European history Books
The University of Chicago Press Robert Paul and the Origins of British Cinema
Book SynopsisTrade Review"Robert Paul and the Origins of British Cinema will likely remain the definitive monograph on a fascinating and influential early British film pioneer. Christie provides novel insights into how British cinema in its earliest years documented historical events and lucidly traces the origins of motion picture copyright wars. This is an outstanding study that is certain to be welcomed by film scholars and to transform the study and teaching of the early years of cinema."--Edward Dimendberg, Professor of Humanities, University of California, Irvine
£26.60
Oxford University Press The Scythians
Book SynopsisThe Scythians were warlike nomadic horsemen who roamed the steppe of Asia in the first millennium BC. Using archaeological finds from burials and texts written, mainly, by Greeks, this book reconstructs the lives of the Scythians, exploring their beliefs, their burial practices, their love of fighting and their flexible attitude to gender.Trade ReviewThe volume is an excellent appetizer for people unfamiliar with the Scythians and the significance of the immense steppe world for ancient history * KOSTAS VLASSOPOULOS, Greece and Rome *A scintillating tour de force from probably the greatest scholar of European archaeology. * Simon Sebag Montefiore, BBC History Magazine, Books of the Year 2019 *Cunliffe writes in an uncluttered style and with a seemingly effortless authority about a complex people ... The book is beautifully produced with plenty of colour illustrations, including excellent maps of unfamiliar places. It will surely become the standard introduction to a remarkable lost world. * Tony Spawforth, Literary Review *Not to be missed. * Timeless Travels *The Scythians, superbly written and lavishly illustrated, is the best account of these hard-riding nomads we are likely to have for a long time to come. Especially worthy of note are the excellent maps and diagrams, expertly placed to help the reader chart the wanderings of the Scythians in some of the world's most remote locations. * Ed Voves, Art Eyewitness *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1: Discovering the Scythians 2: Observing the other 3: Landscape and people 4: Enter the predatory nomad 5: The rise of the European Scythians 6: Scythians in Central Asia 7: Bodies clothed in skins: economy and society 8: Bending the bow 9: Death and the gods 10: The flood continues 11: Reflections on the longue durée Further reading Index
£29.92
Atlantic Books Histories of the Unexpected: The Vikings
Book SynopsisHistories of the Unexpected not only presents a new way of thinking about the past, but also reveals the world around us as never before.Traditionally, the Vikings have been understood in a straightforward way - but the period really comes alive if you take an unexpected approach to its history. Yes, ships, raiding and trade have a fascinating history... but so too do hair, break-ins, toys, teeth, mischief, luck and silk!Each of these subjects is equally fascinating in its own right, and each sheds new light on the traditional subjects and themes that we think we know so well.Trade ReviewHistory as you've never seen it before. -- Dan SnowIrreverent, witty and fabulously well-informed, Histories of the Unexpected is a blast of historical treats and full to the gunwales of extraordinary connections and trivia from the past. -- James HollandHistory isn't straightforward. It's a complex web of twists and turns. This book will show you how surprising, exciting and downright unexpected history can be. -- Janina RamirezThis is a wonderful, eclectic and entertaining history of everything, full of fascinating, surprising stories. -- Suzannah LipscombTable of Contents0: The Vikings: An Introduction. 1: Keys 2: Graffiti 3: Nicknames 4: Mischief 5: Hair Grooming 6: Hot Springs and Saunas 7: Break-ins 8: Colour 9: Toys 10: Teeth 11: Doors 12: Goading 13: Criminal Profiling 14: Birds 15: Luck 16: Friendship 17: Fun 18: Double Standards 19: Silk 20: Staffs
£14.71
Harvard University Press Magic and the Dignity of Man
Book SynopsisPico della Mirandola, one of the most remarkable thinkers of the Renaissance, has become known as a founder of humanism and a supporter of secular rationality. Brian Copenhaver upends this understanding of Pico, unearthing the magic and mysticism in the most famous work attributed to him, Oration on the Dignity of Man.Trade ReviewMassive, lively, and learned…He explains how and why historians decided to put this Renaissance philosopher and his ideas not only in a box, but in the wrong one…Copenhaver analyzes the arguments of Pico’s critics with precision and panache…[He] has cut through generations of misguided commentary and shown us how to read this complex, baffling text. -- Anthony Grafton * New York Review of Books *No one before Copenhaver has written such a careful and thorough review of the scholarship on Pico’s Oration…He is one of the best Pico scholars of our generation, and Magic and the Dignity of Man offers the fruits of his long labors. It puts to rest old myths and offers new interpretations. It is essential reading for anyone working on Pico’s Oration and will be of great interest to readers of the history of philosophy (and its historiography), especially late medieval and Renaissance philosophy. -- Denis J.-J. Robichaud * Journal of the History of Philosophy *An impressive work of scholarship…Copenhaver does a masterful job of making Pico’s arcana accessible to his readers. -- Lora Sigler * European Legacy *This book goes beyond a usual monograph in so many ways. It is not just a heartfelt history of the influence of Italian Renaissance humanist Gianfrancesco Pico on modern times, but a monument to Copenhaver’s scholarly contributions and enduring research on the life and work of this fundamental early modern philosopher…Indeed a remarkable love story, a delightful portrait of a protean, shapeshifting humanist, lost (and found) in translation. -- Marco Piana * Journal of Modern History *Copenhaver painstakingly reconstructs the story, or rather stories, of how Pico and his Oration were read and misread over the centuries. This is very much a project of love. -- Eva Del Soldato * Speculum *Brian Copenhaver’s Magic and the Dignity of Man is erudite, original, and eloquent. In it he carries out two major tasks, one of demolition and one of construction, with great skill and flair. The book reinterprets one of the most prominent thinkers of the Italian Renaissance in ways that will be widely discussed. No future interpretation of Pico’s life or work, no future reading of Renaissance philosophy, will be able to avoid engaging with it. -- Anthony Grafton, Princeton UniversityThis is nothing less than the definitive study of a text long considered central to the understanding the Renaissance and its place in Western culture. Even though the effect of Copenhaver’s reading is to demote the text from that status, this book will certainly be a must-read for anyone, especially historians of philosophy and intellectual historians, interested in the larger significance of the Renaissance. -- James Hankins, Harvard University
£43.31
Yale University Press Amritsar 1919
Book SynopsisTrade Review“Mr Wagner argues his case fluently and rigorously in this excellent book. The centenary would be as good a time as any to apologise for Amritsar. In Mr Wagner's telling, such contrition might apply to many other acts of cruelty and violence visited upon Britannia's imperial subjects.” —The Economist“The hideous story of Jallianwala Bagh has been told often and well, notably by Nigel Collett in The Butcher of Amritsar. Yet no one has told it quite like Wagner, a professor at Queen Mary University of London. He calls his book “a microhistory of a global event”, and he is true to his word. Local events from March 30 to April 30, 1919 are examined and parsed into a narrative as he assembles an elaborate forensic jigsaw. In less skilled hands this spare-no-detail approach might well have suffocated readers, but the book is written with a humane commitment to the truth that will impress.” — Tunku Varadarajan, The Times“Kim Wagner [. . .] skilfully maps a tale of growing tensions, precipitate action, and troubled aftermath.” —Andrew Lycett, The Telegraph“A compelling account” — Tony Barber, Financial Times“Amritsar 1919 chronicles the run up to Jallianwala Bagh with spellbinding, almost minute-by-minute focus. . . . Mr. Wagner’s achievement is one of balance—of minutiae and sweep and, above, all, of perspective. E. M. Forster observed in A Passage to India (1924): ‘It is impossible to regard a tragedy from two points of view.’ Mr. Wagner does so without sacrificing moral clarity or verve.”—Maxwell Carter, Wall Street Journal“The book is written with a humane commitment to the truth that will impress”— Tunku Varadarajan, The Times“An extremely well-researched and highly readable account, Wagner's book will appeal to anyone who has an interest in Anglo-Indian history or those with ancestors in India at the time.” —Mark Simner, Who Do You Think You Are?“Sober and impeccably researched, it stands as the finest of centennial memorials in its own right” —John Keay, Literary Review"[A] brilliantly clear and authoritative analysis of the massacre."—William Dalrymple, Spectator“Wagner's considerable research and diligence in putting together this account is admirable.” —Navtej Sarna, Times Literary Supplement“[The book] examines the Amritsar massacre and, even though this is already well-trodden ground, makes an important contribution to deepening our understanding”– Jonh Newsinger, Race & Class“Wagner has produced the best narrative of Amritsar 1919” — Tim Willasey-Wilsey, Chowkidar "Wagner's Amritsar 1919 is a timely and well-written work on the Amritsar massacre, reminding readers that the contingent choices exercised by the perpetrators of savage violence in Jallianwala Bagh were based on longer traditions of colonial authority in which violence was presented as just retribution"—Sharmishtha Roy Chowdhury, Queens College, City University of New York, Journal of British Studies "A vivid, finely researched account of the Amritsar massacre which will be of great interest to both specialist and general readers alike. It is also an important book for our postcolonial world more generally."—Yasmin Khan, author of The Great Partition“The fullest, and by far the most authoritative, account of the causes and course of the Jallianwala massacre in any language. Wagner’s exposition of the way fear caused an event that started the unravelling of the Raj will take its place as the definitive version of a story hitherto capable of controversy, but now finally exposed in its full, undeniable horror. This is now the standard work.”—Nigel Collett, author of The Butcher of Amritsar"In this compelling yet exacting study, Kim Wagner combines the intimacy of the storyteller and the distance of the historian to evoke the ‘microhistory’ of the massacre while understanding it as the ‘final stage of a much longer process’, stretching back to the Sepoy Uprising. Mining a variety of sources – diaries, memoirs and court testimonies - he uncovers fresh perspectives and examines the relation between colonial panic and state brutality with sophistication, sincerity and style rare in published accounts of this much-trodden ground."—Santanu Das, author of India, Empire, and First World War Culture"In the cautionary tale provided in Amritsar 1919, it is enduring racist fear that lies at the heart of precipitate violence. Analytically sharp but gripping to read, the book is a page-turner"—Barbara D. Metcalf, co-author of A Concise History of India
