History Books

Book SynopsisRosemary Goring took a degree in Economics and Social History at St Andrews University. She started her career in publishing in the role of in-house editor for Chambers Biographical Dictionary and has since edited and written for many reference books, among them the Larousse Dictionaries of Writers and Literary Characters. She was Literary Editor of Scotland on Sunday for several years before becoming Literary Editor of the Herald.

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Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES TOP 10 BESTSELLER''A timely re-appraisal . . . a masterpiece'' General Lord Richard DannattThe Third Battle of Ypres was a ''lost victory'' for the British Army in 1917. Between July and November 1917, in a small corner of Belgium, more than 500,000 men were killed or maimed, gassed or drowned - and many of the bodies were never found. The Ypres offensive represents the modern impression of the First World War: splintered trees, water-filled craters, muddy shell-holes.The climax was one of the worst battles of both world wars: Passchendaele. The village fell eventually, only for the whole offensive to be called off. But, as Nick Lloyd shows, notably through previously overlooked German archive material, it is striking how close the British came to forcing the German Army to make a major retreat in Belgium in October 1917. Far from being a pointless and futile waste of men, the battle was a startling illustration ofTrade ReviewA timely re-appraisal . . . a masterpiece -- General Lord Richard DannattSweeps aside mythology and provides a rational explanation and cool description of what took place -- Max Hastings * The Sunday Times *Nick Lloyd has unearthed a mass of new material for this harrowing account of one of the most infamous engagements of the Great War -- Ian Thomson * The Guardian *Meticulously researched . . . A harrowing and important history -- PD Smith * The Guardian *With clean, clear and often eviscerating writing, Nick Lloyd compels us to re-evaluate Passchendaele and all that word conjures -- Paul Gross, director and star of the film 'Passchendaele'Rigorously researched . . . one of the great features of this excellent book, absent from too many less rigorous histories of events in the First World War, is a clear account of how things were on the German side, and how the British attack not only gained ground, but devastated German morale . . . Lloyd's research is superb; the book is well-illustrated with photographs and maps; he brings the battle and its political context vividly to life . . . this is in almost every respect a model of what a work of military history should be, and is now perhaps the definitive account of this phase of the war on the Western Front -- Simon Heffer * The Telegraph *I thought it both precise and compassionate - a properly definitive history, with clear sightlines from the strategic planning, to the horror of the battle itself from both sides, through to its consequences for the war as it entered its complex final phase -- Dr Emily MayhewA fresh and thorough examination of the events of July to November 1917 is definitely needed. Dr Nick Lloyd has achieved this in his book Passchendaele: A New History, an account that is both scholarly and gripping. -- Glyn Harper, Professor of War Studies, Massey UniversityConfirms his position among the best young scholars of WWI in this comprehensively researched, convincingly presented analysis of the still-controversial 1917 battle of Passchendaele . . .Lloyd's thesis is controversial, but his scholarship makes it impossible to dismiss * Publishers Weekly *His narrative of the campaign is superb and written with clarity and dispassion. He teaches military history at King's College London and has done his research thoroughly in German and Allied archives. It is fascinating to know the preoccupations, hopes and plans of the Kaiser ("The English must be made to grovel") and his generals, and to hear the voices of German frontline soldiers -- Lawrence James * The Times *'An eloquent retelling of one of the First World War's most mismanaged battles. Lloyd movingly recounts the ordeal of German and British infantry in the mud and blood of Passchendaele -- Professor Alexander WatsonDid Passchendaele mark the moment when German morale collapsed on the Western Front? Nick Lloyd makes a compelling case . . . both as narrative and analysis, this book is masterly -- Allan Massie * Scotsman *Masterly . . . He argues convincingly -- Allan Mallinson * The Times Literary Supplement *

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Book SynopsisIn Berlin Now, and on the 25th Anniversary of the fall of the Wall, a legendary Berliner tells the inside story of the city.Over the last five decades, no other city has changed more than Berlin. Divided in 1961, reunited in 1989, it has morphed over the last twenty-five years into Europe''s most vibrant melting-pot of artists, immigrants and entrepreneurs. Pieces of the wall are collected around the world. Blending memoir, history, anecdote and reportage, this legendary Berliner takes us behind the scenes - from wrenching stories of life under the Stasi, to the difference between East and West Berliners'' sex-lives, to a present-day investigation of its arts scene, night-life, tumultuous politics and hidden quirks - revealing what makes Berlin the uniquely fascinating place it is.Peter Schneider makes the city come alive. He knows his stuff and shares it beautifully, elegantly, generously and Trade ReviewPeter Schneider makes the city come alive. He knows his stuff and shares it beautifully, elegantly, generously and informatively. Berlin has found its bard -- Breyten Breytenbach, author of 'Notes from the Middle World'Enlightening. Berlin resident Schneider unearths the city's charms and hazards . . . [to] reveal an authentic city that does not bother being more lively than beautiful * Publishers Weekly *Wonderful -- Ian McEwan (on 'The Wall Jumper')Marvelous . . . creates, in very few words, the unreal reality of Berlin -- Salman Rushdie (on 'The Wall Jumper')Schneider's description of the Berlin Wall from both sides . . . is the ultimate depiction of this structure. Nothing more need be said -- Werner Herzog (on 'The Wall Jumper')Peter Schneider, a novelist and essayist who knows and loves Berlin like few other living German writers, gives an intimate picture of the city's transformation * Financial Times *The inside story of the city then and now * Stylist *Berlin Now is stuffed with glorious anecdotes about the rows over architecture, infrastructure, sexuality and morality in a city forced to weld itself together since 1989 * New Statesman *As rich, vibrant and snappy as its subject * Wanderlust Magazine *In 30-odd short pieces on the city's architecture, its immigrant communities, its famous night life and its sexual mores, Mr. Schneider tries to answer this question: If Berlin is not beautiful, why is it so beloved? To his credit, he avoids the easy answers * Wall Street Journal *A gathering of illuminations, a button box of participant observations . . . Schneider is an old-school flaneur, a psychogeographer who can screw down very close upon a subject. He finds a wide scattering of exceptional nooks and crannies whose critical mass may well be the city's soul * Barnes and Noble *Illuminating. Page after page yields surprising nuggets of wisdom . . . Schneider entrances with his off-the-beaten-track forays. His final picture is a detailed and absorbing portrait of an unfinished city that has all the dynamism of a complete one * New Criterion *[An] engrossing book, which attempts what's practically impossible - describing the essence of what makes Berlin so Berlin * Christian Science Monitor *The author of The Wall Jumper presents his collected musings about the city that has inspired and perplexed him since he was first seduced by West Berlin as a young man in the early 1960s. Berlin is not traditionally beautiful, he notes; it is a hodgepodge of cultural fits and starts . . . It is a city scarred by its history but also proud of its weirdness, its resilience, and its condition of constant change. In the end, Schneider seems to suggest, liveliness is far more important than beauty * Booklist [STARRED REVIEW] *An intriguing journey through Berlin by a longtime interested observer * Kirkus *

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Book Synopsis''Majestic. Truly gripping'' Andrew RobertsThe Battle of the Atlantic was the single most important - and longest - campaign of the Second World War. If Britain lost this vital supply route it lost the war. In Jonathan Dimbleby''s brilliant and dramatic new account we see how this epic struggle for maritime mastery played out, from the politicians and admirals to the men on and under the sea and their families waiting at home. Filled with haunting and hair-raising stories of chases, ambushes, sinkings, stalkings, disasters and rescues, The Battle of the Atlantic is a monumental work of history as it was lived and fought.''Recounts the horror and humanity of life on those perilous oceans'' Independent''Dimbleby moves with skill from scene to scene, eavesdropping on the great statesmen like Churchill, the merchant seamen who carried out their orders, the U-boat commanders who tried to sink them and the families of those who lost theTrade ReviewThis is an exceptionally vivid account of one of the critical campaigns of the Second World War by a masterly writer -- Max HastingsWinston Churchill famously described the Battle of the Atlantic as 'a war of groping and drowning, a war of ambuscade and stratagem, a war of science and seamanship' and no book depicts all of those myriad aspects better than Jonathan Dimbleby's majestic overview. His judgments can sometimes be harsh and are bound to be controversial, but they are backed up with wide reading, diligent scholarship and cogent argument. This is a truly gripping account of a campaign that the author rightly puts epicentral to the Allied victory in the Second World War. * Andrew Roberts, author of 'Masters and Commanders' *A fascinating story written with bite and grip of one of the most crucial showdowns of the twentieth century - of a victory wrung out of the unforgiving Atlantic swell by sailors and airmen using the best technology and Intelligence that those on land could provide. How close-run it was and the price of losing would have been catastrophe, defeat and darkness. Compelling -- Lord Peter Hennessy, author of 'The Silent Deep'Jonathan Dimbleby's second volume on the Second World War is even better than its predecessor. The Battle of the Atlantic is a gripping account of the Allies' hard-won victory at sea. Dimbleby has delivered a masterful narrative that challenges many of the received views about this often overlooked conflict that foretold the defeat of Nazism. -- Amanda ForemanExcellent on the characters of individual commanders . . . But perhaps the book's greatest strength is its analysis of the strategic side of the battle. Regularly switching from vivid coverage of individual encounters at sea, the narrative reveals the intense discussions that took place at the highest levels to decide naval policy, especially among Churchill, Roosevelt and their military advisers. It is [the] controversial assertion, backed by solid research and a readable style, that makes this book so compelling. -- Leo McKinstry * Wall Street Journal *Starred review. "A gripping history overflowing with anecdotes and enough calamity, misery, explosions, and individual valor for a Hollywood disaster epic." * Kirkus *A gripping read and a great contribution to the history of the Second World War. The author realizes his immense ambition of bringing out the human aspects of the drama at every level, from the heads of state to the crews in the Atlantic, while also bringing important nuances to received views on the struggle against the U-boats, and, indeed, on Churchill's war leadership. An epic account. * Peter Padfield, author of 'War Beneath the Sea: Submarine Conflict 1939-1945', and biographies of Dönitz, Himmler and Hess *In this refreshing book Jonathan Dimbleby skilfully weaves together front line accounts and high policy discussions to provide a gripping and accessible new account of the most important campaign of the Second World War against Germany. * Professor Eric Grove, author of 'The Royal Navy since 1815' *The epic Battle of the Atlantic can only really be understood when set against the strategic context of the time. This highly engaging history does this by combining gripping accounts of the tactics and operational fortunes of the Germans and the Allies in this bitterest of battles with an authoritative review of the strategic thinking that helps explain their motives and their responses at the highest national level, and that shows why victory was so important for both sides. * Professor Geoff Till, author of 'The Development of British Naval Thinking' *Dimbleby makes a convincing case that of all the campaigns of WWII, the struggle for dominance over the North Atlantic was the most important . . . The history of the battle for the Atlantic is well documented, but Dimbleby's work, with its emphasis on the strategic importance of the battle, is an excellent addition to the story, and expert historians as well as general readers can enjoy this effort * Publishers Weekly *Dimbleby's incisive, gripping narrative uniquely places the campaign in the context of the entire war as it recounts the horror and humanity of life on those perilous oceans. -- Richard Blackmore * The Independent *The strength of the book is its vivid evocation of dramatic events -- Robert Tombs * The Times *The Battle of the Atlantic is a wonderfully readable mix of vivid personal stories and the penetrating questions that you wish someone had put to Churchill -- Bronwen Maddox, Editor-in-Chief of Prospect MagazineDimbleby captures the savagery of the fighting and of the sea itself... he has tackled the complexities in a very accessible way; but more importantly he has woven a compelling narrative of the people who fought, directed and ultimately decided our fate -- Admiral Lord WestI liked Jonathan Dimbleby's The Battle of the Atlantic and was gobsmacked to learn that the Germans read British radio messages much better than we read theirs. Air Ministry obstinacy (in failing to release aircraft from futile area bombing for anti-submarine patrols) nearly cost Britain the war -- Matt Ridley * Books of the Year 2015 *Fascinating * Richard and Judy *I am chilled to the bone and beyond ... the most extraordinary story ... absolutely fascinating -- Vanessa FeltzAn accessible and anecdotal account of the battle and the men who waged it, full of colour and surprising detail -- Charlotte Heathcote * Daily Express *Fascinating, thought-provoking and entertaining. Explodes a number of self-serving myths * Andrew Roberts (on 'Destiny in the Desert: The Road to El Alamein') *Fresh and provocative * Peter Snow (on 'Destiny in the Desert') *A wonderfully incisive, superbly written history. What Dimbleby has nailed so brilliantly is what so many war historians miss: the big picture * Saul David (on 'Destiny in the Desert') *

