medina publishing ltd surbiton (43 risultati)

Paperback. Condizione: Very Good. His Royal Highness Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh: irascible, controversial, outspoken, forthright and funny; the Gaffer, the Prince of Political Incorrectness, the Duke of Hazard, Phil the Greek. Whatever you call him - and he doesn't give a damn - you've got to love him! Now in his nineties, on he goes - undaunted, unrepentant and, if less active, just as amusing. This compilation is a celebration of the wit and wisdom of a man whose unique style, down-to-earth humour and no-nonsense approach have brought colour into our lives. With delicious disregard for public opinion, his quips and faux pas have provided fodder for cartoonists and columnists for decades, and his one-liners are globally famous. But less well known, perhaps, is his perception about the state of the world we inhabit and his thoughtfulness about the lives we live. Prince Philip: Wise Words and Golden Gaffes is a collection of quips, quotes and comments from our beloved British institution, Prince Philip: his latest remarks on the events of 2012 and corkers from years gone by, as well as his more thoughtful opinions. With everything from frustrated beards and bloody great mechanical copulators to a bit of French bashing (and that ghastly place Stoke), it will have you holding your sides. Phil Dampier and Ashley Walton, seasoned court reporters who have both followed and written about the royal family for decades, present an affectionate portrait of an extraordinary figure who is in many ways ahead of his time. Illustrated by the popular cartoonist Richard Jolley. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Paperback. Condizione: new. Paperback. The book takes us from Diana's troubled childhood, through her rushed and ultimately unhappy marriage to Prince Charles, her uneasy relationship with the Royal Family, and into her later years of failed flings and untimely death. It also highlights the depths of her care and compassion, her unshakeable love of family, her groundbreaking campaigns on AIDS and land mines and her cheeky, sometimes risque, sense of humour. Beautiful and vulnerable, and one of the most popular and most photographed public figures, she lived the whole of her adult life in the glare of an intense media spotlight yet managed to retain her dignity and identity.In this first ever comprehensive collection of Diana's most memorable quotes, veteran royal reporter, Phil Dampier, reveals the heart and soul of an incredible woman who is missed by millions around the world. Her powerful legacy lives on through her sons, Princes William and Harry, and a new generation is becoming aware her extraordinary life for the first time. This book explores Diana's troubled childhood, unhappy marriage, and strained relations within the Royal Family, culminating in her tragic death. It also highlights her compassion, family love, and advocacy on AIDS and landmines. Reporter Phil Dampier shares Diana's most memorable quotes, revealing the heart and soul of a woman missed by millions. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Condizione: Very Good. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Hardcover. Condizione: new. Hardcover. MANY OF US FEEL ANGRY about banks and bankers. But why publish a book when there are so many learned papers on bank reform freely available on the web?Answer: To combat white noise and cut to the chase.This little guide is intended as a short and easy companion for experts and laymen alike in fact anyone who reckons that bank reform hasnt gone nearly far enough.It explains what went wrong and what needs to change to rebuild the reputation of banks, bankers and, even more importantly, their regulators. Seven years since the start of the latest financial crisis, there is little sign that rule-makers have found the right tools to make banks serve society and their customers better.While some bankers are guilty of bad and even criminal behaviour, regulators are at least as responsible for failing to tackle the curse of modern banking: the culture of entitlement that has skewed many banks towards rewarding their directors and employees first, while putting their customers and shareholders second.Surely capitalism can do better. MANY OF US FEEL ANGRY about banks and bankers. But why publish a book when there are so many learned papers on bank reform freely available on the web? Answer: To combat white noise and cut to the chase. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Condizione: new. Paperback. Welcome to Yellowberry Hill!.a place where an owl in a onesie, a snake in a cape and a mole with a conspicuous wig are best friends; where a cat has a pet dog, a frog is permanently in a mug and the local moose is never without a slice of pie; where an undersized panda regularly tests the patience of a duck in a woolly hat, while a little blue fish tries to make sense of it all and a distant yak looks on. Once you've accepted that all this is normal, you'll be right at home. Ex-vicar does the strip with these hilarious cartoons for adults. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Condizione: new. Paperback. When Bechtel offered Sean Cuddihy a transfer to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in 1976, his wife Kathy agreed to go along on one condition: that it was only for two years, not a minute longer. This reluctant commitment turned into a 24-year love affair with Saudi Arabia and its people. Kathy's humorous anecdotes of her adventures and misadventures trace the journey of a country in transition. Never has a nation made so much progress in so short a time. As a trusted journalist and businesswoman, Kathy witnessed, recorded and participated in this spectacular development. From palaces to prisons and mud houses to private jets, Kathy's perspective is unique and her experiences remarkable. Told with the wit and stylishness for which the author is well known, Anywhere But Saudi Arabia! is a treasure for all who know and love the Kingdom, and an eye-opener for those with no comprehension of what life was, and is, like for anunconventional non-Muslim woman in a conservative Muslim population. At times hilarious, at times shocking, but always honest and entertaining, Kathy's story is infused with deep affection for her adopted country. Anywhere But Saudi is a treasure for all who know and love the Kingdom, and an eye-opener for those with no knowledge of what life was, and is, like for a non-Muslim woman in a Muslim country. At times hilarious, at times shocking, but always honest and entertaining, Kathy's story is infused with deep affection for her adopted country. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Condizione: new. Paperback. What is luck? The chances are you don't really know, but you probably believe in it, and I bet that you invoke the word every day of your life .'Bad luck!' 'That was lucky!' 'You should be so lucky!' 'What a lucky escape!' - said with varying degrees of intensity, sincerity, sarcasm, amusement, incredulity or disgust. But what is luck? This book tries to determine what luck is, how it operates in our lives, and how far the individual is at its mercy - favoured by good luck or cursed by bad? Is there any justice or fair play in life, or are these merely human concepts that don't exist in the laws governing the universe? Whatever you think you believe, by the time you have read this book, the odds are that you will have changed your mind. James M Kileen's analysis ranges from Astrology to Zoroastrianism and everything in between: the big bang and the butterfly effect, destiny and determinism, fortune-telling and feng shui, gambling and game theory, miracles and Murphy's Law, oracles and ordeals, philosophy and religion, precognition and the placebo effect, serendipity and synchronicity.A Matter of Luck is a highly readable yet thought-provoking work, interspersed with illuminating and amusing examples to illlustrate each facet of this fascinating subject: for example, the true stories of the man who broke the bank at Monte Carlo, King Umberto and the chef, James Dean's car, and the woman who simultaneously chose the winning numbers for both the Massachusetts and Rhode Island lotteries (although the numbers she chose for the Rhode Island lottery were the winning numbers for the Massachusetts lottery, and vice versa). Lucky or unlucky - you decide, if you can. What is luck? This book tries to determine what luck is, how it operates in our lives, and how far the individual is at its mercy - favoured by good luck or cursed by bad? Is there any justice or fair play in life, or are these merely human concepts that don't exist in the laws governing the universe? Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Hardcover. Condizione: new. Hardcover. Prison Time in Sana'a tells the story of Dr Abdulkader Al-Guneid's harrowing experience inside jail in Yemen's capital shortly after it was taken over by Houthi rebels.In his hometown of Taiz, Al-Guneid, a medical doctor, had been an outspoken figure on Yemeni politics for decades. In recent years, his social media and interviews were read around the world and attracted a global following from an audience anxious to hear an unbiased explanation of the underlying roots of the conflict. Ultimately, his activism placed him in the movement's crosshairs, leading to his abduction on 5 August 2015 and incarceration in an undisclosed Houthi jail in Sana'a.For the next 300 days, Al-Guneid shared his time with American hostages, Houthi fighters, Al Qaeda militants and ordinary Yemenis caught up in the chaos of war. Following his release, he wrote about his experience in exhaustive and gripping detail from exile in Canada. Initially typing his entire account on his mobile phone, his story has since been distilled into a deeply personal account of his incarceration offering an extraordinarily candid perspective on the Yemen crisis from deep within Houthi-held territory. Prison Time in Sana'a tells the story of Dr Abdulkader Al-Guneid's harrowing experience inside jail in Yemen's capital shortly after it was taken over by Houthi rebels. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Hardcover. Condizione: new. Hardcover. The Afghanistan File, written by the former head of Saudi Arabian Intelligence, tells the story of his Department's involvement in Afghanistan from the time of the Soviet invasion in 1979 to Nine Eleven 2001. It begins with the backing given by Saudi Arabia to the Mujahideen in their fight against the Soviet occupation, and moves on to the fruitless initiatives to broker peace among the Mujahideen factions after the Soviet withdrawal, the rise to power of the Taleban and the shelter the Taleban gave to Osama Bin Laden.A theme that runs through the book is the extraordinary difficulties Saudi Arabia and its allies had in dealing with the Mujahideen. Prince Turki found them magnificently brave, but exasperating. On one occasion in trying to arrange peace among them, he got permission from the King to open the Kaaba in Mecca, and had the leaders go inside, where they were overcome with emotion and swore never to fight each other again . A few hours later on their way to Medina they almost came to blows on the bus.Turki's account gives details of the Saudi attempts in the 1990s to bring its volunteers out of Afghanistan - with chequered success - and his negotiations with the Taleban for the surrender of Osama Bin Laden. The book includes a number of declassified Intelligence Department documents.Prince Turki explains that the nihilistic, apparently pointless terrorism that has been seen in the Middle East in the last twenty years had its origins in Afghanistan with Osama's deluded belief that he had helped defeat the Russians. There is no evidence that he ever fought them at all. Soon after Nine Eleven Saudi Arabia discovered that it had a home grown terrorist problem involving some of the returnees from Afghanistan. Much of the huge change that has taken place in the Kingdom since has stemmed from the campaign to tackle this. The Afghanistan File, written by the former head of Saudi Arabian Intelligence, tells the story of his Department's involvement in Afghanistan from the time of the Soviet invasion in 1979 to 9/11/2001. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Hardcover. Condizione: new. Hardcover. THIRTY DAYS, ONE THOUSAND KILOMETRES, AND A CENTURY OF TRANSFORMATION. When Mark Evans and his international team set out from Ras Al Hadd in January 2025, he wasnt merely following Bertram Thomass historic footsteps across Oman he was bridging worlds. As camels traversed ancient trading routes alongside modern vehicles, Evanss expedition reveals how the Sultanate has evolved from the Arabia Felix of legend into a beacon of sustainable innovation. Through remote wadis and coastal plains, Evans encounters revolutionary carbon capture facilities, thriving conservation programmes, and the visionary young Omanis driving this green revolution. His daily dispatches showcase a nation confidently embracing its heritage while pioneering environmental solutions for a world in crisis. More than a travelogue, this is the story of Omans remarkable journey: honoring traditions while boldly reimagining what the Gulf nation can become in an age of climate consciousness. When Mark Evans set out from Ras Al Hadd in January 2025, he wasnt merely following Bertram Thomass historic footsteps across Oman he was bridging worlds. Traveling on foot, by camel and by 4x4, Evanss expedition reveals how the Sultanate has evolved from the Arabia Felix of legend into a beacon of sustainable innovation. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Hardcover. Condizione: new. Hardcover. The dramatic encounter between Muhammad 'Ali Pasha, Ottoman governor of Egypt, and his vanquished Saudi foe, Imam 'Abd Allah, in Cairo in November 1818, marks the symbolic end of the First Saudi State. 'Abd Allah was in transit to public execution in Istanbul, while the Pasha was on his way to becoming a major regional force, founding a local dynasty. The meeting was witnessed by the English Whig, John Bowes Wright, Fellow of Jesus College, Cambridge, whose previously unpublished account throws new light on the exchange, as well as the surrender by 'Abd Allah of the remaining treasures taken by his late father, Sa'ud, from the Prophet's tomb in al-Madina. The book highlights the importance of this historic moment in the uneasy relationship between Muhammad 'Ali and his nominal sovereign, Ottoman Sultan Mahmud II, and analyses their respective efforts to benefit domestically and internationally from 'Abd Allah's final journey. It considers the political cultures of the main regional protagonists and the Whiggish attitudes and assumptions that Bowes Wright brings to his experiences in Cairo and Istanbul. It is this cultural exploration that distinguishes this work and makes it of particular value to those interested in pre-modern Middle Eastern history and the contribution to the understanding of Western travellers in Egypt and the Levant. The dramatic encounter between Muhammad 'Ali Pasha, Ottoman governor of Egypt, and his vanquished Saudi foe, Imam 'Abd Allah, in Cairo in November 1818. The book highlights the importance of this historic moment in the uneasy relationship between Muhammad 'Ali and his nominal sovereign, Ottoman Sultan Mahmud II. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Hardcover. Condizione: new. Hardcover. Just Hugh is a portrait of Hugh Leach, an end-of-era soldier, diplomat, traveller and, above all, charismatic enthusiast. The title reflects his passion for Just William books, one of his many and varied interests. To echo a phrase that Hugh used on the flyleaf of his Strolling About on the Roof of the World, the 'fons et origo' of these memories was an idea mooted at his memorial service in April 2016, five months after his death. The book combines anecdotes and recollections submitted after that servicewith others previously received for his RSAA obituary, together with Hugh's own reminiscences in his later years. Tales from twenty-five years of service between the Nile and the Euphrates and travels throughout Central Asia are interwoven with biographical details to create a 'memory book' of this unique, much missed, man of many parts. Remembering Hugh Leach - Arabist, explorer, and author of the acclaimed Seen in the Yemen. A circus owner, photographer, and scholar, Leach was a man of many parts. Just Hugh is a testament to his work and legacy. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Hardcover. Condizione: new. Hardcover. At the end of March 1937, Geraldine Rendel found she had achieved a trio of unintended distinctions. As the first Western woman to travel openly across Saudi Arabia as a non-Muslim, the first to be received in public by King 'Abd al-'Aziz, and the first to be received at dinner in the royal palace in Riyadh, she had joined a tiny coterie of pioneering British woman travelers in Arabia.Until the 1930s, a journey by any foreigner, male or female, across Arabia was a rare event. But when in 1932 the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was proclaimed, increasing numbers of diplomats and oil company representatives began to make their way to its remote desert capital, Riyadh, aided by the arrival of the motorcar. With the car came the camera, and the pictures by the Rendels, both of them keen photographers, rank