The Epic Voyages of Maud Berridge

The Epic Voyages of Maud Berridge
Author: Sally Berridge
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Total Pages: 289
Release: 2018-02-22
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 147295422X

Maud Berridge (1845–1907) was the wife of a Master Mariner, and she travelled with him on at least five occasions (1869, 1880, 1882, 1883, 1886), sailing to Melbourne with emigrants and cargo. The first occasion was 1869 just after they were married, when Henry was Captain of the Walmer Castle, and they returned via New Zealand instead of travelling east and around Cape Horn. However, most of Henry and Maud's voyages were undertaken in the three-masted clipper Superb, sailing from Gravesend at the start of summer and leaving Melbourne for home at the end of the year (the southern summer, best for heading east with the trade winds and rounding Cape Horn). Record times taken from London to Melbourne under Captain Henry were 79 days (1878), 76 days (1881) and a final time of 74 days (1886). In 1880, Maud and Henry took their two sons (aged six and eight) with them. In 1883, they sailed on from Melbourne to Newcastle in New South Wales to take on a load of coal, then on through the Windward Isles to San Francisco (51 days). Here they stayed for two months exploring SF and surrounds, unloaded the coal and took on a load of wheat (in large bags) at Port Costa. They then sailed down the west coast of the Americas, around Cape Horn and on to Queenstown in County Cork (134 days). The whole voyage took 14 months. There are also some photographs of Henry, Maud and the crew taken in San Francisco, and a photo from the State Library of Victoria showing the Superb at dock in Melbourne. Maud wrote diaries of these voyages of which one in particular, that of the 1883 voyage, comprise some 50 000 words. The book will tell Maud's story through her own words and through a number of relevant contemporary documents and will paint a picture of the life of a captain's wife in the Victorian era as well as aspects of society in Britain, the US and Australia at the time. Her enthusiasm for new experiences shines through her writing.

RMS Queen Mary

RMS Queen Mary
Author: David Ellery
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Total Pages: 144
Release: 2021-11-11
Genre: History
ISBN: 1472993136

For 1930s Britain, the Queen Mary was a symbol of hope. Cunard had abandoned construction on what they had planned to be the grandest liner of all time (then known simply as Job 534) in the depths of the Depression. Her half-finished hull sat on the Clyde for years, but when Cunard announced they were going to complete her, it was a sign, perhaps, that the darkest days were over, that the country was emerging from economic disaster and that Britannia would soon rule the waves once again. The Queen Mary would go on to be one of the most famous ships in the world for all the right reasons. The first British ship to be over 1,000 feet in length, launched by her namesake (and for which the Clyde had to be artificially widened to allow such a large ship to pass through), she won the Blue Riband (the record for fastest Atlantic crossing) not once by twice – and when she won it the second time in 1938 she held it until 1952. After wartime service carrying up to 16,000 US troops to Europe at a time, she finally retired to Long Beach, California, in 1967. There she remains, a perfectly preserved reminder of a bygone era, and a celebration of the golden age of the transatlantic liner. In this book David Ellery, maritime historian, TV presenter and documentary maker, answers all the questions you might have about this glorious ship – and ones you might never have thought to ask too. This unique, accessible approach gives a fantastic introduction to the ship to anyone curious about her, but is also very detailed and comprehensive, covering everything from the ship's design, construction, engineering and interior fittings to her naming, wartime service and more. Packed with archival photographs and other original material, this is a fascinating and illuminating guide to the Queen Mary, looking beneath the sheen of her appointments to explore how her fame is well deserved.

A History of Sailing in 100 Objects

A History of Sailing in 100 Objects
Author: Barry Pickthall
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Total Pages: 226
Release: 2016-08-25
Genre: Sports & Recreation
ISBN: 147291886X

Did you ever wonder which civilisation first took to water in small craft? Who worked out how to measure distance or plot a course at sea? Or why the humble lemon rose to such prominence in the diets of sailors? Taking one hundred objects that have been pivotal in the development of sailing and sailing boats, the book provides a fascinating insight into the history of sailing. From the earliest small boats, through magnificent Viking warships, to the technology that powers some of the most sophisticated modern yachts, the book also covers key developments such as keeps and navigational aids such as the astrolabe, sextant and compass. Other more apparently esoteric objects from all around the world are also included, including the importance of citrus fruit in the prevention of scurvy, scrimshaw made from whalebone and the meaning of sailor's tattoos. Beautifully illustrated with lively and insightful text, it's a perfect gift for the real or armchair sailor, the book gives an alternative insight into how and why we sail the way we do today.

