A Month in Siena by Hisham Matar

$22.99 AUD

Category: Travel

FROM THE PULITZER PRIZE-WINNING AND MAN BOOKER-SHORTLISTED AUTHOR 'Hisham Matar has the quality all historians - of the world and the self - most need: he knows how to stand back and let the past speak' Hilary Mantel on The Return ____________________________________ When Hisham Matar was nineteen years old he came across the Sienese School of painting for the first time. In the year in which Matar's life was shattered by the disappearance of his father the work of the great artists of Siena seemed to offer him a sense of hope. Over the years since then, Matar's feelings towards these paintings would deepen and, as he says, 'Siena began to occupy the sort of uneasy reverence the devout might feel towards Mecca or Rome or Jerusalem'. A Month in Siena is the encounter, twenty-five years later, between the writer and the city he had worshipped from afar. It is a dazzling evocation of an extraordinary place and its effect on the writer's life. It is an immersion in painting, a consideration of grief and a profoundly moving contemplation of the relationship between art and the human condition. ____________________________________ PRAISE FOR HISHAM MATAR 'Wise and agonizing and thrilling to read' Zadie Smith 'A moving, unfliching memoir' Kazuo Ishiguro 'A treasure for the ages' Peter Carey 'It is likely to become a classic' Colm Tóibín ...Show more

The Roads to Sata - A 2000 Mile Walk Through Japan by Alan Booth

$22.99 AUD

Category: Travel

One sunny spring morning in the seventies, an unlikely Englishman set out on a pilgrimage that would take him across Japan's entire length. Traveling only along small back roads, Alan Booth travelled on foot from Soya, the country's northernmost tip, to Sata in the extreme south, traversing three island s and some 2,000 miles of rural Japan. His mission- 'to come to grips with the business of living here,' after having spent most of his adult life in Tokyo. The Roads to Sata is a wry, witty, inimitable account of that prodigious trek, vividly revealing the reality of life off-the-tourist-track in Japan. Journeying alongside Booth, we encounter the wide variety of people who inhabit the Japanese countryside - from fishermen and soldiers, to bar hostesses and school teachers, to hermits, drunks and the homeless. We glimpse vast stretches of coastline and rambling townscapes, mountains and motorways; watch baseball games and sunrises; sample trout and Kilamanjaro beer, hear folklore, poems, and smutty jokes. Throughout, we enjoy the wit and insight of a uniquely perceptive guide, and more importantly, discover a new face of an often-misunderstood nation. ...Show more

Without Ever Reaching the Summit by Cognetti, Paolo

$24.99 AUD

Category: Travel

An awestruck love letter to one of the most spectacular places on earth, from the author of international bestseller The Eight Mountains Paolo Cognetti marked his 40th birthday with a journey he had always wanted to make: to Dolpo, a remote Himalayan region where Nepal meets Tibet. He took with him two friends, a notebook, mules and guides, and a well-worn copy of The Snow Leopard. Written in 1978, Matthiessen's classic was also turning forty, and Cognetti set out to walk in the footsteps of the great adventurer. Without Ever Reaching the Summit combines travel journal, secular pilgrimage, literary homage and sublime mountain writing in a short book for readers of Macfarlane, Rebanks and Cognetti's own bestseller, The Eight Mountains. An investigation into the author's physical limits, an ancient mountain culture, and the magnificence of nature, it is an awestruck love letter to one of the most spectacular places on earth. ...Show more

The Globetrotter's Guide to Happiness by Kate Morgan; Juliet Sulejmani (Illustrator)

$29.99 AUD

Category: Travel

Sample ways to find happiness from around the world and discover tips on how to adopt these philosophies at home. Wherever we are in the world, as humans we're all striving for happiness--a feeling of wellbeing and calm amidst the everyday struggles and chaos. What differs is how we pursue that happines s, and there are a range of philosophies on offer around the globe. From searching for ikigai (the 'meaning of life') in Japan or taking a fika coffee break in Sweden, to heading for the hills to clear the mind in Norway or appreciating the art of gezellig ('coziness') in the Netherlands, the world is a tapestry of happiness philosophies we can sample and learn from.   This book features 20 philosophies together with gorgeous illustrations. Each chapter includes an overview of that philosophy, where it originates from, its meaning to that culture, and ways to implement the philosophy in your everyday life at home. There's also information on places you can travel to experience the philosophy a little deeper, and interviews with people who very much practice what they preach, all wrapped up in a beautiful package. ...Show more

