European history: medieval period, middle ages Books

Book SynopsisTrade ReviewThe best history of Greece around... Beautifully written and packed with insights about the culture and the people. I will be dipping into this book for the rest of my life. -- Victoria Hislop * The Week *His new book - judicious, well-researched and commendably up-to-date - deserves to be the standard general history of modern Greece in English for years to come. * Financial Times *This book explores the history, not of a Greece of romantic or philhellenic imagination, but the reality of the country as it has become today. The empathy it evokes for the survival of modern Greek statehood against a recurring pattern of often existential crisis is all the more compelling, subtle and above all human in its many-sidedness. Beaton's account instantly becomes the single most outstanding treatment of its subject and shows us why - as Lord Palmerston expressed it succinctly for his own times - 'Greece' is an emotional word that still matters to contemporary society. -- Professor Robert HollandA wonderfully engaging narrative ... It is a superb achievement and to be recommended to anyone with even the most rudimentary interest -- Professor Kevin FeatherstoneA perceptive analysis of Greece's financial crisis, the embers of which continue to threaten to derail the single currency project of the EU * Country Life *Praise for Byron's War: Indispensable * Literary Review *

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Book SynopsisThe "illuminating and inspiring" (Los Angeles Times) bestseller that reveals a "lost" golden age of medieval Spain, when Muslims, Jews, and Christians lived together in an atmosphere of tolerance and literature and science flourished.Trade Review' An illuminating and even inspiring work..By showing us what was lost Menocal reminds us of what might be.' - LOS ANGELES TIMES

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Book SynopsisThe extraordinary true story of the Stasi's poetry club: Stasiland and The Lives of Others crossed with Dead Poets Society.Engrossing.' ObserverRemarkable.' The TimesMagnificent.' Phillipe SandsGripping.' Literary ReviewA history so outlandish and unlikely that you feel it must be true . . . [A] grippingly well-written book.' Anthony Quinn, Observer Book of the WeekIn 1982, East Germany's fearsome secret police convinced that writers were embedding subversive messages in their work decided to train their own writers, weaponising poetry in the struggle against the class enemy. Once a month, a group of soldiers and border guards gathered in a heavily guarded military compound in East Berlin for meetings to learn how to write lyrical verse.Journalist Philip Oltermann spent five years rifling through Stasi files,Trade Review'A magnificent book. I could not put it down. It is at once touching, exquis-ite, devastating and extraordinary - it's a wonderful narrative, with impeccable detective work, and beautifully written. It manages to be under-stated and thrilling, a kind of literary page turner. I loved it. It deserves to be very widely read and then turned into a movie.' - Philippe Sands, author of EAST WEST STREET and THE RATLINE

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Book SynopsisThe Oxford AQA History series has been developed by a team of expert history teachers and authors with examining experience. Written to match the new AQA specification, this edition covers AS and A Level content together in one book. Updated as part of our commitment to the inclusive presentation of diverse histories.

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Book SynopsisHorrible Histories author Terry Deary presents a laugh-out-loud collection of Viking tales based on thrilling true stories four books in one!

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Book SynopsisDiscover a story 400 years in the making - the definitive biography of the man who dominated England in the first half of the sixteenth century'Engrossing' THE TIMES'In this excellent study, Thomas More is reborn as a complex, absorbing man' DAILY TELEGRAPH'[A] immersive, richly told account of life, death, faith and politics at the early Tudor court' SPECTATOR'THE definitive biography of one of history's most complex and often inscrutable characters' NATHEN AMIN'Significant. Terrific. Meticulously researched. Beautifully written' LITERARY REVIEWBorn into the English Wars of the Roses, educated in the European Renaissance, enthralled by the Age of Exploration and ultimately destroyed by Henry VIII, Thomas More is one of the most famous - or notorious - figures in English history. Is he a saintly scholar, the visionary author of Utopia and an inspiration for statesmen, socialists and intellectuals even today?Or is he the stubborn zealot famously portrayed in Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall?Thomas More: A Life and Death in Tudor England is the definitive biography of this hypnotic, flawed figure. Overturning many received interpretations of the sixteenth century, Joanne Paul shows Thomas More to have been an intellectual and political giant of his age, central to the making of modern Europe. Based on new archival discoveries and drawing on more than a decade's research into More's life and work, this is a richly-told story of family, faith and politics, and a compelling portrait of a man who, more than four hundred years after his death, remains the most brilliant mind of the Renaissance. __MORE PRAISE FOR THOMAS MORE'Paul has created a portrait of Thomas More that is epic, intimate and profoundly relatable to the modern reader' LEAH REDMOND CHANG, Women's Prize longlisted historian of Young Queens'Very impressive' ALISON WEIR'Wonderful, riveting, subtle. Captures beautifully the life of More and the fading world he died to preserve' WALL STREET JOURNAL'A proper scholarly history as well as a wonderful narrative read' SUSANNAH LIPSCOMB'Paul gives us a movingly human picture of a family man, scholar, politician and, ultimately, political martyr' ELIZABETH NORTON

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Book Synopsis''A kaleidoscopic portrait of post-war queer life'' Guardian''Fascinating'' The Times''Absorbing, illuminating, highly entertaining and often very funny'' Spectator''Fascinating, bitchy, humorous and shocking'' Time OutFOR NEARLY 60 YEARS Mr George Lucas led a double life. A mild-mannered civil servant by day, by night he was a fixture of London''s colourful underground gay scene - a twilight world of petty crime, louche pubs and public toilets. He was also an obsessive diary writer. Beginning in the early 1960s, Mr Lucas had a passionate and fraught affair with a rent boy associate of the Kray twins known as Irish Peter, one of many men Mr Lucas paid for sex. Together, Irish Peter and Mr Lucas represent the spectrum of gay criminality prior to the partial decriminalisation of gay sex in 1967. When Mr Lucas died in 2014, he left his diaries to the journalist Hugo Greenhalgh. The Diaries of Mr Lucas combines Mr Lucas''s deliciously indiscreet recollections of a life spent sometimes literally in the shadows with Greenhalgh''s commentary - this is gay London like it''s never been seen before.

