European history: medieval period, middle ages Books

Book SynopsisA brilliant appraisal of the Civil War and its long-term consequences, by an acclaimed historian.The political upheaval of the mid-seventeenth century has no parallel in English history. Other events have changed the occupancy and the powers of the throne, but the conflict of 1640-60 was more dramatic: the monarchy and the House of Lords were abolished, to be replaced by a republic and military rule.In this wonderfully readable account, Blair Worden explores the events of this period and their origins - the war between King and Parliament, the execution of Charles I, Cromwell''s rule and the Restoration - while aiming to reveal something more elusive: the motivations of contemporaries on both sides and the concerns of later generations.Trade ReviewWorden is a spellbinding writer ... he skewers the myriad shifting issues with precision, his every sentence commanding respect for his measured judgment and the marvellous suppleness of his language * DAILY EXPRESS *It is hard to imagine a better introduction to the subject * HISTORY TODAY *Straightforward, stimulating and a joy to read ... It makes you want to know more * LITERARY REVIEW *As an introduction to the English civil wars, Worden's book is peerless. Brief, though it is, it is a work of exceptionally large achievement * THE SPECTATOR *An exemplary piece of popular history... opening up perhaps the most important national story to the nation, passionately retold yet unadorned ... If you want to be informed about that unfortunate period of English history, Blair Worden's crisp 160-pager may well be the best place to start -- Nicholas Bagnal * SUNDAY TELEGRAPH *

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Book SynopsisA history of the early medieval German Armies from the fragmentation of Charlemagne's Frankish Empire to the rise of the German, or Holy Roman Empire. This text looks in detail at the period of the Saxon wars and the Crusades including the rise of the Teutonic Knights. From the religious and political strife that rocked Germany in the early 11th century to civil war, campaigns in Italy and Henry IV's brief capture of Rome, and the successes of the Teutonic Knights and the Ministeriales - the serf-knights.Table of ContentsBackground · Chronological Table · Organisation · The Ministeriales · The Teutonic Knights · Campaigns · Further Reading · The Plates

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Book SynopsisLONGLISTED FOR THE 2020 CUNDILL HISTORY PRIZEValkyries: the female supernatural beings that choose who dies and who lives on the battlefield. They protect some, but guide spears, arrows and sword blades into the bodies of others. Viking myths about valkyries attempt to elevate the banality of war to make the pain and suffering, the lost limbs and deformities, the piles of lifeless bodies of young men, glorious and worthwhile. Rather than their death being futile, it is their destiny and good fortune, determined by divine beings. The women in these stories take full part in the power struggles and upheavals in their communities, for better or worse. Drawing on the latest historical and archaeological evidence, Valkyrie introduces readers to the dramatic and fascinating texts recorded in medieval Iceland, a culture able to imagine women in all kinds of roles carrying power, not just in this world, but pulling the strings in the other-world, too. In the pTrade Review[Friðriksdóttir] brilliantly manages to make the Vikings feel far closer to us than ever before ... 4 stars. * Mail on Sunday *Valkyrie includes Old Norse poetry alongside archaeological finds and painted runestones to show how the lived experiences of women in the Viking world were varied and fascinating. -- Janina Ramirez * The Guardian *Friðriksdóttir weaves a complex picture in which different kinds of evidence successfully illuminate each other to provide a rich and detailed picture ... This book is intelligent, engaging and well written, with many new insights. * BBC History Magazine *Valkyries have an obvious appeal, but the real women of the Viking age are more exciting. In Jóhanna Katrín Friðriksdóttir’s significant new history, they are brought engagingly to life. * Times Literary Supplement *[A] fascinating overview of women's roles in the Viking world, from infancy to death. It's a period of history that continues to grip the popular imagination, here brought evocatively to life through archaeological discoveries and contemporary sources, including emotive stories and verse. * History Revealed *Valkyrie's true colour comes from the Old Norse literature that underpins much of the analysis. The pages sparkle with tales of the fierce Valkyries and vengeful wives of poetic legend, the goddesses of Asgard and the women who feature in the Old Norse sagas... Yeild[s] new insights into the complex nature of the Viking Age. * Literary Review *This deep dive into the lives of the women of the Viking era is a fascinating one, combining as it does both the realities and mythology of the time ... Friðriksdóttir's investigation merges these two worlds brilliantly ... 4 stars. * All About History *The author’s dilemma, in this scholarly study, is to reconcile the larger-than-life legends of monstrous mothers and terrifying shield maidens with the more mundane and complex reality of daily life for Viking women from childhood to old age. -- Fiona Capp and Cameron Woodhead * Brisbane Times *Through an excellent insight into both the written, as well as archaeological sources the author weaves a clear picture of women’s lives from birth to death in the Viking Age. Valkyrie: The Women of the Viking World is a significant book. * Professor Jón Viðar Sigurðsson, University of Oslo *Jóhanna Katrín Friðriksdóttir, has crafted a compelling study of Viking Age female life courses using her expertise in written sources to provide the first such comprehensive overview in almost three decades. It is a welcome update, guaranteed to become an invaluable tool, both for students and others seeking an accessible overview of a complex field. ... Valkyrie contributes a weighty redress of this imbalance, providing an accessible, wide-ranging, and not least enjoyable platform for future scholarship into varied life courses and gendered ways of being. * Journal of British Studies *Authoritative and provocative, bang up-to-date, yet steeped in historical knowledge, JKF’s Valkyrie is indispensable for all Viking enthusiasts. Her lively style, profound knowledge and brilliant insights signal a stunning new voice in the debate about the Vikings. * Carolyne Larrington, Professor of Medieval European Literature, University of Oxford *This is the new standard work on women in the Viking Age – a lively, authoritative and staunchly feminist survey that combines both textual and material sources in a ground-breaking study of the female life-course. With this superb book, Jóhanna Katrín has put Viking scholars in her debt. * Neil Price, Professor of Archaeology, Uppsala University *What a wonderful book. For the first time readers can understand the importance of the Valkyries in the Viking Age and see the impact these mythical women had more broadly on culture and society in the early medieval world. The scholarship is excellent, interpretation thorough, yet the writing style is accessible. It's a pleasure to read and be plunged into a world of sagas, runes, myth and magic. * Dr Janina Ramirez FRSA, University of Oxford *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. Infancy and Childhood 2. Between Two Worlds: Teenage Girls 3. Adulthood 4. Pregnancy and Childbirth 5. Widows 6. Old Age and Death Epilogue

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Book SynopsisMost accounts of Nigeria's colonisation were written by British officials, presenting it as a noble civilising mission to rid Africans of barbaric superstition and corrupt tribal leadership. Thanks to this skewed writing of history, many Nigerians today still have Empire nostalgia and view the colonial period through rose-tinted glasses. Max Siollun offers a bold rethink: an unromanticised history, arguing compellingly that colonialism had few benevolent intentions, but many unjust outcomes. It may have ended slavery and human sacrifice, but it was accompanied by extreme violence; ethnic and religious identity were cynically exploited to maintain control, while the forceful remoulding of longstanding legal and social practices permanently altered the culture and internal politics of indigenous communities. The aftershocks of this colonial meddling are still being felt decades after independence. Popular narratives often suggest that the economic and political turmoil are homegrown, b

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Book SynopsisElegant designs embody the rich coloration and sinuous intertwining of geometric figures and organic forms characteristic of Celtic art. Bookmarks are laminated for durability.

