New Zealand Books

Unfortunately I gave this gorgeous book away as a gift! It is visually beautiful, wonderfully written and leaves you wanting to book a ticket downunder

Michael Cooper's WINE ATLAS OF NEW ZEALAND is the first wine atlas dedicated just to New Zealand - a nation becoming known world-wide for its high quality wines. Michael Cooper has over 25 years experience researching and writing on his subject and is the perfect professional choice for producing a guide which reviews the nation's climate, soils, ten wine-making regions, and nearly 300 wine companies. Add color photos of labels, countryside and productions throughout and you have an important basic reference.

Here's a region-by-region profile to over 280 wine companies accompanying in-depth profiles of 10 selected New Zealand winemakers and packed with maps and new photos. Analysis of climate, soils and wine styles accompany an illustrated history of the wine industry and a regional organization just perfect for the destination-oriented New Zealand wine fan. But you don't have to be traveling there to appreciate the extensive geography and wine grape facts packed into Michael Cooper's Wine Altas Of New Zealand: with John McDermott's color photos gracing nearly every page, armchair wine fans have a lot to enjoy, too.

At the Montana New Zealand Book Awards 2003, announced 22 July, Wine Atlas of New Zealand, by Michael Cooper, won the Montana Medal for the supreme work of non-fiction. The judges' commented that "the final decision on the winner of the Montana Medal was influenced by our collective view that the Wine Atlas of New Zealand could not possibly be improved upon - it is elegantly written, superbly designed and produced and its impact on the community has been considerable. Michael Cooper has written many superb books on wine in New Zealand - this is unquestionably his Magnum Opus."

There's not much more to say than that this is a fantastic treatment of its subject. The book is well laid out, fantastically researched, beautifully photographed and a joy to look at (let alone read!). It is little wonder this won the Montana Book Award - Cooper has meticously researched his subject.
The book starts off with an introduction (as they tend to do) then explores the fascinating history of viticulture in New Zealand before tracing the impact of New Zeland wine on the world market. We also get to explore the most commonly grown grape varieties in New Zealand and how they are characterised in New Zealand wines.
General information out of the way, Cooper then explores in detail the wine regions of New Zeland with fantastic maps, photographs and notes on individual wines and wineries.
The book is also indespersed with profiles of key players in the New Zealand wine industry and history.
To sum up - its a beautiful book and a must for anyone interested in the area. It is by far the most comprehenive treatment of New Zeland viticulture, and worthy of the accolades it receives.

I've been traveling through Australia on expedition (mostly in the Simpson Desert) and this book features awesome panoramic photography throughout the continent. Unfortunately, the references to "God" once again muddy its pages. You know what to do, though: get out that permanent marker, careful to keep the real beauty unscathed.

In this age of immense suburban sprawl and the drive by many to pollute this world as much as possible, we can be reminded of some of the beautiful places that still exist. This book is an example and what a terrific book it is. It's absolutely appalling one would take a permanent marker to this book to black out God's glorious name. He did, afterall, create this place that we all share as our home. God created it for us to enjoy and we ought to praise Him for that everyday... not black out His name.

Ken Duncan has managed to capture Australia beautifully. This is an an excellent buy for those who appreciate landscape photography.

This is a beautiful book of a gifted photographer. Just like the "America Wide" this book offers much joy and peace in browsing through its pages. Thanks God for giving Ken such talent and skills.

You have to hand it to the Brits: there were elements of almost mystical grace about the way they lost, or shall we say misplaced, their Empire.

On dune and headland sank indeed the fire. But in its fading glow there were elements of decency and heroism, including Britain's lonely fight against Nazi Germany, survivors in the South Atlantic in 1982 singing "look on the bright side of life", and here, the conquest of Everest by a bunch of amateurs and jolly Sherpas, the latter being drunk most of the time on Strange Brew indeed.

Chronicled by a bloke who later became a lass who carried the message to Garcia with Tom Brownian pluck, who played up, played up, and played the game so that a chit of a girl could add a jewel to her crown, in a land no longer British.

