Britain possesses one of the most remarkable and varied coastlines in the world, with its richness in geology and human history on display. Since the dawn of time the sea has been sculpting the rocks, sands and marshes, constantly changing the shape of the coastline and the inhabitants of Britain have adapted, defended, sometimes surrendered it or recaptured it in response to the forces of nature. "The Living Coast" brilliantly celebrates this dynamic interplay between sea, land and people in over 350 sumptuous images from the air - a seagull's-eye view round the 9,000 miles of British coast, from Land's End to the wave-pounded isles and the ancient rocks of the far north; the receding shores and sensationally beautiful estuaries of the east; and, the familiar chalk cliffs, crumbling Jurassic coast and drowned river valleys of the south.This book is composed of 14 chapters, each beginning with a narrative and ending with a photographic exhibition. The coast is taken region by region, moving clockwise round the perimeter of the UK.

"Peter Grieder has traveled from his home in the mountains of Europe and found inspiration among the great Himalayas. What unites the people that he met in Ladakh, Zanskar, Bhutan and Tibet is a remarkable sense of fortitude and contentment derived largely from a common culture rooted in Buddhism. One of the key elements of Buddhist teachings is the importance of the inner journey. No matter what external developments we may make in our world or what magnificent things we may see in it, without a corresponding inner development we will not find the happiness we ultimately seek. However, if each of us can journey within and develop a warm heart towards others and calm in our minds, there lies real hope for peace and joy in the world." (from the Foreword by the Dalai Lama)

'When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford,' said Samuel Johnson in 1777. Since then the capital has been characterised variously as a 'riddle', a 'cesspool' and a 'modern Babylon', and both Londoners and visitors alike have continued to share their candid views of a great city in a variety of literary forms. This compact gift book is packed full of witty, scandalous and entertaining quotations about this famous city from the Middle Ages to the current decade.