Biography: historical, political and military Books
The History Press Ltd Paddy Mayne: Lt Col Blair 'Paddy' Mayne, 1 SAS
Book Synopsis‘The best biography I’ve read recently’ – Colin Bateman, Sunday Independent An excellent examination of Mayne… Ross corrects many of the myths about him that have flourished over the years - History of War magazine ‘This welcome reassessment, officially backed and well-researched, sets the record straight’ – Soldier Magazine‘Paddy’ Mayne was one of the most outstanding special forces leaders of the Second World War. Hamish Ross’s authoritative study follows Mayne from solicitor and rugby international to troop commander in the Commandos and then the SAS, whose leader he later became and whose annals he graced, winning the DSO and three bars, the Croix de Guerre and the Légion d’Honneur.Mayne’s achievements attracted attention, and after his early death legends emerged, based largely on anecdote and assertion. Hamish Ross’s closely researched biography challenges much of the received version, using contemporary sources, the official war diaries, the chronicle of 1 SAS, Mayne’s papers and diaries, and a number of extended interviews with key contemporaries.Ross’s analysis shows Mayne to be a dynamic, yet principled and thoughtful man, committed to the unit’s original concepts. He was far from flawless, but his leadership and tactical brilliance in the field secured the reputation of the SAS, proving he was every bit a rogue hero.Trade ReviewThe best biography I’ve read recently -- Colin BatemanThis welcome reassessment, officially backed and well-researched, sets the record straightAn excellent examination of Mayne… Ross corrects many of the myths about him that have flourished over the years.” * History of War magazine *
£12.34
Simon & Schuster JFK and the Unspeakable
Book SynopsisThe acclaimed book Oliver Stone called “the best account I have read of this tragedy and its significance,” JFK and the Unspeakable details not just how the conspiracy to assassinate President John F. Kennedy was carried out, but WHY it was done…and why it still matters today.At the height of the Cold War, JFK risked committing the greatest crime in human history: starting a nuclear war. Horrified by the specter of nuclear annihilation, Kennedy gradually turned away from his long-held Cold Warrior beliefs and toward a policy of lasting peace. But to the military and intelligence agencies in the United States, who were committed to winning the Cold War at any cost, Kennedy’s change of heart was a direct threat to their power and influence. Once these dark “Unspeakable” forces recognized that Kennedy’s interests were in direct opposition to their own, they tagged him as a dangerous traitor, plotted his assassination, and orTrade Review“A remarkable story that changed the way I view the world.”—JAMES BRADLEY, author of Flags of Our Fathers“Arguably the most important book yet written about a U.S. president … Should be required reading for all high school and college students, and anyone who is a registered voter!”—JOHN PERKINS, author of Confessions of an Economic Hitman “The best account I have read of this tragedy and its significance … But don’t take my word for it. Read this extraordinary book and reach your own conclusions.” —OLIVER STONE, director"Jim Douglass has unraveled the story of President Kennedy’s astonishing and little-known turn toward peace, and the reasons why members of his own government felt he must be eliminated. This disturbing, enlightening, and ultimately inspiring book should be read by all Americans. It has the power to change our lives and to set us free."—MARTIN SHEEN“JFK and the Unspeakable is an exceptional achievement. Douglass has made the strongest case so far in the JFK assassination literature as to the Who and the Why of Dallas.”—GERALD McNIGHT, author of Beach of Trust: How the Warren Commission Failed the Nation and Why“Once in a great while a book comes along that both records history and makes it. … An exciting work with the drama of a first-rate thriller.” —MARK LANE, author of Rush to Judgment“Right now, I ask all of you—please please, read JFK and the Unspeakable! I cried all night reading it, and didn’t sleep a wink. It is a book that could make us stand up and change the world, right now. Maybe we can save the world before it blows up. Really.” -- Yoko Ono"In JFK and the Unspeakable Jim Douglass has distilled all the best available research into a very well-documented and convincing portrait of President Kennedy's transforming turn to peace, at the cost of his life. Personally, it has made a very big impact on me. After reading it in Dallas, I was moved for the first time to visit Dealey Plaza. I urge all Americans to read this book and come to their own conclusions about why he died and why -- after fifty years -- it still matters.” -- Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
£18.17
Little, Brown Book Group If This Is A ManThe Truce
Book SynopsisWith the moral stamina and intellectual pose of a twentieth-century Titan, this slightly built, duitful, unassuming chemist set out systematically to remember the German hell on earth, steadfastly to think it through, and then to render it comprehensible in lucid, unpretentious prose. He was profoundly in touch with the minutest workings of the most endearing human events and with the most contempible. What has survived in Levi''s writing isn''t just his memory of the unbearable, but also, in THE PERIODIC TABLE and THE WRENCH, his delight in what made the world exquisite to him. He was himself a magically endearing man, the most delicately forceful enchanter I''ve ever known - PHILIP ROTHTrade ReviewThe death of Primo Levi robs Italy of one of its finest writers . . . One of the few survivors of the Holocaust to speak of his experiences with a gentle voice * Guardian *Levi's voice is especially affecting, so clear, firm and gentle, yet humane and apparently untouched by anger, bitterness or self-pity. If This Is a Man is miraculous, finding the human in every individual who traverses its pages, whether a Häftling (prisoner) or Muselmann ("the weak, the inept, those doomed to selection"), a kapo or a guard. * Philippe Sands *With the moral stamina and intellectual poise of a twentieth-century Titan, this slightly built, dutiful, unassuming chemist set out systematically to remember the German hell on earth, steadfastly to think it through, and then to render it comprehensible in lucid, unpretentious prose... One of the greatest human testaments of the era * Philip Roth *There are other Holocaust testimonies, but Levi's is the first, and the most focused... Written before the genre existed, it reads more straightforwardly like a record... It is a meticulously presented diary of hell * David Baddiel *[What] gave it such power... was the sheer, unmitigated truth of it; the sense of what a book could achieve in terms of expanding one's own knowledge and understanding at a single sitting... few writers have left such a legacy... A necessary book * Independent *A life-changing book * Daily Express *Among the best literature of the twentieth century * Atlantic *A powerful reminder of what it means to be human * The Conversation *The death of Primo Levi robs Italy of one of its finest writers...One of the few survivors of the Holocaust to speak of his experiences with a gentle voice * GUARDIAN *A life-changing book. * Daily Express *THE TRUCE: * 'One of the century's truly necessary books.’ *Philip Roth * 'One of the greatest human testaments of the era.’ *
£10.39
Orion Publishing Co The Sisters of Auschwitz: The true story of two
Book SynopsisPerfect for readers of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, Cilka's Journey and The Librarian of Auschwitz - this is the international bestselling and life-affirming true story of female bravery and surviving the horrors of Auschwitz. NEW YORK TIMES Bestseller and WINNER of the Opzij Literature Prize 2019They knew their survival depended on each other. They had to live for each other. It is 1940 and the Final Solution is about to begin. The Nazis have occupied The Netherlands but resistance is growing and two Jewish sisters - Janny and Lien Brilleslijper - are risking their lives to save those being hunted, through their clandestine safehouse 'The High Nest'. It becomes one of the most important safehouses in the country but when the house and its occupants are betrayed the most terrifying time of the sisters' lives begins. This is the beginning of the end. With German defeat in sight, the Brilleslijper family are put on the last train to Auschwitz, along with Anne Frank and her family. What comes next challenges the sisters beyond human imagination as they are stripped of everything but their courage, resilience and love for each other.Trade Review...a gripping, nightmarish story * DAILY MAIL *A compelling tale * JEWISH CHRONICLE *
£8.99
Quarto Publishing PLC Charleston
Book SynopsisCharleston: A Bloomsbury House & Garden is a fascinating personal account by Quentin Bell and his daughter Virginia Nicholson of the extraordinary Bloomsbury Group country house, its history and the lives of those who lived in it.Trade ReviewA glorious reminder of Charleston's enduring influence.The TimesAngelica Garnett, daughter of Duncan Grant and Vanessa Bell, called Charleston 'an earthly paradise'. In this haunting book you can see why. World of InteriorsTable of ContentsContents Preface Dramatis Personae Ground Plans A Vanished World Clive Bell's Study The Dining Room The Kitchen The Garden Room Vanessa Bell’s Bedroom The Studios Clive Bell’s Bedroom The Green Bathroom The Library Maynard Keynes’s Bedroom Duncan Grant’s Bedroom The Spare Bedroom The Garden Suggested Further Reading Visitor Information Index Acknowledgements
£15.99
Orion Publishing Co I Am Malala
Book SynopsisIn the face of Taliban oppression, one girl''s unwavering defiance sparked a worldwide movement. Shot in the head for daring to seek an education, Malala Yousafzai defied all odds, emerging stronger than ever. From a valley in Pakistan to the global stage, she became a beacon of peaceful resistance and the youngest Nobel laureate. I Am Malala is an extraordinary story of resilience, a family shattered by terrorism and the power of one voice to inspire change in the world.''Moving and illuminating'' OBSERVER''Inspirational and powerful'' GRAZIA''Astonishing'' SPECTATOR''A tale of immense courage and conviction'' THE INDEPENDENT''One finishes the book full of admiration'' SUNDAY TIMES''Malala is a true inspiration'' THE SUN''Piercingly wise'' INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAYTrade ReviewMoving and illuminating -- Catherine Bennett * OBSERVER *For sheer inspiration read I Am Malala -- Kirsty Brimelow * THE TIMES *Not only powerful, but also very instructive about the recent history of Pakistan and the pressures of everyday life there. One finishes the book full of admiration both for Malala, and for her father, who has clearly inspired her * THE SUNDAY TIMES *Malala Yousafzai's story begins with her parents being commiserated with after producing a baby girl. In their part of northern Pakistan, she says, rifle shots ring out in celebration of a baby boy's arrival. But there is no such fanfare for females: their destiny is to cook and clean, to be neither seen nor heard... So how did Malala, who barely warranted a mention in her family's genealogy, become destined for the history books as a powerful symbol for girls' universal right to an education? Her memoir I Am Malala tells us how -- Baroness Warsi * DAILY TELEGRAPH *One of the more moving details in I Am Malala is that her mother was due to start learning to read and write on the day Malala was shot - 9 October 2012 -- Kamila Shamsie * The GUARDIAN *Her story is astonishing -- Owen Bennett-Jones * SPECTATOR *This memoir brings out her best qualities. You can only admire her courage and determination. Her thirst for education and reform appear genuine. She also has an air of innocence, and there is an indestructible confidence. She speaks with such poise that you forget Malala is 16 -- Ziauddin Sardar * THE TIMES *Inspirational and powerful * GRAZIA *The medical team that saved Malala; her own stoicism and resilience; the support of her family, now, again in exile, this time in Birmingham; Malala's level-headed resolve to continue to champion education and children's rights - these are all powerful reminders of the best in human nature. Much of the money Malala has been awarded has gone to the Malala fund (www.malalafund.org). "Please join my mission," she asks. It's vital that those of us who can, do -- Yvonne Roberts * OBSERVER *A tale of immense courage and conviction which begins as [Malala] is shot for campaigning for the rights of girls to an education * THE INDEPENDENT *Malala's voice has the purity, but also has the rigidity, of the principled. Whether she is being a competitive teenager and keeping track of who she bet in exams (and by how much) or writing a blog for the BBC that catapulted her on to the international stage - "We were learning how to struggle. And we were learning how powerful we are when we speak" - or talking about Pakistan's politicians ("useless"), Malala is passionate and intense. Her faith and her duty to the cause of girls' education is unquestionable, her adoration for her father - her role model and comrade in arms - is moving and her pain at the violence carried out in the name of Islam is palpable -- Fatima Bhutto * GUARDIAN *The story of the girl shot by the Taliban for speaking up for women's education is one of idealism and stubborn courage, and a reminder that women's rights and many children's rights to education are continually threatened * METRO *She has the heart and courage of a lioness and is a true inspiration -- Lorraine Kelly * THE SUN *One finishes the book full of admiration both for Malala, and for her father, who has clearly inspired her -- Andrew Holgate * THE SUNDAY TIMES *Part memoir, part mission statement. I Am Malala recounts the early life of the Pakistani schoolgirl who spoke out against the Taliban and was shot for her defiance. Her recovery, bravery and stoicism - and her father, Ziauddin - make for shocking and moving reading * EMERALD STREET *Malala's story is gripping, tragic and yet ultimately full of hope. Faced with religious fundamentalism, suicide bombers and death threats her courage, stoicism and wisdom shine through at every turn. The bond she shares with her father - an equally courageous man whose views on equality are at odds with many of his countrymen - is also very movingly described * WOMAN'S WAY *This remarkable book is part memoir, part manifesto. I feel enriched from having read it. I also feel humbled. Our obsession with school performance is suddenly marginalised by a story in which education, quite literally, proves a matter of life and death -- Geoff Barton * THE EDUCATIONAL SUPPLEMENT *It's hard to believe that this intelligent, charismatic and very poised young women is still just 16 years old. There is so much hope and expectation resting on those inspirational small shoulders -- Lorraine Kelly * GLASGOW HERALD *The Pakistani schoolgirl shot by the Taliban has astonished the world with her courage and determination to fight for education and equal rights for women * FINANCIAL TIMES *Honest, insightful and piercingly wise, this is the celebrity memoir to give your teenaged daughter this Christmas -- Katy Guest * INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY *Read the story of the remarkable young woman who refused to be silenced after she was shot in the head by the Taliban on a school bus in 2012. At 16, she has become a global symbol of peaceful protest and the youngest ever nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize * BABY & ME *The media didn't really take on board the fact, which emerges from her book I Am Malala, that every single day for her was a protest. She would hide her pens and books under her clothes on the way to school and ignore the Taliban's threats. She is a role model, not just a victim -- Agatha Johnson * STANDPOINT *It's hard to find the words to describe what this girl has done, not only for young women everywhere, but also for the world in which it feels like the bad guys always win. I'm choked up just writing this * GLASGOW HERALD *I felt both humbled and inspired by I am Malala, the remarkable story of the young educational campaigner from Pakistan's Swat valley, who miraculously survived after bring shot by the dark forces of fundamentalism. Deftly written with the help of an award-winning foreign correspondent, this is a must-read for anyone seeking to understand the tortured politics of the Taliban in the North-West Frontier -- Jimmy Burns * THE TABLET *Malala has shown extraordinary courage in campaigning for the millions of girls who are still denied an education. Uplifting and inspirational -- June Purvis * TIMES