European history Books

Book SynopsisThis book analyses the European Union's (EU) approach to peacebuilding in its Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) missions, and explores how this approach impacts the EU's role in international conflict management.Peacebuilding carried out through CSDP instruments has become central to the self-conception of the EU as an actor in international conflict management. EU missions and operations have, for the most part, been deployed to promote peacebuilding efforts in post-conflict situations, in particular through capacity-building, reforms and rebuilding of state structures. This book focuses explicitly on the peacebuilding dimension of the CSDP while exploring why and how the EU has adopted peacebuilding in its CSDP actions as a norm and a practice. It analyses how peacebuilding in EU missions is conceptualised, designed, governed and implemented. The book examines the extent to which EU missions and operations reflect a normative and practical commitment of the ETable of Contents1. Introduction: a quest for the EU’s role in (post-)conflict management 2. The EU and the international turn towards peacebuilding 3. CSDP machinery and peacebuilding 4. Deciding on CSDP peacebuilding actions 5. Peacebuilding through CSDP in Bosnia and Herzegovina: membership-building 6. Peacebuilding through CSDP in Mali: the long road to peace 7. Conclusion: towards and beyond peacebuilding in EU missions

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Book SynopsisMedieval Ireland is often described as a backward-looking nation in which change only came about as a result of foreign invasions. By examining the wealth of under-explored evidence available, Downham challenges this popular notion and demonstrates what a culturally rich and diverse place medieval Ireland was. Starting in the fifth century, when St Patrick arrived on the island, and ending in the fifteenth century, with the efforts of the English government to defend the lands which it ruled directly around Dublin by building great ditches, this up-to-date and accessible survey charts the internal changes in the region. Chapters dispute the idea of an archaic society in a wide-range of areas, with a particular focus on land-use, economy, society, religion, politics and culture. This concise and accessible overview offers a fresh perspective on Ireland in the Middle Ages and overthrows many enduring stereotypes.Trade Review'Clare Downham's Medieval Ireland offers a fresh and stimulating perspective on culture, politics, religion, and the arts during a crucial period in Irish history. Combining her own researches with the latest studies, Downham's lively and engaging narrative makes this book accessible to the general reader as much as the rigour of her scholarship presents new vistas to the specialist.' Benjamin Hudson, Pennsylvania State University'This thought-provoking work is the first of its kind in over a generation to survey a full millennium of Ireland's medieval history. Drawing on the latest research, the author bridges the conventional historiographical boundary marked by the Anglo-Norman invasion of 1169 and presents Ireland's social and cultural experience during the Middle Ages in all its richness. This is a subject that has fascinated generations of students who have not had, until now, a reliable textbook to guide further exploration.' Peter Crooks, Trinity College Dublin'Clare Downham's Medieval Ireland is by far the most up-to-date, balanced and scholarly introduction to the whole history of Ireland in the millennium from the beginnings of literacy to the end of the Middle Ages. It is quite remarkably successful in its coverage not just of all periods but of all the main strands of history, religious and artistic as well as economic and political. For any course that seeks to cover the medieval history of these islands, it will be a foundational text.' Thomas Charles-Edwards, University of Oxford'Surprisingly few histories of medieval Ireland have ever been written, almost all of which focus on either the early or the later Middle Ages. The great benefit of Downham's book is that it straddles both, and does so on the whole skilfully, knowledgeably and accurately.' Sean Duffy, Trinity College DublinTable of ContentsIntroduction; Part I. Early Medieval Ireland AD 400–1100: 1. Ireland in the fifth century; 2. Land use and economy AD 500–1100; 3. Society AD 500–1100; 4. Politics AD 500–1100; 5. Religion AD 500–1100; 6. The arts AD 500–1100; Epilogue to Part I; Part II. Late Medieval Ireland AD 1100–1500: 7. Landscape and economy AD 1100–1500; 8. Society AD 1100–1500; 9. Politics AD 1100–1500; 10. Religion AD 1100–1500; 11. The arts AD 1100–1500; Conclusion.

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Book SynopsisFirst published in 1955, with a revised edition appearing five years later, H. G. Adler''s Theresienstadt, 19411945 is a foundational work in the field of Holocaust studies. As the first scholarly monograph to describe the particulars of a single camp - the Jewish ghetto in the Czech city of Terezin - it is the single most detailed and comprehensive account of any concentration camp. Adler, a survivor of the camp, divides the book into three sections: a history of the ghetto, a detailed institutional and social analysis of the camp, and an attempt to understand the psychology of the perpetrators and the victims. A collaborative effort between the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and the Terezin Publishing Project makes this authoritative text on Holocaust history available for the first time in the English language, with a new afterword by the author''s son Jeremy Adler.Trade Review'Adler's Theresienstadt 1941–1945, completed in London and first published in German in 1955, is monograph as monument. … A meticulous chronicle that is at once a sober and self-aware sociology of the absurd, a memoir in which the writer does not appear, and a penetrating ethnographic study. … Both a masterpiece of scholarship and a literary event …' J. Hoberman, BookForum'The value of Adler's work is that it does not just deal with one ghetto, but with the exercise of particular forms of power and the possibilities of human autonomy, with the 'coerced community' and the 'administered human being'. In this way, as Adler's son Jeremy points out in his afterword, it has exercised a profound influence on later writers, from Raul Hilberg and Hannah Arendt, to W. G. Sebald.' Peter Pulzer, The Times Literary Supplement'This immensely significant and moving chronicle is an indispensable resource. Essential.' J. Hardin, Choice'More than sixty years after its original publication, H. G. Adler's Theresienstadt remains indispensable to anyone who has more than a casual interest in what was among the most perverse and strange sites of incarceration in the Nazi empire. Although sadly few people realize it, Adler's book is also essential reading for anyone engaged in trying to understand the Holocaust.' Ben Barkow, German Historical Institute London Bulletin'Adler draws capably on ideas from anthropology, economics, education, ethics, Judaism, penology, philosophy, political science, and other such fields… It belongs in every library, public and private, that would house the best in Holocaust scholarship.' Arthur Shostak, The European LegacyTable of ContentsPart I. History: 1. The Jews in the 'Protectorate', 1939–41; 2. Theresienstadt: history and establishment; 3. Deportations to and from Theresienstadt; 4. Closed camp: November 1941/July 1942; 5. 'Ghetto': July 1942/summer 1943; 6. 'Jewish settlement area': summer 1943/September 1944; 7. Decline and dissolution; Part II. Sociology: 8. Administration; 9. The transport; 10. Population; 11. Housing; 12. Nutrition; 13. Labor; 14. Economy; 15. Legal conditions; 16. Health conditions; 17. Welfare; 18. Contact with the outside world; 19. Cultural life; Part III. Psychology: 20. The psychological face of the coerced community.

