European history: medieval period, middle ages Books
Oxford University Press The Triumph of the Moon
Book SynopsisThis is the second, and extensively revised, edition of the first full-scale scholarly study of what is arguably the only fully-formed religion that England has ever given the world: that of modern pagan witchcraft, which has now spread from English shores across four continents. Ronald Hutton examines the nature of that religion and its development, and offers a history of attitudes to witchcraft, paganism and magic in British society since 1800. Its pages reveal village cunning folk, Victorian ritual magicians, classicists and archaeologists, leaders of woodcraft and scouting movements, Freemasons, and members of rural secret societies. We also find some of the leading figures of English literature, from the Romantic poets to W. B. Yeats, D. H. Lawrence and Robert Graves, as well as the main personalities who have represented pagan witchcraft to the public world since 1950. Thriller writers like Dennis Wheatley, and films and television programmes, get similar coverage, as does tabloid journalism. The material is by its very nature often sensational, and care is taken throughout to distinguish fact from fantasy, in a manner not hitherto applied to most of the stories involved. Consistently densely researched, Triumph of the Moon presents an authoritative insight into an aspect of modern cultural history which has attracted sensational publicity but has hitherto been little understood. This edition incorporates all of the new research carried out into the subject by the author, and by others who have often been inspired by this book, during the twenty years since it was first published.Trade ReviewHutton's book is a must-read not only for anyone interested in modern Paganism, or the occult, but it also embodies a deep insight into the development of British society and culture. * Pavel Horák, Czech Academy of Sciences, Religious Studies Review *Table of ContentsPreface Acknowledgements Macrocosm 1: Finding a Language 2: Finding a Goddess 3: Finding a God 4: Finding a Structure 5: Finding a High Magic 6: Finding a Low Magic 7: Finding a Folklore 8: Finding a Witchcraft 9: Matrix 10: God (and Goddess) Parents Microcosm 11: Gerald Gardner 12: Gerald's People 13: The Wider Context: Hostility 14: The Wider Context: Reinforcement 15: Old Craft, New Craft 16: The Man in Black 17: Royalty from the North 18: Uncle Sam and the Goddess 19: Coming of Age 20: Grandchildren of the Shadows Notes Index
£26.77
Hackett Publishing Co, Inc Seven Myths of the Crusades
Book Synopsis"Seven Myths of the Crusades' rebuttal of the persistent and multifarious misconceptions associated with topics including the First Crusade, anti-Judaism and the Crusades, the crusader states, the Children's Crusade, the Templars and past and present Islamic-Christian relations proves, once and for all, that real history is far more fascinating than conspiracy theories, pseudo-history and myth-mongering. This book is a powerful witness to the dangers of the misappropriation and misinterpretation of the past and the false parallels so often drawn between the crusades and later historical events ranging from nineteenth-century colonialism to the protest movements of the 1960s to the events of 9/11. This volume's authors have venerable track records in teaching and researching the crusading movement, and anyone curious about the crusades would do well to start here." —Jessalynn Bird, Dominican University, co-Editor of Crusade and ChristendomTrade Review"I never imagined that my Seven Myths of the Spanish Conquest, first published in 2003, would prove to be so enduring a format for helping students of all kinds to rethink key moments in human history. It is therefore a great honor to see that the book has now inspired Hackett Publishing Company's "Myths of History" series, expertly and effectively edited by Alfred J. Andrea and Andrew Holt." —Matthew Restall, Pennsylvania State University"Andrea and Holt's timely, readable, and informative book will hopefully go a long way towards combating some of the myths of the crusades that still circulate in the twenty-first century. . . . [Their] introduction is a real gem and one might wish that more books on the crusades for popular audiences had introductions so useful for situating readers. . . . The contributions strike a balance between presenting the complexity and messiness of the historical material with giving readable and coherent accounts. . . . This is an excellent and useful volume." —Lucas McMahon, Princeton University, in Comitatus"Seven Myths of the Crusades' rebuttal of the persistent and multifarious misconceptions associated with topics including the First Crusade, anti-Judaism and the Crusades, the crusader states, the Children's Crusade, the Templars and past and present Islamic-Christian relations proves, once and for all, that real history is far more fascinating than conspiracy theories, pseudo-history and myth-mongering. This book is a powerful witness to the dangers of the misappropriation and misinterpretation of the past and the false parallels so often drawn between the crusades and later historical events ranging from nineteenth-century colonialism to the protest movements of the 1960s to the events of 9/11. This volume's authors have venerable track records in teaching and researching the crusading movement, and anyone curious about the crusades would do well to start here." —Jessalynn Bird, Dominican University, co-Editor of Crusade and Christendom"There has long been a great need for a book like this one, and it deserves a wide dissemination among the interested reading public and journalists as well as students and professional historians. It draws on much of the best and most recent scholarship on diverse aspects of crusading, but is still written in an accessible style. It should certainly be included in any reading list for an undergraduate course on the crusades, and anyone intending to make judgmental pronouncements on the aims and character of crusading would do well to read it and reflect carefully before rushing into print." —Alan V. Murray, University of Leeds"Andrea and Holt's Seven Myths of the Crusades provides a valuable introduction to Crusades mythology. The collection covers some of the most important and most widely debated issues in crusading studies and will prove highly useful, particularly to undergraduate students and to non-academics with an interest in crusading history." —Meriem Pages, Keene State College, in Speculum "Written in a clear and accessible style, this volume rests on an impressive scholarly base supported by peer-reviewed research and up-to-date sources cited in abundant footnotes on almost every page." —G. G. Guzman, Bradley University, in CHOICE"Few historical labels carry such an emotional charge as that of 'crusade'. It is a word used both thoughtlessly and polemically, often by public figures with little understanding of the events or by those with a vested interest in the misrepresentation of both motives and outcomes. Professional historians have a duty to redress the balance, and the essays collected in this important book tackle fundamental issues ranging from the place of the crusades in relations between Islam and the West to their long-term influence on the development of anti-Semitism." —Malcolm Barber, Emeritus Professor of History, University of Reading, UK."Crusade historians frequently lament the wide gulf that separates modern scholarship from popular beliefs regarding the holy wars of the Middle Ages. In this lively book a group of those scholars tackle seven of the most intractable myths that obscure our view of the crusades. With erudition, energy, and a dose of humility this book makes the case that solid historical research brings us ever closer to historical accuracy—and that matters. The myths of the crusades may be legion, but breaking down seven of them is an excellent place to start." —Thomas F. Madden, St. Louis UniversityTable of ContentsContents: Preface Introduction: Once More into the Breach: The Continuing War against Crusade Myths 1. The First Crusade: Unprovoked Offense or Overdue Defence? -Paul F. Crawford 2. Mad Men on Crusade: Religious Madness and the Origins of the First Crusade -James M. Muldoon 3. The Crusades and Medieval Anti-Judaism: Cause or Consequence? -Daniel P. Franke 4. The Quest for Gain: Were the First Crusaders Proto-Colonists? -Corliss Slack 5. Myths of Innocence: The Making of the Children's Crusade -David L. Sheffler 6. Templars and Masons: An Origin Myth -Jace Stuckey 7. Islam and the Crusades: A Nine Hundred-Year-Long Grievance? -Mona Hammad and Edward Peters Epilogue: Putting It All Together Suggested Reading Contributor Biographies Index
£17.99
Birlinn General Robert the Bruce: King of Scots
Book SynopsisIn this exciting and visually stunning book, the most talented Scottish novelist of his generation teams up with Jill Calder, whose bold and colourful illustrations are a perfect complement to one of the most dramatic tales in Scottish history. In addition to the big set pieces from the Bruce story - not least of course the Battle of Bannockburn - and the other famous elements - such as the murder of the Red Comyn and Bruce and the spider - book is full of accurate historical detail and imaginative touches which offer a fresh and vital perspective on one of the great heroes of Scottish history.Trade Review'A stunning new telling of the Robert the Bruce story' * Avocado Sweet *'A gloriously illustrated picture-book version, with expertly concise text by one of Scotland's finest novelists' * The Herald *'A lively pictorial account of the drama. Bolstered by Jill Calder's vibrant illustrations, it is as much for older children as adults, but avoids over-simplifying the battle and the complex factors that led to it' * The Lady *'This unique book will enthral readers of all ages' * Scottish Field *
£8.54
Oxford University Press The Oxford History of the Roman World
Book SynopsisIn less than fifty-three years, Rome subjected most of the known world to its rule. Written by a team of specialist scholars, this book traces the rise of Rome from its origins as a cluster of villages to the foundation of the Empire and its consolidation in the first two centuries CE. It includes chapters on social and political history, the Emperors, art and architecture, and the works of the leading Roman poets, historians, and philosophers.Trade ReviewReview from previous edition From the reviews of The Oxford History of the Classical World: 'the book is truly excellent...the standard of the contributions is extraordinarily high' * Observer *Table of ContentsIntroduction ; 1. Early Rome and Italy ; 2. The Expansion of Rome ; 3. The First Roman Literature ; 4. Cicero and Rome ; 5. The Poets of the Late Republic ; 6. The Founding of the Empire ; 7. The Arts of Government ; 8. Augustan Poetry and Society ; 9. Virgil ; 10. Roman Historians ; 11. The Arts of Prose: The Early Empire ; 12. Silver Latin Poetry and the Latin Novel ; 13. Later Philosophy ; 14. The Arts of Living ; 15. Roman Life and Society ; 16. Roman Art and Architecture ; 17. Envoi: On Taking Leave of Antiquity ; Tables of Events ; Index
£17.99
Adventures Unlimited Press The Christ Conspiracy
Book Synopsis
£20.40
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC The Swan King
Book SynopsisThe Swan King is the biography of one of the most enigmatic figures of the 19th century, described by Verlaine as 'the only true king of his century'. A man of wildly eccentric temperament and touched by a rare, imaginative genius, Ludwig II of Bavaria is remembered both for his patronage of Richard Wagner and for the fabulous palaces which he created as part of a dream-world to escape the responsibilities of state. In realization of his fantasies, he created a ferment of creativity among artists and craftsmen, while his neglect of Bavaria's political interests made powerful enemies among those critical of his self-indulgence and excesses. At the age of 40, declared insane in a plot to depose him, Ludwig died in mysterious circumstances.Table of ContentsPreface The Northern Apollo Reborn The Captive Years From Cage to Throne The Coming of the Friend The Second Lola A Triumph, an Idyll and a Parting Germany in Turmoil Sophie Lilla...and Others Wagnerian Strains A Crucial Decade 1866-1876 Fantasies in Stone Dreams of El Dorado Ludwig II and the Theatre Forbidden Longings Farewell to Wagner The Twilight Years The Trap Closes Prophecies Fulfilled Epilogue: The Cult of the Swan King
£25.97
The History Press Ltd Draculas Wars
Book SynopsisFirst history of the real battles of Vlad the Impaler, detailing bloodthirsty tactics and campaigns
£11.69
Orion Publishing Co Eleanor of Aquitaine: A Biography
Book SynopsisMarion Meade portrays Eleanor of Aquitaine as a woman of great intelligence and titanic energy who lived in a passionate and creative age.A comprehensive account of the life of Eleanor of Aquitaine. The wife of King Louis VII of France and then of King Henry II of England, and mother to Richard Coeur de Lion and King John, she became the key political figure of the 12th century.Eleanor's long life inspired a number of legends. At twenty-five she set out for the Holy Land as a Crusader and at seventy-eight she crossed the Pyreness to Spain to fetch the granddaughter whose marriage would be, she hoped, a pledge of peace between England and France. This is a compassionate biography of this charismatic queen and the world she ruled over.
