History Books
Amberley Publishing The Kings Queens of AngloSaxon England
Book SynopsisA major re-examination of an important period in British history
£999.99
Pan Macmillan Lenin
Book SynopsisThe critically acclaimed biography of Lenin by one of the greatest Russian history experts and bestselling author of Trotsky, Stalin and Comrades.
£15.29
Penguin Books Ltd Colossus The Rise and Fall of the American Empire
Book SynopsisIs America the new world empire? Presidents from Lincoln to Bush may have denied it but, as Niall Ferguson''s brilliant and provocative book shows, the US is in many ways the greatest imperial power of all time. What''s more, it always has been an empire, expanding westwards throughout the nineteenth century and rising to global dominance in the twentieth. But is today''s American colossus really equipped to play Atlas, bearing the weight of the world on its shoulders? The United States, Ferguson reveals, is an empire running on empty, weakened by chronic defecits of money, manpower and political will. When the New Rome falls, he warns, its collapse may come from within.''One of the timeliest and most topical books to have appeared in recent years'' Literary Review''Yet another tour de force from a writer who displays all his usual gifts of forceful polemic, unconventional intelligence and elegant prose ... guaranteed to spark fierce debate'' Trade ReviewColossus confirms Niall Ferguson's standing as one of the most incisive writers of history, politics and economics today * Sunday Telegraph *One of the timeliest and most topical books to have appeared in recent years * Literary Review *Yet another tour de force from a writer who displays all his usual gifts of forceful polemic, unconventional intelligence and elegant prose ... guaranteed to spark fierce debate * Irish Times *A bravura exploration of why Americans are not cut out to be imperialists but nonetheless have an empire. Vigorous, substantive, and worrying -- Timothy Garton Ash
£10.44
Penguin Books Ltd The Early History of Rome
Book Synopsis''I hope my passion for Rome''s past has not impaired my judgement; for I do honestly believe that no country has ever been greater or purer than ours or richer in good citizens and noble deeds''Livy dedicated most of his life to writing some 142 volumes of history, the first five of which comprise The Early History of Rome. With stylistic brilliance, he chronicles nearly 400 years from the founding of Rome to the Gallic invasion in 386 BC, an era that witnessed the establishment of the Republic, unrest and brutal conflict. Bringing compelling characters to life, and re-presenting familiar tales - including the tragedy of Coriolanus and the story of Romulus and Remus - The Early History is a truly epic work, and a passionate warning that a nation should learn from its history. Translated by Aubrey DE Sélincourt with an Introduction by R. M. Ogilvie and a Preface by S. P. OakleyTable of ContentsTranslated by Aubrey de Sélincourt with a New Preface by Stephen OakleyPrefatory NoteIntroductionTHE EARLY HISTORY OF ROMEBook OneRome under the KingsBook TwoThe Beginnings of the RepublicBook ThreeThe Patricians at BayBook FourWar and PoliticsBook FiveThe Capture of RomeMaps: Latium; RomeAppendixIndex
£11.69
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Biafra Story
Book SynopsisThis is the book which marked Frederick Forsyth's transition from journalist to author. A record of one of the most brutal conflicts the Third World has ever suffered, it has become a classic of modern war reporting. But it is more than that. It voices one man's outrage not only at the extremes of human violence, but also at the duplicity and self-interest of the Western Governments ' most notably, the British, who tacitly accepted or actively aided that violence.
£12.34
Quercus Publishing The Borgias: History's Most Notorious Dynasty
Book SynopsisThe Borgias have become a byword for pride, lust, cruelty, avarice, splendour and venomous intrigue. An inspiration for many works of fiction, most famously Mario Puzo's The Godfather, they have aroused abomination and fascination in almost equal measure, while their patronage of the arts created some of the great masterpieces of the Renaissance. From the powerful, merciless Rodrigo Borgia, better known as Pope Alexander VI, to the beautiful Lucrezia and the debauched and murderous Cesare, Mary Hollingsworth's account of the dynasty's dramatic rise from its Spanish roots to the heights of Renaissance society forms a compelling tale of brutality, incest, unparalleled corruption and extortionate greed.Table of ContentsFlorins and Ducats. Introduction: The Borgias - a family and its reputation. Alonso de Borja - From royal secretary to servant of Rome, 1414-55. Calixtus III - The first Borgia pope, 1455-58. The Borgia nephews - Cardinals and captain-generals, 1458-71. Rodrigo Borgia - New titles, new relationships, new wealth, 1471-84. Rodrigo Borgia - From eminence to pre-eminence, 1484-92. Alexander VI - The second Borgia pope and his family, 1493-97. Alexander VI, Cesare and Lucrezia - A pope, a warrior and a widow, 1498-1500. Cesare and Lucrezia Borgia - Conquests in battle and in love, 1501-03. Cesare and Lucrezia Borgia - The duke and duchess, 1503-19. The Borgia descendants - Dukes, cardinals and saints, 1520 and after. Bibliography and Sources. Endnotes. Picture credits. Index.
