European history Books

Book Synopsis'As British official records are still "going missing", the significance of Cobain's work only increases' David Olusoga, author of Black and British 'In an astonishing book, the writer Ian Cobain reveals the mass destruction of records and archives, and the false memory it has left us with' Andrew Marr In 1889, the first Official Secrets Act was passed. Since then a culture of secrecy has flourished. As successive governments have been selective about what they choose to share with the public, we have been left with a distorted and incomplete understanding not only of the workings of the state but of our nation's culture and its past. Ian Cobain reveals how key moments in British history since the end of WWII have been manipulated by these official secrets. We follow the decades-long attempts to conceal the existence of Bletchley Park and its successor, GCHQ. We learn how a series of astonishing wars were fought during the 1960s and 1970s remained unreported. He also tells of the government's hidden links with terrorist cells during the Troubles, and reveals the state's peacetime surveillance techniques, not to mention its cynical manipulation of the criminal justice system and 'freedom of information'. Drawing on previously unseen material and rigorous research, The History Thieves is a gripping story of how a complex bureaucratic machine has been created by the British state, allowing governments to evade accountability and bury their secrets. 'An engrossing account of how government officials burned the records of imperial rule as the British empire came to an end' Book of the Week, Guardian 'An important book which deserves to change the way we see our recent past...' Daily MailTrade ReviewThis important and highly readable book proves that, in a so-called age of transparency, official secrecy is actually increasing - in government and the armed forces, in the courts and in Whitehall and the Security Services. Censorship is often imposed to hide embarrassment, but also to prevent accountability for malfeasance and illegality, and to distort deliberately the historical record. There is a new establishment at work, and it preens itself just like the old, possessing the power to suppress. Our only weapon against those Orwell used to call "the striped-trousered ones who rule" is to expose and deride them - a job Ian Cobain does most effectively -- Geoffrey Robertson QCA meticulously researched, eye-opening triumph. Essential reading in the age of Snowden and Assange -- Charles Cumming, author * A Divided Spy *Cobain's excellent book exposes the single most significant catastrophe of the 'War on Terror'. While the rebirth of torture has grabbed many headlines, the most dangerous fruit of the atmosphere of fear has been an industry of secrecy. Cobain teaches us both the history of this secretive snooping, and how it imperils us all today -- Clive Stafford SmithAs one would expect from the pen of an experienced investigative journalist, this is a "good read", thought-provoking throughout, frequently shocking, but sometimes amusing in its exploration of the more bizarre attempts of the powers to keep us in the dark... Cobain's book, I think, will open many eyes -- Mandy Banton * Commonwealth Journal of International Affairs *As British official records are still "going missing", the significance of Cobain's work only increases -- David Olusoga * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisThe ground-breaking and bestselling group portrait of London today: a book as rich, dynamic, lively, and diverse as the city itself 'Epic' David Nicholls 'Electrifying' The Times 'This is a book to deepen your relationship with London and make you fall in - or out - of love with it all over again... I can't tell you how much I enjoyed it' Evening Standard Here are the voices of London - rich and poor, native and immigrant, women and men - witnessed by acclaimed journalist, playwright and writer Craig Taylor, who spent five years exploring the city and listening to its residents. From the woman whose voice announces the stations on the London Underground to the man who plants the trees along Oxford Street; from a Pakistani currency trader to a Guardsman at Buckingham Palace - together, these voices and many more, paint a vivid, epic and wholly fresh portrait of twenty-first century London. '[A] splendid oral history of the city... A remarkable volume' Guardian 'A substantial account, not just of our imaginary riverside capital, but, more vividly, of himself: as inquirer, investigator, part of a long and valuable lineage' Iain Sinclair, Observer 'Memorable, funny and occasionally melancholy... A rich, satisfying tapestry of metropolitan life' Sunday TimesTrade Review[A] splendid oral history of the city... On occasions Londoners attains a level of eloquence as beautiful and blue as anything to be found in the works of Jean Rhys or Samuel Selvon ... A remarkable volume * Guardian *Craig Taylor tunes in to the multi-tongued, self-justifying noise of the streets. And he leaves us with a substantial account, not just of our imaginary riverside capital, but, more vividly, of himself: as inquirer, investigator, part of a long and valuable lineage -- Iain Sinclair * Observer *I am crazy about Craig Taylor's Londoners ... I wanted it to go on and on, and I can't imagine any lucky recipient not enjoying it -- Diana AthillIts brilliance lies not in the way Taylor frames the concept but in the way he lets people talk without obvious motive or direction. Five stars. * Time Out *Londoners must be 2011's most ambitious and creative book about London ... This is a book to deepen your relationship with London and make you fall in - or out - of love with it all over again ... I can't tell you how much I enjoyed it * Evening Standard *An epic portrait in eighty voices that shows the city to be just as ... well ... Dickensian as it has ever been -- David NichollsTaylor set out to understand London by talking to people about their lives there. It's not an original idea but Taylor has been astonishingly enterprising in the way he has gone about it ... it is to his credit that he has the inspired people he has met to speak so thoroughly about the city and what it means to them ... Often inspiring, occasionally infuriating, always interesting, Craig Taylor has given us something of a Mayhew's London for our own times -- Jerry White * Times Literary Supplement *Londoners will tell you more about the multiform life of the capital than a lifetime reading the Evening Standard -- Joe Moran * Guardian.co.uk *Taylor's superb book does full justice to London and its people, and should be enjoyed by everyone, whether they love the place or regret ever having set foot there -- Alexander Larman * Observer *Memorable, funny and occasionally melancholy... a rich, satisfying tapestry of metropolitan life -- Nick Rennison * Sunday Times *A cacophonous testimony to the multiple lives of the capital... all life is here in all its dirty, exuberant glory -- Claire Allfree * Metro *A cracking read * London Life blog *What I'm really enjoying about the book is the richness of language used by its huge variety of characters * City Read London blog *Fascinating -- William Leith * Evening Standard *Stimulating -- Alastair Mabbott * Herald *Ranging from the shocking to the poignant, 80 London voices produce a vivid collage of this impossible city -- Christopher Hirst * Independent *Captures the resilient but inclusive attitude that characterises its residents * LiteraryLondon.org *

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Book SynopsisAn accessible overview of Ireland's War of Independence, 1919-21. From the first shooting of RIC constables in Soloheadbeg, Co Tipperary, on 21 January 1919 to the truce in July 1921, the IRA carried out a huge range of attacks on all levels of British rule in Ireland.

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Book SynopsisDid Jesus really visit the Holy Isle of Avalon as a young man? And did Joseph of Arimathea really found the first church here too? Is King Arthur really buried with Guinevere in the Abbey grounds? In this small guide book, local historian George Wingfield unravels some of the mysteries of this ancient English spiritual centre, telling its story from prehistory up to the present day. With rare old engravings and good walks around the town and its holy hills. WOODEN BOOKS are small but packed with information. "Fascinating" FINANCIAL TIMES. "Beautiful" LONDON REVIEW OF BOOKS. "Rich and Artful" THE LANCET. "Genuinely mind-expanding" FORTEAN TIMES. "Excellent" NEW SCIENTIST. "Stunning" NEW YORK TIMES. Small books, big ideas.

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Book SynopsisHugely informative and stunningly produced, the Mary, Queen of Scots Book of Days pairs a practical perpetual diary with a wealth of material on the life and times of Mary, Queen of Scots (1542-1587). The first woman to be crowned as a queen regnant in the British Isles, her tumultuous life and tragic end has fascinated people for centuries.

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Book SynopsisA time-travelling, genealogical adventure, bringing pre-industrial, rural, eighteenth-century England vividly to life on the page. One day Ian Marchant decided, as all men of a certain age must, to have a dig around his family history. Surprisingly quickly, a web search informed him that his seven-times-great great-grandfather, Thomas Marchant, had left a detailed diary from 1714 to 1728. Diarist Thom – who liked a drink and a game of cards – feels recognisably Marchant to Ian. With immersive detail we learn about Thom’s family farm and fishponds; about dung, horses and mud; about beer, the wife’s nights out, his own job troubles and their shared worries for their children. But as Ian digs deeper beyond the Sussex diary’s bucolic portrait he discovers a subtext – a family descended from immigrants, with anti-establishment politics, who are struggling with illness, political instability and cash crises – just as their country does three centuries on. ‘A unique and exhilarating exploration of time and love … elegiac, consistently funny, deeply moving.’ Richard Beard, author of Sad Little MenTrade Review'This book is too engaging, in both senses of the world, to be anything but loved ... wonderful.' The Oldie

