History Books

Book SynopsisMarco Beretta is Professor of History of Science at the University of Bologna, Italy.

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Book SynopsisCharles Burnett is Professor Emeritus of the History of Islamic Influences in Europe at the Warburg Institute, UK. Sébastien Moureau is Assistant Professor at the FNRS, attached to the University of Louvain, Belgium.

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Book SynopsisThe ancient Greeks’ concept of “the hero” was very different from what we understand by the term today. In 24 installments, based on the Harvard course Nagy has taught and refined since the 1970s, The Ancient Greek Hero in 24 Hours explores civilization’s roots in Classical literature—a lineage that continues to challenge and inspire us.Trade ReviewNagy’s zest for Homeric texts is boundless. -- Nathan Heller * New Yorker *[Nagy’s] analysis is fascinating, often ingenious… This book is a valuable synthesis of research finessed over thirty years… Complemented by a free online sourcebook, edited by Nagy, containing translations of all the ancient texts discussed, like an ancient hero it will provide a lasting legacy beyond the hora of its publication. -- Francesca Wade * Times Literary Supplement *[Nagy] has managed to become an éminence grise without ever quite ceasing to be an enfant terrible… Nagy is a passionate close reader… Like the Iliad, Nagy’s book is an ambitious work in twenty-four installments, developed over a long period of oral performance, alluding to and reworking earlier versions (themselves fluid), before finally taking on a more lasting form. -- Gregory Hays * New York Review of Books *The Ancient Greek Hero in 24 Hours is Gregory Nagy’s MOOC book. The massive open online course is one of the most significant developments in higher education in years and Nagy is one of the foremost Homerists of his generation, so the book deserves attention both as an academic publication and as a pedagogical experiment. Scholars already familiar with Nagy’s work will not find radically new insights here. What they will appreciate is a systematic and exceptionally lucid statement of the research he has carried out over the past four decades… One of the greatest achievements of Nagy’s research is that it powerfully illuminates the relationship between myth and cult. -- Barbara Graziosi * Times Higher Education *There’s a vital subject at the heart of the book—more vital perhaps now than ever, since the concept of the ‘hero’ has been so overused and distorted in the 21st century that it scarcely has any meaning anymore, applying equally to Armed Services employees working in an accounting office in Qatar and elementary school teachers doing what they’d be fired if they didn’t do. Nagy exuberantly reminds his readers that heroes—mortal strivers against fate, against monsters, and, as we’ll see, against death itself—form the heart of Greek literature, the vital counterweight to the gaudy gods and goddesses who so often steal the limelight. He surveys the incredible feast of Greek literature from Homer and Hesiod to the tragedians (his extended analysis of Euripides’ Hippolytus, for instance, is a wondrous highlight of the book’s final marches) and overlays on top of that feast a neat but thin conceit of ‘hours’ characterized by certain ancient Greek concepts like Kleos, Memnemai, Akhos, Penthos, and Aphthito. The comprehensiveness of his coverage allows him to bring in every variation on the Greek hero, from the wily Theseus to the brawny Hercules to the ‘monolithic’ Achilles to the valiantly conflicted Oedipus, and that same sweep puts him in a perfect position to spot the linking factors and expound on them. -- Steve Donoghue * Open Letters Monthly *Backed by formidable learning and a vast ecumenical sweep embellished with details—yet written in a winningly readable informal style—The Ancient Greek Hero in 24 Hours offers to us penetrating considerations of the ways in which Greek classics continue to make themselves felt in our lives even today. -- M. S. Nagarajan * The Hindu *This volume is a summation of the insights of a scholar who has devoted his life to these materials, and who has a deep, learned, and personal vision of the ancient Greek psyche, its values, and its manifestations in song and prose. The result is a stimulating tour of ancient Greek literature. -- P. Nieto * Choice *By force of its prestige, the Iliad sets the standard for the definition of the word epic: an expansive poem of enormous scope, composed in an old-fashioned and superbly elevated style of language, concerning the wondrous deeds of heroes. That these deeds were meant to arouse a sense of wonder or marvel is difficult for the modern mind to comprehend, especially in a time when even such words as wonderful or marvelous have lost much of their evocative power. Nor is it any easier to grasp the ancient Greek concept of hero (the English word is descended from the Greek), going beyond the word's ordinary levels of meaning in casual contemporary usage. Who, then, were these heroes? In ancient Greek traditions, heroes were humans, male or female, of the remote past, endowed with superhuman abilities and descended from the immortal gods themselves. A prime example is Achilles. The greatest hero of the Iliad, Achilles was the son of Thetis, a sea-goddess known for her far-reaching cosmic powers. It is clear in the epic, however, that the father of Achilles is mortal, and that this greatest of heroes must therefore be mortal as well. So, too, with all the ancient Greek heroes: even though they are all descended in some way or another from the gods, however many generations removed, heroes are mortals, subject to death. No matter how many immortals you find in a family tree, the intrusion of even a single mortal will make all successive descendants mortal. Mortality, not immortality, is the dominant gene. * From the book *

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Book SynopsisThis new edition of The Essential Guide to Western Civilization provides a succinct and engaging overview of European history for students.With wide chronological coverage, from early humans and the first civilizations to the present, this book provides a narrative of key events in the West with insightful analysis to further contextualize the relationship of the West to the wider world. The second edition has been fully updated, with increased coverage of women, slavery, colonization, economics and finance, and concurrent developments in the non-Western world. It engages with recent scholarship and includes updated suggested readings to offer a more comprehensive view of Western civilization. To further aid student understanding, the book includes review questions at the end of each section, key terms and definitions for each chapter, discussion questions at the end of every chapter, and maps and images to illustrate important concepts.Ideal for undergraduates

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Book SynopsisFULLY UPDATED CENTENARY EDITIONAn important book' Max Hastings, Sunday TimesAn intriguing history of covert surveillance thoroughly engaging' Daily TelegraphGCHQ is the largest and most secretive intelligence organisation in the UK, and has existed for 100 years but we still know next to nothing about it.In this ground-breaking book the first and most definitive history of the organisation ever published intelligence expert Richard Aldrich traces GCHQ's development from a wartime code-breaking operation based in the Bedfordshire countryside into one of the world leading espionage organisations.Packed with dramatic spy stories, GCHQ also explores the organisation's role behind the most alarming headlines of our time, from fighting ISIS to cyberterrorism, from the surveillance state to Russian hacking. Revelatory, brilliantly written and fully updated, this is the crucial missing link in Britain's intelligence history.Trade Review‘Richard J. Aldrich is an outstanding analyst and historian of intelligence and he tells this story well…an important book, which will make readers think uncomfortably not only about the state’s power to monitor our lives, but also the appalling vulnerability of every society in thrall to communications technology as we are.’ Max Hastings, Sunday Times ‘An intriguing history of covert surveillance … thoroughly engaging’ Daily Telegraph ‘Skilfully weaves together the personal, political, military and technological dimensions of electronic espionage’ Economist ‘Aldrich packs in vast amounts of information, while managing to remain very readable. He paints the broad picture, but also introduces fascinating detail’ Literary Review ‘This is a sober and valuable work of scholarship, which is as reliable as anything ever is in the twilight world of intelligence-gathering. Yet there is nothing dry about it. Aldrich knows how to write for a wider audience, while avoiding the speculations, inventions, sensationalism and sheer silliness of so much modern work on the subject’ Spectator ‘Aldrich has taken a decade to produce the first substantial account of the agency's history, and this superlative book packs in vast amounts of information, yet remains wonderfully readable. He has dug up a massive amount of fascinating detail’ The Week, Book of the Week ‘Richard Aldrich, an accomplished cold war intelligence historian, has taken a decade to produce the first substantial account of what is known about the agency, and what can be gleaned from the recently released official archive’ Duncan Campbell, New Statesman

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Book SynopsisAs world powers realign their cultural, economic and political outlooks, there is no better time to consider how Afro-Eurasia's complex network of ancient trade routes which spanned the vastness of the steppe, vertiginous mountain ranges, fertile river plains and forbidding deserts across the continents and on to the seas beyond fostered economic activity and cultural, political and technological communication. From silk to slaves, fashion to music, religion to science the movement of interaction of goods, people and ideas was crucial to the flourishing of peoples and their cultures across this vast region. Edited by Susan Whitfield, an established authority on the subject, with contributions from over 80 leading scholars from across the globe, Silk Roads situates the ancient routes against the landscapes that defined them, to reveal the raw materials that they produced, the means of travel that were employed to traverse them and the communities that were shaped by them. OrganizedTrade Review'An extraordinary compendium of history and art … a marvel of a book … a brilliant survey that could not be put together in real time, a catalogue of an exhibition that could never be … This is a book to fundamentally jolt our endemic Eurocentricism and Western complacency … [a] one-volume museum' - V&A Magazine'The many magnificent illustrations make one long to go travelling' - Spectator, Martin Gayford’s Books of the Year'A superbly illustrated volume … the huge variety of the travellers and the merchandise along these complex trajectories is handsomely laid out in this delightful, informative and continually surprising work' - The Arts Desk, Books of the Year'A book to experience rather than read … simultaneously erudite and accessible' - Asian Review of Books'Stunning maps and artifacts combine with evocative landscapes as well as troubling tales of plunder, serving as a timely reminder of the rich rewards of meaningful communication and candid cultural exchange within and between the continents' - Traveller'Sections on Christian monasticism in Africa and Asia and the emergence of lapis lazuli make compelling reading. At a time when global politics and economy are hit by uncertainty, this book emphasises how movement and exchange fostered economic activity and cultural and political ideas' - The Art Society'Revealing on every level and will undoubtedly cast a spell upon the reader … this is one journey not to be missed' - The Lady'This beautiful publication honours the astonishing diversity in the way cultures advance and flourish not in spite of their differences, but because of them' - Antiques Diary'The value of this sumptuous book lies not in its decorative coffee-table desirability but because it serves to remind us that human difference and interaction is vitally necessary for progress. In an era marked by international wall-building and little compassion towards refugees and migrants, we would do well to remember this' - World of Interiors

