History Books

Book Synopsis'We're all now self-makers, whether we like it or not - and this witty, sceptical book is the thought-provoking story of how we got here'GUARDIAN'A fast-moving train of a book'NEW YORK TIMES'Gripping'TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT'Funny, startling . . . a must read'PETER POMERANTSEV, author of This Is Not Propaganda'Revelatory'FRANCIS FUKUYAMA, author of The Origins of Political OrderAs the forces of social media and capitalism collide, cultivating our 'personal brands' has become the norm. But this phenomenon is not new: Instagram culture is part of a story that goes back centuries. From the Renaissance genius to the Regency dandy, Hollywood's Golden Age to today's Silicon Valley and reality TV stars, Self-Made takes us on a dazzling tour of modern history's most prominent self-makers, uncovering both self-making's liberatory power, and the dangers this idea can unleash.Trade ReviewA fun, insightful romp . . . we're all now self-makers, whether we like it or not - and this witty, sceptical book is the thought-provoking story of how we got here -- Rachel Aspden * Guardian *A fast-moving train of a book . . . Burton is a confident conductor * New York Times *Throughout her gripping account Burton homes in on the tensions at the heart of all self-making acts: between authenticity and artificiality, and between the self that is given and the self that is desired * Times Literary Supplement *This funny, startling, insightful story of the selfie, from Dürer to the Kardashians, is a must read if you want to understand how we reinvent ourselves every time we reveal ourselves -- Peter Pomerantsev, author of This Is Not Propaganda: Adventures in the War Against RealitySelf-Made takes the reader on an incredible journey that begins in the Renaissance and ends with the Kardashians, Donald Trump, and Silicon Valley's extropians, tracing the peculiarly modern phenomenon of people who make themselves the objects of their life's work. It is both revelatory and a warning about the ways that focus on the self distorts our individual lives and the broader society -- Francis Fukuyama, author of The Origins of Political OrderTara Isabella Burton's thoughtful, beautifully written book charts the engrossing history of the self-made man (and woman) from the geniuses of the Renaissance to present-day reality TV stars. Philosophical, ethical and pragmatic by turns, Burton urgently interrogates the culturally dominant myths of individualism and self-realisation, asking what we lose when we gain what we think we really want: when we make ourselves into gods -- Carolyne Larrington, author of The Norse Myths: A Guide to Viking and Scandinavian Gods and HeroesBurton is that rare cultural critic who delivers insight with sass and wears her deep knowledge of history and philosophy with a lightness and grace. A dazzling cast of characters struts across these pages, but Burton is always fully in control; every case study and example accretes to build her argument, for we are not merely self-stylists but shapeshifters, not just makers, but gods -- Marina Benjamin, author of InsomniaRanging from Aristotle to OnlyFans by way of the Marquis de Sade and Frederick Douglass, Tara Isabella Burton delights, infuriates and instructs while offering some of the sharpest and most insightful social commentary being written today. This is a book you will not forget -- Walter Russell Mead, author of The Arc of a Covenant: The United States, Israel, and the Fate of the Jewish PeopleLooking around at the strange terrain of American politics, religion, culture, and media, almost everyone is asking, "What happened?" and "What's next?" This book tells us the story behind those questions. Those who wonder why almost every aspect of life seems to be, at best, a reality television series and, at worst, a dark science fiction drama, will need this important work. This book will shift the conversation, at perhaps just the right time -- Russell Moore, author of Losing Our Religion: An Altar Call for Evangelical AmericaWhat does the Marquis de Sade have to do with David Bowie? Oscar Wilde with Oprah Winfrey? Montaigne with Donald Trump? Learn the fascinating historical and philosophical connections over the past five centuries in this erudite and wildly entertaining study on the fine art of self-creation, one of the modern era's defining cultural traits long before Instagram made it a daily universal habit -- Tony Perrottet, author of The Sinner’s Grand Tour: A Journey Through the Historical Underbelly of EuropeIn the spirit of Kurt Andersen's Fantasyland and Barbara Ehrenreich's Bright Sided, Tara Isabella Burton delivers a fascinating intellectual and cultural history of our never-ending quest to reinvent ourselves. She masterfully balances high and low culture, ranging from Renaissance sculptors and Parisian Dandies, to American hucksters and Instagram selfies. Self-Made clears through the fog of our current moment and lets us see the methods behind our collective madness. An essential read for our era of Late-Stage Everything -- Jamie Wheal, author of Recapture the RaptureSince the rise of Instagram and Facebook, how we present ourselves to the world has become a contemporary obsession. But as Tara Isabella Burton shows in her new book, Self-Made, it has a long history, from Beau Brummel to the Kardashians. The result is a fascinating, deeply researched and entertaining tour de force -- Simon Worrall, author of Starcrossed: A True Romeo and Juliet Story in Hitler’s ParisWide-ranging . . . With clarity and authority, Burton sheds light on how the self-made indulge in the profitable "fantasy of selling yourself" and provide an escape from reality for their followers. It's an eye-opener * Publishers Weekly *Burton concludes that our search for self-definition is ultimately a search for what it means to be human: vulnerable and inextricably interconnected. A thoughtful, well-grounded cultural history * Kirkus *It's a remarkable journey we humans have been on . . . The heights of self-aggrandisement Burton encounters are dizzying . . . she does not condemn outright the modern urge for self-expression. Bounding from one historical anecdote to the next, she reveals the human ingenuity that is unleashed when God's plan for us is taken out of the equation -- Rachel Cunliffe * New Statesman *Burton is right and brave to surmise that hollow self-making offers the wrong kind of answers to the modern bourgeois or digital peasant who wants to live a happy or meaningful life * Wall Street Journal *

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Book Synopsis'Trust me, this is a great true story' - Ken Follett 'This is an unbelievable story that is all completely true. The life described is astonishing. John Carr has done an extraordinary and riveting job uncovering the real father behind the dad he thought he knew.' - Lord Tony Hall 'Utterly compelling. It is an extraordinary tale, brilliantly written' - Alastair Stewart 'Extraordinary. An adventure story in the most terrible circumstances, a kid facing the most desperate dangers but taking fantastic risks with great boldness' - Fiona MacTaggart 'The remarkable story of a Jewish boy who killed a Nazi guard and escaped the Holocaust aged 13' - The Times ~~~~~In early 1940 Chaim Herzsman was locked in to the Lódz Ghetto in Poland. Hungry, fearless and determined, he goes on scavenging missions outside the wire limits, until he is forced to kill a Nazi guard. That moment changes the course of his life, and sets him on an unbelievable adventure across enemy lines.Escape from the Ghetto is about a normal boy who faced extermination by the Nazis in the ghetto or a Nazi deathcamp, and the extraordinary life he led in avoiding that fate. It's a bittersweet story about epic hope, beauty amidst horror, and the triumph of the human spirit. John Carr is Henry Carr's eldest son, and in Escape From the Ghetto he has recreated his father's incredible adventure, through recordings and transcribed conversations in later life. For fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, The Saboteur of Auschwitz and The Volunteer, this is the incredible true story of escape from the Nazis during World War II.Trade ReviewTrust me, this is a great true story * Ken Follett *This is an unbelievable story that is all completely true. The life described is astonishing. John Carr has done an extraordinary and riveting job uncovering the real father behind the dad he thought he knew * Lord Tony Hall *Utterly Compelling. It is an extraordinary tale, brilliantly written * Alastair Stewart *Extraordinary. An adventure story in the most terrible circumstances, a kid facing the most desperate dangers but taking fantastic risks with great boldness * Fiona MacTaggart *The remarkable story of a Jewish boy who killed a Nazi guard and escaped the Holocaust aged 13 * The Times *Unputdownable. A gripping, life affirming story of survival against seemingly impossible odds -- Deborah Cadbury, author of Princes at WarThis is a book you cannot put down. A quite extraordinary story of courage and cunning, dissembling and dishonesty, help from unlikely quarters and hindrance from cousins, and a fierce desire for survival, at whatever cost. John Carr's telling of his father's story is done sensitively and with pride, and leads to a form of familial reconciliation that is beyond moving. Passionate and spellbinding, and an absolute must read.An eloquent tribute to courage and resourcefulness, Escape from the Ghetto, is a gripping page turner. * Esther Safran Foer *John Carr deserves our gratitude for rescuing this World War Two story, among the most dramatic and vivid I've read. He has created it from conversations with his father, and the voice sounds truly authentic; it really does take us back to that period, when so many ordinary people lived extraordinary lives. It is a great adventure story, but it also prompts deeper questions about identity and truth. * Edward Stourton, author of Cruel Crossing *Deserves to be ranked among the great survival stories of the Second World War. * The Jewish Chronicle *

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'A delightful storybook . . . a portrait of our whole world created from the contents of the ground' Literary Review'A real cabinet of curiosities' Sunday TimesFrom the hematite used in cave paintings to the moldavite that became a TikTok sensation; from the stolen sandstone of Scone to the unexpected acoustics of Stonehenge; from crystal balls to compasses, rocks and minerals have always been central to our story.3,000 years ago Babylonians constructed lapidaries - books that tried to pin down the magical secrets of rocks. In Lapidarium, renowned art critic Hettie Judah explores the unexpected stories behind sixty stones that have shaped and inspired human history, from Dorset fossil-hunters to Chinese philosophers, Catherine the Great to Michelangelo.Discover why alchemists sought cinnabar and sulphur. Unearth the mystery of the tuff statues of Rapa Nui, the lost amber room of Frederick of Prussia and the scandal of Flint Jack. Find out how a Greek monster created coral, moon rock explains the history of Earth's only satellite and obsidian inspired the world's favourite computer game. Stone by stone, story by fascinating story, Lapidarium builds into a dazzling, epoch-spanning adventure through human culture, and beyond.

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Book Synopsis'A heavenly book, elegant and thoughtful. Get one for yourself and one for the church-crawler in your life!' Lucy WorsleyChristianity has been central to the lives of the people of Britain and Ireland for almost 2,000 years. It has given us laws, customs, traditions and our national character. From a persecuted minority in Roman Britannia through the 'golden age' of Anglo-Saxon monasticism, the devastating impact of the Vikings, the alliance of church and state after the Norman Conquest to the turmoil of the Reformation that saw the English monarch replace the Pope and the Puritan Commonwealth that replaced the king, it is a tangled, tumultuous story of faith and achievement, division and bloodshed.In If These Stones Could Talk Peter Stanford journeys through England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland to churches, abbeys, chapels and cathedrals, grand and humble, ruined and thriving, ancient and modern, to chronicle how a religion that began in the Middle East came to define our past and shape our present. In exploring the stories of these buildings that are still so much a part of the landscape, the details of their design, the treasured objects that are housed within them, the people who once stood in their pulpits and those who sat in their pews, he builds century by century the narrative of what Christianity has meant to the nations of the British Isles, how it is reflected in the relationship between rulers and ruled, and the sense it gives about who we are and how we live with each other.'There is no better navigator through the space in which art, culture and spirituality meet than Peter Stanford' Cole Moreton, Independent on SundayTrade ReviewSomeone new to both church history and church-crawling (when he or she can find a church open) would learn a good deal from this agreeably written book. -- Lucy Beckett * TLS *I have long found the books of Peter Stanford to be always entertaining and stimulating. This rich and varied text . . . ought to be enjoyed by a wide audience as it describes and comments on nearly 2000 years of religion among the many cultures that have come and gone in that time. -- Peter Costello * Irish Catholic *'Setting out to relate the history of Christianity on these islands through a selection of churches or monasteries may seem a bold or even foolhardy undertaking. However, Stanford pulls it off with flair and conviction.' * The Irish Examiner *A compelling read. * The Scottish Catholic *It explores the history of Christianity through its sacred buildings and delves into the stories that are part of our landscape... I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. * Jumoke Fashola - BBC Radio London *Stanford romps engagingly through the centuries in what he describes as an "ordering and assembling of Christian history as told by a selection of 'crawled' churches. * The Church Times *Setting out to relate the history of Christianity on these islands through a selection of churches or monasteries may seem a bold or even foolhardy undertaking. However, Stanford pulls it off with flair and conviction. * The Irish Examiner *In this rich and beguiling book, Peter Stanford gets old stones to tell us about the turbulent history of Christianity in the British Isles. * Richard Holloway *"Stanford romps engagingly through the centuries in what he describes as an "ordering and assembling of Christian history as told by a selection of 'crawled' churches... highly engaging... I thoroughly recommend this book as an excellent and eminently readable overview of that history." * The Church Times *It explores the history of Christianity through its sacred buildings and delves into the stories that are part of our landscape... I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. * Jumoke Fashola - BBC Radio London *A compelling read * The Scottish Catholic *

