European history: medieval period, middle ages Books

Book SynopsisFor four centuries, the PolishLithuanian state encompassed a major geographic region comparable to present-day Poland, Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine, Russia, Latvia, Estonia, and Romania. Governed by a constitutional monarchy that offered the numerous nobility extensive civil and political rights, it enjoyed unusual domestic tranquility, for its military strength kept most enemies at bay until the mid-seventeenth century and the country generally avoided civil wars. Selling grain and timber to western Europe helped make it exceptionally wealthy for much of the period.The PolishLithuanian State, 13861795 is the first account in English devoted specifically to this important era. It takes a regional rather than a national approach, considering the internal development of the Ukrainian, Jewish, Lithuanian, and Prussian German nations that coexisted with the Poles in this multinational state. Presenting Jewish history also clarifies urban history, because Jews lived in thTrade Review"A masterful accomplishment. . . . This very important contribution to the English language literature on this region and these centuries is also, by its balance and perspective, a contribution unmatched in any language." * Choice *"Well-planned, well-written, and well-balanced, this work is a major contribution in English-language historiography relating the the history of Poland-Lithuania from the late Middle Ages to the third partition." * Canadian Journal of History *Table of ContentsForeword Preface Maps Part One: The Jagiellonian Period, 1386-1572 1. Jogaila/Jagiello 2. Jagiello’s Successors: Wladyslaw III, Kazimierz IV, Jan Olbracht, and Aleksander 3. Zygmunt I the Old 4. Zygmunt II August 5. Ecomonics & Society in the Jagiellonian Period 6. Artistic Culture & Education in the Jagiellonian Period 7. First Interlude: Henri Valois & Stefan Batory Part Two: The Vasa Period 8. Zygmunt II Vasa (Waza) 9. Wladyslaw IV 10. Jan Kazimierz 11. Noble Democracy as a Political System 12. Economics & Society in the Vasa Period 13. Culture in the Vasa Period 14. Second Interlude: Michal Wisniowiecki & Jan III Sobieski Part Three: The Eighteenth Century 15. August II 16. August III 17. Stanislaw August Poniatowski 18. Economics &Society in the Eighteenth Century 19. Culture in the Eighteenth Century Epilogue Bibliographical Essay Index

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Book SynopsisA beautifully illustrated companion to the Royal family throughout historySpanning ten dynasties of England''s monarchs, The Kings and Queens of England presents portraits and potted biographies of England''s monarchs. Spanning from the Normans through to the House of Windsor, this exquisite little book captures the personalities behind the crowns and records the landmarks, traditions and events of each reign.

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Book SynopsisIn this biography of Henry VI, Bertram Wolffe challenges the traditional view of Henry VI as an unworldly, innocent and saintly monarch and offers instead a critical portrait of an ineffectual ruler. Drawing on contemporary evidence, he discusses the failures of Henry's long reign.Trade Review"A brilliant biography that brings us as near as we are ever likely to come to this elusive personality." Sunday Times "A powerful, compulsively readable portrait." Observer "Much learning, skillfully deployed as here, evokes pleasure as well as admiration." R.L. Storey, Times Literary Supplement"

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Book SynopsisDramatic social and economic change during the middle ages altered the lives of the people of Britain in far-reaching ways, from the structure of their families to the ways they made their livings. This book presents a fresh view of the British economy from the ninth to the sixteenth century and an account of medieval life.Trade Review"'A work of immense ambition and erudition.' Daniel Snowman 'An exceptionally wide-ranging book... Dyer's mastery of his material is indeed enviable. The book abounds with a wealth of illustrative examples, which bring the discussion to life. Yet the author's learning is always worn lightly.' Nigel Saul, History Today 'This elegant account of the economic history of Britain over seven centuries is an exhilarating book - this is serious history that can be read for pleasure.' Danny Danzinger, The Sunday Times 'He has an open style, an encyclopedic knowledge of a vast sweep of over half a millennium of history, and he offers accessible and cogent introductions to an infinite range of potentially complex and obscure topics... With commendable assurance, Dyer guides his readers through all corners of the economy.' John Hatcher, Times Literary Supplement"

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Book SynopsisHow was Great Britain made? And what does it mean to be British? This book examines how a more cohesive British nation was invented after 1707 and how this new national identity was nurtured through war, religion, trade, and empire.Trade Review"It was Colley's clinical analysis of the political and cultural construction of 18th-century Britain which did so much to kick-start our debate about national identity. The clarity of her prose and cohesiveness of her argument remain bewitching." Tristram Hunt, BBC History Magazine "Controversial, entertaining and alarmingly topical... Not only scholarly, but witty, lively and a delight to read. A book that could hardly present complex and challenging argument with greater lucidity and grace." Philip Ziegler, Daily Telegraph "A very ambitious book.... The general reader cannot fail to enjoy it and the professional historian will be stimulated by it." J. H. Plumb, Financial Times "A book written with such gusto and verve that even a non-academic reader drives through its pages with ease." Angela Lambert, Independent "A remarkable amount of light is shed upon current and coming events by this new study of that elusive thing, the nation... A lavishly researched and illustrated narrative." J. Enoch Powell, Spectator "In this brilliant book... Dr. Colley tells this story with scholarly punctilio, yet also with the brio of an historian who has something serious to say. Time and time again, the arresting connection or the startling detail makes one see familiar ground from a new perspective... It is a rich and stimulating work, which uses illustrations, mainly the cartoons and portraits of the day, with more precise and telling point than any history book I can remember." Hugo Young, The Guardian "A forceful and eloquent analysis of the 'subject, no citizen' mind-set which bound the English, Scots and Welsh together. Impressive prose, and sharp interpretation of visual material, compelled assent." Christopher Harvie, Times Literary Supplement "Challenging, fascinating, enormously well informed." John Barrell, London Review of Books"

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Book SynopsisThe Wars of the Roses (1455-85) were a major turning point in English history. This title examines the difficult economic, military, and financial crises and explains the real reasons why the Wars of the Roses began, why they kept recurring, and why, eventually, they ceased.Trade Review"All readers interested in late medieval history will appreciate this."—Brian Renvall, Library Journal -- Brian Renvall * Library Journal *"[a] handsome book – produced to Yale University Press’s customarily beautiful standards – seeks not to trace a single thread but to sketch the whole historical tapestry of the complex and bloody conflicts that convulsed England in the second half of the fifteenth century."—Helen Castor, Times Literary Supplement -- Helen Castor * Times Literary Supplement *'A refreshing and stimulating challenge to current orthodoxy about what happened in the middle of the fifteenth century, of which all future accounts will have to take note.' - A J Pollard, author of Warwick the Kingmaker -- A J Pollard"A well-judged, vigorous and vivid account of England's fifteenth-century civil war, The Wars of the Roses interweaves a strong narrative thread with important analysis to explain the issues on which England's rulers and their rivals vied so often, and with such brutal consequences, between 1450 and 1485. For anyone interested in the personalities and controversies that surrounded the reigns of Henry VI, Edward IV, Richard III and Henry VII, The Wars of the Roses will make vital and compulsive reading." - Mark Ormrod, author of Political Life in Medieval England -- Mark Ormrod"This is both a summation and a groundbreaking book, replete with new insights. It distils the mature expertise and judgments of a leading later medieval historian who has greatly advanced our understanding of the medieval English nobility." - Anthony Goodman, author of The Wars of the Roses: The Soldiers' Experience -- Tony Goodman“This is a comprehensive account of the period, logically laid out, explaining why the Wars of the Roses were fought and why they ceased.”—Richard Woulfe, Tribune -- Richard Woulfe * Tribune *"In this impressive book Hicks reinterprets the wars between York and Lancaster and rejects Tudor inevitability."—Desmond Seward, The Tablet -- Desmond Seward * The Tablet *“…this book will be required reading for all serious students of the late-medieval English polity.”—David Grummitt, English Historical Review -- David Grummitt * English Historical Review *“….an important and valuable contribution to the canon of literature on the middle years of the 15th century, which will surely take its rightful place on student reading lists everywhere.”—Hannes Kleineke, History Review -- Hannes Kleineke * History Review *“…a valuable work of synthesis, and a refreshing, analytical reconsideration of the main issues, together with a clear narrative…He presents a stimulating argument in an important work which clarifies the entire subject in an authoritative fashion.”—Northern History * Northern History *

