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Chasing China: How I Went to China in Search of a Fortune and Found a Life
by Mark KittoAn astonishing, cautionary tale of how Westerner Mark Kitto built a successful media empire in China, creating and running 3 magazines, only to have the state take his business, and his livelihood, away. I had fought off attacks from jealous rivals and been investigated by every bureau with the slightest connection to publishing, and by many who did not: nine in total. I had paid over 1 million Yuan in fines, and who knows how much more in administration fees to government 'agencies. ' I had been accused of being a pimp, a China 'splittist,' a Falun Gong supporter, a pornographer and a spy. My staff had been extradited, my office computers confiscated, and my magazines impounded at the printers. I had got them all back. I had been through eight government publishing partners before China Intercontinental Press, and half a dozen advertising agencies. Mark Kitto on his experience as a business owner in China.
Chasing China: How I Went to China in Search of a Fortune and Found a Life
by Mark KittoAn astonishing, cautionary tale of how Westerner Mark Kitto built a successful media empire in China, creating and running 3 magazines, only to have the state take his business, and his livelihood, away. "I had fought off attacks from jealous rivals and been investigated by every bureau with the slightest connection to publishing, and by many who did not: nine in total. I had paid over 1 million Yuan in fines, and who knows how much more in administration fees to government 'agencies.' I had been accused of being a pimp, a China 'splittist,' a Falun Gong supporter, a pornographer and a spy. My staff had been extradited, my office computers confiscated, and my magazines impounded at the printers. I had got them all back. I had been through eight government publishing partners before China Intercontinental Press, and half a dozen advertising agencies.” -Mark Kitto on his experience as a business owner in China
Chasing Clayoquot
by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. David Pitt-BrookeFirst published in 2004, and now with a new introduction by the author and a foreword by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., this book of natural history, environmentalism, and politics explores one of the Earth's last primeval places: Clayoquot Sound. Pitt-Brooke takes the reader on 12 journeys, one for each month of the year. Each journey covers the outstanding natural event of that season, such as whale-watching in April, shorebird migration in May, and the salmon spawn in October.
Chasing Cynthiana: My Search for America's Native Wines
by Dr. Lynn HamiltonWhy do Americans go to the grocery store to buy wine from California, Italy, or New Zealand, when many of us can find an independent winery thirty minutes down the road? Why are locally grown and produced wines so often disdained when locally grown food is upheld as the gold standard? The U.S. wine industry has lagged behind Europe&’s for far too long for reasons that have little to do with taste or quality, and Prohibition&’s disruption of domestic wine production provides only part of the explanation. In Chasing Cynthiana Lynn Hamilton reveals that Americans have far more wine options than they realize. One of those options, made from Norton grapes, has a rich but mostly forgotten history, entwined with the pioneering of America&’s western states. But Norton (also known as Cynthiana) is often pushed aside to make way for wine varietals from France and Italy. Is the wine drinker&’s preference for certain grapes rooted in necessity or tradition? How will climate change alter America&’s traditional wine regions? Hamilton considers these and other questions as she journeys through some of America&’s hidden pockets of wine in this exploration of winemaking&’s history in the United States. Infused with humor and whimsy, Chasing Cynthiana challenges the wine industry&’s snobbery as well as its complacency when it comes to American vintages.