Having stumbled around mountains myself courtesy of the patient tutelage of Outward Bound, another British invention, I can relate to a non-mountaineer slogging up into the thin cold air. And rather than sentimentalising mountain vistas when they are seen up close and personal, Morris makes it clear that these places are alternately glorious, unearthly in their beauty, and demon-haunted, and terrible in their menace.

The worst aspect of mountaineering for the tyro is, as Morris shows, the descent when everything has been done, but instead of basking in your accomplishment, you have to slog down, and gravity becomes your mortal enemy, driving weary bones into each other and mocking a descent that turns into another fall of man:

From what height thou see'est, into what pit fall'n

Sentimentalists in the American wilderness wonder at the bad temper of pioneers who name such picture postcard views, Devil's Leap, Hell's Rockyard, Lucifer's Barstool and Jornado del Muerte. They need only walk the walk on the talking rocks that mock you in the sun, or on Morris' ice falls turning into vile mush to realize that we have to earn our ticket to the Sublime.

Morris describes in this re-issued book, published long ago right after the great events, a gone world. Today, on Everest, every prospect pleases (well, many do) but only man is vile, and can pass people dying in the Yuppie way. That wouldn't have occured to the men he describes.

The solution to the transmission problems alone is worth the price of the book: like the book The Victorian Internet, this book shows that before the Internet, the urge to connect time and space was real and people were willing to do what was necessary to get the message to Garcia.

It is nobler to think that the Empire ended at "Coronation Everest", the decent bits, anyway. The Empire of time-serving colonial pukka sahibs and their impossible wives ended at Suez. The Empire of ideals, of Bertrand Russell, of hymn singing when the ship went down, of genuinely decent people doing their best, that ended on top of the world the week before the Coronation.

This is a wonderfully written book of the events surrounding the historic Everest expedition of 1953 which saw Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay summit Mount Everest. It was written by special correspondent for The London Times, James Morris, who accompanied the expedition and first broke the news to the world of the successful summit. The news fortuitously reached England on the eve of Queen Elizabeth's the II coronation of June 2, 1953, and was the cause for much nationalistic pride. Hence, the name of the book.

The book is reflective of the time in which it was written and evokes a feeling of an era long gone. Therein lies its charm. Nostalgia buffs will love it, as will those readers looking to consume anything about Everest. It will not disappoint, though the book is not about the climb to the summit in the strictest sense. The book chronicles in great detail the author's journey to Everest, as well as his personal experiences and observations while at Everest, waiting to break the story of the end result of the historic climb to the summit. It also chronicles the cloak and dagger methodology which he employed in order maintain exclusivity for The London Times.

It should be noted in the interest of clarity and to avoid confusion, that times do indeed change. The author, James Morris, underwent a gender change subsequent to the original 1958 publication of this book. When the book was released again, however, the publisher did so under the name which the author had since adopted, Jan Morris. James or Jan, the author is a hell of a writer, and the book is well worth reading.

Although the outcome is known, there is much to be gained from reading this book.

Apart from the specific history of the climb which 'conquered' Everest (a much-used but dubious claim about one of the great feats of human endeavour, and one not used by those involved), I was particularly interested in several aspects:

* The description of the expedition took place, the mechanics of it from someone outside the actual expedition;
* The non-mountaineer's view of mountain-climbing and experiences in the Khumbu ice-fall and Western Cwm especially. This was the experience many an armchair-Everesteer would wish for themselves, I am sure;
* The journalist's view of the people involved - all the other accounts I have read have been written from the point of view of being 'insiders' in the ecpedition - Hunt, Hillary, Tenzing, for example
* The mechanics of how Morris set up 'exclusive' media coverage from the mountain! It is amazing to think that it was a mere 50 years ago that messages were taking 8 days to reach London, when nowadays we hear live radio broadcasts of people dying in snowstorms, have immediate Internet access to expedition journals etc.

Thoroughly recommended for anyone with any interest at all in the subject.

