History Books

Book SynopsisIn November 2023, the Dublin riots shocked Ireland and the wider world. They were sparked by a knife attack by an immigrant on three children. Inflammatory online rumours spread in minutes. Part of the north inner city were wrecked, cars and buses torched. Later, a group of far-right protestors besieged and effectively closed down the Dail, attacking TDs and wreaking havoc on the streets for hours.Until very recently, Ireland had prided itself on having escaped the wave of far-right, xenophobic populism now rampant throughout Europe. That complacency has been rudely challenged.In The Irish Far Right, Pádraig Óg Ó Ruairc explores the long history that has led to this pivotal moment. He uncovers the pervasive anti-Semitism of the Irish political elite in the 1920s and 30s, the energetic efforts of Mosley and other British fascists to extend their movement to the North of Ireland, the IRA's alliance with Nazi Germany in the 40s and the many ultra-Catholic, anti-c

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA photographic exploration of the birthplace of the Brontë family in Thornton, near Bradford, West Yorkshire, as well as the surrounding area which provided the backdrop to the formative years of Charlotte, Emily and Anne.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe third in Peter Watson's spiritual trilogy, including THE GERMAN GENIUS and THE FRENCH MIND: a masterful and epic intellectual history of Britain

Read more less

Book SynopsisLegio IX Hispana had a long and active history, later founding York from where it guarded the northern frontiers in Britain. But the last evidence for its existence in Britain comes from AD 108. The mystery of their disappearance has inspired debate and imagination for decades. The most popular theory, immortalized in Rosemary Sutcliffe's novel The Eagle of the Ninth, is that the legion was sent to fight the Caledonians in Scotland and wiped out there.But more recent archaeology (including evidence that London was burnt to the ground and dozens of decapitated heads) suggests a crisis, not on the border but in the heart of the province, previously thought to have been peaceful at this time. What if IX Hispana took part in a rebellion, leading to their punishment, disbandment and damnatio memoriae (official erasure from the records)? This proposed Hadrianic War' would then be the real context for Hadrian's visit' in 122 with a whole legion, VI Victrix, which replaced the vanished' IX as

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe epic 4000-year story of the world''s greatest civilisation from a world-leading EgyptologistThe history of Egypt is full of spectacular sites and epic stories, an evolving society rich in heroes and villains, inventors and intellectuals, artisans and pioneers. Now Professor Joann Fletcher pulls together the complete Story of Egypt - charting the rise and fall of the ancient Egyptians while putting their whole world into a context that we can all relate to.Joann Fletcher uncovers some fascinating revelations, from Egypt''s oldest art to the beginnings of mummification almost two thousand years earlier than previously believed. She also looks at the women who became pharaohs on at least 10 occasions, and the evidence that the Egyptians built the first Suez Canal, circumnavigated Africa and won victories at the original Olympic games. From Ramses II''s penchant for dying his greying hair to how we know Montuhotep''s wife bit her nails and the farmer BaTrade ReviewThe engaging and highly enthusiastic Professor Joann Fletcher explores what she contends is the 'world's greatest civilisation'. * Guardian *You can't fault Fletcher's passion or knowledge, which, like in her previous outing in 'Life and Death in the Valley of the Kings', is always accessible. * Independent *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis study investigates the development, manufacture, decoration and use of the Roman infantry helmet, a vital piece of personal protection equipment of both legionary and auxiliary troops. The protective headgear worn by Roman foot soldiers of the Republican period was adopted directly from the Etruscans, who had in turn adapted helmets from neighbouring European cultures within and beyond the Italian peninsula. In this study, a renowned authority explains how its form remained largely unchanged until the Late Republic, when contact and conflict with a wider variety of cultures introduced new influences. The dynamic forces at work during civil wars and transition from the Republic to the Principate at the end of the 1st century BC saw a whole range of types introduced which then evolved until new influences prompted further changes. M.C. Bishop shows how this culminated in contact with Eastern cultures leading to completely new types being introduced, which simplified manufacture and led to a variety of post-Roman helmet types. Many new finds have ensured that much has changed in the narrative of Roman helmets in recent scholarship and the time is ripe for this accessible examination of the development, manufacture and use of the Roman infantry helmet. The text is complemented by carefully chosen illustrations, many in colour, and eight plates of specially commissioned artwork.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA unique account of the opening weeks of history's largest, most brutal conflict, told through the eyes of those who were there and based on original source material from across Europe.

Read more less

Book Synopsis*SHORTLISTED FOR THE STANFORD DOLMAN TRAVEL BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD*The Rhine is one of the world''s greatest rivers. Once forming the outer frontier of the Roman Empire, it flows 800 miles from the social democratic playground of the Netherlands, through the industrial and political powerhouses of Germany and France, to the wealthy mountain fortresses of Switzerland and Liechtenstein. For five years, Ben Coates lived alongside a major channel of the river in Rotterdam, crossing it daily, swimming and sailing in its tributaries. In The Rhine, he sets out by bicycle from the Netherlands where it enters the North Sea, following it through Germany, France and Liechtenstein, to its source in the icy Alps. He explores the impact that the Rhine has had on European culture and history and finds out how influences have flowed along and across the river, shaping the people who live alongside it. Blending travelogue and offbeat history, The Rhine teTrade ReviewAmong the finest multi-destination books is The Rhine . . . Coates's itchy feet paddle him steadily (after a disaster in a rowing boat) on two wheels from Holland (sleeping in dunes), past Utrecht to the German border (Arnhem redolent of war in A Bridge Too Far) to sleepier Bonn. History shimmers across his hinterland, contested in two world wars, and his curiosity - Coates's great strength - unearths the ways in which the river shaped the destinies of those who made its ever changing banks their home. * Scotsman - Books of the Year *A captivating mixture of travel and history. * Compass *A piece of nonfiction that's both a travelogue and historic account of how the river shaped Europe. * Smithsonian magazine - Books of the Year *Ben Coates discovers how the Rhine influenced history. * Daily Express *He conveys well the role of the Rhine in European culture and history: how it has been seen at different times as a "free-flowing conduit for goods, people and ideas" and as a battleground and frontier. * Daily Telegraph *We might question the Rhine being considered 'Europe's greatest river'. But Ben Coates makes a persuasive and entertaining argument for the accolade . . . My eagerness to devour each chapter was dependent less on the overall theme of the book, but almost entirely on Coates' engaging writing style and the playful way he reveals the history of this part of Europe. * Geographical *What a wonderful surprise. Amazingly talented, Ben Coates fluently uses his metaphoric skills to paint a vibrant portrait of this river's influence in weaving the tapestry of European life. [A] fascinating and compelling story. * Seattle Book Review *He conveys well the role of the Rhine in European culture and history: how it has been seen at different times as a "free-flowing conduit for goods, people and ideas" and as a battleground and frontier. * The Telegraph *The Ten Best Books About Travel of 2018A piece of nonfiction that's both a travelogue and historic account of how the river shaped Europe. * Smithsonian Mag *we might question the Rhine being considered 'Europe's greatest river'. But Ben Coates makes a persuasive and entertaining argument for the accolade...My eagerness to devour each chapter was dependent less on the overall theme of the book, but almost entirely on Coates' engaging writing style and the playful way he reveals the history of this part of Europe. -- Chris Fitch * Geographical *Also among the finest multi-destination books is The Rhine... his curiosity - Coates's great strength - unearths the ways in which the river shaped the destinies of those who made its ever changing banks their home. * The Scotsman *The history is fascinating but it's the author's anecdotes and turns of phrase that keep you entertained as he progresses by bike, boat and (briefly) on the back of a cow. * Cycle Magazine *

