Holiday & Travel Directory

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		Bookstore The Holiday & Travel Directory Bookstore features the best travel guides and other books that you need for your holiday, in association with Amazon.co.uk.

Book of the Month

	Inside Edinburgh: Discovering the Classic Interiors of Edinburgh David Torrance and Steven Richmond (2010) Paperback - 224 pages Birlinn Ltd ISBN: 1841587877 Synopsis by Amazon.co.uk: In Inside Edinburgh, David Torrance takes us on a journey of discovery beyond the grand architectural facades of Scotland's capital, revealing the often private interiors of Edinburgh's most unique buildings. In this brilliantly conceived and illuminating pictorial record of 100 of Edinburgh's most fascinating period interiors, specially commissioned photographs capture the varied atmospheres of these venerable locations, from hotels, restaurants, shops, pubs, hospitals, and gentlemen's clubs to town houses. Each photograph is accompanied by a short text which not only describes the key features of architectural and design interest, but also uncovers related historical anecdotes. Examples include the Beaux Arts interiors of St Andrew's House and the tiled walls of the Cafe Royal bar. Intact interiors such as T J Walls opticians on Forrest Road and the Phoebe Anna Traquair-decorated Song School are also presented. Comprehensive information on buildings open to the public is included. It is a compelling, luminous and beautiful record of Edinburgh's grand interiors, from those that are open for all to see, to those that are seldom recognised. Check Amazon.co.uk for pricing and availability

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	Great Gardens of Britain Helena Attlee and Alex Ramsay (2011) Hardcover - 144 pages Frances Lincoln ISBN: 0711231346 Synopsis by Amazon.co.uk: Britain is famous all over the world for its gardens. In this book Helena Attlee focuses on twenty of the finest gardens in the country. Her choice encompasses a rich selection of sites all over England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, ranging from famous eighteenth-century landscapes such as Stourhead to quirky modern gardens such as Charles Jencks' Garden of Cosmic Speculation in the Scottish borders. Her lively text provides a brief history of each garden combined with a vivid account of its main features. Alex Ramsay's dazzling photographs reveal the gardens at their best. Gardens include: Crathes (Inverness), Crarae (Argyll & Bute), Garden of Cosmic Speculation (Dumfries), Little Sparta (Lanarkshire), Alnwick (Northumberland), Levens (Cumbria), Scampston (Yorkshire), Mount Stewart (Co. Down), Bodnant (Clwyd), Powis Castle (Powys), Stourhead (Wiltshire), Hidcote (Gloucestershire), Great Dixter (Sussex), East Rushton (Norfolk), Beth Chatto's Garden (Essex), Kew (London), Wisley (Surrey), Sissinghurst (Kent), Eden Project (Cornwall), Tresco (Scilly Isles). Check Amazon.co.uk for pricing and availability

	English Country House Interiors Jeremy Musson (2011) Hardcover - 272 pages Rizzoli International Publications ISBN: 0847835693 Synopsis by Amazon.co.uk: A highly detailed look at the English country house interior, offering unprecedented access to England's finest rooms. In this splendid book, renowned historian Jeremy Musson explores the interiors and decoration of the great country houses of England, offering a brilliantly detailed presentation of the epitome of style in each period of the country house, including the great Jacobean manor house, the Georgian mansion, and the Gothic Revival castle. For the first time, houses known worldwide for their exquisite architecture and decoration - including Wilton in Wiltshire, Chatsworth in Derbyshire, and North Yorkshire's Castle Howard - are seen in unprecedented detail. With intimate views of fabric, gilding, carving, and furnishings, the book will be a source of inspiration to interior designers, architects, and home owners, and a must-have for anglophiles and historic house enthusiasts. The fifteen houses included represent the key periods in the history of English country house decoration and cover the major interior fashions and styles. Stunning new color photographs by Paul Barker - who was given unparalleled access to the houses - offer readers new insights into the enduring English country house style. Supplementing these are unique black-and-white images from the archive of the esteemed Country Life magazine. Check Amazon.co.uk for pricing and availability

