History Books

Book SynopsisMany of the academic refugees Esther Simpson helped rescue are well remembered. But who was she and why has history forgotten her?This is the story of Esther Simpson, a woman whose dedication to the cause of freedom in science and learning left an indelible mark on the cultural and intellectual landscape of the modern world.Esther Simpson - Tess to her friends - devoted her life to resettling academic refugees, whom she thought of as her family. By the end of her life, Simpson could count among her ''children'' sixteen Nobel Prize winners, eighteen Knights, seventy-four fellows of the Royal Society, thirty-four fellows of the British Academy. Her ''children'' made a major contribution to Allied victory in World War Two.From a humble upbringing in Leeds to Russian immigrant parents, Simpson took on secretarial roles that saw her move to Paris, Vienna and Geneva. But when Hitler assumed power in 1933, she took a job in London at the Academic Assistance CTrade ReviewThis is an extraordinary story of dedication and humanitarianism, superbly researched and clearly told. Eidinow tells numerous success stories, but doesn't ignore the darker side . . . a story of generosity, humanity and enormous achievement' -- David Herman * Times Literary Supplement *

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Book SynopsisThis brilliantly concise history of the Pacific Ocean nevertheless succeeds in examining both the indigenous presence on ocean''s islands and Western control or influence over the its islands and shores. There is a particular focus on the period from the 1530s to 1890 with its greater Western coastal and oceanic presence in the Pacific, beginning with the Spanish takeover of the coasts of modern Central America, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, and continuing with the Spaniards in the Philippines. There is also an emphasis on the very different physical and human environments of the four quadrants of the Pacific - the north-east, the north-west, the south-east and the south-west - and of the ''coastal'' islands, that is the Aleutians, Japan and New Zealand, and continental coastlines. The focus is always on the interactions of Japan, California, Peru, Australia and other territories with the ocean, notably in terms of trade, migration and fishing.Black looks first at the Trade ReviewPraise for Jeremy Black's The Holocaust: A demanding but important work. -- R. S. Levy, University of Illinois at ChicagoPraise for Jeremy Black's Insurgency and Counterinsurgency: A Global History: A significant and timely contribution to understanding the new meaning of war. * Choice *

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Book Synopsis''Laura Thompson''s outstanding biography . . . is a pretty much perfect capturing of a life'' - Kate MosseIt has been 100 years since Agatha Christie wrote her first novel and created the formidable Hercule Poirot. In this biography, Laura Thompson describes the Edwardian world in which she grew up, explores the relationships she had, including those with her two husbands and daughter, and investigates the mysteries still surrounding Christie''s life - including her disappearance in 1926. Agatha Christie is a mystery and writing about her is a detection job in itself. But, with access to all of Christie''s letters, papers and writing notebooks, as well as interviews with her grandson, daughter, son-in-law and their living relations, Thompson is able to unravel not only the detailed workings of Christie''s detective fiction, but the truth behind her private life as well.First published in 2007 as ''Agatha Christie: An English Mystery'', this is a fuTrade ReviewThompson does a superlatives job at digging beneath the surface of this public but private woman... her prose here is elegantly turned and concise - and perfectly at the service of its enigmatic subject. * Crime Time *

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Book Synopsis''What a wonderful storyteller Maitland is'' THE TIMESDANIEL PURSGLOVE BOOK THREEFrom the stark Yorkshire landscape to the dark underbelly of Jacobean London, Daniel Pursglove''s new mission sees him fall prey to a ruthless copycat killer...London, 1607. As dawn breaks, Daniel Pursglove rides north, away from the watchful eye of the King and his spies.He returns, disguised, to his childhood home in Yorkshire - with his own score to settle. The locals have little reason to trust a prying stranger, and those who remember Daniel do so with contempt.When a body is found with rope burns about the neck, Daniel falls under suspicion. On the run, across the country, he is pursued by a ruthless killer whose victims all share the same gallows mark. Are these the crimes of someone with a cruel personal vendetta - or has Daniel become embroiled in a bigger, and far more sinister, conspiracy?A new river of treason is rising, flTrade ReviewBrimful of malice, machinations and gruesome deaths, this is a shadowy novel of spies and double-agents, underworld brothel keepers and religious dissenters, where nothing is as it seems and no one can be trusted * Daily Mail *

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Book Synopsis''Uproarious . . . [Phillips and Elledge] pair the abundant good humour of this book with a warning about the corrosive effects of conspiracy theories'' The TimesFrom the Satanic Panic to the anti-vaxx movement, the moon landing to Pizzagate, it''s always been human nature to believe we''re being lied to by the powers that be (and sometimes, to be fair, we absolutely are).But while it can be fun to indulge in a bit of Deep State banter on the group chat, recent times have shown us that some of these theories have taken on a life of their own - and in our dogged quest for the truth, it appears we might actually be doing it some damage.In Conspiracy, Tom Phillips and Jonn Elledge take us on a fascinating, insightful and often hilarious journey through conspiracy theories old and new, to try and answer a vital question for our times: how can we learn to log off the QAnon message boards, and start trusting hard evidence again?PraisTrade ReviewFor Tom Phillips and HUMANS:In dark times, it's reassuring to learn that we've always been a bunch of clueless f*cking nitwits -- Stuart Heritage * Don't Be a Dick, Pete *A light-touch history of moments when humans have got it spectacularly wrong... Both readable and entertaining * Telegraph *If you find yourself looking at the news and wondering how humanity has got so many things wrong, over and over again, this book is a very funny answer to just that question' -- Mark Watson, comedian

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Book SynopsisWith a foreword by Iain Sinclair. London is an ancient city, whose foundation dates back literally thousands of years into the legendary prehistory of these islands. Not surprisingly it has accumulated a large number of stories, both historic and mythical, during this period, many of which, though faithfully recorded at the time, have lain almost forgotten in dusty libraries throughout the city. The Secret Lore of London is a guide to the legends, including a discussion of their importance as part of the oral tradition of Britain, combining Prehistoric, Celtic, Arthurian, Roman, Saxon and Norman levels - each of which has contributed to the many-layered life of the city. The first part contains a unique selection of essays (some printed here for the first time) by experts in their fields, each of whom possesses a unique interest in the legends of these islands, and who have written widely on associated themes. The second part of the book will Trade ReviewThis book is a companion for anyone wanting to explore the capital city's mythology and folklore... I think you'll enjoy peeling back the layers of history. * The Bookish Badger *So, so brilliant. Absolutely loved it....Overall this is a fascinating book. It has history and legend, great references to literature and architecture, everything I could want in a non-fiction book. * Osbian Reviews *The Secret Lore of London completes its siren call with an intricate and alluring cover...If you have even the smallest interest in myth, legend and London, then this is a book for you. * Cultural Wednesday *London is such a vast city with a long, interesting and fascinating history, so to tackle this subject is very brave and admirable. If you have an insatiable hunger for knowledge, this book will give you food for thought as it opens a wonderfully colourful world that forms the foundations of what we believe to be 'solid' history. * The Legends of London *I have to say that I am delighted that the best material from The Aquarian Guide has been given a new lease of life, letting new readers enjoy a collection of wonderful essays that have been been long out of print. The new material makes the book even better - and the title and cover are a lot more up to date too! * Before It's News *A fascinating look at how our ancestors viewed their streets, and a guide to the sites of legends and myths. * History Revealed *

