European history Books

Book SynopsisHow well do you know the life of one of Britain’s great maritime heroes? Discover the truth behind a man who remains a legendary figure of history more than four hundred years after his death.Sir Francis Drake’s career is one of the most colourful on record. The most daring of the corsairs who raided the West Indies and Spanish Main, he led the English into the Pacific, and cirumnavigated the world to bring home the Golden Hind laden with Spanish treasure. His attacks on Spanish cities and ships transformed his private war into a struggle for surivival between Protestant England and Catholic Spain, in which he became Elizabeth I's most prominent admiral and marked the emergence of England as major maritime nation.‘Excellent...It deserves to become the standard Drake life. His scholarship is impeccable’ Frank McLynn, Sunday TelegraphTrade ReviewExcellent...It deserves to become the standard Drake life. His scholarship is impeccable -- Frank McLynn * Sunday Telegraph *Excellent...he gives us throughout a highly sympathetic though not unbalanced portrait of a remarkable man -- Linda ColleyThe scope of his book, and the skill with which he handles generally unreliable sources, is impressive...The accounts of the circumnavigation, the attack on Cadiz and the defeat of the Armada are a comprehensive, and as readable, as any that have yet appeared -- Brendan King * Literary Review *

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Book SynopsisThe seizure of Pegasus Bridge by six glider borne platoons of the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry under Major John Howard very early 6th June 1944, is one of the better-known stories of D-Day. Landing just yards from vital bridges over the River Orne and the Caen Canal near Benouville, Howard's men took and held the bridges in a remarkable coup de main operation with minimal casualties. The 7th Parachute Battalion dropped in soon afterwards to relieve Howard's men and the action remains, by any standards, a remarkable feat of arms. But it was only one act in a much grander production put on by 6th Airborne Division that night to secure and protect the eastern flank of the Allied landings inland from Sword, the British landing beach. Key bridges over the Dives had to be blown to foil possible German counter attacks and to north east, at Merville, a battery of guns which the allied planners thought could wreak havoc on the beaches and ships at sea, had to be eliminated. The task fell to the men of the 9th Parachute Battalion, whose actions in assaulting the Merville Battery became another D-Day epic - but for very different reasons.

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Book SynopsisThe two-engined Mosquito was one of the classic aircraft of the Second World War. Famously wooden-built, its graceful lines and powerful performance have made it into an airborne icon. Its operational versatility as a fighter, low level bomber and reconnaissance aircraft was unsurpassed.In this book we get the first-hand crew accounts of a selection of the actions and missions that the 'Mossie' undertook. These include audacious raids on Nazi HQs and Gestapo jails - real precision attacks carried out by ace fliers.

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Book SynopsisIn 1915, the Turkish government systematically organised the wholesale slaughter of a complete race, the Armenians. Under the cover of World War I, through the secret organisation of unofficial gangs of Kurds, released prisoners, German officers and Turks who had lost their lands in the war against the Balkans, over 1 million Armenians were murdered, starved, raped and left to die. Following the War, as the Nationalist movement began to rise up from the ashes of the Ottoman Empire, the allies tried to persecute the perpetrators of the genocide, in a series of trials where the term 'crimes against humanity' was first used, Turkey was allowed to hide its recent history. It has remained hidden ever since. As the nation attempts to enter the European Union, the question of 1915 has become ever more important with the arrest of writers such as Orhan Pamuk, and the introduction of Turkey into the EU.Trade ReviewThe first lucid and comprehensive study of a historical fact - the Armenian Genocide of 1915. * Morning Star *

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Book SynopsisThe Victorian era has dominated the popular imagination like no other period, but these myths and stories also give a very distorted view of the 19th century. The early Victorians were much stranger that we usually imagine, and their world would have felt very different from our own and it was only during the long reign of the Queen that a modern society emerged in unexpected ways. Using character portraits, events, and key moments Paterson brings the real life of Victorian Britain alive - from the lifestyles of the aristocrats to the lowest ranks of the London slums. This includes the right way to use a fan, why morning visits were conducted in the afternoon, what the Victorian family ate and how they enjoyed their free time, as well as the Victorian legacy today - convenience food, coffee bars, window shopping, mass media, and celebrity culture.Praise for Dicken's London:Out of the babble of voices, Michael Paterson has been able to extract the essence of London itself. Read this book and re-enter the labyrinth of a now-ancient city.' Peter Ackroyd

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Book SynopsisMore than 27 million Americans today can trace their lineage to the Scots, whose bloodline was stained by centuries of continuous warfare along the border between England and Scotland, and later in the bitter settlements of England's Ulster Plantation in Northern Ireland. When hundreds of thousands of Scots-Irish migrated to America in the eighteenth century, they brought with them not only long experience as rebels and outcasts but also unparalleled skills as frontiersmen and guerrilla fighters. Their cultural identity reflected acute individualism, dislike of aristocracy and a military tradition; and, over time, the Scots-Irish defined the attitudes and values of the military, of working-class America and even of the peculiarly populist form of American democracy itself. Born Fighting is the first book to chronicle the epic journey of this remarkable ethnic group and the profound but unrecognised role it has played in shaping the social, political and cultural landscape of America from its beginnings through to the present day.Trade ReviewAn extraordinary and ambitious book, written with power and perfect clarity * Scotland Magazine *Powerful stuff . . . an absorbing book * BBC Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine *An entertaining and thought-provoking read * Scottish Field *A comprehensive account of the effect the Scots-Irish had on the American people of today . . . a scholarly work * Scottish Home and Country *Certainly provides some illuminating historical perspectives . . . definitely worth a read * Morning Star *

