Around The World in 80 Treasures

By Dan Cruickshank

Dan Cruickshank's quest is to tell the story of civilisation through the greatest of man's achievements. It will also be the story of his travels, and who and what he meets along the way.
Whether standing before the solemn heads of Easter Island, investigating the mysterious Nazca lines in Peru or the magnificent temple of Borobodur in Java, Dan is never less than fascinating about the origins, construction, mysteries and vicissitudes of each of these monuments to the great civilisations of the world. Do they live up to expectation? Have they been left in ruin, or over-restored?

Dan's diary, written at the end of each day, records his most intimate thoughts and feelings, the people he has met, the ups and downs of the journey, perils, joys, and the ongoing relationships formed on the road. AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 TREASURES is a riveting story of adventure and the pursuit of knowledge. CONTENTS:The Americas Include - Amazonian Tribal Headdress, Mesa Verde in Mexico, The Colt 45, Monticello, Statue of Liberty, Seagram Building, Totem Poles. The Far East Includes - Kakadu Rock Paintings, Cliffside Graves, Angkor Wat in Cambodia, Himeji Castle in Japan. The Indian Subcontinent Includes - Ellora/ajanta Paintings, Palace of Jaipur. The Middle East Includes - Minaret of Jam and Bactrian Gold in Afghanistan, Samarkand, Karnak, Damascus Souq, Petra, Temple Mount. Africa Includes - Ark of The Covenant in Ethiopia, Lalibela, Dogon Mask, Leptis Magna in Libya. Western Europe Includes - Palech Icon, Tsarkoye Selo Amber Room, The Parthenon, Michelangelo's David, Alhambra in Spain and Chartres Cathedral.

With200 colour illustrations the book accompanies a 10 part x 1 hour prime time series on BBC2 to be screened in early 2005. The treasures chosen represent man's greatest achievements, and range from Machu Picchu and Easter Island in the Americas to the Samurai sword, the Great Wall of China, the Spice warehouses in Kochi, India, Michelangelo's David and the Moscow Underground. The journey is as important as Dan's knowledgeable observations on the treasures - his diary records the ups and downs of each day's travel, the people he meets, the expectations and the realities.