History Books

Book SynopsisDeep in the beautiful Worcestershire countryside lie a number of secret places that played a special part in protecting a generation from the onslaught of a world war. Travellers passing through leafy Worcestershire lanes may catch a glimpse of a structure that seems out of place against the backdrop of fields and hills – the dish of a gigantic radio telescope. How did such an incongruous structure arrive in the middle of nowhere, and what does it do? This book answers the question, and recounts the dramatic history of two 'Top Secret' wartime airfields, and how their activities were inextricably linked to the 'boffins' of the Malvern Telecommunications Research Establishment. It tells the story of brilliant inventions, wartime courage and sacrifice, tragic air crashes, and ordinary and extraordinary people, pushing themselves and their machines to the limit and beyond. Crafted using personal recollections – the book reveals the truly extraordinary wartime commitment and camaraderie that fuelled extraordinary endeavour and achievement.

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Book SynopsisThis excellent history of Lancaster Moor Hospital is set against a background of changing attitudes,developing medical knowledge and pioneering treatments. It is a fascinating and informativeread for everyone.

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Book SynopsisSarah Gristwood celebrates the legacy of Queen Elizabeth II and how her enduring popularity was tantamount to her many supporters. The twists and turns of her life follow her teenage years during the war, marrying the Duke of Edinburgh and her ascension to the throne. An internationally admired figure, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was the most high-profile monarch in the world, who endured wide-ranging popularity. Spanning from 1926 to the end of her reign in 2022, Elizabeth: The Queen and the Crown reveals the story behind Britain's longest-reigning monarch's extraordinary life. Sarah Gristwood follows the twists and turns of Her Majesty’s life and its key turning points – including her teenage years during World War II, meeting and marrying Prince Philip of Greece, later the Duke of Edinburgh, and her accession to the throne in 1952. Split into chapters covering different periods of her life, from ‘Apprenticeship (1926–1956)’, ‘Being Queen (1956–1986)’ to ‘Change, Celebration and Commemoration (1986–2022)’, the book charts the extraordinary events in the Queen's life alongside the everyday duties of her role as monarch.

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Book SynopsisThis book offers a fresh, bold and unsettling truth: the British Empire and Great Britain are primarily English constructions; and the Church of England has presumed to act for and benefit from English enterprise and exploitation, serving as the spiritual arm of the imperial project. English Anglicanism has developed itself as the lead character within its own serious fiction'the main religious player in a drama of Church and Empire. Yet, in collusion with colonialism, it is now a prisoner of its own historical amnesia.Martyn Percy examines the English interests concealed in appeals to Britishness, and shows how slavery, exploitation, classism and racism played their part in the elitist and hierarchical worldviews propagated by the English to bolster both Empire and Church. Yet, by regarding the rest of the world as lesser, both institutions have slowly degenerated in global standing. Now, Britain' and the Church of England are no more than minor national players on the world stage.Religious, social and political imperialism are founded on the deprecation of others. Yet those peoples who were once looked down upon have fought for equality and independence. Today, the worldwide Anglican Communion faces a new era of moral reckoning.

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Book SynopsisThe postcards in It’ll All Be Over By Christmas paint a picture of the First World War as experienced by those at home, at the front, in training, in hospital and in convalescence. These personal messages were sent from fathers to their wives and children, sons to family, friends and loved ones – sharing their thoughts, hopes and worries as well as the lighter side of life. There are cards from those at sea, in prisoner-of-war camps and those of the Central Powers. Featuring over 150 illustrations, including some rare examples, the book also demonstrates how the postcard was ulitised to enlist volunteers and boost morale through humour, sentimentality and propaganda. Postcards encouraged support of the war effort through fundraising, sending ‘comforts’ to those on the front line and promoting practical roles for women. This fascinating book offers a profound insight into the experiences of war through postcards, as well the part that they played in promoting it.

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Book SynopsisThe story of the gradual rise but ultimate demise of a soldier, colonial administrator and diplomat from an Irish background in the Victorian era of the British Empire. The book takes us through the life of Cornelius Alfred Moloney from his early days as a young army officer and then his career as he rose up the colonial diplomatic hierarchy to positions of seniority in West Africa and the Caribbean. As his life and career evolved, Moloney demonstrated a deep commitment to the countries and people he became responsible for and in his writings, showed this loyalty in promoting the local economies he represented. A growing appreciation and love of botany was central to his activities and the book lays out his relationship with the Botanic Gardens in Kew and how this helped him promote his botanical interests overseas, raising the botanical profile of the countries he worked in. Ultimately, a successful career ended in ignominy and an intriguing aspect of Moloney’s story is why things fell apart when they did, at a time he was at the height of his success. The book will be of interest to those keen on colonial history and the Irish contribution to empire with the twist of a person who became deeply drawn to merging the botanical and the economic interests of West Africa.

