Biography: adventurers and explorers Books
The History Press Ltd Nelsons Lost Jewel
Book SynopsisNelson’s Lost Jewel tells the remarkable story of one of the most famous jewels in British history for the first time, and traces its journey from Constantinople to London. Secured for the nation by public appeal, it passed to the National Maritime Museum at Greenwich from where it was sensationally stolen in 1951, never to be seen again.Trade ReviewA part of history recreated in all its glory.
£13.49
The History Press Ltd Gentlemen Rogues and Wicked Ladies
Book SynopsisThe true (and false) stories of the romantic, roguish highway robbers of legend.
£10.44
The History Press Ltd Women of the Durham Coalfield in the 20th Century
Book SynopsisThe follow-up to Hannah's Story, this recounts the fortunes of Hannah’s female descendants into the 20th century and the enduring challenges they facedTrade Review"Margaret Hedley’s account of her great-grandmother’s married life in the first decades of the 20th century illuminates the conditions faced by women in pit villages.""The book brilliantly colours in the detail of the women's lives."
£13.49
The History Press Ltd Never Shaken Never Stirred
Book SynopsisFor the very first time, a biography of two aristocratic sisters who scandalised society and inspired Ian Fleming to create the famous ‘Bond Girl’Trade Review'Reindorp has done a stellar job of balancing their privilege and pathos.' - The Lady
£19.54
The History Press Ltd Josephine Butler
Book SynopsisThe charismatic campaigner who fought Victorian exploitation of vulnerable women, and the State organisation of prostitutionTrade ReviewHelen Mathers deftly brings together the public political drama and private emotional relations of Butler’s complex, sometimes tragic life. -- Sue Morgan
£13.49
The History Press Ltd Family Betrayal
Book SynopsisThe remarkable story of the Kuczynskis, a family of Soviet spies under cover in Britain
£19.00
The History Press Ltd Tangled Souls
Book SynopsisThe glittering, poignant and sometimes shocking story of the love affair between two members of the Souls, the group of unconventional aristocrats at the heart of late Victorian societyTrade ReviewWith painstaking skill, Dismore lays bare the double standards of the Souls - a brilliant group who thought themselves superior, in morals and intellect, to the rest of their class -- Artemis Cooper, author of Patrick Leigh Fermor: An AdventureHarry Cust has long needed to emerge from the shadows. A rich tapestry unfolds -- Hugo Vickers, author of The Sphinx: The Life of Gladys Deacon – Duchess of MarlboroughBrilliant ... Through original research, Dismore has crafted an upper-class soap opera to rival Downton Abbey and The Crown -- Lyndsy Spence, The Lady
£17.00
The History Press Ltd Womens Stories of 911
Book Synopsis11 days, 11 women's lives: how the events of September 11, 2001 changed everything for women across the globe
£11.69
The History Press Ltd Pauline Gower Pioneering Leader of the Spitfire
Book SynopsisFlying ‘Anything to Anywhere’: the life of pilot Pauline Gower, MBE, who led the women of the Air Transport Auxiliary during WW2Trade Review'A magnificent and most readable effort' – Medal News * Medal News *
£13.49
The History Press Ltd Scurvy
Book SynopsisThe story of how three individuals conquered the plague of the sea
£13.49
The History Press Ltd Magnificent Women and Flying Machines
Book SynopsisBalloons, parachutes, aeroplanes, gliders, airships –the extraordinary personal tales of the women who led the way in early British aviation!Trade ReviewMagnificent Women and Flying Machines is a fantastic celebration of the amazing achievement of women in the air and space! All kudos to our foremothers who said “knickers” to peril and prejudice and went ahead with their ambition regardless. -- Dr Alice Bunn CEng, FRAeS, FIMechEThis lovely book offers a welcome and enjoyable read and provides a timely testament for these unsung pioneers of aviation. -- Maggie Appleton MBEA real celebration of the women who defied tradition and followed their dreams into the sky. Readable and entertaining, this book is a worthy tribute to Britain’s woman aviation pioneers. -- Sharon Nicholson FRAeS
£19.00
The History Press Ltd Nazi Wives
Book SynopsisGoering, Goebbels, Himmler, Heydrich, Bormann, Hess names synonymous with power and influence in the Third Reich. Perhaps less familiar are Carin, Emmy, Magda, Margaret, Lina, Gerda and Ilse These are the women behind the infamous men complex individuals with distinctive personalities who were captivated by Hitler and whose everyday lives were governed by Nazi ideology. Throughout the rise and fall of Nazism these women loved and lost, raised families and quarrelled with their husbands and each other, all the while jostling for position with the mighty Führer himself. And yet they have been treated as minor characters, their significance ignored, as if they were unaware of their husband's murderous acts, despite the evidence that was all around them: the stolen art on their walls, the slave labour in their homes, and the produce grown in concentration camps on their tables. Nazi Wives explores these women in detail for the first time, skilfully interweaving their stTrade Review‘[Wyllie] recounts their stories with a bracing combination of scholarship and an almost cinematic approach to spinning a compelling narrative.’‘Highlighting similarities in the women’s backgrounds, Wyllie provides a distinctive prism through which to view the period.’‘Wyllie’s study of the other halves of the Third Reich is exhaustive and studded with fascinating detail.’
