History Books

Book SynopsisA vital feminist manifesto from one of our most inspiring political voicesTrade Review'A vibrant and compelling framework for feminism in our times' -- Judith Butler‘Powerfully outlines the reasons why mainstream feminism has been failing and excluding women of colour since its conception’ -- Hanna Bechiche, gal-dem'Brilliant' -- Lola Olufemi, author of 'Feminism, Interrupted' (Pluto, 2020)'Anchored in a deep commitment to justice and liberation, Vergès’s writing encourages us to open our minds and think with our hearts about the many ways the world oppresses and destroys, and about the things that are done, everyday and everywhere, to resist this and make it otherwise' -- 'Bad Form''A powerful tool of social transformation' -- Djamila Ribeiro, Brazilian human rights activist and author of 'Nos, Madelenas: uma palavra pelo feminism' (Fonte, 2012)‘Incisive… an invitation to reconnect with the utopian power of feminism’ -- Aurelien Maignant, 'Fabula'‘A powerful work’ -- 'Les Inrocks''Develops a critical perspective on feminism to reconsider the conditions of possibility and purpose… resituates feminism in a truly political, emancipatory and critical dimension’ -- Jean-Philippe Cazier, 'Diacritik''Essential for highlighting the current divisions within feminist political agendas, and for collective reflection on a profound, radical transformation of society… Necessary reading.' -- 'Axelle n°219''A feminist narrative of how decolonization is a never-ending struggle!' -- Veronica Gago, co-author of 'A Feminist Reading of Debt' (Pluto, 2021)Table of ContentsPreface Translator’s Introduction Introduction: Invisible, They “Open the City” 1. Taking Sides: Decolonial Feminism 2. The Evolution towards Twenty-First Century - Civilizational Feminism Notes Index

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Book SynopsisThe definitive modern biography of the great slave leader, military genius and revolutionary hero Toussaint LouvertureThe Haitian Revolution began in the French Caribbean colony of Saint-Domingue with a slave revolt in August 1791, and culminated a dozen years later in the proclamation of the world''s first independent black state. After the abolition of slavery in 1793, Toussaint Louverture, himself a former slave, became the leader of the colony''s black population, the commander of its republican army and eventually its governor. During the course of his extraordinary life he confronted some of the dominant forces of his age - slavery, settler colonialism, imperialism and racial hierarchy. Treacherously seized by Napoleon''s invading army in 1802, this charismatic figure ended his days, in Wordsworth''s phrase, ''the most unhappy man of men'', imprisoned in a fortress in France.Black Spartacus draws on a wealth of archival material, much of it overlooked by previous biographers, to follow every step of Louverture''s singular journey, from his triumphs against French, Spanish and British troops to his skilful regional diplomacy, his Machiavellian dealings with successive French colonial administrators and his bold promulgation of an autonomous Constitution. Sudhir Hazareesingh shows that Louverture developed his unique vision and leadership not solely in response to imported Enlightenment ideals and revolutionary events in Europe and the Americas, but through a hybrid heritage of fraternal slave organisations, Caribbean mysticism and African political traditions. Above all, Hazareesingh retrieves Louverture''s rousing voice and force of personality, making this the most engaging, as well as the most complete, biography to date.After his death in the French fortress, Louverture became a figure of legend, a beacon for slaves across the Atlantic and for generations of European republicans and progressive figures in the Americas. He inspired the anti-slavery campaigner Frederick Douglass, the most eminent nineteenth-century African-American; his emancipatory struggle was hailed by those who defied imperial and colonial rule well into the twentieth. In the modern era, his life informed the French poet Aimé Césaire''s seminal idea of négritude and has been celebrated in a remarkable range of plays, songs, novels and statues. Here, in all its drama, is the epic story of the world''s first black superhero.Trade ReviewThe art of biography lies in using a life story to bring a historical moment, as well as the society and culture that shaped it, alive and to make it legible. And in this, Hazareesingh succeeds admirably ... beautifully written and deeply engag­ing, connecting the many remarkable writings by and about Louverture in a symphonic narrative -- Laurent Dubois * American Historical Review *This is an erudite and elegant biography with a message that resonates strongly in our own time -- David Cannadineremarkable ... the sharpest portrait yet of Louverture ... Black Spartacus is a triumph. It takes a nearly impossibly complex history and weaves it into a compelling and accurate narrative that reads like fiction. -- Ben Horowitz * Financial Times *Black Spartacus is a tour de force: by far the most complete, authoritative and persuasive biography of Toussaint that we are likely to have for a long time...an extraordinarily gripping read. -- David A Bell * Guardian *There is no better literary contribution to the year of Black Lives Matter than Sudhir Hazareesingh's Black Spartacus, an authoritative biography of Toussaint Louverture, who led the successful "slave revolt" in Haiti and paved the way for Haitian independence. -- Vince Cable * New Statesman Books of the Year *an outstanding biography that breaks fresh ground and scrapes the crust of folklore, and cliché, from the Toussaint story ... scrupulous and absorbing ... After the summer of 2020, there could hardly be a more urgent and valuable book. -- Boyd Tonkin * Arts Desk *This thrilling, magisterial, superb biography, full of new material, tells the extraordinary swashbuckling, bloodspattered, inspirational life of Toussaint, brilliant leader of the Haitian slave revolt against France -- Simon Sebag Montefiore * Evening Standard *Lustrous pearls ... scattered throughout Black Spartacus, turn this detailed, blow-by-blow account of Toussaint's military exploits into a dazzling, complicated narrative ... a breath-taking picture of the decade of Toussaint's dream -- Amy Wilentz * Spectator *Sudhir Hazareesingh's engrossing new life is the story of an island as well as a man ... Hazareesingh brings to the task a voracious appetite for original sources and a discerning ear for those that have the ring of truth. He also has a gift for tracing those threads that reveal a previously unrecognised pattern in the fabric of a life. -- Nathan Perl-Rosenthal * Wall Street Journal *With Black Spartacus, Sudhir Hazareesingh has produced the fourth - and best - biography of Toussaint Louverture since the bicentenary of Haitian independence ... The book deftly tackles the early stages of the slave uprising and gives one of the most convincing accounts yet of Toussaint's likely role in its opening moves. -- Paul Clammer * History Today *This superb new history of Louverture and his legacy portrays Saint-Domingue as the most profitable slave colony the world had ever known ... with rare narrative verve, Hazareesingh conjures his subject's extraordinary life. -- Ian Thomson * The Observer *This is a balanced, yet sympathetic, biography which throws light on Toussaint's personality and acknowledges the importance of his political ideals ... Toussaint is now a global figure, a byword for Black empowerment, and as such he has become a hero for our times. -- Alan Forrest * Times Literary Supplement *Hazareesingh presents a deeply researched, energetic, and comprehensively reenvisioned study of the extraordinary life and still-growing influence of Haiti's liberator and founding father. -- Donna Seaman * Booklist *a timely study of Toussaint Louverture, hero of Haiti's slave revolt -- Clive Davis * The Times *This timely biography digs deeper into archival material to reveal Louverture's uniquely modern views. * Evening Standard *engaging ... a vivid portrait of a complex, captivating and sometimes contradictory leader. -- Carrie Gibson * Prospect *Based on meticulous research in the French archives, Hazareesingh's scholarship deserves the highest praise. -- Dominic Sandbrook * Sunday Times *Sudhir Hazareesingh's remarkable book is a sparkling example of the role history can play in society today and, in particular, the importance of shining a light on the often-overlooked experiences of the past. -- Paul RamsbottomSudhir Hazareesingh's account of what he dubs the "epic life" of Toussaint Louverture provides a meticulous biography of his subject and, at the same time, a comprehensive new introduction to the Haitian Revolution ... Black Spartacus is compellingly written and presents its rich source material, both historiographic and archival, with a welcome lightness of touch. ... the definitive English-language life of Louverture -- Charles Forsdick * Jacobin *Sudhir Hazareesingh's stellar, deeply engrossing Black Spartacus still thrums with great potential for our contemporary moment. [Toussaint] shines incandescent in Hazareesingh's tour de force, which has brought an immense amount of new material into the general public domain. The distinguished author, who is a fellow at Oxford's Balliol College, previously specialized in French intellectual and cultural history, and admits in his acknowledgements that he had "never ventured into the history of French colonialism in the Caribbean." But there's also an intriguing biographical element- his roots in the Indian ocean island of Mauritius - that has worked rather serendipitously. As far as this reader is concerned, it's that perspective which has wound up yielding the most original and penetrating insights in Black Spartacus. -- Vivek Menezes * Hindustan Times *This book weaves all these threads into a compelling narrative. Reality trumps fiction on every page. -- Francis Ghiles * ES Global *