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Book SynopsisThis life of Lorenzo the Magnificent's eldest son provides a portrait of an aspiring Renaissance ruler, and explains the crisis in Italy that caused his political downfall and exile. A musician, poet, sportsman, patron of the arts and exile, Piero illuminates the Renaissance at the moment of its transition from a civic to a princely culture.Trade Review'In this detailed, compelling biography, Piero de' Medici emerges as far more complex and subtle than historians have previously credited. Brown reveals his attempts to navigate an almost-impossible situation as emblematic of the wider transformation of political morality and culture in Italy provoked by the crisis of the 1490s.' Nicholas Scott Baker, Macquarie University, Sydney'Alison Brown, premier historian of Renaissance Florence, crafted a compelling, revisionist biography of Lorenzo the Magnificent's ill-fated son and heir Pero. The book is carefully researched in the Medici papers and engagingly written. A must read on the Florentine Republic's decline during the disastrous wars that crushed independent Italian city-states.' Melissa M. Bullard, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill'Brown's magisterial and elegantly-written study provides the first detailed examination of the career of Piero di Lorenzo de' Medici and offers, in the process, an entirely new perspective on Florentine and Italian politics at the time of the French invasion at the end of the fifteenth century.' William Caferro, Vanderbilt University, Nashville'Lorenzo the Magnificent's son Piero was blamed for the collapse of the Florentine republic, surrendering to France in 1494. Using overlooked Medici letters, Brown reveals how his attempt to emulate the acrobatic politics of his father, balancing the powers of Italy and his own roles of prince and citizen, drove him to desperation.' Dale Kent, University of California, Riverside'Brown expertly uses a wealth of unpublished letters to reconstruct the cultural tensions of Piero's life before exile and his fruitless search for repatriation in the complex world of Italian politics. A splendid work that brings new light to a critical period of Italian history.' John Najemy, Cornell University, New York'This is an impressive monograph that fills a surprising gap in the historiography … It is archival sleuthing and research at its best. The book adds new nuance to this previously shadowy figure, and in doing so provides a stronger foundation for future studies on the politics of the Italian Peninsula, especially Florence, in the late Quattrocento.' Brian J. Maxson , H-NetTable of ContentsIntroduction; Part I. The Early Years: 1. Piero's childhood; 2. Family backgrounds; 3. Education under Poliziano's tutelage; 4. Political tyro at home and abroad, 1484–86; 5. Marrying into the Roman aristocracy, 1487–88; 6. The choice of Hercules: between duty and pleasure, 1488–89; 7. Piero as Lorenzo's deputy, 1490–91; Part II. Between Republicanism and Princely Rule: 8. Cultural patronage and sportsmanship; 9. Ruling as patrons in Florence's dominium and beyond; Part III. Piero in Power: 10. Lorenzo's death and its aftermath, 1492; 11. Balancing power in Italy, 1493; 12. 'The Viper with its tail in Florence', 1493–94; 13. The crux: 1494; 14. The French Descent; 15. Revolution in Florence; Part IV. Piero in Exile: 16. Perambulating Italy, 1494–97; 17. 'Contamination in the labyrinth': networking in exile; 18. The last years, 1498–1503; 19. Piero's burial and legacy; Conclusion: 20. Power and legitimacy in Renaissance Italy.

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Book SynopsisThe Geography of Strabo is the only surviving work of its type in Greek literature, and the major source for the history of Greek scholarship on geography and the formative processes of the earth. In addition, this lengthy and complex work contains a vast amount of information on other topics, including the journey of Alexander the Great, cultic history, the history of the eastern Mediterranean in the first century BC, and women''s history. Modern knowledge of seminal geographical authors such as Eratosthenes and Hipparchos relies almost totally on Strabo''s use of them. This is the first complete English translation in nearly a century, and the first to make use of recent scholarship on the Greek text itself and on the history of geography. The translation is supplemented by a detailed discussion of Strabo''s life and his purpose in writing the Geography, as well as the sources that he used.Trade Review'… students of Strabo have been given a gift indeed, and we should await the second volume of this project with great anticipation.' Lee E. Patterson, The Classical ReviewTable of ContentsIntroduction; The translation; Appendix 1. Glossary of untranslated words; Appendix 2. The sources of the fragments.

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Book SynopsisLike Cromwell and Wolsey before him, William Paget came from nowhere to become one ofHenry VIII''s most powerful ''new men''. After serving as ambassador to the Court of Francis I ofFrance, he became Henry''s most influential foreign policy advisor and developed a closerelationship with Emperor Charles V. He had the king''s ear in Henry''s later years, was thekey player in drafting his will ( was it a forgery?) and in enabling Somerset to become LordProtector in the reign of the boy king, Edward VI. For a while, he was Somerset''s ''right-handman''.When Somerset fell, Paget was imprisoned in the Tower and nearly executed. But he survivedand regained power. He had a major role in delivering the Crown to the Catholic queen, Mary,and in arranging her marriage to Philip II of Spain, whom he then advised on English politics. Hekept in with the Protestant princess Elizabeth and survived to have influence when she came tothe throne.William was the founder of the aristocratic Paget family - Ba

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Book SynopsisRussia''s engagement with Germany on the Eastern Front during World War II was ferocious, unprecedented and bloody, costing millions of civilian and military lives. In this challenging new book, Lee Baker distinguishes myth from reality and deflates the idea that this war, while gargantuan in scale, was in essence a war like any other. Trade Review‘It’s to be welcomed when an author makes it his aim to close the gap between public perception and historiography. This is the goal of the Seminar Studies Series in which this slim overview by Lee Baker has appeared... The military operations and the battles are the historical focus of this volume. Baker succeeds in delivering a fascinating yet concise portrayal of events, illustrated through a selection of documents.’ - Reviewed by Jahrbücher für Geschichte Osteuropas (Annals of the History of Eastern Europe)Table of ContentsContentsAcknowledgmentsList of MapsList of PlatesChronologyWho’s WhoGlossaryMapsPart One: Analysis 1. Introduction2. The Background a. The Origins of the War on the Eastern Frontb. Planning ‘Operation Barbarossa’c. Soviet Preparations for War3. 22 June 1941: The Invasiona. The Border Battlesb. The Battle for Leningradb. The Battle for Kievc. The First Major German Defeat: Rostovd. Mass Murder in the USSRd. The Battle for Moscow4. The War turns against the Germans, 1942-43a. ‘Operation Blue’b. The Battle for Stalingradc. German Efforts to Halt the Red Armyd. The Partisansd. Operation Citadel5. The Soviet Union on the Offensivea. Battles for the Ukraineb. Relief of Leningradc. ‘Operation Bagration’d. The Destruction of Army Groups North and Southd. The Battle for Berlin6. AssessmentPart Two: Documents1. Nazi-Soviet Pact, 23 August 19392. Hitler Letter to Mussolini, 21 June 19413. Directive for ‘Operation Barbarossa’4. Directive for Special Areas during ‘Barbarossa,’ 13 March 19415. Decree for the Conduct of Courts-Martial in the East, 13 May, 19416. ‘Commissar Decree,’ 6 June, 19417. Stalin’s Speech on 3 July, 19418. Decree on Treatment of Civilians, 23 July, 19419. Halder’s Diary, 3 July 194110. Halder’s Diary, 11 August 194111. Field Marshal Walter von Reichenau’s order, 10 October, 194112. Hitler comments on motorization, 29 October, 194113. Order for German forces to go on the defensive, 8 December 194114. Hitler comments on the winter, 12 and 17 January, 194215. Order for ‘Operation Blue,’ 5 April 194216. Soviet order concerning discipline in the Red Army, 28 July, 194217. A German Witness to a mass shooting, 5-6 October, 194218. A German soldier describes the retreat in the Ukraine, summer 194319. ‘Fortified Areas’ Order, 8 March 194420. A Soviet soldier on combat during ‘Operation Bagration, 29 June, 194421. A German Soldier on the Eastern Front, 14 January, 1945.22. Decree for the destruction of German industry, 30 March 194523. Hitler’s Last Proclamation to the Eastern Front, 15 April 1945Guide to Further ReadingReferencesIndex

