For centuries, Yoshiwara was the famed pleasure center ofTokyo. An erotic world unmatched by the West was created bybeautiful courtesans, geishas, dancers, actors and artists. To this'floating world' came the hedonists and the sensual pleasurehunters of old Japan. A hotbed of art and creativity, it also sawthe enslavement of countless women, sold or driven into the sextrade. "Yoshiwara" traces the rise and fall of this city within acity, a sanctioned preserve of teahouses and brothels that was notabolished until 1958, sketching a vivid portrait of social andsexual mores in Japan's capital.

The Great Pyramid's eerily precise architecture has forcenturies both astounded and puzzled archaeologists and has givenrise to numerous modern fantasies concerning the so-called 'Mysteryof the Pyramids'. Sweeping away centuries of myth and confusion,John Romer describes for the first time exactly how the GreatPyramid was designed and built. He argues that the pyramid makersworked from a single plan whose existence has long been doubted andeven denied by scholars. Moreover, the Great Pyramid's uniquearchitecture is integral to the way it was built, and for itsbuilders the tasks of construction and design were not separate asthey are now. By placing this awesome monument in its genuinecontemporary context, this book underlines the extraordinarytalents and the originality of the ancient Egyptians at the time ofKing Khufu. Describes for the first time exactly how the Great Pyramid wasdesigned and built ? A product of the most recent research anddecades of personal study by an author who is very well

On 8 March 1421, the largest fleet the world had ever seen set sail from China. The ships, some nearly five hundred feet long, were under the command of Emperor Zhu Di’s loyal eunuch admirals. Their orders were ‘to proceed all the way to the end of the earth’. The voyage would last for two years and by the time the fleet returned, China was beginning its long, self-imposed isolation from the world it had so recently embraced. And so the great ships were left to rot, and the records of their journey destroyed. And with them, the knowledge that the Chinese had circumnavigated the globe a century before Magellan, reached America seventy years before Columbus, and Australia three hundred and fifty years before Cook. The result of fifteen years research, 1421 is Gavin Menzies’ enthralling account of this remarkable journey, of his discoveries and persuasive evidence to support them: ancient maps, precise navigational knowledge, astronomy, surviving accounts of Chinese explorers and later Europ

A unique guide to every UNESCO World Heritage site. The global list has proved a valuable tool in the battle to preserve the world's heritage. Managed by the World Heritage Committee with strict criteria, only the world's most spectacular and extraordinary sites making it onto the List. Major sites Details of all 878 UNESCO sites including!.the remarkable Dazu Rock Carving of China!!the last substantial expanse of monsoon forest in Thailand, the Dong Phayayen-Khao Yai Forest Complex!.Kilimanjaro National Park in Tanzania which contains the highest mountain in Africa one of the largest volcanoes in the world!.one of the greatest Mayan temples Tikal in Guatemala!the legendary Acropolis in Athens!..the ancient Nabataean city of Petra in Jordan!.the unique ecosystem of the Serengeti, Tanzania. / Over 650 colour photographs / De*ions of 878 UNESCO World Heritage sites / Location map for every 878 site Background The World Heritage List includes properties forming part of the cultural and natural heritage which the

With a flaming holographic cover, the new GWR 2011 edition explodes with new and updated records. There's 100% new photography and hot new categories and features including TV's 75th anniversary, eye popping 3-D cinema, the historic Space Shuttle and a 270 city record-breaking GPS World Tour.

Leading a Learning Revolution tells the compelling story of a learning revolution that took place within the U.S. Department of Defense. Written by practitioners who actually walked the walk, this account of the creation of Defense Acquisition University (DAU) provides a clear blueprint that others can follow. It shares, in detail, the best practices they developed, so that the thousands of training organizations worldwide striving to create premier corporate universities can catapult forward. Offering an insider s look at the process, the authors clearly explain how they transformed an outdated training provider into a world-class university. Step-by-step the book outlines the enduring principles that were pivotal to Defense Acquisition University s success and describes the environment, early victories, current methods, and subsequent results. The authors discuss how to establish a mission and vision, develop a performance-based strategic planning process, and tackle change initiative. They also expl

An absorbing, revelatory, and definitive account ofone of the greatest tragedies in human history Adroitly blending narrative, de*ion, and analysis, RichardJ. Evans portrays a society rushing headlong to self-destructionand taking much of Europe with it. Interweaving a broad narrativeof the war's progress from a wide range of people, Evans revealsthe dynamics of a society plunged into war at every level. Thegreat battles and events of the conflict are here, but just astelling is Evans's re- creation of the daily experience of ordinaryGermans in wartime. At the center of the book is the Naziextermi?nation of the Jews. The final book in Richard J. Evan'sthree-volume history of Hitler's Germany, hailed "a masterpiece" by The New York Times, The Third Reich at War lays bare themost momentous and tragic years of the Nazi regime.

