European history Books

Book SynopsisCritical acclaim for The Last Great Frenchman This is a splendid popular biography . . . recounted with verveand anecdotal warmth, along with fresh appraisals of de Gaulle''scareer as soldier, politician, and head of state. --PublishersWeekly. Highly readable. . . . It is to Williams'' credit that he is ableto get so close to such a prickly personality. --San FranciscoChronicle Charles Williams has matched a great subject by something near toa great book. --Daily Telegraph (London) Marvelous vignettes. . . . Williams tells his story with pace andskill. --Martin GilbertTable of ContentsPartial table of contents: CHILD. A Parisian Boy from Lille. The Steps of St Ignatius. SOLDIER. The Army of the Republic. A War to End Wars. Polish Interlude. Petain's Chicken. A Toe in Political Waters. The Cut of the Sickle. Is He a New Napoleon? EXILE. Laying the Corner Stone. Afric's Sunny Fountains. Who is Fighting Whom? The Eagle and the Bear Join the Party. Resistance on All Fronts. Mediterranean Storms. The Darlan Deal. From Anfa to Algiers. Waiting for Overlord. HERO. A Parisian Summer. Government Must Govern. POLITICIAN. With Peace Comes Politics. The Gamble that Failed. PHILOSOPHER. A Certain Idea of France. On Public and Private Life. HEAD OF STATE. The New Agenda. Baiting Uncle Sam. The Ides of May. Epilogue: Return to Colombey. Notes. Select Bibliography. Acknowledgements. Index.

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Book SynopsisOn 21 October 1966, 116 children and 28 adults died when a mountainside coal tip collapsed, engulfing homes and part of a school in the village of Aberfan below. It is a moment that will be forever etched in the memories of many people in Wales and beyond. Aberfan - Government & Disaster is widely recognised as the definitive study of the disaster. Following meticulous research of public records - kept confidential by the UK Government’s 30-year rule - the authors, in this revised second edition, explain how and why the disaster happened and why nobody was held responsible. Iain McLean and Martin Johnes reveal how the National Coal Board, civil servants, and government ministers, who should have protected the public interest, and specifically the interests of the people of Aberfan, failed to do so. The authors also consider what has been learned or ignored from Aberfan such as the understanding of psychological trauma and the law concerning ‘corporate manslaughter’. Aberfan - Government & Disaster is the revised and updated second edition of Iain McLean and Martin Johnes’ acclaimed study published in 2000, which now solely focuses on Aberfan.Trade Review'The full truth about Aberfan' The Guardian; 'The research is outstanding...the investigation is substantial, balanced and authoritative...this is certainly the definitive book on the subject...Meticulous.' John R. Davis, Journal of Contemporary British History; 'Excellent...thorough and sympathetic.' Headway 2000 (Aberfan's Community Newspaper); 'Definitive...authoritative...anyone who wants to understand the process of government and its obsession with secrecy should read this book.' Ron Davies, Secretary of State for Wales 1997-1998; 'Intelligent and moving' PlanetTable of ContentsForeword Preface 1. The Last Day before Half-term 2. On Moles and the Habits of Birds: The Unpolitics of Aberfan 3. Uneasy Relationships: The Aberfan Disaster, Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council and Local Politics 4. The Management of Trauma 5. Regulating and Raiding Gifts of Generosity: The Aberfan Disaster Fund 6. Aberfan Then and Now Bibliography

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Book SynopsisVolume VII of the nine-volume Loeb edition of Early Greek Philosophy includes the atomists Leucippus and Democritus.Trade ReviewIn brief, André Laks and Glenn Most give us a brilliant and beautiful reference work that can, at the same time, be easily enough read straight through. And spending a few months doing so gives the reader almost all that she needs (perhaps along with Loeb #258, Greek Elegiac Poetry) to reconstruct for herself the origins of the discipline of philosophy. I should want any graduate student or colleague in ancient philosophy or intellectual history to acquire and make their way through it. -- Christopher Moore * Classical Journal *The publication of the Loeb Classical Library’s nine-volume set, Early Greek Philosophy, gives us a new edition of the original texts, with fresh translations. It is a monumental achievement—the result of many years of dedicated work on the part of the two editors/translators André Laks and Glenn W. Most… We owe a profound debt of gratitude to the editors/translators for their thorough and impeccable scholarship, and to the publishers for their usual high standards of production. If you can afford them, don’t hesitate: you will be all the richer for having these volumes on your shelves. -- Jeremy Naydler * Minerva *André Laks and Glenn W. Most have made available to the world of scholarship in early Greek philosophy a resource of immense value. Every study of a thinker or of an issue within the thematic ambit of Early Greek Philosophy must henceforth start by canvassing and taking into account the appropriate selections in the Loeb set. -- Alexander P. D. Mourelatos * Bryn Mawr Classical Review *The publication of a Loeb Classical Library edition of the evidence for early Greek philosophy is a major event in classical scholarship…The editors and their assistants are to be commended for their exemplary execution of such a vast and difficult task. They have succeeded in producing what is far and away the best available edition of the texts of the early Greek philosophers with accompanying English translation…More than that, their edition effectively supersedes Hermann Diels and Walter Kranz’s Die Fragmente der Vorsokratiker, which has long held sway as the standard edition of the Presocratics, but it only does so because Laks and Most have respectfully taken Diels-Kranz as their model…Laks and Most have set such a high standard with this work that it is hard to imagine that we will see a better general collection on early Greek philosophy in our lifetimes…Laks and Most’s philological acumen, judiciousness as editors, and excellence as translators is evident on every page. -- John Palmer * Arion *

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Book SynopsisKoonz’s latest work reveals how racial popularizers developed the infrastructure and rationale for genocide during the so-called normal years before World War II. Challenging conventional assumptions about Hitler, Koonz locates the source of his charisma not in his summons to hate, but in his appeal to the collective virtue of his people, the Volk.Trade ReviewFaced with the German degradation and murder of the Jews from 1933 to 1945, historians and, indeed, so many thoughtful men and women have posed no question more insistently than, 'How could it happen?' Claudia Koonz's powerfully written study of the inculcation of a Nazi racialist ethos in the years before extermination answers this question as persuasively as any other to date. -- Charles S. Maier, author of The Unmasterable Past: History, Holocaust, and German National IdentityIn this valuable and original book, Claudia Koonz analyzes how the Nazis legitimized the Third Reich and facilitated Hitler's consensual dictatorship and genocidal policies. This daring reinterpretation of the relationship between the Nazi leadership, its middle- and low-ranking cadres, and other sectors of the German population shows the gradual shift in public opinion toward the regime's worldview. Ultimately, Nazism created a positive, moral image of itself just as it sanctioned the annihilation of enemies perceived as unethical and immoral. -- Omer Bartov, author of Germany's War and the Holocaust: Disputed HistoriesClaudia Koonz's arresting new book makes the case that between 1933 and 1939, before the Second World War and the Holocaust, the Nazis built a perverse ethical consensus in Germany. Preaching fears of racial weakness along with pride and commitment to a new moral order, self-righteous opinion leaders created an ethnic fundamentalism--of which we have not, she suggests in a closing reflection, seen the last. -- Michael R. Marrus, author of The Holocaust In HistoryThis is an artfully written book, with engaging asides and a captivating sense of detail and touching comment that is rare for a volume on Nazism. I don't know where else I've learned so much about everyday life and culture under Nazism. -- Robert N. Proctor, author of The Nazi War on CancerHitler, Koonz says, understood the German people's need for a sense of coherence in the wake of what many saw as the degeneracy of the Weimar Republic--and 'he promised to rescue old-fashioned values of honor and dignity' by offering a secular faith to replace lost religious certainties. Koonz explores the promotion of these beliefs in German culture and law, and how they led to the catastrophe of the Holocaust, adding much to our understanding of how a civilized society could reach such infamous levels of violence. * Publishers Weekly *Claudia Koonz...explains in her insightful new book how Germans, who were among Europe's least anti-Semitic people, came to support a leadership that sought to annihilate European Jewry...The readiness of many Germans to acquiesce evolved as a consequence of their internalization of the knowledge that was disseminated apparently by legitimate institutions of the state. As Koonz notes, the indoctrination was successful because there was little reason to question the facts conveyed by experts, documentary films, educational materials, and popular science. The German public was reeducated to support the elimination of Jews, Gypsies, the chronically ill, and other categories of the 'unfit'--all as a moral good, consistent with the dictates of conscience. Koonz's prodigious work is a major contribution to our understanding of the social and ideological history of the Third Reich. -- Jack Fischel * Weekly Standard *Koonz does not deny the existence of extremist and violent anti-Semites in the Nazi leadership. But her stress on the moderate way their ultimately genocidal plans were presented as necessary cruelties adds an important dimension in our understanding of the Nazi regime and its crime. -- Antony Polonsky * Boston Globe *Trudl Junge, former personal secretary to Adolf Hitler, once noted that the Führer's success came with his ability to manipulate other people's conscience. On a vast scale, the German people no longer knew right from wrong. Koonz presents a compelling argument to suggest that Junge was in some degree right. The Germans did not surrender their conscience but submitted to its transformation away from conventional Western notions of right and wrong to a radical, racial nationalism that established criteria for assessing moral actions and outcomes. -- J. Kleiman * Choice *Koonz displays the gradual transformation of the traditional idea of conscience into something that was utterly shaped by the subordination of one's own self to that of the Volk. -- Aharon ben Anshel * Jewish Press *[Koonz] documents in exemplary fashion what the historical actors actually thought, felt, advocated, planned, and organized before they acted...impressively researched, lucidly organized, disturbing, yet eminently readable. -- Michael Meyer * American Historical Review *Table of ContentsPrologue 1. An Ethnic Conscience 2. The Politics of Virtue 3. Allies in the Academy 4. The Conquest of Political Culture 5. Ethnic Revival and Racist Anxiety 6. The Swastika in the Heart of the Youth 7. Law and the Racial Order 8. The Quest for a Respectable Racism 9. Racial Warriors 10. Racial War at Home Abbreviations Notes Acknowledgments Illustration Credits Index