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Book SynopsisDISCOVER THE MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMAN THAT ENGLISH HISTORY FORGOTPart of the ALL-NEW LADYBIRD EXPERT SERIES.- Who was Æthelflæd?- What role did she play in the founding of England?- How has her legacy lasted to this day?DISCOVER the epic history of England''s forgotten queen. Planting cities, sponsoring learning and defeating her people''s enemies, Æthelflæd laid the foundations of a kingdom that lasts to this day.Tom Holland''s Æthelflæd puts a spotlight on this formidable leader, pulling her out of the shadowy history of the dark ages.Trade ReviewA concise, appealing account from a leading name in the field * History Revealed *The artwork is gloriously retro, echoing the original Ladybird house style but containing completely up to date information. * Shiny New Books *

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewGruesomely compelling ... A fascinating account -- Nick Rennison * Daily Mail *Gloriously pulsating ... [Fitzharris] has an eye for morbid detail, visceral imagery and comic potential. From out of this hellish vision, Lister emerges as the cool, modern, scientific saviour to whom we should all give thanks -- Wendy Moore * Guardian *Atmospheric ... The Butchering Art has its share of resplendent gore -- Jennifer Senior * New York Times *Thoroughly enjoyable ... With The Butchering Art, Fitzharris explores the intersection of Lister's life, the development of antiseptic surgery, and the horrors of the wards with an almost surgical precision -- Nicola Davis, 'Book of the Day' * Observer *The Butchering Art is a formidable achievement - a rousing take told with brio, featuring a real-life hero worthy of the ages and jolts of Victorian horror to rival the most lurid moments of Wilkie Collins -- John J. Ross * Wall Street Journal *Brilliant ... Thanks to Lister's dogged pursuit of knowledge and fervent attention to the needs of surgical patients, death rates plummeted. Fitzharris tells this story with an equal attention to detail -- Joanna Bourke * Telegraph *Scintillating and shocking ... A book full of gangrene, pus and hideous pain, which will make you thankful never to suffer the horror of having a tumour removed from your jaw with no pain relief -- Bee Wilson * Sunday Times *Hugely entertaining and informative ... Fitzharris brings [Joseph Lister's] sensibility to life with great energy and elegance, and her account is vivid and entertaining, as well as enjoyably (and sometimes eye-wateringly) graphic. The result is rich with anecdote and intellectual excitement, replete with emotional resonance and narrative pleasure -- Matthew Adams * National *An illuminating and grisly look at the work of hacksaw-wielding surgeons of the 19th century -- Sian Cain * Guardian *Well researched and written with verve... A fine read full of vivid detail, prompting thoughtful reflection on the past, and the challenging future, of surgical practice -- Tilli Tansey * Nature *Bloody, visceral, and fascinating * Entertainment Weekly *A lively read, constantly entertaining ... Fitzharris is an unapologetic showman. I imagine her as a ringmaster, inviting us to roll up and read if we dare * The National *A brilliant and gripping account of the almost unimaginable horrors of surgery and post-operative infection before Lister transformed it all with his invention of antisepsis. It is the story of one of the truly great men of medicine and of the triumph of humane scientific method and dogged persistence over dogmatic ignorance -- Henry Marsh * author of Do No Harm and Admissions *Engaging and extensively researched ... A riveting and sympathetic description of one man's quest to help humanity -- Patricia Fara * Literary Review *Electric. The drama of Lister's mission to shape modern medicine is as exciting as any novel -- Dan Snow * author of Battlefield Britain *Book of the Week * The Week *In The Butchering Art, Lindsey Fitzharris becomes our Dante, leading us through the macabre hell of nineteenth-century surgery to tell the story of Joseph Lister, the man who solved one of medicine's most daunting - and lethal - puzzles. With gusto, Dr. Fitzharris takes us into the operating 'theaters' of yore, as Lister awakens to the true nature of the killer that turned so many surgeries into little more than slow-moving executions. Warning: She spares no detail! -- Erik Larson * bestselling author of Dead Wake and The Devil in the White City *With an eye for historical detail and an ear for vivid prose, Lindsey Fitzharris tells a spectacular story about one of the most important moments in the history of medicine-the rise of sterile surgery. The Butchering Art is a spectacular book-deliciously gruesome and utterly gripping. You will race through it, wincing as you go, but never wanting to stop * Ed Yong, author of I Contain Multitudes *An absolutely fascinating and grisly read that vividly brings to life the world of the Victorian operating theatre -- Catharine Arnold * author of Bedlam and Necropolis *Fitzharris slices into medical history with this excellent biography of Joseph Lister, the 19th-century "hero of surgery." ... She infuses her thoughtful and finely crafted examination of this revolution with the same sense of wonder and compassion Lister himself brought to his patients, colleagues, and students * Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) *The Butchering Art is medical history at its most visceral and vivid. It will make you forever grateful to Joseph Lister, the man who saved us from the horror of pre-antiseptic surgery, and to Lindsey Fitzharris, who brings to life the harrowing and deadly sights, smells, and sounds of a nineteenth-century hospital -- Caitlin Doughty * bestselling author of Smoke Gets in Your Eyes and From Here to Eternity *Fascinating and shocking ... [Fitzharris] offers an important reminder that, while many regard science as the key to progress, it can only help in so far as people are willing to open their minds to embrace change * Kirkus (Starred Review) *The Butchering Art, with its attention to detail, its admiration for its subject and its unflinching sympathy for the suffering, proposes a causal chain - running through the history of human sickness and not yet at its end - in which Lister forms a strong and vital link -- Sarah Perry * London Review of Books *

