Book excerpt: Rosamunde Pilcher's worldwide best-sellers, The Shell Seekers, September, and Coming Home, enchanted millions with their beguiling descriptions of the coasts of Cornwall, the Highlands of Scotland, and the society of London. Now, in this lavishly illustrated, full-color book, Rosamunde Pilcher invites people to share with her the breathtaking views and tranquil places that have inspired her writing. Rosamunde Pilcher's journey begins in Cornwall where she grew up. The dreamy villages, stout cottages, and beautiful gardens of her childhood stand out amidst the artists' studios, galleries, and cafes. This is the landscape that readers of the Shell Seekers, The Empty House, and Coming Home know and love. Then there is the world of September and Wild Mountain Thyme--Rosamunde Pilcher's Scotland. Her home after marriage, the Scottish hills overflow with heather and clear streams running with trout. It's a place of country houses and annual balls that preserve the warmth of family and a stately pace of life. London has always been a welcome contrast to Rosamunde Pilcher's peaceful country life: socializing in the elegant Kensington town houses, afternoon tea at the Ritz, and parties in Chelsea are all familiar rituals that evoke the mood of a time now past. With an introduction by the author, snapshots from family albums, mouth-watering recipes from her own kitchen, and extracts from her unforgettable novels and short stories, the World of Rosamunde Pilcher will be treasured by her millions of loyal fans. Moreover, as with Rosamunde Pilcher's novels, the beautiful places within these covers are testaments to the gorgeous landscape and glorious cultural heritage of Britain.