The recent interpretation of Maya hieroglyphs has given us the first written history of the New World as it existed before the European invasion. Now, two central figures in the massive effort to decode the glyphs, Linda Schele and David Freidel, make this history available for the first time in all its detail. A Forest of Kings is the story of Maya kingship, from the beginning of its institution and the first great pyramid builders two thousand years ago to the decline of Maya civilization and its destruction by the Spanish. Here the great historic rulers of Precolumbian civilization come to life again with the decipherment of the writing. At its height, Maya civilization flourished under great kings like Shield-Jaguar, who ruled for over sixty years, expanding his kingdom and building some of the most impressive works of architecture in the ancient world. Long placed on a mist-shrouded pedestal as austere, peaceful stargazers, the Maya elites are now known to have been the rulers or populous, aggressive city-states.

Hailed as "a Rosetta Stone of Maya civilization" (Brian M. Fagan, author of People of the Earth), A Forest of Kings is "a must for interested readers," says Evon Vogt, professor of anthropology at Harvard University.

Traveling to Tokyo? Be sure to see some of the most iconic sites in Tokyo and nearby cities--from gorgeous skylines and jaw-dropping nature to hidden treasures. With this photo/guidebook, visitors can explore both the cutting-edge and traditional parts of the city like a local. Misaki Matsui, the photographer and author, introduces the beauty of the four seasons of Tokyo and surrounding cities that Japanese residents love. The collection showcases more than 100 beautiful images of Tokyo including Senso-ji, Roppongi Hills, Todoriki Valley, Mt. Takao, the Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, and more.

Like his Renaissance predecessors Raphael, Michelangelo and Dürer, the young Thomas Lawrence (1769-1830) was considered to be a boy genius. This survey of Lawrence’s first twenty-five years tells the story of an exceptional artist growing up at the end of the century when Britain created its own unique artistic voice. The book accompanied a major exhibition at the Holburne Museum in Bath and includes previously unpublished works as well as some of Lawrence’s most brilliant masterpieces. Lawrence first came to public attention when he was cited in a scientific paper on ‘early genius in children’; shortly afterwards his family moved to Bath where the eleven-year-old was kept busy making likenesses of the spa town’s fashionable visitors. By 1790, his spectacular portraits were the most applauded works in the Royal Academy’s annual exhibition, which opened days before his twenty-first birthday. This book considers the young artist’s self-image as a prodigy, the impact of Bath’s rich cultural life on his formation, the rapid development of his painting technique following his move to London, and his use of celebrity, print media and the Royal Academy to grow his reputation. Particular attention is given to Lawrence’s perceptive depictions of old age and bold celebrations of youthful energy. His portraits from this time present a fascinating glimpse of British high society at the turn of a memorable century: they include celebrities such as the Duchess of Devonshire, Emma Hamilton and actresses Sarah Siddons and Elizabeth Farren, as well as political leaders, members of the Bluestocking circle and the Royal Family.

Sheward hits the road with her twenty-something chum, Elissa, and they head for Thailand, Laos and Cambodia with nary a plan. Sheward has a gift for writing humorous prose, with chapter titles such as "Smells Like Leprosy" amd "Subterranean Hoedown," and they find themselves in the most incredible situations. They meet these characters, like the Kip Kid and the Queen of Whatever, and a variety of stoned backpackers and slum runners, in what turns out to be a series of absurd and funny misadventures. Sheward is our guide on a wayward journey through the underbelly of South-East Asia, so often bypassed by traditional travel writers.

The presence of the once-powerful Cherokees is still evident throughout the southeastern United States in names like Chickamauga, Hiwassee, Chattahoochee, Unicoi, Oconee, and Tuscaloosa. For those interested in learning more about the rich heritage of the Cherokees by visiting their historic sites, the second edition of Vicki Rozema’s Footsteps of the Cherokees: A Guide to the Eastern Homelands of the Cherokee Nation is an excellent guide. In the early 1800s, the Cherokee Nation reached from western North Carolina to middle Tennessee, and south to northern Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina. Then, in 1838, thousands of Cherokees were forced to leave their farmlands, homes, and sacred sites during that infamous trek to Oklahoma, the “Trail of Tears.� Rozema traveled over 4,000 miles and spent four years and close to 2,500 hours visiting, researching, and photographing the sites of the Cherokee Nation. Footsteps of the Cherokees is a guide to these scenic, cultural, and historic locations. The book is divided into two sections. In the overview, Rozema traces the history of the Cherokees from their prehistoric ancestors to their interaction and conflict with white explorers and settlers to stories of the few who remained behind after the forced march west. This information puts the 190 sites listed in the book into historical perspective. The second section focuses on the sites themselves. The sites are divided into nineteen areas named after central locations. The starting locations include Chattanooga, Knoxville and Maryville, Atlanta, the Blue Ridge Parkway, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Northeast Georgia, Northwest Alabama, and South Carolina. The coverage of each site includes a discussion of the area’s history, background information, detailed directions, hours of operation, entrance fees, and important phone numbers. The book includes over 200 black-and-white photographs. Take an afternoon or weekend and travel back in time to the glory days of the Cherokee Nation. Whether in your car or favorite armchair, Footsteps of the Cherokees will take you to the great tribe’s hunting grounds, battlegrounds, sacred lands, homelands, birthplaces, and burial sites. Vicki Rozema is the author of Cherokee Voices: Early Accounts of Cherokee Life in the East and Voices from the Trail of Tears and Voices from the Trail of Tears. The first edition of Footsteps of the Cherokees received an Award of Merit from the Tennessee Historical Commission in 1996. Also an acclaimed photographer, she is a history professor at the University of Tennessee.