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Book SynopsisAccusatory, libellous, or just bizarre, Penning Poison unveils the history of anonymous letter-writing.''er at number 14 is dirtyReceiving an unexpected and unsigned note is a disconcerting experience. In Penning Poison, Emily Cockayne traces the stories of such letters to all corners of English society over the period 1760-1939. She uncovers scandal, deception, class enmity, personal tragedy, and great loneliness. Some messages were accusatory, some libellous, others bizarre. Technology, new postal networks, forensic techniques, and the emergence of professional police all influence the phenomenon of poison letter campaigns. This book puts the letters back into their local and psychology context, extending the work of detectives, to discover who may have written them and why.Emily Cockayne explores the reasons and motivations for the creation and delivery of these missives and the effect on recipients - with some blasé, others driven to madness. Small communities hit by letter campaigTrade ReviewA well-researched and wide-ranging survey of a fascinating and murky area in the history of letters. * Miranda Seymour, Financial Times *Gripping...full of one engaging story after another * Jonathan Self, Country Life *Emily Cockayne, one of the leading social historians of our times, has written a truly original history of anonymous letter writing. With her unparalleled skills of exploration and empathy, she has provided a brilliant and beautifully written account of neglected phenomenon in all its social complexity. * Emma Griffin, President of the Royal Historical Society *As Emily Cockayne shows in this fascinating history, harassment by anonymous letters has often escalated into criminal proceedings in Britain. Cockayne has an eye for the telling details of everyday life, and her sensitivity to motive and human frailty allows her to see things that the detectives who investigated these cases in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries missed. * Christopher Hilliard, author of The Littlehampton Libels: A Miscarriage of Justice and a Mystery about Words in 1920s England *This book is a great fit for libraries and for private readers who have an interest in such true crime mysteries. * Anna Faktorovich, Pennsylvania Literary Journal *A diligent and fascinating study of a pervasive social phenomenon. * Stephen Bates, Literary Review *[A] fascinating account, not just of poison pen letters themselves, but also of the evolution of the necessary postal networks, technology, forensics and policing. Whether you find the realisation refreshing or dispiriting, it appears that the anxieties of the internet age are merely today's version of a longstanding, spiteful tradition. * Henrietta McKervey, Irish Independent *Emily Cockayne has done a tremendous job in charting [poison pen letters]...the examples contained within are very real, and show that anyone who receives a nameless note from out of the blue is bound to find it at the very least unsettling, if not chillingly sinister. * Alex Johnson, The Idler *Wonderful...If the subject of her book is poison, then Cockayne's treatment of it is the antidote. * Sophie Nicholls, The Critic *[A] revealing history of poison pen letters. * New Statesman *Emily Cockayne takes the reader through the history of the anonymous letter writing from 1760 to 1939, romping through gossip, tip-offs, threats, obscenity, libels and more. They are by turn frightening, scandalous and bizarre, and make for a thrilling read as Cockayne writes with an academic's attention to detail and a novelist's lightness of touch. * Ettie Neil-Gallacher, The Field *An entertaining and original social history of Britain. * Tony Barber, Financial Times *Positively bulging with evidence. * Dennis Duncan, Washington Post *Emily Cockayne, one of the leading social historians of our times, has written a truly original history of anonymous letter writing. With her unparalleled skills of exploration and empathy, she has provided a brilliant and beautifully written account of neglected phenomenon in all its social complexity. * Emma Griffin, LitHub *Fascinating but also subtly affecting ... Penning Poison reveals, there is nothing new under the sun-or between the lines. * Anna Mundow, Wall Street Journal *A lively survey of the practice of sending anonymous letters ... By examining individual cases - the how, when, where and, most important, why - Cockayne has produced something thought-provoking and humane. The opposite of a poison-pen letter, really. * Sadie Stein, New York Times *Penning Poison is a painstaking, energetic history. * Min Wild, Times Literary Supplement *Table of ContentsIntroduction: Dear Madam 1: Gossip - Major Eliot's maiden sisters 2: Tip-offs - Undermined coalmasters in Staffordshire 3: Threats - Lord Dorington's in danger 4: Obscenity - Peer's perversion uncovered 5: Libels - 'er at number 14 is dirty 6: Detectives say 7: Media - Herbert Austin robs men's brains 8: Local stories - And Winifred Simner sows discontent Conclusion - unsigned References Bibliography

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Book Synopsis''A compelling history.'' The Sunday Times''Thought-provoking.'' The Spectator''Interesting and well-researched.'' The Sunday TelegraphA fascinating account of the decline of an army from the triumph of victory in 1918 to defeat in 1940 and why this happened. A salutary warning for modern Britain.The British Army won a convincing series of victories between 1916 and 1918. But by 1939 the British Army was an entirely different animal. The hard-won knowledge, experience and strategic vision that delivered victory after victory in the closing stages of the First World War had been lost. In the inter-war years there was plenty of talking, but very little focus on who Britain might have to fight, and how. Victory to Defeat clearly illustrates how the British Army wasn''t prepared to fight a first-class European Army in 1939 for the simple reason that as a country Britain hadn''t prepar

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisEloise Moss is Professor of Modern British History at the University of Manchester, UK. She is the author of Night Raiders: Burglary and the Making of Modern Urban Life in London, 1860-1968 (2019). Her television work includes the BBC's Murder, Mystery and My Family, The Real Peaky Blinders, Uncanny, and the Channel 5 series Great Hotels Through Time. She has also worked as historical advisor on the BBC's Who Do You Think You Are? and Sister Boniface Mysteries.

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Book SynopsisAn eye-opening portrait of an enthralling group of royal servants, Courtiers throws new light on the dramatic life of George II and Queen Caroline and their court at Kensington Palace.In the eighteenth century, the palace''s most elegant assembly room was in fact a bloody battlefield. This was a world of skulduggery, politicking, wigs and beauty-spots, where fans whistled open like flick-knives...Ambitious and talented people flocked to court of George II and Queen Caroline in search of power and prestige, but Kensington Palace was also a gilded cage. Successful courtiers needed level heads and cold hearts; their secrets were never safe. Among them, a Vice Chamberlain with many vices, a Maid of Honour with a secret marriage, a pushy painter, an alcoholic equerry, a Wild Boy, a penniless poet, a dwarf comedian, two mysterious turbaned Turks and any number of discarded royal mistresses.''The kind of captivating history I most enjoy: full

