Collected biographies Books

Book SynopsisFollowing his blockbuster biography of Steve Jobs, The Innovatorsis Walter Isaacson''s story of the people who created the computer and the Internet. It is destined to be the standard history of the digital revolution and a guide to how innovation really works. What talents allowed certain inventors and entrepreneurs to turn their disruptive ideas into realities? What led to their creative leaps? Why did some succeed and others fail? In his exciting saga, Isaacson begins with Ada Lovelace, Lord Byron''s daughter, who pioneered computer programming in the 1840s. He then explores the fascinating personalities that created our current digital revolution, such as Vannevar Bush, Alan Turing, John von Neumann, J.C.R. Licklider, Doug Engelbart, Robert Noyce, Bill Gates, Steve Wozniak, Steve Jobs, Tim Berners-Lee and Larry Page. This is the story of how their minds worked and what made them so creative. It''s also a narrative of how their ability to collaborate and m

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Book SynopsisAn incisive and deeply candid account that explores autistic women in culture, myth, and society through the prism of the author’s own diagnosis. Until the 1980s, autism was regarded as a condition found mostly in boys. Even in our time, autistic girls and women have largely remained undiagnosed. When portrayed in popular culture, women on the spectrum often appear simply as copies of their male counterparts — talented and socially awkward. Yet autistic women exist, and always have. They are varied in their interests and in their experiences. Autism may be relatively new as a term and a diagnosis, but not as a way of being and functioning in the world. It has always been part of the human condition. So who are these women, and what does it mean to see the world through their eyes? In The Autists, Clara Törnvall reclaims the language to describe autism and explores the autistic experience in arts and culture throughout history. From popular culture, films, and photography to literature, opera, and ballet, she dares to ask what it might mean to re-read these works through an autistic lens — what we might discover if we allow perspectives beyond the neurotypical to take centre stage.Trade Review‘Törnvall has written an important, illuminating first book, one that deserves to sit alongside the best insider accounts of autism … [The Autists] should be required reading for all parents, partners, friends and colleagues of anyone on the autism spectrum, as well as a road map for autistic women navigating the neurotypical world.’ -- James Cook * Times Literary Supplement *‘Personal, entertaining, educational.’ * M Magasin *‘She writes with clarity, the style is characterised with rigour and clear pedagogics, making it easy for the reader to learn a subject that for many has only had a stereotypical “Rain Man”-connotations.’ * Svenska Dagbladet *‘Even if you ought to avoid hyping the autistic as superheroes, Törnvall shows that conformity to the norm is a ludicrous waste of the power in these beautiful brains.’ * Dagens Nyheter *‘[E]ven today, the adult autistic woman is a person who is difficult to grasp. She’s our civilisations’ elusive shadow. She’s the topic of of the thought-provoking book, The Autists.’ * Expressen *‘A carefully and intelligently composed book that fills a gaping hole … It is part of a big knowledge building that is ultimately about getting girls and women on the spectrum made visible and noticed.’ * Dagens ETC *‘The Autists is a medical, cultural, psychological history of autism research, diagnosis, and representation. It is framed as a memoir, but goes far beyond that … This will be an eye-opening and useful book for people with preconceptions about autism and autists … This is an excellent book to help you understand how autism works, full of clear and entertaining examples and anecdotes, beautifully written and translated (by Alice E. Olsson) so that it reads smoothly and swiftly. Whether you are neurodivergent, know someone who is, or are simply interested in seeing the world as it really is, there is a lot to be learned from this short entertaining book.’ -- Henry Oliver * The Common Reader *‘Journalist Törnvall seeks comfort in the stories of other autistic women throughout history in her illuminating debut … An insightful and involving narrator, Törnvall movingly explores how women with so-called “high-functioning autism” persisted in harnessing their abilities whether or not they lived in a time that recognised their neurotype. This winning combination of memoir and cultural history stimulates and entertains in equal measure.’ -- Publishers Weekly, starred review‘Törnvall was diagnosed as autistic at the age of forty-two, and The Autists takes her own experience as a lens through which to explore the phenomena and experiences of autistic women more generally. Its research is wide-ranging … I was particularly delighted by Törnvall’s chapter on language, “Too Much Faith in Words”’ -- Caitlin McGregor * Sydney Review of Books *

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Book SynopsisA vivid double biography of two fearless early medieval queens. 'Brings the Merovingian empire to thrilling, bewildering, horrifying life' Helen Castor 'Restores two half-forgotten and much-mythologized queens to their proper place in medieval history' Dan Jones 'Fredegund and Brunhild have finally found a worthy champion' Literary Review Brunhild was a Visigothic princess, raised to be married off for the sake of alliance-building. Her sister-in-law Fredegund started out as a lowly palace slave. And yet – in sixth-century Merovingian France, where women were excluded from noble succession and royal politics was a blood sport – these two iron-willed strategists reigned over vast realms for decades, changing the face of Europe. After Brunhild’s and Fredegund’s deaths, however, their stories were rewritten, their names consigned to slander and legend. From the tangled primary evidence of Merovingian sources, award-winning writer Shelley Puhak weaves a gripping and intricate tale, its characters driven by ambition, lust and jealousy to acts of treachery and murderous violence. The Dark Queens resurrects these two women in all their complexity, painting a richly detailed portrait of a shadowy era and dispelling some of the stubbornest myths about female power.Trade ReviewThe Dark Queens brings the Merovingian empire to thrilling, bewildering, horrifying life. This is the story – told with a sharp eye, at heart-pounding pace – of two extraordinary women who held power in a brutal world that believed their sex couldn't rule. Many scholars 'still don't know what to do' with Brunhild and Fredegund. Shelley Puhak does -- Helen CastorBright, smart, and playful, The Dark Queens is a marvelous trip into the murky early Middle Ages. Shelley Puhak presents a believable and vividly drawn portrait of the Frankish world, and in doing so restores two half-forgotten and much-mythologized queens, Brunhild and Fredegund, to their proper place in medieval history -- Dan JonesOn the one hand, a story of scheming and savagery to make Game of Thrones look tame – on the other, a genuinely important exploration of the relationship between two powerful women, written with zest and verve -- Sarah GristwoodHistory owes more to Brunhild and Fredegund, two queens whose bitter rivalry left a trail of bodies in their wake, than the lies perpetuated by their enemies. So bravo to Shelley Puhak for a remarkable piece of detective work, by turns enlightening and shocking. Anyone who thought that medieval queens spent their time sewing and sighing is in for a surprise -- Amanda ForemanA vivid and engaging tapestry of Merovingian plot and counterplot -- Max AdamsThis gripping saga features everything from gory murders to scandalous nuns. Brunhild and Fredegund are often flattened into early medieval Europe's great villains, but in Shelley Puhak's brilliant telling, they come to rich and nuanced life -- Emma SouthonA well-researched and well-told epic history. The Dark Queens brings these courageous, flawed, and ruthless rulers and their distant times back to life -- Margot Lee ShetterlyA compelling read for those with an interest in early medieval European history, Merovingian history, and women in power * Library Journal *A lyrical and astute assessment of the political maneuvers, battlefield strategies, and resilience of medieval queens and rivals Fredegund and Brunhild... Puhak skillfully draws on contemporaneous sources, including letters, poems, and a vividly told yet obviously biased account by Brunhild's devoted ally, Bishop Gregory of Tours, to create her thrilling history. The resulting is a deeply fascinating portrait of the early Middle Ages that vigorously reclaims two powerhouse women from obscurity * Publishers Weekly *Engaging... Fast-paced and intriguing * Booklist *This is a book that will appeal not only to those with an interest in the Middle Ages, but anyone who loves the cut-and-thrust of court politics and ambition laid bare * All About History *Fredegund and Brunhild were clearly extraordinary women. In Puhak, they have finally found a worthy champion * Literary Review *Complete with maps, illustrations and a cast of characters, this is a vibrant exploration of these complex individuals, their world, and their legacy * BBC History Revealed *Eventful plot, entertaining style and historical credibility * TLS *A gripping tale of power, ambition and murderous rivalry in early medieval France * The Critic *