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Book Synopsis* * * Special 75th Anniversary Edition * * * Hugh Sebag-Montefiore''s Dunkirk: Fight to the Last Man tells the story of the rescue in May 1940 of British soldiers fleeing capture and defeat by the Nazis at Dunkirk.Dunkirk was not just about what happened at sea and on the beaches. The evacuation would never have succeeded had it not been for the tenacity of the British soldiers who stayed behind to ensure they got away. Men like Sergeant Major Gus Jennings who died smothering a German stick bomb in the church at Esquelbecq in an effort to save his comrades, and Captain Marcus Ervine-Andrews VC who single-handedly held back a German attack on the Dunkirk perimeter thereby allowing the British line to form up behind him. Told to stand and fight to the last man, these brave few battalions fought in whatever manner they could to buy precious time for the evacuation. Outnumbered and outgunned, they launched spectacular and heroic attacks time and again, despite ferocious fighting and the knowledge that for many only capture or death would end their struggle.''A searing story . . . both meticulous military history and a deeply moving testimony to the extraordinary personal bravery of individual soldiers'' Tim Gardam, The Times ''Sebag-Montefiore tells [the story] with gusto, a remarkable attention to detail and an inexhaustible appetite for tracking down the evidence'' Richard Ovary, Telegraph Hugh Sebag-Montefiore was a barrister before becoming a journalist and then an author. He wrote the best-selling Enigma: The Battle for the Code. One of his ancestors was evacuated from Dunkirk.Trade ReviewA searing story . . . both meticulous military history and a deeply moving testimony to the extraordinary personal bravery of individual soldiers -- Tim Gardam * The Times *Sebag-Montefiore tells [the story] with gusto, a remarkable attention to detail and an inexhaustible appetite for tracking down the evidence -- Richard Overy * Telegraph *Several fine books have been written about "the miracle of Dunkirk", but none better than this -- Andrew Roberts * Mail on Sunday *

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Book Synopsis''Arguably the most important intellectual alive'' New York Times on Noam ChomskyIn this collection of essays from 1969-2013, Noam Chomsky exposes the real nature of state power. With unrelenting logic, he holds the arguments of empire up to critical examination and shatters the myths of those who protect the power and privilege of the few against the interests and needs to the many.Including essays on subjects such as:* Human Intelligence and the Environment* Terror, Justice and Self-Defence* The Welfare-Warfare stateThis is an indispensable compilation of searing insights into the state of our world.Praise for Chomsky:''Noam Chomsky is a global phenomenon . . . he may be the most widely read American voice on the planet today'' NYT Book Review''Will there ever again be a public intellectual who commands the attention of so many across the planet?''

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Book SynopsisThe bestselling book that inspired the Bafta-winning BBC dramaCorruption. Blackmail. Conspiracy to murder. A Very English Scandal has all the hallmarks of a classic thriller with one difference. It''s all true.In the late 1960s Jeremy Thorp, the charismatic leader of the Liberal Party, was at the height of his political career. But homosexuality had only just been legalized, and a former relationship with a younger man named Norman Scott threatened to destroy Thorp''s carefully curated facade. Helped by fellow politicians, Thorpe schemed, deceived and embezzled until he saw only one way to silence his ex-lover for good.Meticulously researched and endlessly extraordinary, Thorp''s trial captured the moment that British society discovered the truth about its political class - and learned just how far the Establishment will go to protect its own.''Gripping. A story of cack-handed assassins, buffoonish policemen, dodgy Home Secretaries'' Trade ReviewThe shocking true story of the first British politician to stand trial for murder * Publisher's description *This is a brilliant, sad, startling nonfiction novel about the Jeremy Thorpe murder-plot scandal. It is as funny and dark as anything by Evelyn Waugh or Jonathan Coe. And in these post Cyril Smith/Jimmy Saville days, it's so timely and relevant * Jon Ronson *A terrific book and brilliantly researched. John Preston writes wonderful dead-pan prose and reveals the depths of depravity, the absurd power of snobbery and the old boy networks of the time -- Claire TomalinA brilliant exploration of an extraordinary political scandal... deeply researched, fluently written, and darkly comic, it reads like a thriller -- Ben MacintyreI loved it; eccentric, dark, humane and English in the very best sense. It's going to be a sure fire-hit -- Alain de BottonThe most forensic, elegantly written, compelling account of one of the 20th century's great political scandals... a real page-turner' * Observer *Very funny and endlessly extraordinary... makes for amazing reading -- Catherine Shoard * Guardian *Impeccably researched... full of shocks, surprises and laugh-out-loud moments. Preston revives a forgotten era and delves into the personalities behind the headlines. * Times Crime Club *Retold with masterful skill... It grips like a detective story, as compelling as BBC2's Life of Duty and every bit as dirty in what it exposes about the upper echelons of society in the Sixties and Seventies * Daily Mail Book of the Week *This brilliant account made me feel I was hearing the tale for the first time ... Preston is an enthralling narrator * Mail on Sunday *Gripping ... cack-handed assassins, buffoonish policemen, dodgy Home secretaries and sozzled judges. The conclusion of an Establishment cover-up is hard to avoid * Daily Telegraph *The unbelievable truth... Preston is a natural storyteller ... he provides the context for actions that seem unbelievable today * The Times *Wonderfully readable ... John Preston is the ideal author, having researched for years many minor characters and talked to dozens of well-known political and literary friends and enemies of Thorpe * Standpoint *Fluent, readable ... a vivid tableau of the players in Thorpe's long, tragic downfall * Evening Standard *I spent a thrilling 48 hours reading it. The narrative is so vivid, the characterisation so brilliant... I thought I knew all about these events, but the full horror of them has only now become apparent -- Antonia FraserA gripping account of the Jeremy Thorpe case. The details make one laugh out loud or gasp with amazement -- Charles Moore * Spectator *The whole affair is retold here compellingly and fluently, bringing to life the cast of characters with some verve * The i *Nothing comes close to the eyepopping outrageousness of the gay murder shenanigans that engulfed and almost destroyed a Liberal leader. Reads like a comic thriller -- Rachel JohnsonA wonderful, wonderful read -- Nick Robinson, BBC Today Programme