£12.99
Cornell University Press The Paradox of Ukrainian Lviv
Book SynopsisThe Paradox of Ukrainian Lviv reveals the local and transnational forces behind the twentieth-century transformation of Lviv into a Soviet and Ukrainian urban center. Lviv''s twentieth-century history was marked by violence, population changes, and fundamental transformation ethnically, linguistically, and in terms of its residents'' self-perception. Against this background, Tarik Cyril Amar explains a striking paradox: Soviet rule, which came to Lviv in ruthless Stalinist shape and lasted for half a century, left behind the most Ukrainian version of the city in history. In reconstructing this dramatically profound change, Amar illuminates the historical background in present-day identities and tensions within Ukraine.Trade ReviewIn its skillful mid-20th-century re-narration and source analysis, Amar's noir is a major achievement. Specialists, graduate students and historiographical belligerents in European history should read The Paradox of Ukranian Lviv in order to rethink Ukraine's tumultuous past and present. * Slavic Review *The use of case studies, life histories, and personal sources in Amar's book helps in dealing with complicated theoretical issues and makes the book even more readable.... Amar's study claims a place in the field occupied by Jan Gross in Polish historiography: and that is why the book is destined to become a subject of heated debate. More important, it will provoke further works that challenge both national and imperial myths, and will prompt new problematizing of the issues of historical subjectivity, actorship, and responsibility. * Ab Imperio *Deploying a keen eye for contradiction and counterpoint, Tarik Amar's book unpacks how [Ukrainian] identity today rests on [Lviv's] oxymoronic reshaping as 'Soviet Ukrainian' after 1939.... Amar's sustained focus on the related topoi of urban milieu, borderland and Ukrainian identity at large is welcome.... There is much to appreciate here, including pithy phrases, a gifted eye for telling detail and serious archival graft. Amar sheds new light on the realities of political and social life in Soviet Lviv, and gives grounds for reconsidering its influence in the present. * The English Historical Review *A sophisticated study based on extensive archival research in Germany, Poland, Russia, Ukraine, and the US.... The result is more than impressive.... Surely, The Paradox of Ukrainian Lviv will become a standard text for those who wish to study Soviet modernization. * The American Historical Review *Amar examines [the theme of diversity] with a keen eye, erudition and intellectual rigor. His focus on personal agency is particularly noteworthy. Based on an impressive array of archival sources and other material, Amar suggests a compelling account of persistence and malleability of local identities in the grip of Soviet communism, Nazism and nationalism.... This is a seminal study essential for everyone who wants to get a deeper insight into issues of ethnicity, nationality and nationalism in Eastern Europe. While examining historical consequences of statesponsored political, racial, and social ideologies shaping Europe in the 20th century, Amar's book also leads us to deeper understanding of the role of Lviv in the contemporary political mobilization in Ukraine. * Nations & Nationalism *Students of modernization and nationalism in the Baltics will find great utility and even inspiration in Tarik Amar's study of historical change in western Ukraine.... Amar's basic argument—that western Ukraine was defined by the short, sharp shock of the Holocaust and Sovietization as much if not more than the interwar or earlier periods—may not be original, but it is developed at a level of detail and verve that sets this work apart.... On the strength of its extensive primary research and cutting-edge analysis, the book is certain to assume a significant place in the historiography of east-central Europe and the Soviet Union. * Journal of Baltic Studies *Makes an important contribution to the growing literature on the manner in which the successive violence of the first Soviet occupation, Germany's genocidal war, and the brutal return of the Soviets, combined with local nationalist agendas and prejudices, fed each other in producing an extraordinary degree of violence, mass murder, property transfer, and population displacement. * Kritika *Amar makes an important contribution to a growing English language historiography of Lviv. * Choice *Meticulously researched.... The Paradox of Ukrainian Lviv is clearly written and coherently structured. It presents readers with an accessible entry point to a bewilderingly complicated moment in history.... An impressive undertaking with an even more impressive result. Amar skilfully weaves together a lineage of state policies that vied for power over the Central European borderlands during the twentieth century. The book is a valuable resource for scholars and students of the Soviet Union, Eastern Europe and Nazi Germany, as well as those interested in authoritarian regimes, nation building and nationalism. * Slavonic & East European Review *Amar's mostly chronological journey through Lviv's twentieth-century history challenges the many myths that continue to (mis)shape the city's own reflection of its past. It also adds to our understanding of recurrent tensions in Ukrainian society and the armed conflict between Ukrainian and (pro-)Russian forces in the country's East. * Laboratorium *The Paradox of Ukrainian Lviv provides a meticulous examination of Lviv's wartime and postwar transformation from a diverse multiethnic borderland city to a Soviet and Ukrainian urban center. Amar's work is sophisticated and meticulous, and provides very useful, haunting insights on the confusing and often misunderstood history of Lviv. * Canadian-American Slavic Studies *Table of ContentsIntroduction1. Lviv/Lwów/Lemberg before 19392. The First Soviet Lviv, 1939–19413. The Lemberg of Nazism: German Occupation, 1941–19444. After Lemberg: The End of the End of Lwów and the Making of Lviv5. The Founding of Industrial Lviv: Factories and Identities6. Local Minds7. Lviv's Last Synagogue, 1944–19628. A Soviet Borderland of TimeConclusion: A Sonderweg through Soviet Modernity
£21.59
Pan Macmillan Dominion: The History of England Volume V
Book Synopsis'Ackroyd makes history accessible to the layman' - Ian Thomson, IndependentThe penultimate volume of Peter Ackroyd’s masterful History of England series, Dominion begins in 1815 as national glory following the Battle of Waterloo gives way to post-war depression, spanning the last years of the Regency to the death of Queen Victoria in January 1901.In it, Ackroyd takes us from the accession of the profligate George IV whose government was steered by Lord Liverpool, who was firmly set against reform, to the reign of his brother, William IV, the 'Sailor King', whose reign saw the modernization of the political system and the abolition of slavery. But it was the accession of Queen Victoria, aged only eighteen, that sparked an era of enormous innovation. Technological progress – from steam railways to the first telegram – swept the nation and the finest inventions were showcased at the first Great Exhibition in 1851. The emergence of the middle classes changed the shape of society and scientific advances changed the old pieties of the Church of England, and spread secular ideas across the nation. But though intense industrialization brought boom times for the factory owners, the working classes were still subjected to poor housing, long working hours and dire poverty.It was a time that saw a flowering of great literature, too. As the Georgian era gave way to that of Victoria, readers could delight not only in the work of Byron, Shelley and Wordsworth but also the great nineteenth-century novelists: the Brontë sisters, George Eliot, Mrs Gaskell, Thackeray, and, of course, Dickens, whose work has become synonymous with Victorian England.Nor was Victorian expansionism confined to Britain alone. By the end of Victoria’s reign, the Queen was also an Empress and the British Empire dominated much of the globe. And, as Ackroyd shows in this richly populated, vividly told account, Britannia really did seem to rule the waves.Trade ReviewA masterful assessment of a period that saw change in every area of life * History Revealed *It is Ackroyd’s depiction of an anxious society in the grip of rapid change – industrialisation, fast urbanisation, the impact of the railway and the electric telegraph – that is the most riveting … fascinating * The Times *Ackroyd makes history accessible to the layman -- Ian Thomson * Independent *Ackroyd is a fascinating mix of a nineteenth-century narrative historian and modern social analyst -- Gerard de Groot * The Times *Ackroyd’s trademark insight and wit, and the glorious interconnectedness of all things, permeate each page * Observer *Ackroyd writes with such lightly worn erudition and a deceptive ease that he never fails to engage * Daily Telegraph *
£14.44
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Elizabeths Sea Dogs
Book SynopsisElizabeth''s Sea Dogs investigates the rise and fall of a unique group of adventurers men like Francis Drake, John Hawkins, Martin Frobisher and Walter Raleigh. Seen by the English as heroes but by the Spanish as pirates, they were expert seafarers and controversial characters. This riveting new account reveals them for what they were: extremely tough men in extremely hard times. They sailed, fought, looted and whored their way across the globe; in the process, they established a lasting British presence in the Americas, defeated the Spanish Armada, and made Queen Elizabeth I very wealthy, if seldom grateful. Author Hugh Bicheno sets the Sea Dogs in historical context and reveals their lives and exploits through diligent historical research incorporating contemporary testimony. With additional appendices, colour plates, the author''s own maps and technical drawings, Elizabeth''s Sea Dogs tells their vivid, extraordinary story as it was lived, in the author''s Trade ReviewElizabeth’s Sea Dogs will interest both casual and serious students of maritime matters in Elizabethan times. It offers a good introduction to the era, while presenting new concepts those versed in the period will find thought-provoking. -- Mark Lardas * Naval Historical Foundation *A cracking good read * Military History Monthly *Will appeal to those with an interest in our maritime history and to those seeking to improve their grasp of the reality of the Elizabethan era * Pennant Magazine *A comprehensive account * Warships International Fleet Review *As a history, Elizabeth's Sea Dogs works well; worthy of a place on a maritime bookshelf. * The Nautilus Telegraph *
£15.29
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Anne Frank The Collected Works