HIGHER EDUCATION SUPPLEMENT *The inspirational story of the girl who singlehandedly showed that the pen is mightier that the sword should be required reading for people of all ages * ARMY & YOU *A rich and riveting account of a short, brave and admirable life -- Kevin Power * SUNDAY BUSINESS POST (Ireland) *The book is equally Malala's story of love for her family and respect for her father who comes across as an inspirational figure. It is a book of courage and endurance in the face of tremendous odds. I Am Malala should be read by everyone who sees education as an agency of liberation for both boys and girls and an indispensable weapon in the struggle against ignorance and oppression -- Alan Gibbons * ARMADILLO *This courageous and extraordinary young woman has become something of a world symbol. Her stand for education of women in her own native Pakistan was a courageous one, but it should not lead Western readers to think that such things only happened over there. She and her family now live abroad, but as her speeches and appearances show, she continues her campaign for the right of young people everywhere to fully realise their potential * IRISH CATHOLIC *The world is entranced by the story of the 15-year-old girl who was shot in the head by the Taliban because she wished to go to school. Flown over to Birmingham for emergency surgery, she has emerged as an elegant and brave spokesgirl for a better future. This book should inspire girls the world over * CATHOLIC HERALD *Malala is an inspiration to girls and women all over the world -- J.K. RowlingMalala's evocation of place, beautifully and lovingly described, and her paean to her father with his own passion for education, are fascinating. But so is her toughness. She describes seeing a young girl selling oranges, clearly unable to read or write: "I took a photo of her and vowed I would do everything in my power to help educate girls just like her. This was the war I was going to fight." This remarkable book is part memoir, part manifesto. I feel enriched from having read it. I also feel humbled. Our obsession with school performance is suddenly marginalised by a story in which education, quite literally, proves a matter of life and death. * TES *Malala's voice has the purity, but also the rigidity, of the principled. Whether she is being a competitive teenager and keeping track of who she beat in exams (and by how much) or writing about the blog for the BBC that catapulted her on to the international stage ... or talking about Pakistan's politicians ("useless"), Malala is passionate and intense. Her faith and her duty to the cause of girls' education is unquestionable, her adoration for her father - her role model and comrade in arms - is moving and her pain at the violence carried out in the name of Islam is palpable. -- Fatima Bhutto * Guardian *
£9.49
Hodder & Stoughton Thomas Cromwell
Book Synopsis THE CAPTIVATING TRUE STORY OF THE MAN WHO INSPIRED WOLF HALL, MASTERFULLY TOLD: NOW REVISED WITH A NEW CHAPTER Readers LOVE Thomas Cromwell:''Very well written and engaging; I found it hard to put it down . . . Great book and one I will read again.'' ????? ''This is one of the most fascinating biographies I''ve read.'' ????? ''There have been many biographies of Cromwell, but Tracy Borman''s book must rank among the very best.'' ????? ------------Known widely as Henry VIII''s ''right-hand man'', Cromwell has captured imaginations throughout the centuries: but who was he really? In this major new biography, leading historian Tracy Borman examines the life, loves and legacy of the man who changed the shape of England forever.Born a lowly tavern keeper''s son, Cromwell rose swiftly through the ranks to become Henry VIII''s right hand man, and one of the most powerful figures in Tudor history. The architect of England''s break with the Roman Catholic Church and the dissolution of the monasteries, he oversaw seismic changes in England''s history. Influential in securing Henry''s controversial divorce from Catherine of Aragon, many believe he was also the ruthless force behind Anne Boleyn''s downfall and subsequent execution.Although for years he has been reviled as a Machiavellian schemer who stopped at nothing in his quest for power, Thomas Cromwell was also a loving husband, father and guardian, a witty and generous host, and a loyal and devoted servant. With fresh research and new insights into Cromwell''s family life, his household and his close relationships, Tracy Borman tells the true story of Henry VIII''s most faithful servant. -----------Critical acclaim for Thomas Cromwell:''Dr Tracy Borman has crafted an exceptional and compelling biography about one of the Tudor age''s most complex and controversial figures. With expert insights based on a wealth of research, and riveting detail, she has brought Thomas Cromwell to life as never before.'' ? Alison Weir''This deeply researched and grippingly written biography brings Cromwell to life and exposes the Henrician court in all its brutal, glittering splendour.'' -- Kate Williams ? Independent''Tracy Borman tells us succinctly in 400 pages what we need to know about the man who rose to be the king''s highest adviser ... a very good book.'' ? The Times''Tracy Borman''s study makes clear his achievements, both admirable and despicable ... Borman has read an impressively wide range of modern historical literature on Cromwell.'' ? Guardian''Borman''s is a highly readable account, and will add to the debate surrounding this ultimately elusive character.'' ? Financial Times''Elegant ... her prose, as ever, glides beautifully along.'' ? Sunday Times''An engaging biography.'' ? Evening StandardTrade ReviewDr Tracy Borman has crafted an exceptional and compelling biography about one of the Tudor age's most complex and controversial figures. With expert insights based on a wealth of research, and riveting detail, she has brought Thomas Cromwell to life as never before. * Alison Weir *This deeply researched and grippingly written biography brings Cromwell to life and exposes the Henrician court in all its brutal, glittering splendour. -- Kate Williams * Independent *Tracy Borman tells us succinctly in 400 pages what we need to know about the man who rose to be the king's highest adviser ... a very good book. * The Times *Tracy Borman's study makes clear his achievements, both admirable and despicable ... Borman has read an impressively wide range of modern historical literature on Cromwell. * Guardian *Borman's is a highly readable account, and will add to the debate surrounding this ultimately elusive character. * Financial Times *Elegant...her prose, as ever, glides beautifully along. * Sunday Times *An engaging biography. * Evening Standard *Borman writes admirably; her prose trips along merrily and is full of intriguing titbits. * New Statesman *An excellent and readable biography. * The Tribune *A real and vital portrait, deftly drawn. * Mail on Sunday *Borman combines a mastery of historical detail with past-pace and an accessible style. She doesn't forget that she is dealing with human beings, with their fallibilities and petty motivations, and rather than see him as a man for whom things got out of control, as Mantel does, views him instead as a master of control. * Independent on Sunday *An intelligent, sympathetic and well-researched biography. * Wall Street Journal *
£11.69
Simon & Schuster Giuliani: The Rise and Tragic Fall of America's
Book SynopsisA New Yorker Best Book of the Year What happened to Rudy Giuliani? Andrew Kirtzman, who has been following Giuliani since the 1990s, answers that question in this “masterful and engrossing” (The Guardian) biography that “cuts through the myth and caricature that has too often defined Giuliani” (Los Angeles Times).Rudy Giuliani was hailed after 9/11 as “America’s Mayor,” a national hero who, at the time, was more widely admired than the pope. He was brilliant, accomplished—and complicated. He conflated politics with morality, made reckless personal choices, and engaged in self-destructive behavior. A series of disastrous decisions and cynical compromises, coupled with his need for power, money, and attention gradually ruined his reputation, cost him political support, and ultimately damaged the country. Kirtzman, who was with Giuliani at the World Trade Center on 9/11, conducted hundreds of interviews to give us an insightful portrait of this polarizing figure from the beginning of his rise to his high-profile role as Donald Trump’s personal lawyer. Giuliani was a celebrated prosecutor, a transformative New York City mayor, and a contender for the presidency. But by the end of the Trump presidency, he was reviled and ridiculed after a series of embarrassing errors and misjudgments. He was a significant figure in both of Trump’s impeachments and ended up widely ostracized, facing both legal jeopardy and financial ruin. This is the “lively new biography” (The New Yorker) of how it all began and how it came crashing down.Trade Review“Cuts through the myth and caricature that has too often defined Giuliani. . . . As a former television reporter for NY1, Kirtzman knows the man better than the pundits who have often scratched their heads about the Giuliani they thought they knew. . . . If Giuliani’s story is a tragedy, Kirtzman argues that it’s self-inflicted through a combination of alcohol, sanctimony and a bottomless need for attention.” -- Chris Megerian * Los Angeles Times *“Masterful and engrossing. . . . Capture[s] what made the man tick and what led to his fall from grace. Kirtzman’s critique is leavened with bittersweet impressions and references to Giuliani’s accomplishments.” -- Lloyd Green * The Guardian *"A lively new biography explores how the man once celebrated as 'America’s mayor' fell into disgrace." -- Louis Menand * The New Yorker (a New Yorker "Best Books of the Year") *"With a cinematic made-for-TV sense of scene and pacing, gossipy insider revelations, and sharp analysis, Kirtzman vibrantly depicts the sad and tawdry unraveling of Giuliani’s reputation." * Booklist (starred review) *"A veteran political reporter ventures an answer to the question so many have asked in recent years about Rudy Giuliani: 'What happened?'. . . . A sad tale, expertly told, of corruption, bad judgment, avarice, and treason." * Kirkus Reviews (starred review) *"A diagnostic study of Giuliani’s auto-destruct apparatus is probably beyond the capabilities of psychiatric case study. . . . [Kirtzman] possesses the salient advantage of having covered Giuliani close up for decades, witnessing his evolution from an Eliot Ness crimebuster to the Sheriff of Rottingham. . . . . . . . .What this biography conveys is that Rudy’s breaking bad wasn’t a sudden turn to the dark side. The hairline cracks in his moral and behavioural make-up were there from the outset." -- James Wolcott * The London Review of Books *
£11.69
Simon & Schuster The War That Made the Roman Empire: Antony,
Book SynopsisA “splendid” (The Wall Street Journal) account of one of history’s most important and yet little-known wars, the campaign culminating in the Battle of Actium in 31 BC, whose outcome determined the future of the Roman Empire.Following Caesar’s assassination and Mark Antony’s defeat of the conspirators who killed Caesar, two powerful men remained in Rome—Antony and Caesar’s chosen heir, young Octavian, the future Augustus. When Antony fell in love with the most powerful woman in the world, Egypt’s ruler Cleopatra, and thwarted Octavian’s ambition to rule the empire, another civil war broke out. In 31 BC one of the largest naval battles in the ancient world took place—more than 600 ships, almost 200,000 men, and one woman—the Battle of Actium. Octavian prevailed over Antony and Cleopatra, who subsequently killed themselves. The Battle of Actium had great consequences for the empire. Had Antony and Cleopatra won, the empire’s capital might have moved from Rome to Alexandria, Cleopatra’s capital, and Latin might have become the empire’s second language after Greek, which was spoken throughout the eastern Mediterranean, including Egypt. In this “superbly recounted” (The National Review) history, Barry Strauss, ancient history authority, describes this consequential battle with the drama and expertise that it deserves. The War That Made the Roman Empire is essential history that features three of the greatest figures of the ancient world.Trade Review“Actium was one of the most important battles in history, and Barry Strauss brings this stunning maritime collision vividly to life.” -- Admiral James Stavridis, USN (Ret) 16th Supreme Allied Commander at NATO and author of Sea Power: The History and Geopolitics of the World's Oceans"The victory at Actium, Mr. Strauss argues in this splendid book, allowed Augustus to build an empire that lasted for nearly 500 years. The price was the destruction of the man who dared to oppose him, along with the woman for whom he had risked everything." -- Arthur Herman * The Wall Street Journal *"Barry Strauss has the rare ability of being able to bring ancient history to life in a way that is both profoundly learned and highly readable. . . . [Although ] most readers will know the outcome of one of history’s most famous battles, Strauss somehow manages to maintain the suspense and tension until its end. . . . Superbly recounted." -- Andrew Roberts * The National Review *“[Strauss] is both a first-rate scholar who knows and understands his subject thoroughly and a fluent communicator. . . . A splendid account of those dramatic events and people who may not have been all that nice but were certainly never dull.” -- Adrian Goldsworthy * The New Criterion *"A master historian of the ancient world’s wars turns his attention to the battle that laid the foundations for the Roman Empire. . . . Few historians can bring such a battle alive better than Strauss. . . . It must now be considered the most up-to-date history of its subject." * Kirkus Reviews *"A grandiose love affair, doomed lovers, a trio of titanic rivals, deadly political intrigue, culminating in a seismic battle at sea—historian Barry Strauss is the perfect narrator for this epic episode in ancient empire-building." -- Adrienne Mayor, author of Gods and Robots: Myths, Machines, and Ancient Dreams of Technology"Barry Strauss pulls off the historian’s hat trick with his new book, The War That Made the Roman Empire. One, he tells the amazing true story as it truly happened; two, he brings the true historical characters vividly to life; and three, he puts it all within the Big Picture and tells us what it means. You feel as if you’re present at the events as they unfold, yet at the same time you’re getting the global contour and context of this drama as it affects, and has affected, our own time. The War That Made the Roman Empire is Strauss at the top of his game." -- Steven Pressfield, bestselling author of Gates of Fire and A Man at Arms
£12.99
Scribe Publications Madame Fourcade’s Secret War: the daring young
