History and Archaeology Books

Book SynopsisThe outbreak of the American Civil War was destined to cast a long shadow over the earlier, shorter Mexican-American War (1846—1848), as evidenced by today’s relatively slight historiography on the conflict. As for Tennessee’s role in the war, history remembers little more than its large contribution of volunteers and subsequent state moniker as 'The Volunteer State'. Today, beliefs persist that the Mexican-American War was simply a colossal land grab for the United States in its pursuit of the doctrine of Manifest Destiny, and that Tennesseans enlisted to protect and expand the institution of slavery. As Timothy D. Johnson notes in For Duty and Honor, these stereotypes do not characterise the motives of Tennesseans. Through a succinct examination of journals, memoirs, and letters from the conflict, Johnson reveals that Tennesseans volunteered out of a sense of duty and honour — principles that were deeply embedded in the early national period. They also enlisted because of family and community expectations as well as a desire to demonstrate manhood and courage. In the process, Johnson provides much-needed historical and political context for the Mexican-American War. For Duty and Honor treats not only Tennessee’s unique role in the conflict, but also the postwar efforts by veterans to shape the war’s legacy. Using clear, accessible language and groundbreaking research, Johnson resurrects an all-but-forgotten moment in Tennessee’s rich history.

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Book SynopsisAt a time when a lasting peace between Palestinians and Israelis seems virtually unattainable, understanding the roots of the longest-running conflict in the Middle East is an essential step in restoring hope to the region. In The Iron Cage, Rashid Khalidi, one of the most respected historians and political observers of the Middle East, examines the Palestinian’s struggle for statehood, presenting a succinct and insightful history of the people and their leadership throughout the twentieth century. Ranging from the Palestinian struggle against colonial rule and the establishment of the State of Israel to the current rivalry between Hamas and Fatah, this is an unflinching and sobering critique of the Palestinian failure to achieve statehood, as well as a balanced account of the odds ranged against them. Lucid yet challenging, Rashid Khalidi’s engrossing narrative of this tortuous history is required reading for anyone concerned about peace in the Middle East.Trade Review"A work of forceful historical analysis written in a spirit of self-examination . . . 'The Iron Cage' compels us to reflect more deeply on the problems that continue to bedevil the Palistinain movement." * The Nation *"the book will delight everyone sick to death of following the minutiae of the "peace process" and the inevitable apportioning of blame for its failure. Equally, it is a godsend for those new to the subject, as it presents a strong analysis within a frameworkd that is comparable across colonized peoples." * International History Review *"'The Iron Cage' is a patient and eloquent work, ranging over the whole of modern Palestinian history from World War I to the death of Yasser Arafat. Reorienting the Palestinain narrative around the attitudes and tactics of the Palestinians themselves, Khalidi lends a remarkable illumination to a story so wearily familiar it is often hard to believe anything new can be found within." Jonathan Shainin * Salon *"Khalidi asks crucial questions regarding the state of Palestinian identity and viability that no other historians or political analysts have covered with such depth." Alejandra Ju * Political Affairs *"Khalidi's book is no exercise in victimology. He is tough on the British, the Israelis, and the Americans, but she is scarcely less hard-hitting in appraising the Palestinians. The final chapter provides an excellent critique of the Palestine Liberation Organization's labored moves toward the recognition of Israel and the idea, increasingly bruited, that a two-state solution is no longer feasible." L. Carl Brown * Foreign Affairs *"A must-read historical and political study of the national Palestinian movement . . . Supporters of the Palestinians and of Israel will read this book in different ways and with different eyes, but both will find Khalidi's presentation richly illuminating." Neil Caplan * The Middle East Journal *"[Khalidi's] most accomplished effort to date . . . Magesterial in scope, meticulous in its attention to detail, and decidedly dispassionate in its analysis, 'The Iron Cage' is destined to be a benchmark of its genre." Joel Schalit * Tikkun *"A first-rate and up-to-date