book club associates edition (49 results)

Hardcover. Condition: Fair. Ship within 24hrs. Satisfaction 100% guaranteed. APO/FPO addresses supported.

Book Club Edition. Condition: vg. genuine 1st Bodley Head 1973 1st print edition vg+ hardcover book good dw In stock shipped from our UK warehouse.

Hardcover. Condition: Fair. Ship within 24hrs. Satisfaction 100% guaranteed. APO/FPO addresses supported.

Hardcover. Condition: Used; Very Good. Dispatched, from the UK, within 48 hours of ordering. Though second-hand, the book is still in very good shape. Minimal signs of usage may include very minor creasing on the cover or on the spine.

VG in Good dustwrapper. A cheaper alternative to what can prove to be an expensive title.

Condition: Gut. Edited by Ludovic Kennedy. Englischsprachige Hardcoverausgabe mit Schutzumschlag, 205 Seiten mit zahlreichen interessanten Abbildungen. Gutes Exemplar (good Condition). pw82 ISBN: 246105143.

Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Book Club Edition. Firmly bound, illustrated, gray boards. No jacket.

Cloth, 4to, 29 cm, 288 pp, 380 ills including 80 in colour. 'What is British about British art? 'What are the qualities for which the visual arts of Britain have been celebrated? What is it we have excel led at, or done differently - and why? These are some of the questions which the General Editor, Edwin Mullins, and his team of authors set out to answer in The Arts of Britain. Each author is an expert in a particular field, and each essay is a personal appreciation of the British contribution not only to the major arts - painting, architecture, sculpture, ceramics, jewellery, silver, glass, textiles and furniture - but to the minor arts as well - book illustration, musical instruments, armour, clocks, garden design, folk art, photography and studio crafts. The whole of Britain's long artistic tradition is covered, from prehistoric times to the present day; and the effect of British taste on British North America is discussed in the closing chapter. The illustrations have been carefully chosen to allow the reader to see for himself the artistic qualities described in the essays, and further guidance is provided in the lists of public collections and select bibliographies on each subject."- from the blurb, Inscription on front pastedown endpaper, margins agetoned, otherwise Very Good in an agetoned dustwrapper.

Cloth, 8vo, 232 pp, 20 pages of colour plates, 100 black-and-white ills, maps. "Marco Polo's amazing journey to China and his twenty-year odyssey to the ends of the earth is justly famous: his own terse but detailed record of what he saw has been a popular classic of travel literature ever since his death 650 years ago. But Marco's story is more of a vast travel guide than a personal account; and Richard Humble feels that the personal side of Marco's travels has been sadly neglected. It was - and remains - an epic of human adventure. Marco met with so many trials and dangers in twenty-five years of constant travelling that the odds were heavily stacked against his ever getting home to his native Venice to tell the tale. Small wonder that when he did, the hard-headed Venetians of his day dismissed his stories as romantic exaggeration. Richard Humble has presented a new and thought-provoking account of Marco's incredible wanderings - why he went in the first place, the frustrating setbacks and mortal danger that dogged the party on its long overland march to the Court of Kubilai Khan, Marco's unique career in the Khan's service, and his final eventful return to Europe long after his family had given him up for dead. The book is lavishly illustrated." - from the blurb. Very Good in slightly yellowed dustwrapper.

Cloth, 8vo, 24 cm, 288 pp. From the blurb - " 'In Bloomsbury' Leon Edel once told himself lightheartedly, 'there are nine characters in search of an author.' Those nine characters are Virginia Woolf, Leonard Woolf, Lytton Strachey, Maynard Keynes, Desmond MacCarthy, Roger Fry, Clive Bell, Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant - representing among them the arts and crafts of politics, economics, fiction, biography, criticism and painting. Mr Edel sees them as, in Virginia Woolf's words, 'dangerous animals, rather suspicious of each other, and full of fascination and mystery*, but also as forming a group of rational and liberal individuals, characterized by intelligence and charm, an arduous work ethic and *a certain high and gentry view of civilization'. While telling their story as if it were a novel, Mr Edel is aware that a biographer may allow himself imagination of form but never imagination of fact. He has chosen an episodic form for his psychological interpretations, following his characters from childhood into middle age by relating episode to episode like the beads on a string, and a style which is elegant and vivid, lightly ironic and swift in movement." Very Good in lightly edgeworn dustwrapper.

