History: specific events and topics Books

Book SynopsisChapter 1 New Forms and New Context of People-centered Urbanization.- Chapter 2 People-centered Urbanization and Farmers' Actions and Choices.- Chapter 3 The Citizenization of Rural-dwelling Farmers.- Chapter 4 People-centered Urbanization and the Issues Related to Farmers, Agriculture and rural areas.- Chapter 5 People-centered Urbanization and Rural Social Governance.- Chapter 6 People-centered Urbanization and Poverty Alleviation through Urbanization.- Chapter 7 People-centered Urbanization and the Construction of Publicness.- Chapter 8 Institutional Improvements for People-centered Urbanization.

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

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Book SynopsisFounded in 1866, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was the nation's first animal welfare organization.

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Book SynopsisThis is volume 1 in the set A History of British Socialism. These volumes study the political thought experienced as a result of the massive transition of the British countryside to capitalist agriculture and capitalist industry.

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Book SynopsisMost people born before 1950 can remember visiting or working in shops that had cash carriers - cash balls that ran on wooden rails, wire systems where the carrier was catapulted along an overhead steel wire, or pneumatic tube systems where the carrier was whisked off to the cash office. This title reveals details about these devices.

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Book SynopsisThese three volumes comprise a new history of Scotland's first parliament from the first surviving official records in the thirteenth century to its final dissolution in 1707.Trade ReviewThese essays greatly broaden our understanding of the political and institutional dynamics of the Scottish Parliament. -- Paul Seaward, History of Parliament Trust, London Parliaments, Estates and Representation The most detailed, authoritative and wide-ranging treatment of the Scottish parliament so far published. The organisation of the three volumes is ingenious and highly effective. The first two are arranged chronologically and contain analytical studies of particular parliaments, whereas the third is organised thematically, with articles on various aspects of the parliament's role and functions throughout its history. This combination of analytical and thematic approaches produces a rich variety of perspectives that are both illuminating and informative... Together, they bring our understanding of Scottish parliamentary history to an entirely new level of sophistication, and the editors and contributors are to be warmly congratulated on their achievement. -- David L Smith, Selwyn College, Cambridge Scottish Historical Review These essays greatly broaden our understanding of the political and institutional dynamics of the Scottish Parliament. The most detailed, authoritative and wide-ranging treatment of the Scottish parliament so far published. The organisation of the three volumes is ingenious and highly effective. The first two are arranged chronologically and contain analytical studies of particular parliaments, whereas the third is organised thematically, with articles on various aspects of the parliament's role and functions throughout its history. This combination of analytical and thematic approaches produces a rich variety of perspectives that are both illuminating and informative... Together, they bring our understanding of Scottish parliamentary history to an entirely new level of sophistication, and the editors and contributors are to be warmly congratulated on their achievement.Table of ContentsContents:; Introduction: Parliament and Politics in Scotland, 1567-1707; Keith M. Brown and Alastair J. Mann; 1. The Parliament of 1592: a crisis averted?; Alan R. MacDonald; 2. Constitutional conflict after the Union of the Crowns:; contention and continuity in the parliaments of 1612 and 1621; Vaughan Wells; 3. Charles I and the 1633 Parliament; John R. Young; 4. The Rise and Fall of the Covenanter Parliaments, 1639 to 1651; John J. Scally; 5. Arise King John: Commissioner Lauderdale and Parliament in the Restoration Era; Gillian H. MacIntosh; 6. 'James VII, King of the Articles': political management and parliamentary failure; Alastair J. Mann; 7. Unconventional Procedure: Scottish Electoral Politics after the Revolution; Derek J. Patrick; 8. Party-Politics and Parliament: Scotland's last election and its aftermath, 1702-3; Keith M. Brown.

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Book SynopsisLike other well-known writers of the time, Hogg was a contributor to the annuals, and this book brings together all the Hogg texts that were either written for, or first published in, annuals and gift-books.Trade Review[Contributions to Literary Annuals] seems to me an admirable entry in this prestigious edition. -- Penny Fielding This ... will add significant new material and scholarship to the Stirling/ South Carolina Edition. -- Jill Rubenstein A truly monumental project, the Stirling/South Carolina Research Edition of the Collected Works of James Hogg is a major Scottish publishing event that is worth shouting about. Textualities This unconventional collection is nonetheless a crucial contribution to the Collected Works of James Hogg, and a testament to the Stirling/South Carolina edition's aims at inclusiveness and expansiveness ... Janette Currie's informative and comprehensive Introduction does much to reveal Hogg's publishing activity in Annuals and Gift-Books, but also uncovers an alternative literary context which is under-researched and neglected by critics. Scotia [Contributions to Literary Annuals] seems to me an admirable entry in this prestigious edition. This ... will add significant new material and scholarship to the Stirling/ South Carolina Edition. A truly monumental project, the Stirling/South Carolina Research Edition of the Collected Works of James Hogg is a major Scottish publishing event that is worth shouting about. This unconventional collection is nonetheless a crucial contribution to the Collected Works of James Hogg, and a testament to the Stirling/South Carolina edition's aims at inclusiveness and expansiveness ... Janette Currie's informative and comprehensive Introduction does much to reveal Hogg's publishing activity in Annuals and Gift-Books, but also uncovers an alternative literary context which is under-researched and neglected by critics.

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Book SynopsisScotland''s education system has been claimed by many to be one of the most successful in the world and its alleged decline in recent decades has generated a great deal of controversy. This book is the first full account of the history of twentieth-century Scottish education, by Lindsay Paterson, a leading specialist in the area.Scottish Education investigates Scotland''s response to the key question faced by all mass systems of education. How can democracy be reconciled with the necessity of selection - both selection of culture in the maintenance of excellence, and selection of people, allocating them to differentiated occupations while also preparing them for life as equal citizens in the common culture of the community?Paterson argues that the Scottish answer to this has been recurrent attempts to give wide access to common types of educational institution, but continuing to define that education in fairly traditional academic terms. This is then also Scotland''s attempt to reconcile the tension beTrade ReviewIn this ambitious book Lindsay Paterson provides an incisive analysis of the key features of Scottish education as the system evolved! The author's historical analysis sheds welcome light on whether claims of the distinctiveness of Scottish education are indeed sustainable. It is refreshing that, wherever possible, Scottish education is set against wider international perspectives rather than being examined solely within the more customary British context. An important contribution to our understanding of a relatively under-researched area, which affected many levels of Scottish society ! This book should be essential reading for all those interested in Scottish education since it explains how the system has arrived at the present stage of its development. This outstanding and meticulously researched book is essentially an overview of the history of 20th century Scottish Education dealing not just with schools but with the entire gamut of post compulsory education ! It is without doubt a major contribution to the history fo Scottish education and essential reading for all who claim an interest in the subject. One can only hope that those who shape education policy in twenty-first-century Scotland pay attention to it. Paterson can certainly be relied upon to produce a lively, concise and scholarly work. -- Professor Robert Anderson, University of Edinburgh In this ambitious book Lindsay Paterson provides an incisive analysis of the key features of Scottish education as the system evolved! The author's historical analysis sheds welcome light on whether claims of the distinctiveness of Scottish education are indeed sustainable. It is refreshing that, wherever possible, Scottish education is set against wider international perspectives rather than being examined solely within the more customary British context. An important contribution to our understanding of a relatively under-researched area, which affected many levels of Scottish society ! This book should be essential reading for all those interested in Scottish education since it explains how the system has arrived at the present stage of its development. This outstanding and meticulously researched book is essentially an overview of the history of 20th century Scottish Education dealing not just with schools but with the entire gamut of post compulsory education ! It is without doubt a major contribution to the history fo Scottish education and essential reading for all who claim an interest in the subject. One can only hope that those who shape education policy in twenty-first-century Scotland pay attention to it. Paterson can certainly be relied upon to produce a lively, concise and scholarly work.Table of ContentsAcknowledgements; 1. Introduction; 2. Expansion and Democracy; Part I: Competition and Opportunity, 1880s-1930s; Introduction; 3. Elementary Education; 4. Post-Elementary Education; 5. University Education; 6. Technical and Adult Education; Part II: Welfare and Individualism, 1940s-1990s; Introduction: Effects of War; 7. Primary Education; 8. Secondary Education; 9. Higher Education; 10. Further and Community Education; 11. Conclusions; Bibliography.

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Book SynopsisThis is a history of the trees, woodlands and forests of Scotland and of the people who used them.Trade ReviewBeautifully illustrated with photographs, prints, sketches and maps, and clearly written, this is a fascinating historical introduction to the complex association between people and woods in Scotland. A detailed, richly-illustrated exploration of the varied ways in which people have interacted with woodlands in Scotland...an enjoyable and seamless read, from which both specialists and general readers will profit. The writing is lively and uniform! well illustrated! highly recommended This is a milestone book, with a very readable summary in non-technical language of what we know about the history of woods and their relationship with people since the last ice age, 10,000 years ago ! This is a great book for people who share a fascination with woodlands and how they came to be like they are. Everyone who is interested in Scotland's woodlands should read it. This is an attractive publication with a nice cover design, and inside the eye is drawn immediately to some excellent colour plates. In addition there are also no less than 89 black and white plates and 17 figures .. .naturalists with an interest in environmental history will find it a worthwhile addition to their library Beautifully illustrated with photographs, prints, sketches and maps, and clearly written, this is a fascinating historical introduction to the complex association between people and woods in Scotland. A detailed, richly-illustrated exploration of the varied ways in which people have interacted with woodlands in Scotland...an enjoyable and seamless read, from which both specialists and general readers will profit. The writing is lively and uniform! well illustrated! highly recommended This is a milestone book, with a very readable summary in non-technical language of what we know about the history of woods and their relationship with people since the last ice age, 10,000 years ago ! This is a great book for people who share a fascination with woodlands and how they came to be like they are. Everyone who is interested in Scotland's woodlands should read it. This is an attractive publication with a nice cover design, and inside the eye is drawn immediately to some excellent colour plates. In addition there are also no less than 89 black and white plates and 17 figures .. .naturalists with an interest in environmental history will find it a worthwhile addition to their library

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Book SynopsisThis is a history of the trees, woodlands and forests of Scotland and of the people who used them.Trade ReviewBeautifully illustrated with photographs, prints, sketches and maps, and clearly written, this is a fascinating historical introduction to the complex association between people and woods in Scotland. Scottish Economic and Social History A detailed, richly-illustrated exploration of the varied ways in which people have interacted with woodlands in Scotland...an enjoyable and seamless read, from which both specialists and general readers will profit. Landscape History The writing is lively and uniform! well illustrated! highly recommended Choice This is a milestone book, with a very readable summary in non-technical language of what we know about the history of woods and their relationship with people since the last ice age, 10,000 years ago ! This is a great book for people who share a fascination with woodlands and how they came to be like they are. Everyone who is interested in Scotland's woodlands should read it. Reforesting Scotland This is an attractive publication with a nice cover design, and inside the eye is drawn immediately to some excellent colour plates. In addition there are also no less than 89 black and white plates and 17 figures .. .naturalists with an interest in environmental history will find it a worthwhile addition to their library BSS News Beautifully illustrated with photographs, prints, sketches and maps, and clearly written, this is a fascinating historical introduction to the complex association between people and woods in Scotland. A detailed, richly-illustrated exploration of the varied ways in which people have interacted with woodlands in Scotland...an enjoyable and seamless read, from which both specialists and general readers will profit. The writing is lively and uniform! well illustrated! highly recommended This is a milestone book, with a very readable summary in non-technical language of what we know about the history of woods and their relationship with people since the last ice age, 10,000 years ago ! This is a great book for people who share a fascination with woodlands and how they came to be like they are. Everyone who is interested in Scotland's woodlands should read it. This is an attractive publication with a nice cover design, and inside the eye is drawn immediately to some excellent colour plates. In addition there are also no less than 89 black and white plates and 17 figures .. .naturalists with an interest in environmental history will find it a worthwhile addition to their library

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Book SynopsisThis book provides a brief yet informative evaluation of the variety and complexity of theatrical endeavours in the United States, embracing all epochs of theatre history and situating American theatre as a lively, dynamic and diverse arena.Trade Review"In this compact and highly readable volume, Theresa Saxon introduces readers to a wide breadth of over four hundred years of American theatre and performance history. Given that mandate, Saxon's choice to draw upon a wide range of sources not generally available in theatre history texts and to highlight the early performance histories of Native Americans and African Americans is particularly noteworthy and commendable." -- Lisa Merrill, Ph.D., Professor of Performance Studies, Hofstra University, USA "In this compact and highly readable volume, Theresa Saxon introduces readers to a wide breadth of over four hundred years of American theatre and performance history. Given that mandate, Saxon's choice to draw upon a wide range of sources not generally available in theatre history texts and to highlight the early performance histories of Native Americans and African Americans is particularly noteworthy and commendable."Table of ContentsAcknowledgements; Introduction: Critical Heritage; 1. Defining American 'Drama'; 2. European Forms; 3. Performance and Strife in Eighteenth-Century Theatre; 4. Politics and Plays in the Nineteenth Century; 5. 'Modern' American Theatre and the Twentieth Century; Notes; Works Cited/Consulted; Index.

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Book SynopsisThis volume brings together the best of T. C. Smout's recent articles and contributions to books and journals on the topic of environmental history.Trade ReviewExploring Environmental History is a collection of essays and papers which distil the professor's latter-day researches and reflections. They are characteristically acute and uncompromising. -- Roger Hutchinson Scottish Review of Books The modest title of this book gives little idea of the excitements that lie within... This is a memorable book, rich in scholarship and full of argument, and elegantly written... the brilliance of the essays must make 'Exploring Environmental History' a thoroughly worthwhile purchase or gift. -- Paul Ramsey Recorder News Christopher Smout is, in my opinion, the best environmental historian in Britain; indeed, he practically invented the term. He is worth being read by every conservationist, not just for his specialist knowledge, but also because he is extremely readable. It ought to be a commonplace view that, as he asserts, environmental problems can be understood properly only from a historical perspective. -- Peter Marren British Wildlife That the book should end with provoking thought in its readers cannot be anything but good and reinforces our sense of gratitude that these essays should exist and that the publishers should bring them all together. -- Ian Simmons, Emeritus Professor, University of Durham Environment and History Good, scholarly and accessible environmental history like this does carry with it empowerment, vision and the very necessary context (that Nature, like us, has a history) that can only benefit those charged in society and politics with planning our future. I will certainly be encouraging my undergraduate and postgraduate environmental history students to dip into this book: they are after all (whether they welcome it or not!) the next environmental generation. -- Rob Lambert Landscape History In the growing debate over future environmental choices, these essays constitute a powerful corrective to the extremes on both sides. -- Richard Oram, University of Stirling Scottish Historical Review Exploring Environmental History is a collection of essays and papers which distil the professor's latter-day researches and reflections. They are characteristically acute and uncompromising. The modest title of this book gives little idea of the excitements that lie within... This is a memorable book, rich in scholarship and full of argument, and elegantly written... the brilliance of the essays must make 'Exploring Environmental History' a thoroughly worthwhile purchase or gift. Christopher Smout is, in my opinion, the best environmental historian in Britain; indeed, he practically invented the term. He is worth being read by every conservationist, not just for his specialist knowledge, but also because he is extremely readable. It ought to be a commonplace view that, as he asserts, environmental problems can be understood properly only from a historical perspective. That the book should end with provoking thought in its readers cannot be anything but good and reinforces our sense of gratitude that these essays should exist and that the publishers should bring them all together. Good, scholarly and accessible environmental history like this does carry with it empowerment, vision and the very necessary context (that Nature, like us, has a history) that can only benefit those charged in society and politics with planning our future. I will certainly be encouraging my undergraduate and postgraduate environmental history students to dip into this book: they are after all (whether they welcome it or not!) the next environmental generation. In the growing debate over future environmental choices, these essays constitute a powerful corrective to the extremes on both sides.Table of ContentsAcknowledgements; List of Maps, Figures and Tables; List of Illustrations; Introduction; Chapter One: The Environmental Historiography of Britain; Chapter Two: The Highlands and the Roots of Green Consciousness; Chapter Three: Exploiting Scottish Semi-natural Woods, 1600-1990; Chapter Four: The Pinewoods and Human Use, 1600-1900; Chapter Five: The Atlantic Oakwoods as a Commercial Crop in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries; Chapter Six: Bogs and People in Scotland since 1600; Chapter Seven: Energy Rich, Energy Poor: Scotland, Ireland and Iceland, 1600-1800; Chapter Eight: Improvers and the Scottish Environment: Soils, Bogs and Woods; Chapter Nine: Trees as Historic Landscapes: from Wallace's Oak to Reforesting Scotland; Chapter Ten: The Alien Species in Twentieth-Century Britain: Inventing a New Vermin; Chapter Eleven: Modern Agriculture and the Decline of British Biodiversity; Chapter Twelve: History, Nature and Culture in British Nature Conservation; Chapter Thirteen: Environmental Consciousness; Select Bibliography.

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Book SynopsisThis book provides a brief yet informative evaluation of the variety and complexity of theatrical endeavours in the United States, embracing all epochs of theatre history and situating American theatre as a lively, dynamic and diverse arena.Trade Review"In this compact and highly readable volume, Theresa Saxon introduces readers to a wide breadth of over four hundred years of American theatre and performance history. Given that mandate, Saxon's choice to draw upon a wide range of sources not generally available in theatre history texts and to highlight the early performance histories of Native Americans and African Americans is particularly noteworthy and commendable." -- Lisa Merrill, Ph.D., Professor of Performance Studies, Hofstra University, USA "In this compact and highly readable volume, Theresa Saxon introduces readers to a wide breadth of over four hundred years of American theatre and performance history. Given that mandate, Saxon's choice to draw upon a wide range of sources not generally available in theatre history texts and to highlight the early performance histories of Native Americans and African Americans is particularly noteworthy and commendable."Table of ContentsAcknowledgements; Introduction: Critical Heritage; 1. Defining American 'Drama'; 2. European Forms; 3. Performance and Strife in Eighteenth-Century Theatre; 4. Politics and Plays in the Nineteenth Century; 5. 'Modern' American Theatre and the Twentieth Century; Notes; Works Cited/Consulted; Index.