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Book Synopsis''One of the great social historians of our time. No one else makes history this fun'' Amanda Foreman''How Was It For You? subtly but powerfully subverts complacent male assumptions about a legendary decade'' David Kynaston--------------------------------A feeling that we could do whatever we liked swept through us in the 60s . . .The sixties: a decade of space travel, utopian dreams and - above all - sexual revolution. It liberated a generation. But mostly men.Meet dollybird Mavis, debutante Kristina, bunny girl Patsy, industrial campaigner Mary and countercultural Caroline. From Carnaby Street to Merseyside, white gloves to Black is Beautiful, their stories illustrate a turbulent power struggle, throwing an unsparing spotlight on morals, drugs, race, bomb culture and sex.This is a moving, shocking book about tearing up the world and starting again. It''s about peace, love and psychedelia, but also misogynyTrade ReviewVirginia Nicholson is one of the great social historians of our time, and How Was It For You? is another jewel in her crown. No one else makes makes history this fun -- Amanda ForemanThey say that if you remember the 1960s you weren't really there. But if you really weren't, then the next best thing is to read this fascinating book. With the meticulous attention worthy of a Vidal Sassoon haircut, Virginia Nicholson has shaped her dazzling kaleidoscope of facts, feelings and observations, into a razor-sharp account of the women who lived through that tumultuous decade -- Juliet NicolsonEssential reading for all those who lived through it, and for those who came after -- Marina Lewycka, author of A Short History of Tractors in UkrainianIntimate, immersive, often moving, How Was It For You? subtly but powerfully subverts complacent male assumptions about a legendary decade -- David KynastonHow Was It For You? brings it all back. As always Virginia Nicholson's book is full of fascinating history and fascinating new material. It makes it feel like the Sixties have never been away, which they never have been, as far as I'm concerned. Wonderful -- Hunter DaviesA hugely ambitious, kaleidoscope of a book, written in a sympathetic but also hard-headed tone that captures squalor and tragedy as well as glamour -- Richard Vinen, author of The Long '68Virginia Nicholson's social history of the lives of women during the 1960s is an absorbing study of an extraordinary age. Beautifully written and intensively researched, it covers a wide range of characters and many levels of society, uncovering with remarkable perspicacity a world of rebellion and change. I am sure How Was It for You? will remain a vital study for many years to come -- Selina HastingsWritten with verve, wit and empathy, this account of the 1960s skilfully interweaves the lives of individual women with broader social and cultural changes. Virginia Nicholson nudges the reader to reconsider the well- beaten tracks and to reflect upon out-of-the-way experiences. Best of all How Was It For You? neither idealises nor excoriates the bouncy, controversial decade -- Sheila RowbothamEvery baby boomer should read this great and wonderfully revelatory book if only to shout, 'Ah yes, that's exactly what it was like for me!' -- Anne Sebba, author of Les ParisiennesFor those of us who missed the 60's, Virginia Nicholson catapults this era to roaring, authentic life. Rich with intimate voices and a keen edged analysis of the public perceptions at work, this book brilliantly evokes the struggle between the urgent change and the heavily freighted forces of tradition that defined this singularly compelling decade. Read it. It is unputdownable -- Priya ParmarA tremendous achievement... a triumph of research and organisation - but also of sympathy * Observer on Millions Like Us *An important and humane book of female social history * The Times on Perfect Wives in Ideal Homes *A ground-breaking book, richly nuanced with titbits of information, insight and understanding * Daily Mail on Singled Out *Virginia Nicholson is the outstanding recorder of British lives in the twentieth century. She has told us how it was for British women - and therefore of course for men and children - in the twentieth century. The formidable research and sympathetic understanding of so many different lives make this account of the 1960s - that swinging, sexy, revolutionary decade - the most vivid and moving of all her works. A fascinating decade, a fascinating book -- Carmen Callil, author of Bad FaithI loved this. Yes, the 1960s were good fun, sometimes. But Virginia Nicholson forensically unpicks what "promiscuity" really meant for flower-chicks, fearful of seeming un-cool. They were perpetuating a society as patriarchal and phallocentric as ever - even in the counter-culture. I was there, and she's right. Amazingly right about so many things. Roll on the 1970s when things did change - but that's for another of her excellent books -- Valerie Grove, author of Laurie LeeSparklingly readable . . . Having read Nicholson's magisterial and sensuous overview of the decade, I feel I'm floating above the Sixties (a bit like Lucy in the Sky) and looking down on them with a new understanding -- Ysenda Maxtone Graham * The Times *The stories are terrific -- Rosie Boycott * Financial Times *This vivid comprehensive study brought so many memories flooding back to me! It's a treat for those of us who were around in the sixties, and delightfully instructive for those who weren't -- Dame Jacqueline WilsonSparkling . . . there is a wonderfully diverse range of voices . . . we have a long way to go, but reading this book made me grateful for how far we have come * The Sunday Times *Clever . . . absorbing * Daily Mail *

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Book Synopsis''If I were a voter in Britain, I would vote for [Jeremy Corbyn]'' - Noam Chomsky, 2017Global Discontents is an essential guide to geopolitics and how to fight back, from the world''s leading public intellectualWhat kind of world are we leaving to our grandchildren? How are the discontents kindled today likely to blaze and explode tomorrow?From escalating climate change to the devastation in Syria, pandemic state surveillance to looming nuclear war, Noam Chomsky takes stock of the world today. Over the course of ten conversations with long-time collaborator David Barsamian, spanning 2013-2016, Chomsky argues in favour of radical changes to a system that cannot possibly cope with what awaits tomorrow.Interwoven with personal reflections spanning from childhood to his eighth decade of life, Global Discontents also marks out Chomsky''s own intellectual journey, mapping his progress to revolutionary ideas and global prominence.Trade ReviewIf you've never read any Chomsky before, and you want to know what all the fuss is about, this book is a good place to start. Yet more evidence of why Chomsky deserves his position as one of the world's foremost intellectuals * The Times Literary Supplement *

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Book SynopsisTHE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER''I''ve been wondering who might fill the intellectual void after James Baldwin died. Clearly it is Ta-Nehisi Coates'' Toni Morrison''Searing. One of the foremost essayists on race in the West... [He] is responsible for some of the most important writing about what it is to be black in America today'' Nikesh Shukla, editor of The Good ImmigrantAn essential account of modern America, from Obama to Trump, from black lives matter to white supremacists rising - by the bestselling author of Between the World and MeObama''s presidency was a watershed moment in American history. From 2008-2016, the leader of the free world was a black man. In those eight years, Obama transformed the conversation around race, gender, class and wealth - inspiring hope but also attracting criticism and breeding discontent.In this unflinching book, Ta-Nehisi Coates takes stock of Obama''s eight years Trade ReviewI've been wondering who might fill the intellectual void that plagued me after James Baldwin died. Clearly it is Ta-Nehisi Coates -- Toni Morrison on 'Between the World and Me'America's latest literary wunderkind... A prodigious talent * The Sunday Times *We are witnessing greatness. The man and his writing will be studied and revered for generations * Minneapolis Star Tribune *[Coates is] the pre-eminent black public intellectual of his generation * The New York Times *We Were Eight Years in Power is an essential text to understand America today * W Magazine *Ta-Nehisi Coates is probably the only magazine writer in the world whose articles are heralded with the same fervor as the release of the latest Beyonce album * Financial Times *A wake up call... More compelling than almost any other public voice about the state we're in. He eloquently conflates the personal, political and existential, while telling it like it is * Observer *Coates eloquently unfurls blunt truths... To have such a voice, in such a moment, is a ray of light * USA Today *Coates succeeds twice over, in justifying not only his account of one election, but the importance of his entire body of work * New Statesman *Brilliant and troubling... Required reading * Vogue *Coates' always sharp commentary is particularly insightful as each day brings a new upset to the cultural and political landscape laid during the term of the nation's first black president. [A] crucial voice in the public discussion of race and equality, and readers will be eager for his take on where we stand now and why * Booklist *It's this timeless timeliness--reminiscent of the work of George Orwell and James Baldwin--that makes Coates worth reading again and again * Publishers Weekly *Fiercely passionate, intelligent and clear-eyed * Newsday *Across his oeuvre, Coates' prose style and literary prowess are hip-hop sharpened: he believes in the art of dexterous reference, potent, lyrical critique and political storytelling * Baltimore Sun *Coates's probing essays about race, politics, and history became necessary ballast for this nation's gravity-defying moment... Essential * The Boston Globe *Biting cultural and political analysis from the award-winning journalist . . . His conclusions are disquieting, his writing passionate, his tenor often angry.... Emotionally charged, deftly crafted, and urgently relevant essays" * Kirkus *Powerfully charged * GQ *[R]aw and hard to read. You'll never forget his point of view, nor should you * Glamour *Thus, We Were Eight Years in Power serves as a clarion call for vigilance about the possible erosion of African-American advances presumed sacrosanct. Consider these riveting, well-reasoned ruminations of the most-prodigious black visionary around a must-read indeed * The Mississippi Link *

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Book SynopsisA Times/Sunday Times Book of the Year''Powerful . . . there is rage in his ink. McKay''s book grips by its passion and originality. Some 25,000 people perished in the firestorm that raged through the city. I have never seen it better described'' Max Hastings, Sunday TimesIn February 1945 the Allies obliterated Dresden, the ''Florence of the Elbe''. Explosive bombs weighing over 1,000 lbs fell every seven and a half seconds and an estimated 25,000 people were killed. Was Dresden a legitimate military target or was the bombing a last act of atavistic mass murder in a war already won?From the history of the city to the attack itself, conveyed in a minute-by-minute account from the first of the flares to the flames reaching almost a mile high - the wind so searingly hot that the lungs of those in its path were instantly scorched - through the eerie period of reconstruction, bestselling author Sinclair McKay creates a vast canvas and brTrade ReviewPowerful . . . there is rage in his ink. McKay's book grips by its passion and originality -- Max Hastings * Sunday Times *A shrewd, humane and balanced account of this most controversial target of the Anglo-American strategic bombing campaign, the ferocious consequence of the scourge of Nazism -- Allan Mallinson, author of Fight to the FinishAuthentic and authoritative, a masterpiece of its genre -- Damien Lewis, author of Zero Six BravoCompelling . . . Sinclair McKay brings a dark subject vividly to life -- Keith Lowe, author of Savage Continent

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Book SynopsisThe life of Gandhi, in his own words150th Anniversary Edition with a New Introduction by Pankaj Mishra''Generations to come will scarce believe that such a one as this walked the earth in flesh and blood'' Albert Einstein upon the death of M. K. GandhiMohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born in western India in 1869. He was educated in London and later travelled to South Africa, where he experienced racism and took up the rights of Indians, instituting his first campaign of passive resistance. In 1915 he returned to British-controlled India, bringing to a country in the throes of independence his commitment to non-violent change, and his belief always in the power of truth. Under Gandhi''s lead, millions of protesters would engage in mass campaigns of civil disobedience, seeking change through moral conversion of the colonizers. For Gandhi, the long path towards Indian independence would lead to imprisonment and hardship, yet he neveTrade ReviewGenerations to come will scarce believe that such a one as this walked the earth in flesh and blood -- Albert Einstein upon the death of M. K. GandhiChrist gave us the goals and Mahatma Gandhi the tactics -- Martin Luther King Jr.He is a hero not just to India but to the world -- Barack ObamaI have the greatest admiration for Mahatma Gandhi. He was a great human being with a deep understanding of human nature. His life has inspired me -- The Dalai LamaGandhi's ideas have played a vital role in South Africa's transformation and with the help of Gandhi's teaching, apartheid has been overcome -- Nelson Mandela

