History: specific events and topics Books

Book SynopsisA complete history of witchcraft from Ancient Greece to the present day, charting the rise and development of witchcraft and the modern witchcraft religion of Wicca. Witchcraft is commonly spoken of in popular culture, but few know, or are even able to guess at, its shadowy history. This in-depth investigation discovers how the ideas we have about witchcraft took shape thousands of years ago in the myths and religions of the ancient world. It also looks at why these ideas were expressed so violently during the era of the witch trials. Finally, it reveals how witchcraft has been transformed into one of the most radical and fastest growing religionsa religion of equality and compassion that still has the power to unsettle even the bravest of newcomers. With new analyses, fresh insights, and groundbreaking material drawn from the author''s research into the mysticism, magic, and social meaning of Wicca, this is the first book to bring witchcraft fully out of the shadows.

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhat is intellectual history? Those who practice intellectual history have described themselves as eavesdroppers upon the conversations of the past, explorers of alien ideological worlds, and translators between historic societies and our own, while their critics have often derided them as narrow-mindedly studying the ideas of dead white men.Trade Review"What is Intellectual History? is a powerful statement of the importance and relevance of its subject. From a history of the field's development, with a particular focus on the transformation of the history of political thought by John Pocock, Quentin Skinner and Istvan Hont, Richard Whatmore explores the possibilities as well as the limits of intellectual history, demonstrating the multiple ways in which it better enables us to understand the rich tapestry of human intellectual achievement."—John Robertson, University of Cambridge "The ideal starting-point for anyone who wants to understand what intellectual historians are doing and why it matters. In this timely and useful book, Whatmore provides a lucid and refreshingly personal introduction to both the history of Intellectual History and the ways it is practised today in the English-speaking world."—Ann Thompson, European University InstituteTable of ContentsPreface Acknowledgements Introduction The identity of intellectual history The history of intellectual history The method of intellectual history The practice of intellectual history The relevance of intellectual history Intellectual history present and future Conclusion Notes Further reading Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisTable of ContentsContentsIntroduction 6The Rations Challenge: Pre Week One 10Week One: What Happened to My Unlimited Choice? 15Week Two: Waste and Landfill 25Week Three: What our Mums Have Taught Us 37Week Four: Living Below the Breadline 49– Food Banks and Austerity BudgetsWeek Five: Local Versus Imported 61– Eating Seasonally and SustainablyWeek Six: Gratitude 71Living on Rations: Other People’s Accounts 83Wartime Cookery 101Seasonal Calendar 147Conclusion 153References and Further Reading 155

Read more less

Book SynopsisWalsall is probably the world`s greatest centre of the saddlery trade. The town''s craftsmen began to specialise in making bits, stirrups and spurs in the Middle Ages. Developing into fully fledged makers of saddlery and harness, by the end of the nineteenth century there were over a hundred firms exporting their products throughout the British Empire and beyond. The Walsall firms flourished as horses were so vital to everyday life in Victorian Britain. They also emerged as major supplier of military saddlery and harnesses, with one company supplying an astonishing 100,000 saddles for the British army in the First World War. The twentieth century saw the rise of light leathergoods, such as handbags, cases and gloves. With the coming of the motor car these products became the mainstay of the Walsall leather industry.

Read more less

Book SynopsisEngland from the perspective of its consort queens - a distaff history of the nation from 1066 to 1503.England''s medieval queens were elemental in shaping the history of the nation. In an age where all politics were family politics, dynastic marriages placed English queens at the very centre of power - the king''s bed. From Matilda of Flanders, the Conqueror''s queen, to Elizabeth of York, the first Tudor consort, England''s queens fashioned the nature of monarchy and influenced the direction of the state. Occupying a unique position in the mercurial, often violent world of medieval state-craft, English queens had to negotiate a role that combined tremendous influence with terrifying vulnerability.Lisa Hilton''s meticulously researched new book explores the lives of the twenty women who were crowned queen between 1066 and 1503, reconsidering the fictions surrounding well-known figures like Eleanor of Aquitaine and illuminating the lives of forgotten figures such as Adeliza of Louvain. War, adultery, witchcraft, child abuse, murder - and occassionally even love - formed English queenship, but so too did patronage, learning and fashion. Lisa Hilton considers the evolution of the queenly office alongside intimate portraits of the individual women, dispelling the myth that medieval brides were no more than diplomatic pawns.Trade ReviewA fascinating study * INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY *As Hilton displays so effectively through the depth of her research, no two queens were the same... a fascinating read * New Statesman *Reading this stimulating pageant of a book... one frequently shudders at the fate of the women in bygone ages -- Antonia Fraser * Mail on Sunday *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe story of Venice is, to some extent, separate from that of the rest of Europe. The same could be said of the city's military history and organisation. Early in the 9th century the Venetians defeated Pepin the Frank's attempts to overawe them, and they remained, at least in theory, subject to Byzantium. Gradually, however, Venice drifted into independence; and subsequently carved out its own empire at the expense of its former Byzantine masters. The Venetians were soon famous for their roving and warlike spirit, keen business acumen and pride. This book explores the remarkable history of the city and its army from 1200 up until 1670.Table of ContentsA State Apart · The Age of Expansion 1203-1509 · Venice on the Defensive · Arms and Armour · The Plates

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn updated edition of this bestselling introduction to the conflictThe essential guide that allows both sides to be heard Rabbi Professor Dan Cohn-Sherbok presents the Israeli perspective, while Dr Dawoud El-Alami presents the Palestinian perspective Updated to cover the most recent events, including the US recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and the May 2021 fighting in Gaza, this bestselling introduction explores the history, motivations and people behind the Palestine-Israel conflict - and assesses the prospects for peace after almost eighty years.Trade Review‘There are no dispassionate accounts of the conflict that racks the Holy Land, nor should there be. As this intelligent and important book makes clear, it is hard to be dispassionate when you believe that you are fighting for your life; and both the authors remind us that no less than this is what is felt to be at stake. But conflict is always intensified by ignorance. What this book does is to test how far we can go in mapping out a common history and exactly where and how this common history comes to be read differently. It offers no magical solution to this most persistent and harrowing conflict of our times, but it refuses to settle down with slogans, and models the possibility of a painful, honest – even angry – dialogue that does not simply freeze into mutual uncomprehending hatred.’ -- Dr Rowan Williams, Honorary Fellow and Honorary Professor of Contemporary Christian Thought, University of Cambridge‘Offers a rare insight into the Palestine–Israeli dilemma while outlining political, religious, historical and emotional issues in the struggle for peace.’ * Library Journal *'A must for anybody interested in understanding the conflict in the Middle East.' -- George Joffé, Research Fellow, Centre for International Studies, University of Cambridge

Read more less

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

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Italian Far Right from 1945 to the RussiaUkraine Conflict provides a comprehensive account of the postwar parliamentary and extra parliamentary far right in Italy. This book explores the ideology, movements and activism of the extreme right and neo- fascists. The recent victory in the Italian parliamentary elections of the post-fascist' party Fratelli d'Italia and its leader Giorgia Meloni highlights the importance of such research. The book examines why some of these movements participated with CIA- backing in the Strategy of Tension' in the years of the Cold War where terrorist actions aimed to keep Italy in NATO and prevent the Communist Party from coming to power, while other extreme- right groups vehemently opposed this and what they considered the dangerous Americanization' of the country. It debunks the myth that there was a unified postwar fascist movement in Italy, but instead excavates the complex battles within the extreme right as well as with their oTrade Review“This book is a fascinating analysis of an important period of European political history. This detailed and rigorous scholarship is a valuable resource for historians and political scientists.” Nell Bennett, Macquarie University, Australia"This book is a must for anyone interested in the extreme right in Europe from a contemporary historical and social science perspective. The great importance of neo- fascist and right- wing extremist groups in Italy is presented over decades in its historical and political references – especially with a view to the Strategy of Tension and the Years of Lead.” Fabian Virchow, University of Applied Sciences Dusseldorf, GermanyTable of ContentsIntroduction: The complexity of Italian neofascism and the extreme right after World War II 1. Ideological and political inhomogeneity of the Italian far right during the Years of Lead 2. Conceptual and operational structure of the Strategy of Tension: Ordine Nuovo (ON), Avanguardia Nazionale (AN), and the Italian and American secret services 3. Redating the Strategy of Tension to 1947 and the LOS ANGELES Net Project: The ‘Bands of Revolutionary Action’ [Fasci di Azione Rivoluzionaria] and the American intelligence 4. Hate speech of the opposing extremisms during the Years of Lead: A late and precarious truce 5. Giovane Europa (GE): An ideological classification to be corrected – the origin of National Bolshevism 6. The second neofascist generation of the Nuclei Armati Rivoluzionari (NAR) and Terza Posizione (TP): Anarcho-fascism versus extreme right-wing hierarchism 7. The esoteric neo-Nazi group Ludwig and its relations with other far-right organizations 8. Eowyn magazine (1976–1982) and the personalizing feminism of neofascist women 9. The Russia-Ukraine war explodes the historical contradictions of the far right: Militants of different radical groups fight each other at the Ukrainian front 10. Italian Foreign Fighters of the extreme right and left on the Ukrainian front Ideological, historical, and methodological conclusions: Three neofascist generations between the Atlanticist extreme right, the Europeanist anti-American and Third-Worldist National Bolshevism, the anarcho-fascism and the nostalgic neofascism

