European history Books

Book SynopsisMary I, eldest daughter of Henry VIII, was Queen of England from 1553 until her death in 1558. For much of this time she ruled alongside her husband, King Philip II of Spain, forming a co-monarchy that put England at the heart of early modern Europe. In this book, Alexander Samson presents a bold reassessment of Mary and Philip’s reign, rescuing them from the neglect they have suffered at the hands of generations of historians. The co-monarchy of Mary I and Philip II put England at the heart of early modern Europe. This positive reassessment of their joint reign counters a series of parochial, misogynist and anti-Catholic assumptions, correcting the many myths that have grown up around the marriage and explaining the reasons for its persistent marginalisation in the historiography of sixteenth-century England. Using new archival discoveries and original sources, the book argues for Mary as a great Catholic queen, while fleshing out Philip’s important contributions as king of England.Trade Review‘Informative, well illustrated and with plenty of rich detail, this thought-provoking study dismantles many of the myths about Mary and Philip and their joint reign as monarchs of England.’ Linda Porter, Literary Review'This is a truly excellent revisionist study of the reign of Mary I, and should be read by specialists and students so that rehabilitation of Mary I can continue.'Valerie Schutte, Royal Studies Journal 'This is a book full of learning, one that entertains as much as it enlightens, and it should be read and considered by anyone involved in the growing field of Marian—and now also Philippine—studies.'Journal of British Studies -- .Table of ContentsIntroduction1 Prenuptial2 Contracting matrimony3 Wyatt and the queen’s regal power4 A marriage made in Heaven?5 Royal entry: London, 18 August 15546 Anti-Spanish sentiment in early modern England7 Spanish Tudor / English HabsburgConclusionIndex

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Book SynopsisThe 1916 Revolt was a key event in the history of Central Asia, and of the Russian Empire in the First World War. This volume is the first comprehensive re-assessment of its causes, course and consequences in English for over sixty years. It draws together a new generation of leading historians from North America, Japan, Europe, Russia and Central Asia, working with Russian archival sources, oral narratives, poetry and song in Kazakh and Kyrgyz. These illuminate in unprecedented detail the origins and causes of the revolt, and the immense human suffering which it entailed. They also situate the revolt in a global perspective as part of a chain of rebellions and disturbances that shook the world’s empires, as they crumbled under the pressures of total war.Trade Review'The 1916 rebellion in Central Asia is tremendously important for historians of both the Great War and the ‘Russian’ Revolution. This collection of uncommonly rich and deep essays takes the analysis of 1916 to a much higher level by showing the dynamics of power and violence at the microlevel as well as at the level of the empire as a whole. The authors use a wide variety of sources sensitively and effectively. This volume is essential reading for anyone interested in the period.' Joshua Sanborn, David M. ’70 and Linda Roth Professor of History, Lafayette College'Finally a book that examines in depth the revolts that, in 1916, upset the fragile Imperial order in Russian Central Asia and triggered the bloody reaction of the army and the Russian settlers against the local populations. By reconstructing the micro-dynamics of the uprising, its relationship with the ongoing Great War and the role of the various actors involved in the events this wonderfully researched volume represents an indispensable tool to understand the nature of the long Russian domination over the region.' Marco Buttino, Emeritus Professor, University of Turin‘This impressive volume provides a state-of-the-art overview of the events of 1916 in Central Asia. The treatment here is both deep and multifaceted, combining broad analytic horizons with thorough and careful treatment of individual events. Bringing together scholars from North America, Europe, and Central Asia, and based on research in a wide range of languages and multiple archives and sources, it presents both indigenous voices as well as those of Russian settlers, soldiers and officials. The chapters in this volume will allow the 1916 Central Asian Revolt to take its rightful place in the historiography of the First World War, the Russian Empire, and of anti-colonial rebellions. As one author notes, this event sees the catalytic intersection of the world war with Russia’s colonial crisis. This excellent volume should be of great interest to historians of the Russian empire and Soviet Union, but equally to scholars interested in colonialism and anti-colonial resistance and the First World War.’Peter Holquist, Associate Professor of History, University of Pennsylvania, and author of Making War, Forging Revolution. Russia’s Continuum of Crisis 1914 –1921'[...] It brings together cutting-edge research by scholars from Central Asia, Europe, Japan, and North America to present a detailed and analytically sophisticated view of the uprising. [...] This volume is the definitive account of the 1916 revolt in any language.'The Russian Review -- .Table of ContentsNote on translation, transliteration and datesGlossary and abbreviationsEditors' introductionAminat Chokobaeva, Cloé Drieu and Alexander Morrison1 Why in Central Asia, why in 1916? The revolt as an interface of the Russian colonial crisis and the World WarTomohiko Uyama2 The exemption of peoples of Turkestan from universal military service as an antecedent to the 1916 revolt.Tatiana Kotiukova3 The ­­­­1916 uprisings in Jizzakh: economic background and political rationalesAkmal Bazarbaev and Cloé Drieu4 The “virtual reality” of colonial Turkestan: how Russian officials viewed and represented the participation of the Local population in the 1916 revoltOybek Mahmudov5 Fears, rumours, violence: the Tsarist regime and the revolt of the nomads in Central Asia, 1916Jörn Happel6 When the nomads went to war: the uprising of 1916 in Semirech’eAminat Chokobaeva7 Scales of violence: the 1916 Central Asian uprising in the context of wars and revolutions (1914-1923)Niccolò Pianciola8 Violent acculturation: Alexei Kuropatkin, the Central Asian Revolt, and the long Shadow of conquestIan W. Campbell 9 Refugees, resettlement and revolutionary violence in Semirech’e after the 1916 revolt Alexander Morrison 10 Links across time: Taranchis during the uprising of 1916 in Semirech’e and the “Atu” massacre of 1918 Ablet Kamalov 11 Making political rebellion "primitive": the 1916 rebellion in the Kazakh steppe in long-term perspective (ca.1840-1930) Xavier Hallez and Isabelle Ohayon 12 From Rebels to refugees: memorialising the revolt of 1916 in oral poetry Jipar Duishembieva 13 A Qirghiz verse narrative of rebellion and exile by Musa Chaghatay uulu Daniel Prior 14 Domesticating 1916: the evolution of Amangeldi Imanov and the creation of a foundation myth for the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic (1916-1939)Danielle Ross Select bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThis ground-breaking book presents a critical study of pictorial narrative in nineteenth-century European painting. Covering works from France, Germany, Britain, Italy and elsewhere, it traces the ways in which immensely popular artists like Jean-Léon Gérôme, Karl von Piloty and William Quiller Orchardson used unique visual strategies to tell thrilling and engaging stories. Regardless of genre, content or national context, these paintings share a fundamental modern narrative mode. Unlike traditional art, they do not rely on textual sources; nor do they tell stories through the human body alone. Instead, they experiment with objects, spaces, cause-and-effect relations and open-ended ambiguity, prompting viewers and reviewers to read for clues in order to weave their own elaborate tales.Trade Review'Narrative Painting in Nineteenth-Century Europe provides a new lens through which to appreciatively view works that might not have previously seemed worthy of close analysis. It reveals the impressive ingenuity with which artists and critics of the second half of the nineteenth century sought to bring pleasure to viewers and readers hungering for engaging stories. Given that pleasure is not prominent in the earnest academic discourse of the early twenty-first century, it is refreshing to see its pursuit treated as a legitimate topic of research. This is one more reason to be grateful for Nina Lübbren’s well-crafted book.'Nineteenth-Century Art Worldwide, Volume 22, Issue 2 | Autumn 2023, Jonathan P. Ribner -- .Table of Contents1 The terms of narrative2 Eloquent objects3 Patterns of reception4 Stories in paint5 Epilogue: Into the twentieth centuryIndex

