History Books

Book SynopsisKnowledge is power. Time is money. Justice is blind.Western civilisation is a powerful brand, and full of accepted wisdoms like these that we rarely question. Taking cues from Greek philosophy and honed in the Enlightenment, certain notions about humanity and society grew into the tenets many of us still live by today.But if we take a closer look at these ideas, it seems they are not all they are cracked up to be. In fact, some of them are outright lies - and we can start to ask who really benefits from them. What is the value of a scientific worldview that conjured up ''race''? Are the Western concepts of ''saving'' and ''wasting'' time really the best ways to live? Who are our laws actually designed to serve? And the real question: is the West as civilised as it likes to think it is? In an age of division and entrenched inequality, Uncivilised is a timely, provocative and entertaining counter to the ideas and assumptions that have shaped the WTrade ReviewA witty and accessible survey of the shortcomings of western civilisation as many people imagine it -- Angela Saini, author of SUPERIORA vital piece of work in our challenging times that reminds us of the rich history and influences outside the West. Das writes with passion and humour to open our eyes to the history that has shaped our world -- Roma AgrawalA stunning debut. Subhadra Das shows how a word - civilisation - became a lie. She traces how that lie was repeated and transformed in universities and museums, and how it came to be embedded in the idea of 'western' culture itself. Clearly and passionately, Uncivilised shows us how to begin to dispel such enduring untruths - with seriousness and humour in equal measure -- Dan Hicks, author of THE BRUTISH MUSEUMSWith cutting wit and incisive insight, Uncivilised makes minced meat out of the leviathan known as 'Western civilization'. Imagine a brilliant curator-comedian guiding you on an irreverent tour through a grand museum - exposing its attics, sewers, and closets full of real and metaphoric skeletons. Subhadra guides us out of hallowed, hypocritical halls of the 'Ten Lies That Made the West', and shares with us the histories, knowledges, and ingenuity of those peoples and cultures dismissed as 'uncivilised' -- Xine YaoThere is a quiet, righteous rage that steams off the pages of this book. I can't help but wish it was a book I'd read many decades ago -- Alom ShahaEverything you never knew you needed to know, told with wit and charm. Das unveils the hidden history that shapes every so-called 'fact' of civilisation with a wry sense of humour and an expert's knowledge. -- Brenna HassettDas traces the lies coiled serpent-like around the foundations of Western 'civilisation' with wit and elan, in a paradigm-shifting yet highly accessible tome. If there's one book you read this year, let it be this -- Lindsey FitzharrisSubhadra Das expertly takes us on journey, weaving wit and vulnerability within years of research. Uncivilised balances brilliant storytelling with academia, resulting in an unflinching debut that's hard to put down -- Yomi SodeUsing a fast-paced mixture of memoir, historical analysis and zingers, Das asks how well the Western world has lived up to the ideals it has set for itself, from impartial justice to the scientific method -- Professor Erin Thompson, author of SMASHING STATUESUncivilised will make the intelligent reader question everything they thought they knew, in the best possible way. Clever, funny and shrewd - everyone who cares about ideas needs to read this book -- Caroline Crampton, author of THE WAY TO THE SEA

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Book SynopsisWhen Hitler attacked the Soviet Union in June 1941, he intended to capture Leningrad before turning on Moscow. Soviet resistance forced him to change tactics: with his forward troops only thirty kilometres from the city''s historic centre, he decided instead to starve it out. Using newly available diaries and government records, Anna Reid describes a city''s descent into hell - the breakdown of electricity and water supply; subzero temperatures; the consumption of pets, joiner''s glue and face cream; the dead left unburied where they fell - but also the extraordinary endurance, bravery and self-sacrifice, despite the cruelty and indifference of the Kremlin.Trade ReviewA masterpiece of modern historical writing. With a clear, unsentimental eye and in calm prose, she describes the horrors of the most lethal siege in modern history ... A terrible story, superbly researched and beautifully told * Anthony Beevor, Daily Telegraph Books of the Year *Magisterial * Orlando Figes, Daily Telegraph Books of the Year *An admirable retelling of the extraordinary story of the 1941-44 siege ... The author has assembled the testimony of many unfamiliar witnesses, and vividly portrays what some of us consider the most dreadful saga of the Second World War * Max Hastings, The Times Books of the Year *Impeccably researched, well-paced and beautifully written, Leningrad marks a new benchmark in the study of the subject and a more nuanced, objective interpretation for a new century * Financial Times *A moving and breathtaking examination of the terrible price extorted by unfettered political power on both sides -- Sally Moris * Daily Mail *

