History Books

Book SynopsisEl Salvador, 1982, is at the height of a ghastly civil war. Joan Didion travels from battlefields to body dumps, interviews a puppet president, considers the distinctly Salvadorean meaning of the verb 'to disappear' and trains a merciless eye not only on the terror there but also on the depredations and evasions of US foreign policy. Salvador is a restless and unflinching masterclass in the art of reportage by one of the great literary stylists of the twentieth century.

Read more less

Book SynopsisFor four centuries, Logavina Street was a quiet residential road in a city known for its ethnic tolerance and cosmopolitan charm. Muslims, Christians, Serbs and Croats lived easily together, sharing an identity as Bosnians. Then the war tore their lives apart. Often without heat, water, food or electricity, they evaded daily sniper fire and witnessed horrific deaths. Neighbours and friends turned into deadly enemies. In this intimate eyewitness account, Barbara Demick weaves together the stories of ten families from Logavina Street, brilliantly illuminating one of the pivotal events of the twentieth century, and describes how, twenty years later, they are coping with the war's consequences. .

Read more less

Book Synopsis'This second volume of memoirs is as fascinating as the first....full of wit, joy, vivid vignettes and useful insights...she has another bestseller on her hands' India Knight, Sunday Times'It's great to have another memoir from Lady Glenconner . . . as open-minded and entertaining as she clearly is' Lynn Barber, Sunday Telegraph'A jolly anecdote for every day of the year and excellent advice' Hilary Rose, The Times'As glorious and highly readable as its predecessor - as well as being packed full of new stories' ipaper'Full of eye-popping detail' Sophia Money-Coutts, Daily TelegraphBracing honesty, rare insight and hilarious revelations from internationally bestselling author of LADY IN WAITING as she shares everything she's learned from her extraordinary and unexpected life.Anne Glenconner's glittering life hasn't always been golden. As she revealed in her astonishing bestselling memoir Lady in Waiting, it has been one of stark contrasts - from growing up in the splendour of Holkham Hall to living in a tent in the jungle of Mustique, from travelling the world with Princess Margaret to coping with her wildly unpredictable husband Lord Glenconner. Tragically, she has also survived the loss of two of her sons and nursed a third son back from a coma.Now in her ninetieth year, and at her happiest, Anne brings her bracing honesty, characteristic wit and courage to reflect on and reveal more about her long and unexpected life, her extremely volatile marriage, and what it's taught her.As a wife, she became a master in the art of keeping the peace, knowing when to pick her battles, when she needed help - and when to take a lover. As a hostess, she acquired great practical skills in throwing marvellous parties and looking after magnificent homes, and, as a lady in waiting, became well versed in diplomacy and etiquette. It was as a mother she learnt the toughest lessons of all, and through them the value of friendship, family, and laughter to get her through the worst moments in life, as well as celebrate the best of them.Anne Glenconner's Whatever Next? is the richly entertaining proof that staying open to every new adventure and being ready for whatever happens sets an inspiring example for us all.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisTHE ONLY BOOK AVAILABLE on Rome's version of the SAS, SBS, Pathfinders, US GREEN BERETS, SEALS etc.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis??full of history, exploits, war stories, stunning photographs and art and insignia, a work of love for an aircraft much admired aviation enthusiasts the world over.? -SeapowerHalf Century, Baby! marks the 50th anniversary of the first two Grumman F-14A fleet squadrons (VF-1 and VF-2) receiving their first Tomcats during the summer of 1973. This lavishly illustrated volume tells the story of the aircraft from the beginning to its sunset of service with the US Navy in 2006; the longest operational career of any Naval Fighter to date. Preeminent Tomcat historian and former Tomcat RIO Dave Parsons explains the history of the F-14 decade by decade through the words of the aircrew who flew it. Artist Mads Bangsø brings his superlative illustration talents to the forefront with more than 120 F-14 profiles as well as highly accurate fully rendered recreations historical events featuring the Tomcat, highlighting the interesting markings of the aircraft (including helmets) as well as other aircraft associated with the Tomcat Community. The book features pertinent colour photography throughout, interwoven with the illustrations to complement the text.

Read more less

Book SynopsisReveals the military mastermind who established Iran as a major power in the Middle East and the regional ambitions of the Islamic Republic todayTrade Review‘An important book about one of the Middle East’s most charismatic and powerful men in recent years.’ * Middle East Monitor *‘This energetic account sheds more light on Soleimani’s character and his relationships with [Ayatollah] Ali Khamenei…and [Hezbollah’s] Nasrallah.’ * The Times *‘A brilliant primer on the politics of the Islamic Republic and an in-depth study on one of its most famous sons.’ * The New Arab *‘[A] groundbreaking new biography of the late Qassem Soleimani… Azizi is a skillful interpreter of Soleimani’s moves, and an astute analyst of how Iran’s “living martyr” lied, schemed, and abetted the ugly torture and murder of true revolutionaries and Muslims across the Middle East, and wherever else the IRGC’s reach permitted.’ * Tablet *‘An excellent contribution to our knowledge of Iran and Soleimani.’ -- Kim Ghattas, author of Black Wave‘Mr. Arash Azizi…provides one of the most fascinating books of 2020 and one of the most insightful – into not just Soleimani, but also Iran’s foreign and security aims in the Middle East. A story that easily could have descended into hagiography is masterfully told by Mr. Azizi, who weaves one of the richest and most complex tapestries about the region I’ve come across in some time, especially in so short of a book. It is not just a biography of Soleimani, but a biography of modern Iran and its role in the Middle East.’ * Diplomatic Courier *“The strength of Azizi’s book lies in his achievement in presenting the first written work about Soleymani’s life story… the prose is reader-friendly; the author describes events chronologically and in a straightforward format.” -- Ali Alavi, Senior Teaching Fellow at the School of Oriental and African Studies, Middle East Journal‘Extensively researched and drawing on a vast range of sources, this is the definitive account of one of the Middle East’s most powerful, ambitious and enigmatic figures. Essential reading.’ * Christopher Davidson, author of Shadow Wars *‘A fascinating account of the strengths and weaknesses of the most enigmatic warlord in the Middle East. Azizi skilfully portrays Soleimani’s life and death in the wider context of Iran’s recent history and politics.’ * Anshel Pfeffer, author of Bibi: The Turbulent Life and Times of Benjamin Netanyahu *Table of ContentsIntroduction: #WorldWarIII 1 A Life on the Margins 2 A Young Man in the City 3 To Guard a Revolution 4 “A Gift from the Heavens” 5 War Makes Man 6 No Islamism in One Country 7 A Chalice Full of Poison 8 An “Unwritten Pact” 9 We Protect the Shrines 10 Busy in Beirut 11 Islamic Awakening, Sectarian Degeneration 12 Black Flags, White Flags Epilogue: The Endgame Timeline Acknowledgments A Note on Sources Bibliography Notes Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn 1450, all Europe''s books were handcopied and amounted to only a few thousand. By 1500 they were printed, and numbered in their millions. The invention of one man - Johann Gutenberg - had caused a revolution. Printing by movable type was a discovery waiting to happen.Born in 1400 in Mainz, Germany, Gutenberg struggled against a background of plague and religious upheaval to bring his remarkable invention to light. His story is full of paradox: his ambition was to reunite all Christendom, but his invention shattered it; he aimed to make a fortune, but was cruelly denied the fruits of his life''s work. Yet history remembers him as a visionary; his discovery marks the beginning of the modern world.Trade ReviewThe Gutenberg Revolution is the best book about the origin of books you could read. It is clear, engaging, fast-paced and authoritative. * Stephen Fry *Extremely erudite and enormously enthusiastic * Guardian *Vivid . . . engaging, detailed and highly readable . . . a window on an extraordinary display of consummate skill and creative genius * New Scientist *

