History Books
Christopher Matthews Publishing Beneath a Crescent Moon: An Ottoman Empire Novel
Book Synopsis
£28.50
Oldcastle Books Ltd Short History of Robin Hood
Book SynopsisRobin Hood is England's greatest folk hero. Everyone knows the story of the outlaw who robbed from the rich and gave to the poor. Nick Rennison's highly entertaining book begins with the search for the historical Robin. Was there ever a real Robin Hood? Rennison looks at the candidates who have been proposed over the years, from petty...Trade ReviewIf you know nothing about the story of Robin Hood or want to know more about how the story has evolved over the centuries, this book is for you -- Paul Begg * welovethisbook.com *
£7.99
Bloomsbury Academic Rock Art and Its Legacy in Myth and Art
Book SynopsisChristoph Baumer is a leading explorer and historian of Central Asia, Tibet and the Caucasus and the author of many well-received books in the fields of history, religion, archaeology and travel. These include, among others, The Church of the East: An Illustrated History of Assyrian Christianity (2006), Traces in the Desert: Journeys of Discovery across Central Asia (2008), China's Holy Mountain: An Illustrated Journey into the Heart of Buddhism (2011) and the seminal History of Central Asia in four volumes (20122018), all published by I.B.Tauris. Dr Baumer is President of the Society for the Exploration of EurAsia, Senior Research Fellow at the Kazakhstan Academy of Sciences, and a member of the Explorers' Club, New York, the Royal Asiatic Society, the Royal Geographical Society and the Royal Society for Asian Affairs, London. He is a recipient of the prestigious Sir Percy Sykes Medal, awarded to him by the Royal Society for Asian Affairs in 2015. Therese Weber is one of the most important protagonists of Paper Art. She weaves photography, drawing, object and performative actions into an innovative visual language. Expeditions to Central and Southeast Asia have shaped her artistic research focus over the past thirty years. Professor emerita Weber has been awarded art prizes in Germany and Japan.
£31.88
Saqi Books Across The Green Sea
Book SynopsisA history of two centuries of interactions among the areas bordering the western Indian Ocean, including India, Iran and Africa.
£33.75
John Murray Press The Ottomans
Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE WOLFSON HISTORY PRIZEA SUNDAY TIMES PAPERBACK OF THE YEAR''Magnificent . . . Important and hugely readable'' William Dalrymple, Financial Times''A wildly ambitious and entertainingly lurid history'' James Barr, The Times''A panoramic and thought-provoking account'' Guardian''A winning portrait of seven centuries of empire, teeming with life and colour'' Sunday Times''Superb, gripping and refreshing'' Simon Sebag Montefiore''Sweeping, colorful, and rich in extraordinary characters'' Tom HollandThe major new history of a diverse empire that straddled East and West.The Ottoman Empire has long been depicted as the Islamic, Asian antithesis of the Christian, European West, when in reality, their multiethnic, multilingual, and multireligious domain reached deep into Europe''s heart. Recounting their remarkable rise to a world empire, MaTrade ReviewA wildly ambitious and entertainingly lurid history -- James Barr, The TimesHighly readable . . . Baer's fine book gives a panoramic and thought-provoking account of over half a millennium of Ottoman and - it now goes without saying - European history -- GuardianA winning portrait of seven centuries of empire, teeming with life and colour, human interest and oddity, cruelty and oppression mixed with pleasure, benevolence and great artistic beauty -- Sunday TimesA book as sweeping, colorful, and rich in extraordinary characters as the empire which it describes -- Tom Holland, author of DominionA compellingly readable account of one of the great world empires from its origins in thirteenth century to modern times ... Blending the sacred and the profane, the social and the political, the sublime and the absurd, Baer brings his subject to life in rich vignettes. An outstanding book -- Eugene Rogan, author of The Fall of the OttomansMarc David Baer's The Ottomans is a scintillating and brilliantly panoramic account of the history of the Ottoman empire, from its genesis to its dissolution ... It challenges and transforms how we think of 'East' and 'West,' 'Enlightenment,' and 'modernity,' and directly confronts the horrors as well as the achievements of Ottoman rule -- Peter Sarris, University of CambridgeBaer's colourful, readable book is informed by all the newest research on his massive subject. In showing how an epic of universal empire, conquest and toleration turned into the drama of nationalism, crisis, and genocide, he gives us not only an expansive history of the Ottomans, but an expanded history of Europe. -- James McDougall, University of OxfordExpertly captures the undercurrents of Ottoman history ... There's no study more masterful -- Library JournalA superb, gripping and refreshing new history - finely written and filled with fascinating characters and analysis - that places the dynasty where it belongs: at the centre of European history -- Simon Sebag Montefiore, author of The Romanovs and JerusalemA thrilling history of one of the world's largest empires -- All About HistoryProvocative and engaging, this book is a refreshing new study of the Ottoman Empire and its legacy . . . Populated by vivid characters and descriptions of events this book is well-paced, rich and beautifully executed. Essential reading not only for those interested in the history of the Middle East, but also for those interested more broadly in the history of Europe, the history of Empire and the politics of genocide -- Katherine PangonisAn epic, sweeping history of the Ottoman Empire . . . It's absolutely fabulous -- Alex Churchill, History Hack podcast[Baer's] enlightening forays into the side alleys of Ottoman history make this book very enjoyable . . . splendid -- Literary ReviewForceful history -- New YorkerA fuller, fresher view of the dynasty that ruled an empire for 500 years and helped shape the West . . . A major achievement -- Anthony Sattin, SpectatorMagnificent . . . Like a swift Ottoman caique cutting through the Sweet Waters of Asia, Baer's taut prose splices stereotypes and makes us think twice about long-held assumptions . . . [An] important and hugely readable book - a model of well-written, accessible scholarship -- William Dalrymple, Financial Times[A] fascinating, thought-provoking book that wears its learning lightly. It asks us not only to rethink the Ottomans, but also to consider what exactly constitutes being European. -- Roger Crowley, Aspects of HistoryBaer's portrait teems with life and colour -- The Sunday Times
£11.99
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Just Kids
Book SynopsisWinner of the 2010 Non-Fiction National Book Award Patti Smith''s definitive memoir is an evocative, honest and moving coming-of-age story of her extraordinary relationship with the artist Robert MapplethorpeSharp, elegiac and finely crafted'' Sunday TimesTerrifically evocative ... The most spellbinding and diverting portrait of funky-but-chic New York in the late ''60s and ''70s that any alumnus has committed to print'' New York TimesRender, harrowing, often hilarious'' VogueIn 1967, a chance meeting between two young people led to a romance and a lifelong friendship that would carry each to international success never dreamed of. The backdrop is Brooklyn, Chelsea Hotel, Max''s Kansas City, Scribner''s Bookstore, Coney Island, Warhol''s Factory and the whole city resplendent. Among their friends, literary lights, musicians and artists such as Harry Smith, Bobby Neuwirth, Allen Ginsberg, Sandy Daley, Sam Shepherd, William Burroughs, etc. It was a heightened time politically and culturally; the art and music worlds exploding and colliding. In the midst of all this two kids made a pact to always care for one another. Scrappy, romantic, committed to making art, they prodded and provided each other with faith and confidence during the hungry years--the days of cous-cous and lettuce soup. Just Kids begins as a love story and ends as an elegy. Beautifully written, this is a profound portrait of two young artists, often hungry, sated only by art and experience. And an unforgettable portrait of New York, her rich and poor, hustlers and hellions, those who made it and those whose memory lingers near.
£13.59
Harvard University Press Biographical and Autobiographical Writings
Book SynopsisLeon Battista Alberti was among the most famous figures of the Italian Renaissance. Biographical and Autobiographical Writings includes On the Advantages and Disadvantages of Literature, The Life of St. Potitus, My Dog, My Life, and The Fly. It presents the first collected English translations of these works and an authoritative Latin text.
£26.96
Pluto Press One State
Book SynopsisA radical case for a one-state solution from the renowned Palestinian writer and Nakba survivorTrade Review'An intelligent, sensitive writer' -- 'Financial Times''Ghada Karmi's storytelling eloquence is celebrated' -- John Pilger‘Her bold vision of a single egalitarian state is the only way to break the current log jam and bring an end to apartheid Israel' -- Nur Masalha, Palestinian historian‘Karmi has a wonderfully uncluttered intelligence. She writes with a lucid, unsentimental clarity reminiscent of James Baldwin and Maya Angelou’ -- ‘Middle East Eye’Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. The Problem of Zionism 2. Israel and the Arabs 3. The Israeli-Palestinian 'Peace Process' 4. The One-State Solution 5. Eleven Days in May Epilogue: The End of Zionism?