Ilustrado

Ilustrado
Author: Miguel Syjuco
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Total Pages: 315
Release: 2010-04-27
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1429932392

Garnering international prizes and acclaim before its publication, Ilustrado has been called "brilliantly conceived and stylishly executed . . .It is also ceaselessly entertaining, frequently raunchy, and effervescent with humor" (2008 Man Asian Literary Prize panel of judges). It begins with a body. On a clear day in winter, the battered corpse of Crispin Salvador is pulled from the Hudson River—taken from the world is the controversial lion of Philippine literature. Gone, too, is the only manuscript of his final book, a work meant to rescue him from obscurity by exposing the crimes of the Filipino ruling families. Miguel, his student and only remaining friend, sets out for Manila to investigate. To understand the death, Miguel scours the life, piecing together Salvador's story through his poetry, interviews, novels, polemics, and memoirs. The result is a rich and dramatic family saga of four generations, tracing 150 years of Philippine history forged under the Spanish, the Americans, and the Filipinos themselves. Finally, we are surprised to learn that this story belongs to young Miguel as much as to his lost mentor, and we are treated to an unhindered view of a society caught between reckless decay and hopeful progress. Exuberant and wise, wildly funny and deeply moving, Ilustrado explores the hidden truths that haunt every family. It is a daring and inventive debut by a new writer of astonishing talent.

Comte de Gabalis

Comte de Gabalis
Author: Bb N De Montfaucon De Villars
Publisher: Cosimo, Inc.
Total Pages: 389
Release: 2005-12-01
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1596053917

When you have been enrolled among the Children of the Philosophers... you will straightaway discover that the Elements are inhabited by most perfect beings. Unhappy Adam's sin has deprived his unfortunate posterity of all knowledge of these beings and all intercourse with them. [T]he Element of Fire... was not created to remain useless and empty. -from "Discourse II" Sir Edward Lytton's based his strange novel Zanoni upon this esoteric work. Alexander Pope, in his dedication to The Rape of the Lock, sings its praises. But let the reader beware! This book "of hidden mystery and power" is not for the "gratification of a selfish intellectualism"! A classic of the occult, this philosophical treatise on the metaphysical secrets of the universe reveals the motives and magicks of the spirits known as Sylphs, Gnomes, Nymphs, and Salamanders. First published in Paris in 1670, this translation from the original French features extensive anonymous commentary, and is essential reading for anyone wishing to understand the history of paranormal seeking for the meaning of life. French writer and priest N. DE MONTFAUCON DE VILLARS (1635-1673) was an advocate of liberty and religious tolerance and an influential thinker in the natural sciences; his writings are said to have inspired Lamarck and Darwin.

Young Miles

Young Miles
Author: Lois McMaster Bujold
Publisher: Baen
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2003-07-01
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 9780743436168

IT ISN'T EASY, BEINGVOR... Being a Vor lord on the war-torn planetBarrayar wasn't easy. Being an officer in Barrayar's military wasn't easy. Andbeing the leader of a force of spaceborne mercenaries w

How Not to Be a Dick

How Not to Be a Dick
Author: Meghan Doherty
Publisher: Zest Books ™
Total Pages: 227
Release: 2019-08-01
Genre: Young Adult Nonfiction
ISBN: 1541581873

On the one hand, nobody wants to be a dick. On the other hand, dicks are everywhere! They cut in line, talk behind our backs, recline into our seats, and even have the power to morph into trolls online. Their powers are impressive, but with a little foresight and thoughtfulness, we can take a stand against dickishness today. How Not to Be a Dick is packed with honest and straightforward advice, but it also includes playful illustrations showing two well-meaning (but not always well behaved) young people as they confront moments of potential dickishness in their everyday lives. Sometimes they falter, sometimes they triumph, but they always seek to find a better way. And with their help, you can too. Just see the agreement at the beginning of the book: I pledge to use the tools and techniques provided in this book to help make the world a less dickish place. "Doherty fires absurd twenty-first-century zingers that happen to be really, really, really funny."—starred, Booklist

King Lear

King Lear
Author: William Shakespeare
Publisher:
Total Pages: 152
Release: 1785
Genre:
ISBN: