History: specific events and topics Books

Book Synopsis''The most comprehensive narrative of intelligence compiled ... unrivalled'' Max Hastings, Sunday Times''Captivating, insightful and masterly'' Edward Lucas, The TimesThe history of espionage is far older than any of today''s intelligence agencies, yet the long history of intelligence operations has been largely forgotten. The first mention of espionage in world literature is in the Book of Exodus.''God sent out spies into the land of Canaan''. From there, Christopher Andrew traces the shift in the ancient world from divination to what we would recognize as attempts to gather real intelligence in the conduct of military operations, and considers how far ahead of the West - at that time - China and India were. He charts the development of intelligence and security operations and capacity through, amongst others, Renaissance Venice, Elizabethan England, Revolutionary America, Napoleonic France, right up to sophisticated moTrade ReviewTo write a world history of intelligence, from the dawn of recorded history to the present day, is a daunting task. To make such a work accurate, comprehensive, digestible and startling, and all in a single volume, is a stellar achievement. But that is what Christopher Andrew has done in The Secret World. -- Edward Lucas * The Times *Brilliant in its sweep and near-miraculous in the detail and confident judgements provided on two and a half millennia of spying ... The book is a crowning triumph of one of the most adventurous scholars of the security world -- John Lloyd * Financial Times *Christopher Andrew delivers a stunning secret archaeology of a subject that he himself helped to create -- Richard J. Aldrich * Times Literary Supplement *

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Book SynopsisChocolate the food of the Gods' has had a long and eventful history. Its story is expertly told here by the doyen of Maya studies, Michael Coe, and his late wife, Sophie. The book begins 3,000 years ago in the Mexican jungles and goes on to draw on aspects of archaeology, botany and socio-economics. Used as currency and traded by the Aztecs, chocolate arrived in Europe via the conquistadors, and was soon a favourite drink with aristocrats. By the 19th century and industrialization, chocolate became a food for the masses until its revival in our own time as a luxury item. Chocolate has also been giving up some of its secrets to modern neuroscientists, who have been investigating how flavour perception is mediated by the human brain. And, finally, the book closes with two contemporary accounts of how chocolate manufacturers have (or have not) been dealing with the ethical side of the industry.Trade Review'A splendid treat' - New York Review of Books'A true classic' - Literary Review'Genuinely scholarly and highly entertaining ... erudite and delightful' - Sunday Telegraph'Begins with the origins of the cacao tree and follows the story up to today’s mass-produced chocolate … A pleasure, not just for chocoholics but for anyone who enjoys lively, thorough historical sleuthing via the printed page' - Gourmet'A beautifully written, indexed and illustrated history of the Food of the Gods, from the Olmecs to present-day developments' - Chocolatier'Just like a tasty bar of chocolate, this hugely entertaining book is a real treat and deserves to be devoured' - All About History'An attention-grabbing account … an engaging and entertaining story about something that is extraordinarily delicious!' - Books Monthly Review'A beautiful book for anyone interested in how chocolate got to be one of the world’s most popular food stuffs' - Prosecco Diaries'An in-depth, meticulously researched and cited, hugely interesting piece of historical research … fascinating' - I Can Only Blame My Shelf'Beautifully designed … full of amazing facts and stories' - Inspired in the City'Beautifully designed … If you have a book-lover in your life, I cannot think of a better gift to give this Easter' - Of Beauty and Nothingness'If historical food books float your boat, then this is definitely the book for you' - Art of Healthy Living'A perfect Easter read' - Mummy Pages'In this definitive and exhaustive study, Sophie and Michael Coe examine every aspect of chocolate from chemistry to culture' - Eden Magazine

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Book SynopsisOfficially endorsed by the ACO, the organisers of the annual Le Mans 24 Hours race, this sumptuous book is the fifth title in a decade-by-decade series that is building up into a multi-volume set covering every race since 1923. Each year is exhaustively covered in vivid photographs, a detailed and insightful commentary, full results data and a glorious rendering of the official race poster, the whole work providing coverage that far exceeds any previous books in quality, depth and authority. Compiled by an acknowledgedexpert on this legendary race, this series of books is treasured by all enthusiasts of sports car racing.- Highly detailed year-by-year coverage of the decade''s ten races, giving over 32 pages of information and photographs for each year.- Official status provides a number of unique features, including the reproduction of the full-color race poster artwork for each year and photographs from the ACO''s archives.- The images are entirely in c

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Book Synopsis*JEWISH CHRONICAL CRITICS' CHOICE: NON-FICTION OF THE YEAR 2022*'A devastatingly affecting book. . . Bunce Court! I keep saying the name to myself because it encapsulates all that is gentle and comically charming about wartime England' The Times 'Emotionally compelling' Observer'All the violence I had experienced before felt like a bad dream. It was a paradise. I think most of the children felt it was a paradise.'In 1933, as Hitler came to power, schoolteacher Anna Essinger hatched a daring and courageous plan: to smuggle her entire school out of Nazi Germany. Anna had read Mein Kampf and knew the terrible danger that Hitler's hate-fuelled ideologies posed to her pupils. She knew that to protect them she had to get her pupils to the safety of England. But the safe haven that Anna struggled to create in a rundown manor house in Kent would test her to the limit. As the news from Europe continued to darken, Anna rescued successive waves of fleeing children and, when war broke out, she and her pupils faced a second exodus. One by one countries fell to the Nazis and before long unspeakable rumours began to circulate. Red Cross messages stopped and parents in occupied Europe vanished. In time, Anna would take in orphans who had given up all hope; the survivors of unimaginable horrors. Anna's school offered these scarred children the love and security they needed to rebuild their lives, showing them that, despite everything, there was still a world worth fighting for.Featuring moving first-hand testimony, and drawn from letters, diaries and present-day interviews, The School That Escaped the Nazis is a dramatic human tale that offers a unique child's-eye perspective on Nazi persecution and the Holocaust. It is also the story of one woman's refusal to allow her beliefs in a better, more equitable world to be overtaken by the evil that surrounded her.Trade Review**Praise for The School That Escaped the Nazis**A devastatingly affecting book. [Cadbury's] chapters alternate between the nightmarish experiences of Jewish children in the Third Reich, and a kind of earthly paradise. . . Bunce Court! I keep saying the name to myself because it encapsulates all that is gentle and comically charming about wartime England. * The Times *Emotionally compelling. . . Cadbury has constructed a lively and compelling narrative * Observer *A stirring account of a German schoolteacher's efforts to build an oasis for children fleeing the Nazi advance across Europe . . . Impressively researched and vividly told, this is a captivating portrait of courage and resilience in the face of unspeakable horror. * Publishers Weekly *Extraordinary . . . Cadbury researched her book meticulously and spoke to many people with first-hand knowledge of the school and the horrors of Nazism. A wealth of references will allow other researchers to explore the same sources and references. * Who Do You Think You Are Magazine *I just loved this book. It's full of hope in terrible times, a recognition of how children develop, and how they experience pain and anxiety, and it tells the story of a remarkable woman who made hope possible and nurtured every child in her school. It's a celebration of what the human spirit can achieve. * BARONESS JULIA NEUBERGER *Anna Essinger's wartime school for Jewish refugees reminds us of the lifelong impact which one person's compassion and imagination can make on others - even in the darkest of times. Cadbury's story packs a real emotional punch. * CAROLINE SHENTON, author of National Treasures *What gives this book its immediacy and freshness is the fact that Deborah Cadbury has spoken to so many of the witnesses to a phenomenal story. The woman who brought an entire school to Kent from Germany, and saved so many children from the Nazis, was a completely heroic figure. This story is an uplifting reminder of how courage, high virtue and intelligence can overcome even the most appalling odds. At many points, with tearful eyes, I cheered - it is a book which stirs up deep emotion, and high admiration, for the author as well as its subject. * A N WILSON *A moving and meticulously documented account of how one woman first rescued and then educated hundreds of Jewish children from the horrors of Nazi Europe. A powerful story of hope at a time of tragedy and one which even though set more than eighty years ago sadly has a resonance today. * ALEX GERLIS, author of Best of Our Spies and Agent in Berlin *An inspiring, well-researched life portrait of a spectacularly heroic teacher * Kirkus *By turns heartbreaking and inspiring, I could not stop reading Deborah Cadbury's remarkable book. -- Josh Ireland, author of CHURCHILL & SONAn astonishing book. It is a both a granular catalogue of unbelievable cruelty and at the same time a testament to the determination of hundreds of thousands of kind, compassionate people of every nationality who stood up to the evils of Nazism in defence of children. But the book is not just that. It describes a woman of great guile and incredible organizational talent who outwitted Eichmann, Himmler and that whole shower of bandits whose talents for murder knew no bounds. * SIR JOHN CARR ***PRAISE FOR DEBORAH CADBURY**A gripping story beautifully told * Jane Ridley on QUEEN VICTORIA'S MATCHMAKING *From the pen of a writer of skill and style, this surprising narrative leaves you wanting more -- Paula Byrne * The Times, on QUEEN VICTORIA'S MATCHMAKING *Irresistible. This is history brought bang up to date in the hands of a master storyteller * Juliet Nicolson on CHOCOLATE WARS *Engaging and scholarly, confident and compassionate -- Kate Colquhoun * Daily Telegraph on CHOCOLATE WARS *An affecting human story, fluent and highly readable * Hilary Mantel on THE LOST KING OF FRANCE *Absolutely stupendous... This is history as it should be. I can't praise it highly enough * Alison Weird on THE LOST KING OF FRANCE *

