European history Books
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Germany in the Great War The Opening Year
Book SynopsisIncludes a selection of rarely seen photographs, the book looks at the war from the Central Powers' side.
£11.99
Taylor & Francis Ltd The Merovingian Kingdoms 450 751
Book SynopsisOf all Rome''s western successors, the Frankish kingdom that emerged in France, Belgium, the Rhineland and Switzerland was the longest lasting and most powerful; yet the Merovingians, who ruled it for nearly 300 years (481-751), have been harshly treated by posterity. This is partly through the hostility of the Carolingians who usurped and succeeded them, and partly because of a family history that was lurid and bloody even by contemporary standards. Ian Wood rescues them from the shadows of obscurity and contempt in this superb survey which will be required reading for all early medievalists.Table of ContentsList of abbreviations. Preface. Introduction: Constructing Merovingian History. 1. The Barbarians in Gaul. 2. Literary continuity anddiscontinuity: Late-fifth-and-sixth-century culture. 3. The establishment of Merovingian power: the Franks before 537. 4. Kings and kingdoms: the structure of the realm in the 6th century. 5. The limites of ecclesiastical power: Episocopal jurisdiction and politics. 6. Stability in disunity: the civil wars of the 6th century. 7. Laws and law-codes: Merovingian legislation. 8. Royal women: Fredegund, ~Brunhilda and Radegund. 9. Redefining the Kingdom: Chlothar II, Dagobert I, Sigibert III and Clovis II. 10. The Merovingians and their neighbours. 11. The place of the monasteries: politics and the religious life, 613-64. 12. Land, wealth and the economy. 13. The failure of consensus: Merovingian politics from 656-80. 14. The culture of churchmen: education, theology and book-production in the later 7th century. 15. The check on ambition: Merovingian politics, 680-721. 16. Towards reunification: wars and politics, 721-751. 17. The Northern Emporia: Quentovic, Dorestad and the `Sceatta' economy. 18. Mission aaccomplished: the Merovingian church east of the Rhine. Conclusion: The Merovingian achievement.
£128.25
Simon & Schuster The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich
Book Synopsis“One of the most important works of history of our time.” —The New York Times The fiftieth anniversary edition of the National Book Award-winning bestseller that is the definitive study of Adolf Hitler, the rise of Nazi Germany, the Holocaust, and World War II. This special edition features a new introduction by Ron Rosenbaum, author of Explaining Hitler and How the End Begins.No other powerful empire ever bequeathed such mountains of evidence about its birth and destruction as the Third Reich. When the bitter war was over, and before the Nazis could destroy their files, the Allied demand for unconditional surrender produced an almost hour-by-hour record of the nightmare empire built by Adolph Hitler. This record included the testimony of Nazi leaders and of concentration camp inmates, the diaries of officials, transcripts of secret conferences, army orders, private letters—all the vast paperwork behind Hitler''
£34.00
Picador USA Savage Continent
Book SynopsisWinner of the PEN Hessell-Tiltman Prize A superb and immensely important book.Jonathan Yardley, The Washington PostThe Second World War might have officially ended in May 1945, but in reality it rumbled on for another ten years...The end of World War II in Europe is remembered as a time when cheering crowds filled the streets, but the reality was quite different. Across Europe, landscapes had been ravaged, entire cities razed, and more than thirty million people had been killed in the war. The institutions that we now take for grantedsuch as police, media, transport, and local and national governmentwere either entirely absent or compromised. Crime rates soared, economies collapsed, and whole populations hovered on the brink of starvation. In Savage Continent, Keith Lowe describes a continent where individual Germans and collaborators were rounded up and summarily executed, where concentration camps were reopened, and viole
£20.80
John Wiley and Sons Ltd A Companion to Europe Since 1945
Book SynopsisA Companion to Europe since 1945, a collection of newly commissioned essays by leading scholars, offers a reflective analysis of the developments which took place in Europe during the Cold War era and also considers present-day Europe, as it has taken shape since the end of the Cold War.Table of ContentsNotes on Contributors ix Acknowledgments xi Maps xii–xiii Introduction 1Klaus Larres Part I Europe in Transition: From War to Cold War 5 1 From War to Cold War 7Mark Gilbert 2 Federalism and the Beginnings of European Union 25John Pinder Part II Europe and the Cold War World 45 3 The Cold War: The Western European Perspective 47Ian Jackson 4 The Soviet Bloc and the Cold War in Europe 67Mark Kramer 5 Economic Developments in Western and Eastern Europe since 1945 95Ian Jackson 6 The End of Empires: Decolonization and Its Repercussions 113David R. Devereux 7 European Integration: From the Common Market to the Single Market 133Desmond Dinan 8 The United States and European Integration, 1945–1990 151Klaus Larres 9 The Churches and Christianity in Cold War Europe 183Dianne Kirby 10 The End of the Cold War and the Unifi cation of the European Continent 208Carine Germond Part III Europe Since 1990: Political and Economic Developments 229 11 Transatlantic Relations since the End of the Cold War: Permanent Alliance or Partnership in Peril? 231Robert Hutchings 12 Europe and Economic Globalization since 1945 249Alfred E. Eckes Jr. 13 Economic Integration since Maastricht 270Christopher Flockton 14 Political Parties in Europe since 1945 302Roger Eatwell 15 The Genesis of a European Security and Defence Policy 323Ralph Dietl 16 Europe’s Experience of Terrorism since 1945: A Brief Overview 355Paul Wilkinson Part IV Europe Since 1990: Social and Cultural Developments 367 17 The Quest for a European Identity: A Europe without Europeans? 369Ruth Wittlinger 18 Europe and Post-Cold War Nationalism 387Claire Sutherland 19 The Participatory Revolution: New Social Movements and Civil Society 407Ingolfur Blühdorn 20 Postwar Europe: A Continent Built on Migration 432Panikos Panayi 21 Changing Norms of Masculinity and Femininity: Development in Gender Relations and Family Structures in Europe 450Laura den Dulk 22 Europe and the Welfare State since 1945 472Steen P. Mangen Index 501
£37.00
University of Texas Press Enmity and Feuding in Classical Athens
Book SynopsisMuch has been written about the world’s first democracy, but no book so far has been dedicated solely to the study of enmity in ancient Athens. Enmity and Feuding in Classical Athens is a long-overdue analysis of the competitive power dynamics of Athenian honor and the potential problems these feuds created for democracies.The citizens of Athens believed that harming one’s enemy was an acceptable practice and even the duty of every honorable citizen. They sought public wins over their rivals, making enmity a critical element in struggles for honor and standing, while simultaneously recognizing the threat that personal enmity posed to the community. Andrew Alwine works to understand how Athenians addressed this threat by looking at the extant work of Attic orators. Their speeches served as the intersection between private vengeance and public sanction of illegal behavior, allowing citizens to engage in feuds within established parameters. This mediation helpTable of Contents List of Abbreviations for Primary Sources List of Abbreviations for Journals Acknowledgments Introduction Chapter 1: The Social Dimensions of Enmity Chapter 2: The Rhetoric of Enmity as a Legal Strategy Chapter 3: The Flexibility of the Rhetoric of Enmity Chapter 4: Enmity under the Law: The Limits to Vengeance Conclusion: Personal Enmity and Public Policy Notes Works Cited Index Index Locorum
£19.79
Picador USA When Hitler Took Cocaine and Lenin Lost His Brain
Book SynopsisObscure and addictive true tales from history told by one of our most entertaining historians, Giles MiltonThe first installment in Giles Milton''s outrageously entertaining series, History''s Unknown Chapters: colorful and accessible, intelligent and illuminating, Milton shows his customary historical flair as he delves into the little-known stories from the past.There''s the cook aboard the Titanic, who pickled himself with whiskey and survived in the icy seas where most everyone else died. There''s the man who survived the atomic bomb in both Hiroshima and Nagasaki. And there''s many, many more. Covering everything from adventure, war, murder and slavery to espionage, including the stories of the female Robinson Crusoe, Hitler''s final hours, Japan''s deadly balloon bomb and the emperor of the United States, these tales deserve to be told.
