1066, The Year of the Conquest  •  David Howarth HISTORY •  1981 •  PAPER  • 207 PAGES A concise, lucid history of the Battle of Hastings, rich in anecdotal detail. Howarth relies on the few medieval sources available to reconstruct the events leading up to and the consequences of the famous battle. As much a master storyteller as an adept historian, he provides insight into the court intrigue, personalities and daily life in the Norman period. (GBR115, $14.00)
Agatha Christie A to Z: The Essential Reference to Her Life and Writings  •  Dawn B. Sova MYSTERY •  1997 •  HARD COVER  • 304 PAGES A scholarly compendium of everything Christie, this handsome book is an encyclopedic guide to her life and work. It's also much fun, including such helpful categories as means of murder, characters and detectives. (GBR48, $55.00)
Agatha Raisin and the Wellspring of Death  •  M.C. Beaton MYSTERY •  1999 •  PAPER  • 201 PAGES In this installment of the Agatha Raisin series, our heroine has quit her PR job in London and moved to a not-quite-so-quiet village in the Cotswolds, and of course finds her self in the middle of a puzzling murder that very much needs a solution. (GBR212, $6.99)
All Creatures Great and Small  •  James Herriot BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  1998 •  PAPER  • 437 PAGES The first volume in the series of wildly popular tales by a country veterinarian -- and born storyteller -- set among the folk of the Yorkshire Dales. (GBR104, $7.99)
The Aran Islands  •  J.M. Synge  •  Tim Robinson CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  1992 •  PAPER  • 208 PAGES A much-loved turn-of-the-century account of the islands, drenched in the Celtic soul of Ireland. Synge ("The Playboy of the Modern World"), who went there to write, contrasts the rich communal life of the islands with the culture on mainland Ireland. (IRE26, $14.00)
The Art and Architecture of London, An Illustrated Guide  •  Ann Saunders ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1996 •  PAPER  • 480 PAGES A comprehensive, illustrated guide to the architectural treasures of London in the series by Phaidon. Organized geographically, it includes maps, site plans, interiors and exteriors of hundreds of buildings in London and Thames Valley. An excellent sourcebook. (GBR97, $24.95)
Art and Society in the Middle Ages  •  Georges Duby ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2000 •  PAPER  • 128 PAGES A study of the relationship between the production of art and the nature of Medieval society. Noted French historian Georges Duby draws on religion, culture, government, geography, and, of course, artistic pursuits in this portrait of the Middle ages. (EUR85, $30.55)
Art of the Celts  •  Lloyd Robert Laing  •  Jennifer Laing ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1992 •  PAPER  • 216 PAGES A volume in the acclaimed "World of Art" series, this is a broad introduction to Celtic art, from the 5th century B.C. to 1200 A.D. (CLT02, $14.95)
The Arts and Crafts Movement  •  Wendy Kaplan  •  Elizabeth Cumming ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1991 •  PAPER  • 216 PAGES A survey of the Arts and Crafts movement among turn-of-the-century British, American and European designers. A handsome illustrated volume in the acclaimed "World of Art" series, it looks at the works of William Morris, Frank Lloyd Wright, Josef Hoffman, Eliel Saarinen and other important designers of furniture, glass, ceramics, metalwork, textiles and architecture. (GBR120, $16.95)
At Home with Beatrix Potter, The Creator of Peter Rabbit  •  Susan Denyer CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2004 •  PAPER  • 144 PAGES • COMING IN A photographic tour through Hill Top, Beatrix Potter's beautiful home in England's Lake District. Potter, famous for her children's stories, was also a noted conservationist, and this book celebrates her efforts to protect England's natural history. Photographs of the home and surrounding landscapes are complemented by Potter's illustrations. (GBR159, $17.95)
Bath City Map  •  Geographers' A-Z MAP A street plan of Bath, with parks and monuments, at a scale of 1:12,000. (GBR317, $9.95)
The Battle of Britain, The Myth and Reality  •  Richard Overy HISTORY •  2002 •  PAPER  • 192 PAGES Renowned war historian Richard Overy's reassessment of the Battle of Britain, arguing that while it was indeed a turning point in World War II, its significance has been slightly mythologized. (WAR28, $13.95)
Beowulf  •  Seamus Heaney LITERATURE •  2001 •  PAPER  • 215 PAGES A best-selling, critically acclaimed verse translation of the seminal Anglo-Saxon epic, which tells of a Scandinavian hero's bravery in defending Denmark from the monster Grendel. Nobel laureate Seamus Heaney translated. The Old English text appears side-by-side with Heaney's translation. (SCN27, $13.95)
Beside the Ocean of Time  •  George M. Brown LITERATURE •  1994 •  PAPER  • 217 PAGES • COMING IN A gentle coming-of-age tale by the Bard of Orkney George Mackay Brown. His short novel invokes the prehistoric ruins, Norse history and long traditions of rural Orkney in graceful prose with lovely attention to detail and rich insight into place. Shortlisted for the Booker prize in 1994, Beside the Ocean of Time is told from the point of the young daydreamer Thorfinn Ragnarson, the son of a crofter. (SCT14, $19.95)
A Bloody Field by Shrewsbury  •  Edith Pargeter LITERATURE •  1992 •  PAPER  • 378 PAGES Another historical novel from the prolific English writer Edith Pargeter (aka Ellis Peters). Set at the turn of the 15th century, it is an engrossing yarn of medieval battles and disputes over feudal succession in the time of Henry IV. (GBR169, $13.50)
Blue Guide Channel Islands  •  Peter McGregor Eadie GUIDEBOOK •  1998 •  PAPER  • 160 PAGES A compact guide to the Channel Islands with a focus on history, culture and architecture. It includes 8 maps and site plans, and travel information. (GBR148, $19.95)
Blue Guide England  •  Ian Ousby GUIDEBOOK •  2008 •  PAPER  • 724 PAGES • COMING IN JANUARY In its inimitable style, this guide in the well known series is a thorough introduction to the cultural attractions of England with in-depth coverage of archaeology, architecture, art and culture. With maps and site plans. Serious-minded travelers will not want to be without it. (GBR149, $34.95)
The Bodleian Library and its Treasures, 1320-1700.  •  David Rogers ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1991 •  HARD COVER  • 175 PAGES A colorful, fully illustrated introduction to the famous library at Oxford. (GBR220, $50.00)
The Body in the Library  •  Agatha Christie MYSTERY •  1992 •  PAPER  • 212 PAGES A classic Miss Marple mystery, set in London. (GBR186, $5.99)
Brideshead Revisited  •  Evelyn Waugh LITERATURE •  1993 •  HARD COVER  • 315 PAGES A compact hardcover edition of Waugh's illuminating and entertaining portrait of England's aristocracy and, especially, of life in a country estate. (GBR106, $18.00)
