Publisher: Good Press
"A Picture of the Desolated States, and the Work of Restoration. 1865-1868" is a book about the consequences of the Civil War in the United States. The author, who traveled around the post-war country and interviewed the representatives of the opposite forces, accentuates the ruination the land suffered from war actions.
Fortress-walled Saint Catherine's monastery on the Sinai peninsula has been a pilgrimage site since its founding by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian in the 6th century. According to tradition, the monastery sits at the base of the mountain where Moses received the Tablets of the Law. Set in rugged country, accessible in times past only by a many days journey by camel across barren desert, the monastery survived intact through the centuries, and, as a result, became a rich repository of religious history-told through its icons, mosaics, and the books and manuscripts in the monastery library. Our Journey to Sinai by Agnes Bensly is the story of a visit to Saint Catherine's by a group of British scholars in the 1890's, who were drawn there in quest of manuscripts from early Christian times. The group had one particular prize in their sights. It was a second century translation of the Gospels from Greek into an Aramaic dialect called Syriac. This was a rare find indeed. One of the group, Agnes Smith Lewis, an accomplished linguist, had been to the monastery once before. On that visit, she had spotted a “palimpsest of most venerable appearance,” a palimpsest being a parchment (leather) paged book, which had been used to write on at two different times, the first set of writing having been partially scraped off the parchment before it was reused. Agnes Smith Lewis had recognized the hidden underwriting in this book to be in Syriac, “the native language of Our Lord and His disciples.” And now, the excited group had decided to revisit Saint Catherine's, in hopes of copying and reading the ancient text. Their trip is vividly described by Agnes Bensly --bustling Cairo; a tent and camel crossing of the desert with Bedouin guides; the monks and monastery life; a breathtaking climb up 3000 stone steps to the top of Mount Sinai, and what they found in the mysterious manuscript they had come so far to see. Our Journey to Sinai, while providing a glimpse into the complexities of Bible scholarship, is also a wonderful travel book and an intimate portrait of Saint Catherine's monastery-a monastery which is, today, a World Heritage Site. (Introduction by Sue Anderson)Show book
Have you ever wondered where horse milk vodka comes from? Or how to fight off a mob of Malaysian monkeys? Is it bad luck to wash cow poop off of your shoe? Travel vicariously with Sam across the Orient to find the funny but true answers. Sam savors every local culture he encounters much like Conan O’Brian and the late Anthony Bourdain—embracing the people, their food, and especially their curiosities. His humor and infatuation with humanity’s diversity fuel each story. Teaching in Korea and Vietnam since 2015, Sam uses his time out of the classroom to explore the rest of Asia. His five-book series, Itchy Feet Travel Tales in Asia, covers his adventures (and misadventures) in Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam. These stories of the sublime and the surreal will have you giggling and gawking as you follow Sam through the weird and wonderful world of the East.Show book
When Peter Mayle and his wife traded England's long, gray winters and damp summers for life in southern France, they entered an enchanting, wonderful, sometimes bewildering world. Now, share their adventures, pleasures, and frustrations: the joys and occasional hazards of wining and dining in France, taking part in goat races, attending a Pavorotti concert under the stars — and much more. Meet Provence's unique characters: a wary truffle hunter, a gourmet in a track suit, the wise and crafty Massot — and many more. Funny, touching, endearing — Peter Mayle's Provence proves the adage that while you may not be able to escape from it all, you sure can have fun trying.A Macmillan Audio production.Show book
This is not a guide to the islands of Scotland. This is not a tour to be followed, nor is it travel advice. This is a richly anecdotal and personal exploration. Richard Clubley shares the sense of freedom he finds in the Scottish islands as he discovers their individual character, beauty and diversity. He meets locals and learns a few realities of island life. He almost perished on Ailsa Craig, before finding fresh water dripping from the roof of a cave, but spends two idyllic nights alone on Mingulay, with a fabulous coal fire in a bothy. His passion for Scottish islands shines through every chapter. Curl up by the fire, pull the blanket close and sip on your dram. You're about to escape to the islands. Prepare for addiction. A book for islomanes to savour in sips. Night caps are suggested; that way the addiction can be controlled. MAIRI HEDDERWICKShow book
A brutal tractor crash forces small town Kev into a new world, both physically and spiritually. Angry and resistant to change, the bitter bushman finds himself on a journey of inner growth that takes him from Australia’s searing outback to the icy mountains of Norway’s fjordland. Facing his demons of doubt in a strangely familiar land, Kev learns to 'listen with all his senses' as he strives to fulfil his heart’s desire: to find his soulmate.Show book
“Give[s] a history of Lexington and the region with a special focus on the historic neighborhoods of Lexington and historic sites around the Bluegrass.” —The Kaintuckeean The Athens of the West. The Horse Capital of the World. The Home to the Greatest Tradition in College Basketball. Heart of the Bluegrass. Lexington has a lot of names and an even richer history. The region played an oversized role in America’s educational, political, religious and cultural development. Visit a historic AME church in downtown Lexington that was a stop on the Underground Railroad for escaping slaves. Walk through fifteen local historic districts. Explore an equine cemetery. Join historians Foster Ockerman Jr. and Peter Brackney on a tour through historic sites and buildings in Lexington and central Kentucky.Show book