Read more less

Book SynopsisFirst written in response to a JACT survey of over 100 schools, and now endorsed by OCR, this textbook has become a standard resource for students in the UK and for readers across the world who are looking for a clear and thorough introduction to the language of the ancient Greeks. Revised throughout and enhanced by coloured artwork and text features, this edition will support the new OCR specification for Classical Greek (first teaching 2016).Part 1 covers the basics and is self-contained, with its own reference section. It covers the main declensions, a range of active tenses and a vocabulary of 250 Greek words to be learned. Pupil confidence is built up by constant consolidation of the material covered. After the preliminaries, each chapter concentrates on stories with one source or subject: Aesop, Homer''s Odyssey and Alexander the Great, providing an excellent introduction to Greek culture alongside the language study. Written by a long-time school teacher and examiner, thiTrade ReviewRepresent[s] a lean, pellucid, and expeditious path to a solid mastery and thorough enjoyment of Greek. Volumes 1 and 2 together will provide a fresh year-long introduction for both college and high school levels and expand the menu of choices available. * New England Classical Journal *Table of ContentsPreface List of Illustrations List of Abbreviations Vocabulary and Glossing Maps Chapter 1 (introducing the basics of written Greek; present-tense verbs; nominative and accusative 1st- and 2nd-declension nouns; the definite article; negative forms; prepositions) Chapter 2 (more on 1st- and 2nd-declension nouns; the verb to be; connecting words; time expressions) Chapter 3 (more on 1st- and 2nd-declension nouns; prepositions; sandwich constructions; the imperative; adverbs; the infinitive; adjectives; particles; future and imperfect tenses; questions) Chapter 4 (the aorist tense; gender and declension; compound verbs) Chapter 5 (accents; the third declension; elision; personal pronouns and adjectives; the present participle) Chapter 6 (more on the present participle and definite article; the aorist participle; numerals; more time expressions ; more on personal pronouns and adjectives; the future participle) English - Greek Practice Sentences Reference Grammar Glossary of Grammar Terms Vocabulary - English to Greek - Greek to English Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisExam board: OCRLevel: A-levelSubject: History First teaching: September 2015First exams: Summer 2017Maximise your chance of coursework success; this OCR A-level History Workbook breaks the topic-based essay down into manageable steps, builds the required skills and tracks students' progress at every stage.Based on analysis of real students' submissions and the challenges they faced, this coursework companion will:- Guide you step by step through the process, from choosing a topic to conducting research, constructing an argument and submitting the final work- Improve critical thinking, reading and writing skills with activities that involve finding, analysing and evaluating sources and interpretations, plus activities that help students answer the question effectively- Enable students to work independently, using the Workbook to structure their thinking, record their progress and review their coursework against model paragraphs and a self-assessment checklist- Ensure that you understand the demands of the specification, providing a simplified mark scheme and targeted advice from authors with moderating experience- Boost confidence and performance not only in coursework but also exams, as students can apply the skills developed throughout the project to examination questions

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe reader Art and its global histories represents an invaluable teaching tool, offering content ranging from academic essays and excerpts, new translations, interviews with curators and artists, to art criticism. The introduction sets out the state of art history today as it undergoes the profound shift of a 'global turn'. Particular focus is given to British India, which represents a shift from the usual attention paid to Orientalism and French art in this period. The sources and debates on this topic have never before been brought together in a satisfactory way and this book will represent a particularly significant and valuable contribution for postgraduate and undergraduate art history teaching.Table of ContentsIntroductionSection One: Confronting Art History: Overviews, Perspectives and Reflections Introduction Critical Approaches1.1 Orientalisma) Edward W. Said, ‘Introduction – Section II’ , Orientalism b) Linda Nochlin, ‘The Imaginary Orient’1.2 Homi K. Bhabha, The Location of Culture a) ‘The Other Question: Stereotype, Discrimination and the Discourse of Colonialism’b) ‘Articulating the Archaic: Cultural Difference and Colonial Nonsense’1.3 New perspectives and approaches in Art Historya) Thomas DaCosta Kaufmann, ‘The Geography of Art: Historiography, Issues, and Perspectives’ b) James Elkins, ‘Why Art History is Global’ c) Parul Dave Mukherji, ‘Whither Art History in a Globalizing World’ Section Two: European art and the Wider World c. 1350–1550Introduction Primary Source texts2.1. Europeans describing Amerindian artists in Mexicoa) Allè, Francesco da Bologna, letter sent from Mexico to Padre Clemente Dolera da Moneglia, head of the Order of Conventual Franciscans in Bologna, and other friars of the orderb) Bernal Díaz, The Conquest of New Spainc) Bartolomé de Las Casas, ‘Indian Houses, Featherwork and Silverwork’2.2 Albrecht Dürer, ‘Part II: Diary of a Journey the Netherlands (July, 1520 – July, 1521)', Memoirs of Journeys to Venice and the Low Countries2.3 Sources on proposed work by Leonardo and Michelangelo for the Ottoman Sultansa) Leonardo da Vinci, undated letter to Sultan Bayezid II b) Tommaso di Tolfo in Edirne (in Ottoman Turkey) to Michelangelo in Florencec) Ascanio Condivi, ‘Life of Michelangelo’2.4 Gifts to Lorenzo de’ Medici in Florence from the Gifts from Qaytbay, the Mamluk Sultan in Cairoa) L. Landucci, Diario fiorentino dal 1450 al 1516 continuato da un anonimo fino al 1542b) Paolo Giovio, Gli elogi. Vite brevemente scritte d’huomini illustri di guerra, antichi et moderni2.5 Travel Narrativesa) Vasco da Gama, ‘A Journal of the First Voyage of Vasco da Gama 1497–1499’b) Duarte de Sande, ‘An Excellent Treatise of the Kingdom of China’c) Giovanni da Empoli, extract of a letter to his fatherd) Duarte Barbosa, ‘The Great City of Bisnagua’Critical Approaches2.6 Claire Farago, ‘Reframing the Renaissance Problem Today: Developing a Pluralistic Historical Vision’2.7 Avinoam Shalem, ‘Dangerous Claims On the ‘Othering’ of Islamic Art History and How it Operates within Global Art History’ 2.8 Luca Molà and Marta Ajmar-Wollheim, ‘The Global Renaissance: Cross-Cultural Objects in the Early Modern Period’ 2.9 Jack Goody, ‘The Idea of the Renaissance’Section Three: Art, Commerce and Colonialism: 1600–1800 Introduction Primary Source texts3.1 Johan Huyghen van Linschoten on Goa, from Iohn Huighen van Linschoten. his discours of voyages into ye Easte & West Indies Deuided into foure books3.2 Texts on Colonial Latin American arta) Extract from the First Provincial Council in Lima 1551–52b) Extract from Padre Antonio de Vega Loaiza, Historia del Colegio y Universidad de San Ignacio de Loyola en la Ciudad de Cuscoc) Letter from the Viceroy of Peru Manuel Amat y Junyent to Crown official Julián de Arriaga accompanying a shipment of Casta paintings to the collection of the Royal Cabinet of Natural History 1770d) Picture caption by Diego Rivera, from The Arts in Latin America 1492–18203.3 Johann Albrecht von Mandelslo on Amsterdam, from Adam Olearius, The voyages and travells of the ambassadors sent by Frederick, Duke of Holstein, to the Great Duke of Muscovy and the King of Persia…3.4 Texts on Chinoiserie in Britain.a) A catalogue of all the rich and elegant household furniture, …late the property of Her Grace the Duchess of Kingston, deceased…at Thorseby Park…Which will be sold by auction, by Mr. Christie …on Wednesday, 10th June 1789b) Oliver Goldsmith, ‘Letter XIV on Chinoiserie’ in The citizen of the world; or Letters from a Chinese philosopher, residing in London, to his friends in the East 3.5 Thomas Jefferson, Notes on the State of Virginiaa) 14 Lawsb) Query 19 Colleges, Buildings, Roads, &c.Critical Approaches3.6 Thomas DaCosta Kaufmann, ‘Painting of the Kingdoms: A global view of the cultural field’3.7 Benjamin Schmidt, ‘Mapping an Exotic World: The Global Project of Dutch Cartography, circa 1700’ 3.8 David Porter, ‘A Wanton Chase in a Foreign Place: Hogarth and the Gendering of Exoticism in the Eighteenth-Century Interior’3.9 Daniel Maudlin and Bernard L. Herman, ‘Introduction’ in Building the British Atlantic World: Spaces, Places, and Material Culture, 1600–1850 Section Four: Empire and Art: British India Introduction Primary Source texts4.1 Did India have an authentic, truly Indian tradition of fine art? The contentious issue of Gandharan arta) Alexander Cunningham, Archaeological Survey of India. Report for the Year 1871–72, Vol. 3b) Raja Rajendralal Mitra, Indo-Aryans: Contributions Towards the Elucidation of Their Ancient and Mediaeval Historyc) James Fergusson, Archaeology in India, with Special Reference to the Works of Babu Rajendralal Mitrad) Sister Nivedita, ‘Introduction’ in Kakuzo Okakura (ed.) The Ideals of the East with Special Reference to the Art of Japan 4.2 Neo-Orientalism, Nationalism and Pan-Asianisma) E. B. Havell, ‘The New Indian School of Painting’b) Ananda K. Coomaraswamy, ‘The Aim of Indian Art’c) Ananda K. Coomaraswamy, ‘Art of the East and of the West’4.3 Ravi Varma – The first modern Indian Artista) Balendranath Tagore, ‘Ravi Varma’b) Ramananda Chatterjee, ‘Ravi Varma’4.4 The Modern, Internal Primitivism and Hinduizationa) Roger Fry, ‘Oriental Art’b) Vincent A. Smith, A History of Fine Art in India & Ceylon4.5 Authentic Indian Designsa) George Birdwood, The Industrial Arts of India, Part 1b) George Birdwood, The Industrial Arts of India, Part 2c) Thomas Holbein Hendley, ‘Decorative Arts in Rajputana’d) Thomas Holbein Hendley, ‘The Opening of the Albert Hall and Museum in Jeypore’Critical Approaches4.6 Tim Barringer, Geoff Quilley and Douglas Fordham, ‘Introduction’ in Art and the British Empire4.7 Theodore Koditschek, ‘Race Struggles’4.8 Lee Lawrence, ‘The Other Half of Indian Art History: A Study of Photographic Illustrations in Orientalist and Nationalist Texts’4.9 Carol A. Breckenridge, ‘The Aesthetics and Politics of Colonial Collecting: India at World Fairs’4.10 Christopher Pinney, ‘The Material and Visual Culture of British India’Section Five: Art after Empire: From Colonialism to Globalisation Introduction Primary Sources5.1 Modernism and Primitivisma) Maurice de Vlaminck, ‘Discovery of African Art’b) Emil Nolde, ‘On Primitive Art’c) Andre Breton et al., ‘Murderous Humanitarianism’5.2 Mexican Muralismd) David Alfaro Siqueiros, ‘A Declaration of Social, Political and Aesthetic Principles’e) Interview with Alberto Hijar Serrano, Researcher of Plastic Arts of the National Institute of Fine ArtsCritical Approaches5.3 Terry Smith, ‘The Provincialism Problem’5.4 Stuart Hall, ‘Museums of Modern Art and the End of History’ 5.5 Okwui Enwezor, ‘The Postcolonial Constellation: Contemporary Art is a State of Permanent Transition’5.6 Chin-Tao Wu, ‘Biennials without Borders’5.7 Hito Steyerl, ‘Politics of Art: Contemporary Art and the Transition to Post-Democracy'Index