£11.69
Hikoki Publications Wings Of The Luftwaffe: Flying the Captured
Book SynopsisIn 1945 Eric Brown led the team from the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough which scoured the British Zone of Occupation in post war Germany for captured Luftwaffe aircraft and aeronautical installations. They uncovered an Aladdin''s cave of aviation riches and amazed by the advanced level of technology and production they found, brought back over a hundred aircraft for detailed testing and analysis. Of particular interest were the high-speed wind tunnels, which had allowed the Germans to develop such ground-breaking aircraft as the rocket powered Me 163B and the first production jetfighter, the Me 262. The information gathered by this small group of aviators and scientists has influenced aircraft design to this day.Wings of the Luftwaffe is a unique and definitive appraisal of the background and characteristics of all the major German aircraft of World War II, written by probably Britain''s most outstanding test pilot and the only pilot to have flown them all. Covering 11 manufacturers and 33 types, this new edition with over 250 photographs, colour profiles, cockpit layouts and sectional drawings provides an in-depth assessment of the contribution made to the annals of military aviation in the late 1930s and early 1940s by the innovative German aircraft industry.
£27.96
Vintage Publishing The Right Stuff
Book SynopsisA wonderful novel and perfect book club choice, The Right Stuff is a wildly vivid and entertaining chronicle of America's early space programme.WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY US ASTRONAUT SCOTT KELLY‘What is it,’ asks Tom Wolfe, ‘that makes a man willing to sit on top of an enormous Roman Candle…and wait for someone to light the fuse?’ Arrogance? Stupidity? Courage? Or, simply, that quality we call 'the right stuff'?A monument to the men who battled to beat the Russians into space, The Right Stuff is a voyage into the mythology of the American space programme, and a dizzying dive into the sweat, fear, beauty and danger of being on the white-hot edge of history in the making.‘Tom Wolfe at his very best… Learned, cheeky, risky, touching, tough, compassionate, nostalgic, worshipful, jingoistic...The Right Stuff is superb’ New York Times Book ReviewTrade ReviewTom Wolfe’, article: ‘You only had to look at him… or read such books as The Bonfire of the Vanities and The Right Stuff to know that Tom Wolfe was like no other -- John Pye * The Scotsman *The hero you couldn’t hope to emulate’, article: ‘Journalism, it is said, is the first draft of history. Nobody exemplifies the dictum better than Wolfe, the cultural observer and social critic par excellence -- Mick Brown * Daily Telegraph *Effortlessly, elegantly, Tom Wolfe bestrode both fiction and non-fiction… a style at once objective, subjective, and hallucinatory -- Andy Martin * Independent *[Tom Wolfe’s] gleeful use of punctuation and italics, along with entertaining asides and neologisms that often quickly cemented themselves into the English lexicon, helped Wolfe stand out from other journalists * Guardian *[Wolfe] made literature fun and bores don’t like fun -- Freddy Gray * The Catholic Herald *
£10.44
SPCK Publishing The Oxford Inklings
Book SynopsisA unique account of one of history’s most intriguing literary groups.Trade Review“Excellent! This is one of the best books on the Inklings I’ve ever read.” -- Walter Hooper, Literary Advisor to the C.S. Lewis Estate“Few people know the Inklings as intimately as Duriez who makes us feel as though he has just come from a morning with them at the Eagle and Child.” -- Harry Lee Poe, author of The Inklings of Oxford and C.S. Lewis Remembered“Just when I thought nothing new could be said about Lewis, Tolkien, Barfield, Williams, and the others, gifted author Colin Duriez presents fresh and fascinating insights.” -- Carolyn Curtis, authorTable of ContentsContentsPreface 11Introduction C.S. Lewis and the dinosaurs 15Chapter 1 Through love and beyond: Charles Williams, the enigmatic Inkling 28Chapter 2 Roots and shoots: Friends who will become Inklings 46Chapter 3 The 1920s: Oxford, wistful dreams, and a war with Owen Barfield 65Chapter 4 J.R.R. Tolkien returns to Oxford and C .S. Lewis meets God 91Chapter 5 The birth of the Inklings 109Chapter 6 The 1930s: Writing books they liked to read 132Chapter 7 The war years and the Golden Age of the Inklings 154Chapter 8 The close of the Golden Age 172Chapter 9 The Final Years 192Chapter 10 A fter the Inklings 210Chapter 11 Just a Group of Friends? 217Appendix 1 A n Inklings gallery 230Appendix 2 A select Inklings chronology 238Bibliography 252Notes 260Index 275Acknowledgments 288
£10.44
University of Wisconsin Press Franco A Personal and Political Biography
Book SynopsisExamines in detail how General Francisco Franco became dictator and how his leadership led to victory in the Spanish Civil War that consolidated his regime. The authors also explore Franco's role in the great repression that accompanied the Civil War and examine at length his controversial role in World War II.Trade ReviewAn intimate portrait of Franco the man, provoking a lively and necessary debate about the nature of the dictator's regime.""- Julius Ruiz, author of Franco's Justice""This compelling biography of Francisco Franco situates the Caudillo in his Spanish and global context. It covers every aspect of Franco's life- from birth to death, from the political to the personal- displaying a judicious and critical understanding of this very controversial figure.""