Biography: adventurers and explorers Books

Book SynopsisThis definitive biography of Anne Boleyn establishes her as a figure of considerable importance and influence in her own right. A full biography of Anne Boleyn, based on the latest scholarly research. Focuses on Anne's life and legacy and establishes Anne as a figure of considerable importance and influence in her own right.Trade Review"[Ives is] splendidly successful... Ives's Boleyn, a portrait at all points supported by the evidence he gives, is clever, independent-minded and politically astute. Ives has gone as far as anyone can... in solving the enigma of Boleyn in a narrative at once profoundly researched and lively." Antonia Fraser, The Sunday Times "Eric Ives has made it unnecessary for anyone else to even make the attempt [to write a biography of Anne Boleyn]. The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn is a stunning portrait of the most controversial woman ever to have been queen consort of England." The Independent on Sunday "Eric Ives, a scholar utterly at home in early Tudor politics, has been writing about the Boleyns for more than two decades. His book represents a triumphant culmination of all that research, presented with clarity, wit and human sympathy." Diarmaid MacCulloch, The Telegraph "Ives has written an excellent book on Anne Boleyn. Its great strength is its sophisticated understanding of aristocratic women's involvement in 16th-century politics, and precisely how this worked in practice. ...Ives rises effectively to the human drama of Anne Boleyn's life and in the process illuminates both the inner workings of the Tudor court and its relationship to the larger dramas of the Reformation and European politics." Jane Stevenson, Scotland on Sunday "The best full-length life of Anne Boleyn and a monument to investigative scholarship." David Starkey "Magnificently researched. Eric Ives has written the finest, most accurate study of Anne Boleyn we are ever likely to possess. He leaves no stone unturned in his quest to discover the truth. Never has the historical Anne been so satisfyingly portrayed." John Guy "What is most exciting about The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn is not just that it has confirmed and solidified Ives's earlier work and presented it in a more accessible format. (Like John Guy, Ives has discovered that the Starkey model really does work and that popularisation -- 'to place among the people' -- should not be a term of opprobrium.) Rather, it is the development in methodology, the indication that cultural studies and the history of the book have provided us with new ways to evaluate evidence, to interpret the past." The Spectator "Eric Ives achieves the notable feat of combining magisterial historical authority with a gripping style, and sets the reader's mind buzzing with debate about the complex reasons behind the astounding events of Anne's life." Times Literary Supplement "[Ives] delicately pieces together a believable identity ... [and] gives, too, a lucid and coherent exposition of the circumstances that led to Anne's death." The Guardian "What Ives doesn't know ... about the high politics and court life of Henry VIII's England will either never be known or is not worth knowing. If there is a truth about Anne Boleyn's rise and fall, he will tell it to us." London Review of Books "There is no questioning the impact of Professor Eric Ives on the historiography of Tudor England. There is a keen sense of the evidence, of diplomatic affairs, of the minutiae of the record and its context. The writing is fluent and well-paced, drawing the reader along." The Tyndale Society Journal "This is a moving and compelling account by an author who is the absolute master of his subject. I read it with great excitement and admiration." Susan Brigden, Lincoln College, Oxford "Ives demonstrates triumphantly the potential of the biographical approach in a pre-modern setting. He evinces a deep empathy for his subject without ever becoming an apologist for her, and ... he provides a narrative which is genuinely moving. He has also given us a fully rounded and persuasive account of Anne’s life as a whole, and its significance for understanding the politics and political culture of the early Tudor decades." Reviews in History "The best book on Anne Boleyn ever written. This is a must for all lovers of Tudor history, academics and general readers alike." Alison Weir, BBC History Magazine Books of the Year "Eric Ives has cut through the myths and misconceptions. The result surpasses all previous work.When Ives describes Anne herself. he is utterly convincing." Renaissance QuarterlyTable of ContentsPreface. List of Illustrations. Part I: Background and Beginnings. 1. A Courtier’s Daughter. 2. A European Education. 3. Debut at the English Court. 4. The Sources. 5. Passion and Courtly Love. 6. A Royal Suitor. Part II: A Difficult Engagement. 7. A Marriage Arranged. 8. Anne Boleyn and the Fall of Wolsey. 9. Stalemate, 1529–1532. 10. The Turning-point, 1532–1533. 11. Wedding Nerves. 12. A Coronation and a Christening. Part III: Anne the Queen. 13. A Royal Marriage. 14. Anne the Queen: Influence, Power and Wealth. 15. Anne Boleyn: Image. 16. Anne Boleyn: Art and Taste. 17. Anne Boleyn: Life at Court. 18. Anne Boleyn and the Advent of Reform. 19. Personal Religion. Part IV: A Marriage Destroyed. 20. The Rival, 1535–1536. 21. The Coup, April–May 1536. 22. The Response, January–April 1536. 23. Judgment. 24. Finale. Epilogue. Bibliographical Abbreviations.

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Book SynopsisMary Soames (1922-2014) was the youngest child of Winston and Clementine Churchill. She was brought up at Chartwell in Kent and, aged eighteen, joined the ATS and served in mixed anti-aircraft batteries in England and Europe. She accompanied her father as his ADC on several of his wartime overseas journeys. In 1945 she was awarded the MBE (military). In 1947, she married Captain Christopher Soames, Coldstream Guards, later Lord Soames, PC, GCMG, CH. In 1998 she edited the private correspondence between her parents, Speaking for Themselves, completely revised and updated the celebrated biography of her mother, Clementine Churchill, in 2002 and completed her own autobiography, A Daughter's Tale, in 2011.Trade ReviewThere can surely be no more difficult task than to write a biography of one's own mother; but Mary Soames has been brilliantly successful. * Daily Telegraph *A delightful book...affectionate and also frank. -- A.J.P. Taylor * Observer *Lady Soames has carried out the extremely delicate and difficult task of writing the real story of her mother. I found it particularly moving because I had a deep affection for her father and mother. -- Harold MacmillanThe finest biography for a decade -- Lynda Lee Potter

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Book SynopsisHenry Morton Stanley was a cruel imperialist - a bad man of Africa. Or so we think: but as Tim Jeal brilliantly shows, the reality of Stanley''s life is yet more extraordinary. Few people know of his dazzling trans-Africa journey, a heart-breaking epic of human endurance which solved virtually every one of the continent''s remaining geographical puzzles. With new documentary evidence, Jeal explores the very nature of exploration and reappraises a reputation, in a way that is both moving and truly majestic.Trade Review"'Superb... Tim Jeal's absorbing biography will surely be definitive.' Sunday Telegraph"

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Book SynopsisA must-read for anyone with an interest in history, politics, or the fascinating story and enduring legacy of an extraordinary figure: Winston Churchill.Widely regarded as one of the most influential leaders of the 20th century, Sir Winston Churchill was a central figure in shaping British and global politics throughout his momentous career and more than six decades in the public eye.Published to commemorate what would have been his 150th birthday, this volume draws on a wealth of archive material from The Times and Imperial War Museums, and features previously unpublished material, including:Private letters and correspondenceRarely seen photographsHistoric articles from The Times archiveOriginal artwork, posters and wartime imagery from Imperial War MuseumsThis superbly illustrated edition offers a unique and nuanced perspective on the tireless statesman and victorious wartime leader. A must-read for anyone with an interest in history, politics or the fascinating story and enduring legacy of an extraordinary figure: Winston Churchill.

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Book SynopsisVery Short Introductions: Brilliant, Sharp, Inspiring John Stuart Mill (1806-73) is widely regarded as the leading liberal philosopher, economist, and political theorist of nineteenth century Britain. In his lifetime he was best known for his System of Logic (1843) and the Principles of Political Economy (1848). Today Mill is chiefly identified with On Liberty (1859), perhaps the definitive text of modern liberal statement of its subject, and probably the single most important work of modern political thought. Mill was also the first major male feminist thinker of the period (author of The Subjection of Women, 1869), and the first, as an MP, to introduce a bill for female enfranchisement before Parliament.This Very Short Introduction offers a brief survey of the life and key ideas of this most influential Victorian British writer. Moving chronologically, Gregory Claeys outlines the philosophical background out of which Mill developed, chiefly through the ideas of Jeremy Bentham and James Mill. He demonstrates how Mill''s personal life, especially his ''mental crisis'' of 1827, and his relationship with Harriet Taylor, were integral to his intellectual development. Throughout Claeys considers Mill''s key works set within the context of his lesser writings and correspondence, and discusses the more controversial aspects of his thought concerning religion, secularism, and birth control. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Trade ReviewBy placing Mill's philosophy in other perspectives, in the context of moments ranging from its genesis to its last writings, with new associations, Gregory Claeys offers the reader a brilliant reconstruction of this philosophy, allowing him to find all of it the power. The inevitable repetitions of themes throughout the book are ultimately instructive and even necessary for this brief introduction, contributing to the clarity of the text and the presentation of the subjects treated. * Beatriz Laporta, Archives de philosophie *Table of ContentsPreface 1: An uneventful life 2: Remaking radicalism 1835-45 3: Political economy and social philosophy 1845-1859 4: The values of On Liberty (1859) 5: Later writings 1861-79 6: Mill today Further Reading Index