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Book SynopsisA witty history of 2000 years of French history and the last book from legendary popular historian John Julius NorwichTrade ReviewAlways a warm, welcoming guide, John Julius Norwich takes us on a historical tour of France from its earliest days to the twenty-first century . . . A highly entertaining introduction to a fascinating nation * History Revealed Magazine *Norwich romps through French history with lots of good stories: philandering kings, dread plagues and legendary dinners * The Times *For his final book, the late Norwich tackled the dauntingly vast subject of two millennia of French history with admirable lightness and urbanity. There is the odd whiff, probably deliberate, of 1066 and All That - "The Capetians had steadily built up France, transforming it from a Carolingian custard into a nation" - and his comic footnotes deserve a review of their own * The Daily Telegraph, Summer Reads *A richly illuminating work . . . Norwich was a wonderful military historian * Times Literary Supplement *Almost the best thing in it is the author's short epilogue, 'The Essence of France', in which he listed what he loved most about that enchanting, if occasionally exasperating, country - its architecture, its painting and its music. These were among Norwich's greatest passions, which he invariably conveyed with authority, charm and wit -- Desmond Seward * History Today *A story told with charm and obvious enthusiasm for the subject ... My children constantly ask why the GCSE syllabus cannot be an introduction to British history rather than a somewhat esoteric dive into Weimar, Nazi Germany and Russia. What they want is a comprehensive, approachable and enjoyable survey of the story of our islands - and that is exactly what John Julius Norwich has written about France . . . The attraction of this commendable short history is that it's as entertaining as it is informative, written with fluency, wit and a nicely understated humour: a real pleasure-almost compelling-to read * Country Life *Norwich treats history like a friendly fireside chat * Sunday Independent *The tone of France is avuncular, worldly and witty; it is like having dinner with an urbane, well-read uncle. * Country & Town House *There is certainly a need for a concise history of France in English and, in many ways, John Julius Norwich is the ideal man to write it . . . Norwich has a love for France that stretches back to his childhood and it is evident throughout this readable, entertaining book. * Sunday Times *This warm, delightful short history of France, aimed convivially at the general reader, is his love letter to the country he knew so well * The Spectator *John Julius Norwich's political history of France, which begins with Vercingetorix and ends with Charles de Gaulle in 1945, invites us to admire the giants of the past and even vicariously to share in their triumphs . . . richly illuminating * Times Literary Supplement *Written with zest . . . The sadly late JJN shines through as his best friendly donnish self - an avuncular tutor who invites you in for a glass as he expounds on 2000 years of French history, from the Gauls through Charlemagne and Julius Caesar to de Gaulle. With a deft but gentle touch, he goes through sex, death and tennis, and it either complements a summer holiday to France or gives you a sudden desire to visit * OX Magazine *

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Book Synopsis Shortlisted for the Stanford Dolman Travel Book of the Year 2020''A thought-provoking treatise interwoven with blistered-feet-on-the-ground accounts of spots both pretty and gritty'' National Geographic''Compelling, thought-provoking, and courageous, this epic-poetic journey peels back layers of collective emotional and imaginative inheritance. Jubber gets under the skin of our complicated continent and his timing is dead right'' Kapka Kassabova''A genuine epic'' Wanderlust''The prose is colourful and vigorous...Jubber''s journeying has indeed been epic, in scale and ambition. In this thoughtful travelogue he has woven together colourful ancient and modern threads into a European tapestry that combines the sombre and the sparkling'' Spectator''Epic Continent sets out on a physical and mythological journey to uncover what it means to be European'Trade ReviewA fascinating, page-turning exploration of the stories, identity and the root of the European self. A must read for anyone interested in where we come from and where we may be going -- Jason WebsterCompelling, thought-provoking, and courageous, this epic-poetic journey peels back layers of collective emotional and imaginative inheritance. Jubber gets under the skin of our complicated continent and his timing is dead right * Kapka Kassabova *In the great literary tradition of writers like Jan Morris and Patrick Leigh Fermour, Jubber has a deep knowledge of the epics whose narratives and journeys he follows * The New European *An original and thoroughly absorbing book by a travel writer of immense ability * The New European *Epic continent is an Odyssey on its own, which travels both in space and time . . . Nick Jubber gets to the old heart of a still-troubled continent * Professor Tom Shippey *Brings out the many ironies of literary and political history ... and show[s] that the past is still with us all * TLS *A timely study of how epic can sadly harden frontiers and justify violence, while retaining the more hopeful possibility of re-invention to prompt dialogue and shape new communities of song -- Peter Davidson * author of The Idea of the North *Epic Continent sets out on a physical and mythological journey to uncover what it means to be European * Geographical *Compelling, thought-provoking, and courageous, this epic-poetic journey peels back layers of collective emotional and imaginative inheritance. Jubber gets under the skin of our complicated continent and his timing is dead right * Kapka Kassabova *

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Book SynopsisThrough her mother's memories, accounts from her Indian family and her own research in both India and Pakistan, constitutional and human rights lawyer, Marina Wheeler, explores how the peoples of these new nations struggled to recover and rebuild their lives.Trade Review'A personal, sometimes harrowing history of partition... a writer well worth reading.' * The Times *A deeply personal story of identity and a highly relatable journey for many in the diaspora... Wheeler taps a rich vein of personal history... Evocative... Gripping. * Financial Times *In spare, occasionally lyrical prose, The Lost Homestead meticulously tells the story of her much-loved Sikh-born mother. -- Sonia Purnell * Evening Standard *Her poignant memoir reminds us that our past shares no borders with our present. -- F.S. Aijazuddin * Dawn *

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Book SynopsisGeneral Anders was a significant and controversial figure in the politics of Allied command

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Book SynopsisSource material giving detailed insight into issues and problems faced on the 'Home Front'.

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Book SynopsisComprehensive illustrated history of the most effective German tank of the Second World War

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Book SynopsisThe full story of Poland's part in WW2 from failure of pre-war diplomacy and planning, through to betrayal by Allies leading to civil war and Soviet occupation in immediate post-war years.

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Book SynopsisAn account of the Home Front experience in Grimsby.

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Book SynopsisFollows the Goths long and violent interaction with Rome (sometimes allies, often as enemies) which ultimately saw them sack Rome and establish kingdoms in France, Spain and Italy.

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Book SynopsisStories of the men who served the guns on the D-Day beaches

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Book SynopsisFully revised and updated second edition of highly illustrated handbook for anyone researching Northern Irish history and ancestry.

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Book SynopsisCovers Devon in the Second World War, from the commencement of the conflict in September 1939, until its end in September 1945, featuring many forgotten news stories of the day.

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Book SynopsisCovers the events and happenings of the whole of Southampton during the Second World War.

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Book SynopsisUsing original letters, diaries and newspapers, the royal family and the insular world of the Georgian court are brought vividly back to life.

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Book SynopsisTells the full story of all the Commando raids undertaken against the Channel Islands in the Second World War.

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Book SynopsisDetailed narrative of military events of Roman Empire 457-518, including detailed analysis of several hitherto neglected battles.