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Book SynopsisThis volume brings together the best of T. C. Smout's recent articles and contributions to books and journals on the topic of environmental history.Trade ReviewThat the book should end with provoking thought in its readers cannot be anything but good and reinforces our sense of gratitude that these essays should exist and that the publishers should bring them all together. -- Ian Simmons, Emeritus Professor, University of Durham Environment and History The modest title of this book gives little idea of the excitements that lie within... This is a memorable book, rich in scholarship and full of argument, and elegantly written... the brilliance of the essays must make 'Exploring Environmental History' a thoroughly worthwhile purchase or gift. -- Paul Ramsey Recorder News Christopher Smout is, in my opinion, the best environmental historian in Britain; indeed, he practically invented the term. He is worth being read by every conservationist, not just for his specialist knowledge, but also because he is extremely readable. It ought to be a commonplace view that, as he asserts, environmental problems can be understood properly only from a historical perspective. -- Peter Marren British Wildlife Exploring Environmental History is a collection of essays and papers which distil the professor's latter-day researches and reflections. They are characteristically acute and uncompromising. -- Roger Hutchinson Scottish Review of Books In the growing debate over future environmental choices, these essays constitute a powerful corrective to the extremes on both sides. -- Richard Oram, University of Stirling Scottish Historical Review Good, scholarly and accessible environmental history like this does carry with it empowerment, vision and the very necessary context (that Nature, like us, has a history) that can only benefit those charged in society and politics with planning our future. I will certainly be encouraging my undergraduate and postgraduate environmental history students to dip into this book: they are after all (whether they welcome it or not!) the next environmental generation. -- Rod Lambert Landscape History That the book should end with provoking thought in its readers cannot be anything but good and reinforces our sense of gratitude that these essays should exist and that the publishers should bring them all together. The modest title of this book gives little idea of the excitements that lie within... This is a memorable book, rich in scholarship and full of argument, and elegantly written... the brilliance of the essays must make 'Exploring Environmental History' a thoroughly worthwhile purchase or gift. Christopher Smout is, in my opinion, the best environmental historian in Britain; indeed, he practically invented the term. He is worth being read by every conservationist, not just for his specialist knowledge, but also because he is extremely readable. It ought to be a commonplace view that, as he asserts, environmental problems can be understood properly only from a historical perspective. Exploring Environmental History is a collection of essays and papers which distil the professor's latter-day researches and reflections. They are characteristically acute and uncompromising. In the growing debate over future environmental choices, these essays constitute a powerful corrective to the extremes on both sides. Good, scholarly and accessible environmental history like this does carry with it empowerment, vision and the very necessary context (that Nature, like us, has a history) that can only benefit those charged in society and politics with planning our future. I will certainly be encouraging my undergraduate and postgraduate environmental history students to dip into this book: they are after all (whether they welcome it or not!) the next environmental generation.Table of ContentsAcknowledgements; List of Maps, Figures and Tables; List of Illustrations; Introduction; Chapter One: The Environmental Historiography of Britain; Chapter Two: The Highlands and the Roots of Green Consciousness; Chapter Three: Exploiting Scottish Semi-natural Woods, 1600-1990; Chapter Four: The Pinewoods and Human Use, 1600-1900; Chapter Five: The Atlantic Oakwoods as a Commercial Crop in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries; Chapter Six: Bogs and People in Scotland since 1600; Chapter Seven: Energy Rich, Energy Poor: Scotland, Ireland and Iceland, 1600-1800; Chapter Eight: Improvers and the Scottish Environment: Soils, Bogs and Woods; Chapter Nine: Trees as Historic Landscapes: from Wallace's Oak to Reforesting Scotland; Chapter Ten: The Alien Species in Twentieth-Century Britain: Inventing a New Vermin; Chapter Eleven: Modern Agriculture and the Decline of British Biodiversity; Chapter Twelve: History, Nature and Culture in British Nature Conservation; Chapter Thirteen: Environmental Consciousness; Select Bibliography.

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Book SynopsisVaughn P. Shannon argues that US foreign policy toward the Arab-Israeli conflict has been determined at three levels of analysis: that of systemic strategic context, that of domestic politics, and that of individual decision-makers. In this book he explores the role of each level of influence, as well as the implications for the posture which the US has chosen. Reflecting changing circumstances, the volume examines the Cold War, the Gulf War and the new ''War on Terror'' and how they have each placed differing pressures on US policymakers as they strive to maintain the ultimate strategic goal of preserving regional oil from becoming dominated by hostile forces. It is suitable for courses on American foreign policy, world politics and politics of the Middle East.Trade Review'In a concise yet wide-ranging analysis, Vaughn Shannon traces America's complex undertaking in the Middle East since World War Two. He shows clearly and persuasively that the formulation of US policy has been constrained by two competing pressures: the geo-strategic need for security and access to oil which requires good relations with the Arabs ranged against electoral and interest-group politics that entail a pro-Israeli stance. The result is that on many occasions, successive American administrations tried to please all parties to the conflict, but often ended up pleasing no one. The prose is fluid and accessible, yet analytically rigorous, and a volatile subject matter is treated with admirable neutrality.' Adeed Dawisha, author of Arab Nationalism in the Twentieth Century: From Triumph to Despair 'This work is especially recommended for undergraduates who seek to understand the dynamics shaping US policy toward the Middle East in recent decades. It is especially useful in highlighting the role of domestic politics in affecting foreign policy.' Professor Gifford B. Doxsee, Ohio University, Athens '...a very structured and analytical approach...an excellent monograph...Shannon does a masterful job of situating and assessing US policy success or failure within this three-cornered framework.' Journal of Energy Literature '...Vaughn Shannon's work offers a significant contribution to our existing knowledge of the conflict and enriches our understanding of it...Shannon's well-documented monograph is timely.' Etudes internationales 'Shannon has written a concise and thorough introduction to the Israeli-Arab problem...This book should be more than adaquate as a research tool or as a graduate reader. Yet its easily followed prose makes it suitable for the layman as well...this book is a recommendable read.' Contemporary Security Policy '...a timely contribution to the understanding of US foreign policy toward the Arab-Israeli conflict...On balance, Balancing Act is well researched and analytically sound. It is recommended for policy makers, journalists, and upper-level undergraduate and graduate classes related to Middle East politics, US foreign policy, and the Arab-Israeli conflict...' International Journal of Middle East StudiesTable of ContentsContents: Introduction; Context of conflict: perspectives on the Arab-Israeli conflict; Present at the creation: US policy to 1949; Evolution of a 'Special Relationship': 1949-1967; War and peace: 1967-1979; From Cold War to Gulf War: new threats and new opportunities, 1979-1991; Implementing Oslo: 1991-2000; After Oslo: the politics of peace and terror, 2000-2002; Conclusion: assessing the balance sheet; Bibliography; Index.

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Book SynopsisTraces the development of the Late Babylonians' ingenious schemes for modelling planetary motion. This work reveals how medieval Islamic advances in the study of the heavens, and the design of precise astronomical instruments, led to breakthroughs by Renaissance practitioners such as Copernicus and Kepler.

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Book SynopsisThe History of Britain and Ireland: Prehistory to Today is a balanced and integrated political, social, cultural, and religious history of the British Isles. Kenneth Campbell explores the constantly evolving dialogue and relationship between the past and the present.Written in the aftermath of the Black Lives Matter and Rhodes Must Fall demonstrations, The History of Britain and Ireland examines the history of Britain and Ireland at a time when it asks difficult questions of its past and looks to the future. Campbell places Black history at the forefront of his analysis and offers a voice to marginalised communities, to craft a complete and comprehensive history of Britain and Ireland from Prehistory to Today. This book is unique in that it integrates the histories of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, to provide a balanced view of British history.Building on the successful foundations laid by the first edition, the book has been updated to include: COVID-19 and earlieTrade ReviewKenneth Campbell has written a thoughtful, up-to-date and eminently readable history of Britain and Ireland. Covering essential events and packed with fresh storied in its second edition, readers, especially students, will come away having learned a great deal indeed. * John Cramsie, Professor of British and Irish Studies and World History, Union College, USA *

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Book SynopsisThis open access book explores the ways in which the global south reimagined the future world order at the end of the Second World War, and the cultural and intellectual breakthroughs that these new narratives created. The end of the Second World War and the eclipse of empires brought a wave of efforts to reimagine the future world order. When nation states emerging from colonial rule met at Bandung to chart alternative destinies and challenge global inequalities, they hoped to create a less hierarchical, more pluralistic and more distributive world. This volume considers the alternative visions put forth by the third world at the close of WWII to recover their world-changing aspirations as well as its cultural and intellectual breakthroughs. Demonstrating how the invention of the third world sought to create new institutions of solidarity, new expressions and alternative narratives to the imperial ones that they had inherited, this book reveals how writers, artists, musicians and phoTrade ReviewThis splendid volume does an excellent job of extending the history of the Bandung moment in both directions to frame it in the long twentieth century, and revises its spatial framework to show how Latin America is a crucial part of a picture too often confined to Eurasia, Africa and the Arab world. * Arjun Appadurai, Professor of Media, Culture, and Communication, New York University, USA *The concept of the “Third World,” a term frequently used pejoratively in Euro-America, comes to live here in its full potential and promise. This is a story of transnational networks and nodal points, and of the quest to create an alternative, more equitable global order beyond empire. An important intervention and fascinating reading! * Sebastian Conrad, Professor of Global History, Free University of Berlin, Germany *Bringing together leadings scholars of decolonization and global history, this volume embodies the political and geographic scale of the Third World. Mapping the cross-cutting itineraries of third worldism and traversing its lesser-known tributaries, these essays highlights the Third World’s emancipatory possibilities as well as the geopolitical and ideological differences that fractured solidarities. * Adom Getachew author of Worldmaking after Empire: The Rise and Fall of Self-Determination *Inventing the Third World recovers the inspiring aspirations, neglected actors, and persistent tensions of anticolonial internationalism in its struggle to create liberatory futures. This collection is a magnificent contribution to the global history of our present and a precious resource for imagining how the world could be otherwise. * Ayça Çubukçu, Associate Professor in Human Rights and Co-Director of LSE Human Rights, London School of Economics and Political Science, UK. *Inventing The Third World could not be a more timely or trenchant intervention into the engorged ambitions of the accumulative, all embracing, globalization that dominates our current predicament. To portray the “third world” as an alternative or antidote to the bipolar condition of a world divided by the Cold War is to shrink its ambition and downscale its significance. The Third World --- as idea, ideology, aspiration --- was an experiment in transformational living and thinking on a world scale. The very concept itself was a call to create a cosmopolitical political culture of hospitality and equality, that embraced the diversity of the arts, and the regional autonomy of custom and culture. To read Prakash and Edelman’s volume is to encounter an optimism about what might once have been, and what may be yet to come. * Homi K. Bhabha, Anne F. Rothenberg Professor of the Humanities at Harvard University and author of The Location of Culture *Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Notes on Contributors Preface, Homi Bhabha Introduction: Imagining the Third World: Genealogies of Alternative Global Histories, Gyan Prakash and Jeremy Adelman 1. The Third World Before Afro-Asia, Cindy Ewing (University of Toronto, Canada) 2. From Peace to National Liberation: Mexico and the Tricontinental, Patrick Iber (University of Wisconsin, USA) 3. A Voice for the Yugoslavs in Latin America: Oscar Waiss and the Yugoslav-Chilean Connection, (Agustín Cosovschi, Ecole Des Hautes Etudes En Sciences Sociales, France) 4. The End of Ideology and the Third World: The Congress For Cultural Freedom’s 1955 Milan Conference on the “Future Of Freedom” and its Aftermath (Daniel Steinmetz-Jenkins, Wesleyan University, USA) 5. Latin American Network in Exile: A Communist Cultural Legacy for the Third World, (Marcelo Ridenti, State University Of Campinas, Brazil) 6. Radical Scholarship and Political Activism: Walter Rodney as Third World Intellectual and Historian of the Third World, (Andreas Eckert, Humboldt University, Germany) 7. From London 1948 to Dakar 1966: Crises in Anticolonial Counterpublics, (Penny M. von Eschen, University of Virginia, USA) 8. Francis Newton Souza’s Black Paintings: Postwar Transactions in Color, (Atreyee Gupta (University Of California, Berkeley, USA) 9. Listening to the Cold War in Bombay, (Naresh Fernandes (Independent Writer) 10. Imagining a Progressive World: Soviet Visual Culture in Postcolonial India, (Jessica Bachman (University of Washington, USA) 11. The Battle of Conferences: Cultural Decolonisation and Global Cold War, (Monica Popescu, Mcgill University, Canada) 12. The Death of the Third World Revisited: Curative Democracy and World-Making in Late 1970s India, (Srirupa Roy, University Of Göttingen, Germany) Coda (Samuel Moyn, Yale University, USA) Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisLukas M. Verburgt is Fellow at the Netherlands Institute for Advanced Study (NIAS) and guest researcher at Leiden University, the Netherlands.Table of ContentsList of Contributors Introduction: History of Science – Past, Present, Future, Lukas M. Verburgt (Netherlands Institute for Advanced Study in the Humanities and Social Sciences, The Netherlands) 1. Global History of Science, James Poskett (University of Warwick, UK) a. Comment: Gianamar Giovannetti-Singh (University of Cambridge and Royal Institution, UK) b. Response: James Poskett (University of Warwick, UK) 2. Gender History of Science, Donald L. Opitz (DePaul University, USA) a. Comment: Joanna Wharton (University of York, UK) b. Response: Donald L. Opitz (DePaul University, USA) 3. Post/Decolonial History of Science and STS, Suman Seth(Cornell University, USA) a. Comment: Meredith Alberta Palmer (Cornell University, USA) b. Response: Suman Seth & Meredith Alberta Palmer (both Cornell University, USA) 4. Neo-Kantian/Post-Kuhnian History and Philosophy of Science, Lydia Patton (Virginia Tech University, USA) a. Comment: Katherina Kinzel (Utrecht University, The Netherlands) b. Response: Lydia Patton (Virginia Tech University, USA) 5. Integrated History and Philosophy of Science (&HPS), Max Dresow (University of Minnesota, USA) a. Comment: Hasok Chang (The University of Cambridge, UK) b. Response: Max Dresow (University of Minnesota, USA) 6. Historical Epistemology, Hans-Jörg Rheinberger (Technical University of Berlin, Germany) a. Comment: Massimiliano Simons (Maastricht University, The Netherlands and KU Leuven, Belgium) b. Response: Hans-Jörg Rheinberger (Technical University of Berlin, Germany) 7. Environmental History of Science, Johan Gärdebo (University of Uppsala, Sweden) a. Comment: Libby Robin (Australian National University, Australia) b. Response: Johan Gärdebo (University of Uppsala, Sweden) 8. Multispecies History of Science, Raf de Bont (Maastricht University, The Netherlands) a. Comment: Sabina Leonelli (University of Exeter, UK) b. Response: Raf de Bont (Maastricht University, The Netherlands) 9. Material and Performative History of Science, Marieke Hendriksen (Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, The Netherlands) a. Comment: Pamela Smith (Columbia University, USA) b. Response: Marieke Hendriksen (Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, The Netherlands) 10. Computational History of Science, Julia Damerow and Manfred Laubichler (both Arizona State University USA) a. Comment: Colin Frederick Allen (University of Pittsburgh, USA) b. Response: Julia Damerow & Manfred Laubichler (both Arizona State University USA) 11. History of Knowledge, Peter Burke (University of Cambridge, UK) a. Comment: James A. Secord (University of Cambridge, UK) b. Response: Peter Burke (University of Cambridge, UK) 12. History of Scientific Ignorance, Lukas M. Verburgt (Netherlands Institute for Advanced Study in the Humanities and Social Sciences, The Netherlands) a. Comment: Jouni-Matti Kuukanen (University of Oulu, Finland) b. Response: Lukas M. Verburgt (Netherlands Institute for Advanced Study in the Humanities and Social Sciences, The Netherlands) 13. Agnotology in History of Science, Naomi Oreskes (Harvard University, USA) a. Comment: Anna Lisa Ahlers (Max Planck Institute for the History of Science, Germany) b. Response: Naomi Oreskes (Harvard University, USA) Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisWhat was the role of elected legislators? Was it to represent the opinions of constituents or to vote according to their informed opinions reflecting the needs of the kingdom? Most authorities have accepted Edmund Burke's depiction of 18th-century MPs, insisting it was their right to form their opinions without reference to the instructions of constituents. This study provides answers to these important questions and, in doing so, reveals that Burke's vision does not represent how the House of Commons functioned during the last two decades of the 18th century. Rather than focusing on specific issues or demographic groups, English MPs brings to the fore the legislative activity of a broad segment of late 18th-century English MPs. This book shows they were diligent legislators who attended to the needs of constituents, in the process developing strong connections with them. It demonstrates that these connections did not rest on shared beliefs in reformist ideologies except in, andTrade ReviewAn important study of how MPs helped shape the changing face of industrialising Britain in the second half of the 18th century against the backdrop of war and slavery. Professor McCahill’s extensive research into the work of MPs, constituencies, lobbies and petitioners transforms our understanding of the so-called ‘unreformed’ Parliament. * Miles Taylor, Professor of British History & Society, Humboldt University, Germany *Table of ContentsList of Figures List of Tables 1. Introduction: English MPs and Legislation, 1754-1790 2. Knights of the Shire 3. Borough members: Plymouth, Kingston-upon Hull and Bristol 4. More Borough members: Blackstone, Newdigate and Windham 5. Thomas Gilbert, Legislator, par excellence 6. Essex Imbroglios 7. Interest Groups: The West India Interest 8. Lobbies: Birmingham, Leeds and the Fisheries 9. Parliamentary reform: instructions and representation 10. The Commons and the Lords: A Legislative Partnership? 11. Conclusion Bibliography

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Book SynopsisReturning to the range of historical fiction written before Scott, Reinventing Liberty challenges this view by returning us to the rich range of historical novels written in the late eighteenth-century. It explores how these works participated in a contentious debate concerning political change and British national identity.

