History Books

Book SynopsisFrom Superman and Batman to the Fantastic Four and the X-Men, these pop-culture juggernauts, with their "powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men," thrilled readers and audiences. The author shows how creators turned to science fiction to convey the reality of the paranormal they experienced in their lives.Trade Review"Intriguing." (Times Literary Supplement) "The message is that we need to step backwards from our culture to see these hidden patterns, and in this endeavor Kripal provides new maps of the secret world of superpowers. To access these deep strata of reality and to achieve a measure of self-realisation, we need to embrace this strangeness and not be frightened of it.... Kripal has a lively style and a deep love of (perhaps reverence for) his subject matter." (Fortean Times)

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Book SynopsisA fully illustrated study of how the US-led half of the Normandy invasion fleet was composed, commanded, and how it fought, from D-Day until the fall of Cherbourg.The D-Day landings and their aftermath were among the most complex and important naval operations in history. With the target beaches divided into two areas of responsibility one US-commanded, one British this armada launched a month-long operation to first support the landings, then to protect, supply, and support the troops ashore, as they fought to expand their toehold in occupied Europe.In this book, illustrated throughout with 3D diagrams, photos, maps and dramatic artwork, naval historian Brian Lane Herder explains how the US Navy-led Western Task Force was built, and outlines its operations off Normandy during June 1944. It covers this multinational fleet's organization, assembly, and training, as well as the intelligence and logistics picture, and explores its actions that were so crucial t

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Book SynopsisNow with a new afterword that surveys the “North African Spring” uprisings that roiled the region from 2011 to 2013, this is the most comprehensive history of North Africa to date, with accessible, in-depth chapters covering the pre-Islamic period throughTrade Review"North Africa’s story from antiquity onward, Mr. Naylor shows, is one of turbulence, borrowings, exchanges, competition, and cooperation across all manner of barriers, by no means only cultural. . . . [This is] a solid history of a region with whose conflicts we—not to mention the Sahrawis and their neighbors—are fated to contend with for at least a few years still." * Wall Street Journal *"Naylor elegantly leads the reader through the maze of events that have shaped the history of a vast region at the crossroads of civilizations. . . . North Africa is a valuable introduction for students and the general public of an understudied part of the world." * Middle East Journal *"[This book succeeds] in its primary task of ‘locating’ North Africa’s place in the curriculum, and I anticipate that it will become the primary textbook for coursework in this emerging field. The general reader will also be well served by turning to it first for an English-language survey. . . . The specialist of the region . . . will appreciate it when sorting out the complexity of North Africa’s long history, a history few have mastered as well in print as Naylor." * Journal of African History *Table of Contents List of Maps A Note to the Reader Preface to First Edition Preface to Revised Edition Introduction 1. Ancient North Africa and Its Expansive Civilizations 2. Rome and North Africa 3. Medieval North Africa: From the Arrival of Islam to the Berber Empires 4. The Almoravid and the Almohad Empires and Their Successor States 5. Turkish Ascendance and Moroccan Independence 6. European Colonialism in North Africa 7. The Decolonization of North Africa 8. Post-Colonial and Contemporary North Africa: Egypt, Libya, and Tunisia 9. Post-Colonial and Contemporary North Africa: Algeria, Morocco, and Western Sahara Conclusion. The Peril and Promise of North Africa Afterword. The North African Spring Notes Glossary Bibliography Index

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Book Synopsis''A masterly account of this first wicked century of the Roman Empire'' Sunday Times''Holland does not just tell the story of the reign of the Julio-Claudian family. He knits the history of ancient Rome into his narrative - its founding myths, the fall of the republic, the religious superstitions - with a skill so dextrous you don''t notice the stitching. Dynasty is both a formidable effort to compile what we can know about the ancient world and a sensational story'' Observer''A witty and skilful storyteller... He recounts with pleasure his racy tales of psychopathic cruelty, incest, paedophilia, matricide, fratricide, assassination and depravity'' William Dalrymple, New Statesman''A wonderful, surging narrative... [for] anyone interested in history, politics or human nature - and it has never been better told'' Mail on SundayTHE TOP TEN SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERTrade ReviewHolland's masterly account of this first wicked century of the Roman empire is, at its heart, a political analysis . . . the story he tells strides onwards across the landscape of grief and horror without pause or stutter . . . Holland is unshockable as he proceeds with breezy, clear-eyed analysis from one degrading display of cruelty and paranoia to the next . . . It is down to his skill as a storyteller that there's no difficulty in imagining that it might all happen again tomorrow * Sunday Times *Deft and skilful . . . Among the many virtues of Tom Holland's terrific history is that he does not shrink from seeing the Roman emperors for what they were: 'the west's primal examples of tyranny' . . . Dynasty is both a formidable effort to compile what we can know about the ancient world and a sensational story * Observer *This is a wonderful, surging narrative - a brilliant and meticulous synthesis of the ancient sources . . . This is a story that should be read by anyone interested in history, politics or human nature - and it has never been better told * Mail on Sunday *This is history in which fact and fiction overlap, rigorously researched and lightened with dashes of humour . . . first-rate ancient history and a compulsively good read * Daily Mail *A swaggering history of the dynastic house that Julius Caesar built. Nothing entertains like excess and the weird cruelties, bloody intrigues and eye-popping depravities of emperors Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius and Nero are queasily fascinating * Sunday Express *A witty and skilful storyteller . . . He recounts with pleasure his racy tales of psychopathic cruelty, incest, paedophilia, matricide, fratricide, assassination and depravity * New Statesman *Brilliant, terrifying and compelling * Observer *A thrilling book by one of the country's best popular historians . . . genuinely breathtaking * History Today *Holland has crafted a history of early Rome that has all the gripping detail and narrative momentum of a novel... he gives the reader a startlingly visceral sense of the violence and brutality and wretched excess of ancient Rome -- Michiko Kakutani * New York Times *[A] dramatic, intrigue-ridden, blood-and-guts tale of Rome's first line of emperors -- Peter Jones * The Times *Dynasty, like its companion volume Rubicon: The Last Years of the Roman Republic, is a fine example of narrative historical writing. Yet you could also read it as something else entirely: a meditation on the enduring power and possibilities of storytelling -- Richard Miles * Financial Times *Holland writes with all the excitement and immediacy of the gossip-mongers of Rome . . . One senses that if Tom Holland were emperor for the day he would give the crowd not only the bread and circuses but a jolly good education too -- Daisy Dunn * Evening Standard *A richly panoramic picture of Rome in the first century AD -- Allan Massie * Literary Review *Holland's Tacitean vision of the dynasty of Augustus makes for a very compelling read * Times Literary Supplement *Holland is at the top of his game, blending deep scholarly skill with real literary talent -- Dan Jones * Evening Standard *Thrilling, thunderous prose, fully equal to that of the great days of Thermopylae and Salamis * Wall Street Journal *Holland is perhaps Britain's most engrossing historical storyteller. He has a rare gift of combining academic respectability with a great knack as a narrator * Catholic Herald *This is great material, and Holland does it justice with a chiseled prose style and an eye for the luminous detail.... Holland is a master of narrative history. On the strength of Dynasty, he deserves a laurel wreath * Washington Post *A vivid account of five Roman emperors, emphasizing their vices and vicious behavior with less attention to the vast empire, which continued to prosper despite them * Kirkus *Dynasty has Holland's usual novelistic ability to bring a narrative alive, together with his extraordinary command of ancient sources * New York Times Book Review *

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Book SynopsisFrom war with the British to the enslavement of Indians, Ivermee uncovers the dark history of France's doomed imperial project in South Asia.

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Book Synopsis The final instalment of N.A.M. Rodger''s definitive, authoritative trilogy on Britain''s naval historyAt the end of the French and Napoleonic wars, British sea-power was at its apogee. But by 1840, as one contemporary commentator put it, the Admiralty was full of intellects becalmed in the smoke of Trafalgar'. How the Royal Navy reformed and reinvigorated itself in the course of the nineteenth century is just one thread in this magnificent book, which refuses to accept standard assumptions and analyses.All the great actions are here, from Navarino in 1827 (won by a daringly disobedient Admiral Codrington) to Jutland, D-Day, the Battle of the Atlantic and the battles in the Pacific in 1944/45 in concert with the US Navy. The development and strategic significance of submarine and navy air forces is superbly described, as are the rapid evolution of ships (from classic Nelsonic type, to hybrid steam/sail ships, then armour-clad and the fully armoured Dreadnoughts and beyond) and weapons. The social history of officers and men and sometimes women always a key part of the author's work, is not neglected.Rodger sets all this in the essential context of politics and geo-strategy. The character and importance of leading admirals Beatty, Fisher, Cunningham is assessed, together with the roles of other less famous but no less consequential figures. Based on a lifetime's learning, it is the culmination of one of the most significant British historical works in recent decades.Naval specialists will find much that is new here, and will be invigorated by the originality of Rodger's judgements; but everyone who is interested in the one of the central threads in British history will find it rewarding.

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Book SynopsisStephen Greenblatt is Cogan University Professor of the Humanities at Harvard University. He is the author of fifteen books, including The Swerve: How the World Became Modern, which won the National Book Award and a Pulitzer Prize, as well as the New York Times bestseller Will in the World: How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare and the classic university text Renaissance Self-Fashioning. A prize-winning author and celebrated scholar, he has been studying, thinking and writing about Renaissance literature for his entire working life.Trade ReviewSuperbly readable... An exciting story, and Greenblatt tells it with his customary clarity and verve -- Robert Douglas-Fairhurst * Daily Telegraph *Superb history ... this concise, learned and fluently written book tells a remarkable story -- Charles Nicholl * Observer *Dazzling * Guardian *In this outstandingly constructed assessment of the birth of philosophical modernity, renowned Shakespeare scholar Greenblatt deftly transports reader to the dawn of the Renaissance...Readers from across the humanities will find this enthralling account irresistible * Library Journal *More wonderfully illuminating Renaissance history from a master scholar and historian (starred review) * Kirkus Reviews *

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Book SynopsisThe first authorized copy of this mysterious, much-speculated-upon, one-of-a-kind, centuries-old puzzleTrade Review“For the first time, a complete reproduction [of] The Voynich Manuscript, has been published, featuring essays exploring what is known about the book and extra-wide margins so readers can record their responses to its beguiling, beautiful strangeness.”—Nina MacLaughlin, Boston Globe“For people who like a good historical mystery, this first authorized publication of the fifteenth- or sixteenth-century Voynich Manuscript will fascinate.”—Rebecca Onion, Slate“Handsome and well-produced. . . This facsimile and the accompanying series of essays give a clear sense of the current state of knowledge on the manuscript and reveal the findings of new research.”—H. R. Woud Huysen, Times Literary Supplement“The Voynich MS has inspired generations of enthusiasts dedicated to deciphering it. . . . This beautiful facsimile will make it available for many more people to become enticed and entranced by it.”—David V. Barrett, Fortean Times“The Voynich Manuscript, a volume edited by the library’s curator Raymond Clemens, revivifies this tantalising artefact. . . . Wide margins are deliberately provided for readers’ notes on their own ideas. ‘Bonne chance!,’ writes Clemens. I’ll second that.”—Andrew Robinson, Nature“Perhaps studying these pages in the hope of unlocking secrets is to miss the point. It’s almost as though the book exists in order to make the inquiry into its existence possible.”—Jamie Martin, London Review of Books“As handsome a new book as you could own. This medieval beauty has it all: fold-out sections, delicate illustrations of plants, astrological charts, what look to be alchemical recipes. . . . But the main thing about it—the thing that makes publishing it so quixotic—is that it’s a book you can’t actually read. Nobody can.”—Sam Leith, Prospect“Sumptuous facsimile reproduction. . . . Jennifer Rampling’s judiciously skeptical essay . . . is a careful deconstruction of over-excited theories.”—Kathryn Murphy, Apollo“This new book, reproducing the entire Voynich Manuscript, is a godsend. While the essays offer valid clues to the manuscript’s age and relation to late medieval science, the manuscript itself stubbornly refuses to yield its secrets.”—Roger S. Wieck, Department of Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts, Morgan Library & Museum“A book worthy of its subject in every way. Clemens and his collaborators have done an extraordinary job teasing out some of the secrets and wonders of the enigmatic Voynich Manuscript in ways that will make this volume an invaluable resource for many years to come.”—Bruce Holsinger, author of A Burnable Book“Many hands have held Voynich’s now-eponymous book over the centuries . . . yet none of them have managed convincingly to solve its mysteries.”—Deborah Harkness, from the Introduction

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Book SynopsisThe greatest conflict of antiquity, the struggle for supremacy between Rome and Carthage.The struggle between Rome and Carthage in the Punic Wars was arguably the greatest and most desperate conflict of antiquity. The forces involved and the casualties suffered by both sides were far greater than in any wars fought before the modern era, while the eventual outcome had far-reaching consequences for the history of the Western World, namely the ascendancy of Rome. An epic of war and battle, this is also the story of famous generals and leaders: Hannibal, Fabius Maximus, Scipio Africanus, and his grandson Scipio Aemilianus, who would finally bring down the walls of Carthage.

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Book SynopsisThe battle to keep the nation fed during the Second World War was waged by an army of workers on the land and the resourcefulness of the housewives on the Kitchen Front. The rationing of food, clothing and other substances played a big part in making sure that everyone had a fair share of whatever was available.In this fascinating book, Katherine Knight looks at how experiences of rationing varied between rich and poor, town and country, and how ingenuous cooks often made a meal from poor ingredients. Charting the developments of the rationing programme throughout the war and afterwards, Spuds, Spam and Eating for Victory documents the use of substitutions for luxury ingredients not available, resulting in delicacies such as carrot jam and oatmeal sausages. The introduction of Spam in America in the forties led to this canned spiced pork and ham becoming an iconic symbol of the worse period of shortage in the twentieth century.Seventy years after the outbreak of the Second World War, this book listens to some of the people who were young during the conflict share their memories, both sad and funny, of what it was like to eat for Victory.

