General and world history Books

Book SynopsisTakes readers inside the wily world of late seventeenth- and early eighteenth-century pirates. With swashbuckling irreverence and devilish wit, this book uncovers the hidden economics behind pirates' notorious, entertaining, and sometimes downright shocking behavior.Trade ReviewOne of San Francisco Chronicle's 100 Best Books for 2009 Winner of the 2009 Best International Nonfiction Book, Week Winner of the 2009 Gold Medal Book of the Year Award in Business and Economics, ForeWord Reviews "A brisk, clever new book, The Invisible Hook, by Peter T. Leeson, an economist who claims to have owned a pirate skull ring as a child and to have had supply-and-demand curves tattooed on his right biceps when he was seventeen, offers a different approach. Rather than directly challenging pirates' leftist credentials, Leeson says that their apparent espousal of liberty, equality, and fraternity derived not from idealism but from a desire for profit."--Caleb Crain, New Yorker "[S]urprising and engaging ... [Leeson's] seminars must be wildly popular."--Stephen Sedley, London Review of Books "Economist Leeson leads readers though a surprisingly entertaining crash course in economics in this study of high seas piracy at the turn of the 18th century... Illustrated with salty tales of pirates both famous and infamous, the book rarely bogs down even when explaining intricate economic concepts, making it a great introduction to both pirate history and economic theory."--Publishers Weekly "Mr. Leeson's book represents a serious attempt to use the tools of economics to make sense of the institutions of piracy. The book is another example of economic imperialism, the use of economics to make sense of real world phenomena that are outside the standard realm of economic science. It addresses an important force that did, and does, impact world trade. But as the skull and crossbones on its spine suggests, the book is also just fun... [T]he book manages to be entertaining and informative. It is a fun read and provides parents with something to teach their children while looking for pirate treasure left long ago at the beach."--Edward Glaeser, Economix blog, NYTimes.com "The Invisible Hook is an excellent book by one of the most creative young economists around."--Steven D. Levitt, Freakonomics blog "Peter T. Leeson has done his part to dispel the pirate myths by using economic theory to explain pirate behavior and organization in his exemplary new book... Mr. Leeson has produced a fresh perspective on an old topic... The Invisible Hook is quick-paced but thought-provoking. Based on this work, the reader should look forward to more books by the author."--Claude Berube, Washington Times "Piracy has not been Leeson's only obsession. The other has been economics. When he was 17 years old he had supply and demand curves tattooed on his right bicep ... now the professor has brought his two enthusiasms together in a wonderful (and wonderfully titled) new book. The Invisible Hook is his study of the hidden economics of piracy."--Daniel Finkelstein, Times "Jauntily characterising the typical pirate ship as akin to 'a Fortune 500 company', [Leeson] reorients pirates as precursors of Milton Friedman and the Chicago school of economics."--Ludovic Hunter-Tilney, Financial Times "One of the finest introductory courses in economics since Henry Hazlitt's Economics in One Lesson... The Invisible Hook is a good addition to the genre of popular economics: a fun and enlightening read, and rock solid in its scholarly bona fides."--Michael Shermer, Nature "From countless films and books we all know that, historically, pirates were criminally insane, traitorous thieves, torturers and terrorists. Anarchy was the rule, and the rule of law was nonexistent. Not so, dissents George Mason University economist Peter Leeson in his myth-busting book, The Invisible Hook, which shows how the unseen hand of economic exchange produces social cohesion even among pirates."--Michael Shermer, Scientific American "Given the flurry of piracy off the Somali coast in 2009, this relatively short narrative could not be timelier. The Invisible Hook, a play on Adam Smith's famous 'invisible hand,' is an engaging, informative look at the economics of piracy and pirates."--Choice "Peter Leeson, an economics professor at George Mason University, offers a fascinating perspective into the world of Blackbeard, 'Black Bart' Roberts and 'Calico Jack' Rackham in his highly readable book The Invisible Hook."--J. Peter Pham, San Francisco Chronicle "An engaging and thorough portrait of high seas banditry that goes beyond the pop-culture stereotypes to argue that though often brutal and always mercenary, pirates were ahead of their time when it came to matters of economic fairness and progressive labor practices."--Kevin Canfield, Mother Jones "[I]n The Invisible Hook, Peter Leeson deftly explodes piratical myths ... [The Invisible Hook] offers many colourful, meticulously researched insights into the behaviour of some of history's most colourful anti-heroes, and it will appeal to anyone with even passing interests in history, politics, sociology and/or economics."--Michelle Baddeley, Times Higher Education "Leeson says history cannot explain all piratical paradoxes. Only economics can disentangle the different strands."--Leon Gettler, The Age "Leeson hangs the meat of his pirate tale on a sturdy skeleton of economics... The Invisible Hook is a delightful read, thanks to Leeson's engaging writing. He reduces a veritable mountain of facts and history into an entertainingly educational experience."--Lewis Perdue, Barron's "This engaging account is fun to read and full of humor, qualities not often associated with an explanation of economic theory... This reviewer speculates that if more economic texts were written like this one, there would be a glut of economics majors to compensate for the shortage of pirates roaming the Atlantic."--Karl Helicher, Foreword Magazine "Peter T. Leeson digs into the dollars and cents of piracy. He urges us to see pirates as economic actors, their behavior shaped by incentives, just like the rest of us. Once you're in an economic state of mind, you can begin to understand actions such as lighting one's beard on fire, voting, being decent to black people, and torturing captives 'for fun'--all equally nutty behaviors to the average 18th--century observer. When Leeson is done guiding you through the pirate world, life on a rogue ship starts to look less like a Carnival cruise with cutlasses and cannons and more like an ongoing condo association meeting at sea."--Katherine Mangu-Ward, Reason "Cleverly written and witty... [Casts] a penetrating glance at the social and political motives of these odd outlaw communities."--Daniele Archibugi, Open Democracy "Delightful... Examines the hidden order behind the literal anarchy of pirates... Entertaining and educational."--Roger K. Miller, Tampa Bay Tribune "What possible connection could there be between economics and a book on piracy? A lot, it turns out. Peter Leeson explains this seemingly bizarre connection in page after page of his witty new book, The Invisible Hook."--David R. Henderson, Regulation Magazine "[Offers] not only a thumbnail history of piracy but important insights into the economic way of thinking... Fascinating, entertaining and educational."--Alan W. Bock, Orange County Register "[A]n eye-opener... The Invisible Hook is a gripping read that sheds as much light on 21st century economics ... as it does on 17th and 18th century piracy."--Ethical Corporation Magazine "The book wittily demonstrates that economic theories and principles, if not the be-all and end-all, can illuminate notable historical trends."--Stephen Saunders, Canberra Times "[W]ell-documented and very readable ... covers pirates from bow to stern. In addition to some descriptions of high seas navigation, maneuvers and stealth that border on high adventure, Leeson supplies plenty of counterintuitive, even surprising, revelations about pirates... And Leeson explains it all with economics... Bottom line: Peter T. Leeson's The Invisible Hook is an insightful hoot, and scores a couple of extra points for originality. Economics-minded readers who enjoy historical adventure or relish over-the-top 'freakonomics' should get a hearty yo-ho-ho out of this book. Not to mention a 360-degree brain twist before diving into that new Michael Crichton novel."--Seeking Alpha "This is an enjoyable read that discusses the management style, branding, employee recruitment and retention, compensation and incentives and strategic planning of pirates and why these systems were effective. There are some valuable lessons to be learned."--Bill Sutton, Sports Business Journal "Peter Leeson's The Invisible Hook argues that many of the founding principles of capitalist, liberal democracies are not rooted in the Glorious Revolution or the writing of the Declaration of Independence; but the incentive structures necessary to keep a group of rowdy ocean-bound outlaws working as a team of ruthless sea bandits."--Tim Wilson, IPA Reviews "It's Freakonomics meets Pirates of the Caribbean. Jack Hirshleifer meets Jack Sparrow. Fischer Black meets Blackbeard. Adam Smith meets Captain Hook... Peter Leeson claims, 'A pirate ship more closely resembled a Fortune 500 company than the society of savage schoolchildren depicted in William Golding's Lord of the Flies.' And by the end of the book, he had me convinced of it."--Rick Lax, Las Vegas Weekly "Leave it to an economist to take our current obsession [with pirates] and peer under it in search of a new interpretation... The Invisible Hook is an entertaining economic history of an era and a way of business rarely considered in such a way. Pirates were rational!"--MIT Sloan Management Review "Peter T. Leeson ... puts salty flesh on the bones of the pirates' legend in The Invisible Hook, pulling off the formidable trick of being both rigorous and cheeky... Leeson's lights ... are bright and convincing... [A] jaunty gem of a book... [H]is argument assuredly does bolster the Chicago School case that the dismal science pervades every human endeavor."--Jonathan Stevenson, Democracy "Leeson's book is stimulating, provocative, and, of course, a fun read."--Douglas Marcouiller, Journal of World Trade Review "For those who are interested in a quick course in free-market political economy, or in a fresh approach to the history of piracy, The Invisible Hook provides many pleasures and provocations."--Philip Smallwood, Eighteenth-Century Studies "The Invisible Hook is certainly a worthwhile read for various audiences. It can serve as an effective introduction to several key economic concepts with pirate society serving as an excellent vehicle for grabbing a reader's interest. This book would be an ideal supplemental reading for undergraduate principles of microeconomics or economic history classes... The book can also be valuable to any historian of piracy seeking a uniquely economics-based perspective on their subject."--Andrew Young, Southern Economic Journal "[Leeson] clearly is ... an undoubtedly excellent teacher, because the style and tone of the book are that of an engaging lecturer who makes economics entertaining for his undergraduate students."--Mark G. Hanna, International Journal of Maritime History "[T]here is much to be learned from Blackbeard and his compatriots: social order can arise without explicit design, and economics provides a powerful set of ideas for understanding how. This is the central idea of The Invisible Hook, and part of the reason why it is among the best popular works of economics in recent years."--Francis J. DiTraglia, Journal of Value Inquiry "I guarantee that after the first few pages you won't be able to put this book down, and you will come away with a set of refreshing insights that you may very well find relevant to your own research agenda... To put it bluntly, this book is a must read, or at least a 'should read,' for comparative political scientists, particularly those with a taste for the world of economics... Leeson should at least get a couple doubloons of your hard-earned booty."--Anthony Gill, Comparative Political Studies "The Invisible Hook: The Hidden Economics of Pirates, stands out as a novel contribution to international economics and, by extension, international relations."--Mitchell A. Belfer, Central European Journal of International and Security Studies "Well shiver me timbers, this surely is a wickedly good book! In fact, Peter Leeson has produced a book applying the dismal science that is both fun to read, and entertaining. Arrgh-uably, it also has more economic relevance than 95 percent of the articles in mainstream economics journals. Furthermore, it is accessible to virtually any reader."--Bruce L. Benson, Public Choice "With all the books on these colorful criminals, Leeson's is the only one to focus on the economic side of the matter. That is his great advantage."--Bibliotheque d'Humanisme et Renaissance "The Invisible Hook is a great read. I recommend it without hesitation to professional academics, students, anyone interested in a clear exposition of the economic way of thinking, and every scurvy dog who is interested in pirating."--Bruce L. Benson, Public ChoiceTable of ContentsList of Illustrations xi Preface and Acknowledgments xiii Chapter 1: The Invisible Hook 1 Chapter 2: Vote for Blackbeard The Economics of Pirate Democracy 23 Chapter 3: An-arrgh-chy The Economics of the Pirate Code 45 Chapter 4: Skull & Bones The Economics of the Jolly Roger 82 Chapter 5: Walk the Plank The Economics of Pirate Torture 107 Chapter 6: Pressing Pegleg The Economics of Pirate Conscription 134 Chapter 7: Equal Pay for Equal Prey The Economics of Pirate Tolerance 156 Chapter 8: The Secrets of Pirate Management 176 Epilogue: Omnipresent Economics 194 Postscript: You Can't Keep a Sea Dog Down The Fall and Rise of Piracy 197 Where This Book Found Its Buried Treasure A Note on Sources 207 Notes 213 Index 2

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"An original and remarkably complete portrait ... give[s] a marvellous picture of the evolution, complexity, and decline of the ancient city."--James E. Packer, Journal of Roman Archaeology "Magnificent ... an impressive monument of historical outreach."--T. P. Wiseman, Journal of Roman Studies

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Book SynopsisTranslation of: Kafka, die Jahre der Erkenntnis.Trade ReviewWinner of the 2014 Helen and Kurt Wolff Translator's Prize Finalist for the 2013 National Jewish Book Award in History, Jewish Book Council One of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 2014 One of The Guardian Best Books of 2013, chosen by Colm Toibin Longlisted for the 2014 PEN Translation Award, Pen American Center "[S]cholars and specialists lost and absorbed in the many rooms of the Kafka factory will find much to discuss in the labors of Reiner Stach."--Joy Williams, New York Times Book Review "[Stach's] resplendent Kafka: The Years of Insight, tracking Kafka's final eight years, meditates on the limits of the knowable even as it exhibits unparalleled dedication to the Kafka's life and work."--Gary Giddins, Wall Street Journal "This well-researched new biography details the last nine years of Franz Kafka's life and explores the personal, social, and political events that shaped his writing... Despite the narrow time frame, this insightful book is likely to become a standard by which future biographies are measured."--Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) "[S]uperbly tempered... [T]hrough this robustly determined unearthing he rescues Kafka from the unearthliness of his repute... Shelley Frisch, Stach's heroic American translator, movingly reproduces his intended breadth and pace and tone... In this honest and honorable biography there is no trace of the Kafkaesque; but in it you may find a crystal granule of the Kafka who was."--Cynthia Ozick, New Republic "Stach's book succeeds brilliantly at clearing a path through the thick metaphysical fog that has hung about Kafka's work almost since his death... [I]lluminating... It is common to say of biography that it sends you back to the work. Stach's book does this in spades, but, importantly for English readers, it also presents new aspects of the work in Shelley Frisch's superb and lucid translations... Between them, she and Stach have produced a superbly fresh imaginative guide to the strange, clear, metaphor-free world of Kafka's prose."--Tim Martin, Telegraph "Stach reads the work and the life with minute care and sympathy. He has a deep understanding of the world that Kafka came from and this is matched by an intelligence and tact about the impulse behind the work itself."--Colm Toibin, Irish Independent "This work is a monumental accomplishment with a first-rate translation by scholar Frisch."--Library Journal (Starred Review) "Conclusion of a massive, comprehensive life of the famed Czech/German/Jewish writer, chockablock with neuroses, failures and moments of brilliance... An illuminating book built, like its subject's life, on small episodes rather than great, dramatic turning points. Essential for students and serious readers of Kafka."--Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review) "With impressive insight into imaginative artistry, Stach illuminates the way Kafka responds to personal trauma and global firestorm, sometimes incorporating his negative circumstances into his fiction, but sometimes transcending those circumstances in metaphysical creations informed by a profoundly personal myth. This literary-biographical analysis will help scholars penetrate major Kafka works, including The Castle and The Trial, The Hunger Artist and The Burrow. Thanks to a lucid translation, English-speaking readers can now share the German enthusiasm for this masterful portrait."--Bryce Christensen, Booklist (Starred Review) "[T]he definitive biography of Kafka... [A] supple and accurate English translation by Shelley Frisch... Stach presents a full, nuanced treatment of Kafka's feelings about Jewishness. He is particularly adept in his depiction of Kafka's relationships with the women he loved."--David Mikics, Forward.com "[M]agnificent."--John Carey, Sunday Times "[S]uperlative, readable and ... genuinely gripping... Stach manages to recreate the worlds through which Kafka moved and in which he suffered in a manner that reads ... like high-quality fiction... Stach on Kafka is more than worthy to be put on a shelf of the magisterial literary biographies of the last few decades... It is quite splendid."--Kevin Jackson, Literary Review "No one will ever be able to write Kafka's story as well as he could, but Reiner Stach, a first-class German scholar, does remarkably well in Kafka: The Years of Insight."--Robert Fulford, National Post "The second volume of Reiner Stach's epic biography of Franz Kafka ... [is] a tangle of counter-grained and often under-sourced life stories, but reading Stach's magnificent narrative (wonderfully translated by Shelley Frisch) straight through brings death, not life, to the forefront. Stach is a compulsively readable writer... [A]s in the previous volume, the prose in The Years of Insight is supple and very appealingly complex--all of which, once again, is perfectly rendered by Frisch."--Steve Donoghue, Open Letters Monthly "[H]ighly readable."--Ian Thomson, Financial Times "[M]onumental... [A] superb English-language translation by Shelly Frisch ... now reprinted in a handsome paperback by Princeton... In this first volume, Stach sifts through that rubble with huge amounts of energy and discretion (and Frisch follows him without a misstep; it feels like exactly the book I read ten years ago in its original language)... His letters and journals are marshaled with sometimes breathtaking ingenuity, and the sheer scope of the work allows Stach to be expansive when painting his backgrounds... Always in these recountings, Stach is searching for his elusive subject, trying--as all previous biographers have tried, though none so well--to hear Kafka's strange, singular voice in the noise... Kafka: The Decisive Years was greeted with a loud chorus of praise when it first appeared in English, and the passage of almost a decade has cast no doubt on that verdict. Princeton has re-issued this classic so that it can stand next to the following volume, Kafka: The Years of Insight, newly published in hardcover. No one interested in Kafka (or, by almost inevitable extension, 20th century literature) should miss either."--Steve Donoghue, Open Letters Monthly "A definitive biography of a rare writer... [M]asterful... [T]his biography makes for an excellent read. Mr Stach, a German academic, expertly presents Kafka's struggles with his work and health against a wider background of the first world war, the birth of Czechoslovakia and the hyperinflation of the 1920s."--The Economist "A definitive biography of a writer as transcendent as Franz Kafka might be unattainable, but in his massive trilogy, Stach comes as close as one can."--Robert Legvold, Foreign Affairs "[A] further passionate attempt to reinscribe works such as Metamorphosis, A Report To An Academy, and The Castle on 21st century readers... Stach does us a great service... By dint of a rhythmic sequencing of narration and discussion, Stach illuminates the symbiosis of Kafka's inner catastrophes and vocational ardour with the violent military devastation of Europe, the birth of the Czech Republic and his frail body's tortuous decline."--Gregory Day, The Age Praise for Kafka: The Years of Insight: "It would be impossible to describe the work and essence of this key artist of the twentieth century in a livelier and more vibrant style... A masterpiece of the art of interpretation and of empathy."--Der Tagesspiegel Praise for Kafka: The Years of Insight: "Reiner Stach has recounted Kafka's life more vividly than any other biographer. The reader moves through his Kafka biography, which reads like a novel, in breathless anticipation... No one has written about Kafka as suggestively and insightfully, and in such a beautiful and clear language, as Reiner Stach."--Ulrich Greiner, Die Zeit "[E]xtensive ... impeccably translated... Each volume is crafted such that one simply must read the other two: Stach peppers his writing with tantalizingly vague references and foreshadowings to elsewhere in the series, and his allusions compel the reader to absorb Kafka's complete biography from start to finish... The author's meticulous chronicle of Kafka's life by no means precludes examination of the literary legacy that it produced; rather, it sharpens our understanding of some of Kafka's most obscure and abstract works... An utterly thorough biography, the three-volume set will prove a treasure to any admirer of Franz Kafka--or good research."--Nat Bernstein, Jewish Book Council "Kafka: The Years of Insight ... wonderfully translated ... is Volume III of what will surely be the definitive biography. Kafka is brought to vivid life by an author at once scholarly and entertaining."--John Banville, New Statesman "Stach's declared aim is to find out what it felt like to be Kafka, and he succeeds."--John Banville, Irish Times "Countering the prevailing notion that Kafka was out of touch with reality, Stach details how this quixotic modernist was actually well informed about the crisis and how this knowledge altered the course of his writing. In addition to being a skillful biographer, Stach is an authority on Kafka, having worked for more than a decade on the definitive critical edition of Kafka's writings... [T]his biography is an extraordinary accomplishment."--Choice "Stach's riveting narrative, which reflects the latest findings about Kafka's life and works, draws readers in with a nearly cinematic power, zooming in for extreme close-ups of Kafka's personal life, then pulling back for panoramic shots of a wider world."--World Book Industry "Reiner Stach's biography of Franz Kafka, planned for three volumes, has assumed a commanding position in a crowded field: this is a work that simply must be studied by anyone with a serious interest in Kafka... The appearance in English of this groundbreaking work is a publishing event of major importance."--Peter Zusi, Slavic Review "Stach pursues what can be known of Kafka so far and so exhaustively... Sometimes I thought of Stach as the captive and Kafka as the captor... Vivid and valuable."--Rivka Galchen "Masterly ... Stach's great achievement is to place the literary work into a biographical context that emphasises the interplay of memory, experience and symbolism in the writing... A triumph of biography and literary scholarship."--PD Smith, Guardian "[A] brilliant, authoritative portrait."--John Yargo, The Millions "Superbly translated from German by Shelley Frisch... Illuminating facts and intelligent commentary... The three volumes are so carefully composed and densely woven--blending history, literary analysis, psychological insights, quotes and commentary from others--that it would be practically impossible to produce an abridged version in a single volume."--Alexander Adams, Spiked ReviewTable of ContentsPROLOGUE The Ants of Prague 1 CHAPTER ONE Stepping Outside the Self 8 CHAPTER TWO No Literary Prize for Kafka 31 CHAPTER THREE "Civilian Kavka": The Work of War 46 CHAPTER FOUR The Marvel of Marienbad 83 CHAPTER FIVE What Do I Have in Common with Jews? 105 CHAPTER SIX Kafka Encounters His Readers 129 CHAPTER SEVEN The Alchemist 141 CHAPTER EIGHT Ottla and Felice 157 CHAPTER NINE The Country Doctor Ventures Out 170 CHAPTER TEN Mycobacterium tuberculosis 186 CHAPTER ELEVEN Zurau's Ark 201 CHAPTER TWELVE Meditations 222 CHAPTER THIRTEEN Spanish Influenza, Czech Revolt, Jewish Angst 244 CHAPTER FOURTEEN The Pariah Girl 266 CHAPTER FIFTEEN The Unposted Letter to Hermann Kafka 287 CHAPTER SIXTEEN Merano, Second Class 311 CHAPTER SEVENTEEN Milena 319 CHAPTER EIGHTEEN Living Fires 332 CHAPTER NINETEEN The Big Nevertheless 353 CHAPTER TWENTY Escape to the Mountains 380 CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE Fever and Snow: Tatranske Matliary 387 CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO The Internal and the External Clock 404 CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE The Personal Myth: The Castle 423 CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR Retiree and Hunger Artist 451 CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE The Palestinian 475 CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX Dora 497 CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN The Edge of Berlin 512 CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT Last Sorrow 546 EPILOGUE 573 Acknowledgments 577 Translator's Note 579 Key to Abbreviations 581 Notes 583 Bibliography 647 Photo Credits 665 Index 667

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"[An] imaginative retelling of world history."---Thomas E. Ricks, New York Times

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"An intellectual tour de force that does not mince words."---Abdullah Drury, Muslim World Book Review"An impressive book, well written, making good use of both Ottoman and Western sources, and crafted to keep the reader engaged." * Michigan War Studies Review *"[W]hen it comes to the role of the Ottomans in the history of central Europe . . . the book succeeds brilliantly… Ágoston has also succeeded in what I think will stand for a long time as the definitive political and military narrative of the Ottomans in southeastern and central Europe. Over and over again his command of the facts provides the reader with a strong basis for comparing the various powers and their capabilities at the level of population, natural resources, military technology and so on and so forth. . . . Any future research on this area in the early modern period will find Ágoston’s book to be enormously useful, indeed essential, when writing their own studies."---Molly Greene, European Legacy"Gábor Ágoston has written a much-needed overview of Ottoman warfare from the early state along the Byzantine frontier to the empire’s wars with the Holy League in the late seventeenth century. The Last Muslim Conquest successfully combines the work of several regional historiographies and makes important interventions. Along with a narrative and analysis of the wars in this period, Ágoston includes detailed chapters on Ottoman military organization, tactics, and technology. The Last Muslim Conquest also balances both older historiography that over-emphasized religious antagonism as well as newer research that focuses more on cultural contacts between the Ottomans and Europe."---Samuel Stevens, International Journal of Military History and Historiography"Ottomanists, military historians, and non-specialists will find The Last Muslim Conquest an accessible book and one that can provide starting points for further research. Ágoston’s work is an analytical narrative of early modern Ottoman military history that has been needed for some time."---Samuel Stevens, International Journal of Military History and Historiography"Unique."---Colin Imber, Journal of the American Oriental Society"Remarkable in combining a high level of detail with a remarkable clarity of exposition. . . . The richness and brilliant organization of his material and the careful attention to detail invite wider speculation."---Colin Imber, Journal of the American Oriental Society"An outstanding, highly readable study of the Ottoman military, a calm defense of the emphasis on Europe and on conflict on the European frontier in Ottoman historiography, and a work of deeply informed, mature scholarship."---Douglas Howard, Journal of the Ottoman and Turkish Studies Association

