Biography: historical, political and military Books
Cambridge University Press Robert Winchelsey and the Crown 12941313 A Study in the Defence of Ecclesiastical Liberty 14 Cambridge Studies in Medieval Life and Thought Third Series Series Number 14
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£40.84
Cambridge University Press Neville Chamberlain Volume 1 18691929
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£39.89
Cambridge University Press The Immortal Emperor
Book SynopsisDonald Nicol tells the gripping story of the life and death of Constantine XI Palaiologos, the last Christian Emperor of Constantinople and Byzantium. The book ends with an intriguing account of claims by reputed descendants of his family - some remarkably recent - to be heirs to the Byzantine throne.Trade Review'This account of the life of Constantine XI Palaiologos, last Byzantine emperor, is the entertaining and well written product of deep research into the diverse sources which cover the last years of the Byzantine Empire … The main text has the thrust of an epic work of fiction, but the powerful narrative is never allowed to eclipse the constant tight referencing, which gives the book its authority.' The Times Higher Education Supplement'The value of this work lies in its masterly synthesis of previous scholarship to produce a coherent and very readable account of the life of Constantine XI, the last Byzantine emperor … a lucid and interesting account of an intriguing subject.' History'… a sympathetic portrait of a ruler who stood out nobly, albeit vainly, against the flow of events'. The Spectator'Professor Nicol is also able to indulge his 'own enthusiasm for the lunatic fringe of Byzantine genealogy' … The last chapters provide a highly entertaining addition to the theme Byzance après Byzance. It is good to know that until quite recently there was still a Byzantine court and government in the Isle of Wight.' The Times Literary Supplement'… lucid and compelling …' The TimesTable of ContentsList of illustrations; Preface; List of abbreviations; Genealogical table; 1. The dwindling empire; 2. Constantine: despot at Mistra; 3. Constantine: emperor at Constantinople; 4. The fall of Constantinople; 5. The death of Constantine; 6. The immortal emperor; 7. The dying embers; Bibliography; Index.
£19.99
Cambridge University Press Machiavelli The Prince
Book SynopsisThis new edition of the acclaimed translation of Niccolò Machiavelli''s The Prince - revised for the first time after thirty years - includes a rewritten and extended introduction by Quentin Skinner. Niccolò Machiavelli is arguably the most famous and controversial figure in the history of political thought. The Prince remains his best-known work, and throws down a challenge that subsequent writers on statecraft and political morality have found impossible to ignore. Quentin Skinner''s introduction offers a lucid analysis of Machiavelli''s text both as a response to the world of Florentine politics and as a critical engagement with the classical and Renaissance genre of advice-books for princes. This new edition also features an improved timeline of key events in Machiavelli''s life, helping the reader place the work in the context of its time, in addition to an enlarged and fully updated bibliography.Table of ContentsEditorial note; Introduction; Principal events in Machiavelli's life; Bibliographical note; Translator's note; Map: northern and central Italy, c.1500; Dedicatory letter: Niccolò Machiavelli to His Magnificence Lorenzo de' Medici; 1. How many kinds of principality there are, and by what means they are acquired; 2. Hereditary principalities; 3. Mixed principalities; 4. Why the Kingdom of Darius, which Alexander occupied, did not rebel against his successors after Alexander's death; 5. By what means cities or provinces that lived under their own laws before they were occupied ought to be administered; 6. New principalities acquired by one's own arms and ability; 7. New principalities acquired through the arms and fortune of others; 8. Those who become rulers through crime; 9. The civil principality; 10. In what ways the strengths of all principalities should be measured; 11. Ecclesiastical principalities; 12. How many kinds of soldiers there are, and mercenary troops; 13. Auxiliaries, mixed troops and one's own troops; 14. How a ruler should act concerning military matters; 15. The things for which men, and especially rulers, are praised or blamed; 16. Liberality and parsimony; 17. Cruelty and mercifulness; and whether it is better to be loved than feared, or the contrary; 18. In what way rulers should keep their promises; 19. How contempt and hatred should be avoided; 20. Whether building fortresses, and many other things that rulers frequently do, are useful or useless; 21. What a ruler should do in order to be thought outstanding; 22. On those whom rulers employ in secret matters; 23. How flatterers should be shunned; 24. Why the rulers of Italy have lost their states; 25. How much control fortune has over human affairs, and by what means she can be resisted; 26. An exhortation to seize possession of Italy and assert her liberty from the barbarians; Appendix A. Letters relevant to The Prince; Appendix B. Notes on the vocabulary of The Prince; Biographical notes; Index of subjects; Index of proper names.