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Book SynopsisFirst-hand accounts of opening the air attack against dictator Saddam

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Book SynopsisIn Search of the Romans is a lively and informative introduction to ancient Rome. Making extensive use of ancient sources and copiously illustrated with photographs, drawings, maps and plans, now for the first time in colour, its opening two chapters guide the reader through the events of Roman history, from the foundation of the city to the fall of the empire. Subsequent chapters introduce the most important aspects of the Roman world: the army and the provinces, religion, society, and entertainment; the final two chapters focus on Pompeii and Herculaneum, the two cities destroyed by Vesuvius. New to this edition are sections on the Augustan principate, on the Roman army, on life in the provinces and on engineering innovations, while the existing text is revised throughout. The narrative includes descriptions of many individuals from the Roman world, drawn from a variety of social settings. Activity boxes and further reading lists throughout each chapter aid students'' understTrade ReviewSince its initial publication in 2012, I have recommended In Search of the Romans as my first choice for introductory courses on Roman civilization… this revised second edition makes smart changes and useful improvements, making it a necessary update for every classroom. -- Robert Gurval, Associate Professor of Classics, University of California, Los Angeles, USAThe real achievement of this book is how it covers a huge range of topics in such a detailed yet unintimidating manner. It doesn’t shy away from challenging concepts, and pushes the reader to engage with ancient material and think carefully about important questions. The presentation of the second edition is especially impressive. -- Rebecca Usherwood, Assistant Professor in Late Antique and Early Byzantine Studies, Trinity College Dublin, IrelandTable of ContentsPreface Introduction 1 From Kingdom to Republic 2 The Emperors 3 Running an Empire 4 Roman Religion 5 Roman Society 6 Roman Entertainment and Leisure 7 Pompeii 8 Herculaneum Appendices 1 Roman Currency Values 2 Roman Clothing 3 Roman Names 4 Roman Time Glossary Sources of Quotations Sources of Illustrations Index

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Book SynopsisVladimir Nabokov''s Lolita is one of the most beloved and notorious novels of all time. And yet, very few of its readers know that the subject of the novel was inspired by a real-life case: the 1948 abduction of eleven-year-old Sally Horner. Weaving together suspenseful crime narrative, cultural and social history, and literary investigation, The Real Lolita restores Sally Horner to her rightful place in the lore of the novel''s creation. Drawing upon extensive investigations, legal documents, public records, and interviews with remaining relatives, Sarah Weinman casts a new light on the dark inspiration for a modern classic.Trade ReviewSarah Weinman's captivating, heart-rending The Real Lolita offers both nuanced and compassionate true-crime reportage and revelatory cultural and literary history. It will, quite simply, change the way you think about Lolita and 'Lolitas' forever -- Megan AbbottThe Real Lolita is a tour de force of literary detective work. Not only does it shed new light on the terrifying true saga that influenced Nabokov's masterpiece, it restores the forgotten victim to our consciousness -- David GrannCompassionate and necessary, Sarah Weinman's The Real Lolita is more than a true-crime achievement. It's a literary rescue mission, bringing to life the tragic real-life case that forms the dark heart of Nabokov's classic. You'll never read Lolita the same way again -- Robert KolkerSarah Weinman delivers a thoroughly riveting and heartbreaking narrative that weaves the very best of true crime writing with the darker elements of literary inspiration -- Gilbert KingThe Real Lolita is the corrective we never knew we needed, a lively, engrossing work of scholarship that does not diminish Nabokov, but gently insists that we not indulge his trickster ways. Sally Horner matters and, thanks to Sarah Weinman, she and Dolores Haze will be forever linked. Groundbreaking work, a new genre unto itself -- Laura LippmanA riveting blend of true crime, historical investigation, and literary analysis, Sarah Weinman adds another dimension to this already complicated context * Buzzfeed *With The Real Lolita, Sarah Weinman might be said to have invented a completely new genre . . . Weinman is at her absolute best when playing detective and piecing together this tragic tale in all its sordid detail . . . the book contains twists and near misses and bit-part players, everything you might expect from a true-crime story, startlingly and simply told -- Ian Sansom * Literary Review *Riveting . . . Scrupulously researched . . . Nearly 70 years after Sally Horner's death, Weinman's dark and compulsively readable book will make readers aware of the absence of a nearly forgotten girl's voice in discussions of one of the great works of American literature * Los Angeles Times *Superb . . . By combing through court documents and newspaper accounts and interviewing surviving friends and family members, Weinman has evocatively reconstructed Sally [Horner]'s nightmare, as well as the sexual mores of mid-twentieth-century America * Irish Independent *Utterly engrossing . . . Weinman dazzles the reader with the recreation of this time period . . . As we read through this mesmerizing book, Weinman's obsession becomes the reader's obsession. . . We develop boundless compassion for this once little girl, along with a deep empathy and sorrow for the story of her life * Los Angeles Review of Books *Weinman's gripping work of true crime challenges a culture that privileges artistic genius over a child's life * Huffington Post *A sensitive look at the troubling crime that influenced Vladimir Nabokov's most notorious book; Weinman writes with insight and empathy about both the famous author and the now-forgotten girl whose story intrigued him * Boston Globe *In this stunning work of investigative journalism, Sarah Weinman resurrects the Horner case and uncovers its deep connection to Lolita * Refinery29 *Superb . . . [Weinman] has now become something of a literary detective herself, conducting an investigation into the case she says inspired Lolita . . . Weinman assembles a substantial array of evidence . . . Weinman has compassionately given Sally Horner pride of place once more in her own life, a life that was first brutally warped by Frank La Salle, and then appropriated by one of the most brilliant writers of the 20th century * Washington Post *

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Book SynopsisAfter 1933, as the brutal terror regime took hold, most of the two-thirds of Germans who had never voted for the Nazis - some 20 million people - tried to keep their heads down and protect their families.They moved to the country, or pretended to support the regime to avoid being denounced by neighbours, and tried to work out what was really happening in the Reich, surrounded as they were by Nazi propaganda and fake news. They lived in constant fear. Yet many ordinary Germans found the courage to resist. Catrine Clay argues that it was a much greater number than was ever formally recorded. Her ground-breaking book focuses on six very different characters. They are not seen in isolation but as part of their families. Each experiences the momentous events of Nazi history as they unfold in their own small lives - Good Germans all.Trade ReviewHistorians have long grappled with the question of how popular the Nazis really were ... The Good Germans suggests that there was much more resistance than was ever formally recorded ... The Good Germans shines the spotlight on people who didn't opt for the path of conformity, but instead made often small but nonetheless defiant choices in their everyday lives that put them at risk ... [Clay] is a great story-teller who proves adept at conjuring her characters straight off the page -- Hester Vaizey * BBC HISTORY MAGAZINE *A brilliant and deeply disturbing account of six individuals, ranging from Prussian aristocrat to law student to factory hand, who risked, and in some cases lost, their lives to oppose Hitler -- Hilary Spurling * THE SPECTATOR 'Books of the Year' *Timely, intriguing and extremely well informed * SYDNEY MORNING HERALD 'Pick of the Week' *

