BOOK BLURB:Following hot on the heels of last year's best-selling edition, "Ripley's Believe It or Not! 2010" offers a whole new feast of bizarre facts, fiends and freaks - all guaranteed to fascinate, surprise and amaze. Marvel at the ice man, who survived Everest's 'Death Zone' in just a pair of shorts; try not to scream in fright at the living zombie, covered head to toe in ghoulish tattoos; steel your stomach against the sight of cockroach and caterpillar sushi; and praise the heroic pet parrot who saved a family from their burning home. Illustrated throughout with extraordinary colour photographs, this fascinating book is a must-have for anyone intrigued by the stranger aspects of our planet and its inhabitants.
REVIEW:
As a huge fan of the unusual Ripleys has to be my first port of call when I want something that’s really truly unbelievable and something I suspect is a place that many authors call home when they want the bizarre for their own writing.
What you get with each incarnation is a book that’s choc full of trivia, with the unusual as well as impossible that had the bookies been placing odds would have bankrupted a fair few. Its quirky, its fun however some of the material is not suitable for the younger reader. My only real gripe about this book is to do with the weight of it, and personally, I’d have loved it had they released each section in more manageable hand friendly tomes.
BOOK BLURB:Scotland's rich past and varied landscape have inspired an extraordinary array of legends and beliefs, and in "The Lore of Scotland" Jennifer Westwood and Sophia Kingshill bring together many of the finest and most intriguing: stories of heroes and bloody feuds, tales of giants, fairies, and witches, and accounts of local customs and traditions. Their range extends right across the country, from the Borders with their haunting ballads, via Glasgow, site of St Mungo's miracles, to the fateful battlefield of Culloden, and finally to the Shetlands, home of the seal-people. More than simply retelling these stories, "The Lore of Scotland" explores their origins, showing how and when they arose and investigating what basis - if any - they have in historical fact. In the process, it uncovers the events that inspired Shakespeare's Macbeth, probes the claim that Mary King's Close is the most haunted street in Edinburgh, and examines the surprising truth behind the fame of the MacCrimmons, Skye's unsurpassed bagpipers. Moreover, it reveals how generations of Picts, Vikings, Celtic saints and Presbyterian reformers shaped the myriad tales that still circulate, and, from across the country, it gathers together legends of such renowned figures as Sir William Wallace, St Columba, and the great warrior Fingal. The result is a thrilling journey through Scotland's legendary past and an endlessly fascinating account of the traditions and beliefs that play such an important role in its heritage.
REVIEW:
As a regular traveller across the Border I love to hear tales of the countries heritage from each of the corners. What unfurls within this offering is a cracking offering of Scotland’s Lores, tales of interest and above all beautifully presented by region so you can tailor your reading for your own personal journey of exploration as you flit from county to county and see how the flavour of folklore changes the characters of the people within. A great book and one that was a really special treat to indulge in on a trip up there and would recommend to other travellers or even the natives.
BOOK BLURB:HORNY LIZARDS AND HEADLESS CHICKENS is a vile and disgusting compendium of the world's most unpleasant creatures, diseases, hideous tortures and every other type of horrifying, nauseating fact imaginable. Questions posed in the book address revolting matters such as: * Do flies really puke on your food? * Which worm can eat its way through the human eye? * And how long does a head remain conscious after being guillotined? In HORNY LIZARDS AND HEADLESS CHICKENS, readers can explore a huge range of horrible subjects, which most books have the good sense to avoid, including Aztec sacrifices, bizarre medical treatments, body snatchers, cannibalism, and eye-wateringly unpleasant execution methods. You are guaranteed a brilliantly sickening read.
REVIEW:
Another one of those books that is choc full of trivia about many different subjects. Whilst its done in easy manageable chunks what is a bit annoying is that I’ve read a lot of these stories before and whilst I do love this type of offering I don’t want to read about the animal mutilations done in the name of science. It is quirky, it is something that will appeal to many so if you want the trivia on a great many subjects then this is for you. If like me you get upset about animal exploitation it may be one best avoided or the relevant chapters skipped.
No comments:
Post a Comment