£14.24
Quarto Publishing PLC Atlas of Improbable Places
Book SynopsisAtlas of Improbable Places shows the modern world from surprising new vantage points that will inspire urban explorers and armchair travellers alike to consider a new way of understanding the world we live in.Table of ContentsDREAM CREATIONS FLEVOPOLDERThe region reclaimed from the sea ZHELEZNOGORSKFormer closed Soviet city FREE CHRISTIANIASquatter-city AUROVILLE1960s utopian city SLAB CITYThe squatter metropolis PORTMEIRIONThe Village ZVYOZDNY GORODOKStar City HEARST CASTLERandolph Hearst’s Xanadu-esque home DESERTED DESTINATIONS TEUFELSBERGAbandoned U.S. spy station PRESIDIO MODELO Cuba’s most notorious former penitentiary BATTLESHIP ISLANDDeserted mining settlement NO MAN’S LAND FORTA long shunned coastal bulwark THE LOST CITY OF SAN JUAN PARANGARICUTIROAbandoned after the eruption of 1943 HUMBERSTONE AND SANTA LAURARedundant saltpetre works WONDERLANDAbandoned Disneyland-style theme park ORADOUR-SUR-GLANEVillage left abandoned since the Second World War MUYNAKDrained port WITTENOOMAsbestos-ridden industrial town ANI, KARSRuins of one-time capital of the Armenian Empire CONCRETE CITYGarden city of the anthracite region VAROSHAAbandoned tourist resort ARCHITECTURAL ODDITIES MARYHILL STONEHENGEConcrete Stonehenge SPIJKENISSEThe ‘real’ fictional euro bridges KABAYANThe Ibaloi mummy caves SANTURIO MADONNA DELLA CORONAChapel hangs midway down a sheer cliffside LONDON BRIDGE, LAKE HAVASUThe 1831 London Bridge THE AFRICAN RENAISSANCE MONUMENTControversial symbol of independence TEN COMMANDMENTS MOUNTAINThe Fields of the Wood FLOATING WORLDS THE PALM 105An artificial island paradise THE KINGDOM OF REDONDAUninhabited Caribbean island POVEGLIA ISLANDFormer plague quarantine island GREAT BLASKETUninhabited since 1954 HOLLAND ISLANDIsland slowly being eroded by the water PALMERSTONA community formed in its founder’s image WRANGEL ISLANDA place frozen in time MOUNT RORAIMAThe Lost World ROSS ISLANDBritish Indian penal settlement HIRTAThe Edge of the World OTHERWORLDLY SPACES AOKIGAHARAThe Demon Forest COLMACity of the dead LEAP CASTLEThe world’s most haunted residence DARVAZA CRATERDoor to Hell THE HILL OF CROSSESHome to some 100,000 crosses THE ISLAND OF DOLLSA terrifying attraction SUBTERRANEAN REALMS THE UNDERGROUND POSTAL RAILWAYRail Mail COLD WAR SPY TUNNELThe telephone tapping centre BEIJING UNDERGROUNDBunkers to beat the bomb MOOSE JAWIllicit tunnels CINCINNATIAbandoned subway ZKP TAGANSKY, AKA BUNKER 42Cold War communications bunker PUERTO PRINCESASubterranean river
£9.49
Kaddo London A Puzzle for Curious Wanderers
Book Synopsis
£15.36
Quarto Publishing PLC The Most Dangerous Enemy: A History of the Battle
Book SynopsisStephen Bungay’ s magisterial history is acclaimed as the account of the Battle of Britain. Unrivalled for its synthesis of all previous historical accounts, for the quality of its strategic analysis and its truly compulsive narrative, this is a book ultimately distinguished by its conclusions – that it was the British in the Battle who displayed all the virtues of efficiency, organisation and even ruthlessness we habitually attribute to the Germans, and they who fell short in their amateurism, ill-preparedness, poor engineering and even in their old-fashioned notions of gallantry. An engrossing read for the military scholar and the general reader alike, this is a classic of military history that looks beyond the mythology, to explore all the tragedy and comedy; the brutality and compassion of war.Trade Review‘Stephen Bungay delves into new ground. These threads have been woven together to form an eloquent and informative tapestry€¦ It will be difficult for a new work on this subject to add any more to our knowledge of those months in 1940’ ‘The magnitude and vital importance of the Battle of Britain has found a superb chronicler in Stephen Bungay, whose book is the best single-volume history to be published in over a decade’'A fascinating case history in illusion and reality. He dispels the myths and kills the cliches... Admirable''The most exhaustive and detailed account of the Battle of Britain that has yet appeared''A fascinating case history in illusion and reality. He dispels the myths and kills the cliches... Admirable'‘The magnitude and vital importance of the Battle of Britain has found a superb chronicler in Stephen Bungay, whose book is the best single-volume history to be published in over a decade’‘Stephen Bungay delves into new ground. These threads have been woven together to form an eloquent and informative tapestry… It will be difficult for a new work on this subject to add any more to our knowledge of those months in 1940’
£14.39
The History Press Ltd Blood and Iron
Book SynopsisThe enthralling story of the German Empire, from its violent rise to its spectacular fallTrade ReviewKatja Hoyer’s well-researched and well-written book is the best biography of the Second Reich in years. She cogently argues that what started in Versailles’ Hall of Mirrors need not have ended in the disaster of the Great War, and rightly rescues Bismarck from the ignominy of being a forerunner of Hitler. It will undoubtedly become the essential account of this vitally important part of European history -- Andrew Roberts, author of Churchill: Walking with DestinySplendidly lucid and readable: Katja Hoyer has managed to compress fifty years of great complexity into a compelling and comprehensible narrative – and it is a story that every European needs to know and to understand -- Dr Neil MacGregor, author of Germany: Memories of a NationExcellent ... Fluently written and convincingly argued, Blood and Iron is a brilliant account of an important period of history, and one that marks the arrival of a major new talent ... Hoyer provides a nuanced and thoughtful discussion of the causes of conflict in 1914 -- Saul David, Daily TelegraphBrisk, thoughtful and thoroughly engaging -- Dominic Sandbrook, Sunday TimesHoyer has mastered an intimidating jungle of material and written a balanced and hugely accessible introduction to the age when Germany became Germany ... Hoyer renders a vivid account of Wilhelm's overweening ineptitude. The Kaiser was so gaffe-prone that his ministers frequently had to issue the press with hastily rewritten transcripts of his improvised speeches -- Oliver Moody, The TimesKatja Hoyer has written an excellent book on the rise and fall of the German Empire from 1871 to 1918 that is packed with detail and illuminating insights. She shows very effectively the changes in German foreign policy after Bismarck’s fall from power, and the more provocative stance of Kaiser Wilhelm’s world policy that contributed to the outbreak of the First World War, and brought out Germany’s expansionist aims during the conflict. Overall, this book fills a gap in our understanding of the Second Reich, and it helps us to understand more clearly the reasons for its failure -- Professor Frank McDonough, author of The Hitler YearsHoyer brings this dense period of German history to life with a lightness of touch that complements her impressive scholarship. A deeply satisfying read, highly recommended -- Julia Boyd, author of Travellers in the Third ReichConcise and incisive, this sparkling examination of the rise and fall of the Second Reich is an excellent introduction to a crucial period of German history -- Professor Tim Blanning, author of Frederick the GreatWe ought all to know more about the rise of the Second German Reich, founded with blood and iron in Otto von Bismarck’s words, because the great catastrophes of the 20th century flow from it. In entertaining prose, Katja Hoyer makes that history highly accessible, and paints lively portraits of the political genius Bismarck and the naive egotist Kaiser Wilhelm II -- Michael Portillo, author of Portillo's Hidden History of BritainEngaging and enlightening in equal measure, Blood and Iron is a brilliant synthesis of a complex history which will be welcomed by students and general readers alike -- Roger Moorhouse, author of First to Fight: The Polish War 1939Anyone, student or general "history buff", in search of a readable but authoritative guide to how modern Germany came into being need look no further than Katja Hoyer’s Blood and Iron. The familiar political and military battlefields are all compellingly described. Bismarck and Co. have their due. However, the author also explores many fascinating and less well-known aspects of German culture and public life during that period – equally important factors in the epic story of how this vibrant, often turbulent, society on the move propelled itself in just a few decades from an underpowered feudal patchwork of semi-connected states to become the cultural, economic and military titan that was Germany in 1914. Hoyer’s account of Germany between the Napoleonic Era and the Great War stands as an admirable achievement of both narrative and analytical history. Highly recommended -- Frederick Taylor, author of 1939: A People's HistoryAn important and complex subject told with clarity and verve -- Catrine Clay, author of The Good GermansThe themes of political fragility, social cleavages and pervasive militarism give an impressive depth and coherence to Hoyer’s tightly written narrative -- Tony Barber, Financial TimesExcellent and entertaining ... Hoyer is no apologist for Prussia, but she convincingly argues that, aside from all the 'blood and iron' bluster, Bismarck's Reich was a halfway house between absolute monarchy and democracy -- Maurice Frank, Literary ReviewThe themes of political fragility, social cleavages and pervasive militarism give a convincing coherence to Hoyer’s tightly written narrative of German history between 1871 and 1918. She is rightly sceptical of the once fashionable idea that Germany was on a “special path” that distinguished its development from that of Britain, France or the US -- Tony Barber, Financial Times Summer Books of 2021An elegant new book on the period -- Oliver Moody * The Times *The German Empire born in 1871 has all too often been seen as the troubled precursor of the terrible Nazi successor. Katja Hoyer helps us to see that the empire held out other possibilities which only the catastrophe of the Great War undermined. Brief and accessible, this should become a standard text for those who want to understand the origins of Germany today -- Richard Overy, author of The Bombing WarIn 1862, Bismarck created a Germany, says Hoyer, “whose only binding experience was conflict against external enemies”. Fearful that its 39 individual states would drift apart again, Bismarck kept Germany on “a constant diet of conflict” – whipping up hostility to internal enemies, like Catholics, socialists and ethnic minorities. Hoyer’s nuanced study shows the long run-up to war in 1914 -- Best BooksI so admired Katja Hoyer’s Blood And Iron: The Rise and Fall of the German Empire 1871-1918, an outstanding, authoritative and gripping, short but deep, history of the Second Reich, rendering its singular flawed nature as part-democracy, part-medieval-autocracy with acute portraits of its cast of heroes and monsters -- Simon Sebag Montefiore, Aspects of History Books of 2021
£11.39
Old Street Publishing The Shortest History of Japan
Book Synopsis
£13.49
Headline Publishing Group High Caucasus
Book Synopsis''Outstanding'' TIMES''Gripping'' ECONOMISTSHORTLISTED FOR THE RSL CHRISTOPHER BLAND PRIZESHORTLISTED FOR THE PUSHKIN HOUSE BOOK PRIZESHORTLISTED FOR THE EDWARD STANFORD TRAVEL BOOK OF THE YEAREmotionally scarred after witnessing the bloody climax of the Beslan school siege in Russia''s North Caucasus, in which 314 hostages died, Tom Parfitt set out on a journey. In High Caucasus, he shares his remarkable thousand-mile quest in search of personal peace - and a greater understanding of the roots of violence in a region whose fate has tragic parallels with the Ukraine of today.Starting in Sochi on the Black Sea and walking the mountains to Derbent, the ancient fortress city on the Caspian, Parfitt traverses the political, religious and ethnic fault-lines of seven Russian republics, including Chechnya and Dagestan. Through bear-haunted forests, across high altitude pastures and over the shou
£12.34
Orion Publishing Co A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived: The