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Book SynopsisA superb biography, which paints a vivid picture of the times and of her subject' Daily TelegraphFascinating, compelling, outrageous and ultimately tragic' Simon Sebag MontefioreIt is the best royal biography I have read in years' A.N. WilsonFrom the Duff Cooper Prize-winning author of The Restless Republic, a remarkable biography of one of the most intriguing figures of the Restoration era.James, Duke of Monmouth, the favoured illegitimate son of Charles II, was born in exile the year his grandfather Charles I was executed and the English monarchy abolished. Abducted from his mother on his father's orders, he emerged from a childhood in the backstreets of Rotterdam to command the ballrooms of Paris, the brothels of Covent Garden and the battlefields of Flanders.Such was his appeal that when the monarchy itself came under threat, the cry was for Monmouth to succeed Charles II as king. He inspired both delight and disgust, adulatioTrade ReviewIn Anna Keay’s fine biography, this tragic finale is rendered still more bitter by her unfolding of Monmouth’s past career, his ever-changing hopes and fears … Keay provides a fascinating portrait of the slippery, charismatic Charles II, and of his genuine love for his son … The brilliance of Keay’s account lies in her ability to convey the subtle intricacies of diplomacy and royal ambition … Yet, she also keeps a clear focus on Monmouth’s private story ... Keay tells the story with heart-breaking crispness -- Jenny Uglow * Guardian *Brilliant and revelatory ... Anna Keay has written a superb biography, which paints a vivid picture of the times and of her subject. She has an instinctive feel for character and place, and combines elegant prose with a novelistic gift for narrative. Above all, she has rescued this much-traduced and forgotten royal rebel from the backwaters and set him once more at the centre of one of Britain’s great historical whirlpools * Daily Telegraph *Substantial ... The strength of this admirable biography is that it makes the reader consider Monmouth from Monmouth’s point of view, without the benefit of hindsight ... Here is Monmouth, and here is his world. It is a considerable achievement -- Andrew Taylor * The Times *A beautifully written book, with a superb feel for 17th century society and international intrigue as well as a masterful ability to depict the lived reality of Stuart London, Flanders and Paris. Anna Keay has provided not just a great life of a long forgotten royal rebel and revived his place in popular politics, but also a compelling account of British history during one of its most dangerous and tumultuous eras -- Tristram HuntWritten with the flair of a novelist and the punctilious skill of a forensic historian, this book tells one of the most riveting chapters of Stuart history … It is the best royal biography I have read in years, and it deeply enhanced my knowledge of the seventeenth century -- A. N. WilsonAnna Keay's fascinating, compelling, outrageous and ultimately tragic The Last Royal Rebel delivers, with scholarly authority, political acumen, exciting narrative and a worldly, playful eye for drama, character and detail a vivid political–personal portrait of the hitherto-neglected Monmouth but also a shrewd study of Charles II, his dangerous, seductive, amoral court and Restoration England – and of a golden youth doomed -- Simon Sebag MontefioreAnna Keay has effectively turned [the] old-fashioned, censorious judgment of Monmouth on its head by making him the hero of his own story. It is a bold approach, and this vividly told story will remain in the reader’s memory long after the last page of Keay’s book has been turned. No one can deny that Monmouth’s life was anything other than dramatic … Keay’s real achievement in this book is not so much a re-evaluation of Monmouth himself, though that may be well overdue, but her deft analysis of 17th-century personalities and politics … Keay has brought a period almost lost to popular history compellingly alive * Literary Review *‘Admirable ... Keay is a winning guide to the man and the period; this is an account not just of James but of one of the most interesting and fruitful periods of English history ... And she does it without jargon, making the personal as political as it in fact was ... She brings James, Duke of Monmouth, back to life * Evening Standard *Returns this glamorous rebel to life. One contemporary described him as someone who lived ‘in a mad ramble after pleasure’, and Keay colourfully recreates that mad ramble: womanising, dangerous sports and princely extravagance. The writing is lively and fast-paced … A vivid, easy read … Tragedy lends Monmouth’s story piquancy. Keay makes the most of his doomed heroism * Mail on Sunday *Keay’s study of Monmouth, the first for many years, is meticulous in its attention to scholarly detail and invaluably fills a gap in the historiography. But what distinguishes her as as biographer is her unflagging appetite for the drama and poignancy of the story, and her skill and fluency in portraying it. I can’t remember the last time I read a historical biography that so vividly evokes the atmosphere of another age, whether it be the Caroline palaces of the era or the flat, watery darkness of the battlefield at Sedgemoor * Spectator *Powerful ... [A] penetrating and superbly researched biography * Country Life *Fans of Hilary Mantel are bound to enjoy this new biography of a figure from a fascinating period. Keay provides a lively account of the licentious Restoration court … Ambitious and scholarly … Enjoyable, and should do for the Stuarts what Mantel has done for the Tudors * The Lady *Splendid … Plotted like a novel, full of riveting detail, The Last Royal Rebel offers a vivid portrayal of politics in the dynastic age, when bloodlines ruled and accidents of nature swayed the fate of nations * Wall Street Journal *Grounded in mastery of a formidable archival record … Keay displays a gift for eye catching detail, complemented by knowledgeable explanations … Her enthusiasm is infectious * Times Literary Supplement *Viscerally compelling ... The Last Royal Rebel is the very best sort of historical work. It is based on the meticulous use of an eclectic array of primary sources, and represents substantial painstaking and well-documented research. The action, intrigue, romance, and suspense drive the reader relentlessly toward the stirring conclusion * Royal Studies Journal *

