From dragons and wyverns to vampires, werewolves and mischievous gremlins, pixies and fairies, Breverton's Phantasmagoria is a unique compendium of over 250 mythical animals. Prepare to revisit familiar myths, such as vampires, werewolves and the Loch Ness Monster, the Minotaur and Medusa from Greek legend, and Biblical beasts such as Behemoth and Leviathan. Discover new mysterious animals like the giant serpents of Central America, the lethal Mongolian death worm, and the Ennedi tiger in Africa, and investigate the evidence for sightings of Bigfoot and the reclusive Yeti. Packed with quirky line illustrations and a wealth of weird and wonderful information, Breverton's Phantasmagoria surveys the globe to uncover over 250 imaginary creatures passed down from generation to generation.
Invention and innovation are what distinguish the human race from all of the other species on Earth. Throughout history the imagination and pioneering spirit of human kind has compelled us to question why we do things in a certain way and, more importantly, how we can do things better. Celebrating the ingenuity, creativity and resourcefulness that has led to some of the most amazing technological leaps through the ages, Breverton's Encyclopedia of Inventions examines the key innovations and breakthroughs of all time and the genius behind them. Starting with the building of the pyramids in ancient Egypt and the discovery of the solar system, moving through surgery, dynamite and rockets, to modern technology such as the smart card and genetic engineering, Terry Breverton springs many surprises. He uncovers fascinating and little-known facts: for example, that Price, not Fleming, discovered penicillin; that Swan, not Edison invented the electric light, and that Wallace, not Darwin first advanced the theory of evolution. Tracing the sheer persistence of brilliant men and women across the globe, who fought the prevailing ideas of their times and advanced technology, Breverton's Encyclopedia of Inventions will inspire anyone interested in the history and developments that have changed our lives and shaped our planet's future.
A remarkable compendium of oddities, curiosities and little-known facts from the Great War, featuring the greatest battles, war slang, heroes and heroines, animals, spies, weapons, and much more.
Breverton's Nautical Curiosities is about ships, people and the sea. However, unlike many other nautical compendiums, the focus of this book is on the unusual, the overlooked or the downright extraordinary. Thus, someone most of us do not know, Admiral William Brown, is given equal coverage to Admiral Nelson. Without Admiral Brown releasing Garibaldi, modern Italy might not exist. And without the barely known genius John Ericsson designing the Monitor, the Confederacy might have won the American Civil War. Readers will be stimulated to read more about the remarkable men--explorers, admirals and trawlermen--who have shaped our world. The sea has had a remarkable effect upon our language. We hear the terms "steer clear," "hit the deck," "don't rock the boat," "to harbor a grudge" and the like, and give little thought to them. In the pages of this book, the reader will find the origin of "bumpkin," a "brace of shakes," "born with a silver spoon," "booby prize," "to take on board," "above board," "bombed" (in the sense of being drunk), the "blues," "blind-side," "blind drunk," "the pot calling the kettle black," "reach the bitter end," "wasters," "ahoy," "all at sea," "to keep aloof," "piss-artist," "taken aback," "barbecue" and "bamboozle." Other colourful terms, which have passed out of common usage, such as "bring one's arse to anchor" (sit down), "belly timber" (food) and "bog orange" (potato) are also included, as well as important pirate haunts, technical terms, famous battles, maritime inventors and ship speed records.
Immortal Words is an anthology of history's most memorable, uplifting and thought-provoking quotations from all ages and nations. The texts are drawn not only from the works and words of great writers, thinkers and orators, but also from less well-known sources such as gravestones, book dedications, speeches and political manifestos, letters and diaries, inscriptions and chance remarks. Each of the 370 quotations is accompanied by an extended annotation that tells the story of the speaker or explains the circumstances that gave rise to the quotation. The words and sentiments expressed have been used to encapsulate the human condition, to inspire great works or deeds in times of hardship, or simply reflect the spirit of the time--they will live with you and inspire you day by day, from one year's end to the next.
This incredibly diverse compendium contains just about everything you'll ever need to know about the properties and provenance of herbs and spices of the world. From amara dulcis to yarrow, all-heal to viper's bugloss, Breverton's Complete Herbal is a modern day treasury of over 250 herbs and their uses. Terry Breverton provides a reworking of a Nicholas Culpeper classic text for a modern day audience. Arranged alphabetically, this book describes over 250 herbs and spices as well as feature entries on scented herb/medicinal gardens, the great herbalists and New World Herbs not included in Culpepper's original text. Each entry provides a description of the herb: its appearance and botanical features, a brief history of its uses in medicine, dyeing and cuisine to bizarre remedies and concoctions designed to get rid of all manner of real and imaginary ailments.