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn urgent examination of the great wave of change breaking over today's world from the Pulitzer Prize-winning critic and New York Times bestselling author of The Death of Truth A profoundly inspiring and prophetic perspective on the contemporary world' Ai Weiwei

Read more less

Book SynopsisRobert Hughes, art critic of Time magazine and twice winner of the American College Art Association's F. J. Mather Award for distinguished criticism, is author of The Shock of the New, and of Heaven and Hell in Western Art. He is also author of the acclaimed Nothing if Not Critical, a work on Frank Auerbach; Barcelona, and Culture of Complaint, essays on the fraying of America. Robert Hughes died in August 2012.Trade ReviewA unique phantasmagoria of crime and punishment, which combines the shadowy terrors of Goya with the tumescent life of Dickens * Peter Ackroyd, The Times *A triumph of research, passion and fine writing. I found it an extraordinary and compelling book to read, one of fantastic scope and imagination; truly a tour de force * William Shawcross *Riveting * The Book Magazine *With its mood and stature...The Fatal Shore is well on its way to becoming the standard opus on the convict years * Sydney Sunday Telegraph *An enthralling account of the convict settlement of Australia, thoroughly researched and excellently written, brimming over with rare and pungent characters, and tales of pathos, bravery, and horror * Peter Matthiessen *

Read more less

Book Synopsisconquered Wales, extinguishing forever its native rulers, and constructed - at Conwy, Harlech, Beaumaris and Caernarfon - the most magnificent chain of castles ever created.Trade ReviewMorris tells Edward's story fluently and conveys a compelling sense of the reality, and the contingency, of personal rule... It is on the subject of "the forging of Britain" that Morris is most consistently thought-provoking * Guardian *Marc Morris's new account of the life of Edward I is a splendid example of the genre. Edward's life is in many ways an ideal subject for such an approach, full of incident and action... An excellent, readable account of his reign * Literary Review *This is a direct, forthright and welcoming book... Edward I was called a "great and terrible king" and he has been well served by Marc Morris. He leads us confidently through the litany of battles and conflicts * Scotland on Sunday *A highly readable account of an important reign * Scotsman *Marc Morris has written the first full biography of Edward I for around 100 years, and uncommonly good it is too ... He was a remarkable man, and a great king. Marc Morris does him justice, brings him clearly before our eyes, and, like a true historian, judges him by the standards of his age, not ours. It's compelling stuff -- Allan Massie * Daily Telegraph *

Read more less

Book SynopsisJoseph Goebbels was one of Adolf Hitler's most loyal acolytes. But how did this club-footed son of a factory worker rise from obscurity to become Hitler's malevolent minister of propaganda, most trusted lieutenant and personally anointed successor? In this definitive one-volume biography, renowned German Holocaust historian Peter Longerich sifts through the historical record and thirty thousand pages of Goebbels's own diary entries to answer that question. Longerich paints a chilling picture of a man driven by a narcissistic desire for recognition who found the personal affirmation he craved within the virulently racist National Socialist movement and whose lifelong search for a charismatic father figure inexorably led him to Hitler. This comprehensive biography documents Goebbels' ascent through the ranks of the Nazi Party, where he became a member of the Führer's inner circle and launched a brutal campaign of anti-Semitic propaganda. Goebbels delivers freTrade ReviewA landmark biography * Daily Mail *A landmark biography * Daily Mail *An impressive achievement... illuminating … indispensable -- Richard J EvansMeticulous in its detail… a major work of scholarship -- Ben Shephard * Observer *[A] grimly compelling new biography * Mail on Sunday *

Read more less

Book SynopsisFrom the bestselling author of The Time Traveller''s Guide to Medieval England, comes the story of King Edward III, who - like Elizabeth and Victoria after him - embodied the values of his age, forged a nation out of war and re-made England.He ordered his uncle to be beheaded; he usurped his father''s throne; he started a war which lasted for more than a hundred years, and taxed his people more than any other previous king.Nineteenth century historians saw in Edward the opportunity to decry a warmonger, and painted him as a self-seeking, rapacious, tax-gathering conqueror. Yet, in this first full study of the King''s character and life, Dr Ian Mortimer unveils that behind the strong warrior king was a compassionate, conscientious and often merciful man - resolute yet devoted to his wife, friends and family, and the father of both the English nation and the English people.''A fascinating portrait. At times, the reader seems almost able to reach across time and touch this man'' - The EconomistTrade ReviewAn excellent biography; entertaining as well as informative -- Allan Massie * Daily Telegraph *A fascinating portrait. At times, the reader seems almost able to reach across time and touch this man * The Economist *In producing this fine biography, Mortimer has succeeded magnificently, and has gone a long, long way towards restoring Edward III to his proper place as one of the great makers of this nation -- Alison Weir * Daily Mail *Ian Mortimer...has virtually single-handedly put medieval history back in the hands of ordinary readers, combining scrupulous research with a wonderfully iconoclastic approach to storytelling -- Dominic Sandbrook * Daily Telegraph *

Read more less

Book SynopsisJung Chang is the best-selling author of Wild Swans (1991, which the Asian Wall Street Journal called the most read book about China), and Mao: The Unknown Story (2005, with Jon Halliday), which was described by Time Magazine as an atom bomb of a book'. Her books have been translated into more than 40 languages and sold more than 15 million copies outside mainland China where they are both banned.. She was born in China in 1952, and came to Britain in 1978. She lives in London.Trade ReviewJung Chang tells a story and what a colourful tale it is…This is history at its most readable. -- George Walden * Evening Standard *A truly authoritative account of Cixi’s rule. Her story is both important and evocative. -- Orville Schell * New York Times *Filled with new revelations, it's a gripping and surprising story of an extraordinary woman in power. Using Chinese sources, totally untapped by western books, this reappraises one of the great monstresses of modern history... Jung Chang's revisionism means that this book reveals a new and different woman: ambitious, sometimes murderous, but pragmatic and unique. All of this adds up to make Empress Dowager Cixi a powerful read. -- Simon Sebag Montefiore * BBC History Magazine *If there is one woman who mattered in the history of modern China, it is the empress dowager Cixi…[Her] conventional image is queried in this detailed and beautifully narrated biography, which at long last restores the empress dowager to her rightful place. Chang’s book relies heavily on the vast holdings in the imperial archives in Beijing... She has a wonderful eye for the telling detail and excels at unravelling palace intrigues and corridor politics. -- Frank Dikotter * Sunday Times *Chang has a proven Midas touch... Empress Dowager, by returning to female experience in the style of Wild Swans yet focusing, like Mao, on a controversial ruler, should appeal to fans of both. -- Jeffrey Wasserstrom * Financial Times *A captivating cradle-to-grave biography * VOGUE *In this vivid biography, as colourful and intricate as the embroidery on a Chinese robe, [Jung Chang] uses new evidence and meticulous research to cast a spotlight on the amazing woman she regards as the mother of modern China…This is a rich, dramatic story of rebellions, battles, plotting, rivalry, foreign invasion, punishment and forbidden love. -- Bel Mooney * Daily Mail *An absorbing read. -- Josh Neicho * Independent on Sunday *This is an important book, drawing attention to a period in China's history that has received little, and usually only negative, attention. Chang writes with verve, energy and evident concern for the country in which her books are proscribed and her family was made to suffer during the Cultural Revolution. * BBC History Magazine *