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Book SynopsisThe unique character of San Francisco’s Chinatown is revealed in a historical map and fascinating photographs This colorful and celebratory time capsule of San Francisco’s Chinatown—the largest Chinese community outside of Asia—shares the stories of the unique businesses, culture, and people encountered by map illustrator Ken Cathcart between 1939 and 1955. Each section of this stylized map, supplemented by Cathcart’s never-before-seen black-and-white photographs, is explained in meticulous detail, revealing glimpses of the immigration story universal to America and exploring the struggles, triumphs, and enduring legacy of this vibrant community.Trade ReviewUrban historians and armchair travelers alike will enjoy this spectacular tour. * Publishers Weekly *“... this stylized cultural map of the largest Chinese community outside of Asia is brought to life by vivid details and photographs.” * The New York Times *

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Book SynopsisThis could be a great work of fiction. The damndest thing is it's all fact. - Michael Farber, Sports IllustratedIt was a time of Prohibition, jazz, and gangland murder, and it was baseball's age of magic, when even Hall of Fame players believed that rubbing the hump of a hunchback guaranteed a hit.Broken and deformed by a childhood fall from a seesaw, Hughie McLoon never grew taller than forty-nine inches but he made himself one of the lucky ones. He was chosen as the batboy and mascot of the Philadelphia Athletics. Although the team finished last in each of the three seasons that the A's rubbed his hump and Hughie tended their bats, he became a local celebrity. He loved the crowds and they loved him back.Graduating from batboy to boxing manager, and running his own speakeasy while serving as a secret agent for the Chief of Police, Hughie was the toast of Philly until one summer night in 1928 he was caught in a murderous crossfire outside his tavern. Twenty-six years old, he bled to death on Cuthbert Street. The next day, 15,000 admirers lined up to see his four-foot corpse. The age of magic was now over.The Short Life of Hughie McLoon is Allen Abel's haunting and stylish biography of the most remarkable and beloved of the baseball mascots, and a new chapter in the complicated mythology of the American dream.

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Book SynopsisABRAHAM LINCOLN: A History, Vol. 1 is the first volume of a huge biography series written via John G. Nicolay and John Hay, two near associates of Abraham Lincoln who served as his private secretaries at some point of his presidency. Published in 1890, this work is a seminal exploration of Lincoln's existence, politics, and the events of his era. Nicolay and Hay, having had direct get admission to to Lincoln and his papers, provide a unique and authoritative perspective at the 16th President of the US. Volume 1 of this biography covers Lincoln's early years, his upward push in Illinois politics, and his election because the state's chief in a duration marred by means of deep divisions leading to the Civil War. The authors meticulously researched and acknowledged the events and factors that fashioned Lincoln's man or woman and leadership traits. Their work offers readers with treasured insights into the person who navigated the united states via one of its hardest instances, inclusive of the problems of slavery and secession. ABRAHAM LINCOLN: A History, Vol. 1 stays a useful resource for those in search of an in-intensity know-how of Abraham Lincoln's formative years and his journey to turning into one in every of America's maximum respected presidents.

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Book SynopsisAs a working palace, the Istana is tradition firmly rooted in the present. It has links with Singapore's colonial past, being first a nutmeg plantation owned by a British businessman, then office to the colonial government and later becoming the seat of Singapore's first President after independence. Today, it houses the offices of the highest office holders in Singapore - the President and the Prime Minister. It is also a place where ordinary Singaporeans celebrate extraordinary achievements. The grounds of the Istana reflect Singapore's vision of its future as a city in a garden, flowing from its old rain trees, orchids, spice shrubs and formal gardens. From its perch on a slight hill, the Istana looks upon the heart of Orchard Road, in many ways acting as the country's heartbeat. This book presents the definitive work on the Istana - its history, its building, its grounds, and the people that are part of it. With authoritative, accessible text and stunning photography to guide you along the way, let us welcome you to the Istana.