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Book SynopsisFew people rode the popular wave of the sixties quite like Tara Browne. One of Swinging London's most popular faces, he lived fast, died young and was immortalized for ever in the opening lines of 'A Day in the Life', a song that many critics regard as The Beatles' finest. But who was John Lennon's lucky man who made the grade and then blew his mind out in a car?Author Paul Howard has pieced together the extraordinary story of a young Irishman who epitomized the spirit of the times: racing car driver, Vogue model, friend of The Rolling Stones, style icon, son of a peer, heir to a Guinness fortune and the man who turned Paul McCartney on to LSD.I Read the News Today, Oh Boy is the story of a child born into Ireland's dwindling aristocracy, who spent his early years in an ancient castle in County Mayo, and who arrived in London just as it was becoming the most exciting city on the planet. The Beatles and the Stones were about to conquer America, Carnaby Street was setting the style template for the world and rich and poor were rubbing shoulders in the West End in a new spirit of classlessness. Among young people, there was a growing sense that they could change the world. And no one embodied the ephemeral promise of London's sixties better than Tara Browne.Includes a sixteen-page plate section of stunning colour photographs.Trade ReviewTara Browne was the golden boy around whom, for a short while, the entire extraordinary world of Sixties London seemed to revolve. Tara knew everybody and they all loved him, not for his money, as he feared, but because he, above them all, embodied the spirit of the age. I absolutely loved this book. It's a brilliant, vivid portrait of extraordinary times -- Miranda Seymour, author of In My Father's House After all these years, we at last know about the real life of the lucky man who made the grade. I found it fascinating to discover the true story of Tara Browne, a legend in a lyric. -- Hunter Davies, author of The Beatles: The Authorised BiographyI loved it! Howard's skilful evocation of an extraordinary turning point in cultural history is an absolute joy to read. The life of Tara Browne offers the perfect conduit into a psychedelic world populated by a legendary cast of characters that you simply couldn't make up. While it's clear that Howard undertook years of rigorous original research, his prose is always gripping and never laboured. The deep but slightly exasperated affection Howard feels for Browne injects pathos into this highly entertaining account of an extraordinary, chaotic, high-octane life -- Eleanor Fitzsimons, author of Wilde’s Women: How Oscar Wilde Was Shaped by the Women He Knew Tara Browne held the rare quality of romance. A figure of intense but passive glamour, he stood at the epicentre of the bohemian Anglo-Irish aristocracy and 1960s London at its most swinging, yet somehow gave the air of merely passing through life. In a wonderfully readable book, gleaming with detail, Paul Howard evokes the splendid vanished worlds that Browne inhabited and - no easy thing to do - makes us believe in his elusive, imperishable enchantment -- Laura Thompson, author of Take Six Girls: The Lives of the Mitford SistersI read - no, devoured - I Read the News Today, Oh Boy. It's an absolute gem. Great humour is balanced with the sadness, and the writing is so deft with all that research woven so lightly into the mix. I can only imagine how much labour is involved in making it all flow so effortlessly -- John Butler, writer and director of The StagThis is a wonderful book about the Swinging Sixties; it opens a door into an extraordinary world that we all clung to long ago, and dreamed of remotely, at the other end of our tiny transistor radios. Back then we only knew the sound track. But this is the real thing. Man -- Michael Harding, author of Staring at Lakes: A Memoir of Love, Melancholy and Magical ThinkingA vivid and immaculately researched account of a remarkable life. A fascinating journey through post-war Irish and English society, in the company of a cast of extraordinary characters. -- Antony Edmonds, author of Oscar Wilde's Scandalous SummerI was fascinated to read this beautifully written book, which gripped me on many different levels. Vividly telling the extraordinary story of Tara Browne, a mythical figure through the Beatles' song, showing how extremes of love with no rules combined with limitless funds, is as disastrous as it is glamorous. Paul Howard documents in detail through his exacting conversations with many of the people in Tara's life, the post war/pre 60s British aristocratic attitudes - illuminating a life that seems more like centuries ago, than decades. Having been to Luggala as a child, and remembering my meeting with Oonagh, Paul brought her to life for me, told me much I had absolutely no idea about, showing both her brilliance and originality - and also the tragic outcome of many of her choices. It is a compelling read and a story that is only possible to believe because it is actually true. I can only hope that Julian and Dorian live more peaceful, if less exciting lives. -- Julia Samuel, founder of Child Bereavement UK and author of Grief Works: Stories of Life, Death and Surviving Dramatic and engrossing . . . the opening chapters read like an Irish Great Gatsby by way of Downton Abbey . . . "A lucky man who made the grade", as The Beatles have it in A Day in the Life? This book removes Browne from a song lyric and repositions him as an alluring figure of wonderment . . . This is a masterpiece -- Brian Boyd * Irish Times *A richly populated history traced along this spirited character's journey from Ireland to Swinging London, it is a fascinating piece of work * Daily Telegraph *A masterpiece -- Ian O'Riordan * Irish Times *A compelling, sympathetic and unusually poignant book about someone whose star may have burned briefly, but who has left an indelible impression on almost everybody he left behind * Daily Mail *The devastating crash that killed him has become near folkloric, not least because of the Beatles song that is the title of this book. But for many people who read the news that day, Tara is alive and golden, beautiful and poetic, somewhere deep in their hearts today * Spectator *

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Book SynopsisIn this new book royal historian Lady Colin Campbell covers The Queen's Marriage in intimate detail. Using her connections and impeccable sources she recounts details of the inside story of the monarch's relationship with the Duke of Edinburgh and her close family.

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Book SynopsisPeter Tunstall's unforgettable memoir of his days in the RAF and as one of the most celebrated of all British POWs.Trade Review'A remarkable memoir of a British lad's salad days flying bombers against the Nazis and then repeatedly escaping their prison camps... An engrossing valediction to the tough, imaginative generation forged by the war' Kirkus Reviews'The historical account of behind-the-scenes drama makes this a valuable addition to the period literature' Publishers Weekly'The story is not sugar coated to make things lighter than they were. The stark reality of war is ever present in his detailed accounting of life as a prisoner of war. We are taken through the highs and lows of not only each failed attempt but the psychological effects of imprisonment on himself, others in the camps and ultimately how it changed each person involved' Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

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Book SynopsisUsing previously unpublished letters and personal interviews, The British and Cyprus is told through the words of the people who served the British Crown on Cyprus – civil and military – and includes fascinating accounts of the dramatic fight against EOKA in the 1950s, who pressed for an end to British rule on the island.

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Book SynopsisThe Battle of Flodden in 1513 was the largest battle ever to take place between England and Scotland. James IV himself led an army of 30,000 men over the border into England, ostensibly in revenge for the murder of a Scotsman, but in reality to assist their ally the French by diverting the forces of Henry VIII. Yet the Scots were hampered by old-fashioned weapons and tactics, whereas the English deployed more accurate artillery and their vaunted longbowmen. When King James IV was killed while leading a charge, and many of their officers died, the Scots were left in disarray and the English victory was decisive. As the first new history of the battle in a decade, this authoritative and eye-opening account marks the 500th anniversary and brings our knowledge of the conflict up to date. Expert knowledge and detailed maps look at the key events, the 1135 campaign and the minor battles of Millfield and Norham, and a full profile of the respective forces and deployments, and convey the battle's course concisely and clearly. A key read for those interested in military history or the period in general.

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Book SynopsisThe perfect stocking filler for lovers of English Castles.A handy guide to England's most dramatic castles and strongholds, many of which are open to visitors. Includes an eight-page map section showing the locations of castles covered in the book.Features historical background and architectural details for each of the castles, accompanied by beautiful colour photographs. The book covers the major sites of Windsor, Warwick and Leeds Castle, as well as lesser known fortresses scattered across the country.Includes details on the property's custodianship, whether cared for by the National Trust, English Heritage or another body, a description of the gardens where relevant, location, website and phone number.A concise guide to English castles in an accessible format.Of interest to English, local and architectural historians, as well as international visitors to England.

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Book SynopsisThis book traces the political development of 'dissident' Irish republicanism from the beginnings of the peace process. Based on extensive interviews with activists, it offers an insight into the ideology and motivation of a wide range of radical republican groups and analyses how serious a challenge they mount to the status quo in Ireland.Trade Review'"Dissident" Irish republicanism remains a phenomenon of enduring significance. McGlinchey's book draws on extensive interviews with activists, and their vivid expressions of political commitment will be of interest to all scholars and students of this contentious subject.'Richard English, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Queen's University Belfast and author of Armed Struggle: The History of the IRA'At a time of renewed Brexit-related political instability in Northern Ireland, McGlinchey has produced a timely and fascinating work. Anyone who has ever asked the question about "dissident" republicans - who are they and what do they think? - will find the answer here. McGlinchey, who started out as an expert on constitutional nationalism, has opened up a new significant area of research.'Lord Paul Bew, Professor of Irish Politics, Queen's University Belfast'Among some of the most impressive aspects of this kaleidoscopic account of violent dissident Irish republicanism are the primary sources. The author deserves fulsome praise for conducting close to 100 individual interviews with the key actors. This alone is a remarkable feat, but combined with penetrating analysis and objective insight into very controversial subject matter, this book will stand the test of time as a history of one strand of republicanism that still stalks the peace process. Unfinished Business will be hard to match in terms of shining light into the dark corners of the armed republican tradition in Ireland - an illuminating and fascinating read.'Henry McDonald, author and Guardian journalist'Unfinished business is a timely study on republicanism given the prominence in the news of the least politically thoughtful group of republicans to emerge since the Good Friday Agreement - the New IRA and its cohorts. [...] Doubtless, there will be future books on this very topic but the shoulders of the giant they will stand upon is Unfinished business.'Anthony McIntyre, The Pensive Quill, March 2020 -- .Table of ContentsIntroduction1 Who are the ‘dissidents’? Motivations and aspirations: the drawing of the fault lines2 The varied strands of ‘dissident’ republicanism: ideology and disunity3 Ceasefires and decommissioning4 The Good Friday Agreement and the disruption of ‘normalisation’5 Current armed republicanism6 2007: policing, a step too far7 Legitimacy and mandatesConclusionIndex