	Walking London's Parks and Gardens Geoffrey Young and Roger Tagholm (2010 - 2nd Revised Edition) Paperback - 176 pages New Holland Publishers Ltd ISBN: 1847736173 Synopsis by Amazon.co.uk: London is as famous for its green spaces as for the historic buildings surrounding them. For "Walking London's Parks and Gardens", wildlife journalist Geoffrey Young specially devised 24 walks around over 30 of the most historic and beautiful parks and gardens that flourish in the capital. His walks range from the Chelsea Physic Garden (the second oldest apothecaries' garden in England) to the 2,500 acres of Richmond Park, former royal hunting forest and London's largest park. He includes beautiful clusters of garden squares that he has imaginatively woven into walks through central London's most graceful districts, such as Bloomsbury and Westminster. He has set each walk in the area's historic context and included detailed information on features and highlights, such as plantings, statuary and architecture. He has also provided the reader with easy-to-follow detailed route maps for each walk. Wonderfully illustrated with specially commissioned colour photographs and route maps, the book provides full details of addresses, opening times, and the best bars and restaurants to visit en route. Check Amazon.co.uk for pricing and availability

	Mountain High: Europe's 50 Greatest Cycle Climbs Daniel Friebe (2011) Hardcover - 224 pages Quercus Publishing Plc ISBN: 0857386247 Synopsis by Amazon.co.uk: This is the first book to cover in detail Europe's 50 greatest climbs, including detail on the actual route (with maps and profile), length, height, and compelling descriptions focussing on all the main points of interest along the route. Cycling has grown massively in popularity in recent years. The Tour de France draws huge audiences to the TV and internet coverage and all over the UK and Europe a growing number of people are taking to their bikes and rising to the challenge of Europe's most hallowed climbs. Mountain High is a book is for cyclists of all interests and abilities - from experienced club racers to enthusiastic amateurs who might just want to take on one great cycle challenge. Packed with practical route information and advice on each climb, Daniel Friebe's beautifully written text explains why each mountain pass merits inclusion in the top 50 with superb descriptions of the majestic scenery, the heroic deeds of cycling's legendary riders or the sheer endeavour and exhilaration of reaching the summit. With over 250 specially commissioned photographs taken by specialist cycling photographer Pete Goding, this really is the ultimate guide to Europe's 50 best climbs. Featured rides include Tour de France icons Alpe d'Huez, Col du Galibier, Mont Ventoux, Col de l'Izoard and Col du Tourmalet; the Passo dello Stelvio, Passo Fedaia, Le Tre Cime di Lavaredo and other sacred summits from the Giro d'Italia; plus Spain's formidable Alto de l'Angliru, Austria's Grossglockner and forty more mountain legends. Check Amazon.co.uk for pricing and availability

	The Best Gardens in Italy: A Traveller's Guide Kirsty McLeod (2011) Hardcover - 256 pages Frances Lincoln ISBN: 0711231834 Synopsis by Amazon.co.uk: Italy's gardens speak to us all. In the history of gardening they are the bridge between our world and the ancient world. Their harmony, symmetry and serenity are at once inimitable and universally copied. During the past few years Italy has awoken to a realisation of its gardens. In a gardening renaissance, interesting new gardens are being created all over Italy, and there has been exemplary restoration of some historic gardens. In this pioneering new book, Kirsty McLeod and Primrose Bell celebrate over a hundred of the finest Italian gardens open to the public. They take the reader with them on a journey to these gardens: they explore their history and context, and we meet the owners, hear the stories behind the gardens, and learn how they were made and how they are maintained. Check Amazon.co.uk for pricing and availability

	The World's Heritage: A Complete Guide to the Most Extraordinary Places UNESCO (2009) Paperback - 832 pages Collins ISBN: 0007300158 Synopsis by Amazon.co.uk: A unique guide to every UNESCO World Heritage site. Managed by the World Heritage Committee with strict criteria, only the world's most spectacular and extraordinary sites make it onto the global list, which has proved a valuable tool in the battle to preserve the world's heritage. Check Amazon.co.uk for pricing and availability

	Great British Railway Journeys Michael Portillo (Foreword), Charlie Bunce (2011) Hardcover - 320 pages Collins ISBN: 0007394764 Synopsis by Amazon.co.uk: A glorious insight into Britain over the last 150 years - its history, landscape and people - from the window of Britain's many and magnificent railway journeys. Inspired by George Bradshaw, a 19th-century cartographer who mapped Britain's railways as they sprung up around him, Charlie Bunce and Michael Portillo take a journey along nine classic British railway routes and surround themselves with the history, the charm and the people at the heart of the railways. More than just a practical mode of transport, Britain's railways are richly representative and evocative of British society and how it has developed over the last 150 years. Symbols of progress and change, they tell of remarkable breakthroughs in technology, industry and travel. Iconic in their design they have both made a distinctive impact on Britain's landscape and opened it up to millions of people who, through train journeys alone, became acquainted with wonderful new places and sights. And as fond staples of childhood experiences they evoke deep, memorable feelings of nostalgia, of holidays and home. Great British Train Journeys is a passionate, charming and insightful look at Britain from a window seat: a compelling read for all who look forward to travelling by train. Check Amazon.co.uk for pricing and availability