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Book SynopsisA dramatic and timely account of Stalin’s failed invasion of Finland in 1939, and the decade of wars and fraught relations that followedTrade Review“This is a pioneering work on Soviet-Finnish relations in the critical period between the Winter War and the death of Stalin. Using archives around the world, Rentola explores in stunning detail the complex story of Finnish survival.”—Norman M. Naimark, author of Stalin and the Fate of Europe“There is no other book like this one. Rentola treats Stalin as a serious strategist and demonstrates how pragmatic, flexible and ruthless he could be.”—Ronald Grigor Suny, author of Stalin: Passage to Revolution“No one is better equipped than Kimmo Rentola to tell the extraordinary story of Finland’s relations with Stalin and the Soviets. His penetrating insight, flawless judgement and matchless command of Finnish and Russian sources have produced a masterpiece.”—Geoffrey Roberts, author of Stalin’s Library“A masterfully-written and elegant work. Rentola’s precise and compact narration deepens and widens the understanding of Finland’s fateful years.”—Lauri Jäntti Prize Jury

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Book SynopsisLonglisted for the 2019 Portico Prize The extraordinary life of history's first modern lesbian who inspired the popular television series Gentleman Jack. Anne Lister's journals were so shocking that the first person to crack their secret code hid them behind a fake panel in his ancestral home. Anne Lister was a Regency landowner, an intrepid world traveller ... and an unabashed lover of other women. In this bold new biography, prizewinning author Angela Steidele uses the diaries to create a portrait of Anne Lister as we've never seen her before: a woman in some ways very much of her time and in others far ahead of it. Anne Lister recorded everything from the most intimate details of her numerous liaisons through to her plans to make her fortune by exploiting the coal seams under her family estate in Halifax and her reaction to the Peterloo massacre. She conducted a love life of labyrinthine complexity, all while searching for a girlfriend who could provide her with both financial security and true love. Anne Lister's rich and unconventional life is now the subject of the major BBC TV drama series Gentleman Jack.Trade ReviewA fascinating book about a remarkable woman -- Robbie Millen * The Times *Steidele's steely account of the lives behind the first rainbowed plaque is a triumph of truth over fantasy. Lister's extraordinary pioneering life deserves to be remembered -- Ruth Scurr * Guardian *Angela Steidele has written a Regency romp which gives a vivid glimpse into a hidden world of female eroticism * Spectator *Paints a vivid picture of a woman who lived and loved as she pleased * Stylist *Steidele might just be a German equivalent to Jeanette Winterson * New Books in German *Really a joy to read * Missy Magazine *What a character, what material! ...And now also a narrative phenomenon * Sueddeutsche Zeitung *A highly recommended book about a breathtakingly adventurous woman's life * Deutschlandfunk *

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Book SynopsisA major study of the collapse of the Soviet Union—showing how Gorbachev’s misguided reforms led to its demiseTrade Review“A deeply informed account of how the Soviet Union fell apart.”—Rodric Braithwaite, Financial Times “A compelling account. . . . [A] masterly analysis.”—Joshua Rubenstein, Wall Street Journal “An excellent study. . . . There have been several books over the past quarter century that have covered this territory. Zubok’s is the most comprehensive, detailed and original.”—Victor Sebestyen, Sunday Times “This new take on the unexpected collapse of the Soviet empire, by an eminent Soviet-born historian, zooms in on the economic failings and pressures that drove the collapse. . . . Zubok depicts a fateful coalition of idealists, grifters, and thugs that ended up shaping the disastrous 1990s.”—James Palmer, Foreign Policy "By far the best book on the history of the fall of the USSR."—Branko Milanovic “Thoroughly and deeply researched and emotionally engaging for the reader, it is difficult to envisage how there could be a better book on the subject.”—Geoffrey Roberts, Irish Times “[A] remarkably reliable narrative, effectively covering two years, 1990 and 1991. [Zubok’s] exactitude punctures many a myth, especially on the economy, as he sifts an immense body of research to discover, among other things, that egregious financial mismanagement, not excessive defence outlays, proved fatal.”—Stephen Kotkin, Times Literary Supplement “An impressive history.”—Literary Review of Canada “The first comprehensive political history of the Gorbachev years to be based almost exclusively on original (mostly Russian-language) archival sources. . . . Zubok makes the most convincing case to date for considering seriously ‘the decisive and implacable role of money in the Soviet demise.’”—Yana Skorobogatov, Russian Review “No book will likely be produced soon that matches Zubok’s in detail, power, and depth in marshalling the evidence. This book is a central, indispensable work on the end of the USSR.”—Canadian-American Slavic Studies Review “No book will likely be produced soon that matches Zubok’s in detail, power, and depth in marshalling the evidence. This book is a central, indispensable work on the end of the USSR.”—Bradley D. Woodworth, Canadian-American Slavic Studies “Zubok . . . has cutting insights on the ‘who’ and the ‘what’ and the ‘where’ and the ‘when.’”—Gabriel Gavin, Reaction “Such a huge event in world history as the collapse of the Soviet Union will undoubtedly be retold. When it is, Zubok’s impressive book will have to be consulted.”—James Rodgers, History Today “The author seems to have read practically everything currently available, both published and unpublished, of relevance to his subject. . . . [Zubok] writes very stylish and idiomatic English, which makes his work a real pleasure to read.”—Martin Dewhirst, East-West Review “Excellent. . . . Zubok’s lengthy and detailed study is easy to read. It is crafted with a strong narrative approach to relate an unfolding drama. This not only keeps the reader’s attention, but also provides a wealth of detail and analysis that can only be undertaken by someone with Zubok’s lifetime of work on the subject.”—William B. Whisenhunt, LSE Review of Books “Zubok’s book is important and deserves broad attention. It provides an excellent basis for the discussion of the collapse, necessary to understand how it affects politics and our life in Europe even today.”—Stephan Merl¸ Journal of Contemporary History “With its engaging style and unmatched wealth of sources, this volume is bound to remain the work of reference for years to come.”—Kaspar Pucek, SEER “Collapse . . . is a work of outstanding richness and novelty. No matter how familiar you are with the last days of the USSR there is something in this book that you do not know.”—Neil Robinson, Society “The first comprehensive political history of the Gorbachev years to be based almost exclusively on original (mostly Russian-language) archival sources. . . . Zubok makes the most convincing case to date for considering seriously ‘the decisive and implacable role of money in the Soviet demise.’”—Yana Skorobogatov, Russian Review “Zubok has studied various sources and linked many events into a master narrative of a steady collapse of the world’s second power produced by its domestic forces. Collapse should be a standard text for generations of students.”—Ivan Kurilla, Journal of Cold War Studies “Vladislav Zubok was a witness to the end of the Soviet Union, and with this impressive book, Collapse: The Fall of the Soviet Union, he has become one of, if not the, leading historians of its downfall.”—Norman M. Naimark, H-Diplo “Vladislav Zubok has presented the most detailed historical analysis of the end of the Soviet Union to date.”—Tobias Rupprecht, Jahrbücher für Geschichte Osteuropas Finalist for the 2022 Cundill History Prize Winner of the Reginald Zelnik Book Prize, sponsored by ASEEES “As lucid as it is even-handed, this book will become the new standard for anyone seeking to make sense of the chaos, optimism and foolishness that led to the end of Mikhail Gorbachev’s attempts at reform and the downfall of the Soviet Union.”—Mark Galeotti, author of A Short History of Russia “A drama of epic proportions, the Soviet collapse never looked so contingent on human courage and follies, accidents and missed opportunities, as in this book. . . . The best narrative of the Soviet Union’s end we have so far.”—Vladimir Pechatnov, coeditor of The Kremlin Letters “This is a deeply researched indictment of Mikhail Gorbachev’s timidity and mercurial policies that backfired. Zubok invokes George Kennan’s hope at the dawn of the Cold War that the USSR would experience ‘gradual mellowing.’ Instead, Russia at the turn of the twenty-first century was ripe for the rise of Putin.”—Strobe Talbott, former U.S. Deputy Secretary of State and author of The Great Experiment “A deeply researched, gripping account of the final Soviet unravelling: Gorbachev’s growing weakness, infighting among his opponents, breakaways to independence by the USSR’s constituent republics, including Russia itself, all in the face of growing reluctance of the Bush administration and the Western alliance to help Gorbachev salvage a democratic union.”—William Taubman, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Khrushchev: The Man and His Era, and of Gorbachev: His Life and Times “In this provocative, deeply-researched retelling of Mikhail Gorbachev’s turbulent six years in the Kremlin, Zubok challenges the conventional wisdom that the USSR was destined to collapse. He attributes the demise to Gorbachev’s ideological messianism, his failed reforms and repeated policy zig-zags. A must-read for those seeking to understand how a nuclear superpower could have imploded peacefully—and why today’s Russian leaders are so determined to restore Russia’s great power status.”—Angela Stent, author Putin’s World: Russia Against the West and with the Rest

