History Books

Book SynopsisThe Nawab Nazim was born into one of India's most powerful royal families. Three times the size of Great Britain, his kingdom ranged from the soaring Himalayas to the Bay of Bengal. However, in 1880, he was forced to abdicate by the British authorities, who saw him as a threat and permanently abolished his titles. The Nawab's change in fortune marked the end of an era in India and left his secret English family abandoned. The Last Prince of Bengal tells the true story of the Nawab Nazim and his family as they sought by turns to befriend, settle in and eventually escape Britain. From glamourous receptions with Queen Victoria to a scandalous Muslim marriage with an English chambermaid; and from Bengal tiger hunts to sheep farming in the harsh Australian outback, Lyn Innes recounts her ancestors' extraordinary journey from royalty to relative anonymity. This compelling account visits the extremes of British rule in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, exposing complex prejudices regarding race, class and gender. It is the intimate story of one family and their place in defining moments of recent Indian, British and Australian history.Trade Review'I was captivated and surprised by this bitter-sweet history as it twists and turns down three generations, through many astonishing changes of fame and fortune, from a glittering Bengal palace to an Australian sheep farm. Lovingly researched and meticulously told, The Last Prince of Bengal is notable for its candid revelations of British colonial attitudes and hypocrisies across two centuries. A rich, delightful and unexpectedly thought-provoking saga.'--Richard Holmes 'The book is a rich tapestry of family narrative in the course of which various intolerances of nation, ethnicity, class and gender are woven into a story that is deft, alive to irony, and alert to many human foibles - it is a work in which intellectual audacity is matched by sound research and textual scruple. The result is a masterpiece of patient, lucid analysis ... a spellbinding family history.' --Declan Kiberd The Irish Times. 'Lyn Innes explores her ancestors' history in moving detail, capturing the tragic story of the dethroned princes of Bengal who had to make their lives in foreign lands, marked forever by the harsh legacy of Empire.' Shrabani Basu, author of Victoria and Abdul: The Extraordinary True Story of the Queen's Closest Confidant. 'Lyn Innes tells her extraordinary and engrossing personal family history, revealing the ways in which the British Empire brought lives together, and scattered people apart. The Last Prince of Bengal tells us about the multitude histories we carry within, and the humiliations that race, class and faith perpetuate.' --Salil Tripathi, author of The Colonel Who Would Not Repent: The Bangladesh War and its Unquiet Legacy

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Book SynopsisIn 1942, while ploughing a field near Mildenhall in Suffolk, eastern England, Gordon Butcher stumbled upon a hoard of 34 silver objects that he turned over to his boss and owner of the land, Sydney Ford. Dating back to Roman Britain, fourth century AD, and of outstanding artistic and technical quality, the hoard was declared a Treasure Trove in 1946.

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Book SynopsisBeautifully illustrated with photographs of the statue and contextual images, and including archival material relating to the British Museum's acquisition, this book tells the story of this magnificent artefact, discussing alongside the draw of colossal Egyptian sculpture, the history of the reign of Ramesses II and the nature of the statue's acquisition.

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Book SynopsisThe classic three volumes of Hebridean Folksongs, reissued simultaneously for the first time since their original publication (1969, 1977, 1981), contain 135 songs connected with the waulking of homespun tweed cloth in the Hebridean isles. Volume 1 is based on waulking songs collected by Donald MacCormick in South Uist in 1893. Volumes 2 and 3 are based on John Lorne Campbell's recordings of songs made between 1938 and 1965 in Barra, South Uist, Eriskay and Benbecula. The translations for all the songs in Volumes 2 and 3 and many of those in Volume 1 are by John Lorne Campbell, who also wrote detailed notes discussing the songs. Multiple versions of the same song are compared with each other and with versions drawn from unpublished manuscript sources. Francis Collinson's meticulous musical transcriptions of the songs, and musicological analyses, are invaluable. The songs are from the repertoires of some well-known singers of their generation, including Miss Annie Johnson, her brother Calum and Miss Mary Morrison, all of Barra, Mrs Neil Campbell of South Uist, and Miss Nan MacKinnon of Vatersay.

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Book SynopsisThe perfect introduction to England's history for readers of all ages.Trade Review"The best short introduction to English history we have seen."—The Good Book Guide "It would be difficult to find a better written, more succinct account of its subject than this book. Christopher Hibbert drives the story of these islands … in crisp vivid prose that never flags."—Country Landowner "Christopher Hibbert is perhaps the most gifted popular historian we have."—Times Educational Supplement

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Book SynopsisShortlisted for the Saltire Society Scottish History Book of the Year Award James VI and I was arguably the most successful ruler of the Stewart Dynasty in Scotland, and the first king of a united Great Britain. His ableness as a monarch, it has been argued, stemmed largely from his Scottish upbringing. This book is the first in-depth scholarly study of those formative years. It tries to understand exactly when in James' 'long apprenticeship' he seized political power and retraces the incremental steps he took along the way. It also poses new answers to key questions about this process. What relationship did he have with his mother Mary Queen of Scots? Why did he favour his kinsman Esmé Stuart, ultimately Duke of Lennox, to such an extent that it endangered his own throne? And was there a discernible pattern of intent to the alliances he made with the various factions at court between 1578 and 1585? This book also analyses James’ early reign as an important case study of the impact of the Reformation on the monarchy of early modern Europe, and examines the cultural activity at James' early court.Trade Review'A very fine, original study of the first part (1567–1585) of the reign of King James VI that fills what has been a gaping hole in the scholarship on early modern Scotland. It is the first part of a radical new study that will transform the understanding of James’ reign before the union of the crowns in 1603' -- Professor Jane Dawson, University of Edinburgh'This book is the only extensive and scholarly account of the first decades of James VI’s life and of the politics of his emergence from minority to adult monarch. Drawing upon wideranging sources – including under-exploited documents – it presents an original, detailed, readable and compelling interpretation of its subject . . . This will be the key reference work on this period for scholars of Jacobean kingship and politics for many years to come' -- Dr Alexander Courtney, Associate Fellow Royal Historical Society'An intimate and detailed history of young James, the political contexts in which he was brought up, and his character, objectives and practices. No one has written yet about James in such intimate and sustained terms' -- Dr Anna Groundwater, National Museums Scotland'I am greatly looking forward to Professor Steven Reid's The Early Life of James VI' -- Allan Massie * The Scotsman *'Much has been written about James in maturity, but this new book deals with his formative years in Scotland… What a story!' -- Jackie Bird * National Trust for Scotland *'Steven Reid’s rich and scholarly study of King James VI’s early years gives us a remarkable account of this most turbulent era in Scotland’s history' * The Saltire Society *

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Book SynopsisThere is something special about Liverpool. From its earliest beginnings it has always been associated with the ups and downs, the triumphs and tribulations of the rest of the country, acting like a mirror to the events that have shaped the country we now think of as Great Britain. As one of the major ports in the land, Liverpool has witnessed the comings and goings of people from all corners of the world who, over the centuries, have constituted the melting pot of nations which has given rise to what we now think of as a typical scouser.In The Story of Liverpool the author has tried not to present the reader with facts and figures, diagrams and statistics that usually form an integral part of an academic history, but to concentrate on the story or romance of Liverpool''s evolution over the years. Uppermost in his mind was an attempt to bring history to life, to give it a plot and characters and to convey to the reader and idea of what it would have felt like to be alive at various stages in the city''s evolution. The first popular history of Liverpool for many years, this is a comprehensive and revealing account of the city''s development from it''s earliest days to modern times. Lively, readable and well-illustrated, this is a tremendous book for locals and visitors alike to enjoy.