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Book SynopsisDemocracy was born in Athens. From its founding myths to its golden age and its chaotic downfall, it's rich with lessons for our own times. Why did vital civil engagement and fair debate descend into paralysis and populism? Can we compare Creon to Trump, Demokratia to the American Constitution or Demosthenes' On the Crown to the Brexit campaign? And how did a second referenda save the Athenians from a bloodthirsty decision? With verve and acuity, the heroics and the critics of Athenian democracy are brought to bear on today's politics, revealing in all its glories and its flaws the system that still survives to execute the power of the people.Trade ReviewTimely and fascinating, this well informed book is highly readable and addresses questions of fundamental importance, as alive for us now as formerly they were for the world's first democracies * Robin Lane Fox *It renders a potentially intimidating topic instantly readable...with forays into protest, voter apathy and the changing face of political engagement, its arguments are compelling, persuasive and more prescient than ever * All About History *

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The New Yorker's award-winning war correspondent returns to his own country to chronicle a story of mounting civic breakdown and violent disorder, in a vivid eyewitness narrative of revelatory explanatory power.'This is a searing book, exquisitely reported, lyrically told, and so vivid it will make your heart stop-a dark journey into what ails America' Patrick Radden KeefeOn the morning of January 6, a gallows was erected on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. A little after noon, as thousands of Trump supporters marched past the structure, some paused to climb its wooden steps and take pictures of the US Capitol framed within an oval noose. Up ahead, the dull thud of stun grenades could be heard, accompanied by bright flashes. Several people carried Confederate flags. Others had Tasers, baseball bats, bear spray, and truncheons. 'They need help!' a man shouted. 'It's us versus the cops!' No one seemed surprised by what was taking place. There was an eerie sense of inexorability, mixed with nervous hesitation. It reminded me of combat: the slightly shocked, almost bashful moment when bravado, fantasy, and training crash against reality.In early 2020, Luke Mogelson, who had been living in France and covering the Global War on Terrorism, returned home to report on the social discord that the pandemic was bringing to the fore in the US. Soon, he found himself embedded with militias descending on the Michigan state capitol. From there, the story swept him on to Minneapolis, then to Portland, and ultimately to Washington, D.C. His stories for The New Yorker were hailed as essential first drafts of history. They were just the tip of the iceberg.The Storm Is Here is the definitive eyewitness account of how--during a season of sickness, economic uncertainty, and violence--a large segment of Americans became convinced that they needed to rise up against dark forces plotting to take their country away from them, and then did just that. It builds month by month, through vivid depictions of events on the ground, from the onset of the pandemic to the attack on the US Capitol--during which Mogelson was in the Senate chamber with the insurrectionists--and its aftermath. Bravely reported and beautifully written, Mogelson's book follows the tradition of some of the essential chronicles of war and unrest of our time.

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Book SynopsisThe harrowing, moving and poignant account of one of the youngest survivors of Auschwitz: a girl who was only five years old when she was sent to an extermination camp, and was one of the few people who entered a gas chamber and lived to tell her story.'I am a survivor. That comes with a survivor's obligation to represent one and half million Jewish children murdered by the Nazis. They cannot speak. So I must speak on their behalf.'With a special foreword by Sir Ben Kingsley.'Every so often a book arrives that demands to be read' John Humphrys'An unforgettable and deeply moving story' Jeremy BowenAN INCREDIBLE STORY OF COURAGE, RESILIENCE AND SURVIVAL Tova Friedman was one of the youngest people to emerge from Auschwitz. After surviving the liquidation of the Jewish ghetto in Central Poland where she lived as a toddler, Tova was five when she and her parents were sent to a Nazi labour camp, and almost six when she and her mother were forced into a packed cattle truck and sent to Auschwitz II, also known as the Birkenau extermination camp, while her father was transported to Dachau. During six months of incarceration in Birkenau, Tova witnessed atrocities that she could never forget, and experienced numerous escapes from death. She is one of a handful of Jews to have entered a gas chamber and lived to tell the tale. As Nazi killing squads roamed Birkenau before abandoning the camp in January 1945, Tova and her mother hid among corpses. After being liberated by the Russians they made their way back to their hometown in Poland. Eventually Tova's father tracked them down and the family was reunited.In The Daughter of Auschwitz, Tova immortalizes what she saw, to keep the story of the Holocaust alive, at a time when it is in danger of fading from memory. She has used those memories that have shaped her life to honour the victims. Written with award-winning former war reporter Malcolm Brabant, this is an extremely important book. Brabant's thorough research has helped Tova recall her experiences in searing detail. Together they have painstakingly recreated Tova's extraordinary story about one of the worst ever crimes against humanity.'I read this book with gratitude and urgency' Fergal Keane'[A] vividly written and compelling story' Lindsey Hilsum'A truly remarkable book' Christine Lampard, LorraineTrade ReviewEvery so often a book arrives that demands to be read. This is such a book. It should be compulsory reading for those who know little of one of humanity's greatest crimes and the awe-inspiring bravery of those like Tova Friedman who survived to tell their story. But also for those who think of the Holocaust as ancient history. It is not. It is an eternal reminder that evil needs only ignorance to flourish. That is the true value of this remarkable book * John Humphrys *Tova Friedman's vividly written and compelling story serves as proof that after suffering unimaginable cruelty and trauma, it is still possible to forge a life. This unforgettable book not only ensures we remember the horrors of the Holocaust, but can see the dangers of anti-semitism and other forms of racism today * Lindsey Hilsum *An unforgettable and deeply moving story. Malcolm Brabant brilliantly evokes the world of the ghetto and of Auschwitz through the eyes of Tova Friedman, a small child who survived the brutality of the Holocaust * Jeremy Bowen *I read this book with gratitude and urgency. Gratitude for the courage Tova Friedman has shown in deciding to share her story. We are all the beneficiaries of such powerful witness. The urgency comes from the knowledge that as time marches on such vivid voices are becoming increasingly rare. Read this book, cherish the lessons. It is a book rooted in the terrible events of another time, but the truths it reveals are eternal * Fergal Keane *Tova Friedman is telling her story for a reason, and that's clear in every page. It is a surprising and moving book which makes you furious, and I suspect that's what she wants -- Krishnan Guru-Murthy * Channel 4 News *[A] harrowing and lyrical memoir * Sunday Independent *An absolutely riveting book - please read it -- Judy Woodruff * PBS Newshour *A truly remarkable book -- Christine Lampard * Lorraine *Heart-breaking and powerful reading * History Revealed *In this vivid account, [Tova's] harrowing memories are brought to life with meticulous research from war reporter Malcolm Brabant. This result is a poignant, extraordinarily powerful book * Woman's Own *The combination [of authors] ... has turned into gold, as Brabant unerringly provides accurate research to support Friedman's callow memories. This is the real thing, the horrors of the Holocaust brought shudderingly to life, and all from the point of view of a small child who could barely read or recognise numbers. * Jewish Chronicle *Friedman is unflinching in choosing to reveal the trauma of her childhood and enlist the reader in her struggle to ensure that it can never be forgotten, and in the hope that it will never happen again. * Church Times *

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Book SynopsisLaunched at the 1982 Notting Hill Carnival, The Voice newspaper captured and addressed a generation figuring out what it meant to be Black and British. Written for and by Black people, the newspaper shone a light on systematic injustices as well as celebrating Black Britain's success stories. From hard hitting news reports covering the murder of Stephen Lawrence to championing the likes of Sir Lewis Hamilton and Idris Elba, the newspaper has campaigned, celebrated and educated people for the last forty years.As well as celebrating amazing successes in sport, politics and the arts, The Voice documented everyday life in the community, from the emergence of a Black middle class in the '90s and the achievements of Black entrepreneurs to how different facets of the community were explored in contemporary music and literature. Since its small beginnings in Hackney, The Voice has also become a fantastic training ground for prominent journalists and figures including former politician Trevor Phillips, broadcaster Rageh Omaar and writer Afua Hirsch. Today, The Voice is Britain's longest running and only Black newspaper.Told through news reports, editorials and readers' personal letters, this emotive book documents the social history of Black Britain over the last four decades. Each chapter is illustrated with amazing newspaper pages from The Voice's extensive archives as well as iconic and dramatic front covers from 1982 to the present day.With a foreword from Sir Lenny Henry and written by former and current Voice journalists, this powerful book is a celebration of the ground-breaking paper which gave a voice to the voiceless.

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Book Synopsis'Groundbreaking... Part memoir, part guide, this is a must-have.' Independent'A worthwhile tutorial.' Evening Standard"Poetry and rap come from the same family. They're brothers. Just because you're good at one doesn't necessarily mean you'll be good at the other, but if you master both you'll be unparalleled."Rapthology is a masterclass in lyric writing. A spotlight into the craft and skill of what it takes to be an incredible artist by pioneering musician and artist, Wretch 32. Taking us through the songs which have shaped his career over the last two decades step by step, explaining what each song means to him, his own creative process, from the first flashes of inspiration to final edits and improvisation, right through to how popular and powerful his lyrics are.Part autobiography, part guide to creativity and part cultural history Rapthology is a blueprint to the music that matters.Trade ReviewA worthwhile tutorial. * Evening Standard *Groundbreaking...part memoir, part guide, this is a must-have. * Independent *

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Book SynopsisA FINANCIAL TIMES BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR "Powerful, important, and searing." -General David Petraeus, U.S. Army (ret.), former commander, U.S. Central Command, former CIA directorIn 2015, the White House claimed triumphantly "the longest war in American history is over." But for some, it was just the beginning of a new and covert war, fought far from public view, with limited resources, little governmental oversight, and contradictory orders.Take Hutch, a battle-worn Green Beret on his fifth combat tour in 2015, tasked with a high-stakes mission: lead a small band of men into Kunduz, recapture the city from the Taliban, and turn it over to the Afghan government. The U.S. role was meant to be a secret-after all, the war was over. Then, disaster struck. He called in an airstrike on a Doctors Without Borders hospital, killing dozens of doctors and patients.Or Caleb, who stepped on a bomb during a raid on a Taliban hideout in notorious Sangin. Or Andy, trapped in Marjah with a crashed Black Hawk and no air support. From Hutch to Caleb to Andy, Eagle Down is a dramatic and intimate portrayal of this ongoing forgotten war that moves from the desperate battlegrounds in muddy Afghan villages all the way to the White House.Pulitzer Prize Finalist Jessica Donati, with big picture insight and on-the-ground grit, reveals how America came to rely on U.S. Special Forces, through successive policy directives that ramped up the war under the Obama and Trump administrations. Donati shows how the covert war failed to stabilize Afghanistan, and undermined U.S. interests both at home and abroad.Relying on Donati's daring on-the-ground reporting, first-hand accounts from Special Forces, military documents, and declassified reports, Eagle Down is an account of the heroism, sacrifice, and tragedy experienced by those that fought America's longest war.