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Book Synopsis''Riveting. This highly readable and entertaining book ... finally sets the record straight on the history of the Koh-i-Noor'' Tarquin Hall, Sunday Times''Dynamic, original and supremely readable'' Maya Jasanoff, GuardianThe first comprehensive and authoritative history of the Koh-i-Noor, arguably the most celebrated and mythologised jewel in the world.On 29 March 1849, the ten-year-old maharaja of the Punjab was ushered into the magnificent Mirrored Hall at the centre of the great fort in Lahore. There, in a public ceremony, the frightened but dignified child handed over great swathes of the richest country in India in a formal Act of Submission to a private corporation, the East India Company. He was also compelled to hand over to the British monarch, Queen Victoria, perhaps the single most valuable object on the subcontinent: the celebrated Koh-i-Noor diamond. The Mountain of Light.The history of the Koh-i-Noor may haTrade ReviewExtraordinary. William Dalrymple and Anita Anand have found previously ignored and untranslated Persian and Afghan sources to give us fresh information -- Ysenda Maxtone Graham * The Times *Riveting. Dalrymple and Anand present as evocative a rendering as the most enthralling bazaar storyteller while providing an astute and empathetic study of the historical landscape through which the diamond has made its troubled way … This highly readable and entertaining book ... finally sets the record straight on the history of the Koh-i-Noor -- Tarquin Hall * Sunday Times *Dalrymple and Anand’s tale is a writer’s gift -- Robert Leigh-Pemberton * Daily Telegraph *The history of the many who have coveted the diamond is long and involved, full of wonder and awe, treachery and bloodshed * Observer *Dalrymple tracks its tortuous journey across the Indian subcontinent and Afghanistan to its arrival in the Punjabi treasury; Anand tells the subsequent story of British ownership. Their two narratives are neatly spliced and stylistically harmonious ***** -- Matthew Dennison * Mail on Sunday *[Dalrymple and Anand] have a real story to tell … for anyone with a taste for that classic blend of blood and bling, for “oceans of pearls and gold” and hecatombs of severed heads, for monstrous heaps of eyeballs – 20,000 of them – and precious stones “in quantities that beggar all description” this is an oriental Games of Thrones – Dalrymple’s own reference – in spades -- David Crane * Spectator *Meticulously researched and brilliantly written ... In fewer than 300 quick-reading pages, Dalrymple and Anand bust myth after myth -- Jon Wilson * BBC History Magazine *Dalrymple tells this complicated story with verve and admirable brevity, drawing on a wide range of literature and memoirs. He paints a picture in which elegance and refinement are married to treachery and hideous brutality … This is a book which anyone interested in 19th century India and Indio-British relations will want to read -- Allan Massie * Scotsman *Gruesome and ceaselessly dramatic * Daily Telegraph *For all that the Koh-i-Noor may be a doubtful best friend, there is no doubting the fascination of its story, told so engagingly here -- John Ure * Country Life *Koh-i-Noor offers memorable tales of Indian courtly intrigue and violence, and explores the shifting fortunes of South Asian dynasties, the consolidation of British power in the subcontinent, and the British monarchy during and after Queen Victoria’s reign * Times Literary Supplement *Dalrymple and Anand bring every stage of the Koh-i-Noor’s turbulent past to life. It is an utterly fascinating story, revealing the nature of power through the history of one of its most potent symbols -- Lucy Moore * Literary Review *In this vivid history of one of the world’s most celebrated gemstones, the Indian diamond known as the Koh-i-Noor, Anita Anand and William Dalrymple put an inventive twist on the old maxim. “Follow the diamond,” they realise, and it can lead into a dynamic, original and supremely readable history of empires -- Maya Jasanoff * Guardian *The fascinating story of this enormous jewel, currently kept in the Tower of London, is told in a compelling new book by Radio 4’s Anita Anand (Any Answers) and historian William Dalrymple … The book comes out on June 15 and I can’t wait to get my hands on it -- Richard and Judy * Daily Express *William Dalrymple is to non-fiction what JK Rowling is to fiction ... This joint project with Anita Anand is bound to fly off the shelves as quickly as readers can devour it * Bookseller *

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Book SynopsisA fascinating history of seven Victorian London cemeteries - 'works of art', created as much for the living as they were for the dead.

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Book SynopsisThis fascinating selection of photographs shows how Bramhall has changed and developed over the last century.

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Book SynopsisThe military heritage of Cornwall from medieval times to the present day. This book will be of interest to all those who would like to know more about Cornwallâs remarkable military history.

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Book SynopsisIn What Can I Bring?, veteran food and cookbook writer and guest extraordinaire Casey Elsass takes the stress out of the partygoer’s eternal dilemma with 75 recipes that will make you the talk of the party—for the right reasons. In a room full of bags of chips, be the most desired dip with Golden Ratio Guac or Seven Onion Dip. Put down the $12 bottle of pinot grigio and pick up a tray of Jell-O Cocktail Shots. Discover a world of standout brunch dishes, such as Cream-Soaked Cinnamon Rolls or Bagel Panzanella. When you’re on dessert duty, choose from Buttermilk Brownies, Apple + Chinese Five-Spice Pie, Very Creamy Ice Cream, or death-by-chocolate Bruce Bogtrotter Cake. And when the host instructs you to bring yourself, come prepared with giftable treats like Seasoned Oyster Crackers or Homemade Hot Fudge. With plenty of options and adaptations for special diets and allergies, including vegan, gluten-free, and nut-free recipes, and detailed instructions for packing and serving for minimal stress on-site, this book is your road map for crowd-pleasing party fare. The only thing you’ll be taking home is the title of MVP—Most Valuable Partygoer.   

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Book SynopsisExam Board: OCRLevel: A-levelSubject: HistoryFirst Teaching: September 2015First Exam: June 2016This is an OCR endorsed resourceBuild strong subject knowledge and skills in A Level History using the in-depth analysis and structured support in this tailor-made series for OCR''s British period studies and enquiries.- Develops the analytical skills required to succeed in the period study by organising the narrative content around the key issues for students to explore- Enhances understanding of the chosen historical period, supplying a wealth of extracts and sources that offer opportunities to practise the evaluative skills needed for the enquiry- Progressively improves study skills through developmental activities and advice on answering practice exam questions- Helps students to review, revise and reflect on the course material through chapter summaries and revision activi

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Book SynopsisThe P-51B Mustang was delivered to the European Theater of Operations in the cherished hope that it could help achieve the destruction of Germany''s aircraft industry and the Luftwaffe before Operation Overlord. This title tells the story of that aircraft from its development prior to the American entry into the war through to D-Day in June 1944.During World War II, the United States Army Air Corps was led by a cadre of officers who believed implicitly that military aviation, particularly fast heavy bombers at high altitude, would be able to destroy strategic enemy targets during daylight with minimal losses. However, by 1942 the Flying Fortress was proving vulnerable to Luftwaffe fighters.This title charts the United States Army Air Forces'' struggle to develop a Long-Range Escort which would enable them to achieve the Combined Bomber Objectives and gain mastery of the skies over the Third Reich. The commitment of the USAAF to the Mediterranean and EurTrade ReviewWithin the pages of this book you will discover a detailed chronology and evolution of the P-51 airplane, from development to the battlefield. This is the most detailed and well-researched history that I have seen on the P-51 airplane, covering conception, design, development, manufacturing, and arrival at the field of battle. The story is both compelling and authentic. * Gerald Landry, GALCIT Wind Tunnel Manager, Ret. *The Mustang revisited. An exhaustive work with up-to-date research and something for all readers with the story of the famous fighter. A must-have for all Mustang lovers. -- Robert Gruenhagen, author of 'Mustang: The Story of the P-51 Fighter'It is a compelling story, told in a way that is both interesting and informative. For enthusiasts of aerospace history, WWII history, or merely the story of the march of technology, this is a book that deserves to be read and studied. -- Cindy Macha * Director of the Western Museum of Flight *For anyone interested in the US Air Force, or the Mustang itself, this is a very solid and attractive work. * The Armourer *A must have title that illustrates an outstanding American adventure. * JP4 Magazine *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Dedication Foreword Introduction 1: The Creation of NAA 2: NAA’s Struggle to Gain USAAC Acceptance 3: Building the Mustang Despite the USAAC-MD 4: The Birth of the Merlin Mustang 5: The Long-Hoped-For Single-Engined Escort Fighter 6: The Mission of Long-Range Escort Reaches Crisis Point 7: “Destroy the Luftwaffe – in the Air and on the Ground” Appendices Bibliography Endnotes Index