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Book SynopsisShaped by eighteenth-century assumptions, Liverpool nonetheless laid the foundations for the nineteenth-century Britain that emerged from the Reform era. Robert Banks Jenkinson (1770-1828), 2nd Earl of Liverpool, was Britain's longest serving prime minister since William Pitt the Younger. Liverpool's tenure in office oversaw a series of seismic events including the War of 1812 withthe United States, the endgame of the Napoleonic Wars and the Congress of Vienna, the Corn Laws, the Peterloo Massacre, and escalating contention over the issue of Catholic Emancipation. However, Liverpool's overall standing within British political history has been overshadowed by contemporaries such as Castlereagh and Canning, and his reputation and achievements were downplayed by the Reform period that followed. This new political biography explores Liverpool's career and puts his efforts at resisting change into context, bringing this period of transformation into sharp focus. It shows Liverpool as a defender of the eighteenth-century British constitution, documentinghis efforts at adapting institutions to the challenges of war and then the very different post-1815 world. Shaped by eighteenth-century assumptions, Liverpool nonetheless laid the foundations for the nineteenth-century Britain that emerged from the Reform era. This book uses his career and outlook as a way of exploring the crucial transition from the Georgian to the Victorian era. WILLIAM ANTHONY HAY is Associate Professor of history at Mississippi State University and a fellow of the Royal Historical Society.Trade ReviewA very valuable study of early-19th-century British politics, with Liverpool squarely at its heart. * PARLIAMENTARY HISTORY *By way of a patient reexamination of all the available evidence, Hay's new biography has forged a fresh and convincing account that restores Liverpool to his proper role as a pivotal figure in the politics of early 19th century Britain. * LAW & LIBERTY *A well-written and thoroughly researched piece of scholarship which would be especially useful for those seeking an account of the major issues of late eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century politics. * CERCLES *Hay offers a brilliant guide to his subject and his period. He shows how careful scholarship can be made accessible to non-specialist readers of history. The clear, well-written narrative presents arguments effectively, along with the personalities and events behind them. Lord Liverpool captures the immediacy of decision-making and political action as they unfolded. * THE NEW CRITERION *Restores Liverpool to his proper place in British political history . . . Mr. Hay, a professor of history at Mississippi State University, guides the reader engagingly through the political maze. * WALL STREET JOURNAL *In this tightly compressed political biography, Hay . . . [builds] a well-supported case that Liverpool pragmatically shepherded Britain through foreign and domestic trials, employed judicious timely reforms, and held together governments of competing egos while deftly handling pressuring monarchs and opposition Whigs. * CHOICE *[A] work of impeccable scholarship. * LONDON MAGAZINE *If there must be one criticism of this work, it is that it is too short. . . . Hay's book is an impressive addition to the scholarship and a welcome look at an unjustly neglected figure in the history of conservative thought and governance. * NATIONAL REVIEW *A well-written and thoroughly researched piece of scholarship which would be especially useful for those seeking an account of the major issues of late eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century politics. * CERCLES *A lively, full and engaging narrative. * LITERARY REVIEW *[A] splendid new biography . . . Hay brings to the story a more biographical approach, which allows him to focus closely on Liverpool's personality, which is brilliantly evoked in a series of anecdotes and quotations from contemporary observers . . . Wonderful. * NEW STATESMAN *A brilliant new biography. -- ANDREW ROBERTS * iNEWS *Table of ContentsIntroduction Antecedents and Upbringing Apprenticeship and Public Life Politics and War Political Broker Pillar of State Prime Minister and Peacemaking The Challenges of Peace Revolution Resisted Reform and Stabilization Conclusion: Weathering the Storm Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisHub of finance, home of the Royal Family, seat of government, centre for the arts, host to international sporting events: London is all of these but also home and workplace to over 8 million people, who go about their lives amid the celebrations and carnivals, parades and pageantry, protests and demonstrations, conflicts and catastrophes that punctuate the tale of their city. 100 Years of London presents a visual record of London at its best and worst, from the armistice at the end of the First World War through to the modern day. The story is told through 300 photographs from the Press Association's vast archives. Hand-picked by their own archivists, many of these pictures remained archived and unseen for years after they were first published in the newspapers and magazines of their day. Collected here in a new edition, they present an evocative and visual journey through the modern history that has made London the city it is today. SALES POINTS: . Over 300 photographs from the archives of the Press Association . Documents London's best and worst moments from the last 100 years . An informative souvenir or gift 300 colour and b/w photographs

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Book SynopsisTrade Review[Lattimore] gets closer to the Greek than either of his two available rivals, Richard Crawley and Rex Warner. . . . Lattimore's uncompromising version now leads the field. --Peter Green, The Los Angeles Times Book ReviewLattimore . . . has produced the most rigorously accurate translation since Crawley and, in my view, the most true to all ellipses, contractions, twists, ambiguities, and syntactical knots of the original. His willingness to confront, not shirk, the challenges of Thucydides can be seen at every stylistic level, though perhaps more in the speeches and analytical portions than in the purely narrative passages. All this makes it demanding for students, but gives them the closest English experience of what it’s like to read Thucydides in Greek. --Steven J. Willett, Syllecta ClassicaLattimore's The Peloponnesian War challenges and may well supplant the currently popular translations of Rex Warner and Richard Crawley. The table of contents lists events and chapter numbers in detail, thoughtful and useful summaries introduce the eight books, and superb footnotes and a trenchant glossary accompany the text. Maps (of Greece and Sicily, Greece, Syracuse, Pylos and Sphakteria, Athens and its neighbors) are collected conveniently at the end of the text, following the list of works cited, an index of speeches, and a comprehensive general index. In an excellent, concise introduction, Lattimore describes current controversies in Thucydidean scholarship and assesses the historian's prose style. Although Thucydides' style is 'intense when it succeeds,' he 'occasionally passes beyond concentration into congestion' (p. xviii). Lattimore claims that accuracy is the translator's 'fundamental responsibility' and that whenever ‘the aims of fidelity, clarity and readability come into conflict with one another,' he has opted for 'fidelity' (p. xix). In general, this approach effectively transmits both the spirit and the substance of Thucydides' prose. For example, in 2. 65.7, defending his war strategy, Pericles assures the Athenians that if they should follow his advice, 'they would prevail.' Lattimore's translation keeps 'Athenians' as the subject of the verb and remains consistent with Pericles' war aims, which had more to do with survival through endurance than with active, aggressive action. (Cf. Warner’s over-stated ‘Athens would be victorious' and Crawley's mild but vague 'promised them a favorable result'.) Lattimore's ‘they would prevail' seems to strike the note exactly. --George Cawkwell, New England Classical Journal

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Book SynopsisIndia was the jewel in the crown of the British Empire, an Empire that needed a rail network to facilitate its exploitation and reflect its ambition. But, by building India's railways, Britain radically changed the nation and unwittingly planted the seed of independence. As Indians were made to travel in poor conditions and were barred from the better paid railway jobs a stirring of resentment and nationalist sentiment grew.The Indian Railways network remains one of the largest in the world, serving over 25 million passengers each day. In this expertly told history, Christian Wolmar reveals the full story, from the railway's beginnings to the present day, and examines the chequered role this institution has played in Indian history and the creation of today's modern state.Trade ReviewAn engaging and welcome account of this magnificent institution and its dramatic history up to the present day. * Spectator *Wolmar entertainingly examines the complicated legacy of the [Indian] railway, the most palpable element of British imperialism. * Michael Portillo *Railways and the Raj is valuable not only as a lively history of the Indian railways, but as an intervention in our own political moment. * TLS *Instructive, inspiring and even endearing, Railways and The Raj is a captivating read. * Shashi Tharoor, author of INGLORIOUS EMPIRE *Railways & The Raj is brilliant - absorbing, engrossing and definitive. * Michael Williams, author of ON THE SLOW TRAIN *Wolmar tells an epic story, at once shocking and inspiring. Stripped of false nostalgia for the Raj and all its deceptions, India's railways emerge greater than ever, and still central to the nation's identity and future. -- Simon Bradley * Author of THE RAILWAYS *Christian Wolmar brings to life the early days of trains in India and describes with great clarity and wit how railways have spread across the vast country over the years. This is not a dry, stuffy read merely for rail enthusiasts. It's full of energy, enthusiasm and erudition, explaining the role of railways at key moments in the country's history from early mutinies against the colonialists to independence and beyond. Highly recommended. -- Tom Chesshyre * Author of TICKET TO RIDE *This is one up-to-date book on Indian Railways that captures its history, life, stories and status... A must-read for all those keen followers of India's railways and for those who want to know all about it. -- Rajendra B. Aklekar * Author of HALT STATION INDIA *

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Book SynopsisInterdisciplinary approach to the Iberian and Italian perceptions and representations of the Battle of Lepanto and the Muslim “other” The Battle of Lepanto, celebrated as the greatest triumph of Christianity over its Ottoman enemy, was soon transformed into a powerful myth through a vast media campaign. The varied storytelling and the many visual representations that contributed to shape the perception of the battle in Christian Europe are the focus of this book. In broader terms, Lepanto and Beyond also sheds light on the construction of religious alterity in the early modern Mediterranean. It presents cross-disciplinary case studies that explore the figure of the Muslim captive in historical documentation, artistic depictions, and literature. With a focus on the Republic of Genoa, the authors also aim to balance the historical scale and restore the important role of the Genoese in the general scholarly discussion of Lepanto and its images.This publication is GPRC-labeled (Guaranteed Peer-Reviewed Content).Trade ReviewIn dit magistraal boek van een ongeëvenaard, intellectueel niveau, staan de gevarieerde vertelkunst en de vele visuele voorstellingen, die hebben bijgedragen aan de perceptie van de strijd in christelijk Europa, centraal. “Lepanto and Beyond” brengt nieuw licht op de constructie van religieuze alteriteit in het vroegmodern Middellandse Zeegebied. Het presenteert multidisciplinaire casestudy’s die de toenmalige moslims onderzoeken in historische documentatie, artistieke afbeeldingen en literatuur. Met een focus op de Republiek Genua, streven de auteurs naar een evenwicht tussen de historische betekenis en het historisch belang, en het herstel van de belangrijke rol van de Genuezen, in de algemene wetenschappelijke discussie over Lepanto.Michel Dutrieue, Stretto, 9 april 2021„Lepanto and Beyond“ is a collection of eleven articles dealing with the construction of perceptions surrounding the Battle of Lepanto and the „Muslim Other“ in earlymodern Italy and Spain. The volume is innovative in its study of Lepanto through Genoese sources, often disregarded in favour of their Venetian and Spanish counterparts.In addition to this, the collection offers several contributions on the representation of Ottoman subjects promoted by European states and patricians. [...] „Lepanto and Beyond“ achieves its dual aim of shedding new light on media campaigns following the Battle and of investigating representations of the Ottoman in the Christian Mediterranean.Achille Marotta, QFIAB 102 (2022), https://doi.org/10.1515/qufiab-2022-0032« The Battle of Lepanto, celebrated as the greatest victory of Christendom over its Ottoman archenemy, was soon transformed into a powerful myth »: la potenza generatrice, sul piano delle rappresentazioni culturali e della produzione di simboli, scaturita dall’esito dello scontro navale del 7 ottobre 1571, è un fatto largamente noto. Consentono ora di approfondirlo, con rimarchevole ricchezza di apporti originali, i saggi riuniti nella miscellanea a cura di Laura Stagno e Borja Franco Llopis.Danilo Zardin, Mediterranean International Journal on the transfer of knowledge, 7, 2022, https://doi.org/10.21071/mijtk.v7i.14091En fin, se trata de una obra de consulta obligada sobre las «representaciones» –en sentido amplio– de Lepanto, o mejor dicho, de los «Lepantos» hispánico y genovés, tanto por la calidad de los ensayos, como por el prestigio académico de los/as autores/as reunidos por los editores, Stagno y Franco Llopis.Iván Rega Castro, Boletín De Arte, (43), 268-269. https://doi.org/10.24310/BoLArte.2022.vi43.14355For those who are interested in seeing how the study of alterity can expose the lines of connection between art, politics, and religion, the entries in Lepanto and Beyond have much to commend them. In addition to the eleven essays, the volume includes twenty-nine color images of paintings and drawings depicting either the battle itself or individuals associated with it, such as Doria and Philip II. The image gallery alone makes this volume of value to historians of the 16th century, most especially to those specializing in art and in the print and media landscape of the period. Brent Gordon, SJ, Reading Religion, March 2023, https://readingreligion.org/9789462702646/Table of Contents Preface PART I. OTHERNESS AND CONFRONTATION IN EARLY MODERN SOUTHERN EUROPE 1. A Brief Review of the Scholarly Literature on Representation of the “Turk” and images of Lepanto in Italy and Iberia Laura Stagno and Borja Franco Llopis 2. Multiple Alterities in the Ottoman Empire Steven Hutchinson PART 2. LEPANTO: THE BATTLE, ITS NARRATIVES, ITS ICONOGRAPHIES 3. Event and Narration. Spanish Storytelling on the Battle of Lepanto in the Early 1570s Stefan Hanß 4. A Sea of Dead Turks: Lepanto and the Iconographies of Hell and the Flood Víctor Mínguez 5. Lepanto in Religious Iconographies: The Genoese Case Daniele Sanguineti 6. Accusation, Defense and Self-Defense: The Debate on the Action of Giovanni Andrea Doria in Lepanto Emiliano Beri 7. Celebrating Lepanto in the Republic of Genoa: Giovanni Andrea Doria’s and Other Aristocrats’ Patronage. Portraits, Paintings and Tapestries Laura Stagno Gallery Section 8. The Necessary Enemy: Reconsidering the Perception of the “Other” in a Society of War Contractors (Genoa, Spain and the Ottoman Empire – Sixteenth Century) Bastien Carpentier PART 3. AFTER THE BATTLE: SLAVES BETWEEN REALITY AND REPRESENTATION 9. In the Sign of Reciprocity: Muslim Slaves in Genoa and Genoese Slaves in Maghreb Andrea Zappia10. The Image of the Turkish Slave in a Peripheral Area of the Pontifical States: The Case of the Cycle of Villa Buonaccorsi in Potenza Picena Giuseppe Capriotti 11. ‘Cet obscur objet du désir’: Sex and Slavery in Early Modern Spanish Fiction Mercedes Alcalá Galán Illustration Credits About the Authors