£16.15
John Wiley & Sons Inc First World War for Dummies
Book SynopsisFrom the Somme to Gallipoli to the home front, First World War For Dummies provides an authoritative, accessible, and engaging introduction to the War to End All Wars.Trade Review"...this beautifully constructed and richly detailed book goes into the complicated reasons behind the start of the war and tracks its progress in an easy-to-follow manner" (On: Yorkshire Magazine, June 2014) "This book is brilliant. Well-researched and full of anything you would want to know about World War 1" (Frost Magazine, June 2014) "The author succeeds in communicating the complexities of the whole issue in a straightforward, impartial and easy-to-read style... helping the reader to understand the Great War and all its many facets" (Leopard Magazine, July 2014)Table of ContentsIntroduction 1 Part I: Origins of War 7 Chapter 1: The First World War: An Overview 9 Chapter 2: The World in 1900 29 Chapter 3: Crisis Mismanagement: Unpicking the Causes of the First World War 55 Part II: Europe at War, 1914–1916 75 Chapter 4: 1914: The First World War Starts Here 77 Chapter 5: 1915: Cunning Plans to Win the War 101 Chapter 6: 1916: The Big Battles 117 Part III: A World at War 137 Chapter 7: Welcome to the World of the Trenches 139 Chapter 8: War at Sea, War in the Air 155 Chapter 9: Turkish Delights 175 Chapter 10: The Imperial War 195 Chapter 11: America Goes to War 213 Part IV: Home Fronts 229 Chapter 12: The Civilian War 231 Chapter 13: Women at War 249 Chapter 14: Struggles for Power 265 Part V: Armistice and Aftermath, 1917–1918 and Beyond 281 Chapter 15: 1917: The Year of Big Changes 283 Chapter 16: 1918: Victory and Defeat 303 Chapter 17: Aftermath: The World After the War 323 Chapter 18: Remembering the War 343 Part VI: The Part of Tens 359 Chapter 19: Ten Key Generals of the First World War 361 Chapter 20: Ten Great First World War Films 367 Chapter 21: Ten Famous Wartime Writers and Poets 371 Chapter 22: Ten Enlightening Places to Visit 377 Index 381
£999.99
Echo Point Books & Media London Calling North Pole
£17.53
Oxford University Press Selected Letters
Book SynopsisThis selection of Cicero's letters not merely documents in detail Cicero's career but simultaneously provides a month-by-month record of the collapse of the republic and its replacement by a tyranny. It provides a vivid picture of daily life and politics in Rome, the assassination of Caesar, and Cicero's vain resistance to the rise of Mark Antony.
£11.69
Hackett Publishing Co, Inc Philoctetes
Book SynopsisFirst published in Peter Meineck and Paul Woodruff's Sophocles: Four Tragedies, this riveting translation by Peter Meineck of Sophocles' Philoctetes features a new Introduction by Paul Woodruff. "Peter Meineck has given us a superbly vivid rendering of the play, informed throughout by his practical experience in the theater. His is a Philoctetes that is supremely alive, from start to finish. . . . [I]deal for classroom use . . . accompanied by a new and thoughtful introduction from philosopher and classicist Paul Woodruff. Woodruff anchors the play in the complex web of fears and anxieties of 409 BCE, as both Sophocles' life and Athens' imperial heyday drew to a close. . . . [A]n exceptionally fine work of translation and scholarship that will go far toward demolishing dismissals of the play as inaccessible or unengaging for the modern reader. Sophocles, Meineck and Woodruff eloquently remind us, speaks to every age, not least our own."—Thomas R. Keith, Loyola University Chicago in CJ-OnlineTrade Review"An excellent translation of this always intriguing play: clear, simple, up-to-date English. . . . Clearly designed for stage performance as well as reading. Woodruff gives a good account of why the Athenian audience would have been on the edge of their seats. This translation would be appropriate for anyone doing a Classics or drama course, with or without the language. No prior knowledge of the mythological background is assumed; everything one needs to know is explained in the introduction and notes." —Colin McDonald, Journal of Classics Teaching"This translation makes a strong case for the use of Philoctetes both in the classroom and in performance. . . . A lively and energetic play with quick and exciting language. . . . The struggle of young Neoptolemus to find his way within the heroic world comes across as timely and relevant. The otherworldliness of Philoctetes' pain is perfectly rendered. . . . Paul Woodruff's Introduction is excellent. I have read this play many times and know the myth well, yet I still found myself thoroughly captivated by Woodruff’s narrative. . . . The bibliography would be a tremendous resource for an undergraduate student. All in all, this is among the best in Hackett's excellent and expanding series of Greek tragedy in translation. The combination of Meineck's skillful translation with an eye to performance and Woodruff’s enthusiastic and intelligent introduction makes this particular volume a great pleasure." —Kathryn Mattison, McMaster University, in Mouseion
£10.44
Yale University Press Disraeli
Book SynopsisA fresh, vivid look at Disraeli's life, achievements, and temperament that casts doubts on his much-touted commitment to Jewish rightsTrade Review"Superb."—Benjamin Balint, Wall Street Journal -- Benjamin Balint * Wall Street Journal * "A focused biography that derives its excellent specificity from Disraeli's writings."—Kirkus Reviews * Kirkus Reviews *“A lively, original, and revisionist account of Disraeli.”—Todd Endelman, University of Michigan -- Todd Endelman"Cesarani, the late noted Holocaust historian and award-winning author, succinctly tells the complex story of Benjamin Disraeli (1804–81) . . . . This readable portrait is a great addition to European history, biography, and Jewish collections."—Dan Kaplan, Booklist -- Dan Kaplan * Booklist *“… [an] absorbing study of Disreali the Jew”—Daniel Finkelstein, The Times -- Daniel Finkelstein * The Times *“This groundbreaking biography is a passionate and stimulating account of Disraeli as both man and myth. With pace and clarity the author, writing at the height of his powers, skillfully and intelligently unravels the enduring mystery of Disraeli's Jewishness.”—Bryan Cheyette, author of Diasporas of the Mind -- Bryan Cheyette“A vivid and illuminating new biography… [and] a crisp persuasive book.—Jonathan Freedland, the Guardian -- Johnathan Freedland * The Guardian *“This well-researched new biography uses Disreali’s wide range of novels to address fascinating questions about him and provide a close reading of his political career and shifting loyalties… Cesarani doesn’t gloss over Disreali’s weaknesses: his numerous affairs, profligacy and constant debt (only parliamentary immunity kept him out of prison). Yet his portrait of this complex figure remains sympathetic…”—Sara Jo Ben Zvi, Segula -- Sara Jo Ben Zvi * Segula *
£18.04
Birlinn General The Makers of Scotland: Picts, Romans, Gaels and
Book SynopsisDuring the first millennium AD the most northerly part of Britain evolved into the country known today as Scotland. The transition was a long process of social and political change driven by the ambitions of powerful warlords. At first these men were tribal chiefs, Roman generals or rulers of small kingdoms. Later, after the Romans departed, the initiative was seized by dynamic warrior-kings who campaigned far beyond their own borders. Armies of Picts, Scots, Vikings, Britons and Anglo-Saxons fought each other for supremacy. From Lothian to Orkney, from Fife to the Isle of Skye, fierce battles were won and lost. By AD 1000 the political situation had changed for ever. Led by a dynasty of Gaelic-speaking kings the Picts and Scots began to forge a single, unified nation which transcended past enmities. In this book the remarkable story of how ancient North Britain became the medieval kingdom of Scotland is told.