Book SynopsisThe complete, authoritative edition of Anne Frank''s writings, including her diary in both the ''A'' and ''B'' versions now in continuous form, her further writings and important contextual essaysAnne Frank: The Collected Works brings together for the first time Anne''s world-famous diary, in both the version edited for publication by her father and the more revealing original, together with her letters, essays and important contextual scholarship. Supported by the Anne Frank Foundation in Basel, Switzerland, set up by Otto Frank to be the guardian of Anne''s work, this is a landmark publication marking the anniversary of 90 years since Anne''s birth in 1929. Anne Frank is one of the most recognized and widely read figures of the Second World War. Thousands of people visit the Anne Frank House on the Prinsengracht in Amsterdam each year to see the annex where Anne and her family hid from the Germans before eventually being deported to Auschwitz in 1944.Trade ReviewA magisterial edition ... one of the virtues of The Collected Works is that it allows readers to track the evolution of the diary across its different incarnations ...The Complete Works thus gives a greatly enriched picture, and, as one reads its pages, one cannot help thinking of what Anne might have become. -- Bart van Es, Author of 'The Cut Out Girl' * The Guardian *An astonishing volume contextualising the significance of writing for Anne’s spiritual and practical survival, and inscribing her words in time. * New Statesman *Reveal[s] the German-born Frank as a complex human being, as much aware of her own flaws as of those around her * Wall Street Journal *Anne rewrote her diary with the intention of having it published as a book, entitled The Secret Annexe (Het Achterhuis). While working on her diary, she also wrote some short stories, as well as memories of her school life, and sketches of her family and friends. Published for the first time in The Collected Works, they show a fledgling talent […] We will never know how her writing would have developed. But the diary […] is a remarkable literary achievement. * Times Literary Supplement *Table of ContentsMessage and Legacy: Preface by The Anne Frank Fonds, Basle I THE WRITINGS OF ANNE FRANK THE DIARY OF A YOUNG GIRL Foreword The Diary of A Young Girl TALES AND EVENTS FROM THE SECRET ANNEXE Introduction Personal Reminiscences, Daydreams and Essays Fables and Short Stories FURTHER WRITINGS Letters Verses in Friendship Books The Favourite Quotes Notebook The Egypt Book II PHOTOS AND DOCUMENTS III BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT Mirjam Pressler: Anne Frank's Life Mirjam Pressler: The History of Anne Frank's Family Gerhard Hirschfeld: The Contemporary Historical Context Francine Prose: The Publication History of Anne Frank's Diary IV APPENDIX Diary Versions A and B Editorial Note Family Tree: The Franks Chronology Table Further Reading About the Translators Picture Acknowledgements Editorial Note About the Anne Frank Fords
£45.00
Cornell University Press Women of the Catacombs
Book SynopsisTrade Review[W]hy Christianity survived persecution in the Soviet Union, is to a great extent explained by the lives and religious faith of those presented to us in Women of the Catacombs with expert commentary and explanations in an introduction and footnotes by the editor, Dr Wallace Daniel, who also published a biography of Fr Aleksandr in 2016. * Church Times *Reading these textsdoes highlight the distinctiveness of Elena and Vera's perspectives as believers, providing a rare insight into an alternative culture. Thanks to the contribution of Wallace Daniel and his collaborators, the perspectives of these two remarkable women can enrich our understanding of everyday life under extraordinary circumstances. * The Russian Review *Table of Contents1. I: Fr. Serafim by Vera Iakovlevna Vasilevskaia Ante Lucem One Must Take up the Cross White Chrysanthemums The Grace of the Holy Spirit Holding on to Christ's Garments Go to Sarov In Ravaged Sarov It Will Be More Difficult The War The Last Days and the End 2. II: Fr. Pyotr Shipkov by Vera Iakovlevna Vasilevskaia In Zagorsk during the War On the End of the War. The Rebirth of the Church Fr. Pyotr in Exile (Letters) Return from Exile Illness and the Final Days in the Life of Fr. Pyotr From the Letters of V. Ia. Vasilevskaia to N. V. Trapani 3. III: My Journey by Elena Semenovna Men
£19.79
Atlantic Books The Great Imperial Hangover: How Empires Have
Book Synopsis'An exceptional account.' Prospect'Enlightening.' SpectatorFor the first time in millennia we live without formal empires. But that doesn't mean we don't feel their presence rumbling through history. The Great Imperial Hangover examines how the world's imperial legacies are still shaping the thorniest issues we face today. From Russia's incursions in the Ukraine to Brexit; from Trump's 'America-first' policy to China's forays into Africa; from Modi's India to the hotbed of the Middle East, Puri provides a bold new framework for understanding the world's complex rivalries and politics. Organised by region, and covering vital topics such as security, foreign policy, national politics and commerce, The Great Imperial Hangover combines gripping history and astute analysis to explain why the history of empire affects us all in profound ways.Trade ReviewEnlightening... [Puri] makes a credible case for how, in the US and China, imperial legacies have left those powers withdifferent values that would be hard to reconcile. * Spectator *Puri has many penetrating insights into the way the legacies of empire still affect the behaviour of states and the international climate. * Financial Times *An exceptional account, both personal and scholarly. * Prospect *Masterly. I found new insights on almost every page. It achieves the remarkable feat of deepening our self-knowledge while at the same time broadening our understanding of the world around us. * Paul Strathern, author of Rise and Fall: A History of the World in Ten Empires *An excellent read. Samir Puri has written a calm, distilled and bracing book. * Robert D. Kaplan, author of The Return of Marco Polo's World *Well written, comprehensive and judicious... a stimulating book. * New York Times *This is a masterly, engaging, thought-provoking and wide-ranging study of how the vestiges of past empires shape the ways in which the world works today. * James Daybell, author of Histories of the Unexpected *A timely and important re-thinking of imperial dominion. * Sam Willis, author of The Struggle for Sea Power *Table of Contents1: America's Imperial Inheritance 2: Britain's Grandeur and Guilt of Empire 3: The European Union's Post-Imperial Project 4: Russia's Embrace of its Imperial Legacy 5: China's Janus Faces of Empire 6: India's Overcoming of the 'Intimate Enemy' 7: The Middle East's Post-Imperial Instability 8: Africa's Scramble Beyond Colonialism 9: The World's Intersecting Imperial Legacies
£10.44
Basic Books The Gates of Europe: A History of Ukraine
Book Synopsis
£17.09
Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial La vida contada por un sapiens a un neandertal /
Book Synopsis
£18.46
Pan Macmillan Black and British: A Forgotten History
Book Synopsis'[A] comprehensive and important history of black Britain . . . Written with a wonderful clarity of style and with great force and passion.' – Kwasi Kwarteng, Sunday TimesIn this vital re-examination of a shared history, historian and broadcaster David Olusoga tells the rich and revealing story of the long relationship between the British Isles and the people of Africa and the Caribbean. This edition, fully revised and updated, features a new chapter encompassing the Windrush scandal and the Black Lives Matter protests of 2020, events which put black British history at the centre of urgent national debate. Black and British is vivid confirmation that black history can no longer be kept separate and marginalised. It is woven into the cultural and economic histories of the nation and it belongs to us all.Drawing on new genealogical research, original records, and expert testimony, Black and British reaches back to Roman Britain, the medieval imagination, Elizabethan ‘blackamoors’ and the global slave-trading empire. It shows that the great industrial boom of the nineteenth century was built on American slavery, and that black Britons fought at Trafalgar and in the trenches of both World Wars. Black British history is woven into the cultural and economic histories of the nation. It is not a singular history, but one that belongs to us all.Unflinching, confronting taboos, and revealing hitherto unknown scandals, Olusoga describes how the lives of black and white Britons have been entwined for centuries.Winner of the 2017 PEN Hessell-Tiltman Prize.Winner of the Longman History Today Trustees’ Award.A Waterstones History Book of the Year.Longlisted for the Orwell Prize.Shortlisted for the inaugural Jhalak Prize.Trade ReviewYou could not ask for a more judicious, comprehensive and highly readable survey of a part of British history that has been so long overlooked or denied. David Olusoga, in keeping with the high standards of his earlier books, is a superb guide. -- Adam HochschildGroundbreaking. * Observer *[A] comprehensive and important history of black Britain . . . Written with a wonderful clarity of style and with great force and passion. It is thoroughly researched and there are many interesting anecdotes. -- Kwasi Kwarteng * The Sunday Times *A radical reappraisal of the parameters of history, exposing lacunae in the nation’s version of its past. -- Arifa Akbar * Guardian *A thrilling tale of excavation -- Colin Grant * Guardian *[Olusoga] has discovered new and exciting research materials . . . Such sources give his writing freshness, originality and compassion . . . [Black and British] will inspire and will come to be seen as a major effort to address one of the greatest silences in British historiography -- David Dabydeen * New Statesman *Lucid and accessible. * Herald Scotland *Olusoga's account challenges narrow visions of Britain's past. By tracing the triangulated connections between Britain, America and Africa, he presents black British history in global terms [...] His subjects, even those who barely figure in the historical record, appear as individuals who matter, both in their own right and as historical exemplars. * The London Review of Books *An insightful, inclusive history of black people in Britain . . . Rich in detail and packed with strong personalities, this is an important contribution to our understanding of life in the UK. * History Revealed *An insightful, inclusive history of black people in Britain which is rich in detail and packed with strong, interesting characters. -- Stephanie Yeboah * GQ *Ambitious . . . Long overdue -- Hakim Adi * Spectator *Olusoga has single-handedly over recent years forced our forgotten history on the agenda . . . Written with an urgency it is a thrilling and engaging read. * Nigerian Watch *An erudite exploration of racism and how it continues to mutate . . . it is exhilarating to read a fine mind at work. -- Cathy Rentzenbrink * Guardian *Table of ContentsSection - i: List of Illustrations Section - ii: Preface Introduction - iii: ‘Years of Distant Wandering’ Chapter - One: ‘Sons of Ham’ Chapter - Two: ‘Blackamoors’ Chapter - Three: ‘For Blacks or Dogs’ Chapter - Four: ‘Too Pure an Air for Slaves' Chapter - Five: ‘Province of Freedom’ Chapter - Six: ‘The Monster is Dead’ Chapter - Seven: Moral Mission Chapter - Eight: ‘Liberated Africans’ Chapter - Nine: ‘Cotton is King' Chapter - Ten: ‘Mercy in a Massacre' Chapter - Eleven: ‘Darkest Africa’ Chapter - Twelve: ‘We are a Coloured Empire' Chapter - Thirteen: ‘We Prefer their Company' Chapter - Fourteen: ‘Swamped' Section - iv: Conclusion Acknowledgements - v: Acknowledgements Section - vi: Bibliography Section - vii: Notes Index - viii: Index
£11.69
University of Washington Press Christian Krohgs Naturalism
Book SynopsisTable of ContentsList of Illustrations Acknowledgments Introduction 1. Christian Krohg, the Radical Naturalist 2. Naturalism, the Dark Side of Realism 3. The Heroism of the Scientist 4. Hippolyte Taine and the Modern Breakthrough in Scandinavia 5. Christian Krohg in Skagen: Painting according to Taine 6. Naturalism and the Beholder: Sympathy and Theatricality 7. Naturalist Paragone: Literature and Painting 8. Albertine in the Police Doctor’s Waiting Room: Panopticon, Spectacle, Speculum 9. Modern Pessimism: From Naturalism to Symbolism Epilogue: Naturalism Is Dead, Long Live Naturalism!