This slim volume details the trip of London Times journalist Jan Morris with the 1953 British Everest Expedition. It provides interesting and unique first-hand accounts of Hillary, Tenzing, and other expedition personnel, as well as beautifully written descriptions of the landscape and persons encountered on the expedition. It is written in the style of its day - English "Public School" in tone - and reflects a love and command of the English language all too lacking in today's expedition accounts.

The account flows easily and draws the reader along with the expedition. Despite knowing the outcome, the reader is kept interested by the tone and language, and by the behind-the-scenes looks at how this mammoth effort came together, and its ultimate effect on those on the mountain and those back home in England. For example, as the book opens on the eve of Elizabeth II's Coronation, we see Field Marshal Montgomery reading the Time's account of Hillary and Tenzing's triumph as he waits in robes to process in the Coronation parade. Small asides such as this give the book its unique flavor, and make it an interesting and invaluable addition to the armchair (or actual) mountaineer's collection

Darkest Hour is not only an excellent historical account of one of the most important "battles" at the beginning of World War II but also an entertaining read that is hard to put down. The author does a good job at character development, which is often something lacking in these kinds of books. He follows the Lark Force from its inception in Australia to its demise (mostly) in the wretched hold of a Japanese cargo ship. All is not hopeless as the stories of those who did manage to escape the island and get back home are told in adequate detail. This book made we want to read more about this period of World War II in the Pacific theater.

The book "Darkest Hour: The True Story of Lark Force at Rabaul" is a compelling historic accounting of those Australian men and women on the southwest Pacific island of New Britain that was run over by the invading Japanese Army. Their fateful encounter began at the early morning hour of 2:30 a.m. on January 23, 1942. The Japanese rushed ashore to completely overwhelm the 1500 men and six nurses in the garrison; thus begins one of the most tragic tales of WWII.

Less than 25% of those in the garrison were able to escape and evade and after many weeks of hardship found their way off the island to safety. However, those that remained were captured and endure cruel and sometime lethal treatment at the hands of the Japanese. In one incident alone, two hundred POWS were executed. But a worse fate was still awaiting 850 of the survivors when they were torpedoed by an American submarine and went down with the ship while locked in their holding cells below deck.

The book is obviously researched very well. Author Bruce Gamble writes this historic story as if he were an eyewitness to the events. It is a most compelling and entertaining tale that shows the courage, sacrifices and horrors of war first hand. Gamble makes us feel the emotions of that group as he shares with the reader some of the small details of the events by the people involved. The writing is top notched and goes beyond a mere reporting of what happened. It captures the heart and soul of that time and place. Reading this true story will change you; you cannot help but be moved by what happened to these men and women.

This book is one of those that once you begin reading it you do not want to pout it down until you are finished with it. I give this book my personal endorsement and highest recommendation. It has also earned The Military Writer's Society of America's top book rating of FIVE STARS! This book is more than just history--it is also a tribute to those fine soldiers and nurses of Lark Force who gave their lives for freedom.

Pearl Harbor, Normandy, Stalingrad, Iwo Jima. These are just a handful of the battles that come to mind when people think about World War II--and rightfully so. Thankfully, though, Bruce Gamble extends his vision to one of the most gripping, and tragic, stories of the entire war. The story of Lark Force. Not only a true page turner (Gamble is an excellent story teller), Darkest Hour is obviously well-researched and filled with detail. Put simply, their story deserved to be told, and Bruce Gamble provided a fitting tribute to their legacy.

Darkest Hour is a moving book about one of Australia's least known World War Two incidents.
My grandfather died on the Montevideo Maru and for years I've searched for information about his death and his time on Rabaul. This book provided me with many answers others haven't.
Bruce Gamble writes about the members of Lark Force as real men and honestly discusses the controversy surrounding their fate.

A compelling, disturbing book that brings this darkest hour in Australian war time history into the light.

As someone who grew up in London in the sixties and seventies and who now lives in New Zealand this was a must buy. Plus I've been a long time fan of the Pretty Things ever since I picked up a mint copy of their original Fontana lp (from Shoppertunities in Holborn) in the early seventies. The photographs are illuminating (there is some repetiton but this is not a problem) and the text is both informative and entertaining. NZ even now in 2006 has its retro qualities but not to the degree that existed in the sixties. My first visit in 1977 helps me accept the introverted nature of the culture there in previous years as shown in this book. If you're a Pretty Things fan then this is essential for your life. If you're not then try their 60s recordings and then read this - it's a distillation of the progress of rock from its black American roots to its current situation and thus is applicable many times over everywhere in the western world.