Book Synopsis'A brilliant, authoritative, surprising, captivating introduction to human genetics. You'll be spellbound' Brian CoxThis is a story about you. It is the history of who you are and how you came to be. It is unique to you, as it is to each of the 100 billion modern humans who have ever drawn breath. But it is also our collective story, because in every one of our genomes we each carry the history of our species - births, deaths, disease, war, famine, migration and a lot of sex. In this captivating journey through the expanding landscape of genetics, Adam Rutherford reveals what our genes now tell us about human history, and what history can now tell us about our genes. From Neanderthals to murder, from redheads to race, dead kings to plague, evolution to epigenetics, this is a demystifying and illuminating new portrait of who we are and how we came to be.***'A thoroughly entertaining history of Homo sapiens and its DNA in a manner that displays popular science writing at its best' Observer 'Magisterial, informative and delightful' Peter Frankopan'An extraordinary adventure...From the Neanderthals to the Vikings, from the Queen of Sheba to Richard III, Rutherford goes in search of our ancestors, tracing the genetic clues deep into the past' Alice RobertsTrade ReviewI very much enjoyed and admired . . . A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived -- Bill Bryson * OBSERVER Books of the Year 2016 *An effervescent work, brimming with tales and confounding ideas carried in the "epic poem in our cells". The myriad storylines will leave you swooning . . . Rutherford, a trained geneticist, is an enthusiastic guide -- Colin Grant * GUARDIAN *A thoroughly entertaining history of Homo sapiens and its DNA in a manner that displays popular science writing at its best -- Robin McKie * OBSERVER *A brilliant, authoritative, surprising, captivating introduction to human genetics. If you know little about the human story, you will be spellbound. If you know a lot about the human story, you'll be spellbound. It's that good -- Brian CoxAdam Rutherford's book is well-written, stimulating and entertaining. What's more important, he consistently gets it right -- Richard DawkinsIf you are ethnically British, one thing is certain: your ancestors definitely had sex with Neanderthals. On the other hand, they probably didn't have sex with Vikings, who, it turns out, did a fair bit more pillaging than raping. And, depending on the flakiness of your earwax, it is just conceivable that your relatives' unattractiveness to hairy and horned invaders was related to their body odour. DNA is fragile, confusing and contains a lot of pointless data. But unlike other accounts of human history it doesn't lie. Adam Rutherford's soaring book is an exposition of what this new science really tells us about who we are -- Tom Whipple * THE TIMES *One of the most extraordinary things about this book is its sheer breadth. Rutherford, a writer and geneticist, weaves from our genes a fascinating tapestry of human history from its most primitive origins to its sophisticated present, and beyond ... The writing is concise and often funny, and Rutherford never takes himself or his subject too seriously ... It is one of those rare books that you'll finish thinking you haven't wasted a single second -- Brad Davies * INDEPENDENT *Magisterial, informative and delightful -- Peter FrankopanRutherford takes off on an extraordinary adventure, following the wandering trail of DNA across the globe and back in time. And on the way, he reveals what DNA can - and can't - tell us about ourselves, our history and our deep evolutionary heritage. From the Neanderthals to the Vikings, from the Queen of Sheba to Richard III, Rutherford goes in search of our ancestors, tracing the genetic clues deep into the past . . . Wide-ranging, witty, full of surprises and studded with sparkling insights - Rutherford uncovers the epic history of the human species, written in DNA -- Alice RobertsA captivating delight. With witty, authoritative and profound prose, Adam Rutherford tackles the biggest of issues - where we came from, and what makes us who we are. He does more than any author to cut through the confusion around genetics, and to reveal what modern genetics has to say about our identity, history and future -- Ed YongGenetics is opening up the past as never before - Adam Rutherford puts the genes in genealogy brilliantly -- Matt Ridley
£9.49
HarperCollins Publishers MBS
Book SynopsisA Financial Times Book Best Book of the Year 2020A Foreign Affairs Best Book of the Year 2020The gripping, untold story of how Saudi Arabia''s secretive and mercurial new ruler rose to power.Even in his youth as a prince among thousands of princes, Mohammed bin Salman nurtured sweeping ambitions. He wanted power enough of it to reshape his hyper-conservative, insular Islamic kingdom.When his elderly father took the throne in 2015, MBS got his chance. As the hands-on-ruler, he made seismic changes, working doggedly to overhaul the kingdom''s economy, loosen its strict Islamic social codes and confront nearby enemies, especially Iran. His vision initially won fans at home and abroad as he convinced other nations that the moment had come to bet big on Saudi Arabia. Over time, however, the sheen of the visionary young reformer has tarnished, leaving many wondering whether MBS is actually an aspiring dictator whose lack of experience and rash decisions are destabilizing the world''s most volatile region.Based on years of reporting and hundreds of covert interviews,MBSprovides new insights into Saudi Arabia's catastrophic military intervention in Yemen, the bizarre detention of the Lebanese prime minister, the surprise arrest of hundreds of princes and businessmen, and the greatest scandal of the young prince''s rise: the brutal murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi state officials with links to MBS a crime that shocked the world.A riveting portrait of a determined autocrat on the rise, MBSasks how one man's actions and obsessions are shaking the Middle East.Trade Review‘Detailed and disturbing … Clear and convincing … the book’s strength is the thoroughness of its reporting… Hubbard does a brilliant job helping us understand Khashoggi the man as well as the operation that killed him’ New York Times ‘A fine account of the crown prince’s rise… Hubbard delivers a highly informed portrait, leavening his narrative with well-deserved scepticism, and leaves the reader wondering what lies ahead for the prince and his kingdom’ Guardian ‘He has spent more time in the kingdom than most other working western journalists … Moves at a brisk pace through the key events: the lifting of the women’s driving ban, coupled with the arrests and torture of the women who campaigned for it … Capping it all, of course, is Khashoggi’s murder’ Times ‘Can we trust this mysterious prince with our oil supplies, with our friendship – with the prospects of peace in the Middle East? If anyone can give us the answers to these life-and-death questions, it is the brilliant and compulsively readable Ben Hubbard.’ Robert Lacey, author of The Kingdom and Inside the Kingdom ‘Is Mohammed bin Salman, the crown prince and de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, a modernizer or a murderer? Through dogged research and a remarkable ability to navigate the labyrinth that is Saudi society, Hubbard makes clear the answer is ‘both.’ MBS is a devastating portrait of the young and increasingly despotic prince whom President Trump calls “a very great friend” … Essential reading.’ Scott Anderson, author of Lawrence in Arabia ‘A rare and penetrating look behind the curtain of the world’s most important family and its dangerous new leader. Ben Hubbard brings all the strands together in this absorbing biography.’ Lawrence Wright
£11.69
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Battleground Prussia: The Assault on Germany's
Book SynopsisThe terrible months between the arrival of the Red Army on German soil and the final collapse of Hitler's regime were like no other in the Second World War. The Soviet Army's intent to take revenge for the horror that the Nazis had wreaked on their people produced a conflict of implacable brutality in which millions perished. From the great battles that marked the Soviet conquest of East and West Prussia to the final surrender in the Vistula estuary, this book recounts in chilling detail the desperate struggle of soldiers and civilians alike. These brutal campaigns are brought vividly to life by a combination of previously untold testimony and astute strategic analysis recognising a conflict of unprecedented horror and suffering.Table of ContentsList of Illustrations /List of Maps /Author’s Note /Preface /Introduction: the Slavs and the Teutons /1 Fritz and Ivan: The Opposing Forces /2 Memel /3 Nemmersdorf /4 The Last Christmas /5 The House of Cards - the Great January Offensive /6 Cherniakhovsky and the Pregel Valley /7 Rokossovsky reaches the Coast /8 Encircled in East Prussia /9 Hannibal - The Baltic Evacuation Begins /10 The Riviera of Hades and the Fall of Pomerania /11 Heiligenbeil - Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea /12 Konigsberg /13 Danzig /14 The Last Command /15 The Long Road Home /Notes /Bibliography /Index
£15.29
Yale University Press Mescaline
Book SynopsisTrade Review“Mike Jay is an eminent writer on mind-stilling and mind-expanding substances [. . .] Mescaline reads like the culmination of a lifetime’s wanderings in the very farthest out-posts of scientific and medical history”— Ian Sansom, The Guardian“Mike Jay’s history of mescaline use is a bit of a mind-altering experience itself”—The Economist“Thoroughly researched book is strong on drug's social significance” —Katherine Waters, The Art Desk“Jay, as with his many other works, expertly places the important details in these larger trends, and the result is a wonderfully engaging narrative; informative and entertaining” —Robert Dickins, Psychedelic Press “What Mike Jay's history of mescaline illustrates is that although we may not grasp how, the context of a trip determines its destination” — Kate Womersley, TLS “Jay takes his readers on a journey through history, beginning with the medicinal and ceremonial use of mescaline-containing plants by the indigenous peoples of Mexico thousands of years ago, and the adoption of peyote by some Native American peoples” — Zoe Hackett, Chemistry World“Mike Jay has written a highly detailed but very readable and fascinating history of the use of mescaline throughout the ages”—Peter Carpenter, British Society for the History of Medicine"This is a terrific account of mescaline, the first psychedelic. Mike Jay has nailed it."—Michael Pollan, author of How to Change Your Mind "Mike Jay is the Neil Armstrong of today's psychonauts. In Mescaline an incredible amount of scholarly and personal research is beautifully presented and ordered in a sensible chronology that really works to channel potentially disruptive and mad matter into a fascinating cultural history. I just Ioved the last chapter which brought everything back to its proper place in a careful Native American ritual. It made the most emotionally satisfying ending to an extraordinary trip..." —Nicholas Rankin, author of Telegram from Guernica 'Mike Jay is one of the most wise, well-informed, clever and funny voices on drugs in the world. Everyone should read everything he writes - it is consistently brilliant'—Johann Hari, author of Chasing the Scream and Lost Connections
£11.99
HarperCollins Publishers Giving up the Ghost
Book SynopsisLike Lorna Sage''s Bad Blood A masterpiece' RACHEL CUSKGiving up the Ghost' is award-winning novelist Hilary Mantel''s uniquely unusual five-part autobiography.Opening in 1995 with ''A Second Home'', Mantel describes the death of her stepfather which leaves her deeply troubled by the unresolved events of her childhood. In ''Now Geoffrey Don''t Torment Her'' Mantel takes the reader into the muffled consciousness of her early childhood, culminating in the birth of a younger brother and the strange candlelight ceremony of her mother''s ''churching''. In ''Smile'', an account of teenage perplexity, Mantel describes a household where the keeping of secrets has become a way of life. Finally, at the memoir''s conclusion, Mantel explains how through a series of medical misunderstandings and neglect she came to be childless and how the ghosts of the unborn like chances missed or pages unturned, have come to haunt her life as a writer.Trade Review'She is by turns facetious, matter-of-fact, visionary and comical but always totally riveting.' Daily Telegraph 'Simply astonishing - clear and true.' Guardian 'An extraordinary story, sometimes comic, often grim, but most importantly it is a story of survival.' Spectator 'A masterpiece of wit…[the] past, so thoroughly vanished, is made to live again here.' Rachel Cusk ‘What a remarkable writer she is. She is piercingly, even laceratingly observant … a very startling and daring memoir; the more I read it the more unsettling it becomes.’ Helen Dunmore ‘I was riveted. It’s raw, it’s distressing and it’s full of piercing insights into a first-rate novelist’s mind.’ Margaret Forster ‘A stunning evocation of an ill-fitting childhood and a womanhood blighted by medical ineptitude. Hilary Mantel’s frank and beautiful memoir is impossible to put down and impossible to forget.’ Clare Boylan
£9.49
Faber & Faber Voices from the Grave
Book SynopsisEd Moloney''s Voices from the Grave follows his highly acclaimed A Secret History of the IRA, the best-informed account yet written of the IRA''s evolution from ruthless guerilla army into governmental party. But reconciliation between political figures who until very recently wished each other dead or in jail has not been accompanied by very much truth-telling about the past. Men who have been to the White House and fraternized with Tony Blair deny that they ever fired a shot in anger, or caused a bomb to be planted.Now, in Voices from the Grave, a truly ground-breaking piece of historical evidence is unearthed. Two former paramilitary leaders - one republican, one loyalist - speak with unprecedented frankness about their role in some of the most appalling violence of the Troubles. The openness of Brendan Hughes of the IRA and David Ervine of the UVF results in a book of shocking and irresistible testimony, their voices set in the context of a narrative by Ed Moloney of their lives and of the society they grew up in.
