Showing results by narrator "Richard Aspel" in All Categories

Cameron McMurtrie is a man who doesn’t like interference in his work. So when Kylie Hamilton, an Australian executive working for the international mining company Global Resources, is sent to South Africa to investigate a new site on the edge of the Kruger National Park, Cameron is less than welcoming. But when a group of illegal miners - men with nothing to lose, led by a man intent on destroying Cameron - kidnap one of Global Resources’ employees, Cameron is forced into action - and collaboration.

The Middle East is notoriously complex and difficult. This compact book on the topic by the University of Oxford's leading expert does not shirk the challenge. Organised thematically, and dealing with all the pivotal issues in the region, from oil and religion to gender and conflict, this comprehensive primer is both easy-to-read and full of insight. Stuffed with historical background, real-life examples, profiles of key figures from Nasser to Gadaffi, and even popular jokes from the area, The Middle East: A Beginner’s Guide will captivate tourists, students, and the interested general reader alike.

Celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal is a gastronomic alchemist who sees the kitchen as a laboratory where he loves to experiment with new ways to tantalize diners' taste buds. The story of his life is every bit as colorful and attention-grabbing as his famous snail porridge and bacon-and-egg ice cream. This biography traces his journey from a life-changing childhood holiday in France through to his brief apprenticeship in Raymond Blanc's restaurant, where he stood up to a kitchen bully. It follows him as - constantly pushing the boundaries of his work - he reached the top of his profession and was knighted by the Queen.

Two gypsy boys are fleeing through a war-ravaged countryside during the night, carrying a secret bundle. The boys stumble across a town that has been reduced to smoking rubble, and a zoo that is still intact. When the boys take shelter in the zoo, they discover a menagerie of talking animals. Both the boys and the animals tell their tales and speak of their desire for freedom. Like The Silver Donkey and The Ghost’s Child, this is another beautiful fable-like tale that will move you to tears.

It has been remarked that if the brain were so simple we could understand it, we would be so simple we couldn’t. Commencing with a brief history of neuroscience, from the ancient practice of drilling holes in the head to relieve headaches to the latest results from MRI and CT scans, this accessible guide sets out to explore exactly what we do know about the brain. Including the most up-to-date research on the cerebral processes, this entertaining introduction assumes no previous scientific knowledge.

Lydon Hall is a house full of character, as the estate agent's literature claims. But its many interesting features should surely not include a corpse in the elegant drawing-room? Is this death the suicide it appears to be? The investigation centres upon a tight-knit village community. Both the glamorous French widow of the deceased and the man who lives rough on the moor after a mental breakdown seem to know more about this death than is at first apparent.

The father of modern philosophy, Descartes is still one of the most widely discussed philosophers today. Putting rationalism above all else, he sought to base all knowledge of the world on a single idea: "I think, therefore I am." This introduction expertly summarises his thoughts on the dualism of mind and body, his proofs for God’s existence, and his responses to scepticism. Explaining how his life informed his philosophy, Bracken demonstrates the philosopher’s enduring significance.

When high-flying Sydney lawyer Cass Meredith is appointed head of a state inquiry into a child pornography racket, she sees it as an opportunity to clean up the city. But she doesnt count on ex-Vice Squad detective John Carrigan - with his reputation for taking bribes and liking underage girls - being made her second-in-command.

The Northern Ireland conflict is one of the most protracted, bitter, and complex campaigns of terrorism the Western world has ever seen. Since the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, the region has come a long way, finally achieving a hard-won peace. Yet hostility between Unionists and Nationalists is as strong as ever, communities remain divided, and sectarian violence is rife. Edwards and McGrattan’s balanced introduction skilfully dissects the “Troubles” to offer fresh perspectives on their complicated history and legacy.

