In 1957, after travelling in southern Iraq, Gavin Maxwell returned to the West Highlands of Scotland with an otter cub called Mijbil. Written within thew sound of the sea, in a remote cottage where they set up home together, this enduring story evokes the unspoilt seascape and wildlife of a place Maxwell called Camusfearna. Ring of Bright Water was hailed as a masterpiece when it was first published, sold over two million copies worldwide, and was later adapted into a successful film. Fifty years on it remains one of the most lyrical, moving descriptions of a man's relationship with the natural world. Our new edition is unabridged and includes all the illustrations from the first edition.

Lords of the Atlas is a classic story of Morocco and the rise and spectacular fall of the House of Glaoua. Madini and T'hami El Glaoui, sons of a Moroccan Caid by an Ethiopian concubine, rose meteorically to power in the almost medieval state of Morocco at the end of the nineteenth Century. This is the epic story of the more than fifty years in which they governed the country in barbaric, ostentatious splendor, until their spectacular downfall in 1956. Out of the intriguing and dramatic lives of Madair and T'hami, Gavin Maxwell has fashioned an epic story set against the superb background of Marrakesh and the pinnacled castles of the High Atlas, still magnificent as crumbling ruins. A dramatic history of intrigue, action, and exotic places, and illustrated with over one hundred color illustrations and photographs, Lords of the Atlas is a stunning look at the rise and fall of one of the twentieth century's most fascinating rulers. (8 X 9 3/4, 276 pages, color photos, b&w photos, map, illustrations)

The classic story of a life's devotion to otters

Fifty years ago Gavin Maxwell went to live in an abandoned house on a shingle beach on the west coast of Scotland. With its small bay and islands, magical waterfall and encircling stream of vivid water, his remote home was a haven for wildlife. He named it Camusfearna and settled there with the otters Mij, Edal and Teko.

Ring of Bright Water, the story of Gavin Maxwell's first ten years with the otters in this idyllic setting, touched the hearts of readers the world over, brilliantly evoking life with these playful animals in this natural paradise. Two further volumes followed - The Rocks Remain and Raven Seek Thy Brother - bringing the story full circle and telling of the difficult last years and final abandonment of the settlement.

Here, Gavin Maxwell's poignant and often comic memoir of his life with the otters has been collected into one volume so that at last it can be read as a single unbroken narrative.

The Marsh Arabs of southern Iraq were one of the most isolated communities in the world. Few outsiders, let alone Europeans, had been permitted to travel through their homeland, a mass of tiny islands lost in a wilderness of reeds and swamps in southern Iraq. One of the few trusted outsiders was the legendary explorer, Wilfred Thesiger, who was Gavin Maxwell's guide to the intricate landscape, tribal customs and distinctive architecture of the Marsh Arabs. Thesiger's skill with a medicine chest and rifle assured them a welcome in every hamlet, and Maxwell's training as a naturalist and writer has left an invaluable record of a unique community and a vanished way of life. Published in 1983 as part of Penguin Books Travel Library.

This is a new release of the original 1952 edition.

Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone!

Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone!

Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone!

Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone!

Within the vast borders of China, a dazzling array of ecosystems and habitats are found--wildlife habitats so diverse as to nearly stagger the imagination. From the world's loftiest mountain peaks to grass steppes that stretch beyond the horizon, from steaming jungles to wide deserts that fluctuate between searing heat and numbing cold, China's landscapes inspire awe and curiosity. "Wild China "leads the reader across China's landscapes and through thousands of years of history. Organized geographically, the book starts with a description of the Chinese heartland, then ventures on to cover the Manchurian forests, deserts, and grasslands; the Tibetan Plateau; tropical and temperate forests; limestone hills and caves; and the crowded coasts. The impact of China's 1.3 billion people on the nation's landscapes is also explored. The book concludes with a gazetteer and travel tips.