	The Travel Book: A Journey Through Every Country in the World Lonely Planet (2010 - 2nd Edition) Hardcover - 448 pages Lonely Planet Publications ISBN: 1741792118 Synopsis by Amazon.co.uk: This updated edition of the book is the definitive pictorial dedicated to travel and the world, capturing every country on the planet with photographs and atmospheric text. Inspirational, inviting and beautiful, it combines stunning images with entertaining, informative text that captures the essence of being there. Check Amazon.co.uk for pricing and availability

	The Gardens of Europe: A Traveller's Guide Charles Quest-Ritson (2007) Hardcover - 400 pages Garden Art Press ISBN: 1870673557 Synopsis by Amazon.co.uk: European Gardens have flourished for over 2,000 years and provided the greatest single influence upon gardening throughout the world. In this new and authoritative guide to the gardens of Europe, Charles Quest-Ritson has produced a comprehensive survey, ranging from Ireland to Georgia and from Russia to Sicily. It embraces the vast sweep of Europe's horticultural and garden design heritage - a guide to all the best and most exciting gardens, both public and private, that are open to visitors - making this a reference source without peer. This book describes all types of gardens, including ancient Roman remnants in Italy, Moorish gardens in Spain, tiled gardens in Portugal, baroque masterpieces and English-style landscape gardens throughout the continent, the giardini segreti of renaissance Italy, English flower gardens and woodland gardens, great botanic gardens of Germany and Scandinavia, arboreta of northern Europe, high-level alpine gardens in Switzerland and cutting-edge contemporary gardens in France and the Low Countries. "Gardens of Europe" contains over 600 gardens and includes an invaluable "Plant Collections Guide" and a shortlist of Europe's greatest gardens for quick reference. Garden location, opening hours, and contact and other details are supplemented by more than 500 colour photographs (mostly taken by the author), location maps and descriptions of the unique flavour and history of each garden. This book will fascinate and delight travellers, scholars and garden lovers everywhere. Check Amazon.co.uk for pricing and availability

	Sea Room Adam Nicolson (2002 - New Edition) Paperback - 256 pages HarperCollins ISBN: 0006532012 Synopsis by Amazon.co.uk: Biographies are supposed to deal with people, not places, but Adam Nicolson's lyrical new book, Sea Room, is best seen as a biography. Dealing with the geology, history, natural history, sociology, and emotional resonance of the Shiants--a trio of Hebridean Islands between Skye and Harris --Nicolson's book is an all-encompassing characterisation of this remote corner of the British Isles. Nicolson begins by describing how, inheriting the islands from his father as a young man, the islands have come to have an unusually deep meaning for him. This comes out in his painstaking reconstruction of the geological formation of the islands, of their ancient bronze and iron age settlements, and of the harsh lives of the families that lived here until large-scale economies destroyed traditional Hebridean life. There is much sadness and anger in Nicolson's account of these changes, but also joy--joy at the richness of life in such a place, and joy that these changes have allowed Nicolson himself to experience the Shiants' beauty. The precision with which almost every inch of the islands' physical and historical identities are described is, literally, marvellous; Nicolson eschews generalities, and writes with a love of detail that is increasingly rare. Although the book is a little maudlin at times, this is only the reflection of Nicolson's own sensitivity to the place. The Shiants are anthropomorphised, becoming a character in their own right, proof that the tiniest place can reflect the passage of time. Check Amazon.co.uk for pricing and availability