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Book SynopsisFar from worrying about the onset of war, in the spring of 1938 the burning question on the French Riviera was whether one should curtsey to the Duchess of Windsor. Few of those who had settled there thought much about what was going on in the rest of Europe. It was a golden, glamorous life, far removed from politics or conflict.Featuring a sparkling cast of artists, writers and historical figures including Winston Churchill, Daisy Fellowes, Salvador Dalí, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Eileen Gray and Edith Wharton, with the enigmatic Coco Chanel at its heart, CHANEL''S RIVIERA is a captivating account of a period that saw some of the deepest extremes of luxury and terror in the whole of the twentieth century.From Chanel''s first summer at her Roquebrune villa La Pausa (in the later years with her German lover) amid the glamour of the pre-war parties and casinos in Antibes, Nice and Cannes to the horrors of evacuation and the displacement of thousands of families Trade ReviewProviding insight into the occupation of France and its terrifying impact on rich and poor alike, you'll come away from reading it both better informed and utterly transported -- Francesca Brown * STYLIST magazine *A riveting read about the best and very worst of times and at the heart of the story is the morally ambiguous (some may say morally bankrupt) Chanel herself. -- Sarra Manning * RED ONLINE *A well-researched and compelling story. Drawing on an immense volume of material, she has succeeded not only in constructing an intriguing portrait of Chanel herself but also in expertly conjuring the two very different worlds that then existed side by side -- Selina Hastings * LITERARY REVIEW *A highly amusing guide to the shenanigans, foibles and affairs of the rich and famous at a time when it seemed anyone who was anyone spent weeks at a time on the Riviera ... De Courcy has dug deep into a rich seam of stories about the coastal region of France -- Anne Sebba * HISTORY TODAY *Anne de Courcy's Chanel's Riviera gives us delicious gossip. France's leading designer was the epitome ofchic. When she acquired a magnificent villa on the Cote d'Azur, the rich and famous - among them Jean Cocteau, H. G. Wells, Salvador Dali (and, after the abdication, the Windsors) - followed. They created a gilded and hedonistic world, which continued until the fall of France in 1940. -- A.W. Purdue * THES *De Courcy is very powerful on the fall of France - the sorrow and the pity ... De Courcy, in this gripping, rousing study, sees Chanel as a Marie Antoinette figure, simultaneously shrewd and other-worldly, protected by an armour of absolute self-interest. -- Roger Lewis * DAILY TELEGRAPH *Fascinating ... By turns sunny and shady, this beautifully written book illuminates a harrowing and occasionally surreal episode in 20th-century French history -- Martin Williams * COUNTRY LIFE *Sparkling, anecdote-rich narrative -- Paula Byrne * THE TIMES *

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Book SynopsisIn 1187 Saladin''s armies besieged the holy city of Jerusalem. He had previously annihilated Jerusalem''s army at the battle of Hattin, and behind the city''s high walls a last-ditch defence was being led by an unlikely trio - including Sibylla, Queen of Jerusalem. They could not resist Saladin, but, if they were lucky, they could negotiate terms that would save the lives of the city''s inhabitants.Queen Sibylla was the last of a line of formidable female rulers in the Crusader States of Outremer. Yet for all the many books written about the Crusades, one aspect is conspicuously absent: the stories of women. Queens and princesses tend to be presented as passive transmitters of land and royal blood. In reality, women ruled, conducted diplomatic negotiations, made military decisions, forged alliances, rebelled, and undertook architectural projects. Sibylla''s grandmother Queen Melisende was the first queen to seize real political agency in Jerusalem and rule in her own right.Trade ReviewFascinating, intriguing, exciting and authoritative. Here are the female rulers of the crusader states as shrewd politicians, warrior queens and mothers and wives, holding their own against male crusader states and Islamic warlords in the ruthless arena of the Middle East. The female crusader potentates have long been neglected, so this is long overdue and it was worth waiting for -- SIMON SEBAG MONTEFIOREThe subjects of this important and inspiring book have regularly been resigned to the footnotes of history. But the Queens of Jerusalem are history-makers, game-changers. Delight in their company in this seminal and scintillating debut -- BETTANY HUGHESBeautifully constructed, highly intelligent, perceptive, humane and empathetic, this wonderful book turns the forgotten women rulers of Jerusalem from powerless broodmares into complex actors with agency, ingenuity and fascinating lives -- WILLIAM DALRYMPLERecent scholarship has transformed understanding of the role of women in the European Middle Ages. Now Kate Pangonis's careful yet lively and engaging study focuses light on the public, domestic and social place of noble and royal women in the unique political and dynastic circumstances of the multi-cultural crusader states of the Levant. In a refreshing shift of historical emphasis, these women, whether players or pawns, are brought to life on their own terms, their experiences and careers, even if shaped by men, viewed from a distinctive feminine perspective -- Christopher Tyerman, Professor of History of the Crusades at Oxford UniversityIn her debut book Queens of Jerusalem: The Women Who Dared to Rule, historian Katherine Pangonis brings to life the stories of the female rulers of the Outremer (also known as the Crusader States) who have thus far been dismissed by history...Pangonis does an excellent job of contextualising the circumstances that led these women to forge their own alliances and make shrewd political and military decisions to seize power, both successfully and unsuccessfully. It is an impressive feat, considering that the majority of them are barely mentioned in existing historical sources. This book is an enjoyable read that finally addresses the crucial role of royal women in crusader history * ALL ABOUT HISTORY *A colourful and engaging narrative...Queens of Jerusalem explores some truly fascinating stories about women that deserve to be retold * TLS *Picturing Melisende, and other medieval queens, is not easy. As with the images in the gilding, the historian must get close to the texts, angle them this way and that, and seek out traces of their subjects. But as Katherine Pangonis makes clear in this vivid history, the effort is worthwhile, adding depth and unexpected detail to the understanding of the past. * The Economist *

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Book SynopsisA wonderful portrait of British upper-class life in the Season of 1939 - the last before the Second World War.The Season of 1939 brought all those ''in Society'' to London. The young debutante daughters of the upper classes were presented to the King and Queen to mark their acceptance into the new adult world of their parents. They sparkled their way through a succession of balls and parties and sporting events.The Season brought together influential people not only from Society but also from Government at the various events of the social calendar. Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain chaperoned his debutante niece to weekend house parties; Lord Halifax, the Foreign Secretary, lunched with the Headmaster of Eton; Cabinet Ministers encountered foreign Ambassadors at balls in the houses of the great hostesses. As the hot summer drew on, the newspapers filled with ever more ominous reports of the relentless progress towards war. There was nothing to do but wait - aTrade ReviewDe Courcy's fascinating narrative switches between domestic concerns, ranging from country-house fare to patent medicines, and the approach of would-be gatecrashers across the channel * THE INDEPENDENT *A fascinating window on the frivolous social but grave political world of Britain in the Second World War... The illustrations are delightful * THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH *

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Book Synopsis'It is a story full of drama, with the Nile, the pyramids and the Valley of the Kings as backdrop. That A World Beneath the Sands is also a subtle and stimulating study of the paradoxes of 19th-century colonialism is a bonus indeed.' – Tom Holland, GuardianWhat could be more exciting, more exotic or more intrepid than digging in the sands of Egypt in the hope of discovering golden treasures from the age of the pharaohs? Our fascination with ancient Egypt goes back to the ancient Greeks. But the heyday of Egyptology was undoubtedly the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. This golden age of scholarship and adventure is neatly book-ended by two epoch-making events: Champollion's decipherment of hieroglyphics in 1822 and the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb by Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon a hundred years later.In A World Beneath the Sands, the acclaimed Egyptologist Toby Wilkinson tells the riveting stories of the men and women whose obsession with Egypt's ancient civilisation drove them to uncover its secrets. Champollion, Carter and Carnarvon are here, but so too are their lesser-known contemporaries, such as the Prussian scholar Karl Richard Lepsius, the Frenchman Auguste Mariette and the British aristocrat Lucie Duff-Gordon. Their work – and those of others like them – helped to enrich and transform our understanding of the Nile Valley and its people, and left a lasting impression on Egypt, too. Travellers and treasure-hunters, ethnographers and epigraphers, antiquarians and archaeologists: whatever their motives, whatever their methods, all understood that in pursuing Egyptology they were part of a greater endeavour – to reveal a lost world, buried for centuries beneath the sands.Trade ReviewIt would be hard to overstate the excellence of Wilkinson's storytelling – and I was surprisingly distraught to think that there can never be a sequel. -- A. S. H. Smyth * Spectator *The definitive account of the golden age of Egyptology * Waterstone’s Best Books of the Year *It is a story full of drama, with the Nile, the pyramids and the Valley of the Kings as backdrop. That A World Beneath the Sands is also a subtle and stimulating study of the paradoxes of 19th-century colonialism is a bonus indeed. -- Tom Holland * Guardian *Fascinating . . . A World Beneath the Sands is more than a saga of foreigners in the desert – it also follows Egypt on its rocky path to the 20th century. * Economist *The story that strings these wonderful characters together is the steady professionalisation of Egyptology — the shift, as Wilkinson puts it, from 'scoundrels to scholars'. -- James McConnachie * Sunday Times *A gripping tale . . . excellent * Financial Times *The debate over the decolonization of Egyptology and the repatriation of artefacts has only just started. Wilkinson's elegantly written book provides a sound background and a useful biography that will allow readers to understand and participate in that debate. -- Joyce Tyldesley * BBC History Magazine *A fascinating story. -- Paul Zimansky * TLS *Riveting . . . Wilkinson is a consummate historian . . . He has mastered the facts with painstaking research and allowed them to speak for themselves. Rarely do the facts speak this clearly. * New York Times *Dramatic, detailed and eccentric-packed . . . as Toby Wilkinson shows, the discovery of lost monuments, grave goods and mummified corpses also stimulated the emergence of their true inheritors, the modern Egyptian nation. * Wall Street Journal *Vividly detailed * New Yorker *A superbly readable, magnificently entertaining, profoundly thoughtful and scholarly history of the bizarre and determined characters who burrowed into Egypt in comparatively recent history - and who all too often made away with their finds. You will want to read chunks of it aloud to anyone who happens to be around. -- Sue Gaisford * Tablet 'Books of the Year' *Wilkinson marshals a wealth of detail into a cohesive and entertaining narrative . . . an essential portrait * Publishers Weekly *Few can bring us ancient Egypt with such dynamism as Toby Wilkinson. In A World Beneath the Sands, he has excelled himself in bringing to life the intriguing and swashbuckling story of Egypt’s discovery. He shows us how much what we seek from the past has always told us about ourselves. -- Professor Michael Scott, author of Ancient Worlds: An Epic History of East and West and presenter of the BBC documentary series Ancient Invisible Cities: Cairo, Athens, Istanbul

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Book SynopsisThe book explores British art in relation to British India. It examines the aesthetic interactions initiated by the Anglo-Indian colonial encounter across the disciplines of painting, print-making, design, photography and architecture. It also considers the display of Indian artefacts at exhibitions in Britain and in India and presents the art of urban elites alongside popular arts and artefacts.Table of ContentsIntroduction – Renate Dohmen1 Painting in British India – Renate Dohmen2 Indian crafts and empire – Renate Dohmen3 Photography in colonial India – Steve Edwards4 Architecture, empire and India – Elizabeth McKellarConclusion – Renate DohmenIndex

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Book SynopsisBacked by Brazil’s wealthy agribusiness groups, a growing evangelical movement, and an emboldened military and police force, Jair Bolsonaro took office in 2019. Driven by the former army captain’s brand of controversial, aggressive rhetoric, the divisive presidential campaign saw fake news and misinformation shared with Bolsonaro’s tens of millions of social media followers.Bolsonaro promised simple solutions to Brazil’s rising violent crime, falling living standards and widespread corruption, but what has emerged is Latin America's most right-wing president since the military dictatorships of the 1970s. Famous for his racist, homophobic and sexist beliefs and his disregard for human rights, the so-called ‘Trump of the Tropics’ has established a reputation based on his polemical, sensationalist statements.Written by a journalist with decades of experience in the field, Beef, Bible and bullets is a compelling account of the origins of Brazil's unique brand of right-wing populism. Lapper offers the first major assessment of the Bolsonaro government and the growing tensions between extremist and moderate conservatives.Trade ReviewOne of The Financial Times' Top 10 Politics Books of 2021 One of The Economist's essential books for understanding Latin America'So often, there is a lack of context brought to news reporting of today's Brazil. Lapper masterfully brings us that necessary context, weaving first-hand accounts from primary sources together with a rigorous chronicle of the country’s recent history and politics. One of the clearest pictures of Brazil in 2021 and how it got there. A must-read for anyone covering Latin America.'Lucinda Elliott, journalist, The Times'Finally, a book that looks beyond easy narratives to explain the real reasons for Jair Bolsonaro’s rise. One of the world’s most knowledgeable experts on Brazil, Richard Lapper shows us not just the postcard image of Rio de Janeiro, but the country of Evangelical megachurches, cattle ranches, walled-off mansions and shopping malls that elected this total outsider. Beef, Bible and bullets is the best chronicle to date of how the “Trump of the Tropics” came to power.'Brian Winter, Editor-in-Chief, Americas Quarterly'This timely, well-researched book traces the cultural, economic and social roots of Brazil’s modern political transformation that Jair Bolsonaro captured in his unexpected path to the presidency. As such this colourful, readable book provides important insights into the social and political currents, beyond Brazil, that give rise to populism and that are shaping global politics.'Christopher Sabatini, Senior Fellow for Latin America, Chatham House'Drawing on sharp-eyed reporting and in-depth knowledge of Brazil, Richard Lapper has written a highly readable and informative account of the rise of Jair Bolsonaro and the damage he has done to his country.'Michael Reid, author of Brazil: The Troubled Rise of a Global Power'This is the best book in English on the rise to the Brazilian presidency of the volatile and polarising figure of Jair Bolsonaro. It also focuses on the emergence of Bolsonarismo, Brazil's version of national populism, and the base of support for and changing fortunes of the Bolsonaro administration in its first two years in power. Interspersing insightful portraits of Brazilians in different regions of the country with convincing explanations of events, Beef, Bible and bullets is an indispensable aid to the understanding of a political phenomenon that sometimes seems to defy logical analysis.'Anthony W. Pereira, Professor, Brazil Institute and Department of International Development, King's College London 'Lapper’s Beef, Bible and Bullets provides an excellent guide through Brazil’s current political complexities and the man who would be Trump. It is strongly recommended.'Scott B. MacDonald, Chief Economist at Smith’s Research & Gradings, Global Americans 'This is an engrossing read explaining and assessing the significance of Brazil's Trump. It's a must-read for anyone who wants to know more about the deeper trends in Brazilian politics and the dangers and prospects for the future.'Mike Davis, Chartist -- .Table of ContentsIntroduction1 The outsider2 Coming in from the cold3 The magic moment4 Dilma Rousseff and the rocky road to recession5 The foundations begin to shake6 A political implosion7 Fear and loathing in the favelas8 From utopia to dystopia9 And God told me to vote for Bolsonaro10 “Environment, environment, it’s a joke…”11 The Amazon is burning12 Tilting at windmills13 A president under pressure14 An unexpected bonanzaList of abbreviationsAcknowledgementsNotesIndex

