European history: medieval period, middle ages Books

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisThe Stuart Age provides an accessible introduction to England''s century of civil war and revolution, including the causes of the English Civil War; the nature of the English Revolution; the aims and achievements of Oliver Cromwell; the continuation of religious passion in the politics of Restoration England; and the impact of the Glorious Revolution on Britain. The fifth edition has been thoroughly revised and updated by Peter Gaunt to reflect new work and changing trends in research on the Stuart age. It expands on key areas including the early Stuart economic, religious and social context; key military events and debates surrounding the English Civil War; colonial expansion, foreign policy and overseas wars; and significant developments in Scotland and Ireland. A new opening chapter provides an important overview of current historiographical trends in Stuart history, introducing readers to key recent work on the topic. The Stuart Age is a long-standing favourite of Trade ReviewThe Stuart Age enjoys a hard won reputation as one of the best introductions to the 'British Isles' during an era of civil war and revolution. This updated edition, containing much that is new, makes the volume still more indispensable to students and teachers alike.Dr David Ceri Jones, Aberystwyth University, UKThe late Barry Coward’s The Stuart Age, 1603-1714 has long been regarded as the best single-volume introduction to the history of seventeenth-century England. This revised fifth edition elegantly updates Coward’s work for the post-Cameron generation. The book is prefaced with an excellent new introduction by Peter Gaunt, which surveys the dizzying quantity of new writing on the subject which has appeared since the fourth edition was published, in 2012, and incisively summarises the current state of the field. Gaunt’s deep knowledge of all aspects of seventeenth-century English life makes him the ideal scholar to refresh and rejuvenate Coward’s original text - and his work has ensured that, in its latest incarnation, The Stuart Age will continue to be required reading for all who teach and study this most fascinating of historical periods. Mark Stoyle, University of Southampton, UKTable of ContentsPART 1 Early Stuart England, 1603 –1640 1Introduction 31 The economy of early Stuart England 5The population and the economy 5The optimistic case 7The pessimistic case 10Conclusion 162 Society in early Stuart England 18The achievements of social historians writing in the 1970s and 1980s 19From the 1990s onwards: social history with the politics put back 35Intellectual developments and popular beliefs 38Conclusion 583 The Elizabethan constitution 62The framework of government 63Stresses within the Elizabethan constitution: political and religious divisions and ‘the public sphere’ 77PART 2 The reigns of the early Stuarts, 1603 –1640 87Introduction 894 The survival of the Elizabethan constitution, 1603 –1621 93James I and the succession 94Peace with Spain and the settlement in Ireland 99Puritans and Catholics 103James’s first parliament, 1604 –1610 110Rule without parliament, 1610 –1621 1215 The breakdown of the Elizabethan constitution, 1621–1640 1291621–1624: the emergence of conflicting conspiracy theories 131The prerogative ‘extended . . . beyond its just symmetry’, 1625 –1629 137The Personal Rule, 1629 –1640 146PART 3 The English Revolution, 1640 –1660 165Introduction 1676 The making of the English Revolution, 1640 –1649 169The constitutional crisis, November 1640 –September 1641 170The crisis becomes a civil war, September 1641–July 1642 182The first civil war, 1642–1646 191The search for a settlement: king, parliament, the army and the Scots, 1645 –1649 2157 The search for a new settlement, 1649 –1660 233The search for a ‘godly reformation’ 234The Rump Parliament, 1649 –1653 242Barebones Parliament, July–December 1653 254Oliver Cromwell 257Cromwellian government, 1653 –1658 265The end of the Good Old Cause, 1658 –1660 281PART 4 The reigns of Charles II and James II, 1660 –1688 285Introduction 2878 The failure of ‘the Restoration Settlement’, 1660 –1667 291The Convention Parliament, 1660: old wounds reopened and old problems unsolved 291The Cavalier Parliament and the restored monarchy, 1661–1664 296The Cavalier Parliament and the restored Church, 1661–1664 299The second Dutch war and the downfall of Clarendon, 1664 –1667 3059 ‘Catholic’ or ‘Cavalier’ policies, 1668 –1674 31110 Anti-Catholicism and exclusion, 1674 –1681 321Anti-Catholicism 321Danby, 1674 –1678 325The Popish Plot 333The Exclusion Crisis, May 1679 –March 1681 33711 The trend towards absolutism, 1681–1688 343The strengthening of royal authority, 1681–1685 344James II and Protestant unity, February 1685 –June 1688 347The intervention of William of Orange, 1688 354PART 5 The reigns of William III and Queen Anne, 1689 –1714 357Introduction 35912 The reign of William III, 1689 –1702 363Politics in the reign of William III 363The Glorious Revolution, 1689 –1690 367A country at war, 1690 –1697 378Peace and politics: the collapse of the Junto, 1697–1701 397Party issues redefi ned, 1701–1702 40313 The reign of Queen Anne, 1702–1714 409Politics in the reign of Queen Anne 409The failure of the ‘managers’, 1702–1708 416The failure of the Whigs and Tories, 1708 –1714 440PART 6 Later Stuart England: change and continuity 46314 Change 465The long-term effects of the Glorious Revolution: war and constitutional changes 465Religious and intellectual changes 474Economic and social changes 48615 Continuity: 1714 – the end of the Middle Ages? 507Bibliographical note 512Appendix: Timeline 532Index 565

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Book SynopsisWhen William the Conqueror died in 1087 he left the throne of England to William Rufus his second son. The result was an immediate war as Rufus's elder brother Robert fought to gain the crown he saw as rightfully his; this conflict marked the start of 400 years of bloody disputes as the English monarchy's line of hereditary succession was bent, twisted and finally broken when the last Plantagenet king, Richard III, fell at Bosworth in 1485. The Anglo-Norman and Plantagenet dynasties were renowned for their internecine strife, and in Lost Heirs we will unearth the hidden stories of fratricidal brothers, usurping cousins and murderous uncles; the many kings and the occasional queen who should have been but never were. History is written by the winners, but every game of thrones has its losers too, and their fascinating stories bring richness and depth to what is a colourful period of history. King John would not have gained the crown had he not murdered his young nephew, who was in line to become England's first King Arthur; Henry V would never have been at Agincourt had his father not seized the throne by usurping and killing his cousin; and as the rival houses of York and Lancaster fought bloodily over the crown during the Wars of the Roses, life suddenly became very dangerous indeed for a young boy named Edmund.