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Book Synopsis''That nickname . . .''''Little bird. It wasn''t mine. I found out later he gave it to every little girl that came in to be injected. Little Bird didn''t mean anything. It was a trick. There were thousands of little birds, just like me, all thinking they were the only one.''As a reporter, Jacques Peretti has spent his life investigating important stories. But there was one story, heard in scattered fragments throughout his childhood, that he never thought to investigate. The story of how his mother survived Auschwitz.In the few last months of the Second World War, thirteen-year-old Alina Peretti, along with her mother and sister, was one of thirteen thousand non-Jewish Poles sent to Auschwitz. Her experiences there cast a shadow over the rest of her life.Now ninety, Alina has been diagnosed with dementia. Together, mother and son begin a race against time to record her memories and preserve her family''s story

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Book SynopsisInsanity, identity and empire examines the formation of colonial social identities inside the institutions for the insane in Australia and New Zealand. Taking a large sample of patient records, it pays particular attention to gender, ethnicity and class as categories of analysis, reminding us of the varied journeys of immigrants to the colonies and of how and where they stopped, for different reasons, inside the social institutions of the period. It is about their stories of mobility, how these were told and produced inside institutions for the insane, and how, in the telling, colonial identities were asserted and formed. Having engaged with the structural imperatives of empire and with the varied imperial meanings of gender, sexuality and medicine, historians have considered the movements of travellers, migrants, military bodies and medical personnel, and ‘transnational lives’. This book examines an empire-wide discourse of ‘madness’ as part of this inquiry.Trade Review'Cathy Coleborne has written a splendid book, one that is especially welcome for its comparative focus, and for its efforts to give us a sense of mental patients' lives in two colonial societies. This is a meticulously researched monograph that is crisply written and full of wonderful details, the whole forming a splendid addition to the burgeoning literature on the history of colonial psychiatry.'Andrew Scull, Distinguished Professor of Sociology and Science Studies, University of California, San Diego'Coleborne [has] added important dimensions to the history of insanity in Australia and New Zealand, but even more significant is the depth of insight these works offer historians of immigration. They deserve a wide readership.'Stephen Garton, University of Sydney, Australian Historical Studies47, no. 2‘Historians are yet to explore the discursive stretch of madness throughout the British Empire, writes Coleborne. This expansive monograph, bringing together scholarly fields to examine madness thematically at two settler sites of empire, is an important step towards this.’James Dunk, University of Sydney‘Insanity, Identity and Empire draws on and extends Coleborne’s previously published works about institutional confinement.’ Ann Westmore, University of Melbourne , Health and History 18/2‘The book adds to a growing body of historical literature on disability and madness and, in particular, research on migration, disability, and madness.’Natalie Spagnuolo, York University, Toronto, H-Disability (January 2018) -- .Table of ContentsIntroduction: Insanity, identity and empire1. Insanity in the ‘age of mobility’: Melbourne and Auckland, 1850s–80s2. Immigrants, mental health and social institutions: Melbourne and Auckland, 1850s–90s3. Passing through: narrating patient identities in the colonial hospitals for the insane, 1873–19104. White men and weak masculinity: men in the public asylums, 1860s–1900s5. Insanity and white femininity: women in the public asylums, 1860s–1900s6. The ‘Others’: inscribing difference in colonial institutional settingsConclusionBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisIn England in the eighth century, in the midst of the so-called Dark Ages, Offa ruled Mercia, one of the strongest Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. For over 30 years he was the dominant warlord in the territory south of the Humber and the driving force behind the expansion of Mercia s power. During that turbulent period he commanded Mercian armies in their struggle against the neighbouring kingdoms of Northumbria and Wessex and against the Welsh tribes. Yet the true story of Offa s long reign and of the rise and fall of Mercia are little known although this is one of the most intriguing episodes in this little-recorded phase of England s past. It is Chris Peers s task in this new study to uncover the facts about Offa and the other Mercian kings and to set them in the context of English history before the coming of the Danes.

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Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE HWA NON-FICTION CROWNAN IRISH TIMES BOOK OF THE YEARA NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW NOTABLE BOOKA FINALIST FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARDElizabeth Anscombe: defiantly brilliant, chain-smoking, trouser-wearing Catholic and (eventual) mother of seven.Philippa Foot: pathalogically discreet, quietly rebellious granddaughter of a US president.Mary Midgley: witty scholar and careful observer of humans and animals alike.Iris Murdoch: aspiring novelist and Francophile with the power to seduce (almost) anyone.Written with expertise and flair, Metaphysical Animals is a vivid portrait of the endeavours and achievements of these four remarkable women. As undergraduates at Oxford during the Second World War, they shared ideas (as well as shoes, sofas and lovers). From the disorder and despair of war, they went on to breathe new life into philosophy, creating a radically fresh way of thinking about freedom, reality and human goodness that is there for us today.'Evocative and sparkling' New York Times'A triumph' Mail on SundayTrade ReviewExcellent -- Bonnie Garmus * Guardian *Lively ... This fascinating work of historico-logico-feminism shows... how women fought their way on to the world stage of philosophy and turned its spotlight away from an analytical desert on to what was really important - moral clarity, wisdom and truth -- John Walsh * Sunday Times *The narrative is of four brilliant women finding their voices, opposing received wisdom, and developing an alternative picture of human beings and their place in the world... To read this story is to be reminded...that the life of the mind can be as intense and eventful as friendship itself -- Anil Gomes * Guardian *Joyful... These four are enlivening companions... four glorious heroines, confident and curious, focused on the world and not on themselves * Spectator *Irresistible... Highly evocative... Bring[s] to life an important episode in intellectual history, and [has] made me again grateful that I was for a time a contemporary of these unforgettable women -- Thomas Nagel * London Review of Books *

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Book SynopsisA captivating biography of the Bluestockings, revealing the lives and the legacy of this circle of women intellectuals who blazed a trail through eighteenth-century Britain.

