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The Zambesi Expedition

Zanzibar

Achille LeBlab, special correspondent, knocks at Zanzibar’s door. He wants to write an article about an exceptional character. Is Zanzibar exceptional? The lizard seems to doubt it. “Aside from your poetic name, I’m afraid you’re a very ordinary crow.” That night Zanzibar decides: “I haven’t done anything remarkable yet, but it’s never too late!” He comes up with an idea for an incredible feat. First he must find a camel...

The Zanzibar Wife: The new novel from the internationally bestselling author of The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul

'A lovely novel of female friendship and support when East meets West, of magic and things we may not understand, of hope, of comfort, and in the background the enticing salty, fishy, spicy aromas of Zanzibar.' - Dinah Jeffries'Heart-warming and poignant. A story of female courage and friendship sprinkled with magic - what's not to love?' - Rosanna Ley'a compelling account of three very different women, each challenged by circumstances that reveal the inner conflict in their lives, and their refusal to conform. An endearing read.' - Vaseem KhanA beautiful, exotic, sweeping, emotional story, perfect for fans of The Little Coffee Shop of KabulAn internationally best selling author****************Oman. The ancient land of frankincense, wind-swept deserts, craggy mountaintops and turquoise seas. Into this magical nation come three remarkable women, each facing a crossroad in her life. Rachel, an American war photographer, who is struggling to shed the trauma of her career. Now she is headed to Oman to cover quite a different story - for a glossy travel magazine. Ariana Khan, a bubbly English woman who has rashly volunteered as Rachel's 'fixer', a job she's never heard of in a country she knows nothing about. And Miza, a young woman living far from her beloved homeland of Zanzibar. As the second wife of Tariq, she remains a secret from his terrifying 'other' wife, Maryam. Until the day that Tariq fails to come home...As the three women journey together across this extraordinary land, they quickly learn that, in Oman, things aren't always what they appear to be...The Zanzibar Wife is a bewitching story of clashing cultures and conflicting beliefs, of secrets and revelations, of mystery and magic, by the author of the beloved international bestseller The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul.'As if Maeve Binchy had written 'The Kite Runner' - Kirkus Reviews

Zebulon Pike: Explorer of the Southwest

A biography of the army officer and explorer who discovered, among other places in the West and Southwest, the great Rocky Mountain peak in Colorado that bears his name.

Zelienople

In 1800, Butler County had just been created and was nothing but forest, streams, and Indian trails. Dettmar Basse purchased 10,000 acres in this wilderness, where he hoped to create a barony similar to the ones he had known in Germany. In 1802, he started to build his Bassenheim (Basse's home). It took seven years and $7,000 to build this castle, and he also laid out streets for a town that he named for his daughter Zelie (nople means village). Zelie and her new husband, Philippe Passavant, of French ancestry, traveled here in 1807 and became the first merchants on Main Street. Their son William A. Passavant founded numerous orphanages and hospitals throughout the country. Christian Buhl, the hatter and furrier, came to Zelienople from Germany in 1802. His grandson Henry Buhl Jr. founded Boggs and Buhl Department Store on the north side of Pittsburgh. In 1927, he bequeathed an $11-million endowment to the Buhl Foundation, making it one of the best-funded foundations in the country.

Zellwood

Zellwood was named for Thomas Ellwood Zell, who arrived in the area in 1876. Zell sent scrapbooks displaying newspaper clippings to entice Northern friends--former Civil War officers--to settle near Lakes Maggiore and Minore. Word spread that Zellwood was a desirable place to winter and do business. Construction of millionaire steel magnate James Laughlin Jr.'s mansion began in 1885. Zellwood attracted people who built estates and new homes. Boardinghouses popped up. The Holly Arms Hotel and Zellwood Inn housed farmers, teachers, and entrepreneurs. In 1911, a train brought more settlers planning to earn their livelihood from Zellwood's rich earth. Agriculture dominated from the 1940s through the late 1990s. Zellwood was known for sweet corn. By 1999, all but one farm had been purchased for Lake Apopka restoration. Only Long and Scott Farms carries on the tradition of growing Zellwood sweet corn by farming the sandy soil bordering the muck lands of Lake Apopka.