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Book SynopsisA biography that provides the most authoritative picture yet of King Stephen, whose reign (1135-1154), with its 'nineteen long winters' of civil war, made his name synonymous with failed leadership. After years of work on the sources, the author shows with clarity the strengths and weaknesses of the monarch.Trade Review“Edmund King’s discussion of these issues is the fullest and most detailed to date, offered through the medium of a compelling biography of the king.”—Nigel Saul, History Today -- Nigel Saul * History Today *“King is an expert guide, with a forensic eye for detail and a sharp-witted way with an explanation for a 21st-century readership.”—Helen Castor, Times Higher Education -- Helen Castor * Times Higher Education *'King's strength has always been in the close reading of the texts he uses. He deploys his knowledge of the contemporary authors to great effect, time and again making arresting observations about their individual perspectives and links to events, which adds to the freshness and liveliness of his treatment.' - Reviews in History -- David Crouch * Reviews in History *"This is a splendid addition to the English Monarchs series, a piece of thickly descriptive political history at its best. With magisterial command of the sources and contexts, Edmund King takes us on a lively tour of Stephen's castles and courts, his options and dilemmas. It is the story of Matildas, one of them the admirable wife-queen who repeatedly rescued Stephen; of his tumultuous brother Henry; of lesser men who, with the king himself, tried to carry on the work of royal power as public order failed; and of the dynastic and clerical elites that dominated England. Close to his sources, Professor King shows how the violence of castles pervades all these stories. He writes with verve and sympathy. His Stephen, found wanting in the end - although hardly 'as usual' - was no nonentity." - Thomas N. Bisson, Emeritus Lea Professor of Medieval History, Harvard University -- Thomas Bisson"King has written a masterpiece that reveals how a medieval political community can both consume and then reconstitute itself and offers readers a king emblematic of his truncated, troubled age."—J.P. Huffman, Choice -- J.P. Huffman * Choice *“This new monograph on King Stephen makes a formidable addition to the Yale English Monarchs series, and to medieval studies more generally."—Medium Aevum, 80:2 (2011) * Medium Aevum, 80:2 (2011) *Selected as a Choice Outstanding Academic Title for 2011 in the United Kingdom category. -- Choice Outstanding Academic Title * Choice *“…a balanced and reliable account.”—The Good Book Guide * The Good Book Guide *In keeping with the high standards of the Yale Monarch series, King has produced an effective account of the man and his reign that will hold up for a long time. His scholarship demonstrates a comfortable familiarity with the era. Successfully scouring the many chronicles, charters, letters and papal correspondence, King has rendered it all in crisp prose.— Laurence W. Marvin, Berry College, Canadian Journal of History -- Laurence W. Marvin * Canadian Journal of History * "An important, indeed invaluable, addition to the English Monarchs series. Based throughout on extensive research in primary sources, complemented by perceptive synthesis, the volume is a tour de force." — Northern History Journal * Northern History Journal *

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Book SynopsisThe later medieval English church is invariably viewed through the lens of the Reformation that transformed it. But in this bold and provocative book historian George Bernard examines it on its own terms, revealing a church with vibrant faith and great energy, but also with weaknesses that reforming bishops worked to overcome. Bernard emphasizes royal control over the church. He examines the challenges facing bishops and clergy, and assesses the depth of lay knowledge and understanding of the teachings of the church, highlighting the practice of pilgrimage. He reconsiders anti-clerical sentiment and the extent and significance of heresy. He shows that the Reformation was not inevitable: the late medieval church was much too full of vitality. But Bernard also argues that alongside that vitality, and often closely linked to it, were vulnerabilities that made the break with Rome and the dissolution of the monasteries possible. The result is a thought-provoking study of a church and societTrade Review"Superbly researched and coherently argued."—Peter Marshall, Literary Review -- Peter Marshall * Literary Review *"Bernard has again achieved what he does best: making us go back to an old problem and start thinking afresh."—Lucy Wooding, Times Higher Education -- Lucy Wooding * Times Higher Education *"England experienced one of the most muddled Reformations in Western Europe and that’s what makes studying it so fascinating and so infuriating. Even the most basic questions remain open: why, when and how quickly did England become a Protestant nation? Bernard has done as much as any historian to bring us closer to nuanced answers and in his latest book he is on particularly fine form."—Jonathan Wright, Catholic Herald -- Jonathan Wright * Catholic Herald *

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Book SynopsisImmediately after the Second World War, the victorious Allies authorized and helped to carry out the forced relocation of German speakers from their homes across central and southern Europe to Germany. This is a study of the largest recorded episode of what we now call "ethnic cleansing".Trade Review"This is an important book, deserving of the widest readership."—Max Hastings, Sunday Times "Douglas provides a fascinating glimpse of the backstage of the Nazi war effort, as hundreds of thousands were shifted from Poland and the Baltic states as part of a forced Germanisation policy that sheer lack of preparation doomed to failure."—Benedicte Williams, Budapest Times"The expulsion of Germans is understandably a politically-charged topic. Until recently, it has been taboo to examine the depths of German suffering after 1945, because of the suffering they themselves had caused. Drawing on meticulous research, Douglas thoughtfully explains the context for this policy, before showing convincingly that its rationale was flawed."—Hester Vaizey, Independent"Well-researched and dispassionately written. . . . Those who want to understand the tensions in modern Europe, not least in central Europe, ought to read this book."—Gisela Stuart, The Housing Magazine"Douglas has produced a highly valuable and convincing account of the expulsion of Germans. . . "—Pertti Ahonen, Journal of Modern History “A timely read” —Harvey Richardson, Methodist RecorderRunner-up in the General Non-Fiction category at the 2013 Great Southeast Book FestivalWinner of the 2013 George Louis Beer Prize given by the American Historical AssociationWon an honorable mention for the 2012 Association of American Publishers PROSE Awards in the European & World History Category"Orderly and Humane is an outstanding and well-written work that fills a significant gap in books written in English about this large subject and the very period of its compass. It ought to be in every serious American library and should be required reading for scholars interested in the history of the end of the Second World War and the years thereafter in Europe."—John Lukacs, author of The Future of History and Five Days in London, May 1940"R.M. Douglas has written a fair-minded, deeply researched and courageous book that carefully demystifies the claims and accusations surrounding the awful history of the expulsion of the ethnic Germans from Eastern Europe. A first-rate work, Orderly and Humane compels us to admit that the postwar expulsions were not simply a regrettable accident but a deliberate policy of ethnic cleansing on a breathtaking scale that decisively shaped postwar Europe’s history."—William I. Hitchcock, author of The Bitter Road to Freedom: The Human Consequences of Allied Victory in World War II Europe"The tragedy of the post-World War II ethnic German refugees and expellees has been told before but no account is based on so many original documents from so many countries as Douglas’s eminently readable work."—Istvan Deak, Columbia University