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Book Synopsis''Pulse-pounding'' Sinclair McKay ''Truly masterful'' Damien Lewis ''Who needs spy fiction, when fact can provide as thrilling a story as this?'' Lindsey HilsumThe Spymaster of Baghdad is the gripping story of the top-secret Iraqi intelligence unit that infiltrated the Islamic State. More so than that of any foreign power, the information they gathered turned the tide against the insurgency, paving the way to the killing of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in 2019.Against the backdrop of the most brutal conflict of recent decades, we chart the spymaster''s struggle to develop the unit from scratch in challenging circumstances after the American invasion of Iraq in 2003, we follow the fraught relationship of two of his agents, the al-Sudani brothers - one undercover in ISIS for sixteen long months, the other his handler - and we track a disillusioned scientist as she turns bomb-maker, threatening the lives of thousands.With unprecTrade ReviewAuthentic, moving, visceral, chilling, utterly revelatory, truly masterful. A stunning tour de force by an author who has lived every word of it on the ground. A story of our time that absolutely needs to be told -- Damien Lewis, bestselling author of Zero Six BravoSearing, pulse-pounding, yet also acutely human, this compelling account of how Iraqi agents infiltrated ISIS takes us deep beneath the lurid Baghdad and Mosul headlines and into a sharply focused world of courage, ingenuity, terror and love. This is not just a story of dry-mouthed espionage, but also of its profound repercussions upon loved ones and family; the intense struggle to live in peace in a land where extremists of all varieties seek to bring death. Greatly illuminating and powerful -- Sinclair McKay, bestselling author of DresdenCoker's book would do John le Carré - and undoubtedly any number of Operations Officers - proud for her treatment of the role, value, and challenges of human intelligence and agent running. This book is not about the high-tech gadgetry of surveillance drones, signals intercepts, or cyber intelligence, though all three play a role in this story. It is about the unrivaled value of the man or woman on-the-ground or in the loop with access to the information. It is about the delicate art of handling a source, an agent, or an informant -- Joshua C. Huminski, Director of the Mike Rogers Center for Intelligence & Global Affairs at the Center for the Study of the Presidency & Congress * Diplomatic Courier *This eye-opening account of the Iraqi intelligence unit which infiltrated Islamic State may read like a thriller, yet it is also grounded in the experiences of everyday Iraqis . . . a unique masterpiece in the genres of espionage writing and spy biography -- Vin Arthey * Scotsman *Margaret Coker, formerly of The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, continued to cover Iraq after most of the American press corps had moved on; she has produced a gripping new book about the shadow war between Iraqi intelligence officers and the Islamic State, The Spymaster of Baghdad . . . Her subject is an elite Iraqi espionage unit called "the Falcons," composed of ordinary men who helped save their country from the onslaught of ISIS. Coker's reporting on these men, their families, and the family of a young woman recruited by terrorists is so meticulous that it lets her enter invisibly a closed, sometimes frightening world and portray it with cinematic detail -- George Packer * Atlantic *Fast-moving and suspenseful -- Samuel Sweeney * Wall Street Journal *

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Book SynopsisBrought to you by Penguin.In a forbidding Gothic castle on a hilltop in the heart of Nazi Germany, an unlikely band of British officers spent the Second World War plotting daring escapes from their Nazi captors. Or so the story of Colditz has gone, unchallenged for 70 years. But that tale contains only part of the truth.The astonishing inside story, revealed for the first time by bestselling historian Ben Macintyre, is a tale of the indomitable human spirit, but also one of class conflict, homosexuality, espionage, insanity and farce. Through an astonishing range of material, Macintyre reveals a remarkable cast of characters, wider than previously seen and hitherto hidden from history, taking in prisoners and captors who were living cheek-by-jowl in a thrilling game of cat and mouse.From the Indian doctor whose hunger strike and eventual escape reads like a thriller, to America''s oldest paratrooper and least successful secret agent, the soldier-prisoners of Colditz were astonishingly imaginative in their escape attempts; but there were many other ways to survive while awaiting their unknown fate. Deeply researched and full of incredible colour, this is the definitive book on one of the greatest war stories ever told. Ben MacIntyre 2022 (P) Penguin Audio 2022Trade ReviewA fine feat of storytelling . . . will surely become the last word on the subject -- Patrick Bishop * Telegraph *Like watching a black-and-white photograph being colourised . . . rich in humour and quirky detail . . . another compelling narrative -- Clare Mulley * Spectator *Nuanced and gripping . . . told with sensitivity and insight, with an eye for telling detail -- Gerard DeGroot * The Times *Fascinating * The Sun *Every Ben Macintyre book is a treat -- Jane Thynne * The Tablet *Entertaining yet objective and often moving * Wall Street Journal *Macintyre's genius has long been to excavate the nuance, subtlety and ambiguity beneath the myths he explores . . . remarkable -- Matthew D'Ancona * Tortoise Media *Another fine history . . . His unerring eye for the telling detail that can illuminate a greater story is apparent in Colditz -- Ronan McGreevy * The Irish Times *Macintyre so seamlessly fuses so many different accounts that their compilation creates something more profound than a simple escape yarn: a biography of the prison itself and the world detainees built there -- Andrea Pitzer * Washington Post *Macintyre recreates the daring escape stories with punchy flair . . . a lively page-turner -- NJ McGarrigle * Independent.ie *My book of the year . . . a masterful history of Colditz. It's absurdly readable (and at times just absurd) as well as being informative, hilarious and deeply moving -- Geoff Dyer * LitHub *

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Book SynopsisWhy do human beings fight one another?In this exhilarating and bracing book, we learn the common logic driving vainglorious monarchs, dictators, mobs, pilots, football hooligans, ancient peoples and fanatics.Distilling decades of economics, political science, psychology and real-world interventions, and through his time studying Columbia, Chicago, Liberia and Northern Ireland, Christopher Blattman lifts the lid on the underlying forces governing war and peace.Why did Russia attack Ukraine? Will China invade Taiwan and launch WWIII? And what can any of us do about it?''Captivating and intelligent'' Tim Harford''Wise, intriguing, imaginative'' Rory Stewart''Nothing could be more relevant today than war and peace . . . an outstanding and original book on this topic'' Martin Wolf, Financial Times''Important, readable, radical'' David Miliband''A great storyteller with important insights for us all'' Richard Thaler, co-author of Nudge''Essential for understanding the world we live in today'' James A. Robinson, co-author of Why Nations FailTrade ReviewBlattman has produced a valuable guide, supported by engaging anecdotes, to what makes people turn to violence - and why, mercifully, they are usually too sensible to do so * Economist *Wise, intriguing, imaginative -- Rory Stewart, author of The Places In BetweenA great storyteller with important insights for us all -- Richard Thaler, co-author of NudgeCaptivating and intelligent -- Tim Harford, author of The Undercover EconomistAvoiding the useless dichotomies that either claim violence is an inseparable part of human nature or declare that humanity has all but conquered its proclivity to war, Blattman explains how human communities make use of many different strategies to resolve conflicts, and why these efforts sometimes stumble -- Daron Acemoglu, co-author of Why Nations FailIf you've been a foreign correspondent for any length of time you end up wondering what has pushed so many of the societies you cover into conflict and what can be done to prevent a repeat. Why We Fight answers many of those questions . . . Contrary to expectations, it's an optimistic book . . . outbreaks of violence are the aberration, not the norm, and small, incremental measures can have a disproportionate impact when it comes to avoiding strife. Tinkering trumps transformation -- Michela Wrong * Spectator Books of the Year *Important, readable, radical -- David Miliband, President and CEO, International Rescue CommitteeEssential for understanding the world we live in today -- James A. Robinson, co-author of Why Nations FailBrings together the passion of the activist and the cool head of the economist to offer practical solutions to one of humanity's most intractable problems -- Ian Morris, author of Why the West Rules – for NowTimely, powerful, hopeful -- Paul Collier, author of The Bottom BillionBlattman deftly translates knotty ideas from game theory and social choice theory for a lay audience, weaving in colorful anecdotes from his own life and travels * Foreign Affairs *

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Book Synopsis''A bold, ambitious and truly wonderful history of the world'' Peter Wohlleben, author of The Hidden Life of Trees''A fascinating story and a crucial revision of the momentous importance of tropical forests to human history'' Lewis Dartnell, author of Origins_________________________ Jungle tells the remarkable story of the world''s tropical forests, from the arrival of the first plants millions of years ago to the role of tropical forests in the evolution of the world''s atmosphere, the dinosaurs, the first mammals and even our own species and ancestors. Highlighting provocative new evidence garnered from cutting-edge research, Dr Roberts shows, for example, that our view of humans as ''savannah specialists'' is wildly wrong, and that the ''Anthropocene'' began not with the Industrial Revolution, but potentially as early as 6,000 years ago in the tropics. We see that the relationship between humankind Trade ReviewJungle is a bold, ambitious and truly wonderful history of the world that shows the vital importance of tropical forests to life on Earth -- Peter Wohlleben, author of The Hidden Life of TreesA fascinating story and a crucial revision of the momentous importance of tropical forests to human history. Spanning from our very evolution as a species, to the early stages of globalisation and how we fill our kitchen cupboards today, we all owe far more to jungles than we realise -- Lewis Dartnell, author of OriginsThere are many books on the history of trilobites and dinosaurs and other animals, but so few on the history of plants. Here the dynamic young scientist Patrick Roberts tackles the history of the tropics, from the coal swamps of 300 million years ago, through the co-evolutionary dance of dinosaurs and mammals and flowers, to how our own human history has been shaped by vegetation. As environments are changing rapidly around us today, this is a timely, readable and highly relevant history that celebrates the wonder and importance of jungles -- Steve Brusatte, author of The Rise and Fall of the DinosaursWelcome to the 'Jungle' - a breath-taking book showing that tropical forests were key to our evolution, provide fossil fuels for our modern carbon-hungry society and ultimately must be protected and restored if we are to have a future. This insightful and captivating book will ensure you never take our jungles for granted ever again -- Mark Maslin, author of How to Save Our PlanetAn enthralling jungle-journey from the origins of life on this planet to the present day, Jungle provides a brilliant new perspective on our interaction with tropical forests, placing them at the centre of human experience - and it delivers a timely warning about our abuse of the environment -- David Abulafia, author of The Great SeaJungle sweeps the reader into the primordial heart of the earth, as if the crucible of life welcomed you to its sanctuary. Its revelations and stories will stir, rearrange and populate your mind for years to come. As a book, it is a joy, pure intellectual chocolate -- Paul Hawken, author of DrawdownFinally, a book on rainforests that does justice to their majesty and importance. Patrick Roberts skilfully and lucidly shows why tropical forests matter. He builds the case that people and tropical forests are intimately linked, whether you live in the rainforest or seemingly a world away. Those intricate links are more important than ever today, with ending deforestation playing a key role in solving the twin climate and biodiversity crises we face this century -- Simon Lewis, co-author of The Human PlanetEnormously ambitious, deeply researched, moves with great skill from ecology and evolution to history and politics -- Michael Marshall * New Scientist *Many European and American books and films imply that tropical forests are incapable of sustainably supporting large human societies. Jungle provides a superbly argued refutation of this long-held view . . . a thrilling reappraisal of our origins and our dependence on tropical forests -- Charlie Pye-Smith * Literary Review *