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Book SynopsisA 2023 POLITICAL BOOK OF THE YEAR (WATERSTONES) 'GROUND-BREAKING' Bernardine Evaristo 'UNIVERSAL AND TIMELY' Elif Shafak 'IMPORTANT' Sathnam Sanghera 'A GENEROUS OFFERING' Nana Darkoa Sekiyamah 'QUIETLY RADICAL' Evening Standard 'INTIMATE' GuardianWhat can ancestral practices teach us about how to live fuller lives today?Upon turning forty, Afua Hirsch had an encounter that forever altered her preconceived notions of ancestry and body image, making her question everything from body-modification rituals such as tattoos and piercings to the foundations of sexuality, as well as attitudes towards puberty, ageing and death. This book charts her year-long journey of radical unlearning. Bringing together global scholarship, on-the-ground reportage, personal anecdotes and interviews with beauty experts, practitioners and service users, she reassesses notions of body image beyond those of the colonial, patriarchal gaze. Decolonising My Body is a powerful excavation of the Eurocentric beauty standards that have long shaped how, in particular, those from the Global Majority are perceived and view themselves. Taking us from puberty to end-of-life, Hirsch shows us that the ways in which we adorn and present ourselves have spiritual implications and shape the possibilities we see for ourselves in the world. These insights and discoveries will empower you to reconnect with your own ancestry, better understand the link between beauty, history and (respectability) politics, and liberate yourself from mainstream standards and systems that aren’t serving you. *Co-host of the LOYALTY podcast with Peter Frankopan*Trade ReviewExceptionally rich, inspiring, challenging, wise and moving. I didn't realise I needed this book until I read it and felt stirrings towards my own ancestral awakening of African female cultural beliefs and practices that were sadly long ago lost to the colonial project. This is a ground-breaking book that speaks to all women. * Bernardine Evaristo, author of 'Girl, Woman, Other' *I would wholeheartedly recommend Decolonising My Body by Afua Hirsch. It is a very brave and honest exploration, almost and excavation of Eurocentric standards of beauty and perceptions of body, particularly of the female body. It is also a calm and wise call of an awakening, a friendly – or sisterly – invitation to a transformative journey beyond these mental walls that have been erected around and between us by capitalism and patriarchy and colonialism. I found it both universal and timely -- Elif Shafak * The New Statesman Books of the Year 2023 *There's something on every page of this book that you didn't know before, or makes you look at things a new. An important publication. -- Sathnam Sanghera, author of 'Stolen History' and 'Empireland'Decolonising my Body is both a generous offering, and a joy filled testimony. Afua skilfully pulls us into her world, and generously allows us to accompany her on a journey of questioning and unpacking notions of beauty. This exploration lights a path for all people who seek to (re)connect with more expansive understandings of beauty. -- Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah, author of 'The Sex Lives of African Women'Afua has cut through so much of the noise to provide an enlightening and necessary reflection on how we can learn from the wisdom and beauty of our ancestors to become spiritually healthier humans. This book is a knowledge gift to us all. * Naomi Evans, author of 'The Mixed Race Experience', co-Founder of Everyday Racism *The journalist, commentator and author of Brit(ish) reflects on twelve months radical unlearning of Eurocentric and patriarchal conventions of beauty in this powerful and challenging volume. * Waterstones, 'Best Books of 2023: Politics' *This is a vital, challenging account of reassessing body image beyond the colonial, patriarchal gaze – told with Hirsch’s trademark rigour and purpose * i, *Christmas Gift Guide 2023* *Decolonising My Body is Hirsch’s pilgrimage towards another definition of rest and care, one that feels ancestral and intimate. As a reader you can’t help but be swept up in her quest of gentle unlearning and relearning -- Niellah Arboinne * The Guardian *A remarkable journey to unlearn western beauty standards and explore ancestral skin, hair and body modification rituals. -- Funmi Fetto * Observer *Disarmingly honest... quietly radical * Evening Standard *Praise for Brit(ish): Highly personal and yet instantly universal, this is a book that millions will instantly relate to. The book for our divided and dangerous times. * David Olusoga, author of 'Black and British' *Praise for Brit(ish): A warm, informative and occasionally heart-wrenching blend of personal and political and the messiness between the two' * Nikesh Shukla, author of 'The Good Immigrant' *

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Book SynopsisAn in-depth analysis of how drones have revolutionized ground combat, including combat experience from recent wars.In 2020, Azerbaijan used drones to defeat Armenia, and large-scale use of small drones in Ukraine since 2022 has been so effective that it has rendered large-scale maneuver warfare largely impossible. Drones enable a military force to operate over enemy-held territory at little risk to its soldiers. Used to enable detailed observation and accurate direct mortar and artillery fire, they can also be the weaponattacking specific targets or suppressing enemy fire or forces. On these missions a drone might be closely controlled by a trained pilot, or it might use its own sensors and software to make decisions on routes and actions. Yet despite the dramatic effect drones have already had on the battlefield, drone technology is still in its infancyperhaps comparable to the stage of development that aircraft reached during World War I.As drones will surely continue to disrupt the

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Book SynopsisDazzling recreation of the world of radical free-thinkers in 18th-century FranceFrom the 1750s to the 1770s, the Paris salon of Baron d'Holbach was an epicenter of debate, intellectual daring and revolutionary ideas, uniting around one table vivid personalities from Denis Diderot, Adam Smith, Benjamin Franklin, the radical ex-priest Guillaume Raynal, the Italian Count Beccaria and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, who later turned against his friends.It was a moment of astonishing racicalism in European thought, so uncompromising and bold that it was viciously opposed by rival philosophers such as Voltaire and the turncoat Rousseau, and finally suppressed by Robespierre and his Revolutionary henchmen. In Wicked Company, acclaimed historian Philipp Blom retraces the fortunes and characters of this exceptional group of friends and brings to life their startling ideas, largely forgotten by historians. Brilliant minds full of wit, courage and humanity, their thinking created a different and radical French Enlightenment based on atheism, passion, empathy and a compellingly insightful perspective on society. Their ideas force us to confront the debates about our own society and its future with new eyes.

