European history: medieval period, middle ages Books

Book SynopsisGreat Scandals of the Victorians features a collection of true stories that shocked, outraged, angered or simply amused the Victorians in nineteenth-century Britain. Drawing on a wide variety of original material, seven disreputable stories that dominated the national newspapers for many weeks are explored, including the Great Warwickshire Scandal, a highly publicized divorce case where for the first time in history a Prince of Wales was called to give evidence in court; a baby' scandal that disrupted Queen Victoria's court and threatened the monarchy; the sex scandals of the Abode of Love, a mysterious religious cult founded by a defrocked clergyman, Henry James Prince and the sensational trial of Fanny and Stella, two outrageous cross-dressers accused of sodomy. Some scandals, though traumatic for the people involved, produced a positive outcome, such as the scandalous custody battle between Caroline Norton and her husband, which led to the passing of the Custody of Infants Act, gr

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Book SynopsisCaroline Angus takes a fresh look at the early lives of King Henry's children, the many children sadly lost, and evaluates the claims made by the men and women rumoured to be the king's illegitimate children.

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Book SynopsisFULLY UPDATED''A fascinating and often violent odyssey, spanning more than 1,000 years of conflict and culture''INDEPENDENTFlat, fertile, and fatally tempting to invaders, for centuries Ukraine was fought over by more powerful neighbours. Though its modern national movement dates back to the early nineteenth century, it did not win real independence until 1991, with the collapse of the Soviet Union.Since then, Ukrainians have proved themselves one of the world''s most remarkable nations. In 2014 mass demonstrations forced out a corrupt pro-Russian president. Russia responded by invading, first seizing Crimea and the eastern Donbass, and then in February 2022 marching on Kyiv. With Western help, Ukraine is fighting back. But in what form it will emerge from the war - the bloodiest in Europe since 1945 - remains to be seen.For this fourth edition of her classic history, Anna Reid returns to the scene. Talking to refugees, politicians and victTrade ReviewBeautifully written and lovingly researched ... This book brims with colourful historical personalities ... The mixture of travelogue, history, political analysis and anecdote makes Anna Reid's account a highly digestible popular introduction to the tragic plight of a country whose very name means "Borderland". "The West ... had difficulty taking Ukraine seriously at all," she writes. Her first (and I hope not her last) book is a noble and praiseworthy attempt to correct this gross historical injustice * Daily Telegraph *Gripping history ... [Reid] writers with authority having lived for three years in Kiev as a reporter ... [she] is remarkably clear-headed about the many competing versions of Ukraine's history and its mostly invented heroes. A wise and generous government in Kiev would give her a medal * The Times *A beautifully written evocation of Ukraine's brutal past and its shaky efforts to construct a better future ... Reid succeeds in vividly conjuring up dozens of little-know heroes and villains of Ukrainian history ... Reid summons up the rogues and poets of Ukraine's past with a deft touch, but her real theme is the tragedy which has been Ukraine's lot for much of its history ... Borderland is a tapestry woven of the stories of all its inhabitants, recording their triumphs and their conflicts with the fairness of a compassionate outsider * Financial Times *This book takes the reader on a fascinating and often violent odyssey, spanning more than 1,000 years of conflict and culture. Reid covers events from the coming of the Vikings, to Stalin's purges and beyond to the independence celebrations of 19991. She translates her obvious mastery of her subject into an accessible work, which should enrich the experience of any traveller to this new country * Independent on Sunday *Anne Reid ... has sharp vision and an enquiring mind which launched her on a journey through the country's history to help her make sense of what she saw. Often controversial but never stuffy, she takes her reader at the same time on a tour of Ukraine, relating past events to a modern context ... [she] proves herself an astute observer of the Ukrainian scene * TLS *A compelling and improbably enjoyable read ... Despite its problems [Reid] says, the country has the potential to be one of Europe's greatest states * The Scotsman *

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Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE WOLFSON HISTORY PRIZE 2021Shortlisted for the PEN Hessell-Tiltman Prize 2021Longlisted for the HWA Non-Fiction Crown 2021''Fabulous'' - The Times''A milestone in women''s history'' - Observer''Groundbreaking ... a fascinating read'' - HeraldIn Britain today, three-quarters of mothers are in employment and paid work is an unremarkable feature of women's lives after childbirth. Yet a century ago, working mothers were in the minority, excluded altogether from many occupations, whilst their wage-earning was widely perceived as a social ill. In Double Lives, Helen McCarthy accounts for this remarkable transformation and the momentous consequences it has had for Britain. Recovering the everyday worlds of working mothers, this groundbreaking history forces us not only to re-evaluate the past, but to ask anew how current attitudes towards mothers in the workplace have developed and how far we have to go. ''ImTrade ReviewA fabulous new cultural history of working motherhood over the past 180 years … It is truly Big History and Helen McCarthy has rightly made mothers’ feelings and desires her central theme ... McCarthy, measured but sympathetic, has done for working mothers what the historian David Kynaston did for the 1950s -- Melanie Reid * The Times *“There are no typical lives,” Helen McCarthy writes in her impressive and nuanced study. Each is unique. But the best history writing, like hers, shows how representative the individual life is … McCarthy’s is an economic and social history, but she also wants to give “shade and texture” to what has been thought and said about working mothers. In this she succeeds magnificently -- Alison Light * Guardian *Helen McCarthy does a brilliant job of tracking the way attitudes to combining work and motherhood in the UK have changed from the nineteenth century to the present -- Vicky Pryce * Literary Review *Groundbreaking … A fascinating read * Herald *Impeccably referenced … For anyone interested not just in female employment, but in the labour market generally, it will be a valuable resource … McCarthy’s impressive mining of contemporary sources brings one face to face with grinding toil, inadequate diets, and terror of illness -- Alison Wolf * Financial Times *This is an important book … Double Lives is a forceful reminder that attitudes to working mothers change abruptly and that politics, not nature, will decide the future of female employment -- Sarah Ditum * Spectator *Authoritative in scope and calmly judged, but with an ear for voices and an eye for detail, Double Lives is the history we have long wanted of a subject still freighted with emotion and misunderstanding -- David KynastonCarefully researched, stylishly written and highly entertaining. The story is rich with female pioneers. McCarthy’s “women of the world” stand as a reminder that, for many women, ours is a world which has not yet been won -- Praise for 'Women of the World' * Sunday Telegraph *Vivid and engaging. Complexities come out beautifully in the lives recovered in this book -- Praise for 'Women of the World' * Guardian *As McCarthy eloquently argues in this important book full of brilliant vignettes, fighting to the top is usually harder for a woman -- Praise for 'Women of the World' * Independent *

