History Books
Simon & Schuster The Fifties
Book SynopsisAn “exciting and enlightening revisionist history” (Walter Isaacson, #1 New York Times bestselling author) that upends the myth of the 1950s as a decade of conformity and celebrates a few solitary, brave, and stubborn individuals who pioneered the radical gay rights, feminist, civil rights, and environmental movements, from historian James R. Gaines. An “enchanting, beautifully written book about heroes and the dark times to which they refused to surrender” (Todd Gitlin, bestselling author of The Sixties). In a series of character portraits, The Fifties invokes the accidental radicals—people motivated not by politics but by their own most intimate conflicts—who sparked movements for change in their time and our own. Among many others, we meet legal pathfinder Pauli Murray, who was tortured by both her mixed-race heritage and her “in between” sexuality. Through years of hard work and self-examination, shTrade Review"Values we take for granted can seem obvious when we encounter them in historical figures, but Gaines makes the price of righteousness clear—these men and women...faced down brutal violence and ostracism both personal and professional....[T]heir brilliance, their originality, their relentless courage created us.” —The New York Times "An inspiration... A reminder of the hard work and personal sacrifice that went into fighting for the constitutional rights of gay people, Blacks and women as well as for environmental protections." —The Washington Post "Revelatory... By attending to the experience of historical actors as they move through the world, he builds an account that is full of the complexity of lived experience. The result may not make for a simple read, but it is an infinitely rich one." —The Guardian "Describes the courage of his heroes and the price they paid for standing up and speaking out in hostile environments... Progress 'is always a figment until it is not,' Gaines reminds us, and those who help 'make it happen, make history.'" — Star Tribune "An up close and personal look at the lives and careers of activists who recognized various societal problems and fought them... All had one thing in common: the courage to stand out from the conformist crowd and address issues that had been swept under the table." — The Daily Beast"Gaines has written an exciting and enlightening revisionist history of the 1950s showing how the brave pioneers of that supposedly sleepy decade launched the movements of the 1960s that continue to this day. Here are the inspiring tales of the unsung heroes who sowed the seeds of the gay rights, civil rights, feminist, and environmental movements. They were the true rebels, and their bravery shows us how real social change occurs." - Walter Isaacson, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Code Breaker "The Fifties is an enchanting, beautifully written book about heroes and the dark times to which they refused to surrender. We speak much too casually of heroes. These women and men of the ‘50s and thereafter, in all their complexity, deeply deserve the word, as Gaines's moving treatment makes clear." —Todd Gitlin, bestselling author of The Sixties: Years of Hope, Days of Rage; Professor of Journalism and Sociology and Chair, Ph. D. Program in Communications, Columbia University "A history of the courageous men and women who roiled postwar complacency... Inspiring activists populate a useful revisionist history." — Kirkus Review “Compassionate and insightful…Gaines provides essential historical context and vividly captures the resilience of these and other 'authentic rebels' who battled the FBI, McCarthyism, the medical industry, and the Ku Klux Klan 'in a time infamous for rewarding conformity and suppressing dissent.' This revisionist history is packed with insights." — Publishers Weekly “Enlightening, empowering, and intimate.”—BookPage “An engrossing deep dive into the personal histories of important figures...This work by Gaines follows in the footsteps of David Halberstam’s 1993 book of the same title and will be enjoyed by readers seeking solid historical research that is also an informative read. Recommended.”—Library Journal “[Gaines] has taken valiant steps to… painstakingly and persuasively show how the 10 individuals he profiles fought ‘through the thicket of postwar repressions’ to help build what would later come to be known as the gay rights, feminist, civil rights and environmental movements…An intrepid corrective.”—Shelf Awareness
£11.69
John Murray Press A Century of Wisdom