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Book SynopsisScotland’s history has been told many times, but never exclusively by its women. This book takes a unique perspective on dramatic national events as well as ordinary life, as experienced by women down the centuries. From the saintly but severe medieval Queen Margaret to today's first minister Nicola Sturgeon, it encompasses women from all stations of class and fame and notoriety, offering a tantalising view of what happened to them, and how they felt. Drawing on court and kirk records, exchequer rolls and treasurer’s accounts, diaries and memoirs, chap books and newspapers, government reports and eye-witness statements, Scotland: Her Story brings to life the half of history that has for too long been hidden or ignored. Features material by from a hugely diverse range of authors, including: Princess Matilda • St Margaret • Margaret Tudor • Mary, Queen of Scots • Lady Grizel Baillie • Elsie Inglis • Mary Slessor • Jane Carlyle • Marie Stopes • Nan Shepherd • Leila Aboulela • Winnie Ewing • Muriel Spark • Liz Lochhead • Jackie Kay • Ali Smith • Nicola SturgeonTrade Review'Offers a new perspective, drawing on material from court records and diaries to chapbooks and eyewitness accounts to record life through the eyes of famous and unknown women. It features everyone from Queen Margaret, Mary Queen of Scots, and Lulu to herring gutters and the mother of a child massacred at Dunblane' * Country Life *'Rosemary Goring has set out to tell Scotland’s story from the point of view of the women who played a part in it, without, in Jane Carlyle’s words, “reservation or false colouring”. … it is an especial pleasure to read those contributions that reach beyond the task of redressing the wrongs of the past' * TLS *'A portrait of this country through the centuries, a really fine book, and an important one' -- Peter Ross * The Afternoon Show, BBC Radio Scotland *'a crafter and editor of stories that illuminate the past and communicate forgotten truths about the past in immensely accessible ways ... [Scotland: Her Story is] a book that is justly celebrated for bringing half the population in from historical darkness' -- Sally Magnusson

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Book Synopsis'A compelling literary journey through the social history of wool in the British Isles' Karen Lloyd, author of The Gathering Tide Travel the length of the British Isles with Esther Rutter, as she tells the story of wool's long and tangled history here Esther Rutter grew up on a sheep farm in Suffolk, and learned to spin, weave and knit as a child. Here she unearths fascinating histories of communities whose lives were shaped by wool, from the mill workers of the Border countries, to the English market towns built on profits of the wool trade, and the Highland communities cleared for sheep farming; and finds tradition and innovation intermingling in today's knitwear industries. Along the way, she explores wool's rich culture by knitting and crafting culturally significant garments from our history - whether gloves, a scarf, a baby blanket, socks or a fisherman's jumper - reminding us of the value of craft and our intimate relationship with wool. This Golden Fleece is at once a celebration on the craft and history of knitting, and a fascinating exploration of wool's influence on our landscape, history and culture. 'You don't have to be a knitter to enjoy this wondrous book, although as one, I did smile through most of its pages' BBC Countryfile 'The history of plain, purl and intarsia is woven together by Esther Rutter, whose own skill with needles, learned from practical experience, attests that this ancient craft is nothing less than a wonder of civilization. Beautifully written too' Janice Galloway, author of This Is Not About MeTrade ReviewA compelling literary journey through the social history of wool in the British Isles -- Karen Lloyd, author of * The Gathering Tide *This is a book about wool and sheep, the making of Scotland, England and farming, textile manufacture, folk-lore and, crucially, the essential craft of knitting. The plying of wool had been a vital survival skill for over two millennia in Britain before the Romans showed up (bringing their own sheep with them, just in case) making this domestic skill a founding piece of 'civilisation'. From fairy tales to debate regarding national identity, from the year dot to the tragedy of the Scottish Clearances and beyond, the history of plain, purl and intarsia is woven together by Esther Rutter, whose own skill with needles, learned from practical experience, attests that this ancient craft is nothing less than a wonder of civilization. Beautifully written too -- Janice Galloway, author of * This Is Not About Me *I love the sound of this * Bookseller *Esther Rutter unravels the social history and allure of knitting, from Fair Isle to Cornwall via the Hebrides [...] in her fascinating book * Stornoway Gazette *

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Book SynopsisVictorian pumping stations are colourful cathedrals of utility. Their imposing and striking exteriors enclose highly decorative cast-iron frames, built to encage powerful steam engines. They are glorious buildings which display the Victorians’ architectural confidence and engineering skills. More than that, they represent a key part of the story of urban development and how our towns and cities were shaped in this period of ground-breaking invention and civic pride. In this illustrated guide, Trevor Yorke tells the story of Victorian pumping stations and explains why they were built in such a flamboyant manner, describing their architectural features and showing how their mighty steam engines worked. He includes examples of their glorious interior decoration from pumping stations across the country and provides a detailed list of those which are open to visitors.Table of ContentsThe Victorian Pumping Station The Buildings Steam Engines, Boilers and Pumps Water Works Sewerage Works Mines, Land Drainage and Hydraulic Power Places to Visit Index