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Book SynopsisThe 1745 Jacobite Rebellion was a turning point in British history. When Charles Edward Stuart, commonly known as the Young Pretender, sailed from France to Scotland in July 1745, and with only a handful of supporters to claim the throne for his exiled father, few people within Britain were alarmed. But after he raised the Stuart standard at Glenfinnan in the Western Highlands, destroyed a contingent of the British army at Prestonpans near Edinburgh, and then marched south into England, swiftly reaching Derby, the rising threatened to destabilise the British state, dethrone King George and the Hanoverian dynasty, while disrupting Britain's military capability in Europe and colonial activities in America and beyond. Less than four decades after the controversial Act of Union between Scotland and England, arrogance and incompetence on the part of government ministers had allowed the small danger Charles and his Jacobite army had initially posed to escalate into a full-scale civil war: paTrade ReviewA gripping, panoramic and timely account of the greatest eighteenth-century crisis to menace the Union of Great Britain -- Tom HollandSubstantial, deeply researched and fast-moving, it mingles the thrill of revolt with a careful analysis of international contexts and motives * Literary Review *A fresh and historically convincing perspective … An enthralling narrative [and] and a work of penetrating insight and dispassionate balance, which is captivating from start to finish -- Guardian * Colin Kidd *Page-turning, impeccably researched ... weaves a more complex tale than is taught in schools either side of the border * Tribune *A lively read, combining a good and succinct military account within wider and political social context ... I enjoyed and recommend -- Book of the Month * Military History Magazine *Her specialism in fine art, heritage and architecture means the book has an unusually acute sense of person and place … It is both scholarly and readable, with 60 bite-sized chapters each presenting a detailed, vivid part of a complex rebellion * BBC History Magazine *Jacqueline Riding’s Jacobites brilliantly captures the extraordinary daring of Bonnie Prince Charlie’s ’45, and takes us step-by-step to the final disaster at Culloden. This is the definitive modern account of the Jacobite Rising -- George Goodwin, author of 'Benjamin Franklin in London' and 'Fatal Rivalry: Henry VIII, James IV and the Battle for Renaissance Britain'Riding will expand even specialists’ knowledge of the ’45 because of her use of new source material, but her vivid storytelling and lively characterisation will also attract the general reader … She provides fascinating biographical details of the Jacobite leaders and skilfully uncovers their mutual suspicions and divisions. This is a well-researched and honourable attempt at an impartial history. * Tablet *For those who know nothing about the rebellion, Jacobites is an excellent place to begin. For those who know much about the subject, Jacqueline Riding provides a comprehensive, fair-minded and well-researched account. She will lead every reader, whatever their expertise, on an exciting and highly entertaining journey -- Paul Monod * Court Historian *One of the most incisive accounts of the second Jacobite uprising under Bonnie Prince Charlie succeeds by putting hard-headed analysis before hindsight … A forensic and accomplished account .. It is an immensely rigorous and meticulous book, but the narrative momentum never flags … Riding has done sterling service in providing one of the most nuanced and sophisticated histories of the ’45. Time and again, it offers fresh perspectives and interesting angles -- Stuart Kelly * Scotland on Sunday *Jacqueline Riding achieves a remarkable feat in producing a history which is both compulsively readable and factually packed. Having brilliantly toured the political situation of mid eighteenth-century Western Europe, she takes us along on the political (and then military) campaign trail with the Young Pretender. But the triumph of Riding’s new account of the 1745 rebellion is that, as we move from Rome, through Paris, to Scotland and England, we are taken grippingly from romance to comedy, and even high farce, before the eventual tragedy * Catholic Herald *The use of contemporary accounts, especially from women, offers a different and compelling perspective to events ... Even-handed, refreshingly free of jargon ...[it reads] like a thoroughly researched adventure story * Library Journal *A meticulously researched work of great scholarship. The author writes with flow and panache and the book is immensely readable. -- Maggie Craig, author of 'Damn' Rebel Bitches: The Women of the '45' * goodreads *Witty and psychologically astute … impeccably researched yet vigorously paced … Riding has mined the archives to retrieve lost voices and her panoramic vision lets us hear the evolution of a national discourse * Country Life *

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Book SynopsisLondon abounds with all manner of ludicrous laws, and not all of these curious statutes have been relegated to the past. Despite the efforts of the Law Commission there are medieval laws that are still in force, and the City of London and its livery companies have their own legal oddities. Laws are made in the capital because parliament is here; so are the Old Bailey, the Law Courts, the House of Lords and, now, the Supreme Court. The privy council, which sometimes has to decide cases, also sits in London, and there were other courts that used to sit in London, from prize courts concerning war booty to ecclesiastical courts. Having maintained its ''ancient rights and freedoms'' under Magna Carta, the City felt free to enact its own laws, many of which seem to have had to do with what people could wear. Until quite recently, for example, a man could be arrested for walking down the street wearing a wig, a robe and silk stockings - unless he was a judge. And

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Book SynopsisThe First World War was one of the costliest conflicts in history, much of it fought over a narrow and bloody swathe of France and Flanders. At the outbreak of war, it was anticipated that conventional battle would bring a quick resolution, but four years later, strategy, tactics and the material of war had changed almost beyond recognition. For most of that time, the two sides had been locked in the stalemate of trench warfare, a battle conducted along a Western Front of over 400 miles, in which almost 3 million men were killed.In this anniversary edition, World War I trench expert Stephen Bull provides a complete picture of trench warfare on the Western Front, from the construction of the trenches and their different types.Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction Western Front Chronology The Armies of 1914 and the Problem of Attack The Beginning of the Trenches ‘Trenchtown’ New Weapons and Tactics Gas Raiding and Sniping Mining Concrete and Stellungsbau The Tank ‘Over the Top’ Conclusion Notes Select Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisA fascinating insight into how the people of Chatham coped with the problems of the First World War

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Book SynopsisA further volume in Jerry Murland's series of Battleground books on the France and Flanders Campaign 1940, leading to the Dunkirk Evacuation.

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Book SynopsisExam board: OCRLevel: A LevelSubject: History First teaching: September 2015First exams: AS: Summer 2016, A Level: Summer 2017An OCR endorsed resourceSuccessfully cover Unit Group 2 with the right amount of depth and pace. This bespoke series from the leading History publisher follows our proven and popular approach for OCR A Level, blending clear course coverage with focused activities and comprehensive assessment support.- Develops understanding of the period through an accessible narrative that is tailored to the specification content and structured around key questions for each topic- Builds the skills required for Unit Group 2, from explanation, assessment and analysis to the ability to make substantiated judgements- Enables students to consolidate and extend their topic knowledge with a range of activities suitable for classwork or homework- Helps students achieve their best by providing step-by-step assessment guidance and practice questions- Facilitates revision with useful summaries at the start and end of each chapter- Ensures that students understand key historical terms and concepts by defining them in the glossary

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Book SynopsisBuild, reinforce and assess students' knowledge throughout their course; tailored to the 2016 CCEA specification and brought to you by the leading History publisher, this study and revision guide combines clear content coverage with practice questions and sample answers.- Ensure understanding of the period with concise coverage of all Unit content, broken down into manageable chunks- Develop the analytical and evaluative skills that students need to succeed in A-level History- Consolidate understanding with exam tips and knowledge-check questions- Practise exam-style questions matched to the CCEA assessment requirements for every question type, including source-based examples- Improve students' exam technique and show them how to reach the next grade with sample student answers and commentary for each exam-style question- Use flexibly in class or at home, for knowledge acquisition during the course or focused revision and exam preparation

