European history Books

Book SynopsisG.R. Evans is Professor Emeritus of Medieval Theology and Intellectual History at the University of Cambridge, UK.Table of ContentsPreface Acknowledgments Abbreviations List of Illustrations Introduction: Coming to Oxford 1 Towards Oxford today Not an Inkling of the future? Riding out the First World War Oxford takes the state’s penny Letting the women in: 1920 and after Between the Wars The Second World War and its aftermath A Symposium at Worcester: the 1950s to the 1980s From student protest to the battle for academic freedom The 1990s and the beginning of another Oxford century 2 Oxford’s Middle Ages Oxford from the inside: inventing a University Designing a syllabus Housing the scholars Quarrels and confrontations 3 Oxford and the interfering Tudors Renaissance in Oxford Reformation in Oxford Consequences for the colleges Another inspection: Edward VI goes ‘visiting’ Mary Tudor’s Visitors: the volte-face Elizabeth puts Oxford under the statutes of the realm Teaching the arts from the late sixteenth century 4 Oxford keeps up with the times Oxford and the state A society of scholars: student life in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries Independent intellectuals and new styles of academic life Teaching: the changing intellectual life of Oxford Experiments in collegiate life and new ideas about universities The Bodleian Library and the University Press 5 The nineteenth-century transformation Varieties of student life at Oxford The Oxford Movement State interference and the threat of external ‘reform’ brings about major change What became of the liberal arts? Bringing the syllabus up to date: the Oxford reform of classical education Oxford studies the sciences Examinations reformed Oxford does its bit for social mobility Conclusion Notes Select bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThe nineteenth century is too often invoked as moment where Britain alone exerted global dominance, without the need for European collaboration. This book shows how this is fundamentally wrong by exploring British collaboration with France between 1848 and 1914. Gillen redefines our understanding of Britainâs role in the world in the age of empire.

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Book SynopsisThe first ever comprehensive history of British coastal forces.

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Book SynopsisFullest biography of Gaius Marius in English for over 20 years.

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Book SynopsisPreviously published as The King''s Grave.NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE STARRING SALLY HAWKINS AND STEVE COOGAN.The official inside story of the discovery of history''s most controversial monarch.On 22 August 1485 Richard III was killed at Bosworth Field, the last king of England to die in battle. His victorious opponent, Henry Tudor, went on to found one of our most famous ruling dynasties. Fifty years later, the king''s grave was lost and Richard III''s reputation buried under a mound of Tudor propaganda. Philippa Langley and Michael Jones trace the remarkable story of the search for the lost king, leading to the incredible moment when the 500-year-old mystery was solved by Philippa Langley as his remains were uncovered beneath a car park in Leicester. The Lost King is the astonishing true story of a woman who refused to be ignored and who took on the country''s most eminent historians, forcing them to think agTrade ReviewIn almost the exact spot where Langley had first become convinced she was standing on top of Richard's grave, a careful flick of a trowel revealed the leg bone of what would turn out to be the remains of the king, complete with the twisted, scoliosis spine so compellingly placed centre stage by Shakespeare. Now the remarkable story of King Richard's life and death - and the amazing journey of the intuitive woman who never gave up believing that she would one day find his body - has been brought together in this fascinating and informative book * Lancashire Evening Post *A history-making book which I had trouble putting down * Historical Novel Society *It is being called once of the most significant finds in archaeological history, shedding light on a king's last resting place and solving a 500-year old mystery over his death -- Daily TelegraphArchaeologists described the find as one of the most significant 'in recent times' and said history books will be rewritten -- Daily MailJones's historical chapters are measured, reasonable and elegantly written -- Sunday Times[Philippa Langley] has just written a compelling book with historian and friend Michael Jones . . . It is cleverly constructed: in alternate chapters she tells the story of her quest, while Michael details the life of Richard colourfully. It reads like an up-all-night thriller -- Mail on SundayThis is the year that Richard III rose up from his unmarked grave in a Leicester car park, and this is the book that describes the painstaking quest for the king's body, and the battle that destroyed him. Philippa Langley pursued his remains, Michael Jones pursued his reputation and together they have written a book which explains and defines the battle where he died, the grave that was lost, and the legend that followed him. This book is about an important excavation indeed, of the body from a lost grave, and of a king from a long libel -- Philippa GregoryThe King's Grave . . . reveals the remarkable story of how the remains came to be unearthed. And the result is a compelling portrayal of one of this century's most important archaeological discoveries -- BBC History MagazineHistory at its most fascinating -- Books Monthly magazine[A] page-turner -- Current ArchaeologyLangley's invaluable contribution to the investigation is undisputed; she envisioned, facilitated and drove it for years. Her confidential, breathy, diary-style chapters recreate the immediacy of the dig for the reader . . . The Search for Richard III makes for compelling reading -- TLSInteresting [and] engaging -- Daily ExpressThe King's Grave tells two remarkable stories in alternating chapters -- Wall Street JournalFascinating -- BooksellerJones's cogent and nuanced narrative provides the historical ballast to Langley's search -- Guardian

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Book SynopsisWhat happened to the European mind between 1605, when an audience watching Macbeth at the Globe might believe that regicide was such an aberration of the natural order that ghosts could burst from the ground, and 1649, when a large crowd, perhaps including some who had seen Macbeth forty-four years earlier, could stand and watch the execution of a king? Or consider the difference between a magus casting a star chart and the day in 1639, when Jonathan Horrock and William Crabtree watched the transit of Venus across the face of the sun from their attic, successfully testing its course against Kepler's Tables of Planetary Motion, in a classic case of confirming a scientific theory by empirical testing.In this turbulent period, science moved from the alchemy and astrology of John Dee to the painstaking observation and astronomy of Galileo, from the classicism of Aristotle, still favoured by the Church, to the evidence-based, collegiate investigation of Francis Bacon. And if tTrade ReviewBritain’s most eminent publicly engaged philosopher * Scotland on Sunday *If there is any such person in Britain as The Thinking man, it is A. C. Grayling * The Times *Grayling is particularly good at illuminating the knottiness of moral discourse * Sunday Times *There is an immense depth of human wisdom on display here, and five minutes with any passage will have you contemplating all day * Independent on The Good Book *Very interesting … His account of the transition from magic to science is fascinating, and he demonstrates persuasively that the 17th century did indeed see a revolution in habits of thought and understanding of the physical world -- Allan Massie * Scotsman *This sprint from the tenets of superstition to an increasingly revealed reality is a wonderful subject * Glasgow Herald *Grayling is a natural educator … He provides concise and helpful summaries of pertinent events and ideas * Spectator *His chapters on Bacon’s freethinking, on Newton’s scientific method and on Locke’s political theory are models of their craft * Tablet *A fascinating look at where we come from * Western Mail *Anyone who can steer this particular reader through the labyrinth of diets and edicts and treaties that populate The Thirty Years’ War deserves the highest praise. And Grayling is a model of clarity … As a survey of the period, The Age of Genius is fascinating [and] as an account of the development of ideas during one of the most exciting periods in Western history, The Age of Genius excels. Its scope is remarkable and it wears its learning lightly * Literary Review *A characteristically lucid but impassioned account of the power of ideas to change the way we see the world -- P.D. Smith * Guardian *

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Book Synopsis500 years on from the Reformation, Nick Page distils what we really need to know about Luther, Calvin and all those other serious religious types in his usual irreverent but informative style.

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Book SynopsisA detailed and absorbing narrative of the campaigns fought on the ''forgotten'' Eastern Front of the Great War, vividly illustrating that these campaigns were no less costly, tragic and important than the catastrophes of the Somme, Verdun and Passchendaele.The massive offensives on the Eastern Front during 1915 are too often overshadowed by the events in Western Europe, but the scale and ferocity of the clashes between Imperial Germany, Habsburg Austria-Hungary and Tsarist Russia were greater than anything seen on the Western Front and ultimately as important to the final outcome of the war.With the Russians hamstrung by weak supply lines and the Austro-Hungarian leadership committed to a strategy of offensive drives despite diminishing manpower and adverse terrain, the fighting in early 1915 was a costly and futile exercise. By the summer, the Central Powers, increasingly dominated by Germany, had begun to gain the advantage, but even the GorliceTarnów OffensTrade ReviewIn this book Prit Buttar continues his analysis and narrative on what was happening on the Eastern Front in the Great War from his previous Collision of Empires: The War on the Eastern Front in 1914 [Osprey, 2014]. He continues to make the point that most scholars focus on the dreadful suffering and stalemate on the Western Front without any consideration of what was happening on the Eastern Front. This meticulous survey reveals that the Central Powers were making measurable progress to the east with the GoliceTarnow Offensive which led to the retreat of Russian forces from Poland and the occupation of Serbia, being two examples of their advances. These successes were achieved at the expense of massive human losses, basically unreported in the west. However, amidst this success, Prit Buttar does stress that leadership weaknesses on the part of the Central Powers balanced mismanagement on a massive scale by the Russians, leading to an absence of a final success for either side. Prit Buttar communicates his narrative and associated analysis in a very clear manner. This is a book for scholars with a focused interest. By contrast the enormity of the detail will deter the casual enquirer unless they are carefully guided to begin by exploring the opening and concluding chapters. These very carefully both set the scene and also explain what had happened over that year. With that preparation the interested reader might then explore some or all of the key events of the 1915 campaigns in the east. -- Trevor James * The Historian *Table of ContentsList of Illustrations /List of Maps /Author's Note /Dramatis Personae /Introduction /1. The Combatants /2. The First Carpathian Campaign /3. Winter in Masuria /4. Springtime: Slaughter and Disappointment /5. Mackensen’s Breakthrough /6. The Exploitation /7. Lemberg /8. Decisions and Departures /9. The Great Retreat /10. Volhynia: The End of the Leash /11. The Fall of Serbia /12. The Burden of War /Notes /Bibliography /Index