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Book SynopsisA charming, lively and often amusing tour of 36 forgotten episodes and overlooked people and places of Scottish history. Scotland's history is full of famous kings, queens, saints and warriors. But what about its lesser-known places, people and events? In this collection of half-forgotten tales, Alistair Moffat brings their stories out of the shadows, from the clashes of proud Picts and pirate kings' in the early medieval period to the invention of tartan, whisky, Aberdeen Angus and Peter Pan. Each surprising or scandalous twist sheds a new light on the history of Scotland.Trade Review'Illuminating … this book deserves a place on the school curriculum' - Allan Massie, The Scotsman'Engaging ... beautifully written believe-it-or-not episodes from Scottish history' - The Wee ReviewTable of ContentsIntroduction 1. The Primeval Pile-Up 2. The Great Halls 3. The Cave of the Headless Children 4. High Noon on Lewis 5. Nailed 6. Bad Spelling 7. The Problem of the Picts 8. The Pirate Kings 9. English Scotland 10. The Islands of the Strangers 11. The Lost Cities 12. Fatal Attraction 13. Wallace, Moray and Bruce 14. Smarter Scots 15. Whaur’s Yer Wullie Shakespeare Noo? 16. The Chapel 17. Robert Carey’s Ride 18. The Chosen People 19. 1707 20. Frankenstein 21. The Brilliant Blacksmith 22. The Man in Tights 23. The Fire of the Dram 24. Aberdeen Angus 25. Tweed 26. Peter Pan 27. Ugly Scotland 28. The Stop Line 29. The Scottish Nazi 30. The Battle Rant 31. Tom Johnston 32. Stone Broke 33. Scotch Irish 34. The Scottish Cringe 35. Margot’s Man 36. Reconvened

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Book SynopsisThe origins, development and use of the two-edged knightly sword of the European middle ages, from the great migrations to the Renaissance.Trade ReviewAn invaluable reference work. * HISTORYOFWAR.ORG *

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Book SynopsisWhy did the Vikings sail to England? Were they indiscriminate raiders, motivated solely by bloodlust and plunder? One narrative, the stereotypical one, might have it so. But locked away in the buried history of the British Isles are other, far richer and more nuanced, stories; and these hidden tales paint a picture very different from the ferocious pillagers of popular repute.In this book, Eleanor Parker unlocks secrets that point to more complex motivations within the marauding army that in the late-9th century voyaged to the shores of eastern England in its sleek, dragon-prowed longships. Exploring legends from forgotten medieval texts, and across the varied Anglo-Saxon regions, she depicts Vikings who came not just to raid but also to settle personal feuds, intervene in English politics and find a place to call home. Native tales reveal the links to famous Vikings like Ragnar Lothbrok and his sons, Cnut, and Havelok the Dane. Each myth shows how the legacy of the newcomerTrade ReviewMeticulously researched, impressively informative, thoughtfully insightful, and an inherently fascinating read from cover to cover, "Dragon Lords: The History and Legends of Viking England" is an extraordinary work of scholarship that is exceptionally accessible for both academia and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject. * Midwest Book Review *Summing Up: Recommended. -- D.J. Shepherd, independent scholar * CHOICE *An absorbing and authoritative account of the survival of Scandinavian legends and history in post-Conquest England. This beautifully written book succeeds in casting Viking invaders and settlers in an unexpected new light. -- Carolyne Larrington, University of Oxford, UKDragon Lords tells the fascinating and hitherto unknown story of how the Viking invasions of England were turned into myth and legend by those whom the Scandinavians raided and later ruled. -- Heather O'Donoghue, University of Oxford, UKPart literary study, part historical investigation and part folkloric inquiry, it makes a riveting and rewarding read. -- Levi Roach, University of Exeter, UKTable of ContentsList of Illustrations Timeline of Key Texts and Events Acknowledgements A Note on Names Map of Anglo-Saxon England Introduction 1. 'From the north comes all that is evil': Vikings, Kings and Saints, c. 985-1100 2. The Sons of Ragnar Lothbrok 3. The Story of Siward 4. Danish Sovereignty and the Right to Rule 5. 'Over the salt sea to England': Havelok and the Danes Epilogue: The Danes in English Folklore Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisBuilding on the earlier volume dealing with British armor of the First World War, this is the second of a multi-volume history of British tanks by renowned British armor expert David Fletcher MBE. This volume traces the story of the British use of the tank through the early years of World War II, when Britain relied on its own tanks built in the late 1930s, and those designed and built with limited resources in the opening years of the war. Plagued by unreliable vehicles and poorly thought-out doctrine, these were years of struggle against an opponent well versed in the arts of armored warfare. It covers the development and use of the Matilda, Crusader, and Valentine tanks that pushed back the Axis in North Africa, the much-improved Churchill that fought with distinction from North Africa to Normandy, and the excellent Cromwell tank of 194445. It also looks at Britain''s super-heavy tank projects, the TOG1 and TOG2, and the Tortoise heavy assault tank, designed to battle thr

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Book SynopsisThe Medici are famous as the rulers of Florence at the high point of the Renaissance. Their power derived from the family bank, and this book tells the fascinating, frequently bloody story of the family and the dramatic development and collapse of their bank (from Cosimo who took it over in 1419 to his grandson Lorenzo the Magnificent who presided over its precipitous decline). The Medici faced two apparently insuperable problems: how did a banker deal with the fact that the Church regarded interest as a sin and had made it illegal? How in a small republic like Florence could he avoid having his wealth taken away by taxation? But the bank became indispensable to the Church. And the family completely subverted Florence's claims to being democratic. They ran the city. Medici Money explores a crucial moment in the passage from the Middle Ages to the Modern world, a moment when our own attitudes to money and morals were being formed.To read this book is to understand how much the Renaissance has to tell us about our own world. Medici Money is one of the launch titles in a new series, Atlas Books, edited by James Atlas. Atlas Books pairs fine writers with stories of the economic forces that have shaped the world, in a new genre - the business book as literature.Trade ReviewTim Parks proves a delightful guide to both the Florentine Renaissance and the family history of one of Europe's greatest dynasties. In Medici Money he wears his considerable learning with refreshing lightness, giving us a wise and witty meditation on money, art and power, Renaissance-style -- Ross King - author of Brunelleschi’s DomeParks brings a novelist's flair to his task and comes out as a hip and snappy narrator. * Independent on Sunday *A straightforward, readable, interesting and witty account of the rise and fall of one of the world's first banks ... A fasinating tale. * Glasgow Evening Times *Successfully captures the spirit of the age and brings alive the characters of Cosimo and Lorenzo, two men whose story remains as fascinating now as it was to their comtemporary friends and enemies. -- Tony Barber * Financial Times *Tim Parks retells the story with a hugely readable breadth and insight. -- Mark Archer * Spectator *Straight-forward, readable, interesting and witty account of the rise and fall of one of the world's first banks ... A fascinating tale. * Birmingham Post *Highlights the excesses and successes of the Florentine Renaissance and charts the glittering ascendancy of one entrepreneurial family against the backdrop of a unique Italian bank. * Good Book Guide *Successfully captures the spirit of the age, and brings alive the characters of Cosimo and Lorenzo, two men whose story remains as fascinating now as it was to their contemporary friends and enemies. * Financial Times *Parks, who is sceptical about bankers, writes about them with pace, wit and some passion. * Economist *A book which is as lively as it is learned. * Scotsman *Witty and penetrating ... Parks deftly unravels these complexities, illustrating both their benefits and the pitfalls with illuminating detail ... Tim Parks recounts the Medicis' story with an infectious enthusiasm. His own conjuring trick is to tell this grand saga, with all its chicanery, in a clear and lucid style. * Sunday Telegraph *Lucky for Italy that Tim Parks decided to live there and write about his new home. His books instruct and entertain. His acute sense of people and history now comes to grand fruition in his tome on the Medici, a gift to anyone who has been dazzled by Florence. Splendid reading -- Frances Mayes, author of Under the Tuscan SunAn erudite and profound examination of the Renaissance banking family. * BBC History Magazine *The fabulous banking boys...fascinating and intricate. * The Guardian *

