Biography: adventurers and explorers Books

Book SynopsisSir Winston Churchill was one of Britain''s greatest leaders and an iconic figure. Prime Minister twice (19405 and 19515), his political career with its many ups, downs, controversies and achievements spanned over sixty years, from the reign of Queen Victoria to that of Queen Elizabeth II, reaching its zenith with his heroic and indomitable leadership during the Second World War. Churchill had also, as a young army officer, taken part in the last great cavalry charge in British history, written a novel, a great deal of journalism and many works of history (winning the Nobel Prize for Literature), and shown great promise as an amateur painter and bricklayer. This book provides an illustrated introduction to the story of this unique, flawed and brilliant individual.Table of Contents?Early Life and Adventures / The Rising (and Falling) Politician / Political Troubles and Darkening Clouds / ‘Finest Hour’ / Elder Statesman / Further Reading / Places to Visit Associated with Churchill / Index

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Book SynopsisThis Reader brings together a generous selection of readings from the original texts of the three major classical sociological theorists: Karl Marx, Max Weber, Emile Durkheim. The readings are deliberately of a substantial length to allow students to gain a full understanding of the texts.Table of ContentsSection 1 Karl Marx: alienated labour; the theses on Feuerbach; "The German Ideology" and historical materialism; "The Communist Manifesto"; wage labour and capital; the preface to "A Critique of Political Economy"; the fetishism of commodities; the so-called primitive accumulation; selected correspondence. Section 2 Max Weber: "The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism"; class, status and party; bureaucracy; science as a vocation; definitions of sociology and social action; legitimacy and authority. Section 3 Emile Durkheim: "The Division of Labour in Society"; sanctions and mechanical and organic solidarity; the division of labour - causes of abnormal forms; "The Rules of Sociological Method"; "Suicide: a Study in Sociology"; religion and society.

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Book SynopsisJames Hogg knew Sir Walter Scott well, and after Scott's death in 1832 he wrote an affectionate but frank account of their long friendship.Trade ReviewOn the evidence [of this volume] Hogg is a writer of enormous versatility, ambition and literary accomplishments whose work ought to feature on every Romantic syllabus. The editors of SSC are making this possible for the first time - Romanticists should seize the opportunity. This is not an account of Scott but of Scott's relationship with Hogg or, perhaps more accurately, of Hogg's relationship with Scott. What makes it in the end fascinating and compelling reading is that Hogg does not present us with a balanced and distanced account of someone else's life but rather opens up to us a particularly interesting relationship between two people, a relationship which attracts our attention because, like real-life relationships, it is not without its ups and downs, its tensions and disturbances ... This edition presents two rather different versions of Hogg's anecdotes of Scott ... These two texts are expertly edited and fully and helpfully annotated by Jill Rubenstein while Douglas Mack has provided an authoritative history of the genesis of the text with very full quotation from the relevant correspondence. Jill Rubenstein's excellent introduction to these texts provides us, amongst other things, with a balanced and perceptive account of the two writers' complex relationship, avoiding the temptation to redress the errors of his own time by presenting Hogg merely as the victim of Scott's snobbery and recognising instead that Scott's attitude to Hogg was ambivalent ... There is a lot more that could be said of these fascinating and complex texts ... we have not before had the two manuscript versions brought together in one volume. We can now compare within the one volume the subtle but significant variations between the two original manuscripts of what Jill Rubenstein has rightly called, for all the complexities of Hogg's attitude to his subject, 'the tribute of one remarkable man to another, both flawed and both admirable, living in a remarkable time.' The impression given by the edition as a whole [is] that the editorial task has been undertaken with a peculiar degree of commitment and with a determination that a long-postponed duty towards James Hogg will now be undertaken with a thoroughness which should stand the test of time. On the evidence [of this volume] Hogg is a writer of enormous versatility, ambition and literary accomplishments whose work ought to feature on every Romantic syllabus. The editors of SSC are making this possible for the first time - Romanticists should seize the opportunity. This is not an account of Scott but of Scott's relationship with Hogg or, perhaps more accurately, of Hogg's relationship with Scott. What makes it in the end fascinating and compelling reading is that Hogg does not present us with a balanced and distanced account of someone else's life but rather opens up to us a particularly interesting relationship between two people, a relationship which attracts our attention because, like real-life relationships, it is not without its ups and downs, its tensions and disturbances ... This edition presents two rather different versions of Hogg's anecdotes of Scott ... These two texts are expertly edited and fully and helpfully annotated by Jill Rubenstein while Douglas Mack has provided an authoritative history of the genesis of the text with very full quotation from the relevant correspondence. Jill Rubenstein's excellent introduction to these texts provides us, amongst other things, with a balanced and perceptive account of the two writers' complex relationship, avoiding the temptation to redress the errors of his own time by presenting Hogg merely as the victim of Scott's snobbery and recognising instead that Scott's attitude to Hogg was ambivalent ... There is a lot more that could be said of these fascinating and complex texts ... we have not before had the two manuscript versions brought together in one volume. We can now compare within the one volume the subtle but significant variations between the two original manuscripts of what Jill Rubenstein has rightly called, for all the complexities of Hogg's attitude to his subject, 'the tribute of one remarkable man to another, both flawed and both admirable, living in a remarkable time.' The impression given by the edition as a whole [is] that the editorial task has been undertaken with a peculiar degree of commitment and with a determination that a long-postponed duty towards James Hogg will now be undertaken with a thoroughness which should stand the test of time.

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Book SynopsisFrom the illustrious son of Zeus down to the absolute monarch idealised by Louis XIV, from the valiant knight of the crusaders to the Moslem philosopher-king, the author reveals the gamut of contrasts that make up the legend of Alexander, this extraordinary hero of history and myth.Trade ReviewEngaging - espcially her final account of Alexander's continual reinterpretation in the medieval and contemporary European worlds ! Janet Lloyd offers another of her customarily reliable translations ! the result is something far better than the usual rehash of Alexander's life and legacy. Engaging - espcially her final account of Alexander's continual reinterpretation in the medieval and contemporary European worlds ! Janet Lloyd offers another of her customarily reliable translations ! the result is something far better than the usual rehash of Alexander's life and legacy.Table of Contents'Some more talk of Alexander'; Paul Cartledge; Introduction; Part I: The Major Stages Of Alexander's Reign; 1. The Graeco-oriental world at Alexander's succession; 2. The beginning of Alexander's reign: the revolt of Thebes; 3. The conquest of the western provinces of the Persian Empire; 4. The conquest of the eastern provinces and the end of the Asian campaign; Part II: The Different 'Faces' Of Alexander; 5. The king of the Macedonians; 6. The hegemon of the Greeks; 7. The successor to the Achaemenids; 8. The son of Zeus; Part III: Alexander The Man; 9. Youth and upbringing; 10. Alexander's personality; 11. Light and shade; Part IV: The Legacy Of Alexander; 12. Alexander's empire: a fragile construction; 13. The invention of a new type of monarchy; 14. The birth of a 'new world'; 15. The Hellenisation of the East, and its limits; Part V: Alexander The Mythical Hero; 16. The image of Alexander in the ancient world; 17. The medieval Alexander; 18. The image of Alexander in seventeenth- and eighteenth-century France; 19. The historians and Alexander's image; 20. From The Alexander Romance to novels about Alexander; Conclusion; Alexander's principal Companions; Chronology; The succession of the Achaemenid kings; Bibliography; Supplementary Bibliography; Translator's Note; Index.

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Book SynopsisFrom the illustrious son of Zeus down to the absolute monarch idealised by Louis XIV, from the valiant knight of the crusaders to the Moslem philosopher-king, the author reveals the gamut of contrasts that make up the legend of Alexander, this extraordinary hero of history and myth.Trade ReviewEngaging - espcially her final account of Alexander's continual reinterpretation in the medieval and contemporary European worlds ! Janet Lloyd offers another of her customarily reliable translations ! the result is something far better than the usual rehash of Alexander's life and legacy. Engaging - espcially her final account of Alexander's continual reinterpretation in the medieval and contemporary European worlds ! Janet Lloyd offers another of her customarily reliable translations ! the result is something far better than the usual rehash of Alexander's life and legacy.Table of Contents'Some more talk of Alexander'; Paul Cartledge; Introduction; Part I: The Major Stages Of Alexander's Reign; 1. The Graeco-oriental world at Alexander's succession; 2. The beginning of Alexander's reign: the revolt of Thebes; 3. The conquest of the western provinces of the Persian Empire; 4. The conquest of the eastern provinces and the end of the Asian campaign; Part II: The Different 'Faces' Of Alexander; 5. The king of the Macedonians; 6. The hegemon of the Greeks; 7. The successor to the Achaemenids; 8. The son of Zeus; Part III: Alexander The Man; 9. Youth and upbringing; 10. Alexander's personality; 11. Light and shade; Part IV: The Legacy Of Alexander; 12. Alexander's empire: a fragile construction; 13. The invention of a new type of monarchy; 14. The birth of a 'new world'; 15. The Hellenisation of the East, and its limits; Part V: Alexander The Mythical Hero; 16. The image of Alexander in the ancient world; 17. The medieval Alexander; 18. The image of Alexander in seventeenth- and eighteenth-century France; 19. The historians and Alexander's image; 20. From The Alexander Romance to novels about Alexander; Conclusion; Alexander's principal Companions; Chronology; The succession of the Achaemenid kings; Bibliography; Supplementary Bibliography; Translator's Note; Index.

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Book SynopsisCentring on the reign of the emperor Augustus, volume four is pivotal to the series, tracing of the changing shape of the entity that was ancient Rome through its political, cultural and economic history.

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Book SynopsisJean Flori's Richard Coeur de Lion was written to mark the eighth centenary of the death of the "knightly king". The book is a tour de force that provides the reader with a reappraisal of Richard's life as well as a study of the myth and reality of Richard's image as the personification of medieval chivalry.Trade ReviewOffers a synthesis of scholarship as well as fresh assessment of Richard I's life with particular attention to the ethos of high-medieval chivalry. Jean Flori is one of Europe's most highly regarded historians, one of the world's leading medievalists, a recognized scholar of the crusades and probably 'the' expert on the concept of chivalry. -- Jochen Burgtorf, Assistant Professor of Medieval World History, California State University, Fullerton Offers a synthesis of scholarship as well as fresh assessment of Richard I's life with particular attention to the ethos of high-medieval chivalry. Jean Flori is one of Europe's most highly regarded historians, one of the world's leading medievalists, a recognized scholar of the crusades and probably 'the' expert on the concept of chivalry.Table of ContentsPart 1. Prince, King and Crusader; Chapter 1. The Early Years; Chapter 2. Richard the Younger Son, Count of Poitou (1174-83); Chapter 3. Richard the Eldest Son, Duke of Aquitaine (1184-89); Chapter 4. King Richard; Chapter 5. Richard in Sicily (1190-1); Chapter 6. Cyprus and Acre; Chapter 7. Richard against Saladin (1191-2); Chapter 8. The Lion in a Cage (1192-4); Chapter 9. Richard against Philip Augustus (1194-8); Chapter 10. The Lion's Death; Part 2. A Mirror of Chivalry; Chapter 11. Images of Richard and Chivalry; Chapter 12. Chivalry Imagined before Richard; Chapter 13. Richard and the Three Orders; Chapter 14. Chivalric Prowess; Chapter 15. The Prowess of the King of England; Chapter 16. Prowess in Outremer; Chapter 17. Royal Largesse; Chapter 18. Chivalric Conduct; Chapter 19. Richard and Women; Chapter 20. Richard and his Legend; Bibliography.