British Isles Map, Great Britain and Ireland  •  Michelin Travel Publications 2008 •  MAP This colorful and accurate, regularly updated map shows both Great Britain and Ireland at a scale of 1:1,000,000. Featuring excellent road data. (GBR07, $11.95)
The British Isles, A History of Four Nations  •  Hugh Kearney HISTORY •  2006 •  PAPER  • 324 PAGES A survey of 2000 years of British history from the Celts to the Romans, the Normans, to the rise (and fall) of the empire. With a welcome focus on the interaction of the Celts, Normans and other cultures that have made their home in Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England. Highly recommended. (GBR88, $35.99)
British Isles, Great Britain & Ireland Map  •  Hammond Maps 2008 •  MAP The Brits are famously in love with geography, and this is their homegrown, colorful and accurate map of both Great Britain and Ireland at a scale of 1:800,000, featuring excellent road data. (GBR29, $11.95)
The British Museum is Falling Down  •  David Lodge LITERATURE •  1989 •  PAPER  • 176 PAGES It was not just another day at the British Museum reading room. This novella pierces the facade of genteel academia -- a laugh-out-loud tale of a day in the life of a graduate student in literature. (GBR36, $14.00)
Britons: Forging the Nations, 1707-1837  •  Linda Colley HISTORY •  2005 •  PAPER  • 413 PAGES Winner of the 1992 Wolfson History Prize given in London for the best history accessible to general readers, this very interesting study of the formation of a national British identity recounts the joining of England, Scotland and Wales. This political, military and social history records how the ruling elite withstood threats from within and without from the Jacobites to the French, the path from Protestantism to profits via trade, war and empire, the making of the British ruling class, the women's sphere, and parliamentary reforms from the act of Union to the beginning of the Victorian Age. (GBR81, $22.50)
The Cambridge Illustrated History of British Theatre  •  Simon Trussler ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2000 •  PAPER  • 416 PAGES A comprehensive scholarly history of the theater from the Romans to the present, and Shakespeare to mimes -- featuring hundreds of illustrations, many in color. (GBR234, $47.00)
A Celtic Miscellany  •  Kenneth Hurlstone Jackson ANTHOLOGY •  1975 •  PAPER  • 352 PAGES A survey of Celtic literature through the ages from bardic elegies to heroic sagas. (IRE93, $16.00)
Celtic Prayers from Iona  •  J. Philip Newell RELIGION •  1997 •  HARD COVER  • 96 PAGES Inspired by the gaelic prayers and poems of the 19th-century Scotsman Alexander Carmichael, Philip Newell and his wife developed this handsome hard cover book while wardens on the island. (SCT21, $14.95)
The Celts, Conquerors of Ancient Europe  •  Chriatiane Eluere ARCHAEOLOGY •  1993 •  PAPER  • 175 PAGES A pocket-size encyclopedia of knowledge, this slim illustrated volume documents what we know of the art and archaeology of the Celts, taking the story from the fourth century B.C. to the arrival of the Romans. With over 100 maps and illustrations of sites and artifacts. Excellent. (CLT01, $12.95)
A Certain Justice  •  P.D. James MYSTERY •  1999 •  PAPER  • 431 PAGES A terrific mystery set in a London law firm, starring the redoubtable Adam Dalgliesh. (GBR185, $7.99)
Charles Rennie Mackintosh  •  Alan Crawford ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1995 •  PAPER  • 216 PAGES A heavily illustrated, compact survey of the work of Scottish Art Nouveau designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh. An architect, decorator and painter, Mackintosh helped revolutionize art and design in 20th century Europe. This book in the acclaimed "World of Art" series examines his progress from the turn of the century through the 1920s. (SCT24, $18.95)
The Children of Henry VIII  •  Alison Weir HISTORY •  1996 •  PAPER  • 363 PAGES This riveting account, both history and biography, examines the relationship of the four heirs left at Henry's death -- Prince Edward, "Bloody" Mary, Elizabeth, and Lady Jane Grey. Enlightening about the era and revealing in the portraits of the successors to Henry VIII, this is very enjoyable history. (GBR74, $16.00)
A Christmas Carol  •  Charles Dickens LITERATURE •  1999 •  PAPER  • 102 PAGES The famous tale by the Victorian master, here with watercolor and colored-pencil illustrations. (GBR235, $3.95)
City Secrets London  •  Robert Kahn GUIDEBOOK •  2001 •  HARD COVER  • 250 PAGES Volume four in the excellent series by Little Bookroom, City Secrets London collects dozens of recommendations of where to go and what to do. It's a connoisseur's guide to the city and its attractions, with personal recommendations by artists, designers, architects and personalities who have made their homes there. Each contributor provides a brief profile of a favorite haunt. With detailed maps. (GBR327, $19.95)
Clara's Grand Tour, Travels With a Rhinoceros in Eighteenth-century Europe  •  Glynis Ridley HISTORY •  2006 •  PAPER  • 240 PAGES The entertaining history of a most unusual eighteenth-century European celebrity. Clara the Indian rhinoceros was brought to Europe in 1741 by the Dutch sea captain Douwemout Van der Meer, and toured for seventeen years, to the delight of heads of state such as Louis XV and Frederick the Great. A marvelous and unique look at the introduction of Eastern wildlife into the Western world. (FRN536, $12.00)
Codebreakers, the Inside Story of Bletchley Park  •  Alan Stripp  •  F.H. Hinsley HISTORY •  2001 •  PAPER  • 352 PAGES The "inside story" of the British codebreakers who cracked the German Enigma code and turned the tide of World War II, as told by 27 of the codebreakers themselves. They were perhaps the most motley crew ever attached to the British government: an assortment of Oxford and Cambridge dons trained in classics and mathematics, thrust suddenly into the world of secret military intelligence. These narratives were written in 1970, shortly after a gag order was lifted. (WAR46, $19.95)
The Collected Stories  •  Dylan Thomas LITERATURE •  1986 •  PAPER  • 384 PAGES A wonderful collection of short stories by the celebrated Welsh author and poet. These imaginative stories are well worth re-reading for their vivid characters, sense of place and, especially, Thomas's elegant prose. (GBR134, $17.95)
Companion Guide Edinburgh and the Borders Country  •  A.J. Youngson GUIDEBOOK •  2001 •  PAPER  • 420 PAGES An introduction to the history, culture and architecture of this grand city and its outlying areas. Youngson covers in rich, personable detail the Old Town, 18th-century New Town and the gardens, castles and abbeys of the border country. (SCT19, $34.95)