Book SynopsisAlice Herz-Sommer, 1903-2014The pianist Alice Herz-Sommer survived the Theresienstadt concentration camp, attended Eichmann''s trial in Jerusalem, and along the way befriended some of the most fascinating historical figures of our time, from Franz Kafka to Gustav Mahler, Leonard Bernstein and Golda Meir. A Century of Wisdom is her story: a testament to the bonds of friendship, the power of music and the importance of leading a life of maternal simplicity, intellectual curiosity, and never-ending optimism.Trade ReviewA Century of Wisdom is a stately and elegant book about an artist who found deliverance in her passion for music. Caroline Stoessinger writes with a special purity, as though she were arranging pearls on a string of silk * Pat Conroy *I have rarely read a Holocaust survivor's memoir as enriching and meaningful. Get Caroline Stoessinger's book, A Century of Wisdom, telling Alice Herz-Sommer's tale of her struggles and triumphs. You will feel rewarded * Elie Wiesel *As one of millions who fell in love with Alice on YouTube, a 107-year-old Holocaust survivor who plays the piano and greets each day with no hint of bitterness, I'm grateful to Caroline Stoessinger for writing a book that explains this mystery. You will be inspired by the story of Alice Herz-Sommer, who lived to teach us * Gloria Steinem *I'd walked on the cobblestones in Prague for thirty years wondering who might have walked on them before me: Kafka, Freud, Mahler. It feels like a miracle to have encountered, in Caroline Stoessinger's wonderful book, Alice Herz-Sommer, who walked with them all - with a heart full of music * Peter Sis *Caroline Stoessinger's celebration of music and life, the meaning and legacy of Alice Herz-Sommer's remarkable love-filled journey across the bitter hate-filled years of 20th-century madness is lyrical, compelling, and profoundly moving. This is an extraordinary, enchanting, entirely inspiring book - most timely and needed now. * Blanche Wiesen Cook, author of Eleanor Roosevelt *A sweetly affecting collection * Kirkus *From countless hours and interviews conducted over the course of several years, she has mined a treasure trove of insight and reflection. Herz-Sommer's life is a tribute to the purity of artistic endeavor under the most devastating circumstances, and her refusal to be bitterly defined or essentially reshaped by tragedy is a testament to moral and spiritual courage. As the number of Holocaust survivors dwindles, it becomes increasingly important to capture and communicate their individual stories. * Booklist *A Century of Wisdom is universal and will enrich readers for generations to come * Itzhak Perlman *'A Century of Wisdom is a stately and elegant book about an artist who found deliverance in her passion for music. Caroline Stoessinger writes with a special purity, as though she were arranging pearls on a string of silk.' * Pat Conroy *'I have rarely read a Holocaust survivor's memoir as enriching and meaningful. Get Caroline Stoessinger's book, A Century of Wisdom, telling Alice Herz-Sommer's tale of her struggles and triumphs. You will feel rewarded.' * Elie Wiesel *'As one of millions who fell in love with Alice on YouTube, a 107-year-old Holocaust survivor who plays the piano and greets each day with no hint of bitterness, I'm grateful to Caroline Stoessinger for writing a book that explains this mystery. You will be inspired by the story of Alice Herz-Sommer, who lived to teach us.' * Gloria Steinem *'I'd walked on the cobblestones in Prague for thirty years wondering who might have walked on them before me: Kafka, Freud, Mahler. It feels like a miracle to have encountered, in Caroline Stoessinger's wonderful book, Alice Herz-Sommer, who walked with them all - with a heart full of music.' * Peter Sis *'Caroline Stoessinger's celebration of music and life, the meaning and legacy of Alice Herz-Sommer's remarkable love-filled journey across the bitter hate-filled years of 20th-century madness is lyrical, compelling, and profoundly moving. This is an extraordinary, enchanting, entirely inspiring book - most timely and needed now.' * Blanche Wiesen Cook, author of Eleanor Roosevelt *A sweetly affecting collection * Kirkus *'From countless hours and interviews conducted over the course of several years, she has mined a treasure trove of insight and reflection. Herz-Sommer's life is a tribute to the purity of artistic endeavor under the most devastating circumstances, and her refusal to be bitterly defined or essentially reshaped by tragedy is a testament to moral and spiritual courage. As the number of Holocaust survivors dwindles, it becomes increasingly important to capture and communicate their individual stories.' * Booklist *'A Century of Wisdom is universal and will enrich readers for generations to come' * Itzhak Perlman *
£10.44
John Murray Press A Nearly Infallible History of the Reformation
Book Synopsis500 years on from the Reformation, Nick Page distils what we really need to know about Luther, Calvin and all those other serious religious types in his usual irreverent but informative style.
