History Books

Book SynopsisThe 1st Battalion, The Rhodesian Light Infantry (RLI), was one of the most innovative and successful counter-insurgency units in modern history, developing and perfecting a range of tactics and operational concepts that have since become standard practise in modern military forces. Formed in 1961 and then re-formed in 1964 as a commando battalion after the dissolution of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, the RLI was an all-white unit that incorporated foreign soldiers from South Africa, The UK, USA, Canada and Europe into its ranks. It was a key weapon in independent Rhodesia''s struggle against the Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army (ZANLA) and Zimbabwe People''s Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA) during the bloody Rhodesian Bush War. This comprehensive study explores the unit''s dramatic history, revealing the RLI''s fearsome airborne and combat capacity, which gave the unit, at times, near total tactical superiority against its opponents.Table of ContentsIntroduction Chronology Enemy Structure of the RLI Recruitment / Enlistment Training Appearance Equipment Parachuting Helicopters Medical Support Conditions of Service On Campaign Patrolling operations Fireforce operations Other operations Belief & Belonging Aftermath Collecting/Museums/re-enactment

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Book SynopsisFieldnotes from Celtic Palestine embodies a new type of sociological writing that weaves ethnography with memoir as well as fusing other convention-breaking literary forms, styles and devices. In its innovative analysis of the rhetorical power of the creative works of four Celtic witnesses to the conflict in Palestine, three Irish and one Welsh, it explores how the creative practitioner may effectively engage in political persuasion and activism without compromising their art. The book also reflects upon a series of encounters in the field between the author and various individuals political prisoners, diplomats, members of terrorist organisations, members of the security services, journalists and politicians, and also ordinary people making their lives in a society profoundly shaped by brutal ethno-political occupation and conflict. Amongst these encounters is that of being served tea by the daughter of a Hamas suicide bomber, and that of being taken to Jewish settlements regarded as illegal under international law.

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Book SynopsisHighly-trained and immensely skilled, the SAS are widely regarded as one of the best Special Forces units in the world. Their missions are uniquely diverse:counter-terrorist responses at home and abroad; deep penetration for reconnaissance and guiding air strikes; training and supporting indigenous forces; counter-insurgency in collaboration with U.S. Delta Force, SEAL Team Six, and other foreign Special Forces; mobile operations in support of conventional forces; targeting terrorist leaders and manhunting war criminals, to direct action raids. This book charts the changing organization and operational emphases of the regiment over the past twenty-five years, as well as its individual deployments and operations, including those planned but aborted and joint missions with other British and foreign units. It sheds light on the SAS''s involvement in the Troubles of Northern Ireland, their operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the widespread use of the SAS in counter-terrorisTable of ContentsIntroduction: formation; brief overview of ops from WW II to Falklands War 1982 /The Embassy Effect – worldwide interest since Iranian Embassy counter-terrorist op in 1980 – foreign training ops /Op ‘Banner’ – the SAS in Northern Ireland /Op ‘Granby’ 1990-91 – the SAS in the First Gulf War /The 1990s – the Balkans, and Sierra Leone /Op ‘Veritas’ 2001 – frustrating first ops in Afghanistan /Op ‘Row’ 2003 – Task Force 14 in Iraq /Op ‘Telic’ 2003–2009 – Task Force Black & TF Knight in Iraq - joint ops with US SF /Op ‘Herrick 2006–2014 – Task Force 84 in Afghanistan /Weapons, Equipment & Vehicles /Special Forces Support Group /Commonwealth SAS - Australia & New Zealand

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Book SynopsisBetween the reigns of Augustus and Septimius Severus, the Eastern provinces of the Roman Empire frequently saw brutal fighting, most notably during the conquest of Dacia by Trajan, the suppression of the Great Revolt in Judea and intermittent clashes with Rome''s great rival Parthia. In these wars, Roman soldiers had to fight in a range of different climates and terrains, from the deserts of the Middle East to the islands of the eastern Mediterranean.Using full-color artwork, this book examines the variation of equipment and uniforms both between different military units, and in armies stationed in different regions of the Empire. Using evidence drawn from recent archaeological finds, it paints a vivid portrait of Roman army units in the Eastern provinces in the first two centuries of the Imperial period.Table of ContentsIntroduction - chronology /The Eastern frontiers – distribution of the Roman Army in the Eastern provinces /Legiones – Auxilia – Numeri & Cunei – Vexillationes & Cohortes Equitatae /Arms & Equipment: Dacia – Moesia Superior – Moesia Inferior – Macedonia – Epirus & Achaia – Thracia – Creta & Cyrenaica – Bythinia & Pontus – Asia – Galatia – Lycia & Pamphilia – Cilicia – Cappadocia – Syria – Cyprus – Judaea – Arabia – Egypt – Mesopotamia /Plate Commentaries /Select Bibliography

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Book SynopsisTracing uranium's past, and how it intersects with our understanding of other radioactive elements, this book aims to disentangle our attitudes and to unpick the atomic mindset. Chain Reactions looks at the fascinating, often-forgotten, stories that can be found throughout the history of the element. Ranging from glassworks to penny stocks; medicines to weapons; something to be feared to a powerful source of energy, this global history not only explores the development of our scientific understanding of uranium, but also shines a light on its cultural and social impact. By understanding our nuclear past, we can move beyond the ideological opposition to atomic technology and encourage a more nuanced dialogue about whether it is feasible - and desirable - to have a genuinely nuclear-powered future.

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Book SynopsisThis title explores the ships and history of the enterprising American patriots who fought the Royal Navy as privateers, and played a major part in winning the Revolutionary War at sea. During the American War of Independence (177583), Congress issued almost 800 letters of marque as a way of combating Britain''s overwhelming naval and mercantile superiority. At first, it was only fishermen and the skippers of small merchant ships who turned to privateering, with mixed results. Eventually though, American shipyards began to turn out specially-converted ships, while later still, the first purpose-built privateers entered the fray. These American privateers seized more than 600 British merchant ships over the course of the war, capturing thousands of British seamen. Indeed, Jeremiah O''Brien''s privateer Unity successfully fought the first sea engagement of the Revolutionary War in the Battle of Machias of 1775. With just 40 men, their guns, axes, and pitcTable of ContentsIntroduction Background Design & Development The Business of Privateering Life on Board Privateers in Action Further Reading Index

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Book SynopsisSeptimius Severus was Rome''s black emperor. Born in the blistering heat of a North African spring in Leptis Magna AD 145, he died in the freezing cold of a northern British winter in York in AD 211. A giant of an emperor, whose career can be counted in superlatives, Severus was in power at the height of Rome''s might. He led the largest army to ever campaign in Britain, comprising 50,000 men, part of a Roman military establishment which peaked at 33 legions under his rule.Born into the richest family, in the richest part of the Roman Empire, Severus monumentalised his rule across the empire. He visited - and often fought in - every region. Where he did, he left a mighty legacy in the built environment, for example in Rome where much of the Forum Romanum and most of the imperial palaces are Severan. In North Africa, his hometown of Leptis Magna is all Severan, as are the Roman cities at the Atlas mountains. In London, the land walls that still define the City''s Square Mile were delineated under his rule. Visitors to the under croft at York Minster can stand where he died. Septimius Severus was one of the greatest warrior emperors, a hard man who almost died in battle several times and whose attitude is reflected in his deathbed advice to two sons: ''Be of one mind with your family, enrich the soldiers, and despise the rest.''