among the finest from the period.Geraldine's husband George, head of the Eastern Department of the Foreign Office, had been responsible for Britain's relations with Saudi Arabia since 1930. When he and his wife were invited to the Kingdom by King 'Abd al-'Aziz for a visit combining diplomacy with travel, he accepted with alacrity. The couple kept a detailed diary, on which Geraldine drew to write a lively account that she intended for publication. In contrast to her husband, who had serious political business to conduct, she treats their journey as a holiday. In the event her narrative, full of vivid social encounters, humor and insights into the women's side of life, failed to appear in print, and is published here for the first time.Combined with the couple's striking images, this book presents a unique picture of Saudi Arabia on the verge of modernization.William Facey's biographical introduction interweaves the story of Geraldine's adventurous life with the evolution of Anglo-Saudi relations in the 1920s and '30s, so placing the Rendels' trans-Arabian journey in its political context. A vivid portrait of the early days of Saudi Arabia from the unique perspective of the first Western woman to travel openly across Saudi Arabia as a non-Muslim. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Hardcover. Condizione: new. Hardcover. The French-Alsatian geographer, Charles Huber (1847-84) achieved fame as one of the 19th century's great Arabian explorers. During his two heroic journeys between 1880 and 1884, he pioneered the scientific mapping of inland Arabia and made some of the earliest records of ancient North Arabian inscriptions and rock art. His tragic murder in 1884 meant that he published little and the only connected narrative that he managed to write was of his first journey in 1880-81.This highly significant document of Arabian exploration has not been published since 1885 and is presented here for the first time in English translation. Despite Huber's great posthumous reputation, almost nothing has been written about him. William Facey's biographical introduction fills this void, revealing much that was hitherto unknown about Huber's complex and risk-taking personality and his colourful life as a fervent French patriot coming of age in Strasbourg during a time of Franco-German conflict.New light is shed on the dates and itinerary of Huber's first Arabian journey, an epic quest of some 5,000 kilometres on camelback requiring immense fortitude. He used Ha'il as a base before travelling with the pilgrim caravan to Iraq and then to Syria. The focus then shifts to his return to Arabia in 1883 with Julius Euting, the eminent German Semitist and the twists and turns of their unsuccessful collaboration.Having parted company with Euting at the great Nabataean site of Mada'in Salih in the northern Hijaz, Huber returned to central Arabia before making a dangerous journey to Jeddah. He was murdered shortly after on 29 July 1884 by his guides on the Red Sea coast. Finally, the affair of the Tayma Stelethe celebrated Aramaic inscription now in the Musee du Louvre comes under the spotlight. In a new analysis of this notorious Franco-German imbroglio, the prevailing idea that Huber first saw it in 1880 is held up to scrutiny and Euting at last given his due for its discovery in 1884. Charles Huber, a pioneering 19th-century geographer and explorer, mapped inland Arabia and documented ancient inscriptions. Despite his murder in 1884, his journey's narrative, unpublished since 1885, reveals tales of courage and discovery. William Facey's introduction highlights Huber's adventurous spirit and impact in the Franco-German era. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Condizione: Very Good. Today part of the Republic of Yemen, Aden has long passed from British consciousness. Yet it was Queen Victoria's first imperial acquisition and, for 128 years, a vitally important British strategic base and commercial staging post. In the immediate aftermath of the Second World War, Britain was still the predominant foreign power in the Middle East, but in 1967, overwhelmed by an acute sterling crisis and a failure of political will, the Labour government under Harold Wilson abandoned Aden. This precipitate withdrawal left the newly formed Federation of South Arabia and its peoples to the mercies of rival national socialist revolutionaries, who, after a period of bloody civil war, established, with Russian backing, the Arab world's only Marxist-Leninist tyranny, and left a twenty-seven-year legacy of impoverishment and repression. Roads to Nowhere is a candid account of the author's experiences as a young British colonial officer who served in South Arabia during the critical years leading up to Britain's headlong departure. It describes a bizarre world of outsize colonial characters and desert adventure, during Aden's moment of glory as the Hong Kong of the Middle East. It analyses the problems caused by a flawed Federal constitution unequal to its avowed purpose of bringing Aden and its hinterland to independence in an orderly fashion, and the fatal mismatch between Aden's politicians and the traditional tribal rulers. Along the way, we are treated to tales of tribal feuds and dissident skirmishes, the strengths and weaknesses of feudal rule, intelligence and internal security failings, frustrated reconstruction schemes, the establishment of Radfan's first administration, and the valiant efforts of the British armed forces to hold the ring. Written with a sharp eye for the tragicomic, and ranging deftly between the political and the personal, this is above all a book about individuals, both British and Arab, and how they interacted as they tried to make the best of their impossible predicament. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Hardcover. Condizione: new. Hardcover. Law and organization of society are viewed by Muslims as being based on Islamic Shari'ah (literally, the 'the Way'), the body of moral precepts, laws and rules divinely revealed in the Holy Qur'an and through the life and sayings (Sunnah) of the Prophet Muhammad. It is from these that the scholars of jurisprudence (fiqh) down the centuries have sought to generate the legislation required to keep pace with the changing conditions of society. Inevitably, much is not explicitly covered in the Qur'an and the Sunnah, so legal scholars have had to employ ijtihad, or human intellectual judgement and interpretation based on the universal guidlines set down in the scriptures, to generate the laws and rules necessary to regulate all aspects of Muslim life, including politics and constitutional matters. In this study, developed from his PhD thesis submitted to the University of Birmingham, UK, in the late 1990s, the author shows that the principles of ijtihad are not so different from those of Western legal thinking, sharing as they do a basis in the concept of the common good. He goes on to compare Islamic political concepts such as shura, or consultation, with Western expressions of democracy. In arguing the ultimate sovereignity lies with the community, he shows that so far from being antithetical to Islam, democratic ideals in fact form the basis of the ideal Muslim political entity. He concludes that the Kuwaiti Constitution is an essentially Islamic blueprint Ebraheem Duaij Al-Ebraheem Al-Sabah looks in detail at the origins of Shari'ah law and its similarities with Western legal thinking. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Condizione: new. Paperback. The book takes us from Diana's troubled childhood, through her rushed and ultimately unhappy marriage to Prince Charles, her uneasy relationship with the Royal Family, and into her later years of failed flings and untimely death. It also highlights the depths of her care and compassion, her unshakeable love of family, her groundbreaking campaigns on AIDS and land mines and her cheeky, sometimes risque, sense of humour. Beautiful and vulnerable, and one of the most popular and most photographed public figures, she lived the whole of her adult life in the glare of an intense media spotlight yet managed to retain her dignity and identity.In this first ever comprehensive collection of Diana's most memorable quotes, veteran royal reporter, Phil Dampier, reveals the heart and soul of an incredible woman who is missed by millions around the world. Her powerful legacy lives on through her sons, Princes William and Harry, and a new generation is becoming aware her extraordinary life for the first time. This book explores Diana's troubled childhood, unhappy marriage, and strained relations within the Royal Family, culminating in her tragic death. It also highlights her compassion, family love, and advocacy on AIDS and landmines. Reporter Phil Dampier shares Diana's most memorable quotes, revealing the heart and soul of a woman missed by millions. Shipping may be from our Sydney, NSW warehouse or from our UK or US warehouse, depending on stock availability.

Hardcover. Condizione: New. Condizione sovraccoperta: New. 1st Edition. This volume is part personal memoir, part history of the 1968 and 1969 Isle of Wight Festivals, and a study of the singular star of the latter occasion; how such an unlikely scenario unfolded and how the event was positioned in Bob Dylan's own extraordinary story.

Hardcover. Condizione: Near Fine. Condizione sovraccoperta: Near Fine. Jacket after Picasso (illustratore). 1st Edition. First edition, first impression. Some very slight edge wear to top and bottom of jacket and spine, bottom corners very slightly bruised, not price clipped (price on back jacket £17.95), no inscriptions, internally clean tight and square, overall a vg+ copy, looks unread. 392pp, illustrated. In the early 1920s, immaculate gentleman, Jacques Doucet descends into the world of anarchist art, the occult and the dark turmoil of his past involving the death of his beloved Madame R. A disastrous journey leads the couturier and patron of the arts to confront the celebrated bohemians of the city, including Max Jacob, Andre Breton and Picasso. When troubled Doucet acquires the world's most dangerous painting, it causes him to hack at the root of Picasso's darkest secrets, unveiling modern art's incredible genesis. Quite a scarce book.

Hardcover. Condizione: new. Hardcover. MANY OF US FEEL ANGRY about banks and bankers. But why publish a book when there are so many learned papers on bank reform freely available on the web?Answer: To combat white noise and cut to the chase.This little guide is intended as a short and easy companion for experts and laymen alike in fact anyone who reckons that bank reform hasnt gone nearly far enough.It explains what went wrong and what needs to change to rebuild the reputation of banks, bankers and, even more importantly, their regulators. Seven years since the start of the latest financial crisis, there is little sign that rule-makers have found the right tools to make banks serve society and their customers better.While some bankers are guilty of bad and even criminal behaviour, regulators are at least as responsible for failing to tackle the curse of modern banking: the culture of entitlement that has skewed many banks towards rewarding their directors and employees first, while putting their customers and shareholders second.Surely capitalism can do better. MANY OF US FEEL ANGRY about banks and bankers. But why publish a book when there are so many learned papers on bank reform freely available on the web? Answer: To combat white noise and cut to the chase. Shipping may be from our Sydney, NSW warehouse or from our UK or US warehouse, depending on stock availability.

