History Books

18986 products


  • Crecy

    Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Crecy

    3 in stock

    Book SynopsisLike Crécy itself, this book is a triumph and the tale it tells gives an old story new life.' BERNARD CORNWELL, bestselling author of The Last Kingdom series The battle of Crécy in 1346 is one of the most famous and widely studied military engagements in history. The repercussions of this battle were felt for hundreds of years, and the exploits of those fighting reached the status of legend. Yet cutting-edge research has shown that nearly everything that has been written about this dramatic event may be wrong.In this new study, Michael Livingston reveals how modern scholars have used archived manuscripts, satellite technologies and traditional fieldwork to help unlock what was arguably the battle's greatest secret: the location of the now quiet fields where so many thousands died. Crécy: Battle of Five Kings is a story of past and present. It is a new history of one of the most important battles of the Middle Ages: a compelling na

    3 in stock

    £13.49

  • Grand Duchess Anastasia

    Histria LLC Grand Duchess Anastasia

    1 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    1 in stock

    £20.21

  • The Pirate Menace

    Bloomsbury Publishing PLC The Pirate Menace

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisThis new account explores the most notorious pirates in history and how their rise and fall can be traced back to a single pirate haven, Nassau. Angus Konstam, one of the world''s leading pirate experts, has brought his 30 years of research to create the definitive book on the Golden Age of Piracy. Many of the privateers the British had used to prey on French and Spanish shipping during the War of the Spanish Succession turned to piracy. The pirates took over Nassau on the Bahamian island of New Providence and turned it into their own pirate haven, where shady merchants were happy to buy their plunder. It became the hub of a pirate network that included some of the most notorious pirates in history: Blackbeard, ''Calico Jack'' Rackam, Charles Vane and Bartholomew Roberts.The growth of piracy led to a major surge in attacks in the Caribbean and along North America's Atlantic seaboard. With the fragile maritime economy of the Americas threatened with collapse, m

    1 in stock

    £21.25

  • Coalition Armor vs Iraqi Forces

    Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Coalition Armor vs Iraqi Forces

    Out of stock

    Book SynopsisAn illustrated study of how coalition armor in Iraq in 200306 handled a unique multi-threat environment, from enemy armor to IEDs.On 20 March 2003, Coalition forces launched the invasion of Iraq on a massive scale. Their armored fighting vehicles (AFVs) faced an uncertain level of resistance, and soon had to overcome a wide range of enemy threats. These included tank vs tank clashes during the first days of the invasion (most famously at Basra and Mahmoudiyah), and subsequently the dangers posed by enemy rocket-propelled grenades, cannon fire, antitank guided missiles, and improvised explosive devices.This vital new study covers both the opening clashes between opposing AVFs and the tactics developed by Iraqi insurgents seeking to neutralize Coalition superiority. Featuring full color photos, battle scenes, weaponry, and tactical illustrations, it draws upon first-hand accounts and official post-battle analyses to examine how Coalition forces responded to the Table of ContentsIntroduction Chronology Design and Development Technical Specifications The Combatants The Strategic Situation Combat Statistics and Analysis Aftermath Bibliography Index

    Out of stock

    £13.49

  • The Union Army 186165 1

    Bloomsbury Publishing PLC The Union Army 186165 1

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisThis fully illustrated study investigates the uniforms and equipment of the US regular troops and volunteers from the territories fighting for the Union during the American Civil War.During the American Civil War, the United States Army, pitted against the forces of the fledgling Confederacy, fought to defend and preserve the Union during five long years of bitter conflict. This volume describes and illustrates the uniforms, insignia and personal equipment of the Union Army''s regular infantry, artillery, cavalry, and engineers, plus specialists such as US Sharpshooters, Veteran Reserve Corps, Medical Corps, and Signal Corps.This volume also covers the troops fielded by the Territories that fought for the Union. Eight plates of original artwork showing officers and enlisted men of the Union Army are complemented by previously unpublished photographs of soldiers and items of uniform from some of the most comprehensive collections in the United States.Table of ContentsIntroduction General Officers The General Staff and Staff Corps Infantry Artillery Dragoons, Mounted Riflemen, and Cavalry United States Colored Troops United States Sharpshooters The Invalid/Veteran Reserve Corps The Territories The United States Indian Home Guard The Medical Department and Related Services The Corps of Engineers Ordnance Sergeants and Enlisted Men The Military Telegraph Service The Signal Corps Select Bibliography Plate Commentaries Index

    2 in stock

    £11.69

  • Contemplating Sufism

    Wiley-Blackwell Contemplating Sufism

    Book Synopsis

    £39.06

  • Unbroken

    Greystone Books,Canada Unbroken

    1 in stock

    Book Synopsis"A remarkable life story. . . Angela Sterritt is a formidable storyteller and a passionate advocate."—Cherie Dimaline, author of The Marrow Thieves"Sterritt''s story is living proof of how courageous Indigenous women are."—Tanya Talaga, author of Seven Fallen Feathers and All Our RelationsUnbroken is an extraordinary work of memoir and investigative journalism focusing on missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, written by an award-winning Gitxsan journalist who survived life on the streets against all odds.As a Gitxsan teenager navigating life on the streets, Angela Sterritt wrote in her journal to help her survive and find her place in the world. Now an acclaimed journalist, she writes for major news outlets to push for justice and to light a path for Indigenous women, girls, and survivors. In her brilliant debut, Sterritt shares her memoir alongside investigative reportin

    1 in stock

    £12.34

  • A Hard Fought Ship

    US Naval Institute Press A Hard Fought Ship

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisHere is the exhaustive and exhilarating story of HMS _Venomous_, one of sixty-seven V&W destroyers built at the end of the Great War that were to play a key role in the struggle to keep the sea lanes open in the Atlantic, Home Waters and the Mediterranean during the following war. Her story was perhaps the most memorable of all her class. When war broke out she was to find herself in the front line as the German blitzkrieg swept across Europe in 1940 and the V&Ws made high speed dashes across the Channel to bring troops and civilians back from Calais, Boulogne and Dunkirk, and prepared for the expected invasion. Later that year she and her sister-ships escorted the Atlantic convoys which supplied our Russian allies with the weapons to halt the German advance. She returned to the Mediterranean and took part in Operation Pedestal to save Malta, and as the allies prepared for the landings in North Africa she was ordered to escort the destroyer depot ship, HMS _Hecla_ to the invasion b

    2 in stock

    £15.29

  • Stephen and Matildas Civil War

    Pen & Sword Books Ltd Stephen and Matildas Civil War

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisThe Anarchy was the first civil war in post-Conquest England, enduring throughout the reign of King Stephen between 1135 and 1154. It ultimately brought about the end of the Norman dynasty and the birth of the mighty Plantagenet kings. When Henry I died having lost his only legitimate son in a shipwreck, he had caused all of his barons to swear to recognize his daughter Matilda, widow of the Holy Roman Emperor, as his heir and remarried her to Geoffrey, Count of Anjou. When she was slow to move to England on her father's death, Henry's favourite nephew Stephen of Blois rushed to have himself crowned, much as Henry himself had done on the death of his brother William Rufus. Supported by his brother Henry, Bishop of Winchester, Stephen made a promising start, but Matilda would not give up her birthright and tried to hold the English barons to their oaths. The result was more than a decade of civil war that saw England split apart. Empress Matilda is often remembered as aloof and high-h

    1 in stock

    £13.49

  • The Roman Army of the Middle Empire AD 180284

    Pen & Sword Books Ltd The Roman Army of the Middle Empire AD 180284

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisDuring the Middle Empire period (AD 180-284) the Roman army had to face the terrible Third Century Crisis', wherein a combination of socio-economic problems and new external threats threatened the Empire with complete collapse. Several provinces became temporarily independent from the central government of Rome, while others were frequently raided by foreign invaders. The Roman army had to fight with all its resources in order to reconquer a good portion of the Empire and preserve its unity. The Romans were forced to modernize and reform their forces to face the new challenges posed by a multitude of warlike enemies, such as the Persians in the Middle East or the Germanic Peoples in Central Europe. The previous military system based on the power of the legions' heavy infantry was completely revised, with the introduction of new organizational patterns. Cavalry became much more important than before, together with light troops specialized in skirmishing. The personal equipment of the Ro

    2 in stock

    £21.25

  • Exploring the Lives of Victorian Prostitutes

    Pen & Sword Books Ltd Exploring the Lives of Victorian Prostitutes

    Out of stock

    Book SynopsisAs dangerous as if she stood on the corner of the street exploding gunpowder.This was the view of Miles', a correspondent in the _Bedfordshire Mercury_, writing about the dangerousness of prostitutes in 1874. They were considered a scourge by the Victorians; a menace to society and a threat to the moral and physical wellbeing of a nation. Carrying disease, committing crime, corrupting others; prostitutes were the most feared social evil'. These women were the focus of controlling and invasive legislation, designed to clear the streets. They were imprisoned and removed from their friends and family. They were scorned and shamed and deemed worthless by much of society. The contemporary view of prostitution in the nineteenth century is coloured by years of Ripperology, a grim fascination with the lives of a few mutilated women living in London. However, prostitutes were far more than caricatures of sinners or inevitable victims and lived in every other part of England too. Searching thr

    Out of stock

    £26.52

  • The Basque WitchHunt

    Bloomsbury Publishing PLC The Basque WitchHunt

    Book SynopsisJan Machielsen is a historian at Cardiff University, UK, with an interest in witches, demons, and saints. His previous publications include The War on Witchcraft (2021) and The Science of Demons (2020).