Read more less

Book SynopsisShortlisted for the 2011 Costa Biography Award and the 2012 Royal Society of Literature Ondaatje Prize Julia Blackburn and her husband moved to a little house in the mountains of northern Italy in 1999. She arrived as a stranger but a series of events brought her close to the old people of the village and they began to tell her their stories. Of how their village had been trapped in an archaic feudal system and owned by a local padrone who demanded his share of all they had, of the eruption of the Second World War, of the conflict between the fascists and the partisans, of death and fear and hunger of how they hid like like foxes in the mountains. ''Write it down for us,'' they said, ''because otherwise it will all be lost.'' Thin Paths is a celebration of the songlines of one place that could be many places and a celebration of the humour and determination of the human spirit.Trade ReviewMy book of the year. Beautiful, beguiling, memorable * Edmund de Waal *Impossible to forget...beautiful and deeply humane * Sunday Times *Profoundly moving...absorbing...and compassionate... Blackburn writes beautifully and despite its sorrows, Thin Paths is full of humour and pulsating life * Scotsman *Marvellous... Her writing is as eloquent and elegant as ever * Literary Review *A lyrical patchwork of fine-grained nature writing * Independent *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe brilliantly compelling new biography of the treacherous and tyrannical King John, published to coincide with the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta.King John is familiar to everyone as the villain from the tales of Robin Hood — greedy, cowardly, despicable and cruel.Trade ReviewFine, timely... jaunty, authoritative... Morris has already proven himself as a 13th-century royal biographer - his study of Edward I is a modern classic. He is on form here, too. His split-chronology approach to John’s life before and after the loss of Normandy highlights just how disastrous it was for the king’s reign and reputation. -- DAN JONES * Sunday Times *Outstanding ... This is by far the best book on the monarch’s reign since W L Warren’s trail-blazing biography, King John, written in 1961 – with the literary bravura of which Morris’ book may not unfavourably be compared. * BBC History Magazine *An excellent and sardonic new biography of King John. It will delight all who enjoyed his books on 1066 and Edward I. -- TOM HOLLANDA masterpiece of historical writing… Morris is a wonderful storyteller * TLS *A riveting and timely portrait of an execrable king -- Jessie Childs, author of God's Traitors

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn the summer of 1936, Agee and Evans set out on assignement for Fortune magazine to explore the daily lives of sharecroppers in the South. Their journey would prove an extraordinary collaboration and a watershed literary event when in 1941 Let Us Now Praise Famous Men was first published to enourmous critical acclaim. This unspairing record of place, of the people who shaped the land, and of the rhythm of their lives today stands as one of the most influential books of the twentieth century.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe most enjoyable, glamorous and gripping of all 19th-century autobiographies - a tumultuous account of France hit by wave after wave of revolutionsMemoirs from Beyond the Tomb is the greatest and most influential of all French autobiographies - an extraordinary, highly entertaining account of a uniquely adventurous and frenzied life. Chateaubriand gives a superb narrative of the major events of his life - which spanned the French Revolution, the Napoleonic Era and the uneasy period that led up to the Revolution of 1830.

Read more less

Book Synopsis*WINNER OF THE WOLFSON HISTORY PRIZE 2023**A NEW YORKER BOOK OF THE YEAR*''The best book about the subject I have ever read'' Max Hastings, Sunday TimesA sweeping history of occupation and resistance in war-torn Europe, from the acclaimed author of The Eagle UnbowedAcross the whole of Nazi-ruled Europe the experience of occupation was sharply varied. Some countries - such as Denmark - were within tight limits allowed to run themselves. Others - such as France - were constrained not only by military occupation but by open collaboration. In a historical moment when Nazi victory seemed permanent and irreversible, the question ''why resist?'' was therefore augmented by ''who was the enemy?''.Resistance is an extraordinarily powerful, humane and haunting account of how and why all across Nazi-occupied Europe some people decided to resist the Third Reich. This could range from open partisan warfare in theTrade ReviewThe best book about the resistance I have ever read. It addresses the story with scholarly objectivity and an absolute lack of sentimentality ... it is marvellous to read a study of such breadth and depth, which reaches balanced judgments. -- Max Hastings * Sunday Times *Ground-breaking ... a superb, myth-busting survey of the many ways in which the subjugated peoples of Europe tried to fight back. -- Saul David * Daily Telegraph *A full and nuanced account of all the different forms of resistance... a timely book. * Times Literary Supplement *Eminently readable ... subtle, multilayered and kaleidoscopic ... Kochanski's gripping account of the activities of the resistance includes, as might be expected, tales of derring-do and extraordinary courage as well as tragedy, betrayal and Nazi barbarism. -- Andrew Stuttaford * Wall Street Journal *This ambitious history offers the first unified picture of resistance against Nazi Germany in the many countries it invaded ... Dispensing with heroics and highlighting the imperfect, human nature of the underground, [Kochanski] nevertheless depicts a vital defence of dignity, spirit, and the future, mounted against all odds. * New Yorker *Halik Kochanski's Resistance reads less like a work of history and more like a chronicle of a partisan war foretold ... her scrupulous scholarship, and her refusal to romanticize the grim, grimy work of being a resister, does make Resistance something of a primer for the many Ukrainians now fighting to undermine Russian authority. -- Yuliya Tymoshenko * Project Syndicate *This history of resistance in the Second World War is as moving as it is comprehensive. * The Critic *An excellent comparative study of wartime resistance in all its forms. * BBC History *

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn the great revolutionary year of 1968, Tony Benn was a respectable Labour minister in his forties, and he was restless. While new social movements were shaking up Britain and much of the world, Westminster politics seemed stuck. It was time, he decided, for a different approach. Over the next half century, the radicalized Benn helped forge a new left in Britain. He was joined by four other politicians, who would become comrades, collaborators and rivals: Ken Livingstone, John McDonnell, Diane Abbott and Jeremy Corbyn. For Andy Beckett, the story of these admired and loathed political explorers - both their sudden breakthroughs and long stretches in the wilderness - is the untold story of British politics in modern times. As he reveals, their project to create a radically more equal, liberal and democratic Britain has been much more influential than electoral history might suggest, and can be seen from the shape of our city life to the causes of our culture wars. For their many

