An Austin photographer with nearly forty books and countless magazine articles to his credit, Laurence Parent turns his lens on his hometown, capturing the soul of the Lone Star State's beloved capital city in 121 stunning photographs. Experience Austin's rich history, with visits to Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum, the Texas State Capitol, the University of Texas. Take in the rivers and lakes, the lifeblood the city, from Lady Bird Lake to the Colorado River. Feel the heartbeat of the "Live Music Capital of the World," with its long history in blues, country, rock, jazz, and Tejano music.

From border garrison of the Roman Empire to magnificent Baroque seat of the Habsburgs, Vienna's fortunes swung between survival and expansion. By the late nineteenth century it had become the western capital of the sprawling Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, but the twentieth century saw it degraded to a "hydrocephalus" cut off from its former economic hinterland. After the inglorious Nazi interlude, Vienna escaped from four-power-occupation in 1955 and began the long climb back to the prosperous and cultivated city of 1.7 million inhabitants that it is today. Even as a metropolis, Vienna always retained a sense of intimacy, and sometimes of intellectual and spiritual claustrophobia. This "village" has been a crucible of creativity from the glittering arts and music of Habsburg and noble patronage to the libidinous hothouse of Freud's fin-de-siecle society, with all its brilliance and ambivalence. Subjected to constant infusions of new blood from the Empire, and now from the former imperial territories and beyond, Vienna has both assimilated and resisted cultural influences from outside, creating its own sui generis culture. DUCAL AND IMPERIAL CITY: Magnet for genius in architecture, the fine arts, music, literature, as well as administration. "Viennese by choice" - a notion that includes Walther von der Vogelweide, Metastasio, Salieri, Gluck, Mozart, Beethoven, Van Swieten, Metternich, Theodor Herzl and Karl Kraus - to name but a few. CITY OF SURVIVORS: a civilization submerged in waves of migrating tribes, a buffer town between the German Emperor's territories and rival Slavs or Magyars; finally the bulwark of Christianity in resistance to Ottoman expansion over three centuries up to 1683. And in the Cold War, a neutral space for spies and diplomats between competing power blocs. CITY OF PAST AND PRESENT: Loden coats and laptops, progressive politics and reactionary piety, ancient rituals (slow food in the Heurigen and Beisln, Sunday walks in the Wienerwald or Schonbrunn Park) and modern rhythms in lifestyle and work.

In 1984 Sebastiao Salgado began what would be a fifteen-month project of photographing the drought-stricken Sahel region of Africa in the countries of Chad, Ethiopia, Mali, and Sudan, where approximately one million people died from extreme malnutrition and related causes. Working with the humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders, Salgado documented the enormous suffering and the great dignity of the refugees. This early work became a template for his future photographic projects about other afflicted people around the world. Since then, Salgado has again and again sought to give visual voice to those millions of human beings who, because of military conflict, poverty, famine, overpopulation, pestilence, environmental degradation, and other forms of catastrophe, teeter on the edge of survival. Beautifully produced, with thoughtful supporting narratives by Orville Schell, Fred Ritchin, and Eduardo Galeano, this first U.S. edition brings some of Salgado's earliest and most important work to an American audience for the first time. Twenty years after the photographs were taken, "Sahel: The End of the Road" is still painfully relevant. Born in Brazil in 1944, Sebastiao Salgado studied economics in Sao Paulo and Paris and worked in Brazil and England. While traveling as an economist to Africa, he began photographing the people he encountered. Working entirely in a black-and-white format, Salgado highlights the larger meaning of what is happening to his subjects with an imagery that testifies to the fundamental dignity of all humanity while simultaneously protesting its violation by war, poverty, and other injustices. 'The planet remains divided,' Salgado explains. 'The first world in a crisis of excess, the third world in a crisis of need.' This disparity between the haves and the have-nots is the subtext of almost all of Salgado's work.

A garden at the foot of Europe and a crossroads between Spain, Africa and the New World, Andaluca has been a cultural customs house on the border of the Mediterranean and Atlantic civilisations for more than ten thousand years. This book traces its origins from the earliest hominid settlers in the Granada mountains 1.8 million years ago, through successive Phoenician, Greek, Roman and Muslim cultures, and the past five hundred years of modern Castilian rule, up to and including the present day of post-modern novelists in Crdoba and Sevilla, guerrilla urban archaeologists in Torremolinos and Marbella, and underground lo-fi bands in Granada and Mlaga.