	The Midland Hotel: Morecambe's White Hope Barry Guise, Pam Brook (2008 - 2nd Edition) Paperback - 216 pages Palatine Books ISBN: 1874181551 Synopsis by Amazon.co.uk: On a sunny afternoon in July 1933, a remarkable building opened its doors to the public for the first time. The London, Midland and Scottish Railway Company had taken the bold step of replacing its old Victorian hotel on Morecambe's seafront with a sparkling white Modernist structure - quite unlike anything seen before in an English seaside resort. Acclaimed from every quarter for its revolutionary architecture and the quality of its interior, with outstanding works by leading artists of the day, the Midland Hotel was unique. Resplendent on the promenade, its gleaming facade promising a bright future, the Midland was seen as the town's 'white hope'. This book, with its numerous superb illustrations, tells the fascinating story of the hotel from its inception and 1930s prime, through its role as a hospital in World War Two, its sale into private ownership and fluctuating fortunes up to the present day. Having reached rock-bottom in 2002, this former embodiment of glamour and luxury was a sorry sight. Empty, save for the vagrants and pigeons, with peeling paint, broken windows and a leaking roof, it barely staved off demolition. At the eleventh hour, however, rescue came in the shape of award-winning property developers Urban Splash who purchased the building in 2003. The multi-million pound project to rehabilitate the hotel for the twenty-first century is nearing completion and the building is scheduled to re-open in the spring of 2008. Retaining the elegance and style which made the Midland Hotel so special, this beautifully restored hotel is set once again to be Morecambe's 'gleaming white hope'. This book comes now with a superb brand new extra section bringing the story up to date with the completion and opening of the hotel. Check Amazon.co.uk for pricing and availability

	The British Seaside Holiday Kathryn Ferry (2009) Paperback - 128 pages Shire Publications ISBN: 0747807272 Synopsis by publisher: Old-fashioned seaside holidays inspire a great deal of nostalgic affection among British people. Quintessential elements such as seaside donkeys and sickly sticks of rock are easily identifiable and memorable ingredients of a tradition that most people in this country have experienced. Focusing on the hundred year period from 1870 to 1970, this volume takes a nostalgic journey through the promenades, deckchairs and sandcastles to discover how ordinary people spent their seaside holidays. Colourful photographs and images are brought to life with light-hearted commentary revealing the history behind these idyllic trips to the seaside - how did we get there, where did we stay, and how did we spend our days? Each captivating chapter explores a different aspect of holiday life to build a complete picture of the social and historical significance of the classic British seaside holiday. Check Amazon.co.uk for pricing and availability

	Eleven Minutes Late: A Train Journey to the Soul of Britain Matthew Engel (2010) Paperback - 336 pages Pan ISBN: 0330512374 Synopsis by Amazon.co.uk: Britain gave railways to the world, yet its own network is the dearest (definitely) and the worst (probably) in Western Europe. Trains are deeply embedded in the national psyche and folklore - yet it is considered uncool to care about them. For Matthew Engel the railway system is the ultimate expression of Britishness. It represents all the nation's ingenuity, incompetence, nostalgia, corruption, humour, capacity for suffering and even sexual repression. To uncover its mysteries, Engel has travelled the system from Penzance to Thurso, exploring its history and talking to people from politicians to platform staff. Along the way Engel ('half-John Betjeman, half-Victor Meldrew') finds the most charmingly bizarre train in Britain, the most beautiful branch line, the rudest railwayman, and - after a quest lasting decades - an Individual Pot of Strawberry Jam. Eleven Minutes Late is both a polemic and a paean, and it is also very funny. Check Amazon.co.uk for pricing and availability

	Walking London's Statues and Monuments Rupert Hill (2010) Paperback - 160 pages New Holland Publishers Ltd ISBN: 1847735991 Synopsis by Amazon.co.uk: This is a captivating addition to New Holland's London walks list, focusing on important, memorable or beautiful statues, sculptures and monuments around London. The 13 walks featured take around one to two hours to complete and each take in between 20 and 40 works. The reader is given all the relevant information about both the walk and the work of art, which include themes such as historical, armed forces, theatre and all current sculpture in London from Hyde Park to Greenwich, including Canary Wharf (with a view to the 2012 Olympics). The book is elegantly illustrated with artworks of the statues drawn in pen and ink with a colour wash. With classical and modern sculptures to visit, the book provides a fascinating overview of the people and events the capital has chosen to commemorate and the way different artists have undertaken their commissions. Check Amazon.co.uk for pricing and availability