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Book SynopsisA riveting double biography of Nazi Germany's most highly decorated women test pilots - Hitler's personal Valkyries.Hanna Reitsch and Melitta von Stauffenberg were talented, courageous and strikingly attractive women who fought convention to make their names in the male-dominated field of flight in 1930s Germany. With the war, both became pioneering test pilots and both were awarded the Iron Cross for service to the Third Reich. But they could not have been more different and neither woman had a good word to say for the other.Hanna was middle-class, vivacious and distinctly Aryan, while the darker, more self-effacing Melitta, came from an aristocratic Prussian family. Both were driven by deeply held convictions about honour and patriotism but ultimately while Hanna tried to save Hitler's life, begging him to let her fly him to safety in April 1945, Melitta covertly supported the most famous attempt to assassinate the Führer. Their interwovenTrade ReviewVividly drawn . . . this is a thrilling story. * Telegraph *This is popular history of a high order. * Times *A satisfying, rollicking read . . . well researched and beautifully written. * Spectator *This compelling work has the drama and suspense of the best movie scripts. * Library Journal USA *Biographer Mulley comes through in a major way . . . absolutely gripping. * Booklist, USA *An utterly compelling read * Historia *Packed with detail and colour. * History Revealed *

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Book Synopsis''With one''s face in the wind you were almost burned with a shower of Firedrops''A selection from Pepys'' startlingly vivid and candid diary, including his famous account of the Great FireIntroducing Little Black Classics: 80 books for Penguin''s 80th birthday. Little Black Classics celebrate the huge range and diversity of Penguin Classics, with books from around the world and across many centuries. They take us from a balloon ride over Victorian London to a garden of blossom in Japan, from Tierra del Fuego to 16th century California and the Russian steppe. Here are stories lyrical and savage; poems epic and intimate; essays satirical and inspirational; and ideas that have shaped the lives of millions.Samuel Pepys (1633-1703). The Diary of Samuel Pepys: A Selection is available in Penguin Classics

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Book SynopsisHere, David Gwynn reflects on the remarkable legacy of the Roman Republic. The rise and fall of the Republic holds a special place in the history of Western civilization; it has been presented as a model, a source of inspiration, but also a warning. Placing the events in their wider context, he provides a fascinating history of culture and society.Table of ContentsINTRODUCTION; CHRONOLOGY; THE ROMAN CONSTITUTION; FURTHER READING; INDEX

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Book SynopsisThe groundbreaking series that will tell the story of Britain from VE Day in 1945 to the coming of Margaret Thatcher in 1979 as never beforeTrade Review'This is a classic; buy at least three copies - one for yourself and two to give to friends and family' John Charmley, Guardian 'The book is a marvel ... the fullest, deepest and most balanced history of our times' Sunday Telegraph 'What a treat we have in store *****' Craig Brown's Book of the Week, Mail on Sunday 'A wonderfully illuminating picture of the way we were' Roy Hattersley, The Times

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Book SynopsisIn ancient times, the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal) was home to warriors of great renown. Spanish and Celtiberian warriors, both infantry and cavalry, provided the backbone of the Carthaginian armies that terrorized Italy under Hannibal and proved even more ferocious in defence of their homeland against later Roman occupation. The Lusitanian resistance under Viriathus was among the toughest the Romans encountered anywhere. Professor Quesada Sanz details the arms, armour and equipment of the various warriors of the region in fantastic detail, drawing on his intimate knowledge of the latest archaeological and historical research. His clear and informative text is supported throughout by a wealth of photographs, diagrams and exquisite colour artwork by Carlos Fernandez del Castillo. This beautiful book is a rare combination of detailed, comprehensive information and sumptuous visual appeal that will be cherished by anyone with an interest in the warriors and weapons of the ancient world. The Spanish edition won the Hislibris Award for the 'Best Historical Book' for 2010 and is here faithfully translated into English.

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Book SynopsisThe land that was to become Scotland has travelled across the globe over the last 3,000 million years - from close to the South Pole to its current position. During these travels, there were many continental collisions, creating mountain belts as high as the present-day Himalayas. The Highlands of Scotland were formed in this way. Our climate too has changed dramatically over the last 3 billion years from the deep freeze of the Ice Age to scorching heat of the desert. And within a relatively short time - geologically speaking, we will plunge back into another ice age. In Set in Stone, Alan McKirdy traces Scotland's amazing geological journey, explaining for the non - specialist reader why the landscape looks the way it does todays. He also explores Scots and those working in Scotland have played a seminal role in the development of the science of geology, understanding Earth processes at a local and global scale.

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Book SynopsisA Spectator and Prospect Book of the YearWinner of the American Library in Paris Book Award'Ceaselessly interesting, knowledgeable and evocative' - Spectator'A fresh way to write history' - Alan Johnson'An amused, erudite homage to France . . . ambitious and original' - The Times_____Original, knowledgeable and endlessly entertaining, France: An Adventure History is an unforgettable journey through France from the first century BC to the present day.Drawn from countless new discoveries and thirty years of exploring France on foot, in the library and across 30,000 miles on the author’s beloved bike, it begins with Gaulish and Roman times and ends in the age of #MeToo, Black Lives Matter, the Gilets Jaunes and Covid-19.From the plains of Provence to the slums and boulevards of Paris, events and themes of French history may be familiar – Louis XIV, the French Revolution, the French Resistance, the Tour de France – but all are presented in a shining new light by Graham Robb.Frequently hilarious, always surprising, this is a a vivid, living history of one of the world’s most fascinating nations, it will make even seasoned Francophiles wonder if they really know that terra incognita which is currently referred to as ‘France’._____‘Packed full of discoveries’ - The Sunday Times'A gorgeous tapestry of insights, stories and surprises' - Fintan O'Toole'A rich and vibrant narrative . . . clear-eyed but imaginative storytelling' - Financial Times'Full of life' - ProspectTrade ReviewA 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 *Robb's concise and fast-paced writing pedals along with never a dull paragraph . . . a dazzling and moving contribution to a long tradition. * Sunday Times *Traverses the ages from Gaul to the gilets jaunes and the pandemic . . . a compelling guide. * Times Literary Supplement *History on two wheels and in four dimensions. * Wall Street Journal *A rich and vibrant narrative. * Financial Times *Some books seem to spring from a whole lifetime and Graham Robb's France is one of those special creations... Robb's sparkling prose, sly wit and intellectual exuberance make for a gorgeous tapestry of insights, stories and surprises. * Fintan O'Toole *With joy, curiosity and more than a dash of ambition, Robb brings 2,000 years of French history to life. * Washington Post *

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Book Synopsis'We all know about Queen Victoria, Edward VIII and Queen Elizabeth II, but how much do we really know about other monarchs? Yes, we know William the Conqueror beat King Harold at the Battle of Hastings. We know George III was mad, but what else do we know about his 60 year long reign? We know Henry VIII famously had six wives, but do we know much more about him, other than he was very fat?'The British monarchy is one of the oldest in the world - dating so far back that even its origins are the subject of debate. Was William the Conqueror the first king of England, or was it Alfred the Great? In this third instalment of the series that began with The Prime Ministers and The Presidents, Iain Dale charts this long history of the English and British monarchy, with 64 essays by journalists, historians and politicians on every individual to have sat on the throne, as well as some who didn't.From Alfred the Great to Charles III, each essay examines the monarch, their role and what they tell us about British history. Why has the British monarchy, unlike so many others, endured? Kings and Queens will attempt to answer this question, and many others, providing valuable insight into British history and how Britain is ruled today.Trade Review'Entertaining, well-researched and eminently readable.' * Entertainment Focus *