The London Underground has always been key to the lives of Londoners, from when its stations and stairwells offered refuge from the barrage of the Blitz through to its unique ability across the years to transport people safely all around the capital. It has remained strong in the face of devastation, surviving horrors like the Moorgate Tube crash and the 7/7 bombings. An icon throughout the world, the Tube is as resilient as any Londoner, and is the thread that holds the capital together. These stunning photographs from the Mirrorpix archives present its changing face over time.

Forever linked in the public mind with the Pol Pot tyranny, Phnom Penh only became Cambodia's permanent capital in 1866. Long neglected by Western travellers, in the sixteenth century it was home to Iberian missionaries and freebooters who briefly held Cambodia's fate in their hands. It faded in significance until France established a colonial protectorate over Cambodia in 1863. As the colonialists robbed the Cambodian king of his temporal power, their protection enhanced his symbolic importance, setting the scene for the emergence of one of the most intriguing rulers of the twentieth century, King Norodom Sihanouk. The city Sihanouk ruled from 1941 to 1970 was a mix of traditional palaces, Buddhist temples and transplanted French architecture. In the 1960s Phnom Penh deserved its reputation as the most attractive city in Southeast Asia.But after 1970 all this was to change, and a terrible civil war was followed by the Khmer Rouge's capture of the city in 1975. Since the defeat of Pol Pot in 1979, Phnom Penh has slowly recovered, once again attracting perceptive travellers. It is a city of royalty and colonizers - Kings, courts and battles with French administrators; royal ceremonies, dancers and elephants; foreign intrigue and carpetbaggers who sought and failed to find riches. It is a city of culture - A rich local culture that became a headache for French officials; traditional architecture and colonial buildings that remain today; notable literary visitors from Somerset Maugham to Andre Malraux. It is a city of evil and rebirth - The terrible rule of Pol Pot; the Tuol Sleng extermination centre where 17,000 men, women and children were tortured and killed as "enemies of the state"; the return to a fragile normality.

My Family and Other Animals is the bewitching account of a rare and magical childhood on the island of Corfu by treasured British conservationist Gerald Durrell. Escaping the ills of the British climate, the Durrell family - acne-ridden Margo, gun-toting Leslie, bookworm Lawrence and budding naturalist Gerry, along with their long-suffering mother and Roger the dog - take off for the island of Corfu. But the Durrells find that, reluctantly, they must share their various villas with a menagerie of local fauna - among them scorpions, geckos, toads, bats and butterflies. Recounted with immense humour and charm My Family and Other Animals is a wonderful account of a rare, magical childhood. 'Durrell has an uncanny knack of discovering human as well as animal eccentricities' Sunday Telegraph 'A bewitching book' Sunday Times

Charlotte Brunsdon's illuminating study explores the variety of cinematic 'Londons' that appear in films made since 1945. Brunsdon traces the familiar ways that film-makers establish that a film is set in London, by use of recognisable landmarks and the city's shorthand iconography of red buses and black taxis, as well as the ways in which these icons are avoided. She looks at London weather - fog and rain - and everyday locations like the pub and the housing estate, while also examining the recurring patterns of representation associated with films set in the East and West Ends of London, from Spring in Park Lane (1948) to Mona Lisa (1986), and from Night and the City (1950) to From Hell (2001). Brunsdon provides a detailed analysis of a selection of films, exploring their contribution to the cinematic geography of London, and showing the ways in which feature films have responded to, and created, changing views of the city. She traces London's transformation from imperial capital to global city through the different ways in which the local is imagined in films ranging from Ealing comedies to Pressure (1974), as well as through the shifting imagery of the River Thames and the Docks. She addresses the role of cinematic genres such as horror and film noir in the constitution of the cinematic city, as well as the recurrence of figures such as the cockney, the gangster and the housewife. Challenging the view that London is not a particularly cinematic city, Brunsdon demonstrates that many London-set films offer their own meditation on the complex relationships between the cinema and the city.