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Book SynopsisAgincourt took place on 25 October 1415 and was a turning-point not only in the Hundred Years War between England and France but also in the history of weaponry. Azincourt (as it is now) is in the Pas-de-Calais, and the French were famously defeated by an army led by Henry V. Henry V''s stunning victory revived England''s military prestige and greatly strengthened his territorial claims in France. The exhausted English army of about 9,000 men was engaged by 20,000 Frenchmen, but the limited space of battle favoured the more compact English forces. The undisciplined charges of the French combined with the exceptional skill of the English archers contributed to a pivotal moment in European warfare. Not more than 1,600 English soldiers died; the French probably lost more than 6,000 men.Juliet Barker''s shimmeringly brilliant narrative commemorates and analyses a canonical battle in British history.Trade ReviewHistory writ fine, overflowing with extraordinary details . . . a milestone in Agincourt studies -- Erica Wagner * The Times *She brings vividly to life scenes such as the ceremonial surrender of Harfleur at the outset of the campaign, or the extraordinary pageant mounted by the city of London to celebrate the victorious king's return * Independent *Juliet Barker tells this story beautifully. If you buy just one book of history this year, choose this one. It will make a wonderful Christmas present for it is a handsome book, well illustrated, but above all, it is a great story * Literary Review *

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Book SynopsisIn this brilliantly timely book, historian Martyn Whittock explains how it was a Viking-Slav dynasty which created the first Russian state, and how a rivalry between Viking leaders set up the states that would later become Russia and Ukraine, with consequences we are still living with today.

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Book SynopsisFrom award-winning historian Mark Mazower, Dark Continent: Europe''s Twentieth Century retells the story of a century of division, charting the struggles of rival ideologies to create a new world order for mankind. The end of the First World War saw old empires swept away and the opportunity to build a better society from the ruins. Yet the result was division and bloodshed on an unprecedented scale, as liberal democracy, communism and fascism struggled against one another for mastery of the world. Dark Continent radically overturns the myth of Europe as a safe haven of democracy to redefine our view of the twentieth century. ''Original, thought-provoking, iconoclastic'' Frank McLynn, Irish Times ''Fascinating and forceful'' Martin Gilbert, Literary Review ''Mazower leaves us, in this wonderful book, with an account of our century that anyone who takes an interest in Europe''s present and future will enl

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Book SynopsisOn 12 May 1883, the German flag was raised on the coast of South-West Africa, modern Namibia - the beginnings of Germany''s African Empire. As colonial forces moved in , their ruthless punitive raids became an open war of extermination. Thousands of the indigenous people were killed or driven out into the desert to die. By 1905, the survivors were interned in concentration camps, and systematically starved and worked to death.Years later, the people and ideas that drove the ethnic cleansing of German South West Africa would influence the formation of the Nazi party. The Kaiser''s Holocaust uncovers extraordinary links between the two regimes: their ideologies, personnel, even symbols and uniform. The Herero and Nama genocide was deliberately concealed for almost a century. Today, as the graves of the victims are uncovered, its re-emergence challenges the belief that Nazism was an aberration in European history. The Kaiser''s Holocaust passionately narra

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Book Synopsis''Brilliant, a 5 out of 5 masterpiece'' Evening StandardThe renowned historian of the Third Reich takes on the conspiracy theories surrounding Adolf Hitler and the Nazis, in a vital history book for the ''post-truth'' ageThe idea that nothing happens by chance in history, that nothing is quite what it seems to be at first sight, that everything that occurs is the result of the secret machinations of malign groups of people manipulating everything from behind the scenes is as old as history itself. But conspiracy theories are becoming more popular and more widespread in the twenty-first century. Nowhere have they become more obvious than in revisionist accounts of the history of the Third Reich. Long-discredited conspiracy theories have taken on a new lease of life, given credence by claims of freshly discovered evidence and novel angles of investigation. This book takes five widely discussed claims involving Hitler and the Nazis anTrade ReviewA wonderful book that's both hard to put down and brilliantly insightful in its analysis of the ways in which conspiracy theories and so-called "alternative facts" are constructed and justified - and why they're such nonsense... Evans performs his task with such withering and entertaining wit that it's worth putting up with the nonsense to enjoy the brilliant demolition... It's a 5 out of 5 masterpiece. -- Martin Bentham * Evening Standard *There can be no more authoritative guide to these conspiracy theories than Evans ... It is becoming a deadly serious matter. -- Tony Barber * Financial Times *Brilliant ... Deploying him against conspiracy theorists is a bit like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. -- Simon Griffiths * Mail on Sunday *

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Book SynopsisFrom the Bible through Dante and up to Treblinka and Guantánamo Bay, here is a rich source for nightmares. --The New York Times Book ReviewThree thousand years of visions of Hell, from the ancient Near East to modern AmericaA Penguin ClassicFrom the Hebrew Bible's shadowy realm of Sheol to twenty-first-century visions of Hell on earth, The Penguin Book of Hell takes us through three thousand years of eternal damnation. Along the way, you'll take a ferry ride with Aeneas to Hades, across the river Acheron; meet the Devil as imagined by a twelfth-century Irish monk--a monster with a thousand giant hands; wander the nine circles of Hell in Dante's Inferno, in which gluttons, liars, heretics, murderers, and hypocrites are made to endure crime-appropriate torture; and witness the debates that raged in Victorian England when new scientific advances cast doubt on the idea of an eternal hereafter. Drawing upon religious poetry, epics, Trade Review“Now that I know what Hell is like, I shall take more pains to avoid it. This is an amazing collection.” —Philip Pullman, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Golden Compass“Quite terrifying.” —The New Yorker“You will be [frightened] by The Penguin Book of Hell, in which writers from antiquity to the 20th century describe the eternal, infernal hereafter. Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.” —The Washington Post“This fascinating collection kept me reading long after midnight, and the images it put in my head kept me up even longer. A deeply engaging read.” —Amy Brady, Chicago Review of Books, “The Best Horror Nonfiction Books of 2018”“One of the prime motives of these texts is rage, rage against people occupying positions of exceptional trust and power who lie and cheat and trample on the most basic values and yet who escape the punishment they so manifestly deserve. History is an unending chronicle of such knaves, and it is a chronicle too of frustration and impotence, certainly among the mass of ordinary people but even among those who feel that they are stakeholders in the system. Hell is the last recourse of political impotence. You console yourself . . . by imagining that the loathsome characters you detest will meet their comeuppance in the afterlife.” —Stephen Greenblatt, The New York Review of Books“Disturbing . . . Full of classic representations of eternal punishment.” —America: The Jesuit Review“Harrowing . . . To recognize hell in the realm of reality is to understand its true role in our lives right now—and to begin to articulate the good life we hope someday to earn. Be not distracted: the glimpses of hell do us good.” —Lapham’s Quarterly“Includes a hefty (and fascinating) selection of readings from medieval manuals . . . Bruce’s most fascinating section is his final, which examines how the rhetoric of hell has utility in the contemporary era, including . . . an astounding essay by an American prisoner in solitary confinement with the unlikely name of William Blake, and the track list for torturers at the Guantánamo Bay detention center whose ‘enhanced interrogation’ techniques included repeatedly blasting at ear-splitting decibels songs like Marilyn Manson’s ‘The Beautiful People,’ Britney Spears’s ‘…Baby One More Time,’ and the ‘Meow Mix’ commercial jingle.” —Los Angeles Review of Books “Like so many of the Penguin Classics collections, it is thoughtful, expansive, accessible to the intelligent reader and the inquiring mind. . . . It’s quite a read, and it’s certainly not something you probably want to read right before bedtime, not right before going to sleep, but certainly a book that will make you think about life, about being human, and about what might await us in the future.” —WBAA