The Complete Angler, A Connecticut Yankee Follows in the Footsteps of Walton  •  James Prosek TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1999 •  HARD COVER  • 336 PAGES Following in the footsteps of his hero Izaak Walton, young angler and writer James Prosek set out to discover what makes fly fishing such a satisfying and addictive pursuit. Fishing along the same banks that Walton did, Prosek evokes the landscapes of England, traces the history of Walton and his work, while reflecting on his own obsession. The text is complemented by Prosek's own paintings. (FSH02, $30.00)
The Complete Angler, Or the Contemplative Man's Recreation  •  Izaak Walton  •  Charles Cotton NATURAL HISTORY •  1998 •  PAPER  • 464 PAGES In print for nearly 350 years, this classic of fly fishing literature is not only an informative introduction to the sport, it's a meditation on the timeless appeal of it. Walton combines anecdote, commentary and verse, with helpful instructions on technique, to create a literary, somewhat spiritual handbook. This new edition contains reproductions of woodcuts and etchings that appeared in an 1844 printing. It is the third most reprinted book in the English language (after the Bible and the works of Shakespeare). (FSH01, $15.00)
The Complete Poems  •  John Keats  •  John Barnard LITERATURE •  1977 •  PAPER  • 731 PAGES A collection of every poem that John Keats ever wrote, in a portable paperback edition from "Penguin Classics." (GBR162, $16.00)
The Complete Sherlock Holmes, All 4 Novels and 56 Short Stories  •  Arthur Conan Doyle LITERATURE •  1998 •  PAPER  • 1122 PAGES This paperback volume manages to collect every Sherlock Holmes story that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle ever wrote, including "The Hound of the Baskervilles" and his three other short novels concerning the legendary detective. Not only are these fun mysteries, they are also quite evocative of life in Victorian England. (GBR157, $13.90)
A Connecticut Yankee at King Arthur's Court  •  Mark Twain LITERATURE •  1977 •  PAPER  • 410 PAGES Twain's comic 1889 novel, in which a 19th-century American finds himself transported to 6th-century England. He takes with him his beliefs in liberty, fraternity and equality -- new concepts at the court of King Arthur. With the original illustrations by Dan Beard. (GBR326, $9.00)
Cotswolds Map  •  Ordnance Survey 2005 •  MAP A terrific, colorful, and very detailed topographic map of the Cotswolds, at a scale of 1:25,000. It shows Chipping, Campden, Stow-on-the-Wold, Cirenchester, Burford and part of the Cortswold Way. (GBR124, $19.95)
The Crafts of Britain in the Twentieth Century  •  Tanya Harrod ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1999 •  HARD COVER  • 496 PAGES From architecture to bookbinding, Harrod traces the cultural history of 20th-century design. With 284 black-and-white and 222 color illustrations. The companion volume to a museum exhibition, this handsome book is a good overview of a big subject. (GBR119, $95.00)
The Crofter and the Laird  •  John McPhee CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  1978 •  PAPER  • 159 PAGES • FAVORITE In this volume, McPhee returns to his ancestral land, the island of Colonsay in the Scottish Hebrides, to tell the stories of people whose lives are deeply entrenched in their land. With his characteristic grace and admiration for his subjects, McPhee writes about this stark region where residents still live under an almost feudal system of farmers, crofter and lord. (SCT23, $15.00)
Cross Channel  •  Julian Barnes LITERATURE •  1997 •  PAPER  • 211 PAGES Each linked in some way with cross channel experiences, these ten short stories range in time from the late 17th century to the year 2015. The stories display the deliciously comic, complex and intellectual pyrotechnics, for which novelist Barnes is famous. (GBR56, $13.00)
Daphne du Maurier, Haunted Heiress  •  Nina Auerbach BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  1999 •  HARD COVER  • 196 PAGES A powerful psychological profile of the novelist by the author of "Our Vampires, Ourselves." Auerbach focuses on du Maurier's difficult family. (GBR117, $39.95)
Darwin, Discovering the Tree of Life  •  Niles Eldredge BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2005 •  HARD COVER  • 288 PAGES A companion book to an exhibition organized by the American Museum of Natural History (November 19, 2005 - May 29, 2006), this richly illustrated celebration of Darwin, his life and ideas, brings together manuscripts, artifacts and materials collected by Darwin aboard the Beage with curator Eldredge's illuminating essays on natural selection. (NAT82, $35.00)
Disease, Medicine and Society in England, 1550-1860  •  Roy Porter HISTORY •  1996 •  PAPER  • 78 PAGES A social history of England that examines the repercussions of disease before the development of modern public health care. A distinguished authority on the history of medicine, Porter uses recent research to make a strong contribution to both English and medical studies in this extended essay. (GBR112, $26.99)
Economic and Social History of Medieval Europe  •  Henri Pirenne HISTORY •  1936 •  PAPER  • 224 PAGES Pirenne, an important economic historian, traces the economic and social development of Western Europe from the end of the Roman Empire to the middle of the 15th century in this classic book, first published in 1936. It gives a concise picture of medieval Western Europe, including social disturbances, economic and social catastrophes, famine and the Black Death. A separate section on the North Sea and the Baltic contains specific references to the Hanseatic League. (EUR18, $15.00)
Eleanor of Aquitaine, A Life  •  Alison Weir BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2001 •  PAPER  • 464 PAGES An extremely well-researched, enjoyable biography of the woman who was both queen of France (married to Louis VII) and queen of England (married to Henry II). Eleanor became a political and artistic powerbroker in an age when most women were seen but not heard. (FRN287, $17.00)
Ellis Peters' Shropshire  •  Ellis Peters CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  1999 •  PAPER  • 167 PAGES A tour of Shropshire by the prolific historical novelist Edith Pargeter (aka Ellis Peters), who called it home for so many years. It is a personal, literary tour of the landscapes and towns of this beautiful piece of the British countryside. (GBR171, $15.95)
Empire, The British Imperial Experience from 1765 to the Present  •  Denis Judd HISTORY •  1998 •  PAPER  • 478 PAGES This survey of British imperial history sums up the balance sheet of empire and the continuing debate over its meaning. Its epic theme is how the empire affected rulers and the ruled from the American Revolution to the present. Included are issues of gender, race, sexuality, and national identity in the confrontations between British missionaries and colonial subjects. (GBR80, $28.50)