Chasing Hope: A Reporter's Life
by Nicholas D. KristofFrom New York Times columnist, Pulitzer Prize winner, and best-selling author Nicholas D. Kristof, an intimate and gripping memoir about a life in journalism&“Nick Kristof takes us behind the scenes as he risks his life to shine a light on the world&’s most pressing problems and blaze a trail to a better future. In a time when trust in journalism is in jeopardy, his honesty, humility, and humanity are rays of hope.&”—Adam Grant, author of Hidden PotentialSince 1984, Nicholas Kristof has worked almost continuously for The New York Times as a reporter, foreign correspondent, bureau chief, and now columnist, becoming one of the foremost reporters of his generation. Here, he recounts his event-filled path from a small-town farm in Oregon to every corner of the world.Reporting from Hong Kong, Beijing, and Tokyo, while traveling far afield to India, Africa, and Europe, Kristof witnessed and wrote about century-defining events: the Tiananmen Square protests and massacre, the Yemeni civil war, the Darfur genocide in Sudan, and the wave of addiction and despair that swept through his hometown and a broad swath of working-class America. Fully aware that coverage of atrocities generates considerably fewer page views than the coverage of politics, he nevertheless continued to weaponize his pen against regimes and groups violating basic human rights, raising the cost of oppression and torture. Some of the risks he took while doing so make for hair-raising reading.Kristof writes about some of the great members of his profession and introduces us to extraordinary people he has met, such as the dissident whom he helped escape from China and a Catholic nun who browbeat a warlord into releasing schoolgirls he had kidnapped. These are the people, the heroes, who have allowed Kristof to remain optimistic. Side by side with the worst of humanity, you always see the best.This is a candid memoir of vulnerability and courage, humility and purpose, mistakes and learning—a singular tale of the trials, tribulations, and hope to be found in a life dedicated to the pursuit of truth.
Chasing Icebergs: How Frozen Freshwater Can Save the Planet
by Matthew H. BirkholdA deeply intelligent and engrossing narrative that will transform our relationship with water and how we view climate change.The global water crisis is upon us. 1 in 3 people do not have access to safe drinking water; nearly 1 million people die each year as a result. Even in places with adequate freshwater, pollution and poor infrastructure have left residents without basic water security. Luckily, there is a solution to this crisis where we least expect it. Icebergs—frozen mountains of freshwater—are more than a symbol of climate change. In his spellbinding Chasing Icebergs, Matthew Birkhold argues the glistening leviathans of the ocean may very well hold the key to saving the planet. Harvesting icebergs for drinking water is not a new idea. But for the first time in human history, doing so on a massive global scale is both increasingly feasible and necessary for our survival. Chasing Icebergs delivers a kaleidoscopic history of humans&’ relationship with icebergs, and offers an urgent assessment of the technological, cultural, and legal obstacles we must overcome to harness this freshwater resource. Birkhold takes readers around the globe, introducing them to a colorful cast of characters with wildly different ideas about how (and if) humans should use icebergs. Sturdy bureaucrats committed to avoiding another Titanic square off against &“iceberg cowboys&” who wrangle the frozen beasts for profit. Entrepreneurs selling luxury iceberg water for an eye-popping price clash with fearless humanitarians trying to tow icebergs across the globe to eradicate water shortages. Along the way, we meet some of the world&’s most renowned scientists to determine how industrial-scale iceberg harvesting could affect the oceans and the poles. And we see firsthand the looming conflict between Indigenous peoples like the Greenlandic Inuit with claims to icebergs and the private corporations that stand to reap massive profits. As Birkhold shepherds readers from Connecticut to South Africa, from Newfoundland to Norway, to Greenland and beyond, he unfurls a visionary argument for cooperation over conflict. It&’s not too late for icebergs to save humanity. But we must act fast to form a coalition of scientists, visionaries, engineers, lawyers and diplomats to ensure that the &“Cold Rush&” doesn&’t become a free-for-all.
Chasing Kangaroos: A Continent, a Scientist, and a Search for the World's Most Extraordinary Creature
by Tim FlanneryIn his most personal book yet, Tim Flannery draws on three decades of travel, research, and field work to craft a love letter to his native land and one of its most unique and beloved inhabitants: the kangaroo.