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Book SynopsisAn enjoyable, highly readable history that manages to bring murky, often fiendishly complex events into the light' Sunday TimesItaly emerged from the Second World War in ruins. Divided, invaded and economically broken, it was a nation that some people claimed had ceased to exist. And yet, as rural society disappeared almost overnight, by the 1960s, it could boast the fastest-growing economy in the world. In The Archipelago, historian John Foot chronicles Italy's tumultuous history from the post-war period to the present day. From the silent assimilation of fascists into society after 1945 to the artistic peak of neorealist cinema, he examines both the corrupt and celebrated sides of the country. While often portrayed as a failed state on the margins of Europe, Italy has instead been at the centre of innovation and change a political laboratory. This new history tells the fascinating story of a country always marked by scandal but with the constTrade ReviewIt’s an astonishing achievement, and structurally so innovative: a pointillistic portrait of a complicated country as the title suggests. It captures the sweep of post-war Italian history but is so precise and detailed as well. The assembling of great stories, anecdotes, quotations and characters makes reading it effortless but also immensely rewarding -- Tobias JonesAn enjoyable, highly readable history that manages to bring murky, often fiendishly complex events into the light, providing insight and clarity. That is no small achievement * Sunday Times *[A] lively history … Superbly researched * Observer *‘[A] breathless and entertaining (or despairing) voyage through postwar Italy … A pleasure to read. It is not just about politics. It is also full of characters, vignettes and interesting facts -- Donald Sassoon * Literary Review *Admirable … Foot’s expertise in an illuminating range of subcultures is deep * Daily Telegraph *This deft history book guides readers through Italy’s turbulent, complicated (and corrupt) postwar history * The Times *[A] fine, ambitious book ... A series of neatly written tableaux and portraits * Herald *A bold and challenging, accessibly written, portrayal of a country ... Even the expert reader will find much of interest in it. -- Stephen Gundle * Modern Italy *

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Book SynopsisExam Board: EdexcelLevel: AS/A-levelSubject: HistoryFirst Teaching: September 2015First Exam: June 2016Endorsed for EdexcelEnable your students to develop high-level skills in their Edexcel A level History breadth and depth studies through expert narrative and extended reading, including bespoke essays from leading academics- Build a strong understanding of the period studied with authoritative, well-researched content written in an accessible and engaging style- Ensure continual improvement in students'' essay writing, interpretation and source analysis skills, using practice questions and trusted guidance on successfully answering exam-style questions- Encourage students to undertake rolling revision and self-assessment by referring to end-of-chapter summaries and diagrams across the years- Help students monitor their progress and consolidate their knowledge through not

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Book SynopsisThe reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558-1603) marked a golden age in English history. There was a musical and literary renaissance, most famously and enduringly in the form of the plays of Shakespeare (2016 marks the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare''s death), and it was a period of international expansion and naval triumph over the Spanish. It was also a period of internal peace following the violent upheaval of the Protestant reformation. Wilson skilfully interweaves the personal histories of a representative selection of twenty or so figures - including Nicholas Bacon, the Statesman; Bess of Hardwick, the Landowner; Thomas Gresham, ''the Financier''; John Caius, ''the Doctor''; John Norreys, ''the Soldier''; and Nicholas Jennings, ''the Professional Criminal'' - with the major themes of the period to create a vivid and compelling account of life in England in the late sixteenth century. This is emphatically not yet another book about what everyday life was like dTrade ReviewPraise for In the Lion’s Court: One of the most useful and stimulating books about our most important dynasty. -- Antonia Fraser * Sunday Times *Praise for Hans Holbein: This should become the standard work on the subject . . . the most accurate and vivid portrayal to date. -- Alison Weir * Literary Review *All the King’s Women: Derek Wilson tells the story . . . with an effectiveness that few other biographies have matched. * Daily Telegraph *Praise for the author: Well constructed, bags of atmosphere and an exciting denouement to keep you on the edge of your seat. * Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisPaul Doherty''s twenty-third medieval mystery featuring Sir Hugh Corbett is a gripping and gruesome tale of murder and mayhem sure to appeal to fans of C. J. Sansom and Bernard Cornwell.Spring, 1312. Edward II of England is absorbed with his favourite, Peter Gaveston, while his young wife, Isabella, is with child. Isabella''s father, the ruthless Philip of France, dreams of a grandson wearing the Crown of the Confessor and starts to meddle - even if that means murder...Amaury de Craon, Philip''s Master of Secrets, is despatched to carry out his deadly deeds and Edward II summons Sir Hugh Corbett, Keeper of the Secret Seal, to intercept. Both master spies lodge at the Benedictine abbey of St Michael''s in the forest of Ashdown. Supposedly a house of prayer, the abbey holds sinister secrets and treasures which include the world''s most exquisite diamond, The Glory of Heaven. However, shortly after their arrival, the diamond is stolen and its guardian murdered. OtherTrade ReviewHis fascination for history comes off the page * Daily Express *Deliciously suspenseful, gorgeously written and atmospheric * Historical Novels Review *Paul Doherty has a lively sense of history . . . evocative and lyrical descriptions * New Statesman *An opulent banquet to satisfy the most murderous appetite * Northern Echo *Supremely evocative, scrupulously researched * Publishers Weekly *