Read more less

Book Synopsis*A RADIO 4 BOOK OF THE WEEK*''Utterly enthralling - a beautifully-written voyage of discovery that takes us deep into the heart of music-making'' Deborah MoggachFrom the moment she hears Lev''s violin for the first time, Helena Attlee is captivated. She is told that it is an Italian instrument, named after its former Russian owner. Eager to discover all she can about its ancestry and the stories contained within its delicate wooden body, she sets out for Cremona, birthplace of the Italian violin. This is the beginning of a beguiling journey whose end she could never have anticipated.Making its way from dusty workshops, through Alpine forests, cool Venetian churches, glittering Florentine courts, and far-flung Russian flea markets, Lev''s Violin takes us from the heart of Italian culture to its very furthest reaches. Its story of luthiers and scientists, princes and orphans, musicians, composers, travellers and raconteurs swells to a poignTrade ReviewUtterly enthralling - a beautifully written voyage of discovery that takes us deep into the heart of music-making. -- Deborah Moggach * author of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel *A beguiling quest that draws its author from the Italian heartland of the violin to the edge of Asiatic Russia, told with a passion that is at once gentle and compelling. -- Colin Thubron * author of To a Mountain in Tibet *Elegant and ambitious ... Attlee pursues her story with honesty, diligence and open-mindedness ... An original and refreshingly unorthodox approach to history * Guardian *Attlee's love and unbounded enthusiasm for Italy shine through the pages ... She writes with zest about her sleuthing odyssey, her investigations into the art of lutherie and the dynasties dedicated to the crafting of these delightful objects. Whether it be a distant family history, the timber forests of the Dolomites or a momentary encounter, Attlee captures it in firm, fresh prose. -- Graham Elliot * Spectator *Attlee writes with rare beauty and sensitivity about music, and her love of Italian culture positively sings from the pages ... Deeply absorbing -- Kate Wakeling * BBC Music Magazine *In limpid, searching prose, Helena Attlee shows us how music can cast spells but also bridge the distance of centuries. -- Marina Benjamin * author of The Middlepause *Charming and original ... Attlee has the natural storyteller's gift. -- Stephen Walsh * author of Debussy *Charming ... Attlee tells the story in easy, luminous prose, infused with a deep understanding for the way human value accrues mysteriously in things, and in the act of making them * Telegraph *Reading Lev's Violin is like listening to a fine instrument: thoroughly relaxing but also exciting, fun yet deeply serious ... with constant surprises and charms -- Tobias Jones * author of The Dark Heart of Italy *Illuminating, engrossing ... a wide-ranging exploration of the history and cultural significance of the Italian violin * TLS *Beguiling and truly original ... An amazing journey ... one of the joys is the glimpses it affords of forgotten historical byways and of a colourful, sometimes roguish cast of characters ... Attlee has such a wonderful way with words that as a reader you almost imagine you can see, as well as hear, Lev's violin * Daily Mail *Seductive, captivating ... A book that pleases the more for so neatly resisting characterisation * Literary Review *

Read more less

Book SynopsisFor the fiftieth anniversary of the Stonewall uprising, an anthology chronicling the tumultuous fight for LGBTQ rights in the 1960s and the activists who spearheaded it, with a foreword by Edmund White.Finalist for the Randy Shilts Award for Gay Nonfiction, presented by The Publishing TriangleTor.com, Best Books of 2019 (So Far) Harper’s Bazaar, The 20 Best LGBTQ Books of 2019 The Advocate, The Best Queer(ish) Non-Fiction Tomes We Read in 2019June 28, 2019 marks the fiftieth anniversary of the Stonewall uprising, which is considered the most significant event in the gay liberation movement, and the catalyst for the modern fight for LGBTQ rights in the United States. Drawing from the New York Public Library's archives, The Stonewall Reader is a collection of first accounts, diaries, periodic literature, and articles from LGBTQ magazines and newspapers that documented both the years leading up to and the years following tTrade Review“This window into the daily lives of activists and ordinary people fighting passionately against injustice is illuminating and inspiring.”—Publishers Weekly“Through his skillful curation, [editor Jason Baumann] offers a corrective for what is too often a sanitized, homogenous, and whitewashed portrayal of academics and professionals about the event sometimes termed 'the hairpin drop heard around the world.' ... The first-person narratives collected here effectively spotlight the social inequalities surrounding the LGBTQ community, many of which persist today. A bold rallying cry that should help in the continuing fight for LGBTQ rights.”—Kirkus Reviews“This masterful collection is perhaps one of the most exhaustive looks at the events surrounding Stonewall from the LGBTQ perspective and provides a wonderfully diverse cast of voices.”—Library Journal“…Excellent compilation of first-person accounts from before, during, and after the pivotal 1969 riot…THE STONEWALL READER features a diverse array of voices—folks from across the LGBTQ spectrum telling their stories over decades in essays and interviews and letters.”—The Atlantic“This significant book does welcome justice to an event that author Edmund White, who wrote the foreword, says sparked 'an oceanic change in thinking.'”—Booklist“The Stonewall Reader gives us a richer, messier, more dangerous picture of the Stonewall uprising, its foreground, and aftermath. The book wonderfully reflects how revolutionary moments rarely get portrayed accurately through single voices, and Baumann has produced here a history worth revisiting again and again.”—Lambda Literary“An excellent companion to those famous bricks the patrons threw at police that night in June 1969 (…) aims to correct a narrative that has so often excluded LGBTQ people of color. (…) The book de-gentrifies the narrative, returning the street-smart stories of the original protesters to history. The inclusion of Sylvia Rivera and Marsha P. Johnson in the “During” and “After” sections also subtly underlines the role of transgender people, as they tell the story first of that night and then of how their abandonment by the movement began almost immediately. The book’s mix of familiar and unfamiliar didn’t just re-contextualize the riots for me. I came to understand myself and my life differently. I didn’t even know what I’d lost or gained from these stories and their contexts. The Stonewall Reader seems designed to be widely adopted in classrooms and should be, but, to be sure, it is for anyone, even those who think they know this history.”—Alexander Chee, The New Republic“An essential read for any member of the community who wants to learn about those who paved the way before us.”—Harper’s Bazaar“Brush up on your LGBTQ history with this definitive collection of first-hand accounts, diary entries, periodic literature, and articles from LGBTQ magazines and newspapers that documented the years leading up to and immediately following the Stonewall riots.”—Queerty“The Stonewall Reader, a collection featuring works by figures such as the writer Audre Lorde and the activist Kiyoshi Kuromiya, demonstrates this expansiveness in the variety of experiences it chronicles. The book is named for one of history’s most powerful displays of queer protest, but focuses instead on intimate self-reckoning. The pieces in it ponder visibility, self-understanding, and the development of queerness as an identity.”—The Atlantic“A compilation of first-person accounts and diary entries from activists and participants, along with news articles, essays and more, this work tells the story of events that surrounded the 1969 Stonewall riots, largely seen as the start of the nation’s LGBT civil rights movement.”—CNN.com “To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riot, Jason Baumann, New York Public Library coordinator of humanities and LGBTQ collections, edited a volume drawing from the NYPL archives that includes first accounts, diaries, newspaper articles, and more chronicling the years leading up to the riots and documenting the fight itself. It also spotlights iconic activists who were pivotal to the movement, giving room and space for the forgotten figures of the fight. It features a ton of diverse voices and interviews and helps to paint a crucial moment in queer history in the voices and contexts of the people who were there.”—Book Riot

Read more less

Book SynopsisFrom Zeus and Europa, to Diana, Pan, and Prometheus, the myths of ancient Greece and Rome seem to exert a timeless power over us. But what do those myths represent, and why are they so enduringly fascinating? Why do they seem to be such a potent way of talking about our selves, our origins, and our desires?This imaginative and stimulating Very Short Introduction goes beyond a simple retelling of the stories to explore the rich history and diverse interpretations of classical myths. It is a wide-ranging account, examining how classical myths are used and understood in both high art and popular culture, taking the reader from the temples of Crete to skyscrapers in New York, and finding classical myths in a variety of unexpected places: from arabic poetry and Hollywood films, to psychoanalysis, the bible, and New Age spiritualism. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized Table of ContentsForeword ; 1. Without bulls there would be no Europe ; 2. Contexts, then and now ; 3. Gods and heroes ; 4. Metamorphoses of mythology ; 5. On the analyst's couch ; 6. The sexual politics of myth ; 7. Mythology, spirituality, and the New Age ; Conclusion ; References and further reading ; Timeline