Read more less

Book Synopsis‘A unique and thrilling insight into the brilliant mind of Anne Lister’ Sally Wainwright, creator of Gentleman JackFemale Fortune is the book which inspired Sally Wainwright to write Gentleman Jack, now a major drama series for the BBC and HBO.Lesbian landowner Anne Lister inherited Shibden Hall in 1826. She was an impressive scholar, fearless traveller and successful businesswoman, even developing her own coalmines. Her extraordinary diaries, running to 4-5 million words, were partly written in her own secret code and recorded her love affairs with startling candour. The diaries were included on UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register in 2011.Jill Liddington’s classic edition of the diaries tells the story of how Anne Lister wooed and seduced neighbouring heiress Ann Walker, who moved in to live with Anne and her family in 1834. Politically active, Anne Lister door-stepped her tenants at the 1835 Election to vote Tory. And socially very ambitious, she employed architects to redesign both the Hall and the estate.Yet Ann Walker had an inconvenient number of local relatives, suspicious of exactly how Anne Lister could pay for all her grand improvements. Tensions grew to a melodramatic crescendo when news reached Shibden of the pair being burnt in effigy.This 2022 edition includes a fascinating Afterword on the recent discovery of Ann Walker’s own diary. Female Fortune is essential reading for those who watched Gentleman Jack and want to know more about the extraordinary woman that was Anne Lister.Trade Review‘A unique and thrilling insight into the brilliant mind of Anne Lister.’ Sally Wainwright, creator of Gentleman Jack‘For many years Anne Lister has functioned as a fascinating anomaly, a fabulous nonesuch – the singular early 19th century lesbian who wrote openly about her love life. As important as that was to queer historians “Female Fortune: Land, Gender, and Authority” brilliantly illustrates that there was so much more to Lister’s story. The wonderful “Diaries” are here, but contextualized by the details of a full and rich life as a crafty businesswoman, foresighted developer, social diplomat and all around wheeler-dealer. Jill Liddington has done an extraordinary job editing Lister’s words and give us her full, and highly engaging, life in all of its complexity.’ Michael Bronski, author of A Queer History of the United States'Female Fortune is a pathbreaking social history and primary source reader on Anne Lister by one of her earliest chroniclers. Female Fortune brings the social, political, and economic world of 19th century Halifax to life while also providing a window into Lister's thoughts and feelings. This new edition has important updates on the BBC/HBO series Gentleman Jack as well as Lister's spouse Ann Walker. An indispensable book for everyone interested in one of the earliest "modern" lesbians.'Jen Manion, author of Female Husbands: A trans history -- .Table of ContentsAnne Lister’s Halifax 1833-36: Main Characters.PrefacesIntroductionNote on the TextTHE ANNE LISTER DIARIES & OTHER WRITINGSI. In Token of Our Union: Dec 1833 - Aug 1834II. Coal Mining Rivalry: Sept 1834 - Nov 1835III. The Blues & Yellows: Politics & Religion: Dec 1834 - May 1835IV. Dividing the Joint Property: Jun 1835 - Sept 1835V. The Yellow Carriage & the Railroad: Oct 1835 - Feb 1836VI. Poisoning the Well & Burning Devil’s Dung: March 1836VII. The Two Wills: April 1836 - May 1836EpilogueAfterwordsAppendix: Shibden Tenants.AbbreviationsReference NotesSelect ReferencesIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis volume on Norman Italy (southern Italy and Sicily, c. 1000–1200) honours and reflects the pioneering scholarship of Graham A. Loud. An international group of scholars reassesses and recasts the paradigm by which Norman Italy has been conventionally understood, addressing varied subjects across four key themes: historiographies, identities and communities, religion and Church, and conquest. The chapters revise and refine our understanding of Norman Italy in the eleventh and twelfth centuries, demonstrating that it was not just a parochial Norman or Mediterranean entity but also an integral player in the medieval mainstream.Trade Review'This collection of essays is an excellent tribute to the work of Graham Loud in that it builds the knowledge of medieval southern Italy through precise histories that utilize close readings of charters and chronicles.' Rethinking Norman Italy: Studies in Honour of Graham A. Loud, Drell, Joanna H., and Paul Oldfield'The collection provides an important focus for the recognition of Loud’s considerable contribution to this field of study [...] while at the same time offering ample inspiration for the pursuit of future questions.'Al-Masaq: Journal of the Medieval Mediterranean -- .Table of Contents1 Introduction: rethinking Norman Italy – Joanna H. DrellPart I: Historiographies2 Norman Italy and Sicily through the eyes of British historians, 1912–76 – David Abulafia3 The Norman Empire between the eleventh and twelfth centuries with special reference to the Normans in southern Italy – Luigi Russo4 Historiography in the making: a name-list of Sicilian Muslims from the Rollus Rubeus cartulary of Cefalù cathedral – Alex Metcalfe5 A fiscal provision of Count Roger of Ariano: traces of redactional variants in the Chronicon of Falco of Benevento – Edoardo D’AngeloPart II: Identities and communities6 Crucible of faith: fitna in the Travels of Ibn Jubayr – Joshua C. Birk7 Bellum civile: urban strife and conflict management in early twelfth-century Benevento – Markus Krumm8 Norman rulers and Greek-speaking subjects: the Vitae of Italo-Greek saints (twelfth and thirteenth centuries) and the negotiation of local identities – Eleni Tounta9 Griffones and the city of Messina: urban encounters with crusading – Paul OldfieldPart III: Religion and the Church10 The foundation of St Euphemia in Calabria: a ‘Norman’ church in southern Italy? – Benjamin Pohl11 King Roger II's legislation on the celebration of marriage – Elisabeth van Houts12 The battle against simony in Norman Italy: perceptions, interpretations, measures and consequences – Lioba Geis13 Some reflections on the women’s monasteries of southern Italy in the eighth to twelfth centuries – Jean-Marie MartinPart IV: Conquering Norman Italy and beyond14 The Norman siege of Bari, 1068–71 – Charles D. Stanton15 The past, present and future of Norman rule in Apulia: Roger II’s silver ducalis – Sarah Davis-Secord16 From Alexandria to Tinnis: the kingdom of Sicily, Egypt and the Holy Land, 1154–87 – Alan V. MurrayIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn this, the fully updated second edition of his bestselling guide to researching Irish history using the internet, Chris Paton shows the extraordinary variety of sources that can now be accessed online. Although Ireland has lost many records that would have been of great interest to family historians, he demonstrates that a great deal of information survived and is now easily available to the researcher. Thanks to the pioneering efforts of the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland, the National Archives of Ireland, organizations such as FindmyPast Ireland, Ancestry.co.uk and RootsIreland and the volunteer genealogical community, an ever-increasing range of Ireland's historical resources are accessible from afar. As well as exploring the various categories of records that the family historian can turn to, Chris Paton illustrates their use with fascinating case studies. He fully explores the online records available from both the north and the south from the earliest times to the present day. Many overseas collections are also included, and he looks at social networking in an Irish context where many exciting projects are currently underway. His book is an essential introduction and source of reference for anyone who is keen to trace their Irish roots.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe third and final volume of the remarkable Sunday Times bestselling diaries of Sir Henry ''Chips'' Channon___________________________________________''An utterly addictive glimpse of London high society and politics in the 40s and 50s.'' Robert Harris''An instant classic . . . quite simply the greatest social and political diaries of the 20th century.'' Daily Telegraph''Rich, exuberant, copious and shatteringly honest.'' Spectator''A scurrilous read. Fascinating. Gripping!'' Alan Titchmarsh''Chips writes with such vividness that one feels one is living each day in his exalted company.'' The Oldie_______________________________________This final volume of the unexpurgated diaries of Sir Henry ''Chips'' Channon begins as the Second World War is turning in the Allies'' favour. It ends with Chips descending into poor health but still able to turn a pointed phrase about the political event