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis'Wonderfully readable... Emphasises their sheer extraordinariness and celebrates them' MAIL ON SUNDAY. The eldest was a razor-sharp novelist of upper-class manners; the second was loved by John Betjeman; the third was a fascist who married Oswald Mosley; the fourth idolized Hitler and shot herself in the head when Britain declared war on Germany; the fifth was a member of the American Communist Party; the sixth became Duchess of Devonshire. They were the Mitford sisters: Nancy, Pamela, Diana, Unity, Jessica and Deborah. Born into country-house privilege, they became prominent as 'bright young things' in the high society of interwar London. Then, as the shadows crept over 1930s Europe, the stark – and very public – differences in their outlooks came to symbolise the political polarities of a dangerous decade. The intertwined stories of their lives – recounted in masterly fashion by Laura Thompson – hold up a revelatory mirror to upper-class English life before and after World War II.Trade ReviewI was enthralled and charmed by this group biography of all six Mitford sisters, which tells the intertwined stories of their stylish scandalous lives in a fresh and admirably concise way – and with a striking contemporary sensibility too * Bookseller, Editors Choice *Engaging... Thompson's is an astute, highly readable and well assembled book, and she writes with particular intelligence about the sisters' self-mythologising and their ongoing hold on the public imagination' * The Observer *Thompson is marvellous at mapping and explicating the webs or skeins of sibling rivalry [in this] gripping and appalling family saga * The Times *The first book to consider "the whole six-pack" in the post-Mitford age. And what a remarkable story it is... Thompson retells the story with great style and illuminating detail' * The Independent *Thompson has written this book with generosity and delicacy. It is amusing, poignant and perceptive as a portrait of the sisters' long lives and changing times, and of their own apparent inability to change with them * Book Oxygen *A breezy vigorous argument for the sisters' powerful, unrepeatable significance... Thompson combines a subtle understanding of history with enjoyably crisp, tart insights: this is an excellent place either to begin with the Mitfords or proceed with them' * Mail on Sunday *I was captivated by this group biography, which tells the story of the Mitfords' sensational lives in a fresh and concise way * Sunday Express *A wonderful telling of an extraordinary family living in extraordinary times * Yorkshire Gazette & Herald *This is a careful, realistic assessment of their virtues, follies and charm * Daily Mail. *Not the first-ever book about the Mitford sisters - but it might well be the best of the lot' * Reader's Digest. *Thompson's wonderfully readable biography emphasises their sheer extraordinariness and celebrates them * The Mail on Sunday *This book builds rich individual portraits, especially of the unfathomable Diana * TLS *Gives a great insight into the relationship between the sisters as their lives unfold * Irish Independent *It's brilliant on the most fascinating and least explored sister, Diana... A wonderful book' * Mail on Sunday *

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Book Synopsis'Long Live Freedom!' — Hans Scholl's last words before his execution The White Rose (die Weiße Rose) resistance circle was a group of students and a professor at the University of Munich who in the early 1940s secretly wrote and distributed anti-Nazi pamphlets. At its heart were Hans Scholl, Sophie Scholl, Christoph Probst, Alexander Schmorell, Willi Graf and Professor Kurt Huber, all of whom were executed in 1943 by the Nazi regime. The youngest among them was just twenty-one years old. This book outlines the story of the group and sets their resistance texts in political and historical context, including archival photographs. A series of brief biographical sketches, along with excerpts from letters and diaries, trace each member’s journey towards action against the National Socialist state. The White Rose resistance pamphlets are included in full, translated by students at the University of Oxford. These translations are the result of work by undergraduates around the same age as the original student authors, working together on texts, ideas and issues. This project reflects a crucial aspect of the White Rose: its collaborative nature. The resistance pamphlets were written collaboratively, and they could not have had the reach they did without being distributed by multiple individuals, defying Hitler through words and ideas. Today, the bravery of the White Rose lives on in film and literature and is commemorated not just in Munich but throughout Germany and beyond.Table of ContentsContents Acknowledgements The White Rose: An Introduction Biographical Sketches Sophie Scholl (1921-1943) Hans Scholl (1918-1943) Christoph Probst (1919-1943) Alexander Schmorell (1917-1943) Kurt Huber (1893-1943) Willi Graf (1918-1943) Hans Leipelt (1921-1945) The Pamphlets of the White Rose Pamphlet I Pamphlet II Pamphlet III Pamphlet IV Pamphlet V Pamphlet VI Draft Pamphlet VII Timeline of Events Further Reading and Viewing in English Bibliography Picture Credits Index

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“Jason Porath manages to be simultaneously irreverent and respectful in this delightfully illustrated collection of vignettes, which explore all the ways a woman can be tough. Tough Mothers is packed with inspirational, cautionary, and sometimes difficult stories of the power of mothers through the centuries and around the world.” — Tracy V. Wilson and Holly Frey, Hosts of Stuff You Missed In History Class “The stories of the forgotten women herein have nourished me in a way I’m having difficulty articulating, sating a hunger I didn’t know I had. I needed these women. In all their glorious imperfection, they have made me stronger. And now I am hungry for more.” — Kelly Sue DeConnick, author Of Bitch Planet, Pretty Deadly, and Captain Marvel “Porath draws these moms in all their variety, creating cartoony illustrations that are cinematic, upbeat, and inspiring.” — Booklist

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Book SynopsisLove Offers No Safety: Nigeria’s Queer Men Speak is a raw and powerful collection of 25 first-person narratives that explore the diverse experience of queer Nigerian men. These stirring stories cut across age, class, religion, ethnicity, family and relationships, offering a glimpse into what it means to survive as a queer man in Nigeria. From Tunji, who takes us back to the thriving networking community before social media, to Chukwori, who struggles to reconcile his need to serve God with his sexuality, and Abdulkarim, who frustratingly wonders if he’ll ever stop working twice as hard to be accepted, these stories are full of contradictions, anger, resiliency, profound insight, and radical hope. With heightened levels of oppression, violence, and discrimination faced by LGBTQ Nigerians due to the Same Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Law, these voices remind us of what the queer community in Nigeria has always been fighting for - the freedom to be themselves, love themselves, and love each other, despite being viewed as unworthy. Love Offers No Safety is a heart-breaking yet hopeful reminder that love knows no boundaries and offers no safety, but it is worth fighting for.Table of ContentsTable Of Contents Introduction The Past Was More Accepting Than The Future I Was Never Alone With My Mother’s Love My Sexuality Is Part Of Me, But It Does Not Define Me Do Not Rely Too Much On Labels, For Too Often They Are Fables Navigating Loneliness The Many Faces Of Love Offers No Safety A Divine Life In Darkness, A Liberated Life In Light Between A Rock And A Hard Place As Long As I Love Myself, I Will Be Fine When I Am No Longer Afraid, I Will Stop Being Perfect My Future Is Not With A Woman My Sexuality Does Not Affects My Faith Every Man Is Born Gay Waiting On The Sideline For The Life I Desire Despite Pitfalls, I Have Triumphed In My Sexuality I Am Queer. This Is Who I Am My Activism Is To Protect Vulnerable People Swinging Both Ways With A Solid Marriage I Will Continue To Survive Within This Environment It Is Not What I Do, It Is Who I Am Steppingstones To Happiness I Was Forced To Come Out If Your Son Asks For Bread, Will You Give Him A Stone? The Tide Will Determine How Well The Pendulum Will Swing