The Ways of the Bushwalker: On Foot in Australia by Melissa Harper

$34.99 AUD

Category: Travel

Australians have always loved to step out in nature, whether off-track or along a marked route. Bushwalking – an organised long-distance walk in rugged terrain that requires maps and camping equipment, or a family day out – is one of our most popular pastimes. This landmark book, now updated, was the fi rst to delve into its rich and sometimes quirky history. From the earliest days of European settlement, colonists found pleasure in leisurely strolls through the bush, collecting flowers, sketching, bird watching and picnicking. Yet over time, walking for the sake of walking became the dominant motive. Walking clubs proliferated, railways organised mystery hikes attended by thousands, and Paddy Pallin established his equipment business. Bushwalking – serious walking – was invented. Whether you are inclined to put on your walking boots and pack your sleeping bag, or would rather stay in a luxury hut, this sure-footed and witty book reveals how the ordinary act of walking can become extraordinary. 'An absorbing exploration of the story of bushwalking in Australia. It's a well researched history, not just of walking, but of our changing relationship to the natural environment, of coming to know its unique beauty and its power to both inspire and restore the body and spirit. A compelling read for anyone who loves the Australian bush.' — Patti Miller '...a splendid social history, one so entertaining and revealing that you wonder why it hasn't been done before.' — Amanda Lohrey 'Slip this book in your swag – and step into adventure.' — Tom Griffiths   ...Show more

Walks in Nature: Australia 2E - Easy Escapes into Unspoiled Landscapes Complete with Foodie Stops by Anna Carlile

$29.99 AUD

Category: Travel | Series: EXPLORE AUSTRALIA

Walks in Nature: Australia is a celebration of being outdoors. From coastal cliffs and crescents of sand, to iconic bush landscapes and wild offshore islands, this book offers more than 100 walking trails around the country, all within an easy distance of your capital city. This second edition has been completely updated and contains new walks for every state. In every chapter you'll find a variety of walks to suit every season and fitness level, with detailed track notes and easy-to-use maps. Each trail is 6-20km in distance and includes a delicious suggested foodie stop, where you can refuel and reflect on a day walking in nature. The book features walks in and around Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane and Hobart. ...Show more

Back Roads: The Scenic Route by Heather Ewart

$39.99 AUD

Category: Travel

From the ABC Back Roads team, Australia's inspiring rural communities in splendid, vivid colour During the five years it has been appearing on our screens, ABC TV's Back Roads has taken us across Australia, through scorched deserts, along sapphire coasts, up breathtaking mountains and over gentle, roll ing plains. It has shown us the rugged landscapes, the resilient communities and the extraordinary individuals who make a life in those areas outside the big cities. In this book, we capture in vivid colour some of our favourite people and places. Full of glorious photos that show us the spirit, purpose, difficulties and humour of outback life, this book is a tribute to the surprising characters, the rarely told stories and the sometimes beautiful, sometimes strange places that exist along the back roads of our extraordinary country. ...Show more

CITIx60 City Guides - Melbourne - 60 Local Creatives Bring You the Best of the City by Victionary

$19.99 AUD

Category: Travel | Series: CITIx60 Ser.

Regularly voted as the world's most liveable city in related studies and surveys, there is something for everyone in Melbourne where a vibrant arts, design, and culinary scene thrives. Jacketed in a delightful city map illustrated by Ellen Porteus, CITIx60 Melbourne gives you a good, varied taste of wha t Australia's cultural capital has to offer. Endorsed by 60 local stars all known for their accomplishments in the creative industry, the 60 hotspot recommendations cover architectural and art spaces, shops and markets, as well as dining and nighttime activities - accompanied by Google Maps QR codes, top tips, and useful app recommendations to ease your trip. Readers will find new locations as well as updated visitor information and tips in this updated edition. About CITIx60 A unique collaboration with local creatives from selected cities around the world, each CITIx60 City Guide contains 60 recommended hotspots across five key categories, covering landmarks, cultural venues, art spaces, shops, restaurants, bars, and entertainment. All 60 featured creatives are at the cutting-edge of what's hot, and known for their accomplishments in various fields including art, architecture, advertising, design, film-making, music, and gastronomy. ...Show more