historical and political analaysis of the Palestinian predicament." * Publishers Weekly *"A lucid and compelling examination of the Palestinian dilemma by 'arguably the foremost US historian of the modern Middle East'." Warren I. Cohen * Los Angeles Times Book Review *"Khalidi, tackling ‘historical amnesia,’ brilliantly analyses the structural handicap which hobbled the Palestinians throughout 30 years of British rule . . . Khalidi restores the Palestinians to something more than victims, acknowledging that for all their disadvantages, they have played their role and can (and must) still do so to determine their own fate." * The Guardian *"Khalid [has] done much to provide a Palestinian narrative rooted in personal histories but disciplined by the standards of Western scholarship." * The New York Times *"Khalidi, tackling ‘historical amnesia,’ brilliantly analyses the structural handicap which hobbled the Palestinians throughout 30 years of British rule . . . restor[ing] the Palestinians to something more than victims." * The Guardian *"Khalidi [has] done much to provide a Palestinian narrative rooted in personal histories but disciplined by the standards of Western scholarship." * The New York Times *Table of ContentsIntroduction: Writing Middle Eastern History in a Time of Historical Amnesia 1. Arab Society in Mandatory Palestine 2. The Palestinians and the British Mandate 3. A Failure of Leadership 4. The Revolt, 1948, and Afterwards 5. Fateh, the PLO, and the PA: The Palestinian Para-State 6. Stateless in Palestine

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Book SynopsisThe monetary history of a country provides important insights into its economic development, as well as its political and social history. This book is the first detailed study of Iran's monetary history from the advent of the Safavid dynasty in 1501 to the end of Qajar rule in 1925. Using an array of previously unpublished sources in ten languages, the authors consider the specific monetary conditions in Iran's modern history, covering the use of ready money and its circulation, the changing conditions of the country's mints and the role of the state in managing money. Throughout the book, the authors also consider the larger regional and global economic context within which the Iranian economy operated. As the first study of Iran's monetary history, this book will be essential reading for researchers of Iranian and economic history.Trade Review"This excellent, thorough hostory of money in Iransince the beginning of the Safavid dynasty, by leading experts in the field, is actually much more than that- it provides an essential foundation for an understanding of Iran's economic and political history in modern times.' Michael Axworthy, Director of the Centre for Persian and Iranian Studies, Exeter University 'This book fills a very major gap in Iran's economic history that has important ramifications for social and political history. Its descriptive, chronological narrative is well based on, and supported by, Persian and Western sources.' Gene R. Garthwaite, Jane and Raphael Bernstein Professor in Asian Studies, Emeritus and Professor of History, Emeritus, Dartmouth College.Table of ContentsIntroduction Chapter One: The Monetary System during the Safavid Period: Money, Metals and Minting Introduction II. Limits on the Use of Money and the Scarcity of Current Coin Scarcity of Current Coin Minting Coins i Mints ii Technical Process iii Gold iv copper v Silver vi Local Currency Systems VI. Arbitrage Chapter Two: The Trade in Bullion in Safavid Times I. Introduction II. Government Policy until 1669 III. Restrictive Measures in the Period 1669-1684 IV. Developments after 1684 Chapter Three: The Politics of Minting Introduction Weight Reductions Monetary Matters under Shah Sulayman The Monetary Crisis of 1684-85 Developments after 1685 Chapter Four: The Monetary System under the Afsharids and Zands, 1732-1794. The Age of Copper Introduction Ghilzay Afghan Period (1722-1729) Last Safavids (1722-1736) Afsharid period (1736-1750) Afsharid Successors (1747-1750) Zand Period (1759-1794) Chapter Five. The Monetary System under the Qajars, 1779-1925 I. Minting Coins A. Traditional Mints i. Running the mints ii. The production process B. Reducing the Metal Content of Coins C. A Modern National Mint II. Fragmented Currency System i. Overview: Measuring Value in a Three-Metal System ii. Local Currencies Other than the National Standard iii. Copper Coins iv. Silver Coins v. Gold Coins vi. Limited Use of Money in Trade III. Supply of Bullion and Specie i. Local Production of Bullion ii. Importing Bullion IV. Silver’s Loss of Value i. Adjusting Ratios among Coins ii. Switching to a Gold