£9.99
Penguin Books Ltd Children of the Flames
Book SynopsisDuring World War II, Nazi doctor Josef Mengele subjected some 3,000 twins to medical experiments of unspeakable horror; only 160 survived. In this remarkable narrative, the life of Auschwitz's Angel of Death is told in counterpoint to the lives of the survivors, who until now have kept silent about their heinous death-camp ordeals.
£17.00
Yale University Press Wellingtons Wars
Book SynopsisArthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington lives on in popular memory as the 'Invincible General', loved by his men, admired by his peers, formidable to his opponents. This book revises such a portrait, offering an accurate - and controversial - new analysis of Wellington's remarkable military career.Trade Review“Davies offers a provocative and persuasive perspective on the duke of Wellington as a great captain.”—Publishers Weekly * Publishers Weekly *"Huw J. Davies should be congratulated on producing such an original treatment of Wellington's development."—Jonathan Eaton, Military History -- Jonathan Eaton * Military History *"Well written, with a strong human interest dimension. . . . Deserves a wide readership."—Gary Sheffield, BBC History Magazine -- Gary Sheffield * BBC History Magazine *"Highly original, audaciously irreverent and yet admirably scrupulous."—Michael Kerrigan, The Scotsman -- Michael Kerrigan * The Scotsman *
£13.99
Yale University Press Bering
Trade ReviewFinalist for the 2004 PEN American Center Literary Award in the Research Nonfiction categoryFinalist for the 2004 Caroline Bancroft Western History Prize sponsored by the Denver Public Library“A biography of Bering has long been needed and no one is better suited to write it than Orcutt Frost. Based on meticulous scholarship and a lifelong knowledge of the subject, this biography will be a revelation to anyone interested in the history of exploration.”—Glyn Williams, author of Voyages of Delusion: The Quest for the Northwest Passage
£37.11
Fairleigh Dickinson University Press Indology, Indomania, and Orientalism: Ancient
Book SynopsisInvestigating the growth of Indology (the study of East Indian texts, literature, and culture) and the diffusion of this knowledge about ancient India within nineteenth-century Germany, this work contextualizes approaches to contact by historically grounding them in a contemporary history of German culture, education, and science. It answers the historical anomaly of why Germany had more nineteenth-century experts in the academic discipline of Indology than all other European powers combined. German interest in ancient India developed because it was useful for widely varying German projects, including Romanticism and nationalism. German Indologists made successful arguments about the cultural and intellectual relevance of ancient India for modern Germany, leaving an ambiguous legacy including a deeper appreciation of South Asian culture as well as scholarly justifications for the warlike image of a Swastika-bearing Aryan master race.
£88.35
HarperCollins Publishers Courtesans and Fishcakes The Consuming Passions of Classical Athens
Book SynopsisA brilliantly entertaining and innovative history of the ancient Athenians’ consuming passions for food, wine and sex.Trade Review‘Davidson is the best thing to happen to ancient history writing for decades’Andrew Roberts, Mail on Sunday ‘There are pleasures and authors who lie dormant for a century or more until a new kind of vividness, a super-freshness descends on them. James Davidson has that skill.’Spectator ‘If little boys are still being made to learn dead languages, and expected to enjoy them, I hope their Greek master reads Davidson’s fascinating and witty book, and tells them the best stories from it. This certainly ought to wake them up at the back of the class.’Sunday Times
£14.24
£23.39
Westholme Publishing, U.S. Tatiana Romanov, Daughter of the Last Tsar:
Book SynopsisTranslated for the First Time in English with Annotations by a Leading Expert, the Romanov Family s Final Years Through the Writings of the Second Oldest Daughter Grand Duchess Tatiana Nikolaevna of Russia was the second of the four daughters of Tsar Nicholas II and his wife, the Empress Alexandra Feodorovna. Long recognized by historians as the undisputed beauty of the family, Tatiana was acknowledged for her poise, her elegance, and her innate dignity within her own family. Helen Azar, translator of the diaries of Olga Romanov, and Nicholas B. A. Nicholson, Russian Imperial historian, have joined together to present a truly comprehensive picture of this extraordinarily gifted, complex, and intelligent woman in her own words. Tatiana Romanov, Daughter of the Last Tsar: Diaries and Letters, 1913 1918," presents translations of material never before published in Russian or in English, as well as materials never published in their entirety in the West.The brisk, modern prose of Tatiana s diary entries reveals the character of a young woman who was far more than the sheltered imperial beauty as she previously has been portrayed. While many historians and writers describe her as a cold, haughty, and distant aristocrat, this book shows instead a remarkably down-to-earth and humorous young woman, full of life and compassion. A detail-oriented and observant participant in some of the most important historical events of the early twentieth century, she left firsthand descriptions of the tercentenary celebrations of the House of Romanov, the early years of Russia s involvement in World War I, and the road to her family s final days in Siberian exile. Her writings reveal extraordinary details previously unknown or unacknowledged. Lavishly annotated for the benefit of the nonspecialist reader, this book is not only a reevaluation of Tatiana s role as more than just one of four sisters, but also a valuable reference on Russia, the First World War, the Russian Revolution, and the people closest to the Grand Duchess and her family."
£999.99
Hachette Books Hannibals Oath The Life and Wars of Romes
Book SynopsisAccording to ancient sources, Hannibal was only nine years old when his father dipped the small boy''s hand in blood and made him swear eternal hatred of Rome. Whether the story is true or not, it is just one of hundreds of legends that have appeared over the centuries about this enigmatic military genius who challenged Rome for mastery of the ancient world.In this new biography, historian John Prevas reveals the truth behind the myths of Hannibal''s life, wars, and character- from his childhood in Carthage to his training in military camps in Spain, crossing of the Alps, spectacular victories in Italy, humiliating defeat in the North African desert, banishment from Carthage, and suicide. Hannibal''s Oath is an epic account of a monumental figure in history.