Read more less

Book SynopsisBy the time the First World War ended in 1918, eight million people had died in what had been perhaps the most apocalyptic episode the world had known. This Very Short Introduction provides a concise and insightful history of the ''Great War'', focusing on why it happened, how it was fought, and why it had the consequences it did. It examines the state of Europe in 1914 and the outbreak of war; the onset of attrition and crisis; the role of the US; the collapse of Russia; and the weakening and eventual surrender of the Central Powers. Looking at the historical controversies surrounding the causes and conduct of war, Michael Howard also describes how peace was ultimately made, and the potent legacy of resentment left to Germany. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Trade ReviewReview from previous edition Review from previous edition succinct, comprehensive and beautifully written. Indeed reading it is an experience comparable to scanning the clues of a well-composed crossword puzzle. Every allusion is eventually supplied with an answer, and the finished product defies the puzzler's disbelief that the intricacies can be brought to a convincing conclusion. . . . Michael Howard is the master of the short book * TLS *Howard expertly and succintly summarizes the Great War for the layperson... volume is an excellent way to get a grounding in this momentous subject * Forbes Global 21/03/03 *an enlightened idea to produce a very short account of the great war - a page per month - . . . . But if, in 2014, bright schoolchildren, their brains putified by GCSE, get around to asking what the first world war was about, Howard's book will be very valuable. * The Times, Culture *Professor Sir Michael Howard, . . ., is our best living military historian, and perhaps also strategic thinker. His new work is a masterly introduction to the Great War, desgined for those with no previous knowldge of the subject. . . . Any new student who reads Michael Howard should go on to address the first volume of Hew Strachan's huge new work on the same theme. There is great wisdom in both books, and wisdom on this subject is in short supply. * Sunday Telegraph *Table of Contents1. Europe in 1914 ; 2. The Coming of War ; 3. 1914: The Opening Campaigns ; 4. 1915: The War Continues ; 5. 1916: The War of Attrition ; 6. The United States Enters the War ; 7. 1917: The Year of Crisis ; 8. 1918: The Year of Decision ; 9. The Settlement ; Appendix I: President Wilson's Fourteen Points ; Appendix II: Total War Casualties ; Further Reading

Read more less

Book SynopsisLe Carré''s post-Cold War masterpiece, filled with suspense, betrayal, desire and dramaThe Cold War is over and retired secret servant Tim Cranmer has been put out to pasture, spending his days making wine on his Somerset estate. But then he discovers that his former double agent Larry - dreamer, dissolute, philanderer and disloyal friend - has vanished, along with Tim''s mistress. As their trail takes him to the lawless wilds of Russia and the North Caucasus, he is forced to question everything he stood for.Set in a fragmented, uncertain post-Soviet world, le Carré''s brutal story of falsehoods and betrayal shows men playing dangerous games beyond their control.Trade ReviewA wonderful book ... I cannot think of a more compelling read * Financial Times *An absorbing and thought-provoking piece of work * The Times Literary Supplement *Le Carré is in the first rank -- Ian McEwan

Read more less

Book Synopsis''They won''t know you, the you that''s hidden somewhere in the castle of your skin''Nine-year-old G. leads a life of quiet mischief crab catching, teasing preachers and playing among the pumpkin vines. His sleepy fishing village in 1930s Barbados is overseen by the English landlord who lives on the hill, just as their ''Little England'' is watched over by the Mother Country. Yet gradually, G. finds himself awakening to the violence and injustice that lurk beneath the apparent order of things. As the world he knows begins to crumble, revealing the bruising secret at its heart, he is spurred ever closer to a life-changing decision. Lyrical and unsettling, George Lamming''s autobiographical coming-of-age novel is a story of tragic innocence amid the collapse of colonial rule.''Rich and riotous'' The Times''Its poetic imaginative writing has never been surpassed'' TribuneTrade ReviewIts poetic imaginative writing has never been surpassed * Tribune *Rich and riotous * The Times *Fluent, poetical, sophisticated * Sunday Times *

Read more less

Book Synopsis** The latest volume in the World War One trilogy, The Eastern Front, is out now **A SUNDAY TIMES BOOK OF THE YEARA TELEGRAPH BOOK OF THE YEAR''A tour de force of scholarship, analysis and narration . . . Lloyd is well on the way to writing a definitive history of the First World War'' Lawrence James, The Times''This well-researched, well-written and cogently argued new analysis . . . will undoubtedly now take its rightful place as the standard account of this vital theatre of the conflict'' Andrew Roberts, author of Churchill: Walking with Destiny_________________In the annals of military history, the Western Front stands as an enduring symbol of the folly and futility of war.However, as bestselling military historian Nick Lloyd reveals in this highly-praised history - the first of an epic trilogy -- the story is not one of pointlessness and stupidity, but rather a heroic triumph against the odds. With a cast of hundreds and a huge canvas of places and events, Lloyd tells the whole tale, revealing what happened in France and Belgium between August 1914 and November 1918 from the perspective of all the main combatants - including French, British, Belgian, US and, most importantly, German forces.Lloyd examines the most decisive campaigns of the Great War and explains the unprecedented innovation, adaptation and tactical development that have been too long obscured by legends of mud, blood and futility, drawing upon the latest scholarship on the war, wrongly overlooked first-person accounts, and archival material from every angle. Conveying the visceral assault of the battlefield with vivid detail, Lloyd ultimately redefines our understanding of a crucial theatre in this monumental tragedy._________________''Excellent on detail . . . Lloyd''s book will be cherished by military history buffs'' Max Hastings, Sunday Times''It is the best modern single-volume history of war on the Western Front and is likely to remain the standard account for some time'' Jonathan Boff, The SpectatorTrade ReviewThis is a bold book. Nick Lloyd has written a tour de force of scholarship, analysis and narration . . . Lloyd is well on the way to writing a definitive history of the First World War -- Lawrence James * The Times *Excellent on detail...Lloyd's book will be cherished by military history buffs -- Max Hastings * Sunday Times *Authoritative and fast-paced...By the end of the book, one has a panoramic view of this crucial theatre of war -- Simon Heffer * Sunday Telegraph *A work of serious scholarship that reflects the author's understanding not merely of the military campaigns, but of the men who fought them. Lloyd has written a remarkably authoritative overview of an expansive subject, and a perfect introduction to a more granular study of the conflict * The Telegraph *This well-researched, well-written and cogently argued new analysis overturns all our assumptions and received wisdom about the fighting on the most important front of the Great War. Nick Lloyd deserves congratulation for having written what will undoubtedly now take its rightful place as the standard account of this vital theatre of the conflict -- Andrew Roberts, author of ‘Churchill: Walking with Destiny’An enthralling read. Lloyd deftly guides us through a labyrinth of military detail while never allowing the pace of his narrative to slacken. His account of France's role on the Western Front, often less well documented in Anglo-Saxon accounts, is particularly revealing. Most of us are familiar with the names of the generals involved, but Lloyd brings them sharply to life with his sensitive portrayal of their personalities, idiosyncrasies and relationships with one another. This is an endlessly complex subject to which Lloyd has brought welcome lucidity while never for one moment allowing us to forget the enormity of its tragedy -- Julia Boyd, author of Travellers in the Third ReichThere were many fronts in World War I, but the Western Front, where the industrialized great powers massed their men and resources, was the crucial one. Nick Lloyd has given us the most up-to-date account of the fighting there. He brings the key statesmen and generals to life, as well as the brutal combat from the first battles to the last. Lloyd crisply details the tactical and technological innovation that brought victory, as well as the coalition strategy, economic warfare, and home front management that boosted the Allies and disintegrated the Central Powers -- Geoffrey Wawro, author of The Franco-Prussian War, A Mad Catastrophe, and Sons of Freedom, and director of the University of North Texas Military History CenterAlthough a non-specialist in the history of World War I, I have sought to learn as much as possible about that epochal calamity that cast a dark shadow over the subsequent century. At the core of a generation's agony was the Western Front, which I never fully understood until I read Nick Lloyd's comprehensive, lucid, and evocative narrative that made starkly clear what had previously been a confusing jumble -- James M. McPherson, author of BATTLE CRY OF FREEDOM; THE CIVIL WAR ERAThis is harder to do than it looks, but [Nick Lloyd] has produced a well written, clear and snappy account of a familiar but always dramatic story... The Western Front sets a fine example of operational military history. It is the best modern single-volume history of war on the Western Front and is likely to remain the standard account for some time * The Spectator *The Western Front is an impressive achievement. It will, I am sure, become the standard narrative account, and deserves a wide readership * TLS *He writes with a lucidity and panache that makes the book a page-turner . . . [and] synthesises the latest thinking with such exceptional skill and subtlety . . . Without question, this book is an outstanding achievement, a brilliant one-volume military history of the war on the Western Front that combines narrative drive, acute pen-portraits, and penetrating analysis of military developments and command decisions -- Neil Faulkner * Military History Matters *