- Michael Seidman, author of The Victorious Counterrevolution: The Nationalist Effort in the Spanish Civil War""During and after his life, Francisco Franco garnered more than fifty studies of his life, but Franco: A Personal and Political Biography is quite simply one of the best. At last we are presented with a genuinely objective, balanced, above all dispassionate biography, written by two vastly experienced and distinguished scholars. The book's cool and measured conclusions- always lucidly presented- reflect almost uncannily the meticulously pragmatic approach of the subject himself to the numberless military and political issues his career confronted. From being a twentieth-century pariah of world politics, Franco has now come into his own in terms of serious academic attention.""- Robert Stradling, author of Your Children Will Be Next: Bombing and Propaganda in the Spanish Civil War""Francisco Franco is the only major twentieth-century dictator to die peacefully in his bed- after almost four decades in power. His regime was brutal, despicable, and in many respects ineffectual, yet it did not join the Axis powers in World War II and was a transitional type between traditional military dictatorships and more recent totalitarian regimes. This book, impeccably based on the available sources and displaying sober judgment, could well be the definitive work on the subject.""- Walter Laqueur, author of Fascism: Past, Present, Future""A very thorough and readable biography that masterfully combines research on Franco's life and regime with new and unique sources including Franco's private papers and interviews with Franco's only daughter. It will appeal to a broad readership including anyone interested in the history of twentieth-century Spain, the Spanish civil war, and the Franco regime.""- Joan Maria Thomàs, University Rovira-Virgili, SpainTable of Contents List of Illustrations Preface 1 The Making of a Spanish Officer (1892–1913) 2 The Youngest General in Europe (1913–1926) 3 Director of the General Military Academy (1926–1931) 4 From Ostracism to Chief of Staff (1931–1936) 5 The Destruction of Republican Democracy (1936) 6 Franco Becomes Generalissimo (1936) 7 Forging a Dictatorship (1936–1939) 8 Winning the Civil War (1936–1939) 9 Franco and the Nationalist Repression (1936–1945) 10 From Civil War to World War (1939–1940) 11 The Great Temptation (1940–1941) 12 Surviving World War II (1941–1945) 13 Franco at Bay (1945–1953) 14 Franco at His Zenith (1953–1959) 15 Franco at Home 16 Development Dictator (1959–1964) 17 Facing the Future (1964–1969) 18 Franco and the Modernization of Spain 19 Twilight Years (1969–1974) 20 The Death of Franco (1974–1975) Conclusion: Franco in the Perspective of History Notes Index
£23.96
The Museum of Brands 1960s Scrapbook
Book SynopsisThis title presents a visual record of a turbulent decade, with over 1000 images in colour.
£999.99
Yale University Press Mission France
Book SynopsisTrade Review“The freshness and honesty of Mission France make it an ideal book for taking a new look at the secret war, at a time when knowledge of these brave women’s exploits is fading from living memory.”—Vin Arthey, The Scotsman“A well-researched chronicle that intertwines each woman’s journey from ordinary daughters and wives to pioneering figures of the conflict who were adept in everything from parachuting to wireless operation.”—France Magazine“Despite the deserved praise for Special Operations Executive members Violette Szabo and Noor Inayat Khan, many of its other agents are forgotten. Kate Vigurs here attempts to redress the balance, looking at the widely varying experiences of all 39 women who undertook such daring missions.”—Military History“Gripping. . . . Based on new archival research and interviews, these are three-dimensional tales of failure and betrayal, as well as heroism and bravery.”—History Revealed, “Book of the Month”“A fascinating account. . . . It’s a tale of triumph and tragedy, of romance but also ruin: 14 of F Section’s heroines died in hideous circumstances. . . . Mission France stands as a fitting epitaph to their courage and humanity.”—Giles Milton, BBC History MagazineShortlisted for the 2021 Society for Army Historical Research Best First Book Prize“Apart from a few names, those of all the women who became SOE agents in France are largely unknown. But, in her compelling new book, Kate Vigurs has brought together the stories of all the women’s triumphs and tragedies. Stories that should not be missed.”—Susan Ottaway, author of Violette Szabo: The Life That I Have“Thirty-nine ordinary women reacting to extraordinary circumstances. . . . Eschewing the glamorous image so often foisted on to the women of the SOE, Vigurs offers a cooler, more perceptive insight into varieties of courage.”—Siân Rees, author of Lucie Aubrac: The French Resistance Heroine Who Defied the Gestapo“Mission France is an important addition to the story of the female agents of SOE’s F Section. It handles the history of these women by means of compassionate analysis and successfully avoids the hagiographical approach so favoured by other writers.”—Mark Seaman, author of Undercover Agent: How One of SOE’s Youngest Agents Helped Defeat the Nazis“A riveting and brilliantly researched account of 39 women agents of SOE. Vigurs takes us on a journey of intrigue, betrayal, escape and sometimes tragedy. A must-read for all fans of the secret war, it is the definitive account of the secret underworld of occupation.”—Richard J. Aldrich, author of GCHQ: The Uncensored Story of Britain’s Most Secret Intelligence
£12.88
Faber & Faber The Kingdom in the Sun 11301194
Book SynopsisWhen on Christmas Day, 1130, Roger de Hauteville was crowned first King of Sicily, the island entered a golden age. Norman and Italian, Greek and Arab, Lombard, Englishman and Jew all contributed to a culture that was fantastically cosmopolitan; and to an atmosphere of racial and religious toleration unparalleled in Europe. But sixty-four years later, to the day, when the bastard King Tancred was defeated, the sun set on the Sicilian Kingdom. In this second volume of John Julius Norwich's scintillating history of the Normans in Sicily, Norwich describes the happiest and most glorious chapter of the island's history.'