Book SynopsisA MAIL ON SUNDAY AND WASHINGTON POST BOOK OF THE YEAR. The little-known true story of the woman who headed the largest spy network in Vichy France during World War II. In 1941, a thirty-one-year-old Frenchwoman, a young mother born to privilege and known for her beauty and glamour, became the leader of Alliance, a vast Resistance organisation — the only woman to hold such a role. Brave, independent, and a lifelong rebel against her country’s conservative, patriarchal society, Marie-Madeleine Fourcade was temperamentally made for the job. No other French spy network lasted as long or supplied as much crucial intelligence as Alliance — and as a result, the Gestapo pursued its members relentlessly, capturing, torturing, and executing hundreds of its three thousand agents, including Fourcade’s own lover and many of her key spies. Fourcade herself lived on the run and was captured twice by the Nazis. Both times she managed to escape. Though so many of her agents died defending their country, Fourcade survived the occupation to become active in post-war French politics. Now, in a dramatic account of the war that split France in two and forced its people to live side by side with their hated German occupiers, Lynne Olson tells the fascinating story of a woman who stood up for her nation, her fellow citizens, and herself.Trade Review‘In this deeply researched book, American journalist Lynne Olson tells the story of this extraordinary and overlooked heroine … a splendid biography.’ -- Kathryn Hughes * The Mail on Sunday *‘Fast-paced and impressively researched … Olson writes with verve and a historian’s authority … With this gripping tale, Lynne Olson pays [Marie-Madeleine Fourcade] what history has so far denied her. France, slow to confront the stain of Vichy, would do well to finally honor a fighter most of us want in our foxhole.’ * The New York Times Book Review *‘If Lynne Olson had set out to write a novel, she could not have come up with a more fascinating character than Marie-Madeleine Fourcade, the glamorous young woman who led the largest French spy network in World War II. This is a case where fact is far more riveting than fiction. Olson chronicles Fourcade’s extraordinary story with her customary eye for every revealing detail and every breathtakingly dangerous twist.’ -- Andrew Nagorski, author of Hitlerland, The Nazi Hunters, and The Year Germany Lost the War‘Within the pages of this thrilling narrative, Fourcade’s spirit shines through … Madame Fourcade’s Secret War stands out from a crowded field.’ * All About History *‘Brilliantly researched and stylishly written.’ * Military History Monthly *‘This is a stirring story of heroism, charisma, and determination.’ * History Revealed *‘A brilliant, cinematic biography of resistance leader Marie-Madeleine Fourcade ... Olson’s weaving of Fourcade’s diary artfully and liberally into her own writing and her heart-stopping descriptions of Paris, escapes, and internecine warring create a narrative that’s as dramatic as a novel or a film. Olson honours Fourcade’s fight for freedom and her ‘refusal to be silenced’ with a gripping narrative that will thrill WWII history buffs.’ STARRED REVIEW * Publishers Weekly *‘A hell of a yarn … Why the heck have we never heard of [Marie-Madeleine] Fourcade? The only woman to lead a major French resistance network. A woman who in later life was elected to the European Parliament. And who, upon her death in 1989 at the age of seventy-nine, became the first woman to be granted a funeral at Les Invalides, the complex in central Paris where Napoleon Bonaparte and other French military heroes are buried. Olson posits a few possible reasons for Fourcade’s relegation to the footnotes of history. The inescapable one, though, circles back to where we began: her gender.’ * The Washington Post *‘In Madame Fourcade’s Secret War, Lynne Olson tells one of the great stories of the French Resistance, a story of one woman’s courage amid great danger, a story of heroism, defiance, and, ultimately, victory.’ -- Alan Furst, author of A Hero in France‘In Madame Fourcade’s Secret War, Lynne Olson is at the top of her game, giving us the renowned beauty and elite French socialite, Marie-Madeleine Fourcade, who surprised everyone — including herself, perhaps — by becoming one of the most consequential players in the high-stakes spy game in Nazi-occupied France. Fourcade’s nerve, resolve, and extraordinary inner resources shine and inspire here. A fascinating portrait of uncommon audacity.’ -- Paula McLain, author of Love and Ruin and The Paris Wife‘In the real-life character of Madame Fourcade, Lynne Olson has found a heroine who seems to come tailor-made for the movie screen — she is beautiful, rich, effortlessly elegant, and an absolutely indomitable spy for the ages. Olson’s clear, unadorned writing style and her meticulous marshaling of facts will keep you on the edge of your seat as Fourcade endures psychological and physical hardship in service of her singular goal — to keep France free of fascism. For all of us who have wondered what we would do in a time of crisis, Olson holds up Madame Fourcade and her relentless fight for the French Resistance as a model of how to fight back when faced with unthinkable evil. Fascinating and timely.’ -- Elizabeth Letts, author of The Perfect Horse‘Incredibly absorbing and long-overdue ... This masterfully told true story reads like fiction and will appeal to readers who devour WWII thrillers à la Kristen Hannah’s The Nightingale (2015).’ -- Margaret Flanagan * Booklist *‘Lynne Olson has added yet another brilliant chapter to her vital historical project: documenting the extraordinary efforts of individuals, such as spymaster Marie-Madeleine Fourcade, who helped liberate 20th-century Europe from Nazi occupation. Much like Madame Fourcade herself, Olson goes to great lengths to unearth truth and preserve dignity for those who lived and died during Hitler’s reign of terror — and for that, both the author and her daring subject deserve high praise.’ * Former Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright *‘Madame Fourcade’s war should never have been a secret, and it takes a historical sleuth like Lynne Olson to bring it, at last, into glorious light. I read this extraordinary book with wonder and admiration, seeing a movie on every page that was both true to life and somehow bigger than life. The canvas is vast, the characters vibrant, the history we thought we knew suddenly as fresh as tomorrow.’ -- Jay Cocks, screenwriter of The Age of Innocence, Gangs of New York, and Silence‘As well researched and engrossing as her previous books, showcasing her adroit ability to weave personal narratives, political intrigue, and wartime developments to tell a riveting story, Olson’s latest is highly recommended to readers interested in World War II, the history of espionage, women’s history, and European history.’ STARRED REVIEW * Library Journal *‘Lynne Olson is a gifted author and her books about the Allies in World War II are carefully researched and compulsively readable … Thankfully, a new generation of writers is expanding our knowledge of individuals whose roles in World War II deserve more attention.’ * The Christian Science Monitor *‘A comprehensive, often exciting narrative ... [Olson’s] solid descriptive passages help re-create the tension and anxiety Fourcade and her friends felt as they risked everything to save France ... The author brings into the spotlight a woman whose courage and endurance helped shape history yet whose full story had not yet been told. “For several decades following the war,” writes the author, “histories of the French resistance, which were written almost exclusively by men, largely ignored the contributions of women.” Olson rectifies that omission. An engaging, informative addition to World War II history.’ * Kirkus Reviews *‘Marie-Madeleine Fourcade has largely slipped from popular memory, but during World War II she led the largest spy network in Vichy France ... Olson’s very readable account charts Fourcade’s progress from socialite to leader of a vast resistance movement, and reflects on the irreparable divisions caused by the war.’ -- Jeff Popple * Canberra Weekly *‘This is very well written, it creates almost a fast-paced novel as her exploits get more and more strained … A splendid book indeed, which heartily proves that women are more than capable of maintaining a strong position in a male-dominated world and making it work extremely well at the same time.’ -- Reg Seward * NB Magazine *‘Olson has written a lively and compelling account of a woman who deserves to be remembered and honoured.’ * Military Book History *Praise for Citizens of London: ‘An excellent and revealing chronicle.’ * Booklist *Praise for Last Hope Island: ‘[A] pointed volume … [Olson] tells a great story and has a fine eye for character.’ * The Boston Globe *Praise for Last Hope Island: ‘Exhilarating and epic.’ * The Mail on Sunday *
£10.44
Wordsworth Editions Ltd Seven Pillars of Wisdom
Book SynopsisWith an Introduction by Angus Calder. As Angus Calder states in his introduction to this edition, 'Seven Pillars of Wisdom is one of the major statements about the fighting experience of the First World War'. Lawrence's younger brothers, Frank and Will, had been killed on the Western Front in 1915. Seven Pillars of Wisdom, written between 1919 and 1926, tells of the vastly different campaign against the Turks in the Middle East - one which encompasses gross acts of cruelty and revenge and ends in a welter of stink and corpses in the disgusting 'hospital' in Damascus. Seven Pillars of Wisdom is no Boys Own Paper tale of Imperial triumph, but a complex work of high literary aspiration which stands in the tradition of Melville and Dostoevsky, and alongside the writings of Yeats, Eliot and Joyce.
£5.90
Atlantic Books A Brutal Reckoning: The Creek Indians and the
Book Synopsis'Cozzens is a master storyteller' The Times'Extremely well researched' Times Literary SupplementFrom the devastating invasion by Spanish conquistadors in the sixteenth century to the relentless pressure from white settlers 150 years later, A Brutal Reckoning tells the story of encroachment on the vast Native American territory in the Deep South, which gave rise to the Creek War, the bloodiest in American Indian history, and propelled Andrew Jackson into national prominence, as he led the US Army in a ruthless campaign.It was a war that involved not only white Americans and Native Americans but also the British and the Spanish, and ultimately led to the Trail of Tears, in which the government forcibly removed the entire Creek people, as well as the neighbouring Chickasaw, Choctaw and Cherokee nations, from their homelands, leaving the way open for the conquest of the West. No other single Indian conflict had such a significant impact on the fate of the country.Wonderfully told and brilliantly detailed, A Brutal Reckoning is a sweeping history of a crucial period in the destruction of America's native tribes.Trade ReviewCozzens recounts this tale with his customary equanimity, never attempting to embroider that which is already horrifying... Sadly, this is a book that many Americans won't want to read. It will probably be banned from some schools. Cozzens nevertheless deserves praise for having the courage, in today's climate, to write it. * The Times *A penetrating and fast-paced account...The story of the Creek War is a sorry one, but Cozzens recounts it both with fairness and with a richness of color and detail... Cozzens writes with sensitivity about the political and cultural vise in which the Creeks were crushed. * Wall Street Journal *As has come to be expected from Cozzens's work, A Brutal Reckoning masterfully blends important cultural and biographical details with expressive and engaging military history. * Washington Post *Cozzens' storytelling works well... An engaging, highly readable narrative. * New York Journal of Books *Cozzens vividly describes the Creek Indians' advanced society and clashes with other tribes, giving a grand sense of their civilization... Equally well brought to life, Cozzens' dramatic, often gory descriptions of armed conflicts among the Creeks and white settlers put flesh to myth-encased events. * Booklist (starred review) *A seasoned historical storyteller, Cozzens portrays both Jackson and his Creek adversaries without minimizing their flaws, though he is clearly appalled by Jackson's later treatment of the Indians during the Trail of Tears... An authoritative account of a disturbing chapter in the relations between the U.S. military and Indigenous peoples. * Kirkus Reviews (starred review) *An engrossing and important book that pays homage to the complex history and heritage of the Muscogee people. Highly recommended. * Library Journal (starred review) *A gut-wrenching account of a tragic chapter in American history. * Publishers Weekly *Extremely well researched... taking from an array of secondary material... and quoting extensively from contemporary letters, war reports, treaty negotiations, trading statistics and the like. * TLS *Table of Contents1: From the Ashes of the Entrada 2: A Rope of Sand 3: Between Three Fires 4: The Sweets of Civilization 5: The Hungry Years 6: Rise of the Red Sticks 7: Civil War 8: Stark Mad 9: Terror in the Tensaw 10: The Emergence of Old Hickory 11: Invasion of the Tennesseans 12: The Red Sticks Resilient 13: All We Lack Is Powder and Lead 14: Tennesseans to the Rear 15: Jackson Courts Disaster 16: A Slow, Laborious Slaughter 17: An Elusive Peace 18: Betrayal at Fort Jackson 19: A Scalp for a Scalp 20: Shades of Genocide
£21.25
Simon & Schuster Ltd Icebound
Book Synopsis'An epic tale of exploration, daring and tragedy told by a fine historian - and a wonderful writer' – Peter Frankopan, author of the bestselling The Silk Roads. 'The name of William Barents isn’t that familiar to us these days…but this enthralling, elemental and literally spine-chilling epic of courage and endurance should change all that’ – Roger Alton, Daily Mail‘Gripping … One of the great epics of human endurance’ – Mail on SundayA riveting tale of Dutch polar explorer William Barents and his three harrowing Arctic expeditions – the last of which resulted in a relentlessly challenging year-long fight for survival. The human story has always been one of perseverance – often against remarkable odds. The most astonishing survival tale of all might be Trade Review'Narratives of frozen beards in polar hinterlands never lose their appeal. Most of the good stories have been told, but in Icebound Andrea Pitzer fills a gap, at least for the popular reader in English, with the story of the 16th-century Dutch mariner William Barents... Pitzer’s prose is robust, clear and sometimes elegant.' -- Sara Wheeler * Spectator *'For the 21st-century reader who’s seen one too many photos of emaciated polar bears loping across melting permafrost, Icebound can read a little like paradise really, really lost... Pitzer writes with care about the Arctic landscape Barents encountered... Icebound is a reminder that there was once a time when things were unknown.' * New York Times *'A fascinating modern telling of Barents’s expeditions...Pitzer presents a compelling narrative situated in the context of Dutch imperial ambition' -- Michael O'Donnell * Wall Street Journal *'Once Barents heads for the northern tip of Nova Zembla for the third time in May 1596, the story becomes dramatic, and dire... Still, the journey is filled with wonders: optical phenomena and mysteries unravelled, such as where European songbirds go each summer. Ms Pitzer’s descriptions of the region sing.' * Economist *'A gripping adventure tale that deserves an honoured place in the long bookshelf of volumes dealing with Arctic shipwrecks, winter ordeals, and survival struggles.' -- David M.Shribman * Boston Globe *'Gripping...One of the great epics of human endurance' -- Simon Griffith * Mail on Sunday *'Andrea Pitzer's worthy and superb account keeps us enthralled to the last chilling word' -- Dean King * Author of Skeletons of the Zahara *'Engrossing...Andrea Pitzer brigns Barents' three harrowing expeditions to vivid life' -- Hampton Sides * Author of In the Kingdom of Ice *'A masterwork of narrative non-fiction' -- Mitchell Zuckoff * Author of Frozen in Time *'Icebound deserves a place beside such classics as Alfred Lansing's Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage and Roland Huntford's The Last Place on Earth: Scott and Amundsen - Their Race to the South Pole' * Booklist *
£9.49
The History Press Ltd The Princes in the Tower: Solving History's
Book Synopsis'Philippa Langley has done it again.' – THE TIMESA HISTORY HIT BOOK OF THE MONTHHistory re-written: has the 540-year-old mystery been solved?‘The totality of evidence revealed is astonishing. Following the discovery of King Richard III’s grave in a car park in Leicester in 2012, The Missing Princes Project will again rewrite the history books, redrawing what we know about Richard III and Henry VII and pressing the reset button of history.’ - Philippa LangleyIn the summer of 1483, two brothers were seen playing in the grounds of the Tower of London, where they’d been lodged by the King’s Council – their uncle, the future Richard III, its chief member. From there the boys seem to vanish from the historical record, and so one of the greatest and most intriguing mysteries of British history was born. Over the centuries, historians have debated tirelessly about the fate of Edward V and Richard, Duke of York: did they die in the Tower? Did they escape? Were they murdered?After astonishing success in locating and laying to rest Richard III, Philippa Langley turns her forensic focus onto this enduring case, teaming up with criminal investigative experts, historians, archivists and researchers from around the world in her groundbreaking The Missing Princes Project. Following years of extensive research, investigation and formidable dedication, this landmark study has finally reached completion, with stunning conclusions.In The Princes in the Tower: Solving History’s Greatest Cold Case, join Langley as she records the painstaking investigative work undertaken and lays out the evidence to reveal the remarkable untold story. Here she is able, finally, to address any injustice and solve the mystery surrounding the Princes in the Tower once and for all.Compelling in breadth and detail, this book asks its readers to re-examine what they thought they knew about one of our greatest historical mysteries. Perfect for fans of the period and the likes of Dan Jones, Philippa Gregory and Janina Ramirez.Trade Review‘The discoveries in this book shed new light on events surrounding the Princes in the Tower. Rather than favour Tudor propaganda or Victorian revisionism, this asks us to go back to the time and scrutinise evidence with fresh eyes.’ – Dr Janina Ramirez, University of Oxford and No. 1 bestselling author of Femina‘Philippa Langley has earned a reputation for tenacious and meticulous research based on sound principles of piecing together centuries-old records … The remarkable discoveries documented here are only the beginning.’ – Annette Carson, acclaimed historical writer and biographer‘The Princes in the Tower is a gripping and ingenious work of historical detection. Ms. Langley and her team have cast new light into a murky period, and with a methodological brilliance that eludes most academic historians.’ -- WALL STREET JOURNAL'Philippa Langley has done it again.' -- Julia Llewellyn Smith, THE TIMES‘… a phenomenal, untold story.’ -- Amy Irvine, HISTORY HIT‘(The) story is fascinating, and researcher Philippa Langley deserves huge credit for her discoveries.’ --THE SPECTATOR