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Book SynopsisTwo months before he shot himself, Adolf Hitler saw where it had all gone wrong. By failing to seize Gibraltar in the summer of 1940, he had lost the war. The Rock of Gibraltar, a pillar of British seapower since 1704, looked formidable but was extraordinarily vulnerable. Menaced on all sides by Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, Vichy France and Francoist Spain, Gibraltar also had to let thousands of foreigners across its frontier to work every day. Among them came spies and saboteurs, eager to blow up the Rock's twenty five miles of secret tunnels. Nicholas Rankin's revelatory book, whose cast of characters includes Haile Selassie, Anthony Burgess and General Sikorski, sets Gibraltar in the wider context of the struggle against Fascism, from Italy's invasion of Abyssinia, through the Spanish Civil War, to the end of the Second World War.

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Book SynopsisLose yourself in this glorious memoir of the island jewel of Corfu by the king of travel writing and real-life family member of The Durrells in Corfu.''In its gem-like miniature quality, among the best books ever written.'' New York TimesIn his youth, before he became a celebrated writer and poet, Lawrence Durrell spent four transformative years on the island jewel of Corfu, fascinated by the idyllic natural beauty and blood-stained ancient history within its rocky shores.While his brother Gerald collected animals as a budding naturalist - later fictionalised in My Family and Other Animals and filmed as The Durrells in Corfu - Lawrence fished, drank and befriended the local villagers.After World War II catapulted him back into a turmoiled world, Durrell never forgot the wonders of Corfu. Prospero''s Cell is his magical evocation of the blazing Aegean landscape, brimming with memories of the places and pTrade Review'Invades the reader's every sense ... Remarkable.' - Victoria Hislop'These days I am admiring and re-admiring Lawrence Durrell.' - Elif Shafak'Our last great garlicky master of the vanishing Mediterranean.' - Richard Holmes'Corfu could not have found a fitter chronicler.' - Daily Telegraph'A charming idyll ... Delightful.' - Sunday Times

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Book SynopsisThrilling naval action in the Atlantic against a ruthless enemy.

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Book SynopsisThe bestselling author of The King in the North turns his attention to the obscure era of British history known as 'the age of Arthur'. 'Not just a valuable book, but a distinctive one as well' Tom Holland, Sunday Times 'An accessible and illuminating book' Gerard de Groot, The Times 'A fascinating picture of Britain's new-found independence' This England Somewhere between the departure of the Roman legions in the early fifth century and the arrival of Augustine's Christian mission at the end of the sixth, the kingdoms of Early Medieval Britain were formed. But by whom? And out of what? The First Kingdom is a skilfully wrought investigation of this mysterious epoch, synthesizing archaeological research carried out over the last forty years to tease out reality from the myth. Max Adams presents an image of post-Roman Britain whose resolution is high enough to show the emergence of distinct political structures in the sixth century – polities that survive long enough to be embedded in the medieval landscape, recorded in the lines of river, road and watershed, and memorialized in place names.Trade ReviewNot just a valuable book, but a distinctive one as well -- Tom Holland, Sunday TimesAn engagingly written exploration of these 'fragments', synthesising archaeological and historical research from the last four decades, and applying a critical eye to traditional narratives passed down by medieval chroniclers and later accounts * Current World Archaeology *A remarkable tapestry in which are woven the diverse threads of archaeology, topography, folklore, linguistics, and culture to create a panorama of Early Medieval Britain and its place in the context of European history -- Seán Beattie, Donegal Annual'A worthy synthesis of what little we know' Gerard de Groot, The Times. -- Gerard de Groot, The TimesA fascinating picture of Britain's new-found independence * This England *He writes with empathy and sensitivity in this distinctive and valuable book * Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisA History of Europe in the Modern World delves into how Europe''s history has contributed to the development of the modern world and an increasingly global society.  The twelfth edition of this classic text links specific nations, movements, and landmark events in European history to broader historical themes and problems that have shaped the contemporary era.  Readers of this text will learn about Europe''s past within the context of key historical trends, including the rise of industry and a global economy; the development of science, technology, and new forms of knowledge; social, cultural, and political movements; evolving views of human rights; and the complex relations between European nations and the wider world.  Table of ContentsKramer/Palmer: A History of Europe in the Modern World, 12e List of Chapter IllustrationsList of Chronologies, Historical Documents, Historical Interpretations and Debates, Maps, Charts, and TablesPrefaceGeography, History, and the Modern WorldCHAPTER 1: The Rise of EuropeCHAPTER 2: The Upheaval in Western Christendom, 1300 - 1560CHAPTER 3: The Atlantic World, Commerce, and Wars of Religion, 1560 - 1648CHAPTER 4: The Growing Power of Western Europe, 1640 - 1715CHAPTER 5: The Transformation of Eastern Europe, 1648 - 1740CHAPTER 6: The Scientific View of the WorldCHAPTER 7: The Global Struggle for Wealth and EmpireCHAPTER 8: The Age of EnlightenmentCHAPTER 9: The French RevolutionCHAPTER 10: Napoleonic EuropeCHAPTER 11: Industries, Ideas, and the Struggle for Reform, 1815 - 1848CHAPTER 12: Revolutions and the Reimposition of Order, 1848 - 1870CHAPTER 13: The Consolidation of Large Nation-States, 1859 - 1871CHAPTER 14: Europe's Economic and Political Ascendancy, 1871 - 1914CHAPTER 15: European Society and Culture, 1871 - 1914CHAPTER 16: Europe’s Colonial Empires and Global Dominance, 1871 - 1914CHAPTER 17: The First World WarCHAPTER 18: The Russian Revolution and the Emergence of the Soviet UnionCHAPTER 19: Democracy, Anti-Imperialism, and the Economic Crisis after the First World WarCHAPTER 20: Democracy and Dictatorship in the 1930sCHAPTER 21: The Second World WarCHAPTER 22: The Cold War and Reconstruction after the Second World WarCHAPTER 23: Decolonization and the Breakup of the European EmpiresCHAPTER 24: Coexistence, Confrontation, and the New European EconomyCHAPTER 25: The International Revolt against Soviet CommunismCHAPTER 26: Europe and the Changing Modern WorldAppendix Rulers and RegimesIndexSuggestions for Further Reading