English Architecture, A Concise History  •  David Watkin ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1985 •  PAPER A straightforward, illustrated history of English architecture from Anglo-Saxon times to the present. (GBR228, $14.95)
English History 1914-1945  •  Alan Taylor HISTORY •  1978 •  HARD COVER  • 737 PAGES A volume in the monumental 15-volume Oxford History of England, originally published in 1965. For history enthusiasts who don't require many maps, illustrations, table or diagrams to leaven the text. (GBR219, $229.75)
English Watercolors, An Introduction  •  Graham Reynolds ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1991 •  HARD COVER  • 160 PAGES Graham Reynold, former curator of the Victoria and Albert Museum, manages to lucidly and comprehensively discuss the entire history of English watercolor in one volume, no small feat. And he does it with aplomb, moving from Turner and Blake to modernists Lear and Lewis with skill. Recommended for both unschooled and scholarly lovers of art. (GBR182, $35.00)
Fallen into the Pit  •  Ellis Peters MYSTERY •  1996 •  PAPER  • 325 PAGES Edith Pargeter, who goes by the pen name of Ellis Peters, is best known for her medieval mystery series the "Chronicles of Brother Cadfael," but she has also written a series of 20th century mysteries concerning the brilliant detective George Felse. This is the first entry in the series, an intricately plotted whodunit set in 1950s England, where Felse must track down the murderer of a former German prisoner of war. Followed by 13 other Felse mysteries. (GBR167, $6.99)
Far Afield  •  Susanna Kaysen LITERATURE •  1994 •  PAPER  • 338 PAGES This charming novel about a social anthropologist off on a grant to study the residents of the Faroes wonderfully evokes the people, culture and windswept landscapes of the islands. Kaysen must have spent time in the islands to capture such a strong sense of place. (ICL08, $14.00)
The Far Islands and Other Cold Places, Travel Essays of A Victorian Lady  •  Elizabeth Taylor TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1997 •  PAPER  • 306 PAGES • COMING IN Here are the tales of a no-nonsense "Victorian lady," featuring her great love for remote islands with bad weather. She writes of the people, culture, traditions and natural history of Iceland, Norway, Scotland, and the Faroe Islands with grace and insight. (ARC32, $16.95)
A Field Guide to the Birds of Britain and Europe  •  Guy Mountfort FIELD GUIDE •  2001 •  PAPER  • 212 PAGES Every birder has their favorite field guide, but you can't go wrong with this classic in the Peterson series: compact, illustrated and convenient, covering 698 species. With range maps. (EUR15, $22.00)
The Fighting Kings of Wessex  •  G.P. Baker HISTORY •  1996 •  PAPER  • 299 PAGES This is the story of the attempt of the Saxon kings emerging from the mists of legend at the time of the fall of Rome to build a new nation around their own province of Wessex in southwest England. By the time they succeeded, the Normans had landed. Placing events in Scandinavia and England in the context of the fall of Rome and the emergence of Byzantium and the Holy Roman Empire, the author analyzes the role of prominent women, geography, economics and strategic thinking behind the military campaigns and sheds light on this dark age. (GBR77, $14.95)
Final Rounds, A Father, a Son, the Golf Journey of a Lifetime  •  James Dodson TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1997 •  PAPER  • 272 PAGES Golf magazine columnist Dodson tells the heartfelt story of a trip with his father, during his father's final months, to the great courses of Scotland and England. With plenty of golf lore and legend, and the wise conclusion that golf is mostly about who you choose to play with. (GOL02, $16.00)
Five Days in London, May 1940  •  John Lukacs HISTORY •  2001 •  PAPER  • 256 PAGES The days in question are May 24-28th, 1940 -- a long weekend shortly after the Allied loss at Dunkirk, when Winston Churchill convinced his cabinet that Great Britain should continue the war with Germany. In this fly-on-the wall account, Lukacs argues that Churchill's success marked the true beginning of World War II. (WAR47, $11.95)
Flashman and the Tiger  •  George MacDonald Fraser LITERATURE •  2001 •  PAPER  • 368 PAGES Fraser plumbs the annals of history to produce his factual, entertaining tales of folly in the service of her Majesty's empire. This 11th installment in The Flashman Papers (purportedly retrieved and not written by George Macdonald Fraser, a nice conceit), consists of three short adventures, which find our hero cavorting with Bismarck and Emperor Franz-Josef and the future Edward VI. (WAF58, $14.95)
Flora Britannica, The Concise Edition  •  Richard Mabey NATURAL HISTORY •  1998 •  HARD COVER  • 271 PAGES A brief survey of habitats, plants and landscapes throughout Britain. With a good selection of color photographs and a few botanical illustrations. Not exactly a flora, the author focuses on the cultural history and human ecology of plant distribution. (GBR207, $29.99)
Fodor's Exploring Scotland  •  Gilbert Summers GUIDEBOOK •  2007 •  PAPER  • 288 PAGES With its many photographs, great introductory chapters and practical travel information, this compact guide for visitors is an excellent overview of Scotland and its highlights. Most of the book is devoted to a region-by-region description of attractions, including Edinburgh, Glasgow, the highlands and islands. With excellent local maps. (SCT09, $22.00)
The French Lieutenant's Woman  •  John Fowles LITERATURE •  1998 •  PAPER  • 467 PAGES This Victorian love story, set in Lyme Regis of 1867, tells the tale of an obscure relationship between Charles Smithson and a mysterious, enigmatic woman. Skilfully told, it's as much about the author's modern day narration as it is about the hypocrisies of Victorian England. (GBR209, $15.99)
Gaudy Night  •  Dorothy L. Sayers MYSTERY •  1995 •  PAPER A great Sayles mystery, set at Oxford, featuring the inimitable Lord Peter Wimsey. (GBR187, $7.99)
The Gothic Cathedral  •  Christopher Wilson ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2005 •  PAPER  • 304 PAGES An illustrated overview of gothic cathedrals, their history, design and construction, covering the masterpieces built from the 12th to the 16th century. With photographs and diagrams. (EUR80, $34.95)
The Gothic Enterprise, A Guide to Understanding the Medieval Cathedral  •  Robert A. Scott ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2005 •  PAPER  • 307 PAGES Scott, whose interest in the history of cathedrals began when he first saw the magnificent Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Salisbury, England, takes his reader on a historical, architectural and sociological tour of the magnificent spires and stained-glass windows that dot the landscape of Europe. It's an accessible, personable overview. (EUR190, $17.95)