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Book SynopsisJeremy Paxman's unique portrait of the Victorian age takes readers on an exciting journey through the birth of modern Britain. Using the paintings of the era as a starting point, he tells us stories of urban life, family, faith, industry and empire that helped define the Victorian spirit and imagination.To Paxman, these paintings were the television of their day, and his exploration of Victorian art and society shows how these artists were chronicling a world changing before their eyes. This enthralling history is Paxman at his best - opinionated, informed, witty, surprising - and a glorious reminder of how the Victorians made us who we are today.Trade ReviewA real contribution to art history, introducing the reader to a rich mix of the familiar and the unfamiliar... the book certainly taught me things about the Victorians that I either did not know or had not thought about with sufficient imagination -- A.N. Wilson * The Guardian *A wonderful introduction to the sheer vibrancy of the Victorian era... genuinely impressive -- Dominic Sandbrook * The Evening Standard *

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Book SynopsisOn 24 April 1916, as President of the Provisional Government, Patrick Pearse appeared under the GPO Grand Portico on Dublin's O'Connell Street and read aloud the Proclamation of the Irish Republic. Nine days later, he was the first of the rebel leaders to be executed.In the 16Lives biography series.

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Book SynopsisUpdated edition with many more biographies and a new introduction by the author. Spies, snipers, couriers, gun-runners, medics, women played a major role in the fight for Ireland's freedom, risking loss of life and family for a cause to which they were totally committed. This book highlights a time when vast numbers of Irish women were politicised and imprisoned for their beliefs, with a special emphasis on one prison, Kilmainham Gaol. They came from every class in society and all walks of life: titled ladies and shop assistants, doctors, housewives, laundry workers, artists and teachers. Some were married with children, others widowed and some mere schoolchildren. These are hidden stories that vividly recreate the characters, personalities and courage of Ireland's revolutionary women.Trade Reviewabsolutely riveting -- South East Radio’s Morning Miximpressive contribution to the decade of centenaries … a fine book and a very worthwhile counterweight to the overwhelmingly male view of the Rising and War of Independence that still prevails -- The Tuam HeraldAn outstanding book, painstakingly researched, accessibly structured and beautifully presented ... This is a book about who we are, peopled by familiar faces. Its pages are friends. Yes, it is a monument of sorts; certainly a tribute and a rich resource. More than anything, it is a great story waiting too long to be told. -- Irish Independent * Irish Independent *This book is important to the study of the period and to the hidden history of women in Ireland -- Dermot Bolger - The Sunday Tribune * The Sunday Tribune *a remarkable book -- Irish Examiner'What amazed me was the extraordinary bravery of the women, which would never have been recorded had it not been for this book' -- Irish ExaminerTable of ContentsIntroduction by Dr Margaret Ward 11 Foreword: Finding Women 12 Chapter 1: Women Activists (1900–1916) 20 Chapter 2: The Women of the Rising 34 Chapter 3: Women and the Road to Independence (1917–1921) 59 Chapter 4: The Civil War (1922–1923) 88 Biographies 139 Appendix 1: Prisoner List – 1916 242 Appendix 2: Prisoner List – Civil War 244 Notes 266 Bibliography 286 Picture Credits 312 Index 313

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Book SynopsisThe Sword of Albion concludes the most comprehensive and intimate life of Nelson ever written, one that teems with a glittering array of sailors and civilians, heroes and villains, husbands, wives and lovers. Here are Nelson's famous victories at the battles of the Nile, Copenhagen and Trafalgar as well as his lesser-known yet equally gripping campaigns. But behind the military prowess is a man riven with paradoxes and schisms: the fighting admiral and the glory-hunter, the national hero and the indigent commoner, the family man and the adulterer. This is an epic, triumphant and tragic life, and a masterpiece of the biographer's art.Trade ReviewAn absolutely excellent book. Every bit is beautifully judged -- William Leith * Evening Standard *Sweeping, thrilling and psychologically acute, this second volume in John Sugden’s biography will hardly be bettered...this book is a monumental achievement. Some readers may be daunted by its length, but the investment of time and effort is unquestionably worth it... It is a tribute to Sugden’s skill that as Nelson lies stricken below desks, gasping for air, blood pouring into his chest, his officers biting back the tears and Hardy desperately wringing his hand, you pray that somehow, against all sense and reason, England’s greatest hero might just pull through -- Dominic Sandbrook * Sunday Times *The Last eight years of his [Nelson’s] life dealt with in thrilling, monumental detail * Sunday Times *There isn’t the slightest hint of modishness in Sugden’s study, which not only has all the old-fashioned scholarly virtues but is also, in the time-honoured tradition of naval history, a thumping good read * Scotsman *John Sugden’s utterly epic Nelson: The Sword of Albion is the longest, richest, most absorbing biography I’ve ever read… Sugden’s book is of Tolstoyan dimensions -- Roger Lewis * Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisNow a major film starring GEORGE CLOONEY, MATT DAMON, CATE BLANCHETT, BILL MURRAY, JOHN GOODMAN, HUGH BONNEVILLE, BOB BALABAN, JEAN DUJARDIN and DIMITRI LEONIDAS.What if I told you that there was an epic story about World War II that has not been told, involving the most unlikely group of heroes? What if I told you there was a group of men on the front lines who didn’t carry machine guns or drive tanks; a new kind of soldier, one charged with saving, not destroying.From caves to castles in a thrilling race against time, these men risked their lives daily to save hundreds of thousands of the world’s greatest works of art. THEY were the Monuments Men, and THIS is their extraordinary true story.‘Remarkable’ Washington Post‘Engaging, inspiring’ Publishers WeeklyTrade ReviewAfter World War Two I served as a British member of the 'Monuments' section in Germany. Our task, I believe, was truly important - we were restoring to Europe evidence of its own civilization, which the War seemed virtually to have destroyed - and I was lucky to have had a chance to participate. It is excellent that Mr Edsel has now recorded this remarkable episode, and I am grateful to him for devoting so much energy to telling the stories of those involved -- Anne Olivier BellIn the great storytelling tradition of my longtime friend, Stephen Ambrose, Monuments Men is a marvelous addition to the many great books on World War II and is a reminder that we fought to save western civilization as well as our freedom. Robert Edsel's brilliant work tells the story of how a small unit of American soldiers raced across the front lines in Europe to rescue the art treasures of western culture that had been stolen by the Nazis. Edsel's book is a thriller, in the style of Indiana Jones, but in this case it's all fact and great history. I read the book from cover to cover - couldn't put it down! * Dr. Gordon 'Nick' Mueller, CEO/President and co-founder of the National World War II Museum *Highly Readable . . . a remarkable history * Washington Post *Engaging and inspiring * Publishers Weekly *