Read more less

Book Synopsis'A witty, gossipy, sparkling history, full of bright jewels of anecdote... Magnificent Rebels is a triumph' THE TIMES, Book of the Week'Extraordinary... A thrilling intellectual history that reads like a racy, intelligent novel, with a cast of unforgettable characters' SUNDAY TIMES'Magnificent Rebels is a magnificent book: a revelation which could easily become an obsession' SPECTATOR'A thrilling page-turner, by turns comical & tragic... My book of the year so far' TOM HOLLAND'Elegantly written, deeply researched and totally gripping' SIMON SEBAG MONTEFIOREIn the 1790s an extraordinary group of friends changed the world. Disappointed by the French Revolution's rapid collapse into tyranny, what they wanted was nothing less than a revolution of the mind. The rulers of Europe had ordered their peoples how to think and act for too long. Based in the small German town of Jena, through poetry, drama, philosophy and science, they transformed the way we think about ourselves and the world around us. They were the first Romantics.Their way of understanding the world still frames our lives and being.We're still empowered by their daring leap into the self. We still think with their minds, see with their imagination and feel with their emotions. We also still walk the same tightrope between meaningful self-fulfilment and destructive narcissism, between the rights of the individual and our role as a member of our community and our responsibilities towards future generations who will inhabit this planet. This extraordinary group of friends changed our world. It is impossible to imagine our lives, thoughts and understanding without the foundation of their ground-breaking ideas.Trade ReviewThis is ridiculous. No book about German philosophy has any right to be this fun. This witty, gossipy, sparkling history . . . fizzed with creative energy * The Times, Book of the Year *Magnificent Rebels is - well - magnificent. This is how such books should be written, with clarity, passion and delight. A thrilling intellectual adventure -- John Banville, Book of the YearThis is indeed an electrifying book, in its illuminated portraits, its dynamic narrative and its sparking ideas * Observer *A witty, gossipy, sparkling history, full of bright jewels of anecdote . . . Magnificent Rebels is a triumph * The Times *In a gripping account of what she calls the "Jena Set" (which was intellectually and emotionally as complex as the Bloomsbury Group), Wulf brings the dramatis personae compellingly to life * Financial Times *An ambitious, engaging and effusive account . . . a considerable achievement * Times Literary Supplement *Magnificent Rebels is a magnificent book: a revelation which could easily become an obsession * Spectator *Magnificent Rebels is a thrilling intellectual history that reads more like a racy but intelligent novel or even a very superior soap opera where the characters are almost all oddballs, but geniuses * Sunday Times *Andrea Wulf is that rare historian who makes the past feel present and turns distant lives into gripping stories of the human heart. Magnificent Rebels is an absolute masterpiece: mesmerising, heartbreaking and incredibly timely, it is an important reminder that the desire to be true to oneself transcends time and borders -- AMANDA FOREMANThis is a magnificent book, fascinating in its focus and breathtaking in its scope and sweep. It is a work of formidable scholarship worn lightly; of complex intellectual history told evocatively, absorbingly, compellingly. Wulf's superb prose draws us deeply into the lives and minds of this remarkable circle of people, who together explored the breathtaking possibilities - and tremendous risks - of free will, individual creativity and liberty -- ROBERT MACFARLANEThe Jena Set was a group of philosophers, artists, and thinkers so earthquakingly brilliant that we feel the tremors that their ideas set off under our feet today. Nobody but Andrea Wulf, with her exquisite grasp of ideas and personalities, with her meticulous, sensitive and acutely observed prose, could make the reader feel as if they were in the room with them, bearing personal witness to their insights and their vanities and rages. Her storytelling had me immediately in her thrall -- LAUREN GROFF, bestselling author of MatrixTruly extraordinary, an intellectual history, group portrait, and elegy to Romanticism, which reads at times like a prizewinning novel. You feel you're there in turn-of-the-nineteenth-century Germany, experiencing the debates, disputations, and deep emotional interconnections between the most profound philosophers and greatest writers of the era, as they grapple with the birth of the modern -- ANDREW ROBERTSThrumming with all the red-hot frenzy, wild passion and radical ideas of a free new world created out of poetry, sex and Romanticism, Magnificent Rebels, Andrea Wulf's superb group biography is elegantly written, deeply researched and totally gripping -- SIMON SEBAG MONTEFIOREA big, thrilling and constantly surprising book . . . Brilliantly orchestrating a mass of original letters, diaries, and archival documents, Wulf revives a whole world of intense friendships, shifting intellectual alliances, furious philosophical arguments, inspirational suppers (including the cooking), theatrical first nights, seductive carriage journeys, hypnotic candlelit lectures and, of course, non-stop love affairs and betrayals (including the ecstatic love-making and equally ecstatic rows) . . . It is a glorious piece of work, both thought-provoking and magical, and I loved it -- RICHARD HOLMESMagnificent Rebels is a beautiful group biography, celebrating the lives and loves of Germany's most brilliant minds: Goethe, Schiller, Fichte, Novalis, Schlegel, Schelling and Hegel. At the centre of their group in the small university town of Jena was a free-spirited, thrice married, single-mother named Caroline Michaelis-Böhmer-Schlegel-Schelling. She carried her father's and husbands' names but her life was entirely her own. Caroline is Andrea Wulf's soulmate. This is a perfect pairing of author and subject - a joyful, life-affirming, freedom-loving tour de force -- RUTH SCURR, author of Napoleon: A Life Told in Gardens and ShadowsDelightful and invigorating... a worthy successor to [Wulf's] acclaimed study of Von Humboldt, The Invention of Nature... Magnificent Rebels is a triumph of unseen toil, hardly suspected by the reader, in the midst of the sociable whirl of the main narrative... This delightful history captures the "vibe" of 1790s Jena where parties, feuds and gossip fuelled a great intellectual flowering * The Times *Andrea Wulf advances the argument that the very birth of modern individuality . . . took place in those houses and narrow streets, in those taverns and university lecture halls. It is a bold claim. The remarkable thing about the book is that Wulf not only stands it up but in the process weaves a thrilling page-turner of a story * New Statesman *Wulf's book is a magnificent achievement. It is a testament to the powers of the mind, certainly, but also to the power of friendship, free will and the possibility of snatching delight from the jaws of despair * BBC History Magazine *Magnificent Rebels is a revelation. For it shows how one small group of intellectuals paved the way for much of modernity * The Week *Bringing... neglected thinkers vividly to life * The Economist *Drawn from meticulously detailed research . . . Wulf weaves the stories of these individuals together, showing (sometimes exactly - there are maps) where their paths crossed and how these individuals rubbed off on each other . . .It is details such as this that bring Wulf's story of the 'Jena Set' - their lives and legacy - so vividly to life * History Today *Andrea Wulf's substantial yet pacey new book concerns itself with a dazzling generation of German philosophers, scientists and poets who between the late 18th and early 19th centuries gathered in the provincial town of Jena and produced some of the most memorable works of European romanticism * Prospect *I greatly admired Magnificent Rebels, about the intellectual powerhouse ofJena that exploded like a firework in the late 1790s. History writing at its best. -- Peter Frankopan * Spectator, Books of the Year II *A rollicking romp . . . enormous fun * Sunday Times, Book of the Year *A buoyant work of intellectual history. Wulf's chronicle of the German Romantics is written as what was once termed 'the higher gossip' * New Yorker, Book of the Year *Arresting . . . It reads as if Iris Murdoch had set a novel during an especially muddy phase of German metaphysics * Economist, Books of the Year *