Read more less

Book Synopsis''Every page of Deighton''s work glows with the excitement of discovery ... wonderful'' Geoff Dyer, GuardianThis unflinching history of the darkest days of the Second World War covers the entire world stage, from the Battle of the Atlantic to Pearl Harbor. Rooted in the personal accounts of the soldiers themselves, Blood, Tears and Folly is a sweeping, moving account of the political machinations, the strategy and tactics, the weapons and the men on both sides who created a world of devastation.''If he had never written a word of fiction Deighton would still be remembered for his scholarly and merciless history of the Second World War, Blood, Tears and Folly'' Peter Millar, The TimesTrade ReviewIf he had never written a word of fiction [Deighton] would still be remembered for his scholarly and merciless history of the Second World War, Blood, Tears and Folly. -- Peter Millar * The Times *A splendid read ... He has a novelist's eye for the sort of facts that bring a narrative to life. * Evening Standard *Every page of Deighton's work glows with the excitement of discovery ... What wonderful stuff it is! * Guardian *The skill with which he unmasks his villains, the brilliance with which he can sketch a scene and the sharpness of his characterisation are all unrivalled. * Independent *

Read more less

Book Synopsis''Len Deighton''s spy novels are so good they make me sad the Cold War is over'' Malcolm GladwellAfter six weeks in a nuclear submarine gathering computer data on Soviet activity, the mysterious, bespectacled spy known as Patrick Armstrong is desperate to return home. But when he arrives at his London flat, it appears to be occupied by someone who looks just like him - and he finds himself propelled into the heart of a conspiracy stretching from the remote Scottish highlands to the Arctic ice. Revisiting some of the characters from The IPCRESS File, Spy Story shows military games played out for real, and the Cold War turning dangerously hot. ''Menacing, beguiling ... a vintage Len Deighton thriller'' The Times Literary SupplementA PATRICK ARMSTRONG NOVELTrade ReviewThe spy story at its best. * The Times *His best so far. * Observer *Cool, intricate plotting ... excitement and applied violence ... exactly how entertainment should be written. * Daily Mirror *A cracking story. * Evening Standard *Len Deighton's spy novels are so good they make me sad the Cold War is over. -- Malcolm GladwellAuthentic thrills of chase and capture ... impressive. * Sunday Telegraph *

Read more less

Book SynopsisA superb account of the 1860 Damascus massacresmuch neglected nowadays but central to the creation of the modern Middle East' - Simon Sebag MontefioreA stunning portrait of the Ottoman Empire and of Damascus during a time of crisis. Absolutely riveting' - Peter FrankopanAn accessible, enlightening and ultimately surprising account of an episode of which most western readers will be unaware' - Christopher de BellaigueThis remarkable book recreates one of the watershed moments in the history of the Middle East: the ferocious outbreaks of disorder across the Levant in 1860 which resulted in the massacre of thousands of Christians in Damascus.Eugene Rogan brilliantly recreates the lost world of the Middle East under Ottoman rule. The once mighty empire was under pressure from global economic change and European imperial expansion. Reforms in the mid-nineteenth century raised tensions across the empire, nowhere more so than in D

Read more less

Book SynopsisWreckers sinks the old narratives of imperialism, revealing the violent, chaotic and improvised reality of empire-building from the fifteenth to seventeenth centuries. While figures such as Christopher Columbus, Vasco da Gama and Ferdinand Magellan are celebrated for their maritime achievements reaching the Americas, India, and circumnavigating the globe focusing solely on these voyages distorts our perspective on the past. Many explorers ended up as castaways, clinging to the splintered timbers of their wrecked ships, while those who survived often faced resistance and ridicule from indigenous communities across the globe. Drawing on maritime stories from various languages and continents from Brazil and Southeast Africa to India and the Philippines Wreckers shares dramatic tales of the sea and the events on land that followed. This offers an alternative timeline for the century after Columbus' 1492 voyage and sheds light on the fractures and fault lines that accompanied the in

Read more less

Book SynopsisA SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLER''The best single-volume account of the Barbarossa campaign to date'' Andrew Roberts, author of Churchill: Walking with Destiny''A page-turning descent into Hell and back . . . this fresh and compelling account of Hitler''s failed invasion of the Soviet Union should be on everyone''s reading list for 2021'' Dr Amanda Foreman, author of A World on Fire_______________________________The largest military operation in history. The turning point of the Second World War. The most important year of the twentieth century.Operation Barbarossa, Hitler''s invasion of Russia in June 1941, aimed at nothing less than a war of extermination to annihilate Soviet communism, liquidate the Jews and create Lebensraum for the German master race. But it led to the destruction of the Third Reich, and was cataclysmic for Germany with millions of men killed, wounded or registered as missing Trade ReviewThe best single-volume account of the Barbarossa campaign to date -- Andrew Roberts, author of 'Churchill: Walking with Destiny'It's a vital story, one everyone should know, and Dimbleby tells it with verve and elan -- Laurence Rees, author of 'Hitler and Stalin'Should be on everyone's reading list for 2021 -- Dr Amanda Foreman, author of 'A World on Fire'Masterly -- General Sir Mike JacksonVivid and engrossing -- Brendan Simms, author of 'Hitler: Only The World Was Enough'An impressive achievement . . . a fast-paced, gripping read -- Julia Boyd, author of 'Travellers in the Third Reich'A great read . . . he brings Barbarossa very vividly to life, as if you are there -- Robert Kershaw, author of 'War Without Garlands: Operation Barbarossa 1941-1942' and 'Borodino Field 1812/1941'Thought-provoking . . . a captivating eye-opener -- Prof Dr Gerhard Hirschfeld, University of Stuttgart, former President of the International Committee for the Study of the Second World WarSuperbly well-written . . . the most comprehensive study of Hitler's invasion of the USSR in years -- Keith Lowe, author of 'Savage Continent'Expertly narrated and written with piercing clarity -- Frederick Taylor, author of '1939: A People's History'A chilling account of war at its worst -- Bear GryllsSuperb . . . stays with you long after you have finished -- Henry Hemming, bestselling author of 'Our Man in New York'Brilliant . . . a wonderful piece of history -- Robert FoxEpic . . . captures all of Barbarossa's drama and magnitude -- Martin SixsmithBrings to life the sheer, staggering scale of these events... with great skill, care and attention to detail * Sunday Times *[An] encyclopedic new account... a vivid, meticulous tapestry, densely weaving the threads of German and Soviet military strategy, political calculation from Washington and London to Moscow, and war's pitiless human cost * The Telegraph *[Dimbleby] skilfully tracks the shifts and turns of the campaign, sparing no detail . . . a riveting account * Daily Mail, Book of the Week *Dimbleby tells the story of strategic miscalculation and (self-)deception on all sides, and then Hitler's 'war of extermination', magnificently * The Spectator *Amazing . . . fascinating -- Jeremy VineMy best history book of 2021 -- a masterful account of maybe the biggest event ever . . . essential! -- Lee Child