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Book Synopsis'They were not just reporters; they were also pioneers, and Judith Mackrell has done them proud.' –SpectatorGoing with the Boys follows six intrepid women as their lives and careers intertwined on the front lines of the Second World War.Martha Gellhorn got the scoop on D-Day by traveling to Normandy as a stowaway on a Red Cross ship; Lee Miller went from being a Vogue cover model to the magazine’s official war correspondent; Sigrid Schultz hid her Jewish identity and risked her life by reporting on the Nazi regime; Virginia Cowles, transformed herself from ‘society girl columnist’ to combat reporter; Clare Hollingworth was the first English journalist to break the news of the war, while Helen Kirkpatrick was the first woman to report from an Allied war zone to be granted equal privileges to her male colleagues.Barred from official briefings and from combat zones, their lives made deliberately difficult by entrenched prejudice, all six set up their own informal contacts and found their own pockets of war action. In this gripping, intimate and nuanced account, Judith Mackrell celebrates these extraordinary women and reveals how they wrote history as it was being made, changing the face of war reporting forever.'This is a book that manages to be thoughtful and edge-of-your-seat thrilling.' – Mail on Sunday 'Like the copy filed by her subjects, it is an essential read.' – BBC History MagazineTrade ReviewWomen's ability to cope was apparently beyond military imagination, yet ironically, as Judith Mackrell's compelling book shows, navigating newspaper bias and military restrictions often gave women the professional edge . . . They were not just reporters; they were also pioneers, and Judith Mackrell has done them proud. -- Clare Mulley * Spectator *Hugely entertaining and informative . . . the author is excellent on the way that being a girl in a man's world had serious dangers . . . This is a book that manages to be thoughtful and edge-of-your-seat thrilling. -- Katherine Hughes * Mail on Sunday *[Mackrell] has done an extraordinary job of mining their reportage, interviews and memoirs, and creates an experiential tapestry based on their experiences . . . a powerful complement to previous histories of Second World War correspondence. -- Anne Nelson * TLS *Although Mackrell reminds us male war correspondents still roughly outnumber women by three to one, the women in her book prove gender is no barrier to doing the job well. -- Helen Brown * Daily Mail *This book is a salutary reminder that it is not only men who experience wars, and it is not only men who report on them . . . Like the copy filed by her subjects, it is an essential read. -- Lucy Noakes * BBC History Magazine *The female journalists who feature here were pioneers in their fields. -- Frances Cairncross * Literary Review *Brutality goes hand in hand with high spirits. Danger was inseparable from exhilaration . . . This book could easily become a television drama. What women they were, in pursuit of war. -- Sarah Sands * Oldie *An engrossing book, highly recommended. * Choice Magazine *The strength of Mackrell’s insightful book is the way she shows just how many obstacles this courageous sextet faced in getting to the front . . . Women reporting the news from dangerous places may be a common sight today but reading Judith Mackrell’s Going with the Boys is an important reminder that it was not always so. -- Anne Sebba, author of Les Parisiennes and That Woman: The Life of Wallis Simpson, Duchess of WindsorIt’s excellent — beautifully researched, deeply sympathetic, and particularly insightful about Martha Gellhorn and Clare Hollingworth. They and the other women who went to war were pioneers in a dangerous profession who overcame fear and discrimination with grace and skill. Judith shows us clearly why their example is so important to today’s journalism. I really enjoyed it. -- John SimpsonThese six remarkable women writers shared courage, intelligence, competitiveness and a determination not be sidelined into the woman's angle; more than that, they left a legacy for war reporting that has shaped all those who have followed in their steps. -- Caroline Moorehead, Samuel Johnson Prize shortlisted author of Village of SecretsFast-paced and informative, [Going With The Boys] puts these women’s trail-blazing accomplishments in the social, military, and historical contexts we need to grasp how remarkable they were . . . Highly recommended, especially for readers who want to learn about the challenges met by these female pioneers. -- Carolyn Burke, author of Foursome and Lee Miller: A LifeA brilliant, gripping account of six journalists covering World War Two from deep inside the danger zone. Mackrell’s writing so captures the drama of the period that you can almost hear her characters’ typewriter keys tapping out their reports amid the rumble of tanks . . . one of the best books I have read in years. It is thrilling from the first page to the last -- Mary Gabriel, author of Ninth Street WomenA vivid portrait of the women whose clear-eyed reporting brought home the tragedy and heroism of one of history’s most pivotal conflicts. We owe these journalists a great debt. -- Liza Mundy, author of Code GirlsDefinitive, deeply researched, and beautifully told . . . reminds us how a few brave souls can blaze a trail and change the world -- Keith O’Brien, author of Fly GirlsBold newswomen such as Clare Hollingworth and Martha Gellhorn wrote the first draft of World War II, now Judith Mackrell gives us a chance to learn about the lives behind the headlines -- Sarah Rose, author of D-Day Girls[An] immersive and revealing group biography . . . Sparkling quotations from the reportage are woven throughout, and colorful biographical details shed light on the correspondents’ defiance of conventions . . . A rousing portrait of women who not only reported on history, but made it themselves. * Publishers Weekly *An exhilarating read packed with emotion and genuine humanity. A vivid portrayal of six remarkable women who made history reporting on World War II. * Kirkus *

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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.

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Book SynopsisFrom the playgrounds of Glasgow to the villages of Bangladesh; from religious rites to ancient superstitions; from the world's richest people to its powerless and enslaved, Lorna Gibb's masterful Childless Voices paints a global portrait of people without children. Brilliantly grouped by thematic commonality (Those who long, Those who were denied, Those who Choose, etc) the book is a testament to the power of listening, and the power of sharing stories. It is an essential, moving and surprising book on a subject which touches everyone.

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Book SynopsisFew people have changed the world like the Nobel Prize winners. Each of them has a unique story to tell, combining advice and inspiration, challenges and discoveries, eureka moments and failures. A call from Stockholm turned a group of twenty-four academics into Nobel Prize winners. This is their call to the next generations worldwide.Trade Review'Stefano Sandrone's wonderful gift to the readers of this book is an opportunity to spend a few precious private moments with 24 Nobel Prize winners. There are wisdom and valuable advice in each chapter, but it is the insights into each Nobelist as a real person, with real life stories, that makes this book very special.' Magdalena Skipper, Editor-in-Chief of Nature'Nobel Life offers tantalising glimpses into the Nobel Prize winners' works, their ideas and their personalities. Showing the humanity of some and the humanness of all, we see curiosity and creativity, collaboration and competition, selfishness and generosity, graciousness and haughtiness.' Shirley M. Malcom, Head of Education and Human Resources Programs of the American Association for the Advancement of Science'In these touching conversational portraits of Nobel Laureates, the reader is invited to follow their scientific quest and personal life trajectories, often marked by unexpected turns. Stefano Sandrone succeeds in revealing the human side of brilliant scientists who emerge as individuals with their passions and quirks, yet humble and with a sense of social responsibility.' Helga Nowotny, Professor emerita at ETH Zurich and Former President of the European Research Council'No interviews have ever discussed all the facets of the lives of these explorers of unknown territories in science and medicine. Stefano Sandrone has formulated intelligent questions for intelligent people.' Anders Bárány, Professor emeritus at Stockholm University and Former Scientific Secretary to the Nobel Committee for Physics'An interesting collection of interviews of Nobel Prize winners. An insight into their minds. Their struggles. Their findings and science. What they were doing when they got the call. All have one thing is common. They are humble and thankful. A wonderful read to enlighten readers.' Amit V, NetGalley Reader'This would make a superlative choice for library acquisition, as well as for readers who enjoy science writing and biography … Five stars. Well written and interesting with insights into a world most of us will never experience.' Annie Buchanan, Goodreads'The book includes much vivid detail about the human side of science.' Matthew Reisz, Times Higher Education'sometimes funny, occasionally poignant, and always insightful … Highly recommended for all readers.' Z. B. Johnson, Choice ConnectTable of Contents1. The periodic table Roald Hoffmann; 2. Eureka in Disney world Peter Agre; 3. Flying high Richard Ernst; 4. I'll show you what a woman can do Françoise Barré-Sinoussi; 5. Toys' stories Aaron Ciechanover and Edmond Fischer; 6. Clarity Tim Hunt; 7. Mentoring Martin Chalfie, Hamilton Smith and Johann Deisenhofer; 8. A stroke of colour Roger Tsien; 9. Impact factors Randy Schekman; 10. Know thyself Venkatraman Ramakrishnan; 11. Memory and vision Eric Kandel and Torsten Wiesel; 12. Words and people Daniel Kahneman; 13. Christmas and carol Elizabeth Blackburn and Hamilton Smith; 14. Rocket science Kary Mullis; 15. The big bang practice Arno Penzias, Hamilton Smith and David Gross; 16. Houston, we have a solution and many questions John Mather; 17. À la recherche of space and time Brian Schmidt; 18. Leadership and society Roger Myerson; 19. Of kings and cabbages Bob Solow; 20. Foreword to the future; Index.

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Book SynopsisDavid Bristow offers spellbinding stories of some amazing, little-known characters from South Africa, past and very past, including the giant Trekboer Coenraad de Buys - rebel, renegade, a man with a price on his head who married many women and fathered a small nation.

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Book SynopsisThe Historia Augusta is a biographical collection written by a single author under six pseudonyms that covers the lives of the Roman emperors from Hadrian (r. 117–138) to Carinus (r. 283–285). While it is our most detailed surviving source for this period, it has more value as an enigmatic work of literary fiction than as history.Trade ReviewThe task of editing and revising the work of another scholar cannot be an easy task. Yet Rohrbacher has handled his endeavour with admirable skill and respect. The result is a welcome and, one might add, needed addition to the Loeb Classical Library, and will surely serve anglophone readers of this most beguiling of texts for years to come. -- Christopher Mallan * Bryn Mawr Classical Review *

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Book SynopsisSet amid the glamour and bravado of 1980s Formula 1, The Power and the Glory tells the story of a rivalry unsurpassed in motor-racing history. By the mid-80s Alain Prost had firmly established himself as leader of the F1 pack. Winning Grands Prix almost at will, the French ace radiated invincibility. But then came the emergence of Ayrton Senna, sparking a decade-long battle for supremacy out on the track. Although chalk and cheese in terms of character and background, the two men were driven by the same burning desire: to become Formula 1's heavyweight champion of the world, its undisputed king. Senna and Prost would both go on to win multiple world championships in what was a golden era for F1 racing. Their Suzuka showdowns of 1988-90 attracted record worldwide audiences and popularised the sport as never before. An intimate portrait of two unique competitors, The Power and the Glory is a supercharged story of acrimony and sheer ambition.

