In the spirit of Stanley and Livingstone, Brian Thacker is striking out for destinations unknown. Under-equipped and totally unprepared, Brian leaves the guide books behind and gets off the beaten track, out of his comfort zone and into trouble in some of the oddest countries you've never heard of.Paul Theroux, Bill Bryson, Michael Palin all have ventured forth to provide vivid and compelling accounts of exotic peoples and strange lands. But none has ever been dari...

Brian Thacker, bus tour-leader extraordinaire, tells it how it really is in this funny, rollicking, absurd, ride through Europe. Crew Manual Rule No. 5 : Crew must not engage in sexual activity on board the bus with passengers or fellow employees. Crew Manual Rule No.2 : learn all names on day one. Crew Manual Rule No.3 : don't get lost. But then, who follows the rules? Brian Thacker confesses all as he reveals the best (and worst) of 20 trips as a tour leader around Europe. He tells how h...

Travels with the Lonely Planet guidebook that started it all.When Tony Wheeler wrote Lonely Planet's first-ever shoestring guidebook, South-East Asia offered 'cheap and interesting travel without the constantly oppressing misery of some of the less fortunate parts of Asia'. Certain 'hotspots' in the region attracted the tourist crowds, but there were many 'untouched places' too.So have Tony's recommendations stood the test of time? Just how much has South-East Asia changed ...

The author of Rule Number 5: No Sex on the Bus is on the road again, only this time he has Harry, his 73 year old, meat-and-three-veg loving dad in tow. On a two month odyssey they geographically retrace Harry's life, and in the process Brian Thacker finally gets to really know his father and maybe even get him to eat some of that foreign muck'.One of the drawbacks of writing funny, irreverent and - worse yet - honest travel books is that you can't stop yo...

Bestselling author of Rule Number Five: No Sex on the Bus and Planes Trains + Elephants, searches out the most bizarre festivals in a frantic race around the world.It was only a degree above zero and the rain was coming down in sheets, yet here I was about to run around in nothing more than a nappy. I was pretty sure it was going to be the silliest thing I'd ever done 'Join Brian Thacker as he embarks on a round-the-world odyssey in search...

The second book in Suzanne Collins's phenomenal and worldwide bestselling Hunger Games trilogy.Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, ...

"And in this quiet moment as I close my eyes, spent and sated, I think I'm in the eye of the storm. And in spite of all he's said, and what he hasn't said, I don't think I have ever been so happy."When literature student Anastasia Steele goes to interview young entrepreneur Christian Grey, she encounters a man who is beautiful, brilliant, and intimidating. The unworldly, innocent Ana is startled to realize she wants this man and, despite his enigmatic reserve, find...

The greatly anticipated final book in the New York Times bestselling Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins.The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss Everdeen. The final book in The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins will have hearts racing, pages turning, and everyone talking about one of the biggest and most talked-about books and authors in recent publishing history!

From the author of the bestselling The Girl in Steel-Capped Boots and One Little White Lie, comes a laugh-out-loud romantic comedy about dating in the modern world…“Once upon a time, there was a young girl called Sarah Dubert who needed to fall in love in six weeks . . .”Thanks to food poisoning, broken dates, airport malfunctions and even death, Sarah Dubert has never had a boyfriend on Valentine’s Day. However this year she’s de...

This Special Edition of The Hunger Games includes the most extensive interview Suzanne Collins has given since the publication of The Hunger Games; an absorbing behind-the-scenes look at the creation of the series; and an engaging archival conversation between Suzanne Collins and YA legend Walter Dean Myers on writing about war. The Special Edition answers many questions fans have had over the years, and gives great insight into the creation of this era-defining work....

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The classic chronicle of a “terribly misguided and terribly funny” (The Washington Post) hike of the Appalachian Trail, from the author of A Short History of Nearly Everything and The Body“The best way of escaping into nature.”—The New York TimesBack in America after twenty years in Britain, Bill Bryson decided to reacquaint himself with his native cou...

Winner of the Hugo, Nebula, and Arthur C. Clarke AwardsThis record-breaking novel following a warship trapped in a human body on a quest for revenge is a must-read for fans of Ursula K. Le Guin and James S. A. Corey.**"THRILLING, MOVING AND AWE-INSPIRING." —**GuardianOn a remote, icy planet, the soldier known as Breq is drawing closer to completing her quest. Once, she was the Justice of Toren—a colossal st...