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Book SynopsisRichard I, the Lionheart, remains forever (and perhaps wrongly) the mythical king of England who preferred to wage war than to rule over his empire. The familiar epithet conveys all the principal features of his indomitable character: courage, valour, prowess, the pursuit of glory, the thirst for fame, generosity in war and peace, a sense of honour combined with a sort of haughty dignity made up of both arrogance and pride. In this book Jean Flori examines both Richard?s role as prince and king in history and also analyses the different and sometimes controversial elements which, for the chroniclers of his day, helped to make Richard a true model of chivalry. Among the questions addressed are: What influences formed his character and determined his behaviour, real or assumed? Why did the image of Richard as a king who was also a knight so quickly and so soon supplant all others, creating a quasi-definitive point of reference? Why did Richard deliberately, it would appear, choose to present himself in this chivalric guise and disseminate this image of himself by what we would today call a ?media campaign?, using all the methods then at his disposal, limited perhaps but by no means ineffective? Last but not least, what is the historical and ideological significance of the choice and, even more, success of this image, which has been adopted by history and disseminated by legend, an image based on historical accounts and documents in which history and legend are sometimes inextricably interwoven?Jean Flori?s Richard Coeur de Lion was written to mark the eighth centenary of the death of the knightly king. The book is a tour de force that provides the reader with a reappraisal of Richard?s life as well as a study of the myth and reality of Richard?s image as the personification of medieval chivalry. The first part of the book takes a straightforward chronological approach to Richard?s life, from his birth in 1157, through conflict with his father, Henry II,Trade ReviewOffers a synthesis of scholarship as well as fresh assessment of Richard I's life with particular attention to the ethos of high-medieval chivalry. Jean Flori is one of Europe's most highly regarded historians, one of the world's leading medievalists, a recognized scholar of the crusades and probably 'the' expert on the concept of chivalry. -- Jochen Burgtorf, California State University, Fullerton In recent decades there have been a number of more or less popular books on Richard I by French authors, but this is the first by a major scholar, and as such is warmly to be welcomed... His great familiarity with the sources means that in Part Two we have a valuable introduction and guide to recent French literature on the elusive subjects of knighthood and chivalry. -- John Gillingham English Historical Review Offers a synthesis of scholarship as well as fresh assessment of Richard I's life with particular attention to the ethos of high-medieval chivalry. Jean Flori is one of Europe's most highly regarded historians, one of the world's leading medievalists, a recognized scholar of the crusades and probably 'the' expert on the concept of chivalry. In recent decades there have been a number of more or less popular books on Richard I by French authors, but this is the first by a major scholar, and as such is warmly to be welcomed... His great familiarity with the sources means that in Part Two we have a valuable introduction and guide to recent French literature on the elusive subjects of knighthood and chivalry.Table of ContentsPart 1. Prince, King and Crusader; Chapter 1. The Early Years; Chapter 2. Richard the Younger Son, Count of Poitou (1174-83); Chapter 3. Richard the Eldest Son, Duke of Aquitaine (1184-89); Chapter 4. King Richard; Chapter 5. Richard in Sicily (1190-1); Chapter 6. Cyprus and Acre; Chapter 7. Richard against Saladin (1191-2); Chapter 8. The Lion in a Cage (1192-4); Chapter 9. Richard against Philip Augustus (1194-8); Chapter 10. The Lion's Death; Part 2. A Mirror of Chivalry; Chapter 11. Images of Richard and Chivalry; Chapter 12. Chivalry Imagined before Richard; Chapter 13. Richard and the Three Orders; Chapter 14. Chivalric Prowess; Chapter 15. The Prowess of the King of England; Chapter 16. Prowess in Outremer; Chapter 17. Royal Largesse; Chapter 18. Chivalric Conduct; Chapter 19. Richard and Women; Chapter 20. Richard and his Legend; Bibliography.