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Book SynopsisAn intimate portrait of the lives and writings of the Brontë sisters, drawn from the objects they possessed.Trade Review"The Brontë Cabinet is full of illuminating and original insights, bringing aspects of the Brontës' lives into sharp focus for the first time." -- Literary Review"The Brontë Cabinet does not fail to deliver, offering vivid interpretations of the lives and the works of these strange and fascinating sisters…" -- The Times"Deborah Lutz’s engaging new study proves that there is indeed room for fresh perspectives...All lovers of the Brontës should read this book." -- The Guardian"Full of interest…" -- The Sunday Telegraph"This is a fine book, rich, immersive and illuminating, glowing with the life of the Brontës and their wild genius." -- Shahidha Bari - Times Higher Education"In looking at the Brontës through their most precious possessions, Lutz lets us sneak a peek at their inner lives as well as their outer ones, in a sympathetic and informative way." -- The Independent"...Lutz has found a way of teasing out some genuinely fresh insights into a subject that might otherwise feel as though it has been done to death." -- Mail on Sunday"It [The Brontë Cabinet] is a dynamic, powerful and very accessible book, which abandons womb-to-tomb biography to look at the Brontës "through the 'eyes' of thread, paper, wood, jet, hair, bone, brass, fur, frond, leather, velvet, and ash"." -- The Times Literary Supplement"Her [Lutz's] book is most fascinating not when it looks at the relics, the walking sticks and tiny shoes, but at the great mass of writerly and literary paraphernalia associated with the Brontës; the paperiness of their lives." -- The London Review of Books

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Book SynopsisLooks at hundreds of autobiographies penned between 1760 and 1900 to offer an account of how the Industrial Revolution was experienced by the working class. This book shows how it raised incomes, improved literacy and offered exciting opportunities for political action.Trade Review“Liberty’s Dawn is a triumph, achieved in fewer than 250 gracefully written pages. They persuasively purvey Griffin’s historical conviction. She is intimate with her audience, wooing it and teasing it along the way.”—Anthony Fletcher, Times Literary Supplement -- Anthony Fletcher * Times Literary Supplement *“Griffin’s crisp and accessible prose rests on a foundation of scrupulous scholarship.”—Amanda Vickery, The Guardian -- Amanda Vickery * The Guardian *'A totally compelling account of the Industrial Revolution. Through a remarkable range of life stories, Emma Griffin opens up this extraordinary epoch of change, providing a brilliant chronicle of its social history and upending traditional interpretations in the process. With her light touch and rigorous scholarship, Griffin provides an important and rewarding overview of this defining moment in British history.' - Tristram Hunt, author of Building Jerusalem: The Rise and Fall of the Victorian City -- Tristram Hunt“This is a brave book that challenges accepted wisdom by offering a decidedly optimistic view of the impact of the Industrial Revolution on the opportunities, freedoms and choices available to the working class.”—Pat Hudson, Times Higher Education Supplement -- Pat Hudson * Times Higher Education Supplement *‘While the author’s purpose is a serious study, this won’t prevent anyone from lapping up the inspiring stories in this meaty and satisfying book.’—Lorraine Courtney, Irish Times * The Irish Times *'Emma Griffin's brilliant use of the voices of the poor that survive in memoirs allows us to grasp the ambiguiities and complexities of their encounter with the momentous changes of the Industrial Revolution as never before. It was not simply a time of harsdhip and disruption but of opportunity and release from social constraints. Griffin's stylish and accessible account marks a major shift in our understanding of this period that moves beyond economic abstractions: we hear the voices of those who lived through the creation of the world's first industrial society.' - Martin Daunton, author of Wealth and Welfare: An Economic and Social History of Britain, 1851-1951 -- Martin Daunton'Emma Griffin gives a new and powerful voice to the men and women whose blood and sweat greased the wheels of the Industrial Revolution.' - Tim Hitchcock, author of Down and Out in Eighteenth-Century London -- Tim Hitchcock“Through the ‘messy tales’ of more than 350 working-class lives, Emma Griffin arrives at an upbeat interpretation of the Industrial Revolution most of us would hardly recognise. It is quite enthralling.”—Elizabeth Grice, Oldie Magazine -- Elizabeth Grice * Oldie Magaizne *“A provocative study.”—The New Yorker * The New Yorker *‘This is a novel twist on the story behind the Industrial Revolution. Griffin does a fine job in personalising the social history of the period by trawling through hundreds of autobiographies from 1760-1900 to offer first-hand experiences of how this era impacted upon the working classes, including a rise in income and improved literacy.’—Steve Harnell, Who Do You Think You Are Magazine -- Stever Harnell * Who Do You Think You Are Magazine *‘Griffin’s excellent history of writing by those born in poverty. . .shine[s] a light on what working men endured. . .and what they felt about it, in their own words.’—Lesley McDowell, Sunday Herald -- Lesley McDowell * Sunday Herald *“An admirably intimate and expansive revisionist history.”—Publishers Weekly * Publishers Weekly *

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Book SynopsisDiscover the juicy, funny story of the three dysfunctional rulers of Germany, Russia and Great Britain at the turn of the last century, combined with a study of the larger forces around them.Three cousins. Three Emperors. And the road to ruin.As cousins, George V, Kaiser Wilhelm II and the last Tsar Nicholas II should have been friends - but they happened also to rule Europe''s three most powerful states. This potent combination together with their own destructive personalities - petty, insecure, bullying, absurdly obsessive (stamp collecting, uniforms) - led not only to their own dramatic fallouts and falls from grace, but also to the outbreak of the First World War.Miranda Carter''s riveting account of how three men who should have known better helped bring down an entire world is a gripping story of abdication, betrayal and murder.''Fascinating. A wonderfully fresh and beautifully choreographed work of history'' Mail on Sunday''Miranda Carter''s story is full of vivid quotations . . . a romp though the palaces of Europe in their last decades before Armageddon'' Sunday Times''Fascinating. Carter is a gifted storyteller and has written a very readable account'' Independent''That these three absurd men could ever have held the fate of Europe in their hands is a fact as hilarious as it is terrifying. I haven''t enjoyed a historical biography this much since Lytton Strachey''s Victoria'' Zadie SmithTrade ReviewFascinating. A wonderfully fresh and beautifully choreographed work of history -- Craig Brown * Mail on Sunday *Carter draws masterful portraits of her subjects and tells the complicated story of Europe's failing international relations well...a highly readable and well-documented account * Spectator *Absorbing. Carter has a good eye for a quote and an ability to bring various personalities to life. A convincing and considerable achievement -- Sarah Bradford * Literary Review *Carter's account of how an already dysfunctional family turned toxic is fresh and enjoyable...timely and welcome * Guardian *Miranda Carter's story is full of vivid quotations...a romp though the palaces of Europe in their last decades before Armageddon * Sunday Times *Well-paced, a thoroughly polished, professional piece of work. A macabre family saga -- A. N. Wilson * Evening Standard *An entertaining study of power and personality portrays the strutting absurdity and grotesque glamour of the last emperors on the eve of catastrophe -- Simon Sebag Montefiore * Financial Times *Fascinating. Carter is a gifted storyteller and has written a very readable account * Independent *Carter's intelligent, entertainging and informative book folds dynastic and political narratives into a panoramic account of Europe's road to war * London Review of Books *That these three absurd men could ever have held the fate of Europe in their hands is a fact as hilarious as it is terrifying. I haven't enjoyed a historical biography this much since Lytton Strachey's Victoria -- Zadie SmithMiranda Carter writes with lusty humour, has a fresh clarifying intelligence, and a sharp eye for telling details. This is traditional narrative history with a 21st-century zing. A real corker of a book * History Today *A highly original way of looking at the years that led up to 1914 -- Antonia Fraser * Sunday Telegraph Books of the Year *Carter deftly interpolates history with psychobiography to provide a damning indictment of monarchy in all its forms -- Will Self * New Statesmen Books of the Year *A depiction of bloated power and outsize personalities in which Carter picks apart the strutting absurdity of the last emperors on the eve of catastrophe * Financial Times Books of the Year *Takes what should have been a daunting subject and through sheer wit and narrative élan turns it into engaging drama. Carter has a notable gift for characterisation -- Jonathan Coe * Guardian Books of the Year *

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Book SynopsisAn essential primary source on Roman history and a fascinating achievement of scholarship covering a critical period in the EmpireAs private secretary to the Emperor Hadrian, the scholar Suetonius had access to the imperial archives and used them (along with eyewitness accounts) to produce one of the most colourful biographical works in history. The Twelve Caesars chronicles the public careers and private lives of the men who wielded absolute power over Rome, from the foundation of the empire under Julius Caesar and Augustus, to the decline into depravity and civil war under Nero and the recovery that came with his successors. A masterpiece of observation, anecdote and detailed physical description, The Twelve Caesars presents us with a gallery of vividly drawn—and all too human—individuals. James B. Rives has sensitively updated Robert Graves's now classic translation, reinstating Latin terms and updating vocabulary while retaining the