Cloth, 8vo, 363 pp, ills, plates. Before 1840, no one really knew who the Maya were or where they came from. In 1839 Stephens and Catherwood hacked their way through the jungle of Central America to explore and discover the remains of the mysterious Maya civilization.These two talented nineteenth century explorers formed a remarkable combination. Stephens, an American lawyer, was an unusually fine writer, and Catherwood, an English architect, was an accomplished artist of renown.In this absorbing biographical account, enriched by Catherwood's brilliant illustr4tions, Victor von Hagen traces the eventful lives of the two protagonists as explorers in Egypt and the Middle East, the drama and excitement, adventure and hardship on their arduous journey to the heart of the ancient Maya civilization. Von Hagen, himself an archaeological 'soldier of fortune', has travelled the same routes and run the same risks as the subjects of his book. In his evocative story he re-lives the search for the Maya. Very Good in Very Good dustwrapper.

Cloth, 8vo, 143 pp, plates. In 1921 at Harappa, a small town in the Punjab, and in 1922 at Mohenjo-daro in Sind, evidence was discovered of an evolved urban culture nearly two thousand years older than any previously recognized in the Indo-Pakistan subcontinent. From the distribution of the sites first explored, the culture was named the Indus Valley civilization. This name it retains, although subsequent research has revealed elements of the civilization on the one hand westwards to the Makran coast and Saurashtra, and on the other hand eastwards into the valley of the Yamunã (Jumna). Thus amplified, the civilization is appreciably larger than its contemporaries in Iraq and Egypt. In this third edition Sir Mortimer Wheeler summarizes the new contributions to the study of the Indus civilization. Several sections have been rewritten, including new discussions on climate and dating. The book has been entirely reset, the figures redrawn, and new photographs of pottery, sculpture and sites have been added. Very Good in slightly sunned dustwrapper.

Cloth, 8vo, 28 cm, 240 pp, 95 black-and-white illustrations 16 pages of colour. From the blurb: "Ancient Egypt, with its legacy of pyramids, pharaohs and sphinxes, is a land of power and mystery to the modern world. In The Civilization of Ancient Egypt Paul Johnson explores the growth and decline of a culture which survived 3000 years while maintaining a purity of style to rival all others. State, religion, culture and geographical setting were all elements which combined to form an unusually durable civilization. The most unifying of these elements was the theocratic power invested in the divine person of the pharaoh; his influence on politics and religion provided the racial and cultural stability from which all growth stemmed. Why then did such a unified civilization collapse? Egypt was the great Bronze Age power reluctant to move into the Iron Age; it was based too much on tradition, to the extent that individuality - and consequently cultural innovation - suffered; it rejected new commercial ventures and changes in class structure, retreating too readily into its past. Yet despite the disappearance of a great state, its influence and artistic legacy remain." Very Good in Very Good dustwrapper.

Cloth, 4to, 26 cm, 256 pp, ills. "This book seeks to introduce the reader to one of the most fascinating periods of world history - more than two millennia of outstanding human achievement. Tracing the origins and development of the early civilization of China up to the Mongol invasion which effectively ended it, the book ranges over all aspects of cultural development - archaeology, philosophy, religion, politics, administration, society, economy, the arts, science and technology. Since Marco Polo first related his experiences in the magnificent and sophisticated empire of the Great Khan, Chinese civilization, and in particular Chinese art, has held a mysterious attraction for the western imagination. In the light of the exciting new archaeological discoveries of the last decades, a reappraisal of the full spectrum of early Chinese society, such as this book offers, is a timely contribution to cultural studies. Lucid and informative, the book maintains a careful balance between general reassessment and detailed study and is magnificently illustrated with over a hundred photographs in black-and-white and colour." - from the blurb. Very Good in slightly torn dustwrapper.