£14.24
Amberley Publishing Robin Hood
Book SynopsisThe identity of Robin Hood is one of the great historical mysteries of English history - until now.Trade ReviewImpeccably researched and highly original - David Baldwin is a brilliant historical detective' -- PHILIPPA GREGORY, author of THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL and THE WHITE QUEENUnmasks Robin of Leicester' * NOTTINGHAM POST *Table of ContentsPreface Prologue: Robin Hood's World 1. Tales of Robin Hood 2. Myth & Reality 3. The Robin Hoods of History 4. Friends, Foes & Gravestones 5. 'Bad' Kings - 6. - & 'Good' Outlaws 7. Henry III & Simon de Montfort 8. The Unlikely Saint 9. The Disinherited 10. Roger Godberd & Walter Devyas 11. The Real Robin Hood Appendix 1: Gamelyn & Adam Bell Appendix 2: Selected Documents The Principal Events of the Robin Hood Era Notes & References Bibliography List of Illustrations Index
£10.44
Amberley Publishing Bradford Through Time
Book SynopsisThis fascinating selection of photographs traces some of the many ways in which Bradford has changed and developed over the last century.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing Eyam
Book SynopsisA look in to the history behind the village of Eyam when the plague came killing the majority of the population.
£15.29
Amberley Publishing 1066
Book SynopsisA radical retelling of the most important event in English history - the Norman invasion of 1066.Trade ReviewA gripping re-evaluation of those turbulent times - Rex vividly conjures up the ebb and flow of the battle' -- SIMON GRIFFITH * THE MAIL ON SUNDAY *Table of ContentsIntroduction Prologue: The Death of King Edward 1. The Norman D-Day: Dawn, Thursday 28 September 1066 2. A Disputed Coronation: Saturday 6 January to 1 May 1066 3. Feints & Diversions: Monday 1 May to Wednesday 27 September 1066 4. The Thunderbolt From the North: Saturday 12 August to Friday 13 October 1066 5. The War Between Duke William & Harold, King of the English: Friday 13 October to Sunday 15 October 1066 6. From Victory to Kingship: Sunday 15 October to Wednesday 25 December 1066 7. King William Has His Triumph & England Rebels: January to December 1067 8. The First Stirrings of Revolt: February to December 1068 9. The North in Flames: Christmas 1068 to Winter 1069/70 10. The Harrying of the North: February to December 1070 11. Hereward Defies the Conqueror But Ely is Betrayed: Lent 1070 to Autumn 1071 12. The Normanization of England Begins: Autumn 1071 to December 1074 13. King William Deals With Scotland 14. The Revolt of the Earls: January 1075 to December 1076 Epilogue Appendix 1 The English Succession Appendix 2 A Note on Castles Appendix 3 The Battlefield of Hastings Appendix 4 Earl Harold in Normandy Appendix 5 Hereward Appendix 6 The Bayeux Tapestry Notes Bibliography List of Illustrations Index
£10.79
Amberley Publishing Redcar Marske Saltburn Through Time
Book SynopsisThis fascinating selection of photographs traces some of the many ways in which Redcar, Marske and Saltburn have changed and developed over the last century.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing The Cotswolds Finest Gardens
Book SynopsisA full-colour profile of fifty of the Cotswolds' Finest Gardens
£16.99
Amberley Publishing Galway City Through Time
Book SynopsisThis fascinating selection of photographs traces some of the many ways in which Galway City has changed and developed over the last century.