"A colorful and gripping portrait of the threeaging leaders at their historic encounter." - The Wall StreetJournal For eight fateful days in 1945, threeof the towering figures of the twentieth century-FDR, Churchill,and Stalin-met at a resort town on the Black Sea to decide on astrategy to defeat Germany and Japan, and to carve up the world.For more than sixty years, opinion has been bitterly divided onwhat they achieved. Did Yalta pave the way to the Cold War? Did FDRgive too much to Stalin? In this groundbreaking book, Harvardhistorian S. M. Plokhy draws on newly declassified Soviet documentsand unpublished diaries and letters of the participants to set therecord straight.

Another influential Penguin Classic-nowavailable in our signature black-spinedress For more than two thousand years,Sun-Tzu's The Art of War has provided military leaders withessential advice on battlefield tactics, managing troops andterrain, and employing cunning and deception. An elemental part ofChinese culture, it has also become a touchstone for the Westernstruggle for survival and success, whether in battle, in business,or in relationships. With this volume's crisp, accessibletranslation and lively, learned introduction, even those readersfamiliar with The Art of War will experience it anew,finding it more fascinating-and more chilling-than ever.

Herodotus (c480-c425) is 'The Father of History' and his Histories are the first piece of Western historical writing. They are also the most entertaining. Why did Pheidippides run the 26 miles and 385 yards (or 42.195 kilometres) from Marathon to Athens? And what did he do when he got there? Was the Battle of Salamis fought between sausage-sellers? Which is the oldest language in the world? Why did Leonidas and his 300 Spartans spend the morning before the battle of Thermopylae combing their hair? Why did every Babylonian woman have to sit in the Temple of Aphrodite until a man threw a coin into her lap, and how long was she likely to sit there? And what is the best way to kill a crocodile? This wide-ranging history provides the answers to all these fascinating questions as well as providing many fascinating insights into the Ancient World.

Gibbon's The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, published between 1776 and 1788, is the undisputed masterpiece of English historical writhing which can only perish with the language itself. Its length alone is a measure of its monumental quality: seventy-one chapters, of which twenty-eight appear in full in the edition, With style, learning and wit, Gibbon takes the reader through the history of Europe from the second century AD to the fall of Constantinople in 1453-an enthralling account by ‘the greates of the historians of the Englightenment'. This edition includes Gibbon's footnotes and quotation, here translated for the first time, togerther with brief explanatory comments, a precis of the chapters not included, 16 maps, a glossary, and a list of emperors.

More populous than any other country on earth, China alsooccupies a unique place in our modern world for the continuity ofits history and culture. In this sumptuously illustratedsingle-volume history, now in its second edition, noted historianPatricia Buckley Ebrey traces the origins of Chinese culture fromprehistoric times to the present. She follows its development fromthe rise of Confucianism, Buddhism, and the great imperialdynasties to the Mongol, Manchu, and Western intrusions and themodern communist state. Her scope is phenomenal - embracing Chinesearts, culture, economics, society and its treatment of women,foreign policy, emigration, and politics, including the keyuprisings of 1919 and 1989 in Tiananmen Square. Both acomprehensive introduction to an extraordinary civilization and anexpert exploration of the continuities and disjunctures of Chinesehistory, Professor Ebrey's book has become an indispensable guideto China past and present. This second edition includes a newchapter on China's rece

The Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times columnist and best-selling author of The Lexus and the Olive Tree gives a bold, timely, and surprising picture of the state of globalization in the twenty-first century. In this brilliant #1 bestseller, "the most important columnist in America today" (Walter Russell Mead, The New York Times) demystifies the brave new world for readers, allowing them to make sense of the often bewildering global scene unfolding before their eyes. With his inimitable ability to translate complex foreign policy and economic issues, Thomas L. Friedman explains how the flattening of the world happened at the dawn of the twenty-first century; what it means to countries, companies, communities, and individuals; and how governments and societies can, and must, adapt. The World Is Flat is the timely and essential update on globalization, its successes and discontents, powerfully illuminated by one of our most respected journalists.