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Book SynopsisThis is the first published edition of a fascinating manuscript on witchcraft in the collection of the British Library, written by an unknown sixteenth-century scholar. Responding to a pre-publication draft of Reginald Scot’s sceptical Discoverie of Witchcraft (1584), the treatise represents the most detailed defence of witchcraft belief to be written in the early modern period in England. It highlights in detail the scriptural and theological justifications for a belief in witches, covering ground that may well have been considered too sensitive for print publications and presenting learned arguments not found in any other contemporary English work. Consequently, it offers a unique insight into elite witchcraft belief dating from the very beginning of the English witchcraft debate. This edition, which includes a comprehensive analytical introduction, presents the treatise with modernised spelling and relevant excerpts from Scot’s book.Trade Review'In sum, in his excellent introduction to this treatise and in his thoughtful and careful editing of it, Eric Pudney has made a marvellous contribution to the study of early modern English witchcraft. From this point on, further studies of Reginald Scot’s The Discoverie of Witchcraft will undoubtedly be indebted to it.'Philip Almond, Folklore''Eric Pudney deserves nothing but praise and gratitude for his excellent editorial work, demonstrating this manuscript’s complex interaction with Scot’s Discoverie and illuminating the origins of both texts. We are very much in his debt.'Jan Machielsen, Journal of Ecclesiastical History'Eric Pudney’s edition of a hitherto virtually unnoticed anonymous response to Scot’s famous The discoverie of witchcraft (1584) [is] extraordinarily significant.'Stuart Clark, Magic, Ritual, and Witchcraft -- .Table of ContentsIntroductionA defence of witchcraft beliefIndex

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Book SynopsisKatey Dickens was born into a house of turbulent celebrity and grew up surrounded by fascinating, famous, and infamous people. From a very young age, she knew her vocation was to be an artist. Lucinda Hawksley charts the life of a celebrated portrait painter, who redefines our preconceptions about Victorian women. Living to be almost ninety, Katey survived an unconventional marriage, love affairs, heartbreak, depression, and the challenges of being a female artist in a male-dominated era. Compelling and illuminating, _Katey_ tells the story of a spirited woman who found fame at the centre of the first celebrity phenomenon; it also uncovers the reality of what it was like to be a child of Charles and Catherine Dickens. This biography of Katey, celebrating her artistic prestige-which saw her compared to Millais-is long overdue. The details of her fascinating life await rediscovery.

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Book SynopsisThe figure of Sejanus has fascinated from ancient to more modern times. Sejanus, the emperor Tiberius' infamous Praetorian Prefect, is synonymous with over-reaching ambition, murder, conspiracy and betrayal. According to the traditional storyline, this man craved the imperial throne for himself and sought it by isolating the naive emperor in his island pleasure palace on Capri whilst using his control over the Praetorian Guard, coupled with his immense power and influence in Rome, to purge the capital of potential opponents. His victims supposedly included the emperor's son, Drusus, poisoned by his own wife who had been seduced by Sejanus. The emperor, forewarned of Sejanus' ambition, struck first. The Prefect was arrested in the Senate, strangled and his corpse cast down the Gemonian Stairs. Study of Sejanus has generally been overshadowed by focus on Tiberius. John McHugh makes a fresh appraisal of the sources to offer the first full-length study in English to focus on this highly influential figure and his development of the Praetorian Prefecture.

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Book SynopsisAt midnight on 5th July 1948, the National Health Service was born with the founding principal to be free at the point of use and based on clinical need rather than on a person's ability to pay. Seventy years since its formation, these core principals still hold true, although the world we now live in is a very different place to the post war era in which it was formed, and the long term sustainability of the service in its current form is questionable. This book traces the history of our health service, from Victorian healthcare in the early 20th century, through a timeline of change to the current day, comparing the problems and illnesses of 1948 to those we face seventy years later. Politics, funding, and healthcare systems around the world are demystified and we present case studies, views and snapshots from history from people who have experienced our changing NHS.

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Book SynopsisMunich is one of Europe s most enchanting cities. Exploring its narrow cobbled streets or wide sunlight boulevards with views of the Bavarian Alps is a delight. Each autumn, millions of revellers from around the world join locals in their legendary Octoberfest, one of the world's biggest festivals. Yet many visitors also know that Munich has a past so dark that it cast a looming shadow over the twentieth century: this was the city which played a unique role in the ascent of Nazism, the Third Reich and Adolf Hitler. It was in Munich that Hitler first entered the murky world of beer Keller politics after the First World War. It was here that he established the fanatical base of his NSDAP party so that the city was, in his words, the capital of the movement'. This illustrative new book explains how Munich and its surrounds became inextricably linked with the rise and fall of Nazism. It provides the modern reader with a detailed guide to what happened where in the city, why those events were important in the unfolding history of the Third Reich - and why they remain a timely warning today.

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Book SynopsisCrammed into cattle trucks and deported to camps, shot and buried in mass graves, or force-marched to death, over 1.5 million Armenians were murdered by the Turkish state, twenty years before the start of Hitler's Holocaust. The United States' government called it a crime against humanity and Turkey was condemned by Russia, France and Great Britain. But two decades later the genocide had been conveniently forgotten. Hitler justified his Polish death squads by asking in 1939: 'Who after all is today speaking about the destruction of the Armenians?' Armenian Genocide is a new, gripping account that tells the story of the 'Megh Yeghern' - the Great Crime - against the Armenians through the stories of the men and women who died, the few who survived, and the diplomats who tried to intervene.

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Book SynopsisHenry VIII is one of history's most memorable monarchs. Popularly known for his six wives, and the unfortunate fate which befell Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, Henry initiated many reforms and changes which still affect our lives today. The annulment of his marriage to Catherine of Aragon set in motion the separation of the English church from Rome and the establishment of the Church of England, which in turn led to the dissolution of the monasteries, the hauntingly evocative remains of which can be seen across the United Kingdom. Henry also oversaw the legal union between England and Wales, and he is also known as the father of the Royal Navy', with one of his great warships, the Mary Rose, lost in 1545 and recovered in 1982, becoming one of the most famous wrecks in maritime history. In addition to the monasteries, other buildings around the UK continue to remind us of the times of the Tudors - there is the site of Greenwich Palace at the Royal Naval College Greenwich, where Henry was born; his great palace at Hampton Court; Lambeth Palace where Thomas More refused to sign the oath to make Henry the Head of the Church, and the Bell Tower in the Tower of London where More was imprisoned before he was beheaded. Henry's breach with the Pope led to the threat of war with Catholic France and Spain, which prompted Henry to construct a series of powerful forts around the English and Welsh coasts. These elegant and symmetrical defensive structures are still awe-inspiring. In this engaging and hugely informative book, the author takes us on a journey across the country, from Deal Castle on the south coast, to Tower Green where Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard lost their heads, and far north to Rievaulx Abbey in Yorkshire. Along the way we see places where Henry stayed, where the Mary Rose was recovered, the homes of his consorts and Smithfield where prominent individuals convicted of heresy were burned at the stake. Travel, then, not just across the country, but also back in time through 100 objects from the days of the second Tudor monarch - Henry VIII.

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Book SynopsisThough pressed many times to write about his battles and campaigns, the Duke of Wellington always replied that people should refer to his published despatches, and he refused to add further to his official correspondence, famously remarking that: The history of a battle, is not unlike the history of a ball. Some individuals may recollect all the little events of which the great result is the battle won or lost, but no individual can recollect the order in which, or the exact moment at which, they occurred, which makes all the difference as to their value or importance.' Yet Wellington did, in effect, write a history of the Peninsular War in the form of four lengthy memoranda, summarising the conduct of the war in 1809, 1810 and 1811 respectively. These lengthy accounts demonstrate Wellington's unmatched appreciation of the nature of the war in Spain and Portugal, and relate to the operations of the French and Spanish forces as well as the Anglo-Portuguese army under his command. Unlike personal diaries or journals written by individual soldiers, with their inevitably limited knowledge, Wellington was in an unparalleled position to provide a comprehensive overview of the war. Equally, the memoranda were written as the war unfolded, not tainted with the knowledge of hindsight, providing a unique contemporaneous commentary. Brought together by renowned historian Stuart Reid with reports and key despatches from the other years of the campaign, the result is the story of the Peninsular War told through the writings of the man who knew and understood the conflict in Iberia better than any other. These memoranda and despatches have never been published before in a single connected narrative. Therefore, Wellington's History of the Peninsular War 1808-1814 offers a uniquely accessible perspective on the conflict in the own words of Britain's greatest general.