£12.34
Transworld Publishers Ltd Eclipse
Book SynopsisPart of the SECOND WORLD WAR VOICES series in partnership with the podcast We Have Ways of Making You Talk, presented by comedian Al Murray and bestselling historian James Holland.With a new introduction by James HollandEclipse was the code name given by the Allies to the occupation of Germany. Moorehead''s book describes his experiences in Sicily and southern Italy in 1943, which culminated in the capture of Rome. He tells the electrifying story of D-Day, the liberation of Paris, and the Allied advance through northern France and Belgium, the crossing of the Rhine.The author reconstructs, in terrifying detail, the collapse of Germany, the wholesale destruction, mass surrenders, and the unimaginable horrors of the concentration camps.
£10.44
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC A New History of Made in Italy
Book SynopsisShortlisted for the Association of Dress Historians Book of the Year Award, 2024In the first book to examine the role played by textile manufacturing in the development of fashion in Italy, A New History of Made in Italy' investigates Italy's transition from a country of dressmakers, tailors and small-scale couturiers in the early post-Second World War period to a major producer of ready-to-wear fashion in the 1980s. It takes the reader from Italy's first internationally attended fashion show in 1951 to Time magazine's Giorgio Armani April 1982 cover story, which signalled the fashion designer's international arrival, and Milan's presence as the capital of ready-to-wear.Chapters focus on the material substance of Italian fashion textile looking at questions including the importance of manufacturing quality, design innovation, composition, production techniques, commerce and the role of textile on the country's overall fashion system. Through th
£28.99
Little, Brown Book Group City of Light City of Shadows
Book SynopsisParis in the Belle Époque is remembered as a golden age of cultural flourishing and political progress. The period between the revolutionary 1870s and the outbreak of war in 1914 saw the modern French capital take shape: by day Parisians could admire the rising Eiffel Tower and Sacré-Coeur Basilica, while at night they roamed the Bohemian world of the Moulin Rouge. But as Mike Rapport reveals in this authoritative and beautifully written new history, City of Light, City of Shadows, beneath the elegant veneer Paris was at war with itself. For the Belle Époque was also an era of social and religious unrest, arguments over women''s emancipation and violent clashes over what it meant to be French.Paris pulsated with pleasure, anxieties and tension stemming from the giddying speed of modernity: blazing electric lights illuminating the night, the first cars speeding down the boulevards, as well as the first Métro trains and aeroplane flights. At the same time reacti
£24.00
Penguin Books Ltd The House of Dudley
Book SynopsisTold for the very first time, this is the shocking and extraordinary story of the most-conniving and manipulative Tudor family you''ve never heard of . . .???????''A tour-de-force of Tudor history. Remarkable'' DAN JONES''Exciting and immersive. An immensely entertaining history'' SUNDAY TIMES''This is riveting stuff: death, desire, power and scandal'' SPECTATOR''A twist on the Tudors . . . Enormously entertaining - a sheer joy to read'' THE TIMES________Was the House of Dudley out to steal the throne?This was the question on the mind of Elizabeth I''s courtiers when a forbidden book accused generations of the Dudley family of poisonings, plottings, murders, treason, incitement and other ''evil stratagems.''For decades, the Dudleys had been close to the throne, rising from nobodies to the land''s highest offices.Under Henrys VII and VIII, Edward VI, Mary I anTrade ReviewA tour-de-force of Tudor history, as seen through the eyes of a family with a front-row view of almost every major political event in sixteenth-century England. Remarkable -- Dan Jones, Sunday Times bestselling author of Powers and ThronesExciting and immersive. An immensely entertaining history, capturing in full Tudor brilliance the cut-throat glamour of the English throne and the most audacious family to play its game * Sunday Times *House of Dudley is a full-blooded affair, as good on the horrors of war as it is on the soft power of the Dudley women, and written in a lively, episodic style that presents each Dudley as a foil to the monarch they served -- Jessie ChildsBreathes new life into an old and familiar Tudor story. [She] negotiates the labyrinth of Tudor politics with skill, producing a book much more comprehensible and illuminating than others I've read . . . It's delightful, a joy to read * The Times, BOOK OF THE WEEK *I am hugely impressed by The House of Dudley and by the depths of research. This is a pacy narrative, vividly written, that makes you want to read on and on.Joanne Paul is a major new talent in the field and I eagerly await her next book -- Alison WeirThis is riveting stuff: death, desire, power and scandal. Paul has made the most of it, producing a well written and historically grounded page-turner . . . Game of Thrones looks tame compared with the real-life machinations of the Dudleys and the Tudors * Spectator *A twist on the Tudors . . . Enormously entertaining - a sheer joy to read * The Times, '25 BEST HISTORY BOOKS OF 2022' *A hugely entertaining history of three generations of the Dudley family, who dominated the Tudor court * The Times *A thrilling and deeply researched study of power and conspiracy: the rise and fall of the other Tudor dynasty. The House of Dudley illuminates the fascinating men and women who almost became kings and queens in their own right -- Simon Sebag-MontefioreVivid, innovative and authoritative. I could not recommend The House of Dudley more highly. It's a real lesson in how to revitalise the writing of Tudor history -- Sarah GristwoodJoanne Paul's account of this family is rich and compelling. She manages to hit that sweet spot where scholarly history overlaps with dramatic storytelling; she conjures up the look and feel of Tudor life, down to the clothes, the medicines and the furniture, while also being a skilful filler-in of political background . . . Whether or not you have ever succumbed to Mantelmania, you will find yourself drawn in, fascinated, and richly informed * Telegraph *An enthralling read told by Paul with great verve and an eye for the telling detail . . . The family's complex history is concisely and compellingly related * Literary Review *Visceral and illuminating. The extraordinary House of Dudley is the Tudor Game of Thrones. Paul has produced a painstakingly detailed first book with spirit and verve * The Wall Street Journal *Captivating and thought-provoking . . . Sheds immense light onto this often-overlooked family * Royal Studies Journal *The crowning jewel in its genre . . . I can't recommend this book enough. Unputdownable -- Lindsey FitzharrisWhen reading Joanne Paul's lively history of the house of Dudley, it is impossible not to be reminded of Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall trilogy . . . Paul uses the experiences of the Dudleys to light up odd corners and backroom spaces of Tudor palace life * Mail on Sunday *Joanne Paul chronicles the meteoric rise and deadly fall of the Dudleys * BBC History Magazine *Joanne Paul reveals how the might of the Tudor dynasty was built on the blood and sweat of three generations of another family - the Dudleys * BBC History Magazine *Hugely entertaining * The Times, Best Books of Summer 2022 *Fascinating -- Catherine Fletcher * History Today *
£11.69
James Clarke & Co Ltd Brewing for Victory
Book Synopsis''In the black out visit a bright inn.'' So read stickers on the windows of Watney''s pubs all over London. In Brewing for Victory, Brian Glover shows in lively detail how beer and pub culture aided Britain''s community spirit during the Second World War. From ''Guinness for Strength!'' adverts to women shifting casks and packing coppers with hops, the effect the war had on brewing in England, and the effect brewing had on the war effort, is explored from every angle.Beginning at home in Britain and London, Glover tracks the course of tuns all the way out to the front line in the army, air force and navy. ''Brewing under the jackboot'' is also considered, with a chapter on breweries in British territory that had been captured by the Nazis, such as Guernsey. With over 70 illustrations showing war era adverts and bombed out boroughs with their pubs still standing, Brewing for Victory is a remarkable demonstration of the Blitz Spirit in action as the public, pubs and brewers worked togethTrade Review'An interesting book to read . as well as the excellent subject matter, the book is written in a manner and style which encourages the reader to read through to the end. The combination of factual description, anecdote and narrative is a winning style which makes the book a must for anyone interested in the history of beer, including bottled beer.' - Mike Peterson, What's Bottling 'Here is a lively history of breweries and public houses during the War, with a serious point to make as well.' - Forces News 'In Brewing for Victory, Brian Glover tells the heady and enlightening tale of how a drop of ale boosted the morale of everyone of drinking age throughout the dark days of 1939-45.' - Soldier MagazineTable of ContentsList of Illustrations Acknowledgements 1. Enemy Behind the Lines 2. Ally on the Home Front 3. Blockhouse on the Home Front 4. Nation's Liquid Asset 5. The Blitz 6. Pubs in the Front Line 7. Miracle in the Mash Tun 8. No Beer Today 9. Better Than Bullets 10. Davy Jones' Delight 11. Brewing Under the Jackboot 12. The Pint in Peace Bibliography Index