If you are a fan of The Pretty Things already then you will want this tidy magazine-style book revealing all about the group's momentous 1965 tour of New Zealand with Sandie Shaw. Even if you are not a fan of The Pretty Things (why not I wonder?), I'm sure after reading this revelatory account, you will be rushing to your nearest record emporium to snap up as many of the group's platters as you can afford or can carry home. Yes, it's true, this is the most revealing account of a group on tour in the early days of rock-group-goes-on-the-road as you could hope to ever imagine in your wildest dreams. If you've ever wondered what the source, or origin was for all these excessive hotel trashing, tv throwing, vomit-stained tales of hard rockin' & hard livin' pop groups on tour...THIS IS IT! If you are of a nervous disposition, or get queasy easy, then please do take care turning the pages. This is a unique, one-off publication of a totally one-off, unique rock group's tour - actually not much more a couple of weeks at the most, told by the participants, and put together by a intensely dedicated team of passionate experts...this is the last word on that fateful Pretty Things visit to New Zealand in the late summer of 1965, with all the words, pictures, tall tales, truths, half-truths, lies all brought forth into the light for the first time ever. Yeah. BUY IT NOW...before it disappears - Lenny Helsing (The Thanes) Scotland UK

Mike Stax and Co. have done a superb job yet again of bringing the rock'n'roll past to life in all of its raucous glory. The Pretties' 1965 tour of New Zealand is a high point in pop mayhem but this is the first time anyone has told the story fully. The photos are fantastic, the overall archival research superb, and the writing excellent throughout. If you want a snapshot of what rock'n'roll was like before it became scripted and predictable, read this book. Truly an excellent story excellently told. Kudos.

For those in the know, the Pretty Things were every bit as cool as the Brian Jones-era Stones. Here is a detailed account of their notorious tour of New Zealand where the outrageous antics of their drummer Viv Prince got them banned for life. Filled with press clippings, a well-researched text (it appears that all of the principals were interviewed) and lots of pictures, the book is obviously a labor of love. Published by UT Publishing, a spin-off of the fabulous Ugly Things magazine, the coolest zine of its kind. Recommended for all age groups.

I've seen Chris Amon race a few times in the sixties. In formula 2 in Zolder (where I was born) and in formula 1 in Franchorchamps. He was a nice chap (he still is, I suppose)and readily spent a couple of minutes with a 15-year old who spoke lousy English. Posing for a few pictures was no problem either. 40-odd years later, I still have the (black&white) snapshots.
I always considered him to be one of the best drivers ever. Victories and/or world titles never tell the complete story. Michael Schumacher is a mediocre, because very unsportsmanlike, driver with an impressive roll of honour. Amon was a great driver and, most of all, a real human being, not a walking advertising column.

Back in the olden days-well, the seventies-when there was no such thing as F1 racing on teevee, one had to rely on periodicals to stay current! Really, magazines! One quickly discovered the good magazines were:"Autosport","Motorsport" and "Competition Press" and that guys like Denis Jenkinson, Pete Lyons and Eoin Young were the guys you wanted to read. Sure there were others but these were my big three. Anyway, imagine my delight on finding a biography of the eternally unlucky Kiwi written by the eternally entertaining one! I only saw Amon in action twice, both times near the end of his career (Long Beach and Anderstorp 1976) but had known of him for years longer and like I said: Eoin Young's prose is of the best! The book is wonderfully evocative of a better time in the world of autoracing, or so it would seem; the drivers, anyway, were personalities and not corporate paper dolls, the circuits varied and challenging and the cars needful of drivers, real drivers!
If for nothing more than chapter three, "High times: the Ditton Road Flyers and 'Big Ed'"this book is well worth the money and the time it takes to read. I was laughing so hard it was a wonder the nice men with the butterfly nets didn't come and take me to the laughing academy.
The rest of the book is likewise engaging, informative and sometimes the incidents described are tragic, so that it's a relief to find that our hero hadn't gone home to Bulls, New Zealand to become a bitter recluse forever damning the (bad) old days.
I will certainly be keeping an eye open for future offerings from Mister Young, as long as he keeps writing 'em, I'll keep reading 'em.