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Book SynopsisRead the devastating story of the Spanish flu - the twentieth century's greatest killer – and discover what it can teach us about the current Covid-19 pandemic.'Both a saga of tragedies and a detective story... Pale Rider is not just an excavation but a reimagining of the past' Guardian With a death toll of between 50 and 100 million people and a global reach, the Spanish flu of 1918–1920 was the greatest human disaster, not only of the twentieth century, but possibly in all of recorded history. And yet, in our popular conception it exists largely as a footnote to World War I. In Pale Rider, Laura Spinney recounts the story of an overlooked pandemic, tracing it from Alaska to Brazil, from Persia to Spain, and from South Africa to Odessa. She shows how the pandemic was shaped by the interaction of a virus and the humans it encountered; and how this devastating natural experiment put both the ingenuity and the vulnerability of humans to the test. Laura Spinney demonstrates that the Spanish flu was as significant – if not more so – as two world wars in shaping the modern world; in disrupting, and often permanently altering, global politics, race relations, family structures, and thinking across medicine, religion and the arts.‘Weaves together global history and medical science to great effect ... Riveting.’ Sunday TimesTrade ReviewWith superb investigative skill and a delightfully light-hearted writing style, Spinney extends her analysis far beyond the relatively short duration of the plague... I’ve seldom had so much fun reading about people dying. * The Times *Weaves together global history and medical science to great effect ... Riveting. * Sunday Times *Both a saga of tragedies and a detective story... Pale Rider is not just an excavation but a reimagining of the past. * Guardian *Vividly recreated, grimly fascinating… Coolly, crisply and with a consistently sharp eye for the telling anecdote, Spinney ... demonstrates how the Spanish flu cast a long shadow over the 20th century. * Daily Mail *Magisterial. * Observer *

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Book SynopsisRead this specially designed new edition of Jared Diamond’s Pulitzer-prize winning exploration of what makes us human. Why has human history unfolded so differently across the globe? In this Pulitzer Prize-winning book, Jared Diamond puts the case that geography and biogeography, not race, moulded the contrasting fates of Europeans, Asians, Native Americans, sub-Saharan Africans, and aboriginal Australians. An ambitious synthesis of history, biology, ecology and linguistics, Guns, Germs and Steel remains a groundbreaking and humane work of popular science.PATTERNS OF LIFE: SPECIAL EDITIONS OF GROUNDBREAKING SCIENCE BOOKSTrade ReviewMonumental and monumentally good -- William Leith, 4 stars * Scotsman *A book of big questions, and big answers * Yuval Noah Harari, author of Sapiens *A book of remarkable scope... One of the most important and readable works on the human past * Nature *Fascinating, coherent, compassionate and completely accessible * Sunday Telegraph *A prodigious, convincing work, conceived on a grand scale * Observer *

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Book SynopsisBetween South and Central Asia, in the high mountains and cold deserts, India, Pakistan and China have fought brutal wars over barren, uninhabited territory in a bid for control over their national peripheries, including Xinjiang and Tibet in China, and Jammu and Kashmir on the Indian subcontinent. White as the Shroud explores this broader story through the most surreal of such conflicts: the Siachen war, fought between India and Pakistan for control of the eponymous glacier. The tale of Siachen highlights the absurdity of seeking hard borders in such desolate mountains, as well as the brutality of high-altitude warfare-- more soldiers were killed by the weather and terrain than by the fighting. As one of the few people to have visited both sides of the glacier, Indian and Pakistani, Myra MacDonald provides a first-hand view of the battlefield and a wealth of eyewitness testimony from combatants. She sets this account in the overarching narrative of the Kashmir conflict, India's defeat by China in 1962, and the 1999 India-Pakistan Kargil war. White as the Shroud brings a fresh perspective to one of the most volatile corners of the world, raising questions about borders and the wars fought to defend them.Trade Review'Essential reading.' -- Asian Affairs'This region is one of the world's most volatile flashpoints, where three nuclear powers persistently confront each other. MacDonald has penned a definitive tour de force, helping us to better understand the terrain and region--and why it's so dangerous.' -- Vipin Narang, Associate Professor of Political Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology'Myra MacDonald's narrative about the inhumane and pitiless battlefields in, or involving, disputed Jammu and Kashmir is engrossing. Her highly informative book is invaluable for anyone wanting to understand the dangers and futilities of these heavily militarised and contested areas.' -- Christopher Snedden, author of 'Understanding Kashmir and Kashmiris''This essential and hard-hitting book unpacks India and Pakistan’s military contest over remote heights not meant for human survival. Based on extensive travels and immense sensitivity to the human condition at Siachen, MacDonald reminds us how confusing and nebulous such borders truly are.' -- Avinash Paliwal, Senior Lecturer in International Relations, SOAS University of London'A searching analysis of a little-known war in the Himalayan glaciers. MacDonald's fresh perspective shows how the national ambitions of India, Pakistan, and China have prolonged a bloody and absurd conflict for more than three decades.' -- Farzana Shaikh, author of 'Making Sense of Pakistan'

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Book SynopsisIt's no secret that Britain achieved its empire through forceful, and often brutal, methods. Many nations are still grappling with the dark legacy of colonisation. Des Ekin lays out some of the worst atrocities perpetrated by the British and explores the justifications used for such violent actions.

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Book SynopsisA compelling account of the story of slavery - from ancient times, through the plantations of the Caribbean and America, to the official abolition of the slave trade more than 200 years ago. Recounts the stories of people who were enslaved, including their daring tales of resistance and escape. Highlights the continued existence of slavery today and what you can do to help stop it.

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Book SynopsisThis volume offers an eyewitness account of life in the classical world. The author has selected a series of telling extracts from Greek literature to provide a picture of the customs, concerns and underlying values of the ancient Greeks. The Greeks speak for themselves, both in the formal language of public office and in the colloquial speech of the household and the street. Their words reveal activities and opinions which are sometimes remarkably similar to those of the modern day, but which are otherwise so different that they are difficult for us to understand.The extracts have been selected from a variety of sources and record not only the lives of famous Greeks, but - perhaps more importantly - offer an insight into the lives of more ordinary individuals. Poetry, hymns and war-songs are included, as are quotations from official documents, inscriptions, laws, histories, funerary monuments, war-memorials and graffiti. This compilation gives an impression of the public and private facets of Greek life, providing an insight into the mentality of the Greeks.