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Book SynopsisThe 1590s were black years for England. The queen was old, the succession unclear, and the treasury empty after decades of war. Amid the rising tension, William Shakespeare published a pair of poems dedicated to the young Earl of Southampton: Venus and Adonis in 1593 and The Rape of Lucrece a year later. Although wildly popular during Shakespeare's lifetime, to modern readers both works are almost impenetrable. But in her enthralling new book, the Shakespearean scholar Clare Asquith reveals their hidden contents: two politically charged allegories of Tudor tyranny that justified--and even urged--direct action against an unpopular regime. The poems were Shakespeare's bestselling works in his lifetime, evidence that they spoke clearly to England's wounded populace and disaffected nobility, and especially to their champion, the Earl of Essex.Shakespeare and the Resistance unearths Shakespeare's own analysis of a political and religious crisis which would shortly erupt in armed rebellion on the streets of London. Using the latest historical research, it resurrects the story of a bold bid for freedom of conscience and an end to corruption which was erased from history by the men who suppressed it. This compelling reading situates Shakespeare at the heart of the resistance movement, and sees him correctly identifying the factors that would before long plunge the country into civil war.

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Book SynopsisSlavery is a phenomenon that appears to interfere with neither the daily lives of most people nor with their contemporary worlds.For many, the term ‘slavery’ is reminiscent of black slaves on their journey to America or, perhaps, of slaves in ancient Rome or Greece. And yet, despite the fact that slavery had formally been abolished at the end of the nineteenth century in most countries, it still remains an inherent part of modern life.In 2023 it still consists of a large group of people. For more than 50 million individuals worldwide, freedom does not exist. People are still being exploited and traded as commodities.In the first place, this issue concerns people who end up working as slave labour in all economic branches, including clothing, fishing, agriculture, construction, transport and catering industries. This form of slavery has many connections to Western companies and, often, it actually occurs in Western countries. In addition, in all European countries, the sex industry makes abundant use of so-called sex slaves.This book will give you a glimpse of what slavery looks like today.

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Book SynopsisBuild, reinforce and assess students' knowledge throughout their course; tailored to the 2016 CCEA specification and brought to you by the leading History publisher, this study and revision guide combines clear content coverage with practice questions and sample answers.- Ensure understanding of the period with concise coverage of all Unit content, broken down into manageable chunks- Develop the analytical and evaluative skills that students need to succeed in A-level History- Consolidate understanding with exam tips and knowledge-check questions- Practise exam-style questions matched to the CCEA assessment requirements for every question type- Improve students' exam technique and show them how to reach the next grade with sample student answers and commentary for each exam-style question- Use flexibly in class or at home, for knowledge acquisition during the course or focused revision and exam preparation

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Book Synopsis"Does what it sets out to do and serves as a Chinese history text teenagers might actually read." —Asian Review of Books on Division to Unification in Imperial ChinaThe fourth volume in the Understanding China Through Comics series covers the stunningly productive Ming dynasty and its fall to the Manchus under the Qing, the last Chinese dynasty. The book also addresses Wang Yangming's School of Mind and the painful process of modernization and conflict with the West and Japan, including the Opium Wars and the Boxer Rebellion. Includes timeline.Jing Liu is a Beijing- and Davis, CA–based designer and entrepreneur who uses his artistry to tell the story of China.Trade Review"A great way to learn about China's vast history!"—Amy Tan, author of The Joy Luck Club "Excels at clarifying the often-confusing transitional periods between dynasties… An excellent introduction to the large trends of early Chinese history.”—School Library Journal 5/5 Stars "An invaluable source... Chinese history is a vast subject, but Jing Liu has a skillful ability to condense it all into an interesting and manageable narrative."—Kids' Book Buzz "Combines breezy style with historical rigor to strike just the right gong-tone for a middle school audience approaching the vast scope of Chinese history."—Education About Asia "The combination of silhouettes—often threatening, martial ones—with open-faced, expressively individualized figures of many social classes adds dramatic tension while neatly balancing the big-picture narrative. There's a lot to absorb even in this abbreviated form, but the visual approach lightens the load considerably."—Kirkus Reviews "The lucid, economical text makes one eager for successive volumes."—Booklist "Simple and effective…This direct, appealing introduction to the foundations of one of the world’s oldest civilizations is recommended for teens and adults."—Library Journal "The book does what it says it does: a child will come away with a basic understanding of early Chinese history, what makes the Chinese tick as a people and culture."—Asian Review of Books "This book is “The Magic School Bus” for those starting to explore Chinese culture."—Dan Cao, Instructor at Confucius Institute at UC Davis "An excellent history that clearly explains the great (and ordinary) people who have made China what it is and the conflicts and debates that have shaped Chinese history. There is nothing else like it in English or Chinese."—Alan Baumler, Professor of History at Indiana University of Pennsylvania "No more burying yourself in text-heavy history books to learn about China, this comic-style book manages to be rich in information and bring Chinese history to readers in a more clear, fun, and accessible way than it’s ever been done before. Easily integrated into a social studies or Chinese culture curriculum, I can’t wait to get a copy for my class."—Grace Zeng, Chinese Teacher and Middle School Chinese Curriculum Area Leader at International School of Beijing "Jing Liu has brought to life the long and complex early period of Chinese history in this wonderful graphic novel. Foundations of Chinese Civilization is a delight to read; humorous, informative, and truly captivating."—Alexandra Pearson, Founder of The Bookworm Literary Festival "Since the 1990s, Jing Liu has been entertaining and informing foreigners about China with his cartoons. His new series of comic books is a fun, easy, accessible way to gain a basic understanding of Chinese history and culture."—Jeremy Goldkorn, Founder of DanweiTable of ContentsPreviously in Understanding China through Comics . From penniless farm boy to emperor of China . Nanjing Reunifying China Turning inward: The Ming Dynasty, 1368 – 1644 . Protector of the poor . Low tax . Labor duties . Leave people alone . Low pay and corruption . Local officials . Central government officials . Warehouse administrators . Students . “What a difficult situation this is!” . Short-term measures with long-term implications . Losing control of its own currency . Failure of copper coins . Overspending destroys paper money . Retreat . Turning to silver . Japanese pirates . Tax monetization for war . Macau . “Why are we fighting with our money supply?” . Spanish Americas . “We don’t control the trade or the source of silver.” . Conscientious individuals in a flawed system . Wang Yangming and the School of Mind . Core teaching . Impact . Hai Rui, the oddball . Zhang Juzheng and a last attempt to save the empire . “It’s a bad time to run out of money” . Final years of the Ming Dynasty . “Bandits can tear my body apart, but don’t hurt my people” Manchus and the West: The Qing Dynasty, 1644 – 1912 “We’re here to protect Chinese tradition” . The last Ming resistance in Taiwan Century of peace . Growing economy . Territorial expansion . Early contact with the West . Re-establishing trade . American crops . Jesuits . Turning point . System failure . Rise of industrial Britain . Bankruptcy . Opium trade . The first Opium War . The invisible hand . Heavenly Kingdom of Great Peace rebellion “Jesus is my brother!” . Scholars against the rebels . The second Opium War . Self-strengthening Empress Dowager Cixi to the rescue . Sir Robert Hart, head of the Chinese customs service. Burlingame, ambassador for America and China . New hope - the Beiyang force . Philo McGiffin and the Chinese navy . Incompatible with tradition . A new academy at Weihai Wei . When the dragon meets the rising sun . Rise of industrial Japan . Line of advantage . The first Sino-Japanese war . The Korean crisis . Declaration of war . Getting ready . The Battle of Yalu River . Encounter . Outnumbered battle . Fire in the forecastle . Withdraw . Battle results . Total defeat Aftermath . Peace treaty . Diaoyu Islands . Japan’s path to imperial power . Carving up China Hundred Days’ Reform Society on the eve of revolution . Modern city life . Impoverished countryside . “Now you must turn to God!” . Tensions in the birthplace of Confucius . Last straw from the Forbidden City The storm of 1900 . Battle of Beijing . Eight-nation alliance . Boxer Protocol . Final humiliation . Revolution Sun Zhongshan, father of modern China .

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Book SynopsisThe New York Times Book Review Editors'' Choice?A spellbinding work of history that reads like a Cold War spy thriller?about the U.S.-sanctioned plot to assassinate the democratically elected leader of the newly independent CongoA BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: The New Yorker, The Economist, Financial Times?This is one of the best books I have read in years . . . gripping, full of colorful characters, and strange plot twists.? ?Fareed Zakaria, CNN hostIt was supposed to be a moment of great optimism, a cause for jubilation. The Congo was at last being set free from Belgium?one of seventeen countries to gain independence in 1960 from ruling European powers. At the helm as prime minister was charismatic nationalist Patrice Lumumba. Just days after the handover, however, the Congo?s new army mutinied, Belgian forces intervened, and Lumumba turned to the United Nations for help in saving his newborn nation from what the press was already calling ?the Congo crisis.? Dag Hammarskjöld, the tidy Swede serving as UN secretary-general, quickly arranged the organization?s biggest peacekeeping mission in history. But chaos was still spreading. Frustrated with the fecklessness of the UN and spurned by the United States, Lumumba then approached the Soviets for help?an appeal that set off alarm bells at the CIA. To forestall the spread of Communism in Africa, the CIA sent word to its station chief in the Congo, Larry Devlin: Lumumba had to go.Within a year, everything would unravel. The CIA plot to murder Lumumba would ?zzle out, but he would be deposed in a CIA-backed coup, transferred to enemy territory in a CIA-approved operation, and shot dead by Congolese assassins. Hammarskjöld, too, would die, in a mysterious plane crash en route to negotiate a cease-?re with the Congo?s rebellious southeast. And a young, ambitious military officer named Joseph Mobutu, who had once sworn fealty to Lumumba, would seize power with U.S. help and misrule the country for more than three decades. For the Congolese people, the events of 1960?61 represented the opening chapter of a long horror story. For the U.S. government, however, they provided a playbook for future interventions.

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Book SynopsisRanging from early twentieth century modernist appropriations of non-western art through to the ways in which Mexican muralists in the 1930s negotiated European avant-gardist strategies, and then up to contemporary installation and lens-based practices during the current period of globalisation, this book seeks to understand selected moments in the art of the last one hundred years through the prism of postcolonialism.Table of ContentsIntroduction – Warren Carter1 Modernism and its margins – Paul Wood 2 Mexican muralism reconsidered – Warren Carter3 Artists, institutions and the ‘global contemporary’ – Gill Perry4 Art, movement and migration since 1970 – Amy CharlesworthConclusion – Warren CarterIndex