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Book SynopsisA ground-breaking and intensely revealing examination of the life of the 20th century''s most iconic writer. Ernest Hemingway was an involuntary chameleon, who would shift seamlessly from a self-cultivated image of hero, aesthetic radical, and existential non-conformist to a figure made up at various points of selfishness, hypocrisy, self-delusion, narcissism and arbitrary vindictiveness.Richard Bradford shows that Hemingway''s work is by parts erratic and unique because it was tied into these unpredictable, bizarre features of his personality. Impressionism and subjectivity always play some part in the making of literary works. Some authors try to subdue them while others treat them as the essentials of creativity but they endure as a ubiquitous element of all literature. They are the writer''s private signature, their authorial fingerprint.In this ground-breaking and intensely revealing new biography, including previously unpublished letters from the HemingwTrade ReviewA blistering, rollicking, horribly convincing account of a compelling literary monster ... [a] fascinating book. * The Sunday Times *In a new revisionist biography by Richard Bradford, we learn, from his astute analysis of previously unpublished letters from the Hemingway archive that there is indeed a good deal more to know about this ‘scrapper intellectual’, and ‘role player’. * The Irish Independent *Vivid and pugnacious... it will ruffle a few feathers among those wedded to the image of him as all-American literary hero -- Martin Stannard, author of Muriel Spark: The BiographyTable of ContentsList of Plates List of Abbreviations Acknowledgements Introduction 1 The Young Deceiver 2 An American in Paris 3 Key West 4 Conflicts 5 War: With Martha 6 Secrets and Lies 7 Everywhere and Nowhere Epilogue Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThe Norman invasion of Britain, as depicted in the Bayeux Tapestry, is well known, but the later invasion of Ireland is much less well documented. Yet much of what we see today in Irish heritage has Norman roots. Ireland and Britain have many similarities, although relations between them have too often descended into bitterness and violence. This book goes back to the starting point of this, more than eight hundred years ago. Beginning with Irish history before the Norman invasion, the book describes how Ireland was conquered and settled by the French-speaking Normans from north-west France, whose language and culture had already come to dominate most of Britain. It looks at the creation and government of a large region called the Liberty of Leinster between 1167 and 1247, a turning point in Irish history, identifying the Frankish institutions imposed upon Ireland by its Anglo-Norman conquerors. The Normans were not always belligerent conquerors, but they were innovators and reformers, who incorporated the sensible traditions and practices of their subjugated lands into their new government. In little over one hundred years the Normans had a transforming effect on British and Irish societies and, while different in many ways, both countries benefited from their legacy.

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Book SynopsisThis state-by-state atlas is fully illustrated and includes historic sites & points of interest along Route 66. Interest in it as a travel destination continues.Trade Review"a...straighforward source of information on Route 66..." - RV Life"I don't hesitate to recommend it, based on Hinckley's earlier books..." - RV Life

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Book SynopsisGhost Towns of Route 66 guides you through more than 60 fascinating ghost towns along America's Main Street—Route 66 expert Jim Hinckley fills you in on their rich history and the photography of Kerrick James brings their haunting beauty to life.Table of ContentsINTRODUCTION CHAPTER 1: ILLINOIS The Towns that Coal Built Into the Land of LincolnCHAPTER 2: MISSOURI Ghost of the Modern Era: Times Beach The Ghost Town Trail of Missouri AvillaCHAPTER 3: KANSAS CHAPTER 4: OKLAHOMA Afton and Narcissa Warwick End of the Road Foss TexolaCHAPTER 5: TEXAS To Amarillo The Staked PlainsCHAPTER 6: NEW MEXICO Introduction to the Land of Enchantment Montoya, Newkirk, Cuervo Ghosts of the Santa Fe Trail The Timeless LandCHAPTER 7: ARIZONA Ghosts of the Painted Desert In the Footsteps of the Camel Corps Chasing Louis Chevrolet Route 66, the Forgotten ChapterCHAPTER 8: CALIFORNIA Goffs Ghosts of the Desert Cauldron DaggettACKNOWLEDGMENTS SUGGESTED READING INDEX ABOUT THE AUTHOR AND PHOTOGRAPHER

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Book SynopsisSituated in the middle of the Irish Sea, the Isle of Man is like a stepping-stone between the lands that surround it. In medieval times, it played an important role in the histories of Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales. This book explores the first part of that turbulent era, tracing the story of the Isle of Man from the fifth to the thirteenth centuries. It looks at the ways in which various peoples – Britons, Scots, Irish, English and Scandinavians – influenced events in Man over a period of more than 800 years. A large portion of the book is concerned with the Vikings, a group whose legacy – in place names, old burial mounds and finely carved stones – is such a vivid element in the Manx landscape today.Trade Review'an accessible and well written account of over eight centuries of the island's history that also appears to be superbly researched' -- Ken Lussey * Undiscovered Scotland *'an easy-to-read account, clearly set out, enabling the reader to dip in and out of the narrative' -- Allison Fox * Current Archaeology *'A good introduction to Manx history and Clarkson has been particularly impressive in his ability to create a coherent account of the pre-Viking period' -- Alex Woolf * Mariner's Mirror *

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Book SynopsisIn this gripping narrative, John Koehler details the widespread activities of East Germany''s Ministry for State Security, or Stasi. The Stasi, which infiltrated every walk of East German life, suppressed political opposition, and caused the imprisonment of hundreds of thousands of citizens, proved to be one of the most powerful secret police and espionage services in the world. Koehler methodically reviews the Stasi''s activities within East Germany and overseas, including its programs for internal repression, international espionage, terrorism and terrorist training, art theft, and special operations in Latin America and Africa.Koehler was both Berlin bureau chief of the Associated Press during the height of the Cold War and a U.S. Army Intelligence officer. His insider''s account is based on primary sources, such as U.S. intelligence files, Stasi documents made available only to the author, and extensive interviews with victims of political oppression, former Stasi officers, and West German government officials. Drawing from these sources, Koehler recounts tales that rival the most outlandish Hollywood spy thriller and, at the same time, offers the definitive contribution to our understanding of this still largely unwritten aspect of the history of the Cold War and modern Germany.Table of Contents* Revenge Versus the Rule of Law * Erich Mielke: Moscows Leader for the Red Gestapo * KGB and Stasi: Two Shields, Two Swords * The Sword of Repression * The Invisible Invasion: Espionage Assault on West Germany * The Stasi Against the United States and NATO * The Stasis Spy Catchers * Stasi Operations in the Third World * The Stasi and Terrorism: The La Belle Bombing * Playground for International Terrorists * Safe Haven for the Red Army Faction * Shattered Shield, Broken Sword