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Book SynopsisWhat do we really know about how and where religions began, and how they spread? In this bold new book, award-winning author Robin Derricourt takes us on a journey through the birth and growth of several major religions, using history and archaeology to recreate the times, places and societies that witnessed the rise of significant monotheistic faiths. Beginning with Mormonism and working backwards through Islam, Christianity and Judaism to Zoroastrianism, Creating God opens up the conditions that allowed religious movements to emerge, attract their first followers and grow. Throughout history there have been many prophets: individuals who believed they were in direct contact with the divine, with instructions to spread a religious message. While many disappeared without trace, some gained millions of followers and established a lasting religion. In Creating God, Robin Derricourt has produced a brilliant, panoramic book that offers new insights on the origins of major religions and raises essential questions about why some succeeded where others failed.Trade Review‘Religions are among the most potent inventions of the human imagination. This magisterial study will help us understand them not as divine, but as human constructs.’Richard Holloway, author of Stories We Tell Ourselves'An intriguing and sensitively presented survey of the often surprising links and continuities between some of the world's great religions over three millennia.'Diarmaid MacCulloch, author of A History of Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years'Creating God is an attempt to recreate the worlds in which the founders of several major religions lived and laboured. The result is a book rich in detail, consummate in its scholarship, and revelatory in exposing for modern eyes the conditions that allowed religious movements to flourish. Derricourt’s approach is to work backwards chronologically through Mormonism, Islam, Christianity, Judaism to Zoroastrianism. The outcome of all this work is one of the most exciting books of modern times.'Queensland Reviewers Collective'If you are a student of Theology, History or simply someone who enjoys discovering much about the history of humanity, the good, the bad and the indifferent and where the fundamental beliefs that form a part of our society and bloody history were formed, Creating God is a very good place to begin. Fascinating, well researched and very readable Creating God is not a light read but one that is very worthwhile.'BlueWolf Reviews, Janet Mawdesley'The book is comprehensively annotated, and, in addition, contains a very useful ‘select’ bibliography for further reading. It provides an excellent entry point for those seeking secular perspectives on the origins of the five religions that are its focus, and for those seeking secular perspectives on the origins of religions more broadly'Journal of Religious History -- .Table of Contents1 Introduction: religions’ origins in context2 Frontiers of place and belief: Mormon origins and journeys3 Vision, faith and conquest: the source and power of Islam4 Rural Galilee to imperial cities: the beginnings and spread of Christianity5 Scribes, priests and exiles under foreign rule: the emergence of monotheistic Judaism6 Ahura Mazda and the enigmas of Zoroastrian origins7 Prophets, texts, religions and history: some conclusionsIndex

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Book SynopsisThe first account of one of the world’s most pressing humanitarian catastrophes.This eye-opening book reveals how China has used the US-led Global War on Terror as cover for its increasingly brutal suppression of the Uyghur people. China’s actions, it argues, have emboldened states around the globe to persecute ethnic minorities and severely repress domestic opposition in the name of combatting terrorism.Within weeks of the September 11 attacks on New York and Washington, the Chinese government announced that it faced a serious terrorist threat from its largely Muslim Uyghur ethnic minority. Nearly two decades later, of the 11 million Uyghurs living in China today, more than 1 million have been detained in so-called re-education camps, victims of what has become the largest program of mass incarceration and surveillance in the world.Drawing on extensive interviews with Uyghurs in Xinjiang, as well as refugee communities and exiles, Sean Roberts tells a story that is not just about state policies, but about Uyghur responses to these devastating government programs. Providing a lucid and far-reaching analysis of China’s cultural genocide, The War on the Uyghurs allows the voices of those caught up in the human tragedy to be heard for the first time.Trade Review‘This book should act as a wake-up call for policy-makers worldwide. Armed with the piercing and detailed analysis of the recent past in East Turkistan, and the graphic accounts of the present, no one has any further excuse for failing to grasp the full reality of the human tragedy that is taking place. Roberts de-mystifies the background, debunks the false excuses of the Chinese state, and presents the reality of the persecution unfolding before our eyes. None of us can afford to look away.’ Ben Emmerson QC, Former UN Special Rapporteur on Counter-Terrorism ‘Sean Roberts has done an immense service for all those who need to put headlines about Chinese repression of Uyghurs in recent years in proper context. Describing how the rhetoric and practices of the “Global War on Terror” since 2001 have led to the mass internment, persecution, and surveillance of the population, Sean Roberts shows that the Chinese campaign has chillingly aimed at nothing less than the destruction of Uyghur identity. This account is masterful, educational, and enraging by turns.’ Samuel Moyn, Professor of Law and History, Yale University, and author of Not Enough: Human Rights in an Unequal World ‘This is the back story behind one of the biggest stories in China – the incarceration of more than one million Uyghurs in a dystopian network of what are claimed to be reeducation camps. Who the Uyghurs are and how they came to be classified as terrorists is a story authoritatively told by Sean Roberts, who has spent three decades studying the Uyghurs and speaks the language. The publication of The War on the Uyghurs could not be more timely.’ Barbara Demick, former Beijing bureau chief, Los Angeles Times, and author of Nothing to Envy ‘In this highly readable account, Sean Roberts provides essential historical background to the Chinese Communist Party’s “Cultural Revolution” against the Uyghurs. Distinguished by his ability to read and speak the Uyghur language, Roberts challenges global terrorism experts, who failed to interrogate the Chinese government assertion that it was combating an international terrorism threat not an anti-colonial struggle.’ Lindsey Hilsum, Channel 4 News, author of In Extremis: the Life of War Correspondent Marie Colvin ‘I first came across the Uyghurs in Guantanamo Bay, where they were guilty of no more than fleeing Chinese repression across the closest border into Afghanistan. It is a sad truth that our American “War on Terror” has given licence to repressive regimes around the world to behave even worse, as Sean Roberts lucidly describes in detailing the tragedy of the Uyghurs.’ Clive Stafford Smith, Human Rights lawyer and founder of the charity Reprieve ‘Sophisticated, nuanced, and deeply informed. Sean Roberts offers broad insights into the ways the “Global War on Terror” has enabled authoritarian regimes around the world to repress minority populations.’ Michael Clarke, Associate Professor, National Security College, ANU College of Asia and the Pacific, and author of Xinjiang and China’s Rise in Central Asia: A History ‘Sean Roberts provides a comprehensive explanation for the current arbitrary mass detention of Uyghurs in China, an issue of global geopolitical significance. His book will likely become a standard reference for students on this topic.’ Max Oidtmann, author of Forging the Golden Urn: The Qing Empire and the Politics of Reincarnation in Tibet ‘A detailed, well-researched study of the ways in which the Xinjiang region in contemporary China has been linked with global terrorism by the central government, justifying extensive repressive measures. Sean Roberts offers a critique, and an indictment, of Beijing’s approach. Sobering and thought-provoking.’ Kerry Brown, Professor of Chinese Studies and Director, Lau China Institute, King’s College London ‘Giving voice to the Uyghurs themselves and drawing attention to this crisis, The War on the Uyghurs is striking, empathetic and deeply informative. Providing detail that only an expert can offer, Roberts documents what is perhaps today’s worst tragedy. Ultimately, Roberts’s contribution serves as a vital testament to the Chinese government’s strategic brutality in Xinjiang, the Uyghurs’ perilous position and the world’s failure to live up to its promise of ‘never again.’’ LSE Review of Books ‘Timely and important.’ The Times Literary Supplement ‘Roberts provides fascinating new details…revealing that organized Uighur militancy is almost entirely illusory.’ Foreign Affairs ‘Roberts’s analysis of the interaction between China’s settler colonialism and indigenous Uyghur resistance over the past ten years is far richer than what has been offered anywhere else. This is an extremely timely book, and badly needed.’ Rian Thum, author of The Sacred Routes of Uyghur History ‘A carefully researched study of Beijing’s repression in Xinjiang.’ Financial Times -- .Table of ContentsMap: Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous RegionForeword by Ben EmmersonPrefaceIntroduction1 Colonialism, 1759-20012 How the Uyghurs became a 'terrorist threat'3 Myths and realities of the alleged 'terrorist threat' associated with Uyghurs4 Colonialism meets counterterrorism, 2002-20125 The self-fulfilling prophecy and the ‘People’s War on Terror,’ 2013-20166 Cultural genocide, 2017-2020ConclusionA note on methodologyTransliteration and place namesList of figuresList of abbreviationsAcknowledgmentsNotesIndex