Zen and Now

Part travelogue, part meditation on an author and his work, Zen and Now is a tribute to a beloved American book and the landscape that inspired it.Since it was first published in 1974, Robert Pirsig's Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance has become a modern classic, a beautifully constructed blend of travel narrative and philosophical inquiry that has moved generations of readers. One of those readers was journalistMarkRichardson, who after rediscovering the book at middle age, decided to retrace Pirsig's journey. Fromthe back of his own motorcycle, Richardson investigates what happened to the reclusive Pirsig, his family, and the people described in the book in the years after its surprising success.From the Trade Paperback edition.

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry Into Values (Perennial Classics Ser.)

THE CLASSIC BOOK THAT HAS INSPIRED MILLIONSA penetrating examination of how we live and how to live betterFew books transform a generation and then establish themselves as touchstones for the generations that follow. Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is one such book. This modern epic of a man’s search for meaning became an instant bestseller on publication in 1974, acclaimed as one of the most exciting books in the history of American letters. It continues to inspire millions. A narration of a summer motorcycle trip undertaken by a father and his son, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance becomes a personal and philosophical odyssey into fundamental questions on how to live. The narrator's relationship with his son leads to a powerful self-reckoning; the craft of motorcycle maintenance leads to an austerely beautiful process for reconciling science, religion, and humanism. Resonant with the confusions of existence, this classic is a touching and transcendent book of life.This new edition contains an interview with Pirsig and letters and documents detailing how this extraordinary book came to be.

Zen and the Art of Murder: A Black Forest Investigation I (The Black Forest Investigations #1)

** NOW SHORTLISTED FOR THE CWA INTERNATIONAL DAGGER**"Gripping" TatlerThe first in a thrilling new crime series set in Germany - the Black Forest Investigations Louise Boni, maverick chief inspector with the Black Forest crime squad, is struggling with her demons. Divorced at forty-two, she is haunted by the shadows of the past. Dreading yet another a dreary winter weekend alone, she receives a call from the departmental chief which signals the strangest assignment of her career - to trail a Japanese monk wandering through the snowy wasteland to the east of Freiburg, dressed only in sandals and a cowl. She sets off reluctantly, and by the time she catches up with him, she discovers that he is injured, and fearfully fleeing some unknown evil. When her own team comes under fire, the investigation takes on a terrifying dimension, uncovering a hideous ring of child traffickers. The repercussions of their crimes will change the course of her own life.Oliver Bottini is a fresh and exciting voice in the world of crime fiction in translation; the Rhine borderlands of the Black Forest are a perfect setting for his beautifully crafted mysteries.Translated from the German by Jamie Bulloch

Zen Gardens

Shunmyo Masuno, Japan's leading garden designer, is at once Japan's most highly acclaimed landscape architect and an 18th-generation Zen Buddhist priest, presiding over daily ceremonies at the Kenkoji Temple in Yokohama. He is celebrated for his unique ability to blend strikingly contemporary elements with the traditional design vernacular. He has worked in ultramodern urban hotels and in some of Japan's most famous classic gardens. In each project, his work as a designer is inseparable from his Buddhist practice. Each becomes a Zen garden, "a special spiritual place where the mind dwells."This beautiful book, illustrated with more than 400 drawings and color photographs, is the first complete retrospective of Masuno's work to be published in English. It presents 37 major gardens around the world in a wide variety of types and settings: traditional and contemporary, urban and rural, public spaces and private residences, and including temple, office, hotel and campus venues. Masuno achieved fame for his work in Japan, but he is becoming increasingly known internationally, and in 2011 completed his first commission in the United States which is shown here.The book, divided into three chapters, covers: "Traditional Zen Gardens," "Contemporary Zen Gardens," and "Zen Gardens outside Japan." Illustrated with photographs and architectural plans or sketches, each garden is described and analyzed by author Mira Locher, herself an architect and a scholar well versed in Japanese culture.Celebrating the accomplishments of a major, world-class designer, Zen Gardens also serves as something of a master class in Japanese garden design and appreciation: how to perceive a Japanese garden, how to understand one, even how to make one yourself. Like one of Masuno's gardens, the book can be a place for contemplation and mindful repose.

