Publisher: e-artnow
In Pursuit of Spring is a lyrical travelogue, where poet Edward Thomas sets off from Clapham with the purpose of heading to Somerset in the West Country, searching out the first signs of spring as an inspiration to his lyrical art.
The Delhi Sultanate was a defining era in Indian history, marking the establishment of Muslim rule in northern India. Its rise was shaped by a series of invasions, strategic conquests, and the formation of a centralized administration. The foundation of the Sultanate can be traced back to the late 12th century when Muslim forces, primarily from Central Asia, began making inroads into the Indian subcontinent. These incursions set the stage for a new political order that would influence the region for centuries. One of the earliest significant Muslim invasions was led by Mahmud of Ghazni in the 11th century. Although he did not establish permanent rule, his raids weakened Indian kingdoms and demonstrated the vulnerability of the region. However, it was Muhammad Ghori in the late 12th century who laid the groundwork for the Delhi Sultanate. Unlike Mahmud, Ghori aimed for long-term control rather than mere plundering. His victory over Prithviraj Chauhan at the Second Battle of Tarain in 1192 was a turning point, allowing Muslim forces to establish a foothold in northern India. Following Ghori’s assassination in 1206, his general, Qutb al-Din Aibak, took control of his Indian territories and proclaimed himself the first Sultan of Delhi. Aibak, originally a slave who rose through the ranks, became the founder of the Mamluk or Slave Dynasty. He consolidated his rule by strengthening administrative structures and commissioning architectural marvels like the Qutb Minar, which symbolized the establishment of Muslim rule. However, his reign was short-lived, and his successor, Iltutmish, played a more crucial role in shaping the Delhi Sultanate into a powerful and stable empire.Show book
This rediscovered classic memoir tells the incredible tale of a woman defying society's expectations to find freedom and peace in the adventure of a lifetime. In 1934, the painter Christiane Ritter leaves her comfortable life in Austria and travels to the remote Arctic island of Spitsbergen, to spend a year there with her husband. She thinks it will be a relaxing trip, a chance to "read thick books in the remote quiet and, not least, sleep to my heart's content," but when Christiane arrives she is shocked to realize that they are to live in a tiny ramshackle hut on the shores of a lonely fjord, hundreds of miles from the nearest settlement, battling the elements every day, just to survive. At first, Christiane is horrified by the freezing cold, the bleak landscape the lack of equipment and supplies . . . But as time passes, after encounters with bears and seals, long treks over the ice and months on end of perpetual night, she finds herself falling in love with the Arctic's harsh, otherworldly beauty, gaining a great sense of inner peace and a new appreciation for the sanctity of life.Show book
Have you ever wondered why the Mali Empire was so wealthy and well-known? Find your answer in our guide about the Mali Empire and learn about its foundation and rise to fame under Mansa Musa. Within this audiobook, you’ll listen to the humble beginnings and hardships that befell Sundiata Keita as he founded the Mali Empire. His thrilling story leads into how the empire was structured and its early laws and customs. Eventually, though, the empire would descend into internal strife between the heirs of the first emperor. Then, just as it seemed as if the Mali Empire would crumble, a great ruler emerged, leading it to new heights. Learn about the reign of the famous Mansa Musa, who brought riches and international respect to his kingdom. The golden age of the Mali Empire brought territorial expansion as well as cultural growth. However, its glory was short-lived. Follow the tragic tale of Musa’s heirs, and discover how the empire slowly crumbled, descending from an empire into a mere memory. This decay caused the empire to gradually lose its lands and wealth, making its splendor of the golden age a distant dream. Yet, as its final days came, the last ruler of the Keita dynasty led a valiant effort to restore its former glory, which ends this story with a bang rather than a whimper. Here are some of the captivating facts you’ll learn about in this audiobook:What trials did Sundiata Keita have to overcome to unite an empire?Where did all that Malian gold and wealth come from?Why is Mansa Musa so well-remembered today? Did any of the other Malian rulers even come close?How did Islamic influences mix with local African traditions?What caused the Mali Empire to fall, and could it have been avoided? Scroll up and click the “add to cart” button to learn more about the Mali Empire and why it matters!Show book