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Book SynopsisIn refocusing attention on the Paris Commune as a key event in American political and cultural memory, Sensational Internationalism radically changes our understanding of the relationship between France and the United States in the long nineteenth century.

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Book SynopsisReturning to the range of historical fiction written before Scott, Reinventing Liberty challenges this view by returning us to the rich range of historical novels written in the late eighteenth-century. It explores how these works participated in a contentious debate concerning political change and British national identity.

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Book SynopsisIn refocusing attention on the Paris Commune as a key event in American political and cultural memory, 'Sensational Internationalism' radically changes our understanding of the relationship between France and the United States in the long nineteenth century.

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Book SynopsisThis book brings together leading historians and writers on British and Irish rural history, to consider the role of the land agent, or estate manager, from c. 1700 to 1920.

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Book Synopsis'A heavenly book, elegant and thoughtful. Get one for yourself and one for the church-crawler in your life!' Lucy WorsleyChristianity has been central to the lives of the people of Britain and Ireland for almost 2,000 years. It has given us laws, customs, traditions and our national character. From a persecuted minority in Roman Britannia through the 'golden age' of Anglo-Saxon monasticism, the devastating impact of the Vikings, the alliance of church and state after the Norman Conquest to the turmoil of the Reformation that saw the English monarch replace the Pope and the Puritan Commonwealth that replaced the king, it is a tangled, tumultuous story of faith and achievement, division and bloodshed.In If These Stones Could Talk Peter Stanford journeys through England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland to churches, abbeys, chapels and cathedrals, grand and humble, ruined and thriving, ancient and modern, to chronicle how a religion that began in the Middle East came to define our past and shape our present. In exploring the stories of these buildings that are still so much a part of the landscape, the details of their design, the treasured objects that are housed within them, the people who once stood in their pulpits and those who sat in their pews, he builds century by century the narrative of what Christianity has meant to the nations of the British Isles, how it is reflected in the relationship between rulers and ruled, and the sense it gives about who we are and how we live with each other.'There is no better navigator through the space in which art, culture and spirituality meet than Peter Stanford' Cole Moreton, Independent on SundayTrade ReviewSomeone new to both church history and church-crawling (when he or she can find a church open) would learn a good deal from this agreeably written book. -- Lucy Beckett * TLS *I have long found the books of Peter Stanford to be always entertaining and stimulating. This rich and varied text . . . ought to be enjoyed by a wide audience as it describes and comments on nearly 2000 years of religion among the many cultures that have come and gone in that time. -- Peter Costello * Irish Catholic *'Setting out to relate the history of Christianity on these islands through a selection of churches or monasteries may seem a bold or even foolhardy undertaking. However, Stanford pulls it off with flair and conviction.' * The Irish Examiner *A compelling read. * The Scottish Catholic *It explores the history of Christianity through its sacred buildings and delves into the stories that are part of our landscape... I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. * Jumoke Fashola - BBC Radio London *Stanford romps engagingly through the centuries in what he describes as an "ordering and assembling of Christian history as told by a selection of 'crawled' churches. * The Church Times *Setting out to relate the history of Christianity on these islands through a selection of churches or monasteries may seem a bold or even foolhardy undertaking. However, Stanford pulls it off with flair and conviction. * The Irish Examiner *In this rich and beguiling book, Peter Stanford gets old stones to tell us about the turbulent history of Christianity in the British Isles. * Richard Holloway *"Stanford romps engagingly through the centuries in what he describes as an "ordering and assembling of Christian history as told by a selection of 'crawled' churches... highly engaging... I thoroughly recommend this book as an excellent and eminently readable overview of that history." * The Church Times *It explores the history of Christianity through its sacred buildings and delves into the stories that are part of our landscape... I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. * Jumoke Fashola - BBC Radio London *A compelling read * The Scottish Catholic *

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Book SynopsisDiscover the inspiring story of the American flag that flew over Ground Zero, traveled across all fifty states as it was repaired, and returned to New York, a restored symbol of unity.In the days following September 11th, a 30-foot American flag hung torn and tattered at 90 West Street, across from Ground Zero. A few weeks later, the flag was taken down by a construction crew and tucked away in storage, where it stayed for nearly seven years. The flag was brought out of storage in 2008 when the New York Says Thank You Foundation headed to Greensburg, Kansas, a town nearly destroyed by a tornado. NYSTY brought the flag with them, sparking a grassroots restoration effort that traveled over 120,000 miles across all fifty states, bringing together thousands of people, and helping America heal and rebuild . . . hand by hand, thread by thread, one stitch at a time.This book is the story of that journey, a journey that ended at the opening of the National September 11 Museum, where the flag remains today. Along the way, the flag was restored using pieces of retired flags from every state--including a piece of the flag that Abraham Lincoln was laid on after he was shot at Ford's Theater and threads from the original Star-Spangled Banner flag, which flew at Fort McHenry in the War of 1812 and inspired Francis Scott Key to write the National Anthem. The pieces and threads were stitched in by military veterans, first responders, educators, students, community-service heroes, and family members of 9/11 victims, among others. At each stop, communities came together to remember, to heal, and to unite.

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Book SynopsisThe Road Not Taken takes a new perspective on the course of social welfare policy in the twentieth century. This examination looks at the evolution of social work in the United States as a dynamic process not just driven by mainstream organizations and politics, but strongly influenced by the ideas and experiences of radical individuals and marginalized groups as well.Trade Review"In this detailed and thoroughly researched book, Reisch and Andrews trace the history of social work from the perspective of social workers who were (and still are) committed to a radical approach...this book should be essential reading for social workers everywhere. By tracing the history of activist and 'left' social work, the authors make an original and important contribution to the literature. Social work educators who teach the history of social work ought to prescribe this book and ensure that students understand that the Charity Organization Society and the Settlements were not the only pioneers of the social work profession. The book's attempts to recognize the contribution of social work colleagues who, over the years, have thought of themselves as radical, is important and timely." -- Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare, Vol. 29 no. 4, December 2002Table of ContentsPreface Acknowledgments 1. Social Work: A Radical Profession? 2. Radical Social Work in the Progressive Era 3. The Spider Web Conspiracy and the Death of Progressivism 4. The Rank and File Movement and the Precursors to McCarthyism 5. Anti-Communism and the Attack on the New Deal 6. Social Work Response to McCarthyism 7. The Revival of Radicalism in Social Work 8. The Redefinition of Social Work Radicalism, 1970-1999--Part I 9. The Redefinition of Social Work Radicalism, 1970-1999--Part II 10. Social Work Radicalism at the End of the Twentieth Century 11. Conclusion--The Future of Radical Social Work in the United States Sources Index