£41.79
Cambridge University Press Ho Chi Minh A Biography
Book SynopsisHo Chi Minh is one of the towering figures of the twentieth century, considered an icon and father of the nation by many Vietnamese. Pierre Brocheux's biography of Ho Chi Minh is a brilliant feat of historical engineering. In a concise and highly readable account, he negotiates the many twists and turns of Ho Chi Minh's life and his multiple identities, from impoverished beginnings as a communist revolutionary to his founding of the Indochina Communist Party and the League for the Independence of Vietnam and ultimately to his leadership of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and his death in 1969. Biographical events are adroitly placed within the broader historical canvas of colonization, decolonization, communism war, and nation building. Brocheux's vivid and convincing portrait of Ho Chi Minh goes further than any previous biography in explaining both the myth and the man, as well as the times in which he was situated.Trade Review'The founder of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam emerges as an appealing but still somewhat enigmatic figure in this impressionistic biography.' Publishers Weekly'A noted French scholar of colonial and contemporary Vietnam, Brocheux (The Mekong Delta) has written a fascinating account of Ho Chi Minh the man (born Nguyen Sinh Cung in 1890) and 'Uncle Ho' the myth.' Patti C. McCall, Library Journal'… the most sensitive treatment of Ho's complex personality, as well as iconic status, that I have read to date. Brocheux gives us his own interpretation of Ho while avoiding the temptation to extemporize in a quasi-fictional manner.' David G. Marr, Pacific Affairs'… a must for anyone fascinated with Southeast Asia and the Vietnam wars.' Choice'Pierre Brocheux has written an engrossing biography of Ho Chi Minh, based on an impressive range of unused or little-known sources.' Ngô Van, La Quinzaine Littéraire'[Pierre Brocheux's biography] is full of life and humanity, and thoroughly investigates the complexities of the man's life. A rich book, with an index and a timeline which helps the reader to find his way in such a complex life.' Jean-François Klein, Outre-Mers. Revue d'Historie'Written by one of the best specialists of colonial and contemporary Vietnam, this biography of the 'father' of the revolution offers a very 'historical' and objective account, without adding any of the biased and polemical views too often associated with the biographical genre.' Jean-Pierre Gomane, Politique Etrangère'A noted French scholar of colonial and contemporary Vietnam, Brocheux … has written a fascinating account of Ho Chi Minh the man … and 'Uncle Ho' the myth. Culling a number of obscure resources, Brocheux pieces together the enigmatic life of a person who changed identities and personas as he worked toward his cream of an independent and free Vietnam.' Library Journal Review'This is a lively and informative book on the life of Ho Chi Minh. The early chapters in particular, dealing with Ho's early life, travels and his developing ideology are among the best from the point of view of providing detail on the life of an early 20th century revolutionary. Asian AffairsTable of Contents1. In search of a future; 2. A missionary of revolution; 3. Under the Sword of Damocles; 4. Father of the nation; 5. The force of circumstance; 6. Epilogue: a man at the interface between two worlds.
£25.64
Cambridge University Press The Court and Reign of Francis the First King of
Book SynopsisThis two-volume work by the historian Julia Pardoe (1804â62) was published in 1849. (Her bestselling account of life in Turkey and her biography of Marie de Medici are both also reissued in the Cambridge Library Collection.) Pardoe began writing poetry and novels, but later turned to non-fiction, especially travel narratives and historical biography. In this work, she attempts to remove the accretions of myth which have clung to Francis I and to his court. Noting the tendency of French historians to glorify the monarchs of the distant past, she observes: 'it is only by reference to the more confidential records and correspondence of the period' that the modern historian can arrive at 'a just estimate of the character and motives of the sovereign'. Volume 1 begins with Francis' accession and its historical context, discusses his Italian wars, and ends with the death of Bayard in 1524.Table of ContentsPreface; 1. Accession of Francis I; 2. 1504–7; 3. 1508–12; 4. 1513; 5. 1513–14; 6. 1515; 7. 1515 (cont.); 8. 1515–17; 9. 1515–17 (cont.); 10. 1517–18; 11. 1518; 12. 1518 (cont.); 13. 1519; 14. 1519–20; 15. 1520–1; 16. 1522; 17. 1522 (cont.); 18. 1522 (cont.); 19. 1523; 20. 1523–4.