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Book SynopsisA unique re-interpretation of the city of ancient Rome and its empire, using the tools offered by the latest information technology and graphic design.Trade Review'Packed with stylish graphics, charts and diagrams, providing the reader with a clear and interesting, but also detailed, understanding of how Roman society operated' - Military History Matters'Here’s your chance to see the world of the Roman Empire through the magic of graphic design … A hugely impressive effort and makes fascinating reading' - The ArmourerTable of ContentsIntroduction I. Territories and populations of the empire II. To rule, to worship & provide III. Roman military might Bibliography

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Book SynopsisJousting is the most iconic form of mounted combat. For more than five hundred years, the sport itself, and the chivalric culture that surrounded it, took on almost mythical qualities. Here, Tobias Capwell explains the glitz and glamour of a sport that attracted enormous popular audiences throughout the late middle ages.

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Book SynopsisA Second Edition of Thomas Friedman's stunning book, the first edition of which won the American National Book Award.If you're only going to read one book on the Middle East, this is it.' Seymour HershIn this lucid, incisive and memorable book, acclaimed on both sides of the Atlantic, Friedman reaches deeper into the traumatic and complex recent history of the conflicts in the Middle East than any previous writer.For this new edition, Friedman has added a further two chapters that bring the book up to 1995 and the unfolding and stalling of the Middle Eastern peace process.From Beirut to Jerusalem is wonderully shrewd, surprisingly funny and indispensable to anyone seeking a fuller understanding of the political causes and psychological effects of the seemingly endless strife which besets this embattled region.Trade Review‘Jubilantly intelligent – a dashing hybrid of autobiography and journalism… a lifeline to the sane, a beacon to the hopeful.’Michael Coren, The Times ‘Friedman fills the yawning gap between verbiage and understanding with grace, precision and insight.’Economist. ‘A striking achievement.’Financial Times.

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Book Synopsis ‘This is history bursting at the seams with English eccentrics and Indian gentry…the charm of Tunzelmann’s approach is to restore her cast to full and vital life’ Observer‘A compelling narrative, sometimes controversial, occasionally perverse, never boring or unintelligent’ SpectatorFully revised and updated for the 70th anniversary. The stroke of midnight on 15 August 1947 liberated 400 million Indians from the British Empire. One of the defining moments of world history had been brought about by a tiny number of people, including Jawaharlal Nehru, the fiery prime minister-to-be; Gandhi, the mystical figure who enthralled a nation; and Louis and Edwina Mountbatten, the glamorous but unlikely couple who had been dispatched to get Britain out of India without delay. Within hours of the midnight chimes, however, the two new nations of India and Pakistan would descend into ana