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Book Synopsis'A heart-piercingly brilliant book about a woman whose personal life put her in the cross-hairs of history' HADLEY FREEMAN'Totally riveting. I couldn't put it down' VICTORIA HISLOP'Ethel sings out for all women who have been misunderstood and wronged, and refuse to bow down' NICHOLAS SHAKESPEARE'A shocking tale of betrayal, naivety, misogyny and judicial failure' SONIA PURNELL'A historic miscarriage of justice laid bare for our times' PHILIPPE SANDSEthel Rosenberg was a supportive wife, loving mother to two small children and courageous idealist who grew up during the Depression with aspirations to become an opera singer.On 19 June 1953 she became the first woman in the US to be executed for a crime other than murder. She was thirty-seven years old.Ethel's conviction for conspiracy to commit espionage on behalf of the Soviet Union followed what FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover called the 'trial of the century' in Cold War America and is still controversial. Now, Anne Sebba's masterly, meticulously researched and deeply moving biography finally tells Ethel's true story - a life barbarically cut short on the basis of tainted evidence for a crime she almost certainly did not commit.Trade ReviewA heart-piercingly brilliant book about a woman whose personal life put her in the cross-hairs of history -- HADLEY FREEMANSebba gets her readers under the skin of both Ethel and her era so effectively that this shameful saga had me alternately close to tears and boiling with rage * DAILY TELEGRAPH *An intelligent, sensitive and absorbing account of the short, tragic life of a woman made remarkable by circumstance. [Ethel] emerges as a stubbornly courageous figure, a woman who towers above the parade of morally grubby, self-seeking and misogynistic figures who conspired to destroy her -- Melissa Benn * GUARDIAN *Totally riveting. I couldn't put it down -- VICTORIA HISLOPPowerful . . . her narrative clings to the reader like ivy . . . a feat of empathy * OBSERVER *Masterful, original and painfully gripping, a historic miscarriage of justice laid bare for our times -- PHILIPPE SANDSAn engaging portrait of the woman at the centre of a shameful case in US history * Guardian *An almost unbearably terrible story. I was completely held, absorbed and involved with the story of Ethel's short life. Brilliant ... could not be bettered -- CLAIRE TOMALINAnne Sebba's riveting reappraisal not only includes previously unseen letters and testimony but also manages to extract Ethel from her marriage . . . this important and compelling book raises resonant issues around what happens when collective fear leads to hysteria and justice is wilfully ignored * SPECTATOR *Timely, superbly written and ultimately devastating, this is an American tragedy indeed. I don't think I've ever read a book that has moved me more -- ANTHONY HOROWITZAbsolutely gripping in so many ways; beautifully written and superbly researched, a brilliant and a fresh take on a famous case. This is simultaneously a Shakespearean tragedy of a woman and family betrayal, a history of American Communism and Soviet espionage in the USA, a very modern story with links to the 21st century and Trump, a web of conspiracies, politics and witch-hunts, and an investigation of treason and justice -- SIMON SEBAG MONTEFIOREA tragic and gripping tale, scrupulously documented, of political chicanery, family betrayal and legal perfidy, Anne's Sebba's book has unnerving echoes in the modern world -- CAROLINE MOOREHEADThis is a magnificent book, one with a hundred strands, woven together with such skill that the only thought one can have at the end of reading is: how did we never know the true story of this remarkable woman? -- CARMEN CALLILWas Ethel innocent? Anne Sebba, a masterful storyteller, peels away the layers of historical and sometimes deliberate misinformation to reveal the extraordinary truth. This book will haunt me for some time -- ANITA ANANDA riveting account of "the Dreyfus case of Cold-War America". Ethel Rosenberg's execution in 1953 united the Pope, Einstein and Picasso in condemning her conviction as both a crime against humanity and an assault on America's idea of itself. As Sebba shows to scathing effect, with a message that will strike contemporary nerves, Ethel placed truth above fake news, and being a good wife and mother above being a good Communist. She had wanted to be an opera singer, but here she sings out for all women who have been misunderstood and wronged, and refuse to bow down -- NICHOLAS SHAKESPEAREWhat a soaring story that challenges on so many levels! Anne Sebba has an uncanny knack of upending historical orthodoxies in compelling style. In this gripping account of Ethel Rosenberg's life and death, she does so again. It's a shocking tale of betrayal, naivety, misogyny and judicial failure. As a woman who maybe loved too well, Ethel remains hard to like, but she's even harder to condemn -- SONIA PURNELLAnne Sebba's Ethel Rosenberg is a tour de force, a tale of a woman betrayed and executed. Sebba's painstaking research creates a new picture of a woman caught up in accusations, an activist, a devoted mother sent to the electric chair, a tale of idealism and government's demand for a scapegoat, a moving, fascinating picture of the first woman to be executed in the US for espionage. 'Always remember we are innocent', she said as she died. For years, Ethel Rosenberg has been attacked and castigated. Now Sebba's new access to sources and research tells her real story - of a loyal wife, a woman of principle who became public enemy no 1 for a terrified political class and public - and asks us to make up our own minds -- KATE WILLIAMSIn Anne Sebba, Ethel Rosenberg has found the ideal biographer, sympathetic without being blind to her faults and a sure understanding of the period. Her portrayal is compelling . . . it is impossible to read her account of Ethel's last days without being moved * LITERARY REVIEW *Seventy years on Anne Sebba has given Ethel Rosenberg a towering memorial * THE CRITIC *Anne Sebba's brilliant, unforgettable biography is the story of a woman who fell victim to a fatal cocktail of prejudices - anti-Communism, antisemitism and misogyny * THE JEWISH CHRONICLE *A compelling story of love, betrayal, misplaced idealism, and brutal and legal political manoeuvring * ECONOMIST *Anne Sebba has written a powerful biography of a wife, mother and woman, caught by a system determined to make an example of her and betrayed by those she thought she could trust * THE OLDIE *An absorbing book * THE TABLET *Sebba's impassioned investigation into this shameful saga concludes that this remarkable woman became a "human sacrifice" to Red Scare hysteria and 1950s chauvinism * DAILY TELEGRAPH *Riveting . . . A concise yet thorough account of a 1953 miscarriage of justice with alarming relevance today * Kirkus *This shattering story of a courageous woman swept up in one of America's greatest miscarriages of justice is enthralling and deeply moving. With her usual brilliance, Anne Sebba has brought to light the real person buried under decades of propaganda and has finally succeeded in humanising Ethel Rosenberg. This book is hugely relevant today, it shows us the perils of allowing ideology and hysteria to take precedence over justice. This is a magnificent work, meticulously researched and skilfully crafted -- ARIANA NEUMANN, author of New York Times bestseller 'When Time Stopped'A gripping tale of betrayal, deceit and judicial incompetence * BBC History Magazine *Sebba's painstaking research pulls back the veil of historic projections * Financial Times *Sebba gets her readers under the skin of both Ethel and her era so effectively that this shameful saga had me alternately close to tears and boiling with rage * Daily Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisThe coach – distinguished from the bus by its use for longer-haul and more comfortable trips – has a long and august history. Its origins lie in the charabanc, a long open-topped vehicle used to transport passengers on works outings and pleasure excursions. Over time, coaches came to be enclosed and fitted with more comfortable seating and higher-quality bodywork than the charabancs and the buses used on shorter routes. By the 1960s and 1970s on-board toilets began to be fitted, and despite a decline due to private car ownership, coach travel remains popular, with Wi-Fi, electric sockets and even video screens now built in. This colourful introduction explains the development of motor coach design and the main coach manufacturers, models and operators, offering a fascinating insight into the history of the nation’s most popular vehicles.Trade ReviewAn excellent, well-illustrated and very comprehensive yet compact book that enlightened me to many aspects of coaches and coach travel through the years. I enjoyed reading every page. -- Kim Henson * Wheels-Alive *Table of ContentsFrom Charabanc to Express Coach Luxury Travel: the 1930s Wartime and Austerity: The 1940s and 1950s Winds of Change: The 1960s and 1970s Modern Times Further Reading Places to Visit Index

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Book SynopsisThere isn't any triumph, there isn't any happy ending in the story of Sant'Anna di Stazzema, but there is a resolute affirmation of the continuing strength of the human spirit.At dawn on 12 August 1944, German SS troops arrived in the Tuscan mountain village of Sant'Anna di Stazzema. On arrival, they proceeded to murder up to 560 Italian civilians in the olive groves and chestnut woods of the small hamlet. The victims were women, the elderly and over eighty children. One was a baby barely three weeks old. It was the most high-profile massacre committed by the Nazis in Italy and yet, despite three separate war crimes investigations, the Sant'Anna killers escaped justice. Sixty years later, ten of the SS men who were at Sant'Anna were sentenced to life imprisonment in absentia by Italian courts, but they died free. Anatomy of a Massacre tells the full story of what happened at Sant'Anna di Stazzema from Tuscany to Rome and Germany and tries to answer the question: why were the survivors denied justice?