£41.79
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Mrs. Lincoln
Book Synopsis
£18.04
HarperCollins Publishers Inc I Didnt Do It for You
Book SynopsisScarred by decades of conflict and occupation, the craggy African nation of Eritrea has weathered the world''s longest-running guerrilla war. The dogged determination that secured victory against Ethiopia, its giant neighbor, is woven into the national psyche, the product of cynical foreign interventions. Fascist Italy wanted Eritrea as the springboard for a new, racially pure Roman empire; Britain sold off its industry for scrap; the United States needed a base for its state-of-the-art spy station; and the Soviet Union used it as a pawn in a proxy war.In I Didn''t Do It for You, Michela Wrong reveals the breathtaking abuses this tiny nation has suffered and, with a sharp eye for detail and a taste for the incongruous, tells the story of colonialism itself and how international power politics can play havoc with a country''s destiny.
£15.29
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Pulitzer
Book Synopsis
£17.99
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Femme Fatale
Book Synopsis
£15.29
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Hitler
Book Synopsis
£17.99
HarperCollins Publishers Inc With Malice toward None
Book Synopsis“The standard one-volume biography of Lincoln.” —Washington Post“Certainly the most objective biography of Lincoln ever written.” —David Herbert Donald, New York Times Book ReviewThe definitive life of Abraham Lincoln, With Malice Toward None is historian Stephen B. Oates''s acclaimed and enthralling portrait of America''s greatest leader. In this award-winning biography, Lincoln steps forward out of the shadow of myth as a recognizable, fully drawn American whose remarkable life continues to inspire and inform us today.Oates masterfully charts, with the pacing of a novel, Lincoln''s rise from bitter poverty in America''s midwestern frontier to become a self-made success in business, law, and regional politics. The second half of this riveting work examines his legendary leadership on the national stage as president during one of the c
£17.99
HarperCollins Publishers Inc The Intimate Lives of the Founding Fathers
Book Synopsis
£999.99
HarperCollins Publishers Inc The Intimate Lives of the Founding Fathers
Book Synopsis
£15.99
HarperCollins Publishers Inc The Last Trials of Clarence Darrow
Book Synopsis“Wonderfully evocative… Donald McRae captures the Great Defender in all his complexity.... A joy to read.” — Kevin Boyle, National Book Award-winning author of Arc of Justice Astonishingly vivid. —James Tobin, Award-winning author of Ernie Pyle’s War The story of the three dramatic trials that resurrected the life and career of America’s most colorful—and controversial—defense attorney: Clarence Darrow. Many books, plays, and movies have covered Darrow and the trials of Leopold and Loeb, John T. Scopes, and Ossian Sweet before: Geoffrey Cowan’s The People v. Clarence Darrow; Simon Baatz’s For the Thrill of It; Kevin Boyle’s Arc of Justice; Meyer Levin’s Compulsion and the film adaptation of the same name; Inherit the Wind; but few, if any, have achieved the intimacy and immediacy of Donald McRae’s The Great Trials of Cla
£999.99
HarperCollins Publishers Inc The Drillmaster of Valley Forge
Book Synopsis
£15.19
HarperCollins Publishers Inc The Voluntourist A SixCountry Tale of Love Loss
Book SynopsisIn 2007, when Ken Budd was 39, his father collapsed. He'd just finished 18 holes of golf. By the time Ken and his wife got to the hospital it was too late. Over the next few weeks, as grieving friends revealed how Ken's father had impacted their lives, he began thinking about parents, and children, about people. This title presents his portrait.Trade Review"One of the best-written travel memoirs...this book spins a compelling yarn, linking six varied experiences into a cohesive narrative. Recommended for anyone who has been, or is interested in becoming, a 'voluntourist.' " -- Library Journal "Readers of this unique travel memoir will undoubtedly be inspired to take a voluntour of their own, and the author includes helpful tips on how to do just that." -- Booklist "A solid introduction to the world of volunteer tourism and a pleasant diversion for those who don't mind a wandering road." -- Kirkus Reviews "In his sincere and subtly written memoir, Budd gracefully--and often humorously--records how he changes 'emotionally, physically, spiritually' as he travels to work with 'people with real problems and different perspectives.'" -- Publishers Weekly "Heart-warming...tempered with exactly the right amount of acerbic wit...Unless you're comfortable laughing loudly in publis, you don't want to read this on your daily commute." -- Vertge Magazine "For those of you who haven't read Ken's book yet, get your copy NOW! It's really that good." -- Jae-Ha Kim, syndicated travel columnist, Chicago Tribune "Funny, touching, insightful and compelling." -- The U.S. Center for Citizen Diplomacy "Lively...Entertaining...The author's intelligence and autobiographical honesty engage the reader...Budd is a skilled writer with a good ear for dialogue." -- PerceptiveTravel.com
£12.94