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Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE HISTORICAL WRITERS' ASSOCIATION CROWN AWARDS 2022 ‘Compelling and often horrifying’ THE TIMES Best Paperbacks of 2022 The epic, moving stories of Britain's search to recover, identify and honour the missing soldiers of the First World War By the end of the First World War, the whereabouts of more than half a million British soldiers were unknown. Most were presumed dead, lost forever under the battlefields of northern France and Flanders. In The Searchers, Robert Sackville-West brings together the extraordinary, moving accounts of those who dedicated their lives to the search for the missing. These stories reveal the remarkable lengths to which people will go to give meaning to their loss: Rudyard Kipling's quest for his son's grave; E.M. Forster’s conversations with traumatised soldiers in hospital in Alexandria; desperate attempts to communicate with the spirits of the dead; the campaign to establish the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior; and the exhumation and reburial in military cemeteries of hundreds of thousands of bodies. It was a search that would span a century: from the department set up to investigate the fate of missing comrades in the war’s aftermath to the present day, when DNA profiling continues to aid efforts to recover, identify and honour these men. As the rest of the country found ways to repair and move on, countless families were consumed by this mission, undertaking arduous, often hopeless, journeys to discover what happened to their husbands, brothers and sons. Giving prominence to the personal battles of those left behind, The Searchers brings the legacy of war vividly to life in a testament to the bravery, compassion and resilience of the human spirit.Trade ReviewThis carefully researched and beautifully written book reveals the determination of the families of those who have lost loved ones killed in war to find out what happened to them and where their bodies lie. Each year at the Cenotaph, a memorial whose origins are described here in fascinating detail, we see the public manifestation of a private grief that never fades. There may be a commemorative tomb in Westminster Abbey but there is in truth, as Sackville-West explains, no such thing as an Unknown Warrior -- David DimblebyA deeply sad but fascinating topic ... Beautifully written -- Michael Portillo * TimesRadio *Remarkable -- John Carey * Sunday Times *Robert Sackville-West writes tenderly about death and remembrance … [He] handles this grim subject with grace. The excruciatingly personal stories he tells convey perfectly that desperate need for closure that so many grieving relatives felt … His gentle book is fascinating, but never sensational or gratuitously maudlin -- Gerard DeGroot * The Times *Carefully researched and utterly riveting * Sunday Telegraph *A fascinating, moving account … A hidden piece of First World War history is revealed in this sensitive and engrossing study * i paper *Deeply moving ... [Sackville-West documents] all these grim stories with compassion * Daily Mail *A scholarly and moving account of those who searched, privately and officially – and still search – for the missing … Reflects on the meaning of the war’s sacrifice and how to commemorate it * Country Life *

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Book Synopsis‘The million British dead have left no books behind. What they felt as they died hour by hour in the mud, or were choked horribly with gas, or relinquished their reluctant lives on stretchers, no witness tells. But here is a book that almost tells it……Mr Gristwood has had the relentless simplicity to recall things as they were; he was as nearly dead as he could be without dying, and he has smelt the stench of his own corruption. This is the story of millions of men – of millions.’ – H. G. Wells, from the prefaceIn The Somme and its companion The Coward, first published in 1927, the heroics of war and noble self-sacrifice are completely absent; replaced by the gritty realism of life in WWI for the ordinary soldier, and the unflinching portrayal of the horrors of war. Written under the guidance of the master storyteller H. G. Wells, they are classics of the genre.The Somme revolves around a futile attack in 1916 during the Somme campaign. Everitt, the central protagonist is wounded and moved back through a series of dressing stations to the General Hospital at Rouen. Both in and out of the line he behaves selfishly and unheroically, but despite this his circumstances and the conditions around him make his actions easy to understand. Based on A D Gristwood’s own wartime experiences, critics have said that few other accounts of the war give such an accurate picture of trench life.The Coward concerns a man who shoots himself in the hand to escape the war, during the March 1918 retreat – an offence punishable by death. He gets away with it, but is haunted by fear of discovery and self-loathing.Trade ReviewTogether, these works offer a vivid, immersive view of the First World War and the suffering it inflicted on the men who fought it. * Books Monthly *

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Book SynopsisThe sweeping story of the city of Rome, told through twenty-two moments that shaped its history. ***A Times History Book of the Year*** 'Vivid, pacey... Superb' The Times. 'Grand narrative underpinned by serious reading' Guardian. 'Confident, elegant... Admirably ambitious' Daily Mail. From Romulus and Remus to the films of Fellini, Rome has always exerted a hold on the world's imagination. Now Ferdinand Addis brings the city of Rome to life by concentrating on vivid episodes from its long and unimaginably rich history. Each beautifully composed chapter is an evocative, self-contained narrative, whether it is the murder of Caesar; the near-destruction of the city by the Gauls in 387 BC; the construction of the Colosseum and the fate of the gladiators; Bernini's creation of the Baroque masterpiece that is St Peter's Basilica; the brutal crushing of republican dreams in 1849; the sinister degeneration of Mussolini's first state, or the magical, corrupt Rome of Fellini's La Dolce Vita. This is an epic, kaleidoscopic history of a city indelibly associated with republicanism and dictatorship, Christian orthodoxy and its rivals, high art and low life in all its forms. REVIEWS FOR ROME: 'Superb... Rome's history is written in blood and Addis, who has a vivid, pacey writing style, spares not the squeamish as he describes three millennia of violence from the first kings to Il Duce' The Times. 'This is a confident, elegant account of the city's progress... [Addis's] version is admirably ambitious and succeeds splendidly in a task that would daunt lesser authors' Daily Mail. '[Addis] brings Rome's history alive through grand narrative... The snappy paragraphs are underpinned by serious reading... Addis's chosen formula is to serve up selected highlights but to come at them from quirky angles' Guardian. 'From its ancient foundation to the Second World War, via Gauls, ghettos and gladiators, its 22 chapters focus on the themes of individuals, myths and beliefs' BBC World Histories. 'He brings the myth of Rome alive by concentrating on vivid episodes from its rich history. This is a book about people, and their experiences, prejudices and beliefs' Oxford Times.Trade ReviewSuperb... Rome's history is written in blood and Addis, who has a vivid, pacey writing style, spares not the squeamish as he describes three millennia of violence from the first kings to Il Duce' * The Times *Addis is not lacking in chutzpah... This is an energetic attempt to bring Rome's history alive through grand narrative; the florid flights and snappy paragraphs are underpinned by serious reading... Addis's chosen formula is to serve up selected highlights, mostly the expected ones [...] but to come at them from quirky angles... Thanks to his enthusiasm, Addis succeeds in keeping his reader afloat' * Guardian *Histories comprising a series of vignettes are in vogue, and here the format is applied to the city of Rome. From its ancient foundation to the Second World War, via Gauls, ghettos and gladiators, its 22 chapters focus on the themes of individuals, myths and beliefs * BBC World Histories *Telling the entire story of a city in a concise, meaningful way is always a challenge, but particularly when that city is somewhere as steeped in history as Rome. Ferdinand Addis solves this problem by adopting the in-vogue trend of using episodic vignettes... There's plenty here to enjoy' * History Revealed *He brings the myth of Rome alive by concentrating on vivid episodes from its rich history. This is a book about people, and their experiences, prejudices and beliefs * Oxford Times *A confident, elegant account of the city's progress... [Addis's] version is admirably ambitious and succeeds splendidly in a task that would daunt lesser authors' * Daily Mail *A fresh, lively and welcome retrospect on one of the Mediterranean's most complex and challenging stories * TLS *