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Book SynopsisCommunist and capitalist states alike were scarred by the economic shocks of the 1970s. Why did only communist governments fall in their wake? Fritz Bartel argues that Western democracies were insulated by neoliberalism. While austerity was fatal to the legitimacy of communism, democratic politicians could win votes by pushing market discipline.Trade ReviewWhat distinguishes the exceptionally well-researched…The Triumph of Broken Promises is [Bartel’s] parallel analysis of how the crisis was handled in the democratic West and the authoritarian East, and how it ultimately led to the end of the Cold War and the fall of communism. It is this unified framework, plus its implications for several eminently political events: the break up of the Soviet Union and other Communist federations, the unification of Germany, etc., that represents, in in my opinion, the book’s greatest strength. -- Branko Milanovic * Global Inequality and More 3.0 *The best structural account yet of the end of the Cold War, the rise of neoliberalism, and the emergence of the current world order. An elegant work of critical historical analysis, the book is essential reading for those invested in building a better, more equitable future. -- Sean T. Byrnes * Jacobin *Striking in its hardheaded realism…[A] tremendously sharp work. -- Alex Hochuli * American Affairs *As the title of the book suggests, the post–Cold War world would be indelibly marked by a retraction of social democratic commitments. Liberal democracy and neoliberal economies prevailed, according to Bartel, because ‘they were the best political and economic systems for breaking promises.’ -- Andre Pagliarini * New Republic *Why did the West win the Cold War? In this powerful new interpretation, Bartel argues that the struggle between democracy and communism was fundamentally a contest over which system of government could best harness industrial modernity to improve the lives of its people…The book’s originality lies in how it weaves together Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev’s program of reform, known as perestroika, and the conservative economic turn under U.S. President Ronald Reagan and British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. -- G. John Ikenberry * Foreign Affairs *A provocative, incisive, and lucid account of the end of the Cold War and the onset of neoliberalism. -- Melvyn P. Leffler * H-Diplo *Bartel retells the familiar narratives of nuclear and conventional arms control, the collapse of state socialism and Germany’s unification in a context where energy, finance and economic theory played a decisive role. -- John Nilsson-Wright * Global Asia *Challenging conventional narratives that focus on Reagan’s military-ideological assertiveness or Gorbachev’s openness to reform, the book gives a material and structural explanation of Western victory and Eastern defeat. This makes for fascinating history: finance and energy emerge as silent but vital battlegrounds, unlikely connections—like those between Japanese investors and Hungarian central bankers—come to the fore, and several East-West similarities surprise the reader. -- Max Krahé * Phenomenal World *How did the Cold War, which began as a competition to make promises, mutate into a race to break them? And why did the West win? Bartel offers a bold and compelling interpretation that links the history of the Cold War and neoliberalism to dramatic effect. The Triumph of Broken Promises will be essential reading. -- Adam Tooze, author of Crashed: How a Decade of Financial Crises Changed the WorldA pleasure to read with many short stories that illustrate the points being made on a more general level, thus making it more accessible to a broader audience. -- Ludoš Studený * Czech Journal of Contemporary History *If the Cold War began with a competition to provide welfare, it ended as both sides imposed austerity and discipline on their populations. Bartel’s brilliantly conceived and researched study renovates our understanding of how and why the Soviet Union was driven toward collapse precisely as the United States, faced with slowdown after the oil shock, moved toward neoliberal governance. Few books explain the makings of our times as well as this thrilling debut. -- Samuel Moyn, author of The Last Utopia: Human Rights in HistoryA deeply significant history of how the way in which the Cold War ended gave rise to the hegemony of neoliberal capitalism. Bartel traces this trajectory through personal narratives from East and West and through deep archival research. His book is a must-read for anyone interested in how the Cold War and its immediate aftermath produced the world we live in today. -- Odd Arne Westad, author of The Cold War: A World HistoryAn excellent work, attractively written, with a powerful argument that carries a large narrative arc from the oil shocks and international monetary confusion of the 1970s to the end of the Cold War. Promises were broken because governments could not meet the expectations of their populations, generated during the postwar economic miracle, about continuously rising incomes. The result was disaffection, but governments’ hands were tied. Well supported by fascinating archival materials, including from the IMF, this is a compelling story. -- Harold James, author of The Creation and Destruction of Value: The Globalization CycleThe Triumph of Broken Promises is a stimulating book: conceptually sophisticated, full of archival finds, and profoundly illuminating of connections between the Cold War's end and neoliberalism's ascent. -- Gary Gerstle, author of The Rise and Fall of the Neoliberal Order: America and the World in the Free Market Era

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Book SynopsisThe fall of France in 1940 panicked US leaders, leading to their fateful decision to recognize the pro-Nazi Vichy government. Michael Neiberg takes readers back to the fraught early years of World War II, when America’s misguided policy on Vichy alienated its British ally and ensured tensions with Charles de Gaulle and the postwar French Republic.Trade ReviewDeeply researched and forcefully written…shed[s] light on an embarrassing period in American diplomacy…Neiberg offers a mesmerizing account of how the U.S., as it anticipated another European war, stumbled through attempts to neutralize Vichy France…Neiberg deftly explains the confused politics and diplomacy that bedeviled the war against the Nazis. -- Ronald C. Rosbottom * Wall Street Journal *Meticulously researched but extremely readable…[An] excellent book. -- Julian Jackson * Washington Post *Michael Neiberg is one of the very best historians on wartime France, and his approach to the fall of France and its consequences is truly original and perceptive as well as superbly written. -- Antony Beevor, author of The Second World WarIt is difficult to find WWII material that is both interesting and fresh, but this book qualifies. -- Tyler Cowen * Marginal Revolution *The fall of France shattered the illusion that the United States could stay on the sidelines while Nazi Germany carved up Europe. Writing with clarity and verve, deep knowledge of French sources, and a keen eye for human foibles, Neiberg explains how the defeat of June 1940 transformed America’s relationship with France and compelled a rethinking of America’s world role. A smart and fresh analysis of Franco–American relations in the darkest hour of our long friendship. -- William I. Hitchcock, author of The Age of Eisenhower: America and the World in the 1950sNeiberg has rescued an important episode in the history of the Second World War from relative obscurity and done so in great style. His book, with its terrific cast of characters and fast-paced story, reads like a novel and is at the same time an outstanding piece of historical research and analysis. -- Margaret MacMillan, author of War: How Conflict Shaped UsAn utterly gripping account, the best to date, of relations within the turbulent triumvirate of France, Britain, and America in the Second World War. Neiberg vividly brings to life the extraordinary military, domestic, personal, and political pressures on giants such as Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, and Charles de Gaulle, while also showing the immediate practical effect their interactions had on ordinary people in the struggle against the Nazis. -- Andrew Roberts, author of Churchill: Walking with DestinyAn excellent book, the product of deep research, clear thought, and gripping writing. Neiberg restores France and the French Empire to its rightful place in the history of the strategy of the Atlantic powers in the Second World War. In so doing, he allows us to understand anew how shocking the French defeat in 1940 was for American policymakers, and the profound consequences that reverberated from that shock for the subsequent course of the war. -- Daniel Todman, author of Britain’s War: A New World, 1942–1947Expertly researched and a pleasure to read, When France Fell fills an important gap in the history of World War II by analyzing American relations with Vichy and Free French forces, how the geopolitical position of France’s colonial holdings steered US policy, and how those decisions deeply strained Anglo–American relations. The story Neiberg tells is one of misguided calculations and ultimately tremendous luck that Americans’ ‘Vichy gamble’ did not cause more political and military turmoil. -- Brooke L. Blower, author of Becoming Americans in Paris: Transatlantic Politics and Culture between the World WarsNeiberg’s fascinating and compelling study places France back at the heart of the story of the Second World War. He crafts a vivid narrative of the extraordinary and radical transformations that accompanied the catastrophe in France. The consequences of defeat were profound for a divided Gallic nation, but they were also defining for Britain and America; the defeat of Europe’s premier land power put a nail in the coffin of one superpower and sparked the rise of another. Highly recommended! -- Jonathan Fennell, author of Fighting the People’s War: The British and Commonwealth Armies and the Second World WarAn important and fascinating book that examines U.S. policy towards Vichy—a policy which not only put the United States at odds with its wartime ally, Great Britain, but also was destined to fail…While numerous books have been written on the fall of France, U.S. policy toward Vichy has been curiously overlooked in recent years. Neiberg remedies this…Highly readable [and] filled with interesting, larger-than-life characters. -- Sean Durns * National Interest *This is an extremely well researched and readable book. And it is a reminder that in wartime, fighting the enemy can often be less complicated than dealing with your allies. -- Calum Henderson * Military History Matters *A superbly crafted synthesis of military, diplomatic, and political history…Neiberg concludes that America’s flirtation with Vichy did not go disastrously wrong, but cautions that this had little to do with wise decision-making in Washington…[An] excellent book. -- Carl Cavanagh Hodge * Michigan War Studies Review *Punctures the myths of the conventional American story of the Second World War…Important, well argued, deeply researched, and a pleasure to read, written by one of the most productive and accomplished American historians of both world wars. -- Richard Fogarty * H-Net Reviews *Neiberg’s important new book, When France Fell, chronicles the often-bungled attempts of the United States to redefine its strategy and navigate its relationship with Vichy France. It is one of the first, if not the first, work in English to address the strategic relationship between the United States and France during the Second World War…A timely reminder of the importance of statecraft in an age where international incivility runs rampant. -- Cameron Zinsou * H-Diplo *