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Book SynopsisHow a strategist's ideas were catastrophically ignored in 1914—but shaped Britain’s success in the Second World War and beyondTrade Review“One of the most substantive studies we have yet of a British public intellectual in the early decades of the twentieth century. . . . A powerful and opinionated book, and a larger achievement for being so.”—Paul Kennedy, Journal of Military History “This book is a must. . . . As ever with Professor Lambert, the prose is flowing and engaging, the arguments convincing, and the stamp of rigorous scholarship and considerable thinking evident on every page.”—G. H. Bennett, Journal of Military History“Lambert leaves no stone unturned. This incredibly well-researched book unpicks Corbett’s life, his times, his contribution to naval thought and education, and his lasting legacy on what might be termed the British Way of War. This book isn’t just recommended, it is an immediate necessity for the shelves of any and every serious navalist.”—Captain Kevin Rowlands RN, Naval Review“The British Way of War . . . is a blockbuster but it is beautifully written in peerless prose. It is keenly argued and easily takes its place in the pantheon of great naval literature. It is also timely, coming as the UK attempts to shape itself as ‘Global Britain.’”—Peter Hore, Warships International Fleet Review“This is quite simply a wonderful book, rich in understanding and knowledge. It is, in many ways, the culmination of Lambert’s work on the development of British naval and strategic thinking through the 19th century. It is warmly recommended.”—Robin Brodhurst, Western Front Association“A wonderfully detailed and thoroughly researched biography. . . . [Lambert] not only conducts a biographical study of Corbett’s life, but examines the historical events and debates that both shaped and gave purpose to his analysis.”—Darin MacDonald, Global Maritime History“Andrew Lambert trawls through all of the relevant archives to uncover Corbett’s life and times, and then to overturn the standard accounts of British seapower from 1895 to 1915. This outstanding work will become an essential text for anyone interested in naval history and strategy.”—John Ferris, author of Behind the Enigma“Andrew Lambert, the leading naval historian of our generation, writing a biography of Sir Julian Corbett, the best maritime strategist ever: this is a perfect match. The result is a tremendously erudite, beautifully written study of Corbett’s thoughts and world in all its detail, against the background of Britain’s global politics of his times.”—Beatrice Heuser, author of The Evolution of Strategy

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“Illuminating ... Modern specialists dismiss [Banks] as a jack of all trades, but Musgrave's claim that he changed our world is not an exaggeration.”—John Carey, Sunday Times“Multifarious he [Mr. Banks] was indeed, and Mr. Musgrave treats us to an extensive, admiring account of his subject’s circuitous route to fame and power.”—Wall Street Journal"Charismatic Sir Joseph Banks discovered hundreds of new plants, but was much more than just an explorer.”—Peter Sheridan, Daily Express“[An] enthusiastic admiration of its subject and commitment to repairing a calumny-damaged reputation”—Steven Shapin, London Review of Books“Readers will get a good idea of the range of Banks' scientific and administrative activities in this book, handled with a light touch and tinctured with wit.”—Brent Elliott, The Garden“It is evident that the author knows a great deal about all aspects of Banks’ life and about contemporaneous affairs...One is left with a clear, rounded picture of Banks as a person...I have no doubt the author will achieve his aim to return Banks to his rightful place in our history.”—Patrick Kaye, Sir Joseph Banks Society Magazine “Musgrave’s book is an engaging picture of how a love of plants can lead to many things, even ‘shaping the world’.”—Sandra Knapp, Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland“An enjoyable and informative text to read, it gives a clear picture of the many-sided interests of [Banks], his networks of power and communication and their outcomes. The author addresses issues such as Banks’s character faults, for example, his egotism, his informal relationships with women, or his colonial aspirations.”—Gina Douglas, Archives of Natural History“In this entertaining biography, Musgrave presents a massive amount of information, as well as drawing widely on Banks’s writings, to illustrate the long-held passion for natural history which Banks pursued from a very young age.”—WSG Bulletin CHOICE 2021 Outstanding Academic Title“Sir Joseph Banks was perhaps the greatest scientist of his age and this book is an inspiration to all as we start to re-examine our relationship with nature.”—Robin Hanbury-Tenison OBE, author of The Great Explorers“Combines depth of research with concise exposition of Banks’s remarkable career.”—John Gascoigne, author of Joseph Banks and the English Enlightenment“At long last - a book that shines new light on such a key figure in history! From botanical gardens to Botany Bay, Joseph Banks’s brilliance radiates throughout this important and highly-readable new biography.”—Vanessa Collingridge, author of Captain Cook"In the inimitable prose of garden historian Toby Musgrave, Banks is brought alive as a key figure in facilitating, among many other things, scientific - particularly botanical - endeavour, as part of the global positioning of Georgian England.”—David Mabberly, author of Botanical Revelation“This well-researched and even-handed biography of Banks confirms his importance as a pioneering scientist, philanthropist and explorer.”—Graham Seal, author of The Savage Shore

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Book SynopsisEnter a world of ancient secrets, old money, new ambitions and the discovery of priceless treasure in this revelatory new biography.Between November 1922 and spring 1923, a door to the ancient Egyptian world was opened. The discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun would be the most astonishing archaeological find of the century, revealing not only the boy pharaoh's preserved remains, but thousands of finely crafted objects, from the iconic gold mask and coffins to a dagger made from meteorite, chalices, beautiful furniture and even 3000-year-old food and wine. The world's understanding of Ancient Egyptian civilisation was immeasurably enhanced, and the quantity and richness of the objects in the tomb is still being studied today. Two men were ultimately responsible for the discovery: Lord Carnarvon and Howard Carter. It was Lord Carnarvon who held the concession to excavate and whose passion and ability to finance the project allowed the eventual discovery to take place.The Earl and the PhTrade Review Early praise for the The Earl and the Pharaoh ‘The story of their quest for the tomb of an obscure pharaoh is familiar but still exciting, and the countess tells it well, conjuring up the fights, the frustrations, the times when Carnarvon came close to cutting his losses and giving up, and the moment in November 1922 when Carter held his candle up to a hole in the wall of Tutankhamun’s tomb and in answer to Carnarvon’s question, “Can you see anything?” answered, “Yes, wonderful things”… Carnarvon’s life makes a good story, with plenty of Downton-esque period details’ Daily Telegraph Praise for the Countess of Carnarvon’s previous works 'Bright, breezy and unpretentious'Guardian ‘If you can’t wait for the new season of Downton Abbey … this one’s for you … A revealing portrait of the changing times’New York Post ‘[A] fascinating insight into how the seriously rich once lived’Newsweek Daily Beast ‘Lady Carnarvon's narrative is a vivid time-stamp of a tempestuous period in history, aptly incorporating its political situation and social structure, to satisfy history buffs’Publishers Weekly

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Book SynopsisOne of the great figures of the twentieth century, Chairman Mao looms irrepressibly over the economic rise of China. Mao Zedong was the leader of a revolution, a communist who lifted hundreds of millions out of poverty, an aggressive and distrustful leader, and a man responsible for more civilian deaths than perhaps any other historical figure. Now, four decades after Mao''s death, acclaimed biographer Philip Short presents a fully updated and revised edition of his ground-breaking and masterly biography. Vivid, uncompromising and unflinching, Short presents in one-volume the man behind the propaganda - his family, his beliefs and his horrors. In doing so he shows us both the human being Mao was, and the monster he became.

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Book SynopsisIn June 1972, the 43-foor schooner Lucette was attacked by killer whales and sank in 60 seconds. What happened next is almost incredible. In an inflatable rubber raft, with a 9 foot fiberglass dinghy to tow it, Dougal Robertson and his family were miles from any shipping lanes. They had emergency rations for only three days and no maps, compass, or instruments of any kind. After their raft sank under them, they crammed themselves into their tiny dinghy.For 37 daysusing every technique of survivalthey battled against 20-foot waves, marauding sharks, thirst, starvation, and exhaustion, adrift in the vast reaches of the Pacific before their ordeal was ended by a Japanese fishing boat. The Robertsons'' strong determination shines through the pages of this extraordinary book which describes movingly their daily hopes and fears, crises and triumphs, tensions and heartbreaks.Trade Review...[a] well-written account....an unexpectedly personal view of a man's physical and a woman's emotional courage that, when bonded, produced the strength to survive. * Sailing *For stark excitement, marine natural history, practical lessons, and human love and stresses, few records, if any, of hazard and survival have ever bettered it. * The Instrumentalist *[The Robertsons] survived and their tale is a triumph of human resource and determination against terrible odds. * Cruising World *What a brave man, what an eloquent writer! In case of shipwreck I would send for Dougal Robertson or, in absence of him, reread his book in order to find out what on earth to do next. -- Nicholas MonsarratTable of ContentsList of Illustrations Author's Acknowledgements Glossary of Sailing Terms Prologue Part One: the Attack Part Two: Castaways Part Three: Safety Part Four: Coincidence Part Five: The Last Analysis