Immortal Last Words is a fascinating, diverse collection of history's most uplifting, entertaining and thought-provoking dying remarks and final farewells. The 370 entries in this book have been drawn from some of history's greatest statesmen, poets, scientists, novelists and warriors - the eminent men and women who have shaped events over the last four and a half millennia and whose final recorded words have often inspired great deeds or shed light on the nature of the human condition. There are also entries are from less well- known individuals who did not make such an impact on history but whose dying words are equally noteworthy as they encapsulate the spirit of the times or simply reflect the character of the speaker. And finally, the pages of this book contain the last words of some of most ignoble personalities in history - the monsters and maniacs whose final defiant utterances prompt us to reflect on the nature of evil and man's inhumanity to man. Arranged chronologically from antiquity to the present day, each entry is accompanied by contextual information giving a brief biography of the author and an explanation of the circumstances that gave rise to the quotation. Some of the sentiments expressed are unbelievably sad while others are optimistic; some final words have become famous while others have remained obscure, but all reflect the follies and greatness of mankind - its heroes and villains, war and peace and the absolute power of language to change our feelings and challenge our minds. Sample entries include: Buddha 'Strive for your own liberation with diligence'; Vespasian 'Dear me, I believe I am becoming a god'; Thomas Hobbes, 'I am about to take my last voyage, a great leap in the dark'; Robespierre 'Death is the commencement of immortality!'; George Washington'Tis well'; John Keats 'Here lies one whose name was writ in water'; John Maynard Keynes'I should have drunk more champagne'; Salvador Dalí 'I do not believe in my death'; Keith Floyd 'I've not felt this well for ages.
Immortal Last Words is a fascinating, diverse collection of history's most uplifting, entertaining and thought-provoking dying remarks and final farewells. The 370 entries in this book have been drawn from some of history's greatest statesmen, poets, scientists, novelists and warriors--the eminent men and women who have shaped events over the last four and a half millennia and whose final recorded words have often inspired great deeds or shed light on the nature of the human condition. There are also entries are from less well- known individuals who did not make such an impact on history but whose dying words are equally noteworthy as they encapsulate the spirit of the times or simply reflect the character of the speaker. And finally, the pages of this book contain the last words of some of most ignoble personalities in history--the monsters and maniacs whose final defiant utterances prompt us to reflect on the nature of evil and man's inhumanity to man. Arranged chronologically from antiquity to the present day, each entry is accompanied by contextual information giving a brief biography of the author and an explanation of the circumstances that gave rise to the quotation. Some of the sentiments expressed are unbelievably sad while others are optimistic; some final words have become famous while others have remained obscure, but all reflect the follies and greatness of mankind--its heroes and villains, war and peace and the absolute power of language to change our feelings and challenge our minds.
We hear the terms steer clear of, hit the deck, don't rock the boat , and to harbor a grudge and give little thought to their origin. Left together on ships for months, and often for years, pirate crews developed expressions that made their way into common usage. Terms for things related to life at sea became idioms used by land lubbers, a term derived from the holes in the platforms surrounding the mast that allowed sailors to avoid climbing the rigging around the platforms. A lubber was someone who was very clumsy, so a land lubber is someone who knows nothing about sailing and rigging.Centuries ago, men wore wigs of length denoting their wealth and importance. Soon, many naval captains, including Sir Henry Morgan and Captain Chaloner Ogle, who killed Black Bart Roberts, began to adopt the style. A law was passed in England declaring that only nobility, judges, and bishops could wear full-length wigs and so was born the term bigwig .Reading through these words and phrases is an abbreviated trip through history, with lists of major naval mutinies, a summary of the slave trade, and even jokes. This dictionary is written to be entertaining as well as informative, to give a flavor of the interesting times from the fifteenth to the eighteenth centuries when pirates controlled many sealanes. It also contains a treasure trove of factual information about life aboard the ship, important pirate haunts, and technical terms.
An anthology of history's most memorable, uplifting or thought-provoking quotations, from not only great writers, thinkers and orators, but also from less well-known sources such as gravestones, book dedications, speeches and political manifestos, letters and diaries.