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"The memorable thing about Cline's book is the strangely recognizable picture he paints of this very faraway time. . . . It was as globalized and cosmopolitan a time as any on record, albeit within a much smaller cosmos. The degree of interpenetration and of cultural sharing is astonishing."---Adam Gopnik, New Yorker"A fascinating look at the Late Bronze Age, proving that whether for culture, war, economic fluctuations or grappling with technological advancement, the conundrums we face are never new, but merely renewed for a modern age."---Larry Getlen, New York Post"Cline has created an excellent, concise survey of the major players of the time, the latest archaeological developments, and the major arguments, including his own theories, regarding the nature of the collapse that fundamentally altered the area around the Mediterranean and the Near East."---Evan M. Anderson, Library Journal"A remarkable book that brings forth not just a piece of history, but also lessons from the past."---Mihai Andrei, ZME Science"Fresh and engaging."---Andrew Robinson, Current World Archaeology"The 12th century BCE is one of the watershed eras of world history. Empires and kingdoms that had dominated late Bronze Age western Asia and the eastern Mediterranean collapsed." * Choice *"Cline explores a vast array of variables that could have led to the disruption of the society of this era, including earthquakes, famines, droughts, warfare, and, most notably, invasions by the 'Sea Peoples.'" * Publishers Weekly *"A detailed but accessible synthesis. . . . [O]ffers students and the interested lay antiquarian a sense of the rich picture that is emerging from debates among the ruins."---Scott McLemee, Inside Higher Ed"In this enjoyable new book, Eric H. Cline has set himself an ambitious task: Not only must he educate a popular audience about the wealth and power of the eastern Mediterranean civilizations of the Bronze Age, he must then make his readers care that, some time around the year 1200 B.C., these empires, kingdoms, and cities suffered a series of cataclysms from which they never recovered."---Susan Kristol, Weekly Standard"[An] engaging book. . . . Cline builds a convincing case for his theory over a long and absorbing tour of the Late Bronze Age.”"---Josephine Quinn, London Review of Books"A wonderful example of scholarship written for the non-expert. Cline clearly pulls together the engaging story of the interactions among the major empires of the Late Bronze Age and puts forth a reasonable theory explaining why they seem to have evaporated as quickly as moisture on a hot afternoon."---Fred Reiss, San Diego Jewish World"Cline's work reveals eerie parallels between the geopolitics of the first years of 12th century B.C. and today's 21st century. 1177 B.C.: The Year Civilization Collapsed is history, but reads like a good mystery novel. Cline draws readers into his tale, revealing surprises throughout. It is all the more fascinating for being true, and for its relevance to today's world."---Mark Lardas, Daily News"Cline has written one of this year's most interesting books."---Jona Lendering, NRC Handelsblad"Extremely valuable for scholars, yet . . . easily understandable by general readers."---Richard A. Gabriel, Military History Quarterly"Cline is clearly in command of the textual record and his reading of it is the book's real strength."---A. Bernard Knapp, History Today"Written in a lively, engaging style."---Michael McGaha, Middle East Media and Book Reviews"1177 B.C.: The Year Civilization Collapsed is a thoughtful analysis of one of the great mysteries of human history. . . . Highly recommended."---James A. Cox, Midwest Book Review"[T]his work masterfully incorporates the present state of research into a welcome reevaluation of a period less known to the general public, the crisis of Late Bronze Age civilization. . . . [E}ven more brilliant is the spin on the similarities between the predicament of this area three millennia ago and now."---Barbara Cifola, American Historical Review"There are few published titles which focus on the tumultuous events that took place in the Eastern Mediterranean at approximately 1200 BCE. . . . Cline's 1177 B.C.: The Year Civilization Collapsed stands out among the rest as one of the best and most thoroughly researched. . . . This book is presented as a mystery novel. . . . One thing is for certain, once started, you will not want to put it down." * Ancient Origins *"A gripping mystery story with clues to follow and evidence to analyze."---SG, Ancient Egypt Magazine"Essential."---Thomas F. Bertonneau, Brussels Journal"Well-written, very fairly argued, and excellent value, it will set the agenda for Late Bronze Age studies for some time to come."---Peter Jones, Classics for All"Fascinating. . . . [A]voids the tedium of so many academic writers."---Bruce Beresford, filmmaker"Eric H. Cline has written a work of great scholarship, but has written in a manner so that the non-expert . . . can not only understand, but also appreciate it."---Don Vincent, Open History"I don't know when I've appreciated a book as much as 1177 B.C. If you enjoy learning, you will enjoy this book! Highly recommended."---Thomas A. Timmes, UNRV History"Cline expertly and briskly takes the reader through the power politics of the fifteenth, fourteenth, and thirteenth centuries BC with excursuses on important archaeological discoveries and introductions for each of the major players. No reader with a pulse could fail to be captivated by the details."---Dimitri Nakassis, Mouseion"Cline's book is something special in ancient history writing. . . . The book is up to date in its research, covers a lot of ground, is careful in its conclusions, and will be referred to and cited by students of Aegean and eastern Mediterranean prehistory, discussed by the scholarly community, as well as read by the interested public. Cline has done a good job of bringing the Late Bronze Age eastern Mediterranean to a very wide audience."---Guy D. Middleton, American Journal of Archaeology"Remarkably prescient. . . . [A] convincing case for the relevance of ancient history to the modern world." * Canadian Journal of History *"The end of the Late Bronze Age, around the turn of the twelfth century BCE, was a civilizational collapse similar to the much better known fall of the Roman Empire seventeen centuries later. . . . The causes of this collapse have been among the enduring mysteries of ancient history and archaeology, a complicated detective story for which Eric Cline deftly serves as guide. Cline . . . presents for educated general readers a survey of the evidence and scholarship concerning the end of the Late Bronze Age. He also engagingly establishes the historical and geographical context of the collapse, complete with a motley and compelling cast of characters."---Matthew A. Sears, Canadian Journal of History"This collapse has been a popular subject for scholars, not least our author, for a very long time. Here he usefully assembles the evidence and deduces that it was the very complexity of powers, their interrelationships through trade or war, that brought about the collapse, and he is probably right."---John Boardman, Common Knowledge"The most analytically satisfying, accessible, and of course up-to-date treatment of one of the great enigmas of the ancient world."---Christoph Bachhuber, Historian"Cline admirably acknowledges areas of existing scholarly controversy, while understandably emphasizing the consensus view in order to maintain the flow of his narrative. . . . He has a firm command of the textual, archaeological, and environmental evidence, and brings together a wealth of recent scholarship in an accessible form, a treatment which has been sorely lacking for this pivotal period. . . . [A] fine book."---Erin Warford, European Legacy"1177 BC still offers the best treatment of the subject that is currently available. If you haven’t read it yet, I recommend that you do."---Josho Brouwers, Ancient World Magazine

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"The 2018 Medieval Book of the Year"

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Book SynopsisAtlas of Vanishing Places takes you on a voyage to all corners of the world in search of the lost, disappearing and vanished places. Table of ContentsINTRODUCTIONANCIENT CITIES MOHENJO-DARO-PAKISTAN HATTUSA-TURKEY LEPTIS MAGNA-LIBYA XANADU-MONGOLIA/CHINA CIUDAD PERDIDA-COLOMBIA MAHABALIPURAM-INDIA PALENQUE-MEXICO HELIKE-GREECE PETRA-JORDAN TIMGAD-ALGERIA ALEXANDRIA-EGYPTFORGOTTEN LANDS CHAN CHAN-PERU ROANOKE-NORTH CAROLINA, USA THE MOSQUE CITY OF BAGERHAT-BANGLADESH RIVER FLEET-LONDON, UK LION CITY-CHINA OLD ADAMINABY-AUSTRALIA PORT ROYAL-JAMAICA ESANBEHANAKITAKOJIMA-JAPAN THE LOST SEA-CRAIGHEAD CAVERNS, TENNESSEE, USA BODIE-CALIFORNIA, USA FLAGSTAFF-MAINE, USASHRINKING PLACES RIVER DANUBE-EUROPE THE DEAD SEA-JORDAN/ISRAEL SLIMS RIVER-YUKON, CANADA SKIPSEA-YORKSHIRE, UK THE EVERGLADES-FLORIDA, USATHREATENED WORLDS GLACIER NATIONAL PARK-MONTANA, USA CHIHUAHUAN DESERT-MEXICO/USA TIMBUKTU-MALI SKARA BRAE-ORKNEY YAMUNA RIVER-INDIA VENICE-ITALY THE CONGO BASIN RAINFOREST-DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO THE GREAT BARRIER REEF-AUSTRALIA THE GREAT WALL-CHINA TUVALU-SOUTH PACIFIC SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY PICTURE CREDITS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS INDEX

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Book SynopsisA wise and witty compendium of the greatest thoughts, greatest minds, and greatest books of all time''listed in accessible and succinct form''by one of the world''s greatest scholars.From the ''Hundred Best Books'' to the ''ten Greatest Thinkers'' to the ''ten Greatest Poets, here is a concise collection of the world''s most significant knowledge. For the better part of a century, Will Durant dwelled upon''and wrote about''the most significant eras, individuals, and achievements of human history. His selections have finally been brought together in a single, compact volume. Durant eloquently defends his choices of the greatest minds and ideas, but he also stimulates readers into forming their own opinions, encouraging them to shed their surroundings and biases and enter ''the Country of the Mind, a timeless realm where the heroes of our species dwell. From a thinker who always chose to exalt the positive in the human species, The Greatest Minds and Ideas of All Time stays true to Durant''s optimism. This is a book containing the absolute best of our heritage, passed on for the benefit of future generations. Filled with Durant''s renowned wit, knowledge, and unique ability to explain events and ideas in simple and exciting terms, this is a pocket-size liberal arts and humanist curriculum in one volume.Table of ContentsContentsIntroductionChapter OneA Shameless Worship of HeroesChapter TwoThe Ten "Greatest" ThinkersChapter ThreeThe Ten "Greatest" PoetsChapter FourThe One Hundred "Best" Books for an EducationChapter FiveThe Ten "Peaks" of Human ProgressChapter SixTwelve Vital Dates in World HistoryIndexCopyright © 2002 by John Little, Monica Ariel Mihell, and William James Durant Easton

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Book SynopsisTrade Review‘Mehring’s book is a remarkable achievement: an intellectual biography that illuminates a whole era while taking very seriously the intimate connections between the theory and the restless and obsessive personality of its main character. It is bound to remain a fundamental reference in the vast literature on one of the most decisive chapters in European constitutional history: the Weimar Republic.’Political Studies Review ‘By presenting a complete account of Schmitt’s life, heretofore absent, Mehring has done a great service. This biography will no doubt be the point of departure for studies of Carl Schmitt and his intellectual legacy for a long time.’Constellations

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Book SynopsisFor millennia, mankind has devised ingenious and diabolical means of inflicting pain on fellow human beings. This deplorable but seemingly universal trait has eaten away at mankind's very claim to civilisation. Despite how repugnant the practice of torture appears to us today, for at least 3,000 years it formed part of most legal codes throughout Europe and the Far East. The Big Book of Pain is an exploration of the systematic use throughout the ages of various means of punishment, torture, coercion and torment. It takes the reader into the Ancient Roman Coliseum, the medieval dungeon, the Inquisitional interrogation, the auto-da-fe, the witch-trial, and the worst of prisons. It is a shocking and compelling study of the shameful methods and motives of the torturer and the executioner, and of the heinous duty they have performed through the ages.

