Explaining Conversations

Delve beneath the surface of the Earth with this pictorial atlas and discover the secrets of our planet.How did planet Earth form? What’s under the surface, and how can we see it? Why do volcanoes erupt? What do coasts and caves have in common? What’s so important about rocks and soil? All these questions and more are answered in The Earth Atlas – a lavishly illustrated guide to our planet. From oceans to ice regions to deserts, this book takes you on a trip around Earth’s features, explaining how they formed and what impact they have on us even today, supporting life and literally shaping the world with every tectonic movement.Richard Bonson’s hand-drawn illustrations allow you to see parts of the planet that can’t be shown in photographs, with diagrams clearly annotated to help explain what’s going on.

A starter kit for learning Mandarin Chinese fast. Along with three CDs and a pocket-sized guide, it breaks up your learning into bite-sized chunks with simple conversations based on real-life situatio

This glorious guided tour of cartographic history features more than 300 of the most famous and important maps of all time. Immerse yourself in ancient Chinese star charts, decipher medieval Mappae Mundi, and marvel at intricate surveys of the ocean floor and the lunar surface. Discover how Polynesian navigators used sticks to chart their way across the Pacific, what a rhumb line is, and where dragons were once said to lurk.Organized chronologically, the book includes the most celebrated examples of maps spanning more than 5,000 years, explaining everything from scales and compasses to meteorological symbols, and exploring techniques from engraving and printing to cartographic projection. Entries also place the maps in their wider cultural and historical context, providing a complete overview of the subject. Combining stunning reproductions with precise annotation, visual analysis, and pull-out details, Maps, Annotated brings an expertly curated selection of the world’s most celebrated

Did the universe start with a Big Bang? Is light a wave, a particle – or both? Is a "Theory of Everything" possible?Explaining the key milestones in the field of science in a clear and simple way, The Science Book answers these questions and more besides, and is the perfect introduction to the subject. Untangling knotty theories and shedding light on abstract concepts, entries unpack each complex idea with a combination of easy-to-follow explanations, innovative graphics, and intriguing quotes.Discover the most important theories of history’s greatest scientists, why Copernicus’s ideas were so contentious, how Einstein developed the concept general and special relativity, and the reasoning behind Crick and Watson’s proposed structure for DNA, and much more besides.Fully revised and updated with eight brand-new pages of content, The Science Book is a truly accessible and comprehensive route into a fascinating subject. Packed with scientific quotations, profiles of key figures and discov

Dive into an encyclopedic collection of burning questions asked by children and discover all the fascinating answers. This timeless encyclopedia for children aged 9+ covers all their favourite topics in a friendly, easy-to-read Q&A format, perfect to dip into and browse. Find the answers to big questions like "How do aeroplanes fly?" " Why do tigers have stripes?" " What's inside a black hole?” and much more! Alongside the children's questions and the expert answers are beautiful illustrations, photographs, and diagrams to bring every topic to life in rich detail and with perfect clarity.This children’s encyclopedia of questions offers:1,000 curious questions and answers that will be sure to wow family and friends. Striking CGI graphics, fun visual comparisons, and diagrams make stats and facts easy to understand. Science boxes that are illustrated with engaging diagrams to explain information.Simple and easy-to-understand images explaining the science behind weird and wonderful fa

How do our minds influence the way we behave? How do our bodies and minds work together? Do we have free will?Exploring and explaining the big ideas and groundbreaking theories in psychology clearly and simply, The Psychology Book answers these questions and more and is the perfect introduction to the subject. Untangling knotty theories and shedding light on abstract concepts, entries unpack each complex idea with easy-to-follow explanations and eye-catching images.In this book, you can find:The history of psychology, from its roots in philosophy to modern studies of autism and psychiatry across all of the key fields of study, from psychotherapy to cognitive psychology and behaviourism.Groundbreaking ideas of great thinkers, from Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung to Noam Chomsky and Daniel KahnemanInformation about the key personalities of the 19th and 20th centuries whose work has significantly contributed to our understanding of human behaviour.With millions of copies sold worldwide, The P