Read more less

Book SynopsisThere were no death certificates issued at Auschwitz. Nevertheless, Swiss banks still demand them before handing over the assets of account holders killed in the Holocaust to their surviving relatives. When the Jews of Europe entrusted their families'' wealth to what they hoped would be a safe haven the banks of Switzerland they were wrong. Millions of dollars, deposited decades ago in good faith by Jews who were to die in the Nazi genocide, still lie in their vaults, earning interest and providing working capital for Swiss banks. However the involvement of neutral Switzerland in the finances of the Third Reich goes far beyond the dispute over dormant accounts. Swiss banks were the key foreign currency providers of the Nazi war machine; they knowingly accepted looted gold, stolen from the national banks of occupied Europe; and they operated an international banking centre for the Third Reich. Reissued with a new afterword, Adam LeBor reveals the true extent to whicTrade ReviewExtensively researched... LeBor's highly charged work will appeal to readers interested in World War II and will be embraced by Holocaust survivors and their families trying to seek restitution from Switzerland's banks' * Publishers Weekly *

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhy do some people switch from one extremist political or religious ideology to join the group they previously considered their greatest enemy? This book is the first study to explore the extraordinary stories of these side-switchers to understand how radicalization works and how extremist views can change.Trade Review'A tour de force, offering an original take on a neglected aspect of extremist radicalization: the strange phenomenon of extremist side-switchers. Koehler's gripping narrative account of defectors who migrate across extremist groups and ideologies is both absorbing and trailblazing, shedding important new light on critical vulnerabilities during de-radicalization and disengagement processes.' Cynthia Miller-Idriss, Professor in the School of Public Affairs and the School of Education, American University, USA'Side-switchers are a new direction in radicalization research! The stories are fascinating, each one a psychological puzzle that challenges dissonance theory, rational choice theory, loss aversion theory, the sunk costs fallacy, and the importance of ideology in political radicalization.' Clark R. McCauley, Professor Emeritus of Psychology, Bryn Mawr College, USA'A trailblazing text, painstakingly researched and exceptionally well organized. Koehler's analysis seamlessly merges theory with real-world case studies of side-switching, indicative of his roots as both a P/CVE scholar and a practitioner that is second to none.' Michael J. Williams, Ph.D., founding member, The Science of P/CVE'A reader could find no better expert than Daniel Koehler to develop an in-depth knowledge about the dynamics of violent extremism. With From Traitor to Zealot, Koehler adds to his impressive catalog of must-reads concerning the ways that individuals enter and leave extremist groups. This book addresses a critical gap in our understanding of why extremists 'switch sides,' and will undoubtedly help researchers and practitioners recognize that the path into and out of terrorism is never a straight line.' Kurt Braddock, Assistant Professor in the School of Communication, American University, USA'How can some extremist 'true believers' - radical left-, right-wingers or Islamists - change sides and switch to the opposite 'truth,' betraying their original cause and colleagues? Such conversions are rare; but by focusing on exceptions, as Daniel Koehler does in two dozen fascinating biographic portraits of defectors, he throws new light on the psychology of radicalization and the difficulties of returning to mainstream society once someone gets caught up in narrow-minded subcultures. A truly original study.' Alex P. Schmid, Editor-in-Chief, Perspectives on Terrorism'Theoretically rich and storyline-driven, From Traitor to Zealot is an instant classic of the field. Koehler shines a bright light on a counter-intuitive phenomenon many are anecdotally aware of - extremists who switch sides - but the book will surprise many by outlining how common, complex and dramatical the process is.' Paul Gill, Professor of Security and Crime Science, University College London, UKTable of ContentsForeword; Preface; 1. Betraying the cause? Side-switching and violent extremism; 2. Nation, race and anti-semitism: switching to far-right extremism; 3. Joining the far-left; 4. Fighting on the path of Allah: joining Islamic extremism from the far-right and far-left; 5. Who are extremist side-switchers and what drives them? Towards a theory of motivations and defector lifecycles; 6, Breaking the cycle: learning how to improve counter-radicalization, counterterrorism and deradicalization programs; 7. Conclusions.

Read more less

Book SynopsisDespite the port’s prominence in maritime history, its cultural significance has long been neglected in favour of its role within economic and imperial networks.Trade Review“This is a rich collection of essays that deserves to be consulted by a wide public. Many new questions have been posed by the authors and many new lines of inquiry have been suggested.” (Patrick O’Flanagan, Journal of Social History, Vol. 52 (4), 2019)“This book focuses on two core themes: the nature of urban maritime cultures; and representations of port towns. ... Scholars from a wide range of disciplines, from maritime and port studies to architecture, geography and ethnography, make this rich collection of essays a valued contribution to interdisciplinary port and maritime studies. ... This collection of studies is highly recommended ... and is an important contribution to port and maritime studies.” (Paul Th. Van de Laar, International Journal of Maritime History, Vol. 29 (4), November, 2017)“Book makes a compelling case for study of the port that refigures its peripheral, othered status, and instead shows that port towns have much to offer not only the field of maritime studies, but also historians, geographers, literary and cultural scholars with an interest in histories of social identity, cultural formation and exchange and urban representation. … The chapters contribute to assessments of maritime identity, coastal cultures, and sea representations … will be instructive to scholars working on these themes.” (Charlotte Mathieson, The Mariner’s Mirror, Vol. 103 (3), August, 2017)“In Port Towns and Urban Cultures the editors’ aim, through the exploration of a series of ports from around the globe, is to advance the reader's understanding of how each port was a crucible for the forging of distinctive urban and maritime identities. … This book most certainly contributes to urban-maritime history. Moreover, it is a good read.” (Jacob Bart Hak, The Northern Mariner, Le marin du nord, XXVI (4), October, 2016)Table of ContentsIntroduction by Brad Beaven, Karl Bell and Robert James. - 1. Strangers Ashore: Sailor Identity and Social Conflict in Mid-18th Century Cape Town by Nigel Worden. - 2. 'Hail, Tyneside lads in collier fleets': Song culture, sailing and sailors in North-East England by Paul Gilchrist. – 3. ‘They are without Christ and without Hope’: “Heathenism”, Popular Religion, and Supernatural Belief in Portsmouth’s Maritime Community, c.1851-1901 by Karl Bell. – 4. Hey sailor, looking for trouble? Violence, drunkenness and disorder in a Swedish Port Town: Gothenburg 1880-1920 by Tomas Nilson. – 5. On the Margins of Empire: Antipodean Port Cities and Imperial Culture c.1880-1939 by John Griffiths. – 6. Encounters on the Waterfront: Negotiating Identities in the Context of Sailortown Culture by Tytti Steel. – 7. Ports and Pilferers: London’s Late Georgian Era Docks as Settings for Evolving Material and Criminal Cultures by William M. Taylor. – 8. From Jolly Sailor to Proletarian Jack: The Remaking of Sailortown and the Merchant Seafarer in Victorian London by Brad Beaven. – 9. ‘If there’s one man that I admire, that man’s a British tar’ : Leisure and Cultural Nation-Building in a Naval Port Town, c. 1850-1928 by Robert James. – 10. The Use of ‘Local Colour’ and History in Promoting the Identity of Port Cities: The Case of Durban, c.1890s-1950s by Vivian Bickford-Smith. – 11. To Be a Sailor’s Wife: Ideals and Images of the Twentieth-Century Seafarer’s Wife in the Åland Islands by Hanna Hagmark-Cooper. – 12. Hull, Fishing and the Life and Death of Trawlertown: Living the Spaces of a Trawling Port-City by Jo Byrne. – 13. Doing Urban History in the Coastal Zone by Isaac Land<