£999.99
C Hurst & Co Publishers Ltd The Inordinately Strange Life of Dyce Sombre:
Book SynopsisThe descendant of German and French Catholic mercenaries, a Scots Presbyterian subaltern, and their secluded Indian wives, David Ochterlony Dyce Sombre defied all classification in the North Indian principality where he was raised. Add to these influences an adoptive mother who began as a Muslim courtesan and rose to become the Catholic ruler of a strategically-placed, cosmopolitan little kingdom, which her foster son was destined to inherit, and you have the origins of a fascinating life that reflects many of the Romantic, political, and colonial trends of a century. As heir to the throne, Sombre took great advantage of the sensuous pleasures of privilege, but he lost his kingdom to the British and went into exile in London with his very considerable fortune. Despite being Indian and Catholic, Sombre married the daughter of an English Protestant Viscount, who was a prominent defender of slavery. Sombre bought himself election as a British MP but then was expelled for corruption. His treatment of his aristocratic wife led to his arrest and confinement as a Chancery lunatic. Fleeing to France, Sombre spent years trying to reclaim his sanity and his fortune from those among the British establishment who had done him down. In this thrilling biography, Michael H. Fisher recovers Sombre's strange story and the echoes of his case for modern conceptions of race, privilege and empire.Trade ReviewA wonderfully entertaining biography of a man of great wealth who spent the last decade of his life in legal limbo, trapped in a Chancery court case that hinged on his condition as a lunatic. That would be remarkable enough for the story of any Victorian gentleman, but the subject of this fascinating narrative is David Ochterlony Dyce Sombre, a gross, corpulent and rakish man who inherited the fabulous wealth of the Begum of the principality of Sardhana in India... In Fisher's writing [Dyce Sombre] comes to life as vividly as the best fictional creation, and in enjoying that human complexity, the reader also learns much about the absurdity and cruelty of Victorian family law. * Times Higher Education *Fisher presents a compelling story, one that will fascinate any scholar interested in Britain's Indian Empire or its legal consequences. -- Mary Ellis Gibson, Elizabeth Rosenthal Distinguished Excellence Professor, Department of English, University of North Carolina at GreensboroMichael H. Fisher has written a fascinating book, deeply probing questions of nationality, sanity and race with a wide knowledge of legal and medical issues. He has located over 700 published articles about this strange man, has searched volumes of court records and combed what remains of Dyce Sombre's private diary. * Times Literary Supplement *This is a quintessentially nineteenth-century story that constantly reminded me of the kinds of entanglements so central to Dickens' stories in Bleak House. The tale has a novelistic quality that Fisher adroitly brings alive even as his scholarly voice reminds us of the bigger stories that lie behind this tragic life. -- Professor Philippa Levine, University of California, BerkeleyThis is a remarkable and incredibly engaging story, one that focuses not only on Sombre's controversial career in Britain, but also his Indian childhood and his subsequent movements through the Malay Straits, Singapore, Macao, China, continental Europe and the Ottoman Empire. Sombre is a wonderful protagonist and Professor Fisher should be lauded for recovering the richness and strangeness of this remarkable individual's life. -- Professor Tony Ballantyne, Washington University, St Louis
£23.75
The Crowood Press Ltd Machine Guns of World War I: Live Firing Classic
Book SynopsisAll the guns examined in this new paperback edition of Machine Guns of World War 1 belong to the class known as "automatic" and seven classic World War 1 weapons are illustrated in some 250 colour photographs. Detailed sequences shows them in close-up:during step-by-step field stripping, and during handling, loading and live firing trials with ball ammunition, by gunners wearing period uniforms to put these historic guns in their visual context.Trade Review"A very valuable contribution to the study of the Great War." * Tank Journal *"Robert Bruce has produced a fantastic combination of highly detailed text, constructional and background information, together with realist live firing sequences. This book is a must for anyone with an interest in the weapons, uniforms and equipment from this period." * The Armourer *
£17.09
Historic England Stonehenge: A History in Photographs
Book SynopsisStonehenge is the world's most famous pre-historic monument and, since the middle of the 19th century, probably the most photographed. Using images from English Heritage's unique photographic archive (formerly known as the National Monuments Record), Stonehenge: A History in Photographs charts the last 150 years in the life of this extraordinary and iconic site. These largely unseen images touch on various moments in Stonehenge's history, from the leisurely tourism in the last years of Victoria's reign to the monument of today, a site visited each year by more than one million people from all over the world. This book is a celebration of Stonehenge, in fascinating and often very human images. The text is written by archaeologist and television presenter Julian Richards, someone with a genuine love of Stonehenge. This is a book for all who share a fascination with this magical monument. Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Introduction The antiquarian view of the ancient past The first photographs: 1853-1900 War and peace: 1901-1944 Modern times: 1950 onwards Excavation and restoration Experimentation Desecration (and harmless pranks) Presentation Celebration and protest Stonehenge in 2004 Index
£20.90
Boydell & Brewer Ltd In the Steps of the Black Prince: The Road to
Book SynopsisThe author has retraced on foot the routes taken by the Black Prince during the French campaigns of 1355-1356, enabling him to provide an entirely new dimension to the events. In 1355 the Black Prince took an army to Bordeaux and embarked on two chevauchées (mounted military expeditions, generally characterised by the devastation of the surrounding towns and countryside), which culminated in hisdecisive victory over King Jean II of France at Poitiers the following year. Using the recorded itineraries as his starting point, the author of this book walked more than 1,300 miles across France, retracing the routes of the armies in search of a greater understanding of the Black Prince's expedition. He followed the 1355 chevauchée from Bordeaux to the Mediterranean and back, and that for 1356 from Aquitaine to the Loire, to the battlefield at Poitiers, and back again to Bordeaux. Drawing on his findings on the ground, a wide range of documentary sources, and the work of local historians, many of whom the author met on his travels, the book provides a unique perspective on the Black Prince's chevauchées of 1355 and 1356 and the battle of Poitiers, one of the greatest English triumphs of the Hundred Years War, demonstrating in particular the impact of the landscape on the campaigns. Peter Hoskins is a former Royal Air Force pilot, now living in France. He combines his interest in exploration of his adopted country with his research into the Hundred Years War.Trade ReviewHoskins's attention to detail brings the fourteenth-century chevauchées to life, allowing tantalising glimpses into the social and physical aspects at play among the men. This is an enjoyable and informative work. * PARERGON *An interesting contribution to our understanding of this crucial battle. * HISTORYOFWAR.ORG *An ideal stand-alone source, built around an excellent historical narrative, useful on the spot and, critically, good maps! * DESPATCHES *The real value of this book.is in the wealth of details woven into Haskins's narrative. The constantly unfolding and changing landscape is skilfully depicted, informing the narrative analysis of strategic decisions taken. * HOBILAR *A fascinating study which enhances our understanding of the way chevauchées unfolded as well as impressing us even further with the qualities of the Black Prince and the resilience of his men. [...] It stands as a new and imaginative approach to the subject. * H-FRANCE REVIEW *This impressive study is based on Hoskins' personal knowledge of the landscape and local history, combined with the use of the chronicles and modern historical viewpoints. The author points out the difficult terrain and issues with logistical matters that impacted the expeditions. The work includes numerous photographs and maps indicating the path of the chevauchées. It is a fine addition to the literature on the Edwardian War. * INTERNATIONAL HISTORY *Well written and gives a lot of information. [...] All the essential information is there and the reader will gain insight into how the battle [of Poitiers] took place. * MEDIEVAL WARFARE *Hoskins' book is a valuable and insightful contribution to our knowledge of the road to Poitiers and the strategy of the medieval English chevauchée. His firsthand experience of the terrain, his understanding of tactics and strategy, and his careful use of the extant sources inform every page of the book, making In the Steps of the Black Prince a must for an historian of the Hundred Years War. * DE RE MILITARI *Another first-rate Boydell title. [...] I can think of few accounts of medieval warfare which read as well as this one. * LONE WARRIOR *Hoskins' book is the product of a fascinating exercise and the author's approach can be of considerable value when dealing with differences between sources. * THE MEDIEVAL REVIEW *Aided by fine maps this is a solid reconstruction of medieval warfare. * CONNEXION *