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Book SynopsisA magisterial survey of Normandy from its origins in the tenth century to its conquest some two hundred years later. This book provides a comprehensive revision and analysis of Normandy, its rulers, and governance between the traditional date for the foundation of the duchy, 911, and the completion of the conquest led by Count Geoffrey V of theAngevins, 1144. It examines how the Norman dukes were able to establish and then to maintain themselves in their duchy, providing a new historical narrative in the process. It also explores the various tools that they used to promote and enforce their authority, from the recruitment of armies to the use of symbolism and emotions at court. In particular, it also seeks to come to terms with the practicalities of ducal power, and reveals that it was framed and promoted from the bottom up as much as from the top down. In around 911, the Viking adventurer Rollo was granted the city of Rouen and its surrounding district by the Frankish King Charles the Simple. Two further grants of territory followed in 924 and 933. But while Frankish kings might grant this land to Rollo and his son, William Longsword, these two Norman dukes and their successors had to fight and negotiate with rival lords, hostile neighbours,kings, and popes in order to establish and maintain their authority over it. This book explores the geographical and political development of what would become the duchy of Normandy, and the relations between the dukes and these rivals for their lands and their subjects' fidelity. It looks, too, at the administrative machinery the dukes built to support their regime, from their toll-collectors and vicomtes (an official similar to the English sheriff) to the political theatre of their courts and the buildings in which they were staged. At the heart of this exercise are the narratives that purport to tell us about what the dukes did, and the surviving body of the dukes'diplomas. Neither can be taken at face value, and both tell us as much about the concerns and criticisms of the dukes' subjects as they do about the strength of the dukes' authority. The diplomas, in particular, because most of them were not written by scribes attached to the dukes' households but rather by their beneficiaries, can be used to recover something of how the dukes' subjects saw their rulers, as well as something of what they wanted or neededfrom them. Ducal power was the result of a dialogue, and this volume enables both sides to speak.Trade ReviewFor those researching any aspect of Norman history in the period covered, it will become essential to consult what Hagger says on the topic....[A] major work of scholarship. * ÓENACH *Establishes a new benchmark for studies of medieval princely government and power, drawing fresh insights from outwardly unrewarding sources and adding much greater depth to the history of ducal Normandy. * FRENCH HISTORY *Makes a significant and welcome contribution to our understanding of the development of ducal rule and is likely to become an authoritative statement on the topic..[A] magisterial work. * PARERGON *Hagger provides a solid and illuminating study of Norman rule-political, feudal, and cultural-from the Viking conquest in 911 to the Angevin absorption in 1144. Highly recommended. * CHOICE *Deliberately avoiding theoretical concepts and questions in favor of the practicalities of his topics, Hagger brings to the study his deep knowledge of the primary sources . . . It is this grasp of practicalities that is the strength of Norman Rule in Normandy, 911-1144. * AMERICAN HISTORICAL REVIEW *Table of ContentsIntroduction Settlement and Survival: Normandy in the Tenth Century, 911-996 Expansion: Normandy and its Dukes in the Eleventh Century, 996-1087 Sibling Rivalry: Normandy under the Conqueror's Heirs, 1087-1144 Holier Than Thou: The Dukes and the Church Sovereigns, Styles, and Scribes Lonely at the Top: The Duke and his Executive Authority The Duke and the Court: The Display and Experience of Power The Chief Purpose of our Government: The Dukes and Justice Movements, Messengers, Mandates, and Minions Accounting for Power: Ducal Finance Strength in Depth: The Dukes and their Knights, Castles, and Armies Conclusion Timeline Bibliography

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Book Synopsis"She woke with a start. Could it really have happened, or was it just a cruel dream? One way to find out. She reached for the remote control ... 'You're watching GB News, the fair and balanced way to start your day,' intoned the voice of Andrew Neil, overlaid on a remix of 'Land of Hope and Glory'. And then it hit her, as she took in the newsreader's first headline. 'The new Prime Minister, Priti Patel, is about to announce her first Cabinet appointments...' The new Prime Minister... So it was real." What does it take to change history? Clement Attlee dying on the battlefield, perhaps? John Lennon surviving that bullet, or Theresa May finally (finally!) passing her Brexit deal? Or maybe the pivotal recent years of UK history turned on one man's decision to have just one more drink... This is the world of political counterfactuals. Here, twenty-three fictional accounts, written by experts in their fields, tell the tales of what might have been - and what might still come to pass. Captivating and illuminating, these stories are guaranteed to make you smile - or gasp in horror...Trade Review"Another tantalising series of what-ifs... but Priti Patel for Prime Minister? I wouldn't rule it out." - Chris Mullin, author of A Very British Coup

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Book Synopsis'Delightful... The Hidden Horticulturists pulsates with the extraordinary energy and excitement of the time.' Daily MailChosen as one of the Sunday Telegraph's 'Top Ten Gardening Books of the Year' _____________________The untold story of the remarkable young men who played a central role in the history of British horticulture and helped to shape the way we garden today.In 2012, whilst working at the Royal Horticultural Society's library, Fiona Davison unearthed a book of handwritten notes that dated back to 1822. The notes, each carefully set out in neat copperplate writing, had been written by young gardeners in support of their application to be received into the Society's Garden.Amongst them was an entry from the young Joseph Paxton, who would go on to become one of Britain's best-known gardeners and architects. But he was far from alone in shaping the way we garden today and now, for the first time, the stories of the young, working-class men who also played a central role in the history of British horticulture can be told.Using their notes, Fiona Davison traces the stories of a selection of these forgotten gardeners whose lives would take divergent paths to create a unique history of gardening. The trail took her from Chiswick to Bolivia and uncovered tales of fraud, scandal and madness - and, of course, a large number of fabulous plants and gardens. This is a celebration of the unsung heroes of horticulture whose achievements reflect a golden moment in British gardening, and continue to influence how we garden today.Trade ReviewDelightful... The Hidden Horticulturists pulsates with the extraordinary energy and excitement of the time. * Daily Mail *The chance discovery by the author, the RHS's chief librarian, of a notebook led to this excellent page-turner. * 'Top Ten Gardening Books of the Year', Sunday Telegraph *This book by the head librarian of the RHS is a cracker... A highly original piece of research into the lives of jobbing gardeners in the early 19th century, with plenty of fascinating social background. -- Tim Richardson * Gardens Illustrated *The rise and progress of the Victorian head gardener is a tale of ever-increasing professionalism in a developing world of technological progress, artistic revolution and endless plant novelties... It's time their story was told. * Country Life *The story of a cadre of promising young men who qualified as gardeners in the early 19th century... What is refreshing is that nearly all the names unearthed will be unfamiliar, even to garden historians... Davison has conducted deep research into the later careers of most of these gardeners, discovering what happened to them after they left Chiswick. The result is a revealing insight into the lives of aspiring working men in this period. * Literary Review *Table of Contents1: 'The beau ideal': The Horticultural Elite 2: 'Much judgement and good taste': The Gardeners Who Set Standards 3: 'A great number of deserving men': Life Lower Down the Horticultural Ladder 4: 'The most splendid plant I ever beheld': The Collector 5: 'Much attached to Egypt': Travelling Gardeners 6: 'Young foreigners of respectability': Trainees from Abroad 7: 'A little order into chaos': The Fruit Experts 8: 'For sale at moderate prices': The Nurserymen 9: 'A solitary wanderer': The Australian Adventurer 10: 'Habits of order and good conduct': The Rise and Fall of a Head Gardener 11: 'A very respectable-looking young man': Criminals in the Garden