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Book SynopsisThis detailed study of the naval Spanish Civil War describes how the Spanish Navy, torn in two and comprising a Republican and Nationalist part, fought a civil war at sea involving both Hitler''s and Mussolini''s navies.In July 1936, a pro-fascist coup orchestrated by General Franco tore Spain apart and plunged the country into a bitter civil war. Like Spain itself, the Spanish Navy was torn in two: crews and most ships remained loyal to the Republican government but many of the Navy's officers joined Franco''s rebels, and warships under repair or ''mothballed'' in southern ports soon fell to the rebel advance. These formed the basis of Franco's ''Nationalist fleet,'' and with both Italian and German help, the rebels were able to contest the Republic''s control of Spanish waters. Overall the Republican Navy held its own, despite mounting losses, until the collapse of the Republican Army led to the fleet seeking internment in French North Africa. Packed with contemporary photogrTable of ContentsINTRODUCTION THE PRE-WAR SPANISH NAVY THE NAVY DURING THE RISING COMMAND AND MANPOWER THE NAVAL WAR The Opening Moves Control of the Strait The Northern Theatre The Mediterranean Theatre An Ignominious End SPECIFICATIONS Battleships Cruisers Destroyers Submarines Gunboats Smaller Warships FURTHER READING INDEX

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Book SynopsisWomen do have a history of their own. All we need to do is remember it. In this illuminating new investigation, Christine Lehnen looks back at our collective memory to explore the myriad ways that women in the past have enjoyed a more egalitarian life. Due to advances in bioarchaeological methods, scientists have discovered that one out of three women in Ancient Scythia was an active warrior buried with her weapons. Far from being confined to their homes, these women rode out to hunt, travelled to distance places, or used weapons to fend off their enemies. These warriors were no exceptions to the rule, with women enjoying a significantly higher degree of equality than their Greek contemporaries. Remembering Women argues that there is a historical precedent for a fairer society. From reappraisals of well-known objects such as the earliest human bone calendars from the Stone Age to revelatory findings of innovative bioarcheological methods used on human remains from Ancient Scythia, evidence is accumulating that there were places in the past where all women were allowed to thrive. Interweaving new findings from archaeology with the stories of her mother and grandmothers, as well as her everyday experiences as a woman living today, Lehnen explores our collective memory of women and argues that it needs to change if we are to create an egalitarian society. Remembering Women follows the traces left in the material, literary, and archaeological record by our foremothers, and their heirlooms, artwork and stories, to take a fresh look at our life in the present.

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Book SynopsisPacked with personal accounts of the action, this is a vivid narrative history of the often-overlooked USAAF campaign in North Africa and Sicily in World War II. In 1942, the Western Allies needed to take the offensive against the Axis to relieve pressure on the Soviet Union. With planning for a cross-Channel invasion beset by logistical and operational difficulties, in May 1942 President Roosevelt ordered his military leaders to prepare to support the British in the Mediterranean. This led to the first USAAF units arriving in the Middle East in July, firstly as reinforcements for the British and later as part of the Operation Torch landings in French Morocco and Algeria in November. In little over ten months from the summer of 1942, the USAAF in North Africa grew from nothing to a senior partner, providing aircraft and crews the other Allies were unable to match. The Axis forces that had controlled almost the entire southern shore of the Mediterrane

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Book Synopsis2024Ewell L. Newman Book Award,American Historical Print Collectors Society2024 Kate Broocks Bates Award for Historical Research, Texas State Historical Association? 2024 TCU Texas Book Prize, Friends of the TCU Library and the TCU Press A stunning and comprehensive collection of lithographs from 1818 to 1900 Texas. Westward expansion in the United States was deeply intertwined with the technological revolutions of the nineteenth century, from telegraphy to railroads. Among the most important of these, if often forgotten, was the lithograph. Before photography became a dominant medium, lithography—and later, chromolithography—enabled inexpensive reproduction of color illustrations, transforming journalism and marketing and nurturing, for the first time, a global visual culture. One of the great subjects of the lithography boom was an emerging Euro-American colony in the Americas: Texas. The most complete collectioTrade ReviewThis beautifully produced book is an instant classic of Texana, and a must-have for print collectors. The astonishing images gathered here—ranging from documentary maps and portraits to advertisements and book illustrations—let us see how the artists and printers who mastered the new technology of lithography depicted Texas for Texans and promoted the region to the world. With deep research and lucid prose, Ron Tyler shows us how these nineteenth-century printmakers navigated the challenges of their medium, the demands of the market, and their own creative ambitions to picture Texas as it was or, sometimes as they hoped it could be. -- Martha A. Sandweiss, Princeton University, author of Print the Legend: Photography and the American WestAn absolutely wonderful book. The prose is crisp, direct, and a delight to read—all the way down to the footnotes. Beyond contextualizing the world of Texas-related lithographs, Tyler provides a unique vantage for viewing that most iconic of Texas centuries. I thought I knew nineteenth-century Texas well, but I found myself learning something new and fascinating in every chapter because I had not encountered the art of the era in this way. -- Andrew J. Torget, University of North Texas, author of Seeds of Empire: Cotton, Slavery, and the Transformation of the Texas Borderlands, 1800–1850Primed by a distinguished career dedicated to the history and imagery of the American West, Ron Tyler expertly recasts the state’s nineteenth-century history through the visual power and commercial development of lithography. From city views and ship portraits to Mardi Gras invitations and caricatures, these images tell compelling stories that chronicled, fantasized, and drove the dynamic history of Texas under five of its flags. This book will enlighten and delight anyone interested in the history of Texas or print culture. -- Carol Clark, Amherst College, author of Charles Deas and 1840s AmericaTexas Lithographs is a gorgeous testament to Ron Tyler’s long and deep fascination with the subject. The images—whether of people, cities, wildlife, or cartoons—are beautifully reproduced, and, enhanced by Tyler’s thematic chapters, tell the story of nineteenth-century Texas in a striking new way. This is a book to savor. -- Andrew R. Graybill, Southern Methodist University, author of Policing the Great Plains: Rangers, Mounties, and the North American Frontier, 1875–1910While the publication honors Texas’ history, it equally celebrates the art of lithography. From maps and bonds to advertisements and posters, the included works present the diversity of lithography, highlighting the beauty — and importance — of printmaking. * Sightlines *If you’re searching for an exquisite illustrated book on Texas history, Ron Tyler’s Texas Lithographs certainly fits the bill. Here’s the catch: This 518-page book is far more than simply a pretty book to display on a coffee table. Tyler’s book is a hybrid of stunning period images and tightly woven sentences that relate the origin story of Texas in a refreshingly new way. * Wild West Magazine *Table of Contents Introduction: “We Can Read the Pictures” 1. “Really a Kind of Paradise”: Hispanic and Mexican Texas 2. “A More Perfect Fac-simile of Things”: The Republic of Texas 3. “Illustrations of a Cheap Character”: Annexation and War with Mexico 4. “A Perfect Terra Incognita”: Surveys of Texas 5. “Pretty Pictures . . . ‘Candy’ for the Immigrants”: Illustrating the State 6. “The Dark Corner of the Confederacy”: Civil War and Reconstruction in Texas 7. “The Enterprise Was Not Properly Appreciated”: The Growth of Lithography in Texas 8. “The ‘Image Breakers’”: Mending the Reputation 9. “The truth is Texas is what her railroads have made her” Epilogue: “Mistaken . . . for Lithograph Work” Acknowledgments Notes Index