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Book SynopsisWhen they met at a motorcycle club in 1912, Elsie Knocker was a thirty year-old motorcycling divorcee dressed in bottle-green Dunhill leathers, and Mairi Chisholm was a brilliant eighteen-year old mechanic, living at home and borrowing tools from her brother. Little did they know, theirs was to become one of the most extraordinary stories of the First World War.In 1914, they roared off to London 'to do their bit', and within a month they were in the thick of things in Belgium driving ambulances to distant military hospitals. Frustrated by the number of men dying of shock in the back of their vehicles, they set up their own first-aid post on the front line in the village of Pervyse, near Ypres, risking their lives working under sniper fire and heavy bombardment for months at a time. As news of their courage and expertise spread, the 'Angels of Pervyse' became celebrities, visited by journalists and photographers as well as royals and VIPs. Glamorous and influential, they were having the time of their lives, and for four years, Elsie and Mairi and stayed in Pervyse until they were nearly killed by arsenic gas in the spring of 1918. But returning home and adjusting to peacetime life was to prove even more challenging than the war itself.Trade ReviewA compelling story of famous but forgotten heroines: two exceptional Edwardian ladies in the front line mud and mayhem of World War I -- Kate AdieDiane Atkinson has uncovered the lives of two extraordinary women who brought medical comfort and relief to the wounded of World War I. Her book is as absorbing as it is thorough, as entertaining as it is warm-hearted. A terrific story -- Joan BakewellThe true story of best friends Elsie Knocker and Mairi Chisholm who, when the First World War broke out, set up a first aid post on the Western Front. Their courage frequently made the headlines in Britain and both were awarded medals for their bravery. This biography is a fitting tribute to their role on the frontline -- Charlotte Vowden * Daily Express *A terrific, true story, brought vividly to life * Mail on Sunday *Brilliantly readable * Lancashire Evening Post *

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Book Synopsis'A kind of epic poem, one that moves in circular fashion from passionate denunciation to intense autobiographical reflection ... should be required reading for every MP, peer, councillor, civil servant and commentator. The fury and sense of powerlessness that so many people feel at government policy beam out of every page.' The Guardian'It is not enough to read Harry's record of the struggles and hopes of a generation - we have to re-assert his principles of common ownership and the welfare state. If Harry can do it, we should too!' Ken Loach, Director of I, Daniel Blake'As one of the last remaining survivors of the Great Depression and the Second World War, I will not go gently into that good night. I want to tell you what the world looks like through my eyes, so that you can help change it.' In November 2013, 91-year-old Yorkshireman, RAF veteran and ex-carpet salesman Harry Leslie Smith's Guardian article - 'This year, I will wear a poppy for the last time' - was shared over 80,000 times on Facebook and started a huge debate about the state of society.Now he brings his unique perspective to bear on NHS cutbacks, benefits policy, political corruption, food poverty, the cost of education - and much more. From the deprivation of 1930s Barnsley and the terror of war to the creation of our welfare state, Harry has experienced how a great civilisation can rise from the rubble. But at the end of his life, he fears how easily it is being eroded. Harry's Last Stand is a lyrical, searing modern invective that shows what the past can teach us, and how the future is ours for the taking.'Smith's unwavering will to turn things around makes for inspirational reading.' Big Issue North'[With] sheer emotional power ... Harry Leslie Smith reminds us what society without good public services actually looks and feels like.' New StatesmanTrade ReviewA kind of epic poem, one that moves in circular fashion from passionate denunciation to intense autobiographical reflection ... should be required reading for every MP, peer, councillor, civil servant and commentator. The fury and sense of powerlessness that so many people feel at government policy beam out of every page. * Melissa Benn, Guardian *Smith's unwavering will to turn things around makes for inspirational reading. * Big Issue North *[With] sheer emotional power ... Harry Leslie Smith reminds us what society without good public services actually looks and feels like. -- Melissa Benn * Books of the Year *Mr Smith's is a rousing, earthy writing that's part Tony Harrison, part Dennis Skinner * NudgeMeNow.com *This hymn of wrath against the toxic nexus of money and power in austerity UK from a Bradford pauper's son, excommunicated from the Catholic church for marrying an "enemy" woman in post-war Germany, is a compelling life-verdict. * Paul Routledge, The Tablet *Harry's Last Stand is fast becoming a well-deserved publishing phenomenon. It is a breathtaking argument, brilliantly delivered, who said only the new generation have the capacity to make a difference? -- Mark Perryman * Left Futures *A moving first-person account from 91-year-old Harry Leslie Smith of growing up before the creation of the welfare state and NHS. Making a simple, emotive case for progressive politics, Smith was the star turn at this year's Labour party conference. * Guardian [Best Political Books of 2014] *Harry Leslie Smith is absolutely one of my heroes. Everyone should read this and be humbled. -- Annie LennoxIt is not enough to read Harry's record of the struggles and hopes of a generation - we have to re-assert his principles of common ownership and the welfare state. If Harry can do it, we should too! -- Ken LoachI read Harry's Last Stand in a single sitting. Labour should read to get fire in bellies. Tories should read in shame. -- Alastair CampbellSeek this one out. If it doesn't make you angry there's something wrong with you. It's inspirational stuff. -- Rick O'Shea * Radio 1 Presenter *