£21.25
Vintage Publishing The Tyrannicide Brief
Book SynopsisCharles I waged civil wars that cost one in ten Englishmen their lives. But in 1649 parliament was hard put to find a lawyer with the skill and daring to prosecute a King who was above the law: in the end the man they briefed was the radical barrister, John Cooke.Cooke was a plebeian, son of a poor farmer, but he had the courage to bring the King''s trial to its dramatic conclusion: the English republic. Cromwell appointed him as a reforming Chief Justice in Ireland, but in 1660 he was dragged back to the Old Bailey, tried and brutally executed.John Cooke was the bravest of barristers, who risked his own life to make tyranny a crime. He originated the right to silence, the ''cab rank'' rule of advocacy and the duty to act free-of-charge for the poor. He conducted the first trial of a Head of State for waging war on his own people - a forerunner of the prosecutions of Pinochet, Miloševic and Saddam Hussein, and a lasting inspiration to the modern world.Trade ReviewRedeems from obscurity an unsung hero of true greatness... Sheds invigorating light on the course of the English civil war * Spectator *Robertson has come up with that desperately rare thing: a subject worthy of biography who has never before been addressed and, to his huge advantage, in his field. The result is a work of literary advocacy as elegant, impassioned and original as any the author can ever have laid before a court -- Anthony Holden * Observer *Robertson tells a spellbinding story. He combines lucid analysis of the legal issues with acute understanding of the various factions. His prose is crisp and he inserts some comments that only a professional advocate, as opposed to an academic historian, would make -- Christopher Silvester * Daily Telegraph *Fascinating... Illuminating... This is a work of great compassion and, at a time when it seems to be fashionable for politicians to denigrate lawyers, it is an essential read for anyone who believes in the fearless independence of the law -- John Cooper * The Times *[Robertson's] forensic intelligence can penetrate where professional historians have not reached -- Blair Worden * Literary Review *
£13.49
Vintage Publishing White King
Book SynopsisThe subject of a BBC TV series on Charles I The prize-winning biography of Charles I * Winner of the HWA Crown for Best Work of Historical Non-Fiction 2018 ** Times Book of the Year ** Shortlisted for the Catholic Herald Biography Award 2019 *Less than forty years after the golden age of Elizabeth I, England was at war with itself. At the head of this disintegrating kingdom was Charles I, who would change the face of the monarchy for ever. His reign is one of the most dramatic in history, yet Charles the man remains elusive. To his enemies he was the ''white tyrant of prophecy: to his supporters a murdered innocent. Today many myths still remain.It is an epic story of glamour and strong women, of populist politicians and religious terror, of mass movements and a revolutionary new media: one that speaks to our own divided and dangerous times.''This is the most gripping piece of revisionisTrade ReviewA revelation... White King is that rare thing, a page-turning history that gently but insistently also asks provocative questions about a period on which our opinions have been all too fixed. Charles does not emerge with his reputation restored, but he emerges whole -- Mathew Lyons * Financial Times *Fascinating -- Andrew Marr * Evening Standard *Humane and scholarly... De Lisle's deeply and originally researched book brings Charles alive not in kingly isolation but as a father and a husband. Both biography and subject deserve our fullest attention -- Dan Jones * Mail on Sunday *Engaging, well-researched and beautifully written... Emphatically not another book about the civil wars, this instead offers a nuanced and detailed examination of one of our most complex monarchs. It is probably the definitive modern work about Charles I -- Alexander Larman * Observer *De Lisle, who has long been an original voice in popular Tudor studies, is generous to Charles, but too sharp a reader of evidence to ignore his flaws... Pellucid, compelling and enriched by fresh evidence... Sympathetic but scrupulous to the last -- Jessie Childs * Sunday Telegraph *
£11.69
Vintage Publishing Into The Silence
Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE 2012 SAMUEL JOHNSON PRIZEA monumental work of history, biography and adventure - the First World War, Mallory and Mount Everest‘The price of life is death’ For Mallory, as for all of his generation, death was but ‘a frail barrier that men crossed, smiling and gallant, every day’.Trade ReviewMaybe the prime minister should read it -- Stephen Frears * Guardian *I was enthralled by Wade Davis’s Into the Silence, an account of three failed Everest expeditions leading up to the death of Mallory in 1924, which brilliantly places those feats of endurance in the context of British imperialism and the psychological aftermath of the First World War -- Ben Macintyre * The Times *[An] epic story * New Statesman, *Books of the Year* *I was captivated. Wade Davis has penned an exceptional book on an extraordinary generation. From the pathos of the trenches to the inevitable tragedies high on Everest this is a book deserving of awards -- Joe Simpson, author of Touching the VoidPowerful and profound, a moving, epic masterpiece of literature, history and hope * Sunday Times *
£17.09
Vintage Publishing The Lion House
Book SynopsisChristopher de Bellaigue is the award-winning author of The Lion House: The Rise of Suleyman the Magnificent, which was chosen as a book of the year by The Times, Sunday Times, Spectator and New Yorker among others, as well as five previous books, including The Islamic Enlightenment, which was shortlisted for the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-fiction and the Orwell Prize for Political Writing in 2017. As a reporter he has covered war, politics, society and the environment in five continents for the Economist, the New York Review of Books, the Guardian and the BBC. He is the founder of the Lake District Book Festival in Cartmel, Cumbria, an Honorary Fellow of the University of St Andrews and in 2026 he will take up a Visiting Fellowship at All Souls College, Oxford. www.christopherdebellaigue.comTrade ReviewThere are books that enlarge the mind, there are books that enrich the soul, but rarely comes a book so beautifully-written and profound that it manages to do both -- ELIF SHAFAK, author of The Island of Missing TreesThe most daring history book of the year ... told in the present tense with all the dash and flair of a novel. The research is faultless: we are immersed ... it brilliantly conveys a sense of colour and momentum, placing the reader in the thick of the action. Unforgettable -- Dominic Sandbrook * The Times & Sunday Times Best Books of 2022 *This is history, but not as we know it. It is non-fiction posing as a novel, rich in incident and cinematic detail ... it's tremendous -- Justin Marozzi * Sunday Times *An urgent, immersive, present-tense gallop ... the book reads as a non-fiction novel ... cinematically vivid tableaux ... Each spangled scene ... rests on a solid foundation in the primary sources ... De Bellaigue enriches his storytelling with the colourful, meticulous dispatches of its traders, envoys and spies ... behind the bejewelled descriptive prose a thumping pulse of action tugs us through ... de Bellaigue's glittering, deft and often witty prose adds pleasure to each page * Financial Times *Luminous, erudite ... a gripping account that evokes an epic poem, saga or 'book of kings' ... It is as immersive as the blurb claims, conjuring the world of the eastern Mediterranean, Anatolia and south-eastern Europe in the early 16th century with the limpid clarity of the many gems that stud its pages ... Even more than the detail, it is the characters that intrigue and often inspire ... The book leaves the reader with Suleiman truly magnificent * Spectator *Mesmerising . . . steeped in the sensuous detail of banquet and ceremony, stratagem and conspiracy -- Colin ThubronA brilliantly written account of the Ottoman empire in all its opulence and brutality. Rich in colourful historical anecdotes, de Bellaigue brings 16th-century statecraft vividly alive, and offers a chilling insight into the ruthlessness and loneliness of one of the most powerful men of the age * Guardian *A vivid, cinematic account of the rise of Suleyman the Magnificent ... de Bellaigue follows with exhilarating clarity and suspense the era's broader battles across Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East, and the individual trajectories - grand ambitions, rivalries, betrayals - of these outsiders in Suleyman's court, a place rife with intrigue and back-stabbing, rich with colourful characters -- Claire Messud * Harper's *Those lucky readers who come to Christopher de Bellaigue's book in proximity to reading Mantel can suddenly have a new panel thrown open to them like an unfolding altarpiece ... all written in the present tense. This creates the obvious sense of liveliness and urgency ... Bellaigue sets about the task with such confidence and skill that it works ... a dazzling and dark work. Witty and often wise, it speaks to the frailties and the precarity of power -- David Aaronovitch * The Times *Vivid and compelling ... He presents his story like a novel, but it is not fiction; every detail has been diligently researched, for example by perusing diaries in difficult Venetian dialect ... Whether he is describing a lavish dinner for Italian merchants on the Bosporus, the stately progress of Suleiman's armies through the Balkans or a mass circumcision, he has an eye for the colourful, absurd and ironic ... As this book shows, living in the penumbra of such supreme power can be seductive and intoxicating. But the end of the story is often tragic * Economist *Wolf Hall for the Ottoman Empire ... History at its most gripping * Daily Telegraph *This account really grips... it does so by bringing out the fascinating individuals, the adventure, the lurid details, the barbarities, the opulence and squalor and near misses of the story -- Melanie McDonagh * Evening Standard *Poised effortlessly between two worlds and two ages, a book as pungent and mysterious as the age it depicts -- RORY STEWART, former British Cabinet Minister and author of The Places In BetweenA complex piece of history told with extraordinary clarity * Spectator, *Best Books of 2022* *Christopher de Bellaigue has a magic talent for writing history It is as if we are there as the era of Suleyman the Magnificent unfolds -- ORHAN PAMUK, Nobel Laureate in LiteratureEssential reading for anyone wishing to understand political ambition and the role of narcissistic leaders and scheming courtiers in any age -- ROBERT PESTON, Political Editor ITV NewsGripping, novelistic ... brisk and muscular ... written in a sure-footed historical present, the book creates a simulacrum of the 16th century through the painstaking accumulation of attested details ... [giving] the book its vividness and energy ... [De Bellaigue] writes with supreme confidence about power, diplomacy, clothing, avarice, war, statecraft and the exceptional brutality of the era ... While The Lion House unfolds like a novel, through scenes rich with authenticating detail -- Marcel Theroux * The New York Times Book Review *De Bellaigue is a riveting and expert guide to the story of Suleyman's quest for power -- PETER FRANKOPAN, author of The Silk RoadsNarrated with a verve and flair that make the characters burst from the pages. Outstanding history and an incredibly good read -- EUGENE ROGAN, author of The Fall of the OttomansExquisite ... So arresting is this book, so enveloping in the tensions of its narrative, that most readers will feel a pang of sorrow that the tale does not run on. The Lion House leaves us with a tease, or taunt: "Who, apart from God, can say what will come next?" A sequel, surely. Although it was the peak of the Ottoman Empire, Suleyman's reign also offers clear glimpses of a great decline to come. Who better to tell us about it than Mr de Bellaigue? * Wall Street Journal *Non-fiction with the readability of a thriller. Unputdownable -- VICTORIA HISLOP, author of The IslandSensuous and scholarly, meticulously researched and deliciously irreverent, The Lion House is an intoxicating journey through the Ottomans' golden age -- AMBERIN ZAMAN, correspondent, Al-Monitor, Turkey correspondent for the Economist (1999-2016) and Fellow of the Woodrow Wilson Center, Washington, DCReads like the most gripping fiction ... could very well be Netflix's next epic * Radio Times *The Lion House presents a historical universe that captivates and astonishes and is near-impossible to put down. A superb example of historical literature and research -- RICHARD WHATMORE, Professor of Modern History at the University of St AndrewsFull of breath-taking events at the cross-roads of empires at a moment in history when notions such as Europe, Asia, Christianity and Islam were infinitely more fluid and permeable than they are today -- KEREM OKTEM, Professor of International Relations at Ca' Foscari University, VeniceOriginal... de Bellaigue... offers a vivid presentation of events, re-imagined as scenes and episodes... a different, literary kind [of history] -- Noel Malcolm * Times Literary Supplement *De Bellaigue writes with impecable scholarship, piecing together contemporary accounts to create a thrilling narrative * Church Times *De Bellaigue is an expert stylist, sensitive to rhythm and vocabulary, and passionate in his pursuit of the fugitive detail that gives meaning to a whole episode * Literary Review *An exhilarating read -- Rose Shepherd * Saga Magazine *An engrossing book... This is history turned into drama and poetry, awesomely spectacular yet also intensely intimate -- Yasmin Alibhai-Brown * iNews *
£10.44
Penguin Books Ltd A Short Residence in Sweden Memoirs of the
Book SynopsisIn these two closely linked works - a travel book and a biography of its author - we witness a moving encounter between two of the most daring and original minds of the late eighteenth century: A Short Residence in Sweden is the record of Wollstonecraft''s last journey in search of happiness, into the remote and beautiful backwoods of Scandinavia. The quest for a lost treasure ship, the pain of a wrecked love affair, memories of the French Revolution, and the longing for some Golden Age, all shape this vivid narrative, which Richard Holmes argues is one of the neglected masterpieces of early English Romanticism.Memoirs is Godwin''s own account of Wollstonecraft''s life, written with passionate intensity a few weeks after her tragic death. Casting aside literary convention, Godwin creates an intimate portrait of his wife, startling in its candour and psychological truth. Received with outrage by friends and critics alike, and virtually suppressed for a century,
£11.69
Penguin Books Ltd The History of Alexander Penguin Classics
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)
£12.99
Penguin Books Ltd The Pillow Book
Book Synopsis''A mistress of wry observation and scalding wit ... The Pillow Book retains its fresh, authentic appeal more than 1,000 years after its inception'' Japan TimesWritten by the court gentlewoman Sei Shonagon as a journal for her own amusement, The Pillow Book is one of the greatest works of Japanese literature. A fascinating exploration of life amongst the nobility at the height of the idyllic Heian period, it describes the exquisite pleasures of a confined world in which poetry, love, fashion and whim dominated. From brief reflections to longer, lyrical tales, Shonagon moves elegantly across themes including nature, society and her own flirtations and frustrations, to provide a witty, unique insight into a woman''s life at court in classical Japan.Translated with an introduction by Meredith McKinney
£11.69
Oxford University Press Uncommon Wrath