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“[A] rollicking narrative…[An] absorbing and original book…Superb”—Ben Wilson, Times“There is much in Taylor’s book. It is interesting to see how pragmatically humane the navy could be, particularly in peacetime.”—David Mills, Sunday Times“[A]n accessible, humanistic portrait of a life characterised by hardship and comradeship.”— History Revealed“Episodes [are] gripping to read and fascinating in their particulars”—Ian Garrick Mason, Spectator“Taylor's research, skilful exposition, and elegant integration of text, archive and image has produced a compelling account of the men who made modern Britain, one that supplants all those that has gone before. Essential reading for sailors of the open ocean and the armchair.”—Andrew Lambert, BBC History Magazine“If most of these men's names have seeped into oblivion like so much sea froth, Taylor has brought their experiences back to vivid and exhilarating life: he stitches together the brutality and wonder of their lives with intelligence, judgement and compassion.”—Mathew Lyons, Literary Review“Sons of the Waves is the heir apparent to [John] Masefield's book as the best introduction for the general reader to the lives of eighteenth-century British seamen…Using the full range of available sources, Taylor has brought out the authentic, rarely heard, voice of Jack Tar.”—John B. Hattendorf, Times Literary Supplement“A vivid and engaging 'history from below' which provides a rich and readable demonstration of the ways in which the skills and experiences of seafarers helped to shape our society”—Nautilus Telegraph ‘Book of the Month’“The best introduction for the general reader to the lives of 18th century British seamen … Taylor has brought out the authentic, rarely heard voice of Jack Tar.” —John B. Hattedorff, Times Literary Supplement“Engrossing … suffused with a dark Dickensian melancholy.” —Roger Lewis, Daily Mail,Book of the Week“Fascinating and satisfying … A kaleidoscope of individual personalities and adventures” — N.A.M. Rodger, London Review of Books “Taylor’s experience as a writer of maritime history is evident in his adroit crafting of narrative, vivid portrayal of his characters and clear familiarity with his archival sources.” —Global Maritime History Certificate of Merit, Mounbatten Book Prize awards, 2020"An excellent book, combining an original approach to the subject with original research. Jack Tar, the quintessential British hero, emerges from this collective biography as a self-confident fellow, part of the collective body that sustained national prosperity, security and power.”—Andrew Lambert, author of Nelson"This enthusiastic account gives a vivid picture of life below decks in the era of the sailing navy. It is a classic of its kind, brimful with riotous episodes and gripping anecdotes anchored in detailed research."—Margarette Lincoln, author of Trading in War"The Royal Navy had some great leaders but what made their achievements possible was the thousands of unknown and unheard-from seamen who manned these vessels. This book starts the exploration of those fascinating lives."—Sir Robin Knox-Johnston

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Book SynopsisThe essential history of Alexander the Great, compelling and brilliantly realizedAlexander the Great (356-323 BC), who led the Macedonian army to victory in Egypt, Syria, Persia and India, was perhaps the most successful conqueror the world has ever seen. Yet although no other individual has attracted so much speculation across the centuries, Alexander himself remains an enigma. Curtius' History offers a great deal of information unobtainable from other sources of the time. A compelling narrative of a turbulent era, the work recounts events on a heroic scale, detailing court intrigue, stirring speeches and brutal battles—among them, those of Macedonia's great war with Persia, which was to culminate in Alexander's final triumph over King Darius and the defeat of an ancient and mighty empire. It also provides by far the most plausible and haunting portrait of Alexander we possess: a brilliantly realized image of a man ruined by constant good fortune in his youTable of ContentsThe History of AlexanderIntroductionSummary of the Lost Books 1 and 2Book 3Book 4Book 5Book 6Book 7Book 8Book 9Book 10BibliographyList of IllustrationsNotesAppendices1. List of Variations from the Budé Text2. Chrononlogy3. Glassary of Personal Names4. Index of Mythical, Historical and Literary Figures5. Index of Peoples6. Geographical IndexIndex to MapsMaps1. The Campaign of Alexander the Great (334-323 B.C.)2. Alexander's Campaigns in Asia Minor (334-333/2 B.C.)3. Alexander's Campaigns in India (327-325 B.C)

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Book SynopsisTells the story of Lucius, a curious and silly young man, who is turned into a donkey when he meddles with witchcraft. Doomed to wander from region to region and mistreated by a series of deplorable owners, Lucius at last is restored to human form with the help of the goddess Isis.Trade Review"Sarah Ruden’s superb translation of Alpuleis’s The Golden Ass illuminates this wonderful story with a brilliant modern wit."—Philip Pullman, The Observer"[B]rilliantly executed . . . Sarah Ruden’s new translation of Apuleius’ neo-platonist romp about a guy who magically turns into a donkey. . .conveys how truly bizarre the style of the original is."—Emily Wilson, Times Literary Supplement"This new translation of Apuleius’s novel stands alone for its accuracy and cleverly farcical rendering."—Bookseller’s Buyer’s Guide"This new translation of Apuleius’s novel stands alone for its accuracy and cleverly farcical rendering."—Bookseller’s Buyer’s Guide"A wonderful translation—highly inappropriate and great fun. In Sarah Ruden's hands, the verbal gymnastics are ridiculously enjoyable rather than merely ridiculous."—Amy Eisner, Maryland Institute College of Art

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Book SynopsisBorn on a Maryland plantation, Frederick Douglassborn Frederick Baileydoesn't know the year of his birth. Separated from his mother in infancy, he sees her only a few times, always at night, before she dies. At the age of seven or eight, Frederick's mistress begins teaching him to read, until her furious husband forbids it. Frederick realizes then that reading is his path to freedom, and he determines to run away to the northern United Stateswhatever the cost. In addition to the original text, this volume also includes 11 selected essays and speeches, among them the famous What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July? (1852)

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Book Synopsis''A truly remarkable writer, one of the most gifted non-fiction authors alive'' Simon Schama, Financial TimesRobespierre was only thirty-six when he died, sent to the guillotine where he had sent thousands ahead of him. Robespierre and the Revolution were inseparable: a single inflexible tyrant. But what turned a shy young lawyer into the living embodiment of the Terror at its most violent? Admirers called him ''the great incorruptible''; critics dubbed him a ''monster'', a ''bloodthirsty charlatan''. Ruth Scurr sheds new light on this puzzle, tracing Robespierre''s life from a troubled childhood in provincial Arras to the passionate idealist, fighting for the rights of the people, and sweeping on to the implacable leader prepared to sign the death warrant for his closest friends.Trade ReviewThere is a dazzling light of intellect as much as a thunderous darkness of reality in her fine, humanising portrait * The Times, Ten Best Books of 2006 *Scurr has an important tale to tell, and she tells it judiciously -- Lucy Hughes-Hallett * Sunday Times *Ruth Scurr's aim, in this well written first book, is to provide an accessible, up - to date biography that draws on all this work, and represents Robespierre as a human being rather than as a monster of legend. She succeeds impressively -- Munro Price * Sunday Telegraph *This splendidly balanced account of an unbalanced mind proves that there are monsters of virtue as well as monsters of vice -- Graham Robb * Daily Telegraph *It is judicious, balanced, and admirably clear at every point....It is quite the calmest and least abusive history of the Revolution you will ever read -- Hilary Mantel * London Review of Books *

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Book Synopsis_____________________________At Ronnie Kray''s funeral, London crime expert John Pearson saw a man he didn''t recognise - but who all the notorious criminals present deferred to.This is the remarkable true story of that man: ''the Englishman''.Investigations revealed that the Englishman was never mentioned in any of the previous books on organised crime, not because he wasn''t involved, but because everyone was too scared to speak his name. Moreover, he was as legendary a figure on the streets of New York as on the streets of London.Pearson persuaded the mysterious criminal leader to talk to him - and the result was a story even more extraordinary than that of the Kray twins. Here Pearson reveals the true story of the Englishman who became the adopted son of Joey Pagano, the head of one of the major New York crime families. Here the Englishman tells the story that no-one else dared to tell._____________________________<Trade ReviewStraight out of The Godfather ... this insight into the hidden world of the mafia is well worth reading * The Oldie *Brilliantly thrilling * Heat *

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Book SynopsisWhen she disappeared in 1937 over a shark-infested sea, Amelia Earhart had lived up to her wish - internationally famous, a daring and pioneering aviator, and ambassador extraordinary for the United States. Married to a man with a genius for publicity, her life was crowded, demanding and adventurous. Mary S. Lovell''s superb biography examines a legend to reveal the pressures and influences that drove Amelia, and shows how her life, career and manner of death foreshadowed the tragedies and excesses of a media-dominated age.Trade Review** 'The inevitability of a great romantic tragedy . . . In this book the little things and the great mingle and somehow explain each other. This is what biographies are about * GUARDIAN *** 'A private glimpse beneath the surface of public lives * THE TIMES *** 'Vividly evokes the tragic aspect of Amelia Earhart, as well as the moxie and grit of her personality and the hair-raising atmosphere of pioneering aviation * NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW *

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Book SynopsisJoe Sacco, one of the world's foremost cartoonists, is widely hailed as the creator of war-reportage comics. He is the author of Palestine, Safe Area Gorazde, The Fixer, Notes from a Defeatist , Footnotes in Gaza and Journalism, all published by Jonathan Cape.Trade ReviewSacco is formidably talented. A meticulous reporter... and a gifted artist whose richly nuanced drawings tread a delicate path between cartoonishness and naturalism * Independent *Sacco's greatest achievement is to have so poignantly depicted oppression and horror in a form that manages to be both disarming and disquieting * Observer *One of the most original cartoonists of the past two decades * Guardian *It is clear that Sacco is one of the masters of his craft * New Statesman *