Standard? V. Paper Currency i. IBP’s Practices ii. Limits to Acceptance of Paper Currency VI. Money at the End of the Qajar Dynasty Afterword Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisAneurin - Nye - Bevan was one of the pivotal Labour figures of the post-war era. As Minister for Health in Attlee's government, his role in the foundation of the NHS, the world's largest publically-funded health service and the centre-piece of the Opening Ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics, changed the face of British society forever. The son of a coal miner from South Wales, Bevan was a life-long champion of social justice and the rights of working people and became one of the leading proponents of Socialist thought in Britain. He was also vehement in his dislike of the Conservative Party - going so far as to oppose the wartime coalition between Attlee and Churchill. Whilst he admired the Marxist critique of capitalism - and felt that the drive for private consumer affluence in the 1950s flew in the face of social good - he was certainly no communist. He was a passionate believer in public ownership but had a complex relationship with the unions, which may have prevented him from becoming party leader. In this book, acclaimed author Nicklaus Thomas-Symonds provides the first full-life biography of Bevan in over two decades, from his birth in Tredegar in the South Wales Valleys in 1897 to his death from stomach cancer at the age of 62 in 1960. Thomas-Symonds considers not just Bevan's political career but also his upbringing, his career in local government in Wales and his relationship with his wife, and fellow Labour MP, Jennie Lee. Drawing on first-hand interviews as well as recently released sources, he provides a unique portrait of one of the great British statesmen of the twentieth century.Trade Review'Nye Bevan was a political colossus, a passionate voice of socialist protest who was also a great creative statesman, an artist in the uses of power whose career fundamentally transformed our society. All these aspects of his career are admirably dealt with by Nicklaus Thomas-Symonds in a balanced lucid work based on a wide range of sources. It is equally strong on Bevan's background in the Welsh mining valleys, his triumph in launching the National Health Service, his role in the internecine wars that beset Labour in the fifties, and his abiding legacy for radicals and socialists at the present time. This is a gripping new analysis of one of the most controversial, but also one of the most charismatic, figures in recent British history.' Kenneth O. Morgan 'Nye is a timely biography. It is over half a century since Michael Foot published the first of his two volumes on Aneurin Bevan which set such a high standard in biographical writing. Not until Nicklaus Thomas-Symonds' new volume has anyone approached Foot's masterpiece in political analysis and historical scholarship. It is timely for two other reasons. Firstly, the biography uses new sources to explore Bevan's working class origins in the valleys of South Wales, giving new importance to his local government experience alongside the more generally accepted and recognised formative influences of his union, the Fed, of independent working class education and of the community enterprise of the Tredegar Medical Aid Society. And secondly, this is a reminder to our new generation of activists and leaders that the collectivist inspiration for Nye's National Health Service and all the radical and reforming spirit of 1945, from legal aid to the culture of the South Bank, should be an enduring inheritance and Nicklaus Thomas-Symonds captures this beautifully. This is essential reading for everyone who wishes to understand the quintessentially benign but audacious rooted character of Nye's generation of organic working class intellectuals who helped civilise our post-war world, and who should continue to inspire us today.' - Hywel Francis MP 'Nick Thomas-Symonds has set out to explain the whole trajectory of Aneurin Bevan's political life, from its crucial nurturing in the South Wales coalfield to his purposeful use of power through the Labour Party in government. With balanced judgement, based on wide research, he succeeds triumphantly in giving us the real Nye: principled and pragmatic, frustrated and fulfilled, a unique fusion of strategy and tactics deployed to empower the British working class he represented brilliantly and served unremittingly. If you only read one book on Nye Bevan then, for its objectivity and illumination, make it this one.' Dai Smith, author of Aneurin Bevan and the World of South Wales 'A very readable and well researched study of one of the true political giants of