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Book Synopsis Shortlisted for the Stanford Dolman Travel Book of the Year 2020''A thought-provoking treatise interwoven with blistered-feet-on-the-ground accounts of spots both pretty and gritty'' National Geographic''Compelling, thought-provoking, and courageous, this epic-poetic journey peels back layers of collective emotional and imaginative inheritance. Jubber gets under the skin of our complicated continent and his timing is dead right'' Kapka Kassabova''A genuine epic'' Wanderlust''The prose is colourful and vigorous...Jubber''s journeying has indeed been epic, in scale and ambition. In this thoughtful travelogue he has woven together colourful ancient and modern threads into a European tapestry that combines the sombre and the sparkling'' Spectator''Epic Continent sets out on a physical and mythological journey to uncover what it means to be European'Trade ReviewA fascinating, page-turning exploration of the stories, identity and the root of the European self. A must read for anyone interested in where we come from and where we may be going -- Jason WebsterCompelling, thought-provoking, and courageous, this epic-poetic journey peels back layers of collective emotional and imaginative inheritance. Jubber gets under the skin of our complicated continent and his timing is dead right * Kapka Kassabova *In the great literary tradition of writers like Jan Morris and Patrick Leigh Fermour, Jubber has a deep knowledge of the epics whose narratives and journeys he follows * The New European *An original and thoroughly absorbing book by a travel writer of immense ability * The New European *Epic continent is an Odyssey on its own, which travels both in space and time . . . Nick Jubber gets to the old heart of a still-troubled continent * Professor Tom Shippey *Brings out the many ironies of literary and political history ... and show[s] that the past is still with us all * TLS *A timely study of how epic can sadly harden frontiers and justify violence, while retaining the more hopeful possibility of re-invention to prompt dialogue and shape new communities of song -- Peter Davidson * author of The Idea of the North *Epic Continent sets out on a physical and mythological journey to uncover what it means to be European * Geographical *Compelling, thought-provoking, and courageous, this epic-poetic journey peels back layers of collective emotional and imaginative inheritance. Jubber gets under the skin of our complicated continent and his timing is dead right * Kapka Kassabova *

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Book SynopsisA History of Modern Britain by Andrew Marr confronts head-on the victory of shopping over politics. This edition also includes an extra chapter charting the course from Blair to Brexit.It tells the story of how the great political visions of New Jerusalem or a second Elizabethan Age, rival idealisms, came to be defeated by a culture of consumerism, celebrity and self-gratification. In each decade, political leaders think they know what they are doing, but find themselves confounded. Every time, the British people turn out to be stroppier and harder to herd than predicted. Throughout, Britain is a country on the edge – first of invasion, then of bankruptcy, then on the vulnerable front line of the Cold War and later in the forefront of the great opening up of capital and migration now reshaping the world. This history follows all the political and economic stories, but deals too with comedy, cars, the war against homosexuals, Sixties anarchists, oil-men and punks, Margaret Thatcher's wonderful good luck, political lies and the true heroes of British theatre.Trade ReviewSuperb, colourful, outspoken, fresh and richly entertaining. Don't miss * The Times *Lively, full of rich anecdotes and sparkling pen portraits. He has the rare gift of being able to explain complex issues in a few crisp sentences * Sunday Telegraph *Table of ContentsIntroduction - i: Introduction to the Paperback Edition Section - ii: Prologue Unit - 1: Part One - Hunger and Pride: Britain After The War Unit - 2: Part Two - The Land of Lost Content Unit - 3: Part Three - Harold, Ted and Jim: When The Modern Failed Unit - 4: Part Four - The British Revolution Unit - 5: Part Five - Nippy Metro People: Britain From 1990 Unit - 6: Part Six - From Gordon To Teresa: The Defeat Of Britain's Liberal Pro-European Consensus Acknowledgements - iii: Acknowledgements Section - iv: Notes Index - v: Index

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Book SynopsisWomen’s medicine highlights British female doctors’ key contribution to the production and circulation of scientific knowledge around contraception, family planning and sexual disorders between 1920–70. It argues that women doctors were pivotal in developing a holistic approach to family planning and transmitting this knowledge across borders, playing a more prominent role in shaping scientific and medical knowledge than previously acknowledged. The book locates women doctors’ involvement within the changing landscape of national and international reproductive politics. Illuminating women doctors’ agency in the male-dominated field of medicine, this book reveals their practical engagement with birth control and later family planning clinics in Britain, their participation in the development of the international movement of birth control and family planning and their influence on French doctors. Drawing on a wide range of archived and published medical materials, Rusterholz sheds light on the strategies British female doctors used and the alliances they made to put forward their medical agenda and position themselves as experts and leaders in birth control and family planning research and practice.This book is relevant to United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5, Gender equality.Trade Review'This book ... fills important gaps in women’s history and the history of medicine and health and is an outstanding contribution to the history of contraception. The rich source base and meticulous documentation underpinning Rusterholz’s bold arguments make it a solid historiography, well organized and thus easy to follow. I therefore highly recommend Women’s Medicine.'Agata Ignaciuk, University of Granada, Journal of British Studies -- .Table of ContentsIntroduction1 Giving birth control medical credentials in Britain, 1920–702 Sexual disorders and infertility, expanding the work of the clinics3 Medicalizing birth control at the international conferences (1920–37), a British–French comparison 4 Building a transnational movement for family planning 1927–705 Testing IUDs, a transnational journey of expertiseConclusionReferencesIndex

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Book SynopsisA TIMES BEST PAPERBACK OF 2022 ------------------ 'Glorious ... It's rare to read anything so teeming with life' SPECTATOR, Books of the Year 'This is Kynaston at his best ... A rich and vivid picture of a nation in all its human complexity' IAN JACK 'A compulsive read ... Generous as well as sharp' MARGARET DRABBLE 'I was captivated by its brilliance' D. J. TAYLOR __________________ The ‘real’ Sixties began on 5 October 1962. On that remarkable Friday, the Beatles hit the world with their first single, ‘Love Me Do’, and the first James Bond film, Dr No, had its world premiere in London: two icons of the future heralding a social and cultural revolution. On the Cusp, continuing David Kynaston’s groundbreaking history of post-war Britain, takes place during the summer and early autumn of 1962, in the charged months leading up to the moment that a country changed. The Rolling Stones’ debut at the Marquee Club, the last Gentlemen versus Players match at Lord’s, the issue of Britain’s relationship with Europe starting to divide the country, Telstar the satellite beaming live TV pictures across the world, ‘Telstar’ the record a siren call to a techno future – these were months thick with incident, all woven together here with an array of fresh contemporary sources, including diarists both famous and obscure. Britain would never be the same again after these months. Sometimes indignant, sometimes admiring, always empathetic, On the Cusp evokes a world of seaside holidays, of church fetes, of Steptoe and Son – a world still of seemingly settled social and economic certainties, but in fact on the edge of fundamental change. ___________________ 'Sparkles with voices from a vanished world ... An entrancing representation, full of exquisite detail' KATE WILLIAMS 'What a joy it has been to find myself wholly immersed in the richness of Kynaston's account ... Thrilling' JULIET NICOLSONTrade ReviewFor me the best book this year was David Kynaston's glorious On the Cusp ... It’s rare to read anything so teeming with life - so many diverse voices offering their own glimpse of a world which, as Kynaston convincingly argues, was changing more dramatically than ever before or since. Many people have written about this period between the end of the Chatterley ban and the Beatles’ first LP, but few have given such a rich sense of living through it -- Philip Hensher * Spectator, Books of the Year *This is Kynaston at his best. A thousand glimpses of British life in 1962 produce a rich and vivid picture of a nation in all its human complexity, standing at the edge of great change. Beautifully woven, it yields surprises and fresh insights on every page – and in my case a blizzard of memories -- Ian JackA compulsive read. He is such a fine historian and sociologist, with an eye and ear for the unexpected, and a sharp sense of humour that makes the reader laugh aloud. It’s generous as well as sharp. For me, it was like reliving some of the most exciting and hopeful months of my life, an illuminating exploration of an important stretch of time. -- Margaret Drabble'Tales of a New Jerusalem' has already established itself as the definitive history of post-war Britain. This latest instalment has all the eye-catching detail and informed synthesis that Kynaston's admirers have come to expect. I was captivated by its brilliance -- D. J. TaylorA fascinating crystal of time, Kynaston's superb evocation of Britain ... sparkles with voices from a vanished world ... An entrancing representation, full of exquisite detail and unforgettable voices, On the Cusp invites us in, to the real lives behind historical trends, a door to Britain on the brink of great change -- Kate WilliamsWhat a joy it has been to find myself wholly immersed in the richness of Kynaston’s account of those few amazing, ground-shifting months, just before we were all tipped into the drama of the 1960s proper. There is something hugely, hindsightingly thrilling in reading about the early seed-sowing of a story whose outcome we know so well * Juliet Nicolson *With his eagle eye, Kynaston selects details and incidents that serve as emblems of larger shifts in the zeitgeist ... He is a wonderfully diligent chronicler of the changing face of popular culture at the time ... Kynaston is a master at mixing key political and social movements with the more humdrum details of everyday life -- Craig Brown * Mail on Sunday *David Kynaston continues his magnificent series on postwar British society with On the Cusp, a riveting study of four pivotal summer months ... Kynaston is a master of popular culture ... But what Kynaston captures again and again - and this is what gives his book such importance - is the conscious, almost fanatical desire by those in authority at the time to dismantle, literally, evidence of the past -- Simon Heffer * Sunday Telegraph *Kynaston skilfully uses private diaries, archives, memoirs, social surveys, newspapers and magazines to give the flavour of the period and what people were thinking not just in Westminster and Whitehall but in, for example, Birmingham, Manchester, Barrow-in-Furness, Keighley, Bournemouth and Llanfrothen in north Wales ... Absorbing * New Statesman *It has all the characteristic hallmarks of [Kynaston's] writing: vivid pointillist detail, an extraordinary range of sources and penetrating analysis of evidence ... Kynaston is a master of minutiae and the great joy of his book is to be found in fragments, anecdotes and vignettes -- Piers Brendon * Literary Review *Excellent * Choice Magazine *Kynaston’s impressive history of Britain comes to the year 1962 … His ongoing achievement – aside from managing the prodigious quantities of material – is to convince his readers, who know well what comes next, of real lives being lived in near real time, and of a future as unwritten then as ours is today * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisFrederick the Great is one of history's most controversial leaders. Famed for his military successes and domestic reforms, his campaigns were a watershed in the history of Europe, securing Prussia's place as a continental power and inaugurating a new pattern of total war that was to endure until 1916\. However, much myth surrounds this enigmatic man, his personality and his role as politician, warrior and king. Showalter's cleverly written book provides a multi-dimensional depiction of Frederick the Great and an objective, detailed reappraisal of his military, political and social achievements. Early chapters set the scene with an excellent summary of 18th century Europe - The Age of Reason; an analysis of the character, composition and operating procedures of the Prussian army; and explore Frederick's personality as a young man. Later chapters examine his stunning victories at Rossbach and Leuthen, his defeats at Prague and Kolin, and Prussia's emergence as a key European power. Impeccably researched and written with style and pace, this book offers important insights into the turbulent history of 18th century Europe and a first-class analysis of one history's most famous rulers.