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Book SynopsisContents 1. A A country boy 2. A Pins and string 3. A Philosophy 4. A Learning to juggle 5. A Blue and yellow make pink 6. A Saturn and statistics 7. A Cast of characters 8. A Spinning cells 9. A The beautiful equations 10. A The Laird at home 11. A The Cavendish 12. A Last days 13. A Maxwella s legacy 14.Trade Review"This is a wonderful, short biography that gives a vivid account of James Clerk Maxwell's life and work." (Materials Today, June 2004) "...an absorbing account of Maxwell's life and work" (Sunday Telegraph Review, 19th September 2004) "...provides the reader with the opportunity to understand Maxwell's contributions to modern science and technology." (The Mathematical Gazette, March 2005) "...a fascinating book about an inspiring man..." (Journal of Raman Spectroscopy, Vol.36, No.3, March 2005)Table of ContentsPreface. Acknowledgements. Chronology: principal events in Maxwell’s life. Cast of characters: Maxwell’s relations and close friends. Introduction. 1. A country boy: Glenlair 1831-1841. 2. Pins and string: Edinburgh Academy 1841-1847. 3. Philosophy: Edinburgh University 1847-1850 4. Learning to juggle: Cambridge 1850-1854. 5. Blue and yellow make pink: Cambridge 1854-1856. 6. Saturn and statistics: Aberdeen 1856-1860. 7. Spinning cells: London 1860-1862. 8. The beautiful equations: London 1862-1865. 9. The Laird at home: Glenlair 1865-1870. 10. The Cavendish: Cambridge 1870-1879. 11. Last days. 12. Maxwell’s legacy. Notes. Bibliography. Index.

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Book SynopsisBestselling royal historian David Starkey's captivating biography is a radical re-evaluation of Henry VIII, the British monarchy's most enduring icon.Larger than life in every sense, Henry VIII was Britain's most absolute monarch but he was not born to rule. In this brilliantly readable history, David Starkey follows the promising young prince a Renaissance man of exceptional musical and athletic talent as he is thrust into the limelight after the death of his elder brother. His subsequent quest for fame was as obsessive as that of any modern celebrity, and his yearning for a male heir drove him into dangerous territory.The culmination of a lifetime's research, David Starkey's biography is an unforgettable portrait of the man behind the controversies, the prince turned tyrant who continues to tower over history.Trade Review‘This book is Starkey’s masterpiece.’ Sunday Times ‘Brilliant. Every page has an intimate fascination. An accessible and entertaining book.’ Hilary Mantel, Guardian ‘Demonstrates Starkey’s scholarship and authorial panache.’ Daily Mail 'Writing with a mixture of tabloid verve and original scholarship, peppering every page with pungent wit and yet never skimping on the detail…the best political history of the reign of Henry VIII so far…an outstanding overture.' John Guy, Sunday Times ‘If you like Henry VIII, this is what you'll like.’ Tim Martin, Daily Telegraph (Books of the Year) ‘Starkey gives us an unexpectedly fresh-faced Henry VIII in his breezy biography.’ Dominic Sandbrook, Daily Telegraph (Books of the Year) ‘It is brilliant, beady-eyed history, and every page of it has an intimate fascination…Starkey has eschewed the easy wisdom of hindsight…his strength is that he questions everything…he seeks fresh evidence…his writing is uncluttered and conversational, and he cuts through the back-story…with grace, clarity and wit…accessible and entertaining.’ Guardian

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Book SynopsisThe story of Emma and Carl Jung''s highly unconventional marriage, their relationship with Freud, and their part in the early years of Psychoanalysis.Emma Jung was clever, ambitious and immensely wealthy, one of the richest heiresses in Switzerland when, aged seventeen, she met and fell in love with Carl Jung, a handsome, penniless medical student. Determined to share his adventurous life, and to continue her own studies, she was too young to understand Carl's complex personality or conceive the dramas that lay ahead.Labyrinths tells the story of the Jungs' unconventional marriage, their friendship and, following publication of Jung's The Psychology of the Unconscious, subsequent rift with Freud. It traces Jung's development of word association, notions of the archetype, the collective unconscious, the concepts of extraversion and introversion and the role played by both Carl and Emma in the early development of the scandalous new Psychoanalysis movement.In its many twists and turns, tTrade Review‘Clay navigates the maze-like story with perspicacity and ease … It's a gripping story of two talented individuals, their fascinating, often troubled, but ultimately enduring partnership, and how together they shaped the brave new world of psychoanalysis’ Observer ‘Clay remains a clear, unostentatious narrator … Emma's voice – as well as her insight and daring – is loud and clear … admirable’ Daily Telegraph ‘Clay's book is a warm-hearted tribute to Emma's wisdom and tenacity’ Sunday Times ‘Labyrinths finally gives a voice to Emma … Clay's story is riveting because the patients’ stories are so gripping … Clay creates a wonderful atmosphere in her writing and … negotiates the labyrinth with aplomb’ The Times ‘Catrine Clay's absorbing new biography charts the twists and turns in some of the key lives involved in that historical moment, in particular those of Emma Jung and her more famous husband Carl’ Financial Times ‘Engaging … acute … For Clay, Emma Jung's quiet growth to dominance over the psychoanalytic establishment her husband had constructed seems the more significant’ Literary Review ‘This book will fascinate you’ Psychologies magazine

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Book SynopsisThe authorised life story of the king who gave up his throne for love, by one of our most distinguished biographers.In this masterly authorized biography, Philip Ziegler reveals the complex personality of Edward VIII, the only British monarch to have voluntarily renounced the throne.With unique access to the Royal Archives, Ziegler overturns many myths about Edward and tells his side of the story from his glamorous existence as Prince of Wales to his long decline in semi-exile in France. At the heart of the book is an unflinchingly honest examination of Edward's all-consuming passion for Wallis Simpson, which led to his dramatic abdication.Elegant and devastating, this is the most convincing portrait of Edward ever published.Trade Review‘Philip Ziegler is a master of biographical narrative …Seldom has such exhaustive research been made so compellingly readable’ Michael Holroyd ‘Ziegler has told Edward’s story with consummate skill’ Sarah Bradford, Sunday Times ‘Beautifully written and constructed’ Michael Bloch, Sunday Telegraph ‘Ziegler writes with urbanity and generosity but is unflinching in his judgements … an exemplary biography’ Richard Davenport-Hines, Times Literary Supplement ‘A splendid book of impeccable scholarship, admirably written, moving, ironical and at times very amusing …’ Robert Blake, Country Life ‘A book of such compelling interest and frankness that it is difficult to put down … a very fine book’ New York Times Book Review ‘I found Ziegler’s book riveting’ Paul Barker, Listener ‘He writes brilliantly’ Christopher Hudson, Evening Standard

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Book SynopsisDaisy Warwick was an heiress in her own right and a renowned beauty when she married Lord Brooke, heir to the Earl of Warwick, in 1880 at the age of 18. But she soon embarked on a passionate affair with Lord Charles Beresford who subsequently brought her close to the Prince of Wales, with whom she had a very public liaison for eight years, and remained a lifelong friend.At the height of her wealth and fame, she suddenly converted to socialism and later even stood against Anthony Eden at the General Election of 1924.Sushilla Anand''s colourful biography does full justice to the magnetic personality and glamorous life of Daisy Warwick.Trade ReviewDAISY slips down as cleanly as a strawberry milkshake ... Sushila Anand has paced the life perfectly * DAILY EXPRESS *A lively study of a woman whose life straddled the tremendous changes seen during the reigns of three monarchs * DAILY MAIL *This new biography draws on unpublished correspondance and paints a vivid portrait of this tempestuous and magnetic woman * GOOD BOOK GUIDE *This biography draws on much of Daisy's personal correspondence and family papers to reveal her amazing life * DAILY EXPRESS *

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Book SynopsisEdward Wilson (1872-1912) accompanied Robert Falcon Scott on both his celebrated Antarctic voyages: the Discovery Expedition of 1901-1904 and the Terra Nova Expedition of 1910-1913.Wilson served as Junior Surgeon and Zoologist on Discovery and, on this expedition, with Scott and Ernest Shackleton he set a new Furthest South on 30 December 1902. He was Chief of Scientific Staff on the Terra Nova Expedition and reached the South Pole with Scott, Lawrence Oates, Henry Robertson Bowers and Edgar Evans on 18 January 1912, arriving there four weeks after the Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen. Wilson and his four companions died on the return journey. Trained as a physician,Wilson was also a skilled artist. His drawings and paintings lavishly illustrated both expeditions. He was the last major exploration artist; technological developments in the field of photography were soon to make cameras practical as a way of recording journeys into the unknown. This biography, the first full account of the Antarctic hero, traces his life from childhood to his tragic death.

