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The Impossible Journey: An incredible voyage through every country in the world without flying
by Thor Pedersen'Never less than entertaining ... the book really comes alive.' Mail on Sunday203 countries. A decade of travel. Not a single plane in sight. This is the story of one man's journey to be the first to visit every country in the world without flight.When Thor Pedersen set out on the adventure of a lifetime, he couldn't have imagined the people he'd meet and the experiences he'd encounter along the way. But embarking on this epic voyage took him to the brink of his sanity, wiped his funds and tested the relationships he held dear.Over the years he faced grave danger, from encounters with drunken armed soldiers to life-threatening illness and even traversing the high seas, with wild waves destabilising the cargo ship he'd hitched a ride on. He'd sleep on the street one night and dine in the homes of billionaires the next. He visited countries stricken with war-zones, and once had to take an 11,919 km detour, revisiting seven countries, traversing Baluchistan in Pakistan escorted by armed guards because he was denied a visa while in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Life becomes complicated without the luxury of flying.Yet after years of challenges and milestones, Thor achieved something no other human ever has. The Impossible Journey is a triumphant memoir as he invites the world to share in this once in a lifetime adventure. He imparts the lessons, stories and unique perspectives on humanity he learned along the way.
The Impossible Voyage of Kon-Tiki
by Deborah Kogan RayCombining history with culture, the ocean with exploration, and risk with triumph—this rich offering is the only picture book account of Thor Heyerdahl's world-famous Kon-Tiki expedition, during which he sailed a raft 5,000 miles from the coast of South America to the islands of the South Pacific.Author Deborah Kogan Ray clearly and succinctly sets up how Norwegian anthropologist Heyerdahl became convinced that ancient Peruvians arrived in the South Pacific via raft, why he wanted to re-create the voyage, and how he planned for it. She uses primary-source quotations on each spread to shore up the factual history of the events portrayed in the book. Her illustrations add emotion to this harrowing journey.
The Imprisoned Traveler: Joseph Forsyth and Napoleon's Italy (Transits: Literature, Thought & Culture 1650-1850)
by Keith CrookThe Imprisoned Traveler is a fascinating portrait of a unique book, its context, and its elusive author. Joseph Forsyth, traveling through an Italy plundered by Napoleon, was unjustly imprisoned in 1803 by the French as an enemy alien. Out of his arduous eleven-year “detention” came his only book, Remarks on Antiquities, Arts, and Letters during an Excursion in Italy (1813). Written as an (unsuccessful) appeal for release, praised by Forsyth’s contemporaries for its originality and fine taste, it is now recognized as a classic of Romantic period travel writing. Keith Crook, in this authoritative study, evokes the peculiar miseries that Forsyth endured in French prisons, reveals the significance of Forsyth’s encounters with scientists, poets, scholars, and ordinary Italians, and analyzes his judgments on Italian artworks. He uncovers how Forsyth’s allusiveness functions as a method of covert protest against Napoleon and reproduces the hitherto unpublished correspondence between the imprisoned Forsyth and his brother. Published by Bucknell University Press. Distributed worldwide by Rutgers University Press.
The Improbable Conquest: Sixteenth-Century Letters from the Río de la Plata (Latin American Originals #9)
by Pablo García Loaeza Victoria L. GarrettThe Improbable Conquest offers translations of a series of little-known letters from the chaotic Spanish conquest of the Río de la Plata region, uncovering a rich and understudied historical resource. These letters were written by a wide variety of individuals, including clergy, military officers, and the region’s first governor, Pedro de Mendoza. There is also an exceptional contribution from Isabel de Guevara, one of the few women involved in the conquest to have recorded her experiences. Writing about the conditions of settlements and expeditions, these individuals vividly expose the less glamorous side of the conquest, narrating in detail various misfortunes, infighting, corruption, and complaints. Their letters further reveal the colony’s fraught relationship with the native peoples it sought to colonize, giving insight into the complexities of the conquest and the colonization process. Pablo García Loaeza and Victoria Garrett provide an introduction to the history of the region and the conquest’s key players, as well as a timeline and a glossary explaining difficult and archaic Spanish terms.
The Improbable Conquest: Sixteenth-Century Letters from the Río de la Plata (Latin American Originals)
by Pablo García Loaeza and Victoria L. GarrettThe Improbable Conquest offers translations of a series of little-known letters from the chaotic Spanish conquest of the Río de la Plata region, uncovering a rich and understudied historical resource. These letters were written by a wide variety of individuals, including clergy, military officers, and the region’s first governor, Pedro de Mendoza. There is also an exceptional contribution from Isabel de Guevara, one of the few women involved in the conquest to have recorded her experiences. Writing about the conditions of settlements and expeditions, these individuals vividly expose the less glamorous side of the conquest, narrating in detail various misfortunes, infighting, corruption, and complaints. Their letters further reveal the colony’s fraught relationship with the native peoples it sought to colonize, giving insight into the complexities of the conquest and the colonization process. Pablo García Loaeza and Victoria Garrett provide an introduction to the history of the region and the conquest’s key players, as well as a timeline and a glossary explaining difficult and archaic Spanish terms.