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Book SynopsisThis is a revised edition of the same title published in 2007. It takes the walker to every publicly accessible part of Windsor Great Park, revealing the history, with anecdotes, of the whole park. A few corrections have been made where there have been alterations to access, i.e. with car parks, gates and fencing.Table of ContentsIntroduction; Walk No. 1: Moat Park and Cranbourne; Walk No. 2: Around the Village; Walk No. 3: Around the perimeter of Norfolk Farm; Walk No. 4: Virginia Water; Walk No 5: Cumberland and Royal Lodges; Walk No. 6: The Deer Park and the Long Walk; The Gardens of Windsor Great Park; The Savill Garden; The Valley Gardens; The Political Landscape; The ecological and economic landscape; George III and Agriculture; Nathaniel Kent, Charles Townshend and the Flemish and Norfolk Farms; Longhorn cattle; Royal and regimental goats; Index.

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Book SynopsisIs the future about to close in, or is it open to new horizons? For anthropologist Tim Ingold, the root of our difficulty in facing up to the future lies in the way we think about generations. We imagine them as layers, succeeding one another like sheets in a stack. This view figures as a largely unquestioned backdrop to discussions of evolution, life and death, longevity, extinction, sustainability, education, climate change and other matters of contemporary concern. What if we were to think of generations, instead, as wrapping around one another along their length, more like fibres in a rope than stacked sheets? In this compelling new book, Ingold argues that a return to the idea that life is forged in the collaboration of overlapping generations might not only assuage some of our anxieties, but also offer a lasting foundation for future coexistence. But it would mean having to abandon our faith both in the inevitability of progress, and in the ability of science and technology to cushion humanity from environmental impacts. A perfect world is not around the corner, nor will our troubles ever end. Nevertheless, for as long as life continues, there is hope for generations to come.Trade Review‘Ingold asserts the urgent need to reimagine and re-enact the relationship between past, present and future, arguing for the importance of collaboration and reciprocal learning across generations. He advances a proposal for a form of education that would unite the wisdom of elders with the curiosity of the young.’Stuart McLean, University of Minnesota‘Inspiring and beautifully written, Tim Ingold’s new book contemplates life and the relations that sustain it. Turning attention to the idea of generation, and with hope for the possibilities of collaboration, Ingold opens out and responds to crucial questions about time, growth, remembering, loss and continuity.’Elizabeth Hallam, University of OxfordTable of ContentsPrefaceList of FiguresChapter 1: Generations and the Regeneration of LifeChapter 2: Modelling the Human Life CourseChapter 3: Remembering the WayChapter 4: Uncertainty and PossibilityChapter 5: Loss and ExtinctionChapter 6: Recentring AnthroposChapter 7: The Way of EducationChapter 8: After Science and TechnologyNotesIndex

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Book SynopsisIn this follow up to the author’s hugely popular History of Newcastle, John Grundy turns his attention to the vast and beguiling history of Northumberland. Drawing on his experience as a Listed Buildings Man, John traces the county’s turbulent history with particular focus on the castles, mansions, houses and streets where people lived their lives and fought for survival. Whether it be civil wars, invading armies, plague or poverty, the people of Northumberland have toughed it out throughout the centuries against all kind of challenges. However, one thing that has remained constant is the wild beauty of the place. From its glorious coastline to the splendid market towns with their monuments, grand houses and fortifications, this vast county has the ability to both evoke the past while bringing pleasure to its current inhabitants ‑ as well as millions of tourists every year. Featuring new attractive colour photographs this book will give you a greater appreciation of the place, its buildings and its people and provides the perfect companion to further explore the county. John’s journey to get to the heart of what it means to experience Northumberland has taken decades and, in this book, he wants to share with you a very personal take on why the county means so much to him.Table of Contents1. Prehistory 2. The Romans 3. Anglo-Saxons 4. The Vikings 5. The Normans 6. 13th Century 7. Border Wars 8. The 1500s 9. 17th Century 10.Three 17th Century Women 11.18th Century Homes and Gardens 12.1715 Onwards 13. Ordinary Buildings 14. Industrial Age 15. The Tyne 16. 19th Century Mansions and Churches 17. Keeping the county Nice

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Book SynopsisExam board: AQA; Pearson Edexcel; OCRLevel: AS/A-levelSubject: HistoryFirst teaching: September 2015First exams: Summer 2016 (AS); Summer 2017 (A-level)Put your trust in the textbook series that has given thousands of A-level History students deeper knowledge and better grades for over 30 years.Updated to meet the demands of today's A-level specifications, this new generation of Access to History titles includes accurate exam guidance based on examiners' reports, free online activity worksheets and contextual information that underpins students' understanding of the period.- Develop strong historical knowledge: in-depth analysis of each topic is both authoritative and accessible- Build historical skills and understanding: downloadable activity worksheets can be used independently by students or edited by teachers for classwork and homework- Learn, remember and connect important events and people: an introduction to the period, summary diagrams, timelines and links to additional online resources support lessons, revision and coursework- Achieve exam success: practical advice matched to the requirements of your A-level specification incorporates the lessons learnt from previous exams- Engage with sources, interpretations and the latest historical research: students will evaluate a rich collection of visual and written materials, plus key debates that examine the views of different historians

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Book SynopsisA compelling exploration of the ways that humans have mapped the world throughout history Map, Exploring the World brings together more than 250 fascinating examples of maps from the birth of cartography to today's cutting-edge digital maps and reflects the many reasons people make maps - to find their way, to assert ownership, to encourage settlement, or to show political power. Carefully chosen by an international panel of experts and arranged to highlight thought-provoking contrasts and similarities, it features maps by the greatest names in cartography and lesser-known creators, as well as rare maps from indigenous cultures around the world.Trade Review"A book showcasing exquisite drawings both ancient and modern captures our evergreen relationship with mapping the world."—Air Mail