Great Britain and Ireland Map  •  Freytag & Berndt MAP A nicely detailed map showing both Great Britain and Ireland at a scale of 1:700,000. (GBR31, $12.95)
A Guide to the Stone Circles of Britain, Ireland and Brittany  •  Aubrey Burl GUIDEBOOK •  2006 •  PAPER  • 276 PAGES An excellent guide to finding -- and understanding -- all the major sites, plus a few not-so-well known ones. It includes maps, black-and-white photographs, site diagrams, and a bibliography. (GBR102, $35.00)
Hadrian's Wall Map  •  Ordnance Survey 1998 •  MAP A detailed, comprehensive map of Haltwhistle, Hexam and parts of Northumberland National Park suitable for walkers. It shows public rights of way and tourist information along the route of Hadrian's Wall, a World Heritage site. This double-sided map is at a scale of 1:25,000. Outdoor Leisure Map 43. (GBR304, $19.95)
Hadrian, The Restless Emperor  •  Anthony Birley BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2000 •  PAPER  • 424 PAGES An up-to-date, scholarly biography of Hadrian, chronicling the emperor's state, cultural and architectural accomplishments, and personal life (including his homosexual relationship with Antinous). (ITL260, $40.95)
A Handful of Dust  •  Evelyn Waugh LITERATURE •  1999 •  PAPER  • 308 PAGES Satirical novel of Britain between the wars. (GBR190, $14.99)
Hemingway's Chair  •  Michael Palin LITERATURE •  1999 •  PAPER  • 288 PAGES The celebration of Hemingway has even spread to a first novel "Hemingway's Chair" by Monty Python alum and travel writer, Michael Palin. Its subject is one Martin Sproale, a disgruntled East Anglican postal worker whose great passion is manifest in collecting Hemingway memorabilia, a shrine to the author in his bedroom -- and the taking up of the author's favorite pastime: drinking. (GBR111, $14.95)
Henry Esmond  •  Wiliam Makepeace Thackeray LITERATURE •  2001 •  PAPER  • 544 PAGES This military romance, set in 18th-century England during the reign of Queen Anne, is one of the greatest historical novels ever written. Blending psychological drama and history, it is the story of a gentleman and officer wrestling with his allegiance to the old Tory-Catholic England until disillusionment forces him to come to terms with the Whig-Protestant future. Excellent on the history and the warfare of the time, this novel was instantly recognized as a masterpiece. (GBR85, $7.95)
Here Is Where We Meet  •  John Berger LITERATURE •  2006 •  PAPER  • 256 PAGES This novel weaves a portrait of several European countries through encounters with the dead, from the narrator's mother, whom he discovers on a park bench in Lisbon, to a childhood friend wandering a market in Krakow. "The dead don't stay where they are buried," the protagonist's mother tells him, and this becomes the mantra for this most unusual journey through Europe's history and people. (EUR189, $14.00)
A History of Britain: At the Edge of the World, 3500 B.C.-1603 A.D.  •  Simon Schama HISTORY •  2000 •  HARD COVER  • 416 PAGES An old-fashioned entertaining history of Britain by the prolific writer. This book, which includes some color photographs and maps, is the first of several companion volumes to the television documentary. (GBR203, $40.00)
The History of English Interiors  •  Peter Aprahamian  •  Ann Gore  •  Alan Gore ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1995 •  PAPER  • 192 PAGES The first comprehensive history of English interior decoration is collected here in a survey that covers a millennium's worth of styles. (GBR223, $29.95)
A History of Scotland  •  J.D. Mackie HISTORY •  1978 •  PAPER  • 380 PAGES A concise history of Scotland from Mesolithic settlers to modern times, vividly written and fair. This second edition carries the national story forward to the 1970s. (SCT16, $17.00)
How Green Was My Valley  •  Richard Llewellyn LITERATURE •  1997 •  PAPER  • 495 PAGES This best-selling and beloved story, full of humor and pathos, paints an indelible portrait of Wales and the Welsh. It is a reminiscence of youth at a time when south Wales prospered, before the dust of coal blackened the valley. This novel was the basis for the classic film. (GBR69, $17.00)
Hugh Casson's Oxford  •  Hugh Casson ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1998 •  PAPER  • 96 PAGES A personal tribute to Oxford -- in words and watercolors -- by the late former president of the British Royal Academy. Casson, who was an architect as well as a watercolorist, renders the city so that it is recognizable for traveler and native alike. (GBR240, $14.95)
An Illustrated History of the First World War  •  John Keegan HISTORY •  2001 •  HARD COVER  • 448 PAGES • COMING IN An illustrated edition of Keegan's outstanding history of the Great War, considerably enhanced by his selection of almost 500 photographs, maps, drawings and illustrations. The visuals clarify and augment his wide-ranging narrative of the origins, battles and consequences of WWI. (WAR16, $50.00)
In Search of England  •  Michael Wood CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2001 •  PAPER  • 352 PAGES Michael Wood combs the countryside in search of clues to English history and identity. (GBR323, $21.95)
An Innocent in Ireland, Curious Rambles and Singular Encounters  •  David W. McFadden TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1995 •  PAPER  • 320 PAGES A Canadian poet and essayist embarks on an ambitious journey in the footsteps of H. V. Morton's 1930's route through Ireland. Soon abandoning his quest, McFadden finds himself simply walking the Irish countryside, exploring the modern day Irish character and history. Determinedly eccentric, McFadden has an ear for dialogue and a penchant for evocative descriptions of his encounters. (IRE22, $18.95)
An Innocent in Scotland, More Curious Rambles and Singular Encounters  •  David W. McFadden TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1999 •  PAPER  • 346 PAGES A sequel to his rambles in Ireland, McFadden again taps local lore, personality and history in this most entertaining journey through Scotland. As more of an excuse to travel than a formula, the book is loosely modeled after Morton's 1920s "In Search of Scotland." (SCT28, $18.95)
Insight Compact Guide Bath & Surroundings  •  Insight Guides GUIDEBOOK •  2002 •  PAPER  • 78 PAGES A brief guide featuring color photographs, excellent local maps, travel information and suggested routes. (GBR42, $8.95)
Insight Compact Guide North York Moors  •  Insight Guides GUIDEBOOK •  1998 •  PAPER A brief, easy-to-carry, and colorful introduction to the North York Moors, this useful guide features plenty of photos and maps, and covers all the major attractions. (GBR146, $7.95)