Chasing Lance: The 2005 Tour de France and Lance Armstrong's Ride of a Lifetime
by Martin DugardIn Chasing Lance, acclaimed journalist and bestselling author Martin Dugard tells the extraordinary story of Lance Armstrong's final race, guiding us on a 2,240-mile journey through the French countryside, up the rugged peaks of the Pyrenees, all the way to one final ride down the Champs-Elysées. Never before has the Tour de France been captured so fully and vividly. We are there among the rabid fans as they cheer riders on; in the frenzied media room, where journalists plot to score an interview with the fiercely private Armstrong; and deep inside the heart of the peloton as the Discovery team's top lieutenants sacrifice themselves to protect their leader. Dugard was granted the most exclusive press credential offered by the Tour's organizers, so he had total access to the riders, their teams, the courses, and the back rooms. As a result it's all here: the daring breakaways and heartbreaking crashes, the mind games and the intense competition, the strategy and the courage. We see Lance Armstrong's fearsome drive, his jubilation when his most loyal teammate wins a stage, and his rocky relationships with young, up-and-coming American riders. But Chasing Lance is not just an account of Armstrong's triumph. Dugard gives us the full Tour, from the yellow jersey up front to the strugglers who finish last; from the quiet countryside to the Paris pavement; from the lavender fields of Provence to the fields of drunken tourists who have come not only to see if Lance can win one last time, but to consume as much fine wine and cheese as possible-an endurance contest of a different sort. A gripping portrait of a champion at sunset, an illuminating exploration of what it means to persevere-on the road and in life-and a vibrant journey through France, Chasing Lance takes us to the Tour, and inside the mind of Lance Armstrong, like no other book ever has.
Chasing Mammon: Travels in Pursuit of Money
by Douglas KennedyMoney as a weapon. Money as revenge. Money as a substitute for sex and love. Money as status ... This intriguing and extraordinarily well-written book is cheering for those of us who aren't rich, and will go happily to our graves without ever pulling down £300,000 per annum' Simon Hoggart, LITERARY REVIEW'How we chase Mammon defines us. Because, like it or not, we are what we earn,' CHASING MAMMON is the first travel book ever written about the uses of money and the attitudes of the wheelers and dealers in the international marketplace. Douglas Kennedy spent a year loitering with intent in six very disparate financial realms, including the Casablanca bourse (where stocks and bonds are listed on a blackboard), the squeaky-clean Singapore money markets, the Sydney futures market and the first Hungarian stock exchange to open since 1948. From the 'New Age' City folk in London, unsure whether greed really is good for you, to the tireless toilers of Wall Street, Knnedy's encounters with money-makers around the globe make for an exhilarating and quirkily original journey through the modern cash nexus.
Chasing Matisse: A Year in France Living My Dream
by James MorganWho hasn't had the fanthasy of leaving his or her old life behind to start over? What would happen if you gave up your job, city, state, and routine to move to another part of the world? Critically acclaimed writer and aspiring painter James Morgan does just that. Risking everything, he and his wife shed their old, settled life in a lovingly restored house in Little Rock, Arkansas, to travel in the footsteps of Morgan's hero, the painter Henri Matisse, and to find inspiration in Matisse's fierce struggle to live the life he knew he had to live. Part memoir, part travelogue, and part biography of Matisse,Chasing Matisseproves that you don't have to be wealthy to live the life you want; you just have to want it enough. Morgan's riveting journey of self-discovery takes him, and us, from the earthy, brooding Picardy of Matisse's youth all the way to the luminous Nice of the painter's final years. In between, Morgan confronts, with the notebook of a journalist and the sketchpad of an artist, the places that Matisse himself saw and painted: bustling, romantic Paris; windswept Belle-île off the Brittany coast; Corsica, with its blazing southern light; the Pyrénees village of Collouire, where color became explosive in Matisse's hands; exotic Morocco, land of the secret interior life; and across the sybaritic French Riviera to spiritual Vence and the hillside Villa Le Rêve -- the Dream -- where the mature artist created so many of his masterpieces. A journey from darkness to light,Chasing Matisseshows us how we can learn to see ourselves, others, and the world with fresh eyes. We look with Morgan out of some of the same windows through which Matisse himself found his subjects and take great heart from Matisse's indomitable, life-affirming spirit. For Matisse, living was an art, and he never stopped striving, never stopped creating, never stopped growing, never stopped reinventing himself. "The artist," he said, "must look at everything as though he were seeing it for the first time. " That's the inspiring message of renewal that comes through on every page ofChasing Matisse. Funny, sad, and defiantly hopeful, this is a book that restores our faith in the possibility of dreams.