Cloth, 8vo, xii, 190 pp, [4] leaves of plates, tables, maps. On Christmas Day, 1241, the armies of Batu Khan, founder of the Golden Horde, crossed the Danube while the disunited kingdoms of the West lay at their mercy. The Mongol invasion of Europe was entering its final phase, and it seemed as if all of Christendom was about to be destroyed by soldiers from Hell. The Devil's Horsemen is an examination of the origins and consequences of this extraordinary campaign. Based on a wealth of contemporary sources, it describes in detail the tactics and training of the finest army the world had ever seen, and tells the story of Subedei Bahadur, the illiterate military genius who brought 20th-century warfare to mediaeval Europe. Remembered today only as savage barbarians, the author shows how the Mongols were in fact formidable soldiers who invented strategies and tactics later adopted to devastating effect by Rommel and Patton. Mr Chambers also explains how one of the most impressive military operations in history resulted in the drawing together of the two hemispheres of the old world and the start of East - West communications. In particular, he chronicles the uneasy relationship that developed between the papacy and the Mongol khans and pinpoints the reasons for the Church's failure to consolidate the spread of Christianity in the East. Vertical line in lamination of front panel of dustwrapper, otherwise Very Good in dustwrapper.

Cloth, 8vo, xvi, 422 pp. "The ancient and elaborate civilization, which was first revealed by Schliemann and more fully disclosed by the excavations of Sir Arthur Evans in Crete dating from 1900, is here described for us by Professor Glotz in a style of amazing richness, informed throughout by sound and comprehensive scholarship. This people, who lived so long in luxury and peace, who cultivated the arts with such a highly developed aesthetic sense, who finally passed so much of their heritage to ancient Greece, hold an important place in the history of civilization." - from the blurb. Very Good in a dustwrapper which is very heavily sunned around the spine.

Cloth, 4to, 26 cm, 224 pp, 85 illustrations, 15 in colour and 42 line drawings. From the blurb: "This book is about a scientific discovery, beginning with a chance observation by the author which, at the time, did not appear to be of more than limited importance. But from this other facts emerged which have made Egyptologists suddenly look at the pyramids in a somewhat different light. The thesis put forward is a very simple one: the pyramids of Egypt are immensely large, very ancient and, by general consensus, extremely useless. These fantastic man-made mountains, containing altogether more than 25 million tons of quarried limestone, were heaped up in just over a century. However useless they may appear to us, they must have been considered in a different light by the ancient Egyptians since they expended an almost unbelievable amount of labour in constructing them, with no immediately obvious beneficial return to the populace. Dr Mendelssohn examines the history of the pyramids, the question whether they were burial places or cenotaphs, and the physical laws that governed the erection of a pyramid. Stemming from this comes the answer to the problem of the curious shape of the Meidum pyramid which arose from an ancient technological disaster, and the final solution of the whole riddle: what mattered was not the pyramid itself- it was the actual building of the pyramid, Astounding as this may seem it does not contradict the well-established funerary nature of the pyramids, and it provides a rational explanation for the colossal labour effort involved as a political and economic object in achieving the formation of a centralised state. Tested in isolation on the Mexican pyramids the feasibility of the solution is very evident. Having surveyed the pyramids and their objective Dr Mendelssohn finishes with a thought-provoking chapter on the meaning of a pyramid, which has much valid comment on our own modern society." Good in dustwrapper.

