General and world history Books

Book SynopsisPaul Coulter is a British comedian and historian based in Sydney, Australia. Paul is the writer and performer behind the Edinburgh Festival Fringe smash-hit, sell-out historical storytelling comedy show 5 Mistakes That Changed History. The show was a huge hit on the comedy festival circuit, selling out two years in a row at both the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Adelaide Fringe Festival in 2023 and 2024. Popular with both history-loving audiences and critics alike, 5 Mistakes That Changed History received fantastic reviews and was named one of the 'Picks of the Fringe'.Originally from Dorset, Paul is a history fanatic and read history at University College London. In 2025, Paul will be bringing his unique blend of history, storytelling and comedy to major comedy and history festivals around the world.

Read more less

Book SynopsisFarmers wife travels in footsteps of Socrates.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisA History of Women''s Work explores the often overlooked contributions of women throughout history, particularly in a patriarchal society where men have dominated the historical record. While men were more likely to leave traces through wills, leases, and civic duties women laboured behind the scenes, performing crucial yet unpaid tasks for their families and communities. In many households, women supported their husbands' work, ran home-based industries, or sought paid employment despite societal restrictions.This book delves into three main areas of women's work: household tasks, home industries, and paid employment outside the home. Through case studies and practical research tips, it sheds light on the lives of these women, encouraging readers to uncover their own female ancestors'' stories and contribute to a richer understanding of women's history.

Read more less

Book Synopsis''John Keay is the master storyteller and historian. This grand narrative of Himalaya is as epic as the mountains and peoples he describes'' Dan Snow''Adds the human element to the hard rock. And what a rich vein it is'' Michael PalinHistory has not been kind to Himalaya. Empires have collided here, cultures have clashed. Buddhist India claimed it from the south, Islam put down roots in its western approaches, Mongols and Manchus rode in from the north, and, from the east, China continues to absorb what it prefers not to call Tibet. Hunters have decimated its wildlife and mountaineers have bagged its peaks. Today, machinery gouges minerals out of its rock.Roughly the size of Europe, the region is one of the most seismically active on the planet. Summers bring avalanches, rainfall triggers landslides and winters obliterate trails. Glaciers retreat, rivers change course and whole lakes quietly evaporate.To some, Himalaya is an otherworldly realm, profoundly life-chanTrade ReviewWonderful … In prose that feels as effortless as it is entertaining, Keay paints a fascinating picture of this magical region, covering everything from geology, glaciers, tectonic plates and botany to the spiritual and religious evolutions of humans -- C P W Gammell * Literary Review *There cannot be any current anglophone writer more knowledgeable about the region. -- Jonathan Buckley * Times Literary Supplement *Adds the human element to the hard rock. And what a rich vein it is -- Michael PalinExcellent -- Michael Dirda * The Washington Post *John Keay is the master storyteller and historian. This grand narrative of Himalaya is as epic as the mountains and peoples he describes -- Dan SnowFrom palaeontology to mysticism, from the East India Company to mountaineers, this is dazzlingly wide-ranging, brilliantly researched and elegantly told -- Ranulph FiennesThe guru of modern writers on Himalaya. Here, after a lifetime’s travel and reflection, is the story of the most important region on earth -- Michael WoodA dazzling collision of storytelling and scholarship, and the culmination of a lifetime’s research and experience, this is surely John Keay’s masterwork. He tackles the epic subject of the entire Himalayan region, through human history, and brings to it his own distinctive style – at once authoritative and colourful, stirring and droll, ambitious yet humble. A compelling portrait of a uniquely vulnerable region -- James McConnachieLet John Keay be your guide: he has decades of first-hand experience in the region, he wears his extensive learning lightly and he is a magnificent storyteller -- Chris BoningtonJohn Keay’s stunning book is meticulously researched and a gripping read. It lays out the long-standing allure of Himalaya, from the geographical and environmental to the archaeological and cultural. -- Kavita PuriA compendium of centuries of outsiders’ quests for scientific understanding of every aspect of the Himalayas — from its geology, topography and natural history to questions of anthropology and social history. No potential angle is left unexplored -- Amy Kazmin * Financial Times *The term ‘tour de force’ doesn’t do Keay's Himalaya justice. A beautiful work by one of the world’s foremost historians, the book is meticulously researched and written with Keay's particular flair. Comparable in its page-turning addiction to a fictional thriller, this will go down as a seminal work on the Himalaya. -- Kenton CoolPoetically written ... A wonderfully digressive read, with rich portraits and stories of those who made their careers and fame from Himalaya -- Maximillian Morch * Asian Review of Books *A wonderful book about an extraordinary place ... Keay's undertaking in print is as vast in its scope as the area it seeks to enclose between the covers of this single, handsomely illustrated volume ... Truly a place of wonder, wonderfully caught -- Peter Stanford * Church Times *A book that is meant to be savoured, not to be conquered. Enjoy the ride -- Mandira Nayar * The Week, India *The appropriate crown for John Keay’s writing on Asia. His study of the Himalaya marks the grand finale to his prodigious twin histories of India and China. Roll over Edward Gibbon. The powerful reimagining of the Himalaya from the structural perspective adds to the mountaineering and mythological lore, while the magisterial style is lightened by marvellous one liners… One of the best and easily the most informed books on the Himalaya -- Bill Aitken, author of Seven Sacred Rivers

Read more less

Book SynopsisBeautiful watercolor portraits and illuminating essays from bestselling author and illustrator Ann Shen bring 100 legendary women to life in this powerful collection that celebrates the influential trailblazers who changed the rules for all who followed.Bad Girls Throughout History is an empowering book for girls and women of all ages. From Maya Angelou to Ruth Bader Ginsburg, this gorgeously illustrated book celebrates 100 influential women who made history and made their mark on the world by being bad in the best sense of the word: they challenged the status quo and changed the rules. From pirates to artists, warriors, daredevils, scientists, activists, and spies, the accomplishments of these badass women who dared to push boundaries vary as much as the eras and places in which they effected change. A distinctive, gift-worthy tribute to rebel girls everywhere, this bestselling book is one you can be proud to display in your home. ICON