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Book SynopsisThose with an interest in Romantic biography and autobiography will be particularly fascinated by these lively, readable, idiosyncratic and disconcerting texts.Trade ReviewOn the evidence [of this volume] Hogg is a writer of enormous versatility, ambition and literary accomplishments whose work ought to feature on every Romantic syllabus. The editors of SSC are making this possible for the first time - Romanticists should seize the opportunity. Rubenstein's introduction ! is useful and perceptive., as when she suggests that Anecdotes was, for Hogg, 'a sort of declaration of independence'. In it, Hogg's rich voice ricochets from affection and awe to irritation and resentment. -- Rosemary Goring What makes this in the end fascinating and compelling reading is that Hogg does not present us with a balanced and distanced account of someone else's life but rather opens up to us a particularly interesting relationship between two people, a relationship which attracts our attention because, like real-life relationships, it is not without its ups and downs, its tensions and disturbances... Jill Rubenstein's excellent introduction to these texts provides us, amongst other things, with a balanced and perceptive account of the two writers' complex relationship! "the tribute of one remarkable man to another, both flawed and both admirable, living in a remarkable time." The editorial task has been undertaken with a peculiar degree of commitment and with a determination that a long-postponed duty towards James Hogg will now be undertaken with a thoroughness which should stand the test of time. On the evidence [of this volume] Hogg is a writer of enormous versatility, ambition and literary accomplishments whose work ought to feature on every Romantic syllabus. The editors of SSC are making this possible for the first time - Romanticists should seize the opportunity. Rubenstein's introduction ! is useful and perceptive., as when she suggests that Anecdotes was, for Hogg, 'a sort of declaration of independence'. In it, Hogg's rich voice ricochets from affection and awe to irritation and resentment. What makes this in the end fascinating and compelling reading is that Hogg does not present us with a balanced and distanced account of someone else's life but rather opens up to us a particularly interesting relationship between two people, a relationship which attracts our attention because, like real-life relationships, it is not without its ups and downs, its tensions and disturbances... Jill Rubenstein's excellent introduction to these texts provides us, amongst other things, with a balanced and perceptive account of the two writers' complex relationship! "the tribute of one remarkable man to another, both flawed and both admirable, living in a remarkable time." The editorial task has been undertaken with a peculiar degree of commitment and with a determination that a long-postponed duty towards James Hogg will now be undertaken with a thoroughness which should stand the test of time.

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Book SynopsisThis first major study of Thomas Jefferson's reputation in nearly fifty years is concerned with Jefferson and history both as something Jefferson made and something that he sought to shape.Trade ReviewA great success. Students of Jefferson and his era will obviously gain most from this important study, but it should be emphasized that Cogliano's sophisticated interrogation of history and historical consciousness in Jefferson's day and our own has broader and deeper implications for a much wider readership. -- Professor Peter S. Onuf, University of Virginia A great success. Students of Jefferson and his era will obviously gain most from this important study, but it should be emphasized that Cogliano's sophisticated interrogation of history and historical consciousness in Jefferson's day and our own has broader and deeper implications for a much wider readership.Table of ContentsIntroduction: The Estimation of the World; 1. History; 2. The Revolution; 3. Jefferson's Papers; 4. Monticello; 5. Jefferson's Epitaph; 6. Sally Hemings; 7. Slavery; 8. America and the World; Conclusion: 'Jefferson Survives'.

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Book SynopsisHelen is a best-selling non-fiction writer who lives in London and works as a psychotherapist. After reading history at Cambridge, Helen studied journalism at Cardiff and worked in television, producing and directing documentaries for the BBC. Helen has had three non-fiction books published.

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Book SynopsisHelen is a best-selling non-fiction writer who lives in London and works as a psychotherapist. After reading history at Cambridge, Helen studied journalism at Cardiff and worked in television, producing and directing documentaries for the BBC. Helen has had three non-fiction books published.

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Book SynopsisAs the lead guitarist of Queen, Brian May is one of rock''s most recognisable stars. Brian May: the definitive biography charts his life from his childhood, through his years studying astro physics and teaching, his success with Queen, his more recent projects and his volatile relationship with actress Anita Dobson. Bestselling writer Laura Jackson examines closely the many aspects of the musician''s life revealing his true story for the first time. The book reveal''s Queen''s struggles to gain success and life at the top, throwing some of the most notorious and wildly salacious parties in the business. It charts the camaraderie and conflicts within Queen as well as Brian''s difficult years throughout the disintegration of his first marriage, the death of his father and the profound professional and emotional effects of Freddie Mercury''s illness and death. The book is packed with nearly 70 first-hand exclusive interviews with some of his closest friends, colleagues and fellow musicians. These include school and college friends, early band members and colleagues in the scientific world. Interviewees include, Tony Iommi, Joe Elliott, Raul Rodgers, Cliff Richard and Spike Edney.Trade ReviewLaura Jackson is the queen of biographers. * DAILY EXPRESS *When it comes to getting to the rich and famous, Laura Jackson is second to none. * SKY TV *

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Book SynopsisA striking and sympathetic portrait of England''s first Queen, Mary I - whose character has been vilified for over 400 years. Instead of the bloodthirsty bigot of Protestant mythology, Mary Tudor emerges from the pages of this deeply-researched biography as a cultured renaissance princess, a courageous survivor of the violent power struggles that characterised the reigns of her father, Henry VIII, and brother Edward VI. The author does not belittle Mary''s burning of heretics, which earned her the subriquet ''Bloody Mary'', but she also had many endearing personal qualities and talents, not least the courage of leadership she showed in facing down Northumberland''s rebellion. A well-balanced and readable biography of Mary I is long overdue.Trade ReviewDrawing on new, contemporary scholarly research, this is a fascinating new take on a much misunderstood monarch * GOOD BOOK GUIDE *A richly researched, marvellously realised historical biography * TELEGRAPH *Mary deserves her proper account and this friendly and appreciative biography gives her the credit she is due * THE TABLET *This well-researched biography about "Bloody" Mary is fascinating. I loved the way the author shattered the misconceptions we have of her * WOMAN'S OWN *

