History Books

Book SynopsisIn the Arena profiles 34 American leaders who captured their party’s nomination for the presidency, but never reached the Oval Office. Author Peter Shea tells of the rise, early career, campaign and later achievements of historical giants like Aaron Burr and Henry Clay, up through modern candidates Mitt Romney and Hillary Clinton. A foreword by 1988 candidate Michael Dukakis gives readers more personal insight into what it’s like to run for one of the most powerful positions in the world – and come up short. Photos of monuments and other memorials accompany each subject, along with campaign memorabilia, illustrating the legacy many of these candidates left behind after relinquishing their dreams of serving as President of the United States. In a speech that gave the book its name, President Theodore Roosevelt gave ultimate credit “to the man who is actually in the arena…who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.” In the Arena honors, in words and pictures, their courage and sacrifices.Trade Review"Who knew losers could be so interesting? Fans of American history will find hours of engaging reading in this book." — Booklist"If you are a student of history, especially American History, you will love this book." — Kevin Eikenberry on Leadership & Learning

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Book SynopsisFrom the world of Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls comes a historical novel based on the life of Dr. Wangari Maathai, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning activist and environmentalist from Kenya.Wangari lives in the lush, green, land of rural Kenya where the soil is perfect for planting, the trees tower into the sky, and the streams are full of mysterious creatures. All day, she plays beneath her favorite fig tree, and at night she gathers around the fire with her family to listen to her mother's stories.Then Wangari grows up and goes away to school, and things start changing at home. Farmers chop down the trees. Landslides bury the stream. The soil becomes overworked and dry, and nothing will grow. People go hungry. After all her studies, Dr. Wangari Maathai realizes there is a simple solution to these problems: plant a forest full of trees.Dr. Wangari Maathai Plants a Forest is the story of environmentalist and activist Dr. Wangari Maathai, who became the first African woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. It's also a story about the importance of making your voice heard, and using that voice to protect the natural world.This historical fiction chapter book includes additional text on Dr. Wangari Maathai's lasting legacy, as well as educational activities designed to encourage caring for the planet and believing in the power of one.About the Rebel Girls Chapter Book SeriesMeet extraordinary real-life heroines in the Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls chapter book series! Introducing stories based on the lives of extraordinary women in global history, each stunningly designed chapter book features beautiful illustrations from a female artist as well as bonus activities in the backmatter to encourage kids to explore the various fields in which each of these women thrived. The perfect gift to inspire any young reader!

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Book SynopsisAll landscapes are built on rock: from hard stone for building with, to the softest clay or sand. Each piece of rock is a storehouse of prehistorical information; even a simple pebble from the garden has its own complex tale to tell. Geology is the great detective science that can unlock these secrets. In this entertaining and eye-opening book, the authors take a deep dive – quite literally – into their home county of Essex. We are all living in an ice age, an ongoing event that has hugely affected Essex over the last 3 million years. Yet this county was born more than 500 million years ago. Our story begins when the land we know as Essex was part of a large continent close to the South Pole, tracing the geological processes that continue to shape the countryside around us. The form of the land, boulders on village greens, road cuttings, cliffs, stones in church walls – they can all bring geology to light in unexpected and fascinating ways. Aimed at a general readership with no scientific background but equally appealing to the seasoned geologist, chapters progress from fundamentals to intricate details of geological investigations and cutting-edge research. Richly illustrated with photographs and colour diagrams, here the geology of a county is visualised and brought to life as never before, along with pertinent environmental insights in the light of climate change that is happening now.Trade ReviewI have one word left for this book 'brilliant'. -- Chris Darmon * Down to Earth *I was stunned by the quality of the photographs and diagrams which support the clear and lucid text...Ian and Ros Mercer take the reader on a fascinating journey encompassing Essex's geological history. -- Nicholas Pierpoint, Magazine of the Geologists' AssociationThe authors have done a great service to the naturalist community in producing enjoyable, readable text without sacrificing erudition...Essential for anyone with an interest in Essex and soft-rock landscapes, this book is also for the person who just thinks they might be interested. After a few minutes you surely will be. -- Dr Chris Gibson, British Naturalists AssociationI thoroughly recommend this book. It is one of the best I have reviewed in recent years. -- Jon Trevelyan, Deposits MagThis book is an exemplary treatment of the subject and is highly recommended. -- Mick Massie * The London Naturalist *Table of Contents1. Reconstructing Essex 2. The rocks of Essex 3. The deep history of Essex 4. The geological structure of Essex 5. The drowning of the island 6. Seashores and swamps 7. Palm trees and crocodiles 8. Giant sharks and shell banks 9. Ice age Essex 10. Looking into the Essex landscape 11. Uncovering Essex geology 12. Rock and people 13. The future of Essex rock Sites and views of Essex Geological collections and displays Index Maps and charts About the authors

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Book SynopsisFor as long as the British monarchy has existed, royal children have been brought up in ways that seem bizarre and eccentric to the rest of us. From medieval wet nurses to today's Norland nannies and elite boarding schools, princes and princesses have endured parental abandonment for centuries as their parents farmed out childrearing duties to paid staff. And as this marvellous romp of a book demonstrates, dysfunctional childhood experiences produce emotionally damaged adults, as evidenced by Edward VIII - who was horribly mistreated by his nanny - and his marriage to his substitute mother figure, Mrs Simpson; by alcoholic party girl Princess Margaret; and by rebellious Harry and his desperate desire to adopt Meghan Markle's world view, to the detriment of his relationship with his brother. Interweaving exclusive testimonies from palace staff with historical sources, Tom Quinn also uncovers outrageous tales of royal children misbehaving, often hilariously - from Edward VII smashing up his schoolroom to the Queen mischievously pranking unsuspecting visitors with dog biscuits to Prince William pinching a teacher's bottom. Amusing and shocking in equal measure, Gilded Youth examines how the royal family has clung to outmoded traditions that centre on emotional coldness and detachment, and how, when it comes to children, the British royal family is still living in the Dark Ages.

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Book SynopsisThe courageous pilots of the Royal Air Force who faced the Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain, affectionately known as 'the Few', are rightly hailed as heroes. Recently, efforts have been made to recognise the thousands who supported RAF operations behind the scenes. And yet one group remains missing from the narrative: the Women's Auxiliary Air Force. WAAFs worked within the Dowding System, the world's most sophisticated air defence network. Throughout the Blitz, they used radar to aid Fighter and Bomber Commands in protecting Britain's civilians. WAAFs were also behind the discovery of the terrifying German V-weapons. Their work was critical ahead of the Normandy landings and they were present in their hundreds at Bletchley Park. In this thrilling book, Sarah-Louise Miller celebrates their wartime contribution to British military intelligence. Hidden behind the Few but vital to their success, WAAFs supplied the RAF with life-saving information. Here, for the first time, is their story.

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Book SynopsisA fascinating history of women's belief, faith and spirituality, as told through the art and writing of over 30 women of wisdom.

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Book SynopsisThe era that inspired Stranger Things...The 1980s were marked by the rise of conservative politics, the outbreak of the AIDS epidemic and, at the decade''s close, the crumbling of the Berlin Wall an event that heralded the start of a new age in global politics. Culturally, there was an explosion of creativity while material wealth and consumerism were on the rise. Icons such as Madonna and Michael Jackson dominated the music charts, groundbreaking films like E.T. captured hearts and the rise of cable television led to an abundance of entertainment options.Packed full of fabulous facts and fascinating quotes, this little book explores the key events, icons and ideas that defined the coolest of decades.Mr Gorbachev, tear down this wall! Ronald Reagan, 1987I am not less life-loving than you are. But I cannot sell my birthright, nor am I prepared to sell the birthright of the people to be free. Nelson

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Book SynopsisThe second volume in John Grainger's history of the Seleukid Empire is devoted to the reign of Antiochus III. Too often remembered only as the man who lost to the Romans at Magnesia, Antiochus is here revealed as one of the most powerful and capable rulers of the age. Having emerged from civil war in 223 as the sole survivor of the Seleukid dynasty, he shouldered the burdens of a weakened and divided realm. Though defeated by Egypt in the Fourth Syrian War, he gradually restored full control over the empire. His great Eastern campaign took Macedonian arms back to India for the first time since Alexander's day and, returning west, he went on to conquer Thrace and finally wrest Syria from Ptolemaic control. Then came intervention in Greece and the clash with Rome leading to the defeat at Magnesia and the restrictive Peace of Apamea. Despite this, Antiochus remained ambitious, campaigning in the East again; when he died in 187 BC the empire was still one of the most powerful states in the world.

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Book SynopsisReplete with color photographs, drawings, and maps of Viking sites, artifacts, and landscapes, this book celebrates and explores the Viking saga from the combined perspectives of history, archaeology, oral tradition, literature, and natural science. The book''s contributors chart the spread of marauders and traders in Europe as well as the expansion of farmers and explorers throughout the North Atlantic and into the New World. They show that Norse contacts with Native American groups were more extensive than has previously been believed, but that the outnumbered Europeans never established more than temporary settlements in North America.