the twentieth century. This book will be a useful addition to the canon of labour history and British political history more generally.' Matthew Worley, Professor of Modern History, University of Reading 'A lively account of Bevan's political career that is well written and carefully researched' Paul Corthorn, Senior Lecturer in Modern British History, Queen's University BelfastTable of ContentsIntroduction PART ONE: BOY TO MAN, 1897-1919 Chapter 1: The Welsh Valleys Childhood, 1897 – 1911 Chapter 2: The South Wales Coalfield 1911 – 1919 PART TWO: THE MAKING OF ANEURIN BEVAN, 1919-34 Chapter 3: Local Politics, 1919-28 Chapter 4: Monmouthshire County Council and Parliament, 1928-34 PART THREE: ESTABLISHING HIMSELF ON THE NATIONAL STAGE, 1934-45 Chapter 5: London and Jennie Lee Chapter 6: Working Class Unity, 1935-1939 Chapter 7: The Second World War, Part I: 1939 to 1942 Chapter 8: The Second World War, Part I: 1942 to 1945 PART FOUR: CABINET MINISTER, 1945-51 Chapter 9: The Labour Government, 1945-1951 Chapter 10: The Creation of the National Health Service Chapter 11: Bevan’s Record on Housing, 1945-51 Chapter 12: Resignation PART FIVE: IN OPPOSITION, 1951-60 Chapter 13: The Bevanites, 1951-55 Chapter 14: The Pragmatic Bevan, 1955-57 Chapter 15: The Final Years, 1958-60 Conclusion Further Reading

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Book SynopsisAn examination of the actions of clerics in warfare in the eleventh and twelfth centuries, looking at the difference between their actions and prescriptions for behaviour. Christianity has had a problematic relationship with warfare throughout its history, with the Middle Ages being no exception. While warfare came to be accepted as a necessary activity for laymen, clerics were largely excluded frommilitary activity. Those who participated in war risked falling foul of a number of accepted canons of the church as well as the opinions of their peers. However, many continued to involve themselves in war - including active participation on battlefields. This book, focusing on a number of individual English clerics between 1000 and 1250, seeks to untangle the cultural debate surrounding this military behaviour. It sets its examination into a broader context, including the clerical reform movement of the eleventh and twelfth centuries, the development of a more comprehensive canon law, and the popularization of chivalric ideology. Rather than portraying these clerics as anachronistic outliers or mere criminals, this study looks at how contemporaries understood their behaviour, arguing that there was a wide range of views - which often included praise for clerics who fought in licit causes. The picture which emerges is that clerical violence, despite its prescriptive condemnation, was often judged by how much it advanced the interests of the observer. CRAIG M. NAKASHIAN is Associate Professor of History at Texas A&M University-Texarkana.Trade ReviewThis book is a compelling reconsideration of the scholarly narrative about reform clerical arms-bearing that will be valuable for graduate students and specialists alike. * H-NET *Represents a valuable contribution to our understanding of the function and reception of prelates as active participants in the political and social structures of medieval England. * PARERGON *An engaging volume which makes a significant contribution to our understanding of the medieval clergy and the attitudes (both idealistic and pragmatic) which shaped them. * HISTORY *Will be of real value to all interested in clerical warfare, not to mention those concerned with some individual prelates of the age. * SEHEPUNKTE *[A]dmirably challenges the prevailing scholarly narrative that militant clerks in England either were anachronistic holdovers from an earlier age, or compelled contemporary observers to suffer from cognitive dissonance ... This volume will be of great value to specialists as well as to advanced students in courses on medieval religion, culture, and military history. * THE MEDIEVAL REVIEW *Bishop Wimund of Man and the Isles waged a guerrilla war against King David of Scotland in the second quarter of the 12th century ... But what were bishops doing leading armies in the first place? The theory and reality of this in the period 1000- 1250 is now explored in the splendidly named Warrior Churchmen of Medieval England by Craig M Nakashian. * THE TELEGRAPH *Gives a deft treatment of the tight interconnection between religion and politics during this age of faith par excellence. ... [A] scholarly, lively and absorbing book. * TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT *Nakashian is persuasive in arguing that military violence by church leaders persisted and remained a contested issue throughout the High Middle Ages. * CHOICE *Table of ContentsIntroduction: Churchmen and Warfare Clerics and War in the First Millennium Papal Centralization and Canonical Prescriptions The Epic Archetype: Evidence from Chivalric Literature The Norman Conquest: Odo of Bayeux and Geoffrey of Coutances Negotiating a New Anglo-Norman Reality The Civil War between Stephen and Matilda The Angevins, Part I: [Henry II and Richard I] Royal Servants The Angevins, Part II: [Richard I, John, and Henry III] Crusaders for King and Christ Conclusion: The Thirteenth Century and Beyond Bibliography

