Mythology 27


68046 GUITAR IDENTIFICATION: Fourth Edition by A. R. Duchossoir


The Fender Precision Bass and the Stratocaster are guitar models synonymous with quality and style. This unique workbook is to be used for dating guitars made in the USA by Fender, Gibson, Gretsch and Martin. It is primarily based on the serialisation schemes used by these four manufacturers, but it also reviews some typical features likely to help in assessing the vintage of instruments. Now that these four manufacturers can convincingly reproduce most of their hallowed guitars from days gone by, serial numbers may provide a useful key to distinguish between older and newer versions. We look at headstock, shape and style, date on soundboard, metal name plates, headstock logos, pick up harness dates and early and limited edition features. 150 b/w illus, large softback, 84pp. £7.99 NOW £4.75


68866 DEFINING MOMENTS IN MUSIC


edited by Sean Egan This chunky softback bears the subtitle “The Greatest Artists, Albums, Songs, Performances and Events that Rocked the Music


World”. With a performance photo of James Brown in full flow on the cover, the book covers the years 1900-2006 split into 11 chapters. There are in-depth reviews of key albums, singles and other songs, biogs of the most important artists, bands and shows, and the performances, many of which have achieved legendary status. From the first album - The Nutcracker Suite - to the Arctic Monkeys and Finnish heavy metal monsters Lordi winning the Eurovision Song Contest, here is everything and everyone from Jelly Roll Blues through Crosby and Sinatra to Meat Loaf, the Sex Pistols, Blur, Oasis, U2 and even New Kids on the Block. And someone called Presley. And some Beatles and some Stones. And something called a Stratocaster. 1000 entries, 800 pages and some 300 colour and b/w photos. £18.99 NOW £5.50


68238 MOZART: The Early Years 1756-1781 by Stanley Sadie and Neal Zaslaw Written for both professional musicians and music lovers, the book places the events in his life in the social, economic, cultural and musical environments in which the composer worked and performed. Here, we read not only where, when and how Mozart composed each piece, but also how it sounds, why it took the form it did, and how it relates to his other works. Here are the inns, some of which still survive, where the family members stayed on their extensive travels to show off their prodigy and his gifted sister, Nannerl. We find the names of musicians Mozart encountered on these trips and what he thought of their talent, or lack of it. Enthralling and informative. 644 pages with classified index of Mozart’s work, index of Mozart’s work by Köchel Number, excerpts from musical scores and b/w illus. £25 NOW £8


68562 HANDEL by Edward Blakeman George Frideric Handel was ‘An English composer of German birth’, born February 1685 and who died April 1759 as one of the most elusive and intriguing of the great composers. Haydn considered him to be truly ‘the master of us all’, but Berlioz claimed he was just ‘a great barrel of pork and beer’. This lively pocket guide searches this larger-than-life composer who wrote iconic works such as Messiah and The Water Music. We look at the man and music and why his work has stood the test of time and why these pieces can still speak thrillingly to us today. Covers his life year by year, music work by work, how he was viewed by friends, as a performer and composer, a Handel Top Ten and Handel on CD, DVD and online. 327pp in paperback. £8.99 NOW £4


MYTHOLOGY


The fairies break their dances, And leave the printed lawn.


- A. E. Housman 69319 AZTEC AND MAYA


MYTHS by Karl Taube Produced in association with the British Museum Press and with 50 illustrations and some maps here is a superb introduction to the mythology of ancient Aztec and Maya people. They derived from a shared Mesoamerican culture and tradition which is still alive in the


lore of contemporary Mexico and Central America. The Maya creation and flood myths have survived in various forms in pre-Hispanic writing and art, but the Aztec empire arose less than two centuries before the Spanish conquest and our knowledge of its mythology comes primarily from early colonial documents of the 16th century. In modern times the decipherment of Maya hieroglyphic writing and the interpretation of the codices have shed further light on Mesoamerican mythology. Here are creation myths and calendrics in Yucatan, the origin of the alcoholic beverage pulque, the origin of maize and the head of the maize god placed in the cacao tree, Camazotz the killer bat and much more. 80 page large softback.


£8.99 NOW £3.50


69511 WHORES OF THE DEVIL: Witch-Hunts and Witch-Trials


by Erik Durschmied


In 1519, Martin Luther said ‘Witches are the whores of the Devil.’ The number of men and women executed at the height of the witch craze probably lies between 200,000 and 300,000. ‘Any person bearing a mole, scar or bunion is considered to possess a devil’s mark, and is therefore to be executed as a witch.’