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Book SynopsisThe story of Henry Tudor's march to Bosworth and the throne of England began long before the fatal summer of 1485, with his birth in Pembroke Castle. The gigantic fortress where he spent his childhood years lay some 12 miles inland from the spot where Henry was supposed to have landed in Milford Haven when he came to challenge Richard III in August 1485. Henry's landing and progress to Bosworth Field were a gamble, but by 1485 the last of the Lancastrian princes had little option but to chance his arm'. He had worn out his welcome on the Continent and, despite his unpopularity in some quarters of English society, there was the real risk that Richard's reign might finally begin to create stability and financial success - Yorkist stability and success. A gamble, yes, but one that had to be taken if the House of Lancaster was to survive. In Following in the Footsteps of Henry Tudor, we hear of the many fascinating stories from Henry's march and the places he visited - a journey that took just over two weeks. It was a time of treachery and double dealing but it culminated with the establishment of the Tudor dynasty, the end of the Wars of the Roses and the beginnings of the modern world.

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Book SynopsisThe scale of death and destruction during the Battle of Stalingrad during late 1942 and early 1943 remains unprecedented in the history of warfare. The annihilation of General von Paulus' 6th Army epitomised the devastating defeat of Hitler's ambition to conquer Stalin's Soviet Union. After the successful Operation Blue offensive 6th Army reached the River Volga north of Stalingrad in summer 1942\. With over-extended supply lines and facing steely opposition, increasingly desperate attempts to seize the city repeatedly failed. Slowly 6th Army became encircled. The German High Command attempted a number of relief attempts, notably Field Marshal von Manstein's Winter Storm' but all were defeated by the tenacity of the enemy and the Russian winter. To their credit the men of 6th Army fought to the end but by February 1943 the last pockets of German resistance were either destroyed or had surrendered. Thanks to a superb collection of unpublished photographs, this Images of War book provides an absorbing insight into the dramatic events of the last months of 6th Army's doomed existence.

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Book SynopsisAlthough the worlds of science and philosophy took giant strides away from the medieval view of the world, attitudes to women did not change from those that had pertained for centuries. Girls were largely barred from education - only around 14% of women could read and write by 1700 - and the few educated women were not permitted to enter the professions. The social turbulence of the first half of the seventeenth century afforded women new opportunities and new religious freedoms and women were attracted into the many new sects where they were afforded a voice in preaching and teaching. This reaction often found expression in the violent and brutal treatment of women who were seen to have stepped out of line, whether legally, socially or domestically. Often beaten and abused at home by husbands exercising their legal right, they were whipped, branded, exiled and burnt alive by the courts, from which their sex had no recourse to protection, justice or restitution. This work records the many kinds of violent physical and verbal abuse perpetrated against women in Britain and her colonies, both domestically and under the law, during two centuries when huge strides in human knowledge and civilisation were being made in every other sphere of human activity.

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Book SynopsisIn the aftermath of the First World War, a political revolution took place in what was then the United Kingdom. Such upheavals were common in postwar Europe, as new states came into being and new borders were forged. What made the revolution in the UK distinctive is that it took place within one of the victor powers, rather than any of their defeated enemies. In the years after the Easter Rising of 1916 in Ireland, a new independence movement had emerged, and in 1918-19 the political party Sinn F in and its paramilitary partner, the Irish Republican Army, began a political struggle and an armed uprising against British rule. By 1922 the United Kingdom has lost a very substantial portion of its territory, as the Irish Free State came into being amidst a brutal Civil War. At the same time Ireland was partitioned and a new, unionist government was established in what was now Northern Ireland. These were outcomes that nobody could have predicted before 1914\. In _The Irish War of Independence and Civil War_, experts on the subject explore the experience and consequences of the latter phases of the Irish revolution from a wide range of perspectives.

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Book SynopsisThis is the incredible story of a Second World War shoot-out between black and white American soldiers in a quiet Cornish town that ended up putting the special relationship' itself on trial. The subsequent court martial into what tabloids labelled a wild west' mutiny became front page news in Great Britain and the USA. Three thousand miles across the Atlantic, it mirrored and bolstered a fast-accelerating civil rights movement. At home it caused Churchill himself grave anxiety' while refracting an extraordinary truth about the real state of Anglo-American relations. For three long days the story raged before the turbulent war-torn world moved on and forgot forever amid ever-escalating D-Day preparations. This account of a shocking drama the authorities tried to hush up has been painstakingly pieced back together for the first time thanks to new archival research. When slotted into its unique context, extracted from wartime cabinet documents, secret government surveys, opinion polls, diaries, letters and newspapers as well as testimony from those who remember it, the story offers a rare and stunning window into a little-known dark side of the American Invasion.' By breathing new life into a vanished trial, it reveals a rare and surprising insight into the wider story of how Britain reacted to soldiers of the Jim Crow army when they came to stay.

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Book SynopsisGeneral Hans von Seekt (1866-1936) was the military counterpart of the Weimar Republic, both attempted to restore Germany's international acceptance and security following defeat in World War I and the Treaty of Versailles of 1919. And the failure of both led eventually to the rise of Hitler and Nazi Germany. Hans von Seekt was from the traditional German officer caste, served with distinction on the war and became Chief of the Army Command at the Reichewehr Ministry of the Weimar Republic and Germany's 'supreme soldier'and major military strategist. His role was to re-build the shattered German army in face of the punitive terms of post-war settlement imposed by the victorious Entente Powers which drastically reduced its strength and imposed crippling financial conditions. He aimed to build a modern and efficient military - a new German army - with a main strategy of peaceful defence purposes, and to re-introduce Germany into the community of nations. This original and far-sighted policy was opposed by the movement seeking revenge for defeat - a 'stab in the back' - led principally by his rival, General Erich Ludendorff, whose aim was re-build the once-mighty German imperial army as a major international force. The failure of von Seekt's experiment was mirrored by the fall of the Weimar Republic, and the rise of rise of Hitler and Nazi Germany.

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Book SynopsisThis is the vivid memoir of a young man who served with both Coastal Command and Bomber Command throughout the Second World War. Having joined the RAFVR before the war, Peter Russell was mobilised in August 1939 and, after training, became operational with Coastal Command's 233 Squadron flying Lockheed Hudsons from Leuchars, Aldergrove and St Eval in Britain's battle for survival in the Atlantic. After fourteen months Peter was rested and tasked with training navigators for the impending enlargement of Bomber Command. In 1944 he joined 625 Squadron flying Lancasters against targets in Germany and Occupied Europe. Russell took command of B' Flight and was promoted to squadron leader. His memories of the many raids, his crew and operational flying during this period until the end of the war are gripping recounted in Flying in Defiance of the Reich. After the German surrender, Peter headed for the Far East, joining Shield Force which was tasked with conducting a strategic night bombing offensive against the Japanese mainland. However, before it could become operational the war was brought to an abrupt conclusion with the dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Peter's unit was, therefore, redirected to relieve Hong Kong, in which the RAF undertook a purely land operation. The final chapters give a unique insight into how Japanese military rule was replaced, once again, by British law and order.

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This is NOT just another retelling of the Fall of Constantinople, though it does include a very fine account of that momentous event. It is the history of a quite extraordinary century and a bit which began when a tiny of force of Ottoman Turkish warriors was invited by the Christian Byzantine Emperor to cross the Dardanelles from Asia into Europe to assist him in one of the civil wars which were tearing the fast-declining Byzantine Empire apart. One hundred and eight years later the Byzantine capital of Constantinople fell to what was by then a hugely powerful and expanding empire of the Islamic Ottoman Turks, whose rulers came to see themselves as the natural and legitimate heirs of their Byzantine and indeed Roman predecessors. The book sets the scene, explains the background and tells the story, both military, political, cultural and personal, of the winners and the losers, plus those 'outsiders' who were increasingly being drawn into the dramatic story of the rise of the Ottoman Empire.