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Book SynopsisThe key to understanding the Arab world today is unlocking its past. In this authoritative account, John McHugo takes the reader through the political, social and intellectual history of the Arabs from the Roman Empire right up to the present day. Going beyond the headlines, he describes in vivid detail a series of key turning points in Arab history from the mission of the Prophet Muhammad and the expansion of Islam to the region''s interaction with Western ideas and the rise of Islamism. Now fully updated to cover the tumultuous years since the Arab Spring, this lucidly told history reveals how the Arab world came to have its present form and illuminates the choices that lie ahead.Trade Review'A lucid and highly readable history of the Arab peoples up to the present day ... [it] will enlighten all who read it.' Charles Tripp, author of The Power and the People: Paths of Resistance in the Middle East 'This concise, brilliant and erudite book is the product of wide reading, hard thinking and years of direct experience of the Middle East.' Patrick Seale, author of Asad: The Struggle for the Middle East 'Thrilling and poignant, woven with a layered texture of knowledge and empathy' David Gardner, Financial Times 'Recommended for anyone wishing to learn more about the multifaceted history of the Arab world and its relevance to modern day events' Asian Affairs 'Gets to the point with authority, insight and grace to provide the essential political contexts for understanding the ongoing developments in today's Arab world' History Book Club 'Purposeful, insightful and tremendously useful, complete with an excellent bibliographic essay' Kirkus; `Timely ... McHugo succeeds in producing a clear and elegant of the sweep of Arab history from the birth of Muhammad to the military coup that overthrew the government of Egyptian president Muhammad Morsi. ... The value of McHugo's book is enhanced by the richness of its references and fullness of its bibliography.' Susannah Tarbush, The Tanjara; `Thrilling and poignant, woven with a layered texture of knowledge and empathy that deftly stitches familiar figures into the narrative in a fresh way.' David Gardner, International Affairs Editor, Financial Times, and author of Last Chance: the Middle East in the Balance; `Highly readable ... Ideal for novices, it is also a useful and exciting read for those who have read much about the area but never had the whole story summed up in a single volume.' Jordan Times; '[An] elegant work of history. It is an introductory history for newcomers to the field, but it still manages to take up some of the most significant debates without making them banal. This combination makes this book one of the more recommendable introductions to Arab history.' Journal of Peace Research; `... a valuable and rewarding work ... highly recommended' Bulletin of the British Foundation for the Study of Arabia; Selected, Choice's Outstanding Academic Title listTable of ContentsContents: List of Maps 8 Glossary of Arabic Terms and Words 9 Preface 13 One When History Changed Direction 19 Two Growing Apart 49 Three The West Takes Control 77 Four Sharing an Indigestible Cake 111 Five Secularism and Islamism in Egypt 150 Six The West Seems to Retreat 168 Seven The Six Day War and its Consequences 215 Eight Iraq, Israel, Militancy and Terrorism 228 Nine The Age of the Autocrats and the Rise of Islamism 265 Conclusion: Something Snaps - The Arab Spring and Beyond 293 Acknowledgements 322 Notes 324 Bibliography 331 Suggestions for Further Reading 338 Index 341

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Book SynopsisSalt is a vital commodity. For many centuries it sustained life for Scots as seasoning for a diet dominated by grains (mainly oats), and for preservation of fish and cheese. Sea-salt manufacturing is one of Scotland’s oldest industries, dating to the eleventh century if not earlier. Smoke- and steam-emitting panhouses were once a common sight along the country’s coastline and are reflected in many of Scotland’s placenames. The industry was a high-status activity, with the monarch initially owning salt pans. Salt manufacture was later organised by Scotland’s abbeys and then by landowners who had access to the sea and a nearby supply of coal. As salt was an important source of tax revenue for the government, it was often a cause of conflict (and military action) between Scotland and England. The future of the industry – and the price of salt for consumers – was a major issue during negotiations around the Union of 1707. This book celebrates both the history and the rebirth of the salt industry in Scotland. Although salt manufacturing declined in the nineteenth century and was wound up in the 1950s, in the second decade of the twenty-first century the trade was revived. Scotland’s salt is now a high-prestige, green product that is winning awards and attracting interest across the UK.Trade Review'one of those all-too-rare books that cover their subject so definitively that it's hard to imagine anyone ever wanting or needing to write another book on the subject' -- Ken Lussey * Undiscovered Scotland *

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Book SynopsisNusantaria often referred to as ''Maritime Southeast Asia'' is the world''s largest archipelago and has, for centuries, been a vital cultural and trading hub. Nusantara, a Sanskrit, then Malay, word referring to an island realm, is here adapted to become Nusantaria - denoting a slightly wider world but one with a single linguistic, cultural and trading base. Nusantaria encompasses the lands and shores created by the melting of the ice following the last Ice Age. These have long been primarily the domain of the Austronesian-speaking peoples and their seafaring traditions. The surrounding waters have always been uniquely important as a corridor connecting East Asia to India, the Middle East, Europe and Africa. In this book, Philip Bowring provides a history of the world''s largest and most important archipelago and its adjacent coasts. He tells the story of the peoples and lands located at this crucial maritime and cultural crossroads, from its birth following the last Ice ATrade Review“Bowring, in a remarkable display of taut writing, whisks us through the archipelago's geological eruption and mythic floods to the rise and fall of multiple port states and emerging regional dynasties and into the modern era of disruption, decay and dismemberment in less than 300 pages. At the same time, he does a wonderful demolition job on Beijing's self-serving take on Asian history.” * South China Morning Post *“[Bowring] writes this rich and rambling history as in fact a narrative of change and renewal … It is not easy to convince policymakers that history might be the place to look for solutions, yet we have nowhere else to turn to imagine what might yet be possible.” * Literary Review *“Beautifully presented with numerous informative maps, excellent illustrations and a very useful glossary, it is both a fascinating read and a very valuable history of one of the world's most important regions.” * Baird Maritime *“Rich in detail, and laced with vivid anecdotes ... Bowring notes that Nusantaria is just as vulnerable to climate change as it was after the Ice Age ... will the book's excellent maps of Nusantaria have to be drawn again?” * The Correspondent *“This hardcover book is handsomely produced with a beautiful dust jacket showing fine Nusantarian galleys in the Moluccas, recorded during the Louis de Freycinet expedition of 1817–20. It's a volume that offers readers a deeper understanding of the vibrant maritime peoples and events that unfolded literally on Australia's tropical northern doorstep, to better appreciate the complex development of the human, political and economic region that we inhabit.” * Jeffrey Mellefont, New Mandela *“This is an important and timely book. Whatever its shortcomings as formal history—and Philip Bowring states clearly that he is no specialist and no academic—for the suitably forewarned general reader at whom it is aimed, who is looking to better understand a complex and pivotal region of the modern world, Empire of the Winds is a must-read.” * Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, Hong Kong *“Bowring has taken on the mission of restoring to its rightful place in world history a region that shaped global trade, and with its unrivalled shipbuilding techniques and navigation skills drew disparate cultures – and their ideas and know-how – together across vast oceans, and whose contribution to humankind’s domi­nion over this planet’s resources has been largely forgotten.” * Post Magazine *Table of ContentsList of Maps and Illustrations Glossary Preface Introduction 1. Child of a Drowned Parent 2. Nusantaria's Defining Features and Early People 3. To Babylon and Back 4. Ghosts of Early Empires 5. Culture from India, Goods from China 6. Srivijaya: Vanished Great Mandala 7. Java Takes Centre Stage 8. Tamil Tigers of Trade 9. Champa: Master of the East Sea 10. Malagasy Genes and African Echoes 11. China Raises its Head 12. The Majapahit Good Life 13. Tremble and Obey: The Zheng He Voyages 14. Nails, Dowels and Improbable Ships 15. Malay Melaka's Lasting Legacy 16. The Northern Outliers 17. Islam's Great Leap East 18. Nusantaria: Holed near the Waterline 19. Barangays and Baybayin 20. Makassar, Bugis and Freedom of the Seas 21. Where Kings Reign but Priests Rule 22. The Sulu Factor: Trading, Raiding, Slaving 23. Nusantaria's Existential Crisis 24. Labour, Capital, Kongsi: The Power of the Chinese 25. High Noon of Occupation 26. Empty Lands No Longer 27. Freedom, Fears and the Future Notes Bibliography Index