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Book SynopsisIn the decades since the end of the Second World War, it has been widely assumed that the western model of liberal democracy and free trade is the way the world should be governed. However, events in the early years of the twenty-first century – first, the 2003 war with Iraq and its chaotic aftermath and, second, the financial crash of 2008 – have threatened the general acceptance that continued progress under the benign (or sometimes not so benign) gaze of the western powers is the only way forwards. And as America turns inwards and Europe is beset by austerity politics and populist nationalism, the post-war consensus looks less and less secure. But is this really the worst of times? In a forensic examination of the world we now live in, acclaimed historian Michael Burleigh sets out to answer that question. Who could have imagined that China would champion globalization and lead the battle on climate change? Or that post-Soviet Russia might present a greater threat to the world’s stability than ISIS? And while we may be on the cusp of still more dramatic change, perhaps the risks will – in time – bring not only change but a wholly positive transformation.Incisive, robust and always insightful, The Best of Times, The Worst of Times by Michael Burleigh is both a dazzling tour d’horizon of the world as it is today and a surprisingly optimistic vision of the world as it might become.Trade ReviewA robust and unsentimental guide to global power politics * The Times *Burleigh has always had an eye for compelling hard detail * Sunday Times *Bracing … refreshingly pessimistic * Observer *In this wide-ranging book Michael Burleigh demonstrates a mastery of global affairs that would put most experts in any one of his chosen chapter headings to shame … quite brilliant. * Mail on Sunday *Brilliant, fact-packed, judicious and above all debunking … The Best of Times, the Worst of Times will not leave its readers cheered, but they will at least be superbly informed about the dramas to come. * Daily Telegraph *Swashbuckling … a breakneck geopolitical gallop across the globe in the hands of a historian and commentator at the peak of his powers. * Evening Standard *[A] trenchant and galloping account of the opening years of the century … ruthlessly impolite * Irish Examiner *A history of the modern world, set out clearly, with trenchant scholarship and wit * Daily Telegraph Books of the Year *Incisive and compelling. His style is always trenchant and sometimes blistering -- Piers Brendon * Literary Review *

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Book Synopsis''Fascinating, full of original material and shrewd insights ... a masterful historian of air power'' Leo McKinstry, Literary ReviewThe RAF was the world''s first air force. This is the story of its founding in 1918, as a response to the new terror of aerial warfare, the struggles to keep it alive amid controversy and opposition, its crucial role in the Second World War and its unique place in Britain''s history.''Brilliantly lucid'' Noel Malcolm, Daily Telegraph''Richard Overy is to be congratulated on creating a concise exposition of the formation of the RAF ... this is a book that makes you think'' Peter Hart, BBC History Magazine''A skilful pocket history of the founding of the Royal Air Force in 1918 ... a fine introduction'' Kirkus Reviews

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"A Spectator Book of the Year""A Prospect Best History Book of the Year""A FiveBooks Best Economic History Book of the Year""Finalist for the PROSE Award in European History, Association of American Publishers""Shortlisted for the Wolfson History Prize""An Australian Most Anticipated Book""A fantastic display of scholarship."---Talha Burki, The Lancet"[A] sweeping revisionist history. . . . Rich in erudition and startling new insights, this fresh look at the impact of the Black Death upon world history is a must for history lovers and plague aficionados alike." * Library Journal *"A provocative and impressive history of an earth-shattering event." * Publishers Weekly *"[A] bold, tremendously researched work."---Jordan Michael Smith, Undark"The World the Plague Made is worth reading simply as a narrative of these extraordinary events by a historian who combines command of detail with a grandiose vision of factors driving human expansion. Belich is sweeping in his range, provocative in his assertions and ambitious in his conceptions. His writing is full of colourful metaphors, unexpected turns of phrase and elegant put-downs of the many scholars who lack the imagination to share his insights."---Jonathan Sumption, Literary Review"Sweeping, ambitious."---Peter Frankopan, The Spectator"There is much to learn from this carefully considered book."---Peter Sarris, The Critic"The World the Plague Made convincingly demonstrates that the Black Death influenced many aspects of human life. In short, it is global history."---Okori Uneke, International Social Science Review"Belich draws on a vast array of bang-up-to-date material with the latest historical research, from plague pathogens to the role of war in centralising the early modern and modern state. The ride is a provocative and often exhilarating one. . . . Belich asks profound questions and does so with considerable elan."---Peter Frankopan, Prospect"Terribly interesting and educational. . . . [A] fascinating book. It obviously comes recommended to students of the history of infectious disease, but also to readers receptive to the idea that history can be decisively shaped by curveballs thrown by nature."---Leon Vlieger, Inquisitive Biologist"Packed with extensive and detailed information. . . .The World the Plague Made is a monumental book that will be required reading for anyone interested in the transition to modernity and it offers much food for thought about the methodology of ‘global history’ and history over a longue durée."---Justine Firnhaber-Baker, History Today"Deeply-researched and erudite."---Sheldon Kirshner, The Times of Israel"James Belich is one of our absolutely necessary historians; his lens is wide as the world itself."---Geordie Williamson, The Australian

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Book SynopsisFor better or worse, what we are is often determined by our family; the events that occurred many years before we were born, and the choices that were made by our forebears are our inheritance - we are the inexorable product of family history. So it is with nations. The history of Great Britain has been largely defined by powerful and influential families, many of whose names have come down to us from Celtic, Danish, Saxon or Norman ancestors. Their family names fill the pages of our history books; they are indelibly written into the events which we learned about at school. Iconic family names like Wellington, Nelson, Shakespeare, Cromwell, Constable, De Montfort and Montgomery... there are innumerable others. They reflect the long chequered history of Britain, and demonstrate the assimilation of the many cultures and languages which have migrated to these islands over the centuries, and which have resulted in the emergence of our language. This book is a snapshot of several hundred such family names and delves into their beginnings and derivations, making extensive use of old sources, including translations of The Domesday Book and The Anglo-Saxon Chronicles, as well as tracing many through the centuries to the present day.

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Book Synopsis'Iceland's 1100 Years' recounts the history of a society on the margin of Europe as well as on the margin of reaching the size and wealth of a proper state. Iceland is unique among the European societies in being founded as late as the Viking Age, and in surviving for centuries without any central power after Christianity had introduced the art of writing. This was the age of the Sagas, which are not only literature but also a rare treasury of sources about a stateless society. In sharp contrast to the prosperous society portrayed by the Sagas, early modern Iceland appears to have been extremely poor and miserable. It is challenging to question whether the deterioration was due to foreign rule, to a colder climate, or to an unfortunate internal power structure. Or was the Golden Age perhaps the invention of 19th-century nationalists? Iceland adopted nationalism quickly and thoroughly. In the mid-nineteenth century about 60,000 inhabitants, mostly poor peasants, set out to gain independence from Denmark, which was finally achieved in 1944 with the foundation of a republic. In recent decades Iceland has caught up economically with its closest neighbours. This has come about mainly through the mechanisation of fishing, which gave rise to a second battle for sovereignty, this time over the country's fishing grounds.Trade ReviewFor the first time in many years, a history of Iceland has appeared in English which really does its multifaceted subject justice. Beginning with colonisation around the year 870, it concludes with the year 2000, having taken the reader through Iceland's period of foreign domination, by the Norwegians, then the English and finally the Danes, who ruled the country until 1944. Politics, religion, economics and technological innovation are covered in detail, while the role of women and literature, ancient and modern, including, of course, the sagas, are also discussed -- Neil Kent * Times Literary Supplement *This is a truly important book and there is nothing like it available. . . . I was enthralled reading this. . . . It will fill the needs of all types of readers interested in Iceland, Scandinavia, and Northern Europe. It will . . . become the major work. -- Jesse Byock, Professor of Icelandic Studies, University of CaliforniaTable of ContentsPart 1: colonization and Commonwealth, 870-1260. Part 2: under the rule of foreign kings, 1264-1800; a primitive society struggles for independence, 1800-1918; a transformed society - the 20th century.