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Book SynopsisThe Sunday Times Bestseller and insipration behind David Mitchell's Unruly'Entertaining and informative . . . Delightful' IndependentThere are many reasons to be fascinated by Germany: forests, architecture and fairy tales, not to mention its history and inhabitants’ penchant for very peculiar food. Our distant and often maligned cousin, this is a place in which innumerable strange characters have held power, in which a chaotic jigsaw of borders have moved about seemingly at random, and which at the dark heart of the 20th century fell into the hands of truly terrible forces. And now Simon Winder is here to tell us everything else there is to know about this mesmerizing, tortured and endlessly fascinating country.Germania is also a personal guide to the Germany that Simon Winder loves. In this startlingly vibrant account, Winder describes Germany’s past afresh, starting with the shaggy world of the ancient forests, all the way up to the present day – and in doing so, he sees and begins to understand a country much like our own: Protestant, aggressive and committed to betterment. Joining Danubia and Lotharingia in Winder’s endlessly fascinating retelling of European history, Germania is a brilliant, vivid and enthusiastic insight to the hidden wonders of GermanyTrade ReviewAn engrossing, informative and hilarious read * The Sunday Times *Magnificently crazy -- Will Self * Esquire *The high plateau of my year was my catching up with Simon Winder. Danubia and Germania are an idiosyncratic, often funny fusion of history writing, travel writing and disrespect. -- Sir Tom Stoppard * TLS *Travelogue and historical narrative are merged in a gloriously free-wheeling narrative of the entire sweep of German history. * The Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisIt would be easy for the modern reader to conclude that women had no place in the world of early modern espionage, with a few seventeenth-century women spies identified and then relegated to the footnotes of history. If even the espionage carried out by Susan Hyde, sister of Edward Hyde, Earl of Clarendon, during the turbulent decades of civil strife in Britain can escape the historiographer''s gaze, then how many more like her lurk in the archives? Nadine Akkerman''s search for an answer to this question has led to the writing of Invisible Agents, the very first study to analyse the role of early modern women spies, demonstrating that the allegedly-male world of the spy was more than merely infiltrated by women. This compelling and ground-breaking contribution to the history of espionage details a series of case studies in which women -- from playwright to postmistress, from lady-in-waiting to laundry woman -- acted as spies, sourcing and passing on confidential information on account of political and religious convictions or to obtain money or power. The struggle of the She-Intelligencers to construct credibility in their own time is mirrored in their invisibility in modern historiography. Akkerman has immersed herself in archives, libraries, and private collections, transcribing hundreds of letters, breaking cipher codes and their keys, studying invisible inks, and interpreting riddles, acting as a modern-day Spymistress to unearth plots and conspiracies that have long remained hidden by history.Trade ReviewAkkerman has a knack for telling a good story, and her vignettes of strong, independent, and clever women paint a lively picture of seventeenth-century female spies. What distinguishes her book from most other academic monographs, however, is her very personal approach, which more traditional scholars might frown upon...Most of all, however, the book is proof that there is no excuse any more for excluding women from the narratives of mid-seventeenth-century political activism either on the royalist or parliamentarian side. * Gaby Mahlberg, Journal of Modern History *Revelatory. * Simon Heffer, Books of the Year 2018: History, The Daily Telegraph *A history book that will surely inspire future fiction. A work of deep scholarship and clever detective work. * Leanda de Lisle, Books of the Year 2018, BBC History Magazine *A dense, hugely researched and admirably learned history of women spies during the Civil War. * Dominic Sandbrook, The Sunday Times *A brilliant book. * Noel Malcolm, The Sunday Telegraph *A triumph of scholarly rigour, original thinking and crisp prose. It is, in every sense, a cracking book. * Jessie Childs, The Daily Telegraph *Invisible Agents is a work of deep scholarship that suggests Akkerman would have made an excellent spy catcher. * Leanda de Lisle, The Times *Brimming with fascinating detail ... Akkerman's archival dissections admirably emulate the painstaking vigilance of early modern spy masters. * Clare Jackson, The Times Literary Supplement *Pioneering ... a most valuable book, highlighting women's contribution to the conspiratorial world of mid-17th-century Britain, while also offering a thought provoking exercise in gender and historical methods. * Ann Hughes, BBC History Magazine *An intriguing book ... [Akkerman's] own remarkable ability to ferret out secrets is often as great as that of the spies she writes about. Time after time, women whose lives, careers and even names have been forgotten or misread spring into stealthy, double-dealing life on the page. * Adrian Tinniswood, Literary Review *Invisible Agents breaks significant new ground in its focus on the special roles of Royalist and Parliamentarian 'she-intelligencers' and their hidden world. This is a model monograph, meticulously researched and relentlessly questioning, which succeeds admirably in uncovering closely guarded secrets. * R. C. Richardson, Times Higher Education *immensely readable...Akkerman has a knack for telling a good story, and her vignettes of strong, independent, and clever women paint a lively picture of seventeenth-century female spies. * Gaby Mahlberg, Journal of Modern History *Richly illustrated, scrupulously researched. * Frances E. Dolan, Renaissance Quarterly *This is a book full of rich and engaging details...this is a testament to the thoroughness of her academic practice. Ultimately, Invisible Agents is a text that serves as an invaluable starting point for the re-situation of women into narratives of early modern spying, and political history, offering readers across disciplines a varied and voluminous history of women's roles in seventeenth-century espionage. * Rose Hilton, AC Review of Books *A ground-breaking book looking at a previously unexplored aspect of the world of espionage ... Founded on work in a wide variety of archives, many of them previously undiscovered, Akkerman shines a light on one of the dark corners of the world of spies. * Military History Monthly *For a serious examination of the role of women in intelligence, turn to Nadine Akkerman's Invisible Agents. Doubly invisible, both as agents and in historical records, these women were at the heart of the intelligence network, yet they have never hitherto received the 'glory of Martyrs'. * Teresa Levonian Cole, Country Life *Fascinating and insightful ... Akkerman lifts the veil not only on a number of individual she-intelligencers, but also on the complex and varied business of female espionage in mid-seventeenth-century Britain. * Lena Steveker, English Studies *Akkerman deftly handles the challenges of writing about [female spies], assembling fragments of evidence where she can, acknowledging gaps where she must. Her book has much to teach us not only about espionage but about the creation of historical narratives. * Rachel Weil, American Historical Review *A dazzling study of a truly neglected subject, which ably demonstrates the gendered dimension of early modern spy-craft, and the unique ways in which women were able to operate. It is written by one of the foremost early modern textual-historical scholars of her generation and marshals an almost unmatched expertise in working with an impressive range of European and international archives of the period. The book delivers a series of fascinating case studies - including Charles I's prison correspondence, Secretary Thurloe, as well as female practitioners Susan Hyde, Elizabeth Murray, Elizabeth Carey, Anne Halkett, and Aphra Behn - all of which rest on a remarkable and overwhelming weight of archival research. This is an important book that will be widely read and cited, and which will have significant impact on many fields not least those of early modern gender and women's writing, but also political and diplomatic history. * Professor James Daybell, University of Plymouth *Table of ContentsIntroduction: Invisible Agents, She-Intelligencers, or Spies Invisible by Birth 1. Ciphered Pillow Talk with Charles I in Prison, 1646-1649: 'intrigues, which at that time could be best managed and carried on by ladies' 2. The Credibility and Archival Silence of She-Intelligencers: Women on the Council of State's Payroll 3. Susan Hyde. a Spy's Gendered Fate Punishment: Hide and Seek the Sealed Knot 4.I Elizabeth Murray, Loyal Subject, Lover or Double Agent?: Rumour, Hearsay and the Sins of the Father 4.II Elizabeth Murray's Continental Foray: Incompetence, Invisible Inks, and Internal Wrangling 5. Elizabeth Carey, Lady Mordaunt: The 'Enigma' of the Great Trust 6. Anne, Lady Halkett's 'True Accountt': A Married Woman Is Never to Blame 7. Aphra Behn's Letters from Antwerp, July 1666-April 1667: Intelligence Reports or Epistolary Fiction? Epilogue: Invisibility and Blanck Marshall, the Nameless and Genderless Agent Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisTrade Review[A] monumental history…Pandora’s Box is a major contribution to the historiography of the war, the best large-scale synthesis in any language of what we currently know and understand about this multidimensional, cataclysmic conflict…Leonhard has a rare gift for critical, intelligent narrative…A detailed, judicious and virtually comprehensive account of the war, its origins, its history and its consequences. -- Richard J. Evans * Times Literary Supplement *[An] epic and magnificent work—unquestionably, for me, the best single-volume history of the war I have ever read…It is the most formidable attempt to make the war to end all wars comprehensible as a whole. -- Simon Heffer * The Spectator *Extremely readable, lucidly structured, focused, and dynamic, Pandora’s Box shows that the world that emerges from the First World War is utterly transformed by the experience. Leonhard’s analysis is enlivened by a sharp eye for concrete situations and an ear for the voices that best convey the meaning of change for the people and societies undergoing it. -- Christopher Clark, University of Cambridge, author of The Sleepwalkers: How Europe Went to War in 1914A library of books were published to mark the centenary of the Great War, but none of them are as good as Jörn Leonhard’s gracefully written, deeply researched, and constantly illuminating account. This is a wonderful book, filled with new information and fresh insights. -- James Sheehan, Stanford University, author of Where Have All the Soldiers Gone? The Transformation of Modern Europe[A] great book on the Great War… Leonhard succeeds in being comprehensive without falling prey to the temptation of being encyclopedic. He writes fluently and judiciously. Footnotes are limited to the essentials. This is, one is tempted to say, a German history in the British style. -- Adam Tooze * Die Zeit *This is probably the meatiest and most comprehensive WWI book yet published… It is consistently intelligent and thoughtful. -- Tyler Cowen * Marginal Revolution *What makes it so compelling is the analysis of events after the peace agreement of 1918, complete with a political map of the world and a stark look at the intense violence that persisted in Europe. -- Shelby Blackley * Globe and Mail *Pandora’s Box stands out as the most comprehensive recent book on the First World War in any language. Leonhard provides us with a narrative analysis that combines intellectual precision and thematic focus with multiple perspectives. From the microcosm of the trenches to the home fronts, from the big battles in the East and the West to violent upheavals after 1918, Leonhard’s treatment of the war is wide-ranging while also giving ample space to the different layers of war experiences. -- Robert Gerwarth, University College Dublin, author of The Vanquished: Why the First World War Failed to EndA brilliant history of what people thought about the First World War—before, during and after. -- Beatrice Heuser * Times Higher Education *[A] very readable history of the war; thankfully, it is far more than a list of battles, but a thoughtful consideration of the epic destructive event in all its varied ramifications…There are more books on the First World War than anyone (even enthusiasts) could read, but Leonhard’s is an honorable addition, a large and weighty volume, literally and metaphorically, that is well worth the time dipping into. Well researched and detailed, Pandora’s Box never tosses the reader into a roiling overload of facts and figures, but looks at the horrors of WWI from many different, illuminating angles. -- Thomas Filbin * Arts Fuse *[Leonhard] presents a stunningly broad and detailed survey of the cataclysm that began the 20th century by first tracing its deep roots in the 19th century and searching out the conflict’s furthest ripples… The reading experience is…thrilling, particularly as the facts accumulate and gradually create a crushing realization of how fundamentally the war changed the world… [Leonhard] puts the whole conflict in a broader context than any historian has managed in a single volume in well over a generation… [An] enormously impressive undertaking… Readers…will be richly rewarded. -- Steve Donoghue * Open Letters Review *Leonhard sets out not simply to write a history of events, but to help his reader understand the greater meaning of the war for the participants…and to us in the twenty-first century…Far more comprehensive in its discussion of national attitudes than virtually all of the recent avalanche of studies on this the centennial of the Great War. * The Bridge *Provides a sweeping account of the war, one that incorporates its political, social, and cultural dimensions into a description of the campaigns on the various battlefields…The best single-volume history of the war yet written. * Choice *