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Book SynopsisTheir ferocity is as legendary as their loyalty to the British Monarch and their regimental histories are crammed with actsof incredible bravery and sacrifice. The Gurkhas'' particular reputation as fearsome fighting men remains undisputed and the mere threat of their kukri knives has put fear into the hearts of opposing forces throughout the world.The Gurkhas have been on the British frontlines since 1815 and these small but extraordinarily tough fighters have demonstrated their courage ever since, in battles ranging from the Indian Mutiny through Afghanistan to Kosovo.John Parker has fully updated his bestselling book to include the Gurkhas'' recent operations in Africa and to celebrate their successful campaigning for British citizenship. His book is a fascinating testimony to a fighting force that standsdramatically apart in British military history.Trade ReviewParker provides a comprehensive look at the Gurkhas and their history right up to the present day. * Forces News - Lockdown Reads 2020 *The incredible story of these feared warriors * Daily Mail *John Parker's book is a fascinating testimony to a fighting force that stands dramatically apart in British military history * Heartland Evening News *The incredible story of these feared warriors * Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisProfessor Nur Masalha is a Palestinian writer, historian and academic. He is currently a member of the Centre for Palestine Studies, SOAS, University of London. He is editor of the Journal of Holy Land and Palestine Studies. His books include: Expulsion of the Palestinians (1992); A Land Without a People (1997); The Politics of Denial (2003); The Bible and Zionism (Zed 2007); The Palestine Nakba (Zed 2012); and An Oral History of the Palestinian Nakba (with Nahla Abdo, Zed 2018).Trade ReviewNur Masalha has produced an impressive work that challenges those who are trying to erase the Palestinians from history. * International Socialism *The attention to detail, as well as the rigorous explanation is impeccable. Every reading, or re-reading, of this book, will provoke new contemplation. * Middle Eastern Monitor *A sharp, powerfully understated denunciation of Israel’s founding mythology. Masalha’s narratives provide ballast and backstory to the contemporary claims of the dispossessed. * Publishers’ Weekly *Masalha has done an extraordinary job, collating evidence from an abundance of rich sources, to give us a stunning narrative substantiating these identities. * Socialist Review *The most comprehensive English language history of Palestine to date. This book is a painstakingly researched and well-documented deconstruction of the myths too many Zionists and their western apologists have convinced the world to be factual history. * Counterpunch *Masalha has now admirably unearthed this forgotten Palestine. He settles securely and authoritatively into a narrative that commands respect and is not impaired by the passion behind it ... Masalha’s confidence that all will not be extinguished offers hope in the face of a still-uncertain future. He has written his history to encourage the survivors and to enlighten those who sympathise with them. He strives to keep alight the flame of Palestinian culture that, despite every attempt to snuff it out, still burns brightly in the poetry of Mahmoud Darwish and in the world he never left behind. * New York Times Review of Books *A work of broad and impressive scholarship. It fills a critical gap in our knowledge of Palestinian history and provides a long overdue corrective to traditional histories. * Ghada Karmi, author of Return: A Palestinian Memoir *This book by Nur Masalha is the fullest and richest text he has produced to date, bringing together his decades of work as a historian to produce a master narrative on Palestine. * Haim Bresheeth, SOAS, University of London *A significant contribution to the restoration of the history of ancient Palestine, written by a prolific indigenous historian of international repute. Brilliantly explicating the relationship between history and colonial ideology in Palestine, with this book Masalha puts Palestinian history back on track. * Hamdan Taha, archaeologist and former Deputy Minister for Tourism and Antiquities, Palestine *An amazing book, long overdue. A tour de force which demystifies the distortions and fabrications around Palestine and the people living in it. * Ilan Pappé, author of The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine *A masterpiece of history writing. It serves to set the record straight, methodically and rigorously debunking the myth that Palestine is a new concept. * Mazin Qumsiyeh, Founder and Director of the Palestine Museum of Natural History *This erudite, comprehensive study of Palestine explodes many myths. Essential reading for a proper understanding of the efforts to deny the deep historical rootedness of this name, and of its indigenous people. * Rashid Khalidi, Columbia University *Masalha’s meticulous and multifaceted coverage of the history of Palestine from the late Bronze Age to modern times is essential reading for all who hope to understand its people’s irrepressible struggle against occupation and exile. * Rosemary Sayigh, author of The Palestinians: From Peasants to Revolutionaries *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. The Philistines and Philistia as a Distinct Geo-political Entity: Late Bronze Age to 500 BC 2. The Conception of Palestine in Classical Antiquity and During the Hellenistic Empires (500?135 BC) 3. From Philistia to Provincia ‘Syria Palaestina’ (135 AD?390 AD): The Administrative Province of Roman Palestine 4. The (Three in One) Provincia Palaestina: The Three Administrative Provinces of Byzantine Palestine (4th?Early 7th Centuries AD) 5. Arab Christian Palestine: The Pre-Islamic Arab Kings, Bishops and Poets and Tribes of Provincia Palaestina (3rd?Early 7th Centuries AD) 6. The Arab Province of Jund Filastin (638?1099 AD): Continuities, Adaption and Transformation of Palestine under Islam 7. Between Egypt and al-Sham: Palestine during the Ayyubid, Mamluk and Early Ottoman Periods 8. Palestinian Statehood in the 18th Century: Early Modernities and Practical Sovereignty in Palestine 9. Being Palestine, Becoming Palestine: Rediscovery and New Representations of Modern Palestine and their Impact on Palestinian National Identity 10. Settler-colonialism and Disinheriting the Palestinians: The Appropriation of Palestinian Place Names by the Israeli State

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Book SynopsisOriginally published in Germany in 1955, and in England and the United States in 1958, this classic memoir of WWII by a man who was an acknowledged military genius and probably Germany's top WWII general, is now made available again. Field Marshal Erich von Manstein described his book as a personal narrative of a soldier, discussing only those matters that had direct bearing on events in the military field. The essential thing, as he wrote, is to 'know how the main personalities thought and reacted to events.' This is what he tells us in this book. His account is detailed, yet dispassionate and objective. 'Nothing is certain in war, when all is said and done,' But in Manstein's record, at least, we can see clearly what forces were in action. In retrospect, perhaps his book takes on an even greater significance.Trade ReviewWall Street Journal, October 7, 2006"Generals don't make the best memoirists, mainly because they embellish while writing for posterity; the higher the rank, the worse the tome. The exception is the breathtaking autobiography of Field Marshal Erich von Manstein, the brilliant author of many Germany victories against the Soviets in World War II. Dismissive of oft-cited ‘turning points,’ such as the German defeat at Stalingrad, von Manstein contends that the war was never winnable for Germany because of the leader prosecuting it. As for Hitler's once much-vaunted kinship with regular soldiers, he says the Fuehrer had ‘as little in common with the thoughts and emotions of soldiers as had his party with the Prussian virtues which it was so fond of invoking.’ Coming from Hitler's greatest general, it's a most effective filleting.”WWII History, December 2005“Manstein’s Lost Victories is definitely one of the more interesting and informative German autobiographies to emerge from World War II. New publisher Zenith Press is to be commended for republishing it.”

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Book SynopsisTHE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLERThe complete history of the world, from the beginning of time to the present day, based on the beliefs and writings of the secret societies.Jonathan Black examines the end of the world and the coming of the Antichrist - or is he already here? How will he make himself known and what will become of the world when he does? - and the end of Time. Having studied theology and learnt from initiates of all the great secret societies of the world, Jonathan Black has learned that it is possible to reach an altered state of consciousness in which we can see things about the way the world works that hidden from our everyday commonsensical consciousness. This history shows that by using secret techniques, people such as Leonardo da Vinci, Isaac Newton and George Washington have worked themselves into this altered state - and been able to access supernatural levels of intelligence. This book will leave you questioning everTrade Review'Dan Brown's non-fiction source for The Lost Symbol might well be Jonathan Black's The Secret History of the World' Roger Lews, Daily Express. * Daily Express *'The startling revelations that form the core of this book show the world as deeply strange and mysterious, filled with secrets and codes,with humanity at the heart of a grand cosmic riddle' Graham Hancock, author of Fingerprints of the Gods. * Graham Hancock *Table of ContentsPreface. Introduction. In The Beginning: God Peers at His Reflection; The Looking-Glass Universe. A Short Walk in the Ancient Woods: Imagining Ourselves into the Minds of the Ancients. The Garden of Eden: The Genesis Code; Enter the Dark Lord; The Flower People. Lucifer, the Light of the World: The Apple of Desire; A War in Heaven; The Secrets of the Days of the Week. The Gods who Loved Women: The Nephilim; The Genetic Engineering of Humankind; The Fish Gods; The Original History of the Origin of the Species. The Assassination of the Green King: Isis and Osiris; The Cave of the Skull; The Palladium. The Age of Demi-Gods and Heroes: The Ancient Ones; The Amazons; Enoch; Hercules, Theseus and Jason. The Sphinx and the Timelock: Orpheus; Daedalus, the First Scientist; Job; Solving the Riddle of the Sphinx. The Neolithic Alexander the Great: Noah and the Myth of Atlantis; Tibet; Rama's Conquest of India; The Yoga Sutras of Pantanjali. The Way of the Wizard: Zarathustra's Battle Against the Powers of Darkness; The Life and Death of Krishna the Shepherd; The Dawn of the Dark Age. Getting to Grips with Matter: Imhotep and the Age of the Pyramids; Gilgamesh and Enkidu; Abraham and Melchizedek. The Descent into Darkness: Moses and the Cabala; Akhenaten and Satan; Solomon, Sheba and Hiram; King Arthur and the Crown Chakra. Reason - and How to Rise Above It: Elijah and Elisha; Isaiah; Esoteric Buddhism; Pythagoras; Lao Tzu. The Mysteries of Greece and Rome: The Eleusian Mysteries; Socrates and his Daemon; Plato as a Magus; The Divine Identity of Alexander the Great; The Caesars and Cicero; The Rise of the Magi. The Sun God Returns: The Two Jesus Children; The Cosmic Mission; The Crucifixion in South America; The Mystic Marriage of Mary Magdalene. The Tyranny of the Fathers: The Gnostics and the Neoplatonists; The Murder of Hypatia; Attila and Shamanism; A Touch of Zen. The Age of Islam: Mohammed and Gabriel; The Old Man of the Mountains; Haroun al Raschid and the Arabian Nights; Charlemagne and the Historic Parsifal; Chartres Cathedral. The Wise Demon of the Templars: The Prophecies of Joachim; The Loves of Ramon Lull; St Francis and the Buddha; Roger Bacon Mocks Thomas Aquinas; The Templars Worship Baphomet. Fools for Love: Dante, the Troubadours and Falling in Love for the First Time; Raphael, Leonardo and the Magi of Renaissance Italy; Joan of Arc; Rabelais and the Way of the Fool. The Green One Behind the Worlds: Columbus; Don Quixote; William Shakespeare, Francis Bacon and the Green One. The Rosicrucian Age: The German Brotherhoods; Christian Rosencreutz; Hieronymus Bosch; The Secret Mission of Dr Dee. Occult Catholicism: Jacob Boehme; The Conquistadors and the Counter-Reformation; Teresa, John of the Cross and Ignatius; The Rosicrucian Manifestos; The Battle of White Mountain. The Occult Roots of Science: Isaac Newton; The Secret Mission of Freemasonry; Elias Ashmole and the Secret Chain of Transmission; What Really Happens in Alchemy. The Age of Freemasonry: Christopher Wren; John Evelyn and the Alphabet of Desire; The Triumph of Materialism; George Washington and the Secret Plan for the New Atlantis. The Mystical-Sexual Revolution: Cardinal Richelieu; Cagliostro; The Secret Identity of the Comte de St Germain; Swedenborg, Blake and the Sexual Roots of Romanticism. The Illuminati and the Rise of the Unreason: The Illuminati and the Battle for the Soul of Freemasonry; Occult Roots of the French Revolution; Napoleon's Star; Occultism and the Rise of the Novel. The Mystic Death of Humanity: Swedenborg and Dostoyevsky; Wagner; Freud, Jung and the Materializing of Esoteric Thought; The Occult Roots of Modernism; Occult Bolshevism; Gandhi. Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: The Anti-Christ; Re-entering the Ancient Wood; The Maitreya Buddha; The Opening of the Seven Seals; The New Jerusalem. Postscript. Acknowledgements. Illustration acknowledgements. A Note on Sources and Selective Bibliography. Index.