Read more less

Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE ORWELL PRIZE FOR POLITICAL WRITING LONGLISTED FOR THE 2020 BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR IN FINANCIAL TIMES, ECONOMIST, NEW YORK TIMES, WASHINGTON POST, SPECTATOR 'You simply cannot understand China without reading Barbara Demick on Tibet' Evan Osnos, author of Age of Ambition In 1950, China claimed sovereignty over Tibet, leading to decades of unrest and resistance. Barbara Demick chronicles the Tibetan tragedy from Ngaba, a defiant town on the eastern edge of the Tibetan plateau. From the stories of Ngaba's last princess and those who experienced the struggle sessions of Mao's revolution to the experiences of today's monks and townsfolk suffering repression under China's rule, Demick paints a riveting portrait of Tibet past and present as it fights for its identity against one of the most powerful countries in the world.Trade ReviewPowerful... a deeply textured, densely reported and compelling exploration of Ngaba... Demick brilliantly unpicks the connections between the self-immolations and Tibetans' past... The richness of this book lies in its nuance as much as its extraordinary detail * Observer *Barbara Demick is a reporter of impressive tenacity and thoroughness -- Joan Bakewell * The Times *An illuminating and important book -- Kapka KassabovaThis is not just another book about the injustice Tibetans suffer at the hands of the Chinese government. As she did in Nothing to Envy, Barbara Demick has pieced together from in-depth interviews not only the reality but the soul of a place, weaving together individual stories with all their contradictions and complexity. Neither heroes or martyrs, they are ordinary people desperately trying to adapt or resist to avoid being destroyed by the forces of history -- Lindsey Hilsum, International Editor Channel 4 NewsSuperb -- Editor's Choice * Bookseller *[Barbara Demick] has achieved something remarkable... Gripping... Demick illuminates [Ngaba] as no other writer has... Seldom is the veil lifted from Tibet - which makes Ms. Demick's chronicles all the more worth reading * Economist *Extraordinarily good. A superb storyteller, Demick melds the personal, the historical and the political seamlessly as she delves into the town's intriguing living legacy of rebellion. The people whose stories she tells [...] leap from the pages, full of life * New Internationalist *Outstanding... Every page packed with insight and gripping detail... [Demick] has written a book not only about modern Tibet but one that helps explain the current, poisonous moment in China... Compelling... Life stories meticulously woven' * Financial Times *Lucid and poignant...beautifully written * Literary Review *A vivid, exhaustively researched, and ground-level view of the impact of history on people's lives... Compelling * New Statesman *This remarkable book offers a unique insight into Tibet's plight, allowing the reader to understand what it is like for its people to be tossed about in a political storm * Daily Mail *Demick is at once an intrepid reporter and scrupulous historian; she tells the story of Ngaba, however, like a novelist * Guardian *

Read more less

Book Synopsis"A beautiful, beguiling journey to the ultimate queer utopia" - Olivia Laing "Clued-up but insatiably thirsty, poignant, packed with literary intrigue, Fire Island is a beaming beach read" - Jeremy Atherton Lin --- Fire Island: a slim strip of land off the coast of New York, and a place of hedonism, reinvention, liberation. Arriving on the island after a break-up back home in England, scholar and poet Jack Parlett was beguiled by what he found. Here were the halcyon scenes of Frank O'Hara's poetry; the bars where Patricia Highsmith got drunk; the infamous cruising sites; and the dazzling beaches where couples had fallen in and out of love, free for a sun-kissed moment to be themselves in the time before gay liberation. Tracing Fire Island's rich history, Parlett leads the reader through the early days of the island's life as a discreet home for same-sex love, to the wild parties of the post-Stonewall disco era, to the residents' confrontation with the AIDS epidemic, and into a present where a host of new challenges threaten the island's future. Lyrical and vivid, Fire Island is a hymn to an iconic destination, and to the men and women whose ardour and determination spread freedom across its shores.Trade ReviewA beautiful, beguiling journey to the ultimate queer utopia, a site of riotous hedonism, wild creativity and immense loss. Fire Island is a fascinating, throbbing history that asks the most urgent of contemporary questions: what does paradise look like, and who does it exclude? -- Olivia LaingThe zingy tale of one magnetic place - as well as a sprawling rumination on the intertwined urges to get away and get together. Clued-up but insatiably thirsty, poignant, packed with literary intrigue, Fire Island is a beaming beach read -- Jeremy Atherton LinA compelling social history. Parlett beautifully conjures Fire Island as myth, metaphor and microcosm of queer culture -- Michael Bronski, author of A Queer History of the United States[A] fascinating and thought-provoking social history and personal memoir... Based on an impressive depth of research, Fire Island is a compelling, richly detailed book about this curious, hurricane prone, fragile and complicated little gay utopia * Attitude *Beautifully written ... Parlett evocatively captures the magic of bygone heydays, reminding us of 'the vital need for inclusive queer spaces of our own' * Culture Whisper *Deeply felt and keenly judged... An intimate history, alive to the importance of dress, sex, bodily alteration, insobriety and dance * TLS *

Read more less

Book Synopsis'The unofficial voice of modern Irish history' EconomistWhen President of the Irish Republic Michael Collins signed the Anglo-Irish Treaty in December 1921, he remarked to Lord Birkenhead, 'I may have signed my actual death warrant.' In August 1922 at the height of the Irish Civil War, that prophecy came true - Collins was shot and killed by a fellow Irishman in a shocking political assassination.So ended the life of the greatest of all Irish nationalists, but his visions and legacy lived on.This authorative and comprehensive biography presents the life of a man who became a legend in his own lifetime, whose idealistic vigour and determination were matched only by his political realism and supreme organisational abilities. Coogan's biography provides a fascinating insight into a great political leader, whilst vividly portraying the political unrest in a divided Ireland, that can help to shape our understanding of Ireland's past, present and future.'There have been several other lives of Collins, but none has assembled such wealth of detail' Independent on SundayTrade ReviewThere have been several other lives of Collins, but none has assembled such wealth of detail * Independent on Sunday *A lively and colourful adventure story with a fascinating yet recognisably human hero * Dublin Sunday Press *Enjoyable and valuable * David Puttnam *