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Book Synopsis'An exceptional book.' Robert Macfarlane, author of The Lost Words, Landmarks and Mountains of the Mind‘We made Kinder Scout, not just metaphorically, or metaphysically, not just with our stories and our battles, but literally changed its shape, from the peat washing off its summit, to the drystone walls that turn the hillside into a harmonious grid, the trees that are and more often aren’t there, to the creatures that we’ve allowed to remain and those we’ve done away with. It’s our mountain.’In 1951 the Peak District was designated the UK’s first national park: a commitment to protect and preserve our countryside and wild places. Sandwiched between Manchester and Sheffield, and sitting at the base of the Pennines, it is home to Kinder Scout, Britain’s most popular ‘mountain’, a beautiful yet featureless and disorientating plateau which barely scrapes the 600-metre contour, whose lower slopes bore witness in 1932 to a movement of feet, a pedestrian rebellion, which helped shape modern access legislation: the Kinder Mass Trespass.But Kinder Scout’s story is about much more than the working class taking on the elite. Marked by the passage of millions of feet and centuries of farming, a graveyard for lost souls and doomed aircraft, this much-loved mountain is a sacred canvas on which mankind has scratched and scraped its likeness for millennia. It is a record of our social and political history, of conflict and community.Writer Ed Douglas and photographer John Beatty are close friends and have a shared history with Kinder going back decades. In this unique collaboration they reveal the social, political, cultural and ecological developments that have shaped the physical and human landscape of this enigmatic and treasured hill.Kinder Scout: The People’s Mountain is a celebration of a northern English mountain and our role in its creation.Trade Review'An exceptional book. The writing is rich with original research, the photographs glitter with strangeness and beauty, and the whole book rings with the passion, knowledge and vision of two people who have explored their subject for most of their lives, and fallen into profound acquaintance with it.' – Robert Macfarlane, author of The Lost Words and Mountains of the Mind'Kinder – even the word has an echo-like quality. And this is a book of beautiful echoes in which words and pictures call to each other back and forth across the pages. Simple waymarkers such as moss, grouse, flight open up a spacious meditation that takes in history, adventure, memory and the necessity of beauty. The echoes build as we pass through the phases of the book, creating a vivid and moving iconography of the character and temper of this ‘half-poisoned, denuded and yet still-sacred ground.' – Katharine Towers, award-winning poet and author of The Remedies and The Floating Man'Everyone who loves the Peak District should have this book and help to work for its ultimate redemption. We will win!' – Mark Avery'Quietly astonishing and important piece of work.' – David Lintern, The Great Outdoors'Douglas tells the story in his fine poetic style, "pacing out time’s shore" while walking its northern rim, or when squatting on the summit "dismantled by wind and rain, grains of sand washed away, and me with them, pretty soon".' – Jules Stewart, Geographical'This is one of the most stand out books you will ever see. You will come to appreciate one of our most most iconic landscapes, its people, its seasons and beauty. This is achieved though it's delightful, thoughtful and well researched commentary combined with enchanting imagery. In a phrase it's a "Classic".' - Mansel Kersey, The Snow Leopard AwardTable of ContentsSand; Sheep; Flight; Grouse; Moss; Hare.

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Book SynopsisIncorporating the latest scholarly developments to offer an in-depth account of the history of the Byzantine Empire, this revised edition sheds new light on the Empire's culture, theology, and economic and socio-political spheres. Charting from the Empire's origins, to its expansion and influence over the Mediterranean, later revival, and eventual fall this book covers more than 1,000 years of history. With analysis of the Empire's changing social infrastructure, key events, and the broader cultural environment, Stathakopoulos expertly analyses how and why it became a powerhouse of literature, art, theology and learning, whilst also examining its aftermath and afterlife and enduring significance today. Drawing on a variety of English and non-English sources, in addition to a plethora of visual and textual materials, this book is an invaluable resource for scholars, students, and general readers alike.Trade ReviewA fresh and smart introduction to a part of the Medieval History of Europe that is still little known. A guide to discover the Eastern Roman Empire loved by my university students and a clear overview to introduce all those passionate about history who are still wondering about what Byzantium was. * Alessandra Bucossi, Associate Professor of Byzantine Studies, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Italy *A crisp, clear overview of more than a thousand years of history. Dionysios Stathakopoulos had crammed in a huge amount of information into this slim volume – and in a way that is engaging, readable and enjoyable. An impressive achievement all round. * Peter Frankopan, Professor of Global History & Director, The Oxford Centre for Byzantine Research, University of Oxford, UK *Table of ContentsList of Maps and Illustrations Acknowledgements Introduction: What is Byzantium? Timeline 1. Becoming the Eastern Roman Empire, 330–491 2. Masters of the Mediterranean, 491–602 3. Negotiating Retraction, 602–717 4. From Survival to Revival, 717–867 5. Expansion and Radiance, 867–1056 6. The Appearance of Strength 1056–1204 7. The Legacy of Fragmentation, 1204–1341 8. Heading for the Fall, 1341–1453 9. Aftermath and Afterlife Appendices Further Reading Index

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Book SynopsisExcellent. The Economist A gripping account. South China Morning PostWell worth reading. The Morning StarA persuasive and readable narrative. History TodayElegantly written. The Tablet An excellent study. The Chartist Engaging. Asia Times The events of 1949 in China reverberated across the world and throughout the rest of the century. That tumultuous year saw the dramatic collapse of Chiang Kai-shek's pro-Western' Nationalist government, overthrown by Mao Zedong and his communist armies, and the foundation of the People's Republic of China.China 1949 follows the huge military forces that tramped across the country, the exile of once-powerful leaders and the alarm of the foreign powers watching on. The well-known figures of the Revolution are all here. But so are lesser known military and political leaders along with a host of ordinary' Chinese citizeTrade ReviewAdds to our understanding of the rise of Chairman Mao. * The Independent *An excellent new book about the founding year of the People’s Republic. * The Economist *China 1949: Year of Revolution is a gripping account... the book answers in meticulous detail the big question: why did the Communists win?... an excellent record of one of the most important historical events of the 20th century. * South China Morning Post Magazine *An excellent book, which confines its focus to the pivotal year which ended 30 years of chaos and civil conflict and opened a new chapter in China’s history — and the world’s. Well worth reading. * Morning Star *A persuasive and readable narrative of that critical year, accurately emphasising the catastrophic shortcomings of the Nationalists and of Chiang Kai-shek that contributed to their defeat… China 1949 brings this critical year to life and is a good starting point for understanding how the People's Republic of China developed. * History Today *Well researched and elegantly written. * The Tablet *Provides an engaging day-by-day account of those momentous events … For those wishing to pursue the subject in greater detail, this volume lays an excellent foundation. * Asia Times *This is an excellent study and highly recommended. * The Chartist *This book offers an accessible, authoritative account that provides orientation on where things were at the very start of the great Communist project, and some way of understanding better where they stand today. * Asian Affairs *‘A wonderful read for students and general readers why 1949 was a fateful and pivotal year that changed the fate of the most populous country in the world. It shows vividly that the Communist Party did not come to power riding on the tide of a great revolution that swept across China but it seized the mandate of Heaven as successive imperial dynasties had done in the past – by military conquest.’ * Steve Tsang, Professor of Chinese Studies and Director of the China Institute, SOAS University of London, UK [and author of A Modern History of Hong Kong] *China 1949 is a compelling achievement. First, Hutchings gives a clear, balanced account of the titanic forces that brought to power one of the most important political movements of the 20th century, the Chinese Communist Party. But then, he gives the book a deeply humane and moving heart with accounts of the emotions and dilemmas felt both by those who supported the revolution and those who opposed it. This is history on the grand scale but with a brilliant, observant eye for the complexities that underpin this pivotal event. * Rana Mitter, Director of the University China Centre, University of Oxford, UK, and author of China's Good War: How World War II is Shaping a New Nationalism *‘The Chinese have recently celebrated the 70th anniversary of a revolution which changed the course of world history. Graham Hutchings reveals the extent of the Communist triumph in that epoch-making year, and the countervailing humiliation of the Nationalists. The book is well researched, tells a fascinating story with pace and elegance, and illuminates what is happening in China, Taiwan and Hong Kong today.’ * Simon Scott Plummer, Feature Writer on East Asia for The Times, Diplomatic Correspondent and Chief Foreign Leader Writer for The Daily Telegraph, and frequent reviewer for Times Literary Supplement and The Tablet *An interesting aspect for today's readers is the book's contribution to understanding current issues surrounding China and its place in the world. * China2025.nl (Bloomsbury Translation) *The victory of Chinese Communist forces over those of China’s Nationalist Government in 1949 is one of the great climacterics of the twentieth century. Not only did it define China’s subsequent political trajectory, but it also shaped the futures of Taiwan and Hong Kong. China 1949 provides a vivid picture of the final act in the long-drawn-out struggle for power in China. Drawing on a wide range of private papers, archival and Chinese-language sources, Graham Hutchings has achieved the difficult feat of producing a scholarly history that is also a real page turner. He has an unerring ear for the arresting phrase, and writes with elegance and élan. His pacy narrative, viewed through multiple prisms of a varied cast of protagonists ranging from political and military leaders to ‘ordinary’ individuals, is peppered with piquant detail that brings the unfolding events of 1949 vividly to life. * Bob Ash, Emeritus Professor, SOAS, University of London, UK *Table of ContentsPreface Introduction 1. Adversaries 2. “The Event on the Horizon” 3. Peace Postures 4. ‘Offshore China’ 5. Crossing the River 6. Taking the Cities 7. Parallel Worlds 8. Mao’s New World 9. Endgames 10. Afterwards