    £22.50

  • The Sword of Rome

    Pen & Sword Books Ltd The Sword of Rome

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisMarcellus military exploits were largely unmatched by any other aristocrat of Roman Middle Republic. As a young soldier in the First Punic War, he won a reputation for his skill in single combat. In his first consulship, he earned a triumph for defeating a Gallic tribe, no small feat in and of itself, and also slew the Gallic chieftain Britomartus in single combat. Consequently, he earned the spolia opima, an honor, according to Roman antiquarians, that had only been earned twice before, once by Romulus himself. He went on to defeat the hitherto-invincible Hannibal in a small battle around the central Italian city of Nola, and subsequently led an army to subdue and plunder the powerful city of Syracuse in an epic 2 year siege (despite the ingenius defensive measures of the inventor Archimedes). Yet, despite his undeniable success as a warrior and commander, Marcellus met with considerable political opposition at Rome. Marcellus career not only makes exciting reading, but gives an excel

    2 in stock

    £13.49

  • The World of Fallout

    Taylor & Francis Ltd The World of Fallout

    1 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    1 in stock

    £23.40

  • Anna Zieglerin and the Lion's Blood: Alchemy and

    University of Pennsylvania Press Anna Zieglerin and the Lion's Blood: Alchemy and

    Book SynopsisIn 1573, the alchemist Anna Zieglerin gave her patron, the Duke of Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel, the recipe for an extraordinary substance she called the lion's blood. She claimed that this golden oil could stimulate the growth of plants, create gemstones, transform lead into the coveted philosophers' stone—and would serve a critical role in preparing for the Last Days. Boldly envisioning herself as a Protestant Virgin Mary, Anna proposed that the lion's blood, paired with her own body, could even generate life, repopulating and redeeming the corrupt world in its final moments. In Anna Zieglerin and the Lion's Blood, Tara Nummedal reconstructs the extraordinary career and historical afterlife of alchemist, courtier, and prophet Anna Zieglerin. She situates Anna's story within the wider frameworks of Reformation Germany's religious, political, and military battles; the rising influence of alchemy; the role of apocalyptic eschatology; and the position of women within these contexts. Together with her husband, the jester Heinrich Schombach, and their companion and fellow alchemist Philipp Sommering, Anna promised her patrons at the court of Wolfenbüttel spiritual salvation and material profit. But her compelling vision brought with it another, darker possibility: rather than granting her patrons wealth or redemption, Anna's alchemical gifts might instead lead to war, disgrace, and destruction. By 1575, three years after Anna's arrival at court, her enemies had succeeded in turning her from holy alchemist into poisoner and sorceress, culminating in Anna's arrest, torture, and public execution. In her own life, Anna was a master of self-fashioning; in the centuries since her death, her story has been continually refashioned, making her a fitting emblem for each new age. Interweaving the history of science, gender, religion, and politics, Nummedal recounts how one resourceful woman's alchemical schemes touched some of the most consequential matters in Reformation Germany.Trade Review"This is a major feat of historical revision for a subject that has too long been the object of mockery and scorn . . . Tara Nummedal's new microhistory demonstrates with scholarly acumen and stylistic élan just how wrong assumptions [about alchemy] are. In a dazzling work of cultural imagination, she eschews all the 'turning lead into gold' nonsense and quickly gets to the conceptual heart of who alchemists were, what they actually believed, and what roles they played in early modern society. Building on deep archival work and sophisticated argumentation, she fashions a truly engaging and revealing microhistory focused on the tragic story of one sixteenth-century practitioner, Anna Zieglerin."" * Preternature *"[A] gripping microhistory that situates alchemy within the histories of imperial politics, Reformation culture, Renaissance self-fashioning, courtly patronage, gender, the body, and sixteenth-century eschatology...With its intriguing storytelling, Anna Zieglerin and the Lion’s Blood is particularly attractive for scholars and students new to the complexities of early modern alchemy. Nummedal maintains a light touch, weaving discussions of sixteenth-century science, magic, religion, and imperial politics into what remains an enthralling tale throughout. She is to be commended for producing a book that does so much to highlight alchemy’s connections to a broad range of Reformation-era developments and that has a chance to bring its history to a wider audience." * Renaissance and Reformation *"Captivating and creative from the earliest pages...Nummedal has skillfully interwoven the history of science and religion, as well as political, social, gender, and court histories via an insightful look into the alchemical theories and practices of the age...[An] erudite and well-written study. Nummedal has produced a fun page-turner and the reader—whether a scholar of any aspect of early modern history or a general reader interested in good stories and good histories—will benefit from this wonderful presentation of alchemy and political intrigue in the courts of the Holy Roman Empire." * The Journal of Modern History *"In this masterful study, Tara Nummedal exposes a previously vilified figure of local German history to sympathetic new scrutiny and in the process, opens a window onto the fantastic worldview of her subject…By employing archival and manuscript evidence along with the older historiography, Nummedal manages to piece together the fascinating story." * American Historical Review *"In Alchemy and Authority, Nummedal made clear how alchemy was deeply integrated into early modern economics and court culture. In this latest effort, Nummedal has accomplished the same goal except on a vastly more ambitious scale, bringing the relevance of alchemy into the politics, religion, diplomacy, court culture, and gender roles of the Holy Roman Empire in the sixteenth century . . . Anna Zieglerin and the Lion's Blood is a remarkable historiographical study . . . In short, Nummedal has contributed a stunning achievement that ideally will reach a wide and diverse audience far beyond historians of science." * Ambix *"[A]an entertaining book, with long stretches reading like a thriller…Anna Zieglerin lived her existence as an alchemist so authentically, was so dedicated body and soul to the matter that not only the substances but also she herself became a victim of the flames. The fact that she is now transmuted into a book and can live on in this way is a testament to Nummedal’s achievement." * Annals of Science *"Anna Zieglerin and the Lion's Blood is perfect for historians and general readers alike. It is written in a vivid and accessible language, and by adopting a nonjudgmental style of reporting Nummedal decisively differs from her predecessors: she refuses to make value judgments about Anna's wondrous and outrageous claims and brand the alchemist a simple charlatan. Instead, she presents the story of a complex and tragic individual, who came up with a unique theory of heavenly alchemy." * Magic, Ritual, and Witchcraft *"Drawing upon diverse sources, Nummedal situates Anna and her alchemy within the social contexts of gender, religion, and politics in Reformation Germany to weave an impressive historical narrative of a woman attempting to understand the natural world and her place within it...Nummedal succeeds in reframing Anna Zieglerin as a woman with agency who intentionally fashioned herself into a courtly alchemist within strict early modern European gender boundaries. Nummedal’s Anna is a lens through which the twentyfirst-century reader can view the history of alchemy and its relationship to Christianity, the body, and politics." * Isis *"Nummedal’s analysis offers particular insights into the history of women’s bodies, the intersections between natural knowledge and politics, and the relationship between self-fashioning and fantasy...The book is meticulously researched and displays the author’s talents for archival sleuthing (which were already known from her first book). Beyond this, it is eminently readable and takes what is strange, foreign, and ripe for misunderstanding, making it comprehensible and relatable." * Journal of the History of Medicine *"The book is superbly written and clearly contextualized, and thus easily accessible even to non-experts. However, more experienced scholars will also benefit from this elegant study. All in all, Anna Zieglerin and the Lion’s Blood adds considerably to our understanding of the complexity of sixteenth-century religiosity, which was easily able to accommodate alchemical practices...Because of the ways in which it considers the religious implications of alchemical practice, Nummedal’s study is a worthwhile read not only for historians of science but also for Church historians and religious scholars." * Renaissance Quarterly *"Anna Zieglerin and the Lion's Blood is as gripping as a good novel yet so much more than merely an interesting yarn. Tara Nummedal is completely conversant with the milieu in which she locates her story and is very adept in fitting this episode into the broader narratives of sixteenth-century religion, science, and court life." * Philip Soergel, University of Maryland *"Anna Zieglerin and the Lion's Blood is at once a story of one particular woman and a broader discourse on gender and the body, the history of alchemy, the central role of apocalyptic thinking in early modern Germany, and, most interestingly, the nature of historical truth. A remarkable story, expertly told." * Alisha Rankin, Tufts University *Table of ContentsCast of Characters A Note on Names Introduction. A Witch's Chair? Chapter 1. The Shadow of Gotha Chapter 2. The Road to Wolfenbüttel Chapter 3. Courting Julius and Hedwig Chapter 4. The Lion's Blood Chapter 5. A New Virgin Mary Chapter 6. Unraveling Chapter 7. Toad Poison and Other Fictions Conclusion. Afterlives Chronology of Events Notes Bibliography Index Acknowledgments