Chasing Neotropical Birds (Corrie Herring Hooks Series)
by Bob Thornton Vera Thornton&“This book is for anyone who loves nature photography or birding . . . A fine introduction to the beauty and diversity of this region.&” —Southeastern Naturalist From Belize to Brazil, the forests of the American neotropics are home to an astonishing array of birds—over 3,700 different species, or nearly forty percent of all the birds on earth. Birding enthusiasts Vera and Bob Thornton have spent fifteen years photographing these special and exotic birds in the rainforests of eleven different countries of Central and South America. In this book, you&’ll find more than a hundred spectacular color photographs they took during their travels, along with a highly entertaining account of their adventures—and misadventures—in chasing these exotic neotropicals. The birds pictured here are among the Thorntons&’ personal favorites—birds that, in their words, &“either dazzled us with their beauty, or charmed us by their behavior, or, in a few cases, simply challenged us by the mystique of their rarity.&” This latter category includes such elusive and sought-after birds as the Black-crowned Antpitta, the Zigzag Heron, the Rufous-vented Ground-Cuckoo, the Bare-necked Umbrellabird, and the monkey-eating Harpy Eagle. In the accompanying text, Bob Thornton engagingly describes the challenges as well as the magic of negotiating the neotropical rainforests in search of colorful birds to photograph. For those who would like to follow in the Thorntons&’ footsteps, there are also helpful tips about photographic gear and techniques, preferred places to see the birds, lodging, and guides. For everyone who enjoys excellent nature photography, Chasing Neotropical Birds is a must-have volume.
Chasing Rumor: A Season Fly Fishing in Patagonia
by Cameron ChambersEvery November, when the North American rivers turn icy and the grass turns brown, fly fishermen retreat to the fishing holes of their imaginations. Some wander to the banks of the legendary rivers of Patagonia, where the mythical browns measure 20 inches or more and invariably present the fight that every angler lives for. Chasing Rumor is the chronicle of one young angler's attempt to experience the fishing utopia he had created in his mind's eye. In some ways, as with rumors and the imagination, his journey fell short of expectations. But in others, the Patagonian highlight reel he'd created could not possibly prepare him for the adventures of this captivating and mysterious fisherman's mecca in a unique, pristine part of the world. In between catching some amazing trout, Chambers experiences the culture of fishing in Patagonia, one still being carved by both the physical forces of nature and the political, social, and economic forces of man. From John Titcomb, who introduced the fish to the area at the turn of the 19th century, to a business mogul turned B&B owner who popularized guided fishing, from a guide determined to save his local trout population to the anglers themselves and their myriad expectations of each fishing trip, Chasing Rumor takes a circuitous route through history and personality. Along the way, like any reflective fisherman, the author grapples with the environmental contradiction inherent in the origins of this angler's playground, where introduced trout have thrived. How much should man be allowed to alter nature to increase enjoyment of a sport? It is, in fact, a dilemma at the very core of many outdoor endeavors. In the end, Chasing Rumor finds its way back to the fish, however, and how they inspire anglers' commitment to protection of the water. For this reason, the book remains where it belongs, in the great tradition of fishing literature, a world obsessed with the possibility of a ten-pound brown trout.
Chasing Shackleton: Re-creating the World's Greatest Journey of Survival
by Tim Jarvis“Mr. Jarvis’s tribute to Ernest Shackleton’s Antarctic expedition has had a danger and heroism that are worthy of the original.” —The GuardianIn this extraordinary adventure memoir and tie-in to the PBS documentary, Tim Jarvis, one of the world's leading explorers, describes his modern-day journey to retrace, for the first time ever—and in period clothing and gear—the legendary 1914 expedition of Sir Ernest Shackleton.In early 1914, British explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton and his team sailed for Antarctica, attempting to be the first to reach the South Pole. Instead of glory, Shackleton and his crew found themselves in an epic struggle for survival: a three-year odyssey on the ice and oceans of the Antarctic that endures as one of the world’s most famous tales of adventure, endurance, and leadership ever recorded.In the winter of 2013, celebrated explorer Tim Jarvis, a veteran of multiple polar expeditions, set out to recreate Sir Ernest Shackleton’s treacherous voyage over sea and mountain, outfitted solely with authentic equipment—clothing, boots, food, and tools—from Shackleton’s time, a feat that has never been successfully accomplished.Chasing Shackleton is the remarkable record of Jarvis and his team’s epic journey. Beautifully designed and illustrated with dozens of photographs from the original voyage and its modern reenactment, it is a visual feast for readers and historians alike, and an essential new chapter in the story that has inspired adventurers across every continent for a century.
