Wilfred Thesiger, the last of the great gentlemen explorer-adventurers, became a legend in his own lifetime. This authorised biography by a long-standing friend and associate, delves into his little-known character and motivations, as well as recounting the details of his extraordinary life. While Wilfred Thesiger's own classic writings, (including "The Marsh Arabs", "Arabian Sands", "Desert, Marsh and Mountain", "The Life of My Choice" and" My Kenya Days") comprehensively cover his classic journeys amongst the Marsh Arabs in southern Iraq, across the Empty Quarter in Arabia, they fail conspicuously to shed light on his character and motives, which have remained an enigma. Maitland's biography had Thesiger's support before he died in 2003, and has been written with full access, granted to no one else, to the rich Thesiger archive - vivid, intimate family correspondence, and his own letters, diaries and notebooks, which are far more confiding than his scrupulously edited published accounts. Maitland investigates in depth Thesiger's parents and family influences; his wartime experiences and the ethos of conflict; his philosophy as a hunter and conservationist; his development as a writer and photographer; his close friendships with the Arabs and Africans, amongst whom he lived; and his sexuality. In all, this major biography of a great and unusual man will take its place on the shelf of outstanding lives of the great explorers.

Heavy book, postage will be extra.

UK Hardcover Signed & Dated (publication date 20.04.06) by Bill Wyman and Richard Havers.

"The Stones: A History in Cartoons" combines previously unpublished entries from Bill Wyman's personal diaries with cartoons by some of the greatest satirical artists of the last 40 years. Over more than four decades, The Rolling Stones have been the inspiration for hundreds of cartoons and Bill Wyman has collected them, meticulously recording when and where they appeared. Arranged chronologically, this book combines 150 individual cartoons with the entry from Bill's diary written on the day the drawing was published. Covering everything from the infamous drugs bust to Wyman's leaving the band, and from screaming fans to the day a Bristol hotel refused to serve the Stones lunch because they weren't smart enough, this is a unique and personal look at one of the greatest bands of the twentieth century.

UK First Edition, First Printing Signed by both authors to the half title page.

The Smelly Dog: Social Stereotypes from the "Telegraph Magazine"

With his charming twinkly stare and his bouncing enthusiasm, Horace exudes lovability. Unfortunately that's not all he exudes. His breath is like napalm, his coat is matted with weeds from the goldfish pond, and -- ever since the ban on hunting -- Eau de Horace has carried subtle topnotes of fox poo. But he's such a darling that the Fitzroys have become impervious to his pong. Besides, there's a certain mischievous pleasure to be got from watching their more sniffy guests cope with Horace's exotic fragrance. These hilarious, razor-sharp pen portraits are spot-on insights into the gamut of modern life. In the one corner are the Sudoku Addicts: Tracey from accounts wondering whether she might have that compulsive sudoku syndrome like what Dean-from-the-post-room sister got. In the other are the dilettante Christmas Jigsaw Puzzlers: Aunt Cassie forcing pieces together to create that hopelessly amateurish hump effect before bashing it flat with her rings. The brilliance of these caricatures culled from the Telegraph Magazine is that each and every one rings true.

Hardcover, UK First Edition, First Printing, Signed by both authors to the title page.

Lynn Picknett and Clive Prince have long been fascinated by the conspiracies surrounding secret knowledge of Jesus, Mary Magdalene and John the Baptist, much of which centred on the activities of individuals and groups allegedly connected with the Priory of Sion. Now, in The Sion Revelation, Picknett and Prince look more closely at this controversial organisation, said to be the ancient protector of great religious and historical secrets. Suggesting that their apparently bizarre belief systems actually hide real activity on behalf of military and political movers and shakers, The Sion Revelation will reveal just how important the Priory of Sion really is - and why we should all care...

Hardcover, UK First Edition, First Printing, Signed by author to the title page.

A companion to The RHS Treasure of Garden Verse, this anthology presents a selection of garden writing spanning the globe and the centuries. Writers from Francis Bacon to Thoreau, Jane Austen to Karel Capek have been inspired by gardens and gardening, and here there is something for everyone - classic pieces and perennial favourites, and some surprising finds. Each pieces is illustrated with a botanical print, and engraving or a watercolour drawing from the remarkable collection of the Royal Horticultural Society's Lindley Library. The only illustrated book of garden writing on the market An ideal gift book, to appeal to lovers of literature and gardening Will showcase some of the most beautiful artwork from the enormous range of material in the RHS Lindley Library.