    £19.79

  • The New Cambridge History of Japan Volume 2 Early

    Cambridge University Press The New Cambridge History of Japan Volume 2 Early

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisVolume II in this major new reference series brings together leading international scholars to present an expansive global vision of the latest research into Japanese history from the seventeenth to the nineteenth century.Table of ContentsIntroduction: Genealogies of Japanese early modernity David L. Howell; Part I. The Character of the Early Modern State: 1. The end of civil war and the formation of the early modern state in Japan Morgan Pitelka; 2. Politics and political thought in the mature early modern state in Japan, 1650–1830 Kiri Paramore; 3. Regional authority during the Tokugawa period David L. Howell; 4. Tokugawa philosophy: a socio-historical introduction Federico Marcon; 5. Foreign relations and coastal defense under the mature Tokugawa regime Robert Hellyer; 6. The Meiji restoration Mark Ravina; Part II. Economy, Environment and Technology: 7. International economy and Japan at the dawn of the early modern era Adam Clulow; 8. The Tokugawa economy: of rulers, producers and consumers Bettina Gramlich-Oka and Komuro Masamichi; 9. The pacific context of Japan's environmental history Brett L. Walker; 10. Scientific communities and the emergence of science in early modern Japan Yulia Frumer; 11. The problem of western knowledge in late Tokugawa Japan Hansun Hsiung; 12. Technology, military reform and warfare in the Tokugawa–Meiji transition D. Colin Jaundrill; Part III. Social Practices and Cultures of Early Modern Japan: 13. Religion in the Tokugawa period Mark Teeuwen; 14. The medical revolution in early modern Japan Susan L. Burns; 15. Flows of people and things in early modern Japan: print culture Laura Nenzi; 16. Labor and migration in Tokugawa Japan: moving people Amy Stanley; 17. The Tokugawa status order Maren Ehlers; 18. On the peripheries of the Japanese archipelago: Ryukyu and Hokkaido David L. Howell; 19. The early modern city in Japan Thomas Gaubatz; 20. Popular movements in early modern Japan: petitions, riots, martyrs Anne Walthall; 21. Civilization and enlightenment in early Meiji Japan Amin Ghadimi.

    1 in stock

    £114.00

  • The Chile Pepper in China

    Columbia University Press The Chile Pepper in China

    20 in stock

    Book SynopsisBrian R. Dott explores how the non-native chile went from obscurity to ubiquity in China, influencing not just cuisine but also medicine, language, and cultural identity. The Chile Pepper in China sheds new light on the piquant cultural impact of a potent plant and raises broader questions regarding notions of authenticity in cuisine.Trade ReviewExtensive source materials in both Chinese and English form the bedrock for this impressive study into how a relatively unassuming American import so radically changed one country’s cuisines and traditional pharmacopoeia. The history of the humble chile in China is a fascinating one, especially as viewed through Brian R. Dott’s affectionate yet scholarly lens. -- Carolyn Phillips, author of All Under Heaven: Recipes from the 35 Cuisines of ChinaA learned as well as lively book with many surprises. How chile peppers came to China from the New World just starts a story involving taste, regionalism, adaptation, and folklore. Chiles were key to Chinese cuisine’s subtlety and variety, and not just in Sichuan and Hunan either. -- Paul Freedman, author of Food: The History of Taste and Ten Restaurants That Changed AmericaThis is an absolutely wonderful book. It combines scholarship and good food writing—the enormous amount of effort in compiling the databases is duly and modestly cloaked in good prose. -- Eugene Anderson, author of The Food of ChinaA valuable resource for anyone interested in Chinese culinary culture or the global history of the chilli as symbol — ‘vitamin, vegetable, preservative and spice’. Dott’s research is extensive, while his writing is entertaining, digestible and peppered with much fascinating information. -- Fuchsia Dunlop * Spectator *It reminds us to look for culinary innovation not only where we often do, in the flashy kitchens of professional chefs, but also in the long-term historical processes of everyday life, the contributions to which, like the chile in China, may be ‘found everywhere.’ * Gastronomica *A book that can be easily understood and enjoyed by casual readers, something not all academic non-fiction books can say. -- Jason Flatt * But Why Tho? *There is much to praise about the book: its painstaking research, its sensitivity to the diversities of regional and historical contexts within China, and the top-notch storytelling. On the last point, Dott deserves special mention. The Chile Pepper in China will be one of the few books that will be read and savored by academics and civilians alike. * Twentieth-Century China *With its lucid, lively style, copious illustrations, and recipes this book could be a model for studies of the assimilation of other New World ingredients, especially in India and China. It will be of great value to students and academics and anyone with an interest [in] Chinese cuisine and culture. * Food, Culture, and Society *A satisfying history to [chiles] origins as well as their cultural significance in China. * Asian Review of Books *The definitive English-language study of how the pepper arrived in China, how it became part of local cuisine and medical practice, and how it even established itself as a core part of identity formation in southwest China. But one of its most provocative contributions has little to do with China and everything do with the chili pepper's unique relationship to globalization. * The Cleaver and the Butterfly *It all adds up to a compelling case for how a foreign plant became a national spice. * Economic Times *Table of ContentsAcknowledgmentsChinese Dynasties and RegimesIntroduction1. Names and Places: How the Chile Found Its Way “Home” to China2. Spicing Up the Palate3. Spicing Up the Pharmacopeia4. Too Hot for Words: Elite Reticence Toward Chile Peppers 5. Chiles as Beautiful Objects and Literary Emblems6. Mao’s Little Red Spice: Chiles and Regional Identity ConclusionAppendix A. Late Imperial Recipe CollectionsAppendix B. Medical Texts ConsultedNotesBibliographyIndexColor Plates

    20 in stock

    £20.00

  • Primitive Mythology: (The Masks of God, Volume 1)

    New World Library Primitive Mythology: (The Masks of God, Volume 1)

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisThe first volume in Joseph Campbell?s monumental four-volume The Masks of God series, originally published in 1959 and now revised with up-to-date science and new illustrations in this Collected Works of Joseph Campbell paperback edition In this first volume of The Masks of God, the world?s preeminent mythologist explores and illuminates the wellsprings of myth. Showing his exemplary combination of scholarly depth and popular enthusiasm, Joseph Campbell looks at the expressions of religious awe in early humans and their echoes in the rites of surviving primal tribes. Campbell shows how myth has informed our understanding of the world, seen and unseen, throughout time. As he explores and shares archetypal mythic images and practices, he also points to how these concepts inform our personal lives. Upon completing The Masks of God, Campbell found that his work affirmed ?the unity of the race of man, not only in its biology, but also in its spiritual history.? He likened this unity to a symphony in which various parts create a ?great movement.? Perhaps more than ever before, Campbell?s insight is not only illuminating but also inspiring.