	Avant Gardeners: 50 Visionaries of the Contemporary Landscape Tim Richardson (2009) Paperback - 352 pages Thames and Hudson ISBN: 0500288267 Synopsis by Amazon.co.uk: The leading edge of recent garden design has not only embraced the latest thinking in science and materials, but also appropriated ideas from related disciplines, such as architecture and product design, redefining and blurring the borders of nature and the man-made in the process. Avant Gardeners presents the fifty most exciting and innovative contemporary garden- and landscape-design practices from around the world. The work of each designer is profiled through informative texts and projects shown in photographs and plans. Throughout the book, essays explore the underlying principles of these highly individual approaches to creating outdoor spaces and show how a rising generation has rejected the naturalistic tradition of Western garden design, favouring instead the influences of Modernism, Postmodernism, Pop Art and Land Art. With over 100 projects, the book is an encyclopaedic look at the most advanced contemporary thinking in garden design and offers a rich and inspirational archive for practitioners and enthusiasts - indeed for anyone who delights in the great outdoors. Check Amazon.co.uk for pricing and availability

	The Most Amazing Places to Visit in Britain Reader's Digest (2006) Paperback - 319 pages Reader's Digest ISBN: 0276441761 Synopsis by Amazon.co.uk: Discover Britain as you've never known it before, with "Amazing Places to Visit in Britain". Reader's Digest and a team of experienced travel writers, whose credits include the Sunday Times, Holiday Which? and the Daily Telegraph among many others, have specially chosen the 1,000 most amazing places in Britain to feature in this book. From castles, cathedrals, stately homes and natural wonders to power stations, bellfoundries and even a water tower, this book reflects the diversity of fascinating places that Britain has to offer. Read about some of the world's best early medieval stained glass, found in Canterbury Cathedral, and then turn to an entry on the ossuary at St Leonard's church in Hythe housing 2,000 human skulls, or the Donnington Grand Prix collection at Donnington Park. "Amazing Places in Britain" is a modern guidebook to Britain, and as such includes entries you won't find in most UK guidebooks. From the Umbrella Shop on New Oxford Street in London to the Oldbury Power Station on the River Severn and a Soviet submarine in Folkestone harbour, this unique reference guide will ensure that you'll never see Britain in the same way again. The book is arranged by county and region for easy reference and includes a regional map for each section pinpointing the places featured as well as giving all the information you need to help you plan your visit. In addition, there are 54 special features, providing extra information about a particular topic relevant to the section in which it appears. Learn the history of the Somerset Levels, what prehistoric Uffington was like, or discover more about the diversity of ethnic Leicester. You'll also find walks, with accompanying maps, in Bath, along the Birmingham canals and in Constable's country. Whether you're looking for a place to visit or simply wanting to find out more about a region, you'll find plenty of inspiration in "The Most Amazing Places to Visit in Britain". Check Amazon.co.uk for pricing and availability

	Pies and Prejudice: In Search of the North Stuart Maconie (2008) Paperback - 354 pages Ebury Press ISBN: 0091910234 Synopsis by Amazon.co.uk: A Northerner in exile, Stuart Maconie goes on a journey in search of the North, attempting to discover where the cliches end and the truth begins. He travels from Wigan Pier to Blackpool Tower and Newcastle's Bigg Market to the Lake District to find his own Northern Soul, encountering along the way an exotic cast of chippy Scousers, pie-eating woollybacks, topless Geordies, mad-for-it Mancs, Yorkshire nationalists and brothers in southern exile. Check Amazon.co.uk for pricing and availability

	1000 Things for Kids to Do in the Holidays Time Out Guides (2009) Paperback - 320 pages Time Out Group Ltd ISBN: 1846700906 Synopsis by Amazon.co.uk: "1000 Things for Kids to Do in the Holidays" offers inspirational and exciting ideas for children of all ages, from toddlers to teens. Crammed with sights, excursions and events throughout Britain, as well as activities to do at home, it covers all categories, from the adventurous to the educational, from the eco-friendly to just plain fun. How about swimming in Loch Ness? Or watching monkeys in Dorset? Build a hedgehog shelter, sleep in a windmill, join the circus, make sushi, hunt for dinosaurs, learn to drive off-road: whether you're looking for special-occasion experiences or everyday pleasures, you'll never run out of ways to entertain the children again. Check Amazon.co.uk for pricing and availability