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Book SynopsisAn engaging, richly illustrated account of parish churches and churchgoers in England, from the Anglo-Saxons to the mid-sixteenth centuryTrade Review“Christmas is the time of year when people are most likely to attend divine service, and Going to Church in Medieval England . . . tells us how they did it 800 years ago. . . . Orme also describes how the churches that punctuate our landscape came about, and who ran them.”—Simon Heffer, Daily Telegraph, “2021’s Best Histories”“Nicholas Orme writes with an engaging lightness of touch while clearly laying out the functions, use and management of medieval parish churches. The result is so skilfully, successfully and thoroughly executed that it belies the complexity and scope of the task.”—John Jenkins, Times Literary Supplement“Orme’s book, a vast intricate mosaic resting atop a mountain of research, is often funny, often moving, and always fascinating. You finish it with a real feeling for the lives of normal people (so often absent from history books) in a world of great contrasts . . . a world of humour, and of sadness; a world not entirely unlike our own.”—Duncan Morrison, Daily Telegraph“A thrilling reconstruction of what you might have seen in church 800 years ago, from parishioners licking relics to noblemen punching vicars in the face.”—Daily Telegraph“Eye-opening. . . . Orme deftly shows how church language became part of everyday English.”—Harry Mount, Spectator“Prof Orme’s beady eye for lively human interest makes him very good company.”—Ysenda Maxtone Graham, Country Life“Orme explains in impressive detail what churches (and church-going) were like in the Middle Ages.”—The Week“A distinguished and highly accessible contribution to the unfolding scholarly landscape of this subject. . . . Orme is known for his scholarship on medieval children. Despite the fact that he concludes that they are an elusive presence, he provides some fascinating details.”—Kitty Turley, The Tablet“It is perhaps the particular virtue of this book that its author is every bit as interested in the everyday life of the church as he is in the sacred highpoints of sacred theatre and the beauties of medieval architecture. . . . This is, in other words, a complete picture of a whole world.”—William Whyte, History Today “Orme is an authoritative and accessible guide, and this exhaustive and lavishly illustrated study is a must-read.”—Katherine Harvey, Church Times“Professor Orme’s detailed, but very readable (and affordable) book, brings together recent scholarship to provide an accessible account of how people worshipped and practised religion in their local church. . . . It is definitely a ‘must have’ addition to any medievalist’s bookshelf.”—Richard Halsey, Friends of Friendless Churches“The book provides an accessible account of what happened in the daily and weekly services and how churches marked the seasons of Christmas, Lent, Easter and summer.”—Methodist Recorder“Nicholas Orme provides a vivid and detailed look at what it was actually like to attend church in medieval times—the sights, sounds and smells. He includes delightful details about seating arrangements, how the interior of the church would have looked, what happened to those who didn’t attend church, and much more. . . . An engaging read that will stay with you long after you finish the last page.”—Rachel Bellerby, Family Tree Magazine“Yale has served Orme especially well, with superb colour illustrations integrated straight into this text. . . . His subject is inherently visual in all its aspects, from the architecture of church buildings to the teeming daily activity that went on inside and around them.”—Diarmaid MacCulloch, London Review of Books“Orme’s mastery of the subject shines through soon enough; given his long and distinguished career, this is hardly a surprise. With a light and accessible touch he leads his readers through the give-and-take of churchgoing from the origins of the parish among the newly converted Anglo-Saxons to the role it inevitably played in the implementation of the Reformation at local level. . . . The depth and detail of his work lies in his characters, both saints and sinners with all their wants, needs, foibles, hopes, and fears.”—Serenhedd James, The Critic“This is a wonderful book; I recommend it to everyone who wants to know what actually happened in a medieval church.”—Heather Falvey, Local Historian“Nicholas Orme’s latest book on the buildings, staffing, congregations, and uses of the medieval church offers instead a broad work that is rich in detail, as it draws together geographical, social and religious complexities into a comprehensive and engaging whole.”—British Catholic History, British Catholic History“This truly fascinating book, packed with extraordinary details, was a joy to read and often a revelation.”—Marc Lloyd, Global Anglican“As well as being highly instructive, this is an enjoyable volume to read, and should be on every church archaeologist’s bookshelves.”—Warwick Rodwell, Medieval Settlement Research“The great strength of the book lies in the fact that the author never confines himself to the prescriptive but constantly strives to uncover what actually happened in medieval English parish churches . . . it will surely become essential reading for anyone seriously interested in religion in England in the Middle Ages.”—Clare Cross, Ecclesiology Today“Alert throughout to change across time, the complexities of sources, and the variety of past experience, Nicholas Orme has written a wonderful book. With great clarity and insight, he captures the human and material reality of quotidian Christian worship across the middle Ages.”—John H. Arnold, author of Belief and Unbelief in the Middle Ages“Drawing on both surviving churches and contemporary literature and attentive to gender, status, and geography, Orme explores what ordinary men and women saw, heard, and experienced when they attended church.”—Katherine L. French, University of Michigan“What actually happened in a medieval church? What was medieval worship like? Turn to this book, and you’ll find answers to all the questions you’ll ever ask.”—Nigel Saul, author of Richard II“For many years Nicholas Orme has been enlightening readers with incisive appreciations of the religious and social institutions of medieval England. Beautifully illustrated throughout, this study brings home to readers the reality of formal Christian witness as experienced by England’s medieval parishioners.”—Roger Bowers, University of Cambridge

