In Praise of Famous Horses is an A-Z companion to perhaps the most loved of all domesticated animals. From D.H. Lawrence's horse Aaron, whose hide was posthumously made into a duffel-bag, to Zippy Chippy, fabled American loser, all the horses featured in this book have their very own claim to fame. Some - among them Bucephalas, Red Rum, Champion the Wonder Horse and Rocinante - are permanent residents in the equine pantheon. Others - such as Rossa Prince, who managed to lose a walkover - attract more qualified appreciation. Literature, history and art, battlefield, movie and television, myth, racecourse and religion are all enriched by these magnificent creatures. From A to Z, here is the wonderful world of famous horses.

In this wide-ranging guide to twentieth-century French thought, leading scholars offer an authoritative multi-disciplinary analysis of one of the most distinctive and influential traditions in modern thought. Unlike any other existing work, this important work covers not only philosophy, but also all the other major disciplines, including literary theory, sociology, linguistics, political thought, theology, and more.

Napoléon Bonaparte: A Reference Guide to His Life and Works cover all aspects of his life and work, from his birth in Corsica to his death in St. Helena. ·Includes a detailed chronology of Napoléon Bonaparte’s life, family, and work. ·The A to Z section includes the major events, places, and people in Napoleon’s life. ·Appendixes listing Napoleon’s marshals, his family, a selection of the most important battles, and a selection of the most significant treaties or documents. ·The bibliography includes a list of publications concerning his life and works. ·The index thoroughly cross-references the chronological and encyclopedic entries.

The world’s most popular record book is back with thousands of new categories and newly broken records, covering everything from outer space to sporting greats via Instagram, fidget spinners and all manner of human marvels. Inside you’ll find hundreds of never-before-seen photographs and countless facts, figures, stats and trivia waiting for you on every action-packed page. Guinness World Records 2019 is the ultimate snapshot of our world today.

Plus, this year we celebrate the incredible “Maker” movement with a special feature devoted to the inventors, dreamers, crafters and creators who devote their lives to amazing record-breaking projects such as the largest water pistol, a jet-powered go-kart and an elephant-sized hamburger (think you could eat a whole one!?). We take a sneak peak into their workshops to explore these epically big builds, and ask them what inspires them to go really, really large!

Updated and expanded version of the classic reference work, The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Opera, this new text edition examines the history and development of opera, from its roots in the theatrical choral dances of Ancient Greece, through the sublime compositions of Handel and Mozart and on to the groundbreaking works of Verdi, Wagner and beyond. Organised by era, the composers and their works, along with the key librettists and singers of the period, are placed in their historical, social and cultural context through extensive introductory sections. Cross-references and theme boxes allow the reader to follow a particular area of interest throughout the book, or to explore related information. The comprehensive text brings to life the splendour and emotional energy of the best operas, performers and companies.

The ultimate annual book of records is back and crammed with more than ever before! Guinness World Records 2017 is bursting with all-new records on topics as diverse as black holes, domes, owls and killer plants. Want to know the highest anyone has travelled on a skateboard, or the largest loop-the-loop completed in a car? Dying to know just how many tricks a cat can do in one minute? The answers to these questions and so much more are right inside.

New in this year's edition are exciting infographic features exploring the fascinating details on topics such as animals, the human body, sports and explorations. And of course all your favourite record categories are updated for 2017, such as the world's new tallest dog! And as ever, our team of world-class photographers have travelled the globe to capture amazing images of the year's most impressive record holders.

Want to be a record-breaker? Inside you'll find challenges you can try in the garden, in the kitchen, in your bedroom or even in the gym. Who knows, you may become a world record holder yourself!

The history of the Jews is the tale of a wandering tribe that set down roots and became a nation. This is an in-depth history of the Jewish faith and development of Jewish peoplehood. It opens in the time of Abraham and the 12 tribes, covers the destruction of the Temple, the Exile and the Diaspora. The book chronicles the Golden Age of Spain, the flowering of Yiddish culture in Eastern Europe, the Holocaust and the founding of the modern state of Israel and Judaism today. Newly updated for 2021, the book shows how the Jews survived centuries of anti-Semitism, and how this ancient faith and people flourish in modern culture.