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Book Synopsis• Shares modern biological studies offering evidence that our solar system neighbors profoundly affect and shape life on our planet• Explores the early practice of astrometeorology, revealing the links between the solar system, weather, and climate over large spans of time• Looks at the history, philosophy, and methodologies of astrology, as well as its potential future applications in medicine and the social sciencesOur ancient ancestors recorded the rhythms of the Sun, Moon, planets, and stars, correlating these rhythms with weather, plant growth, and animal and human behaviors. From these early geocosmic recordings were born calendars, astronomy, and astrology. While astrology is now mostly viewed as subjective fortune-telling, Bruce Scofield argues that astrology is not only a practice but also a science, specifically a form of systems science--a set of techniques for mapping and analyzing self-organizing systems.Providing clear evidence that our solar system neighbors profoundly affect and shape life on our planet, Scofield shares modern biological and climatological studies on the effects of Earth’s rotation, the Sun, the Moon, and the rhythms of light, gravity, magnetism, and solar radiation on terrestrial processes. He explores the early practice of astrometeorology, a method of weather forecasting used from ancient times into the Renaissance, revealing the links between the solar system, weather, and climate over large spans of time. He shares his own studies on the correlations between Saturn’s position and terrestrial weather as well as presenting a wealth of evidence on astrological effects and the theories and mechanics behind them.Examining the history of astrology, he looks at its earliest foundations in Mesopotamia and its development by the classical Greeks into a mathematically informed body of knowledge. He explores the decline and marginalization of astrology during the Scientific Revolution of the Renaissance and the Enlightenment, when astrology was transformed from a credible science to a controversial practice after being attacked by the Church and then abandoned by experimental scientists.Presenting a broad look at how the cosmic environment shapes nature, the author shows how the practice and natural science of astrology can expand its applications in modern society in such varied fields as medicine, history, and sociology.Trade Review“This is an incredible work! Others have written histories of astrology, but none of them have been histories of astrology as well as comprehensive discussions of the sociology of astrology throughout its history. This is not only a superb piece of intellectual history but also an eloquent discussion of where astrology is today and how it has gotten here. In particular Scofield has not only explained and defended astrology on philosophical as well as on other grounds, but in the course of doing so, he has also written a brilliant critique of what he calls the reductionist-mechanistic- materialist (RMM) view, which monolithically dominates modern science to the degree that any corpus of ideas that requires one to see outside of its influence is almost impossible to see. I believe he has given a brilliant critique of the RMM that is useful for any student of modern civilization, not just astrologers. This book I would say is his magnum opus.” * Robert Hand, American astrologer, historian, author, and scholar *“Bruce Scofield has crafted the authoritative text on natural astrology—the ancient branch of the subject in which terrestrial and celestial patterns intersect and manifest in the material world in such matters as weather and climate. Scofield artfully interweaves the history of the topic with both modern evidence and his own doctoral research on the relationship between Saturn cycles and temperature variation. The text is accessible, clear, and essential for anyone in search of a full and rounded understanding of astrology’s claims and nature.” * Nicholas Campion, Ph.D., principal lecturer at the Institute of Education and Humanities and associa *“This is a book that astrologers have been awaiting for decades. Drawing on a baker’s dozen of cutting-edge sciences, Bruce Scofield levels a potent challenge at pseudoskeptical critics of astrology by setting out a solid basis in reason and evidence for the ancient science of the stars.” * John Michael Greer, author of The Twilight of Pluto *“The Nature of Astrology is a valuable and timely contribution to the field and a necessary examination of the ongoing stigma against this complex and greatly misunderstood subject. Drawing upon historical and contemporary scientificresearch as well as his own investigations, Scofield methodically reveals how the Earth and the life upon it are influenced by the greater cosmic environment. He also presents an in-depth and rich history of astrology, including new and fascinating insights on astrology’s decline, and provides possible avenues for its renewal. Scientists, academics, astrologers, and skeptics will all benefit from reading this captivating and edifying work.” * Marlene Seven Bremner, author of Hermetic Philosophy and Creative Alchemy *“This scholarly tour de force deserves a place on the bookshelf of everyone seriously interested in the widest and deepest terrain of astrology. A richly rewarding read, it fulfills its promise of the history, philosophy, and science of astrology. It is actually a complete university education on the subject. Scofield does an excellent job of answering the perennial question: ‘How does astrology work?’ Not only answering many of astrology’s critics, he plots out an elegant future for this largely misunderstood and underappreciated branch of knowledge.” * Frederick Hamilton Baker, author of Alchemical Tantric Astrology *“Scofield’s well-researched arguments qualify him to assert that astrology is a science. He points out that it has an empirical body of knowledge and relies on the repeatable practices of brilliant ancient astronomers. These rules, procedures, and methodologies, perfected thousands of years ago but still understandable to this day, award that status. In this one book, a giant step in human understanding of nature’s solar system and its ultimate, supreme influence has been taken. Without doubt, it describes the genesis of all spiritual understanding and religious symbolism.” * Alison Chester-Lambert, author of Astrology Reading Cards *“Bruce Scofield’s book lives up to its title, The Nature of Astrology. Building on his Ph.D. work in the geosciences (with a dissertation titled A History and Test of Planetary Weather Forecasting) at the University of Massachusetts (Amherst), Scofield discusses the scope, history, science, sociology, and philosophy of astrology. An important aspect is the place of astrology within a broader cultural and scientific context, which raises fundamental issues regarding the nature of science and scientific evidence, including alternatives to the ‘reductionist-mechanistic-materialistic’ (to quote Scofield) trend in modern science. Scofield favors systems thinking that goes beyond reductionism; systems can exhibit emergent properties and self-organization. Astrology at its best can be considered a form of systems thinking that has been practiced for millennia. This is a fascinating book that anyone with a serious interest in the intellectual development of humanity should have in their library.” * Robert M. Schoch, Ph.D., author of Forgotten Civilization: New Discoveries on the Solar-Induced Dark *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Preface PART 1 From Natural Science to Natural Astrology 1 Life Internalizes the Sky 2 The Earth Cycles 3 A History of Natural Astrology 4 Astrometeorology5 A Signal from Saturn PART 2The Decline of Astrology in Thought and History 6 The Downfall of Astrology 7 The Renaissance Mind and Its Roots 8 The Evolution of the Dominant Ideology9 The Church, Society, and Astrology10 Reform, Decline, and Survival PART 3 The Viability of an Astrological Restoration11 Evidence of Astrological Effects12 Mechanism or Magic 13 Marginalized 14 Time-Mapping a SystemReferences Index

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Book SynopsisGeorgian landscape gardens are among the most visited and enjoyed of the UK's historical treasures. The Georgian garden has also been hailed as the greatest British contribution to European Art, seen as a beautiful composition created from grass, trees and water - a landscape for contemplation. But scratch below the surface and history reveals these gardens were a lot less serene and, in places, a great deal more scandalous.Beautifully illustrated in colour and black & white, this book is about the daily life of the Georgian garden. It reveals its previously untold secrets from early morning rides through to evening amorous liaisons. It explains how by the eighteenth century there was a desire to escape the busy country house where privacy was at a premium, and how these gardens evolved aesthetically, with modestly-sized, far-flung temples and other eye-catchers, to cater for escape and solitude as well as food, drink, music and fireworks. Its publication coincides with the 2016 tercentenary of the birth of Lancelot 'Capability' Brown, arguably Britain's greatest ever landscape gardener, and the book is uniquely positioned to put Brown's work into its social context.

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Book SynopsisLeprosy has tormented mankind since records began. For much of its long history it was without cure—a disfiguring disease that stigmatised those it affected, isolating them from society. Today there is an effective treatment, but the last mile to achieve a leprosy-free world is the hardest. Now approaching eighty years old, one Japanese philanthropic activist has played a key role in global efforts against leprosy, both as head of a private foundation and as the World Health Organization's 'Goodwill Ambassador for Leprosy Elimination'. In this book, he lays out his personal mission and philosophy, and explains how his father, the politician and philanthropist Ryoichi Sasakawa, influenced his decision to make leprosy elimination his life's work. Yohei Sasakawa has visited more than 100 countries, motivating political leaders, raising awareness via the media, encouraging frontline health workers, and helping to empower persons affected by leprosy and their families to speak out for their rights. His book is a validation of the path taken by a father and son to change the course of leprosy history, and to transform the circumstances of those affected by the disease for the better.Trade Review‘Moving . . . the book is a rallying cry for a world free of this disease . . . [a] powerful account.’‘Yohei Sasakawa’s journey and message is clear and important, even at present, and hopefully will inspire other people to take to heart the plea of individuals with leprosy who are still experiencing stigma in their countries.’ -- The Lancet'East Timor achieved the elimination of leprosy as a public health problem in 2010. We owe much to Mr Yohei Sasakawa, who visited the country repeatedly to encourage our health services to focus on the disease and convince us it was possible. He is an extraordinary person in the way that he has devoted himself to this humanitarian cause. This book gives you a real idea of who he is and what motivates him. I admire his commitment and dedication to improving the situation of some of the world’s most vulnerable people.' -- José Ramos-Horta, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate 1996, and former President of East Timor'"No Matter Where the Journey Takes Me" is the story of a man who has selflessly dedicated his life to bettering the life of others by contributing to the elimination of leprosy, and advocating for the end of the social discrimination it causes. It is the story of disfiguring disease that has afflicted humankind since before history was written, and of a man with a destiny and a mission that are making a difference.' -- David L. Heymann * London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine *'Yohei Sasakawa's "No Matter Where the Journey Takes Me" is a moving account of efforts over almost sixty years to fight both disease and discrimination. Despite significant work, an estimated 3 million people around the world are living with disability from leprosy. The book is a rallying cry for a world free of this disease.' -- Ann Aerts * Nature, The International Journal of Science *

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Book SynopsisUS President Harry Truman evidently understood the terrifying power of atomic weaponry, but no one could have realised its full potential when he ordered the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945. Those military attacks, along with the disasters at the Fukushima and Chernobyl nuclear reactors, might spring to mind at the mention of nuclear destruction, but the majority of the events recorded in this book are entirely unknown to most people. This book records the facts - many of them still shrouded in secrecy - which show a worrying truth: we have teetered precariously on the brink of Armageddon far more frequently than the general public realises.Since that first and last atomic war in 1945, there have been a terrifying number of nuclear accidents and mishaps, from the careless or accidental to the genuinely intentional and only narrowly averted. Despite the catastrophic nature of any nuclear conflict, we have come to the very borders of such a situation eight times since the 1960s. These were potential conflicts, but there have been other accidents, such as the reactor meltdown at the nuclear generating plant at Three Mile Island, Pennsylvania, in 1979, or the 'Palomares Incident' in 1966, when a USAF B-52 bomber crashed after a mid-air collision, dropping four hydrogen bombs on Spanish soil . . .Eve of Destruction is a warning from recent history. It is a call to sit up and listen, and to take note of the very real danger of nuclear catastrophe. It is a timely and important book because, after all, the future of our planet has to concern us all.