Chasing the Divine in the Holy Land
by Ruth EverhartWhen Ruth Everhart was given the opportunity to travel to the Holy Land as one of several ministers taking part in a documentary about pilgrimage, she jumped at the opportunity. Little did she know just how demanding -- yet ultimately rewarding -- her transformation from Presbyterian minister, wife, and mom to pilgrim would be. Candid, down-to-earth, and delightful, Ruth recounts her experiences in Chasing the Divine in the Holy Land, inviting readers to journey alongside her on an unforgettable Holy Land pilgrimage.Watch the trailer:
Chasing the Dragon: Into the Heart of the Golden Triangle
by Christopher R. CoxChasing the Dragon is the story of a Boston Herald reporter's journey into Burma/Myanmar to interview the mysterious drug lord, Khun Sa.The features desk of an American newspaper may seem an unlikely launchpad for a journey into one of the world's most remote and dangerous regions, but for journalist Christopher Cox, it was where the story began. It would end nearly three years later in the almost inaccessible mountain fastnesses of Shan State, Burma, as Cox brought off a journalistic coup even hard-bitten foreign correspondents might envy: a rare personal audience with General Khun Sa, the man U.S. law enforcement dubbed "The Prince of Death," the man thought to control a third of the world's supply of heroin. Accompanied by an obsessed Vietnam vet who had given up everything in his single-minded search for American POWs left behind in Southeast Asia and an eccentric expat with close personal ties to the general, Cox was going to cross forbidden borders to enter a region long off-limits to Westerners. And armed with little more than a backpack stuffed with vodka, porno tapes, and cigarettes, he was going to succeed. His journey would take him deep into the Golden Triangle, a shadowy zone of banditry, drug smuggling, and the ghost armies of past wars. He would begin in the red-light district of Bangkok, with its sex bars and soaring HIV rates, then head up into northern borderlands newly discovers by package-tour groups, and finally cross a jungled no-man's-land into the world of the Shan, where tough tribesmen trade opium and precious gemstones for the arms they need to fight the Burmese.
Chasing the Ghost: My Search for all the Wild Flowers of Britain
by Peter Marren**ONE OF THE GUARDIAN’S BEST BOOKS OF 2018**Join renowned naturalist Peter Marren on an exciting quest to see every species of wild plant native to Britain.The mysterious Ghost Orchid blooms in near darkness among rotting leaves on the forest floor. It blends into the background to the point of invisibility, yet glows, pale and ghostly. The ultimate grail of flower hunters, it has been spotted only once in the past twenty-five years. Its few flowers have a deathly pallor and are said to smell of over-ripe bananas. Peter Marren has been a devoted flower finder all his life. While the Ghost Orchid offers the toughest challenge of any wild plant, there were fifty more British species Peter had yet to see, having ticked off the first 1,400 rummaging in hedges, slipping down gullies and peering in peat bogs. But he set himself the goal of finding the remaining fifty in a single summer. As it turned out, the wettest summer in years. This expert and emotional journey takes Peter the length and the breadth of the British Isles, from the dripping ancient woods of the New Forest to the storm-lashed cliffs of Sutherland. He paddles in lakes, clambers up cliffs in mist and rain, and walks several hundred miles, but does he manage to find them all? Partly about plants, partly autobiography, Chasing the Ghost is also a reminder that to engage with wild flowers, all we need to do is look around us and enjoy what we see. Praise for Chasing the Ghost:‘Peter Marren is the unsung hero of Britain’s nature writers’ Stephen Moss, author of Dynasties‘Jolly, quixotic and ends with real poignancy’ Guardian ‘A poignant reminder to us all to engage with the wild flowers that grow around us’ i Newspaper
Chasing the Moon: The People, the Politics, and the Promise That Launched America into the Space Age