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Not Afraid of Life
Book SynopsisWhen her mother became the Republican Vice-Presidential candidate in 2008, Bristol Palin was instantly propelled into the national spotlight, becoming the focus of intense public and national media scrutiny at the age of seventeen. This title gives readers an intimate behind-the-scenes look at her life.Trade Review"She writes convincingly, and humbly, of how she was able to move beyond her feelings of shame and Hester Prynne-like social ostracism." -- Washington Post
£18.11
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Kick
Book SynopsisFilled with a wealth of revealing new material and insight, the biography of the vivacious, unconventional—and nearly forgotten—young Kennedy sister who charmed American society and the English aristocracy, and would break with her family for love.Encouraged to be “winners” from a young age, Rose and Joe Kennedy’s children were the embodiment of ambitious, wholesome Americanism. Yet even within this ebullient group of overachievers, the fourth Kennedy child, the irrepressible Kathleen, stood out. Lively, charismatic, extremely clever, and blessed with graceful athleticism and a sunny disposition, the alluring socialite fondly known as Kick was a firecracker who effortlessly made friends and stole hearts.Moving across the Atlantic when her father was appointed as the ambassador to Great Britain in 1938, Kick—the “nicest Kennedy”—quickly became the family’s star. Despite making little effort to fit into British
£999.99
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Forty Autumns
Book Synopsis
£999.99
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Charles Darwin
Book SynopsisA radical reappraisal of Charles Darwin from the bestselling author of Victoria: A Life.With the publication of On the Origin of Species, Charles Darwin—hailed as the man who discovered evolution—was propelled into the pantheon of great scientific thinkers, alongside Galileo, Copernicus, and Newton. Eminent writer A. N. Wilson challenges this long-held assumption. Contextualizing Darwin and his ideas, he offers a groundbreaking critical look at this revered figure in modern science.In this beautifully written, deeply erudite portrait, Wilson argues that Darwin was not an original scientific thinker, but a ruthless and determined self-promoter who did not credit the many great sages whose ideas he advanced in his book. Furthermore, Wilson contends that religion and Darwinism have much more in common than it would seem, for the acceptance of Darwin''s theory involves a pretty significant leap of faith.Armed with an ex
£18.04
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Lincoln and the Abolitionists John Quincy Adams
Book Synopsis
£16.19
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Rough Riders
Book Synopsis
£24.29
HarperCollins Publishers Inc The Dean The Best Seat in the House
Book Synopsis
£999.99
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Obama From Promise to Power
Book SynopsisTrade Review"David Mendell got to Barack Obama before most of the rest of the world, telling the story of Obama's remarkable rise to power with deep reporting and in vivid detail. Obama was perhaps the most unlikely person ever to seek the presidency. Mendell's fine book provides the historical backdrop for how Obama got to the starting line of that 2008 campaign. The story he tells is as fresh today as it was at the time." -- Dan Balz, Chief Correspondent at the Washington Post "This book was required reading for those of us who covered Obama's 2008 campaign. Two White House terms later, it remains a fascinating and unfiltered read about the remarkable political rise of a major historical figure." -- John McCormick, Bloomberg national political reporter "Long before Barack Obama was president, David Mendell was there?and we're lucky he was. In Obama: From Promise to Power, he uses his extraordinary access to Barack and Michelle Obama, their friends and aides, to deliver an engaging and insightful portrait of one of the most intriguing leaders in modern American history." -- Peter Slevin, author of Michelle Obama: A Life. "I recommend this wonderful book to anyone who wants to know the real story behind Barack Obama's historic rise to national political stardom. Having covered Obama since his Senate campaign began, David Mendell offers an insightful, richly detailed and refreshingly balanced account of a 'change candidate' who was neither as perfect or as flawed as others might want you to believe." -- Clarence Page, 1989 Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist for the Chicago Tribune "Long before Barack Obama made history, he attracted the attention of the gifted journalist David Mendell. His intimate interviews with the rising political star, and his brilliant analysis of the movement that formed around him, endure as an unparalleled chronicle of the making of an American president." -- Evan Osnos, winner of the National Book Award for Age of Ambition, and staff writer at the New Yorker "Before Barack Obama was a towering political figure, he was a local pol. This book serves as a corrective to Obama mythmaking on both sides, and it provides an insider's glimpse at the political origins and stunningly swift rise of Barack Obama." -- Ben Smith, editor-in-chief of BuzzFeed "David Mendell was on the Obama story long before the rest of the world caught on. This book remains an essential text for understanding President Obama's formative years." -- Alec MacGillis, government and politics reporter for ProPublica and author of The Cynic: A biography of Senator Mitch McConnell The single best source of background information on our new president. -- National Review