£28.80
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Italian Battleships: 'Conte di Cavour' & 'Duilio'
Book SynopsisWith the publication of their previous book on the battleships of the _Littorio_ class, the authors set new standards for the detailed coverage and sophisticated analysis of Italian warship design. Inspired by its success, both critically and commercially, the authors were inspired to follow up with a similar study of the earlier Italian battleships that were built in the First World War but survived to fight in the Second. Given the level of new research required, this has taken a decade to achieve but the result is a similarly comprehensive coverage. Originally comprising five ships in two related classes, they entered service at the beginning of the Great War. As designed, they were powerful examples of the second generation of dreadnoughts, with a combination of twin and triple turrets producing a unique main armament of thirteen 12-inch guns. One ship, _Leonardo da Vinci_, was sunk by an internal explosion at Taranto in 1916, and although the hull was raised post-war, the plan to rebuild the ship was abandoned as it was not deemed cost-effective. However, the remaining four ships were to undergo one of the most radical reconstructions of any battleship class during the 1930s, emerging with an entirely new profile, more powerful machinery and all the characteristics of a modern fast battleship. In this form they became an important element in the Italian fleet that opposed the British after 1940\. This book covers all the technical details of the ships, both as built and as rebuilt, but also provides an extended history of their active service, including battle plans and track charts. Thoroughly illustrated with photographs, ship and armament plans, detail drawings and colour camouflage schemes, the book is a fitting companion to _The Littorio Class_.
£36.00
Princeton University Press The Secular Enlightenment
Book SynopsisTrade Review"A Choice Outstanding Academic Title of the Year"
£16.19
Little, Brown Book Group A Brief History of Venice
Book SynopsisIn this colourful new history of Venice, Elizabeth Horodowich, one of the leading experts on Venice, tells the story of the place from its ancient origins, and its early days as a multicultural trading city where Christians, Jews and Muslims lived together at the crossroads between East and West. She explores the often overlooked role of Venice, alongside Florence and Rome, as one of the principal Renaissance capitals. Now, as the resident population falls and the number of tourists grows, as brash new advertisements disfigure the ancient buildings, she looks at the threat from the rising water level and the future of one of the great wonders of the world.
£19.60
Cornell University Press The Archaeology of Greece
Book SynopsisAn introduction for students, teachers, and lay readers to the delights of exploring the world of ancient Greece.Trade ReviewWell-written and exceptionally well-illustrated.... An invaluable guidebook for people who want to visit Greece and understand what it is they are seeing. * Times Literary Supplement *An excellent book which should find a ready audience among teachers and students as the standard handbook for classes in Greek archaeology. * Classical Outlook *Biers' book is an excellent and comprehensive introduction to the subject; this new edition retains its original virtues of reliability, clarity and readability, and adds to its already generous quota of illustrations. It should continue to be a standard textbook for years to come. -- Ruth Westgate * Classical Bulletin *For a history of the art of sculpture, painting, and architecture of Classical Greece and her immediate ancestors, The Archaeology of Greece is an excellent choice. * Archaeology Newsletter *Teachers, students, and travelers should be grateful to author and press for the timely production of a well-balanced, informative, and stimulating introduction. * Archaeology *William Biers' first edition of this book served well a generation of scholars and lay people alike as a standard introduction. A second edition of this valuable work is, therefore, most welcomed.... The Archaeology of Greece is the best general introduction to the subject. Biers' command of the subject, his engaging writing style, and the wealth of illustrations make this work in its second edition a joy to read and use. -- Thomas V. Brisco * Southwestern Journal of Theology *Table of ContentsPreface Preface to the Second Edition Abbreviations1. Archaeology in Greece 2. The Minoans 3. The Mycenaeans 4. The Dark Ages 5. The Geometric Period 6. The Orientalizing Period 7. The Archaic Period 8. The Fifth Century 9. The Fourth Century 10. The Hellenistic Age EpilogueSuggestions for Further Reading Select Bibliography Glossary Index
£23.39
Birlinn General The Great Tapestry of Scotland: The Making of a
Book SynopsisThe brainchild of bestselling author Alexander McCall Smith, historian Alistair Moffat and artist Andrew Crummy, the Great Tapestry of Scotland is an outstanding celebration of thousands of years of Scottish history and achievement, from the end of the last Ice Age to Dolly the Sheep and Andy Murray’s Wimbledon victory in 2013. This book tells the story of this unique undertaking from its original conception and creation by teams of dedicated stitchers to its grand unveiling at the Scottish Parliament in 2013, its subsequent touring and the creation of its permanent home in the Scottish Borders.Trade Review'[T]his beautiful book follows the journey taken during the creation of this fascinating project' * The Lady *'the definitive book on this fascinating work of collective creativity' * Herald *
£9.49
Hackett Publishing Co, Inc Alcestis Medea Hippolytus
Book SynopsisOffers economical, metrical translations that convey the range of effects of the playwright's verse, from the idiomatic speech of its dialogue to the high formality of its choral odes.Trade ReviewDiane Arnson Svarlien's body of work means a quantum leap forward in the vibrancy and immediacy of classical verse drama. I first learned of her work when I was searching, madly, for a translation of Medea for a production I had been hired to direct. I sought out every published version. I tried to track down any unpublished ones rumored to exist. All the others were wanting; her translation was revelatory. Merely read her translation of the play, then read another. You will sense the difference. This is particularly true if you are a practitioner of theatre. --Patrick Wang, Director of Diane Arnson Svarlien's Medea in its world premiere at the Stella Adler Studio, and of the feature film In the Family, nominated for a Best First Feature Independent Spirit Award.The excellent Introduction by Robin Mitchell-Boyask displays an admirable command of up-to-date scholarship and judiciously leaves controversial matters open to one's own interpretation. Arnson Svarlien's verse translation has both elegance and power--it reads well, not just to the eye, but (happily for the director and actors) also to the ear. --Ian Storey, Department of Classics, Trent UniversityMitchell-Boyask's Introduction gives the reader a lively and accessible overview of Euripides' life, the circumstances of the original performances, and critical debate on the three plays. Footnotes to the translations provide students with useful background without over-burdening the text. The translations themselves are lively, vigorous, colorful, and direct, while remaining very close to the Greek; I laughed out loud more than once when I realized that, yes, this was exactly what Euripides had said. Arnson Svarlien has also taken care with the meter. Iambic trimeter, the 'spoken' meter of Greek, has been represented with iambic pentameter in English; but even in the lyric passages, whose meters do not translate into English, responsion within odes has been preserved. Yet all of this attention to such details of meter and accuracy sacrifices nothing in clarity or pace. Arnson Svarlien's translations are an ideal introduction to Euripides for students with no Greek and little knowledge of the ancient world. They remind me of why I love Euripides. --Laurel Bowman, Department of Classics, University of VictoriaTable of ContentsIntroduction; Translator's Preface; Maps; Alcestis; Medea; Hippolytus.