£23.74
The University of Chicago Press Evicted from Eternity The Restructuring of Modern
Book SynopsisFocuses on Rome's historic Monti district and the wrenching dislocation caused by rapid economic, political, and social change. This book tells the story of the gentrification of Monti - once the architectural home of a community of artisans and shopkeepers now displaced by an invasion of rapacious real estate speculators, and corrupt officials.Trade Review"Herzfeld draws on his formidable scholarly acumen and his vast ethnographic experience to craft an analysis that is truly distinguished. Evicted from Eternity deserves to be acknowledged for what it is: a masterpiece." - Douglas R. Holmes, author of Integral Europe: Fast Capitalism, Multiculturalism, Neofascism"
£30.00
Liverpool University Press Nazis in Pre-War London, 1930-1939: The Fate and
Book SynopsisOnce war broke out in September 1930 the Nazi Party newspaper, Völkischer Beobachter, sent its first representative to London. Soon afterwards, German residents in London established an Ortsgruppe, or local Nazi group, which provided Party members with a place to congregate and support the new movement. By 1933, more than 100 members belonged to the London group. The Nazis in pre-war London created a dilemma for the Foreign Office and the Home Office, who were divided as to how best to treat residents whose allegiance was to the German Reich. Some felt that all Nazi organizations should be banned, and Party Members should not be allowed to enter the UK. Others, including MI5, argued that it would be easier to keep track of Nazis if they were in-country. Previously unpublished German documents reveal the fate of German diplomats, journalists, and professionals, many of whom were interned in Britain or deported to Nazi Germany once war broke out on 3 September 1939. Nazis in Pre-War London is the first book to study the history of the Nazis in Britain. An Appendix lists the details concerning the nearly 400 German Party members, as well as Nazi journalists, who spent time in Britain prior to the war.Trade Review"James and Patience Barnes have engaged in some detailed detective work to uncover one of the least known and most intriguing aspects of the history of Nazism. Their study provides a fascinating insight into the previously overlooked but highly significant story of Nazi overseas operations. Neither the history of London nor the history of Nazism will look quite the same again." -- Professor Dan Stone, Royal Holloway, University of London, author of The Historiography of the Holocaust and Responses to Nazism in Britain 1933-1939: Before War and Holocaust."This study presents a great deal of valuable research on German National Socialists living in Britain, mainly London, during the 1930s, and looks at the question of Anglo-German relations from a number of interesting yet hitherto largely neglected perspectives...on offer is an almost encyclopaedic account of the individuals involved, including, where possible, their personal histories, a chronicle of events, and the scandals, incidents and intrigues that inevitably figure in such a tale of 'enemies within." Julie V. Gottlieb, University of Sheffield, European History Quarterly, 39.2
£29.66
The University of Chicago Press Elizabeth I Translations 15921598
Book SynopsisEngland's Virgin Queen, Elizabeth Tudor, had a reputation for proficiency in foreign languages, repeatedly demonstrated in multilingual exchanges with foreign emissaries at court and in the Latin she spoke on formal visits to Cambridge and Oxford. This title offers a collection of Elizabeth's translations from and into Latin, French, and Italian.
£49.50
Head of Zeus Elegy: The First Day on the Somme
Book SynopsisOn 1 July 1916, after a five-day bombardment, 11 British and 5 French divisions launched their long-awaited 'Big Push' on German positions on high ground above the Rivers Ancre and Somme on the Western Front. Some ground was gained, but at a terrible cost. In killing-grounds whose names are indelibly imprinted on 20th-century memory, German machine-guns – manned by troops who had sat out the storm of shellfire in deep dugouts – inflicted terrible losses on the British infantry. The British Fourth Army lost 57,470 casualties, the French Sixth Army suffered 1,590 casualties and the German 2nd Army 10,000. And this was but the prelude to 141 days of slaughter that would witness the deaths of between 750,000 and 1 million troops. Andrew Roberts evokes the pity and the horror of the blackest day in the history of the British army – a summer's day-turned-hell-on-earth by modern military technology – in the words of casualties, survivors, and the bereaved. Trade Review'Always highly readable, gives a succinct and cohesive overview of the day, and is hearteningly even-handed' Spectator.'Let's be honest about Somme historiography; it either comes drenched in pitying tears or in posturing outrage, but both occlude. Roberts has played it straight with a clean and lucid overview so that one can actually see and understand what happened on that day' The Times.'The book's opening chapters on the strategy and tactics of the battle provide an excellent, succinct summary of the constraints within which it was planned. Roberts rightly stresses the subordination of British planning to that of the French, and sensibly eschews the British desire to say it was undertaken to save their allies at Verdun' Evening Standard.'The shattering story of the blackest day in the history of the British Army, the first day of the Somme Offensive, through the words of casualties, survivors, and the bereaved' Military History Monthly.'A well-written, clear, moving introduction to the slaughter on the Somme and its place in wider conflict' Sunday Times.'Blending deep scholarly skill with a real literary talent' Dan Jones, Evening Standard.'By dealing with just the first day of the battle, its strategic background, tactical thinking and significance, he has produced a most digestible narrative commentary' Country Life.'Roberts's vividly written, crisply authoritative account of the first day of the battle is full of details that stick stubbornly in the mind' Daily Mail.'The best thing about this excellent book is the depth of its detail. Once the battle proper starts, Roberts describes the fighting almost regiment by regiment' Literary Review.'A short, elegantly written and above all accessible book, solidly based on recent scholarship augmented by primary research ... this is a welcome, and often very moving, contribution to the debate on a battle that, a hundred years on, remains deeply controversial' Times Literary Supplement.'Roberts explains, with great judgement, why it happened and how it happened ... He helps us to remember' i newspaper.'Roberts's succinct treatment is confined to the battle's first day ... Tragedy, not melodrama, is Roberts' commemorative homage to the bravery of hundreds of thousands who did their duty, fought, died, or were maimed' The New Criterion.'A very objective book and Roberts does not get bogged down in blame as many books about the Somme do ... [He] evokes the horror of 1st July 1916 by deftly balancing the facts with personal accounts and experiences' Eleanor Baggley, Centenary News.'[A] limpid, sober account both of the battle and of the personalities involved in its conduct' The Tablet.'Highly emotive reading' History of War.