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn essential overview of the problems of our world today -- and how we should prepare for tomorrow -- from the world''s leading public intellectualWe have two choices. We can be pessimistic, give up, and help ensure that the worst will happen. Or we can be optimistic, grasp the opportunities that surely exist, and maybe help make the world a better place. Not much of a choice.From peerless political thinker Noam Chomsky comes an exploration of rising neoliberalism, the refugee crisis in Europe, the Black Lives Matter movement, the dysfunctional US electoral system, and the prospects and challenges of building a movement for radical change.Including four up-to-the-minute interviews on the 2016 American election campaign and global resistance to Trump, this Penguin Special is a concise introduction to Chomsky''s ideas and his take on the state of the world today.Trade ReviewHighly informative ,deftly organized... Noam Chomsky teaches us-yet again-so much on a huge range of issues... If you haven't read Chomsky before, this book will open your eyes. Even if you have, reading this book will make you realize that you still have more eyes to be opened. A beacon in this turbulent and darkening world -- Ha-Joon Chang, author of '23 Things They Don't Tell You About Capitalism'Especially valuable in helping us navigate the dreadful challenges of the Trumpian era... For all those of us who have always dreamed of spending a day with Noam Chomsky and getting his answers to all our questions about the (sorry) state of the world, here's the next best thing: a collection of interviews with our greatest living intellectual on capitalism, empire, and social change -- Michael KlareAstonishing, fundamental, urgent... Demonstrating anew that Noam Chomsky is the world's most humane, philosophically sophisticated, and knowledgeable public intellectual. I cannot imagine a better primer for anyone seeking a better, safer, fairer future -- Professor Richard Falk, International Law Emeritus at Princeton UniversityIn this brilliant series of recent and wide-ranging interviews, Noam Chomsky combines an astounding breadth of knowledge, great depth of insight, clarity and a relentless commitment to social and economic justice. Simply exhilarating, especially in our current dismal era of Donald Trump. Optimism over Despair is a book to devour -- Professor Robert Pollin, Codirector of the Political Economy Research Institute, University of Massachusetts

Read more less

Book SynopsisSunday Times Smart Thinking Book of the Year 2022 New York Times Bestseller WINNER OF THE GLOBAL POLICY INSTITUTE AWARD BOOKS OF THE YEAR: Financial Times, The Times, Esquire, Prospect''When one of the world''s leading scholars of civil war tells us that a country is on the brink of violent conflict, we should pay attention. This is an important book'' Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt, authors of How Democracies DieCivil wars are the biggest danger to world peace today - this book shows us why they happen, and how to avoid them.We are now living in the world''s greatest era of civil wars. While violence has declined worldwide, major civil wars are now being fought in countries including Iraq, Syria and Libya, and smaller civil wars are being fought in India and Malaysia. Even countries we thought could never experience another civil war - such as the USA, Sweden and Ireland - are showing signs of unrest. So how can we stop them?In How Civil Wars Start, acclaimed expert Professor Barbara F. Walter, who has advised on political violence everywhere from the CIA to the U.S. Senate to the United Nations, explains the rise of civil wars and the conditions that create them - not least when countries are not quite democratic. As democracies across the world backslide and citizens become more polarised, civil wars will become even more widespread and last longer than they have in the past - but this urgent and important book shows us a path back toward peace.Trade ReviewWhen one of the world's leading scholars of civil war tells us that a country is on the brink of violent conflict, we should pay attention . . . This is an important book -- Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt, authors of How Democracies DieAn absorbing guide ... this book performs a valuable service * Sunday Times *How Civil Wars Start is a stop sign for us. What an imperative book for our time. Read and act -- Ibram X. Kendi, author of How to Be an AntiracistA bracing manual . . . . Indispensable -- Financial TimesLike those who spoke up clearly about the dangers of global warming decades ago, Walter delivers a grave message that we ignore at our peril -- David Remnick * The New Yorker *Polemical and essential -- James A. Robinson, co-author of Why Nations FailA vivid, compelling book on a globally vital issue. Timely, important and original -- Professor Richard English, author of Does Terrorism Work? A HistoryBarbara F. Walter has drawn on decades of experience and unparalleled expertise to write a powerful and indispensable book. How Civil Wars Start brilliantly illuminates the history of civil wars and the profound dangers to our union today, serving as both a warning about the stakes in our politics and a call to action for those who want to preserve multiethnic democracy and the values that America is supposed to stand for -- Ben Rhodes, author of After the Fall

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis is the forgotten story of the million white Europeans, snatched from their homes and taken in chains to the great slave markets of North Africa to be sold to the highest bidder. Ignored by their own governments, and forced to endure the harshest of conditions, very few lived to tell the tale.Using the firsthand testimony of a Cornish cabin boy named Thomas Pellow, Giles Milton vividly reconstructs a disturbing, little known chapter of history. Pellow was bought by the tyrannical sultan of Morocco who was constructing an imperial pleasure palace of enormous scale and grandeur, built entirely by Christian slave labour. As his personal slave, he would witness first-hand the barbaric splendour of the imperial court, as well as experience the daily terror of a cruel regime.Gripping, immaculately researched, and brilliantly realised, WHITE GOLD reveals an explosive chapter of popular history, told with all the pace and verve of one of our finest historians.Trade ReviewGiles Milton has a gift for searching out odd and forgotten corners of history and turning them into bestselling books... this is not a dry history, but a full-blooded narrative closer in style to a historical novel than to an academic study. * William Palmer Literary Review *Milton's story could scarcely be more action-packed, and its setting and subsidiary characters are as fantastic as its events. * The Sunday Times *An extraordinary story which few people will be at all familiar with... an exciting and sensational account of a really swash-buckling historical episode * Philip Hensher, Spectator *Giles Milton's narrative races along as he stitches together a story of heroism, sacrifice and misplaced zeal, painstakingly researched from contemporary writing and records * Observer *Giles Milton... has crafted an inspiration for those of us who believe that history can be exciting and entertaining * The Times *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe true story of a foundling. ''Extraordinary ... A fascinating, moving book: part history of the Foundling Hospital and the development of child psychology, part Cowan''s own story, and part that of Cowan''s mother'' LUCY SCHOLES, TELEGRAPH Growing up in a wealthy enclave outside San Francisco, Justine Cowan''s life seems idyllic. But her mother''s unpredictable temper drives Justine from home the moment she is old enough to escape. It is only after her mother dies that she finds herself pulling at the threads of a story half-told - her mother''s upbringing in London''s Foundling Hospital. Haunted by this secret history, Justine travels across the sea and deep into the past to discover the girl her mother once was. Here, with the vividness of a true storyteller, she pieces together her mother''s childhood alongside the history of the Foundling Hospital: from its idealistic beginnings in the eighteenth century, how it influenced somTrade ReviewPage-turning and profoundly moving. Her meticulous research has uncovered a strand of British history and she brings it sharply and vividly to life through her personal quest. * Virginia Nicholson *Part-memoir, part-detective story, The Secret Life Of Dorothy Soames will break your heart then piece it back together again ... Simultaneously exploring her mother's story of escape and the history of the Foundling Hospital, this is an unforgettable read * Stylist *An extraordinary memoir . . . Although telling a deeply personal story, Cowan painstakingly gathers her material as if assembling testimony for a day in court. She is also admirably honest about her fraught relationship with her mother . . . The result is this fascinating, moving book; part history of the Foundling Hospital and the development of child psychology, part Cowan's own story, and part that of Dorothy Soames (the name Cowan's mother was given at the hospital) -- Lucy Scholes * Daily Telegraph *The Secret Life of Dorothy Soames is the gripping true story of a daughter's quest to find the truth about her mother's origins-and, in the process, come to terms with her own life and choices. As she uncovers an increasingly dramatic tale of abuse, escape, and recovery, Justine Cowan must grapple with her complex feelings about this woman who, as she comes to learn, never had a real childhood of her own. A riveting, heartbreaking, and ultimately healing journey of discovery * Christina Baker Kline, author of #1 New York Times bestseller Orphan Train *Part investigative journalism, part emotional excavation, this breathtaking and heartbreaking book tells the story of a daughter's need to understand her difficult mother. An unexpected and original addition to the mother/daughter memoir oeuvre, The Secret Life of Dorothy Soames is both moving and artful, rewarding its readers page after page * Adrienne Brodeur, bestselling author of Wild Game: My Mother, Her Secret and Me *Cowan debuts with an impressive memoir about the unearthing of her deceased mother's secret past and a generations-long cycle of family trauma. This frank account of a real-life Dickensian dystopia captivates at every turn * Publishers Weekly *Well-researched and highly personal, the book presents a fascinating narrative tapestry that both informs and moves. A candidly illuminating debut memoir * Kirkus Reviews *In this moving story, Cowan painfully recalls the effect her mother's volatility had on her childhood in California, and how it led to estrangement in adulthood as her legal career developed and she left her mother behind. Yet, despite their broken relationship, upon Eileen's death Cowan found herself drawn to discovering her mother's past: a history that had remained entirely hidden to her until she read Eileen's memoir, which she had previously refused to open . . . This is a beautifully written and tender account of how a daughter came to a late understanding of her mother, and how she began to heal the wounds of all that had gone before * New Statesman *