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Book SynopsisRoads to Berlin maps the changing landscape of Germany, from the period before the fall of the Wall to the present. Written and updated over the course of several decades, an eyewitness account of the pivotal events of 1989 gives way to a perceptive appreciation of its difficult passage to reunification. Nooteboom's writings on politics, people, architecture and culture are as digressive as they are eloquent; his innate curiosity takes him through the landscapes of Heine and Goethe, steeped in Romanticism and mythology, and to Germany's baroque cities. With an outsider's objectivity he has crafted an intimate portrait of the country to its present day.Trade Review'He writes in a voice that blends the acuity of Martha Gellhorn with the meditative grace of W.G. Sebald' Economist. * Economist *'As Jan Morris is to Venice or Trieste, as Edmund White to Paris and Claudio Magris to the Danube, so is Cees Nooteboom to Berlin' Rebecca K. Morrison, Independent. * Independent *'An exciting account of those turbulent far-off events' Ian Thomson, Sunday Telegraph. * Sunday Telegraph *'An exciting account of those turbulent far-off events' Ian Thomson, Sunday Telegraph. * Sunday Telegraph *Table of ContentsList of illustrations. PART I - Prologue: Crossing the Border. Intermezzo in the Third Person: Vestigia pedis. Second Intermezzo: Ancient Times. PART II - Berlin Suite. Dead Aeroplanes and Eagles Everywhere. Village within the Wall. Rheinsberg: An Intermezzo. Return to Berlin. PART III. PART IV - A Visit to the Chancellor. Epilogue. Glossary including biographical and other explanatory notes. Index. Afterword to Part I. Notes on this Edition.

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Book SynopsisThe name Borgia is synonymous with the corruption, nepotism, and greed that were rife in Renaissance Italy. The powerful, voracious Rodrigo Borgia, better known to history as Pope Alexander VI, was the central figure of the dynasty. Two of his seven papal offspring also rose to power and fame - Lucrezia Borgia, his daughter, whose husband was famously murdered by her brother, and that brother, Cesare, who served as the model for Niccolo Machiavelli's The Prince. Notorious for seizing power, wealth, land, and titles through bribery, marriage, and murder, the dynasty's dramatic rise from its Spanish roots to its occupation of the highest position in Renaissance society forms a gripping tale.Erudite, witty, and always insightful, Hibbert removes the layers of myth around the Borgia family and creates a portrait alive with his superb sense of character and place.Trade ReviewRather more than the story of an extraordinary and vicious family, The House Of Borgia is an engrossing account of a country divided up into a collection of constantly warring states, ofalliances made and broken and of almost unimaginable power and wealth there for the taking by those ruthless enough to let nothing stand in the way of their vaulting ambitions. * Daily Express *... a coherent and colourful historical record of the Borgias. * Literary Review *Few could have told the story better ... pacy, uncluttered and an eye for resonant detail. Sparkling. * Tribune *A tale of greed, nepotism, assassination and relentless jostling for power. * Sunday Times *Hibbert tells a good story. * Times Literary Supplement *In the last book he wrote before he died Hibbert captures quite brilliantly the extravagence and immorality at the heart of the papal empire on the eve of the Reeformation. * Good Book Guide *

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Book SynopsisFrom the Early Neolithic farm at Knap of Howar to the flamboyant chapel built by Italian prisoners of war in the 1940s, the Orkney Islands are amazingly rich in historic and prehistoric sites. At their centre is a cluster of spectacular Neolithic monuments - domestic, ceremonial and burial - now inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Orkney later became a flourishing Norse centre, with St Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall as its striking centrepiece. The palaces of the notorious Stewart earls also survive as a relic of Renaissance grandeur; while later periods have left evidence of industry, war and worship. In this extensively illustrated guide, Orkney-based archaeologist Caroline Wickham-Jones introduces more than 60 monuments in concise and accessible terms, set in context by a brief history of the islands. A site location directory is also included.

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Book SynopsisThe tiny island of Iona has been a vibrant centre of Christian worship since Columba arrived in AD 563. His monastery thrived for centuries, despite repeated Viking raids beginning in 795. Around 1200, the abbey and nunnery were founded, introducing new forms of worship and new buildings, while still welcoming pilgrims to St Columba’s shrine. Even after the Protestant Reformation of 1560 brought an end to Scotland’s monasteries, Iona served briefly as a Cathedral of the Isles. Restoration of the buildings began in 1899, and in 1938 the Iona Community was formed, revitalising the abbey’s spiritual role. This unique site bears witness to a long history of religious practice that still flourishes today.