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Book SynopsisScience and religion have always been at each other’s throats, right?Trade Review'This book, though, is surely [Spencer's] magnum opus. It is astonishingly wide-ranging… and richly informed… So much complex history, theology and science could be heavy. What lightens the book is its clarity and the effervescent writing.' —The Sunday Times'With patience, balance and deep learning, Spencer… dismantles the myths that have accumulated around Galileo Galilei, Charles Darwin and other scientific figures… Filled with wit and wisdom.' —Philip Ball, TLS'Fascinating… prepare to read something genuinely fresh in what can be an extremely hackneyed debate.' —New Scientist'Magisterial and brilliant.' —Professor John Milbank‘Easily the best exploration of the complex relation between science and religion I have ever read. As exemplary in his even-handedness as in his patient research… I suspect it will become the classic work on its subject.' —Iain McGilchrist, author of The Master and his Emissary'Spencer knows his history of science. He recounts the set pieces of any such story – the trial of Galileo, Huxley vs Wilberforce, the Scopes monkey trial – with bravura.' —Spectator‘A must-read for anyone interested in this vital topic, and outstanding for its destruction of old myths about “the war between religion and science”, and for showing how complex, and various, and often positive relations have actually been.’ —Church Times, BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR'[Spencer] has a lot of interesting things to say about how exactly the often fraught relationship between science and faith has fared over the centuries… Mr. Spencer carefully reconstructs what actually happened. It’s interesting to read how the stories have become simplified and exaggerated over time… Mr. Spencer’s most important corrective is to show that Galileo’s theory raised scientific and theological questions that had not been answered at the time… a fascinating tour through a history of a difficult relationship, the fate of which is still unclear.' —Wall Street Journal'This page-turner of a book compellingly tracks the relation between science and religion, eternally bickering siblings, across two millennia. The ironies of the collaborations and oppositions between the two are brilliantly set out. You don’t have to have religious belief to recognise that science doesn’t always have the right answers. The real question: who has the authority to make statements about the natural world? Nicholas Spencer well shows that this authority – formerly in the hands of religious authorities, now usually scientific ones – has been effortfully constructed and disagreed over across time.' —Chris Wickham, author of The Inheritance of Rome'This sweeping and comprehensive look at the "war" between religion and science lays it bare as a nineteenth-century myth. Studying God’s Works – what we call "science" – was historically as important to Christianity as studying his Word. The battles we’ve mythologised – from the ancient mathematician Hypatia’s murder by a Christian mob, to Galileo kneeling before the Inquisition, to the 1925 Scopes “monkey” trial – were not about ideology, but authority. A compelling act of myth-busting.' —Nancy Marie Brown, author of The Abacus and the Cross'Illuminating… Even (or especially) those readers inclined to disagree with him will find his narrative refreshing… [Spencer] is one of Britain’s most astute observers of religious affairs… He offers an engaging tour of the intersection of religious and scientific history… Mr Spencer insightfully revisits the dust-ups involving Galileo, Darwin and John Scopes (prosecuted in Tennessee in 1925 for teaching evolution). He traces the interaction of the two disciplines in often fascinating detail.' —Economist'Highly readable... Spencer convincingly shows how, until the modern period, religion largely supported the sciences of the day.' —Financial Times'Tremendous… [Spencer's] survey of more than two millennia to the present day is consistently well-informed, witty and merciless to those wanting easy headlines. Every journalist would benefit from reading this substantial but very useful text, but all its readers will emerge better informed—and perhaps even saner.’ —Diarmaid Macculloch, Prospect'Books that attempt to encompass the whole history of science and religion within a single volume are rare. This is one of them, and it is a good one… clearly written, with plenty of humour... this superb volume... is likely to become the standard work on the subject for the general reader for many years to come, and deservedly so.' —Tablet'Nicholas Spencer is always worth reading. In this new book he brilliantly synthesises a mass of scholarly research to provide an authoritative, lucid and, at times, surprising account of the historical relations between Western science and religion. This is easily the most comprehensive and accessible history of these two "magisteria" presently available.' —Peter Harrison, author of The Territories of Science and Religion 'Spencer’s historical portrait is erudite and wide-ranging…[a] necessary [book].' —Literary Review

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Book SynopsisYou have just discovered the literary masterpiece that answers your questions about God, life in the inhabited universe, the history and future of this world, and the life of Jesus. The Urantia Book harmonizes history, science, and religion into a philosophy of living that brings new meaning and hope into your life. If you are searching for answers, read The Urantia Book!The world needs new spiritual truth that provides modern men and women with an intellectual pathway into a personal relationship with God. Building on the world''s religious heritage, The Urantia Book describes an endless destiny for humankind, teaching that living faith is the key to personal spiritual progress and eternal survival. These teachings provide new truths powerful enough to uplift and advance human thinking and believing for the next 1000 years.A third of The Urantia Book is the inspiring story of Jesus'' entire life and a revelation of his original teachingTable of ContentsThe central and superuniverse; the local universe; the history of Urantia; the life and teachings of Jesus

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Book SynopsisDiscover how the modern world came to be with this easy-to-follow and up-to-date history companion Want to get a taste of the entirety of human history in a single book? With World History For Dummies, you'll get an overview of the history of, well, everything, from the Neanderthal experience to the latest historical developments of the 21st century. Re-live history from your armchair as you ride into battle alongside Roman generals, prepare Egyptian pharaohs for the afterlife, and learn from the great Greek poets and philosophers. Written in the easy-to-digest style the For Dummies series is famous for, you'll discover: How religion, philosophy, and science shaped, and were shaped by, the great figures of historyThe human consequences of warfare, from historical battles to more modern conflicts from the 20th centuryWhat's influencing events in the 21st century, from climate change to new regimes and economies World History For Dummies is the perfect gift for the lifelong learner who wants to brush up on their world history knowledge. It's also an indispensable resource for AP World History students looking for a supplemental reference to help them with their studies.Table of ContentsIntroduction 1 Part 1: Getting into History 5 Chapter 1: Tracing a Path to the Present 7 Chapter 2: Digging Up Reality 19 Chapter 3: Putting History into Perspective 29 Part 2: Finding Strength in Numbers 41 Chapter 4: Getting Civilized 43 Chapter 5: Rising and Falling Empires 61 Chapter 6: Splitting Eras: The Middle Ages 77 Chapter 7: Struggling for Dominance 93 Chapter 8: Grabbing the Globe 113 Chapter 9: Pulling Empires Together as Subjects Push Back 135 Part 3: Seeking Answers 161 Chapter 10: Worshipping through the Ages 163 Chapter 11: Loving Wisdom: Philosophy’s Impact 185 Chapter 12: Being Christian, Thinking Greek 201 Chapter 13: Awakening to the Renaissance 211 Chapter 14: Breaking Away: The Reformation 229 Chapter 15: Opening Up to Science and Enlightenment 251 Part 4: Fighting, Fighting, Fighting 267 Chapter 16: Wielding Sticks and Stones: Old-Fashioned War 269 Chapter 17: Upgrading the War Machine 283 Chapter 18: Modernizing Mayhem 297 Part 5: Meeting the Movers and Shakers 313 Chapter 19: Starting Something Legendary 315 Chapter 20: Battling Toward Immortality 329 Chapter 21: Exploring and “Discovering” 343 Chapter 22: Turning Tables: Rebels and Revolutionaries 357 Part 6: The Part of Tens 373 Chapter 23: Ten Unforgettable Dates in History 375 Chapter 24: Ten Essential Historical Documents 383 Index 393

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Book Synopsis'Very beautiful and illuminating' Mariella Frostrup Edward Brooke-Hitching, author of the international bestseller The Phantom Atlas delivers an atlas unlike any other. The Devil’s Atlas is an illustrated guide to the heavens, hells and lands of the dead as imagined throughout history by cultures and religions around the world. Packed with colourful maps, paintings and captivating stories, the reader is taken on a compelling tour of the geography, history and supernatural populations of the afterworlds of cultures around the globe. Whether it’s the thirteen heavens of the Aztecs, the Chinese Taoist netherworld of ‘hungry ghosts’, or the ‘Hell of the Flaming Rooster’ of Japanese Buddhist mythology (in which sinners are tormented by an enormous fire-breathing cockerel), The Devil’s Atlas gathers together a wonderful variety of beliefs and reprTrade Review'A funny and phantasmagoric tour of humanity’s attempts to survey the afterlife, both high and low. If you’d like to know which author wrote about the bordellos in hell, where to find a tree that grows devil heads, or what angels’ houses might smell like, this book is for you.' -- Bess Lovejoy, author of Rest in Pieces: The Curious Fates of Famous Corpses'Stunning and utterly fascinating' -- Dan Schreiber – No Such Thing As A Fish'A sumptuous collection of artworks, from all over the world, and through the ages, depicting visions of heaven and hell.' * Booktime magazine *‘In this world of mental exploration, Edward Brooke-Hitching is a delightful and indispensable guide…For all their horrors, Brooke-Hitching’s hells are ultimately comforting because their solid boundaries keep the dead away from us.’ -- Diane Burkiss * Literary Review *‘The Devil’s Atlas entertainingly gathers the hells and underworlds of numerous ages and schools of belief, together with limbos and purgatories, and – at last – the heavens, paradises and utopias. Written in sparkling scholarship studded with glittering trivia, abundant education and monstrous images.’ * Strong Words *'The perfect shelf-mate to The Madman's Library, brimming with vibrant imagery - from the Book of the Dead to Islamic manuscripts to William Blake, and, of course, an entire section devoted to Dante. Clever writing and astonishing illustrations.' * Fine Books magazine *

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Book SynopsisEnter The Madman's Gallery - the perfect gift book for any art lover. Discover an eccentric exploration through the curious history of art, to find the strangest paintings, sculptures, drawings and other artistic oddities ever made. From the author of the bestseller The Madman’s Library (SundayTimes Literature Book of the Year 2020, Radio 4 Book of the Week) comes an extraordinary new illustrated collection. This unique exhibition gathers more than a hundred magnificent works, each chosen for their striking beauty, weirdness and captivating story behind their creation. Obscure and forgotten treasures sit alongside famous masterpieces with secret stories to tell. Here are Doom paintings, screaming sculptures, magical manuscripts, impossible architecture, dog-headed saints, angel musketeers and the first portrait of a cannibal. Stolen art, outsider art, ghost art, revenge art, and art Trade Review‘I love this book. Beautifully illustrated, it's a superb cabinet of art curiosities, featuring the true stories of muses and masterpieces, uncovering what artists have really been inspired by, across history and cultures. A coffee table book that you'll actually want to read.' -- Ruth Millington, author of Muse: Uncovering the Hidden Figures Behind Art History’s Masterpieces‘Welcome to this cabinet of artistic curiosities. Brooke-Hitching has done a marvellous service in highlighting the weird in art history. Too often, Surrealism aside, we fail to embrace the bizarre, feeling it is insufficiently "important" or "serious". Finally there is a book that beautifully embraces this subset of art history with lavish illustrations and thoughtful text about just this. Lay back, pour yourself a teacup full of string, and dive into this brain-tingling collection. The perfect gift for all lovers of the bizarre and the visually arresting.’ -- Dr Noah Charney, author of The Museum of Lost Art'The Madman’s Gallery reminds us that for the first 40,000 years of its existence art was a verb - something that does something. Protects you from demons and plagues, assists in childbirth, casting spells, summoning ghosts, standing over tombs, communing with ancestors, making the crops grow, safeguarding armies, and conjuring God.’ -- Jerry Saltz, Senior Art Critic New York Magazine'Don't miss the extraordinary new illustrated collection from Edward Brooke-Hitching. The Madman's Gallery draws on a depth of research and images to form a book that surprises at every turn.' * Artists & Illustrators *'Brooke-Hitching has the true eye and instinct for the unusual and unexpected that is possessed by only the most dedicated and assiduous connoisseur and collector. I hope this cabinet of artistic curiosities becomes a bestselling book. A handsome volume that deserves to sell like hot cakes.' -- Robert Cumming, author of 'Art: A Visual History'‘…a feast of artistic curiosities’ * The Telegraph *‘A gallery of the gory, the gruesome, the saucy, images familiar and strange.’ * Saga Magazine *‘Following on from books highlighting eccentric offerings from the fields of literature and cartography, Edward Brooke-Hitching sets off in search of similarly outré gems from visual art.’ * History Revealed *

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Book SynopsisFrom the Rigveda to the New Atheism, 250 Milestones in the History of Philosophy