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Book SynopsisDown the centuries, poets have provided Wales with a window onto its own distinctive world. This book gives the general reader a sense of the view to be seen through that special window in twelve illustrated poems, each bringing very different periods and aspects of the Welsh past into focus. Together, the poems give the flavour of a poetic tradition, both ancient and modern, that is internationally renowned for its distinction, demonstrating how Wales boast one of the oldest and yet continuing vibrant poetic traditions, the former in the Welsh language and the latter in English and bilingually.Trade Review"I can think of no more deft and authoritative introduction to the literatures of Wales than this gem of a book … tracing a path through the riches of the tradition with flair, clarity, and wit. This is a must-have guide for the curious and those new to the poetic panorama of Wales through the centuries." -- Gwyneth Lewis, National Poet of Wales 2005–6"With style, energy, and sureness of touch . . . we are guided through the complex story of Welsh identity from Maelgwn Gwynedd to Mark Drakeford, weaving political and cultural themes together in a vivid tapestry. There are very few pages that do not offer fresh insights, even for those who know their Welsh history well. The poems chosen are an excellent mix of the expected and the unexpected." -- Rowan Williams, Former Master, Magdalene College, CambridgeTable of ContentsAcknowledgements Preface Aneirin Y Gododdin (extract) Anon. Pais Dinogad Anon. Stafell Gynddylan (from Canu Heledd) Gruffudd ab yr Ynad Coch Marwnad Llywelyn ap Gruffudd Dafydd ap Gwilym Trafferth mewn tafarn Henry Vaughan The World Anon. Hen Benillion Ann Griffiths (Dolwar Fach) Wele'n sefyll rhwng y myrtwydd Gwenallt Y Meirwon Dylan Thomas Fern Hill Gillian Clarke Blodeuwedd Menna Elfyn Siapau o Gymru

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Book SynopsisTHE PERFECT GIFT FOR THOSE WHO LOVE LONDON.A RADIO 4 BEST FOOD AND DRINK BOOK OF THE YEAR.An illustrated guide to London's best pubs and their extraordinary history, presented by the founder of the world-famous Liquid History Tours.Pull up a stool for a thirst-quenching trundle through London's liquid history in search of the city's greatest pubs. We raise a toast in Shakespeare's local, pop in for a pint at Jack the Ripper's bar and push open the bloodstained doors of the Bucket of Blood.Liquid History is a beautifully illustrated love letter to London's finest hostelries, written by the city's leading pub tour guide and host of the celebrated Liquid History Tours. Profiling over 50 timeless boozers, this book tells the story of London's history and the taverns that have hosted, harboured and refreshed its leading characters.Exploring the watering holes of London's writers and artists, its most notorious criminals and celebrated figures, we move from architectural marvels to secretive backstreet boozers to join the dots for London's ultimate knees-up.Trade ReviewThe best pub crawl ever. * Daily Mail *An amiable crawl in search of London's greatest pubs and their extraordinary history. 50 of the capital's finest boozers feature in this beautifully illustrated little guide by a man who tours them for a living. * Daunt Books - Books of the Year 2021 *The historic pubs that make Britain great. * Daily Express *

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Book SynopsisThe year was 1935: the twilight of the English aristocracy. It was a time of wealth and glamour; of lavish balls and evening gowns; of tiaras and a coronation. As personal maid to Lady Coventry, Hilda Newman had a unique insight into the leisured life of one of Britain's most noble families. In her fascinating memoir of life upstairs and down, Hilda takes us back to this period between the wars; a gilded era which would soon be dramatically changed by the Second World War. Transplanted from a tiny house with no bath or hot water to an eighteenth-century Neo-Palladian mansion, Hilda's life changed beyond recognition. But in a time when the very foundations of British society were being shaken to their core, the luxurious life of the country nobility couldn't last. The Second World War brought more turbulence with it, and Croome Court, where Hilda had lived and worked, became a haven for the Dutch Royal Family fleeing Nazi occupation, whilst also home to a top-secret RAF base. The lavish banquets and decadent parties had become a thing of the past. Hilda's story takes us back to a bygone era, showing us what life was really like in England's classic country manors of old - and uncovers the real lives of the people who occupied them, from wealthy lord to lowly servant.

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Book SynopsisIn this picturesque exploration of Britain’s constructed landscape, an array of medieval lanes, Georgian crescents and Victorian squares make an appearance, together with the people – famous, infamous and unfamiliar – who designed, built and lived in them. From Bedford Square and Portobello Road in London, through to Grey Street in Newcastle and Charlotte Square in Edinburgh, Historic Streets and Squares takes you over the doorstep of some of the country’s most familiar addresses.Melanie Backe-Hansen takes us beyond the facades, delving into the evolution of ancient streets, the aspirations of builders and architects, and the extraordinary lives of past residents. She also reveals the fascinating stories of how some of our oldest and most valued crescents, lanes and avenues have survived into the twenty-first century, and the twists and turns of their journey along the way.Taken together, these fifty examples tell us much about Britain’s urban development over the centuries, while also highlighting more recent attempts to preserve our architectural heritage. The history of our streets, avenues, lanes and squares reveals more than just changes to architectural style, but offers a doorway into the heritage of our nation.

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Book SynopsisIrish is the story of the mass migration from Ireland to Glasgow that took place in the wake of the Great Famine of the mid-nineteenth century. It is an epic account of the coming together of a nation and a city. This is the tale of those who escaped a nightmare existence in the poorest and most deprived country in Europe and changed the city of Glasgow forever. Irish brings to life the horrot of those grim days and reveals the unimaginable suffering endured as a result of the Potatoe Blight. It describes in vivid detail the hazards and hardships faced by those fleeing Ireland in search of a better life overseas, including a startling account of one of the most deplorable maritime crimes ever committed, the voyage of the SS Londonderry. The coming of the Irish to Glasgow had a bigger impact on the city than other event. Now, for the first time, the truth about this most significant and stirring episode is vividly unfolded. It tells of the contribution made by Irish labourers in Glasgow to the Industrial Revolution; reveals that the legendary football clubs of Celtic and Rangers may never have existed were it not for the migrant's arrival; and describes the "Partick War", and the occasion of the first-ever Orange Walk.

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Book SynopsisThis book charts the seemingly spontaneous growth of the 'Free Corps' movement from the ashes of the Imperial German Army following the 1918 Armistice. Large numbers of former officers and soldiers - often from elite units - assembled in 'private armies' and helped themselves to weapons and equipment Led by highly motivated and often highly decorated combat leaders, these 'Freikorps' fought off both Communists at home and Polish troops in the borderlands with considerable success, founding a nationalist legend. Many went on to serve in the new Reichswehr, and later in the SA and SS.Table of ContentsThe German Army in November 1918; the communist threat; the threat to the borders - Poland; the Baltic; the birth of the Freikorps; the major FKs, and their enemies in the campaigns of Berlin, December 1918-January 1919 (FK Marker, von Roeder, etc versus the Spartakists), Munich 1919 (FK Werdenfelds, von Epp, Bayreuth etc), the Ruhr 1920 (FK Rossbach, Jager Btln 37, FK Hacketau, versus Red Army, the Kapp Putsch, Berlin 1920 (Ehrhard, Marine Bde Wilhelmshaven, FW Bde von Hulsen, the Baltic Coast (Baltische Landwehr, Eiserne Division, Selbsschutz Obershcliessen), the Reichswehr, 1923.