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Book SynopsisA captivating compendium of rare and exquisite first-hand records of ocean voyages around the world and in different ages, providing a fascinating insight into exploration and adventure at sea.Trade Review'A captivating collection of exquisite first-hand records providing fascinating insights into exploration and adventure at sea' - Traveller'Beautiful … readers could easily be left with the impression that all 18th-century seafarers were also talented artists' - CNN Travel'Lewis-Jones’s book has everything from illustrated accounts of whaling voyages and naval battles to depictions of Kamchatkan kayakers and fluorescent sea slugs' - The Scotsman'Thrilling ... succeeds in illustrating not only the diversity of maritime sketchbooks but also how vital they were for their creators' - Times Literary Supplement'Magnificent first-hand accounts of the thrills and spills of sea exploration' - The Lady'The sort of book to curl up with … you will relish each turn of the page as you explore the nautical journeys … humorous, poignant and most definitely informative … this is a book to learn from and treasure' - Family Tree'Endlessly diverting and beautifully produced' - Daily Telegraph'A remarkable treasure chest' - Geographical'Gorgeously produced … a lovely present for anyone who’s fascinated by exploration' - Practical Boat Owner'Readers of this beautifully-produced volume will be far from miserable, and may even be inspired to keep their own journals and images of life' - Nautilus Telegraph'One of the most spectacular and fascinating books I have ever read. A real privilege! Superb' - Book Reviews Monthly'Remarkable' - Bookanista'Wide-ranging and beautifully illustrated' - Books of the Year, Spectator

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Book SynopsisTen fascinating bite–sized biographies of the Christians people expect you to know. While Christians have always prized the Bible as our ultimate authority in matters of faith and practice, we also recognize that the Christian life is an intergenerational and communal activity. This collection of ten short biographies will introduce you to Christians from a variety of places and times, who all boldly preached the gospel, despite the risk to personal reputations and safety. How short–sighted it would be not to glean insights from our ancestors, whether that entails learning how to walk in their steps – or else avoiding their missteps. Written by Ian Maddock, Rachel Ciano and Stuart Colton, who all teach church history and edited by Ian Maddock. Each chapter has suggested further reading, and additional suggestions ‘for the adventurous’. Chapter Headings: 1. Athanasius: Against the World 2. Augustine: The Grace of God Defeated Me 3. Anselm: Faith Seeking Understanding 4. Martin Luther: Here I Stand 5. Thomas Cranmer: Lord Jesus, Receive My Spirit 6. Richard Baxter: Keep These Hearts Above 7. John Wesley: A Brand Plucked from the Burning 8. Hudson Taylor: These I Must Bring Also 9. Spurgeon: Preaching, Prayer and Perseverance 10. Dietrich Bonhoeffer: The Cost of Discipleship This book is ideal for anyone wanting a biref, entertaing and illuminating overview of the lives and beliefs of these ten giants of Christian history.Trade Review… the lives, thinking and impact of ten of the most important ‘dead guys’ have been brought to life. Famous names become interesting characters and big ideas are explained simply and clearly in a way that shows why they are still important today. -- Clare Heath–Whyte (Speaker and author of several books, including ‘Everyone a Child Should Know’ and ‘First Wives’ Club’)I warmly commend this page–turner, not least as an appetizer which will encourage you to delve more deeply into various aspects of Church (including missionary) history across the centuries. May these sketches challenge, perhaps correct, yet also motivate you to emulate significant aspects of these examples of committed, costly Christian discipleship. -- Hector Morrison (Principal, Highland Theological College, Dingwall)Each snapshot combines a brief biographical presentation with important lessons for the church to learn about obedience, faith, holiness, perseverance, courage, and mission. If readers are not familiar with these ten towering figures from the past, this book will bring them alive for today! -- Gregg R. Allison (Professor of Christian Theology, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky)… an excellent read to stir the passion for Church history and to encourage the development of a historical awareness for our faith. -- Leonardo De Chirico (Church planter in central Rome)This insightful collection of ten Christian leaders from different times and places reveal that knowing the past can be both liberating and illuminating. Maddock, Coulton, and Ciano ably demonstrate how earlier theologians, pastors, martyrs, and missionaries sought to live out the gospel and challenge contemporary readers to be faithful disciples of Jesus as well. This welcome introduction is well–researched, reflective, warm–hearted, and witty. -- Tom Schwanda (Associate professor Emeritus, Christian Formation and Ministry, Wheaton College, Wheaton, Illinois)

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Book Synopsis This book describes the intense rivalry--and collaboration--of the four players who created the golden era when USSR chess players dominated the world. More than 200 annotated games are included, along with personal details--many for the first time in English. Mikhail Tal, the roguish, doomed Latvian who changed the way chess players think about attack and sacrifice; Tigran Petrosian, the brilliant, henpecked Armenian whose wife drove him to become the world''s best player; Boris Spassky, the prodigy who survived near-starvation and later bouts of melancholia to succeed Petrosian--but is best remembered for losing to Bobby Fischer; and Evil Viktor Korchnoi, whose mixture of genius and jealousy helped him eventually surpass his three rivals (but fate denied him the title they achieved: world champion).Trade ReviewSoltis doesn't just pick the most familiar games...but rather games that bring something extra to the overall narrative...[McFarland books are of excellent quality, the binding is great and they will last an eternity, no matter how many read-throughs." - American Chess Magazine"I have read many fine biographies of these players, but Soltis' approach brings out something extremely interesting that had not earlier become clear to me. ...by comparing the players so explicitly to each other and highlighting their interactions with each other, Soltis helps you understand much better the strain and struggles that even these great players faced in chess. ...Great stuff! ...another wonderful book, once again beautifully produced by McFarland! 5 stars." - New in Chess"Anyone interested in any of these players or chess in the Soviet era would do well to pick up Soltis' book." - Chess Life"Arguably the best book Grandmaster Andy Soltis has ever written and considering he is one of the most prolific authors in the history of the game, with close to fifty titles to his name, that is saying something. Soltis does a thorough job throughout, sifting through many sources as evidenced by the numerous footnotes and extensive biography...a wonderful read that will continually fascinate...highly recommended." - IM John Donaldson"An excellent narrative history of the trials and tirbulations for these four players...his collection of games is interesting and well annotated...heartily recommended." - Mind's Eye Press"The stories are humorous, enlightening, and entertaining, and brings forth the humanity of the players. This is the soert of biography I know many readers have been waiting for." - ChessCafe.comTable of Contents Preface 1 Introduction: The Soviet Team of Rivals 5  1. Four Boys 15  2. Growing Pains 43  3. Overkill 62  4. Culture War 79  5. Spassky, Spassky, Spassky! 93  6. Volshebnik 109  7. Three Directions 133  8. A Takeoff, an Apogee and a Crash 151  9. Why Not Me? 180 10. Private Lives, Public Games 197 11. Candidacy 222 12. Humors 247 13. Whose Risk Is Riskier? 276 14. The Fischer Factor 301 15. Countdown to Calamity 318 Epilogue: Four Aging Men 335 Appendix A: Chronology, 1929–2016 339 Appendix B: Ratings Comparison 353 Chapter Notes 355 Bibliography 373 Index of Opponents 377 Index of Openings—Traditional Names 379 Index of Openings—ECO Codes 381 General Index 382

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Book SynopsisA major work of economic, social and political history, Niall Ferguson's The House of Rothschild: The World's Banker 1849-1999 is the second volume of the acclaimed, landmark history of the legendary Rothschild banking dynasty.Niall Ferguson's House of Rothschild: Money's Prophets 1798-1848 was hailed as a great biography by Time magazine and named one of the best books of the year by Business Week. Now, with all the depth, clarity and drama with which he traced their ascent, Ferguson - the first historian with access to the long-lost Rothschild family archives - concludes his myth-breaking portrait of once of the most fascinating and power families of all time.From Crimea to World War II, wars repeatedly threatened the stability of the Rothschilds' worldwide empire. Despite these many global upheavals, theirs remained the biggest bank in the world up until the First World War, their interests extending far beyond the realm of finance. Yet the Rothschilds' failure to establish themselves successfully in the United States proved fateful, and as financial power shifted from London to New York after 1914, their power waned.A stupendous achievement, a triumph of historical research and imagination.—Robert Skidelsky, The New York Review of BooksNiall Ferguson's brilliant and altogether enthralling two-volume family saga proves that academic historians can still tell great stories that the rest of us want to read.—The New York Times Book ReviewSuperb ... An impressive ... account of the Rothschilds and their role in history.—Boston GlobeNiall Ferguson's new book The Square and the Tower: Networks and Power, from the Freemasons to Facebook will be published in January 2018. Trade Review"A stupendous achievement, a triumph of historical research and imagination."—Robert Skidelsky, The New York Review of Books"Niall Ferguson's brilliant and altogether enthralling two-volume family saga proves that academic historians can still tell great stories that the rest of us want to read."—The New York Times Book Review"Superb ... An impressive ... account of the Rothschilds and their role in history."—Boston Globe