£11.69
Atlantic Books It's All a Game: A Short History of Board Games
Book Synopsis'Timely... wonderfully entertaining' - The Wall Street JournalIn It's All A Game renowned games expert Tristan Donovan opens the box on the incredible and often surprising history and psychology of board games. He traces the evolution of the game across cultures, time periods, and continents, from the paranoid Chicago toy genius behind classics like Operation and Mouse Trap, to the role of Monopoly in helping prisoners of war escape the Nazis, and even the scientific use of board games today to teach artificial intelligence how to reason and how to win. With these compelling stories and characters, Donovan ultimately reveals why board games have captured hearts and minds all over the world for generations.Trade Review[A] timely book... It's All a Game provides a wonderfully entertaining trip around the board, through 4,000 years of game history. * The Wall Street Journal *A brisk and hugely readable account of some of the world's great board games and the amazing people who played them. Packed with fascinating tales from ancient Egyptian senet to Google's AlphaGo. Highly recommended. -- Ian Stewart, author of SIGNIFICANT FIGURESTable of Contents0: Introduction 1: TOMB RAIDERS AND THE LOST GAMES OF THE ANCIENTS 2: CHESS: THE 'MAD QUEEN'S GAME' 3: BACKGAMMON: THE FAVOURED GAME OF INTERNATIONAL PACESETTERS AND ANCIENT EMPERORS 4: THE GAME OF LIFE: A JOURNEY TO THE UNIQUELY AMERICAN DAY OF RECKONING 5: THE FORGOTTEN MESSAGE OF MONOPOLY 6: FROM KRIEGSSPIEL TO RISK: BLOOD-SOAKED AND WORLDSHAPING PLAY 7: I SPY 8: CLUEDO'S BILLION-DOLLAR CRIME SPREE 9: SCRABBLE: WORDS WITHOUT MEANING 10: PLASTIC FANTASTIC: MOUSE TRAP, OPERATION AND THE WILLY WONKA OF TOYS 13: RISE OF THE MACHINES: GAMES THAT TRAIN SYNTHETIC BRAINS 14: TRIVIAL PURSUIT: ADULTS AT PLAY 15: PANDEMICS AND TERROR: DISSECTING GEOPOLITICS ON CARDBOARD 16: MADE IN GERMANY: CATAN AND THE CREATION OF MODERN BOARD GAMES
£10.44
Verso Books Radical Hamilton: Economic Lessons from a
Book SynopsisIn retelling the story of the radical Alexander Hamilton, Parenti rewrites the history of early America and the global economy. For much of the twentieth century, Hamilton-sometimes seen as the bad boy of the founding fathers or portrayed as the patron saint of bankers-was out of fashion. In contrast his rival Thomas Jefferson, the patrician democrat and slave owner who feared government overreach, was claimed by all. But more recently, Hamilton has become a subject of serious interest again.He was a contradictory mix: a tough soldier, austere workaholic, exacting bureaucrat, sexual libertine, glory-obsessed romantic with suicidal tendencies-and pioneer of industrialisation. As Parenti argues, we have yet to fully appreciate Hamilton as the primary architect of American capitalism and the developmental state. In exploring his life and work, Parenti rediscovers this gadfly as a pathbreaking political thinker and institution builder. In this vivid portrait, Hamilton emerges as a singularly important historical figure: a thinker and politico who laid the foundation for America's ascent to global supremacy and mass industrialisation-for better or worse.Trade ReviewIn praise of Lockdown America: "In the best tradition of investigative journalism, paced like a fine novel, it carries the authority of meticulous academic research." * Independent *In praise of Lockdown America: "Exhaustively documented ... deserves a full hearing from anyone serious about ending the often horrific realities of the criminal justice system." * Washington Post *In praise of Lockdown America: "Essential reading for those in law enforcement and politics who are attracted by the rhetoric of zero tolerance." * Times Literary Supplement *In praise of Lockdown America: "Terrifying, informative and gripping." * New York Press *
£18.00
Thames & Hudson Ltd Turkey A Short History
Book SynopsisFrom the bestselling historian Norman Stone, whose work has been described by Andrew Roberts as âstunning â no one else quite writes history like he doesâ.Trade Review'A fanfare for modern Turkey and a vivid, provocative, often funny, always insightful account of how it came about … If you really don’t know why a portrait of Ataturk hangs in almost every shop in Turkey, read this book' - Guardian'Arresting … Stone’s Turkey breaks the popular mould and introduces its readers to a place beyond their presumptions' - Sunday Times'Absolutely splendid … pithy, straightforward, superbly argued' - Country Life'Constantly exhilarating …. However many histories of Turkey you have read, you will never have read one as incisive, combative and sure-footed as this one' - CornucopiaTable of ContentsPrelude; 1. Origins; 2. World Empire; 3. Zenith; 4. Shadows; 5. The Eighteenth Century; 6. The Long Defensive; 7. End of Empire; 8. Crash; Epilogue
£10.44
Broadview Press Ltd The Woman of Colour: A Tale
Book SynopsisThe Woman of Colour is a unique literary account of a black heiress' life immediately after the abolition of the British slave trade. Olivia Fairfield, the biracial heroine and orphaned daughter of a slaveholder, must travel from Jamaica to England, and as a condition of her father's will either marry her Caucasian first cousin or become dependent on his mercenary elder brother and sister-in-law. As Olivia decides between these two conflicting possibilities, her letters recount her impressions of Britain and its inhabitants as only a black woman could record them. She gives scathing descriptions of London, Bristol, and the British, as well as progressive critiques of race, racism, and slavery. The narrative follows her life from the heights of her arranged marriage to its swift descent into annulment and destitution, only to culminate in her resurrection as a self-proclaimed "widow" who flouts the conventional marriage plot.The appendices, which include contemporary reviews of the novel, historical documents on race and inheritance in Jamaica, and examples of other women of colour in early