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Book SynopsisPaul Hazard’s magisterial, widely influential, and beloved  intellectual history offers an unforgettable account of the birth of the modern European mind in all its dynamic, inquiring, and uncertain glory. Beginning his story in the latter half of the seventeenth century, while also looking back to the Renaissance and forward to the future, Hazard traces the process by which new developmentsin the sciences, arts, philosophy, and philology came to undermine the stable foundations of the classical world, with its commitment to tradition, stability, proportion, and settled usage. Hazard shows how travelers’ tales and archaeological investigation widened European awareness and acceptance of cultural difference; how the radical rationalism of Spinoza and Richard Simon’s new historical exegesis of the Bible called into question the revealed truths of religion; how the Huguenot Pierre Bayle’s critical dictionary of ideas paved the way for Voltaire and the Enlightenment, even as the empiricism of Locke encouraged a new attention to sensory experience that led to Rousseau and romanticism. Hazard’s range of knowledge is vast, and whether the subject is operas, excavations, or scientific experiments his brilliant style and powers of description bring to life the thinkers who thought up the modern world.

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Book SynopsisWhy Political Democracy Must Go is an insightful analysis of the origins of the socialist movement in the United States, written by famed journalist John Reed, one of the most distinguished American writers on the subject. Although one of socialism?s fiercest proponents, Reed exposes the myth of ?democratic socialism? by providing an overview of the development of socialist thought in America. His devastating critique of political democracy argues that socialism cannot be achieved through democratic means.Originally published in 1919 in serial form, Why Political Democracy Must Go provides critical historical insight on the evolution of socialist thought in the United States. Today, when there is renewed interest in socialism on the American political scene, this notable series of essays reveals the underpinnings of socialist thought. Reed?s analysis will be of interest to those on all sides of the political spectrum.Born in Portland, Oregon, on October 22, 1887, Harvard educated John Reed was considered one of the most remarkable journalists of his generation. He became famous for his first-hand accounts of the Mexican Revolution, where he rode alongside Pancho Villa, and for his acclaimed account of the Russian Revolution, Ten Days that Shook the World. Reed was also a political activist and a founding member of the Communist Labor Party of America. He died in Russia on October 17, 1920, and is one of only three Americans buried in the Kremlin Wall.Why Political Democracy Must Go: The Origins of Socialism in the United States is edited, with an introduction by Dr. A.K. Brackob, a noted historian, and editor of John Reed?s collection of writings, Romania during World War I: Observations of an American Journalist (2018).

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Book SynopsisThe story of how the 11th Armored Cavalry overcame the perception that Vietnam was an infantry war, and demonstrated what armor could do in an insurgency.Finalist, 2020 Army Historical Foundation Distinguished Writing AwardsWhen the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment came ashore at Vung Tau, South Vietnam, in September 1966, it faced a number of challenges. The enemy—Viet Cong (VC) and North Vietnamese Army (NVA)—was, of course, the most critical challenge. But the terrain and weather were also factors that could adversely affect the employment of both armored vehicles and helicopters alike. The dearth of doctrine and tactics for the employment of armored cavalry in a counterinsurgency was equally challenging—especially during the pre-deployment training and initial combat operations.But just as importantly, there was an institutional bias within the Army that an insurgency was an infantryman’s war. Despite the thick jungle and monsoonal rains, despite the lack of doctrinal guidance, Blackhorse leaders found a way to overcome the obstacles and accomplish the mission. Within a year of their arrival in Vietnam, Blackhorse troopers overcame ambushes that featured volleys of anti-tank weapons, multitudes of mines, and coordinated assaults by reinforced enemy regiments against troop-sized positions. They defeated an entire enemy division twice their size. Most importantly, the 11th Cavalry successfully demonstrated the ability to operate on and off the roads, in the jungle, and during both the wet and dry seasons. By the spring of 1967, Army leaders were beginning to realize the value of armored forces in Vietnam. With the Blackhorse Regiment leading the way, armor was considered an essential part of the combat team.This is a history of the Blackhorse Regiment in the Vietnam War, and the stories of some of the 20,000 young Americans who served in its ranks during the war.Table of ContentsIntroduction Chapter One: Preparing for War Chapter Two: The Blackhorse Enters Combat Chapter Three: The Fight Intensifies Chapter Four: The Blackhorse Makes Its Reputation Chapter Five: The Bloodiest Year Chapter Six: Expanding the War Chapter Seven: Mission Accomplished Epilogue: Blackhorse Forever Appendix 1:History and Patch of the Eleventh United States Cavalry Regiment Appendix 2: Glossary Appendix 3: Firepower Comparison Appendix 4: Blackhorse Medal of Honor Recipients Notes Bibliography

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Book SynopsisThe defeat that Rear-Admiral Sir Christopher Cradock suffered at Coronel in 1914 at the hands of Maximilian Graf von Spee, one of Germany's most brilliant naval commanders, was the most humiliating blow to British naval prestige since the eighteenth century and a defeat that had to be avenged immediately. On 8 December 1914, the German squadron steamed towards Port Stanley, unaware that in the harbour lay two great British battle-cruisers, the 'Invincible' and 'Inflexible'. Realizing this, Spee had no option but to turn and flee. Hour by hour during that long day, the British ships closed in until, eventually, Spee was forced to confront the enemy. With extraordinary courage, and against hopeless odds, the German cruisers fought to the bitter end. At five-thirty that afternoon, the last ship slowly turned and rolled to the bottom. Cradock and Britain had been avenged.

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Book Synopsis'Illuminating, thoughtful and scholarly' FINANCIAL TIMES'Does a fascinating job of exploring the history of women's bodies' GREG JENNER'Mind-blowing, fascinating stuff' BBC WOMAN'S HOUR'Delightful, timely and critical' CAT BOHANNON, author of EVE'Weaves historical knowledge of medicine, anatomy, literature, art and religion into a narrative that surprises, informs, excites and frequently amuses' ADRIAN THATCHER, author of VILE BODIESThroughout history, religious scholars, medical men and - occasionally - women themselves, have moulded thought on what 'makes' a woman. She has been called the weaker sex, the fairer sex, the purer sex, among many other monikers. Often, she has been defined simply as 'Not A Man'. Today, we are more aware than ever of the complex relationship between our bodies and our identities. But contrary to what some may believe, what makes a woman is a question that has always been open-ended. Immaculate Forms examines all the ways in which medicine and religion hav

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Book SynopsisAn illumination of the glittering history of fireworks.

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Book SynopsisThe Cultures of Ancient Xinjiang, Western China: Crossroads of the Silk Roads unveils the ancient secrets of Xinjiang, western China, one of the least known but culturally rich and complex regions located at the heart of Asia. Historically, Xinjiang has been the geographic hub of the Silk Roads, serving international links between cultures to the west, east, north and south. Trade, artefacts, foods, technologies, ideas, beliefs, animals and people have traversed the glacier covered mountain and desert boundaries. Perhaps best known for the Taklamakan desert, whose name translates in the Uyghur language as ‘You can go in, you will never come out’, here the region is portrayed as the centre of an ancient Bronze Age culture, revealed in the form of the famous Tarim Mummies and their grave goods. Three authoritative chapters by Chinese archaeologists appear here for the first time in English, giving international audiences direct access to the latest research ranging from the central-eastern Xiaohe region to the western valleys of the Bortala and Yili Rivers. Other contributions by European, Australian and Chinese archaeologists address the many complexities of the cultural exchanges that ranged from Mongolia, through to Kashgar, South Asia, Central Asia and finally Europe in pre-modern times.Trade Review'This is a major achievement in Xinjiang archeology. The editors and authors are to be warmly congratulated for making available to researchers worldwide a rich assemblage of raw data that has been carefully described and informatively analyzed. The forthright presentation of so much primary evidence for civilization during the Bronze and Iron Age constitutes a tremendous breakthrough in Xinjiang archeology.' -- Victor Mair * Asian Ethnicity, Volume 22, Issue 1 *'... the volume as a whole is outstanding. It gives readers a new view on the recent development of archaeology in Xinjiang and helps bridge the gap between Chinese and Western scholarship on this heartland of the Silk Roads. Researchers interested in the ancient cultures of Xinjiang will find it useful for informing them about recent research progress and stimulating inspiration for future directions.' -- Yuqi LI * Asian Perspectives, Volume 60 *'This is an invaluable set of essays dedicated to dating, identifying and analyzing material culture, funerary features and crops in the modern province of Xinjiang. Often claimed as the entry point of exchange between the eastern world leading to China and the west, these essays document evidence for this interaction through object-based study by using formal analysis and discuss­ing use patterns non-local items. The application of scien­tific methods to date and identify plant residues, and to investigate metallurgical details of manufacture including sources of ores adds immeasurably to our ability to under­stand the processes by which such exchanges took place.' -- Katherin M. Linduff * Orientalistische Literaturzeitung, Vol 116.2 *