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Book SynopsisSteven Tyler is one of life''s natural born survivors. With an exhaustively vibrant personality, this dynamic lead singer has been one of the most distinctive figures in rock music for more than three decades. Although he was raised in a close knit, loving family, Tyler survived a tough upbringing in the Bronx. His inherent passion for performing and a talent for playing instruments propelled him into rock music as a teenager. He fronted a succession of local bands before meeting the guys with whom he would form Aerosmith in 1970. Laura Jackson reveals the stories behind Tyler''s relationships with band members and the many women in his life, his battle with Hepatitis C, and his drug-fuelled meltdown during the late ''70s and early ''80s when he was snorting pure heroin. She also explores his visits to rehab in the 1980s which saved his life. Tyler has lived a roller coaster life of excess - spending over a million dollars on drugs - but is miraculously still performing. Steven Tyler: Trade ReviewWhen it comes to getting close to the rich and famous Laura Jackson is second to none. * Sky TV *Laura Jackson is the queen of biographers. * Daily Express *

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Book SynopsisMichael Bublé is an international singing sensation. Since his debut in 2003, he has sold 18 million albums, won numerous awards (including a Grammy), reached the top 10 in the UK charts with his first album, ''Michael Bublé'', and the top 50 of the Billboard 200 album charts for the same CD. His second album, ''It''s Time'', was more successful still, debuting at number 4 in the UK charts, and his song ''Home'' was a UK number one. His performances and concerts worldwide have been sell outs, while he has cultivated a huge and loyal fanbase. Of Italian origin, and born into a family of fishermen in Canada, Michael was heavily influenced by his grandfather, whom he credited with introducing him to the kind of music he would make his own - Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles, Dean Martin and Elvis, to name but a few. His popularity continues to grow, and this comprehensive and definitive biography charts his fascinating and phenomenal success story.

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Book SynopsisSimon Weston was horrifically burnt in the Falklands conflict of 1982. He has since rebuilt his life to become a true hero for our times and he brings his astonishing story up to date in the pages of this new autobiography. Now happily married with three young children, he campaigns tirelessly for charities - he has jumped with the Red Devils and run the New York marathon - to create a better future for young people and veterans alike. But his road to recovery has certainly not been without its darker moments. This book sees him lay his Falklands ghosts to rest: in a final, moving return to the islands, he bids a last goodbye to the old self he left behind.

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Book SynopsisCarey, Beth, and Pam, have good luck in their friendships and careers, but terrible luck in relationships. Which makes it more difficult to get what they truly desire: children. And time is running out. Carey is the first to abandon the traditional path to motherhood. She decides to go it alone, and buys eight vials of sperm from the perfect donor. Maybe it''s newfound confidence from taking control of her destiny. Maybe it''s sheer coincidence. But on the day the vials arrive, she meets a man online. They fall in love. And she gets pregnant the old fashioned way. Carey passes the vials to Beth, who has just recovered from a wrenching divorce. But before she can use the vials, Beth meets a man on an ice-climbing trip. She too falls in love. And gets pregnant. So she gives the vials to Pam. Pam will never stop searching for the love of her life, but she''s ready to be a single mother. Then the magic strikes again. Is it lucky sperm? Or shared hope, determination, and resilience that paTrade ReviewA "Tome of the Brave" * O, The Oprah Magazine, June 2010 selection *...an incredibly wise, witty and powerful memoir ... [The authors] forged an incredible sisterhood that speaks to the importance of friendship in women's lives and shows how empowering friends can be * Irene Levine, The Huffington Post *a true-life sisterhood tale of friendship, love, amazing luck, and sperm . . . A must-read for the twenty-first-century woman on the same journey * Alice D. Domar, PhD, author of BE HAPPY WITHOUT BEING PERFECT *'Reading Three Wishes is like being let into the juiciest of confidences. I dare you not to root for these tough and gentle women * Jil Eisenstadt, author of FROM ROCKAWAY and KISS OUT *

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Book SynopsisMillions of families are affected by eating disorders, which usually strike young women between the ages of fourteen and twenty. But current medical practice ties these families'' hands when it comes to helping their children recover. Conventional medical wisdom dictates separating the patient from the family and insists that ''it''s not about the food'', even as a family watches a child waste away before their eyes. In BRAVE GIRL EATING Harriet Brown describes how her family, with the support of an open-minded paediatrician and a therapist, helped her daughter recover from anorexia using a family-based treatment developed at the Maudsley Hospital in London. Chronicling her daughter Kitty''s illness from the earliest warning signs, through its terrifying progression, and on toward recovery, Brown takes us on one family''s journey into the world of anorexia nervosa, where starvation threatened her daughter''s body and mind. BRAVE GIRL EATING is essential reading for families and professTrade ReviewBRAVE GIRL EATING is a story that gets too close for comfort; it's an honest account of the toll anorexia takes on the writer's family and their tenacious, loving efforts to fight back. Harriet Brown is an intelligent, elegant writer and this book offers both solace and useful information for families struggling with eating disorders Audrey Niffenegger A mother's harrowing chronicle of the years anorexia held her daughter captive, and the long road back PEOPLE magazine Harriet Brown's BRAVE GIRL EATING is an up close and personal account of one family's struggle to help a child with anorexia nervosa. What sets this book apart is the author's incorporation of clinical research findings from the field of eating disorders into the story of one family's struggle. Ms. Brown's tale of how her family was able to participate in her daughter's recovery process is a compelling story of family strength and an inspiring story for all of us committed to treating individuals with eating disorders Evelyn Attia, MD, Director, Center for Eating Disorders, Columbia University Medical Center, Weill Cornell Medical College [BRAVE GIRL EATING] is an inspirational story of one courageous family's fight against anorexia nervosa. We feel the heart-wrenching nature of anorexia through the eyes of a mother who will never give her daughter up. But more importantly we learn that Susan Paxton, Professor, School of Psychological Science, La Trobe University