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Book Synopsis ''Vast and arresting'' SPECTATOR''A remarkably human take on the geological world'' NEW STATESMANRocks are the record of our creative planet reinventing itself for four billion years. Nothing is ever lost, just transformed. Marcia Bjornerud''s life as a geologist has coincided with an extraordinary period of discovery. From an insular girlhood in rural Wisconsin, she found her way to an unlikely career studying mountains in remote parts of the world. As one of few women in her field, she witnessed the shift in our understanding of the Earth, from solid object to an entity in a constant state of transformation. In the most tumultuous times of her own life, a deep understanding of our rocky planet imbued her life with meaning.The lives of rocks are long and complex, spanning billions of years and yet shaping our own human lives in powerful, invisible ways. Sandstone that filters out pathogens creating underground oases in

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Book SynopsisA gripping account of East Germany in the late '70s and early '80s, and of one man's fated struggle for freedom.

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Book SynopsisA master storyteller presents a riveting drama of America''s first crime of the century--from murder investigation to a church sex scandal to celebrity trial--and its aftermath.In December 1832 a farmer found the body of a young, pregnant woman hanging near a haystack outside a New England mill town. When news spread that Methodist preacher Ephraim Avery was accused of murdering Sarah Maria Cornell, a factory worker, the case gave the public everything they found irresistible: sexually charged violence, adultery, the hypocrisy of a church leader, secrecy and mystery, and suspicions of insanity. Murder in a Mill Town tells the story of how a local crime quickly turned into a national scandal that became America''s first trial of the century.After her death--after she became the country''s most notorious factory girl--Cornell''s choices about work, survival, and personal freedom became enmeshed in stories that Americans told themselves about their new world of industry and women''s laborTrade ReviewMurder in a Mill Town is a murder mystery, a sex scandal, a legal thriller, and a crystal-clear primer on how the rise of capitalism transformed the most intimate aspects of American life—all rolled into one. It is an essential read for anyone interested in true-crime tales and their hold on American culture. * Debby Applegate, author of The Most Famous Man in America: The Biography of Henry Ward Beecher *A young mill girl. A married minister. An inconvenient pregnancy. A suspicious death. A sensational murder trial. Bruce Dorsey's deeply researched account shows that the case captured the attention of antebellum America not just because of its lurid combination of sex and violence, but also because of the ways it played out contemporary conflicts over the changing roles of women—and men. Two centuries ago, an illicit affair could threaten a man's status and a woman's life. Now, after the overthrow of Roe v. Wade, the tragedy of Sarah Maria Cornell remains urgent, illuminating, and haunting. * John Wood Sweet, author of The Sewing Girl's Tale: A Story of Crime and Consequences in Revolutionary America *This true crime history set in a New England mill town may seem familiar at first. But gradually peeling the onion, Bruce Dorsey reveals the exceeding strangeness of the times, reminding us that the past is a foreign country. * John Mack Faragher, Yale University *This is a story of ordinary people living in exceptional times, who find themselves caught up in a rapidly changing world—a story that involves not only the two central protagonists, but hundreds of trial witnesses whose testimony illuminates their historical experience in striking detail, and dozens of journalists and popular writers who search for broader meanings in this episode of personal violence. In strikingly accessible prose, Bruce Dorsey brings his characters to life on the page. * Karen Halttunen, author of Murder Most Foul: The Killer and the American Gothic Imagination *Murder in a Mill Town highlights how little we've learned or changed since the 1830s. It almost reads as an indictment about America's petty fears about sex, women, and undermining religion- "almost an indictment" because, in his precise writing and masterful contextualizing, Dorsey doesn't offer an opinion. He lets the horror of our culture speak for itself. * Tony Russo, New York Journal of Books *Table of ContentsPreface: Before the Curtain Rises Act I Murder 1. The Haystack 2. The Manufacturer 3. A Troubled Marriage 4. Native Sons 5. "Useful in this World" 6. "Factory Girl" 7. "Crazy Dow" 8. A Methodist Family 9. Moving Planet 10. Circuit Rider 11. Slanderer 12. Moral Police 13. Examination 14. Manhunt 15. "If I am missing" Act II Trial 16. Courtroom Tales 17. Physicians, Bodies, and Women 18. Doctor Visits 19. Sex Talk 20. Bad Stories 21. Passions and Self-Murder 22. "This most extraordinary of all cases" Act III Scandal 23. Mobs and More Murders 24. Conspiracies 25. Vindication 26. Camp Meetings 27. Seduction 28. Fake News 29. Stage and Song Coda Notes Index