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Gerald Brenan's The Spanish Labyrinth has become the classic account of the background to the Spanish Civil War. Written during and immediately after the Civil War, this book has all the vividness of the author's experience. It represents a struggle to see the issues in Spanish politics objectively, whilst bearing witness to the deep involvement which is the only possible source of much of this richly detailed account. As a literary figure on the fringe of the Bloomsbury group, Gerald Brenan lends to this narrative an engaging personal style that has become familiar to many thousands of readers over the decades since it was first published.

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Book SynopsisDominic Sandbrook''s magnificent account of the late 1970s in Britain The late 1970s were Britain''s years of strife and the good life. They saw inflation, riots, the peak of trade union power - and also the birth of home computers, the rise of the ready meal and the triumph of a Grantham grocer''s daughter who would change everything. Dominic Sandbrook recreates this extraordinary period in all its chaos and contradiction, revealing it as a turning point in our recent history, where, in everything from families and schools to punk and Doctor Who, the future of the nation was being decided.''Magnificent ... if you lived through the late Seventies - or, for that matter, even if you didn''t - don''t miss this book'' Mail on Sunday''Sandbrook has created a specific style of narrative history, blending high politics, social change and popular culture ... always readable and assured ... [A] splendid book'' Stephen Robinson, SundayTrade ReviewMagnificent ... if you lived through the late Seventies - or, for that matter, even if you didn't - don't miss this book. * Mail on Sunday *Sandbrook has created a specific style of narrative history, blending high politics, social change and popular culture ... always readable and assured ... Anyone who genuinely believes we have never been so badly governed should read this splendid book. -- Stephen Robinson * Sunday Times *Nuanced ... Sandbrook has rummaged deep into the cultural life of the era to remind us how rich it was, from Bowie to Dennis Potter, Martin Amis to William Golding. -- Damian Whitworth * The Times *Sharply and fluently written ... entertaining ... By making you quite nostalgic for the present, Sandbrook has done a public service. * Evening Standard *

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Book SynopsisSmolensk 1943 focuses on a major offensive that is virtually unknown in the West. With the German defeat at Kursk, the Soviet Stavka (high command) ordered the Western and Kalinin Fronts to launch Operation Suvorov in order to liberate the important city of Smolensk. The Germans had held this city for two years and Heeresgruppe Mitte''s (Army Group Centre) 4. Armee had heavily fortified the region. The Soviet offensive began in August 1943 and quickly realized that the German defenses were exceedingly tough and that the Western Front had not prepared adequately for an extended offensive. Consequently, the Soviets were forced to pause their offensive after only two weeks, replenish their combat forces, and then begin again. The German 4. Armee was commanded by Generaloberst Gotthard Heinrici, one of the Wehrmacht''s top defensive experts. Although badly outnumbered, Heinrici''s army gamely held off two Soviet fronts for seven weeks. EventualTrade ReviewMedal of Recommendation * Miniature Wargames *Table of ContentsOrigins of the campaign /Chronology /Opposing commanders /Opposing armies /Orders of battle /Opposing plans /The campaign /Aftermath /The battlefields today /Further reading /Index

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Book SynopsisDrawing on first-hand accounts from veterans and civilians, as well as previously unpublished source material, Death on the Don tells the story of one of the greatest military disasters of the Second World War.

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewBeautifully and profusely illustrated with full color images throughout, Art and Architecture of the Middle Ages is a fascinating and informative tour through the creative arts of Europe's 'Middle Ages"[.] * Midwest Book Review *Table of ContentsIntroduction: From Santiago to Samarkand, Lincoln to Lalibela 1. The Roots of Medieval Art 2. Fourth and Fifth Centuries 3. Sixth to Mid-Seventh Century 4. Mid-Seventh to Late Eighth Century 5. Late Eighth Century to ca. 960 6. ca. 960 to ca. 1070 7. ca. 1070 to ca. 1170 8. ca. 1170 to ca. 1250 9. ca. 1250 to ca. 1340 10. ca. 1340 to ca. 1450 11. Afterlives of the Middle Ages

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Book SynopsisThe rood screen was the visual focus of the medieval parish church, dividing the nave from the chancel. Most were built of wood and were adorned with intricate carved decoration painted in bright colours, often with images of saints. Defaced and often dismantled during the Reformation in the mid-sixteenth century, most surviving screens have been restored to their former glory since the nineteenth century and are now among the most prized treasures of our parish churches. This fully illustrated book explains the symbolic and practical significance of rood screens and describes the ways in which they were constructed and decorated. There is also an extensive list of churches in England and Wales where screens can be found.Table of ContentsThe Pride of the Parish Origins and Development Building a Rood Screen The Structure of Rood Screens Screen Decoration Use of Screens, Lofts and Roods Reformation The Church of England Further Reading Places to Visit Index