    2 in stock

    £22.95

  • A Cruise on the Nile: Or the Fabulous Story of

    Michel albin SA A Cruise on the Nile: Or the Fabulous Story of

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisThis sumptuous book invites you to follow the course of the Nile and Egyptian history on board a floating historical monument, the Steam Ship Sudan. At 100 years old, and made of wood and copper, it is the last steamship still cruising in Upper Egypt and the only survivor of a flotilla established by Sir Thomas Cook at the beginning of the 20th century. Illustrious personalities from British and American high society travelled on board this prestigious ship - archaeologists, diplomats, actors... and writers, including Agatha Christie who drew inspiration from it for Death on the Nile.Table of ContentsChapter I : HISTORY THE ORIGINS OF EGYPTOLOGY FIVE THOUSAND YEARS OF HISTORY THE BIRTH OF TOURISM Chapter II : STEAMERS THE DAY OF THE STEAMERS STEAM SHIP SUDAN PORTRAIT OF A CENTENARIAN A CRUISE IN STYLE CABINS & SUITES THE CREW Chapter III : ALONG THE NILE Chapter IV : PORTRAITS OF EGYPT WHO’S WHO OF THE ORIGINS OF EGYPTOMANIA CONTEMPORARY EGYPT BY DENIS DAILLEUX

    1 in stock

    £42.75

  • The Wagner Group: Yevgeny Prigozhin's Mercenaries

    Gibson Square Books Ltd The Wagner Group: Yevgeny Prigozhin's Mercenaries

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisFew military organisations have had a greater importance than the Wagner Group: at a cursory glance no more than a disreputable private mercenary group dedicated to committing war crimes yet also, astonishingly, the challengers of the Kremlin on 23-24 June, 2023—unheard of in over two decades of Vladimir Putin’s rule. From its inception in 2014 this nebulous organisation operating from Russia was intentionally cloaked in questions. How was it able to operate alongside Russia’s top government officials? How could it deploy the logistical systems of the Russian army up to and including ordering air attacks with fighter planes of the Russian Federation, despite the deep antipathy of Russia’s powerful defence minister Sergei Shoigu? Why did the Kremlin provide such an ample helping hand to its leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, for over a decade? In this compelling book, former Financial Times journalist Owen Wilson investigates the Wagner Group and their ties to Vladimir Putin. It skilfully sets out its history and the dramatic death of Yevgeny Prigozhin to cast a searching light on the person who ultimately stands behind the group.Trade ReviewAUTHOR’S PREVIOUS PRAISE: ‘Excruciating.’ Sunday Times; Financial Times Best Book of the Week; ‘Goes behind the headlines.’ Independent; ‘Shocking.’ MetroTable of ContentsPrigozhin’s Sledgehammer 5 Introduction 7 1 The ‘Polite Men’ 13 2 Syrian Massacre 20 3 War Crimes for Sale 23 4 The Conoco Battle 28 5 Expansion 37 6 Libya, 2018 43 7 Putin’s Key to Africa 53 8 Prigozhin 60 9 Troll Factory 70 10 Kremlin Bear Hug 77 11 Careful What You Wish For 85 12 Global Attraction 94 13 Mercenary Colonies 99 14 Moral High Ground 115 Part 2 Nemesis: the Second Invasion of Ukraine 123 1 Lukashenko 124 2 Botched Invasion 128 3 Beating the Russian Army 137 4 Dropping Like Flies 144 5 Prisoner Deception 149 6 Expanding the Empire of Death 159 7 Assassination Attempt 165 8 Bakhmut’s Meat Grinder 171 9 Army of Convicts 177 10 Pyrrhic Victory 182 11 Bakhmut Propaganda 189 12 Wagnerovcis on Steroids 195 13 Wings Clipped 200 14 Eastern Ukraine 206 15 Bombing Notice 212 16 Undermining 218 17 Retreat 225 18 Russian Clowns 233 19 Rebellion 240 Putin Inc 247

    1 in stock

    £14.24

  • Fighting at Sea in the Eighteenth Century: The

    Boydell & Brewer Ltd Fighting at Sea in the Eighteenth Century: The

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisNaval warfare is vividly brought to life, from first contact through how battles were won and lost to damage repair. Our understanding of warfare at sea in the eighteenth century has always been divorced from the practical realities of fighting at sea under sail; our knowledge of tactics is largely based upon the ideas of contemporary theorists[rather than practitioners] who knew little of the realities of sailing warfare, and our knowledge of command is similarly flawed. In this book the author presents new evidence from contemporary sources that overturns many old assumptions and introduces a host of new ideas. In a series of thematic chapters, following the rough chronology of a sea fight from initial contact to damage repair, the author offers a dramatic interpretation of fighting at sea inthe eighteenth century, and explains in greater depth than ever before how and why sea battles (including Trafalgar) were won and lost in the great Age of Sail. He explains in detail how two ships or fleets identified each other to be enemies; how and why they manoeuvred for battle; how a commander communicated his ideas, and how and why his subordinates acted in the way that they did.Trade ReviewWhen it comes to discussing shiphandling Willis is peerless. Not a page is wasted and virtually everything he writes is fascinating and provocative. This is indeed a wonderful book. Anyone interested in warships should have it on his or her bookshelf for frequent consultation. * NORTHERN MARINER *Will become widely read by students and academics of the subject, in addition to those who are fascinated by the literary world of Hornblower or Aubrey. * INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF NAUTICAL ARCHAEOLOGY *A very valuable addition to the extensive literature on naval warfare in the age of sail, looking at a neglected topic. The events of individual battles have been extensively discussed, as have the technical aspects of ship construction, but this book fills the crucial gap between those two, and greatly expands our knowledge of the practicalities of naval warfare in this period. * HISTORY OF WAR.ORG *Is sure to become the standard reference on naval tactics in the Napoleonic era [and] is enthusiastically recommended to anyone with even a passing interest in this aspect of naval history. * INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MARITIME HISTORY *As a reference work for what these ships were like, how they handled at sea, and how naval officers sought to capitalize on these material constraints for both offensive and defensive purposes, Fighting at Sea is not likely to be surpassed any time soon. * JOURNAL OF BRITISH STUDIES *[A] superbly researched book [which] contains high-quality maps, many excellent illustrations, and an essential glossary, all of which give a better understanding of Willis's argument. * UNITED STATES NAVAL INSTITUTE *An excellent historical handbook with much to tell modern readers about military command. Highly recommended. * CHOICE *A detailed historical study based on extensive research. * . *A clear and well-documented account. * SEA HISTORY *By emphasising the critical role of practical seamanship and unwritten rules, this book offers students of the subject a new angle on an old subject. * MILITARY HISTORY *An insightful analysis of the practical realities of sailing warfare that probes deeply into the technical skills, written and unwritten rules, command and control necessary for the Royal Navy's century of unrivalled success in naval combat. * NAUTICAL RESEARCH JOURNAL *An illuminating read. * SKIRMISH, October 2008 *Table of ContentsIntroduction Contact Chase and Escape I: Speed and Performance Chase and Escape II: The Tactics of Chasing Station Keeping Communication Unwritten Rules Command The Weather Gage Fleet Tactics Fighting Tactics Damage Conclusion Bibliography Index

    2 in stock

    £23.39

  • Scheisse Were Going Up

    Duckworth Books Scheisse Were Going Up

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisScheisse! recounts the extraordinary story of Union Berlin, the German Bundesliga's most spirited football club, interwoven with a witty history of contemporary Berlin.Trade Review'Fascinating' Daily Mail'A wonderful journey into the heart of a very unique club' Raphael Honigstein'The history and culture of a special football club deserve a special kind of chronicling – and Holden has executed it to perfection' Patrick Barclay'An engrossing portrait' Philip Oltermann'For the first time, Scheisse is a good thing! A captivating read on one of the most unique clubs in world football' Archie Rhind-Tutt'A beautifully crafted set of stories that reveal a personal history of one of Germany’s most special clubs and cities' Jonathan Harding'Holden superbly captures the myth, history and spirit that make Union so very special and beloved' Andreas Michaelis'A fascinating tale that is expertly told' Adam Bate'A must-read for any football romantic, regardless of where you're from and what team you support' Cristian Nyari

    1 in stock

    £9.49

  • Pax Economica

    Princeton University Press Pax Economica

    3 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    3 in stock

    £27.00

  • Only the Clothes on Her Back

    Oxford University Press Inc Only the Clothes on Her Back

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisAn innovative recasting of US legal and economic history through the power of clothing for those who lacked power and status in American society.What can dresses, bedlinens, waistcoats, pantaloons, shoes, and kerchiefs tell us about the legal status of the least powerful members of American society? In the hands of eminent historian Laura F. Edwards, these textiles tell a revealing story of ordinary people and how they made use of their material goods'' economic and legal value in the period between the Revolution and the Civil War.Only the Clothes on Her Back uncovers practices, commonly known then, but now long forgotten, which made textiles--clothing, cloth, bedding, and accessories, such as shoes and hats--a unique form of property that people without rights could own and exchange. The value of textiles depended on law, and it was law that turned these goods into a secure form of property for marginalized people, who not only used these textiles as currency, credit, and capital, bu