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Book SynopsisTea has a rich and well-documented past. The beverage originated in Asia long before making its way to seventeenth-century London, where it became an exotic, highly sought-after commodity. Over the subsequent two centuries, tea’s powerful psychoactive properties seduced British society, becoming popular across the nation from castle to cottage. Now the world’s most popular drink, tea was one of the first truly global products to find a mass market, with tea drinking now stereotypically associated with British identity. The delicate flavour profile and hot preparation of tea inspired poets, artists and satirists. Tea was embroiled in controversy, from the gossip of the domestic tea table to the civil disorder occasioned by smuggling and the political scandal of the Boston Tea Party. Based on extensive original research, and now available in paperback, Empire of Tea provides a rich cultural history that explores how the British `way of tea’ became the norm across the Anglophone world.Trade Review`A stimulating and attractively illustrated history’ – History Today; `For those tempted to begin the tale of British tea-drinking with the Opium Wars, or with the establishment of Indian tea plantations, this book offers a richly textured history of the “empire” that preceded, and long outgrew, those events.’ – Times Literary Supplement

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Book SynopsisLondon''s streets have always worn a variety of influences, reflecting the diverse crowds who live and work on them. Take a walk down any number of historic streets and an abundance of tales exist in the bricks and mortar, waiting to be told. The Hidden Lives of London''s Streets takes the reader on a journey through Soho, Piccadilly, Mayfair, Knightsbridge, Chelsea, Kensington, Fitzrovia and Clerkenwell. A street map is provided for each area, marking out the streets and buildings in which the various activities - some forgotten, others well-remembered - took place.Stories include those of courtesans such as the notorious Lola Montez and Theresa de Cornelys, who gave lavish balls at their home in Soho Square which were little more than orgies, during which a man playing the violin while on roller skates crashed through her plate glass window; Casanova and his quarrel with Marianne Charpillon after he taught a parrot to say she was a ''whore''; clubs - great (

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Book Synopsis'If you are susceptible to Miss Marple and Harriet Vane you must read The Adventures of Maud West. You will never know the difference between fact and fiction again.' – Jill Paton Walsh, author of the Peter Wimsey/Harriet Vane mysteries.Maud West ran her detective agency in London for more than thirty years, having started sleuthing on behalf of society’s finest in 1905. Her exploits grabbed headlines throughout the world but, beneath the public persona, she was forced to hide vital aspects of her own identity in order to thrive in a class-obsessed and male-dominated world. And – as historical researcher Susannah Stapleton reveals – she was a most unreliable witness to her own life. Who was Maud? And what was the reality of being a female private detective in the Golden Age of Crime? Interweaving tales from Maud West’s own ‘casebook’ with social history and extensive original research, Stapleton investigates the stories Maud West told about herself in a quest to uncover the truth. With walk-on parts by Dr Crippen and Dorothy L. Sayers, Parisian gangsters and Continental blackmailers, The Adventures of Maud West, Lady Detective is both a portrait of a woman ahead of her time and a deliciously salacious glimpse into the underbelly of ‘good society’ during the first half of the twentieth century.Trade ReviewTerrific ... A brilliant literary sleuth tracks down a real one, uncovering a flabbergasting hidden life along the way. -- Lissa Evans, author of Old Baggage and Crooked HeartDeliciously entertaining, meticulous and affectionate ... Criminally good. I loved it. -- Mel McGrath, author of Give Me the Child and The Guilty PartyA powerhouse of a book ... The Adventures of Maud West, Lady Detective is, as one suspects Maud herself was, sweet, and wonderful company, and absolutely determined to discover the truth. -- Judith Flanders, author of The Invention of Murder and the Sam Clair mysteriesMaud West is a gloriously English eccentric - think Miranda Hart meets Margaret Rutherford - brought to vigorous life by present day sleuth Susannah Stapleton. -- Sean O'Connor, author of Handsome BruteSusannah Stapleton’s dogged sleuthing of Maud’s own complicated, messy, spunky life reveals the wider story of a little-explored sliver of life between the wars. I loved it. -- Kate Colquhoun, author of Mr Briggs' Hat and Did She Kill Him?If you are inclined to regard the “Golden Age” detective stories as obviously a fantasy form — and never more fantastic than when the sleuth is a woman, Susannah Stapleton’s book will astound you. “Maud West” was a real woman detective, but her story blurs the margin between possible truth and impossible invention till your head spins. If you are susceptible to Miss Marple and Harriet Vane you must read The Adventures of Maud West. You will never know the difference between fact and fiction again. -- Jill Paton Walsh, author of the Lord Peter Wimsey-Harriet Vane novelsCompulsively absorbing . . . delightfully well written, with both sympathy and empathy; it is jaunty, engaging and witty without being arch. A triumph. -- Lucy Lethbridge * Literary Review *[A] charming light-hearted investigation into the life of Maud West, a lady detective. A sort of “Miss Marple on the trail of Miss Marple” . . . frank and funny. -- Ysenda Maxtone-Graham * The Times Review *Intriguing * Woman’s Weekly *Impressive . . . more fascinating than any fictional detective story * Choice *Susannah Stapleton’s erudite but hugely entertaining debut is a true-life detective story about a true-life detective . . . [an] exhilarating eye-opener of a book * Spectator *Highly entertaining * The District Messenger, The Newsletter of the Sherlock Holmes Society of London *Although Stapleton does not engage in much literal leg-work – she is able to do a lot of her research in her pyjamas – this account of her pursuit of the will-o’-the-wisp-like Maud through the maze of online archives and registries is utterly enthralling, often even thrilling * Daily Telegraph *Shot at in Paris, blackmailed in Bloomsbury: the self-promoting cases, and many faces, of a fearless female sleuth . . . breezy * Guardian *This romp through the life of one of Britain’s first female detectives sets out to solve one central mystery: who was Maud West? Her story is told in tantalising detail by Susannah Stapleton * 5 stars, Mail on Sunday *Fascinating * Sunday Times *A gripping read * Daily Mirror *Meet a fantasizing, sharpshooting, cross-dressing, self-advertising female star of the early twentieth century . . . It's all about women, this book. -- Libby Purves * TLS *A glorious, gripping read, constructed just like the detective stories Stapleton so admires, with clues, cliffhangers, blind alleys and revelations aplenty, uncovering the many truths about Maud and her exceptional life. -- Charlotte Heathcote * The Sunday Express *Table of ContentsSection - i: Prologue: The Lady Vanishes Chapter - 1: The Documents in the Case Section - ii: The Creeping Tiger by Maud West Chapter - 2: The Body in the Library Section - iii: The Lady with the Blue Spectacles by Maud West Chapter - 3: Crooked House Section - iv: The Apaches of Saint-Cloud by Maud West Chapter - 4: They Do It With Mirrors Section - v: The Diamond Necklace by Maud West Chapter - 5: The Shadow in the House Section - vi: The Prince of Lovers by Maud West Chapter - 6: To Love and Be Wise Section - vii: The Chelsea Artist by Maud West Chapter - 7: A Kiss Before Dying Section - viii: A Lady's Folly by Maud West Chapter - 8: The Secret Adversary Section - ix: The Clairvoyante Case by Maud West Chapter - 9: Wanted: Someone Innocent Section - x: The Countess and the Snowman by Maud West Chapter - 10: Tracks in the Snow Section - xi: An Unusual Pastime: as related by the San Francisco Examiner Chapter - 11: Partners in Crime Section - xii: The Fatal Letter by Maud West Chapter - 12: The Wrong Man Section - xiii: A Poisonous Revenge by Maud West Chapter - 13: Sweet Danger Section - xiv: The End of His Tether by Maud West Chapter - 14: Look to the Lady Section - xv: Such a Dull Job! Or, Fifteen Minutes with a London Section - xvi: Woman Detective: Interview with Maud West Chapter - 15: A Case of Identity Chapter - 16: Farewell, My Lovely Acknowledgements - xvii: Acknowledgements Section - xviii: Bibliography Section - xix: Notes Picture - xx: Picture Acknowledgements

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Book SynopsisThis highly-illustrated volume, by bestselling author Richard Barber, shows how medieval princes proclaimed their special status through displays of magnificence. The book is stunning, in every respect, and will be the gold standard in its subject for years to come. ALISON WEIR "This is glorious! It's a peach-and-peacock of a book, as befits its subject: scholarly, always accessible, with a wealth of fabulous illustrations, superbly designed." KEVIN CROSSLEY-HOLLAND How do you recognise a king when you see one? By the thirteenth century, the special status, which had evolved over thecenturies, was matched by the display of kingly grandeur. This was enshrined in the idea of "magnificence". Magnificence was seen as the king's duty, was applied to everything: his person, the garments he wore, his courtiers, the artists, the musicians and architects he employed. Above all, it was on show in his public appearances, his feasts and ceremonies. The "magnificent" collections of jewels, manuscripts and holy relics were displayed to a handfulof favoured visitors. Those visitors also had to be entertained, and royal feasts developed into an amazing form of performance art. This book is not only about objects and occasions, but also about the people who created them, from the kings themselves and their court servants to the artists, craftsmen and musicians of all kinds, down to the scribes and clerks, the showmen, dancers and acrobats, and the servants at table. All this is explored in this wide-ranging survey, covering the whole of western Europe, but centring on France, the wealthiest of the kingdoms, members of whose extended royal family were at different times kings of Poland, Hungary, Naples, Jerusalem, England, and, most spectacularly, dukes of Burgundy. Pageantry and displays of splendour always catch our attention, and medieval feasts and tournaments are among the most popular forms of historical re-enactment today. Magnificence celebrates many of the high points of the medieval world, drawing them together in a sumptuous volume.Trade ReviewThe book is stunning, in every respect, and will be the gold standard in its subject for years to come. * ALISON WEIR *This luxuriously illustrated volume offers a rich account of the rationale and means of medieval princely display....Embodying the boundlessness that is its subject, the book overflows with information. * FRENCH STUDIES *Magnificence is indeed a glorious book....A gilded and sumptuous sourcebook; a joy to read and peruse. * MEDIEVAL HISTORIES *Richly illustrated and rigorously researched. * ASPECTUS *This is glorious! It's a peach-and-peacock of a book, as befits its subject: scholarly, always accessible, with a wealth of fabulous illustrations, superbly designed. * KEVIN CROSSLEY-HOLLAND *Barber's expert command and passionate enjoyment of his subject is evident throughout the luxuriously illustrated text...[A] rich and accessible synthesis. All readers will find new and fascinating details in these pages....The book offers much to enjoy and will prove a valuable addition to course reading lists. * ROYAL STUDIES JOURNAL *Bold, compelling and beautiful this is a princely offering in its own right. * INTERNATIONAL TIMES *How do you show people that you are a king? Gorgeous architecture, sumptuous feast and of course, enviable feasts. This fascinating book explores how medieval monarchs projected their own 'magnificence'. These were the original PR gurus. * DAILY MAIL *This book crowns the extensive publication activity of one of the most widely read medievalists of the English world. At every turn I found interesting statements, unknown material, and new interpretations. The author has transformed huge knowledge and endless material into a wide-ranging synthesis of considerable extent. Despite its appearance, in the style of a coffee table book, it will be the reference work on the question of Magnificence, illuminating every aspect of the subject. -- Professor WERNER PARAVICINI, University of KielThe book is well-written, beautifully illustrated, and succeeds at making its case about the conspicuous display of wealth. . . . [F]or anyone who wants to learn more about courtly ceremonial, dress, foodstuffs, and the like, this is an excellent starting point. * HISTORIANS OF NETHERLANDISH ART *Magnificence and Princely Splendour in the Middle Ages is a sweeping work that brings its audience into contact with a wide breadth of texts and objects. Although this extensive amount of information can be overwhelming, Barber compiles his sources into a clearly written work that is accessible to a non-scholarly audience. The structure of the book itself, with its many beautiful images and convenient organizational guides, similarly makes Magnificence an appealing introduction to the splendid world of medieval politics and kingly luxury. * PEREGRINATIONS *The particular achievements of the book are that it covers a vast geographical area and presents images and text in a way that tells a cohesive story of the propaganda of medieval magnificence. Barber incorporates primary source quotations in a clever and enlightening way. . . . The work is a very accessible, and so will serve as an introduction to the subject. Highly recommended. * CHOICE *Table of ContentsPreface and acknowledgements The princes of Europe Introduction: Splendour and Magnificence Dynasties, Kings and Courts The Culture of Kingship Defining Magnificence The Image and Person of the Prince Queens and Princesses The Prince's Entourage Magnificence and the Arts Magnificent Architecture Magnificence on Display Magnificent Ceremonies and Festivals Magnificent Extravagance: the prince's feasts Devising the festival Financing, Organising and Creating Magnificence The Spirit of Medieval Magnificence Appendix A: More on Magnificence Appendix B: Giles of Rome, excerpts from On the Government of Princes and biography Bibliography