The Okanagan Valley is one of Canada's most famous and beloved regions. Breathtaking scenery, temperate climates, lush farmland, opulent vineyards and bountiful orchards all combine to create a one-of-a-kind destination. The Okanagan is also home to a burgeoning scene of culinary artisans who produce an incredible variety of delicious products from the bounty afforded by the generous valley. In this comprehensive guidebook covering all 7,500 square miles of the region, discover the stories of chocolatiers and cheese makers, farmers and foragers, chefs and restauranteurs, coffee roasters and vintners. Allow yourself to be escorted from apiary to orchard, organic farm to butcher shop, cannery to cidery. Take a seat at one of the many innovative farm-to-table restaurants and taste the fare of the area's most talented chefs. Visit farmers' markets, bakeries, cafes, and coffee shops, and learn the history of the Okanagan through the astonishing array of products available from today's food artisans.

Squeezed between more powerful France and Spain, Catalonia has endured a violent history. Its medieval empire that conquered Naples, Sicily and Athens was crushed by Spain. Its geography, with the Pyrenees falling sharply to the rugged Costa Brava, is tormented, too. Michael Eaude traces this history and its monuments: Roman Tarragona, celebrated by the poet Martial; Greek Empuries, lost for centuries beneath the sands; medieval Romanesque architecture in the Vall de Boi churches (a World Heritage Site) and Poblet and Santes Creus monasteries. He tells the stories of several of Catalonia's great figures: Abbot Oliva, who brought Moorish learning to Europe, the ruthless mercenary, Roger de Flor, and Verdaguer, handsome poet-priest. Catalonia is famous today for its twentieth-century art. This book focuses on the revolutionary Art Nouveau buildings (including the Sagrada Familia) of Antoni Gaudi. It also explores the region's artistic legacy: the young Picasso painting Barcelona's vibrant slums; Salvador Dali, inspired by the twisted rocks of Cap de Creus to paint his landscapes of the human mind; and Joan Miro, discovering the colours of the red earth at Montroig. This book talks about: mountains and mediterranean: Pyrenean peaks with calm lakes, birds of prey and deep valleys; Montserrat, where Himmler searched for the Holy Grail; the Costa Brava, its virgin beauty still visible alongside the resorts of the package-holiday boom; the rice fields and bird life of the wild Ebro Delta. It also talks about revolution and war, looking at anarchism, revolution and Civil War (covered by both Orwell and Hemingway), then forty years of Franco's dictatorship. It illuminates the self-confidence of modern Catalonia: linguistic revival, Barcelona Football Club, popular music, the cuisine of Ferran Adria; and, cava sparkling wine.

The suburbs - long sneered at for being dreary and stultifying - have always been far livelier and more entertaining than they're given credit for. In this witty and sharply observed account of what it was like to grow up in one in the 1950s and '60s, David Randall gives the other side of suburbia: full of absurdities and happiness, scandals and follies, and inhabitants both sage and silly. Here, at last, is the truth about what life was really like behind the often-closed (but not always net) curtains of our semi-detacheds. This is that rare book: a most unmiserable memoir.

When you think of Paris do you picture the Eiffel Tower? The medieval city of Notre Dame? The elegant boulevards of Baron Haussmann? The Montmartre of Toulouse- Lautrec? The grandeur of the Louvre? The Art Nouveau of the Paris Metro? The Grand Projets of Franc ois Mitterrand? Or...? Yes, there is just so much beauty to Paris. In 150 striking images, Paris celebrates the French capital, from its world-famous landmarks to evocative alleyways and corners that might surprise you. You may have heard, for instance, about the Paris catacombs and sewers that you can visit, but did you know about La Petite Ceinture, a disused 19th century railway line that circumnavigates the inner city? From the medieval marvels of Sainte-Chapelle to the 1970s Pompidou Centre to the latest pop-up beaches beside the Seine, the book explores a great many sides to the city. In collecting these images of the city today, we come to understand something of its history - from the executions that took place at the Place de la Concorde during the Revolution to the Arc de Triomphe honouring those who served in the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars to the skyscrapers of La De fense. Presented in a landscape format and with captions explaining the story behind each entry, Paris is a stunning collection of images celebrating the world's most romantic city.

In 150 striking images, Italy celebrates perhaps the most beautiful country in the world. From the natural beauty of lakes such as Como or Garda to the vineyards in Tuscany to the many beaches, from the pretty seaside towns of the Cinque Terre to the glory of Venice's canals and palaces, from the magnificence of classical antiquity in Rome to the Arab-Norman architecture of Palermo to Renaissance Florence, there is just so much to feast on in Italy. But apart from the famous highlights, the book also features lesser known sides to the country, be it pretty, unexplored corners and examples of everyday life, or the abandoned cave towns of Puglia and the 16th century star-shaped town of Palmanova. Presented in a landscape format and with captions explaining the story behind each entry, Italy is a stunning collection of images.