Read more less

Book Synopsis''Engrossing and powerful . . . rich and thought-provoking''Fara Dabhoiwala, Guardian''Path-breaking . . . a major rewriting of history''Mihir Bose, Irish Times''Slave Empire is lucid, elegant and forensic. It deals with appalling horrors in cool and convincing prose.''The EconomistThe British empire, in sentimental myth, was more free, more just and more fair than its rivals. But this claim that the British empire was ''free'' and that, for all its flaws, it promised liberty to all its subjects was never true. The British empire was built on slavery.Slave Empire puts enslaved people at the centre the British empire in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. In intimate, human detail, Padraic Scanlon shows how British imperial power and industrial capitalism were inextricable from plantation slavery. With vivid original research and careful synthesis of innovative historical scholarsTrade ReviewEngrossing and powerful . . . rich and thought-provoking. -- Fara Dabhoiwala * Guardian *Slave Empire is lucid, elegant and forensic. It deals with appalling horrors in cool and convincing prose. * The Economist *Path-breaking . . . a major rewriting of history. -- Mihir Bose * Irish Times *Scanlan writes about how the antislavery movement became its own political and economic force: a moralising stance for an empire which continued to profit from the global network of unfree labour. Britain's mills, for example, still processed cotton from the American South long after the slave trade in its colonies was abolished. -- Katrina Gulliver, SpectatorPadraic X. Scanlan has written a sweeping and devastating history of how slavery made modern Britain, and destroyed so much else. Ranging from Europe to the Caribbean, from West Africa to the new United States, Scanlan narrates the rise and fall of Britain's slave empire with an epic concision and an unwavering humanity. He also reveals, with unprecedented clarity and power, how the antislavery movement in Britain largely failed to accept Black equality. When the British parliament finally voted to end slavery in 1833, it paid a fortune in compensation to slaveholders and not a penny to enslaved people. Britain continued to rely on slave-produced cotton (especially from the United States) for decades, while in its own empire it replaced slavery with new forms of coerced labour and racial hierarchy. Most Britons have learned to deny or forget that their wealth was rooted in slavery, while occasionally congratulating themselves on their moral achievement of no longer enslaving people. Slave Empire offers a shattering rebuke to the amnesia and myopia which still structure British history. -- Nicholas Guyatt, author of Bind Us Apart: How Enlightened Americans Invented Racial SegregationPadraic Scanlan is the leading historian of British antislavery in Africa. In Slave Empire, he tells the larger story of the British empire over two centuries, and sets slavery at the heart of political and economic history. The liberal empire of the nineteenth century, he shows, was the outcome of the long encounter of antislavery and economic expansion founded on enslaved or unfree labour. Antislavery was itself the excuse for empire. -- Emma Rothschild, Jeremy and Jane Knowles Professor of History, Harvard UniversityScanlan's book is a fresh and fascinating new telling of the story of Britain's role in slavery and abolition in the Atlantic World. Slave Empire shows how an empire built on slavery became an empire sustained and expanded by antislavery. A stunning narrative, Slave Empire deftly combines rich storytelling with vivid details and deep scholarship. -- Bronwen Everill, author of Not Made By Slaves: Ethical Capitalism in the Age of AbolitionLively and informative . . . there is a clear, almost textbook-like, account of the sugar plantation system . . . particularly good on the ill-fated 'apprenticeship' scheme that was linked to abolition after 1834. -- Krishan Kumar, University Professor and William R. Kenan, Jr., Professor of Sociology at the University of Virginia, author of Empires: A Historical and Political Sociology * Times Literary Supplement *This accessible synthesis of recent scholarship comes at the right time to help shape current debates about Britain and slavery. -- Nicholas Draper, author of The Price of Emancipation: Slave-Ownership, Compensation and British Society at the End of SlaveryScanlan writes about how the antislavery movement became its own political and economic force: a moralising stance for an empire which continued to profit from the global network of unfree labour. Britain's mills, for example, still processed cotton from the American South long after the slave trade in its colonies was abolished. -- Katrina Gulliver * Spectator *Powerful, often devastating, always compelling. * All About History *Freedom's Debtors interweaves a remarkably broad array of historical themes common to studies of abolition and post-emancipation societies, including contemporary notions of race and civilization, the tension between morality and profitability, and conflicts over land and labour. Scanlan does this remarkably well, in smooth, clear prose and with a keen eye for rich anecdotes and illustrations. These features, along with Scanlan's mastery of the sources and literature, make this book essential reading, not just for Africanists but for anyone interested in antislavery and abolition. -- Sean M. Kelley, Slavery & AbolitionFreedom's Debtors offers a much-needed account of how British abolitionist principles were developed and applied in West Africa . . . Scanlan's study emphasises how British and other non-African actors developed and profited from new forms of coercive labor as a result of the abolition of the slave trade . . . Scanlan's book provides a strong foundation for exploring the connections between the 'abolitionist' laws and policies imposed on Sierra Leone's 'Liberated Africans' and those that were applied to other imperial subjects during this dynamic time of ideological revolution and global expansion. -- Trina Leah Hogg, Journal of African HistoryPadraic Scanlan has not only written an excellent book on Sierra Leone, he has produced one of the most important books ever written on Liberated Africans . . . Freedom's Debtors is essential reading . . . Scanlan powerfully re-centres our understanding of abolitionism and forces us to re-examine its immediate and long-term effects in Africa. -- Matthew S. Hopper, Journal of British StudiesBased on exhaustive research within British missionary and personal papers as well as documents in the Sierra Leone archives, [Freedom's Debtors] . . . breaks conceptual ground and charts a new historiographical direction. Scanlan makes connections between the logic of capitalism and its intersection with colonialism and slavery. He demonstrates how British West Africa was enmeshed with economic systems at a global level and by taking the focus away from Europe, he challenges the prevailing narratives of abolitionism and colonialism. His argues convincingly that without slavery, without colonial 'outposts', capitalism and freedom might have evolved differently. This compelling book makes a huge contribution to our understanding of the processes which led to abolition but has wider implications for the historiography and the paradigms that inform it. * Canadian Historical Association *Freedom's Debtors is timely, original, and lucid. Its analysis of the political, economic, and cultural forces that shaped the development of Sierra Leone challenges celebratory narratives about the abolition of the slave trade and offers a new account of life in this British colony. Padraic Scanlan's attention to the agency of West Africans and to 'British antislavery in practice' makes this work an important contribution to our understanding of the nature and locus of Atlantic history. * American Historical Association *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe 1st Battalion, The Rhodesian Light Infantry (RLI), was one of the most innovative and successful counter-insurgency units in modern history, developing and perfecting a range of tactics and operational concepts that have since become standard practise in modern military forces. Formed in 1961 and then re-formed in 1964 as a commando battalion after the dissolution of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, the RLI was an all-white unit that incorporated foreign soldiers from South Africa, The UK, USA, Canada and Europe into its ranks. It was a key weapon in independent Rhodesia''s struggle against the Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army (ZANLA) and Zimbabwe People''s Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA) during the bloody Rhodesian Bush War. This comprehensive study explores the unit''s dramatic history, revealing the RLI''s fearsome airborne and combat capacity, which gave the unit, at times, near total tactical superiority against its opponents.Table of ContentsIntroduction Chronology Enemy Structure of the RLI Recruitment / Enlistment Training Appearance Equipment Parachuting Helicopters Medical Support Conditions of Service On Campaign Patrolling operations Fireforce operations Other operations Belief & Belonging Aftermath Collecting/Museums/re-enactment