Cloth, 4to, 25 cm, 192 pp, 180 ills. From the blurb: "The influence of the Greeks on Western society has been greater and more fundamental than that of any other nation. It has touched almost every sphere, from ethics, philosophy, and politics to literature, science, aesthetics, and even language. Peter Green has written an authoritative and witty study - complemented by a wide variety of illustrations - of Greece during the centuries which preceded the Hellenistic age. After considering the mass of evidence which exists today to build up our picture of prehistoric Greece, Professor Green describes the culture of Minoan Crete, with its astonishing modernity; the Mycenaean civilization in Homeric tradition and in historical fact; and the flowering in culture and political thought which began in the mid-eighth century B.C. He discusses the forces at work in the rise and fall of the polis or city-state, and puts in perspective the roles of the tyrants and lawgivers, the philosophers and military commanders, the poets and sculptors. The growth of Athenian democracy, Hellenism, and the Persian Wars are all examined, together with the reversion to authoritarianism in the age which ended with the death of Alexander in 323 B.C. - the concluding point of the book. Throughout, the author draws together the strands of the story into two major themes: exploration and discovery - both in a literal and a creative, intellectual sense - and the Greek impulse to set the world in order, to rationalize it and to formulate abstract laws. The result - richly varied but closely argued - differs widely from the traditional military-political narrative, giving an entertaining and informative picture of the many facets of Greek culture and history in the period." Minor dent to top edge of front board, otherwise Very Good in Very Good dustwrapper.

Cloth, small 4to, 224 pp. From the blurb: "Five thousand years ago there began the most momentous revolution in human history. Beginning first in Mesopotamia, now Iraq, city civilization emerged for the first time on earth, to be followed in Egypt, India, China and the Americas. In each place, civilization arose independently and each had its own distinctive vision of the goals of life, The ideals of these ancient civilizations still shape the lives of the majority of mankind. In this fascinating historical search, Michael Wood explores these ancient cultures, looking for their essential character and their continuing legacy. What is civilization? Did it mean the same to the Chinese, the Indians and the Greeks? What can the values of the ancient cultures teach us today? And do the ideals of the West - a latecomer to civilization - really have universal validity? Michael Wood's book, based on the research done for his widely acclaimed television series Legacy, addresses these questions, affording fresh insights into the rise and decline of societies and the very nature of civilization. Legacy: A Search for the Origins of Civilization, which is illustrated with a wealth of colour and black-and-white photographs, is a tremendously inspiring book. This absorbing investigation of ancient cultures provides us with the impetus to look anew at the way we regard history and its still profound and unpredictable influence on our lives at the end of the twentieth century." Very Good in Near Very Good dustwrapper.

Hard back binding in publisher's original black paper covered boards, gilt title and author lettering to the spine. 8vo. 9½'' x 6¼''. Contains 214 printed pages of text with monochrome illustrations and photographs throughout. Fine condition book in Fine condition dust wrapper, not price clipped. Dust wrapper supplied in archive acetate film protection, it does not adhere to the book or to the dust wrapper. Member of the P.B.F.A. BRITISH PREHISTORY.

First thus edition hard back binding in publisher's original black paper covered boards, gilt title and author lettering to the spine. Quarto 10'' x 8''. Contains 246 printed pages of text with monochrome illustrations, maps and photographs throughout. Fine condition book in Fine condition dust wrapper, not price clipped. Dust wrapper supplied in archive acetate film protection, it does not adhere to the book or to the dust wrapper. Member of the P.B.F.A. ARCHAEOLOGY.

Cloth, 4to, 30 cm, 176 pp, ills, plans. From the blurb: "The ancient Romans considered that the world contained seven great man-made wonders, but of these only the pyramids remain to give us a glimpse of their magnificence. There are, however, many other great monuments and buildings which have survived and which testify to the immense creativity of ancient civilizations. They are to be found at sites all round the globe, stunning modern observers with the breadth of their conception and the ingenuity of their construction. Included amongst them are such different structures as the two thousand miles of the Great Wall of China, the intricate proportions of the Acropolis of Athens, and the stepped pyramids built by the Aztecs at Teotihuacan. Wonders of the Ancient World is a survey of the most imposing masterpieces of architecture and art produced by the great early civilizations of the Mediterranean, the Middle East, Asia and Central and South America. Charles Walker describes their construction and explains their use and the cultures that produced them. Colour photographs show the full splendour of what remains on each site, while meticulous reconstructions and plans give an accurate impression of some of the most important cities with which they were associated." Very Good in Very Good dustwrapper.