£12.34
Resistance Books The Permanent Revolution Results and Prospects
Book Synopsis
£12.00
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC British Battle Tanks
Book SynopsisWhen British soldiers charged across the Somme in September 1916, they were accompanied by a new, revolutionary weapon--the tank. After a stuttering start, armored behemoths such as the Mark IV, Mark V, and Whippet Tank played a crucial role in bringing World War I to an end.Marking the centenary of their battlefield debut, this comprehensive volume traces the design and development of the famous British weapon system, from the initial concept of a steam-powered tank during the Crimean War, to the role the British military played in creating the infamous German Blitzkrieg tactic of World War II. Bolstered by historic photographs and stunning illustrations, author David Fletcher brings us the thrilling history behind British tanks of the First World War.Table of ContentsNVG 100 BRITISH TANK MARK 1 NVG 133 BRITISH TANK MARK IV NVG 178 BRITISH TANK MARK V NVG 207 MEDIUM MARK A WHIPPET NVG 217 BRITISH LIGHT TANKS 1927-1945
£27.00
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Isabella of Castile
Book Synopsis''Packed with vivid character sketches and lyrical description, Tremlett has told a gripping story, full of beauty and darkness'' The TimesWINNER OF THE 2018 ELIZABETH LONGFORD PRIZEIn 1474, a twenty-three year old woman ascended the throne of Castile, the largest and strongest kingdom in Spain. Ahead of her lay the considerable challenge not only of being a young, female ruler in an overwhelmingly male-dominated world, but also of reforming a major European kingdom that was riddled with crime, corruption, and violent political factionism. Her marriage to Ferdinand of Aragon was crucial to her success, bringing together as it did two kingdoms, but it was a royal partnership in which Isabella more than held her own. Her pivotal reign was long and transformative, uniting Spain and laying the foundations not just of modern Spain, but of the one of the world's greatest empires. With authority and flair, acclaimed historian Giles Tremlett Tremlett relates the story of this lTrade ReviewMagisterial ... Tremlett’s contention, which he supports with a sublime presentation of facts and interpretation, is that Isabella represents the first member in the exclusive club of great European queens who exercised sovereign power in their own hand -- Starred Review * Booklist *Richly enjoyable … He seeks to understand his subject, while never underplaying the appalling impact of some of her decisions. Packed with vivid character sketches and lyrical description, Tremlett has told a gripping story, full of beauty and darkness * The Times *A triumphant and chilling account of the rise of Spain and its New World conquests * Daily Telegraph *Magnificent * Sunday Telegraph *This is a most enjoyable book – a lively, intense page-turner written in straight-forward, unpretentious prose … Tremlett balances academic scholarship with journalistic flair to produce an enthralling biography -- Rebecca Rist * Tablet *Magnificent * Daily Telegraph *Tremlett uses his gifts as a writer on Spain’s history to offer us a voluminous biography with fluent and evocative narrative that fully exploits the romantic aspects of the age * Times Literary Supplement *Splendid ***** * Daily Telegraph *The reign of Isabella of Castile and her partnership with Ferdinand of Aragon saw the beginning of the transformation of Spain into a major global power. Tremlett offers a detailed assessment of a woman who to her supporters, was a great Christian monarch, but to her detractors was a fanatical tyrant * Mail on Sunday, Best Paperbacks *Brings to life “Europe’s first great queen” – in reality, “a usurper” – who began the unification of Spain and, less attractively, the expulsion of both Jews and Muslims, in an early example of ethnic cleansing * Daily Telegraph *
£16.14
Princeton University Press Verrocchio
Book SynopsisTrade Review"One of The Art Newspaper's Favourite Books of 2019""[A] catalog whose attributions and speculations on who painted what will keep connoisseurs debating for years."---Jason Farago, New York Times"I am fascinated by artists like Verrocchio who work in all media and that’s shown very well in the exhibition and catalogue. He started as a jeweller and you can see the relation to his later work: something intimate and precious in the way he paints, draws and sculpts. Edited by Andrew Butterfield, who wrote the monograph on Verrocchio and has worked on the subject for so long, this catalogue proves that if you want to make a good exhibition, you also need good research."---Taco Dibbets, The Art Newspaper"This book is a necessary addition to any library of the Renaissance art of Florence."---Alexander Adams, The Jackdaw
£56.00
Yale University Press King Arthur
Book SynopsisA prominent scholar explores King Arthur’s historical development, proposing that he began as a fictional character developed in the ninth centuryTrade Review"Fascinating, authoritative analysis"—PD Smith, The Guardian “This is a thoughtful and patient, rational and fair-minded book, which critically examines various theories about the starting point for the Arthur myth.” —Dan Jones, The Sunday Times“A leading medievalist takes a clear-eyed look at the evidence for the existence of the legendary Arthur.”—The Sunday Times ‘Best Paperbacks of 2021’“An engaging, interesting and accessible search for the facts behind the legend of King Arthur.” —All About History“It is undoubtedly the case that Professor Higham is extremely well-versed in his subject and that he has a wide-ranging and in-depth familiarity with the literature relevant to his project.” —Mark Jones, Albion Magazine“A well-produced book by a serious scholar” —David Miles, Minerva"King Arthur: The Making of the Legend is the peak of what historical research should be detailed, engaged with the pan-historical scholarly conversation on the mater, and with a level of research that should serve as an example to all other historians."—Meredith Clermont-Ferrand, Journal of British Studies"Likely to be the definitive text on the legendary warrior for the foreseeable future. With his profound knowledge of the rules of historical narrative and patient but forensic analysis of the evidence, Higham's riveting book brings the historical Arthur to what may be his last, decisive battle."—Max Adams, author of In the Land of Giants "A very intelligent book which presents the facts and invites you to draw your own conclusions about this legendary British monarch. If King Arthur didn’t exist, he should have done and Nicholas Higham’s book shows us why. A superb read: scholarly yet accessible. Highly recommended.”—Francis Pryor, author of Britain B.C “This book provides an outstanding, and deeply informed, overview of the various ‘King Arthurs’ in history. Accessible and well-written, it is also a significant contribution to the debate around the historical origins of Arthur.”—Anne Lawrence-Mathers, author of The True History of Merlin the Magician
£12.34
Skira Sardinia: Megalithic Island: From Menhirs to
Book Synopsis
£28.80
C Hurst & Co Publishers Ltd Queen of the Sea: A History of Lisbon
Book SynopsisLisbon’s charm is legendary, but its vibrant 2,000-year history is not widely known, from its Roman legacy to its centuries under Moorish rule. Its journey from port town to Portugal's capital was not always smooth sailing—in 1755 the city was devastated by the largest earthquake ever to strike modern Europe, followed by a catastrophic tsunami and a six-day inferno that turned sand to glass. Barry Hatton unearths these forgotten memories in a vivid account of Lisbon’s colourful past and present, bringing to life the 1147 siege during the Iberian reconquista, the assassination of the king, the founding of a republic and the darkness of a modern dictatorship. He reveals the rich, international heritage of Portugal's metropolis—the gateway to the Atlantic and the unrivalled Queen of the Sea.Trade Review'An enchanting account of an enchanting city, where peoples from across the globe have converged over the last two and a half millennia.' -- David Abulafia, Emeritus Professor of Mediterranean History, University of Cambridge and author of 'The Great Sea: A Human History of the Mediterranean'‘Hatton’s vivid account . . . is full of fascinating detail for those who love the city, from the origins of fado (the melancholic music of Lisbon) to the story of the exiles who haunted its streets during the Second World War.’ '[An] exotic history of triumph and riches, disaster and decline.''[A] jaunty, well-informed book on Lisbon . . . Hatton is an erudite guide, good at capturing the dense flavour of the city.'‘A companionable history of a darkly intriguing city . . . Hatton’s enjoyable . . . account provides a fascinating and sometimes disquieting backdrop to Lisbon’s uncanny ability to survive.’'Enchanting . . . and playful.'‘Intimate, witty, and entertaining . . . this vivid and eloquent guide to Lisbon’s past spills over with affection for the city.’
£16.14
Birlinn General Islay, Jura and Colonsay: A Historical Guide
Book SynopsisThe story of Islay, Jura and Colonsay is one of the most fascinating amongst all the Hebrides. They have had substantial human occupation since earliest times and man has left many relics across the islands, from tools and artefacts of mesolithic times to the modern-day distilleries of Islay and Jura. From the period in-between survive chambered cairns, iron age forts, magnificent early crosses, enigmatic carvings, early monasteries, relics of the Lordship of the Isles, deserted townships and shielings, planned villages, corn mills, kelp kilns and lead mines and much else besides. Far more than a gazetteer, this book is based on a great deal of intensive primary research and local knowledge and is essential reading for local and tourist alike.
£12.99
HarperCollins Publishers Nein
Book SynopsisFrom bestselling and prize-winning author Paddy Ashdown, a revelatory new history of German opposition to Hitler.Ashdown has a great gift for narrative history. He unearths little known stories and places them in context with great dexterity.His new book throws fresh and important light on a crucial topic.' JONATHAN DIMBLEBYIn his last days, Adolf Hitler raged in his bunker that he had been betrayed by his own people, defeated from the inside. In part, he was right. By 1945, his armies were being crushed on all fronts, his regime collapsing with many fleeing retribution for their crimes. Yet, even before the war started, there were Germans very high in Hitler's command committed to bringing about his death and defeat.Paddy Ashdown tells, for the first time, the story of those at the very top of Hitler's Germany who tried first to prevent the Second World War and then to deny Hitler victory. Based on newly released files, the repeated attempts of the plotters to warn the Allies about HiTrade Review‘A powerful account of an extraordinary story.’ The Times ‘A fine account.’ 5*, Daily Telegraph ‘It moves at the pace of a thriller and it’s real’ Nick Ferrari, Sunday Express ‘Fascinating and fast moving’ Literary Review ‘No doubt many more books will be written about the war, but I hope this becomes a model for them since, though the heroism of our boys is stirring stuff, history only makes real sense if you can see it from all sides.’ Daily Telegraph ‘Paddy Ashdown has sifted the facts from the myths to write a fascinating and very personal account.’ Independent ‘Ashdown’s insights and his extensive research in an impressive range of archives will ensure that yet another work on the subject will not be required in the foreseeable future.’ Times Literary Supplement 'Paddy Ashdown has a great gift for narrative history. He unearths little known stories and places them in context with great dexterity. His new book throws fresh and important light on a crucial topic.' Jonathan Dimbleby 'One cannot read too much about the 1930s to inoculate against its evils, so I recommend Paddy Ashdown’s excellent new book 'Nein!' … Ashdown writes movingly about the repeated attempts of German patriots to warn the Allies about Hitler and to frustrate or assassinate him … A roll call of heroism … Ashdown brings them together in a compelling narrative of a decade of resistance to evil at the heart of ‘European civilisation’.' Lord Adonis
£9.99
Oneworld Publications Posh Boys: How English Public Schools Ruin
Book Synopsis‘The latest in the series of powerful books on the divisions in modern Britain, and will take its place on many bookshelves beside Reni Eddo-Lodge’s Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race and Owen Jones’s Chavs.’ –Andrew Marr, Sunday Times ‘In his fascinating, enraging polemic, Verkaik touches on one of the strangest aspects of the elite schools and their product’s domination of public life for two and a half centuries: the acquiescence of everyone else.’ –Observer In Britain today, the government, judiciary and military are all led by an elite who attended private school. Under their watch, our society has become increasingly divided and the gap between rich and poor is now greater than ever before. Is this the country we want to live in? If we care about inequality, we have to talk about public schools. Robert Verkaik issues a searing indictment of the system originally intended to educate the most underprivileged Britons, and outlines how, through meaningful reform, we can finally make society fairer for all.Trade Review'Verkaik comprehensively demolishes [public school] claims.' * Peter Wilby, New Statesman *‘The latest in the series of powerful books on the divisions in modern Britain, and will take its place on many bookshelves beside Reni Eddo-Lodge’s Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race and Owen Jones's Chavs.’ * Andrew Marr, Sunday Times *‘Does a fine job of reminding us how powerful a hold the elite schools have over public life.’ * The Times *'An illuminating and hugely enjoyable read, packed full of eye-opening facts... At a time when the gap between rich and poor is widening, we need to talk seriously about the role of public schools in our society. Posh Boys is a welcome catalyst for that debate.' * Sunday Herald *'In his fascinating, enraging polemic, Verkaik touches on one of the strangest aspects of the elite schools and their product’s domination of public life for two and a half centuries: the acquiescence of everyone else.' * Observer *'A trenchant j’accuse against the old-boy chumocracy... Posh Boys is, for a book about public schools, decidedly comprehensive.' * Guardian *‘You cannot understand Britain without understanding this – the story of how we became a nation obsessed with elite education that continues to stack the odds against fairness and progress, and the cultural forces it has unleashed upon us all. Robert Verkaik tells it with clarity, and makes a powerful call for change.’ -- Afua Hirsch, author of Brit(ish)‘Inspired, committed, careful and kind.’ -- Danny Dorling, author of Inequality and the 1%
£10.44
Batsford Ltd Arthurian Legends
Book SynopsisThe definitive book of stories from Arthurian legend. Delve into the enchanted world of Arthurian legends where you will meet the Knights of the Round Table, Wizard Merlin, King Arthur and Queen Guinevere. With plots full of romance, adventure and enchantment, these fascinating ancient tales have been revived by the author to reflect their origins in oral history and will appeal to a whole new generation of readers. Stories include Elaine Who Loved Sir Lancelot, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Tristan and Isolde and The Enchantment of Merlin, many of which have recently been adapted in modern cinema and remain a fascination within contemporary culture. The book also features detailed notes on each story and mentions specific places in Britain with Arthurian links, including properties such as Tintagel. Beautifully illustrated with images inspired by Arthurian legend by Arthur Rackham and others.
