Global stability and the New World order are in peril, and American businessman Roger Gordian, star of POLITIKA and SHADOW WATCH, must again mobilize the full resources of his multinatinoal corporation to counter the threat. Bearing all the hallmarks of classic Tom Clancy, the fifth Powerplays novel serves up another dose of international intrigue and political brinkmanship. Intricate plotting, exceptional authenticity and knife-edge suspense will see this book repeat the massive success of its four predecessors.

These two fascinating cities reflect different aspects of China - Beijing is the traditional capital, the seat of political power and home to the ancient monuments of Imperial China; Shanghai is both a financial powerhouse and a city at the cutting edge of fashion with an interesting modern history. This DK Eyewitness Travel Guide provides in-depth coverage of these cities, including Beijing's Great Wall and Forbidden City, Shanghai's Bund and the French Concession, as well as the water towns of Suzhou and Hangzhou, graced with serene and timeless gardens and lakes. Explore China's cultural heritage through richly illustrated features - on everything from Beijing Opera to Confucianism, Chinese Gardens and the Cultural Revolution. Illustrated food features highlight the differing regional cuisines, and resident China experts have provided detailed listings of the best places to stay and eat. Specially devised walking tours take you easily to the heart of these bustling, enigmatic and ultimately bewitching cities.

As the name implies, the Eyewitness Travel Guides bring you the world in full living color. In the Australia edition, each information-packed page is splashed with enticing photographs of the people, animals, plants, rock formations, deserts, and ocean vistas that make the country Down Under famous the world over. On the practical side, there are thousands of details to help you find your way to the must-see spots, plus full-color maps and useful at-a-glance tables that make it easy to sort through and locate food and accommodation choices.

The introduction offers an overview of Australia's world-heritage sites, aboriginal culture and art, artists and writers, wines, surfing and beach culture, climate, annual events, flora and fauna, landscape, as well as a detailed history section. —Kathryn True

Truly the guides that show you what others only tell you, this book features stunning 3D and cutaway views of museums, cathedrals, and other must-see sights; detailed street maps; a handy phrase section; advice on the best places to eat, drink, shop, sleep, and be entertained; and a Survival Guide to help the traveler sort out essential information such as currency, transportation, and communications. As world traveler and TV personality Michael Palin says, "the Eyewitness Travel Guides are irresistibly seductive.... They also deliver where it matters most — uncluttered and accurate information."

Situated on Australia's eastern coastline is the continent's largest city, and only one travel reference shows you all its attractions and charms—DK—DK's Eyewitness Travel Guide: Sydney. The guide's six district chapters—The Rocks and Circular Quay, City Center, Darling Harbour, Botanic Gardens and The Domain, Kings Cross and Darlinghurst, and Paddington—help you navigate through each area with accurate street-by-street maps and illustrated 3-D overviews. Along the way, all the sights are covered, including the impressive Sydney Harbour Bridge, vividly captured in a two-page layout highlighted by a fascinating look in its construction, in 1932. Another architectural marvel of contemporary Sydney is the city's tallest vantage point, Sydney Tower, which is showcased in a cutaway of its turret's nine levels. The city's renowned Royal Botanic Gardens are spotlighted with a dazzling overview surrounded by photos of its monuments and attractions. Additional features showcase such sights as the National Maritime Museum, Sydney Aquarium, the Australian Museum, the Powerhouse Museum, and the Art Gallery of New South Wales. Four lovely guided walks lead you through historic Balmain Village, along Bondi Beach to Clovelly, around downtown Manly, and into the city's colonial past with a walk in Watsons Bay and Vaucluse. Sydney's enthralling history is fully detailed in a comprehensive chapter complete with timelines, illustrations, and photos of its remarkable ancient artifacts. Additional articles cover the city's energetic nightlife, recreational activities, scrumptious cuisine, Australian wines and much more. Full of color, excitement and appeal, Sydney is a must for anyone venturing down under, and this guide is a must for anyone who wants to see all of Sydney.

Green Spain, as Northern Spain is often known, offers the visitor a great variety of landscapes: lush forests, deep-green valleys, soaring high mountain scenery, and exquisite beaches. For those looking for more than sun and sand, cultural highlights such as Santiago de Compostela, and the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao are contrasted with the wonderful national parks that can be found in the Central and Eastern Pyrenees. But the best beaches and most charming villages are not neglected. Everything is depicted in the glorious visual style for which Eyewitness Travel Guides are known.

"This book is not a book about a toy. It is a book about an idea, a set of values, and a long-term commitment to empowering children to use their creativity and build their imagination."So states Lego Group president Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen in his introduction to this fascinating, visually exciting tribute to Lego bricks and the people who play with them. Lego "maniacs" are no mere invention of Lego Group's industrious marketing machine. Enthusiastic fans of the ingeniously designed, colorful plastic building blocks do indeed exist, and in vast numbers—as of 1996, an estimated 300 million children and adults had played with Lego bricks since the first one rolled off the presses in 1949. (How many yellow knob-headed Lego people populate the earth today? A cool 2.3 billion.)

The visual wizards at Dorling Kindersley have labored together with the staff at Lego to assemble a hefty, photo-rich book essential to the library of any maniac (or maniac emeritus). The Ultimate Lego Book recounts the company's early history as a one-man operation back in the 1930s and subsequent creation of its first plastic "automatic binding brick," to the contemporary construction of myriad Legoland theme parks.

Trivia buffs will appreciate the playful but detailed graphic time line (first Lego window, 1957; first wheel, 1962; first dolphin, 1995). Everyone will love the pages of imagination-stretching constructions, from the small but clever (an unmistakable Elvis, complete with pompadour) to the overwhelmingly detailed (a meticulous model of Grand Central Station) to the downright strange (a life-size space helmet with visor and gas mask). The Lego universe includes a Mona Lisa replica, a 10,500-piece pelican, and even a yellow submarine. Enjoy! (Ages 6 to 106) —Paul Hughes

COMMON EDIBLE/POISONOUS MUSHRO
HOW TO CLIMB

Author Wilson Rawls spent his boyhood much like the character of this book, Billy Colman, roaming the Ozarks of northeastern Oklahoma with his bluetick hound. A straightforward, shoot-from-the-hip storyteller with a searingly honest voice, Rawls is well-loved for this powerful 1961 classic and the award-winning novel Summer of the Monkeys. In Where the Red Fern Grows, Billy and his precious coonhound pups romp relentlessly through the Ozarks, trying to "tree" the elusive raccoon. In time, the inseparable trio wins the coveted gold cup in the annual coon-hunt contest, captures the wily ghost coon, and bravely fights with a mountain lion. When the victory over the mountain lion turns to tragedy, Billy grieves, but learns the beautiful old Native American legend of the sacred red fern that grows over the graves of his dogs. This unforgettable classic belongs on every child's bookshelf. (Ages 9 and up)