Hardcover. Condizione: new. Hardcover. FEW BRITISH EXPLORERS IN ARABIA have produced books whose importance as travelogues is trans-cended by their literary quality. One such is The Holy Cities of Arabia, published to critical acclaim in 1928, with its author hailed as a worthy successor to Burckhardt, Burton and Doughty.Unrivalled among works by Western travellers to Islams holy cities, this account of a pilgrimage to Makkah in 192526 is made all the more remark-able by its authors timing. In 1925 `Abd al-`Aziz Ibn Saud brought to an end centuries of rule over the Hijaz by the Hashimite sharifs and their Ottoman overlords. Rutter, living as a learned Muslim Arab in a Makkan household, had a ringside seat as Riyadh imposed its writ on Islams holy cities. As striking as his account of life in Makkah before modernization are his interviews with Ibn Saud, and his journeys to al-Taif and to the City of the Prophet, al-Madinah.The Holy Cities of Arabia proved to be its authors only full-length work. After a brief career as a Middle East traveller, Rutter lapsed into obscurity.This new edition aims to revive a neglected masterpiece and to establish Rutters reputation. Little was known about him until now and the introduction tells the story of his life for the first time, assessing his talents as a travel writer and analysing his significance as a British convert. FEW BRITISH EXPLORERS IN ARABIA have produced books whose importance as travelogues is trans-cended by their literary quality. One such is The Holy Cities of Arabia, published to critical acclaim in 1928, with its author hailed as a worthy successor to Burckhardt, Burton and Doughty. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Hardcover. Condizione: Near Fine. Condizione sovraccoperta: Near Fine. Jacket and other photos by Colin and Jason Curvor (illustratore). 1st Edition. First edition, first impression. Some very slight edge wear to top and bottom of jacket and spine, small grubby mark to bottom copyright page, corners very slightly rubbed, not price clipped (price on back cover £22.95), no inscriptions, errata slip tipped in, internally clean tight and square, overall a vg+ copy. 296pp, illustrated, illustrated endpapers. The 1969 Isle of Wight Festival was Bob Dylan's one and only full concert appearance in seven and a half years and played its part in a highly transformative period of the artist's life. 'Stealing Dylan from Woodstock' tells, from a unique perspective, of an extraordinary event which seismically altered the lives of the author, his family, all those involved with it and many of those who attended. For a time, the Isle of Wight Festivals transformed a sleepy English island into the rock'n'roll capital of the world. What started in 1968 as a parochial one nighter in a stubble field to raise funds for a local swimming pool, a year later ballooned into a massive outdoor gathering. Numbers sky rocketed as devotees flocked to the Island from mainland Britain, Europe, the Americas and as far away as Australia, to pay homage to rock's poet laureate, Bob Dylan. The reclusive star had been holed up in the artist town of Woodstock for more than three years, following a serious motorcycle accident. He toyed with playing the Woodstock festival brought to his own front door but it was the Foulk brothers who succeeded where all others failed, luring Dylan 3,000 miles away from home to their Island, to create a Woodstock of his own. Landing the music biz coup of the decade, the three Foulk brothers, a printer, an estate agent and an art student became pioneers in pop promotion by signing for the world exclusive appearance of the reluctant 'voice of his generation'. For the organisers, short on experience, resources and time, the ensuing public response was almost overwhelming, and the challenge of delivering the most eagerly awaited musical event of the era daunting. The world's media covered the phenomena, gave the event global coverage and marked it as a suitable climax as the swinging sixties drew to a close. Raymond Foulk (b. Raymond Ian Barnes Foulk), is an English architect, author, environmentalist, art collector, exhibition curator and rock music festival romoter / organiser. Foulk founded the Isle of Wight Festivals of Music in 1968 with his brothers Ronald Anthony (Ron) and John Philip (known as Bill) Foulk. Born in Chesterfield, Derbyshire Foulk was brought up in the Isle of Wight from the age of 10 with his younger sister and three brothers by their recently widowed mother. Foulk is best known as the promoter who negotiated for and signed Bob Dylan for the 2nd Isle of Wight Festival 1969, the artist's first full concert, pre announced, advertised or paid performance since May 1966 and his only such performance in nearly eight years. Foulk is also well known for provoking an Act of Parliament (the Isle of Wight Act 1971). Quite a scarce book.

Paperback. Condizione: new. Paperback. When Bechtel offered Sean Cuddihy a transfer to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in 1976, his wife Kathy agreed to go along on one condition: that it was only for two years, not a minute longer. This reluctant commitment turned into a 24-year love affair with Saudi Arabia and its people. Kathy's humorous anecdotes of her adventures and misadventures trace the journey of a country in transition. Never has a nation made so much progress in so short a time. As a trusted journalist and businesswoman, Kathy witnessed, recorded and participated in this spectacular development. From palaces to prisons and mud houses to private jets, Kathy's perspective is unique and her experiences remarkable. Told with the wit and stylishness for which the author is well known, Anywhere But Saudi Arabia! is a treasure for all who know and love the Kingdom, and an eye-opener for those with no comprehension of what life was, and is, like for anunconventional non-Muslim woman in a conservative Muslim population. At times hilarious, at times shocking, but always honest and entertaining, Kathy's story is infused with deep affection for her adopted country. Anywhere But Saudi is a treasure for all who know and love the Kingdom, and an eye-opener for those with no knowledge of what life was, and is, like for a non-Muslim woman in a Muslim country. At times hilarious, at times shocking, but always honest and entertaining, Kathy's story is infused with deep affection for her adopted country. Shipping may be from our Sydney, NSW warehouse or from our UK or US warehouse, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Condizione: new. Paperback. Welcome to Yellowberry Hill!.a place where an owl in a onesie, a snake in a cape and a mole with a conspicuous wig are best friends; where a cat has a pet dog, a frog is permanently in a mug and the local moose is never without a slice of pie; where an undersized panda regularly tests the patience of a duck in a woolly hat, while a little blue fish tries to make sense of it all and a distant yak looks on. Once you've accepted that all this is normal, you'll be right at home. Ex-vicar does the strip with these hilarious cartoons for adults. Shipping may be from our Sydney, NSW warehouse or from our UK or US warehouse, depending on stock availability.

