The world's most famous mountain, Everest remains for serious high-altitude climbers an ultimate goal. Ed Viesturs has gone on eleven expeditions to Everest, reaching the summit seven times. He's spent more than two years of his life on the mountain. No climber today is better poised to survey Everest's various ascents-both personal and historic. In The Mountain, Viesturs delivers just that: riveting you-are-there accounts of his own climbs as well as vivid narratives of some of the more famous and infamous climbs throughout the last century, when the honour of nations often hung in the balance, depending on which climbers summited first. In addition to his own experiences, Viesturs sheds light on the fate of Mallory and Irvine, whose 1924 disappearance just 800 feet from the top remains one of mountaineering's greatest mysteries, and on the multiply tragic last days of Rob Hall and Scott Fischer in 1996, the stuff of which Into Thin Air was made. Informed by the experience of one who has truly been there, The Mountainaffords a rare glimpse into that place on earth where Heraclitus's maxim-character is destiny-is proved time and again. Complete with gorgeous photos of Everest, many of which were taken by Viesturs himself, and shots taken on some of the legendary historic climbs, The Mountainis an immensely appealing book for active and armchair climber alike.

This book of essays written over the last three post-apartheid decades uniquely provides profiles of 104 pan-African figures, mostly from the 1.4 billion-strong African population and its estimated 250 million-strong diaspora in the Americas, Europe and the Caribbean. It thus provides a concise profile of the most important figures of Africa and its diaspora.

The profiles also include global Western figures engaging with African issues, assessed from an African perspective. The essays cover, in a multi-disciplinary manner, diverse historical and political figures, technocrats, activists, writers, public intellectuals, musical and film artists, and sporting figures. They acknowledge the continuing legacies and impacts of the twin scourges of slavery and colonialism, but also seek to capture the zeitgeist of the post-apartheid era.

The book argues that the culmination of Africa’s liberation struggles was mirrored by similar battles in the Caribbean as well as the American civil rights movement, with all three involving citizens of global Africa.

'Jazz Survivor' tells the story of Louis Bannet, the Dutch Louis Armstrong. Louis Bannet was sent to Auschwitz-Birkenau during the was, but his skill as a musician saved his life: he became the 'star' of the Auschwitz Orchestra, as well as the personal bandleader for Dr Josef Mengele and the founder of the Gypsy Camp Orchestra.

Introduced in 1918 as an award for bravery in the field, the Military Medal was almost immediately open to women. During its 80 year existence, the Military Medal was awarded to women on only 146 occasions, the vast majority during the First World War. This volume provides the definitive roll of recipients together with citations, many of which were not available at the time, plus service and biographical detail. Over 80% of the entries are accompanied by a photograph. The vast majority of the recipients were British, but the medal was open to women of all nationalities and the names of French and United States recipients are recorded together with allied personnel from the Empire.

Lake Chemong, 1954. Every summer, from June to August, the Fogle family pack up and leave the big city of Toronto, escaping to their white, cedar-clad cottage, the last in a row of a cluster of houses nestled in primordial forest on a wide, ink-blue lake. Mr Fogle, a silent mountain of a man, built the cottage himself. In the mind of ten year old Bruce, his father is brown and green, the colours of the land, his whip smart, gregarious mother, a vivid and fiery red. This year, joining his parents, his older brother Rob and Angus the family dog, is his mother's wise and enigmatic brother, Reub. At first, this summer break seems like any other. Bruce spends his days floating in the row boat with Grace from next door, jumping off the diving raft, eating peach pie, watching the seagulls and herons, observing frogs and turtles and catching crayfish. Relishing the heat of the sun on his bare skin and the sludge of the lakebed beneath his toes, he, even at this young age, understands his life is pretty perfect. But then everything starts to change. Family dynamics are shifting, and over the summer both the harshness of the adult world and the thoughtless cruelty of children leave their mark. By the time the weather turns Bruce will be a different child, and will have chosen his own path to understanding the shifting, fragile wilderness that frames their summer idyll. Teeming with wonderful characters, Barefoot at the Lake is the story of a boy discovering his place in the world and realising his deep connection with nature. It is a memoir that will utterly transport you - you'll feel the sun on your face, the pebbles of the lake under foot and catch the scent of the pine on the wind.