Zenith

In this compelling sequel to "Exodus", the search for a future remains a terrifying fight for survival. Sixteen-year-old Mara and her ship of refugees are tracking the North Star in search of land in the mountains of Greenland to call home. A Gypsea boy named Tuck soon becomes inextricably linked to their fate.

Zephyrhills

Zephyrhills has had many monikers, including Oakdale, Abbott, Abbott Station, Friendly City, and City of Pure Water. The universal appeal of this treasured location is the weaving of diverse people. Native Americans first imprinted the area and are immortalized today at nearby Fort Foster and Fort Dade. In 1886, Simon J. Temple purchased land from the Florida Railway and Navigation Corporation. Soon after, Capt. H. B. Jeffries of the Pennsylvania 28th Calvary established a Civil War veterans' colony with son-in-law Raymond Moore. Jeffries coined the town's modern name during a multisensory excursion to the highest elevation point--scenic LeHeup Hill--where he gazed down on the city (no doubt taking in pastoral views and breathing fresh air from gentle breezes off the hills) and exclaimed, "a haven of 'zephyr' hills!"

Zero Days

In April 2004, Barbara Egbert and Gary Chambers and their precocious 10-year-old daughter Mary embarked on a 2,650-mile hike from Mexico to Canada along the famed Pacific Crest Trail. This the well-told tale of their epic adventure, which required love, perseverance, and the careful rationing of toilet paper. Six months later, Mary would become the youngest person ever to successfully walk the entire trail.The trio weathered the heat of the Mojave, the jagged peaks of the Sierra, the rain of Oregon, and the final cold stretch through the Northern Cascades. They discovered which family values, from love and equality to thrift and cleanliness, could withstand a long, narrow trail and 137 nights together in a 6-by-8-foot tent. Filled with tidbits of wisdom, practical advice, and humor, this story will both entertain and inspire readers to dream about and plan their own epic journey.

Zheng He: China's Greatest Explorer, Mariner, and Navigator (The Silk Road's Greatest Travelers)

Zheng He was the commander of a vast Chinese fleet known as the treasure fleet. In the early fifteenth century, he led the fleet on seven journeys throughout the South China Sea and Indian Ocean, serving as ambassador to the barbarian nations in need of a civilizing influence. Under Zheng He’s command, the Chinese treasure fleet achieved one of the most impressive maritime displays the world had ever seen. This engaging volume covers the fleet’s travels, which covered more than 40,000 miles and included sea routes along the Silk Road, to cities and kingdoms from southern Asia to east Africa.