Read more less

Book SynopsisA new, updated edition including new speeches from Queen Elizabeth II and John Boyega in the year 2020.This collection of extraordinary speeches ranges from ancient times to the twenty-first century. Some are heroic and inspiring; some diabolical and atrocious; some are exquisite and poignant; others cruel and chilling. Among others we hear from Martin Luther King, Michelle Obama, Donald Trump, Lincoln, Emmeline Pankhurst, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Alexander the Great, Greta Thunberg, Elizabeth I, Cromwell, Churchill, JFK, Boudicca, Muhammad Ali and Malala. Voices of History shows how these unique speeches enlighten our past, enrich our present and inspire - and hold warnings for - our future.Trade ReviewAn exuberant collection of great speeches from world history and cultural life takes us on a tour from antiquity to the 21st century. From Churchill and Elizabeth I to Michelle Obama and Bob Dylan, this book is packed with amazing orators * WOMAN & HOME *Simon Sebag Montefiore is one of the UK's history heavyweights... Reading these eloquent, powerful words from some of the greatest figures in history, while inspiring, also provides a sobering counterpoint with the rhetorical skills of some of those influencing world affairs today * The Scotsman *Reading such powerful words from history urges us to pause and consider that the household names disrupting and influencing society today can so easily be folded in with the Boudiccas and Alexander the Greats. It's a book that'll make an excellent gift, or an exciting window on the past for those who love to analyse society and history * Irish News *