Insight Compact Guide Northumbria  •  Insight Guides GUIDEBOOK •  1998 •  PAPER  • 79 PAGES A brief, illustrated guide featuring color photographs and maps. (GBR200, $7.95)
The Invention of Love  •  Tom Stoppard LITERATURE •  1998 •  PAPER  • 102 PAGES Tom Stoppard's play delivers a powerful, intricate meditation on life, scholarship and the after-life in this brilliant play which has writer A.E. Houseman ("A Shropshire Lad") adrift on the River Styx, where he meets his younger Oxford University self, and reflects on a life lived in the shadow of Oscar Wilde. The often erudite dialogue dazzles with wit and humor. (GBR165, $12.00)
Ivanhoe, A Romance  •  Sir Walter Scott LITERATURE •  2001 •  PAPER  • 512 PAGES A rousing tale of gallantry set in England in the era of Robin Hood. (GBR237, $5.95)
Jamaica Inn  •  Daphne du Maurier LITERATURE •  1995 •  PAPER  • 302 PAGES This classic has all the elements of a guilty pleasure: piracy, murder, the High Church, a dying request and a dashing young horse thief. Du Maurier uses the wild Cornish landscape to great atmospheric effect. (GBR52, $7.99)
Jamaica Inn  •  Alfred Hitchcock 1939 •  DVD An adaptation by Hitchcock (who made Rebecca a year later) of the atmospheric tale set in 19th-century Cornwall with Charles Laughton and Maureen O'Hara. DVD (GBR62, $29.99)
James Hutton, the Founder of Modern Geology  •  Scottish Natural Heritage 1997 •  PAPER (GEO07, $28.00)
A Journal of the Plague Year  •  Daniel Defoe LITERATURE •  1966 •  PAPER  • 256 PAGES In 1665, when Defoe was a child, plague struck London. His classic fictional account of that time, told in the guise of truth, makes historically vivid, realistic fiction -- the prototype of all accounts of great cities under siege in disease or war. (GBR87, $10.00)
Karen Brown's England, Wales and Scotland: Exceptional Places to Stay & Itineraries  •  June Brown GUIDEBOOK •  2008 •  PAPER  • 372 PAGES A survey of inns, castles and other lodging of character, along with suggested itineraries and highlights of each region. (GBR309, $19.95)
Kidnapped  •  Robert Louis Stevenson LITERATURE •  2007 •  PAPER  • 240 PAGES Set in 18th-century Scotland after the Jacobite Rebellion, this is a story of attempted murder, shipwreck, and kidnapping as told by a young Whig who has been deceived by his missing uncle. With great feeling for the Scottish landscape, history, and the local atmosphere, this classic tale of the conflict between Lowlanders and Highlanders mirrors the split sympathies of the author himself. (SCT02, $9.00)
King Arthur and His Knights  •  Eugene Vinaver LITERATURE •  1975 •  PAPER  • 231 PAGES This volume includes English Arthurian fiction directly attributable to Malory's original tales -- including thoroughly readable accounts of the exploits of King Arthur, Merlin, Sir Lancelot, Gawain and the Green Knight, and the legend of the Holy Grail. (GBR90, $19.99)
Knopf Guide England and Wales  •  Knopf Guides GUIDEBOOK •  2000 •  PAPER  • 696 PAGES An excellent guide to the culture, history and sights of England and Wales. Like other Knopf guides, this volume is heavily illustrated with over a thousand color illustrations to accompany you on your tour of the British Isles. With tips on transportation, lodging, dining and shopping. (GBR191, $25.00)
Lake District Tourist Map  •  Ordnance Survey MAP A terrific, colorful, and very detailed map of the Lake District, at a scale of 1: 110,000 (1 inch = 1 3/4 mile). With tourist information on the reverse side. (GBR125, $12.95)
The Lake District, Landmark Visitors Guide  •  Landmark Publishing GUIDEBOOK •  2004 •  PAPER  • 224 PAGES • COMING IN A compact, fully illustrated guide to the Lake District, featuring dozens of maps, visitor attractions, travel information and suggested walks. (GBR141, $17.95)
Lands End, The Lizard Map  •  Ordnance Survey MAP A detailed map of the most southwestern portion of England, which covers much of the western part of Cornwall. Scale 1:50,000. (GBR123, $16.95)
Large Scale Great Britain Topographic Maps  •  Ordnance Survey MAP Large Scale Great Britain Topographic Maps (GBR103, $11.95)
The Last Detective  •  Peter Lovesey MYSTERY •  2000 •  PAPER  • 368 PAGES This sophisticated gumshoe novel features an old-fashioned detective, a drowned BBC actress, a pair of stolen Jane Austen letters and a suspenseful chase through the Roman baths of Bath. (GBR314, $13.00)
Life in the English Country House, A Social and Architectural History  •  Mark Girouard ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1994 •  PAPER  • 432 PAGES A celebrated social and architectural history of life in English country houses, fully illustrated in black and white and color, first published in 1978. Girouard traces the history of these houses from medieval times to World War II. The Guardian said that Girouard has "no equal in describing social and political change in architectural terms." Based on the author's lectures at Oxford in 1975-76. (GBR221, $45.00)
The Lindisfarne Gospels  •  Janet Backhouse RELIGION •  1993 •  PAPER  • 96 PAGES A detailed, illustrated history of the illuminated manuscripts produced by the monks of the Lindisfarne monastery in Northumbria. All the major pages and many details of the manuscript are reproduced in full color. It's a handsome introduction for anyone with an interest in manuscript illustration and the early history of Celtic Britain. Janet Backhouse is curator of illuminated manuscripts at the British Library (GBR201, $14.95)
Literary Trails, British Writers in their Landscapes  •  Christina Hardyment LITERATURE •  2000 •  HARD COVER  • 256 PAGES A survey of the British landscapes that have given shape to the literary characters of Jane Austen, Daphne du Maurier, Virginia Woolf, Rudyard Kipling, Thomas Hardy, and Wordsworth. Maps and photographs invite readers to trace the routes of favorite characters by foot, car, or boat. (GBR164, $49.50)
London Perceived  •  Evelyn Hofer  •  V. S. Pritchett CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2002 •  PAPER  • 214 PAGES A love letter to the city -- which Pritchett endearingly calls a splodge -- and especially of the life of the place. In his mind, London means experience, and in these pages he wanders (often in the company of great authors from times past) through the neighborhoods, parks, palaces, pubs, markets, cemeteries and backwaters of the city. Prichett's eloquent riffs are accompanied by handsome black-and-white photographs by Evelyn Hofer. First published in 1962. (GBR310, $19.95)
London, A Social History  •  Roy Porter HISTORY •  1998 •  PAPER  • 448 PAGES A short, illustrated history of London, chronicling the city from its origins as an outpost of the Roman Empire through medieval hub, Renaissance center and imperial capital. A professor of history at University College, Porter is a marvelous guide. (GBR59, $20.95)