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Book SynopsisTHE TIMES HISTORY BOOK OF THE YEARONE OF THE ECONOMIST'S BEST BOOKS OF THE YEARFrom the master storyteller and internationally bestselling author - the story of humanity from prehistory to the present day, told through the one thing all humans have in common: family. We begin with the footsteps of a family walking along a beach 950,000 years ago. From here, Montefiore takes us on an exhilarating epic journey through the families that have shaped our world: the Caesars, Medicis and Incas, Ottomans and Mughals, Bonapartes, Habsburgs and Zulus, Rothschilds, Rockefellers and Krupps, Churchills, Kennedys, Castros, Nehrus, Pahlavis and Kenyattas, Saudis, Kims and Assads.A rich cast of complex characters form the beating heart of the story. Some are well-known leaders, from Alexander the Great, Attila, Ivan the Terrible and Genghis Khan to Hitler, Thatcher, Obama, Putin and Zelensky. Some are creative, from Socrates, Michelangelo and Shakespeare to Newton, Mozart, Balzac, Freud, Bowie and Tim Berners-Lee.Others are lesser-known: Hongwu, who began life as a beggar and founded the Ming dynasty; Kamehameha, conqueror of Hawaii; Zenobia, Arab empress who defied Rome; King Henry of Haiti; Lady Murasaki, first female novelist; Sayyida al-Hurra, Moroccan pirate-queen. Here are not just conquerors and queens but prophets, charlatans, actors, gangsters, artists, scientists, doctors, tycoons, lovers, wives, husbands and children.This is world history on the most grand and intimate scale - spanning centuries, continents and cultures, and linking grand themes of war, migration, plague, religion, medicine and technology to the people at the centre of the human drama. As spellbinding as fiction, The World captures the story of humankind in all its joy, sorrow, romance, ingenuity and cruelty in a ground-breaking, single narrative that will forever shift the boundaries of what history can achieve.Trade ReviewA history of the world from the Neanderthals to Trump. It's a rollicking tale, a kaleidoscope of savagery, sex, cruelty and chaos. By focusing on family, Montefiore provides an intimacy usually lacking in global histories. [It] has personality and a soul. It's also outrageously funny . . . an enormously entertaining book -- Gerard DeGroot * THE TIMES *A delightful world history, told through influential families. A moreish chronicle. The device of weaving together the past using the most enduring and essential unit of human relations is inspired . . . [it] allows the author to cover every continent and era, and to give women and even children a voice and presence that they tend to be denied in more conventional histories. Despite the book's formidable length, there is never a dull moment . . . this book is a triumph and a delight, an epic that entertains, informs and appals in enjoyably equal measure * THE ECONOMIST *Magnificent . . . magisterial . . . [a] real-life Game of Thrones. Dip into this book anywhere and the minutiae of history leap off the page . . . Dip too into the author's copious footnotes and there are gems to be mined. Often sassy, always entertaining . . . To my mind what it gives above all is perspective from which comes understanding and not a little wisdom -- Tony Rennell * DAILY MAIL, Book of the Week *For any reader with the stomach for bloodshed and megalomaniac ambition, for anyone with a taste for Ptolemaic depravities or who would simply like to spend some quality time with China's imperial eunuchs, Montefiore's 'World' . . . will deliver it and more in spades. The author's major achievement is to make us see the world through a different lens - to make the unfamiliar familiar and, more important, the familiar unfamiliar. There is hardly a dull paragraph -- David Crane * THE SPECTATOR *An incredible undertaking. Montefiore finds enduring resonances and offers new perspectives . . . Because these are family stories, he adeptly eschews traditionally male histories to find greater texture and diversity. A remarkable achievement * OBSERVER *A history of pretty much everything everywhere from the evolution of Homo sapiens to Putin's invasion of Ukraine. Dip into any page and you'll find history rushing by in prose that combines clarity, liveliness and even deadpan humour with intriguing asides a speciality . . . a staggering achievement -- James Walton * DAILY TELEGRAPH *Succeeds in scintillating fashion . . . an epic rich in detail . . . on each page, you'll find an interesting idea, a witty observation or a footnote containing an anecdote emblematic of a wider point. Montefiore pays attention to the lives of women and children and to places slighted by Western historians. This is an extraordinary work of wisdom and vivid storytelling -- Victor Sebestyen * LITERARY REVIEW *[A] rollicking, globetrotting truly global history spanning almost every continent . . . [A] thrilling tapestry. Only a highly skilled storyteller could so deftly grip attention across more than six millennia . . . packed with lavish and pullulating detail. The World is wildly entertaining . . . certainly enriching . . . [and] bracingly profane -- David Armitage * TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT *This is not just an undoubted book of the year but of many years . . . a treasure trove of marvellous stories, brilliantly researched and absorbingly told, fascinating characters who leap off the pages -- Tony Rennell * DAILY MAIL, Books of the Year *Don't be put off by the doorstopper length: this is a riveting page-turner. The author brings his cast of dynastic titans, rogues and psychopaths to life with pithy, witty pen portraits, ladling on the sex and violence. An epic that both entertains and informs * THE ECONOMIST, Best Books of 2022 *A monumental survey of dynastic rule: how to get it, how to keep it, how to squander it . . . Montefiore energetically fulfills his promise to write a 'genuine world history, not unbalanced by excessive focus on Britain and Europe.' In zesty sentences and lively vignettes, he captures the widening global circuits of people, commerce, and culture * NEW YORKER *A tour de force - hugely ambitious, erudite and filled with surprises - that puts the family and families back into the heart of history -- PETER FRANKOPANTerrific. Monumental . . . full of fun . . . a rollicking read. Montefiore is very good at finding the little incidental details which bring things to life -- Robbie Millen * TIMES RADIO *Masterful and truly staggering * BBC HISTORY REVEALED *The World is almost narcotic to read -- Tanya Gold * JEWISH CHRONICLE *A staggering achievement. Montefiore has given us a tremendous gift: a pulsingly readable world history through the millennia and from one end of the globe to the other -- SIMON SCHAMAOne extraordinary story follows another, all of them extraordinarily well told. It is hard to stop turning the pages . . . One of the commonest criticisms of world histories such as Jared Diamond's Guns Germs & Steel or Yuval Noah Harari's Sapiens is that they are all about the vast impersonal forces . . . Montefiore's family-centred alternative is the perfect antidote, revelling in the peculiarities and downright perversities of its all-too-human cast . . . Montefiore's vignettes are fascinating . . . There's no doubting that family is the central institution of human history and Montefiore's overview of its most recent five millennia is entertaining and consistently interesting -- Ian Morris * FINANCIAL TIMES *Succession meets Game of Thrones -- Sarah Vine * MAIL PLUS *It contains a vast breadth of knowledge about the world, acquired from a lifetime of reading, and all told through the stories of some of the most influential families in history * GEOGRAPHICAL *Compelling, moving, epic and diverse, Montefiore's wonderful storytelling prowess and the wide research pulls off this unparalleled world history in a single narrative with unforgettable style. All the drama of humankind is here from cavemen to Putin and Zelensky -- OLIVETTE OTELEOne word for Montefiore's book: magisterial -- BEN OKRIThere is a certain satisfaction in holding, and reading a bulky tome. Simon Sebag Montefiore's The World: A Family History requires strong wrists, but is well worth the physical effort. It is a most readable and fascinating history of humanity from the perspective of that most enduring of institutions: the family. There is pleasure and learning on every one -- Alexander McCall Smith * NEW STATESMAN *In this work of astonishing scope and erudition, Montefiore interweaves the stories of the servants, courtiers and kings, pioneers, preachers and philosophers who have made history. A brilliant synthesis that will impart fresh insight to even the most learned readers -- HENRY KISSINGERAn incredible piece of work . . . it's incredibly easy to read, written so eloquently. Delightful -- Sangita Myska * LBC *Magnificent -- Antonia Fraser * THE TIMES *You're in for quite a ride: The World pulsates with hundreds of human stories that Montefiore brings to life in vivid convincing fashion. Combining literary flair with keen insight into human psychology, he can evoke a person with a few choice words.Among the many strengths of The World is its truly global perspective. This is an unabashedly multicultural history that refuses to privilege any particular perspective, be it geographic, cultural or ethnic -- Douglas Smith * WALL STREET JOURNAL *Excellent . . . I was captivated from the first page . . . The most cinematic achievement is one of global connectiveness -- Hamilton Wende * SUNDAY TIMES (South Africa) *Montefiore's most ambitious work yet. It is erudite but never boring . . . There is also a great deal of humour . . . If more politicians and policymakers spent time studying history, they might avoid making the sort of lamentable mistakes that Bush and Blair made in Afghanistan and Iraq. The World would be a good place to start -- David Soskin * REACTION *Do not be daunted by its length. The narrative is pacy and there is not a page wasted. The author has produced a masterclass in style and structure -- Richard Foreman * ASPECTS OF HISTORY, Books of the Year *An epic global history that is cleverly and thrillingly told -- Saul David * ASPECTS OF HISTORY, Books of the Year *Written with lashings of elan, I raced through it . . . This special book should please any lover of history -- Oliver Webb-Carter * ASPECTS OF HISTORY, Books of the Year *A brilliant book, and its examination of our species' experiences through the prism of the family is truly inspired -- General David PetraeusHighly recommended . . . Only a historian of Montefiore's calibre could pull off such an outstanding and wide-ranging work as this multi-layered and riveting study combining world history, geography and the evolution of humankind while exploring the world's greatest dynasties . . . So many interesting facts alongside captivating biographical stories. Montefiore is a master storyteller -- Elizabeth Fitzherbert * THE LADY *Important and mesmerizing -- Michael Beschloss, author of PRESIDENTS OF WAR

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Book SynopsisThis book argues that tribal Scandinavia was set on the route to kingship by the arrival in the AD 180sâ90s of warrior groups that were dismissed from the Roman army after defeating the Marcomanni by the Danube. Using a range of evidence, this book details how well-equipped and battle-seasoned warriors, familiar with Roman institutions and practices, seized land and established lordly centres. It shows how these new lords acquired wealth by stimulating the production of commodities for trade with peers and Continental associates, Romans included, to reward retainers and bestow on partners. In these transcultural circumstances, lords and their retainers nurtured artisanal production of exquisite quality and developed a heroic ethos and refined hall etiquette. The topic of warfare, created by the volatile politics of lordly cooperation and competition, is also explored. Venturing substantially beyond the usual scope of syntheses of this period, this book looks at how the break-

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Book SynopsisFor the first time ever, the recipes for pintxos-the small savory and sweet dishes found in bars in Basque Country-are gathered to present the definitive bible on this significant food of Basque culture, along with the history and people who created them, written by award-winning author Marti Buckley.Nestled in the nine square blocks of Old Town in San Sebastian, Spain, is a culinary tradition unlike any other in the world: the pintxo. Ranging from a simple anchovy-and-pepper toothpick skewer to a decadent layered cheese, quince, and walnut spread on toast, pintxos are impressive, well thought-out dishes, distilling ingredient know-how and creative cooking techniques into one or a few bites. Bar owners take pride in their pintxo recipes, which are often closely protected and passed down through generations. In the first authoritative book on this subject, author and Basque transplant Marti Buckley defines what makes a pintxo, traces its history back several decades, a

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Book SynopsisAn inspiring and intersectional re-imagining of the path to liberation in PalestineTrade Review'An inspiring call to action that deconstructs the many oppressive systems we currently find ourselves struggling against, and shows us the way forward' -- Adam Horowitz, Executive Editor at Mondoweiss'The book our movements deserve. Crafted from decades of transnational activism, Nada Elia brilliantly weaves together the challenges of our time and the political frameworks necessary to overcome them' -- Noura Erakat, Associate Professor at Rutgers University, New Brunswick in Africana Studies and the Program in Criminal Justice'I am so grateful that a book such as Greater Than the Sum of Our Parts finally exists! Reading it felt like drinking cold water on a parched day. The writing is bold and brave, the analysis clear-sighted and unflinching. And yet somehow, on top of all this, the book is full of heart, fierce love and radical empathy. A must read' -- Jen Marlowe, author of 'I Am Troy Davis' and 'The Hour of Sunlight''Offers a new map altogether: a map of survival, possibility, and hope. Like the Palestinian struggle for freedom itself, this map is collective, collaborative, built on and for radical love' -- Sherene Seikaly, Associate Professor, Department of History, University of California, Santa Barbara'A compelling, even irresistible case for moving beyond rights and statehood for Palestine to a truly decolonial future. Grounded in the analysis of actual struggles, the book is informed by Elia's commitment to abolitionist feminist practice, which reorients the vision of what a post-Zionist Palestine could look like in crucial ways. Defined by solidarity rather than exceptionalism, this is a truly necessary book' -- David Lloyd, Department of English, University of California, US‘A book about community, resistance, and hope … heart-wrenching, inspirational’ -- ‘Mondoweiss’‘Provides a unique view into the problems of Palestine and the resourcefulness of indigenous people, feminists, and the LGBTQ community globally’ -- ‘Palestine Chronicle’‘Probes us to ask: where do we believe knowledge lies? What does it mean to practise solidarity across differences? How can we work to build a liberated future? Read the book, ask yourself these questions, and then organise to answer them – our liberation depends on it.’ -- ‘Red Pepper’‘A book of hope and purpose … an important contribution to the Palestinian fight for self-determination’ -- ‘Bella Caledonia’Table of ContentsIntroduction Part One: Unsettling Indigeneity 1. From Cowboys to Indians: Zionism’s Opportunistic Discourse 2. On this Land: Indigenous Struggles from Turtle Island to Palestine Part Two: Overcoming State-Sanctioned Settler Supremacy 3. Déjà Vu: The Apartheid Analogy 4. Lessons Learned: Looking Forward Part Three: We Teach Life, Sir 5. Social and Political Liberation 6. Conclusion: Beyond Boundaries: Greater than the Sum of Our Parts