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Book SynopsisExam board: AQA; Pearson Edexcel; OCRLevel: AS/A-levelSubject: HistoryFirst teaching: September 2015First exams: Summer 2016 (AS); Summer 2017 (A-level)Put your trust in the textbook series that has given thousands of A-level History students deeper knowledge and better grades for over 30 years.Updated to meet the demands of today's A-level specifications, this new generation of Access to History titles includes accurate exam guidance based on examiners' reports, free online activity worksheets and contextual information that underpins students' understanding of the period.- Develop strong historical knowledge: in-depth analysis of each topic is both authoritative and accessible- Build historical skills and understanding: downloadable activity worksheets can be used independently by students or edited by teachers for classwork and homework- Learn, remember and connect important events and people: an introduction to the period, summary diagrams, timelines and links to additional online resources support lessons, revision and coursework- Achieve exam success: practical advice matched to the requirements of your A-level specification incorporates the lessons learnt from previous exams- Engage with sources, interpretations and the latest historical research: students will evaluate a rich collection of visual and written materials, plus key debates that examine the views of different historians

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Book SynopsisIain Dale is an accomplished broadcaster, presenting his own daily radio show on LBC, and several podcasts, including For the Many and Iain Dale All Talk. He is a regular on Question Time, Newsnight, Good Morning Britain, Politics Live and a columnist for the Telegraph. He is the author/editor of more than 40 books, most recently The Presidents and The Prime Ministers. He lives in Tunbridge Wells and Norfolk. He can be found @iaindale on social media.

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Book Synopsis*A BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week* ‘Carefully observed, rich in detail, imaginative, compassionate and angry. A raw, unexpected portrait of Britain’s grandeur, wealth, energy, cruelty and hypocrisy in the age of liberalism’ RORY STEWART 'A shocking story of prejudice and injustice, told in meticulous detail' KEIR STARMER From award-winning historian and Sunday Times bestselling author Chris Bryant MP, James and John tells the story of what it meant to be gay in early 19th-century Britain through the lens of a landmark trial. They had nothing to expect from the mercy of the crown; their doom was sealed; no plea could be urged in extenuation of their crime, and they well knew that for them there was no hope in this world. When Charles Dickens wrote these tragic lines he was penning fact, not fiction. He had visited the condemned cells at the infamous prison at Newgate, where seventeen men who had been sentenced to death were awaiting news of their pleas for mercy. Two men stood out: James Pratt and John Smith, who had been convicted of homosexuality. Theirs was ‘an unnatural offence’, a crime so unmentionable it was never named. That was why they alone despaired and, as the turnkey told Dickens, why they alone were ‘dead men’. The 1830s ushered in great change in Britain. In a few short years the government swept away slavery, rotten boroughs, child labour, bribery and corruption in elections, the ban on trades unions and civil marriage. They also curtailed the ‘bloody code’ that treated 200 petty crimes as capital offences. Some thought the death penalty itself was wrong. There had not been a hanging at Newgate for two years; hundreds were reprieved. Yet when the King met with his ‘hanging’ Cabinet, they decided to reprieve all bar James and John. When the two men were led to the gallows, the crowd hissed and shouted. In this masterful work of history, Chris Bryant delves deep into the public archives, scouring poor law records, workhouse registers, prisoner calendars and private correspondence to recreate the lives of two men whose names are known to history – but whose story has been lost, until now.Trade ReviewBetween 1806 and 1835, 404 men were sentenced to death for sodomy in England, of whom 56 were hanged and many more transported. In his meticulously researched James and John, the politician and historian Chris Bryant explores the proceedings against Pratt and Smith, as well at the social attitudes and legal codes in what he dubs "an era of spectacularly cruel and bloodthirsty prejudice" . . . Bryant does an excellent job of tracking down the two men … The trial is the centrepiece of the book and Bryant describes it in painful detail * Spectator *Thanks to one resourceful Old Bailey court record-keeper and a good dose of archival zeal, in his new book Bryant uncovers the story of James Pratt and John Smith, the last men in England to be hanged for being gay. The resulting work is an insight into a supposedly enlightened era - of slavery abolitionists and the Great Reform Act. Bryant meticulously stitches together the reality beneath . . . With its courtroom denouement and Dickensian setting, TV commissioners will take note * New Statesman *Bryant has rescued Pratt and Smith from the rubbish dump of history . . . Combining [a detailed account of Pratt and Smith’s trial] with a richly detailed portrait of the more squalid and miserable aspects of Georgian London, Bryant has assembled a tragic story that is as shocking as it is pathetic . . . Without any unnecessary melodrama, Bryant evokes the horrors of Newgate Prison and elucidates a judicial process heavily weighted against the defence . . . Bryant never lets outrage get the better of him, and his unaided archival research has been exemplary -- Rupert Christansen * Telegraph *Carefully observed, rich in detail, imaginative, compassionate and angry. A raw, unexpected portrait of Britain’s grandeur, wealth, energy, cruelty and hypocrisy in the Age of liberalism -- Rory StewartThis is a shocking story of prejudice and injustice, told in meticulous detail by Chris Bryant. A must-read for all who want to understand the deep roots of homophobia in British history -- Keir StarmerA heart-breaking account of a grave injustice and the social climate of homophobic prejudice that made it possible -- Peter TatchellThis is the best kind of angry history: meticulously researched, vividly written, deeply humane and making an utterly compelling case. It keeps faith with the dead, and in doing so gives us something to celebrate, fervently, in the present -- Ronald HuttonLaw can be weaponised for the cruelest of purposes - a political lesson we should never forget. Here, Chris Bryant provides a powerful indictment of Britain’s persecution of gay men, including the use of the death penalty, and the legacy of how such laws live on in many of our former colonies. This is a brilliant telling of a shameful part of our history -- Baroness Helena Kennedy KCJames and John is a timely reminder of the stories the powerful would rather we forgot -- Shami Chakrabarti, human rights lawyer

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Book SynopsisThis book reinterprets the history of nineteenth and twentieth-century revolutions by composing a constellation of "dialectical images": Marx’s "locomotives of history," Alexandra Kollontai’s sexually liberated bodies, Lenin’s mummified body, Auguste Blanqui’s barricades and red flags, the Paris Commune’s demolition of the Vendome Column, among several others. It connects theories with the existential trajectories of the thinkers who elaborated them, by sketching the diverse profiles of revolutionary intellectuals—from Marx and Bakunin to Luxemburg and the Bolsheviks, from Mao and Ho Chi Minh to José Carlos Mariátegui, C.L.R. James, and other rebellious spirits from the South—as outcasts and pariahs. And finally, it analyzes the entanglement between revolution and communism that so deeply shaped the history of the twentieth century. This book thus merges ideas and representations by devoting an equal importance to theoretical and iconographic sources, offering for our troubled present a new intellectual history of the revolutionary past.