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Book SynopsisThe Avars arrived in Europe from the Central Asian steppes in the mid-sixth century CE and dominated much of Central and Eastern Europe for almost 250 years. Fierce warriors and canny power brokers, the Avars were more influential and durable than Attila's Huns, yet have remained hidden in history. Walter Pohl's epic narrative, translated into...Trade ReviewWalter Pohl has succeeded in stripping much of this veil of mystery from the Avars.... a heterogeneous group from central Asia who dominated the Byzantine Danube frontier in a complicated relationship that saw raids, wars, trade, and the payment of large annual sums of tribute. In tracing the history of the Avars and the peoples they dominated or fought and traded with, this is an illuminating history of southeast Europe in the early Middle Ages. * Speculum *This volume contains a wealth of information and informed discussion; it will repay careful study by anyone involved in the late Roman and early medieval period, and will remain the standard guide into the foreseeable future. * English Historical Review *Walter Pohl picks his way judiciously though the minefield of primary sources—fragmentary and contradictory—and secondary interpretations of varied value. His solid medievalist training coupled with common sense often balk at the most fanciful interpretations. The documentation assembled by Pohl is impressive; the use he made of it commands respect. Future research on all questions concerning the Avars, henceforth cannot bypass this very important book. * Journal of Asian History *Though the book was first published in German in 1988, this English version includes many revisions and updates and will be the definitive English-language study of the Avar empire for years to come. It will be invaluable for those interested in medieval history or in the impact of nomadic steppe empires on sedentary civilizations. * Choice *The book clearly stands as a monumental starting point of any future research on the Avars. Pohl and Cornell University Press deserve praise for publishing this important work of scholarship in English. * Studies in Late Antiquity *One wonders how it could have taken thirty years for the appearance of this, the first English edition of Walter Pohl's seminal work. But now that it is finally accessible to a much wider readership, it must be made clear that The Avars is more than just a translation. * Journal of the Australian Early Medieval Association *Table of ContentsList of Maps Timeline Preface 1. Approaching the Avars 1.1. Marginal Europeans? 1.2. Sources and Prejudices 1.3. Steppe Research and Its Methodological Problems 2. The Avar Migration 2.1. Constantinople 558 2.2. The Empire and the Steppe Peoples 2.3. Fugitives from the East 2.4. Avars or Pseudo-Avars? 2.5. The Advance of the Avars 2.6. Byzantium and the Turks 2.7. The Discovery of Europe 2.8. Decisive Years 2.9. 568: A Turning Point 3. The New Power, 567–90 3.1. The First Attack on Sirmium 3.2. Between Peace and War 3.3. Baian's Alliance with Byzantium 3.4. The Conquest of Sirmium 3.5. 583/84: Avar Raids and Symbolic Politics 3.6. 585/86: Slavic Raids and the Bookolabras Affair 3.7. 587: The War in Thrace 3.8. The Carpathian Basin in the Later Sixth Century: The Archaeological Evidence 3.9. Cultures around Keszthely 4. Avars and Slavs 4.1. Slavs before the Avars: Perceptions and Origins 4.2. The Saint and the Barbarians 4.3. Slavic Campaigns and Memories of Avars on the Greek Peninsula 4.4. The Obor and His Slavs 4.5. Avar Rule and Slavic Expansion 4.6. Becoming Slavs 5. The Balkan Wars of Maurice, 591–602 5.1. Maurice's Campaign and the Date of the Wars 5.2. The Avars on the Offensive 5.3. 593: Attacks on the Slavs North of the Danube 5.4. 594: The Limits of the Slavic War 5.5. 595: The Illyrian War 5.6. The Avars' Western Policy and the Slavs 5.7. 598: Only the Plague Can Stop the Avars 5.8. 599: The Khagan under Pressure 5.9. 600–602: The End of Imperial Politics on the Danube 6. Life and Organization in the Avar Empire 6.1. Nomads, Warriors, Steppe Peoples 6.2. "Their Life Is War" 6.3. The Early Avar Khaganate 6.4. The Avars and Byzantium 6.5. Avar Gold: Prestige, Gifts, Representation 6.6. Logades and Warriors 6.7. Forms of Production and Distribution 6.8. Exchanges and Their Limits 6.9. Religion and Ritual 6.10. The Development of Identities in the Avar Empire 7. The Seventh Century 7.1. Consolidation and New Offensives 7.2. The Surprise Attack on the Emperor 7.3. 626: The Siege of Constantinople 7.4. Samo 7.5. Croat Migrations? 7.6. Alciocus and Kuvrat 7.7. Kuver and Asparukh 7.8. Continuity and Cultural Change 8. The Century of the Griffin 8.1. Ways of Life in Archaeological Evidence 8.2. The Hierarchy of the Late Avar State 8.3. Limes Certus: The Avars and the West 8.4. The Collapse of Avar Power 8.5. Why Did the Avars Disappear? 8.6. Conclusion Appendix: Amount of Subsidies Paid by Byzantiumto the Avars Abbreviations Notes Sources Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisA magisterial survey of Irish history from the end of the ice age to the peace settlement in Northern Ireland.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Excellently documented... [O]ne of the best pictures that has ever been put together of the twelve men who made up [the] Committee of Public Safety... There is fine scholarship here."--New York Times "An excellent book on the administration of France by the great Committee of Public Safety... [Palmer] has made the members of the Committee living characters and the events of the period real occurrences."--American Political Science Review "A wonderful collective portrait of the Committee of Public safety; from the first sight of the room where they met at the Tuileries, you are plunged into the drama of their adventure."--Biancamaria Fontana, Times Higher EducationTable of ContentsList of Illustrations vi Foreword to the Princeton Classic Edition vii Preface to the Bicentennial Edition xvii 1 Twelve Terrorists to Be 3 2 The Fifth Summer of the Revolution 22 3 Organizing the Terror 44 4 The Beginning of Victory 78 5 The "Foreign Plot" and 14 Frimaire 108 6 Republic in Miniature 130 7 Doom at Lyons 153 8 The Missions to Alsace 177 9 The Missions to Brittany 202 10 Dictated Economy 225 11 Finding the Narrow Way 254 12 Ventose 280 13 The Culmination 305 14 The Rush Upon Europe 335 15 The Fall 361 Epilogue 388 Bibliographical Essay 397 Index 405

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Book SynopsisThe Codex of Justinian is, together with the Digest, the core of the great Byzantine compilation of Roman law called the Corpus Iuris Civilis. The Codex compiles legal proclamations issued by Roman emperors from the second to the sixth centuries CE. Its influence on subsequent legal development in the medieval and early modern world has been almost incalculable. But the Codex has not, until now, been credibly translated into English. This translation, with a facing Latin and Greek text (from Paul Krüger''s ninth edition of the Codex), is based on one made by Justice Fred H. Blume in the 1920s, but left unpublished for almost a century. It is accompanied by introductions explaining the background of the translation, a bibliography and glossary, and notes that help in understanding the text. Anyone with an interest in the Codex, whether an interested novice or a professional historian, will find ample assistance here.

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Book SynopsisA three-volume study of the Holocaust. First published in 1961, Raul Hilberg's account of how Germany annihilated the Jewish community of Europe spurred discussion and shaped the field of Holocaust studies. This expanded edition includes new material, particularly from archives in Eastern Europe.