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Book SynopsisThe Northern Ireland conflict was one of the most bloody, protracted, and bitter campaigns of terrorist violence in modern history. Rooted in the partition of Ireland in 1921, over 50,000 people were killed or seriously injured because of the hostilities between Catholic nationalists and Protestant unionists. Despite the landmark Good Friday Agreement in 1998, violent incidents are still rife and new paramilitary groups are becoming ever more emboldened. This landmark introduction uses the latest archival material to chart the history of “The Troubles” and to examine the possible factors behind the political compromise of Sinn Fein and the DUP. Exploring the legacy of sectarian violence and inconsistent British intervention, the authors assert that, unfortunately, Northern Ireland is perhaps as fiercely segregated as ever.

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Book SynopsisThis illustrated, action-packed book contains a full account of the part played by Suffolk's airfields during the Second World War. The history of each airfield is described, with details of the planes and the pilots who flew them, and the local civilians who worked alongside them. The subject is brought vividly to life with detailed accounts, alongside photos of the airmen themselves and their aircraft. The build-up of the RAF air offensive after 1940, and the arrival of the huge USAAF Eighth Air Force in 1942, meant that by early 1945 in Suffolk alone, there were some 1300 aircraft flying from 32 airfields. This book details the history of these airfields - RAF or USAAF - and highlights the major wartime operations and the many and varied aircraft that comprised the operational squadrons. Numbered among them are the Blenheim, Wellington, Stirling, Lancaster, Liberator, Flying Fortress, Spitfire, Hurricane, Thunderbolt, Mustang and the Sunderland Flying Boat. These, and the young airmen who flew them, made an immense contribution to the final defeat of the Third Reich, as Allied bombers and fighters flew increasingly larger raids across the North Sea and into the dangerous, smoke-filled skies of occupied Europe. This is their incredible story.Table of ContentsCONTENTS Map of the Suffolk Airfields Map of the targets 1. Setting the Scene; Bomber Command; USAAF; The Airfields 2. Beccles 3. Bentwaters 4. Bungay 5. Bury St Edmunds 6. Chedburgh 7. Debach 8. Eye 9. Felixstowe 10. Framlingham 11. Great Ashfield 12. Halesworth 13. Honington 14. Horham 15. Ipswich 16. Knettishall 17. Lakenheath 18. Lavenham 19. Leiston 20. Martlesham Heath 21. Mendlesham 22. Metfield 23. Mildenhall 24. Newmarket Heath 25. Rattlesden 26. Raydon 27. Shepherd's Grove 28. Stradishall 29. Sudbury 30. Tuddenham 31. Wattisham 32. Westley 33. Woodbridge 34. Civilians at War Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThis book provides a detailed history of the wartime airfields of the North West of England, including Cark, Crosby-on-Eden, Great Orton and Millom. It is presented in an illustrated format.

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Book SynopsisThis volume is the first of its type to be devoted exclusively to the Zerstörer day fighter aces, spanning the war years from Poland to the defence of the Reich. Although Messerschmitt's single-engined Bf 109 has received most of the plaudits for achieving virtual air superiority over Europe in 1939-40, the exploits of the manufacturer's twin-engined Bf 110, the Ju 88 and the Me 410 Zerstörer in the first year of the war also make for very impressive reading. Indeed, on the eve of World War 2 a posting to a Bf 110 unit was considered to be the best career move available in the Luftwaffe.Table of ContentsOrganization and uniforms; cavalry; line infantry; light infantry; specialists and auxiliary forces; weapons.

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Book SynopsisThis eighth volume in the highly respected series covers the HCUs, Lancaster Finishing Schools, Flights, Ferry Training Units, Station Flights and other miscellaneous units, identifying units, aircraft, crews and the circumstances behind each loss, day-by-day.

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Book SynopsisThe eight previous volumes in this series, many of which have been reprinted over the years, provide a comprehensive listing of all Bomber Command aircraft losses between 1939 and 1947 in the European theatre of operations, along with information about the fate of the aircrew on board each individual aircraft. This final volume is in part an addendum to all the previous volumes, but its main constituent is a master index of about 55,000 entries - the Roll of Honour - bringing together all aircrew mentioned in the previous volumes. The Roll of Honour provides for each airman; their surname, rank, Christian name, service number, date killed, squadron, the serial number of the aircraft involved and the page and volume number where the loss is recorded.

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Book SynopsisWith full access to the Bournville archives, Dr. Chinn has traced the history of this distinguished family and its long established business.

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Book SynopsisSixty years ago over 100 aerodromes in east and north-eastern England were occupied by the men and machines of RAF Bomber Command. The tenure of the majority of the bases was brief - some six years - but during that time more than 55,000 men lost their lives while flying from them to attack targets on the Continent. Split into seven operational groups, the airfields of Bomber Command formed the cornerstone of Britain's efforts to carry on the war against Germany in the years before the landings in Normandy. Thereafter they played their part in the battle against the V-weapons with one of the last raids of the war being carried out against Hitler's personal mountain retreat. Each airfield has been explored and photographed in the "then and now" style of Roger Freeman's previous books for After the Battle on the US Eighth and Ninth Air Forces. The physical development, construction and operational history of every airfield is described in detail and all are illustrated with wartime and present-day aerial photographs.