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Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE MARK LYNTON HISTORY PRIZE LONGLISTED FOR THE RSL ONDAATJE PRIZE ‘A gripping reconstruction… utterly compelling reading.’ Adam Zamoyski ‘This is a grim story, thoroughly researched and brilliantly told.’ Geoffrey Alderman, Times Higher Education The Katyn Massacre of 22,000 Polish prisoners of war is a crime to which there are no witnesses. Committed in utmost secrecy in April-May 1940 by the NKVD on the direct orders of Joseph Stalin, for nearly fifty years the Soviet regime succeeded in maintaining the fiction that Katyn was a Nazi atrocity, their story unchallenged by Western governments fearful of upsetting a powerful wartime ally and Cold War adversary. Surviving Katyn explores the decades-long search for answers, focusing on the experience of those individuals with the most at stake - the few survivors of the massacre and the Polish wartime forensicTrade Review‘[Rogoyska] vividly recreates the last months of the officers – artists, scientists, engineers and poets as well as career military men – who were initially held at three special camps run by the NKVD.’ -- Sunday Times‘A gripping reconstruction of one of the most gruesome and haunting crimes of the Second World War… makes for utterly compelling reading, and lays bare its toxic legacy.’ -- Adam Zamoyski, author of Poland: A History‘This is a grim story, thoroughly researched and brilliantly told.’ * Geoffrey Alderman, Times Higher Education *‘In a riveting narrative, Rogoyska brings the victims out of the shadows, telling their stories as well as those of the people desperately searching for them. Throughout, the author’s humanity is on full display… Rogoyska is to be commended for resurrecting this heartbreaking tale. A work of significant moral clarity and elegant precision.’ -- Kirkus, starred review‘A well-researched and beautifully written narrative of the appalling fate of the Polish officers captured by the Soviets in 1939 and massacred in 1940. Through the testimony of the few survivors and the investigators, Rogoyska brings to life the suffering of the Poles which continued for decades after the war as Soviet culpability for the crime was denied across the world.’ -- Halik Kochanski, author of The Eagle Unbowed'One Second World War crime to escape judgment at the Nuremberg Trials was the massacre of thousands of Polish officers in the Katyń Forest in western Russia at the early stage of the war. The judges failed because, on their panel, they had the representatives of the perpetrator: the Soviet Union. Jane Rogoyska offers a riveting story of the crime, the cover-up and the search for the truth, which is far from over even today. In bringing the story of Katyń up to date, Rogoyska helps us understand not only the crimes of the past but also the political manipulations of the present.' * Serhii Plokhy, the author of Chernobyl and Forgotten Bastards of the Eastern Front: An Untold Story of World War II *'If you don't understand Katyn you don't understand the Second World War, you don't understand Europe, you don't understand crime and you don't understand lies. And you can't understand Katyn without reading this brilliant book. It is, I'm afraid, as simple as that.' * Daniel Finkelstein, Times columnist *‘Surviving Katyn is a pivotal contribution. Readers seeking to understand the plight of Poles during the Second World War, or come to terms with the duplicity and cruelty of Stalin and his NKVD, or submerge themselves in a rich and humane story of hope, suffering, and deceit, will find much of value in Surviving Katyn. With the empathy of a novelist and the precision of a historian, Rogoyska unfolds the story of Katyn.’ * American Conservative *‘Rogoyska’s study of men under extreme pressure draws out the nuances of these dilemmas, presenting us with ordinary people confronting their own doubts and fears.’ -- Times Literary Supplement‘Striking… Brought to life by the small, meticulous details, this immersive account of the Polish soldiers captured by the Soviets and how they were eventually led to their deaths is harrowing… Rogoyska’s empathy… permeates her book, ensuring that once read this story will not be easily forgotten.’ -- All About History‘A history book that makes the blood run cold.’ -- Five Books‘Within a well researched, politically challenging, and emotionally disturbing text, the author unravels and provides substantive evidence for Soviet responsibility for the heinous war crime.’ -- Love Wrexham

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Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE 2022 FRENCH HERITAGE SOCIETY BOOK AWARD The profound emotion felt around the world upon seeing images of Notre-Dame in flames opens up a series of questions: Why was everyone so deeply moved? Why does Notre-Dame so clearly crystallise what our civilisation is about? What makes ‘Our Lady of Paris’ the soul of a nation and a symbol of human achievement? What is it that speaks so directly to us today? In answer, Agnès Poirier turns to the defining moments in Notre-Dame’s history. Beginning with the laying of the corner stone in 1163, she recounts the conversion of Henri IV to Catholicism, the coronation of Napoleon, Victor Hugo’s nineteenth-century campaign to preserve the cathedral, Baron Haussmann’s clearing of the streets in front of it, the Liberation in 1944, the 1950s film of The Hunchback of Notre-Dame, starring Gina Lollobrigida and Anthony Quinn, and the state funeral of Charles de Gaulle, before returning to the present. The conflict over Notre-Dame’s reconstruction promises to be fierce. Nothing short of a cultural war is already brewing between the wise and the daring, the sincere and the opportunist, historians and militants, the devout and secularists. It is here that Poirier reveals the deep malaise – gilet jaunes and all – at the heart of the France.Trade Review‘Vivid and engrossing… the opening chapter repays the cover price: a breathless, exhaustively researched and utterly unputdownable account of the drama… elegant, witty and constantly informative.’ * Observer *‘Brisk and entertaining... there is much to be learned here.’ -- Literary Review‘I doubt that any book published this year will start with a more gripping opening chapter than hers…Poirier recounts these and many other stories with terrific élan and a wry eye for eccentric details.’ -- The Times'This is not so much a history of the 850-year-old cathedral as an act of thanksgiving for its unknown medieval builders and its modern restorers. Poirier has interviewed several of those involved in the salvage operations. Their emotional involvement with the cathedral and its relics is at the heart of this engaging book.’ -- Spectator'Notre-Dame is both the soul of France, and the beating heart of Paris. I haven’t been there in a long time. This book left me aching to return.' * Catholic Herald *'A passionately recounted history, a compelling story of destruction, restoration and the rebirth of hope.' -- Michèle Roberts'Concise and erudite.' -- New European‘An elegant and razor-sharp chronicle of Our Lady of Paris.’ -- France‘Unlocks the door to the past and illuminates Notre-Dame’s role in French culture.’ -- Herald

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Book Synopsis''A magnificent achievement'' Nikolai Tolstoy, The TimesAmong the Russians is a marvellous account of a solitary journey by car from St. Petersburg and the Baltic States south to Georgia and Armenia. A gifted writer and intrepid traveller, Thubron grapples with the complexities of Russian identity and relays his extraordinary journey in characteristically lyrical style. This is an enthralling and revealing account of the habits and idiosyncrasies of a fascinating nation along with a sharp and insightful social commentary of Russian life.''Superb... one of the best books on Russia to appear in years'' New York TimesTrade ReviewThe Soviet Union is seen through a glass brightly... What makes the book so readable is Thubron's combination of an artist's aesthetic sensitivity with the literary craftsmanship to convey it. He sees things with the freshness of an innocent and the erudition of a scholar * Daily Telegraph *Superb... one of the best books on Russia to appear in years * New York Times *Travel writing has never been more provocative, profound or poetic * Time Out *The Thubron approach to travelling has an integrity that belongs to another age. And this author's way with words gives his books a value far transcending their topical interest; it is safe to predict they will be read a century hence * Irish Times *The perfect guide to one of the world’s most enigmatic cultures -- Christie Hickman * Sunday Express *

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Book SynopsisFrom Roger Knight, established by the multi-award winning The Pursuit of Victory as ''an authority ... none of his rivals can match'' (N.A.M. Rodger), Britain Against Napoleon is the first book to explain how the British state successfully organised itself to overcome Napoleon - and how very close it came to defeatFor more than twenty years after 1793, the French army was supreme in continental Europe. How was it that despite multiple changes of government and the assassination of a Prime Minister, Britain survived and eventually won a generation-long war against a regime which at its peak in 1807 commanded many times the resources and manpower?This book looks beyond the familiar exploits (and bravery) of the army and navy during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. It shows the degree to which, because of the magnitude and intensity of hostilities, the capacities of the whole British population were involved: industrialists, farmers, shipbuilders, gunsmiths and gunpowder manufacturers. The intelligence war was also central; but no participants were more important, Knight argues, than the bankers and international traders of the City of London, without whom the armies of Britain''s allies could not have taken the field.ROGER KNIGHT was Deputy Director of the National Maritime Museum until 2000, and now teaches at the Greenwich Maritime Institute at the University of Greenwich. In 2005 he published, with Allen Lane/Penguin, The Pursuit of Victory: the life and achievement of Horatio Nelson, which won the Duke of Westminster''s Medal for Military History, the Mountbatten Award and the Anderson Medal of the Society for Nautical Research. The present book is a culmination of his life-long interest in the workings of the late eighteenth-century British state.''Superb'' - SpectatorTrade ReviewA wonderfully disorienting read ... for [Knight] the real heroes of the struggle against Napoleon are not Wellington or Nelson or Collingwood or Cochrane but the clerks and administrators and 'silent men of business' who put Britain's armies in the field and kept her ships at sea and her allies in funds and ultimately won the war ... there is scarcely a wasted sentence here, not a duff page, not a chapter ... that does not bring you very close to the realities of a total war -- David Crane * Spectator *

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Book SynopsisThis book covers in breadth issues of change, continuity, and cause and consequence. It will enable you to understand and make connections between the six key questions covered in the specification including: how was Britain governed, what pressures did governments face, how did the economy change, and how did society and social policy develop?Trade Review"5*. Excellent." * Amazon review, Nov 2015 *"How good can a textbook be? It has sections dividing the A Level and AS Level and just the A Level content, so you're not studying more than you need to. Has all the sections in depth for the brand new taught from 2015 specification. Will be using this to revise from next Summer". * 5* Amazon review, Oct 2015 *

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Book SynopsisThomas Carlyle's history of the French Revolution, originally published in 1837, opens with the death of Louis XV in 1774 and ends in 1795 when Bonaparte quelled the insurrection of the Vendemiaire. It is a work of great narrative and descriptive power that was itself meant to be revolutionary.Trade ReviewThis edition makes the work decipherable in ways it otherwise isn't. * Barton Swaim, Wall Street Journal *Excellent edition * Years Work in English Studies, 2021 *Table of ContentsIntroduction Note on the Text A Chronology of Thomas Carlyle Contents, iThe French Revolutionr THE FRENCH REVOLUTION Explanatory Notes Annotated Index

