The Zimbabwean countryside has many moods, an infinite variety of faces. In striking contradiction of the image held by many who have not visited the land between the Limpopo and Zambezi Rivers, Zimbabwe is not a vast expanse of near-emptiness, of unrelieved sun-brown bush, of dust and burning skies. The dust and heat are there, some of the time and in some parts. But so are the gracious lakes, the fresh woods and pastures, the cool streams and high mountain peaks. Zimbabwe's enchantment is heightened by magnificent wildlife. Its concentration of elephant is one of the greatest in the world and the many game reserves and national parks abound with a breathtaking variety of animals. Kingly lion, glowering rhino, mountainous hippo, comical warthog, graceful giraffe, hyena, buffalo, wildebeest, zebra, leopard -- they are all there, and in their natural habitat. The country's sun-washed wonders are complemented by the design and spread of its towns and cities. Herein lies Zimbabwe's spellbinding effect of contrasts: the timeless, savage grandeur of Africa is at hand within minutes of leaving any of its sophisticated cities of sleek skyscrapers and urban bustle. This book shows this diversity in a uniquely evocative way. It reveals the splendour, the beauty and the freshness of a country still unspoiled, the true nature of a relatively little-known part of Africa.

"The only thing better than the questions, in this delightful and informative book, is the answers." - Neil Gaiman "This book is GLORIOUS. It's heart-and-soul fabulous, page after page." - Stephen Fry "One of the best kids books I have ever had the pleasure of reading" - Pandora Sykes "This book is heaven on a stick" - Sophie Dahl A wonderful new paperback edition of 366 curious questions asked by children from around the world, based on the award-winning podcast by original QI Elf, Molly Oldfield. How much bamboo can a giant panda eat? Do aliens exist? What we would do if we didn't have a prime minister? Why do hammerhead sharks have such strange-shaped heads? Find out the answers to these curious questions and much, much more! Ponder where ideas come from with award-winning illustrator, Rob Biddulph. Find out why you taste things differently when you have a cold with Michelin star chef, Heston Blumenthal. Learn about everything from how astronauts see in the dark to what the biggest dinosaur was with experts from the Natural History Museum. Fascinating facts are accompanied by gorgeous illustrations making the perfect gift for Christmas. Whether you read a question a day, or dip into it whenever you are feeling curious, this is a book to treasure and share all year round. Illustrated by Momoko Abe, Kelsey Buzzell, Beatrice Cerocchi, Alice Courtley, Sandra de la Prada, Grace Easton, Manuela Montoya Escobar, Richard Jones, Lisa Koesterke, Gwen Millward, Sally Mullaney, and Laurie Stansfield. Praise for Everything Under the Sun: "Trivia fans will relish Everything Under the Sun" - The Guardian "A brilliant book for any child, but particularly those who don't love reading stories" - David Walliams "A wonderful gift for families" - Evening Standard "A wonderful collection of 366 curious questions about everything from science to nature, dinosaurs to space" - Scottish Sun "Simply mesmerising compendium" - Waterstones "As cute as it is educational" - Babyccino Kids "This is a book to treasure all year round" - My Baba "An absolute delight" - David Walliams

"An important novel, rich in compassion for its anguished characters." —The New York Times Book Review This memorable, heartbreaking story opens in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 1974, on the eve of a revolution. Yonas kneels in his mother’s prayer room, pleading to his god for an end to the violence that has wracked his family and country. His father, Hailu, a prominent doctor, has been ordered to report to jail after helping a victim of state-sanctioned torture to die. And Dawit, Hailu’s youngest son, has joined an underground resistance movement—a choice that will lead to more upheaval and bloodshed across a ravaged Ethiopia. Beneath the Lion’s Gaze tells a gripping story of family, of the bonds of love and friendship set in a time and place that has rarely been explored in fiction. It is a story about the lengths human beings will go in pursuit of freedom and the human price of a national revolution. Emotionally gripping, poetic, and indelibly tragic, Beneath The Lion’s Gaze is a transcendent and powerful debut.

An action-packed archaeological adventure from global bestseller Wilbur Smith “You should know of the legend. At a time when the rocks were soft and the air was misty, there was an abomination and an evil in this place which was put down by our ancestors. They placed a death curse upon these hills and commanded that this evil be cleaned from the earth and from the minds of men, forever.” A lost civilisation. A curse reborn. Dr Ben Kazin has only a blurred photograph and a gut instinct that there is a lost city to uncover somewhere beneath the Botswana cliffs. Soon, a whispered curse and a chance encounter with a local tribe lead him to discover much more than city foundations. The curse, it seems, is real, and will link Ben, his oldest friend, and the woman they both love with a forgotten leader from two thousand years ago, in a city of glory and honour that subsequently disappeared without a trace. But what happened to that ancient civilisation? And what is it that connects that lost empire to Ben, and the violent dangers he must face in the present day?

I have travelled to all parts of the world for over forty years, often to the most remote villages and towns on all continents, enjoying the unique landscapes and their people. This is how I have had the most delightful encounters, often when least expected. The book aims to show that one should venture out, not be afraid to leave the beaten paths and instead seek authenticity. It also shows the common humanity of people and how cross-cultural encounters can leave us with indelible memories that in turn push us to learn ever more about this planet and its various people. I hope the book spurs readers to travel outside of organized tours or to keep travelling if they already do and see how this kind of journey can incredibly enrich their lives.