A big fan of Chris Amon, I tried to follow his career and watched some of the Formula One races where he was comfortably leading (Jarama 1968, Montjuich 1969) and must have won. The way I felt witnessing his car breaking down those times, I cannot even imagine how he must have felt! I also watched some other of his rides during those years in Spain, France and Britain. And I unfortunately missed his masterful driving pieces at Monza, Spa and, very especially, Clermont-Ferrand. After all, not much F1 on TV then, and no time and money to get to every Grand Prix there was.

And here I found, a few months ago, his biography written by no less than Eoin Young. Besides attending a race live, the other best way of knowing what was going on, and getting fine entertainment out of the reading, was to get a copy of Autocar, (not easy to find here in Spain) and read one of Eoin's articles. Of course, I couldn't miss this book!

I really felt transported to the "good old times", and enjoyed enormously the reading. It was much better than attending the missing races, and knowing first-hand about Chris personality, ups and downs, were both gratifying and touching. I especially savoured the italian anecdotes of his Ferrari times: His lunches in the company of the great Enzo Ferrari, were really something, not to mention the return trips with the Old Man at the wheel of the 2+2 Berlinetta. And the situation during the '67 Le Mans 24-hour, in the middle of the night, trying to replace a punctured wheel of his P4, can make you laugh to tears.

I believe this book is a must for anyone interested in the history of motorsport. Thanks to Eoin for such great reading moments.

"Forza Amon" is the first full length biography of this legendary unlucky driver, and is a ripping good yarn. Previous writings about Amon were usually hindered by the fact that Amon was considered to be part of a trio - Bruce McLaren and Denny Hulme were other New Zealand drivers participating in Formula One at more or less the same time as Chris, and there are a number of "Trio at the top" titles which deal with all three New Zealanders. "Forza Amon" is written by a fellow New Zealander, Eoin Young, who used to work for the McLaren Racing Team in the 1960's, and later on as a motorsport journalist. Young and Amon both knew each other back in the early McLaren days when Chris was an up and comer in the game.

The tale begins with a young Kiwi on a farm in Bulls, New Zealand, the same young Kiwi who would taste the ultimate success at Le Mans in 1966, and who would go on to lead the famous and illustrious Ferrari team in their F1 efforts. During a Formula One career spanning 13 seasons from 1963 to 1976, Amon would famously lead 183 laps in Formula One Championship races, failing to finish first even once (he did win a couple of non-championship F1 events, including the 1971 Argentine F1 race).

Yound writes of Amon's early motorsport endeavours in small town NZ in the 50's, before debutting with Reg Parnell's outfit in 1963, having made the trip to Europe. The glory days with Ferrari, March, and Matra are covered. The distasterous Amon F1 car is discussed, as is the shambolic 1973 effort with Tecno, before Amon stepped into the 3rd Tyrell for the penultimate race of the season. Chris's F1 career winds down with Ensign, the little outfit for which Chris finished 5th in one race.

The book benefits from what appears to considerable input from Chris himself - it is obvious that Young spent a lot of time down on the family farm in Bulls, coaxing these stories out of Chris over a beer (or dozen). Young also draws upon contempory writings particularly those of Motorsport and Denis Jenkinson. There are a number of photographs, colour and black & white in 4 inserts throughout the book. "Forza Amon!" is fast, easy, and enjoyable reading especially for those who dislike the sanitized Formula One of today.

Get your kids to learn to pronunce rumbustification and you will all enjoy the two great stories in this book. Great illustrations too.

My 5 year old son just loves this book, we have been reading it over and over again for the past year. Great fun for both kids and parents!