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Book SynopsisHistorians of the French Revolution used to take for granted what was also obvious to its contemporary observers--that the Revolution was shaped by the radical ideas of the Enlightenment. Yet in recent decades, scholars have argued that the Revolution was brought about by social forces, politics, economics, or culture--almost anything but abstractTrade ReviewWinner of the 2015 PROSE Award in European & World History, Association of American Publishers "[A]dvances an erudite and persuasive argument... Israel's categorization of the various revolutionary factions offers fascinating new insights, and his knack for uncovering interesting but neglected individuals and texts is second to none ... rich and thought provoking book. It is remarkable and significant."--Rachel Hammersley, Times Literary Supplement "[C]losely argued... Israel can be understood as a historian in the long liberal tradition stretching back to Madame de Stael, who herself witnessed the revolution and saw it as a story of the betrayal of liberty."--Ruth Scurr, Wall Street Journal "[W]ith typical boldness Israel invites us to reconceptualise our very idea of the Revolution."--Jeremy Jennings, Standpoint "Overwhelmingly impressive."--Peter Watson, Times "[P]acked with details ... [Revolutionary Ideas] is part of Israel's major project to give the Enlightenment, especially the Radical Enlightenment as he calls it, new luster."--NRC Handelsblad "[M]ajestic."--Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe, Trinidad and Tobago News "Israel, a professor of modern European history at Princeton, is a world authority on the 18th-century Enlightenment. Here he constructs a bold and brilliantly argued case that the 1789 French Revolution was propelled by the clash of innovative political doctrines that supported or contested Enlightenment values."--Tony Barber, Financial Times "Israel, author of the pathbreaking studies on the Dutch Republic, European Jews, and more recently the radical Enlightenment, now turns his attention to the French Revolution, arguing that the underlying cause was ideological--namely, the impact of the radical Enlightenment resulting from the work of philosophers Denis Diderot, Claude Adrien Helvetius, and Paul-Henry Thiry, Baron d'Holbach... Israel takes them at their word, painstakingly poring through voluminous revolutionary newspapers and the archives parlementaires, records of the revolutionary national assemblies... This significant and nuanced study is a major reinterpretation."--Choice "A racy account of the concepts that shaped the French Revolution and its people... The book leaves the reader with a strong impression of the power of ideas that unlock political energy and the strength of leadership needed to withstand fickle popular opinion."--Tom Watson, New Statesman "A remarkable book... An enormously rich and engaging work that invites us to think and to challenge received wisdom."--Mark Curran, European History Quarterly "Amazingly well-researched... To describe it as a very, very worthy read, would be an understatement of colossal, consequentialist design."--David Marx Book ReviewsTable of ContentsList of Figures vii Acknowledgments ix Prologue 1 Chapter 1 Introduction 6 Chapter 2 Revolution of the Press (1788-90) 30 Chapter 3 From Estates-General to National Assembly (April-June 1789) 53 Chapter 4 The Rights of Man: Summer and Autumn 1789 72 Chapter 5 Democratizing the Revolution 103 Chapter 6 Deadlock (November 1790-July 1791) 141 Chapter 7 War with the Church (1788-92) 180 Chapter 8 The Feuillant Revolution ( July 1791-April 1792) 204 Chapter 9 The "General Revolution" Begins (1791-92) 231 Chapter 10 The Revolutionary Summer of 1792 246 Chapter 11 Republicans Divided (September 1792-March 1793) 278 Chapter 12 The "General Revolution" from Valmy to the Fall of Mainz (1792-93) 316 Chapter 13 The World's First Democratic Constitution (1793) 345 Chapter 14 Education: Securing the Revolution 374 Chapter 15 Black Emancipation 396 Chapter 16 Robespierre's Putsch ( June 1793) 420 Chapter 17 The Summer of 1793: Overturning the Revolution's Core Values 450 Chapter 18 De-Christianization (1793-94) 479 Chapter 19 "The Terror" (September 1793-March 1794) 503 Chapter 20 The Terror's Last Months (March-July 1794) 545 Chapter 21 Thermidor 574 Chapter 22 Post-Thermidor (1795-97) 593 Chapter 23 The "General Revolution" (1795-1800): Holland, Italy, and the Levant 635 Chapter 24 The Failed Revolution (1797-99) 670 Chapter 25 Conclusion: The Revolution as the Outcome of the Radical Enlightenment 695 Cast of Main Participants 709 Notes 733 Bibliography 803 Index 833

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Book SynopsisIncorporating exciting new material that has come to light since the last German edition of 1980, Herwig Wolfram places Gothic history within its proper context of late Roman society and institutions. He demonstrates that the barbarian world of the Goths was both a creation of and an essential element of the late Roman Empire.Table of ContentsPreface Introduction Gothic History as Historical Ethnography 1. The Names The Gothic Name The Dual Names of the Two Gothic Peoples Visigoths and Ostrogoths as Western Goths and Eastern Goths The Epic and the Derisive Names of the Goths Biblical and Classical Names for the Goths Gothic Royal Houses and Their Names 2. The Formation of the Gothic Tribes before the Invasion of the Huns Gutones and Guti Politics and Institutions of the Gutones The Trek to the Black Sea The Goths at the Black Sea The Gothic Invasions of the Third Century The Gothic Advance into the Aegean Aurelian and the Division of the Goths The Tervingian-Vesian Confederation at the Danube The Events of 291 to 364 The Era of Athanaric, 365-376/381 Ulfilas and the Beginning of the Conversion of the Goths The Ostrogothic Greutungi until the Invasion of the Huns Ermanaric's Greutungian Kingdom and Its Dissolution Political Organization and Culture of the Goths at the Danube and the Black Sea The Gutthiuda: The Land of the Tervingi and Taifali The Kuni: Community of Descent and Subdivision of the Gutthiuda The Harjis, the Tribal Army Gards, Batirgs, Sibja: Lordship, Retainers, Community of Law Haims (Village): The Social World of the Gothic Freeman Cult and Religion among the Goths Language and Daily Life The Ostrogothic-Greutungian Kingship 3. The Forty-year Migration and the Formation of the Visigoths, 376/378 to 416/418 The Invasion and Settlement of the Goths in Thrace From the Crossing of the Danube (376) to the Battle of Adrianople (378) Theodosius and the Settlement of the Goths in Thrace The Balkan Campaigns of 395-401 The Foedus of 397 and the Settlement of the Goths in Macedonia Alaric's Elevation to the Kingship Fravitta and Eriulf Gainas and Tribigild The Goths in the Western Empire, 401-418 Alaric's Italian Wars Athaulf and the Gothic Trek Westward Athaulf 's Contribution to the Visigothic Ethnogenesis The Visigoths Become Horsemen Radagaisus and His Contribution to the Visigothic Ethnogenesis Valia and the Goths "in Roman Service" 4. The Kingdom of Toulouse, 418 to 507 The Aquitanian Federates, 418-466 The Visigothic "Superpower," 466-507 Euric (466-484) and the Breach of the Foedus of 416/418 The Conquest of the Auvergne and Tarraconensis The Last Battles with the Empire The Organization and Development of Dominion Alaric II (484-507) The Legal and Ecclesiastical Policies of Euric and Alaric II The Legislation of Euric and Alaric II The Ecclesiastical Policies of Euric and Alaric II The King and the Royal Clan The Royal Family The King Court Life: Religion, Language, and Culture The Kingship: Its Functions and Functionaries Military Organization The Courtiers Royal Estates and Finances The Settlement of the Visigoths The Peoples of the Kingdom of Toulouse: Ethnic and Social Composition Goths and Romans in the Kingdom of Toulouse Jews, Greeks, and Syrians The Native Barbarians The Immigrant Barbarians Conditions of Dependency The End That Was No End 5. The "New" Ostrogoths The Division and Reunification of the Amal Goths, 375-451 Pannonian Greutungi, Hunnic Goths, and Ostrogoths The Ostrogothic Kingdom in Pannonia, 456/457-473 The Ostrogoths in the Balkans, 473-488 Theodoric's Battle for Italy, 488-493 The Ostrogothic March to Italy The Battles in Italy, 489-493 Flavius Theodericus Rex: King of the Goths and Italians, 493-526 Theodoric's Efforts To Obtain Imperial Recognition, 490/493-497 Some Questions Theodoric's Kingdom: An Attempt at a Constitutional Analysis Theodoric's Rule in Theory and Practice Exercitus Gothorum Comites Gothorum, Duces, Saiones, Millenarii, Mediocres, Capillati The Settlement of the Gothic Army Polyethnicity, Social Status, and Compulsory Military Service Ostrogothic Weapons and Fighting Techniques Theodoric's Barbarian Policy and the Securing of Italy The Vandals The Visigoths The Burgundians The Franks Raetia and Western Illyricum under Ostrogothic Dominion Barbarian Traditions and Ethnography Theodoric's Roman Policy and the End of His Kingship, 526 The Amal Successors of Theodoric, 526-536 Athalaric (526-534) Theodahad (534-536) The Non-Amal Kings and the Fall of the Ostrogothic Kingdom, 536-552 Vitigis (536-540) Hildebad and Eraric (540/541) Totila (541-552) The Epilogue: Teja (552) Appendixes 1. Roman Emperors 2. A Survey of Gothic History 3. Genealogical Charts of the Balthi and Amali Notes List of Abbreviations Bibliography Index Maps