Old beyond known age, with streaming grey hair, a wart on her nose, a vicious black cat crouching on her hump, a hag with fingernails sharp as a tiger’s claw, wrapped in tattered clothes, she rides the air on her broomstick and devours little children for lunch. The


really evil people in witch hunts were those who sent the innocent unjustly to their fiery death. But who were the monsters who accused, arrested, judged and condemned without showing consideration or pity, and what were their motives? Did they act to uphold the established faith, or was it for self-protection? Was it for political aims, sheer greed or to confiscate the wealth of their victims? Whichever way, there was not one reason that could be justified for witch hunts which have existed throughout history and indeed today witch mania has not ended. This is an excellent reprint of the 2005 original text which explores the period of the Middle Ages to modern times with such characters as Joan of Arc, Martin Luther and the Witchfinder-General Matthew Hopkins. 313pp in paperback. £9.99 NOW £5


69359 NEW CHINESE


ASTROLOGY by Suzanne White


A bestselling author demystifies the ancient wisdom of Chinese astrology by applying it to modern life. She explains how the five Chinese elements affect every one of us. By combining your sign and element the book offers a character analysis, matching you up with all the other signs to show how you


might get along in business, family life and love. This fun-to-read yet serious guide describes each animal sign’s individual characteristics, special capabilities and particular health problems. Discover the terrible Tiger’s major weak spots, find out why Rats get married so often, learn why the Ox should avoid spicy foods and unravel why the dauntless Dragon can be a sentimental weeping willow. This updated edition includes the author’s new 12-year forecasts for each sign. 589 paperback pages with author’s note, The Chinese Calendar Pre-1900, The Chinese Calendar and Compatibilities. £10.99 NOW £5


68763 ANIMAL LORE OF SHAKESPEARE’S TIME: Including Quadrupeds, Birds, Reptiles,


Fish and Insects by Emma Phipson In her classic 19th century text, first published in 1883, the author provides a most unusual insight into how the medieval mind related to animal life. Here are not only the known species but also beasts that hardly merit a mention in the 21st century, such as the mantichor, the cockatrice, the wyvern, the fire-drake, the basilisk and many more. During the second half of the 16th and the beginning of the 17th centuries the connection between humankind and the animals was studied by poets and playwrights. Here, animal by animal, the author explains the similes, allusions and anecdotes found in the plays, poems and general literature of this compelling age. 476 paperback pages in facsimile reprint. £9.99 NOW £4.50


23992 ENGLISH FAIRY TALES This book contains over 40 of the best-loved fairy stories, beautifully illustrated by Arthur Rackham. Favourites such as Jack the Giant-killer, Jack and the Beanstalk, Dick Whittington, The Three Little Pigs and The Babes in the Wood are all here among many others, but stories from different traditions also make their appearance, including The Three Bears and Little Red Riding Hood. 256pp. Paperback. ONLY £2


68913 IRISH FAIRY LEGENDS


by T. Crofton Croker, edited by Thomas Wright


A world of enchantment awaits you in this treasury of classic Irish stories collected by a folklorist between 1812 to 1816. The 38 stories are filled to the brim with Irish wit and magic. In The Haunted Castle, they will meet one of Ireland’s oldest families, who have blood as thick as buttermilk


and a reputation for hospitality. But what is the secret in Justin MacCarthy’s wine cellar that forces every butler to quit? In The Changeling, a new mother finds a just solution when her infant is replaced by a mischievous fairy and The Legend of Knockfierna teaches a fearless young fellow a hard lesson about interfering with the ‘little people’. This rich reflection of Celtic culture will entertain all the generations. 215 paperback pages with line drawings.


£10.99 NOW £3.50 68035 COMPLETE FABLES OF LA FONTAINE:


A New Translation in Verse by Craig Hill The translator has captured the liveliness, satiric wit and poetic beauty that made the poet famous during his lifetime and his Fables celebrated as a masterwork of world literature ever since. La Fontaine gave the hitherto mute animals the power of speech. Putting his characters on stage and endowing them with irresistibly witty dialogue, he portrayed with great humour the flaws and pretensions that still dog us. Here are the backstabbing politicians, brainless nincompoops, charlatans, egomaniacs, gluttons, liars and many more that still exist today. 350 pages with scintillating illustrations by Edward Sorel, chronology, translator’s note, La Fontaine’s Preface, La Fontaine’s Prose Dedication to the Dauphin and La Fontaine’s Verse Dedication to the Dauphin. $35 NOW £11