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Book SynopsisThis deeply researched book describes one of the great forgotten battles of the 20th century. At its height it involved nearly a million Chinese and Japanese soldiers, while sucking in three million civilians as unwilling spectators and, often, victims. It turned what had been a Japanese adventure in China into a general war between the two oldest and proudest civilizations of the Far East. Ultimately, it led to Pearl Harbor and to seven decades of tumultuous history in Asia. The Battle of Shanghai was a pivotal event that helped define and shape the modern world.In its sheer scale, the struggle for China’s largest city was a sinister forewarning of what was in store for the rest of mankind only a few years hence, in theaters around the world. It demonstrated how technology had given rise to new forms of warfare, or had made old forms even more lethal. Amphibious landings, tank assaults, aerial dogfights and most importantly, urban combat, all happened in Shanghai in 1937. It was a dress rehearsal for World War II—or perhaps more correctly it was the inaugural act in the war—the first major battle in the global conflict.Actors from a variety of nations were present in Shanghai during the three fateful autumn months when the battle raged. The rich cast included China's ascetic Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek and his Japanese adversary, General Matsui Iwane, who wanted Asia to rise from disunity, but ultimately pushed the continent toward its deadliest conflict ever. Claire Chennault, later of “Flying Tiger” fame, was among the figures emerging in the course of the campaign, as was First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. In an ironic twist, Alexander von Falkenhausen, a stern German veteran of the Great War, abandoned his role as a mere advisor to the Chinese army and led it into battle against the Japanese invaders.Written by Peter Harmsen, a foreign correspondent in East Asia for two decades, and currently bureau chief in Taiwan for the French news agency AFP, Shanghai 1937 fills a gaping chasm in our understanding of the Second World War.Trade Review“Harmsen, a two-decade veteran of east Asia, demonstrates a breathtaking command of the battle itself—from the 10,000 meter, panoramic view of the terrain and history, down to the platoon level.” * Asian Review of Books *Mr Harmsen is an excellent writer. The book rattles along like a modern techno-thriller and moves gracefully between descriptions of the tactical battlefield and the impact on the company, platoon or individual to the strategic machinations of the top brass and the movement of armies and divisions. Whilst the book piqued my interest in the pre Second World War Sino-Japanese conflict it stands very successfully as an excellent piece of military writing in its own right. One only has to be interested in warfare to appreciate this book." * The Wargamer *Journalist Peter Harmsen’s new book, Shanghai 1937: Stalingrad on the Yangtze, reconstructs the battle narrative of those shocking three months, which saw the Japanese go from a minor military garrison in Zhabei to the Rape of Nanjing... presents a gripping chronology of two sides locked in a horrific death dance...the book genuinely shines. * Cityweekend.com *'This is a compelling account of this major but often overlooked battle, told from both sides of the conflict and covering every level of the conflict, from the experiences of the private soldier to the problems faced by the senior commanders on both side as well as the eyewitnesses from the international community in the city. The text is supported by a series of maps that help illustrate the course of the battle, and by photographs that show the impact of urban warfare on one of Asia's most prosperous and cosmopolitan cities. ' --History of War, July 2014 * History of War 07/01/2014 *“Enhances the bare facts with material gleaned from multiple diaries, reports, newspaper and magazine articles, books, and other accounts from combatants and civilians of all nationalities. In addition to on-the-spot impressions from a surprising number of Chinese and Japanese foot soldiers, the book also features eyewitness reports from and about foreigners living and working in the cosmopolitan city at the time... Engaging account of a little-known battle... Practically nothing else in English tackles this topic at this level. * Stone and Stone *'Shanghai 1937' has all the elements of a fabulous historical novel... Comparisons by online reviewers to Antony Beevor, author of 'Stalingrad' and 'Berlin,' are justly deserved... One of the really remarkable features of 'Shanghai 1937' is the huge collection of high-quality photographs, all of them in-period and directly relevant to the action, in three 16-page inserts. * Taiwan Today *

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Book SynopsisThe path from Moscow to Stalingrad was littered with successes and losses for both the Red Army and the Wehrmacht, with tensions remaining high and culminating in one of the harshest battles of the Second World War. Part of the Casemate Illustrated series, this volume outlines how it was that, less than a year after their defeat at Moscow, the German army had found a way to make the Soviet troops waver in their defence, with their persistence eventually leading to the Battle of Stalingrad.The successful expulsion of the German troops from Moscow in the winter of 1941 came at a cost for the Red Army. Weaknesses in the Soviet camp inspired the Wehrmacht, under Adolf Hitler’s close supervision, to make preparations for offensives along the Eastern Front to push the Russians further and further back into their territory. With a complex set of new tactics and the crucial aid of the Luftwaffe, the German army began to formulate a deadly two-pronged attack on Stalingrad to reduce the city to rubble.Initially only on the periphery of operations, bit by bit German ambitions focused on Stalingrad. In the lead up to this, Timoshenko’s failed attack on Kharkov followed by the Battle of Sebastopol in June 1942 prompted Operation Blue, the German campaign to advance east on their prized objective. This volume includes numerous photographs of the ships, planes, tanks, trucks, and weaponry used by both sides in battle, alongside detailed maps and text outlining the constantly changing strategies of the armies as events unfolded.Trade ReviewA useful book to have on the shelf […] Recommended. * Scale Military Modelling International Magazine *The photos have lots of inspiration for military modellers, with both aircraft, trucks and AFVs. There are diorama ideas aplenty. Good to see an English translation of these fine books by Yves Buffetaut. * Military Model Scene *Striking a good balance between informative text and illustrations this volume is a very digestible and interesting contribution * Classic Military Vehicle Magazine *Casemate should be praised for publishing this series of books, as although they may not be of an immediate interest to the modeller, when you take a closer look at the photographs there are a host of ideas that could be used in some interesting dioramas or vignettes. There are also the modifications and markings that could make for some unusual and different builds. * Britmodeller.com *A very informative title in bite size segments accompanied with very good photographs. The text is well written and so is easy to read and take in the provided information. Very highly recommended * Armorama *

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Book SynopsisWhat is Manchester? Moving far from the glitzy shopping districts and architectural showpieces, away from cool city-centre living and modish cultural centres, this book shows us the unheralded, under-appreciated and overlooked parts of Greater Manchester in which the majority of Mancunians live, work and play. It tells the story of the city thematically, using concepts such a ‘material’, ‘atmosphere’, ‘waste’, ‘movement’ and ‘underworld’ to challenge our understanding of the quintessential post-industrial metropolis. Bringing together contributions from twenty-five poets, academics, writers, novelists, historians, architects and artists from across the region alongside a range of captivating photographs, this book explores the history of Manchester through its chimneys, cobblestones, ginnels and graves. This wide-ranging and inclusive approach reveals a host of idiosyncrasies, hidden spaces and stories that have until now been neglected.Trade Review'Dobraszczyk and Butler have gathered together a set of excavations and forgagings which piece together very different visions of the towns and developments and rivers and canals and in-between spaces that make up the disjointed, uneven, ever-changing city of Manchester. Here, in the book’s exploration of undervalued urban spaces, readers will find the traces of other futures, snickets and ginnels, a rumour of salmon, slow-worms appearing in old brickworks, the amazing story of the city’s hibakujumoko trees, and myriad other transplantations and spaces that twenty-first-century time has passed by.'John McAuliffe, poet and Reader of Creative Writing and Modern Literature, University of Manchester'Manchester: Something rich and strange epitomises everything that is wonderful about this great city. The book tells the story of Manchester’s past and present in a unique and engaging way, bringing together a variety of contributors from a variety of different backgrounds.'Michala Hulme, author of A grim almanac of Manchester and Bloody British history: Manchester' 'It is a book like the city; bold, brash, and gobby, moving from morbid self-pity to delirious triumph in mere moments. A guided tour where they pull up the floorboards and let you see what lies beneath.'Manchester Review of Books 'There’s strong material in this ragbag of themed think-pieces - Rose recalling the attack which prompted her to reclaim the streets from her nightmares; Kalu conjuring the realities of Manchester’s sewer system with unnerving brio; Tim Edensor on the sources of municipal cobble stone; Hanson on the ubiquity of facades in post-modern, post-Factory Records Manchester - plus Simon Buckley’s celebrated ‘iPhone Lowry’ on the cover and a good helping of Dobraszczyk’s magnificently crisp photography.'Manchester Confidential -- .Table of ContentsIntroduction – Manchester: seeing like a cityAtmospheresSpirit – Morag RoseFeel – Sean R. MillsCorridor – Sarah ButlerChimney – Jonathan SilverNight – Nick DunnMoors – Cassie BritlandMonumentsStatue – Natalie BradburyMuseum – Jonathan SilverShopping centre – Martin DodgeStained glass – Clare HartwellSculpture – Natalie BradburyMovementExchange – Steve HansonStone – Tim EdensorRing road – Nick DunnLoop – Natalie BradburyBus stop – Peter KaluWalk – Morag RoseWorkCotton – Martin DodgeBrick – James ThorpCo–op – Natalie BradburyNewspaper – Natalie BradburyCar wash – Peter KaluRelicsMedieval – Clare HartwellRailway – Brian RosaStadium – Tim EdensorHair – Jenna C. AshtonBaths – Matthew SteeleUnderworldsSewer – Peter KaluArches – Brian RosaGrave – Cassie BritlandViolence – Andrew McMillanPrison – Cassie BritlandDregsDye – James ThorpArsenic – Becky Alexis-MartinShadows – Nick DunnRhythm – Joanne HudsonRuins – Tim EdensorRedundant – Matthew SteeleSecretsFacade – Steve HansonCloister – Clare ArchibaldThread – Jenna C. AshtonRadium – Becky Alexis-MartinPassage – Paul DobraszczykCobble – Tim EdensorNatureWildscape – Joanne HudsonEdges – Nick DunnGinkgo – Becky Alexis-MartinCanal – Morag RoseGardens – Matthew Steele DestructionFlower – Sarah SayeedBee – Paul DobraszczykRiot – Sarah ButlerAtom – Steve HansonTudor – Paul DobraszczykHomeHomeless – Steve HansonB&B – Sarah ButlerSynagogue – Jonathan SilverMosque – Qaisra ShahrazImmigrant – Qaisra ShahrazLaundrette – Peter KaluNotes on contributorsPhoto acknowledgementsIndex

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Book SynopsisThe last instalment of the War in the Far East trilogy, Asian Armageddon 1944-1945, continues and completes the narrative of the first two volumes, describing how a US-led coalition of nations battled Japan into submission through a series of cataclysmic encounters. Leyte Gulf, the biggest naval battle ever, was testimony to the paramount importance of controlling the ocean, as was the fact that the US Navy carried out the only successful submarine campaign in history, reducing Japan's military and merchant navies to shadows of the former selves. Meanwhile, fighting continued in disparate geographic conditions on land, with the chaos of Imphal, the inferno of Manila, and the carnage of Iwo Jima forming some of milestones on the bloody road to peace, sealed in Tokyo Bay in September 1945. The nuclear blasts at the end of the war made one observer feel as if he was ‘present at the creation’. Indeed, the participants in the events in the Asia Pacific in the mid-1940s were present at the creation of a new and dangerous world. It was a world where the stage was set for the Cold War and for international rivalries that last to this day, and a new constellation of powers emerged, with the outlines, just over the horizon, of a rising China.War in the Far East is a trilogy of books comprising a general history of World War II in the Asia Pacific. Unlike other histories on the conflict it goes into its deep origins, beginning long before Pearl Harbor, and encompasses a far wider group of actors to produce the most complete account yet written on the subject and the first truly international treatment of this epic conflict. Author Peter Harmsen weaves together complex events into a revealing and entertaining narrative, including facets of the war that may be unknown even to avid readers of World War II history, from the mass starvations that cost the lives of millions across China, Indochina and India to the war in subarctic conditions in the Aleutians. Harmsen pieces together the full range of perspectives, reflecting what war was like both at the top and on the ground.Trade ReviewHarmsen provides a refreshing perspective to the controversial question how long the war in the Asia Pacific lasted. Harmsen stimulates any reader interested in WWII to contextualize the Japanese-American war of 1941 to 1945 within the much larger narrative stretching from the civil wars of China of the 1920s all the way until the evacuation of Saigon in 1975. * Yan Xu, Chair of History (Spelman College) and author of 'The Soldier Image and State-Building in Modern China' 19/08/2021 *It is ground-breaking. The book creates clarity and brings new information, even for a military historian who has studied these campaigns and operations on and above the sea for decades. The author deserves thanks for this incredible effort. * Misc US Reviewer *Table of ContentsChapter 1 The beginning of the end Chapter 2 Closing in on the Philippines Chapter 3 MacArthur Returns Chapter 4 Japan’s Last Offensives Chapter 5 On Japan’s Doorstep Chapter 6 Apocalypse Chapter 7 Postwar Asia

