Amazing and Extraordinary Facts
5 total works
After the ‘Olympic fever’ of the 2012 Olympic Games: London 2012, you can now all there is to know about the history of the Olympic Games.
From their origins in ancient Greece to the most famous Olympic medalists, Amazing & Extraordinary Facts: The Olympics covers a range of trivia for every sport lover to enjoy. You can discover the athletes who have set the marks for modern sporting excellence, and wonder at the records set by competitors across the years.
As the ‘Greatest Show on Earth’ graces the City of London it is the time to swot up on the hidden history and unusual facts behind the Olympic Games, past and present.
Who reprimanded Hitler during the 1936 Olympic Games?
When did the Olympic event ‘shin kicking’ get banned?
Which Shakespearean play refers to the Olympic Games?
Who was the first official cheat in 388BC?
Find the answers to these and many other intriguing aspects about the Olympic Games in this absorbing collection of stories and trivia
Cathedrals and abbeys are the most beautiful and iconic buildings of the British Isles, and have formed the bedrock of our nation for centuries. This absorbing collection of amazing and extraordinary facts opens the doors of these fascinating structures to reveal their rich historical and architectural heritage. From stories of English Popes, martyred archbishops and renegade bishops to iconoclastic kings, power-hungry nobles and architectural dynasties, as well as the role of the Romans, Anglo-Saxons and Vikings, we explore how the people and religion in Britain have shaped these buildings over the last 2,000 years. Also read about the architectural heritage of British cathedrals, from troublesome spires, stained glass wonders and buy-a-brick campaigns to abbeys in the sea, fortified castle-cathedrals and mass graves. Along with tales of famous memorials and artefacts, fascinating folklore and architectural feats, these intriguing and diverse facts will provide something for every enthusiast to dip into and relish.
Great Britain unearths the hidden legends, laws, landscapes, discoveries, adventures and locations that have shaped Britain's compelling, and at times, tumultuous past.
Explore how Britain was formed - its geology and climate, the quirky characters and events of its history and the origin of British institutions, such as public schools, fish and chips and driving on the left hand side. Brief, accessible and entertaining pieces on a wide variety of subjects makes it the perfect book to dip in to.
The amazing and extraordinary facts series presents interesting, surprising and little-known facts and stories about a wide range of topics which are guaranteed to inform, absorb and entertain in equal measure.
This is a fascinating and useful reference to the history of the London Underground that reveals new insights into the history of the iconic transport system - the perfect gift for commuters, tourists and railway enthusiasts alike. For anyone who has lived, worked, visited or even passed through London, the tube is one of the iconic and defining characteristics of the city. "Amazing & Extraordinary London Underground Facts" takes you from the famous roundel symbol and standing on the right of the escalators, to the instantly recognisable and hugely influential route map. This title helps to discover the tales of the building of the first lines in the mid-nineteenth century and the steam trains that ran along them, the ever expanding network of routes, the abandoned ghost stations, the notorious incidents and colourful characters that have all played a part in the amazing and extraordinary history of the London Underground.
"Amazing & Extraordinary Facts: London at War" is a unique collection of surprising revelations, heroic deeds and other quirky pieces of trivia from the conflicts that have shaped London’s fascinating past. From British wartime commanders and other characters who called London their home, through the privations of war and their social impact, to the devastation caused by the Blitz in World War II and London’s subsequently resilience, an intriguing history is revealed. With stories of human endeavour in the face of adversity, the rich history of this great capital city at war is revealed.