£11.69
The History Press Ltd Samuel Pepys and the Strange Wrecking of the
Book SynopsisThe true story of royal intrigue and a fatal shipwreck on the shores of Restoration BritainTrade ReviewFascinating ... Pickford, a historian who also has experience as a consultant for salvage companies, offers an expert study of the actual circumstances of this shipwreck. At the same time, his narrative is extremely readable and well structured. He weaves in some lesser-known aspects of Stuart life, including horse-racing, yachting, and map-making. His extensive archival research enables him to provide poignant details about members of the doomed crew and to give insights into their private lives ... At a more general level, he shows how the media was manipulated even in the seventeenth century, as the Crown tried to control popular opinion and turn all circumstances to advantage -- Margarette Lincoln, author of London and the Seventeenth Century
£17.00
The History Press Ltd Churchills Grandmama
Book SynopsisChurchill's Grandmama
£11.69
The History Press Ltd Hermann and Albert Goering
Book SynopsisGoering & Goering
£11.69
The History Press Ltd Thatchers Secret War
Book SynopsisThe first book to explore the secret campaign that Mrs Thatcher and her government waged before and after the Falklands War against 'subversives'Trade ReviewScary but enlightening -- Christopher StoneThis fascinating, revealing and engagingly written book gets to the heart of the secret state and undemocratic hidden political power through which UK citizens are today primarily ruled. -- Mark Curtis
£13.49
The History Press Ltd Hellfire
Book SynopsisThe first book to tell the remarkable story of Oxford University's hedonistic Hypocrites Club and its (in)famous membersTrade Review“… A constant pleasure.” - Mark Amory, The Spectator. * The Spectator *'a fascinating and well-told account of an extraordinary group of figures in interwar Oxford, including Waugh, Anthony Powell and the political journalist Claud Cockburn.’ - The Article
£19.00
The History Press Ltd The Kings Smuggler
Book SynopsisUsing known and new evidence, John Fox provides the first biography of this extraordinary woman, a forgotten key player in the English Civil War.
£13.49
The History Press Ltd Hitlers Spy Princess
Book SynopsisHitler's Spy Princess
£11.69
The History Press Ltd Lady Katherine Grey
Book SynopsisThe first full biography of Katherine Grey in decades, written by an acclaimed Tudor historianTrade ReviewThis was a very enjoyable read
£17.00
The History Press Ltd Alan Turings Manchester
Book SynopsisTuring's involvement in the world's first computer and his life in Manchester
£17.00
Little, Brown Book Group Voices A Doris Stokes Collection
Book SynopsisAn omnibus of two of Doris Stokes'' extremely successful books. VOICES IN MY EAR was originally published by Futura in 1980 and immediately became a bestseller. MORE VOICES IN MY EAR in 1981. We still get many telephone calls and letters asking where the books can be obtained. Doris Stokes was a celebrated medium who confounded sceptics by the uncanny accuracy of her readings. In Australia she filled the Sydney Opera House and was mobbed in the streets. In America ''Charlie''s Angels'' was moved from its primetime slot to make way for her. In Britain she filled the Albert Hall, and radio phone-ins caused blocked lines and an avalanche of mail. Doris Stokes possessed an amazing gift - exceptional psychic powers that over the years of her extraordinary life brought joy and comfort to thousands of people.