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Book SynopsisThe Skripal Files tells the full story behind the Salisbury Poisonings, one of the most shocking incidents to occur in Britain in recent memory. Broadcaster and historian Mark Urban interviewed Sergei Skripal in the months before the poisoning and explains why Skripal was targeted for assassination.'A scrupulous piece of reporting, necessary, timely and very sobering' – John Le CarréChosen as one of the best political books of 2018 by the Sunday Times.4 March 2018, Salisbury, England.Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were enjoying a rare and peaceful Sunday spent together, completely unaware that they had been poisoned with the deadly nerve agent Novichok. Hours later both were found slumped on a park bench close to death.Following their attempted murders on British soil, Russia was publicly accused by the West of carrying out the attack, marking a new low for international relations between the two since the end of the Cold War.The Skripal Files is the definitive account of the Salisbury Poisonings and how Skripal’s story fits into the wider context of the new spy war between Russia and the West. The book explores Sergei's past as a spy in the Russian military intelligence, explains how he was turned to work as an agent by MI6, and his imprisonment in Siberia. His eventual release as part of a spy-swap brought him to Salisbury where, on that fateful day, he and his daughter found themselves fighting for their lives.Trade ReviewFascinating account of the poisoning case . . . Other books will follow on the Skripals, but they will struggle to match the texture of Urban’s research, its knowledgeable hinterland * The Times *A scrupulous piece of reporting, necessary, timely and very sobering -- John Le CarréEngrossing . . . Urban tells the story of Skripal’s undercover career well, much of it previously unknown and gleaned from around 10 hours of conversations with him at his Salisbury home -- Luke Harding, GuardianBased on his extensive interviews with Skripal, provide an original and often fascinating read on the games that spies played in the wake of the Cold War * Sunday Times *A detailed account of Skripal’s life leading up to these terrible events * Daily Telegraph *Table of ContentsIntroduction - Introduction: Introduction Section - Prologue: An Unlawful Use of Force Section - Part One: Agent Chapter - 1: The Pitch Chapter - 2: Sergei's Journey Chapter - 3: Into the Darkness Chapter - 4: Master Race No Longer Chapter - 5: Breakthrough in Madrid Chapter - 6: Inside the Glass House Chapter - 7: The View From Vauxhall Chapter - 8: Back Into the Light Section - Part Two: Prisoner Chapter - 9: Inside Lefortovo Chapter - 10: Litvinenko Chapter - 11: IK 5 Chapter - 12: Hitmen Chapter - 13: The Fateful Letter Chapter - 14: Operation Ghost Stories Chapter - 15: Deliverance Chapter - 16: Christie Miller Road Section - Part Three: Target Chapter - 17: Sunday 4 March Chapter - 18: The Fight For Survival Chapter - 19: 'Highly Likely' Russia Chapter - 20: The Investigation Falters Chapter - 21: The Information War Chapter - 22: The Long Road to Recovery

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Book SynopsisFew in history can match the revolutionary career of the Marquis de Lafayette. Over fifty incredible years at the heart of the Age of Revolution, he fought courageously on both sides of the Atlantic. He was a soldier, statesman, idealist, philanthropist, and abolitionist.As a teenager, Lafayette ran away from France to join the American Revolution. Returning home a national hero, he helped launch the French Revolution, eventually spending five years locked in dungeon prisons. After his release, Lafayette sparred with Napoleon, joined an underground conspiracy to overthrow King Louis XVIII, and became an international symbol of liberty. Finally, as a revered elder statesman, he was instrumental in the overthrow of the Bourbon Dynasty in the Revolution of 1830.From enthusiastic youth to world-weary old age, from the pinnacle of glory to the depths of despair, Lafayette never stopped fighting for the rights of all mankind. His remarkable life is the story of where we come from, and an inspiration to defend the ideals he held dear.

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Soon to be a major film, co-written and directed by Angelina Jolie PittUntil the age of five, Loung Ung lived in Phnom Penh, one of seven children of a high-ranking government official. She was a precocious child who loved the open city markets, fried crickets, chicken fights and being cheeky to her parents.When Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge army stormed into Phnom Penh in April 1975, Loung's family fled their home and were eventually forced to disperse to survive. Loung was trained as a child soldier while her brothers and sisters were sent to labour camps. The surviving siblings were only finally reunited after the Vietnamese penetrated Cambodia and started to destroy the Khmer Rouge.Bolstered by the bravery of one brother, the vision of the others and the gentle kindness of her sister, Loung forged on to create for herself a courageous new life.First They Killed My Father is an unforgettable book told through the voice of the young and fearless Loung. It is a shocking and tragic tale of a girl who was determined to survive despite the odds.

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Book SynopsisA thorough account of the Catholic Left and its resistance to the Vietnam war.

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Book SynopsisGeorge Washington claimed that anyone who attempted to provide an accurate account of the war for independence would be accused of writing fiction. At the time, no one called it the “American Revolution”: former colonists still regarded themselves as Virginians or Pennsylvanians, not Americans, while John Adams insisted that the British were the real revolutionaries, for attempting to impose radical change without their colonists’ consent. With The Cause, Ellis takes a fresh look at the events between 1773 and 1783, recovering a war more brutal than any in American history save the Civil War and discovering a strange breed of “prudent” revolutionaries, whose prudence proved wise yet tragic when it came to slavery, the original sin that still haunts America. Written with flair and drama, The Cause brings together a cast of familiar and forgotten characters who, taken together, challenge the story we have long told ourselves about our origins as a people and a nation.Trade Review"The Cause comes across as a special gift, the book the author most wanted to write to the reader from the great scholar." -- Robert S. Davis - The New York Review of Books"Masterly... [Ellis] deftly foreshadows all the issues that would complicate America’s trajectory and ends with a historical cliffhanger: Would the Republic survive? It did, but only when the Constitution became the embodiment of The Cause....Can America be truly great if we are built on a foundation that includes slavery?... [Ellis] would say that while the Constitution contains that terrible defect, it also contains the cure for democracy’s wrongs — if we choose to use it." -- Richard Stengel - The New York Times Book Review"No one would accuse Joseph J. Ellis of making history dull. He is a masterly story-teller." -- T. H. Breen - The Times Literary Supplement

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Book SynopsisA sweeping yet intimate portrait of World War II s legacy in Japan. Showa 1944-1953: A History of Japan continues Eisner award-winning author Shigeru Mizuki's historical and autobiographical account of Japanese life in the twentieth century. In this volume, the tail-end of the Pacific War and its devastating consequences upon the author and his compatriots loom large. Two rival navies engage in a deadly game of feint and thrust, waging a series of ruthless military campaigns across the Pacific islands. From Guadalcanal to Okinawa, Japan slowly loses ground. When the United States unleashes the atomic bomb then still a new and now enduringly terrible weapon it is the ultimate, definitive blow. The catastrophic fallout from both explosions surpasses the limits of popular imagination. Mizuki's own life is irrevocably changed in the shadow of history. After losing an arm during his time in service, the author struggles to forge a path into the future. Should he remain on the island of Rabaul as an honored friend of the local Tolai? Or should he return to the rubble of Japan and return to his earliest artistic inclinations? This penultimate installment of a landmark series is a searing condemnation of war, told with the deft hand of Japan's most celebrated cartoonist.

