Smartass sociology professor Maxwell Smythe Brown IV thought he had it made. He had lots of money, a wonderful woman, Sally, and no responsibilities. There were, however, some loose ends left over from his earlier exploits – namely the four surviving and vicious outcasts of Indian Intelligence whom Max had beaten to the treasure of a Moghul Khan. Max had killed one assassin and Sally had killed the leader. But the bad guys just keep coming back. Set on a small island off the coast of Holland, this, the second installment chronicling Brown’s travails, finds him questioning his value and his values. Drawing on rusty skills, he tries to protect himself and those he loves from a determined and vengeful gang who torture and behead for sport.

Find solace, hope and happiness through 12 fascinating birds whose song is never far away - if only we know where to look . . . 'A lyrical and life-affirming book that teaches us as much about birds as it does ourselves - a balm for the soul' Raynor Winn, author of The Salt Path 'Charlie has opened my eyes to the constant joy of the sights and sounds of the birds that surround us. It is a book that really will save lives' Dr Richard Shepherd, author of Unnatural Causes _________ After the tragic loss of his mother, Charlie Corbett felt trapped by his pain. Having lost all hope and perspective he took to the countryside in search of solace. There, he heard the soaring, cascading song of the skylark - a sound that pulled him from the depths of despair and into the calm of the natural world. Weaving his journey through grief with a remarkable portrait of the birds living right on our doorstep, 12 Birds to Save Your Life is an invitation to stop, step outside, and listen. By following Charlie's path, opening your eyes and ears to what has been there all along, you will discover how nature can set you free.

"In this elegant narrative, celebrated naturalist Ted Floyd guides you through a year of becoming a better birder. Choosing 200 top avian species to teach key lessons, Floyd introduces a new, holistic approach to bird watching and shows how to use the tools of the 21st century to appreciate the natural world we inhabit together whether city, country or suburbs." -- From book jacket.

The bird book for birders and nonbirders alike that will excite and inspire by providing a new and deeper understanding of what common, mostly backyard, birds are doing—and why: "Can birds smell?"; "Is this the same cardinal that was at my feeder last year?"; "Do robins 'hear' worms?" "The book's beauty mirrors the beauty of birds it describes so marvelously." —NPR In What It's Like to Be a Bird, David Sibley answers the most frequently asked questions about the birds we see most often. This special, large-format volume is geared as much to nonbirders as it is to the out-and-out obsessed, covering more than two hundred species and including more than 330 new illustrations by the author. While its focus is on familiar backyard birds—blue jays, nuthatches, chickadees—it also examines certain species that can be fairly easily observed, such as the seashore-dwelling Atlantic puffin. David Sibley's exacting artwork and wide-ranging expertise bring observed behaviors vividly to life. (For most species, the primary illustration is reproduced life-sized.) And while the text is aimed at adults—including fascinating new scientific research on the myriad ways birds have adapted to environmental changes—it is nontechnical, making it the perfect occasion for parents and grandparents to share their love of birds with young children, who will delight in the big, full-color illustrations of birds in action. Unlike any other book he has written, What It's Like to Be a Bird is poised to bring a whole new audience to David Sibley's world of birds.

Wood, Robert M. Zink, Benjamin Zuckerberg

Focuses exclusively on Darwin the ornithologist, not on biographical aspects of Darwin's life.

Longlisted for the 2020 Wainwright Prize 'I can't remember the last book I read that I could say with absolute assurance would save lives. But this one will' Chris Packham 'Fabulously direct and truthful, filled with energy but devoid of self-pity . . . I was impressed and enchanted. Highly recommended' Stephen Fry 'Succeeds – triumphantly – in articulating with great honesty what it is like to suffer with a mental illness, and in providing strategies for coping' Mail on Sunday When Joe Harkness suffered a breakdown in 2013, he tried all the things his doctor recommended: medication helped, counselling was enlightening, and mindfulness grounded him. But nothing came close to nature, particularly birds. How had he never noticed such beauty before? Soon, every avian encounter took him one step closer to accepting who he is. The positive change in Joe's wellbeing was so profound that he started a blog to record his experience. Three years later he has become a spokesperson for the benefits of birdwatching, spreading the word everywhere from Radio 4 to Downing Street. In this groundbreaking book filled with practical advice, Joe explains the impact that birdwatching had on his life, and invites the reader to discover these extraordinary effects for themselves.