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Book SynopsisFrom an expert on the Eastern Front of World War II, this book chronicles the cataclysmic experience of the region that includes modern-day Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia.The Baltic States suffered more than almost any other territory during World War II, caught on the front-line of some of the war's most vicious battles and squeezed between the vast military might of the German Wehrmacht and the Soviet Red Army. Combining new archival research and numerous first-hand accounts, this is a magisterial description of conquest and exploitation, of death and deportation and the fight for survival both by countries and individuals.Trade Review'A powerful pick... It comes packed with action shots and photos, first-hand accounts from soldiers on both sides - most of which have never appeared in English... No military collection strong in World War II should be without this specific, in-depth analysis.' The Midwest Book Review Praise for Prit Buttar 'a marvelously written and illustrated new work with excellent maps on a series of battles too long overlooked... [it[ deserves to be read by any true devotee of World War II.' Military AdvisorTable of ContentsList of Illustrations List of Maps Author’s Note Dramatis Personae Preface Introduction Chapter 1: Molotov, Ribbentrop and the First Soviet Occupation Chapter 2: Rosenberg, Generalplan Ost and Preparations for Barbarossa Chapter 3: The Wehrmacht in Full Flood Chapter 4: The Baltic Holocaust Chapter 5: Reluctant Allies Chapter 6: Narva, January to April 1944 Chapter 7: Breaking the Deadlock: Summer 1944 Chapter 8: From Doppelkopf to Cäsar Chapter 9: The Isolation of Army Group North Chapter 10: Courland, October to December 1944 Chapter 11: Endgame Chapter 12: Aftermath Appendix 1: Place Names Appendix 2: Ranks Appendix 3: Acronyms Appendix 4: Foreign terms Endnotes Bibliography Extract from Battleground Prussia Index

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Book SynopsisWith Hitler''s army rampaging across Europe, Winston Churchill ordered the creation of a special fighting force-- the Commandos. These valiant men were volunteers drawn from the ranks of the British Army, formed into a Special Service Brigade, and put through a rigorous but highly effective training program. Over the course of World War II they would see action in every major theater of operation, and are credited with numerous feats of gallantry during the D-Day landings. Although many units were disbanded after the war, the Royal Marine Commandos have maintained the standards of this elite fighting formation to the present day.Angus Konstam explores the history of the Commandos during their formative years, providing detailed descriptions of their training, weapons, and equipment. Battle reports are accompanied by specially commissioned Osprey artwork and historical photographs, offering readers an in-depth analysis of some of the most famous fighting units in the British Table of ContentsIntroduction /Chronology /Recruitment and Enlistment /Training /Appearance and Equipment /Belief and Belonging /Conditions of Service /Experience of Battle /After the Battle /Collections and Museums/Glossary

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Book SynopsisThe Roman Empire rules the civilized world with an iron fist, seemingly all-powerful and limitless. And yet the power of Rome is secured not by its mighty legions but by small bands of warriors and agents fighting a secret war. Tasked by the Emperor to explore ancient temples, forgotten labyrinths, and beast-haunted caverns, they seek out artifacts hidden by the gods themselves, hunt creatures of myth, and face enemies that would use dark magic against the empire. Broken Legions is a set of fantasy skirmish rules for a war unknown to history, fought in the shadows of the Roman Empire. Various factions recruit small warbands to fight in tight, scenario-driven battles that could secure the mystical power to defend--or crush--Rome. A points system allows factions to easily build a warband, and mercenaries and free agents may also be hired to bolster a force. Heroes and leaders may possess a range of skills, traits, and magical abilities, but a henchman''s blade can be juTable of ContentsCore Rules/ Special Rules/ Equipment/ Magic & Miracles/ Scenarios/ Warband Rosters/ Free Agents & Hired Swords/ Monstrous Bestiary/ Campaign Advancement

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Book SynopsisAn informative and visually appealing quiz book covering all aspects of Churchill''s extraordinary life.Do you think you know everything there is to know about Churchill? Have you seen every film and read every book ever produced about this great British statesman? Then delve into The Churchill Quiz Book to find 800 fascinating questions on every aspect of his heroic, colourful and controversial life!With multiple-choice questions, anagrams, truth or fiction sections to baffle and intrigue, picture quizzes from the Imperial War Museums'' archive, and much more, you will find there is still something new to learn about the compelling icon who led Great Britain to ultimate victory in World War II.Trade ReviewIt really is a nice gift for anyone interested in our wartime PM. * The Armourer *Table of ContentsIntroduction Acknowledgments How to Use This Book Questions 1. Beginnings 2. Passion and Politics 3. Politics, Empire and the Road to War 4. War and Wilderness 5. Alone and at War 6. Darkest Hours 7. Adversity and Striking Back 8. Liberating Europe 9. Victory and Defeat 10. Post-war and Legacy Answers Further Reading About the Author Imperial War Museums

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Book SynopsisThis illustrated study tells the story of the Russian mercenary force led by business tycoon Yevgeny Prigozhin, and the mutiny it launched against Putin's government in 2023.

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Book SynopsisComprehensive illustrated history of the most effective German tank of the Second World War

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Book SynopsisSource material giving detailed insight into issues and problems faced on the 'Home Front'.

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Book SynopsisThe full story of Poland's part in WW2 from failure of pre-war diplomacy and planning, through to betrayal by Allies leading to civil war and Soviet occupation in immediate post-war years.

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Book SynopsisStories of the men who served the guns on the D-Day beaches

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Book SynopsisDetailed narrative of military events of Roman Empire 457-518, including detailed analysis of several hitherto neglected battles.