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Book SynopsisFully updated in 2020 and now including every Lewis episode as well - from the Ashmolean Museum to the White Horse public house, The Oxford of Inspector Morse, is the official guide to Inspector Morse and Lewis published in conjunction with the Inspector Morse Society. It is the companion to Inspector Morse on Location, which covers all the locations outside of Oxford itself, and is the original guide to the various Oxford locations most associated with the books and the television productions of Inspector Morse, as well as all nine series of Lewis.It not only gives the Morse and Lewis connections, but concentrates on the historical aspects of more than seventy places used in filming the adventures. With a dozen editions, regularly updated, fully illustrated, cross-indexed by place and episode, and with a location map and Oxford walk, this publication quite rightly features at number six in the Blackwell’s Bestseller List.A must for any fans of Inspector Morse & Lewis as well as all lovers of Oxford 

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Book SynopsisWhat is so special about spring water? How are wells holy? Why are so many known for 'the healing of eyes'? The ancient holy wells of the British Isles are amongst the most beautiful and magical places anyone can visit. Often untouched by all but the most delicate hands, and located in some of the most secret nooks and crannies of the country, their stories evoke a lost world of pagan gods, healing forces, second sight and holy visions. This beautiful book, beautifully illustrated throughout by the author, tells the story of the holy waters of the British Isles through hand-picked examples. A useful gazetteer at the back of the book catalogues further rewarding sites to visit. WOODEN BOOKS are small but packed with information. "Fascinating" FINANCIAL TIMES. "Beautiful" LONDON REVIEW OF BOOKS. "Rich and Artful" THE LANCET. "Genuinely mind-expanding" FORTEAN TIMES. "Excellent" NEW SCIENTIST. "Stunning" NEW YORK TIMES. Small books, big ideas.

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Book SynopsisAncient Trees in the Landscape is the outcome of many years research into the history of trees in Norfolk, and represents the first detailed, published account of the ancient and traditionally managed trees of any English county. Yet it is far more than a regional survey. It is an exploration of how trees can be studied as part of the landscape. It discusses how accurately trees can be dated; explains why old trees are found in certain contexts and not in others; discusses traditional management practices and how these changed over time; and looks at the various ways in which trees have been used in parks and gardens. Above all, it considers how trees were regarded by people in the past, and how this has affected their survival to the present. Ancient Trees in the Landscape is a fascinating and original study which sets out a new agenda in landscape history. It will be essential reading for countryside managers and conservationists, and for all those interested in landscape history, arboriculture, and the history of the English countryside.Trade ReviewThe authors present an interesting study of the ancient trees in an English county.' -- Chicago Botanic Garden Chicago Botanic Garden 'Expertly written, this clear, lucid account is supported by an extensive selection of illustrations, including photographs, a map and diagrams...In sum, this book can be regarded as an iconoclastic account that will successfully assist in debunking the myths and perceptions that dominate our understanding of the role and age of tress in the landscape.' -- Agricultural History Agricultural History 'The book is very readable and well-illustrated; it deserves to be widely read amongst the conservation community as well as by landscape historians.' -- The Archaeological Journal The Archaeological JournalTable of Contents1. Ancient Trees in the Landscape 2. Dating Trees 3. Trees of Farmland and Hedgerow 4. Woods and Wood-Pastures 5. Meaning, Beauty and Commemoration 6. Orchards, Pine Rows and Willow Lines 7. Conclusion Index

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Book SynopsisTravelling showfolk have been entertaining Scots for centuries and a visit to 'the shows' was a highlight of the year until recent memory. The Codonas are one of the longest and most established show families, having arrived from the continent in the late eighteenth century. The book is based almost entirely on original research and draws on interviews with three generations to give a vivid and richly anecdotal account of this ever-changing world. Illustrations, mostly previously unpublished, enhance the text. The interviews have been kept intact as much as possible, to keep the flow of overlapping individual life stories but are organised chronologically from the 1890s, when it enters living memory, up to the present. The hundred years from 1790 are described in a lively introduction including many first-hand accounts and following the family fortunes in the United Kingdom, the United States where members reached the top of the circus profession and as far afield as Hawaii.Trade Review' ... a fascinating book ... a very worthy addition to the library of fairground books.' Fairground Mercury ' ... a rare insider's view of fairground life in Scotland.' Romany Routes ' ... oral testimonies that recall their remarkable family story across the last two centuries ... The book is structured around the interviews, which have been kept largely intact, but still manages to progress the family story in chronological order ... All the fun of the fair and more.' Discover My Past Scotland ' ... Bruce's volume illustrates the world of the showfolk, and shows that this was a business that required constant innovation and a careful juggling, within a closely knit community, between competition and co-operation.' Ayrshire Notes ' ... this book is a valiant effort to capture and record the lives of those who might be on the periphery of local lives, but played an important part in local leisure activities.' The Local HistorianTable of ContentsThe fair familiar faces Geggies, gallopers and the ghost show The fun city Four brothers and thirteen cousins The rides, the people and the winter ground Family and fairground community Travelling and Settling Appendix 1 Appendix 2 Appendix 3 Codona family tree Glossary Bibliography