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Book SynopsisTHE TIMES BOOK OF THE WEEKNamed one of The Telegraph''s ''Best Biographies of the Year 2024''Queen Victoria had forty-two grandchildren but the four Princesses of Hesse were held in her particular favour. After the sudden death of her daughter Alice, Queen Victoria took an obsessive interest in the marriage prospects of the four girls their mother had left behind, hoping this might secure for them a happy future. And each of the young women did indeed marry into a European dynasty: the Romanovs and the Hohenzollerns of Germany. However no one could have foreseen how the maelstrom of the twentieth century would bring tragedy and heartache to each one of them in turn. Drawing on hundreds of previously unseen letters from the sisters as well as from their grandmother Queen Victoria, The Princesses of Hesse takes us on a sweeping journey across the tumultuous landscape of the turn of the century - from the dramas of the Russian Court to the Russian Revolution, and through both World Wars in which the sisters often found themselves on opposing sides.Both intimate and epic in scope, Frances Welch''s biography sheds new light on the four sisters'' lives, illuminating a remarkable period of history in the process.''full of passions, royal peculiarities and misspelt letters...compellingly told'' Christopher Howse, The Daily Telegraph''Welch does a wonderful job of marshalling the different strands of this story, drawing on the sisters'' chatty, gossipy correspondence, some of which has never been published. It grips you until the very last page'' The Mail on Sunday ''Frances Welch''s elegant and intimate group biography returns us to the start of the 20th century, when Queen Victoria''s favourite grand-daughters were scattered between Germany, England and Russia'' Frances Wilson, The Daily Telegraph''eye-opening'' and ''harrowing'' The Daily Mail''Welch brings the four princesses vividly to life'' and ''will delight those who enjoy reading about the lives of royals'' The Times ''brings them vividly to life...a tonic...a gripping read'' Hugo Vickers, The Oldie''Frances Welch has a gift for bringing royal figures to life, making us care about them and showing us how their stories interweave...this is both a deeply affecting story of four sisters and an informative bit of history'' Ysenda Maxtone Graham, The Spectator''splendid'', ''a fascinating family portrait'', ''Welch creates a tenderly intimate portrait of the last, doomed Tsarina and her three German-born sisters'' Miranda Seymour, Literary Review

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Book SynopsisIn the early 21st century, radically changing work locations and patterns have jolted society to reflect more on the ways that employment affects the body and the mind. This book provides historical context and insights to aid our understanding of this contemporary crisis, critically examining the history of a neglected area.In this oral-history based study, Arthur McIvor explores the history of health and safety from Second World War to the present, drawing extensively upon workers'' own personal stories of occupational accidents, disasters, injury, disease, overwork and disability. It covers a wide range of workplace issues, from stories of TNT poisoning and overwork in wartime, through to the asbestos and black lung disasters, and the modern-day epidemics' of stress, burn-out and Covid-19.Opening conversations surrounding the harms caused by work, this book analyses how people have lived with occupational illness and disability, critiquing risk and work-health cultures, and the struTrade ReviewThis is deeply moving and important account of how work is embodied; how the jobs British people have done damaged them physically and mentally. McIvor is the leading scholar of occupational illness and industry. His humanity and care for the subject is apparent on every page. -- Tim Strangleman, Professor of Sociology, University of Kent, UKMcIvor takes us into the lived interior of the destructive history of structural violence at work. I appreciated how much care went into weaving these difficult stories together to create a national history from below and from within. It is a model of how to geographically scale-up our analysis without losing our grounding in people’s lives. It represents oral history at its humanistic best. * Steven High, Professor of History, Concordia University, Canada *Table of ContentsList of Illustrations List of Abbreviations Acknowledgements 1. Memory, Context and the Working Body 2.Talking Dirty: Narrating Toxic Exposure and Danger Stories 3. Industrial Legacies; Damaged Bodies 4. 'Fit for the Scrap Heap’: Remembering Losing Work and Health 5. Stress and Burn-Out: Narrating the Modern Work-Health Epidemic 6. Infected Bodies: From Anthrax to Covid-19 in the Workplace 7. Pushing Back: Health and Safety Activism and Environmentalism Conclusion Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisIn 1970, British Railways Board established a new subsidiary company to take over the design, manufacture and maintenance of its rolling stock. British Rail Engineering Limited (BREL) was born. The company drove a new era of rail technology and this new company history tells the dazzling story of BREL from its humble beginnings up until its sale in 1992 during the controversial privatisation of Britain's railways.The company's work in designing the iconic new trains that would take Britain's railways into a new era is examined alongside its relationship with subcontractors and private manufacturers, as well as its tumultuous relationship with British Railways Board. BREL's struggles to deal with the legacy of the outdated and obsolete stock and infrastructure it inherited are examined in the light of new research.BREL's little known success as an international exporter of British designed and manufactured trains is explored fully.The company's heyday as a leading-edge technology manufa

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Book Synopsis**WINNER OF THE ORWELL PRIZE FOR POLITICAL WRITING****WINNER OF THE ELIZABETH LONGFORD PRIZE FOR HISTORICAL BIOGRAPHY***Book of the year: The Times, Sunday Times, New Statesman, Spectator, Evening Standard*'Outstanding . . . We still live in the society that was shaped by Clement Attlee' Robert Harris, Sunday Times'The best book in the field of British politics' Philip Collins, The Times'Easily the best single-volume, cradle-to-grave life of Clement Attlee yet written' Andrew RobertsClement Attlee was the Labour prime minister who presided over Britain's radical postwar government, delivering the end of the Empire in India, the foundation of the NHS and Britain's place in NATO. Called 'a sheep in sheep's clothing', his reputation has long been that of an unassuming character in the shadow of Churchill. But as John Bew's revelatory biography shows, Attlee was not only a hero of his age, but an emblem of it; and his life tells the story of how Britain changed over the twentieth century. Here, Bew pierces Attlee's reticence to examine the intellect and beliefs of Britain's greatest - and least appreciated - peacetime prime minister. This edition includes a new preface by the author in response to the 2017 general election.Trade ReviewWinner of The Orwell Prize for Political WritingEasily the best single-volume, cradle-to-grave life of Clement Attlee yet written. Professor Bew updates but also betters all the other biographies with this intelligent, well-researched and highly readable book. Scholarly and perceptive, it tells the story of how quiet determination and impeccable political timing wrought a peaceful revolution * Andrew Roberts *If Labour is to return to power, it is not to Tony Blair and Harold Wilson to whom it should turn for inspiration but to the ethos and example of Attlee . . . Citizen Clem promises to be one of the highlights of the autumn season -- Jason Cowley * New Statesman *The brilliant young historian John Bew urges Labour to recapture something of the ethos of the Attlee period * Telegraph *In this monumental biography, John Bew sets out to explore, not just the scale of the achievement, but to discover what made Attlee tick . . . A good book about a remarkable man -- Chris Mullin * Guardian *Fascinating . . . He writes with flair and considerable intellectual confidence . . . Bew believes that Labour has lost a sense of historical mission . . . This insight seems right to me -- Jason Cowley * Financial Times *This biography makes a strong case for Attlee's greatness . . . Such contradictions deserve a discerning biographer, and in John Bew, Attlee has the man he deserves. He has written with verve and confidence a first-rate life of a man whom he correctly argues has been under-appreciated . . . What a life and what a man -- Daniel Finkelstein * The Times *Outstanding . . . This excellent new life of Labour's greatest leader . . . We still live in the society that was shaped by Clement Attlee . . . Bew's achievement is not only to bring this curious and introverted man to life, but to make him oddly loveable. He steps out like a character from the pages of the social novels of H. G. Wells or George Orwell . . . To read this book in the shadow of the present Labour leadership election is a salutary experience -- Robert Harris * Sunday Times *An absorbing new life of Clement Attlee shows how a quiet man from the suburbs became Labour's unlikely postwar hero . . . So how did a man who was the object of so much private derision by his peers come to preside over Labour's greatest (some might say only) radical government? Bew puts the question at the core of his story. He answers it convincingly by mixing arresting narrative with a thorough study of the people and policies of the Labour movement at a time of hardship interspersed by war and fierce ideological difference . . . The book is replete with amusing vignettes . . . This book will become required reading for the present-day Labour party -- John Kampfner * Observer *Magisterial . . . A great work of personal biography, social history, political philosophy, international relations and ferrets-in-a-sack Labour Party infighting . . . Bew explores in great detail Attlee's pilgrim's progress toward socialism with a thorough critique of his literary, cultural and political reading. . . As the Labour Party retreats towards ideological self-immolation, as Britain stumbles on the world stage, and as European social democracy stands in peril, we need another Attlee more than ever. In the absence of which, we have Bew's brilliant book -- Tristram Hunt * Prospect *Read this book to understand what Labour once was and what has been lost because of its embrace of identity politics and ultra-liberalism. Book of the Year -- Jason Cowley * New Statesman *A masterful portrait of a man who led the Labour Party for 20 years and arguably did more than any other UK politician to shape the postwar world . . . Attlee was a patriot who believed that tolerance was Britain's greatest gift to the world. Now, more than ever, it is tolerance we need. Book of the Year -- Tom Watson * New Statesman *Attlee was a distant and austere figure by reputation, but the book sweeps that away from the start, recalling Clem the street agitator and war hero. Book of the Year -- Roland White * Sunday Times *The author sets out to claim a place among the greats for his subject and succeeds . . . The lessons for modern politics are made clearly. Book of the Year -- Daniel Finkelstein * The Times *Bew has the detachment of a professional historian, but an understanding of politics and personalities. Book of the Year -- Kwasi Kwarteng * Evening Standard *The best book in the field of British politics. Book of the Year. -- Philip Collins * The Times *Bew is particularly good on the dynamics of his close relationship with Churchill . . . Bew's revelatory biography explains that achievement. But it also brings us a 3D, flesh and blood Citizen Clem, and boy, does he make him shine! -- Gordon Marsden * Times Higher Education *This is a big book in scope and depth and is a very good read besides. It is not just a political biography, but an explanation of the man, what made him, the roots of his patriotism, his military experience in the First World War, his love of literature . . . in a way Citizen Clem is a history of the twentieth century * Tablet *His true political genius and unflinching moral purpose are brilliantly reappraised in John Bew's Citizen Clem . . . This book is a rare beast - political biography at its finest, yet one that is deeply moving -- David Bell * Times Literary Supplement *Winner of the Elizabeth Longford Prize for Historical BiographyBoth a magnificent renewal of the art of political biography and a monument to the greatest leader the Labour party has ever had. It presents us with a man whose socialism was learned, not acquired * Jonathan Derbyshire, Judge of The Orwell Prize *John Bew's survey of Labour's post-war hero Clement Attlee resurrects the idea of the political biography almost thought lost: encyclopaedic, analytical, massive in scope but intimate in understanding. * Waterstones Weekly *

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Book SynopsisBritish rule in India caused millions of deaths, economic devastation, and cultural exploitation. The East India Company's ruthless tactics led to suffering and decline in GDP. Despite claims of benefits, the reality was a brutal and exploitative regime that harmed India in numerous ways.