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Book SynopsisThe medieval earldoms of Orkney and Caithness were positioned between two worlds, the Norwegian and the Scottish. They were a maritime lordship divided, or united, by the turbulent waters of the Pentland Firth. This unlikely combination of island and mainland territory survived as a single lordship for 600 years, against the odds. Growing out of the Viking maelstrom of the early Middle Ages, it became an established and wealthy principality which dominated northern waters, with a renowned dynasty of earls. Despite their peripheral location these earls were fully in touch with the kingdoms of Norway and Scotland and increasingly subject to the rulers of these kingdoms. How they maintained their independence and how they survived the clash of loyalties are themes explored in this book from the early Viking age to the late medieval era when the powerful feudal Sinclair earls ruled the islands and regained possession of Caithness. This is a story of the time when the Northern Isles of Scotland were part of a different national entity which explains the background to the non-Gaelic culture of this locality, when links across the North Sea were as important as links with the kingdom of Scotland to the south.Trade Review'One of the finest monographs available for any Scottish region in the medieval period' -- Neill McGuigan * Scottish Archaeological Journal *

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Book SynopsisThe first three editions of this bestselling book have established A Social History of the Media as a classic, providing a masterful overview of communication media and of the social and cultural contexts within which they emerged and evolved over time.This fourth edition has been revised and updated throughout to reflect the latest developments in the field. Additionally, an expanded introduction explores the wide range of secondary literature and theory that inform the study of media history today, and a new eighth chapter surveys the revolutionary media developments of the twenty-first century, including in particular the rise of social and participatory media and the penetration of these technologies into every sphere of social and private life.Avoiding technological determinism and rejecting assumptions of straightforward evolutionary progress, this book brings out the rich and varied histories of communication media. In an age of fast-paced media developments, a thorough understanding of media history is more important than ever, and this text will continue to be the first choice for students and scholars across the world.Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Preface 1 Introduction 2 Printing in its Contexts 3 The Media and the Public Sphere in Early Modern Europe 4 Technologies and Revolutions 5 New Processes and Patterns 6 Information, Education, Entertainment 7 Media Convergences 8 The Return of the Social Chronology Further Reading Index

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Book SynopsisOf more than seventy works by Varro (116–27 BC) we have only his treatise On Agriculture and part of his On the Latin Language, a work typical of its author’s interest not only in antiquarian matters but also in the collection of scientific facts, and containing much of very great value to the study of the Latin language.

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Book SynopsisOn a June night in 1791, King Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette fled Paris in disguise, hoping to escape the turmoil of the French Revolution. They were arrested by a group of citizens a few miles from Belgium and forced to return to Paris. Two years later they would both die at the guillotine. Tackett recounts this story in gripping novelistic style.Trade ReviewThe royal family's attempt to flee France in 1791 was one of the defining events of the French Revolution. Timothy Tackett, the most accomplished historian of the Revolution now writing, tells the story of the great flight memorably. The reader will feel that he or she is accompanying the disguised royal family out of the Tuileries in Paris and riding along with them in the big black coach as it falls further and further behind schedule. This is the story, brilliantly told, of how the decision to flee Paris changed the course of the Revolution. -- John Merriman, author of The Stones of Balazuc: A French Village in TimeTimothy Tackett has written a superb book. Not only is this a spellbinding story well-told, Tackett restores the centrality of Louis XVI to the history of the Revolution and shows how the royal betrayal had incalculable consequences for the monarchy and for the tragedies that lay ahead. -- Donald Sutherland, author of The French Revolution and Empire: The Quest for a Civic OrderA meticulous work, combining smooth-flowing narrative with cogent analysis. He thereby demonstrates how far the Revolution had progressed by June 1791, and how the king's flight helps to explain its subsequent radical and repressive turns. -- Isser Woloch, author of The New Regime: Transformations of the French Civic Order, 1789-1820sTackett...describes the failed attempt by Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette to escape revolutionary France in June 1791, astutely assessing the consequences. Beginning with the climax--the capture of the French king and his party in Varennes ("not a particularly distinctive town")--the author then flashes back two years and leads us forward once again to that astonishing moment. Tackett cogently sketches the two principals and displays a fine historian's eye for engaging detail...Exciting, provocative, instructive: popular history at its finest. * Kirkus Reviews *For scholars and general readers alike, the French Revolution remains a perennially favorite historical event. And one of the most intriguing as well as pivotal occurrences in the whole revolutionary period took place on the night of June 21, 1791, when "something quite extraordinary did happen" that "changed the history of France"...Tackett explores the ramifications of the event on the direction the Revolution subsequently took--namely, toward terror and republicanism. The book's approachable style, clear ideas, and excellent pacing guarantee general readership interest. -- Brad Hooper * Booklist *Historian Tackett skillfully shows how Louis XVI's infamous failed flight from his revolutionary captors in Paris in 1791 led to the eventual victory of radicalism and strengthened those calling for terror to "protect" the revolution from its enemies...[A] dramatic account...Tackett describes the nation's reaction to the king's flight and return, not just in Paris but also in the provinces, where widespread fears of foreign invasion immediately followed news of Louis's escape...Tackett has penned a highly accessible popular history that should appeal to those wanting to learn more about one of the central events of the French Revolution. * Publishers Weekly *According to Tackett...Louis XVI's aborted escape from the clutches of revolutionary Paris led to the rise of radical republicanism and the bloody excesses of the Reign of Terror. In many respects, his book is a rebuttal of a prevalent school of thought that views the French Revolution as an abhorrent event from beginning to end...Tackett contends that the political culture of 1789 had placed the revolution on an essentially moderate course and that it was the duplicitous recalcitrance of the king and his network of supporters that unleashed the demons of extremism. Tackett is a lucid writer, and he presents his unique thesis in a scholarly and lively style...Recommended. -- Jim Doyle * Library Journal *In a taut, quickly paced narrative, Timothy Tackett tells the captivating story of [the] flight, an event that changed the course of the French Revolution and set in motion an extraordinary chain of actions and reactions. * Boston Herald *In his excellent and well-researched book Timothy Tackett makes the most of the story [of King Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette's flight from Paris], neatly broadening it from human melodrama to the stuff of high politics. -- Hazel Mills * The Guardian (UK) *Tim Tackett ably demonstrates [that], in unprecedented detail, [Louis XVI's flight from Paris to the Varennes in June 1891] also produced a panic akin to the Great Fear of summer 1789 and induced a climate of violence that would worsen in the future, a consequence of contingency rather than of revolutionary ideology. This book is beautifully produced, extremely well written, lavishly illustrated and modestly priced, Tackett has already made some splendid contributions to the study of the revolution and this accessible volume will both enhance his reputation and attract a broad readership…Tackett has conducted a great deal of research in the departmental archives, to show how support for Louis drained away in the provinces as well as Paris. -- Malcolm Crook * History *Table of ContentsPrologue 1. Sire, You May Not Pass 2. The King of the French 3. The King Takes Flight 4. Our Good City of Paris 5. The Fathers of the Nation 6. Fear and Repression in the Provinces 7. To Judge a King 8. The Months and Years After Conclusion: The Power of an Event Abbreviations Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisHow much of our fate is tied to the status of our parents and grandparents? How much does it influence our children? More than we wish to believe. While it has been argued that rigid class structures have eroded in favor of greater social equality, The Son Also Rises proves that movement on the social ladder has changed little over eight centuries.Trade ReviewWinner of 2015 Gyorgy Ranki Prize, Economic History Association Honorable Mention for the 2015 PROSE Award in Economics, Association of American Publishers One of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 2014 One of Vox's "Best Books We Read in 2014" "The Son Also Rises ... suggests that dramatic social mobility has always been the exception rather than the rule. Clark examines a host of societies over the past seven hundred years and finds that the makeup of a given country's economic elite has remained surprisingly stable."--James Surowiecki, New Yorker "An epic feat of data crunching and collaborative grind... Mr. Clark has just disrupted our complacent idea of a socially mobile, democratically fluid society."--Trevor Butterworth, Wall Street Journal "Audacious."--Barbara Kiser, Nature "[A]n important book, and anybody at all interested in inequality and the kind of society we have should read it."--Diane Coyle, Enlightened Economist "The Son Also Rises... That is the new Greg Clark book and yes it is an event and yes you should buy it."--Tyler Cowen, Marginal Revolution "Startling... Clark proposes a new way to measure mobility across nations and over time. He tracks the persistence of rare surnames at different points on the socio-economic scale. The information he gathers is absorbing in its own right, quite aside from its implications."--Clive Crook, Bloomberg View "Clark casts his net wider. He looks at mobility not across one or two generations, but across many. And he shows by focusing on surnames--last names--how families overrepresented in elite institutions remain that way, though to diminishing degrees, not just for a few generations but over centuries."--Michael Barone, Washington Examiner "Deeply challenging."--Margaret Wente, Globe & Mail "Who should you marry if you want to win at the game of life? Gregory Clark ... offers some answers in his fascinating new book, The Son Also Rises."--Eric Kaufmann, Literary Review "This intriguing book measures social mobility in a novel way, by tracing unusual surnames over several generations in nine different countries, focusing on intergenerational changes in education, wealth, and social status as indicated by occupation."--Foreign Affairs "No doubt this book will be as controversial as its thesis is thought-provoking."--Library Journal "Gregory Clark's analysis of intergenerational mobility signals a marked shift in the way economists think about social mobility."--Andrew Leigh, Sydney Morning Herald "The thesis of The Son Also Rises is, fundamentally, that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Ingeniously, Clark and his team of researchers look at the persistence of socioeconomic status through the lens of surnames in more than 20 societies."--Tim Sullivan, Harvard Business Review "Clark has a predilection for investigating interesting questions, as well as for literary puns... [J]ust as Thomas Piketty's Capital in the 21st Century, calls into question the role of capitalism in wealth creation, Clark calls into question the role of capitalism in social mobility."--Theodore Kinni, Strategy+Business.com "Clark's book is not merely intellectually clever, it's profoundly challenging. Especially for Americans, it calls into question of ourselves as individuals, as well as our long-standing image of our society. Let's hope he's wrong."--Benjamin M. Friedman, The Atlantic "Adopting an innovative approach to using surnames to measure social mobility, The Son Also Rises engages the reader by presenting data that comes to life as it is anchored by names we see in our daily life... A book with valuable insights derived from a well-designed research, it is strongly recommended to all serious readers interested in building strong democracies, for high social mobility is at the heart of a vibrant democracy. Policy makers will gain the benefits of counter-intuitive conclusions that this book throws up with its multi-generational study. Academicians interested in social justice and social activists engaged in promoting social mobility too will have a lot to chew on."--BusinessWorld "Clark continues the project begun in his A Farewell to Alms. Here, he offers a controversial challenge to standard ideas that social mobility wipes out class advantages over a few generations... An important, challenging book."--Choice "[T]his is a well written and thought-provoking book... I look forward to his next book--and his next Hemingway pun!"--Edward Dutton, Quarterly Review "Clark's book begins a fascinating and important conversation about social mobility... Clark's findings are important to engage with, and they will factor into discussions about social mobility for years to come."--Laura Salisbury, EH.Net "[I]t's one of those rare, invigorating arguments which, if correct, totally upends your understanding of the way the world works. Right or wrong, I've thought about it more than anything else I read in 2014."--Dylan Matthews, a Vox "Best Books We Read in 2014" selection "[A] provocative book."--Richard Lampard, European Journal of Cultural and Political Sociology "The Son Also Rises makes for stimulating reading, and I recommend it."--Chris Minns, Investigaciones de Historia EconomicaTable of ContentsPreface ix 1 Introduction: Of Ruling Classes and Underclasses: The Laws of Social Mobility 1 PART I Social Mobility by Time and Place 2 Sweden: Mobility Achieved? 19 3 The United States: Land of Opportunity 45 4 Medieval England: Mobility in the Feudal Age 70 5 Modern England: The Deep Roots of the Present 88 6 A Law of Social Mobility 107 7 Nature versus Nurture 126 PART II Testing the Laws of Mobility 8 India: Caste, Endogamy, and Mobility 143 9 China and Taiwan: Mobility after Mao 167 10 Japan and Korea: Social Homogeneity and Mobility 182 11 Chile: Mobility among the Oligarchs 199 12 The Law of Social Mobility and Family Dynamics 212 13 Protestants, Jews, Gypsies, Muslims, and Copts: Exceptions to the Law of Mobility? 228 14 Mobility Anomalies 253 PART III The Good Society 15 Is Mobility Too Low? Mobility versus Inequality 261 16 Escaping Downward Social Mobility 279 Appendix 1: Measuring Social Mobility 287 Appendix 2: Deriving Mobility Rates from Surname Frequencies 296 Appendix 3: Discovering the Status of Your Surname Lineage 301 Data Sources for Figures and Tables 319 References 333 Index 349