Book Synopsis A dual biography of Julius Caesar and Cato the Younger that offers a dire warning: republics collapse when personal pride overrides the common good. In Uncommon Wrath, historian Josiah Osgood tells the story of how the political rivalry between Julius Caesar and Marcus Cato precipitated the end of the Roman Republic. As the champions of two dominant but distinct visions for Rome, Caesar and Cato each represented qualities that had made the Republic strong, but their ideological differences entrenched into enmity and mutual fear. The intensity of their collective factions became a tribal divide, hampering their ability to make good decisions and undermining democratic government. The men's toxic polarity meant that despite their shared devotion to the Republic, they pushed it into civil war.Deeply researched and compellingly told, Uncommon Wrath is a groundbreaking biography of two men whose hatred for each other destroyed the world they loved.Trade ReviewJosiah Osgood makes a valiant attempt not to choose sides between Caesar and Cato. * Joseph Epstein, Washington Free Beacon *An accessible, vivid and engaging account of Rome's seemingly inevitable descent into civil war... As well as being an entertaining read, Uncommon Wrath is a timely and thought-provoking one. * Jane Draycott, BBC History Magazine *The story that Osgood tells so clearly, learnedly, and engagingly does indeed illuminate the lasting costs of polarised conflict. * Rowan Williams, New Statesman *vividly told history ... [a] wide-ranging book * Armand D'Angour, Engeslberg Ideas *A highly readable book about ancient republican Rome... It is also a timely story - a kind of case study of political meltdown that is relevant given the heat in politics today, particularly in the US. * Popular History Books *This well-written book, underpinned by profound erudition, deserves the widest readership * Harry Sidebottom, Sunday Telegraph *Osgood writes with great clarity... It takes skill to bring the reader as close to the complex events of the Late Republic as this... It is a sign of a good book when the ending comes as a pulse-quickening surprise - even to those who already know what is coming. * Daisy Dunn, The Critic *lively and insightful * Adrian Goldsworthy, The New Criterion *...fast-paced, well-written and authoritative narrative * David Stuttard, Classics for All *An incisive and accessible dual biography of Julius Caesar and Cato the Younger focused on their shared responsibility for the Roman Republic's downfall... Along the way, Osgood issues incisive warnings about the dangers of polarization that resonate with today's political landscape and vividly describes the era's religious rituals, military battles, and Senate debates... He builds a persuasive and entertaining case. Roman history buffs will be intrigued. * Publishers Weekly *The respective sagas of Cato and Caesar, always timely, seem even more so in today's America. Osgood's interwoven retelling of their raucous and violent careers, and their impact on a tottering republic, makes for compelling reading. * Steven Saylor, author of Dominus: A Novel of the Roman Empire *A brilliant dual biography of Caesar and Cato: two titanic personalities whose fame illumined the death throes of the Roman Republic, and continues to blaze to this day. * Tom Holland, author of Rubicon: The Last Years of the Roman Republic *Lively, literate, and readable, Uncommon Wrath is all that you could want in a book on one of the most destructive feuds in history. As Osgood recounts, Cato and Caesar's refusal to compromise did much to destabilize the Roman Republic. Informed by scholarship and executed with grace. * Barry Strauss, author of The War that Made the Roman Empire: Antony, Cleopatra, and Octavian at Actium *A gripping account of the rivalry between Julius Caesar and Cato, two men at the heart of the political dysfunction that brought down Rome's Republic. This is the rare book that warns us about the dangers of the modern political moment while offering a nuanced and insightful analysis of the character of some of Rome's most famous leaders. * Edwards Watts, author of Mortal Republic: How Rome Fell into Tyranny *Uncommon Wrath is a riveting re-telling of the violent end of the Roman Republic. By restoring Cato to the center of the story, Osgood reminds us that this symbol of old-fashioned virtue was not just a myth, but a leader nearly as crafty as his hated rival. Here is a vivid and human-scale account, whose focus on partisanship and political rivalry makes for a resonant and all-too-timely reflection. * Kyle Harper, author of The Fate of Rome: Climate, Disease, and the End of an Empire *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1: Coming of Age in Civil War 2: Making a Name for Themselves 3: Political Ambitions 4: The Conspiracy of Catiline 5: Showdown in the Forum 6: Divorce, Marry, Repeat 7: With Cato in Prison 8: Cato's Triumph 9: Gaul 10: Cato's Medicines 11: Civil War! 12:
£24.64
Oxford University Press John Stuart Mill A Very Short Introduction Very
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
£9.49
Oxford University Press Hitlers First Hundred Days When Germans Embraced
Book SynopsisThe story of how Germans came to embrace the Third Reich.Germany in early 1933 was a country ravaged by years of economic depression and increasingly polarized between the extremes of left and right. Over the spring of that year, Germany was transformed from a republic, albeit a seriously faltering one, into a one-party dictatorship. In Hitler''s First Hundred Days, award-winning historian Peter Fritzsche examines the pivotal moments during this fateful period in which the Nazis apparently won over the majority of Germans to join them in their project to construct the Third Reich. Fritzsche scrutinizes the events of the period - the elections and mass arrests, the bonfires and gunfire, the patriotic rallies and anti-Jewish boycotts - to understand both the terrifying power that the National Socialists came to exert over ordinary Germans and the powerful appeal of the new era that they promised.Trade ReviewPeter Fritzsche gives a comprehensive overview of how the Nazis took over Germany. * Paul Donnelley, The Daily Express *[A] dramatic retelling... with tremendous verve... Fritzsches skill is in finding a wide enough cast of Germans to give a sense not just of the faithful, but of the sceptics, the disbelieving and the defeated... it is [Fitzsches] capacity for turning the lens back onto the viewer that makes his work so profound and so convincing. * Nicholas Stargardt, New York Times *Fritzsche draws on a vast amount of research to take us into the heart of a tumultuous 100 days, bringing in voices from all sides of the political spectrum. In the process, he turns what seems like an impossible sequence of events into one that seems both understandable and frighteningly repeatable. * History of War *Hitlers First One Hundred Days is gripping from the first lines. With elegance and deep knowledge, Peter Fitzsche tells the story of how Hitler and the Nazis consolidated their hold on power in the spring of 1933. Fritzsche knows this ground like few others, and his eye for the telling detail makes this book surprising at every turn, even as he shows how the story is chillingly relevant to our times. * Benjamin Hett, author of The Death of Democracy: Hitlers Rise to Power and the Downfall of the Weimar Republic *Table of ContentsIntroduction: Quarter Past Eleven, One Hundred Days, a Thousand Years 1: "Crisis, if You Please" 2: Mystery Tour 3: Assault 4: The "Communist Beast" 5: The German Spring 6: "Your Jewish Grandmother" 7: The Administration of Life 8: "This Enormous Planet" 9: The One Hundred Days A Postscript and Acknowledgments Notes Index
£26.77
Yale University Press Burghley William Cecil at the Court of Elizabeth
Book SynopsisWilliam Cecil, Lord Burghley (1520-1598) was Elizabeth I's closest adviser. This revealing biography shows, the driving force behind the Queen's reign for four decades. It helps us redefine our understanding of the Elizabethan period.Trade Review"'An excellent biography... Alford writes with clarity and pace... and offers a wonderfully rich description of Lord Burghley's material world: the maps and plans decorating his walls, the mutton and quails and calves' feet that streamed out of his kitchens, and the busts of the Emperor Charles V and Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent that watched over the courtyard of Burghley House.' (J. P. D. Cooper, Times Literary Supplement) 'Alford has the biographer's natural sympathy for his subject and so does the reader of this engaging book.' (Robert C. Braddock, Renaissance Quarterly) 'Written by a master of the source material who has a feel for the nature of the Tudor Court and writes with balance and sympathy.' (Diarmaid MacCulloch, University of Oxford)"
£18.99
Orion Publishing Co Four Queens The Provencal Sisters Who Ruled
Book SynopsisThe four beautiful, cultured and clever daughters of the Count and Countess of Provence made illustrious marriages and lived at the epicentre of political power and intrigue in 13th-century Europe.Marguerite accompanied her husband, King Louis IX of France, on his disastrous first crusade to the Holy Land, where straight from childbirth she ransomed him from the Mamluks. And with her sister Eleanor, queen of England, Marguerite engineered a sturdy peace between France and England. Ambitious Eleanor walked a narrow line while she struggled to build her own power base without alienating her cowardly husband, Henry III. Beatrice''s coronation as queen of Sicily was the culmination of her long, hard-fought campaign to earn respect from her world-famous, mightily accomplished older siblings. Sanchia wed one of the richest men in Europe, but her reign as queen of Germany, brought her only misery. From Goldstone''s rich, beautifully woven tapestry, medieval Europe sTrade ReviewThis highly readable book is set against the bloody and turbulent backdrop of medieval Europe...a fascinating account * CATHOLIC HERALD *A gripping narrative -- the author is particularly good on the theatricality of the age * GOOD BOOK GUIDE *
£10.44
Atlantic Books What It Is Like To Go To War
Book SynopsisA graduate of Yale University and a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford, Karl Marlantes served as a Marine in Vietnam, where he was awarded the Navy Cross, the Bronze Star, two Navy Commendation Medals for valor, two Purple Hearts, and ten air medals. Matterhorn, his novel about the Vietnam War, took over three decades to complete and was an international bestseller. He and his wife Anne live on a small lake in western Washington state.Trade ReviewA searing account from within the guts of the war itself. * The Times *A novel of astonishing power and insight * OBSERVER *There has never been a more realistic portrait or eloquent tribute to the nobility of men under fire, and never a more damning portrait of a war that ground them cruelly underfoot for no good reason. * MARK BOWDEN *Karl Marlantes has written a staggeringly beautiful book on combat - what it feels like, what the consequences are and above all, what society must do to understand it. In my eyes he has become the preeminent literary voice on war of our generation. He is a natural storyteller and a deeply profound thinker who not only illuminates war for civilians, but also offers a kind of spiritual guidance to veterans themselves. As this generation of warriors comes home, they will be enormously helped by what Marlantes has written - I'm sure he will literally save lives. * Sebastian Junger *What It Is Like to Go to War is a well-crafted and forcefully argued work that contains fresh and important insights into what it's like to be in a war and what it does to the human psyche. * The Washington Post *brutally honest, clear-eyed and necessary. * Financial Times *You may not ever read a better book about war than this... There are some very gruesome things here, and some of the best philosophical thinking I've ever read in a memoir. * Evening Standard *the brave and illuminating work of a courageous and humane man. * The Times *Marlantes examines with lacerating frankness his experiences at the forefront of battle, in Vietnam more than 40 years ago. * Sunday Times *
£11.69
Pan Macmillan The Boys In The Boat
Book SynopsisNow a major motion picture, directed by George Clooney.From the Great Depression to Nazi Germany, The Boys in the Boat is the astonishing true story of the 1936 American men's eight rowing team on their quest for Olympic gold.'It is impossible not to get wrapped up in the emotion' – The TimesIt is considered one of the most difficult sports in the world. For Joe Rantz, it might be his only choice.Cast aside by his family at an early age, Joe was abandoned, left to fend for himself in the woods of Washington State. Like so many, he had to work his way through college. The rowing team offered money – and a home.An extraordinary journey follows, as Joe and eight other working-class boys exchange the sweat and dust of life in 1930s America for the promise of glory on the team – and at the Berlin Olympics, in the heart of Hitler’s Germany.With the weight of history on his shoulders, sTrade ReviewChariots of Fire – with oars [Brown’s] descriptions of the key races are exciting and dramatic, and it is impossible not to get wrapped up in the emotion * The Times *Like Laura Hillenbrand’s Seabiscuit and Michael Lewis’s Moneyball before it, The Boys in the Boat has all the ingredients for a film adaptation . . . a moving, enlightening and gripping tale. * Financial Times *Daniel James Brown has written a robust, emotional snapshot of an era, a book you will recommend to your best friends. -- James Bradley, Flags of Our Fathers, Flyboys, The Imperial CruiseA fine-grained portrait of the Depression era . . . inspiring * Guardian *The Boys in the Boat is a triumph of great writing matched with a magnificent story. Daniel James Brown strokes the keyboard like a master oarsman, blending power and grace to propel readers toward a heart-pounding finish. -- Mitchell Zuckoff, author of Lost in Shangri-La and Frozen in Time.For this nautical version of Chariots of Fire, Brown crafts an evocative, cinematic prose … studded with engrossing explanations of rowing technique and strategy, exciting come-from-behind race scenes, and the requisite hymns to "mystic bands of trust and affection" forged on the water. * Publishers Weekly *A story this breathtaking demands an equally compelling author, and Brown does not disappoint. The narrative rises inexorably, with the final 50 pages blurring by with white-knuckled suspense as these all-American underdogs pull off the unimaginable. * The Seattle Times *
£10.44
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Horrocks, The General Who Led from the Front
Book SynopsisLieutenant General Sir Brian Horrocks was a legend in his lifetime. He leapt to fame as a Brigade, Divisional and Corps Commander during the Second World War where his dashing style, good luck and easy manner won him huge respect and great success. He was happiest in the frontline and yet his victories in the field were hard won, be they in North Africa or NW Europe. By 1944 he was commanding 200,000 men of all Allied nations who did not agree on much else but all thought highly of him. His attributes brought him success in industry, as a TV presenter and as Black Rod, in the Houses of Parliament.
£11.69
Pen & Sword Books Ltd The Granddaughters of Edward III
Book SynopsisEdward III may be known for his restoration of English kingly authority after the disastrous and mysterious fall of his father, Edward II, and eventual demise of his mother, Queen Isabella. It was Edward III who arguably put England on the map as a military might. This show of power and strength was not simply through developments in government, success in warfare or the establishment of the Order of the Garter, which fused ideals of chivalry and national identity to form camaraderie between king and peerage. The expansion of England as a formidable European powerhouse was also achieved through the traditional lines of political marriages, particularly those of the king of England's own granddaughters. This is a joint biography of nine of those women who lived between 1355 and 1440, and their dramatic, turbulent lives. One was queen of Portugal and was the mother of the Illustrious Generation; one married into the family of her parents' deadly enemies and became queen of Castile; one became pregnant by the king of England's half-brother while married to someone else, and her third husband was imprisoned for marrying her without permission; one was widowed at about 24 when her husband was summarily beheaded by a mob, and some years later bore an illegitimate daughter to an earl; one saw her marriage annulled so that her husband could marry a Bohemian lady-in-waiting; one was born illegitimate, had sixteen children, and was the grandmother of two kings of England.