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Book SynopsisThe story of Catholic Emancipation begins with the violent Anti-Catholic Gordon Riots in 1780, fuelled by the reduction in Penal Laws against the Roman Catholics harking back to the sixteenth century. Some fifty years later, the passing of the Emancipation Bill was hailed as a 'bloodless revolution'. Had the Irish Catholics been a 'millstone', as described by an English aristocrat, or were they the prime movers? While the English Catholic aristocracy and the Irish peasants and merchants approached the Catholic Question in very different ways, they manifestly shared the same objective. Antonia Fraser brings colour and humour to the vivid drama with its huge cast of characters: George III, who opposed Emancipation on the basis of the Coronation Oath; his son, the indulgent Prince of Wales, who was enamoured with the Catholic Maria Fitzherbert before the voluptuous Lady Conyngham; Wellington and the 'born Tory' Peel vying for leadership; 'roaring' Lord Winchilsea; the heroic Daniel O'ConnTrade ReviewFraser knows better than anybody how to make political and religious history fun. And as the mob besieges the Palace of Westminster, red-faced politicians rant and rave and George IV tucks in to yet another banquet, her tale flows with such elegance and enthusiasm that you barely stop to notice just how skilfully she does it. -- Dominic Sandbrook * SUNDAY TIMES *Fascinating ... Fraser approaches the subject not as one of arid doctrinal debate, but rather as a story, told by an extraordinary cast of characters. William Pitt, George Canning, the Duke of Wellington, Robert Peel, Percy Bysshe Shelley, [Daniel] O'Connell and two kings named George all played idiosyncratic parts in this drama. Supporting actors included some of Fraser's ancestors, who were active in the opposition to emancipation. The people make this story -- Gerard DeGroot * THE TIMES *Fraser, a convert to Catholicism, as well as a descendant of the Anglo-Irish Protestant Longfords, tells the story with erudition, sprezzatura and a tremendous sense of fun. Every page is shot through with humour and humanity. Columns of bloated, bewhiskered bigots fall to Fraser's skewer, but the many Georgians with rent consciences are handled with great sensitivity. She is excellent on Ireland. She writes beautifully and she includes just the right amount of smut -- Jessie Childs * GUARDIAN *This is a complicated tale with a large cast of characters, making it harder still to maintain the tension that is essential to good, readable history. But Antonia Fraser does it triumphantly. The result is not simply a book that will remind now thoroughly integrated British Catholics of how far we have travelled from being a harassed and despised minority. It also explains, without ever obviously seeming to do so, how implacable prejudices and intractable issues can be tackled and overcome. In other words, it is that rarest of things: a good news story -- Peter Stanford * SUNDAY TELEGRAPH *The author, now 85, has not lost her skill in writing history principally through the stories of particular people - and for the success of Catholic emancipation the decisions of a few people were essential: the Duke of Wellington and Robert Peel, ideologically and temperamentally anti-Catholic, who changed their minds; George IV, who wavered; and Daniel O'Connell, who resisted the allure of leading violent insurrection in Ireland and instead offered to keep his nation quiet in return for religious tolerance. Fraser's prose is a pleasure to read -- Christopher Howse * DAILY TELEGRAPH *Writing with a historian's skill and a novelist's heart, Fraser shows how O'Connell was able to bring the British government to the point where it felt it had no alternative but to concede emancipation...In many ways this is a book for our Brexit times, a cautionary tale of how a spirit of courage and compromise is necessary when dealing with the political challenge of a generation...Elegant, timely and thought-provoking -- Patrick Geoghegan * IRISH TIMES *Utterly gripping and consistently witty -- Damian Thompson * LITERARY REVIEW *Ripples with colour and is full of contrasting characters, from "roaring" Tory Lord Winchelsea to voluptuous Lady Conyngham and heroic "King Dan" O'Connell. Indeed, it's like an exhilarating literary point to point, with falls at the fences, but the favourite winning by a neck. -- John Martin Robinson * COUNTRY LIFE *Fraser succeeds triumphantly in bringing to life the struggle for Catholic rights. A superb narrative historian, like a modern-day Macaulay, she enlivens her story with vivid character sketches, verve and wit. This is a marvellous book -- Jane Ridley * THE TABLET *This is an absolutely splendid book. With the brio and narrative skill which has been in evidence since her first book - the irreplaceable classic biography of Mary Queen of Scots - Fraser gives us a vivid account of Catholic Emancipation. Some of the most dramatic scenes in our parliamentary history are here brought to life with unmatched verve. -- A. N. Wilson * THE SPECTATOR *Masterly -- Daniel Johnson * STANDPOINT *The widespread violence, excited by a modest Catholic relief Bill, is the start of Fraser's superb account of how British Catholics, over the next 50 years, managed to get their rights back - and how Britain narrowly avoided another civil war * DAILY TELEGRAPH *Meticulously researched and thoroughly engrossing -- Simon Griffith * MAIL ON SUNDAY *Fraser's narrative skilfully interweaves the progress of activism in Ireland - painting a deeply sympathetic picture of the great Daniel O'Connell, "the Liberator" - and pragmatism in England, as emancipation gradually came to appear as the only outcome that offered justice and stability...This book has all the liveliness and clarity of Antonia Fraser's other historical writing. -- Rowan Williams * NEW STATESMAN *Lady Antonia's interest is in the politics of religion, to which she brings all of her remarkable gifts. -- Michael Wheeler * CHURCH TIMES *The fight for Catholic Emancipation in 1829, explored with great skill and elan by a historian who knows how to tell a good story. * SUNDAY TIMES *Expertly written and deftly argued, The King and the Catholics is also a distant mirror of our times, reflecting the political issues arising from religious intolerance. * CATHOLIC TIMES *This is a very fine book indeed. Fraser is an excellent historian. Her research is thorough, her use of it discriminating. The has a dramatic story to tell here, and tells it compellingly, never forgetting that events now in the past were once in the future, and that what now seems inevitable often appeared otherwise at the time...There is no reason why good history should not entertain as well as enlighten. This thoroughly enjoyable book does both. -- Allan Massie * CATHOLIC HERALD *Fraser's book is the first full length history of the emancipation struggle for nearly 20 years and she writes with informed sympathy for both sides, drawing on the experiences of her own Irish Protestant Packenham family history: one ancestor opposed reform and another came to support it. -- Stephen Bates * BBC HISTORY *In The King and the Catholics, Antonia Fraser recounts the saga of the emancipation of British Catholics, who finally achieved equal civil rights in 1829. Hitherto Catholicism had, since the Reformation, been considered 'a form of national treachery', with Catholics blamed for the Great Fire of London -- Simon Heffer * DAILY TELEGRAPH History Books of the Year *[An] intelligent, wide-ranging, elegantly written account -- Peter Stanford * THE TABLET Books of the Year *Proving there's no retirement age for writers, Antonia Fraser brings 50 years of accumulated skill in the writing of gripping history to a book it is impossible to imagine anyone else writing with such liveliness and insight. The King and the Catholics also offers unobtrusive contemporary parallels on issues including xenophobia, terrorism and the long tendency of English politicians to underestimate the complicating issue of Ireland -- Mark Lawson * THE TABLET Books of the Year *