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Book Synopsis2024 Independent Publisher Book Awards Winner Silver Medal, World HistoryNadia Comaneci is the Romanian child prodigy and global gymnastics star who ultimately fled her homeland and the brutal oppression of a communist regime. At the age of just 14, Nadia became the first gymnast to be awarded a perfect score of 10.0 at the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games and went on to collect three gold medals in performances which influenced the sport for generations to come, cementing Nadia's place as a sporting legend. However, as the communist authorities in Romania sought an iron grip over its highest-profile athletes, Nadia and her trainers were subjected to surveillance from the Securitate, the Romanian secret police. Drawing on 25,000 secret police archive pages, countless secret service intelligence documents, and numerous wiretap recordings, this book tells the compelling story of Nadia's life and career using unique insights from the communist dictatorship which moni

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Book SynopsisAnyone interested in military history or indeed history in general will find it fascinating to read.' The SpectatorTrade Review"'Anyone interested in military history or indeed history in general will find it fascinating to read.' Spectator 'Pure, almost illicit pleasure... What makes these essays tremendously diverting is how little they strain one's sense of credibility.' Andrew Roberts, Sunday Telegraph 'These informed, elegant essays authoritively analyse incidents over the past 3,000 years.' The Times 'One of the delights of the book is that broad speculative analysis is built from a mass of exciting detail. This make for a top-class bed-side read.' Financial Times"

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Book SynopsisTHE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERThe farewell calls from the planes the mounting terror of air traffic control the mothers who knew they were witnessing their loved ones perish From an author who's spent 5 years reconstructing its horror, never has the story been told with such devastating, human force' Daily MailThis is a 9/11 book like no other. Masterfully weaving together multiple strands of the events in New York, at the Pentagon, and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, Fall and Rise is a mesmerising, minute-by-minute account of that terrible day.In the days and months after 9/11, Mitchell Zuckoff, then a reporter for the Boston Globe, wrote about the attacks, the victims, and their families. After further years of meticulous reporting, Zuckoff has filled Fall and Rise with voices of the lost and the saved. The result is an utterly gripping book, filled with intimate stories of people most affected by the events of that sunny Tuesday in September: an out-of-work actor stuck in an elevator i

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Book SynopsisAcclaimed historian and best-selling author Antony Beevor vividly brings to life the epic struggles that took place in Second World War Crete - reissued with a new introduction.''The best book we have got on Crete'' ObserverThe Germans expected their airborne attack on Crete in 1941 - a unique event in the history of warfare - to be a textbook victory based on tactical surprise. They had no idea that the British, using Ultra intercepts, knew their plans and had laid a carefully-planned trap. It should have been the first German defeat of the war, but a fatal misunderstanding turned the battle round. Nor did the conflict end there. Ferocious Cretan freedom fighters mounted a heroic resistance, aided by a dramatic cast of British officers from Special Operations Executive.Trade ReviewAntony Beevor's unerring flair for the climate and the feel of the conflict ... his insight and his grasp of these events make them seem as though they had happened last week * Patrick Leigh Fermor, Daily Telegraph *Excellent . . . an arresting account of the whole war on Crete, including the ghastly experiences of the Cretans under German occupation * John Keegan, Sunday Telegraph *The best book we have got on Crete * Michael Foot, Observer *Beevor's account is excellent: fresh, lively and peppered with anecdotes * Mail on Sunday *'A new paperback edition is welcome for two reasons; reminding us that Beevor is a writer and historian of rare ability and for starkly illustrating the variables of war' * Neville Smith, Lloyd's List *

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Book SynopsisA brilliant cultural history Scull's book fills a gap in the literature and deserves to be widely read outstanding' The TimesTrade Review'Perhaps the most comprehensive account of the history of psychiatry that has yet appeared in a single volume' - The Times Literary Supplement'A milestone text … No other monograph has accomplished such scope, perception and balance in covering madness’s haunting, shifting presence in civilization’s psyche ' - BBC History Magazine'Powerful and disturbing … a panoramic survey' - The Sunday Times'Learned, liberally humanitarian and wryly witty' - The SpectatorTable of ContentsEndorsements • 1. Confronting Madness • 2. Madness in the Ancient World • 3. The Darkness and the Dawn • 4. Melancholie and Madnesse • 5. Madhouses and MadDoctors • 6. Nerves and Nervousness • 7. The Great Confinement • 8. Degeneration and Despair • 9. The Demi-Fous • 10. Desperate Remedies • 11. A Meaningful Interlude • 12. A Psychiatric Revolution?

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Book SynopsisJoin Robin Crawford on apersonal journey from the source of the River Tay to the sea.Reaching back to a prehistoric fish found near Balruddery in Perthshire, we follow its story through time to the present day, with detours to seek gold, clans, battles, forts, disasters, witches and whisky. For fans ofRobert Macfarlane and Annie Worsley.

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Book SynopsisWith a new introduction, this collection of Slavic tales is based on the oral storytelling traditions of the peoples of Eastern Europe, from the Polish and the Slovaks to the Macedonians, Czechs and Serbians, with roots in pagan folklore and influenced by the Viking traders who settled in Kiev in the early middle ages. Stories abound with mountains, magic palaces and temples and such incredible tales as 'The King of the Toads', 'Vassilissa the Cunning', and 'The Tsar of the Sea' and 'The Feather of Bright Finist the Falcon'. FLAME TREE 451: From mystery to crime, supernatural to horror and myth, fantasy and science fiction, Flame Tree 451 offers a healthy diet of werewolves and mechanical men, blood-lusty vampires, dastardly villains, mad scientists, secret worlds, lost civilizations and escapist fantasies. Discover a storehouse of tales gathered specifically for the reader of the fantastic.