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Book SynopsisIn the summer of 1943, the German launched Operation Zitadelle (Citadel), aimed at cutting off a large number of Soviet forces in the Kursk salient. This offensive resulted in the battle of Kursk, the largest tank battle of World War II.Kursk quickly became a fierce contest of attrition, as Wehrmacht and elite Waffen-SS Panzer-Divisions with their powerful Tiger and Panther tanks unsuccessfully tried to hammer their way through the intricate lines of strong Soviet defensive positions. What followed was unabated fighting for two weeks as German units were slowly and systematically ground down in a series of brutal armored battles.During this ferocious fighting the Red Army savagely contested every foot of ground, finally ending German invincibility forever. For the first time in its short history, the blitzkrieg concept had failed. The reverberations caused by the defeat at Kursk were immense, and never again did the German war machine go on the offensive in the East. Stiff defensive action was now the stratagem placed upon the dwindling Panzerwaffe right to the gates of Berlin.With comprehensive captions and text, Kursk tells the story of this dramatic battle using rare and unpublished photographs, maps, and highly detailed artist profiles. The book reveals the events leading up to the battle in the first half of 1943, and the build up of forces by both sides before their climatic showdown at Kursk.Trade ReviewThis is a well-rounded photographic work on Kursk … the photos cover a wide breadth of subjects and are well-supported by profiles and data tables … There are useful views of various tanks, self-propelled guns, half-tracks and other vehicles. Furthermore, images of personnel illustrate conditions, uniforms and equipment. Full-colour profiles are spread throughout the book and these are captioned with useful aids including paint and camouflage information. * Airfix Model World *An excellent mix of photographs accompanied by well presented captions that provide a pleasing level of information … and [an] informative read. * Armorama *There is a lot of reference material for your money. Well recommended to all with an interest in military history. * Scale Military Modelling International Magazine *

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Book SynopsisIn the mild climate of the Mediterranean, a rare blossom once bloomed: aprosperous, urbanised society inhabited by various ethnic and religious groups livingharmoniously together for nearly two-hundred years. At the apex of this society, ruleda feudal elite notorious for its wealth and love of luxury. It was composed of politicallysavvy, diplomatically adept, well-educated and multilingual men and women.These women played an astonishing and indispensable role in shaping the characterof their unique society. They were ruling queens, independent barons, nuns andpilgrims. They were merchants and artisans, diplomats and spies. They werewarriors defending besieged cities and the most pitiful victims of conflict as slavesafter a defeat.While many primary sources readily recorded specific and noteworthy actions takenby individual women, there is no comprehensive or systematic description ofwomen's contribution to the life and society of Outremer. All we have are fragmentsof a mosaic badly da

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Book SynopsisAdolf Hitler considered the Mediterranean an unimportant theater of the war, leaving it to the troops of Benito Mussolini who wanted to dominate the “Mare Nostro.” Nevertheless, when the Italian army was defeated on the Libyan-Egyptian border at the beginning of 1941, the Führer was forced to help his ally by sending an air detachment first to Sicily, then Africa.This latest in the Casemate Illustrated series examines that tiny expeditionary force, solely devoted to protecting Italian possessions in North Africa. When General Erwin Rommel launched his Afrika Korps to the east, the Luftwaffe had to go on the offensive to cover that advance. With over 100 images, this book explores how German and British air forces were quickly reinforced and, in the following months, Germany was forced to engage more and more aerial units on what was initially considered a peripheral arena of the war for the German High Command. Losses in bombers and fighters were high on both sides and when, at the end of 1942, the Allies landed in Morocco and Algeria on the back of the Afrika Korps, the Wehrmacht’s fate was sealed. The depleted Luftwaffe did its best but could not change the course of the battle. The last German units capitulated in Tunisia in May 1943.Trade Review...packed with just enough information to satisfy the drive-by reader but leave the curious wanting more. * Wargames Illustrated *...this is an interesting and contains some remarkable detail on Luftwaffe operations for such a compact publication, including some enlightening recollections of aircrew involved. * Classic Wings *All in all an excellent package about one of the less well covered air campaigns. * Scale Aviation Modeller International *

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Book Synopsis'A terrific book about a terrifying subject by the best historian of Russia working today' - Michael Burleigh, author of The Third Reich'This work of a lifetime presents high-octane, high-politcal drama' - GuardianIn Blood on the Snow, Robert Service returns to the subject that has formed the backbone of his long and distinguished career: the Russian Revolution.For Service, the great unanswered question is how to reconcile the two vital narratives that underpin the extraordinary but troubled events of 1917. One puts the blame squarely on Tsar Nicholas II and on Alexander Kerensky’s provisional government that deposed him. The other is the view from the bottom, that of the workers and peasants who wanted democratic socialism, not the Bolshevik dictatorship imposed by Vladimir Ilyich Lenin and his successors.Service's vivid and revisionist account spans the period from the outbreak of the First World War to Lenin’s death in 1924. In it, he reveals that key seeds of the revolution were sown by the Tsar's decision to join the war against Germany in 1914. He shows with brutal clarity how those events played out, eventually leading to the establishment of the totalitarian Soviet regime, which would endure for the next seven decades.Nicholas II, Kerensky and Lenin are to the fore, but Service enriches his narrative by drawing on little-known diaries of those such as the Vologda peasant Alexander Zamaraev, the NCO Alexei Shtukaturov and the Moscow accounts clerk Nikita Okunev. Through the testimony of these ‘ordinary’ people, Service traces the tortuous path that Russia took through war, revolution and civil war.'This authoritative, detailed account shows how Lenin won control of Russia and caused untold misery . . . ' - The TimesTrade ReviewRobert Service’s Blood on the Snow is his masterwork, the product of decades of thought about Russia’s past. A terrific book about a terrifying subject by the best historian of Russia working today. -- Michael Burleigh, author of author of Day of the Assassins and The Third Reich: A New HistoryThis work of a lifetime presents high-octane, high-politcal drama * Guardian *Blood on the Snow crowns Robert Service’s four decades of work on the Russian Revolution and its perpetrators. * Literary Review *This authoritative, detailed account shows how Lenin won control of Russia and caused untold misery . . . Service takes a methodical approach, carefully outlining the sequence of events and always emphasising the importance of simple luck. In contrast to other authors, he lets ordinary people have their voice, through an assortment of otherwise neglected diaries. * The Times *Robert Service’s Blood on the Snow: The Russian Revolution 1914–1924 brings a new vibrancy to the history of the Revolution . . . With its short chapters and choppy sentences, and a title and jacket design that are more airport novel than academic tome, Service’s history reads like a thriller and is all the better for it. * TLS *

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Book SynopsisThe 3rd Afghan War in 1919 was the only time that the Afghans invaded British India during Britain’s long history of conflict in Afghanistan and along the North-West Frontier. It was a campaign that cost the lives of well over 1,000 British and Indian troops.This is the story of an unknown action of this little-known war, an aircraft crash and rescue. An aircraft of 20 Sqn RAF was lost, whilst investigating a gathering of tribesman. The crew were rescued and the majority of the aircraft was recovered by members of the Kurram Militia and 22 Battery Motor Machine Gun Service. It was an all-arms action – the lives of 2 airmen were saved at the cost of an Indian Militiaman and an unknown number of Afghan tribesmen. Above all it is an action which typifies the experience of a virtually unknown group of soldiers, 22 Battery of the Motor Machine Gun Service. They had volunteered to serve as Motor Machine Gunners in France, had been through an intense and very competitive selection process, frequently expending considerable sums of their own money just to attend selection interviews, and had suddenly found themselves despatched half way round the globe to the heat, dust, snows and monsoons of India and the North-West Frontier.This book looks at the background to the conflict, the Kurram Militia, the history of the squadron and the lives of the key players. Whilst this was not the only action the 22 Battery of the Motor Machine Gun Service fought during the 3rd Afghan War, this one was recorded in the account of A/Sjt Ernest ‘Bill’ Macro, who was in charge of the section of 22 Battery despatched to Badama Post in late July 1919. This is his story, and the stories of the other men for whom the climax of their experience in the 3rd Afghan War came during the action at Badama Post.Trade Review'Definitely worth a read.' * Cross and Cockade *

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Book Synopsis'In this fascinating, panoramic account, Levi Roach brings an expert eye and page-turning energy to the telling of their extraordinary story' Helen Castor, bestselling author of She Wolves'A fresh retelling of the story of the Normans . . . written with enthusiasm and brio' Marc Morris, bestselling author of The Anglo-SaxonsHow did descendants of Viking marauders come to dominate Europe, the Mediterranean and the Middle East? It is a tale of ambitious adventures and fierce freebooters, of fortunes made and fortunes lost. The Normans made their influence felt across all of western Europe and the Mediterranean, from the British Isles to North Africa, and Lisbon to the Holy Land. In Empires of the Normans we discover how they combined military might and political savvy with deeply held religious beliefs and a profound sense of their own destiny. For a century and a half, they remade Europe in their own image, and yet their heritage was quickly forgotten - until now.Trade ReviewFrom Viking raiders to rulers of the Mediterranean, the Normans dominated and dazzled medieval Europe. In this fascinating, panoramic account, Levi Roach brings an expert eye and page-turning energy to the telling of their extraordinary story -- Helen Castor, bestselling author of 'She Wolves'Narrated with pace, clarity, authority and style, Roach's book is a bracing tour of the world that the Normans made their own -- Thomas Williams, bestselling author of 'Viking Britain'A fresh retelling of the story of the Normans, across all their theatres of operation - academically up-to-the-minute, sound in its judgements, and written with enthusiasm and brio -- Marc Morris, bestselling author of 'The Anglo Saxons'How the Normans shaped the Europe we live in today is a huge and gripping subject, brilliantly illuminated here in all its continent-wide human drama by a masterful historian and story-teller -- Peter StanfordInformed by the latest research, Roach reveals the history of the Norman conquests - from England to the Holy Land - in a pacy and character-driven account of a people who defined an era -- Sophie AmblerBy telling the story from their perspective and following them wherever they went . . . Mr Roach gives a powerful account of how prowess in combat, shrewd alliance-building, low cunning and sheer chutzpah let them punch above their numerical weight -- The EconomistRoach's writing is clear, concise and open to any reader willing to learn more . . . After drinking from Roach's refreshing Norman cider cup . . . they will learn much and travel far -- Literary Review

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Book SynopsisThe New York Times Editors' ChoiceNPR Science Friday Book Club SelectionAn intimate and revelatory dive into the world of the beaver-the wonderfully weird rodent that has surprisingly shaped American history and may save its ecological future.From award-winning writer Leila Philip, BEAVERLAND is a masterful work of narrative science writing, a book that highlights, though history and contemporary storytelling, how this weird rodent plays an oversized role in American history and its future. She follows fur trappers who lead her through waist high water, fur traders and fur auctioneers, as well as wildlife managers, PETA activists, Native American environmental vigilantes, scientists, engineers, and the colourful group of activists known as beaver believers.Beginning with the early trans-Atlantic trade in North America, Leila Philip traces the beaver's profound influence on our nation's early economy and feverish western expansion, its first corporations and multi-millionaires. In her pursuit of this weird and wonderful animal, she introduces us to people whose lives are devoted to the beaver, including a Harvard scientist from the Blackfeet Reservation in Montana, who uses drones to create 3-dimensional images of beaver dams; and an environmental restoration consultant in the Chesapeake whose nickname is the "beaver whisperer".What emerges is a poignant personal narrative, a startling portrait of the secretive world of the contemporary fur trade, and an engrossing ecological and historical investigation of these heroic animals who, once trapped to the point of extinction, have returned to the landscape as one of the greatest conservation stories of the 20th century. Beautifully written and impeccably researched, BEAVERLAND reveals the profound ways in which one odd creature and the trade surrounding it has shaped history, culture, and our environment.