Lonely Planet Britain  •  Tom Smallman  •  Bryn Thomas  •  Pat Yale GUIDEBOOK •  2005 •  PAPER  • 1080 PAGES A practical guide to Great Britain covering England, Scotland and Wales. Featuring introductions to each country's culture, art and history, along with 160 maps and a great deal of practical information, this is an extremely useful guide for the independent traveler. It also includes extensive information on travel in London, including color maps. (GBR202, $29.99)
Lonely Planet Wales  •  John King GUIDEBOOK •  2004 •  PAPER  • 320 PAGES A comprehensive practical guide to Wales, including much information about lodging, food and transportation and an overview of history and culture. (GBR337, $19.99)
The Longitude Prize  •  Joan Dash  •  Dusan Petricic LITERATURE •  2000 •  HARD COVER  • 208 PAGES Excellent reading for young readers ages 9-12, Dash tells the story of an 18th century prize offered by the British government to the inventor of a device that can accurately measure a ship's longitude at sea. The protagonist, John Harrison, invents a functional clock, but his acceptance into the scientific world and aristocratic society is hindered by his lack of formal education. (GBR193, $17.00)
Lorna Doone  •  R.D. Blackmore LITERATURE •  1999 •  PAPER  • 680 PAGES A classic originally published in 1869, this historical novel is set at the time of the Monmouth Rebellion in the 17th century during the reign of Charles II. A yeoman farmer living in Exmoor plans to rescue and marry a young aristocrat whose family killed his father. (GBR83, $13.95)
Lying with the Enemy  •  Tim Binding LITERATURE •  2000 •  PAPER  • 368 PAGES Set near the end of World War II, this novel takes place on the island of Guernsey during the German occupation. It involves the murder of a woman, and the bond between her two lovers -- one German, the other British -- who must track down the killer. (GBR204, $12.95)
The Mabinogion  •  Jeffrey Gantz LITERATURE •  1976 •  PAPER  • 310 PAGES These eleven Welsh stories, beautiful in their strangeness, combine fact with fantasy, myth with history and folklore, into one of the great Welsh epics, the only Welsh collection that survived. Composed orally over the centuries, passed down and embellished by storytellers, finally written down in the 13th century, this is the story of Welsh history, full of heroics and the idealistic world of Celtic Britain, with Arthur's court as the backdrop. (GBR67, $12.00)
The Mackintosh Style, Design and Decor  •  Elizabeth Wilhide ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1995 •  HARD COVER  • 160 PAGES This concise volume illustrates the most celebrated works of the Scottish architect and designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh. From his spare high-backed chairs to the intricate details of the famous Glasgow School of Art, this book showcases the complex yet graceful use of lines that characterized his work. Includes 90 color images and a list of important sites for the traveler interested in Mackintosh's work. (SCT26, $29.95)
Making of the Middle Ages  •  Richard W. Southern HISTORY •  1953 •  PAPER A classic history of 10th to 13th century Europe, covering culture, politics and major personalites. (EUR105, $21.00)
Mammals of Europe  •  Priscilla Barrett  •  David W. MacDonald FIELD GUIDE •  2002 •  PAPER  • 320 PAGES Published by Princeton, this is a field guide to land and marine mammals throughout Europe, both endemic and introduced. With more than 600 color illustrations of over 200 mammals, it's a comprehensive handbook, with detailed descriptions, range maps and commentary on behavior. (FG61, $34.95)
Mary Queen of Scots  •  Antonia Fraser BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  1993 •  PAPER  • 613 PAGES Claimant to the thrones of two nations by her royal birth, Mary lost her head by scandalizing her world with a foolish passion. Betrayed by those she trusted, she lost the power game to her cousin Elizabeth I. This richly readable biography, the story of a legend who was loved even en route to her death, illuminates Mary's age as well as the figure herself. (SCT01, $20.00)
Medieval Art  •  Marilyn Stokstad ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2004 •  PAPER  • 446 PAGES Filled with hundreds of illustrations, this comprehensive survey of medieval art throughout Europe describes the social and cultural significance of many of the works of the period. (EUR91, $65.00)
Modern Wales, A Concise History  •  Gareth Elwyn Jones HISTORY •  1994 •  PAPER  • 395 PAGES A scholarly, informative survey of the recent history of Wales. This highly regarded book covers the economical, political and educational factors that have shaped present day Wales. Now in its second edition, with a new chapter and updated reference material. (GBR133, $32.99)
A Morbid Taste for Bones  •  Ellis Peters MYSTERY •  1994 •  PAPER  • 197 PAGES The first entry in prolific novelist Edith Pargeter's (aka Ellis Peters) popular "Chronicles of Brother Cadfael" series. In this historical mystery, 11th century monk and head of Shrewsbury Abbey Brother Cadfael travels to a small Welsh village to retrieve the relics of St. Winifred. A murder ensues and Cadfael must investigate. Followed by 19 other Cadfael Mysteries. (GBR166, $6.99)
The Mysterious Affair at Styles, The Secret Adversary: An Agatha Christie Omnibus  •  Agatha Christie LITERATURE •  1998 •  PAPER  • 448 PAGES A new edition including two of the master's most popular novels. At the peak of her career, Christie began writing The Mysterious Affair at Styles the Moorehead Hotel, now a notable British historic attraction. (GBR51, $12.95)
North England Map  •  Ordnance Survey MAP A regional map of northern England at a scale of 1;250,000. It's a densely printed and detailed road map published by the Ordnance Survey with an index of place names. It covers the North York Moors, Yorkshire Dales, Lake District and other popular tourist attractions between Manchester and Newcastle Upon Tyne. (GBR35, $12.95)
Northanger Abbey  •  Jane Austen LITERATURE •  1996 •  PAPER  • 219 PAGES Jane Austen's first novel parodies the Gothic thrillers of her day. Catherine Morland is a country girl spending a season in sophisticated Bath, where she falls for Henry Tilney, who invites her home to his possibly haunted mansion. Austen's wit is as keen as ever in this ruthless depiction of English high society. (GBR313, $7.00)
Northumbria Walks  •  Jarold Staff GUIDEBOOK •  1993 •  PAPER  • 80 PAGES This compact Pathfinder Guide details 28 walking tours, from 3 to 12 miles, graded and color-coded in order of difficulty. (GBR303, $14.95)
Off in a Boat, Hebridean Voyage  •  Neil Miller Gunn TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1990 •  PAPER  • 348 PAGES A classic tale of a 1930s voyage through the Hebrides by the well regarded Scottish novelist, (who quit his dull job with the civil service, sold his house, bought a useless boat, and tooled around the Inner Hebrides. Gunn captures the romance and exhilaration of a small boat voy age, interweaving his own adventures with Norse and Celtic tales. (GBR66, $14.95)
