Dave made with photographer Kohei Take, offering further insight into the country which creates this wonderful drink and making this a must-have edition for any whisky lover, whisky drinker, whisky collector or Japanophile.
The Way of the Brush
by Fritz Van BriessenThe first paperback edition of this backlist classic, The Way of the Brush examines the technique, style, traditions, and methods of ink-painting. Illustrated with over 250 paintings and packed with instructions, The Way of the Brush covers every aspect of the art, from brushstrokes, composition, and the painting surface to meaning, perspective, and artistic philosophy. Part One explains the elements, techniques, and principles of Chinese and Japanese painting, while Part Two is devoted to challenges associated with the art. Also included are three appendices and a full bibliography.
The Way of the Lord: Christian Pilgrimage Today
by N. T. WrightVividly evoking the sights, sounds, and smells of the Holy Land, this book by N. T. Wright is ideal for both individual and group study by any readers who have embarked on the spiritual journey of the Christian life.Wright explores all the sites that travelers usually visit on a tour of the Holy Land, explaining not only what is to be seen but also the context of faith that makes these sites, and the events associated with them, famous around the world. By weaving together Old and New Testament stories, poetry, and original insights, Wright helps readers enter imaginatively into each scene. He also sprinkles his narratives with reflections on the nature of pilgrimage generally and with discussion of vital contemporary issues related to the Holy Land.This is a book to be read with Christian pilgrimage in mind, whether one is traveling to the Holy Land physically or merely in heart and mind.
The Wayfarer's Handbook: A Field Guide for the Independent Traveler
by Evan S. RiceAn inventive and visually-appealing passport to the wide world of travel, The Wayfarer's Handbook doesn't tell readers to go anywhere, it shows them how to go everywhere.The Wayfarer's Handbook is a treasure trove of information about the art of travel that is specifically crafted for the modern adventurer. The book is an offbeat guide full of actionable advice, a worldwide exploration reference work, an unconventional collection of world trivia, and an exciting resource of inspiration, all designed for use in a great global adventure.With a visual aesthetic inspired by the look of vintage field guides, The Wayfarer's Handbook is tailor-made for modern readers, providing the distilled essentials of hundreds of interesting topics, presented in a direct and precise but stylish way. This twist on traditional travel genres covers everything from the world's 27 most common travel scams and the fascinating history of hot air balloons to everyday gestures that are offensive in foreign cultures and how to avoid a hippopotamus attack. Sketches, infographics, small maps, and illustrative charts appear throughout, allowing readers to open to any page and discover fascinating new insights into the art of travel.Though The Wayfarer's Handbook is compact enough for the road, it is equally suited to be a gem in the library of anyone interested in exploration.
The Wayfinders: Why Ancient Wisdom Matters in the Modern World
by Wade DavisEvery culture is a unique answer to a fundamental question: What does it mean to be human and alive? Anthropologist and National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Wade Davis leads us on a thrilling journey to celebrate the wisdom of the world’s indigenous cultures. In Polynesia we set sail with navigators whose ancestors settled the Pacific ten centuries before Christ. In the Amazon we meet the descendants of a true Lost Civilization, the people of the Anaconda. In the Andes we discover that the Earth really is alive, while in the far reaches of Australia we experience Dreamtime, the all-embracing philosophy of the first humans to walk out of Africa. We then travel to Nepal, where we encounter a wisdom hero, a Bodhisattva, who emerges from forty-five years of Buddhist retreat and solitude. And finally we settle in Borneo, where the last rainforest nomads struggle to survive. Understanding the lessons of this journey will be our mission for the next century. For at risk is the human legacy -- a vast archive of knowledge and expertise, a catalogue of the imagination. Rediscovering a new appreciation for the diversity of the human spirit, as expressed by culture, is among the central challenges of our time.