Read more less

Book SynopsisMany of the present problems of ''globalization'' are mirrored in the historical expansion of the European state system. This title is a structured, comparative case study analysis of four regions and examines how these regions and their peoples were absorbed into the expanding European-centered state system from roughly the 1400s through to 1800.Trade Review'This work presents a fine addition to the international relations literature and world systems theory. Following in the footsteps of Chase Dunn and Eric Wolf, Carlson offers us a detailed analysis of four 'peripheral' systems that were gradually incorporated into the European world system, and he brings a rich historical perspective to the current discussions around globalization. Contrary to state centric perspectives that dominate neo-liberal and structural realist accounts, the author demonstrates how incorporation into the European world system entailed profound military, political, economic, and social transformations at the micro-level. Thus, to understand the macro-level outcome that led to the creation of the current state system, one needs to understand how all four spheres interacted. From his analysis one must conclude that the current pattern of globalization challenges not merely the Westphalian state system but every aspect of social and political life. As Carlson's narrative shows, all the given assumptions of day-to-day life become malleable and uncertain, and indeed the very understanding of what 'the international system' means should be subject to re-examination.' - Hendrik Spruyt, Norman Dwight Harris Professor of International Relations, Northwestern University 'In this well-written and carefully argued work, Jon D. Carlson forces us to consider, through a comparative examination of how different regions have historically been incorporated into the world system, the representational devices of the myths of expansion. Equally fascinating, creative, and rigorously executed, Carlson's theoretically rich work engages, synthesizes, and implicates a variety of core assumptions centralized by International Relations scholars.' - Brent Steele, associate professor of Political Science, University of Kansas and author of Defacing Power: The Aesthetics of Insecurity in Global Politics 'A benchmark for addressing issues of incorporation and globalization. The book also has pedagogical value both for explicit content and as a model of how such work can be done. It will have broad appeal to scholars of world history, archaeology, geography, sociology, and international relations.' - Thomas D. Hall, Professor Emeritus, Depauw UniversityTable of ContentsBroadening and Deepening: Systemic Expansion, Incorporation and the Zone of Ignorance New World Empires and Otters: The Scramble for Nootka Sound, the Northwest Passage, and the China Trade West Africa and the Rise of Asante: Rivers of Gold, a Short Route to China, and the Globalization of Labor Ethiopia and the Middle East: The Red Sea Trade, Prester John and Christians in the Muslim World Japan and the Far East: Zipangu, Roofs of Silver and the Lure of the Orient Conclusion: Myths, Incorporation & Systemic Expansion

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis study argues that late medieval English 'mystery plays' were about masculinity as much as Christian theology, modes of devotion, or civic self-consciousness. Performed repeatedly by generations of merchants and craftsmen, these Biblical plays produced fantasies and anxieties of middle class, urban masculinity, many of which are familiar today.Trade Review"Fitzgerald has written a lively and provocative book on a neglected topic: the relationship of late medieval biblical dramas from York and Chester to the urban guild culture that produced them. In a series of deft textual readings, she argues for guild culture's centrality to the ideology, imagery, and idiom of these plays.This book convincingly establishes how - as text and performance - the biblical plays of late medieval York and Chester simultaneously represented and negotiated conflicts and tensions generated within urban communities intensely divided by age, status, and especially gender. The Drama of Masculinity and Medieval English Guild Culture will prove rewarding reading for anyone interested in the social and cultural contexts of early English drama." - Theresa Coletti, University of Maryland "By adding sex/gender to the mix, Fitzgerald's study radically transforms our understanding of the northern mystery cycles of Chester and York.Fitzgerald demonstrates that the plays, filled with conflicting fantasies of civic masculinity, are more than passively-received exercises in lay spirituality: they instead express the simultaneously hopeful and anxious desires of English guildsmen looking for secure identities in the chaotic environment of late medieval civic oligarchy.Especially welcome is her concluding chapter on the cycles' presentation of a masculinist Christ, a much-needed complication of previous attempts to read the plays in the light of female-centered affective piety." - Robert W. Barrett, Jr., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign"[This book] is a compelling intervention in contemporary drama criticism . . . it provides detailed close readings of a dazzling number of individual plays (over thirteen plays each in chapters 2 and 3) . . . The Drama of Masculinity makes an important contribution to our understanding of the relationship between guild culture and late-medieval drama, challenging the conventional vision of the drama as evnidence of the power and prestige of urban guilds by emphasizing the extent to which the dramas of York and Chester embody the demands of civic government on the guildsmen." - SpeculumTable of ContentsIntroduction Men in the Household, Guild, and City The Domestic Scene: Patriarchal Fantasies and Anxieties in the Family and Guild Male Homosocial Communities and Public Life Acting Like a Man: Christ and Masculinity

Read more less

Book SynopsisTaking American mobilization in WWII as its departure point, this book offers a concise but comprehensive introduction to the history of militarization in the United States since 1940. Exploring the ways in which war and the preparation for war have shaped and affected the United States during The American Century', Fitzgerald demonstrates how militarization has moulded relations between the US and the rest of the world. Providing a timely synthesis of key scholarship in a rapidly developing field, this book shows how national security concerns have affected issues as diverse as the development of the welfare state, infrastructure spending, gender relations and notions of citizenship. It also examines the way in which war is treated in the American imagination; how it has been depicted throughout this era, why its consequences have been made largely invisible and how Americans have often considered themselves to be reluctant warriors. In integrating domestic histories with internationaTrade ReviewInformative and thorough ... Militarization and the American Century is an instructive and comprehensive book, a fine piece of scholarship that will inform and provoke. * H-Net *As David Fitzgerald shows in this intelligent, humane, and elegantly written book, since World War II the military has defined modern American society as much as anything else. Building on the recent scholarship on militarization, Fitzgerald reveals the fascinating extent to which the United States has been shaped by war. * Andrew Preston, Cambridge University, UK *Fitzgerald’s book offers a persuasive account of how American militarization accelerated in the context of Cold War competition, rather than grounding it in the Second World War moment. * International Affairs *This innovative examination of everything from social welfare policies to base politics and the southern border reveals both the centrality of militarization to American domestic politics and foreign relations and its increasing invisibility. An important work for those interested in how militarism took hold and whether its tentacles can be disentangled. * Kara Dixon Vuic, LCpl. Benjamin W. Schmidt Professor of War, Conflict, and Society in Twentieth-Century America, Texas Christian University, USA *Table of ContentsIntroduction Liberal Empire and the Paradoxes of War: Militarization before 1941 Militarized Encounters: Armed Americans Abroad ‘National Security’ and the Militarization of Statecraft Bases, Borders and Gun Belts: The Evolution of Militarized Spaces in the United States and Beyond Military Service and the Meanings of Citizenship War in the American Imagination Conclusion Select Bibliography Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis open access book offers a detailed study of the foundation and expansion of the Dutch Cape Colony to ask why certain regions in the global south became European settler societies from the 16th century onwards. Examining the different factors that led to the creation of the Cape Colony, Erik Green reveals it was a gradual process, made up of ad hoc decisions, in which the agency of indigenous peoples played an important role. He identifies the drivers behind settler expansion, explores the effect of inequality on long-term economic development and examines the relationship between settlers and the colonial authorities, asserting that they should not be treated as one homogenous group with shared economic interests. Assessing specific characteristics of the Cape Colony, such as the proposition it was a slavery economy, and comparing key insights of this study with the historiography of other settler colonies, Creating the Cape Colony demonstrates the need to revise our underTrade ReviewIn this stimulating and sophisticated study, Erik Green lets loose the theories and questions of much recent economic history on the particularly detailed data of the Cape Colony. The results are often surprising, notably regarding the considerable importance played by Khoesan labour. It is a model of comparative, quantitative research. * Robert Ross, Emeritus Professor of African history, Leiden University, The Netherlands *Green has written a timely new economic history of the Cape Colony: one that uncovers the fragility of the Dutch East India Company operation, as well as the critical role played by indigenous Khoesan communities, as both laborers and resisters, in shaping economic and social institutions with a legacy that continues to impact South Africa in the present. * Anne EC McCants, Ann F. Friedlaender, Professor of History, MIT, USA *Table of ContentsList of Illustrations List of Maps List of Tables 1. Understanding the Establishment of Settler Colonies 2. Indigenous Agency, the Cost of Trade and Initial Steps Towards a Settler Colony 3. Factor Endowments, Institutions and the Expansion of the Frontier 4. Was the Cape a Slave Economy? 5. Unequal We Stand 6. Elites, Coalitions and Settler Resistance Conclusion Bibliography Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisFor more than a decade now, the issue of Scottish independence has been one of the key features in British politics and has raised questions as to the likely survival of the United Kingdom in the post Brexit era. In Scotland, the SNP has been in government since 2007 and has established a political hegemony that makes it the most successful political party in terms of electoral politics in Europe. Yet, the political philosophy of this movement has not been studied in any great depth and a number of basic questions remain unanswered, such as why is the movement non-violent and constitutional? Why does it believe that Scotland as a nation should exercise its right to self-determination and how does it square a largely outward-looking and cosmopolitan vision of society with nationalism? This book answers these important questions. By examining the evolution of nationalist ideas on Scottish history, its relationship to the philosophy of nationalism, as well as how the Treaty of Union Trade ReviewMost studies of the national movement in Scotland focus onits organisation,policies and political impact.Written by a leading historian of Scotland,this important contribution to the subject takes a different approach by analysing the evolution of the fundamental ideas over the long term on which the aspirations to Scottish independence were built and developed. * Tom Devine, Professor Sir, University of Edinburgh, UK *This is an incisive and invigorating forensic examination of the constitutional questions that have come to dominate Scottish politics; a wide-ranging and nuanced examination whose hallmark is enlightened scepticism, not polemical pandering to nationalists and unionists. * Allan I. Macinnes, Emeritus Professor of History, University of Strathclyde, Scotland. *Scottish Nationalism comprehensively covers the history and motivation of the independence movement, paying particular attention to the historic background of the movement and the question of the nature of sovereignty. * Professor Murray Pittock, University of Glasgow, UK *Table of ContentsList of figures Acknowledgements List of abbreviations Introduction 1. The historic nation 2. Nationalism 3. Constitutionalism 4. Home rule and unionism 5. Ideology: left, right and the state Conclusion Notes Select bibliography Index