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Book SynopsisIn February 1900 a group of men representing trade unionists, socialists, Fabians and Marxists gathered in London to make another attempt at establishing an organisation capable of getting working-class men elected to Parliament. The body they set up was the Labour Representation Committee; six years later when 29 of its candidates were elected to the House of Commons, it changed its name to the Labour Party. No women took part in that first meeting, but several watched from the public gallery. Amongst them was Isabella Ford, an active socialist and trade unionist who would have been familiar to most of the men assembled below. She had been asked by her friend, Millicent Fawcett, to attend and report back on what happened. A few years later she would become the first woman to speak at a Labour Party conference, moving a resolution on votes for women but, at the Party's inception in 1900, she and every other woman in the hall was silent.ThroughTrade ReviewA truly worthy, long-overdue and brilliantly written tribute to the women who helped drive the rise of British socialism. * New Statesman *[W]hen Sloane can muster sufficient detail to weld the personal to the political, her story is fascinating. ... Heartening as such stories may be, Sloane is also an unsparing chronicler who never glorifies her campaigners as a seamless sisterhood. * The Telegraph *[...] Sloane succeeds throughout in offering a fresh and engaging account of the complex of organizations, debates and initiatives that contributed to Labour politics in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. * TLS Reviews *[A] detailed history ... By 1918 some of the women who had worked with untiring commitment had died, others lived on to occupy high profile positions in the labour movement. Sloane’s account successfully repositions their efforts and achievements. * Socialist History *Table of ContentsIntroduction Acknowledgements One: Trade Unionists Two: Socialists Three: Foundations Four: ‘The Men’s Party’ Five: Women’s Work Six: Breakthrough Seven: Suffrage and Sweating Eight: Changes Nine: The Great Unrest Ten: War and Peace Epilogue Timeline The Women in the Room Organisations and Acronyms Bibliography Notes Index

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Book SynopsisAn insightful, nuanced account that highlights the present multitude of currents at play in Europe' - Peter PomerantsevThe Baltics are vital democracies in North-Eastern Europe, but with a belligerent Vladimir Putin to their east plotting his war on Ukraine and expansionist' NATO to their west, these NATO members have increasingly been the subject of unsettling headlines in both Western and Russian media. But beyond the headlines, what is daily existence like in the Baltics, and what does the security of these frontline nations mean for the world? Based on her extensive research and work as a journalist, Aliide Naylor takes us inside the geopolitics of the region. Travelling to the heart of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania she explores modernity in the region, investigates smuggling and troop movements in the borderlands, and explains the countries' unique cultural identities. Naylor tells us why the Baltics have been vital to the political struggle between East and West, and how they pTrade ReviewIn this riveting debut, Naylor combines lyrical personal observations with insightful political analysis to offer a timely and comprehensive picture of the complex societies, economies, and political landscapes of this frequently overlooked region. * The Moscow Times *[A] captivating depiction of the relationship between domestic politics, geopolitics, socioeconomic issues and generational differences. * New Eastern Europe *An insightful, nuanced account that highlights the present multitude of currents at play in Europe, while showing how Russia has used the near-abroad as a laboratory for methods later deployed elsewhere. A mix of travelogue, social and political analysis, Naylor tells the stories and dynamics of the region from the inside, which is really the only way to understand them. * Peter Pomerantsev, author of This is not Propaganda and Nothing is True and Everything is Possible *Over the last six years, as Russia showed the world that it could, at will, seize territory on its Western border, the Baltic states were thrust into limbo, perpetually braced to become the next Ukraine. Aliide Naylor offers us a much-needed look at the netherworld that is the Baltics, an in-between space where anti-Putin intellectuals and shadowy money have sought shelter. Naylor, whose own relatives escaped West from Estonia, is an engaging companion, guiding us through pagan rites, cigarette smugglers' routes, and the lingering secrets of the Nazi occupation. Naylor takes us inside a swath of Europe in a state of suspended animation, forced to serve as a testing ground for a war that may never come. * Ellen Barry, Chief International Correspondent at The New York Times *Table of ContentsChapter 1: The past in the present Chapter 2: Tangible evidence Chapter 3: The view from Russia Chapter 4: Russia in the Baltics Chapter 5: The Baltics in the 21st century Chapter 6: The Baltic states in Europe Conclusion Index

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Book SynopsisThis is the classic book on the ancient customs, crafts and techniques of the Scottish Highlands. The past is evoked with a fascinating blend of historical narrative and detail, with descriptions of the fireplaces and furniture, the creels and cas chroms which were a vital part of everyday life in the Highland communities, but which have now become strange in the modern world of machinery and technology. Highland Folk Ways vividly describes the many aspects and artefacts of our ancestors’ lives; the clothes, cooking utensils, weapons, food and the implements for fishing, farming and building are all meticulously depicted and placed in historical context. The book has over 70 illustrations, and is surely the definitive resource book for everyone who wants to rediscover the lifestyle of the clansmen and crofters.