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“A book that seems long overdue. As the former longtime libraries curator for the National Trust, Purcell is singularly qualified to discuss these troves.”—Adrian Higgins, Washington Post“Magisterial (and beautifully illustrated)”—David Jenkins, Tatler“For those who love books and the libraries in which they are stored this book is an essential volume to own.”—Social & Personal"As a whole, this book is a tremendous achievement."—John Goodall, Country Life"beautifully written, cogently argued and lavishly illustrated book"—Jason McElligott, Irish Arts ReviewIncluded in the Irish Independent end of year list for 2017."boundlessly informative"—David Ekserdjian, Evening Standard"Its title is unassuming, but it constitutes, in fact, a significant contribution to the scholarly discipline of book history."—Alexandra Marracini, TLS"the definitive account of the country house library in Britain and Ireland"—Matthew Sanders, Ancient Monuments Society Newsletter"beautifully produced and gorgeously, lavishly illustrated"—Leah Galbraith, Fiction Fan blog"And with 150 magnificent colour plates is it really only £45? Buy it quickly before the publishers notice their mistake."—Stephen Halliday, Times Higher Education Supplement“This is a ground-breaking book […] a cracking good read.” – John Martin Robinson, Literary Review. “[An] all-encompassing study” —Jeremy Musson, Art Newspaper“This book is the first major work to redress this imbalance and to put the contents of the library into its proper context” —Robert L. Betteridge, EBS“Beautifully illustrated with striking new photography, together with historical paintings and engravings, the book provides an outstanding overview of this important and strangely neglected subject.”—James W.P. Campbell, The Burlington Magazine

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Book SynopsisNamed "Man of the Millennium" in 1999, Johannes Gutenberg was the creator of one of the most influential and revolutionary inventions in Europe's history: a printing press with mechanical movable type. This development sparked the printing revolution, which is regarded as the milestone of the second millennium and represents one of the central contributions in the turn to modernity. His printing press came to play a key role in the development of the Renaissance, the Reformation, and the Age of Enlightenment, providing the material foundation for the modern knowledge-based economy and the spread of learning to the masses. His invention revolutionized the way that information is shared and broadened the boundaries of who has access to written knowledge. Paving the way for bibliophiles of today, the Gutenberg Bible of 1454 remains one of the most famous books in history. Gutenberg's technical innovations remained unrivalled for almost 350 years, until industrialization of the printing industry and the digital revolution built on the advances that he began, increasing the rate at which information is spread. Despite his significance in forming the world as we know it, there has not yet been a rigorous and accessible biography of Gutenberg published in English. Written by the leading expert on Gutenberg, F ssel's biography brings together high academic standards and thorough historical details in a highly readable text that conveys everything you need to know about the man who changed printing forever.

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Book SynopsisThis is the second, and extensively revised, edition of the first full-scale scholarly study of what is arguably the only fully-formed religion that England has ever given the world: that of modern pagan witchcraft, which has now spread from English shores across four continents. Ronald Hutton examines the nature of that religion and its development, and offers a history of attitudes to witchcraft, paganism and magic in British society since 1800. Its pages reveal village cunning folk, Victorian ritual magicians, classicists and archaeologists, leaders of woodcraft and scouting movements, Freemasons, and members of rural secret societies. We also find some of the leading figures of English literature, from the Romantic poets to W. B. Yeats, D. H. Lawrence and Robert Graves, as well as the main personalities who have represented pagan witchcraft to the public world since 1950. Thriller writers like Dennis Wheatley, and films and television programmes, get similar coverage, as does tabloid journalism. The material is by its very nature often sensational, and care is taken throughout to distinguish fact from fantasy, in a manner not hitherto applied to most of the stories involved. Consistently densely researched, Triumph of the Moon presents an authoritative insight into an aspect of modern cultural history which has attracted sensational publicity but has hitherto been little understood. This edition incorporates all of the new research carried out into the subject by the author, and by others who have often been inspired by this book, during the twenty years since it was first published.Trade ReviewHutton's book is a must-read not only for anyone interested in modern Paganism, or the occult, but it also embodies a deep insight into the development of British society and culture. * Pavel Horák, Czech Academy of Sciences, Religious Studies Review *Table of ContentsPreface Acknowledgements Macrocosm 1: Finding a Language 2: Finding a Goddess 3: Finding a God 4: Finding a Structure 5: Finding a High Magic 6: Finding a Low Magic 7: Finding a Folklore 8: Finding a Witchcraft 9: Matrix 10: God (and Goddess) Parents Microcosm 11: Gerald Gardner 12: Gerald's People 13: The Wider Context: Hostility 14: The Wider Context: Reinforcement 15: Old Craft, New Craft 16: The Man in Black 17: Royalty from the North 18: Uncle Sam and the Goddess 19: Coming of Age 20: Grandchildren of the Shadows Notes Index

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Book SynopsisNiccolò Machiavelli taught that political leaders must be prepared to do evil so that good may come of it, and his name has been a byword ever since for duplicity and immorality. Is his sinister reputation deserved? In answering this question Quentin Skinner traces the course of Machiavelli''s adult life, from his time as Second Chancellor of the Florentine republic, during which he met with kings, the pope, and the Holy Roman Emperor; to the fall of the republic in 1512; to his death in 1527. It was after the fall of the Republic that Machiavelli composed his main political works: The Prince, the Discourses, and The History of Florence. In this second edition of his Very Short Introduction Skinner includes new material on The Prince, showing how Machiavelli developed his neo-classical political theory, through engaging in continual dialogue with the ancient Roman moralists and historians, especially Cicero and Livy. The aim of political leaders, Machiavelli argues, should be to act virtuously so far as possible, but to stand ready ''to be not good'' when this course of action is dictated by necessity. Exploring the pivotal concept of princely virtù to be found in classical and Renaissance humanist texts, Skinner brings new light to Machiavelli''s philosophy of a willingness to do whatever may be necessary - whether moral or otherwise -to maintain a position of power. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Trade ReviewQuentin Skinner's Machiavelli: A short introduction, published nearly forty years ago and now issued in a new edition, remains a frontrunner in the field. [...] The excellence of Skinner's book lies chiefly in its cool treatment of Machiavelli in his immediate context including his encounters with princes, Florence's political tergiversations, Italy being overrun by foreign armies, and his family background, education and readings in the classics. Skinner's aim was "to serve as a recording angel, not a hanging judge", and he therefore sought to avoid the "defeasible standards of the present as a means of praising or blaming the past". * Laura Martines, The Times Literary Supplement *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1: The Diplomat 2: The Adviser to Princes 3: The Theorist of Liberty 4: The Historian of Florence Further reading Index

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Book Synopsis"Seven Myths of the Crusades' rebuttal of the persistent and multifarious misconceptions associated with topics including the First Crusade, anti-Judaism and the Crusades, the crusader states, the Children's Crusade, the Templars and past and present Islamic-Christian relations proves, once and for all, that real history is far more fascinating than conspiracy theories, pseudo-history and myth-mongering. This book is a powerful witness to the dangers of the misappropriation and misinterpretation of the past and the false parallels so often drawn between the crusades and later historical events ranging from nineteenth-century colonialism to the protest movements of the 1960s to the events of 9/11. This volume's authors have venerable track records in teaching and researching the crusading movement, and anyone curious about the crusades would do well to start here." —Jessalynn Bird, Dominican University, co-Editor of Crusade and ChristendomTrade Review"I never imagined that my Seven Myths of the Spanish Conquest, first published in 2003, would prove to be so enduring a format for helping students of all kinds to rethink key moments in human history. It is therefore a great honor to see that the book has now inspired Hackett Publishing Company's "Myths of History" series, expertly and effectively edited by Alfred J. Andrea and Andrew Holt." —Matthew Restall, Pennsylvania State University"Andrea and Holt's timely, readable, and informative book will hopefully go a long way towards combating some of the myths of the crusades that still circulate in the twenty-first century. . . . [Their] introduction is a real gem and one might wish that more books on the crusades for popular audiences had introductions so useful for situating readers. . . . The contributions strike a balance between presenting the complexity and messiness of the historical material with giving readable and coherent accounts. . . . This is an excellent and useful volume." —Lucas McMahon, Princeton University, in Comitatus"Seven Myths of the Crusades' rebuttal of the persistent and multifarious misconceptions associated with topics including the First Crusade, anti-Judaism and the Crusades, the crusader states, the Children's Crusade, the Templars and past and present Islamic-Christian relations proves, once and for all, that real history is far more fascinating than conspiracy theories, pseudo-history and myth-mongering. This book is a powerful witness to the dangers of the misappropriation and misinterpretation of the past and the false parallels so often drawn between the crusades and later historical events ranging from nineteenth-century colonialism to the protest movements of the 1960s to the events of 9/11. This volume's authors have venerable track records in teaching and researching the crusading movement, and anyone curious about the crusades would do well to start here." —Jessalynn Bird, Dominican University, co-Editor of Crusade and Christendom"There has long been a great need for a book like this one, and it deserves a wide dissemination among the interested reading public and journalists as well as students and professional historians. It draws on much of the best and most recent scholarship on diverse aspects of crusading, but is still written in an accessible style. It should certainly be included in any reading list for an undergraduate course on the crusades, and anyone intending to make judgmental pronouncements on the aims and character of crusading would do well to read it and reflect carefully before rushing into print." —Alan V. Murray, University of Leeds"Andrea and Holt's Seven Myths of the Crusades provides a valuable introduction to Crusades mythology. The collection covers some of the most important and most widely debated issues in crusading studies and will prove highly useful, particularly to undergraduate students and to non-academics with an interest in crusading history." —Meriem Pages, Keene State College, in Speculum "Written in a clear and accessible style, this volume rests on an impressive scholarly base supported by peer-reviewed research and up-to-date sources cited in abundant footnotes on almost every page." —G. G. Guzman, Bradley University, in CHOICE"Few historical labels carry such an emotional charge as that of 'crusade'. It is a word used both thoughtlessly and polemically, often by public figures with little understanding of the events or by those with a vested interest in the misrepresentation of both motives and outcomes. Professional historians have a duty to redress the balance, and the essays collected in this important book tackle fundamental issues ranging from the place of the crusades in relations between Islam and the West to their long-term influence on the development of anti-Semitism." —Malcolm Barber, Emeritus Professor of History, University of Reading, UK."Crusade historians frequently lament the wide gulf that separates modern scholarship from popular beliefs regarding the holy wars of the Middle Ages. In this lively book a group of those scholars tackle seven of the most intractable myths that obscure our view of the crusades. With erudition, energy, and a dose of humility this book makes the case that solid historical research brings us ever closer to historical accuracy—and that matters. The myths of the crusades may be legion, but breaking down seven of them is an excellent place to start." —Thomas F. Madden, St. Louis UniversityTable of ContentsContents: Preface Introduction: Once More into the Breach: The Continuing War against Crusade Myths 1. The First Crusade: Unprovoked Offense or Overdue Defence? -Paul F. Crawford 2. Mad Men on Crusade: Religious Madness and the Origins of the First Crusade -James M. Muldoon 3. The Crusades and Medieval Anti-Judaism: Cause or Consequence? -Daniel P. Franke 4. The Quest for Gain: Were the First Crusaders Proto-Colonists? -Corliss Slack 5. Myths of Innocence: The Making of the Children's Crusade -David L. Sheffler 6. Templars and Masons: An Origin Myth -Jace Stuckey 7. Islam and the Crusades: A Nine Hundred-Year-Long Grievance? -Mona Hammad and Edward Peters Epilogue: Putting It All Together Suggested Reading Contributor Biographies Index