Zickzack

Zigzagging through six locations on the edges of the German-speaking world, exploring them through politics, architecture, literature, film, art, music, food, and history.&“Zickzack&” is the German word for &“zigzag&”: hopping around, moving back and forth, never following a straight line, avoiding the monotony of one thing following another. Zickzack is William Firebrace&’s zigzagging exploration of six places on the edges of the German-speaking world. Deploying essays, narration, conversations, descriptions, and lists, Firebrace celebrates locations on defined and undefined borders, where cultures, languages, and histories mix. In his nonlinear wandering, he touches on ethnicity, topography, history, film, literature, myth, languages, and gastronomy. These locales are not the famous cities of Berlin, Vienna, and Zurich, but areas that straddle countries, geographies, and influences. Two are within Germany itself, one lies on (and over) the border with Poland, and three were once within the loose German cultural zone but now belong to other countries. Firebrace explores Strasbourg, capital of Alsace and part of a long-running territorial dispute between France and Germany; Königsberg, which spent some of the twentieth century as Kaliningrad; and Görlitz and Zgorcelec, twin cities on either side of a river. He plays hopscotch with churches in Backstein and takes a train trip past cities with double names—Sterzing-Vipiteno, Brixen-Bressanone, Klausen-Chiusa, signs of the double culture, where everything happens twice but in a slightly different way. In the zigzags of the German-speaking world, the original culture sometimes survives, sometimes is deliberately destroyed, sometimes merges with other cultures, and often, if submerged, resurfaces in a different form.

Ziebach County: 1910-2010 (Images of America)

South Dakota's north-central Ziebach County, established in 1911, is named for Frank M. Ziebach. The majority of the county lies within the boundaries of the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation; small areas also lie within the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation. As the railroad penetrated the area, small towns sprang up. Dupree, the largest town in Ziebach County, was selected as the county seat. Founded in 1910, the town of Dupree celebrates its 100-year centennial with the publication of this history. The Ziebach County Historical Society is dedicated to preserving the history of the area's people, places, and events. A collection of nearly 200 photographs provides a glimpse into the past, along with modern development. Ziebach communities included Armstrong, Bridger, Chase, Cherry Creek, Dupree, Glad Valley, Iron Lightning, Redelm, Red Scaffold, Takini, and Thunder Butte.

Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia

Travel book on the three African countries.

Zinn & the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance: The World's Best-Selling Guide to Mountain Bike Repair

Zinn & the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance is the world&’s best-selling guide to the maintenance and repair of mountain bikes, hybrids, and fat bikes.From basic repairs like how to fix a flat to advanced overhauls of drivetrains and brakes, Lennard Zinn&’s clearly illustrated guide makes every bike repair and maintenance job easy for everyone. Lennard Zinn is the world&’s leading expert on bike maintenance and repair. His friendly, step-by-step guide explains the tools and parts you&’ll need and how to know you&’ve done the job right. The book&’s interior is easy to read, even in a dimly-lit garage or workshop. Hundreds of hand-drawn illustrations and exploded-parts diagrams show just the right level of detail to lead you through every mountain bike repair task. This smartly organized guide shows how to repair new and old mountain bikes from top to bottom. In over 500 pages and more than 750 illustrations, Zinn&’s guide includes simple instructions for hundreds of mountain bike maintenance and repair jobs: Basics: How to fix a flat tire, lube a bicycle chain, adjust the brakes Emergency repairs: How to fix a broken chain, tighten loose spokes, repair a bent derailleur Easy shifting: How to adjust shifters, derailleurs, and cables for clean and smooth shifting Wheels: How to true a wheel, install a new tire, change a cassette, replace broken spokes, build your own wheels Overhauls: How to service and replace pedals, chains and chainrings, saddles, handlebars, stems, headsets, forks, bottom brackets New tech: How to maintain 1x-speed systems, electronic and wireless shifters Troubleshooting: How to figure out what&’s wrong with any bike and fix it Zinn & the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance makes bicycle repair and maintenance easy, quick, affordable, and fun. With Zinn at your side, you&’ll know how to keep your bicycle running smoothly for years. New in the 6th Edition: A chapter on electronic shifting covers maintenance, service, repair, and troubleshooting of all Shimano electronic shifting groups. Also included: How to program your electronic shifting system for personalized shifting as well as real-time display and shift recording on a head unit. A chapter on disc brakes covers maintenance, service, and repair of all hydraulic and mechanical systems. Includes integrated systems and their bleeding requirements. New guides on how disc brake mounting adapters work and how to install them. Complete info on the new 11-speed and SRAM 12-speed drivetrains. Info on all the newest bottom brackets including 1x11 and 1x12 systems. New guidelines on wheel size selection for your frame size, suspension settings, and travel. New procedures for mounting and sealing tubeless tire systems. New usage guidelines for flat-prevention sealants. Updated guides on replacing press-in bottom brackets with thread-in bottom brackets. New wheel lacing guidelines for building disc-brake compatible wheels. Updated and expanded guides on how to tune, rebuild, and maintain suspension forks and rear shocks. Includes tuning guides for preload, compression, rebound, and sag. Updated and revised troubleshooting tables, torque tables, and gearing charts for 26&”, 27.5&”, and 29&” bikes. Also covered in the 6th edition: All derailleur shifting systems; all bottom bracket systems; all brake systems; all headset, stem, handlebar and fork systems; wheelbuilding for all bikes; updated and expanded torque tables; complete indexes of all illustrations and topics covered. Whether you&’re riding a classic Stumpjumper or a carbon-fiber race machine, Zinn has got you covered!