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Book SynopsisA compelling, authoritative account of the brilliant, conflicted, visionary world of Tudor EnglandTrade Review“[Wooding] writes clear, elegant, purposeful narrative. . . . Anecdote and oddity leap off every page, often slyly juxtaposed. . . . This wide-ranging and punchy book approaches Tudor history from the ground up. It’s a classic in the making.”—Dan Jones, Times (UK)“Generous, heroic history—populist rather than popular—that will shake up long-held views. . . . Tudor England is so well-cited that it’s easy to recommend to someone trying to get up to speed with current historical debates, but it’s also far from dry—liberally scattered with grisly tales and memorable digressions into everything from gardening to the theatres.”—Daniel Brooks, Daily Telegraph“Lucy Wooding offers a new perspective on the period—a treasure chest of real people enduring war, poverty, chaos and contagion. Fascinating characters are crowded into a narrative of superb dramatic pace. Do we need yet another Tudor history? Yes, apparently we do.”—Times (UK), “Best History Books of 2022”“Offers a comprehensive, authoritative, up-to-date account of the Tudor monarchs and the England they governed. Throughout it provides a sense of what it would have felt like to live through the many tumultuous changes of the period; and its combination of broad sweep and with vivid stories and snapshots will reward scholars, students and general readers alike.”—Helen Hackett, Times Literary Supplement“Dr. Wooding’s simple objective, she tells us, is to unfold the astonishing story of this era, something she achieves in an exceptionally human and beautifully written text. . . . With great clarity and engaging prose, we are offered stimulating reappraisals of each regime, all of them bristling with fresh ideas and new ways of looking at age-old areas of study. . . . It surely offers much that is new for even the most well-read Tudor specialist, but equally serves as a fresh and brilliant introduction for the newcomer.”—David Robinson, Country Life“The book is a rather rich and detailed portrait of life in England through which the personal and dynastic histories of the Tudor monarchs are woven . . . [and] a deeply human and intimate account, taking in every level of society. . . . It is a remarkable achievement.”—Mathew Lyons, Literary Review“An exceptional contribution to Tudor scholarship. It offers a fresh and nuanced perspective on the Tudor dynasty, challenging prevailing narratives and shedding light on the complexities of the era.”—Marc Daniel Rivera, KristiyaKnow“Deftly fusing social, religious and political history, Tudor England is an outstanding achievement. Drawing on the latest scholarship, Wooding reappraises the reigns of the five Tudor monarchs, as well as assessing the times in which they lived. Essential reading for students and everyone interested in this most fascinating of dynasties.”—Elizabeth Norton, author of The Lives of Tudor Women“Beautifully written . . . a deeply humane text, in which so many contemporary voices are given a sympathetic hearing, whilst also making a significant contribution to the field.”—Ian Archer, University of Oxford“Impressive and authoritative, combining narrative panache with rigorous new research to give us a new perspective on one of the most controversial and critical English dynasties. It is the reassessment we needed. . . . A treasure trove, exploring Tudor history from every angle.”—Joanne Paul, author of The House of Dudley“A brilliant sketch of political, religious and social change under the Tudor Monarchs. Wooding weaves many a striking detail into a compelling account of complex events and developments.”—George Bernard, author of Who Ruled Tudor England?

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Book SynopsisBy the New York Times?s Global Economics Correspondent, an extraordinary journey to understand the worldwide supply chain?exposing both the fascinating pathways of manufacturing and transportation that bring products to your doorstep, and the ruthless business logic that has left local communities at the mercy of a complex and fragile network for their basic necessities.A tale that will change how you look at the world.?Mark LeibovichOne of Foreign Policy''s Best Books of the YearHow does the wealthiest country on earth run out of protective gear in the middle of a public health catastrophe? How do its parents find themselves unable to locate crucially needed infant formula? How do its largest companies spend billions of dollars making cars that no one can drive for a lack of chips?The last few years have radically highlighted the intricacy and fragility of the global supply chain. Enormous ships were stuck at sea, warehouses overflowed, and delivery trucks stalled. The result was a scarcity of everything from breakfast cereal to medical devices, from frivolous goods to lifesaving necessities. And while the scale of the pandemic shock was unprecedented, it underscored the troubling reality that the system was fundamentally at risk of descending into chaos all along. And it still is. Sabotaged by financial interests, loss of transparency in markets, and worsening working conditions for the people tasked with keeping the gears turning, our global supply chain has become perpetually on the brink of collapse.In How the World Ran Out of Everything, award-winning journalist Peter S. Goodman reveals the fascinating innerworkings of our supply chain and the factors that have led to its constant, dangerous vulnerability. His reporting takes readers deep into the elaborate system, showcasing the triumphs and struggles of the human players who operate it?from factories in Asia and an almond grower in Northern California, to a group of striking railroad workers in Texas, to a truck driver who Goodman accompanies across hundreds of miles of the Great Plains. Through their stories, Goodman weaves a powerful argument for reforming a supply chain to become truly reliable and resilient, demanding a radical redrawing of the bargain between labor and shareholders, and deeper attention paid to how we get the things we need.From one of the most respected economic journalists working today, How the World Ran Out of Everything is a fiercely smart, deeply informative look at how our supply chain operates, and why its reform is crucial?not only to avoid dysfunction in our day to day lives, but to protect the fate of our global fortunes.