Offshore  •  Penelope Fitzgerald LITERATURE •  1998 •  PAPER  • 141 PAGES Penelope Fitzgerald won the 1979 Booker Prize for this slim, delicate novel, which illustrates the lives of a motley assortment of houseboat-dwellers on the Thames River in the 1960's. Fitzgerald, one of the great prose stylists of the 20th century, is gentle, but incisive with her characterizations. As a former houseboat-dweller herself, she knew of what she wrote. (GBR329, $12.95)
Oliver Cromwell Historical Association Studies  •  Peter Gaunt HISTORY •  1997 •  PAPER  • 272 PAGES (GBR217, $33.95)
Oliver Cromwell Profiles in Power  •  Barry Coward HISTORY •  1991 •  PAPER  • 204 PAGES A brief, cogent introduction to Cromwell's political career. (GBR218, $26.67)
On the Black Hill  •  Bruce Chatwin LITERATURE •  1984 •  PAPER  • 248 PAGES • COMING IN Renowned writer and traveler Chatwin tells the story of identical twins on a Welsh borderland farm and the effects of a modernizing world that surrounds them. A tale of isolation and loneliness, it captures the routines of life in the fields, while evoking the landscape of Wales. Not the typical Chatwin yarn, but rewarding just the same. (GBR131, $14.00)
The Oxford Illustrated History of Britain  •  Kenneth O. Morgan HISTORY •  2000 •  PAPER  • 646 PAGES A sweeping history of Britain with contributions by ten scholars. It's a popular standard reference much enhanced by drawings, illustrations, charts and tables. (GBR227, $31.95)
The Oxford Illustrated History of Tudor and Stuart England  •  John Morrill HISTORY •  1996 •  HARD COVER  • 470 PAGES This beautiful volume is the most authoritative general history of the Tudors and the Stuarts ever published. Eighteen different experts write chapters on the political, social, religious and cultural history of monarchs striving to control the entire British Isles during religious persecution, the Reformation, Civil War, two revolutions and the Restoration. Two monarchs, two wives of a king, and two archbishops of Canterbury were tried and executed during this turbulent period as Britain was emerging as the most liberal European state at the beginning of its imperial power. Six maps, 280 illustrations (45 in color), a chronology, a glossary, and a family tree of the monarchy flesh out the very readable text. (GBR89, $49.95)
Oxford Map  •  Ordnance Survey MAP This detailed, double-sided Ordnance Survey Explorer's map shows parts of the Thames Path, Oxford Canal Walk, Oxfordshire Way and other walks in the countryside at a scale of 1:250,000. (GBR243, $19.95)
The Oxford Movement in Context, Anglican High Churchmanship, 1760-1857  •  Peter B. Nockles ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1998 •  PAPER  • 216 PAGES A highly regarded study of the Oxford Movement and Anglicanism, first published in 1994. (GBR215, $50.00)
Oxford, A Cultural and Literary Companion  •  David Horan GUIDEBOOK •  1999 •  PAPER  • 246 PAGES A volume in the erudite series "Cities of the Imagination," this guide to the city and university focuses on the many writers and historic personalities from King Charles to Shelly, Christopher Wren, Oscar Wilde, Dr. Johnson, Alice of the Looking Glass, and C.S. Lewis. (GBR239, $15.00)
Oxford, An Architectural Guide  •  Helena Webster  •  Peter Howard ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1998 •  PAPER  • 320 PAGES An illustrated guide to the buildings and architectural history of Oxford, with a fair amount of attention paid to the modern era. (GBR242, $12.00)
Painting in Britain, 1530-1790  •  Ellis Waterhouse ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1994 •  PAPER  • 394 PAGES A comprehensive study of painting of the period, both scholarly and readable. (GBR225, $38.00)
Pallas Guide East Anglia: Essex, Suffolk & Norfolk  •  Peter Sager GUIDEBOOK •  2002 •  PAPER  • 580 PAGES A comprehensive, illustrated guide, with a focus on art, architecture, monuments and history. Much more indepth than even a Blue Guide, this book functions as much as a handbook and cultural history as guide. (GBR322, $35.00)
Passport United Kingdom: Your Pocket Guide to British Business, Customs & Etiquette  •  Timothy Harper  •  Barbara Szerlip  •  Tom Watson GUIDEBOOK •  1996 •  PAPER  • 96 PAGES A guide to British etiquette, manners, and all the other details of local customs that make Great Britain unique. Designed particularly for the business traveler. (GBR230, $6.95)
Persuasion  •  Jane Austen LITERATURE •  1999 •  PAPER  • 236 PAGES Set in Lyme Regis and Bath, this novel is possibly Austen's most mature finished work. Certainly it features her most mature heroine. There's particular pleasure for Bath-goers here, as much of the final action unfolds in streets and buildings that exist in Bath to this day. (GBR208, $5.95)
The Pickwick Papers  •  Charles Dickens LITERATURE •  2000 •  PAPER  • 800 PAGES First published in installments in 1836 and wildly successful in its day, this is the book that launched Dickens' career. It tells of Samuel Pickwick's highly comedic adventures in the wide world, including a riotous sequence among the aristocrats of Bath. (GBR316, $12.00)
Pilgrimages, The Great Adventure of the Middle Ages  •  John Ure HISTORY •  2006 •  PAPER  • 288 PAGES (EUR202, $15.95)
The Pillars of the Earth  •  Ken Follett LITERATURE •  2002 •  PAPER  • 976 PAGES In a departure for the writer, this historical novel is set in 12th-century England, centering around the building of a Cathedral. (GBR226, $22.00)
Polly, The True Story Behind Whiskey Galore  •  Roger Hutchinson HISTORY •  1998 •  PAPER  • 155 PAGES A history of the famous wreck of the S.S. Politician in the outer Hebrides in 1941. The ship was full of whiskey, the locals seized it, and the subsequent wrangling pitted the Hebrideans against the ship's owners. It's the event that is the basis for the novel and film Whisky Galore. (GBR65, $18.00)
The Pre-Raphaelites  •  Timothy Hilton ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1988 •  PAPER  • 216 PAGES Often ignored, yet important, this superb book analyzes the Pre-Raphaelites painters and paintings in the context of their Victorian era. With over 150 illustrations, almost every major and many minor painting are discussed. An entry in the "World of Art" series. (GBR181, $14.95)
Pride and Prejudice  •  Jane Austen LITERATURE •  1996 •  PAPER  • 384 PAGES Austen's favorite of all her novels, this comedy follows the romantic fortunes of the Bennet sisters, who in the absence of any monetary advantages must win their husbands with wit (Elizabeth), sweetness (Jane) or threat of legal action (Lydia). The action unfolds mostly in Hampshire, where Austen was born and raised. (GBR324, $7.95)