Now in its 3rd edition, this touring atlas covers all of Southern Africa and is designed for all road users – from the regular commercial traveller to the casual tourist.

South Africa is broken down into a main map section covering all of the country’s areas, where main touring areas are shown in larger scale and much greater detail; and city maps, where all of the main city centres and significant surrounding areas are also shown in detail. Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe are handled in a similar way with a full spread for each country, together with the main tourist areas and city plans.

The book also includes a comprehensive index of place names and, where appropriate, an index of city plans. The touring sections show places of interest in specific locales, such as the battlefields of KwaZulu-Natal and the wineries of the Western Cape. Lastly, photographs of scenic areas accompany the maps where appropriate.

Each book in the `Moments of Mindfulness' series pairs the wise words of a great writer, master, philosopher or poet with Olivier Foellmi's beautiful and moving photographs. Foellmi travelled far and wide to witness the celebrations, landscapes, rituals and traditions of cultures all over the world, discovering new ways of seeing as he sought to understand and capture through photography the connections linking the people to their ancestral lands. The effect is transcendental and transformative, awakening our senses and preparing our souls to receive these simple yet profound teachings.

Scotland's Heritage is a unique book. It combines John Hannavy's stunning and original photography of Scotland with an engaging narrative on the country's evolution from 4000 BC to the present day, using both the author's own account of his travels with those of the great travel writers of the past who have explored and been moved by its landscape, architecture and people. Scotland is a country steeped in history, and blessed with a rich and varied heritage set in a stunning landscape. It is a photographer's paradise with light which can change a hundred times a day, each revealing a new aspect of the place. Throughout the country, marks reveal the lives of those who have lived before us over past millennia, while today's landscape is dotted with the remains of buildings erected, enjoyed, altered and abandoned over the past centuries. Scotland's Heritage illustrates some of the country's often-turbulent history by offering a view of the places and the buildings where that history was played out. The text and pictures in the book are arranged thematically with sections entitled The marks left by men; The land of the mountain and the flood; Great houses and humble dwellings; Churches, rituals and monuments; The land of a thousand castles; One thousand years of industry and Living and working by the sea. Travel writers from the last 400 years such as William Camden, Boswell & Johnson, Thomas Pennant, Daniel Defoe and H.V. Morton have all contributed their views on what Sir Walter Scott called 'the land of the mountain and the flood'. The land they journeyed through and the experience of travel then was very different to what we know today, and quotations from their erudite, informative and often amusing observations are used to contrast their Scotland with ours.

The works in this book have been selected because of their historical value, uniqueness, character and state of preservation. The result is 100 treasures that reflect the diversity of Brussels' museums, and the permanent collections that reside within them. For each of the 100 artworks the authors give a description, a context and an anecdote. Themes range widely, from modern and contemporary art, ancient art, history and archeaology, to science, nature, and architecture. This book is a multifaceted aesthetic and scientific experience, and contains something everyone will enjoy.

Honey beer and penguin eggs, pinball and stick-fighting, sacred dancing and shebeens, swimming at night and kissing in the forest . Over the years, South Africans have pursued pleasure in a wild variety of ways. Nice times! is a compendium of writing about local delights, by all kinds of writers, from every era of South African history. Here you will find innocent joys, wicked temptations, obscure enthusiasms - and a great deal of humour, fun and sensual relish.

If you have a dread of dull trips to dreary places and a pathological fear of mundane excursions, I guarantee you'll find something here to amuse you. "An Eccentric Tour of Sussex" is a guidebook with a difference. It will take you on a sideways journey across the county to weird, wacky and wonderful destinations. This tour showcases 20 classically bizarre Sussex venues, (plus a few strange minor ones) and reveals quirky churches, bizarre tombs, extraordinary buildings, strange festivals, and whimsical follies. It is aimed at the connoisseur of the peculiar, the cultural tourist who appreciates the silly and unusual destination, has an open-mind and is prepared take an unconventional look at their surroundings. Those of us who live in Sussex are lucky; we have stunning coastlines, bohemian towns, oddball characters (historical and contemporary), fabulous art and a rich cultural history. From the seedy pleasure, from Brighton to the lesser-known delight of Thorney Island, this tour will help you cherish and appreciate what is on your doorstep.