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Book SynopsisA journey along one of Britain''s oldest roads, from Dover to Anglesey, in search of the hidden history that makes us who we are today.''A bravura piece of writing - Bill Bryson on acid'' Tom HollandWinding its way from the White Cliffs of Dover to the Druid groves of Anglesey, the ancient road of Watling Street has gone by many different names. It is a road of witches and ghosts, of queens and highwaymen, of history and myth, of Bletchley Park codebreakers, Chaucer, Boudicca, Dickens and James Bond. But Watling Street is not just the story of a route across our island. It is an acutely observed exploration of Britain and who we are today, told with wit and an unerring eye for the curious and surprising.Trade Review'In Watling Street, an exploration of modern Britain and what it means to be British today, Higgs offers a more nuanced understanding of the national psyche . . . a book for our times' -- Ian Thomson * Observer *'Mischievous and iconoclastic . . . [Higgs's] is a systematising imagination, able to harness disparate elements and find the patterns that animate them; that he does so in a more socially inclusive manner than many enriches his theories enormously' -- Melissa Harrison * Financial Times *'A new vision of England . . . full of magic, mystery and bits of William Blake' -- Ian Samson * Times Literary Supplement *'A bravura piece of writing - Bill Bryson on acid' -- Tom Holland'It has been said by the old magicians that Watling Street was created in a single night. Or revealed to us between sleeping and waking - a potentiality that is always there but which we have to learn to read. John Higgs does just that: a bright necklace of recoveries and collisions and remarkable witnesses. A tale-telling pilgrim to entertain and inform as we jolt along the way' -- Iain Sinclair'A humorous and thoughtful guide' -- Huston Gilmore * Daily Express *'Myths combine with staggeringly fascinating facts, while Higgs' take on our national imagination and the nature of history is refreshingly original . . . [A] mad, but brilliant, odyssey' -- Rebecca Armstrong * I Paper *'Watling Street is unusual, original and strangely beautiful. It's full of wonderful stories about this remarkable road, expertly brought to life by Higgs. And even though it's a travel book, it has more to say about the current climate than most political books' -- Jamie Bartlett, author of Radicals'On a long drive like this, your companion matters as much as the route, of course - and Higgs is an entertaining one, garrulous but disinclined to hector' -- Tom Sutcliffe * Mail on Sunday Event *A very interesting book . . . great fun and many surprises. One of its glories is that you feel you are in the company of a real person - this is somebody talking to you on a walk, and that's a great feature -- Alexander McCall Smith, BBC Radio 4's A Good Read'A truly fascinating book . . . from one of the best writers on cultural history we have''In these divisive times, when British identity is so much discussed, Watling Street is a rich and relevant work, making a compelling case that our truest heritage is simply the spirituality of the land and the vast, vibrant patchwork of our individual stories' * The Lady *'One of those books where you constantly find yourself underlining pithy quotes, it's a compelling study of the origins of our national identity, at a time when it's becoming more complex than ever' * The Bookseller *'A fascinating, erudite and esoteric portrait of Britain . . . Cliche-free and engrossing, this is a wonderful book' * New European *'Juggling wit and wisdom, [Higgs] brings a lively twist to a thoroughly British story' * Choice *'Wry and thought-provoking. Higgs expresses a history that is not simply that of kings or victors, but of the British people who have shaped the Britain we know' * Who Do You Think You Are? magazine *'The range of reference in this book makes for an inspiring read, and anyone with an interest in British history or identity will find something to learn, and something to think about' * Your Family History *'In the same way that Watling Street slices through the UK, Higgs's trademark crystal clarity of thought slices through this country's nationalistic hysteria. We owe it to ourselves to join him on this vital and endlessly insightful journey''It is an ambitious attempt to find a grassroots British identity that eschews the political, and one that ultimately succeeds' * Big Issue in the North *'One of the best books I've ever read . . . addictively illuminating in these turbulent times''It's erudite, funny, philosophical, often wildly esoteric and packed with factual asides . . . Above all Watling Street provokes a new and exciting discourse on national pride and identity. You can hear the singing of our ancestors in a chorus of shared heritage whose melody is steeped in the land' * New European *'[A] delightful and inventive contemplation of the way history has shaped Britain, and vice versa' * Geographical *'Fascinating stuff' * History Revealed *A timely look at national identity and how it forges the world around us. * WANDERLUST *

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Book SynopsisFar from worrying about the onset of war, in the spring of 1938 the burning question on the French Riviera was whether one should curtsey to the Duchess of Windsor. Few of those who had settled there thought much about what was going on in the rest of Europe. It was a golden, glamorous life, far removed from politics or conflict.Featuring a sparkling cast of artists, writers and historical figures including Winston Churchill, Daisy Fellowes, Salvador Dalí, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Eileen Gray and Edith Wharton, with the enigmatic Coco Chanel at its heart, CHANEL''S RIVIERA is a captivating account of a period that saw some of the deepest extremes of luxury and terror in the whole of the twentieth century.From Chanel''s first summer at her Roquebrune villa La Pausa (in the later years with her German lover) amid the glamour of the pre-war parties and casinos in Antibes, Nice and Cannes to the horrors of evacuation and the displacement of thousands of families Trade ReviewProviding insight into the occupation of France and its terrifying impact on rich and poor alike, you'll come away from reading it both better informed and utterly transported -- Francesca Brown * STYLIST magazine *A riveting read about the best and very worst of times and at the heart of the story is the morally ambiguous (some may say morally bankrupt) Chanel herself. -- Sarra Manning * RED ONLINE *A well-researched and compelling story. Drawing on an immense volume of material, she has succeeded not only in constructing an intriguing portrait of Chanel herself but also in expertly conjuring the two very different worlds that then existed side by side -- Selina Hastings * LITERARY REVIEW *A highly amusing guide to the shenanigans, foibles and affairs of the rich and famous at a time when it seemed anyone who was anyone spent weeks at a time on the Riviera ... De Courcy has dug deep into a rich seam of stories about the coastal region of France -- Anne Sebba * HISTORY TODAY *Anne de Courcy's Chanel's Riviera gives us delicious gossip. France's leading designer was the epitome ofchic. When she acquired a magnificent villa on the Cote d'Azur, the rich and famous - among them Jean Cocteau, H. G. Wells, Salvador Dali (and, after the abdication, the Windsors) - followed. They created a gilded and hedonistic world, which continued until the fall of France in 1940. -- A.W. Purdue * THES *De Courcy is very powerful on the fall of France - the sorrow and the pity ... De Courcy, in this gripping, rousing study, sees Chanel as a Marie Antoinette figure, simultaneously shrewd and other-worldly, protected by an armour of absolute self-interest. -- Roger Lewis * DAILY TELEGRAPH *Fascinating ... By turns sunny and shady, this beautifully written book illuminates a harrowing and occasionally surreal episode in 20th-century French history -- Martin Williams * COUNTRY LIFE *Sparkling, anecdote-rich narrative -- Paula Byrne * THE TIMES *