Did you know that people in Bolivia have a word that means I was rather too drunk last night and it's all their fault? Or that the Albanians have twenty-seven words for moustache? Or that the Dutch word for skimming stones is plimpplamppletteren? Drawing on the collective wisdom of over 280 languages, this intriguing book is arranged by theme so that you can compare attitudes all over the world to such subjects as food, the human body and the battle of the sexes. Here, you can find not only those words for which there is no direct counterpart in English (such as pana po'o in Hawaiian - to scratch your head in order to remember something important), but also those that sound confusingly the same (gin in Turkish means to dry out). Oh, and tingo is a Pascuense word from the Easter Islands meaning to borrow things from a friend's house one by one until there's nothing left .

Hardcover, US HarperCollins, New York, US First Edition, First Printing, Signed by author to the title page.

The dustjacket opens to reveal a beautiful detailed colour replica of William Smith’s geological map.

In the summer of 1815 an extraordinary hand-painted map was published in London. Some eight feet tall and six feet wide, brightly coloured - in sea-blue, green, bright yellow, orange, umber - it presented England and Wales in a beguiling and unfamiliar mixture of lines and patches and stippled shapes. It was the product of one man's obsession with rocks, a passion that sustained him whilst the rest of his life slid into ruin. For nearly 20 years, an Oxfordshire blacksmith's son named William Smith journeyed across Britain investigating and naming the layers of rock beneath his feet. Self-taught and determined, Smith had great expertise in practical geology, and this evolving science demanded a new sort of delineation. The beautifully executed map he produced was the first of its kind and transformed the way in which the world was understood. It was a document that laid the groundwork for the making of great fortunes in oil, iron and tin, and, elsewhere, in diamonds, platinum and silver, and was key to the development of one of the great fields of modern science. Smith's was a remarkable achievement, and all the more astonishing for having been completed single-handedly and without financial or professional support. Shatteringly, such heroic and painstaking work exacted a terrible price: imprisoned for debt, Smith was turned out of his home; his work was plagiarized; the scientific establishment turned its back on his trouble; and Smith's wife was diagnosed insane and he himself fell ill. It was not until 1829 that, in a fairy-tale twist of fate, Smith returned to London in triumph, to be hailed as a genius. Simon Winchester, best-selling author of "The Surgeon of Crowthorne" and himself the holder of a degree in geology, enters the dramatic world of "Strata Smith" to tell his moving and inspiring story. Celebrating the unique geology of the British Isles, "The Map That Changed the World" resurrects the forgotten pioneer whose passion for fossils came above all else.

Hardcover, USA Harper, US First Edition, First Printing, Signed by author to the title page.

Before fate intervened, Joseph Needham was a distinguished biochemist at Cambridge University, married to a fellow scientist. In 1937 he was asked to supervise a young Chinese student named Lu Gwei-Djen, and in that moment began the two greatest love affairs of his life - Miss Lu, and China. Miss Lu inspired Needham to travel to China where he initially spent three dangerous years as a wartime diplomat. By the end of his life, Needham had become the pre-eminent China scholar of all time, a truly global figure, travelling endlessly and honoured by all. And in 1989, after a fifty-two year affair, he finally married the woman who had first inspired his passion. "The Man Who Love China” is Simon Winchester at his best - at once a magnificent portrait of one man's remarkable life and a riveting exploration of the country that so engaged him.

Hardcover, UK First Edition, First Printing, Signed by author to the title page.

Simon Hoggart is back with a new treasure trove of Christmas round robins. And this time they illustrate the seven deadly sins of their writers, including boastfulness (dazzlingly clever children who play the saxophone and ski for Britain); smugness (their job, their house, their holidays are all perfect); tiny-mindedness (do we really need to be told how to start a jigsaw by looking for the straight bits?); whimsy (letters written by pets or babies); and the dreaded over-sharing, in which every illness and operation is described in minute, unwanted detail. Accompanied by Hoggart's wicked commentary, The Hamster that Loved Puccini invites us to ponder what compels people to pen these letters, and what they tell us about them - and ourselves. The Hamster that Loved Puccini is outrageously funny and the perfect Christmas, or indeed anytime of year, gift.

Hardcover, US Dial Press, True First Edition, First Printing, Signed & Dated by Annie Barrows to the title page.

“ I wonder how the book got to Guernsey? Perhaps there is some sort of secret homing instinct in books that brings them to their perfect readers.” January 1946: London is emerging from the shadow of the Second World War, and writer Juliet Ashton is looking for her next book subject. Who could imagine that she would find it in a letter from a man she’s never met, a native of the island of Guernsey, who has come across her name written inside a book by Charles Lamb….

As Juliet and her new correspondent exchange letters, Juliet is drawn into the world of this man and his friends—and what a wonderfully eccentric world it is. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society—born as a spur-of-the-moment alibi when its members were discovered breaking curfew by the Germans occupying their island—boasts a charming, funny, deeply human cast of characters, from pig farmers to phrenologists, literature lovers all. Juliet begins a remarkable correspondence with the society’s members, learning about their island, their taste in books, and the impact the recent German occupation has had on their lives. Captivated by their stories, she sets sail for Guernsey, and what she finds will change her forever.