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Book SynopsisSpectacle and Display: A Modern History of Britain’s Roman Mosaic Pavements is the first narrative to explore responses and attitudes to mosaics, not just at the point of discovery but during their subsequent history. It is a field which has received scant attention in the literature and provides a compelling insight into the agency of these spectacular remains. Analysis shows how mosaics have influenced and have been instrumental in the commodification of the past, the development of conservation practice and promoting the rise of the archaeologist. ‘The most spectacular remains of Roman Britain’ is a familiar description applied to the discovery of mosaics floors. They are exceptional symbols of Roman life in the province of Britannia and each new discovery is eagerly reported in the press. Yet one estimate suggested that 75% of all known mosaics from Britain have been lost, and they are commonly displayed out of context, wall mounted as artwork in museums and exhibitions and far from their role as floors. This is a contested narrative in which spectacle and survival, conservation and fine art, ownership and curation provide the discourse and texts of contemporary attitudes.Table of ContentsPreface ; 1. Mosaics Make a Site ; 2. Politics, aristocrats and antiquarians from the earliest discoveries to taste and vertue ; 3. Taste, entertainment and recreation from private patronage to popular display ; 4. Guardians, caretakers and museums – mosaics in the 19th century ; 5. The rise of the professional: the influence of state, profession and community to the mid-20th century ; 6. Crises and response 1970s – 1990s ; 7. The Most Spectacular Roman Remains in Britain ; 8. The glory of Rome? – Mosaics in the face of uncertainty 2000-2016 ; 9. Postscript ; 10. Bibliography

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Book SynopsisWater in the Roman World: Engineering, Trade, Religion and Daily Life offers a wide and expansive new treatment of the role water played in the lives of people across the Roman world. Individual papers deal with ports and their lighthouses; with water engineering, whether for canals in the north-west provinces, or for the digging of wells for drinking water, and for multiple other purposes; with baths for swimming; and with spas. Further papers explore religion in water-sanctuaries and the deposition of objects in rivers as well as deities connected with water, including river gods and nymphs. A final chapter provides an overview of subjects not fully covered elsewhere, including warships and naval battles, trade and navigation, aqueducts, fishing and fish-farming, and literary response to watery landscapes, rivers and lakes. The latter include works by great landowners such as the younger Pliny with his Laurentine villa beside the sea west of Rome or by poets, among them Catullus enjoying Lake Garda and Ausonius with his loving description of the River Moselle. The contributors address the subject in a variety of different ways, as Classicists drawing largely on literature, archaeologists with experience of excavating the watery environment, and art-historians. The papers range from the theoretical, with particular interest in materiality, to more lyrical approaches which address the Romans with their problems as well as their pleasures.Trade Review'Water in the Roman World is a strong addition to our understanding of both water and waterways under the Romans, and how they are analysed and interpreted by archaeologists and academics. It is an invaluable, accessible contribution to the topic, and would make an excellent addition to the collections both of scholars and of those with more general interests.' – Andrew Tibbs (2023): Current Archaeology Issue 395'This volume is extremely successful in that it brings together a number of different authors, who all provide new perspectives, often through new evidence, on how water was used and perceived. It should be noted that readers looking for the most up-to-date bibliography will not always find that in some chapters, such as in Henig’s. But that certainly does not detract from the work, which is a valuable resource for those wishing to plunge deeper into Roman water.' – Dylan K Rogers (2023): Current World Archaeology, March 2023'The articles in the volume are brilliantly written and understandable, the arguments are convincing... Overall, the contributions convey fundamental insights and provide important suggestions for future research.' [translated] – Helmuth Schneider (2023): Bryn Mawr Classical Review Table of ContentsPreface ; Water and Why Materiality Matters in Roman Studies – Jason Lundock ; Iconography of the Lighthouse in Roman Antiquity: Symbolism, Identity and Power Across the Mediterranean – Federico Ugolini ; Roman Offensive Planning: Shaping the Lower Rhine Waterscape – Stijn Heeren and Mark Driessen ; ‘Springs Sumptuously Equipped’: Meanings of Water at Bath – Eleri Cousins ; If Swimming Was Not a Serious Activity for the Greeks and Romans, They Would Not Have Had Swimming Pools – Jenny Amphaeris and Martin Henig ; The Social Lives of Wells in Roman Britain and Beyond – James Gerrard ; Aspects of the Iconography of River Gods in Roman Britain – Penny Coombe ; What Lies Beneath? Interpreting the Romano-British Assemblage from the River Tees at Piercebridge, County Durham – Philippa Walton and Hella Eckardt ; Water and Liminality in Pre-Roman Gaul – Aaron Irvin ; Worship of the Nymphs at Aquae Iasae (Roman Pannonia Superior): Cognition, Ritual, and Sacred Space – Blanka Misic ; An Empire Written on Water: A Personal View – Martin Henig ; Author Biographies

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Book SynopsisThe Roman villa of Punta Eolo is a large pavilion villa' on the northern promontory of the island of Ventotene. It extends into the sea for about 300 m in length and 100 m in width, and covers an area of three hectares which surrounded a small harbour. Originally conceived as an otium villa, from 2 BC to 3 AD it became the place of exile of Iulia Maior, the daughter of the emperor Augustus, who had been sentenced for adultery. In the following decades the villa continued to be used as an imperial prison' for four female members of the imperial family. A large number of fragmentary frescoes, stuccoes, pavement revetments and Campana reliefs were brought to light in the residential area of the Villa during the archaeological excavations by G.M. De Rossi in the years 1990-2005. The present study is the outcome of a long and patient work of documentation and analysis of this material.

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Book SynopsisKate Webb, an Australian iconoclast, Catherine Leroy, a French dare devil photographer, and Frances FitzGerald, a blue-blood American intellectual, arrived in Vietnam with starkly different life experiences but one shared purpose: to report on the most consequential story of the decade.At a time when women were considered unfit to be foreign reporters, Frankie, Catherine and Kate paid their own way to war, arrived without jobs, challenged the rules imposed on them by the military, ignored the belittlement and resentment of their male peers and found new ways to explain the war through the people who lived through it.In You Don't Belong Here, Elizabeth Becker uses these women's work and lives to illuminate the Vietnam War from the 1965 American buildup, through the Tet Offensive, the expansion into Cambodia, the American defeat and its aftermath. Arriving herself in the last years of the war, Elizabeth writes as an historian and a witness to what these women accomplished.What emerges is an unforgettable story of three journalists forging their place in a land of men, often at great personal sacrifice, and forever altering the craft of war reportage for generations. Deeply reported and filled with personal letters, interviews, and profound insight, You Don't Belong Here fills a void in the history of women and of war.

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Book Synopsis'A wonderful idea, gloriously put into practice. Greg Jenner is as witty as he is knowledgeable' - Tom Holland'You will love Greg Jenner's jolly account of how we have more in common with our ancestors than we might think ... all human life is here, amusingly conveyed in intriguing nuggets of gossipy historical anecdote' - Daily MailEvery day, from the moment our alarm clock wakes us in the morning until our head hits our pillow at night, we all take part in rituals that are millennia old. In this gloriously entertaining romp through human history - featuring new updates for the paperback edition - BBC Horrible Histories consultant Greg Jenner explores the hidden stories behind these daily routines.This is not a story of politics, wars or great events, instead Greg Jenner has scoured Roman rubbish bins, Egyptian tombs and Victorian sewers to bring us the most intriguing, surprising and sometimes downright silly nuggets from our past.It is a history of all those things you always wondered - and many you have never considered. It is the story of our lives, one million years in the making.Trade ReviewGreg Jenner's magpie mind takes you through the history of who we are and what we do, answering tons of questions you never thought to ask -- Al MurrayA wonderful idea, gloriously put into practice, Greg Jenner is as witty as he is knowledgeable -- Tom HollandLike visiting the most wonderful and cluttered museum, each chapter like another room teetering with illuminating ideas and information -- Robin Incebright, fun and enjoyable * HISTORY VAULT *One of my all time favourite books about history: erudite, witty and packed with things you've never thought about -- Peter FrankopanDelightful, surprising and hilarious, this is a fascinating history of the everyday objects and inventions we take for granted -- Lauren LaverneIf you find yourself secretly relishing your children's Horrible History books, you will love Greg Jenner's jolly account of how we have more in common with our ancestors than we might think ... all human life is here, amusingly conveyed in intriguing nuggets of gossipy historical anecdote * DAILY MAIL *Fascinating ... [Jenner] crafts some fine aphorisms, and it would be a staggeringly learned person who could not glean anything new from this work -- Steven Poole * WALL STREET JOURNAL *