£999.99
Amberley Publishing Tudor Wales
Book SynopsisFull-colour guide to the many places in Wales associated with this famous dynasty
£14.39
Amberley Publishing Shepherds Huts Living Vans
Book SynopsisThe first book on this increasingly popular, superbly adaptable mobile rooms. Includes 140 full-colour images with informative captions to guide both the interested reader and shepherds' hut renovator.Trade Review'This book is a celebration of shepherds' huts ... It is a reminder of a time when our lives were intrinsically linked with our environment, something these quirky little dwellings are giving back to us again' KATE HUMBLE, BBC presenter and proud owner of a shepherd's hut
£17.09
Amberley Publishing In the Footsteps of Anne Boleyn
Book SynopsisThe visitor's companion to the palaces, castles & houses associated with Henry VIII's infamous wife.Trade Review‘A treasure trove of facts and details’ * Robin Maxwell *‘This book literally takes the reader on a trip to all the places that played a part in the full, but fatally short life of one of England’s most famous queens’ * The Good Book Guide *‘This book is definitely one of the few “must haves” for Anne Boleyn enthusiasts’ * Lucy Churchill *
£17.09
Amberley Publishing 50 Gems of the Yorkshire Dales
Book SynopsisExplore the fifty most magical places in one of the most diverse and dramatic landscapes in the British Isles.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing Beautiful Idiots and Brilliant Lunatics
Book SynopsisLondon's forgotten scandals, secrets and personalities from the twentieth century, told by the writer of the popular blog Another Nickel in the Machine.
£15.29
Amberley Publishing Secret Whitby
Book SynopsisExplore Whitby's secret history through a fascinating selection of stories, facts and photographs.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing Scottish Lighthouses
Book SynopsisA fascinating pictorial history of Scottish lighthouses.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing Mysterious Wales
Book SynopsisExplore the mysterious and mythic treasures of Wales.
£15.29
Amberley Publishing Midnights Furies
Book SynopsisA few bloody months in South Asia during the summer of 1947 explain the world that troubles us today.Trade Review‘Engaging and incisive … Hajari writes with grace, precision, and an unerring eye for detail.’ -- The Wall Street Journal‘As a contribution to the acknowledgement of Partition’s mistakes, this book is indispensable.’ -- The Sunday Times
£11.69
Amberley Publishing The AngloSaxon Age
Book SynopsisDiscover the world of the Staffordshire HoardTrade Review‘Fascinating, readable and often ingenious’ -- Minerva‘A fitting tribute to the founders of a nation’ -- History of War
£10.44
Amberley Publishing Ironopolis
Book SynopsisIllustrated throughout, the first book to examine Middlesbrough's fascinating architectural history.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing Arts and Crafts Tiles William de Morgan
Book SynopsisWilliam de Morgan is one of the greatest names of the Arts & Crafts movement of the late nineteenth century. This is the perfect introduction to his iconic tiles.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing The Austen Girls
Book SynopsisSisters Jane and Cassandra Austen were inseparable and sought one anothers approval in all important decisions. Helen Amy asks would Jane have become a novelist without Cassandra?Trade Review‘Their affection for each other was extreme; it passed the common love of sisters; and it had been so from childhood. They were everything to each other. They seemed to lead a life to themselves within the general family life, which was shared only by each other. I will not say that their true, but their fullfeelings and opinions were known only to themselves. They alone fully understood what each other had suffered and felt and thought.' -- Anna Austen Lefroy, niece
£17.00
Amberley Publishing Peebles History Tour
Book SynopsisA unique guided tour of the historic town of Peebles, showing how it has been changed over the centuries.
£8.54
Amberley Publishing Pastimes and Pleasures in the Time of Jane Austen
Book SynopsisA lavishly illustrated and engaging look at the social activities, games and hobbies during the Regency period in the time of Jane Austen.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing Runcorn History Tour
Book SynopsisA guided tour of the historic town of Runcorn, showing how it has changed over the past few centuries.