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Book SynopsisCannon to the left of them; cannon to the right of them… The legend of an extraordinary defeat brought vividly to lifeThe cavalry charge of the Light Brigade in the Crimean War remains one of the most iconic disasters in British military history. Here bestseller John Harris casts a fresh view on the subject, rejecting conventional wisdom.The calamity was, he argues, brought about by something much more complex than the usually suspected cause: internal rivalry and incompetence. The divisional commander Lord Lucan was an earnest, unpopular man trying to do his best, plagued by the obsessions of an over-cautious commander-in-chief, an inexperienced and hot-headed ‘expert’ and a petulant and unmanageable brigadier itching for glory.How these facts combined to cause the tragedy is shown in a striking, unputdownable narrative. The story is not just about commanders, but also about the men who took part in the famous charge. We see them not as drink-sodden brutalised soldiers, but as intelligent, able, courageous men led by officers who were far from unpopular fools.With its slow mounting to the inevitable climax of conflict and with the second half of the book describing the Battle of Balaclava in detail The Charge is a brilliant battle epic.

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Book SynopsisA Foreign Affairs Best Book of 2022 In 1935, Fascist Italy invaded the sovereign state of Ethiopia--a war of conquest that triggered a chain of events culminating in the Second World War. In this stunning and highly original tale of two Churches, historian Ian Campbell brings a whole new perspective to the story, revealing that bishops of the Italian Catholic Church facilitated the invasion by sanctifying it as a crusade against the world's second-oldest national Church. Cardinals and archbishops rallied the support of Catholic Italy for Il Duce's invading armies by denouncing Ethiopian Christians as heretics and schismatics, and announcing that the onslaught was an assignment from God. Campbell marshalls evidence from three decades of research to expose the martyrdom of thousands of clergy of the venerable Ethiopian Church, the burning and looting of hundreds of Ethiopia's ancient monasteries and churches, and the instigation and arming of a jihad against Ethiopian Christendom, the likes of which had not been seen since the Middle Ages. Finally, Holy War traces how, after Italy's surrender to the Allies, the horrors of this pogrom were swept under the carpet of history, and the leading culprits put on the road to sainthood.Trade Review'Three cheers for Holy War [which] has turned the caring Italian Army myth upside down and inside out in what is the perfect antidote to Louis de Bernieres’ Captain Corelli’s Mandolin. […] Holy War is the ‘go for’ book if you want to learn as much as you need to know about an invasion that helped shape the rest of the 1930s, a paving stone towards World War in 1939.' -- ColdType

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Book Synopsis“A date which will live in infamy.”—US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt Sunday, December 7, 1941, was supposed to be a day of rest for the military personnel at Hawaii’s Pearl Harbor naval base on the island of Oahu. But at 7:55 a.m., Japanese carrier-based planes launched a surprise attack on the US Pacific Fleet moored in the harbour. Thousands of lives were lost that day, drawing the United States into World War II and beginning a new phase of the war in East Asia. In Pearl Harbor, our expert author offers a concise photographic guide to this key turning point in World War II. The book is divided into chapters covering the origins and military strength of the naval station; Japanese plans and dispositions; the attack itself; the damage caused; the clean-up operation and aftermath; and the life of the base today. See rare photographs of Japanese airplanes taking off to launch the attack; aerial views of the US naval base before and during the air attack; the destruction wrought; the key figures involved on both sides; and the memorials that have been erected, especially to the sunken battleship USS Arizona. Pearl Harbor provides a photographic exploration of this momentous event and its aftermath in 160 dramatic photos.Table of ContentsIntroduction War between Japan and the United States had been a possibility that each nation had been aware of, and planned for, since the 1920s. Japan had been wary of American territorial and military expansion in the Pacific and Asia since the late 1890s, followed by the annexation of islands, such as Hawaii and the Philippines, which they felt were close to or within their sphere of influence. 1: Naval Station Pearl Harbor Following the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom, the United States Navy established a base on the island in 1899. In 1940, President Franklin D. Roosevelt moved the Pacific Fleet from San Diego to Hawaii. The U.S. Pacific Fleet had been stationed at Pearl Harbor since April 1940. In addition to nearly 100 naval vessels, including eight battleships, there were substantial military and air forces. FEATURE: Admiral Husband Edward Kimmel 2: Japanese Preparations The Japanese intended the attack as a preventive action to keep the United States Pacific Fleet from interfering with its planned military actions in Southeast Asia against overseas territories of the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and the United States. On November 26, 1941, a Japanese task force (the Striking Force) of six aircraft carriers—Akagi, Kaga, Sōryū, Hiryū, Shōkaku, and Zuikaku—departed Hittokapu Bay on Kasatka (now Iterup) Island in the Kuril Islands, en route to a position northwest of Hawaii, intending to launch its 408 aircraft to attack Pearl Harbor: 360 for the two attack waves and 48 on defensive combat air patrol (CAP), including nine fighters from the first wave. Fleet submarines I-16, I-18, I-20, I-22, and I-24 each embarked a Type A midget submarine for transport to the waters off Oahu. On December 6, they came to within 10 nmi (19 km; 12 mi) of the mouth of Pearl Harbor and launched their midget subs at about 01:00 local time on December 7. FEATURE: Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto 3: The Attack The attack commenced at 7:48 a.m. Hawaiian Time (18:18 GMT). The base was attacked by 353 Imperial Japanese aircraft (including fighters, level and dive bombers, and torpedo bombers) in two waves, launched from six aircraft carriers. Of the eight U.S. Navy battleships present, all were damaged, with four sunk. A total of 188 U.S. aircraft were destroyed; 2,403 Americans were killed and 1,178 others were wounded. FEATURE: Mitsubishi A6M Zero 4: The Damage The Pearl Harbor attack severely crippled US naval and air strength in the Pacific. However, of the eight battleships, all but the Arizona and Oklahoma were eventually repaired and returned to service, and the Japanese failed to destroy the important oil storage facilities on the island. As a result of the dispositions made by Admiral Kimmel, two US aircraft carriers were not in the harbour, however. The USS Enterprise, under Adm. William F. Halsey, was on a mission to reinforce the Wake Island garrison with marine planes and aviators. The USS Lexington was undertaking a similar mission to ferry marine dive-bombers to Midway. 5: Aftermath The success of the attack on Pearl Harbor was primarily due to the Americans’ false estimate of the enemy’s capabilities and intentions. In 1946 a full-scale congressional investigation took place. Prior to the September 11, 2001, attacks, probably no episode in U.S. military history was so thoroughly examined, and on none has a wider divergence of opinion been expressed. 6: Pearl Harbor Today In 2010, Pearl Harbor was combined with Hickam Air Force Base to create Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. The base is home to over 18,000 service members. It serves 24,000 family members each year with schools, hospitals, stores, and recreational opportunities. Today, it is home to the USS Arizona Memorial, the Battleship Missouri, the Pacific Aviation Museum, and other must-see places. Index

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Book SynopsisPuck Fair, Ireland’s oldest festival, was established by a royal patent in October 1613, granted to the Welsh planter, Jenkyn Conway, of Killorglin. It first became a famous, however, as a result of the parading and display of a male goat, which is awarded a crown and named as the King of the Town. 2013 saw the celebration of Puck Fair’s 400 year anniversary, which was promoted and celebrated as part of The Gathering. This book was launched in August of that year, as part of these festivities.