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Book SynopsisHistory tells us that the Second World War broke Britain as a great power, diminishing its military strength, ruining its economy, and precipitating a striking wave of decolonization. Nationalists and new superpowers dominated the post-war landscape, and the country was on the slide. But no one knew this in 1945 - the leading politicians, the top civil servants, and the most knowledgeable experts, all expected the British Empire to remain intact long into the future. There was no hint of imminent collapse, and the governing elite and key opinion-shapers weren''t considering decline and decolonization, evincing instead a new zeal for imperial renovation and a belief that an empire which had just survived another global conflict was vital for the peace and security of all humankind. They were even looking to expansion, securing the spoils of victory as they had done at the end of the First World War. Fully expecting to continue leading a great empire as well as a bloc of European nations recovering from war, the British had their own vision of the new world order. Furthermore, and astonishingly given what actually happened, British leaders were convinced that parity could be gained with the Americans and the Soviets: Britain was to remain a superpower in its own right. What actually happened differed radically from these expectations. The question is, how do we account for the difference between what it was thought would happen and the actual course of events? Superpower Britain is the first book to focus in depth on this fascinating counterpoint and to fully integrate the history of Britain and the effects of the Second World War with the history of the British Empire. It explains what the British planned to do in the post-war world, why they thought their plans for regeneration and the future world order were viable, and what the war had actually done to British world power and its imperial foundations.

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Book SynopsisA new narrative history of the Viking Age, interwoven with exploration of the physical remains and landscapes that the Vikings fashioned and walked: their rune-stones and ship burials, settlements and battlefields.To many, the word Viking' brings to mind red scenes of rape and pillage, of marauders from beyond the sea rampaging around the British coastline in the last gloomy centuries before the Norman Conquest. It is true that Britain in the Viking Age was a turbulent, violent place. The kings and warlords who have impressed their memories on the period revel in names that fire the blood and stir the imagination: Svein Forkbeard and Edmund Ironside, Ivar the Boneless and Alfred the Great, Erik Bloodaxe and Edgar the Pacifier amongst many others. Evidence for their brutality, their dominance, their avarice and their pride is still unearthed from British soil with stunning regularity.But this is not the whole story.In Viking Britain, Thomas Williams has drawn on his experience as projecTrade Review‘Fresh, vivid and impeccably researched … the most rip-roaring work of nonfiction I read this year’ Tom Holland, Observer, Books of the Year ‘Williams’ infectiously enthusiastic book gives you everything you could want from a history of the Vikings’ Dominic Sandbrook, Sunday Times, Books of the Year ‘A debut that pulses with the author’s passion for his subject and his mastery of written sources, archaeology and legend. Williams narrates a complex story in enjoyable, lusty prose’ Dan Jones, Sunday Times ‘Viking Britain [is] an engrossing account … Williams is scrupulous to avoid the easy pub-chat message. He writes fluently and with feeling’ Thomas W. Hodgkinson, Spectator 'Williams is a master at conveying the atmosphere of Viking Britain … We are guests at a sensory feast, at times immersed … and at others guided by the comforting hand of firm historical evaluation. Viking Britain is a giddy ride … a real treat’ Philip Parker, Literary Review ‘Williams evocative prose puts flesh on sturdy academic bones. ‘Viking Britain’ is a pleasure to read… a lively, colourful book that explores in high definition what being a Viking really meant. Williams … succeeds where many have failed: to make the truth about the Vikings as entertaining as the fiction’ Giles Kristian, The Times ‘An exemplary work of popular history, at once full of the most up-to-date archaeology and international scholarly thought, and full of the literary flourishes which bring the past most vividly to life for readers: dramatic reconstruction, physical scene-setting and authorial intervention. It is a great success’ Ronald Hutton ‘A fundamentally new history of the Vikings in Britain: authoritative, at times controversial, and above all a personal journey through the byways of life under Scandinavian military occupation … A real pleasure to read’ Professor Neil Price, University of Uppsala

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Book SynopsisOriginally published by Cambridge University Press in the Monograph Series of the Society for New Testament Studies, Dr. Hoehner's work has been widely acclaimed for its scholarly reconstruction of Herod Antipas' political career.

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Book SynopsisThe Nature of Fascism draws on the history of ideas as well as on political, social and psychological theory to produce a synthesis of ideas and approaches that will be invaluable for students. Roger Griffin locates the driving force of fascism in a distinctive form of utopian myth, that of the regenerated national community, destined to rise up from the ashes of a decadent society. He lays bare the structural affinity that relates fascism not only to Nazism, but to the many failed fascist movements that surfaced in inter-war Europe and elsewhere, and traces the unabated proliferation of virulent (but thus far successfully marginalized) fascist activism since 1945.Trade Review'This is an excellent book. Ambitious in scope, though the author is commendably modest in his pretensions, it sets out to provide a new definition of fascism as a generic term... A short review cannot do justice to the subtlety of arguments employed...[those] arguments are invariably stimulating, the insights perceptive. Griffin has an enviable grasp of the literature and discusses all the major issues of fascist historiography in the light of his own theory. Last but not least, he writes with admirable lucidity and lightness of touch. His book succeeds in its aim of being of use to the specialist and student/general reader alike.' - Jeremy Noakes, Political StudiesTable of ContentsPreface Acknowldgements 1. The 'Nature' of Generic Facsism 2. A New Ideal Type of Generic Facsism 3. Italisan Fascism 4. German Fascism 5. Abortive Fascist Movements in Inter-war Europe 6. Non-European and Post-war Fascisms 7. The Psycho-historical Bases of Generic Fascism 8. Socio-political Determinants of Fascism's Success Postscript Index Glossary

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Book SynopsisWinner of a National Jewish Book Award "Fascinating.…A humane and tragic survey of a great and tragic subject." —Jan Morris, Literary ReviewTrade Review"King skillfully separates myth from fact.…His writing is aesthetic without superficiality, and erudite without pretension. Reading [his] book is like traveling as your best self, the self that you never quite are, ready with every reference, worldly and wise." -- Timothy Snyder - Wilson Quarterly"[A] finely written and evocative portrait.…A worthy tribute to one of Europe’s greatest and least-known cities." -- The Economist"Eloquent and engaging." -- Michael Schwirtz - Moment"Engaging and highly enjoyable…King brings a travel writer’s gift for clear prose and keen observation to history." -- Matthew Kaminsky - The Daily Beast"Rich and riveting, complex and compelling, powerful and poetic." -- Peter M. Gionatti - Newsday