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Book SynopsisThis is the first major biography of Admiral Sir Bertram Ramsay in fifty years. Ramsay masterminded the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk in 1940. Initially, it was thought that 40,000 troops at most could be rescued. But Ramsay's planning and determination led to some 338,000 being brought back to fight another day, although the Royal Navy and the Merchant Navy paid a high price in ships and men. Ramsay continued to play a crucial role in the conduct of the Second World War – the invasion of Sicily in 1943 was successful in large part due to his vision, and he had a key role in the planning and execution of the D-Day invasion – coordinating and commanding the 7,000 ships that delivered the invasion force onto the beaches of Normandy.After forty years in the Royal Navy he was forced to retire in 1938 after falling out with a future First Sea Lord but months later, with war looming, he was given a new post. However he was not reinstated on the Active List until April 1944, at which point he was promoted to Admiral and appointed Naval Commander-in-Chief for the D-Day naval expeditionary force. Dying in a mysterious air crash in 1945, Ramsay’s legacy has been remembered by the Royal Navy but his key role in the Allied victory has been widely forgotten. After the war ended his achievements ranked alongside those of Sir Winston Churchill, Field Marshal Viscount Alanbrooke, Field Marshal Viscount Montgomery and General Dwight Eisenhower, yet he never received the public recognition he deserved.Brian Izzard’s new biography of Ramsay puts him and his work back centre-stage, arguing that Ramsay was the mastermind without whom the outcome of both Dunkirk and D-Day – and perhaps the entire war – could have been very different.Trade ReviewThis excellent modern biography is long overdue, superbly written and will hopefully help restore the worthy prominence owed to one of Britain's greatest naval officers. * Britain at War Magazine *Well and attractively written and a good read. * Navy News *This is a thoroughly enjoyable book, easy to read, and informative. * Naval Review 05/07/2021 *Brian Izzard has written a splendid, much needed and long overdue full biography of Admiral Ramsay, with access to far more material, significant amounts of it formerly classified, than that available to WS Chalmers with his much earlier biography, written sixty years ago. But the book also includes an excellent history of Operation Dynamo, the amazing story of the Dunkirk evacuation, it is the best account that I have read of that incredible strategic rescue of the BEF (British Expeditionary Force). * Scuttlebutt 12/06/2020 *This reviewer is firmly of the opinion that many of the best histories are written by journalists or former journalists. This book is no exception. The author is a journalist of vast experience who also happens to write great military history. He certainly has a talent for weaving a fascinating and readable tale … [a] quite personal but very inspiring biography. * Baird Maritime 11/06/2020 *Brian Izzard has written a fascinating and complete biography that is a delight to read of the man described as the “mastermind of amphibious operations”. Very highly recommended. * Warships World 09/07/2020 *‘’This is a fascinating… account of a great admiral's life and times.’’ * Warships International *Table of ContentsChapter 1 The Banished Warrior Chapter 2 A Ramsay Who Riled Wellington Chapter 3 War Breaks Out Chapter 4 New Horizons Chapter 5 Battle of the Admirals Chapter 6 King of the Castle Chapter 7 The Troops Head to France Chapter 8 Operation Dynamo Chapters 9 to 16: Dunkirk evacuation Chapter 17 Salute to Ramsay Chapter 18 Mutiny Chapter 19 Threat of Invasion Chapter 20 1941 Chapter 21 The Great Escape Chapter 22 Go To It! Chapter 23 Operation Torch Chapter 24 The Burning Torch Chapter 25 The Tide Turns Chapter 26 Onward to Sicily Chapter 27 D-Day Chapter 28 Death

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Book SynopsisA revelatory global history shows how cheap American grain toppled the world's largest empires To understand the rise and fall of empires, we must follow the paths traveled by grain-along rivers, between ports, and across seas. In Oceans of Grain, historian Scott Reynolds Nelson reveals how the struggle to dominate these routes transformed the balance of world power. Early in the nineteenth century, imperial Russia fed much of Europe through the booming port of Odessa. But following the US Civil War, tons of American wheat began to flood across the Atlantic, and food prices plummeted. This cheap foreign grain spurred the rise of Germany and Italy, the decline of the Habsburgs and the Ottomans, and the European scramble for empire. It was a crucial factor in the outbreak of the First World War and the Russian Revolution. A powerful new interpretation, Oceans of Grain shows that amid the great powers' rivalries, there was no greater power than control of grain.

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Book SynopsisIn Romans at War ground-breaking research is presented in an accessible, entertaining, and sumptuously illustrated format, including:• A new consideration of the nature of late Roman military leaders; the author argues they were effectively independent warlords.• Cutting edge research regarding the Severan campaigns to conquer Scotland in the early 3rd century AD.• A new analysis of the nature of late Roman troops, both mounted and foot.The Roman military machine was the pre-eminent in the ancient world, projecting power across the known world over a vast chronology, and an increasing huge and diverse geography. One of the most powerful instruments of war in the history of conflict, it proved uniquely adept at learning from setbacks, always coming back the stronger for it. In so doing it displayed two of the most important traits associated with the world of Rome. Firstly grit, that key ability to remain steadfast and to overcome adversity, even in the most challenging of circumstances, as faced for example by the Republic in the Second Punic War against Hannibal. Secondly, the ability to copy the successful technical and tactical innovations of their enemies, enabling the Roman military to always stay one step ahead of its opponents on campaign and in battle.In this grand tour covering every aspect of the Roman military, leading expert Dr Simon Elliott first provides a detailed background to the Roman Republic and Empire to provide context for all that follows. He then looks specifically at the Roman military in its three key chronological phases: the Republic, the Principate Empire and the Dominate Empire. Next he forensically examines specific examples of the Roman military on campaign and in battle, and of its engineering prowess. Finally, he examines the many enemies faced by the Roman Republic and Empire. This all provides a firm structure to enable the reader to come to grips with this incredible military machine, one whose exploits still resonate in the world to this very day.Trade ReviewThis book is an excellent starting point for someone who wants to learn about the Roman system of war. It is also a handy reference guide for those of us who have already delved deeply into the field. […] It is a pretty amazing feat. * A Wargamers Needful Things *Ground-breaking insights into the Roman military presented a sumptuously illustrated package – this will make a glorious gift for Roman history aficionados. * Love Reading *Table of ContentsContents Introduction Timeline of the Roman Empire Glossary Chapter 1. Republic and Empire Chapter 2. The Republican Military Chapter 3. The Principate Military Chapter 4. The Dominate Military Chapter 5. On Campaign and in Battle Chapter 6. Non-Conflict Roles of the Roman Military Chapter 7. Allies and Enemies Chapter 8. Conclusion Select Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThis book presents and develops the basic methods and models that are used by demographers to study the behaviour of human populations. The procedures are clearly and concisely developed from first principles and extensive applications are presented.Trade Review"This will be a bible for demographers in coming years and decades." Professor James Vaupel, Founding Director, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany "It is really a graduate-level textbook of formal demography. As such, it is sorely needed. I will certainly use it as my basic textbook when it comes out. The authors have done an excellent job of keeping this interesting and informative." Professor Kenneth Hill, Director of the Johns Hopkins Population Center "It is not a text on population geography. That was not the creative intention of the authors: they provide a carefully crafted toolkit for advanced exercises on demographic analysis. It succeeds as an undergraduate level text and is reasonable priced" Geographical Association "For the mathematically competent, it is terrific. The coverage of the book is indicated by its 12 chapters: basic concept and measures, age-specific rates and probabilities, the life table and single decrement processes, multiple decrement processes, fertility and reproduction, population projections, the stable population model, demographic relationships in non-stable populations, modelling age patterns of vital events, methods of evaluating data quality, indirect estimation methods, and increment-decrement life tables ( this chapter contributed by Alberto Palloni). As a text, the book could be used as a first course for those with particularly good mathematical skills but it is probably better employed as a successor to a simpler methods course in which the fundamental ideas of demography have been made clear. The earlier course would filter out those students who would most benefit from a course based on this book. For the practitioner, this is an excellent reference book. It takes the fear out of a lot of mathematical material in demograohy through clear and explicit explanantion...this is a five star book. Fantastic, terrific, exciting. Its authors deserve very great praise for the service that they provided to the discipline. Its emergence has already led us here at the ANU to consider a restructuring of our teaching to incorporate a course based on this book." Journal of Population Research "This is a five-star book. Fantastic, terrific, exiting. Its authors deserve very great praise for the service that they have provided the discipline." Journal of Population ResearchTable of ContentsList of Boxes viii List of Tables x List of Figures xii Preface xiv Acknowledgments xv 1 Basic Concepts and Measures 1 1.1 Meaning of “Population” 1 1.2 The Balancing Equation of Population Change 2 1.3 The Structure of Demographic Rates 3 1.4 Period Rates and Person-years 5 1.5 Principal Period Rates in Demography 7 1.6 Growth Rates in Demography 8 1.7 Estimating Period Person-years 15 1.8 The Concept of a Cohort 16 1.9 Probabilities of Occurrence of Events 18 2 Age-specific Rates and Probabilities 21 2.1 Period Age-specific Rates 21 2.2 Age-standardization 24 2.3 Decomposition of Differences between Rates or Proportions 28 2.4 The Lexis Diagram 31 2.5 Age-specific Probabilities 32 2.6 Probabilities of Death Based on Mortality Experience of a Single Calendar Year 35 3 The Life Table and Single Decrement Processes 38 3.1 Period Life Tables 42 3.2 Strategies for Choosing a Set of N a X Values And/or for Making The N M X → N Q X Conversion 44 3.3 The Very Young Ages 47 3.4 The Open-ended Age Interval 48 3.5 Review of Steps for Period Life Table Construction 48 3.6 Interpreting the Life Table 51 3.7 The Life Table Conceived as a Stationary Population 53 3.8 Mortality as a Continuous Process 59 3.9 Life Table Construction Revisited 61 3.10 Decomposing a Difference in Life Expectancies 64 3.11 Adaptation of the Life Table for Studying Other Single Decrement Processes 65 Appendix 3.1 Life Table Relationships in Continuous Notation 69 4 Multiple Decrement Processes 71 4.1 Multiple Decrement Tables for a Real Cohort 71 4.2 Multiple Decrement Life Tables for Periods 73 4.3 Some Basic Mathematics of Multiple Decrement Processes 78 4.4 Associated Single Decrement Tables from Period Data 80 4.5 Cause-specific Decomposition of Differences in Life Expectancies 84 4.6 Associated Single Decrement Tables from Current Status Data 86 4.7 Stationary Populations with Multiple Sources of Decrement 89 5 Fertility and Reproduction 92 5.1 Period Fertility Rates 93 5.2 Decomposition of Period Fertility 99 5.3 Cohort Fertility 101 5.4 Birth Interval Analysis 106 5.5 Reproduction Measures 113 6 Population Projection 117 6.1 Projections and Forecasts 117 6.2 Population Projection Methodology 118 6.3 The Cohort Component Method 119 6.4 Projections in Matrix Notation 129 6.5 Population Forecasts 131 6.6 The USBOC Projection of the US Population 133 6.7 Alternative Forecasting Methods 134 6.8 Accuracy and Uncertainty 135 6.9 Other Uses of Population Projections 136 7 The Stable Population Model 138 7.1 A Simplified Example of a Stable Population 138 7.2 Lotka’s Demonstration of Conditions Producing a Stable Population 141 7.3 The Equations Characterizing a Stable Population 144 7.4 The “Stable Equivalent” Population 147 7.5 The Relation between the Intrinsic Growth Rate and the Net Reproduction Rate 150 7.6 The Effects of Changes in Fertility and Mortality on Age Structure, Growth Rates, Birth Rates, and Death Rates 155 7.7 The Momentum of Population Growth 161 7.8 Uses of the Stable Population Model in Demographic Estimation 167 8 Demographic Relations in Nonstable Populations 171 8.1 An Illustration 171 8.2 Relations in Continuous Age and Time 172 8.3 Extensions of the Basic Relations 176 8.4 Deconstructing the Age-specific Growth Rate 180 8.5 Age Structural Dynamics 182 8.6 Uses of Variable-r Methods in Demographic Estimation 184 9 Modeling Age Patterns of Vital Events 191 9.1 Model Age Patterns of Mortality 192 9.2 Age Patterns of Nuptiality 201 9.3 Age Patterns of Fertility 204 9.4 Model Age Patterns of Migration 208 10 Methods for Evaluating Data Quality 211 10.1 Statistical Methods for Identifying Coverage Errors 212 10.2 Statistical Methods for Evaluating Content Errors 214 10.3 Demographic Methods of Assessing Data Quality 215 11 Indirect Estimation Methods 224 11.1 Estimation of Child Mortality from Information on Child Survivorship: The Brass Method 224 11.2 Estimation of Adult Mortality Using Information on Orphanhood 233 11.3 The Sisterhood Method for Estimating Maternal Mortality 241 11.4 Estimating Mortality and Fertility from Maternity Histories 243 11.5 Indirect Estimation Methods Using Age Distributions at Two Censuses 246 12 Increment–Decrement Life Tables (Alberto Palloni, University of Wisconsin) 256 12.1 Introduction 256 12.2 Increment–Decrement Life Tables 257 12.3 Estimation of Increment–Decrement Life Tables 259 12.4 Formalization and Generalization of Relations 266 12.5 The Simplest Case: A Two-state System 270 12.6 Alternative Solutions: The Case of Constant Rates 271 12.7 Programs for the Calculation of Increment–Decrement Life Tables 271 References 273 Index 285