£27.56
Vintage Publishing The Man in the Red Coat
Book Synopsis*SHORTLISTED FOR THE COSTA BOOK AWARDS 2020*'A bravura performance, highly entertaining' Evening StandardThe Booker Prize-winning author of The Sense of an Ending takes us on a rich, witty tour of Belle Epoque Paris, via the life story of the pioneering surgeon Samuel Pozzi.In the summer of 1885, three Frenchmen arrived in London for a few days' shopping. One was a Prince, one was a Count, and the third was a commoner, who four years earlier had been the subject of one of John Singer Sargent's greatest portraits. The commoner was Samuel Pozzi, society doctor, pioneer gynaecologist and free-thinker - a scientific man with a famously complicated private life.Pozzi's life played out against the backdrop of the Parisian Belle Epoque. The beautiful age of glamour and pleasure more often showed its ugly side: hysterical, narcissistic, decadent and violent, with more parallels to our own age than we might imagine. **SHORTLISTED FOR THE DUFF COOPER PRIZE 2019**Trade ReviewWhat a deliciously intelligent entertainment this is, couched in a prose of enviable suppleness… a master is at work here. -- Rupert Christiansen * Daily Telegraph *One of his best books, very handsomely published too… [The Man in the Red Coat is] a bravura performance, highly entertaining. -- David Sexton * Evening Standard, Book of the Week *Do not google Samuel Jean Pozzi. If you want to enjoy Julian Barnes’s The Man in the Red Coat — and believe me, it’s teeming with delights — stay away from search engines and trust the author to tell the story in his own way… punctuated by the sound of gunshot…[this is a] brilliant, defiantly unconventional book. -- Adam Begley * Spectator *The Belle Époque is brought to life through three colourful lives in this sparkling account stuffed with top fin-de-siècle tittle-tattle. -- Robbie Millen and James Marriott * The Times *The Best Books of 2019* *Julian Barnes’s wonderful The Man in the Red Coat surges round Belle Epoque Paris… a story full of digressions, white peacocks, missing limbs, amusing adverbs and fantastic clothes. An absolute tonic for grey winter days. -- Claire Harman * Evening Standard *Books of the Year* *
£10.44
John Murray Press Justinian: Emperor, Soldier, Saint
Book SynopsisA SUNDAY TIMES, BBC HISTORY MAGAZINE AND EVENING STANDARD BOOK OF THE YEAR'A majestic, sparkling account of one of the most important rulers in history . . . this is modern history writing at its finest' Peter Frankopan'Superb and gripping. Epic historical biography that brings the emperor to life . . . filled with new ideas and revelations' Simon Sebag Montefiore'Effortlessly erudite, lucidly written, with a sharp eye for the telling detail, Sarris has written the great biography of the greatest of the Byzantine emperors' Rory StewartIn this groundbreaking new biography of Justinian, Peter Sarris gives us an intimate insight into both the Emperor and his times. We meet a man who from the humblest beginnings, rose to become ruler of much of the known world achieving an almost god-like status. An emperor who infused even the most mundane tasks with spiritual and religious significance. A gifted administrator obsessed with detail. A middle aged lover who fell for a dancing girl and changed the law so he could marry her, ruling with Empress Theodora by his side for over twenty years. A brilliant military strategist who was never on the frontline. The challenges he faced - climate change, battles over culture and identity, the first recorded global pandemic -and many of the solutions he found to address them still resonate with us today. And his legacy remains all around us, in the massive building programme of which the most beautiful manifestation is surely Hagia Sophia; in our legal systems through the codification of the Corpus juris civilis; and in our culture and history by making a fundamental contribution to both the formation of Christendom and the emergence of Islam. In this tour de force Peter Sarris shows us that in all his complexity and contradictions Justinian was, in many ways, a very modern Emperor.Trade ReviewMagnificent. A vivid and authoritative biography of one of Rome's most fascinating rulers, Justinian is also a vibrant portrait of an entire world - a resurgent Roman Empire suddenly devastated by tragedy -- Kyle Harper, author of THE FATE OF ROMEJustinian's long life mirrored that of ancient Rome itself: both rose from lowly origins to supreme power, survived revolt and conquered rivals, crafted laws and erected mighty monuments, only to be worn down by insurgents, invaders, and plagues. In a stunning tour de force, Sarris brings one of history's most momentous dramas back to life -- Walter Scheidel, author of THE GREAT LEVELEREffortlessly erudite, lucidly written, with a sharp eye for the telling detail, Sarris has written the great biography of the greatest of the Byzantine emperors -- Rory StewartSpectacularly good: a wonderfully colourful biography of the man who remade the Roman Empire.Peter Sarris plunges us deep into a world of imperial conflict, religious paranoia, pandemics and climate change, while never losing sight of the extraordinary character at its heart.Based on decades of scholarship, this is the definitive history of the emperor and his times, and a thrilling testament to the glories of Byzantium -- Dominic Sandbrook, author of WHO DARES WINSA majestic, sparkling account of one of the most important rulers in history. Meticulously researched, beautifully written, filled with insights, this is modern history writing at its finest -- Peter Frankopan, author of THE SILK ROADSJustinian looms so large in the landscape of the ancient Mediterranean that it is almost impossible to take his measure. Yet Peter Sarris has done so convincingly, offering a lucid and persuasive account of a ruler as invested in the mechanics of government as in waging wars of conquest. A remarkable achievement -- Kate Cooper, Professor of History at Royal Holloway and author of QUEENS OF A FALLEN WORLDSuperb and gripping. Epic historical biography that brings the emperor to life with analysis and empathy and a work of scholarship filled with new ideas and revelations -- Simon Sebag Montefiore, author of THE WORLD: A FAMILY HISTORY OF HUMANITYThe author's passion for the subject and his respect for Justinian is clear throughout, keeping the reader engaged until the very end -- British ArchaeologyA thoroughly absorbing book, notable not only for its mastery of the sources, but its generosity to other scholars working in this flourishing field. It offers a vivid insight into Justinian's world and the mind of this impatient and notorious man -- The TimesI've been looking forward to Peter Sarris's Justinian for a while, and I was not disapoointed. Justinian is perhaps the greatest of the emperors of Rome and New Rome . . . Sarris does his subject proud in a book that wears the author's learning lightly -- BBC History Magazine, Books of the YearA marvel of scholarship, told with great flair, Peter Sarris's magnificent biography brings alive their dazzling, doomed world, an age of plagues, riots, cults and climate change -- Sunday Times, History Books of the YearAn expert, readable and thought-provoking biography . . . This book is essential reading for anyone curious about later antiquity and will give profit and pleasure to those with broader interests -- The CriticAn engrossing account of an extraordinary man . . . the story of a remarkable period, which is still too little known -- Evening Standard, Books of the YearAn expert, readable, and thought-provoking biography of Justinian ... essential reading for anyone curious about later antiquity. -- George Woudhuysen * The Critic *
£24.00
Orion Publishing Co Herzl: Theodor Herzl and the Foundation of the
Book SynopsisThe first biography in more than a generation of the father of modern political Zionism and in effect the state of Israel.Drawing extensively on his diaries as well as his published works, this intellectual biographical follows Herzl's transformation from a private person into the founder and leader of a political movement which made the quest for a Jewish state into a player in international politics. Contrary to the conventional view which saw the Dreyfus affair as the trigger for Herzl's loss of belief in the promise of Jewish emancipation, Avineri shows how it was the political crisis of the Austro-Hungarian Habsburg Empire, torn apart by contending national movements, which convinced Herzl of the need for a Jewish polity.In response to the wide resonance for his 1896 THE JEWISH STATE, Herzl convened the first Zionist Congress in Basel in 1897, which established the World Zionist Organization with its representative and elected institutions; this in turn became the foundation for Israel's democratic political system. In his efforts to gain international support for a Jewish state, Herzl met with the Ottoman Sultan, the German Emperor Wilhelm II, Pope Pius X, British, Russian and German ministers, as well as an enormous number of other government and public opinion leaders of most European countries. By the time of his early death in 1904 at the age of 44, Herzl succeeded in putting Zionism on the map of world politics, no longer an esoteric idea held by a small group of Jewish intellectuals in Eastern Europe.Trade ReviewTurning the idea of Jewish nationhood into an organised movement was Herzl's work of genius, which is expounded by Avineri with scholarship, sensitivity and wisdom. -- Oliver Kamm * The JC.COM *How Herzl conjured up the idea of a Jewish state out of the air is the subject of this book. It is a political biography; of Herzl's family life, his loves and his hatreds we learn little. With almost nothing but his will, he wrote, cajoled, talked and organised Zionism into existence. Between 1895 and 1897, in two short years, he provided the movement with its key text (Der Judenstaat), its destination (Palestine) and its organisational birth (the first Zionist Congress in Basle). Then he hawed his ideas around the leaders of Europe, to see if he could make a reality from the dream. These unlikely peregrinations are captured perfectly by Avineri. Without them there would have been no Israel. -- David Aaronovitch * THE TIMES *The great strength of Avineri's immensely readable biography is to deliver Herzl in all his tortured complexity and - something not always given its due - the philosophical clarity of his diagnosis of what had befallen the Jews in the modern age and what might be done about their predicament. He had the beard of a poet but a brain for realpolitik. As one might expect from Avineri, who is first and foremost a powerful historian of political thought, this is the most chewily cogent account yet of Herzl the political thinker and doer. -- Simon Schama * FINANCIAL TIMES *What...Shlomo Avineri, a professor of political sciences at Jerusalem's Hebrew University, offers is a different perspective on Herzl's life. Professor Avineri largely relies on Herzl's own writings, especially his obsessively written diary, rather than so much on secondary sources as many other books do. This device has the advantage of explaining Herzl's thoughts, as well as his actions. -- Alistair Dawber * THE INDEPENDENT *It was Austrian politics, not a French miscarriage of justice [the Dreyfuss case], which moved Herzl towards Jewish separatism, Avineri explains, with a rather more complex story than the one the professor tells us is taught to Israeli schoolchildren. Political liberalism had ended official anti-Jewish discrimination in Austria and widened the franchise; but, to the horror of liberals like Herzl, anti-Semitic demagogues were elected. It seemed that the more democratic Austrian society was, the more anti-Semitic it became. -- Jad Adams * SUNDAY TELEGRAPH *Magnificent -- Daniel Johnson * STANDPOINT *This Herzl remains a charismatic figure whose story is a romance. And so, in some measure, it should be, because that is how Herzl functioned and why he succeeded. He combined Disraeli's charm and political genius, Marx's analytical insight, and the towering authority of his people's lawgiver, Moses. -- Bernard Wasserstein * THE TABLET *In this book Avineri has reclaimed Herzl from the propagandists. -- Colin Shindler * HISTORY TODAY *Herzl [is telling] the story of Zionism from the beginning, one of the strangest, most romantic, most bewildering episodes in modern history, and to this day one of the most bitterly contentious. -- Geoffrey Wheatcroft * THE SPECTATOR *Herzl is an excellent biography of a great man and as such long overdue. -- Lord Mitchell * THE HOUSE *What Avineri gives us is a fine-grained and tender portrait of the Hungarian-born Herzl as a feverish romantic, dodgy dramatist, prolific writer and political organizer, a vibrant man whose energy and devotion to finding a national solution for a Jewish state were palpable and exhausting. -- Duncan Kelly * TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT *Avineri rightly sums up Herzl's work as a 'glorious failure that produced impressive results'. It is Avineri's understanding of the exigencies and difficulties of politics for a mere private individual, without money or official status that makes this book well worth reading. * ANGLO-ISRAEL ASSOCIATION *
£9.49
Vintage Publishing Putin: The explosive and extraordinary new
Book Synopsis'A perfect mirror to its subject... should be compulsory reading' ObserverVladimir Putin is a pariah to the West.He has the power to reduce the West to nuclear ashes. He invades his neighbours, meddles in western elections and orders assassinations. His regime is autocratic and corrupt. Yet many Russians continue to support him. Under Putin's leadership, Russia has once again become a force to be reckoned with.Philip Short's magisterial biography explores in unprecedented depth the personality of Russia's leader and demolishes many of our preconceptions about Putin's Russia.To explain is not to justify. Putin's regime is dark. But on closer examination, much of what we think we know about him turns out to rest on half-truths. This book is as close as we will come to understanding Russia's ruler.'Short's pushback against lazy, convenient myth-making is refreshing' The Times'Elegantly written and pacy' Financial Times 'Extensively covers the dark moments of Putin's career.... The Putin of Short's book is not someone you would invite to dinner' New York TimesTrade ReviewMagisterial... based on access to a Who's Who of senior politicians, diplomats and intelligence sources. * Guardian *An exhaustive profile * Daily Telegraph, *Books of the Year* *Exceptional... unlikely to be matched as a study of the man... It is readable, judicious, critical but balanced and focused on Putin the person rather than on the Putin regime * The Irish Times *[A] revealing and compellingly granular biography * Times Literary Supplement *Anyone wanting to learn more about Putin's personality, ideas, power and the threat he has come to pose to world peace should read this outstanding biography -- Ian Kershaw
£15.29
Cornerstone Red Platoon
Book SynopsisIsolatedCommand Post Keating - one of the most vulnerable US army bases in Afghanistan. Located at the bottom of a deep valley, soliders are exposed. The Taliban can see every move and attack is imminent.OutnumberedJust before sunrise on 3 October 2009, hundreds of Taliban insurgents open fire from all angles. Red Platoon and the Black Knight Troop are pinned down. They hear the message over the radio: Enemy in the Wire. The Taliban are inside the camp.But never outgunned. This is the heart-stopping, awe-inspiring true story of the platoon's brutal struggle for survival, told by the man who fought to defend his men, and who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary bravery.Trade ReviewA brilliant, wrenching book about war … it’s more intense and horrifying than you could imagine * London Evening Standard *Utterly gripping from start to finish … unflinchingly honest about the realities of war. * Bookbag *Awe-inspiring … Utterly gripping from start to finish * CGA Bookclub *Brilliant, wrenching * i *I read the first half of Red Platoon in one sitting and that night had such intense combat dreams that I actually thought twice about picking the book up again. In addition to being a superb soldier, Romesha is an utterly irresistible writer. I'm completely overwhelmed by what he has done with this book. The assault on Camp Keating is a vitally important story that needs to be understood by the public, and I cannot imagine an account that does it better justice that Romesha's. -- Sebastian JungerRendered hour-by-hour and sometimes second by second, here is battle narrative the way it's supposed to be written. Gritty, plangent, and unflinching, Red Platoon is sure to become a classic of the genre. Through his courageous and no doubt painful act of remembrance, Romesha has done his comrades, indeed all of us, a great service—leaving an epitaph that will live through the ages. -- Hampton Sides, author of Ghost Soldiers and In the Kingdom of IceRed Platoon is riveting. Like many who were in either Iraq, Afghanistan, or both, I often read books about the wars reluctantly, because it is hard to capture the essence of the experience. In my view Red Platoon is a brilliant book. Had Clint Romesha depicted the soldiers at Keating as a collection of steely-eyed warriors, their feat would have been impressive. Because he captures the reality of a collection of personalities as diverse as America itself, their courage is truly inspiring. -- General Stanley McChrystal, U.S. Army, RetiredRed Platoon celebrates the most crucial aspect of military operations: the team. Clinton Romesha and the men of Black Knight Troop faced harrowing conditions and a determined enemy during the Battle for COP Keating, and in the process discovered exactly who they are. This account is an important tribute to everyone who fought, and especially to the eight Americans who on that day made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. -- Mark Owen, author of No Easy DayThe book is riveting in its authentic detail, right down to the determined attempts to recover American bodies before the Taliban could. Romesha ably captures the daily dangers faced by these courageous American soldiers in Afghanistan. * Kirkus *Red Platoon exemplifies the courage and resiliency our country was founded on. Clint is a true brother and a man that I look up to. -- Dakota Meyer, Medal of Honor Recipient and author of Into the FireA visceral, heart-pounding account of men in close-quarter combat that is simply impossible to put down. Astonishingly intimate and beautifully written. A word of advice: don't start this book if you're planning on doing anything else for the next few hours. -- Scott Anderson, author of Lawrence in ArabiaThe men of Red Platoon and their actions at COP Keating deserve to be known. Clint Romesha's story takes hold from page one and makes you feel every inch of the battle, but it is the bond between soldiers that will stick with you. Red Platoon is on my list of the best books about the Afghan war. -- Kevin Maurer, bestselling co-author of No Easy Day
£10.44
Reaktion Books Hannah Arendt
Book SynopsisHannah Arendt is one of the most renowned political thinkers of the twentieth century and her work has never been more relevant than it is today. Born in Germany in 1906, Arendt published her first book at the age of 23, before turning away from the world of academic philosophy to reckon with the rise of the Third Reich. After the War, Arendt became one of the most prominent - and controversial - public intellectuals of her time, publishing influential works such as The Origins of Totalitarianism, The Human Condition and Eichmann in Jerusalem. Samantha Rose Hill weaves together new biographical detail, archival documents, poems and correspondence to reveal a woman whose passion for the life of the mind was nourished by her love of the world.Trade Review‘Hill sparingly and undramatically chooses her details (without, thankfully, passing over the gossip) . . . She is evidently so used to explaining Arendt’s ideas to nervous freshmen that each chapter contains a SparkNotes-like summary of the major works written during the time period in question. They are concise and comprehensible . . . Hill was well situated to go diving for gems in Arendt’s papers, letters, and marginalia . . . Hill spares us the clichéd, tabloid-ish critiques that make up a sizable chunk of Arendtian lore (“she was a self-hating Jew”; “I can’t believe she loved Heidegger”; “she thought Eichmann’s crimes were banal”; and so on and so forth). Instead, Hill calmly — and quietly, but without truckling — applies her close readings of Arendt’s most controversial ideas to our own oftentimes taut and illiberal social atmosphere.’ — LA Review of Books; ‘The stated aim of Samantha Rose Hill’s new Arendt biography, a slim installment in Reaktion Books’s Critical Lives series, is to introduce this perennially relevant thinker to new readers . . . A brief primer on her life and thinking is timely, given the resurgence of interest . . . While the aim of this biography might be to serve as a brief, lively introduction to Arendt, Hill accomplishes something richer. In introducing us to Arendt's life and thought, what emerges is an example of thinking as a dynamic activity . . . Hill does not present Arendt as a banister to hold up our thinking. Rather, she aptly shows that Arendt is someone to read now because Arendt is someone worth thinking with.’ — Women’s Review of Books; ‘As Hill points out in Hannah Arendt, even in works such as The Origins of Totalitarianism – surprise bestseller of the Trump era – the political is invariably brought back to the personal.’ — Prospect Magazine; ‘This book could hardly appear more opportunely. Arendt’s way of thinking, though original to the point of being difficult to follow, appeals to an increasing number of men and women who question the meaning of their lives in the world we share. Arendt’s own writings and the books and essays analyzing them may seem exhaustive, yet Hill’s work does something new: without simplifying Arendt’s thinking, she opens it to contemporary readers who, in the darkness of our times, will find a friend, a woman, who lived through the darkest of all times.’ — Jerome Kohn, trustee of the Hannah Arendt Bluecher Literary Trust
£11.69
Reaktion Books Bede and the Theory of Everything
Book SynopsisThis book investigates the life and world of Bede (c. 673-735), foremost scholar of the early Middle Ages and 'the father of English history'. It examines his notable feats, including calculating the first tide-tables; playing a role in the creation of the Ceolfrith Bibles and the Lindisfarne Gospels; writing the earliest extant Old English poetry and the earliest translation of part of the Bible into English; and composing his famous Ecclesiastical History of the English People, with its single dating system. Despite never leaving Northumbria, Bede also wrote a guide to the Holy Land. Michelle P. Brown, an authority on the period, describes new discoveries regarding Bede's handwriting, his research programme and his previously lost Old English translation of St John's Gospel, dictated on his deathbed.Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. Boyhood and Monkwearmouth-Jarrow 2. Bede the Monk and Priest 3. Bede the Scholar and Scientist: Cosmos and Logos 4. Bede, Poetry and the Origins of Written English 5. Bede the English Patristic 6. Bede the Historian and Reformer 7. Bede the Scribe of Scripture and the Ceolfrith Bibles 8. Bede and Lindisfarne 9. Bede and His Legacy Appendix: Bede's CV References Bibliography Acknowledgements Photo Acknowledgements Index
£15.26
Ad Lib Publishers Ltd Beating Chains: Falsely Accused. Framed.