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Book SynopsisIn his rich and nuanced portrait of the remarkable, elusive Rothschild family, Oxford scholar and bestselling author Niall Ferguson uncovers the secrets behind the family''s phenomenal economic success. He reveals for the first time the details of the family''s vast political network, which gave it access to and influence over many of the greatest statesmen of the age. And he tells a family saga, tracing the importance of unity and the profound role of Judaism in the lives of a dynasty that rose from the confines of the Frankfurt ghetto and later used its influence to assist oppressed Jews throughout Europe. A definitive work of impeccable scholarship with a thoroughly engaging narrative, ''The House of Rothschild'' is a biography of the rarest kind, in which mysterious and fascinating historical figures finally spring to life.Trade Review"A stupendous achievement, a triumph of historical research and imagination."—Robert Skidelsky, The New York Review of Books"Niall Ferguson's brilliant and altogether enthralling two-volume family saga proves that academic historians can still tell great stories that the rest of us want to read."—The New York Times Book Review"Superb ... An impressive ... account of the Rothschilds and their role in history."—Boston Globe

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Book SynopsisFrom small steps to giant leaps, A Galaxy of Her Own tells fifty stories of inspirational women who have been fundamental to the story of humans in space, from scientists to astronauts to some surprising roles in between.From Ada Lovelace in the nineteenth century, to the women behind the Apollo missions, from the astronauts breaking records on the International Space Station to those blazing the way in the race to get to Mars, A Galaxy of Her Own reveals extraordinary stories, champions unsung heroes and celebrates remarkable achievements from around the world.Written by Libby Jackson, a leading UK expert in human space flight, and illustrated with bold and beautiful artwork from the students of London College of Communication, this is a book to delight and inspire trailblazers of all ages.Packed full of both amazing female role models and mind-blowing secrets of space travel, A Galaxy of Her Own is guaranteed to make any reader reach for the stars.Trade Reviewbeautifully illustrated … its specific focus on space will be very encouraging to young girls interested in science. * Easy Parenting magazine *A fab book, great for Christmas, great for any time! -- Steve Wright * BBC Radio 2 *Gorgeous -- Emma Gannon, blogger, author and presenter of CTRL ALT DELETE podcastAn important and beautiful book … you will want to own this -- Dallas Campbell, author and TV presenterCelebrates the fact that space is an equal opportunities environment, that women can and should be involved in the huge array of opportunities in the world of space exploration * Radio 4 Today *Will suitably inspire trailblazers of all ages * Irish News *A wonderful read * BBC World News *Brilliantly readable -- Radcliffe & Maconie * BBC 6 Music *Needs to be on every space-lover’s Christmas list -- Hannah Beckerman, journalist and authorA wonderful book! Beautifully written and put together -- Ahrani Logan, journalist, producer and CEOReveals extraordinary stories, champions unsung heroes and celebrates remarkable achievements from around the world * RTE Guide *

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Book SynopsisThanks to Thomas Keneally's book Schindler's Ark, and the film based on it, Schindler's List, we have become more aware of the fact that, in the midst of Hitler's extermination of the Jews, courage and humanity could still overcome evil. While 6 million Jews were murdered by the Nazi regime, some were saved through the actions of non-Jews whose consciences would not allow them to pass by on the other side, and many are honoured by Yad Vashem as Righteous Among the Nations' for their actions. As a baby, Agnes Grunwald-Spier was herself saved from the horrors of Auschwitz by an unknown official, and is now a trustee of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust. She has collected together the stories of thirty individuals who rescued Jews, and these provide a new insight into why these people were prepared to risk so much for their fellow men and women. With a foreword by Sir Martin Gilbert, one of the leading experts on the subject, this is an ultimately uplifting account of hTrade Review'In my lifetime I have read some 300+ books about the Holocaust. I can unequivocally say that Agnes Grunwald-Spier's The Other Schindlers is one of the best Holocaust books I have read in the last few years. Superbly researched, beautifully written, Ms Grunwald-Spier brings vividly to life the stories of some of the people who risked everything to help Jews when everyone else could
seemingly care less. This is a book to cherish and one to be consulted repeatedly in the years to come.' Anthony Anderson, Holocaust Studies Librarian, University of Southern California

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Book SynopsisWho invented the ''House of Windsor'' as a royal name? Who founded Westminster Abbey? Which king had twenty-one illegitimate children? David Halliam answers all these questions and more. Here is a continuous history of the English monarchy, showing how the nine dynasties rose and fell.The book describes the most memorable features of the life and times of each king or queen - from Egbert, crowned in 802 and considered the first king of England, to Queen Elizabeth II - as well as recording the extraordinary lives of their queens, consorts, mistresses and bastard children. It also tells the story of the Saxons, describes what has happened to the monarchs'' mortal remains, and relates many lively incidents of royal history that rarely appear in the text books.Read of the saintly Edward the Confessor, who is believed to have refused to consummate his marriage; of the rumbustious Henry VIII, given to beheading those who displeased him; of the ''little gentleman in black velvet'', who caused the death of William III; and of Queen Victoria''s strange servant, the ''Munshi'', Queen Emma, who endured a trial by ordeal; and Anne Boleyn, widely suspected of being a witch.A complete list of the monarchs'' reigns and a genealogical table showing the royal descent down thirty-seven generations from Egbert to Elizabeth II adds to the volume''s reference value.

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Book SynopsisComparing Robin Knox-Johnston’s and Ellen MacArthur’s famed round-the-world voyages

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Book SynopsisIn 1964, Nell Dunn spoke to nine of her friends over a bottle of wine about men, sex, work, money, babies, freedom and love. After more than forty years out of print, Talking to Women is still as sparkling, honest, profound, funny and wise as when it was first published.

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Book SynopsisThe Historia Augusta is a biographical collection written by a single author under six pseudonyms that covers the lives of the Roman emperors from Hadrian (r. 117–138) to Carinus (r. 283–285). While it is our most detailed surviving source for this period, it has more value as an enigmatic work of literary fiction than as history.Trade ReviewThe task of editing and revising the work of another scholar cannot be an easy task. Yet Rohrbacher has handled his endeavour with admirable skill and respect. The result is a welcome and, one might add, needed addition to the Loeb Classical Library, and will surely serve anglophone readers of this most beguiling of texts for years to come. -- Christopher Mallan * Bryn Mawr Classical Review *

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Book SynopsisEvocative, engaging and filled with vivid details, Rooms of their Own explores the homes of these three writers linked to the Bloomsbury Group. Bringing together stories of love, desire and intimacy, of evolving relationships and erotic encounters, with vivid accounts of the settings in which they took place, it offers fresh insights into their complicated, interlocking lives. Complete with first-hand accounts, this book illuminates shifting social and moral attitudes towards sexuality and gender in the 1920s and 30s. “I hold the conviction that as the centuries go on, and the sexes become more nearly merged on account of their increasing resemblances ... such connections will to a very large extent cease to be regarded as merely unnatural, and will be understood far better”. Vita Sackville-West, 1920 In the deep blue Turret Room at Knole sits a battered tin trunk inscribed “Edward Sackville-West: Various Papers”. Hoarded inside were the intimate records of lives lived at the heart of 1920s literary Bloomsbury. Lytton Strachey, James Strachey, Alix Strachey, Duncan Grant, Bunny Garnett and Stephen Tomlin all stayed with Eddy at Knole. Two of these friends – Duncan Grant and Stephen Tomlin – became lovers, filling his rooms with the vibrant outpourings of Bloomsbury creativity. Living in an England where homosexuality was illegal until 1967, Eddy’s design choices were boldly counter-cultural. Eddy’s first cousin, Vita Sackville-West, and her lover, Virginia Woolf, were equally at home in this world, their names permanently associated through the publication of Orlando in 1928. Set at Knole, Woolf’s tribute to Vita created a hero/heroine who evaded categorisations of sex and time, changing as the centuries progress. Linked by an intimate web of relationships, Eddy, Virginia and Vita created homes in Kent and East Sussex which challenged contemporary conventions. While Virginia Woolf and Eddy Sackville-West favoured the bright colours and bold patterns of Bloomsbury, Vita Sackville-West looked backwards to the Elizabethan age, filling her rooms with the romantic relics of past lovers.Trade Review'(L)avishly illustrated. Nino Strachey does an excellent and elegant job guiding us around these beguiling and artistic spaces and introducing many of the artists and writers who pass through them.' -- Country Life Magazine * Book Review *'Beautiful, evocative little book.' -- Times Literary Supplement * Book Review *'Fascinating and sumptuously illustrated.' -- The Literary Review * Book Review *

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Book SynopsisHighlighting the true heroism of Antarctic explorers, the dangers they face and the equipment used to prevailTrade ReviewSpine-chilling stuff -- Sir Ranulph FiennesCompelling