£999.99
Amberley Publishing A Mind at Play
Book SynopsisA prize-winning biography of one of the foremost intellects of the twentieth century: Claude Shannon, the neglected architect of the Information Age.Trade Review‘A long overdue, insightful and humane portrait of this eccentric and towering genius.’ -- Walter Isaacson, bestselling author of STEVE JOBs‘A welcome and inspiring account of a largely unsung hero - unsung because, the authors suggest, he accomplished something so fundamental that it’s difficult to imagine a world without it.' -- Kirkus Reviews‘An exceptionally elegant and authoritative portrait… Sonni and Goodman’s elucidations of Claude Shannon’s theories are gems of conciseness and clarity.' -- Sylvia Nasar, author of the bestselling A BEAUTIFUL MIND, winner of the National Books Critics Award
£17.09
Amberley Publishing The Dignity of Labour
Book SynopsisThe first book to present an analysis of images of working people in Roman society and to interpret the meaning and significance of these images. What did work mean to the Romans?
£17.00
Amberley Publishing Edward the Elder
Book SynopsisThe first biography of Alfred the Great's son, the forgotten king who was crucial to uniting England.
£17.00
Amberley Publishing The Wild East
Book SynopsisThe first book to show that during the era of Wild West, the most dangerous place to be was in the Wilder East, far from the American frontier.
£15.00
Amberley Publishing Womens Experiences in the Holocaust
Book SynopsisNew paperback edition - A moving and detailed portrait of women in the most terrible circumstances, by a respected author and Holocaust survivor.Trade Review‘Agnes Grunwald-Spier examines comprehensively the experiences and contributions of women in the many roles and guises in which they acted. Her book preserves a record of suffering, endurance, courage and achievement without which no-one can hope to understand the totality of the Holocaust as a historical reality.’ -- Ben Barkow, Director of the Wiener Library‘In recent years we have seen many fine books on the Holocaust, among them works from Agnes Grunwald-Spier. Few have looked at the experience of women. As a writer and a doughty campaigner Agnes’s clear eye and wonderful prose have made the Holocaust accessible to a new generation. This new book will, I am certain, give a neglected part of the most shameful act of the twentieth century the scrutiny it deserves.’ -- Rt Hon Sir Eric Pickles, UK Special Envoy On Post-Holocaust Issues‘Agnes Grunwald-Spier's books are always very well researched and her convincing arguments are deployed against the background of her own history as a child survivor. What is more, her books are very well written and make fantastic reading.’ -- Sascha Feuchert, Professor of Holocaust Literature at Giessen University, Hesse, Germany‘A woman protects her children. Now that is true for any woman anywhere. She pushes others, she fights for them. This is not specific to Jews. But in this extreme circumstance it changes a Jewish tradition. She draws strength from certain types of Jewish traditions, and opposes others in order to fight. Jewish women (for the first time for thousands of years in Jewish communities) assumed leadership positions. Politically, Jewish women had always been disenfranchised, but in the Holocaust, there was no room for this disenfranchisement. They became leaders of political and social groups in France, Holland, Bohemia and Slovakia, as well as the underground groups in Eastern Europe.’ -- Professor Yehuda Bauer
£12.34
Amberley Publishing Space Exploration
Book SynopsisNew paperback edition - This detailed examination of our steps into space is viewed from our potential future there â on Mars to be exact â and considers how we will reach that point.Trade Review‘A handy reference for space fans and professionals alike’ -- Publishers Weekly‘The way to the stars in open.’ -- Sergei Korolev
£9.49
Amberley Publishing Secret Keswick
Book SynopsisA fascinating illustrated exploration of the lesser-known and hidden history of the Cumbrian town of Keswick.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing Invasion
Book SynopsisThis is the untold story of the Second French invasion of England - 300 years after Hastings - an episode that time forgot.
£17.00
Amberley Publishing Secret Anglesey
Book SynopsisSecret Anglesey explores the lesser-known history of the island of Anglesey in Wales through a fascinating selection of stories, unusual facts and attractive photographs.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing 50 Gems of West Cork
Book SynopsisDiscover fifty of West Cork's landmarks and special places, which reflect the essence, character and beauty of this south-western corner of Ireland.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing Common and Uncommon Scents
Book SynopsisA sensory journey though time, interpreting social (and political) history through the scents used by people from the Ancient Egyptians to Coco Chanel.
