Robert Macfarlane

With contributions by: William Boyd, Candice Carty-Williams, Imtiaz Dharker, Roddy Doyle, Pico Iyer, Robert Macfarlane, Andy Miller, Jackie Morris, Jan Morris, Sisonke Msimang, Dina Nayeri, Chigozie Obioma, Michael Ondaatje, David Pilling, Max Porter, Philip Pullman, Alice Pung, Jancis Robinson, S.F.Said, Madeleine Thien, Salley Vickers, John Wood and Markus Zusak 'This story, like so many stories, begins with a gift. The gift, like so many gifts, was a book...' So begins the essay by Robert Macfarlane that inspired this collection. In this cornucopia of an anthology, you will find essays by some of the world's most beloved novelists, nonfiction writers, essayists and poets. 'You will see books taking flight in flocks, migrating around the world, landing in people's hearts and changing them for a day or a year or a lifetime. 'You will see books sparking wonder or anger; throwing open windows into other languages, other cultures, other minds; causing people to fall in love or to fight for what is right. 'And more than anything, over and over again, you will see books and words being given, received and read - and in turn prompting further generosity.' Published to coincide with the 20th anniversary of global literacy non-profit, Room to Read, The Gifts of Reading forms inspiring, unforgettable, irresistible proof of the power and necessity of books and reading.

Vydejte se hledat odpovědi na odvěké otázky existence i současné problémy tam, kde se skutečně skrývají: pod povrch. Náš vztah k temnotě rozjasní pohřební komory z doby bronzové, tajemství grónských ledovců, komplikované sítě stromových kořenů i místo, kde bude po 100 000 let skladován jaderný odpad. Během této úžasné cesty do záhadných prostor mýtů, literatury i krajiny se dozvíte překvapivá fakta o všem, co je pohřbené – v hlubinách Země i lidské mysli.

Žijeme na nepokojnej planéte, a tak nás prirodzene zaujíma, aký bude svet po nás? Aké tvory ho budú obývať? A kam sa pohnú nehybné horstvá? Odpoveď nehľadajme v budúcnosti, ale práve naopak - v tom, čo tu bolo dávno pred nami. Pod povrchom. So skvelým Robertom Macfarlanom. Táto kniha definitívne zmení váš pohľad na svet. A to napriek tomu, že rozpráva o neviditeľnom, o tom, čo je ľudskému zraku skryté. Jaskynné systémy hĺbené milióny rokov trpezlivou vodou v sebe ukrývajú aj krvavé stopy druhej svetovej vojny. Bezrozmerné banské štôlne siahajú hlboko pod úroveň morského dna a podzemné laboratóriá sa snažia zachytiť kozmický vánok. Robert Macfarlane navštívil mnohé kúty našej planéty, aby skúmal podzemné priestory vo všetkých možných formách. V londýnskom lesíku neďaleko rušnej diaľnice uvažuje o lesnom internete rozprávajúcich sa stromov, s Urbex výskumníkmi v obrovskom podzemnom meste pod ulicami Paríža zas o krehkosti ľudského života. A čo mu hovoria pohrebiská rádioaktívneho odpadu v hlbinách fínskeho pobrežia? A čo roztápajúce sa grónske ľadovce, spod ktorých sa vynára opustená raketová základňa? Výnimočná kniha Podzemie sa zaoberá tým, čo by sme mohli nazvať archeológiou prítomnosti. Macfarlane pozerá okolo seba a snaží sa pochopiť, čo po nás nájde budúci výskumník a ako bude o tisíce rokov vysvetľovať našu prítomnosť. Podzemie je hlboká cesta strojom času do ďalekej budúcnosti, pri ktorej sa nám ponúka zdanlivo jednoduchá otázku: Sme dobrými predkami? "Už vyše pätnásť rokov píšem o vzťahoch medzi krajinou a ľudským srdcom," povedal o svojej tvorbe Robert Macfarlane, ktorého označujú za najvýraznejšieho súčasného autora píšuceho o prírode. Jeho výnimočná kniha Podzemie vychádza v preklade Ivany Krekáňovej.