by Robert Stone Alan AndresJFK issued the historic moon landing challenge. These are the stories of the visionaries who helped America complete his vision with the first lunar landing fifty years ago. A Companion Book to the AMERICAN EXPERIENCE® Film on PBS®Going in depth to explore their stories beyond the PBS series, writer/producer Robert Stone—called “one of our most important documentary filmmakers” by Entertainment Weekly—brings these important figures to brilliant life.In 1961, President John F. Kennedy proposed the nation spend twenty billion dollars to land a man on the Moon before the end of the decade. Based on eyewitness accounts and newly discovered archival material, Chasing the Moon reveals for the first time the unknown stories of the fascinating individuals whose imaginative work across several decades culminated in America’s momentous achievement. More than a story of engineers and astronauts, the moon landing—now celebrating its fiftieth anniversary—grew out of the dreams of science fiction writers, filmmakers, military geniuses, and rule-breaking scientists. They include• Science fiction author Arthur C. Clarke, whose writing inspired some of the key players in the Moon race. A scientific paper he wrote in his twenties led to the U.S. beating Russia in one area of space: communications satellites.• Wernher von Braun, the former Nazi military genius who oversaw Hitler's rocket weapons program. After working on ballistic missiles for the U.S. Army, he was recruited by NASA to manage the creation of the Saturn V moon rocket. • Astronaut Frank Borman, commander of the first mission to circumnavigate the Moon, whose powerful testimony before Congress in 1967 decisively saved the U.S. lunar program from being cancelled.• Poppy Northcutt, a young mathematician who was the first woman to work in Mission Control. Her media exposure as a unique presence in this all-male world allowed her the freedom to stand up for equal rights for women and minorities.• Edward Dwight, an African American astronaut candidate, recruited at the urging of the Kennedy White House to further the administration’s civil rights agenda—but not everyone welcomed his inclusion.Setting these key players in the political, social, and cultural climate of the time, and including captivating photographs throughout, Chasing the Moon focuses on the science and the history, but most important, the extraordinary individuals behind what was undoubtedly the greatest human achievement of the twentieth century.
Chasing the Morning Sun: Flying Solo Round the World in a Homebuilt Aircraft: The Ultimate Adventure
by Manuel QueirozThe first pilot to fly around the world in a homebuilt plane tells his remarkable story in this memoir of determination, courage and adventure. After beating cancer, Manuel Queiroz was ready to take on a life-changing goal—and decided that he would fly solo around the world. Five years later, he not only fulfilled that dream—setting six world speed records in the process—but did it in a plane he built himself. Now he shares the incredible story of his record-breaking journey in Chasing the Morning Sun. Over the course of thirty-nine days, Manuel flew 27,056 miles, making eighteen stops in twelve different countries. With no copilot to take over the controls or ground staff to handle repairs, Manuel flew through sandstorms in the Saudi desert and faced the ever-present threat of mechanical failure over an inhospitable ocean. Manuel was honored by the Royal Aero Club with their highest award, the Britannia Trophy, which was bestowed on him by His Royal Highness the Duke of York. Chasing the Morning Sun is both a rousing tale of adventure and the inspirational story of a man realizing his lifelong ambition.
Chasing the Mountain of Light
by Kevin RushbyThe Koh-i-Noor diamond known as the Mountain of Light, the world's largest diamond, was found in India, traveled from Golconda to the Mughal palaces in the north. Fought over, cursed at and occasionally lost, it finally reached the Sikhs in the Punjab, only to be seized by British agents eager to please young Queen Victoria. It now lies in the Tower of London where some say its curse controls the fate of the Windsor family. In Chasing the Mountain of Light, Kevin Rushby pursues the dramatic career of the Koh-i-Noor on a journey to the heart of Indian culture meeting dealers, smugglers, and petty crooks along the way. It's another adventure from Rushby whom the Washington Post recently compared to William S. Burroughs and Arthur Rimbaud.