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisStep into a world of darkness!Towering castlesmagical spellsdemonic creaturescertain DEATH. The gothic video game has crossed generations, from 8-bit computers to the most powerful 4K PCs and consoles, to deliver dark thrills filled with atmosphere and peril. Gathered in this book are some of the most prominent and enduring games to be developed under a veil of gothic presentation, from their gloomy settings to spine-chilling audio design. Follow the histories of some of gaming's most popular franchises, such as the decade-spanning Castlevania series and FromSoftware's Soulsborne titles (Dark Souls, Bloodborne, Elden Ring). Packed with over a hundred screenshots that encompass all generations of gaming - with home console, handheld and PC gaming included - and featuring trivia and recommendations across a variety of genres such as strategy games, hack-and-slashers and first-person shooters, _The History of the Gothic Video Game_ is an essential book for fans of all things macabre.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis collection of new essays recovers and explores a neglected archive of women's print media and dispels the myth of the interwar decades as a retreat to 'home and duty' for women.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis updated edition of Ernest Gellner's classic exploration of the roots of nationalism includes an extended introduction from John Breuilly, tracing the way the field has changed over the past two decades. As pertinent today as it was when it was first published in 1983. Argues that nationalism is a product of industrialization. The new edition includes references to important work on nationalism published since 1983. Second Edition not available in the USA.Trade Review"Over ten years after his death, Gellner's impact remains unparalleled. We are captivated by the explanatory power of Gellner's crystalline prose enriched by flowing sequences of causations. The reader is typically enchanted by Gellner's logical rigour as if mesmerised by the contemplation of an art masterpiece. We should wonder whether we are dealing with a scholar or with a poet. The answer is probably both." Nations and Nationalism "Breuilly’s new introduction provides an excellent critical overview of Gellner’s writings on nationalism, judiciously evaluating his ideas while also providing insights into their place and continuing significance within the wider historiography of nationalism studies." Paul Lawrence, The Open University "Nations and Nationalism has become such an intrinsic part of the standard literature that it is regularly cited by both those who share its views and those who distinguish their approach from Gellner’s." Totalitarian Movements and Political Religions "The second edition of this canonical text comes with a compelling Introduction by John Breuilly which revisits Gellner's theory in the light of contemporary debates on nationalism.” Umut Özkýrýmlý, Istanbul Bilgi University reviews of the first edition: "Brilliant, provocative ... a great book." New Statesman "An important book ... a new starting line from which all subsequent discussions of nationalism will have to begin." New Society "A better explanation than anyone has yet offered of why nationalism is such a prominent principle of political legitimacy today ... a terse and forceful work ... the product of great intellectual energy and an impressive range of knowledge." Times Literary Supplement "Gellner's short book is an incisive, penetrating and persuasive discussion of how the nation-states of the modern industrial world differ from earlier states ... Gellner uses this analysis to explain the force of nationalism in the modern world." International Security "Gellner's range is wide, covering the ideas of some modern thinkers from Marx, Malinowski and Carr to heideggar, Hroch, Havel and Said." Race and ClassTable of ContentsSeries Editor’s Preface. Introduction by John Breuilly. Acknowledgements. 1. Definitions. State and nation. The nation. 2. Culture in Agrarian Society. Power and culture in the agro-literature society. The varieties of agrarian rulers. 3. Industrial Society. The society of perpetual growth. Social genetics. The age of universal high culture. 4. The Transition to an Age of Nationalism. A note on the weakness of nationalism. Wild and garden culture. 5. What is a Nation. The course of true nationalism never did run smooth. 6. Social Entropy and Equality in Industrial Society. Obstacles to entropy. Fissures and barriers. A diversity of focus. 7. A Typology of Nationalisms. The varieties of nationalist experience. Diaspora nationalism. 8. The Future of Nationalism. Industrial culture – one or many?. 9. Nationalism and Ideology. Who is for Nuremberg?. One nation, one state. 10. Conclusion. What is not being said. Summary. Select bibliography. Bilbliography of Ernest Gellner’s writing: Ian Jarvie. Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Times Best Literary Non-fiction Books 2021 - ''a super yarn'' ''Rick Gekoski''s encyclopaedic knowledge of rare books is matched only by the enthusiasm and brio with which he writes about them'' Ian Rankin Rick Gekoski has been traversing the rocky terrain of the rare book trade for over fifty years. The treasure he seeks is scarce, carefully buried and often jealously guarded, knowledge of its hiding place shared through word of mouth like the myths of old. In Guarded by Dragons, Gekoski invites readers into this enchanted world as he reflects on the gems he has unearthed throughout his career. He takes us back to where his love of collecting began - perusing D.H. Lawrence first editions in a slightly suspect Birmingham carpark. What follows are dizzying encounters with literary giants as Gekoski publishes William Golding, plays ping-pong with Salman Rushdie and lunches with Graham Greene. A brilliant stroke ofTrade ReviewRick Gekoski's encyclopaedic knowledge of rare books is matched only by the enthusiasm and brio with which he writes about them * Ian Rankin *Feisty, astutely dry, intellectually adroit - an intensely pleasurable and rewarding read * William Boyd *Shrewd and gossipy memoir * Observer *The great, renowned rare-book dealer Rick Gekoski is . . . like something out of a Raymond Chandler . . . an absorbing read . . . such fun * Spectator *Gekoski, a fine raconteur, does for bibliomania what James Herriot did for vets. As his previous books, such as Tolkien's Gown, remind us, he has a wealth of quirky stories, and you feel he could keep entertaining his readers for ever * The Times *Entertaining, beautifully written and deeply personal * The Critic *Combines a relish for commerce with tremendous joie de vivre. He loves literature . . . Guarded by Dragons is fresh and fun and bursting with good stories -- Craig Brown * Mail on Sunday *Many entertaining anecdotes . . . Gekoski - a larger-than-life character both on and off the page - writes with style,verve and just the right amount of self-deprecation . . . Gekoski proves a genial companion in the thrill of the chase * Financial Times *Gekoski is wonderful company on the page, with a fine flair for storytelling and an eye for fascinating eccentricities among his colleagues and customers . . . Gekoski lets us in on the intricacies of the trade with candour and insouciance -- John Banville * Irish Times *A cache of engaging tales . . . He is an incredibly gifted storyteller who spins yarns with broad literary appeal . . . Gekoski never fails to amuse and to amaze. Guarded by Dragons is a bibliophilic treasure * Fine Books & Collections magazine *Highly entertaining and frequently very funny * Jewish Chronicle *Wonderfully gossipy, sharply written memoir . . . Gekoski's swashbuckling stories reveal a trade that is certainly not for cissies. That's precisely what makes this book as engrossing as it is entertaining -- Bel Mooney * Daily Mail *Entertaining and revelatory * The Chap *Gekoski, possibly the most important book dealer of the last 50 years, fills page after page with witty anecdotes on dealing with the rarest books in the world, the people who wrote them, and the people that collect them. Beyond great stories well told, it's an education on the book trade itself. An absolute must-read for book lovers. -- Mark Galeotti * War on the Rocks *

