The Arabic alphabet has a rich history, one that is closely linked with the development of culture and society in the Middle East. In this comprehensive introduction the authors trace the origins of the Arabic alphabet back to Aramaic, which also gave rise to the Hebrew and Greek alphabets. Using detailed illustrations the authors investigate early Arabic papyri and early Islamic inscriptions as well as classical Arabic scripts. John F. Healey and G. Rex Smith bring the story up to the pre...

From 17 April, 1900, to 6 June of that year, Pierre Loti travelled in a private capacity from Bushire on the Persian Gulf, northwards through Shiraz, Persepolis, Isfahan and Tehran, before returning via the Caspian Sea to Europe. This is the personal day-by-day account of his journey, the hardships of the mountainous terrain and the empty desert. Loti excels in his descriptions of the world around him: the sky, the mountains, the fertile plains, the deserted desert. His descriptions of the...

The last significant clash of arms in the American Indian Wars took place on December 29, 1890, on the banks of Wounded Knee Creek in South Dakota. Of the 350 Teton Sioux Indians there, two-thirds were women and children. When the smoke cleared, 84 men and 62 women and children lay dead, their bodies scattered along a stretch of more than a mile where they had been trying to flee. Of some 500 soldiers and scouts, about 30 were dead—some, probably, from their own crossfire. Wounded Knee has...

Bernard Smith (1916–2011) was unquestionably one of Australia's greatest humanist scholars and its finest art historian. His European Vision and the South Pacific, 1768–1850 (1960) was a foundational text of post-colonialism, and in Australian Painting (1962) he set out the definitive history of Australian art to that time. Antipodean Perspective: The Selected Writings of Bernard Smith presents twenty-six art historians, curators, artists and critics, from Austra...

Gideon Shaw was too old to chase glory and too seasoned to fear trouble.After years of wearing a badge, he had learned one hard truth: a town only stays peaceful when good men are willing to stand against bad ones. When outlaws ride into town with guns drawn and greed in their hearts, the citizens look to Marshal Shaw for protection.But this time, the danger is bigger than one robbery and meaner than one gang.With the bank threatened, innocent people hiding behind l...

Gods and thunder. Brothers and betrayal. Death and rebirth. Original Viking tales of Asgard, Thor, Loki, Odin, and Baldur come to life in a full-color, action-packed graphic novel format that's perfect for young readers who crave adventure. Prepare yourself for sibling rivalry, ancient prophecies, and epic battles—and enter the weird, wild world of Norse mythology like you’ve never seen it before.

A selection of contemporary dramas from leading Black playwright Rex Obano - plus bonus programmeRex Obano has written for the stage, television, radio and film. His plays have twice been shortlisted for the Alfred Fagon Award and he received the Roland Rees Bursary in 2018. He is part of the writing team for the BBC Radio series Faith, Hope and Glory and his TV credits include Shakespeare & Hathaway. Included here are five of his acclaimed dramas...

Marcel arrives in London, from New Zealand, ready to start a new job and a new life away from the painful losses that he has experienced. The first day of work, he meets his bosss wife, Kate, who becomes an important friend to him. When one of his friends, Paul, is injured in a freak accident, Marcel must weigh the meaning of his life.Along the way we also meet Kristi, with whom Marcel had a failed relationship and who has now reentered his life, this time as a friend. Or is she? A...

Loki, the god of mischief, is Thor’s troublesome adopted brother. Odin, their father (and ruler of the Viking gods), orders the quarrelsome siblings to tame the violent Giants once and for all—together. But what Loki and Thor find in their series of adventures puts them in conflict with each other as well as with the giants. And in the land of Utgard, a mysterious place made from magic and illusion, Thor must trust his magic-wielding and misbehaving brother in order to get out alive. Likew...

Dee Brown’s powerful and unforgettable classic that awakened the world to the nineteenth-century decimation of American Indian tribesFirst published in 1970, Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee generated shockwaves with its frank and heartbreaking depiction of the systematic annihilation of American Indian tribes across the western frontier. In this nonfiction account, Dee Brown focuses on the betrayals, battles, and massacres suffered by American Indians betwee...

The illustrated Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt covers time period from the 3150 BC to 30 BC. Easily access the maps, timeline, information about the dynasties, pharaohs, laws, culture, government, military and more.Features :-Fully illustrated with maps, art, and photographs. -Navigate from TABLE OF CONTENTS:, Alphabetical Index, or search for the words or phrases. -Access the guide anytime, anywhere - at home, on the train, in the subway. -Always have the guide available for a quick refere...

From the grand houses of Brighton to imposing London mansions, life as a kitchen maid could be exhausting and demoralising. It’s not just being at the beck and call of the people upstairs, when even the children of the family can treat you like dirt, but having to deal with temperamental cooks, starchy butlers and chauffeurs with a roving eye. Marriage is the only escape, but with one evening off a week Margaret has no time to lose. Between Perce the bus conductor (who brings his mother on...