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Book SynopsisThe Picts were an ancient nation who ruled most of northern and eastern Scotland during the Dark Ages. Despite their historical importance, they remain shrouded in myth and misconception. Absorbed by the kingdom of the Scots in the ninth century, they lost their unique identity, their language and their vibrant artistic culture. Amongst their few surviving traces are standing stones decorated with incredible skill and covered with enigmatic symbols - vivid memorials of a powerful and gifted people who bequeathed no chronicles to tell their story, no sagas to describe the deed of their kings and heroes. In this book Tim Clarkson pieces together the evidence to tell the story of this mysterious people from their emergence in Roman times to their eventual disappearance.Trade Review 'Very interesting and very readable' * Facts and Fiction *'A valuable resource' * Scottish Genealogist *

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Book SynopsisThe Declaration of Arbroath, 6 April, 1320, is one of the most remarkable documents to have been produced anywhere in medieval Europe. Signed by 51 Scottish nobles, it confirms Scotland’s status as an independent sovereign state with the right to use military action if unjustly attacked. Quoted by many, understood by few, its historical significance has now almost been overtaken by its mythic status. Since 1998, the US Senate has claimed that the American Declaration of Independence is modelled upon ‘the inspirational document’ of Arbroath. This is the first book-length study to examine the origins of the Declaration and the ideas upon which it drew, while tracing the rise of its mythic status in Scotland and exploring its impact upon revolutionary America.Trade Review'Cowan’s bold chronological sweep is to be admired' * Times Literary Supplement *

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Book SynopsisHarry Potter, A Fish Called Wanda, Inspector Morse, Downton Abbey and X Men are just a few of the films that have become synonymous with the world renowned University City of Oxford. This new Pitkin souvenir guide highlights key sites that have become famously linked to these internationally successful and much loved films and TV specials. Not limited to Oxford city centre, this guide will also include the often-used film location Blenheim Palace, located just outside Oxford. With 15 individual Walks around Oxford, and information on both architecture and filming history, this guide will become a must-have souvenir for every visitor to Oxford.Trade Review'[D]etailed resource.' * The Washington Post *

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Book SynopsisCustoms play an important part in all societies and offer fascinating insights into a country’s history and culture. Scotland boasts a multitude of unique customs, many of which can be traced back to the times of the Druids, Celts and Romans. This book introduces hundreds of Scottish customs associated with a huge range of topics. As well as customs associated with key events of our lives, from birth to death, it also includes customs associated with the world of work, food and drink, health, animals and nature. Extracts from written works through the ages bring these customs to life and show how important they have been in the story of Scotland for thousands of years.

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Book SynopsisMore than three thousand years ago a sculptor working in the royal city of Amarna carved a limestone bust of an Egyptian queen. The queen was Nefertiti, consort of the 'heretic pharaoh' Akhenaten. Plastered and painted, Nefertiti's bust depicted an extraordinarily beautiful woman. However, Akhenaten's reign was drawing to an end, and the royal family was soon to be written out of Egypt's official history. Not long after its creation the stone Nefertiti was locked in a storeroom and forgotten. In 1912 the bust was re-discovered and transported to Germany. Initially hidden from the public view, the beautiful queen was eventually displayed in Berlin Museum. Instantly, she became an ancient world celebrity. Egypt has yielded more than its fair share of artistic masterpieces, but no other sculpture has so successfully bridged the gap between the ancient and modern worlds. The timeless beauty of the Nefertiti bust both attracts us and sparks our imagination, but in so doing it obscures our view of the past, shifting attention not only from the other members of the Amarna court, but also from other, equally valid, representations of Nefertiti herself. In this book Joyce Tyldesley explores the creation of a cultural icon, from its ancient origins to its modern context: its discovery, its display, and its dual role as a political pawn and artistic inspiration.Trade ReviewWarm and insightful * History Revealed *Breezily readable -- Ben East * The Observer *This book's narrative crackles into life ... plunges us into an atmosphere thick with mandarin intrigue, gossip, erotic longing and winged eyeliner * Guardian *Tyldesley's strength has always been her storytelling * Sunday Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisIn this fascinating follow-up to the highly successful Dear Francesca, Mary Contini writes to her other daughter, Olivia, to tell the story of her great-grandparents, the humble Italian shepherds who emigrated to Edinburgh and then helped to transform Britain's food culture. Sharing some of the recipes that they brought over, the tomatoes, the garlic, the sausage, the wine, this is a mouthwatering memoir of family and food. It is also a brilliant evocation of life between the wars, a triumphant story of survival against all the odds, that captures the sights and smells of Italian life and culture, at home and abroad.Trade ReviewA charming story . . . she unravels the family history like a precious thread. Contini's writing has a naturalness and honesty about it that brings a lump to the throat on occasion. * * Sunday Herald * *A happy blend of epistle, storytelling, memoir. * * The Times * *Refreshingly down to earth, the book is eminently readable. * * Evening Times * *Don't miss it. * * Daily Mail * *

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Book Synopsis'Toner again spins a tale that is enjoyable and informative.' The Times Tour the Roman Empire at its height with Marcus Sidonius Falx and his amanuensis, Dr Jerry Toner. Travelling east, Falx explores the great cultural centre of Athens before trekking into rural Asia (or Turkey as we know it), past the already ancient Luxor monuments in Roman Egypt, and by the Great Library of Alexandria. Travelling west across the breadbasket of the Empire, he journeys through Gaul (France) before crossing to Britannia, where he suffers the worst that provincial life has to offer. Falx provides practical advice on surviving all things travel: from pirates and shipwrecks to bedbugs and lousy food. Even the most sedentary reader will feel they have experienced life in the Empire first-hand.Trade ReviewA quirky, witty jaunt across the Roman world in the 2nd century -- Patrick Kidd * Times *[Marcus Sidonius Falx is] a fascinating creation ... Here we have a chatty, persuasive, and even likeable voice guiding us through the minutiae of a morally repulsive institution * Times Literary Supplement *Falx's text, illuminated by Toner's commentary, is by turns charming, haughty, and brutal * New Yorker *Praise for Jerry Toner and Marcus Sidonius Falx: Thought-provoking and illuminating * FT *Illuminating and packs a punch * Times Higher Education *

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Book Synopsis'Claiming there are only 150 key things you really need to know that have shaped in the story of Britain, this book delivers them in easy to swallow, bite-sized chunks' - Best of British____________________A bestseller in 2008, Remember Remember has continued to enlighten and entertain readers wanting to brush up on their history. Lively, exciting, full of great stories and humorous asides, this book looks at the key events in British history, covering all the important dates, people and events. Each subject is presented in short, self-contained 'articles', designed to be dipped into on the readers whim. Concise and authoritative, Remember, Remember makes history interesting and accessible for everyone once again.Trade ReviewClaiming there are only 150 key things you really need to know that have shaped in the story of Britain, this book delivers them in easy to swallow, bite-sized chunks * Best of British *Refreshingly concise * The Lady *Bit rusty on the old Brit history? Feel like a thicko when it comes to talking about the past? Need to swot up for the pub quiz? Then this is the book for you, an easily digestible way to sounding clever * Fresh Direction Magazine *