	Around The World In 80 Gardens Monty Don (2008) Hardcover - 288 pages Weidenfeld & Nicolson General ISBN: 0297844504 Synopsis by Amazon.co.uk: 'If I have learned only one thing from my travels around the world it is that no garden is an island. Context is everything.' Monty Don visits each continent in this landmark series on gardens of the world. We are introduced to the unique floating gardens of the Amazon and the colourful alpine flower meadows of Norway, modest domestic gardens in Havana and Bali, Monet's world-famous Giverny and the Dutch tour-de-force Het Loo, the formal magnificence of Renaissance Italian water gardens, the tropical planting traditions of Thailand, and the intriguing fusion of indigenous and colonial garden cultures in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Each garden is placed in context, horticultural preconceptions are abandoned and Monty is constantly surprised by the unexpected locations where gardens thrive. A vivid account of travel, adventure, beauty and the pursuit of knowledge. Check Amazon.co.uk for pricing and availability

	St Pancras Station Simon Bradley (2007) Paperback - 224 pages Profile Books Ltd ISBN: 1861979517 Synopsis by Amazon.co.uk: An iconic London landmark of Gothic dream palace and futuristic train shed - built in the 1860s for the new Midland Railway line into London, St. Pancras is soon to be reincarnated as the main international gateway from London to the Continent. In 1866, the ancient churchyard of St. Pancras was excavated for the new Midlands Railway line into London. Both the train shed and the Midland Grand hotel, the constituent parts of the new station, are outstanding structures: the train shed for its structural daring and drama, the hotel for its heroic attempt to adapt Gothic architecture for the requirements of modernity. In 2002, more of the churchyard was excavated as part of the station's transformation for the Channel Tunnel terminus. The work, to be finished in 2007, will reinvent St. Pancras as the main hub for rail travellers between the UK and Europe. In the years between, the station has flourished, but has also come close to being demolished. Simon Bradley examines this fascinating story of changes in taste and of our understanding of the past. It is a reminder of the revolutionary effects of the railway and of how the innovations of the Industrial Revolution have weathered subsequent technological change. St. Pancras demands to be understood for the continuing thrall in which great urban monuments can hold us. Check Amazon.co.uk for pricing and availability

	Historic Gardens of Cornwall Timothy Mowl (2005) Paperback - 208 pages Tempus Publishing ISBN: 0752434365 Synopsis by Amazon.co.uk: This is the fourth volume in Timothy Mowl's ground-breaking county series on historic English gardens, now sponsored by the Leverhulme Trust. Cornwall is particularly strong on nineteenth- and twentieth-century gardens, in which the mild climate allows many exotic species to flourish. The 'Lost' Gardens of Heligan and the Eden Project have made the county a particular favourite among garden-lovers. As in Dr Mowl's previous volumes there is nothing bland about either his selection of important gardens or his comments about them, which are as incisive as they are informed Check Amazon.co.uk for pricing and availability

	Great British Bus Journeys: Travels Through Unfamous Places David McKie (2006) Hardcover - 352 pages Atlantic Books ISBN: 1843541327 Synopsis by Amazon.co.uk: Great British Bus Journeys travels to Britain's most unfashionable towns (using the least reliable method of transport) to uncover the nation's secret history. Starting on a green bus in Leeds, the city of his birth, and culminating atop the number 94 as it swooshes past Trafalgar Square in London, David McKie reclaims British towns from the embarrassment and neglect for which they are famed. From Frinton-on-Sea to Bradwell-juxta-Mare, McKie rescues cities and villages from the condescension of snobbish urbanites. Check Amazon.co.uk for pricing and availability

	Gardens of the National Trust Stephen Lacey (2005) Hardcover - 400 pages National Trust Books ISBN: 1905400004 Synopsis by Amazon.co.uk: When the National Trust decided to take on the care of gardens, the aim was that these would be the very best of their kind in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Trust now has the finest collection of gardens ever assembled under one ownership - the greatest in number, diversity, historic importance and quality. Taken together they contain the world's most important collection of cultivated plants, distinguished for their beauty, rarity, historical interest and scientific value. First published in 1996, this new edition has been substantially revised to showcase superb new photography, and to introduce recently acquired properties such as Greenway in Devon and the gardens of houses such as Red House in Kent and Tyntesfield in Somerset. Stephen Lacey paints a vivid picture of individual Trust gardens through historical and horticultural perspectives. He gives his personal take, describing the present state of each and placing it firmly within the context of gardening history in Britain. All the major periods are represented: a knot garden from a 1640 design at Moseley Old Hall in Staffordshire; magnificent eighteenth-century landscapes such as 'Capability' Brown's at Petworth in Sussex; Victorian Gardens like Biddulph Grange in Staffordshire, with its wealth of new plants introduced from all over the world; and the famous plantsmen's gardens of the last century, such as Nymans in Sussex, Sissinghurst Castle in Kent, and Hidcote in Gloucestershire. Check Amazon.co.uk for pricing and availability