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Book SynopsisGermany in the High Middle Ages opens with a wide-ranging and yet detailed description of the conditions and changes under which men lived and their attitudes of mind during the period 10501200. It explains how new classes emerged, universities were founded and how Germany rose and fell as a major empire.Trade Review'Horst Fuhrmann gives us 150 stormy years in 180 pages. his narrative is economical and lucid, though he opens with a relatively leisurely chapter on space, time and man in the Middle Ages. This masterly survey of 'medical anthropology', with its evocation of the harsh environment and alien thought-world of the period, is followed by a deft sketch of the transformation of Western Europe into something recognizably 'modern' by the year 1200.' The Times Literary Supplement'This concise, vigorous, well-translated delineation of a short span, only a century and a half, of germany's medieval experience has the great merit of setting the events within the European context. The author succeeds in showing that Germany was not behind hand in the economic, cultural and religious advances usually attributed to french and italian society as pioneers in that age … The book is published in hardcover and paperback, and will establish itself, by its great verve and readability, as the standard short sccount in English for some years.' HistoryTable of ContentsPart I. German history in the High Middle Ages - Concepts, Explanations, Facts: 1. The three 'essentials' of history - space, time, and man; 2. Germany in the Europe of the high Middle Ages; Part II. 'Progress and Promise': The German Empire in the Mid Eleventh Century: 3. Social stratification and the structure of government in the Ottonian and Salian period; 4. Rex et sacerdos - the priestly kingship of Henry III (1039–56); 5. Strengths and weaknesses of Salian kingship; 6. Henry III as Roman patricius and the German popes; 7. The beginnings and aims of church reform; 8. The distance from the rest of Europe: France, England and the North; Part III. From Christus Domini to Antichrist: The King of Germany and the Investiture Contest: 9. The reign of Henry IV and its consequences; 10. The rise of the secular state and the priestly church; Part IV. Political Reorientation and Emergent Diversity: From Salian Imperial Church System to Staufer Kingship: 11. The results of the investiture contest; 12. 'The love of learning and the desire for God': church and spirituality in the age of Bernard of Clairvaux; 13. Lothar III: kingship without a future; 14. Conrad III: kingship without imperial glory; Part V. The Centre-Point of the German Middle Ages: Frederick Barbarossa and His Age: 15. The election of Frederick I and the policy of balance: Frederick and the Empire before the Alexandrine schism; 16. Empire and papacy in the struggle for supremacy; 17. New forms of government; 18. Henry VI and the shift in the Empire's centre of gravity; Bibliography; Index.

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Book SynopsisEntropic Creation is the first English-language book to consider the cultural and religious responses to the second law of thermodynamics, from around 1860 to 1920. According to the second law of thermodynamics, as formulated by the German physicist Rudolf Clausius, the entropy of any closed system will inevitably increase in time, meaning that the system will decay and eventually end in a dead state of equilibrium. Application of the law to the entire universe, first proposed in the 1850s, led to the prediction of a future ''heat death'', where all life has ceased and all organization dissolved. In the late 1860s it was pointed out that, as a consequence of the heat death scenario, the universe can have existed only for a finite period of time. According to the ''entropic creation argument'', thermodynamics warrants the conclusion that the world once begun or was created. It is these two scenarios, allegedly consequences of the science of thermodynamics, which form the core of this boTrade Review’... an exemplary history of ideas, which taxonomizes and critiques a spectrum of arguments about thermodynamics and cosmology, clearly demarcating newer from older ways of thinking. Particularly fascinating is his account of the staying power of the conservative and theological connotations of thermodynamic cosmology into the Cold War, when it became part of Soviet orthodoxy that laboratory physics could not be applied to the infinite universe. The book will interest scholars of science and religion as well as historians of physics.’ British Journal for the History of Science ’Pour découvrir en détail les tenants et les aboutissants de ces débats, rien de tel que le livre érudit, novateur et passionnant d’Helge Kragh. [...] Kragh montre en effet que les liens historiques entre philosophie, religion et science sont complexes. C’est un autre mérite de ce très bon livre.’ Pour la Science ’Je ne peux que recommander ce livre riche, original et passionnant, à toute personne qui s'intéresse à l'histoire de la physique, et en particulier celle de la cosmologie, mais aussi aux philosophes et théologiens qui abordent aujourd'hui le débat 'science-foi'.’ Archives Internationales d'Histoire des SciencesTable of ContentsChapter 1 Introduction; Chapter 2 Some Early Ideas on Decay and Creation; Chapter 3 Thermodynamics and the Heat Death; Chapter 4 The Entropic Creation Argument; Chapter 5 Concepts of the Universe; Chapter 6 Post-1920 Developments; Chapter 7 Shadows from the Past;

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Book SynopsisAn analysis of the course of Western intellectual history between AD 400 and 1400. It surveys the comparative modes of thought and varying success of Byzantine, Latin-Christian and Muslim cultures, and then proceeds from the 12th-century revival of learning to the high Middle Ages and beyond.

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Book SynopsisEmpires and Barbarians presents a fresh, provocative look at how a recognizable Europe came into being in the first millennium AD. With sharp analytic insight, Peter Heather explores the dynamics of migration and social and economic interaction that changed two vastly different worlds--the undeveloped barbarian world and the sophisticated Roman Empire--into remarkably similar societies and states. The book''s vivid narrative begins at the time of Christ, when the Mediterranean circle, newly united under the Romans, hosted a politically sophisticated, economically advanced, and culturally developed civilization--one with philosophy, banking, professional armies, literature, stunning architecture, even garbage collection. The rest of Europe, meanwhile, was home to subsistence farmers living in small groups, dominated largely by Germanic speakers. Although having some iron tools and weapons, these mostly illiterate peoples worked mainly in wood and never built in stone. The farther east oTrade ReviewAn amiable and learned companion through the centuries of migrations."-Library JournalAn awesomely ambitious work: an attempt, in the heroic tradition of Pirenne, to make sense of nothing less than the reshaping of antiquity, and the origins of modern Europe.... Heather is a wonderfully fluent writer, with a consistent ability to grab hold of his reader's attention.... The result is a book which richly merits reading by those interested in the future of Europe as well as its past. * Tom Holland, BBC History Magazine *Most immediately impressive is Heather's easy command of detail. A jaunty, man of the people prose style masks a sure and scholarly grip on the history and archaeology of the first millenniem A.D. One of Heather's most attractive strengths is his eye for comparision. He neatly sets his thinking about first-millennium migration against modern experiences of the lure of the New World or the desperate flight of Kosovar or Rwandan refugees. * Christopher Kelly, Literary Review *Peter Heather's book is an important contribution to the field -- the first up-to-date book that compares the Germanic and the Slav migrations of the early middle ages. It is lucid and it has a complex argument, but it is grippingly written. * Chris Wickham, author of The Inheritance of Rome: Illuminating the Dark Ages, 400-1000 *This is a major work on the political and ethnic shaping of Europe during the first millennium A.D., embracing not just the Germanic and sub-Roman peoples, but also the Slavs and the Vikings. No one interested in the formation of European states and identities will be able to ignore this book. * Bryan Ward-Perkins, author of The Fall of Rome and the End of Civilization *Impressive in its ambition and its scope."-The New YorkerHeather manages to robustly balance the need for both breadth and depth. A superior piece of scholarship."-DiscoverMagazine.comWhile ambitious in scope, one of the delightful aspects of this hefty volume is its eminent readability. Heather's writing is often playful in style. This conversational and sometimes humorous tone, combined with a knack for explaining complex ideas clearly, belies the complexity of his argument and the sheer amount of information conveyed." -Laura Wangerin, World History BulletinIn addition to offering a new way of looking at the broad trends of European history, Heather also makes a major contribution to a long-standing debate about the role of migration in the first millennium…[Empire and Barbarians'] range, its highly important themes, and the boldness and clarity of its writing should stimulate argument and advance debate for years to come." -Edward James, American Historical ReviewEmpires and Barbarians is a significant accomplishment and a welcome gateway for the curious as well as the deeply informed." * HNN.com *Table of ContentsPreface ; Prologue ; Ch 1: Migrants and Barbarians ; Ch 2: Globalization and the Germans ; Ch 3: All Roads Lead to Rome? ; Ch 4: Migration and Frontier Collapse ; Ch 5: Huns on the Run ; Ch 6: Franks and Anglo-Saxons: Elite Transfer or Volkerwanderung? ; Ch 7: A New Europe ; Ch 8: The Creation of Slavic Europe ; Ch 9: Viking Diasporas ; Ch 10: The First European Union ; Ch 11: The End of Migration and the Birth of Europe ; Notes ; Primary Sources/ Bibliography