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Book SynopsisA brilliant appraisal of the Civil War and its long-term consequences, by an acclaimed historian.The political upheaval of the mid-seventeenth century has no parallel in English history. Other events have changed the occupancy and the powers of the throne, but the conflict of 1640-60 was more dramatic: the monarchy and the House of Lords were abolished, to be replaced by a republic and military rule.In this wonderfully readable account, Blair Worden explores the events of this period and their origins - the war between King and Parliament, the execution of Charles I, Cromwell''s rule and the Restoration - while aiming to reveal something more elusive: the motivations of contemporaries on both sides and the concerns of later generations.Trade ReviewWorden is a spellbinding writer ... he skewers the myriad shifting issues with precision, his every sentence commanding respect for his measured judgment and the marvellous suppleness of his language * DAILY EXPRESS *It is hard to imagine a better introduction to the subject * HISTORY TODAY *Straightforward, stimulating and a joy to read ... It makes you want to know more * LITERARY REVIEW *As an introduction to the English civil wars, Worden's book is peerless. Brief, though it is, it is a work of exceptionally large achievement * THE SPECTATOR *An exemplary piece of popular history... opening up perhaps the most important national story to the nation, passionately retold yet unadorned ... If you want to be informed about that unfortunate period of English history, Blair Worden's crisp 160-pager may well be the best place to start -- Nicholas Bagnal * SUNDAY TELEGRAPH *

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Book SynopsisFilthy Queens looks at the history of beer alongside some of the biggest events in the story of Ireland. We've been drinking beer for millennia, so it's the perfect way to see that the history of beer is intimately intertwined with the history of us.

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewKent Flannery and Joyce Marcus have done a remarkable job in synthesizing the two key disciplines of social anthropology and archaeology, and their book represents a significant advance in our understanding of the evolution of complex societies. -- Peter Turchin * Times Literary Supplement *This is a work of profound importance… [It] yields insights into a multitude of societies in the recent and prehistoric past… Flannery and Marcus’s magnum opus… [This] is a deeply impressive achievement. -- Steven Mithen * London Review of Books *Extraordinarily erudite… It would be an excellent addition to collections on the rise of civilization or on how to use the data gathered by cultural anthropologists and archaeologists to understand broad patterns of social change. Professionals in the field will also benefit from this tour de force by two of archaeology’s most provocative scholars. -- L. L. Johnson * Choice *This provocative work, likely to become an important contribution to the literature of social and political anthropology, will be of interest both to scholars in the field and to anthropology and archaeology enthusiasts seeking understanding of the development and perpetuation of inequality in human societies. -- Elizabeth Salt * Library Journal *The origin of inequality is one of the most basic questions about human societies. We all arose from egalitarian hunter/gatherer ancestors. Why, then, do almost all of us poor peasants now tolerate affluent leaders, whether they are democratically elected presidents or military dictators? In this clear, readable survey, the distinguished archaeologists Kent Flannery and Joyce Marcus extract the answers by comparing the histories of societies over the whole world for the last 10,000 years. This book will become the standard account of long-term political evolution. -- Jared Diamond, Professor of Geography, University of California, Los Angeles, and Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Guns, Germs, and Steel and CollapseBy carefully articulating and integrating archaeological and ethnographic data, Flannery and Marcus present a panoramic view of the development of particular cultures in various parts of the world. Moreover, in selecting case studies the authors have gone beyond the familiar examples so often cited in anthropology textbooks. The Creation of Inequality promises to be a landmark work. -- Robert L. Carneiro, Ph.D., Curator Emeritus and Professor Emeritus, Anthropology, Richard Gilder Graduate School at the American Museum of Natural HistoryFlannery and Marcus are two of the most distinguished anthropological archaeologists in the world. The Creation of Inequality distills two lifetimes of work on the origin and evolution of complex societies throughout the ancient world. This work brings much of this together in an eminently readable and fascinating way. -- Charles S. Stanish, Ph.D., Director, Cotsen Institute of Archaeology, and Professor, Department of Anthropology, University of California, Los Angeles

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Book SynopsisDynamic and meticulously researched, A History of Korea continues to be one of the leading introductory textbooks on Korean history. Assuming no prior knowledge, Hwang guides readers from early state formation and the dynastic eras to the modern experience in both North and South Korea. Structured around episodic accounts, each chapter begins by discussing a defining moment in Korean history in context, with an extensive examination of how the events and themes under consideration have been viewed up to the present day. By engaging with recurring themes such as collective identity, external influence, social hierarchy, family and gender, the author introduces the major historical events, patterns and debates that have shaped both North and South Korea over the past 1500 years.This textbook is essential reading for undergraduate and postgraduate students of Korean or Asian history. The first half of the book covers pre-20th century history, and the second half the modern era, makTrade ReviewUnique in its discussion of women and marginalized groups, it gives readers a much fuller understanding of Korean society throughout history. It offers historical depth and accuracy for university use while engaging readers with its episodic narrative. I recommend it for anyone who wants to learn more about Korea, past and present. * Jennifer Jung-Kim, University of California, Los Angeles, USA *Full of eye-catching episodes and illustrations, this is probably the most readable guide for anyone interested in learning Korean history from ancient to contemporary times. * Deokhyo Choi, The University of Sheffield, UK *Kyung Moon Hwang’s A History of Korea is the most reader-friendly guide for anyone who is interested in the historical changes of the Korean Peninsula. Hwang’s masterful selections of historical themes and episodes on Korean history from antiquity to the present are well organized in this book. An indispensable work for helping students and general readers understand one of the most dynamic countries in the world. * Seok-Won Lee, Rhodes College, USA *Table of ContentsList of Chronologies and Maps Brief Chronology Maps Acknowledgements Introduction Note on Romanization 1. Goguryeo and Ancient Korea 2. Queen Seondeok and Silla's Unification of Korea 3. The Unified Silla Kingdom 4. Founding of the Goryeo Dynasty 5. Religion and Regionalism in the Goryeo Order 6. The Mongol Overlord Period 7. Goryeo-Joseon Transition 8. Confucianism and the Family in the Early Joseon Era 9. The Great Invasions, 1592-1636 10. Ideology, Family, and Nationhood in the Mid-Joseon Era 11. Intellectual Opening in the Late Eighteenth Century 12. Popular Culture in the Late Joseon Era 13. Nineteenth-Century Unrest 14. 1894, A Fateful Year 15. The Great Korean Empire 16. The Japanese Takeover, 1904-1918 17. The Long 1920s 18. Nation, Culture, and Everyday Life in the Late Colonial Period 19. Wartime Mobilization, 1938-45 20. The Liberation Period, 1945-50 21. The Korean War^rth Korea 23. 1960s South Korea 24. Culture and Politics in 1970s South Korea 25. Monumental Life in North Korea 26. South Korean Democratization 27. South Korea in the 21st Century 28. Epilogue: Historical Reckoning in the Two Koreas, 2010-2020.- Further Readings Index.

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Book SynopsisTake a voyage through the rich history of passenger ships. From mass migration through to luxury holidays, passenger shipping has played a central role in the collective human story. They have been at the forefront of innovative technology, leading to vessels capable of greater speed and safety, new luxuries, and increased scale and size.From the earliest days of using ships to transport people, through the development of the giant passenger transportation industry, to the huge cruise ships we see today, this book provides a fascinating glimpse into some of the most important evolutions that had a significant impact on passenger shipping.Accompanied by captivating photographs, The Evolution of the Passenger Ship explores the way ships were shaped over time and how they in turn helped to shape the world around them.