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"This is a tightly argued, meticulously researched history of sanitation that reads like a novel."—Paula Byrne, The Times"Lee Jackson stops to have a good poke around – and consider in fascinating, sometimes gruesome detail, the filth and nuisances of the time . . . Utterly engrossing."—Jo Baker, The New York Times Book Review"Mr Jackson has written a book that is neat and sparkling, unlike his subject matter."—Emily Cockayne, Wall Street Journal Europe“Impressive . . . [Lee] Jackson has written a book that is neat and sparkling, unlike his subject matter.”—Emily Cockayne, The Wall Street Journal"Rich in wonderful contemporary details gleaned from newspapers and archives, Jackson’s study is a vivid account of the enormous challenges faced by a city expanding at an unprecedented rate."—P. D. Smith, The Guardian“An atypical look at London’s social history. Jackson manages to make a disgusting topic much funnier than one would expect.”—Library Journal"There is an extensive bibliography and index and this makes Dirty Old London a very welcome addition to the social history of the Victorian capital. It will be useful to scholars as well as being a very enjoyable popular history which deserves a wide readership."—Drew Gray, The London Journal"From the dustmen who grew rich from recycling, to a history of the public lavatory, this fascinating book provides a (dare I say fresh?) insight into life in the Victorian capital."—Current Archaeology"Where there’s muck there’s brass. Let’s hope so for Lee Jackson, author of this volume on all things feculent, filthy and noisome in the Victorian city. It’s a big topic that deserves a big audience."—Matt Brown, The Londonist"The book is engagingly written, and based on a wide reading of source material and recent academic writing."—Peter Hounsell, Who Do You Think You Are Magazine"Delve deep into Victorian London’s dirty streets in this detailed, but enjoyably graphic, account of efforts to make life better for the British capital’s growing population."—History Revealed"This superb book places the humdrum business of keeping a city and its people clean in a detailed social and political context."—Jonathan Wright, The Tablet"This interesting and informative book deserves to have a wide circulation."—John Beasley, The Methodist Recorder"This is a fascinating work that will engage both those interested in Victorian in general and London in particular."—Stephen Halliday, BBC History Magazine"I thought I knew nineteenth-century London-this book made me smell it . . . Mud: it’s so often mentioned in Victorian literature, but I didn’t know what it was until I read this admirable book."—Clive Aslet, Country Life"Dirty Old London is a treat – truly Victorian, in that it is shocking, entertaining, educational and grisly by turns."—Catharine Arnold, author of Necropolis: London and its Dead"I can't think of a better companion with whom to explore London's underbelly - expert, engaging and approachable."—Sarah Wise, author of The Blackest Streets: The Life and Death of a Victorian Slum"So much meticulous research packaged into such a vividly readable narrative. I loved it."—Liza Picard, author of Victorian London"The squalor of Victorian London was proverbial. Lee Jackson’s revelatory clean-up goes behind the headlines to allow us to see not just what, but why, London was so dirty."—Judith Flanders, author of The Victorian City: Everyday Life in Dickens' London

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Excellent . . . An admirable study."—Nicholas Stargardt, Wall Street Journal"An engaging investigation of the German army’s complex relationship with the Third Reich. The author, the Glasgow academic Ben Shepherd, does a sterling job of boiling down the 12 years of Nazi Germany to produce an accessible account of the Faustian pact entered into by German generals . . ."—Roger Moorhouse, Times"Shepherd has written a comprehensive history of the 20th century’s most formidable fighting machine. It is also an unanswerable indictment of the moral cowardice and arrogance of an officer corps who sold their souls to Hitler and allowed him to lead them and their beloved country into the abyss."—Nigel Jones, BBC History"Highly readable and with great narrative scope, this is an excellent starting-point for anyone who wishes to have a broad overview of WWII from the German military point of view."—Robert Carver, Military History Monthly

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“Eire’s vast learning is on display throughout this enormous (and handsomely illustrated) work.”—Michael Massing, New York Times Book Review“Monumental”—Charlotte Methuen, Times Literary Supplement“Reformations is a massive study of early modern Europe, both Protestant and Catholic. It is a volume worth perusing carefully, both to think with and to learn from.”—Prof. Benjamin M. Guyer, Reviews in History“Reformations is a major milestone in the field of Reformation studies that will inspire discussion and debates.”—R. Po-chia Hsia, Journal of Jesuit Studies“A remarkable achievement. [Eire] takes immense pains to give an even-handed account of the Protestant and Catholic Reformations. . . This massive and remarkable book presents convincing evidence.”—Anthony Kenny, Literary Review“This is a huge book but don’t be put off by its size. It more than lives up to Eire’s promise in his preface of being an introduction and survey for beginners and non-specialists. . . Eire’s prose is transparent, elegant and witty, his narrative enlivened by sparkling insights and one-liners.”—Anne Dillon, Tablet “Fascinating reading. The author is a gifted writer who particularly excels at the ability to expound theological ideas. If you read only one book about the Reformation in the year of its 500th anniversary, this is probably the one to choose.”—Paul Richardson, Church of England Newspaper“[Reformations] provides a readable and stimulating overview of European history between 1450 and 1650 (and often well into the 18th century) that is accessible to newcomers to the discipline, while being sufficiently broad and well-researched to be useful to specialists in early modern history who wish to know more about aspects of the period outside of their area of expertise.”—Sam Kennerley, Reviews in History “This is certainly a good read . . . this enormous survey is well worth reading for its insights and some shrewd assessments.”—Dr. G. R. Evans, Church Times“Carlos Eire’s massive, ambitious new survey navigates the rollercoaster of the Reformation period with all the drama and verve of the ages itself, using these developments as a lens through which to understand early modern Europe as a whole.”—David Gehring, History Today “Eire attempts throughout to keep his writing accessible to the non-specialist reader and he succeeds admirably in this task. His style is lively, engaging and fair minded. He also masterfully weaves anecdotes or little-known facts into the narrative.”—Philip Scheepers, Vox ReformataWinner of the 2017 American Publishers Awards for Professional & Scholarly Excellence (PROSE) in the European & World History category.Winner of the 2017 American Publishers Awards for Professional & Scholarly Excellence (PROSE) in the Excellence in Humanities category.Winner of the 2017 R.R. Hawkins Award given by the American Publishers Awards for Professional & Scholarly Excellence (PROSE).Carlos Eire’s Reformations: The Early Modern World, 1450-1650is the second winner of the The Pelikan Award, a biannual prize awarded by Yale University Press to a distinguished book on religion published by the Press in the previous two years.“Carlos Eire’s Reformations is a work of remarkable scope and ambition, a magnificent sweep through four centuries, and as many continents, tracing in original and perceptive ways the unforeseeable consequences—in religion, politics, culture, science—of the convulsions that started in western Christianity at the close of the Middle Ages. Eire writes with insight and empathy about the values and visions of a fervent and often violent age. He does not shield us from the strangeness and complexity of the past, but we come away with a much enhanced understanding of the lines connecting it to our present.”—Peter Marshall, University of Warwick“An ambitious and highly successful project. Wonderfully balanced and nicely nuanced, the book is a genuine tour de force in bringing together the various elements of the Reformations, from their meaning for the educated and sophisticated proponents (and opponents) to their reception (or rejection) by the mass of ordinary and unlettered persons who ‘lived’ amid the swirl of religious change.”—Raymond Mentzer, University of Iowa“Carlos Eire contributes to our understanding of the Reformations as Europe-wide phenomena, highlights the diversity of Protestantism, and shows how vibrant Catholic reform could be.”—Kathryn A. Edwards, University of South Carolina“It takes an unusually perceptive, judicious, knowledgeable, and yes brave person to write a book this big and sweeping, given all the ink spelled and trees felled and terabytes devoted to the Reformation, and Carlos Eire is all of those. It is beautifully structured, gracefully written, evenhanded in its treatment of Catholic, Protestant, and Radical movements, and most importantly equally at home in the Reformation and the present. Read this and you will understand both worlds better.”—Craig Harline, Author of Conversions: Two Family Stories from the Reformation and Modern America

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Book SynopsisA new edition of a seminal work—one that explores crucial changes within Europe from the fifteenth to the eighteenth century