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Book Synopsis A treasure trove of noteworthy letters, arranged thematically to provide an insight into the lives and work of great artists. Trade Review"This attractive volume includes letters from artists to fellow artists, friends, patrons and lovers. Hearing from artists in their own words gives an extraordinary glimpse into their lives and artistic thought process. Some of these people could paint with words, too!" * Sartle: Rogue Art History *"Fascinating, instructive, thought-provoking, and memorable." * Midwest Book Review *"A great book to dip into when you have a few moments or when you’d like to put on a pot of coffee or tea and indulge yourself for a few hours." * COLOR Magazine *Table of Contents006 Introduction 1 ‘I saw the new giraffe’ Family & Friends Salvador Dalí to Paul Éluard Francisco Lucientes y Goya to Martín Zapater Lucian Freud to Stephen Spender Vanessa Bell to Duncan Grant Michelangelo Buonarroti to Lionardo di Buonarroto Simoni Philip Guston to Elise Asher Beatrix Potter to Noel Moore Piet Mondrian to Kurt Seligmann Gustav Klimt to Josef Lewinsky Jasper Johns to Rosamund Felsen Edward Burne-Jones to Daphne Gaskell William Blake to William Hayley Alexander Calder to Agnes Rindge Claflin Zhu Da to Fang Shiguan Camille Pissarro to Julie Pissarro Marcel Duchamp to Suzanne Duchamp Dorothea Tanning to Joseph Cornell 2 ‘Like a sleepwalker’ Artist to Artist Paul Gauguin to Vincent van Gogh Vincent van Gogh to Paul Gauguin Sebastiano del Piombo to Michelangelo Buonarroti Paul Signac to Claude Monet David Alfaro Siqueiros to Jackson Pollock, Sande Pollock and Harold Lehman Pablo Picasso to Jean Cocteau Mark Rothko to Lee Krasner Édouard Manet to Eugène Maus David Hockney to Kenneth E. Tyler Francis Picabia to Alfred Stieglitz Robert Smithson to Enno Develing Claude Monet to Berthe Morisot Ulay and Marina Abramović to Mike Parr Mike Parr to Marina Abramović and Ulay Benvenuto Cellini to Michelangelo John Constable to John Thomas Smith 3 ‘Your book on witchcraft’ Gifts & Greetings Cindy Sherman to Arthur C. Danto Joseph Cornell to Marcel Duchamp Leonora Carrington to Kurt Seligmann Wang Zhideng to a friend Yayoi Kusama to Donald Judd George Grosz to Erich S. Herrmann Yoko Ono and John Lennon to Joseph Cornell Joan Miró to Marcel Breuer 4 ‘The best I have painted’ Patrons & Supporters Guercino and Paolo Antonio Barbieri to unknown recipient Nancy Spero to Lucy Lippard Pierre-Auguste Renoir to Georges Charpentier Roy Lichtenstein to Ellen H. Johnson Peter Paul Rubens to Balthasar Gerbier Cy Twombly to Leo Castelli Winslow Homer to Thomas B. Clarke Eva Hesse to Helene Papanek Mary Cassatt to John Wesley Beatty Jackson Pollock to Louis Bunce Leonardo da Vinci to Ludovico Sforza Egon Schiele to Hermann Engel William Hogarth to T.H. Joseph Beuys to Otto Mauer Agnes Martin to Samuel J. Wagstaff Judy Chicago to Lucy Lippard 5 ‘Hey beautiful’ Love Frida Kahlo to Diego Rivera Joan Mitchell to Michael Goldberg Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres to Marie-Anne-Julie Forestier Paul Nash to Margaret Odeh Ad Reinhardt to Selina Trieff Jules Olitski to Joan Olitski Jean Cocteau to unknown recipient Alfred Stieglitz to Georgia O’Keeffe Georgia O’Keeffe to Alfred Stieglitz Auguste Rodin to Camille Claudel Camille Claudel to Auguste Rodin Ben Nicholson to Barbara Hepworth Eileen Agar to Joseph Bard 6 ‘My 1244 guilders’ Professional Matters Nicolas Poussin to Paul Scarron Henry Fuseli to unknown recipient Henry Moore to John Rothenstein James McNeill Whistler to Frederick H. Allen Joshua Reynolds to Philip Yorke Anni Albers to Gloria Finn Naum Gabo to Marcel Breuer Rembrandt van Rijn to Constantijn Huygens Gustave Courbet to Philippe de Chennevières Aubrey Beardsley to Frederick Evans Kazimir Malevich to Anatoly Lunacharksy John Linnell to James Muirhead Andy Warhol to Russell Lynes 7 ‘I hope to get to Venice’ Travel Edward Lear to Hallam Tennyson Berenice Abbott to John Henry Bradley Storrs Georges and Marcelle Braque to Paul Dermée and Carolina Goldstein John Ruskin to unknown recipient Helen Frankenthaler and Robert Motherwell to Maria and Hans Hofmann Albrecht Dürer to Willibald Pirckheimer Carl Andre to Eva Hesse Francis Bacon to Erica Brausen Ana Mendieta to Judith Wilson Lee Krasner to Jackson Pollock 8 ‘I see better’ Signing Off Thomas Gainsborough to Thomas Harvey Paul Cézanne to Émile Bernard Timeline Index Picture Credits

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Book SynopsisFrom one of China's most celebrated and silenced literary authors, Murong Xuecun, Deadly Quiet City is an unforgettable collection of true stories from the early months of the COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan. On 23 January 2020, Wuhan was placed in total lockdown. The city of eleven million – the centre of China’s coronavirus outbreak – was cut off from the world. As cherry blossoms fell on silent streets, people were left anxious and afraid, struggling to find medicine, food or information about the virus that had trapped them in their homes. In April 2020, Murong Xuecun bravely travelled to the locked-down city, covertly interviewing people from all walks of life on their experiences as the catastrophe unfolded. An exhausted doctor in a small hospital, battling the virus while sick. An illegal motorcycle taxi driver, ferrying people around the empty city. A citizen journalist fighting to reveal the truth of what happened during that endless spring. The result is eight stories that capture the voices and griefs of a city, and that Murong had to leave China in order to publish. Vivid and haunting, Deadly Quiet City is a unique piece of literary history that reveals so much about the lives of people, the pandemic and China today. Includes editor’s note from Professor Clive Hamilton, author of Hidden Hand. Trade Review'… reads like a message in a bottle from a secret state.' -Seven Carroll, Sydney Morning Herald 'People who are curious to know why China is so resistant to outside investigation should read this book.' - Anita Chan, The Conversation'Deadly Quiet City is a heartfelt book about Chinese people by a Chinese writer' - Michael Smith, Australian Financial Review 'A harrowing snapshot of life in the epicenter of the Covid-19 pandemic. . . . This is a masterful exposé.' - Publishers Weekly… reads like a message in a bottle from a secret state. -- Steven Carroll * Sydney Morning Herald *People who are curious to know why China is so resistant to outside investigation should read this book. -- Anita Chan * The Conversation *'Deadly Quiet City is a heartfelt book about Chinese people by a Chinese writer' - Michael Smith, Australian Financial Review -- Michael Smith * Australian Financial Review *'A harrowing snapshot of life in the epicenter of the Covid-19 pandemic. . . . This is a masterful exposé.' - Publishers Weekly * Publishers Weekly *

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Book SynopsisThis book celebrates the special relationship between beloved British dogs and their devoted owners. Architects, fashion designers, florists, entrepreneurs - these and the other famous, creative and hyper-successful people have one thing in common when it comes to their canines: the strength of the bond between human and four-legged friend. This makes for tales of companionship that will be sure to uplift your spirits and make the heart sing. Exuberantly photographed by Dylan Thomas, with interviews by Poodle-mad Georgina Montagu, Top Dogs is a joyous read and lustrous eye-candy for dog lovers. From Jacobean manor to Cumbrian hill farm, and circus wagon to royal residence, the lucky hounds who are showcased in this sumptuous volume occupy some of the loveliest homes in the country.Table of ContentsForeword; Introduction; The Love Affair; Gnipper; Shadow; Mojito; Moon + Buzz; Bellini + Sugar + Spice + Margarita + Tequila; Fire; Romeo; The Barony Bassets; Ruby + Leto + Winston; Saffron; Rollo; Jiminy Cricket + Gyda; Lionel McGruff; Turlough Mor; Sami + Larry; Logan; Minnow; Vinnie; Lochie; Cookie; Storm; Lenny + Ronnie + Rita + Ruby; Coco + Trump; Cedric; Summer; Peggy + Jaguar + Banana + Ghost + Duppy; Bean; Pugsy Malone; Luna + Willow; Pizza Hairy Chainsaw; Behind the Lens; The Publisher; Acknowledgements