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Book SynopsisHidden Histories will help you decipher the story of our landscape through the features you can see around you.

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Book SynopsisThose who control the world’s commanding economic heights, buttressed by the theories of mainstream economists, presume that capitalism is a self-contained and self-generating system. Nothing could be further from the truth. In this pathbreaking book—winner of the Paul A. Baran-Paul M. Sweezy Memorial Award—radical political economists Utsa Patnaik and Prabhat Patnaik argue that the accumulation of capital has always required the taking of land, raw materials, and bodies from noncapitalist modes of production. They begin with a thorough debunking of mainstream economics. Then, looking at the history of capitalism, from the beginnings of colonialism half a millennium ago to today’s neoliberal regimes, they discover that, over the long haul, capitalism, in order to exist, must metastasize itself in the practice of imperialism and the immiseration of countless people. A few hundred years ago, write the Patnaiks, colonialism began to ensure vast, virtually free, markets for new products in burgeoning cities in the West. But even after slavery was generally abolished, millions of people in the Global South still fell prey to the continuing lethal exigencies of the marketplace. Even after the Second World War, when decolonization led to the end of the so-called “Golden Age of Capitalism,” neoliberal economies stepped in to reclaim the Global South, imposing drastic “austerity” measures on working people. But, say the Patnaiks, this neoliberal economy, which lives from bubble to bubble, is doomed to a protracted crisis. In its demise, we are beginning to see – finally – the transcendence of the capitalist system.Trade Review“The ideas outlined in A Theory of Imperialism are central to understanding the construction of the unequal global system in the past and in the present.” —Samir Amin, author, The Liberal Virus: Permanent War and the Americanization of the World

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Book SynopsisIn 1945, after his capture at the end of the Second World War, Hermann Göring arrived at an American-run detention centre in war-torn Luxembourg, accompanied by sixteen suitcases and a red hatbox. The suitcases contained all manner of paraphernalia: medals, gems, two cigar cutters, silk underwear, a hot water bottle, and the equivalent of 1 million in cash. Hidden in a coffee can, a set of brass vials housed glass capsules containing a clear liquid and a white precipitate: potassium cyanide. Joining Göring in the detention centre were the elite of the captured Nazi regime,Grand Admiral Dönitz armed forces commander Wilhelm Keitel and his deputy Alfred Jodl the mentally unstable Robert Ley the suicidal Hans Frank the pornographic propagandist Julius Streicher,fifty-two senior Nazis in all, of whom the dominant figure was Göring.To ensure that the villainous captives were fit for trial at Nuremberg, the US army sent an ambitious army psychiatrist, Captain Douglas M. Kelley, to supervise their mental well-being during their detention. Kelley realized he was being offered the professional opportunity of a lifetime: to discover a distinguishing trait among these arch-criminals that would mark them as psychologically different from the rest of humanity. So began a remarkable relationship between Kelley and his captors, told here for the first time with unique access to Kelley's long-hidden papers and medical records.Kelley's was a hazardous quest, dangerous because against all his expectations he began to appreciate and understand some of the Nazi captives, none more so than the former Reichsmarshall, Hermann Göring. Evil had its charms.Trade Review"Enthralling story which grips from the first page and reads like a thriller"--