£13.49
Faber & Faber The Greeks
Book Synopsis'Monumental . . . A wonderful book.' Peter Frankopan'Magisterial . . . remarkable.' Guardian'Erudite and highly readable . . . An authoritative guide to the countless ways in which Greek words and ideas have shaped the modern world.' Financial TimesThe Greeks is a story which takes us from the archaeological treasures of the Bronze Age Aegean and myths of gods and heroes, to the politics of the European Union today. It is a story of inventions, such as the alphabet, philosophy and science, but also of reinvention: of cultures which merged and multiplied, and adapted to catastrophic change. It is the epic, revelatory history of the Greek-speaking people and their global impact told as never before.
£11.69
University Press of Kansas Stalingrad
Book SynopsisThis is the long awaited one-volume campaign history from the leading experts of the decisive clash of Nazi and Soviet forces at Stalingrad; an abridged edition of the five volume Stalingrad Trilogy.Trade ReviewAs always, Glantz and House have produced a thoroughly researched and detailed account of the Stalingrad campaign that offers cogent analysis of both German and Soviet strengths and weaknesses. In forgetting their original goal, the oil of the Caucasus, the Germans squandered a chance at victory and allowed the increasingly competent Soviet command time to organize an effective resistance. As they demonstrate, Stalingrad might not have been the turning point of the war, but it did mark the point at which it was unlikely Germany could win any sort of war." - Stephen G. Fritz, author of Ostkrieg: Hitler’s War of Extermination in the East"Concise and concentrated yet sacrificing no essential detail. A master class in strategic and operational analysis. A fine achievement." - Frank Ellis, author of Stalingrad Cauldron and Barbarossa 1941Table of Contents List of Maps, Tables, and Photographs Preface and Acknowledgments Prologue Part One: The Limits of Maneuver Warfare, 1942 1. Opposing Forces 2. Plans and Preparations 3. Preliminary Battles, April-June 1942 4. Punch and Counterpunch: Blau I and II, June-July 1942 5. The German Advance to the Don and the Volga Part Two: To the Caucasus and the Volga 6. Struggles on the Flanks, 25 July - 11 September 1942 8. The Battle for Central and Southern Stalingrad, 13-26 September 1942 9. The German Assault on the Workers' Villages 10. The Struggle for the Factories 11. The Final German Advances Part Three: The Encirclement of Sixth Army 12. The Genesis of Operation Uranus 13. The Advent of Uranus 14. Penetration and Encirclement, November 1942 15. Tightening the Noose, November 1942 Part Four: The Death of Sixth Army 16. Relief Attempts and Pressuring the Pocket, 1-15 December 1942 17. Little Saturn and the Failure of Relief Efforts 18. The Condemned Army 19. The Destruction 20. Conclusions Notes Selected Bibliography Index
£30.71
Rowman & Littlefield The Political Testament of Cardinal Richelieu
Book SynopsisThe Political Testament of Cardinal Richelieu ranks with the confessions of Saint Augustine and Jean-Jacques Rousseau as one of the most revealing expressions of an individual’s sense of identity in all literature. It is also one the least appreciated outside of France, in part because of Richelieu’s popular image as a tyrant, in part because the history is unfamiliar to English-speaking readers, in part because historians have not yet considered the work closely. Leading scholar Paul Sonnino has now filled an essential gap with the first comprehensive translation of one of the most famous works on early modern statecraft. This unique volume is the only edition in any language based on a comparison not only of all the known manuscripts but also of some that are virtually unknown, clearly distinguishing between the two principal revisions; and the first to include the sequel—the “Succinct Narration”—which has been almost entirely overlooked in past analysis of the work as a whole. It is thoroughly annotated with detailed notes that describe the characters and events, providing readers with the history of the period. Sonnino’s clear and incisive introduction demonstrates how a brilliant and practical seventeenth-century statesman could explain his service to an eccentric king, his merciless ministry, and his alliances with Protestants before a God who was an integral part of his belief system. The result is a fundamental treatise about the state, power, and political intelligence from an iconic figure at the conjunction of political practice and political theory.
£27.00
Yale University Press The Story of Greece and Rome
Book SynopsisTrade Review“Interesting and rewarding read.”—Guy de la Bédoyère, BBC History Magazine“Spawforth’s book stands out in a crowded field of histories of Greece and Rome for its liveliness and wit.”—Daisy Dunn, Literary Review“Here is a chronicle replete with tales of extraordinary ability and inventiveness, of courage and cowardice, artistic and creative genius, of astonishing savagery and the hubris and failings that brought about disaster, of the love and passions that have continued to course through history, changing little down to our own times”—Diana Bentley, Minerva“A beautifully written account of ancient history, breathtaking in its ambition and rich in insight.”—Professor Paul Cartledge, author of The Spartans“An incredibly engaging read, written with scholarly precision and clarity. With great agility, Spawforth mixes literary, inscriptional, and archaeological material and offers a nuanced understanding of how civilisations evolve.”—Professor Michael Scott, author of Ancient Worlds“Informed, informative and thoroughly enjoyable. . . . A book that brings the past back to life.”—Peter Frankopan, author of The Silk Roads
£12.99
Merrion Press Old Ireland in Colour 2
Book Synopsis
£27.23
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC A Scented Palace
Book SynopsisTrade ReviewAn entrancing biography. * Elle *A subtly distilled life. Fargeon’s impressions of Marie Antoinette are particularly compelling. -- Judith Thurman * New Yorker *Rhapsodic and piquant… full of information. * New York Review of Books *The book’s heroes are Marie Antoinette, perfume and Fargeon in that order, but what emerges is a powerful evocation of a lost world. -- Erica Wagner * The Times *Learning about Fargeon’s relationship with the Queen and about the fragrances that he compounded is particularly relevant for me. It is also fascinating to read about the ingredients, many of which are used to this day. -- Evelyn Lauder * Vanity Fair *De Feydeau’s descriptions of Versailles Palace’s obsessions with coiffure, fashion, perfume and cosmetics are alluring. -- Sam Leith * Daily Telegraph *De Feydeau’s lively account gives the reader an additional twist on the life and times of Marie Antoinette and her influence on two of France’s continuing major industries – fashion and scent. * Washington Post *Interesting and well-written. -- Rebecca Chappell * French Magazine *Table of ContentsIntroduction by Catherine Wright Prologue 1. The Main Theme 1748-1774 2. The Touches from the Heart 1774-1782 3. The Basic Tenor 1782-1794 Epilogue Appendix 1: The Palette of Jean-Louis Fargeon Appendix 2: Procedures for the Manufacture of Perfumes Notes
£9.49
Oxford University Press Inc Kutuzov
Book SynopsisA full-life portrait of the man Tolstoy immortalized, Stalin lionized, and Russian history has manipulated and mythologized beyond recognition.Every Russian knows him purely by his patronym. He was the general who triumphed over Napoleons Grande Armée during the Patriotic War of 1812, not merely restoring national pride but securing national identity. Many Russians consider Field Marshal Mikhail Illarionovich Golenischev-Kutuzov the greatest figure of the 19th century, ahead of Pushkin, Tchaikovsky, even Tolstoy himself. Immediately after his death in 1813, Kutuzovs remains were hurried into the pantheon of heroes. Statues of him rose up across the Russian empire and later the Soviet Union. Over the course of decades and centuries he hardened into legend.As award-winning author Alexander Mikaberidze shows in this fascinating, often startling, and wholly humanizing new biography, Kutuzovs story is far more compelling and complex than the myths that have encased him. An unabashed imperiaTrade ReviewAlexander Mikaberidze's new biography Kutuzov: A Life in War and Peace does justice to a complex man * Andrew Roberts, The Telegraph *Mikaberidze makes his subject come wonderfully alive. * Willard Sunderland, Times Literary Supplement *Accessible and impressively researched, this sweeping biography unearths the real man behind a national symbol. Readers of European military history will be enthralled. * PublishersWeekly.com *Mikhail Kutuzov has had more than his share of hagiographers and debunkers. Alexander Mikaberidze has produced a detailed, fascinating, and well-written biography of one of Russia's most famous generals that draws on an immense range of sources, conveys a sense both of the general and the man, and provides fair and considered judgments on the most controversial moments in his career. * Dominic Lieven *Drawing on a vast array of sources and written in a lively, engaging style, Alexander Mikaberidze's biography of Kutuzov conveys the drama of the great field marshal's life and career, offering a sweeping panorama of society, politics, culture, foreign relations, and war in tsarist Russia in the age of the French Revolution and Napoleon. An impressive accomplishment. * Alexander Martin, author of The Holy Roman Empire to the Land of the Tsars: One Family's Odyssey *Iconic military leader, trusted diplomat, skilled administrator, and loving family man Mikhail Kutuzov at last has received his historical due. Mikaberidze's sparkling prose, rigorous research, deep knowledge, and panoramic narrative free the field marshal from the mythmaking of earlier scholarship. At once erudite and riveting, this highly original account of Kutuzov's monumental life movingly conveys the drama, suffering, and endless striving that defined one of the foundational periods in modern world history. * Elise Kimerling Wirtschafter, author of From Victory to Peace: Russian Diplomacy after Napoleon *Lazy, gluttonous, cunning, brave, pious, courtly, and coarse, Kutuzov enraged his detractors, enthralled his admirers, and strangled his enemies in silky webs of bureaucratic intrigue. He