	Great City Parks Alan Tate (2004) Hardcover - 224 pages Taylor & Francis ISBN: 0415306361 Synopsis by Amazon.co.uk: Great City Parks is a comparative study of twenty significant public parks in a number of major cities in Western Europe and North America. As a collection they give a clear picture of why parks have been created, how they have been designed, how they are managed, and what plans are being made for them at the beginning of the twenty-first century. The examination of each park looks at the size and condition of the sites at the time of designation, and looks at the reason for their designation and at the key figures behind the decisions to build them. The principal designers are profiled in terms of their backgrounds and the values that they brought to the projects. Each park is then examined in terms of its planning and design - looking at its location in the city, and the shape, size and existing landform of the site. The original design concept is reviewed in terms of spatial structure, circulation systems and intended character. The examinations then review the current status of the parks, looking at the organisations which manage them - how they are appointed; how they canvass their users' views; how the parks are funded - and at the patterns of use. The final sections of each park study looks at current plans for each of the parks. The study concludes by considering whether there are clear planning, design and management criteria for 'successful' city parks. Great City Parks is a celebration and rationale for some of the finest achievements of landscape architecture in the public realm. Based on unique research including extensive site visits and interviews with the managing organisations, the text is amplified by clear plans and professional photographs for each park. This book reflects a belief that well-planned, well-designed and well-managed parks remain invaluable components of liveable and hospitable cities. This fascinating book will appeal to Landscape Architects, Architects, Urban Planners, Park Managers, and anyone who appreciates the special role of parks in our urban environment. Check Amazon.co.uk for pricing and availability

	Destination Culture: Tourism, Museums, and Heritage Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblett (1998) Paperback - 311 pages University of California Press ISBN: 0520209664 Synopsis by Amazon.co.uk: This volume takes the reader on a journey from ethnological artifacts to kitsch. Posing the question, "What does it mean to show?", the author explores the agency of display in a variety of settings: museums, festivals, world's fairs, historical re-creations, memorials and tourist attractions. She talks about how objects - and people - are made to "perform" their meaning for us by the very fact of being collected and exhibited and about how specific techniques of display, not just the things shown, convey powerful messages. The analysis shows how museums compete with tourism in the production of "heritage." To make themselves profitable, museums are marketing themselves as tourist attractions. To make locations into destinations, tourism is staging the world as a museum of itself. Both promise to deliver heritage. Although heritage is marketeted as something old, she argues that heritage is actually a new mode of cultural production that gives a second life to dying ways of life, economies and places. The book concludes with a commentary on the "good taste/bad taste" debate in the ephemeral "museum of the life world," where everyone is a curator of sorts and the process of converting life into heritage begins. Check Amazon.co.uk for pricing and availability

	Antonio Gaudi Juan Bassegoda Nonell, Melba Levick (Photographer) (2001 - New Edition) Hardcover - 285 pages Abbeville Press ISBN: 0789206900 Synopsis by Amazon.co.uk: Antonio Gaudi (1852-1926) is one of the best-known architects of the 20th century. Even today, some 75 years after Gaudi's death, his playful, exuberant buildings continue to influence architects, sculptors, and designers. Perhaps most identified with the dynamic, sculptural facades found on his structures, Gaudi is respected as much for his technological innovations as for his daring style. In this enlightening, portable volume, a concise, knowledgeable text by the director of the Catedra Gaudi at the University of Barcelona is brilliantly illustrated with 200 images by a gifted architectural photographer to provide a new perspective on Gaudi's remarkable career. The author traces the influences that led to the architect's definitive style, from his fascination with the Orient and Neogothicism to his love of naturalism and geometric forms. Here is the full range of his oeuvre, including the innovative residences for the Guell family; the daring new structural solutions at Bellesguard; architecture inspired by nature in the Park Guell; and finally his unfinished masterpiece, the Church of the Sagrada Familia, which occupied him until his death. This handsome overview of Gaudi's visionary work is ideal for those who delight in his architecture, as well as those who look forward to traveling to Spain to see his monumental legacy. Check Amazon.co.uk for pricing and availability



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