Book Synopsis‘Few would’ve survived Rusty’s ordeal – an incredible story of hope and resilience’ - Stephen McGown, author of Six Years a Hostage Rusty Labuschagne has been through a trauma few have experienced and disclosed. In 2003, the successful Zimbabwean businessman, who ran a safari outfit, flew his own aircraft and had a fishing resort on Lake Kariba, was framed by a poacher, the police, and the courts and wrongfully convicted of drowning a poacher. He served ten years in Zimbabwe’s prisons, including the notorious Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison, where he suffered through food shortages, no running water, and people dying around him daily. Rusty lost everything he had worked so hard for, but most of all, his freedom. His story is a testament to his extraordinary resilience in conditions most would find unbearable. He shares the life lessons he learned – how to harness your inner strength, how to forgive, and how to show gratitude – as he found true freedom through sincerity and humility. Rusty’s is an inspiring story of true grit in the face of great adversity, of a man who loses everything as he is broken by a corrupt political system, but who then rises to fight that system on his own terms. In doing so he rebuilds himself from the inside out.Trade Review‘Few would’ve survived Rusty’s ordeal – an incredible story of hope and resilience’ -- Stephen McGown, author of Six Years a Hostage
£15.18
Alma Books Ltd Angela Merkel: The Chancellor and Her World
Book SynopsisWith the Eurozone engulfed in an unprecedented crisis, one political figure looms largest of all, Angela Merkel, the leader of its most powerful economy. While foreign affairs have become the central issues of her chancellorship in this crucial election year, the entire world is anxiously looking to Germany to play its part in Europe's rescue. This authorized biography sheds light on the person behind the politician - from her youthful days of hitchhiking in Tbilisi to being the guest of honour at a White House state dinner - and examines how a girl from East Germany rose to the highest echelons of European power. As well as explaining how Angela Merkel's world view was shaped and influenced by her background and ideology, Stefan Kornelius's lively account discusses her personal relations with international counterparts such as David Cameron, Barack Obama or Vladimir Putin, as well as her attitude towards the countries and cultures over which they rule.Trade Review[Stefan Kornelius] gives a compelling description of how Merkel operates... and is particularly good on the thinking behind her step-by-step response to the euro crisis. * TLS * A biography about foreign policy and Merkel's political decision-making process... Kornelius, whose career as a journalist tailgated hers since 1989, proves an illuminating guide. * The Guardian * Kornelius helps to bring Merkel to life. * The Times * In his authorized biography, Stefan Kornelius... helps explain how a taciturn physicist from east Germany became such a towering figure in European politics and one of the world's most influential women. * The Financial Times * [It] helps the reader get a better sense of the issues and themes which have characterized Merkel's chancellorship. * International Affairs Journal * A good insight into Merkel's background: how her East German upbringing influences her every move and belief; the priority she places on freedom and her determination to succeed in creating a more unified Europe. * Liberator Magazine UK * In this fascinating authorised biography, Stefan Kornelius reveals the person behind the politician, discussing many intriguing details about her personal and professional life. He skilfully examines Merkel's background and her ideological beliefs in order to explain the nature of her power and her influential role in the European Economic Community. * The Good Book Guide *Table of ContentsCONTENTS Merkelmania The Chancellor's New Power 3 Another World A Sheltered Life in the GDR 13 In Search of New Frontiers Breaking into Politics 45 Questions of Belief What Makes Merkel Tick? 61 Necessary Evils The Chancellor and Her Coalitions 85 Pacific Dreams Yearning for the USA 105 On the Defensive Angela Merkel and War 137 The Light of Zion The Fascination of Israel 157 Russia and Putin: Parallel Lives A Much Loved Country, a Difficult President 181 Business or Conviction A Conflict of Systems with China 189 The Great Crisis Angela Merkel's Battle for Europe 199 The British Problem Keep Them in 257 The Prospects for Merkel? The Post-Political Chancellor 269
£9.49
Vintage Publishing The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of
Book SynopsisThe Power Broker by Robert A. Caro is 'simply one of the best non-fiction books in English of the last forty years' (Dominic Sandbrook, Sunday Times): a riveting and timeless account of power, politics and the city of New York by ‘the greatest political biographer of our times’ (Sunday Times); chosen by Time magazine as one of the 100 Best Non-Fiction Books of All Time and by the Modern Library as one of the 100 Greatest Books of the Twentieth Century; Winner of the Pulitzer Prize; a Sunday Times Bestseller; 'An outright masterpiece' (Evening Standard)The Power Broker tells the story of Robert Moses, the single most powerful man in New York for almost half a century and the greatest builder America (and probably the world) has ever known. Without ever once being elected to office, he created for himself a position of supreme and untouchable authority, allowing him to utterly reshape the city of New York, turning it into the city we know today, while at the same time blighting the lives of millions and remaining accountable to no one.First published in the USA in 1974, this monumental classic was a Sunday Times bestseller when published in the UK in 2015 and is now widely acknowledged to be one of the greatest books of its kind.Trade ReviewSimply one of the best non-fiction books in English of the past 40 years ... There has probably never been a better dissection of political power ... From the first page ... you know that you are in the hands of a master ... riveting ... superb ... not just a stunning portrait of perhaps the most influential builder in world history ... but an object lesson in the dangers of power -- Dominic Sandbrook * Sunday Times *One of the great biographies of all time ... [by] one of the great reporters of our time ... and probably the greatest biographer. He is also an extraordinary writer. After reading page 136 of his book The Power Broker, I gasped and read it again, then again. This, I thought, is how it should be done ... said to be one of the greatest nonfiction works ever written ... Every MP, wonk and would-be wonk in Westminster has read [Robert Caro's The Years of Lyndon Johnson], because they think it is the greatest insight into power ever written. They’re nearly right: it’s the second greatest after The Power Broker -- Bryan Appleyard * Sunday Times *I think about Robert Caro and reading The Power Broker back when I was 22 years old and just being mesmerized, and I'm sure it helped to shape how I think about politics -- Barack ObamaThis is irresistibly readable, an outright masterpiece and unparalleled insight into how power works and perhaps the greatest portrait ever of a world city -- David Sexton * Evening Standard *A stupendous achievement ... Caro's style is gripping, indeed hypnotic, and he squeezes every ounce of drama from his remarkable story … Can a democracy combine visionary leadership with effective checks and balances to contain the misuse of power? No book illustrates this fundamental dilemma of democracy better than The Power Broker ... Indeed, no student of government can regard his education as complete until he has read it -- Vernon Bogdanor * Independent *Remarkable … we learn as much about the intoxication and addiction of power as we do about the bureaucratic titan whose imprint on New York bears comparison with his only modern equivalent, the smasher and rebuilder of Paris, Baron Haussmann … [with] his detailed reporting and rhythmic prose, his great acuity for understanding and describing the nuances of politics and power … [Robert Caro] has no contemporary rivals -- John R MacArthur * Spectator *Monumental … extraordinary … The writing never flags. The detail is never irrelevant. The sheer relentlessness has a mesmeric quality. The character sketches … are wonderful … the way in which he shows how power is attained and how it can corrupt [is] fascinating … This book has helped change the way history is written -- Daniel Finkelstein * The Times *An epic, meticulously detailed study of power in general: how it’s acquired, how it’s used to change history, how it ultimately corrupts those who get it ... Masterfully, Caro shows how Moses transformed New York in ways both progressive and backward, benign and cruel ... as an account of how power and ambition shape the urban environment, The Power Broker has yet to be beaten -- Oliver Burkeman * Guardian *The story of how Robert Moses made and broke people and places is astonishing. It comes so highly recommended that it is unignorable -- Jeremy Paxman * Observer *A truly exceptional achievement … Important, awesome, compelling … extraordinary on many levels and certain to endure * Washington Post *One of the most exciting, un-put-downable books I have ever read. This is definitive biography, urban history, and investigative journalism. This is a study of the corruption which power exerts on those who wield it to set beside Tacitus and his emperors, Shakespeare and his kings * Baltimore Evening Sun *Surely the greatest book ever written about a city -- David HalberstamIrresistible reading. It is like one of the great Russian novels, overflowing with characters and incidents that all fit into a vast mosaic of plot and counterplot. Only this is no novel. This is a college education in power corruption * St. Louis Post-Dispatch *The most absorbing, detailed, instructive, provocative book ever published about the making and raping of modern New York City and environs and the man who did it, about the hidden plumbing of New York City and State politics over the last half-century, about the force of personality and the nature of political power in a democracy. A monumental work, a political biography and political history of the first magnitude * New York *A triumph, brilliant and totally fascinating. A majestic, even Shakespearean, drama about the interplay of power and personality -- Justin KaplanCaro has written one of the finest, best-researched and most analytically informative descriptions of our political and governmental processes to appear in a generation * Washington Post *Caro’s achievement is staggering … A milestone in literary and publishing history * Houston Post *An extraordinary study of the workings of power, individually, institutionally, politically, and economically * Wall Street Journal *A masterpiece of American reporting. It’s more than the story of a tragic figure or the exploration of the unknown politics of our time. It’s an elegantly written and enthralling work of art -- Theodore H. WhiteIn the future, the scholar who writes the history of American cities in the twentieth century will doubtless begin with this extraordinary effort * The New York Times Book Review *
£27.00
Vintage Publishing The Passage of Power: The Years of Lyndon Johnson
Book SynopsisHailed as 'the greatest biography of our era' (The Times) this is the fourth part of Robert Caro's multi-award-winning best-selling work on American President Lyndon Johnson.The Passage of Power, 'the series' crowning volume' (Economist), spans the years 1958 to 1964, arguably the most crucial years in the life of Johnson and pivotal years for American history. This era saw some of the most frustrating moments of Johnson's career, but also some of his most triumphant. His battle with the Kennedy brothers over the 1960 Democratic nomination for president was a bitter one, and the ensuing years of Johnson's vice-presidency were marked with humiliation. But, thrust into power following the assassination of J. F. Kennedy, Johnson grasped the presidential role with unprecedented skill. Caro also provides a fresh perspective on Kennedy’s assassination from Johnson's viewpoint, and penetrates deep into what it was like for him to assume a position of such power at a time of national crisis. The Passage of Power documents Johnson's extraordinary early presidency, forcing previously abandoned bills on the budget and civil rights through an uncooperative Congress and striving to achieve what he saw to be the highest standard of office.In The Years of Lyndon Johnson, Caro shows a delicacy of touch and a profoundness of insight into the state of a nation under the hand of a political master. Collectively these volumes constitute a major history of America in the first three-quarters of the twentieth century.Trade ReviewMonumental… For many politicians it is the finest book on politics… Magnificent…the tension between the fraud and ruthlessness that repulsed political liberals and the reaction of voters to whom he delivered, make Caro’s book the ultimate political story -- Daniel Finklestein * The Times *This extraordinary work will remain essential reading for decades to come -- Richard Lambert * Financial Times *A true story of huge personalities, bloody assassinations, loves, hatreds and betrayals (and the Kennedy family) that renders it by turns gripping, sensational and immensely depressing… A white-knuckle rollercoaster ride… Magisterial -- Andrew Roberts * Telegraph *A work of pure genius -- Steve Akehurst * Huffington Post UK *A work of greatness, of such acute observation of politics that its insights are applicable far beyond [its] time and place * Independent *Caro’s strength as a biographer is his ability to probe Johnson’s mind and motivations… Riveting… A rollercoaster tale * The Economist *Brilliant... Important... Remarkable... With this fascinating and meticulous account of Lyndon Johnson, Robert Caro has once again done America a great service -- Bill Clinton * New York Times Book Review *As riveting as a thriller… The next book will crown an achievement in presidential biography unmatched among presidential histories -- David Hendricks * Houston Chronicle *Caro sets the gold standard for modern political biography ... we can only hope we are fortunate enough to see this monumental work reach its long-awaited conclusion -- Tim Soutphommasane * New Statesman *One of the most ambitious single-handed literary enterprises in our time -- James M. Murphy * TLS *Long live Robert Caro… Truly epic political history and character study… Riveting…it elevates Caro’s tale to Shakespearean drama, as the coldhearted, Machiavellian maneuvering and hot-blooded rivalries of supremely ambitious men play out the fate of the free world at stake -- Dan DeLuca * Philadelphia Inquirer *A tremendous story, bursting with colour and character…the sheer wealth of political details keeps you turning the pages…gargantuan but brilliant -- Dominic Sandbrook * Sunday Times *It is not often that I have muttered, “Astonishing”, to myself as I close a book. But I see what people were on about now. Caro is a brilliant narrator of recent history… It is a work of greatness, of such acute observation of politics that its insights are applicable far beyond the time and place of the United States, 1960-64 -- John Rentoul * Independent *Riveting reading from beginning to end... The real tour de force in this stunning mix of political and psychological analysis comes in the account of the transition between administrations... An utterly fascinating character study, brimming with delicious insider stories... Unquestionably, one of the truly big books of the year * Booklist (starred review) *An addictive read, written in glorious prose that suggests the world’s most diligent beat reporter channeling William Faulkner. Passage is an essential document of a turning point in American history. It’s also an incisive portrait of one great, terrible fascinating man suddenly given the chance to reinvent the country in his image -- Darren Franich * Entertainment Weekly *My book of the year, by a landslide majority... Caro marries profound psychological insight with a brilliant eye for the drama of the times -- Robert Harris * Guardian *A breathtakingly dramatic story [told] with consummate artistry and ardor... It showcases Mr Caro's masterly gifts as a writer: his propulsive sense of narrative, his talent for enabling readers to see and feel history in the making and his ability to situate his subjects’ actions within the context of their times… Taken together the installments of Mr Caro’s monumental life of Johnson so far not only create a minutely detailed picture of an immensely complicated and conflicted individual, but they also form a revealing prism by which to view the better part of a century in description of Johnson – and those of John and Robert Kennedy – have novelistic depth and amplitude… Mr Caro uses his storytelling gifts to turn seemingly arcane legislative maneuvers into action-movie suspense, and he gives us unparalleled understanding…of how Johnson used a crisis and