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Book SynopsisFifteen years in the making, a landmark reinterpretation of the life of a pivotal figure in British and European historyTrade Review"This is serious, definitive history, essential for undergraduates and academics. . . . Bates gets as close to the subject as any medieval biographer could wish."—Dan Jones, Sunday Times"Bates has devoted a lifetime of learning to William the Conqueror and his age. In this definitive biography of the man who forever changed England with hisinvasion of 1066, Bates contends that a full understanding of William’s place in history requires locating him in a longer period.”—Tony Barber, “Best books of 2016," Financial Times"The best ever biography of the ruthless Norman bastard — masterly and exciting, but always measured and scholarly."—Simon Sebag Montefiore, The Week, 22nd July 2017“A coherent, consistent and complete portrait by a single master. . . This book is a monument to Bates’s knowledge of William, his career and his times. It has significantly advanced our understanding of this imposing figure, and it will, and should, be the point of departure for future discussions of the reign.”—Mark Hagger, English Historical Review"Leading expert David Bates gives one of British History’s headline figures the in-depth treatment. . . . From his personality to the consequences of his military actions, this book will heartily extend your knowledge of 1066 and all that."—History Revealed"David Bates has given us a magnificent new biography of William the Conqueror to add to his superb edition of William’s royal charters. Reflecting many years of research, it is deeply learned, full of important new insights and . . . makes a major contribution to our knowledge and understanding, not only of the Conqueror but also of the world in which he lived. No scholar working in the field can afford to ignore this; all readers with an interest in the period will benefit from it."—Paul Dalton, TLS“There is surely no-one better placed than Prof. David Bates to write this biography. . . A magnificent achievement of detailed description and analysis.” —Matthew Bennett, Reviews in History “This thorough biography, bringing together so many medieval life histories, demonstrates what close, informed and imaginative engagement with the seemingly intractable remnants of the medieval past can accomplish.” —William M. Aird, French History“Richly detailed and nuanced in interpretation. . . a very considerable achievement, moving historical debate forward and, not least in importance, the publisher is to be thanked for a very reasonable price.” —Judith Green, History“A judicious and thoughtful study...The reader is rewarded not only with detailed handling of the rich, if rarely straightforward, testimony of the charter and narrative material, but also with masterful overviews of the period-defining and problematic record of the Bayeux Tapestry and the monumental and monumentally-detailed evidence of Domesday Book.”—H. F. Doherty, Northern HistoryWon the 2017 Choice Award for Outstanding Academic Title"David Bates's biography of William the Conqueror is a worthy culmination of a lifetime's study of one of England's greatest and in many ways most complex kings. Despite the 950 years which now lie between us and William's remarkable victory at Hastings, Bates conjures up the man in all his strengths, weaknesses and passions, and proves that there is still much new to learn about this man who changed the course of the histories of England, Britain and France."—David Crouch, author of The English Aristocracy, 1070–1272"This book tells of William the Conqueror as never before. David Bates recognizes a distinguished predecessor, yet where D.C. Douglas wrote from the outside in, Bates writes from the inside out to show how the biography of Duke-King William is what illuminates Normandy and England at a critical time in their histories. Bates writes with surpassing command of the sources to bring out the problematic contexts of challenges facing the Conqueror throughout his life. He shows that William's legacy of achievement and brutality was as troubling to the writers who knew or remembered him as it is for us. Moreover, the deployment of a vast new secondary literature renders this book virtually a tribute to the burgeoning Anglo-Norman field of research that it occupies. Bates' William the Conqueror is a monumental accomplishment."—Thomas N. Bisson, author of The Crisis of the Twelfth Century: Power, Lordship, and the Origins of European Government

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Book SynopsisThis history will endure; not only because Sir Winston has written it, but also because of its own inherent virtues its narrative power, its fine judgment of war and politics, of soldiers and statesmen, and even more because it reflects a tradition of what Englishmen in the hey-day of their empire thought and felt about their country''s past. The Daily Telegraph Spanning four volumes and many centuries of history, from Caesar's invasion of Britain to the start of World War I, A History of the English-Speaking Peoples stands as one of Winston S. Churchill's most magnificent literary works. Begun during Churchill's wilderness years' when he was out of government, first published in 1956 after his leadership through the darkest days of World War II had cemented his place in history and completed when Churchill was in his 80s, it remains to this day a compelling and vivid history.The first volume - The Birth of Britain - tells the story of the formation of the BritisTable of ContentsPreface Maps and Genealogical Tables Book I: The Island Race 1. Britannia 2. Subjugation 3. The Roman Province 4. The Lost Island 5. England 6. The Vikings 7. Alfred the Great 8. The Saxon Dusk Book II: The Making of the Nation 1. The Norman Invasion 2. William the Conqueror 3. Growth and Turmoil 4. Henry Plantagenet 5. The English Common Law 6. Coeur de Lion 7. Magna Carta 8. On the Anvil 9. The Mother of Parliaments 10. King Edward I 11. Bannockburn 12. Scotland and Ireland 13. The Long-Bow 14. The Black Death Book III: The End of the Feudal Age 1. King Richard II and the Social Revolt 2. The Usurpation of Henry Bolingbroke 3. The Empire of Henry V 4. Joan of Arc 5. York and Lancaster 6. The Wars of the Roses 7. The Adventures of Edward IV 8. Richard III Index

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Book SynopsisIn early 1945, the Red Army marched into East Prussia. Having advanced across Poland, relentlessly pushing back German forces, the Red Army built up forces along the Oder River, preparing for the final push towards Berlin. But before that battle could take place, it was necessary to clear and destroy German forces in Pomerania and West Prussia. In February 1945, the 2nd Byelorussian Front was advanced west north of the Vistula River toward Pomerania and the major port city of Danzig, with the primary aim of protecting the right flank of Zhukov's 1st Byelorussian Front, which was pushing towards Berlin. The opening of the offensive saw a series of heavy attacks east of Neustettin against the towns of Kontiz and Koslin. The fighting was bitter, resulting in the entire left wing of the 3rd Panzer Army being cut off.Forward Soviet tank units reached the Baltic, and the German forces in Pomerania became trapped in a series of encirclements. Russian troops then pushed on to Danzigstrategic location and the last German stronghold in the regionreaching it in early March and putting it under siege. A third stage was the operation to take the Arnswalde and Kolberg areas. Kolberg was one of the key German positions in the Pomeranian wall, the vital link between Pomerania and Prussia. The German high command had planned to use the port facilities for the logistical supply of nearby German forces, and hoped that the presence of this stronghold would lure Soviet forces away from the main thrust toward Berlin. The ensuing battle was brutal, with Soviet troops eventually seizing Kolberg. Finally, spearheads of the 1st Byelorussian Front advanced against the German Eleventh SS Panzer Army, which was being assembled in Pomerania. What followed was a bitter and bloody battle for the town of Altdamm.The offensive successfully cleared the remnants of German forces northeast of Berlin, allowing Zhukov's forces to finally launch the battle of Berlin from the Seelow Heights on the Oder on April 16, 1945.