Zinn & the Art of Road Bike Maintenance: The World's Best-Selling Bicycle Repair and Maintenance Guide

Zinn & the Art of Road Bike Maintenance is the world&’s best-selling guide to bicycle repair and maintenance.From basic repairs like how to fix a flat tire to advanced overhauls of drivetrains and brakes, Lennard Zinn&’s clearly illustrated guide makes every bicycle repair and maintenance job easy for everyone. Lennard Zinn is the world&’s leading expert on bike maintenance and repair. His friendly step-by-step guide explains the tools you&’ll need and how to know you&’ve done the job right. The book&’s interior is easy to read, even in a dimly-lit garage or workshop. Hundreds of hand-drawn illustrations and exploded parts diagrams show just the right level of detail to lead you through every bicycle repair task. This smartly organized guide shows how to repair new and old bicycles from top to bottom. In over 500 pages, Zinn&’s guide includes simple instructions for hundreds of bike maintenance and repair jobs: Basics: How to fix a flat tire, lube a bicycle chain, adjust the brakes Emergency repairs: How to fix a broken chain, tighten loose spokes, repair a bent derailleur Easy shifting: How to adjust shifters, derailleurs, and cables for clean and smooth shifting Wheels: How to true a wheel, install a new tire, change a cassette, replace broken spokes, build your own wheels Overhauls: How to service and replace pedals, chains and chainrings, saddles, handlebars, stems, headsets, forks, bottom brackets New tech: How to maintain 11-speed systems, electronic and wireless shifters, disc brakes Cyclocross: How to set up a &’cross bike for racing, select the right components, and make quick repairs Troubleshooting: How to figure out what&’s wrong with any bike and fix it Zinn & the Art of Road Bike Maintenance makes bicycle repair and maintenance easy, quick, affordable, and fun. With Zinn at your side, you&’ll know how to keep your bicycling running smoothly for years. What&’s New in Zinn & the Art of Road Bike Maintenance, 5th Ed.: More than 700 comprehensive illustrations and exploded views. New chapter on electronic shifting covers maintenance, service, repair, and troubleshooting of all Shimano, SRAM, and Campagnolo electronic shifting groups. New chapter on disc brakes covers maintenance, service, and repair of all hydraulic and mechanical systems. New tech covered in depth: through-axle forks, SRAM eTap wireless shifting, second generation Shimano and Campagnolo electronic shifting, direct-mount sidepull brakes, SRAM X-Sync 1x11 cyclocross systems, tubular tire gluing tapes. New troubleshooting charts New master guide to press-fit bottom brackets Also covered in the 5th edition: All derailleur shifting systems (5-speed through 11-speed); all bottom bracket systems (cone-and-cup through press-fit); all brake systems (including caliper, V-brake, cantilever, and disc); all headset, stem, handlebar and fork systems; wheelbuilding for all bikes including cyclocross and disc-brake wheels; special sections on cyclocross throughout including troubleshooting, maintenance, service, repair, and equipment selection; updated and expanded torque tables; complete illustration index and complete subject index.