£999.99
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Member of the Family
Book Synopsis
£999.99
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Member of the Family
Book Synopsis
£999.99
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Love in the Blitz
Book Synopsis
£999.99
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Love in the Blitz
Book SynopsisOn July 17th 1939, Eileen Alexander, a bright young woman recently graduated from Girton College, Cambridge, begins a brilliant correspondence with fellow Cambridge student Gershon Ellenbogen that lasts five years and spans many hundreds of letters. But as Eileen and Gershon’s relationship flourishes from friendship and admiration into passion and love, the tensions between Germany, Russia, and the rest of Europe reach a crescendo. When war is declared, Gershon heads for Cairo and Eileen forgoes her studies to work in the Air Ministry.As cinematic as Atonement, written with the intimacy of the Neapolitan quartet, Love in the Blitz is an extraordinary glimpse of life in London during World War II and an illuminating portrait of an ordinary young woman trying to carve a place for herself in a time of uncertainty. As the Luftwaffe begins its bombardment of England, Eileen, like her fellow Britons, carries on while her loved ones are called up to fi
£999.99
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Blanche
Book SynopsisA penetrating consideration of Tennessee Williams’s most enduring character—Blanche DuBois from A Streetcar Named Desire—written by the co-author of The Fabulous Bouvier Sisters and Furious Love.Ever since Jessica Tandy glided onto the stage in Tennessee Williams’s A Streetcar Named Desire at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre in 1947, Blanche DuBois has fascinated generations of audiences worldwide and secured a place in the history of literature, theater, and film. One of Williams’s greatest creations, Blanche has bedazzled, amused, and broken the hearts of generations of audiences. Before the Covid pandemic, the stage classic was performed somewhere in the world every hour. It has been adapted into a ballet and an opera, and it was satirized in an episode of The Simpsons. The final twelve words Blanche utters at the play’s end—“I have always depended on the kindness of st
£999.99
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Saving Freedom
Book SynopsisNEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!History called on Harry Truman to unite the Western world against Soviet communism, but first he had to rally Republicans and Democrats behind America’s most dramatic foreign policy shift since George Washington delivered his farewell address. How did one of the least prepared presidents to walk into the Oval Office become one of its most successful?The year was 1947. The Soviet Union had moved from being America’s uneasy ally in the Second World War to its most feared enemy. With Joseph Stalin’s ambitions pushing westward, Turkey was pressured from the east while communist revolutionaries overran Greece. The British Empire was battered from its war with Hitler and suddenly teetering on the brink of financial ruin. Only America could afford to defend freedom in the West, and the effort was spearheaded by a president who hadn’t even been elected to that office. But Truman would wage a domestic political battle that carried with it the highest of stakes, inspiring friends and foes alike to join in his crusade to defend democracy across the globe.In Saving Freedom, Joe Scarborough recounts the historic forces that moved Truman toward his country’s long twilight struggle against Soviet communism, and how this untested president acted decisively to build a lasting coalition that would influence America’s foreign policy for generations to come. On March 12, 1947, Truman delivered an address before a joint session of Congress announcing a policy of containment that would soon become known as the Truman Doctrine. That doctrine pledged that the United States would “support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures.” The untested president’s policy was a radical shift from 150 years of isolationism, but it would prove to be the pivotal moment that guaranteed Western Europe’s freedom, the American Century’s rise, and the eventual collapse of the Soviet Union. Truman’s triumph over the personal and political struggles that confronted him following his ascension to the presidency is an inspiring tale of American leadership, fierce determination, bipartisan unity, and courage in the face of the rising Soviet threat. Saving Freedom explores one of the most pivotal moments of the twentieth century, a turning point when patriotic Americans of both political parties worked together to defeat tyranny.