£11.69
Little, Brown Book Group Greavsie The Autobiography
Book SynopsisThe autobiography of football icon Jimmy GreavesJames Peter ''Jimmy'' Greaves was one of the greatest footballers to have graced the English game, a goalscorer of legendary prowess. His gripping and characteristically humorous autobiography journeys from Jimmy''s childhood in the East End, via his early career at Chelsea and his short and troubled stay at A.C. Milan, to his emergence as one of the great stars of sixties football while at Spurs and an outstanding England forward. Jimmy''s record as a striker is extraordinary - he was the leading goalscorer in the First Division (now Premier League) for six seasons and during his playing career was never out of the top five. There are darker aspects too: the bitter disappointment of failing to make the World Cup-winning team of 1966, and the battle against the alcoholism that followed his retirement from the game.This book is both Jimmy''s story and the story of football in the golden era oTrade ReviewAs a goalscorer and human being, Jimmy Greaves has few equals * DAILY TELEGRAPH *This top-notch autobiography ... moving, uplifting ... An inspiring story of a hero who earned his right to a second chance * SUNDAY TIMES *[Greaves] could fill a library with his stories * INDEPENDENT *both candid and poignant * INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY *
£12.34
Little, Brown Book Group Magda Goebbels
Book SynopsisDuring the past twenty years, innumerable books about the Third Reich have been published, but little attention has been paid to the women who lived alongside the Nazi leaders. Magda Goebbels (1901-1945) is arguably the most contradictory and the most intriguing among them. What made a beautiful and intelligent woman go from being deeply in love with the ardent Zionist leader Victor Chaim Arlosoroff to marrying Joseph Goebbels, Hitler''s minister of propaganda and a ferocious anti-Semite? Indeed, in the eyes of many people she was the ''First Lady'' of the Reich, owing to Hitler''s lifelong attachment to her. How could the devoted mother of six, the poster-child of family values during the Third Reich, turn into Medea and poison these six children? Anja Klabunde''s thoroughly researched and remarkable biography for the first time brings together these stunning facts.Trade ReviewNever less than gripping * Michael Burleigh, MAIL ON SUNDAY *Klabunde has pieced together a chilling story that confirms the outsider's greatest fears about those within the Nazi Party elite * Rosemary Goring, GLASGOW HERALD *An engaging and lucid account of a supposed anomaly: a cultivated woman at the heart of the Nazi regime * LITERARY REVIEW *This thoroughly researched biography explores how a beautiful and intelligent woman turned into a fanatic. * SUNDAY TELEGRAPH *
£13.29
Little, Brown Book Group A Piece of Work
Book Synopsis''Extraordinary. A fabulous read'' SIMON SCHAMA''Wonderful. He writes with eloquence and wit'' NICHOLAS HYTNER''Fascinating'' EIMEAR McBRIDESimon Russell Beale is one of Britain''s most recognisable and well-loved actors. He has played many roles on stage, film, television and radio - ranging from Winston Churchill to Stalin, George Smiley to King Arthur. But ever since his appearance at school as a glamorous Desdemona, complete with false eyelashes that rendered him half-blind, he has been captivated by Shakespeare.In A Piece of Work, Russell Beale tries to get under the skin of the playwright and find out what interested him. Was Shakespeare an instinctive ''conservative'' or, rather, gently subversive? How collaborative was he? Did he add a line to Hamlet in order to accommodate his ageing and increasingly chubby principal actor, Richard Burbage? Did he suffer from insomnia and experience sexual jealousy? Russell Beale describes what it is to approach and live with some of Shakespeare''s most famous characters. Some of the actor''s inspiration comes from surprising sources. Watching Coronation Street gave him an idea for how Richard III might react on hearing of the death of the two Princes in the Tower; a visit to elderly patients in a local hospital gave him insights into King Lear''s descent into madness; and the memory of childhood family holidays led him to a spectacular plunge into an ornamental pool in Much Ado About Nothing.Funny and touching about his family, Russell Beale also writes fascinatingly about some of the supremely creative people he counts as his friends - including Sam Mendes, Nick Hytner, Stephen Sondheim and Lauren Bacall. A Piece of Work is a brilliant account of an actor''s life and work - and his relationship with our foremost dramatist.Shortlisted for the 2025 Theatre Book Award
£11.07
Little, Brown Book Group Howard Hughes The Untold Story The life that