£19.71
C Hurst & Co Publishers Ltd The Enduring Hold of Islam in Turkey
Book SynopsisThis is the first account in English of how Islamic religious orders dating back to Ottoman times have risen to dominate and define the future of Turkey, Europe's awkward neighbour and the major power in the Eastern Mediterranean.Given its determined programme of secularising the people both under and after the Atatürk regime, Turkey is often projected as a model for the compatibility of Islam with parliamentary democracy. In this absorbing book, journalist and writer David S. Tonge reveals the limitations of that secularisation, and its progressive reversal, in what continues to be a profoundly religious country. He describes how Muslim Turks' religious identity has been taken over by branches of one of Islam's great religious orders, the Naqshbandis, whose profoundly anti-Western ethos was honed by British and French colonial incursions into the heartland of their faith.Tonge's history offers a salutary alternative to the wishful narrative devel
£40.50
Wydawnictwo STRATUS, Artur Juszczak Reggiane RE 2001 RE 2005 and Beyond
Book Synopsis
£21.25
The University of Chicago Press Textual Magic
Book SynopsisTrade Review“Hindley paints a picture of magic’s place in medieval England, producing an eye-opening study of ‘words at their most powerful’ . . . that promise[s] to change the way we think about magic in the medieval world.” -- Mary Flannery * Times Literary Supplement *"A thought-provoking look at the distinctive ways medieval English people viewed language [that] intrigues. It’s an enlightening deep dive." * Publishers Weekly *“Hindley carefully and fruitfully rethinks what charms tell us about written and oral aspects of culture, drawing on a wonderfully abundant collection of source material from a period in which charms proliferated but were often kept secret. A valuable contribution to the history of magic, her book sheds light on both an impressively diverse archive and the implications of their textuality.” -- Richard Kieckhefer, Northwestern University“Hindley guides readers through the complete history of spoken and written charms in medieval England with seasoned ease. Through close readings and the latest archaeological insights, Textual Magic offers an indispensable introduction to medieval English charms, packed with examples in both their original language and modern English translation.” -- Lea Olsan, University of Louisiana at Monroe“Textual Magic is a significant new work in medieval studies, generously illustrated with images and transcriptions of charm texts. In particular, Hindley’s focus on the instructions accompanying charms and her awareness of their multilingual contexts are welcome additions to the literature on verbal charms.” -- Jonathan Roper, University of TartuTable of ContentsList of Boxes Note on Translation and Transcription Abbreviations Introduction Reading, Writing, and Charming Chapter 1 The Powers of Charm-Words and Relics Chapter 2 Before 1100: “Textual Magic” in Pre-Conquest England Chapter 3 1100 to 1350: Charm Language and the Boundaries of Text Chapter 4 1350 to 1500: “A Fayre Charme on Englysh” Conclusion The Changing Power of Words Acknowledgments Manuscripts Cited Works Cited Index
£34.20
Oxford University Press Spying on the Reich The Cold War Against Hitler
Book SynopsisThe story of how the nations of Europe spied on Hitler's Third Reich in the tense years of appeasement leading up to the Second World War.Trade Reviewincisive * Colin Shindler *RT Howard does an admirable job * NS, History of War *remarkably thorough and well-researched * Zareer Masani, Literary Review *R.T. Howard has done an admirable job, given [the] limitations. Spying on the Reich is substantial and engaging. * John Foster , The Battleground *extraordinarily fertile and captivating book * Richard Lofthouse, QUAD *fascinating * Francis P. Sempa, New York Journal of Books *Profitable reading for students of spycraft and the early stirrings of the war in Europe. * Kirkus Reviews *a well-researched and revealing account...Packed with a colorful cast of characters and offering pinpoint analysis of where the Allies went wrong, this will delight espionage buffs. * , Publishers Weekly *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1: Germany Reawakens 2: Foreign Spies Keep Watch 3: The Rise of Hitler 4: The New Mood in Berlin 5: The Anglo-French Spy Networks Inside Germany 6: 'The Reliable Source' 7: The French and Czechs Watch the Reich 8: 'The Dark Continent' 9: The International Spy Effort 10: Searching for New Sources of Information 11: Spying on the German Navy 12: Colonel Z and Other Agents 13: The French Step Up Their Operations 14: The British and the Czechs Watch the Reich 15: The 'Spies' Who Never Were 16: Watching Anschluss 17: Intelligence and the Sudeten Crises 18: Predicting Hitler's Next Move 19: Intelligence and the Anglo-French Alliance 20: The 'Spies' Who Caused Panic 21: Signals from the Reich 22: The Nazi-Soviet Pact 23: The Countdown to War Conclusion: In Retrospect
£26.77
Histria LLC Grand Duchess Anastasia
Book Synopsis
£20.21
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Exploring the Lives of Victorian Prostitutes
Book SynopsisAs dangerous as if she stood on the corner of the street exploding gunpowder.This was the view of Miles', a correspondent in the _Bedfordshire Mercury_, writing about the dangerousness of prostitutes in 1874. They were considered a scourge by the Victorians; a menace to society and a threat to the moral and physical wellbeing of a nation. Carrying disease, committing crime, corrupting others; prostitutes were the most feared social evil'. These women were the focus of controlling and invasive legislation, designed to clear the streets. They were imprisoned and removed from their friends and family. They were scorned and shamed and deemed worthless by much of society. The contemporary view of prostitution in the nineteenth century is coloured by years of Ripperology, a grim fascination with the lives of a few mutilated women living in London. However, prostitutes were far more than caricatures of sinners or inevitable victims and lived in every other part of England too. Searching thr
£17.00
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC The Basque WitchHunt
Book SynopsisJan Machielsen is a historian at Cardiff University, UK, with an interest in witches, demons, and saints. His previous publications include The War on Witchcraft (2021) and The Science of Demons (2020).
£22.50
Oxford University Press A Nation Fermented
Book SynopsisHow did beer become one of the central commodities associated with the German nation? How did a little-known provincial production standard the Reinheitsgebot, or Beer Purity Law become a pillar of national consumer sentiments? How did the jovial, beer-drinking German become a fixture in the global imagination?While the connection between beer and Germany seems self-evident, A Nation Fermented reveals how it was produced through a strange brew of regional commercial and political pressures. Spanning from the late nineteenth century to the last decades of the twentieth, A Nation Fermented argues that the economic, regulatory, and cultural weight of Bavaria shaped the German nation in profound ways. Drawing on sources from over a dozen archives and repositories, Terrell weaves together subjects ranging from tax law to advertising, public health to European integration, and agriculture to global stereotypes. Offering a history of the Germany that Bavaria made over the twentieth century,Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Timeline Map Introduction 1: Integration and Its Discontents: Lager, Tax, and Temperance, c. 1900 to the 1930s 2: The People's Drink in the Racial State: Debating the Interests of the Volk 3: Liquid Bread: The New Politics of Bavaria from the Postwar Occupation to the Federal Republic 4: Brewing up a New Old Germany: Production, Consumption, and Social Order in the Miracle Years 5: Making a National Icon: A Political Economy of the Reinheitsgebot, 1953-1975 6: The Munich Effect: Löwenbräu, Bavarian Beer, and the Global Imaginary 7: Gone Flat?: Reconfigurations from the Recession to the Wende Conclusion Bibliography
£35.00
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Defenders of the Norman Crown
Book SynopsisThe story of one of the most important families in English medieval history, who were always loyal to the crown.