British prose fiction, will further inspire readers to rethink issues of race, gender, class, and empire from an African woman's perspective.Trade Review“This exemplary edition of The Woman of Colour, with its abundant historical context, explores vital interconnections of race, gender, and class. Its rich contribution to the debate about cultural identity and colonial power marks it as a classic.” — Moira Ferguson, University of Missouri Kansas City“Women of colour in eighteenth-century literature have become a ‘spectral presence,’ pushed into the invisibility of darkness, their voices unread or ignored. Now what has been in darkness is restored to light, as Olivia Fairfield can be heard anew. Born in Jamaica into a society in which one of her parents had enslaved the other, she is forced by law and custom to travel to the heart of colonial darkness in England itself. In a manner ‘polite yet aggressive,’ she makes her voice heard.” — Lise Winer, McGill UniversityTable of ContentsAppendix A: Lucy Peacock, “The Creole” (1786)Appendix B: Anonymous poem “written by a Mulatto Woman” (1794)Appendix C: Minor Heiresses of Color in British Long Prose Fiction Agnes Musgrave, Solemn Injunction (1798) Jane Austen, Fragment of a Novel (1817) Edmund Marshall, Edmund and Eleonora (1797) Robert Bissett, Douglas; or, The Highlander (1800) Mrs. Charles Mathews, Memoirs of a Scots Heiress (1791) Appendix D: Historical and Social Accounts of People of Color in Jamaica Bryan Edwards, The History, Civil and Commercial, of the British Colonies in the West Indies (1799) Edward Long, The History of Jamaica (1774) J.B. Moreton, West India Customs and Manners (1793) Appendix E: People of Color in British Epistolary Narratives Richard Griffith, The Gordian Knot (1769) Hester Thrale, “Letter to Mrs. Pennington” (1802) Clara Reeve, Plans of Education (1792) Appendix F: The Woman of Colour: Contemporary Reviews The British Critic (March 1810) The Critical Review (May 1810) The Monthly Review (June 1810) Appendix G: Jamaican Petitions, Votes of the Assembly, and an Englishman’s Will From Votes of the Honourable House of Assembly of Jamaica (1792) From Andrew Wright’ “Last Will and Testament” (1806) Select Bibliography
£22.75
Cornerstone Legacy
Book SynopsisThomas Harding is a bestselling author whose books have been translated into more than 16 languages. He has written for the Sunday Times, the Washington Post and the Guardian, among other publications. He is the bestselling author of HANNS AND RUDOLF, which won the JQ-Wingate Prize for Non-Fiction; THE HOUSE BY THE LAKE, which was shortlisted for the Costa Biography Award; BLOOD ON THE PAGE, which won the Crime Writers' Association "Golden Dagger Award for Non-Fiction" and FUTURE HISTORY, which was shortlisted for the German Children's Literature Award 2021. His next book, WHITE DEBT, was published in January 2022. You can follow Thomas on twitter @thomashardingTrade ReviewI was riveted: this is a fascinating social history. * Nigella Lawson *A magnificent book… what a story this is. Endlessly fascinating. * Jewish Chronicle *This story of the family behind the Lyons Corner Houses and many other ventures, its rise and its business demise, is endlessly fascinating and hard to put down. I read it all in one sitting, enjoying the colour and grandeur, whilst spitting with fury at how women were kept out of the financial loop. Full of character and characters, this is a tour de force.Enthralling... fascinating. Nearly half a century on, the Lyons name and Corner Houses have faded, quite forgotten. I dream of them still. * Observer *Five stars. History on a scale at once intimate and grand… extremely readable. * The Telegraph *
£999.99
Penguin Books Ltd The Battle of Britain: Myth and Reality
Book SynopsisFrom the award-winning author of The Dictators, Richard Overy's The Battle of Britain: Myth and Reality is the best introduction available to a defining moment in British history. The extraordinary struggle between British and German air forces in 1940 was one of the pivotal events of the Second World War. How close did Britain really come to invasion during this time? What were Hitler and Churchill's motives? And what was the battle's real effect on the outcome of the war? 'It is harder to imagine a sounder and more succinct account of the Battle of Britain' Max Hastings, Evening Standard 'No individual British victory after Trafalgar was more decisive in challenging the course of a major war than the Battle of Britain ... the best historical analysis in readable form which has yet appeared on this prime subject' Noble Frankland, The Times Literary Supplement 'The Battle of Britain is hard to beat' Saul David, Sunday Telegraph 'Exemplary ... a compelling account' Boyd Tonkin, Independent 'Succeeds brilliantly ... along the way a lot of myths bite the dust' Time 'A captivating and brilliant analysis of the fragile circumstances of Britain's victory' Observer Richard Overy has spent much of his distinguished career studying the intellectual, social and military ideas that shaped the cataclysm of the Second World War, particularly in his books 1939 - Countdown to War, Why the Allies Won, Russia's War and The Morbid Age. Overy's The Dictators: Hitler's Germany, Stalin's Russia won the Wolfson Prize for History and the Hessell Tiltman Prize.Trade ReviewAs an objective reassessment of this most critical of struggles, cogently argued and concisely written, The Battle of Britain is hard to beat -- Saul David * Sunday Telegraph *A captivating and readable analysis of the fragile circumstances of Britain's victory * Observer *Succeeds brilliantly ... puts the battle in context, and along the way a lot of myths bite the dust -- Robin Knight * Time *Brilliant * The Economist *
£9.49
Profile Books Ltd Nella Last's Peace: The Post-War Diaries Of