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Book SynopsisTaking readers from the rainforests of Paraguay to the streets of Tokyo, Mattern draws on historical, scientific, and cultural research to reveal how perceptions of menopause developed from prehistory to today. She goes on to introduce new ways of understanding life beyond fertility.Trade Review"Winner of the PROSE Award in History of Science, Medicine, and Technology, Association of American Publishers""A celebration of menopause as a life stage vital to our species' survival, but one that has now been trivialized as a disease to be treated. . . . A wise history of a subject that is 'deeply . . . implicated in the human condition.'" * Kirkus Reviews *"That menopause may enable a new role and stature for women is the central argument of The Slow Moon Climbs . . . . Mattern sees [menopause] as an opening-up."---Liza Mundy, The Atlantic"By historicizing menopause the syndrome and showing how the long lives of post-menopausal women may have been a crucial factor in the success of our species, Mattern offers a counternarrative to the harridans and hags of our cultural consciousness."---Anna Reser, Lady Science"By viewing [menopause] through the lenses of anthropology, evolutionary psychology, sociology, medicine and culture, Mattern describes how our understanding of this biological rite of passage has itself evolved. [The Slow Moon Climbs] is also a polemic, a plea to reject the medicalisation of menopause and its language of loss and deficiency. All of this makes it a refreshing and scholarly change from the mostly folksy, self-help offerings in this genre."---Anjana Ahuja, Financial Times"Mattern’s book . . . makes a strong argument for embracing the menopause and treating its symptoms singly rather than bundling it into this female syndrome."---Kate Spicer, The Telegraph"The Slow Moon Climbs: The Science, History and Meaning of Menopause, surely could not have been published 50 or even 20 years ago."---Anne-Marie Slaughter, Financial Times"A brilliantly wide-ranging study of the menopause across the centuries . . . Mattern’s remarkable book fits perfectly into this cultural moment."---Emma Rees, Times Higher Education"The Slow Moon Climbs is a deeply satisfying book. . . . It tells the reader that women reach their most important roles later in life. It insists that what makes women special is not their sexuality, but who they are independent of their sexuality. And it invites them to understand that the social world they chose shapes the bodies they experience. Grandmothers rule."---T. M. Luhrmann, Times Literary Supplement"The Slow Moon Climbs is much more than a history of how menopause came to be understood as ‘hormonal chaos’. It is a sustained argument about the nature of humanity and the way our societies are structured, a far-reaching account of menopause’s significance in human evolution."---Katherine Foxhall, History Today"Susan Mattern’s scholarly and interpretive skills make this remarkable book recommended reading for evolutionary and cultural anthropologists as well as other historians, philosophers, and other scientists."---Kristen Hawkes, Evolutionary Studies in Imaginative Culture

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Book SynopsisTable of ContentsList of Abbreviations | ix List of Figures | xi List of Plates | xv Preface | xvii Introduction: The Articulate Codex, Manuscription, and Empathic Codicology | 1 1 Florentius’s Body | 11 2 Monks at Work: Grammatica and Contemplative Manuscription | 33 3 The Garden of Colophons | 64 4 Manu mea: Charters, Presence, and the Authority of Inscription | 92 5 Makers and the Inscribed Environment | 106 6 Remember Maius: The Library and the Tomb | 128 7 The Strange Time of Handwriting | 160 8 The Weavers of Albelda | 185 Conclusion: The Handy Manuscript | 207 Acknowledgments | 217 Notes | 221 Manuscripts Cited | 291 Bibliography | 293 Index | 321 Plates follow page 168

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Book Synopsis The joys of the world, one terrible map at a time – this is the ultimate gift book for the budding geographer or anyone who wants to have a laugh.

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Book SynopsisHistorically, women have been an integral part of spreading our Deen. They have contributed as mothers, wives, supporters, and defenders of our religion. This book allows the reader to take a glimpse into the lives of thirty-seven amazing women. Starting with the women from the Prophet Muhammad''s (SAW) household to female companions and pioneers of Islamic History. Women in Islamic History have had a huge impact on building nations. Many that have been through education, raising children, raising scholars or being scholars themselves. These exceptional women have helped shape the world. These women have a lot of favours upon us, the least we can do is learn about them and share their amazing lives with others so that they can also be inspired. 

