Other books that might interest you

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  This Stolen Land - A People's...

  Marsha O'Mahony

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  The Gwent Levels line the north shore of the Severn Estuary in South Wales: Chepstow at their head; their more famous cousin, the Somerset Levels, across the water; the Welsh capital, Cardiff at their feet. You could waste an hour crossing the Levels by motorway. Or brush aside the journey by train. But writer Marsha O'Mahony has chosen the slow route of foreshore, footpath, and country lane. Over the course of two years, she meandered from village to village collecting conversations and anecdotes as she went. The result is a remarkable oral and social history of this unique landscape and the people who live there.

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  Stars Staterooms and Stowaways -...

  Gary Glading

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  Gary Glading's fascinating career on luxury cruise chips has seen him circumnavigate the globe several times. Over the years he has entertained passengers, interviewed celebrities and tended stray and sick animals at ports around the world. His extraordinary adventures include quelling a passenger mutiny, surviving a hurricane in the Atlantic, spending Christmas with a Hollywood legend and being marooned on a tropical island. Stars, Staterooms and Stowaways is a collection of amusing and sometimes moving anecdotes that offer an irresistible glimpse into the world of cruising before and after 9/11.

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  On a Chinese Screen - Sketches...

  William Somerset Maugham

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  "On a Chinese Screen: Sketches of Life in China" by W. Somerset Maugham offers vivid snapshots of Chinese life. Through diverse characters and settings, Maugham paints a rich tapestry of the country's culture, customs, and human interactions. The sketches explore the complexity of China in transition, capturing the essence of its people and traditions amidst the winds of change. With keen observation and insightful prose, Maugham's collection provides a nuanced glimpse into the multifaceted landscape of China, offering readers a captivating journey through its streets, markets, and the hearts of its people.

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  Wayward Women - Sex Friendship...

  Tracey Davies, Rhonda Carrier

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  Eat Pray Love meets Want.
  Wayward Women is a unique, searingly honest, devastatingly raw two-person memoir about the friendship, travels and sex lives of two fiftysomething women finding their way again after divorce.
  It's an entertaining, emotional and geographical journey that bounces around the world from Florida to India, Lapland to Hong Kong, as the authors -both leading travel writers - relay their experiences as midlife women – love, loss, parenthood, divorce, menopause – along with the tales of the inspirational women they meet along the way, and the growth of their friendship.

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  The Myths of the Maya - Cosmic...

  Julia Blacksmith

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  The Maya civilization, one of the most sophisticated and enduring cultures of Mesoamerica, flourished for thousands of years, leaving behind a rich legacy of myth, ritual, and cosmic understanding. Their world was deeply interconnected with the supernatural, where gods, spirits, and celestial forces played vital roles in everyday life. Through sacred texts, oral traditions, and intricate ceremonial practices, the Maya passed down their myths—stories that explained the origins of the universe, the struggles of gods and heroes, and the sacred cycles of time. These legends were not merely tales; they formed the foundation of their spiritual and societal structures, influencing everything from kingship to agriculture.  
  At the heart of Maya society was a profound connection between myth and ritual. Unlike many cultures that viewed myths as separate from daily life, the Maya saw them as living forces that required constant renewal through ceremonies, sacrifices, and offerings. Bloodletting, a sacred act performed by rulers and priests, was believed to nourish the gods and maintain cosmic balance. Grand pyramids and temple complexes, aligned with celestial events, served as sacred theaters where rituals reenacted the struggles of deities, ensuring harmony between the human and divine realms. The famous Popol Vuh, often regarded as the Maya "Book of Creation," recounts the epic journey of the Hero Twins as they navigate the treacherous underworld, triumphing over the forces of chaos and death. This myth, like many others, reflected the Maya’s deep understanding of duality, rebirth, and the cosmic order.  
  Deciphering Maya mythology has been a long and complex journey, shaped by archaeological discoveries, linguistic breakthroughs, and the resilience of indigenous communities.

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  Walking on Thin Air - A Life's...

  Geoff Nicholson

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  Geoff Nicholson has been walking his whole life. Wherever he is and wherever he goes in the world, he walks and writes about what he sees and feels. Here he reflects on the nature of walking, why we do it, how it benefits us and, in some cases, how it can damage and even destroy us. Geoff's recent diagnosis with a rare, incurable form of cancer has made him all too aware of his own mortality. Sooner or later there will be a last step, a last excursion, a final drift, for him just as there will be for all of us. Geoff vows to continue to walk for as long as he can.
  This moving, vital book describes his own walks and relates them to the walks of street photographers, artists and writers, such as Garry Winogrand, Diane Arbus, Sophie Calle, Jorge Luis Borges and Virginia Woolf, among many others. Walking on Thin Air is a book about mortality and, above all, a celebration of being alive.

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