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Book SynopsisA fresh and insightful history of how the German arts-and-letters scene was transformed under the NazisTrade Review“Absorbing, chilling study of German artistic life under Hitler.”—Max Hastings, The Sunday Times“While providing a chronology for understanding the creeping totalitarianism, Kater shines most when discussing individual artists and their work, displaying a thoroughness and texture unrivalled by any other scholar.”—Jonathan Petropoulos, Art Newspaper“A much-needed study of the aesthetics and cultural mores of the Third Reich, with often surprising turns . . . in a narrative rich in detail and documentation. . . . ‘The relation between culture and tyranny is a complex one,’ Kater concludes. Indeed, and his book does much to make it comprehensible.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review“Kater in this richly researched, fluently written book sets out to recast the story of Hitler’s Germany.” —Roger Boyes, Times (UK)“Incorporating both official art and that cast out of German public life, the range of cultural forms considered is similarly ambitious, including literature, music, architecture, fine art, radio, the press, film and theatre”— Lucy Wasensteiner, Times Literary Supplement“There is no greater authority on the culture of the Nazi period than Michael Kater, and his latest, most ambitious work gives a comprehensive overview of a dismally complex history, astonishing in its breadth of knowledge and acute in its critical perceptions.”—Alex Ross, music critic at the New Yorker and author of The Rest Is Noise

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“An Illuminating account.”—Tony Barber, Financial Times, “Books of the Year 2018”“For a greater understanding of Scotland and Catalonia within a wider crisis of mainstream politics, this thought-provoking book is an ideal place to start.”—Donald MacRaild, THES“A pioneering and scrupulously even-handed comparative history.”—The Economist“Nobody writing in English knows more about early modern Spain than Elliott. . . . I rejoice at the depth of context this book brings to two highly unpredictable political situations.”—Jerry White, Irish Times“Scots and Catalans is a stimulating history book, but most of all it is a political polemic. It aims to show how the two independence movements are based on false interpretations of history.”—Michael Eaude, Catalonia Today“John Elliott has written a book that is both topical and timeless.”—Luis Fernández-Galiano, Arquitectura Viva“Lucid and well-reasoned book.”—David Gilmour, Literary Review“Elliot’s elegant prose and clear observations bring life to this remarkable book.”—Stephen Jacobson, English Historical ReviewFinalist in the 2019 Los Angeles Times Prizes, History category“J. H. Elliott is a superb guide through the complexities of Catalan and Scottish history. With a deft touch and lucid prose he fully demonstrates the great value of historical comparison for understanding present conditions in both societies.”—Professor Emeritus Sir Tom Devine, University of Edinburgh“Rarely has a work of comparative history been so timely and newsworthy. J. H. Elliott’s learned comparative study of the long-term trajectories of Scotland and Catalonia is a reliable guide to the current travails of the nation-state in Western Europe. Elliott cogently explains the background to the phoenix-like revival of long-submerged historic nations within both the UK and Spain.”—Colin Kidd, author of Union and Unionisms: Political Thought in Scotland, 1500–2000 and British Identities before Nationalism: Ethnicity and Nationhood in the British Atlantic World, 1600–800“An excellent, detailed, properly comparative study that foregrounds the importance of dialogue and mutual understanding in modern constitutionalism.”—Murray Pittock, University of Glasgow“J. H. Elliott’s new book offers a deeply considered and timely perspective on the attempts of the Scottish and Catalan nationalist movements to secure independence. Written with all his customary elegance and incisiveness, it is authoritative in its historical assessments and notably fair-minded in its examination of controversial issues. Scots and Catalans provides the essential starting point for anyone who wishes to understand the problems currently besetting both London and Madrid on their northern periphery.”—Professor Hamish Scott, FBA, All Souls College, Oxford“The similarities and contrasts between Scotland and Catalonia throw many fundamental aspects of Scottish history into sharp relief. The result is not only a masterful exercise in comparative history. It is also a compelling account of British history from a Scottish perspective, and a superb introduction to Scottish history itself.”—Dauvit Brown

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“A work of impressive scholarship and historical imagination, whose range of intellectual reference and polish of style make it unlike anything written about the EU before or since”—Perry Anderson, London Review of Books"This insightful book, written by someone close to events, comprehends and confronts the dynamic tensions in Europe between the politicians and public opinion. A must-read for reform-minded pro-Europeans and sceptics alike."—Lord Mandelson"The Passage to Europe is a book on European integration like no other: history, political theory, social science and constitutional law laid out in such a personal and compelling narrative that one does not perceive the depth of learning and experience underlying it. Students, politicians and anyone interested in European politics will profit from reading this book. There are few better ways to grasp how a continent became a Union."—Joseph H.H. Weiler, author of The Constitution of Europe: 'Do the New Clothes Have an Emperor?' and Other Essays on European Integration"A revolution in thinking and speaking about Europe."—Dutch Foreign Minister Frans Timmermans

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Book SynopsisThe first comprehensive history of the 1921 Cairo Conference which reveals its enduring impact on the modern Middle EastTrade Review“Cairo 1921 is a good read for historians of the Middle East and casual enthusiasts looking to learn more. It shows how colonial powers failed miserably at the closure of their empires, how fragile democracies could be, and how a conference held in Cairo in 1921 and the decisions taken then have had reverberating ramifications 100 years later.”—Omar Darwazah, Arab Studies Quarterly“A seasoned storyteller. . . . C. Brad Faught has produced a highly readable re-enactment of those diplomatic negotiations that is not short of gusto and dense atmosphere.”—Arie M Dubnov, History Today“A brilliant and comprehensive examination of the events, individuals involved and actions taken by Britain under Churchill as Colonial Secretary and his advisors in Cairo in March 1921 while challenged by nascent nationalism and prevailing colonial mindset.”—Michael D. Berdine, author of Redrawing the Middle East“A refreshingly clear and straightforward account of the 1921 Cairo Conference that largely shaped the Middle East as we know it today.”—David Stafford, author of Oblivion or Glory: 1921 and the Making of Winston Churchill

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Book SynopsisA wide-ranging, insightful history of culture in West Germany—from literature, film, and music to theater and the visual artsTrade Review“[An] excellent new book. . . . After the Nazis seeks to explore not only the details of West German culture, but also its importance to the nation in the first place.”—Ben Hutchinson, Times Literary Supplement“Kater paints a picture of a nation stripped of cultural touchstones it could rely on. . . . From the outset, Kater reflects on his own personal connections and experiences to draw readers into these stories.”—All About History

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Book SynopsisThe story of the diverse communities of Eastern Europe’s borderlands in the centuries prior to World War IITrade Review“Bartov’s focus on Buczacz both personalizes this story and allows him to think in intimate ways about how the past might have gone differently. His fixation on the town in this project is profound.”—Kate Brown, Times Literary Supplement“[A]n erudite, highly readable book.”—Anna Wylegała, H-Soz Kult“This remarkable and moving book tells, on the basis of first-person accounts, the story of the emergence, development and destruction of the multi-ethnic and multi-confessional world of East Galicia. It is essential reading for all those interested in inter-ethnic conflict and in the way nationalism has come to dominate the modern world.”—Antony Polonsky, Brandeis University“A powerful and moving evocation of Jewish life and history in Galicia. The narrative elegantly intertwines history, legend, literature, and personal reminiscences, together with Bartov’s powerful observations. It is a poignant commemoration of an erased civilization—the annihilated Jewish communities of the East European borderlands.”—Saul Friedlander, author of Franz Kafka: The Poet of Shame and Guilt“A deeply personal, learned and literary coda to Bartov’s studies of Buczacz. Beautifully written and steeped in stories from Galician borderlands and Eretz Israel—a masterful achievement.”—Jan T. Gross, Princeton University“The world of Galician Jewry is, as Omer Bartov states, ‘irretrievably lost.’ Yet his book is more than an elegy. A work of erudition and personal revelation, it brings the diverse voices of the Galitzianers back to life.”—John-Paul Himka, University of Alberta