Book SynopsisRemembered primarily as an eccentric and deluded billionaire, Howard Hughes was once America''s golden boy, a celebrated aviator and Hollywood legend who romanced hundreds of beautiful women. The scope of his life made him one of the most influential figures in America. Where previous biographies have concentrated on Hughes''s business empire, Howard Hughes: The Untold Story unveils the full story of the tycoon, tracing his bold efforts to reshape Hollywood, his devastating health problems, his erratic behaviour during his last decades and his tangle of steamy relationships with stars such as Katharine Hepburn, Bette Davis, Ava Gardner and Ginger Rogers.Drawing on hundreds of exclusive interviews and documents charting, among many other revelations, his troubled family relationships, drug addiction, secret harem of teenage mistresses and the part he played in the Watergate scandal, Howard Hughes: The Untold Story follows Hughes''s transformation from lover and business innovTrade ReviewHighly readable ... exhaustively chronicled * Gerald Kaufman, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH *Brown and Broeske's research is staggering, and as their fine book trips through a life so wilfully beyond the pale, you don't doubt that this untold story would make a hell of a movie * EMPIRE *Riveting from first to last, this is a tale of tragedy on a grand scale * MARIE CLAIRE *[a] full and riveting story. * SUNDAY TELEGRAPH *
£12.34
Little, Brown Book Group Common As Muck The Autobiography of Roy Chubby Brown
Book SynopsisBy the time he was nineteen, Royston Vasey had married, divorced, fathered two children, spent two years in Britain''s toughest Borstal, served three prison stretches and been stabbed while in the Merchant Navy. He thought his only career choice would be a life of crime. Fifteen years later, he was one of Britain''s most successful comics, playing live to half a million fans a year as Roy ''Chubby'' Brown. COMMON AS MUCK! tells an incredible story of hardships, heartbreak and, ultimately, success. From an impoverished childhood with his abusive father, to his brand of comedy too rude for television and his determined fight against throat cancer, COMMON AS MUCK! is a frank telling of a remarkable life, laced with Roy''s irrepressible humour.
£21.54
Little, Brown Book Group Pamela Harriman Life Of The Party
Book SynopsisPerhaps best known for shepherding the Democratic party through its political exile during the Reagan/Bush era, Pamela Harriman used her third husband Avrell''s fortune and her own extraordinary charm and intelligence to help propel a grateful Bill Clinton into the White House.The vivacious daughter of a rural English baron, at nineteen she married the only son of Winston Churchill and played a small part in the unfurling of history, while living with the Prime Minister during World War Two. Her second marriage to celebrated producer Leland Hayward put her at the crossroads of Hollywood and Broadway in the 1960s. Married to statesman Harriman in 1971- thirty years after a wartime affair- she dealt with Soviet, Chinese and European leaders. Along the way, she became one of the century''s greatest courtesans, linked to such rich and powerful men as Gianni Agnelli, Frank Sinatra and Elie de Rothschild.LIFE OF THE PARTY is the first inside look at Harriman''s legendary and extraTrade ReviewThere are few parallels to this remarkable woman's life in the twentieth century. * INDEPENDENT *Her life is like a Judith Kranz novel- only it's for real. * EVENING STANDARD *An accomplished political operator with long-established networks of rich and powerful friends on both side of the Atlantic. * NEW YORK TIMES *Georgetowen's political doyenne signed Clinton to the board of her Democrats for the 80s committee. Now, at seventy-two, she's presiding over le tout Washington for the 90s. * VANITY FAIR *
£26.38
Little, Brown Book Group Bette And Joan THE DIVINE FEUD
Book Synopsis''An absolute must-read'' VANITY FAIRBette Davis and Joan Crawford: two of the deadliest arch-rivals of all time. Born in the same year (though Davis swore ''Crawford is five years older than me if she''s a day''), the two fought bitterly throughout their long and brilliant Hollywood careers. Joan became a star first, which always irked her rival, who suggested her success had come via the casting couch. ''It sure as hell beats the hard cold floor'' was Crawford''s scathing response. According to Davis, Crawford was not only a nymphomaniac but also ''vain, jealous and about as stable and trustworthy as a basket of snakes''. Crawford, in turn, accused Davis of stealing her glory and planning to destroy her.The two rivals fought over as many men as they did parts - when Bette fell in love with her co-star in DANGEROUS, Franchot Tone, Joan stepped in and married him. The women worked together only once, in the classic thriller W
£12.34
Little, Brown Book Group Bedpans And Bobby Socks