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Book SynopsisThe Safavid dynasty, which reigned from the late fifteenth to the eighteenth century, links medieval with modern Iran. The Safavids witnessed wide-ranging developments in politics, warfare, science, philosophy, religion, art and architecture. But how did this dynasty manage to produce the longest lasting and most glorious of Iran's Islamic-period eras?Andrew Newman offers a complete re-evaluation of the Safavid place in history as they presided over these extraordinary developments and the wondrous flowering of Iranian culture. In the process, he dissects the Safavid story, from before the 1501 capture of Tabriz by Shah Ismail (1488-1524), the point at which Shiism became the realm's established faith; on to the sixteenth and early seventeenth century dominated by Shah Abbas (1587-1629), whose patronage of art and architecture from his capital of Isfahan embodied the Safavid spirit; and culminating with the reign of Sultan Husayn (reg. 1694-1722).Based on meticulous scholarship, Newman offers a valuable new interpretation of the rise of the Safavids and their eventual demise in the eighteenth century. "Safavid Iran," with its fresh insights and new research, is the definitive single volume work on the subject.Table of ContentsPreface and Acknowledgements Map: Iran in the Safavid Period Introduction Laying the Foundations: Ismail I (1488-1524) Reconfiguration and Consolidation: The Reign of Tahmasp (1524-1576) The Second Civil War: Ismail II (1576-1577) and Khudabanda (1578-1587) Monumental Challenges and Monumental Responses: The Reign of Abbas I (1587-1629) Shifts at the Centre and a Peace Dividend: Shah Abbas II (1642-1666) The Peace Dividend Consolidated: Shah Abbas II (1642-1666) Meeting the Challenges: Shah Sulayman (1666.68-1694) Denouement or Defeat: The Reign of Shah Sultan Husayn (1694-1722) Epilogue: Poetry and Politics - The Multiplicity of Safavid Discourse Appendix I: Key Dates Appendix II: Key chronicles and travellers Notes Select Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisBorn out of a love of language, text, classical learning, art, philosophy and philology, the Christian Humanist project lasted beyond the turmoil of sixteenth-century Europe to survive in a new form in post-Reformation thought. Jonathan Arnold here explores the finest intellects of late-Renaissance Europe, providing an essential guide to the most important scholars, priests, theologians and philosophers of the period, now collectively known as the Christian Humanists. "The Great Humanists" provides an invaluable context to the philosophical, political and spiritual state of Europe on the eve of the Reformation through inter-related biographical sketches of Erasmus, Thomas More, Marsilio Ficino, Petrarch, Johann Reuchlin, Jacques Lefevre d'Etaples and many others. The legacy of these thinkers is still relevant and widely-studied today, and this book will make invaluable reading for scholars and students of philosophy and early-modern European history.Table of ContentsIntroduction PART I: ITALY 1. Francesco Petrarch: The Father of Humanism 2. Lorenzo Valla: The Confrontational Philologist 3. Marsilio Ficino: The Platonic Theologian 4. Pico della Mirandola: The Italian Cabbalist PART II: THE LOW COUNTRIES 5. Rudolph Agricola: Father of Northern European Humanism 6. Desiderius Erasmus: The Prince of Humanists PART III: GERMANY 7. Johann Reuchlin: The Great German Hebraist 8. Phillip Melanchthon: The Lutheran Humanist PART IV: ENGLAND 9. John Colet: The Would-be Reforming Dean of St. Paul’s 10. Thomas More: The King’s Good Servant, but God’s First 11. Thomas Linacre and the English Erasmians PART V: FRANCE 12. Lefèvre d’Étaples: The Greatest French Humanist PART VI: SPAIN 14. Juan Luis Vives : The Spanish Erasmian APPENDICES Appendix I: Other Notable Humanists Appendix II: Glossary of Terms and other Notable Figures