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Book SynopsisA compelling history of British imperial culture, showing how it was adopted and subverted by colonial subjects around the worldTrade Review“A useful and knowledgable primer. . . . Tensions, ambiguities and unintended consequences are resonant in John M. MacKenzie’s synoptic history of British imperial culture, which explores ceremony, sport, art, architecture and the mediums of print, radio and film from all sides of the imperial divide.”—Paul Lay, Daily Telegraph“Mackenzie has perhaps never received the credit he deserves. . . . His work has been as important as that of any postcolonial theorist.”—Stephanie Barczewski, Times Literary Supplement“It is difficult to imagine even a casual reader putting down Mackenzie’s book and not wanting to know more about one or two of its many characters.”—Barnaby Crowcroft, Literary Review“MacKenzie has mobilised his formidable knowledge of the many dimensions of an imperial culture rooted in racial hierarchies and designed to secure white power—from ceremonials and sports to the arts and the press—to tell a dynamic story of how colonised and indigenous peoples challenged and disrupted these practices, reconfiguring them to new purposes for new times.”—Catherine Hall, author of Macaulay and Son“Makes a compelling case for the reassessment of Britain’s ‘informal imperialism’ through various forms of culture. This is the definitive work on the reproduction, imposition, appropriation, and reinvention of British culture in the Empire at large.”—Souvik Naha, University of Glasgow“MacKenzie’s deep scholarship, honed over a lifetime of pioneering work, is on dazzling show in this lively survey of imperial culture and cultural imperialism. His timely reminder that protest against commemorative statuary is far from new is just one of the important insights sprinkled throughout this important work.”—Philippa Levine, author of The British Empire“MacKenzie is one of the most influential imperial historians of all times. This magnum opus is the perfect capstone for those familiar with his work, and the essential introduction for readers exploring British imperial culture for the first time.”—Ashley Jackson, author of Mad Dogs and Englishmen

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“A thrilling account of the capital during its most dramatic and important era” “Vivid and engrossing...Lincoln is adept at spotting eloquent details that stick in the mind.”—John Carey, The Sunday Times“Lincoln...not only takes us through the maze of this magnificently chaotic city, but skilfully interweaves the political convulsions that dogged it through the 17th century.”—Ben Wilson, The Times “Brings much engaging detail about London life...The great virtue of Margarette Lincoln’s new book is to show us a world in flux, and what we recognise as a sort of modernity coming into being.”—Ian Bostridge, Financial Times“Margarette Lincoln has a curator’s gift for selecting all the right details for a thoroughly absorbing account.”—Tony Barber, Financial Times ‘Best Books of 2021: History’“Here are charted the national events and personalities...researched in great depth...to indicate commercial ambition, expansion, and hardship and particularly the untold stories of ordinary Londoners showing how the nation emerged from a turbulent century.”—Paul Ridgway, Seagull of the Indian Maritime Foundation“Draws on a vast array of sources to explore how Londoners were affected by national events and changes in attitudes”—Caroline Sanderson, The Bookseller“A satisfying, lively book, befitting a fascinating subject. For anyone wishing to understand London in this vital, formative period of its history - or even just wishing to see how a growing early modern city ticked - this is a great place to start. A vivid portrayal of a vibrant city.”—Jonathan Healey, BBC History Magazine“Lincoln's colourful canvas is both a chronicle and an ever-shifting panorama — a vivid portrayal of a metropolis in the grip of alarming, bewildering and constant change [that] skilfully steers her narrative through such political squalls without losing sight of the background.”—Nigel Jones, Spectator “A hugely enjoyable read...[Lincoln’s] extended account of London in the chaotic last days of James II’s reign is the best I have read, capturing perfectly the uncertainty on the streets.”—Adrian Tinniswood, Literary Review “The book opens with Elizabeth I’s funeral procession in 1603 and ends with the foundation of the Bank of England in 1694...Lincoln skilfully intertwines such grand events with the lives of everyday Londoners: the gossip, the markets, the filth, the shops, the crime, the joyful jostling chaos of life in seventeenth century London.”—Travels Through Time“This well-researched, brilliantly-written and anecdotally-entertaining book does full justice to its own subtitle.”—Mike Paterson, London Historians“Margarette Lincoln, whose previous books have been about seafaring, has chosen the right moment for this new departure.”—The Oldie“Stands head and shoulders above the rest…Lively and arresting…[Lincoln] is as confident in handling the royal ceremonials of political transition...as she is with London's thriving coffee-house culture, and its turbulent maritime community.”—Ian W. Archer, Times Literary Supplement"With her curator's eye, Lincoln assembles the colourful details of everyday life to form a compelling narrative of how Londoners continued to live, adapt and struggle underneath the drama of public events." — Miranda Malins, History Today“London and the 17th Century must undoubtedly be considered the new definitive introduction and overview of the subject . . . It is a book that nobody with an interest in the history of London can do without.”—Joe Saunders, The Local Historian“[London and the Seventeenth Century] presents the reader with a vibrant and elegant overview of the transformation of the city into a global metropolis. Lincoln has deftly woven together social, political, and nautical histories into a compelling new narrative.”—Jasmine Kilburn-Toppin, Journal of British Studies"A fascinating journey round the best city in the world during the most turbulent period in its long history. Terrorism, war, plague, fire and revolution – they all have their place in an exciting story told with verve and wit."—Adrian Tinniswood, author of The Long Weekend“Lincoln has the keenest possible eye for the character of the key players, the court as well as the populace, for the process of historical change and for London’s street-life, the docks and palace ceremony, coffee houses, gardens and shops. She makes the whole look and feel of the period come alive.”—Charles Saumarez Smith, author of East London “London in the 17th century was visited by apocalyptic events: plague, fire and war. Yet it survived all these, emerging as one of the greatest cities of the Western world. In this lively account, Lincoln shows us how the transformation was possible.”—Margaret Willes, author of The Curious World of Samuel Pepys and John Evelyn

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Book SynopsisA compelling new history of the EU and the people who sought to shape and challenge it—from Maastricht to todayTrade Review“A glorious new book.”—Alex Andreou, The Bunker podcast“A fast-paced narrative of the European Union since the 1992 Maastricht Treaty.”—Denis MacShane, Encompass Europe“Most books about Europe written by academics are unreadable for the wider public… Circle of Stars helps the bigger public to understand why we live in a different Europe than just a few years ago.” —Caroline de Grutyer, euobserver “A highly original and wide-ranging history of the EU. Hodson skilfully weaves together the national and European stories, focusing on political personalities as makers-of-history, carefully picked from across the political spectrum.”—Luuk van Middelaar, author of The Passage to Europe“At last a book on Europe that infuses oceanic policy shifts with the personalities who drove the drama, and who for better or worse, forged a European Union that has, against the odds, survived one crisis after another. Circle of Stars is bright with colour and politics, yet does not shirk the hard analyses which the European project must command.”—Tony Connelly, author of Brexit and Ireland“Hodson’s beautifully written book is a fresh take on the multifaceted story of European integration, bringing to life the personalities and actions of many of the key characters in the drama. This is a must read for anyone interested in the European construction, and how we got to where we are today.”—Simon Hix, coauthor of The Political System of the European Union“A brilliant account. . . . Hodson once again shows why he’s one of the leading scholars of European integration. In impeccable prose, this contemporary history of the European Union is full of new insights into the central personalities and structural factors that have shaped the dynamics of the EU.”—Matthias Matthijs, Johns Hopkins University & Council on Foreign Relations“Full of anecdotes and colourful personalities, this lively account covers not only the political leaders who have shaped Europe, but the rock stars, cheap flights and festivals that brought Europeans together across borders.”—Heather Grabbe, author of The EU’s Transformative Power: Europeanization Through Conditionality in Central and Eastern Europe

