For anyone who's passionate about London, "Love London" is the next best thing to being there. This fabulous collection of more than 200 stunning black-and-white and color photographs by Barbara Chandler--described by the "Evening Standard" as "the sharpest eye in London"--includes images of the Thames, street scenes and cafe life, famous monuments, and interesting characters. Each photograph is accompanied by a fascinating quote about London from such notable figures of the past and present as Malcolm Bradbury, Sir Thomas More, George Bernard Shaw, and many more.

Go beyond the French capital's famous landmarks and discover the hidden gems. From secluded mews and undiscovered cafes to flower markets and tree-lined streets, prettycityparis champions the quiet, gentle moments that allow you to escape in a huge capital city like Paris. If you know where to look, you will find that traditional shopfronts, vintage transport, artisan bakeries, whimsical florists and timeless bookstores are but a hop, skip and a jump from the centre. Some are right in the middle. Full of the unexplored and less-appreciated areas of Paris, this stunning guide also includes tips on how to plan and photograph your own prettycityparis experience, whether on foot or dreaming from afar.

With a foreword by Julian Fellowes, creator of Downton Abbey who concludes that: `This is the world that Ruth Binney has brought so wonderfully to life in her book'. Inside the country house, what exactly were the duties of the master's valet and the lady's maid? How did these fit into the daily routine? And what were the protocols for visitors? The answers to these, and many more questions, are revealed in this entertaining and intimate guide to the self-contained world of the country house. Here you'll learn the rules of etiquette essential both upstairs and down -for both residents and visitors -marvel at the intricacies of housekeeping, and enter a bygone age of hunts, house parties and grand balls. All these aspects of country house life, and many more, are introduced here through the contemporary maxims used to instruct the members of the household and their guests, from running a large kitchen to entertaining royalty. Each is brought to life with both practical detail and direct, compelling quotes and illustrations from period manuals and advice books, giving every entry a totally authentic feel and `voice'. Rounding off the book is an informative list of houses to visit, stressing the features that relate directly to the descriptions included in the book.

Known as a beautiful Southern city and distinguished by its opulent homes, towering church steeples and gracious hospitality, Charleston, South Carolina, has long been associated with the genteel side of Southern living. However, beyond the outward appearances that most people associate with Charleston, there is another side that most visitors and residents alike would not believe is part of the very fabric from which the city??'s history was woven. Wicked Charleston: The Dark Side of the Holy City, by local resident and tour guide Mark Jones, opens the door to the dark alleys and seedy characters not often associated with the Charleston of today. From the sexual escapades of an original Lord Proprietor and the comings and goings of the most notorious pirates, to secret brothels and nightclubs, Jones leads the reader back to a time when "drinking, eating and whoring with more than fifty wenches" was more common in the Holy City than one may imagine.