£13.49
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC General Orders World War II
Book SynopsisTake command of Axis and Allied troops at the height of World War II in the first ever worker-placement wargame, brought to you by the designers of the Undaunted series.General Orders: World War II pits competing commanders against each other in a tug of war for control over a crucial Second World War battlefield, either in the mountains of Italy or the islands of the Pacific. Players strive to seize crucial strategic assets that unlock special abilities, and prevent their opponents doing the same. Balance the desire to gain these advantages with the need to secure supply lines, ward off aerial assault and artillery barrages, and protect your vulnerable headquarters, in this compact and elegant two-player game.From critically acclaimed design duo David Thompson and Trevor Benjamin, General Orders: WWII combines the dynamic tactical gameplay of a traditional wargame with the cut-throat decision-making of worker-placement games.A
£22.50
Wordsworth Editions Ltd Histories
Book SynopsisTranslated with Notes by George Rawlinson. With an Introduction by Tom Griffith.Herodotus (c480-c425) is 'The Father of History' and his Histories are the first piece of Western historical writing. They are also the most entertaining. Why did Pheidippides run the 26 miles and 385 yards (or 42.195 kilometres) from Marathon to Athens? And what did he do when he got there? Was the Battle of Salamis fought between sausage-sellers? Which is the oldest language in the world? Why did Leonidas and his 300 Spartans spend the morning before the battle of Thermopylae combing their hair? Why did every Babylonian woman have to sit in the Temple of Aphrodite until a man threw a coin into her lap, and how long was she likely to sit there? And what is the best way to kill a crocodile? This wide-ranging history provides the answers to all these fascinating questions as well as providing many fascinating insights into the Ancient World.
£6.83
Atlantic Books Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game
Book SynopsisNow filmed as INVICTUS directed by Clint Eastwood, and starring Matt Damon and Morgan Freeman as Nelson Mandela. SHORTLISTED FOR THE WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR 2008As the day of the final of the 1995 Rugby World Cup dawned, and the Springboks faced New Zealand's all-conquering All Blacks, more was at stake than a sporting trophy. When Nelson Mandela appeared wearing a Springboks jersey and led the all-white Afrikaner-dominated team in singing South Africa's new national anthem, he conquered the hearts of white South Africa. Playing the Enemy tells the extraordinary human story of how that moment became possible. It shows how a sport, once the preserve of South Africa's Afrikaans-speaking minority, came to unify the new rainbow nation, and tells of how - just occasionally - something as simple as a game really can help people to rise above themselves and see beyond their differences.Trade ReviewWonderful... Don't wait for the movie. * New York Times *A triumphant conversion... A portrait of South Africa's answer to George Washington... [It] works because Carlin got so close to Mandela and the people Mandela seduced. -- Simon Kuper * Financial Times *Revelatory... A tight, gripping and powerful book that shines a light on a moment of hope, not just for one nation but the whole world. * Daily Express *A fascinating story... Thirteen years on, it is possible to look back with emotion at a moment which suggested that everything was possible. -- Justin Cartwright * Sunday Telegraph *
£10.44
Penguin Books Ltd All Desire is a Desire for Being
Book SynopsisTrade ReviewPraise for * René Girard *The explosion of social media, the resurgence of populism, and the increasing virulence of reciprocal violence all suggest that the contemporary world is becoming more and more recognizably "Girardian" in its behavior -- Robert Pogue Harrison * The New York Review of Books *The man who helped us perhaps more than any other social thinker of our time to understand violence, death and martyrdom -- Jerry Bowyer * Forbes *Praise for * Evolution of Desire: A Life of René Girard by Cynthia L. Haven *Influential and comprehensive. Haven's Evolution of Desire is exemplary in its sensitivity ... Her readers are challenged but left free to make up their own minds -- Jonathan Benthall * TLS *A penetrating account of an important thinker - and as agile, profound, and affecting as its subject * Kirkus *Essential reading for Girard devotees and a perfect entrée for newcomers. Rich with details and ideas, Cynthia Haven's book gives everything it promises and something more: a personal account of a close friend. Highly recommended -- Maria StepanovaHere is a book that gives us Girard in all his genius and generosity. I can't recommend it enough -- Morgan Meis * The New Yorker *René Girard's provocative theories on violence, religion, desire, and scapegoating are intensely relevant to contemporary American society. Cynthia Haven offers an account of Girard's life and ideas that is as compelling as a good detective story. It should receive the widest possible readership -- David Streitfeld * Pulitzer Prize-winning writer for The New York Times *
£11.69
Anness Publishing Ancient Greece An Illustrated History
Book SynopsisAn authoritative account of political and military history, art, architecture and culture, fully illustrated throughout.Table of ContentsThe Glory that was Greece 8 Part One The Rise and Fall of Ancient Greece 10 Introduction 12 Timeline 14 Classical Greece 18 I: The Greek Awakening, c.2000-500bc 20 II: The Persian Wars, 499bc-478bc 42 III: Athens at its Zenith, 478-431bc 58 IV: World War in Miniature, 431-404bc 72 V: The Greeks: The First Individuals, c.650bc-ad147 88 VI: The Struggle for Supremacy, 404-322bc 112 Alexander the great and his Heirs 132 VII: The Rise of Macedonia, 359-336bc 134 VIII: The Young Alexander, 356-336bc 146 IX: The Great Victories, 334-330bc 164 X: The Lord of Asia, 330-323bc 184 XI: Arms and Armour, c.2000bc-ad138 202 XII: From Alexander to Hadrian, 323bc-ad138 218 Part Two The Ancient Greek World 254 Introduction 256 Timeline 260 Architecture and Art 264 XIII: The Rise of Greek Architecture 266 XIV: Building Styles and Techniques 294 XV: Cities of the Greeks 306 XVI Sculpture 324 XVII Vase Painting 356 XVIII Wall Paintings and Mosaics 368 Greek Society 378 XIX Religion and Mythology 380 XX Theatre 404 XXI Literature 416 XXII Philosophy and Science 430 Chapter XXIII Athletics and Sport 458 Chapter XXIV Work and Leisure 468 Index 500 Acknowledgements 511
£17.00
John Murray Press Ataturk
Book SynopsisThis biography of Atatürk aims to strip away the myth to show the complexities of the man beneath. Born plain Mustafa in Ottoman Salonica in 1881, he trained as an army officer but was virtually unknown until 1919, when he took the lead in thwarting the victorious Allies'' plan to partition the Turkish core of the Ottoman Empire. He divided the Allies, defeated the last Sultan and secured the territory of the Turkish national state, becoming the first president of the new republic in 1923. He imposed coherence, order and mordernity and in the process, created his own legend and his own cult.Trade ReviewSurely definitive ... I enjoyed every page and recommend this book highly * Simon Sebag Montifiore, Mail on Sunday *A fluent, thorough and enjoyable biography, which for comprehensiveness, balance and deftness of touch outclasses all the alternatives for the English reader * Mark Mazower, New Statesman *The best concise account I have ever seen of the decline of the Ottoman Empire. The narrative is gripping. It does not merely present all the facts of Ataturk's career but paints a credible picture of the whole man * Geoffrey Lewis *The profundity of Mango's analysis and his empathy with the years of national regeneration lift Ataturk to a higher level of biography than any previous account * Alan Palmer, Literary Review *Takes its place at the top * Norman Stone, Sunday Times *
£13.49
Canongate Books The Game Changers
Book Synopsis''The best book on games I''ve read in years'' G.T. KARBER, the number one Sunday Times bestselling author of MURDLEWhy is playing games a universal human instinct?Why did the same games evolve across wildly different civilisations?And how can those games make your life happier, healthier and more fulfilled?The history of board games is really the history of human civilisation. Through it we see how our species has learned to live with one another, make deals, take on different roles and manage the ups and downs of luck.In this entertaining and thought-provoking look at games through the ages, Tim Clare explores the legal highs of a good dice roll, the thrills of a predatory race game and the tactile pleasures of the games that age with us through our lives to discover how, through play, we become fully ourselves.Drawing on Roman anti-cheating devices, organised crime card syndicates and the combative domesti
£15.29
Hodder & Stoughton Nuts and Bolts: How Tiny Inventions Make Our
Book Synopsis*SHORTLISTED FOR THE ROYAL SOCIETY SCIENCE BOOK PRIZE 2023**AS HEARD ON RADIO 4 START THE WEEK, OFF AIR WITH FI AND JANE AND 99% INVISIBLE*'Delightful' TIM HARFORD, FINANCIAL TIMES'Appeals to the nerdy side of just about all of us... a great book to give' JANE GARVEY'A splendid book: clearly written, elegantly structured and full of facts you are unlikely to chance on anywhere else' DAILY MAILSmartphones, skyscrapers, spacecraft. Modern technology seems mind-bogglingly complex. But beneath the surface, it can be beautifully simple.In Nuts and Bolts, award-winning Shard engineer and broadcaster Roma Agrawal deconstructs our most complex feats of engineering into seven fundamental inventions: the nail, spring, wheel, lens, magnet, string and pump. Each of these objects is itself a wonder of design, the result of many iterations and refinements. Together, they have enabled humanity to see the invisible, build the spectacular, communicate across vast distances, and even escape our planet.Tracing the surprising journeys of each invention through the millennia, Roma reveals how handmade Roman nails led to modern skyscrapers, how the potter's wheel enabled space exploration, and how humble lenses helped her conceive a child against the odds.She invites us to marvel at these small but perfectly formed inventions, sharing the stories of the remarkable, and often unknown, scientists and engineers who made them possible. The nuts and bolts that make up our world may be tiny, and are often hidden, but they've changed our lives in dramatic ways.'A wonderful book' MARK MIODOWNIK'A masterclass in storytelling' JESS WADE'A riveting love letter to the small, wonderful, and mundane things that make the modern world.' ROMAN MARS
£11.69
Simon & Schuster Ltd Jambusters: The remarkable story which has
Book SynopsisThe Second World War was the WI's finest hour. The whole of its previous history - two decades of educating, entertaining and supporting women and campaigning on women's issues - culminated in the enormous collective responsibility felt by the members to 'do their bit' for Britain. With all the vigour, energy and enthusiasm at their disposal, a third of a million country women set out to make their lives and the lives of those around them more bearable in what they described as 'a period of insanity'. Jambusterstells the story of the minute and idiosyncratic details of everyday life during the Second World War. Making jam, making do and mending, gathering rosehips, keeping pigs and rabbits, housing evacuees, setting up canteens for the troops, knitting, singing and campaigning for a better Britain after the war: all these activities played a crucial role in war time.