A breathtaking journey through the masterworks of intellectuals Feast your eyes on the greatest moments in history. Featuring more than 700 gorgeous photographs and illustrations, you will bask in the spectacular works prominent in art, history, literature, and science, including: The Colosseum of Rome Geoffrey Chaucer'sThe Canterbury Tales Claude Monet'sWater Lilies Stonehenge David Thoreau'sWalden Katsushika Hokusai'sUnder the Wave off Kanagawa The Great Pyramid of Giza Plato'sSophist Fred Hoyle'sBig Bang Theory An essential addition to any thinker's library, An Intellectual's Visual Miscellany captures the world's most extraordinary creations all in one remarkable volume.

The ultimate reference to every major cultural knowledge area, to enable South Africans to make sense of information they are more than likely to come across in the course of their reading or conversations. A stimulating and enlightening; challenging yet entertaining compendium of facts. - Divided into 13 subject-specific sections to convey the basic elements of knowledge across major areas of cultural knowledge, including history and politics, literature, the arts, philosophy and mythology, geography, religion, science and technology. - Some 4 000 clear, concise articles, ordered alphabetically by chapter. - Generous cross-referencing and a comprehensive index for easy reference. - 200 illustrations.

The detective genre has explored supernatural and paranormal themes throughout its colorful history. Stories of detectives investigating spiritualists, ghostly apparitions, the occult and psychics have spanned pulp fiction magazines, comic books, novels, film, television, animation and video games. This encyclopedia covers the history of the genre in its multiple forms and informs and adds to the knowledge of either the new or informed reader. Its A-Z format provides ready reference by title, detective fans browsing for new discoveries will enjoy the entertaining style.

An astonishing record of the knowledge of a civilization, The Ultimate Ambition in the Arts of Erudition catalogues everything known to exist from the perspective of a 14th-century Egyptian scholar and litterateur. More than 9,000 pages and 30 volumes--here abridged to one volume, and translated into English for the first time--it contains entries on everything from medieval moon-worshiping cults, sexual aphrodisiacs, and the substance of clouds, to how to get the smell of alcohol off one's breath, the deliciousness of cheese made from buffalo milk, and the nesting habits of flamingos. Similar works by Western authors, including Pliny's Natural History, have been available in English for centuries. This ground-breaking translation of a remarkable Arabic text--expertly abridged and annotated--offers a look at the world through the highly literary and impressively knowledgeable societies of the classical Islamic world. Meticulously arranged and delightfully eclectic, it is a compendium to be treasured--a true monument of erudition.

This step-by-step guide to essential gardening practice is a must-have reference showing modern methods to a new generation of gardeners. Compiled by leading specialists in every area of gardening, the book contains a vast amount of expert information clearly demonstrating the tried-and-tested techniques honed by the world's leading gardening authority. Using more than 1,600 artworks in more than 400 step-by-step sequences, the book covers every aspect of gardening from pruning to sowing, watering to feeding, and propagating to planting. Covering all plants including trees, flowers, shrubs, climbers, lawns, vegetables, fruit and herbs, it shows how to create water features and patios, and add lighting. It also includes organic techniques, recycling and how to treat pests and diseases. The wealth of practical information makes this book an essential purchase for both professional and amateur gardeners.

Water names carry specific evidence of linguistic history. The German Book of Water Names concentrates academic insight on German names of lakes and rivers and associated place names, and for the first time, makes available in a single reference work the findings of the past 60 years of linguistic geographical research. It presents water names in Germany and water names in neighboring countries attributable to the German language.

The second edition of World Epidemics extends coverage of a wide range of global sickness from 2700 B.C. to 2017. Arranged chronologically, entries summarize the history of incidents of contagion across the globe. Citations from personal and public documents accompany a map, comparative charts of types of infection, and estimated populations affected by each epidemic flesh out history with details.