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Book SynopsisIn continuous production for 60 years, the Mini in one of automotive history's most revolutionary cars. Mini: 60 Years celebrates this most iconic of cars.Trade Review"The book is a valentine for all of the enthusiasts who have loved Mini automobiles over the years." * Joe Farace Shoots Cars *"...a very enjoyable read that pleasantly presents the entire model run in historical context." * Classic Motorsports *"Highly recommended. A must-have for any Mini enthusiast or admirer of the marque." * The View Through the Windshield *"...provides all sorts of wonderful detail, photos and sketches that will be enjoyed by Mini owners." * ClassicCars.com *

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Book SynopsisJourney through time and space with this graphic novel history of the science fiction genre, from Jules Verne, Jonathan Swift, and Mary Shelley to William Gibson and Philip K. Dick to Ken Liu and Ted Chiang, and beyond. Trace the progress of SF through modern times and learn why key figures and inventors like Thomas Edison have looked to science fiction to predict the future.For the first time in illustrated form, this comprehensive history of science fiction traces its origins and, in fascinating detail, charts its history from its beginnings as a “schlock” genre to its respected status today. Join author/historian Xavier Dollo and artist Djibril Morissette-Phan (All-New Wolverine, X-Men: Gold, Star-Lord) in their visual journey into the expansive universe of science fiction. Who is considered the world’s first science fiction author? How did American science fiction begin? What sci-fi novel is the alltime best-seller? What were the “Pulps” and how did they predict with uncanny accuracy the 21st century world around us? The answers are here, along with detailed chapters dedicated to the founders of the genre and their modern-day successors. Discover the origins of your favorite page-to-screen science fiction movies. Marvel at the behind-the-scenes stories of some of literature’s most imaginative writers. Find out why science fiction so effortlessly captures our imaginations and makes us dream of new worlds. Far more than just a list of facts, The History of Science Fiction is a roaring analytical reflection on the genre that continues to shape our world, presented in a stunning 8” x 11” hardcover sure to stand out on any bookshelf or serve as the coffee-table conversation starter for all things sci-fi!

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Book SynopsisTHE #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER''Everything you need to know about one of the deadliest outbreaks in human history'' Bill Gates''Easily our fullest, richest, most panoramic history of the subject'' New York Times Book ReviewIn 1918, the world faced the deadliest pandemic in human history. What can the story of the so-called Spanish Flu teach us about the fight against present day crises, and how to prepare for future outbreaks? At the height of WWI, history''s most lethal influenza virus erupted in an army camp in Kansas, moved east with American troops, then exploded, killing as many as 100 million people worldwide. It killed more people in twenty-four months than AIDS killed in twenty-four years, more in a year than the Black Death killed in a century. But this was not the Middle Ages, and 1918 marked the first collision of science and epidemic disease.Magisterial in its breadth of perspectivTrade Review'Everything you need to know about one of the deadliest outbreaks in human history' -- Bill Gates'Easily our fullest, richest, most panoramic history of the subject' -- New York Times Book ReviewMonumental... powerfully intelligent... not just a masterful narrative... but also an authoritative and disturbing morality tale -- Chicago Tribune'A sobering account of the 1918 flu epidemic, compelling and timely' -- Boston Globe'Majestic, spellbinding treatment of a mass killer' -- Kirkus'History brilliantly written... The Great Influenza is a masterpiece' -- Baton Rouge Advocate

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Book SynopsisAn impressively presented guide to the 47 incumbents who have held the highest-ranking political office in the United States government.

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Book SynopsisIn the last 2,000 years there have been a number of bloody battles on Essex soil, but there too have been several conflicts that although sometimes violent didn't involve the loss of life. In many cases these conflicts have been hyped in contemporary media as a 'battles' and the term has stuck. Reprinted 2023 and 2024

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Book SynopsisHenrietta Leyser considers the problems and attitudes fundamental to every woman of the time: medieval views on sex, marriage and motherhood; the world of work and the experience of widowhood for peasant, townswoman and aristocrat. The intellectual and spiritual worlds of medieval women are also explored.MEDIEVAL WOMEN celebrates the diversity and vitality of English women's lives in the Middle Ages.

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Book SynopsisThe #1 NYT BESTSELLERA personal and urgent examination of Fascism in the twentieth century and how its legacy shapes today's world, written by one of America's most admired public servants, the first woman to serve as U.S. secretary of state.There is priceless wisdom on every page. Kirkus Starred reviewA Fascist, observes Madeleine Albright, is someone who claims to speak for a whole nation or group, is utterly unconcerned with the rights of others, and is willing to use violence and whatever other means are necessary to achieve the goals he or she might have.'The twentieth century was defined by the clash between democracy and Fascism, a struggle that created uncertainty about the survival of human freedom and left millions of innocent people dead. Given the horrors of that experience, one might expect the world to reject the spiritual successors to Hitler and Mussolini should they arise in our era. In Fascism: A Warning, Madeleine Albright, draws on her own experiences as a child in Trade Review‘Cooly analyses the way countries can descend into tyranny’ Economist, Book of the Year ‘A wise book … such satisfaction that it brings comes from spending time in the company of a sage and admirable person’ The Times ‘A passionate cri de coeur … ‘Fascism’ is a salutary warning written with passion and the ink-blood of personal experience’ Daily Telegraph ‘If Mrs Albright’s learning is to be expected, her way with words is a happy surprise, as is her wisdom about human nature. Free of geopolitical jargon, her deceptively simple prose is sprinkled with shrewd observations about the emotions that underpin bad or wicked political decisions … Bookshops are full of expert guides to spotting a country’s slide into autocracy … This book is broader … She has professorial fun describing despotic tactics with modern-day echoes … Dismissive of hyperbole, the former secretary of state is still nervy about Donald Trump’ Economist ‘Having fled both Hitler’s Germany and Czechoslovakia’s Communist uprising as a child, Albright’s acquaintance with fascism is practically a part of her DNA. With America’s global standing now downgraded from “full democracy” to “flawed democracy” by the Economist Intelligence Unit, this is no time for complacency. Albright outlines the warning signs of fascism and offers concrete actions for restoring America’s values and reputation. There is priceless wisdom on every page’ Kirkus Starred review

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Book SynopsisNew to Penguin Classics, the astonishing story of the Copernican Revolution, told through the words of the ground-breaking scientists who brought it aboutIn the late fifteenth century, it was believed that the earth stood motionless at the centre of a small, ordered cosmos. Just over two centuries later, everything had changed. Not only was the sun the centre of creation, but the entire practice of science had been revolutionised. This is the story of that astonishing transformation, told through the words of the astronomers and mathematicians at its heart. Bringing together excerpts from the works and letters of Copernicus, Galileo, Kepler, Descartes, Newton and others for the first time, The Dawn of Modern Cosmology is the definitive record of one of the great turning points in human history.Edited with Translations, Notes and an Introduction by Aviva Rothman

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Book SynopsisAn eye-opening and urgent re-examination of nature in our cities, from the Sunday Times bestselling author.Awe-inspiring full of wonder, warning and hope' ISABELLA TREE, author of WildingOur modern-day cities might seem to represent our separation from the vitality of the natural world. Yet, as Ben Wilson reveals in this invigorating re-examination of urban landscapes across the globe, nature has always been at the heart of the city.Moving from Los Angeles and Delhi to Singapore and Amsterdam, Wilson explores how the bond between humans and nature has oscillated throughout history, and shows that in a time of climate crisis a new approach to rewilding may prove to be the city's saviour.Wilson soars like a falcon over global cities on five continents' WASHINGTON POSTNovel and provocative'THE TIMES

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Book SynopsisWhat has been the dish of kings, the subject of myths and the traveller of epic and mysterious journeys? The eel.Beginning life in the Sargasso Sea, the eel travels across the ocean, lives for twenty or so years, and then is driven by some instinct back across the ocean to spawn and die. And the next generation starts the story again. No one knows why the eels return, or how the orphaned elvers learn their way back. One man discovered, after many adventures, the breeding ground of all eels and he is the hero of this book.Eels were being caught and consumed 5000 years before the birth of Christ Aristotle and Pliny wrote about them; Romans regarded them as a peerless delicacy; Egyptians accorded them semi-sacred status; English kings died of overeating them. There are many strange practices among eel fishers all over the world, and many great fortunes based upon the eel harvest.The Book of Eels, a combination of social comment, biography and natural history, is also a fascinating and wTrade Review‘This is a captivating study…Tom Fort is incapable of writing a dull sentence.' Financial Times ‘A fascinating, beautifully written and deeply peculiar book.’ New Scientist ‘In this wonderful book, Tom Fort elevates Anguilla anguilla from the lowly to the exalted…The Book of Eels is a delightful surprise; Fort does wonders with his esoteric and fascinating subject.’ The Times ‘What a joy, a whole book on eels. It’s a very good book too, and a very English book…I suppose it is inevitable that somone will call this book ‘enchanting’. Take no notice. Buy it anyway. Give it to someone you like or, for even more fun, to someone you don’t.’ Spectator ‘Tom Fort is the Alan Bennett of the angling scene.’ Literary Review

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Book SynopsisWilliam D. Cohan''s The Last Tycoons: The Secret History of Lazard Frères & Co. is the astonishing story of the world''s most elite and legendary investment bank - and the men who reigned over it all. For over 150 years Lazard Frères had stood apart from other Wall Street firms by offering ultra-wealthy clients the wisdom of its ''Great Men'': from Felix Rohatyn, the escapee from Nazi-occupied France turned financial genius, to Michel David-Weill, the inscrutable French billionaire ''Sun King''; from Steve Rattner, the boy wonder from Long Island who clashed violently with the old guard, to larger-than-life CEO Bruce Wasserstein, ''Bid-Em-Up-Bruce'', who broke with the bank''s traditions and made himself billions in the process. They amassed unimaginable fortunes and would stop at nothing to make a deal, until their titanic egos started to jeopardize everything. In The Last Tycoons William Cohan, himself a former high-level Wall Street banker, Trade ReviewRiveting … a genuine page-turner * Will Hutton *Spellbinding * Financial Times *A definitive account … it lives up to the billing * The Times *Has sent a jolt through Lazard and the rest of Wall Street * Wall Street Journal *An epic * The New York Times *Spellbinding * Financial Times *

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Book SynopsisSteam, and then cumbersome motor, tractors existed in small numbers before 1914. The rivals of Ford brought in novelties such as diesel engines, pneumatic tyres, and hydraulic implement lifts. After the Second World-War, an indigenous tractor industry was led by Ferguson, David Brown, Nuffield and Ford. This book highlights these developments.