Pack your bags for the adventure of a lifetime… From the #1 bestselling author of The Cruise, embark on an unforgettable journey and sail through Norway’s winter wonderlands to see the spectacular Northern Lights. ________ Will the Arctic wonderland work its magic this winter? Joy never imagined stepping aboard a cruise ship without her husband, Tom. Now widowed, Joy wonders what her voyage on the Emerald Dream will hold – and as it glides through breathtaking Norwegian fjords, she longs to believe in happiness again. However, she carries a secret that could unravel her fragile hopes if it ever came to light… Elsewhere on deck, as the sun dips below the horizon and the polar night sets in, Henry, a lifelong bachelor, is living his dream of seeing the Northern Lights. Having long since given up on love, he now dedicates himself to his passion for photography. But when he meets Joy, is it more than the aurora borealis that catches his eye? As they embark on a snow-dusted adventure which takes them from bustling ports to reindeer-drawn sleigh rides, will Joy and Henry find the courage to embrace love again? Or will hidden truths sink the possibility of a new beginning? A heartwarming, feel-good voyage of self-discovery, romance and second chances, perfect for fans of Sarah Morgan and Judy Leigh. In this latest novel by Caroline James, the Arctic becomes a backdrop for a heartwarming story of love and second chances. The characters relationships evolve in surprising ways, making The Arctic Cruise a top pick for fans of romantic fiction. For fans of Cary J Hansson (Close To You), Kate Galley (Old Girls Behaving Badly), Helen Bridgett (The High Life), Jill Mansell (The Wedding of the Year), and Milly Johnson (Let the Bells Ring Out). HarperCollins 2026Show book
"In the summer of my nervous breakdown, I went to live in Las Vegas, Clark County, Nevada." So begins John Gregory Dunne's neglected classic of first-person writing, a mordant, deadpan, grotesque tale that blurs the line between autobiography and fiction, confession and reportage. Panicked by his own mortality, despondent over his many failings as a writer and a man, Dunne leaves his wife and their three-year old child for the solitude of a crummy apartment off the Vegas Strip. There he plans to write an account of the city as he finds it; the book he ends up writing is "a fiction which recalls time both real and imagined." The remarkable central characters are Artha, a student at cosmetology college by day, a sex worker by night; Buster Mano, a private detective whose specialty is tracking down errant husbands; and Jackie Kasey, a lounge comic who opens for Elvis at $10,000 a night and wonders why he is still only a "semi-name." Pimps, bail bondsmen, parking-lot moguls, used-car tycoons, ex-jockeys, and women who look as if they had "spent a lifetime meeting guys in Vegas or Miami Beach or Louisville for the Derby": these are the people who wander through the lives of Artha, Buster, and Jackie—and, for a dark season, the life of the narrator. Contains mature themes.Show book
Osman I, also known as Osman Ghazi, was the founder of the Ottoman dynasty and the ruler of the Kayi tribe, a key figure in the creation of one of history's most influential empires. The state he established, originally called the Ottoman Beylik or Emirate, grew from a small Turkmen principality in the late thirteenth century into a global power, dominating much of Southeastern Europe, Western Asia, and North Africa for centuries. While the empire he founded lasted until the end of World War I, the man himself remains shrouded in mystery. Due to the scarcity of historical records from Osman’s lifetime, much of what is known about him is based on oral traditions and legends that developed long after his death. There are no known contemporary written sources from his reign, and the Ottomans themselves did not document his life until the fifteenth century, over a hundred years after he passed away. This gap in documentation has made it difficult for historians to separate fact from fiction, with some scholars even describing the period of Osman's life as a "black hole" of historical knowledge, unable to be reconstructed with certainty. The traditional accounts of Osman’s ancestry trace his lineage to the Oghuz Turks, specifically the Kay tribe. However, many historians believe that the stories surrounding his ancestry were fabricated later to legitimize the Ottoman dynasty’s rule. These narratives were likely developed as the dynasty sought to strengthen its claim to power and emphasize its noble heritage.Show book