Chasing the Phantom: In Pursuit of Myth and Meaning in the Realm of the Snow Leopard
by Eduard FischerEduard Fischer takes us on an exploration of myth, art, science, and the sacred space of high mountains. This is an account of adventure and deep reflection accompanied by a selection of the author's stunning colour photographs. After first visiting the Trans-Himalayan region of Ladakh in 1985, he returned again and again, seeking to catch a glimpse of the phantom of the Himalayas - the elusive snow leopard. During these visits he became enthralled with the unique culture of this ancient mountain kingdom, one of the oldest enclaves of Buddhism. The phantom cat itself becomes, at turns, Eduard's quarry, nemesis, obsession, and finally, in a surprising twist of destiny, his teacher.
Chasing the Sea
by Tom BissellIn 1996, Tom Bissell went to Uzbekistan as a na*ve Peace Corps volunteer. Though he lasted only a few months before illness and personal crisis forced him home, Bissell found himself entranced by this remote land. Five years later he returned to explore the shrinking Aral Sea, destroyed by Soviet irrigation policies. Joining up with an exuberant translator named Rustam, Bissell slips more than once through the clutches of the Uzbek police as he makes his often wild way to the devastated sea.In Chasing the Sea, Bissell combines the story of his travels with a beguiling chronicle of Uzbekistan's striking culture and long history of violent subjugation by despots from Jenghiz Khan to Joseph Stalin. Alternately amusing and sobering, this is a gripping portrait of a fascinating place, and the debut of a singularly gifted young writer.
Chasing the Stars: a journey that could change everything
by Virginie GrimaldiFrom the French Marian Keyes comes an uplifting novel of mothers and daughters, families and extraordinary friendships that will make you laugh and cry. For fans of Ruth Hogan, Veronica Henry and The Lido. 'The famous "Grimaldi touch" is a lightness of tone and style that takes your breath away' Elle France ***A delightful slice of uplifting escapism*** CultureflyMaybe if she hadn't lost her job, Anna would never have dreamed of being so impulsive.Or perhaps if Chloe wasn't always having her heart broken, or if Lily was happy at school. But when Anna realises that her family is falling apart, only a grand, spontaneous gesture will do. Which is how Anna, Chloe and Lily find themselves squashed together in a campervan, on a mother-daughter road trip across Europe to reach the Northern Lights. The girls are horrified, but Anna is determined. This journey might just be their way back to each other. Readers fell in love with HOW TO FIND LOVE IN THE LITTLE THINGS:'Grimaldi will capture your heart' 'A charming mixture of happy and sad' 'A special book' 'Fabulously glorious, funny and uplifting' 'The perfect book to switch off with' 'I devoured this novel''Don't miss this book. I loved every word - it's an ode to life and love' 'Fantastic, feel-good summer read' 'A real delight that lingers in the head and heart'
Chasing the Thrill: Obsession, Death, and Glory in America's Most Extraordinary Treasure Hunt
by Daniel Barbarisi&“Chasing the Thrill lives where all the best stories reside, on that thin edge between amazing and impossible." —Christopher McDougall, author of Born to Run"I devoured this book in one sitting.&”—Susan Casey, author of Voices in the OceanA full-throttle, first-person account of the treasure hunt created by eccentric millionaire art dealer—and, some would say, robber baron—Forrest Fenn that became the stuff of contemporary legend. When Forrest Fenn was given a fatal cancer diagnosis, he came up with a bold plan: He would hide a chest full of jewels and gold in the wilderness, and publish a poem that would serve as a map leading to the treasure's secret location. But he didn't die, and after hiding the treasure in 2010, Fenn instead presided over a decade-long gold rush that saw many thousands of treasure hunters scrambling across the Rocky Mountains in pursuit of his fortune. Daniel Barbarisi first learned of Fenn's hunt in 2017, when a friend became consumed with decoding the poem and convinced Barbarisi, a reporter, to document his search. What began as an attempt to capture the inner workings of Fenn's hunt quickly turned into a personal quest that led Barbarisi down a reckless and potentially dangerous path, one that found him embroiled in searcher conspiracies and matching wits with Fenn himself. Over the course of four chaotic years, several searchers would die, endless controversies would erupt, and one hunter would ultimately find the chest. But the mystery didn't end there. Full of intrigue, danger, and break-neck action, Chasing the Thrill is a riveting tale of desire, obsession, and unbridled adventure.