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Book SynopsisSent to France in August 1914 the North Irish Horse (NIH) were the first British reservist regiment to see action (at Le Cateau) before fighting as rearguard on the long retreat to the outskirts of Paris. For the next four years they saw action in many of the major battles (Ypres, Somme, Passchendaele, Cambrai) and were involved in the final advance to victory. The book not only describes the Regiments actions by squadron but focusses on the officers and men; their background, motivation and courageous deeds and sacrifices. The author places the Regiments achievement in the context of the overall war and also reflects on the effect that unfolding events (eg the Easter Rising) in Northern Ireland had on the Regiment and its members. The book draws on a wealth of primary source material, much unpublished including war diaries, personal accounts, letters and memoirs. Thus in addition to compiling the first history of the NIH, the author succeeds in painting a valuable picture of The Great War at the fighting end

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Book SynopsisLonglisted for the HWA Non-Fiction Crown'A remarkable achievement' SpectatorIn the summer of 1705, a masked woman knocked on the door of a London printer's workshop. She did not leave her name, only a package and the promise of protection. Soon after, an anonymous pamphlet was quietly distributed in the backstreets of the city. Entitled The Memorial of the Church of England, the argument it proposed threatened to topple the government. Fearing insurrection, parliament was in turmoil and government minister Robert Harley launched a hunt for all of those involved. The printer was eventually named, but could not be found... In this breakneck political adventure, Joseph Hone shows us a nation in crisis through the story of a single incendiary document.'An elegant blend of scholarship and detection' Peter Moore, author of Endeavour'Enthralling' London Review of Books'An exciting story told with vigour' Adrian Tinniswood, Literary ReviewTrade ReviewA remarkable achievement...a fast-paced, captivating narrative... Hone demonstrates how uncovering 18th-century working lives can be every bit as enthralling as tracing the machinations of the greatest politicians of the age -- Marcus Nevitt * Spectator *An exciting story told with vigour... A fascinating insight into the world of late Stuart printing... [Hone] manages to combine a lively, almost novelistic narrative style with a confident and scholarly knowledge of his subject -- Adrian Tinniswood * Literary Review *An elegant blend of scholarship and detection that reanimates the dangerous, exciting, clandestine world of Fleet Street at the start of the modern age -- Peter Moore, author of EndeavourA brilliantly original, immersive and thrilling tale told by a fine scholar and storyteller * Jessie Childs, author of God’s Traitors *Enthralling microhistory...provides in Hone's skilled hands the clearest view to date of the murky world of underground printing in late Stuart London -- Tom Keymer * London Review of Books *

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Book SynopsisA thrilling investigation of a true Victorian crime at Dublin railway station, shortlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger for Non-Fiction 2022.'All the shocks and surprises of the best crime fiction' The Times Crime ClubDublin, November 1856: George Little, the chief cashier of the Broadstone railway terminus, is found dead, lying in a pool of blood beneath his desk.Yet there is no sign of a murder weapon and the office door is locked, apparently from the inside. Thousands of pounds in gold and silver are left untouched at the scene of the crime.Augustus Guy, Ireland's most experienced detective, teams up with Dublin's leading lawyer to investigate the murder - but the case defies all explanation. Then a local woman comes forward, claiming to know the killer...'An intriguing and compelling true-crime whodunnit' Irish Times'A true-crime masterclass... As compelling as any thriller' Philip Gray, author of Two Storm WoodTrade ReviewThis meticulous non-fiction account of a once-famous murder mystery has all the shocks and surprises of the best crime fiction * The Times Crime Club *The plot of this real-life murder mystery had as many twists and turns as an Agatha Christie whodunit * Daily Mail *In The Dublin Railway Murder, Thomas Morris unpacks this baffling case with the taut, just-the-facts spareness of the best police procedurals...[He] deftly peppers the narrative with historical context...An intriguing and compelling true crime whodunit as well. * Irish Times *As compelling a read as any fiction thriller * i *Written like a whodunit and wearing its vast research into Victorian Dublin ever so lightly, Thomas Morris's wholly factual murder mystery is easily one of the most entertaining page-turners I've read this year. It's a compelling, evocative, thrilling must-read, and proof, if further proof is ever required, that fact is often so much stranger - not to mention more entertaining - than fiction * Sunday Independent *

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Book SynopsisThe U.S. Army regards the Hurtgen Forest as one of the most desperate battles it has ever fought. Flanking the key German city of Aachen, the forest was one of the formidable natural barriers interspersed with German fortifications in the West Wall in September 1944.

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Book SynopsisAcclaimed British historian examines the layers of craft and insight in Tobias Smollett, and discusses the particular nature of his genius and influence on British culture. Once again, Black acquaints the reader with the full range of a prolific writer's works and offers a backstage tour of the meaning and context of Britain's most beloved stories and story-tellers.

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Book SynopsisJust over a century ago, Our Island Story entranced a nation's children by telling their history in stories. Short, simply written chapters, packed with living characters and thrilling action - and illustrated with vivid colour pictures - illuminate all the main events from Britain's earliest days to the end of Victoria's reign. And its glorious fusion of myth and legend with sober fact - Canute and King Arthur with Cromwell and the Indian Mutiny - is as seductive now as it ever was. 'I was given H.E. Marshall's Our Island Story at Christmas 1936 and I've still got that copy. It was a direct inspiration for me in my career as a historian' Antonia Fraser'It is written in a way that really captured my imagination and which nurtured my interest in the history of our great nation' David Cameron'One of the most influential works of history of the 20th century' Times Educational SupplementTrade ReviewEntertaining, accessible and exciting, it puts people and events in context and makes them live again * Good Book Guide *

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Book SynopsisIn this book, Alistair Moffat brings vividly to life the story of this great nation, from the dawn of prehistory through to the twenty-first century. Ambitious, richly detailed and highly readable, Scotland: A History From Earliest Times skilfully weaves together a dazzling array of fact and anecdote from a vast range of sources. The result is an imaginative, informative, balanced and varied portrait of Scotland, seen not just through the experience of the kings, saints, warriors, aristocrats and politicians who populate the pages of conventional history books, but also through that of ordinary people who have lived Scotland's history and have played their own important part in shaping its destiny.Trade Review'The great thing about Moffat's account is that, for all its emphasis on uncertainty, it rattles along with complete narrative certainty, to the extent that great events consistently take even a historically literate reader unawares' * Scottish Review of Books *'For Alistair Moffat, history is rooted in the personal. Now ... he has produced what is undoubtedly his most ambitious work. Scotland: A History From Earliest Times encompasses 500 million years, from when the tectonic plates were shifting to form the land mass we recognize today to the referendum and its aftermath' -- Alan Taylor * The Herald *'Moffat plunders the facts and fables to create a richly-detailed and comprehensive analysis of a nation's past and references a huge number of sources' * Scotland Magazine *'[T]his is a very readable, well-researched and fluent account' * Scotland on Sunday *'A very readable, well-researched and fluent account' -- Stuart Kelly * The Scotsman *'With his instinctive flair and accessible style, Moffat gets right under the skin of the country' * Farming Scotland *

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Book SynopsisShortlisted for the The Great Outdoors Awards – Outdoor Book of the Year 2020 Shortlisted for the Boardman Tasker Award for Mountain Literature 2020 There are strange relics hidden across Scotland’s landscape: forgotten places that are touchstones to incredible stories and past lives which still resonate today. Yet why are so many of these ‘wild histories’ unnoticed and overlooked? And what can they tell us about our own modern identity? From the high mountain passes of an ancient droving route to a desolate moorland graveyard, from uninhabited post-industrial islands and Clearance villages to caves explored by early climbers and the mysterious strongholds of Christian missionaries, Patrick Baker makes a series of journeys on foot and by paddle. Along the way, he encounters Neolithic settlements, bizarre World War Two structures, evidence of illicit whisky production, sacred wells and Viking burial grounds. Combining a rich fusion of travelogue and historical narrative, he threads themes of geology, natural and social history, literature, and industry from the places he visits, discovering connections between people and place more powerful than can be imagined.Trade Review'An evocative tome detailing his adventures in tracking down some of Scotland's most remote monuments to history ... the lost relics and secret places of Scotland's wild, wild past' * Sunday Post *'Grippingly told…each of his journeys fills with atmosphere and emotion' * BBC Countryfile Magazine *'Good nature writers can create such strong images that we almost feel that we are standing on the same windswept moors, gazing out over the same landscapes. Patrick Baker is such a writer, and this book is perfect for armchair travel' * Sorted *'A lyrical exploration of Scotland's regions of "rumour and folklore," of hidden places and often-forgotten tales, that makes a compelling argument for a greater examination of "wild histories" beyond the most well-trodden narratives of adventure' * Boardman Tasker Award for Mountain Writing, Shortlisted 2020 *'The Unremembered Places breaks [the] mould. It describes Patrick Baker’s refreshingly quirky explorations on foot or kayak, often with his children, of remote and obscure locations' * Scottish Mountaineering Club Journal *'The Unremembered Places is packed with stories and reflections that dovetail into explanations of our relations with the land… For those with any inclination to adventure, natural beauty, or forgotten histories this will be a treasured read' * Geographical Magazine *'Wandering and kayaking through some of the UK’s wildest places, Baker reveals an area tantalisingly layered through with history and mystery in this fascinating exploration of the area. Along the way as he navigates Scotland’s peaks, creeks and cracks, he charts the labyrinth of ancient and modern history as well as the connections between the two, enriching any visit to the area' * Wanderlust Magazine *'Patrick Baker explores far-flung ruins and relics – from a cemetery for dam-builders to the remains of illicit stills – that serve as archives for Scotland's "wild histories". It's a haunting little book' * Telegraph - One of the Telegraph’s ‘best travel books to take you far away’, today *'The stories are well told, entertaining and informative, and the author's adventures, which don't always go smoothly, bring reality to the situations in which the historical events took place ... For anyone interested in the Scottish outdoors and the history of its wild places this is a great read. I thoroughly recommend it' -- Chris Townsend * Outdoors *'We are taken on a series of journeys, into areas of Scotland's history and geography of which most readers are likely to be ignorant. So the nine chapters of the book, each dealing with a different place, discovery and journey are educational and enlightening. They are also enjoyable. ... in short, anyone reading this engaging book will learn much and have pleasure in doing so' -- Allan Massie * Scotsman *'The stories in this compact book are the stuff of campfire nights... a book of great interest and insight. The effort of reaching these outposts is impressive in itself, but when he arrives at his destination, Baker brings a sensitivity to history, landscape, and the lingering spirit of those who once lived there that raises The Unremembered Places far above reportage. It is a reclaiming of remoteness, and a reminder that, no matter how far off the map, for those who lived here these locations were the centre of the world' -- Rosemary Goring * Herald *'Baker’s prose is so vivid that you see, hear, smell and feel his journeys with him. When writers often fall back on damaging divisions between ‘nature’ and ‘culture’, this book is a crucial reminder that there’s no contradiction in the term ‘wild histories’' -- David Gange'Baker draws on boyhood fascinations to unravel the draw that many adventurers feel for the Scottish Highlands. On this journey, Baker treads the same path as the shadowy figures of Scottish history: merchants, journeymen, vagrants who each made their way through an unforgiving countryside. For Baker, the landscape is a passageway through time, connecting modern backpackers with the forgotten folk of history' -- Jacob Dykes * Geographical magazine, Best Books of 2020 Nature, History of Place *'One of the few places that storytelling still exists is round a bothy fire. There's a very real sense that Patrick Baker's writing is bringing people back into connection with the landscape' -- John Burns'Baker is an excellent guide to the places he explores, curious, honest, informative, and charming in equal measure (the chickens of Inchkeith will not easily be forgotten) ... It's an excellent book whose relevance goes far beyond the Scottish landscape it explores, and which I strongly recommend' * Desperatereader.blogspot.com *'Baker brings to life Scotland's unnoticed and overlooked wild histories' * Waterstones Recommends *