The Improbable Voyage
by Tristan JonesThe sailor-author navigates his famous yacht, Outward Leg, across the rivers of Europe in this travel memoir that&’s &“vintage Tristan Jones&” (Publishers Weekly). The Improbable Voyage is the account of master sailor and storyteller Tristan Jones' 2,307-mile voyage across Europe in an oceangoing trimaran, Outward Leg. Continuing his round-the-world journey, Jones traveled from the North Sea to the Black Sea via the rivers Rhine and Danube. Battling ice and cold, life-threatening rapids and narrow defiles, German bureaucrats and Romanian frontier police, the indomitable Jones made his way through eight countries and emerged triumphant, if battered, bruised and penniless, at the Black Sea.Tristan Jones is one of the best-known authors of sailing stories. A Welshman, he left school at age 14 to work on sailing barges and spent the rest of his life at sea.
The Incas of Peru
by Sir Clemens R. MarkhamThe Incas of Peru by Sir Clemens R. Markham is an authoritative and captivating exploration of the history, culture, and legacy of one of the most fascinating civilizations in the ancient world. Written by a distinguished historian and explorer, this book offers a comprehensive and detailed account of the rise and fall of the Inca Empire, providing readers with a deep understanding of the people who once ruled over a vast and sophisticated empire in the Andes.Markham, who devoted much of his career to the study of Peru and its indigenous cultures, combines meticulous research with vivid narrative to bring the story of the Incas to life. He traces the origins of the Inca people, their development into a powerful empire, and the remarkable achievements in architecture, agriculture, and administration that defined their civilization. Markham also delves into the religious and social structures of the Incas, offering insights into their unique worldview and the role of the Sapa Inca, or emperor, as both a political and spiritual leader.The Incas of Peru explores the dramatic events of the Spanish conquest, examining how the arrival of Francisco Pizarro and his forces led to the downfall of the Inca Empire. Markham presents a balanced view of the conflict, highlighting both the resilience of the Inca people and the devastating impact of European colonization.Throughout the book, Markham’s deep respect for the Inca civilization is evident, as he sheds light on the enduring legacy of the Incas and their influence on the culture and history of Peru. His work is enriched by his own experiences in Peru, including his travels to Inca sites and his interactions with the descendants of the Inca people.The Incas of Peru is essential reading for historians, archaeologists, and anyone interested in the rich history of South America. Sir Clemens R. Markham’s scholarly expertise and engaging writing make this book a timeless classic that continues to inspire and educate readers about the remarkable civilization of the Incas.
The Incident at Naples
by Francis SteegmullerBorn in Australia, novelist Shirley Hazzard first moved to Naples as a young woman in the 1950s to take up a job with the United Nations. It was the beginning of a long love affair with the city, in which the Naples of Pliny, Gibbon, and Auden constantly became reanimated by new experiences, as Hazzard was joined in her travels by her husband, the editor and critic Francis Steegmuller. In The Incident at Naples, a classic essay first published by the New Yorker, Steegmuller recollects on how he was, as a tourist to the city, robbed and injured and then treated in a series of hospitals. What can The Incident at Naples teach us? A town shadowed by both the symbol and the reality of Vesuvius can never fail to acknowledge the essential precariousness of life-nor, as Hazzard and Steegmuller discover, the human compassion, generosity, and friendship that are necessary to sustain it.
The Incredible Voyage: A Personal Odyssey
by Tristan JonesA Welshman&’s witty and gritty sailing adventure memoir with &“the bite of fine sea salt and a whiplike delivery&” (Kirkus Reviews). Follow the supreme adventurer, Tristan Jones, as he takes a solitary and intrepid six-year voyage on his small craft, The Sea Dart. Covering a distance twice the circumference of the globe, from the lowest body of water in the world—the Dead Sea—to the highest—Lake Titicaca in the Andes—Jones finds himself "a thousand times beyond the limit of endurance." With tenacity stronger than any obstacle, Jones refuses to give up his adventure, even after falling prey to several disasters that could have killed him. Struggling against the mighty current of the Amazon, hauling his boat over the Andes Mountains and capsizing off the Cape of Good Hope do not discourage him. This gripping story is a testament to his indomitable spirit and thirst for danger.
The Indian Empire At War: From Jihad to Victory, The Untold Story of the Indian Army in the First World War
by George Morton-Jack'Essential to a proper understanding of the war and of our world of today' Michael Morpurgo1.5 million Indians fought with the British in the First World War - from Flanders to the African bush and the deserts of the Islamic world, they saved the Allies from defeat in 1914 and were vital to global victory in 1918. Using previously unpublished veteran interviews, this is their story, told as never before.