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Book SynopsisA fascinating study of the root motivations behind the political activities and philosophies of Putin’s government in RussiaTrade Review“What did Putin mean by ‘Eurasia’ and where does his project come from? This is the question Charles Clover sets out to answer in this though-provoking book. Part intellectual history, part portrait gallery . . . Black Wind, White Snow traces the background to Putin’s ideas with verve and clarity.”—Geoffrey Hosking, Financial Times“Clover writes knowledgeably and engagingly of the Russian political scene . . . Readers who would like to make that judgement for themselves in the case of today’s Russia will scarcely find a better introduction than Black Wind, White Snow.”—Edmund Griffiths, Times Literary Supplement“A veteran Financial Times correspondent analyses what really motivates the regime in Moscow by tracing the rise of Eurasianism: the belief (crudely put) that Russia’s national identity is determined by ethnicity, geography and destiny.”—The Economist, “Books of the Year 2016”“Black Wind, White Snow is required reading. This is a vivid, panoramic history of bad ideas, chasing the metastasis of the doctrine known as Eurasianism . . . Reading Charles Clover will help you understand the world of lies and delusions that is Eurasia.”—Ben Judah, Standpoint“An important contribution to this discussion . . . Mr. Clover’s reporting is excellent.”—The Economist“[A] deeply researched, fascinating account of how nationalist views that were once dissident or marginal in the Soviet Union seeped into the corridors of power in the Kremlin when Marxism-Leninism stopped working . . . Clover’s book deserves to win prizes for originality of mind as well as the strength of his liver—he has spent many nights drinking with these nationalists.”—Michael Burleigh, The Times“Utterly absorbing.”—Benjamin Nathans, New York Review of Books“Clover is as clear-sighted and sceptical as his subjects are obsessively totalitarian . . . [he possesses] an unfailing readability: however frightening the message one wants to read on to the last whistle.”—Brian Morton, Glasgow Herald“The new Russian nationalism for which Dugin speaks is entirely genuine. Clover casts a considerable light on its roots, on its passionate bias against the West, and on the Russian reality with which the rest of us now have to deal. His is therefore a book that needs to be read.”—Rodric Braithwaite, Open Russia“[Black Wind, White Snow] has significance beyond its immediate subject matter. Its meticulous observation provides us with a case study of birth of a new ideology, taking place before our very eyes.”—Antony Black, European Legacy“Essential reading. Charles Clover expertly traces how thinkers from Russia's nationalist fringe infiltrated the highest levels of Putin’s Kremlin and helped set Russian foreign policy on its current dangerous course.”—Andrew S. Weiss, Vice President for Studies, Russia and Eurasia Program, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace“Panoramic and vivid. Informative and gripping. This is required reading on Russia now.”—Ben Judah, author of Fragile Empire: How Russia Fell In and Out of Love with Vladimir Putin“Nationalism—but not as we know it. Part poetic exercise, part proto-fascism, Eurasianism is the old-new idea eating away the Russian soul and spreading throughout Europe. Clover’s book is an intellectual adventure into a dangerous ideological Wonderland.”—Peter Pomerantsev, author of Nothing is True and Everything is Possible: Adventures in Modern Russia

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Book SynopsisMore than just a single-minded warrior-king, Henry V comes to life in this fresh account as a gifted ruler acutely conscious of spiritual matters and his subjects’ welfareTrade Review“The Henry who emerges from this study is not the stereotypical warrior-king feted (or vilified) for his military prowess. He is an altogether more complex figure: decisive in his leadership but collegiate in his approach to government; exceptional in his mastery of administrative detail and his determination to do right by all his subjects. . . . It is a fascinating and persuasive portrait of a controversial monarch and a major contribution to studies of his reign.”—Juliet Barker, Times Literary Supplement“Vale gives us a portrait of Henry V’s kingship and, not surprisingly, it is a good one.”—John Watts, London Review of Books“A superb example of scholarship . . . unsurpassable for what it reveals of what scholars can bring to light . . . erudite. . . . You’ll go more deeply than was previously possible into this phase of the history of England, this particular reign, and a king even greater than the one given voice by William Shakespeare.”—James M. Banner, Jr., Weekly Standard“Here is a book that pushes out the boundaries. We will never know what went on in Henry’s mind. But as a study of how he worked and what one can infer about his thoughts, Malcolm Vale’s book is unlikely to be surpassed."—Jonathan Sumption, Literary Review“Vale’s book is a clearly written study that does an admirable job providing new insights into Henry the man and the late-medieval ruler.”—Alexander Brondarbit, Royal Studies Journal“By giving greater authority to the archival record than most previous historians have done, and by adopting a thematic rather than a chronological approach to his subject, Malcolm Vale has succeeded in penetrating, as never before, the mind and intentions of Henry V. As this highly recommended study develops, the reader is presented with a king no longer primarily a soldier but a much more rounded, multifaceted figure who leads his country through a time of uncertainties social, political, military and religious, justifying the author’s claim to have revealed ‘another Henry V’ in the process.”—Christopher Allmand, author of Henry V“A highly original study of Henry V. It is difficult these days to say anything new about the king: Malcolm Vale manages it.”—Nigel Saul, author of For Honour and Fame: Chivalry in England, 1066–1500

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Book SynopsisA compelling account of the battle for Passchendaele from grand strategy at the highest levels right down to the experience of the ordinary infantrymen.In the autumn of 1917, after years of stalemate at Ypres, the British and French armies launched a massive offensive to take Passchendaele Ridge. Following an intensive bombardment the Allies began their attack, but the low ground between the lines had been churned into a quagmire, and the attack was literally bogged down.All surprise had been lost, and the German defence in depth was well organised. For the first time the Germans used mustard gas, while German planes flew low to strafe the British infantry with machine guns. After two and a half months the British finally took the ridge they had been aiming for, but at the cost of over 300,000 Allied lives. German losses in the offensive were estimated at 260,000.Based on the archival holdings at the Imperial War Museum, this book gathers together a weTable of Contents1 Gestation; 2 Messines; 3 Plans and Preparations; 4 Pilckem Ridge, 31 July 1917; 5 August Despair; 6 Footsloggers; 7 Gunners; 8 Bite and Hold; 9 Journey's End; 10 Epilogue; Notes to the text; Sources; Index

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Book SynopsisDramatic, illustrated account of the biggest naval battle of the First World War.On 31 May, 1916, the great battle fleets of Britain and Germany met off Jutland in the North Sea. It was a climactic encounter, the culmination of a fantastically expensive naval race between the two countries, and expectations on both sides were high. For the Royal Navy''s Grand Fleet, there was the chance to win another Trafalgar. For the German High Seas Fleet, there was the opportunity to break the British blockade and so change the course of the war. But Jutland was a confused and controversial encounter. Tactically, it was a draw; strategically, it was a British victory.Naval historians have pored over the minutiae of Jutland ever since. Yet they have largely ignored what the battle was actually like for its thousands of participants. Full of drama and pathos, of chaos and courage, JUTLAND, 1916 describes the sea battle in the dreadnought era from the point of view of those who were there.

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Book SynopsisA vivid page-turning narrative of the most horrific battle in history by a soldier turned bestselling novelistA fast-paced and vivid narrative of the most horrific campaign in history: the four-year slaughter around the Belgian town of Ypres 1914-18. Switching seamlessly between the generals'' headquarters, the politicians'' councils and -- above all -- the mud and blood of the trenches, this is a wonderfully accessible history.Winston Churchill and Adolf Hitler both fought in the frontline at Ypres: Groom reveals what happened to both men. We see the campaign through their eyes and the experience of other officers and men, including the war poet Edmund Blunden (later professor of poetry at Oxford). From the desperate defence put up by the tiny British regular army in 1914 to the infamous Passchendaele offensive, this is popular history at its best.