Read more less

Book SynopsisBy the end of the twentieth century, the idea of self-esteem had become enormously influential. A staggering amount of psychological research and self-help literature was being published and, before long, devoured by readers. Self-esteem initiatives permeated American schools. Self-esteem becametheway of understanding ourselves, our personalities, our interactions with others. Nowadays, however, few people think much about the concept of self-esteembut perhaps we should. Self-Esteem: An American Historyis the first historical study to explore the emotional politics of self-esteem in modern America. Written with verve and insight, Ian Miller's expert analysis looks at the critiques of self-help that accuse it of propping up conservative agendas by encouraging us to look solely inside ourselves to resolve life's problems. At the same time, he reveals how African American, LGBTQ+, and feminist activists have endeavored to build positive collective identities based

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book offers a whistle-stop guide to the history of spinning and weaving. The story begins in prehistory when people first wove yarns to create clothing and blankets. The book explores the ways in which spinning and weaving has continued to be important throughout human history (or should that be herstory), in artistic, economic and functional terms. The second part of the book brings us up to date, via interviews with modern day spinning and weaving artisans. These textiles artists generously allowed the author a window into their studios and discussed the way they use and adapt traditional methods, techniques and tools for the twenty first century. Photos of their work, and their working environment offers a unique view into the world of this ancient craft. Finally, if you are inspired to try your hand at this fascinating and most ancient of crafts, the book also has a resources section. It includes a valuable list of suppliers of fibre, dyes, tools and yarn, as well as information about training courses, useful websites and more - everything you need to get started.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book is a curation of insightful and engaging narrations aimed at freeing women from the margins of Nigeria’s history. It chronicles their protest movements against colonial administrations, including “monster” petitions on taxation and food price controls. It details a string of remarkable political landmarks which highlight women’s historical credentials as nationalists, as well as their voice in early male-dominated legislative institutions. It also narrates more contemporary episodes in women’s resistance against oil exploitation, environmental pollution and anger over the mass abduction of school girls. This timely preservation of the voice and agency of Nigerian women from a wide variety of colonial and contemporary documents will benefit readers interested in African history and gender and women's studies.

Read more less

Book Synopsis'Lovely... delivers the warmest of glows' - Telegraph'Who wouldn't love this chocolate-box delight of insights and snapshots of The Queen...A treasure chest' - Good HousekeepingA sparkling celebration of our much-loved Queen Elizabeth II including special writings and illuminating insights around key moments in her 70-year reign, introduced and edited by her biggest fan Joanna Lumley.In 2022 Queen Elizabeth II celebrated seventy years as Queen and Head of the Commonwealth. She was Britain's longest reigning monarch and the very first to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee. A Queen For All Seasons, edited and introduced by Joanna Lumley, is a perceptive, touching and engaging tribute to this unique woman. A treasure chest of first-hand writings, insights and snapshots of the Queen during key moments of her reign to form a vibrant portrait of the woman herself and the extraordinary role she played. Joanna Lumley guides us as we meet Princess Elizabeth in 1952, aged just twenty-five, and about to become Queen, and in more recent events, as our matriarch, the Queen kept the national ship steady through seven decades, including in moments of crisis and suffering. Here are unique perspectives into some of the most fascinating aspects of the Queen's life - her role as head of state at home and abroad, her private passions and public interests and a bird's-eye look at key events that have held the nation together and the Queen in our affection throughout Britain and beyond.This book is a special and unique portrait of the life of Queen Elizabeth II.Trade ReviewLovely...Delivers the warmest of glows * TELEGRAPH *Lovely...Delivers the warmest of glows * TELEGRAPH *You couldn't ask for more cheerful company than Joanna Lumley to lead you through an anthology of the Queen...moving * Daily Mail *You couldn't ask for more cheerful company than Joanna Lumley to lead you through an anthology of the Queen...moving * Daily Mail *A fascinating portrait of Her Majesty * My Weekly *A fascinating portrait of Her Majesty * My Weekly *You'll find interesting snippets about protocol, fashion and events - its definitely one to pull out after the Queen's Speech on Christmas Day. * PRESS ASSOCIATION *You'll find interesting snippets about protocol, fashion and events - its definitely one to pull out after the Queen's Speech on Christmas Day. * PRESS ASSOCIATION *A touching tribute to a remarkable woman * Woman *A touching tribute to a remarkable woman * Woman *Full of golden memories from people of all walks of life, it offers a wonderful and unique insight into Her Majesty's life * THE PEOPLES FRIEND *Full of golden memories from people of all walks of life, it offers a wonderful and unique insight into Her Majesty's life * THE PEOPLES FRIEND *Who wouldn't love this chocolate-box delight of insights and snapshots of The Queen...A treasure chest * GOOD HOUSEKEEPING *Who wouldn't love this chocolate-box delight of insights and snapshots of The Queen...A treasure chest * GOOD HOUSEKEEPING *

Read more less

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 *

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisGypsies, Roma and Travellers are some of the most marginalized and vilified people in society. They are rarely seen as having a place in a country, either geographically or socially, no matter where they live or what they do. Another Darkness, Another Dawn is a new history that charts their movement through time and place: from their roots in the Indian subcontinent, across the Byzantine and Ottoman empires to western Europe and the Americas, to their place in the contemporary world. This history of Romani people demonstrates how their experiences provide a way to understand mainstream society's relationship with outsiders and immigrants, both in the past and present. Rather than seeing these peoples as separate from the societies in which they have lived, and as untouched by history, this book sets Gypsies' experiences in the context of broader historical changes. Understanding their history is to take in the founding and contraction of empires, the Reformation and Counter-Reformation, wars, the expansion of law and order and of states, the Enlightenment, nationalism, modernity and the Holocaust, as well as the increasing regulation of modern society. It is as much a history of ourselves as it is a history of 'others'. Ultimately Taylor demonstrates that history is not always about progress: the place of Gypsies, Roma and Travellers remains as contested and uncertain today as it was upon their first arrival in western Europe in the fifteenth century.

Read more less

Book SynopsisPain and Retribution charts the rise and rise of a form of punishment that takes place behind the walls of the institution we have come to call 'prison'. It is the first single volume history of British prisons, charting their history from the time of the Norman Conquest to the present day. Written by a former prison governor who is now one of the country's leading criminologists, the book offers unrivalled insight into the prison system in England, Scotland and Wales. David Wilson, using criminological theory, looks at the way in which the prison has needed to satisfy the demands of three interested parties: first, the public, including politicians and media commentators; second, prison staff; and third, the prisoners themselves. The inability of the prison to satisfy all three groups at the same time means that the prison system is perpetually in crisis, and is therefore seen as a failure. Ironically, the prison system continues to prosper in terms of the numbers of prisoners incarcerated and the vast amount of money that society invests in keeping them locked up. Pain and Retribution explores prison as an institution and discusses not only who gets imprisoned but also what happens to people when they are 'banged up'. David Wilson investigates how prisons are designed and how they are organized and managed, allowing the reader access to all areas, from the prison landing to the people behind the locked doors, including the prison staff. He asks searching questions about the purpose of Britain's current prison system and why prison exerts such a hold on the collective psyche and imagination.