The letters of the great eighteenth-century historian of music and man of letters, Dr Charles Burney (1726-1814), friend of Samuel Johnson and Joseph Haydn, are here collected and published in chronological order for the first time. This initial instalment of a projected four-volume edition of the Letters, edited from manuscript and other sources, opens with the earliest surviving letter, written in 1751 when Burney was an obscure country organist. It concludes in December 1784 with the death of Samuel Johnson. These are the letters of the active years which saw Burney's remarkable rise to the head of his chosen profession, music. They chronicle his musical travels in Europe, and his literary activities as a scholar and author of the Continental Tours, the first two volumes of his famous History of Music, and the Commemoration of Handel, written at the behest of George III. They also document Burney's membership in the celebrated literary coterie at Streatham, and the emergence as a novelist of his daughter Fanny, whose Evelina and Cecilia appeared in these years.

Pennsylvania, first home of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, has a tradition of political progress. However, along with the good, the political playground of Pennsylvania has also seen the brazenly bad behavior of its political leaders. For over twenty-five years, political columnist John Baer has had a front-row seat to the foibles and follies of the Keystone State's political system. Baer takes readers through his memories of covering state politics for the last quarter century, from Democratic governor Milton Shapp's short-lived run for president--in which he finished behind "no preference" in the Florida primary--to highlights of some of the game-changing campaign missteps and maneuvers that moved administrations in and out of the capital. With a delightfully gruff wit, Baer gives readers a behind-the-scenes view of the politics and personalities that have passed through Harrisburg.

The paintings and drawings of J.R.R. Tolkien are featured in this illustrated study, seen in the context of his writing. He is the author of "The Hobbit", "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Silmarillion". This book explores Tolkien's art at length, from his childhood paintings and drawings to his final sketches. Central to the book are his illustrations for his works, especially his tales of "Middle-earth". Also examined are the pictures Tolkien made for his children, notably in his "Father Christmas" letters and for the story of "Mr Bliss", his calligraphy, his love of decoration, and his contributions to the typography and design of his books. Wayne G. Hammond is the author of "The Graphic Art of C.B. Falls" and "J.R.R. Tolkien: a Descriptive Bibliography" and he is a contributor of notes on Tolkien to the journal "Mythlore". Christina Skull is the author of "Soane Hogarths" and she edits the journal, "The Tolkien Collector".

A love letter to a community of Trappist monks who provided family when it was needed the most. This warmhearted memoir describes how a small, insecure boy with a vibrant imagination found an unlikely family in the company of monks at Holy Trinity Abbey, in the mountains of rural Latter-day Saint Utah. Struggling with his parents' recent divorce, Michael O'Brien discovered a community filled with warmth, humor, idiosyncrasies, and most of all, listening ears. Filled with anecdotes and delightful "behind the scenes" descriptions of his experiences living alongside the monks as they farmed, prayed, buried their dead, ate, and shared the joys of life, Monastery Mornings speaks to the value of spiritual fatherhood, the lasting impact of positive mentoring, and the stability that the spiritual life can offer to people of all ages and walks of life.

The Village Indian is a vibrant exploration of the dramas and humour inherent to small-town life in South Africa. Through a series of engaging anecdotes and personal experiences, the author invites readers to journey alongside a mixed-race family as they navigate the quirky and often challenging terrain of a close-knit village, where Govender is one of the few people of Indian descent.

From the perils of small-town politics to heartwarming acts of community spirit, the book showcases the richness of village life that often contrasts sharply with urban living. With a blend of wit and insight, the author reveals that small towns are far from dull; they pulsate with energy, charm and a sense of connection that many city dwellers yearn for in a post-lockdown world.

The Village Indian is not just a celebration of small-town living but a testament to the vivid community and culture that thrives outside the bustling cities, reminding us that adventure and inspiration can be found in the most unexpected places.

Son of a Preacher Man is a story about a loving but fraught relationship between a father and son in apartheid South Africa.

The father was Bruce Evans, a Jewish-born, evangelical Anglican clergyman who became Bishop of Port Elizabeth. His children grew up in the 1960s and ’70s in a world awash with chapter-and-verse ‘born-again’ Christianity that included ‘talking-in-tongues’, ‘divine healings’ and exorcism.

Gavin, his middle son, who narrates the tale, eventually broke with the religious beliefs he’d inherited and threw himself into the ‘struggle’ for democracy while keeping his father at arms’ length. But they reconciled shortly before Bruce’s death from motor neuron disease in 1993.

The book delves into the psyches of both men and examines how it played out in the 33 years they had together.