Eat the Buddha: Life and Death in a Tibetan Town by Barbara Demick

$34.99 AUD

Category: Travel

For centuries, Tibet was known as a hermit kingdom. Its charms were hidden by the natural barrier of the Himalayas to its west and by a reclusive theocratic government ruled by a succession of Dalai Lamas...Nowadays it is not the Tibetans shutting the door, but a paranoid Chinese Communist Party. China has ruled Tibet since 1950, and is a most unwelcoming gatekeeper. In Eat the Buddha, Barbara Demick, award-winning author of Nothing to Envy, journeys to a small town high on the eastern edge of the Tibetan plateau. The residents of Aba have been in an uneasy compromise with the Chinese for decades, living nomadically on the plateau in the summer and moving to concrete housing in the winter, sending their children to monasteries to be educated, practising polyandry as is their custom--yet all the time subject to oppressive restrictions. Travelling in disguise to evade the Chinese authorities, Demick interviewed Tibetans over three years: among them a novice monk contemplating protest suicide, the last princess of the region exiled during the Cultural Revolution and a young woman trapped in a bigamous marriage. Weaving together their stories with the history of China's dominance over Tibet, she creates a vivid portrait of the lives of a people locked in a struggle for identity and independence. ...Show more

Italian Life: A Modern Fable of Loyalty and Betrayal by Tim Parks

$35.00 AUD

Category: Travel

Forty years ago, Tim Parks made the bel paese his home. Italian Life is his reckoning with his adopted country, an attempt to get to the core of it, to make sense of it, to fold others' stories in with his own experience - now that he is, in his own words, 'to some degree Italian' himself. The result i s an arresting, on-the-ground account of 21st century Italy told through the eyes of a rich cast of characters, among them students from poverty-stricken Basilicata trying to start new lives in the wealthy gloom of Milan, a priest, a poet, a young professor from Padua, and an Englishman who refuses to toe the line.  At the book's centre is a story of corruption and power. But it is also a celebration of culture and history, fact and fable, sacred and secular, ancient and modern- a thought-provoking, surprising, entertaining and even definitive account of how Italy actually happens.   ...Show more

London Monocle Guide by Monocle

$34.95 AUD

Category: Travel | Series: Monocle Travel Guides

The definitive travel guides that make you feel like a local wherever you go. Monoclemagazine covers the world with its network of bureaus (New York, Toronto, Zurich, Hong Kong, Istanbul, Tokyo, Singapore), its more than 30 dedicated correspondents based from Beirut to Bogota, Sao Paulo to Stolkholm, an d its team of on-the-road reporters based out of its headquarters in London. Monocle-the magazine that covers urbanism and the city design like no other-knows about the hidden gems in all the great cities. It also knows where to take an ambassador for breakfast, an on-the-go businessman for a late night cocktail, or where to get an astute concierge at ungodly hours. Its deep understanding of cities and all they have to offer has been compiled in the new Monocle Travel Guides. Launching this spring with editions for London and Tokyo, followed by New York and Hong Kong, these beautiful books reveal the Monocle team's favorite places, from the ideal route for an early morning run to the best spots for independent retail. Aimed at people who do not want to be tourists but rather feel like locals when they travel, these are books for those who want to mix the classic with the contemporary, want to get beyond the cliches, and know they can get a feel for a city even if they only have a few days. And they are full of surprises and quirks: the books will guide you to a grand hotel but also to a cozy two-star, and will leave you drinking in a local corner bar or being served by a great waiter who knows his craft-while being wary of pushing you into the newest, hippest, soulless bar. Created by the Monocle design team, these authoritative guides will be trim enough to drop into your pocket and wise enough to stay by your side throughout your travels. ...Show more

Lost in Florence by Nardia Plumridge

$7.50 AUD

$29.99 (74% off)

Category: Travel | Series: Curious Travel Guides

Florence is renowned for its Renaissance art, yet this celebrated city is more than just a tourist hub for galleries filled with gilt-framed paintings. Go beyond the facade of the palazzi and instead take a turn down the cobblestone side streets to discover vintage stores housing designer names, restaur ants offering farm-to-table dishes and boutique hotels in 16th-century buildings. Lost in Florence is the culmination of the author's popular blog by the same name and offers a comprehensive guide to the very best places to eat, drink, shop and explore in this magical Italian city. A series of itineraries mean you can get the most out of your visit, whether you have only a day or two or more, and daytrips to nearby places like Siena, Cinque Terre and the Chianti wine region are also included. Italians pride themselves on a quality of life - la dolce vita - and with this beautifully designed guidebook, you will discover those unique travel experiences beyond the tourist haunts. ...Show more