Read more less

Book SynopsisTHE TIMES BEST HISTORY BOOK OF 2023 A BOOK OF THE YEAR PICK FOR THE TIMES, SUNDAY TIMES, BBC HISTORY MAGAZINE, GUARDIAN, INDEPENDENT AND FINANCIAL TIMES A BBC RADIO 4 BOOK OF THE WEEK AN INSTANT #2 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER 'Humanity has transformed the Earth: Frankopan transforms our understanding of history' Financial Times 'Vast, learned and timely work' Sunday Times ------ From the international bestselling author of The Silk Roads comes a major history of how a changing climate has dramatically shaped the development—and demise—of civilisations across time. When we think about history, we rarely pay much attention to the most destructive floods, the worst winters, the most devastating droughts or the ways that ecosystems have changed over time. In The Earth Transformed, Peter Frankopan, one of the world’s leading historians, shows that the natural environment is a crucial, if not the defining, factor in global history – and not just of humankind. Volcanic eruptions, solar activities, atmospheric, oceanic and other shifts, as well as anthropogenic behaviour, are fundamental parts of the past and the present. In this magnificent and groundbreaking book, we learn about the origins of our species: about the development of religion and language and their relationships with the environment; about how the desire to centralise agricultural surplus formed the origins of the bureaucratic state; about how growing demands for harvests resulted in the increased shipment of enslaved peoples; about how efforts to understand and manipulate the weather have a long and deep history. All provide lessons of profound importance as we face a precarious future of rapid global warming. Taking us from the Big Bang to the present day and beyond, The Earth Transformed forces us to reckon with humankind’s continuing efforts to make sense of the natural world. ----- 'This is epic, gripping, original history that leaps off the page' Sathnam Sanghera, author of Empireland 'All Historians aiming to tell a narrative face the problem of when exactly to start it. Only Peter Frankopan would go back 2.5 billion years to the Great Oxidation Event' Tom Holland A 2023 HIGHLIGHT FOR: BBC NEWS * SUNDAY TIMES CULTURE * FINANCIAL TIMES * NEW EUROPEAN * GUARDIAN * NEW STATESMAN * THE TIMES * THE WEEK * WATERSTONES * BLACKWELL'STrade ReviewFrankopan shows you how everything fits together . . . vast, learned and timely . . . The Earth Transformed is Sapiens for grown-ups . . . it holds lessons for a world grappling with rapid climate change caused by human industry -- Dan Jones * Sunday Times *Frankopan has brought all this scholarly work together into a massive book that is comprehensive, well-informed and fascinating. It has the intellectual weight and dramatic force of a tsunami . . . This is an endlessly fascinating book, an easy read on an important issue -- Gerard DeGroot * The Times *Frankopan demonstrates an impressive mastery of anthropological, historical, and meteorological literature, and his scrupulously evenhanded analysis carefully notes uncertainties in scientific and historical evidence. Elegant and cogently argued, this illuminates an age-old and urgently important dynamic * Publishers Weekly *[Frankopan] succeeds in mastering a seemingly impossible challenge, distilling an immense mass of historical sources, scientific data and modern scholarship that span thousands of years and the entire globe into an epic and spellbinding story. Humanity has transformed the Earth: Frankopan transforms our understanding of history * Financial Times *This is epic, gripping, original history that leaps off the page. I wanted to buy everyone I know a copy -- Sathnam SangheraAll Historians aiming to tell a narrative face the problem of when exactly to start it. Only Peter Frankopan would go back 2.5 billion years to the Great Oxidation Event -- Tom HollandVast, learned and timely work * Sunday Times *A dazzling compendium of global research . . . The value of this book is as an act of deep understanding, recognising not only scientifically but culturally and philosophically that we are epiphenomena – not dominators of the Earth but products of it -- Adam Nicolson * Spectator *The Earth Transformed is an epic masterpiece. There are many 'big ideas' books out there, but often are beset by wafer-thin scholarship, and few stand up to scrutiny. This absolutely does. It's a book for the ages, and I cannot recommend it enough -- Adam Rutherford[Frankopan] has attempted successfully, and deftly, what few others have and provided an overarching perspective of the way climatic events and trends, geography and human opportunism have intertwined and defined Homo sapiens’ relationship with the planet * Geographical *The Earth Transformed makes a major contribution to raising awareness and concern, and hopefully will reach those decision makers, in the political and commercial spheres, who might have the power and means to do something about it. In many ways, this fascinating and thoughtful book’s lack of an overt political message—and its clear focus on the lessons we can learn from past civilisations and their response to climate change—make it all the more powerful a weapon, for which Prof Frankopan deserves credit and thanks * Country Life *Importantly, Frankopan shows our modern concerns about the environment are no modish fad: they were shared by ancient thinkers and leaders. Anyone with an interest in building a more sustainable world would do well to read his book * New Scientist *Peter Frankopan reveals how our lives have been shaped by environmental changes since the emergence of Homo sapiens in this sweeping, riveting study * Observer *Extraordinary . . . a work of vast scholarship. This is the first wide-ranging account of humanity's relationship with the natural world — both climate and environment . . . If this book does not make us think, then nothing will. The Earth Transformed could hardly be more timely -- Sir Antony Beevor * Daily Mail *Frankopan has done the sterling, even heroic job of making readily available much of the bountiful harvest of research in climate and environmental history. For thousands of aficionados of door-stopper history books, this one is likely to be their introduction to climate and environmental history * TLS *A wise, well-researched and essential study for our precarious times * Independent *A vital, epic history of climate change . . . Marries a serious, timely subject – the story of humanity from the perspective of climate change, both natural and man-made – with thumpingly readable prose. Frankopan may be an Oxford professor, but this is an exercise in scholarship worn gossamer-lightly. The Earth Transformed is a testament to the awesome value of in-depth research. Frankopan’s skill is to create a new genre: the ecological epic history -- Alexander Larman * Daily Telegraph *Peter’s book is an incredible, must read, magnum opus on the history of humanity and the environment, and I THOROUGHLY suggest you read it -- Greg JennerRaises fresh and urgent questions . . . in characteristically pacey style . . . Above all, his work will encourage readers to think differently about the past * Economist *Unputdownable. Seriously good and mind altering -- Emily MaitlisThe Earth Transformed aims for nothing less than the history of the world . . . A rewarding book * Mint *Frankopan’s discussion flows effortlessly, buoyed by novel connections . . . The scale of Frankopan’s ambition is admirable . . . There’s nothing so infectious as the curiosity and wonder of a talented author delighting in the details of his research . . . Must read . . . I remained engrossed until the end * Perspective Magazine *Epic . . . profound analysis; an amazing insight into how climate influenced history . . . This is a book every academician and policymaker must read. It is a book that students interested in climate change will find enthralling * Tribune *An immense work of scholarship . . . I know of no volume that tells the story with the breadth and depth of Frankopan’s The Earth Transformed. The book’s scope is extraordinary * Prospect *A remarkable piece of work * New Indian Express *On almost every page in The Earth Transformed Frankopan summons and weighs vast scientific literatures . . . Here we see the historian as an expert reader of scientific archives – databases, genetics, climate records * Sydney Morning Herald *This is a history book with a purpose, for the age of climate emergency and nature crisis . . . A great work * Politics Home *Like a vast, twisted but very fascinating gothic novel . . . One of the many things I admired about this work was the easy, confident way in which Peter Frankopan encompasses every region of the Earth * History Today *Sweeping in ambition and scale, Peter Frankopan’s The Earth Transformed tackles the history of climate change and how it has shaped human history over a 5,000-year period. Lest this sound too forbidding, be assured that the book is brilliantly shaped throughout by the human touch -- Rana Mitter * BBC History Magazine, 2023 Books of the Year *

Read more less

Book Synopsis'A book of ideas [...] Strathern ably guides us through these moments of glory.' -- The Times ***Great cities are complex, chaotic and colossal. These are cities that dominate the world stage and define eras; where ideas flourish, revolutions are born and history is made.Through ten unique cities, from the founding of ancient capitals to buzzing modern megacities, Paul Strathern explores how urban centres lead civilisation forward, enjoying a moment of glory before passing on the baton.We journey back to discover Babylonian mathematics, Athenian theatre and intellectual debate, and Roman construction that has lasted millennia. We see Constantinople evolve into Istanbul, revolutionary sparks fly in Enlightenment Paris, and the railways, canals and ships that built Imperial London. In Moscow men build spaceships while others starve, New York's skyscrapers rise up to a soundtrack of jazz, Mumbai becomes home to immense wealth and poverty, and Beijing's economic transformation leads the way.Each city has its own distinct personality, and Ten Cities that Led the World brings their rich and diverse histories to life, reminding us of the foundations we have built on and how our futures will be shaped.

Read more less

Book SynopsisTwo great battles in Russia at Stalingrad and Kursk. Germany is attacked by bombing from Western Europe. The atom bomb continues to be developed.

Read more less

Book SynopsisDuring a single winter, between November 1932 and April 1933, so much went wrong: Hitler came to power; Japan invaded Jehol and left the league of Nations; Mussolini looked towards Africa; Roosevelt was elected; France changed governments three times; and the victors of 1918 fell out acrimoniously over war debts, arms, currency, tariffs and Germany. New hopes flickered but not for long: a world economic conference was planned, only to collapse when the US went its own way. All Against All reveals that collective mentalities and popular beliefs drove this crucial period and set nations on the path to war, as much as the rational calculus of 'national interest'. Weaving together stories from across the world, historian Paul Jankowski offers a cautionary tale relevant for Western democracies today. The rising threat from dictatorial regimes and the ideological challenges from communism and fascism gave the 1930s a unique face, just as global environmental and demographic crises are shaping our own precious age.Trade Review[one] of the most stimulating histories of the interwar period to have been published in recent years -- Tony Barber * FT *Praise for Verdun: "Brilliant. * Los Angeles Review of Books *The horrors have been described often and elaborately, but Mr. Jankowski is skillful enough that his accounts still provoke. * Wall Street Journal *Impressive -- Max Hastings * The Sunday Times *Jankowski has written a superb, definitive popular account of Verdun through the eyes of soldiers, military leaders, and citizens of the two nations. * Publishers Weekly *