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Book SynopsisThe Sunday Times-bestselling author of Dresden returns with a monumental biography of the city that defined the twentieth century - BerlinThroughout the twentieth century, Berlin stood at the centre of a convulsing world. This history is often viewed as separate acts: the suffering of the First World War, the cosmopolitan city of science, culture and sexual freedom Berlin became, steep economic plunges, the rise of the Nazis, the destruction of the Second World War, the psychosis of genocide, and a city rent in two by competing ideologies. But people do not live their lives in fixed eras. An epoch ends, yet the people continue - or try to continue - much as they did before. Berlin tells the story of the city as seen through the eyes not of its rulers, but of those who walked its streets.In this magisterial biography of a city and its inhabitants, bestselling historian Sinclair McKay sheds new light on well-known characters - from idealistic scientist Albert Einstein to Nazi architect Albert Speer - and draws on never-before-seen first-person accounts to introduce us to people of all walks of Berlin life. For example, we meet office worker Mechtild Evers, who in her efforts to escape an oncoming army runs into even more appalling jeopardy, and Reinhart Cruger, a 12-year-old boy in 1941 who witnesses with horror the Gestapo coming for each of his Jewish neighbours in turn. Ever a city of curious contrasts, moments of unbelievable darkness give way to a wry Berliner humour - from banned perms to the often ridiculous tit-for-tat between East and West Berlin - and moments of joyous hope - like forced labourers at a jam factory warmly welcoming their Soviet liberators.How did those ideologies - fascism and communism - come to flower so fully here? And how did their repercussions continue to be felt throughout Europe and the West right up until that extraordinary night in the autumn of 1989 when the Wall - that final expression of totalitarian oppression - was at last breached? You cannot understand the twentieth century without understanding Berlin; and you cannot understand Berlin without understanding the experiences of its people. Drawing on a staggering breadth of culture - from art to film, opera to literature, science to architecture - McKay''s latest masterpiece shows us this hypnotic city as never before.''Remarkable . . . A majestic work of non-fiction'' Matthew d''Ancona''Sinclair McKay was born to write this book'' David Aaronovitch, The Times''A masterful account of a city marked by infamy . . . If there is a book that must be read this year, this is it'' Amanda Foreman''An electrifying new account of Berlin'' Julia Boyd, author of Travellers in the Third Reich''One of my favourite historians'' Dan SnowTrade ReviewI loved this book. McKay's writing is vivid and sometimes even beautiful . . . his own observations and summaries seem always apposite and wise . . . To anyone who knows Berlin a little and is fascinated by it, but would like to understand it better, this is a wonderful aid . . . Sinclair McKay was born to write this book -- David Aaronovitch * The Times *Remarkable . . . A majestic work of non-fiction -- Matthew d'Ancona * Tortoise *McKay has written a masterful account of a city marked by infamy. Supported by meticulous research, Berlin is by turns terrifying and fascinating. If there is a book that must be read this year, this is it -- Amanda ForemanThe book's principal subject is Berliners doomed role in the Second World War. Through their eyes, McKay brilliantly captures Germany's initial successes, and then the reverses and escalating defeats . . . To have uncovered so many previously unknown characters and fascinating anecdotes is especially admirable -- Iain MacGregor * Spectator *I thought I knew everything about Berlin, but then I read this stunning book. It's eye-opening, enlightening and wonderfully told -- Norman Ohler, author of BlitzedMcKay's powerful imagery and magnetic prose combine to produce an electrifying new account of Berlin. 'You cannot understand the twentieth century without understanding Berlin', claims the author. He makes a compelling case -- Julia Boyd, author of Travelers in the Third ReichPowerful. Visceral. Truly revelatory. Beautifully written and utterly compelling. I didn't think Sinclair McKay could top his previous book, Dresden, which was masterful. He has proven me wrong with Berlin -- Damien Lewis, author of SAS Bravo Three ZeroOne of my favourite historians -- Dan Snow, History HitGreat subject, well-researched, brilliantly written. Anyone who wants to understand Berlin's incomparable place at the very centre of twentieth century history should begin with Sinclair McKay's remarkable, mesmerising book -- Keith Lowe, author of Savage ContinentPowerful . . . there is rage in his ink. McKay's book grips by its passion and originality -- Max Hastings, Sunday Times, on DresdenPainstakingly researched and fascinating -- John Harding, Daily Mail on The Secret Listeners

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Book SynopsisThis book brings together twelve chapters from feminist historians from around the world to offer new perspectives on aspects of the campaign for women's suffrage in Britain.Although the focus is on Britain, this volume signals how the women's suffrage campaign in Britain embraced both national and global aspects. The historical developments and structures that affected women's lives and suffrage struggles were not limited to national contexts. Early chapters focus on particular individuals both well and lesser known, including Millicent Garrett Fawcett and Emmeline Pankhurst, as well as Elizabeth Wolstenholme Elmy, Princess Sophia Duleep Singh, Lady Isabel Margesson and Isabella Ford. Later chapters highlight the interrelationship between the British movement and suffrage campaigns across the globe with reference to Austria, Japan, New Zealand, Australia and the USA. The chapters deal with issues around strategies, social class, employment, religion, nationalism, empire and Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. Millicent Fawcett (1847–1929): the making of a politician 2. Emmeline Pankhurst (1858–1928): the making of a militant 3. ‘A particularly interesting kind of “heroine” to have’: marriage, motherhood and votes for women in the archives of Elizabeth Wolstenholme Elmy (1833–1918), feminist, rebel and radical 4. Isabella Ford (1855–1924) and women’s suffrage 5. Suffragette palace: Sophia Duleep Singh (1876–1948), Hampton Court Palace and votes for women 6. ‘Being militant in her own way’: using the individual life of Lady Isabel Margesson (1863–1946) as a prism to explore complex suffrage histories 7. The wrong kind of working-class woman? Domestic servants in the British suffrage movement 8. Class and adult suffrage in Britain during the Great War 9. A colonial for the cause: Lady Stout (1858–1931), suffrage and New Zealand as exemplar to the empire, 1909–1914 10. Narratives of democracy, the emotions of politics and memories of militant suffragism: Britain, Ireland, the USA and Australia 11. Covering the suffragettes: Austrian newspapers reporting on militant women’s rights activism in the United Kingdom 12. The influence of the British women’s suffrage movement upon the emergence and development of the Japanese women’s movement

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Book Synopsis''The best memoir by a politician you will ever read'' Philip Collins, The TimesSchool on the Kings Road, Chelsea in the Swinging 60s, the rock-and-roll years, the race riots; this boy has seen it all. ________Alan Johnson''s childhoodwas not so much difficult as unusual, particularly for a man who was destined to become Home Secretary. Not in respect of the poverty, which was shared with many of those living in Britain''s post-war slums, but in its transition from being part of a two-parent family to having a single mother and then to no parents at all...This is essentially the story of two incredible women: Alan''s mother, Lily, who battled against poor health, poverty, domestic violence and loneliness to try to ensure a better life for her children; and his sister, Linda, who had to assume an enormous amount of responsibility at a very young age and who fought to keep the family together and out of care Trade Reviewthe best memoir by a politician you will ever read -- Philip Collins * The Times *a poignant memoir…Johnson writes wonderfully -- Mary Kenny * Telegraph *deeply moving and unforgettable -- Lynn Barber * Sunday Times *a handsome and eloquent tribute -- Peter Wilby * Guardian *beautifully, beautifully written... his style is utterly simple, with a wit so understated that every reader will believe that he or she alone got it -- John Rentoul * Independent on Sunday *Neither mawkish nor sentimental, it is an evocative, filmic account on an early childhood... would make a fabulous drama that, for all its squalor, lifts the spirits -- Judith Woods * Daily Telegraph *a testament to the power of family love and a tribute to two strong women -- Ian Birrell * Daily Mail *Wonderful and moving... unreadable with a dry eye * The Times *the biography of a politician like no other - beautifully observed, humorous, moving, uplifting; told with a dry self-deprecating wit and not a trace of self-pity -- Chris Mullin * Observer *No ordinary politician's memoir ... wonderful. -- John Grimond * The Spectator *