his own political acumen to implement his agenda with stunning speed… Engrossing -- Michiko Kakutani * New York Times *It is the mismatch between Johnson’s fate prior to the assassination and his fate in its aftermath that gives this book, the fourth volume of Caro’s monumental biography, its compelling but also unfathomable flavor… Caro’s account of the day of the assassination… is a magnificent piece of writing. What might have seemed familiar becomes startlingly fresh, because it is seen from the perspective of the man whose destiny suddenly came back into focus as the world of those around him was falling apart. -- David Runciman * London Review of Books *Riveting... Shakespearean... It’s a rollercoaster narrative as Johnson plummets from the powerful Senate majority leader post to vice-presidential irrelevance, hated and humiliated by the Kennedy brothers, then surges to presidential authority with the crack of Lee Harvey Oswald’s rifle and forces a revolutionary civil rights act through a recalcitrant Congress... Caro’s tormented, heroic Johnson makes an apt embodiment of an America struggling toward epochal change, one with a fascinating resonance in our era of gridlocked government * Publisher's Weekly (starred review) *Caro has once again shown that he might well be the greatest presidential historian we’ve ever had… Although the amount of research Caro has done for these books is staggering, it’s his immense talent as a writer that has made his biography of Johnson one of America’s most amazing literary achievements… Caro’s portrayal of the president is as scrupulously fair as it is passionate and deeply felt… The series is a masterpiece, unlike any other work of American history published in the past. It’s true that there will never be another Lyndon B. Johnson, but there will never be another Robert A. Caro, either. By writing the best presidential biography the country has ever seen, he’s forever changed the way we think, and read, American history -- Michael Schaub * NPR *The years of Lyndon Johnson, when completed, will rank as America’s most ambitiously conceived, assiduously researched and compulsively readable political biography… When Caro’s fifth volume arrives, reader’s gratitude will be exceeded only by their regret that there will not be a sixth -- George F. WillA great work of history… A great biography… Caro has summoned Lyndon Johnson to vivid, intimate life * Newsweek *The fourth volume of one of the most anticipated English-language biographies of the past 30 years... A compelling narrative...that will thrill those who care about American politics, the foundations of power, or both * Kirkus Reviews (starred review) *Political biography of the highest quality… An unmatched psychological portrait of Johnson as John F. Kennedy’s assassination catapults him into the presidency -- Tony Barber * Financial Times *Robert Caro’s biography of Lyndon Johnson is said to be on William Hague, George Osborne and Jeremy Hunt’s summer reading list * Guardian *This book shows the mastery of Johnson in politics, and also the mastery of Caro in biography -- David M. Shribman * Bloomberg/BusinessWeek *A great and occasionally astonishing biography -- John R MacArthur * Spectator *One of the greatest biographies in the history of American letters -- Bob Hoover * Cleveland Plain Dealer *The latest in what is almost without question the greatest political biography in modern times… Nobody goes deeper, works harder or produces more penetrating insights than [Caro] -- Patrick Beach * Austin American-Statesman *A major event in biography, history, even publishing itself… Caro has once more combined prodigious research and a literary gift to mount a stage for his Shakespearean figures: LBJ, JFK, LBJ’s nemesis Robert F. Kennedy * Library Journal (Starred) *A masterly how-to manual, showing Johnson’s knowledge of governing, his peerless congressional maneuvering and effective deal-making. The Years of Lyndon Johnson is a compact library: brilliant biography, gripping history, searing political drama and an incomparable study of power. It’s also a great read… And, after thousands of pages spent with Lyndon Johnson, one of Caro’s singular achievements is that you want more -- Peter Gianotti * Newsday *Brilliant… Riveting reading from beginning to end… The real tour de force in this stunning mix of political and psychological analysis comes in the account of the transition between administrations, from November 23 1963 to January 8, 1964… An utterly fascinating character study, brimming with delicious insider stories… Political wonks, of course, will dive into this book with unbridled passion, but its focus on a larger-than-life, flawed but fascinating individual – the kind of character who drives epic fiction – should extend its reach much, much further. Unquestionably, one of the truly big books of the year * Booklist (Starred) *The series’ crowning volume * The Economist *This pile-driving book has all the ingredients of a great drama, the humiliating childhood breeding a lifelong desire (to be president), the failure (to gain the Democratic nomination), the humiliation (almost constant, by JF Kennedy) the sudden change of fate (the assassination), and the vindication (when Johnson drives through key bills that Kennedy couldn’t, and proves himself the most astute of politicians). Totally compelling -- Biography of the year * Sunday Times Ireland *It is an extraordinary story of a deeply flawed character, told with such verve, such command of the facts, and such an understanding of power -- Craig Brown * Mail on Sunday *A major work of history and biography -- Annie Proulx * Guardian *The fourth installation of Caro’s masterwork came out this year and, cheeringly, there is no slackening of plot or pace -- Kathryn Hughes * Guardian *It is a profound portrait of two men, Johnson and John F. Kennedy, and the relationship between them -- Sarah Stands * Evening Standard *A fascinating story, Shakespearean in its passion and fury, as well as darkly comical -- Craig Brown * Mail on Sunday *This pile-driving book has all the ingredients of a great drama, the humiliating childhood breeding a lifelong desire (to be president), the failure (to gain the Democratic nomination), the humiliation (almost constant, by J. F. Kennedy) the sudden change of fate (the assassination), and the vindication (when Johnson drives through key bills that Kennedy couldn’t, and proves himself the most astute of politicians). Totally compelling * Sunday Times Ireland *The fourth volume of Caro’s magisterial work spans the five years that end shortly after Kennedy’s assassination, as Johnson prepares to push for a civil rights * New York Times *A meticulous dissection of political and economic structures in the US… a riveting read by one of the modern masters of historical writing * Morning Star *
£24.00
The Mercier Press Ltd One Day In My Life
Book SynopsisBobby Sands was 27 years old when he died. He spent almost nine years of his life in prison because of his Irish republican activities. He died, in prison, on 5 May 1981, on the sixty-sixth day of his hunger strike at Long Kesh Prison, outside Belfast. This book documents a day in the life of Bobby Sands. It is a tale of human bravery, endurance and courage against a backdrop of suffering, terror and harassment. It will live on as a constant reminder of events that should never have happened – and hopefully will never happen again.Trade Review'They were followed in 1982 by Bobby’s ‘One Day in My Life’ with an introduction by Seán Mac Bride. This was published by Mercier Press of Dublin and Cork whose founder and director John M. Feehan in 1983 wrote and published ‘Bobby Sands and the Tragedy of Northern Ireland’, an impassioned account of the political context of Bobby’s life and the war then raging. Feehan deserved credit for such work in the face of the prevailing censorship and demonization of republicans. With superb irony, he placed on the title page of his own book Margaret Thatcher’s words: “You have to be prepared to defend the things in which you believe and be prepared to use force to secure the future of liberty and self-determination.” ' - MÍCHEÁL MAC DONNCHA, An Phoblact
£9.50
Vintage Publishing Eleni
Book SynopsisA son's quest to avenge his mother's murder.In 1948, in a Greek mountain village, Eleni Gatzoyiannis was arrested, tortured and shot. She was one of the 158,000 victims of the Greek Civil War. Her crime had been to help her children escape from the Communist guerrillas who occupied their village. Her son, Nicholas Gage, was then eight years old. Eleni is the story of his obsessive and harrowing reconstruction of his mother's life and death and his pursuit of his mother's killer.Trade ReviewA devoted and brilliant achievement. One of the rare books in which the power of art recreates the historical truth * New York Review of Books *Exciting and harrowing... An amazing achievement -- Patrick Leigh FermorI cannot think of another book that so compellingly demonstrates the gradual deterioration of human values in the name of lofty goals. Minutely observed and eloquently rendered * New York Times *
£10.44
The Islamic Texts Society Saladin: The Triumph of the Sunni Revival
Book SynopsisOver 800 years since his death, Saladin''s fame as the Muslim liberator of Jerusalem, the great foe of Richard the Lionheart and the paragon of justice and nobility remains as powerful as it was during his lifetime.In this new edition, the author A. R. Azzam traces the historical rise of the great Kurdish general and the dramatic events that led to his famous victory at the battle of Hattin. The author also examines how Saladin became a legend in his own lifetime and how and why the legend has continued to endure so powerfully to the present age. But in Saladin: The Triumph of Sunni Revival, the author goes beyond the myth and argues that the legend of Saladin''s chivalry has neglected his inner spiritual life and beliefs and the vital role he played in upholding religious orthodoxy. Thus, Saladin: The Triumph of Sunni Revival is not just the study of the man but also the study of the historical age in which he lived and of the profound intellectual forces that influenced his thoughts and actions so deeply. It is a study of the power of an idea and how this idea, the Sunni Revival, began to take root and flourish in the century before Saladin was born and spread rapidly across the Muslim worldfrom Baghdad to Damascus, from Damascus to Cairo and ultimately and triumphantly, thanks to Saladin, from Cairo to Jerusalem.This book starts in Baghdad with the disintegration of the Abbasid caliphate, and introduces great figures such as Nizam ul-Mulk and al-Ghazali. And although this may appear to have little relevance in a biography of Saladin, A. R. Azzam argues that Saladin was in reality a child of the Sunni Revival and that it was the ideals of this Revival which more than anything affected his beliefs and actions and constitute the foundations of the greatness of his political and spiritual vision.
£16.99
HarperCollins Publishers 1812
Book SynopsisAdam Zamoyski’s bestselling account of Napoleon’s invasion of Russia and his catastrophic retreat from Moscow, events that had a profound effect on European history.Trade Review‘So brilliant that it is impossible to put the book aside … A master craftsman at work.’ Michael Burleigh, Sunday Times ‘Zamoyski’s book is a brilliant piece of narrative history, full of sparkling set-pieces, a wholly fascinating account of what must be reckoned one of the greatest military disasters of all time.’ Sunday Telegraph ‘No review can do justice to the scholarly integrity and human sensitivity of this book, or to the horror is describes … “1812” is one of the greatest stories ever told.’ Christopher Woodward, Spectator ‘An utterly admirable book. It combines clarity of thought and prose with a strong narrative drive.’ Daily Telegraph ‘A gripping tale.’ Economist ‘The best non-fiction version to be written so far … Zamoyski is brilliant at explaining what it must have been like to be a foot soldier.’ Mail on Sunday
£17.99
HarperCollins Publishers Congo
Book SynopsisFINALIST FOR THE CUNDILL PRIZE FOR HISTORYNot only deserves the description epic, in its true sense, but the term masterpiece as well' IndependentThis gripping epic tells the story of one of the world's most critical failed nation-states: the Democratic Republic of Congo. Interweaving his own family's history with the voices of a diverse range of individuals charismatic dictators, feuding warlords, child soldiers, and many in the African diaspora of Europe and China Van Reybrouck offers a deeply humane approach to political history, focusing squarely on the Congolese perspective and returning a nation's history to its people.Trade Review‘The research, the devotion, the inventiveness in Van Reybrouck's writing are a gift to everyone, not just fans of African history. This book not only deserves the description "epic", in its true sense, but the term "masterpiece" as well.’ Independent ‘A Big, fat, rich, readable tome … The book is alive with stories, and Reybrouck’s love of the nation and its people comes across strongly’ Independent on Sunday ‘Van Reybrouck brings this excessive history vividly to life … He has not only read through the library he intends to replace, he has dug up new archival material and draws on living memories … The result is a book as rich and resourceful as Congo itself.’ Guardian ‘A piece of luck for English-speaking readers. This is a magnificent account, intimately researched, and relevant for anyone interested in how the recent past may inform our near future … Extraordinary.’ New York Times ‘A vivid panorama of one of the most tormented lands in the world … Van Reybrouck covers all this in engrossing detail … A valuable addition to the rich literature that Congo has inspired.’ Washington Post ‘The English-speaking world has been impatiently awaiting this translation. ‘Congo’ is a remarkable piece of work. Van Reybrouck pulls off the tricky feat of keeping a panoramic history of a vast and complex nation accessible, intimate and particular.’ Michela Wrong, author of In the Footsteps of Mr. Kurtz ‘A monumental history . . . more exciting than any novel’ NRC Handelsblad ‘[Van Reybrouck] has a beautiful feel for language … His eye for the arresting human detail, combined with a wry appreciation for a peculiarly Congolese form of gumption, keeps you powering through this panoramic survey of 150 turbulent years … Both intimate and immediate … Fascinating’ Spectator ‘A masterful and gripping account … makes you rethink the entire project of modernity’ Yuval Noah Harari, Guardian Summer Reads
£14.24
HarperCollins Publishers Henry IV Part I Part II
Book SynopsisHarperCollins is proud to present its new range of best-loved, essential classics.The better part of valour is discretion.'King Henry IV's son, Prince Harry is quick-witted yet idle and irresponsible and lives a roguish existence keeping dubious company. However, when the kingdom is threatened, Prince Harry shows his true worth and heroism and begins a journey of transformation from layabout to noble leader.
£5.05
HarperCollins Publishers What She Ate Six Remarkable Women and the Food
Book Synopsis ‘If you find the subject of food to be both vexing and transfixing, you’ll love What She Ate’ Elle Trade Review‘In this joyful examination of six women’s lives in food, Shapiro sets out to excavate the minutiae of domestic routines for insights into the connection between mental state and menu … Always entertaining and brimming with enticing small details, from an image of Roosevelt scrambling eggs at the table in a dinner-party performance piece, to Pym noticing that Philip Larkin refused Brie at lunch.’ Francesca Wade, Financial Times ‘A bounteous and elegant feast for hungry minds’ BookList, (starred review) ‘If you find the subject of food to be both vexing and transfixing, you’ll love What She Ate’ Elle ‘What She Ate is a culinary and historical delight. Feast on it slowly so as not to miss a crumb’ BookPage ‘I devoured the book in one sitting’ Washington Post ‘Fascinating’ Wall Street Journal ‘A deliciously satisfying read’ Chicago Tribune ‘Fascinating. Shapiro, like a consummate maître d’, sets down plate after plate and an amazing thing happens: Slowly the more familiar accounts of each of the women’s lives recede and other, messier narratives emerge. How lucky for us readers that Shapiro has been listening so perceptively for decades to the language of food.’ NPR ‘A collection of deft portraits in which food supplies an added facet to the whole.What She Ate redeems the whole sentimental, self-indulgent genre of food writing’ Slate ‘A unique and delectable work’ Kirkus ‘What She Ate establishes Laura Shapiro as the founder of a delectable new literary genre: the culinary biography. A richly satisfying volume’ Megan Marshall ‘I wolfed down this wonderful account of the eating lives and habits of six notable and very diverse women … Shapiro … writes both engagingly and a trifle wryly’ Bookseller ‘Riveting. Shapiro reveals with wit and irony so much that is fascinating and unknown. What She Ate is both menu degustation and grand banquet’ Claudia Roden
£8.99