    1 in stock

    £18.99

  • Dunkirchen 1940

    Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Dunkirchen 1940

    2 in stock

    Book Synopsis''Kershaw's book is a welcome rebalancing; a thoughtful, well-researched and well-written contribution to a narrative that has long been too one-sided and too mired in national mythology.'' - The Times The British evacuation from the beaches of the small French port town of Dunkirk is one of the iconic moments of military history. The battle has captured the popular imagination through LIFE magazine photo spreads, the fiction of Ian McEwan and, of course, Christopher Nolan's hugely successful Hollywood blockbuster. But what is the German view of this stunning Allied escape? Drawing on German interviews, diaries and unit post-action reports, Robert Kershaw creates a page-turning history of a battle that we thought we knew. Dünkirchen 1940 is the first major history on what went wrong for the Germans at Dunkirk. As supreme military commander, Hitler had seemingly achieved a miracle after the swift capitulation of Holland and Belgium, but wit

    2 in stock

    £10.44

  • The Botanic Garden

    Quarto Publishing PLC The Botanic Garden

    Book SynopsisThis rich and beautiful guide from best-selling garden writer Ambra Edwards explores the most magnificent botanic havens from every continent across the world. There has never been a better time to celebrate botanic gardens. From Brooklyn and San Francisco, to Colombia and Brazil; Oxford and Kew, to Cape Town and Mauritius; Norway and Germany, to Sydney and Thailand, discover surprising diversity, superb vistas, and some of the most intriguing plants you can imagine. As centers for research, conservation, and education, these expansive collections are integral to our understanding of the true power of plants. But they also hold some of the most beautiful species on earth – including ferns, trees, cacti, orchids, and more – expertly cared for and presented as a feast for the senses, delighting thousands of visitors each year. Ambra Edwards introduces the gardens, bringing them t

    £24.00

  • Lev Gleason Publications I Escaped a Chinese Internment Camp

    1 in stock

    1 in stock

    £16.19

  • A Nation Fermented

    Oxford University Press A Nation Fermented

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisHow did beer become one of the central commodities associated with the German nation? How did a little-known provincial production standard the Reinheitsgebot, or Beer Purity Law become a pillar of national consumer sentiments? How did the jovial, beer-drinking German become a fixture in the global imagination?While the connection between beer and Germany seems self-evident, A Nation Fermented reveals how it was produced through a strange brew of regional commercial and political pressures. Spanning from the late nineteenth century to the last decades of the twentieth, A Nation Fermented argues that the economic, regulatory, and cultural weight of Bavaria shaped the German nation in profound ways. Drawing on sources from over a dozen archives and repositories, Terrell weaves together subjects ranging from tax law to advertising, public health to European integration, and agriculture to global stereotypes. Offering a history of the Germany that Bavaria made over the twentieth century,Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Timeline Map Introduction 1: Integration and Its Discontents: Lager, Tax, and Temperance, c. 1900 to the 1930s 2: The People's Drink in the Racial State: Debating the Interests of the Volk 3: Liquid Bread: The New Politics of Bavaria from the Postwar Occupation to the Federal Republic 4: Brewing up a New Old Germany: Production, Consumption, and Social Order in the Miracle Years 5: Making a National Icon: A Political Economy of the Reinheitsgebot, 1953-1975 6: The Munich Effect: Löwenbräu, Bavarian Beer, and the Global Imaginary 7: Gone Flat?: Reconfigurations from the Recession to the Wende Conclusion Bibliography

    1 in stock

    £35.00

  • Towns and Commerce in VikingAge Scandinavia

    Cambridge University Press Towns and Commerce in VikingAge Scandinavia

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisThis volume offers an interdisciplinary and geographically wide-ranging approach to understanding the emergence of towns and commerce in Viking-age Scandinavia and their eventual demise by the end of the period. It tracks the diverging characteristics of urban communities against the background of traditional social structures in the Viking world.Trade Review'In world archaeology, the Baltic Sea in the Viking Age is blessed by 150 years of exceptional excavations and study. This compelling book maps the rise and importance of towns and trade, drawing on this research. It uniquely describes how special economic zones serviced the Viking homelands, intersecting with the sea kings in the West and the Caliphate in the East. More, Kalmring skilfully shows this was part of a larger European history, in which archaeological evidence brings to life the essential background to Viking piracy and colonisation. It is a tour de force worthy of the rich archaeology of the Baltic.' Richard Hodges, OBE, FSE, author of Dark Age Economics: A New Audit (2012)Table of Contents1. Introduction; 2. The Viking-age town: Context and academic debate; 3. The Viking world; 4. Cult, jurisdiction and markets: Things and regional fairs at traditional centres of power; 5. Local society and Viking-age towns; 6. An urbanisation based on harbours; 7. Jurisdiction and taxes; 8. Free trade within narrow boundaries; 9. Special economic zones of their time; 10. Development after the inception phase; 11. Discussion: Hedeby's abandonment and the foundation of Slesvig; 12. Summary and conclusions.

    1 in stock

    £22.99

  • Thoughts From the IceDrinkers Studio

    Penguin Books Ltd Thoughts From the IceDrinkers Studio

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisTrade ReviewChina's first iconic modern intellectual. His lucid and prolific writings, touching on all major concerns in his own time and anticipating many in the future, inspired several generations of thinkers including the much younger Mao Zedong. -- Pankaj Mishra

    1 in stock

    £11.69

  • The Vatersay Raiders

    Birlinn General The Vatersay Raiders

    3 in stock

    Book SynopsisAll they wanted was land: land for crofting and land on which to build a house. In 1908, ten desperate men from the islands of Barra and Mingulay in the Western Isles were imprisoned in Edinburgh for refusing to leave the island of Vatersay, where they had built huts and planted potatoes without permission. The case caused an outcry throughout Scotland, and led eventually to the purchase of the island by the government for crofting. This book, the first about Vatersay, tells the remarkable story of the raiders and their struggle to escape from the poverty which the policies of an absentee landowner forced them to endure. The Vatersay Raiders documents not only these events, which had enormous significance in the history of crofting, but also the fascinating earlier history of Vatersay and its now-deserted neighbour Sandray. An outline of more recent developments brings the account up to date.

    3 in stock

    £12.34

  • Julius Caesar in Egypt

    Pen & Sword Books Ltd Julius Caesar in Egypt

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisJulius Caesar in Egypt is a true story of double-cross, assassination and intrigue accompanied by lively battles, daring escapes, disastrous fires (the Great Library of Alexandria was largely destroyed in one fracas) and, if not a love story, at least a tale of sex and power as Caesar and Cleopatra's relationship shaped these world-changing events.

    2 in stock

    £17.00

  • Defenders of the Norman Crown

    Pen & Sword Books Ltd Defenders of the Norman Crown

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisThe story of one of the most important families in English medieval history, who were always loyal to the crown.

    2 in stock

    £14.24

  • Mountain Commandos at War in the Falklands

    Pen & Sword Books Ltd Mountain Commandos at War in the Falklands

    3 in stock

    Book SynopsisSunset, 8 June 1982, East Falkland. Eight specially trained Royal Marines infiltrate Goat Ridge, a long rocky hilltop between Mount Harriet and Two Sisters which are occupied by a battalion of 600 Argentine infantry. The next day, from their hiding place just metres away from the enemy, they note and sketch the Argentine positions, then withdraw as stealthily as they had come. Their daring patrol provides essential intelligence that guided the British assault which overwhelmed the Argentine defences two days later.This was just one example of the missions undertaken by the Royal Marines Mountain and Arctic Warfare Cadre during the Falklands War, all of which are described in graphic detail in Rod Boswell's eyewitness account. Using his own recollections and those of his comrades, he describes their operations in the Falklands the observation posts set up in the no man's land between San Carlos and Port Stanley, their role in the raid at Top Malo House, and the reconnaissance patrols t

    3 in stock

    £14.39

  • Combat in the Stratosphere

    Pen & Sword Books Ltd Combat in the Stratosphere

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisIn the summer of 1940, a new German aircraft began appearing in the skies over the British Isles. Unlike the rest of the Luftwaffe's fleet in the Battle of Britain, these aircraft were flying at a height of 40,000 feet and higher way beyond the reach of the RAF's defending fighters.These virtually untouchable intruders were examples of the Junkers Ju 86P. The world's first operational combat aeroplane equipped with a pressurized cabin, they were able to reach a maximum altitude of 42,000 feet. The Ju 86P's introduction ushered in a new era of aerial warfare, where combat would take place at previously unimaginable heights.The Ju 86P was just one of many high-altitude aircraft projects developed by both the Axis and Allied powers during the Second World War. Others included the Vickers Wellington Mk.VI, Vickers Windsor, Boeing B-29 Superfortress, Junkers Ju 388, Heinkel He 274 and Henschel Hs 130. With pressurized cabins, such aircraft offered obvious tactical advantages: bombers and r

    2 in stock

    £21.25

  • The Battle of Stalingrad

    Pen & Sword Books Ltd The Battle of Stalingrad

    Out of stock

    Book SynopsisThe story of the Battle of Stalingrad with wartime pictures and modern day comparisons to present this title in our 'then and now' theme.