Hardcover. Condizione: new. Hardcover. Prison Time in Sana'a tells the story of Dr Abdulkader Al-Guneid's harrowing experience inside jail in Yemen's capital shortly after it was taken over by Houthi rebels.In his hometown of Taiz, Al-Guneid, a medical doctor, had been an outspoken figure on Yemeni politics for decades. In recent years, his social media and interviews were read around the world and attracted a global following from an audience anxious to hear an unbiased explanation of the underlying roots of the conflict. Ultimately, his activism placed him in the movement's crosshairs, leading to his abduction on 5 August 2015 and incarceration in an undisclosed Houthi jail in Sana'a.For the next 300 days, Al-Guneid shared his time with American hostages, Houthi fighters, Al Qaeda militants and ordinary Yemenis caught up in the chaos of war. Following his release, he wrote about his experience in exhaustive and gripping detail from exile in Canada. Initially typing his entire account on his mobile phone, his story has since been distilled into a deeply personal account of his incarceration offering an extraordinarily candid perspective on the Yemen crisis from deep within Houthi-held territory. Prison Time in Sana'a tells the story of Dr Abdulkader Al-Guneid's harrowing experience inside jail in Yemen's capital shortly after it was taken over by Houthi rebels. Shipping may be from our Sydney, NSW warehouse or from our UK or US warehouse, depending on stock availability.

Hardcover. Condizione: new. Hardcover. The Afghanistan File, written by the former head of Saudi Arabian Intelligence, tells the story of his Department's involvement in Afghanistan from the time of the Soviet invasion in 1979 to Nine Eleven 2001. It begins with the backing given by Saudi Arabia to the Mujahideen in their fight against the Soviet occupation, and moves on to the fruitless initiatives to broker peace among the Mujahideen factions after the Soviet withdrawal, the rise to power of the Taleban and the shelter the Taleban gave to Osama Bin Laden.A theme that runs through the book is the extraordinary difficulties Saudi Arabia and its allies had in dealing with the Mujahideen. Prince Turki found them magnificently brave, but exasperating. On one occasion in trying to arrange peace among them, he got permission from the King to open the Kaaba in Mecca, and had the leaders go inside, where they were overcome with emotion and swore never to fight each other again . A few hours later on their way to Medina they almost came to blows on the bus.Turki's account gives details of the Saudi attempts in the 1990s to bring its volunteers out of Afghanistan - with chequered success - and his negotiations with the Taleban for the surrender of Osama Bin Laden. The book includes a number of declassified Intelligence Department documents.Prince Turki explains that the nihilistic, apparently pointless terrorism that has been seen in the Middle East in the last twenty years had its origins in Afghanistan with Osama's deluded belief that he had helped defeat the Russians. There is no evidence that he ever fought them at all. Soon after Nine Eleven Saudi Arabia discovered that it had a home grown terrorist problem involving some of the returnees from Afghanistan. Much of the huge change that has taken place in the Kingdom since has stemmed from the campaign to tackle this. The Afghanistan File, written by the former head of Saudi Arabian Intelligence, tells the story of his Department's involvement in Afghanistan from the time of the Soviet invasion in 1979 to 9/11/2001. Shipping may be from our Sydney, NSW warehouse or from our UK or US warehouse, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Condizione: new. Paperback. What is luck? The chances are you don't really know, but you probably believe in it, and I bet that you invoke the word every day of your life .'Bad luck!' 'That was lucky!' 'You should be so lucky!' 'What a lucky escape!' - said with varying degrees of intensity, sincerity, sarcasm, amusement, incredulity or disgust. But what is luck? This book tries to determine what luck is, how it operates in our lives, and how far the individual is at its mercy - favoured by good luck or cursed by bad? Is there any justice or fair play in life, or are these merely human concepts that don't exist in the laws governing the universe? Whatever you think you believe, by the time you have read this book, the odds are that you will have changed your mind. James M Kileen's analysis ranges from Astrology to Zoroastrianism and everything in between: the big bang and the butterfly effect, destiny and determinism, fortune-telling and feng shui, gambling and game theory, miracles and Murphy's Law, oracles and ordeals, philosophy and religion, precognition and the placebo effect, serendipity and synchronicity.A Matter of Luck is a highly readable yet thought-provoking work, interspersed with illuminating and amusing examples to illlustrate each facet of this fascinating subject: for example, the true stories of the man who broke the bank at Monte Carlo, King Umberto and the chef, James Dean's car, and the woman who simultaneously chose the winning numbers for both the Massachusetts and Rhode Island lotteries (although the numbers she chose for the Rhode Island lottery were the winning numbers for the Massachusetts lottery, and vice versa). Lucky or unlucky - you decide, if you can. What is luck? This book tries to determine what luck is, how it operates in our lives, and how far the individual is at its mercy - favoured by good luck or cursed by bad? Is there any justice or fair play in life, or are these merely human concepts that don't exist in the laws governing the universe? Shipping may be from our Sydney, NSW warehouse or from our UK or US warehouse, depending on stock availability.