Discover the truth about the 17th-century Welsh naval officer who became a hero for the British Empire—and not a bloodthirsty pirate. This is the swashbuckling biography of the naval officer known as the Sword of England, the Welshman Henry Morgan. Over the years, Morgan came to be portrayed as a black-hearted, fierce pirate. This error in terms and in the assessment of Morgan’s character led to the filing of the first libel lawsuit, brought in protest to a book published in 1684 claiming he had been an indentured servant, was a pirate, and was responsible for atrocities. In fact, Morgan was commissioned to aid the British navy in fighting enemies of the crown and was a superb military tactician who led a dozen victorious campaigns against massive odds. In 1655, Spain was the greatest naval and military power on earth, and controlled the sea lanes of Central America and the Caribbean. Henry Morgan’s career as a buccaneer officially began when, at age twenty, he landed in Barbados as part of a force deployed to capture Cuba or Hispaniola (Puerto Rico) for the British. The deployment failed, but the forces did capture Jamaica, which would become Morgan’s adopted home base for the rest of his life. From there, Morgan planned the attacks that would enrich the British throne and usher in the era of British supremacy on the high seas. For his leadership in battle and as lieutenant governor of Jamaica, Admiral Sir Henry Morgan deserves to take his place alongside Sir Francis Drake and the Duke of Wellington in the panoply of history’s greatest heroes.
Rhan 1: 'The Journal of Penrose, Seaman', y nofel Americanaidd gynharaf wedi'i hysgrifennu gan William Williams ac yn seiliedig ar ei brofiadau yn byw ymysg Indiaid ar arfordir Miskito yn Nicaragua. Cyhoeddwyd gyntaf yn 1815. Golygwyd yr argraffiad hwn gan Terry Breverton. Rhan 2: 'The Author, The Book and The Letters', astudiaeth ar y nofel a'r awdur gan Terry Breverton. -- Cyngor Llyfrau Cymru
The writing of this book became a detective story. It began as a straightforward modernised transcription of a condemned murderer's confession, but contradictions had to be explored. Along the way, we become acquainted with the rogue John Lilly, Owen's adversary then accomplice, whom Owen killed to escape a hue and cry on Lilly's horse.
This long-forgotten factional novel was the literary sensation of its day. The Poet Laureate Robert Southey said of it 'Truth is often stranger than falsehood; and so it is in this case'. This is the account of the privateer William Williams's adventures after being marooned upon the Miskito Coast. It is the first story of a message in a bottle, of buried treasure, the first novel written in America, and incredibly anti-slavery, at a time when America's first three presidents owned slaves. The descriptions of flora and fauna are unparalleled, and some of Williams' stories of mammoth bones and inscribed basalt pillars have only been discovered to be factual in the last two decades. This book updates the language of the original manuscript, which was expurgated when originally printed, and gives a short account of the life of its polymath author. This is a wonderful work of literature which will bring joy to readers old and young, and is crying out to be heard again today. The amazing William Williams: Painter, Author, Teacher, Musician, Stage Designer, Castaway. The activities of this forgotten genius spread across almost every branch of American culture... he will stand out as a significant figure in the development of American culture - James Thomas Flexner I have never read so much of a book in one sitting in my life. He [Penrose] kept me up half the night, and made me dream of him the other half... it has all the air of truth, and is most entertaining and interesting in every point of view - Lord George Byron
An entertaining and well-researched volume which aims to debunk the myth that Henry Morgan was an over-zealous cruel criminal; he is depicted here as a superb military tactician and strategist who led a dozen successful campaigns against the greatest military power in the world, and was rewarded for his leadership in battle with the governorship of Jamaica.
Of all the pirates to terrorise the Caribbean waters, none are as notorious as Sir Henry Morgan. His fame rests in part on an extraordinary document: the diary of buccaneer Alexander Exquemelin, who sailed under Morgan and recorded his infamous and bloody adventures. This illustrated book is filled with maps, paintings, photographs, and fascinating background on pirate culture.
About the Book This is the first new and unexpurgated translation of Meddygon Myddfai, The Physicians of Myddfai, for over 150 years. The original mediaeval manuscripts are unique, being written in Middle Welsh, whereas across England and the rest of Europe, Latin was the universal language for documents. Nicholas Culpeper's famous 17th century medical handbooks are at least five hundred years later than the genesis of the works of the Myddfai mediciners. Around 1000 Welsh remedies and suggestions for a healthy life make fascinating reading, with many being useful today. The evocative Legend of the Lady of the Lake (Llyn y Fan Fach) is included. This tale is the starting point for the line of practising Myddfai physicians from being court mediciners to Prince Rhys Gryg (d.1234) until the present day. Not only has the herbal and healing tradition carried on for around 800 years, but the places named in the legend can still be seen, and many of the plant cures have uses in modern medicine. About the Author Terry Breverton has written over forty books, with his main focus being upon Welsh history, heritage and culture. A former businessman, consultant and academic, he has worked all over the world, has given talks about Wales in Boston, Washington, Vancouver and elsewhere, and has appeared in several documentaries. He believes that books, whether in print or electronic form, have to be entertaining and informative, and hopes that this is the case with The Physicians of Myddfai.
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