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Book SynopsisCharlotte Despard, social reformer and suffragette, was always known as Mrs Despard, never Charlotte. Her name should be synonymous with those of Emmeline Pankhurst and Millicent Fawcett; instead, she remains overlooked. Born in 1844, Charlotte's childhood was difficult: she found solace in great literature, identifying with Milton and the romantic words of Shelley. She married Maximillian Despard and had the opportunity to explore the world and try her hand at a career as a novelist. Widowed in her early 40s, her money and status allowed her to live a life of surprising freedom for a woman of her time. Charlotte devoted her life to improving the lot of the poor and moved to live among them in the London slums. She fought for better and fairer living/working conditions for all, supporting adult suffrage before becoming heavily involved in the fight for votes for women. She joined Emmeline Pankhurst's Women's Social and Political Union and when that organisation split in 1907 co-founded the Women's Freedom League, becoming its first, much loved, president. She also served as editor and major contributor to its newspaper, The Vote. When suffrage activities were largely suspended after the outbreak of WW1 in 1914, she returned to her Irish roots and moved to Dublin to support the fight for Irish home rule. After some women were enfranchised in 1918 she tried to capitalise on the upturn for women's political freedom (unsuccessfully) running for Parliament. Charlotte's political and public career ended tragically when she died in Belfast aged 95, penniless and alone, having given all her money to helping the less fortunate. Charlotte's quiet legacy continues to this day in her work particularly for the rights of women and children.

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Book SynopsisIreland is known worldwide as a country that produce emigrants. The existence of the Irish diaspora' is the subject of this fifth instalment of the 'Irish perspectives' collaboration between Pen and Sword and History Ireland. From the early Christian era Irish missionaries travelled across Europe, from the early modern period Irish soldiers served across the world in various European armies and empires, and in the modern era, Ireland's position on the edge of the Atlantic made Irish emigrants amongst the most visible migrants in an era of mass migration. Ranging from Europe to Africa to the Americas and Australia, this anthology explores the lives and experiences of Irish educators, missionaries, soldiers, insurgents, from those who simply sought a better life overseas to those with little choice in the matter, and who established an Irish presence across the globe as they did so.

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Book SynopsisThe Hawker Hurricane, together with the Spitfire, is the most famous aircraft of the Second World War. Many pilots including Douglas Bader thought it was superior to the Spit but together they saved Britain from Nazi invasion and possible defeat. Adrian Stewart has produced a gloriously atmospheric and nostalgic book capturing the spirit of this great aircraft and the pilots who flew them. It tracks the aircraft as it was developed and improved and follows it to the many theatres of the war where it saw service. Among the lesser known are Burma and the hazardous convoy protection both in the Arctic and Mediterranean, flying from makeshift carriers. This book will fascinate specialist aviation historians and those who enjoy a rattling good war story, backed by a superb selection of rare photographs.

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Book SynopsisDuring the 1930s, the British Intelligence agencies became increasingly concerned about Communist influence in the country. They reacted by spying on thousands of ordinary British citizens. Amongst them were many artists and writers who, in tune with the spirit of the times', had become sympathetic to left-wing causes, most notably the Spanish Civil War. Telephones were bugged, post opened, homes searched and people encouraged to report suspicious behaviour - all reminiscent of the East German Stasi. This book has been written in the light of previously secret files, now available in The National Archives, which indicate the extent of the surveillance and the consequences for those being watched. It focuses on a significant number of writers and artists who were either members of the Communist Party of Great Britain or were suspected of being fellow travellers'. They include: George Orwell, Stephen Spender, Olivia Manning, Storm Jameson, W.H. Auden, Sylvia Townsend Warner, J.B. Priestley, Doris Lessing, Julian Trevelyan, Randall Swingler, Paul Hogarth, Clive Branson and James Boswell. _The Secret War Against the Arts_ is a unique account of a dramatic period of modern history, from the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War to the Hungarian uprising in 1956, revealing how MI5 was systematic, unrelenting and uncompromising in its pursuit of artists and writers throughout the period, while failing to see the much more disturbing treachery of others - Anthony Blunt, Guy Burgess and Kim Philby, for example.

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Book SynopsisNothing focuses the mind more starkly than impending death. Its inevitable spectre greets us all; from princes to paupers and nobility to the needy. Prepare to mount the scaffold and share in the final utterings of the condemned; join the stricken in their death beds and witness unburdened tongues wag their closing, and often remarkable confessions as deeply entrenched secrets are finally unshackled in the wake of imminent death. Famous Last Words collects a fascinating selection of destinies culminating in their often flamboyant yet always captivating, final utterances before shuffling off this mortal coil. Revealed inside are tales of sangfroid bravery, astonishing ironies and overdue confessions often betraying grave miscarriages of justice, throughout British history. Revealed inside are tales of sangfroid bravery, astonishing ironies and overdue confessions often betraying grave miscarriages of justice throughout British history. Writer and poet Sir Walter Raleigh had some typically forthright and urging words for his executioner as the hesitant axeman displayed fear and reluctance to perform his stately duties. Having felt the sharp edge of the tool that would presently be rained down upon him, rather than fearing his impending doom, Raleigh would offer goading encouragement to his maker. Were the final words of convicted murderer Ernest Brown a candid confession to another killing he had committed deep in the Northumberland Moors some two years previously which had lay unsolved? And what of Britain's first actor to have had a knighthood bestowed upon him? Learn of the staggering irony that saw his final words on stage prophetically turn out to be his last in life...

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Book SynopsisWhen Winston Churchill accepted the position of Prime Minister in May 1940, he insisted in also becoming Minister of Defence. He was not going to play the chairman's role, adjudicating between the competing claims of the ministers below him. He was going to get his hands dirty and take direct personal control of the day to day running of military policy. This, though, meant that he alone would be responsible for the success or failure of Britain's war effort. It also meant that he would be faced with many monumental challenges and utterly crucial decisions upon which the fate of Britain and the free world rested. One of his first agonising decisions was how to respond to the collapse of France, and the danger posed to Britain's survival should the powerful French fleet fall into German hands. When he ordered Admiral Sommerville to sink the French fleet at Mers-el-Kebir, he knew that France might be turned against Britain, but that act demonstrated to the world that he was determined to wage war �whatever the cost may be'. With the limited resources available to the UK, Churchill had to decided where his country's priorities lay. Should he concentrate on the defence of the realm or take the war to the enemy - and where should any offensive action be focused? Did Egypt and the war in North Africa take precedence over Singapore and the UK's empire in the East? How much support should be offered to the Soviet Union? How much of the direction of the war could he allow to be dictated by the United States? In this insightful investigation into Churchill's conduct during the Second World War, Allen Packwood, the Director of the Churchill Archives Centre, enables the reader to share the agonies and uncertainties faced by Churchill at each crucial stage of the war. How Churchill responded to each challenge is analysed in great detail and the conclusions the author draws are as uncompromising as those made by Britain's wartime leader as he negotiated his country through its darkest days.

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Book SynopsisIn the English-speaking world, the Spanish Civil War is perhaps best remembered through the exploits of thousands of foreign volunteers from across the globe who joined the International Brigades - a force of communists, socialists and others who took their opposition to fascism to extraordinary lengths. Their passionate political commitment to Spain's cause and determination in battle placed them among the crack troops of the Republic's People's Army. Yet while much has been written about the political, social and cultural significance of the brigades and their experience in Spain, less has been said about their performance as front-line troops. It is this military history that Alexander Clifford focuses on in vivid detail in this highly illustrated new study which reassess their impact within the Republican People's Army. His account tells the story of the brigades as combat units, tracing the course of each major battle in which they fought and showing the drastic changes they underwent as the war progressed - from an untrained militia in 1936, to the tried and tested shock troops of 1937, to a shadow of their former selves by 1938 after repeated maulings and the introduction of Spanish conscripts to fill their ranks.Trade ReviewFighting for Spain is an excellent addition to the literature on the International Brigades in the Spanish Civil War. Accessible and well written, backed up with useful maps and images, it includes a wealth of information on the formation and composition of the Brigades and their role during the war. - Richard Baxell, Britain's leading authority on the subject and the author of the bestselling Unlikely Warriors.