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Book SynopsisOne of Esquire’s 20 Best Books of Fall • One of Time’s Most Anticipated Books of Fall“A deeply thought, rigorously researched, and riveting history of human butts. Radke knows exactly when to approach her subject with levity and when with gravity. A pitch perfect debut.” —Melissa Febos, bestselling author of Girlhood and Body Work Whether we love them or hate them, think they’re sexy, think they’re strange, consider them too big, too small, or anywhere in between, humans have a complicated relationship with butts. It is a body part unique to humans, critical to our evolution and survival, and yet it has come to signify so much more: sex, desire, comedy, shame. A woman’s butt, in particular, is forever being assessed, criticized, and objectified, from anxious self-examinations trying on jeans in department store dressing rooms to enduring crass remarks while walking down a street or high school hallways. But why? In Butts: A Backstory, reporter, essayist, and RadioLab contributing editor Heather Radke is determined to find out. Spanning nearly two centuries, this “whip-smart” (Publishers Weekly, starred review) cultural history takes us from the performance halls of 19th-century London to the aerobics studios of the 1980s, the music video set of Sir Mix-a-Lot’s “Baby Got Back” and the mountains of Arizona, where every year humans and horses race in a feat of gluteal endurance. Along the way, she meets evolutionary biologists who study how butts first developed; models whose measurements have defined jean sizing for millions of women; and the fitness gurus who created fads like “Buns of Steel.” She also examines the central importance of race through figures like Sarah Bartmann, once known as the “Venus Hottentot,” Josephine Baker, Jennifer Lopez, and other women of color whose butts have been idolized, envied, and despised. Part deep dive reportage, part personal journey, part cabinet of curiosities, Butts is an entertaining, illuminating, and thoughtful examination of why certain silhouettes come in and out of fashion—and how larger ideas about race, control, liberation, and power affect our most private feelings about ourselves and others.Trade Review"Engaging, personal. . . . don't be fooled by the cheeky peach emoji." —The New York Times Book Review "Winning, cheeky, and illuminating. . . . What appears initially as a folly with a look-at-this cover and title becomes, thanks to Radke's intelligence and curiosity, something much meatier, entertaining, and wise. . . . Radke is an eager, inventive reporter...[and] an engaging storyteller." —The Washington Post “This crackling cultural history melds scholarship and pop culture to arrive at a comprehensive taxonomy of the female bottom. … Radke leaves no stone unturned… Lively and thorough, Butts is the best kind of nonfiction—the kind that forces you to see something ordinary through completely new eyes.” —Esquire, Best Books of 2022 “Deeply reported and wildly entertaining… Radke takes readers through an absorbing cultural history that asks how this human body part came to be on the receiving end of so much attention.” —TIME, 100 Must-Read Books of 2022 “It is one of the most fascinating books I’ve ever read. I could go on and on and on about it. . . . It's astounding to me, the stuff that I learned." —Liberty Hardy, BookRiot's All the Books Podcast “Butts: A Backstory traces a complicated fascination from Empire-era spectacle to MTV. . . A contoured yet amply scaled study.” —Vanity Fair “An ambitious mash-up of pop culture, science, and history, this breakout debut from Radiolab reporter Radke tracks the evolution of attitudes toward women’s butts from the “Hottentot Venus” to Miley Cyrus. Along the way, Radke delves into eugenics, hip-hop aesthetics, the physiology of posteriors, and more. It adds up to one of the year’s most ingenious and eye-opening cultural studies.” —Publishers Weekly, Best Books of 2022 “By all rights, this could have been an asinine bathroom book, full of paper-thin factoids and cheeky humor, but Heather Radke has a brain that just won’t quit. A funny and studious storyteller, the Radiolab reporter leads us on an eye-opening journey that starts in Kenya 1.9 million years ago, where 'the first known hominid with a butt' enters the fossil record, and marches through centuries of changing art, fashion, and cultural norms to the modern era where the dreams of Sir Mix-a-Lot are finally being realized. But what is a butt, biologically speaking? And how did it become such a hot-button issue in conversations about race, gender, and class? The butt, as it turns out, occupies a prominent space in the human story even though, as Radke points out, we rarely get a good look at our own.” —The Philadelphia Inquirer “Fascinating and frank… [with] top- notch reportage, assured and respectful voice and invitation to butt-centric contemplation… [Radke] guides readers on an impressively well-researched tour of butts throughout history, beginning with a functional analysis (hominids and horses take center stage) and ultimately alighting in the present (twerking, social media and celebrity butts).” —BookPage (starred review) “Radke thoughtfully, and without judgment, addresses the complexities and contradictions that this body part evokes and delves into some surprising topics that may spark further curiosity in readers. Her captivating writing and witty approach to a taboo topic will appeal to a variety of nonfiction readers, particularly those interested in cultural history and gender studies. . . A fun, fascinating, and surprisingly empowering exploration of the history and cultural significance of the butt.” —Library Journal (starred review) “Whip-smart. . . Marked by Radke’s vivacious writing, candid self-reflections, and sophisticated cultural analyses, this is an essential study of ‘ideas and prejudices’ about the female body.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review) “Heather Radke’s social history of female butts promises to be a deeply researched and thoroughly fascinating look (ogle?) at a body part that has long captured the cultural imagination. Radke talks to evolutionary biologists, models, and fitness gurus, and dives into the history of the racist objectification of women like Sarah Baartmann and Josephine Baker in an effort to understand our complex relationship with the butt.” —LitHub “Delving into this history, Radke provides fresh insights into why butts hold such sway over society—and what that says about our relationships to race, class, gender, and power.” —TIME Magazine “How did butts become both sexualized and mythologized? Why do certain body types fall in and out of fashion? Who even makes those decisions? In this cheeky (sorry) nonfiction debut, Radiolab reporter Heather Radke examines society’s obsession with derrieres and how larger ideas about race, control, liberation, and power affect our most private feelings about ourselves and others.” —PureWow “Here comes a story on the evolution and sensationalization of, you guessed it, butts! Radke takes a deep dive into the most emphasized human body part, taking a look at its physical evolution in relation to survival, as well as the part it has played in popular culture throughout the years. And you know Sir Mix-a-Lot's name will come up a time or two.” —The Every Girl “Cheeky and entertaining.” —BookRiot “An ingenious cultural study.” —The Globe & Mail (Canada) “As women we have always been asked—been told—to lie about our bodies. Our culture subjects them to laws, myths, race bigotries, class pieties and sexual anxieties. With Butts: A Backstory, journalist and critic Heather Radke takes up these lies and takes them apart. The result is a bold and exuberant leap for womankind.” —Margo Jefferson, Pulitzer Prize-winning critic and author of Negroland and Constructing a Nervous System “Heather Radke’s Butts: A Backstory is rigorous, generous, and utterly compelling. The range of its research is thrillingly expansive—from the deep origins of twerk to the sleek silhouettes of Coco Chanel, from the 'mono-bum' of the Victorian bustle to the brilliant subversions of drag—allowing Radke a range of fascinating vantage points from which to explore the histories our bodies hold. With humor, intelligence, outrage, and compassion, Radke excavates the social and historical forces that haunt our most ordinary moments. This fiercely intelligent, frequently witty 'backstory' is a journey through centuries of history that will transform how you think about the butt, and—quite possibly—how you consider the value of exploring those parts of ourselves we don’t take seriously enough.” —Leslie Jamison, bestselling author of Make It Scream Make It Burn and The Empathy Exams “From the first, I have been delighted and deeply informed by Heather Radke's writing. She has a mind like no other. This book contributes not only a great deal to the complicated discussion around women's bodies, it illuminates what unites us all: being human.” —Hilton Als, Pulitzer Prize-winning critic and author of White Girls “Juicy and scholarly, Butts is a heck of a ride. At turns troubling, wild, painful, surprising and flat-out fun, Radke’s reporting unearths a set of largely overlooked historical figures with outsized effects on cultural evolutions, from the discovery of the first hominid butt, to the creation of the frightening statues Norm and Norma, to the gruesome tale behind the bustle, these gripping stories work together to elucidate the crushing web of cultural, commercial, and pseudoscientific forces shaping our very private senses of discomfort, envy, and belonging. Her book is teeming with rebels—drag queens and fat activists and twerkers—who flip supremacy the bird and offer another path through. Don’t let the cute cover fool you, inside is a serious feat of reporting and scholarship.” —Lulu Miller, bestselling author of Why Fish Don't Exist “A deeply thought, rigorously researched, and riveting history of human butts — Radke knows exactly when to approach her subject with levity and when with gravity. A pitch perfect debut.” —Melissa Febos, bestselling author of Girlhood and Body Work “Heather Radke takes a subject so familiar as to be practically invisible and trains a sharp reportorial eye on it, touring the reader through the centuries of cultural history that shape our feelings about what's filling out our jeans. She has amassed a trove of surprising and fascinating case studies, from bustles and the 'Hottentot Venus' to flappers, fit models, and Sir Mixalot. Butts is everything you want a piece of reportage to be: smart, creative, searching, deeply researched, political, and fun.” —Jordan Kisner, author of Thin Places"Engaging, personal. . . . don't be fooled by the cheeky peach emoji." —The New York Times Book Review "Winning, cheeky, and illuminating. . . . What appears initially as a folly with a look-at-this cover and title becomes, thanks to Radke's intelligence and curiosity, something much meatier, entertaining, and wise. . . . Radke is an eager, inventive reporter...[and] an engaging storyteller." —The Washington Post “This crackling cultural history melds scholarship and pop culture to arrive at a comprehensive taxonomy of the female bottom. … Radke leaves no stone unturned… Lively and thorough, Butts is the best kind of nonfiction—the kind that forces you to see something ordinary through completely new eyes.” —Esquire, Best Books of 2022 “Deeply reported and wildly entertaining… Radke takes readers through an absorbing cultural history that asks how this human body part came to be on the receiving end of so much attention.” —TIME, 100 Must-Read Books of 2022 “It is one of the most fascinating books I’ve ever read. I could go on and on and on about it. . . . It's astounding to me, the stuff that I learned." —Liberty Hardy, BookRiot's All the Books Podcast “Butts: A Backstory traces a complicated fascination from Empire-era spectacle to MTV. . . A contoured yet amply scaled study.” —Vanity Fair “An ambitious mash-up of pop culture, science, and history, this breakout debut from Radiolab reporter Radke tracks the evolution of attitudes toward women’s butts from the “Hottentot Venus” to Miley Cyrus. Along the way, Radke delves into eugenics, hip-hop aesthetics, the physiology of posteriors, and more. It adds up to one of the year’s most ingenious and eye-opening cultural studies.” —Publishers Weekly, Best Books of 2022 “By all rights, this could have been an asinine bathroom book, full of paper-thin factoids and cheeky humor, but Heather Radke has a brain that just won’t quit. A funny and studious storyteller, the Radiolab reporter leads us on an eye-opening journey that starts in Kenya 1.9 million years ago, where 'the first known hominid with a butt' enters the fossil record, and marches through centuries of changing art, fashion, and cultural norms to the modern era where the dreams of Sir Mix-a-Lot are finally being realized. But what is a butt, biologically speaking? And how did it become such a hot-button issue in conversations about race, gender, and class? The butt, as it turns out, occupies a prominent space in the human story even though, as Radke points out, we rarely get a good look at our own.” —The Philadelphia Inquirer “Fascinating and frank… [with] top- notch reportage, assured and respectful voice and invitation to butt-centric contemplation… [Radke] guides readers on an impressively well-researched tour of butts throughout history, beginning with a functional analysis (hominids and horses take center stage) and ultimately alighting in the present (twerking, social media and celebrity butts).” —BookPage (starred review) “Radke thoughtfully, and without judgment, addresses the complexities and contradictions that this body part evokes and delves into some surprising topics that may spark further curiosity in readers. Her captivating writing and witty approach to a taboo topic will appeal to a variety of nonfiction readers, particularly those interested in cultural history and gender studies. . . A fun, fascinating, and surprisingly empowering exploration of the history and cultural significance of the butt.” —Library Journal (starred review) “Whip-smart. . . Marked by Radke’s vivacious writing, candid self-reflections, and sophisticated cultural analyses, this is an essential study of ‘ideas and prejudices’ about the female body.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review) “Heather Radke’s social history of female butts promises to be a deeply researched and thoroughly fascinating look (ogle?) at a body part that has long captured the cultural imagination. Radke talks to evolutionary biologists, models, and fitness gurus, and dives into the history of the racist objectification of women like Sarah Baartmann and Josephine Baker in an effort to understand our complex relationship with the butt.” —LitHub “Delving into this history, Radke provides fresh insights into why butts hold such sway over society—and what that says about our relationships to race, class, gender, and power.” —TIME Magazine “How did butts become both sexualized and mythologized? Why do certain body types fall in and out of fashion? Who even makes those decisions? In this cheeky (sorry) nonfiction debut, Radiolab reporter Heather Radke examines society’s obsession with derrieres and how larger ideas about race, control, liberation, and power affect our most private feelings about ourselves and others.” —PureWow “Here comes a story on the evolution and sensationalization of, you guessed it, butts! Radke takes a deep dive into the most emphasized human body part, taking a look at its physical evolution in relation to survival, as well as the part it has played in popular culture throughout the years. And you know Sir Mix-a-Lot's name will come up a time or two.” —The Every Girl “Cheeky and entertaining.” —BookRiot “An ingenious cultural study.” —The Globe & Mail (Canada) “As women we have always been asked—been told—to lie about our bodies. Our culture subjects them to laws, myths, race bigotries, class pieties and sexual anxieties. With Butts: A Backstory, journalist and critic Heather Radke takes up these lies and takes them apart. The result is a bold and exuberant leap for womankind.” —Margo Jefferson, Pulitzer Prize-winning critic and author of Negroland and Constructing a Nervous System “Heather Radke’s Butts: A Backstory is rigorous, generous, and utterly compelling. The range of its research is thrillingly expansive—from the deep origins of twerk to the sleek silhouettes of Coco Chanel, from the 'mono-bum' of the Victorian bustle to the brilliant subversions of drag—allowing Radke a range of fascinating vantage points from which to explore the histories our bodies hold. With humor, intelligence, outrage, and compassion, Radke excavates the social and historical forces that haunt our most ordinary moments. This fiercely intelligent, frequently witty 'backstory' is a journey through centuries of history that will transform how you think about the butt, and—quite possibly—how you consider the value of exploring those parts of ourselves we don’t take seriously enough.” —Leslie Jamison, bestselling author of Make It Scream Make It Burn and The Empathy Exams “From the first, I have been delighted and deeply informed by Heather Radke's writing. She has a mind like no other. This book contributes not only a great deal to the complicated discussion around women's bodies, it illuminates what unites us all: being human.” —Hilton Als, Pulitzer Prize-winning critic and author of White Girls “Juicy and scholarly, Butts is a heck of a ride. At turns troubling, wild, painful, surprising and flat-out fun, Radke’s reporting unearths a set of largely overlooked historical figures with outsized effects on cultural evolutions, from the discovery of the first hominid butt, to the creation of the frightening statues Norm and Norma, to the gruesome tale behind the bustle, these gripping stories work together to elucidate the crushing web of cultural, commercial, and pseudoscientific forces shaping our very private senses of discomfort, envy, and belonging. Her book is teeming with rebels—drag queens and fat activists and twerkers—who flip supremacy the bird and offer another path through. Don’t let the cute cover fool you, inside is a serious feat of reporting and scholarship.” —Lulu Miller, bestselling author of Why Fish Don't Exist “A deeply thought, rigorously researched, and riveting history of human butts — Radke knows exactly when to approach her subject with levity and when with gravity. A pitch perfect debut.” —Melissa Febos, bestselling author of Girlhood and Body Work “Heather Radke takes a subject so familiar as to be practically invisible and trains a sharp reportorial eye on it, touring the reader through the centuries of cultural history that shape our feelings about what's filling out our jeans. She has amassed a trove of surprising and fascinating case studies, from bustles and the 'Hottentot Venus' to flappers, fit models, and Sir Mixalot. Butts is everything you want a piece of reportage to be: smart, creative, searching, deeply researched, political, and fun.” —Jordan Kisner, author of Thin Places

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Book SynopsisThe relationship between Jews and Muslims has been a flashpoint that affects stability in the Middle East and has consequences around the globe. This book challenges the standard media portrayal and presents an account of hope, opportunity, fear, and terror that have characterized these two people through the 1,400 years of their history.Trade Review"'... a nonstop barrage of compelling facts from a breathtakingly wide collection of archives, to build up an overwhelming portrait of a people's suffering.' (Dominic Lawson, Sunday Times) 'A valuable, balanced contribution.' (Iain Finlayson, The Times) 'Gilbert's scholarship is meticulous, his tone balanced, and he takes care to include painstaking details.' (Marina Benjamin, London Evening Standard) 'Gilbert fluently recounts the ups and downs of Jewish-Arab relations over the centuries.' (Adam LeBor, Literary Review) 'Gilbert's book is an illuminating and a moving account of the history of the Jews in Arab lands.' (Avi Shlaim, Financial Times) 'Hard-hitting and frequently harrowing' (Simon Griffith, Mail on Sunday)"

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Book SynopsisA history of the early medieval German Armies from the fragmentation of Charlemagne's Frankish Empire to the rise of the German, or Holy Roman Empire. This text looks in detail at the period of the Saxon wars and the Crusades including the rise of the Teutonic Knights. From the religious and political strife that rocked Germany in the early 11th century to civil war, campaigns in Italy and Henry IV's brief capture of Rome, and the successes of the Teutonic Knights and the Ministeriales - the serf-knights.Table of ContentsBackground · Chronological Table · Organisation · The Ministeriales · The Teutonic Knights · Campaigns · Further Reading · The Plates

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Book SynopsisTranslated with Notes by George Rawlinson. With an Introduction by Tom Griffith.Herodotus (c480-c425) is 'The Father of History' and his Histories are the first piece of Western historical writing. They are also the most entertaining. Why did Pheidippides run the 26 miles and 385 yards (or 42.195 kilometres) from Marathon to Athens? And what did he do when he got there? Was the Battle of Salamis fought between sausage-sellers? Which is the oldest language in the world? Why did Leonidas and his 300 Spartans spend the morning before the battle of Thermopylae combing their hair? Why did every Babylonian woman have to sit in the Temple of Aphrodite until a man threw a coin into her lap, and how long was she likely to sit there? And what is the best way to kill a crocodile? This wide-ranging history provides the answers to all these fascinating questions as well as providing many fascinating insights into the Ancient World.