From Solon to Socrates is a magisterial narrativeintroduction to what is generally regarded as the most importantperiod of Greek history. Stressing the unity of Greek history andthe centrality of Athens, Victor Ehrenberg covers a rich anddiverse range of political, economic, military and cultural issuesin the Greek world, from the early history of the Greeks, includingearly Sparta and the wars with Persia, to the ascendancy of Athensand the Peloponnesian War.

I have sought to expand my understanding of American history .No better author than Parkman for the early centuries . He spentyears among many of the tribes he writes about , extensively readthe writings of the earliest French explorers and settlers involved. Parkman's still stands as the most in depth and at the same time, most exciting histories of the North American peoples. Heobviously respects the Native Americans but does not gloss overtheir character nor sets them on a pedestal . These histories ofhis are not P.C. inspired , but seeks to tell the truth andrealities of mans interaction and often clashes , with men oftotally different cultures. All his histories are about these earlyAmericans are so exciting you can smell the smoke of campfires andhear the great speeches of Native American speakers and theforesight of the men , the French and English and American settlerswho led in these early years . A truly eye opening book .

Her enthusiasm for animals and travel has led her to visit many countries around the world where she can indulge her passion for watching and photographing wildlife. She is a[so author of Africa: Natural Spirit of the African Continent, Spirit of the Jungle, Spirit of the Elephant and Spirit of India in this series. Gill currently lives in a converted barn by the coast in Pembrokeshire with her graphic designer husband and three cats.

"So much nonsense has been written on suburban life and mores that it comes as a considerable shock to read a book by someone who seems to have his own ideas on the subject and who pursues them relentlessly to the bitter end," said LJ's reviewer (LJ 2/1/61) of this novel of unhappy life in the burbs. It is reminiscent of the popular film American Beauty in its depiction of white-collar life as fraught with discontent. Others have picked up on this theme since, but Yates remains a solid read.

Although written over four hundred years after Alexander'sdeath, Arrian's account of the man and his achievements is the mostreliable we have. Arrian's own experience as a military commandergave him unique insights into the life of the world's greatestconqueror. He tells of Alexander's violent suppression of theTheban rebellion, his defeat of Persia and campaigns through Egyptand Babylon - establishing new cities and destroying others in hispath. While Alexander emerges as a charismatic leader, Arriansucceeds brilliantly in creating an objective portrait of a man ofboundless ambition, who was exposed to the temptations ofpower.

This celebration of the English countryside does not only focus on the rolling green landscapes and magnificent monuments that set England apart from the rest of the world. Many of the contributors bring their own special touch, presenting a refreshingly eclectic variety of personal icons, from pub signs to seaside piers, from cattle grids to canal boats, and from village cricket to nimbies. First published as a lavish colour coffeetable book, this new expanded paperback edition has double the original number of contributions from many celebrities including Bill Bryson, Michael Palin, Eric Clapton, Bryan Ferry, Sebastian Faulks, Kate Adie, Kevin Spacey, Gavin Pretor-Pinney, Richard Mabey , Simon Jenkins, John Sergeant, Benjamin Zephaniah, Joan Bakewell, Antony Beevor, Libby Purves, Jonathan Dimbleby, and many more: and a new preface by HRH Prince Charles.

Acclaimed historian Niall Ferguson ranges across the entirehistory of America’s foreign entanglements and delves into all thedimensions of American power—military, economic, cultural, andpolitical. The result is a book whose conclusions are asconvincing, and troubling, as they are original. Fergusondemonstrates that America has always been an empire in denial andshows the fateful consequences of its special brand of imperialism.He examines the challenges to the United States from its principalrivals, the European Union and China, and offers a compellinganalysis of the connection between the country’s domestic economichealth and its foreign affairs—the bottom line of imperialism,American style. Colossus is a peerless reckoning withAmerican power that should be read by any thinking citizen of thisunspoken empire.

The 1914-18 conflict was called 'the war to end all wars'. World War I: A Photographic History charts the course of this epic struggle, from the assassin's bullet in Sarajevo which sparked the conflict to the flawed Treaty of Versailles which ended it. Superbly illustrated with photographs from the Daily Mail archives, many reproduced for the first time, these pages capture a defining moment in world history.

A groundbreaking book, this unprecedented study is theauthoritative account of the best-known intelligence organisationin theworld. Essential reading for anyone interested in the historyof espionage, the two world wars, modern British government and theconductof international relations in the first half of thetwentieth century, MI6:The History of the Secret IntelligenceService 1909-1949is a uniquely important examination of the roleand significance of intelligence in the modern world.

At the time this remarkable work was written, Neo-Platonism was only just beginning to regain intellectual favor. Today, of course, this brilliant book is celebrated as a classic example of New Age scholarship.