Detective Inspector January David has always put his professional before his private life, but the two worlds are about to clash horrifically as he visits his latest crime scene. He is confronted by a lifeless figure suspended ten feet above a theatre stage, blood pouring from her face into a coffin below. This gruesome execution is the work of an elusive serial killer. Three women from three different London suburbs, each murdered with elaborate and chilling precision. And as January stares at the most beautiful corpse he's ever seen, he detects the killer's hallmark.

They say no one from the convict settlement of Sydney Town crossed the steep ranges of the Blue Mountains until 1813. But the quick-witted convict Clancy Fitzgerald did it in 1798, dragging with him the proud - but reluctant - Eliza Philips. Faced with constant danger and wrenching isolation, Clancy and Eliza found themselves pale-skinned strangers in a land of ancient traditions and spiritual beliefs.

Dr. Michael Carr-Gregg is a leading authority on teenage behavior. Surviving Adolescents is the sensible, sanity-saving guide every household needs. Young people today enter puberty earlier than ever before and leave home later. The good news is that teenagers aren't impossible to live with, especially if parents adopt the common-sense strategies set out in this book.

Tomorrow begins right here as we embark on an enthralling and jargon-free journey into the world of computers and the inner recesses of the human mind. Readers encounter everything from the nanotechnology used to make insect-like robots, to the computers that perform surgery and, reminiscent of films like Terminator, computers that can learn by teaching themselves.

Each of the four who travel this journey has a story to tell. An environmentalist fights to save the primitive and beautiful Pilbara coast from the careless ravaging of mining conglomerates; a Vietnam War veteran rises above crippling injuries to discover a talent that gains him an international reputation; and an ambitious geologist joins forces with a hard-core businessman to lead the way in the growth of Perth from a sleepy town to a glittering citadel.

Vast, diverse, dynamic, and turbulent, the true nature of Africa is often obscured by its poverty-stricken image. In this controversial and gripping guide, Tom Young cuts through the emotional hype to critically analyse the continent’s political history and the factors behind its dismal economic performance. Maintaining that colonial influences are often overplayed, Young argues that much blame must lie with African governments themselves and that Western aid can often cause as much harm as good.

Amid the luxurious surroundings of the Wye Castle Hotel and Country Club, a man is found dead on the course. Superintendent Lambert and Sergeant Hook establish fairly quickly how he died, but discovering who killed him proves a more difficult challenge. The golf course and hotel are set in spectacular scenery beside one of England's most beautiful rivers, with Hereford's ancient Cathedral visible in the distance. In May this incomparable valley is at its best, but it is a bizarre context for the investigation of a brutal murder.

In 1788, Thomas Kendall, a naive nineteen-year-old sentenced to transportation for burglary, finds himself bound for Sydney Town in the penal colony of New South Wales. Discarding allegiance to the country that has disowned him, Thomas, an honest man at heart, seizes a second chance and begins a new life in the wild and lawless land beneath the Southern Cross. Thomas Kendall fathers a dynasty that will last beyond 200 years.

Two architects: Andrew Martin, a fêted young Australian whose success has come early, and Johannes Von Ruhland, an aging genius who draws with the hand of God but whose work has never been realised. When Martin finally meets the mythic Von Ruhland on a trip to Berlin, it is a dream fulfilled, but once that dream is brought back to Australia it jeopardises his marriage and divides his friends.

Does free speech have limits? Can torture be justified? Who is really in charge of your rights? Every day we are confronted with news of foreign governments who refuse to acknowledge liberties that we in the Western world take for granted. But civil liberties are nearly always under threat, no matter where you live. Tom Head traverses the globe in order to provide a clear introduction to what civil liberties are and why they're worth defending.

The proliferation and misuse of small arms and light weapons is one of the most pressing security threats of the 21st century. From Sudanese refugees hunted by gun-toting militias to air passengers targeted by shoulder-fired missiles, no one is safe from this deadly scourge. Providing a gripping overview of these cheap and easily obtainable weapons, the threat they pose in the wrong hands, and strategies for reining them in, this guide is required listening for anyone wishing to fully understand one of today’s key threats.