Wednesday, January 16, 2008

The Wine and Food Lover’s Guide to Portugal by Charles Metcalfe & Kathryn McWhirter


`The Wine & Food Lover's Guide to Portugal' is a 446-page hardback book for people who like to eat and drink well, stay in welcoming and interesting places, and want to explore Portugal - and not just the beaches. Discover the delights of the best Portuguese wines. Find out about the best restaurants, fabulously fresh fish and seafood, scrumptious suckling pig, fine, creative, modern cuisine based on excellent, fresh local produce, or the famous doces conventuais, confections of eggs, sugar, almonds and other flavours. Want to visit interesting castles, climb soaring mountains, walk along unspoiled rivers, or wonder at magnificent cathedrals and museums? It's all in the book. As are a selection of the most friendly and interesting places to stay, to suit all pockets, with contact details and prices. Each regional chapter has a general introduction, introductions to wine and to food, lists of wineries to visit (with tasting notes on recommended wines), selected restaurants and hotels, and things to do and see `between meals'. All with addresses, contact details, prices and opening times, helpful maps and about 1,600 colour photos. And all independently chosen for quality, fun and enjoyment - no one paid to be included.

Charles Metcalfe and Kathryn McWhirter wrote their first book on Portuguese wines over 20 years ago, and are still at it. Charles is one of the most spontaneous and amusing wine critics in Britain, and a well-known face on British television, having been part of the ITV This Morning team for 12 years. He was a co-founder of WINE International magazine, and is co-chairman of the International WINE Challenge, the world's biggest wine competition. Before turning to wine, he was a professional singer. Kathryn was drinks correspondent for the Independent on Sunday for nine years, sometimes also writing about food. She wrote and edited the Which? Wine Guide and Good Wine Bar Guide for the Consumers' Association, as well as wine list reviews for the Good Food Guide. Together Charles and Kathryn have written wine and wine-with-food books for Sainsbury's, Tesco and Marks & Spencer, as well as other publishers.


You may purchase the book here

Thursday, January 10, 2008

A Magical Guide to The Enchanted Realm


This was my favourite book for children in 2007 (although I've had adults secretly buying it for themselves - myself included). I began my collection of fairy books last year and I've proudly added "Fairies: The Magical Guide to the Enchanted Realm" to my specials bookshelf.
The author is Alison Maloney and the stunning illustrations are by Patricia Moffett.

Tuesday, January 08, 2008

Mister Pip by Lloyd Jones


It is the year 1991. Bougainville is a small village on a lush tropical island in the South Pacific. Eighty-six days have passed since Matilda's last day of school as, quietly, war is encroaching from the other end of the island. Bougainville's children are surprised to find the island's only white man, a recluse, re-opening the school.
This book was shorlisted for The Man Booker Prize 2007.
Buy it here Promotion: was 19.50€ now 13.50 (limited to existent stock)


Monday, January 07, 2008

Eye on Africa - 30 Years of Africa Images




Sebastiao Salgado is one the most respected photojournalists. His work concentrates on Africa, where he has shot more than 40 reportage works over a period of 30 years. This book brings together Salgado's photos of Africa in three parts. It is a document of Africa and also an homage to the continent's history, people, and natural phenomena.

Sunday, January 06, 2008

Prose not Prozac

I just came across a very good article in The Guardian. For those of you who may have started the new year hiding under the duvet, Blake Morrisson seems to have a good prescription:

books

"
The Reading Cure

The idea that literature can make us emotionally and physically stronger goes back to Plato. But now book groups are proving that Shakespeare can be as beneficial as self-help guides. Blake Morrison investigates the rise of bibliotherapy. ..." Read more (click here)