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Book SynopsisPresents an overview of recent archaeological discoveries made from Viking Age and Norse Scotland, showing how advances in scientific analysis have improved our understanding.

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Book SynopsisA fully illustrated study of the Roman cavalry''s evolution, this fascinating book chronicles tactics and composition from the time of the Republic to the fall of the Dominate.The cavalry wings' that probed ahead of the Roman Army played a key role in its campaigns of conquest, masking its marching flanks and seeking to encircle enemies in battle. However, the original small cavalry arm provided by the citizen nobility had proved inadequate before the end of the Republic, and Julius Caesar's cavalry was largely made up of hired allies. During the Early Principate, the armies under Augustus continued in this vein, incorporating large numbers of non-citizen auxiliary cavalry units. The provinces came under increasing attack throughout and following the chaotic mid-3rd century, and Rome took lessons from its barbarian' enemies in how to improve its military mobility, adopting both new, heavily armoured shock cavalry and horse-archers, and vitally shaping the tactics employed during the Dominate.In this engaging study, Roman Army expert M.C. Bishop charts how the cavalry grew to become the dominant force in Roman field armies by the twilight of the Western Empire. Eight newly commissioned artwork plates and a rich selection of artefact photographs and archaeological sources provide vivid detail and insight, helping to bring to the life the evolving tactics, clothing and weaponry of Rome's cavalry from the 2nd century BC through to the 5th century AD.

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Book SynopsisBengt Jangfeldt is an author and historian. His biography Axel Munthe: The Road to San Michele (I.B.Tauris) was published in 2008 and won the Swedish Academy's prize for biography. The Hero of Budapest: The Triumph and Tragedy of Raoul Wallenberg was published in 2014, also with I.B. Tauris. A further large-scale biography, Mayakovsky, about the renowned Russian poet, appeared in 2014. The author has twice been awarded the August Prize (the Swedish equivalent of the Pulitzer) for best non-fiction book of the year.Harry D. Watson is a graduate in Scandinavian Studies of University College London, UK. He is an active literary translator from Swedish and has translated biographies of several notable Swedes (Axel Munthe, Raoul Wallenberg) and the Russian poet Mayakovsky, as well as novels by Magnus Florin.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Winner of the 2018 PROSE Award in World History, Association of American Publishers""Honorable Mention for the 2019 Laura Shannon Prize in Contemporary European Studies, Nanovic Institute, University of Notre Dame""Winner of the 2018 George L. Mosse Prize, American Historical Association""Winner of the 2018 Norris and Carol Hundley Award, Pacific Coast Branch of the American Historical Association""Shortlisted for the 2018 Pushkin House Russian Book Prize""Selected as a New York Times Editors’ Choice, Aug 24, 2017""One of The Spectator 2017 Books of the Year""One of The New York Times 100 Notable Books of 2017""One of The Times Literary Supplement’s Books of the Year 2017""One of The Guardian’s Best Books of 2017""One of Open Letters Monthly’s “Our Year in Reading 2017""One of the Economist.com "Wise Words 2017 Books of the Year" in History""One of the Millions.com “A Year in Reading 2017: Stephen Dodson”""One of World’s 2017 Books of the Year in “History”""One of London Review Bookshop’s Best History Books, Christmas 2017""Selected for Le Monde’s “Monde des livres” 2017 (chosen by Nicolas Weill)""One of The Australian’s Books of the Year 2017 (chosen by Louis Nowra)""One of the Times Colonist Favorite Books of 2017 (chosen by Adrian Dix)""One of Mosaic's Best Books of 2018 (Ruth Wisse)"

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Book SynopsisFrom bestselling and prize-winning author Paddy Ashdown, a revelatory new history of German opposition to Hitler.Ashdown has a great gift for narrative history. He unearths little known stories and places them in context with great dexterity.His new book throws fresh and important light on a crucial topic.' JONATHAN DIMBLEBYIn his last days, Adolf Hitler raged in his bunker that he had been betrayed by his own people, defeated from the inside. In part, he was right. By 1945, his armies were being crushed on all fronts, his regime collapsing with many fleeing retribution for their crimes. Yet, even before the war started, there were Germans very high in Hitler's command committed to bringing about his death and defeat.Paddy Ashdown tells, for the first time, the story of those at the very top of Hitler's Germany who tried first to prevent the Second World War and then to deny Hitler victory. Based on newly released files, the repeated attempts of the plotters to warn the Allies about HiTrade Review‘A powerful account of an extraordinary story.’ The Times ‘A fine account.’ 5*, Daily Telegraph ‘It moves at the pace of a thriller and it’s real’ Nick Ferrari, Sunday Express ‘Fascinating and fast moving’ Literary Review ‘No doubt many more books will be written about the war, but I hope this becomes a model for them since, though the heroism of our boys is stirring stuff, history only makes real sense if you can see it from all sides.’ Daily Telegraph ‘Paddy Ashdown has sifted the facts from the myths to write a fascinating and very personal account.’ Independent ‘Ashdown’s insights and his extensive research in an impressive range of archives will ensure that yet another work on the subject will not be required in the foreseeable future.’ Times Literary Supplement 'Paddy Ashdown has a great gift for narrative history. He unearths little known stories and places them in context with great dexterity. His new book throws fresh and important light on a crucial topic.' Jonathan Dimbleby 'One cannot read too much about the 1930s to inoculate against its evils, so I recommend Paddy Ashdown’s excellent new book 'Nein!' … Ashdown writes movingly about the repeated attempts of German patriots to warn the Allies about Hitler and to frustrate or assassinate him … A roll call of heroism … Ashdown brings them together in a compelling narrative of a decade of resistance to evil at the heart of ‘European civilisation’.' Lord Adonis

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Book SynopsisNazi Germany provides a comprehensive survey of the National Socialist dictatorship, artfully balancing social and cultural history with a political and military history of the regime. The book unravels the complexities of the daily lives of perpetrators, victims, and bystanders in the Third Reich', and it also places events in Germany from 1933 to 1945 in a transnational context. Nazi Germany prompts readers to think about not only the historical debates but also the ethical questions that attend the study of this period. Pamela E. Swett and S. Jonathan Wiesen address:*The movement's ideological origins and the party's rise to power *The creation of a police state, the use of propaganda, and public support for Nazi ideas and programs *The Nazis' persecution of religious, racial, and sexual minorities*The place of youth, family, gender, and cultural expression in Nazi society*The transnational influence of Nazism and preparat

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Book SynopsisNew title on the battles of the Wars of the Roses, covering the turbulent period of English history between 1455 and 1487.

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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 SynopsisIn the two centuries before the Norman invasion of England, Anglo-Saxon and Viking forces clashed repeatedly in bloody battles across the country. Repeated Viking victories in the 9th century led to their settlement in the north of the country, but the tide of war ebbed and flowed until the final Anglo-Saxon victory before the Norman Conquest. Using stunning artwork, this book examines in detail three battles between the two deadly foes: Ashdown in 871 which involved the future Alfred the Great; Maldon in 991 where an Anglo-Saxon army sought to counter a renewed Viking threat; and Stamford Bridge in 1066, in which King Harold Godwinesson abandoned his preparations to repel the expected Norman invasion in order to fight off Harald Hard-Counsel of Norway.Drawing upon historical accounts from both English and Scandinavian sources and from archaeological evidence, Gareth Williams presents a detailed comparison of the weaponry, tactics, strategies and underlying military organiza

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Book SynopsisIn World War II Germany''s doctrine of mobile warfare dominated the battlefield. By trial and error, the Germans were the first to correctly combine the strength in tanks and in mobile infantry and artillery. This integration of mobile units, equipment and tactics underpinned Germany''s successes in the first half of the war. As the war dragged on, the Allies sought to copy German tactics but German armies remained supreme in this type of warfare until their losses had seriously degraded their capabilities. This study traces the development of the different types of unit that came together in the Panzergrenadier branch from the inter-war years through World War II. Using colour plates to display the changes in uniform, equipment and insignia in all theatres of operations throughout the conflict, this is a complete account of Hitler's elite armoured infantry.