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Book SynopsisHistory and Class Consciousness was the most important of Georg Lukács's early theoretical writings, published in Germany in 1923. The subject of high praise and passionate criticism, it had a major impact on all the Marxist debates that followed, introducing key new concepts such as 'totality', 'reification' and 'imputed class consciousness'. This centenary edition, with a new preface by Michael Löwy, comprises a series of essays exploring, among other topics, the definition of orthodox Marxism, the question of legality and illegality, Rosa Luxemburg as a Marxist, the changing function of historic Marxism, and the substantiation and consciousness of the proletariat. This classic book has influenced many key philosophers of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, including Adorno, Debord, Heidegger, Lefebvre, Merleau-Ponty and Zizek, and it can lay claim to being one of the cornerstones of contemporary thought.Trade ReviewOne of the indispensable works of the twentieth century. -- Raymond WilliamsGeorge Lukács's History and Class Consciousness is a truly extraordinary work, and its English translation, after almost fifty years of neglect by English and American publishers, is a major event. The full quality of Lukács's brilliance is most powerfully manifested in this 'youthful' work (done when merely 38!), where he reveals himself as by far and away the most talented philosopher among 20th-century Marxists, and as their most penetrating critic of contemporary culture. He is a major stimulus in the development of what is certainly the most creative school of social theorists in the 20th century, and of whom Herbert Marcuse is only the best-known member. For all this, then, we owe homage to Georg Lukács. -- Alvin W. Gouldner * New York Times Book Review *Lukacs' book History and Class Consciousness leads Marx back to Hegel to a significant extent, and leads the latter meaningfully beyond himself; here, too, a metaphysics of understanding oneself in existence, of raising our head, our reality above the crooked process, traces its dialectical arcs. -- Ernst BlochHistory and Class Consciousness, a work of genius inseparable from the brief moment when the Bolshevik Revolution seemed to be the beginning of a world revolution. -- Etienne BalibarFor Lukacs, Marxism is, or should be, this integral philosophy without dogma. Weber understood materialism as an attempt to deduce all culture from economics. For Lukacs, it is a way of saying that the relations among men are not the sum of personal acts or personal decisions, but pass through things, the anonymous roles, the common situations, and the institutions where men have projected so much of themselves that their fate is now played out outside them. The exceptional merit of Lukacs-which makes his book, even today, a philosophical one-is precisely that his philosophy was not by implication to be understood as dogma but was to be practiced, that it did not serve to 'prepare' history, and that it was the very chain of history grasped in human experience. His philosophical reading of history brought to light, behind the prose of everyday existence, a recovery of the self by itself which is the definition of subjectivity. -- Maurice Merleau-PontyOn the level of currents of thought we must no doubt go back to Lukacs, whose History and Class Consciousness was already raising questions to do with a new subjectivity. -- Gilles DeleuzeLukács's critique of 'reification' in History and Class Consciousness shows the path toward a philosophy of social praxis, according to which social objectivity must be understood as the creation of human beings themselves in the process of reproducing their material and cultural worlds. -- Seyla BenhabibI can still remember the way that first page of Lukács made my head spin. The cosmic chutzpah of the man was staggering. I'd known plenty of Marxists who were willing to admit that Marx might be wrong about many tjings; in spite of this, they said, he was right about the essential things and that was why they were Marxists. Now here was a Marxist saying that Marx might be wrong about everything, and he couldn't care less, that the truth of Marxism was independent of anything that Marx said about the world, and hence that nothing in the world could ever refute it; and that as the essence not merely of Marxist truth, but of Marxist Orthodoxy. -- Marshall BermanThe charter document of Hegelian Marxism. -- Martin JayTable of ContentsTranslator's NotePreface to the centenary edition (2023)Preface to the new edition (1967)PrefaceWhat is Orthodox Marxism?The Marxism of Rosa LuxemburgClass ConsciousnessReification and the Consciousness of the ProletariatI The Phenomenon of Reifi The Phenomenon of ReificationII The Antinomies of Bourgeois ThoughtIII The Standpoint of the ProletariatThe Changing Function of Historical MaterialismLegality and IllegalityCritical Observations on Rosa Luxemburg's "Critique of the Russian Revolution"Towards a Methodology of the Problem of OrganisationNotes to the English EditionIndex

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"So damned readable and fun…This is the story of a woman fighting for her rights; it breaches the walls of history.” — The Australian “In The Good Wife of Bath, the author’s diligent work sorting fact from poetry creates a fictional but believable character who lives and breathes in every word of this satisfying, page-turning novel. Karen Brooks defiantly rewrites history into herstory. Cue the chorus: kudos!” — New York Journal of Books “The daughter of a merchant flouts 15th-century English convention to start a brewery in Brooks’s illuminating epic....Brooks’s attention to historical detail instills the novel with authenticity by including many historical figures and events, while Anneke’s lively voice keeps a strong grip on the reader as she works to overcome social prohibitions against women in business and find happiness and contentment. Brooks’s immersive page-turner does not disappoint.” — Publishers Weekly on The Lady Brewer of London “Richly atmospheric, romantic, and chock-full of period details, this fast-paced tale and its many plot twists and turns are likely to keep historical fiction fans riveted.” — Booklist on The Lady Brewer of London “Historian and novelist [Karen] Brooks shows her research and imaginative chops in a luscious and astonishingly affecting chronicle of family scandal, political unrest, and redemptive hope in 1660s London.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review) on The Chocolate Maker’s Wife “A sweeping tale brimming with historical details and figures…[this] sumptuous novel covers five eventful years that include a dreadful plague and the Great Fire of London.” — Booklist on The Chocolate Maker’s Wife

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Book SynopsisA riveting double biography of Nazi Germany's most highly decorated women test pilots - Hitler's personal Valkyries.Hanna Reitsch and Melitta von Stauffenberg were talented, courageous and strikingly attractive women who fought convention to make their names in the male-dominated field of flight in 1930s Germany. With the war, both became pioneering test pilots and both were awarded the Iron Cross for service to the Third Reich. But they could not have been more different and neither woman had a good word to say for the other.Hanna was middle-class, vivacious and distinctly Aryan, while the darker, more self-effacing Melitta, came from an aristocratic Prussian family. Both were driven by deeply held convictions about honour and patriotism but ultimately while Hanna tried to save Hitler's life, begging him to let her fly him to safety in April 1945, Melitta covertly supported the most famous attempt to assassinate the Führer. Their interwovenTrade ReviewVividly drawn . . . this is a thrilling story. * Telegraph *This is popular history of a high order. * Times *A satisfying, rollicking read . . . well researched and beautifully written. * Spectator *This compelling work has the drama and suspense of the best movie scripts. * Library Journal USA *Biographer Mulley comes through in a major way . . . absolutely gripping. * Booklist, USA *An utterly compelling read * Historia *Packed with detail and colour. * History Revealed *

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Book SynopsisDivided Houses is a tale of contrasting fortunes. In the last decade of his reign Edward III, a senile, pathetic symbol of England''s past conquests, was condemned to see them overrun by the armies of his enemies. When he died, in 1377, he was succeeded by a vulnerable child, who was destined to grow into a neurotic and unstable adult presiding over a divided nation. Meanwhile France entered upon one of the most glittering periods of her medieval history, years of power and ceremony, astonishing artistic creativity and famous warriors making their reputations as far afield as Naples, Hungary and North Africa. Contemporaries in both countries believed that they were living through memorable times: times of great wickedness and great achievement, of collective mediocrity but intense personal heroism, of extremes of wealth and poverty, fortune and failure. At a distance of six centuries, as Jonathan Sumption skilfully and meticulously shows, it is possible to agree with all of these judgments.

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Book Synopsis''With one''s face in the wind you were almost burned with a shower of Firedrops''A selection from Pepys'' startlingly vivid and candid diary, including his famous account of the Great FireIntroducing Little Black Classics: 80 books for Penguin''s 80th birthday. Little Black Classics celebrate the huge range and diversity of Penguin Classics, with books from around the world and across many centuries. They take us from a balloon ride over Victorian London to a garden of blossom in Japan, from Tierra del Fuego to 16th century California and the Russian steppe. Here are stories lyrical and savage; poems epic and intimate; essays satirical and inspirational; and ideas that have shaped the lives of millions.Samuel Pepys (1633-1703). The Diary of Samuel Pepys: A Selection is available in Penguin Classics

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Book SynopsisHere, David Gwynn reflects on the remarkable legacy of the Roman Republic. The rise and fall of the Republic holds a special place in the history of Western civilization; it has been presented as a model, a source of inspiration, but also a warning. Placing the events in their wider context, he provides a fascinating history of culture and society.Table of ContentsINTRODUCTION; CHRONOLOGY; THE ROMAN CONSTITUTION; FURTHER READING; INDEX

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Book SynopsisUrsula Doyle was born in 1967. She lives in London.