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Book SynopsisThe French air force of the First World War developed as fast as the British and German air forces, yet its history, and the enormous contribution it made to the eventual French victory, is often forgotten. So Ian Sumner's photographic history, which features almost 200 images, most of which have not been published before, is a fascinating and timely introduction to the subject. The fighter pilots, who usually dominate perceptions of the war in the air, play a leading role in the story, in particular the French aces, the small group of outstanding airmen whose exploits captured the publics imagination. Their fame, though, tends to distract attention from the ordinary unremembered airmen who formed the body of the air force throughout the war years. Ian Sumner tells their story too, as well as describing in a sequence of memorable photographs the less well-known branches of the service the bomber and reconnaissance pilots and the variety of primitive warplanes they flew.

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Book SynopsisBy some margin the most successful British medium-range airliner ever produced, the world-beating Viscount was a sublime combination of Vickers' state-of-the-art postwar design and Rolls-Royce's cutting-edge power-plant technology, both companies being at the very peak of their powers during the type's genesis and evolution. Tracing its origins back to the wartime Brabazon Committee, the Viscount was one of several designs from various British aircraft manufacturers produced to fulfill the committee's specifications for a fast, economical short- to medium-range airliner to satisfy the demands of the burgeoning postwar civil aviation market, which was predicted to grow at a healthy rate over the following decades. Vickers' chief designer and Managing Director George Edwards was quick to respond, the result being the Dart turboprop-powered Vickers V.630, which made its first flight in July 1948, despite its future looking uncertain after British European Airways having twenty examples of ordered its chief rival, Airspeed's Ambassador, six months before. The Viscount nevertheless entered full service with BEA in 1953, much to the relief of its manufacturer, orders flooding in thereafter from numerous airlines -- and air forces -- all over the world. Ultimately, some 200 individual airlines, companies and organizations in more than eighty countries operated the dependable and, crucially, development-friendly Viscount over its long and distinguished career. This book tells the full story of the world's first turboprop airliner, from its Brabazon Committee beginnings, through its early flight trials program and entry into service, to its almost unassailable position as the world's number one medium-haul turboprop, including its astonishing breakthrough in the USA, where it single-handedly broke the big American manufacturers' stranglehold on the airliner market. The type's military career is also covered, as is its construction; also included in this volume are details of the numerous variants produced and those of the 444 built still surviving as exhibits today, along with twenty-four superb artworks by world-renowned aviation illustrator Juanita Franzi.

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Book SynopsisThis is a companion volume to Friedman s highly successful _British Battleship 1906 1946_ and completes his study of the Royal Navy s capital ships. Beginning with the earliest installation of steam machinery in ships of the line, the book traces the technological revolution that saw the introduction of iron hulls, armour plate, shell-firing guns and the eventual abandonment of sail as auxiliary propulsion. This hectic development finally settled down to a widely approved form of pre-dreadnought battleship, built in large numbers and culminating in the _King Edward VII_ class. As with all of his work, Friedman is concerned to explain why as well as how and when these advances were made, and locates British ship design firmly within the larger context of international rivalries, domestic politics and economic constraints. The result is a sophisticated and enlightening overview of the Royal Navy s battle fleet in the latter half of the nineteenth century. It is also well illustrated a comprehensive gallery of photographs with in-depth captions is accompanied by specially commissioned plans of the important classes by A D Baker III, and a colour section featuring the original Admiralty draughts, including a spectacular double gatefold. Norman Friedman is one of the most highly regarded of all naval writers, with an avid following, so for anyone with an interest in warships, the publication of this work will be a major event.

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Book SynopsisThe McDonnell Douglas F4 Phantom was a true multi-role combat aircraft. Introduced into the RAF in 1968, it was employed in ground attack, air reconnaissance and air defence roles. Later, with the arrival of the Jaguar in the early 1970s, it changed over to air defence. In its heyday, it served as Britain s principal Cold War fighter; there were seven UK-based squadrons plus the Operational Conversion Unit, two Germany-based squadrons and a further Squadron deployed to the Falkland Islands. Phantom in the Cold War focuses predominantly on the aircraft s role as an air defence fighter, exploring the ways in which it provided the British contribution to the Second Allied Tactical Air Force at RAF Wildenrath, the home of Nos. 19 and 92 Squadrons during the Cold War. As with his previous books, the author, who flew the Phantom operationally, recounts the thrills, challenges and consequences of operating this sometimes temperamental jet at extreme low-level over the West German countryside, preparing for a war which everyone hoped would never happen.

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Book SynopsisProperty title deeds are perhaps the most numerous sources of historical evidence but also one of the most neglected. While the information any one deed contains can often be reduced to a few lines, it can be of critical importance for family and local historians. Nat Alcock's handbook aims to help the growing army of enthusiastic researchers to use the evidence of these documents, without burying them in legal technicalities. It also reveals how fascinating and rewarding they can be once their history, language and purpose are understood. A sequence of concise, accessible chapters explains why they are so useful, where they can be found and how the evidence they provide can be extracted and applied. Family historians will find they reveal family, social and financial relationships and local historians can discover from them so much about land ownership, field and place names, the history of buildings and the expansion of towns and cities. They also bring our ancestors into view in the fullness of life, not just at birth, marriage and death, and provide more rounded pictures of the members of a family tree.

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Book SynopsisHave you ever wondered what it would have been like to live in the nineteenth century? How would you have got a partner in a ballroom? What would you have done with a letter of introduction? And where would you have sat in a carriage? Covering all these nineteenth-century dilemmas and more, this book is your must-have guide to the etiquette of our well-heeled forebears. As it takes you through the intricacies of rank, the niceties of the street, the good conduct that was desired in the ballroom and the awkward blunders that a lady or gentleman would of course have wanted to avoid, you will discover an abundance of etiquette advice from across the century. Elegant Etiquette is a lively, occasionally tongue-in-cheek and thoroughly detailed history of nineteenth century manners and conduct. Drawing upon research into contemporary advice and guidance, Elegant Etiquette is both fun and compelling reading for anyone with an interest in this period. In exploring the expectations of behaviour and etiquette, it seeks to bring the world of the nineteenth century back to life.