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Book SynopsisPlutarch described Antigonus the One Eyed (382-301 BC) 'as 'the oldest and greatest of Alexander's successors.' Antigonus loyally served both Philip II and Alexander the Great as they converted his native Macedonia into an empire stretching from India to Greece. After Alexander's death, Antigonus, then governor of the obscure province of Phrygia, seemed one of the least likely of his commanders to seize the dead king's inheritance. Yet within eight years of the king's passing, through a combination of military skill and political shrewdness, he had conquered the Asian portion of the empire. His success caused those who controlled the European and Egyptian parts of the empire to unite against him. For another fourteen years he would wage war against a coalition of the other Successors: Ptolemy, Lysimachus, Seleucus and Cassander. In 301 BC he would meet defeat and death in the Battle of Ipsus. The ancient writers saw Antigonus' life as a cautionary tale about the dangers of hubris and vaulting ambition. Despite his apparent defeat, his descendants would continue to rule as kings and create a dynasty that would rule Macedonia for over a century. Jeff Champion narrates the career of this titanic figure with the focus squarely on the military aspects.Trade Review"...shed a large and new light on the history of the people and eras that they represent. It is far time that we have a biography of one of the greatest men of Hellenistic society....he author has had to piece together the life of Antigonus from the many scraps that we are left from the ancient historians. Unfortunately, the ancient authors jumped about like a cat being teased with a laser. Their accounts of different years hop around the ancient world from year to year without really following a clear path through any kingdom or person's life. Mr. Champion is to be congratulated for his detective work in bringing the lives he has to our attention, and hopefully prodded to bring more out of the dustbin."-- "A Wargamers Needful Things"

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Book SynopsisThis book examines the reality behind the myths of the legendary RAF fighter aces during the Battle of Britain. It explains why only a small minority of pilots those in whom the desire for combat overrode everything accounted for so large a proportion of the victories. It surveys the skills that a successful fighter pilot must have a natural aptitude for flying, marksmanship, keen eyesight and the way in which fighter tactics have developed. The book examines the history of the classic fighter aircraft that were flown, such as the Spitfire and Hurricane, and examines each types characteristics, advantages and disadvantages in combat. The accounts of the experiences of fighter pilots are based on archival research, diaries, letters, published and unpublished memoirs and personal interviews with veterans. The pilots included are Robert Stanford Tuck, Adolph Sailor Malan, Geoffrey Page, Al Deere, Peter Townsend and Brian Kingcome.

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Book SynopsisOn the night of 14/15 August 1944, the roar of an unknown aircraft was heard over the dense forests to the south-east of Moscow. Flying past the Soviet capital, the aircraft turned towards a secret' landing site at Yegoryevsk on the outskirts of the city. But lying in wait were troops of Stalin's elite secret service, SMERSH. The troops turned on the landing lights and the aircraft, a German machine of some description, swept down to land. As the aircraft touched down, some of the SMERSH troops lost their nerve and opened fire prematurely. The German pilot responded quickly and managed to pull his aircraft up in time to brush over the top of the trees at the end of the clearing and disappear back into the dark Soviet sky. This was just one of many vivid episodes in the operational service of the Luftwaffe's special and secret units which engaged in the delivery of agents and saboteurs in the rear of the enemy throughout the Second World War - just on the Eastern Front but across Asia and Europe. The activities of the pilots and crews of these squadrons, even in the Luftwaffe itself, were closed and secret. Information on the operations and missions of these units was known only a limited number of people. It was common practice for the crew of one aircraft in these units to know nothing about the assignments of their fellow airmen. The area of activity of such units and aircraft covered the whole of Europe, North Africa, the Arctic circle, the Urals, the Caucasus, and Central Asia including Iran, Iraq, and Afghanistan. The Luftwaffe not only flew to these remote regions, but also created secret bases for their aircraft. Drawn from German and Russian sources, much of the latter only recently declassified, the authors expose for the very first time the Luftwaffe's secret operations and reveal the fate of many of the pilots, agents and saboteurs in a story as breathtakingly dramatic as any blockbuster novel.

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Book SynopsisFascinated by the Battle of Britain from an early age, as a young man Dilip Sarkar realised that recording and sharing the Few's memories was of paramount importance. At the time, back in the mid-1980s, membership of the Battle of Britain Fighter Association was well populated and the then Honorary Secretary, the now late Wing Commander Pat Hancock DFC, OBE, supported Dilip's research by forwarding letters to individual pilots of interest. Those members of the Few included a wide-range of personalities, from famous airmen like Group Captain Peter Townsend and Air Marshal Sir Denis Crowley-Milling, to the also rans', as Battle of Britain Hurricane pilot Peter Fox famously described himself and peers. Indeed, it was Peter's also rans' that were of the greatest interest to Dilip, who recognised that whilst many famous and distinguished pilots had either published personal memoirs or had biographies written about them, lesser-lights had no platform to record and share their experiences. This Dilip became dedicated to resolving. For many years, Dilip enjoyed prolific correspondence with the Few. These letters - hundreds of them - now represent a unique primary source, confirming the incredibly close relationship the author enjoyed with his heroes and high esteem in which they likewise held him. Over the years, Dilip's published work has enormously benefited from his unique knowledge of the people involved through this very personal association, the memories collated providing his books a real human' touch. As the Few sadly fade away, it is only now that the significance of Dilip's correspondence, industry and archive arising are becoming truly apparent. In _Letters From The Few_, Dilip shares with us, for the first time, a small selection of his correspondence with Battle of Britain fighter pilots, providing us an inspirational insight into the immeasurable value of this research and personalities involved.

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Book SynopsisThe period covered in this book, is well known for its epic battles and grand campaigns of territorial conquest, but Hellenistic monarchies, Carthaginians and the rapacious Roman Republic were scarcely less active at sea. Huge resources were poured into maintaining fleets not only as symbols of prestige but as means of projecting real military power across the Mediterranean arena. Taking the period between Alexander the Great's conquests and the Battle of Actium, John Grainger analyses the developments in naval technology and tactics, the uses and limitations of sea power and the differing strategies of the various powers. He shows, for example, how the Rhodians and the Romans eschewed the ever-larger monster galleys favoured by most Hellenistic monarchs in favour of smaller vessels. This will be a fascinating study of a neglected aspect of ancient warfare.

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Book SynopsisThe Polish Air Force, which was created in Britain in the summer of 1940 from flying and ground personnel evacuated from Poland and then from France, proved to be one of the most successful formations to fight the Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain. Overcoming the obstacles of language and operating in a foreign country, the Polish Air Force gained independent status, flying alongside the RAF rather than being a part of the RAF - and for the first time the Polish Air Force became a separate air arm of the Polish Armed Forces. It is stated that 145 Polish pilots fought in the Battle of Britain, many of them experienced and battle-hardened. These men fought not only for freedom of their own homeland but also for British people, of whom they often knew very little. The Poles were able to form four squadrons, two bomber and two fighter, that went into operations during the Battle of Britain. Many other Polish fliers were dispersed across the Fighter Command, joining various RAF squadrons. They all made a decisive impact, when they were needed the most, gaining the respect their British colleagues and the British public. In this superb collection of photographs, the story of the Polish Few is told from their hazardous journey from Poland to the UK and in the great struggle for control of the skies above Britain during that memorable summer of 1940.