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Book SynopsisThis comprehensive study is unique in its chronological breadth, intellectual diversity and historical scope and which demonstrates the central role played by Sufism in Persianate culture in Iran, Central Asia and IndiaTrade Review‘This remarkable trilogy is likely to remain the definitive work in the field for many years.’ * Expository Times *Table of Contents1. Introduction 3 II. Persianate Sufism in Historical Perspective 19 III. Sufism and Society in Safavid Persia 63 IV. Sufism and Ishraqi and Aknarian philosophy 225 V. Esoteric Movements and Contemplative Disciplines 275 VI. Persianate Sufism in India, Central Asia and China 361 VII. Persianate Sufi Poetry in Iran and India 417

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Book SynopsisThe first eye-witness account ever published of the 1948 Israeli War of Independence, this riveting memoir of a young Israeli soldier became an instant bestseller on publication in 1949, and is still recognized as the outstanding book of that war, in the tradition of Erich Maria Remarque’s All Quiet on the Western Front. First joining the Givati Brigade and later volunteering for "Samson’s Foxes", the legendary commando unit, Avnery took part in almost all the major battles on the Jerusalem and southern fronts. Written from the trenches, and from a military hospital bed, he offers an extraordinarily detailed account of the war, of fast-paced battles, and acts of extreme bravery, as well as the camaraderie and off-duty exploits of young men and women thrust into the front line. This is a gripping, sensitive, and at times deeply poignant account of the day-to-day brutalities of one of the most significant wars of our times.Trade Review"The two books by this remarkable man are brought together here for the first time." * The Good Book Guide *"1948” is a tenacious attempt to communicate the reality of war. It has invited comparison to Erich Maria Remarque’s 1928 classic “All Quiet on the Western Front,” and deserves it. * Christian Science Monitor *“This is an essential read for anyone interested in the history of Israel and the War of Independence.” * The Jerusalem Post *

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Book SynopsisHoushang Asadi’s Letters to My Torturer is one of the most harrowing accounts of human suffering to emerge from Iran and is now available for the first time in paperback. Kept in solitary confinement for over two years in an infamous Tehran prison, Asadi suffered inhuman degradations and brutal torture: suspended from the ceiling, beaten, and forced to bark like a dog, Asadi became a spy for the Russians, for the British – for anyone. Narrowly escaping execution as the government unleashed a bloody pogrom against political prisoners, Asadi was hauled before a sham court and sentenced to fifteen years. Here he confronts his torturer, speaking for those who will never be heard, and provides a glimpse into the heart of Iran and the practice of state-sponsored justice.Trade Review"[B]eautifully crafted, lyrical, and sad... An important firsthand account." * Library Journal *"The book would be remarkable on any terms, but it is made especially memorable by the chilling irony and heartbreaking naïveté that characterize Mr. Asadi’s tale... Mr. Asadi's dispassionate description of his experiences makes the book a permanent addition to the harrowing genre of the torture memoir. A powerful testament to what transpires in the prisons of Iran." * The Wall Street Journal *"The book would be remarkable on any terms, but it is made especially memorable by the chilling irony and heartbreaking naïveté that characterize Mr. Asadi’s tale... Mr. Asadi's dispassionate description of his experiences makes the book a permanent addition to the harrowing genre of the torture memoir. A powerful testament to what transpires in the prisons of Iran." * The Wall Street Journal *"With moving stories about fellow prisoners, biting commentary on the religious dictates imposed by his jailers, and meditations on the soul-destroying effect of false confessions and the special cruelty of his ideological, authoritarian interrogators, Asadi’s simple prose attracts even as the facts he reports repel...A horrifying glimpse of the decades-long nightmare still afflicting the people of Iran." * Kirkus Reviews *"A searing and unforgettable account. . . Asadi is a gifted storyteller." * Publishers Weekly *"Beautifully crafted, lyrical, and sad... An important firsthand account". * Library Journal *"A searing and unforgettable account. . . Asadi is a gifted storyteller." * Publishers Weekly *"Iranian journalist Asadi offers a searing and unforgettable account of the six years he spent in prison after being arrested in 1981 in the aftermath of the Islamic revolution. Twenty years later, now living in Paris, Asadi records his recollections