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Book SynopsisA witty and concise look at the beginnings of English history, when the nation consolidated after clashes between the Saxons and invading Vikings--now in paperback! In 871, three of England's four kingdoms were overrun by Vikings, the ruthless, all-conquering Scandinavian raiders who terrorised early medieval Europe. With the Norsemen murdering one king with arrows and torturing another to death by ripping out his lungs, the prospects that faced the kingdom of Wessex were bleak. Worse still, the Saxons were now led by a young man barely out of his teens who was more interested in God than fighting. Yet within a decade Alfred—the only English king known as the Great—had driven the Vikings out of half of England, and his children and grandchildren would unite the country a few years later. This period, popular with fans of television shows such as Vikings and The Last Kingdom, saw the creation of England as a nation-state, with Alfred laying down the first national law code, establishing an education system and building cities.Saxons vs. Vikings also covers the period before Alfred, including ancient Britain, the Roman occupation, and the Dark Ages, explaining important historical episodes such as Boudicca, King Arthur, and Beowulf. Perfect for newcomers to the subject, this is the second title in the new A Very, Very Short History of England series. If you’re trying to understand England and its history in the most informative and entertaining way possible, this is the place to start.

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Book SynopsisPublishing to mark the University of Manchester's bicentenary, this book is packed with compelling stories about the great scholars and scientists who have shaped the institution and helped to advance numerous fields of knowledge. -- .

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Book SynopsisThis ground-breaking history explores the figure of Jacob Harris, a Jewish pedlar who committed a notorious triple-murder in 1734. Tracing Harris's legend through three-hundred years of British history, it offers a new perspective on Jewish life in Britain and beyond. -- .

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Book SynopsisLooking beyond the London-centric narratives of British LGBTQ life, this exciting book explores the queer dimensions of four English cities Manchester, Leeds, Plymouth and Brighton. -- .

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Book SynopsisIn 1204, the great Angevin Empire created by the joining of the dynasties of Henry II of England and his queen, Eleanor of Aquitaine, was fragmenting. At its height, the family landholdings had been among the largest the world had ever seen. From the border of England and Scotland in the north to south of the Pyrenees, it seemed there was nowhere in Europe destined to escape Plantagenet control. Yet within five years of his accession, King John's grip on the family holdings was loosening. Betrayal against his father and brother, the murder of his nephew, and breaking promises made to his supporters were just some of the accusations levelled against him. When Philip II conquered Normandy, the chroniclers believed that an ancient prophecy was fulfilled: that in this year the sword would be separated from the sceptre. For the first time since 1066, England's rule over the ancestral land was over. For John, troubles on the continent were just the beginning of a series of challenges that would ultimately define his reign. Difficult relations with the papacy and clergy, coupled with rising dissent among his barons ensured conflict would not be limited to the continent. When John died in 1216, more than half of the country was in the hands of the dauphin of France. Never had the future of the Plantagenet dynasty looked more uncertain. As the following pages will show, throughout the first eighteen years of the reign of Henry III, the future direction of England as a political state, the identity of the ruling family and the fate of Henry II's lost empire were still matters that could have gone either way. For the advisors of the young king, led by the influential regent, William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke, the effects of John's reign would be long and severe. Successful implementation of the failed Magna Carta may have ensured his son's short-term survival, yet living up to such promises created arguably a more significant challenge. This is the story of how the varying actions of two very different kings both threatened and created the English way of life, and ultimately put England on the path to its Lost Civil War.

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Book SynopsisBestselling historian Peter Moore traces how Enlightenment ideas were exported from Britain and put into practice in America - where they became the most successful export of all time, the American Dream'Absorbing... fascinating... eloquent' THE TIMES'Engaging and thoroughly reader-friendly' TELEGRAPH'Wonderfully absorbing and stimulating' SARAH BAKEWELL'Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness' is the best-known phrase from the Declaration of Independence, one of the most important documents of the eighteenth century and the whole Enlightenment Age. Written by Thomas Jefferson, it is frequently evoked today as a shorthand for that idea we call the 'American Dream'. But this is a line with a surprising history. Rather than being uniquely American, the vision it encapsulates - of a free and happy world - owes a great deal to British thinkers too. Centred on the life of Benjamin Franklin, featuring figures like the cultural giant Samuel Johnson, the ground-breaking historian Catharine Macaulay, the firebrand politician John Wilkes and revolutionary activist Thomas Paine, this book looks at the generation that preceded the Declaration in 1776. It takes us back to a vital moment in the foundation of the West, a time full of intent, confidence and ideas. It tells a whole new story about the birth of the United States of America - and some of the key principles by which we live to this very day. 'Deft insights and in clear prose' ALAN TAYLOR'A gripping account' STELLA TILLYARD'Rollicking...compulsive readability' WASHINGTON POST'A great read' LADY HALE

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Book SynopsisIn the bestselling tradition of The Swerve and A Distant Mirror, The Verge tells the story of a period that marked a decisive turning point for both European and world history. Here, author Patrick Wyman examines two complementary and contradictory sides of the same historical coin: the world-altering implications of the developments of printed mass media, extreme taxation, exploitative globalization, humanistic learning, gunpowder warfare, and mass religious conflict in the long term, and their intensely disruptive consequences in the short-term.As told through the lives of ten real people-from famous figures like Christopher Columbus and wealthy banker Jakob Fugger to a ruthless small-time merchant and a one-armed mercenary captain-The Verge illustrates how their lives, and the times in which they lived, set the stage for an unprecedented globalized future.Over an intense forty-year period, the seeds for the so-called "Great Divergence" between Western Europe and the rest of the globe would be planted. From Columbus's voyage across the Atlantic to Martin Luther's sparking the Protestant Reformation, the foundations of our own, recognizably modern world came into being.For the past 500 years, historians, economists, and the policy-oriented have argued which of these individual developments best explains the West's rise from backwater periphery to global dominance. As The Verge presents it, however, the answer is far more nuanced.