Written with warmth and humor as a series of letters, this novel is a celebration of the written word in all its guises, and of finding connection in the most surprising ways.

Hardcover, UK First Edition, First Printing, Signed & first lined (a very long first line as shown in image) by author (The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson!) to the title page.

Focussing on how the Romans made Europe work as a homogenous civilisation and looking at why we are failing to make the EU work in modern times, this is an authoritative and amusing study from best selling author Boris Johnson. In addition to his roles as politician, editor, author and television presenter, Boris Johnson is a passionate Roman scholar. A new television series, airing in March 2005, will see him travelling throughout the Roman Empire in order to uncover the secrets of the governance of the empire, and the reasons behind why the Romans held such power and prestige for so long. Fiercely interested in Europe and the current issues facing the European Union, Boris Johnson will look at the lessons we could learn from the Romans and how we could apply them to our modern politics. This illustrated book, full of witty descriptions, insight, politics, and more than a few jokes, will accompany the television series. Boris Johnson is the editor of the Spectator, MP for Henley, writes a column for the Daily Telegraph. He lives in London and Oxfordshire with his wife and their children.

**UNSIGNED**

Hardcover, no dust jacket as issued. Lothian Books Australia, True First Edition, First Printing (as evidenced by no mention of later printings) of this award winning book. A Very Fine copy of this stunning work of art.

In a heartbreaking parting, a man gives his wife and daughter a last kiss and boards a steamship to cross the ocean. He's embarking on the most painful yet important journey of his life - he's leaving home to build a better future for his family. Shaun Tan evokes universal aspects of an immigrant's experience through a singular work of the imagination. He does so using brilliantly clear and mesmerizing images. Because the main character can't communicate in words, the book forgoes them too. But while the reader experiences the main character's isolation, he also shares his ultimate joy.

"A shockingly imaginative graphic novel that captures the sense of adventure and wonder that surrounds a new arrival on the shores of a shining new city. Wordless, but with perfect narrative flow, Tan gives us a story filled with cityscapes worthy of Winsor McCay." -- Jeff Smith, author of Bone

"A magical river of strangers and their stories!" -- Craig Thompson, author of Blankets

"Magnificent." -- David Small, Caldecott Medalist

Hardcover, no dust jacket as issued.  Australian True First Edition, First Printing, Signed and Doodled by author.

Breathtakingly illustrated and hauntingly written, Tales from Outer Suburbia is by turns hilarious and poignant, perceptive and goofy. Through a series of captivating and sophisticated illustrated stories, Tan explores the precious strangeness of our existence. He gives us a portrait of modern suburban existence filtered through a wickedly Monty Pythonesque lens. Whether it’s discovering that the world really does stop at the end of the city’s map book, or a family’s lesson in tolerance through an alien cultural exchange student, Tan’s deft, sweet social satire brings us face-to-face with the humour and absurdity of modern life.

Hardcover, No dust Jacket as issued UK First Edition, First Printing, one of 450 copies with the crow cover. signed. lined and dated (12.05.07) and drawing by the author, on the half title page.

Plus book comes with signed promotional postcard. and a compliment slip signed by author for authenticity of the drawing.

Line " The Stars above twinkled above....

A Melancholic tale of friendship between a restless scarecrow and a hungry crow. The Bird bringing trinkets and tales from the world beyond for his curious friend in exchange for food. Yet answers just raise more questions resulting in a dramatic conclusion....

Lucky Day begins with natural landscapes through which love and lyric flicker and flare. The sparrows, pigeons and magpies of the urban periphery lighten the atmosphere, edging the collection towards the city in the funny elegy 'Bird List'. The sequence that follows, 'Hand Held', is personal and vulnerable, a finally celebratory exploration of his experience as the father of a child with severe learning difficulties. The collection concludes with poems of love and memory, affirming in the end the luck of survival.

Short-listed for the Whitbread Best Poetry Book Award, 2005

Hardcover, UK First Edition, First Printing Signed and dated(publication date) by Deborah Devonshire, Patrick Leigh Fermor and Editor Charlotte Mosley to the title page.

In 1956, Deborah, Duchess of Devonshire youngest of the six Mitford sisters invited the writer and war hero Patrick Leigh Fermor to visit Lismore Castle, in Ireland. This halcyon stay sparked off a deep friendship and a lifelong exchange of highly entertaining letters. There can rarely have been such contrasting styles: Debo, unashamed philistine and self-professed illiterate, darts from subject to subject, dashing off letters but hitting the nail on the head again and again without even looking, while Paddy, polyglot, widely-read prose virtuoso, replies in his characteristic fluent, polished manner.