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Book SynopsisDancer, award-winning choreographer, show producer, stand-up comedienne, TV/Film actress and author, Norma Miller shares her touching historical memoir of Harlem's legendary Savoy Ballroom and the phenomenal music and dance craze that \u0022spread the power of swing across the world like Wildfire.\u0022 A dance contest winner by 14, Norma Miller became a member of Herbert White's Lindy Hoppers and a celebrated Savoy Ballroom Lindy Hop champion. Swingin' at the Savoy chronicles a significant period in American cultural history and race relations, as it glorifies the home of the Lindy Hop and he birthplace of memorable dance hall fads. Miller shares fascinating anecdotes about her youthful encounters with many of the greatest jazz legends in music history, including Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, Benny Goodman, Billie Holiday, Artie Shaw, Duke Ellington, Ethel Waters, and even boxer Joe Louis. Readers will experience the legend of the celebrated Harlem ballroom and the phenomenal Swing generation that changed music and dance history forever.Trade Review"This is an important book, bringing some much-overdue attention to the swing dancers who along with the musicians defined the era." -Robert Tate, Jazz Now "A refreshing look at the history of swing dancing is Swingin' at the Savoy... Miller has not only created an entertaining history of swing, but more importantly, gives the reader a sense of the personalities of people and places most have only heard of. The book is unique as a humorous autobiography, full of youthful antics and charm. Delightful anecdotes and photos of big bands give us a view of swing music and its popularity in a real world aspect different than most music historians today." -Lance Benishek, Dancing USATable of ContentsCONTENTS Acknowledgments Preface - Ernie Smith 1. Coming Home 2. Coming to America 3. Norman Miller 4. The Early Years 5. The Savoy 6. Coming of Age 7. A Man Called Whitey 8. The Harvest Moon Ball 9. The Swingin' Generation 10. The Other Side of the Ballroom 11. Ethel Waters 12. Savoy at the World's Fair 13. Hollywood Calls 14. Swingin' Down to Rio 15. Moving On 16. Norma Miller Dancers 17. On the Road Again 18. Swingin' into the Future 19. Saying Goodbye Epilogue - Robert P. Crease

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Book SynopsisIn November 1945, two French officers secretly entered the Führerbunker, the air raid shelter near the Chancellery in Berlin. The bunker was the last home of Adolf Hitler, the background of the last months of his life, and the war, where he married Eva Braun on April 29, 1945, and where he killed himself less than two days later. In the middle of a heap of furniture and broken objects, the two officers found hundreds of documents littering the ground. Among the documents that they retrieved were a dozen telegrams of historic importance that allow us to understand the spirit of the last leaders of the Third Reich as well as the events that took place between April 23 and 26, 1945. These and other documents are presented for the first time in this book, presented in their proper context and with an expert commentary.Trade ReviewBut although the building may have gone, troves of historic documents survived. Now, many have been published for the first time in this new visual history, an excellent guide to the horrendous final days, hours, and minutes of the Third Reich. * Military History Matters (Book Reviews) *...offers a layer of detail that will be appreciated by anyone who guides Berlin. * Battlefields Trust Magazine *Table of ContentsIntroduction The Reich Chancellery The subterranean complex The last landmark Running the War from the Bunker The last days of the Bunker The Bunker of Apocalypse A visit to the Chancellery Reconnecting the Thread of History The documents

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Book SynopsisAll the Kremlin's Men is a gripping narrative of an accidental king and a court out of control. Based on an unprecedented series of interviews with Vladimir Putin's inner circle, this book presents a radically different view of power and politics in Russia. The image of Putin as a strongman is dissolved. In its place is a weary figurehead buffeted--if not controlled--by the men who at once advise and deceive him.The regional governors and bureaucratic leaders are immovable objects, far more powerful in their fiefdoms than the president himself. So are the gatekeepers-those officials who guard the pathways to power-on whom Putin depends as much as they rely on him. The tenuous edifice is filled with all of the intrigue and plotting of a Medici court, as enemies of the state are invented and wars begun to justify personal gains, internal rivalries, or one faction's biased advantage.A bestseller in Russia, All the Kremlin's Men is a shocking revisionist portrait of the Putin era and a dazzling reconstruction of the machinations of courtiers running riot.

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Book SynopsisBe transported to New York during the Gilded Age and experience daily life in one of the world's most vibrant cities through mesmerizing, contemporary 3D photography and exciting tales of the time.Black Dog & Leventhal has partnered with the New-York Historical Society to present New York in the Gilded Age as it's never been viewed before. This innovative package includes a sturdy metal stereoscopic viewer and 50 stereoscopic photographs of turn-of-the-century New York. The package also includes a 128-page paperback that provides a brief history of the stereograph craze and an overview of the city's evolution during that time.Mark Twain coined the term the 'Gilded Age' for this period of extravagance, experienced most dramatically in New York City from the late 1860s to 1910. More than half of the millionaires in the United States lived in the city. Previously unimaginable sums of money were made and spent, while poor immigrants were packed in tenements. The gap between the rich and the poor was wide, yet wealth was flaunted at every opportunity, from showy parties to lavish clothing and richly furnished mansions. The period also saw great innovations for all, including the New York City subway system, electric lighting, and the first urban ambulance service. New York City in 3D in the Gilded Age encapsulates a city determinedly positioned at the forefront of culture, politics, and innovation and includes vivid firsthand accounts from writers, politicians, and residents during this period.Detailed descriptions of the scenes depicted in each stereographic photograph are included on the back of the photo.

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Book SynopsisBagration was the code word that the Soviet Army gave for their summer offensive in 1944. This massive offensive led to the destruction of the German Army Group Center and was the greatest military defeat ever experienced by the German Army during World War Two. This book provides an absorbing insight into the German defeat and the Russian offensive using a wide variety of rare and previously unpublished photographs. With detailed captions and text together with 20 artist profiles and maps, the book shows the compelling story of how German Army Group Center tried to counter the overwhelming might of the Soviet Army as it poured thousands of men, weapons and armor across the German lines, smashing its way through.What ensued was a swift and bloody battle of attrition as the German Army tried to contain the might of its unstoppable enemy. In the days and weeks that followed German units fought and gradually retreated under the constant hammer blows of Russian ground and aerial bombardments, and endless armored and infantry attacks. Many German units fighting to the grim death were duty-bound not to withdraw, and what followed was a disaster of a colossal magnitude. As the Soviet might punched a massive hole in the German lines it sent huge shock waves through Army Group Center forcing them to retreat or face total annihilation.However, the Russian offensive was so quick that many of the German units with their precious panzer and infantry divisions quickly became encircled and destroyed - its remnants retreating west in order to save itself. By the end of the battle this cataclysm was bigger than that experienced at Stalingrad. It saw the German Army being pushed out of Russia towards Poland with the loss of over 300,000 men and most of its weaponry lost.The story of the destruction of Army Group Center during the summer of 1944 has been completely overshadowed by the D-Day campaign in Normandy three weeks earlier. Yet, the battle in which the German forces endured on the Eastern Front that fateful summer was more catastrophic than that experienced by the Allies on the Western Front, but little is known of the operation. This book reveals the lesser-known battle in the East and shows how the German forces fought and lost against overwhelming odds.Trade ReviewIt is recommended for the general reader, the modeller and vehicle enthusiast and those with an interest in the Eastern Front. * Miniature Wargames *The photographs really make this book, as I do not recall seeing many in print before. Recommended. * Scale Military Modelling International Magazine *Table of ContentsPreparations Operation Bagration: The Attack: 22 June–28 June 1944 Fighting for Survival: 29 June–6 July 1944 Destruction: 6 July–11 July 1944 Aftermath: The fate of Army Group Center Further Reading Index

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Book SynopsisThis extensively illustrated volume tells the dramatic yet successful story of US aircraft carriers in World War II by class, ranging from early pre-war designs to escort carriers built from destroyer hulls, to the gigantic fleet carriers serving as the predecessors of modern-day super carriers.Besides covering the famous great carrier battles in the Pacific, this book also tells of the equally important actions of US flat tops hunting and destroying German U-boats in the Atlantic, making an enormous contribution to the elimination of the U-boat dangers and the safe arrival of transatlantic supplies, so desperately needed for the launch of D-Day.Including profiles and explanatory text boxes, the concise text gives a clear overview of each ship’s career, its fate and its significance in American naval history. Moreover, the reader learns about the technical evolution of US carriers throughout the war, and the various aircraft launched from these magnificent vessels to engage their Japanese or German foes. This volume provides an overview of preserved World War II flat tops serving as floating museums for future generations as well as a dive to the sunken USS Saratoga at Bikini Atoll.Trade Review...probably my favorite book that I’ve reviewed in the 18 or 19 years I’ve been doing this for IPMS/USA (That long? Really?). Of course, I am biased to the subject matter, but the author has taken so much important information and put it all together in such a highly organized, logical, and easy to read format, that I have to recommend it to you very highly, and without caveat. * IPMS/USA *This extensively illustrated volume tells the dramatic yet successful story of US aircraft carriers in World War II by class, ranging from early pre-war designs to escort carriers built from destroyer hulls, to the gigantic fleet carriers serving as the predecessors of modern-day super carriers. * NavyBooks 02/08/2021 *This is a useful overview of the US carrier fleet, with good descriptions of the various classes and their strengths and weaknesses, and a complete photographic reference for every carrier that served during the war. * History of War 13/09/2021 *As with the other volumes in the series, you get a nice overall summary of the topic in hand, lots of photos, and a nice reference for your diorama or modelling. * The Historical Miniatures Gaming Society *...an engaging read with many excellent accompanying photographs and colour artwork. […] If you like Carriers, you will undoubtedly enjoy this book. * Wargames Illustrated 06/12/2021 *I have long been interested in aircraft carriers and this has been one of the most interesting books, at a reasonable price, that I can think of. * Military Model Scene 08/11/2021 *…this excellent “one-stop shop” for everything relating to the US Navy’s carriers of the Pacific War will earn its keep over time, offering a good potted history of that conflict and, invaluably, individual histories of the flat-tops of the 1939–45 period. * The Aviation Historian Magazine 25/10/2021 *