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Book SynopsisJohn Keegan has assembled a cast of seventeen generals whose reputations were made (and some of them broken) by Churchill and the Second World War.Trade ReviewMilitary history doesn't get much better than this. A real gem for aficionados. * SCOTTISH LEGION NEWS *

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Book SynopsisOn June 23, 1812, Napoleon''s Grande Armée, over 500,000 men strong, poured over the Russian border. An equally massive Russian army faced them. The ensuing campaign was a catastrophe for Napoleon. Although the battle of Borodino, which resulted in heavy losses on both sides, allowed Napoleon to enter Moscow, his stay in that empty and decimated city was disastrous. By the time Napoleon had retreated to the Berezina river in late November, his Grande Armée was only a fifth of its original strength. His retreat had become a rout, and his allies began to desert him. In this book, Clausewitz analyzes all the significant players with sharp and enlightening characterizations, and provides perhaps the best eyewitness accounts of the battle of Borodino and the Convention of Tauroggen. The Campaign of 1812 in Russia is a brilliantly observed study of one of the major turning points of history.Table of Contents* Arrival at Wilna * Plan of Campaign * Camp of Drissa * General Review of the Incidents of the Campaign of 1812 in Russia * Further Progress of the Campaign

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Book SynopsisA holistic, eye-opening history of one of the most significant turning points in Christianity, The Reformation as Renewal demonstrates that the Reformation was at its core a renewal of evangelical catholicity.In the sixteenth century Rome charged the Reformers with novelty, as if they were heretics departing from the catholic (universal) church. But the Reformers believed they were more catholic than Rome. Distinguishing themselves from Radicals, the Reformers were convinced they were retrieving the faith of the church fathers and the best of the medieval Scholastics. The Reformers saw themselves as faithful stewards of the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church preserved across history, and they insisted on a restoration of true worship in their own day.By listening to the Reformers'' own voices, The Reformation as Renewal helps readers explore:The Reformation''s roots in patristic and medieval thought and its response

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Book SynopsisGERARD DE GROOT is Senior Lecturer and Head of Department in the Department of Modern History at the University of St Andrews.

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Book SynopsisBroad in scope and rich in detail, 1215: THE YEAR OF MAGNA CARTA is a vivid exploration of what may have been the most important year of our lives.Trade ReviewA fascinating, readable digest of social history which has "bestseller" written all over it. * Frank McLynn, Non-fiction read of the week, Sunday *Entertaining and informative... Even more enjoyable than the account of the Magna Carta itself is the depiction of how we were, who we were and how many we were in the crucial year of 1215. * Antonia Fraser, Mail on Sunday *Danziger and Gillingham have the knack of walking us right into history and making us feel at home...this is a hugely enjoyable window into medieval life. * Independent *Danziger and Gillingham write clearly and accessibly to bring their slice of history to life...(they) admirably remind us of the chaotic soil in which the first glimmerings of British political freedom took root. * Simon Jenkins, The Sunday Times *The disquisitions on education, medicine and agriculture are informative ... delightful. * Times Literary Supplement *The authors entertain and inform with pertinent reflection...Life in the castles and the violent streets of London, the lure of the crusades and the dominant theme of rural life are all examined with panache. * Oxford Times *[A] superb account of the year of Magna Carta...fascinating descritpions of life at the time, and of the surrounding world. * Independent *

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Book SynopsisTwo hundred years ago, Napoleon Bonaparte dominated Europe and threatened Britain with invasion. Against him stood the Royal Navy and the already legendary Admiral Horatio Nelson.On 21 October 1805, a massive naval battle off the coast of Spain decided mastery of the seas. Then, over the following days and nights, the battleships and their exhausted crews endured a gale of awesome fury. As Captain Charles Tyler wrote to his wife Margaret, ''the wind blew a perfect storm''.The authors of the bestselling FINEST HOUR tell this story not only through the diaries, letters and memoirs of the men who wrestled with the enemy and the elements, but also through the eyes of their wives and children. Whether you are already familiar with this period of history or are coming to it for the first time, TRAFALGAR is a book that will enthral as it illuminates an event whose repercussions still echo today.Trade ReviewIf you want just one book that will show how this flood of new material can transform a story you thought you knew, while at the same time keeping you gripped like a page-turner novel, buy TRAFALGAR by Tim Clayton and Phil Craig. * Observer *Excellent...comprehensively researched, vividly written and judiciously argued. Wonderfully detailed pen portraits...Much new material from French and Spanish sources gives a rounded picture...compelling. Clayton and Craig have written about conflict before and it shows. * Saul David, Daily Telegraph *One of the book's greatest strengths is the attention paid to the "perfect storm" that began only hours after the fighting had stopped and gave rise to incredible acts of heroism and self-sacrifice. * Glasgow Herald *Clayton and Craig...have found, among a great trove of participants' vivid letters and diaries, support for a revisionist approach to the Trafalgar legend * The Sunday Times *The most fluent account of Trafalgar for a generation * Ships Telegraph *Vivid and compelling...an account of significant importance. * Naval Review *A magnificent account of the battle itself, including a detailed analysis of the storm that might well have wiped out the British fleet after victory had been won, had it not been for superb seamanship. * Guardian *'My book of the year is TRAFALGAR ... a gripping account of the events of l805. The characters from both the British and Combined fleets are drawn with such understanding and sympathy that the full horror of the battle became all the more vivid as many of those I'd come to admire were sliced in half by cannon balls or disembowelled by chain-shot and splinters. the story that followed was as monstruos as the fighting that preceded it. The tactics and movements of sea battles are notoriously difficult to explain, but the authors draw the geography of the action with expert clarity.' * Harry Enfield's in Mail on Sunday *

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Book SynopsisHadrian''s Wall is one of the world''s best known legacies of the Roman Empire. It has stood for two thousand years as a moment to its creator, and yet he himself remains an enigmatic figure. Now bestselling author Danny Danziger and Nicholas Purcell reveal the details of the extraordinary life of this mysterious man, and the age in which he lived and ruled.Hadrian was Spanish, and a restless, inquiring intellectual. He travelled constantly and spent much time in cultural centres like Athens and Alexandria. Although he was not warlike, he was a good soldier, and was comfortable mingling amongst all ranks. And yet his personal life was a complicated one, rife with scandal and conflicted sexuality.This complex character was also responsible for some of the world''s most enduring architectural treasures. He built the Pantheon in Rome, the largest dome built using pre-industrial methods and a sprawling 900-room villa at Tivoli with a towering ''pumpkin doTrade Review'Racy and readable. They give us an excellent sense of what life was like when Rome was still vigorous.' * Daily Telegraph *Interesting . . . this is a decent introduction, with more than half an eye on modern echoes. * The Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisEnsure your students have access to the authoritative and in-depth content of this popular and trusted A Level History series. For over twenty years Access to History has been providing students with reliable, engaging and accessible content on a wide range of topics. Each title in the series provides comprehensive coverage of different history topics on current AS and A2 level history specifications, alongside exam-style practice questions and tips to help students achieve their best. The series:- Ensures students gain a good understanding of the AS and A2 level history topics through an engaging, in-depth and up-to-date narrative, presented in an accessible way. - Aids revision of the key A level history topics and themes through frequent summary diagrams- Gives support with assessment, both through the books providing exam-style questions and tips for AQA, Edexcel and OCR A level history specifications and through FREE model answers

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Book Synopsis* A comprehensive anthology of the long and bloody history of women's struggle to get the vote. Here is the story in the voices of the women themselves.Trade ReviewA cleverly assembled patchwork of press cuttings, diary entries and journal extracts comes together here to make up a colourful and moving narrative of the women's suffrage movement * Scotsman *A] fascinating anthology... what makes it so interesting is not just the coverage of the main events...but the lesser known details. * The Times *

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Book SynopsisSometimes, through word of mouth and shared enthusiasm, a secret book becomes famous. The War the Infantry Knew is one of them. Published privately in a limited edition of five hundred copies in 1938, it gained a reputation as an outstanding account of an infantry battalion''s experience on the Western Front'' Daily Telegraph'' I have been waiting for a long time for someone to republish this classic. It is one of the most interesting and revealing books of its type and is a genuinely truthful and fascinating picture of the war as it was for the infantry'' John Keegan''A remarkably coherent narrative of the battalion''s experiences in diary form . . . a moving historical record which deserves to be added to the select list of outstanding accounts of the First World War'' Times Literary SupplementTrade ReviewSometimes, through word of mouth and shared enthusiasm, a secret book becomes famous. The War the Infantry Knew is one of them. Published privately in a limited edition of five hundred copies in 1938, it gained a reputation as an outstanding account of an infantry battalion's experience on the Western Front * DAILY TELEGRAPH *John Keegan * 'A remarkably coherent narrative of the battalion's experiences in diary form ...a moving historical record which deserves to be added to the select list of outstanding accounts of the First World War’ *TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT