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Book SynopsisMichael Faraday''s social origins, his thought processes, his methods of experimentation, and his religion have all been subjects of exhaustive analysis by historians and philosophers of science. One aspect of his work, which provides unique insight into his career path and the way in which his mind worked, has not received much emphasis outside the realm of academic professionals: namely, his writing. The Philosopher''s Tree: Michael Faraday''s Life and Work in His Own Words is an illustrated anthology of Faraday''s writings compiled with commentary by Professor Peter Day, the director of the Royal Institution of Great Britain.From when he was a teenage apprentice bookbinder until his final resignation from the Royal Institution due to failing memory, Faraday wrote voluminously and his output took many forms. Apart from letters, Faraday kept journals (both scientific and personal); as a practicing scientist, he wrote articles in learned journals; as an adviser to the governmenTrade Review"There is a brief and useful biography and an index, and the book is nicely illustrated with a mix of sketches from the diaries, contemporary images of Faraday's lab, and a few scientific diagrams … Peter Day has done Faraday's memory a fine service in bringing his words, thoughts, and feelings to a wide audience." -Ryan D. Tweney, Bowling Green State University, Ohio, USA "The Philosopher's Tree … is unique. It uses Faraday's own words about his life and career. And what words!" -New Scientist "… a charming and moving insight into the mind of the great man. His commitment to his work, his modesty, and his delight in a life of science shine through. Peter Day has provided an excellent and unobtrusive commentary that links these letters and other items together. The result is compelling and I could hardly put the book down." -Education in Chemistry "Many authors have written of Faraday's work and admired them from a respectful distance. Peter Day has done something unique and brought us as close as we can get." -Chemistry & Industry "The author of this very readable and informative compilation is Faraday's successor as the Fullerian Professor of Chemistry in the Royal Institution. In this excellent book, Professor Day has gracefully effaced himself before his illustrious predecessor, letting him speak to us 'in his own words.' By all means read this book …" -Jean-Paul Poirier, Institut de Physique du Globe, Paris, FranceTable of ContentsIntroduction. A note about sources. A note about punctuation. The beginning - in a nutshell. Early years: friends, family and marriage. Touring the continent: 1813-1815. Way of life and work. Colleagues and friends. Words for things. Science at the bench. Leaves from a laboratory notebook. Science in the lecture theatre. Science for young people. Honour and recognition. Public affairs: consultant and advocate. Final days. Bibliography. Index.

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Book SynopsisContinental Drift: Colliding Continents, Converging Cultures is as much an account of the impressions Western culture made on Constantin Roman as a young researcher from behind the Iron Curtain as a personal history of the developing new science of plate tectonics. The book elucidates the author''s struggles against a web of bureaucracy to secure his rights in the free world while exploring historical events. A refined observer of the contrast of cultures between East and West, Roman''s personal story relates his encounters with eminent scientists, artists, and embassy officials.Constantin Roman defied communist restrictions by coming to England in 1968 on a NATO travel grant. After being encouraged by Keith Runcorn at the University of Newcastle to stay in Britain for a higher degree, he received a Ph.D. scholarship at the University of Cambridge. This is where he studied under Sir Edward Bullard when plate tectonics was in its infancy, when the concepts of continental drift aTrade Review"…a lively and interesting read."-Cambridge University PressTable of ContentsDedications. Epigraph. Author Biography. Foreword. Acknowledgments. Preface. The DNA Signature. Nato Secret. Paris Student Riots. Pet on One Pound a Day. The Rat Race. Lotus-Eater. Suggested Reading. Index.

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Book SynopsisThe Correspondence of John Flamsteed discusses this leading figure in the final phases of the seventeenth-century scientific revolution, presents his extensive correspondence with 129 British and foreign scholars all over the world, and touches on many of the scientific discussions of the day. This book, the last volume of the set, contains his letters from number 901 to 1515.Trade Review"John Flamsteed was England's first Astronomer Royal. He lived and worked for over 40 years in Christopher Wren's Royal Observatory at Greenwich. Throughout those years he corresponded with key figures of the British and continental scientific communities. Astronomical observations, scientific instruments, and the publication of results were all discussed. Surviving letters written to and by Flamsteed during the last 16 years of his life are collected together in this third and final volume of correspondence. It is a window onto the life of a diligent astronomer and onto the scientific world of the early 18th Century.The letters … are arranged in chronological order. They are typed versions of handwritten missives in the Cambridge-based Greenwich archive and of others in the UK, St. Petersburg, Basel, New York, and Pisa. Willmoth's introductory essay is an excellent entrance to the letters. She embraces the broad themes, highlights details to look out for, and supplies incisive commentary. Two of Flamsteed's concerns, the publication of his Greenwich observations and his desire to retain independence from the Royal Society, feature in the correspondence.Present and future historians of science owe a debt to the thorough and assiduous work of Flamsteed's editors. They've not only made his correspondence available to a wide readership but have led them into this world of meticulously and expertly annotating each letter. A rich, largely untapped source of study is yours for the picking."-Carole Stott, The ObservatoryTable of ContentsAcknowledgments. List of Letters. Abbreviated References. Glossary of Astronomical and Other Technical Terms. List of Symbols. Introduction. Letters 901-1515. Appendix-Official Documents. Agenda to Previous Volumes. Biographical Notes. Index.

