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Sue Dobson

Britain is well-known for its churches and cathedrals; buildings of great architecture and religious grandeur that form many of our recognisable skylines. But these grand structures are also full of facts, histories and stories that you may not have been aware of. 

Did you know that there are only three cathedrals in Britain without a ringing bell? Or that St Davids Cathedral, nestled away in a Welsh valley, has a very unique choir, where the top line is sung only by female choristers, aged eight to eighteen? How about that the Great Pyramids in Egypt were the world's tallest structures for over 3,870 years, until the construction of Lincoln Cathedral in 1311? 

Award-wining travel writer and editor Sue Dobson takes us on a journey around the United Kingdom, showing us her highlights while providing fascinating details and stories along the way.

Icon Books

The The 50

The 50 Greatest Churches and Cathedrals of Great Britain

Gilly Pickup

Castles and palaces around the world are structures of grandeur, might and beauty. 

From the flamboyance of Germany's fairy tale-Neuschwanstein Castle to the gothic, Dracula-inspiring Bran Castle, perched high in the craggy peaks of Romania's Carpathian Mountains; Tokyo's Imperial Palace, previously home to samurai warriors to Ireland's Blarney Castle, where 'the gift of the gab' will be granted to any who kiss its stone, the world's castles and palaces are steeped in history and stories to tell. 

Travel writer and journalist Gilly Pickup shares these stories, providing a tour of 50 of the world's greatest castles and palaces, filled with humour, interesting facts and tips on how best to visit them.

The 50 Greatest Castles and Palaces of the World

Sarah Woods

A trip around the world, played out to the most eclectic soundtrack, discovering hidden musical gems along the way.

From mosh pits to cabarets, Berlin's beatnik band haunts to Korea's peppy k-pop clubs, from visiting the infamous Dollywood, to tracing Freddie Mercury's childhood in Zanzibar, The 50 Greatest Musical Places of the World has something for music fans of all genres.

Discover the places where iconic songs were written, groups were formed, music legends were born and extraordinary talent is celebrated.

The 50 Greatest Musical Places

James Steen

Having dined and worked with some of the most brilliant chefs

around the world, top food writer James Steen presents the definitive 50 dishes

to die for.

Let your taste buds travel the world to discover the delights of

Vietnam's meaty pho, Japan's aromatic ramen, and the rib-sticking, spicy gumbo

of America's Deep South. Learn the truth and fascinating histories of our

favourite foods – how Queen Victoria loved a tongue-tingling curry and precisely

why Marmite is an essential part of Queen Elizabeth's fried breakfast.

Help settle the rows over the origins of the juicy burger, the swirly-peaked

pavlova and the cherry-topped ice cream sundae. Oh, and is beef Wellington – so

very British – actually named after the streets of Chicago?

Including intriguing facts and valuable

cooking tips, The 50 Greatest Dishes of the

World is the epicurean's

indispensable epicurean's travel

guide.

The 50 Greatest Dishes of the World

Tim Hampson

On just about every continent, from Boston's strong ale to Norwegian stout, there are people brewing great beer. From English ales to Czech lager, Belgian sour to American pale ale, German Berliner Weisse to Australian Adelaide sparkling ale, the number of brewed beers is big and increasing daily. 

Award-winning author Tim Hampson explores beers from four continents, marvelling at how from such simple notes – malt, hops, water and yeast – a symphony of tastes and colours can be created. He discovers dark beers, light beers, sour beers, imperial stouts, beers flavoured with honey, herbs and spices, and beers that have been matured in wooden barrels that once stored some of the world's best whiskies. 

The world of beer is undergoing a revolution. This wide-ranging selection will give any beer fan a tour of the world through their favourite drink.

The 50 Greatest Beers of the World

Barry Stone

Author Barry Stone has served his apprenticeship as a western movie geek and aficionado. The Magnificent Seven, The Wild Bunch, Red River – for 50 years the western has been the only genre in a life that 'just ain't big enough for two'. He has written on the history of cinema for the illustrated reference book Historica, is a regular attendee to western premieres for FOX Studios Australia, and was recently a guest of the Museum of Western Film History in Independence, California.

Intrigued by the idea of frontier wilderness, of law and order vs lawlessness, and a firm belief that 'the better the bad guy, the better the film', he goes beyond the American south-west to pay homage to the Italian and even Australian western – and, after much deliberation, he ranks them in order…

The 50 Greatest Westerns

If you've ever dreamed of completing an epic car journey, The 50 Greatest Road Trips is for you. Packed full of the most exotic, exciting and iconic road trips across the Americas, Asia, Europe and Africa, it showcases the ultimate in car adventures.

Sarah Woods is a veteran of road-tripping, having driven the iconic 19,000-mile route from North America to South America's tip, completed several dusty voyages in the Australian outback and scaled towering Saharan sand dunes in a 4x4.

Readers are sure to feel the urge to climb into an old Chevrolet, crank up the tunes on the stereo, flick the sunroof open and settle back for one heck of a ride on the open road …

The 50 Greatest Road Trips

Anthony Lambert

Whether you're on the Orient Express or the Inverness to Wick and Thurso route traversing some of the wildest country in Britain, train travel affords a vision of the world like no other.

From the modest line through North Yorkshire's Esk Valley to the Trans-Siberian; from a narrow-gauge web of lines in the Harz Mountains to the coast-tocoast journey through the mountains of Corsica, acclaimed travel writer Anthony Lambert presents an unmissable selection for any traveller who loves the journey as much as the destination.

Here is a carefully chosen, wide-ranging selection of train journeys with character, sublime scenery and a real sense of history.

The 50 Greatest Train Journeys of the World

Barry Stone, author of 1001 Walks You Must Experience Before You Die, delves into some of the lesser-known aspects of the world's most famous – and not-quite-famous-yet – trails.

The perfect accompaniment to practical guidebooks, Stone relates how slings and carabiners kept him from falling headlong off the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and reports on the progress of the continental-wide monster, the Trans Canada Trail, gaps in which are still being filled by countless grass-roots communities.

With walks that will appeal to everyone regardless of ability, The 50 Greatest Walks of the World includes British classics such as the Pennine Way, Offa's Dyke Path, and the Old Man of Hoy as well as personal favourites such as Italy's Cinque Terre Classic and the Isle of Skye's Trotternish Ridge, one of Britain's finest ridge traverses with almost 2,500m of ascents. Whether it's a climb, a stroll, or a life-changing slog, this book has the walk for you.

The The 50 - The book series

The The 50 - The book series

The The 50 books in order

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