The Wednesday Club
by Kjell Westö1938. Hitler's expansionist policies are arousing both anger and admiration, not least in Helsinki's Wednesday Club. The members of this relaxed gentleman's club are old friends of lawyer Claes Thune. But this year it is apparent that the political unrest in Europe is having an effect on the cohesion of the group.Thune has recently divorced and is at something of a loss, running his law practice with no great enthusiasm. Luckily he has the assistance of an efficient new secretary, Matilda Wiik. But behind her polished exterior Mrs Wiik is tormented by memories of the Finnish Civil War, when she experienced horrors she has been trying to forget ever since. And one evening, with the Wednesday Club gathered in Thune's office, she hears a voice she hoped she would never hear again.She is suddenly plunged back into the past. But this time she is no longer a helpless victim . . .
The Weekend: An unforgettable story of female friendship by the bestselling author of the Booker Prize-shortlisted Stone Yard Devotional
by Charlotte Wood'So great I am struggling to find the words to do it justice' Marian KeyesA Book of the Year for The Times, Observer, Independent and Good Housekeeping'A rare pleasure' Sunday Times'Riveting' Elizabeth Day'A perfect, funny, insightful, novel about women, friendship, and ageing' Nina Stibbe'A lovely, lively, intelligent, funny book' Tessa Hadley'Glorious . . . Charlotte Wood joins the ranks of writers such as Nora Ephron, Penelope Lively and Elizabeth Strout' GuardianSylvie, Jude, Wendy and Adele have been friends for decades, but when Sylvie dies, the ground shifts dangerously for the remaining three.These women couldn't be more different: Jude, a once-famous restaurateur with a long-standing affair with a married man; Wendy, an acclaimed feminist intellectual; Adele, a former star of the stage, now practically homeless. Struggling to recall exactly why they've remained close all these years, the grieving women gather for one last weekend at Sylvie's old beach house. But fraying tempers, an elderly dog, unwelcome guests and too much wine collide in a storm that threatens to sweep away their friendship for good.
The Wet and the Dry
by Lawrence OsborneA "stylish and engaging...fearlessly honest account" (Financial Times) of man's love of drink, and an insightful meditation on the meaning of alcohol consumption across cultures worldwide Drinking alcohol: a beloved tradition, a dangerous addiction, even "a sickness of the soul" (as once described by a group of young Muslim men in Bali). In his wide-ranging travels, Lawrence Osborne--a veritable connoisseur himself--has witnessed opposing views of alcohol across cultures worldwide, compelling him to wonder: is drinking alcohol a sign of civilization and sanity, or the very reverse? Where do societies and their treatment of alcohol fall on the spectrum between indulgence and restraint? These questions launch the author on an audacious journey, from the Middle East, where drinking is prohibited, to the West, where it is an important--yet perhaps very often a ruinous--part of everyday life. Beginning in the bar of a luxury hotel in Milan, Osborne then ventures to the Hezbollah-threatened vineyards of Lebanon; a landmark pub in London; the dangerous drinking dens on the Malaysian border; the only brewery in the alcohol-hostile country of Pakistan; and Oman, where he faces the absurd challenge of finding a bottle of champagne on New Year's Eve. Amid his travels, Osborne unravels the stories of alcoholism in his own family, and reflects on ramifications of alcohol consumption in his own life. An immersing, controversial, and often irreverent travel narrative, The Wet and the Dry offers provocative, sometimes unsettling insights into the deeply embedded conflicts between East and West, and the surprising influence of drinking on the contemporary world today.
The Wexford: Elusive Shipwreck of the Great Storm, 1913
by Paul CarrollWinner for the 2010 SOS Marine Heritage Award The steamer Wexford, with her flared bow, tall masts, and her open, canvas-sided hurricane deck, charmed spectators as she carried cargo across the Great Lakes. The romance and adventure of her British and French history in the South American trade followed her. Under newly appointed 24-year-old captain Bruce Cameron, her fateful final voyage was punctuated with opportunities to be saved from destruction , but his persistence in trying to make port at Goderich led to tragedy - a victim of the storm of 1913. Over a period of 87 years, she eluded many efforts to locate her remains, but was finally discovered in 2000 by a sailor using a fish-finding device. Since then, she has been visited by thousands, but sadly plundered. Our story traces her history from her British origins in 1883, through the transition to become a "Laker," the eventful storm, the search, and her ultimate discovery in southern Lake Huron, and the controversy over how she should be protected.