First thus edition hard back binding in publisher's original black paper covered boards, gilt title and author lettering to the spine. 8vo. 9½'' x 6¼''. Contains 216 printed pages of text with monochrome illustrations and photographs throughout. Lower edges scuffed. Very Good condition book in Fine condition dust wrapper, not price clipped. Dust wrapper supplied in archive acetate film protection, it does not adhere to the book or to the dust wrapper. Member of the P.B.F.A. BRITISH PREHISTORY.

First Edition thus. Condition: vg++/vg. vg++ book in vg dw US Book Club Chilton Edition 1972 hardcover, In stock shipped from our UK warehouse.

First BCA edition hard back binding in publisher's original forest green paper covered boards, gilt title and author lettering to the spine. 8vo. 9½'' x 6¼''. Contains 224 pp with monochrome illustrations and photographs throughout. Fine condition book in Very Good condition dust wrapper with much sun fading to the orange of the spine. Dust wrapper supplied in archive acetate film protection, it does not adhere to the book or to the dust wrapper. Member of the P.B.F.A. ARCHAEOLOGY (Roman Britain).

Hard back binding in publisher's original black paper covered boards, blocked and lettered gilt back, slate dyed upper edges. 8vo. 8½'' x 6''. Contains 270 pp with monochrome illustrations and archive photographs throughout. Fine condition book in Fine condition dust wrapper, not price clipped. Dust wrapper supplied in archive acetate film protection. Member of the P.B.F.A. BRITISH PREHISTORY.

Second edition hard back binding in publisher's original burgundy paper covered boards, gilt title and author lettering to the spine. 8vo. 9½'' x 6¼''. Contains 175 printed pages of text with monochrome illustrations and photographs throughout. Fine condition book in Fine condition dust wrapper. Dust wrapper supplied in archive acetate film protection, it does not adhere to the book or to the dust wrapper. Member of the P.B.F.A. ARCHAEOLOGY (Roman Britain).

Reprinted edition hard back binding in publisher's original blue paper covered boards, blocked and lettered gilt back. 8vo. 8½'' x 6''. Contains 271 pp with colour plates, half-tone and line illustrations. Spine ends and corners a little creased. Very Good condition book in Very Good condition dust wrapper with nicks to the spine ends, rubs to the corners, not price clipped. Dust wrapper supplied in archive acetate film protection. Member of the P.B.F.A. CENTRAL AMERICA.

First thus edition hard back binding in publisher's original russet paper covered boards, gilt title and author lettering to the spine. Quarto 10'' x 8''. Contains 203 printed pages of text with monochrome illustrations, maps and photographs throughout. Superficial wear to the covers. Fine condition book in Very Good condition dust wrapper with tiny nicks to the corners, not price clipped. Dust wrapper supplied in archive acetate film protection, it does not adhere to the book or to the dust wrapper. Member of the P.B.F.A. ISBN 0713617470 ARCHAEOLOGY.

First thus edition hard back binding in publisher's original green cloth covers, gilt title and author lettering to the spine. 8vo. 9½'' x 6¼''. Contains 286 printed pages of text with 32 pages of monochrome plates and 52 line illustrations. Fine condition book in Fine condition dust wrapper. Dust wrapper supplied in archive acetate film protection, it does not adhere to the book or to the dust wrapper. We currently hold in stock 15 other books by this author. Member of the P.B.F.A. ARCHAEOLOGY (Roman Britain).