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Book SynopsisJAMES PATTERSON is one of the best-known and biggest-selling writers of all time. Among his creations are some of the world's most popular series including Alex Cross, the Women's Murder Club, Michael Bennett and the Private novels. He has written many other number one bestsellers including collaborations with President Bill Clinton and Dolly Parton, stand-alone thrillers and non-fiction. James has donated millions in grants to independent bookshops and has been the most borrowed adult author in UK libraries for the past fourteen years in a row. He lives in Florida with his family.Trade ReviewHighly readable and emotionally affecting * Mirror *A work of naked truth, as disturbing as it is important ... This true story of Hal Friedman's son, Cory, is a gift of honesty, huge courage, and hope, and a reminder that against all medical advice and odds, human beings can prevail -- Patricia Cornwell[Torn Apart] is both harrowing and heartbreaking, but is also a story of astonishing courage. This book stands as a testament to the amazing power of one family's unconditional love for each other -- Tess GerritsenIn the tradition of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Patterson and Friedman manage to get deep inside debilitating illness, and show us what life looks like from that perspective. [Torn Apart] is an amazing story of courage, fortitude and a family's love, simply told -- Terri Cheney, author of Manic: A MemoirInspiring . . . a testament to the importance of family and the resilient nature of the human spirit -- George Pelecanos, author of The Turnaround

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Book SynopsisAlison Weir is one of Britain's top-selling historians. She is the author of numerous works of history and historical fiction, specialising in the medieval and Tudor periods. Her bestselling history books include The Six Wives of Henry VIII, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Elizabeth of York and The Lost Tudor Princess. Her novels include Innocent Traitor, Katherine of Aragon: The True Queen and Anne Boleyn: A King's Obsession. She is an Honorary Life Patron of Historic Royal Palaces and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. She lives and works in Surrey.Trade ReviewA glittering evocation of the Tudor Court, its splendour as well as its vulgarity...a responsive, rounded portrait * Daily Telegraph *A compelling, readable account of the life and times of the king who put England firmly on the map of power politics... Good history books ought to change the way we look at ourselves and our nation's past. Henry VIII: King and Court is one such book * Literary Review *Weir provides immense satisfaction. She writes in a pacy, vivid style, engaging the heart as well as the mind * Independent *

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Book SynopsisWinner of the Wolfson Prize for History, Ian Kershaw''s Hitler 1936-1945: Nemesis is the concluding second volume of one of the greatest biographies of modern times. No figure in twentieth century history more clearly demands a close biographical understanding than Adolf Hitler; and no period is more important than the Second World War. Beginning with Hitler''s startling European successes in the aftermath of the Rhineland occupation, from Czechoslovakia to Poland; addressing crucial questions about the unique nature of Nazi radicalism; exploring the Holocaust and the poisoned European world that allowed Hitler to operate so effectively; and ending nine years later with the suicide in the Berlin bunker, Kershaw allows us as never before to understand Hitler''s motivation and impact. ''Magisterial ... anyone who wishes to understand the third reich must read Kershaw, for no on has done more to lay bare Hitler''s morbid psyche''  Niall Ferguson, Sunday Telegraph ''An achievement of the very highest order ... a marvellous book''  Michael Burleigh, Financial Times ''No previous biographer has examined Hitler''s devilishness in Kershaw''s detail ... his book is so comprehensive, so richly documented and so judicious that it will not soon be superseded''  Daniel Johnson, Daily Telegraph Ian Kershaw''s other books include Hitler 1936-1945: Nemesis, Making Friends with Hitler, Fateful Choices: Ten Decisions that Changed the World 1940-4 and The End: Hitler''s Germany, 1944-45. Hitler 1936-1945: Nemesis received the Wolfson History Prize and the Bruno Kreisky Prize in Austria for Political Book of the Year, and was joint winner of the inaugural British Academy Book Prize.Trade ReviewWinner of the Wolfson History Prize, the Bruno Kreisky Prize in Austria for Political Book of the Year, and the inaugural British Academy Book Prize. * Prizes and awards *Magisterial ... anyone who wishes to understand the third reich must read Kershaw, for no on has done more to lay bare Hitler's morbid psyche -- Niall Ferguson * Sunday Telegraph *An achievement of the very highest order ... Kershaw communicates a genuine sense of tension as Hitler embarked on ever-riskier stratagems, bringing a fresh eye to the over-familiar diplomatic or military story ... a marvellous book -- Michael Burleigh * Financial Times *Extraordinarily convincing ... I do not know any other Hitler biography that so coolly, factually and devastatingly presents the phenomena of "obedience" and charisma -- Gitta Sereny * The Times *For the present generation, Kershaw's Hitler stands as our clear beacon of truth, illuminating a dark age of terror and mendacity -- Craig Brown * Mail on Sunday *No previous biographer has examined Hitler's devilishness in Kershaw's detail ... his book is so comprehensive, so richly documented and so judicious that it will not soon be superseded -- Daniel Johnson * Daily Telegraph *A riveting narrative ... the text positively crackles with fascinating insights and interesting perceptions ... this is unquestionably an outstanding biography -- Frank McLynn * Herald *Magisterial ... anyone who wishes to understand the third reich must read Kershaw, for no on has done more to lay bare Hitler's morbid psyche -- Niall Ferguson * Sunday Telegraph *An achievement of the very highest order ... Kershaw communicates a genuine sense of tension as Hitler embarked on ever-riskier stratagems, bringing a fresh eye to the over-familiar diplomatic or military story ... a marvellous book -- Michael Burleigh * Financial Times *Extraordinarily convincing ... I do not know any other Hitler biography that so coolly, factually and devastatingly presents the phenomena of "obedience" and charisma -- Gitta Sereny * The Times *For the present generation, Kershaw's Hitler stands as our clear beacon of truth, illuminating a dark age of terror and mendacity -- Craig Brown * Mail on Sunday *No previous biographer has examined Hitler's devilishness in Kershaw's detail ... his book is so comprehensive, so richly documented and so judicious that it will not soon be superseded -- Daniel Johnson * Daily Telegraph *A riveting narrative ... the text positively crackles with fascinating insights and interesting perceptions ... this is unquestionably an outstanding biography -- Frank McLynn * Herald *Table of ContentsCeaseless radicalization; the drive for expansion; marks of a genocidal mentality; miscalculation; going for broke; licensing barbarism; zenith of power; designing a "war of annihilation"; showdown; fulfilling the "prophecy"; last big throw of the dice; beleaguered; hoping for miracles; luck of the devil; no way out; into the abyss; extinction.

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Book SynopsisTadeusz Borowski's concentration camp stories were based on his own experiences surviving Auschwitz and Dachau. In spare, brutal prose he describes a world where where the will to survive overrides compassion and prisoners eat, work and sleep a few yards from where others are murdered; where the difference between human beings is reduced to a second bowl of soup, an extra blanket or the luxury of a pair of shoes with thick soles; and where the line between normality and abnormality vanishes. Published in Poland after the Second World War, these stories constitute a masterwork of world literature.

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Book SynopsisManning Marable was Professor of History and Political Science at Columbia University and director of the Institute for Research in African-American Studies. He was the founding director of the Center for Contemporary Black History, established in 2002 and the Institute for Research in African-American Studies, where he served from 1993 to 2003. He died as the hardback of Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention was published. The book was a Finalist for the National Book Award 2011.Trade Review[A] groundbreaking piece of work. ...The result is not just a biography, but also a history of Muslims in America and a sweeping account of one man's transformation... It will be difficult for anyone to better this book. ... a work of art, a feast that combines genres skillfully: biography, true-crime, political commentary. It gives us Malcolm X in full gallop. -- Wil Haygood * Washington Post *[L]ucid, hugely researched and surely definitive...an extraordinary story. * Sunday Times *[A]n incredibly detailed account of Malcolm's life (and an investigation of his murder) and it is, of course, completely riveting....it is inevitably much more than a biography of one man... Marable is intensely and intimately sympathetic. -- Geoff Dyer * New Yorker *In the pantheon of black American protest figures only Martin Luther King occupies a more exalted position, but it is Malcolm X whose legend has the greater street credibility and aura of cool...Now, almost a half century [after his assassination], Malcolm has finally received the biography that his unique role in black culture demands...A meticulous, comprehensive, and fair-minded portrait. -- Andrew Anthony * Observer *Professor Manning Marable's Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention is encyclopaedic in its approach. The endnotes and bibliography indicate the staggering breadth and depth of scholarship underpinning this volume....Undoubtedly it will stand as a last lecture on the subject by one of America's most distinguished historians. -- Wilbert Rideau * Financial Times *[A] wealth of detail, some of it new, some of it old stories confirmed...At the end of it all, Malcolm X remains Malcolm X, for good or ill, one of the most fascinating historical figures of the 20th Century...a labour of love...a courageous endeavour. -- Hugh Muir * Guardian *Malcolm's short life (he was slain at 39) makes a fascinating story...Mr Marable has scoured contemporary press clippings in America, Europe and Africa...and benefitted...from the recent release to the public of hundreds of Malcolm's letters, photographs and texts of speeches. * The Economist *Marable gives us all the raw material for a harshly critical appraisal... Marable's is very far from the first biography of Malcolm, but it is undoubtedly the most penetrating and thoroughly researched. It clearly surpasses the best previous effort, Bruce Perry's 1991 study -- Stephen Howe * The Independent *By the end of the 1960s, Malcolm's disciples had elevated him to what Manning Marable, in this weighty biography, calls 'secular sainthood'; in death, his image was quickly refashioned to 'embody the very ideal of blackness for an entire generation'... But Marable... resists the temptation of hagiography and fills in the gaps left by previous books. Where the autobiography, carefully organised by the NOI-sceptic Haley, presents an idealised vision of a man's growth as a thinker, Marable gives us Malcolm in all his self-contradiction and self-doubt... By refusing to pin him down, he offers glimpses of the human being behind the legend. -- Yo Zushi * New Statesman *Striking... Marable is intensely sympathetic but always conscious of the contradictions of his subject...the fulfilment of a life's work -- Geoff Dyer, Books of the Year * Prospect *From petty criminal to drug user to prisoner to minister to separatist to humanist to martyr. Marable, who worked for more than a decade on the book and died earlier this year, offers a more complete and unvarnished portrait of Malcolm X than the one found in his autobiography. The story remains inspiring -- 10 Best Books of 2011 * New York Times *An exploration of the legendary life and provocative views of one of the most significant African-Americans in U.S. history, a work that separates fact from fiction and blends the heroic and tragic * Pulitzer Prize in History 2012 award citation *