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Book SynopsisThe North Britons are the least-known among the inhabitants of early medieval Scotland. Like the Picts and Vikings they played an important role in the shaping of Scottish history during the first millennium AD but their part is often neglected or ignored. This book aims to redress the balance by tracing the history of this native Celtic people through the troubled centuries from the departure of the Romans to the arrival of the Normans. The fortunes of Strathclyde, the last-surviving kingdom of the North Britons, are studied from its emergence at Dumbarton in the fifth century to its eventual demise in the eleventh. Other kingdoms, such as the Edinburgh-based realm of Gododdin and the mysterious Rheged, are examined alongside fragments of heroic poetry celebrating the valour of their warriors. Behind the recurrent themes of warfare and political rivalry runs a parallel thread dealing with the growth of Christianity and the influence of the Church in the affairs of kings. Important ecclesiastical figures such as Ninian of Whithorn and Kentigern of Glasgow are discussed, partly in the hope of unearthing their true identities among a tangled web of sources. The closing chapters of the book look at how and why the North Britons lost their distinct identity to join their old enemies the Picts as one of Scotland's vanished nations.Table of ContentsForeword Introduction 1 Origins 2 Forth and Clyde 3 Early Christianity 4 Four Kings 5 Two Battles 6 Northumbria 7 Victors and Vanquished 8 Friends and Foes 9 Strathclyde 10 Identities Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisIn the 18th century shotgun weddings were not unusual, but in most cases it wasn't the bride that was holding the gun. So began the stormy marriage between Lord and Lady Grange, a marriage which was to end with Lady Grange's death on the Isle of Skye after 13 years in exile. The daughter of a convicted murderer, Lady Grange's behaviour, such as her fondness for drink, was so outrageous that her sudden disappearance from public life was not considered surprising. But few knew the true story of her disappearance. This book reveals, for the first time, how the unfortunate lady was violently kidnapped and transported to the remote islands off the west coast of Scotland, spending seven years on the island of St. Kilda's. Condemned to a very different lifestyle than she had enjoyed in Edinburgh, and baffled by the strange tongue of the Gaelic West, she still obstinately survived, finally dying in Skye in 1745.Trade Review... a tale of such scandal and drama that it reads almost like a work of fiction. - CATHERINE SALMOND, Edinburgh Evening News... this fascinating account of one of the most beguiling characters in Scotland's history... Despite the unhappy ending, it's a stunning story and Margaret Macaulay has done it full justice. - TREVOR ROYLE, The HeraldYet there's another story of human hardship in [St Kilda]'s history that's been much less analysed - not one of evacuation but of abduction. Not of escape, but of exile. A story of political intrigue, betrayal and personal tragedy. - SUNDAY POST

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Book SynopsisAnne McEntegart wanted to support the War Effort. Her Royal Air Force officer husband was working abroad and her only child was in Canada, evacuated for safety. Aged thirty-eight, Anne left London, and her life as the wife of an officer, to work on the land and deliver milk for Walter Gossling at New Park Farm, just outside the village of Brockenhurst, in the New Forest. Though not an official member of the Women's Land Army, Anne milked cows and stacked corn alongisde the land girls on the farm. Engagingly detailing the brim-full days of farm life during the build-up to the D-Day and after, this book celebrates the people and places - not to mention a wayward pony - which made up the wartime Brockenhurst community. The Milk Lady at New Park Farm is a World War Two diary of farmwork, friendship and fulfilment among the ponies and corn sheaves of the New Forest.Trade ReviewAnne's diary gives a tantalising sketch of a happy outgoing person who documented her incredibly hard physical work with a saint-like lightness of touch... Her artisitic nature is revealed in her desciptions of nature... What a vanished world to record. Though still recent in historical terms, it represents a bygone age, and Anne's diary is a treasure as it tells it just as it was. The NFU's British Farmer & Grower (South-East) February 2012 Reading the book The Milk Lady at New Park Farm is like discovering some long forgotten memories of life during the Second World War. Even if you are too young to have those memories in the first place, you are vivdly transported, through the reading of this honest account of British rural life against the backdrop of war. The Art Observer, December 2011 It reaches a wider audience: those who are interested in the land girls and in the Second World War; those who are interested in farming; animal lovers; and those who simply enjoy a feel good story. The Cumberland & Westmorland Herald, October 2011

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Book SynopsisStarting with a wild taxi ride into town from Ataturk airport, Tillinghast takes his readers on a voyage of discovery through the storied city of Istanbul, known in Byzantine times as the 'Queen of Cities' and to the Ottoman Turks as the 'Abode of Felicity'. As comfortable talking about the distinctive and delicious Turkish cuisine as he is about Byzantine mosaics, dervish ceremonies, Iznik ceramics, Anatolian carpets, and the imperial mosques, Tillinghast illuminates Istanbul's great buildings with stories that bring Ottoman and Byzantine history to life and is adept at discovering both what the city remembers and what it chooses to forget. Easily overlooked mosaics in the church of Hagia Sophia yield stories of a Byzantine emperor who died playing polo while drunk and an empress with several husbands. From an obscure gravestone, the author brings to life the sacking of Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade, when the Doge of Venice, though over ninety and practically blind, led the assault on the city.