£14.24
Oxford University Press Making Empire
Book SynopsisIreland was England''s oldest colony. Making Empire revisits the history of empire in Irelandin a time of Brexit, ''the culture wars'', and the campaigns around ''Black Lives Matter'' and ''Statues must fall''to better understand how it has formed the present, and how it might shape the future.Empire and imperial frameworks, policies, practices, and cultures have shaped the history of the world for the last two millennia. It is nation states that are the blip on the historical horizon. Making Empire re-examines empire as processand Ireland''s role in itthrough the lens of early modernity. It covers the two hundred years, between the mid-sixteenth century and the mid-eighteenth century, that equate roughly to the timespan of the First English Empire (c.1550-c.1770s).Ireland was England''s oldest colony. How then did the English empire actually function in early modern Ireland and how did this change over time? What did access to European empires mean for people living in Ireland? This book answers these questions by interrogating four interconnected themes. First, that Ireland formed an integral part of the English imperial system, Second, that the Irish operated as agents of empire(s). Third, Ireland served as laboratory in and for the English empire. Finally, it examines the impact that empire(s) had on people living in early modern Ireland. Even though the book''s focus will be on Ireland and the English empire, the Irish were trans-imperial and engaged with all of the early modern imperial powers. It is therefore critical, where possible and appropriate, to look to other European and global empires for meaningful comparisons and connections in this era of expansionism.What becomes clear is that colonisation was not a single occurrence but an iterative and durable process that impacted different parts of Ireland at different times and in different ways. That imperialism was about the exercise of power, violence, coercion and expropriation. Strategies about how best to turn conquest into profit, to mobilise and control Ireland''s natural resources, especially land and labour, varied but the reality of everyday life did not change and provoked a wide variety of responses ranging from acceptance and assimilation to resistance.This book, based on the 2021 James Ford Lectures, Oxford University, suggests that the moment has come revisit the history of empire, if only to better understand how it has formed the present, and how this might shape the future.Trade ReviewIn Making Empire, Jane Ohlmeyer assesses how imperial processes shaped developments in early-modern Ireland, and how Irish people-Catholic and Protestant-contributed to the formation of global empires. This lively, insightful and challenging narrative derives its authority from Ohlmeyer's archival research and her judicious appraisal of academic and literary productions. * Nicholas Canny, author of Imagining Ireland's Pasts (Oxford, 2021) and co-editor of the Oxford Handbook of the Atlantic World, 1450-1850 (2011). *Jane Ohlmeyer has provided a masterful and sweeping overview of Ireland's role in the British empire. Displaying a huge breadth of original research, she offers a new story of early modern Ireland's contributions to the global world order, one that will shift our view of empire and help us understand how we live with its legacies today. * Sarah Covington, Professor of History at CUNY and author of The Devil from Over the Sea *A landmark new book ... Ohlmeyer is one of the most influential Irish historians of this century. * Chrisopher Kissane, Irish Times *Jane Ohlmeyer sheds fascinating light on Ireland's role in what became the British Empire. * Kim Bielenberg, Irish Independent *[Making Empire] is the fruit of a lifetime's reflection on Ireland's multiple histories and of Ohlmeyer's immersion in their burgeoning historiographies. The result is not just an exemplar of the now not so new British history: it is a model for deprovincializing any national history under the long shadow of empire ...This is a truly new British-and-Irish history. * David Armitage, Times Literary Supplement *Impressive ... an outstanding book on a complicated subject that confirms ... Ohlmeyer's reputation as Ireland's leading public intellectual. * Crawford Gribben, Wall Street Journal *Table of Contents1: Making History 2: Anglicisation 3: Assimilation 4: Agents of Empire 5: Laboratory 6: Empires in Ireland Bibliography
£28.50
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Charles IIs Illegitimate Children
Book SynopsisThis book will bring to life the king's many illegitimate children and tell their stories.
£18.70
Ebury Publishing Rule Nostalgia
Book Synopsis** A FINANCIAL TIMES, NEW STATESMAN AND GUARDIAN BOOK OF THE YEAR **''A must read'' - Janina Ramirez, bestselling author of Femina''An eye-opening history of Britain''s enduring fixation with its own past'' - Jeremy Paxman''Rule, Nostalgia announces Woods as one of the most interesting new historians of her generation'' - Dan SnowLonging to go back to the ''good old days'' is nothing new. For hundreds of years, the British have mourned the loss of tradition and called for a revival of ''simpler'', ''better'' ways of life, from modern politicians indulging in fantasies of an imperial past, to Victorian artists yearning to retreat into a medieval dream of Merry England. But were the ''good old days'' ever quite how we remember them?Rule, Nostalgia is a surprising, timely new history of Britain that separates the history from the fantasy and tracTrade ReviewIndispensible and fascinating * The Guardian (A 2022 Book of the Year) *A sharp new history of longing for the good old days. Hannah Rose Woods pens a rich account of all that has been lost to chauvinism and conservatism over the past decade * Tristram Hunt, Financial Times *Rule, Nostalgia announces Woods as one of the most interesting new historians of her generation * Dan Jones, Sunday Times *An impressive book that ranges from the 16th-century Reformation to Brexit * Financial Times (A 2022 Book of the Year) *Hannah Rose Woods explores how illusory and contested golden ages have haunted Britain since medieval times... [An] intelligent and eminently readable book * Richard Evans, New Statesman (Book of the Day) *A dark history of nostalgia... a timely book... Woods selects and deploys her material well, persuading the reader, in the course of an enjoyable book, that a feeling full of sweetness and sadness is also a dark and dangerous force * The Times *Woods is a sharp, iconoclastic writer... A great book * John Harris, The Guardian, Politics Weekly UK’s summer reading list *Eye-opening and thoughtful... Woods has a bright future ahead of her * The Telegraph *A must read for anyone wanting to see current events and ideologies in light of the past, and understand where the roots of our sense of a nation originated * Janina Ramirez, bestselling author of Femina *Fascinating and timely, Rule, Nostalgia is an eye-opening history of Britain's enduring fixation with its own past * Jeremy Paxman *I heartily recommend Rule, Nostalgia. [It] helps explain where we are, as well as where we came from * Dan Jones, bestselling author of Powers and Thrones *I love this book, a witty, acerbic but warm look at how our national character is built on yearning for a glorious past that is just gone, and actually probably never existed. Nostalgia ain't what it used to be * Adam Rutherford, bestselling author of How to Argue With a Racist *Our national story is so much stranger than we think: this book brilliantly insists that we look at it afresh * James Hawes, bestselling author of The Shortest History of England *Well-argued, timely and hugely entertaining. A great piece of popular history * Jonathan Coe, bestselling author of Middle England *A great, scholarly history, and so searingly relevant * Dan Snow, author of On This Day in History *An utterly eye-opening and enthralling debut, clearly laying out our uniquely British obsession with nostalgia. Required reading for anyone who wants to use the term 'culture war'... I absolutely loved it * Fern Riddell, author of Death in Ten Minutes: The forgotten life of radical suffragette Kitty Marion *A smart, entertaining and meticulously researched backwards look (quite literally) at Britain's history of looking over its shoulder. Deconstructs the lure of the fictitious 'good old days' and how they have been weaponised throughout history. Excellent * Otto English, author of Fake History *Outstanding. A thrilling, elegant and highly original interrogation of how we use our pasts * Musa Okwonga, author of One of Them: An Eton College Memoir *Nostalgia was once considered a terminal condition. Hannah Woods suggests that the culture needs to book itself in for a check-up. Provocative and well-argued, Rule, Nostalgia offers the diagnosis that might lead us to a cure * Matthew Sweet, author of Inventing the Victorians *A triumphal backwards tour through the history of Britain's relationship with its own past. This funny, sad, wise and brilliantly informative book is a crash course in the many pasts that have made our presents * Peter Mitchell, author of Imperial Nostalgia: How the British Conquered Themselves *Rule, Nostalgia is radiant with an enthusiast's passion for their subject, and makes a convincing case that Britain's history is sufficiently weird, fascinating and marvellous, without rewriting it into comforting fables * The New Humanist *Rule, Nostalgia is a triumphal backwards tour through the history of Britain's relationship with its own past, a chronicle of our state of perpetual longing for a paradise just gone. Woods' eye is ironic, but never without sympathy as she teases apart the nested structures of mourning and nostalgia on which out national identity is built. This funny, sad, wise and brilliantly informative book is both a plea for historiographical literacy and a crash course in the many pasts that have made our presents * Peter Mitchell, author of Imperial Nostalgia: How the British Conquered Themselves *