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Book SynopsisPerfect for readers of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, Cilka's Journey and The Librarian of Auschwitz - this is the international bestselling and life-affirming true story of female bravery and surviving the horrors of Auschwitz. NEW YORK TIMES Bestseller and WINNER of the Opzij Literature Prize 2019They knew their survival depended on each other. They had to live for each other. It is 1940 and the Final Solution is about to begin. The Nazis have occupied The Netherlands but resistance is growing and two Jewish sisters - Janny and Lien Brilleslijper - are risking their lives to save those being hunted, through their clandestine safehouse 'The High Nest'. It becomes one of the most important safehouses in the country but when the house and its occupants are betrayed the most terrifying time of the sisters' lives begins. This is the beginning of the end. With German defeat in sight, the Brilleslijper family are put on the last train to Auschwitz, along with Anne Frank and her family. What comes next challenges the sisters beyond human imagination as they are stripped of everything but their courage, resilience and love for each other.Trade Review...a gripping, nightmarish story * DAILY MAIL *A compelling tale * JEWISH CHRONICLE *

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Book SynopsisThree thousand years of Chinese history in an accessible and authoritative single volume.Despite the recent rise of China to a position of dominance on the world economic stage, Chinese history remains an elusive subject. Yet it is this vast narrative of appalling loss, superhuman endeavour and incredible invention that has made China the superpower it is today. From the dawn of legend to the succession of great dynasties, from Confucius to Chairman Mao and from the clamour of revolution to the lure of slick capitalism, John Keay takes the reader on a sweeping tour through Chinese history. This is a definitive and indispensable account of a country set to play a major part in our future.Trade Review‘There is no understanding China, present or future, without a sense of its past…Anybody fascinated by the puzzle of what comes next for our frail, perplexed planet will find unexpected answers in this crisp, often witty chronicle of amazements.’ Peter Preston, Observer 'Dynasties lead to world domination: John Keay's forensic analysis of China's history makes the world of the ancient emperors strikingly modern and relevant.' Observer ‘As John Keay’s ambitious new book makes clear…China’s history is intoxicatingly interesting and is sure to keep us on the edge of our geopolitical seats.’ Independent on Sunday ‘Absorbingly readable.’ Independent ‘An epic history of China…There’s no way of understanding China’s stirring future without a sense of its awe-inspiring past.’ Traveller magazine

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Book SynopsisAD 43. Time is running out for Emperor Claudius's invasion force in Britannia. The second novel in Simon Scarrow's bestselling Eagles of the Empire series, which includes BRITANNIA, CENTURION and INVICTUS.Trade ReviewPraise for Simon Scarrow's novels: 'I really don't need this kind of competition... It's a great read' * Bernard Cornwell *Scarrow's [novels] rank with the best * Independent *Gripping and moving * The Times *A satisfyingly bloodthirsty, bawdy romp...perfect for Bernard Cornwell addicts who will relish its historical detail and fast-paced action. Storming stuff * Good Book Guide *Ferocious and compelling * Daily Express *A Rome full of HOUSE OF CARDS treachery... Roman soldiering at its very best - even by Scarrow's high standards - in this winning chunk of historical fiction * Sunday Sport *Rollicking good fun * Mail on Sunday *A fast-moving and exceptionally well-paced historical thriller * BBC History Magazine *

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Book SynopsisReveals how the pyramids of Egypt were sophisticated generators of clean energy• Explains how the pyramids harmonized seismic energy, which enabled the harvesting of electricity and the mitigation of earthquakes• Shares recent cutting-edge research on earthquake lights, acoustic frequency measurements and energy concentration within the Great Pyramid, the shafts of the Queen’s Chamber, the scorch marks that support the King’s Chamber explosion hypothesis, and the significance of the large void above the Grand Gallery• Includes technical appendices written by experts and top researchersSharing extensive new evidence and cutting-edge research that the Great Pyramid at Giza was built as an energy-harvesting machine, Christopher Dunn details how the ancient Egyptians generated clean power for their civilization and reveals how the pyramid builders and the great inventor Nikola Tesla drew from the same universal knowledge.

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Book SynopsisTRAITORS OF ROME: THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERAn enthralling Cato and Macro adventure from bestselling author Simon Scarrow. Not to be missed by readers of Conn Iggulden and Bernard Cornwell. AD 56. Battle-hardened veterans of the Roman army Tribune Cato and Centurion Macro are garrisoned at the eastern border, aware that their movements are constantly monitored by spies from dangerous, mysterious Parthia. But the enemy within could be the deadliest threat to the Legion ... and the Empire. There''s a traitor in the ranks. Rome shows no mercy to those who betray their comrades, and the Empire. But first the guilty man must be discovered. Cato and Macro are in a race against time to expose the truth, while the powerful enemy over the border waits to exploit any weaknesses in the Legion. The traitor must die ... Praise for Simon Scarrow''s bestselling novels: ''Blood, gore, political intrigue...A historicaTrade ReviewPraise for Simon Scarrow's novels: 'Gripping... ferocious and compelling * Daily Express *A new book in Simon Scarrow's long-running series about the Roman army is always a joy * The Times *A new book in Simon Scarrow's long-running series about the Roman army is always a joy * Independent *I really don't need this kind of competition... It's a great read -- Bernard Cornwell

