Wednesday, February 8th, 2012
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2008 / Dubai

Paradise Regained

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In an era of multiplicity and me-too, it’s hard to stand out. But in times like these, it’s still possible to be the sun in your own universe. Welcome to your very own blank canvas in the azure waters of the Arabian Gulf. Where orchestrating your own version of paradise—whether it’s a resort hotel or condominium communities—is a much needed inoculation against the ordinary, and where you’ll discover that The World really can revolve around you.

Grand isn’t just about being big. It’s about daring to measure dreams against reality, actions against words, and going ahead despite the obstacles. It’s about shifting common perception on its head to architect streets from water and a city from sand. It’s about creating something profound yet universal, something that captures the imagination of the planet and doesn’t let go.

For a few of us, unique isn’t so unique anymore. Somewhere along the way, the very concept of rarity has become a shell of its former self. Imitators are everywhere, but innovators can still be found, if you know where to look. Innovators that create singular destinations in singular cities, places so uncommon they pull at the heart, captivate the mind, and take up residence in the soul.

The thrill is back. And this time, it’s here to stay. Your pulse races. Your heart pounds. A once in a lifetime experience has begun: a whirlwind of sights, sounds, and emotions that leave you weak in the knees and casts life in a brilliant new light. You may have discovered the perfect soul mate. Sand, sea, sky. Yours.

Some destinations tell a great story. Singular but not single-minded, they evolve beyond concrete, glass, and steel to shape experiences that will be treasured by generations to come. Layered with meaning and taking inspiration from all corners of the globe, here is where all the good things come together in a luminous display of humanity and community, progress and momentum. Nowhere but in a place like this can the world be so richly reimagined.

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Book of Nature
About the Text

From "The World Principles," published on the website of The World, an artificial archipelago of three hundred islands in the shape of a world map. Situated in the Persian Gulf, the islands range in price from $15 to $50 million.

The sun, with all those planets revolving around it and dependent upon it, can still ripen a bunch of grapes as if it had nothing else in the universe to do.
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Author and translator Peter Ackroyd talks with Aidan Flax-Clark about his new retelling of Thomas Malory’s Le Morte D’Arthur and discusses a little bit about his most recent book of London history, London Under.
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