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Book SynopsisWinner of the Ramnath Goenka Award 2020On 26th January 1950 India became a republic, shedding its last links with its colonial past and inaugurating a new era of liberty and freedom. With fundamental rights and civil liberties guaranteed by the state, the new constitution was universally acclaimed as the world's greatest experiment in liberal government'. This idealistic birth of a new republic meant a clean break with a repressive past. And yet, barely twelve months later, the very makers of the constitution were denouncing their own creation. Passed in June 1951, the First Amendment to the Constitution was a pivotal moment in Indian constitutional history. Sixteen Stormy Days explores the contentious legacy of this First Amendment which drastically curbed freedom of speech, restricted freedom against discrimination and circumscribed the right to property. It follows the sixteen days of debate that led up to it, the people that created it, the great battle waged against it andTrade Review‘A page-turner’ * Soutik Biswas, India Correspondent, BBC *‘Exhaustively researched… very readable…’ * Open Magazine *‘A compelling read’ * Firstpost *‘History written as thriller… exceptional’ * LiveMint *‘A scintillating examination of the First Amendment… Brings the legacies of Nehru and Modi uncomfortably close…’ * The Telegraph *‘Extremely well researched, beautifully written and qualitatively brilliant’ * Comparative Constitutional Law and Administrative Law Journal *‘…simply written, yet riveting account will appeal to legal and academic scholars, as well as a wide readership of interested citizens’ * South Asia Research *This riveting book highlights Nehru’s role in post-colonial India’s first constitutional crisis. Singh’s nuanced perspectives comprehensively capture the historical and legal contexts that defined the event. It is masterfully written—a book for anyone who wants to look behind the veil of the world’s largest constitutional democracy. -- Adeel Hussain, Associate Professor of Legal Studies, New York University, USAThis book is dynamite. It will shock those who take a rosy view of the Constitution and the freedoms it grants to Indian citizens. This story, so far untold, should lead to a serious re-examination of the history and contents of the Constitution. -- Lord Meghnad Desai, Emeritus Professor, London School of Economics, UKA long overdue study of the way in which the liberties guaranteed by India’s constitution were sabotaged by the very government that had promulgated it, thus returning the newly independent state to its colonial origins. -- Professor Faisal Devji, University of Oxford, UKThis blow-by-blow account of the first amendment of the Indian Constitution—arguably the most far-reaching—upends many a comforting myth about the Indian republic. Singh’s gripping account of this hitherto understudied and high-stakes political battle is at its provocative best when it challenges efforts at understanding the past through the lens of one-dimensional heroes and villains. -- Mrinalini Sinha, author of Spectres of Mother India: The Global Restructuring of an EmpireTable of ContentsIntroduction 1. The Build Up 2. Will the People Wait 3. The Deepening Crisis 4. The Gathering Storm 5. The Clouds Burst 6. The Battle Rages 7. The Aftermath Notes Index

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Book SynopsisCompelling. The GuardianAn insightful and inspiring history. BBC History MagazineA tantalising revelatory book. The HouseBrisk and illuminating. Times Literary SupplementA damn good read. Morning StarWonderful. The ChartistUncontrollable Women is a history of radical, reformist and revolutionary women between the outbreak of the French Revolution in 1789 and the passing of the Great Reform Act in 1832. Very few of them are well-known today; some were unknown even in their own day. All of them contributed something to the world we now inhabit. At a time when women were supposed to leave politics to men they spoke, wrote, marched, organised, asked questions, challenged power structures, sometimes went to prison and even died. History has not usually been kind to them, and they have frequently been pushed into asides or footnotes, dismissed as secondary, or

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Book SynopsisThis book has been seminal in bringing to the fore the injustices that have been inflicted on the Highlands in the name of government and landlord – injustices often lost in the name of dry statistics and academic balance. Written by a man who has gone on to become both an award-winning historian of the Highlands and a leading figure in the public life of the region, The Making of the Crofting Community has attracted praise, inspired debate, and provoked outrage and controversy over the years. This book remains necessary to challenge standard academic interpretations of the Highland past. Having long been one of the classics of Birlinn’s John Donald list, this revised and updated new edition includes a substantial new preface and an extensive reworking of the existing text.

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Book SynopsisThe schooner America was a technological marvel and a child star. In the summer of 1851, just weeks after her launching at New York, shecrossed the Atlantic and sailed to an upset victory against a fleet of champions. The silver cup she won that day is still coveted by sportsmen. Almost immediately after that famous victory, she began a decades-long run of adventure, neglect, rehabilitations, and hard sailing, always surrounded by colorful, passionate personalities. America ran and enforced wartime blockades. She carried spies across the ocean. And she was on the scene as yachtsmen and business titans spent freely and competed fiercely for the cup she first won. By the early twentieth century, she was in desperate need of a thorough refit. The old thoroughbred floated in brackish water at the United States Naval Academy, stripped of her sails and rotting in the sun. Refitting America would be a massive projectexpensive and potentially distracting for a nation struggling to emerge fr

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Book SynopsisThe Instant New York Times Bestseller now available in paperback!A fast-paced, rollicking, behind-the-scenes account of how the GOP since the 1950s has encouraged and exploited extremism, bigotry, and paranoia to gain power, American Psychosis offers readers a brisk, can-you-believe-it journey through the netherworld of far-right irrationality and the Republican Party's interactions with the darkest forces in America. In a compelling and thoroughly-researched narrative, Corn reveals the hidden history of how the Party of Lincoln forged alliances with extremists, kooks, racists, and conspiracy-mongers and fostered fear, anger, and resentment to win elections-and how this led to Donald Trump's triumph and the transformation of the GOP into a Trump personality cult that foments and bolsters the crazy and dangerous excesses of the right.The Trump-incited insurrectionist attack on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, was no aberration. American Psychosis shows it was a continuation of the long and deep-rooted Republican practice of boosting and weaponizing the rage and derangement of the right.The gripping tale in American Psychosis covers the last seven decades. From McCarthyism to the John Birch Society to segregationists to the New Right to the religious right to Rush Limbaugh to Newt Gingrich to the militia movement to Fox News to Sarah Palin to the Tea Party to Trumpism, the Republican Party has deliberately nurtured and exploited right-wing fear and loathing fuelled by paranoia, grievance, and tribalism. This powerful and important account explains how one political party has harnessed the worst elements in politics to poison the nation's discourse and threaten American democracy."[Corn is] a great journalist. I love the way he thinks. I love the way he writes. I'm so glad he's done a super-readable, modern history of the right...We just need smart, digestible history about this stuff right now...[American Psychosis] is perfectly timed...Relevant history for where we are right now." -Rachel Maddow, host, The Rachel Maddow Show"With American Psychosis, David Corn 'did the full homework to take us all the way back to where it really begins.'" -Lawrence O'Donnell, host, The Last Word

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Book SynopsisTo most Americans, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. represent contrasting ideals: self-defense versus nonviolence, Black Power versus civil rights, the sword versus the shield. The struggle for Black freedom is wrought with the same contrasts. While nonviolent direct action is remembered as an unassailable part of American democracy, the movement's militancy is either vilified or erased outright.In The Sword and the Shield, Peniel E. Joseph upends these misconceptions and reveals a nuanced portrait of two men who, despite markedly different backgrounds, inspired and pushed each other throughout their adult lives. Now updated with a new afterword, this is a strikingly revisionist account of Malcolm and Martin, the era they defined, and their lasting impact on today's Movement for Black Lives.

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Book SynopsisIn Dreams of El Dorado, H. W. Brands tells the thrilling, panoramic story of the settling of the American West, from Lewis and Clark's expedition in the early 19th century to the closing of the frontier by the early 20th. He introduces us to explorers, mountain men, cowboys, missionaries and soldiers, taking us from John Jacob Astor's fur trading campaign in Oregon to the Texas Revolution, from the California gold rush to the Oklahoma land rush. Throughout, Brands explores the contradictions of the West and explodes its longstanding myths. The West has been celebrated as the proving ground of American individualism; in reality, the West depended on collective action and federal largesse more than any other region. The West brought out the finest and the basest in those who ventured there, evoking both selfless heroism and unspeakable violence. Visons of great wealth drew generations of Americans westward, but El Dorado was never more elusive than in the West.Balanced, authoritative, and masterfully told, Dreams of El Dorado sets a new standard for histories of the American West.