68511 FINDING MERLIN: The Truth Behind the Legend of the Great Arthurian Image by Adam Ardrey


Merlin leaps from legend into history. This book uncovers new evidence and re-examines the old. The places where Merlin was born, lived, died and was buried are identified, as are the people surrounding him. Here is his nemesis, the fanatic Mungo, his friend the hero Arthur, and his twin sister Languoreth, who was as intelligent and powerful as her brother but whose story has been nearly obliterated by patriarchal Church traditions. Merlin was a real historical figure, a champion of the old way of the Druids, a man who hailed not from England or Wales as traditional wisdom would have it, but from Scotland. The author offers compelling evidence that links a very real Merlin figure into the histories of other prominent 6th century figures. 384 pages with timeline, maps. $24.95 NOW £6


Bibliophile Books Unit 5 Datapoint, 6 South Crescent, London E16 4TL TEL: 020 74 74 24 74 69208 IMPRESSIONS OF THE


SAHARA by Jean-Loic le Quellec Although the Sahara evokes images of endless shifting sand dunes resembling a raging sea frozen in time, a solid ocean with surging peaks and deep troughs, in reality only one fifth of the Sahara desert is covered in these remarkable dunes. The rest is dominated by stony, arid stretches of land, rocks, blocks of sandstone, cliffs, hills, precipices, mountains and bizarrely shaped sculptures eroded over the centuries by fierce sand-laden winds, and the occasional outposts of human civilisation scattered across this unforgiving landscape, huddled up against the elements in an apparently doomed, but nevertheless continuous, struggle for survival. This magnificent, visually jaw-dropping book sets out to study the cultural heritage of this ethnically diverse and little-studied region. The author, an expert in the ethnology and anthropology of North Africa, has teamed up with two avid photographers who have spent the past 20 years travelling and photographing the indigenous tribes of the remote corners of the world. The book follows the caravan routes across the desert, stopping to celebrate local traditions, art,


architecture, markets, oases, manuscripts, raw-earth mosques and much more that is man-made, as well as the otherworldly natural landscape, beautiful and


terrifying. In vibrant colour throughout, the photos are fully captioned. 192pp, 11¼” square format. £29.95 NOW £15


e-mail: orders@bibliophilebooks.com 68929 SYMBOLS OF


CHINA by Feng Jicai In a most impressive volume, packed with gorgeous photos, the author presents icons that symbolise the very essence of China and examines the way in which they make China Chinese. From chopsticks to calligraphy, the Spring Festival to Shangri-La and Ah Q to Zhong Kui, these images provide a


deeper understanding of an exotic, ancient civilisation. Here are cultural icons, natural wonders, architectural heritage, ceremonies and festivals, daily life, arts and crafts, legends, famous figures and performing arts, all in glorious detail. Remember, that a spider descending from its web may be bringing blessings from heaven. 256 large pages with a plethora of photos, paintings, drawings and artworks in stunning colour and timeline. £24.99 NOW £10


68576 OLD WIVES’ TALES by Mary Chamberlain


We may all know that stewed prunes are a cure for constipation and that dandelions make us wet the bed, but how many of us are aware that a poultice of chicken manure is a remedy for baldness, or that eel liver will aid a difficult labour? The woman healer is as old as history - doctor, nurse and midwife - and even in the age of modern medicine her wisdom is handed down in the form of old wives’ tales. Mary Chamberlain looks right back to goddesses and sorceresses, women healers in Assyria, Egypt, Greece and Rome, witches and old wives in medieval Europe and 17th century England, the medical profession in 18th century England, charlatans, the sick and the poor in 19th and 20th century England and perspectives on the medical profession and if these old cures and remedies really work. A-Z of conditions from Abortion to Wounds. 240pp in paperback. £9.99 NOW £4


68656 BEASTLY TALES FROM HERE AND THERE


by Vikram Seth illustrated by Ravi Shankar In an enchanting collection of animal fables in verse from around the world, the award-winning novelist cooperates with his friend, the Indian cartoonist Ravi Shankar, to bring magic to old tales and make them seem like new. With his unique blend of humour and poetic genius, he revisits traditional tales that originated in Greece, China, India and the Ukraine, as well as in his own fantasyland of Gup. Here are The Louse and the Mosquito, the Eagle and the Beetle, the Elephant and the Tragopan, and many more to amuse and delight both adults and children. 126 pages, line drawings. £9.59 NOW £3


NATURE


In Just- spring when the world is mud- luscious.


- e.e. cummings 69469 BAD BEEKEEPER’S


CLUB by Bill Turnbull Written by the presenter of the breakfast programme on BBC1, here is the founder of the Bad Beekeeper’s Club and his book is a sort of induction course to let you know what you can expect should you decide to venture into the fascinating world of veils and gauntlets and odd-looking hive tools. All honey lovers will enjoy how he


stumbles into the curious world of bees and then perhaps became a better person for it. Despite many setbacks including being stung on the head twice on his first day of training, beekeeping somehow taught Bill a great deal about himself and the world around him. At the same time, his story highlights the very real threats to Britain’s bee population and what we can do to create a better environment for these vital and rather wonderful creatures. A universally appealing story about a very singular passion, here is an engaging and often hilarious tale. 247pp in paperback with illus.