This book was read to me by a teacher as a way to learn to write a story outline, and with this book I found it extremely easy. The Librarian and the Robbers was hilarious and easy to follow.

It's kind of sad that the lack of reviews here makes it look like no one has looked at this funny book on this site since 1998. It's very funny and just the kind of book a young boy would make any adult read to him over and over. And girls will like it too.

If you had put your hand over my eyes and read the first paragraph of the first story to me, with main characters Alpha, Oliver and Omega, I would have known who wrote it right away. It has Mahy's rhythm, her humor that comes from the sound of the words, the alliteration she loves. This is a book made to be read aloud. It sounds funny, and it means funny too. The plot of these two stories twist in ways that, even having read a lot of Mahy, I never could have predicted. Everytime I encounter one of her stories, I wonder how that kind of twist came to her. I wish I could do it myself.

The first story is about three boys who have recently moved into a house. In the apartment, whenever the boys tried to do something adventuresome, they were told to wait until they were in a big house. Then they'd have space enough to have an adventure. Well, they were in the new house, and nothing was happening... until a pirate decides their house is the perfect place to "steal" a party.

In the second story, a bunch of atypical robbers kidnap an orphaned librarian reasoning that her "parents" would be the city, and they would have to come up with ransom in order to open the library again. But of course, the librarian always wins. Mahy was herself a librarian for many years.

Perfect read-aloud book. Lots of fun. And the illustrations are an extra (goofy) plus. They are done by Quentin Blake, the illustrator who worked on Roald Dahl's books, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, BFG, The Witches etc. You'll recognize his style when you see it.

I have a personal connection to this book that makes it valuable in many deep ways. My son was the contemporary of these adventurers. He shared some of them and also was the crazy graphic artist mentioned in the book. Up until 1992 when he died in a parapente accident, my son Leo Geary designed Rob Hall's expedition branded items, such as hats and stationery. During the years 1987-1992 he was in New Zealand so most of what I knew of his life was through letters. He loved the climbing, skiing, and parapenting that was taken to greater extremes by his friends and others in this book. It tells the life stories of Hall & Ball through all their exciting adventures, up to and beyond their deaths. Through this book I can feel why they did what they did, the vivid life experiences that made the sacrifices worth it. It is a great document and historical record that is quite precious. The photography and printing is outstanding.

Rob Hall and Gary Ball, two New Zealanders who lived the dream of conquering 7 of the world's highest summits in 7 months. This book is full of breathtaking photography, a touch of humour, the heartaches and joys of conquering the summits and the tragedies which cut their lives short. This book is a must for those who have similar aspirations and dreams.

As a fan of mountaineering writings and photography I was pleased to 'discover' this fine new book. Most people will know of Rob Hall in light of the tragic storm that took his life and several others in May of 1994. But as you will find there is very much more to the Hall story and his amiably unorthodox business partner and friend Gary Ball. This book is very well-written and lavishly adorned with inspiring climbing photography. It tracks the early days of Hall and Ball on their home peaks on the South Island of New Zealand to the world's Greater Ranges. Although, there is plenty of lively dialogue concerning Everest and the issues of commercial expeditions between the covers, this book as a whole is a pleasant santctuary from the "controversies" of the Everest disaster. It serves to joyfully remind its audience of the enduring appeal of high mountains and the vibrant life that can be found there. I highly recommend this book. It is a thoughtful illumination of two legendary mountaineers and the great adventure that was their lives.

Both the pictures and text of this book are authentic and tell the story of typical New Zealand adventurers that became famous and died in the mountains. The pictures are by Hall, Ball, and friends. You see what you have only read about in books on Everest climbs, from the dawns to the garbage. The text puts the Himalayan climbing tragedies in context of the lives of the heros and their friends. Details come from journals, letters, interviews, and memories. The author knew Hall & Ball well. This is a great tribute, compelling read, and looks good on a coffee table too (big book).