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Book SynopsisThis book describes the development of local history in England from its origins in the Middle Ages to its practise in the early twenty-first century. It looks also at how local history is related to archaeology, landscape, and family history.Trade Review"There is no other text that provides such a comprehensive discussion of how and why local history has evolved from the preserve of the 'amateur', the antiquarian and evening classes into its current position of growth and the academic credibility. It raises important questions about the definition, the content and the practice of local history." Dr Christopher French, University of KingstonTable of ContentsList of illustrationsAbbreviationsAcknowledgementsPrefaceI IntroductionIIThe origins of local historyThe chorographic traditionWilliam CamdenChristopher SaxtonCounty historiesDugdale and ThorotonNatural historyIII Antiquaries at large: the eighteenth and nineteenth centuriesTopographical studiesArchaeologyCounty historiesCollaborative county historiesIV The parish and the townParish historiesTown histories of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuriesTown histories of the eighteenth centuryTown histories of the nineteenth centuryV Local history marginalisedClubs and societiesArchaeologyProfessional historyNational historyVI Local History and national History, 1880-1945The study of the villageEconomic history, local history and adult educationThe Victoria County HistoryRecord publishingVII W.G. Hoskins and the founding of modern local historyThe Annales SchoolW.G. HoskinsThe Making of the English LandscapePost-war developmentsLocal history and the parishThe Midland PeasantFarming regionsRegions without boundariesVIII New Approaches: the region and the communityCounties and parishesMicrohistoryRegionsPaysSettlementRegional flexibilityRegions and industrialising societyCultural identityPost-modernismIX New Approaches: family history, towns, landscape and other specialismsFamily historyUrban historyLandscape historyVernacular architectureIndustrial archaeologyOral testimonyPlace-namesHeritageX The sources revolutionThe National ArchivesCounty archive officesLocal studies librariesThe familyThe landThe houseSource materials and the VCHXI Local history todayDefining local historyUnderstanding past communitiesTrainingGuidebooksGroup researchGood local historyIssues, geographies and time periodsXII ConclusionBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisAfter ten years living abroad, Tarquin Hall wanted to return to his native London. Lured by his nostalgia for a leafy suburban childhood spent in south-west London, he returned with his Indian-born, American fiance in tow. But, priced out of the housing market, they found themselves living not in a townhouse, oozing Victorian charm, but in a squalid attic above a Bangladeshi sweatshop on London''s Brick Lane. A grimy skylight provided the only window on their new world: a filthy, noisy street where drug dealers and prostitutes peddled their wares and tramps urinated on the pavements. At night, traffic lights lit up the ceiling and police sirens wailed into the early hours.Yet, as Hall got to know Brick Lane, he discovered beneath its unlovely surface an inner world where immigrants and asylum seekers struggle to better themselves and dream of escape. Salaam Brick Lane is a journey of discovery by an outsider in his own native city. It offers an explicit glimpse of the underbTrade ReviewWell-written without mawkish pieties. * Saga Magazine *'Charming, brilliant, affectionate and quietly impassioned ... it manages to be balanced, humane and life-affirming. I hope it sells out faster than cases of Chalky's "Coat de Roen"'. * Guardian *Tarquin Hall is right at the heart of what he writes about . . . Hall's new friends spring brilliantly to life off the page . . . it's hard to imagine a more moving or more telling record of lives on the edge * Caroline Gascoigne, Sunday Times *Amused and amusing, this is a refreshing addition to the accounts being offered of the area. * Stratford Recorder *Forthright and funny * Daily Telegraph *Fascinating and funny * Canterbury, Herne Bay, Whitstable & Faversham Focu *Powerful * Kent Messenger *I was absolutely riveted. It's funny, enlightening and very moving . . . I'm recommending it to all my friends just because it's such a good read. * Kate Fox, author of Watching the English *He has a fine ear for the myriad speech patterns of the East End's varied inhabitants. * Daily Mail *A remarkable cross-section of British society . . . Hall's sympathetic, anecdotal approach is a fine counter to the appalling racism of much current tabloid journalism . . . This is a fine and eloquent book. * What's On UK *This is a beautifully written book about a world we ignore except when it makes tabloid headlines. * American *Entertaining . . . Hall cannily plays the bewildered public schoolboy to a range of different characters . . . allows us to hear the wonderful patter of the East Enders * Times Literary Supplement *Fascinating and funny * Sunday Times *'Entertaining' * Bookseller *Such a light, playful book and yet with a compelling tow which takes you into the myriad realities of life in the East End of London. * Yasmin Alibhai-Brown *'A thought-provoking read . . . fascinating insights into fractured lives. And Hall's affectionate portrayals of eccentric acquaintances enhance this touching portrait no end' * Metro *'Tender and harrowing' * The Times *'He brings a sharp eye and a dry humour to his descriptions' * Anthony Sattin, Sunday Times *'A gem of a book that reveals a hidden world lying right on our doorstep. As the stories unfold, so does our appreciation for Tarquin Hall's acute eye and for the gentle power of his narrative' * Saira Shah, writer and broadcaster *'Salaam Brick Lane is a compelling journey of discovery by an outsider in his own city and offers an explicit glimpse of this quarter of London' * Traveller *

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Book SynopsisMay, 1992. Hana is twelve years old when her older sister Atka puts her on a UN evacuation bus fleeing the besieged city of Sarajevo. Thinking they will be apart for a short time, they make a promise to each other to be brave. But as the Bosnian war escalates and months go by without contact, their promise becomes deeply significant. Hana is forced to cope as a refugee in Croatia, while Atka and their younger siblings battle for survival in a city overwhelmed by crime and destruction. Then, when Atka manages to find work as a translator, events take an unexpected turn, and the remarkable events that follow change her life, and those of her family, forever.Trade Review‘A beautiful story that turns from sorrow to happiness, redemption, restoration. Goodbye Sarajevo shows that sometimes out of dire circumstances, new lives, new beginnings are possible' * Janine di Giovanni *‘A sparky memoir of survival written by such driven and inspirational women' * Independent *‘Extraordinary... serves as a timely reminder of the staggering odds faced by many refugees hoping to reach safe homes' * Sydney Morning Herald *‘An amazing and heart warming story of one family's fight for survival against all odds' * Irish Examiner *

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Book Synopsis''Rich and funny'' Julian Barnes, Guardian''Poirier''s hugely enjoyable, quick-witted and richly anecdotal book is magnifique'' The TimesA captivating portrait of those who lived, loved, fought, played and flourished in Paris between 1940 and 1950 and whose intellectual and artistic output still influences us today.After the horrors of the Second World War, Paris was the place where the world''s most original voices of the time came among them Norman Mailer, Miles Davis, Simone de Beauvoir, James Baldwin, Juliette Greco, Alberto Giacometti, Saul Bellow and Arthur Koestler. Fuelled by the elation of the Liberation, these pioneers hoped to find an alternative to the Capitalist and Communist models for life, art and politics a Third Way.Agnès Poirier transports us to a time when Paris was at the heart of all that was new and brave and controversial, skilfully weaving together a collage of images and destinies.Trade ReviewBriskly plotted, gossip-fuelled, character-driven cultural history ... Poirier’s hugely enjoyable, quick-witted and richly anecdotal book is magnifique’ * The Times *A tour de force … weaves together so many people, ideas, trends, occurrences, and above all Parisian places, into a tapestry of fascinations – a distillation of the essence of an amazing time … the best of its kind I have ever read -- A.C. GraylingA brilliant recapturing of a fascinating era. Artistic and intellectual Paris comes vividly and memorably alive in these pages. A tremendous achievement -- William BoydWeighty thought and earthy behaviour are the twin engines behind Agnès Poirier’s briskly entertaining ride through France’s most mouvemonté decade * Sunday Times *Poirier does not shy away from exposing the joy and pain of experimental living or from exploring with sensitivity the moral ambiguity of living through the Occupation ... compulsive reading -- Anne Sebba, author of 'Les Parisiennes: Resistance, Collaboration, and the Women of Paris Under Nazi Occupation'A book which combines rich and subtle intellectual history with all the pleasures of a great soap opera. Its gallery of characters is wonderfully realised - but the most wonderfully realised of all is Paris herself -- Tom HollandA remarkably exhilarating read … Left Bank is an enchanting account of how these exceptionally talented and original people not merely endured these harsh years but also found pleasure, and even a kind of joy, in creating small pockets of private utopia … Poirier is acute and witty on the love-hate relationship between Paris and America -- Kevin Jackson * Literary Review *Left Bank reads as an erudite and deeply satisfying gossip column, in which each story is more incredible than the last * New Republic *Left Bank moves scene to scene, cafe to cafe, tracing the affiliations and intrigues of a group of writers, philosophers, artists and curators ... [Poirier] manages to create the feeling we're peeking into the windows of her subjects, looking at buildings that still stand, at inhabitants long gone * International New York Times *A detailed chronicle of a decade alive with intellectual and political ferment. London-based journalist Poirier (Touché: A French Woman's Take on the English, 1997), a panel member of the BBC's weekly program Dateline London, offers a gossipy, well-informed cultural history of her native Paris, beginning in 1938, with Europe on the brink of war, and ending in 1949, with the Marshall Plan in effect to help the continent recover … An animated, abundantly populated history of dramatic times * Kirkus *Poirier does not miss a trick in her lively accounts of the intense discussions and adulterous liaisons that centred on the Café de Flore or the nearby nightclub Le Tabou; but her real achievement is to contextualise these politically and culturally … Entertaining and well-written story -- Andrew Lycett * Spectator *One of the most entertaining of the year -- Books of the Year * Telegraph *A vivid account of the lives of the bed-hopping intellectuals and artists of Paris * The Times *[Paris] is undeniably a mythic sort of town, and almost no period is richer in myths than the decade that Agnès Poirier charts in her excellent Left Bank…It has a huge cast, any of whom could be the subject of a book on their own, but Poirier marshals them deftly***** * Daily Telegraph *Poirier's unbounded energy, particularly in research, brings forth an entertaining, stimulating and, at times, insightful book … Left Bank is gloriously vibrant * Sunday Herald *Amid the tensions of the phoney war, Agnès Poirier deftly establishes what will become the central argument of her well-researched and compelling book: the fraught connection between action and intellectual engagement … Left Bank might not quite come complete with peeling wallpaper and a dubious lavabo, but in conjuring the atmosphere of this extraordinary period, it is surely the next best thing … Poirier navigates the philosophical and political intricacies of her subjects’ work, their intellectual feuds and alliances, with panache * Times Literary Supplement *With mastery of her sources, Agnès Poirier provides an engrossing synthesis of a great capital city's cultural and intellectual life in this crucial decade. It is acute, often brilliant and beautifully written. When liberal values on both sides of the Atlantic are being threatened by a recrudescence of xenophobia and nationalism, Left Bank could hardly be more timely and vital -- Oliver KammDelightful * Economist *A captivating portrait of those who lived, loved, fought, played and flourished in the City of Light and whose intellectual and artistic output still influences today … The cast of characters is long, varied and colourful * Irish Examiner *This is in many ways a very familiar story with a well-known cast of characters, but [Poirier] tells it in vivid and highly enjoyable detail … Poirier’s is an extremely busy book, recounted at a dizzying pace and packed with gossipy tales of sex, drugs, high art and low life … Poirier makes her case with wit, sympathy and elegance -- Andrew Hussey * New Statesman *Even correcting for nostalgia, Paris in the fifties seems to have been a time when giants really did walk the earth … Gossipy without being prurient, Poirier is good at tracing the links between the work and the ever-shifting sexual liaisons of her subjects * Daily Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisExam board: AQA; OCRLevel: AS/A-levelSubject: HistoryFirst teaching: September 2015First exams: Summer 2016 (AS); Summer 2017 (A-level)Put your trust in the textbook series that has given thousands of A-level History students deeper knowledge and better grades for over 30 years.Updated to meet the demands of today's A-level specifications, this new generation of Access to History titles includes accurate exam guidance based on examiners' reports, free online activity worksheets and contextual information that underpins students' understanding of the period.- Develop strong historical knowledge: in-depth analysis of each topic is both authoritative and accessible- Build historical skills and understanding: downloadable activity worksheets can be used independently by students or edited by teachers for classwork and homework- Learn, remember and connect important events and people: an introduction to the period, summary diagrams, timelines and links to additional online resources support lessons, revision and coursework- Achieve exam success: practical advice matched to the requirements of your A-level specification incorporates the lessons learnt from previous exams- Engage with sources, interpretations and the latest historical research: students will evaluate a rich collection of visual and written materials, plus key debates that examine the views of different historians