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Book SynopsisIn Munich in 1920, just after the end of the First World War, German officers who had been prisoners of war in England published a book they had written and smuggled back to Germany. Through vivid text and illustrations they describe in detail their experience of life in captivity in a camp at Skipton in Yorkshire. Their work, now translated into English for the first time, gives us a unique insight into their feelings about the war, their captors and their longing to go home. In their own words they record the conditions, the daily routines, the food, their relationship with the prison authorities, their activities and entertainments, and their thoughts of their homeland. The challenges and privations they faced are part of their story, as is the community they created within the confines of the camp. The whole gamut of their existence is portrayed here, in particular through their drawings and cartoons which are reproduced alongside the translation. German Prisoners of the Great War offers us a direct inside of view a hitherto neglected aspect of the wartime experience a century ago.

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Book SynopsisThe women in this book – Lady Jane Grey, Anne Askew, Katherine Parr and Catherine Willoughby were Christian women of outstanding courage and conviction. Each was transformed by the teachings of the Reformation and experienced its dramas and dangers. Elaine Snuggs has researched widely and deeply to portray for us four remarkable women living through a fascinating period in history, a period with immense consequences for England and indeed the world. The women are both well known (Katharine Parr, sixth and surviving wife of Henry VIII, and Lady Jane Grey, the Nine Days Queen) and not so well known (martyr Anne Askew and Catherine Willoughby, Duchess of Suffolk). These were not flawless heroines but in their times of trial showed themselves to be brave, intelligent, educated women, of strong character and radiant spirit, living for the Lord who had saved them and whom they had come to know as the only Saviour and Redeemer by grace alone through faith alone. See how God has exercised his sovereignty in history – in the public sphere as well as in the lives of individuals, and be inspired to love Christ more, and live for him.Trade Review… it is bracing and convicting to read of the way in which each of these women counted it a privilege to stand and suffer for Christ. -- Sharon James (Social Policy Analyst, The Christian Institute)Women have played significant roles in the advance of the Gospel, and this is especially true during the era of the Reformation. I am therefore thrilled with this new book … there is much that women – and men – can learn from them in our equally challenging day. -- Michael A. G. Haykin (Professor of Church History and Biblical Spirituality, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky)No–one could be in any doubt after reading this book, that these women really knew how to give an answer for the hope that they had in Christ. Elaine demonstrates how they courageously and wisely articulated this hope, and faithfully held fast to it until the end. -- Jo Coleman (Chair, Grace Baptist Women’s Association)… succeeds in demonstrating that Reformation history is not just for the intellectual, but for the ordinary person as well. … a challenge and inspiration for believers today. -- Pat Mollitt (Retired Pastor’s wife)Women are too often left out of our history, especially Christian history. This book helps to redress the balance by telling the story of four women from Tudor England who played significant roles in the stirring times in which they lived and maintained a clear evangelical testimony amidst the difficulties that they faced. This very readable and moving account will inform, inspire, edify and challenge men and women. -- Robert Strivens (Pastor, Bradford–on–Avon Baptist Church, Wiltshire, UK & former Principal, London Seminary)… a very insightful view of the nitty–gritty of life in Tudor times – particularly in the higher strata of society. -- Philip Parsons (Author of ‘A Beginner’s Guide to Church History’)What a lively presentation of some of the women involved in the English Reformation! Elaine Snuggs has written a most energetic and revealing account of some of its key figures, albeit not quite on the front line. Not only does she write the story well, but she captures something of the spirit of the times. -- Peter Barnes (Pastor, Author, Lecturer, Revesby Presbyterian Church, Revesby, New South Wales, Australia)… a rich feast of historically fascinating and spiritual enriching biography. … will surely prompt the question in any sincere Christian mind: ‘What does Jesus mean to me?’ -- Mostyn Roberts (Pastor, Welwyn Evangelical Church, and author of biographies of Francis Schaeffer and Roger Williams)

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Book SynopsisA SPECTATOR and PROSPECT Book of the Year'Ceaselessly interesting, knowledgeable and evocative' Spectator'A fresh way to write history' Alan Johnson'A quirky, amused, erudite homage to France . . . ambitious and original' The Times_____France: An Adventure History is a profoundly original and endlessly entertaining history of France, from the first century BC to the present day, based on countless new discoveries and thirty years of exploring France on foot, by bicycle and in the library.Beginning with the Roman army’s first recorded encounter with the Gauls and ending with the Gilets Jaunes protests in the era of Emmanuel Macron, each chapter is an adventure in its own right. Along the way, readers will find the usual faces, events and themes of French history – Louis XIV, the French Revolution, the French Résistance, the Tour de France – but all presented in a shining new light.Graham Robb does not offer a standard dry list of facts and dates, but instead a panorama of France, teeming with characters, full of stories, journeys and coincidences, giving readers a thrilling sense of discovery and enlightenment. France: An Adventure History is a vivid, living history of one of the world’s most fascinating nations by a ceaselessly entertaining writer in complete command of subject and style._____'A rich and vibrant narrative . . . clear-eyed but imaginative storytelling' Financial Times'Full of life' ProspectTrade ReviewRobb's concise and fast-paced writing pedals along with never a dull paragraph . . . a dazzling and moving contribution to a long tradition. * Sunday Times *A stunning history of France... Graham Robb deserves to be a national treasure. * Spectator *A quirky chronicle of our neighbour . . . a witty, free-ranging homage to the French people. * The Times *Delightful, discerning, and charmingly irreverent. * Kirkus *Robb's perspectives are refreshing as well as deeply researched. * Booklist *With joy, curiosity and more than a dash of ambition Robb brings 2,000 years of French history to life. * Washington Post *A complete history of France from Caesar's time to now . . . Thanks to the way Robb does his research - often literally getting on his own bike to sniff things out - it is tres facile to go along with him. * Prospect *Graham Robb writes history on two wheels and in four dimensions. * Wall Street Journal *

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Book SynopsisIn March 2010, twenty-seven Britons who took matters into their own hands to protect Jews from the Nazis during one of the darkest times in human history were formally recognised as 'Heroes of the Holocaust' by the British Government. The silver medal, inscribed with the words 'In the Service of Humanity', was created to acknowledge those 'whose selfless actions preserved life in the face of persecution'. Gordon Brown described the medal's recipients, who risked their lives to save those of Jewish friends, or complete strangers, as, 'true British heroes and a source of national pride for all of us. They were shining beacons of hope in the midst of terrible evil because they were prepared to take a stand against prejudice, hatred and intolerance.' Some, like Frank Foley, a British spy whose cover was working at the British embassy in Berlin, took huge risks issuing forged visas to enable around 10,000 Jews to escape Germany before the outbreak of World War 2. Others, like the ten British POWs who hid and cared for Hannah Sarah Rigler as she escaped from a death march, showed great humanity in the face of horrendous cruelty and suffering. All the recipients of the award were ordinary people, acting on no one's authority but their own, who found they could not stand idly by in the face of this great evil.Heroes of the Holocaust collects for the first time the remarkable stories of the recipients of the medal. Written by acclaimed Holocaust historian Lyn Smith, it is a moving testament to the bravery of those whose inspiring actions stand out in stark relief at a time of such horror.