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Book SynopsisThis book offers an intimate portrait of early twentieth-century Harbin, a city in Manchuria where Russian colonialists, and later refugees from the Revolution, met with Chinese migrants. The deep social and intellectual fissures between the Russian and Chinese worlds were matched by a multitude of small efforts to cross the divide as the city underwent a wide range of social and political changes. Using surviving letters, archival photographs, and rare publications, this book also tells the personal story of a forgotten city resident, Baron Roger Budberg, a physician who, being neither Russian nor Chinese, nevertheless stood at the very centre of the cross-cultural divide in Harbin. The biography of an important city, fleshing out its place in the global history of East-West contacts and twentieth-century diasporas, this book is also the history of an individual life and an original experiment in historical writing. Trade Review"This is a fascinating and well-researched exploration of the Russian [and] Chinese cultural encounter in Harbin, based on the extensive use of sources in both Russian and Chinese." -- Austin Jersild, Old Dominion University * H-Soz-Kult *"Specialists will draw much eclectic material about Harbin from Gamsa and enjoy the author’s often insightful ideas about cross-cultural contact and more." -- David Wolff, Hokkaido University * Slavic Review *"There are many reasons to like this book. The writing is elegant, with frequent memorable turns of phrase. The research in Russian, Chinese, and European-language sources is deep and rich, and Gamsa’s feel for his subject is remarkable. One senses on every page his balanced affection for Harbin and even for Budberg, despite his frankness about their many shared imperfections." -- Willard Sunderland, University of Cincinnati * Journal of Modern History *“The book builds on impressive research, contains stimulating discussions of the relationship between biography and general history, and thus deserves to be read not only as the story of a remarkable man but also, more broadly, as a fascinating attempt to understand the life of an individual in the context of his multicultural environment.” -- Stig Thøgersen, Aarhus University * H-Net Reviews *“Harbin: A Cross-Cultural Biography is a remarkable feat of research across multiple languages and archives, as well as a compellingly original, stylishly written, and surprisingly intimate book.” -- Edward Tyerman, University of California, Berkeley * Twentieth-Century China *"The book is a masterful analysis of the consequences that traumatic shifts in power relations could have for the life of individuals." -- N. Pianciola, Nazarbayev University * Slavonic and East European Review *Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Introduction 1. Of Ethnicity and Identity 2. Beginnings 3. Intermediaries and Channels of Communication 4. A Chinese-German Flower 5. Daily Life in a Mixed City 6. Trials and Endings 7. Russians and Chinese under Japanese Rule 8. Kharbintsy and Ha’erbin ren Epilogue: The General and the Particular Notes Glossary of Chinese Terms Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisAt a time when the identity of Israel is more uncertain than at any moment since its modern founding, Be Strong and of Good Courage celebrates the defining generation of leaders who took on the task of safeguarding the country's future. David Ben-Gurion, Menachem Begin, Yitzhak Rabin and Ariel Sharon were all present at the creation of the new nation, and each faced a threat that directly imperiled the country's existence. The book is a history of those moments when Israel, a country born of existential peril, required extraordinary acts of leadership and strategic judgment to secure its future. The strength its leaders showed, their character and calculation in the most agonizing moments, made them not just the political center of the country but its moral compass too. The leaders were not perfect; sometimes the decisions they made had consequences they could not foresee or control, but they managed to maintain the character of the nation without jeopardizing its survival. Israel is currently more secure than ever in its recent history, but it may be on the verge of sacrificing the essential character that its greatest citizens fought to secure. This is the story of that epic fight.

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Book SynopsisEver heard of Allied spy Noor Inayat Khan, a Muslim woman whom the Nazis considered highly dangerous? Or German painter and entomologist Maria Sibylla Merian, who planned and embarked on the world s first scientific expedition? How about Huang Daopo, the inventor who fled an abusive child marriage only to revolutionize textile production in China? Women have always been able to change the world, even when they didn t get the credit. In Wonder Women, author Sam Maggs introduces you to pioneering female scientists, engineers, mathematicians, adventurers, and inventors each profile a study in passion, smarts, and stick-to-itiveness, complete with portraits by Google doodler Sophia Foster-Dimino, an extensive bibliography, and a guide to present-day women-centric STEM organizations.Trade Review“Wonder Women isn’t just filled with extraordinary tales of female scientists and inventors—though there are plenty of them—[Maggs] also includes sections on espionage and adventure, fields not traditionally associated with STEM.” —Entertainment Weekly “I admire Maggs for making Wonder Women both thorough and easy to digest. When it comes to historical material like this, presentation matters . . . Maggs writes the descriptions of the women and their achievements in such a way that you’re inspired to take the ball and keep running.”—Nerdist “[Sam Maggs’s] profiles are more than just fun, they're genuinely astounding . . . [and] fantastic illustrations by Sophia Foster-Dimino bring these pioneering women to life.”—The Village Voice“Maggs' lineup of influential females is well curated and inclusive, while smart illustrations by Sophia Foster-Dimino bring the ladies to life. Wonder Women is a must-read for the girl who's a bit of a geek.”—BookPage“A wonderful and necessary read. Although it says 25 women, there are so many more women in here than that . . . Not only does Maggs present their awesomeness with a sardonic wit needed to deride the patriarchal stage these fantastic women performed on, she is the gender defender at every turn. If only these brainiac ladies had Maggs by their side in their own time.”—Geeks of Doom“Wonder Women is an absolute delight! As told by Sam Maggs, the lives of these trailblazing women leap off the page, bursting with entertaining anecdotes and fascinating facts that are sure to capture the imaginations of younger readers. The fantastically diverse assortment of women profiled in this book is proof positive that women have always accomplished amazing things, and the interviews with contemporary women illuminate the extraordinary achievements women are making (and the extraordinary challenges women still face) today. As Maggs emphasizes in her introduction, representation matters, and Wonder Women is an inspiring example of exactly the kind of representation we need to see a lot more of.”—Anita Sarkeesian, Feminist Frequency “I honestly can't remember the last time I picked up a book and read straight through to the end without looking up. Each one of these baller women deserves their own shelf. Wonder Women is a must-read in my house and should be in yours, too.”—Margaret Stohl, author of Beautiful Creatures “Too often women in history—particularly in STEM fields—are ignored and forgotten. Not by Sam Maggs. Through brilliant writing that is both factual and fun, Sam pulls back the curtain of history to show us just how kickass these amazing wonder women are. Be smart like the ladies described in this book and grab a copy today!”—Beth Revis, author of Across the Universe and A World Without You“Maggs's message—delivered in a snappy, girl-power tone—and her subjects—any one of whom could star in a book of her own—are timely and compelling.”—Shelf Awareness “Maggs condenses these storied lives effectively, and young feminists and supporters of women in STEM will applaud.”—Booklist“In a down-to-earth and often humorous tone, Maggs provides a[n] . . . anthology of biographies on trailblazing women [that] is likely to draw attention from a variety of readers but will especially appeal to those interested in women’s history and STEM . . . ”—Library Journal“Whether you want to know about suffragists, awesome historical lady ninjas, or the other butt kicking, trailblazing smarties in between, Wonder Women will have something for you!” —Amy Poehler’s Smart Girls“We could all stand to learn more about women in STEM fields, and Maggs', whose book The Fangirl's Guide to the Galaxy is a gem, is just the writer to lead the way."—Bustle “History should be everyone’s favorite subject, and if more people approached it (and wrote about it) like Maggs does, perhaps it would be.”—PopMatters“Embracing incredible women from all ages, of various races, and from different continents, the accounts of these extraordinary figures are spellbinding and inspirational.”—Manhattan Book Review“[Wonder Women] is a valuable addition to women's studies. Maggs successfully shows that women can perform as well as men if they are given an equal playing ground.”—Washington Book Review“These are incredible and inspirational true stories of women who dared to dream in a man's world. Additional, briefer vignettes of other notable and accomplished women round out this fascinating, educational 'must-have' for both school and public library collections.”—Midwest Book Review

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Book SynopsisFrom the bestselling author of A History of Britain in 21 Women The history of the world is the history of great women. Marie Curie discovered radium and revolutionised medical science. Empress Cixi transformed China. Frida Kahlo turned an unflinching eye on life and death. Anna Politkovskaya dared to speak truth to power, no matter the cost. Their names should be shouted from the rooftops. And that is exactly what Jenni Murray is here to do.Trade Review‘Each story has been lovingly researched and crafted with care… The book is written in a fresh, accessible, at times witty style… Murray skilfully interweaves stories of the familiar with the lesser-known, and brings new information to light… Not only has Murray succeeded in her aim to celebrate women’s achievements, but this book is an achievement in itself – one that everyone who identifies as a feminist (and anyone who doesn’t) should read.’ -- Resurgence & Ecologist'Enlightening pieces of passion about 21 pioneering woman delivered with personal verve.' -- LoveReading‘Charming...[Murray’s] selection is pleasingly varied… but the strength of the collection lies in Murray’s relaxed and intimate style… a testament to the achievements and the complicated legacies, of extraordinary women.’ * BBC History Magazine *‘In this interesting twist on collective biography…has chosen 21 women to document history… Whether browsing for fun or reading cover to cover, readers will find this equally satisfying.’ * Booklist *‘Ambitious, engaging and accessible. Who better than Jenni Murray to curate this whistle-stop tour of the globe and introduce twenty-one women who in different times and different places dared to be different?’ -- Dr Anna Whitelock, author of Mary Tudor: England’s First Queen‘A valuable resource for all readers. Jenni Murray’s collection of distinguished women is illuminating and inspiring.’ -- Charlotte Gordon, author of Romantic Outlaws: The Extraordinary Lives of Mary Wollstonecraft and Mary Shelley

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Book SynopsisThe colourful and complex history of the Kings and Queens of Scotland

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