Read more less

Book SynopsisFor a decade America’s share of the global economy has been in decline. Its diplomatic alliances are under immense strain, and any claim of moral leadership has been abandoned. America is still a colossus, possessing half the world’s manufacturing capacity, nearly half its military forces, and a formidable system of global surveillance and covert operations. But even at its peak it may have been sowing the seeds of its own destruction. Is it realistic to rely on the global order established after World War II, or are we witnessing the changing of the guard, with China emerging as the world’s economic and military powerhouse? America clings to its superpower status, but for how much longer?Trade Review‘A brilliant and deeply informed must-read for anyone seriously interested in geopolitics, the history of Empire, and the shape of the future.’ -- New York Journal of Books‘A profound meditation on the nature of American state power.’ -- James A. Robinson, Dr. Richard L. Pearson Professor of Global Conflict Studies, University of Chicago, and co-author of Why Nations Fail‘McCoy’s detailed, panoramic analysis…joins the essential short list of scrupulous historical and comparative studies of the United States as an…imperial power.’ -- John Dower, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Embracing Defeat and War Without Mercy‘Persuasively argues for the inevitable decline of the American empire and the rise of China… Powerful.’ -- Viet Thanh Nguyen, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Sympathizer‘One of our best and most underappreciated historians takes a hard look at the truth of our empire, both its covert activities and the reasons for its impending decline.’ -- Oliver Stone‘“What is the character of this American empire?” Alfred McCoy asks at the outset of this provocative study. His answer not only limns the contours of the American imperium as it evolved during the twentieth century, but explains why its days are quite likely numbered. This is history with profound relevance to events that are unfolding before our eyes.’ -- Andrew J. Bacevich, author of America’s War for the Greater Middle East‘A meticulous, eye-opening account of the rise, since 1945, and impending premature demise of the American Century of world domination.’ -- Ann Jones, author of They Were Soldiers‘Sobering reading for geopolitics mavens and Risk aficionados alike.’ * Kirkus *

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisA vivid portrait of a world at the end of war, told through 12 months from around the globe

Read more less

Book SynopsisHome from Home provides a deep, empathetic view of Ukrainians settling in the UK, their past and current difficulties integrating, and their legendary resilience to overcome and survive as a free and proud people.

Read more less

Book SynopsisHailed on publication as a thought-provoking, authoritative analysis of the true beginnings of the Second World War, this revised edition of The Road to War is essential reading for anyone interested in this momentous period of history. Taking each major nation in turn, the book tells the story of their road to war; recapturing the concerns, anxieties and prejudices of the statesmen of the thirties.Trade ReviewThe best short work on the origins of the second world war. It is a masterpiece of compression * Literary Review *Stimulating and enjoyable... essential reading * Guardian *Well-written, authoritative -- Norman Stone * Sunday Times *The authors combine passion with understanding to make sound historical sense * The Economist *It is mesmerising to read about a world careering to hell * Independent *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe completely updated edition of J. M. Roberts and Odd Arne Westad's widely acclaimed, landmark bestseller The Penguin History of the WorldFor generations of readers The Penguin History of the World has been one of the great cultural experiences - the entire story of human endeavour laid out in all its grandeur and folly, drama and pain in a single authoritative book. Now, for the first time, it has been completely overhauled for its 6th edition - not just bringing it up to date, but revising it throughout in the light of new research and discoveries, such as the revolution in our understanding of many civilizations in the Ancient World. The closing sections of the book reflect what now seems to be the inexorable rise of Asia and the increasingly troubled situation in the West.About the authors:J.M. Roberts, CBE, published The Penguin History of the World in 1976 to immediate acclaim. His other major books include The Paris Commune from the Right, The Triumph of the West (which was also a successful television series), The Penguin History of Europe and The Penguin History of the Twentieth Century. He died in 2003.Odd Arne Westad, FBA, is Professor of International History at the London School of Economics. He has published fifteen books on modern and contemporary international history, among them The Global Cold War, which won the Bancroft Prize, and Decisive Encounters, a standard history of the Chinese civil war. He also served as general co-editor of the Cambridge History of the Cold War.Reviews:'A work of outstanding breadth of scholarship and penetrating judgements. There is nothing better of its kind' Lord Jonathan Sumption, Sunday Telegraph 'A stupendous achievement' A. J. P. Taylor'A brilliant book ... the most outstanding history of the world yet written' J. H. PlumbTrade ReviewA work of outstanding breadth of scholarship and penetrating judgments. There is nothing better of its kind -- Jonathan Sumption * Sunday Telegraph *At once entertaining and scholarly ... a book as challenging as it is consistently absorbing -- Christopher HibbertA stupendous achievement -- A. J. P. TaylorA brilliant book ... the most outstanding history of the world yet written' -- J. H. PlumbThe leading historical mind of his generation * Guardian *

Read more less

The definitive account of the Great War and a national bestseller from eminent military historian John Keegan2018 marks the centenary of the First World War – the war that created the modern world. It destroyed a century of relative peace and prosperity and saw a continent at the height of its success descend into slaughter. It unleashed both the demons of the twentieth century - political hatred, military destruction and mass death - and the ideas which continue to shape our world today: modernism in the arts, new approaches to psychology and medicine, and radical ideas about economics and society.By the end of the war, three great empires – the Austro-Hungarian, the Russian and the Ottoman – had collapsed. But as Keegan expertly shows, the devastation extended over the entirety over Europe and still profoundly informs the politics and culture of the continent today. Pertinent, authoritative and gripping, this panoramic account of WW1 is regarded as a world history classic. ‘The best and most approachable introduction to the war’ Guardian‘Nobody describes a battle as Keegan does, vividly relating the unfolding events to the contours of the field of combat... This book is a kind of war memorial. As first-hand memory fades, The First World War honours the dead as only true history can’ Sunday Times