Celebrating Chicago's best restaurants and eateries with recipes and photograph, The New Chicago Chef's Table profiles signature “at home� recipes from over 50 legendary dining establishments. A keepsake cookbook for tourists and locals alike, the book is a celebration of Chicago's farm-to-table way of life.

Scale : 1:400,000 Flat Size : 965 x 660 mm.

The desert offers the great benefits of silence, slowness and space. These startling landscapes and awe-inspiring vistas can only be found in a few places in the world. Accompanied by stunning photography, this book bundles together 40 dreamy locations in one volume and shows the most luxurious and special overnight stays the desert has to offer. Get insider tips on travel to the Sahara in Morocco, the salt flats (Salar de Uyuni) in Bolivia or the Gobi Desert in Mongolia, among others.

Packed with practical, updated information for anyone's budget, this new edition of Winkler's personal guide to shopping in Paris includes maps of the major shopping areas and photos that richly illustrate the text.

'The Paris Shopping Companion' describes the merchandise of a wide selection of Parisian businesses offering unique goods and services. These include clothing and linens, jewellery and accessories, books, food, collectibles and leather goods.

Texas movies are as vast as the Lone Star State. This book offers readers the chance to visit Texas vicariously by viewing movies filmed in and about the state that reflect Texas history, cultures, and landscapes. Suggested itineraries, maps, and lists of unique shooting locatiosn make this book a travel guide. Anecdotes about the experiences of the movie makers during the filming add unique interest for the movie fan.

Insiders' Guide to the Greater Tampa Bay Area is the essential source for in-depth travel and relocation information to this beautiful Florida region. Written by a local (and true insider), this guide offers a personal and practical perspective of Tampa Bay and its surrounding environs.

'A Swallows and Amazons adventure for the modern day by one of the most interesting travel writers working today' Bijan Omrani, author of Caesar's Footprints 'A headlong plunge into the deep, dark waters of the Lake District and its islands. Packed with curious historical facts, philosophical and literary footnotes' Shaun Bythell, author of Diary of a Bookseller Robert Twigger, poet, artist and travel author, is a lover of uninhabited islands. A lifelong passion for the Lake District led him to embark on a mission to visit all 36 islands of the region - some little more than rocks, some home only to wildlife, some the perfect spot for a night of wild-camping. Armed only with an inflatable canoe, and inspired by Arthur Ransome, Wainwright, Wordsworth and other writers of the region, he journeys beyond the tourists and the busy roads, beneath the surface, to islands both real and remembered. Here the low tide of the unconscious reveals itself through the strange flotsam that it leaves on the shore - a new sense of discovery, about himself and the world we live in.

A full color "Virtual Encyclopedia" of America's Covered Bridges! Chasing Covered Bridges lists locations, including state, county, etc. and contains more than 260 full color featured photos, with a total of 800 of these beautiful old structures. Relive America's past through these grand old symbols of times long gone. Join author Paul Parrott, (retired after 22 years in the Navy and nearly 20 years in the U.S. Postal Service), in his travels as he searches to find "Still yet one more bridge."

Do you want to experience the charm of Georgia's St. Simons Island? Do you long to see the little chapel at Frederica? Would you like to stand amid the ruins of Dungeness on Cumberland Island? Now you can. Come explore the historical places and beautiful settings of Eugenia Price's beloved novels in Eugenia Price's South, a well-researched and fascinating companion to the author's Southeast coastal classics.Mary Bray Wheeler has combined extensive journeys through the South with in-depth knowledge of Price's literary world to spotlight the people and places that populate Price's novels. Illustrated with photographs and meticulously detailed maps, this travel companion guides readers to the actual locations that come alive in Price's St. Simon Trilogy, Savannah Quartet, Florida Trilogy, and Georgia Trilogy. Whether you are an avid traveler or an armchair enthusiast, you will find this delightful volume the perfect guide for your pilgrimage to the sites of Eugenia Price's South.

Nothing can ruin a trip like an illness, an accident, or a medical emergency. But many of these situations are preventable - or at least, more manageable - with knowledge and planning. Healthy Travel is a concise, well-organised handbook for all travellers. According to the authors., smart travellers are those who do their health homework ahead of time. When you travel, do you take along a comprehensive list of medical, emergency, and contact information in your carry-on, pocketbook, or briefcase? You should and with Healthy Travel, you will.