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Book SynopsisTwo revealingly different accounts of the life of the most important figure of the Roman EmpireCharlemage, known as the father of Europe, was one of the most powerful and dynamic of all medieval rulers. The biographies brought together here provide a rich and varied portrait of the king from two perspectives: that of Einhard, a close friend and adviser, and of Notker, a monastic scholar and musician writing fifty years after Charlemagne's death.For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

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Book SynopsisFrom the two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist, bestselling historian, and author of Our First Civil War?and the rare academic historian who can write like a bestselling novelist (USA Today)?comes an irresistible portrait of an underestimated politician whose pragmatic leadership and steadfast vision transformed the nation.In his magisterial new biography, H. W. Brands brilliantly establishes Ronald Reagan as one of the two great presidents of the twentieth century, a true peer to Franklin Roosevelt. Reagan conveys with sweep and vigor how the confident force of Reagan?s personality and the unwavering nature of his beliefs enabled him to engineer a conservative revolution in American politics and play a crucial role in ending communism in the Soviet Union. Reagan shut down the age of liberalism, Brands shows, and ushered in the age of Reagan, whose defining principles are still powerfully felt today.Employing archival sources not available to previous biographers and drawing on dozens of interviews with surviving members of Reagan?s administration, Brands has crafted a richly detailed and fascinating narrative of the presidential years. He offers new insights into Reagan?s remote management style and fractious West Wing staff, his deft handling of public sentiment to transform thetax code, and his deeply misunderstood relationship with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, on which nothing less than the fate of the world turned.Look for H.W. Brands''s other biographies: THE FIRST AMERICAN (Benjamin Franklin), ANDREW JACKSON, THE MAN WHO SAVED THE UNION (Ulysses S. Grant), and TRAITOR TO HIS CLASS (Franklin Roosevelt).

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Book SynopsisA groundbreaking book which explores the impact of women on the development of Freud''s ideas.No modern writer has affected our views on women as powerfully as Sigmund Freud. And none has been so virulently attacked for both his theories of femininity and for his alleged elevation of personal prejudice to universal pronouncement.FREUD''S WOMEN examines that bold collaboration with his female patients which made psychoanalysis as much their creation as the young Viennese doctor''s. It explores Freud''s family life, his relations with daughter Anna, his ''Antigone'', and his friendships with his followers. From the writer and turn of the century ''femme fatale'', Lou Andreas Salome, to the socialist feminist, Helene Deutsch, early theorist of femininity, to Princesse Marie Bonaparte, who moved from couch to royal court with amazing facility and became head of the French psychoanalytic movement, Freud''s women friends and pupils were extraordinary.

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Book SynopsisThe minutes and hours following 11th September terror attacks on the World Trade Center posed the greatest challenge to governance in New York City''s history. Mayor Rudoph Giuliani had barely escaped with his life in the collapse of the first tower. Fires burned furiously near the site as the other buildings verged on collapse. Air Force fighter jets criss-crossed the sky to ward off other attacks. And yet in those moments after the calamity, and in the following days and months, Mayor Giuliani not only steered the city through the crisis, but did so with an assurance and authority that was hailed around the world as a model of courageous leadership.In LEADERSHIP, Giuliani describes vividly the chaos and horror of the twin-towers catastrophe, and explains how the rules of management he enforced as Mayor enabled him to gain control of the emergency. These are also the rules, Giuliani makes clear, that anyone in a leadership position - from the head of a large corporation toTrade ReviewA hero to many.....the greatest mayor in the city's history. * TIME *Like the man, [the book] also shines when dealing with the disaster and the terrible days that followed. * FINANCIAL TIMES *...entertaining...marked by an obvious passion for the city he led. * BUSINESS WEEKLY *On 11/9/01, the world learned to love Giuliani....the description of that time is an engrossing part of (Leadership).... * BUSINESS AM *

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Book SynopsisWhen Jean Sasson’s book Princess: Life Behind the Veil in Saudi Arabia was published, it became an immediate international bestseller.

