Classic Guide to …

Throughout history sailing has been instrumental in the development of civilization, affording humanity greater mobility than travel over land, whether for trade, transport or warfare, and the capacity for fishing. Sailing has contributed to many great explorations in the world. In 1889, Knight sailed to the island of Trindade off the coast of Brazil in a 64-foot cutter named the Alerte. He was in search of treasure. In The Classic Guide to Sailing, E. F. Knight, the soldier, journalist and war correspondent, relates some of his experiences and lays down the basic principles of sailing and boatcraft for the budding sailor.

Since the arenas of ancient Rome to modern-day bouts, a boxer's success has been measured by his balance, strength and recovery. One of the things that The Classic Guide to Boxing teaches us is that boxing is not just a sport but a science. Judging distance, position, arm movement and fist shape all contribute to a boxer's overall performance in the ring, and these are spread out in informative chapters for improving amateurs. This handy guidebook also teaches its readers the art of performance, detailing how to trick one's opponent into being caught off guard, so that they can deliver the winning blow. Penned as the ultimate 'Manly Art of Self-defence', the history of boxing is presented in vivid detail, with essential notes on defence tactics and cross-counter moves such as the 'Famous Solar Plexus Knockout' or the 'McCoy "Corkscrew"' that any enthusiast will appreciate. This volume also recounts notable matches between boxers including Les Darcy, Jimmy Clabby and George Chip, with step-by-step accounts of their moves for readers to learn from, ultimately showcasing the sport in its early glory days.

The Victorian age, the age of industrial revolution and expansion of cities, was also the age of an explosion of interest in the practice of gardening. This was not merely a private pastime. For the first time, a concerted effort was made throughout Britain to provide extensive gardens for the public to enjoy. More than merely an aesthetic enterprise, the development of public gardens attempted to promote benevolent behaviour and decrease social unrest. It was during this period that we saw the creation of infamous and elaborate gardens such as the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew, and plants were brought from all around the world and housed in gardens such as James Bateman's at Biddulph Grange, Staffordshire. The craze for plant collecting that developed in the nineteenth century catalysed the return to a more formal style of garden to display the variety of plant species from across the Empire. In this illustrative comprehensive tome, Frank J. Scott brought the art of beautifying home gardens to suburban homes. He demonstrates the simple means with which beautiful gardens may be achieved on small grounds and with little cost.

A sport popular in over 100 countries around the world, rugby is said to have originated when William Webb Ellis 'with fine disregard for the rules of football as played in his time at Rugby school, first took the ball in his arms and ran with it, thus originating the distinctive feature of the Rugby game'. While the popular story of the schoolboy William Webb Ellis going rogue is an amusing anecdote, it is unlikely that the development of the game was sourced from one youngster's actions. Written in 1922, The Classic Guide to Rugby looks at the shape of the game after the First World War. A firmly established and popular sport at the time of writing, D. R. Gent, an ex-England international, tackles differing types of play, the qualities of a good captain, the temperament required to be a patient and fair referee, the spirit of the game and rugby's position in future society.

Have you ever wondered how to know you are really in love? How to woo your beloved with a handkerchief? How about how to write a foolproof love letter? The Classic Guide to Dating is full of practical advice for the young lover (or would-be lover), guiding him or her through every stage of courtship, marriage and beyond. Revealing many of love's hidden mysteries, Henry J. Wehman has produced an essential and timeless volume for anyone who has ever wondered how to find true love. Featuring indispensable lists, such as twenty ways to pop the question, as well as a useful appendix of love poetry, The Classic Guide to Dating is an (almost) complete guarantee of success.

The beautiful game as we know it today was founded at the end of the nineteenth century. The history of football as a sport in England can be traced back to at least the eighth century, but the laws of the modern game were first standardised between 1848 and 1886. Charles William Alcock has been described as one of the fathers of the modern game. In 1871, as Secretary of the Football Association, he founded the world's oldest footballing competition, the FA Cup. He set down much of the history and knowledge he had accumulated over his long career in this, one of the very first 'manuals' of the sport, in 1906.

Often described as the greatest cricketer of all time, W. G. Grace started his long career in 1865, and is said to have revolutionised the sport. The last two decades before the First World War have been called the 'Golden Age of Cricket', and the period produced some great players and memorable matches, especially as organized competition at county and Test level developed. In The Classic Guide to Cricket, W. G. Grace relates his personal experience of the sport and its history, and instructs the budding cricketer in the Spirit of the Game.

While the modern game of golf originated in fifteenth-century Scotland, the game's ancient origins are unclear and much debated. The first written record of golf is King James II's banning of the game in 1457, as an unwelcome distraction from learning archery. The world's oldest golf tournament still in existence, and golf's first major, is the Open Championship, which was first played on 17 October 1860 at Prestwick Golf Club in Ayrshire, Scotland. Horace Gordon Hutchinson won the British Amateur twice, in 1886 and 1887, and he has been described by many as the Father of Golf Instruction, writing several books on the subject. In The Classic Guide to Golf, he shares his insight into the game, and instructs the casual player or beginner in how to become truly great.

In 1872, the world's first tennis club was founded in Leamington Spa. The world's oldest tennis tournament, the Wimbledon Championships, was first played in London in 1877. These first Championships culminated in a debate on how to standardise the rules of the sport as it evolved. John Moyer Heathcote was one of those who devised the original rules of lawn tennis, and he is also credited with inventing the cloth covering for the tennis ball. An amateur tennis champion until 1882, he wrote one of the very first manuals of the sport. The Classic Guide to Tennis instructs the budding tennis player in how to become a master of the game.