£9.49
Little, Brown Book Group White Heat
Book SynopsisHarold Wilson''s famous reference to ''white heat'' captured the optimistic spirit of a society in the midst of breathtaking change. From the gaudy pleasures of Swinging London to the tragic bloodshed in Northern Ireland, from the intrigues of Westminster to the drama of the World Cup, British life seemed to have taken on a dramatic new momentum.The memories, images and colourful personalities of those heady times still resonate today: mop-tops and mini-skirts, strikes and demonstrations, Carnaby Street and Kings Road, Harold Wilson and Edward Heath, Mary Quant and Jean Shrimpton, Enoch Powell and Mary Whitehouse, Marianne Faithfull and Mick Jagger.In this wonderfully rich and readable historical narrative, Dominic Sandbrook looks behind the myths of the Swinging Sixties to unearth the contradictions of a society caught between optimism and decline.Trade ReviewAn active pleasure to read. This is a deftly written and evocative account of the day before yesterday * Peter Hitchens, Mail on Sunday, Books of The Year *A substantial contribution to our understanding of the social and political history of modern Britain * Sunday Telegraph *This is history of a commendably inclusive range * Sunday Times *An active pleasure to read. This is a deftly written and evocative account of the day before yesterday ... * Peter Hitchens, MAIL on Sunday, Books of The Year *A substantial contribution to our understanding of the social and political history of modern Britain * SUNDAY TELEGRAPH *This is history of a commendably inclusive range * SUNDAY TIMES *This second volume lives up to the promise of the first ... Sandbrook is an inveterate demolisher of myths * INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY *
£15.29
Pan Macmillan Rasputin
Book SynopsisGet lost in the labyrinthine life of Grigori Rasputin, an enigmatic figure that continues to puzzle historians to this day. Drawing on major new sources hitherto unexamined by western historians, Douglas Smith offers an unparalleled biography that exposes the mysteries and myths surrounding this extraordinary figure.Rasputin. A horse thief and a hard-drinking ruffian in his youth. A devout Orthodox Christian – or a just a fake holy man. This book scrutinises the myths – of his debauchery and sexual exploits, his healing powers and uncanny influence over Russia's empress and emperor, and whether he manipulated the Russian government at his own behest, or under the influence of forces more sinister.Smith scrutinises his murder and the players involved, with focus on Prince Yusupov and his fellow conspirators – questioning broader conspiracy theories involving British secret agents and Freemasons, and discussing the long shadow his murder caTrade ReviewDouglas Smith has delivered the definitive biography that is brilliantly gripping, as hypnotic, wild and erotic in its revelations as the Mad Monk himself, sensitive in its human portrait, astute in its political analysis, superbly researched with rich new material gathered in faraway archives, and populated with the zaniest cast of the deranged Romanovs, depraved bishops, whores, mountebanks, adventuresses, mystics and murderers. -- Simon Sebag MontefioreThe most comprehensive account of Rasputin to date, brimming with complexities and fascinating detail, and stands as an enlightening re-evaluation of this crucial figure in Russian history. * Daily Telegraph *Douglas Smith begins this impressive biography by rubbishing almost everything previously written, stripping away a century of myth, fabrication, gossip and lies . . . a fascinating, often entertaining, biography. * The Times *Utterly fascinating and foreniscally detailed . . .There are plenty of Rasputin biographies already, but its superlative scholarship and attention to detail put this one in a class of its own. -- Dominic Sandbrook * Sunday Times *This brilliantly written, meticulously researched account of the life of Rasputin is the best, most complete and accurate I have ever read. Step by step, day by day, week by week in this life, Douglas Smith tells the story from its humble beginnings, through its obscene sexual chapters, to its violent end. He describes how a peasant became 'Our Friend' to the last emperor and empress of Russia. He explains why this dependency came at terrible cost for the imperial couple, for their children, for Russia, and for the Twentieth Century world. Readers will begin by saying that this is an impossible story to believe. They will read on because, in Douglas Smith's mesmerizing telling, it must be believed. And because it did happen. -- Robert K. Massie, author of Nicholas and AlexandraSome years ago when working on a historical novel I had to read all the existing Rasputin biographies, and they do abound - in all literary styles and in many languages. What a pity that Douglas Smith's Rasputin had not yet been published, it would have saved me a lot of time. If you are interested in the story of the Romanovs' pet prophet this is the book to read. -- Boris AkuninA prodigious piece of scholarship. Doug Smith's exhaustive and forensic examination of a wealth of new and previously unseen evidence finally lays to rest the tired old myth of 'the mad monk' and rightly positions Rasputin as a crucial figure in late Imperial Russian history. -- Helen Rappaport, author of Four SistersDouglas Smith understands that history is not only what happened, but what people think happened. In Rasputin, he deftly unpicks myth, legend and fact, separating and examining each thread, before weaving them back to create a pattern not merely of a man, but of a time, and a place, and a revolution. It is, itself, revolutionary. -- Judith Flanders, author of A Circle of SistersFew figures in 20th century history have been more obscured by myth and legend than Grigory Yefimovich Rasputin, the mystic confident of the last tsar and tsarina. In his research, comprehensive to the nth degree, Douglas Smith has dug up previously unseen archives, followed previously unexplored leads, and connected the dots across the Russian landscape. They're dots of blood. Rasputin reveals the true character of the man without minimizing his malign hold on the loathsome, feckless Romanovs. -- Ken Kalfus, author of The Commissariat of EnlightenmentThe very best biographies illuminate an individual and the time and place in which they lived. In this magisterial, exhaustively-researched work on Rasputin, Douglas Smith paints a rich, detailed portrait of one of history's most fascinating individuals while also chronicling the dramatic last days of the Tsar. It's a wondrous read. -- Neal Bascomb, author of The Winter FortressIt is hard to imagine a historical figure more barnacled with myth than Rasputin. Douglas Smith unravels Rasputin's complex narrative in unprecedented detail, showing how he was a kind of chimera onto which could be hung all the ills of a disintegrating Russia. In the process Smith vividly exposes the astonishing blindness of the ruling class that made its tragic end inevitable. A brilliant achievement. -- Rosemary Sullivan, author of Stalin’s DaughterThe most complete and masterful study of Rasputin that I've read. Douglas Smith's work is not only extraordinarily readable, but rich in detail. -- Robert Alexander, New York Times bestselling author of The Kitchen BoyTable of ContentsSection - i: List of Illustrations Section - ii: Maps Section - iii: Notes on Dates and Spelling Unit - Part One: HOLY PILGRIM 1869-1904 Chapter - 1: Origins Chapter - 2: The Pilgrim Chapter - 3: Nicholas and Alexandra Chapter - 4: Monsieur Philippe Chapter - 5: Alexei Chapter - 6: The Burning Torch Chapter - 7: The Mad Monk Unit - Part Two: OUR FRIEND: 1905–1909 Chapter - 8: To the Throne Chapter - 9: Rasputin-Novy Chapter - 10: Sects and Whips Chapter - 11: Demons of the Silver Age Chapter - 12: Anna Vyrubova Chapter - 13: The Eyes Chapter - 14: “. . . prayers that purify and protect us.” Chapter - 15: The Investigation: Part I Chapter - 16: The First Test Chapter - 17: “better ten Rasputins . . .” Unit - Part Three: SCANDALS: 1910–1911 Chapter - 18: Trouble in the Nursery Chapter - 19: The Press Discovers Rasputin Chapter - 20: In Search of Rasputin Chapter - 21: Prince Yusupov Chapter - 22: Holy Land Chapter - 23: Rasputin in His Own Words Chapter - 24: Iliodor’s Triumph Chapter - 25: Two Murders Chapter - 26: Confronting the “Antichrist” Unit - Part Four: A TIME OF MIRACLES: 1912–July 1914 Chapter - 27: Germogen’s Fall Chapter - 28: Iliodor, Apostate Chapter - 29: Quousque tandem abutere patientia nostra? Chapter - 30: The Blow to the Alcove Chapter - 31: The Investigation II: Was Rasputin a Khlyst? Chapter - 32: The Miracle at Spala Chapter - 33: War and Celebration Chapter - 34: Gutter Talk, Name-Glorifiers, and Murder Plots Chapter - 35: On the Edge of a Precipice Chapter - 36: The Attack Chapter - 37: “This time it didn’t work . . .” Chapter - 38: Iliodor’s Flight Unit - Part Five: WAR: July 1914–1915 Chapter - 39: A Menacing Cloud Chapter - 40: The Incident at the Yar Chapter - 41: Rasputin’s Women Chapter - 42: Dinner with Rasputin Chapter - 43: The Religious Faces of Rasputin Chapter - 44: A Summer of Troubles Chapter - 45: The Tovarpar Chapter - 46: Nicholas Takes Command Chapter - 47: Rasputin, Favorite Chapter - 48: Fresh Scandal Chapter - 49: The Troika Chapter - 50: Gorokhovaya, 64 Chapter - 51: Dark Forces and Mad Chauffeurs Chapter - 52: Another Miracle Unit - Part Six: THE FINAL YEAR: 1916 Chapter - 53: Revolution in the Air Chapter - 54: The Minister Plots Murder Chapter - 55: Iliodor in America Chapter - 56: With Us or With Them Chapter - 57: Rasputin the Spy? Chapter - 58: Rasputin and the Jews Chapter - 59: “The sun will shine . . .” Chapter - 60: Apotheosis Chapter - 61: Stupidity or Treason Chapter - 62: “Vanya has arrived.” Chapter - 63: “My hour will soon strike” Chapter - 64: The Last Day Chapter - 65: A Cowardly Crime Chapter - 66: The Investigation Chapter - 67: The Body in the Water Chapter - 68: The Romanov Family Drama Chapter - 69: Orgies, Gay Love, and the Secret Hand of the British Chapter - 70: The End of the Tobolsk Yoke Unit - Part Seven: THE AFTERMATH: 1917-1918 Chapter - 71: A Time for Dominoes Chapter - 72: Here Lies the Dog Chapter - 73: The Myth Chapter - 74: Unsettled Business Section - iv: Epilogue Acknowledgements - v: Acknowledgements Section - vi: Bibliography Section - vii: Endnotes Index - viii: Index
