The Antarctic is unique, geographically, politically, and scientifically. It is the most remote, hostile, and dangerous continent, while at the same time it is the most pristine and least developed. Antarctica is the only major part of the Earth's landmass not directly governed by one nation, but under the control of a Treaty, with a multitude of acceding nations. The Encyclopedia of the Antarctic brings together large quantities of information on the wide variety of factors, issues, and individuals influencing and relating to the Antarctic. No comparable book currently exists for this region. The Encyclopedia of the Antarctic discusses scientific activities and topics, but the 'human element' is also a significant part of the work, with entries on history, politics, legal issues, national research programs, scientific bases, historic huts, the United Nation's 'Question of Antarctica, ' compliance with the Environmental Protocol, and tourism

A fold-out visitor's map (scale 1 : 1,000,000), that measures approximately 75 x 46 cm (W x H) when unfolded. Covers the famous Arctic archipelago (named Spitsbergen when discovered by the Dutch in 1596, but now more commonly referred to as Svalbard - the Viking word for 'cold coast'). On one side there is a clear and uncluttered map of the archipelago, with useful annotations; on the reverse there are excellent biographical summaries of 27 noted explorers (including Horatio Nelson who came here as a 14 year old midshipman!) plus brief descriptions and colour photographs of the more common plants, invertebrates, birds and mammals.

The story of the legendary Pinkerton detective who took down the Molly Maguires and the Wild Bunch
The operatives of the Pinkerton's National Detective Agency were renowned for their skills of subterfuge, infiltration, and investigation, none more so than James McParland. So thrilling were McParland's cases that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle included the cunning detective in a story along with Sherlock Holmes.
Riffenburgh digs deep into the recently released Pinkerton archives to present the first biography of McParland and the agency's cloak-and-dagger methods. Both action packed and meticulously researched, Pinkerton's Great Detective brings readers along on McParland's most challenging cases: from young McParland's infiltration of the murderous Molly Maguires gang in the case that launched his career to his hunt for the notorious Butch Cassidy and the Wild Bunch to his controversial investigation of the Western Federation of Mines in the assassination of Idaho's former governor.
Filled with outlaws and criminals, detectives and lawmen, "Pinkerton's Great Detective" shines a light upon the celebrated secretive agency and its premier sleuth.