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Book SynopsisThe Battle of Bannockburn is the most celebrated battle in history between Scotland and England.

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Book SynopsisThis book brings together a wealth of black and white pictures which together record not only the operations of the WLA but also scenes of the countryside between 1939 and 1950. Drawn from the worldwide albums of many ex-land girls at a time when film was rationed and photography monitored, this collection offers a fascinating insight into the people and places associated with the WLA. Many of these photos have never been published in book form and so offer a unique record of the organisation. Every photo is captioned, providing names and dates where possible, revealing historical anecdotal detail which gives life to the scenes and personalities captured through the camera lens. Presenting training, occupations and the social activities of the Land Army women, this absorbing collection will not only evoke many wartime memories, but will also inspire readers through these images of hope, strength and unity.

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Book SynopsisComplete with new photography of the cleaned and conserved objects, showing off the stunning and intricate decoration, this book provides a fascinating account of the history and the discovery of this remarkable hoard.

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Book SynopsisOffers an exploration of medieval Scandinavia, which questions assumptions about early Scandinavian history. The book traces the development of Scandinavia from the early 9th century through the second and third decades of the 16th century.Table of Contentssources; lands and peoples; political history - an outline; things and kings; Christianization and church organization; lords and tenants; trade and towns; family and inheritance; woman - ideal and reality; uses of the past.

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Book Synopsis1314. On a marsh-fringed plain south of Stirling Castle, King Robert the Bruce led the Scottish army in a singularly devastating victory over the English. Bannockburn was Scotland's greatest battlefield triumph, achieved against the odds by a combination of brilliant tactical leadership and the fatal overconfidence of the English King, Edward II.On the 700th anniversary of the battle, Peter Reese's definitive history shines a spotlight on this pivotal moment in Scottish History and considers the wider implications of this momentous victory.Trade ReviewAn admirably vivid account of the Scots' greatest victory over the English . . .The measured, precise build-up makes the final eruption of violence all the more compelling and impresses upon the reader just how much was at stake on the battlefield of Bannockburn in the summer of 1314. * * Scotsman * *A cracker of a book, which reads like a novel yet has the authority of many a weightier tome * * Sunday Herald * *A thoroughly researched overview of this crucial period of Scotland's history . . . it is the sense of calm progression that makes this book so effective * * Scots Magazine * *Peter Reese has vision, insight and understanding. * * The Herald * *

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Book SynopsisIt traces their persistence from medical guidebooks of the past to current health fads, from the testimonies of medical doctors to the theories of scientists, physicians, and philosophers.Trade Review"...this persistent [humoural] theory...has much to teach us..." -- New York Sun "Passions and Tempers may excite the passions and tempers...as a good work of intellectual history should." -- Washington Post "...a stimulating work that shows the Western mind nobly grappling with the inscrutable nature of the human body." -- Publishers Weekly "To Arikha's immense credit, she provides a thoroughly documented account..." -- New York Times Book Review "...a fine job..." -- New York Times Book Review "Fascinating...[Passions and Tempers] challenges us to consider the value, and the meaning, of a discredited theory." -- Salon.com

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Book SynopsisFarewell the Trumpets: An Imperial Retreat traces the momentous decline and fall of the greatest of empires - from Queen Victoria''s Diamond Jubilee to the death of Winston Churchill in 1965. With characteristic balance, this masterpiece of narrative history describes the long retreat and final dissolution of the British Empire. The Pax Britannica Trilogy includes Heaven''s Command: An Imperial Progress and Pax Britannica: The Climax of an Empire. Together these three works of history trace the dramatic rise and fall of the British Empire, from the accession of Queen Victoria in 1837 to the death of Winston Churchill in 1965. Jan Morris is also world-renowned for her collection of travel writing and reportage, spanning over five decades and including such titles as Venice, Coronation Everest, Hong Kong, Spain, A Writer''s World and most recently, Contact! ''The British Empire is fortunate in havin

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“Strickland expertly addresses this imbalanced legacy, building on his previous work to argue that Henry’s role in twelfth-century Angevin politics is not only more complex than has been previously considered, but is also crucial to understanding the nature of events at the time . . . in renegotiating familiar source material, Strickland has provided readers with a fresh picture of an important Medieval figure who has long been deserving of such an excellent biography.”—Thomas Chadwick, Royal Studies“Strickland’s detailed and very readable biography of Henry, the Young King will certainly ensure that his subject is no longer the least known of the Angevin kings.”—William M. Aird, Northern HistorySHORTLISTED FOR THE 2017 WOLFSON PRIZE 'In Matthew Strickland’s study of King Henry, royal son of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine, we have not just the fascinating narrative of a flawed hero’s turbulent life but also a brilliant analysis of the culture of politics at the Angevin court.' - John Gillingham, author of Richard I'This important study of Henry II’s son, the Young King, provides many new insights into the culture and politics of the Angevin Empire, from tournaments to rebellions. The evidence is skilfully used to tease out the character of a neglected figure, and to set his career in a wide European context.' - Michael Prestwich, author of Edward I 'This book is brilliant; it is the best biography of a medieval ruler I have ever read. It will be a lasting monument to both the Young King Henry and to Matthew Strickland's considerable scholarship.' - Stephen Church, author of King John: England, Magna Carta and the Making of a Tyrant