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Book SynopsisThe Common Wind is a gripping and colorful account of the intercontinental networks that tied together the free and enslaved masses of the New World. Having delved deep into the gray obscurity of official eighteenth-century records in Spanish, English, and French, Julius S. Scott has written a powerful "history from below." Scott follows the spread of "rumors of emancipation" and the people behind them, bringing to life the protagonists in the slave revolution.By tracking the colliding worlds of buccaneers, military deserters, and maroon communards from Venezuela to Virginia, Scott records the transmission of contagious mutinies and insurrections in unparalleled detail, providing readers with an intellectual history of the enslaved.Though The Common Wind is credited with having "opened up the Black Atlantic with a rigor and a commitment to the power of written words," the manuscript remained unpublished for thirty-two years. Now, after receiving wide acclaim from leading historians of slavery and the New World, it has been published by Verso for the first time, with a foreword by the academic and author Marcus Rediker.Trade ReviewA captivating odyssey across the age of Revolution. * Times Literary Supplement *"Over the past three decades, scholarship on the Black Atlantic and black internationalism has flourished. The Common Wind deserves a great deal of credit for this development . Julius Scott offers an inspiring history about the subaltern production, transformative power, and global circulation of ideas." -- Brandon Byrd * African American Intellectual History Society *"Scott has done what very few scholars have been able to do; he has uncovered a vast communication network that relied primarily on the ephemeral - word of mouth rather than paper...Scott's storytelling abilities are singularly compelling...[His] prose is highly accessible, not to mention mellifluous and full of striking imagery...Its singular contribution remains unmatched." * Los Angeles Review of Books *The Common Wind is a magnum opus, a subaltern tale that occupied a then-burgeoning space in historical writing - a "history from below" focusing on the disenfranchised rather than the powerful. * Vice News Tonight on HBO *renowned for its creativity, imaginative research and graceful prose * Publishers Weekly *a tour de force. Rigorously researched and beautifully written, it has profoundly shaped our understanding of Black Atlantic history. Indeed, Scott's study of the movement of people, ideas, words, papers, and even feelings among people of African descent in the eighteenth century is a stunning model for any kind of history -- Ada Ferrer, author of Insurgent Cuba and Freedom Nowclear, persuasive, and (owing to understatement in the face of great crimes) even calming -- Peter Linebaugh, author of Many Headed Hydra"so exciting, original, and profound"[it inspired] "an entire generation to create a new field of knowledge about the past" -- Vincent Brown, Harvard University * Time Magazine *a beloved and consequential work -- Tom Bartlett * Chronicle of Higher Education *pathbreaking and enormously influential. . .like any truly classic piece of scholarship, Scott's study offers fresh insights with each rereading. -- Ashli White * Journal of American History *Scott has listened carefully for the voices-sometimes only whispers-that carried radical ideas and information around the Caribbean, leaving faint but distinct traces in the archives. He brilliantly translates to the Caribbean setting ideas originally developed by European historians about "history from below" and the ways "masterless," itinerant men and women could drive political change. His prose beautifully evokes bustling ports and markets, remote jungle and mountain hideaways, wind-swept ship decks and fetid, cargo-laden hulls -- David A. Bell * New York Review of Books *This iconic book speaks to what we all see unfolding in the world today where masses are seeing, becoming, and most of all moving ideas that are taking collective hold across the globe. ... One of the most highly sought out intellectual histories of slavery that centers "rumors of emancipation," [The Common Wind] shows the parallel not only to protest but the unending fears of the global influence that mobilization can have. -- Sowande’ M. Mustakeem * Age of Revolutions *The Common Wind, which takes its title from Wordsworth's sonnet to Louverture, is based on Scott's 1986 doctoral dissertation. Photocopies - and, later, PDFs - of his thesis had circulated among historians like an 'underground mixtape'. As the dissertation did the rounds, through at least two generations of professors and students, it helped define the emerging field of Atlantic world history. -- Pooja Bhatia * London Review of Books *

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Book SynopsisAn archaeological history of ancient Assyria, showcasing its superb buildings, art and literature.

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Book SynopsisThe history and artistic heritage of the much-mythologized ancient Phoenicians.

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Book Synopsis'Moving and hopeful ... will stay with me for a long time' Daisy Buchanan'A fearless, young new voice' Carol Ann Duffy'One of the most exciting debuts I've read in ages' Kaveh Akbar'One of the most startling and original poets of her generation' Joy HarjoThe voice of Tayi Tibble is one of most exciting in poetry today. In Poukahangatus (pronounced 'Pocahontas'), her debut volume, Tibble challenges a dazzling array of mythologies - Greek, Maori, feminist, kiwi - peeling them apart and respinning them in modern terms. Her poems move from rhythmic discussions of the Kardashians, sugar daddies and Twilight to exquisite renderings of precise emotions and the natural world alike. Tibble is also a master narrator of teenage womanhood, its exhilarating highs and devastating lows; her high-camp aesthetics chart the overflowing beauty, irony and ruination of her surroundings.Poem by poem, Tibble carves out a bold new way of engaging history without merely telling it, of straddling modernity and ancestry, desire and exploitation. These are warm, provocative and profoundly original poems, written from a world in which the effects of colonization, land, work and gender are intimately and insidiously connected. Along the way, Tibble scrutinizes perception and asks how she as a Maori woman fits into trends, stereotypes and popular culture. With language that is at once colourful, passionate and laugh-out-loud funny, Poukahangatus announces the presence of a surpassingly daring new poet.Trade ReviewA fearless, young new voice with a huge range, from history to pop culture, with that sense of joy in its own word-music which immediately heralds the start of a poetic and political journey. Along with Hera Lindsay Bird, Tayi Tibble adds excitement to the new poetry coming from New Zealand -- Carol Ann DuffyStartlingly evocative, lush, moving and hopeful - this is a powerful and thrilling new voice that will stay with me for a long time -- Daisy BuchananHurls us into a lush biome of sensual density ... one feels in the presence of a singular, searching mind rigorously excavating its own psychospiritual station. Poukahangatus is one of the most exciting debuts I've read in ages -- Kaveh AkbarTayi Tibble is one of the most startling and original poets of her generation. Her poetry makes doorways of insight into turbulent history. At the end, there we are, all standing together, listening -- Joy HarjoTayi Tibble's Poukahangatus was an incredibly rhythmic and refreshing read! Ripe with dazzling imagery, culture and history, this collection offers readers a tale of identity, cross-generational references and so much more. Tibble's rich language breathes new life into poetry and tethers readers to the history of the Maori people and the lasting impact of colonization. The writing screams, 'I was here before & I'll be back again!' I'd suggest this book to every twenty-something trying to find their way! -- Roya MarshI love your collection [Rangikura], it's so good, I'm so impressed ... You totally encapsulate the heady vibe of being a young woman in New Zealand -- Lorde * Metro NZ *Tibble's luscious, widely praised debut poetry collection [channels] her Maori heritage and the zeitgeist of her childhood ... Tibble transforms tales of mundanity into spellbinding, melodiousencounters. Boys embroiled in a rugby scrum become gritty and vicious ... A game of Cowboys and Indians is incidentally wounding but also depicted as a sharp indictment of the White Savior Complex ... Tibble's running prose poems bubble over with lush imagery and serve as canny time capsules ... Like the stylistic lovechild of Rupi Kaur and Teresia Teaiwa, Tibble is a poet of effervescent verve and great promise -- Diego Báez * Booklist *This chatty, winsome debut by a young New Zealand poet mines family history, Maori myth and the residue of pop culture to fashion a striking sensibility * New York Times Book Review *Tibble's affinity for poetry was literally written in the stars ... Tibble blends past and present, peppering her poems with pop culture references -- Serena Smith * Dazed *

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Book SynopsisResearch into furniture has not been a priority for archaeologists. Fixed installations are often studied without the necessary rigor or clear definition. More often than not, the identification of installations remains subjective, unexplained and dependent on the interpretation of the spaces that the furniture should have helped to identify. The series of workshops that gave rise to this book addressed key issues such as the perception of spaces, their functionality in relation to layout, multifunctionality and the question of multiple storeys. In the same way, archaeological analysis benefits from being confronted with texts, which, when it comes to architecture, are at once episodic, rich and complex. This book is dedicated to Jean-Claude Margueron, who never ceased to encourage archaeologists to work rigorously on architecture. It begins with a biography of Jean Margueron by Béatrice Muller and an almost definitive list of his writings. The fi

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Book SynopsisHere in the pages of this compact little book are thousands of years history about a county which has many stories to tell, all laid out in an informative but easy-to-read way. From Roman times when three roads traversed its landscape, to its involvement in the Civil War, Worcestershire has seen it all.The county’s people, who were employed in the coal mines and iron foundries of the north, in the salt works of Droitwich, who made nails in Bromsgrove, needles in Redditch and carpets in Kidderminster, all have tales to share. Some played a part in historic events: two brothers travelled to a new life on the Mayflower and three brothers were involved in the Gunpowder Plot. Worcestershire is also home to well-known politicians, musicians and poets. They all contributed to the story of Worcestershire and can be found in the pages of this ‘little history’.Trade Review"Vanessa Morgan has lived in Worcestershire all her life and as a genealogist worked for 34 years researching family and local history in the county as well as in Birmingham and Warwickshire." * Worcester News *

