Further Reading

Iraq, The Land Where Writing Began Shapero Rare Books

Iraq, The Land Where Writing Began

As book lovers we all owe a debt of gratitude to the Sumerians, the early inhabitants of the land now called Iraq, who invented writing 5000 years ago.

Travel & Exploration

Iraq, The Land Where Writing Began

As book lovers we all owe a debt of gratitude to the Sumerians, the early inhabitants of the land now called Iraq, who invented writing 5000 years ago.

The Barbary Coast Shapero Rare Books

The Barbary Coast in Rare Books and Maps

Thinking of the British and Africa, I suppose the things that comes to mind are the Quest for the Source of the Nile, Brits in East Africa and South Africa,...

Travel & Exploration

The Barbary Coast in Rare Books and Maps

Thinking of the British and Africa, I suppose the things that comes to mind are the Quest for the Source of the Nile, Brits in East Africa and South Africa,...

Travels To The Roof of The World Shapero Rare Books

Travels To The Roof of The World

The Tibetan plateau, situated at some 15,000 feet (4500 metres), surrounded by great mountain ranges which include the two tallest mountains in the world, Everest and K2, was one of...

Travel & Exploration

Travels To The Roof of The World

The Tibetan plateau, situated at some 15,000 feet (4500 metres), surrounded by great mountain ranges which include the two tallest mountains in the world, Everest and K2, was one of...

Did They Really Do That? Shapero Rare Books

Did They Really Do That?

Some of the greatest feats of British exploration have occurred in my lifetime – Hilary’s ascent of Everest, Fuchs traversing the Antarctic, and Francis Chichester’s solo circumnavigation.

Travel & Exploration

Did They Really Do That?

Some of the greatest feats of British exploration have occurred in my lifetime – Hilary’s ascent of Everest, Fuchs traversing the Antarctic, and Francis Chichester’s solo circumnavigation.

The Holy Land In The Original Cloth Shapero Rare Books

The Holy Land In The Original Cloth

The other day I received an e-mail offering me a copy of Brand’s History of Newcastle (1789). Or at least some of it, it was an odd volume lacking most...

Travel & Exploration

The Holy Land In The Original Cloth

The other day I received an e-mail offering me a copy of Brand’s History of Newcastle (1789). Or at least some of it, it was an odd volume lacking most...

April 28, 1789: The Mutiny on The Bounty Shapero Rare Books

April 28, 1789: The Mutiny on The Bounty

William Bligh (1754-1815) will forever be remembered for the mutiny, led by his second-in-command Fletcher Christian, which occurred on 28th April, 1789, shortly after leaving Tahiti where Bligh’s mission was...

Travel & Exploration

April 28, 1789: The Mutiny on The Bounty

William Bligh (1754-1815) will forever be remembered for the mutiny, led by his second-in-command Fletcher Christian, which occurred on 28th April, 1789, shortly after leaving Tahiti where Bligh’s mission was...

Richard Burton Shapero Rare Books

Richard Burton: Explorer, Linguist, and Adventurer

The start in a regular Blog series with our roving Travel expert Julian Mackenzie.

Travel & Exploration

Richard Burton: Explorer, Linguist, and Adventurer

The start in a regular Blog series with our roving Travel expert Julian Mackenzie.

Shiver me Timbers! Rare Pirate & Corsair Books Shapero Rare Books

Piracy and Privateering: Books from Our Shelves

Sara Waterson slices through the cut-throat stories from the earliest pirate books of the 17th century to the blockbuster movies of today.  

Travel & Exploration

Piracy and Privateering: Books from Our Shelves

Sara Waterson slices through the cut-throat stories from the earliest pirate books of the 17th century to the blockbuster movies of today.  

Retracing the Footsteps of 19th Century Explorers in Africa Shapero Rare Books

Retracing the Footsteps of 19th Century Explore...

Guest Blog Post by Entomologist Hitoshi Takano The great natural history museum collections have at their foundation, specimens collected by 19 th century explorers.

Travel & Exploration

Retracing the Footsteps of 19th Century Explore...

Livingstone, Speke, Bruce, & Stanley

Guest Blog Post by Entomologist Hitoshi Takano The great natural history museum collections have at their foundation, specimens collected by 19 th century explorers.

Photography: Eternal cities Shapero Rare Books

Photography: Eternal Cities

Incredible photos from over 100 years ago show how much our lives have changed.

Travel & Exploration

Photography: Eternal Cities

On show now

Incredible photos from over 100 years ago show how much our lives have changed.

The Beauty of Maps Shapero Rare Books

The Beauty of Maps

A voyage around the history of cartography takes in sea monsters, newly charted territories and allegorical figures from myth & legend, designed for accuracy but often conveying a surprising beauty....

Travel & Exploration

The Beauty of Maps

The aesthetic high of Dutch map makers

A voyage around the history of cartography takes in sea monsters, newly charted territories and allegorical figures from myth & legend, designed for accuracy but often conveying a surprising beauty....

Turkish Delight: The Ottoman World Observed

Turkish Delight: The Ottoman World Observed

Coinciding with the launch of our Ottoman World catalogue, we asked Dr Philip Mansel, a fellow of the Institute of Historical Research, to give a talk at our bookshop. On...

Travel & Exploration

Turkish Delight: The Ottoman World Observed

Philip Mansel's top picks at Shapero Rare Books

Coinciding with the launch of our Ottoman World catalogue, we asked Dr Philip Mansel, a fellow of the Institute of Historical Research, to give a talk at our bookshop. On...

Polar Exploration: A Journey into the Ice

Polar Exploration: A Journey into the Ice

My recent talk at Shapero Rare Books gave me the opportunity to spend some time browsing catalogues and, most excitingly, shelves while I waited for guests to arrive.

Travel & Exploration

Polar Exploration: A Journey into the Ice

Lines in the Ice: Marginalia

My recent talk at Shapero Rare Books gave me the opportunity to spend some time browsing catalogues and, most excitingly, shelves while I waited for guests to arrive.

Imperial Mechanisms Shapero Rare Books

Imperial Mechanisms

"..The body of the people is taught to attribute the admission of it, entirely, to motives of humanity and benevolence towards other nations standing in need of the produce of...

Travel & Exploration

Imperial Mechanisms

The rapid acceleration of China's economy

"..The body of the people is taught to attribute the admission of it, entirely, to motives of humanity and benevolence towards other nations standing in need of the produce of...

Mutiny! The Court-Martial Documents of the Bounty Mutineers

Mutiny! The Court-Martial Documents of the Boun...

On 28 April 1789, disaffected crewmen took control of the HMS Bounty and cast the captain, Captain Bligh and 18 loyalists adrift in the Pacific Ocean.

Travel & Exploration

Mutiny! The Court-Martial Documents of the Boun...

A legendary Pacific rarity.

On 28 April 1789, disaffected crewmen took control of the HMS Bounty and cast the captain, Captain Bligh and 18 loyalists adrift in the Pacific Ocean.