£8.09
Zone Books Ghostly Apparitions: German Idealism, the Gothic
Book Synopsis
£25.20
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Amazing Grace
Book SynopsisAmazing Grace tells the story of the remarkable life of the British abolitionist William Wilberforce (1759-1833). This accessible biography chronicles Wilberforce''s extraordinary role as a human rights activist, cultural reformer, and member of Parliament. At the center of this heroic life was a passionate twenty-year fight to abolish the British slave trade, a battle Wilberforce won in 1807, as well as efforts to abolish slavery itself in the British colonies, a victory achieved just three days before his death in 1833. Metaxas discovers in this unsung hero a man of whom it can truly be said: he changed the world. Before Wilberforce, few thought slavery was wrong. After Wilberforce, most societies in the world came to see it as a great moral wrong.To mark the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the British slave trade, HarperSanFrancisco and Bristol Bay Productions have joined together to commemorate the life of William Wilberforce with the feature-
£15.19
HarperCollins Publishers Inc The Secret of Chanel No. 5
Book SynopsisReverently known among fragrance industry insiders as "le monstre" - the monster - Chanel Number 5 is arguably the most coveted consumer luxury product of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. This title uncovers the story of Number 5's creation, iconic status, and extraordinary success.Trade Review"[Mazzeo] explores interconnections between designer and perfume, teasing out the relationship with delicacy." -- New York Times Book Review "[In] the skilled hands of cultural historian Mazzeo, [the perfume] becomes a magnificent window through which to understand [Coco Chanel] and her milieu... Impeccable research and crafting make a seemingly narrow topic feel infinitely important." -- Kirkus Reviews "This is one case where historical fact eclipses the legend and lore of the object itself-there's much, much more than meets the nose to discover in these pages." -- Booklist "Engaging." -- Wall Street Journal "Mazzeo's lush prose...never bogs down in the details-despite the extensive research showcased in the bibliography-and a smooth pacing keeps it moving along at a fast clip. This work is definitely recommended to lovers of 20th-century cultural history, Coco Chanel, and, of course, the world's best-selling perfume." -- Library Journal "Mazzeo has written an account of the rarest of things-an international olfactory icon-that fairly rushes off the pages. Here is the life of one of the 20th century's most interesting and deeply complicated women, a fascinating cultural history, and the story of an extraordinary perfume." -- Chandler Burr, New York Times scent critic and author of The Perfect Scent "The true brilliance of The Secret of Chanel No. 5 is Tilar Mazzeo's ability to take a subject one would never have thought possible to think very deeply about and then cover it so captivatingly. Who knew that such a tiny bottle housed so many secrets?" -- Michael Tonello, author of Bringing Home the Birkin "Anyone who's ever dawdled in front of a perfume counter will love Tilar Mazzeo's fascinating history of the perfume known simply as No. 5; her rich and witty account is as compelling as the fragrance itself. " -- Karen Karbo, author of The Gospel According to Coco Chanel
£13.09
Avalonia Thracian Magic: Past and Present
£16.99
University of California Press Laughter in Ancient Rome
Book SynopsisTrade Review"'Laughter in Ancient Rome: On Joking, Tickling, and Cracking Up,' which has just been published, is an engaging exploration of what made the Romans laugh-bad breath, among other things-but it also explores dimensions of Roman sensibility that have become elusive to us." -- Rebecca Mead New Yorker "Few things are more tiresome than seeing a joke analyzed... Beard's book avoids pedantry but also its opposite, the archness that preens itself on 'not taking humor too seriously' and signals inane wordplays with 'pun intended!' More importantly, her treatment makes one look with new eyes ... even at works she does not herself discuss ... [a] stimulating book." -- Gregory Hays New York Review of Books "[Beard] makes the Romans come alive and through them, gets readers to ponder that most fundamental and uniquely human facility-laughter. The phenomenal Ms. Beard has written another cracking book, one of her best, I think." -- Yasmin Alibhai-Brown The Independent "Expect to be engaged by an enthralling book." -- Harry Mount The Spectator "[Beard's] central question is simple: what made the Romans laugh? Her answers are pleasingly complex... Beard is always enlightening, and writes with a perfect balance of forensic detail and wide-ranging intellect." The Scotsman "Superbly acute and unashamedly complex... To our vision of the solemn grandeur that was Rome, she restores a raucous, ghostly laughter." -- Iona McLaren The Telegraph "Written in Beard's trademark combination of erudition and effortless prose, Laughter in Ancient Rome is a fascinating combination of history, psychology, linguistic exploration and humor. This is scholarly writing at its best." -- Pamela Toler Shelf Awareness for Readers "You can read hundreds of books on Roman emperors and conquests; this represents a valiant attempt to bring a little understanding of a smaller, but no less important, part of what made Rome run." -- Rob Hardy Columbus Commercial Dispatch "Rich and provocative." -- Roy Gibson TLS "Like a great piece of archaeology, 'Laughter in Ancient Rome' allows us to glimpse ourselves in the cracked mirror of a distant culture." -- John Domini Washington Post "What made the Romans laugh? It's an incredible, almost childlike thought to have. But in this characteristically brilliant book by Mary Beard, this simple thought becomes a mental projection that conjures up the world of Rome as well or better than any book in recent memory." -- Jonathon Sturgeon Flavorwire "This is a very sensible, readable, and useful volume... A valuable contribution to scholarship on a difficult topic." -- Kristina Milnor Bryn Mawr "A fun read ... accessible yet academic." -- Sarah Norfolk Bookworm "Beard has posed excellent questions about Roman laughter ... Her engaging style of writing draws the reader into the discussion... A must read." -- John R. Clarke American Historical Review Beard's ability to draw together a wide array of ancient and modern references in her discussions is impressive... Laughter in Ancient Rome succeeds in leading sympathetic readers on a stimulating journey through Roman "laughterhood". PhoenixTable of ContentsPreface 1. Introducing Roman Laughter: Dio's "Giggle" and Gnatho's Two Laughs PART ONE 2. Questions of Laughter, Ancient and Modern 3. The History of Laughter 4. Roman Laughter in Latin and Greek PART TWO 5. The Orator 6. From Emperor to Jester 7. Between Human and Animal--Especially Monkeys and Asses 8. The Laughter Lover Afterword Acknowledgments Texts and Abbreviations Notes References List of Illustrations and Credits Index
£22.50
Bodleian Library German Invasion Plans for the British Isles, 1940
Book SynopsisI have decided to prepare a landing operation against England, and if necessary to carry it. — Adolf Hitler, 16 July 1940. Immediately after the fall of France in June 1940, Hitler ordered his generals to organize the invasion of Britain under a plan codenamed Operation Sealion. The objective was to land 160,000 German soldiers along a forty-mile coastal stretch of south-east England. Prior to the invasion, a complex set of documents had been drawn up, consisting of maps, aerial photographs, a physical description of the British Isles – region by region, statistics about roads, lists of strategic targets, and a short phrase book for the invading forces when it became necessary to fraternize with the local populace. This book brings together a selection of these documents and reproduces them in a handy-sized format. It includes aerial photographs of strategic sites, maps of the main urban centres (with identified targets), a detailed listing of British roads, advice for officers about how to mount an attack on each county, a brief description of the social composition of Britain, and a dictionary and phrase book. It also includes an introduction setting the material in its historical and military context. These invasion plans survive in very few numbers. This is the first time that a selection has been brought together, giving a remarkable insight into how the German army planned to invade BritainTrade Review'I have decided to prepare a landing operation against England, and if necessary to carry it out.' Adolf Hitler, 16 July 1940
£8.21
University of California Press Ghosts of Home
Book SynopsisIn modern-day Ukraine, east of the Carpathian Mountains, there is an invisible city. Known as Czernowitz, the 'Vienna of the East' under the Habsburg empire, this vibrant Jewish-German Eastern European culture vanished after World War II. This memoir chronicles the city's survival in personal, familial, and cultural memory.Trade Review"[This] monumental book ... is a stunning marriage of intellectual curiosity and personal search. [It] reads with the poignancy of memoir, yet in a collective voice... The overarching authorial voice is nuanced and reflective but also informed. " Pri's The World "Hirsch and Spitzer expose the complex layers that inform our understanding of the past." Jewish Book World "Unique ... Ghosts of Home collects the fragments of one place and provides us with an artifact that is as close as we will ever come to 'perfect rest.'" Tikkun Magazine "An interesting volume." German Studies Review "Eminently readable... Hirsch's depiction of prewar Jewish life is masterful." -- Norman Ravvin Canadian Jewish News "The ability to observe, evaluate, and contextualize habits and specific objects is one of the greatest strengths of this book." Austrian History YearbookTable of ContentsList of Illustrations Preface Part One "We would not have come without you," 1998 1 / "Where are you from?" 2 / Vienna of the East 3 / Strolling the Herrengasse 4 / The Idea of Czernowitz 5 / "Are we really in the Soviet Union?" 6 / The Crossroads Part Two The Darker Side, 2000 7 / Maps to Nowhere 8 / The Spot on the Lapel 9 / "There was never a camp here!" 10 / "This was once my home" Part Three Ghosts of Home, 2006 11 / The Persistence of Czernowitz 12 / The Tile Stove Epilogue, 2008 Chernivtsi at Six Hundred Notes Selected Readings Index
£22.50
University of California Press Beyond Anne Frank
Book SynopsisDrawing on interviews with seventy Jewish men and women who, as children, were placed in non-Jewish families during the Nazi occupation of Holland, this book paints a portrait of Holocaust survivors whose experiences were often diametrically opposed to the experiences of those who suffered in concentration camps.Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction 1. The History and Memory of Hidden Children 2. Before and During the War: The Netherlands and the Jews 3. After the War: The Jews and the Netherlands 4. "My Mother Screamed and Screamed": Memories of Occupation, War, and Hiding 5. "I Came Home, but I Was Homesick": When Both Parents Returned 6. "They Were Out of Their Minds": When One Parent Returned 7. "Who Am I?": Orphans Living with Families 8. "There Was Never a Kind Word": Life in Jewish Orphanages 9. Creating Postwar Lives, Creating Collective Memory: From the Personal to the Political Conclusion Notes Glossary References Index
£27.00
Cambridge University Press The Ancient City Key Themes in Ancient History
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£22.99
Boydell & Brewer Ltd The Companion Guide to Florence
Book Synopsis`Richly informative, an admirable piece of historical writing - offers lively interest wherever it is opened'YORKSHIRE POST This is a book to read before you go, to carry with you and to re-read on your return. SPECTATOR A sure and illuminating guide. SUNDAY TIMES The city state of Florence led the rest of the western world in art, science and political idealism in the middle ages. This early richness, the importance of the achievements of its famous sons, including Dante, Giotto, Leonardo and Michelangelo, the great quantity of visible remains, make Florence as a city to visit both alluring and challenging. In true Companion Guide manner, this book describes, with the knowledge and insight distilled from long residence in Florence, and with an art historian's eye, what is to be seen and its place in history. In discussing the Florentine monuments and their origins in the city's life, EVE BORSOOK presents a study of the ideas, events and personalities of Florence yesterday and today; she communicates to the visitor her delight in her chosen city, including those districts usually neglected by the tourist but particularly rich in Florentine life. EVE BORSOOK is a research associate at Harvard's Centerfor Italian Renaissance Studies at Villa I Tatti in Florence.