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Book SynopsisA Sunday Times Paperback of the Year 'I can’t tell you how refreshing it is in these polarised times to read a book on politics that doesn’t have an axe to grind . . . an essential read.' - The Sunday TimesJason Cowley, editor-in-chief of the New Statesman, examines contemporary England through a handful of the key news stories from recent times to reveal what they tell us about the state of the nation and to answer the question Who Are We Now?Spanning the years since the election of Tony Blair’s New Labour government to the aftermath of the Covid pandemic, the book investigates how England has changed and how those changes have affected us. Cowley weaves together the seemingly disparate stories of the Chinese cockle-pickers who drowned in Morecambe Bay, the East End Imam who was tested during a summer of terror, the pensioner who campaigned against the closure of her GP’s surgery and Gareth Southgate’s transformation of English football culture. And in doing so, Cowley shows the common threads that unite them, whether it is attitudes to class, nation, identity, belonging, immigration, or religion.He also examines the so-called Brexit murder in Harlow, the haunting repatriation of the fallen in the Iraq and Afghan wars through Wootton Bassett, the Lancashire woman who took on Gordon Brown, and the flight of the Bethnal Green girls to Islamic State, fleshing out the headlines with the very human stories behind them.Through these vivid and often moving stories, Cowley offers a clear and compassionate analysis of how and why England became so divided and the United Kingdom so fragmented, and how we got to this cultural and political crossroads. Most importantly, he also shows us the many ways in which there is genuine hope for the future.Trade ReviewI can’t tell you how refreshing it is in these polarised times to read a book on politics that doesn’t have an axe to grind . . . It is wonderfully written, the pages littered with poetic and literary references, as you might expect from an outstanding journalist . . . an essential read. * The Sunday Times *Subtle, sophisticated . . . compellingly told . . . This is a gentle and intelligent book, refreshingly unpolemical and reflective. -- Julian Coman * Observer Book of the Week *First-rate . . . [Cowley] is a broad-minded observer, a true liberal if that description may still be applied, and his elegance is all the more attractive for its absence of gloss . . . If you open this book for instruction, you may find much of value in the author’s selection of snapshots from his life and the lives of others. You will certainly read it with pleasure. -- Michael Henderson * The Times *Interesting . . . there is a certain Orwellian (in the best sense) curiosity and insightfulness * Sunday Telegraph *As someone who zips around England — and the wider UK every week — this book really resonates with me. Wonderfully written with colourful and incisive accounts of contemporary England -- Chris Mason, Presenter of BBC Radio 4's Any Questions?A beautiful piece of storytelling – the British eyed from unexpected places, from China to the middle of the middle of the middle. The question will never go away but these answers help us a lot -- Andrew MarrA balanced, insightful analysis of the past 30 years of English politics and identity, taking in New Labour, immigration, Brexit and the pandemic. -- Andrew Holgate and Laura Hackett * The Times '100 Best Books for Summer' *The New Statesman editor goes back to his Essex roots in this intelligent book about patriotism, which confronts Orwell’s puzzle: why is “England perhaps the only great country whose intellectuals are ashamed of their own nationality”? -- Philip Johnston * The Daily Telegraph 'Best Books for Summer' *Fascinating . . . a pleasure to read. Cowley has an eye and an ear for the small details that add emotional depth to his reports. -- Robert Shrimsley * Financial Times *Urgent and timely . . . Cowley powerfully demonstrates how these vivid, half-forgotten stories have contributed to a fragmented England, and offers a vision for how we can embrace the lessons learned to build a bright new future. -- Scarlett Sangster * Breaking News Ireland *A liberal and humane analysis informed by quiet patriotism. [Cowley] doesn’t try to define what England “is” or represents but searches instead for its emotional and cultural underpinnings . . . ruminative and reflective, informed by observation and without polemics. -- John Freeman * Reaction magazine *National identity is at the heart of Who Are We Now? Stories of Modern England . . . It is told through a series of stories, merging the personal and the political – stories of conflict and division but also ultimately of hope. -- Tom Gatti * New Statesman 'What to read this year: non-fiction' *A lyrical blend of the personal and the political, with echoes of Orwell, this book uncovers the hidden story of a fragmented nation. -- Helen Lewis, journalist, broadcaster and author of Difficult WomenJason Cowley’s well-researched reports and excellent analysis of modern England lead to two inexorable conclusions. "We" – the people of England – are certainly not who we once were; and "we" are far from agreeing who we mean when we talk of "us." Fascinating, disturbing and brilliantly insightful, especially on towns like Harlow in Essex which are not so much left behind, as overlooked and ignored. -- Gavin Esler, author of How Britain EndsJason Cowley’s humane and sharply observed book aims to piece together what the Victorians called "the condition of England question", through meditations on Blair’s Britain through to Brexit, from civil war in Syria to Covid-19. Who Are We Now? is blessed by curiosity and emphathy for the many overlapping stories from Margate to Morecambe and beyond. The traps of the metropole are avoided and the result is a work of unobtrusive and softly spoken patriotism, written to stand the test of time -- John Bew, author of the Orwell Prize-winning Citizen Clem: A Biography of AttleeCowley offers a haunting 'condition of England' masterpiece, the multiple Englands of his intimate stories elusive, at the mercy of forces far beyond any individual's hopes, somehow enduring. This is a beautifully written meditation of the recent English past and what understanding the plurality of Englishness demands of the English. -- Helen Thompson, co-host of the Talking Politics podcastBehind every electoral statistic, every social and political change is an evocative human story. With his characteristic clarity and flair Jason Cowley pulls out such particularly poignant, and redolent of the spirit of our times, stories. In doing so, he adds a crucial and often overlooked layer to our narratives of modern Britain and the historical tides of the last few decades. The lives of real people jump from these pages to form a rich tapestry, from the extremely dramatic to the most mundane, to shed light on what divides and what unites us, and what makes us the society we are today. -- Maria Sobolewska, co-author of Brexitland: Identity, Diversity and the Reshaping of British Politics.I really recommend [Who Are We Now?], a wonderfully thoughtful, melancholy and moving read -- Dominic Sandbrook, historian and co-host of The Rest is History Terrific. Absolutely fascinating - highly recommended by me. -- Iain Martin, editor of Reaction A trenchant, but also moving, personal analysis of why England has become so divided, which finds hope for the future in the compassion for others that characterized the pandemic. -- Caroline Sanderson * Bookseller Ones to Watch *Engaging . . . This is an important and readable book - a rare combination. -- Neill Denny * BookBrunch *Despite the sadness and the concern, Cowley’s story is no jeremiad. He finds more grounds for hope than despair . . . The writing is excellent throughout, with an engagingly allusive literary quality. -- Brendan Simms * Engelsberg Ideas *

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Book Synopsis'Fascinating and richly documented . . . Few books manage to be so informative and so entertaining.' – Sunday TimesSantiniketan-Sriniketan in India, Dartington Hall in England, Atarashiki Mura in Japan, the Institute for the Harmonious Development of Man in France, the Bruderhof in Germany and Trabuco College in America: six experimental communities established in the aftermath of the First World War, each aiming to change the world.Anna Neima's The Utopians is an absorbing and vivid account of these collectives and their charismatic leaders and reveals them to be full of eccentric characters, outlandish lifestyles and unchecked idealism.Dismissed and even mocked in their time, yet, a century later, their influence still resonates in progressive education, environmentalism, medical research and mindfulness training. Without such inspirational experiments in how to live, post-war society would have been a poorer place.'Thanks to Neima’s rigorous research, each chapter offers something new.' – Spectator'Neima ranges with impressive confidence across the world'. – Literary ReviewTrade ReviewFascinating and richly documented . . . This is Neima’s first book, and should not be her last. She writes with a novelist’s eye for detail and clearly revels in the eccentrics she has to chronicle — Gurdjieff selling sparrows painted yellow, for example, to fund his trek from Russia to France. Few books manage to be so informative and so entertaining. -- John Carey * Sunday Times *[Neima] offers an original perspective on the entire period and a new way of navigating its artistic and ideological upheaval . . . Fascinating . . . by showing how a global crisis can lead people to question tradition and reshape society, the subject remains important to this day. -- Guy Stagg * Spectator *[Neima] ranges with impressive confidence across the world . . . pleasingly non-judgemental and avoids laborious analysis. Reading this book is perhaps the most delightful way to indulge in elite communism in the 21st century, other than being recruited to a Californian tech start-up. -- Marc Mullholland * Literary Review *Neima’s brisk storytelling and eye for the illustrative quote and telling anecdote conveys the thrilling and sometimes scandalous strangeness of these experiments . . . highly readable -- Mary Harrington * The Critic *Meticulously researched . . . an engaging and immersive blend of macro- and micro-histories. The fascinating protagonists of each story are expertly situated within wider socio-economic history, with parallels usefully drawn between each community. -- Zoe Apostolides * Prospect *Neima’s diligent account focuses on six interwar endeavours, in Japan, India, America, Germany, England and France, each established by a charismatic leader, each with a goal of creating a more democratic, just and peaceful society. -- Olivia Laing * TLS *Neima’s writing is absolutely, faultlessly superb. It was a pleasure to read every page and an example of how non-fiction can be capable of blending intense research with first-class prose plus a large dash of entertainment. Highly recommended. * BookMunch *Anna Neima has picked a valuable and illuminating focus for her first book . . . Engagingly written with colour, warmth and unobtrusive erudition, The Utopians looks back to find some sturdy roots of hope. -- Boyd Tonkin * The Arts Desk *In the midst of crisis it’s inspiring to read about men and women who dedicated themselves to creating new worlds. Neima’s book, impeccably researched and beautifully written, will be an inspiration for anyone looking to an alternative future today. -- Stella Tillyard, author of Aristocrats and The Great LevelCan we ever transform ourselves and our divided societies? Deeply interesting and a pleasure to read, The Utopians illuminates the history of “social dreaming” at a time when it has never been more needed. This is a lovely book. -- Alison Light, author of A Radical Romance, Common People and Mrs. Woolf and the ServantsNeima is a historian of rare and wonderful powers. She writes with utter lucidity, bringing great swathes of thinking into focus, uncovering deep connections between experimental communities across the world. Considering her chosen utopians with a precious mix of shrewd realism and questing open-mindedness, she honours both practicalities and dreams. I finished this book newly persuaded of what the interwar years can teach us about the future. I’ll be recommending it to everyone I know, and looking to Neima as an inspiring new voice in non-fiction. -- Alexandra Harris, acclaimed author of Weatherland and Romantic ModernsBy highlighting the wide-spread, magnetic attraction of ramshackle and often spartan utopias, Neima's meticulously researched and measured study underscores the collective trauma of the First World War, and people's fervent attempts never to see those horrors repeated. -- Susan Gray * Church Times *A book that carefully recuperates the wild desires of a diverse group of dreamers who founded new societies between the 1920s and the 1940s . . . One of the great joys of the book is the kookiness of the projects [Neima] highlights. -- Joe P. L. Davidson * Tribune *

