The 50 Greatest Westerns

Author Barry Stone has served his apprenticeship as a western movie geek and aficionado. The Magnificent Seven, The Wild Bunch, Red River – for 50 years the western has been the only genre in a life that 'just ain't big enough for two'. He has written on the history of cinema for the illustrated reference book Historica, is a regular attendee to western premieres for FOX Studios Australia, and was recently a guest of the Museum of Western Film History in Independence, California. Intrigued by the idea of frontier wilderness, of law and order vs lawlessness, and a firm belief that 'the better the bad guy, the better the film', he goes beyond the American south-west to pay homage to the Italian and even Australian western – and, after much deliberation, he ranks them in order...

Cathedrals and great churches are among the most iconic sights of the world's towns and cities. Visible from miles around, the cathedrals of Canterbury, St Paul's, Chartres and St Stephen's in Vienna dominate their skylines. Others surprise by their statistics: Salisbury has Britain's tallest spire, Wells the largest display of medieval sculptures in the world, while King's College Chapel in Cambridge boasts the largest fan vaulting in existence. Not all are ancient: Dresden's reconstructed Frauenkirche opened in 2005 and Gaudi's masterpiece in Barcelona is still under construction. Award-winning travel writer Sue Dobson gives us a highly personal tour of their highlights.

A trip around the world, played out to the most eclectic soundtrack, discovering hidden musical gems along the way. From mosh pits to cabarets, Berlin's beatnik band haunts to Korea's peppy k-pop clubs, from visiting the infamous Dollywood, to tracing Freddie Mercury's childhood in Zanzibar, The 50 Greatest Musical Places of the World has something for music fans of all genres. Discover the places where iconic songs were written, groups were formed, music legends were born and extraordinary talent is celebrated.

Britain is well-known for its churches and cathedrals; buildings of great architecture and religious grandeur that form many of our recognisable skylines. But these grand structures are also full of facts, histories and stories that you may not have been aware of. Did you know that there are only three cathedrals in Britain without a ringing bell? Or that St Davids Cathedral, nestled away in a Welsh valley, has a very unique choir, where the top line is sung only by female choristers, aged eight to eighteen? How about that the Great Pyramids in Egypt were the world's tallest structures for over 3,870 years, until the construction of Lincoln Cathedral in 1311? Award-wining travel writer and editor Sue Dobson takes us on a journey around the United Kingdom, showing us her highlights while providing fascinating details and stories along the way.

Olympus, the Grand Canyon, Uluru and the Serengeti: national parks are home to the wonders of our natural world. Award-winning travel writer Aaron Millar explores the greatest national parks of the world, giving insider tips on how best to discover their secrets. From the home of the highest waterfall in the world in Canaima, Venezuela to the beautiful fjords of Hardangervidda, Norway, to searching for the giant panda in Jiuzhaigou, China and exploring the culture in Cinque Terre, Italy, this guide tells of the history, legends and cultures of each great national park, and tells you how to see them at their awe-inspiring best.

Castles and palaces around the world are structures of grandeur, might and beauty. From the flamboyance of Germany's fairy tale-Neuschwanstein Castle to the gothic, Dracula-inspiring Bran Castle, perched high in the craggy peaks of Romania's Carpathian Mountains; Tokyo's Imperial Palace, previously home to samurai warriors to Ireland's Blarney Castle, where 'the gift of the gab' will be granted to any who kiss its stone, the world's castles and palaces are steeped in history and stories to tell. Travel writer and journalist Gilly Pickup shares these stories, providing a tour of 50 of the world's greatest castles and palaces, filled with humour, interesting facts and tips on how best to visit them.

Having dined and worked with some of the most brilliant chefs around the world, top food writer James Steen presents the definitive 50 dishes to die for. Let your taste buds travel the world to discover the delights of Vietnam's meaty pho, Japan's aromatic ramen, and the rib-sticking, spicy gumbo of America's Deep South. Learn the truth and fascinating histories of our favourite foods – how Queen Victoria loved a tongue-tingling curry and precisely why Marmite is an essential part of Queen Elizabeth's fried breakfast. Help settle the rows over the origins of the juicy burger, the swirly-peaked pavlova and the cherry-topped ice cream sundae. Oh, and is beef Wellington – so very British – actually named after the streets of Chicago? Including intriguing facts and valuable cooking tips, The 50 Greatest Dishes of the World is the epicurean's indispensable epicurean's travel guide.

Humanity's written history stretches back only 5,000 years, a mere blip on the timeline of our existence. If you want to know what it really means to be fully human, to see the whole story, you need to go back. Way, way back. Prehistoric humans couldn't write, but they were adept at telling their own stories. On every continent and outpost where they gained a foothold, they left signs for modern man to decipher. From the Middle Bronze Age settlement of Arkaim on the Kazakh Steppes to the temples of the Olmec in Mexico; from one of the first European proto-cities at Nebelivka in Ukraine to the neolithic henges of Avebury and Stonehenge; from the dolmens of Antequera in the heart of Andalucía to the megalithic culture that thrived in isolation on Indonesia's tiny Nias Island.