£40.44
Merrell Publishers Ltd Story of TheTower of London
Book SynopsisThis book reveals the fascinating stories, dramatic events and colorful characters that make up the Tower of London's remarkably long and varied history. Written from a social perspective, it presents a fresh appraisal of this world-famous site and sets it apart from any other available book. It offers a comprehensive history of the fortress, from its Roman origins right up to the present day. With over 200 color illustrations and a comprehensive and chronological narrative divided into thematic chapters, it conveys brilliantly the many and varied stories which make up the Tower's history - from the menagerie and royal mint to the roll call of its famous prisoners. The story of the Tower of London is, in many respects, the story of England. When building work began on the fortress, the capital was little more than a small town with no more than 10,000 inhabitants. Almost 1,000 years later, the fortress still stands as a symbol of royal power, pomp and ceremony, tradition, heritage, military might, treachery and torture. Its myriad roles are reflected in the complex series of buildings that make up this formidable, magnificent fortress - an iconic site that still attracts millions of visitors from across the world each year.
£999.99
Taylor & Francis Hannibalâs Dynasty
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£37.99
Taylor & Francis Ltd Imperial Russia 18011905
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£36.99
Harvard University Press Galileos Telescope
Book SynopsisBetween 1608 and 1610 the canopy of the night sky was ripped open by an object created almost by accident: a cylinder with lenses at both ends. Galileo’s Telescope tells how this ingenious device evolved into a precision instrument that would transcend the limits of human vision and transform humanity’s view of its place in the cosmos.Trade ReviewMakes available to the general reader one of the most fascinating stories in the history of science. -- Mark Archer * Wall Street Journal *A rich and complex story of how the Galilean telescope emerged from the Dutch spyglass. In Galileo’s Telescope, Massimo Bucciantini, Michele Camerota, and Franco Giudice—three distinguished historians of science who have written extensively on Galileo—retell this famous story in light of considerable new evidence and their own firm grasp of the twists and turns of [its] history. Fundamentally, they remind us that we need to stop looking only at Galileo… Surveying the entire European landscape in the years immediately before and after Galileo’s announcement, this book offers a comprehensive vision of how an entire world, rather than a single if singular individual, gave birth to the telescope. -- Paula Findlen * Los Angeles Review of Books *[A] hugely enjoyable book, by far the most lively and challenging book on Galileo to appear in decades…Everyone who’s ever looked up at the night sky and wondered should read it and re-make the acquaintance of the man who showed us all what we were really looking at. -- Steve Donoghue * Open Letters Monthly *Galileo’s Telescope opens the door to a whole society going through deep transformation…The book will be satisfying to anyone wanting a wider cultural perspective on this most unsettling time. -- Brian Welter * Catholic News Service *Project[s] a sense of how new ways of seeing, far from merely providing new tools, were—and are—complicated extensions of the way we understand our experience. -- Philip Ball * Nature *Galileo’s Telescope is a new account of this turning point in the history of western civilization, and its authors—three Italian history of science professors—give equal weight to the telescope’s scientific, cultural and political impacts. Translated into lucid English by Catherine Bolton, the book is full of entertaining insights and asides… Modern anxieties tend to focus on what science enables us to do, but Galileo’s Telescope reminds us that the truly subversive potential of science lies in what it enables us to imagine. -- Marek Kukula * The Spectator *Using letters, paintings and other contemporary documents, Massimo Bucciantini, Michele Camerata and Franco Giudice show, in meticulous detail, that the dissemination of Galileo’s discoveries was by no means linear and straightforward. -- Robyn Arianrhod * Times Higher Education *In broad outline, the story of Galileo and the first use of a telescope in astronomy is well known. Bucciantini, Camerota, and Giudice take a new look at this seminal event by focusing on how the news spread across Europe and how it was received. Their well-written narrative examines the central issues using papers, paintings, letters, and other contemporary documents… After four centuries [Galileo’s] reputation has been thoroughly vindicated. -- D. E. Hogg * Choice *Over six decades I have read many biographies of Galileo and his discoveries, but never have I encountered a more exciting presentation. Reading about the prompt pushback against Galileo in Florence itself was an eye-opener, to mention a special climax to this brilliantly researched and illustrated account. -- Owen Gingerich, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
£26.96
Princeton University Press The Making of Martin Luther
Book SynopsisTrade Review"Rex’s nuanced account of Luther’s theology, steeped in deep learning and wry humour, demands attention."---Susannah Monta, Times Literary Supplement"Richard Rex's new book, The Making of Martin Luther, is brilliant in exposing the hair-raising character of his theology."---Melanie McDonagh, The Spectator"Readable, free of jargon, and entertaining. . . . This is a book that teaches. Its value lies in presenting briefly and pointedly what is distinctive about Luther’s theological development rather than repeating the partisan caricatures of his thought and role produced by later generations of both his detractors and his followers."---Bradley A. Peterson, Reading Religion"A quick read packed with lots of good information, The Making of Martin Luther is a nice jumping-off point for Luther scholarship, whether you’re a believer/theologian or a secularist/agnostic/atheist." * Manhattan Book Review *"Rex’s brilliantly written biography of Luther goes from the cradle not to the grave but to the immediate aftermath of the Diet of Worms. The thread he sees as giving spiritual and intellectual unity to this period of Luther’s life is the quest for certainty. . . . Considering Rex’s own passionate Roman Catholicism, this is a remarkably sympathetic portrait of the Reformer, and it is possibly the best concise study of Luther’s early reforming career that I have read."---Carl R. Trueman, First Things"Reading this book was a rewarding experience."---Susan C. Karant-Nunn, Journal of Ecclesiastical History"[Rex] puts forward a history of Martin Luther’s progress to intransigent reformer so excellent that both admirers and critics of Luther’s achievement must agree this is the best-researched, acutely observed, deeply pondered, and objectively reported account of his shattering of the Medieval Church as an uncontested European-wide phenomenon."---Patrick Madigan, Heythrop Journal"The quincentenary of Martin Luther's 95 Theses producecl a flurry of excellent books ín 2017 and Richard Rex's The Making of Martin Luther is another such example. The Making is not in any way a traditional biography. The major accomplishment here is that Rex offers readers a fascinating, concise, and provocative overview of arguably Luther's most important years from his penning the 95 Theses (1517) to his Ore the Bondage of the Witt (1525)."---Christopher Petrakos, Anglican and Episcopal History
£19.80
Harvard University Press The Return of Lucretius to Renaissance Florence