Read more less

Book SynopsisNow more than ever, our children need to learn about the people who live all around the world. This engaging guide to other lands weaves world history into a storybook format. Designed as a read-aloud project for parents and children to share (or for older readers to enjoy alone), this book covers the major historical events in the years 1600-1850 on each continent, with maps, illustrations, and tales from each culture. Over 1.3 million copies of The Story of the World have been sold. Newly revised and updated, THE STORY OF THE WORLD, VOLUME 3 includes a new timeline, 40 brand-new illustrations, and a pronunciation guide for unfamiliar names, places, and terms.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisA Calendar of Scottish Saints with the aid of Michael Barrett is a charming exploration of Scotland's rich spiritual history, skillfully weaving collectively the tapestry of saints' lives with historic context. Barrett's book serves as a masterful guide, intricately connecting the nation-states of records and biography. Through meticulous studies and eloquent storytelling, he brings to existence the testimonies of Scottish saints, embedding them inside the broader socio-cultural panorama. The book, taken into consideration certainly one of Barrett's masterpieces, displays his brilliance in making records on hand and engaging. Each saint's biography is presented with a mix of creativity and ardour, permitting readers to connect emotionally with these ancient figures. Barrett's writing transcends the bounds of mere historic documentation; it turns into a conduit for knowledge the shared human revel in. With a stylish but approachable writing style, Michael Barrett invitations readers to immerse themselves within the fascinating lives of Scottish saints. The calendar format adds a temporal size, offering a dependent and rhythmic journey thru time. Whether one seeks spiritual insight, historical know-how, or actually an exciting examine, A Calendar of Scottish Saints stands as a testomony to Barrett's literary prowess, ensuring that readers of all backgrounds can appreciate and take pleasure in the superb stories woven into the material of Scotland's spiritual history.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisTable of ContentsPreface by William Lloyd Garrison xxxiii Letter from Wendell Phillips xliii Chapter I 1 Chapter II 13 Chapter III 25 Chapter IV 35 Chapter V 45 Chapter VI 55 Chapter VII 63 Chapter VIII 77 Chapter IX 89 Chapter X 101 Chapter XI 157 Appendix 183 A Parody 191

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe first panoramic history of the Western world from the 1970s to the present day: Empire of Democracy is the story for those asking how we got to where we are.Trade ReviewFormidably ambitious... boldly attempts to paint a thematic portrait of the world's democracies and delivers an argument that leaders grounded these political structures on free-market economics... There is much to admire in Reid-Henry's book * Financial Times *Brilliantly, Reid-Henry calls for the salvation of democracy from the choices of its own leaders - if it is to survive * Samuel Moyn, Yale University *[Empire of Democracy] yields insights that help us understand our present and imagine the possibilities of our future... The frontiers of the future can sometimes be discerned by studying the plains of our past. This book allows the reader to do both. * Sunday Business Post Ireland *A monumental and nuanced history of the past half-century * Irish Times *Simon Reid-Henry has written a superbly informed and riveting historical analysis of our contemporary era, which opened in the 1970s and, as he brilliantly demonstrates, continues to transform the premises of Western democracies * Charles S. Maier, Harvard University *Praise for Fidel and Che * . *As exciting and readable as a Cold War thriller * The Times *Gripping . . . deeply impressive . . . rigorously sourced * Independent *A lucid, pulsating study . . . skilfully drawn * Economist *Absorbing * Sunday Times *Reid-Henry makes the case for seeing our recent past as a distinct period, as well as showing that this era is drawing to a close. He does this convincingly, stylishly and with verve. This is as good a general account as we have of democracy's dysfunctions and discontents over the last 50 years, and a significant improvement on most of the books published recently on our current disorders... in this fine book he has at least provided some starting points for thinking about what we need to do next to overcomes the morbid systems of our age and build something new. * Irish Examiner *

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe gripping story of the tumultuous destruction of the Irish country house, spanning the revolutionary years of 1912 to 1923

Read more less

Book SynopsisA comprehensive history of the Georgians, comparing past views of these exciting, turbulent, and controversial times with our attitudes today

Read more less

Book SynopsisTom Cunliffe is one of the biggest names in the sailing world an internationally renowned journalist and speaker, and the go-to guru when the BBC wants a presenter for a new TV series about maritime interests. For the last ten years he has edited the Great Seamanship' column of Yachting World magazine. Each column features an extract from a classic yachting book that covers an aspect of great seamanship. Tom introduces each extract by giving insightful background on the writer, their book and what makes their experience so worth reading about and learning from. This book comprises Tom's 40 favourite extracts, and covers the entire scope of yachting concerns, from small-boat handling to yacht racing to long-distance cruising and exploring. Introduced in Tom's quintessential lively, engaging fashion, and illustrated with photos both from the original books and Tom's own archives, this book contains a wealth of yachting wisdom and is a collection to be treasured.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisRobert Fisk’s bestselling eyewitness account of the events that have shaped the Middle East is alive with vivid reporting and incisive historical analysis. The history of the Middle East is an epic story of tragedy, betrayal and world-shaking events. It is a story that Robert Fisk has been reporting for over thirty years. His masterful narrative spans the most volatile regions of the Middle East, chronicling with both rage and compassion the death by deceit of tens of thousands of Muslims, Christians and Jews. Robert Fisk’s remarkable history is also the tale of a journalist at war – learning of the 9/11 attacks while aboard a passenger jet, reporting from a bombed-out Baghdad, interviewing Osama bin Laden – and of the courage and frustration of a life spent writing the first draft of history.Trade Review‘For sheer bravery, dazzling prose, three interviews with Osama bin Laden and an unrivalled collection of awards won over three decades, there is nobody to match Robert Fisk. This book is his testament.’ Sunday Times ‘Brilliant…powerfully written.’ Independent on Sunday ‘A remarkable book.’ New Statesman ‘Fisk writes with a marvellous resource of image and language. His investigative reporting is lethally painstaking.’ Neal Ascherson, Independent ‘His forte is straight reporting, such as his three interviews with Osama bin Laden. At least as good are his meetings with Saddam Hussein, Khomeini and Sadeq Khalkhali, the hanging judge of the Iranian revolution, and his close-ups of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the launch of Saddam's war against Iran, an ambush by Islamists of an Algerian police patrol, and a lift into trouble in an Apache attack helicopter on the Iraq/Turkey border.’ Guardian ‘A mammoth and magisterial work, the definitive summation of what has gone wrong in the West’s foreign policies towards Arabia.’ Scottish Sunday Herald ‘A stimulating and absorbing book, by a man who speaks Arabic, who has known the region better than most, and has met the leading players, from bin Laden to Ahmad Chalabi. A formidable production.’ New York Times ‘Full of furious, vivid and highly personalised writing…An important book by an intrepid and talented writer.’ Literary Review ‘Vivid, graphic, intense and very personal…this is a book of unquestionable importance.’ Washington Post