Hardcover. Condizione: new. Hardcover. Just Hugh is a portrait of Hugh Leach, an end-of-era soldier, diplomat, traveller and, above all, charismatic enthusiast. The title reflects his passion for Just William books, one of his many and varied interests. To echo a phrase that Hugh used on the flyleaf of his Strolling About on the Roof of the World, the 'fons et origo' of these memories was an idea mooted at his memorial service in April 2016, five months after his death. The book combines anecdotes and recollections submitted after that servicewith others previously received for his RSAA obituary, together with Hugh's own reminiscences in his later years. Tales from twenty-five years of service between the Nile and the Euphrates and travels throughout Central Asia are interwoven with biographical details to create a 'memory book' of this unique, much missed, man of many parts. Remembering Hugh Leach - Arabist, explorer, and author of the acclaimed Seen in the Yemen. A circus owner, photographer, and scholar, Leach was a man of many parts. Just Hugh is a testament to his work and legacy. Shipping may be from our Sydney, NSW warehouse or from our UK or US warehouse, depending on stock availability.

Hardcover. Condizione: new. Hardcover. THIRTY DAYS, ONE THOUSAND KILOMETRES, AND A CENTURY OF TRANSFORMATION. When Mark Evans and his international team set out from Ras Al Hadd in January 2025, he wasnt merely following Bertram Thomass historic footsteps across Oman he was bridging worlds. As camels traversed ancient trading routes alongside modern vehicles, Evanss expedition reveals how the Sultanate has evolved from the Arabia Felix of legend into a beacon of sustainable innovation. Through remote wadis and coastal plains, Evans encounters revolutionary carbon capture facilities, thriving conservation programmes, and the visionary young Omanis driving this green revolution. His daily dispatches showcase a nation confidently embracing its heritage while pioneering environmental solutions for a world in crisis. More than a travelogue, this is the story of Omans remarkable journey: honoring traditions while boldly reimagining what the Gulf nation can become in an age of climate consciousness. When Mark Evans set out from Ras Al Hadd in January 2025, he wasnt merely following Bertram Thomass historic footsteps across Oman he was bridging worlds. Traveling on foot, by camel and by 4x4, Evanss expedition reveals how the Sultanate has evolved from the Arabia Felix of legend into a beacon of sustainable innovation. Shipping may be from our UK warehouse or from our Australian or US warehouses, depending on stock availability.

Hardcover. Condizione: new. Hardcover. The dramatic encounter between Muhammad 'Ali Pasha, Ottoman governor of Egypt, and his vanquished Saudi foe, Imam 'Abd Allah, in Cairo in November 1818, marks the symbolic end of the First Saudi State. 'Abd Allah was in transit to public execution in Istanbul, while the Pasha was on his way to becoming a major regional force, founding a local dynasty. The meeting was witnessed by the English Whig, John Bowes Wright, Fellow of Jesus College, Cambridge, whose previously unpublished account throws new light on the exchange, as well as the surrender by 'Abd Allah of the remaining treasures taken by his late father, Sa'ud, from the Prophet's tomb in al-Madina. The book highlights the importance of this historic moment in the uneasy relationship between Muhammad 'Ali and his nominal sovereign, Ottoman Sultan Mahmud II, and analyses their respective efforts to benefit domestically and internationally from 'Abd Allah's final journey. It considers the political cultures of the main regional protagonists and the Whiggish attitudes and assumptions that Bowes Wright brings to his experiences in Cairo and Istanbul. It is this cultural exploration that distinguishes this work and makes it of particular value to those interested in pre-modern Middle Eastern history and the contribution to the understanding of Western travellers in Egypt and the Levant. The dramatic encounter between Muhammad 'Ali Pasha, Ottoman governor of Egypt, and his vanquished Saudi foe, Imam 'Abd Allah, in Cairo in November 1818. The book highlights the importance of this historic moment in the uneasy relationship between Muhammad 'Ali and his nominal sovereign, Ottoman Sultan Mahmud II. Shipping may be from our Sydney, NSW warehouse or from our UK or US warehouse, depending on stock availability.