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Book SynopsisShortlisted for the RSL Encore Award 2021‘Extraordinary’ – Spectator‘Powerful’ – Guardian‘Spellbinding’ – The TabletAs the 1950s draw to a close, and the Cold War escalates, the shape of Drummond Moore's life is changed beyond measure when he strikes up an unlikely friendship with James Carter, a rich and well-connected fellow national serviceman. Carter leads him to Doom Town – an army base that seeks to recreate the effects of a nuclear war – where he meets Gwen, a barmaid with whom he shares an instant connection.Set over sixty years of British history, The Blind Light by Stuart Evers is the compelling story of one family as they deal with the personal and political fallout of their times.Trade ReviewA thoughtful and powerful study of the corrosive effects of fear, the damage we do to ourselves and our loved ones when danger is all we can see . . . disconcertingly timely * Guardian *A panoramic novel of modern Britain . . . extraordinary * Spectator *The Blind Light reads like a British Don DeLillo, telling the social history of Britain through two generations of a family -- Alex Preston, ObserverEngrossing . . . A terrific book -- Samira Ahmed, BBC Radio 4Evers excels in his close examination of relationships . . . the complicated nature of guilt and loss is beautifully handled . . . an absorbing read * Irish Independent *Powerfully imagined . . . multi-threaded, unflinching, and visceral * TLS *A shrewd, timely novel * New York Times *A spellbinding family history, encompassing the personal and the political * The Tablet *Rivals the work of American greats such as Bellow and Franzen * The Week *Evers’s book is a widescreen family saga that examines, among other things, the effect of the nuclear threat during the Cold War on the British psyche . . . it’s absorbing – and uncannily timed in its perversely consoling sense of how crises come and go * Daily Mail *The Blind Light is a page-perfect and impeccably structured portrait of Britain’s troubled, post-nuclear generations . . . Evers has written a powerful and affecting novel which excels at being as true to Family and the personal as it is to Nation and the universal, a rare and potent combination -- Jim Crace, author of HarvestOne is taken both by the breadth of vision and the depth of character on offer in Evers' stunning The Blind Light . . . This is an achievement to be admired and, frankly, envied. My hat is off -- Laird HuntA thoroughly absorbing novel which illuminates the nature of friendship and family while offering a compelling portrait of Britain. I loved it -- Cathy Rentzenbrink, author of The Last Act of LoveExtraordinarily intense, and intensely well written, the echoes of our current situation are uncomfortably close at hand. A complex and powerful novel -- Lissa Evans, author of Old Baggage and Crooked HeartA social history told through 2 generations of the same family. Beautiful & funny & moving. And a hugely hopeful read for our strange new world -- Sarah Franklin, author of ShelterThe Blind Light is staged on a far grander scale than its predecessor. Submerged currents from the cold war guide the plotline . . . [Lyrical but precise descriptions] are the moments when The Blind Light shines most brightly * Financial Times *A sprawling, absorbing, epic crossing generations * Cumbria Life *Subtle and sombre . . . Love, luck, debts and domestic life play out against a historical backdrop that takes in the Cuban Missile Crisis, strikes, civil unrest and the rise of rave culture * Sunday Express *

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Book SynopsisIn the bestselling tradition of The Swerve and A Distant Mirror, The Verge tells the story of a period that marked a decisive turning point for both European and world history. Here, author Patrick Wyman examines two complementary and contradictory sides of the same historical coin: the world-altering implications of the developments of printed mass media, extreme taxation, exploitative globalization, humanistic learning, gunpowder warfare, and mass religious conflict in the long term, and their intensely disruptive consequences in the short-term.As told through the lives of ten real people-from famous figures like Christopher Columbus and wealthy banker Jakob Fugger to a ruthless small-time merchant and a one-armed mercenary captain-The Verge illustrates how their lives, and the times in which they lived, set the stage for an unprecedented globalized future.Over an intense forty-year period, the seeds for the so-called "Great Divergence" between Western Europe and the rest of the globe would be planted. From Columbus's voyage across the Atlantic to Martin Luther's sparking the Protestant Reformation, the foundations of our own, recognizably modern world came into being.For the past 500 years, historians, economists, and the policy-oriented have argued which of these individual developments best explains the West's rise from backwater periphery to global dominance. As The Verge presents it, however, the answer is far more nuanced.

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Book SynopsisThe relationship between the US and China, the world's two superpowers, is peculiarly volatile. It rests on a seismic fault-of cultural misunderstanding, historical grievance, and ideological incompatibility. No other nations are so quick to offend and be offended. Their militaries play a dangerous game of chicken, corporations steal intellectual property, intelligence satellites peer, and AI technicians plot. The capacity for either country to cross a fatal line grows daily. Kevin Rudd, a former Australian prime minister who has studied, lived in, and worked with China for more than forty years, is one of the very few people who can offer real insight into the mindsets of the leadership whose judgment will determine if a war will be fought. The Avoidable War demystifies the actions of both sides, explaining and translating them for the benefit of the other. Geopolitical disaster is still avoidable, but only if these two giants can find a way to coexist without betraying their core interests through what Rudd calls "managed strategic competition." Should they fail, down that path lies the possibility of a war that could rewrite the future of both countries, and the world.

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Book SynopsisBy the end of January 1945, it was clear to Germany that the war was lost. The Third Reich was in freefall, and its leaders, apart from those clustered around Hitler in his Berlin bunker, sought to abscond before they were besieged. But they wanted to take their wealth with them.Their escape routes were diverse: Sweden and Switzerland boasted proximity, banking, and industrial closeness, while Spain and Portugal offered an inviting Atlantic coastline and shipping routes to South America. And in various ways, each of these so-called neutral nations welcomed the Nazi escapees, along with the clandestine wealth they carried.Cashing Out tells the riveting history of the race to intercept the stolen assets before they disappeared, and before the will to punish Germany was replaced by the political considerations of the fast-approaching Cold War. Bestselling author Neill Lochery here brilliantly recounts the flight of the Nazi-looted riches-the last great escape of World War II-and the Allied quest for justice.

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Book Synopsis“We can no longer see ourselves as minor spectators or weary watchers of history a­fter finishing this astonishing work of nonfiction.” —Kiese Laymon, author of Heavy Connor Towne O’Neill’s journey onto the battlefield of white supremacy began with a visit to Selma, Alabama, in 2015. There he had a chance encounter with a group of people preparing to erect a statue to celebrate the memory of Nathan Bedford Forrest, one of the most notorious Confederate generals, a man whom Union general William Tecumseh Sherman referred to as “that devil.” After that day in Selma, O’Neill, a white Northerner transplanted to the South, decided to dig deeply into the history of Forrest and other monuments to him throughout the South, which, like Confederate monuments across America, have become flashpoints in the fight against racism. Forrest was not just a brutal general, O’Neill learned; he was a slave trader and the first Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan. O’Neill encountered citizens who still hold Forrest in cult-like awe, desperate to preserve what they call their “heritage,” and he also talked to others fighting to tear the monuments down. In doing so he discovered a direct line from Forrest’s ugly history straight to the heart of the battles raging today all across America. The fight over Forrest reveals a larger battle, one meant to sustain white supremacy—a system that props up all white people, not just those defending the monuments. With clear-eyed passion and honest introspection, O’Neill takes readers on a journey to understand the many ways in which the Civil War, begun in 1860, has never ended. A brilliant and provocative blend of history, reportage, and personal essay, Down Along with That Devil’s Bones presents an important and eye-opening account of how we got from Appomattox to Charlottesville, and of our vital need to confront our past in order to transcend it and move toward a more just society.Trade ReviewA Library Journal Best Social Science Book of 2020 An Atlanta Journal-Constitution Best Southern Book of 2020 “The truth is that we Southerners have always needed dedicated, self-reflective young folks from the North guided by genius and radical love to help us exorcise the worst parts of our region. Connor Towne O’Neill walks in that radical love tradition in Down Along with That Devil’s Bones, but he does something more here. He decimates the argument for our need of Confederate statues while chronicling what their existence grants him bodily and morally.” —Kiese Laymon, author of Heavy “A personal examination of one of the great divides in our country today . . . Essential reading for how we got from Appomattox to Charlottesville—and where we might go next.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review “O’Neill’s first book is a dazzling reminder that American racism is robust and virulent. He writes with a fluency of American culture that portends well for his books to come.” —New York Journal of Books “A well-researched history and a call for reformation in America.” —BookPage “An eloquent and provocative examination of the links between protests over Confederate monuments in the South and the resurgence of white supremacy . . . O’Neill writes with grace and genuine curiosity . . . This inquiry into the legacy of American slavery is equally distressing and illuminating.” —Publishers Weekly “Timely, engaging.” —Booklist “In examining the battles over monuments to Nathan Bedford Forrest, Connor O’Neill deepens his own understanding of the denial, the hatred, the horror, that still infests white people in this country, who do not want to lose their magical image of themselves as the noble race who tamed a continent and lifted up savages out of their barbarity. Unable to face the full horror of what we did in these centuries of brutality against other races, we hide in the idea of the lost cause, the idealization of what we call a way of life, and idolize figures like Forrest, a man who made his fortune in the sale of human beings, and who carved himself into history through his wholehearted embrace of the southern war effort that, by his own words, had the glorification of slavery as its purpose. It is a vital piece of the puzzle, this history, reported in clarity and rich in insight. Would that clarity and insight could lift this curse from our nation at last.” —Jim Grimsley, author of How I Shed My Skin