Zinn & the Art of Road Bike Maintenance: The World's Best-Selling Bicycle Repair and Maintenance Guide, 6th Edition

Join the millions of cyclists who swear by the name Zinn. Now in its sixth edition, Zinn & the Art of Road Bike Maintenance is the world&’s best-selling guide to bicycle repair and maintenance. Lennard Zinn is the world&’s leading expert on bike maintenance and repair. From basic repairs like how to fix a flat tire to advanced overhauls of drivetrains and brakes, his illustrated, step-by-step guide explains the tools you&’ll need and how to know you&’ve done the job right. This book's interior is easy to read, even in a dimly lit garage or workshop. Hundreds of hand-drawn illustrations and exploded parts diagrams show just the right level of detail to lead you through every bicycle repair task. In over 450 pages, Zinn&’s guide includes simple instructions for hundreds of bike maintenance and repair jobs, including: Basics: How to fix a flat tire, lube a bicycle chain, adjust the brakes Emergency repairs: How to fix a broken chain, tighten loose spokes, repair a bent derailleur Easy shifting: How to adjust shifters, derailleurs, and cables for clean and smooth shifting Wheels: How to true a wheel, install a new tire, change a cassette, replace broken spokes, build your own wheels Overhauls: How to service and replace pedals, chains and chainrings, saddles, handlebars, stems, headsets, forks, bottom brackets New tech: How to maintain 11-speed systems, electronic and wireless shifters, disc brakes Cyclocross: How to set up a &’cross bike for racing, select the right components, and make quick repairs Troubleshooting: How to figure out what&’s wrong with any bike and fix it This sixth edition of Zinn & the Art of Road Bike Maintenance also includes more than 50 new illustrations as well as completely new information on routing internal wires, cables, hoses, and housing; how to pack bikes for shipping and air travel; repair on the road tips for tubeless tires; how to chain wax, and so much more. This guide makes bicycle repair and maintenance easy, quick, affordable, and fun. With Zinn at your side, you&’ll know how to keep your bicycling running smoothly for years.

Una zona de oscuridad: El descubrimiento de la India

Una zona de oscuridad es un clásico fundamental de la literatura de viajes, probablemente el libro más elegante y apasionado que se haya escrito sobre la India Una zona de oscuridad es el primer libro del premio Nobel V.S. Naipaul sobre la tierra de sus antepasados, fruto de su primer viaje al subcontinente indio en 1964. Desde el caos de Bombay a la belleza inmarcesible de Cachemira, de una sagrada cueva helada en el Himalaya a un templo abandonado en Madrás, Naipaul descubre una asombrosa variedad de tipos humanos, modestos funcionarios públicos y criados arrogantes; un sinuoso santón y un fascinado estadounidense en busca de la fe. Naipaul también expone su reacción personal y distinta al paralizante sistema de castas, a la aparentemente serena aceptación de la pobreza y la miseria, y el conflicto entre el deseo de autodeterminación y la nostalgia por la dominación británica. En Una zona de oscuridad forma, junto a India, tras un millón de motines (DeBolsillo 2011) e India: una civilización herida, su aclamada trilogía sobre la India. «Mi India no era como la de los ingleses o los británicos. Mi India estaba llena de dolor. Unos sesenta años antes mis antepasados habían hecho el larguísimo viaje desde India hasta el Caribe, de al menos seis semanas, y aunque apenas se hablaba de ello cuando yo era pequeño, a medida que fui haciéndome mayor empezó a preocuparme cada vez más. De modo que, a pesar de ser escritor, yo no iba a la India de Forster o de Kipling. Iba a una India que solamente existía en mi cabeza...» La crítica ha dicho... «La literatura de viajes de Naipaul, inteligente y subjetiva, conforma una narración directa del choque de civilizaciones.» The New York Times «Esto es la India. No conozco otro libro que consiga capturar con tanta precisión esta locura... Brillante.» John Wain, The Observer «Sus dotes de narrador son espectaculares... Uno regresa con placer a las revelaciones que se van desvelando a un tiempo sobre la India y sobre él.» The Times (London) «Escriba en el género que escriba, Naipaul es un maestro.» The New York Review of Books