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Book SynopsisIncreasingly, people are responding to the contemporary crises underwritten by capitalism by exploring the politics of communism. Some have taken a sympathetic, even nostalgic, view of actually existing socialist (AES) societies past and present, including the USSR, China, and Cuba, and the Marxist-Leninist political tradition associated with them. They see these states as a powerful alternative to capitalism, governed by parties genuinely committed to socialism and staunchly resisting Western imperialism. But were these societies really in transition towards a classless, stateless society of freedom - the original communist goal? Is Marxism-Leninism the political approach that should orient people on the left now? Red Flags traces the path from the 1917 Russian Revolution to the construction of the world's first AES society: the USSR. It also looks at the post-revolution societies created along the same lines in China and Cuba. Using the intellectual tools of historical materialism, Red Flags argues that they were not in fact moving towards communism because the social relations remained fixed in class exploitation. The workers were never liberated. At a time of burgeoning anti-communism from both conservatives and liberals, this book is an accessible, vibrant synthesis of the history of communism that draws on the latest research to develop a rigorous analysis of the contradictions and uneasy truths the left needs to confront if it is to build a genuinely liberatory alternative to capitalism.

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Book SynopsisOne of the most famous queens in history, Mary Stuart lived in her homeland for just twelve years: as a dauntless child who laughed at her friends' seasickness as they sailed to safety in France and later, on her return as a 18-year-old widow to take control of a nation riven with factions, dissent and religious strife. Brief though her time in Scotland was, her experience profoundly in?uenced who she was and what happened to her.In this book, Rosemary Goring tells the story of Mary's Scottish years through the often dramatic and atmospheric locations and settings where the events that shaped her life took place and also examines the part Scotland, and its tumultuous court and culture, played in her downfall. Whether or not Mary Stuart emerges blameless or guilty, in this evocative retelling she can be seen for who she really was.Locations included:Linlithgow Palace * Stirling Castle * Dumbarton Castle * Leith * Holyrood Palace * Crichton Castle * Darnaway Castle * Huntly Castle * Spyn

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Book SynopsisAcclaimed historian Alistair Moffat sets off in the footsteps of the Highland clans and their definitive conflicts. In twelve journeys he explores places of conflict, recreating as he walks the tumult of battle. As he recounts the military prowess of the clans he also tells of their lives, their language and culture before it was all swept away.From the colonisers who attempted to civilise' the islanders of Lewis in the sixteenth century through the great battles of the eighteenth century Killiekrankie, Dunkeld, Sheriffmuir, Falkirk and Culloden this is a unique exploration of many of the places and events which define the country's history. The disaster at Culloden in 1746 represented not just the defeat of the Jacobite dream but also the unleashing of merciless retribution from the British government which dealt the Highland clans a blow from which they would never recover.Locations included are:PrestonpansGlenfinnan The Isle of Lewis Edinburgh Inverlochy Tippermuir Mulroy Killiecr

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Book SynopsisWarrior tells the story of forgotten man, a man whose bones were found in an Anglo-Saxon graveyard at Bamburgh castle in Northumberland. It is the story of a violent time when Britain was defining itself in waves of religious fervour, scattered tribal expansion and terrible bloodshed; it is the story of the fighting class, men apart, defined in life and death by their experiences on the killing field; it is an intricate and riveting narrative of survival and adaptation set in the stunning political and physical landscapes of medieval England. Warrior is a classic of British history, a landmark of popular archaeology, and a must-read for anyone interested in the story of where we've come from.

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Book SynopsisDesigned to dominate the surrounding area, to house powerful garrisons, offer sumptuous quarters for local nobility, and to discourage and repel enemy attacks, castles dominated England and Wales for more than half a millennium. Though some were built before 1066, the Norman Conquest left a lasting legacy in the form of fortifications ranging from small earthworks now barely discernible, to mighty and dominating stone fortresses. This book examines why castles were so essential to medieval warfare, their importance in domestic politics, and the day-to-day lives of those who lived and worked within them. It also shows how the development of new technologies affected their construction and design, and why they eventually fell into disrepair in the late Middle Ages. Beautifully illustrated with stunning photographs, this is the perfect guide for any castle enthusiast seeking to discover more about medieval fortifications and their inhabitants.Table of ContentsCastles of Conquest Castles of Settlement Castle Development Castles of Conflict Building a Castle Life in a Castle Later Years and Decline Further Reading Places to Visit Glossary Index

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Book SynopsisThe story of Aelfred the Great, his war against the Vikings and the foundations of modern Britain. In AD 865, a 'great host' of battle-hardened Norse warriors landed on England's eastern coast, overwhelmed East Anglia with terrifying swiftness and laid the North to waste. Ghosting along estuaries and inshore waters, in 871 they penetrated deep into the southern kingdom of Wessex, ruled over by a new and untested king, Ælfred son of Æðelwulf. It seemed as though the End of Days was come. Max Adams tells the story of the heroic efforts of Ælfred, his successors and fellow-kings of Britain, to adapt and survive in the face of an apocalyptic threat; and in so doing, to lay the foundations of the nations of modern Britain in all their regional diversity.Trade ReviewThis engrossing history of the British people between the first Viking raids in 865 and the expulsion of the Vikings from York in 954 is notable for being a more nuanced portrait of that era... Lands other than Wessex come into fascinating new focus' * The Bookseller *An evocative look at a period that continues to grab the popular imagination * History Revealed *This is much more than a book about the Vikings versus King Alfred... [Adams'] great achievement is to cover events throughout the whole of Britain with some excursions into Ireland and Europe as well' * TLS *A beautifully crafted and impeccably compiled book, and one that is certainly a must-read for anyone with even a passing interest in the events and figures that moulded Britain during the reign of the Vikings * All About History *Essential reading for all those interested in late Anglo-Saxon Britain * Historical Novel Society *Adams very usefully drops from the macro-narratives to detailed examples of what all this meant to people at ground level, using the evidence of coins and charters and, especially, archaeology – much of which exposes the written chronicles and histories as propaganda... A great virtue of his book – in following the archaeologists and the geographers, the reconstructors and the genealogists, Adams never forgets to ask what it looked like to the people on the ground' * London Review of Books *Brilliantly combining history and archaeological research with an eye for the terrain [Aelfred's Britain is] a compelling read that is as knowledgeable on warfare in the Middle Ages as it is on civic life in Saxon London and Viking York * The Lady *

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Book SynopsisRhys ap Gruffydd stands out as a prince of unusual talent, vision and insight. A native ruler, he was an astute politician, a zealous reformer, a sensitive patron of the arts, a distinguished warrior, the architect of peaceful co-existence and one of the most remarkable figures in medieval Wales.