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Book SynopsisCarmina Burana, the largest surviving collection of secular Medieval Latin verse, features poems on subjects ranging from sex and gambling to crusades and corruption. This new, two-volume presentation of the medieval classic makes the anthology accessible in its entirety to Latin lovers and English readers alike.Trade Review[Traill] brings to this ambitious project deep knowledge of medieval Latin poetry and the Carmina Burana manuscript…These are, indeed, translations worth having…The DOML Carmina Burana is a wonderful resource. -- Thomas C. Moser, Jr. * Speculum *

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Book Synopsis‘This splendid and often moving work of history… Schama has a gift for combining novelistically colourful detail, serious analysis and wryly amusing asides’ Daily Telegraph   ‘Superb’ Observer   ‘Extraordinary… A meticulous retelling of a terrible yet scientifically innovative period… Makes an urgent case for building a better future on our toxic past’ Guardian   ‘This is history of the best sort – humanly engaged but never sentimental’ Mail on Sunday Cities and countries engulfed by panic and death, desperate for vaccines but fearful of what inoculation may bring. This is what the world has just gone through with Covid-19. But as Simon Schama shows in his epic history of vulnerable humanity caught between the terror of contagion and the ingenuity of science, it has happened before. Trade Review‘Superb' * Guardian *'A splendid and often moving work of history . . . Schama has a gift for combining novelistically colourful detail, serious analysis, and wryly amusing asides’ * The Telegraph *‘The histories Schama weaves together in this very personal and rather wonderful book should encourage us to know what is possible, in astonishingly short periods of time, if compounding human talent is channelled to good and universal ends’ * Literary Review *‘This is history of the best sort – humanly engaged but never sentimental’ * Mail on Sunday *'With the aplomb of a young A. J. P. Taylor, Schama neatly balances the obligation to disparage empire with the historian’s love of valorous action. He pricks the pretensions of the Raj, whose grandees thought they had materially bettered the lives of Indians; but he handsomely acknowledges the human efforts expended, in crowded slums and roadside clinics, pursuing that fond vision' * Financial Times *'Schama’s now-familiar approach, with its over-the-shoulder perspective and deluge of local detail, gives a pleasing verisimilitude to his stories of jostling individuals, ideas and institutions. It is Haffkine’s political fall that provides the book’s strongest passages. The colonial administration – a bureaucratic machine for misery, terrified of resistance – was willing to mobilise against what it saw as a foreign threat, even with millions of lives, and its own legitimacy, in the balance. We see the reactionary drive towards both self- and collective harm repeat on the scale of the nation, institution and individual, in Haffkine’s world as well as our own. History suggests there are other paths, imperfect and difficult though they might be, if we could only recognise them' * New Statesman *'A fascinating story of vaccines’ spread' * The Economist *‘Do yourself a favour, buy this book . . . it’s vast and terrifying and somehow beautiful, and it reads like a Ted Talk all-timer, but instead of a blank screen you’re left with this beautiful bow to untie and book to read’ * Irish Times *‘Delves into the history of pandemics and their cures, through the gripping personal narratives of some fascinating individuals’ * Radio Times *’Schama’s account makes the case for learning from history and opening our minds to ideas that come from strange places. Whether we like it or not, we’re all connected, now more than ever' * The Times *'His account of the individuals who have helped curb the devastating effects of widespread infections – often defying medical hierarchies and courting controversy in the process – ultimately presents an inspiring and hopeful read' * Perspective *'Schama’s skill as a narrator makes for an effortless ride between the minutiae of particular diseases, their spread throughout communities, and the story of the forces of biology in shaping global history’ * Times Literary Supplement *

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Book SynopsisNoisy popular liberal interventionism? Or a more conservative, diplomatic approach concentrating on co-operation between nations? This is the debate that lies at the heart of modern politics and Hurd traces its most interesting and influential exponents.He starts with Canning and Castelreagh in post Waterloo Britain; to a generation later, the victory of the interventionist Palmerston over Aberdeen; then to Salisbury (Imperialism) and Grey (European balance of power); and finally to Eden and Bevin who combined to lay the foundations of a post-war compromise.That delicate balance has served its purpose for over half a century, but as we enter a new era of terrorism and racial conflict, the old questions and divisions are re-surfacing . . .Trade ReviewA book of authority and insight -- Dominic Sandbrook * SUNDAY TIMES *Unexpectedly enjoyable...it's a spry account with some vivid vignettes. -- Ian Pindar * GUARDIAN *A fascinating insight into the second most powerful job in British politics. * HUDDERSFIELD DAILY EXAMINER *

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Book SynopsisIn An Army at Dawn - winner of the Pulitzer Prize - Rick Atkinson provided a dramatic and authoritative history of the Allied triumph in North Africa. Now, in The Day of the Battle, he follows the strengthening American and British armies as they invade Sicily in July 1943 and then, mile by bloody mile, fight their way north.The Italian campaign''s outcome was never certain; in fact, Roosevelt, Churchill and their military advisors engaged in heated debate about whether an invasion of the so-called soft underbelly of Europe was even a good idea. But once underway, the commitment to liberate Italy from the Nazis never wavered, despite the agonizingly high price. The battles at Salerno, Anzio, and Monte Cassino were particularly difficult and lethal, yet as the months passed, the Allied forces continued to push the Germans up the Italian peninsula. And with the liberation of Rome in June 1944, ultimate victory at last began to seem inevitable.Drawing on a

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Book SynopsisIn April 1586, Queen Elizabeth I acquired a new and exotic title. A tribe of North American Indians had made her their weroanza - ''big chief''.The news was received with great joy, both by the Queen and her favourite, Sir Walter Ralegh. His first American expedition had brought back a captive, Manteo, whose tattooed face had enthralled Elizabethan London. Now Manteo was returned to his homeland as Lord and Governor. Ralegh''s gamble would result in the first English settlement in the New World, but it would also lead to a riddle whose solution lay hidden in the forests of Virginia.A tale of heroism and mystery, BIG CHIEF ELIZABETH is illuminated by first-hand accounts to reveal a remarkable and long-forgotten story.Trade ReviewLike Giles Milton's previous book, ... Big Chief Elizabeth is a cracking read, a successful attempt at popular history * Evening Standard *'It's almost impossible to summarise Milton's book, from which marvellous, vivid stories spill out like swagsack booty. ... Milton is a very contemporary historian' Guardian'The story of the first Virginia colonies, now told in pacy style in Big Chief Elizabeth, is stirring and fitfully tragic...This is a marvellous story well retold' Sunday TimesMilton is a great storyteller ... he sets about filling in the historical gaps with relish, using his considerable imagination to conjure mood from dry parchment * Sunday Express *Grippingly told true adventure story * Daily Mail *Milton ... draws a vivid picture of the terrible hardships the settlers endured * The Times *'Milton knits together the most vivid anecdotes and descriptions from a very colourful literature of exploration and colonization, and anyone wanting easy access to them has it here'. * The Times Literary Supplement *Milton has a terrific eye for the kind of detail that can bring the past vividly to life off the page * The Spectator *Splendid stuff ... fascinatingly told ... An excellent book * Time Out *A wonderfully colourful story told with pace and verve * Sunday Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisThe first dictionary of medieval terms intended for the non-specialist with an interest in the medieval world. An interest in the middle ages often brings the non-specialist reader up short against a word or term which is not understood or only imperfectly understood. This dictionary is intended to put an end to all that: it has been designed to be of real help to general readers and specialists alike. The dictionary contains some 3,400 terms as headwords, ranging from the legal and ecclesiastic to the more prosaic words of daily life. Latin was the language of the church, law and government, and many Latin terms illustrated here are frequently found in modern books of history of the period; similarly, the precise meaning of Old English and Middle English terms may elude today's reader: this dictionary endeavours to provide clarity. In addition to definition, etymologies of many words are given, in the belief that knowing the origin and evolution of a word gives a better understanding. There are also examples of medieval terms and phrases still in use today, a further aid to clarifying meaning. CHRISTOPHER COREDON has also compiled the Dictionary of Cybernyms. Dr ANN WILLIAMS, historical consultant on the project, was until her retirement Senior Lecturer in medieval history at the Polytechnic of North London.Trade ReviewWill attract any student and teacher and librarian keen to get a reasonably-priced all-purpose quick reference guide to some 3,000-4,000 terms regularly used in, and often found in, sources from and about the Middle Ages. [...] A dictionary, then, very clear to use, general-purpose as well as a useful desk-source for the expert, and suitable for the academic library where the medieval period is seriously studied. * LIBRARY REVIEW *A superb example of clarity and concision...with a generous and readable layout. * TLS *[Intended] to provide the enthusiast with a guide to medieval language.it succeeds magnificently. [...] It is an invaluable resource. * HISTORICAL NOVELS REVIEW *Whoever reads about medieval subjects will wish to own this handy and reliable reference work, and all reference libraries should have it. * INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF BIBLICAL STUDIES *A very useful book. * REFERENCE REVIEWS *Has many good points; [and is] a pleasure to browse through. [...] More than fulfils its promise to be of assistance to any non-academic reader of history and as such should be on the shelf of all avid readers of medieval history. * JNL of the AUSTRALIAN EARLY MEDIEVAL ASSOCIATION *This wondrous dictionary...an excellent and accessible publication that would greatly enhance any historical collection. www.randlesreviews.co.uk * . *