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Book SynopsisThe South West Peak is a lesser-known part of the Peak District stretching from Lyme Park in Cheshire in the north to Onecote in Staffordshire in the south, and from Macclesfield in the west to Buxton in the east. This landscape area includes tracts of high moorland, fertile valleys, wooded cloughs, picturesque villages and tiny hamlets. The farmers of the South West Peak are the people who have made the landscape what it is today, and it is their personal accounts of working in this often challenging land that form the basis of The Land That Made Us. Edited by local author Christine Gregory and dairy farmer Sheila Hine, and published in partnership with the Farming Life Centre and the Peak District National Park Authority with support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, this book includes the testimony of over twenty farmers, and it is illustrated with photographs of them and their farming landscapes. We hear stories from across the generations of heroic endeavour in difficult terrain, as well as accounts of day-to-day work and family life spanning eighty years of farming history. The land had been farmed in traditional ways for centuries, but the Second World War changed that, and in succeeding years politics and increasing mechanisation have constantly rewritten the rule book for farmers. There is pride in achievement as well as frustration at the often conflicting demands of food production and wildlife conservation.The Land That Made Us asks what makes for sustainability in the short and the long term. The future of this landscape and of the farming communities that sustain it hangs in the balance, and it is the farmers’ turn to reflect on their past and speculate about the future.Trade Review'[An] excellent history of modern farming – the best I have come across precisely because the words are those of the farmers themselves and their families, who have lived through and are still living through its transformation.'from the Foreword by Colin Tudge, co-founder of the Oxford Real Farming Conference and the College for Real Farming and Food CultureTable of ContentsForewordIntroductionPart 1: From Horses to Tractors – 1940s to 1950s- Working with horses; the war years; government involvement in farming; children on the farm; the first tractors and milking machines; power and water come to the hills; the snows of ’47Part 2: Last of the Old Days and Ways – 1960s to 1970s- A shepherd’s life; the value of wool; farming subsidies; sheep dipping; local sheep sales; family life on a remote hill farmPart 3: From Buckets to Bulk Tanks – 1970s to 1980s- Making hay; silage rye-grass monoculture; ‘improving’ the land; the decline of mixed farming; self-sufficient farms; old milking systems give way to the new; new breeds; joining the Common Market; subsidies and surpluses; milk quotas; changing the landscape; the Harpur Crewe EstatePart 4: Winners and Losers – 1990s to 2018- BSE, foot-and-mouth disease and TB; the price of milk; wildlife losses; farming for conservation; waders in the South West PeakPart 5: The Future for Farming in the South West Peak- New directions in agricultural policy; farming organically; diversifying; finding a niche, ‘hobby farmers’; keeping it in the family; the futureAcknowledgements

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Book SynopsisThe greatest ideologically motivated violent threat to American democracy is a Church that has lost its soul.How did a Church that purports to follow the teachings of Jesus - the Prince of Peace - become a breeding ground for violent extremism?When Elizabeth Neumann began her anti-terrorism career as part of President George W. Bush''s Homeland Security Counsel in the wake of the September 11 attacks, she expected to spend her life protecting her country from the threat of global terrorism.But as her career evolved, she began to perceive that the greatest threat to American security came not from religious fundamentalists in Afghanistan or Iraq but from white nationalists and radicalized religious fundamentalists within the very institution that was closest to her heart - the American evangelical church. And she began to sound the alarm, raising her concerns to anyone in government who would listen, including testifying before Congress in February of 2

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Book SynopsisThis book highlights the pivotal role of the Caribbean in the Second World War.

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Book SynopsisThe pages of history recall scarcely any parallel episode at once so romantic in character and so extensive in scale." ,Winston S. ChurchillIn 1917, two empires that had dominated much of Europe and Asia teetered on the edge of the abyss, exhausted by the ruinous cost in blood and treasure of the First World War. As Imperial Russia and Habsburg-ruled Austria-Hungary began to succumb, a small group of Czech and Slovak combat veterans stranded in Siberia saw an opportunity to realize their long-held dream of independence.While their plan was audacious and complex, and involved moving their 50,000-strong army by land and sea across three-quarters of the earth's expanse, their commitment to fight for the Allies on the Western Front riveted the attention of Allied London, Paris, and Washington.On their journey across Siberia, a brawl erupted at a remote Trans-Siberian rail station that sparked a wholesale rebellion. The marauding Czecho-Slovak Legion seized control of the Trans-Siberian Railroad, and with it Siberia. In the end, this small band of POWs and deserters, whose strength was seen by Leon Trotsky as the chief threat to Soviet rule, helped destroy the Austro-Hungarian Empire and found Czecho-Slovakia.British prime minister David Lloyd George called their adventure one of the greatest epics of history," and former US president Teddy Roosevelt declared that their accomplishments were unparalleled, so far as I know, in ancient or modern warfare."Trade Review"An epic story unknown even to many World War I history buffs...With admirable energy [McNamara] has assembled the story by piecing together archival records and the memoirs of the gallant men who served in the rejuvenated Czech Legion during the fateful spring and summer of 1918...A fascinating narrative." --Wall Street Journal "This incredible story lives up to its billing. Perhaps the most remarkable thing about it, though, is that it's a fable that's remained largely untold. Until now...A captivating tale, brilliantly told." --History of War "Extraordinary... McNamara, an impressive storyteller armed with a treasure of documents only recently available, ably narrates the remarkable feats of these men who fought every inch of the way... A fantastic addition to the shelves of World War I histories." --Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review "In this captivating narrative history, foreign policy scholar McNamara reveals the obscure yet grand story of how a small, motley, and hastily organized army ushered in the founding of the nation of Czechoslovakia." --Publishers Weekly, Starred Review "A valuable story that is relatively unknown and understood in the West... McNamara's work presents a vital first entry that opens the doors on this integral part of World War I history and the shaping of the Soviet-influenced Eastern European political and social fabric." --Library Journal "Kevin J. McNamara highlights this bizarre and heroic story...Much of his extensive source material is only recently available, and he uses it well. The brave misadventures of the Czech Legion deserve the wider recognition this fascinating history should provide." --Shelf Awareness "The saga of the Czech-Slovak Legion is one of the great unknown stories of the twentieth century. Kevin J. McNamara brings these fighters back to life by presenting their firsthand account of their travails in World War I and the Russian Civil War. His engaging and valuable work should be required reading for students of the period--and for anyone interested in stories of hardship and heroism." --Max Boot, author of Invisible Armies

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Book SynopsisThe world is enamoured with Italy: its culture, art, food and fashion, its beautiful landscapes and famous citiesand, of course, its wine.From the ancient Greeks to the Medici, and from fascism to feminism, writer and wine expert Marc Millon reveals how the story of Italy has always been entwined with that of wine. Through the millennia, it has been a celebratory libation at great events, given solace in times of despair and fortified warriors before battle. Whether Possessioni Rosso, still made by descendants of Dante; Barolo Lazzarito', from a wine estate founded by the son of Italy's first king; or Terre Rosse di Giabbascio, pressed from grapes grown on ex-Mafia land, the peninsula's wines provide an intoxicating insight into the ideas, events and personalities that shaped Italian history.If history can sometimes be throat-achingly dry, Millonserves upa delightfully fresh take on Italy's past, present and future, best enjoyed with a glass in hand.