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Book SynopsisDuring a single winter, between November 1932 and April 1933, so much went wrong: Hitler came to power; Japan invaded Jehol and left the league of Nations; Mussolini looked towards Africa; Roosevelt was elected; France changed governments three times; and the victors of 1918 fell out acrimoniously over war debts, arms, currency, tariffs and Germany. New hopes flickered but not for long: a world economic conference was planned, only to collapse when the US went its own way. All Against All reveals that collective mentalities and popular beliefs drove this crucial period and set nations on the path to war, as much as the rational calculus of 'national interest'. Weaving together stories from across the world, historian Paul Jankowski offers a cautionary tale relevant for Western democracies today. The rising threat from dictatorial regimes and the ideological challenges from communism and fascism gave the 1930s a unique face, just as global environmental and demographic crises are shaping our own precious age.Trade Review[one] of the most stimulating histories of the interwar period to have been published in recent years -- Tony Barber * FT *Praise for Verdun: "Brilliant. * Los Angeles Review of Books *The horrors have been described often and elaborately, but Mr. Jankowski is skillful enough that his accounts still provoke. * Wall Street Journal *Impressive -- Max Hastings * The Sunday Times *Jankowski has written a superb, definitive popular account of Verdun through the eyes of soldiers, military leaders, and citizens of the two nations. * Publishers Weekly *

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Book SynopsisA BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week It's as if they're made for each other. Two men, both falling, but holding each other up for a time. Ostend, 1936: the Belgian seaside town is playing host to a coterie of artists, intellectuals and madmen, who find themselves in limbo while Europe gazes into an abyss of fascism and war. Among them is Stefan Zweig, a man in crisis: his German publisher has shunned him, his marriage is collapsing, his house in Austria no longer feels like home. Along with his lover Lotte, he seeks refuge in this paradise of promenades and parasols, where he reunites with his estranged friend Joseph Roth. For a moment, they create a fragile haven; but as Europe begins to crumble around them, they find themselves trapped on an uncanny kind of holiday, watching the world burn. 'Evocative, sharply drawn portraits... an engrossing history' Kirkus, starred review 'Sparkling...Weidermann's storytelling is piquant' Publishers Weekly 'Brilliantly researched and riveting' Die WeltTrade ReviewAbsolutely exquisite... a contemporary classic Dave Eggers Resonant... as Europe tumbles towards darkness, the writers in Ostend create a haven for love and literature - one they know is doomed - that Weidermann evokes with skill and delicacy Sunday Times Death in Venice with more sex, more booze, more action Financial Times For such a slim book to convey with such poignancy the extinction of a generation of "Great Europeans" is a triumph. Sunday Telegraph Elegiac... a potent and melancholy book... Weidermann has combed letters, diaries and reminiscences and used them to tell his sad tale as if it were a novel, in a highly wrought prose style that... matches the heightened emotions and circumstances of his protagonists Michael Prodger, The Times Captivating... [an] effortless combination of grand epoch-defining moments with seemingly mundane observations of the everyday... a historical triumph. Independent A sign of how far [the revival of Zweig and Roth's work] has succeeded... Weidermann finds a moment of relative calm and normality in the emigres lives New Statesman Intimately explores Zweig and Roth's co-dependent friendship Observer Sparkling... Weidermann's storytelling is piquant Publishers Weekly Taut, novelistic... in lyrical prose, Weidermann recreates the atmosphere of an ephemeral moment... evocative, sharply drawn portraits and a wry, knowing narrative voice make for an engrossing history Kirkus (starred review) Weidermann magically evokes the mood of these artistic refugees as the sun set on the civilized order of Europe... abounds in poetry and deadpan understatement... The book is as transporting as fiction - I had to remind myself that it wasn't... Partly this is due to the level of detail. Mr Weidermann knows which cafe each writer favored, what they drank, which manuscripts they read aloud. It could be Hemingway Wall Street Journal Deeply affecting, economically expressed and almost unbearably sad Glasgow Herald A brilliant, hard to bear, short novel about doom Tribune Breezier and more brightly written than a study of two profound minds in torment on the eve of global disaster should reasonably be; an enthralling, juicy read Big Issue A fascinating story, brilliantly told. These writers come together for a summer and then move on, providing a snapshot of the desperate situation of the mid-1930s Jewish Chronicle Ostend is engaging as a meditation on the act of creation, one that explores how we make refuges out of our own pasts. New Republic Compellingly shows this doomed group at one of their last watering holes re-imagining their conversations and repartee London Magazine Another winner from Pushkin! Shiny New Books A rich, moving and entertaining portrait of a wonderful group of artists in transit Kaggy's Bookish Ramblings There's something extraordinarily expressive and expansive about the way friendship has been conveyed throughout this altogether elegiac book David Marx Book Reviews A story of literature and friendship, with an adjoining cast of characters including Arthur Koestler and Irmgard Keun European Literature Network A mesmerising, haunting read The Lady

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Book Synopsis"A total delight, a brilliant vignette of 17th-century Rome, the Baroque and the Catholic church – warts and all – rolled into an erudite narrative.... with an ease of writing that is rare in art history." - Simon Jenkins By 1650, the spiritual and political power of the Catholic Church was shattered. Thanks to the twin blows of the Protestant Reformation and the Thirty Years War, Rome, celebrated both as the Eternal City and Caput Mundi (the head of the world) had lost its pre-eminent place in Europe. Then a new Pope, Alexander VII, fired with religious zeal, political guile and a mania for building, determined to restore the prestige of his church by making Rome the must-visit destination for Europe's intellectual, political and cultural elite. To help him do so, he enlisted the talents of Gianlorenzo Bernini, already celebrated as the most important living artist: no mean feat in the age of Rubens, Rembrandt and Velazquez. Together, Alexander VII and Bernini made the greatest artistic double act in history, inventing the concept of soft power and the bucket list destination. Bernini and Alexander's creation of Baroque Rome as a city more beautiful and grander than since the days of the Emperor Augustus continues to delight and attract.Trade Review"A total delight, a brilliant vignette of 17th-century Rome, the Baroque and the Catholic church – warts and all – rolled into an erudite narrative.... with an ease of writing that is rare in art history." - Simon Jenkins

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Book SynopsisAn exploration of how we grow, make, buy and eat our food around the world, which proposes the principles for a perennial and global philosophy of food; from the Sunday Times-bestselling author of How the World Thinks.