Book Synopsis''In my dreams, I was always in some vast landscape on a long, straight road. Driving. Always driving.''Gwenda had always loved the open road, but her home town of Newcastle didn''t really offer the sort of adventure she longed for. So, in 1957, with friend and fellow nurse Pat in tow, she left the dismal British winter behind, and embarked on an amazing American adventure.After a year nursing in Cleveland, Gwenda, Pat and three new friends set off on a road trip around North America, driving in a rickety 1949 Ford. What follows is the charming true story of five remarkable young women. Over the course of eighteen months, the girls go to a 4th July rodeo, visit San Francisco and Las Vegas, learn to surf in Hawaii, spot movie stars in Hollywood and celebrate Mardi Gras in New Orleans.Wherever they go, the travelling nurses cause a sensation. This is a delightfully nostalgic memoir of friendship and the romance of the open road.Trade ReviewCall the Midwife meets Thelma and Louise - a warm, funny and nostalgic memoir' * Daily Mail *
£9.89
Little, Brown Book Group The Kabul Beauty School
Book SynopsisThe remarkable true story of the bestselling author of The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul, and the real women she met in Afghanistan''Composed of heartbreak, hope, poignancy and candour'' LA TIMESIn a little beauty school in the war zone of Kabul, a community of women comes together, all with stories to tell.DEBBIE, the American hairdresser who co-founds the training salon. As the burqas are removed in class, curls are coiffed and make-up is applied, Debbie''s students share with her their stories - and their hearts.MINA, forcibly married to a man in repayment of a family debt and threatened with having her child taken away.ROSHANNA, a tearful young bride terrified her in-laws will discover she''s not a virgin.And NAHIDA, the prize pupil who bears the scars of her Taliban husband''s approval.In the Kabul BeTrade ReviewKabul Beauty School transcends the feel-good genre largely because of the author's superior storytelling gifts and wicked sense of humor * New York Times *Bighearted and entertaining, Kabul Beauty School has a conversational style, but Rodriguez never shies away from the misery and oppression she encounters in the poor, rigidly patriarchal country * Entertainment Weekly *Composed of heartbreak, hope, poignancy and candour * LA Times *Colourful, suspenseful, funny... This witty and insightful memoir will be perfect for women's reading groups * Publishers Weekly *A very gutsy, real-life adventure story for women . . . This lively memoir is full of darkly funny moments - a customer who had never seen a blow dryer thinks it's a gun and runs screaming from the salon chair - and the humor leavens the horror stories about life in this war-torn land * People *[Rodriguez's] descriptions are endearingly frank (even about her own social gaffes), and her attempts to help those in need are inspirational and engaging * Washington Post *
£10.44
Little, Brown Book Group Donals Mountain The Story of the Son Who Inspired
Book SynopsisDonal Walsh first came to international attention in Ireland aged sixteen, when a letter he wrote speaking out against the suicide epidemic in young people was published in the Irish Sunday Independent. At the time Donal was dying of cancer having battled it since the age of twelve through invasive and painful chemo treatments and operations. Donal had no choice about dying - and he wanted others to see that death is not an answer. With only a few weeks to live, Donal went on television and again spoke about the importance of living and of finding help in times of trouble.A few short weeks later, on May 12th 2013, Donal lost his battle with cancer and passed away.In this sometimes heart-breaking but ultimately inspirational book we see the boy behind the illness and hear the story of how one young boy from County Kerry who, in dying, shows us how to live life.From the close bonds he had with his parents, his sister and young friends, to the unique
£12.34
Little, Brown Book Group Born to be Mild Adventures for the Anxious
Book SynopsisA funny and tender memoir from the author of the Twitter phenomenon and bestselling books, VERY BRITISH PROBLEMS.
£13.49
Little, Brown Book Group What Would Winston Do Dads ask their questions
Book Synopsis(This book is a parody and is not authorised by the Estate of Winston S. Churchill) THE PERFECT GIFT FOR DADS THIS FATHER''S DAY Dear Winston,We''ve just started our baby on solids and I''m about to change his first nappy since then. What pep talk can I give myself?Reyansh, Chatham, 26WC: Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves that if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say: ''This was their finest hour''.---Winston Churchill, oft-named greatest Briton of all time, had wisdom in abundance. Now, for the first time, that wisdom is being applied to the people most in need: FATHERS. Whether you''re a 28-year-old newbie after advice on how to remove your toddler''s dummy, a 40-year-old long-timer wishing your teenager would try harder at their GCSEs, or a 63-year-old veteran wanting to know how best to
£6.39
The History Press Ltd To Kill Rasputin
Book SynopsisThe murder of Rasputin on the night of 17 December 1916 has always seemed extraordinary: first he was poisoned, then shot and finally drowned in a frozen river by Russian aristocrats fearful of his influence on Tsar Nicholas II and Tsarina Alexandra.