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Book SynopsisWild Ruins B.C. reveals the extraordinary tale of Britain’s human story before Christianity, from the first human footprints of 800,000 years ago, to ancient axe factories, rock art, stone circles, mountain burials, sunset hill forts, lost villages and temples to the dead. • Stunning photography and design • Detailed instructions on how to visit each site with GPX co-ordinates and maps • Wide family appeal – cuts across generations and brings history alive - also appeals to walkers and history buffs • Bucket lists, including best for kids, walkers, pubs, wildlife, views, adventurers, photographers and picnics • An odyssey through our nation’s rich and wild prehistory

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Book SynopsisA highly entertaining read for anyone interested in English history and culture, this great myth-busting book takes you on a great ride through history and the national character. Think we're the land of Punch and Judy and Morris Dancing? Think again as both traditions started in southern Europe. Love Winston Churchill's wartime speeches? Well, they were recorded by an actor. Packed with details on real English history, the book explodes a range of national myths from bluebirds in Dover (they are not indigenous European birds) to the origin of the Cornish pasty (they might have been invented in London), from our stiff upper lip (an Americanism) to where you can spend a Scottish bank note. English arts, entertainment, food, drink, kings and queens, traditions as well as politics are all covered to give you a fascinating insight into the true England. Includes an additional chapter on Scottish, Welsh and Irish myths that we've been peddling in England for decades and need to be laid to rest. Trade Review‘Certain to raise eyebrows and (hopefully) make you smile' * The Lady *'A fun look at our customs and curiosities' * Evergreen *

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Book SynopsisOn 26 December 1900, the vessel Hesperus arrived at Eilean Mor in the remote Outer Hebrides with a relief lighthouseman and fresh provisions. The relief keeper, Joseph Moore, found the lighthouse to be completely deserted, and a subsequent search of the island failed to reveal any sign of what had happened to the three keepers.

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Book SynopsisMeticulously researched and vividly written, Eight Days at Yalta is a remarkable work of intense historical drama.In the last winter of the Second World War, Winston Churchill, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Joseph Stalin arrived in the Crimean resort of Yalta. Over eight days of bargaining, bombast and intermittent bonhomie they decided on the conduct of the final stages of the war against Germany, on how a defeated and occupied Germany should be governed, on the constitution of the nascent United Nations and on spheres of influence in Eastern Europe, the Balkans and Greece.Only three months later, less than a week after the German surrender, Roosevelt was dead and Churchill was writing to the new President, Harry S. Truman, of ‘an iron curtain’ that was now ‘drawn down upon [the Soviets’] front’. Diana Preston chronicles eight days that created the post-war world, revealing Roosevelt’s determination to bring about the dissolution of the British Empire and Churchill’s conviction that he and the dying President would run rings round the Soviet premier. But Stalin monitored everything they said and made only paper concessions, while his territorial ambitions would soon result in the imposition of Communism throughout Eastern Europe.Trade ReviewDiana Preston brings dry diplomacy to life. Sound in historical judgement and strong on personalities and emotions, she gives the reader a special pass to watch the world-changing events in the Livadia Palace from all the closest angles. -- Norman Davies, author of Europe: A History Diana Preston’s lively and nuanced account, place[s] the protagonists much more in their moment, as the war was still raging and they were making decisions based on the information to hand . . . shrewd . . . vivid scene-setting -- Victor Sebestyen * Sunday Times *Impressively researched . . . expert account * Kirkus Reviews *Diana Preston chronicles those eight momentous days brilliantly. * Choice Magazine *Diana Preston tells it fluently, perceptively and with meticulous scholarship. -- Rodric Braithwaite * Spectator *A colorful chronicle of high-stakes negotiations and a study in human frailties, missteps and ideological blinders. -- Matthew Dallek * Washington Post *

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Book SynopsisIn less than fifty-three years, Rome subjected most of the known world to its rule. Written by a team of specialist scholars, this book traces the rise of Rome from its origins as a cluster of villages to the foundation of the Empire and its consolidation in the first two centuries CE. It includes chapters on social and political history, the Emperors, art and architecture, and the works of the leading Roman poets, historians, and philosophers.Trade ReviewReview from previous edition From the reviews of The Oxford History of the Classical World: 'the book is truly excellent...the standard of the contributions is extraordinarily high' * Observer *Table of ContentsIntroduction ; 1. Early Rome and Italy ; 2. The Expansion of Rome ; 3. The First Roman Literature ; 4. Cicero and Rome ; 5. The Poets of the Late Republic ; 6. The Founding of the Empire ; 7. The Arts of Government ; 8. Augustan Poetry and Society ; 9. Virgil ; 10. Roman Historians ; 11. The Arts of Prose: The Early Empire ; 12. Silver Latin Poetry and the Latin Novel ; 13. Later Philosophy ; 14. The Arts of Living ; 15. Roman Life and Society ; 16. Roman Art and Architecture ; 17. Envoi: On Taking Leave of Antiquity ; Tables of Events ; Index

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Book SynopsisIn the 19th century, the Stevenson engineers pioneered marvelous lighthouses around the coasts of Scotland - lighthouses which inspire with their architectural elegance, and speak of compassion for sailors and fishermen risking their lives in these notoriously dangerous waters. But what was it actually like to be a Scottish lighthouse engineer, and how did the professional activities interact with social and economic conditions in Scotland at the time? How did the Northern Lighthouse Board's Engineer (almost invariably a Stevenson) cope with weeks aboard a small lighthouse vessel, traveling around the rugged Scottish coastline on dangerous tours of inspection and interacting with local people in some of the remotest regions of Europe? The author reveals the fascinating story of the Stevensons as family members as well as engineers - brilliant yet fallible, tough yet vulnerable, with private lives that are little known, even to lighthouse enthusiasts.It sets their work in a historical and social context, drawing heavily on eye-witness accounts by two of Scotland's most celebrated literary sons: Walter Scott, internationally famous poet and member of the Edinburgh establishment; and Robert Louis Stevenson, young family member and disenchanted engineering apprentice desperate to become an author. The reader is taken to the Orkney and Shetland Islands with descriptions of the chain of Stevenson lighthouses that illuminate a vital shipping route between the North Sea, Baltic, and North Atlantic. Finally we travel to Muckle Flugga, the northernmost outpost of the British Isles and last link in the chain, a vicious rock on which David and Thomas Stevenson dared to build their 'impossible lighthouse'.Trade Review`It's an inspiring history that's well worth exploring. Reading this book will certainly increase your appreciation of these buildings and the people who worked in and on them'. 60 North -------------------- `...the book will appeal to historians, armchair naturalists and holiday makers alike'. LAMP -------------------- `...a fascinating book...' Undiscovered Scotland -------------------- `There's lots of fascinating insight for both established fans of lighthouses and also those whose interest has just been taken by the subject matter. For those who long to look beyond the Shipping Forecast at the places behind some of the names, this book might just help cure our insomnia and curiosity'. Best of British -------------------- `…a personal story of that dynasty of engineers … Most ably the book places lives and work of Stevenson lighthouse engineers in their social and historical context and author Lynn writes of the Stevensons as a family of engineers’. Flash -------------------- `…For the interested visitor and the casual pharologist alike, this small and well-illustrated paperback will satisfy their curiosity and provide an attractive souvenir’. The Shetland Times -------------------- `…Anyone with even a passing interest will be enthralled by Scottish Lighthouse Pioneers … As well as telling a fascinating and at times, gripping, story the tale is well illustrated with contemporary drawings and pictures, maps and more modern photographs’. Dunoon Oberver -------------------- `…It’s a great little book about a family who achieved something amazing’. Desperate Reader

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Book SynopsisIn 1527 Hector Boece, the first Principal of King's College Aberdeen, wrote in his extensive History of the Scottish People of an island of rocky crags and prehistoric sheep, which could only be reached through extreme danger to life. It was, he explained, 'the last and outmaist Ile' of Scotland. It was St Kilda. St Kilda breaks the waters of the Atlantic Ocean some 100 miles west of the mainland, and 40 miles west of the Outer Hebridean island of North Uist. On clear days it appears as a dark silhouette on a distant horizon. Approach it, and it resolves into seven shapes - the four islands of Hirta, Boreray, Soay and Dun, and three towering sea stacks. It is an enigmatic and awe-inspiring landscape, a starkly beautiful vision of 'life on the edge' which has fascinated everyone from travellers, antiquarians and conservationists to writers, film crews and tourists. And, perhaps as a result, it is one of the most mythologised and misunderstood places on earth. Archaeologists Angela Gannon and George Geddes have spent over nine months living and working on St Kilda, and have been part of a team which has been researching its complex and remarkable history for more than a decade. In this new book they turn the popular perception of the archipelago on its head. St Kilda, they argue, has never existed in total isolation, but has always been linked to a network of communities scattered across the north western seaboard and the Highlands of Scotland. The Last and Outmost Isle pulls St Kilda back from the 'end of the world' to tell a compelling story of triumph over geographical adversity. What makes these islands so special is not their distance from 'civilisation', but rather their enduring capacity to remain a living, connected part of Scotland over the course of some three thousand years.Trade Review‘A fascinating book’ * Press and Journal *‘Debunks the romantic myth of an isolated, “uncivilised” community’ * The Times *‘Ground-breaking’ The Herald * The Herald *‘The definitive volume on St Kilda’ * Oban Times *

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Book SynopsisOffers a history of the monarchy of Belgium, a country artificially created in 1817. This book argues that the pan-European super-state resembles a ''Greater-Belgium'' rather than a ''Greater-Switzerland''.