£15.29
Hodder Education Access to History China 18391997
Book SynopsisExam Board: AQA, Edexcel, OCR & WJECLevel: A-levelSubject: HistoryFirst Teaching: September 2015First Exam: June 2016Give your students the best chance of success with this tried and tested series, combining in-depth analysis, engaging narrative and accessibility. Access to History is the most popular, trusted and wide-ranging series for A-level History students.This title:- Supports the content and assessment requirements of the 2015 A-level History specifications- Contains authoritative and engaging content- Includes thought-provoking key debates that examine the opposing views and approaches of historians- Provides exam-style questions and guidance for each relevant specification to help students understand how to apply what they have learntThis title is suitable for a variety of courses including:- AQA: The Transformation of China, 1937-199
£26.97
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC The Lost City of the Monkey God
Book SynopsisSince the days of conquistador Hernán Cortés, rumours have circulated about a lost city of immense wealth hidden deep in the Honduran interior. Indigenous tribes speak of ancestors who fled there to escape the Spanish invaders, and warn the legendary city is cursed: to enter it is a death sentence. They call it the Lost City of the Monkey God. In 1940, swashbuckling journalist Theodore Morde returned from the rainforest with hundreds of artefacts and an electrifying story of having found the City – but then committed suicide without revealing its location. Three quarters of a century later, bestselling author Doug Preston joined a team of scientists on a groundbreaking new quest. In 2012 he climbed aboard a single-engine plane carrying a highly advanced, classified technology that could map the terrain under the densest rainforest canopy. In an unexplored valley ringed by steep mountains, that flight revealed the unmistakable image of a sprawling metropolis, tantalizing evidence of not just an undiscovered city but a lost civilization. To confirm the discovery, Preston and the team battled torrential rains, quickmud, plagues of insects, jaguars, and deadly snakes. They emerged from the jungle with proof of the legend... and the curse. They had contracted a horrifying, incurable and sometimes lethal disease. Suspenseful and shocking, filled with history, adventure and dramatic twists of fortune, The Lost City of the Monkey God is the absolutely true, eyewitness account of one of the great discoveries of the twenty-first century.Trade ReviewWhat reader could resist a new book by Douglas Preston called The Lost City of the Monkey God? Not this reader. Preston's book offers rewards for both the mystery fan and the nonfiction aficionado. The Lost City is addictive-fast-paced and riveting, but it's also important. We mustn't repeat the cataclysmic mistakes of the past. Ironically – as The Lost City illustrates – that's exactly what our short-sighted civilization is doing right now -- James PattersonPreston, at great risk to his own life, has produced a thrilling and powerful adventure story -- David Grann, The Lost City of ZRevelatory, chilling, creepy, and alive with deadly snakes and insects bearing incurable disease, it's high adventure at its best and all true -- Erik Larson, author of The Devil in the White CityDeftly balancing swashbuckling action with thoughtful reflections on conservation and the ethics of archaeology * Mail on Sunday, 5 star review *Leaves the reader both impressed and over-awed... An adventure well worth the telling and the 16 pages of colour illustrations add further veracity to the impact' * Country Life *A story that moves from thrilling to sobering, fascinating to downright scary - trademark Preston, in other words, and another winner * Kirkus Reviews *This gripping book follows every step of the journey... It's incredible enough that in this day and age there are still unexplored areas of the planet' * Geographical Magazine *A grippingly told and reassuringly grown-up account of the discovery of an ancient city in Honduras * TLS *Preston at his best. Entirely non-fiction, this reads every bit as excitingly as any of his fiction accounts. Fast paced, thrilling, insightful, with great descriptions of the excitement and dangers of finding a 'lost' city that had not been visited in 500 years. A great account * Buzzfeed. *
£9.49
Cambridge University Press On a Knife Edge
Book SynopsisWas the outcome of the First World War on a knife edge? In this major new account of German wartime politics and strategy Holger Afflerbach argues that the outcome of the war was actually in the balance until relatively late in the war. Using new evidence from diaries, letters and memoirs, he fundamentally revises our understanding of German strategy from the decision to go to war and the failure of the western offensive to the radicalisation of Germany''s war effort under Hindenburg and Ludendorff and the ultimate collapse of the Central Powers. He uncovers the struggles in wartime Germany between supporters of peace and hardliners who wanted to fight to the finish. He suggests that Germany was not nearly as committed to all-out conquest as previous accounts argue. Numerous German peace advances could have offered the opportunity to end the war before it dragged Europe into the abyss.Trade Review'All future historians of the First World War will have to engage with Holger Afflerbach's important and authoritative book, and his powerful and provocative case that the conflict was more of a 'close run thing' than previously thought.' Jonathan Boff, author of Haig's Enemy: Crown Prince Rupprecht and Germany's War on the Western Front'A fascinating and provocative account – Afflerbach argues that the First World War could have ended in a draw and that the German leadership committed serious mistakes to lose it.' Annika Mombauer, author of The Origins of the First World War'Holger Afflerbach provides a comprehensive reassessment of Germany's conduct of the 1914-18 war. Drawing on fresh archival sources and an impressive command of the immense secondary literature, he offers a thought-provoking reappraisal of the entire history of that terrible conflict.' David Stevenson, author of With Our Backs to the Wall: Victory and Defeat in 1918'Boldly argued and beautifully written, Holger Afflerbach's On a Knife Edge vividly portrays Germany's strategic desperation in 1914-18 and reveals how the Allies' uncompromising pursuit of total victory radicalised the conflict and destroyed all hope of a lasting peace. Thought-provoking and sure to spark controversy – this is one of the most important and exciting new interpretations of the First World War!' Alexander Watson, author of Ring of Steel: Germany and Austria-Hungary at War, 1914-1918'WWI scholars and enthusiasts will relish this exhaustive deep dive.' Publishers Weekly'… a highly readable account not only of the German side of the war but to some extent a retrospective on the war as a whole, one both enthusiasts and specialists can enjoy and fruitfully debate.' Avi Woolf, The Washington Examiner'This book is a political study of Germany's war effort, not a campaign narrative, though it tells the 1914–18 story very well … Afflerbach gathers many strands into a coherent argument, and offers a host of details that are likely to be unfamiliar even to veteran students of the conflict.' Max Hastings, The Sunday Times'… a revisionist spin … Afflerbach argues that Germany's defeat in 1918 was not inevitable. It could have gone either way on the battlefield, but internal turmoil was to blame for the defeat, leading to a peace not 'based on justice but instead … too harsh'.' Simon Heffer, Best History Books of the Year, Daily Telegraph'An impressive, well-researched and readable book which advances an important argument.' Military History Magazine'The author's knowledge … is nothing short of stupendous … Highly recommended.' Klaus Schmider, British Army ReviewTable of ContentsIntroduction; Part I. Hybris: 1. The Road to War; 2. 'It can hardly go wrong now': The Schlieffen Plan and its Failure; 3. Tannenberg and the Rise of Hindenburg; 4. The European Stalemate; 5. A Strategy of Muddling Through? The War in 1915; 6. 'An Unparalleled Act of Barbarism': The Naval Blockade, Submarine Warfare and the Battle for American Neutrality; 7. 'Potato-bread Spirit': The German Home Front in 1914-16; 8. Squaring the Circle: Falkenhayn and Verdun 1916; 9. Summer 1916: The Allied Attack on all Fronts and its Failure; Part II. Climax: At the apex of war: 10. 'Only a Miracle can Save us Now': Germany and the War in the autumn of 1916; 11. Action Stations, Panic Stations: The Radicalisation of Germany's Strategy under the Third OHL; 12. 'A Stroke of Genius': Tentative Offers of Peace in December 1916; 13. The misjudged stand-off: Unrestricted submarine warfare and the USA's entry into the war; Part III. Nemesis: The defeat of the Central Powers and the destruction of the European Order: 14. Military Developments in the First Half of 1917; 15. The First Russian Revolution and the Opportunity for a Peace Agreement with the Russian Democracy; 16. 'War Psychosis?' The Reichstag's Peace Offer and Bethmann Hollweg's Demission; 17. 'The Unmasking of the Central Powers?' Victory and Peace in the East; 18. 'Glorious, but hopeless': Germany's Position at the Turn of the Year 1917/18; 19. 'Ludendorff's Hammer': The Western Offensive of 1918; 20. 'Now the War was Lost': The Military Collapse of the Central Powers; 21. 'Savage in Victory, Contemptuous in Defeat': Germany's Route out of the War; The Final Reckoning: A Terrible Debt that Must be Paid.