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Book SynopsisA chilling medieval ghost story, retold by bestselling historian Dan Jones. Published in a beautiful small-format hardback, perfect as a Halloween read or a Christmas gift. One winter, in the dark days of King Richard II, a tailor was riding home on the road from Gilling to Ampleforth. It was dank, wet and gloomy; he couldn't wait to get home and sit in front of a blazing fire. Then, out of nowhere, the tailor is knocked off his horse by a raven, who then transforms into a hideous dog, his mouth writhing with its own innards. The dog issues the tailor with a warning: he must go to a priest and ask for absolution and return to the road, or else there will be consequences... First recorded in the early fifteenth century by an unknown monk, The Tale of the Tailor and the Three Dead Kings was transcribed from the Latin by the great medievalist M.R. James in 1922. Building on that tradition, now bestselling historian Dan Jones retells this medieval ghost story in crisp and creepy prose.Trade ReviewDan Jones is best known for his epic histories, which makes his first foray into fiction a surprising but effective change of direction. He has adapted a medieval tale of the supernatural (which was transcribed from the Latin by MR James in 1922); his tight, chilling account of an unsuspecting tailor and the terrifying shenanigans in which he is embroiled compares favourably with James's own ghost stories, the author's grasp of historical detail giving it welcome verisimilitude * Observer *An interesting glimpse into a world that almost reads as Fantasy today. I found that the origins and background to the story were as intriguing as the story itself, which creates a nice little shiver and then allows the reader to move on. One for readers looking for a brief, classic read at Halloween * SFF World *Atmospheric chamber piece * BBC History Magazine *Put another log on the hearth (or its nearest 21st-century equivalent) and settle in for Dan Jones's eerie, evocative retelling of a medieval ghost story * History Revealed *A chilling yarn * The Tablet *This is a great story and has grown in the telling * The Ampleforth Journal *

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Book SynopsisIn eighteenth- and nineteenth-century Europe everyone lived ''off the land'' in one way or another. In Ireland, however, almost everyone lived ''on the land'' as well. Agriculture was the only economic resource for the vast majority of the population outside the north-east of the country. Land was vital. But most of it was owned by a class of Protestant, English and often aristocratic landlords. The dream of having more control over their farms, even of owning them, drove many of the most explosive conflicts in Irish history. Rebellions against British rule were rare, but savage outbreaks of murder related to resentments over land ownership, and draconian state repression, were a regular feature of Irish rural life. The struggle for the land was also crucial in driving support for Irish nationalist demands for Home Rule and independence.In this epic narrative, Myles Dungan examines two hundred years of agrarian conflict from the ruinous famine of 1741 to the eve of World War

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Book SynopsisEnlightening, entertaining and often surprising, Irish Food History: a companion takes you on an unforgettable and expert journey through Ireland's culinary past.Beginning at the end of the Ice age, before reindeer, brown bears, and the giant Irish deer became extinct; this vital and brilliantly researched collection brings us forward from the introduction of farming and livestock, to the delicious world of medieval honey, banqueting, bog butter, whiskey distilling, to eighteenth century feasts, famines, and on to the modernisation, industrialisation, and eventual globalisation of food. Through analysis, storytelling, and mouth-watering descriptions, every dish and moment in time reveals ancient techniques, hidden gems, and innovative cooking seemingly far beyond its time, all of which have shaped Ireland's culinary landscape for centuries. Irish Food History: a companion brings the reader on a gastronomic odyssey from earliest times and the start of the hunter-gatherer community, all the way to the abundant world of modern Irish cooking, safe in the hands of the world's most highly regarded food historians.

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Book SynopsisVladimir Lenin, an occasional resident of North London who went on to other things, has been credited with once saying that there are decades where nothing happens but weeks when decades happen. The first two and a half decades of this century in Britain have had plenty of those weeks. Indeed, our recent history has at times resembled an episode of Casualty, the long-running BBC hospital drama in which every hedge trimmer slips, every gas pipe leaks, every piece of scaffolding collapses and everyone ends up in intensive care. In Haywire Andrew Hindmoor makes sense of the deluge of events which have rained down on Britain since 2000, from the Iraq War to financial collapse, austerity to Brexit, as well as more easily forgotten moments such as the MP's expenses scandal. He shows not simply how one crisis has quickly followed another, but how each crisis has compounded the next, so that disaster feels like the new normal. Has Britain simply been the victim of a particularly prolonged run of bad luck which will, sooner or later, come to an end? No. Hindmoor argues that the way the British state is organised has, time and again, made a crisis out of a drama and that it is time to find an alternative before we all go haywire.

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Book Synopsis1298: Alexander of Wells watches William Wallace's army across the field at Falkirk. Hours later, he would be dead, cut down by the Scots. 1381: Hated collector of the Poll Tax, Robert Hales is dragged from the Tower of London and executed. His head is paraded through the streets before being placed on a spike on London Bridge. The 1490s: John Kendal sends coded letters to the supporters of Perkin Warbeck and hires an astrologer to murder Henry VII. These men were not scheming lords, they were Knights Hospitaller, churchmen dedicated to the crusades and supposedly above war and petty politics. Soldier-monks who fought to defend the Holy Land, the Hospitallers were an international military and charitable organisation, a sort of medieval NATO and Red Cross combined. But in Europe, they were instead drawn into local politics, becoming royal commanders, administrators, and politicians. Hospitallers led armies, attended Parliaments, and joined court intrigues and civil wars. They were part of the most famous episodes of medieval British history, but their role has been overshadowed by their fellow military order the Knights Templar. The Hospitallers' side of the story has not been told before, until now. From the English invasion of Ireland, the Scottish Wars of Independence, and the Hundred Years War, through to Henry VIII's Dissolution of the Monasteries and beyond, the Hospitallers' story in Britain and Ireland sees the brethren drawn into civil war, violent feuds, duels, assassination, and witchcraft. Drawing upon the latest research, and written by an expert historian of the military orders, Warrior Monks reveals the fascinating story of medieval Britain through the eyes of the Knights Hospitaller, a powerful order which made kings and broke them, won battles, and shaped history.

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Book SynopsisDiscover the long and rich history of the island of Ireland, from the very earliest Mesolithic inhabitants to Vikings and Celts and the modern 21st-century nation of today.

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