Prose notwithstanding, they have much in common: enjoyment of life, youthful high spirits, generosity and lack of malice. There are glimpses of Kennedy’s inauguration, weekends at Sandringham, filming with Erroll Flynn and, above all, of life at Chatsworth, which Debo spent much of her life restoring, and of Kardamyli, the home that Paddy built in his beloved Greece.

Hardcover, UK First Edition, First Printing, Signed,  by author to the title page. Book comes with a flyer from the London signing event.

The first instalment of the highly anticipated biography of Henry VIII, written by one of the UK's most popular, established and exciting historians. Published to coincide with the 500th anniversary of Henry's accession to the throne, 'Henry: Virtuous Prince' is a radical re-evaluation of the monarchy's most enduring icon. Henry VIII was Britain's most powerful monarch, yet he was not born to rule. Thrust into the limelight after the sudden death of his elder brother, Prince Arthur, Henry ascended the throne in 1509, marking the beginning of a reign that altered the course of English history. In his youth Henry was highly intelligent, athletic and musically talented. He excelled in Latin and Mathematics and was an accomplished musician. On his accession to the throne, aged just seventeen, after the tumultuous rule of his father, he provided England with hope of a new beginning. Nobody could have foreseen how radical Henry's rule would prove to be. Often overshadowed by the bloody saga of his six marriages, his reign has left a lasting legacy. An absolute monarch, Henry's quest for fame was as obsessive as any modern celebrity. His fierce battles against Papal authority mark one of the most dramatic and defining moments in the history of Britain. Yet his early life was insecure. The Tudor regime was viewed by many as rule by usurpers and the dark shadows of the Wars of the Roses often threatened to tear England apart once more. The culmination of a lifetime's research, David Starkey gives a radical and unforgettable portrait of the man behind the icon; the Renaissance prince turned tyrant, who continues to tower over history.

Softcover original, no dust jacket as issued. UK First Edition, First Printing, Signed by both authors (Paul Gravett and Peter Stanburg) and Quoted "No book ever ends when it's full of your friends!" to the title page.

"Great British Comics" offers a feast of striking cartoon graphics, a celebration of Britain's perennially popular comic heroes and their acclaimed creators, and a guide to collecting for everyone who remembers fondly the comics they grew up with. British comics are truly world famous, as well as being read by millions across the UK. Since the 1980s, there has been a British invasion of writers and artists into American comic books, revitalizing everything from Batman to X-Men and originating uniquely British characters of their own, such as Modesty Blaise and the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Divided into chapters by themes such as schooldays, animals and the future, the book chart the careers of familiar favourites such as Dennis the Menace and Dan Dare across the decades from the 1920s to the 1990s. The lively, informative text is richly illustrated with toys, badges, merchandise and collectables, as well as comic-book covers, pages and annuals.

Hardcover, USA True First Edition, First Printing, Signed, Located and Dated (date of London signing) by author to the title page.

Thirty years after the epic journey chronicled in his classic work The Great Railway Bazaar, the world's most acclaimed travel writer re-creates his 25,000-mile journey through eastern Europe, central Asia, the Indian subcontinent, China, Japan, and Siberia. Half a lifetime ago, Paul Theroux virtually invented the modern travel narrative by recounting his grand tour by train through Asia. In the three decades since, the world he recorded in that book has undergone phenomenal change. The Soviet Union has collapsed and China has risen; India booms while Burma smothers under dictatorship; Vietnam flourishes in the aftermath of the havoc America was unleashing on it the last time Theroux passed through. And no one is better able to capture the texture, sights, smells, and sounds of that changing landscape than Theroux.

Theroux's odyssey takes him from Eastern Europe, still hung-over from communism, through tense but thriving Turkey into the Caucasus, where Georgia limps back toward feudalism while its neighbour Azerbaijan revels in oil-fuelled capitalism. Theroux is firsthand witness to it all, travelling as the locals do—by stifling train, rattletrap bus, illicit taxi, and mud-caked foot—encountering adventures only he could have: from the literary (sparring with the incisive Nobel laureate Orhan Pamuk) to the dissolute (surviving a week-long bender on the Trans-Siberian Railroad). And wherever he goes, his omnivorous curiosity and unerring eye for detail never fail to inspire, enlighten, inform, and entertain.

Hardcover, UK First Edition, First Printing, Signed. dated (1.3.2004) and drawing of Gruesome Maple leaf.

Fall is 36 page Hardcover picture book written and Illustrated by Chris odgers. Through lavish illustrations reminiscent of victorian woodcut/etching with a contemporary edge, supported by romantic macabre poetry. This book appeals to anyone who enjoys quality artwork and story telling from children to adults