Understanding AI has never been easier. Combining bold graphics with easy-to-understand text, Simply Artificial Intelligence is the perfect introduction to the world of AI for those who are short of time but hungry for knowledge. Covering a broad range of fields within AI - from computing and mathematics to politics and philosophy - entries demystify what artificial intelligence is and how it works, how it has dramatically changed the way we live, and how it might evolve in the future. Explaining each individual aspect of AI more clearly than ever before, the book outlines the key building-blocks and technological milestones in its history, profiles its most important practical applications - both currentand predicted - and explores the numerous ethical debates around AI, and its increasing influence on culture and society. Whether you are studying science or AI-related subjects at school or college, or simply want a jargon-free overview of this increasingly important subject, this ess

Illustrated guide to where and how the first great civilizations lived, shown on maps. From the first cities of Sumer to the empire of the Incas, travel around the world and through 5,000 years of history to see where and how ancient peoples lived. What was it like to live in the crowded city of Rome? Why did the Egyptians build pyramids? When did Samurai warriors first ride into battle? How did sailors first navigate the Pacific Ocean? Which Chinese emperor has a palace with 1,000 bedrooms? All these questions and more are answered in The Ancient Worlds Atlas - a lavishly illustrated guide to past civilizations. From North America to New Zealand, this book takes you on a trip around the world and through history to visit ancient cities and empires, showing who lived where and explaining the unique features of each civilization. Russell Barnett's hand-drawn illustrations literally put the past on map, showing where and why the world's great cities grew and how archaeological evidence h

About How Everything WorksDiscover an all-in-one encyclopedia that takes you on an explanatory tour of the world from your own body to outer space.Have you ever wondered how an email gets to someone on the other side of the world in just a few seconds or why it's a bad idea to stand under a tree during a thunderstorm? Discover the answers to all these questions and more with this mind-boggling how things work books for children!Each page of this mind-blowingly detailed and ambitious encyclopedia will guide you through the natural world and the technology that surrounds you. Giant, page-filling illustrations take objects apart - or take the roofs and walls off buildings - to show you how they work, explaining both basic principles, such as photosynthesis, as well as broader concepts, like how all the living things in a rainforest interact.Explore each and every page of this engaging how things work book to discover:- Key insights into both the natural and human worlds- Striking photogra

A jargon-free, highly visual guide to every aspect of politics, from political philosophy to 21st-century activism.Discover everything you need to know about political history and thought, and the inner workings of governments around the world with this unique graphic guide.Combining clear, jargon-free language and bold, eye-catching graphics, How Politics Works is a comprehensive and user-friendly guide to all aspects of politics. Covering everything from political theory to methods of government, the book presents the ideas and theories of key political philosophers, leaders, movements, and activists in a uniquely visual and easy-to-understand way. Explaining political ideas on a conceptual level, entries explore how they apply to governments, movements, and trends throughout history, along with 21st-century examples such as the Feminist movement and #BlackLivesMatter. The book also shows how political history is affected by economics, sociology, and the role of the media―an ever-rel

This highly accessible guide to world history brings key milestones and events to life in visual timelines.Packed with illustrations and fascinating facts, this book tells the story of the events that shaped our world.From the origins of the first humans to the political turmoil of the 21st century, Timelines of World History brings the key milestones of world history vividly to life, explaining each of them through contemporary artworks, photographs, documents, maps, and artifacts.This inclusive exploration of human history takes readers on a journey around the world and through the ages, from the emergence of the first cities in Mesopotamia, through China’s Golden Age, to the Industrial Revolution, right through to the key events of the last 100 years, such as the Cold War and the impact of the Internet. Selected images are showcased and analyzed, providing a detailed look at the stories of past events, while feature boxes and mini-timelines tell you everything you need to know about

Why do we need laws? What rights are protected by law? When was forensic evidence first used in court?This book explores big questions like these, explaining the laws and legal precedents, and religious, political, and moral codes that have shaped the world we live in. Written in plain English, The Law Book cuts through the legal jargon and is packed with pithy explanations of the most important milestones in legal history, with step-by-step diagrams and witty illustrations that untangle knotty concepts. From the earliest laws, such as the Code of Hammurabi, through groundbreaking legislation including Magna Carta and the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act, The Law Book offers an engaging overview of legal history across the world all the way into the 21st century with copyright in the digital age, same-sex marriage, and the "right to be forgotten".Covering the fight for universal suffrage and workers' rights, and the establishment of international legal bodies like INTERPOL and the Euro