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Book SynopsisTHE #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER''Everything you need to know about one of the deadliest outbreaks in human history'' Bill Gates''Easily our fullest, richest, most panoramic history of the subject'' New York Times Book ReviewIn 1918, the world faced the deadliest pandemic in human history. What can the story of the so-called Spanish Flu teach us about the fight against present day crises, and how to prepare for future outbreaks? At the height of WWI, history''s most lethal influenza virus erupted in an army camp in Kansas, moved east with American troops, then exploded, killing as many as 100 million people worldwide. It killed more people in twenty-four months than AIDS killed in twenty-four years, more in a year than the Black Death killed in a century. But this was not the Middle Ages, and 1918 marked the first collision of science and epidemic disease.Magisterial in its breadth of perspectivTrade Review'Everything you need to know about one of the deadliest outbreaks in human history' -- Bill Gates'Easily our fullest, richest, most panoramic history of the subject' -- New York Times Book ReviewMonumental... powerfully intelligent... not just a masterful narrative... but also an authoritative and disturbing morality tale -- Chicago Tribune'A sobering account of the 1918 flu epidemic, compelling and timely' -- Boston Globe'Majestic, spellbinding treatment of a mass killer' -- Kirkus'History brilliantly written... The Great Influenza is a masterpiece' -- Baton Rouge Advocate

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Book Synopsis''The book the NHS has always deserved'' Andrew Marr''A sensational and much-needed book . . . thorough, scholarly and above all readable'' Chris van Tulleken--------------------------------------------------How does our National Health Service really work, and what does that mean for our future?Since its foundation in 1948, the NHS has come to define our national identity, making history (and the headlines) again and again - from cutting edge discoveries like the first ''test tube baby'', to its heroic response to the Coronavirus crisis. But the NHS has also become a battleground for some of the fiercest political contests of our time, perceived either as a national treasure, or as a lumbering piece of state machinery in need of renovation.In Fighting for Life, bestselling journalist Isabel Hardman cuts through the sentimentality and sloganeering on all sides of the political spectrum. Packed with gripping stories frTrade ReviewA compelling, deftly constructed and powerfully told narrative . . . Hardman is a meticulous journalist with a gift for storytelling. Necessary reading -- Rafael Behr * Guardian *Terrific . . . Every aspect of this history is informed and beautifully written -- Alan Johnson * Observer, Book of the Week *Vivid and fascinating, this is a beautifully cogent, balanced and human biography of a health service haunted by its own mythology . . . Hardman is impressively even-handed and unsentimental -- Melanie Reid * The Times, Book of the Week *It has by far the best analysis of where the health service came from, and where it's going . . . full of excellent stories -- Karol Sikora * The Telegraph *Brilliant -- Adam Kay * author of This is Going to Hurt and Undoctored *Passionate, deeply researched and page-turningly full of good stories, this is so good one is tempted to say it is the book the NHS has always deserved -- Andrew MarrThis is a sensational and much-needed book: funny, intelligent and so beautifully written that it doesn't read like normal non-fiction . . . thorough, scholarly and above all readable -- Chris van TullekenA kaleidoscopic history of the NHS -- Henry Marsh * New Statesman *Hardman's writing is breezily accessible, and her deeply researched book is full of colourful vignettes and an enjoyable spice of gossip . . . she is particularly good at locating the NHS within the wider social movements that have changed British life over the 75 years of its existence -- Sarah Neville * Financial Times *A brilliantly written and engrossing biography of the NHS . . . compelling and even-handed -- Kate Womersley * The Spectator *A superb, rollercoaster account of the NHS . . . This completely riveting and scrupulously researched book shows how, just like its patients, the NHS sways precariously between money, morality and mortality, and trust, trauma and triumph -- Juliet NicolsonA compelling thriller . . . Fighting for Life provides vivid and urgently needed context to the familiar daily news stories about the crises in the NHS -- Steve RichardsA must-read for anyone interested in how the NHS started and why we have ended up where we are. A thoroughly fascinating, comprehensive and critical analysis -- Dr Ranj SinghA fascinating, insightful and forensic history of the NHS by a journalist who understands the politics as well as the policy of the health service. Essential reading -- Rachel SylvesterThis remarkable and immensely readable book looks back at the highs and lows of the NHS's first 75 years, and asks critical questions about its future. Thought-provoking, despairing, eye-opening, and inspiring in equal measure -- Sir David HaslamHardman provides an admirable account of the struggles of the [health service] . . . She is lucid, fair and unpolemical -- Andrew Gimson * Conservative Home *

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Book SynopsisFrom the 2023 Reith lecturer Politics is failing us. This is why. ''Brilliant . . . a must-read'' Daron Acemoglu, co-author of Why Nations FailWhen it comes to politics, there are five goals that voters generally agree upon. We all want a say in how we''re governed, to be treated equally, a safety net when times are hard, protection from harm and to be richer in the future. So, why does politics not deliver that?The problem is each of these five goals results in a political trap. For example, we all want a say in how we''re governed, but it''s impossible to have any true ''will of the people''. And we want to be richer tomorrow, but what makes us richer in the short run makes us poorer over the long haul.In Why Politics Fails, award-winning Oxford professor Ben Ansell draws on examples from Ancient Greece through Brexit to vividly illustrate how we can escape these traps, overcome self-interest and deliver onTrade ReviewA meticulous study of how different societies find it so difficult to achieve widely shared goals, like democracy, equality, a decent welfare state, security from crime and sustainable prosperity -- Nick Pearce * Financial Times *Salutary reading for the world we live in now -- James A. Robinson, co-author of Why Nations FailBrilliant ... a must-read -- Daron Acemoglu, co-author of Why Nations FailI think the book is beautifully written and engaging. Ben has the rare gift of writing like he talks, and even when he gets out of storytelling mode into "here's the facts" it's an engaging read. I also think book-readers are ready for a message that isn't telling us that we are marching steadily towards a better world. Nor does hopeless disaster - endless polarization, climate apocalypse - await humanity. The truth, as usual, is in the middle. Politics is hard. There are trade-offs. If we want to build a better society, let's put aside naive optimism and pessimism and get more sophisticated -- Chris Blattman, author of Why We FightA must-read ... In an era of great challenges to the world, the urgency of what Ansell shows us, practical ways to overcoming political obstacles to collective decision making, is all the more timely -- Victor Shih, UC San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy

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Book SynopsisA brilliant collection of short stories from Leonora Brito exploring race, identity, and love''Magical, enigmatic, distinctive, accomplished and haunting . . . Brito was ahead of her time'' BERNARDINE EVARISTO, FROM THE INTRODUCTIONLeonora Brito was a writer of exceptional stories. In Dat''s Love, she soaks up the sights, sounds and colours of Cardiff to boldly explore race and history.With each electric story, Brito introduces a unique cast of characters, vibrantly elevating their everyday lives. From 59-year-old Dorothy taking up nude modelling to black aristocrat Dido Elizabeth Belle absconding her uncle''s estate, from the assassination of JFK to what''s going down at the Blue Bayou bar, Brito blends the surreal and the mundane to redress history and immerse the reader in a vibrantly painted world.Containing an unusual exactness and sense of place, Brito''s stories are unique in Welsh fiction in presenting an insider''s perspective oTrade ReviewScintillating . . . Dat’s Love conjures into being a vivid and vital picture of life in Cardiff’s Tiger Bay . . . Brito’s communicable zest for language fizzes like a seltzer . . . a high-water mark in Welsh fiction, with stories that have a real sense of a real place and stand proud on the shelf * Nation Cymru *Outstanding . . . Leonora Brito shares stirring social observations that cut to the core of the human condition through intimate portraits of a diverse cast of characters. These are stories that stir the soul, quiver the heart, and quicken the brain * LoveReading *Leonora Brito's perspective is utterly unique and her voice is remarkable. I feel incredibly lucky to have discovered this book and to have made this connection to her legacy -- Orla Mackey, author of MOUTHINGA collection that is sometimes funny and always highly original. Brito's narrators and characters are freetalkers and freethinkers with strikingly singular perspectives * Publishers Weekly *The themes of race, community, a sense of place, history and identity (and specifically a Welsh identity) explored in Brito's writing are timeless and relevant as ever, making Dat's Love a must-read for everyone * Wales Arts Review *

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Book SynopsisChartered in 1921, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) is a worldwide organization that represents more than two million workers in occupations from healthcare and government service to custodians and taxi drivers. Women form more than half the membership while people in minority groups make up approximately forty percent. Luís LM Aguiar and Joseph A. McCartin edit essays on one of contemporary labor’s bedrock organizations. The contributors explore key episodes, themes, and features in the union’s recent history and evaluate SEIU as a union with global aspirations and impact. The first section traces the SEIU’s growth in the last and current centuries. The second section offers in-depth studies of key campaigns in the United States, including the Justice for Janitors and Fight for $15 movements. The third section focuses on the SEIU’s work representing low-wage workers in Canada, Australia, Europe, and Brazil. An interview with Justice foTrade Review"Louis Aguiar and Joseph McCartin have assembled a collection of laudatory essays, by labor-oriented academics, on SEIU’s history as a healthcare, public employee, and service sector union, how it developed signature campaigns among janitors and fast food workers, and then promoted its ‘organizing model’ among labor federations abroad." --BeyondChron“A very stimulating read. The book’s multidisciplinary approach brings together a wide range of perspectives that increase the level of insight into the SEIU and the broader issue of labor organizing for precarious workers. It also highlights the complexity of the SEIU and challenges commentators who unquestionably praise the union’s role in the U.S. labor movement, or dismiss it.”--Greg Patmore, author of Innovative Consumer Co-operatives: The Rise and Fall of BerkeleyTable of ContentsAcknowledgments 1 Seeing Purple: An Introduction to the History and Global Significance of SEIU Joseph A. McCartin and Luís LM AguiarPart I. Dynamics of Growth and Transformation2 From Flats to the White House: A Brief History of SEIU, 1910-2010 Benjamin L. Peterson 3 Reconciling Progressive Idealism with Centralized Control: An Institutional Analysis of SEIU’s GrowthKyoung-Hee Yu 4 Becoming Purple: Organizational Change at SEIU During the Andy Stern YearsAdrienne E. Eaton, Janice Fine, and Allison Porter Part II. Developing the Organizing Model 5 Persistence, Militancy, and Power: The Evolution of Justice for Janitors from Atlanta to Washington, D.C., 1987-1998 Alyssa May Kuchinski and Joseph A. McCartin 6 Rank-and-File Leadership Development and Its Implications for Education Justice Veronica Terriquez 7 Organizing Fast Food: Opportunities, Challenges, and SEIU Maite Tapia and Tashlin LakhaniPart III. Global Influence and Its Challenges8 Renewing Union Practices and Strategies: A Case Study of SEIU’s Sweet $16 Campaign in Ontario, Canada Laurence Hamel-Roy and Yanick Noiseux 9 The Global Career of Justice for Janitors and the Limits of Institutional Permeability Luís LM Aguiar 10 Organizing Strategies without Borders: The Case of Brazil Euan Gibb and Luís LM Aguiar Part IV. Assessing the Legacy and Employing the Lessons of SEIU11 The Legacy of Justice for Janitors and SEIU for the Labor Movement: An Interview with Stephen Lerner Stephen Lerner and Joseph A. McCartinConclusion: The Future of SEIU and (Post-Neoliberal?) Labor Luís LM Aguiar and Joseph A. McCartinContributorsIndex