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Book SynopsisUtilising a wide range of archival correspondence and diaries, this monograph reconstructs the 1974-79 Labour government's policies in Northern Ireland. It covers the collapse of power-sharing in May 1974, the secret dialogue with the Provisional IRA during the 1975 ceasefire, the acquiescence of Labour ministers in continuing indefinite direct rule from Westminster, efforts to mitigate conflict through industrial investment, a major shift in security policy emphasizing the police over the army, the adaptation of republicans to the threat of these new measures and their own adoption of a 'Long War' strategy. In so doing, it sheds light on the challenges faced by British ministers, civil servants, soldiers and policemen and the reasons why the conflict lasted so long. It will be a key text for researchers and students of both British and Northern Irish politics.Table of ContentsIntroduction1. Background: British Labour and Northern Ireland 1964-742. The collapse of power-sharing 3. Drift?4. Negotiating the Provisional IRA ceasefire5. Fraying at the edges: the Provisional IRA ceasefire6. After the ceasefire7. Police primacy and the myth of Ulsterisation8. 'Positive direct rule': economic policy9. Political inertia10. The evolution of the long warConclusion Index

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Book SynopsisThis study examines the ritual space of nineteenth-century royal tours of empire and the diverse array of historical actors who participated in them. It suggests that the varied responses to the royal tours of the nineteenth century demonstrate how a multi-centred British imperial culture was forged in the empire and was constantly made and remade, appropriated and contested. In this context, subjects of empire provincialised the British Isles, centring the colonies in their political and cultural constructions of empire, Britishness, citizenship and loyalty.Trade Review‘This publication, the author’s first full-length monograph, ably demonstrates some of the possibilities of a localised and biographical methodological approach to social and cultural analyses. It marks a solid contribution to present historical understanding of how local and nationalist identities are adapted within the ritualised framework of royal tours, themselves increasingly prominent within concurrent and swiftly expanding spheres of inter-disciplinary scholarship on imperialism in all its guises. Royal tourists, colonial subjects and the making of a British world, 1860–1911 will be of great relevance to scholars examining the overlapping spheres of Australasian, African and South Asian colonial and post-colonial politics within the continuing legacy of the British imperial world. I look forward to reading more of this author’s work.’ Laura Cook, The Australian National University, Royal Studies Journal 2017‘This account succeeds in revealing the long and storied past of the royal tour.’ Laura E.Nym Mayhall, The Catholic University of America, Victorian Studies (issue 60.1)Autumn 2017 -- .Table of ContentsPrologueIntroduction1 British royals at home with empire2 Naturalising British rule3 Building new Jerusalems: global Britishness and settler cultures in South Africa and New Zealand4 'Positively cosmopolitan': Britishness, respectability, and imperial citizenship5 The empire comes home: colonial subjects and the appeal for imperial justicePostscript and conclusionIndex

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Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE TELEGRAPH SPORTS BOOK AWARD FOR GENERAL OUTSTANDING SPORTS WRITING A captivating account of the Nazi Olympics – told through the voices and stories of those who were there.'Compelling, suspenseful and beautifully done' Anna Funder, author of STASILANDFor sixteen days in the summer of 1936, the world’s attention turned to the German capital as it hosted the Olympic Games. Seen through the eyes of a cast of characters – Nazi leaders and foreign diplomats, athletes and journalists, nightclub owners and jazz musicians – Berlin 1936 plunges us into the high tension of this unfolding scene.Alongside the drama in the Olympic Stadium – from the triumph of Jesse Owens to the scandal when an American tourist breaks through the security and manages to kiss Hitler – Oliver Hilmes takes us behind the scenes and into the lives of ordinary Berliners: the woman with a dark secret who steps in front of a train, the transsexual waiting for the Gestapo’s knock on the door, and the Jewish boy hoping that Germany may lose in the sporting arena. During the sporting events the dictatorship was partially put on hold; here then, is a last glimpse of the vibrant and diverse life in Berlin in the 1920s and 30s that the Nazis aimed to destroy. LONGLISTED FOR THE WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD 2018Trade ReviewEngrossing -- Matt Chilton, **Books of the Year** * Daily Telegraph *Eighty years after the events it depicts, Berlin 1936 is a small masterpiece – you actually feel like you were there… The book was originally in German, but Jefferson Chase’s translation is so perfectly judged, you’d never even notice -- Marcus Berkmann * Daily Mail, **Books of the Year** *Entertaining... A vivid collage of vignettes gleaned from diaries, police reports, snippets from newspapers, and so on. It dances from comedy to tragedy, from the ironic to the sinister, to give a picture of a darkening Germany... Hilmes has an eye for incidental detail. -- Robbie Millen * The Times *A German historian charts the Berlin Olympics day by day through a series of memorable vignettes of life under Nazism. Hilmes’ deceptively jaunty, even comic tone echoes that of the Games themselves -- Simon Kuper * Financial Times, **Books of the Year** *This book reads like a tourist guide to a city on the eve of destruction -- Gerard DeGroot * The Times, **Books of the Year** *

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Book Synopsis The result of extensive collaboration among leading scholars from across Europe, Conceptual History in the European Space represents a landmark intervention in the historiography of concepts. It brings together ambitious thematic studies that combine the pioneering methods of historian Reinhart Koselleck with contemporary insights and debates, each one illuminating a key feature of the European conceptual landscape. With clarifying overviews of such contested theoretical terrain as translatability, spatiality, and center-periphery dynamics, it also provides indispensable contextualization for an era of widespread disenchantment with and misunderstanding of the European project.Trade Review “It seems, judging by the arguments, strategies, and agenda presented in this book, that we will see a most welcome new wave of theoretical debate within and about conceptual history, which will continue to bring invaluable debates and previously unthematized phenomena into our attention.” • Contributions to the History of Concepts “This volume should be celebrated as a precious space for innovation, at a time when new methodological perspectives tend to be placed under intense scrutiny by mainstream historical scholarship. It can therefore be recommended to all readers interested in current trends and developments within historical methodology.” • J@rgonia “Taken together, these essays represent a landmark in conceptual history's theoretical and methodological development. They are a testament to its practitioners' creative and fruitful engagement with methods and approaches forged beyond the field of intellectual history. By adding layers of depth to our understanding of both concepts and the semantic fields in which they have operated, their authors go some way towards establishing a post-Koselleckian research agenda that can allow conceptual history to flourish as it expands its own horizons of possibility.” • SehepunkteTable of Contents List of Figures Introduction: Conceptual History: Challenges, Conundrums, Complexities Willibald Steinmetz and Michael Freeden Chapter 1. Europe at Different Speeds: Asynchronicities and Multiple Times in European Conceptual History Helge Jordheim Chapter 2. Multiple Transformations: Temporal Frameworks for a European Conceptual History Willibald Steinmetz Chapter 3. Concepts and Debates: Rhetorical Perspectives on Conceptual Change Kari Palonen Chapter 4. Conceptual History, Ideology and Language Michael Freeden Chapter 5. Transnational Conceptual History, Methodological Nationalism and Europe Jani Marjanen Chapter 6. Conceptual History: The Comparative Dimension Jörn Leonhard Chapter 7. Concepts, Contests and Contexts: Conceptual History and the Problem of Translatability László Kontler Chapter 8. Conceptualizing Spaces within Europe: The Case of Meso-Regions Diana Mishkova and Balázs Trencsényi Chapter 9. Conceptualizing Modernity in Multi- and Intercultural Spaces: The Case of Central and Eastern Europe Victor Neumann Chapter 10. Concepts in a Nordic Periphery Henrik Stenius Conclusions: Setting the Agenda for a European Conceptual History Javier Fernández-Sebastián Index