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Book Synopsis'Meredith has given a spectacularly clear view of the African political jungle' – Spectator 'This book is hard to beat... Elegantly written as well as unerringly accurate' – Financial Times The fortunes of Africa have changed dramatically since the independence era began in 1957. As Europe’s colonial powers withdrew, dozens of new states were born. Africa was a continent rich in mineral resources and its economic potential was immense. Yet, it soon struggled with corruption, violence and warfare, with few states managing to escape the downward spiral. So what went wrong? In this riveting and authoritative account, Martin Meredith examines the myriad problems that Africa has faced, focusing upon key personalities, events and themes of the independence era. He brings his compelling analysis into the modern day, exploring Africa’s enduring struggles fTrade Review‘As a narrative of Africa’s political trajectory since independence, this book is hard to beat … Elegantly written as well as unerringly accurate’ * Financial Times *‘Meredith is a sure guide to this colossal, sad story’ * Sunday Times *'You cannot even begin to understand contemporary African politics if you have not read this fascinating book' -- Bob Geldof'As a popular introduction to the subject it could hardly be bettered' -- Piers Brendon * Sunday Telegraph *'A highly readable digest of half a century of woes in the cradle of mankind' * Economist *'A brilliant and vitally important work for all who wish to understand Africa and its beleaguered people' * Booklist *

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Book SynopsisA collection of essays about language and its constructive role in national culture, history, and identity, that advocates for linguistic decolonization.Trade ReviewMany of the ideas are familiar from Ngugi's earlier critical books, and earlier lectures, elsewhere. But the material here has a new context and the ideas a new focus. This leading African writer presents the arguments for using African language and forms after successfully using an African language himself. - -- Anne Walmsley * THE GUARDIAN *... after 25 years of independence, there is beginning to emerge a generation of writers for whom colonialism is a matter of history and not of direct personal experience. In retrospect that literature characterised by Ngugi as Afro-European - the literature written by Africans in European languages - will come to be seen as part and parcel of the uneasy period between colonialism and full independence, a period equally reflected in the continent's political instability as it attempts to find its feet. Ngugi's importance - and that of this book - lies in the courage with which he has confronted this most urgent of issues. - -- Adewale Maja-Pearce * THE NEW STATESMAN *Ngũgĩ's is a many splendored book. It is the personal testimony of an author who has fought a long battle of his own to undo the colonization of his mind. At the same time the book presents a historical analysis of subversion of personal identities and cultures of the colonized peoples in the process of colonization. It is also a book on the historical development of orature and literature in Africa. Finally, it is an essay in literary theory and criticism on the role of the artist in society. Ngũgĩ writes about Africa, his analysis applies to all of the Third World. -- African Studies Review

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Book SynopsisAt its height the Roman Empire stretched across Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, maintained by an army of modest size but great diversity. In popular culture these soldiers are often portrayed in a generic fashion,but continuing research indicates significant variations in Roman armour and equipment not only between different legions and the provincially-raised auxiliary cohorts that made up half of the army, but also between different regions within the empire. With reference to the latest archaeological and documentary evidence Dr D''Amato investigates how Roman Army units in the Western provinces were equipped, exploring the local influences and traditions that caused the variations in attire.Table of ContentsIntroduction/ Chronology/ The borders and the Roman army/ Distribution of the Roman army in the Western Provinces of Europe and North Africa: legiones, auxilia, numeri, vexillationes/ Table of identified units/ Arms, equipment and clothing in the Western Provinces: Belgica, Britannia, Aquitania, Gallia Lugdunensis, Gallia Narbonensis, Germania Inferior, Germania Superior, Raetia, Alpes Poeninae, Alpes Maritimae, Alpes Cottiae, Italia, Sicilia, Sardinia; Noricum, Pannonia, Dalmatia, Tarraconensis, Baetica, Lusitania; Africa, Mauretania Tingitana, and Mauretania Caesariensis/ Bibliography

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