Book SynopsisBrown demonstrates how Florentine thinkers used Lucretius—earlier and more widely than has been supposed—to provide a radical critique of prevailing orthodoxies. She enhances our understanding of the “revolution” in sixteenth-century political thinking and our definition of the Renaissance within newly discovered worlds and new social networks.Trade ReviewBrown has reconstructed, with rare skill and a discerning eye for textual detail and literary allusion, a crucial chapter in the intellectual history of the Renaissance. She uncovers not only the depth of Lucretius's influence on leading Florentine humanists and political thinkers, including Machiavelli, but also the links among them that make this a tightly knit, unified story. This original and important book is a major contribution that will challenge current orthodoxies about Renaissance philosophy and religious thought and their relation to humanism and political ideas. -- John M. Najemy, Cornell UniversityBrown unearths the roots of modern religious skepticism, atomism, and theories of the universe in the rediscovery of Epicurus and his Roman avatar Lucretius in fifteenth-century Florence. She charts the influence of his De rerum natura in the writings of Leonardo Bruni, Lorenzo Valla, Leon Battista Alberti, Marsilio Ficino, Niccolò Machiavelli, and others in a city increasingly torn by civil strife. This book is a must-read for all concerned not only with the humanist revolution in Renaissance Italy but also the origins of Enlightenment thought in Europe. -- Diana Robin, University of New MexicoAlison Brown has made an important contribution to a crucial chapter in the history of modern thought. Tracking manuscript circulation and following a complex trail of hints and buried allusions, Brown explores the ways in which an ancient poem dangerously at odds with Christian orthodoxy subtly penetrated key intellectual networks. -- Stephen Greenblatt, Harvard UniversityThe rediscovery of Lucretius during the Renaissance invited readers to wonder whether God intervened in human affairs, even as they marveled at the understated, hauntingly beautiful Latin. Lucretius and his brand of Epicureanism were important to the period in all its manifestations, and now Brown offers a groundbreaking, clearly written study that every scholar concerned with the Italian Renaissance will want to read carefully. -- Christopher Celenza, Johns Hopkins University
£34.81
Boydell & Brewer Ltd Servants in Rural Europe: 1400-1900
Book SynopsisThis is the first book to survey the experience of servants in rural Europe from the fifteenth to the nineteenth century. This is the first book to survey the experience of servants in rural Europe from the fifteenth to the nineteenth century. Live-in servants were a distinctive element of early modern society. They were typically young adults aged between 16 and 24 who lived and worked in other people's households before marriage. Servants tended to be employed for long periods, several months to years at a time, and were paid with food and lodging as well as cash wages. Both women and men worked as servants in large numbers. Unlike domestic servants in towns and wealthy households, rural servants typically worked on farms and were an important element of the agricultural workforce. Historians have viewed service as a distinct life-cycle stage between childhood and marriage. It brought both freedom and servility for young people. It allowed them to leave home and earn a living before marriage, whilst learning a range of agricultural and craft skills which reduced their dependence on their parents and increased their choice in marriage partners. Still, servants had limited rights: they were under the authority of their employer, with a similar legal status to children. In many countries the employment of servants was tightly controlled by law. Servants could demand their wages, and leave when the contract ended, but had to work long hours and had little say in their work tasksduring employment. While some servants effectively became family members, trusted and cared for, others were abused physically and sexually by their employers. This collection features a range of methodologies, reflecting the variety of source materials and approaches available to historians of this topic in a range of European countries and time periods. Nonetheless, it demonstrates the strong common themes that emerge from studying servants and will be of particular interest to historians of work, gender, the family, agriculture, economic development, youth and social structure. JANE WHITTLE is Professor of Rural History at the University of Exeter. Contributors: CHRISTINE FERTIG, JEREMY HAYHOE, SARAH HOLLAND, THIJS LAMBRECHT, CHARMIAN MANSELL, HANNE ØSTHUS, RICHARD PAPING, CRISTINA PRYTZ, RAFFAELLA SARTI, CAROLINA UPPENBERG, LIES VERVAET, JANE WHITTLETrade ReviewLinked by common themes and rigorous methodologies, the chapters of Servants in Rural Europe: 1400-1900 also constitute independent studies, each amply documented and illustrated by graphs, tables, and microhistories that will constitute an indispensable mine of data and ideas for specialists. * HISTOIRE SOCIALE/SOCIAL HISTORY *This book is a welcome contribution to the existing literature on the history of servanthood. * JOURNAL OF INTERDISCIPLINARY HISTORY *Taken together, the chapters provide an innovative analysis of the nature of live-in service within the agrarian economy and make a valuable contribution to early modern economic history. Scholars of women's history, economic history, and social history will find the articles particularly useful and insightful. * CHOICE *Table of ContentsIntroduction: Servants in the Economy and Society of Rural Europe - Jane Whittle The Employment of Servants in Fifteenth- and Sixteenth-Century Coastal Flanders: A Case-Study of Scueringhe Farm near Bruges - Lies Vervaet The Institution of Service in Rural Flanders in the Sixteenth Century: A Regional Perspective - Thijs Lambrecht A Different Pattern of Employment: Servants in Rural England c.1500-1660 - Jane Whittle Female Service and the Village Community in South-West England 1550-1650: The Labour Laws Reconsidered - Charmian Mansell Life-cycle Servant and Servant for Life: Work and Prospects in Rural Sweden c. 1670-1730 - Christina Prytz Servants in Rural Norway, c.1650-1800 - Hanne Osthus Rural Servants in Eighteenth-Century Münsterland, Northwestern Germany: Households, Families and Servants in the Countryside - Christine Fertig Rural Servants in Eastern France 1700-1872: Change and Continuity over Two Centuries - Jeremy Hayhoe The Servant Institution during the Swedish Agrarian Revolution: The Political Economy of Subservience - Carolina Uppenberg Farm service and hiring practices in mid nineteenth-century England: The Doncaster Region in the West Riding of Yorkshire - Sarah Holland Dutch Live-In Farm Servants in the Long Nineteenth Century: The Decline of the Life-Cycle Service System for the Rural Lower Class - Richard Paping Rural Life-Cycle Service: Established Interpretations and New (Surprising) Data: The Italian Case in Comparative Perspective (Sixteenth to Twentieth Centuries) - Raffaella Sarti Select Bibliography
£23.74
University of California Press An Uncommon Friendship
Book SynopsisIn 1944, 13-year-old Fritz Tubach was almost old enough to join the Hitler Youth in his German village of Kleinheubach. That same year in Tab, Hungary, 12-year-old Bernie Rosner was loaded onto a train with the rest of the village's Jewish inhabitants and taken to Auschwitz, where his whole family was murdered.Trade Review"[A] remarkable book." Jewish Journal Of S.florida
£999.99
MP-WIS Uni of Wisconsin Black Fox A Life of Emilie Demant Hatt Artist and Ethnographer
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£27.96