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Book SynopsisA thrilling biography of Benito Mussolini's favourite daughter, and a heart-stopping account of the unravelling of the Fascist dream in Italy'Engrossing... Moorehead has a spirited turn of phrase, a keen eye for the telling detail and pungent quote, and a gift for marshaling complex material' Jenny Uglow, New York Times Book ReviewEdda Mussolini was Benito's favourite daughter: spoilt, venal and uneducated but also clever, brave, and ultimately loyal. She was her father's confidante during the 20 years of Fascist rule and married Foreign Secretary Galeazzo Ciano, making them the most celebrated couple in Roman fascist society.Their fortunes turned in 1943, when Ciano voted against Mussolini in a plot to bring him down. In a dramatic story that takes in hidden diaries, her father's fall and her husband's execution, we come to know a complicated, bold and determined woman who emerges not just as a witness but as a key player in some of the twentieth century's defining moments.'Vividly told, engrossing history' CLARE MULLEY, author of The Women Who Flew for Hitler'Precise, empathic . . . a profoundly satisfying, albeit wistful, read and . . . a worryingly relevant one' GUARDIANTrade ReviewIt's testament to Moorehead's precise, empathic prose that Edda emerges not as the Duce's devilish scion, but as a wounded, fragile being... It makes for a profoundly satisfying, albeit wistful, read and - give the recent victory of Giorgia Meloni in the Italian elections - a worryingly relevant one * Guardian *Interesting and original... Moorehead is a fine writer and a conscientious historian * Spectator *[Moorehead] brilliantly sketches the background of Mussolini and his regime -- R J B Bosworth * LIterary Review *Painstakingly researched and vividly told, this engrossing history turns the spotlight on the deeply conflicted Edda Mussolini, brilliantly balancing the big picture with a wealth of telling detail -- CLARE MULLEY, author of The Women Who Flew for HitlerCaroline Moorehead writes with her characteristic elegance, eye for detail and authoritative knowledge about a monster and a survivor. The story of Mussolini's glamorous daughter is certainly a fascinating one -- MIRANDA SEYMOUR, author of I Used to Live Here Once

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Book SynopsisThe young George III was a poignant figure, humdrum on the surface yet turbulent beneath: hiding his own passions, he tried hard to be a father to his siblings and his nation. This intimate, fast-moving book tells their intertwined stories. His sisters were doomed to marry foreign princes and leave home forever; his brothers had no role and too much time on their hands - a recipe for disaster. At the heart of Tillyard's story is Caroline Mathilde, who married the mad Christian of Denmark in her teens, but fell in love with the royal doctor Struensee: a terrible fate awaited them, despite George's agonized negotiations. At the same time he faced his tumultuous American colonies. And at every step a feverish press pounced on the gossip, fostering a new national passion - a heated mix of celebrity and sex.Trade ReviewA joy to read, full of wit and fascinating detail. This is history told by a master storyteller -- Princess Michael of Kent * Mail on Sunday *A rollickingly good read * Observer *Stella Tillyard tells this astonishing tale with bravura * Sunday Telegraph *A very good read. There is pace, colour and well-researched writing -- Leslie Mitchell * Literary Review *In this superbly engrossing and revelatory book, Tillyard's detective instincts and clever narrative structure work together to inform and delight -- Min Wild * Independent on Sunday *

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Book Synopsis'Books such as this are essential: they remind modern readers of events that should never be forgotten' - Caroline MooreheadOn March 25, 1942, nearly a thousand young, unmarried Jewish women boarded a train in Poprad, Slovakia. Filled with a sense of adventure and national pride, they left their parents' homes wearing their best clothes and confidently waving good-bye. Believing they were going to work in a factory for a few months, they were eager to report for government service. Instead, the young women-many of them teenagers-were sent to Auschwitz. Their government paid 500 Reichsmarks (about £160) apiece for the Nazis to take them as slave labour. Of those 999 innocent deportees, only a few would survive.The facts of the first official Jewish transport to Auschwitz are little known, yet profoundly relevant today. These were not resistance fighters or prisoners of war. There were no men among them. Sent to almost certain death, the young women were powerless and insignificant not only because they were Jewish-but also because they were female. Now, acclaimed author Heather Dune Macadam reveals their poignant stories, drawing on extensive interviews with survivors, and consulting with historians, witnesses, and relatives of those first deportees to create an important addition to Holocaust literature and women's history.Trade ReviewAn important addition to Holocaust literature and women's history. * Daily Express *Heather Dune Macadam does the formidable work of piecing together their journey... the history of the girls from the first transport is riveting. * TLS *

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Book SynopsisA BBC HISTORY MAGAZINE BOOK OF THE YEAR'Excellent' Richard Evans'A vivid, crisp, impressively sustained narrative' Financial Times'Riveting' Irish Independent'Refreshing and readable' Irish Times'Gripping . . . thoroughly researched and beautifully written . . . a warning for our times' Alex Watson, author of Ring of Steel'Fascinating . . . shows powerfully that there was nothing inevitable about the survival of Germany's young democracy in that year - nor about its death a decade later. A timely reminder' Katja Hoyer, author of Beyond the WallThe astonishing year when German democracy faced crisis and near destruction.1923 was one of the most remarkable years of modern European history. In January, France and Belgium militarily occupied Germany's economic heartland, the Ruhr; triggering a series of crises that almost spiralled out of control. Hyperinflation plunged millions into poverty. The search for scapegoats empowered political extremes. Hitler's populism ascended to national prominence. Communists, Nazis, separatists all thought that they could use the crises to destroy democracy. None succeeded. 1923 was the year of Hitler's first victory - and his first defeat. Fanning the flames of instability, anti-government and antisemitic sentiment, the Nazis' abortive yet pivotal putsch in a Munich beer hall failed when they were abandoned by their likeminded conservative allies. Drawing on previously unseen sources, Mark Jones weaves together a thrilling and resonant narrative of German lives in this turbulent time. Tracing Hitler's rise, we see how political pragmatism and international cooperation eventually steered the nation away from total insurrection. A decade later, when Weimar democracy eventually succumbed to tyranny, the warnings from 1923 - rising of nationalist rhetoric, fragile European consensus, and underestimation the of the enemies of liberalism - became only too apparent.This account of the republic's convulsions and survival offers a gripping image of a modern society in extreme crisis.Trade ReviewGripping . . . Thoroughly researched and beautifully written, Mark Jones's story of a democracy under terrible pressure is a warning for our times -- Alexander Watson, author of RING OF STEELFascinating . . . shows powerfully that there was nothing inevitable about the survival of Germany's young democracy in that year - nor about its death a decade later. A timely reminder -- Katja Hoyer, author of BLOOD AND IRONDeftly written and lucid . . . a masterful interpretation of a fateful year -- Robert Kershaw, author of DÜNKIRCHEN 1940Meticulously researched and elegantly written, 1923 explains how Germany stood on the brink of chaos in that crisis year and then stepped back. Highly recommended -- Roger Moorhouse, author of POLAND 1939Scary . . . Jones's book asks where we are today - at the end of the troubles, or at the beginning? -- Peter Fritzsche, author of HITLER'S FIRST HUNDRED DAYSA crisp and methodical chronicle of the year Germany went wrong . . . Jones traces the eruption in a deftly detailed and convincing narrative . . . His vivid history of Germany in 1923 is a timely alert to the dangers of repetition -- Nicholas Shakespeare, author of SIX MINUTES IN MAYA hundred years on, the profound crisis of 1923 seems uncomfortably similar to the challenges experienced by many democracies today: the rise of political extremism, runaway inflation, and resistance to foreign occupation are back in the news today, but they are certainly not new. Jones's meticulously researched and splendidly written book brings this dark but forgotten year back to life -- Robert Gerwarth, author of THE VANQUISHEDRiveting -- Irish IndependentRefreshing and readable -- Irish TimesA vivid, crisp, impressively sustained narrative -- Financial TimesJones's fascinating book gives us a timely lesson in the fragility of democracy -- BBC History Magazine, Books of the YearExcellent -- Richard EvansGripping narrative of the extraordinary year in which Weimar Germany was struck by successive blows, though it somehow survived for another ten years -- The Economist

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Book SynopsisA seasonal meander through the wilds of Scotland.'If Clanlands was a gentle road trip through Scotland, this almanac is a top down, pedal to the metal up and down odyssey through the many byways of a Scottish year. An invitation to anyone who picks up the book to join us on a crazy camper van exploration over 12 glorious, whisky fuelled months. Mountains, battles, famous (and infamous) Scots, the alarming competitiveness of Men in Kilts, clans, feuds, flora, fauna, with a healthy sprinkling of embarrassing personal reminiscences thrown in. Much is explored, all is shared. It is a camper van cornucopia of all things Alba'.From First Footing to Samhain, Fringe Festival follies to whisky lore, Sam & Graham guide readers through a year of Scottish legends, traditions, historical and contemporary events, sharing personal stories and tips as only these two chalk-and-cheese friends can.As entertaining as it is practical, The Clanlands Almanac is a light-hearted education in Scottish history and culture, told through the eyes of two passionate Scotsmen. The perfect escapist guide, The Clanlands Almanac is intended as a starting point for your own Scottish discoveries.