    Out of stock

    £999.99

  • Overreach

    HarperCollins Publishers Overreach

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisWinner of the Pushkin House Book Prize 2023*A Telegraph Book of the Year* A Times Best Book of Summer 2023*Shortlisted for the Parliamentary Book Awards*An astonishing investigation into the start of the Russo-Ukrainian war from the corridors of the Kremlin to the trenches of Mariupol.The Russo-Ukrainian War is the most serious geopolitical crisis since the Second World War and yet at the heart of the conflict is a mystery. Vladimir Putin apparently lurched from a calculating, subtle master of opportunity to a reckless gambler, putting his regime and Russia itself at risk of destruction. Why?Drawing on over 25 years' experience as a correspondent in Moscow, as well as his own family ties to Russia and Ukraine, journalist Owen Matthews takes us through the poisoned historical roots of the conflict, into the Covid bubble where Putin conceived his invasion plans in a fog of paranoia about Western threats, and finally into the inner circle around Ukrainian president and unexpected war Trade Review‘Not merely the first full account of the war in Ukraine, but may set the standard for some time to come … a remarkable achievement, with Matthews’s expert eye like an all-seeing drone, buzzing from one side of the conflict to the other’ 5* Telegraph ‘A vivid and revealing first draft of history … The strength of his account lies in his ability to tell the story from many angles, weaving them into a single, fast-paced narrative … fascinating’ Financial Times ‘The best current analysis of the countdown to war’ Serhii Plokhy, TLS ‘There will be many more books on Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, but Owen Matthews’ extraordinary perspective has produced an interim account of special value.’ Daily Mail ‘A wave of hurriedly written books about the Russo-Ukrainian war is about to crash over our bookshops and overburdened shelves, but it is hard not to feel sorry for most of their authors. Owen Matthews has already come out with what is not only one of the fastest, but also likely to be the best, setting a painfully high benchmark for those who follow.’ Times ‘The best new book on Russia … a classic as enduring as Orwell’s Homage to Catalonia’ Literary Review ‘Superb … a true page-turner’ Andrew Roberts, BBC History

    15 in stock

    £10.44

  • Germanys French Allies 194145

    Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Germanys French Allies 194145

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisA fully illustrated study of the Wehrmacht''s French volunteer units and their actions on the Eastern Front and in North Africa during World War II.It is little known that, in late 1941, French volunteer units were among Wehrmacht troops defending Germany in the first bitter winter on the Eastern Front, and also among the last fighting for Berlin in April 1945. After Germany invaded the Soviet Union in June 1941, some 13,000 Frenchmen enlisted in the Légion des volontaires français contre le bolchévisme' (LVF), which was reformed as the Wehrmacht's Infanterie-Regiment 638 and posted to Russia.This volume examines the involvement of French volunteers, not only on the Eastern Front, but also in the Phalange Africaine' in Tunisia and in the Légion Tricolore', a short-lived military organization under the control of the French Vichy government. Using archive photographs and specially commissioned artwork, it casts a new light on forces fightin

    1 in stock

    £11.69

  • Warship 2024

    Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Warship 2024

    Book SynopsisThe 2024 edition of Warship, the celebrated annual publication featuring original research on the history, development, and service of the world''s warships. For over 45 years, Warship has been the leading annual resource on the design, development, and deployment of the world''s combat ships. Featuring a broad range of articles from a select panel of distinguished international contributors, this latest volume combines original research, new book reviews, warship notes, an image gallery, and much more, maintaining the impressive standards of scholarship and research with which Warship has become synonymous. Detailed and accurate information is the hallmark of all the articles, which are fully supported by plans, data tables, and stunning photographs. This year''s Warship includes features on Imperial Japan''s Matsu and Tachibana destroyer classes, the Italian CRDA midget submarines, France''s 1960s missile frigates Suffren a

    £36.00

  • Solidarity Is the Political Version of Love

    Haymarket Books Solidarity Is the Political Version of Love

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisWhat does the politics of solidarity look like in practice, and how can left-wing organizations grow—in numbers and power—while remaining accountable to the broader movements of which they are a part?Against enormous odds and in the face of fierce pushback, the Palestine solidarity movement has succeeded in transforming the landscape of American politics. The movement has catapulted Palestine from being an untouchable topic in even liberal political circles to a central rallying cry in grassroots progressive organizing, one that is championed by some of the highest profile and beloved members of Congress.In the fall and winter of 2023, with the attention of the world focused on Israel’s unprecedented aggression against the people of Gaza, millions across the globe mobilized in solidarity with Palestinians and their struggle for liberation. Jewish progressives in the US played a highly visible role in denouncing IsraelR

    2 in stock

    £17.99

  • Scotland

    Yale University Press Scotland

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisAn engaging and authoritative history of Scotland’s influence in the world and the world’s on Scotland, from the Thirty Years’ War to the present dayTrade Review“Impressive. . . . The strength of this book lies in the way events such as the Act of Union and the Clearances are revealed to have had global consequences.”—Gerard DeGroot, Times (UK)“Engaging, lively and full of insight, a vivid account of Scottish endeavours in politics, science, literature, art and economics. . . . Pittock records the ebb and flow of Scotland’s international experience with panache and pace.”—Anna Keay, The Guardian“A much needed overview of a fascinating and underwritten subject. Spectacularly panoramic and sweeping while always remaining rigorously scholarly, it ranges effortlessly and with confident authority over 400 years of history, from Quebec to Calcutta, from Ossian to Trainspotting.”—William Dalrymple, Spectator, “Books of the Year”“Perhaps the best book on Scotland I ever have read.”—Tyler Cowen, Marginal Revolution (blog), “Best Nonfiction Books of 2023”“There is much to admire here. . . . One of the strengths of a history of Scotland within the United Kingdom is that it cannot avoid emphasising the sheer strangeness of Britain. It is a country quite unlike other European nations for it is, at heart, a composite state: a Union of four other nations creating a fifth which exists alongside—and sometimes above—its constituent parts. The tensions and interplay between these identities form part of Murray Pittock’s handsome new history.”—Alex Massie, The Spectator“There is scarcely a dull page in this book, though readers may well find the wealth of detail dizzying. Yet the detail is as necessary as it is fascinating, for the key to Scottish success in Europe and the wider world is the national—clannish or familial—gift or enthusiasm for networking. . . . A fascinating, thought-provoking book.”—Allan Massie, The Scotsman“The engine behind this history is running at full throttle, and its momentum carries the reader on at speed. Whatever side of the constitutional argument one stands on, this is an invigorating assessment.”—Rosemary Goring, The Herald“Yale University Press always produces beautiful books with copious colour plates and black-and-white illustrations, at attractive prices. This is one such, which will appeal to those who know relatively little of Scotland, past or present, and who relish a selective, opinionated romp strewn with random facts. Entertaining and bamboozling in equal measure, it should also stimulate readers to search for more authoritative texts on their favourite topics or periods.”—Rab Houston, BBC History Magazine“The title of Murray Pittock’s excellent new history might simply read Scotland, but really it is as much a fascinating study of the Union as it is of Scotland’s evolving place in the world.”—David McAllister, Prospect“Pittock is an extraordinary polymath whose ability to effortlessly cover a vast subject area in this remarkable work is breathtaking. . . . His scope is vast and he writes with verve and panache that rivals anything that has gone before.”—Richard Bath, Scottish Field“The two most arresting parts of Pittock’s history, which develops from pioneering work by Michael Fry and Christopher Harvie, are his accounts of Scotland’s attempts in the century before the union of the parliaments to project its power overseas and of the sudden spurt given to individual Scottish talent by the Act of Union.”—Iain Bamforth, Literary Review“It is the job of the historian, [Pittock] continues, both to bust myths and to acknowledge their appeal, a challenge he embraces in Scotland: The Global History with gusto. Part history book, part manifesto, throughout it demonstrates his concern to emphasize the distinctiveness of Scotland . . . as well as to highlight the historical significance of the country’s external relationships.”—Valerie Wallace, Times Literary SupplementNamed a CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title, 2023“A monumental achievement. . . . This is a tremendous book, a really significant contribution to Scottish history. It will delight, surprise and irritate in equal measure.”—Christopher Whatley, author of The Scots and the Union“A hugely important book which will astonish and delight everyone engaged in the matter of Scotland. What impresses is the range and scope of Pittock’s global vision for Scotland, but what engages is the minute human detail of the people in the diaspora that he reveals to us, positive and negative. A magisterial work which Scots will actively return to again and again, as we redefine our role in Europe and the world in the 21st century.”—Billy Kay, author of The Scottish World“As a consequence of both its long history as an independent kingdom, its position in the union state that is the UK, and the massive emigration that has characterised its modern history, Scotland has, for a small country, unusually broad and deep global connections. In this wide-ranging and engaging book, Pittock explores the survival of Scotland and the projection of its identity across the globe.”—Ewen Cameron, author of Impaled Upon the Thistle