Read more less

Book SynopsisAndrew Gant's compelling account traces English church music from Anglo-Saxon origins to the present. It is a history of the music and of the people who made, sang and listened to it. It shows the role church music has played in ordinary lives and how it reflects those lives back to us. The author considers why church music remains so popular and frequently tops the classical charts and why the BBC's Choral Evensong remains the longest-running radio series ever. He shows how England's church music follows the contours of its history and is the soundtrack of its changing politics and culture, from the mysteries of the Mass to the elegant decorum of the Restoration anthem, from stern Puritanism to Victorian bombast, and thence to the fractured worlds of the twentieth century as heard in the music of Vaughan Williams and Britten. This is a book for everyone interested in the history of English music, culture and society.Trade ReviewExcellent ... This authoritative and engaging history brings ... light and warmth to the subject * Sunday Times *A wonderfully lively account of one of our greatest stories -- Peter PhillipsAn illuminating and entertaining history [...] Drawing on his own extensive experience as choirmaster at the Chapel Royal, Andrew Gant covers this vast territory in breezy, unbuttoned fashion, without recourse to pedantry or jargon. * Literary Review *Making sense of English church music's relationship to the turbulent history of English Christianity is hard enough, but Andrew Gant manages to combine this with a lively survey of the music itself. -- Ivan Hewett * Daily Telegraph *A comprehensive and thoughtful survey that is also eminently readable. -- James Bowmanan extraordinarily thorough treatment of English church music's history. -- Roxanna PanufnikGant's love of this imperishable repertoire, breadth of research and stylish, approachable writing add up to an indispensable guide to a great tradition - and a very good read. -- Catherine Bott, Presenter, Classic FMAs a former director of choirs at the Chapel Royal and the Guards' Chapel, Gant has false relations and diminished fourths, not to mention hockets, coming out of his professional fingertips. He also has an infectious desire to make sure that we, the congregation, derive as much pleasure from them as he does ... This is a story of church music that celebrates the sheer pleasure of raising a joyful sound to the Lord -- Kathryn Hughes * Guardian *A terrific book * The Awl *I would urge everybody interested in English history to buy this book at once: Mr. Gant maneuvers so elegantly between the better-known historical narrative and the music that reacts to and supports that political ecosystem. [...] The whole time I was reading O Sing Unto the Lord, I was making copious notes to go and rediscover some forgotten anthem. Time after time, passing references to pieces I've sung and loved brought me sharp pangs of nostalgia, followed by a sense of gratitude that this tradition has been such an important part of my musical world. -- Nico Muhly * New York Times *

Read more less

Book SynopsisESCAPE FROM EARTH is the untold story of the engineers, dreamers and rebels who started the American space programme. In particular, it is the story of Frank Malina, founder of what became Nasa's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the scientist who cracked the, as he called it, problem of escape from the Earth by rocket. It's a wild ride. Jack Parsons, Malina's chemistry-expert research partner, was a bed-hopping occultist with delusions of grandeur. We get all the horrible details: drug parties and sex magic, cameos by Aleister Crowley and L Ron Hubbard, and an ill-fated attempt to start a mail-order religion. Armed with hitherto unpublished letters, journals, and documents from the Malina family archives, Fraser MacDonald reveals what we didn't know. Jack Parsons betrayed Frank Malina to the FBI, cooperating fully in their investigation of Malina for un-American activities. The Jet Propulsion Lab's second director secretly denounced Frank as a Communist. Frank's research group had close ties to the spy network of the infamous Rosenbergs - the only Americans executed during the Red Scare. This is a story of soaring ideals entangled in the most human of complications: infidelity and divorce, betrayal and treason.Trade ReviewExcellent ... has raised a crucially influential American pioneer rocketeer from obscurity to the recognition he deserves...MacDonald's access to Malina's family archives and freedom of information FBI files adds intimate details to this scholarly and colourful work * Spectator *Riveting ... MacDonald has vastly enriched the overarching story - and in ways transformed it * Times Literary Supplement *Meticulously researched yet immensely readable ... I have never before seen anyone express with such clarity the contradiction at the heart of the space age ... It is refreshing to read an account of these events that is so nuanced, seamlessly melding the personal and the scientific. This expert history offers insights into the early space age with dazzlingly beautiful writing and a keen eye for irony * Times Higher Education *Absorbing and stimulating ... a superb book which sheds new light on the conflicts of the mid-20th century * Scotsman *A compelling saga of secrecy, activism, betrayal ... superb, illuminating * Herald *A tangled, fascinating story that is a mixture of science, politics and soap opera ... an extraordinary, important yet neglected slice of space history * Literary Review *Fascinating ... a superb book * Yorkshire Post *Excellent ... MacDonald tells this whole grubby story superbly * Strong Words *Frank Malina, one of the most talented pioneers of American rocket science, flirted with communism and pacifism, and then gave it all up-rocketry included-to become a painter. History has in consequence all but erased his memory-except that now, thanks to Fraser MacDonald's fascination with his story and a dogged determination to write this riveting and important book, his legacy has been revived, and will surely long endure. * Simon Winchester, New York Times bestselling author of Exactly: How Precision Engineers Created the Modern World *Exquisitely researched, thoughtfully written, Escape from Earth is a fascinating exploration of an endlessly intriguing and remarkable subject. Fraser MacDonald has not only brought to life Frank Malina, he has captured perfectly the political and scientific contradictions of the dawn of the Space Age. * Henry Hemming, author of The Ingenious Mr Pyke and Agents of Influence *A fascinating history of America's ascent into space that literally rewrites our understanding of the rocket age; a story that mixes sex, Nazis, Communists, the FBI, and rockets and along the way reminds us how complicated and untidy even celebrated history can be. Escape from Earth is an instant addition to the rocketry canon, right there with Operation Paperclip and Hidden Figures. * Garrett Graff, bestselling author of Raven Rock *Escape from Earth is a fascinating story about the arms race, the space race and the cold war. Fraser MacDonald has restored to their rightful place in history a cast of characters airbrushed out of the story because of their political convictions. This book has the rare quality of being both a well-told tale and throughly researched. * McKenzie Wark, author of The Beach Beneath the Street *

Read more less

Book SynopsisOur history is littered with heads. Over the centuries, they have decorated our churches, festooned our city walls and filled our museums; they have been props for artists and specimens for laboratory scientists, trophies for soldiers and items of barter. Today, as videos of decapitations circulate online and cryonicists promise that our heads may one day live on without our bodies, the severed head is as contentious and compelling as ever. From shrunken heads to trophies of war; from memento mori to Damien Hirst's With Dead Head; from grave-robbing phrenologists to enterprising scientists, Larson explores the bizarre, often gruesome and confounding history of the severed head. Its story is our story.

Read more less

Book SynopsisEngland, late 1547. Henry VIII is dead. His 14-year-old daughter Elizabeth is living with the old king's widow Catherine Parr and her new husband Thomas Seymour. Ambitious, charming and dangerous, Seymour begins an overt flirtation with Elizabeth that ends in her being sent away by Catherine. When Catherine dies in autumn 1548 and Seymour is arrested for treason soon after, the scandal explodes into the open. Alone and in dreadful danger, Elizabeth is closely questioned by the king's regency council: Was she still a virgin? Was there a child? Had she promised to marry Seymour? In her replies, she shows the shrewdness and spirit she would later be famous for. She survives the scandal. Thomas Seymour is not so lucky. The Seymour Scandal led to the creation of the Virgin Queen. On hearing of Seymour's beheading, Elizabeth observed 'This day died a man of much wit, and very little judgement'. His fate remained with her. She would never allow her heart to rule her head again.Trade ReviewThis is how historical writing should be... the best history book I've read in a long time' -- Alison WeirMany readers will find much to enjoy in this lively and detailed account of the politics and personalities of the early Edwardian years * The Tablet *A lively and detailed account... Norton's narrative is pacy and colourful' -- Susan DoranAbsolutely stunning. A forensic analysis of an intriguing and disturbing episode in Elizabeth I's early life which casts fresh light onto our most fascinating monarch -- Sarah GristwoodSoundly researched and very readable history, and Ms Norton vividly conveys the atmosphere of intrigue between member of the power-hungry families * The Book Bag *Riveting * Choice Magazine *