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Book SynopsisAlderley Park Discovered is written by former AstraZeneca chemist George Hill, whose carefully researched text is presented in a wonderfully lively and readable style. The 400-acre site is a unique and beautiful natural environment with a rich, varied history, beginning with the creation of the Park by the Stanley family from the sixteenth century. It is also home to a diverse range of wildlife, and George Hill's considerable knowledge in this area reveals its wealth in the middle section of the book. He then tells of the Park's remarkable scientific inception by ICI, moving on to its huge growth under Zeneca and AstraZeneca, revealing the inside stories of the groundbreaking heart and cancer drugs discovered on the site. Now, under the auspices of Manchester Science Partnerships, Alderley Park has become a hub for Life Sciences, and is set to be developed for new residential and leisure purposes into the future. This fascinating, lavishly illustrated and beautifully produced book will be of huge appeal to anyone with connections to the Park, including current and former employees, local people and historians.Table of ContentsAcknowledgements ix Terminology xiii Guest forewords: 'voices for the park' xv Author's preface xix Introduction 1 Brief timeline 3 PART I: HISTORIC ALDERLEY PARK 1 The early park & land 8 When was Alderley Park named? 8 Stanleys, Eagle and Child 11 Senior and junior Stanleys; Shakespeare 16 The Park's situation and weather 19 Rocks and views of the Park 21 2 Baronets to baron 23 The Old Hall and its Baronets to 1779 23 Beeches and avenues of the Park 29 The Alderley House mansion 32 John Thomas, 1st Lord Stanley of Alderley 36 Alderley Edge and its railway; the Cottontots 41 Heraldry of the Tenants' Hall 42 3 Elegance and water 44 The Water Garden and grounds 44 The Adam gates 48 Alderley House Arboretum 50 Reverend Edward Stanley & his birds 51 The History of Radnor Mere 53 Further Lords Stanley of Alderley 58 Lords after the Park 66 The smaller waters of Alderley Park 67 4 Remembering 72 Tenants' Hall to Conference Centre 72 The Alderley Mummers 75 The art and photography of the Park 77 Alderley Park WHOLE BOOK.indd 5 19/02/2016 10:22:37 vi CONTENTS The Great 1938 Sale 80 Surviving old buildings of the Park 83 Old maps of the Park 88 Nether Alderley: Old Hall and Church 90 Wartime activities and noise! 92 PART II: NATURAL ALDERLEY PARK 5 Nature recording in the park 98 Discovering the living Park 98 Wildlife recording in Alderley Park 98 Biodiversity in Alderley Park 103 6 Species of the park 106 Birds of Alderley Park 106 Mammals of the Park 114 Bats of the Park 117 Butterflies and other insects 119 Dragonflies of the Park 120 Plant records and orchids in the Park 122 Fish in the Park 124 PART III: GREEN ALDERLEY PARK 7 Farm and estate 128 Historical farming and use of the land 128 Woodland: mature and managed 129 Matthews and flowers 132 Estate farms old and new: sheep! 134 Making the Park greener 136 8 Alderley Park Farm open days 138 People in the Park 138 The Park's History and Nature Trails 139 Icicals to ClubAZ 141 Mulberry's and Sport 145 Estate in the local community 147 Image, Communications and charity 148 PART IV: GLOBAL ALDERLEY PARK 9 Company beginnings 152 'Pharms' - the early history 152 ICI's choice; building begins 1955-64 163 IHRL and CTL 169 Foundational products 172 Animal medicine 174 Alderley Park WHOLE BOOK.indd 6 19/02/2016 10:22:37 CONTENTS vi i 10 Historic milestones 178 Heart Drugs 1: 'Inderal' (propranolol) 178 Heart Drugs 2: 'Tenormin' (atenolol) 183 'Nolvadex' (tamoxifen) - discovery 186 'Nolvadex' (tamoxifen) - launch 195 The antibacterial search 200 Anaesthetics - 'Fluothane' to 'Diprivan' 203 11 Supporting the work 208 Engineering and labs 208 Facilities and services 210 Office life 215 Computers - starting from one 216 Finance, budget, investment 221 Procurement and consumables 222 12 Route to the patient 224 Scientists and sciences 224 Analysis, spectra and drug properties 230 Samples, the Collection and Weighing 234 Patents and Intellectual Property 235 Drug Development and Safety 237 Clinical Trials and Regulatory Affairs 239 Process, Manufacture, 'Macc. Works' & Purity 243 Launching - World Market - Patient Safety 244 13 Growing and telling 248 Building in the Park: 1965-90 248 Staff and message - publications 254 Publishing the science 257 Dealing with humans ... 258 Dealing with e-mail 262 Collaborating with academia 263 Education, training and the young! 264 Collaborating with colleagues 265 14 The big new world 267 Information Systems 267 Information Technology 268 Keeping tabs on the competition 270 Sites overseas: links to the globe 271 Hanson, demerger & Zeneca 272 Merger - to AstraZeneca 276 Rational drug design & molecular modelling 278 Robots and technology 281 Alderley Park WHOLE BOOK.indd 7 19/02/2016 10:22:37 viii CONTENTS 15 Targets & hormones 283 Choosing targets 283 Prostate cancer 1: 'Zoladex' 285 Prostate cancer 2: 'Casodex' 288 Breast cancer again 1: 'Faslodex' 290 Breast cancer again 2: 'Arimidex' 293 16 Wider horizons still 296 Widening the target: 'Tomudex' 296 The Big C: 'Iressa' 297 Multiple pathways: 'Caprelsa' 301 A perfect project: 'Tagrisso' 303 A site in constant growth: 1993-2008 310 17 Value judgement 315 Approaching the cliff 315 Ethics, testing and public support 316 Safe at work 318 Alderley Park's 15 drugs (so far!) 319 Five more worked on in the Park 321 Therapeutic areas: painful failures 326 18 People, time & chance 328 Changing of the guard - CEOs 328 Not as planned ... 329 Another great sale 330 PART V: LIVING ALDERLEY PARK 19 And now, the future 336 Manchester Science Partnerships 336 Faith and future in the Park 340 The question of research 343 Afterword 346 Appendix 1: Historical tables 347 Appendix 2: Wildlife checklists 349 Appendix 3: What and who 353 Appendix 4: Companies leadership 355 Appendix 5: The Park's famous scientific papers & patents 356 References 359 Bibliography 366 Index 369 List of subscribers 377

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