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Book SynopsisFor more than twenty years, John Milton Bernhisel negotiated with the federal government on behalf of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Bruce W. Worthen illuminates the life and work of the man whose diplomacy steered the Church's relationship with Washington, D.C. from its early period of dangerous conflict to a peaceful and pragmatic coexistence. Having risen from a Pennsylvania backcountry upbringing to become a respected member of the upper class, Bernhisel possessed a personal history that allowed him to reach common ground with politicians and other outsiders. He negotiated for Joseph Smith's life and, after the Church's relocation to the Utah Territory, took on the task of rehabilitating the public image of the Latter-day Saints. Brigham Young's defiance of the government undermined Bernhisel's work, but their close if sometimes turbulent relationship ultimately allowed Bernhisel to make peace with Washington, secure a presidential pardon for Young, and put Utah aTrade Review"What Worthen has given readers is a candidate for 'bookshelf essential,' especially for those looking for fresh perspectives on the often-told and widely-documented early events of Restoration history. Academically impeccable, Mormon Envoy is a good yarn, and Bernhisel's unique perspective makes for a narratively fascinating vantage amidst these dueling saints and senators." --John Whitmer Historical Association Journal"Worthen does an excellent job of emphasizing Bernhisel's accomplishments in Mormon Envoy." --Journal of Mormon History"Worthen's biography of Bernhisel is also an elegantly written history lesson." --Library JournalTable of ContentsIntroduction: The Diplomacy of John Milton Bernhisel “My Journey to the Westward” “Stand Still and See the Salvation of God” Four Miles from Carthage The Angry Apostle An Adopted Son and a Travelling Bishop Far from the Land of Our Enemies Correcting Public Opinion Old Rough and Ready Great Basin Confrontation “We Have Only Asked for Simple Justice” “Throwing Down the Glove” Dueling Discourses “A Most Turbulent, Disloyal, and Rebellious People” Wild Fire “When a Thousand Years Have Slept Away” “Let Uncle Sam Choose” Wrongs Real and Imaginary The Train of Hell The Great Wheel of Time Conclusion: Out of the WestAppendix: Bernhisel’s MarriagesNotesBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisAt the opening of the twentieth century, labor strife repeatedly racked the nation. Union organization and collective bargaining briefly looked like a promising avenue to stability. But both employers and many middle-class observers remained wary of unions exercising independent power. Vilja Hulden reveals how this tension provided the opening for pro-business organizations to shift public attention from concerns about inequality and dangerous working conditions to a belief that unions trampled on an individual''s right to work. Inventing the term closed shop, employers mounted what they called an open-shop campaign to undermine union demands that workers at unionized workplaces join the union. Employer organizations lobbied Congress to resist labor''s proposals as tyrannical, brought court cases to taint labor''s tactics as illegal, and influenced newspaper coverage of unions. While employers were not a monolith nor all-powerful, they generally agreed that unions wereTrade Review"Hulden's book is chock-full of revealing details recounting the ways that business leaders organized, lobbied politicians, secured legal assistance during union confrontations, and employed labor spies. . . . Read this terrific book to learn more about the many roots and characteristics of that ugly, undemocratic agenda." --Jacobin"The volume's wide range and mastery of the business and labor history of those years makes it a highly recommended study for specialists in those fields and more. Highly recommended." --Choice"With keen analysis and vivid prose, Vilja Hulden brilliantly illuminates how U.S. employers fought furiously to undermine unions and blunt demands for workplace democracy in the early twentieth century, creating a warped legacy that still haunts our labor relations and diminishes our politics. This powerfully argued book is essential reading for anyone who wishes to understand the long historical roots of today’s reawakened fights for worker justice.”--Joseph A. McCartin, author of Collision Course: Ronald Reagan, the Air Traffic Controllers, and the Strike that Changed AmericaTable of ContentsAcknowledgments IntroductionChapter 1. The Invention of the Closed Shop: The NAM Weighs In on the Labor QuestionChapter 2. The Deep History of the Closed or Union ShopChapter 3. The Potential and Limitations of the Trade AgreementChapter 4. The Range and Roots of Employer Positions on LaborChapter 5. Employers, Unite? The Bases and Challenges of Employer Collective ActionChapter 6. The Battle over the StateChapter 7. The Battle over Public OpinionChapter 8. Defending the Status Quo Ante BellumChapter 9. The Gift That Keeps on Giving: Institutionalizing the Open-Shop Ideal in the 1920sCoda: The Working Class and the Prerequisites of PowerAbbreviationsA Note on Sources and MethodsNotesIndex

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Eleff's well-researched examination of the changes that Horween and Bingham brought to Harvard in the 1920s is an uplifting story that is needed as Americans grapple with the latest wave of anti-Semitism." --Sport in American History“It sounds like fiction, but it’s true: A century ago, a Jewish running back and a track star with a working-class background altered the very nature of sports at Harvard. Kudos to Zev Eleff for putting Arnold Horween and Bill Bingham at the center of a poignant story about acceptance.”--John Eisenberg, author of The League: How Five Rivals Created the NFL and Launched a Sports EmpireTable of ContentsIntroduction Chapter I: The (Cinder) Path to a Better LifeChapter II: Winning isn’t Everything, but it is SomethingChapter III: Americanization, the Jewish Take on SuccessChapter IV: Winning for Winning’s SakeChapter V: Football, the Ultimate Wargame of LifeChapter VI: Horween versus McMahon and Rise of the National Football LeagueChapter VII: A Member of the Hebrew Race to Become Head Coach of Harvard?Chapter VIII: An Honorable Failure and Satisfactory Game in Every WayChapter IX: The Crusade to Keep Football a GameConclusionAcknowledgments

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Book SynopsisRenders the furious ebb and flow of the two-day battle, capturing both the evolving strategies of each side and the horrendous experience of the fight. This book draws from hundreds of diaries, letters, memoirs, interviews, official reports, and regimental histories.Trade ReviewA Selection of the History Book Club.— A Selection of the History Book ClubTable of ContentsCoverTitle PageCopyright PageTable of ContentsList of MapsList of IllustrationsAcknowledgmentsOne / My Dear General, You are Thoroughly OutdoneTwo / Golden Moments are PassingThree / I Have Never Felt so Glad to be a SoldierFour / A Glimmer in the TwilightFive / We are in a Ticklish Place HereSix / Sounds of Ill OmenSeven / Withdraw if not Already Too LateEight / They are Coming like a Pack of WolvesNine / We Shall Soon be in itTen / Give Help where it is NeededEleven / A Bellyful of FightingTwelve / They Skedaddled in Fine StyleThirteen / We Bury Our DeadFourteen / The Night Seemed to Quake and TrembleFifteen / If I Could Only Drown this Terrible SoundSixteen / God Grant that it May be SoSeventeen / If they Begin it, We will End itEighteen / The Left must be HeldNineteen / To Fire at Those Breastworks Seemed FoolishTwenty / Gentlemen, I Hold the Fatal Order of the DayTwenty-One / All was a Sickening ConfusionTwenty-Two / No More Show than a Broken-Backed CatTwenty-Three / The Signs Grew Rapidly WorseTwenty-Four / They can Kill us, But Whip us NeverTwenty-Five / Give us a Position to HoldTwenty-Six / Thomas is having a Hell of a FightTwenty-Seven / A Few are Holding out up YonderTwenty-Eight / I Never Saw Better FightingTwenty-Nine / Don't waste any Cartridges Now, BoysThirty / The Storm Broke LooseThirty-One / God Help Me to Bear it ArightThirty-Two / Denunciations Fierce and StrongAppendix / The Opposing Forces in the Chickamauga CampaignNotesBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisConcerned with issues that have shaped the history of women in particular places and eras, this title examines women in ancient civilizations; including women in China, Japan, and Korea; women and gender in South and South East Asia; Medieval women; women and gender in Colonial Latin America; and the history of women in the US up to 1865.Trade Review"The vast new evidence of our global connectedness has revived the imperative to understand the world better and especially to bring into focus the worldwide history of women. These volumes are devoted to surveying the most recent findings on women and gender in hopes of bringing teachers at all levels a practical introduction to the new data, historical issues, and historiographical debates from all regions of the world."--Bonnie G. Smith, from the Introduction to Volume 1

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewWesley-Logan Prize, American Historical Association (AHA), 2017Dred Scott Freedom Award in the category Historical Literary Excellence, Dred Scott Heritage Foundation, 2020"Mustakeem's command of sources and methodology is remarkable. . . . Slavery at Sea is an outstanding intervention in the history of slavery." --Journal of African American History"This excellent work illustrates the paradoxical significance of U.S. slavery studies in relation to the larger African Diaspora."--Register of the Kentucky Historical Society"A compelling and original argument that makes a fundamental contribution to the history of slavery in colonial British America."--William and Mary Quarterly"Mustakeem's groundbreaking study. . . . offers provocative new insights into how gender, health, age, illness, and medical treatment intersected with trauma and violence and transformed human beings into the world's most commercially sought commodity for over four centuries."--Huffington Post"Essential."--Choice"Slavery at Sea does an excellent job describing the importance of the Middle Passage, as well as forcefully rejecting the notion that slave subjugation began upon arrival in America. . . . Excellent research, a clear and engaging literary style, and an appropriate use of primary source material recommend this book for the student of the Atlantic slave trade or the historian who desires new insights into the manufacturing process of slavery."--Civil War News"An intensely social history of the transatlantic slave trade . . . Mustakeem consciously centers her narrative on the very young and old, women, and the infirm to demonstrate the ways in which there was no one Middle Passage."--The Junto"Slavery at Sea is a welcome book because it provides a more sustained account of the deprivations and indignities inflicted upon enslaved Africans by European capitalists and their collaborators in Africa. . . than virtually any other book."--Criminal Law and Criminal Justice Book Reviews"In Slavery at Sea, Mustakeem writes with power and heart, offering a deeply intimate narrative of the experience of dehumanization and the undeniable awareness that nothing good came from this history."--Journal of American Culture "Mustakeem does a remarkable job exploring the untold and overlooked stories of the most marginalized of the Africans. . . . Her work challenges many prevailing assumptions and offers an insightful, alternative contribution to our understanding of slavery at sea." --The Journal of American History "A tremendously important contribution to understandings of the Middle Passage. This work will shift the ways scholars frame the history of slavery in the Americas by extending the terrain of enslavement across the Atlantic and centering the lives and deaths of enslaved African women and men in the Middle Passage."--Barbara Krauthamer, author of Black Slaves, Indian Masters: Slavery, Emancipation, and Citizenship in the Native American South "It is not easy to say new things about the slave trade, but Mustakeem does so, again and again. She strikes a mighty blow against the 'violence of abstraction' that has long governed the study of the subject. She makes us understand the slave trade in a new, visceral way."--Marcus Rediker, author of The Amistad Rebellion: An Atlantic Odyssey of Slavery and Freedom "Slavery at Sea includes heartbreaking stories of capture, breathtaking vignettes of torture, and harrowing tales of the Middle Passage that bring to life the terror that many enslaved people experienced at sea. This well-researched study also pays critical attention to how age, gender, and health informed the economic development of the international slave trade."--Jim Downs, author of Sick from Freedom: African-American Illness and Suffering during the Civil War and Reconstruction