£10.79
Penguin Books Ltd The Facemaker
Book SynopsisTHE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLERBest Books of the Year, GuardianThe poignant story of the visionary surgeon who rebuilt the faces of the First World War''s injured heroes, and in the process ushered in the modern era of plastic surgeryFrom the moment the first machine gun rang out over the Western Front, one thing was clear: mankind''s military technology had wildly surpassed its medical capabilities. The war''s new weaponry, from tanks to shrapnel, enabled slaughter on an industrial scale, and given the nature of trench warfare, thousands of soldiers sustained facial injuries. Medical advances meant that more survived their wounds than ever before, yet disfigured soldiers did not receive the hero''s welcome they deserved.In The Facemaker, award-winning historian Lindsey Fitzharris tells the astonishing story of the pioneering plastic surgeon Harold Gillies, who dedicated himself to restoring the faces - and the identities - of a brutalized generation. Gillies, a Cambridge-educated New Zealander, became interested in the nascent field of plastic surgery after encountering the human wreckage on the front. Returning to Britain, he established one of the world''s first hospitals dedicated entirely to facial reconstruction in Sidcup, south-east England. There, Gillies assembled a unique group of doctors, nurses and artists whose task was to recreate what had been torn apart. At a time when losing a limb made a soldier a hero, but losing a face made him a monster to a society largely intolerant of disfigurement, Gillies restored not just the faces of the wounded but also their spirits.Meticulously researched and grippingly told, The Facemaker places Gillies''s ingenious surgical innovations alongside the poignant stories of soldiers whose lives were wrecked and repaired. The result is a vivid account of how medicine and art can merge, and of what courage and imagination can accomplish in the presence of relentless horror.Trade ReviewIn this fascinating book, Fitzharris reminds us there is nothing superficial about plastic surgery's ability to heal minds as well as bodies. Five stars -- Kathryn Hughes * Mail on Sunday *Scholarly yet deeply moving... This is a fascinating book about a remarkable man, and of how teamwork is such an important part of good surgery. Despite the grim subject matter, it is a deeply moving and uplifting story -- Henry Marsh * New Statesman *Careful... sensitive... [Fitzharris] has successfully pieced together the story of a team of doctors, hospital workers and patients "battling" together during the First World War to modernize reconstructive plastic surgery... Fitzharris constructs a variegated and tender account of the First World War, its brutality and its narratives of human redemption... Tenderness and pathos pervade the personal stories of surgery and recovery, as well as Fitzharris's engagement with the ethics of facial difference and display -- Christine Slobogin * TLS *The Facemaker is an engaging biography of a masterful surgeon as well as a heartening account of medical progress * Economist *Meticulously researched... Five stars -- Catharine Arnold * Telegraph *Sometimes distressing, sometimes thrilling, The Facemaker had me gripped; it is elegantly written and endlessly fascinating. Employing just the right balance between diligent research and ingenious reanimation, Fitzharris brings to life a neglected slice of medical history, telling both Gillies' story as well as that of many of the men whose faces - and lives - he saved -- Lucy Scholes * Financial Times *Engrossing... Fitzharris presents an intensely moving and hugely enjoyable story about a remarkable medical pioneer and the men he remade -- Wendy Moore * Guardian *A skilled storyteller, Fitzharris takes the reader back to the front, making them trudge and slide through mud filled with missing limbs to find the people who stagger into Gillies's casebooks... Properly contextualised, these faces become not objects of horror or surgery, as they have been all too often used, but pathways into understanding what it is to lose a face, and with it, not only the ability to eat, drink and breathe, but also social acceptance and love -- Fay Bound Alberti * The Lancet *With rich, glossy strokes The Facemaker restores a sense of immediacy to the daily struggles facing Gillies and his colleagues as they improvised under constant pressure -- James Riding * The Times *Out of war's most awful wounds, out of gore and terror and pain, Lindsey Fitzharris has - like Sir Harold Gillies himself - crafted something inspiring and downright miraculous. I cannot imagine the sweat and sleuthing and doggedness that went into gathering the details and building the narratives of these men's struggles. This book is riveting. It is gruesome but it is also uplifting. For as much as there is blood and bone and pus in these pages, there is heart. As Fitzharris shows us, the scalpel is mightier than the grenade, and the pen is mightiest of all. What a triumph this book is -- Mary RoachLike Harold Gillies himself, Lindsey Fitzharris has taken something we might think of as grim and transformed it into something beautiful. Gillies will be an unsung hero no more -- Sam KeanWow, what a book. Enthralling. Harrowing. Heartbreaking. And utterly redemptive. Lindsey Fitzharris hit this one out of the park -- Erik Larson, author of THE SPLENDID AND THE VILEHere is that rare thing: a little-known story of the Great War, featuring a pioneering surgeon every bit as daring as the soldiers he saved. Beautifully written, illuminating, and bursting with fascinating detail, The Facemaker is a groundbreaking work that deserves its own genre: medical noir. You won't be able to put it down -- Karen Abbott, author of THE GHOSTS OF EDEN PARKI was an admirer of Fitzharris's award-winning first book, The Butchering Art, about Joseph Lister. This is her absorbing account of another surgeon: Harold Gillies, who established one of the world's first hospitals dedicated entirely to facial reconstruction -- Editor's pick * The Bookseller *Equal parts devastating and inspiring. The horrors of war are laid bare here, but the stories of each of the soldiers, doctors, nurses, and artists are incredibly poignant and fascinating. I couldn't put it down -- Jenny LawsonAn extraordinary story about a remarkable man whose work, determination and skill changed countless lives -- Peter Frankopan, author of THE SILK ROADSGraphic yet inspiring, engaging... [Fitzharris] delivers a consistently vivid account... An excellent biography of a genuine miracle worker -- Starred review * Kirkus *Wonderful... It was written with a clarity that I loved - although the book is packed with fascinating information, it read as easily as a novel... It is really inspiring and beautifully written -- Lucy Nathan * Bookbrunch *A fascinating portrait of pioneering plastic surgeon Harold Gillies and the soldiers whose faces he rebuilt during WWI... Meticulously researched and compulsively readable, this exceptional history showcases how compassion and innovation can help mitigate the terrible wounds of war * Starred Review, Publishers Weekly *Sometimes, you just know. From the moment I read The Facemaker's excellent prologue, I knew I had a book on my hands... Fitzharris is a gifted storyteller and delights in just about the right amount of detail -- Matthew Shipsey * Irish Times *Informative... A powerful portrait of a gifted man -- Oliver-James Campbell * New Scientist *The Facemaker conveys the emotional, physical and psychical effects of having an injured and altered face, directly from those who had to deal with them... Powerful -- Sharrona Pearl * Washington Post *In The Facemaker, Fitzharris rescues another vital yet largely forgotten figure from history. Blending scrupulous research with a novelist's eye, the author charts Gillies's extraordinary contribution to reconstructive surgery and weaves in touching accounts of the soldiers he treated. Stark and occasionally unsettling, the book reveals Gillies as both a craftsman and an artist, and underlines how by restoring the faces of the maimed Gillies was also restoring their lives and identities -- Brendan Daly * Business Post *Vividly thrilling * Nature *
£10.44
The History Press Ltd The Busy Narrow Sea
Book Synopsis
£17.00
The History Press Ltd Richard III: The Maligned King
Book SynopsisRichard III, King of England from 1483 to 1485, made good laws that still protect ordinary people today. Yet history concentrates on the fictional hunchback as depicted by Shakespeare: the wicked uncle who stole the throne and killed his nephews in the Tower of London.Voices have protested during the intervening years, some of them eminent and scholarly, urging a more reasoned view to replace the traditional black portrait. But historians, whether as authors or presenters of popular TV history, still trot out the old pronouncements about ruthless ambition, usurpation and murder.After centuries of misinformation, the truth about Richard III has been overdue a fair hearing. Annette Carson seeks to redress the balance by examining the events of his reign as they actually happened, based on reports in the original sources. She traces the actions and activities of the principal characters, investigating facts and timelines revealed in documentary evidence. She also dares to investigate areas where historians fear to tread, and raises some controversial questions.In 2012 Carson was a member of Philippa Langley’s Looking For Richard Project, which provided important new answers from the DNA-confirmed discovery of the king’s remains. Her involvement in Langley’s Missing Princes Project, with its international research initiative on the ‘princes in the Tower’, has now informed her revelatory extra chapter.