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Book SynopsisAlmost twenty years after the Soviet Unions'' end, what are we to make of its existence? Was it a heroic experiment, an unmitigated disaster, or a viable if flawed response to the modern world?Taking a fresh approach to the study of the Soviet Union, this Very Short Introduction blends political history with an investigation into the society and culture at the time. Stephen Lovell examines aspects of patriotism, political violence, poverty, and ideology; and provides answers to some of the big questions about the Soviet experience. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Table of Contents1. Future and past ; 2. Coercion and participation ; 3. Poverty and wealth ; 4. Elite and masses ; 5. Patriotism and multinationalism ; 6. West and East ; Conclusion

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Book SynopsisThe peace treaties represented an almost impossible attempt to solve the problems caused by a murderous world war. In The Lights that Failed: European International History 1919-1933, part of the Oxford History of Modern Europe series, Steiner challenges the common assumption that the Treaty of Versailles led to the opening of a second European war. In a radically original way, this book characterizes the 1920s not as a frustrated prelude to a second global conflict but as a fascinating decade in its own right, when politicians and diplomats strove to re-assemble a viable European order. Steiner examines the efforts that failed but also those which gave hope for future promise, many of which are usually underestimated, if not ignored. She shows that an equilibrium was achieved, attained between a partial American withdrawal from Europe and the self-imposed constraints which the Soviet system imposed on exporting revolution. The stabilization painfully achieved in Europe reached it fragile limits after 1925, even prior to the financial crises that engulfed the continent. The hinge years between the great crash of 1929 and Hitler''s achievement of power in 1933 devastatingly altered the balance between nationalism and internationalism. This wide-ranging study helps us grasp the decisive stages in this process. In a second volume, The Triumph of the Night Steiner will examine the immediate lead up to the Second World War and its early years.Trade Review...indisputably the most detailed and authoritative single-volume account of European international history in the fifteen years following the end of the First World War...[the work] affirms Zara Steiner's status as the pre-eminent historian of inter-war international affairs. * Martin Conway, EHR 494 *Zara Steiner has produced a splendid volume, chock full of detail and with many thought-provoking insights. It will remain a classic for many years to come. For those studying international business history it will serve as an excellent background reference manual to the period...If one were to ask for more it would be the second volume in the same vein. * Derek H. Aldcroft, Business History *Table of ContentsPART I: THE RECONSTRUCTION OF EUROPE, 1918-1929; PART II: THE HINGE YEARS, 1930-1933

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Book SynopsisCombining readability with authority, this book covers Europe's turbulent history from the French Revolution in the late eighteenth century to the present day. It provides a better understanding of modern Europe, how it came to be what it is, and where it may be going in the future.

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Book SynopsisA lyrical introduction to a multitude of life experiences in ancient Greece.

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Book SynopsisThe early middle ages were an exciting period in the history of European architecture, culminating in the development of the Romanesque style. Major architectural innovations were made during this time including the medieval castle, the church spire, and the monastic cloister. By avoiding the traditional emphasis on chronological development, Roger Stalley provides a radically new approach to the subject, exploring issues and themes rather than sequences and dates. In addition to analysing the language of the Romanesque, the book examines the engineering achievements of the builders, and clearly how the great monuments of the age were designed and constructed. Ranging from Gotland to Apulia, the richness and variety of European architecture is explored in terms of the social and religious aspirations of the time. Symbolic meanings associated with architecture are also thoroughly investigated. Written with style and humour, the lively text includes many quotations from ancient sources, providing a fascinating insight into the way that medieval buildings were created, and in the process enlivening study of this period.Table of ContentsIntroduction ; 1. The Christian basilica ; 2. The Carolingian renaissance ; 3. Symbolic buildings ; 4. Architecture and pilgrimage ; 5. Architecture and monasticism ; 6. Diversity in the Romanesque era ; 7. The language of architecture ; 8. Secular architecture in the age of feudalism ; 9. Art and engineering ; 10. Patron and Builder ; Epilogue: the shadow of Rome ; Notes; List of Illustrations; Bibliographic Essay; Timeline; Index

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Book SynopsisTerry Jones'' Barbarians takes a completely fresh approach to Roman history. Not only does it offer us the chance to see the Romans from a non-Roman perspective, it also reveals that most of those written off by the Romans as uncivilized, savage and barbaric were in fact organized, motivated and intelligent groups of people, with no intentions of overthrowing Rome and plundering its Empire. This original and fascinating study does away with the propaganda and opens our eyes to who really established the civilized world. Delving deep into history, Terry Jones and Alan Ereira uncover the impressive cultural and technological achievements of the Celts, Goths, Persians and Vandals. In this paperback edition, Terry and Alan travel through 700 years of history on three continents, bringing wit, irreverence, passion and scholarship to transform our view of the legacy of the Roman Empire and the creation of the modern world.Trade ReviewI have enormously enjoyed this book - it is very lively and really does get to grips with perceptions of the Barbarians. It's just what we need to readdress the balance and to put the Romans in their correct perspective. -- Barry Cunliffe, Professor of European Archaeology, University of OxfordJones laces the latest academic research with his own increasingly avuncular humour. Who says history can't be fun? In the hands of Professor Jones, how could it be anything else? -- ObserverI wish all historical books written by non-historians were so informed, and all books by historians so well written. -- Dr Walter Pohl, Head of the Institute for Medieval History Research, Vienna Academy of Sciences

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Book SynopsisThis revised and updated edition of the standard introduction to the origins of the greatest of all revolutions incorporates and critically appraises the results of a new generation of research and interpretation. It thus remains the essential starting point for study of the subject.Table of ContentsIntroduction ; PART I: WRITINGS ON REVOLUTIONARY ORIGINS SINCE 1939 ; 1. The Classic Interpretation ; PART II: THE BREAKDOWN OF THE OLD REGIME ; 4. The Financial Crisis ; 5. The System of Government ; 6. Opposition ; 7. Public Opinion ; 8. Reform and its Failure 1787-88 ; PART III: THE STRUGGLE FOR POWER ; 9. The Nobility ; 10. The Bourgeoisie ; 11. The Election Campaign September 1788- to May 1789 ; 12. The Economic Crisis ; 13. The Estates-General, May and June 1789 ; 14. The People of Paris ; 15. The Peasantry ; 16. Conclusion: The New Regime and its Principles ; Abbreviations, Notes, Further Reading, Index of Authors Cited, General Index

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Book SynopsisThis biography provides a comprehensive reappraisal of Henry II, the man and king. W.L. Warren explores a whole range of contemporary sources to illuminate the king's policy and personality, as well as the events of his reign.Trade ReviewWinner of the Wolfson History Award

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Book SynopsisThe only way to truly discover a city, they say, is on foot. Taking this to extremes, Mark Mason sets out to walk the entire length of the London Underground - overground - passing every station on the way.In a story packed with historical trivia, personal musings and eavesdropped conversations, Mark learns how to get the best gossip in the City, where to find a pint at 7am, and why the Bank of England won''t let you join the M11 northbound at Junction 5. He has an East End cup of tea with the Krays'' official biographer, discovers what cabbies mean by ''on the cotton'', and meets the Archers star who was the voice of ''Mind the Gap''.Over the course of several hundred miles, Mark contemplates London''s contradictions as well as its charms. He gains insights into our fascination with maps and sees how walking changes our view of the world. Above all, in this love letter to a complicated friend, he celebrates the sights, sounds and soul of the greatest city on Trade ReviewEndlessly fascinating * Spectator *An extraordinary odyssey -- Robert Elms * BBC London *This engaging book puts its best foot forward * Independent *Crammed with delightful facts ... a constantly fascinating journey * Shortlist *Rediscovers the Underground * The Times *

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Book SynopsisThe story of the dramatic two years leading to Napoleon's abdication in 1814 - in which he lost control of his empire and, ultimately, of France itself.Trade ReviewReview from previous edition ... an exciting story and it is one to which Munro Price has devoted himself with consummate skill * Reviews in History *Price's book is well paced, cleanly written and thoughtful. * John Bugg, The Times Literary Supplement *Price has rewritten the history of the decline and fall of Napoleon in a highly original and wholly convincing manner. It is an enthralling story, brilliantly told. * T. C. W. Blanning, Emeritus Professor of European History, University of Cambridge *Price has unearthed a wealth of unpublished material that sheds a fascinating light on the motives of the principle players in this extraordinary drama... * Simon Shaw, Mail on Sunday *Munro Price has pulled off a genuine sensation. * Stephan Speicher, Die Zeit, *Nobody who regards history as matter for serious reflection rather as mere colourful epic can afford to ignore this book. * Gustav Seibt, Süddeutsche Zeitung *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1: Napoleon and his empire, December 1812 2: Plots and alarms, 1812-1813 3: Russia, Austria and Napoleon, 1812-1813 4: War and diplomacy, spring 1813 5: Napoleon and Metternich 6: The congress of Prague 7: From Dresden to Leipzig 8: The battle of the nations 9: Natural frontiers 10: Challenge from within 11: The congress of Chatillon 12: The beginning of the end 13: Talleyrand 14: The End of Glory Epilogue: The hundred days Notes Index

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