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Book SynopsisTony Judt provides a sharp and intellectual ideological description of mid-twentieth century French intellectualsPast Imperfect is a forthright and uncommonly damning study of those intellectually volatile years [1944-1956]. Mr. Judtdoes more than simply describe the ideological acrobats of his subjects; he is a sharp, even a vindictive moralist who indicts these intellectuals for their inhumanity in failing to test their political thought against political reality.John Sturrock, New York Times Book ReviewTrade Review...Past Imperfectis a well researched, passionately written hatchet job on the illusions and follies of a generation of post-war French Intellectuals. Judt begins by asking why communism dominated political and philosophical conversation in postwar France...Having put this period in context, Judt chronicles the emergence of a new generation of French postwar intellectuals and describes the central issues which preoccupied them: the legacy of four years of which came in their wake; Anti-Americanism and the Cold War; and the battles over French colonialism, especially in Algeria. He points out the key turning points; the Kravchenko and Rousset trials, brought by authors whose accounts of Soviet Communism met with disbelief and worse in Paris; the break between Stalin and Tito; the Rajk and Slansky show trials in east Europe; and finally in 1956, the suppression of the Hungarian uprising. Through it all, Judt traces certain disturbing patterns, especially the almost pathological flirtation of French intellectuals with violence and terror, from the French Revolution to Satre's support for political terrorism and Maoism. * Jewish Quarterly *Table of ContentsAcknowledgmentsINTRODUCTIONPART ONE: THE FORCE OF CIRCUMSTANCES? 1. Decline and Fall2. In the Light of Experience3. Resistance and Revenge4. What is Political Justice? PART TWO: THE BLOOD OF OTHERS 5. Show Trials6. The Blind Force of History7. Today Things Are Clear PART THREE: THE TREASON OF THE INTELLECTUALS 8. The Sacrifices of Russian People9. About the East We Can Do Nothing10. America Has Gone Mad11. We Must Not Disillusion the Workers PART FOUR: THE MIDDLE KINGDOM 12. Liberalism, There Is the Enemy13. Gesta Dei per Francos14 Europe and the French Intellectuals CONCLUSION: GOODBYE TO ALL THAT?SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER READINGINDEX

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Book SynopsisTrade Review‘His biography, well researched, fresh and distinctive, knocks off the top perch G.W.S. Barrow’s Robert the Bruce and the Community of the Realm of Scotland, published in 1965.’—Katie Stevenson, London Review of Books‘Penman’s book is first-class history: detailed, closely argued and ringing with the authority of one steeped in the period . . .Penman’s scholarship is commendable, his style clear, his contribution to this field a truly original and quietly groundbreaking addition to the known facts of Robert the Bruce. It is essential reading as midsummer draws near – and long after.’ —Rosemary Goring, The Herald'His biography, well researched, fresh and distinctive, knocks off the op perch G.W.S.Barrow's Robert Bruce and the Community of the Realm of Scotland, published in 1965.'—Katie Stevenson, World of Interiors'[T]his is an outstanding piece of work that shines a light on some extremely murky corners of history and allows King Robert's genius as a lawmaker and diplomat to rival his undoubted skill as a military leader.'—Fiona Watson, Reviews in History “[T]he fullest reappraisal of this crucial figure since the 1960s… [A] major advance in the study of this critical period in the shaping of the late medieval Scottish kingdom”—Michael H. Brown, Royal Studies Journal'Robert Bruce’s piety is one of the fascinating themes that characterise Michael Penman’s full and definitive account of the king’s life and reign. A magesterial study.'—Michael Prestwich, author of Edward I

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Book SynopsisMost of the women who ever lived left no trace of their existence on the record of history. In this book, Suzannah Lipscomb recovers the lives and aspirations of ordinary sixteenth- and seventeenth-century French women, using rich source material to show what they thought about their lives, menfolk, friendships, faith, and sex.Trade Review...it would be unwise to deny our pleasure, as works about women, families and sexuality are scarce concerning the Protestant Midi on the second half of the 16th century. The book, furthermore, demonstrates the current dynamism of Early Modern gender studies, both in French and British historiography--and we can but rejoice of it. * Review of modern and contemporary history of Nîmes & du Gard *[An] elegant and against-the-odds readable journey into women's lives in southern France during a period of social change and religious turmoil. It's a humane and brilliantly told story. * Dan Jones, Waterstones Favourite History Books of the Year 2019 *An exhaustive study ... constitutes a substantive display of scholarly acumen ... The women of Lipscomb's narrative are less devious and more direct about their needs. They have been lucky to find such a gifted chronicler. * Kate Maltby, The Financial Times *This impressive study vividly re-animates the lived realities of ordinary women in sixteenth- and early seventeenth-century Languedoc...This work is essential reading for specialists and students of gender, consistories, and the Protestant Reformation, while its engaging prose and opening chapters on life in Languedoc and how consistories operated make it accessible to all those interested in early modern France. * Linda Briggs, Queen Mary University of London, French Studies *Lipscomb's painstaking study ... offers new insights into everyday life and popular morality in Reformation France. A finely wrought and colourful mosaic ... the overall result is ... richly satisfying. * Alexandra Walsham, Literary Review *[R]eaders of The Voices of Nîmes will come away with a vivid sense of women's daily life in a sixteenth-century French town and will learn much from the book. * Allan Tulchin, Shippensburg Univeristy, H-France Review *This impressive study vividly re-animates the lived realities of ordinary women in sixteenth- and early seventeenth-century Languedoc essential reading for specialists and students of gender, consistories, and the Protestant Reformation, while its engaging prose and opening chapters on life in Languedoc and how consistories operated make it accessible to all those interested in early modern France * Linda Briggs, French Studies *The Voices of Nîmes is a work of meticulous archival research that not only presents [...] past conversations but breathes them into vivid life. It takes a proficient, passionate and witty storyteller like Lipscomb to detail these stories in a way that transports and moves the reader. * Joanne Paul, History Today *This is a splendid read. The author has not overplayed her stories. She has not needed to. This is scholarly writing at its readable best. * G. R. Evans, Church Times *This is a beautiful book, grippingly written, and destined to be a classic of social history * Professor Sir Simon Schama *Fascinating book... exceptional fresh insights into gender relations, social life, and religious belief among first generations of protestants in the French Midi * Robin Briggs, All Souls College, Oxford *Essential reading for all those interested in the hidden stories of the Reformation and hearing the everyday voices so often left out of history books * Kate Mosse, Kate Mosse, author of Labyrinth and The Burning Chambers *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1: Landscape 2: The Pursuit of Morality 3: Belief 4: Social Relations 5: Marriage and Love 6: Sex 7: The Trials of Marriage Conclusion

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