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Book SynopsisA series of closely interrelated essays on game theory, this book deals with an area in which progress has been least satisfactory—the situations where there is a common interest as well as conflict between adversaries: negotiations, war and threats of war, criminal deterrence, extortion, tacit bargaining.Trade ReviewAgainst the backdrop of the nuclear arms race in the late 1950s, Thomas Schelling’s book The Strategy of Conflict set forth his vision of game theory as a unifying framework for the social sciences. Schelling showed that a party can strengthen its position by overtly worsening its own options, that the capability to retaliate can be more useful than the ability to resist an attack, and that uncertain retaliation is more credible and more efficient than certain retaliation. These insights have proven to be of great relevance for conflict resolution and efforts to avoid war. Schelling’s work prompted new developments in game theory and accelerated its use and application throughout the social sciences. Notably, his analysis of strategic commitments has explained a wide range of phenomena, from the competitive strategies of firms to the delegation of political decision power. -- The Royal Swedish Academy of SciencesIn eminently lucid and often charming language, Professor Schelling’s work opens to rational analysis a crucial field of politics, the international politics of threat, or as the current term goes, of deterrence. In this field, the author’s analysis goes beyond what has been done by earlier writers. It is the best, most incisive, and most stimulating book on the subject. * Annals of the American Academy *An important contribution to understanding the conduct of the ambiguous conflict between the communist bloc on the one hand and the United States and its Free World Allies on the other. * Journal of Politics *Table of ContentsI. Elements of a Theory of Strategy 1. The Retarded Science of International Strategy 2. An Essay on Bargaining 3. Bargaining, Communication, and Limited War II. A Reorientation of Game Theory 4. Toward a Theory of Interdependent Decision 5. Enforcement, Communication, and Strategic Moves 6. Game Theory and Experimental Research III. Strategy with a Random Ingredient 7. Randomization of Promises and Threats 8. The Threat That Leaves Something to Chance IV. Surprise Attack: A Study in Mutual Distrust 9. The Reciprocal Fear of Surprise Attack 10. Surprise Attack and Disarmament Appendices A. Nuclear Weapons and Limited War B. For the Abandonment of Symmetry in Game Theory C. Re-interpretation of a Solution Concept for "Noncooperative" Games Index

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“Peter Marshall has written a fine history of a momentous time as seen from the bottom up, drawing on a wide range of primary sources and his evident scholarship. . . . A riveting account of the losers as well, the English zealots and cynics who wanted a better world, or an unchanging one.”—The Economist“A balanced and judicious account of the English Reformation.”—Arnold Hunt, Times Literary Supplement“An eminently readable narrative that avoids flattening out irregularities in the story. . . . Marshall’s analysis, his control of documentary material and his imaginative maneuvers between the corridors of power and the streets and alehouses is impressive.”—Malcolm Gaskill, Financial Times“A profound book with a light touch—and all the more impressive in that the author is covering almost a century of intellectual, social, and religious history. . . . It will be a long time before the book is surpassed.”—Michael Coren, Globe and Mail“With pleasing dispatch Peter Marshall’s compelling new history of England’s Reformation sweeps all the historians down into the footnotes and just tells the story as he sees it. . . . This is the human story within the grand narrative, written with fluidity and warmth, its scholarship providing a firm foundation without being intrusive, its analysis thoughtful, not polemical.”—Lucy Wooding, Literary Review“The joy of Peter Marshall’s book is that it makes this most hackneyed of historical epics feel fresh and unexpected. More so than any historian of the period working today, Marshall is equally sensitive and perceptive in dealing with both Protestants and Catholics. . . . It is a much-told tale, but I don’t think it has ever been told with more humanity, balance, atmosphere, wit and learning. I wish I’d written it. Buy it, and make time to read it.”—Alec Ryrie, The Tablet“Marshall has a knowledge of the personalities and the detail and texture of events which few living scholars can match. He makes masterly use of the enormous range of quotable texts to bring to life the dilemmas that his characters faced.”—G. R. Evans, Church Times“Marshall’s account of this seemingly well-worn topic never seems stale or perfunctory. There is a sense of real people being affected by real issues, the distant hubbub of which can still just about be heard in the pages of this insightful and immersive book.”—Mark Jones, Albion“A tour de force that transforms our understanding of, what Marshall himself terms, ‘one of the best-known and most widely discussed epochs in English history’: the Reformation of the sixteenth century.”—Henry Jeffries, Irish Historical Studies“This is a superb narrative history of the English Reformation. . . . If you want a book that tells the story in a powerful, effective way, held together with an excellent thesis and illustrative anecdotes, this will serve you well. I foresee that this will become a standard text for those who teach the English Reformation.”—Norman Jones, Renaissance Quarterly“Outstanding work. . . . Aagrand, sweeping view of the Reformation’s impact in England, perhaps the first large scale revisiting of a people’s history approach to the religious upheaval of the Tudor period since Eamon Duffy’s The Stripping of the Altars.”—Chris Skidmore, Books of the Year 2017, BBC History“An outstanding study of one of the most eventful periods in English history. . . . This is historical scholarship at its accessible best.”—Rev. Dr. Martin Wellings, Methodist Recorder“Heretics and Believers provides readers with a wonderful opportunity to expand their historical horizons. Peter Marshall does an excellent job in tracing the antecedents of the English Reformation, profiling key figures and institutions and tracing the chronological development of attempts at reform (and opposition to it).”—Philip Scheepers, Vox Reformata“This is an utterly reliable history of the English Reformation, but it is also its imaginative biography, treating the story as a single narrative, watching its birth, its growth, its growing complexity. . . . Marshall is a historian’s historian, probing the close-up warp and weft of the period with admirable curiosity and archival expertise, but he also enjoys an enviably light touch for the general reader.”—Diarmaid MacCulloch, Ecclesiastical History“The book contains a massive amount of detail, and it is well written” —Fiction’s Fan Book ReviewsWINNER OF THE WOLFSON HISTORY PRIZE 2018 “A beautifully judged account of the English Reformation. Marshall weaves a single narrative through a contentious century without loss of detail or depth of understanding. Full of wise and humane analysis, this is ambitious in scope and brilliant in execution.”—Wolfson Prize Judges“A remarkable book that will, without doubt, become the definitive narrative of the English Reformation for years to come. Marshall writes with deep understanding and great panache, moving us masterfully beyond tired debates about whether the Reformation was ‘good’ or ‘bad’ and bringing his subject vividly to life.”—Christopher Marsh, author of Popular Religion in Sixteenth-Century England“A commanding re-interpretation of a deeply significant process of change: analytically subtle, thematically all-encompassing, and full of real people.”—Steven Gunn, author of Henry VII’s New Men and the Making of Tudor England“In a field crowded with exceptionally able histories, Heretics and Believers stands out as a treasure.”—Mark Noll, author of Protestantism: A Very Short Introduction“A magisterial, panoramic and compelling new account of a phenomenon that was never just a top-down, institutionalised and ordered act of state. Peter Marshall reveals how the English Reformation was nurtured within the religious beliefs, culture and polity that it profoundly transformed, and thereby recovers its momentousness.”—Mark Greengrass, author of Christendom Destroyed: Europe, 1517–1648

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Book SynopsisAlmost from the moment of its publication in 1863, Nikolai Chernyshevsky's novel, What Is to Be Done?, had a profound impact on the course of Russian literature and politics. The idealized image it offered of dedicated and self-sacrificing intellectuals transforming society by means of scientific knowledge served as a model of inspiration for...Trade ReviewNo work in modern literature, with the possible exception of Uncle Tom's Cabin, can compete with What Is to Be Done? in its effect on human lives and its power to make history. For Chernyshevsky's novel, far more than Marx's Capital, supplied the emotional dynamic that eventually went to make the Russian Revolution. * The Southern Review *In the Russian revolutionary movement, no literary work can compare in importance with Chernyshevsky's What Is to Be Done?.... Katz and Wagner have provided us with a version that is worthy of the novel's importance. Katz's translation is faithful to the original, yet cast in words that bring Chernyshevsky's meaning alive to modern readers.... Wagner, in turn, provides abundant notes, explaining obscure references, making connections between parts of the novel that could easily be missed on first reading, and alerting the reader to those many passages where Chernyshevksy hinted at what he could not say outright. * Russian History *

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Book SynopsisNow part of the HBO docuseries Exterminate All the Brutes, written and directed by Raoul Peck The 20th anniversary edition of a pioneering classic that explores the contexts in which history is produced—now with a new foreword by renowned scholar Hazel Carby   Placing the West’s failure to acknowledge the Haitian Revolution—the most successful slave revolt in history—alongside denials of the Holocaust and the debate over the Alamo, Michel-Rolph Trouillot offers a stunning meditation on how power operates in the making and recording of history. This modern classic resides at the intersection of history, anthropology, Caribbean, African-American, and post-colonial studies, and has become a staple in college classrooms around the country. In a new foreword, Hazel Carby explains the book’s enduring importance to these fields of study and introduces a new generation of readers to Trouillot’s brilliant analysis of

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Book SynopsisFrom the end of the Baroque age and the death of Bach in 1750 to the rise of Hitler in 1933, Germany was transformed from a poor relation among western nations into a dominant intellectual and cultural force more influential than France, Britain, Italy, Holland, and the United States. In the early decades of the 20th century, German artists, writers, philosophers, scientists, and engineers were leading their freshly-unified country to new and undreamed of heights, and by 1933, they had won more Nobel prizes than anyone else and more than the British and Americans combined. But this genius was cut down in its prime with the rise and subsequent fall of Adolf Hitler and his fascist Third Reich-a legacy of evil that has overshadowed the nation''s contributions ever since. Yet how did the Germans achieve their pre-eminence beginning in the mid-18th century? In this fascinating cultural history, Peter Watson goes back through time to explore the origins of the German genius, how it fTrade Review'[German] philosophy was more profound - to a fault. So was their music. Their scientists and engineers were clearly the best. Their soldiers were unmatched. It is, of course, the Nazis who have made it hard for us to appreciate what Peter Watson calls "the German genius." Goebbels spoiled the brand when he marketed Hitler as the apotheosis of German culture. Mr Watson, a British journalist and the author of several books of cultural history, would like us to leave the Nazis aside and appreciate that our modern world - at least the world of ideas - is largely a German creation. In effect, with "The German Genius" Mr Watson has given us a kind of Dictionary of German Biography... There were many German geniuses' International Herald Tribune 17/7 'Post-war perceptions of Germany tend to be coloured by an obsession with the Nazis. Nevertheless, German ideas and practices have been fundamental to the development of modern life in the West. For ill, of course, but more often for good than is now recognised, we could not have done without the Germans, and Watson's book is intended to subvert the negative German stereotypes. Though it checks in at just short of 1,000 pages, it is a usefully concise introduction to the principal themes and personalities of German scientific, philosophical, social, literary and artistic culture since 1750' The Times 'This intelligent book presents a breath-taking panorama. Let up hope that it succeeds in its aim and stimulates a deeper and wider engagement with the country of Kant, Beethoven, Einstein and Habermas' Christopher Clark, Sunday Times 12/9 'Peter Watson's colossal encyclopaedia, The German Genius, might have been written for me, but not only for me. A journalist of heroic industry, Watson is frustrated by the British ignorance of Germany, or rather by an expertise devoted exclusively to Adolf Hitler and the Holocaust. Watson wonders not just why the nation of thinkers and poets came to grief between 1933 and 1945 but also how it put itself together again and, in 1989, recreated most of the Wilhelmine state without plunging Europe into war or even breaking sweat. Watson has not simply written a survey of the German intellect from Goethe to Botho Strauss -- nothing so dilettantist. In the course of nearly 1,000 pages, he covers German idealism, porcelain, the symphony, Johann Joachim Winckelmann, telegraphy, homeopathy, strategy, Sanskrit, colour theory, the Nazarenes, universities, Hegel, jurisprudence, the conservation of energy, the Biedermeyer, entropy, fractals, dyestuffs, the PhD, heroin, automobiles, the unconscious, the cannon, the Altar of Pergamon, sociology, militarism, the waltz, anti-semitism, continental drift, quantum theory and serial music.' James Buchan, Guardian 9/10 'The outstanding quality of this book is that it places scientific discoveries at the core of cultural history, linking them with dramatic technical and industrial developments...Watson's account of the 'rise' assembles such a wealth of information, based on an impressive range of sources, that The German Genius will be an essential work of reference for years to come' Independent 15/10 'Like successive German ambassadors to the UK, Peter Watson has noticed that British perceptions of Germany are dominated almost exclusively by the Third Reich, the Second World War and the Holocaust... The era during which Germany led the world in philosophy, music, science, historical research, and, arguably, several branches of literature, was ended abruptly by Hitler, who sent most of Germany's lead minds into exile and thus hugely enriched the intellectual life of the Anglo-American countries... here we have an encyclopaedic survey in which every famous German artist or thinker, and many who should be more famous than they are, finds a place' Ritchie Robertson, TLS 1/10 'The reason Peter Watson gives for writing this long intellectual history of Germany since 1750 is a convincing one; that British obsession with Nazism has blinded many British people to the achievements of German culture... An introduction to other German history is welcome' Alexander Starritt, The Spectator 16/10