Book SynopsisOutwardly Nella's life was probably seen as ordinary; but behind this mask were a lively mind and a persistent pen - a pen that never gave up over almost three decades, reporting, describing, pondering, and disclosing. Nella, 55 when the war ends, writes of what ordinary people felt during those years of privation, hope and the re-building of Britain, providing a moving and inspiring account of the years that shaped the society we live in today. Her diary offers a detailed, moving and humorous narrative of the changing experiences of ordinary people at this time, and thoughts on the aftermath of war and whether 'peace' really meant peace, for everyone.Trade ReviewA vivid, intimate account of life in austerity Britain. Superb. -- David Kynaston, author of Austerity BritainA touching and startlingly frank portrait of adapting to life in post-war Britain. Truly fascinating. I enjoyed it as much as Nella Last's War. * Gilda O'Neill *Nella Last's Peace is extraordinary - tender, intimate, striking, heartbreaking and witty - it grants us the lovely and dignified privilege of knowing a stranger's heart. * A. L. Kennedy *Compassionate, gossipy, observant - Nella Last's long-awaited Peace Diaries deserve to be read not only for their intimate insight into the dislocated post-war world, but also for their continued portrayal of Nella herself. She is brave, lovable and a born writer. * Virginia Nicholson *Nothing could have been more 'ordinary' than the life of Nella Last, a middle-aged woman living in the north-west of England in the Attlee years, ground-down by ration books, post-war exhaustion and an uncertain future, and yet her eye for detail and penetrating interest in the people around her make her diary a social document of extraordinary interest and value. -- D. J. Taylor * Advance quote *Nella's eye for detail and penetrating interest in the people around her make her diary a social document of extraordinary interest and value. * D J Taylor *The diary has a certain universal quality that transcends the particular time and circumstances. My gut feeling is that Nella will come to be seen as one of the major twentieth-century English diarists. -- David Kynaston * Woman's Hour *It's not necessary to read Last's first volume to become immediately absorbed by her honest and heartfelt story. -- Nora Krug * The Washington Post *Nella Last may be the most prolific writer you've never heard of. It's not necessary to read Last's first volume to become immediately absorbed by her honest and heartfelt story. -- Nora Krug * Washington Post *
£8.99
Penguin Books Ltd Fear of Black Consciousness
Book Synopsis''Important . . . powerful . . . . an explanation of why Black protest is such a dangerous prospect to the white power structure'' Kehinde Andrews, GuardianWhere is the path to racial justice? In this ground-breaking book, philosopher Lewis R. Gordon ranges over history, art and pop culture - from ancient African languages to the film Get Out - to show why the answer lies not just in freeing Black bodies from the fraud of white supremacy, but in freeing all of our minds. Building on the influential work of Frantz Fanon and W. E. B. Du Bois, Fear of Black Consciousness is a vital contribution to our conversations on racial politics, identity and culture. ''Expansive . . . reminds us that the ultimate aim of Black freedom quests is, indeed, universal liberation'' Angela Y. Davis Trade ReviewLewis Gordon's expansive philosophical engagement with the current moment - its histories and globalities, its politics and protests, its visual and sonic cultures - reminds us that the ultimate aim of Black freedom quests is, indeed, universal liberation -- Angela Y. Davis * author of Women, Race and Class *Powerful . . . one of the most prominent scholars of racism, tries to enrich our knowledge with his unique brand of intellectual precision and analysis -- Kehinde Andrews * Observer *Gordon's surprising observations crack open the mind to connect various creative disciplines -- Vanessa Willoughby * Literary Hub *Reading Fear of Black Consciousness had me nodding so often and so vigorously, I got a mild case of whiplash . . . With surgical precision, laser sharp wit, and the eye of an artist, Lewis Gordon doesn't just dissect race, racism, and racial thinking but offers a clarion call to embrace Black Consciousness, to take political responsibility for decolonizing and transforming the world as it is -- Robin D G Kelley * author of Thelonious Monk: The Life and Times of an American Original *A thinker whose reflections on race have produced singular illuminations on our times . . . he draws on a wide range of colonial histories, African popular culture, aboriginal histories, contemporary films and stories, to show the critical powers of creativity in dismantling racism by the making of Black consciousness, the making of a world where breath and love and existence become possible -- Judith Butler * author of Gender Trouble *Striking... You will want Lewis Gordon's Fear of Black Consciousness among your primary intellectual road supplies for the future -- Hortense Spillers * author of Black, White and in Color *As atrocity, injury, white supremacy, and racial violence loom, Gordon holds steady a Fanonian outlook, theorizing black consciousness as the realization of possibility - that is, a sustained political commitment that recalculates the stakes of freedom -- Katherine McKittrick * author of Demonic Grounds *A resolute response to the ongoing pessimism . . . Gordon seamlessly weaves together discussions of contemporary and historical Western philosophers such as Gabriel Marcel and Friedrich Nietzsche with his analyses of film, music, culture, and more . . . Sprinkled with personal stories, witty anecdotes, and powerful arguments, the book encourages readers to rethink historical descriptions of anti-black violence as well as the vocabulary used to talk about race and racism today. -- Edward O'Byrn * The Philosophical Quarterly *
£11.69
Amberley Publishing Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine
Book SynopsisNew in paperback - The powerful medieval couple who formed an empire beyond England, and whose children included Richard the Lionheart and King John.