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Book SynopsisThe Pulitzer prizewinning biography of Peter the Great, the ruler who brought Russia from darkness into light. Against the monumental canvas of seventeenth- and eighteenth-century Europe and Russia, Robert K. Massie unfolds the extraordinary story of Peter the Great. A volatile feudal tsar with a taste for barbaric torture; a progressive and enlightened reformer of government and science; Peter the Great embodied the greatest strengths and weaknesses of Russia while being at the very forefront of her development. Robert K. Massie delves deep into Peter's life and character, chronicling the pivotal events that transformed the boy star into a national icon. His portrayal of the complexities and contradictions of this most energetic of Russian rulers brings a towering historical figure unforgettably to life.Trade ReviewEnthralling. As fascinating as a novel and more so than most * New York Times *Urgently readable... The work of a master of narrative history' * Newsweek *Exceptional * New Yorker *

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Book SynopsisAnne Boleyn is one of the most divisive figures in British history. Her love-match with Henry VIII and her subsequent execution at the Tower of London after only three years of marriage have made her the subject of heated debate and speculation. Everyone wants to know how she really felt and how and why she became queen: was she a ruthless schemer or was her death simply a tragic consequence of court politics? Unbiased descriptions of Anne are difficult to find: most were written after her death. Anne was effectively written out of history for the rest of Henry VIII’s reign, and that of his son, Edward VI. Her name was literally chiselled out of the fabric of Hampton Court, her badges and heraldry replaced by those of Jane Seymour. Historians continue to battle over her reputation today and the fascination with the life and death of Anne Boleyn lives on. This objective and informative book brings clarity to our view of Anne Boleyn, perhaps the most influential and important queen consort England ever had.Trade Review'highly informative…this is a fascinating read which really helps us understand Anne's role and importance…Pitkin books are just as collectable as ever!’ * Parents in Touch *

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Book SynopsisA dazzling short history of the Balkans from the Romans to the present, which provides vital historical and cultural background to contemporary Balkan politics.At the end of the twentieth century people spoke as if the Balkans had plagued Europe for ever. But two hundred years earlier, the Balkans did not exist. It was not the Balkans but the 'Rumeli' that the Ottomans ruled, the formerly Roman lands they had conquered from Byzantium, together with their Christian inhabitants. In this original account of the region Mark Mazower dispels current Western clichés and replaces stereotypes with a vivid account of how mountains, empires and religions have shaped its inhabitants' lives. As a bridge between Europe and Asia it has been exposed to a constant incursion of nomadic peoples across the centuries.Mazower's narrative ranges broadly both in time and in space, treating the former Turkish domains in Europe as part of a common if complex historical inheritance.

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Book SynopsisRepublished to coincide with the new ITV film, My Boy Jack? starring Daniel Radcliffe, this is the full account of the tragic life of John 'Jack" Kipling. On 27th September 1915 John Kipling, the only son of Britain's best loved poet, disappeared during the Battle of Loos. The body lay undiscovered for 77 years. Then, in a most unusual move, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC)re-marked the grave of an unknown Lieutenant of the Irish Guards, as that of John Kipling. There is considerable evidence that John's grave has been wrongly identified and for the first time in this book, the authors name the soldier they believe is buried in 'John's grave'. This is the first biography of John's short life, analysing the devastating effect it had on his famous father's work.

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Book SynopsisIn the summer of 1941, as the Germans invade Russia, newspaper reporter Vasily Grossman is swept to the frontlines, witnessing some of the most savage atrocities in Russian history. As Grossman follows the Red Army from the defence of Moscow, to the carnage at Stalingrad, to the Nazi genocide in Treblinka, his writings paint a vividly raw and devastating account of Operation Barbarossa during World War Two. Grossman’s notebooks, war diaries, personal correspondence and newspaper articles are meticulously woven into a gripping narrative and provide a piercing look into the life of the author behind recent Sunday Times bestseller Stalingrad.A Writer at War stands as an unforgettable eyewitness account of the Eastern Front and places Grossman as the leading Soviet voice of ‘the ruthless truth of war’.‘A remarkable addition to the literature of 1941 – 1945...a wonderful portrait of the wartime experience of Russia... A worthy memorial to a remarkable man’ Sunday TelegraphTrade ReviewA remarkable addition to the literature of 1941-45...a wonderful portrait of the wartime experience of Russia... A worthy memorial to a remarkable man -- Max Hastings * Sunday Telegraph *Magnificent... Any war correspondent writing today about the horrors we are still being subjected to by ideologues, mean-spirited leaders and fanatics of various shades and faiths, should take the time to read him. There is a profound humanity in his prose, an abilitity for empathy and a capacity for rage that one rarely meets -- Omer Bartov * Times Literary Supplement *Grossman, like Isaac Babel twenty years before him, lifts war correspondence to new heights * Literary Review *As a pithy account of war at its most extreme, this fascinating book will rarely be bettered -- James Delingpole * Mail on Sunday *Unforgettable... Antony Beevor and Luba Vinogradova have recovered nothing less than a lost classic of reportage -- Sean McCarthy * The Scotsman *

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Book SynopsisThe story of the gradual rise but ultimate demise of a soldier, colonial administrator and diplomat from an Irish background in the Victorian era of the British Empire. The book takes us through the life of Cornelius Alfred Moloney from his early days as a young army officer and then his career as he rose up the colonial diplomatic hierarchy to positions of seniority in West Africa and the Caribbean. As his life and career evolved, Moloney demonstrated a deep commitment to the countries and people he became responsible for and in his writings, showed this loyalty in promoting the local economies he represented. A growing appreciation and love of botany was central to his activities and the book lays out his relationship with the Botanic Gardens in Kew and how this helped him promote his botanical interests overseas, raising the botanical profile of the countries he worked in. Ultimately, a successful career ended in ignominy and an intriguing aspect of Moloney’s story is why things fell apart when they did, at a time he was at the height of his success. The book will be of interest to those keen on colonial history and the Irish contribution to empire with the twist of a person who became deeply drawn to merging the botanical and the economic interests of West Africa.

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Book SynopsisHidden Histories will help you decipher the story of our landscape through the features you can see around you.

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Book SynopsisTable of ContentsList of Abbreviations | ix List of Figures | xi List of Plates | xv Preface | xvii Introduction: The Articulate Codex, Manuscription, and Empathic Codicology | 1 1 Florentius’s Body | 11 2 Monks at Work: Grammatica and Contemplative Manuscription | 33 3 The Garden of Colophons | 64 4 Manu mea: Charters, Presence, and the Authority of Inscription | 92 5 Makers and the Inscribed Environment | 106 6 Remember Maius: The Library and the Tomb | 128 7 The Strange Time of Handwriting | 160 8 The Weavers of Albelda | 185 Conclusion: The Handy Manuscript | 207 Acknowledgments | 217 Notes | 221 Manuscripts Cited | 291 Bibliography | 293 Index | 321 Plates follow page 168

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Book SynopsisPerfect for readers of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, Cilka's Journey and The Librarian of Auschwitz - this is the international bestselling and life-affirming true story of female bravery and surviving the horrors of Auschwitz. NEW YORK TIMES Bestseller and WINNER of the Opzij Literature Prize 2019They knew their survival depended on each other. They had to live for each other. It is 1940 and the Final Solution is about to begin. The Nazis have occupied The Netherlands but resistance is growing and two Jewish sisters - Janny and Lien Brilleslijper - are risking their lives to save those being hunted, through their clandestine safehouse 'The High Nest'. It becomes one of the most important safehouses in the country but when the house and its occupants are betrayed the most terrifying time of the sisters' lives begins. This is the beginning of the end. With German defeat in sight, the Brilleslijper family are put on the last train to Auschwitz, along with Anne Frank and her family. What comes next challenges the sisters beyond human imagination as they are stripped of everything but their courage, resilience and love for each other.Trade Review...a gripping, nightmarish story * DAILY MAIL *A compelling tale * JEWISH CHRONICLE *

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