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Book SynopsisWritten to assist teachers and students to meet the requirements of CCEA's GCE History AS Unit 2 `Russia 1914-41' This book examines the complex and compelling story of the transformation of Russia (as it was in 1914) into the USSR (as it was in 1941). When the Tsarist regime collapsed in February 1917 and the Bolsheviks seized power that October, the course of Russian history would be irrevocably changed. It became a country dominated by strong personalities - from Lenin to Trotsky to Stalin - while its people were subject to unspeakable atrocities, including the Red Terror of 1918 and the Great Purges of the 1930s. The book examines the key events and personalities of the era and outlines the economic policies implemented by Stalin and Lenin. It looks at the impact of terror, propaganda and the cult of personality and touches upon the position of women, family, religion and the arts in Russian society. Contents Chapter 1 The Revolutions of February and October 1917 Chapter 2 Lenin's Russia, 1917-24 Chapter 3 Stalin's Rise to Power and Dictatorship 1924-41 Chapter 4 Stalin and the Soviet Economy 1924-41 Biographical Notes Glossary Bibliography Copyright Information Exam Guidance Index Table of ContentsContents: Publisher’s Note Author’s Preface and Acknowledgements Chapter 1 The Revolutions of February and October 1917 Chapter 2 Lenin’s Russia, 1917–24 Chapter 3 Stalin’s Rise to Power and Dictatorship 1924–41 Chapter 4 Stalin and the Soviet Economy 1924–41 Biographical Notes Glossary Bibliography Copyright Information Exam Guidance Index

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Book SynopsisEngland, 1154. As Henry II seizes the throne after years of turmoil, a new dynasty is poised to haul this hitherto turbulent nation out from the Dark Ages and transform it into the nation state we recognize today. Featuring some of England's greatest but also most notorious kings, the house of Plantagenet would reign for over 300 blood-soaked, yet foundational, years. The dynasty provides some of the most evocative names in our history: from the brave yet rash Richard the Lionheart, his treacherous brother John, the hapless Richard II, and the hero of Agincourt Henry V, through to the controversial Richard III. And in this authoritative, intelligent and grippingly written book, acclaimed historian Derek Wilson brings this thrilling era to life.Table of ContentsThe Plantagenet Succession. Introduction. Henry II. Richard I and John. Henry III. Edward I. Edward II. Edward III. Richard II. Henry IV. Henry V. The Wars of the Roses. Edward IV, Edward V and Richard III. Postscript. References. Picture credits. Index.

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Book Synopsis'Timeless, funny and utterly absorbing' HILARY MANTELIn April 1925 at the age of fifteen, Jean Lucey Pratt started a journal that she kept until just a few days before her death in 1986, producing over a million words in 45 exercise books. What emerges is a portrait of a truly unique, spirited woman and writer. Never before has an account so fully, so honestly and so vividly captured a single woman's journey through the twentieth century.Trade ReviewDelightful . . . an extraordinary woman with a dry, wicked sense of humour and such a longing for love and recognition. I inhaled the 700 pages and still wanted more * * Red * *The most moving and important book I read this year by a mile: funny, tender and gripping -- RACHEL COOKE * * New Statesman * *It's not only that Jean is a good writer: observant, funny and rather lyrical. Nor is it that she is so honest . . . Rather, it's that her journals, unfettered and intimate, offer up a whole life * * Observer * *The sort of reading that will have you grip the arm of your chair in joy -- ALEXANDRA HEMINSLEY * * The Debrief * *Spend Christmas with Jean Lucey Pratt, the siren of Slough: you will not regret or forget it . . . wholly absorbing and deeply entertaining -- HILARY MANTEL * * New Statesman * *One of my favourite books of the year . . . the little details are fascinating and the overall portrait of one woman's life in the twentieth century is a must read. I can't recommend this highly enough -- CATHY RENTZENBRINK * * Stylist * *What a find! Jean's voice sings across the decades, fresh, vivid and desperate for love - a woman with so much to offer, who kicks against the stuffy society in which she finds herself. I grew to love her sharp observation, her vulnerability and her passion -- DEBORAH MOGGACHA Notable Woman shows us, in close up, how extraordinary the business of an 'ordinary' life can be - how much complexity and feeling and humour it can contain * * Guardian * *Miss Pratt hoped for an audience, which she will now find, even in the most intimate act of documenting her private life. Her entries read novelistically at times. There is beauty and humour and a fantastic, page-turning narrative, even as a teenager, when, Adrian Mole-like, she writes about her girl-crushes and first kiss. Too often we dismiss the value of ordinary life. Miss Pratt reminds us that it makes for its own kind of literature * * Independent * *Immensely poignant . . . On the face of it, Pratt's life appears unexceptional. Yet her diaries are utterly enthralling: intimate, occasionally barbed, frequently funny and filled with her hopes and dreams, friendships and love affairs, as well as her observations on Britain's rapidly changing society in the 20th century. It is a life laid bare in all its passion and anger, love and longing, sadness and acceptance. Pratt herself wrote: "Ordinary living isn't humdrum...there is so much pleasure to be had from apparently trivial things." It's a sentiment that could encapsulate this entire extraordinary project * * The Sunday Times * *Engrossing, spiked with wit and charm, keenly observant and consistently humane . . . Shows us, in closeup, how extraordinary the business of an "ordinary" life can be - how much complexity and feeling and humour it can contain -- ANTHONY QUINN * * Guardian * *Deliciously frank and funny * * Daily Mail * *What makes these diaries such pleasurable reading is one's sense of the diarist herself: her vibrancy and humour, her idea of life as a battle to overcome and, most of all, her endless supply of hope and her refusal to be beaten * * Literary Review * *You root for Jean, so wanting her to find love, and you feel her heartbreaks and embarrassments acutely. Her diaries are a record of the quiet stoicism and loneliness of the women who were left behind by the war. She may never have met her man, her overpowering, tall, divine dancer, but what a victory to see her diaries in print * * Mail on Sunday * *There is no doubting the cumulative interest of this troubled record of a lonely life . . . In her private diary, Pratt swung between regret and resolution in her search for poise * * Daily Telegraph * *Her longings to be elsewhere or to be someone else are utterly recognisable; her frustrations and disappointments poignant . . . These journals are a priceless find -- ALISON LIGHT * * London Review of Books * *Jean's honesty and unpretentiousness is very striking, and at times very moving too. I'm so pleased to see that an edition of her diaries, in which her full story can emerge, is at last seeing the light of day. She is unquestionably worthy of this, and A Notable Woman will find a valued place on my bookshelf -- VIRGINIA NICHOLSONWhat makes Jean's journals special is the intimacy and frankness of her account of a life seen from the inside, and the way she draws the reader into a relationship with her. As a record of the individual's dreams set against the cramped reality, Jean's journals are timeless. She leaps out of her own pages, free as she never was in life: you want to protect her, and simultaneously to slap her and cheer her on. It's very funny, occasionally sobering, and shot through with acute insights. Who would have imagined that the life of a Buckinghamshire bookseller would make you want to turn the pages so fast? I wanted to know how she got through the war, but I was even more interested in when she would lose her virginity -- HILARY MANTELGossipy, funny and spirited, Jean's diaries are fresh and wonderfully frank * * Psychologies * *A glorious gut-wrenching read . . . A Notable Woman makes my heart sing. Jean's diaries are a life in its entirety, in all its glorious mess * * The Pool * *[Jean's] writing is so vivid, her confessions so frank and her character so attractive. You root for her again and again, then you shake a fist at the world for letting her down . . . unbearably moving * * Big Issue * *A Bridget Jones of the 1920s . . . What Garfield is really good at is distilling meaning from a time that we don't really know about . . . extraordinary * * Monocle Arts Review * *Throughout this wonderful book, Pratt demonstrates acute descriptive powers and a piercing intelligence * * Observer * *What makes Pratt a great diarist is her honesty. The true diarist must never avoid looking bad * * Spectator * *