Žijeme na nepokojnej zemi. A tak nás prirodzene zaujíma, aký bude svet po nás? Aké tvory ho budú obývať A kam sa pohnú zdanlivo nehybné horstvá? Odpoveď nehľadajme v budúcnosti, ale práve naopak – v tom, čo tu bolo dávno pred nami. Je to kniha o neviditeľnom. O tom, čo je ľudskému zraku skryté. Jaskynné systémy hĺbené milióny rokov trpezlivou vodou, bezrozmerné banské štôlne, podzemné laboratóriá, ktoré sa snažia zachytiť kozmický vánok, lesný internet komunikujúcich stromov, obrovské podzemné mesto pod chodníkmi Paríža. Robert Macfarlane sa vo svojej výnimočnej knihe Podzemie venuje tomu, čo by sme mohli nazvať paleontológia prítomnosti. Pozerá okolo seba a snaží sa predstaviť, čo po nás nájde akýsi budúci výskumník a ako bude interpretovať naše konanie. Podzemie je hlboká cesta strojom času do našej budúcnosti, pri ktorej nám Robert Macfarlane kladie zdanlivo jednoduchú otázku: Sme dobrými predkami? Jeho cesty podzemím sa prelínajú stretnutiami s vedcami aj intenzívnymi pozorovaniami prírody. Vzniká z toho pozoruhodný žáner, v ktorom sa prirodzene prelína a dopĺňa reportáž s poéziou. „Už vyše pätnásť rokov píšem o vzťahoch medzi krajinou a ľudským srdcom,“ povedal o sebe Robert Macfarlane, ktorého oslavujú ako najvýraznejšieho súčasného autora píšuceho o prírode.

From the bestselling, prize-winning authors of beloved cult phenomena The Lost Words and The Lost Spells 'Breathtaking and magical. Jackie Morris has created something that you could spend all day looking at' New Statesman 'Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris have made a thing of astonishing beauty' Observer Discover and share the wonders of the wild world as seen in The Lost Words and The Lost Spells... This collection of 100 postcards features artwork and words from two beloved modern classics, in which Jackie Morris and Robert Macfarlane celebrate the creatures, trees and plants of nearby nature, from Acorn to Wren, by way of Curlew and Kingfisher, Silver Birch and Snow Hare, Goldfinch and Gorse. The front of each card bears one of Morris's Greenaway Medal-winning paintings; on the reverse, you will find an accompanying quotation from one of the spell-poems in the Lost books, as well as an identification of the species shown on the card. The remaining space is left blank for you to fill in these wild cards with pen, pencil or paint - and then send them out into the world to make and renew connections.

Különös, összetett műfajú könyvében Robert Macfarlane föld alatti világokba kalauzol el bennünket: bronzkori temetkezési kamrákba, grönlandi gleccserek mélyére, a Párizs alatti katakombák labirintusába, a szlovéniai karsztvidék víznyelőibe. De szó esik a fák közti kommunikációt lehetővé tevő gombafonalrendszerekről, vagy az új-mexikói sivatag alatti radioaktívhulladék-temetőről is. Izgalmas, olykor megrendítő utazások ezek az emberi történelem és bolygónk történetének múltjába, jelenébe és jövőjébe. És rádöbbentenek, hogy a "lenti világ", melynek létezéséről alig veszünk tudomást, szerves része mindennapi életünknek.

If you're worried about climate change, this book is an essential and reassuring read. We often feel like we don't have the power to make real change. But our small changes can add up to something BIG. Packed with reassuring step by step actions and easy to follow DIY activities, How You Can Save The Planet is the perfect gift for young activists who want to make a difference. With simple explanations, practical tips and stories from children across the world, this guide is ideal for young people who are worried about climate change and want to help our planet! Crafted by Hendrikus van Hensbergen, whose work is featured on BBC Bitesize[JP2] , this inspiring read is perfect for children at KS2. 'Every young person in the country should be given this book' Sir Tim Smit, Founder of The Eden Project 'It's enlightening, inspiring and empowering' Kate Humble, TV presenter 'Wonderfully informative, fun and practical [. . .] A great source of inspiration' The Rich Brothers, TV presenters