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Book SynopsisFounded in 1673 by the Society of Apothecaries, the Chelsea Physic Garden led the world for over 300 years in the research and classification of new plants. Sue Minter examines its history and many notable achievements.

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Book SynopsisWales had a rich gallery of magical specialists (prophets, cunning-men, physicians etc), including many who were suspected of harmful witchcraft. Richard Suggett examines all types of magical specialists, including those regarded as beneficial as well as harmful. Popular belief in witchcraft in Wales did not decline with the abolition of the Witchcraft Act in 1736. Indeed belief in witchcraft beliefs became darker in form and was transformed into a novel form of cursing the use of cursing wells, many of which are still in existence in Wales.

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Book SynopsisNOW THE TV SERIES ''THE SERPENT QUEEN'', STARRING SAMANTHA MORTONThe bestselling revisionist biography of one of the great women of the 16th centuryOrphaned in infancy, Catherine de Medici was the sole legitimate heiress to the Medici family fortune. Married at fourteen to the future Henri II of France, she was constantly humiliated by his influential mistress Diane de Poitiers. When her husband died as a result of a duelling accident in Paris, Catherine was made queen regent during the short reign of her eldest son (married to Mary Queen of Scots and like many of her children he died young). When her second son became king she was the power behind the throne. She nursed dynastic ambitions, but was continually drawn into political and religious intrigues between Catholics and Protestants that plagued France for much of the later part of her life. It had always been said that she was implicated in the notorious Saint Bartholomew''s Day MassacreTrade ReviewLeonie Frieda does this remarkable woman full justice. Refusing to play judge, she reveals her to us through the best of means, which is narrative. The skill with which Frieda finds her way through the maze of this confusing period is exemplary. You read on eagerly. An enthralling book -- Allan Massie * Literary Review *This masterful and compelling biography delivers a beautifully written portrait of a ruthless, subtle and fearless woman fighting for survival and power in a world of gangsterish brutality, routine assassination and religious mania. I quickly found I could not stop reading. This is narrative history at its best, both scholarly and as captivating as a thriller. Leonie Frieda has brought a largely forgotten heroine-villainess and a whole sumptuously vicious era back to life again. She is equally at home in the royal court as she is in the blood-reeking gutters of Paris: this is The Godfather meets Elizabeth -- Simon Sebag Montefiore * Mail on Sunday *A stunning biography, which brings to life a heroic woman and the tumultuous, cruel and gaudy times in which she lived -- Paul JohnsonAs Leonie Frieda shows in this absorbing biography, Catherine was a well-intentioned woman who resorted to extreme measures only under pressure. With its engaging style and deft handling of complex events, this accomplished account of Catherine's career is an engrossing tale, compellingly narrated -- Anne Somerset * The Spectator *Gorgeous detail and remarkable anecdotes....There is no mistaking the abiding pleasure of this smart and stylish book -- Carol Herman * Washington Times *As Leonie Frieda relates in this well-researched and immensely readable first biography, from her turbulent home in Florence Catherine found herself presiding over perhaps the nastiest period in all French history. Frieda is much to be praised for painting a wonderfully rich canvas -- Sir Alistair Horne * The Times *Leonie Frieda has produced an absorbing, entertaining study of a time when the luxury and depravity of princes went hand-in-hand with power-plotting, assassination and bloody vengeance -- Peter Lewis * Daily Mail *Frieda's confidence in her mission permeates the book, raising what is in any case a fascinating narrative to the level of cogent and powerful argument . . . This intelligent and well-researched biography is a worthy testament to Catherine's formidable strength. Catherine de Medici reveals Frieda, a first-time biographer, to be a writer of tremendous skill and talent -- Dr Amanda Foreman * Observer *Leonie Frieda has handled the history of this complex period with skill. Without skimping on the drama and debauchery of the court of the Valois, she has defended, but not whitewashed, Catherine and produced a fascinating picture of a remarkable woman -- Sarah Bradford * Evening Standard *Frieda's enjoyable and skilfully written biography ... conveys, vividly at times, the outsize style of Renaissance rule: the Loire châteaux, the feasts and balls and masques, the exotic costumes, the elaborate needlework, the pioneering attempts at ballet and opera, the bizarre collection of stuffed objects that ranged from stuffed crocodiles to priceless manuscripts. Catherine's supreme command of the political display is adroitly brought out -- Prof. Blair Worden * Sunday Telegraph *This is a masterly biography and a fascinating one -- John Jolliffe * Independent *In Frieda's scholarly tome, Catherine de Medici is painted not in the dark hues of her critics but using a more colourful palate. Through a prodigious amount of research, that was assisted by the author's versatility in five European languages, all the colour and splendour of Catherine's court is recreated -- Stephen McGinty * Scotsman *In this splendid, detailed and gripping biography, Frieda does Catherine ample justice -- Munro Price * BBC History Magazine *Leonie Frieda has produced a formidable book. Meticulously researched and extremely well-written, this surely will be the definitive biography of Catherine de Medici for many years to come * Medieval History Magazine *Leonie Frieda is clearly already a very professional writer, but this is her first major work of history. It is a most excellent book that should be read by everybody who believes that education for its own sake has value, and that history in particular has cautionary tales to offer. Leonie Frieda, happily for us, manifests an Actonian sense of humour in her writing. The author paints a brilliant picture of the French court and of her subject's private life * Catholic Herald *A well-written and colourful journey through 16th century France, entertaining to read as well as frequently illuminating * Country Life *Frieda succeeds in making her subject interesting and coherent, and shows her operating in a political context that left no room for squeamishness or scruple * Sunday Times *Frieda's richly detailed account . . . paints a most fascinating picture of French court life. The political complexities are kept mercifully clear, the main lines of rivalry sharp, the characters vivid -- Ann Wroe * Daily Telegraph *Dramatic and fascinating - a real page-turner. Thoroughly recommended * Military Illustrated *A triumph . . . she succeeds where some historical biographers fail: she takes an interesting story and makes it live with her writing where the bland prose of others would kill our interest stone dead * Birmingham Post *Sympathetic and gloriously detailed * New Statesman *Interesting and well-written . . . enlightens the reader about a turbulent and fascinating period which still arouses debate and disagreement * The Tablet *An assured and genuinely gripping tale of a woman - 'the Black Queen' - who ruthlessly conspired in 16th-century France and battled against more adversities in a day than most of us have had in a lifetime * ES Magazine *A biography of scrupulous detail * Irish Times *A rich and insightful piece of biographical and historical writing, which not only brings to life the famed Machiavellian queen but also the dramatic events and colourful courtiers (and courtesans) who shaped French history during her reign . . . must-read * Richard Foreman, Waterstones Leadenhall Market *[Catherine de Medici] has often been portrayed as the devil incarnate, but this gripping biography argues that she was actually a skilful politician who brokered peace in France during turbulent times. A real historical treat * Sainsbury’s Magazine *Frieda is passionate about her subject, and her prose is lyrical and exacting. Like a polished stone, it reveals the character depths beneath mere historical detail as she brings to brilliant life one of the most fascinating women of the 16th century. What raises this biography into a tour de force is Frieda's ability to reframe completely our views about Catherine de Medici. This book is a remarkable achievement for Frieda, who has given us a marvellously compelling glimpse into a life led passionately * Toronto Globe and Mail *

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Book SynopsisGet lost in the labyrinthine life of Grigori Rasputin, an enigmatic figure that continues to puzzle historians to this day. Drawing on major new sources hitherto unexamined by western historians, Douglas Smith offers an unparalleled biography that exposes the mysteries and myths surrounding this extraordinary figure.Rasputin. A horse thief and a hard-drinking ruffian in his youth. A devout Orthodox Christian – or a just a fake holy man. This book scrutinises the myths – of his debauchery and sexual exploits, his healing powers and uncanny influence over Russia's empress and emperor, and whether he manipulated the Russian government at his own behest, or under the influence of forces more sinister.Smith scrutinises his murder and the players involved, with focus on Prince Yusupov and his fellow conspirators – questioning broader conspiracy theories involving British secret agents and Freemasons, and discussing the long shadow his murder caTrade ReviewDouglas Smith has delivered the definitive biography that is brilliantly gripping, as hypnotic, wild and erotic in its revelations as the Mad Monk himself, sensitive in its human portrait, astute in its political analysis, superbly researched with rich new material gathered in faraway archives, and populated with the zaniest cast of the deranged Romanovs, depraved bishops, whores, mountebanks, adventuresses, mystics and murderers. -- Simon Sebag MontefioreThe most comprehensive account of Rasputin to date, brimming with complexities and fascinating detail, and stands as an enlightening re-evaluation of this crucial figure in Russian history. * Daily Telegraph *Douglas Smith begins this impressive biography by rubbishing almost everything previously written, stripping away a century of myth, fabrication, gossip and lies . . . a fascinating, often entertaining, biography. * The Times *Utterly fascinating and foreniscally detailed . . .There are plenty of Rasputin biographies already, but its superlative scholarship and attention to detail put this one in a class of its own. -- Dominic Sandbrook * Sunday Times *This brilliantly written, meticulously researched account of the life of Rasputin is the best, most complete and accurate I have ever read. Step by step, day by day, week by week in this life, Douglas Smith tells the story from its humble beginnings, through its obscene sexual chapters, to its violent end. He describes how a peasant became 'Our Friend' to the last emperor and empress of Russia. He explains why this dependency came at terrible cost for the imperial couple, for their children, for Russia, and for the Twentieth Century world. Readers will begin by saying that this is an impossible story to believe. They will read on because, in Douglas Smith's mesmerizing telling, it must be believed. And because it did happen. -- Robert K. Massie, author of Nicholas and AlexandraSome years ago when working on a historical novel I had to read all the existing Rasputin biographies, and they do abound - in all literary styles and in many languages. What a pity that Douglas Smith's Rasputin had not yet been published, it would have saved me a lot of time. If you are interested in the story of the Romanovs' pet prophet this is the book to read. -- Boris AkuninA prodigious piece of scholarship. Doug Smith's exhaustive and forensic examination of a wealth of new and previously unseen evidence finally lays to rest the tired old myth of 'the mad monk' and rightly positions Rasputin as a crucial figure in late Imperial Russian history. -- Helen Rappaport, author of Four SistersDouglas Smith understands that history is not only what happened, but what people think happened. In Rasputin, he deftly unpicks myth, legend and fact, separating and examining each thread, before weaving them back to create a pattern not merely of a man, but of a time, and a place, and a revolution. It is, itself, revolutionary. -- Judith Flanders, author of A Circle of SistersFew figures in 20th century history have been more obscured by myth and legend than Grigory Yefimovich Rasputin, the mystic confident of the last tsar and tsarina. In his research, comprehensive to the nth degree, Douglas Smith has dug up previously unseen archives, followed previously unexplored leads, and connected the dots across the Russian landscape. They're dots of blood. Rasputin reveals the true character of the man without minimizing his malign hold on the loathsome, feckless Romanovs. -- Ken Kalfus, author of The Commissariat of EnlightenmentThe very best biographies illuminate an individual and the time and place in which they lived. In this magisterial, exhaustively-researched work on Rasputin, Douglas Smith paints a rich, detailed portrait of one of history's most fascinating individuals while also chronicling the dramatic last days of the Tsar. It's a wondrous read. -- Neal Bascomb, author of The Winter FortressIt is hard to imagine a historical figure more barnacled with myth than Rasputin. Douglas Smith unravels Rasputin's complex narrative in unprecedented detail, showing how he was a kind of chimera onto which could be hung all the ills of a disintegrating Russia. In the process Smith vividly exposes the astonishing blindness of the ruling class that made its tragic end inevitable. A brilliant achievement. -- Rosemary Sullivan, author of Stalin’s DaughterThe most complete and masterful study of Rasputin that I've read. Douglas Smith's work is not only extraordinarily readable, but rich in detail. -- Robert Alexander, New York Times bestselling author of The Kitchen BoyTable of ContentsSection - i: List of Illustrations Section - ii: Maps Section - iii: Notes on Dates and Spelling Unit - Part One: HOLY PILGRIM 1869-1904 Chapter - 1: Origins Chapter - 2: The Pilgrim Chapter - 3: Nicholas and Alexandra Chapter - 4: Monsieur Philippe Chapter - 5: Alexei Chapter - 6: The Burning Torch Chapter - 7: The Mad Monk Unit - Part Two: OUR FRIEND: 1905–1909 Chapter - 8: To the Throne Chapter - 9: Rasputin-Novy Chapter - 10: Sects and Whips Chapter - 11: Demons of the Silver Age Chapter - 12: Anna Vyrubova Chapter - 13: The Eyes Chapter - 14: “. . . prayers that purify and protect us.” Chapter - 15: The Investigation: Part I Chapter - 16: The First Test Chapter - 17: “better ten Rasputins . . .” Unit - Part Three: SCANDALS: 1910–1911 Chapter - 18: Trouble in the Nursery Chapter - 19: The Press Discovers Rasputin Chapter - 20: In Search of Rasputin Chapter - 21: Prince Yusupov Chapter - 22: Holy Land Chapter - 23: Rasputin in His Own Words Chapter - 24: Iliodor’s Triumph Chapter - 25: Two Murders Chapter - 26: Confronting the “Antichrist” Unit - Part Four: A TIME OF MIRACLES: 1912–July 1914 Chapter - 27: Germogen’s Fall Chapter - 28: Iliodor, Apostate Chapter - 29: Quousque tandem abutere patientia nostra? Chapter - 30: The Blow to the Alcove Chapter - 31: The Investigation II: Was Rasputin a Khlyst? Chapter - 32: The Miracle at Spala Chapter - 33: War and Celebration Chapter - 34: Gutter Talk, Name-Glorifiers, and Murder Plots Chapter - 35: On the Edge of a Precipice Chapter - 36: The Attack Chapter - 37: “This time it didn’t work . . .” Chapter - 38: Iliodor’s Flight Unit - Part Five: WAR: July 1914–1915 Chapter - 39: A Menacing Cloud Chapter - 40: The Incident at the Yar Chapter - 41: Rasputin’s Women Chapter - 42: Dinner with Rasputin Chapter - 43: The Religious Faces of Rasputin Chapter - 44: A Summer of Troubles Chapter - 45: The Tovarpar Chapter - 46: Nicholas Takes Command Chapter - 47: Rasputin, Favorite Chapter - 48: Fresh Scandal Chapter - 49: The Troika Chapter - 50: Gorokhovaya, 64 Chapter - 51: Dark Forces and Mad Chauffeurs Chapter - 52: Another Miracle Unit - Part Six: THE FINAL YEAR: 1916 Chapter - 53: Revolution in the Air Chapter - 54: The Minister Plots Murder Chapter - 55: Iliodor in America Chapter - 56: With Us or With Them Chapter - 57: Rasputin the Spy? Chapter - 58: Rasputin and the Jews Chapter - 59: “The sun will shine . . .” Chapter - 60: Apotheosis Chapter - 61: Stupidity or Treason Chapter - 62: “Vanya has arrived.” Chapter - 63: “My hour will soon strike” Chapter - 64: The Last Day Chapter - 65: A Cowardly Crime Chapter - 66: The Investigation Chapter - 67: The Body in the Water Chapter - 68: The Romanov Family Drama Chapter - 69: Orgies, Gay Love, and the Secret Hand of the British Chapter - 70: The End of the Tobolsk Yoke Unit - Part Seven: THE AFTERMATH: 1917-1918 Chapter - 71: A Time for Dominoes Chapter - 72: Here Lies the Dog Chapter - 73: The Myth Chapter - 74: Unsettled Business Section - iv: Epilogue Acknowledgements - v: Acknowledgements Section - vi: Bibliography Section - vii: Endnotes Index - viii: Index

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Book Synopsis ''Vast and arresting'' SPECTATOR''A remarkably human take on the geological world'' NEW STATESMANRocks are the record of our creative planet reinventing itself for four billion years. Nothing is ever lost, just transformed. Marcia Bjornerud''s life as a geologist has coincided with an extraordinary period of discovery. From an insular girlhood in rural Wisconsin, she found her way to an unlikely career studying mountains in remote parts of the world. As one of few women in her field, she witnessed the shift in our understanding of the Earth, from solid object to an entity in a constant state of transformation. In the most tumultuous times of her own life, a deep understanding of our rocky planet imbued her life with meaning.The lives of rocks are long and complex, spanning billions of years and yet shaping our own human lives in powerful, invisible ways. Sandstone that filters out pathogens creating underground oases in

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Book SynopsisExam board: AQALevel: AS/A-levelSubject: HistoryFirst teaching: September 2015First exams: Summer 2016 (AS); Summer 2017 (A-level)Put your trust in the textbook series that has given thousands of A-level History students deeper knowledge and better grades for over 30 years.Updated to meet the demands of today's A-level specifications, this new generation of Access to History titles includes accurate exam guidance based on examiners' reports, free online activity worksheets and contextual information that underpins students' understanding of the period.- Develop strong historical knowledge: in-depth analysis of each topic is both authoritative and accessible- Build historical skills and understanding: downloadable activity worksheets can be used independently by students or edited by teachers for classwork and homework- Learn, remember and connect important events and people: an introduction to the period, summary diagrams, timelines and links to additional online resources support lessons, revision and coursework- Achieve exam success: practical advice matched to the requirements of your A-level specification incorporates the lessons learnt from previous exams- Engage with sources, interpretations and the latest historical research: students will evaluate a rich collection of visual and written materials, plus key debates that examine the views of different historians

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Book SynopsisA revised and updated edition of the classic work to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the first moon landing 'It left me spellbound ... belongs to the same tradition as Tom Wolfe's The Right Stuff' Sunday Times 'Fascinating. A wonderful book' David Bowie Spellbinding ... A wonderful collective biography written with deftness, compassion and humour' Observer ________________________ The Apollo Moon Programme has been called the last optimistic act of the twentieth century. In Moondust, Andrew Smith set out to find and interview the nine remaining Moonwalkers in order to learn how their lives, and ours, were irrevocably changed by this surreal expedition. On the fiftieth anniversary of the first moon landing, Smith’s powerful and gripping account of the most courageous adventure of the last century is re-released with a new chapter, detailing his fascinating interactions with Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, Edgar Mitchell and Alan Bean in the years since publication. With thought-provoking meditations on the dramatic recent upswing in cosmic exploration, including astonishing encounters with the would-be astronaut-settlers of the Mars One project and the scientists leading the search for life in our solar system, this is an indispensable update to the definitive classic. ________________________ 'Fascinating and disturbing. We know what happened inside the Apollo spacecraft, but what went on inside the astronauts' minds? Did any of them really recover from their strange journey? Extremely thought-provoking' J.G. BallardTrade ReviewFascinating and disturbing. We know what happened inside the Apollo spacecraft, but what went on inside the astronauts' minds? Did any of them really recover from their strange journey? Extremely thought-provoking -- J. G. BallardSpellbinding ... A wonderful collective biography written with deftness, compassion and humour * Observer *Smith’s mix of reporting and meditation is highly entertaining, and this superb book is a fitting tribute to a unique band of twentieth-century heroes * GQ *A moving and thorough account of America’s last great act of optimism * Guardian *It left me spellbound ... Belongs to the same tradition as Tom Wolfe's The Right Stuff * Sunday Times *Utterly gripping ... Smith is both sympathetic and bracingly unsentimental. But he also does an excellent job at rekindling the sheer fascination of that period ... Intriguing, startling, funny, and yet also somehow profoundly moving * Daily Telegraph *

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Book Synopsis'His cornucopia of tellers and tales is a delight, a riveting celebration of a genre that revels in its own hybridity and the imaginative riches produced by the crossing of cultural and literary borders' Financial Times'Like a child after the Pied Piper I pursued Jubber into a world both human and full of magic. A carnival of a book, rigorously researched and jostling with life' Amy Jeffs, author of Storyland: A New Mythology of Britain'Magical tales about magical tales and tellers. Jubber, congenially and fascinatingly, explores the land from which the great fairy stories seeped, making the stories more resonant, powerful and important than ever' Charles Foster, author of Being a Human and Being a BeastThe surprising origins and people behind the world's most influential magical tales: the people who told and re-shaped them, the landscapes that forged them, and the cultures that formed them and were in turn formed by them.Who were the Fairy Tellers?In this far-ranging quest, award-winning author Nicholas Jubber unearths the lives of the dreamers who made our most beloved fairy tales: inventors, thieves, rebels and forgotten geniuses who gave us classic tales such as 'Cinderella', 'Hansel and Gretel', 'Beauty and the Beast' and 'Baba Yaga'.From the Middle Ages to the birth of modern children's literature, they include a German apothecary's daughter, a Syrian youth running away from a career in the souk and a Russian dissident embroiled in a plot to kill the tsar.Following these and other unlikely protagonists, we travel from the steaming cities of Italy and the Levant, under the dark branches of the Black Forest, deep into the tundra of Siberia and across the snowy fells of Lapland. In the process, we discover a fresh perspective on some of our most frequently told stories. Filled with adventure, tragedy and real-world magic, this bewitching book uncovers the stranger lives behind the strangest of tales.Trade ReviewPrepare yourself for a wild ride -- The TimesHis cornucopia of tellers and tales is a delight, a riveting celebration of a genre that revels in its own hybridity and the imaginative riches produced by the crossing of cultural and literary borders -- Financial TimesEngaging and interesting . . . Jubber's book shows the long-sustained value of these narratives, and should make us wonder what might happen to us if they disappeared from somewhere at the back of our brains. -- The SpectatorLike a child after the Pied Piper I pursued Jubber into a world both human and full of magic. A carnival of a book, rigorously researched and jostling with life -- Amy Jeffs, author of StorylandI love this book - a whole new way into these classic tales. The Fairy Tellers is full of fascinating detail, a must for those intrigued by the traditional tale. Author Nick Jubber is the real thing, a scholar gypsy of courage and skill -- Robert Twigger, award-winning author of Red NileJubber's style is so pervaded with intrigue and adventure that it is impossible not to be swept up by these seven fascinating tales of the neglected tellers of our most treasured stories. The Fairy Tellers brilliantly reveals all the serendipity at the heart of what we think of as eternal, the specific circumstances and individual creativity behind the great archetypes that inform our understanding of our world in childhood and beyond. Enchanting, illuminating, and delightful -- Jennifer Croft, author of Homesick and co-winner of the Man Booker International Prize for FlightsA dazzling treasury of observation, erudition, and folklore - recounted with spellbinding sensitivity and grace -- Tahir Shah, author of In Arabian NightsJubber astutely delves into the origins and deeper meanings of fairy tales and their cultural history - the cooking pot of languages and stories which have continually fed our imagination down the centuries. A fine achievement -- James Crowden, author of The Frozen RiverWondrous. Jubber evokes hidden moments and atmospheres across the world, from smoke-filled dens to exquisite palaces, so beautifully that they will linger long in my memory. A treasure trove of a book -- Zoe Gilbert, author of FolkA fabulous book . . . My favourite kind of nonfiction - skilled writing that takes imaginary worlds and renders them almost tangible -- Edward Brooke-Hitching, author of The Phantom AtlasMagical tales about magical tales and tellers. Jubber, congenially and fascinatingly, explores the land from which the great fairy stories seeped, making the stories more resonant, powerful and important than ever -- Charles Foster, author of Being a Human and Being a BeastIn this rich and sparkling journey, Jubber follows the ink trails of the great storytellers of the past, weaving a tale of his own by turns witty, bawdy, poignant, always eye-opening -- Eleanor Rosamund Barraclough, author of Beyond the NorthlandsFantastic, moreish and utterly original, with The Fairy-Tellers Jubber not only takes us through some wildly eclectic histories and landscapes, he also reminds us of what heights travel writing is capable of -- Caroline Eden, author of Black SeaInsightful, original, and, often, as charming as the tales themselves -- Professor Nancy CanepaA fabulous quest through time in search of the lost tellers of tales of wonder, Nick Jubber is a master storyteller whose endless curiosity, wit and panache brings the lives of key fairy tale tellers to vibrant life -- Kate Forsyth, author of Bitter Greens[Jubber] goes in search of some of the figures responsible for the fairy tales we know today and it pays off, their lives turning out more often than not to be as wild, adventurous and heartbreaking as the stories themselves . . . Importantly these stories are for the people and of the people -- New European

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Book SynopsisLabyrinths are found in rock, mosaics and turf all over the world, and seem to have been known to magicians from very ancient times. In the traditional designs no choices are offered to the seekers, the path simply delivering the walker to the centre in a certain way. But what does it mean? Can you really get lost in a maze? What have gremlins got to do with it all? And the Minotaur? This tiny book of graphic beginnings, endings and lanes in between is a beautiful and thought-provoking guide to this fascinating subject. WOODEN BOOKS are small but packed with information. "Fascinating" FINANCIAL TIMES. "Beautiful" LONDON REVIEW OF BOOKS. "Rich and Artful" THE LANCET. "Genuinely mind-expanding" FORTEAN TIMES. "Excellent" NEW SCIENTIST. "Stunning" NEW YORK TIMES. Small books, big ideas.Trade Review"Charming" - Country Living

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisThis book is aimed at the reader with an interest in birds, who is interested in learning more about the people who have been most influential in the development of ornithology. The book explores the history of ornithology from earliest times to the present day, including the lives and work of such people as Linnaeus, Darwin and Wallace, as well as many other lesser-known figures. It will set the agenda for the study of the history of ornithology for the next generation.

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Book SynopsisExposes the political and ideological links and dovetailing ethnonationalist projects of India and IsraelTrade Review‘Today’s Israel and Modi’s India are natural partners, sharing values of racist ethnocracy and illegal annexation, and for Israel, offering a market for military and other advanced technology. This valuable study traces the complex evolution of their relationship from their independence to its recent blossoming as the societies and the international context changed, providing particularly rich insights into India’s development through this period’ -- Noam Chomsky‘A brilliant and courageous book ... the definitive treatment of the overlooked alliance between the far-right wing governments of India and Israel. Essential reading for the escalating neo-fascist forces in our turbulent times’ -- Cornel West, American philosopher‘Extraordinary ... exposes a powerful alliance, hidden from the global attention and media, that will affect the lives of many of us. This crucial contribution challenges the distorted Western discourse on democracy, rights and justice, offers a new genealogy and a brave interpretation of these crucial human concerns’ -- Ilan Pappe, Historian and Social Activist‘Formidable and timely. Azad Essa lays bare the historically malignant roots of an often overlooked and underestimated kinship between two ideologies, Zionism and Hindutva, hungry for land and hungrier for dominance’ -- Mohammed El-Kurd, Author of 'Rifqa'‘A call for global solidarity. Essa reveals the mutual agenda of the unholy India-Israeli ethno-nationalistic alliance, showing just why both those states are a danger to progessive internationalism. In dealing with the rise of Zionism, along with Modi's capture of state power in India, he deals with their ramifications on Kashmir and Palestine, on Indian diaspora and Israel's role in Africa’ -- Ronnie Kasrils, former South African Intelligence Minister, author and activist‘For decades, India’s leaders spoke in hushed tones about their relationship with Israel. Essa reveals the long history of their alliance and shows how it is built on shared supremacist ideological projects whose devastating and inhumane consequences are borne by Palestinians and Kashmiris living under occupations. An essential, must-read book’ -- Mohamad Junaid, Anthropologist and Kashmiri writer‘A necessary and urgent account’ -- Siddhartha Deb, author of the 'Beautiful and The Damned: New Life in India'‘An authoritative study of the past and present of India-Israel relations. Essa reveals a troubling convergence of Hindu nationalist and Zionist worldviews. Equally, Hostile Homelands is a useful primer for thinking about how and why illiberal, authoritarian and Islamophobic forces are building alliances, globally’ -- Somdeep Sen, Associate Professor & Head of Studies, Global & Development Studies, Roskilde University, Denmark‘A revealing exposé … Challenges the typical understanding of Zionism as an exclusively European phenomenon and Hindu nationalism as a provisional Indian experience. An essential read’ -- Ramzy Baroud, author of 'Our Vision for Liberation: Engaged Palestinian Leaders & Intellectuals Speak Out'‘Forces us to confront the grotesque end-game of colonial violence - Modi's India and Zionist Israel. The enduring and shape-shifting connections between these ethnonationalist entities offer a profound wake-up call, a realization that today, the most vocal among the world's purported democracies are, at their core, the most profoundly anti-democratic’ -- Nazia Kazi, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Anthropology, Stockton University, NJ‘Meticulously researched and well-crafted ... Examines the under-covered subject of the ever-evolving relationship between India and Israel. Essa insightfully explores what happens when a nation negotiates the tension between principles and interests — and what happens when, particularly under the ethnonationalism of Narendra Modi, they converge’ -- Laila Al-Arian, Journalist, Al Jazeera English‘The definitive book on Indian-Israel relations that we have been waiting for. Hostile Homelands is not only an intellectual tour de force. It will also help foster new solidarities and anti-imperialist organizing’ -- Jasbir Puar, author of 'The Right to Maim: Debility, Capacity, Debility'‘A vital read … offers detailed insights into the politics of Zionism and Hindutva’ -- Ramona Wadi, ‘Middle East Monitor’‘Hostile Homelands has courage and integrity. It traces the beginning of India-Israel ties, unmasks successive governments, and carries a warning for the future’ -- Achin Vanaik, ‘The Wire’‘An important work ... Essa’s scholarship allows us to question the post-colonial national model which has allowed India and Israel to commit legal violence against those they deem inferior’ -- ‘Washington Report on Middle East Affairs’'Essa’s work is not only original but also well-researched and presented in a fluid style' -- ‘The New Arab’'Hostile Homelands is a supreme act of solidarity to help human rights activists around the world understand the forces aligned against two of the most important anti-colonial struggles in the world today' -- ‘Muslim Matters’‘Offers insights into the politics of Zionism and Hindutva’ -- ‘The Hindu’‘Brilliant’ -- ‘Jacobin’Table of ContentsForeword – Linah Alsaafin 1. A Story of Two Partitions 2. The Military-Industrial Complex 3. Hindutva and Zionism: A Story of Kinship 4. The Indian Diaspora and the Israeli Lobby in the United States 5. Kashmir and Palestine: A Story of Two Occupations Acknowledgements and Postscript

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Book SynopsisWinner of the 2010 Non-Fiction National Book Award Patti Smith''s definitive memoir is an evocative, honest and moving coming-of-age story of her extraordinary relationship with the artist Robert MapplethorpeSharp, elegiac and finely crafted'' Sunday TimesTerrifically evocative ... The most spellbinding and diverting portrait of funky-but-chic New York in the late ''60s and ''70s that any alumnus has committed to print'' New York TimesRender, harrowing, often hilarious'' VogueIn 1967, a chance meeting between two young people led to a romance and a lifelong friendship that would carry each to international success never dreamed of. The backdrop is Brooklyn, Chelsea Hotel, Max''s Kansas City, Scribner''s Bookstore, Coney Island, Warhol''s Factory and the whole city resplendent. Among their friends, literary lights, musicians and artists such as Harry Smith, Bobby Neuwirth, Allen Ginsberg, Sandy Daley, Sam Shepherd, William Burroughs, etc. It was a heightened time politically and culturally; the art and music worlds exploding and colliding. In the midst of all this two kids made a pact to always care for one another. Scrappy, romantic, committed to making art, they prodded and provided each other with faith and confidence during the hungry years--the days of cous-cous and lettuce soup. Just Kids begins as a love story and ends as an elegy. Beautifully written, this is a profound portrait of two young artists, often hungry, sated only by art and experience. And an unforgettable portrait of New York, her rich and poor, hustlers and hellions, those who made it and those whose memory lingers near.

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Book SynopsisIn grand ironic elegy, Jan Morris tells the story of the Imperial Japanese Navy’s Yamato, most powerful warship of World War II and climax of the samurai tradition.The Battleship Yamato, of the Imperial Japanese Navy, was the most powerful warship of World War II and represented the climax, as it were, of the Japanese warrior traditions of the samurai - the ideals of honor, discipline and self-sacrifice that had immemorially ennobled the Japanese national consciousness. Stoically poised for battle in the spring of 1945 - when even Japan’s last desperate technique of arms, the kamikaze, was running short - Yamato arose as the last magnificent arrow in the imperial quiver of Emperor Hirohito. Here, Jan Morris not only tells the dramatic story of the magnificent ship itself - from secret wartime launch to futile sacrifice at Okinawa - but, more fundamentally, interprets the ship as an allegorical figure of war itself, in its splendor and its squalor, its heroism and its waste. Drawing on rich naval history and rhapsodic metaphors from international music and art, Battleship Yamato is a work of grand ironic elegy. "The short, illustrated book Morris has written about the Yamato is what she calls ''a reverie'' on the varied emotions that war summons up…I think it''s safe to say that Morris has also written a reverie on accepting the inevitability of death… This book itself signals yet another end: Certainly, it will be one of the very last books written about World War II by an author who saw active service in that war. That sobering fact only adds to the elegiac resonance of this magnificent little book." ― Maureen Corrigan, NPR''s Fresh Air. Published to coincide with the 80th anniversary of the sinking of Yamato (7 April 2025)

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Book SynopsisRich with tales of discovery from Galileo to general relativity, a stimulating and timely analysis of how science works and why we need it. ''The best introduction to the scientific enterprise that I know. A wonderful and important book'' David Wootton, author of The Invention of Science It is only in the last three centuries that the formidable knowledge-making machine we call modern science has transformed our way of life and our vision of the universe - two thousand years after the invention of law, philosophy, drama and mathematics. Why did we take so long to invent science? And how has it proved to be so powerful? The Knowledge Machine gives a radical answer, exploring how science calls on its practitioners to do something apparently irrational: strip away all previous knowledge - such as theological, metaphysical or political beliefs - and channel unprecedented energy into observation and experiment. In timesTrade ReviewThe best introduction to the scientific enterprise that I know. Its brevity and simplicity cannot conceal the boldness of its conception, the extraordinary scope of its ambition. A wonderful and important book. -- David Wootton, author of The Invention of ScienceA stylish and accessible investigation into the nature of the scientific method. -- Nigel Warburton * Philosophy Bites *This elegant book takes us to the heart of the scientific enterprise. -- David Papineau, King's College London, author of Knowing the ScoreThis book is a delight to read, richly illustrated with wonderfully told incidents from the history of natural science. -- Nancy Cartwright, University of California San DiegoPowerful, bracingly argued and important. There is something here for everyone -- for the expert, who will be challenged to rethink what science really is; for the layperson, who will rejoice in Strevens's deft and witty storytelling; and for the student, who will find a friendly and authoritative guide to Newton, Einstein, Popper, Kuhn, and all that. -- Jim Holt, author of 'Why Does the World Exist?'Beautifully lucid and accessible. A rare achievement, it is entertaining and edifying all at once. -- Paul Boghassian, New York UniversityAn engaging must-read. -- Manjit Kumar, author of QuantumThe most stunningly illuminating book of the last several decades regarding the all-important scientific enterprise. Not only profoundly insightful but rollicking good fun. -- Rebecca Newberger Goldstein, author of Plato at the GoogleplexAs thrilling to read as it is important. Captivating. -- Nathan Heller, New Yorker staff writer

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Book SynopsisThe Habsburgs are the most famous dynasty in continental Europe. From the thirteenth to the twentieth centuries, they ruled much of Central Europe, and for two centuries were also rulers of Spain. Through the Spanish connection, they acquired lands around the Mediterranean and a chunk of the New World, spreading eastwards to include the Philippines. Reaching from South-East Asia to what is now Ukraine, the Habsburg Empire was truly global. In this Very Short Introduction Martin Rady looks at the history of the Habsburgs, from their tenth-century origins in Switzerland, to the dissolution of the Habsburg Empire in 1918. He introduces the pantheon of Habsburg rulers, which included adventurers, lunatics, and at least one monarch who was so malformed that his true portrait could never be exhibited. He also discusses the lands and kingdoms that made up the Habsburg Empire, and the decisive moments that shaped their history. Dynasty, Europe, global power, and the idea of the multi-national state all converge on the history of the Habsburg Empire. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Trade ReviewA master of compression and lively anecdote, Rady combines his sprightly account of Europe's most enduring and important ruling house with an illuminating commentary on the changing nature and efficacy of dynastic governance. * R.J.W. Evans, Regius Professor of History Emeritus, Oxford University *Table of ContentsREFERENCES; FURTHER READING; INDEX

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Book SynopsisRefugees are one of the great contemporary challenges the world is confronting, and the international community struggles to provide adequate responses to refugee needs. Gil Loescher explores the causes and consequences of the contemporary refugee crisis for both sending and receiving states, for global order, and for refugees themselves.Trade ReviewA perfect example of what this series should be * Mayte Martin, Society *Table of ContentsAcknowledgementsList of illustrations 1: Refugees: a brief history 2: Who are refugees and how do they differ from other migrants? 3: How critical is today's refugee crisis? 4: Root causes of forced migration 5: Strengths and limitations of present legal, institutional, political and local responses to refugees 6: The global refugee situation today 7: Understanding current realities and present and future challengesFurther readingIndex

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Book SynopsisThe lives of 40 men and women behind some of the worldâs most exciting gardens. Throughout history great gardeners have risen from all walks of life. Some have been aristocratic amateur gardeners, others professional designers with an international practice. Some have come to garden-making from sister arts such as sculpture or painting; others have been hands-on nurserymen or botanists. What they all have in common is the ability to take an idea and develop it in a new manner relevant to their times. The book contains four sections. âGardens of Ideasâ moves from the politically allusive gardens of 18th-century England made by men such as William Kent, to Charles Jencksâs Scottish garden inspired by 21st-century cosmography. âGardens of Straight Linesâ explores the lives of the great formalist gardeners, from Le NÃtre at Versailles to the rational English minimalism of contemporary designer Christopher Bradley-Hole. âGardens of Curvesâ begins with that great exponent of the EnglisTrade Review'An entertaining and informative introduction to those who have helped shape our landscapes' - Sunday Times'Engaging … a surprising and enlightening survey of what gardens can be' - Literary Review'A pleasurable, informative, thought-provoking and visually stimulating read' - The Garden'Fascinating' - Woman & Home