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Book SynopsisRaised on its banks and an avid sailor, Caroline Crampton sets out to rediscover the enigmatic pull of the Thames by following its course from the river's source in a small village in Gloucestershire, through the short central stretch beloved of Londoners and tourists alike, to the point where it merges with the North Sea. As she navigates the river's ever-shifting tidal waters, she seeks out the stories behind its unique landmarks, from the vast Victorian pumping stations that carried away the capital's waste and the shiny barrier that holds the sea at bay, to the Napoleonic-era forts that stand on marshy ground as eerie relics of past invasions. In spellbinding prose, she reveals the histories of its empty warehouses and arsenals; its riverbanks layered with Anglo-Saxon treasures; and its shipwrecks, still inhabited by the ghosts of the drowned. The Way to the Sea is at once a fascinating portrait of an iconic stretch of water and a captivating introduction to a new voice in British non-fiction.Trade Review[A] praise-hymn to the muddy, marshy far reaches of the river... captivating -- Rose George * New Statesman *Short but rich... [Crampton] writes movingly, sometimes with flecks of nostalgia or melancholy, but ultimately her book is a rallying call for greater appreciation of the maligned and overlooked * Evening Standard *Like the Thames itself, this book carries you along on a journey full of rich detail and fascinating insight -- Madeleine BuntingAn affectionate portrait of an often neglected landscape... rich and fascinating... Crampton writes beautifully of the area's charms. Her first-hand knowledge of navigating the river gives the book the descriptive power that brings the whole area superbly to life * Sunday Times *Atmospheric and movingly written...rich and haunting * Spectator *In The Way to the Sea, the Thames - from its indistinct origins in a muddy Gloucestershire field, all the way east to the Nore sandbank in the estuary - runs through a lush landscape of personal memories of family sailing trips and Oxonian dunkings, of histories of cities and suburbs that rose and fell on its banks, populated by poets and painters singing the Thames' 'sweet song'. A memorial to Joseph Bazalgette, architect of the Thames' central London embankments, claimed he had 'put the river in chains', but in this tender, often startling, blend of memoir, nature-writing and social and cultural history, Caroline Crampton reveals instead how the river shapes us -- Rachel HewittThis is a remarkable, superbly researched book, and I was swept along by it from source to mouth. The Thames Estuary has found its chronicler, a young writer who opens a reader's eyes to its mystery, moodiness and downbeat beauty -- Christopher SomervilleCaroline Crampton's The Way to the Sea is a re-enchantment of the overlooked, everyday world of the Thames Estuary. A love letter to a place too changeable to define, this seductive journey is both beautifully written and highly recommended -- John HiggsA fascinating, brilliant book that carries you downstream on its quick-flowing current' -- Cal FlynnFascinating * Bookseller *Lyrically written... this book was a treat * Practical Boat Owner *A beautiful book * Five Books *Deeply literary and well researched... A thoughtful, beautifully-written appreciation * Yachting Monthly *[A] lyrical meditation on the meaning of the Thames...you won't find a more elegantly written guide * Literary Review *[A] wonderful account... [Crampton] writes with the quiet confidence and terminology of someone who has spent plenty of time aboard... captivating * I Paper *What makes [Crampton] a remarkable guide to the story of the Thames is that she sees it in an unexpected way. Instinctively, she writes of the river not from the shore, but from the water. She knows it, and loves it, from the inside * In the Moment *Fascinating . . . Ms Crampton's account of her lifelong relationship with this storied waterway is as elegant and sinuous as the river she loves * Economist *A consistently interesting and lyrical narrative, which seamlessly weaves historical anecdote, personal memoir and gentle warnings about the frailty of the environment into an enjoyable whole * Mail on Sunday *Engaging . . . A rich, resonant history * Sunday Express *Engaging, well researched and beautifully written * William Morris Society Journal *

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Book SynopsisFormer Prime Minister and the country’s longest-serving Chancellor, Gordon Brown has been a guiding force for Britain and the world over three decades. This is his candid, poignant and deeply relevant story.In describing his upbringing in Scotland as the son of a minister, the near loss of his eyesight as a student and the death of his daughter within days of her birth, he shares the passionately-held principles that have shaped and driven him, reminding us that politics can and should be a calling to serve. Reflecting on the personal and ideological tensions within Labour and its successes and failures in power, he describes how to meet the challenge of pursuing a radical agenda within a credible party of government. He explains how as Chancellor he equipped Britain for a globalised economy while swimming against the neoliberal tide and shows what more must be done to halt rising inequality. In his behind-the-scenes account of the financial crisis and his leading role in saving the world economy from collapse, he addresses the question of who was to blame for the crash and why its causes and consequences still beset us. From the invasion of Iraq to the tragedy of Afghanistan, from the coalition negotiations of 2010 to the referendums on Scottish independence and Europe, Gordon Brown draws on his unique experiences to explain Britain’s current fractured condition. And by showing us what progressive politics has achieved in recent decades, he inspires us with a vision of what it might yet achieve today.Riveting, expert and highly personal, this historic memoir is an invaluable insight into our times.Trade ReviewMiles ahead of anyone you can name currently in office at Westminster. Brown thinks, and thinks profoundly. And by and large, over the last 30 years, what he has thought has turned out to be correct … thrilling … unexpectedly moving -- David Hare * Guardian *A protagonist of Shakespearian stature … The chapters on the crash are fast, tense and riveting … Like our times, Brown’s life is complicated, contradictory, full of irritations, frustrations and even rage. But as this absorbing memoir makes clear, he is also a man who, in both his willingness and ability to tackle the most pressing questions of our age, towers over those who currently fill the political stage … He is one of the giants of our recent political history – and this book explains why -- Jonathan Freedland * Prospect *A compelling story, well told … This is an important book that goes far to explain what made this enigmatic, solitary and intensely private man tick … an example of that rare species in Britain: the intellectual in politics … this book reminds us what a moderate politics of the left looks like and how much it can achieve -- Daniel Johnson * Sunday Times *Very good at describing the process by which an idea for reform is germinated, then shaped into a policy before being executed … He writes very movingly about the death of baby Jennifer Jane … You feel great sympathy and admiration for his tenacity … one of the most formidable chancellors that Britain has ever seen -- Andrew Rawnsley * Observer *In this fascinating book, Gordon Brown shares the experience and perspective of a lifetime spent in public service. Readers will come away with not just a deeper understanding of British and international politics but also the intellect and integrity of one of today’s great statesmen -- Kofi Annan

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Book Synopsis*Winner of the PEN Ackerley Prize 2022*'This is family history at its best... the words fizz off the page and flutter in the mind' Sunday TimesIf you open that suitcase you'll never close it again.Ten years ago, Frances Stonor Saunders was handed an old suitcase filled with her father's papers. Her father's life had been a study in borders - exiled from Romania during the war, to Turkey then Egypt and eventually Britain, and ultimately to the borderless territory of Alzheimer's. The unopened suitcase seems to represent everything that had made her father unknowable to her in life.So begins a captivating exploration of history, memory and geography, as Frances Stoner Saunders decides to unpick her family's past.Trade ReviewAbsolutely compelling... It's an extraordinary achievement. -- Edmund de Waal, author of The Hare with Amber EyesIntimate, affecting, elegiac - a remarkable exploration in the hands of a special writer. -- Philippe Sands, author of East West StreetFrances Stonor Saunders is one of those writers you read no matter what she writes. She is that good... this is family history at its best... the words fizz off the page and flutter in the mind... [The Suitcase] will haunt you. -- James McConnachie * Sunday Times *[An] intimate and enquiring family history... Sympathetic, erudite, mournful -- Matthew Janney * Financial Times *Stonor Saunders...has a magpie-eye for the telling detail... [and] a vivid turn of phrase. -- Robbie Millen * The Times *

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Book Synopsis_____________________________________________The 20th Anniversary Edition of Tina Brown's definitive behind-the-scenes insight into the life of Diana Princess of Wales, as depicted in the hit Netflix series The Crown, with a brand new introduction by Andrew Marr._____________________________________________More than twenty years after her death, Princess Diana remains a mystery. Was she "the people's princess," who electrified the world with her beauty and humanitarian missions? Or was she a manipulative, media-savvy neurotic who nearly brought down the monarchy?In this commemorative edition, which includes a new introduction by Andrew Marr, The Diana Chronicles parts the curtains on Diana's troubled time in the mysterious world of the Windsors, as she breaks out of her royal cage into celebrity culture, where she found her own power and used it to devastating effect.Knowing Diana personally, Tina Brown understands her world, understands its players and has-reaching insight into the royals and the Queen herself. Meet the formidable female cast and get to know the society they inhabit, as you never have before.Trade ReviewFilled with insider anecdotes and gleeful accounts of the Royal family’s dysfunction (spending every August in the freezing outpost of Balmoral for a start), it’s also the desperately sad tale of a young woman who wanted family love and support only to be left disillusioned and isolated but (thankfully) found great solace in her children. * Stylist *Intensely well researched and an un-put-down-able read, Tina Brown's extraordinary book parts the brocaded velvet, lifts the expensive net curtains and allows us an unprecedented look at the world and mind of the most famous person on the planet. It is a tragi-comedy, a soap opera, a social commentary, a historical document and a psychological examination, written by a superb investigative journalist.The Diana Chronicles is an enjoyable romp. There are funny moments and Brown in an astute observer of people. Tina Brown is the biographer the princess deserves. * Sunday Telegraph *One of the most well-researched insider books on Diana's life . . . Essential reading for anyone interested in how she became the people's princess, and the battles she endured to ensure her legacy. * Independent *Nothing comes close to Tina Brown's book for its tight grip on the dark human comedy that was Diana's life and death. Brown knows the ritual dances, the shouts and whispers of the tribes of Britain - the Sloanes, the paparazzi, the aristos, and the cocktail lounge lizards - better than anyone who has ever written this story, but she also has a perfect ear for the way ordinary people responded to the doomed Princess. The result is compulsively page-turning. * Simon Schama *

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Book SynopsisBreathing new life into Ireland's history once again, this carefully restored and colourised collection of wonderful black and white images captures the beauty of the nation's fascinating past. This sequel to the bestselling The Colour of Ireland presents a huge variety of captivating images from the 32 counties, from Dublin to Galway and Antrim to Cork, and inspires a new vision of Ireland's heritage.With incredible attention to detail, author Rob Cross has gained a worldwide following by using cutting-edge technology and careful historical research to accurately depict the colours of Ireland's history and tell the stories within these rich images. It's a collection to treasure, enjoy and reflect on for years to come.Trade ReviewNo matter where you hail from, regardless of your own interests, I guarantee this book will rest with you for many a long day. * Joe Duffy *

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Book SynopsisThe British Labour Party has at times been a force for radical change in the UK, but one critical aspect of its makeup has been consistently misunderstood and underplayed: its Britishness. Throughout the party's history, its Britishness has been an integral part of how it has done politics, acted in government and opposition, and understood the UK and its nations and regions. The People's Flag and the Union Jack is the first comprehensive account of how Labour has tried to understand Britain and Britishness and to compete in a political landscape defined by conservative notions of nation, patriotism and tradition. At a time when many of the party faithful regard national identity as a toxic subject, academics Gerry Hassan and Eric Shaw argue that Labour's Britishness and its ambiguous relationship with issues of nationalism matter more today than ever before, and will continue to matter for the foreseeable future, when the UK is in fundamental crisis. As debate rages about Brexit, and the prospect of Scottish independence remains live, this timely intervention, featuring contributions from a wealth of pioneering thinkers, offers an illuminating and perceptive insight into Labour's past, present and future.