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Book SynopsisThe Vikings maintain their grip on our imagination, but their image is too often distorted by myth. It is true that they pillaged, looted, and enslaved. But they also settled peacefully and traveled far from their homelands in swift and sturdy ships to explore. The Age of the Vikings tells the full story of this exciting period in history. DrawingTrade ReviewHonorable Mention for the 2015 PROSE Award in European & World History, Association of American Publishers One of The New York Post's Best Books of 2014 "[Winroth] has an impressive knowledge of the sources, the archaeology, and the modern historical literature... Winroth really knows what he is writing about, and has done the research... I recommend the work to anyone with little knowledge of the subject and a wish to learn more."--Eric Christiansen, New York Review of Books "Winroth really knows what he is writing about... I recommend the work to anyone with little knowledge of the subject and a wish to learn more."--Eric Christiansen, New York Review of Books "Mr. Winroth's account is superior to all its most recent competitors. He avoids what has become the traditional chronological narrative, centering his chapters instead on themes: violence first, regrettably; but then emigration, trade, state-formation and eventually, with some relief, life 'home on the farm.' He also has the happy knack of seizing on a fascinating detail to open each chapter."--Tom Shippey, Wall Street Journal "[I]nsightful, informative ... delightful chapters that flesh out our understanding of the Norsemen's world in a way that no bare narrative could... The Age of the Vikings is a wonderfully compact and fascinating companion to many facets of the Viking world... This book should prove a fascinating and rewarding read for those seeking to deepen their understanding of the Viking world."--Philip Parker, Literary Review "[T]his book is obviously where to start for anyone fed up with MGM's 'Vikings' and even remotely interested in the real story behind."--Karen Schousboe, Medieval Histories "If a person wants to approach the Viking Period for the first time or get a refresher on where scholarship is standing right now, then I am happy to recommend this fine book."--Martin Rundkvist, Aardvarcha "There was more to this seafaring civilization."--Michael Kane, New York Post "I loved this book... His prose is sharp and compelling, and often left me wanting more (in a good way)... Age of the Vikings captures the wanderlust of its subjects, placing the Vikings all over Europe and the Middle East. Winroth's Norse aren't just raiders or farmers, they are merchants, poets, warriors, and sailors... The lives of the Vikings often make for romantic fonder and good television shows, but their lives were far more complicated than those mediums let on."--Jason Mankey, Patheos "Winroth has penned a fast-paced, slender volume on the Viking Age designed for general readers...With a style that is vivid, engaging, and brilliant in detail, Winroth skillfully summarizes an impressive body of scholarship not available to most readers. He re-creates the drudgery of farm work to the far-ranging trade in exotic goods, evoking daily life in Viking Age Scandinavia."--Choice "[T]his is a detailed and scholarly work, with the full paraphernalia of notes, references and bibliography, but is very well-written and provides a most accessible and readable introduction to the Viking era, and I would strongly recommend it to anyone with an interest in the topic."--Jon Grimr, Magonia blog "This book ... remains such an enjoyable read that readers will find themselves carried along quickly from chapter to chapter."--Kerstin Hundahl, Scandia "Vivid, engaging, and brilliant in detail."--ChoiceTable of Contents1 Introduction: The Fury of the Northmen 1 2 Violence in a Violent Time 15 3 Roriks at Home and Away: Viking Age Emigration 45 4 Ships, Boats, and Ferries to the Afterworld 71 5 Coins, Silk, and Herring: Viking Age Trade in Northern Europe 99 6 From Chieftains to Kings 131 7 At Home on the Farm 157 8 The Religions of the North 181 9 Arts and Letters 213 10 Epilogue: The End of the Viking Age 241 Further Reading 249 Acknowledgments 253 Abbreviations 255 Notes 257 Bibliography 275 List of Illustrations 289 Index 293

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Book SynopsisChapters include: Dress of the Qing Manchu Rulers 1644-1911 Dress of the Manchu Consorts 1644-1911 Attire of Mandarins and Merchants Attire of Chinese Women Republican Dress 1912-1949 Clothing of the Lower Classes Clothing for Children Dress in New China 1950-Present DayTrade Review"Valery Garrett's research on Chinese dress, especially that worn by the local people, has been a constant inspiration to me as a fashion designer in New York." --Vivienne Tam, fashion designer"…the book is a serious, if brief, history of the period, but what sets it apart from similar academic books is that there are many background details such as where or why certain customs originated." --Journal of the Oriental Rug and Textile Society of Great Britain"…an excellent introduction into Chinese dress and Chinese history for any individual who is interested in expanding their knowledge of dress history or knowledge of Chinese culture." --The Journal of Dress History