£11.69
The History Press Ltd M
Book SynopsisWilliam Melville was one of the most influential counter - espionage figures of the twentieth century. This work presents the true story of the real M, William Melville, MI5s founding father and the inspiration for Ian Flemings character in James Bond.Trade ReviewHardback edition published in Autumn 2004 generated a huge amount of publicity: Half-page news story with 3 pictures in INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY; Double-page spread in THE DAILY EXPRESS and THE SUNDAY TIMES (Irish edition); Double-page feature written by author in HISTORY TODAY; 10 full page or double-page features in the British regional press; Book discussed on the MICHAEL PARKINSON RADIO SHOW and BREAKFAST WITH FROST. Received fantastic reviews also from bestselling authors: 'Well-researched, penetrating and engagingly written... an important and enjoyable addition to the growing genre of serious spook-history' ANDREW ROBERTS, author of Hitler and Churchill: Secrets of Leadership; 'A brilliantly researched biography of the real "M" - a far more hands-on character than 007's boss' DAME STELLA RIMINGTON, Former Director-General Of MI5 and author of At Risk. More praise: 'Compelling and authoritative... M was the most elusive and fascinating figure in the British Secret Service' LORD ROBERTSON, former Secretary-General of NATO; 'Provides much new and often colourful material' CHRISTOPHER M. ANDREW, author of The Mitrokin Archive. Widely reviewed and critically acclaimed: 'Ground-breaking' THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH; 'The secret life of the Victorian spymaster for became the original M' THE DAILY EXPRESS; 'One of the great espionage mysteries has finally been solved' THE INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY. Reviews in the paperback review sections of national daily and Sunday newspapers, weeklies, and history magazines to include The Times, THES, BBC History Magazine and The Sunday Telegraph.
£11.69
The History Press Ltd From Churchills War Rooms Letters of a Secretary
Book SynopsisPublished for the first time, this illuminating and poignant correspondence offers a rare insight into the workings of the Cabinet War Rooms towards the end of the Second World War, and documents the rich wartime experiences of a woman with exclusive access to the closed world of Churchill''s inner circle.1939-1945 saw many important events of the Second World War. Yet a young secretary, Olive Christopher, was party to the political secrets of these crucial final years, working in Churchill''s Cabinet War Rooms.Trade Review'One of the most atmospheric eyewitness accounts of that time' -- Elizabeth Grice * The Daily Telegraph *
£22.06
The History Press Ltd Cleopatra
Book SynopsisA critically acclaimed life of the infamous Queen of Egypt.
£9.49
Tempus People of Ancient Egypt
Book SynopsisCovering specific individuals of ancient Egypt, this book highlights individuals from the Old Kingdom down to the end of Cleopatra''s reign: kings such as Akhenaten, Horembeb and Ramses II; queens and other influential women; officials like Imhotep, Sennemut and Ramose. It is also illustrated by a range of photographs and surviving artefacts.