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Book Synopsis''Highly readable, exciting and thought-provoking'' - Hilary Mantel''A gem of blood-and-thunder storytelling'' - Dominic SandbrookIn medieval England, man was the ruler of woman, and the King was the ruler of all. How, then, could royal power lie in female hands?In She-Wolves, celebrated historian, Helen Castor, tells the dramatic and fascinating stories of four exceptional women who, while never reigning queens, held great power: Matilda, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Isabella of France and Margaret of Anjou. These were women who paved the way for Jane Grey, Mary Tudor and Elizabeth I - the Tudor queens who finally confronted what it meant to be a female monarch.

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Book SynopsisColm Tóibín was born in Ireland in 1955. He is the author of several novels, including The Master, Brooklyn, and The Magician, and two collections of stories. He has been three times shortlisted for the Booker Prize. In 2021, he was awarded the David Cohen Prize for Literature. Tóibín was appointed the Laureate for Irish Fiction 2022-2024.

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Book SynopsisFrom the Velvet Revolution to the disturbing world of Franz Kafka, from the devestation of the Thirty Years War to the musical elegance of Mozart and Dvorak, Prague is steeped in a wealth of history and culture. PRAGUE IN BLACK AND GOLD is a first class history of this unique city, allowing us to unravel layer upon layer of startlingly symbolic sites and buidings to reveal the real Prague. PRAGUE IN BLACK AND GOLD is an exceptional work - and exceptionally reliable ... I am sure that thiswill be an important and exciting guide for all who wish to learn more about the famous people and important events in the history of the Czech lands and their capital Ivan Klima, The Times

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Book SynopsisEvents do not come naked into the world. They come clothed in attitudes, assumptions, values, memories of the past, anticipations of the future, hopes and fears and many other emotions. To understand events, it is necessary to describe the perceptions that accompany them, for the two are inseparable.'When a Parisian crowd stormed the Bastille in July 1789, it triggered an event of global consequence: the overthrow of the monarchy and the birth of a new society. Most historians account for the French Revolution by viewing it as the outcome of underlying conditions such as a faltering economy, class conflict or Enlightenment ideology. Without denying any of these, Robert Darnton offers a different explanation: what Parisians themselves, those at the centre of the Revolution, thought was happening at the time and how it guided their actions. To understand the rise of what he calls the revolutionary temper', Darnton draws on a lifetime's study of pamphlets, books, underground newsletter

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Book Synopsis''Fascinating, masterful ... gems scattered throughout the book'' Peter Frankopan, Spectator''Quirkily original but also scholarly and authoritative, to be read for pleasure and serious reflection'' Telegraph*The dramatic history of Europe''s shape-shifting centre, from the author of The Habsburgs*Central Europe is not just a space on a map but also a region of shared experience - of mutual borrowings, impositions and misapprehensions. From the Roman Empire onwards, it has been the target of invasion from the east. In the Middle Ages, Central Europeans cast their eastern foes as ''the dogmen''. They would later become the Turks, Swedes, Russians and Soviets, all of whom pulled the region apart and remade it according to their own vision.Competition among Europe''s Middle Kingdoms yielded repeated cultural effervescences. This was the first home of the High Renaissance outside Italy, the cradle of the Reformation, the starting point of the Enlightenment, Romanticism, the symphony and modern nationalism. It was a permanent battleground too for religious and political ideas.Most recent histories of Central Europe confine themselves to the lands in between Germany and Russia, homing in on Poland, Hungary, and what is now the Czech Republic. This new history embraces the whole of Central Europe, including the German lands as well as Ukraine and Switzerland. The story of Europe''s Middle Kingdoms is a reminder of Central Europe''s precariousness, of its creativity and turbulence, and of the common cultural trends that make these lands so distinctive.

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Book SynopsisThe second volume of Steven Runciman''s classic, hugely influential trilogy on the history of the Crusades''There was magic about. Saladin himself was troubled by terrible dreams...''Steven Runciman''s unrivalled history of the Crusades is a classic of learning and vivid, compelling storytelling, which brilliantly brings to life the personalities, battles, massacres, triumphs and follies of these epochal events. In this second volume of his trilogy Runciman tells the story of the foundation of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, the disastrous, bloody Second Crusade and the inexorable rise of the crusaders'' nemesis, Saladin. ''The pre-eminent historian of the Byzantine Empire and of the Crusades ... a surefooted guide who could render the past visible and familiar'' Daily Telegraph''He tells his story plain ... always pleasurable to read'' Gore Vidal