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Book SynopsisThe Correspondence of John Flamsteed: The First Astronomer Royal, Three Volume Set explores the work of Flamsteed through his letters.The first volume serves as an essential guide to the exciting developments in scientific thinking that occurred during the seventeenth century by supplementing the published correspondence of Isaac Newton and Henry Oldenburg. It will be an invaluable research tool, not only for historians of astronomy, but also for researchers examining how scientific thought developed.The second volume contains the letters Flamsteed wrote and received from June 1682 to the spring of 1703. A leading figure in the final phases of the seventeenth-century scientific revolution, his extensive correspondence with 129 British and foreign scholars touches on many of the scientific discussions of the day. Some of these exchanges involved established correspondents, chiefly Newton and Wallis, but members of a younger generation, such as Stephen Gray, William Derham, and Abraham Sharp, appear with increasing frequency, especially after 1700.The last volume of the set includes letters from 451 to 1250.

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Book SynopsisBiography of Fidel Castro

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Book SynopsisA century after Queen Victoria''s death, debate still rages surrounding her relationship with her gillie, John Brown. Were they ever married? What was the extraordinary hold he had over her? This biography aims to shed new light on these questions and to discover the truth behind Brown''s hold on his royal employer. Following the death of Prince Albert in 1861, the Queen found solace in the companionship of John Brown, who had commenced his royal employment as a stable hand. He became The Queen''s Highland Servant in 1865 and rose to be the most influential member of the Scottish Royal Household. While the Queen could be brusque and petulant with her servants, family and ministers, she submitted to Brown''s fussy organization of her domestic life, his bullying and familiarity without a murmur. Despite warnings of his unpopularity with her subjects by one Prime Minister, the Queen was adamant that Brown would not be sacked. The Queen''s confidence was rewarded when Brown saved her from

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Book SynopsisThe six children of King George V and Queen Mary all lived to maturity except the youngest, Prince John. The eldest, who was Prince of Wales and heir to the throne, reigned as King Edward VIII for less than a year. His infamous romance with Mrs Simpson plunged the country into the abdication crisis and led both of them into a long period of exile. King George VI, who reluctantly and unexpectedly ascended to the throne, was a shy man, handicapped by a speech impediment and a sense of his own inadequacy. However, together with his Consort, Queen Elizabeth, and the Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, he gave the nation spirited guidance throughout World War II. Both surviving younger brothers served in the armed forces during war-time. Henry, Duke of Gloucester, was Governor General of Australia from 1944-6 and crowned his military career with promotion to the rank of Field-Marshal. George, Duke of Kent, an officer in the RAF, was tragically killed on active service in

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Book SynopsisPrincess Victoria Melita played a colourful role from her birth in 1876. The second daughter of Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, she made a brief and unhappy marriage at the age of 17 to her cousin, Ernest, Grand Duke of Hesse. In the face of strong opposition from her family she divorced him seven years later and married another cousin, Grand Duke Cyril of Russia, resulting in three years of exile. When revolution toppled the empire in 1917, the Grand Duke and Duchess and their children escaped to Finland, living in danger for three long years. Following the atrocities of the Bolsheviks at the time, including the murder of most of the Romanov family, the Grand Duke believed he was the senior surviving member of the imperial house, and proclaimed himself Tsar. However, they were never able to return to their homeland, and the Grand Duchess died in exile in 1936. Using previously unpublished correspondence from the Royal Archives and Astor papers, this is a portrait of the Princess, set against the imperial courst of the turn of the 20th century and inter-war Europe.

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Book SynopsisIt took Henry VIII twenty-eight years, three wives, and a break with Rome before he secured a legitimate male heir. Yet he already had a son the illegitimate Henry Fitzroy. Fitzroy was born in 1519 after the King's affair with Elizabeth Blount. He was the only illegitimate offspring ever acknowledged by Henry VIII, and Cardinal Wolsey was even one of his godparents. So just how close did he come to being Henry IX?

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Book SynopsisThe Lady of Sudeley was Emma Brocklehurst who in 1847 married John Coucher Dent and spent nearly 50 years of her life as the chatelaine of Sudeley Castle in Gloucestershire. A remarkable woman with wide-ranging interests and prodigious energy Emma Dent devoted herself to the restoration of the Castle and to the people of the nearby Cotsold town of Winchcombe, as well as finding time to amass an amazing collection of artefacts which are now on permanent display at the Castle. With ane eye to posterity she also left a valuable legacy of diaries, letters and papers which Jean Bray has skilfully woven into this story of her life and times from her childhood in Macclesfield to her life at Sudeley. This new edition of the book includes an unique collection of illustrations from the Sudeley Castle archives.

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Book SynopsisKing Harold Godwineson is one of history''s shadowy figures, known mainly for his defeat and death at the Battle of Hastings. His true status and achievements have been overshadowed by the events of October 1066 and by the bias imposed by the Norman victory. In truth, he deserves to be recalled as one of the greatest rulers. Harold: The Last Anglo-Saxon King sets out to correct this distorted image by presenting Harold''s life in its proper context, offering the first full-length critical study of his career in the years leading up to 1066. Ian Walker''s carefully researched critique allows the reader to realistically assess the lives of both Harold and his rival William, significantly enhancing our knowledge of both.

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Book SynopsisJohn GielgudTrade Review‘A testimony to Gyles Brandreth’s talent … Avoiding the usual tedious cradle-to-grave narrative, Brandreth braids Gielgud’s own reminiscences with those from friends and colleagues. What sets this apart from the usual kind of puff is Brandreth’s own voice, directing our responses to Gielgud’s art.’ – Kathryn Hughes, Daily Telegraph‘Full of personal detail … a treasure trove of anecdote but also clear and informative … Brandreth’s immaculate, charming and deceptively modest book … fascinating.’ – Carole Woddis, Glasgow Herald‘Cometh the hour, cometh the biography.’ – Stratford-upon-Avon Herald

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Book SynopsisElizabeth Woodville is a historical character whose life no novelist would ever have dared invent. David Baldwin traces Elizabeth's career and her influence on the major events of her husband Edward IV's reign, and in doing so he brings to life the personal and domestic politics of Yorkist England and the elaborate ritual of court life.