Read more less

Book SynopsisA major new biography of the Black Prince. 'A clear-eyed and thrilling vision of the man behind the legend' DAN JONES. 'Pacy, vivid and extremely readable' TLS. In 1346, at the age of sixteen, he won his spurs at Crécy; nine years later he conducted a brutal raid across Languedoc; in 1356 he captured the king of France at Poitiers; as lord of Aquitaine he ruled a vast swathe of southwestern France. He was Edward of Woodstock, eldest son of Edward III, but better known to posterity as 'the Black Prince'. Michael Jones tells the remarkable story of a great warrior-prince – and paints an unforgettable portrait of warfare and chivalry in the late Middle Ages.Trade ReviewPacy, vivid and extremely readable... its extensive research and questioning approach also make it an important work for specialists to consult' * TLS *It is not often that a work of medieval history provokes a news story in the Daily Mail * The Oldie *The Black Prince is one of the great romantic heroes of the Hundred Years War and in Michael Jones he has a worthy biographer. This is a clear-eyed and thrilling vision of the man behind the legend and a splendid introduction to one of the most fascinating periods in medieval history -- Dan JonesJones has done an excellent job... It is not easy to make somebody so far back in history really come alive, but this book has pulled it off extremely well. It is supplemented with several pages of maps, battle plans and a detailed timeline' * The Bookbag *Michael Jones superbly brings to life the campaigns and battles which made the Black Prince's name... The hero and the villain were one man and Jones does justice to this complexity' * The Times *Splendid... Jones convincingly argues that Edward should not be too readily condemned [...] with great skill and lightly worn erudition... Will enthral a wide audience' * Spectator *Get to know the heir of Edward III in all his guises in this accomplished volume * Historical Trips UK *Fascinating... restores one of our great heroes to his rightful position' * Daily Mail *Sure to enlighten and entertain thanks to the author's use of new archival research and his pacy, atmospheric writing style * History Revealed. *Offers a thoughtful, rounded picture of a man who led not solely by virtue of birth, but through personality and achievement, too * The Tablet *A gripping read; it has that 'just one more chapter' quality that keeps you going late into the night... A compelling and humane portrait of a medieval warrior, bringing the Black Prince and his world triumphantly to life' -- David SantiusteA thoroughly riveting biography of Edward of Woodstock * Military History Monthly *Pacy, vivid and extremely readable, Jones's book [...] will appeal to a wide spectrum of readers, but its extensive research and questioning approach also make it an important work for specialists to consult * TLS *A fascinating biography of England's greatest king that never was... Jones brings to life the achievements of a man whose contemporary popular appeal has been dimmed by time' * BBC History Magazine Book of the Year (2017) *Essential reading for those who prefer fact to fantasy * Historical Novel Society *The author is set on uncovering the man behind the myth of the Black Prince. It is an endeavour in which he largely succeeds, convincingly portraying the Prince as an exemplary military commander who is undeserving of the bad reputation he has received... This book will undoubtedly become the first port of call for anyone interested in the Black Prince for years to come' * Royal Studies Journal *

Read more less

Book SynopsisShould Wales leave the UK? It’s a conversation that has – unfairly – been all but disregarded by many, including some of the Welsh themselves, with all the focus on their Celtic cousins in Scotland. But independence movements are gaining momentum across Europe, and Wales will be a key voice in these debates. Support for Welsh autonomy is at an all-time high, with the latest polls suggesting as many as one in three are in favour. This is not just unprecedented; it is all but revolutionary. Scotland’s 2014 referendum taught us that once the independence genie is out of the bottle, it does not go back in. Meanwhile, the Brexit campaign demonstrated that these arguments come with inflated claims, misinformation and scaremongering that can easily poison a complex debate. In Independent Nation, Will Hayward brings nuance back to the arena for this crucial national conversation. Brimming with interviews from experts and painting a detailed, colourful picture of the realities of life in Wales – from extreme poverty and disconnected infrastructure to expensive urban regeneration and cafés of Gavin and Stacey fame – this is an open-eyed look at the truths and falsehoods around the country’s future. Impartial, informed and thoroughly entertaining, Independent Nation raises the standard of debate around an issue that will affect us all.

Read more less

Book SynopsisNature, money, work, care, food, energy, and lives: these are the seven things that have made our world and will shape its future. In making these things cheap, modern commerce has transformed, governed, and devastated Earth. In A History of the World in Seven Cheap Things, Raj Patel and Jason W. Moore present a new approach to analyzing today's planetary emergencies. Bringing the latest ecological research together with histories of colonialism, indigenous struggles, slave revolts, and other rebellions and uprisings, Patel and Moore demonstrate that throughout history, crises have always prompted fresh strategies to make the world cheap and safe for capitalism. At a time of crisis in all seven cheap things, innovative and systemic thinking is urgently required. This book proposes a radical new way of understanding-and reclaiming-the planet in the turbulent twenty-first century.Trade ReviewIf Patel and Moore don't quite make it to Mars, their book still covers an awful lot of ground. They move rapidly between economic analysis, history and political polemic, all in service of the premise that all the cheapness has in fact been catastrophically expensive... the overall impression is one of sweeping erudition, and an impressive ability to synthesise disparate elements. -- Mark O'Connell * Guardian *Their central argument - that the inevitable trajectory of capitalism is a race to the bottom in which we all end as losers - is surely one that needs to be heard. * New Internationalist *By shifting our attention away from the question of global warming to focus on the larger ideological manoeuvrings underpinning the way capitalism seeks to organise nature, Moore and Patel persuasively demonstrate that our responses to the crises of capitalism and climate that we are facing should not be exclusively about preventing catastrophic ecological change by blocking runway expansions. Instead, their work suggests that we are potentially seeing an unravelling of a much more complicated and convoluted set of longer running crises of capital that are becoming increasingly unmanageable, and not just because of heat waves or rising sea levels. -- Andrew Key * New Socialist *[A] highly readable, heavily-sourced book -- John Fullerton * Freedom News *Making the persuasive argument that capitalism is more than just an economic system, Patel and Moore illustrate how it has succeeded in creating an overwhelming planetary ecology, separating humans from the rest of nature, organising every relationship between them and exploiting all available resources to work for it as cheaply as possible. -- Jamie Johnson * Morning Star *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe wooden holiday cabin, or hytte, is a staple of Norwegian life. Robert Ferguson, author of Scandinavians, explores the significance of a national icon in this charming, affectionate history. Turf-roofed and wooden-built, offering fresh air, breathtaking views and peaceful isolation, the wooden cabin home – or hytte – is a crucial part of Norwegian national identity. In 2016, Robert Ferguson and his wife bought a piece of land high up in the Hardangervidda, and on it they built a cabin. As the cabin takes shape, Ferguson learns how native Norwegians have married a new-found urban affluence to their past as a tight-knit rural community-nation, and confronts his own ideas about the dream-tradition of the hytte, drawing an affectionate but unsentimental portrait of Norwegian culture, society and landscape. 'Singular and captivating: the pursuit of a dream' Professor John Carey 'Illuminating' TLS 'An uncompromising journey into the dark cold north, to reveal the warmth that comes from deep community bonds' Tim EcottTrade ReviewIlluminating... Insightful knowledge of Norway's cultural and social history' * TLS *Ferguson takes us on an uncompromising journey into the dark cold north, to reveal the warmth that comes from deep community bonds – qualities all too often lost in our modern urban lives -- Tim EcottSingular and captivating: the pursuit of a dream -- Professor John CareyPRAISE FOR ROBERT FERGUSON: 'Scandinavians is a terrific read... [It] reads like many 19th-century travel books, which also combined wonderful narrative description with bright speculation... It's this approach that makes the book so thoroughly enjoyable' Literary Review. 'Ferguson stretches wide the fabric of history, his knowledge and insights in the process bringing the varied stories of the Nordic people vividly to life' Irish Times. 'Charming, affectionate... Penetrating' -- David Aaronovitch, The Times

