Celebrating a "golden age" of travel, this new book retraces the steps of a Grand Tour of South East Asia from the turn of the 20th century to the present day. The Romance of the Grand Tour explores the living heritage of 12 exotic port cities: from Rangoon (Yangon), through the Straits Settlements of Penang, Malacca and Singapore and the old Dutch East Indies cities of Batavia (Jakarta) and Surabaya, via Bangkok to former Indochina at Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City), Phnom Penh and Hanoi, through Manila to Hong Kong. Drawing on archival images and accounts as well as present-day photographs and illustrations, the book captures the romance and excitement of these early Grand Tourists, while presenting contemporary scenes and experiences for 21st-century travellers determined to seek out the legacy of a bygone era.

This comprehensive memento is a visual guide to the city's pomp & pageantry, celebrations, carnivals & more. This title features more than 500 photographs from the vast archives of the Press Association. One of the world's great cities, Britain's capital has long been an icon not only for the seven million inhabitants who live and work there, but also for the many visitors who flock to the metropolis from nationwide and abroad. With the majestic River Thames flowing through its heart, London is home to the Royal Family, hub of finance, seat of government, a centre for the arts and host to several international sporting events. This book forms a tour of the city's historic streets of medieval and classical architecture, sumptuous palaces and distinctive bridges. It captures the rich characters of Soho and Chinatown, London's quaint squares and verdant parks, the vibrant West End, world-class restaurants, the ubiquitous London pub, fine museums and art galleries and the stadia that host sporting spectacles. This comprehensive tourist memento is a visual guide to the city's pomp and pageantry, celebrations, carnivals and glittering night life, as well as to the rich mix of diverse cultures that nevertheless exude a unique character, all revealed in more than 500 photographs hand-picked from the vast archives of the Press Association.

When you think of London, what do you see? The Houses of Parliament? The bustle around Piccadilly Circus? Elegant Victorian streets and squares? The Tate Modern? Or even Camden Market? With London, there are so many different aspects to the city. In more than 200 striking images, London celebrates the British capital, from its famous landmarks to atmospheric alleyways, from the top of the Shard to London Underground's lost ghost stations, from the parks to the canals to the Thames. Exploring both the history and modernity of the city, the book reveals the city's legacy as a capital and a trading hub, but also looks at how the contemporary city lives and breathes as a multi-ethnic metropolis. Presented in a landscape format and with captions explaining the story behind each entry, London is a stunning collection of images celebrating the world's most interesting city.

For a country with a relatively small population, Scotland has had a massive impact on the world. This intriguing miscellany uncovers the culture surrounding its shores, and celebrates the many characters, legends, firsts and inventions that have shaped the country's rich and majestic history. This eye opening collection of trivia will enlighten you on many of the myths surrounding Scotland. Bagpipes, tartan and haggis are all archetypal images of Scotland, and yet none of them likely originated here. Clan wars, family feuds, invasions and battles are just some of the historical subjects divulged in this fascinating miscellany. Scots have also helped to create modern life, with innovators ushering in the Industrial Revolution, medical breakthroughs, not forgetting the Scottish engineers famed across the globe. Along the way you will also find entries on the food, the sporting heritage and darker tales of murder most foul. Brief, accessible and entertaining pieces on a wide variety of subjects makes it the perfect book to dip in to. The amazing and extraordinary facts series presents interesting, surprising and little-known facts and stories about a wide range of topics which are guaranteed to inform, absorb and entertain in equal measure.

"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)

A pictorial history of the world's most enigmatic city
From the first known photograph taken in Los Angeles to its most recent sweeping vistas, this photographic tribute to the City of Angels provides a fascinating journey through the city's cultural, political, industrial, and sociological history. It traces the city's development from the 1880s' real estate boom, through the early days of Hollywood and the urban sprawl of the late 20th century, right up to the present day. With over 500 images, L.A. is shown emerging from a desert wasteland to become a vast palm-studded urban metropolis.
Events that made world news-including two Olympics, Bobby Kennedy's assassination, and the Rodney King riots-reveal a city of many dimensions. The entertainment capital of the world, Hollywood, and its celebrities are showcased along with many other notable residents, personalities, architects, artists, and musicians. The city's pop cultural movements, its music, surfing, health food fads, gangs, and hot rods are included, as are its notorious crimes and criminals. This book depicts Los Angeles in all its glory and grit, via hundreds of freshly discovered images including those of Julius Shulman, Garry Winogrand, William Claxton and many other superb photographers, culled from major historical archives, museums, private collectors, and universities. These are given context and resonance through essays by renowned California historian Kevin Starr and Los Angeles literature expert David Ulin.