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Book SynopsisFollowing on from the success of A N. Wilson's THE VICTORIANS, Roy Hattersley's major new appraisal of Edwardian Britain is his finest book to dateTrade ReviewInformative and always easy to read . . . Hattersley has done a fine job * Andrew Lycett, SUNDAY TIMES *Well written and wide ranging book . . . his account of the period is consistently enjoyable * Piers Brendon, DAILY TELEGRAPH *Hattersley makes a riveting case . . . a bold, sweeping synthesis . . . full of gleaming nuggets and offbeat points redolent of hours hunched over neglected papers. It is no surprise to readers of his journalism that it is superbly written, gleefully but wryly highlighting the absurdities and pomposities of the age . . . Hattersley's prose flows smooth as the port at a Sandringham shooting party. What makes this book is not just the quality of its social and political analysis, but the breadth of detail and the quality of its gossipy anecdotes * Colin Donald, HERALD *[A] solid book . . . Hattersley writes entertainingly . . . He is a clear and vigorous writer * Anne Chisholm, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH *

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Book SynopsisMany of the prisoners held by the Japanese during the WWII were so scarred by their experiences that they could not discuss them even with their families. They believed that their brutal treatment was, literally, incomprehensible. But some prisoners were determined that posterity should know how they were starved and beaten, marched almost to death or transported on ''hellships'', used as slave labour - most notoriously on the Burma-Thailand railway - and how thousands died from tropical diseases. They risked torture or execution to draw and write diaries that they hid wherever they could, sometimes burying them in the graves of lost comrades.The diaries tell of inhumanity and degradation, but there are also inspirational stories of courage, comradeship and compassion. When men have unwillingly plumbed the depths of human misery, said one prisoner, the artist Ronald Searle, they form a silent understanding of what solidarity, friendship and kindness to others can mean. The diariTrade ReviewBrian MacArthur has made a significant contribution to the literature of the war in the Far East, which is still much less known to us than the matching struggle in Europe * SUNDAY TELEGRAPH *MacArthur does justice to these men. He lays bare the horrors, so awful that, reading of them, one is amazed that there were any survivors. But he also pays tribute to the courage the vast majority showed in their determination not to die, and especially * Allan Massie, TIMES *Commendably, in this first essay into military history, he has allowed the voices of these veterans of the Far East Prisoners of War Association to speak to us directly across the 60-year void; they echo from the mouth of a tropical hell with an awful eloquence . . . a deeply moving read * John Crossland, SUNDAY TIMES *Brian MacArthur's compelling story of the extraordinary suffering of British, Australian, Dutch and American prisoners of the Japanese provides excruciating detail . . . the capacity of men to inflict misery on each other is almost balanced by their abil * TLS *

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Book Synopsis''An enthralling book'' Sunday Telegraph''Fascinating'' Sunday TimesThe Royal Navy to which Admiral Lord Nelson sacrificed his life depended on thousands of sailors and marines to man the great wind-powered wooden warships. Drawn from all over Britain and beyond, often unwillingly, these ordinary men made the navy invincible through skill, courage and sheer determination. They cast a long shadow, with millions of their descendants alive today, and many of their everyday expressions, such as ''skyscraper'' and ''loose cannon'', continuing to enrich our language. Yet their contribution is frequently overlooked, while the officers became celebrities. JACK TAR gives these forgotten men a voice in an exciting, enthralling, often unexpected and always entertaining picture of what their life was really like during this age of sail. Through personal letters, diaries and other manuscripts, the emotions and experiences of these people are explored, from the dread of press-gangs, shipwreck and disease, to the exhilaration of battle, grog, prize money and prostitutes. JACK TAR is an authoritative and gripping account that will be compulsive reading for anyone wanting to discover the vibrant and sometimes stark realities of this wooden world at war.

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Book SynopsisWhen Charles I was executed, his son Charles II made it his role to search out retribution, producing the biggest manhunt Britain had ever seen, one that would span Europe and America and would last for thirty years.Men who had once been among the most powerful figures in England ended up on the scaffold, on the run, or in fear of the assassin''s bullet. History has painted the regicides and their supporters as fanatical Puritans, but among them were remarkable men, including John Milton and Oliver Cromwell. Don Jordan and Michael Walsh bring these remarkable figures and this astonishing story vividly to life an engrossing, bloody tale of plots, spies, betrayal, fear and ambition.Trade ReviewJordan and Walsh provide a thoroughly entertaining account of these extraordinary events . . . a vivid and consuming piece of historical narrative -- Andrew Holgate * Sunday Times *A fast-paced, lively work * BBC History Magazine *In this beautifully detailed and seamlessly written book Jordan and Walsh shine a new light on Charles II . . . their energetic and masterful account makes for a Restoration romp worth reading * Sunday Express *This is a terrific read * Spectator *An absorbing history packed with more plotting than an episode of The Borgias. * Booklist *

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Book Synopsis''Taylor Downing is a wonderful historian and a wonderful history communicator'' Dan Snow, History Hit''Vividly brings to life a terrible year'' Max Hastings, Sunday Times''Sheds intriguing light on just how close Churchill was to losing his grip on power'' Publishers WeeklyIn 1942, Britain stood at the brink of defeat. From the collapse in Malaya and the biggest surrender in British history at Singapore to the passing of three large German warships through the Straits of Dover in broad daylight and the longest ever retreat through Burma to the gates of India, a string of military disasters engulfed Britain in rapid succession. People began to claim that Churchill was not up to the job and his leadership was failing badly. Public morale reached a new low.In 1942: Britain at the Brink, Taylor Downing charts the frustration and despair that characterised this year. Most people think that Britain''s worst Trade ReviewTaylor Downing vividly brings to life a terrible year -- Max Hastings * Sunday Times *Taylor Downing is a wonderful historian and a wonderful history communicator. -- Dan Snow * History Hit *A revealing study... Downing sheds intriguing light on just how close Churchill was to losing his grip on power * Publishers Weekly *

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Book SynopsisEarly Modern Knowledge Societies as Affective Economies researches the development of knowledge economies in Early Modern Europe. Starting with the Southern and Northern Netherlands as important early hubs for marketing knowledge, it analyses knowledge economies in the dynamics of a globalizing world.The book brings together scholars and perspectives from history, art history, material culture, book history, history of science and literature to analyse the relationship between knowledge and markets. How did knowledge grow into a marketable product? What knowledge about markets was available in this period, and how did it develop? By connecting these questions the authors show how knowledge markets operated, not only economically but also culturally, through communication and affect. Knowledge societies are analysed as affective communities, spaces and practices. Compelling case studies describe the role of emotions such as hope, ambition, desire, love, fascination, aTable of ContentsIntroduction: knowledge - market - affect: knowledge societies as affective economies Part 1: Wish economies and affective communities 1. Knowing the market: Hans Fugger’s affective economies 2. Pennetrek: Sir Balthazar Gerbier (1592-1663) and the calligraphic aesthetics of commercial empire 3. Affective projecting: mining and inland navigation in Braunschweig-Lüneburg 4. The secret of Amsterdam: politics, alchemy and the commodification of knowledge in the 17th century 5. Liefhebberij: a market sensibility 6. The shaping of young consumers in early modern book-objects: managing affects and markets by books for youths Part 2: Marketing and managing knowledge and affects 7. Marketing arctic knowledge: observation, publication, and affect in the 1630s 8. Coordination in early modern Dutch book markets: ‘always something new’ 9. The spectacle of dissection. early modern theatricality and anatomical frenzy 10. Rubbed, pricked, and boiled: coins as objects of inquiry in the Dutch Republic 11. The Amsterdam stock exchange as affective economy

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