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Book SynopsisOpinions of specialized labor courts differ, but labor justice undoubtedly represented a decisive moment in worker ''s history. When and how did these courts take shape? Why did their originators consider them necessary? Leon Fink and Juan Manuel Palacio present essays that address these essential questions. Ranging from Canada and the United States to Chile and Argentina, the authors search for common factors in the appearance of labor courts while recognizing the specific character of the creative process in each nation. Their transnational and comparative approach advances a global perspective on the various mechanisms for regulating industrial relations and resolving labor conflicts. The result is the first country-by-country study of its kind, one that addresses a defining shift in law in the first half of the twentieth century. Contributors: Rossana Barragán Romano, Angela de Castro Gomes, David Díaz-Arias, Leon Fink, Frank Luce, Diego Ortúzar, Germán Palacio, Juan Manuel PaTrade Review"This is a fabulous book. As historians and social scientists return to the distributional dimensions of capitalist development, they should look closely at this anthology. It contains insightful studies of national experiences; it also lays out a template for analyzing a central institution in framing class conflict in the modern age: labor courts and the struggle for justice and recognition. This is a wonderful example of connected and comparative history." --Jeremy Adelman, author of Worldly Philosopher: The Odyssey of Albert O. Hirschman"Labor Justice across the Americas can help us to learn from past struggles to think creatively about new ideas for effective labor justice. It is a unique book that deserves to be read by labor historians, legal historians, labor advocates, and quixotic dreamers who want to keep a toe on the ground." --New Labor Forum“An important and necessary first step in assessing the role of the law in twentieth-century capital-labor relations, a valuable contribution greatly enhanced by its comparative focus." --Hispanic American Historical Review"Highly recommended." --Choice"An ambitious transnational project developed around a specialized body of knowledge, this volume has many great strengths. This book artfully presents side-by-side national histories within their hemispheric context and points us toward a sophisticated neo-Boltonian hemispheric labor history founded on deeply researched national case studies." --Labor

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewIrving Lowens Book Award, 2020 Judy Tsou Critical Race Studies Award, 2020— Irving Lowens Book Award, the Society for American Music Irving Lowens Book Award, 2020 Judy Tsou Critical Race Studies Award, 2020— American Musicology Society (AMS)Table of ContentsTitleCopyrightContentsAcknowledgments1Engaged Opera2Black Opera across the Atlantic: Writing Black Music History and Opera’s Unusual Place3Haunted Legacies: Interracial Secrets From the Diary of Sally Hemings4Contextualizing Race and Gender in Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess5Carmen: From Nineteenth-Century France to Settings in the United States and South Africa in the6Winnie, Opera, and South African Artistic NationhoodConclusion: Engaged Musicology, Political Action, and Social JusticeNotesBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisTranslated into English for the first time, The Wretched of France contemplates the protest's lasting significance in France as well as its impact within the context of larger and comparable movements for civil rights, particularly in the US.Trade Review"In The Wretched of France, Abdellali Hajjat explores the complex interface between historical patterns of racial and social exclusion and marginalization in France and traces the challenging path to political visibility through activism, mobilization, and protest. The book is of utmost relevance to contemporary global conversations about anti-racism, diversity, inclusivity, and multiculturalism and provides invaluable insights into how ethnic mobilization continues to shape calls for individual freedom, equality, and social justice today."—Dominic Thomas, author of Black France, Letessier Professor of French and Francophone Studies, UCLA"The March for Equality and Against Racism was a turning point in the history of France's relationship with its postcolonial immigrants and ethnoracial minorities. In this compelling study, Abdellali Hajjat produces the first rigorous empirical account of the genealogy and sociology of a too often mythicized social movement, masterfully analyzing its political meaning and illuminating its blind spots."—Didier Fassin. James D. Wolfensohn Professor at the Institute for Advanced Study"Abdellali Hajjat's The Wretched of France, an exhaustively researched, sharply analytical, elegantly constructed explication of the 1983 March for Equality and against Racism, was pathbreaking when it came out in French in 2013. Now with a new Afterward, sketching the posthistory of racism and revolt, it remains essential reading, in both French and English, today. Melding archival research, interviews, close readings of the press and other media, with deep knowledge of French postcolonial history and the sociological and political science literatures on race and racism, and anti-racist political mobilizations on both sides of the Atlantic, Hajjat offers a uniquely original and powerful explanation for this crucial moment and its afterlives."—Leora Auslander, Arthur and Joann Rasmussen Professor of Western Civilization, University of ChicagoTable of ContentsAcknowledgmentsList of AbbreviationsIntroduction: The Protest March as an Index of Social and Racial Tensions in France1. The Laboratory of Les Minguettes: The Micro-History of a Working-Class District2. Riots or Rebellions? 'Urban Youths' on the Borders of the Political3. The Fear of Rebellion4. The Unlikely Construction of an Anti-Racist National Consensus5. The Ambiguities of the Parisian Apotheosis6. Divided MemoriesConclusion: After the March: The Challenges of Postcolonial PoliticsAfterword: From 1983 to 2020: Reflections on an Enduring Problem of Racism and RevoltAppendicesBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"On the whole, Catalonia's Human Towers is a marvelous ethnography, reliant on fine-grained insights gained from thorough fieldwork. Her prose is highly accessible, and her text is alive to contemporary concerns within anthropology, performance studies, nationalist studies, and allied disciplines."—Jeremy MacClancy, author of Anthropology in the Public Arena: Historical and Contemporary Contexts"Mariann Vaczi takes us inside the complex embodied collaboration that generates Catalonia's human towers. Celebrated as allegories of national striving, raised literally to new heights by the incorporation of women and girls, transitioning from festival into sport, these ephemeral constructions also anchor support networks and mediate social inclusion. Tracing the practice through the European economic crisis, the Catalan independence referendum, and the COVID-19 pandemic, Vaczi elegantly captures the force of endlessly renewed collective effort against the eternal threat of collapse."—Dorothy Noyes, author of Fire in the Plaça: Catalan Festival Politics After Franco, and Humble Theory: Folklore's Grasp on Social Life."At the intersection of effervescent regional separatism, cultural habits of competition and death-defying risk, multiple activisms, gender tensions, and intergenerational solidarity lies an unusual form of bodily confluence: the Catalan human tower. Mariann Vaczi weaves her vivid ethnographic account, as structured and as intricate as the towers of living bodies she describes, to show us how social actors physically debate the dilemmas of identity in daring, defiant, and demonstrative displays. Through her intensely observed account of the enduring tug-of-war between the sensual and the sensible, Vaczi brings immersive fieldwork and political history into a lively and engaging synergy."—Michael Herzfeld, Harvard University"This lovely book is as intriguing and illuminating as the incredible ten story human towers it describes. Vaczi takes us on a journey into the world of the castells and their Catalan makers in a brilliant exploration of solidarity and complexity at possibility's tottering edge."—Orin Starn, author of The Passion of Tiger Woods: An Anthropologist Reports on Golf, Race, and Celebrity Scandal."Catalonia's Human Towers demonstrates how close attention to a visually spectacular sporting event can enhance our understanding of local politics, ethnic relations, and social organization and identity. Mariann Vaczi has produced a magnificent, beautifully written and illustrated contribution to the ethnography of contemporary Iberia and the Mediterranean world. It is a literary and social scientific treasure"—Stanley Brandes, University of California, Berkeley.Table of ContentsAcknowledgmentsIntroduction: The Sisyphean AscentVisual Glossary1. From "People of Farts and Burps" to Crowning the Olympic Games2. The Politics, Erotics, and Social Class of Touch and the Body3. Risking the Fall4. Rivalry, Antagonism, and Identity Among the Boys of Valls5. Bones Have No Gender6. The Grace in Every Child7. At the Height of DeathEpilogue: Rebuilding Towers in Messianic Times and the Global PandemicBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisFocusing on a single Malian textile identified variously as bogolanfini, bogolan, or mudcloth, Victoria L. Rovine traces the dramatic technical and stylistic innovations that have transformed the cloth from its village origins into a symbol of new internationalism.Trade ReviewWell-organized chapters, extensive notes, an excellent bibliography, and beautiful color and black-and-white illustrations make Bogolan a pleasure to read. It is highly recommended to all those interested in the arts of Africa and in the social and economic transformations that have influenced them during the past decades. * African Studies Review *Rovine has given us a thorough and authoritative account of the adaptability of a given textile to a wide range of local and international modalities. * Textile *. . . [T]his is a very good read for anyone with a passion for textiles and the many stories it can tell.No. 93, 2009 * Textile Fibre Forum *I would recommend Rovine's book to anyone interested in West African culture, negotiations between tradition and modernity, or material culture in general. Her book provides a wealth of information on Bamana artists, markets, clothing, and bogolan. * Folklore Forum *Table of ContentsPreface to the second editionAcknowledgments1. Introduction: Bogolan's Biography2. The Rural Roots of Bogolan3. The Tourist Art Market: Commerce in Authenticity4. Tourist Market Bogolan: Changing Demands, Changing Forms5. Fine Art Bogolan: Between Categories6. The Fine Art Market: From Bogolan to Le Bogolan7. Culture through Clothing: Bogolan as Fashion8. Making It Modern: Bogolan Clothing's Dual Directions9. Bogolan Abroad: Reverberations in the United States10. Conclusion: Making the Traditional ModernNotesSelected BibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisComparative analyses of the influence of public opinion on education policy in developed countries.Although research has suggested a variety of changes to education policy that have the potential to improve educational outcomes, politicians are often reluctant to implement such evidence-based reforms. Public opinion and pressure by interest groups would seem to have a greater role in shaping education policy than insights drawn from empirical data. The construction of a comparative political economy of education that seeks to explain policy differences among nations is long overdue. This book offers the first comparative inventory and analysis of public opinion and education in developed countries, drawing on data primarily from Europe and the United States.