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

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

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

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

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Book SynopsisA lively, hilarious, and entirely truthful look at the druggie side of history''s most famous figures, including Shakespeare, Queen Victoria, and the Beatles, from debut author (and viral historical TikToker with over 100K followers) Sam Kelly.Did you know that Alexander the Great was a sloppy drunk, William Shakespeare was a stoner, and George Washington drank a spoonful of opium every night to staunch the pain from his fake teeth? Or how about the fact that China''s first emperor, Qin Shi Huangdi, ingested liquid mercury in an (ironic) attempt to live forever, or that Alexander Shulgin, inventor of no less than 230 new psychedelic drugs, was an employee of the DEA? In Human History on Drugs, historian Sam Kelly introduces us to the history we weren''t taught in school, offering up irreverent and hysterical commentary as he sheds light on some truly shocking aspects of the historical characters we only thought we knew. With chapters spanning from Ancient Greece (''The Oracle of Delphi Was Huffing Fumes'') and the Victorian Era (''Vincent van Gogh Ate Yellow Paint'') to Hollywood''s Golden Age (''Judy Garland Was Drugged by Grown-Ups'') and modern times (''Carl Sagan Got Astronomically High''), Kelly''s research spans all manner of eras, places, and, of course, drugs. History is rife with drug use and drug users, and Human History on Drugs takes us through those highs (pun intended) and lows on a wittily entertaining ride that uncovers their seriously unexpected impact on our past.

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Book SynopsisStudies of colonialism and empire have increasingly drawn attention to the problem of conceptualizing the political logic of colonial projects and the circumstances of state formation in colonial contexts. However, the nature and workings of the colonial state remains under-theorized and under-analysed. This volume addresses the analytical challenges of the colonial state from a variety of theoretical and thematic angles, and across a range of empirical cases that stretch over a vast span historically and geographically, to provide a new approach to analyzing the colonial state and its governmental practices.Trade ReviewContributed by scholars from Europe and the US and based on papers given at a conference and workshop held at the U. of Copenhagen, Denmark, the nine essays in this collection consider the colonial state in the context of governmental practices, violence, and agency. They discuss different configurations of power in two colonies of the US (Puerto Rico and the Philippines), mechanisms of power in Denmark and the Danish colony of Tranquebar at the end of the 18th century, and governmental power in the slave society of the Danish West Indies in the late 18th century; violence in the 1950s in the Portuguese colonies of Angola and Mozambique, the police force Landespolizei in the German colony of Southwest Africa, and violence in the relational processes of territorialization in Morocco and Libya; and the role of local agency in relation to reforms of the British colonial state that increased state capacity in Trinidad and Tobago and colonial governance in Samoa at the end of the 19th century under the shared control of German, British, and American officials. -- Annotation ©2017 * (protoview.com) *Table of ContentsRethinking the Colonial State: Configurations of Power, Violence, and Agency Colonial Governmentality in Puerto Rico and the Philippines: Sovereign Force, Governmental Rationality, and Disciplinary Institutions under US Rule Comparing the Colonial State – Governing ‘the Social’ and Policing the Population in Late 18th Century India and Denmark Governing the Risks of Slavery: State-Practice, Slave Law, and the Problem of Public Order in 18th Century Danish West Indies Ordering Resistance: The Late Colonial State in the Portuguese Empire (1940-1975) Violence as Usual: Everyday Police Work and the Colonial State in German Southwest Africa Colonial War and the Production of Territorialized State Space in North Africa Resistance and Reforms: The Role of Subaltern Agency in Colonial State Development Colonialism by Deferral: Samoa Under the Tridominium, 1889-1899

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Book SynopsisIN 1937, Charles Madge and Tom Harrisson created the social survey organisation Mass Observation to capture the thoughts, feelings and minutiae of individuals across the British Isles. At its height Mass Observation had 1,000 concurrent writers - stretching from Penzance to Aberdeen and including miners, academics and housewives - and collected over 1 million individual diary entries between 1937 and 1960.In The People''s Victory, historian Lucy Noakes mines the Mass Observation archive to present a groundbreaking history of how Britons at home celebrated and experienced the end of World War II. Alongside street celebrations and tea parties, we find bonfires and bell ringing, water fights and wagon rides, solitary and shared walks - and copious amounts of alcohol. However, as Noakes also reveals, not everyone felt like celebrating that May: many were still waiting for news of family members who had vanished in the fog of war, whilst thousands of British soldiers were still interned in the Far East.By centring the voices, feelings and fears of the public at the heart of the People''s War, Noakes also traces the hopes and changing attitudes of a nation in flux, revealing how the camaraderie and selflessness of wartime led to the birth of the welfare state.

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Book Synopsis'Viktor Frankl gives us the gift of looking at everything in life as an opportunity' Edith Eger, bestselling author of The Choice'Offers a path to finding hope even in these dark times' The New York Times A rediscovered masterpiece by the 16 million copy bestselling author of Man’s Search For MeaningJust months after his liberation from Auschwitz renowned psychiatrist Viktor E. Frankl delivered a series of talks revealing the foundations of his life-affirming philosophy. The psychologist, who would soon become world famous, explained his central thoughts on meaning, resilience and his conviction that every crisis contains opportunity. Published here for the very first time in English, Frankl's words resonate as strongly today as they did in 1946. Despite the unspeakable horrors in the camp, Frankl learnt from his fellow inmates that it is always possible to say ‘yes to life’ – a profound and timeless lesson for us all.With an introduction by Daniel Goleman.'Frankl’s is a voice that seems as necessary now as it was in the shadow of the Holocaust' Guardian Trade ReviewOffers a path to finding hope even in these dark times * The New York Times *Frankl’s is a voice that seems as necessary now as it was in the shadow of the Holocaust * Guardian *An unmissable opportunity to understand the man and his work more deeply * The Jewish Chronicle *Viktor Frankl gives us the gift of looking at everything in life as an opportunity * Edith Eger, bestselling author of The Choice *