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Book SynopsisDiscover the history of Europe - from the Dark Ages to present day - by the author of the bestselling A Short History of EnglandEurope is an astonishingly successful place. But it would take volumes to tell its story, right? Wrong. From warring peoples to peace, wealth and freedom, Andrew Jenkins distils its evolution into this short, single-volume history.From Greece and Rome, through the French Revolution to the Second World War and modern times. Taking in leaders such as Julius Caesar, Joan of Arc, Wellington and Angela Merkel.Sharing stories of cultural figures like Aristotle, Shakespeare and Picasso.Jenkins brings together the transformative forces and dominant eras into one chronological tale - all with his insight, colour and authority.Trade ReviewA short, invigorating gallop over two and a half thousand years -- Allan Massie * Scotsman *Simon Jenkins achieves a high ambition: a concise readable history of two millennia of European civilisation from its discernible origins to our present perplexities. In 305 pages! . . . An immensely rewarding book from a gifted writer -- Harold EvansFull of stand-out facts ... absolutely fascinating -- Richard Bacon, BBC Radio 2, on 'A Short History of England'Masterly, perhaps a masterpiece -- Independent, Books of the Year on England's Thousand Best ChurchesJenkins is, like all good guides, more than simply informative: he can be courteous and rude, nostalgic and funny, elegant, convincing and relaxed -- Adam Nicolson on 'England’s Thousand Best Houses' * Evening Standard *Full of the good judgements one might hope for from such a sensible and readable commentator, and they alone are worth perusing for pleasure and food for thought -- Michael Wood on 'A Short History of England' * New Statesman *Any passably cultured inhabitant of the British Isles should ask for, say, three or four copies of this book -- Max Hastings on 'England’s Thousand Best Houses' * Sunday Telegraph *Jenkins has produced the sort of work that not only compacts people and places into manageable form but also has wit and insight enough to bring a sense of freshness even to a knowledgeable history buff * Booklist review *

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Book SynopsisPresents the picture of the world's most famous fighting machine. This title explores every aspect of the Roman army, from the daily lives of individual soldiers to the outcome of major campaigns. It discusses key Roman battles, and includes hundreds of illustrations and biographies of the great commanders.Trade Review'An outstanding general study of the Roman military system … the best one-volume treatment of the subject now in existence' - The Historian'I found myself marvelling at the synthesis of detail and perspective … this really is a complete account of the Roman army … an invaluable reference book' - History TodayTable of ContentsIntroduction: The Changing Face of the Roman Army • 1. The Republican Army • 2. The Professional Army • 3. The Life of a Roman Soldier • 4. The Army at War • 5. The Army of Late Antiquity

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisExam Board: AQA, Edexcel, OCR & WJECLevel: A-levelSubject: HistoryFirst Teaching: September 2015First Exam: June 2016Give your students the best chance of success with this tried and tested series, combining in-depth analysis, engaging narrative and accessibility. Access to History is the most popular, trusted and wide-ranging series for A-level History students.This title:- Supports the content and assessment requirements of the 2015 A-level History specifications- Contains authoritative and engaging content- Includes thought-provoking key debates that examine the opposing views and approaches of historians- Provides exam-style questions and guidance for each relevant specification to help students understand how to apply what they have learntThis title is suitable for a variety of courses including:- OCR: Democracy and Dictatorships in Germany 191

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Book SynopsisCaroline Lucas is the MP for Brighton Pavilion, and the UK's first Green Party MP. Elected to parliament in 2010, she also served as leader of the Green Party of England and Wales from 2008 to 2012 and as co-leader from 2016 to 2018. She was previously a Member of the European Parliament for ten years. She holds a PhD in English literature.It was her passion for the English countryside that first inspired Caroline to think more deeply about the importance of place in our national life, and her love of literature that led her to respond to the rise of the populist Right by examining the more positive, inclusive stories of England and the English explored in this book.

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Book SynopsisThe Templars' entire story, covering the Crusades and the Holy Grail, right up to the bestsellers and blockbusters

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Book SynopsisA noted authority examines the roles played by Germany's Hetzer tank destroyer and the Soviet SU-76M self-propelled gun during the battle for Hungary in 1945. During World War II, Germany and the Soviet Union soon found that their light tanks were obsolete; while their small guns were no longer useful against the enemy's armoured vehicles, the chassis allowed for installation of a larger gun at the cost of a rotating turret. Keen to utilize existing technology, Germany and the Soviet Union approached this challenge differently. While the Germans turned their PzKpfw 38(t) tank into a tank destroyer, first the open-topped Marder III and then the fully enclosed Jagdpanzer 38(t), nicknamed the Hetzer', the Soviet designers turned the T-70 light tank into an infantry support gun capable of engaging enemy armour, its open-topped fighting compartment adding communication with accompanying infantry. In this study, leading armour expert Peter Samsonov's insightful analysis is complemented by specially commissioned artwork and mapping alongside carefully selected archive and present-day photographs, revealing the origins, development and combat performance of these two types at war. Both were widely employed amid the tank battles of early 1945, as Soviet forces reached deep into Hungary and the Axis armies mounted one last counter-offensive on the Eastern Front, Operation Spring Awakening.

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Book SynopsisSelected as a Times best history Book of the Year 2024'Every page glittering with insight... [a] wonderful book' Dominic Sandbrook'Brilliantly written... evokes the wonder of an entire civilisation.' Tom Holland'Takes us beyond the familiar into a real, visceral, far more satisfying Viking world.' Dan Snow'A wondrous, gorgeously-written book' Rebecca Wragg SykesImagine a Viking, and a certain image springs to mind: a nameless, faceless warrior, leaping ashore from a longboat, and ready to terrorise the hapless local population of a northern European country.Yet while such characters define the Viking Age today, they were in the minority. This is the history of all the other people - children, enslaved people, seers, artisans, travellers, writers - who inhabited the medieval Nordic world. Encompassing not just Norway, Denmark and Sweden, but also Iceland, Greenland, parts of the British Isles, Continental Europe and Russia, this is a history of a Viking Age filled with real people of di

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Book SynopsisA riveting history of the ?Ten Pound Poms?, a wave of British citizens who migrated to Australia and New Zealand after the Second World War. Between the 1940s and 1970s, more than a million Britons migrated to Australia. They were the famous ''Ten Pound Poms'' and this is their story. The authors draw on a vast trove of letters, diaries and personal photographs, as well as hundreds of interviews with former migrants, to offer original insights into key historical themes. They explore people?s motivations for emigrating, gender relations and family dynamics, the clashing experience of the ?very familiar and awfully strange?, homesickness and the personal and national identities of both settlers and returnees. Filled with fascinating testimonies that shed light on migrant life histories, ?Ten Pound Poms? will engage readers interested in British and Australian migration history and intrigued about the power of migrant memories for individuals, families and nations.

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