Read more less

Book Synopsis The year 2025 marks the 75th anniversary of final demobilization of the Women?s Land Army in 1950. The employment of over 200,000 land girls on British farms, replacing male farm laborers who joined the armed forces, contributed to the nation?s ultimate successes in both the world wars. WLA was, though, regarded as the ''Cinderella'' service, receiving far less appreciation than other wartime organizations. Land girls received lower pay, were billeted away from home, had hard physical work to perform, suffered harsh winter weather, and often had inadequate clothing. Hampshire?s contributions were substantial; it might have been the first county to embrace the need for women farm workers, to have more members per head of population, Sparsholt College devoted almost its entire curriculum to training women and girls for employment on British farms, and both First World War ministers of Agriculture came from the county.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis fascinating new book covers the ancient history of the Celts, from Ireland to Italy, from France to Greece. A fascinating picture is given of the origins, migrations, allegiances, society and culture, from the Hallstatt Era' to Christianization, as well as the myths, literature and legacy of this wide-ranging group of peoples.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisFrom tall tales of Merlin to the rise of Plaid Cymru, delve into the weird-but-wonderful aspects of Wales!Tracing Welsh history from Roman invasion all the way up to the power of the mining industry, Wales: A Very Peculiar History takes a sideways look at some of the more bizarre aspects of this incredible country. Get ready to explore the home of welsh rarebit, Maelgwn the Dragon, and Llanfairpwllgwyngyll-gogerychwyrndrobwll-llantysilio-go-go-goch!Packed with ups and downs, hills and valleys, and hope and triumph against the odds, this fascinating read is the perfect pocket-sized companion to the Celtic nation. Fascinating facts, quirky comic-style illustrations, a full glossary, timeline and index makes this book great for gifting to all ages!

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhen Dreams Collide is Nicholas Allan's intimate pilgrimage across the former states of Yugoslavia. Shedding the received knowledge of headlines, he explores the splintered co-evolution of these lands over the last ten centuries, guided by the inimitable Rebecca West's masterpiece, Black Lamb and Grey Falcon. Written 80 years in the past, West's account serves as a fascinating reference for the optimistic interwar years of the 20th century between the Ottoman decline and the Nazi onset. The evolving balancing act of Tito's Yugoslav experiment and the atrocities following its break-up were still to come. Collapsing empires and proud young nations, monasteries and mosques, brotherhood, hatred, war, music, frescoes, food, costume, people, mountains, rivers and seas, the distant rumbles of the centuries take many forms. At a turning point in his own life, Allan is drawn to explore this complex area, through the lens of his part Eastern European heritage. He records personal encounters and richly drawn characters interwoven with history and art, politics and religion (too often one and the same). Enhanced with delightful hand-drawn maps of the Balkans including Montenegro, Kosovo, Serbia, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Croatia. 73 informative photograph's showing some the areas key historical figures including Ibrahim Rugova, Hitler, Prince Paul of Yugoslavia, Tito, Draza Mihailovic, Slobodan Milosevic, Alecksandar Vucic, Alija Izetbegovic, Radovan Karadzic, Ante Pavelic, Franjo Tudjman, and Fitzroy Maclean.Table of ContentsAuthor's Note. Introduction. MONTENEGRO. KOSOVO. SERBIA. NORTH MACEDONIA. BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA. CROATIA. Epilogue. Acknowledgements. List of Key Events. List of Selected Rulers. Nemanjic Dynasty. Petrovic-Njegos Dynasty. Karadjordjevic Dynasty. Obrenovic Dynasty. Bibliography. Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe history of the Russian Orthodox Church in Australia is diligently chronicled within the wider context of the place of Russians in the dominantly anglophone society of what was at first a British colony and then an independent state. It begins with the first contact of Russian naval ships with the Australian continent in the early nineteenth century and progresses through to the establishment of the first parish of Orthodox believers in Melbourne in the 1890s and ultimately the creation of a diocese. The catalyst for this was the arrival of thousands of Russians fleeing their homeland via Siberia after the Bolshevik revolution of 1917. For these disposed refugees Australia was a haven of safety and the Russian Orthodox Church a symbol of the Motherland they had lost. They were later joined by successive waves of fellow Russian after World War II and then the fall of communism in 1991. Together they created a unified organism, retained a sense of heritage and purpose and taking their rightful place in Australia's multi-cultural society.In writing this work the author has drawn on extensive archival sources spread over several continents together with his own life experience, having arrived as a small boy in Australia over six decades ago. First published in 2006 this new edition includes an added chapter recounting the ongoing story from the beginning of the twenty-first century through 2020.Table of ContentsFOREWORD INTRODUCTION 1 A RUSSIAN PRESENCE 2 REVOLUTION 3 BRISBANE 4 SYDNEY 5 MELBOURNE 6 ECCLESIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES 7 ARCHBISHOP THEODORE RAFALSKY 8 ARCHBISHOP SAVA RAEVSKY 9 ARCHBISHOP ATHANASY MARTOS 10 ARCHBISHOP THEODOSY PUTILIN 11 RUSSIAN MONASTICISM IN AUSTRALIA 12 ARCHBISHOP PAUL PAVLOV 13 BISHOP DANIEL ALEXANDROV 14 ARCHBISHOP HILARION KAPRAL 15 CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE FUTURE 16 A POSITIVE DIRECTION NOTES APPENDIX BIBLIOGRAPHY ARCHIVAL SOURCES INDEX

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book will give you an insight into one of the greatest tyrant of this century, his political ideals, beliefs and motivation, and his struggle to consolidate Germany into one great nation.

Read more less

Book SynopsisSince the mid-nineteenth-century abolition of slavery, the call for reparations for the crime of African enslavement and native genocide has been growing. In the Caribbean, grassroots and official voices now constitute a regional reparations movement. While it remains a fractured, contentious and divisive call, it generates considerable public interest, especially within sections of the community that are concerned with issues of social justice, equity, civil and human rights, education, and cultural identity. The reparations discourse has been shaped by the voices from these fields as they seek to build a future upon the settlement of historical crimes.This is the first scholarly work that looks comprehensively at the reparations discussion in the Caribbean. Written by a leading economic historian of the region, a seasoned activist in the wider movement for social justice and advocacy of historical truth, Britain’s Black Debt looks at the origins and development of reparations as a regional and international process. Weaving together detailed historical data on Caribbean slavery and the transatlantic slave trade with legal principles and the politics of postcolonialism, the author sets out a solid academic analysis of the evidence. He concludes that Britain has a case of reparations to answer which the Caribbean should litigate.The presentation of rich empirical historical data on Britain’s transatlantic slave economy and society supports the legal claim that chattel slavery as established by the British state and sustained by citizens and governments was understood then as a crime, but political and moral outrage were silenced by the argument that the enslavement of black people was in Britain’s national interest. International law provides that chattel slavery as practised by Britain was a crime against humanity. Slavery was invested in by the royal family, the government, the established church, most elite families, and large public institutions in the private and public sector. Citing the legal principles of unjust and criminal enrichment, the author presents a compelling argument for Britain’s payment of its black debt, a debt that it continues to deny in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary.Britain’s Black Debt brings together the evidence and arguments that the general public and expert policymakers have long called for. It is at once an exciting narration of Britain’s dominance of the slave markets that enriched the economy and a seminal conceptual journey into the hidden politics and public posturing of leaders on both sides of the Atlantic. No work of this kind has ever been attempted. No author has had the diversity of historical research skills, national and international political involvement, and personal engagement as an activist to present such a complex yet accessible work of scholarship for both activists and academics.

Read more less

Book SynopsisNew volume of the best-selling review of the year made up of the wry and astute observations of the unpublished Telegraph letter writers.