This is one of the best travelogues you will ever find about any place, anywhere!
Not to mention about countries as obscure as Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands - two rarely visited, but fascinaing archipelagos indeed.
The author does in-depth research about the history and culture of these places before setting out on a personal voyage retracing a route that was taken by his great-grandfather who had been a missionary in these parts. His homework pays off very nicely: not only does he succeed in getting everywhere he wants to, but also writes a book rich in background info in addition to his personal impressions and adventures. And he certainly does get to some remote parts of these remote countries: the Banks Islands and Maewo in Vanuatu, or Temotu province in the Solomons are out of the way places visited by very few.

Why only 4 stars then?
Well, even though the author claims to be an atheist and thus tries to examine the role of religion in local cultures objectively, he soon becomes obsessed with the idea of finding "magic" ("true" magic, that is) in these islands. He is hoping to find it performed by everyone and anyone from traditional medicine men to the local Anglican clergy, undeterred by the fact that he himself admits every single incident he has managed to observe was either a very obvious trick or at best the result of what could well have been a natural coincidence. This change in focus of the book became a bit annoying eventually.

But all in all, an excellent, amazingly well researched account.
Definitely recommended if you are interested in this region at all.
I read the book just before visiting Melanesia, and it was as good a reading as any to prepare me for my trip there.

And a tip: the book is still available in new copies on Amazon's Canadian site - have a look there if you can't find it here.

This book is a fascinating journey that explores the power of simply believing in something, whether it be religion, myth, an icon or people themselves. It presents facts without prejudice yet reveals fascinating details of the author's personal, emotional and geographical journey as he follows his great grandfather's footsteps to the other side of the world. It combines stories of academia, theology, history and contemporary issues in a non-confrontational yet intriguing presentation of generations and cultures colliding in our ever-shrinking global community. I highly recommend reading Charles Montgomery's "The Last Heathen". It is an exceptional story which deserves a captive audience.

Fabulous book. Part travel, part history, part meeting of two cultures, the author lays it all before you with a delightful sense of humour, a discerning eye, and a sincere respect for the people of Melanesia. It opens up a window to a world most people know nothing about and are unlikely to ever encounter. For me, as a frequent visitor to that part of the world, it was wonderful a trip down memory lane.

By the time a little packet of sand gets opened on page 2 of the book, I got swept up in a tale much grander than the postcard idyll of the cover seems to suggest. The narrator travels tough terrain and has adventures of the kind best experienced in an armchair; he tells them eloquently and passionately; but the real magic of the book is how these experiences are woven into larger and deeper ideas that elevate it past almost all travel writing.
It is beautifully written, it is a great book and like all great books, it transforms the reality of the reader; in the end it is their world that has changed, that has become less familiar, less certain, and strangely more alive.

Well put together, very encompassing, good explanations...... It doesn't need a paragraph to describe it. If you like Da Vinci or want to learn more about him, this is a great place to start!

I never imagined that through a "child book" I would learn about this master-genious and moreover to be capable to comprehend the "details" about his art. I really enojoyed reading this book, I learn more about his famous paints and why they are considered pieces of art. I was motivaded to read more over the other great art's men such as Picasso or Michael Angel Buonorrati; I never thought that could be an easy way to understand this genious. I strongly recommend this book and the other series too; you can not only learn but also share with your child and encourage him to develop his talents or just enhance your "general culture" reading this great book. The talent consist in explaing complex ideas using a "simple language" that everybody can understand. There is not reason to became so sophisticated and not be able to "share" what you learn with the rest of the world. When you learn a good joke you want to tell the rest about it; it is meaningless if you just keep it for yourself...

This excellent book focuses on Leonardo's drawings in the Royal Library at Windsor. Everyone has seen the Mona Lisa and the Last Supper, but Leonardo's greatest achievments are found in his drawings. Vivid HIGH QUALITY color reproductions are accompanied by insightful commentary and historical/biographical information. The book covers the whole breadth of Leonardo's intellectual development. 100 color drawings by history's greatest draftsman, and indeed one of most powerful minds the world has ever seen. As the book says "...[Leonardo's] drawings [are] the pure expression of his genius, boundless and magnificent."
What more could one want in a book? 5/5

It's not the best Da vinci book, but it has a LOT of drawings.