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Book SynopsisA STUNNINGLY ILLUSTRATED BOOK REVEALING THE GREATEST MYTHS, LIES AND BLUNDERS ON MAPS 'Highly recommended' - Andrew Marr 'A spectacular, enjoyable and eye-opening read' - Jonathan RossThe Phantom Atlas is an atlas of the world not as it ever existed, but as it was thought to be. These marvellous and mysterious phantoms - non-existent islands, invented mountain ranges, mythical civilisations and other fictitious geography - were all at various times presented as facts on maps and atlases. This book is a collection of striking antique maps that display the most erroneous cartography, with each illustration accompanied by the story behind it. Exploration, map-making and mythology are all brought together to create a colourful tapestry of monsters, heroes and volcanoes; swindlers, mirages and murderers. Sometimes the stories are almost impossible to believe, and remarkably, some of the errors were sTrade Review‘A bonkers book…Highly recommended’ -- Andrew Marr‘A spectacular, enjoyable and eye-opening read... A wonderful book, with beautiful illustrations throughout’ -- Jonathan Ross‘Beautifully illustrated…brain-boggling…an excursion into the minds of men imagining an as yet uncharted world’ * Spectator *‘This intriguing book…shows how places that aren’t there can endure, sometimes for centuries, once a map-maker has inked them in’ * The Times *‘Beautiful… Brooke-Hitching [has] an eye for a good story and his book is gloriously illustrated with ancient mistaken maps, each accompanied by a thoroughly researched tale of the men whose errors led to them.’ * Daily Express *‘Extraordinary’ * Historia Magazine *‘Excellent... Arranged alphabetically in fifty-eight short chapters, with lavish deployment of illustrations, the book provides a captivating chronicle of our battle with ignorance’ * Literary Review *‘Unreservedly recommended’ * The Monocle *‘From the magnetic mountain at the north pole to Australia’s inland sea, Edward Brooke-Hitching charts five centuries of misrepresentative maps.’ * The Guardian *‘A rich selection… [that] shows how lively minds made use of limited knowledge, but also how rumour, guesswork and downright lies can persist in the scholarly imagination.’ * The Economist *‘One of the most beautiful books I’ve ever seen in my life…full of fascinating quirky things.’ -- Jen Campbell, author Weird Things Customers Say in Bookshops‘The fascination and beauty of maps both emerge clearly in this well-written, witty and thoughtful book…this is a spirited and enjoyable study’ * Standpoint *‘Exquisitely produced… Gorgeous illustrations of countries and islands that were once thought to exist...For any fans of maps this is a must’ * The Australian *'Fascinating ... and beautifully illustrated' -- Rosamund Urwin * Evening Standard *'The Phantom Atlas describes some 50 "myths, lies and blunders" and illustrates them in delightful detail...deserve[s] a place on the coffee table, but only after it's been read: there is as much to absorb as to see.' -- John Ure * Country Life *

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Book Synopsis* BBC RADIO 4 BOOK OF THE WEEK *'Anybody who loves the printed word will be bowled over by this amusing, erudite, beautiful book about books. It is in every way a triumph. One of the loveliest books to have been published for many, many years' Alexander McCall Smith 'Quite simply the best gift for any book lover this year, or perhaps ever' Lucy Atkins, Sunday Times Literary Book of the Year'An utterly joyous journey into the deepest eccentricities of the human mind… The most cheering, fascinating book I’ve read for ages' GuardianFrom the author of the critically acclaimed and globally successful The Phantom Atlas, The Golden Atlas and The Sky Atlas comes a stunning new work. The Madman’s Library is a unique, beautifully illustrated journey through the entire history of literature, delving into its darkestTrade Review'This gorgeous collection of bizarre books through the ages... My favourite - and the jaw-dropping bar is high here - is the beautiful, tubercular, 19th-century countess who asked an author to bind his next novel in her skin (he obliged; who wouldn't?). Quite simply the best gift for any book lover this year, perhaps ever.' -- Lucy Atkins * Sunday Times, Literary Book of the Year *'An astonishing book about books... This profusely illustrated book is a bibliophile’s dream: massive books, tiny books, coded books, books of fathomless eccentricity – they are all here. One of the most amusing and engaging books to be published for years.’ -- Alexander McCall-Smith * New Statesman *‘Fabulously entertaining…a tour of the world, a cross-cultural paean to literary ingenuity in all its forms. The book itself is a handsome tome, full of extraordinary images: illuminated manuscripts, visions of the Devil, early anatomical texts. It is a strangely hopeful book: humankind in all its wild variety, set down somehow on paper.’ -- Erica Wagner * Financial Times *'The most beautiful objects in literature. You're going to love this. Extraordinary' -- Dan Snow‘The strangest books ever written, from tomes bound in human skin to a bible that conceals a pistol and a passage of Martian writing channelled through a psychic. A cornucopia of curiosities. Spellbinding…a fascinating tome.’ * Daily Mail *'Brooke-Hitching’s prose is elegant and witty [and] the images...make the book a real joy' * Spectator *'Intriguing...it is a bibliophile's paradise, bringing together the weirdest and most eccentric books ever published. It is a treasure trove of peculiarity, presented in the most captivating way.' * The Lady, Books of the Year *‘Sit back and enjoy the ride as the book sails off into ever more outlandish territory…The Madman’s Library owes as much to his journalistic eye for a good story as it does to bibliographic expertise. It fairly barrels along, delivering a riot of colourful episodes and even more colourful images. Special mention should be made of the illustrations, in fact, since they carry the book every bit as much as the text…This is a book to dip into, browse, fondle and ogle rather than read cover to cover. For bibliophiles who have missed the serendipitous delights of actual libraries over the past few months, it’s the ideal tonic.’ -- Gill Partington * Literary Review *‘This riotous history of weird and wonderful books… It’s suitably lively…but never loses sight of the history among the hijinks.’ * History Revealed *'For a bibliophile's reading pleasure, Brooke-Hitching brings together weird and wondrous tomes from antiquity and all corners of the globe.' * Saga magazine *'The book veers from compulsively gross to deliciously odd, but always fascinating.' -- Francesca Carington * Tatler *'A lavishly illustrated compendium of literary oddities' * Radio Times *

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Book SynopsisThe Imperium series continues in this asymmetric card-based civilisation building game for 14 players, charting the rise and fall of fourteen of the greatest civilisations from history.Formidable adversaries are arrayed against you. Your people stand ready. History beckons.In your hands lies the destiny of one of the most storied peoples of history. Under constant threat of attack, you must conquer new lands, oversee dramatic scientific and cultural advances, and lead your people into the era of empire. Expand too rapidly and unrest will bring your civilisation to its knees; build up too slowly, however, and you might find yourself a mere footnote of history. As one of fourteen radically asymmetric civilisations, you will compete to become the most dominant empire the world has ever seen.Imperium: Horizons is a standalone game that contains the Abbasid, Askumite, Cultist, Gupta, Inuit, Japanese, Magyar, Martian, Mayan, Polyn

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Book SynopsisDid you ever wonder which civilisation first took to water in small craft? Who worked out how to measure distance or plot a course at sea? Or why the humble lemon rose to such prominence in the diets of sailors?Taking one hundred objects that have been pivotal in the development of sailing and sailing boats, the book provides a fascinating insight into the history of sailing. From the earliest small boats, through magnificent Viking warships, to the technology that powers some of the most sophisticated modern yachts, the book also covers key developments such as keeps and navigational aids such as the astrolabe, sextant and compass. Other more apparently esoteric objects from all around the world are also included, including the importance of citrus fruit in the prevention of scurvy, scrimshaw made from whalebone and the meaning of sailor's tattoos. Beautifully illustrated with lively and insightful text, it's a perfect gift for the real or armchair sailor, the book gives an alternaTrade ReviewA whimsical, inventive, comprehensive and scientific volume of sailing knowledge. * Boating Times Long Island *A delightful anthology of vignettes about all sorts of things of interest and importance to leisure, commercial and naval mariners. It has much wider appeal than just sailing and yachting. * Ausmarine magazine *A potpourri of all things nautical with informative text supporting each picture. * This England *This photographic tour through the ages is a captivating look at mankind's history at sea. * Yachting Times *So much more than the sum of its parts... the true joy of this book is to dip in and out of it again and again. * Topwath Talk *Book of the month. Beautifully illustrated and insightfully written, it offers a thoughtful tour of how we sail today and why. * Boat International *

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Book SynopsisWinner of the Royal Society Science Book.'Exhilaratingly whizzes through billions of years . . . Gee is a marvellously engaging writer' - The TimesFor billions of years, Earth was an inhospitably alien place – covered with churning seas, slowly crafting its landscape through volcanic eruptions, the atmosphere in a constant state of chemical flux. And yet, despite facing literally every conceivable setback that living organisms could encounter, life has been extinguished and picked itself up to evolve again.From that first foray to the spread of early hominids who later became Homo sapiens, life has persisted, undaunted. A (Very) Short History of Life: 4.6 Billion Years in 12 Chapters is an enlightening story of survival, of persistence, illuminating the delicate balance within which life has always existed, and continues to exist today. It is our planet like you’ve never seen it before.Dr Henry Gee presents creatures from ‘gregarious’ bacteria populating the seas to duelling dinosaurs in the Triassic period, to magnificent mammals with the future in their grasp. Life’s evolutionary steps – from the development of a digestive system to the awe of creatures taking to the skies in flight – are conveyed with an up-close intimacy.'Henry Gee makes the kaleidoscopically changing canvas of life understandable and exciting.' – Jared Diamond, author of Guns, Germs, and SteelTrade ReviewA scintillating, fast-paced waltz through four billion years of evolution, from one of our leading science writers . . . His poetic prose animates the history of life, from the first bacteria to trilobites to dinosaurs to us. -- Steve Brusatte, University of Edinburgh paleontologist and Sunday Times bestselling author of The Rise and Fall of the DinosaursExhilaratingly whizzes through billions of years . . . Gee is a marvellously engaging writer, juggling humour, precision, polemic and poetry to enrich his impossibly telescoped account . . . [making] clear sense out of very complex narratives * The Times *This is now the best book available about the huge changes in our planet and its living creatures, over the billions of years of the Earth’s existence . . . Henry Gee makes this kaleidoscopically changing canvas of life understandable and exciting. Who will enjoy reading this book? Everybody! -- Jared Diamond, author of Guns, Germs, and SteelHenry Gee’s whistle-stop account of the story of life (and death — lots of death) on Earth is both fun and informative. Even better, it goes beyond the natural human inclination to see ourselves as special and puts us in our proper place in the cosmic scheme of things -- John GribbinDon’t miss this delightful, concise, sweeping masterpiece! Gee brilliantly condenses the entire, improbable, astonishing history of life on earth — all 5 billion years - into a charming, zippy and scientifically accurate yarn. -- Daniel E. Lieberman, Professor of Biological Sciences, Harvard University'Gee's prose is so infectiously enthusiastic, and his tone so accessible, that you'll find yourself racing through as if you were reading a novel - and you'll never find yourself scrambling for a good fact to wheel out at an awkward pause in conversation again.' * Reader's Digest *