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Book SynopsisAfter the Second World War, Germany was an international pariah. Today, it has become a beacon of the Western world. But what makes this extraordinary nation tick? On Germany tells the story of a country reborn, from defeat in 1945 to the fall of the Berlin Wall, the painstaking reunification of 'the two Germanies', and the Republic's return to the world stage as an economic colossus and European leader. Giles MacDonogh restores these momentous events of world history to their German context, from the food and drink that accompanied them to the deep-rooted provincialism behind the national story. Full of vivid and often whimsical vignettes of German life, this is a Germanophile's homage to the culture and people of a country he has known for decades.Trade Review‘Culture and the texture of everyday experience, rather than the grand sweep of politics, are what MacDonogh relishes, and his account shines with his enthusiasm for his subject. This is the book of a well-informed flâneur sniffing the air . . . the attitudes and quirks that make Germany so distinctive are nicely brought to life.’ ‘Funny, erudite and, despite all the competition, original . . . MacDonogh’s vivid tapestry does justice to the most despised and most envied people in Europe . . . as enjoyable as sitting in the lovely old square of a small town in Germany, quaffing a cold glass of hock to the sound of a distant Bach cantata.’‘[On Germany] benefits from a harvest of cross-cultural encounters gathered over many years of travel . . . waitresses, landladies and drinking companions become informants and case studies . . . tantalising.’'Giles MacDonogh has repeatedly shown himself to be in the front rank of British scholars of German history.' * The Spectator *‘The story of a country reborn . . . an all-embracing book.’ 'A fascinating romp through German history--engaging, honest and personal--that unfolds like a fine after-dinner conversation with a particularly erudite friend.' -- Rory MacLean, author of 'Berlin: Imagine a City''Forensic political and historical analysis, telling cultural detail and deep insights, with good jokes and fascinating twists. Want to know what happened to Nazi art after 1945? Or what the East German government thought of Elvis Presley? There are some excellent books on Germany; MacDonogh matches the best.' -- Frederick Taylor, author of 'The Berlin Wall' and 'Exorcising Hitler''Giles MacDonogh's splendid little book draws on his extensive historical insight and personal experience of mainland Europe's most important country. This highly personal and quirky work deftly intertwines human stories, superb anecdotes and historical-political set pieces, garnished with food and drink, to remind us of why Germany continues to intrigue us.' -- Brendan Simms, Professor of the History of European International Relations, Cambridge University, and author of 'Britain's Europe: A Thousand Years of Conflict and Cooperation'

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Book SynopsisThe English Actor charts the uniquely English approach to stagecraft. In thirty chapters, Peter Ackroyd describes, with superb narrative skill, the genesis of acting – deriving from the Church tradition of Mystery Plays – through the flourishing of the craft in the Renaissance to modern methods that followed the advent of film and television. The biographies of the most notable and celebrated actors are also explored, right up to the present day. In this book, Ackroyd gives us an original and superbly entertaining appraisal of how actors have acted – and how audiences have responded – since the medieval period, and what we mean by the ‘magic of the stage’.

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Book SynopsisThere is no book in English about the wartime Berlin 'salon' run by Kitty Schmidt under the secret control of Reinhard Heydrich, one of the architects of the Final SolutionSalon Kitty was the most notorious brothel in the decadent Berlin of the Weimar Republic - the city of Cabaret. But after the Nazis took power, it became something more dangerous: a spying centre with every room wired for sound, staffed by women agents specially selected by the SS to coax secrets from their VIP clients. Masterminded by Reinhard Heydrich, the spymaster whom Hitler himself called 'the man with the iron heart', the exclusive establishment turned listening post was patronised by the Nazi leaders themselves, not knowing that hidden ears were listening.One of the last untold stories of the Second World War, Salon Kitty's sensational true history is now revealed by historians Nigel Jones, Urs Brunner and Dr Julia Schrammel. After years of painstaking research and investigation, the story they tell sheds new light on Nazi methods of control and coercion, and the way that they used and abused sex for their own perverse purposes.

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Book Synopsis'Lucid, poetic and fascinating' ALICE ROBERTS'Engaging, authoritative and full of fascinating stories of the past' RAY MEARS'A gentle, personal and very readable book' JULIA BLACKBURN AUTHOR OF TIME SONG'A triumph!' JAMES CANTON, AUTHOR OF THE OAK PAPERS'I loved this book' FRANCIS PRYOROn paths, roads, seas, in the air, and in space - there has never been so much human movement. In contrast we think of the past as static, 'frozen in time'. But archaeologists have in fact always found evidence for humanity's irrepressible restlessness. Now, latest developments in science and archaeology are transforming this evidence and overturning how we understand the past movement of humankind. In this book, archaeologist Jim Leary traces the past 3.5 million years to reveal how people have always been moving, how travel has historically been enforced (or prohibited) by people with power, and how our forebears showed incredible bravery and ingenuity to journey across continents and oceans. With Leary to show the way, you'll follow the footsteps of early hunter-gatherers preserved in mud, and tread ancient trackways hollowed by feet over time. Passing drovers, wayfarers and pilgrims, you'll see who got to move, and how people moved. And you'll go on long-distance journeys and migrations to see how movement has shaped our world.Trade ReviewEngaging, authoritative and full of fascinating stories of the past. This book shows that life is not centred on hearth and house, as we are so often told, but is shaped by relentless movement, along tracks and trails. By focusing on mobility, Jim Leary has managed to reanimate the past, revealing the hidden but vital contribution that migration has always made to the shaping of the world -- Ray MearsA gentle, personal and very readable book that gives life to the dynamic sequence of activity, effort and extraordinary determination that makes up our human past -- Julia Blackburn, author of Time SongI loved this book. It's a highly readable account of how and why people have moved around on the surface of the earth, across land and sea ... What makes this book so special is that everything is discussed within the context of life at the time: who were using the paths or the boats and why were they doing it? Most importantly it is so relevant to us today, as we try to steer our waythrough times of increasing instability -- Francis Pryor, archaeologist and authorArchaeologists have a superpower: time travel. Their digs show us cold hearths and colder graves, but as Jim Leary shows in this gripping read, the past was hot-blooded and alive with the movement of people who loved and laughed as we do. Yet history and archaeology are written as though humans and our creations are fixed, frozen entities: screenshots of past lives, not videos. Our ideas of our origins, history and ourselves today must all change, and those new ideas are not only more exciting, but tell us more about both our past and our future. They are also true -- John Harrison, award winning travel writerJim Leary takes us into the little explored realm of ancient movement. We walk with hominins and Neanderthals, explore deep caves, herd cattle, and become pilgrims, ocean voyagers and long-distance walkers. Leary is a passionate walker, who combines science with his first-hand experience and observation out and about. This beautifully written, entertaining essay melds personal experience with archaeological and historical wisdom. The result is a truly remarkable and original book that thinks profoundly about the past. Read this and be inspired! -- Brian Fagan, Emeritus Professor of Anthropology, University of California and authorA book about the movements of humans could be a little dull, don't you think? Well, not a bit of it. Jim Leary's archaeological passion is "paths over pyramids" and Footmarks is as lively and entertaining an exploration of human wanderings as you could ever hope to read. It links our colourful and complex history to how we live today, clearing up a few notable misconceptions along the way. This compelling, highly original book will change the way you think about landscape and our place within it -- Ian Carter, author of Human, NatureEngaging and impassioned, Footmarks is an enchanting stroll through the deep history of human wanderings across the world. This book will delight and entice all who muse on the ways in which we have ever walked upon this earth. A triumph! -- James Canton, author of The Oak PapersFootmarks takes us on a magnificent voyage tracing the fascinating history and restless patterns of human movement. Leary explores the many ways archaeology can reveal the dynamism of past lives and the way in which we both make and are made by the paths we take. Brimming with detail yet written lightly and with unashamed affection, this delightful book shows how we are all part of a vast, whirling dance that's been going on for millennia -- Rebecca Wragg Sykes, author of KindredLeary awakes in the reader the desire to walk, to wander, to meander and ponder. With charm, wit and warmth, we are led through an alternative archaeology, one where movement and mobility take precedence over settlement and sedentism. Thought-provoking and sustained by a depth of knowledge of human cultures, Footmarks reminds us that the restless journey and some of the most meaningful experiences along its path leave no trace but the imprints where feet have trodden -- Alex Langlands, author of CraeftArchaeological writing at its best: lucid, rational and deeply woven with the real lives of real people from the past. You'll never think about - or walk around - historic sites the same way again -- Mary-Ann Ochota, broadcaster and anthropologistFootmarks is a joy. A dance with our predecessors, through settings that feel by turns intimate and familiar, then questing and bold. By animating the ancient past Leary reminds us that far from being distant observers of the ancient past, we are a product of it, in both spirit and substance -- Amy-Jane Beer, naturalist and author of The FlowLucid, poetic and fascinating - a beautiful journey through time and across diverse landscapes. From ancient hominin footprints to hollow ways, from cattle drovers to pilgrims, Leary explores how journeys make us human -- Alice Roberts, anatomist, author and broadcasterA touching, illuminating and fascinating book. Leary is a great guide through our restless history -- Rob Cowen, author Common GroundAn engrossing tour of the ways in which "people have moved over millions of years" ... This is a trip worth taking. * Publishers Weekly *In this beautifully written book, archaeologist Jim Leary explains how stretching back millions of years, our ancestors have moved across their landscapes ... Intertwined with explanations of discoveries and the methods used to examine historical journeys, the book paints a vivid picture of how mobility has shaped our societies and the world we live in -- Cat Jarman * British Archaeology *Footmarks is a thoroughly engaging stroll through the mystery and complexity of human history with a knowledgeable and amusing guide. It would make a great present for anyone with general interest in archaeology or history. * Current Archaeology *