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Book SynopsisThe image of Sparta, and the Spartans, is one dyed indelibly into the public consciousness: musclebound soldiers with long hair and red cloaks, bearing shiny bronze shields emblazoned with the Greek letter lambda. ''This is Sparta!'', bellows Leonidas on the silver screen, as he decides to lead his 300 warriors to their deaths at Thermopylae. But what was Sparta? The myths surrounding Sparta are as old as the city itself. Even in antiquity, Sparta was a unique society, considered an enigma. The Spartans who fought for freedom against the Persians called themselves ''equals'' or peers, but their equality was reliant on the ruthless exploitation of the indigenous population known as helots. The Spartans'' often bizarre rules and practices have the capacity to horrify as much they do to fascinate us today. Athenian writers were intrigued and appalled in equal measure by a society where weak or disabled babies were said to have been examined carefully by state officials before being dumpedTrade ReviewWith a succinctness worthy of his subjects - whose 'linguistic austerity' inspired the word 'laconic' - Bayliss distils extensive research to offer an engaging, lucid insight into this unique society. * Madeleine Finney, The Mail on Sunday *A new history of these extraordinary and often terrifying people, which is both scholarly and highly entertaining. * Christopher Hart, Mail Online *A readable, informative, excellent survey. * Brian Maye, The Irish Times *Anyone interested in Sparta should read it, and every school library should own it. * David Stuttard, Classics for All *The Spartans will prove of value not only to the layman interested in learning something about this most famous ancient warrior culture, but also the seasoned student of the subject. * A. A. Nofi, New York Military Affairs *[A] thematic and scholarly treatment. * Paul Cartledge, author of The Spartans: An Epic History *With deceptive ease, [Bayliss] guides his readers not just across well-trodden ground but sometimes to unexpected vantage points from where he can challenge orthodox views... The Spartans punches above its weight, and with 14 black-and-white illustrations (including two maps), references, suggestions for further reading and an index, it's a knockout. Anyone interested in Sparta should read it, and every school library should own it. * David Stuttard, Classics for All *Throughout the book, Bayliss never shouts. Yet, in his quiet, succinct way, he has produced a book that can with some justice claim, 'This is Sparta.' * Alastair Brans, Australian Book Review *Table of Contents1: Go tell the Spartans 2: Sparta's civic structure 3: The Spartan lifestyle 4: Raising a Spartan 5: Spartan women 6: Helots 7: The Later Reception of Sparta Further reading Index

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Book SynopsisThe Middle Ages inherited from Antiquity a tradition of prophesy and gave it fresh and exuberant life. This tradition foretold a Millennium in which humanity would enjoy a new Paradise on earth, free of suffering and sin - a Kingdom of the Saints. Generation after generation was intermittently seized by a tense expectation of some sudden, miraculous event in which the world would be utterly transformed. Often these expectations became enmeshed with social unrest and movements arose which sent tremors through the massive structure of medieval society. Drawing on a huge variety of contemporary sources, this unique and compelling book tells the story of those Millenarian fanaticisms of the Middle Ages and points to their persistence in the modern world.Trade ReviewCompelling and original -- Bettany Hughes * The Times *Important, original... Haunting and significant * Times Literary Supplement *It is a piece of great originality and power... It deserves study and emulation -- Isaiah BerlinFull of rich, fascinating scholarship... What a field he covers -- Hugh Trevor-Roper

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Book SynopsisDid you know that: It''s against the law to check into a hotel in London under assumed names for the purpose of lovemaking? Under a statute of Edwards II all whales washed up on the shore belong to the monarch? Under a Tudor law Welshmen are not allowed into the city of Chester after dark?In THE STRANGE LAWS OF OLD ENGLAND, Nigel Cawthorne unearths an extraordinary collection of the most bizarre and arcane laws that have been enacted over the centuries. Some of the laws, incredibly, are still in force. It is still illegal to enter the Houses of Parliament in a suit of armour . . . This elegant and amusing book is perfect for everyone fascinated by the eccentric history of these islands.

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Book SynopsisFully updated and revised, Donald Rumbelow’s classic work is the ultimate examination of the facts, theories, fictions and fascinations surrounding the greatest whodunit in history.The Complete Jack the Ripper lays out all the evidence in the most comprehensive summary ever written about the Ripper.

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Book SynopsisThis book encompasses the long sixteenth century, starting with James IV's accession and concluding with Mary, Queen of Scots' execution. At its heart is Scottish political life viewed from local and regional perspectives as well as the centre.Trade Reviewa work of exemplary, balanced and up-to-date erudition. -- Julian Goodare, University of Edinburgh Reviews in History Dawson's lively style and use of individual contemporary experiences will engage the sleepiest student, while the chronological approach allows her to draw attention to the longer-term processes underlying the 're-forming' of the Scottish kingdom that will satisfy the more academically minded. -- Anna Groundwater, University of Edinburgh English Historical Review A very welcome volume in the New Edinburgh History of Scotland series... An important book, to be secured by all serious libraries, and readers interested in this crucial period. Northern History The approach taken here is broadly chronological, yet there is far more here than a mere recounting of the governments of monarchs or regents! Scotland Re-formed is well illustrated with many maps and tables! Scotland Re-formed should, therefore, appeal to both informed general readers and students of early modern Scottish history. -- Maureen Meikle, Leeds Trinity and All Saints Parliamentary History The last few decades have seen a flourishing of interest in Renaissance and Reformation Scotland, but so far an overview, bringing together the fruits of this new research, has been lacking. This volume fills the gap admirably... This lively book should be particularly useful for newcomers to the subject: the writing is consistently clear, and avoids descending into historiogrpahical controversy, while retaining an eye for detail. -- John McCallum, University of St Andrews Ecclesiastical Law Journal Dawson moves seamlessly between biography, local and regional contexts, and the events and issues of national identity! Her writing masterfully chronicles both the constancy and fluidity of these struggles for power, vengeance, and at times justice. -- William VanDoodewaard, Huntington University Journal of British Studies A clear narrative of an often confusing period in Scotland's past. Readable yet erudite, expansive yet detailed, Dawson's book is a fresh take on political history that will serve students well. -- Mairi Cowan, University of Toronto Scottish Historical Review a work of exemplary, balanced and up-to-date erudition. Dawson's lively style and use of individual contemporary experiences will engage the sleepiest student, while the chronological approach allows her to draw attention to the longer-term processes underlying the 're-forming' of the Scottish kingdom that will satisfy the more academically minded. A very welcome volume in the New Edinburgh History of Scotland series... An important book, to be secured by all serious libraries, and readers interested in this crucial period. The approach taken here is broadly chronological, yet there is far more here than a mere recounting of the governments of monarchs or regents! Scotland Re-formed is well illustrated with many maps and tables! Scotland Re-formed should, therefore, appeal to both informed general readers and students of early modern Scottish history. The last few decades have seen a flourishing of interest in Renaissance and Reformation Scotland, but so far an overview, bringing together the fruits of this new research, has been lacking. This volume fills the gap admirably... This lively book should be particularly useful for newcomers to the subject: the writing is consistently clear, and avoids descending into historiogrpahical controversy, while retaining an eye for detail. Dawson moves seamlessly between biography, local and regional contexts, and the events and issues of national identity! Her writing masterfully chronicles both the constancy and fluidity of these struggles for power, vengeance, and at times justice. A clear narrative of an often confusing period in Scotland's past. Readable yet erudite, expansive yet detailed, Dawson's book is a fresh take on political history that will serve students well.Table of ContentsScotland Re-formed, 1488-1587; Jane Dawson; Maps, Tables and Illustrations; Preface; Introduction: The kingdom of the Scots; Part I: 'Glore of all princely governing'; Chapter 1: The Princely King: James IV, 1488-1494; Chapter 2: The Thistle and the Rose: James IV, 1495-1504; Chapter 3: Strutting the European Stage, James IV, 1503-1513; Part II: Renaissance Monarchy Triumphant; Chapter 4: The survival of Renaissance monarchy: James V's minority, 1513-28; Chapter 5: Courts and clergy: James V, 1528-1537; Chapter 6: Imperious Majesty, James V, 1537-1542; Part III: The Battle for Britain; Chapter 7: Wars for Britain, 1543-1551; Chapter 8: Franco-Scotland 1550-1560; Chapter 9: Reformation by the Sword, 1555-1561; Chapter 10: Reformation by the Word, 1560-1588; Part IV: Re-forming the Kingdom; Chapter 11: 'The empire of a woman': Mary, Queen of Scots, 1561-1567; Chapter 12: Civil Wars, 1567-1573; Chapter 13: The last Douglas ascendancy, 1573-1578; Chapter 14: James' long apprenticeship: 1578-1587; Conclusion: Scotland Re-formed; Table of Events; Further Reading; Bibliography.

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Book SynopsisIf there's one thing we know about our current president, it's that he lies. Donald Trump's lies are so ubiquitous, so incessant, and so habitual that they have become inescapable -- from his false claims about the size of his inauguration crowd to his whole cloth invention of a terrorist attack in Sweden to his assertion that Democrats are planning to give free cars to undocumented immigrants. But while he may lie more frequently and brazenly than any other American president, he is certainly not the first to mislead the public.With Lying in State, bestselling historian and commentator Eric Alterman asks how we ended up with such a pathologically dishonest commander in chief -- and what consequences his serial mendacity might have for the future. To answer these questions, Alterman explores the long history of presidential lying, showing that from early on, the United States has persistently expanded its power and hegemony on the basis of presidential lies. Over time, these deceptions have had a cumulative and pernicious effect: each lie a president tells makes it easier and more acceptable for subsequent presidents to lie. Worse still, the media have largely abandoned their responsibility as referees of news and information, uncritically repeating presidential lies and failing to issue corrections even after lies are revealed. Donald Trump, then, represents not an aberration but the culmination of an age-old trend.Full of vivid historical examples and trenchant analysis, Lying in State is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand how we arrived in this age of alternative facts.