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Book SynopsisComposed in a prison cell in 1298 by Venetian merchant Marco Polo and Arthurian romance writer Rustichello of Pisa, The Description of the World relates Polo's experiences in Asia and at the court of Qubilai, the Great Khan of the Mongol Empire. In addition to a new translation based on the Franco-Italian "F" manuscript of Polo's text, this edition includes genealogies of the Mongol rulers and nine maps of Polo's journey, as well as thorough annotation and an extensive bibliography.Trade Review"Marco Polo's account provided both what was thought to be a reliable guide to East Asia—Columbus carried with him a heavily annotated copy of Marco Polo's work during his own expedition to the Americas—and an intriguingly fantastical account that for centuries has continued to fuel the imagination of poets and artists. Kinoshita's superb, groundbreaking translation brilliantly renders into modern English this crucial text of the Middle Ages. Indispensable in the undergraduate and graduate classroom, The Description of the World will also appeal to a wide range of readers curious about the medieval encounter of East and West." —Suzanne Conklin Akbari, University of Toronto"This excellent and lucid translation is comprehensible to 21st-century students, yet retains the medieval flair of the original text. Kinoshita's footnotes, which support a reading of the text without overwhelming the reader, properly address and consider the latest scholarship. This will undoubtedly become the standard translation of Marco Polo for classroom use." —Timothy May, University of North Georgia"Ever since Marco Polo and Rustichello's creation first piqued the interests of the reading public, it has been shaped and reshaped, reformed and deformed to meet the desires of the medieval and modern readers. With this new translation, Kinoshita gives English-speakers for the first time something like the original 'Description of the World' that electrified medieval Europe. Racy and readable, this translation is the only one that actually aims to recreate the type of language that Polo and Rustichello used to reach their public." —Christopher Atwood, Indiana University"An excellent book, both an accessible edition of Polo’s text and a scholarly one. The translation reads well, following the oddities of the Franco-Italian without compromising readability in English. Kinoshita's introduction is brief but highly informative and offers much to scholars as well as students in different disciplines; the notes are likewise informative and to the point. This is the Polo that students and scholars alike will want to read if they are not going to read the original(s)." —Iain Macleod Higgins, University of Victoria"An excellent new translation of the earliest known version of the text. . . . Kinoshita synthesizes a vast body of scholarship in her admirably concise but rich introduction, her notes, and her critical apparatus. . . . Kinoshita has also used to good effect medieval Asian sources that were not so comprehensively available to most earlier scholars; her notes at every stage offer supplementary information about the places, peoples, and customs the Devisement describes, contextualizing much of the information more helpfully and succinctly than other translations into English. Six genealogical tables and nine maps also direct the reader's attention firmly towards Asia. . . . Kinoshita embraces the stylistic quirkiness and rough edges of her source. Furthermore, whereas previous translators (including the recent Penguin Classics translation) conflate different versions of the text and, like many medieval transmitters, manicure stylistic imperfections and inconsistencies, Kinoshita's translation gives English readers better access, if not to the authentic version of the text, certainly to a particularly challenging and interesting medieval iteration of it. This gives us a much better sense of contact with the different narrative voices of the first Devisement (which was supposedly co-written by Marco Polo with a fellow Italian, Rustichello da Pisa). . . . Kinoshita's translation . . . amply deserves to become the standard text for teaching in the anglophone world." —Simon Gaunt, King's College London, in Speculum"This excellent edition and translation will be a standard course text. It is simply superb." —Theresa Earenfight, Seattle University"There is much to appreciate in this volume. Kinoshita, a specialist in medieval French literature, is also a leading scholar in the burgeoning field of global medieval studies, and her knowledge of the many fields that illuminate Polo's text is on display throughout. Her translation is true to a single edition of a single authoritative source, not the product of fanciful--and questionable--compilation. She thereby gives us a particular Marco Polo text, not the "definitive" text other translators have concocted, and in so doing is true to the work's history. Polo's text is not a major work of literary art, and the translation challenges it poses relate more to idiom and accuracy than to the aesthetics of tone or imagery. Perhaps the biggest challenge, as Kinoshita recognizes, is deciding how to handle the text's medieval features: its repetition, parataxis, euphemism, etc. Here again, one can only respect Kinoshita's decision to retain many of these features, which are constant reminders of this text's complicated genesis and of the ways it shows its author(s) devising how to represent the new and the strange. As advertised, the introduction and annotations are written for non-specialists and deliver facts and arguments concisely and clearly. The footnote annotations are particularly helpful: short yet informative, inserted when needed, and based on current research, they render the text accessible and provide useful context. The bibliography is current, thorough, varied, and will be of use to anyone interested in learning more about Polo and his era. In addition to the introduction, annotated translation, and bibliography, the book also includes genealogies of Mongol rulers, a map of Eurasia, seven maps of regions discussed by Polo, maps of medieval Beijing and Xian, and an index. This volume is an excellent resource for the curious reader, for high school and university courses, and for specialists alike." —Mark Cruse, in The Medieval Review

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Book SynopsisFans of Stephen E. Ambrose’s Band of Brothers will be drawn to this complex portrait of the controversial Ronald Speirs, an iconic commander of Easy Company during World War II, whose ferocious courage in three foreign conflicts was matched by his devotion to duty and the bittersweet passions of wartime romance.Fight Like You Mean to Win His comrades called him “Killer.” Of the elite paratroopers who served in the venerated “Band of Brothers” during the Second World War, none were more enigmatic than Ronald Speirs. Rumored to have gunned down enemy prisoners and even one of his own disobedient sergeants, Speirs became a foxhole legend among his troops. But who was the real Lieutenant Speirs? In Fierce Valor, historians Jared Frederick and Erik Dorr unveil the fuller story of Easy Company’s longest-serving commander. Tested by trials of extreme training, military rivalry, and lo

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Book SynopsisWhat is a shogun? Who were the samurai and what is the warrior code? What lies behind the Japanese work ethic? From the ancient tea ceremony to the boom and subsequent downturn of its economic prosperity, this uniquely concise introduction to Japan and its history surveys nearly 10,000 years of society, culture, economics and politics. Balancing economic and political information with new insights into the twin spheres of art and religion, Mikiso Hane offers authoritative coverage of all aspects of Japanese life. With a particular focus on the key events of the last 200 years, the author also pays special attention to the changing conditions of those whose history has been so frequently neglected - the women, the peasants, and the lowest order of untouchables. Well-rounded and enlightening, this informative account of Japan and its people will be greatly appreciated by historians, students and all those with an interest in this diverse and enigmatic country.

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Book SynopsisFormed of dramatic volcanic scenery and home to marvellous beasts, it is little wonder that the first name for the Galápagos archipelago was Las Encantadas: the enchanted islands. In this captivating natural history, Henry Nicholls builds up the ecology of these famous islands, from their explosive origins to the arrival of the archipelago's celebrated reptiles and ultimately humans. It's a story of change, as the islands are transformed from lava-strewn wilderness into a vital scientific resource and a sought-after destination for eco-enthusiasts. Charles Darwin's five-week visit to the Galápagos in 1835 played a pivotal role in this transformation. At the time, he was more interested in rocks than finches, took the opportunity to ride on the backs of tortoises and fling iguanas into the sea. Yet the Galápagos experience can be an inspiration and it certainly was for Darwin, pointing him towards one of the most important and influential ideas in the history of humankind: evolution by natural selection. And with the Darwin connection, the Galápagos found itself propelled onto a global stage. But worldwide fame has brought with it nearly 200,000 tourists a year and a human population now estimated at around 30,000. If Darwin learned from the Galápagos, so we must too. For what happens here in years to come foreshadows the fate of threatened ecosystems everywhere on earth.Trade ReviewThis is the perfect book to take with you if you are planning a trip to the Galapagos. Even if you are not, this is an enchanting and enlightening account of the most scientifically significant islands in the world. -- Tim BirkheadThe tale of the Galapagos's solitary giant tortoise and conservation icon was told to great effect by Henry Nicholls in Lonesome George. Sadly, George died in 2012, but happily Nicholls is back with an account that shows why the archipelago that shaped Darwin's ideas still matters to us. * New Scientist *If you read one book about the Galapagos, make sure it is this. Thoroughly researched, highly informative, lively and enjoyable, each page is a real pleasure to read. Whether a first time visitor or an old Galapagos 'hand' Henry Nicholls' The Galapagos should accompany you on any physical or virtual trip to these Enchanted Islands -- Ian Dunn, Chief Executive Officer, Galapagos Conservation TrustThe Galápagos is an engaging, informative introduction to the natural history of the archipelago. Charles Darwin's observations and insights on the Galápagos are effectively used to highlight key aspects of the archipelago's terrestrial and marine environments, the unique plants and animals they support, and how our understanding of them has evolved since his historic visit. The book also gives an accurate account of the current challenges facing Galápagos, and how they are being addressed. A surprising amount of information is packed into this concise and entertaining overview. An inspiring pre-travel read for anyone considering a visit to 'Darwin's Islands'. -- K. Thalia Grant and Gregory B. Estes * Darwin in Galapagos *Henry Nicholls has turned his most observant eye on the remarkable, but less often described human history of Galápagos. The future of the islands and their distinctive biota will be in the hands of the national lawmakers and growing number of Galápagos residents as the isolation enjoyed by Galápagos becomes a distant memory. In his lively prose, Henry lauds the unsung scientists and conservation managers who work doggedly and successfully on persistent wildlife management challenges wrought by human accident or design. His persistent focus on stewardship-man's absolute responsibility to nature-is refreshing and important in the world of natural history literature. A thoughtfully executed and excellent read. -- Johannah Barry, president of the Galapagos ConservancyTourists should read this book before they visit the Galápagos. In a relaxed and conversational style, Henry Nicholls introduces many of the animals and plants that live there, explains why so many are strange and unusual, and shows how natural history has been first shaped by geological history and then influenced by human history. The book is an inspiring call to visit the islands, to experience the animals and plants in the sea and on land, and to join in conserving them. -- Peter Grant, Professor Emeritus, Princeton University, and coauthor of * 40 Years of Evolution: Darwin's Finches on Daphne Major Island *From the fiery volcanoes that forged the islands to the invasive species that threaten them, this is a brilliantly clear and enthusiastic guide to all that matters about the Galapagos. Henry Nicholls manages to combine detail with passion as he takes the reader through everything from Charles Darwin's inspiration for evolution to the sad demise of the last giant tortoise of his kind, Lonesome George. I only wish the book had been written in time for my visit to the islands five years ago. -- David ShukmanIn his new natural history, Henry Nicholls transforms the Galápagos archipelago from perennial example to subject. Chapters devoted to geology, plants, animals, and insects finally provide a landscape framework for some of biology's most famous stories-from Darwin's finches to the giant tortoises that give the islands their name. Nicholls also includes a welcome and thoughtful discussion of the archipelago's most recent and transformative arrivals, its people -- Thor Hanson, author of Feathers and The Impenetrable ForestI have been to the Galápagos five times, including an extended private expedition retracing Darwin's footsteps in these magnificent islands that so inspired his insights into the evolutionary process. I thought I knew everything about the islands until I read Henry Nicholls's The Galápagos, the best single-volume work I've found and the perfect guide for travelers. Every visitor to the islands should be given a copy of this marvelous natural history to read in order to fully appreciate the richness of one of the most important pieces of real estate on the planet. A captivating book. -- Michael Shermer, publisher of Skeptic magazine and author of Why Darwin MattersHenry Nicholls has added an informative, fun and up-to-date read to the Galapagos literature. By sprinkling his discussion of the geology, biology and history of the islands with quotes from historical figures, including Darwin, the Bishop of Panama, Herman Melville, and many others, he takes the reader on a unique journey of discovery of the wonders of Galapagos. He merges historical information with up-to-date science and conservation, then brings the reader back to the sites and species they will see when visiting the islands. Most importantly he discusses why Galapagos matters and the challenge to all of us to ensure its long-term protection. -- Linda J. Cayot, Science Advisor, Galapagos ConservancyIn an enticingly structured, thoroughly enjoyable, rolling narrative, [Nicholls] discusses the islands' volcanic origins, native flora and fauna, and human explorers and residents. He also describes with firsthand excitement and surprising detail what it's like to be in the presence of the islands' remarkably tame wildlife, from the playful red-footed boobies to Pacific green turtles and the enormous tortoises for which the archipelago is named and which were slaughtered to the brink of extinction.... There is no question, as Nicholls eloquently reveals, that we all have a stake in protecting the Galápagos. * Booklist *

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Book SynopsisA Book of the Year for The Economist and the Observer Our world seems to be collapsing. The daily news cycle reports the deterioration: divisive politics across the Western world, racism, poverty, war, inequality, hunger. While politicians, journalists and activists from all sides talk about the damage done, Johan Norberg offers an illuminating and heartening analysis of just how far we have come in tackling the greatest problems facing humanity. In the face of fear-mongering, darkness and division, the facts are unequivocal: the golden age is now.Trade Review‘Reminds us that headlines are misleading and that history and data show that life has been getting radically better in every way’. -- Steven Pinker * Observer, Books of the Year *‘A blast of good sense.’ * Economist *‘Norberg has a strong case and he makes it with energy and charm. A pertinent book for grumpy times.’ * Robbie Millen, The Times *'His unfailing optimism and well-argued points generate powerful good-news vibes’. * Esquire *‘An exhilarating book. With the combination of arresting stories and striking data, Progress will change your understanding about where we’ve come from and where we may be heading.’ -- Steven Pinker, author of The Better Angels of Our Nature‘Norberg entertainingly presents the case for something every expert knows but most newsreaders will find hard to believe: the world is getting richer, healthier, freer, and more peaceful’. * Observer *‘Johan Norberg chronicles the still largely unknown fact that humanity is now healthier, happier, cleaner, cleverer, freer and more peaceful than ever before. He also explains why in this superb book.’ -- Matt Ridley, author of The Evolution of Everything‘At a time of profound pessimism, Johan Norberg is refreshingly, but not glibly, optimistic. His excellent book documents the dramatic improvements in people’s lives and reminds us of the huge potential for further progress – provided we are open to it.’ -- Philippe Legrain, author of European Spring‘In this brightly written, upbeat book, the Swedish author blends facts, anecdotes, and official statistics to describe “humanity's triumph” in achieving the present unparalleled level of global living standards...While acknowledging the mayhem, hunger, and poverty still facing much of the world, the author remains optimistic that human ingenuity will prevail in shaping the future. A refreshingly rosy assessment of how far many of us have come from the days when life was uniformly nasty, brutish, and short.’ * Kirkus *‘Excellent…Norberg’s book comprehensively documents the myriad ways the state of humanity has vastly improved over the past couple of centuries.’ * Reason *