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Book SynopsisIn Rome the echoes of the past resound clearly in its palaces and monuments, and in the remains of the ancient imperial city. But another presence has dominated Rome for 2,000 years -the pope, whose actions and influence echo down the ages. In this epic tale, historian Jessica Wärnberg tells, for the first time, the story of Rome through the lens of its popes, illuminating how these remarkable (and unremarkable) men have transformed lives and played a crucial role in deciding the fate of the city. Emerging as the anonymous leader of a marginal cult in the humblest quarters of the city, less than 300 years later the pope sat enthroned in a gilt basilica, endorsed by the emperor himself. Eventually, the Roman pontiff would supplant even the emperors, becoming the de facto ruler of Rome and pre-eminent leader of the Christian world. Shifting elegantly between the panoramic and the personal, the spiritual and the profane, this is a fresh and often surprising take on a city, a people and an institution that is at once familiar and elusive.Trade ReviewShe is brilliant! -- Dan SnowA tremendous, engrossing, and illuminating history of papal Rome. City of Echoes is a must-read for everyone with an interest in the Eternal City. -- Angus Robertson, author of Crossroads of Civilization: A History of ViennaSerious, exactingly-researched history, with all the gripping intensity of a rattling good yarn. Filled with intriguing and unexpected facts, City of Echoes conjures up some superb images. Jessica Wärnberg shows us how the truth can be be even more exciting than any Dan Brown yarn. -- Paul Strathern, author of The Borgias, The Medici, and The Other RenaissanceCity of Echoes is a sweeping journey through the intertwined history of the city of Rome and the popes from the earliest Christian times till today. It's wonderfully readable and thoroughly enjoyable. -- Philip Freeman, author of Hannibal, Alexander the Great, and Julius CaesarJessica Wärnberg's pleasurably informative account allows us to hear some gloriously clear historical and religious resonances of Rome from St. Peter to the present day. It leads us on a sparkling journey through the intertwined evolution of the Eternal City and the papacy that is a joy on the architectural, human, and divine levels. -- Stephen P. Kershaw, author of The Harvest of War and The Enemies of RomeThis marvellous and original study offers us Rome in all its beauty, depravity and resilience. The history of papal power is never better explained ... An excellent read that will reshape our perceptions of how the modern Vatican state came to be. -- Andrew Pettegree, author of The Library: A Fragile History and Brand Luther: How an Unheralded Monk Turned His Small Town into a Center of Publishing, Made Himself the Most Famous Man in Europe and Started the Protestant ReformationTerrific! Jessica Wärnberg is an assured guide through the panorama of Rome's Christian history, evoking a turbulent world of warfare, witchcraft and inquisitors. Not only that, she achieves the considerable feat of making church history fun. Highly recommended. -- Catherine Fletcher, author of The Beauty and the Terror: An Alternative History of the Italian RenaissanceJessica Wärnberg's book tells not only the story of these popes but that of Rome, its people and the events that affected them ... as a history of the Catholic church it is well worthwhile. Just about everything is here, from the conversion of the Emperor Constantine in 312 to the declaration of the pope's infallibility when speaking ex cathedra in 1870. * The Spectator *The book's strength is its range, from St Peter in the first century all the way to Pope Francis today...Wärnberg is especially good on the early years, when Christianity and the papacy emerged under the shadow of a hostile imperial Rome...the story of how popes became leading actors is well told. * The Economist *Telling the history of Rome over nearly 2,000 years through the deeds (and misdeeds) of the Popes of the Roman Catholic Church is more than just a beautiful conceit. Jessica Wärnberg has written a deeply informative book that never fails to entertain * Air Mail *A brilliantly researched and all-encompassing history of papal Rome. I very much enjoyed reading this. * Anna Mazzola, author of the Clockwork Girl *Historian Wärnberg debuts with an insightful study of the papacy and its influence over the city of Rome. Throughout this accessible and scrupulous account, Wärnberg demonstrates how the legacy of the papacy has become inextricably linked with the city of Rome. The result is a valuable contribution to the history of both Rome and Catholicism. * Publishers Weekly *City of Echoes will fill in the gaps of your knowledge and understanding of the history of Rome and the papacy. It will give you a fresh and better informed view of how religion can impact a city and, thereby, the world. * Premier Christianity *

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Book SynopsisAn Irish TImes Book of the Year'The beauty of this book is in the telling: The Irish Difference lays out its themes and chronologies with impeccable clarity, and is full of fascinating detail... Exemplary.' Irish IndependentFor hundreds of years, the islands and their constituent tribes that make up the British Isles have lived next door to each other in a manner that, over time, suggested some movement towards political union. It was an uneven, stop-start business and it worked better in some places than in others. Still, England, Wales and Scotland have hung together through thick and thin, despite internal divisions of language, religion, law, culture and disposition that might have broken up a less resilient polity. And, for a long time, it seemed that something similar might have been said about the smaller island to the west: Ireland.Ireland was always a more awkward fit in the London-centric mini-imperium but no one imagined that it might detach itself altogether, until the moment came for rupture, quite suddenly and dramatically, in the fall-out from World War I. So, what was it - is it - about Ireland that is so different? Different enough to sever historical ties of centuries with such sudden violence and unapologetic efficiency. Wherein lies the Irish difference, a difference sufficient to have caused a rupture of that nature?In a wide-ranging and witty narrative, historian Fergal Tobin looks into Ireland's past, taking in everything from religion and politics to sports and literature, and traces the roots of her journey towards independence.Trade Review[Tobin's] a beautiful writer, with a graceful prose style, and he takes a contemplative and nuanced approach to an incredibly tangled story... The beauty of this book is in the telling: The Irish Difference lays out its themes and chronologies with impeccable clarity, and is full of fascinating detail... Exemplary. * Irish Independent *Witty, thought-provoking, wide-ranging and highly readable. * Irish Times *The Irish Difference marshals its arguments with a light touch and many witty asides, making for a consistently lively read. * Sunday Business Post *A witty and entertaining gallop over Irish history. * The Irish Catholic *You may not agree with everything Fergal Tobin says; you may not even agree with any of it. But the book is so entertaining, so well-written, and so thought-provoking that you are certainly likely to enjoy it. * RTÉ Online *This elegantly written history delineates how Ireland never acquiesced to English rule in the way other countries did.... Many drolleries help the tangled history go down smoothly. * 'Books of the Year', Irish Times *Table of Contents1: Faith and Fatherland 2: It's a Long Way to Tipperary 3: Half In and Half Out 4: Jackie Goes to Ballybay 5: Gallant Allies in Europe? 6: The Empty Centre 7: Looking Down on Inistioge 8: Encumbered Estates 9: Disestablishment 10: Of Man's First Disobedience 11: The Association 12: The Necessity for De-Anglicising the Irish People 13: The Death of Cromwell 14: Cyclops 15: We Don't Want to Fight.

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Book SynopsisWhat are the origins of the hostile environment against immigrants in the UK? Patel retells Britain's recent history in an often shocking account of state racism that still resonates today. In a series of post-war immigration laws from 1948 to 1971, arrivals from the Caribbean, Asia and Africa to Britain went from being citizens to being renamed immigrants. In the late 1960s, British officials drew upon an imperial vision of the world to contain what it saw as a vast immigration 'crisis' involving British citizens, passing legislation to block their entry. As a result, British citizenship itself was redefined along racial lines, fatally compromising the Commonwealth and exposing the limits of Britain's influence in world politics. Combining voices of so-called immigrants trying to make a home in Britain and the politicians, diplomats and commentators who were rethinking the nation, Ian Sanjay Patel excavates the reasons why Britain failed to create a post-imperial national identity.Chosen as a BBC History Magazine Book of the Year 2021 and shortlisted for the PEN Hessell-Tiltman Prize 2022Trade ReviewThe contemporary politics of belonging and immigration - Ian Sanjay Patel shows in this stunning history - make no sense except against the backdrop of centuries of empire, and the decades at its messy end when British identity was refashioned. We're Here Because You Were There expertly revisits how the claim and incentive to move beyond empire followed only upon the erection of colonial hierarchy and racialized exclusion, factors which were strengthened in forgotten eras of imperial citizenship and Commonwealth unity. This book boldly and convincingly lays down a new starting point for debate today. -- Samuel Moyn, author of Not Enough: Human Rights in an Unequal WorldThis is an extraordinary and important book. It is powerful, principled and courageous, a necessary and vital disquisition on the continuing legacies of colonialism and the mindset of its making and perpetuation in the modern, brutish Britain we seem to inhabit. -- Philippe Sands, author of East West StreetCombining startling new research with a clear and convincing argument, this shows just how essential the history of migration and race is to understanding Britain today. -- Daniel Trilling, author of Lights in the DistanceMany studies of immigration suffer from two weaknesses. They discuss it in isolation from a discussion of national identity, and treat it as a domestic issue that can be analysed and explained in terms of domestic constraints and compulsions. Patel's new book is happily free from these, and offers a historically rich and conceptually rigorous study of post-1945 immigration to the U.K., especially that of East African Asians. He locates it in Britain's imperial context and traces with great skill the debate on Britain's self-understanding that it sprang from and influenced. This is a first-rate book and deserves to be widely read. -- Bhikhu Parekh, author of Rethinking Multiculturalism: Cultural Diversity and Political TheoryPatel provides some much-needed context for one of the world's most contentious and vexed subjects of debate: immigration. From the legal architecture designed to make life impossible for foreigners both a century ago and today, to the hypocrisies of British officials bent on shutting out those forced from their homes, Patel succinctly and eloquently explains the long-lasting consequences of empire: how countless lives were irrevocably altered by mandarins in Whitehall offices, and the related suffering that continues into the present day. -- Dr Shashi Tharoor, author of Inglorious EmpirePatel provides an indispensable and urgently relevant account of immigration and the end of empire that reveals the mirage-like quality of the very concepts through which we typically understand postwar Britain. Situating the arrival of nonwhite people in Britain in an intra-imperial context, this bravely and innovatively wide-ranging account shows that neither were they immigrants, nor was Britain ending empire. Their arrival was a phenomenon of continuity rather than a dramatic break with the past. With a compassionate authorial voice, Patel captures the trauma of unbelonging and of racist gatekeeping of the planet against a backdrop of continuous, untrammeled British emigration. This carefully researched book is testimony to history's astonishing power to change how we understand the world we inhabit by dispelling the myths that obscure truth. -- Priya Satia, Raymond A. Spruance Professor of International History at Stanford University and author of Time's MonsterDebates about immigration in the immediate post-war decades, argues Ian Sanjay Patel in his provocative and important new book, were really about Britain's relation to changes in the outside world and to itself. He tells a story rooted both in the experience of migrants and in the archives of officials and politicians, at home, in the UN, and in the new postcolonial states. An idea of empire rooted in white power and colonial subjection was rearticulated for global times. Both Conservative and Labour governments utilized the law to establish a race-based set of rights for contemporary Britain. -- Catherine Hall, author of Civilising SubjectsIan Sanjay Patel's meticulously researched book shows how vital it is to understand the effects of the legacies of empire on the history of migration, and our understanding of race and belonging in modern Britain. It is an essential book for our times. -- Kavita Puri, author of Partition VoicesA book of rare importance. Ian Sanjay Patel masterfully traces the long shadow cast by Empire over Britain's recent history, and its present. -- Amia Srinivasan, Chichele Professor of Social and Political Theory, All Souls College, OxfordGroundbreaking...undoubtedly a landmark contribution. -- David Wearing * Tribune *Deeply impressed by this book. Expands upon many of the observations I make about multiculturalism in Empireland with real authority. Wish I'd been given it at school -- Sathnam Sanghera, author of Empireland[Patel] reminds us that the British Empire and imperial thinking lasted much longer than is generally understood...insightful -- Rohan Venkataramakrishnan * Scroll *