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Book SynopsisWhen was the last time you spoke to a stranger?In our cities, we barely acknowledge one another on public transport, even as rates of loneliness skyrocket. Online, we carefully curate who we interact with. In our politics, we are increasingly consumed by a fear of people we''ve never met. But what if strangers, long believed to be the cause of many of our problems, were actually the solution?In The Power of Strangers, Joe Keohane discovers the surprising benefits that come from talking to strangers, examining how even passing interactions can enhance empathy, happiness and cognitive development, ease loneliness and isolation, and root us in the world, deepening our sense of belonging. Warm, witty, erudite and profound, this deeply researched book will make you reconsider how you perceive and approach strangers, showing you how talking to strangers isn''t just not a way to live, it''s a way to survive.Trade Review'In a thrilling, immersive journey across time and continents, Keohane upends everything we thought we knew about the people we don't know' -- Will Storr, author of The Science of Storytelling'Keohane draws on an abundance of new research in social psychology which finds that connecting with strangers helps to dispel partisanship and categorical judgments, increase social solidarity and make us more interested in and hopeful about our lives' * Guardian *'There is a hint of Bill Bryson about the author Joe Keohane: he wears his knowledge lightly and his exuberant curiosity leads him to inform his readers of a vast array of random, intriguing facts - so once you start reading you may find that you don't want to stop' * Independent *Joe Keohane has changed my life. The very thought of talking to strangers has always given me mild nausea and stress sweats. But after reading this book, I've been converted. Joe has inspired me to push through the awkwardness and reap the benefits: A more open and curious mind, less loneliness and depression. This book is an important tool in rescuing our tribal, smartphone-obsessed world. If you see me on the street, please say hi so we can discuss it -- AJ Jacobs, author of The Year of Living Biblically'Rare is the book that delivers on the promise of a big answer to an even bigger question, but Joe Keohane's The Power of Strangers does just that. This lively, searching work makes the case that welcoming "others" isn't just the bedrock of civilization, it's the surest path to the best of what life has to offer' -- Ayad Akhtar, author of Homeland Elegies'This is one of those remarkable books you may not realize you're going to love (or need) until you're well into it. Is it a work of psychology, philosophy, anthropology, history, cultural studies, self-help? All of the above! The Power of Strangers is deeply and gamely researched, lucidly and engagingly written (as if by a pal), informative, thought-provoking, playful, useful and possibly life-changing. What a great way to start the post-pandemic' -- Kurt Andersen, author of Evil Geniuses'Reading this book is like taking a college course that becomes a cult favorite because the witty, enthusiastic professor makes the topic seem not only entertaining, but essential. Possibly life-changing ideas supported with extensive sociological research, lively storytelling, and contagious jollity' * Kirkus *'An eye-opening account blending sociology and self-help. After this enlightening and uplifting exploration, readers will undoubtedly view strangers in a different way' * Library Journal *'This perceptive and rather chatty offering considers the sociological research behind why human beings are so averse to making connections with strangers, and why it's so important to do so. Journalist Keohane is a good storyteller and great proponent of engaging with the unknown, extolling the informational, emotional, and psychological benefits of talking to new people. This authoritative, thoroughly entertaining read comes along just at the right time,and will help readers re-engage after their long quarantines' * Booklist *'The lesson (...) is that the easing of restrictions is not just a coveted opportunity to reconnect with those you love and resemble. It also restores a freedom, long taken for granted, even if a little used, to come to know the profoundly different' * Economist *

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Book Synopsis*A Waterstones Best Book of 2023**A BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week**A New York Times Editor's Pick*'Terrific' SARAH DUNANT'Lively and intriguing ... You'll never look at Renaissance portraits in the same way' MAGGIE O'FARRELL'Highlights a rich tapestry of female experience that encompasses everyone from artisans to aristocrats ...' THE TIMESThis is the story of the Renaissance, but not as you know it. Discover overlooked and silenced women from this extraordinary moment in history and how they forged opportunities for creativity, community and resistance. From the bedchamber to the court, they give us an intimate window into what life was really like - and hold a mirror up to our contemporary obsession with how we look.'A witty and engaging history of cosmetics and beauty ... lavishly illustrated and hugely entertaining' IRISH TIMES'A total eye-opener, I loved it' NUALA McGOVERN

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Book SynopsisLONGLISTED FOR THE 2020 CUNDILL HISTORY PRIZEValkyries: the female supernatural beings that choose who dies and who lives on the battlefield. They protect some, but guide spears, arrows and sword blades into the bodies of others. Viking myths about valkyries attempt to elevate the banality of war to make the pain and suffering, the lost limbs and deformities, the piles of lifeless bodies of young men, glorious and worthwhile. Rather than their death being futile, it is their destiny and good fortune, determined by divine beings. The women in these stories take full part in the power struggles and upheavals in their communities, for better or worse. Drawing on the latest historical and archaeological evidence, Valkyrie introduces readers to the dramatic and fascinating texts recorded in medieval Iceland, a culture able to imagine women in all kinds of roles carrying power, not just in this world, but pulling the strings in the other-world, too. In the pTrade Review[Friðriksdóttir] brilliantly manages to make the Vikings feel far closer to us than ever before ... 4 stars. * Mail on Sunday *Valkyrie includes Old Norse poetry alongside archaeological finds and painted runestones to show how the lived experiences of women in the Viking world were varied and fascinating. -- Janina Ramirez * The Guardian *Friðriksdóttir weaves a complex picture in which different kinds of evidence successfully illuminate each other to provide a rich and detailed picture ... This book is intelligent, engaging and well written, with many new insights. * BBC History Magazine *Valkyries have an obvious appeal, but the real women of the Viking age are more exciting. In Jóhanna Katrín Friðriksdóttir’s significant new history, they are brought engagingly to life. * Times Literary Supplement *[A] fascinating overview of women's roles in the Viking world, from infancy to death. It's a period of history that continues to grip the popular imagination, here brought evocatively to life through archaeological discoveries and contemporary sources, including emotive stories and verse. * History Revealed *Valkyrie's true colour comes from the Old Norse literature that underpins much of the analysis. The pages sparkle with tales of the fierce Valkyries and vengeful wives of poetic legend, the goddesses of Asgard and the women who feature in the Old Norse sagas... Yeild[s] new insights into the complex nature of the Viking Age. * Literary Review *This deep dive into the lives of the women of the Viking era is a fascinating one, combining as it does both the realities and mythology of the time ... Friðriksdóttir's investigation merges these two worlds brilliantly ... 4 stars. * All About History *The author’s dilemma, in this scholarly study, is to reconcile the larger-than-life legends of monstrous mothers and terrifying shield maidens with the more mundane and complex reality of daily life for Viking women from childhood to old age. -- Fiona Capp and Cameron Woodhead * Brisbane Times *Through an excellent insight into both the written, as well as archaeological sources the author weaves a clear picture of women’s lives from birth to death in the Viking Age. Valkyrie: The Women of the Viking World is a significant book. * Professor Jón Viðar Sigurðsson, University of Oslo *Jóhanna Katrín Friðriksdóttir, has crafted a compelling study of Viking Age female life courses using her expertise in written sources to provide the first such comprehensive overview in almost three decades. It is a welcome update, guaranteed to become an invaluable tool, both for students and others seeking an accessible overview of a complex field. ... Valkyrie contributes a weighty redress of this imbalance, providing an accessible, wide-ranging, and not least enjoyable platform for future scholarship into varied life courses and gendered ways of being. * Journal of British Studies *Authoritative and provocative, bang up-to-date, yet steeped in historical knowledge, JKF’s Valkyrie is indispensable for all Viking enthusiasts. Her lively style, profound knowledge and brilliant insights signal a stunning new voice in the debate about the Vikings. * Carolyne Larrington, Professor of Medieval European Literature, University of Oxford *This is the new standard work on women in the Viking Age – a lively, authoritative and staunchly feminist survey that combines both textual and material sources in a ground-breaking study of the female life-course. With this superb book, Jóhanna Katrín has put Viking scholars in her debt. * Neil Price, Professor of Archaeology, Uppsala University *What a wonderful book. For the first time readers can understand the importance of the Valkyries in the Viking Age and see the impact these mythical women had more broadly on culture and society in the early medieval world. The scholarship is excellent, interpretation thorough, yet the writing style is accessible. It's a pleasure to read and be plunged into a world of sagas, runes, myth and magic. * Dr Janina Ramirez FRSA, University of Oxford *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. Infancy and Childhood 2. Between Two Worlds: Teenage Girls 3. Adulthood 4. Pregnancy and Childbirth 5. Widows 6. Old Age and Death Epilogue

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Book Synopsis A World of Many Worlds is a search into the possibilities that may emerge from conversations between indigenous collectives and the study of science''s philosophical production. The contributors explore how divergent knowledges and practices make worlds. They work with difference and sameness, recursion, divergence, political ontology, cosmopolitics, and relations, using them as concepts, methods, and analytics to open up possibilities for a pluriverse: a cosmos composed through divergent political practices that do not need to become the same. Contributors. Mario Blaser, Alberto Corsín Jiménez, Déborah Danowski, Marisol de la Cadena, John Law, Marianne Lien, Isabelle Stengers, Marilyn Strathern, Helen Verran, Eduardo Viveiros de CastroTrade Review"The strength of this book is its presentation and varied discussion of the omission of all of the 'other-than-human-persons' who comprise the heterogeneity of cultures that form worlds beyond the Anthropocene. . . . This book provides excellent fodder for readers to reflexively consider their individual roles in the global knowledge-making process, the outcomes they create (and are creating), and the frames within which they dwell." -- Sally A. Applin * Journal of International and Global Studies *“A World of Many Worlds is a rich and welcome collection of essays that offers a complex and exploratory response to a timely problematic. Its statement is forthright and hallmark....” -- Mat Keel * AAG Review of Books *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments vii Introduction. Pluriverse: Proposals for a World of Many Worlds / Mario Blaser and Marisol de la Cadena 1 1. Opening Up Relations / Marilyn Strathern 23 2. Spiderweb Anthropologies: Ecologies, Infrastructures, Entanglements / Alberto Corsín Jiménez 53 3. The Challenge of Ontological Politics / Isabelle Stengers 83 4. The Politics of Working Cosmologies Together While Keeping Them Separate / Helen Verran 112 5. Denaturalizing Nature / John Law and Marianne Lien 131 6. Humans and Terrans in the Gaia War / Eduardo Viveiros de Castro and Deborah Danowski 172 Contributors 205 Index 209

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Book SynopsisThe Times' Best History Books of 2017Winner of the Gilder Lehrman Prize for Military HistoryWinner of the 2017 Caroline Bancroft History PrizeShortlisted for the Military History Magazine Book of the Year AwardNominated for the 2017 PEN Hessell-Tiltman'Extraordinary... Cozzens has stripped the myth from these stories, but he is such a superb writer that what remains is exquisite' The TimesAt the end of the Civil War, the American nation continued its expansion onto tribal lands, setting off a struggle that would last nearly three decades. Peter Cozzens chronicles the conflict from both sides in comprehensive and singularly intimate detail, bringing together a pageant of fascinating characters, including Custer, Sherman and Grant, as well as great native leaders such as Crazy Horse, Sitting Bull and Red Cloud. This is the tale of how the West was won... and lost.Trade ReviewExtraordinary... Few writers possess the descriptive talent that the immensity of the American west demands. * The Times *Peter Cozzens's sweeping, expert and appalling account of the murder of America's Indians * Spectator *A detailed recounting of random carnage, bodies burned, treaties broken and treachery let loose across the land. * New York Times *Truly epic and beautifully written * Tribune *Treachery on such an epic scale can bear many retellings, and this account stands out for its impressive detail and scope. * Washington Post *Cozzens does an exceptional job of examining the viewpoints of both sides, making heavy use of previously untapped primary sources... This is a timely and thorough book, presenting the story without hyperbole or histrionics. * New York Journal of Books *Peter Cozzens, one of our finest working historians, has taken on a massive chunk of Native American history and delivered it with power, style, and insight. He is above all a great storyteller. I have never read better, more concise, or more entertaining versions of the Little Bighorn story, Geronimo's wild run to glory, the Ute War, or Captain Jack's rebellion in the northwest. There is much wisdom here, and much good writing. -- S.C. Gwynne, author of EMPIRE OF THE SUMMER MOONMagnificent... This is a beautifully written work of understanding and compassion that will be a treasure for both general readers and specialists. -- Jay Freeman * Booklist (Starred review) *I've been waiting for an up-to-date, objective, and well-researched book on the Indian Wars, and Peter Cozzens' The Earth Is Weeping is all that and more - an elegantly written narrative of one of the great sagas in American history, and better than Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee. -- James Donovan, author of A TERRIBLE GLORYPeter Cozzens reminds us that tragedy, not melodrama, best characterizes the struggles for the American West...The Earth Is Weeping is the most lucid and reliable history of the Indian Wars in recent memory. -- Victor Davis Hanson, author of CARNAGE AND CULTUREIn sobering detail, Peter Cozzens has chronicled this dark chapter in our history. -- James M. McPherson, author of BATTLE CRY OF FREEDOMFor 25 years the United States Army and the native peoples of the West struggled for their destiny, and the region's, an oft-told story more tragic with each retelling. Peter Cozzens' The Earth is Weeping provides all that, and adds a missing perspective on the lives of ordinary people on both sides. -- William C. Davis, author of THREE ROADS TO THE ALAMOCozzens is an erudite storyteller, meticulous in his approach to documenting the west. * BBC History Magazine *