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Book SynopsisThe Byzantine empire was one of the most powerful forces in the Mediterranean and Near East for over a thousand years. Strong military organization, in particular widespread fortifications, was essential for its defence. Yet this aspect of its history is often neglected, and no detailed overview has been published for over thirty years. That is why Nikos Kontogiannis's ambitious account of Byzantine fortifications -their construction and development and their role in times of war -is such a valuable and timely publication. His ambitious study combines the results of decades of wide-ranging archaeological work with an account of the armies, weapons, tactics and defensive strategies of the empire throughout its long history. Fortifications built in every region of the empire are covered, from those in Mesopotamia, Syria and Africa, to those in Asia Minor, the Aegean and the Balkan peninsula. This all-round survey is essential reading and reference for anyone with a special interest in the Byzantine empire and in the wider history of fortification.

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Book SynopsisThe technical details of British warships were recorded in a set of plans produced by the builders on completion of every ship. Known as the as fitted general arrangements, these drawings documented the exact appearance and fitting of the ship as it entered service. They were very large more than 12 feet long for capital ships highly detailed, annotated and labelled, and drawn with exquisite skill in multi-coloured inks and washes. Intended to provide a permanent reference for the Admiralty and the dockyards, they represent the acme of the draughtsman s art. Today these plans form part of the incomparable collection of the National Maritime Museum at Greenwich, which is using the latest scanning technology to make digital copies of the highest quality. This book is the first of a series based entirely on these draughts which will depict famous warships in an unprecedented degree of detail complete sets in full colour, with many close-ups and enlargements that make every aspect clear and comprehensible. Extensive captions point the reader to important features to be found in the plans, and an introduction covers the background to the design. The celebrated battleship _Warspite_ is an ideal introduction to this new series an apparently familiar subject, but given this treatment the result is an anatomy that will fascinate every warship enthusiast and ship modeller.Trade ReviewRobert Brown's Battleship Warspite: Detailed in the Original Builder's Plans is an exciting new addition to my naval bookshelf. It is highly recommended for naval professionals and interested naval enthusiasts. The next books in this series Cruiser Birmingham and Aircraft Carrier Victorious should also be equally rewarding." --Australian Naval Institute "This is an incomparable reference work, absolutely ideal for serious enthusiasts and model makers." --Warship

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The American campaign to capture Okinawa, codename Operation ICEBERG was fought from 1 April to 22 June 1945\. 350 miles from Japan, Okinawa was intended to be the staging area for the Allied invasion of the Japanese mainland. The Japanese Thirty Second Army defenders were on land and the Imperial Navy at sea fought tenaciously. They faced the US Tenth Army, comprising the US Army XXIV Corps and the US Marines' III Amphibious Corps. As the author of this superb Images of War book describes in words and pictures this was one of the most bitterly fought and costly campaigns of the Second World War. Ground troops faced an enemy whose vocabulary did not include 'surrender' and at sea the US Fifth Fleet, supported by elements of the Royal Navy, had to contend with kamikaze ('divine wind') attacks by suicide air attacks and over 700 explosive laden suicide boats. The Okinawa campaign is synonymous with American courage and determination to defeat a formidably ruthless enemy. The campaign was the subject of 'Hacksaw Ridge' , the recent Hollywood blockbuster - this is the real story.

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Book SynopsisToday travellers by land, sea and air take accurate navigation for granted but it was not always thus. The author, a highly experienced sailor, sets out to record the development of navigational techniques from the earliest time, five millenniums ago. As explorers started to venture offshore into the unknown they had to rely on the sun and stars for direction. From this pioneers turned to mathematics, astrolobes, sextants and increasing accurate clocks to measure latitude and later longitude. More recently major breakthroughs with electronic navigation, GPS and other satellite systems have revolutionised travel. Focusing primarily but not exclusively on marine navigation, the author weaves a fascinating course through the successes and failures of mankind's quest to explore his world. The result is a thoroughly entertaining and informative work which has no rival.

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Book SynopsisThe Despensers were a baronial English family who rose to great prominence in the reign of Edward II (1307-27) when Hugh Despenser the Younger became the king's chamberlain, favourite and perhaps lover. He and his father Hugh the Elder wielded great influence, and Hugh the Younger's greed and tyranny brought down a king for the first time in English history and almost destroyed his own family. Rise and Fall tells the story of the ups and downs of this fascinating family from the thirteenth to the fifteenth centuries, when three Despenser lords were beheaded and two fell in battle. We begin with Hugh the justiciar, who died rebelling against King Henry III and his son in 1265, and end with Thomas Despenser, summarily beheaded in 1400 after attempting to free a deposed Richard II, and Thomas's posthumous daughter Isabella, a countess twice over and the grandmother of Richard III's queen. From the medieval version of Prime Ministers to the (possible) lovers of monarchs, the aristocratic Despenser family wielded great power in medieval England. Drawing on the popular intrigue and infamy of the Despenser clan, Kathryn Warner's book traces the lives of the most notorious, powerful and influential members of this patrician family over a 200 year span.

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Book SynopsisSent to France in August 1914 the North Irish Horse (NIH) were the first British reservist regiment to see action (at Le Cateau) before fighting as rearguard on the long retreat to the outskirts of Paris. For the next four years they saw action in many of the major battles (Ypres, Somme, Passchendaele, Cambrai) and were involved in the final advance to victory. The book not only describes the Regiments actions by squadron but focusses on the officers and men; their background, motivation and courageous deeds and sacrifices. The author places the Regiments achievement in the context of the overall war and also reflects on the effect that unfolding events (eg the Easter Rising) in Northern Ireland had on the Regiment and its members. The book draws on a wealth of primary source material, much unpublished including war diaries, personal accounts, letters and memoirs. Thus in addition to compiling the first history of the NIH, the author succeeds in painting a valuable picture of The Great War at the fighting end

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Book SynopsisIn the summer of 1845, Sir John Franklin and a crew of 128 men entered Lancaster Sound on board HMS Erebus and HMS Terror in search of a Northwest Passage. The sturdy former bomb ships were substantially strengthened and fitted with the latest technologies for polar service and, at the time, were the most advanced sailing vessels developed for Polar exploration. Both ships, but especially HMS Terror, had already proven their capabilities in the Arctic and Antarctic. With such sophisticated, rugged, and successful vessels, victory over the Northwest Passage seemed inevitable, yet the entire crew vanished, and the ships were never seen again by Europeans. Finally, in 2014, the wreck of HMS Erebus was discovered by Parks Canada. Two years later, the wreck of HMS Terror was found, sitting upright, in near pristine condition. The extraordinarily well-preserved state and location of the ships, so far south of their last reported position, raises questions about the role they played in the tragedy. Did the extraordinary capabilities of the ships in fact contribute to the disaster? Never before has the Franklin Mystery been comprehensively examined through the lens of its sailing technology. This book documents the history, design, modification, and fitting of HMS Terror, one of the world's most successful polar exploration vessels. Part historical narrative and part technical design manual, this book provides, for the first time, a complete account of Terror's unique career, as well as an assessment of her sailing abilities in polar conditions, a record of her design specifications, and a full set of accurate plans of her final 1845 configuration. Based on meticulous historical research, the book details the ship's every bolt and belaying pin, and ends with the discovery and identification of the wreck in 2016, explaining how the successes and ice-worthiness of Terror may have contributed to the Franklin disaster itself. It is an ideal reference for those interested in the Franklin Mystery, in polar exploration, the Royal Navy, and in ship design and modelling.

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