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Book SynopsisThe harrowing, moving and poignant account of one of the youngest survivors of Auschwitz: a girl who was only five years old when she was sent to an extermination camp, and was one of the few people who entered a gas chamber and lived to tell her story.'I am a survivor. That comes with a survivor's obligation to represent one and half million Jewish children murdered by the Nazis. They cannot speak. So I must speak on their behalf.'With a special foreword by Sir Ben Kingsley.'Every so often a book arrives that demands to be read' John Humphrys'An unforgettable and deeply moving story' Jeremy BowenAN INCREDIBLE STORY OF COURAGE, RESILIENCE AND SURVIVAL Tova Friedman was one of the youngest people to emerge from Auschwitz. After surviving the liquidation of the Jewish ghetto in Central Poland where she lived as a toddler, Tova was five when she and her parents were sent to a Nazi labour camp, and almost six when she and her mother were forced into a packed cattle truck and sent to Auschwitz II, also known as the Birkenau extermination camp, while her father was transported to Dachau. During six months of incarceration in Birkenau, Tova witnessed atrocities that she could never forget, and experienced numerous escapes from death. She is one of a handful of Jews to have entered a gas chamber and lived to tell the tale. As Nazi killing squads roamed Birkenau before abandoning the camp in January 1945, Tova and her mother hid among corpses. After being liberated by the Russians they made their way back to their hometown in Poland. Eventually Tova's father tracked them down and the family was reunited.In The Daughter of Auschwitz, Tova immortalizes what she saw, to keep the story of the Holocaust alive, at a time when it is in danger of fading from memory. She has used those memories that have shaped her life to honour the victims. Written with award-winning former war reporter Malcolm Brabant, this is an extremely important book. Brabant's thorough research has helped Tova recall her experiences in searing detail. Together they have painstakingly recreated Tova's extraordinary story about one of the worst ever crimes against humanity.'I read this book with gratitude and urgency' Fergal Keane'[A] vividly written and compelling story' Lindsey Hilsum'A truly remarkable book' Christine Lampard, LorraineTrade ReviewEvery so often a book arrives that demands to be read. This is such a book. It should be compulsory reading for those who know little of one of humanity's greatest crimes and the awe-inspiring bravery of those like Tova Friedman who survived to tell their story. But also for those who think of the Holocaust as ancient history. It is not. It is an eternal reminder that evil needs only ignorance to flourish. That is the true value of this remarkable book * John Humphrys *Tova Friedman's vividly written and compelling story serves as proof that after suffering unimaginable cruelty and trauma, it is still possible to forge a life. This unforgettable book not only ensures we remember the horrors of the Holocaust, but can see the dangers of anti-semitism and other forms of racism today * Lindsey Hilsum *An unforgettable and deeply moving story. Malcolm Brabant brilliantly evokes the world of the ghetto and of Auschwitz through the eyes of Tova Friedman, a small child who survived the brutality of the Holocaust * Jeremy Bowen *I read this book with gratitude and urgency. Gratitude for the courage Tova Friedman has shown in deciding to share her story. We are all the beneficiaries of such powerful witness. The urgency comes from the knowledge that as time marches on such vivid voices are becoming increasingly rare. Read this book, cherish the lessons. It is a book rooted in the terrible events of another time, but the truths it reveals are eternal * Fergal Keane *Tova Friedman is telling her story for a reason, and that's clear in every page. It is a surprising and moving book which makes you furious, and I suspect that's what she wants -- Krishnan Guru-Murthy * Channel 4 News *[A] harrowing and lyrical memoir * Sunday Independent *An absolutely riveting book - please read it -- Judy Woodruff * PBS Newshour *A truly remarkable book -- Christine Lampard * Lorraine *Heart-breaking and powerful reading * History Revealed *In this vivid account, [Tova's] harrowing memories are brought to life with meticulous research from war reporter Malcolm Brabant. This result is a poignant, extraordinarily powerful book * Woman's Own *The combination [of authors] ... has turned into gold, as Brabant unerringly provides accurate research to support Friedman's callow memories. This is the real thing, the horrors of the Holocaust brought shudderingly to life, and all from the point of view of a small child who could barely read or recognise numbers. * Jewish Chronicle *Friedman is unflinching in choosing to reveal the trauma of her childhood and enlist the reader in her struggle to ensure that it can never be forgotten, and in the hope that it will never happen again. * Church Times *

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Book SynopsisThe history of warfare cannot be fully understood without considering the technology of killing. In Firepower, acclaimed historian Paul Lockhart tells the story of military technology from the Renaissance to the dawn of the atomic era -- five-hundred-year-long "age of firepower" during which the evolution of weaponry transformed the conduct of warfare in the West.Weapons technology had always influenced warfare. But the introduction of gunpowder weapons at the close of the Middle Ages made military technology the largest single factor shaping warfare's tactics, strategy, and logistics. Over the five centuries leading up to World War II, the art of war revolved around the ever-more-effective delivery of firepower, and the driving force of weapons development was the compulsion to make that possible. But for centuries, even as it became more effective, military weaponry remained simple and affordable enough that nearly any state could afford to equip a respectable army; weapons could be used and used again until they physically wore out. That all changed, very suddenly, around 1870. Widespread industrialization and rapid advances in metallurgy and chemistry meant that by the start of World War I, only a handful of great powers could afford to manufacture their own weapons. Revolutions in military technology, in short, triggered a revolution in the structure of power in the West, significantly reducing the number of nations that could act assertively in international politics -- and reducing the others to a condition of permanent subordination.Going beyond the battlefield to consider the profound political and social contexts of armed conflict, Firepower ultimately reveals how the evolution of weapons technology, and the uses to which it has been put, have together transformed human history.

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Book SynopsisWhen Emmanuel Macron won the presidency of France he was a political novice with a brand new party who had swept all traditional political forces aside. He quickly emerged as the strongest voice on behalf of the EU, especially once Angela Merkel announced her forthcoming retirement as Chancellor of Germany, and became a domestic radical, facing down the unions, imposing reforms and bracing France to become globally competitive.In The Last President of Europe, William Drozdiak delivers the inside story of the daunting challenges Macron has faced as the last staunch defender of Europe -- including Trump's attacks on NATO and the international order, Merkel's weakness, Italy's government of nihilists and satirists, the Gilets Jaunes (Yellow Vests) protesters, the resurgence of anti-Semitism, and the endless turmoil of Brexit. His success or failure will determine the fate of a continent and the world at large, and Drozdiak brings the drama of these consequential times vividly and compellingly to life.

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Book SynopsisThe 1590s were black years for England. The queen was old, the succession unclear, and the treasury empty after decades of war. Amid the rising tension, William Shakespeare published a pair of poems dedicated to the young Earl of Southampton: Venus and Adonis in 1593 and The Rape of Lucrece a year later. Although wildly popular during Shakespeare's lifetime, to modern readers both works are almost impenetrable. But in her enthralling new book, the Shakespearean scholar Clare Asquith reveals their hidden contents: two politically charged allegories of Tudor tyranny that justified--and even urged--direct action against an unpopular regime. The poems were Shakespeare's bestselling works in his lifetime, evidence that they spoke clearly to England's wounded populace and disaffected nobility, and especially to their champion, the Earl of Essex.Shakespeare and the Resistance unearths Shakespeare's own analysis of a political and religious crisis which would shortly erupt in armed rebellion on the streets of London. Using the latest historical research, it resurrects the story of a bold bid for freedom of conscience and an end to corruption which was erased from history by the men who suppressed it. This compelling reading situates Shakespeare at the heart of the resistance movement, and sees him correctly identifying the factors that would before long plunge the country into civil war.

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