£14.24
The History Press Ltd The Match of the Century
Book SynopsisThe story behind one of the most important football matches in history - a match both nations were desperate to win for a whole host of reasons beyond simply football
£17.00
Little, Brown Book Group A Brief History of London
Book SynopsisAs the United Kingdom left the European Union, during a period of international and domestic turmoil, London found itself at a turning point. This critical moment presents an opportunity to look back, with a distinctive perspective, a focus on London in its national and, perhaps even more importantly, its international contexts, rather than on the city itself in isolation. It is the interactions of London that Black considers, and he does so in order to address the question as to why London became the foremost international city, how it sustained that position, and what its future holds. The book is as much about economics and culture as it is about politics and society. It deals with migration, communications, empire and cultural energy, rather than the mechanisms of parish vestries. London''s earlier period is covered, but the principal focus is on the last half millennium, the period during which London became a major trader with the trans-oceanic world, and the rTrade ReviewPraise for Jeremy Black's The Holocaust: A demanding but important work. -- R. S. Levy, University of Illinois at ChicagoPraise for Jeremy Black's Insurgency and Counterinsurgency: A Global History: A significant and timely contribution to understanding the new meaning of war. * Choice *
£11.04
The History Press Ltd Towton 1461
Book SynopsisThe Battle of Towton
£13.49
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Dante's Divine Comedy
Book SynopsisA TLS Book of the Year. 'Erudite and urgent, Ian Thomson's Dante's Divine Comedy is another book that everyone ought to read' Spectator. 'Succinct but wide-ranging, Ian Thomson's richly illustrated exploration of Dante's masterpiece is... fun... ingenious... fascinating' Observer. 'A book worth savouring as a chunky, chatty, richly illustrated guide that brings Dante and his world within our reach' Evening Standard. A lively and wide-ranging exploration of a literary masterwork and its influence on writers, poets, artists and film-makers up to our own time. Dante has no equal as he sings of other-worldly horror and celestial beatitude alike. Yet for all our distance from medieval theology, the Florentine poet's allegorical journey through hell, purgatory and paradise remains one of the essential works of world literature. At least fifty English language versions of the Inferno – the first part of Dante's poem – appeared in the twentieth century alone. If Dante's Divine Comedy speaks to our present condition, it is because it tells the story of Everyman who sets out in search of salvation in this world. Dante composed his great poem in the spoken Italian of his time. He wrote about suffering bodies and human weakness, and about divine ecstasy, in words that have resonated with readers and writers for the last seven hundred years.Trade ReviewErudite and urgent, Ian Thomson's Dante's Divine Comedy is another book that everyone ought to read * Spectator *[A] book worth savouring as a chunky, chatty, richly illustrated guide that brings Dante and his world within our reach * Evening Standard *Succinct but wide-ranging, Ian Thomson's richly illustrated exploration of Dante's masterpiece [is] fun... ingenious... Fascinating' * Observer *This book is an object of great beauty... Thomson's aim, triumphantly realised, is to remind us why Dante's great poem is a 'landmark' * Tablet *[A] lively new book... It has become a cliché to refer to critics as Virgil, but it would be hard to think of any more appropriate way to describe what Ian Thomson offers here' * Catholic Herald *Thomson teases readers into wanting to find out their own answers. He'll lead you back to that neglected copy on your book shelf. And this time you'll pick it up * Financial Times *Encapsulates everything we need for the ultimate poetic voyage from Hell to Paradise by way of Purgatory * TLS, Books of the Year *Thomson's elegant, intelligent guide views the epic poem as a kind of recovery programme for those who have lost their way, and in turn leads you back to that neglected original on your bookshelf * Financial Times, Books of the Year *Ian Thomson is a travel writer, and here he attempts the most ambitious journey of all in the company of Dante – "to hell and back", as he puts it * Church Times. *
£11.69
Hackett Publishing Co, Inc Muslim Sources of the Crusader Period: An
Book SynopsisDrawn from greater Syria, northern Mesopotamia, and Egypt, the sources in this anthology—many of which are translated into English for the first time here--provide eyewitness and contemporary historical accounts of what unfolded in the eastern Mediterranean and the Near East between the eleventh and fourteenth centuries. In providing representative examples of the many disparate types of Muslim sources, this volume opens a window onto life in the Islamic Near East during the Crusader period and the interactions between Franks and Muslims in the broader context of Islamic history. Ideally suited for use in undergraduate courses on the Crusades or the pre-modern Islamic Near East, this anthology will also appeal to any readers seeking a better understanding of the Islamic response to the Crusades and the general history of the Near East in this period.Trade Review"In the last century, many of the main Arabic chronicles of the crusading period have been made available in English translations and are now well-known. This volume, however, gives us a whole wide range of materials, only a few of which are accessible to non-Arabists. The collection includes not just little-known narrative historians, like the lively and original Ibn Wasil, but also letters, sermons, and inscriptions. Each section is followed by a few questions, ideal essay subjects for advanced students and thought provoking for general readers. Among the many strengths of this collection is that it gives due weight to thirteenth-century writings, often neglected but often interesting. Another strength is that the translations are, in all cases, the authors' own work, giving fresh and interesting versions of such well-known classics as the Rihla of Ibn Jubayr. This is a new and exciting collection which will open new horizons for students and teachers alike." —Hugh Kennedy, SOAS, University of London"Historians and instructors alike will enthusiastically greet this book, which presents in a student-friendly manner Islamic sources relating to the crusades that are not otherwise available to persons who lack a working knowledge of Arabic and its rich literary treasury." —Alfred J. Andrea, Emeritus Professor of History, The University of Vermont"This is a superb collection, covering nearly every aspect of the Crusader entanglement with the Islamic Near East as expressed in Arabic sources, in clear, readable English translations. The editors are to be thanked for including texts from multiple genres--not just chronicles, but travel literature, memoirs, biographies, poetry, epistles, treaties, and orations. Nor is this collection limited to literary texts, as it also includes evidence from inscriptions--a revealing source for understanding the public propaganda of the age. The informative appendices, maps, and thoughtful discussion questions will make this anthology a breeze to use in teaching, and I can't wait to get started using it." —Paul M. Cobb, University of Pennsylvania"This is an outstanding collection of translations of Levantine Muslim sources from the crusading period. Lindsay and Mourad have assembled a wide-ranging and informative set of texts, most of which have not been translated into English previously, from a broad range of genres including not only chronicles, but also a range of other works such as geographies, biographies, treaties and inscriptions. In the process they have effectively demonstrated the multifaceted nature of Christian-Muslim encounters in the Levant during this period. "The collection is enhanced by invaluable supporting materials including (but not limited to) a bibliographic overview of the major Muslim sources for the period, a glossary, and a list of honorific titles and names. These make the book highly accessible for non-experts interested in the content. "This book will appeal to students and scholars alike, and I highly recommend it for university and college courses on the crusades." —Dr. Niall Christie, Instructor in History and Department Chair, Department of History, Latin and Political Science, Langara College"[An] invaluable primary resource for scholars and general readers alike. . . . This anthology does reinforce the case that sources written by Muslims, and the existing inhabitants of the Middle East in general, are vital to a fuller understanding of the reality of the Crusades which continues to be distorted for political gain by both the Western far-right and Muslim extremists. The questions posed by the editors at the end of each source also highlight important points and challenge the unconscious biases of Western readers and students. . . . Lindsay and Mourad's translations are . . . clear and up-to-date. This then, largely, allows the sources to speak for themselves in terms of their interest and accessibility for the reader and their publication constitutes a valuable addition to the primary material available in English."—Charles Ough, in Oxford Middle East Review"This anthology shows that the crusades, however defined, did not constantly preoccupy the Islamic world. . . . The volume is innovative and immensely informative. It is also accessible, readable, and easy to use. . . . Muslim Sources of the Crusader Period: An Anthology merits recognition for outstanding content put together by James Lindsay and Suleiman Mourad and for its excellent presentation, layout, and formatting. . . . I learned a lot from this volume and can imagine how much it will benefit its readership, students and researchers in particular." —Bogdan Smarandache, in Al-ʿUṣūr al-Wusṭā: The Journal of Middle East Medievalists
£19.79
Oxford University Press Rome An Empires Story
Book SynopsisThe complete history of the Roman Empire - how it was created, how it was sustained in crisis, and how it shaped the world of its rulers and subjects, from the eighth century BCE to the dawn of the Middle Ages.Rome in the archaic age was a minor satellite between the Etruscan and Greek world. This book traces the expansion of Roman influence first within Italy, then around the Mediterranean world and finally, at breakneck speed, deep into Europe, out to the Atlantic, along the edge of the Sahara and down the Red Sea. There had been other empires that had expanded rapidly; what made Rome remarkable was that it managed to sustain its position for so long. Rome''s fall poses less of a mystery than its survival. Understanding this happened involves understanding the building blocks of imperial society - slavery, cities, the economy - and also the chaotic narrative of growth, civil war, stability, near disaster and then a managed downsizing. Rome: An Empire''s Story tells the tale of the grTrade ReviewReview from previous edition 'a magnificent achievement.' * Peter Jones,BBC History Magazine *'A fine foundation for further learning about the Roman Empire.' * Booklist *'[A] passionately told exploration of the history of Rome.' * Publishers Weekly *'This is a marvellous book. Woolf provides a sweeping history of Rome's rise and fall, and asks the big questions of why and how this happened. Better yet, he offers no simple or simplistic answers, but instead well considered discussion of the evidence and how we try to understand it.' * Adrian Goldsworthy, author of How Rome Fell *'Greg Woolf's new history will be a boon for the student and general reader alike.' * The Scotsman *'Makes for exceptionally interesting and provocative reading.' * Jonathan Yardley, Washington Post *'Could [this] be the best single-volume introduction to the history of ancient Rome? It is conceptual yet avoids the pitfalls of overgeneralizing, a difficult balance to strike. It also has a superb (useful rather than exhaustive) bibliography. A good measure of books such as this is whether they induce you to read or order other books on the same topic and this one did. A sure thing to make my "Best Books of 2012" list.' * Tyler Cowen, Marginal Revolution *'Greg Woolf's dazzling account of ancient Rome's story will entrance the general reader ... [and] will equally impress historians ... the best general history of ancient Rome available in English.' * Ronald Mellor, Times Higher Education Supplement *'A remarkable work of synthesis that describes the rise, flourishing and decline of the Roman Empire.' * David Gress, Wall Street Journal *'It's a swift and easy read, filled with the kind of rich details designed to illustrate the major trends of Roman history for a general audience.' * Weekly Standard *Table of ContentsList of Illustrations List of Maps Notes on Further Reading 1: The Whole Story 2: Empires of the Mind 3: Rulers of Italy 4: Imperial Ecology 5: Mediterranean Hegemony 6: Slavery and Empire 7: Crisis 8: At Heaven's Command? 9: The Generals 10: The Enjoyment of Empire 11: Emperors 12: Resourcing Empire 13: War 14: Imperial Identities 15: Recovery and Collapse 16: A Christian Empire 17: Things Fall Apart 18: The Roman Past and the Roman Future Notes Bibliography Glossary of Technical Terms Photographic Acknowledgements Inedx 1: The Whole Story 2: Empires of the Mind 3: Rulers of Italy 4: Imperial Ecology 5: Mediterranean Hegemony 6: Slavery and Empire 7: Crisis 8: At Heaven's Command? 9: The Generals 10: The Enjoyment of Empire 11: Emperors 12: Resourcing Empire 13: War 14: Imperial Identities 15: Recovery and Collapse 16: A Christian Empire 17: Things Fall Apart 18: The Roman Past and the Roman Future Notes Bibliography Glossary of Technical Terms Index
£13.49
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC RAF Fighters vs Luftwaffe Bombers
Book SynopsisThe Battle of Britain was a fight for survival against a seemingly unstoppable foe. With the German army poised to invade, only the fighters of the Royal Air Force stood between Hitler and the conquest of Britain. Losses were high on both sides, but the Spitfires, Hurricanes, Havocs and Defiants of the RAF began to take their toll on the overextended, under-protected Kampfgruppen of Heinkel He 111s, Junkers Ju 87s and 88s, and Dornier Do 17s. Both sides learned and adapted as the campaign went on. As the advantage began to shift from the Luftwaffe to the RAF, the Germans were forced to switch from round-the-clock bombing to only launching night-raids, often hitting civilian targets in the dreaded Blitz. This beautifully illustrated study dissects the tactics and technology of the duels in this new kind of war, bringing the reader into the cockpits of the RAF fighters and Luftwaffe bombers to show precisely where the Battle of Britain was won and lost.Table of ContentsIntroduction Chronology Design and Development Technical Specifications The Strategic Situation The Combatants Combat Statistics and Analysis Aftermath Further Reading Index
£13.99
Edinburgh University Press The Court of the Caliphate of alAndalus
Book SynopsisOffers an in-depth study of the Umayyad Caliphate of al-Andalus in its prime
£26.99
MIT Press Ltd Ascending Republic
Book SynopsisWhy and how the French made the balloon into one of the quintessential symbols of late nineteenth-century modernity, and how the balloon?s reinvention shaped the airplane?s assimilation in the early years of aviation.On August 27, 1783, a large crowd gathered in Paris to watch the first ascent of a hydrogen balloon. Despite the initial feverish enthusiasm, the balloon remained relatively unchanged by the mid-nineteenth century and was no longer seen as the harbinger of a new era. Yet that all changed in the last third of the century, when following the traumatic Franco-Prussian War defeat, the balloon reemerged to become the modern artifact that captured the attention of many. Through this process, the balloon became an important symbol of the fledgling Third Republic, and France established itself as the world leader in flight. In Ascending Republic, Patrick Luiz Sullivan De Oliveira tells for the first time the story of this surprising revival. Through extensive research in the press and archives in France, the United States, and Brazil, De Oliveira argues that French civil society cultivated popular enthusiasm for flight (what historians call ?airmindedness?) decades before the advent of the airplane. Champions of French ballooning made the case that if the British Royal Navy controlled the seas and the Imperial German Army dominated the continent, then France needed to take ownership of the skies. The French appropriated this newly imagined geopolitical space through a variety of practices, from republican savants who studied the atmosphere at high altitudes to aristocrats who organized transcontinental long-distance competitions. All of this made Paris into the global capital of a thriving aeronautical culture that incorporated seemingly contradictory visions of sacrificial patriotism, aristocratic modernity, colonial anxiety, and technological cosmopolitanism.