£17.09
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Franklin Washington
Book Synopsis
£999.99
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Dare to Fly
Book SynopsisTrade Review“A well-written, highly-readable personal narrative of overcoming a battery of obstacles to become a genuine American hero. [McSally’s] accomplishments are legendary.” — Washington Times “Martha McSally paved the way for others, endured hardship, and exuded courage. The lessons she learned and the stories she shares are inspiring for anyone—in and out of the cockpit.” — Hon. Heather Wilson, former Secretary of the Air Force “I was honored to be in the very first group of U.S. women military pilots as a World War II WASP [Women Airforce Service Pilots]. I have known Martha McSally for decades, and am proud of how she has preserved and carried on our legacy. She is a fighter and leader who still serves our country. A woman who is as good as her word and gets things done. Congratulations, Martha, on your book and your life.” — Nell Bright, WWII veteran, Women Airforce Service Pilot (WASP) “Like the A-10 aircraft she flew in combat, retired colonel and fighter pilot Martha McSally is a gritty individual who loves our Air Force and personified its core values of excellence, integrity, and service before self, while standing up to make it a better institution for everyone who serves. How to be resolute, do the right thing, persevere, find gratitude, and learn compassion are just some of the lessons in her inspirational life story.” — Ron Fogleman, General (ret.), U.S. Air Force; former Air Force Chief of Staff
£15.52
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Modern Warriors Real Stories from Real Heroes
Book Synopsis
£999.99
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Vanderbilt
Book Synopsis
£28.80
HarperCollins Publishers Inc The Good Fight
Book Synopsis
£999.99
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Unbought and Unbossed
Book Synopsis
£15.97
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Silent Spring Revolution
Book SynopsisNew York Times bestselling author and acclaimed presidential historian Douglas Brinkley chronicles the rise of environmental activism during the Long Sixties (1960-1973), telling the story of an indomitable generation that saved the natural world under the leadership of John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, and Richard Nixon.With the detonation of the Trinity explosion in the New Mexico desert in 1945, the United States took control of Earth’s destiny for the first time. After the Truman administration dropped atomic bombs on Japan to end World War II, a grim new epoch had arrived. During the early Cold War years, the federal government routinely detonated nuclear devices in the Nevada desert and the Marshall Islands. Not only was nuclear fallout a public health menace, but entire ecosystems were contaminated with radioactive materials. During the 1950s, an unprecedented postwar economic boom took hold, with America becoming the world’s leadin
£999.99
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Benjamin Franklins Last Bet
Book SynopsisThe incredible story of Benjamin Franklin’s parting gift to the working-class people of Boston and Philadelphia—a deathbed wager that captures the Founder’s American Dream and his lessons for our current, conflicted age.Benjamin Franklin was not a gambling man. But at the end of his illustrious life, the Founder allowed himself a final wager on the survival of the United States: a gift of two thousand pounds to Boston and Philadelphia, to be lent out to tradesmen over the next two centuries to jump-start their careers. Each loan would be repaid with interest over ten years. If all went according to Franklin’s inventive scheme, the accrued final payout in 1991 would be a windfall. In Benjamin Franklin’s Last Bet, Michael Meyer traces the evolution of these twin funds as they age alongside America itself, bankrolling woodworkers and silversmiths, trade schools and space races. Over time, Franklin’s w
£19.79
HarperCollins Publishers Inc This America of Ours