£999.99
Drawn and Quarterly Showa 1926-1939: A History of Japan
Book SynopsisA fascinating period in Japanese history recounted by manga s most distinguished author. Showa 1926 1939: A History of Japan lays the groundwork for Eisner award-winning author Shigeru Mizuki s historical and autobiographical series about Japanese life in the twentieth century. Depicted against his trademark photorealistic backdrops, Mizuki effortlessly portrays a nation forced into a period of upheaval and brings history into the realm of the personal. Indeed, as a child coming of age in the Showa era, the author s earliest memories coincide with key events of the time. It all begins with the Great Kanto Earthquake, a natural disaster that forces the country into a financial crisis. The period leading up to World War II is thus a time of economic hardship and record unemployment. Forthright descriptions of ensuing militarization reveal Mizuki s lifelong stance as a thoughtful pacifist, critical of domestically disputed events like the Nanjing Massacre clearly painted here as an atrocity. This first volume in a four-part series is a captivating historical portrait tracking the industrial and societal developments that would come to shape Japan's foreign policy in the interwar period.
£21.25
Penguin Books Ltd The English and their History: Updated with two
Book SynopsisThe acclaimed account of the English people, now updated with two new chapters'Masterful, an enormously readable narrative of the English people from the Anglo-Saxons to the present' Dominic Sandbrook, Sunday Times, Books of the YearIn The English and their History, the first full-length account to appear in one volume for many decades, Robert Tombs gives us the history of the English people, and of how the stories they have told about themselves have shaped them, from the prehistoric 'dreamtime' through to the present day.'As ambitious as it is successful . . . Packed with telling detail and told with gentle, sardonic wit, a vast and delightful book' Ben MacIntyre, The Times, Books of the Year'A stupendous achievement ... a story of a people we can't fail to recognize: stoical, brave, drunken, bloody-minded, violent, undeferential, yet paradoxically law-abiding ... I found myself gripped' Daniel Hannan, Spectator'Original and enormously readable, this brilliant, hugely engaging work has a sly wit and insouciance that are of themselves rather English' Sinclair MacKay, Daily Telegraph
£17.09
Pegasus Books Mellon vs. Churchill
Book SynopsisThe never-before-told story of the epic battle of wills between Andrew Mellon and Winston Churchill, as they debated the repayment of the enormous sums loaned by America to Great Britain during World War I.Andrew Mellon, one of the most accomplished businessmen of his era, is almost unknown today. To this shy, diffident (but brilliant) man fell the daunting task of collecting the war debts from European governments still devastated by World War I and struggling to recover economically. Dealing with the U.S. Congress and the heads of foreign governments on the world stage became one of the great adventures of his life. Winston Churchill is one of the best-known figures in history. Mellon vs. Churchill presents Churchill through a different lens, focusing on his service as Chancellor of the Exchequer when Great Britain was the largest debtor to the United States. That he became the most vocal critic of American foreign policy during that time is a scarcely told chapter of economic history—and his long and contentious debate with Mellon has seldom been explored. Yet, during the five years that Churchill served as Chancellor of the Exchequer (1924-1929), Mellon was his counterpart at the United States Treasury, and their debate and fierce differences of opinion about the handling of what Churchill called “the monstrous war debts” made frequent headlines on both sides of the Atlantic. No mention of any of their five meetings are included in the official biographies of either man. Now these confrontations are brought to vivid life in Mellon vs. Churchill, as are many other vignettes from their very public, but largely forgotten, rivalry. Mellon vs. Churchill brings the reader inside the adventurous lives of these two great public figures—men who were not afraid to take huge risks to pursue their grand ambitions.