Chasing Venus: The Race to Measure the Heavens
by Andrea WulfThe author of the highly acclaimed Founding Gardeners now gives us an enlightening chronicle of the first truly international scientific endeavor--the eighteenth-century quest to observe the transit of Venus and measure the solar system. On June 6, 1761, the world paused to observe a momentous occasion: the first transit of Venus between the earth and the sun in more than a century. Through that observation, astronomers could calculate the size of the solar system--but only if they could compile data from many different points of the globe, all recorded during the short period of the transit. Overcoming incredible odds and political strife, astronomers from Britain, France, Russia, Germany, Sweden, and the American colonies set up observatories in remote corners of the world, only to have their efforts thwarted by unpredictable weather and warring armies. Fortunately, transits of Venus occur in pairs: eight years later, the scientists would have another opportunity to succeed. Chasing Venus brings to life the personalities of the eighteenth-century astronomers who embarked upon this complex and essential scientific venture, painting a vivid portrait of the collaborations, the rivalries, and the volatile international politics that hindered them at every turn. In the end, what they accomplished would change our conception of the universe and would forever alter the nature of scientific research.
Chasing Zeus: A Journey Through Greece in the Footsteps of a God
by Tom StoneIn CHASING ZEUS, Tom Stone and his wife follow the god of gods and his trail of myths across the length and breadth of Greece. Among the places they visit are the island of Santorini, site of the massive volcanic eruption that heralded Zeus' coming; Crete and the mountaintop cave where the infant Zeus was said to have been born, murdered, and resurrected; Dodona and Delphi, the remote sanctuaries to which kings and politicians trekked to hear oracles utter the Great Thunderer's cryptic pronouncements; and lightning-browed Olympus, Greece's tallest mountain, abode of the gods and, locals still say, a landing strip for visitors from outer space.Along the way, Stone entertains the reader with a feast of myths and legends, famous and infamous, all born out of Zeus's tempestuous wanderings. At the same time, set as they are against the human history behind the god's 4,000-year reign--from his beginnings as an amorphous sky god on the Russian steppes to his ultimate assumption into the Christian firmament as the model for Byzantium's Christ Pantocrator, Lord of the Universe--the stages of the journey offer a wondrous excursion deep into the heart and soul of the Greek people.A perfect blend of myth, memoir, and travel, CHASING ZEUS: A Journey Through Greece in the Footsteps of a God will appeal to fans of Walking the Bible.A graduate of Yale and life-long enthusiast of mythology, Tom Stone is the author of The Summer of My Greek Tavérna, a memoir of his time on Patmos, which was selected by the Book-of-the-Month Club and Quality Paperback Club. His most recent effort, The Curse of the Minotaur: An Annotated Tale of Ancient Greece, is available as an ebook.Praise for ZEUS:"The supreme deity of Greek mythology has his lusty, tempestuous story recast in engaging fashion by Stone...As a guide, Stone is informed, enthusiastic, and entertaining, the very qualities needed to ignite interest in the timelessness of Greek mythology."--Booklist"[Stone is] a genial, self-deprecating and often felicitous docent...he intercuts his complex narratives of theogony, theology, history and hysteria with descriptions of his recent travels to many of the sites long associated with Zeus...A lucid and lucent retelling of those most marvelous tales."--Kirkus