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Book SynopsisThe bestselling historian tells the story of the landscapes, peoples and culture of early medieval Britain in eight walks, an epic sea voyage and a north-south ride by motorbike. The five centuries between the end of Roman Britain (410) and the death of Alfred the Great (899) have left few voices save a handful of chroniclers, but Britain's 'Dark Ages' can still be explored through their material remnants: buildings, books, metalwork, and, above all, landscapes. Adams explores Britain's lost early medieval past by walking its paths and exploring its imprint on valley, hill and field. From York to Whitby, London to Sutton Hoo and Falmouth to Mallaig, In the Land of Giants offers a beautifully written insight into the lives of peasants, drengs, ceorls, thanes, monks and kings during an enigmatic but richly exciting period of our island's history.Trade ReviewGreat archaeological knowledge, an inquisitive mind and vivid descriptions of the natural and manmade landscape come together in this erudite travelogue * The Lady *A personal travelogue interspersed with historical references, Adams comes alive when he deals with history and topography. Very well illustrated, with helpful maps, best for independent travellers who want to do their own exploring * The Tablet *Offers many pointed lessons – not least that history ought to play a central role in our culture and education... This book reminds us too that we hold a collective title deed to the land itself. It connects us to our past and our present and to ourselves; and we sever this connection at our peril' * Irish Times *Adams strikingly evokes the Dark Ages and reminds readers that the British landscape is dotted with far more of its remains than most would suppose. The combination of history and travel writing is always a difficult hybrid to master, but Adams has done so ably, creating a veritable gazetteer of the Land of Giants for others to follow * Literary Review *Adams has succeeded in creating a bold account concerned with those timeless qualities that bind people together across centuries * BBC History Magazine *A beautifully written archae-travelogue... an engaging and scholarly journey through Britain's landscapes' * TLS *

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Book SynopsisRepresentative examples of swords from 8th-11th century, fully described and illustrated, with general overview. This beautifully illustrated work fills a gap in the literature in English on the swords made and used in northern Europe during the Viking age, between the mid eighth and the mid eleventh centuries. Ewart Oakeshott outlines the significance and diversity of these ancient heirlooms; co-author Ian Peirce, who handled hundreds of swords in his research for this book in museums across northern Europe, selects and describes sixty of the finest representative weapons. Where possible, full-length photographs are included, in addition to illustrations of detail; an illustrated overview of blade types and construction, pattern-welding, inscription and handle forms and their classificationprefaces the catalogue of examples which is the principal part of this work. IAN PEIRCE was a lecturer and museum consultant specialising in early swords; EWART OAKESHOTT was renowned for his pioneer studies on a wide range of medieval swords.Trade ReviewA valuable reference work for the sword enthusiast, and also of use to those with an interest in weaponry or Viking society and warfare. * HISTORYOFWAR.ORG *Fills a vacuum in English language studies. [...] Will appeal to anyone with an interest in early Northern European swords; to Viking scholars, re-enactors, blade smiths and metallurgists. * CLASSIC ARMS AND MILITARIA *An important and welcome book. I cannot imagine that there will be a better book published in English on this subject for a long time. -- PAUL MORTIMER, WITHOWINDEUndoubtedly destined to become a standard reference for blade fanciers and re-enactors. * MEDIEVAL HISTORY *A splendid book which gives a comprehensive overview of [these] swords. I find little to fault in Peirce's work other than that I wish it were three times the length. * RUNA *A book with a clear audience in mind: anyone who wants to study a magnificent set of Viking artefacts. * SPECULUM *An important reference work for scholars as well as for weapons enthusiasts. * SCANDINAVIAN STUDIES *

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Book SynopsisThe Colour of Ireland: County by County 1860-1960 is a photographic celebration of the history, culture, people and places that make up a century of life in Ireland. Covering all 32 counties, this beautiful, meticulously researched collection takes a past only ever viewed before in black and white and - in glorious colour - breathes fresh energy and emotion into it.With close to 200 colourised photographs set alongside their black and white counterparts, here is a world seen for the first time: a treasure trove to fire the imagination and reignite our connection to the past as it was actually lived. From the thatched cottages of Meath to the libraries of Trinity College, from 1920s sunseekers in Dun Laoghaire to women spinning and carding wool in County Mayo, all of Ireland is vividly brought to life. Along with key moments from the Irish War of Independence and the turbulent history of the 32 counties, these images capture rural landscapes, villages, towns and cities. Endlessly, uniquely fascinating, The Colour of Ireland offers a wealth of perspectives on the bygone ages of an ever-changing land.

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Book SynopsisA model of clarity... It provides absolutely essential reference material for the dress historian and archaeologist, for the early textile specialist, and those interested in the tools and equipment used. TOOL AND TRADES HISTORY SOCIETY NEWSLETTER [Linda Woolley, curator of early and medieval textiles and dress, V&A Museum] Among the most evocative items to be discovered by archaeologists are the scraps of silk and wool and other fabrics that signal so eloquently their owner's status and concerns. Such clothing and textile finds have figured prominently in excavations of medieval sites in London in the past two decades; they have included knitting, tapestries, silk hair-nets and elaborately patterned oriental, Islamic and Italian fabrics, which reveal for the first time the wide range of cloths available to medieval Londoners; there are beautifully made buttons, and buttonholes and edgings which display superb craftsmanship and a high level of needlework skills; the way that clothes were cut and sewncan be studied in detail. This highly readable account will be of wide general interest; dress historians and archaeologists will also find a wealth of new insights into the fashions, clothing and textile industries of medieval England and Europe. Contents include: The Excavations, Techniques used in Textile Production, Wool Textiles, Goathair Textiles, Linen Textiles, Silk Textiles, Mixed Cloths, Narrow Wares, Sewing Techniques and Tailoring, Dyes. THE AUTHORS Past and present staff of the Museum of London.

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Book SynopsisThomas Gresham was arguably the first true wizard of global finance. He rose through the mercantile worlds of London and Antwerp to become the hidden power behind three out of the five Tudor monarchs. Today his name is remembered in economic doctrines, in the institutions he founded and in the City of London's position at the economic centre of the earth. Without Gresham, England truly might have become a vassal state. His manoeuvring released Elizabeth from a crushing burden of debt and allowed for vital military preparations during the wars of religion that set Europe ablaze. Yet his deepest loyalties have remained enigmatic, until now. Drawing on vast new research and several startling discoveries, the great Tudor historian John Guy recreates Gresham's life and singular personality with astonishing intimacy. He reveals a calculating survivor, flexible enough to do business with merchants and potentates no matter their religious or ideological convictions. Yet his personal relationships were disturbingly transactional. He was a figure of cold unsentimentality even to members of his own family. Elizabeth I found herself at odds with Gresham's ambitions. In their collisions and wary accommodations, we see our own conflicts between national sovereignty and global capital foreshadowed. A story of adventure and jeopardy, greed and cunning, loyalties divided, mistaken or betrayed, this is a biography fit for a merchant prince.Trade ReviewGuy's handling of this story offers an often vivid picture of the private world in which Gresham moved. -- Matthew Adams * The Observer *'Certain to be a bestseller, and deservedly so. Rarely have first-class scholarship and first-class storytelling been so effectively combined.' -- John Adamson * Daily Telegraph *a serious, but entertaining study built on exceptional scholarship ... a riveting account of the life and legacy of a significant figure -- Iain Martin * the Times *[Shows] that Tudor kings and queens were nothing without their bankers. -- Jerry Brotton * FT *[Guy] is an expert guide ... [through] Gresham's personal archives -- Tim Smith Laing * Telegraph *Praise for My Heart is My Own: The Life of Mary Queen of Scots: Fascinating... A book based on gold-standard research, the kind of thing that puts most popular history writing to shame. -- Kathryn Hughes * Mail on Sunday *An absorbing biography ... meticulously researched... scholarly and intriguing. -- Peter Ackroyd * The Times *

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