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Book SynopsisIn the closing months of World War II, with Budapest’s fall on 12 February 1945 and the breakout attempt by the IX SS-Gebirgskorps having failed, the only thing the IV. SS-Panzerkorps could do was fall back to a more defensible line and fortify the key city of Stuhlweissenburg. Exhausted after three relief attempts in January 1945 and outnumbered by the ever-increasing power of Marshal Tolbukhin’s Third Ukrainian Front, SS-Obergruppenführer Gille’s veterans dug in for a lengthy period of defensive warfare.However, Adolf Hitler had not forgotten about the Hungarian theatre of operations nor the country’s rich oilfields and was sending help. To the detriment of the defence of Berlin, SS-Oberstgruppenführer Sepp Dietrich’s legendary 6. Panzerarmee was on its way, not to retake Budapest, but to encircle and destroy Tolbukhin’s forces and completely reverse the situation in south-eastern Europe in Hitler’s favour. This overly ambitious offensive, known as Frühlingserwachen (Spring Awakening), was soon bogged down in the face of resolute Soviet defences aided by the springtime thaw. Heralded as Nazi Germany’s last great offensive of World War II, it resulted in great losses to Hitler’s last armoured reserve in exchange for only minor gains. Though it played a supporting role during the battle, the IV. SS-Panzerkorps was soon caught up in its aftermath, after the Red Army launched its Vienna Operation that nearly swept the armies of Heeresgruppe Süd from the battlefield.Withdrawing into Austria, Gille’s battered corps attempted to bar the route into Germany, while the Red Army bore down on Vienna. Forced to endure relentless Soviet attacks as well as the caustic leadership of the 6. Armee commander, General Hermann Balck, the men of the IV. SS-Panzerkorps fought their way through Austria to reach the safety of the demarcation line where it finally surrendered to U.S. forces on 9 May 1945 after nearly a year of relentless campaigning.Trade ReviewFor anyone with the slightest interest in the Eastern Front, this concluding volume of the trilogy of IV SS Panzer-korps is simply a must-read. Nash has done yeoman’s work in marshaling sources for this period of the war when records and record-keeping went into an abeyance, from the Lake Balaton Offensive to keeping the Hungarian oil fields. * ARMOR Magazine 21/12/2022 *Table of ContentsIntroduction List of Maps List of Figures Illustrations Chapter 1: A South Wind Brings Hope Chapter 2: Operation Spring Awakening Chapter 3: The Defense of Stuhlweissenburg Chapter 4: Withdrawal to the Reichsschutzstellung Chapter 5: Defending the Reich Chapter 6: War’s End Appendices Endnotes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisFor readers of Ron Chernow''s Alexander Hamilton, the spellbinding history of the epic rivalry that shaped our republic: Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, and their competing visions for America.The decade of the 1790s has been called the age of passion. Fervor ran high as rival factions battled over the course of the new republic-each side convinced that the other''s goals would betray the legacy of the Revolution so recently fought and so dearly won. All understood as well that what was at stake was not a moment''s political advantage, but the future course of the American experiment in democracy. In this epochal debate, no two figures loomed larger than Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton.Both men were visionaries, but their visions of what the United States should be were diametrically opposed. Jefferson, a true revolutionary, believed passionately in individual liberty and a more egalitarian society, with a weak central government and greater powers for the states. Hamilton, a brilliant organizer and tactician, feared chaos and social disorder. He sought to build a powerful national government that could ensure the young nation''s security and drive it toward economic greatness.Jefferson and Hamilton is the story of the fierce struggleboth public and, ultimately, bitterly personalbetween these two titans. It ended only with the death of Hamilton in a pistol duel, felled by Aaron Burr, Jefferson''s vice president. Their competing legacies, like the twin strands of DNA, continue to shape our country to this day. Their personalities, their passions, and their bold dreams for America leap from the page in this epic new work from one of our finest historians.From the award-winning author of Almost a Miracle and The Ascent of George Washington, this is the rare work of scholarship that offers us irresistible human drama even as it enriches our understanding of deep themes in our nation''s history.

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Book SynopsisLord Alanbrooke was Churchill's right-hand man during World War II, and as Chief of the Imperial General Staff he had an integral part in shaping the strategy of Britain and the Allies. Despite this crucial role, he is very little known compared to military commanders such as Montgomery, Alexander, Slim, Mountbatten, Patton, or Eisenhower. This new biography of Lord Alanbrooke uses archival material and his diaries to trace his life, including his experiences in World War I and the development of his military career in the interwar years, with a focus on his post as the Chief of the Imperial General Staff during World War II.Voted the greatest Briton of the 20th century, Churchill has long been credited with almost single-handedly leading his country to victory in World War II. However without Brooke, a skilled tactician, at his side the outcome might well have been disastrous. Brooke more often than not served as a brake on some of Churchill's more impetuous ideas. However, while Brooke's diaries reveal his fury with some of Churchill's decisions, they also reveal his respect and admiration for the wartime prime minister. In return Churchill must surely have considered Brooke one of his most difficult subordinates but later wrote that he was "fearless, formidable, articulate, and in the end convincing".As CIGS, Brooke was integral to coordination between the Allied forces, and so had to wrestle with the cultural strategy clash between the British and Americans. Comments in his diaries offer up his opinions of both his British and American military colleagues – his negative assessments of Mountbatten’s ability, and acerbic comments on the difficult character of de Gaulle and the weaknesses of Eisenhower. Conversely he was clearly over-indulgent in the face of Montgomery's foibles. Brooke was often seen as a stern and humourless figure, but a study of his private life reveals an little-seen lighter side, a lifelong passion for birdwatching, and abiding love for his family. The two tragedies that befell his immediate family were a critical influence on his life. Sangster completes this new biography with a survey of the way various historians have assessed Brooke, explaining how he has lapsed into seeming obscurity in the years since his crucial part in the Allied victory in World War II.Trade ReviewSangster shows us a very skilled, knowledgeable, and thoughtful soldier, very focused on his mission, willing to criticise his superiors, notably Churchill, with whom he often disagreed and who usually came around to Brooke’s perspective. An excellent book for anyone interested in military leadership. * The NYMAS Review 31/08/2021 *As Sangster notes the central evidence in a study of Brooke is the diary he faithfully kept throughout the Second World War. * A Blog on Winston Churchill *A remote, aloof and obdurate character – once described by Churchill as “that stiff necked Ulsterman” – Alanbrooke was an extremely capable military strategist; a “thinker”, who saw the wider context of every scenario, in a way that many others didn’t, perceived as hard on those who didn’t share his gifts; yet, underneath the stern facade, Sangster’s book reveals a man who shouldered his wide responsibilities with considerable stress, and personal unhappiness. * Article for Aspects of History 14/07/2021 *Table of ContentsPreface Introduction 1: Early Background 2: Interbellum Years 3: War 4: 1940 5: 1941 6: 1942 7: 1943 8: 1944 9: Final Months 10: Postwar 11: Contemporaries 12: Historians 13: Brookie Abbreviations Appendices Bibliography Endnotes Index

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Book SynopsisIn response to the damage caused by centuries of colonial ravaging and the current ecological, political and social crises, the leading Indigenous thinker and activist Ailton Krenak warns against the power of corporate capitalism and its destructive impact. Capitalism encroaches on every corner of the planet and orients us toward a future of promised progress, achievement and growth, but this future doesn't exist we just imagine it. This orientation to the future also blinds us to what exists around us, to the plants and animals with which we share the Earth and to the rivers that flow through our lands. Rivers are not just resources to be exploited by us or channels to carry away our waste, they are beings that connect us with our past. If there is a future to imagine, it is ancestral, since it is already present in the here and now and in that which exists around us, in the rivers and mountains and trees that are our kin. In a spoken language that has the mark of ancestral oral

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Book SynopsisAlthough Spain had been for many years on the periphery of the great affairs of Europe, within a few months of the Civil War breaking out in 1936, three out of the four major European powers - Italy, Germany, and the Soviet Union - decided to intervene. Spain turned out to be the perfect proving ground to carry out controlled, realistic experiments with live weapons and troops.This book covers the theories of the three main contributors that provided armour to the warring parties in the civil war, how those contributions shaped combat, and how the lessons learnt were then applied to tank combat in World War II. The use of tanks in the Spanish Civil War wedded traditional war to modern technology. The fighting in Spain did not offer any easy answers, however, to the question of infantry-armour cooperation, primarily because the tanks supplied were not very worthy and had been supplied in small numbers, even though the Republicans organized an ‘armoured division’. The situation for the tanks on the Nationalist side was so bad in practical terms that they re-used captured Russian armour in their units.Tank employment in Spain did offer many lessons, but the lessons did not always lie in what was done or accomplished but precisely on what was not done and was not accomplished.Trade ReviewCandil offers an important contribution, both narrative and analytical, to this instructive topic. In particular, it is useful to consider how far the particular conflicts of an 'interwar' period assume not only a disproportionate but also a misleading significance. * Journal of Military History 11/01/2023 *It is even more interesting to read and learn about tanks during the Spanish Civil War from an author who was a Senior Armor Officer in the Spanish Army. This is a valuable book not only for modellers, but for history fans who want to know more about this conflict. * DetailScaleView *...a worthwhile investment for any wargamer with an interest in the period and might cause some to rethink their assumptions on armour and its use. * Wargames Illustrated *...offers important insight into the employment of tanks during the war, lessons learned (or not learned) by the participating armed forces… * Globe at War 21/06/2021 *…an interesting and well-rounded account of the beginnings of tank-on-tank warfare. Definitely recommended. * Miniature Wargames 31/08/2021 *Many theories on modern armored combat had their origin in the Spanish Civil War...This knowledge would soon be used to great effect in World War II. * Military Heritage *Making use of resources in Spanish and Italian hitherto largely overlooked by writers on the subject, defense analyst Candil, a former Spanish armor officer, has produced an excellent account of the role of armor in the Spanish Civil War, while also offering a fairly even-handed treatment of the conflict. A valuable read for anyone with an interest in armor or in the Spanish Civil War. * The NYMAS Review 31/08/2021 *Table of ContentsPreface A QUICK APPRAISAL OF THE MILITARY OPERATIONS FOREIGN INTERVENTION Part One: The Background The beginning: the early days of tanks in the Spanish Army Organization and structure of Armor in the Spanish Army on the eve of the Civil War Part Two: Foreign Aid Arrives Soviet Participation The Italian aid and the Volunteer Corps Germany enters the arena Part Three: Balance of Forces Organization and Structure of the Nationalist Armored Forces Organization and Structure of the Republican Armored Forces Part Four: Operations The Opening Rounds: Blitzkrieg “Franco’s style” On the Move: Republican armor always “not enough” Stalemate and Attrition The End: The Battle of the Ebro and the Catalonia offensive Antitank warfare Logistics TANK MAINTENANCE ON THE NATIONALIST SIDE AND THE SERVICE FOR WAR EQUIPMENT RECOVERY TANK COMBAT SERVICE SUPPORT IN THE PEOPLE’S ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC A KEY FEATURE: THE REPUBLICAN TANK SCHOOL AT ARCHENA Part Five: Aftermath The Experience Reconsidered: Conclusions A Reappraisal on the Equipment and Armament SOVIET EQUIPMENT ITALIAN EQUIPMENT GERMAN EQUIPMENT A SPECIAL CASE: CAPTURED RUSSIAN TANKS IN SERVICE WITH THE SPANISH NATIONALIST ARMY RESUME OF TANKS SUPPLIED BY FOREIGN POWERS Epilogue Gallery Spanish pre-war equipment Italian Aid German Aid Russian aid Russian tanks captured by the Nationalist Army Additional Bibliography and further recommended reading

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Book SynopsisThis book is a practical introduction to digital history. It offers advice on the scoping of a project, evaluation of existing digital history resources, a detailed introduction to how to work with large text resources, how to manage digital data and how to approach data visualisation.Doing digital history covers the entire life-cycle of a digital project, from conception to digital outputs. It assumes no prior knowledge of digital techniques and shows you how much you can do without writing any code. It will give you the skills to use common formats such as XML. A key message of the book is that data preparation is a central part of most digital history projects, but that work becomes much easier and faster with a few essential tools.Table of ContentsAcknowledgementsGlossaryIntroduction1 The context of digital history2 Formulating your research questions3 How a digital project begins4 Working with text 1: unstructured text5 Working with text 2: structured text6 Caring for your digital history project7 Visualising your data8 What next for digital history?Test yourself answersAppendix 1: Getting the dataAppendix 2: Some command line recipesAppendix 3: Regular expressionsReferencesIndex

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