£55.80
The Lilliput Press Ltd Anarchy and Authority
Book SynopsisConnections between the peoples of Ireland and Russia stretch back centuries, from the modern Post-Soviet period, through the turmoil of the twentieth century, and back deep into the foundations of the Romanov empire. In Angela Byrne?s illuminating new work Anarchy and Authority, readers follow the Irish men and women who ventured forth into the Russian empire during the two long centuries from the reign of Peter the Great until the end of Romanov rule in the early twentieth century. Human connections, political intrigues, cultural influence and sweeping historical narratives are brought alive here through first-hand contemporary Irish accounts. This is the story of the island and the empire. Through meticulous research, Byrne has unearthed firsthand writings and reports from Irish residents, travellers and migrants to Russia from that time, ranging from diplomats and governesses, to early tourists, travel writers, servants and even a revolutionary music-teacher. Military careers proved a continual channel of advancement for Irishmen through the eighteenth century, which brought them close to the sources of power. They and their families occupied privileged positions in society, benefitting from the imperial wars waged by the Russian state. Other Irish observers bore witness to the horrors of serfdom and the oppression of dissenting voices through exile, imprisonment without trial and forced labour in Siberia. Anarchy and Authority brings to vivid life these Irish perspectives, opening an invaluable door into the history of Ireland?s relationship with Russia on a human level.
£16.14
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Hugh Despenser the Younger and Edward II:
Book SynopsisHugh Despenser the Younger and Edward II tells the story of the greatest villain of the fourteenth century', his dazzling rise as favourite to the king and his disastrous fall. Born in the late 1280s, Hugh married King Edward I of England's eldest granddaughter when he was a teenager. Ambitious and greedy to an astonishing degree, Hugh chose a startling route to power: he seduced his wife's uncle, the young King Edward II, and became the richest and most powerful man in the country in the 1320s. For years he dominated the English government and foreign policy, and took whatever lands he felt like by both quasi-legal and illegal methods, with the king's connivance. His actions were to bring both himself and Edward II down, and Hugh was directly responsible for the first forced abdication of a king in English history; he had made the horrible mistake of alienating and insulting Edward's queen Isabella of France, who loathed him, and who had him slowly and grotesquely executed in her presence in November 1326.
£13.49
HarperCollins Publishers Invasive Aliens The Plants and Animals From Over
Book SynopsisThe story of invasive species is really the story of human history, and Eatherley tells it with great verve Fascinating' Daily TelegraphA unique history of plant and animal invaders of the British isles spanning thousands of years of arrivals and escapes, as well as defences mounted and a look to the future.As Brits we pride ourselves as stoic defenders, boasting a record of resistance dating back to 1066.Yet, even a cursory examination of the natural world reveals that while interlopers of the human variety may have been kept at bay, our islands have been invaded, conquered and settled by an endless succession of animals, plants, fungi and other alien lifeforms that apparently belong elsewhere. Indeed it's often hard to work out what actually is native, and what is foreign.From early settlement of our islands, through the Roman and mediaeval period, to the age of exploration and globalisation, today's complement of alien species tells a story about our past.Trade ReviewPraise for Invasive Aliens‘Fascinating … Eatherley has the unflagging curiosity of a Victorian explorer. The man seems to be indefatigable as he hacks away at Himalayan balsam (the pink, flowery weed that lines almost every riverbank in Britain) or goes on patrol for invasive signal crayfish in the River Barle. He’s not afraid to get wet, dirty or tired on his mission to get up close and personal with intruders of all shapes and sizes. It feels as if we are on the front line with him.’ The Times ‘[Eatherley’s] approach to his complex subject is open-minded, nuanced, and free-ranging to the point of wildness’ Sunday Telegraph ‘Fascinating … the story of “invasive species” is really the story of human history, and [Eatherley] tells it with great verve’ Daily Telegraph ‘Eatherley has an impressive grasp of history – both human and natural … [and] Invasive Aliens provides a well-researched overview of this complex and controversial topic. There is plenty here to surprise as well as enlighten’ Literary Review ‘A fascinating, comprehensive and thoughtful compendium of the flora and fauna that have reached our shores over the years … Invasive Aliens is full of extraordinary and often complex stories.’ Country Life ‘Eatherley’s thorough digest of a complex subject is engaging, informative and balanced. It is the first of these which most explains why Invasive Aliens has garnered such a sheaf of book awards. If the journalistic style puts off a few readers, it will please many more because the subject has been presented with verve and panache; I did not expect to be drawn in so comprehensively or to learn so much’ James Robertson, British Wildlife ‘[Dan Eatherley,] a talented naturalist writing with a genuine passion for the subject, has tackled the daunting task of charting the history of alien species in Britain with gusto. The result is an engrossing and utterly entertaining book’ British Deer Society
£9.49
Oxford University Press Northern Ireland
Book SynopsisFrom the Plantation of Ulster in the seventeenth century to the entry into peace talks in the late twentieth century the Northern Irish people have been engaged in conflict - Catholic against Protestant, Republican against Unionist. The traumas of violence in the Northern Ireland Troubles have cast a long shadow. For many years, this appeared to be an intractable conflict with no pathway out. Mass mobilisations of people and dramatic political crises punctuated a seemingly endless succession of bloodshed. When in the 1990s and early 21st century, peace was painfully built, it brought together unlikely rivals, making Northern Ireland a model for conflict resolution internationally. But disagreement about the future of the province remains, and for the first time in decades one can now seriously speak of a democratic end to the Union between Northern Ireland and Great Britain as a foreseeable possibility. The Northern Ireland problem remains a fundamental issue as the United Kingdom recasts its relationship with Europe and the world. In this completely revised edition of his Very Short Introduction Marc Mulholland explores the pivotal moments in Northern Irish history - the rise of republicanism in the 1800s, Home Rule and the civil rights movement, the growth of Sinn Fein and the provisional IRA, and the DUP, before bringing the story up to date, drawing on newly available memoirs by paramilitary militants to offer previously unexplored perspectives, as well as recent work on Nothern Irish gender relations. Mulholland also includes a new chapter on the state of affairs in 21st Century Northern Ireland, considering the question of Irish unity in the light of both Brexit and the approaching anniversary of the 1921 partition, and drawing new lessons for the future.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 ContentsList of Illustrations Preface Glossary Chapter 1: The origins of the Troubles Chapter 2: The government Chapter 3: Paramilitarism Chapter 4: The political parties Chapter 5: The twenty-first century References Further Reading Index
£9.49
The History Press Ltd A History of the Tudors in 100 Objects
Book SynopsisAn intimate portrait of Tudor England captured, revealed and explored in 100 defining objectsTrade ReviewEverything you wanted to know about the Merrie England of the Tudors and some things you probably did not. If the Tudors seem far removed, they are also curiously modern. They had spectacles and metal prosthetic arms, while a “fuming pot” was but a prototype Air Wick. Matusiak’s mini essays accompanying the photographs are perfectly sculpted and the book is beautiful to hold. -- Charlotte Heathcote * The Sunday Express *
£14.24
Little, Brown Book Group The Strange Laws Of Old England
Book SynopsisDid you know that: It''s against the law to check into a hotel in London under assumed names for the purpose of lovemaking? Under a statute of Edwards II all whales washed up on the shore belong to the monarch? Under a Tudor law Welshmen are not allowed into the city of Chester after dark?In THE STRANGE LAWS OF OLD ENGLAND, Nigel Cawthorne unearths an extraordinary collection of the most bizarre and arcane laws that have been enacted over the centuries. Some of the laws, incredibly, are still in force. It is still illegal to enter the Houses of Parliament in a suit of armour . . . This elegant and amusing book is perfect for everyone fascinated by the eccentric history of these islands.
