Fancy a trip to Pluto? Or how about a fearful drive along a stretch of country road, or a long, hot, dusty walk to Nairobi? Unless you prefer to go to church with a strange woman in green tights, her hair alive with electricity. Here you have 34 stories, each one a journey, whether planned or unexpected, funny or frightening, real or figurative, shared or dreadfully alone. ‘They had a long journey ahead of them’ was the prompt: the writers here, from award-winning authors to exciting new t...

Ever since the springboks won the Rugby World Cup in 1995, South Africans have been passionate about the tournament that is the pinnacle of sporting achievement. Nick Mallett, who coached the Boks at the 1999 World Cup, has become a household name for his incisive and forthright commentary and analysis. Join him as he takes you into the beating heart of the tournament, which kicks off in Paris in September. He tackles the following key questions: •How strong are the Boks going into the RWC...

The third book in the Prince Amir Mystery Series, which takes Prince Amir from to the frozen kingdom of Sorvinka to the arid steppes of the Anchin's empire and beyond….Amir is glad to have followed his friends, Khuan and Lilloh, to the Anchin's traveling city. The long trip might not have totally healed his heart, Eva's decision to marry Lars still hurts, but thanks to Khuan's teaching, in particular how to build mental barriers against the supernatural world, Amir's mind is now at ...

The story of the French far right’s unstoppable rise—from the woes of a broken society to the powerful personalities upending the status quo.France’s next presidential election is due by 2027 at the latest; and the far-right Rassemblement National is favoured to win.Founded by the antisemitic Jean-Marie Le Pen, the RN—previously the Front National—was a fringe entity until daughter Marine took over. She ‘detoxified’ the party, then brought in telegenic young protégé Jordan ...

India is killing the Ganges, and the Ganges in turn is killing India. The waterway that has nourished more people than any on earth for three millennia is now so polluted with sewage and toxic waste that it has become a menace to human and animal health. Victor Mallet traces the holy river from source to mouth, and from ancient times to the present day, to find that the battle to rescue what is arguably the world's most important river is far from lost. As one Hindu sage told the author in...

It's Friday night and here you are stuck in gridlock on the freeway. You've had the week from you-know-where and doggone if the boss didn't dump a priority project on you just before quitting time!Now you're paying the sitter overtime and the dollars are clicking up by the minute while you sit and simmer. Your in-laws are coming to visit tomorrow and the house looks like an example from tornado alley.Just as the traffic starts to creep forward your car starts spewing smoke ...

This hymn to Osiris is engraved on a semi-circular stele of limestone which forms part of the collection of the Bibliothèque Nationale at Paris. It comprises 28 lines of hieroglyphics, in a very good state of preservation, excepting only that the name of the god Amon, which once figured in several proper names, has been carefully chiselled out, in the age of the so-called heretic kings Khu-n-Aten (Amenophis IV) and his successors.The text may have been sculptured on the stele in the...

In this compelling work, the distinguished French scientist Georges Mallet presents a chronological account of the major scientific discoveries of the past three millennia, guiding readers through the development of theories explaining the lead-up to the Big Bang and exploring alternative explanations to the creation of the universe. He provides insights from over 500 scientists and scholars from various religious backgrounds, including more than 120 Nobel Prize winners. The Convergence of...

Frances Barber and David Bamber star in this light-hearted sitcom about the diary-writing inhabitants of 11 Hare LaneWhen newly widowed Jessica decides to rent a room to recently divorced Rex, she's a little apprehensive. She's never had a lodger before, and he's not used to being a tenant. Neither are quite sure how their relationship works - and to make things trickier, they're wildly different people. But unbeknownst to either of them, they share a secret - they...

This stele had been buried for ages, under the sand which again and again has covered the body of the Sphinx, when it was disinterred in 1818 by an Englishman, Captain Caviglia. Salt, who had taken part in his friend's excavations, gave a detailed account of the disinterment, and his narrative, preserved in MS. at the British Museum, has been published by Col. Vyse in the appendix to his work on the Operations carried on at the Pyramids of Gizeh (8vo, London 1842, vol. iii. pp. 107 sqq.) A...

"Plain Tales of the North" by Thierry Mallet is a captivating collection of stories that delve into the rich tapestry of life in Northern regions. Through vivid descriptions and engaging narratives, Mallet brings to life the unique cultures, landscapes, and experiences of the people who inhabit these areas. Each tale offers a glimpse into the challenges and triumphs faced by individuals, showcasing their resilience and spirit. The author's keen observations and storytelling prowess make th...

The 22nd French Dragoons have a long and glorious history on the field of battle since 1630 to the Napoleonic battlefield of Austerlitz, Eylau, Jena it was called again to duty in the First World War, one of its members trooper Christian Mellet recorded his experiences in and out of the saddle.At the initial onrush of the French armies into Belgium to get to grips with the enemy Mallet and his regiment trotted out to war from Rheims in Northern France. The French forces in the Vosge...