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Book SynopsisEthnographic studies trace the background to and impact of urbanisation and Christianisation, and the development of royal power, which stimulated the transition from the Viking age to the medieval period. Using the evidence of archaeology, poetry, legal texts and annals, this volume investigates the social, economic and symbolic structures of early Scandinavia at the time of the Viking expansion. The contributors provide an outlineethnography, covering dwellings and settlements, kinship and social relations, law, political structures and external relations, rural and urban economies, and the ideology of warfare. The topics are discussed through case-studies, illustrating the changing scholarly interpretations of this formative period in Scandinavian history. By addressing these key research questions, the contributions trace the background to and the impact of urbanisation and Christianisation, and the development of royal power, which stimulated the transition from the Viking age to the medieval period in Scandinavia. JUDITH JESCH is Professor in Viking Studies at the University of Nottingham. Contributors: LENA HOLMQUIST OLAUSSON, BENTE MAGNUS, E. VESTERGAARD, BIRGIT ARRHENIUS, STEFAN BRINK, LISE BENDER JORGENSEN, SVEND NIELSEN, FRANDS HERSCHEND, NIELS LUND, DAVID N. DUMVILLE, JUDITH JESCH, DENNIS H. GREEN.Trade ReviewIlluminating and revealing.... Along with the rest of the series this is a welcome addition to the library shelf, and a book to which reference will regularly be made. * SAGA-BOOK *

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Book SynopsisMajor General Julian Thompson first wrote No Picnic when the momentous events of April - June 1982 were fresh in his mind. As Commander of 3 Commando Brigade, he was at the heart of the planning and conduct of the War. Under his direct command had been the Royal Marine Commandos and the two battalions of the Parachute Regiment who conducted the lion's share of the fighting.No-one therefore is better qualified to tell the extraordinary story of there-taking of the Falkland Islands from the Argentinians. The author, now a celebrated military historian, has revised his early book and added for this 25 Anniversary edition more of his own personal thoughts and impressions.It is all too easy to overlook just how perilous and risky a venture this expedition to the depths of the Southern Hemisphere was. Victory and defeat hung in the balance. Even those who feel they know about this most remarkable of wars will learn more from reading this classic account.

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Book SynopsisIn this acclaimed exploration of the culture of others, Rebecca Solnit travels through Ireland, the land of her long-forgotten maternal ancestors. A Book of Migrations portrays in microcosm a history made of great human tides of invasion, colonization, emigration, nomadism and tourism. Enriched by cross-cultural comparisons with the history of the American West, A Book of Migrations carves a new route through Ireland's history, literature and landscape.Trade ReviewTruly exceptional, a paradise for readers. * Kirkus Reviews *

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Book SynopsisBefore the coming of the railways the only method of moving cattle, sheep and even geese to distant markets was to walk them. The drovers were the men who undertook that task; an occupation which required toughness, considerable skill in handling people and animals, and a good business head.

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Book SynopsisFew cities in the world abound with so many extraordinary stories as Glasgow. The city has been the silent witness to some of the most significant events of the past century, from major triumphs to cataclysmic calamities, and the best of these anecdotes are compiled here to form this unique collection. Amongst the notable events revisited are the launching of the Queen Mary, which captivated the city's inhabitants in 1934, the victorious 16-month work-in campaign by the Upper Clyde Shipbuilders in the early 1970s, the Ibrox disaster of 1971 and the plague that gripped the Gorbals in 1900. Some of Glasgow's most successful people are also covered, including Clydeside revolutionary John Maclean, founder of the Barras Maggie McIver and the inimitable Billy Connolly, whose humour and colourful personality are synonymous with the city. From the Battle of George Square to the bravery of the Glasgow people during the Blitz, Great Glasgow Stories provides an all-encompassing view of the city throughout the eras.Trade ReviewA collection so thick with West of Scotland pride and charm, it is a disservice to describe it in any other way than Pure Dead Brilliant * Daily Record *

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Book SynopsisIn the 1920s, many in the British establishment became convinced that their way of life was being threatened by the new Soviet state. The British government launched vast spying operations in response, carrying out surveillance on not only suspect Russians, but British aristocrats, Bloomsbury artists, ordinary workers and even MPs. What they discovered had profound ramifications for the whole of British society, dividing the nation and laying the foundations for the later Cold War. Drawing on a wealth of recently declassified archives, The Secret Twenties tells the story of the first Soviet spies and the double agents in their midst, all of it set against the sparkling backdrop of cocktail-era London.

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Book SynopsisThroughout the relatively short yet highly distinguished history of the Royal Air Force there has been a tendency for the men and women of the Service to be overshadowed by the glamour of the aircraft. Nonetheless it is surprising that there has never before been a complete record of the uniforms and badges of the RAF and its predecessor, the Royal Flying Corps. Malcolm Hobart and Pen and Sword Books have cooperated to rectify this serious omission with this superbly colour illustrated and comprehensive collector's guide. Badges of rank and trade are all depicted not only for the flying arms but for ground staff. This valuable addition to our Collector series also covers the RAF Reserves and Auxiliary Service, Air Training Corps and the Royal Observer Corps. SELLING POINTS: . Comprehensive collector's guide . Superbly illustrated throughout . Also covers RAF Reserves, Auxiliary Service, Air Training Corps and the royal Observer Corps . ILLUSTRATIONS: Superbly illustrated *Trade ReviewHigh quality colour photographs of virtually evry badge described in the text. The scope of the book was commendably wide..It was thus a valuable aid to anyone collecting RAF badges - and a useful reminder to those of us who would otherwise have forgotten some of the less common badges and accoutrements that have adorned RAF uniform over the years." Royal Air Force Historical Society Journal

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Book SynopsisIn a world dominated by the British Empire, and at a time when many Europeans considered black people inferior, Sierra Leonean writer A. B. C. Merriman-Labor claimed his right to describe the world as he found it. He looked at the Empire's great capital and laughed. In this first biography of Merriman-Labor, Danell Jones describes the tragic spiral that pulled him down the social ladder from writer and barrister to munitions worker, from witty observer of the social order to patient in a state-run hospital for the poor. In restoring this extraordinary man to the pantheon of African observers of colonialism, she opens a window onto racial attitudes in Edwardian London. An African in Imperial London is a rich portrait of a great metropolis, writhing its way into a new century of appalling social inequity, world-transforming inventions, and unprecedented demands for civil rights. WINNER OF THE HIGH PLAINS BOOK AWARD FOR NONFICTIONTrade Review'A must read.' ‘A brilliant biography . . . [Jones] has given a vivid picture of London one hundred years ago.’ 'An engaging, worthwhile biography. … Jones uncovers the life of a historical ghost, nearly lost to the world' -- Choice‘The richness and wider implications of Merriman-Labor’s life and sojourn in England come out vividly in [this] book because of Jones’ careful research, analytical rigor, and lively writing.’ -- Journal of African History'Written with great verve, An African in Imperial London reconstructs the life of A.B.C. Merriman-Labor... Both he and his biographer provide a rich picture of London, particularly in his most important work... an enlightening account of what it meant to be black in the most powerful country in the world'. -- Peter Stansky'Historical rigour, literary skill and a deep sense of humanity pervades this splendid biography which recovers from the condescension of the past the world of Augustus Merriman-Labor.' -- David Killingray'The moving and surprising story of A.B.C. Merriman-Labor, both insider and outsider in nineteenth- and twentieth-century Africa and England, is also a compelling contemporary parable about the interaction between individuals and society.' -- Edward MendelsonElegantly written and meticulously researched for over seven years, An African in Imperial London presents the life and times of Augustus Merriman-Labor: Sierra Leonean writer, barrister, munitions worker during the First World War, and much more besides. This is an important addition to the history of Africans in Britain.' -- Hakim Adi

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