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Book SynopsisThe definitive modern biography of the great slave leader, military genius and revolutionary hero Toussaint LouvertureThe Haitian Revolution began in the French Caribbean colony of Saint-Domingue with a slave revolt in August 1791, and culminated a dozen years later in the proclamation of the world''s first independent black state. After the abolition of slavery in 1793, Toussaint Louverture, himself a former slave, became the leader of the colony''s black population, the commander of its republican army and eventually its governor. During the course of his extraordinary life he confronted some of the dominant forces of his age - slavery, settler colonialism, imperialism and racial hierarchy. Treacherously seized by Napoleon''s invading army in 1802, this charismatic figure ended his days, in Wordsworth''s phrase, ''the most unhappy man of men'', imprisoned in a fortress in France.Black Spartacus draws on a wealth of archival material, much of it overlooked by previous biographers, to follow every step of Louverture''s singular journey, from his triumphs against French, Spanish and British troops to his skilful regional diplomacy, his Machiavellian dealings with successive French colonial administrators and his bold promulgation of an autonomous Constitution. Sudhir Hazareesingh shows that Louverture developed his unique vision and leadership not solely in response to imported Enlightenment ideals and revolutionary events in Europe and the Americas, but through a hybrid heritage of fraternal slave organisations, Caribbean mysticism and African political traditions. Above all, Hazareesingh retrieves Louverture''s rousing voice and force of personality, making this the most engaging, as well as the most complete, biography to date.After his death in the French fortress, Louverture became a figure of legend, a beacon for slaves across the Atlantic and for generations of European republicans and progressive figures in the Americas. He inspired the anti-slavery campaigner Frederick Douglass, the most eminent nineteenth-century African-American; his emancipatory struggle was hailed by those who defied imperial and colonial rule well into the twentieth. In the modern era, his life informed the French poet Aimé Césaire''s seminal idea of négritude and has been celebrated in a remarkable range of plays, songs, novels and statues. Here, in all its drama, is the epic story of the world''s first black superhero.Trade ReviewThe art of biography lies in using a life story to bring a historical moment, as well as the society and culture that shaped it, alive and to make it legible. And in this, Hazareesingh succeeds admirably ... beautifully written and deeply engag­ing, connecting the many remarkable writings by and about Louverture in a symphonic narrative -- Laurent Dubois * American Historical Review *This is an erudite and elegant biography with a message that resonates strongly in our own time -- David Cannadineremarkable ... the sharpest portrait yet of Louverture ... Black Spartacus is a triumph. It takes a nearly impossibly complex history and weaves it into a compelling and accurate narrative that reads like fiction. -- Ben Horowitz * Financial Times *Black Spartacus is a tour de force: by far the most complete, authoritative and persuasive biography of Toussaint that we are likely to have for a long time...an extraordinarily gripping read. -- David A Bell * Guardian *There is no better literary contribution to the year of Black Lives Matter than Sudhir Hazareesingh's Black Spartacus, an authoritative biography of Toussaint Louverture, who led the successful "slave revolt" in Haiti and paved the way for Haitian independence. -- Vince Cable * New Statesman Books of the Year *an outstanding biography that breaks fresh ground and scrapes the crust of folklore, and cliché, from the Toussaint story ... scrupulous and absorbing ... After the summer of 2020, there could hardly be a more urgent and valuable book. -- Boyd Tonkin * Arts Desk *This thrilling, magisterial, superb biography, full of new material, tells the extraordinary swashbuckling, bloodspattered, inspirational life of Toussaint, brilliant leader of the Haitian slave revolt against France -- Simon Sebag Montefiore * Evening Standard *Lustrous pearls ... scattered throughout Black Spartacus, turn this detailed, blow-by-blow account of Toussaint's military exploits into a dazzling, complicated narrative ... a breath-taking picture of the decade of Toussaint's dream -- Amy Wilentz * Spectator *Sudhir Hazareesingh's engrossing new life is the story of an island as well as a man ... Hazareesingh brings to the task a voracious appetite for original sources and a discerning ear for those that have the ring of truth. He also has a gift for tracing those threads that reveal a previously unrecognised pattern in the fabric of a life. -- Nathan Perl-Rosenthal * Wall Street Journal *With Black Spartacus, Sudhir Hazareesingh has produced the fourth - and best - biography of Toussaint Louverture since the bicentenary of Haitian independence ... The book deftly tackles the early stages of the slave uprising and gives one of the most convincing accounts yet of Toussaint's likely role in its opening moves. -- Paul Clammer * History Today *This superb new history of Louverture and his legacy portrays Saint-Domingue as the most profitable slave colony the world had ever known ... with rare narrative verve, Hazareesingh conjures his subject's extraordinary life. -- Ian Thomson * The Observer *This is a balanced, yet sympathetic, biography which throws light on Toussaint's personality and acknowledges the importance of his political ideals ... Toussaint is now a global figure, a byword for Black empowerment, and as such he has become a hero for our times. -- Alan Forrest * Times Literary Supplement *Hazareesingh presents a deeply researched, energetic, and comprehensively reenvisioned study of the extraordinary life and still-growing influence of Haiti's liberator and founding father. -- Donna Seaman * Booklist *a timely study of Toussaint Louverture, hero of Haiti's slave revolt -- Clive Davis * The Times *This timely biography digs deeper into archival material to reveal Louverture's uniquely modern views. * Evening Standard *engaging ... a vivid portrait of a complex, captivating and sometimes contradictory leader. -- Carrie Gibson * Prospect *Based on meticulous research in the French archives, Hazareesingh's scholarship deserves the highest praise. -- Dominic Sandbrook * Sunday Times *Sudhir Hazareesingh's remarkable book is a sparkling example of the role history can play in society today and, in particular, the importance of shining a light on the often-overlooked experiences of the past. -- Paul RamsbottomSudhir Hazareesingh's account of what he dubs the "epic life" of Toussaint Louverture provides a meticulous biography of his subject and, at the same time, a comprehensive new introduction to the Haitian Revolution ... Black Spartacus is compellingly written and presents its rich source material, both historiographic and archival, with a welcome lightness of touch. ... the definitive English-language life of Louverture -- Charles Forsdick * Jacobin *Sudhir Hazareesingh's stellar, deeply engrossing Black Spartacus still thrums with great potential for our contemporary moment. [Toussaint] shines incandescent in Hazareesingh's tour de force, which has brought an immense amount of new material into the general public domain. The distinguished author, who is a fellow at Oxford's Balliol College, previously specialized in French intellectual and cultural history, and admits in his acknowledgements that he had "never ventured into the history of French colonialism in the Caribbean." But there's also an intriguing biographical element- his roots in the Indian ocean island of Mauritius - that has worked rather serendipitously. As far as this reader is concerned, it's that perspective which has wound up yielding the most original and penetrating insights in Black Spartacus. -- Vivek Menezes * Hindustan Times *This book weaves all these threads into a compelling narrative. Reality trumps fiction on every page. -- Francis Ghiles * ES Global *

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Book SynopsisWinner of the Pulitzer Prize for Non-FictionA devastating indictment' SUNDAY TIMESAn important book, a superb piece of reporting' OBSERVERWith great narrative verve, and a sober and subtle intelligence, she carries us deep behind the scenes of history-in-the-making' PHILIP GOUREVITCHWhy do leaders who vow never again' repeatedly fail to prevent genocide?In her award-winning modern classic, Samantha Power presents a deeply researched and powerfully argued answer to this haunting question. Disproving claims that successive American leaders were unaware of genocidal horrors occurring around the world, Power tells the stories of courageous individuals who risked their careers and lives in an effort to save others, revealing how policy makers and outsiders alike ignored chilling warnings and rationalised inaction. A riveting account, A Problem From Hell has forever reshaped debates about foreign policy, while inspiring a new generation to raise their voices in the face of contemporary injusTrade Review‘Fascinating. An important book, a superb piece of reporting which cumulatively grows into a major political work, part polemic, part moral philosophy.’ Observer ‘Deeply researched and trenchantly argued. A devastating indictment not just of the American foreign policy establishment but of the country’s entire political class, the media and even the wider public.’ Niall Ferguson, Sunday Times ‘Power is part of an inspiring generation of political thinkers who are academically brilliant but who also know how to write.’ David Hare, Books of the Year, Observer

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Examining nearly every aspect of Vietnamese politics and society, from the economy and family life, to religion and the plight of indigenous minorities, Hayton gives a balanced, intelligent account of a country whose history so differs from our own."—Justin Wintle, Financial Times "This is a cleverly pitched book, one that will appeal equally to a businessman or investor seeking a briefing on Vietnam, an old Asia hand, or an inquisitive backpacker."—Petroc Trelawny, Irish Times"[An] insightful book."—Leanda de Lisle, The Spectator". . . a shrewd and compelling analysis of the growth of capitalism…a very readable introduction to the recent history of Vietnam. It contrasts personal individual stories with the big picture and as a result illuminates both."—Beverley Pullen, Permanent Revolution"Bill Hayton’s Vietnam: Rising Dragon is welcome. . . . He writes with clarity and crispness. . . . Hayton is at his most valuable and incisive."—Paul Cheeseright, Asian Affairs"Hayton has a keen eye for the detail of everyday life as well as larger cultural, economic, social, and political currents. This book leaves one with the feeling of having been in the hands of an expert craftsman, and illuminates some of the major issues confronting contemporary Vietnam."—Carlyle A. Thayer, author of Vietnam People’s Army

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Book Synopsis2018 Edgar Award Finalist—Best Fact Crime“A thoroughly readable, thoroughly chilling account of a brilliant con man and his all-too vulnerable prey” (The Boston Globe)—the definitive story of preacher Jim Jones, who was responsible for the Jonestown Massacre, the largest murder-suicide in American history, by the New York Times bestselling author of Manson.In the 1950s, a young Indianapolis minister named Jim Jones preached a curious blend of the gospel and Marxism. His congregation was racially mixed, and he was a leader in the early civil rights movement. Eventually, Jones moved his church, Peoples Temple, to northern California, where he got involved in electoral politics and became a prominent Bay Area leader. But underneath the surface lurked a terrible darkness. In this riveting narrative, Jeff Guinn examines Jones’s life, from his early days as an idealistic minister to a secret life of extramarital affairs, drug use, and fraudulent faith healing, before the fateful decision to move almost a thousand of his followers to a settlement in the jungles of Guyana in South America. Guinn provides stunning new details of the events leading to the fatal day in November, 1978 when more than nine hundred people died—including almost three hundred infants and children—after being ordered to swallow a cyanide-laced drink. Guinn examined thousands of pages of FBI files on the case, including material released during the course of his research. He traveled to Jones’s Indiana hometown, where he spoke to people never previously interviewed, and uncovered fresh information from Jonestown survivors. He even visited the Jonestown site with the same pilot who flew there the day that Congressman Leo Ryan was murdered on Jones’s orders. The Road to Jonestown is “the most complete picture to date of this tragic saga, and of the man who engineered it…The result is a disturbing portrait of evil—and a compassionate memorial to those taken in by Jones’s malign charisma” (San Francisco Chronicle).Trade Review“I have to say that it is weird to find out the background of things that I grew up hearing about around the dinner table. The level of research and detail in The Road to Jonestown is the best ever, and really lets readers understand not only what happened, but how and why. This book tells the Jim Jones story better than anything I have read to date.” -- Jim Jones, Jr.“Jeff Guinn offers what might be the most complete picture to date of this tragic saga, and of the man who engineered it. . . . The result is a disturbing portrait of evil — and a compassionate memorial to those taken in by Jones’ malign charisma.” -- Kevin Canfield * The San Francisco Chronicle *"A thoroughly readable, thoroughly chilling account of a brilliant con man and his all-too vulnerable prey. . . . Generates a bizarre — dare I say Manson-like? — magnetic force that pulls the reader through its many pages. Noir thriller morphs into horror story." -- Dan Cryer * The Boston Globe *"Magisterial. . . . Guinn's exhaustive research, shrewd analysis, and engaging prose illuminate a monstrous yet tragic figure--and the motives of those who lost their souls to him." * Publishers Weekly *"A vivid, fascinating revisitation of a time and series of episodes fast receding into history even as their forgotten survivors still walk among us." * Kirkus Reviews (starred review) *"A powerful account of Jones's life. . . . Guinn's blow-by-blow account of Jonestown's final days in the book's last chapters is riveting." * BookPage *

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Book SynopsisThe Algerian War lasted from 1954 to 1962. It brought down six French governments, led to the collapse of the Fourth Republic, returned de Gaulle to power, and came close to provoking a civil war on French soil. More than a million Muslim Algerians died in the conflict and as many European settlers were driven into exile. Above all, the war was marked by an unholy marriage of revolutionary terror and repressive torture.Nearly a half century has passed since this savagely fought war ended in Algeria’s independence, and yet—as Alistair Horne argues in his new preface to his now-classic work of history—its repercussions continue to be felt not only in Algeria and France, but throughout the world. Indeed from today’s vantage point the Algerian War looks like a full-dress rehearsal for the sort of amorphous struggle that convulsed the Balkans in the 1990s and that now ravages the Middle East, from Beirut to Baghdad—struggles in which questions of religion, nationalism, imperialism, and terrorism take on a new and increasingly lethal intensity.A Savage War of Peace is the definitive history of the Algerian War, a book that brings that terrible and complicated struggle to life with intelligence, assurance, and unflagging momentum. It is essential reading for our own violent times as well as a lasting monument to the historian’s art.