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis is the story of the greatest empire the world has ever known. Simon Baker charts the rise and fall of the world's first superpower, focusing on six momentous turning points that shaped Roman history. Welcome to Rome as you've never seen it before - awesome and splendid, gritty and squalid. From the conquest of the Mediterranean beginning in the third century BC to the destruction of the Roman Empire at the hands of barbarian invaders some seven centuries later, we discover the most critical episodes in Roman history: the spectacular collapse of the 'free' republic, the birth of the age of the 'Caesars', the violent suppression of the strongest rebellion against Roman power, and the bloody civil war that launched Christianity as a world religion. At the heart of this account are the dynamic, complex but flawed characters of some of the most powerful rulers in history: men such as Pompey the Great, Julius Caesar, Augustus, Nero and Constantine. Putting flesh on the bones of these distant, legendary figures, Simon Baker looks beyond the dusty, toga-clad caricatures and explores their real motivations and ambitions, intrigues and rivalries. The superb narrative, full of energy and imagination, is a brilliant distillation of the latest scholarship and a wonderfully evocative account of Ancient Rome.Trade ReviewLively and well-researched: an excellent read -- Peter Heather, author of The Fall of the Roman EmpireThis is a history of Rome that combines vivid drama and a gripping storyline with a keen alertness to bigger historical questions -- Mary Beard, Professor of Classics at Cambridge UniversityBrings the distant past to fully fleshed life * Good Book Guide *Highly recommended * Birmingham Evening Mail *Rome is revealed as it really was - gritty, magnificent and sometimes pretty sordid. Splendid stuff * Manchester Evening News *

Read more less

Book SynopsisFrom the origins of urbanization in Mesopotamia to the global metropolises of today, great cities have marked the development of human civilization. This book tells their stories, from Uruk and Memphis to Tokyo and Sao Paulo.Trade Review'An extravaganza … a terrific line-up of writers, and some superb illustrations' - The Times Literary Supplement'One couldn’t really ask for better people to open windows of insight on this fascinating and urgent topic' - Condé Nast Traveller'The history of cities is a history of civilization and such histories do not usually come so clear, so concise, so accessible and so entertaining as this' - The Art BookTable of ContentsUruk • Mohenjo-daro • Memphis • Thebes • Hattusa • Babylon • Nineveh • Carthage Athens • Linzi • Alexandria • Meroë • Jerusalem • Rome • Teotihuacan • Tikal • Constantinople • Mecca • Damascus • Chang’an • Baghdad • Córdoba • Angkor • Palermo • Cairo • Samarkand • Paris • Lübeck • Kraków • Venice • Florence • Benin Timbuktu • Cuzco • Tenochtitlan • Lisbon • Rome • Istanbul • Agra • Isfahan • Beijing • Kyoto • Prague • Amsterdam • Mexico City • London • Stockholm • Dublin • Copenhagen • St Petersburg • Vienna • Edinburgh • Moscow • Paris • London • Budapest Montreal • Washington DC • Barcelona • New Delhi • Berlin • Chicago • Los Angeles • Buenos Aires • Singapore • New York • São Paulo • Sydney • Tokyo • Shanghai

Read more less

Book SynopsisReza Aslan is an internationally acclaimed writer and scholar of religions. He is also a graduate of the Iowa Writers' Workshop. At Harvard, Aslan was elected president of Harvard's chapter of the World Conference on Religion and Peace, a UN organisation committed to global understanding. His is first book, No god but God: The Origins, Evolution and Future of Islam, has been translated into thirteen languages and named by Blackwells as one of the hundred most important books of the last decade. Currently teaching an introductory course on Islam at Iowa, Aslan is also at work on a novel.Trade ReviewA brief and lively history... Extraordinary. -- Alexander Waugh * Spectator *Aslan turns Genesis on its head. The extent of our divine anthropomorphism is fascinating. As an introductory biography of a figure who has good claim to be called the most influential of all time, it is interesting indeed. -- Catherine Nixey * The Sunday Times *Timely, riveting, enlightening and necessary. * Huffington Post *[Aslan’s] slim, yet ambitious book [is] the story of how humans have created God with a capital G, and it’s thoroughly mind-blowing. * Los Angeles Review of Books *Reza Aslan offers so much to relish in his excellent ‘Human History’ of God. In tracing the commonalities that unite religions, Aslan makes truly challenging arguments that believers in many traditions will want to explore further, and to mull over. This rewarding book is very ambitious in its scope, and it is thoroughly grounded in an impressive body of reading and research. * Philip Jenkins, author of Crucible of Faith *

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review“Interesting and rewarding read.”—Guy de la Bédoyère, BBC History Magazine“Spawforth’s book stands out in a crowded field of histories of Greece and Rome for its liveliness and wit.”—Daisy Dunn, Literary Review“Here is a chronicle replete with tales of extraordinary ability and inventiveness, of courage and cowardice, artistic and creative genius, of astonishing savagery and the hubris and failings that brought about disaster, of the love and passions that have continued to course through history, changing little down to our own times”—Diana Bentley, Minerva“A beautifully written account of ancient history, breathtaking in its ambition and rich in insight.”—Professor Paul Cartledge, author of The Spartans“An incredibly engaging read, written with scholarly precision and clarity. With great agility, Spawforth mixes literary, inscriptional, and archaeological material and offers a nuanced understanding of how civilisations evolve.”—Professor Michael Scott, author of Ancient Worlds“Informed, informative and thoroughly enjoyable. . . . A book that brings the past back to life.”—Peter Frankopan, author of The Silk Roads