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Book SynopsisThe story of dealers of Old Masters, champions of modern art, and victims of Nazi plunder. Since the late-1990s, the fate of Nazi stolen art has become a cause célèbre. In Belonging and Betrayal, Charles Dellheim turns this story on its head by revealing how certain Jewish outsiders came to acquire so many old and modern masterpieces in the first place – and what this reveals about Jews, art, and modernity. This book tells the epic story of the fortunes and misfortunes of a small number of eminent art dealers and collectors who, against the odds, played a pivotal role in the migration of works of art from Europe to the United States and in the triumph of modern art. Beautifully written and compellingly told, this story takes place on both sides of the Atlantic from the late nineteenth century to the present. It is set against the backdrop of critical transformations, among them the gradual opening of European high culture, the ambiguities of Jewish acculturation, the massive sell-off of aristocratic family art collections, the emergence of different schools of modern art, the cultural impact of World War I, and the Nazi war against the Jews. Trade Review"(An) exceptional work of scholarship. A brilliant account of Nazi pillage and the ongoing efforts at restitution." * Kirkus (starred review) *“A hefty, deeply researched book . . . A compelling portrait of the Jewish families who, unexpectedly, became arbiters of taste in Europe, beginning in the late 19th century and ending with Nazi plunder. Read if you’re into: thinking about art history, Jewish history and where they intersect.” * Alma *"Readers of Dellheim’s book will learn more about the history of modern art and European cultural history during times of upheaval and turmoil. Those who enjoy history and art history will enjoy this deep dive.” * Library Journal *"In the book, Dellheim writes about dealers of Old Masters, champions of modern art, and victims of Nazi plunder, sharing the epic fortunes and misfortunes of those eminent art dealers and collectors who, against the odds, played a pivotal role in the migration of works of art from Europe and Britain to the United States." * Arts and Collections *“A comprehensive tale of the artwork that appeared throughout Europe and then was absconded with in one of the largest heists ever. The various characters featured in this fascinating account hustle, sell and backstab." * Manhattan Book Review *"With its twists and turns, Dellheim’s book reads like a Realist novel. Despite the seriousness of its subject matter, it is a thrilling read, divided into wittily titled sections… The book is a veritable tour de force and an outstanding addition to scholarly research on art, Modernism, and Jewish studies." * Hyperallergic *"Belonging and Betrayal seeks to explain how Jews found significant, if precarious, success in the European art world... [It] reveals the complex negotiations, spoken and unspoken, that structured social, economic, and political life for Jews in late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century western Europe." * ARTNews *"Dellheim's 600-plus-page tour de force [is] well-illustrated with paintings that its cast of characters collected and sold... [and] primary sources that reveal the extent of Nazi looting..." * JewishBoston *"a wonderful achievement, beautifully written, a magnificent work of art in itself, a fabulous book.” * LitHub's Keen On *"Highly recommended. This well-researched volume, with copious notes, two sections of color plates, and interspersed black-and-white figures, will interest those studying art history, provenance research, art markets, museums and repatriation, cultural studies, and Jewish studies.” * Choice *"European Jews on a fairly considerable scale drifted into the visual arts world as collectors and dealers in the 19th century and became, against all odds, arbiters of taste. Once regarded as outsiders on the margins of high culture, they were suddenly thrust into positions of prestige and influence. Charles Dellheim, a professor of history at Boston University, charts their entry into this field in his masterful and magisterial book, Belonging and Betrayal: How Jews Made The Art World Modern, published by Brandeis University Press....Dellheim has written a highly readable, substantive and engaging account of the entry of Jews into art. It may well be the definitive work on this topic." * Times of Israel *"Dellheim’s rich, deeply engaging, compulsively readable study .... combines business history, social history, and cultural and intellectual history, offers a fresh and exciting approach to ethnic studies that moves far beyond the three dominant paradigms... .If we are to truly understand the history and nature of group prejudices, the structural and systematic barriers to success, and collective strategies for economic advancement and civil rights, let’s resist the temptation, at the gen ed level, to relegate the study of ethnicity to distinct enclaves. Inclusive, comparative, and historical perspective are essential." * Inside Higher Ed *"Belonging and Betrayal is a brilliantly etched portrayal of the family firms that maneuvered, battled, adapted, persevered, and prospered over decades and centuries. What underlies all of Charles Dellheim’s painstaking research lies a loving devotion to the subject matter. That means, above all, that his discussion of cultural and aesthetic matters rests on a bedrock of economic and business history. The element so often missing from studies of Jewish participation in Western culture here properly takes center stage. In this masterwork, Dellheim shows how to understand the business of culture." * Jewish Review of Books *"Dellheim’s book is the first to present a collective portrait of the businessmen – and occasionally businesswomen, like Berthe Weill – who thrived in fashionable and avant-garde circles. ...This is a huge work of historical synthesis, which manages to weave together an enormous cast of characters and locations with flair and sympathy." * Ars Judaica *“This is a book that seeks and deserves a large audience. It has met enthusiasm across the art press and Jewish press in the English-speaking world, but it merits a broader readership. Those interested in modern European cultural or business history, art history, or Jewish studies—but also a general readership—will find the narrative compelling to follow. . . . In short, this history of Jewish involvement and achievement in the art world is history writ large and springs from the author’s often intimate grasp of the professional and private lives and efforts of the progressive dealers and collectors, reanimated here by one of the history profession’s master storytellers.” * Austrian History Yearbook *"This is a magisterial book. Wide-ranging yet closely focused, detailed yet suspenseful, it should be required reading for all who make art or collect it. Gracefully written and sumptuously illustrated throughout, Belonging and Betrayal is an important--even indispensable--contribution to the field." -- Nicholas Delbanco, author of Why Writing Matters"A major contribution to understanding a profound Jewish goal to belong and succeed, only to be betrayed by willful acts by Nazis and their collaborators. This impressive book will engage you, surprise you, anger you, and above all, enrich you." -- Richard I. Cohen, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, author, Jewish Icons"Brilliantly evocative and deeply researched, Charles Dellheim’s Belonging and Betrayal is a superb addition to the ongoing discussion on art ownership, theft, and restoration." -- David H. Lynn, editor emeritus of The Kenyon ReviewFinalist, 2021 National Jewish Book Award -- Finalist * National Jewish Book Award, History Category *Table of ContentsAcknowledgmentsPrologue: Reframing the PicturePart I. The Old Masters’ New Masters1. Horse Dealer to Art Dealer2. Treasure Island3. Assimilating Art4. Acquiring Eyes5. Metropolitan ManPart II. Was Modernism Jewish?6. Madman and Sons7. Was Modernism Jewish?8. First Impressionists9. Berlin Calling10. Between Bohemian and Bourgeois11. The Right BankerPart III. In The Middle12. The Wheel of War13. Brothers-in-Arms14. Custody Battles15. In the Market of Love16. Brothers-in-Law17. Gentlemen and PlayersPart IV. To Have And Have Not18. Artful Jews19. Artless Jews20. Next Year in Paris?21. After the Fall22. The Dispossessed23. The Exiles and the KingdomEpilogue: A Crack in Everything

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Book SynopsisThe geology of the Cairngorms was created on a timeline that stretches back hundreds of millions of years. Much of the land is underlain by granite that formed deep within the Earth's crust and 'surfaced' as the overlying layers of rock were stripped away by ice, wind and water. The bedrock is hard, and although the area has been heavily glaciated, still boasts 18 Munros, the highest of Scotland's peaks. The area attracts climbers, walkers and assorted adventurers who want to pit themselves against some of the most challenging conditions to be found anywhere in the UK. The plants and animals of the Cairngorms need to be hardy to survive the severe winter conditions. The higher reaches of the mountains are rich in montane vegetation such as lichen-rich heath and other habitats support many rare species.Trade Review'Alan McKirdy’s insights are valuable because he is the author of a string of accessible and informative short illustrated books on the geological history of Scotland' * West Highland Free Press *'Not only are they a wealth of information on Scotland's past, they offer valuable insight as Scotland’s future becomes increasingly uncertain due to climate change' * Dundee Courier *

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Book SynopsisWriting well over a thousand years ago, the Celtic saints and their followers who penned them reflected not just the cares and concerns of their own times, but also gave voice to the universal human experience – the hopes, fears, joys and anxieties that are as much part of modern existence as they were in the Dark Ages. Meditations on birth, death and everything else that comes in between, as well as comments on the rhythms of everyday life, are mixed with musings on the natural world, the divine and, of course, the eternal questions that everyone asks.