    1 in stock

    £12.99

  • The Life of Louis XVI

    Yale University Press The Life of Louis XVI

    20 in stock

    Book SynopsisA thought-provoking, authoritative biography of one of history’s most maligned rulersTrade Review“In a work which must currently rank as the definitive contribution to our understanding of Louis XVI as a man and a monarch, Hardman displays a quite extraordinary grasp of sources relating to the court and to the high politics of the ancien régime.”—P.M. Jones, English Historical Review"An up-to-date, immensely erudite and compelling study, the fruit of a lifetime’s work on the king. It is also crisply, sometimes brilliantly,written. Hardman’s style is accessible, often witty, and he has a gift for putting complex issues in a nutshell. Louis XVI remains one of the crucial characters in modern history . . . and this is now the best biography of him in any language."—Munro Price, Literary Review"Hardman has devoted much of his life to Louis XVI; some of the excellent illustrations are of objects in his own collection. He uses many new sources, such as papers of the Navy minister the Marechal de Castries, and the magnificent diary of the ambassador the Marquis de Bombelles, spanning the entire period 1780-1822."—Philip Mansel, Spectator"This is the product of a lifetime's research and writing on late eighteenth-century France by one of the foremost scholars of the era. Original, gripping and authoritative, it is the best biography in any language of Louis XVI, and a significant contribution to the history of the French Revolution."—Munro Price, author of The Perilous Crown: France Between Revolutions"John Hardman has written a highly readable, well-paced biography of Louis XVI which draws on the most recent scholarship on French kingship and court politics. He shows sensitivity and sympathy for a monarch who was not blind to what was happening around him but who felt increasingly trapped by forces he could not control."—Alan Forrest, author of Napoleon: Life, Legacy, and Image"This new life of Louis XVI, by the world’s leading authority, not only tells all the good stories with considerable verve, it also offers insightful analyses of the politics of this tragic life that began in the palace of Versailles and ended on the scaffold of the Revolution. It is simply the most authoritative biography of Louis XVI ever written."—Peter Campbell, former professor of French History, University of Versailles

    20 in stock

    £12.99

  • Making Empire

    Oxford University Press Making Empire

    20 in stock

    Book SynopsisIreland was England''s oldest colony. Making Empire revisits the history of empire in Irelandin a time of Brexit, ''the culture wars'', and the campaigns around ''Black Lives Matter'' and ''Statues must fall''to better understand how it has formed the present, and how it might shape the future.Empire and imperial frameworks, policies, practices, and cultures have shaped the history of the world for the last two millennia. It is nation states that are the blip on the historical horizon. Making Empire re-examines empire as processand Ireland''s role in itthrough the lens of early modernity. It covers the two hundred years, between the mid-sixteenth century and the mid-eighteenth century, that equate roughly to the timespan of the First English Empire (c.1550-c.1770s).Ireland was England''s oldest colony. How then did the English empire actually function in early modern Ireland and how did this change over time? What did access to European empires mean for people living in Ireland? This book answers these questions by interrogating four interconnected themes. First, that Ireland formed an integral part of the English imperial system, Second, that the Irish operated as agents of empire(s). Third, Ireland served as laboratory in and for the English empire. Finally, it examines the impact that empire(s) had on people living in early modern Ireland. Even though the book''s focus will be on Ireland and the English empire, the Irish were trans-imperial and engaged with all of the early modern imperial powers. It is therefore critical, where possible and appropriate, to look to other European and global empires for meaningful comparisons and connections in this era of expansionism.What becomes clear is that colonisation was not a single occurrence but an iterative and durable process that impacted different parts of Ireland at different times and in different ways. That imperialism was about the exercise of power, violence, coercion and expropriation. Strategies about how best to turn conquest into profit, to mobilise and control Ireland''s natural resources, especially land and labour, varied but the reality of everyday life did not change and provoked a wide variety of responses ranging from acceptance and assimilation to resistance.This book, based on the 2021 James Ford Lectures, Oxford University, suggests that the moment has come revisit the history of empire, if only to better understand how it has formed the present, and how this might shape the future.Trade ReviewIn Making Empire, Jane Ohlmeyer assesses how imperial processes shaped developments in early-modern Ireland, and how Irish people-Catholic and Protestant-contributed to the formation of global empires. This lively, insightful and challenging narrative derives its authority from Ohlmeyer's archival research and her judicious appraisal of academic and literary productions. * Nicholas Canny, author of Imagining Ireland's Pasts (Oxford, 2021) and co-editor of the Oxford Handbook of the Atlantic World, 1450-1850 (2011). *Jane Ohlmeyer has provided a masterful and sweeping overview of Ireland's role in the British empire. Displaying a huge breadth of original research, she offers a new story of early modern Ireland's contributions to the global world order, one that will shift our view of empire and help us understand how we live with its legacies today. * Sarah Covington, Professor of History at CUNY and author of The Devil from Over the Sea *A landmark new book ... Ohlmeyer is one of the most influential Irish historians of this century. * Chrisopher Kissane, Irish Times *Jane Ohlmeyer sheds fascinating light on Ireland's role in what became the British Empire. * Kim Bielenberg, Irish Independent *[Making Empire] is the fruit of a lifetime's reflection on Ireland's multiple histories and of Ohlmeyer's immersion in their burgeoning historiographies. The result is not just an exemplar of the now not so new British history: it is a model for deprovincializing any national history under the long shadow of empire ...This is a truly new British-and-Irish history. * David Armitage, Times Literary Supplement *Impressive ... an outstanding book on a complicated subject that confirms ... Ohlmeyer's reputation as Ireland's leading public intellectual. * Crawford Gribben, Wall Street Journal *Table of Contents1: Making History 2: Anglicisation 3: Assimilation 4: Agents of Empire 5: Laboratory 6: Empires in Ireland Bibliography

    20 in stock

    £28.50

  • From Black Gold to Frozen Gas

    Columbia University Press From Black Gold to Frozen Gas

    4 in stock

    Book SynopsisThis book explores how Qatar became a major player in the global energy market. Part historical analysis, part in-the-room narrative, it is the definitive account of oil and gas development in Qatar.Trade ReviewFrom Black Gold to Frozen Gas is the definitive account of Qatar’s growth from a tiny backwater to a major force in global markets and regional politics. This book draws on Tusiani’s fifty years working in Qatar’s gas industry to provide a fascinating and well-told insider’s account, featuring both deep research and unique personal insight. -- Lisa Anderson, Columbia UniversityA unique historical account of Qatar’s energy industry. Tusiani and Johnson detail the country’s accomplishments as well as covering the challenges faced along the way. This book will be a must-read for anyone interested in the history of Qatar, global energy, and geopolitics. -- Talal Abdulla Al-Emadi, dean, Qatar University College of LawTable of ContentsForewordPrefaceList of AbbreviationsIntroduction1. Qatar Before Oil: A Historical Perspective2. Qatar’s First Oil Concession: Twists and Turns3. Eureka! Oil Is Discovered at Qatar’s Dukhan Field4. Choppy Waters: Qatar’s First Marine Oil Concession5. Qatar’s Ruler Presses for Better Oil Terms6. Labor Strikes, Another Abdication, and an Industrial Project7. Independence, First Gas Liquids Project, and a Bloodless Coup8. The Early Khalifa Years: 1970s Resource Nationalism9. Explosion Destroys Qatar’s First NGL Plant10. Crunch Time Looms for North West Dome Gas Field11. Partners Selected for Major North Field Gas Project12. Qatar Embarks on First Stage of North Field Gas Project13. Rocky Road for Qatar’s First LNG Project14. Tough Launch for Mobil’s RasGas LNG Project15. Financial Difficulties Mount After 1995 CoupEpilogue: North Field Gas Transforms Qatar into Energy SuperpowerAcknowledgmentsBibliographyIndexAbout the Authors