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Book SynopsisGreen men are figures or heads that were carved in churches, abbeys and cathedrals from the twelfth to the sixteenth centuries. This book discusses the origins and definitions of these figures and traces their many declines and revivals throughout history. It is suitable for any church history enthusiast.Table of Contents?Origins and Definitions /Romanesque Churches /Gothic Architecture /Church Furnishings /After the Reformation /Further Reading /Places to Visit /Indexr

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Book SynopsisThis book explores an England in the aftermath of Magna CartaTrade ReviewDarren Baker paints an unforgettable portrait that allows every reader of this book to come away with a deeper understanding of medieval kingship and the determination of one king in particular to survive and save his dynasty in very difficult political circumstances. -- Michael Clanchy

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Book SynopsisKing Cnut ruled England from 1017 to 1035 and left behind him a legacy of peace, law and order. However, the beginnings of his kingship were less auspicious. He was a cruel and vicious warrior, who invaded England with his father Swegen Forkbeard, perhaps at a tender age. After Swegen''s death in 1014 Cnut went home to Denmark to gather his forces. He returned the following year and conquered much of England in his bid for the Crown, but even on the death of Aethelred II the English refused to proclaim him king. However, his victory over the alternative candidate, Aethelred''s son King Edmund Ironside, at the battle of Ashingdon, forced a division of the country between the two. Shortly afterwards, Edmund died and Cnut became undisputed ruler.

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Book SynopsisDrawn from many international sources, many not employed before in English-language publications, Armies of the Seven Years War is the finest reference work on this most complex of conflicts.

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Book SynopsisThis book draws upon the varied history and unique heritage of the County Palatine of Durham, an ancient land of saints and warlords.

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewA timely reminder of the intellectual tradition deployed by Republican politicians in the U.S. when they join the loose coalition of conspiracy theorists across the Atlantic gleefully demonizing George Soros. It is both salutary and depressing to be reminded of how enduring the trope of an exploitative global Jewish conspiracy against pure, humble and selfless nationalists really is…A century after the end of the first world war, we have, it seems, learned very little. -- Mark Mazower * Financial Times *One of the great merits of Paul Hanebrink’s A Specter Haunting Europe is its demonstration of how Europe’s most pervasive and powerful twentieth-century manifestation of anti-Semitic thought—the myth of Judeo-Bolshevism—emerged before the rise of National Socialism and has continued to have a curious life long after the Holocaust and the defeat of Nazi Germany. -- Christopher R. Browning * New York Review of Books *Magisterial…Hanebrink’s book covers this dark history with insight and skill. He has the linguistic ability to bring Eastern Europe fully into the narrative, and the vision to include American and Western European debates, too. The end result is a major intervention into our understanding of 20th-century Europe and the lessons we ought to take away from its history. -- James Chappel * The Nation *Outstanding…Makes clear that Judeo-Bolshevism was far from an afterthought; it was a—perhaps the—central catalyst in driving forward the Nazi genocidal project…The most exhaustive account to date of the Nazi obsession with Judeo-Bolshevism, but also of the other sites and eras in Europe in which the myth of Judeo-Bolshevism flourished. -- David N. Myers * Los Angeles Review of Books *This masterful interpretation of the origins and trajectory of the Judeo-Bolshevik myth is far more than a new classic in the canon of the writing of twentieth-century history. With the politics of exclusion and Islamophobia now sweeping Europe, alongside the election of Donald Trump in the United States, Paul Hanebrink’s reconstruction of the conspiratorial imagination that led shadowy others to be blamed—and worse—is an indispensable warning for our own time. -- Samuel Moyn, author of Not Enough: Human Rights in an Unequal WorldHanebrink follows the myth’s twisted course from its European origins in the immediate aftermath of the Bolshevik Revolution, through the jaundiced politics of the interwar period, to its devastating culmination in Nazi Germany…He argues that it survives today in the resurgent right-wing nationalism cropping up in many Western countries. From the start, the fantasy held that an alien element—the Jews—aimed to subvert the cultural values and national identities of Western societies. As Hanebrink points out, this theme is echoed in modern anti-Muslim conspiracy theories. The writers, politicians, and shills whose poisonous ideas he exhumes have many contemporary admirers. -- Robert Legvold * Foreign Affairs *Thoughtful and informative…In addition to examining the origins and influence of the Judeo-Bolshevik myth in the period from 1917 to 1945, Hanebrink attempts to show that it is still an important element in anti-Semitism, both in Europe and beyond…While Judeo-Bolshevism may have lost its resonance, Paul Hanebrink is right to insist that its history still matters, both as a key to understanding the tragic fate of Europe’s Jews in the first half of the twentieth century and as a reminder of how myths can open the way to political and moral catastrophe. -- James J. Sheehan * Commonweal *A masterful attempt to dissect the origins and the development of the idea of Judeo-Bolshevism in different cultural and political settings across twentieth-century Europe, and to explain why and how this canard came to shape the intentions of the leaders of so many parties and organizations, and dominate the minds of intellectuals as well as of average players in the Age of Extremes… Hanebrink’s close study of the way in which Nazism refashioned Judeo-Bolshevism is magisterial in the detailed assessment of how different European countries and organizations responded to Germany’s acclaimed mission to lead Europe against the common enemy… [A] tour de force… [A] definitive history of Judeo-Bolshevism. -- Elissa Bemporad * Marginalia *As Paul Hanebrink demonstrates in this masterly account, the myth of Judaeo-Bolshevism rose on a tide of hysteria whipped up by the chaos in central Europe that marked the end of the Great War…This in turn fed easily into a vicious racist rhetoric that characterized much of the discourse of the political right in Europe between the two world wars and which was of course a cornerstone of the Nazi enterprise. -- Geoffrey Alderman * Times Higher Education *An edifying new book that serves as a valuable addition to the corpus of scholarship on the long history of antisemitism. -- Tibor Krausz * Jerusalem Post *Remarkably lucid and disturbingly relevant…An explicit response to the continued use of Judeo-Bolshevism among far-right movements…The scope of Hanebrink’s achievement here should not be underestimated. -- Sean Martin * Russian Review *During World War II the phantom idea of Judeo-Bolshevism fueled genocides that killed millions of Jews and East Europeans, but, as Paul Hanebrink tells us, we hear its echoes anytime politicians stir fears about outsiders threatening civilization—whether they call it European, Western, or Christian. Hanebrink’s tour de force is rare in its brilliance and originality, but also urgent in its message for our time. -- John Connelly, author of From Enemy to Brother: The Revolution in Catholic Teaching on the Jews, 1933–1965Hanebrink has written a remarkable study…[He] successfully blends the political history of twentieth-century Eastern Europe—with Germany figuring prominently in his narrative—with an originally conceived intellectual history of the Judeo-Bolshevik myth and various echoes that it spawned in public discourse…His book is too good and too rich to be summarized. It should be read. -- Jan T. Gross * American Historical Review *Tremendous…Could not be more timely…These are dangerous times and we need to know as much about the history and politics of the far-right as we can. Hanebrink’s book is a challenging and important contribution helping to develop that understanding. -- John Newsinger * Socialist Review *Superb…Argues cogently that the Judeo-Bolshevism peril was constructed from ‘the raw materials of anti-Judaism, recycled and rearranged to meet new requirements.’ -- Sheldon Kirshner * Times of Israel *A tour de force…This is a first-rate, innovative study not only of a crucial chapter in European history, but also of vicious forces still at play in the present. -- Michael Stanislawski * Journal of Modern History *[An] absorbing work. -- Diane Cypkin * Martyrdom & Resistance *[A] historical tour de force…A Specter Haunting Europe is a masterful work and essential reading for both scholars and students of modern European history, antisemitism, and Jewish Studies. -- Jonathan Zisook * Religious Studies Review *

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Book SynopsisThe story of an epochal event in German history, this is also the story of the most important revolution that you might never have heard of.Trade ReviewGerwarth argues in his polished narrative drawing on the eyewitness testimony of famous writers and thinkers that Weimar was not "the doomed republic" of legend, a hopeless 14-year interval between a warmongering Kaiser and Hitlers Nazi dictatorship, but a success in its own right... 'November 1918' is a perceptive study of an orderly people who proved that a revolution need not lead to extremes of left and right. * Martin Ivens, The Times *Gerwarth's November 1918 [is one] of the most stimulating histories of the interwar period to have been published in recent years. * Tony Barber, The Financial Times *Gerwarth's scholarship cannot be faulted... a superlative piece of research into a sequence of events that are of immense importance. * Simon Heffer, The Daily Telegraph *Readable and informative. * Jonathan Sperber, Times Literary Supplement *Authoritative new account... Gerwarth has... done us [a] service by rescuing the Weimar Republic from what EP Thompson, in another context, called 'the enormous condescension of posterity'. * Brendan Simms, The Irish Times *[Gerwarth's] account is written in clear prose and richly documented with eyewitness accounts from the most vivid diaries and correspondence of the period. As an audacious bid to restore the German Revolution to its rightful place in history, November 1918 could hardly have been more skillfully executed. * Daniel Johnson, Claremont Review of Books *...stands out as one of the most successful... * Alexander Gallus, German Historical Institute London Bulletin *Splendidly researched, and with a striking new thesis... a fascinating study, whose insights will stop you dead even if you thought, as I did, that you already knew this stuff. * James Hawse, The Spectator *Thought-provoking and readable ... Gerwarth's invaluable book shows that, compared to their counterparts in other central European states facing similar turmoil, the moderate German revolutionaries had spectacular success in securing their democracy. By 1929, only cataclysmic economic crisis could overturn what was Europes most open and representative liberal state. Hitler, it seems, got lucky. * Alexander Watson, Literary Review *its salutary to have a fresh account of the birthing pains of that vaunted republic rather than another autopsy of its demise Where Gerwarth most excels is deftly weaving together the impressions of contemporary commentators, of whom he has assembled a rich banquet: Victor Serge, Thomas Mann, Kaethe Kollwitz, Alfred Doeblin, Harry Graf Kessler, and Joseph Roth, among others. * Thomas Meaney, The Washington Examiner *A fascinating narrative of the events that transpired during the time in which Germans called for a more democratic government and more political and social freedom. Throughout the book, the author balances small biographies of important political leaders with the extensive use of newspapers, memoirs, and letterseffectively giving those who lived through the revolution a voice Gerwarths book is a wonderful addition to the history of the Weimar Republic. * Louis Grün, Origins *November 1918 provides a first-rate survey of events and personalities surrounding the revolution in Germany ... Robert Gerwarth has written a detailed account of a fascinating topic. The writing is clear and avoids jargon and theory. The research is thorough, as is made evident by the notes and the comprehensive bibliography. His book has academic credibility but can also be recommended for the general reader. * Jim Burns, Northern Review of Books *Meticulously researched, judiciously argued, and written with enviable panache, November 1918 is an engaging history with much original insight that should become the standard work on the subject. * Professor Anthony McElligott, University of Limerick *Table of ContentsPreface Introduction:

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Book SynopsisTo my knowledge...no one...has ever written a comprehensive book dealing with physicians through the ages and recounting their history in a coherent fashion.So wrote Syrian physician Ibn Abi Usaybi''ah, circa 1243, as he embarked on the first world history of medicine ever attempted. Many physicians served at the royal courts of their time and were firmly part of the intellectual and cultural scene, where the ability to write stylishly and entertain one''s peers in both prose and verse was the basis of social credibility. The work Ibn Abi Usaybi''ah created contains over 432 biographical accounts of physicians from those of ancient Greece, such as Galen, through Avicenna and Maimonides, to the author''s own colleagues of the 13th century. As such, his work includes important accounts of medical activity in medieval hospitals. Through this book, a window opens not only on to the origins of the medical profession, but also into the truly multi-cultural, multi-religious world of the medieval Middle East. Anecdotes and Antidotes is an abridged version of this world history of medicine. It comprises 103 biographies of physicians and philosophers, organized geographically and chronologically, from the 4th century BC to the 13th century, and includes seminal Muslim, Christian and Jewish figures. It contains vital medical and historical information, as well as revealing the cultural values, interests and concerns of the literary and intellectual elite of the time.Table of ContentsIntroduction Note on Transliteration and Pronunciation Editorial Note Select Bibliography Chronology Map Anecdotes and Antidotes. A Medieval Arabic History of Physicians. A New Translation. Explanatory Notes Appendix 1: Weights & Measures Appendix 2: Gazetteer of Place-Names Appendix 3: Concordance of biographies with those in the full text Appendix 4: List of Sources used by Ibn Abi Usaybi'ah List of Illustrations and Diagrams

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Book SynopsisThe Italian Renaissance has come to occupy an almost mythical place in the popular imagination. The outsized reputations of the best-known figures from the period—Michelangelo, Niccolo Machiavelli, Lorenzo the Magnificent, Pope Julius II, Isabella d'Este, and so many others—engender a kind of wonder. How could so many geniuses or exceptional characters be produced by one small territory near the extreme south of Europe at a moment when much of the rest of the continent still labored under the restrictions of the Middle Ages? How did so many of the driving principles behind Western civilization emerge during this period—and how were they defined and developed? And why is it that geniuses such as Leonardo, Raphael, Petrarch, Brunelleschi, Bramante, and Palladio all sustain their towering authority to this day? To answer these questions, Kenneth Bartlett delves into the lives and works of the artists, patrons, and intellectuals—the privileged, educated, influential elites—who created a rarefied world of power, money, and sophisticated talent in which individual curiosity and skill were prized above all else. The result is a dynamic, highly readable, copiously illustrated history of the Renaissance in Italy—and of the artists that gave birth to some of the most enduring ideas and artifacts of Western civilization.Trade Review"An elegant tour of the republics and princely courts where the Italian Renaissance flourished. Bartlett presents a survey of glittering cultural, literary, and artistic achievements, never losing sight of the important political contexts in which they were made. The whole sweep of the Italian Renaissance—the fabulous wealth of its merchants, the ruthless schemes of its princes, the high ideals of its poets and writers, the astonishing works of its artists and architects, the struggles of its visionaries and reformers—comes into focus." —Margaret Meserve, University of Notre Dame"Bartlett looks at the Renaissance in a new and original way. Instead of tracing a history of the Renaissance in Italy, as do most of the studies available today, Bartlett's book is focused on key people and city states, from Petrarch and his era to the 'End of the Renaissance in Rome,' during the pontificate of Pope Sixtus V from 1585 to 1590. The twenty-two chapters are exhaustive and provide an excellent and novel view of the Italian Renaissance. This book is well thought out, clearly developed, and beautifully written. I recommend it to anyone interested in the culture of one of the most interesting periods of early modern European history." —Massimo Ciavolella, University of California, Los Angeles"A lively study informed by the latest international scholarship. Building on his years of experience as a teacher and a guide for travelers to Italy, Bartlett has created a well-written and up-to-date history of the high culture of the period, 'an exploration of the Italian Renaissance guided by particular moments and men—and a few remarkable women.' Bartlett shows how the unique artistic and cultural flowering of the Renaissance fit with the interests and outlooks of the elites who dominated the various Italian cities. His case studies range well beyond the usual Florentine and Roman experiences to include many of the smaller, but equally exciting, courts of northern and central Italy. The studies themselves are freestanding and could easily be used by travelers as introductions to these various cities." —Duane Osheim, The University of Virginia"Kenneth Bartlett (Univ. of Toronto, Canada), a prolific writer on Italy, the Renaissance, and humanism, and Gillian Bartlett, an author and educator, have produced a volume that will appeal to many scholars. Their book is organized as a series of biographies of prominent figures from the period—including Petrarch, Machiavelli, and Michelangelo, among others—and each chapter concludes with examples of appropriate works of art, accompanied by useful commentaries. The authors begin with Petrarch, describing how he introduced and popularized concepts that defined humanism. Geographically, Bartlett and Bartlett also focus more on minor states, such as Naples, than is customary, although they ultimately chart their narrative to Counter-Reformation Rome, where humanism died, leaving its traces in art and architecture. Happily, the spirit of humanism also survived elsewhere, to enrich our lives today. . . . [T]hose with some background knowledge will be fascinated by this beautifully written text, and will hopefully appreciate the poetic rhythm of the prose, appropriate for a book that celebrates Cicero, the ultimate Latin stylist. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readership levels." —W. L. Urban, emeritus, Monmouth College (IL), in Choice"Kenneth R. Bartlett and Gillian C. Bartlett have produced an original and elegant history of the Renaissance in Italy by concentrating on significant figures and city states from the time of Petrarch to that of Pope Sixtus V. The structure of the book is clear and illuminating. The five parts and twenty-two chapters are informative and allow some depth; they are focused and not the usual survey."—Jonathan Locke Hart, Shandong University, in Renaissance and Reformation"Kenneth Bartlett and Gillian Bartlett have executed a fine accomplishment. They have gathered together an enormous amount of history into a volume of 364 pages, including a tasty selection of source documents, and an extensive bibliography and index. The writing is elegantly compact without sacrificing style or clarity and carries the Renaissance narrative with color and interest while not omitting essential detail. This book would be ideally recom­mended as a text for a survey course of Italian, especially Florentine, history, or to any reader seeking to understand the complicated issues of a complicated period of seminal artistic expression and unprecedented political clashes."—David R. Bass, in Sixteenth Century Journal"From a pedagogical standpoint, The Renaissance in Italy is an extremely effective introduction to the politics, thought, culture, and production of early modern Italy. The book could easily serve as a foundational text for an undergraduate history elective on the Italian Renaissance; its frequent use of images and quotations from primary sources make the text extremely readable. Likewise, the book’s chapters could easily be excerpted for an introduction to the Renaissance within the context of a larger European civilization core or survey course. The first two parts in particular, on humanism and Florence, seem written with a direct eye towards providing a generalist audience with a comprehensive yet understandable introduction to the period. The Bartletts’ writing style is engaging and, most importantly, narrativized." "The Renaissance in Italy is an exceptional beginner’s introduction to the Italian Renaissance, suitable for the particular pedagogical challenges facing teachers of early modern Italy. . . . [I]t clearly succeeds in what I take to be its primary goal: to get those who have a cursory knowledge of the Italian Renaissance to care about the period and to instill in those newcomers a passion to learn more—a very worthy goal, well-achieved." —John-Paul Heil, in Studies in Medieval and Renaissance Teaching (SMART)

