Other books that might interest you

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  The Tangut Kingdom - And Its...

  Rolf Hedger

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  The Tangut people, an ethnic group of uncertain origins, gradually emerged as a distinct force in northwestern China. They are believed to have descended from the Qiang tribes, a collection of nomadic and semi-nomadic groups that roamed the Tibetan Plateau and the Ordos region. Over centuries, they migrated and settled in what is now modern-day Ningxia and parts of Gansu and Inner Mongolia, where they established communities and developed a unique cultural identity. Their position between the Tibetan Plateau, the Central Asian steppes, and the Chinese heartland made them an important intermediary in regional affairs. 
  The Tangut rise to prominence was influenced by their interactions with the dominant powers of the region. The Tibetan Empire, which controlled vast areas of western China until its decline in the ninth century, played a significant role in shaping early Tangut culture and governance. The collapse of the Tibetan Empire created a power vacuum that allowed smaller groups like the Tangut to assert their independence. At the same time, the weakening of the Tang Dynasty left northern China vulnerable to fragmentation, further enabling the Tangut to carve out a space for themselves. 
  By the tenth century, the Tangut had developed into a formidable military and political entity, leveraging their strategic location along trade routes to establish economic and diplomatic ties with neighboring states. They maintained relations with the Song Dynasty to the east, the Tibetan remnants to the south, and the nomadic Khitan Liao Empire to the north. These interactions not only enriched Tangut society but also introduced them to a variety of political models, from the bureaucratic governance of the Chinese dynasties to the tribal confederations of the steppe.

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  Qing Dynasty - China's Last...

  Rolf Hedger

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  The Qing Dynasty, China’s last imperial dynasty, emerged from the northeastern frontier, led by the Manchu people. Before establishing their rule over China, the Manchus were a semi-nomadic group descended from the Jurchens, who had previously ruled northern China under the Jin Dynasty. In the early 17th century, Nurhaci, a formidable leader, laid the foundation for Manchu power by unifying various Jurchen tribes and adopting administrative and military structures inspired by the Ming Dynasty. His successor, Hong Taiji, continued these efforts, formally establishing the Qing Dynasty in 1636. However, the conquest of China was still incomplete, as the Ming Dynasty continued to rule the heartland. 
  The decline of the Ming Dynasty provided an opportunity for the Qing to assert their dominance. By the early 17th century, the Ming government was weakened by internal corruption, peasant uprisings, and economic distress exacerbated by famine and mismanagement. The most devastating of these rebellions was led by Li Zicheng, a former postal worker turned insurgent, whose forces overran Beijing in 1644. The fall of the Ming capital marked a critical turning point. With the Ming emperor dead and the central government in disarray, a Ming general, Wu Sangui, faced a difficult choice: resist the rebel forces or seek outside aid. He chose the latter, opening the gates of the Great Wall at Shanhai Pass to the advancing Qing army. The Manchus, under the leadership of Prince Dorgon, seized the moment, swiftly capturing Beijing and declaring the establishment of Qing rule.

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  Walk Britain - 90 inspirational...

  Elise Downing

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  Walk Britain by Elise Downing is an inspirational collection of 90 walking routes accessible by public transport which can enable you to see the best of Great Britain in an environmentally friendly way.
  The book is organised into easily accessible base locations throughout England, Scotland and Wales – simply choose where you want to stay or day-trip to and then pick your adventure. There are several walks from each base, ranging from relaxed shorter routes through to longer day walks, and working up to multi-day options if you want a bigger challenge.
  Explore the rugged Cornish moorland and coastal trails around Penzance, traverse the trails of the Brecon Beacons stopping for a wild swim along the way, see the remote lochs and coastline of the Isle of Arran, or escape the crowds of London with a day trip to the Chilterns – Elise takes all the hassle out of planning your next adventure.
  Each walk includes handy details to help with planning, including an Ordnance Survey overview map and public transport information, along with engaging text about what you'll see on your walk and stunning photography of each location. GPX files for the routes are available to download to help you plan and navigate your adventures.

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  Strange Skies & Shifting Shadows...

  Michael Dean

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  Some stories cling to us long after they’re told. A flicker of doubt, a chill that lingers, a whisper that says the world is not as ordinary as we like to believe. Across the towns, moors, and coastlines of the United Kingdom, mysteries take root. They are retold in pubs and passed down in families, woven into the fabric of our landscapes until fact and folklore blur together. 
  This book began as a podcast—a chance to explore some of Britain’s most intriguing unsolved mysteries. From strange lights in the sky to vanished men, haunted houses to entire stretches of countryside steeped in unease, each episode set out to capture both the history and the enduring sense of the uncanny that clings to these tales. 
  Collected here, the stories form something different. Read together, they reveal patterns: how ordinary lives collide with the inexplicable, how mystery resists tidy explanation, and how the unknown remains part of our national imagination. These aren’t simply curiosities of the past—they are living stories, reshaped every time they are retold. 
  Whether you are returning to these stories after listening to the podcast, or discovering them for the first time, I invite you to treat them as more than puzzles. They are glimpses into the strange corners of our history, reminders that even in an age of reason and technology, mystery endures. 
  Turn the page, and step into a Britain where history, mystery, and imagination meet.

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  Egyptian Medicine - Practices...

  Omar Khalil

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  The origins of Egyptian medicine trace back to the earliest periods of ancient Egypt, where the intertwining of practical knowledge and spiritual beliefs laid the foundation for one of the most advanced medical systems of the ancient world. As early as the Pre-Dynastic period, evidence of rudimentary medical practices reveals that Egyptians were already exploring ways to treat injuries and ailments using natural resources available in their environment. 
  Religion played a fundamental role in shaping the practice of medicine in ancient Egypt. The Egyptians believed that the gods held power over health and illness, with many deities associated with specific aspects of healing. For instance, Sekhmet, the lioness goddess, was both a bringer of plague and a healer, while Thoth, the god of wisdom, was revered as a patron of physicians. Temples dedicated to these deities often served as centers for both worship and healing, where priests acted as both spiritual leaders and medical practitioners. 
  Early medical practices were closely linked to mythology, with illnesses often attributed to divine displeasure or the influence of malevolent spirits. Healing rituals and incantations were designed to restore the balance between the individual and the divine order, highlighting the Egyptian belief in a holistic approach to health. The blending of prayer, magic, and practical remedies reflects a medical philosophy that considered both the physical and spiritual dimensions of wellness.

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  Get Lost - Seven Principles for...

  Erin Leider-Pariser

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  For nearly thirty years, Erin Leider-Pariser has designed women's adventure journeys that empower them to push their physical boundaries, bond through ancient rituals, and learn more about themselves than they ever imagined. Get Lost blends the wisdom and personal insights gleaned from these hiking, biking, and climbing trips through some of the world's most breathtaking landscapes with once-in-a-lifetime tales of dramas in the wild. For Leider-Pariser and her travelers, life is never the same after surviving a flash flood on a remote Columbian trail, getting lost in a Cambodian jungle, receiving shamanic healings in Ecuador, beholding the world from a Himalayan peak, and bonding with friends old and new through an ancient talking stick ceremony around the campfire. Through stories and anecdotes, the listener will witness how women's travel is soulful, flipped-out, hysterical fun—an absolute necessity for travel and everyday life. 
   
   
   
  This inspiring volume includes Leider-Pariser's Seven Principles for Trekking Life with Grace, a set of golden rules for navigating toward your best self. Complete with advice for forming your own group travel adventures on any budget, this energizing and at times hilarious book invites women to ignite their adventurous spirit, whether through travels near or far or taking bold new steps toward their dreams.

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