Naxos Books: 72 books

Charles Darwin, father of evolution, was one of the greatest pioneers in science. His five-year voyage on The Beagle, his visit to the Galapagos Islands, his careful work in noting small differences of fauna on different islands all led to the concept of natural selection, which radically changed the...

For almost two millennia, cathedrals have been among the most imposing, astonishing and inspiring buildings in Europe. Regardless of faith, their scale and architectural daring has never ceased to spark wonder. This guide traces the development of the cathedral from its earliest beginnings as a Bishop's...

Karma and rebirth are words used by many but properly understood by few. In his accessible introduction, Jinananda explains that although these are concepts presumed to be principally from the East, they have in fact been part of the life-view of societies all over the world, from the Ancient Greeks...

Led by his guide Beatrice, Dante leaves the Earth behind and soars through the heavenly spheres of Paradise. In this third and final part of the Divine Comedy, he encounters the just rulers and holy saints of the Church. The horrors of the Inferno and the trials of Purgatory are left far behind. Ultimately,...

The common view of the Romans is that they were only interested in watching gladiators hack one another to pieces, and in lying on couches while they stuffed large meals down their throats. But of course they were a busy and clever people, who built up a great empire to prove it, with fine cities and...

Between the 8th and 11th centuries Vikings stormed out of their Scandinavian homelands to raid and loot along the coasts of Europe. In old Norse to go-a-viking meant to go on an adventure to seek wealth and fame. Vikings would take to the sea in a long ship, sometimes for a trading trip, sometimes a...

The oldest long poem in Old English, written about 1000 AD, Beowulf tells the story of a great warrior in Southern Scandinavia in both youth and maturity. The monster Grendel terrorises the Scyldings of Hrothgar's Danish Kingdom until Beowulf defeats him. As a result he has to face Grendel's enraged mother. Beowulf dies after a battle against a fierce dragon.

This unique history of the Olympics, first issued in 2008, has been updated to include the Beijing Olympics and released to coincide with the London event. Written by the prize-winning sports journalist John Goodbody, and with a fascinating personal documentary featuring one of Britain's leading Olympians, Sebastian Coe, who is now heading the 2012 Games, this is an ideal opener!

The Adventures of Odysseus is the story of what happened after the Trojan War when Odysseus, the most cunning of all the Greek heroes, left Troy and made his way back home to his wife Penelope and his son Telemachus. It was first told by a poet named Homer nearly three thousand years ago and is retold in this new version especially for younger readers.

A mysterious knight all in green arrives at King Arthur's court and issues a bizarre challenge. Gawain answers the knight but at what cost? This new translation brings all the poetic power of the original's extraordinary alliteration. In doing so it brings the saga vividly to life, and in a manner that...

The great myths of ancient Greece have inspired mankind for centuries. Each of the heroes has to undergo trials of strength and courage to prove his valour against a host of monsters the Minotaur, half-man, half-bull; Hydra, the many-headed serpent; Medusa the Gorgon. Meanwhile, the gods, led by Zeus the Thunderer from his seat on Mount Olympus, watch, encourage, help and sometimes hinder.

Here are the stories of ten key Shakespeare plays: Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Twelfth Night, King Lear, Richard III, Othello, Macbeth, The Tempest, Henry V, and A Midsummer Nights Dream. David Timson presents the complex plots in a clear, entertaining and informal style, introducing the main characters...

There was once a time, nearly four thousand years ago, when the tall towers of a city called Troy reached gleaming into the sky; when its proud king fought against an invading army in a desperate siege. The Tale of Troy was so important to the ancient Greeks that its author, Homer, became a kind of hero....

The doors are opened to eight important plays, including Much Ado About Nothing, Antony and Cleopatra, The Winters Tale, Measure for Measure, and Alls Well That Ends Well. These newly written introductions by David Timson have proved eminently useful for young audiences coming to Shakespeare for the first time.