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Book Synopsis'A brilliant and important book ... Five Stars!' Mark Dolan, talkRADIO'An important new book' Daily Express An alternative history of the world that exposes some of the biggest lies ever told and how they've been used over time.Lincoln did not believe all men were created equal.The Aztecs were not slaughtered by the Spanish Conquistadors.And Churchill was not the man that people love to remember.In this fascinating new book, journalist and author Otto English takes ten great lies from history and shows how our present continues to be manipulated by the fabrications of the past.He looks at how so much of what we take to be historical fact is, in fact, fiction. From the myths of WW2 to the adventures of Columbus, and from the self-serving legends of 'great men' to the origins of curry – fake history is everywhere and used ever more to impact our modern world.Setting out to redress the balance, English tears apart the lies propagated by politicians and think tanks, the grand narratives spun by populists and the media, the stories on your friend's Facebook feed and the tales you were told in childhood. And, in doing so, reclaims the truth from those who have perverted it.Fake History exposes everything you weren't told in school and why you weren't taught it.Trade Review'A brilliant and important book ... Five Stars!' -- Mark Dolan, talkRADIO'An important new book' * Daily Express *'A wonderful dissection of some of history's heroes and villains who are unfairly castigated or wrongly glorified' * Scotsman *

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Book Synopsis'A gripping and illuminating picture of how strongmen have deployed violence, seduction, and corruption' Daniel Ziblatt, co-author of How Democracies Die 'A timely analysis of how a certain kind of charisma delivers political disaster' Timothy Snyder, author of On Tyranny Ours is the age of the strongman. Countries from Russia to India, Turkey to America are ruled by men who combine populist appeal with authoritarian policy. They have reshaped their countries around them, creating cults of personality which earn the loyalty of millions. And they do so by drawing on a playbook of behaviour established by figures such as Benito Mussolini, Muammar Gaddafi and Adolf Hitler. So why - despite the evidence of history - do strongmen still hold such appeal for us? Historian Ruth Ben-Ghiat draws on analysis of everything from gender to corruption and propaganda to explain who these political figures are - and how they manipulate our own history, fears and desires in search of power at any cost. Strongmen is a fierce and perceptive history, and a vital step in understanding how to combat the forces which seek to derail democracy and seize our rights.Trade ReviewWith a steady gaze and an eye for the telling detail, Ruth Ben-Ghiat delivers a timely analysis of how a certain kind of charisma delivers political disaster - and some valuable hints about how it can be resisted, and the virtues we will need to rebuild democracy -- Timothy Snyder, author of On TyrannyRuth Ben-Ghiat is an indispensable resource on authoritarianism, past and present. Everyone who cares about American democracy should read this book -- Sarah Kendzior, author of Hiding in Plain Sight: The Invention of Donald Trump and the Erosion of AmericaBen-Ghiat's portrayal of fascist era tyrants, murderous Cold War dictators, and would-be tyrants in our own day gives us a gripping and illuminating picture of how strongmen have deployed violence, seduction, and corruption. History, Ben-Ghiat shows, offers clear lessons not only about how these regimes are built, but also how they must be opposed, and how they inevitably end -- Daniel Ziblatt, co-author How Democracies DieSimultaneously intimate and sweeping in scope, STRONGMEN brings us in close to dictators and would-be dictators across decades and continents. We are left with a disturbing look in the mirror. Throughout, Ben-Ghiat's clear prose rings with a rhythm and cadence that today's nonfiction too often lacks -- Sarah Chayes, author of On Corruption in America: And What Is at Stake and Thieves of StateDeep insight and a vigorous style ... a brilliant contribution to the political psychology of democracy -- Joy Connolly, President of the American Council of Learned SocietiesPraise for Ruth Ben-Ghiat: [A] surpassingly brilliant public intellectual... -- Virginia Heffernan on Slate Trumpcast

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Book SynopsisTaking readers on a global journey through human history, Natasha Tidd examines how lies can change the world around us, from Julius Caesar’s deceptive PR machine to the cover-ups that caused Chernobyl.From forgeries that created centuries worth of conflict and domination, such as The Donation of Constantine, the Protocols of Zion and the mysterious Testament of Peter the Great, to mass political and press cover-ups including Britain’s Boer War concentration camps, a Pulitzer Prize-winning whitewash of the Ukraine Famine and the infamous Dreyfus Affair in France.Alongside these are examinations of how our retellings of history can turn fiction into fact, including The Spanish Inquisition’s deceitful legacy. Plus, there is an in-depth look at how historic lies can still impact our lives today, such as the deadly legacy of America’s Tuskegee Experiment.Meet incredible people, including Jeanne de Clisson who became the fourteenth century's most feared pirate – all because of a lie.A Short History of the World in 50 Lies details the profound impact of this secretive side of history and shows that the truth really is stranger – and far more dangerous – than any fiction.Trade ReviewA Short History Of The World In 50 Lies shows that the march of truth isn’t always unstoppable. Lies have their own power and momentum. * Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisA humorous and informative guide to surviving history’s most challenging threats, from outrunning dinosaurs to making it off the Titanic alive.History is the most dangerous place on earth. From dinosaurs the size of locomotives to meteors big enough to sterilize the planet, from famines to pandemics, from tornadoes to the Chicxulub asteroid, the odds of human survival are slim but not zero — at least, not if you know where to go and what to do.In each chapter of How to Survive History, Cody Cassidy explores how to survive one of history’s greatest threats: getting eaten by dinosaurs, being destroyed by the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs, succumbing to the lava flows of Pompeii, being devoured by the Donner Party, drowning on board the Titanic, falling prey to the Black Death, and more. Using hindsight and modern science to estimate everything from how fast you’d need to run to outpace a T. rex to the advantages of different body types in surviving the Donner Party tragedy, Cassidy gives you a detailed battle plan for survival, helping you learn about the era at the same time.History may be the most dangerous place on earth, but that doesn’t mean you can’t visit. You can, and you should. And with a copy of How to Survive History in your back pocket, you just might make it out alive.Trade Review'An insightful and entertaining look at 15 of the most catastrophic events in world history... A crisp blend of humor, history, and science, this is a crowd pleaser.' * Publisher's Weekly *'Highly entertaining... Graphs, graphics, and other images make fun, invaluable additions to the text. Not only will this be perfect for those interested in history, humor, and popular science, its highly conversational tone and handy graphs and images will highly appeal to teen readers.' * Booklist *

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Book SynopsisA Splendid Exchange tells the epic story of global commerce, from its prehistoric origins to the myriad crises confronting it today. It travels from the sugar rush that brought the British to Jamaica in the seventeenth century to our current debates over globalization, from the silk route between China and Rome in the second century to the rise and fall of the Portuguese monopoly in spices in the sixteenth. Throughout, William Bernstein examines how our age-old dependency on trade has contributed to our planet's agricultural bounty, stimulated intellectual and industrial progress and made us both prosperous and vulnerable.Trade Review"'A highly entertaining read. Bernstein's enthusiasm for his subject and impressive organisation of a wealth of material enable him to plot with pace and verve... man's trading history.' Hugh Carnegy, Financial Times 'Timely and readable... The strength of Mr Bernstein's book is the analytical rigour that overlays the rollicking history.' Economist 'Superb... The chronological range of Bernstein's book is staggering... Graceful and insightful history with a delicate display of scholarship that conceals a vast erudition.' Paul Kennedy, Foreign Affairs"

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Book SynopsisIn Mirrors, Galeano smashes aside the narrative of conventional history and arranges the shards into a new pattern, to reveal the past in radically altered form. From the Garden of Eden to twenty-first-century cityscapes, we glimpse fragments in the lives of those who have been overlooked by traditional histories: the artists, the servants, the gods and the visionaries, the black slaves who built the White House, and the women who were bartered for dynastic endsTrade ReviewThere is a mysterious power in Galeano's storytelling. He uses his craft to invade the privacy of the reader's mind, to persuade him or her to read and to continue reading to the very end, to surrender to the charm of his writing and the power of his idealism -- Isabel AllendeTo publish Eduardo Galeano is to publish the enemy: the enemy of lies, indifference, above all of forgetfulness. His tenderness is devastating, his truthfulness furious -- John BergerBrightly coloured commonplace book of a kind that was once popular in our culture but has now almost disappeared ... The beauty of Galeano's book lies not just in the eclectic choice of stories he tells, but more especially in his elegant, pared-down prose, sensitively translated by Mark Fried, with never an unnecessary word, nor one out of place ... Galeano's book is pure delight - a cornucopia of wonderful stories. It should be by everyone's bedside - and in every Christmas stocking -- Richard Gott * Guardian *Galeano charts the rise and fall of civilisations with compassion and wry humour ... [He is] an enchanting interpreter of history and its resonances, and a poetic voice of political dissent -- Siobhan Murphy * Metro *In his most ambitious work since Memory of Fire Uruguayan author Eduardo Galeano retells the history of the world from the point of view of the powerless, the voiceless and the dispossessed. As in Memory of Fire, he presents his story as a series of short vignettes, one longer than a page and most a good deal shorter; their cumulative effect is shattering * London Review of Books *Galeano's voice lends Mirrors its coherence, transforms the book into a patchwork of particular feats and foibles picked from our long and common history -- Alberto Manguel * Observer *It is no criticism - rather the reverse - to say of Galeano's book that it defies categorisation ... In earlier age, the author might have cast this history as a great epic poem. It has that feel -- Christian Tyler * Financial Times *[In Mirrors] Galeano widens his scope to nothing less than an alternative history of humankind, achieving this monumental task with rare grace, wit and passion for truth ... With a storyteller's flourish, he invites us to look past official history and into our own real nature and past ... Galeano's skill as a writer and his fine sense of historical irony make this both an easy-to-read, funny and profound book -- Marc Lambert * Scotland on Sunday *An endlessly fascinating book, a mirrored cabinet of curiosities in which every item reflects every other -- Iain Finlayson * The Times *Composed of miscellaneous stories about landmark historical events told by people whom the history books have forgotten, this is a book that is bound to grow in stature. It is frequently recommended by customers to us -- Edinburgh Bookshop * Independent on Sunday *Galeano shares with George Orwell the very best of traits: an intellectual honesty and a belief in human values, not to mention a clear writing style. That is why Eduardo Galeano matters -- Andreas Campomar * New Humanist *Remarkable condensed history of the world from the Iron Age to the Information Age -- Caroline Sanderson * Bookseller *Mesmerising, passionate and dazzlingly original. Highly recommended -- David Wood * Waterstone’s Books Quarterly *A storyteller's view of our past that has captivated its original Spanish-speaking audience -- Sue Baker * Bookseller *A constantly dazzling and occasionally witty text that will open eyes and drop jaws -- Brian Donaldson * List *Combining vast knowledge with irresistible story-telling skills (reminds you of Gabriel Garcia Marquez), Galeano's world history is spun out in little cameos that make a mosaic of ordinary lives lived on our "sorry, sparkling planet" ... Galeano exposes the cunning of history and its half-truths; he merely states what he sees or chooses to see that many of us otherwise overlook. And that is "as true as truth's simplicity" * Business Standard (India) *Galeano's stories are sharp, witty and spare. I've never read a book with so many huge ideas written into such tiny capsules -- David Dawkins, Pages Bookshop in Hackney * Bookseller *

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