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Book SynopsisTHE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERDo tough times create tougher people? Can humanity handle the power of its weapons without destroying itself? Will human technology ever peak or regress? And why, since the dawn of time, has it always seemed as though death and destruction are waiting just around the corner?Combining his trademark thrilling, expansive storytelling with rigorous history and thought experiment, Dan Carlin connects past with future to explore the tipping points of collapsing civilisations from the plague to nuclear war.Looking across every brush with apocalypse, crisis and collapse, this book also weighs, knowing all we do about human patterns, whether our world is likely to become a ruin for future archaeologists to dig up and explore.FROM THE CREATOR OF THE AWARD-WINNING, 100+ MILLION DOWNLOAD PODCASTHARDCORE HISTORYTrade Review‘Carlin puts the 'hardcore' in Hardcore History by focusing his narratives on the most violent and dramatic moments in human history, filling his show with colorful anecdotes that were most likely left out of your high school history class.’Time ‘A master of storytelling, Dan Carlin uses vivid detail and intuitive empathy to imagine what it was like to live through the end of the world … Carlin's engaging and accessible style invites us to ponder the rise and fall of civilizations and ask where we are headed. The end of the world is not merely a catastrophe that waits for us down the road; it is a ghost that haunts the places we've already been.’Mike Duncan, New York Times bestselling author of The Storm Before the Storm ‘This is the perfect thought experiment for anyone who believes the world is doomed, if only to remind them of one essential reality: the world has always, always seemed doomed…It feels odd to classify a book about barbarians and flu pandemics and the morality of nuclear war as fun, but that's the single best modifier for The End is Always Near. It's an apocalyptic discotheque.’Chuck Klosterman, author of But What If We're Wrong? ‘For podcast fanatics, each new release is akin to the Super Bowl … Host Dan Carlin, a former radio broadcaster, brings both passion and showmanship as he unspools historical narratives with a flair for tension and intensity.’AV Club ‘Walking listeners through Operation Barbarossa, the German attempt to capture Moscow, the Battle of Stalingrad, and Germany's ouster from the Soviet Union, Carlin is a wide-eyed, colorful guide to a dreadful story.’Slate ‘Carlin serves as a notable example of… a person who can discuss issues deeply and idiosyncratically.’Los Angeles Times

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Book SynopsisA central figure in both classical and ancient near Eastern fields, Trevor Bryce presents the first publication to focus on Troyâs neighbours and contemporaries as much as Troy itself. With the help of maps, charts and photographs, he unearths the secrets of this iconic ancient city.Beginning with an account of Troyâs involvement in The Iliad and the question of the historicity of the Trojan War, Trevor Bryce reveals how the recently discovered Hittite texts illuminate this question which has fascinated scholars and travellers since the Renaissance.Encompassing the very latest research, the city and its inhabitants are placed in historical context - and with its neighbours and contemporaries â to form a complete and vivid view of life within the Trojan walls and beyond from its beginning in c.3000 BC to its decline and obscurity in the Byzantine period.Documented here are the archaeological watershed discoveries from the Victorian era to the present thaTable of Contents1. The Poet and the Tradition 2. The Early Cities of Troy (Levels I to V) 3. The Kingdom of Priam (Levels VI to VII) 4. The Aegean Neighbours 5. Troy's Role and Status in the Near Eastern World 6. Troy's Allies 7. The New City (Levels VIII to IX) 8. The Final Word?

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Book SynopsisRecounts the spectacular history of Esalen, the institute that has long been one of the world leaders in alternative and experiential education and stands at the center of the human potential movement.Trade Review"The first all-encompassing history of Esalen: its intellectual, social, personal, literary and spiritual passages. Kripal brings us up to date and takes us deep beneath historical surfaces in this definitive, elegantly written book." - Playboy "Kripal tells the story of this beautiful retreat in California's Big Sur region - its history at once sexy, salacious, intellectual and political - with reverence and playfulness.... He is an engaging storyteller and Esalen a worthy subject (a kind of Us Weekly for the discerning intellectual)." - Publishers Weekly "An impressive new book.... Kripal has written the definitive intellectual history of the ideas behind the institute." - San Francisco Chronicle "Kripal examines Esalen's extraordinary history and evocatively describes the breech birth of Murphy and Price's brainchild. His real achievement, though, is effortlessly synthesizing a dizzying array of dissonant phenomena (cold war espionage, ecstatic religiosity), incongruous pairings (Darwinism, Tantric sex), and otherwise schizy ephemera (psychedelic drugs, spaceflight) into a cogent, satisfyingly complete narrative." - Atlantic Monthly"

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Book SynopsisBANDITS is a study of the social bandit or bandit-rebel - robbers and outlaws who are not regarded by public opinion as simple criminals, but rather as champions of social justice, as avengers or as primitive resistance fighters. Whether Balkan haiduks, Indian dacoits or Brazilian congaceiros, their spectacular exploits have been celebrated and preserved in story and myth. Some are only know to their fellow countrymen; others like Rob Roy, Robin Hood and Jesse James are famous throughout the world. First published in 1969, Bandits inspired a new field of historical study: bandit history. This substantially extended and revised new edition appears at a time when the disintegration of state power has reintroduced fertile conditions for banditry once again to flourish in many parts of the world.Trade ReviewAn utterly fascinating book * NEW YORKER *A dazzling historical squib, fizzing with ideas and strange stories * GUARDIAN *A wise as well as an exciting book, a very valuable addition to the history of mentalities and to that of popular protest ... this is human history at its very best * TLS *In an age of narrow specialists, Eric Hobsbawm remains the supreme generalist ... for sheer intelligence he has no superior in the historical profession * Sir Keith Thomas *

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Book SynopsisHampton Sides''s extraordinary book brings the history of the American conquest of the West to ringing life. It is a tale with many heroes and villains, but at the centre of it all stands the remarkable figure of Kit Carson - the legendary trapper, scout and soldier. Carson was an illiterate mountain man who twice married Indian women and understood the tribes better than any other American alive; yet he was also a cold-blooded killer and an unquestioning patriot who willingly followed orders tantamount to massacre. BLOOD AND THUNDER is a chronicle of one of a pivotal era in American history: grand in scope, immediate in detail, impeccably researched and historically revelatory.''Hampton Sides'' outstanding narrative history has all the virtues: stirring set pieces, deft character studies, colourful descriptions of battles and of nature . . . a riveting tale where, for once, the word epic is not hyperbole''Frank McLynn, Independent on SundayTrade ReviewAbsorbing and well written . . . Anyone who has read Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian or grew up on John Ford westerns will be enlightened. Those yet to read that novel or see the movies will find that this book adds deep resonances to their pleasure' Michael Moorcock Guardian (10/3/07) * ** ‘This history of Carson encapsulates themes of American mythology that seem otherworldly but remain endlessly fascinating.’ *SUNDAY BUSINESS POST * ‘Hampton Side s’ outstanding narrative history has all the virtues: stirring set pieces, deft character studies, colourful descriptions of battles and of nature... a riveting tale where, for once, the word “epic” is not hyperbole’ Frank McLynn, Independen *A familiar story [told] with compelling narrative zest' Robert McCrum, Observer * 'Sides eloquently paints the landscape and history of the 19th century Southwest, combinIng Larry McMurtry's lyricism with the historian's attachments to facts’ *PUBLISHERS WEEKLY * 'The type of sweeping history that was written by the likes of Bernard DeVoto and David Lavender . . . [but] he populates his story not just with white Americans but also with diverse Indian peoples and Mexicans. And he does so with balance and sensitivit *

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Book SynopsisAmid Levi's grim tales of the Holocaust, The Wrench is an optimistic life-enhancing novel.

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Book SynopsisWhen we look into the future, we imagine economic collapse, environmental disaster and the zombie apocalypse. But what if we are wrong? John Higgs takes us on a journey past the technological hype and headlines to discover why we shouldn''t trust the predictions of science fiction, why nature is not as helpless as we assume and why purpose can never be automated. In the process, we will come to a better understanding of what lies ahead and how, despite everything we can build a better future.Trade ReviewA magnificent book - you should read all of it -- Rufus HoundBrilliant, incisive and superbly written with humour, humanity and an intellectual honesty rarely found these days, The Future Starts Here is the best book I've read this year. An antidote to the disease and cynicism we are surrounded by, and a hymn to the future. A must read

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Book SynopsisThis illustrated title explores the design, evolution, and deployment of the Arado Ar 234, the world''s first truly operational jet bomber and first reconnaissance jet.When the revolutionary twin jet-powered Arado Ar 234 first appeared in the skies over north-west Europe in the summer of 1944, it represented the state-of-the-art in terms of aeronautical and technical development. The Ar 234 was a formidable aircraft--powered by Jumo 004Bs, the same engine used by the Me 262, and with a maximum speed of 735 km/h and range of 1600 km/h, it was very difficult for the Allies to catch. Here was a machine that with its superior speed could operate with impunity as both a bomber and in the reconnaissance role. As such, the aircraft became the world''s first reconnaissance jet, undertaking secret, high-speed, high-altitude observation missions for the German High Command over the Allied beachheads in Normandy and other Allied strongholds. Astonishingly, in September 1Table of Contents1. A New Bomber 2. Reconnaissance - 1944 3. Bomber Debut 4. Reconnaissance - 19452 Remagen and Retreat Appendices Colour Plates Commentary Bibliography and Sources Index

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Book SynopsisThe XB-40 and XB-41 were secret, little-known experimental modifications of the B-17F and B-24D, respectively, into heavily-armed bomber gunships sometimes referred to as bomber escorters. They were developed during early World War II in response to the lack of a USAAF long-range fighter aircraft able to escort and protect regular B-17 formations making the round trip from Britain deep into Germany. Using many formerly-classified documents from his large microfilm collection, William Wolf presents their previously-unpublished history. It describes in depth for the first time the politics and development and associated problems of both escorter types. Unfortunately, these protecters were found wanting in several ways - after the addition of guns and ammunition they became overweight and tail-heavy causing center of gravity problems and each encountered numerous delays in the development and delivery of their various armament additions and improvements, particularly the Bendix chin turTable of Contents1. Bomber Escorter Concept 2. XB-40/YB-40 Bomber Escorter 3. XB-41 Bomber Escorter 4. Other Bomber Escorters Further Reading Index

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