destroyed Napoleon's Grand Army in Russia, was intimately portrayed by Tolstoy, and later lionized by Stalin and Putin. He has needed a discerning biography since his death in 1813. Alexander Mikaberidze has given us one, at last. Kutuzov conveys the sweep, color, and controversy of the field marshal's epic life. * Geoffrey Wawro, author of A Mad Catastrophe and The Franco-Prussian War *An authoritative biography of General Kutuzov strips away the layers of propaganda that have encrusted its subject since 1812. * New York Review of Books *A biography necessarily focuses on individuals, but Mikaberidze's book raises questions an individual perspective cannot answer. * Gregory Afinogenov, New York Review *Table of ContentsList of Maps Acknowledgments Author's Note Prologue PART I Chapter 1 A Boy from Pskov Province, 1747- 1762 Chapter 2 The Masters and the Apprentice, 1763- 1771 Chapter 3 At Death's Door, 1772- 1785 Chapter 4 "An Eagle from the Lofty Flock," 1786- 1789 Chapter 5 "The Gutters Dyed with Blood, 1790 Chapter 6 The Glorious Hero of Macin, 1791- 1792 PART II Chapter 7 The Envoy of Her Imperial Majesty, 1793 Chapter 8 At the Court of the Sultan, 1794 Chapter 9 Military Philosophe and Courtier, 1794- 1797 Chapter 10 The Wrathful Czar, 1796- 1801 Chapter 11 Walking the Tightrope, 1801- 1804 1 PART III Chapter 12 Confronting Napoleon, 1805 Chapter 13 The Glorious Retreat" Chapter 14 The Tale of Two Ruses Chapter 15 The Eclipse of Austerlitz PART IV Chapter 16 The Wilderness Years, 1806- 1808 Chapter 17 The Carnage on the Danube, 1809 Chapter 18 Call to Arms, 1810- 1811 Chapter 19 The Master of War, 1811 Chapter 20 Between War and Peace, January- June 1812 PART V Chapter 21 The Fateful Year Chapter 22 The Road to Borodino Chapter 23 The Hollow Victory Chapter 24 The Torrent and the Sponge Chapter 25 The Old Fox of the North" Chapter 26 The Turning Point Chapter 27 The Golden Bridge" Chapter 28 The Chase Chapter 29 The Great Escape Chapter 30 The Last Campaign Epilogue Notes Select Bibliography Index
£29.24
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Firestorm Hamburg
Book SynopsisA comprehensive account of the most controversial Allied bombing offensive of WW2. Written by the foremost military/aviation historian. Superbly researched and objectively written giving all points of view. Loss of life was unprecedented due to the firestorm phenomenon.
£24.02
Graphic Arts Books The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy
Book SynopsisThe Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy (1860) is a work of art history by Swiss historian Jacob Burckhardt. Recognized today as the founder of modern art history and as one of the key thinkers of the nineteenth century, Burckhardt changed not only the way we think about the Renaissance in relation to European and world history, but the value placed on art as a tool for understanding historical developments. The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy begins with a section on the historical events which sparked the Renaissance, focusing especially on the frequent military conflicts which marred the era as well as on the constant political upheavals undergone by such Italian regions and cities as Rome, Venice, and Florence. Burckhardt then moves to a philosophical discussion of the development of individuality in Italian culture, arguing that the political circumstances of those living in the Republics enabled such thinkers as Dante and Petrarch to create art that corresponded with that newfound sense of individuality. The third section discusses one of the key elements of Renaissance culture: the revival of interest in the cultural products of the ancient world, especially Greece and Rome. Part four focuses on the prominence of discovery in Renaissance culture, for which Burckhardt looks to the colonial expedition of Columbus, the growth of the natural sciences, and the achievements of such poets and writers as Dante, Petrarch, and Boccaccio in discovering new ways to describe humanity and the human spirit. In the fifth section, the importance of societal customs and festivals is discussed, and in the sixth and final part, Burckhardt observes the profound shifts undergone by religion and morality in Italy at the time. The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy is a thorough, dynamic work of art history that not only changed the study of history at universities around the world, but elevated the status of art in understanding the process of cultural change. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Jacob Burckhardt’s The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy is a classic of European art history reimagined for modern readers.
£17.99
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC España: a Brief History of Spain
Book SynopsisBestselling author Giles Tremlett traverses the rich and varied history of Spain, from prehistoric times to today, in a brief, accessible primer for visitors, curious readers and hispanophiles. 'Tremlett is a fascinating socio-cultural guide, as happy to discuss Spain's World Cup win as its Moorish rule' Guardian 'Negotiates Spain's chaotic history with admirable clarity and style' The Times Spain's position on Europe's south-western corner has exposed it to cultural, political and actual winds blowing from all quadrants. Africa lies a mere nine miles to the south. The Mediterranean connects it to the civilizational currents of Phoenicians, Romans, Carthaginians, and Byzantines as well as the Arabic lands of the near east. Bronze Age migrants from the Russian steppe were amongst the first to arrive. They would be followed by Visigoths, Arabs, Napoleonic armies and many more invaders and immigrants. Circular winds and currents linked it to the American continent, allowing Spain to conquer and colonize much of it. As a result, Spain has developed a sort of hybrid vigour. Whenever it has tried to deny this inevitable heterogeneity, it has required superhuman effort to fashion a 'pure' national identity – which has proved impossible to maintain. In España, Giles Tremlett argues that, in fact, that lack of a homogenous identity is Spain's defining trait.Trade ReviewTremlett is a fascinating socio-cultural guide, as happy to discuss Spain's World Cup win as its Moorish rule * Guardian *Negotiates Spain's chaotic history with admirable clarity and style * The Times *Provides an excellent whistle-stop tour through the history that explains it all... Brisk and readable telling * New Statesman *Aimed at curious visitors and hispanophiles alike, this accessible trot through the country's history covers everything from Spain's connections to the ancient empires of Rome and Byzantium, to its colonisation of swathes of the Americas * BBC History Magazine *España is well researched, beautifully produced and, as far as generic primers go, an exemplar of its kind * TLS *Giles Tremlett is adept at grabbing the reader's attention, opening his brief history with a revealing vignette... Tremlett's book with appeal to anyone interested in Spain's past, present, or future * Literary Review *
£11.69
Atlantic Books The Rebel's Mark: A gripping Elizabethan crime
Book SynopsisElizabeth's reign is reaching its winter and England's old adversaries are fading. But in a world on the brink of change, showing any weakness can be fatal...1598. Nicholas Shelby, unorthodox physician and reluctant spy for Robert Cecil, has brought his wife Bianca and their child home from exile in Padua. Welcome at court, his star is in the ascendancy. But he has returned to a dangerous world.Two old enemies are approaching their final reckoning. England and Spain are exhausted by war. In London, Elizabeth is entering the twilight of her reign. In Madrid, King Philip of Spain is dying. Perhaps now is the time for one last throw of the dice.Elizabeth has seen off more than one Spanish attempt at invasion. But still she is not safe. In Ireland, rebellion against her rule is raging. And if Spain can take Ireland, England will be more vulnerable than ever.When England's greatest living poet, Edmund Spenser, sends Robert Cecil an enigmatic and mysterious plea for help from his Irish fastness, Cecil dispatches Nicholas to investigate. Soon he and Bianca find themselves caught up not just in bloody rebellion, but in the lethal power-play between Cecil and the one man Elizabeth believes can restore Ireland to her, the unpredictable Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex.Trade ReviewThe third in Perry's series is as dramatic and colourful as the previous two. * The Sunday Times *An absolute belter of a read and another fabulous addition to the Jackdaw Mysteries series... I just gobbled up the pages as the story fairly roars along battling spies and pirates on route... S. W. Perry ensures the sights, smells and sounds of London and Morocco entered my very being. I love this series. -- Liz Robinson * LoveReading, Picks of the month *The writing is of such a quality, the characters so engaging and the setting so persuasive that, only two books in, S.W. Perry's ingeniously plotted novels have become my favourite historical crime series. * S. G. MacLean on The Serpent's Mark *A satisfyingly convoluted plot. * Sunday Times on The Serpent's Mark *No-one is better than S. W. Perry at leading us through the squalid streets of London in the sixteenth century. * Andrew Swanston on The Serpent's Mark *The Serpent's Mark is an excellent evocation of Elizabethan England, with espionage, intricate conspiracies, strange medical practises and a gripping story. A rattling good read. * William Ryan on The Serpent's Mark *A gorgeous book - rich, intelligent and dark in equal measure. It immerses you in the late 16th century and leaves you wrung out with terror. This is historical fiction at its most sumptuous. * Rory Clements on The Angel's Mark *Wonderful! Beautiful writing, and Perry's Elizabethan London is so skilfully evoked, so real that one can almost smell it. * Giles Kristian on The Angel's Mark *
£9.49
Berghahn Books A State of Peace in Europe: West Germany and the