A Zoo in My Luggage: A Zoo In My Luggage, The Whispering Land, And Menagerie Manor (The Zoo Memoirs #1)

What happens when the charming, animal-obsessed boy of the classic memoirs 'My Family and Other Animals' and 'Birds, Beasts and Other Relatives' grows up? He founds a zoo, of course.

The Zoo Memoirs: A Zoo in My Luggage, The Whispering Land, and Menagerie Manor (The Zoo Memoirs #3)

The British naturalist and bestselling author of the Corfu Trilogy—the inspiration for the Masterpiece production The Durrells in Corfu—founds a zoo. In this trio of delightful memoirs, British wildlife preservation pioneer and national bestselling author Gerald Durrell recounts the ups and downs he faces in transforming his lifelong dream of creating a new kind of zoo into a reality. A Zoo in My Luggage: In 1957, Durrell and his wife travel to the British Cameroons in West Africa to begin assembling his menagerie. The greater challenge proves to be in safely transporting their exotic animals back to Britain and finding a home for them. “Animals come close to being Durrell’s best friends. . . . He writes about them with style, verve, and humor.” —Time The Whispering Land: On an eight-month journey in South America to expand his menagerie, Durrell and his wife travel across windswept Patagonian shores and through tropical forests in the Argentine, encountering fur seals, ocelots, penguins, parrots, pumas, and more. “An amusing writer who transforms this Argentine backcountry into a particularly inviting place.” —San Francisco Chronicle Menagerie Manor: In 1959, on the grounds of an old manor house on the Channel Island of Jersey, Durrell finally opens the Jersey Zoo—now known as the Durrell Wildlife Park. Along with the satisfaction of providing a safe habitat for rare and endangered species come the trials of operating a fledgling zoo, including overdrawn bank accounts and escaped animals. “No one can be funnier than Mr. Durrell in relating his own adventures or the antics of the claw and paw set.” —The Christian Science Monitor

The Zoo on the Road to Nablus: A Story of Survival from the West Bank

The last Palestinian zoo stands on a dusty, dead-end street in the once prosperous farming town of Qalqilya, on the very edge of the West Bank. The zoo's bars are rusting; peacocks wander quiet avenues shaded by broad plane trees; a teenage baboon broods in solitary confinement; walls bear the pockmarks of gunfire. And yet the zoo is an extraordinary place, with a bizarre, troubling and inspiring story to tell. At the center of this story is Dr. Sami Khader, the only zoo veterinarian in the Palestinian territories. Family man, amateur inventor, and dedicated taxidermist, he is fiercely independent, apolitical, and resourceful in times of crisis. Dr. Sami dreams of transforming the zoo into one of an international caliber. In The Zoo on the Road to Nablus, Amelia Thomas brings the reader into a world rarely glimpsed from the outside, weaving the stories of the zoo's animals, its staff, and its visitors into a rich, colorful chronicle of the indomitability of the human-and animal-spirit.

Zoos and Tourism

Zoos are important and popular tourist attractions. Spread around the world, they are typically located in major cities, with visitation levels comparable to other major attractions. Nature-based attractions constructed in artificial settings, they face the challenge of trying to balance potentially conflicting aims of conservation, education and entertainment. The best are continually developing fresh and effective techniques on visitor interpretation and management, the worst highlight the manipulation of animals for human gratification. Taking a global approach, this book examines the problems and paradoxes of zoos as they try to balance their roles as visitor attractions while repositioning themselves as leading conservation agencies.