Read more less

Book SynopsisRe-issue of a classic book on a fascinating but often overlooked period in the history of the Second World War.Trade Review"The best ... because it travels the least familiar ground" Max Hastings, The Standard * "Graphic and moving ... the Germans paid a frightful price for their sins of conquest" Desmond Albrow, The Sunday Telegraph*

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Seventy Wonders of the Ancient WorldThe Seventy Wonders of the Ancient WorldThe raising of the stones at Stonehenge, the laying out of the Nazca Lines on the face of the Peruvian desert are all described and explained by an international team of experts. Packed with fact files, this is a testament to the skill of the ancient architects and engineers who continue to impress successive generations down the ages. Recently updated and in a new accessible paperback format.

Read more less

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

Read more less

Book SynopsisA singular, compassionate history of humanity, told through the lens of a misunderstood disease.''Superb.'' TELEGRAPH''Fascinating.'' SPECTATOR''Remarkable.'' LITERARY REVIEW''Shocking, moving and sensitive.'' TLS''Uplifting.'' THE TIMESGrippingly and humanely recounted.'PHILIPPE SANDS''It is impossible not to be moved by the lives unfolding in these pages, impossible not to be left transformed and enlightened. ''LEILA ABOULELAWINNER OF THE 2023 RSL GILES ST AUBYN AWARDThe story of leprosy is the story of humanity.It is a story of isolation and exclusion, of resilience and resistance, one which has permeated global cultures in myriad ways for thousands of years, dividing the world into the clean' and the unclean'.Oliver Basciano's journey to demystify leprosy takes him from the Romanian border, the hinterlands of Brazil and the fringes of Siberia to the Japanese archipelago, Robben Island and the northern provinces of Mozambique. It reveals the image of medieval leprosy to be a nineteenth-century myth invented to justify gross mistreatment of patients, a blueprint used for further state-sanctioned stigma: colonialism and racism, religious and economic exploitation.Basciano meets those living with leprosy today, those exiled to various leprosaria around the world and forced to find homes away from home; he hears stories of community and perseverance in the face of grave circumstances, of lives bound to each other through shared experience and a refusal to be cast aside.A work of outstanding empathy, Outcast shines new light on the human condition, asking: does a society's sense of itself always rely on ostracisation?''A new kind of travel book across continents and, more importantly, across the partitions that separate the healthy from the damned Outcast is a revisionist history that makes you realise, when you turn its last page, how differently you look at the world than you did when you first cracked its spine.''BENJAMIN MOSER

Read more less

Book SynopsisTable of Contents*FrontMatter, pg. i*Indice, pg. v*Editors' Preface, pg. vii*Abbreviazioni, pg. ix*Indice delle tavole, pg. xix*Indice delle figure nel testo, pg. xxiv*Introduzione, pg. 3*I. Catalogo delle fornaci, pg. 9*II. Profilo generale delle officine da vasaio e aspetti tecnici delle fornaci, pg. 41*III. Produzione ceramica, pg. 79*IV. Considerazione finali, pg. 97*Appendici tecniche: Premessa, pg. 105*English abstract, pg. 181*Indice analitico, pg. 185*Indice topografico, pg. 191*Tav. 1-Tav.21, pg. 195*TAV. 22- TAV.42, pg. 216*TAV. 43-Tav. 68, pg. 237

Read more less

Book Synopsis''Let us turn our faces towards Asia'', exhorted Lenin when the long-awaited revolution in Europe failed to materialize. ''The East will help us conquer the West.'' Peter Hopkirk''s book tells for the first time the story of the Bolshevik attempt to set the East ablaze with the heady new gospel of Marxism. Lenin''s dream was to liberate the whole of Asia, but his starting point was British India. A shadowy undeclared war followed. Among the players in this new Great Game were British spies, Communist revolutionaries, Muslim visionaries and Chinese warlords - as well as a White Russian baron who roasted his Bolshevik captives alive. Here is an extraordinary tale of intrigue and treachery, barbarism and civil war, whose violent repercussions continue to be felt in Central Asia today.Trade Review'The stuff of a dozen adventure movies . . . everything a ripping good yarn should be' * New York Times *'A classic example of truth outpacing fiction' * Times Literary Supplement *

Read more less

Book Synopsis'Hopkirk has made the extraordinary field of Central-Asian espionage his own ... an enthralling story' ObserverTrade Review'Recreates with much verve and brilliance, the clandestine attempts by Britain's imperial rivals to subvert the British Empire in India' * Guardian *'Tells with great fluency, authority and narrative skill . . . a story which no single book has told before' * Sunday Telegraph *

Read more less

Book SynopsisWitchcraft haunts the Western imagination to this day, from Central Europe to Britain to North America. This book explores the development of witchcraft and of the belief in it (stressing the difference between the two), the sixteenth- and seventeenth-century obsession that spawned witch-hunting, the eventual decline of witchcraft, and the phenomenon's fascinating afterlife' that has involved the Nazis' fixation and modern treatments including Arthur Miller's acclaimed The Crucible. Fully illustrated with historical documents and colour photographs, and expertly written by Professor David Nash, this book isthe perfect introduction to a subject that is compelling, disturbing and alittle-understood cultural touchstone.Table of ContentsIntroduction and Pre-history / Witchcraft and Witch-hunting Take Hold / The High Point and Heyday of Witches and Witch-hunting / The Declining Years of Witch-hunting / The Afterlife of Witch-hunting / Places to Visit / Further Reading / Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisAward-winning science writer Steven Mithen explores how an understanding of our ancestors and their development can illuminate our brains and behaviour today.

Read more less