of torture and imprisonment in the form of 27 letters to his interrogator, whom he calls Brother Hamid. Required at all times to wear a blindfold in Brother Hamid’s presence, Asadi developed a relationship with and a perverse dependence upon his torturer, which he describes in graphic detail, along with the endless parade of humiliations he was required to endure while being falsely accused of being both a British and a Soviet spy. Asadi is a gifted storyteller; even if the text, which jumps about chronologically, can be momentarily confusing, his ability to convey the toll of torture and imprisonment is undiminished. And the choice of the epistolary narrative device is a felicitous one: it’s as if the reader has found these letters in a shoebox or a locked drawer, making for harrowing and unique reading." (June) * Publishers Weekly *"With moving stories about fellow prisoners, biting commentary on the religious dictates imposed by his jailers, and meditations on the soul-destroying effect of false confessions and the special cruelty of his ideological, authoritarian interrogators, Asadi’s simple prose attracts even as the facts he reports repel...A horrifying glimpse of the decades-long nightmare still afflicting the people of Iran." * Kirkus Reviews *

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Book SynopsisThe war in Afghanistan is over ten years old. It has cost countless lives and hundreds of billions of pounds. Politicians talk of progress, but the violence is worse than ever. In this powerful and shocking exposé from the front lines in Helmand province, leading journalist and documentary-maker Ben Anderson (HBO, Panorama, and Dispatches) shows just how bad it has got. Detailing battles that last for days, only to be fought again weeks later, Anderson witnesses IED explosions and sniper fire, amid disturbing incompetence and corruption among the Afghan army and police. Also revealing the daily struggle to win over the long-suffering local population, who often express open support for the Taliban, No Worse Enemy is a heartbreaking insight into the chaos at the heart of the region. Raising urgent questions about our supposed achievements and the politicians’ desire for a hasty exit, Anderson highlights the vast gulf that exists between what we are told and what is actually happening on the ground. A product of five years’ unrivalled access to UK forces and US Marines, this is the most intimate and horrifying account of the Afghan war ever published.Trade ReviewEssential reading * The Bookseller *Similar to Michael Herr's high-octane Vietnam War classic, Dispatches, Anderson delivers a gritty, brutal, realistic account of British and American troops on the Afghan frontlines in a bitter counterpoint to all the policy concessions and peace chatter. * Publishers Weekly *"Unusually courageous… With humor, compassion and a fine eye for detail, Anderson meticulously pieces together each scene with the skill of a good choreographer… [This is] an engrossing blow-by-blow account of the nuts and bolts of modern warfare." * Kirkus Reviews *Anderson's book makes a vivid contribution to the record of the conflict, and left me gasping at his courage. * Max Hastings for The Sunday Times *"An essential if unsettling synopsis that brutally strips away any pretence that this is a just or even necessary conflict ... Highly recommended for those with even a passing interest in what is being done in our name in far-off Afghanistan." * Military History Monthly *‘[A] brilliantly observed but troubling memoir… [an] outstanding book.’ * Daily Mail *"Wonderful… offers real insight into the war." * The Sun *Gripping. * Warfare Magazine *

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Book SynopsisIn "Stations of the Sun" and "The Triumph of the Moon", Ronald Hutton established himself as a leading authority on the historian of Paganism. His wealth of unusual knowledge, complemented by a deep and sympathetic understanding of past and present beliefs that are often dismissed as strange or marginal, and an ability to write lucidly and wittily, gives his work a unique flavour. The essays which make up "Witches, Druids and King Arthur" cover elegantly and entertainingly a wide range of beliefs, myths and practices.Trade Review ‘essential reading for anyone interested in the history, recent or older, of paganism.' ~ David CohenTable of ContentsIllustrations; Introduction; Acknowledgements; 1 How Myths are Made; 2 Arthur and the Academics; 3 Glastonbury: Alternative Histories; 4 The New Old Paganism; 5 Paganism in the Missing Countries; 6 A Modest Look at Ritual Nudity; 7 The Inklings and the Gods; 8 The New Druidry; 9 Living with Witchcraft; Notes; Index.