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Book SynopsisAn exploration of historical memory and networks of meaning in the context of today’s crises of extremism and polarization.As authoritarianism continues to rise around the world, the stories we tell ourselves about what has happened and what is happening become ever more relevant. In Memory, Edited, Abby Smith Rumsey examines collective memory, how it binds us, and how it can be used by bad actors to manipulate us. Bringing forward the voices of a rich cast of Eastern European artists from the past two hundred years—from Fyodor Dostoevsky to Gerhard Richter—Rumsey shows how their work and lives illustrate the devastation wrought by regimes dependent on entrenched lies to survive. This hijacking of the narrative polarizes communities even as it commandeers our future.Through an interdisciplinary lens that includes the best thinking from history, the arts, cognitive science, psychology, and political philosophy, Rumsey lays bare our na

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Book SynopsisThe illuminating evolution of the iconic space of Times Square.What is it about Times Square that has inspired such attention for well over a century? And how is it that, despite its many changes of character, the place has maintained a unique hold on our collective imagination? In this book, which comes twenty years after her widely acclaimed Times Square Roulette, Lynne Sagalyn masterfully tells the story of profound urban change over decades in the symbolic space that is New York City’s Times Square. Drawing on the history, sociology, and political economy of the place, Times Square Remade examines how the public-private transformation of 42nd Street at Times Square impacted the entertainment district and adjacent neighborhoods, particularly Hell’s Kitchen.Sagalyn chronicles the earliest halcyon days of 42nd Street and Times Square as the nexus of speculation and competitive theater building as well as its darkest days as vice central, and on to the years of aggressive government intervention to cleanse West 42nd Street of pornography and crime. Thematically, the author analyzes the three main forces that have shaped and reshaped Times Square—theater, real estate, and pornography—and explains the politics and economics of what got built and what has been restored or preserved.Accompanied by nearly 160 images, more than half in color, Times Square Remade is a deftly woven narrative of urban transformation that will appeal as much to the general reader and New York City enthusiast as to urbanists, city planners, architects, urban designers, and policymakers.

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Book SynopsisEssays explore the world of Michael of Rhodes, examining the historical context, the discovery of his manuscript, and Michael's knowledge of mathematics, shipbuilding, navigation, and other topics.In the fifteenth century, a Venetian mariner, Michael of Rhodes, wrote and illustrated a text describing his experiences in the Venetian merchant and military fleets. He included a treatise on commercial mathematics and treatments of contemporary shipbuilding practices, navigation, calendrical systems, and astrological ideas. This manuscript, “lost,” or at least in unknown hands for over 400 years, has never been published or translated in its entirety until now. In volume 3, nine experts, including the editors, discuss the manuscript, its historical context, and its scholarly importance. Their essays examine the Venetian maritime world of the fifteenth century, Michael's life, the discovery of the manuscript, the mathematics in the book, the use of illustration, the nav

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Book SynopsisA senior scholar''s comprehensive analysis of the dramatic increase in and impact of cultural expression-enormous art exhibitions and pop culture-in relation to expanded capitalist energy and investment, i.e., the so-called East Asian Miracle--

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Book SynopsisThe first full-length biography of William Still, one of the most important leaders of the Underground Railroad.William Still: The Underground Railroad and the Angel at Philadelphia is the first major biography of the free Black abolitionist William Still, who coordinated the Eastern Line of the Underground Railroad and was a pillar of the Railroad as a whole. Based in Philadelphia, Still built a reputation as a courageous leader, writer, philanthropist, and guide for fugitive enslaved people. This monumental work details Still's life story beginning with his parents' escape from bondage in the early nineteenth century and continuing through his youth and adulthood as one of the nation's most important Underground Railroad agents and, later, as an early civil rights pioneer. Still worked personally with Harriet Tubman, assisted the family of John Brown, helped Brown's associates escape from Harper's Ferry after their famous raid, and was a rival to Frederick DouTrade Review“There has been a need for a good biography of William Still. This sweeping book situates Still at the center of the workings of the Underground Railroad as well as other abolitionist-related activities of the period. William Still provides a sense of the world of which Still was a part and the many roles he played in this activist movement.” —Spencer R. Crew, author of Thurgood Marshall: A Life in American History"With this book, William C. Kashatus has delivered a valuable addition to the growing body of serious literature on the Underground Railroad. His attention to the details of Still's life both before and after his engagement in abolitionist work provides a new and rounded picture of a man who for too long remained a vague figure behind his well-known compendium of information on the fugitive slaves who passed through Philadelphia." —Fergus M. Bordewich, author of Bound for Canaan"William C. Kashatus's contribution expands the bandwidth of African American historiography on the Underground Railroad and William Still. For those who want a closer look at an extraordinary and multidimensional human being, William Still provides an expert and sophisticated view." —Kelisha B. Graves, editor of Nannie Helen Burroughs"William C. Kashatus has given us what will probably be the definitive biography of William Still. He has also deepened our understanding of the experiences of fugitive slaves and the people who aided them before the Civil War." —Thomas Hamm, editor of Quaker Writings"William C. Kashatus’s William Still, along with providing a rich account of the great abolitionist and archivist of the Underground Railroad, brilliantly conveys the courage, the resourcefulness, and the intelligence of the slaves escaping towards freedom. This is history as it should be written: poignant, passionate, and trenchant." —Kenneth A. McClane, author of Color: Essays on Race, Family, and History"William C. Kashatus’s William Still is a double tribute to the heroism of this fascinating man as well as to that of the many freedom-seekers who made the journey out of the house of bondage and of those who aided them." —Christopher A. McAuley, author of The Spirit vs. the Souls"Kashatus’s detailed biography of William Still, with its stories of courageous slaves plotting daring escapes, and moving accounts of free Black people who were kidnapped and taken into slavery, reveals the interracial cooperation involved in helping escaped slaves reach freedom, and honors the man who, at his death in 1902, was named 'Father of the Underground Railroad.'" —Foreword Reviews (Starred Review)"In the first scholarly biography of [William] Still, Kashatus highlights the critical roles Still and other Black Americans played along the entire Underground Railroad, and the risks they took to aid enslaved people. A penetrating analysis of Still’s interviews reveals new and important insights into the enslaved people who made the journey into freedom. . . . An essential work that is a must-read for those interested in the Underground Railroad and Black history in the U.S." —Library Journal (Starred Review)"Kashatus’s biggest contribution to the historiography of the Underground Railroad is the analysis he provides of the information collected by William Still. Using both Still’s Underground Railroad and his unpublished Journal C of Station No. 2 of the Underground Railroad, Kashatus has compiled significant trends that characterize the freedom seekers." —Hidden City"William C. Kashatus's new biography of abolitionist William Still is the first scholarly biography of the activist. It is also a very accessible text, suitable for a broad audience. . . . The biography accomplishes the important task of introducing Still and his significance to a wide readership." —Quaker History"William Still stands poised to be the authoritative biography of the ‘Angel at Philadelphia’ for a generation to come." —American Historical ReviewTable of ContentsAcknowledgments About the Author List of Illustrations Introduction 1. The Price of Freedom 2. Quaker Philadelphia 3. Underground Railroad 4. Fugitive Slave Law 5. Vigilance 6. Bondswoman’s Escape 7. “Dear Friends” 8. Canada West 9. Kidnapped & Ransomed 10. Memorable 28 11. Fighting for Freedom 12. Street Car Protest 13. Politics of Reform 14. Legacy Endnotes Appendix: Index of Still’s Runaways Bibliography

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“Long overdue, this highly competent translation fills a major gap in our understanding of Arab literary history. No Middle East studies collection will be complete without it.” —Hussein N. Kadhim, author of The Poetics of Anti-Colonialism in the Arabic QaṣīdahTable of ContentsFrom Clay Throb (1947) 1. Semiramis 2. Autumn Echo 3. Whimper 4. Dreaming Silence 5. Boredom 6. Clay Throb 7. Shades 8. Closed Lips From Songs of the Dead City (1951) 9. Barrenness 10. Depths 11. Postman 12. Image 13. Three Signs 14. The Hypocritical Wound 15. At Night 16. Here You Are 17. Roads 18. Old Age 19. Dream 20. An Old Love 21. Slavery 22. O My Friend 23. Deceit 24. Lost Step 25. Loss 26. Where To From Steps in Exile (1965) 27. Secret 28. Old Image 29. Judahs’ Repentance 30. You Came with the Dawn 31. Bitter Land 32. I Want To 33. Tomorrow Here 34. And Tomorrow I Return 35. He Said Something to Us 36. Return to Hiroshima 37. In a Few Hours 38. A Talk for Next Saturday 39. The Eighth Journey 40. At Forty 41. To My Town 42. Steps in Exile From The Journey of Yellow Letters (1968) 43. To a Negro from Alabama 44. Disappointment of the Man of the Past 45. Desolation 46. Genesis 47. Dreaming of Return 48. Two Faces 49. Message of the Small Man 50. The Paling Salt 51. Age of Rubber Stamps 52. I Wish If 53. Short Laugh 54. The Waiting Sails 55. Suffocation 56. Call of a Nation 57. Dream of the Snow 58. At the Crossroads 59. A Child of the First War 60. Night, Cold and Wardens 61. Journey of the Yellow Letters From Songs of the Tired Guard 62. Sleeping Pills 63. Indicted, Though Innocent 64. A Call for Stupor 65. A Dream in Four Scenes 66. Expulsion 67. The Killed Witness 68. Apology 69. Between Two Points 70. Dialogue in the Bend 71. Confessions from 1961 72. Hey… You are Indicted 73. Dialogue in Three Dimensions 74. Procession of the Seven Sins 75. Call of the Seven Sins 76. Stolen Frontiers 77. Sindbad’s Eighth Journey 78. On the Verge of the Fallen World 79. Two Voices Late at Night 80. I’ll Stay Here

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