£17.09
The History Press Ltd Fighter Master Folland and the Gladiators
Book SynopsisAlthough Henry P. Folland never received the public acclaim accorded to the Spitfire and Hurricane''s designers, more than 7,000 examples were built of the seventeen fighters he designed. His first biplane fighter, the Royal Aircraft Factory''s S.E.5/5a, fought in the First World War with the Royal Flying Corps; his last, the 1934 Gloster Gladiator, equipped ten Royal Air Force Fleet Air Arm squadrons during the Second World War. Between the wars Henry Folland was responsible for the designs of fourteen other fighters, with Gladiators being exported to thirteen countries. Here Derek N. James, renowned aviation historian and author of nineteen books, relates the fascinating story of Henry Folland''s days as a Lanchester Motor Co. apprentice and his move to Daimler Motor Co., which was to change his life, before his prolific sixteen years with Gloucestershire (Gloster) Aircraft Co. A major section of the book is devoted to the Gauntlet and Gladiator with special contr
£15.29
The History Press Ltd Blackbeard
Book SynopsisEdward Teach, better known as Blackbeard, was one of the most notorious pirates ever to plague the Atlantic coast. He was also one of the most colourful pirates of all time, becoming the model for countless blood-and-thunder tales of sea rovers. His daring exploits, personal courage, terrifying appearance, and fourteen wives made him a legend in his own lifetime.The legends and myths about Blackbeard have become wilder rather than tamer in the 250 years since his gory but valiant death at Ocracoke Inlet. It is difficult for historians, and all but impossible for the general reader, to separate fact from fiction. Author Robert E. Lee has studied virtually every scrap of information available about the pirate and his contemporaries in an attempt to find the real Blackbeard. The result is a fascinating and authoritative study that reads like an exciting swashbuckler. Lee goes beyond the myths and the image Teach so carefully cultivated to reveal a new Blackbeard - infinitely mor
£9.49
The History Press Ltd Queen Victorias Children
Book SynopsisQueen Victoria's children
£9.99
The History Press Ltd Surviving Tenko
Book SynopsisThe dramatic tale of Margot Turner''s survival as a prisoner of war during the Pacific conflict of the Second World War inspired the 1980s television series Tenko. The cargo ship on which she was evacuated from Singapore in 1942 was shelled, leaving her on a makeshift raft with sixteen other survivors. One by one they perished, leaving her along, burnt black by the sun, and suffering from heat exhaustion and dehydration. Discovered by a Japanese destroyer, she was imprisoned on Banka Island and nursed back to health by nuns. A nurse by profession, Margot was initially permitted to help run the operating theatre on her recovery, when, unexpectedly she was arrested by the dreaded Kempeitai and thrown into Palembang jail. There, crammed with murderers and rapists in a filthy cell, she spent six months living in daily fear of joining the many prisoners who were noisily tortured and executed, before being returned to the prisoner-of-war camps for the duration of the war.In this, the first biography for forty years, Penny Starns describes the often horrific but occasionally heart-warming experiences of this unbreakable woman who, not content with surviving the war, went on to become a brigadier and matron-in-chief of the British Army nursing services. Using recently released material from the National Archives and Turner''s own words, Starns re-analyses the Pacific conflict against a backdrop of one person''s incredible fortitude and strength, and brings the story of a remarkable woman to life.
£12.34
The History Press Ltd In the Footsteps of William Wallace
Book SynopsisIn the footsteps of William Wallace
£16.99
The History Press Ltd The Auschwitz Kommandant
Book SynopsisBarbara Cherish's upbringing in Nazi-occupied Poland was one of relative wealth and comfort. But her father's senior position in the Nazi Party meant that she and her brothers and sisters lived on a knife edge. In 1943 he became commandant of perhaps the most infamous of all the concentration camps: Auschwitz. The author tells her father's story with clarity and without judgement, detailing his relationship with his family and his unceasing love for his mistress, as well as the very separate life he led as a senior officer of the SS. Captured by the US Army at the end of the war, he was held at Dachau and Nuremberg before being extradited to Poland. He was tried in the Auschwitz Trial' at Krakow, found guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity and executed in January 1948. A unique insider's view of the dark heart of the Third Reich, it is also a heartbreaking tale of a family torn apart that will open the eyes of even the most well-read historian.
£10.79
The History Press Ltd The Real Enigma Heroes
Book SynopsisFor almost sixty years after their deaths, three men, whose brave actions shortened the Second World War by as much as two years, remained virtually unknown and uncelebrated. It is written in celebration of Colin Grazier GC, Tony Fasson GC, and Tommy Brown GM - the REAL Enigma heroes.
£17.00
The History Press Ltd The Mistresses of Henry VIII
Book SynopsisSeventeen-year-old Henry VIII was a youngling, he cares for nothing but girls and hunting'. Over the years, this didn't change much. Henry was considered a demi-god by his subjects, so each woman he chose was someone who had managed to stand out in a crowd of stunning ladies. Looking good was not enough (indeed, many of Henry's lovers were considered unattractive); she had to have something extra special to keep the king's interest. And Henry's women were every bit as intriguing as the man himself. In this book, Henry's mistresses are rescued from obscurity. The sixteenth century was a time of profound changes in religion and society across Europe and some of Henry's lovers were at the forefront of influencing these events. Kelly Hart gives an excellent insight into the love life of our most popular king, and the twelve women who knew the man behind the mask.
£9.49
