Tom Sykes

Welcome to the topsy-turvy world of the anxious traveller, where panic strikes in the most serene situations, where each time you're convinced that the symptoms are in fact physical and your lungs or heart will stop working, and the only relief is a paramedic telling you that you won't die despite being stuck with them in an ambulance in a smoky Global Southern gridlock. Over the last twenty years, writer and academic Tom Sykes has been lucky enough to travel all over the world. But his trips have often been marred - if not ruined - by anxiety. Part travelogue, part wellbeing memoir, The Years of Travelling Anxiously recounts jittery visits to Nigeria to get married and undergo IVF treatment, stressful encounters with bigots and bureaucrats in France, the Philippines and the USA, and what can be learned about mental health on the road from a baby with an inspiringly calm attitude to travel. The Years of Travelling Anxiously tries to solve a lifelong conundrum about the causes and consequences of panic and distress, and in so doing help other anxious travellers, or indeed anyone who gets anxious about anything, wherever they go.

Meet Kirk Decker, abusive 1980s B-movie actor. H? self-destructing from drink and drugs, and some people want him dead. While shooting an action film in the Philippines, he has unearthly visions and weird encounters. Meet Dayang, the dutiful queen of a matriarchal tribe in 16th-century Luzon. Why are her people suffering from mysterious diseases? How can they call on the spirit world to save them? And what connects them through time, space and magic to Kirk and other violent white men in need of redemption?

If you've ever been interested in the rich culture and epic history of Ancient Rome, dive into this whirlwind tour and discover the highlights of this mighty civilization Growing from humble origins into a world-spanning empire, the Ancient Roman civilization has captured human imagination for generations. Uncover its history, from the legendary Roman army and its conquests to the art, culture and everyday life of its citizens, in this fascinating little book. Within these pages you will find the following and much more: - A whistle-stop tour of the Ancient Roman timeline, from the founding of Rome to the fall of the Roman Empire. - Profiles of some of the most influential figures in politics, art, and culture, from Ceasar to Hadrian to Ovid. - An insight into the daily life of an Ancient Roman citizen. - The influence of Ancient Rome on the modern day, from architecture and trade to the calendar. In this pocket-sized window into the past, discover the key events, people and trivia you need to know to understand this remarkable period of history.