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

Book SynopsisWomen’s transgressive behaviors and perspectives are challenging societal norms in the Arab world, giving rise to anxiety and public debate. Simultaneously, however, other Arab women are unwillingly finding themselves labeled “bad” as authority figures attempt to redirect scrutiny from serious social ills such as patriarchy and economic exploitation, or as they impose new restrictions on women’s behavior in response to uncertainty and change in society. Bad Girls of the Arab World elucidates how both intentional and unintentional transgressions make manifest the social and cultural constructs that define proper and improper behavior, as well as the social and political policing of gender, racial, and class divisions.The works collected here address the experiences of women from a range of ages, classes, and educational backgrounds who live in the Arab world and beyond. They include short pieces in which the women themselves reflect on their expeTrade Review[A] treasure trove of insightful accounts and research on Arab women who have been voluntarily and involuntarily speaking out after the Arab Spring in 2011. . . . The most exciting portions of this text are the glimpses into the inner workings of Arab culture. This accessible book is a must read. * CHOICE *The collection derives its discursive strength from diverse testimonies of Arab women ranging across age, class, and education. Bad Girls of the Arab World distinguishes itself through its examination of the political and personal, private and public, intentional and imposed dichotomies that women in the Arab world must operate under as they attempt to reformulate their role in society. * Middle East Journal *[Bad Girls of the Arab World] stands apart from the edited volume crowd. It includes, not only academic entries, but personal essays and reflections on art by their artists, all centered on the theme of transgression, or to put it in the language of Bad Girls of the Arab World itself, bad girls. And there is no one bad girl. Some bad girls of the Arab world use their linguistic and cultural heritage to empower them, some rail against them. Some ally themselves with the West, some don’t think about the West and the East as binaries, but rather, apply a complicated, nuanced worldview to their universes. However, all are allotted their agency. * New Books Network *A most welcome contribution to the field of women's studies. It is relevant to courses that examine representations of women, post-colonial and transnational feminisms, and/or gender in Arab-majority countries. * Resources for Gender and Women's Studies *The chapters in this book are varied in style, including personal experience, academic analysis and artistic contributions; they cover different Arab countries as well as Arab women abroad, different time periods and contexts, but they all converge on disputing, directly or implicitly, Orientalist notions that the oppression of Arab women is rooted in beliefs fundamental to Islam and Arab society. * Jordan Times *This academic work explores both the symbolic statements and lived experience of Arab women who transgress social norms, whether intentionally or unintentionally…The strongest chapters break free from the bonds of academic jargon and present women in their full flesh-and-blood selves, often suffering greatly for their brave actions, sometimes with bodily manifestations. * Al Jadid *The chapters [in Bad Girls of the Arab World] consistently demonstrate that the consequences of being labeled bad girls are stigmatization, exclusion, and violence. But often embedded in acts of speaking about oppression are acts of resistance...The strength of Bad Girls is prevalent not only in some of its analytic essays but in its inclusion of more creative styles of writing. * Journal of Middle East Women's Studies *Table of Contents A Note on Transliteration and Translation Foreword by Laura Miller and Jan Bardsley Acknowledgments Introduction by Nadia Yaqub Chapter 1. Inciting Critique in the Feminist Classroom (Rula Quawas) Chapter 2. “And Is It Impossible to Be Good Everywhere?” Love and Badness in America and the Arab World (Diya Abdo) Chapter 3. Suspicious Bodies: Madame Bomba Performs against Death in Lebanon (Rima Najdi) Chapter 4. “Jihad Jane” as Good American Patriot and Bad Arab Girl: The Case of Nada Prouty after 9/11 (Randa A. Kayyali) Chapter 5. Paying for Her Father’s Sins: Yasmin as a Daughter of Unknown Lineage (Rawan W. Ibrahim) Chapter 6. The Making of Bad Palestinian Mothers during the Second Intifada (Adania Shibli) Chapter 7. “They Are Not Like Your Daughters or Mine”: Spectacles of Bad Women from the Arab Spring (Amal Amireh) Chapter 8. “Fuck Your Morals”: The Body Activism of Amina Sboui (Anne Marie E. Butler ) Chapter 9. Syrian Bad Girl Samar Yazbek: Refusing Burial (Hanadi al-Samman) Chapter 10. Reel Bad Maghrebi Women (Florence Martin and Patricia Caillé) Chapter 11. New Bad Girls of Sudan: Women Singers in the Sudanese Diaspora (Anita H. Fábos) Chapter 12. Being a Revolutionary and Writerly Rebel (Suhair al-Tal) Afterword by Laila al-Atrash Afterword by Miral al-Tahawy Contributors Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisArlene Dávila draws on numerous interviews with artists, dealers, and curators to explore how and why the contemporary international art market continues to overlook, devalue, and marginalize Latinx art and artists.Trade Review“In this current moment of national rupture surrounding the Latino immigrant it is ironic that the new focus on Latinx artists and communities should come to the forefront as a powerful cultural movement. Arlene Dávila’s new work on Latinx art is a timely examination of the complex issues of cultural definition, art markets, race and representation, and geopolitical reference points. In the embattled world of diverse art and artists Dávila's book provides a map of clarity.” -- Amalia Mesa-Bains, MacArthur fellow and coauthor of * Homegrown: Engaged Cultural Criticism *“Kudos to Arlene Dávila, founding director of the Latinx Project at New York University, and the only person who could have written this groundbreaking new book! First, identifying Latinx, perhaps most importantly, as a political constituency and as a market for art historical appreciation and consumption, Dávila makes the case for a singular recognition and consideration of a massive (and rapidly growing) part of American culture. While highlighting intersectionality in her exploration of Latinx identity, she is an astute documentarian of shared experiences in the American landscape. Yet, this book is a must-have primer for those concerned with trends in international contemporary art.” -- Franklin Sirmans, Director, Pérez Art Museum Miami"An indispensable text that considers the plights of Latinx artists through the lens of race and class disparities in both North and South America. . . . Dávila’s text is a vital resource on Latinx art, complete with a supplemented 'non-comprehensive list of artists everyone should know' and recommendations of Latinx Instagram accounts to follow." -- Valentina Di Liscia * Hyperallergic *"The marketing of modern and contemporary art from Latin America is one of the success stories of the globalist decades, giving a once-niche interest a presence in big North American museums. Exactly the opposite is true of Latinx art, loosely defined as work made by artists of Latin American birth or descent who live primarily in the United States. That lack of institutional support is dictated by the politics of class, economics and race, the cultural anthropologist Arlene Dávila argues in this important broadside of a book." -- Holland Cotter * New York Times *"An outstanding contribution to the field of Latinx art, this book addresses the defining traits of the art category and its place in the contemporary art world. . . . The wide range of Latinx art experts she interviews, from artists, curators, writers, critics and gallerists, draw the contours of a remarkably vibrant cultural field that is still undervalued. Her analysis not only dissects the conditions of Latinx artistic invisibility; it also proposes a path of action to overcome them and to create a more equitable art system." -- Taína Caragol * Smithsonian Magazine *"With deep research and details about the ways in which the market continues to overlook and undervalue the work of Latinx artists, Arlene Dávila’s Latinx Art is one of this year’s most important contributions to the art world as a whole. . . . That this book exists is itself an important milestone in the struggle for equity in the art world." -- Maximilíano Durón * ARTnews *"Arlene Dávila advances a groundbreaking analysis of Latinx art in the way she centers on matters of race, class, and nationality as primordial to understanding this category. . . . As a scholar independent of the art world’s social circuit, Dávila describes in great detail the ingrained power dynamics that deny institutional access to Latinx artists. In doing so, she delivers an unprecedented service to the field, considering the silencing force exerted by hierarchical structures that traverse the art world, and the artists’ reliance on good relations with gatekeepers in order to have any shot at exhibition and market spaces." -- Taína Caragol * Latin American and Latinx Visual Culture *“Latinx Art is appropriate for new and nonacademic audiences, because Dávila is one of the most accessible scholarly authors. . . . A must-read for Latinx studies students and scholars and beyond.” -- Karen Mary Davalos * Latino Studies *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments & Reader Instructions vii Introduction. Making Latinx Art 1 1. What Is Latinx Art? Lessons from Chicanx and Diasporican Artists 23 2. Exhibiting Latinx Art: On Critics, Curators, and Going "Beyond the Formula" 48 3. Nationalism and the Currency of Categories 79 4. On Markets and the Need for Cheerleaders 104 5. Whitewashing at Work, and Some Ways Out 138 Conclusion: At the Vanguard of Arts and Museum Activism in the Twenty-First Century 168 Appendix A: Noncomprehensive List of Artists Everyone Should Know 177 Appendix B: Additional Resources 185 Notes 189 References 203 Index 223

Read more less