Különös, összetett műfajú könyvében Robert Macfarlane föld alatti világokba kalauzol el bennünket: bronzkori temetkezési kamrákba, grönlandi gleccserek mélyére, a Párizs alatti katakombák labirintusába, a szlovéniai karsztvidék víznyelőibe. De szó esik a fák közti kommunikációt lehetővé tevő gombafonalrendszerekről, vagy az új-mexikói sivatag alatti radioaktívhulladék-temetőről is. Izgalmas, olykor megrendítő utazások ezek az emberi történelem és bolygónk történetének múltjába, jelenébe és jövőjébe. És rádöbbentenek, hogy a „lenti világ”, melynek létezéséről alig veszünk tudomást, szerves része mindennapi életünknek. 

Eerie, unsettling and hauntingly beautiful - a new collaboration from the bestselling creators of Holloway 'Ness goes beyond what we expect books to do. Beyond poetry, beyond the word, beyond the bomb -- it is an aftertime song. It is dark, ever so dark, nimble and lethal. It is a triumphant libretto of mythic modernism for our poisoned age. Ness is something else, and feels like it always has been' Max Porter, Booker-longlisted author of Lanny and Grief is the Thing with Feathers Somewhere on a salt-and-shingle island, inside a ruined concrete structure known as The Green Chapel, a figure called The Armourer is leading a ritual with terrible intent. But something is coming to stop him. Five more-than-human forms are traversing land, sea and time towards The Green Chapel, moving to the point where they will converge and become Ness. Ness has lichen skin and willow-bones. Ness is made of tidal drift, green moss and deep time. Ness has hagstones for eyes and speaks only in birds. And Ness has come to take this island back. What happens when land comes to life? What would it take for land to need to come to life? Using word and image, Robert Macfarlane and Stanley Donwood have together made a minor modern myth. Part-novella, part-prose-poem, part-mystery play, in Ness their skills combine to dazzling, troubling effect. Robert Macfarlane is the author of The Lost Words with Jackie Morris, The Old Ways and Underland, among other books. Stanley Donwood is an artist and the author of Slowly Downward and Household Worms. His next books are There Will Be No Quiet and Bad Island.

Discover the hidden worlds beneath our feet... In Underland, Robert Macfarlane takes us on a journey into the worlds beneath our feet. From the ice-blue depths of Greenland's glaciers, to the underground networks by which trees communicate, from Bronze Age burial chambers to the rock art of remote Arctic sea-caves, this is a deep-time voyage into the planet's past and future. Global in its geography, gripping in its voice and haunting in its implications, Underland is a work of huge range and power, and a remarkable new chapter in Macfarlane's long-term exploration of landscape and the human heart.

The "Old Ways" is the stunning new book by acclaimed nature writer Robert Macfarlane Shortlisted for the Samuel Johnson prize 2012. In "The Old Ways" Robert Macfarlane sets off from his Cambridge home to follow the ancient tracks, holloways, drove-roads and sea paths that form part of a vast network of routes criss-crossing the British landscape and its waters, and connecting them to the continents beyond. The result is an immersive, enthralling exploration of the ghosts and voices that haunt old paths, of the stories our tracks keep and tell, of pilgrimage and ritual, and of songlines and their singers. Above all this is a book about people and place: about walking as a reconnoitre inwards, and the subtle ways in which we are shaped by the landscapes through which we move. Told in Macfarlane's distinctive and celebrated voice, the book folds together natural history, cartography, geology, archaeology and literature. His tracks take him from the chalk downs of England to the bird-islands of the Scottish northwest, and from the disputed territories of Palestine to the sacred landscapes of Spain and the Himalayas. Along the way he walks stride for stride with a 5000-year-old man near Liverpool, follows the 'deadliest path in Britain', sails an open boat out into the Atlantic at night, and crosses paths with walkers of many kinds - wanderers, wayfarers, pilgrims, guides, shamans, poets, trespassers and devouts. He discovers that paths offer not just means of traversing space, but also of feeling, knowing and thinking. The old ways lead us unexpectedly to the new, and the voyage out is always a voyage inwards.