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Book SynopsisThe Franklin expedition was not alone in suffering early and unexplained deaths. This title makes the case that this illness was due to the crews' overwhelming reliance on a new technology, namely tinned foods.Trade Review'A remarkable piece of forensic deduction' Margaret Atwood 'Simply compelling' Mordecai Richler 'A cautionary tale of scholarly merit' William S. Borroughs 'Galvanizing ... in one stroke it elicited a new flurry of Franklin mania in documentary film, childrens' books, adult non-fiction, fiction, painting, and newspaper accounts around the world' Sherrill E. Grace, author of Canada and the Idea of the North

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Book SynopsisIn this revised and updated edition of The Tudors: A Very Short Introduction, John Guy offers a compelling and authoritative guide to all aspects of the Tudor period. From politics, religion, and economics, to gender, art, and culture, this is a fascinating exploration of the leaders of the day and the culture of the time.Trade ReviewGuy looks beyond this bunch of merry and not so merry monarchs to give a concise guide to the whole Tudor world from politics, religion and economics to gender, art and culture. * Northern Echo *Table of ContentsGenealogical table ; The Tudor Succession ; Note on Units of Currency ; 1. Henry VII: Founding a new dynasty ; 2. Henry VIII: The personification of power ; 3. The Reformation and British 'Imperial' Kingship ; 4. Mid-Tudor crisis and the succession ; 5. Philip and Mary: an experiment in dual monarchy ; 6. The early Elizabethan polity ; 7. Material culture and the arts ; 8. After the armada ; Further reading ; Chronology ; Index

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Book SynopsisThe groundbreaking series that will tell the story of Britain from VE Day in 1945 to the coming of Margaret Thatcher in 1979 as never beforeTrade Review'This is a classic; buy at least three copies - one for yourself and two to give to friends and family' John Charmley, Guardian 'The book is a marvel ... the fullest, deepest and most balanced history of our times' Sunday Telegraph 'What a treat we have in store *****' Craig Brown's Book of the Week, Mail on Sunday 'A wonderfully illuminating picture of the way we were' Roy Hattersley, The Times

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Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE 2015 BANCROFT PRIZE WINNER OF THE 2015 PHILIP TAFT PRIZEFINALIST FOR THE 2015 PULITZER PRIZE FOR HISTORYSHORTLISTED FOR THE 2015 CUNDHILL PRIZE IN HISTORICAL LITERATUREEconomist BOOKS OF THE YEAR 2015''Knowledgeable and stunning'' Orhan Pamuk ''A masterpiece of the historian''s craft'' The NationFor about 900 years, from 1000 to 1900, cotton was the world''s most important manufacturing industry. It remains a vast business - if all the cotton bales produced in 2013 had been stacked on top of each other they would have made a somewhat unstable tower 40,000 miles high. Sven Beckert''s superb new book is a history of the overwhelming role played by cotton in dictating the shape of our world. It is both a gripping narrative and a brilliant case history of how the world works.Trade ReviewA masterpiece of the historian's craft: combining a global scope with concern for the nuances of individual experience, Beckert tracks the fortunes of a single commodity, cotton, across six continents and thousands of years. That sweeping project is driven by the attempt to unravel the causes and consequences of one overarching puzzle: "why, after many millennia of slow economic growth, a few strands of humanity in the late eighteenth century suddenly got much richer." On the way to his answer, Beckert uncovers a history he claims "provides the key to understanding the modern world." . . . The belief that discovering the origins of economic growth might unlock modernity's secrets raises questions that are even more tantalizing -- Timothy Shenk * The Nation *A fascinating and profound examination of the history of a crop that played a transformative role in the making of the modern world. Beckert manages to keep in view a remarkable cast of characters, from planters and slaves in the United States to British industrialists and factory workers, and farmers in India, Egypt, and China. The Empire of Cotton is global history as it should be written -- Eric FonerMasterly . . . Deeply researched and eminently readable, "Empire of Cotton" gives new insight into the relentless expansion of global capitalism. With graceful prose and a clear and compelling argument, Beckert not only charts the expansion of cotton capitalism. . . he addresses the conditions of enslaved workers in the fields and wage workers in the factories. An astonishing achievement -- Thomas Bender * NY Times *Persuasive . . . brilliant . . . Beckert's detailed narrative never scants the rich complexity of the cotton trade's impact on many different societies -- Wendy Smith * Boston Globe *Empire of Cotton' proves Sven Beckert one of the new elite of genuinely global historians. Too little present-day academic history is written for the general public. 'Empire of Cotton' transcends this barrier and should be devoured eagerly, not only by scholars and students but also by the intelligent reading public. The book is rich and diverse in the treatment of its subject. The writing is elegant, and the use of both primary and secondary sources is impressive and varied. Overviews on international trends alternate with illuminating, memorable anecdotes . . . Beckert's book made me wish for a sequel -- Daniel Walker Howe * The Washington Post *Important . . .a major work of scholarship that will not be soon surpassed as the definitive account of the product that was, as Beckert puts it, the Industrial Revolution's 'launching pad -- Adam Hochschild * New York Times Book Review *Hefty, informative, and engaging . . . Beckert's narrative skills keep the story of capitalism fresh and interesting for all readers * Publishers Weekly *An engrossing narrative -- Giorgio Riello * History Today *Beckert is a big-order thinker. His book offers a masterly picture of the empire of cotton as an economic system that held together myriad different parts...Beckert's ability to write a history on this scale is impressive indeed -- Stephanie McCurry * Times Literary Supplement *Sven Beckert's Empire of Cotton: A Global History is certainly a must-read for specialists as well as the lay reader. The lucid style and the wide canvas, both in time and space, make the book riveting -- Dr. V. Krishna Ananth * The Hindu *

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Book SynopsisThe first volume of Steven Runciman''s classic, hugely influential trilogy on the history of the Crusades''On a February day in the year AD 638 the Caliph Omar entered Jerusalem, riding upon a white camel''An enthralling work of grand historical narrative, Steven Runciman''s A History of the Crusades overturned the traditional view of the Crusades as a romantic Christian adventure, and instead shifted the focus of the story to the East. With verve and drama, volume one of Runciman''s trilogy tells the story of the First Crusade - from its unlikely beginnings in pilgrimage to the horrors of the siege of Jerusalem and the carving out of new territory on the edge of the eastern Mediterranean.''Without question one of the major feats of contemporary historical writing'' The New York Times''The historian whose magisterial works transformed our understanding of Byzantium, the medieval church and the crusades'' Guardian

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Book SynopsisThe French Revolution marks the foundation of the modern political world. It was in the crucible of the Revolution that the political forces of conservatism, liberalism and socialism began to find their modern form, and it was the Revolution that first asserted the claims of universal individual rights, on which our current understandings of citizenship are based. But the Terror was, as much as anything else, a civil war, and such wars are always both brutal and complex. The guillotine in Paris claimed some 1,500 official victims, but executions of captured counter-revolutionary rebels ran into the tens of thousands, and deaths in the areas of greatest conflict probably ran into six figures, with indiscriminate massacres being perpetrated by both sides.The story of the Terror is a story of grand political pronouncements, uprisings and insurrections, but also a story of survival against hunger, persecution and bewildering ideological demands, a story of how a state, even withTrade ReviewDavid Andres s' important new book is a major contribution in our efforts to rethink the French Revolution . . . It is also exceptionally well-written * Timothy Tacket, author of BECOMING A REVOLUTIONARY AND WHEN THE KING TOOK FLIGHT *Commendably fair and even-handed . . . A lucid study * Munro Price, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH *The most authoritative treatment we are likely to have for many years * William Doyle, INDEPENDENT *A meticulous account . . . stands beside Simon Schama's Citizens * LITERARY REVIEW *

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Book SynopsisIn ancient times, the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal) was home to warriors of great renown. Spanish and Celtiberian warriors, both infantry and cavalry, provided the backbone of the Carthaginian armies that terrorized Italy under Hannibal and proved even more ferocious in defence of their homeland against later Roman occupation. The Lusitanian resistance under Viriathus was among the toughest the Romans encountered anywhere. Professor Quesada Sanz details the arms, armour and equipment of the various warriors of the region in fantastic detail, drawing on his intimate knowledge of the latest archaeological and historical research. His clear and informative text is supported throughout by a wealth of photographs, diagrams and exquisite colour artwork by Carlos Fernandez del Castillo. This beautiful book is a rare combination of detailed, comprehensive information and sumptuous visual appeal that will be cherished by anyone with an interest in the warriors and weapons of the ancient world. The Spanish edition won the Hislibris Award for the 'Best Historical Book' for 2010 and is here faithfully translated into English.