Book SynopsisWinner of the High Plains Book Award Best Book of the Year - Outdoor Writers Association of America“A brilliant rendering of what ''the open space of democracy'' must be if we are to survive its present state of erosion.” -Terry Tempest Williams The untold and “energetic” history of the extraordinary couple who rescued national parks from McCarthyism—and inspired a future of conservation (Wall Street Journal)In late-1940s America, few writers commanded attention like Bernard DeVoto. Alongside his brilliant wife and editor, Avis, DeVoto was a firebrand of American liberty, free speech, and perhaps our greatest national treasure: public lands. But when a corrupt band of lawmakers, led by Senator Pat McCarran, sought to quietly cede millions of acres of national parks and other western lands to logging, mining, and private industry, the
£999.99
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Astor
Book Synopsis
£33.29
Penguin Books Ltd Bernini
Book SynopsisSculptor and architect Bernini was the virtual creator and greatest exponent of Baroque in 17th century Italy. He has left his greatest mark on Rome where Papal patronage provided him with enormous architectural commissions.Table of ContentsBerniniList of Plates List of Text Figures Foreword Introduction 1. The Prodigy 2. Bernini in Command 3. Disaster and Triumph 4. Two Churches and St. Peter's 5. Le Cavalier en France 6. The Late Works Bibliographical Note Notes to the Text Index
£14.24
Penguin Books Ltd The Rise of Rome Penguin Classics
Book SynopsisThe latest installment in our fully revised edition of Plutarch’s Lives of the great men of the ancient world, this volume focusing on early RomeThe biographies collected in this volume bring together Plutarch’s Lives of those great men who established the city of Rome, and his Comparisons with their notable Greek counterparts. As well as providing an illuminating picture of the first century A.D., Plutarch depicts complex heroes who display the essential virtues of Greek civilization—courage, patriotism, justice, intelligence, and reason—that contributed to the rise of Rome.For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by intrTrade Review“Fabulous selection with excellent notes.”--David A. Graf, Professor of Religious Studies, University of Miami
£17.09
Penguin Books Ltd George II Penguin Monarchs Not Just a British
Book Synopsis
£19.79
Penguin Putnam Inc Secrets A Memoir of Vietnam and the Pentagon
Book SynopsisThe true story of the leaking of the Pentagon Papers, the event which inspired Steven Spielberg’s feature film The PostIn 1971 former Cold War hard-liner Daniel Ellsberg made history by releasing the Pentagon Papers - a 7,000-page top-secret study of U.S. decision-making in Vietnam - to the New York Times and Washington Post. The document set in motion a chain of events that ended not only the Nixon presidency but the Vietnam War. In this remarkable memoir, Ellsberg describes in dramatic detail the two years he spent in Vietnam as a U.S. State Department observer, and how he came to risk his career and freedom to expose the deceptions and delusions that shaped three decades of American foreign policy. The story of one man's exploration of conscience, Secrets is also a portrait of America at a perilous crossroad.[Ellsberg's] well-told memoir sticks in the mind and will be a powerful testament for future students of a war that the United
£18.70
Penguin Putnam Inc Crazy Horse
Book Synopsis
£14.45
Penguin Putnam Inc In the Hurricanes Eye
Book SynopsisNEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERNathaniel Philbrick is a masterly storyteller. Here he seeks to elevate the naval battles between the French and British to a central place in the history of the American Revolution. He succeeds, marvelously.--The New York Times Book ReviewThe thrilling story of the year that won the Revolutionary War from the New York Times bestselling author of In the Heart of the Sea and Mayflower. In the concluding volume of his acclaimed American Revolution series, Nathaniel Philbrick tells the thrilling story of the year that won the Revolutionary War. In the fall of 1780, after five frustrating years of war, George Washington had come to realize that the only way to defeat the British Empire was with the help of the French navy. But coordinating his army''s movements with those of a fleet of warships based thousands of miles away was next to impossible. And then, on September 5, 1
£13.29
Penguin Putnam Inc Revolutionary Characters
Book Synopsis
£999.99