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Book SynopsisExposing the Maya focuses on the works of 19th-century photographers Désiré Charnay, Alice and Augustus Le Plongeon, Teobert Maler, Alfred Maudslay and Adela Breton, all of whom were masters of their craft and travelled extensively to sites in Mexico and Central America. The over 100 selected images in this volume, together with nearly 40 additional contextual images featuring sketches from travel journals, hand-coloured drawings, prints, and maps, are combined with the photographers’ own words found in their published writings, journals and letters to provide insight into their methods, context for their images, and capture the realities of field work in Mesoamerica. Accessible and highly illustrated, Exposing the Maya features rare and important early photographs of the archaeological ruins and remains of the great Mayan and Aztec civilizations of Mesoamerica, from an age that witnessed the evolution of photographic techniques and brought to life the long-faded murals and decoration of these ruins. This is an absorbing story of incredible journeys, the challenging conditions under which these pioneering photographers produced their images, and how they perceived the remnants of these ancient indigenous cultures in modern-day Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras.Table of ContentsForeword/Acknowledgments; Introduction; The Photographers: 1.Désiré Charnay; 2. Alice and Augustus Le Plongeon; 3. Teobert Maler; 4. Alfred Maudslay; 5. Adela Breton; Selected Bibliography; Photo and other credits

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Book SynopsisDays before his country signed a deal to normalise ties with Israel, the Emirati Ambassador to the US penned an article in Hebrew, directly addressing Israelis. Israel, he argued, faced a choice between engagement with the rest of the region, or isolation. His words struck a chord then, and will continue to ring true in the decades to come. Michael A. Horowitz tells the unfolding story of this decision: of tension between the hope ushered in by the normalisation agreements, and the enduring despair both Israelis and Palestinians feel about the waning prospects of peace. Rather than examining the past, Horowitz looks to Israel's futureone marked by new opportunities, but also tremendous challenges, as the country tries to find its place in a region trying to find itself. Israel is a ship in a storm, navigating a new' Middle East where unfinished revolutions, regional competition, perceived US disengagement and an unstable but menacing Iran all warrant caution. I

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Book SynopsisMedieval Money explores the ways art reflected and reinforced the complex ethical discussions that developed from the widespread role of money in everyday life in the Middle Ages. It traces the origins of global money, and surveys economic history, focusing on the environment, the plague, Jews, and institutions, using a wealth of imagery including illuminated manuscripts, coins, artworks, money chests, and account books. The iconography, minting, and foreign exchange of coins are examined, and the choice that Christians faced is investigated: should they save their money or their soul? The authors explore images of Avarice, the greedy punished in hell, and immoral ways to earn and spend money, and analyse representations of charity and voluntary poverty. Final chapters examine the material culture of the monetary economy (from an illuminated oath for minters to purses and lockboxes) and images of medieval money management. AUTHORS: Diane Wolfthal specializes in late medieval and early modern European art. Founding Co-editor of Early Modern Women: An Interdisciplinary Journal, she is David and Caroline Minter Chair Emerita in the Humanities and professor emerita of Art History, Rice University. She is the co-author, with Elisabeth Hollander, of a volume on the fourteenth-century Ma?zor in the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Deirdre Jackson is assistant curator of Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts, the Morgan Library Steven A. Epstein is professor emeritus, department of history at the University of Kansas. He was educated at Swarthmore College, St. John's College (Cambridge University), and Harvard College, where he developed his interests in medieval social and economic history. David Yoon is Mark Salton Associate Curator of Medieval, Renaissance and Early European Numismatics, American Numismatic Society SELLING POINTS: . A richly illustrated interdisciplinary volume, with chapters written by social historian Steven Epstein, numismatist David Yoon, and art historians Deirdre Jackson and Diane Wolfthal . Vibrantly illustrated with illuminated manuscripts, panel paintings, prints, stained glass, sculpture, and all sorts of material objects 150 colour illustrationsTable of ContentsDirector’s Foreword by Colin B. Bailey; Acknowledgements; Introduction: The Origins and Uses of Money by Deirdre Jackson; The European Economy, 1200-1500 by Steven A. Epstein; Coinage and Medieval Monetary Systems by David Yoon; Your Money or Your Eternal Life?; Will Money Damn Your Soul?; Can Money Save Your Soul?; Merchants and the Material Culture of Money; Money Management; Bibliography; Index of Manuscripts; General Index; Picture Credits

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Book SynopsisBandit Saints of Java is a work of nonfiction that delves deep under the surface of modern Indonesia, exploring personalities and stories in the wacky world of local pilgrimage. It paints an astonishing portrait of Islam as it is practised today - largely invisible to journalists, scholars and tourists - by many of the 130 million people of Java.

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Book SynopsisThe small island archipelago of St Kilda, which rises majestically from the stormy waters of the North Atlantic, has a magic and allure which is both enduring and inexplicable. For centuries, St Kilda’s remoteness (it lies sixty miles west of the Scottish Hebrides), together with the way of life of its inhabitants, has attracted huge attention from outsiders, who have been fascinated by this small community literally clinging to the edge of the world. Although St Kildans were always few in number (the population was under 100 when Hirta, the only inhabited island, was evacuated in 1930), their society was extraordinarily well developed – they famously had their own daily ‘parliament’, at which the men of the island would meet and discuss the tasks of the day. This remains a work of vital importance for the understanding of this fascinating island society.

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Book Synopsis"The place where the German U-boat sank the British battleship Royal Oak was none other than the middle of Scapa Flow, Britain's greatest naval base! It sounds incredible..." - William L Shirer, journalist, 18 October 1939 Sinking the battleship HMS Royal Oak in the Royal Navy’s home anchorage, with the loss of more than 800 of her crew, was Germany’s first shattering blow against Britain in the 1939-45 war. Within six weeks the long-standing German dream of breaching the defences of Scapa Flow had been achieved. After years of misinformation, propaganda and conspiracy theories, this meticulously researched book reveals what really happened.

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Book SynopsisAs an archaeologist, Steven Mithen has worked on the Hebridean island of Islay over a period of many years. In this book he introduces the sites and monuments and tells the story of the island’s people from the earliest stone age hunter-gatherers to those who lived in townships and in the grandeur of Islay House. He visits the tombs of Neolithic farmers, forts of Iron Age chiefs and castles of medieval warlords, discovers where Bronze Age gold was found, treacherous plots were made against the Scottish crown, and explores the island of today, which was forged more recently by those who mined for lead, grew flax, fished for herring and distilled whisky – the industry for which the island is best known today. Although an island history, this is far from an insular story: Islay has always been at a cultural crossroads, receiving a constant influx of new people and new ideas, making it a microcosm for the story of Scotland, Britain and beyond.Trade Review'Not only a mighty guide to the archaeological landscape of Islay, but a thrilling microcosm of all human history' -- Joyce MacMillan * The Scotsman *'[a] deep-dive into the archaeology of the Ilich – the people of Islay... a scholarly, accessible and very pleasant read, complemented by delicate illustrations, maps, and high quality colour photographs' * Current Archaeology *

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Book SynopsisMATCHING GAME FOR NATURE LOVERS - A more challenging take on the traditional pair-based matching gameSUITABLE FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS - Gameplay options designed to suit children, families and adultsTEXT BY A ZOOLOGIST - Learn about the 15 animal families with text explaining why the animals in each family don't all look alikeSTUNNING ILLUSTRATIONS - 45 incredibly detailed watercolour illustrations by internationally acclaimed artist Ryuto MiyakeTHE PERFECT GIFT - Design-led, high-spec illustrated game for hours of fun and maximum gifting potentialBEAUTIFULLY DESIGNED - Reunite all 15 animal families held within the attractively designed and finished box. measuring 235 x 125 x 34mm - perfect for taking anywhere on the go!Can you bring the families together? Match both parents with their offspring to make the animal families. The accompanying booklet explains why one member of the family (or sometimes all three!) looks so different from the others. Take your memory skills to the next level with this three of a kind matching game!

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Book SynopsisSt Andrews is without doubt one of Scotland’s most historic and beautiful cities. Once the ecclesiastical capital of Scotland, it played a prominent role in the nation’s political life until the seventeenth century. In addition, it is also home of the nation’s oldest university; and whilst claims that it is the birthplace of golf may remain controversial, there is no doubt it is regarded as world capital of the game today. This fascinating and comprehensive account of St Andrews traces its history from Pictish times to the present day. It is based not only on a huge amount of original research, but also on an intimate knowledge of the town which Raymond Lamont-Brown accumulated in over twenty years’ residence there. In addition to facts and figures, the book also introduces many of the people who have featured prominently in the story of St Andrews – from doughty residents such as Sir Hugh Lyon Playfair and Cardinal Archbishop David Beaton to illustrious visitors like Mary, Queen of Scots, John Knox and Samuel Johnson.

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