John Man

This work first published in 1898 has become almost an authoritative account of the era of the Crusades and the life of one of Muslim world's best known leaders, Salahuddin al-Ayyubi, or Saladin. The author's objective and unbiassed research on Saladin, as well as extensive consultation of books by Muslim and European historians on the subjects, makes the book one of the best sources on the Crusades even more than a hundred years after its first edition. This edition is the first time it has been subject to typographical revision and updates so that contemporary readers may be able to identify the names of persons and places as it is currently known.

A guide to 50 of the world's most spectacular locations. This book contains entries that describe the special qualities that make a particular destination unmissable, from sheer physical beauty or grandeur to extraordinary wildlife or rich cultural heritage. It provides information on local climate and culture, and on when to go, and what to see.

Praise for Alpha Beta"This book comes at the perfect moment as we rediscover the importance in early reading of cracking the alphabetic code. The story of how that code came into being is a fascinating one, and Man is the ideal writer to tell it." Times Educational Supplement"A richly absorbing exploration, from B.C. to PCs, of the evolution of the most fundamental characters of our cultural history, the alphabet we so much take for granted. John Man writes with a compellingly restless curiosity and immediacy. The ever surprising, exotically detailed narrative in his informative book makes it as undryly enjoyable as a successful archaelogical dig of one of Alan Moorehead s colorful histories of African exploration." David Grambs, author of The Describer s Dictionary and The Endangered English Dictionary"Text that is crisp, taut, and as clear as a bell.... A fascinating story with many a beguiling subplot along the way." New Scientist"Letter perfect the best histories and mysteries of our ABC s!" Jeff McQuain, author of Never Enough Words and Power Language

A survey of exploration and discovery from the times of ancient explorers through contemporary excursions to the farthest limits of our globe including outer space, the ocean depths, and beneath the surface of the Earth.

"Combining fast-paced accounts of battles with rich cultural background and the latest scholarship, Frank McLynn brings vividly to life the strange world of the Mongols, describes Temujin's rise from boyhood outcast to becoming Genghis Khan, and provides the most accurate and absorbing account yet of one of the most powerful men ever to have lived."--Provided by publisher.