    4 in stock

    £26.60

  • The Retornados from the Portuguese Colonies in

    Taylor & Francis The Retornados from the Portuguese Colonies in

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisPlaced in the wider scope of post-war European decolonisation migrations, The Retornados from the Portuguese Colonies in Africa looks at the Return of the Portuguese nationals living in the African colonies when they became independent. Using an interdisciplinary research agenda, the book presents a collection of research essays written by experts in the fields of anthropology, history, literature and the arts, that look at a wide range of memory narratives through which the Returnâas well as the experiences of war, violence, loss and traumaâhave been expressed, contested and internalised in the social realm. These narratives include testimonial accounts from the so-called retornados from Africa and their descendants, as well as works of fiction and public memoryânovels, television series, artworks, films or social mediaâthat have come to mediate the public understanding of this past. Through the dialogue between these different narrative modes, this book intendTable of ContentsIntroduction; The history and memory of the Portuguese Return from Africa - Elsa Peralta; PART I. NARRATIVES OF HISTORY AND MEMORY; Chapter 1 Traumatic loss, successful integration. The agitated and the soothing memory of the Return from Portugal’s African empire - Christoph Kalter; Chapter 2 The Jornal O Retornado’s readers and the construction of a narrative of the Return from Africa (1975-1976) - Morgane Delaunay; Chapter 3 Remembering the Return: Personal narratives of paradox and bewilderment - Elsa Peralta; Chapter 4 The retornados and their "roots" in Angola. A generational perspective on the colonial past and the postcolonial present - Irène Dos Santos; PART II. LITERATURE AND THE WORKINGS OF IMAGINATION; Chapter 5 Acoustic remains: Listening for colonialism and decolonisation in Isabela Figueiredo’s life-writing - Isabel A. Ferreira Gould; Chapter 6 The frizzy hair of the retornados: "Race" and gender in literature on mixed-race identities in Portugal -Doris Wieser; Chapter 7 The (des)retorno of (bi)nationals: real and imagined experiences - Carolina Peixoto; Chapter 8 Retornadiana: The writing of the retornados and the memorialisation of the Return in postcolonial Portugal - João Pedro George; PART III. MEDIA AND CULTURAL MEMORY; Chapter 9 Historical reflexivity and artistic reflexivity. The colonial society in the film Tabu and the naturalisation of the settlers’ gaze - Nuno Domingos; Chapter 10 Negotiating the end of the Portuguese empire: The retornados’ perspective in the TV series Depois do Adeus - Teresa Pinheiro; Chapter 11 As Time Goes By. Portuguese retornados and postcolonial melancholia - Marcos Cardão; Chapter 12 Connected colonial nostalgia: content and interactions of the Retornados e Refugiados de Angola Facebook group - Bruno Góis; PART IV. REWRITINGS AND ARTISTIC APPROPRIATIONS; Chapter 13 Some of the children of it all. Reflections on Children of the Return [ Filhos do Retorno] , a performance by Teatro do Vestido: constructions, representations, memories and postmemories - Joana Craveiro; Chapter 14 Rewriting recent Portuguese colonial history through postcolonial documentary theatre - André Amálio; Chapter 15 My own recollection of their lives: Visual narratives of an archival reappropriation - Céline Gaille; Chapter 16 The retornado as archive of the sensible in contemporary Portuguese artistic practices: between transmemories, nostalgias and possible futures - Maria-Benedita Basto

    1 in stock

    £37.99

  • Hegels World Revolutions

    Princeton University Press Hegels World Revolutions

    3 in stock

    Book SynopsisTrade Review"Richard Bourke is a formidably talented political historian. . . . Hegel’s World Revolutions displays a knowledge of its protagonist’s thought which may well be unequalled in Britain. Its mountain of secondary sources is just as impressive."---Terry Eagleton, London Review of Books"Few, if any, have got the gist of the Geist. Until now, that is. In Hegel’s World Revolutions, Richard Bourke offers a major re-evaluation of not only Hegel’s philosophy of history but also the history of his philosophy. . . .To understand Hegel, you must read Bourke."---Daniel Johnson, The Critic"[A] breathtaking intellectual tour de force. . . .A book of such unrelenting intellectual calibre and breadth."---Jeremy Jennings, Engelsberg Ideas"A masterclass in scholarship."---Max Skjönsberg, Law & Liberty"Hegel’s World Revolutions represents arguably the most original contribution to Hegel scholarship in some time. . . .A comprehensive yet succinct and elegant exposition of Hegel’s thought that attests to his great importance as a leading philosopher of modernity."---Adam Coleman, Oxford Political Review ​​​​​​​"Bourke’s defence of the German philosopher against a motley crew of post-war cynics and political idealists is historically thorough and philosophically compelling, every sentence of it delivered with a clarity that will make the layman rejoice and the specialist grunt with envy"---Harrison Pitt, The European Conservative"This study helps readers to appreciate the diagnostic function of the history of political thought and to consider its implications for our own time." * Paradigm Explorer *

    3 in stock

    £22.50

  • A Short History of Judaism and the Jewish People

    Bloomsbury Publishing PLC A Short History of Judaism and the Jewish People

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisIn this exciting addition to Bloomsbury's Short Histories series, Steven Leonard Jacobs critically yet concisely examines the history of Judaism and the Jewish people, drawing from maps, photographs and archives to illuminate the history of one of the world's oldest religions.Beginning by establishing a definition of Judaism, Jacobs explores the historiography of the Jewish people, in addition to the role of memory in charting history. Including a comprehensive breakdown of the history of Judaism, the author splits discussion into defined eras, taking readers from the beginnings of Judaism, to the split between Judah in the South and Israel in the North, the united Monarchy, and the Age of the Prophets. Exploring the social structures and institutions of ancient Israel, Jacobs incorporates key themes such as civic life, economics, and art before analysing the interactions of Judaism with Romanism and Hellenism. Moving through the Middle Ages and Pre-Modernity, and acknowledgingTrade ReviewDo not be fooled by the title. This “short history” is every bit as deep and wide as we have come to expect from Professor Jacobs. It is beautifully written and includes hundreds of citations to secondary sources that will be of tremendous value to students and scholars alike. * Michael Dickerman, Adjunct Professor of Holocaust and Genocide Studies, Stockton University, USA *A Short History of Judaism and the Jewish People by Steven Jacobs is written with the general reader in mind. That is the text is clear and offers a full history never assuming that the reader already knows the details. It is even so comprehensive in this compacted text so that any student will be able to follow the history from the ancient world to the complex reality of modern Judaism. As Prof. Jacobs does this, he also draws on contemporary images (such as a reference to “Indiana Jones”). All of this makes for an excellent text well suited for the beginning student in any college classroom. * James Moore, Senior Research Professor, Valparaiso University, USA *Table of Contents1. Introduction The Operating Definition of Judaism Sociologically Speaking The Importance of the Literary Tradition The Centrality of the God of Israel Judaism, Jewish People, and God 2. Beginnings until the Monarchy Migratory Tribes Egyptian Monarchy Confederation of Tribes 3. Kingdoms of Judah and Israel Reign of Saul Reign of David Reign of Solomon Downfall of the Two Kingdoms 4. Social Structures of Ancient Israel Patriarchal Structure Rise of Urbanization 5. Before the Destruction of the First Temple to Alexander the Great The Age of the Prophets Babylonian Captivity Return to Palestine 6. The Second Temple Period and the Conflicts with “Hellenism” and “Romanism” Hasmonean Revolt and Rule Oppression under Roman Rule Destruction of the Second Temple 7. Aftermath of the Roman War Bar Kokhba Revolt Rise of Rabbinical Academies 8. The 4th to the 7th Centuries Constantine, Christianity, and the Edict of Milan Emergence of Islam 9. The 8th to the 15th Centuries: The Middle Ages The First Crusade Later Crusades and Jewish Oppression A Golden Age Jewish Expulsions and Diasporas 10. The 16th and the 17th Centuries: The Middle Ages and Transitions Internal Jewish Dynamics Further Christian Persecutions False Messiahs 11. The 18th and 19th Centuries: Pre-Modernity to Modernity Period of Jewish Emancipation Four Jewish Movements: Haskalah, Hasidism, Reform Judaism, Zionism Impact of Secularism 12. The 20th Century and Beyond: Modernity Immigration and Emigration Antisemitism in Europe Germany and the Holocaust/Shoah 13. The 21st Century Moment and Beyond American, Israeli, and Worldwide Jewish Survival American Jewish Communities State of Israel Jews Worldwide Antisemitism: Hatred Old and New The Middle East: Israel and Her Neighbours 14. Conclusions Bibliography Index

    1 in stock

    £14.24

  • Pilgrim Soul: W.B. Yeats and the Ireland of His

    New Island Books Pilgrim Soul: W.B. Yeats and the Ireland of His

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisMarking the centenary of Yeats's Nobel Prize, a timely guide to the work of Ireland's national poet and the changing Ireland he lived through.

    2 in stock

    £14.39

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