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Book SynopsisA dance was devised in eighteenth-century Skye. An exhilarating dance. A dance, a visitor reports, ‘the emigration from Skye has occasioned’. The visitor asks for the dance’s name. ‘They call it America,’ he’s told. In his introduction to this new edition of his classic and pioneering account of what happened to the thousands of people who left Skye and the wider north of Scotland to make new lives across the sea, historian James Hunter reflects on what led him to embark on travels and researches that took him across a continent. To Georgia, North Carolina and Montana; to Nova Scotia, Quebec, Ontario and the Mohawk Valley; to prairie farms and great cities; to the Rocky Mountains, British Columbia and Washington State. This is the story of the Highland impact on the New World. The story of how soldiers, explorers, guerrilla fighters, fur traders, lumberjacks, railway builders and settlers from Scotland’s glens and islands contributed so much to the USA and Canada. It is the story of how a hard-pressed people found in North America a land of opportunity.

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Book SynopsisShortlisted for the Scottish Nature Photography Book Awards Washed by the surging waves of the Atlantic Ocean, the island chain of Scotland's Outer Hebrides lies at the very edge of Europe. From white shell sands, peaty moors and gnarly mountains to heather hills, sea-green lochs and mysterious ancient monuments, these are places of unrivalled beauty. This book is a fabulous invitation to discover the unique magic of Lewis and Harris, Berneray, North Uist, Grimsay, Benbecula, South Uist, Eriskay, Bara and Vatersay, as well as the vibrant Gaelic culture of the islanders. Packed with fascinating insights, hidden gems and helpful information, it offers the uplifting opportunity for meaningful travels and life-affirming experiences in these extraordinary islands. Trade Review'uncovers the secret treasures of the Outer Hebrides' -- Maggie Ritchie * The Herald *'Every so often a book comes along that is so good that it has to be considered essential reading for anyone interested in its subject. "Hebridean Journey: The Magic of Scotland’s Outer Isles" by Brigid Benson is just such a book' -- Ken Lussey * Undiscovered Scotland *'A must have for travellers to the Outer Hebrides!' * Visit Outer Hebrides *'Do not be fooled into thinking that this is merely a travel guide to this stunning place; rather, Benson has shone a spotlight on each island to show their distinct characteristics' -- Megan Amato * Scottish Field *

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Book SynopsisThis is the extraordinary story of how salt fish from Shetland became one of the staple foods of Europe, powered an economic boom and inspired artists, writers and musicians. It ranges from the wild waters of the North Atlantic, the ice-filled fjords of Greenland and the remote islands of Faroe to the dining tables of London’s middle classes, the bacalao restaurants of Spain and the Jewish shtetls of Eastern Europe. As well as following the historical thread and exploring how very different cultures were drawn together by the salt fish trade, John Goodlad meets those whose lives revolve around the industry in the twenty-first century and addresses today’s pressing themes of sustainability, climate change and food choices.Trade Review'As bright and illuminating as the fish that are the subject of his writing, John Goodlad casts a sweeping eye over the North Atlantic fishing industry in the pages of this richly informative book' -- Donald S. Murray, author of The Guga Hunters'In his fascinating account of the part played by [The Shetland Islands and the Faroes] in the harvesting of cod and herring from the North Atlantic, John Goodlad raises vital questions about the world's food supplies' -- David Abulafia * The Spectator *'Tells the extraordinary story of how salt fish from the isles became one of the staple foods on the Continent' -- Hans J Marter * Shetland News *'John Goodlad's approach to the story of salt fish and Shetland feels rather like a masterclass in how to make history approachable, accessible, readable and entertaining' -- Ken Lussey * Undiscovered Scotland *'The Salt Roads is a valuable reminder of a forgotten time... it should be required reading for anyone who still thinks of Shetland as a remote, marginal outpost' * The Herald *'The book takes the reader to the wild waters of the North Atlantic and tells the story of how over the centuries the Shetland fishing industry not only inspired and affected the islands’ culture, but also shaped people far beyond its shores' * Dundee Courier *'This intriguing non-fiction title examines the economic boom of Shetland's salt fish trade' * Scots Magazine *'The Salt Roads is history, action on the high seas, personal memoir, folk tales and philology. It is an articulate expression of Shetland, which helps to explain how much the western islands can still learn from our can-do friends in the north' -- Roger Hutchinson * West Highland Free Press *'a gripping insight into life on the edge' * The Tablet, Summer Reading Roundup *'an extremely readable account of the Shetland cod fishery. Here you feel the wind, taste the salt: a quiet triumph' -- Alexander McCall Smith * New Statesman *

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Book SynopsisAcclaimed historian Alistair Moffat sets off in the footsteps of the Highland clans and their definitive conflicts. In twelve journeys he explores places of conflict, recreating as he walks the tumult of battle. As he recounts the military prowess of the clans he also tells of their lives, their language and culture before it was all swept away.From the colonisers who attempted to civilise' the islanders of Lewis in the sixteenth century through the great battles of the eighteenth century Killiekrankie, Dunkeld, Sheriffmuir, Falkirk and Culloden this is a unique exploration of many of the places and events which define the country's history. The disaster at Culloden in 1746 represented not just the defeat of the Jacobite dream but also the unleashing of merciless retribution from the British government which dealt the Highland clans a blow from which they would never recover.Locations included are:PrestonpansGlenfinnan The Isle of Lewis Edinburgh Inverlochy Tippermuir Mulroy Killiecr

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Book SynopsisExploring the origins of Christianity, this book looks at why it was that people first in Judea and then in the Roman and Greek Mediterranean world became susceptible to the new religion. Robert Knapp looks for answers in a wide-ranging exploration of religion and everyday life from 200 BC to the end of the first century. Survival, honour and wellbeing were the chief preoccupations of Jews and polytheists alike. In both cases, the author shows, people turned first to supernatural powers. According to need, season and place polytheists consulted and placated vast constellations of gods, while the Jews worshipped and contended with one almighty and jealous deity. Professor Knapp considers why any Jew or polytheist would voluntarily dispense with a well-tried way of dealing with the supernatural and trade it in for a new model. What was it about the new religion that led people to change beliefs they had held for millennia and which in turn, within four centuries of the birth of its messiah, led it to transform the western world? His conclusions are as convincing as they are sometimes surprising.Trade ReviewA most readable and enjoyable overview of religion in the Roman Empire ... an excellent book. -- Robert A. Segal * Times Higher Education *Praise for Invisible Romans: 'Hugely ambitious ... entertaining as well as informative * Scotsman *If you like your information to come thick and fast, this is the book for you * BBC History *Knapp discovers the hopes, dreams and lives of ordinary people living under Imperial Rome ... a remarkably kind and thoughtful book. * THES *This unusual and scholarly book is rich with revelation. * Daily Express *Fascinating ... Knapp puts [his] case forcefully and well. -- Catherine Nixey * The Times *

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Book SynopsisWe see mafias as vast, powerful organisations, harvesting billions of dollars across the globe and wrapping its tentacles around everything from governance to finance. But is this the truth? Travelling from mafia initiation ceremonies in far-flung Russian cities to elite gambling clubs in downtown Macau, Federico Varese sets off in search of answers. Using wiretapped conversations, interviews and previously unpublished police records, he builds up a picture of the real men and women caught up in mafia life, showing their loves and fears, ambitions and disappointments, as well as their crimes. Mafia Life takes us into the real world of organised crime, where mafia henchmen worry about their bad managers and have high blood pressure, assassinations are bungled as often as they come off, and increasing pressure from law enforcement means that a life of crime is no longer lived in the lap of luxury. As our world changes, so must the mafia. Globalisation, migration and technology are disrupting their traditions and threatening their revenue streams, and the mafiosi must evolve or die. Mafia Life is an intense and totally compelling look at an organisation and the daily life of its members, as it gets to grips with the modern world. Out now in paperback.Trade ReviewFederico Varese, who has made organised crime a life's work, is the capo di tutti capi of mafia studies. His desire to pierce ever more deeply through the layers of violence, comradeship, greed, corruption and pathos of men, at once parasitical on societies and contemptuous of them, plunges him into their worlds to discover that, different as the mafias are, at root they are the same. * Financial Times *Excellent ... each chapter shines a new light on a fundamental aspect of mafia activity. -- Misha Glenny * Times Literary Supplement *Federico Varese is two writers rolled into one: a fearless fact-hunter who goes after his quarry with the zeal of a thoroughbred journalist, and a dedicated academic who examines and analyzes his catch with relentless detachment. -- John le CarréWide-ranging ... digs deep into the culture and practices of the mafia * Daily Telegraph *In this beautifully penned book, the reader has the opportunity to go beyond the fabricated mafia image usually offered to the public. Mafia Life is a landmark text exploring realms of power and looking at these contested men of our time from an anthropological point of view -- Dr Baris Cayli * LSE Review of Books *An intoxicating narrative that tugs the reader from Hong Kong to Moscow, Salford to New Jersey, Tokyo to Sicily in search of the essence of Mafia Life. There is humour, pathos and poignancy amid stories of violence, corruption and intimidation. It begins and ends, festively, in a snowswept Russian graveyard. But it leaves you anything but cold. -- Alistair Fraser, University of Glasgow

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