The Indian and Pacific Correspondence of Sir Joseph Banks, 1768-1820, Volume 1 (The\pickering Masters Ser.)
by Neil ChambersAfter James Cook's voyage in HMS Endeavour, Banks developed a network of scientists and explorers. Banks's correspondence is one of the great primary sources for studying the Pacific region during this important period of exploration and colonial expansion.
The Indian and Pacific Correspondence of Sir Joseph Banks, 1768–1820, Volume 2 (The Pickering Masters)
by Neil ChambersFollowing his participation in James Cook's circumnavigation in HMS Endeavour (1768-71), Joseph Banks developed an extensive global network of scientists and explorers. His correspondence shows how he developed effective working links with the British Admiralty and with the generation of naval officers who sailed after Cook. Volume 2 1768–1820.
The Indian and Pacific Correspondence of Sir Joseph Banks, 1768–1820, Volume 3 (The Pickering Masters)
by Neil ChambersFollowing his participation in James Cook's circumnavigation in HMS Endeavour (1768-71), Joseph Banks developed an extensive global network of scientists and explorers. His correspondence shows how he developed effective working links with the British Admiralty and with the generation of naval officers who sailed after Cook. Volume 3 Letters 1789–1792
The Indian and Pacific Correspondence of Sir Joseph Banks, 1768–1820, Volume 4 (The\pickering Masters Ser.)
by Neil ChambersFollowing his participation in James Cook's circumnavigation in HMS Endeavour (1768-71), Joseph Banks developed an extensive global network of scientists and explorers. His correspondence shows how he developed effective working links with the British Admiralty and with the generation of naval officers who sailed after Cook.
The Indian and Pacific Correspondence of Sir Joseph Banks, 1768–1820, Volume 5 (The Pickering Masters)
by Neil ChambersFollowing his participation in James Cook's circumnavigation in HMS Endeavour (1768-71), Joseph Banks developed an extensive global network of scientists and explorers. His correspondence shows how he developed effective working links with the British Admiralty and with the generation of naval officers who sailed after Cook. Volume 5 Letters 1798–1801
The Indian and Pacific Correspondence of Sir Joseph Banks, 1768–1820, Volume 6 (The Pickering Masters)
by Neil ChambersFollowing his participation in James Cook's circumnavigation in HMS Endeavour (1768-71), Joseph Banks developed an extensive global network of scientists and explorers. His correspondence shows how he developed effective working links with the British Admiralty and with the generation of naval officers who sailed after Cook. Volume 6 Letters 1801–1805
The Indian and Pacific Correspondence of Sir Joseph Banks, 1768–1820, Volume 7 (The\pickering Masters Ser.)
by Neil ChambersFollowing his participation in James Cook's circumnavigation in HMS Endeavour (1768-71), Joseph Banks developed an extensive global network of scientists and explorers. His correspondence shows how he developed effective working links with the British Admiralty and with the generation of naval officers who sailed after Cook.
The Indian and Pacific Correspondence of Sir Joseph Banks, 1768–1820, Volume 8 (The\pickering Masters Ser.)
by Neil ChambersFollowing his participation in James Cook's circumnavigation in HMS Endeavour (1768-71), Joseph Banks developed an extensive global network of scientists and explorers. His correspondence shows how he developed effective working links with the British Admiralty and with the generation of naval officers who sailed after Cook.
The Inland Sea
by Pico Iyer Donald Richie"Earns its place on the very short shelf of books on Japan that are of permanent value."--Times Literary Supplement. "Richie is a stupendous travel writer; the book shines with bright witticisms, deft characterizations of fisherfolk, merchants, monks and wistful adolescents, and keen comparisons of Japanes and Western culture." --San Francisco Chronicle"A learned, beautifully paced elegy."--London Review of BooksSheltered between Japan's major islands lies the Inland Sea, a place modernity passed by. In this classic travel memoir, Donald Richie embarks on a quest to find Japan's timeless heart among its mysterious waters and forgotten islands. This edition features an introduction by Pico Iyer, photographs from the award-winning PBS documentary, and a new afterword. First published in 1971, The Inland Sea is a lucid, tender voyage of discovery and self-revelation. Donald Richie is the foremost authority on Japanese culture and cinema with 40+ books in print.
