Publisher: University of Buckingham Press
The only book in English on the subject. Of topical relevance in the context of the current conflict in Ukraine.
'Both moving and hilarious' Spectator, Books of the Year 'A tale of gloriously eccentric British pensioners. Aitken rivals Alan Bennett in the ear he has for an eavesdropped remark ... boy, can he write.' Daily Mail, Book of the Week FROM THE AUTHOR OF THE ACCLAIMED A CHIP SHOP IN POZNAN. One millennial, six coach trips, one big generation gap. When Ben Aitken learnt that his gran had enjoyed a four-night holiday including four three-course dinners, four cooked breakfasts, four games of bingo, a pair of excursions, sixteen pints of lager and luxury return coach travel, all for a hundred pounds, he thought, that's the life, and signed himself up. Six times over. Good value aside, what Ben was really after was the company of his elders - those with more chapters under their belt, with the wisdom granted by experience, the candour gifted by time, and the hard-earned ability to live each day like it's nearly their last. A series of coach holidays ensued - from Scarborough to St Ives, Killarney to Lake Como - during which Ben attempts to shake off his thirty-something blues by getting old as soon as possible.Show book
An adventurous Englishman explores the forgotten landscape of America’s Wild West in this “illuminating, elegantly written travelogue” (Financial Times). In his acclaimed memoir Swan River, David Reynolds invited readers into the world of his youth, growing up in Manitoba, Canada. Now, in Slow Road to Brownsville, Reynolds brings readers on a road trip along Highway 83, a little-known two-lane highway that runs from his Canadian hometown to the Mexican border at Brownsville, Texas, on the Gulf of Mexico. Enthralled by the myth of the American West and the romance of the open road, Reynolds explores the realities behind both as he makes his way between small towns, gas stations, and motels, hanging out in bars with the locals and learning the stories of this forgotten region that was once the frontier. Along the way he encounters many legendary figures from North American history, including Lewis and Clark, Sitting Bull, Buffalo Bill, Davy Crockett, and even Truman Capote.Show book
Roughing It is a book of semi-autobiographical travel literature written by American humorist Mark Twain. He published in 1872 as a prequel to his first book, The Innocents Abroad. Roughing It is the hilarious record of those early years travelling from Nevada to California to Hawaii, as Twain tried his luck at anything and everything--and usually failed. Twain's encounters with tarantulas and donkeys, vigilantes and volcanoes, even Brigham Young, the Mormon leader, come to life with his inimitable mixture of reporting, social satire, and rollicking tall talesShow book
Learn the best-kept secrets of Canada’s charming northeastern province with this insider’s guide for new visitors and longtime lovers of the region. From whale-watching on the shore of St. Vincent’s and hiking Terra Nova to kissing the cod and catching greasy pigs at the largest garden party in the world, this essential volume explores the easternmost Canadian province. Highlighting the suggestions of notable Newfoundlanders and Labradorians from across the island—including comedian Mary Walsh, artist Brenda McLellan, Great Big Sea front man Alan Doyle, and Premier Danny Williams—this guide supplies lists of all the secret places locals and tourists simply must discover.Show book
This WWII history and visitor’s guide explores the extensive network of Nazi fortifications built to defend Fortress Europe. Hitler's Atlantic Wall, the complex system of coastal fortifications that stretched from Norway to the Spanish border during the Second World War, was built to defend occupied Europe from Allied invasion. Many of its principal structures survive and can be visited today. This authoritative guide provides both practical information for visitors and essential historical context. The wall, which was constructed on a massive scale between 1942 and 1944 by German engineers, forced laborers and troops, consisted of strong points, artillery casemates, bunkers, troop shelters, minefields, anti-tank and anti-boat obstacles. It also included the concrete U-boat and E-boat pens in the key ports and, behind the Channel coast, the V-weapon sites. This huge scheme of fortifications was one of the longest series of defensive lines in military history. This comprehensive volume takes readers and visitors through the entire story of the fortifications from the fall of France to the D-Day invasion on the beaches of Normandy that finally broke through. As a guide to some of the most impressive relics of the Second World War, this book is essential reading for travelers or anyone interested in the liberation of occupied Europe.Show book
“Burmese Looking Glass is a contribution to the literature of human rights and to the literature of high adventure.” —Los Angeles Times Book Review As captivating as the most thrilling novel, Burmese Looking Glass tells the story of tribal peoples who, though ravaged by malaria and weakened by poverty, are unforgettably brave. Author Edith T. Mirante first crossed illegally from Thailand into Burma in 1983. There she discovered the hidden conflict that has despoiled the country since the close of World War II. She met commandos and refugees and learned firsthand the machinations of Golden Triangle narcotics trafficking. Mirante was the first Westerner to march with the rebels from the fabled Three Pagodas Pass to the Andaman Sea. She taught karate to women soldiers, was ritually tattooed by a Shan sayah “spirit doctor,” lobbied successfully against US government donation of Agent Orange chemicals to the dictatorship, and was deported from Thailand in 1988. “A dramatic but caring book in which Mirante’s blithe tone doesn’t disguise her earnest concern for the worsening conditions faced by the Burmese hill tribes.” —Kirkus ReviewsShow book