£7.99 NOW £4


69321 BORN FREE: The Full Story by Joy Adamson with preface by Lord William Percy


50 years ago, conservationist Joy Adamson introduced the world to Elsa the lioness, whom she had rescued as an orphan cub and raised at her home. But, as Elsa had been born free, Joy made the heartbreaking decision that the mature lion must be returned to the wild, despite the incredible bond they shared. Today, the Elsa Conservation Trust operates an education, training and wildlife retreat centre at the Adamsons’ former home of Elsamere on the shores of Lake Naivasha in the northern frontier province of Kenya. Since the first publication of this book in 1960, and its sequels Living Free and Forever Free, generations of readers have been inspired and moved by the remarkable interaction between Joy and Elsa. Here is the chance to discover all three stories, in one volume, in the words of the woman who walked with the lions. It is embellished with a beautiful selection of rare b/w photos from the Adamsons’ personal collection. 411 pages with maps.


£20 NOW £6.50


69514 BUTTERFLY ISLES by Patrick Barkham Subtitled A Summer in Search of Our Emperors and Admirals. Exquisite, elusive, ephemeral but totally enchanting, these are our British butterflies. Eccentric but determined to succeed in unveiling them and presenting them to us for our delight, this is our author. His quest leads him, and us, from the tops of trees in London parks to the


bottom of damp bogs in Scotland, visiting en route some beautiful, lost corners of the countryside in an attempt to find every one of them, from the Adonis Blue to the Dingy Skipper, over the course of one unforgettable summer. Sadly, these bewitching creatures have a very short life, some of them living for a few months while others fly for only three days. In future, they may also struggle to survive on our overcrowded and gradually overheating island. This, however, does not prevent our intrepid explorer from bringing them to life for us. Here he is witnessing a swarming invasion of Painted Ladies, experiencing the curse of the Purple Emperor and making a euphoric sighting of an exceedingly rare migrant. A spellbinding 372 pages with line drawings, map, list of sites and named butterflies and lovely colour photos. £20 NOW £8


69480 DISASTROUS


HISTORY OF THE WORLD by John Withington Subtitled ‘Chronicles of War, Earthquakes, Plague and Flood’, what with tsunamis, monsoon floods and international terrorism, the world seems to get more dangerous by the day. Or does it? Our book takes the reader on an epic journey through the nastiest things to have afflicted mankind. Withington


chronicles all the natural calamities including plague and famine and describes in compelling detail all the greatest man-made disasters - war and invasion, riots and terrorism, fires and explosions, stampedes and shipwrecks, air and train crashes. A compulsively readable, disturbing yet utterly absorbing book. 393pp in paperback.


£9.99 NOW £4.50 68681 BEDSIDE BOOK OF


BEASTS by Graeme Gibson Myths, fables, poems, excerpts from travel and nature writing, journals, sacred texts and works of fiction by some of the world’s greatest writers. Here are vivid descriptions of the well known predators such as bears, big cats, wolves and sharks, set alongside the less celebrated but equally voracious, such as the praying mantis and, believe or not,


the water shrew, which pound for pound is probably the most efficient assassin of all the vertebrates, capable of killing fish and amphibians many times its weight. He also paints intriguing portraits of legendary beasts such as the Minotaur, Grendel and the biblical Leviathan. But perhaps what makes this miscellany so utterly compulsive is the breathtaking array of illustration - art, both traditional and contemporary, as well as scientific, religious and mythological drawings, paintings and woodcuts, some 180 in all, mostly in colour. 382pp, first US edition of 2009. $35 NOW £5.50


69039 FUTURE HISTORY OF THE ARCTIC


by Charles Emmerson There is no land at North Pole itself, and the region within the Arctic Circle includes land which is claimed by many countries, each with very different agendas. When you factor in that there is immense oil, gas and mineral wealth to be had when the technology for drilling and mining in such conditions comes about, it is


clear that the Arctic is, for all its pristine, subzero whiteness, as hot potato of the highest order. Environmentally things are looking grim for the animals of the Arctic. Global warming has seen the area of ice cover, upon which the entire ecosystem is dependent, shrink to such levels that it is projected that the Pole itself may actually be ice-free in summer by as early as 2025, which would be catastrophic for the polar bears and other top predators. Charles Emmerson here shows us why the Arctic is so important and why much of our future history is going to depend on what happens there. 419pp paperback, photos and other illus.


£14.99 NOW £4.50 More over page www.bibliophilebooks.com


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