Read more less

Book SynopsisJourney through thousands of years of human history (now with the women put back in).From the earliest human civilizations through to the present day, the stories of countless influential women - leaders, artists, warriors, scientists and more - have been ignored, forgotten, or actively suppressed. You may not have encountered the likes of Fatima al-Fihri (an Islamic World visionary who founded the world's first university), Ching Shih (the most successful pirate in history), or Huda Sha'arawi (a pioneering Egyptian feminist leader, suffragist, nationalist, and founder of the Egyptian Feminist Union), but that's about to change.In What’s Her Name: A History of the World in 80 Lost Women, authors - and sisters - Olivia Meikle and Katie Nelson weave together the captivating stories of these fascinating figures to tell an alternative, enthralling and deeply researched historical narrative. A truly global history, W

Read more less

Book Synopsis''Fascinating'' GREG JENNER''I couldn''t put it down'' JANINA RAMIREZ''Fabulous'' NATALIE HAYNES''Alive with the spirit of adventure'' RANULPH FIENNES''If you love Indiana Jones, this is the real thing'' DAN SNOWAncient shipwrecks in crystal seas, mythical princesses preserved in ice and astonishing lost rituals - this is the story of archaeology.Professor Michael Scott uncovers the true stories behind history''s most monumental discoveries, unearthing traps, curses and buried treasure along the way. Full of extraordinary characters - from glory hunters to forgotten heroes - X Marks the Spot explores our love affair with the past.

Read more less

Book SynopsisChina will replace the United States as the world''s dominant power. In so doing, it will not become more western but the world will become more Chinese. Jacques argues that we cannot understand China in western terms but only through its own history and culture. To this end, he introduces a powerful set of ideas including China as a civilization-state, the tributary system, the Chinese idea of race, a very different concept of the state, and the principle of contested modernity. First published in 2009 to widespread critical acclaim - and controversy - ''When China Rules the World: The End of the Western World and the Rise of a New Global Order'' has sold a quarter of a million copies, been translated into eleven languages, nominated for two major literary awards, and has been the subject of an immensely popular TED talk. In the three years since the first edition was published, the book has transformed the debate about China worldwide and proved remarkably prescient.In this greatly expanded and fully updated paperback edition, with nearly three-hundred pages of new material backed up by the latest statistical data, Martin Jacques renews his assault on conventional thinking about China''s ascendancy, showing how its impact will be as much political and cultural as economic, thereby transforming the world as we know it.Trade ReviewBy far the best book on China to have been published in many years, and one of the most important inquiries into the nature of modernisation. Jacques's comprehensive and richly detailed analysis will be an indispensable resource for anyone who wants to understand contemporary China -- John Gray * New Statesman *Provocative ... stimulating ... full of bold but credible predictions ... I suspect it will long be remembered for its foresight and insight -- Michael Rank * Guardian *This important book, deeply considered, full of historical understanding and realism, is about more than China. It is about a twenty-first-century world no longer modelled on and shaped by North Atlantic power, ideas and assumptions. I suspect it will be highly influential -- Eric HobsbawmJacques's book will provoke argument and is a tour de force across a host of disciplines -- Mary Dejevsky * The Independent *[An] exhaustive, incisive exploration of possibilities that many people have barely begun to contemplate about a future dominated by China. ... [Jacques] has written a work of considerable erudition, with provocative and often counterintuitive speculations about one of the most important questions facing the world today. And he could hardly have known, when he set out to write it, that events would so accelerate the trends he was analyzing. -- Joseph Kahn * The New York Times Book Review *A very forcefully written, lively book that is full of provocations and predictions -- Fareed Zakaria * GPS, CNN *[A] compelling and thought-provoking analysis of global trends.... Jacques is a superb explainer of history and economics, tracing broad trends with insight and skill -- Seth Faison * The Washington Post *The West hopes that wealth, globalization and political integration will turn China into a gentle giant... But Jacques says that this is a delusion. Time will not make China more Western; it will make the West, and the world, more Chinese * The Economist *

Read more less

Book SynopsisRobert Massie is the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Peter the Great, Nicholas and Alexandra, Dreadnought and The Romanovs: The Final Chapter. He lives in Irvington, New York.Trade ReviewGripping stuff * Charles Osbourne, Sunday Telegraph *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe First World War killed around eight million men and bled Europe dry. In this provocative book Niall Ferguson asks: was the sacrifice worth it? Was it all really an inevitable cataclysm and were the Germans a genuine threat? Was the war, as is often asserted, greeted with popular enthusiasm? Why did men keep on fighting when conditions were so wretched? Was there in fact a death wish abroad, driving soldiers to their own destruction? The war, he argues, was a disaster - but not for the reasons we think. Far worse than a tragedy, it was the greatest error of modern history.''The most challenging and provocative analysis of the First World War to date'' Ian Kershaw ''Must take a permanent place at the top of the War''s historiography. It is one of the very few books whose own scale matches that of the events it describes'' Alan Clark, Daily Telegraph''Possibly the most important book to appear in years both on the originsTrade ReviewThe most challenging and provocative analysis of the First World War to date -- Ian KershawMust take a permanent place at the top of the War's historiography. It is one of the very few books whose own scale matches that of the events it describes -- Alan Clark * Daily Telegraph *Brilliant and stimulating ... radical, readable and convincing * The Times *Possibly the most important book to appear in years both on the origins of the First World War ... Ferguson can confidently claim to have inherited A. J. P. Taylor's mantle -- Paul Kennedy * New York Review of Books *At one massive stroke, Niall Ferguson has transformed the intellectual landscape * Economist *

Read more less

Book SynopsisWho were the Druids? What do we know about them? Do they still exist today? The Druids first came into focus in Western Europe - Gaul, Britain, and Ireland - in the second century BC. They are a popular subject; they have been known and discussed for over 2,000 years and few figures flit so elusively through history. They are enigmatic and puzzling, partly because of the lack of knowledge about them has resulted in a wide spectrum of interpretations. Barry Cunliffe takes the reader through the evidence relating to the Druids, trying to decide what can be said and what can''t be said about them. He examines why the nature of the druid caste changed quite dramatically over time, and how successive generations have interpreted the phenomenon in very different ways.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Table of Contents1. The Druids in time and space ; 2. The European theatre ; 3. The archaeology of religious practice at the time of the Druids ; 4. Enter the Druids: the first contacts ; 5. Altars steeped in human blood ; 6. Twilight in the far west ; 7. Renaissance and rediscovery ; 8. Romanticism and the rise of nationalism ; 9. Neo-druids and the neo-pagans ; 10. So, who were the Druids? ; Further reading

Read more less