Read more less

Book Synopsis'Exquisitely written and ripe with detail' Sunday Times. 'An engaging book... He knows his British stuff' The Times. 'One of England's most skilled and alluring prose writers in or out of fiction, has done something even more original' London Review of Books. WHAT WE HAVE LOST IS A MISSILE AIMED AT THE BRITISH ESTABLISHMENT, A BLISTERING INDICTMENT OF POLITICIANS AND CIVIL SERVANTS, PLANNING AUTHORITIES AND FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS, WHO HAVE PRESIDED, SINCE 1945, OVER THE DECLINE OF BRITAIN'S INDUSTRIES AND REPLACED THE 'GREAT' IN BRITAIN WITH A FOR SALE SIGN HUNG AROUND THE NECK OF THE NATION. Between 1939 and 1945, Britain produced around 125,000 aircraft, and enormous numbers of ships, motor vehicles, armaments and textiles. We developed radar, antibiotics, the jet engine and the computer. Less than seventy years later, the major industries that had made Britain a global industrial power, and employed millions of people, were dead. Had they really been doomed, and if so, by what? Can our politicians have been so inept? Was it down to the superior competition of wily foreigners? Or were our rulers culturally too hostile to science and industry? James Hamilton-Paterson, in this evocation of the industrial world we have lost, analyzes the factors that turned us so quickly from a nation of active producers to one of passive consumers and financial middlemen.Trade ReviewA book that is by turns engrossing and infuriating – a response to Brexit in mechanical form * Evening Standard *A book about that moment between the end of the Second World War and Suez, when there was early nuclear power, the first computers, jet engines, fast fighter planes and big ships – all made here. Now Britain imports more than it exports. What went wrong? * i Newspaper *He writes beautifully * Literary Review *Exquisitely written and ripe with detail, [James Hamilton-Paterson] explores one disaster story after another * Sunday Times *Engaging book... He knows his British stuff' * The Times *Hamilton-Paterson, still one of England's most skilled and alluring prose writers in or out of fiction, has done something even more original. With imaginative scenes enacting 'what we have lost', he combines closely researched and detailed accounts of the decay of one legendary British product after another. Cars, motorbikes, shipbuilding and the nuclear industry are all there * London Review of Books *Definitely a book for those questioning how Great Britain lost its greatness... Written lyrically enough to interest the general reader' * Guardian *Chapters on cars, ships and motorbikes tell a melancholy story, though Hamilton-Paterson, also a distinguished novelist, can't resist glints of dark humour * Daily Mail *James Hamilton-Paterson mourns our nation's industrial decline in a deeply personal polemic * International Express. *

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn July 1988, the Islamic Republic of Iran agreed to bring an end to the brutal eight-year war with Iraq. Over the next two months, under the orders of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khomeini, political prisoners around the country were secretly brought before a tribunal panel that would later become known as the Death Commission. They were not told what was happening and did not know that one ‘wrong’ answer concerning their faith or political affiliation would send them straight to the gallows. Thousands of men and women were condemned to death, many buried in mass graves in Khavaran Cemetery in the vicinity of Tehran. Through eyewitness accounts of survivors, research by scholars and memories of children and spouses of the deceased, Voices of a Massacre reconstructs the events of that bloody summer. Over thirty years later, the Iranian government has still not officially acknowledged that they ever took place.Trade Review‘Powerfully moving testimonies from prisoners who survived the brutal crackdowns in Tehran in 1988 by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini… A wrenching, important work of historical scholarship demanding justice for the victims.’ * Kirkus, starred review *‘A multifaceted record of state violence and its astounding impacts… Nasser Mohajer’s substantial compilation is a vital contribution to the record of this still-suppressed history.’ * World Literature Today *‘Voices of a Massacre is a unique and creative portrayal of [a] tragic reality… International promoters of human rights ought to be grateful to Nasser Mohajer for producing an insightful and invaluable testimony to prove that the Islamic Republic of Iran is guilty of committing crimes against humanity.’ * Mansour Farhang, Center for Human Rights in Iran *‘Once again the lesson must be learned that not all massacres are reported and acknowledged as the brutal and systematic killings that they are. What geopolitical reasons are there for having kept the history of the Great Massacre of 1988 in Iran from being told? This indispensable volume, Voices of a Massacre, takes the reader through that history, exposes the well-constructed oblivion to which this history has been consigned, and assembles the testimonies of political prisoners and those who mourn their losses. It documents the various arduous efforts to appeal to the government, the media, and international authorities to recognize and condemn this crime, and weaves together the acts of resistance among those who are fighting for this history to be told and known. This is an urgent and belated book that draws on multiple archives to establish the systematic death-dealing of the late 1980s in Iran, as well as the unforgivable and complicitous silence on this period of lethal violence. That history is established through many voices and genres, all of which constitute a living testimonial, a collective act of mourning, and a resounding call for justice.’ -- Judith Butler, Maxine Elliot Professor of Comparative Literature, University of California, Berkeley, and author of Precarious Life and The Force of Nonviolence‘Nasser Mohajer writes for the same reasons as George Orwell—“desire to see things as they are, to find out true facts and to store them up for the use of posterity”. This is an invaluable testimony to the shameful 1988 prison massacres that the authorities denied, regime historians tried to vaporize, and many others either minimized or glossed over its medieval essence. The Inquisition that oversaw the mass executions was not only horrific but also unprecedented in the whole of Iran’s long history.’ -- Ervand Abrahamian, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Iranian and Middle Eastern history and politics, Baruch College and Graduate Center, City University of New York, and author of A History of Modern Iran‘Voices of a Massacre is a testament to the human capacity to resist, survive, remember, and respond ethically to others—even at the very limit of what a person can bear. It is gut-wrenching and difficult to read, and that is precisely why we must read it, as slowly and carefully as necessary to absorb what has happened and to grasp what must be done. The book is a truly amazing achievement.’ -- Lisa Guenther, Queen’s National Scholar in Political Philosophy and Critical Prison Studies, Queen’s University, Kingston, and author of Solitary Confinement: Social Death and Its Afterlives‘Voices of a Massacre is an unsparing account of Untold Stories of Life and Death, vital for understanding the cruelty of the Islamic Republic of Iran, yet unique in presenting human qualities of resistance, hope, despair, and fear under the condition of imprisonment. Through insightful narrations one can imagine and sense people’s desire for survival when pushed to life’s extremes. An agonizing, but not-to-be-evaded read.’ -- Shahrzad Mojab, Professor, University of Toronto, and author of Revolutionary Learning: Marxism, Feminism and Knowledge‘Voices of a Massacre is a valuable response to the “duty of memory”. Through both analysis and testimony, it provides a profound series of reflections on the shocking 1988 mass killing of political prisoners that continues to cast a long shadow on the people of Iran. By surfacing the historical truth, this unique collection helps confront the culture of denial and impunity that stands in the way of a better future built on the supremacy of human rights.’ -- Payam Akhavan, Professor of International Law, McGill University, and author of In Search of a Better WorldTable of ContentsAcknowledgments A Note on Translation and Transliteration Foreword Preface Chapter One: In Hindsight The Great Massacre | Nasser Mohajer Chapter Two: Voices of Survival Testimonies (Women’s Prison) This Is a Warning: “We Plan to Kill You” | Mahnaz Saida Summer 1988 | Anahita Rahmani He Held His Head Up | Nazli Partovi A Taste of Mortadella: Reflections on Massacre and Resistance | Shokoufeh Sakhi Reynaldo Galindo Pohl’s Inspection of Evin Prison | Laleh Mastour Testimonies (Men’s Prison) Chronicle of a Crime | Iraj Mesdaghi Life-Bestowing Telephone Call | Mehdi Aslani Awaiting Our Fate | Nasser Kh. A Defining Moment | Mehrdad Neshati Melikiyans Chapter Three: The Massacre in the Provinces Still an Enigma | Fatemeh Jokar Interviewing Ms. Zaher Executions in the Provinces: Summer 1988 | Assad Saif Chapter Four: The Mothers of Khavaran Past and Present | Nasser Mohajer Anoush Brought Me Back to Life | Said Afshar Interviewing Forough Lotfi A Note on Two Letters | Nasser Mohajer Human Rights in Iran | Brigitte Behzadi To the UN Human Rights Commission | Brigitte Behzadi The Mothers of Khavaran: A Unique Movement | Nasser Mohajer Chapter Five: Sons and Daughters of the Perished Speak Out Home | Samad Kiani Thirty Years | Saiid Ismati Open Letter to My Father’s Hangmen | Lale Behzadi Testifying: A Journey into the Past Ahead of Us | Chowra Makaremi My Father, Ahmad Danesh | Stefan Parvis Töpelmann Chapter Six: A Call for Justice The Iran Tribunal: Justice in the Making | Shokoufeh Sakhi The Movement for Seeking Justice in Iran: Which Strategy? | Mojdeh Arasi and Homayoon Ivani Never Again | Jafar Behkish Appendix A: Unearthing a Crime Against Humanity in Bits and Pieces | Kaveh Yazdani Appendix B: Political Parties and Organizations of 1980s Iran Appendix C: Chronology of the Massacre | Fatemeh Jokar Glossary Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis is the first study of the early formative years of one of Wales’s most important cultural organisations – Sianel Pedwar Cymru (S4C). The volume chronicles the decisions and activities of the channel during its trial period between 1981–5. Through a detailed study of minutes, correspondence and interviews with individuals who were key to the channel’s development during its early years, it chronicles the many challenges, successes and failures which faced the S4C Authority and its staff as they aimed to create a Welsh-language television service that would meet the desires and needs of the audience in Wales. S4C is no ordinary channel, and no other period in its history portrays this more effectively than the trial period given to it at the beginning of the 1980s.Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Acronyms Acknowledgements Introduction Chapter 1: The campaign for a Welsh TV channel Chapter 2 : The early days of the Welsh Fourth Channel Authority Chapter 3 : First Broadcasts and Audience Response Chapter 4 : Financial initiatives – securing fair terms and expanding to new areas Chapter 5: Reviewing the Channel – Opinion Polls and the Home Office Review Conclusion Appendix Bibliography

Read more less

Book SynopsisWe spend our lives moving through passages, hallways, corridors, and gangways, yet these channeling spaces do not feature in architectural histories, monographs, or guidebooks. They are overlooked, undervalued, and unregarded, seen as unlovely parts of a building's infrastructure rather than architecture. This book is the first definitive history of the corridor, from its origins in country houses and utopian communities in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, through reformist Victorian prisons, hospitals, and asylums, to the "corridors of power," bureaucratic labyrinths, and housing estates of the twentieth century. Taking in a wide range of sources, from architectural history to fiction, film, and TV, Corridors explores how the corridor went from a utopian ideal to a place of unease: the archetypal stuff of nightmares.