£23.75
Profile Books Ltd The Shock Of The Old: Technology and Global
Book Synopsis'It's rare for a book to make you see the world differently, but this ... does exactly that on almost every page' Guardian Standard histories of technology give tired accounts of the usual inventions, inventors, and dates, framing technology as the inevitable march of progress. They split history into ages - electrification, motorisation, and computerisation - and rarely ask whether anyone bothered to use these inventions at the time. Shock of the Old is not one of those histories. I Letters exist alongside emails and outlasted telegrams; we still make physical books and magazines despite the rise of the Internet - a belated rise considering that the technologies that made it possible was invented in 1965, and bookshops thrive despite Amazon. More horses were used in the Second World War than any other war in history and propeller planes continue to take off from the same runways as jets. Shock of the Old forces us to reassess the significance of old inventions such as corrugated iron and sewing machines and rethink the relative importance we place on the invention of something new, its application, and its widespread adoption. It challenges the idea that we live in an era of ever increasing change and, interweaving political, economic and cultural history, teaches us to think critically about technology.Trade Reviewhe eviscerates our obsession with novelty... * The Sunday Times *newfangled things are sexy, but how significant are they?...Edgerton provides a corrective by emphasising some of the overlooked technologies that affect the lives of many. * Newsweek *David Edgerton's The Shock of the Old is a book I can use. I can take it in two hands and bash it over the heads of every techno-nerd, computer geek and neophiliac futurologist I meet. -- Simon Jenkins * Guardian *...iconoclastic and thought-provoking book...he makes a strong case that accords with what Virgil identified around 25BC as a definitive human characteristic. Our lives consist of semper cedentia retro: always going forwards backwards. * The Times *It's rare for a book to make you see the world differently, but this alternative history does exactly that on almost every page. * Guardian *
£11.69
Canongate Books A History of Women in 101 Objects
Book SynopsisFrom a hunger strike medal to a bidet, the Amazon rainforest to the plantations of South Carolina, Simone de Beauvoir to Beyoncé, this is the story of women as never seen before
£13.49
HarperCollins Publishers Ryrie A Unbelievers
Book SynopsisWhy have Western societies that were once overwhelmingly Christian become so secular? Looking to the feelings and faith of ordinary people, the award-winning author of Protestants Alec Ryrie offers a bold new history of atheism.We think we know the history of faith: how the ratio of Christian believers has declined and a secular age dawned. In this startlingly original history, Alex Ryrie puts faith in the dock to explore how religious belief didn't just fade away. Rather, atheism bloomed as a belief system in its own right.Unbelieverslooks back to the middle ages when it seemed impossible not to subscribe to Christianity, through the crisis of the Reformation and to the powerful, challenging cultural currents of the centuries since. As this history shows, the religious journey of the Western world was lived and steered not just by published philosophy and the celebrated thinkers of the day the Machiavellis and Michel de Montaignes but by men and women at every level of society. TheiTrade Review Praise for Unbelievers ‘Unbelievers covers much ground in a short space with deep erudition and considerable wit. The history of doubt is still in its relatively early stages. This is an important and convincing contribution to it.’ Spectator ‘Highlights the dynamic role that emotions have played in the very human tendency to disbelieve religious claims … Those with an interest in the history of religion will be treated to a new perspective on the old opposition between believers and nonbelievers’ Library Journal ‘Ryrie’s contention that its power and effectiveness derive as much from its emotional impact as its rational argumentation makes considerable sense to me … what Ryrie’s engaging book suggests is that the battle over God is really a battle about a certain sort of emotional literacy. Giles Fraser, Unherd.com ‘In Unbelievers we encounter heart-wrenching expressions of faith and its absence with nuanced attention to words and modulations of emotions. We find preachers, female writers, dramatists, poets and essayists who struggled daily with a religion that demanded faith … An arresting consideration of how their voices shaped what came after them. Deep insights are leavened with characteristic wit and humour, making this book a crucial read for anyone thinking about religion in our time.’ Bruce Gordon, author of Calvin ‘With wit and remarkable breadth of learning, Ryrie addresses an issue that touches us all.’ John O’Malley, author of Vatican I ‘How has unbelief come to dominate so many Western societies? The usual account invokes the advance of science and rational knowledge. Ryrie’s alternative, in which emotions are the driving force, offers new and interesting insights into our past and present.’ Charles Taylor, author of A Secular Age
£9.49
Quarto Publishing PLC The History of Colour
Book SynopsisThis comprehensive, beautiful book delves deep into the complex but fascinating story of our relationship with colour throughout human history. Colour is fundamental to our experience and understanding of the world. It crosses continents and cultures, disciplines and decades. It is used to convey information and knowledge, to evoke mood, and to inspire emotion. This book explores the history of our understanding of colour, from the ancient world to the present, from Aristotle to Albers. Interspersed in the historical story are numerous thematic essays that look at how colour has been used across a wide range of disciplines and fields: in food, music, language and many others. The illustrations are drawn from the Royal College of Art’s renowned Colour Reference Library which spans six centuries of works and nearly 2,000 titles, from a Gothic manuscript on the composition of the rainbow to hand-painted Enlighten
£18.70
Penguin Books Ltd The Psychosis of Whiteness
Book Synopsis''Witty, energising and refreshing'' Jeffrey BoakyeTake a step through the looking-glass to a strange land, one where Piers Morgan is a voice worth listening to about race, where white people buy self-help books to help them cope with their whiteness, where Boris Johnson and Donald Trump are seen by the majority of the population as ''the right (white) man for the job''. Perhaps you know it. All the inhabitants seem to be afflicted by serious delusions, for example that racism doesn''t exist and if it does it can be cured with a one-hour inclusion seminar, and bizarre collective hallucinations, like the widely held idea that Britain''s only role in slavery was to abolish it.But there is a serious side too. Society cannot face up to the racism at its heart and in its history, so the delusions, irrationalities and hallucinations it conjures up to avoid doing so can only best be described as a psychosis, with the costs being borne by the sons and daughters of that racist history. Living in a racist world is like living in a world that bears no resemblance to reality. Black and brown people suffer from a greater number of mental health difficulties too, caused in no small part by trying to survive a racist society.Kehinde Andrews is your piercing, wry and not a little funny guide back to sanity, unpicking the absurd and outrageous lies society tells to keep up the status quo. The Psychosis of Whiteness is your lifeboat out of this topsy-turvy world.
£10.44
Workman Publishing The Space Shuttle: A Mission-by-Mission
Book Synopsis“Any backyard astronomer or space enthusiast would be delighted to have this visual journey on their shelf.” —The Strategist, The Year’s Most Giftable Coffee-Table BooksA Barnes & Noble Best Gift Book of 2022 A Publishers Weekly Holiday Gift Guide 2022 selection6 orbiters, 140 missions, 355 astronauts, 500,000,000 miles—all in one rich and beautiful photographic journeyThe Space Shuttle tells the story of NASA’s amazing Space Shuttle program and its 140 space flights (135 missions, plus five Approach and Landing Tests) in a uniquely designed and covetable way. Long before the James Webb Telescope rekindled our fascination with astronomy and our place in the cosmos, the Space Shuttle began to capture the world’s attention with its first mission (a test launch) on April 12, 1981 and continued to do so until its final mission on July 8, 2011. The program’s six orbiter vehicles are Enterprise, Columbia, Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis, and Endeavour. Each mission has its own fascinating story, and The Space Shuttle retells these stories, in chronological order, through incredible photos taken by NASA photojournalists, fine art photographers, and the astronauts themselves. Each image is accompanied by a short text that includes quick facts such as crew members, launch date, and landing date, as well as a short overview of highlights and purpose. For example, STS-78’s mission was to study circadian rhythms in space; STS-41G’s mission was to take photographs in-flight, seen in the IMAX movie The Dream Is Alive; and famously, the first untethered space walk, taken by astronaut Bruce McCandless on STS-41B using a self-propelled backpack unit (called a Man Maneuvering Unit [MMU]), allowed astronauts to capture satellites for retrieval and repair and for the planned construction of what became the International Space Station (ISS). Prior to this mission, astronauts were attached to the shuttle with safety lines. The photo of McCandless floating above Earth’s surface is one of the most celebrated and famous space photographs ever. These are just a few of the 140 stories Miller tells in this beautiful volume.Trade Review“‘Sumptuous’ is an adjective too often used to describe beautifully produced books, so, though that word does in fact describe The Space Shuttle, let’s instead call it ‘stellar. . . .’ [T]he reader leaves this book with a deep sense of awe about the program itself and what it accomplished in helping us to better understand what is above us.” —Air MailTable of ContentsContents Preface Introduction CHAPTER 1 Approach and Landing Tests ALT-12 (Free Flight 1) to ALT-16 (Free Flight 5) CHAPTER 2 First Launch—The Challenger Tragedy STS-1 (Mission 1) to STS-51L (Mission 25) CHAPTER 3 New Beginnings—Hubble Deployment STS-26 (Mission 26) to STS-61 (Mission 59) CHAPTER 4 Shuttle-Mir Missions—John Glenn’s Return to Space STS-60 (Mission 60) to STS-95 (Mission 92) CHAPTER 5 The International Space Station Construction Begins—The Columbia Tragedy STS-88 (Mission 93) to STS-107 (Mission 113) CHAPTER 6 A Second Return to Flight—The Final Mission STS-114 (Mission 114) to STS-135 (Mission 135) Afterword Glossary Acknowledgments Index
£36.00
Ebury Publishing The Children's Block: Based on a true story by an
Book Synopsis'We lived on a bunk built for four but in times of overcrowding, it slept seven and at times even eight. There was so little space on the berth that when one of us wanted to ease his hip, we all had to turn in a tangle of legs and chests and hollow bellies as if we were one many-limbed creature, a Hindu god or a centipede. We grow intimate not only in body but also in mind because we knew that though we were not born of one womb, we would certainly die together.'Alex Ehren is a poet, a prisoner and a teacher in block 31 in Auschwitz-Birkenau, the children’s block. He spends his days trying to survive while illegally giving lessons to his young charges while shielding them as best he can from the impossible horrors of the camp. But trying to teach the children is not the only illicit activity that Alex is involved in. Alex is keeping a diary…Originally published as THE PAINTED WALL, Otto Kraus’s autobiographical novel, tells the true story of 500 Jewish children who lived in the Czech Family Camp in Auschwitz-Birkenau between September 1943 and June 1944. Trade Review‘Otto B Kraus brings together the strength of his own personal experience in the tiny barracks-school immersed in the darkness of Auschwitz with the story telling powers of an exceptional writer…He will from now on occupy the important place he deserves among writers of the twentieth century’ * ANTONIO ITURBE, bestselling author of THE LIBRARIAN OF AUSCHWITZ *I read Ota Kraus' manuscript and am impressed. Yes, it deserves to be published. * ELI WIESEL, author of NIGHT *
£12.28