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Book SynopsisPart of the SECOND WORLD WAR VOICES series in partnership with the podcast We Have Ways of Making You Talk, presented by comedian Al Murray and bestselling historian James Holland.With a new introduction by James HollandEclipse was the code name given by the Allies to the occupation of Germany. Moorehead''s book describes his experiences in Sicily and southern Italy in 1943, which culminated in the capture of Rome. He tells the electrifying story of D-Day, the liberation of Paris, and the Allied advance through northern France and Belgium, the crossing of the Rhine.The author reconstructs, in terrifying detail, the collapse of Germany, the wholesale destruction, mass surrenders, and the unimaginable horrors of the concentration camps.

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Book Synopsis"Superb" NICK COHEN, author of What's Left? "Tremendously entertaining" DOMINIC SANDBROOK, Sunday Times "Like his previous histories of the Seventies and Eighties, A Classless Society is an extraordinarily comprehensive work. Turner writes brilliantly, creating a compelling narrative of the decade, weaving contrasting elements together with a natural storyteller's aplomb...engaging and unique" IRVINE WELSH, Daily Telegraph "Ravenously inquisitive, darkly comical and coolly undeceived...Turner is a master of the telling detail" CRAIG BROWN, Mail on Sunday When Margaret Thatcher was ousted from Downing Street in November 1990, after eleven years of bitter social and economic conflict, many hoped that the decade to come would be more 'caring'; others dared to believe that the more radical policies of her revolution might even be overturned. Across politics and culture there was an apparent yearning for something the Iron Lady had famously dismissed: society. Yet the forces that had warred over the country during the 1980s were to prevent any simple turning back of the clock. The 'New Britain' to emerge under John Major and Tony Blair would be a contradiction: economically unequal but culturally classless. While Westminster agonised over sleaze and the ERM, the country outside became the playground of the New Lad and his sister the Ladette, of Swampy and the YBAs, of Posh and Becks and Jarvis Cocker. A new era was dawning which promised to connect us via the 'information superhighway' and entertain us with 'docusoaps'. It was also a period that would see old moral certainties swept aside, and once venerable institutions descend into farce - followed, in the case of the Royal Family, by tragedy. Opening with a war in the Gulf and ending with the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001, A Classless Society goes in search of the decade when modern Britain came of age. What it finds is a nation anxiously grappling with new technologies, tentatively embracing new lifestyles, and, above all, forging a new sense of what it means to be British. "Deserves to become a classic" EDWINA CURRIE "Rich and encyclopaedic" ROGER LEWIS, Daily Mail "Excellent" D.J. TAYLOR, IndependentTrade Review***** "The field of instant history now attracts some of this country's liveliest and most intelligent writers ... Alwyn W. Turner ranks high among them: ravenously inquisitive, darkly comical and coolly undeceived... Turner is a master of the telling detail... His research is phenomenal. There seems to be no haystack through which he has not rummaged in search of every needle... Turner has a talent for zooming in and out from the general to the particular and back again. This means he is able at one and the same time to see both the wood and the trees... A Year In Provence, Squidgygate, the Chippendales, Cool Britannia, Black Wednesday, Swampy, Robert Maxwell, 'Something of the Night'; Alwyn W. Turner conjures them all up, as vivid and eerie as a dream." -- Craig Brown Mail on Sunday - 'Book of the Week' "Like his previous histories of the Seventies and Eighties, A Classless Society is an extraordinarily comprehensive work. Turner writes brilliantly, creating a compelling narrative of the decade, weaving contrasting elements together with a natural storyteller's aplomb... engaging and unique." -- Irvine Welsh, author of Trainspotting and Skagboys Daily Telegraph "Superb. I was a journalist throughout the 1990s, but did not notice a tenth of what Turner has seen or write about it half as well." -- Nick Cohen, author of What's Left? "John Major may have struggled to create a country at ease with itself, but Alwyn Turner's seductive blend of political analysis, social reportage and cultural immersion puts him wonderfully at ease with his readers." -- David Kynaston, author of Austerity Britain "Alwyn Turner comprehensively explodes the notion that knowing so much about the 20th century makes a coherent historical account impossible. A Classless Society is an illuminating, admirably inclusive and perhaps essential guide to understanding what just happened. An invaluable English document." -- Alan Moore, author of Watchmen and From Hell "[Turner has] immense gifts as a chronicler and historian - as a first take on a decade whose wounds remain partially open, this is essential reading." Daily Telegraph - 'Books of the Year' "Tremendously entertaining... As a historian Turner is probably his own worst enemy - which I mean as a compliment. His book has plenty of acute insights, as well as a sensible thesis that the 1990s saw the establishment of a new post-Thatcher settlement, based on economic and social liberalism. But the stories are just so good, and often so funny, that you keep forgetting about the argument... How often, after all, do you read a book that has equally interesting things to say about Britain's exit from the ERM, the advent of Loaded magazine and the rise of Alan Partridge?" -- Dominic Sandbrook Sunday Times "Lively and illuminating ... To read Turner's book is like looking back over the recent past through a new set of eyes." -- John Preston Daily Mail - 'History Books of the Year' "This was the decade dominated by Sir John Major and his Tory government's slow walk to electoral annihilation: a time of rows over Europe and over traffic cones, of a political promise to restore Victorian values and then a rash of Westminster sex scandals. It was the decade of New Labour's gilded rise... Yet these developments, Alwyn Turner argues compellingly, were not the point of Britain's fin de siecle. What mattered was happening elsewhere... meticulously and magnificently described." The Economist "His many-tentacled frame of reference is staggering... Scarcely a paragraph goes by without a killer detail or illuminating anecdote... the value of this book lies, above all, in the extraordinary amount of material it synthesises. It's easy to see it becoming still more essential as time goes on." Metro "Ingenious... valuable and entertaining... Turner's compellingly readable account of a decade that we ought to remember as if it was yesterday reminded me of plenty I had forgotten. There are details here that will bring a warm rush of nostalgia or make you groan with embarrassment. And beneath this teeming surface of telling details there is a profound analysis of the broader themes of the decade before the one before this. This 600-page history of the 1990s manages to be a page-turner. It also weighs less than a 1990s mobile phone." -- David Stenhouse Scotland on Sunday "To Alwyn W. Turner this was a decade of adaptation and realignment, in which the British began to acclimatise themselves to a series of moral and behavioural shifts, technological revolutions and a brand of politics in which 'managerialism' had kicked ideology into touch... His eye for the salient quotation is horribly acute." -- D. J. Taylor Prospect "Tremendous! His judgements on Blair and Major are brilliant. The conclusion, on the gap between the meritocratic instinct of both compared with the anti-establishment tone of the decade, is masterly. The book deserves to become a classic" -- Edwina Currie "Rich and encyclopaedic... A particular pleasure of this wonderful, hilarious book is Turner's contempt for politicians, who are 'perverts, liars and conmen', on the whole." -- Roger Lewis Daily Mail - 'Book of the Week' "Turner is at his strongest when scrutinizing what he feels became the growing interdependence between politicians and the media." -- K. Biswas Times Literary Supplement "Excellent" -- D. J. Taylor Independent "Describes, with sanity and a light touch, more or less everything that took place between Thatcher leaving Downing Street and Nick Bateman's departure from the Big Brother house." -- Leo Robson Evening Standard - 'Books of the Year' "A tremendous book ... takes you there, and reminds you of the taste and feel of those times ... proves beyond doubt that the Nineties were a very important decade. One day, there will be lots of books about this period. I suspect that the first may well be the best." -- Dan Atkinson, co-author of The Gods That Failed Mail Online "Detailed and expansive... readable and accessible to a degree that may make the sniffier critics suspicious... this is a diverting book that induces a kind of nostalgia for those times without a jot of desire to relive them. On almost every page, you encounter a name from the past with the evocative twang of an old pop song or TV theme, be it Nigel de Gruchy, Swampy or the Maastricht Treaty." -- Stuart Maconie New Statesman "One of the great strengths of this ... very readable and enjoyable book is Turner's use of the telling vignette. An early one is the story of how Major, a few weeks after becoming PM, crossed the floor of the Commons to kneel beside the old leftie Eric Heffer, who was obviously dying but had left his sickbed to vote against Britain's involvement in the first war against Saddam Hussein. This sweet and most un-Thatcherite gesture provoked applause in the House, a bipartisan and possibly unprecedented breach of protocol... Reading A Classless Society is like a safari through vaguely familiar country, illuminated by a shrewd, fair-minded guide with an elephantine memory." -- Matthew Engel Financial Times "Isn't it too soon for a history of the Nineties - their recentness carrying an inherent danger of not seeing the wood for the trees? Turner's solution is to anchor his narrative firmly in the era's politics, splitting the decade into the Major and Blair years - resulting in a very credible first draft... Turner has a good ear too for political gossip - Major's flirtatiousness (to Margaret Beckett: 'Would you like a nibble of my mace?') and Blair's impatience (on Roy Hattersley: a 'fat, pompous bugger')." -- Andrew Neather London Evening Standard "It was refreshing to dip into A Classless Society, the third volume of Alwyn Turner's history of Britain since the 1970s... I enjoyed it a great deal." -- Toby Young Spectator "Excellent ... this trilogy is about the most authoritative account of the late 20th century as you are likely to get." Choice Magazine "I was captivated, almost smothered, by the incessant flow of facts, opinion and conclusion. Turner, as he proved in the other two books, can sew events together seamlessly... This is a wonderful panorama of the 1990s, as fluid as a mountain stream with encyclopedic ripples, a strict adherence to the facts, and all 600 pages as readable as a letter from your mother." -- Illtyd Harrington Camden New Journal "He is amusing, perceptive and reminds the reader of the TV programmes and musical artists they have loved and then forgotten." -- David Aaronovitch The Times - 'Critics Choice'

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Book SynopsisFor centuries, the Alps were an almost insurmountable barrier on the way from Europe’s north to the south, and vice versa. The Romans replaced some of the ancient narrow transalpine mule tracks with their famous roadways. Paved roads were introduced in the 19th century, soon followed by railroads with impressive bridges, viaducts, and tunnels. Today, 120 safe and comfortable highways and roads, as well as high-capacity railroad lines, serve as indispensable transit routes for Europe’s people and economies. Without these passages, Switzerland would be an entirely different country: socially, culturally, economically, and militarily. Through some 80 large-format colour and black-and-white images, Alpine Passes of Switzerland demonstrates the boldness of the country’s modern Alpine crossings, their infrastructure and beautiful landscapes. Additional historic photographs convey earlier generations’ courage and pioneering efforts to build the roads and railtracks that connect Europe’s nations. Supplementary essays trace the history of the Alpine passes and highlight their significance for Swiss national identity, explain their military importance, and describe the vision that preceded the construction of new base tunnels across the St. Gotthard and Lötschberg massifs between 1994 and 2016: the future of rail transit across the Alps lies deep underground.

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