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Book Synopsis''Beautiful, like a muddy journey through time . . . a really important book'' RAYNOR WINN, author of The Salt Path Lisa Woollett has spent her life combing beaches and mudlarking, collecting curious fragments of the past: from Roman tiles and Tudor thimbles, to Victorian buttons and plastic soldiers. In a series of walks from the Thames, out to the Kentish estuary and eventually to Cornwall, she traces the history of our rubbish and, through it, reveals the surprising story of our changing consumer culture.Timely and beautifully written, Rag and Bone shows what we can learn from what we''ve thrown away and urges us to think more about what we leave behind.Trade ReviewLisa Woollett's beautifully descriptive language intertwines the stories of the river's history with that of her family, like a muddy journey through time. But it's so much more than that - in recording the waste and the lives we've left behind she's given us a chance to change our ways and possibly head towards a cleaner future -- Raynor WinnWonderful . . . If you loved The Salt Path, you'll love this book. A glorious celebration of where the natural world meets the human (and the messes we make) -- Viv GroskopRag and Bone digs deep into the mud of the Thames estuary, and comes up with something compelling and urgent - history told through rubbish. Lisa Woollett is a genuine mudlark, alert and closely attuned to the ways of the intertidal zone. A fascinating book -- Philip MarsdenA delicious confection of a book, blending history and memoir with thoughts and close observation. I so enjoyed watching shadows of the past flit across Lisa Woollett's watery pages. It is a timely book, too, when, as Woollett writes, "our waste threatens to overwhelm us" -- Sara WheelerTracing the remote and recent past - her own, and ours - through watery debris, Lisa Woollett conjures up, in poetic prose and brilliant stories, the spin cycle of history. In Rag and Bone, she elegantly picks her way through the trash, to reveal something gloriously and richly strange: a portrait of what we were and what we might become -- Philip HoareMudlark and beachcomber Lisa Woollett journeys into her family's past, our collective history and our possible futures. Subtle, dark and funny, with flashes of beauty and wonder, Rag and Bone is a compelling meditation on the consumer culture and its consequences -- Caspar HendersonEntrancing -- Patrick GaleLisa Woollett spins narrative gold out of literal dross in this gorgeous story of our waterways that lulls you like a punt on the Cam before making you seasick at the damage we've wrought on the oceans * Evening Standard, Books to Read This Summer *Absorbing . . . Woollett has a gift for bringing to life the strange borderlands of the foreshore * Observer *Discursive, lyrical and intriguing . . . Woollett writes beautifully * Literary Review *Rag and Bone is more than a history in a hundred objects: it is a meditation on our relationship with objects themselves * Times Literary Supplement *[A] beguiling blend of memoir, nature writing and social history * The Bookseller, Editor's Choice *More than personal memoir, this is a powerful book that has much to say about the present and future state of our world * Countryfile *Woollett weaves the story of her own London family within the wider social history of recycling . . . the book is illustrated with photographs of her finds arranged in ways that often say as much as the words do about the subject matter * Caught by the River, Book of the Month *A constant delight . . . highly recommended * Eden Magazine *Accompanied by the fantastically beautiful photographs of her finds, Woollett . . . traces her own family history in poetic prose * Simple Things *[Woollett's] mudlarking (preferred tool: a butter knife) reveals no end of social history washed up on the shore and awaiting interpretation * Strong Words *Subtle, lyrical and funny * The Lady *

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Book SynopsisThe Italian Renaissance marked a period of political and military turmoil. Many regional wars were fought between the states ruled by Milan, Venice, Genoa, Florence, the Papacy, Siena and Naples. For more than 50 years starting in 1494, major foreign powers also exploited these divisions to invade Italy; both France and Spain made temporary alliances with city states to further their ambitions, and early in the 16th century the Emperor Charles V sent armies from his German realms to support the Spanish.These wars coincided with the growth of disciplined infantry carrying not only polearms and crossbows but also handguns which proved capable of challenging the previously dominant armoured knights. The widespread use of mercenaries ushered in the early development of the ''pike and shot'' era that succeeded the ''High Middle Ages''. During this period costumes, armour and weapons varied greatly due to their national origins and to the evolution of tactics and technology.Table of ContentsIntroduction The Italian States The Armies: Duchy of Milan Republic of Venice Republic of Florence The Papal States Kingdom of Naples France Spain Holy Roman Empire Select Bibliography Plate Commentaries Index

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Book SynopsisAs part of the Treaty of Paris, in which Great Britain recognized the new United States of America, Britain ceded the land that comprised the immense Northwest Territory, a wilderness empire northwest of the Ohio River containing the future states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. A Massachusetts minister named Manasseh Cutler was instrumental in opening this vast territory to veterans of the Revolutionary War and their families for settlement. Included in the Northwest Ordinance were three remarkable conditions: freedom of religion, free universal education, and most importantly, the prohibition of slavery. In 1788 the first band of pioneers set out from New England for the Northwest Territory under the leadership of Revolutionary War veteran General Rufus Putnam. They settled in what is now Marietta on the banks of the Ohio River. McCullough tells the story through five major characters: Cutler and Putnam; Cutler’s son Ephraim; and two other men, Trade Review"A tale of uplift, with the antislavery settlers embodying a vision of all that was best about American values and American ideals." * The New York Times Book Review Editor's Choice *“David McCullough has become perhaps our best-loved chronicler of America’s past. . . . The Pioneers is the account not just of one Ohio settlement but of myriad such places across America, where innumerable immigrants (as the settlers were known) came to make a fresh start in a strange land. It is a story as resonant today as ever.” -- Gerard Helferich * The Wall Street Journal *“McCullough is among the most thoughtful and thorough historians of the past two generations. . . . [A] great American mind.” -- John S. Gardner * The Guardian *"McCullough is a master of research along with being a wonderful storyteller. He takes the history of the area and turns what could be dry and dull into vibrant and compelling tales. . . . Lovers of history told well know that McCullough is one of the best writers of our past, and his latest will only add to his acclaim." -- Jeff Ayers * Associated Press *"To read The Pioneers is to understand that the settlement of the Northwest Territory was, in some ways, a second phase of the American Revolution – a messy experiment, touched by high ideals and bitter conflicts, that still resonates in ways we’re only beginning to grasp." -- Danny Heitman * Christian Science Monitor *“Like McCullough's other books, The Pioneers succeeds because of the author's strength as a storyteller. The book reads like a novel, with a cast of fascinating characters that the average reader isn't likely to know about. . . . A worthy addition to McCullough's impressive body of work.” -- Michael Schaub * NPR.org *"Readers will immediately recognize that storytelling is one of Mr. McCullough’s great literary strengths. He consistently produces engaging prose about a particular period of time, and makes history come alive." -- Michael Taube * The Washington Times *"A lively history of the Ohio River region in the years between the Revolution and the Civil War. . . . [McCullough's] narrative abounds with well-recognized figures in American history—John Quincy Adams, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Johnny Appleseed—while highlighting lesser-known players. . . . Vintage McCullough and a book that students of American history will find captivating." * Kirkus Reviews (starred review) *“In his usual revealing style, McCullough has crafted another dynamic volume of American history. With clarity and incisiveness, he details the experience of a brave and broad-minded band of people who crossed raging rivers, chopped down forests, plowed miles of land, suffered incalculable hardships and braved a lonely frontier to forge a new American ideal. They were indeed the pioneers." -- Dave Kindy * The Providence Journal *

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Book SynopsisHein de Haas, PhD, is Professor of Sociology at the University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands. He is a founding member and former director of the International Migration Institute (IMI) at the University of Oxford, United Kingdom, and now directs the IMI at its current home at the University of Amsterdam. Dr. de Haas is also Professor in migration and development at Maastricht University /United Nations UniversityMERIT. His research focuses on the linkages between migration and broader processes of social transformation and development in origin and destination countries.Stephen Castles, DPhil, was Honorary Professor of Sociology at the University of Sydney, Australia, before retiring in 2017, and served as the first director of the International Migration Institute at the University of Oxford, United Kingdom. His research has focused on international migration dynamics, global governance, migration and development, and migration trends in Africa, Asia, and EuroTrade ReviewThe Age of Migration offers the most comprehensive guide to understanding global migration patterns, both historically and in the present day, and the latest edition only confirms this assessment. Drawing expertly on the latest theories and evidence, the authors illuminate the causes of international migration as well as the consequences for the societies that send and receive the resulting flows of people. Their critical assessment of the policies by which nations attempt to manage these flows is a must-read for policy makers and the public alike. * Douglas S. Massey, Princeton University, USA *At a time when migration has become profoundly integral to social, economic and political change across the global stage, The Age of Migration gives us an incisive, state-of-the-art, yet accessible account of migratory processes and their implications for increasingly interconnected and diversifying societies. Updated with recent statistics and expanded to include forms of mobility linked to education, marriage, retirement and temporary labour migration, the sixth edition confirms its longstanding place on the book shelves of scholars and students of global migrations. * Brenda Yeoh, National University of Singapore *For scholars and students alike, The Age of Migration remains the most comprehensive guide to global mobility. The authors bring clarity to this complex phenomenon by addressing key theories and debates, regional patterns and histories, and emergent developments. The sixth edition, simply outstanding, updates this essential resource with new sections on emigration and migration governance, among others. * Kristin Surak, SOAS, UK *The latest edition of The Age of Migration provides an expanded and detailed assessment of global migration patterns within a comparative context. It provides a sophisticated account of how these patterns speak back to and are informed by theories of migration. This will make a great addition to scholars and students of migration. * Vince Marotta, Deakin University, Australia *Theoretically sophisticated and empirically wide-ranging, The Age of Migration keeps on getting better with each edition. With new, revised and updated chapters this is essentially a new book. Whether as core or background reading, using this textbook in your migration course is a no-brainer. * Maarten Vink, Maastricht University, the Netherlands *Migration is a transformative force. At a time when it seems that everybody has an opinion on international migration, The Age of Migration remains the go-to reference to learn about international migration in many of its aspects – it reliably informs and solidly sobers a field of knowledge that is often riddled with prejudice. The sixth edition combines consistency of argument with exposition of data that broadens beyond an exclusive Western-centric perspective and is more expansive on a variety of theoretical lenses woven through the chapters through which learning about and understanding of international migration can be approached. The Age of Migration occupies a central place in migration studies. * Christina Oelgemoller, Loughborough University, UK *By now a classic text on international migration, this sixth edition of The Age of Migration is the best so far. Understanding cross-border mobility is one of the major challenges of the 21st century, and this volume sets the gold standard for studies of migration across both the Western and the non-Western world. A must read for students, scholars, and policymakers alike. * Gerasimos Tsourapas, University of Birmingham, UK *The authors have updated the fifth edition to produce this definitive text on migration. New sections ensure that the book offers a rigorous and critical analysis of migration covering migration theories, patterns of migration, gender and migration and much more besides. Consequently, it will be useful to students, researchers and policymakers alike. The book challenges popular myths about migration, including that it is a peculiarity to the modern age, offering robust evidence to dispel such misconceptions. I strongly recommend The Age of Migration. * Ruth McAreavey, Newcastle University, UK *Table of Contents1. Introduction 2. Categories of Migration 3. Theories of Migration 4. Migration, Ethnicity and Identity 5. International Migration before 1945 6. Migration in Europe since 1945 7. Migration in the Americas 8. Migration in the Asia-Pacific Region 9. Migration in Africa and the Middle East 10. The State, Politics and Migration 11. The Evolution and Effectiveness of Migration Policies 12. Migrants and Minorities in the Labour Force 13. New Ethnic Minorities and Society 14. Migration and Development in Origin Societies 15. Conclusion: Global Migration Futures.

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Book Synopsis‘No freeman is to be taken or imprisoned, or dispossessed … except through the lawful judgment of his peers or through the law of the land.’ ‘To no one shall we sell, to no one shall we deny or delay right or justice.’ Magna Carta (or ‘Great Charter’ of English Liberties) is one of the most important documents in legal history. Originating as a peace treaty agreed between King John and a group of powerful barons at Runnymede near Windsor on 15 June 1215, it enshrined in law the concept of individual liberty and defined the role of the monarch towards the people. The charter was successively revised and reissued throughout the thirteenth century by England’s monarchs, and the ideas expressed in it had a profound influence, as seen in the United States Constitution and Bill of Rights. The Latin text of one version of this landmark document (the 1217 issue of Henry III) is transcribed here in full, together with a modern translation and an introduction which traces the background to the making of the charter and its subsequent revisions through the centuries. It also explains how this text has become an enduring symbol of freedom in Britain and throughout the world.