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Book Synopsis''First there was Fire and Fury, then there was Siege, now there is Landslide. The third is the best of the three'' Guardian ''Cruel, unforgiving, muckracking, scandalous . . . Michael Wolff concludes his Trump trilogy - with the best book'' Telegraph ''Wolff is the shrewdest chronicler of Trump'' Sunday TimesPolitics has given us some shocking and confounding moments but none have come close to the careening final days of Donald Trump''s presidency: the surreal stage management of his re-election campaign, his audacious election challenge, the harrowing mayhem of the storming of the Capitol and the buffoonery of the second impeachment trial. But what was really going on in the inner sanctum of the White House during these calamitous events? What did the president and his dwindling cadre of loyalists actually believe? And what were they planning?Drawing on an exclusive and wide range of soTrade ReviewMichael Wolff's third Trump book is his best - and most alarming ... Fire and Fury infuriated a president and fuelled a publishing boom. Its latest sequel is required reading for anyone who fears for American democracy. * Guardian *If Donald Trump seems like a distant, bad dream, Michael Wolff's pacily readable account of his last months as president warns that we shouldn't write him off yet. This is the US journalist's third book on the Trump administration - after Fire and Fury and Siege - and it uncovers new depths of dysfunction there. * Evening Standard *Smart, vivid and intrepid * New York Times *Wolff's previous books on this president - Fire and Fury and Siege - titillated us with inside tales from a dysfunctional White House; terrified us a bit with gut-wrenching episodes of Diet Pepsi-fuelled craziness. They were warm-up acts. Low energy in comparison. Now we get the real deal. Landslide cuts deeper than any previous book about this president, indeed about any president. * The Times *[Wolff] provides a seamless, cinematic narrative of unfolding events in the White House, as if he was quietly sitting in the corner, unnoticed, taking notes, with some preternatural insight into the innermost thoughts of all the protagonists .... Cruel, unforgiving, muckraking, scandalous. I couldn't stop reading it. * Telegraph *In Landslide, Michael Wolff, the shrewdest and most colourful chronicler of the Trump years, focuses on 'the big lie', how Trump's conviction that November's election was stolen from him led him down the path towards insurrection and infamy. * Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisOn 8 March 1941, a 27-year-old Jewish Dutch student living in Nazi-occupied Amsterdam made the first entry in a diary that was to become one of the most remarkable documents to emerge from the Nazi Holocaust. Over the course of the next two and a half years, an insecure, chaotic and troubled young woman was transformed into someone who inspired those with whom she shared the suffering of the transit camp at Westerbork and with whom she eventually perished at Auschwitz. Through her diary and letters, she continues to inspire those whose lives she has touched since. She was an extraordinarily alive and vivid young woman who shaped and lived a spirituality of hope in the darkest period of the twentieth century. This book explores Etty Hillesum's life and writings, seeking to understand what it was about her that was so remarkable, how her journey developed, how her spirituality was shaped, and what her profound reflections on the roots of violence and the nature of evil can teach usTrade Review[Hillesum's] inspirational reflections on the roots of violence and the nature of evil have as much relevance now as they did in the 1940s. * The Bookseller *[A] superb and moving account of her life and writings, touching on Hillesum's profound reflections on violence and the nature of evil. * Catholic Herald *Complicated, intelligent, passionate and disarming by turns, Etty Hillesum is interpreted here as a woman for our time. The forward to the book, written by the Archbishop of Canterbury, argues that by examining the life of Etty Hillesum, the reader is able to understand how a theology of hope and of the redemptive meaning of suffering can emerge, even from the darkest of contexts. -- Lavinia Byrne * Cheddar Valley Gazette *This is a very precious book that left me feeling very grateful for the life of Etty Hillesum. Patrick Woodhouse has written about her with a clarity and unobtrusive simplicity that is wholly appropriate. -- Jonathan Gorsky * One in Christ *Etty was pyschologically complex to say the least, and her story presents us with a disturbing and challenging spirituality for a world wracked with hatred. * The Tablet *A touching and wonderful book. * The Good Book Stall *For anyone involved in pastoral care, there are rich and thought-provoking resources here and Woodhouse is an excellent guide. ... Inspiring and deceptively simple book. * The Pastoral Review *This book is at home in a silent sanctuary and in a noisy prison – in any place, at any time. Read it. Let it do what it will ... In this memoir of Etty, Patrick Woodhouse has done far more than condense her story into 153 pages. He has immersed himself in her life so deeply and so passionately that Etty seems to be speaking through him. * Church Times *Table of ContentsIntroduction Why the diary and letters of this inspirational young woman who died in the Holocaust are of such significance and speak beyond her own time and context. Who was Etty Hillesum? A brief biographical outline, and the background and chronology of her life Chapter 1: An Emerging Self Explores the process of profound personal change that occurred in Etty. Within her intimate relationship with her therapist Julius Spier she grappled with the chaotic complexity of her intense personality against the background of her disturbed family and fearful times, and moved from an insecure and depressive past towards an integrated self. It examines her relationship with Spier and his crucial importance in enabling her to change. Chapter 2: Discovering God This chapter explores the beginnings of Etty's spirituality, looking at how understandings of prayer and God slowly took root and grew in her, her formation as the child of a liberal Jewish background, her secular student days and the gradual development of her contemplative life. It touches on her surprise and embarrassment at her strongly emerging religious consciousness -- a deep sense of the intimate life of God within. As she faced up to her own end and the destruction of her people, the realisation dawned upon her that God was unable to help them and so, she says, 'they must help Him' and, if they are to retain their integrity as human beings 'guard his Presence within them at all costs'. This chapter explores how this insight, with its profound theological significance, connects with understandings of God in the Christian and other traditions. Chapter 3: Refusing to hate Etty wrote a lot about hatred. This chapter looks at her refusal to hate and goes on to explore the phenomenon of hatred and its function in the collective mind of a persecuted people -- how it galvanises and unites, helping people to cope with their fear, but is ultimately an avoidance and displacement mechanism which Etty believed was profoundly destructive. Determined to hate "only the evil that is within me", Etty wrote of what it meant to bear fear and suffering, absorbing and accepting it rather than turning it back on those causing it. This understanding produced some of her most profound writing and makes her a universal figure, able to identify with all who suffer, including 'German mothers for they too sorrow for their slain and murdered sons'. Chapter 4: Losing her life As the persecutions intensified, many Jews clung to life and struggled to avoid their destruction. Along with her refusal to hate, Etty refused to hide or to evade what she saw coming. Her clear-eyed acceptance of the end and her refusal to clutch at illusions grew out of her commitment to truth and to living in the present rather than in fear of the future. "It sounds paradoxical," she wrote, "but by excluding death from our life we cannot live a full life... and by admitting death into our life we enlarge and enrich it." This chapter reflects on this paradox and its place in other religious traditions. Chapter 5: Seeing Differently Etty's greatest fear was that she would sleep-walk into death, that numbness would overcome her. Her triumph was to show that the reality of the Holocaust - the power of a terrible hatred against the Jews - was not the only or final reality. She saw and lived from other realities in the midst of the hell around her and in the end was neither captive to, nor overwhelmed by the darkness. This chapter goes to the heart of the paradox that enabled her - surrounded by death - to be a source of care and compassion for others and to continue to insist that life was meaningful and beautiful and, as she set out on her final journey to Auschwitz, to "leave the camp singing". Chapter 6: A woman for our time At a time of decline in institutional religion, Etty is a curiously modern person. Her route into spirituality is initially through psychotherapy and the exploration of the self. She sees the world through the prism of the person: systems of thought claiming 'the truth' inevitably contain falsehood and divide people. Suspicious of religious or political ideology, she sees the struggle for peace and a new world rooted in personal change. She is ecumenical in the widest sense, bridging the differences between religions. She was a Jew who drew inspiration from the New Testament, from St Augustine, from Russian writers, from Jung and above all from Rilke. She forged a spirituality that connects and resonates with aspects from all the great religious traditions - not only Judaism and Christianity, but also Buddhism and Hinduism. She lived and died at a time of mass violence. Her diaries and letters are an extended reflection on what it means to be fully human in the midst of violence and the temptations of violence, and she looks beyond the violence of her time to a new world.

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Book Synopsis'A stunningly good and surely definitive biography of one of the most fascinating British engineers ever to have lived' JAMES HOLLAND Barnes Wallis is remembered for contributions to aviation that spanned most of the 20th century, from airships at its start to reusable spacecraft near the end. In the years between he pioneered new kinds of aircraft structure, bombs to alter the way in which wars are fought, and aeroplanes that could change shape in flight. Later work extended to radio telescopy, prosthetic limbs, and plans for a fleet of high-speed cargo submarines to travel the world's oceans in silence.    For all his fame, little is known about the man himself. Dam Buster draws on family records to reveal someone thick with contradictions: a Victorian who in his imagination ranged far into the 21st century; a romantic for whom nostalgic pastoral and advanced technology went together; an unassuming man who kept a close

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Book SynopsisTHE TIMES AND WATERSTONES BEST ART BOOK OF 2023''Marvellous . . . intimate and insightful . . . reads like a novel by Samuel Beckett' Paul Theroux A portrait of one of the twentieth century's greatest sculptors from one of our most eminent art historiansToday the work of Alberto Giacometti is world-famous and his sculptures sell for record-breaking prices. But from his early days as an unknown outsider to the end of a dramatic international career, Giacometti lived in the same hovel of a studio in Paris. It was Paris that made him, and he in turn immortalised the city through his art.Arriving in Paris from the Swiss Alps in 1922, Giacometti was shaped not only by his relationships with remarkable artists and writers from Picasso, Breton and Dalí to Sartre, Beauvoir and Beckett but by the everyday life, pre-war and post-war, of Paris itself. His distinctive figures emerged from the city's unique atmosphere: the crumbling gr

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Book SynopsisJ. L. Austin was one of the most influential philosophers of the twentieth century, but also an intelligence officer in the Second World War. This revelatory biography explores Austin's complex character, his remarkable achievements in war and peace, and the surprisinglty dramatic events in his personal life.Trade ReviewScrupulous and engrossing * Best Books of the Year 2023, The Economist *A revelatory work of intelligence history, ingeniously built from scattered and skimpy materials. * Richard Davenport-Hines, Books of the Year 2023, Times Literary Supplement *A superb biography...dense and readable. * Tom Stoppard, Books of the Year 2023, Times Literary Supplement *Meticulously researched yet uncluttered ... philosophically illuminating. * Jane O'Grady, Times Literary Supplement *[ Rowe's] research is so thorough, his exposition so meticulous and his presentation so clear that even the digressions are a delight * Jonathan Ree, Literary Review *a marvellous book . . . thoroughly absorbing... First, it gives a detailed account of Austin's philosophical development, his background, his works and his academic career and influence, accompanied at each stage by interpretations and criticisms that are judicious and insightful. Rowe shows himself to be an excellent philosopher in his own right. Second, the book presents the results of Rowe's painstaking archival research on Austin's intelligence career, placing it in the context of British and Allied intelligence concerning Western Europe and North Africa. It gives a fascinating account of the way military intelligence is generated and the crucial role it plays in every military operation... Third, Rowe offers a perceptive analysis of Austin's personal qualities and their part in his academic and military engagements. * Thomas Nagel, London Review of Books *well-researched, and admirably written intellectual biography. * Stephen Mulhall, Society *Table of ContentsPart I: Pre-War 1: Origins: c. 1670-1911 2: Childhood: 1911-1924 3: Shrewsbury: 1924-1929 4: Balliol: 1929-1933 5: Philosophy in Oxford: 1918-1933 6: All Souls: 1933-1935 7: Collingwood, C. I. Lewis, and Aristotle: 1935-1938 8: The Brethren, Politics, and Wittgenstein: 1937-1940 Part II: War 9: Jean and the Army: 1939-1941 10: MI14, Marriage, and North African Intelligence: 1941 11: Injury, Scotland, and the Desert War: 1941-1942 12: The Coming of the Martians: 1942 13: Norfolk House, Dieppe, and Torch: 1942 14: Skyscraper, Invade Mecum, and Exile: 1943 15: The Hunt for the V-Weapons: 1943-1944 16: At Peter Robinson's: 1943-1944 17: Towards D-Day: 1944 18: D-Day and the Battle of Normandy: 1944 19: Arnhem and the Ardennes: 1944-1945 20: War's End: 1945 Part III: Post-War 21: Post-War Britain and Oxford: 1945-1947 22: 'Other Minds': 1946-1947 23: Ordinary Language Philosophy: 1947-1959 24: The Oral and the Written: 1947-1959 25: Sense and Sensibilia: 1947-1959 26: Truth and Logic: 1950-1952 27: White's Professor: 1952-1954 28: Domestic Life and the Americans: 1952-1954 29: Harvard and Speech-Acts: 1955 30: Abilities and Excuses: 1956-1957 31: Royaumont and Anscombe: 1958 32: California, Semantics, and Sound Symbolism: 1958-1959 33: Ayer, Scandinavia, and the Gellner Controversy: 1959 34: Final Illness: 1959-1960

