ANZAC Day Closed

At this time of year it’s nice to think about heading off somewhere warm so we can shed our puffer jackets and beanies to expose our skin to some soothing sun. While England have just been eliminated from the FIFA Football World Cup, they are still experiencing a record hot summer with temperatures in the early 30s.

So whether those living in or visiting London are commiserating the loss to Croatia or sipping cool beverages to stay cool they might enjoy reading “A history of London through beer goggles”. This is a fascinating little book even if you don’t drink beer as it tells the stories of some of London’s oldest pubs in parts of London you may not have visited or even known about. Read about the many public inn in Greenwich with their nautical themes and names like The Cutty Sark Pub and The Spanish Galleon. Learn about the number of drinking establishments used as a base for activities such as cockfighting or observing executions and those affected by the great plague or damaged by fire.

Still in London we have a book that will strongly appeal to anyone who loves maps. “Londonist Mapped: hand-drawn maps for the urban explorer” is richly illustrated with maps in theme with their topic like the abstract representation of London’s Underground in Francisco Dans’guide to Tube pedantry or the dinosaur map by Andy Council that leads you to parts of London where you can see dinosaur bones or play dinosaur crazy golf. Historians and genealogists will appreciate the secrets of London’s Magnificent Cemeteries designed by Freya Harrison and using the London’s Best Literary Statues map by Dorothy you could discover and take selfies next to a bronze statue of Paddington Bear, Peter Pan or Winnie the Pooh.

Lonely Planet’s “Culture trails” provides ideas for 52 perfect weekends for culture lovers in all parts of the world including Rotorua’s geysers and Oamaru’s steampunk attractions. There is a suggested three-hour drive around Ned Kelly’s bushranger trail starting from Melbourne and a four hour discovery of Ethiopia’s ancient religion.

If you want to get off the beaten track, disconnect from the internet and discover exotic birds and flowers or, abandoned places like Chernobyl or the discover the infamous magnetic island Jabuka in Croatia where you could retreat to if you wanted to escape the FIFA football excitement. These intriguing places and more can be found in “Atlas of untamed places” by Chris Fitch.