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Book Synopsis*** Shortlisted for the Orwell Prize*** In 1903 a Brahmin woman sailed from India to Guyana as a 'coolie', the name the British gave to the million indentured labourers they recruited for sugar plantations worldwide after slavery ended. The woman, who claimed no husband, was pregnant and travelling alone. A century later, her great-granddaughter embarks on a journey into the past, hoping to solve a mystery: what made her leave her country? And had she also left behind a man? Gaiutra Bahadur, an American journalist, pursues traces of her great-grandmother over three continents. She also excavates the repressed history of some quarter of a million female coolies. Disparaged as fallen, many were runaways, widows or outcasts, and many migrated alone. Coolie Woman chronicles their epic passage from Calcutta to the Caribbean, from departures akin either to kidnap or escape, through sea voyages rife with sexploitation, to new worlds where women were in short supply. When they exercised the power this gave them, some fell victim to the machete, in brutal attacks, often fatal, by men whom they spurned. Sex with overseers both empowered and imperiled other women, in equal measure.It also precipitated uprisings, as a struggle between Indian men and their women intersected with one between coolies and their overlords.Trade Review'With Coolie Woman, Bahadur lifts the veil of anonymity. She combines her journalistic eye for detail and story-telling gifts with probing questions, relentlessly pursuing leads to create a haunting portrait of the life of a subaltern. 'Can the subaltern speak?' the theorist Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak had asked rhetorically. Yes, she can. Through the story of Sheojari, Bahadur shows how.' * The Independent *'Coolie Woman: The Odyssey of Indenture is a genealogical page-turner interwoven with a compelling, radical history of empire told from the perspective of indentured women. The collective voice of the jehaji behen (ship sisters) has been barely audible across the centuries, until now ... Bahadur grants us rare imaginative access to the odyssey through the experience of women's stories she finds in the archives.' * The Guardian *'Gaiutra Bahadur has produced an intricate, thoroughly researched and beautifully written book that evokes the experience of emigrant Indians and their descendants.' * Times Literary Supplement *'In her remarkable book, Gaiutra Bahadur chronicles the extraordinary but neglected saga of indentured labour that evolved when the British began to replace slavery on their sugar plantations worldwide. But the book is more than this: it is also a highly personal account that traces the history of the author s maternal line to the present day. As Bahadur clambers down the generations, she provides the reader with a meticulous and lushly detailed family memoir. ...This is a fascinating story, which will have resonance for millions of others who are swept up and transformed by history and have to find a new way to create 'home'.' * Literary Review *' …an epic and remarkably revealing account of love, intrigue, betrayal, and murder on the sugar plantations … Bahadur has shed unexpected light on the origins of sexual violence in many a dislocated community.' * The Philadelphia Inquirer *'In this fine book, Gaiutra Bahadur probes the hidden world of these indentured women. … Bahadur' s research (conducted in Guyana, India, and the United Kingdom) is deep and meticulous in both primary and secondary literature, and the story is told with the novelist's practiced eye for the telling detail. Good history here is a good read as well. And along the way, we catch glimpses of the sordid world of servitude and suffering on the colonial plantations in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries across the world.' * The Journal of Asian Studies *'An astonishing document… both a historical rescue mission and a profound meditation on family and womanhood, Bahadur's Coolie Woman spans continents and centuries, the private and national, to bring to light the extraordinary lives of the author's great-grandmother and the other quarter of a million kuli women that came to the New World as indentured laborers. Bahadur's meticulous research and tireless perseverance have restored an important chapter in our histories — outstanding work.' * Junot Diaz, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao and This Is How You Lose Her *'I thought I knew something about slavery and forced labour, having written two books on the subject. And I thought I knew something about immigration to the New World. But Gaiutra Bahadur's book made me realise how the experience of a whole generation of women like her great-grandmother profoundly challenges the various stereotypes we have. This is a highly original combination of careful scholarship and well-told personal journey.' * Adam Hochschild, author of Bury the Chains: the British Struggle to Abolish Slavery *'With the exhilarating meticulousness of a period film, Coolie Woman recreates a vanished world and casts a personal searchlight on the saga of indenture. Gaiutra Bahadur rescues her great-grandmother Sujaria and other 'coolie' women from the archives by means of a narrative that is both scholarly and soulful. In detailing the bitter journeys of her forebears, in making their astonishing experiences real and sympathetic, and in registering the complexities of their lives -- not least the extent to which they made choices where one might have expected helplessness -- Bahadur honours their memories and shows herself their worthy descendant.' * Teju Cole, author of Open City *'Coolie Woman is an important, unmissable account. From colonialism to labour in India, immigrant narratives to the hidden lives of women, Ms Bahadur excavates a rich and unforgettable set of stories that will permanently change our view of the past.' * Business Standard *'At one level this is a family history, as the author…searches for her roots. At a deeper level, it explores the social history of indentured labour and the imperial policies by which it was governed… It is a colourful story, well told.' * Asian Affairs *'…a moving, foundational book, investigating the experience of indentured Indian women in the Caribbean. It is solidly researched and as such it reveals the difficulty of understanding the human lives concealed within documents. Bahadur delicately reconstructs these women's lives, seen only through a glass darkly, piecing them together with respect and even admiration. This is a book that will both be of great use to scholars and a compelling text for non-specialists.' * Women's Review of Books *'Bahadur's passion shines through … Its real success is to balance Bahadur's personal tale of discovery with the broader story of the 250,000 other “coolie women” who fled sometimes tricky personal circumstances in India only to find their new lives were another battle for survival.' * The National *

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Book SynopsisA mixed infantry formation made up of about 3,000 men armed with pikes, swords and handguns, the innovative and influential tercio or 'Spanish square' was the basic combat unit of the armies of Spain throughout much of the 16th and 17th centuries. Arguably the first permanent tactical formation seen in Europe since the Roman cohort, the tercio was the forerunner of modern formations such as the battalion and regiment. The variety of different weapons fielded in the tercio meant the Spanish infantry could resist opposing cavalry forces while overcoming every kind of enemy infantry deployed against them. Featuring full-colour artwork and photographs of rare items held at the Spanish Army Museum, this study covers the whole period during which the tercios were active, opening with the third Italian war between the forces of France and the Holy Roman Emperor and concluding with the final transformation of the Spanish tercios into regiments in 1704.Table of ContentsIntroduction /Antecedents of tercios in Gonzalo de Córdoba’s early 16th-century Italian campaigns /Ordinance of Geneva, and creation of first tercios by Emperor Charles V /Recruitment, training, organization and logistics – the ‘Spanish Road’ across Europe /Ranks and duties within a tercio /Morale and esprit de corps – the ‘Spanish Fury’ /Weapons, armour, clothing, flags /Tactics – use of weapons in combination /Evolution – orders of battle – naval tercios /Decline /Bibliography

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Book SynopsisIn a mist-shrouded valley on China''s invisible border with Tibet is a place known as the Kingdom of Women, where a small tribe called the Mosuo lives in a cluster of villages that have changed little in centuries. In a mist-shrouded valley on China''s invisible border with Tibet is a place known as the Kingdom of Women, where a small tribe called the Mosuo lives in a cluster of villages that have changed little in centuries. This is one of the last matrilineal societies on earth, where power lies in the hands of women. All decisions and rights related to money, property, land and the children born to them rest with the Mosuo women, who live completely independently of husbands, fathers and brothers, with the grandmother as the head of each family. A unique practice is also enshrined in Mosuo tradition--that of walking marriage, where women choose their own lovers from men within the tribe but are beholden to none.Trade ReviewA fascinating portrait of one of the world’s last matriarchal societies, a land without fathers or husbands, without marriage or divorce, written by an international corporate lawyer who ditched her hectic life to embrace this Shangri-La inside deepest China. -- Jan Wong, author of 'Beijing Confidential'A crisp account by a high-powered Singaporean lawyer of how she renounced her former life of fifteen-hour working days in a male-dominated corporate world to find her feminist soul in the last matriarchal ethnic group remaining in China. Full of insights and touching descriptions, this is one of the most accessible and concrete descriptions of the Mosuo, a group more analysed than understood, putting the humanity of this tribe at the forefront of their identity. -- Kerry Brown, author of 'CEO China and The New Emperors'A most engaging account of life among the matrilineal and matriarchal Mosuo tribe in China’s Yunnan province, but also a lament to a way of life now threatened by modernity and tourism. Full of detail and telling insights into gender roles, it will appeal to armchair travellers as well as to anthropologists and sociologists. -- Jonathan Fryer, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of LondonA refreshing and authentic portrait of a hidden society in patriarchal China. A must read for anyone studying women and alternative societies. -- HsiaoHung Pai, author of 'Scattered Sand'Table of ContentsList of Plates Acknowledgements Preface Prelude Map: Kingdom of Women 1. Arriving in the Kingdom of Women 2. Building a Mosuo Home 3. Going Native 4. Getting to Know the Mosuos 5. Becoming the Godmother 6. Hunting and Eating in Bygone Times 7. How the Mosuo Women Rock 8. The Men Rock Too 9. A Marriage That Is Not a Marriage 10. The Matrilineal Ties That Bind 11. The Birth-Death Room 12. On the Knife-Edge of Extinction Glossary

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Book SynopsisWhen the Soviets invaded Afghanistan in 1979, the forces of resistance were disparate and divided mujahideen groups, as interested in fighting each other and competing for Western arms as opposing the Russians. The exception was Ahmed Shah Massoud, the military strategist and political operator who solidified the resistance and undermined the Russian occupation by leading its members to a series of defensive victories. Sandy Gall was embedded with Massoud during Soviet offences and reported on the war in Afghanistan for a number of years. He has now written an illuminating biography of this charismatic guerrilla commander, which contains excerpts from the surviving volumes of Massoud's diaries. Massoud's prolific diary-keeping was little known during his lifetime, and his entries detail crucial moments in his life and throw fascinating light on his struggles, both in the resistance and in his personal life. Born into an ostensibly liberalising Afghanistan in the 1960s, Massoud ardently opposed communism and Mohammed Daoud, Afghanistan's puppet leader. He quickly rose to prominence and distinguished himself by coordinating the defence of the Panjshir Valley against repeated Soviet offensives. As the occupation wore on, Massoud became the resistance's unifying force. Massoud's assassination in 2001 presaged the attack on the Twin Towers just two days later and it is widely believed to have been ordered by Osama bin Laden. Forever the underdog in a life dominated by conflict, Massoud's attempts to build political consensus in Afghanistan were ultimately frustrated. Despite that, he is recognised today as a national hero.Trade Review"A new book drawing on... years of reporting from Afghanistan and Massoud's personal diaries."-- "Diplomat" "Ahmad Shah Massoud was one of the greatest military commanders of the 20th century and was instrumental in forcing the Soviets to retreat from Afghanistan in 1989. Yet, he is now barely known in the West. That will surely change as a result of Gall's authoritative, beautifully written and deeply reported biography of Massoud."--Peter Bergen, author of The Rise and Fall of Osama bin Laden "Gall's knowledge of the jihad is encyclopaedic. He was the first well-known journalist to make the dangerous journey into occupied Afghanistan and bring the human cost of this terrible war to our TV screens. To produce such a book at the age of 93 deserves admiration. . . .A strength of Gall's book is its detailed discussion of Pakistan's malign interference in Afghanistan, where the Taliban are their proxy force."--Matthew Leeming "Spectator" "I can think of no one better than the legendary foreign correspondent Sandy Gall to tell the compelling story of Ahmad Shah Massoud's extraordinary life and death. . . . Gall weaves analysis, first-hand reporting and primary sources into a brilliant and important book."--Jeremy Bowen "The unputdownable story of an authentic Afghan hero by one of the greatest chroniclers of modern Afghanistan's travails, and occasional triumphs."--Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles, former British Ambassador to Afghanistan, and British Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan "This book is essential reading for those who want an insider's understanding of the Afghan civil war."-- "Literary Review" "This is a remarkable book, both a coruscating memoir by Gall and a revealing insight into a guerrilla leader--one whose reputation ranks with the icons of revolutionary insurgency and whose thinking is here revealed in his own words."--Hew Strachan "When conceived several years ago, the book was planned as the largely admiring record of one of the great might-have-beens of history, and also-obliquely-as the last testament of the gallant Sandy Gall himself, who will be 94 in October. It remains both of those things, but the events of the past fortnight also give an urgency to the story."--Charles Moore "Telegraph" "With the West's own military venture in Afghanistan now unravelling, Gall's book serves two timely purposes. One is to retell Massoud's legendary campaign against the Soviets, which saw him dubbed 'the Afghan who won the Cold War'. The other, though, is to ask whether more Western support for him in the 1990s could have led to a better Afghanistan."--Colin Freeman "Telegraph" "Afghan Napoleon: The Life of Ahmad Shah Massoud by British journalist Sandy Gall, dedicated to Afghanistan's illustrious statesman, is a remarkable undertaking that delves into the multifaceted intricacies of a nation devastated by war and ruined by its adverse geography."-- "Eurasia Review" "Afghan Napoleon offers an overdue portrait of one of the most remarkable figures of the twentieth century. Napoleon tried to conquer the world; Massoud by contrast fought the world-scale Soviet empire to a stand still on behalf of his people from a tiny valley in Afghanistan. In this book we see, not just the daily nuts and bolts of his military genius but catch glimpses of the social graces and the warmth that made this man so beloved among his followers."--Tamim Ansary, author of The Invention of Yesterday: A 50,000-Year History of Human Culture, Conflict, and Connection

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Book SynopsisChristian Grataloup is a specialist in geohistorical research and Professor Emeritus at Paris Diderot University. He has written or contributed to numerous books and atlases about world history. Patrick Boucheron is a historian and professor at the College de France. He has been a member of the scientific committee of the popular French history magazine L'Histoire since 1999 and has written numerous books on global history and the history of the Middle Ages in particular. Legendes Cartography has produced the maps for the magazine L'Histoire as well as many atlases and textbooks for over two decades.Trade Review'Finally: a historical atlas for 21st-century readers!' - Le Monde'An accessible, informative volume … that invites one to explore [the] world with curiosity and agency' - Geographical'Remarkable' - Wanderlust'A very worthy addition to this history of cartographic literature and iconography … exceptionally useful and stimulating' - ARGO'Informative, meticulously researched, and endlessly fascinating' - The MirrorTable of ContentsForeword: Stories of space by Patrick Boucheron Introduction: Making an Atlas by Christian Grataloup Part 1: A Single Human Race, 3000 BCE Part 2: Worlds Unto Themselves Part 3: Resources of the Ancient World from the Neolithic to the 15th century Part 4: Peoples of the Ancient World up to the 7th century CE Part 5: The societies along the axis of the Ancient World Part 6: The world in the 15th century Part 7: A world interconnected by Europe 16th–18th century Part 8: Europe 16th–18th century Part 9: A world dominated by Europe: Late 18th century to 1914 Part 10: Non-European powers in the late 18th–19th century Part 11: Europe 1789–1914 Part 12: A world dominated by the West 1914–89 Part 13: The world since 1989: 1989–2019

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Book SynopsisFrom the arrival of Henry Tudor and his army, at Milford in 1485, to the death of the great Queen Elizabeth I in 1603, this was an astonishingly eventful and contradictory age. All the strands of Tudor life are gathered in a rich tapestry - London and the country, costumes, furniture and food, travel, medicine, sports and pastimes, grand tournaments and the great flowering of English drama, juxtaposed with the stultifying narrowness of peasant life, terrible roads, a vast underclass, the harsh treatment of heretics and traitors, and the misery of the Plague.Trade Review"- 'Mr Ridley has written a meticulous, sane and lucid book.' (The Freemasons) The Economist Review Feb 2000 - 'Masterly, rich, comprehensive, and consistently fair, intelligent and readable.' (Lord Palmerston)- Michael Foot, Evening Standard, London - '...scholarly, lucid and judicious..."Definitive" is a foolish word to apply to history but it will be a long time before we read a biography of Louis Napoleon and Eugenie which better deserves the appellation.'(Napoleon III & Eugenie) - Philip Ziegler, The Times

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