Book Synopsis From the mid-1960s to the mid-1970s West German foreign policy underwent substantial transformations: from bilateral to multilateral, from reactive to proactive. The Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) was an ideal setting for this evolution, enabling the Federal Republic to take the lead early on in Western preparations for the conference and to play a decisive role in the actual East–West negotiations leading to the Helsinki Final Act of 1975. Based on extensive original research of recently released documents, spanning more than fifteen archives in eight countries, this study is a substantial contribution to scholarly discussions on the history of détente, the CSCE and West German foreign policy. The author stresses the importance of looking beyond the bipolarity of the Cold War decades and emphasizes the interconnectedness of European integration and European détente. He highlights the need to place the genesis of the CSCE conference in its historical context rather than looking at it through the prism of the events of 1989, and shows that the bilateral and multilateral elements (Ostpolitik and the CSCE) were parallel rather than successive phenomena, parts of the same complex process and in constant interaction with each other.Trade Review “Hakkarainen’s monograph derives from a prize-winning dissertation, and the accolades are well deserved. The research base is admirably wide-ranging…[This is] an excellent study that constitutes essential reading for historians of détente in Europe…One can only hope that other researchers will write as fluidly and skillfully about those conferences—or about that other grindingly slow multilateral framework of the 1970s and 1980s: the talks on MBFR (Mutual and Balanced Force Reductions). Hakkarainen’s book provides a worthy model.” • German Studies Review “Petri Hakkarainen deserves commendation for his thorough and well-researched account of West German government strategies and actions with regard to the CSCE between 1966 and 1975. This is true in particular for his refusal to write deterministic history from hindsight...This book is a very solid, reliable, and convincing piece of history on policy deliberations and diplomatic negotiations conducted by the West German government.” • American Historical Review “Hakkarainen’s study makes an important historiographical contribution alongside its empirical one. The author admonishes his readers: the CSCE together with the new Ostpolitik, which in his account are intimately linked, would indeed prove instrumental in ending the Cold War and bringing about German reunification, but this does not at all justify reading history backwards from the watershed years of 1989–91…For Hakkarainen, the infiltration of triumphalist narratives into histories of the CSCE, as well as of détente more broadly, must therefore be resolutely opposed and the history of the Cold War ought to be written ‘without prejudices based in the events of 1989–90.” • German History “West-Germany and the CSCE, 1966–1975is concisely written and develops our understanding of the pre-history of the CSCE, the FRG’s role vis-à-vis its Western allies and the complex linkages between its Ostpolitik and its interests in the CSCE.” • Journal of Contemporary History “In a balanced way the author blends German views with those from Britain, France, and the United States, using these countries’ official documents as well. His book represents a very serious piece of scholarship and is interesting to read. It excels with a novel hypothesis, a very careful use of varied archival sources, and an ability not to lose his argument in the wealth of material.” • Helga Haftendorn, Free University, Berlin “I don't know of any other book that deals so thoroughly with German CSCE policy in the years described here…The author has done a vast amount of research, using documents from different archives and different countries…While he is of course not the first scholar to write about the origins of the CSCE, the author does contribute new elements and interpretations to the topic.” • Benedikt Schönborn, University of Tampere, Centre for Advanced StudyTable of Contents List of Abbreviations Acknowledgements Chapter 1. Introduction: Era of Negotiations European Détente The CSCE German Foreign Policy On Structure and Sources Chapter 2. 1966-69: Incubation of Strategies The Early Years and the Eastern ‘Propaganda Circus’ The Budapest Appeal: ‘We Could Have Drafted it Ourselves’ Consultations Abroad, Electioneering at Home Nobody Expects the Finnish Initiative Promises of East-West Cooperation or an Instrument of Deutschlandpolitik? Chancellery versus Auswärtiges Amt Emphasis on Linkage: Bahr’s Foreign Policy Plans on the Eve of the Election Bonn and the Security Conference during the Interregnum Conclusion Chapter 3. 1969-70: Bilateral Leverages and European Security Western Support for the Linkage with Deutschlandpolitik Horse-Trading in Moscow Rethinking the Linkage Strategy Berlin Surpasses Other Preconditions Discovering the Potential of the CSCE Conference on Security or Conference on Cooperation? Conclusion Chapter 4. 1970-71: Transition to Western Multilateralism Following the French Lead on Berlin Linkage Defending the Berlin Precondition in Lisbon Divergent Interpretations of the ‘Successful Conclusion’ Nothing Quiet on the Western Front Broadening the German Horizon in the NATO Framework From America’s Advocate to the Main Proponent of EPC Conclusion Chapter 5. 1971-72: Towards a European Peace Order? The Decline of the Linkage between the CSCE and Deutschlandpolitik Hesitating on the Berlin Precondition Blackmailing the Finns? An Inner-German Shotgun Wedding Europeanisation of Ostpolitik In Defence of the Eastern Treaties and Bonn’s Sovereignty A New Flow of German Activity Peaceful Change, Self-Determination of Peoples and Military Security Freer Movement: Change through Rapprochement? Berlin as a CSCE Location? Avoiding Bilateralism Conclusion Chapter 6. 1972-75: Deutschlandpolitik at the Conference Alphabet Diplomacy in Dipoli Peaceful Change, Act 1: Defending the Moscow Treaty Peaceful Change, Act 2: Enter Genscher Peaceful Change, Act 3: Commas for the National Interest Basket III: Human Contacts Follow-up and Berlin Conclusion Chapter 7. Conclusion: Evolution instead of Revolution Sources and Bibliography Index
£15.15
Granta Publications Ltd Heritage Aesthetics
Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE RSL ONDAATJE PRIZE 2023 What does it mean to have 'heritage', and how do we perform or undo it? In these daring and sonorous poems, Anaxagorou conducts a researched unpacking of two countries whose dividing lines of a colonial past are still visible and felt. Uniquely engaged with the complexities of Cyprus and the diasporic experience, these poems map both an island's public history alongside a person's private reckoning. They offer a ferocious and uncompromising look towards the damaging historical structures that have led to now. Fearless, intensely honest and hopeful, Heritage Aesthetics merges Anthony's gift for performance and his brilliant experimentation with form to create a vivid insistence to communicate a self in the world.Trade ReviewOne of the most politically engaged poets of our time... Uncompromisingly inventive, Heritage Aesthetics taps into the discordant music of our time and stops us in our tracks -- Kit Fan, author of Diamond HillAn education in empathy and its limitations, the liminality and porousness of nations, histories, races and memory... This is poetry bordering on pure imagination, one that makes its own conditions for living in the now -- Sandeep Parmar
£10.44
Haus Publishing A Short History of Finland
Book SynopsisThe modern nation of Finland is the heir to centuries of history, as a wilderness at the edge of early Europe, a borderland of the Swedish empire, and a Grand Duchy of tsarist Russia. And, as Jonathan Clements' vivid, concise volume shows, it is a tale paved with oddities and excitements galore: from prehistoric reindeer herders to medieval barons, Christian martyrs to Viking queens, and, in the twentieth century, the war heroes who held off the Soviet Union against impossible odds. Offering accounts of public artworks, literary giants, legends, folktales, and famous figures, Clements provides an indispensable portrait of this fascinating nation.This updated edition includes expanded coverage on the Second World War, as well as new sections on Finns in America and Russia, the centenary of the republic, and Finland's battle with COVID-19, right up to its historic application to join NATO.Trade Review'Highly entertaining' Nordic Reach; 'Lively and humorous... a good introduction to Finland' Scandinavian Journal of History
£9.49
Oxford University Press Inc Entrepôt of Revolutions SaintDomingue Commercial
Book SynopsisEntrepôt of Revolutions centers imperial trade as a driving force in the revolutionary Atlantic, arguing that commercial factors preceded and conditioned political change. At the crux of these transformations was the "entrepôt," Saint-Domingue whose economy grew dramatically as a direct consequence of the American Revolution and the French-American alliance.Trade ReviewManuel Covo takes the excellent recent scholarship on Haiti to a new level by showing the centrality of the island nation to the political economy and culture of the 'age of revolution.' This smart, sophisticated, deeply researched, and gracefully written book establishes its author as a leading historian of the French Atlantic. * Marcus Rediker, author of The Amistad Rebellion: An Atlantic Odyssey of Slavery and Freedom *Manuel Covo's exciting monograph gives us a new picture of the ways in which the Haitian Revolution reshaped the Atlantic world. Covo's convincing research shows that the economic consequences of that upheaval were as important as its impact on slavery. This book will be essential reading not just for scholars of French colonial history and of the Haitian Revolution, but for those working on this period of American history. * Jeremy D. Popkin, author of A Concise History of the Haitian Revolution *Entrepôt of Revolutions is an innovative interpretation of the centrality of commerce to the age of Atlantic revolutions. Through Manuel Covo's engaging narrative, we see how Saint-Domingue was a dynamic site of commercial experimentation, where American, French, and Haitian actors sought to capitalize on republican ruptures and, in the process, shaped the contours of all three revolutions. Exhaustively researched and smartly conceived, this book is essential reading for anyone interested in the era. * Ashli White, University of Miami *
£29.93
Royal Collection Trust Style & Society: Dressing the Georgians
Book Synopsis
£42.46