Read more less

Book SynopsisIf there is anything that distinguishes us from animals, it is our ability to understand that such a thing as the future exists and our willingness to try and look into it. But how have people through the ages gone about making predictions? What were their underlying assumptions, and what methods did they use? Have increased computer power and the newest algorithms improved our success in anticipating the future, or are we still only as good (or as bad) at it as our ancestors? From the ancients watching the flight of birds to the murky activities of Google and Facebook today, Seeing into the Future gives us an insight into the past, present and future of prediction.Trade Review"What will the weather be like tomorrow, next week, next year? Will there be another war, famine, global pandemic? Will the stock market rise or fall? In Seeing into the Future, military historian and theorist Martin van Creveld provides an overview of some of the myriad methods humans have devised over the millennia to foretell what is to come, from the ancients’ use of prophecy and astrology to today’s mathematical algorithms. In addition to delving into when, where, why, and how those techniques originated, he discusses such questions as why prediction is so difficult, whether modern humans are any better at making predictions than our ancestors were, and whether knowing the future is a good thing." * Physics Today *"Van Creveld summarizes this book by considering just how accurate these models can be, and indeed how accurate they should be. Any real ability to foresee the future is, he suggests, likely to be just as dangerous as past rulers thought they would be when they sentenced prophets and mystics to the flames or the axe! . . . This is an interesting book on a topic which we have all pondered at some time, and provides a great deal of food for thought." * Magonia Review of Books *"Creveld covers a broad range, from tribal shamans to Greek sibyls, Israeli prophets, the Prophet Muhammed, Hildegard of Bingen, Nostradamus, and contemporary mediums. In addition, Creveld describes such systematic approaches to prediction as omens, numerology, and the Bible and looks at the contemporary use of mathematical models, artificial intelligence, war games, algorithms, and the Delphi method, which solicits predictions from a number of people, all using their preferred methods for assessing the future. . . . Recommended." * Choice *"Creveld’s new book, Seeing into the Future, examines the principal methods that have been used for looking into the future throughout history. . . . Creveld’s original emphasis on the historical methods of prediction enriches previous scholarship. The book explores a number of predictive methods prevailing over time: speculation, deduction, extrapolation, polling, and modelling. . . . Creveld’s historical overview could have modified Abraham Lincoln’s aphorism: the best way to predict your future is to engineer it." * Technology and Culture Journal *"Martin van Creveld’s Seeing into the Future is a widely informed and deeply thoughtful examination of a critical area of human concern. Anyone seeking insight into the futurology and forecasting, with its manifold involvements in religion, sociology, science, and practical affairs will profit from this instructive and insightful work." -- Nicholas Rescher, distinguished professor of philosophy, University of PittsburghTable of ContentsPart I: A Mysterious Journey 1 A Villain of a Magician 2 In the Name of the Lord 3 Oracles, Pythias and Sibyls 4 A Dream to Remember 5 Consulting the Dead Part II: Be Sober and Reasonable 6 Searching the Heavens 7 Clear and Manifest 8 On Birds, Livers and Sacrifices 9 The Magic of Numbers 10 Decoding the Bible Part III: Enter Modernity 11 From Patterns to Cycles 12 With Hegel on the Brain 13 Ask, and You'll Be Answered 14 The Most Powerful Tools 15 War Games Here, War Games There Part IV: The Lord of the Universe 16 Looking Backward 17 Why is Prediction So Difficult? 18 Is Our Game Improving? 19 A World Without Uncertainty? References Further Reading Acknowledgements

Read more less

Book Synopsis"Fascinating. . . . A fun and thorough look at how humans have tried to communicate with the dead over time."—Library Journal "An impressive piece of research. . . . A must-read for anyone fascinated with Spiritualism."—Alma Katsu, author of The Deep and The HungerCalling the Spirits investigates the eerie history of our conversations with the dead, from necromancy in Homer’s Odyssey to the emergence of Spiritualism, when Victorians were entranced by mediums and the seance was born. Among our cast are the Fox sisters, teenagers surrounded by “spirit rappings;” Daniel Dunglas Home, the “greatest medium of all time;” Houdini and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, whose unlikely friendship was forged, then riven, by the afterlife; and Helen Duncan, the medium whose trial in 1944 for witchcraft proved more popular to the public than news about the war. The book also considers Ouija boards, modern psychics and paranormal investigations, and is illustrated with engravings, fine art (from beyond), and photographs. A hugely entertaining contribution from the supernaturally adept Lisa Morton, Calling the Spirits begs the question: is anybody there . . . ?Trade Review"It’s not only fearful fiction that is having a moment. With the world full of real-life terrors, nonfiction writers are also responding. Informational texts about horror have traditionally been limited to local ghost tales or explorations of horror in film. Now, authors are entering new territory that goes beyond the confines of the genre. Morton, the world’s eminent expert on Halloween, has a fascinating new book, Calling the Spirits: A History of Seances, a fun and thorough look at how humans have tried to communicate with the dead over time." * Library Journal *"Morton is clearly skeptical of most of the claims made for séances and the phenomena of Spiritualism, but presents the claims of those involved in an even-handed manner, whilst also presenting the voices of those, throughout history, who have found no evidence for the reality of any form of postmortem communication. The fascinating history of séances is filled with mystery, deception, self-deception, genuine belief, scientific inquiry, and personal transformation, which is well described in this extremely interesting and readable account." * Magonia Review of Books *"While Victorian obsessions are the meat of Calling the Spirits, it is bookended by the necromancy of the ancients and modern séances. . . . Morton’s book will interest anyone whose ancestors claimed psychic powers." * Who Do You Think You Are? *"An ambitious primer on the history of Spiritualism, . . . Calling the Spirits is engagingly written, well illustrated, and up-to-date." * Journal of the Society for Psychical Research *"In Calling the Spirits, Morton has provided the immediate turn-to book on the subject of mediums and seances." * The Pilgrim *"An impressive piece of research. . . . Calling the Spirits is a must-read for anyone fascinated with Spiritualism." -- Alma Katsu, author of "The Deep" and "The Hunger"

Read more less

Book SynopsisPierrot, Little Bo Peep, cowboy: these characters and many more form part of this colourful story of dressing up, from the accession of Queen Victoria to the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. Fancy dress became a regular part of people’s social lives over this period, and the craze for it spread across Britain and the Empire, reaching every level of society. Spectacular and witty costumes appeared at street carnivals, victory celebrations, fire festivals and extravagant balls. From the Victorian middle classes performing ‘living statues’ to squads of Shetland men donning traditional fancy dress and setting fire to a Viking ship at the annual Up Helly Aa celebration, this lavishly illustrated book provides a unique view into the quirky, wonderful world of fancy dress.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book explores how, far from being limited to deviation from known pathways or desirable plans of action, wandering is an abundant source of meaning, as intimately involved in the history of our universe as it will be in the future of our planet. In ancient Australian Aboriginal cosmology, in works about the origins of democracy and surviving disasters in ancient Greece, in Eurasian steppe nomadic culture, in the lifeways of the Rom, in the movements of today’s refugees and in our attempts to preserve spaces of untracked online freedom, wandering is the means by which creativity and skills of adaptation are preserved in the interests of ongoing life. Astray is an enthralling look at belonging, and at notions of alienation and hope.

Read more less