£10.44
Edinburgh University Press Scotland Reformed 14881587
Book SynopsisThis book encompasses the long sixteenth century, starting with James IV's accession and concluding with Mary, Queen of Scots' execution. At its heart is Scottish political life viewed from local and regional perspectives as well as the centre.Trade Reviewa work of exemplary, balanced and up-to-date erudition. -- Julian Goodare, University of Edinburgh Reviews in History Dawson's lively style and use of individual contemporary experiences will engage the sleepiest student, while the chronological approach allows her to draw attention to the longer-term processes underlying the 're-forming' of the Scottish kingdom that will satisfy the more academically minded. -- Anna Groundwater, University of Edinburgh English Historical Review A very welcome volume in the New Edinburgh History of Scotland series... An important book, to be secured by all serious libraries, and readers interested in this crucial period. Northern History The approach taken here is broadly chronological, yet there is far more here than a mere recounting of the governments of monarchs or regents! Scotland Re-formed is well illustrated with many maps and tables! Scotland Re-formed should, therefore, appeal to both informed general readers and students of early modern Scottish history. -- Maureen Meikle, Leeds Trinity and All Saints Parliamentary History The last few decades have seen a flourishing of interest in Renaissance and Reformation Scotland, but so far an overview, bringing together the fruits of this new research, has been lacking. This volume fills the gap admirably... This lively book should be particularly useful for newcomers to the subject: the writing is consistently clear, and avoids descending into historiogrpahical controversy, while retaining an eye for detail. -- John McCallum, University of St Andrews Ecclesiastical Law Journal Dawson moves seamlessly between biography, local and regional contexts, and the events and issues of national identity! Her writing masterfully chronicles both the constancy and fluidity of these struggles for power, vengeance, and at times justice. -- William VanDoodewaard, Huntington University Journal of British Studies A clear narrative of an often confusing period in Scotland's past. Readable yet erudite, expansive yet detailed, Dawson's book is a fresh take on political history that will serve students well. -- Mairi Cowan, University of Toronto Scottish Historical Review a work of exemplary, balanced and up-to-date erudition. Dawson's lively style and use of individual contemporary experiences will engage the sleepiest student, while the chronological approach allows her to draw attention to the longer-term processes underlying the 're-forming' of the Scottish kingdom that will satisfy the more academically minded. A very welcome volume in the New Edinburgh History of Scotland series... An important book, to be secured by all serious libraries, and readers interested in this crucial period. The approach taken here is broadly chronological, yet there is far more here than a mere recounting of the governments of monarchs or regents! Scotland Re-formed is well illustrated with many maps and tables! Scotland Re-formed should, therefore, appeal to both informed general readers and students of early modern Scottish history. The last few decades have seen a flourishing of interest in Renaissance and Reformation Scotland, but so far an overview, bringing together the fruits of this new research, has been lacking. This volume fills the gap admirably... This lively book should be particularly useful for newcomers to the subject: the writing is consistently clear, and avoids descending into historiogrpahical controversy, while retaining an eye for detail. Dawson moves seamlessly between biography, local and regional contexts, and the events and issues of national identity! Her writing masterfully chronicles both the constancy and fluidity of these struggles for power, vengeance, and at times justice. A clear narrative of an often confusing period in Scotland's past. Readable yet erudite, expansive yet detailed, Dawson's book is a fresh take on political history that will serve students well.Table of ContentsScotland Re-formed, 1488-1587; Jane Dawson; Maps, Tables and Illustrations; Preface; Introduction: The kingdom of the Scots; Part I: 'Glore of all princely governing'; Chapter 1: The Princely King: James IV, 1488-1494; Chapter 2: The Thistle and the Rose: James IV, 1495-1504; Chapter 3: Strutting the European Stage, James IV, 1503-1513; Part II: Renaissance Monarchy Triumphant; Chapter 4: The survival of Renaissance monarchy: James V's minority, 1513-28; Chapter 5: Courts and clergy: James V, 1528-1537; Chapter 6: Imperious Majesty, James V, 1537-1542; Part III: The Battle for Britain; Chapter 7: Wars for Britain, 1543-1551; Chapter 8: Franco-Scotland 1550-1560; Chapter 9: Reformation by the Sword, 1555-1561; Chapter 10: Reformation by the Word, 1560-1588; Part IV: Re-forming the Kingdom; Chapter 11: 'The empire of a woman': Mary, Queen of Scots, 1561-1567; Chapter 12: Civil Wars, 1567-1573; Chapter 13: The last Douglas ascendancy, 1573-1578; Chapter 14: James' long apprenticeship: 1578-1587; Conclusion: Scotland Re-formed; Table of Events; Further Reading; Bibliography.
£24.69
Cambridge University Press The Cambridge Illustrated History of France
Book SynopsisA gripping, superbly illustrated account of the political, social and cultural history of France. Colin Jones places emphasis on the impact of regionalism, class, gender and race in French heritage, and takes us through the shaping of France from the earliest times to the brink of a new millennium.Trade Review'Authoritative, well-written, solidly thought through, this book, which has no equivalent in recent writing about French history, should reach out beyond the British Isles to the English-speaking world in its entirety.' Emmanuel Le Roy Ladurie'An awesome range of topics … the book is a veritable tour de force.' French Cultural Studies'Good one-volume histories of France are not all that common, and after this one they might well become less so. This is because it is hard to see how it might be bettered … this book will be the obvious starting point for years to come for anglophones everywhere who want to know about the history of France.' French StudiesTable of ContentsPreface; Foreword E. Le Roy Ladurie; Introduction; 1. France before the Romans; 2. Roman Gaul 55 BC to c. AD 500; 3. From Frankish Gaul to the kingdom of West Francia c. 500 to 987; 4. The Middle Ages 987 to 1328; 5. Valois France: the later Middle Ages and the Renaissance c. 1300 to c. 1600; 6. From Counter-Reformation to Enlightenment c. 1610 to c. 1780; 7. The Revolution and beyond c. 1780 to 1851; 8. From the Second Empire to World War I 1852 to 1914; 9. France in transition: World War I to the Liberation 1914 to 1944; 10. Post-war France: expansion and beyond 1945 to 1981; 11. France after 1981: the Mitterand years; Chronology; Picture acknowledgements; Bibliography; Index.
£36.09
The History Press Ltd King and Outlaw
Book SynopsisDiscover the real personality behind the multi-million-dollar Netflix blockbuster Outlaw King
£11.69
Orion Publishing Co By Sword and Fire Cruelty And Atrocity In
Book SynopsisA vivid and original account of warfare in the Middle Ages and the cruelty and atrocity that accompanied it.Sean McGlynn investigates the reality of medieval warfare. For all the talk of chivalry, medieval warfare routinely involved acts which we would consider war crimes. Lands laid waste, civilians slaughtered, prisoners massacred: this was standard fare justified by tradition and practical military necessity. It was unbelievably barbaric, but seldom uncontrolled. Such acts of atrocity were calculated, hideous cruelties inflicted in order to achieve a specific end. Sean McGlynn examines the battles of Acre and Agincourt, sieges like Béziers, Lincoln, Jerusalem and Limoges as well as the infamous chevauchées of the Hundred Years War that devastated great swathes of France. He reveals how these grisly affairs form the origin of accepted ''rules of war'', codes of conduct that are today being enforced in the International Court of Justice in the Hague.Trade ReviewGory, but compelling reading * NORTHERN ECHO *a much needed corrective to the view that chivalry definied medieval fighting * CONTEMPORARY REVIEW *
£11.69
Cambridge University Press The Roman Provinces 300 BCE300 CE
Book SynopsisProvincial coinage gives us a unique insight into the Roman world, reflecting the values and concerns of the elites of the many hundreds of cities in the Roman empire. Coins offer a very different perspective from written history, which usually represents the views of the senatorial class, and which was usually composed long after the events that are described. The coins, in contrast, provide evidence without hindsight, and uniquely allow a systematic examination across the whole Roman world. This volume makes it possible for instructors and students and scholars to deploy a complex set of material evidence on many historical topics. It includes over two hundred illustrations of coins with detailed captions, so providing a convenient sourcebook of the most important items, and covers topics such as the motivation for Roman conquest, the revolution of Augustus, the world of the Second Sophistic and the crisis of the third century.
£28.49