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Book SynopsisThis student-friendly book on the history of psychology covers the key historical developments and controversies in all areas of psychology, linking history to the present by focusing on ten conceptual issues that are relevant today. How did psychology become a science, and what kind of science did it become? How do psychologists measure and explain the fact that in some ways everyone is unique? Is psychoanalysis scientific? Why did cognitive science replace behaviorism? This book addresses all these questions and more, covering the whole range of psychology, from neuroscience and artificial intelligence to hermeneutics and qualitative research in the process. Drawing on the author's experience of how to make the subject interesting for students, the book is structured around ten key questions that engage with all the core areas of psychology and the main schools of thought. Showing how each of the different approaches or paradigms within psychology differ

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Book SynopsisThis is the story of Buffalo Bill, the Wild West and how more than a century before `The Only Way is Essex' the county flocked to see the world's first reality show.Trade Review5* Andy M Two years ago, David Dunford chronicled the history of horse racing in Chelmsford in his book, 'Full Circle'. Now he’s delved into the archives again to give a colourful account of the appearances in Essex of the extravaganza that was Buffalo Bill’s Wild West. The spectacular show was summed up by the Illustrated London News: ‘It is not a circus, nor indeed is it acti ng at all, in a theatrical sense, but an exact reproduction of daily scenes in frontier life.’Audiences around the world were awed by exhibitions of horse-riding, sharp-shooting and rope tricks and re-enactments of battles. Those taking part were the real deal: the cowboys had actually ridden the range, the cavalry men were veterans and the Indians were real native Americans (at least one had fought in the Battle of the Little Big Horn). The whole caboodle was led by the intrepid Buffalo Bill, Colonel William Cody: guide, scout, hunter, trapper and canny businessman. Dunford’s narrative takes a while to reach Essex, but the build-up information is fascinating, fleshing out characters who’d hitherto just been exotic names from our childhoods: Sitting Bull, Annie Oakley, Wild Bill Hickock etc. It’s interspersed with excellent illustrations. The show had Royal patronage when it was in London, and crowds flocked to see it when it moved down to Essex in 1903/4 – the evening performance in Chelmsford attracted an audience of about 11,000. This is a really entertaining and well-written little book that casts a light on what Dunford calls ‘the first reality show in Essex. 5* Clive Stewart. This is a brilliant book, it covers so much of Buffalo Bill from his early life too.Table of ContentsPage 9 Introduction Page 11 1. The Making of a Legend Page 19 2. Treading the Boards Page 27 3. The Wild West Show is Born Page 33 4. The Early Years - Annie Oakley and Sitting Bull Page 43 5. The Wild West Arrives in Essex Page 49 6. The American Exhibition Page 61 7. Across the Atlantic Again Page 67 8. On the Road Page 71 9. Three Days in September - Leyton, Southend and Colchester Page 87 10. The Final Tour - Chelmsford and Ilford Page 97 11. The End of the Trail Page 106 Selected Bibliography Page 108 About the Author

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Book SynopsisA showcase of the work of talented the Southend Standard cartoonists of the mid-1930s - smart, analytical and topical at time and drawn from Southend Standard Archives. Although the cartoons were created 90 years ago many would not be out place today. If ever, we need a laugh and a pick-me-up this is the book for you.Trade ReviewIf ever we need a laugh and a pick-me-up this super book is just the tonic. You’ll be hard pressed to put it down. It’s a showcase ofthe work of the talented Southend Standard cartoonists of the mid-1930s - smart, analytical and topical at the same time. Althoughthe cartoons were created 90 years ago many would not be out place today. The images have been drawn from the Southend Standard archives,a newspaper ancestor of the Essex Echo. It’s wonderful that we now have a readable and entertaining collection in the form of this book - guaranteeing these supreme cartoons will never be forgotten. (Emma Palmer, Chief Features Writer, Essex Echo).Table of Contents9. llustrations 11.Introduction 13. 1936 51.1937 89. 1938 127.1939 159. Conclusion 160 .Andrew Summers

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Book SynopsisSELECTED AS A 2018 SUMMER READ BY THE SUNDAY TIMES, OBSERVER, I-PAPER AND THE BIG ISSUE''Enormously entertaining'' SUNDAY TIMES''Fascinating'' NEW STATESMAN''Excoriating, brilliant'' ALI SMITH''Enthralling'' GUARDIAN''My number one contributor when it comes to US politics'' DAN SNOWThe American dream is dead,' Donald Trump said when announcing his candidacy for president in 2015. How would he revive it? By putting America First'. The American Dream' and America First' are two of the most loaded phrases in America today and also two of the most misunderstood. As divides within America widen, Sarah Churchwell looks to the past to reveal what the surprising history of these two phrases can tell us about today.Trade ReviewA ripping yarn ... Behold, America is an enthralling book ... Passionate, well-researched and comprehensive * Guardian *Excoriating, brilliant -- Ali Smith * Big Issue, Summer Reads *Enormously entertaining. Churchwell is a careful and sensitive reader, writes with great vigour and has a magpie’s eye for a revealing story -- Dominic Sandbrook * Sunday Times *A fascinating history of the two intersecting tropes of modern America * New Statesman *Lively and eminently readable … Churchwell has produced a timely and clearly argued book that makes a clear case for the intellectual parallels between the first third of the 20th century and our own * Financial Times *[An] enlightening new cultural history … The shadow of the 45th President hangs over all 300 pages of Behold, America, a book designed expressly to demonstrate just how that history rhymes with the present … While it is indeed a history of two phrases, Behold, America is also a history of the people who used them … An American in the UK, [Churchwell] has the benefit of an outside perspective on the country of her birth, which is prone to national self-delusions just as grand as Britain’s, if not more so. Behold, America punctures many of them * The i *The Trump administration has prompted a veritable landslide of books about the current state of US culture and politics. Literary journalist and professor Sarah Churchwell digs a little deeper than most, providing a thoughtful long view on a highly topical subject * BBC History Magazine, Summer Reads *Churchwell takes us on a whirlwind tour of the first decades of the 20th century … We hear the discordant voices of American reformers, immigrants, reactionaries and nativists, satirists and polemicists, Ku Klux Klansmen and ersatz Hitlers … Churchwell is well attuned to the nuances of the national conversation * Literary Review *The figure of Donald Trump looms over Sarah Churchwell’s new history of American national identity, which highlights the ugliest features of the country’s ingrained traditions of intolerance and bigotry. But it is the current president’s father, Fred, who first leaps off the page in a startling cameo appearance ... Churchwell is at her best when she relates in horrific detail the once commonplace public lynching of blacks, both in the North and in the South, and she is astute about the crackpot/booster strains in American culture * Spectator *Churchwell’s thorough, fascinating history of the birth of the America First movement uses the past to throw disturbing light on present-day politics in the US -- What to read in 2018 * i *Churchwell’s thoroughness in delineating America’s decade-by-decade bigotry through primary sources from speeches to newspapers to novels is a marvel. But it is more than a history lesson. She’s constructing the case for how the US elected Donald Trump, a catastrophe many of us struggle to understand * Prospect Magazine *

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Book SynopsisFrom the dawn of the atomic age to today, nuclear weapons have been central to the internal dynamics of US alliances in Europe and Asia. But nuclear weapons cooperation in US alliances has varied significantly between allies and over time. This book explores the history of America’s nuclear posture worldwide, delving into alliance structures and interaction during and since the end of the Cold War to uncover the underlying dynamics of nuclear weapons cooperation between the US and its allies.Combining in-depth empirical analysis with an accessible theoretical lens, the book reveals that US allies have wielded significant influence in shaping nuclear weapons cooperation with the US in ways that reflect their own, often idiosyncratic, objectives. Alliances are ecosystems of exchange rather than mere tools of external balancing, the book argues, and institutional perspectives can offer an unprecedented insight into how structured cooperation can promote policy convergence.Trade Review'Long a footnote to US nuclear strategy, extended deterrence is rising in salience and urgency as the United States and its allies contend with a deteriorating security environment. This important new study combines historical research, political science, and policy analysis to generate valuable new insights into past and present practices in both Europe and Asia and thereby lays the foundation for future policy development.'Brad Roberts, Director of the Center for Global Security Research at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, California'Partners in deterrence offers a fresh perspective on an enduring question: what motivates states to form nuclear alliances? As US alliances in Europe and Asia face growing nuclear threats, strategists would be well-served to understand what brings in security partners - and what helps them stay. This book makes a valuable contribution, blending classic theory with meticulous examination of well-selected case studies to explain contemporary nuclear alliances. By going beyond the traditional fixation on proximate security threats as the main driver of nuclear alliances, the book widens the aperture of contemporary debates, providing a valuable perspective for academics and policymakers alike.'Matthew Kroenig, Professor of Government and Foreign Service at Georgetown University and the author of The Logic of American Nuclear Strategy -- .Table of ContentsIntroduction1 Realism, institutionalism, and nuclear weapons cooperation2 Nuclear sharing and mutual dependence: Germany and NATO nuclear weapons cooperation3 Local accommodation: Norway and nuclear weapons cooperation in NATO4 Security at arm’s length: US–Japan nuclear weapons cooperation5 Assurance and abandonment: Nuclear weapons in the US–South Korea alliance6 Informal bargaining: Nuclear weapons cooperation and the US–Australia alliance7 Understanding the drivers of nuclear weapons cooperationIndex

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Book SynopsisA topical and richly entertaining history of food preservation and food waste in Britain from the sixteenth-century kitchen to the present day.In Leftovers, Eleanor Barnett explores the many ingenious ways in which our ancestors sought to extend the life of food through preservation, the culinary reuse of leftovers and the recycling of food scraps. Embracing a broad historical lens, the book spans Tudor household management; the world-changing inventions in food preservation of the Industrial Revolution from the tin can to artificial refrigeration; the growth of public health initiatives and organised food waste collection in the Victorian era; state promotion of thrifty eating during the two World Wars; and the politics of food and packaging waste in the modern era of sustainability.Opening a window on the everyday experiences of ordinary people in the past, Leftovers reveals how factors such as religious belief, class identities and gender have histor

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