Ebury Publishing Madhouse at the End of the Earth
Book SynopsisJulian Sancton read History at Harvard, and is a senior features editor at Departures magazine, where he writes about culture and travel. His work has appeared in Vanity Fair, Esquire, The New Yorker, Wired, and Playboy, among other publications. He grew up in Paris and New York and has reported from every continent, including Antarctica, which he first visited while researching this book.Trade ReviewA "grade-A classic" that's feverishly compelling ... this story has everything * Sunday Times *Exquisitely researched and deeply engrossing * New York Times *Utterly enthralling -- Geoff Dyer * Guardian *An epic of survival. A mixture of chaos and great courage; part Monty Python sketch, part real-life heroics * Michael Palin *The next great contribution to polar literature. A wild tale, so well told and immersively researched * Hampton Sides, New York Times bestselling author of IN THE KINGDOM OF ICE *A brilliant, vivid piece of writing that should be read by all who care about heroism, courage, ingenuity and endurance... it is adventure to the max, and peopled by wonderful characters. As soon as you finish, you want to read it again -- Roger Alton * Daily Mail *The story of the Belgica has been told before, but never so brilliantly. Madhouse at the End of the Earth belongs at the heights of polar literature * The Times *Considering that much of Madhouse at the End of the Earth is about moribundity, Sancton does well to make each page exciting - "murder, suicide, starvation, insanity, icy death and all the acts of the devil" -- Roger Lewis * Telegraph ***** *A riveting true-life horror story ... an obscure but important history transformed by deep research and note-perfect storytelling into a classic thriller * Walter Isaacson, bestselling author of STEVE JOBS and LEONARDO DA VINCI *Artfully constructed, written with evenly-paced poise and with a kind of dread-filled assurance, it grips from first sentence to last * Lawrence Osborne, international bestselling author of THE FORGIVEN *One of the most enthralling-and harrowing-adventure stories in years... An unforgettable tale brilliantly told * Scott Anderson, bestselling author of LAWRENCE IN ARABIA *Has it all: Idealism, ingenuity, ambition, explosives, flimflammery, a colourful cast, a blank map, a three-month-long night, penguins (and medicinal penguin meat). A riveting tale, splendidly told * Stacy Schiff, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of THE WITCHES and CLEOPATRA *A mesmerizing, unputdownable read... an epic of Antarctic exploration * Nathaniel Philbrick, author of IN THE HEART OF THE SEA and VALIANT AMBITION *[A] riveting history... A rousing, suspenseful adventure tale * Kirkus Reviews *The savage beauty of the antarctic landscape grips. The writing is exacting, compelling and compassionate. * The Literary Review *The energy of the narrative never flags... Mr. Sancton has produced a thriller, and a welcome addition to the polar shelves -- Sara Wheeler * Wall Street Journal *A riveting account...well-researched and enthralling * Publishers Weekly *'A splendid, beautifully written book' -- Owen Matthews * The Spectator *This is an epic of exploration, a brilliantly vivid piece of writing told by a natural storyteller * Daily Mail *Julian Sancton's impressive research and incisive writing style ensures that this lockdown story grips like the pack ice * Yachting Monthly *
£13.49
Michael O'Mara Books Ltd The History of the World Quiz Book: 1,000
Book SynopsisTaking the history of the world as its basis might seem a mammoth task but this fascinating book does just that, breaking the whole lot down into ten enthralling chapters that cover the ages and the world, from the Bronze Age up until the end of the Second World War.With over 5,500 years to choose from, and a whole world of events, you can be sure there is no shortage of intriguing history to explore. From the first empires and civilizations, through the Ancient world of the Middle East and Africa; the Parthian Empire; the Golden Age of India; the ancient dynasties of China; the founding of Rome and the Roman republic; Peruvian cultures; The Middle Ages; the Byzantine Empire; Mayan culture; the Crusades; the rise of the Ottoman Empire; the Renaissance – this far-reaching book will test the knowledge of any history lover and provide the ultimate challenge for even the most knowledgeable historian.With questions ranging through multiple choice, truth or fiction, maps and pictures, you will find there is always something new to learn about the world.
£9.49
HarperCollins Publishers 1434 The Year a Chinese Fleet Sailed to Italy and
Book SynopsisIn his bestselling book 1421:The Year China Discovered the World, Gavin Menzies revealed that it was the Chinese that discovered America, not Columbus. Now he presents further astonishing evidence that it was also Chinese advances in science, art, and technology that formed the basis of the European Renaissance and our modern world.In his bestselling book 1421: The Year China Discovered the World, Gavin Menzies presented controversial and compelling evidence that Chinese fleets beat Columbus, Cook and Magellan to the New World. But his research has led him to astonishing new discoveries that Chinese influence on Western culture didn't stop there.Until now, scholars have considered that the Italian Renaissance - the basis of our modern Western world - came about as a result of a re-examining the ideas of classical Greece and Rome. A stunning reappraisal of history is about to be published.Gavin Menzies makes the startling argument that a sophisticated Chinese delegation visited Italy inTrade Review‘Menzies has come up with something entirely new…it is a startling claim.’ Guardian
£10.44
Penguin Books Ltd Ring of Steel
Book SynopsisSunday Times History Book of the Year 2014Winner of the 2014 Wolfson History Prize, the 2014 Guggenheim-Lehrman Prize in Military History, the Society for Military History''s 2015 Distinguished Book Award and the 2015 British Army Military Book of the YearFor the empires of Germany and Austria-Hungary the Great War - which had begun with such high hopes for a fast, dramatic outcome - rapidly degenerated as invasions of both France and Serbia ended in catastrophe. For four years the fighting now turned into a siege on a quite monstrous scale. Europe became the focus of fighting of a kind previously unimagined. Despite local successes - and an apparent triumph in Russia - Germany and Austria-Hungary were never able to break out of the the Allies'' ring of steel.In Alexander Watson''s compelling new history of the Great War, all the major events of the war are seen from the perspective of Berlin and Vienna. It is fundamentally a history of oTrade ReviewIn a year dominated by memories of the First World War, this supremely accomplished book stands out. Not only does it look at the conflict from the perspective of the losing Central Powers, imperial Germany and Austria-Hungary, but it brings together political, military, economic and cultural history in an enormously impressive narrative. Although Watson's book is based on archival research in Germany, Austria and Poland, his scholarship is never suffocating. His accounts of the terrible struggle on the vast Eastern Front are brisk and well-judged, while he is particularly good at bringing alive the mood on the German and Austrian home fronts, from soldiers' letters to children's nursery rhymes. Above all, his book could not be a more powerful reminder that, as bad as the war was for Britain, it was far, far worse for the losers -- Dominic Sandbrook * Sunday Times, History Book of the Year 2014 *Will be revelatory to most British readers -- Simon Heffer * New Statesman BOOKS OF THE YEAR *British historians have tended to view the Great War predominantly from the side of the Allies. Watson has done our understanding an inestimable service by examining these familiar events from the perspective of the Central Powers ... Watson's shift of perspective offers illuminating sidelights ... Watson's balance is at its most strikingly effective in a superlative chapter on Germany's catastrophic decision to launch its U-boat campaign. But it is the lost hordes of East European refugees who create the most haunting images in the immense canvas of this outstanding book -- Miranda Seymour * Telegraph *A truly indispensable contribution . . . It is a mark of talent in a historian to take familiar narratives and open them to new interpretation. Mr. Watson's book is a brilliant demonstration of this skill . . . Ring of Steel is a history as much of the emotions that hardship and war produced as of politics or diplomacy . . . Watson manages to mesh his dense bottom-up description with the grand narrative of the war's key moments of decision -- Adam Tooze * Wall Street Journal *An immensely authoritative new history of Germany and Austria-Hungary between 1914 and 1918. Watson writes fluently and compellingly, and his remarkable command of the sources offers new insight and information on almost every page. Soundly judged on the many controversial aspects of his topic, Watson is particularly ground-breaking in evoking the popular experience of the conflict and when investigating the atrocities that all too frequently were its accompaniment -- David Stevenson (author of 1914-1918)In Ring of Steel Alexander Watson shows us what it was like to be pierced by the sharp end of the Allied juggernaut. He takes us on an illuminating tour of the German and Austrian trenches, their querulous headquarters, their cold, starving towns, and their increasingly desperate government ministries. This is a fascinating account of the Great War from 'the other side of the hill,' but also an explanation for the chaos that followed: communism, fascism, depression, and Europe's plunge into a Second World War -- Geoffrey Wawro (author of A Mad Catastrophe)The Central Powers' Great War was not waged from the top down. Instead, as Alexander Watson's comprehensively researched and clearly presented analysis demonstrates, in both Germany and Austria-Hungary popular support was vital to mobilizing and sustaining an increasingly-futile conflict -- Dennis Showalter (author of Tannenberg: Clash of Empires 1914)An immensely authoritative new history of Germany and Austria-Hungary between 1914 and 1918. Watson writes fluently and compellingly, and his remarkable command of the sources offers new insight and information on almost every page. Soundly judged on the many controversial aspects of his topic, Watson is particularly ground-breaking in evoking the popular experience of the conflict and when investigating the atrocities that all too frequently were its accompaniment -- David Stevenson (author of 1914-1918)This book offers Anglo-Saxon students of the First World War a usefully original perspective -- Max Hastings * Sunday Times *Alexander Watson's remarkable history of the first world war makes clear as never before how this unparalleled conflict impacted on and changed the societies of central Europe, particularly Germany and Austria-Hungary -- PD Smith * the Guardian *
£17.09
Oxford University Press Life in the Viking Great Army
Book Synopsis
£23.75
Vintage Publishing Into The Silence
Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE 2012 SAMUEL JOHNSON PRIZEA monumental work of history, biography and adventure - the First World War, Mallory and Mount Everest‘The price of life is death’ For Mallory, as for all of his generation, death was but ‘a frail barrier that men crossed, smiling and gallant, every day’.Trade ReviewMaybe the prime minister should read it -- Stephen Frears * Guardian *I was enthralled by Wade Davis’s Into the Silence, an account of three failed Everest expeditions leading up to the death of Mallory in 1924, which brilliantly places those feats of endurance in the context of British imperialism and the psychological aftermath of the First World War -- Ben Macintyre * The Times *[An] epic story * New Statesman, *Books of the Year* *I was captivated. Wade Davis has penned an exceptional book on an extraordinary generation. From the pathos of the trenches to the inevitable tragedies high on Everest this is a book deserving of awards -- Joe Simpson, author of Touching the VoidPowerful and profound, a moving, epic masterpiece of literature, history and hope * Sunday Times *
£17.09
Pan Macmillan Bad Blood
Book SynopsisColm Tóibín was born in Ireland in 1955. He is the author of several novels, including The Master, Brooklyn, and The Magician, and two collections of stories. He has been three times shortlisted for the Booker Prize. In 2021, he was awarded the David Cohen Prize for Literature. Tóibín was appointed the Laureate for Irish Fiction 2022-2024.
£10.44