The Inland Sea
by Donald Richie"Earns its place on the very short shelf of books on Japan that are of permanent value. "-"Times Literary Supplement. " "Richie is a stupendous travel writer; the book shines with bright witticisms, deft characterizations of fisherfolk, merchants, monks and wistful adolescents, and keen comparisons of Japanes and Western culture. " -San Francisco Chronicle "A learned, beautifully paced elegy. "-"London Review of Books" Sheltered between Japan's major islands lies the Inland Sea, a place modernity passed by. In this classic travel memoir, Donald Richie embarks on a quest to find Japan's timeless heart among its mysterious waters and forgotten islands. This edition features an introduction by Pico Iyer, photographs from the award-winning PBS documentary, and a new afterword. First published in 1971, "The Inland Sea "is a lucid, tender voyage of discovery and self-revelation. Donald Richie is the foremost authority on Japanese culture and cinema with 40+ books in print.
The Inland Sea
by Donald Richie Yoichi Midorikawa"An elegiac prose celebration . . . a classic in its genre."--Publishers WeeklyIn this acclaimed travel memoir, Donald Richie paints a memorable portrait of the island-studded Inland Sea. His existential ruminations on food, culture, and love and his brilliant descriptions of life and landscape are a window into an Old Japan that has now nearly vanished. Included are the twenty black and white photographs by Yoichi Midorikawa that accompanied the original 1971 edition.Donald Richie (1924-2013) was an internationally recognized expert on Japanese culture and film. Yoichi Midorikawa (1915-2001) was one of Japan's foremost nature photographers.
The Inner Islands
by Bland Simpson Ann Cary SimpsonBlending history, oral history, autobiography, and travel narrative, Bland Simpson explores the islands that lie in the sounds, rivers, and swamps of North Carolina's inner coast. In each of the fifteen chapters in the book, Simpson covers a single island or group of islands, many of which, were it not for the buffering Outer Banks, would be lost to the ebbs and flows of the Atlantic. Instead they are home to unique plant and animal species and well-established hardwood forests, and many retain vestiges of an earlier human history.
The Innocence of Objects
by Orhan PamukThe Nobel Prize winner&’s catalog of his Istanbul museum is like &“wandering past the illuminated windows of an arcade. . . . This book spills over with pleasure&”(The New York Times). The culmination of decades of omnivorous collecting, Orhan Pamuk&’s Museum of Innocence in Istanbul uses his novel of lost love, The Museum of Innocence, as a departure point to explore the city of his youth. In The Innocence of Objects, Pamuk&’s catalog of this remarkable museum, he writes about things that matter deeply to him: the psychology of the collector, the proper role of the museum, the photography of old Istanbul (illustrated with Pamuk&’s superb collection of haunting photographs and movie stills), and of course the customs and traditions of his beloved city. The book&’s imagery is equally evocative, ranging from the ephemera of everyday life to the superb photographs of Turkish photographer Ara Güler. Combining compelling visual images and writing, The Innocence of Objects is an original work of art and literature.
The Innocents Abroad
by Mark TwainMark Twain is best known for his novels and short stories. Twain uses his incredible whit to depict life in America. His books Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn have been read by school children for generations. His life on the Mississippi River has peeked the imagination of boys to go and build a raft and sail off into unknown adventures. From the original dust jacket, The Innocents Abroad of 1869 and Roughing It of 1872 . . . remain today among the most popular travel books ever written. The Innocents Abroad, based largely on letters written for New York and San Francisco newspapers, narrates the progress of the first American organized tour of Europe, to Naples, Smyrna, Constantinople, and Palestine. . . . Roughing It is the light-hearted account of Mark Twain's actual and imagined adventures when he escaped the Civil War and joined his brother, recently appointed Secretary of the Nevada Territory. His accounts of stagecoach travel, Indians, Western dress and food, and customs, frontier society . . . are intermingled with his own experiences as a prospector, miner, journalist, boon companion and lecturer as he traveled through Nevada, Utah, California and even to the Hawaiian Islands.
The Innocents Abroad
by Mark TwainHailed by the New York Herald as “an oasis in the desert of works on foreign travel,” The Innocents Abroad was a great success when first published, and it remained the bestselling of all Twain’s works throughout his lifetime. It shows the author at the height of his literary power as he records razor-sharp, often hilarious, observations of the people he meets and places he visits during a trip to Europe and the Holy Land in 1867.Originally a series of travel letters written for a San Francisco newspaper, the book presents a refreshingly honest and vivid view of such places as Tangier, Marseilles, Gibraltar, Rome, Constantinople, and Damascus. Twain’s humor takes a particularly satirical turn toward tourists who rely on travel guidebooks rather than personal impressions to define their travel experiences. The book alternates light-hearted chapters with serious passages involving history, statistics, and descriptions of religious relics, artwork, and architecture.From amusements and tribulations at sea, viewing the “outrageous” cancan in Paris, and witnessing the notable sights of Venice, to observing the grandeur of St. Peter’s, ascending Vesuvius, and contemplating the remains of Solomon’s Temple, this classic will delight a wide audience, including longtime fans of the American humorist and anyone who enjoys an entertaining and enlightening travel book. This edition also includes all the illustrations from the original publication.