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Book SynopsisThe land that was to become Scotland has travelled across the globe over the last 3,000 million years - from close to the South Pole to its current position. During these travels, there were many continental collisions, creating mountain belts as high as the present-day Himalayas. The Highlands of Scotland were formed in this way. Our climate too has changed dramatically over the last 3 billion years from the deep freeze of the Ice Age to scorching heat of the desert. And within a relatively short time - geologically speaking, we will plunge back into another ice age. In Set in Stone, Alan McKirdy traces Scotland's amazing geological journey, explaining for the non - specialist reader why the landscape looks the way it does todays. He also explores Scots and those working in Scotland have played a seminal role in the development of the science of geology, understanding Earth processes at a local and global scale.

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Book SynopsisWhy did the flushing toilet take two centuries to catch on? Why did Samuel Pepys never give his mistresses an orgasm? Why did medieval people sleep sitting up? When were the two ''dirty centuries''? Why did gas lighting cause Victorian ladies to faint? Why, for centuries, did people fear fruit?All these questions - and more - are answered in this juicy, truly intimate history of the home.Through the bedroom, bathroom, living room and kitchen, Lucy Worsley explores what people actually did in bed, in the bath, at the table, and at the stove. From sauce-stirring to breast-feeding, teeth-cleaning to masturbation, getting dressed to getting married, this book will make you see your home with new eyes.

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Book Synopsis''A brilliant oral history of the golden age of British wrestling and magnificent wider social history.'' Richard OsmanThe classic account of the men and women who used to fight each other for pride and money. Simon Garfield brings them to life in one last glorious bout of jealousy, myth, revenge, passion and deep devotion.When British wrestling was dropped from the ITV schedules in the mid-80s it left the giants of the ring - Big Daddy, Giant Haystacks, Kendo Nagasaki - bereft. This is the true story of the circuit, the big names and their rivalries, told with humour, warmth and affection. This edition features a new afterword by the author.

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Book SynopsisRobert Service is a Fellow of the British Academy and of St Antony's College, Oxford. He has written several books, including the highly acclaimed Lenin: A Biography, Russia: Experiment with a People, Stalin: A Biography and Comrades: A History of World Communism, as well as many other books on Russia's past and present. His book Trotsky: A Biography was awarded the 2009 Duff Cooper Prize. Married with four children, he lives in London.Trade ReviewBrilliant, original and compelling -- Saul David * Evening Standard *The best book yet on Nicholas after his abdication -- Dominic Lieven * Financial Times *A myth-busting account of the final months of the ruler’s life, from abdication to execution * Guardian *Detailed and painstakingly researched -- Peter Conradi * Sunday Times *A clear-eyed portrait of Nicholas and his limitations . . . an essential corrective * TLS *

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Book SynopsisIn 1482, Abu Abdallah Muhammad XI became the twenty-third Muslim King of Granada. He would be the last. This is the first history of the ruler, known as Boabdil, whose disastrous reign and bitter defeat brought seven centuries of Moorish Spain to an end. It is an action-packed story of intrigue, treachery, cruelty, cunning, courtliness, bravery and tragedy. Basing her vivid account on original documents and sources, Elizabeth Drayson traces the origins and development of Islamic Spain. She describes the thirteenth-century founding of the Nasrid dynasty, the cultured and stable society it created, and the feuding which threatened it and had all but destroyed it by 1482, when Boabdil seized the throne. The new Sultan faced betrayals by his family, factions in the Alhambra palace, and ever more powerful onslaughts from the forces of Ferdinand and Isabella, monarchs of the newly united kingdoms of Castile and Aragon. By stratagem, diplomacy, courage and strength of will Boabdil prolonged his reign for ten years, but he never had much chance of survival. In 1492 Ferdinand and Isabella, magnificently attired in Moorish costume, entered Granada and took possession of the city. Boabdil went into exile. The Christian reconquest of Spain, that has reverberated so powerfully down the centuries, was complete.Trade ReviewA lively biography ... [Drayson's] account revels in the high drama and spectacular gore of Boabdil's story, which are in plentiful supply. -- Dan Jones * Sunday Times *Charming and eye-opening ... Drayson does a splendid job of putting flesh on Boabdil's story -- Giles Tremlett * Guardian *Does justice to Boabdil's life and illuminates the lessons he offers. It is rare today to find a historian with a talent for brevity. In just 180 pages Drayson tells an enthralling and terribly sad story, while forcing the reader to reflect on the nature of heroism. -- Gerard DeGroot * Times *With elegant prose, her book clearly reconstructs the complicated politics of Granada and brings back to life a historical figure shrouded in mystery and legend. Her book is a pleasure to read and an excellent introduction to anyone wishing to delve into the twilight of Muslim Spain. -- Francis Soyer * BBC History Magazine *From her Cambridge vantage point, Dr Drayson retells this familiar but dramatic story. Her book is part history, part biography, and wholly readable...It would be a good book to read on a tren de alta velocidad speeding from Madrid to the south. -- Andrew Breeze * The Tablet *

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Book SynopsisThe remarkable archaeology of pharaonic Egypt continues to captivate countless people worldwide but evidence for Egypt's prehistoric or Stone Age past has been relatively neglected. This is perhaps understandable, as the archaeology of Stone Age Egypt often seems crude in comparison, and the number of works published on the subject is diminutive compared to those dealing with the revered ancient civilization that emerged in the Nile Valley some five thousand years ago. However, although less spectacular, the numerous remnants of prehistoric life found throughout Egypt represent an important chapter in the story of humanity's distant past. They also cast compelling light on the shadowy Stone Age peoples who lived in the Nile Valley and surrounding deserts, long before the mighty monuments of the pharaohs ever existed. This book examines the fascinating archaeology of stone Age Egypt, from its very beginnings, when early members of the human species arrived in Egypt from sub-Saharan Africa, to its end, when the impressive Naqada Culture emerged, setting in motion the processes that led to the formation of one of the world's greatest ancient civilizations.

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Book SynopsisThe inside story, told by the archaeological detectives themselves, of the extraordinary discovery of the world's oldest papyri revealing how King Khufu's men built the Great Pyramid at Giza. Pierre Tallet's discovery of the Red Sea Scrolls the world's oldest surviving written documents in 2013 was one of the most remarkable moments in the history of Egyptology. These papyri, written some 4,600 years ago, combined with Mark Lehner's research and theories, change what we thought we knew about the building of the Great Pyramid at Giza. Here, for the first time, Tallet and Lehner together give us the definitive account of this astounding discovery. The story begins with Tallet's hunt for hieroglyphic rock inscriptions in the Sinai Peninsula, leading up to the discovery of the papyri the diary of Inspector Merer, who oversaw workers in the reign of Pharaoh Khufu in Wadi el-Jarf, the site of an ancient harbour on the Red Sea. The translation of the papyri reveals for the first Trade Review'This landmark, elegantly illustrated book is the first to reveal how raw materials used in the Great Pyramid’s construction … were transported to Giza' - Science'A detailed, compelling account of Khufu’s extraordinary project, based on the latest evidence' - Toby Wilkinson, Times Literary Supplement'A really fascinating, in-depth discussion of a remarkable set of documents that show this early civilisation coming together' - Guy de la Bédoyère MA FSA'Rigorously detailed … for diehard nerds there’s plenty of mapping, reconstruction and transliteration' - The Spectator'A vivid, richly illustrated account' - Current World Archaeology'A fascinating and, above all, readable account of a discovery that has already had significant impact on our understanding of Egypt in the Pyramid Age' - Ancient Egypt MagazineTable of ContentsPrologue Introduction Part I Discoveries in the Desert The Red Sea Part II Copper Sneferu and Khufu and their Pyramid From Khufu to Khafra on the Red Sea Coast and at Giza Finding the Papyri The Challenges of Translating the Papyri What the Papyri Tell Us Part IV How Merer and his Team Transported Stone to Giza From the Red Sea to the Nile Delta: A Year in the Life of Merer and his Men From Worker’s Village to Port City Overseer of the Ro She Ankh-haf Part V Feeding the Workers How They Could Have Raised the Stone How the Pyramids Created a Unified State Conclusion: Future Discoveries on the Red Sea Coast? Appendix : Translation of Papyri

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Book SynopsisA New York Times Book of the Year, 2018A REESE WITHERSPOON x HELLO SUNSHINE BOOK CLUB PICKA dazzling love letter to a beloved institution - our libraries.After moving to Los Angeles, Susan Orlean became fascinated by a mysterious local crime that has gone unsolved since it was carried out on the morning of 29 April 1986: who set fire to the Los Angeles Public Library, ultimately destroying more than 400,000 books, and perhaps even more perplexing, why? With her characteristic humour, insight and compassion, Orlean uses this terrible event as a lens through which to tell the story of all libraries - their history, their meaning and their uncertain future as they adapt and redefine themselves in a digital world. Filled with heart, passion and extraordinary characters, The Library Book discusses the larger, crucial role that libraries play in our lives.Trade ReviewExquisitely written, consistently entertaining * New York Times *Moving... A constant pleasure to read... Everybody who loves books should check out The Library Book * Washington Post *A loving and diligent portrait of a particular place and its history * Financial Times *Enthralling and inspirational... Above all, this excellent book is an unashamed love letter to the public library system... In this fine and heartfelt saga, [Orlean] repays a lifelong debt with both passion and elegance. * Alexander Larman, Observer *An exemplary work of creative non-fiction... I can't recommend this book highly enough. It manages to be deft and serious at the same time, elegiac and optimistic, scrupulous and free-wheeling... just buy it. * Scotland on Sunday *Vivid... Compelling... Intimate and epic * Wall Street Journal *Mesmerizing... A riveting mix of true crime, history, biography, and immersion journalism... Probing, prismatic, witty, dramatic, and deeply appreciative, Orlean's chronicle celebrates libraries as sanctuaries, community centers, and open universities run by people of commitment, compassion, creativity, and resilience. * Booklist (starred review) *Of course, I will always read anything that Susan Orlean writes - and I would encourage you to do the same, regardless of the topic, because she's always brilliant. But The Library Book is a particularly beautiful and soul-expanding book... It will keep you spellbound from first page to last. -- Elizabeth GilbertEngaging... Bibliophiles will love this fact-filled, bookish journey. * Kirkus Reviews *This is a book only Susan Orlean could have written. Somehow she manages to transform the story of a library fire into the story of literacy, civil service, municipal infighting and vision, public spaces in an era of increasing privatization and social isolation... and the central role libraries have always and will always play in the life and health of a bustling democracy. Beyond all that, like any good library, it's bursting with incredible tales and characters. There could be no better book for the bookish. -- Dave EggersSusan Orlean has long been one of our finest storytellers, and she proves it again with The Library Book. A beautifully written and richly reported account, it sheds new light on a thirty-year-old mystery - and, what's more, offers a moving tribute to the invaluableness of libraries. -- David GrannAfter reading Susan Orlean's The Library Book, I'm quite sure I'll never look at libraries, or librarians, the same way again. This is classic Orlean - an exploration of a devastating fire becomes a journey through a world of infinite richness, populated with unexpected characters doing unexpected things, with unexpected passion. -- Erik LarsonOrlean has a knack for finding compelling stories in unlikely places. * Kathryn Hughes, Guardian *

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Book SynopsisA haunting tale about one woman''s fight to tell her story, The Confessions of Frannie Langton leads you through laudanum-laced dressing rooms and dark-as-night alleys, into the heart of Georgian London.''Deep-diving and elegant'' Margaret Atwood''Takes the gothic genre by the scruff of the neck'' Bernadine Evaristo-----''They say I must be put to death for what happened to Madame, and they want me to confess. But how can I confess what I don''t believe I''ve done?''1826, and all of London is in a frenzy. Crowds gather at the gates of the Old Bailey to watch as Frannie Langton, maid to Mr and Mrs Benham, goes on trial for their murder. The testimonies against her are damning - slave, whore, seductress. And they may be the truth. But they are not the whole truth.For the first time Frannie must tell her story. It begins with a girl learning to read on a plantation in Jamaica, and it ends in a grand Trade ReviewAn impressive debut, dazzlingly original * The Times *Bold and powerful * The Sunday Times *A fantastically assured piece of historical gothic * The Guardian Best Fiction of 2019 *

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Book SynopsisA Spectator Book of the Year''Sweeping . . . Poetic . . . Not only readable but also vital'' Literary Review''A terrific storyteller'' New York Times''Exceptional . . . tender and beautifully written'' Country LifeThe groundbreaking story of Nomadic peoples on the move across history.Tracing the epic paths of wanderers across twelve thousand years, acclaimed travel writer Anthony Sattin recovers the stories of tribes who lived beyond imperial borders and created their own kingdoms and empires: Scythian, Xiongnu, Persian, Hun, Arab, Mongul, Mughal, Ottoman and others. With their embrace of multiculturalism, respect for nature''s rhythms, and need for free movement, wandering peoples brought a glorious cultural flourishing to Eurasia, enabling the Renaissance and changing the human story. This sweeping narrative reconnects us with our deepest mythology, our unrecorded antiquity and oTrade ReviewIn a book of sensitivity and grace, Sattin does not just describe the nomadic way of life, but also evokes it . . . This is a book of beauty and beguiling rhythm that offers unsettling lessons about our present-day world of borders -- The TimesThoughtful, lyrical yet ambitiously panoramic . . . As fleet and light-footed as its subject, it takes us along a dizzying path, over many of the highest ridges of human history . . . An important, generous and beautifully-written book -- William Dalrymple, author of 'The Anarchy'A terrific storyteller -- New York TimesA fabulous piece of evocative writing, mixing personal stories with an epic sweep of history, the unique insight of location and an intimate connection to the subject. I loved it -- Jerry Brotton, author of 'A History of the World in Twelve Maps'Anthony Sattin's Nomads spreads before us a sweeping panorama of nomadismthat resonates through the past and echoes poignantly even in the present -- Colin Thubron, author of 'Shadow of the Silk Road'I was riveted by the shifts to nomadic culture, Sapiens-like, and by the feeling of learning lightly worn and deftly transmitted. This is a major book -- Roland Philipps, author of 'A Spy Named Orphan'The saga of the lost mobile cultures and empires that have impacted global history . . . a spirited defence of freedom of conscience, freedom of movement and migration, a romantic tribute to independence and to free spirit, and to being in tune with the rhythms of nature -- Marc David Baer, author of 'The Ottomans'An incredible work combining brilliant scholarship with an epic, page-turning narrative . . . His landmark book -- Nicholas CraneSweeping . . . Poetic . . . Sattin brings together a huge range of material with great elegance, making it not only readable but also vital -- Literary ReviewExceptional . . . tender and beautifully written -- Jason Goodwin, Country LifeNomads is a kind of rhapsody on how this aspect of human nature has contributed as much, if not more, to civilization, than the tillers of the soil -- Asian Review of BooksNomads is a monumental work, exhaustively researched that sets out to explain nomadism, its importance, rise and decline over the centuries in the minutest detail -- Irish ExaminerNot only readable but also vital -- Literary ReviewTriumphantly tells the story of another way of living . . . This is a book that does not labour in the fields but gallops full stretch towards the horizon -- SpectatorA much-needed act of historical revisionism -- Times Literary SupplementAn unashamedly impressionistic paean to nomadic life interwoven with travelogue and memoir -- The Times

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