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Book SynopsisIn November 1963 President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas. His death remains a defining moment for millions of people but few understand the unstoppable forces that were building in the city long before this dramatic event played out before the world. Dallas 1963 is a riveting account of the convergence of a group of unyielding and highly focused protagonists in a city sometimes seemingly filled with hate for JFK. Wicked stabs of fate and circumstance steered these fascinating characters together: the richest man in the world, a combative military general, a Mafia don, a strident Congressman, thundering preachers and even the elegant owner of one of America's most famous stores. This book expertly narrates how the spiralling events surrounding these characters on the ground in Dallas ultimately brewed a toxic environment before the President's assassination. Using a wealth of new information, as well as the first ever examination of key primary documents, Bill Minutaglio and Steven L. Davis, both experts in their field, provide a comprehensive and detailed portrait of the place, the time and the people of these extraordinary events in American history. They also provide cautionary and controversial lessons rendering this time increasingly relevant for the modern age.Trade ReviewAn intriguing exploration . . . Although the authors don't specifically point the finger at Oswald or anyone else, they contend that it was Dallas's toxic, extremist environment that made an act of violence there against the president almost inevitable * Sunday Times *Casting a clinical eye over the events leading to the death that shook the world in November 1963, the acclaimed Texas journalists superbly put the shocking season at Dealey plaza into context . . . Countless attempts have been made to explain the Kennedy assassination, but few have ever tried to explain the city where it happened. For any politics or history buff, this slow-burning non-fiction thriller is a must * Irish Examiner *

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Book SynopsisToday, political violence has become the scourge of our world and terrorism is routinely described as a uniquely modern evil. Yet however unprecedented in scope the new terrorist organizations might appear, Matthew Carr argues in this definitive history of terrorism that they are merely offshoots of a spectacular bombing in 1881: the assassination of Tsar Nicholas II by terrorists ...or were they freedom fighters? Thus begins a narrative of extraordinary sweep that Publishers Weekly called 'engrossing, unsettling' and the Boston Globe praised as 'brave and wise' and 'a book for the ages.' In The Infernal Machine, Carr unearths the complex realities of terrorist violence and its indelible impact on nations as different as Italy, Argentina, France, Algeria, Ireland, Russia, Japan, and the United States. Spanning over a century of world history, The Infernal Machine reveals stunning similarities in societies' responses to terrorism despite profound political and cultural differences. Carr demonstrates again and again that the true impact of terrorism has been felt in the overreactions of government and the media to acts of political violence. This encyclopedic and diagnostic primer for our frightening times allows us to see our current predicament against a background of striking historical parallels.Trade ReviewCarr's central point is that politicians' responses go beyond all sensible assessment of risk and do half the terrorist's job for him. . . . I am with Carr in believing that the chief risk today is not of Muslim terrorists undermining western democracy but of the West doing so itself by absurdly overstating that risk. -- Simon Jenkins, Sunday TimesCarr has a twofold mission. To establish the humanity and sanity of men and women whom governmental and media maledictions have routinely caricatured as evil monsters, and to expose the atrocities and injustices that are perpetrated under the guise of counter-terrorism. -- Michael Burleigh, Sunday TelegraphMatthew Carr has written a brilliant book. 'The Infernal Machine' brims with insight. Here, finally, we are able to see modern terrorism in its proper context. -- Professor Andrew J. Bacevich, author, 'The New American Militarism: How Americans are Seduced by War'Matthew Carr has assembled a rich narrative, enlivened by pen portraits, real and fictional. * Globe and Mail *Carr makes about as much sense of terrorism, in its historic and current permutations, as any author is likely to do. * The Boston Globe *The professional 'terrorologists' should tremble at the publication of this brilliant book which so deftly dismantles the bogus pretenses and false analogies with which they sanctify the global war on civil liberties and free speech. The Satanic face of Terror, as Carr demonstrates with vivid historical case-studies, is usually the State looking at itself in a mirror. -- Mike Davis, author of 'Buda’s Wagon: A Brief History of the Car Bomb'Profound in its thinking and ramifications. * Sunday Herald *Probably the best monographic treatment of terrorism's historical arc. -- Aziz Huq, New York UniversityThis is an excellent, fascinating history that demystifies much of what we think we know about terrorism. -- Frank Furedi

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Book SynopsisIn 1988, the World Health Organization launched a twelve-year campaign to wipe out polio. Thirty years and several billion dollars over budget later, the campaign grinds on, vaccinating millions of children and hoping that each new year might see an end to the disease. But success remains elusive, against a surprisingly resilient virus, an unexpectedly weak vaccine and the vagaries of global politics, meeting with indifference from governments and populations alike. How did an innocuous campaign to rid the world of a crippling disease become a hostage of geopolitics? Why do parents refuse to vaccinate their children against polio? And why have poorly paid door-to-door healthworkers been assassinated? Thomas Abraham reports on the ground in search of answers.Trade Review'Abraham’s work is a useful additional primer, describing campaigns in different countries and bringing the story up to date.' ‘Science journalist Thomas Abraham travelled from slum to boardroom to research the GPEI’s premise and practice, as well as the broader trajectory of the disease and the efforts to tackle it. The result is a trenchant, well-argued analysis.’'[A] powerful indictment of a single-disease eradication campaign that diverted many billions of dollars from potentially far more effective public health measures in poor countries.’‘This book provides a clear argument for the importance of vaccination campaigns, as well as a success story. It will appeal to anyone interested in eradication debates, the politics of scientific research and global health security’. -- International Affairs'The book contains good technical, but generally accessible, background on how the poliovirus works for its own interests at human expense . . . Abraham challenges us to apply lessons learned from the polio eradication campaign to inform future global public health endeavours. His book gives plenty for scholars to debate.' — Science * Science *'Abraham’s book makes for delightful reading even for persons with a cursory interest in global health policies.''In Thomas Abraham's masterful telling of the now thirty-year effort to eradicate polio, this health campaign becomes a story of grand ambition, local politics, global health governance, health literacy, the universal instinct of parents to protect our children and much more besides. Polio: The Odyssey of Eradication lives up to its title, even if this particular odyssey continues, for now. A must-read for anyone interested in global health, mysteries or how the unimaginable might become possible.' -- Chelsea Clinton, Vice Chair, Clinton Foundation'Thomas Abraham's authoritative, insightful and occasionally jaw-dropping investigation of the campaign to free the planet from polio has lessons for all public health campaigns, and all aid. What is presented from afar as a clear-cut imperative of health and good conscience can all too often run aground on the most natural of human conditions: complexity, and hubris.' -- Alex Perry, author of 'The Rift: A New Africa Breaks Free''Is Polio eradication justified at any cost and what becomes of other health goals when dreams of eradication dominate? In this clear-eyed and balanced analysis, journalist Thomas Abraham travels from the boardrooms of Geneva to the frontline of polio eradication in Pakistan and northern Nigeria. Along the way he meets enthusiastic volunteers, harried government officials and put-upon local populations. The result deserves to be read by anyone with an interest in global health and humanitarian interventions.' -- Mark Honigsbaum, medical historian and Lecturer, City, University of London, and author of 'A History of the Great Influenza Pandemics''Polio, The Odyssey of Eradication, addresses the huge question of why polio eradication has become such a singular focus of the global health community and received so much attention and funding in the past three decades. It is a brilliant book written in a compelling and accessible style and will be of interest to anyone keen to learn more about disease, public health and development.' -- Devi Sridhar, Professor in Global Public Health, University of Edinburgh and co-author of 'Governing Global Health: Who Runs the World and Why?''Thomas Abraham vividly describes polio eradication from its inception -- when Rotary International had the vision of a more equitable world free of polio -- to the formation of the polio partnership. This is a timely investigation into the frustrations and fidelity of the polio partners and countries at a time when the end is in sight but not quite attained, and the complex endgame in which the vaccine used to eradicate polio has become an unanticipated risk.' -- David L. Heymann, M.D., Professor, Infectious Disease Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

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Book SynopsisThe borderers - people forged and hardened by endemic warfare over generations, whether by raids and skirmishes or set piece battles - are marked even today as a distinct group. For three savage centuries England and Scotland, both dynamic races, slogged it out upon this arena of nations. Scott might have reinvented the border as a sweep of chivalric romance, but the reality was very different. John Sadler knows this ground and its people; he is one of them. For half a century he has traversed the borderland, and has taught, enacted and written about them. In this book he offers a uniquely personal but highly informed view. He neither praises nor condemns them, but seeks to understand and, perverse as it may seem, admires them. History leaves its imprint and like the proverbial stone cast into still waters, it sends out ripples through time that never quite abate. The feuds were pursued with increasing savagery and even when not in outright conflict, the names on both sides continued their 'feids' or vendettas in crazy bloodletting for decades, with cycles of escalating violence creating a dizzying maze of interlocking enmities that was beyond all reason. The late, great George Macdonald Fraser once remarked that the borderers were free in a way we can never imagine. And they were. Here is a book that weighs the evidence from a plethora of sources to provide a compelling history of this border conflict. In the modern political scene, with the issue of a second referendum pending, the theme of a cultural identity, forged in the fury of those Border wars, forms a pivotal theme in the debate.Table of ContentsIntroduction - The Border Line; Genesis of a Frontier; Fall of the Hammer; Chevy Chase; 'At Homildon Met'; Games of Thrones; Seasons of Discontent; Flowers of the Forest; A Very Rough Wooing; Those Middle Shires; Revolution and Reinvention; Glossary; Bibliography of primary and secondary sources

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Book SynopsisAddresses Early Modern representations of chastity and adultery, as well as matrimony and its dissolution in both the private and public realms, including the most well known marital dissolution, that of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon.

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