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Book SynopsisEnter a world of ancient secrets, old money, new ambitions and the discovery of priceless treasure in this revelatory new biography.Between November 1922 and spring 1923, a door to the ancient Egyptian world was opened. The discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun would be the most astonishing archaeological find of the century, revealing not only the boy pharaoh's preserved remains, but thousands of finely crafted objects, from the iconic gold mask and coffins to a dagger made from meteorite, chalices, beautiful furniture and even 3000-year-old food and wine. The world's understanding of Ancient Egyptian civilisation was immeasurably enhanced, and the quantity and richness of the objects in the tomb is still being studied today. Two men were ultimately responsible for the discovery: Lord Carnarvon and Howard Carter. It was Lord Carnarvon who held the concession to excavate and whose passion and ability to finance the project allowed the eventual discovery to take place.The Earl and the PhTrade Review Early praise for the The Earl and the Pharaoh ‘The story of their quest for the tomb of an obscure pharaoh is familiar but still exciting, and the countess tells it well, conjuring up the fights, the frustrations, the times when Carnarvon came close to cutting his losses and giving up, and the moment in November 1922 when Carter held his candle up to a hole in the wall of Tutankhamun’s tomb and in answer to Carnarvon’s question, “Can you see anything?” answered, “Yes, wonderful things”… Carnarvon’s life makes a good story, with plenty of Downton-esque period details’ Daily Telegraph Praise for the Countess of Carnarvon’s previous works 'Bright, breezy and unpretentious'Guardian ‘If you can’t wait for the new season of Downton Abbey … this one’s for you … A revealing portrait of the changing times’New York Post ‘[A] fascinating insight into how the seriously rich once lived’Newsweek Daily Beast ‘Lady Carnarvon's narrative is a vivid time-stamp of a tempestuous period in history, aptly incorporating its political situation and social structure, to satisfy history buffs’Publishers Weekly

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Book SynopsisA Times Best Book on the Royal Family of the Year 2022This is a biography of the Queen Mother with all the dull bits stripped out.When told that Lady Mountbatten was being buried at sea, the Queen Mother replied cheerfully. Dear old Edwina, she always did like to make a splash!'During her lifetime, the Queen Mother was as famous for her clever quips, pointed observations and dry-as-a-Martini delivery style as she was for being a member of the Royal Family. She was also famed for her fondness for drinky-poos' usually a gin and Dubonnet or three. Now, Do Let's Have Another Drink recounts 101 biographical vignettes one for each year of her long, remarkable life, including her coming-of-age during World War I, the abdication of her brother-in-law, the truth about her tragic nieces and her relationship with her two daughters over half a century of widowhood.The book is a skimming-stone biography the story of a life without the boring bits and a travel guide to a world that no longer exiTrade Review‘A warm, funny, and above all, sympathetic picture of a remarkable woman… Russell’s ‘skimming-stone’ biography has managed to capture both the laughter and the wisdom – I raise a glass to him’ Daily Telegraph, Four star review ‘Utterly compelling… This drink-infused, deliciously gossipy account of a privileged life is guaranteed to raise the spirits of anyone lucky enough to read it.’ Anne Sebba, author of That Woman: The life of Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor ‘Wonderful prose, telling stories that are hilarious and moving by turns. Immensely enjoyable.’ Suzannah Lipscomb ‘Utterly glorious.’ Emerald Fennell ‘Do Let’s Have Another Drink is a joyful corrective. A triumph.’ Owen Emmerson, co-author of The Boleyns of Hever Castle ‘I absolutely adored this book! It’s wonderful.’ Deanna Raybourn, New York Times bestselling author ‘Gareth Russell brings the Queen Mother’s humanity, courage and spirit to life… a compulsive read.’ Nichelle Tramble Spellman, Showrunner Truth Be Told (Apple TV+) ‘Russell balances titillating gossip and heartfelt poignancy in this sparkling snapshot of Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon… Russell interweaves brisk and informative history lessons with royal family intrigue. Fans of The Crown will lap this up.’ Publisher’s Weekly ‘Affectionate, scholarly, and side-splittingly funny. I couldn’t put it down.’ Adrian Tinniswood, author of Noble Ambitions: The Fall and Rise of the Post-War Country House ‘Utterly captivating… this wonderful book achieves something that none of the conventional biographies has quite managed: to humanise the Queen Mother’ Tracy Borman, author of Elizabeth’s Women

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Book SynopsisWinner of the People's Literature Award, WINTER PASTURE has been a bestselling book in China for several years. Li Juan has been widely lauded in the international literary community for her unique contribution to the narrative non-fiction genre. WINTER PASTURE is her crowning achievement, shattering the boundaries between nature writing and personal memoir. Li Juan and her mother own a small convenience store in the Altai Mountains in Northwestern China, where she writes about her life among grasslands and snowy peaks. To her neighbors' surprise, Li decides to join a family of Kazakh herders as they take their 30 boisterous camels, 500 sheep and over 100 cattle and horses to pasture for the winter. The so-called "winter pasture" occurs in a remote region that stretches from the Ulungur River to the Heavenly Mountains. As she journeys across the vast, seemingly endless sand dunes, she helps herd sheep, rides horses, chases after camels, builds an underground home using manure, gathers snow for water, and more. With a keen eye for the understated elegance of the natural world, and a healthy dose of self-deprecating humor, Li vividly captures both the extraordinary hardships and the ordinary preoccupations of the day-to-day of the men and women struggling to get by in this desolate landscape. Her companions include Cuma, the often drunk but mostly responsible father; his teenage daughter, Kama, who feels the burden of the world on her shoulders and dreams of going to college; his reticent wife, a paragon of decorum against all odds, who is simply known as "sister-in-law." In bringing this faraway world to English language readers here for the first time, Li creates an intimate bond with the rugged people, the remote places and the nomadic lifestyle. In the signature style that made her an international sensation, Li Juan transcends the travel memoir genre to deliver an indelible and immersive reading experience on every page.Trade Review"Near the end of Winter Pasture Li Juan asks herself what it means to be "a passerby" in the lives of others. Her intimate depiction of a family of Kazakh herders is itself an answer to that complicated travel writer question: to connect the reader with people and stories she likely otherwise would never encounter. In doing so, Li Juan is an empathetic, interrogative, and entertaining chronicler. She offers up a fascinating portrait of life in one of the world's most remote corners." - Rachel Friedman, author of The Good Girl's Guide to Getting Lost: A Memoir of Three Continents, Two Friends, and One Unexpected Adventure and And Then We Grew Up: On Creativity, Potential, and the Imperfect Art of Adulthood

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“This…perfectly timed [book]...will be for many readers like the welcome, delicious equivalent of a large pitcher of iced water during a long, smoggy summer heat wave…[it] should not be approached as a eulogy for a fallen statesman…[but]...better read...as a blueprint for the future.” — Vital Speeches “Rich background information on policy and historical context introduces each chapter and frames each speech, which reveal Kennedy’s appeal to Democrats and Republicans, minorities and the middle class.” — Library Journal “Remarkable...a book worth getting and reading as well as passing down from one generation to another.” — Family Choice Award

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Book SynopsisThe story of Joanna princess, pioneer, captive and queen and of the wider twelfth-century world that she inhabited.

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Book SynopsisHeadline: A peak behind the Hollywood mask by one of its foremost makeup artistsIn Hollywood's heyday, almost every major studio had a Westmore heading up the makeup department. Since 1917, there has never been a time when Westmores weren't shaping the visages of stardom. For their century-long dedication to the art of makeup, the Westmores were honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2008. In this lively memoir, Michael Westmore not only regales us with tales of Hollywood's golden age, but also from his own career where he notably transformed Sylvester Stallone into Rocky Balboa and Robert DiNiro into Jake LaMotta, among many other makeup miracles. Westmore's talent as a makeup artist first became apparent when he created impenetrable disguises for Kirk Douglas, Tony Curtis, Burt Lancaster, Robert Mitchum, and Frank Sinatra for the 1963 film The List of Adrian Messenger. He later went on to become the preferred makeup man for Bobby Darin and Elizabeth Taylor, and worked oTrade Review'Readers will want to take a giant step back in time with Academy Award–winner Westmore’s amiable and intimate look at his family, a Hollywood makeup dynasty for four generations, and the stars they’ve been making look good since 1917. His own career began in 1961 with a Universal Studios apprenticeship, all the time being “watched like a hawk” by family elders. Readers of a certain age will lap up stories about Bobby Darin and Sandra Dee’s budding romance, Desi Arnaz’s (emergency) horsehair mustache, and Ernest Borgnine’s doomed marriage to Ethel Merman. As the book progresses, younger readers will recognize more names and productions, including Harrison Ford in Blade Runner and Sylvester Stallone (whose fight scene injuries Westmore created) in Rocky. Westmore dishes occasionally but usually has a nice word to say about his clients. He even shares Elizabeth Taylor’s chili recipe. Later sections concentrate on Westmore’s decades-long association with the Star Trek series. Tighter editing might have eliminated the book’s “Snippets,” a miscellaneous closing collection of reminiscences, but most of them are just as entertaining as the book proper.' * Publishers Weekly *

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