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Book Synopsis'As British official records are still "going missing", the significance of Cobain's work only increases' David Olusoga, author of Black and British 'In an astonishing book, the writer Ian Cobain reveals the mass destruction of records and archives, and the false memory it has left us with' Andrew Marr In 1889, the first Official Secrets Act was passed. Since then a culture of secrecy has flourished. As successive governments have been selective about what they choose to share with the public, we have been left with a distorted and incomplete understanding not only of the workings of the state but of our nation's culture and its past. Ian Cobain reveals how key moments in British history since the end of WWII have been manipulated by these official secrets. We follow the decades-long attempts to conceal the existence of Bletchley Park and its successor, GCHQ. We learn how a series of astonishing wars were fought during the 1960s and 1970s remained unreported. He also tells of the government's hidden links with terrorist cells during the Troubles, and reveals the state's peacetime surveillance techniques, not to mention its cynical manipulation of the criminal justice system and 'freedom of information'. Drawing on previously unseen material and rigorous research, The History Thieves is a gripping story of how a complex bureaucratic machine has been created by the British state, allowing governments to evade accountability and bury their secrets. 'An engrossing account of how government officials burned the records of imperial rule as the British empire came to an end' Book of the Week, Guardian 'An important book which deserves to change the way we see our recent past...' Daily MailTrade ReviewThis important and highly readable book proves that, in a so-called age of transparency, official secrecy is actually increasing - in government and the armed forces, in the courts and in Whitehall and the Security Services. Censorship is often imposed to hide embarrassment, but also to prevent accountability for malfeasance and illegality, and to distort deliberately the historical record. There is a new establishment at work, and it preens itself just like the old, possessing the power to suppress. Our only weapon against those Orwell used to call "the striped-trousered ones who rule" is to expose and deride them - a job Ian Cobain does most effectively -- Geoffrey Robertson QCA meticulously researched, eye-opening triumph. Essential reading in the age of Snowden and Assange -- Charles Cumming, author * A Divided Spy *Cobain's excellent book exposes the single most significant catastrophe of the 'War on Terror'. While the rebirth of torture has grabbed many headlines, the most dangerous fruit of the atmosphere of fear has been an industry of secrecy. Cobain teaches us both the history of this secretive snooping, and how it imperils us all today -- Clive Stafford SmithAs one would expect from the pen of an experienced investigative journalist, this is a "good read", thought-provoking throughout, frequently shocking, but sometimes amusing in its exploration of the more bizarre attempts of the powers to keep us in the dark... Cobain's book, I think, will open many eyes -- Mandy Banton * Commonwealth Journal of International Affairs *As British official records are still "going missing", the significance of Cobain's work only increases -- David Olusoga * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisSuitable for the GCE 2008 specification, this title provides students with the best preparation possible for their examinations and coursework.

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Book SynopsisThe ground-breaking and bestselling group portrait of London today: a book as rich, dynamic, lively, and diverse as the city itself 'Epic' David Nicholls 'Electrifying' The Times 'This is a book to deepen your relationship with London and make you fall in - or out - of love with it all over again... I can't tell you how much I enjoyed it' Evening Standard Here are the voices of London - rich and poor, native and immigrant, women and men - witnessed by acclaimed journalist, playwright and writer Craig Taylor, who spent five years exploring the city and listening to its residents. From the woman whose voice announces the stations on the London Underground to the man who plants the trees along Oxford Street; from a Pakistani currency trader to a Guardsman at Buckingham Palace - together, these voices and many more, paint a vivid, epic and wholly fresh portrait of twenty-first century London. '[A] splendid oral history of the city... A remarkable volume' Guardian 'A substantial account, not just of our imaginary riverside capital, but, more vividly, of himself: as inquirer, investigator, part of a long and valuable lineage' Iain Sinclair, Observer 'Memorable, funny and occasionally melancholy... A rich, satisfying tapestry of metropolitan life' Sunday TimesTrade Review[A] splendid oral history of the city... On occasions Londoners attains a level of eloquence as beautiful and blue as anything to be found in the works of Jean Rhys or Samuel Selvon ... A remarkable volume * Guardian *Craig Taylor tunes in to the multi-tongued, self-justifying noise of the streets. And he leaves us with a substantial account, not just of our imaginary riverside capital, but, more vividly, of himself: as inquirer, investigator, part of a long and valuable lineage -- Iain Sinclair * Observer *I am crazy about Craig Taylor's Londoners ... I wanted it to go on and on, and I can't imagine any lucky recipient not enjoying it -- Diana AthillIts brilliance lies not in the way Taylor frames the concept but in the way he lets people talk without obvious motive or direction. Five stars. * Time Out *Londoners must be 2011's most ambitious and creative book about London ... This is a book to deepen your relationship with London and make you fall in - or out - of love with it all over again ... I can't tell you how much I enjoyed it * Evening Standard *An epic portrait in eighty voices that shows the city to be just as ... well ... Dickensian as it has ever been -- David NichollsTaylor set out to understand London by talking to people about their lives there. It's not an original idea but Taylor has been astonishingly enterprising in the way he has gone about it ... it is to his credit that he has the inspired people he has met to speak so thoroughly about the city and what it means to them ... Often inspiring, occasionally infuriating, always interesting, Craig Taylor has given us something of a Mayhew's London for our own times -- Jerry White * Times Literary Supplement *Londoners will tell you more about the multiform life of the capital than a lifetime reading the Evening Standard -- Joe Moran * Guardian.co.uk *Taylor's superb book does full justice to London and its people, and should be enjoyed by everyone, whether they love the place or regret ever having set foot there -- Alexander Larman * Observer *Memorable, funny and occasionally melancholy... a rich, satisfying tapestry of metropolitan life -- Nick Rennison * Sunday Times *A cacophonous testimony to the multiple lives of the capital... all life is here in all its dirty, exuberant glory -- Claire Allfree * Metro *A cracking read * London Life blog *What I'm really enjoying about the book is the richness of language used by its huge variety of characters * City Read London blog *Fascinating -- William Leith * Evening Standard *Stimulating -- Alastair Mabbott * Herald *Ranging from the shocking to the poignant, 80 London voices produce a vivid collage of this impossible city -- Christopher Hirst * Independent *Captures the resilient but inclusive attitude that characterises its residents * LiteraryLondon.org *

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Book SynopsisAn accessible overview of Ireland's War of Independence, 1919-21. From the first shooting of RIC constables in Soloheadbeg, Co Tipperary, on 21 January 1919 to the truce in July 1921, the IRA carried out a huge range of attacks on all levels of British rule in Ireland.

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