£19.54
Amberley Publishing London: A Modern City in Photographs
London has been transformed in the last two or three decades since the 1990s. Large areas have been rebuilt and regenerated and exciting new buildings have reshaped London’s skyline. Many of the modern high-rise buildings have quickly become synonymous with London, with popular names that reflect their bold design – the Shard, the Gherkin, the Walkie-Talkie. Alongside these new office buildings and residential developments are other landmark buildings celebrating arts, sports and entertainment, such as Tate Modern, the O2 Arena built for the Millennium celebrations and the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Large areas of East London and the Docklands have been redeveloped, as well as more everyday buildings throughout the capital, with new and rebuilt mainline and Underground railway stations, museums, sporting venues, urban spaces and housing. In this book photographer Mathew Browne celebrates this new face of London in a collection of stunning images which portray not just the new buildings that characterise modern London, often cheek by jowl with an older London, but also how today’s Londoners are changing and adapting their environment, turning old structures into new uses. For all those who are proud to live and work in London, as well as those visiting, this book is a must. Look through these photographs and you will quickly see why this ever-changing city never ceases to fascinate.
£16.19
Amberley Publishing The House of Godwin
Book SynopsisThe most powerful dynasty behind the throne of Anglo-Saxon England, shedding new light on events such as the Battle of Hastings.Trade Review'Fascinating book' -- History of War Magazine, May 2022'It all makes for fascinating reading.' -- The Armourer Magazine, June 2022'Solid yet complex introduction to the Godwinsons and their legacy. Suppose you want to learn more about Anglo-Saxon England and one of the most influential families of that period in history. In that case, I recommend you read.' -- Adventures of a Tudor Nerd
£21.25
Amberley Publishing Owen Tudor
Book SynopsisNew paperback edition - The first-ever biography of the founding father of the Tudor dynasty, a Welsh commoner who secretly married Catherine of Valois, widow of Henry V.
£9.49
Amberley Publishing Lawnmowers
Book SynopsisExplore a lavishly illustrated history on lawnmowers from one of Britain's leading lawnmower authorities.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing Cambridge in 50 Buildings
Book SynopsisA fascinating exploration of the history and numerous architectural treasures of the famous university city of Cambridge.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing Paranormal Wales
Book SynopsisA collection of spine-chilling tales of hauntings, paranormal activity and supernatural phenomena from right across Wales.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing Secret Beccles
Book SynopsisA fascinating exploration of the hidden, intriguing and lesser-known heritage of the Suffolk market town of Beccles.
£14.39
Little, Brown Book Group Elizabethan Society
Book SynopsisThe reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558-1603) marked a golden age in English history. There was a musical and literary renaissance, most famously and enduringly in the form of the plays of Shakespeare (2016 marks the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare''s death), and it was a period of international expansion and naval triumph over the Spanish. It was also a period of internal peace following the violent upheaval of the Protestant reformation. Wilson skilfully interweaves the personal histories of a representative selection of twenty or so figures - including Nicholas Bacon, the Statesman; Bess of Hardwick, the Landowner; Thomas Gresham, ''the Financier''; John Caius, ''the Doctor''; John Norreys, ''the Soldier''; and Nicholas Jennings, ''the Professional Criminal'' - with the major themes of the period to create a vivid and compelling account of life in England in the late sixteenth century. This is emphatically not yet another book about what everyday life was like dTrade ReviewPraise for In the Lion’s Court: One of the most useful and stimulating books about our most important dynasty. -- Antonia Fraser * Sunday Times *Praise for Hans Holbein: This should become the standard work on the subject . . . the most accurate and vivid portrayal to date. -- Alison Weir * Literary Review *All the King’s Women: Derek Wilson tells the story . . . with an effectiveness that few other biographies have matched. * Daily Telegraph *Praise for the author: Well constructed, bags of atmosphere and an exciting denouement to keep you on the edge of your seat. * Daily Mail *