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Book Synopsis The two volumes of this work comprise the first comprehensive history of the kibbutz movement in any language. Origins and Growth covers the first thirty years of this fascinating story, from the formation of the kibbutz in the opening years of the twentieth century to the eve of the Second World War. It is a masterly analysis of the genesis and expansion of the kibbutzim and their relations with the world around them. It considers not only the various components of the kibbutz movement but also the pioneering youth movements from which their members came. Henry Near’s analysis of the ideological, political, economic, and social development of the kibbutz movement is illustrated throughout by excerpts from historical sources, affording a wealth of colourful insights into the changing quality of kibbutz life as experienced by its members. The second volume, Crisis and Achievement, 1939-1995 extends the detailed historical analysis to 1977 and gives a comprehensive overview of subsequent developments.Trade Review'Long and scholarly volume ... Near brings us every primary source on the topic, making this material available to the non-Hebrew reader for the first time ... a treasure trove of information.'Sara Reguer, AJS Review'The most systematic and comprehensive book ever written on the first three decades of kibbutz history ... the abundant statistical data and tables convey the realities beyond the aspirations, and there are descriptions of everyday life and of developments in kibbutz society and education.'Yuval Dror, Catedra'Pays special attention to the kibbutz movement as such and has added excerpts from historical sources to give an insight into the changing quality of kibbutz life as experienced by its members.'International Review of Social History'There has been no systematic survey of its historical development until Henry Near's fascinating and detailed account ... The story is told in meticulous detail.'Leon Sheleff, Jerusalem Post'This is an excellent and well researched book that is well written, with illuminating recollections and quotations from memoirs. It is a pleasure to read and its sequel will be well worth waiting for.'Hugh Courts, Jewish Book News & Reviews'Excellent ... the first comprehensive history of the Kibbutz movement in any language.'Barry Shenker, Jewish Chronicle'Henry Near has pioneered the history of the Kibbutz movement for the English reader.'Noah Lucas, Journal of Jewish Studies'Notably thoughtful and scholarly ... he has succeeded in putting together an admirably coherent and clearly written account of the kibbutz movement's history, an authoritative narrative account of which has long been needed. When completed by a second volume, The Kibbutz Movement: A History is sure to serve as the standard text on the subject for years to come.'David Vital, Times Literary SupplementTable of ContentsList of tablesList of illustrations and mapsNote on Translation, Transliteration, Annotation, and ReferencesIntroduction1 Backgrounds and Beginnings, 1904–1920Zionist Settlements and the Second Aliya • Communes and Kvutzot • The Spread of Kvutzot • Historical Dimensions in the Creation of the Kvutza2 Expansion and Consolidation, 1918–1923The Third Aliya and the ‘Fellowship of the Roads’ • Gedud Ha’avoda and Hashomer Hatzair • The Kibbutz Movement in 19233 The Pioneering Youth Movements: Origins and Growth, 1900–1935Hechalutz • The ‘Classic’ Youth Movements • The Smaller Youth Movements • The Youth Movements in the Early 1930s4 The Fourth Aliya and the Creation of the Kibbutz Movements, 1924–1930The Fourth Aliya: Patterns of Settlement • Gedud Ha’avoda and Ein Harod • The Foundation of the Kibbutz Movements • Unity and Variety5 After the Crisis: Recovery and Growth, 1927–1935The World in Transition • Economics and Settlement • Development of the Kibbutz Movements6 Politics and Youth, 1927–1935The Politicization of the Kibbutz Movement • The Expansion of the Youth Movements • Historical Influences on the Development of the Youth Movements7 Glimpses of Social History: The Kibbutz Community, 1925–1935Patterns of Education: The 1920s and 1930s • Community and Culture • Ways of Life: Three Kibbutzim, 19358 Diversity and Unity: The Smaller Movements, 1930–1939Pioneering Youth Movements in the Diaspora • Pioneering Youth Movements in the Yishuv • The Religious Kibbutz Movements • Youth Movements and Kibbutz Movements9 The Heroic Period, 1936–1939The Arab Revolt • The Kibbutz Movement and the Defence of the Yishuv • Tower and Stockade • Hechalutz and Illegal Immigration10 Economics, Politics, and Society, 1936–1939The Kibbutz Economy • Demographic Developments • The Kibbutz in Politics • Social Developments11 Comments and ConclusionsEconomics • Social Developments • The Kibbutz and the Outside World: Ideological Variants • Politics • Reflections • Achievements and ApprehensionsAppendix 1: The kibbutz movement in 1939Appendix 2: Guide to other settlements mentionedGlossaryReferencesIndexMap: The kibbutz movement in context, 1939

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