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Book SynopsisPerkin Warbeck, pretender to the English throne, claimed to be Richard of Shrewsbury, Duke of York & Norfolk, the younger of the two sons of Edward IV imprisoned in the Tower of London by Richard III, and whose true fate is unknown to this day. He led two attempts to claim the crown, but was captured by Henry VII and hanged at Tyburn. This book looks at who Warbeck really was, how he was used by those in power in Burgundy, France, Italy, Scotland and Ireland, and the progress of the conspiracy itself. It has often been considered to be a side issue to Henry''s reign, but this book reveals how close the conspirators came to bringing about a fundamental change in European politics. Importantly, Ian Arthurson not only sets the plot within the context of what was happening in fifteenth-century Europe, but also reveals important truths about Henry''s reign in England. Illustrated with a wealth of contemporary portraits, paintings, engravings and documents, The Perkin Warbeck Conspiracy w

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Book SynopsisThis is the riveting story of Noor Inayat Khan, a descendant of an Indian prince, Tipu Sultan (the Tiger of Mysore), who became a British secret agent for SOE during World War II. Noor was one of only three women SOE agents awarded the George Cross and, under torture, revealed nothing, not even her real name.Trade ReviewThe inspiring Noor Inayat Khan – posthumous holder of the George Cross and the Croix de Guerre, a Muslim princess and Indian nationalist who gave everything for our freedom – ought to be as popular a heroine in British schools as Florence Nightingale once was. Basu's moving and scrupulous biography might help that to happen -- Boyd Tonkin, IndependentThe true life story of Noor Inayat Khan is the stuff legends are made of: it is indeed stranger than fiction ... It has been meticulously researched .... It makes compelling reading -- Khushwant Singh, The Tribune (India)One of the most inspirational stories of World War II ... Reading this book is like watching a butterfly trapped in a net -- Christopher Hudson, Daily Mail

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Book SynopsisWith the growth of English cities during the Industrial Revolution came a booming population too vast for churchyards. Beckett Street Cemetery in Leeds was to become the first municipal cemetery in the country. This study relates how the cemetery was started and run, and describes the developing feuds between denominations. The author draws upon newspaper articles, archive material and municipal records to tell the stories of many of the people who lie there, from tiny infants, soldiers and victims of crime to those who perished in the great epidemics of Victorian England. The study throws new light on the occupations and pastimes of the inhabitants of Victorian cities, their problems with law and order, their attitudes to children, education and religious provision.

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Book SynopsisAthlete and TV presenter Sally Gunnell, actress Joan Sims, singer Billy Bragg, footballer Bobby Moore, chef Jamie Oliver, author John Fowles, film director Basil Dearden, playwright Sarah Kane, and the infamous highwayman Dick Turpin are among personalities through the ages who have been born in Essex. The county can claim many more who spent much of their lives here and left their mark on the area, including authors Douglas Adams and Margery Allingham, magician David Nixon and comedian Lee Evans. This book features mini-biographies of all these and many more, and will make fascinating reading for residents and visitors alike.

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Book SynopsisWellington is a giant because he was one of the greatest military commanders in British history, an important figure in the emergence of Britain as a great imperial power, a man who dominated British society and politics for 35 years.

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Book SynopsisWHO WAS ‘THE FAMOUS MR. BROWN’, and why are his parks still so important?

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Book SynopsisTogether, and against the odds, Dease and Godley became the first winners of the Victoria Cross in the First World War. Here Mark Ryan uses contemporary documentation and images to tell their astounding, fascinating stories, putting the focus on two genuine and ordinary heroes of the Great War.

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Book SynopsisThe Trio tells the story of three war correspondents, two Englishmen and an Australian, all in their 30s, whose friendship was forged during the Second World War.

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Book SynopsisThis evocative memoir recalls the long, heady days of Liverpool in the summer of 1969, as seen through the eyes of eleven-year-old Deejay.

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Book SynopsisWas Philip de László a secret agent and was MI5’s source really as they claimed?

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Book SynopsisThis compelling account of Henry VIII is by no means yet another history of the ‘old monster’ and his reign. For Henry VIII was not only a bad man, but also a bad ruler who failed to achieve his aims and blighted the reigns of his two immediate successors.

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Book SynopsisSir William Davenant (1606–1668) – Poet Laureate and Civil War hero – is one of the most influential and neglected figures in the history of British theatre. Narrowly escaping execution for his Royalist activities during the Civil War, he revived theatrical performances in London, right under Oliver Cromwell’s nose.

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Book SynopsisThe Little Book of Yorkshire is a funny, fast-paced, fact-packed compendium of the sort of frivolous, fantastic or simply strange information which no-one will want to be without. The county's most unusual crimes and punishments, eccentric inhabitants, famous sons and daughters, royal connections and literally hundreds of wacky facts about Yorkshire's landscape, cities, towns and villages (plus some authentically bizarre bits of historic trivia), come together to make it essential reading for visitors and locals alike. Soak up the vast array of quirky tales from the regal Richmond of John of Gaunt to the sporting Barnsley of Dickie Bird. A handy little book for residents and visitors alike.

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Book SynopsisRichard III's 'Beloved Cousyn'

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