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Book SynopsisIn January of 1788 the First Fleet arrived in New South Wales and a thousand British men and women encountered the people who will be their new neighbours; the beach nomads of Australia. "These people mixed with ours," wrote a British observer soon after the landfall, "and all hands danced together." What followed would determine relations between the peoples for the next two hundred years.Drawing skilfully on first-hand accounts and historical records, Inga Clendinnen reconstructs the complex dance of curiosity, attraction and mistrust performed by the protagonists of either side. She brings this key chapter in British colonial history brilliantly alive. Then we discover why the dancing stopped . . .Trade ReviewIn a voice that is always careful, thoughtful, deliberate, she teases out the story from what is not said, from ironic or obtuse turns of phrases in sentences constrained by professional formality or egotistical defensiveness . . . (Clendinnen) is above all a skilled interpreter of human behaviour. It is this psychologically astute . . . approach that sets her apart as a thoroughly 21st-century historian. -- Susan Elderkin * * Guardian * *Clendinnen revitalises out interest . . . Her glimpses are less conclusive but more truthful. They leave us with the feeling that we have not got it right, and that in itself is a spring-board back into investigation. -- Nicholas Shakespeare * * Daily Telegraph * *The story evoked is one of mystery, excitement and tension. Clendinnen's obvious passion for the subject transfers brilliantly onto the page as people and places are brought vividly to life. * * Big Issue * *A moving, often surprising story. * * Scotsman * *Clendinnen writes so well, with an eye for detail and character that make her a pleasure to read . . . Her words dance across the page. * * New York Times * *An extraordinary achievement. -- Robert MainFascinating. Transforms our understanding of history from something static into something lived. -- James Bredley * * Sydney Morning Herald * *

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Book SynopsisIn 1895 twenty-six-year-old Bridget Cleary disappeared from her house in rural Tipperary. At first, some said that the fairies had taken her into their stronghold in a nearby hill, from where she would emerge, riding a white horse. But then her badly burned body was found in a shallow grave. Her husband, father, aunt and four cousins were arrested and charged, while newspapers in nearby Clonmel, and then in Dublin, Cork, London and further afield attempted to make sense of what had happened.In this lurid and fascinating episode, set in the last decade of the nineteenth century, we witness the collision of town and country, of storytelling and science, of old and new. The torture and burning of Bridget Cleary caused a sensation in 1895 which continues to reverberate more than a hundred years later.Winner of the Irish Times Prize for Non-FictionTrade ReviewFascinating... passionate and thought-provoking... a creative, stimulating book that deserves to win many readers -- Patrick French * Sunday Times *One of those rare books that becomes an instantaneous classic * Independent *Scrupulous, clear micro-history at its best -- Marina Warner, Books of the Year * Times Literary Supplement *Angela Bourke's fascinating, disturbing and powerful book tells a compelling and tragic story * Financial Times *The story of Bridget Cleary's death is a parable for a changing world, a well-researched and horrifying account of what could happen in the region where myth and modernity collide...As dramatic a murder mystery as any devotee of the genre could long for...And it is the rich abundance of ideas that makes this a uniquely important historical work * Irish News *

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Book SynopsisWaterloo is one of the most famous battles in history and it has given rise to a vast and varied literature. The strategy and tactics of the battle and the entire Waterloo campaign have been analysed at length. The commanders, manoeuvres and critical episodes, and the intense experiences of the men who took part, have all been recorded in minute detail. But the organization, structure and fighting strength of the armies that fought in the battle have received less attention, and this is the subject of Philip Haythornthwaite's detailed, authoritative and engaging study. Through a close description of the structure and personnel of each of the armies he builds up a fascinating picture of their makeup, their methods and their capabilities. The insight he offers into the contrasting styles and national characteristics of the forces that came together on the Waterloo battlefield gives a fresh perspective on the extraordinary clash of arms that ended the Napoleonic era.

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Book SynopsisThis is a comprehensive guide to the golden age of ancient Greece, shown in over 200 colour photographs, diagrams, detailed maps and plans. Featuring detailed accounts of armies, battle campaigns and military strategies from the collapse of the Minoan and Mycenaean civilisations to the astonishing exploits of Alexander the Great a thousand years later. It highlights include detailed chapters on the Persian Wars, the rise and fall of the Athenian Empire and the rule of Sparta, as well as in-depth examinations of key figures such as Pericles of Athens and Dionysius of Syracuse. Opening with the Minoan and Mycenaean Bronze Age cultures, this encyclopedic history tracks the rebirth of Greece after its intervening Dark Age. Witness the birth of world's 'first' individuals and discover the men and women who helped to build and destroy city-states and armies. You can learn how the dynamic interaction of politics, philosophy, history, love and war resulted in a uniquely captivating story of battles, tyrants, soldiers and slaves. Through over 200 vivid photographs, artworks, maps and plans, ancient Greece and her political and military history are brought to life. This is an essential account of the people, places and events that shaped and transformed ancient Greece, leaving a legacy that underlies much of the modern world.

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Book SynopsisThe Number One BestsellerShortlisted for the Irish Book Awards 2021'A great achievement . . . Brilliant, engaging and essential' Colm Tóibín'At once intimate and epic, this is a landmark book' Fintan O'TooleWhen Dubliner Derek Scally goes to Christmas Eve Mass on a visit home from Berlin, he finds more memories than congregants in the church where he was once an altar boy. Not for the first time, the collapse of the Catholic Church in Ireland brings to mind the fall of another powerful ideology - East German communism. While Germans are engaging earnestly with their past, Scally sees nothing comparable going on in his native land. So he embarks on a quest to unravel the tight hold the Church had on the Irish.He travels the length and breadth of Ireland and across Europe, going to Masses, novenas, shrines and seminaries, talking to those who have abandoned the Church and those who have held on, to survivors and campaigners, to writers, historians, psychologists and many more. And he has probing and revealing encounters with Vatican officials, priests and religious along the way.The Best Catholics in the World is the remarkable result of his three-year journey. With wit, wisdom and compassion Scally gives voice and definition to the murky and difficult questions that face a society coming to terms with its troubling past. It is both a lively personal odyssey and a resonant and gripping work of reporting that is a major contribution to the story of Ireland.'Reflective, textured, insightful and original ... rich with history, interrogation and emotional intelligence' Diarmaid Ferriter, Irish Times'An unblinking look at the collapse of the Church and Catholic deference in Ireland. Excellent and timely' John Banville, The Sunday Times'Engaging and incisive' Caelainn Hogan, author of Republic of Shame'Remarkable ... Essential reading for anyone concerned about history and forgetting' Michael Harding'Fair-minded ... thoughtful' Melanie McDonagh, The Times'Very pacey and entertaining ... and it changed how I regard Ireland and our history for good. Fantastic' Oliver Callan'Original, thought-provoking and very engaging' Marie Collins'A provocative insight into a time that many would rather forget' John Boyne'Challenging' Mary McAleese'Explores this subject in a way that I've never seen before' Hugh Linehan, Irish TimesTrade ReviewAn extraordinary story ... At once intimate and epic, this is a landmark book -- Fintan O'TooleA great achievement ... brilliant, engaging and essential -- Colm TóibínAn engaging and incisive book that asks what keeping the faith cost us, how it shaped us and what it means now -- Caelainn Hogan * author of Republic of Shame *Remarkable ... [Scally] examines the past with disarming honesty and a sense of compassion. His book is essential reading for anyone concerned about history and forgetting -- Michael HardingOffers some challenging end-of-an-era reflections on being Catholic in the scandal-ridden church of contemporary Ireland -- Mary McAleeseAbsolutely thrilling. A wonderful blend of personal story, journalism and history - it goes to unexpected places and asks questions we don't usually consider -- Oliver CallanAccessible, original, thought-provoking and very engaging -- Marie CollinsA wonderful book -- Catriona CroweReflective, textured, insightful and original ... rich with history, interrogation and emotional intelligence -- Diarmaid Ferriter * Irish Times *A highly intelligent, patriotic work * Business Post *Compelling * Irish Examiner *Excellent and timely * Sunday Times *

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Book Synopsis‘We walk in the footprints of great women, women who lived through hard times on farms, in villages, towns and cities. The lives of these women are an untold story. This book is a celebration of the often forgotten “ordinary” women who gave so much to our society.’ Alice Taylor Alice salutes the women whose energy and generosity made such a valuable contribution to all our lives. '[It] warmed my heart and reminded me of the value of family, friendship and community... I was enthralled... wonderful.' Irish Independent on And Time Stood StillTrade ReviewI highly recommend it … I thoroughly enjoyed it -- The Arts House, Cork’s C103 and Cork’s 96FMhighly enjoyable read -- Ireland’s Own Christmas Annualhighly enjoyable read -- Ireland’s Ownin these pages, we see Taylor’s remarkable gift of elevating the ordinary to something special, something poetic, even … Taylor avoids the mantel of social commentator in this book, and this is surely part of her charm. She is a teller of stories, simply that. She writes from personal experience and records the experience of others, without the gravitas and authority of an historian, but with empathy, wit and considerable poetic elegance. In The Women, she records fifteen remarkable lives that would otherwise have been forgotten. She is to be commended for that. And the fact that, like all of her books, it’s a thing of gentle beauty -- Irish Independentone of Ireland’s favourites … an absolutely beautiful read … beautifully finished … amazing stories that wouldn’t be known without you … the photographs in the book are special in themselves -- In Conversation with Weeshie Fogarty on Radio Kerrya really special reading experience … it’s an amazing book with some wonderful stories -- Shannonside FM and Northern Sound’s Joe Finnegan Showa book that will grip you by the heart -- U Magazinewonderful … put The Women on your Christmas gift list -- Bandon OpinionI reckon it’s going to be another winner -- Tommy Marren Show

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Book SynopsisDublin has taken many forms over the last millennium: first a Scandinavian settlement, linked by kinship to Norway; then a medieval town that formed part of a Norman sphere of influence across Western Europe. By the eighteenth century, it was a ‘polite’ city of the British Empire, before gaining independence and developing into a bustling, modern European capital. Merging archaeology with art, Stephen Conlin’s beautifully crafted views recreate Dublin’s most famous areas and buildings at key times in their development, such as Wood Quay in 1254, Parliament House circa 1760, O’Connell Street in 1945, and the Grand Canal Basin today. This wonderful imagery is complemented and enhanced by the vivid text of Peter Harbison, which moves through time to provide an entertaining history of Dublin, its people and its landmarks. Also available as a signed, limited edition with slipcase and special cover design. ISBN 9781847179227.Trade Reviewthe reader can visualise the development of Dublin from its Viking origins to an imperial city … thanks to Conlin’s artwork -- Archaeology Irelandillustrations and text complement each another in a harmonious whole which is a delight to the reader … sumptuous … a treasure of a book, a feast for the eye and the mind … a book for all who love Dublin -- Dublin Historical Record, journal of the Old Dublin Societybeautifully produced … an extremely talented artist and an assiduous and talented scholar -- Irish Catholic Magazinevery attractive, beautifully illustrated book that brings a fresh approach to the well-known story of Ireland’s capital, from its Viking origins, through the medieval city to the modern metropolis -- Books Irelandexciting … the people of Dublin and their cityscape evolving through the ages are magically conjured within the pages of this book … this is a splendid achievement which should have a place in every school in the capital, if not in every house, packed as it is with information presented in a thoughtfully designed and well-produced volume of the highest quality -- Irish Arts Review

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