£11.39
Little, Brown Book Group Breaker Morant
Book SynopsisThe epic story of the Boer War and Harry ''Breaker'' Morant: drover, horseman, bush poet - murderer or hero?Most people have heard of the Boer War and of Harry ''Breaker'' Morant, a figure who rivals Ned Kelly as an archetypal Australian folk hero. But Morant was a complicated man. Born in England and immigrating to Queensland in 1883, he established a reputation as a rider, polo player and poet who submitted ballads to The Bulletin and counted Banjo Paterson as a friend. Travelling on his wits and the goodwill of others, Morant was quick to act when appeals were made for horsemen to serve in the war in South Africa. He joined up, first with the South Australian Mounted Rifles and then with a South African irregular unit, the Bushveldt Carbineers.The adventure would not go as Breaker planned. In October 1901 Lieutenant Harry Morant and two other Australians, Lieutenants Peter Handcock and George Witton, were arrested for the murder of Boer prisoners. Mo
£17.00
Little, Brown Book Group The League of Wives
Book SynopsisFeatured in Stylist''s guide to 2019''s best non-fiction booksThe true story of the fierce band of women who battled Washington - and Hanoi - to bring their husbands home from the jungles of Vietnam.On 12 February, 1973, one hundred and sixteen men who, just six years earlier, had been high flying Navy and Air Force pilots, shuffled, limped, or were carried off a huge military transport plane at Clark Air Base in the Philippines. These American servicemen had endured years of brutal torture, kept shackled and starving in solitary confinement, in rat-infested, mosquito-laden prisons, the worst of which was The Hanoi Hilton.Months later, the first Vietnam POWs to return home would learn that their rescuers were their wives, a group of women that included Jane Denton, Sybil Stockdale, Louise Mulligan, Andrea Rander, Phyllis Galanti, and Helene Knapp. These women, who formed The National League of Families, would never have called themselves Trade ReviewLee [has] uncovered an amazing forgotten history . . . stirring detail . . . thanks to Lee's impressive research, their [the wives'] voices can be heard by those who embraced titles like Hidden Figures (2016) and The Glass Universe (2016). Book clubs should line up for this one; it begs for discussion * Booklist *Inspirational work . . . In this beautifully told history, Lee unearths the contributions of everyday women who not only saved their husbands but influenced military culture * Publishers Weekly *This unputdownable story of strength and determination is a must-read * Library Journal *Exhilarating and inspiring * Washington Post *
£9.49
Little, Brown Book Group A Brief History of the Martial Arts
Book Synopsis''If I had to pick a single general martial arts history book in English, I would recommend A Brief History of the Martial Arts by Dr Jonathan Clements'' RICHARD BEITLICH, Martial History Team blogFrom Shaolin warrior monks to the movies of Bruce Lee, a new history of the evolution of East Asian styles of unarmed combat, from Kung Fu to NinjutsuFolk tales of the Shaolin Temple depict warrior monks with superhuman abilities. Today, dozens of East Asian fighting styles trace their roots back to the Buddhist brawlers of Shaolin, although any quest for the true story soon wanders into a labyrinth of forgeries, secret texts and modern retellings.This new study approaches the martial arts from their origins in military exercises and callisthenics. It examines a rich folklore from old wuxia tales of crime-fighting heroes to modern kung fu movies. Centre stage is given to the stories that martial artists tell themselves about tTrade ReviewI defy anyone to come away from this book without a deeper knowledge of all martial arts. * http://blog.alltheanime.com/books-a-brief-history-of-the-martial-arts/ *[Clements'] final conclusions surprise . . . leaving the reader satisfied as well as educated. -- Hugh David * MyM magazine *A detailed study of the interaction between folklore, nationalism, religion and politics in the east Asian martial arts . . . refreshingly frank. * NEO magazine *This is the book I recommend if you want a single volume on martial arts history based on sound evidence and sourced research. I highlighted so many sentences in my Kindle edition that I ran over Amazon's limit! . . . it's an absolute steal and would make a great gift for any martial artist. -- Richard Bejtlich, Martial History Team blog * Martial History Team blog *
£14.24