£18.70
Taylor & Francis Language Society and Power
Book SynopsisLanguage, Society and Power provides an accessible introduction to the study of language in a variety of social contexts. This book examines the ways language functions, how it influences the way we view society, and how it varies according to age, ethnicity, class, and gender. Readers are encouraged to consider whether representations of people and their language matter, explore how identity is constructed and performed, and examine the creative potential of language in the media, politics, and everyday talk. With updates and new international examples throughout, the sixth edition of this popular textbook features: Thoroughly revised chapters on politics and media to include topics such as environmentalism, the politics of consumer choice, injustice in legal systems, and the power of social media in political activism Expanded coverage of ongoing debates around fake news, gender fluidity and representation, and multilingualism DiscussTrade Review"This edition of Language, Society and Power is up to date with current developments in society that impact issues of power and ideology. It involves the reader – tutors and students alike – in an analysis of these developments, sucks them in to explore their in-ward understanding of language issues." – Ayo Amuda, University of South Wales, UK "Language, Society and Power contains a balanced and very accessible coverage of the core concepts of sociolinguistics, illustrated through carefully chosen and meticulously discussed data. It is a must for students and everyone interested in understanding and analysing how we use language in our societies." – Irene Theodoropoulou, Qatar University Table of ContentsContents List of Figures List of Images List of Tables Transcription Conventions Preface to the Sixth Edition Acknowledgements Chapter 1 Language? 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Why Study Language? 1.3 What Is Language? 1.3.1 Language: A System 1.3.2 Language: A System with Variation 1.3.3 The Potential to Create New Meanings 1.4 The ‘Rules’ of Language: Prescription Versus Description 1.5 Power 1.5.1 Ideology 1.6 ‘Political Correctness’ 1.7 Summary Further Reading Chapter 2 Language, Thought and Representation 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Language as a System of Representation 2.2.1 Different Kinds of Language 2.2.2 Signs and Structure 2.3 Linguistic Diversity 2.3.1 Semantics 2.3.2 Syntax 2.4 The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis 2.4.1 Linguistic Relativism and Determinism 2.4.2 Numbers, Things, and Animals 2.5 One Language, Many Worlds 2.6 A Model for Analysing Language 2.6.1 Lexical Choices 2.6.2 Transitivity 2.7 Summary Further Reading Chapter 3 Language and Politics 3.1 Introduction 3.2 What is ‘Politics’? 3.3 Politics and Ideology 3.4 Three Persuasive Strategies: Logos, Pathos, Ethos 3.5 Biscuits are Political?: Introducing Linguistic Tools 3.6 Climate Change and Political Discourse 3.7 Language, Ideology, and Metaphor 3.7.1 Student as Customer 3.8 Twitter and Political Agency 3.9 Silly Citizenship 3.9.1 Jorts the Cat 3.9.2 ‘K-Pop and TikTok 3.10 Summary Further Reading Chapter 4 Language and the Media 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Mass Media 4.3 The Changing Context 4.3.1 Structure 4.3.2 Who is Producing Content? 4.4 Manufacture of Consent 4.4.1 Filtering the Facts 4.5 News Values 4.5.1 Actors and Events 4.6 New News Values 4.7 Who is the Expert; Who is the Author? 4.8 Fake News 4.8.1 ‘Fake news’ as Delegitimising Accusation 4.8.2 Fabricated News Reports to Misinform 4.8.3 Fabricated News Reports to Entertain 4.8.4 Comedy News Shows 4.9 Summary Further Reading Chapter 5 Linguistic Landscapes 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Defining the Linguistic Landscape 5.2.1 Space and Meaning 5.2.2 Different Kinds of Signs 5.2.3 'Top-down' and 'Bottom-up' as a Continuum 5.3 Signs and Multilingualism and Power 5.3.1 Invisible Language 5.4 Signs and Ideology 5.5 Transgressive Signs: Graffiti 5.6 Surveillance 5.7 Online Landscapes 5.7.1 Twitter 5.7.2 Instagram 5.7.3 Memes 5.8 Summary Further Reading Chapter 6 Language and Gender 6.1 Introduction 6.2 What is Gender? 6.3 Inequality at the Lexical Level 6.3.1 Marked Terms 6.3.2 Semantic Derogation 6.3.3 Pronouns 6.4 Differences in Language Use: Doing Being a ‘Woman’ or A ‘Man’ 6.4.1 Tag Questions 6.5 Gossip 6.5.1 Gossip and Men 6.5.2 Features of Men’s Talk 6.6 Gender and Power 6.6.1 Do Women Talk More than Men? 6.6.2 Gender or Power? 6.6.3 Intersectionality 6.7 Gendered Talk: Performing Identity 6.7.1 Mate 6.7.2 Variation 6.8 Summary Further Reading Chapter 7 Language and Ethnicity 7.1 Introduction 7.2 What Do We Mean By ‘Ethnicity’? 7.3 Racism and Representations of Ethnicity 7.3.1 Representations of Race 7.3.2 Racism Online 7.3.3 Reclaiming Terms 7.4 Ethnicity and Language Variation 7.4.1 Ethnolect or Repertoire? 7.4.2 African American Language 7.5 Ethnicity and Identity 7.5.1 Situated Ethnicity 7.6 Consequences for Ethnolinguistic Repertoires 7.6.1 Australian Aboriginal English 7.6.2 Sociolinguistic Labour 7.9 Summary Further Reading Chapter 8 Language and Age 8.1 Introduction 8.2 What do We Mean by 'Age'? 8.3 Early Life Stage 8.3.1 Language Used to Talk to Children 8.4 Adolescent Life Stage 8.4.1 What Teenagers Do 8.4.2 Multiple Negation 8.4.3 ‘Like’ as a Discourse Marker 8.4.4 Changes to Morphology 8.5 Middle Life Stage 8.5.1 Thanks Across the Generations 8.6 Later Life Stage 8.6.1 Representations of Older People 8.6.2 Self-representation of Older People 8.6.3 Language Used to Talk to Older People 8.6.4 Learning to Use the Internet 8.7 The Creep of Ageism 8.7.1 OK Boomer and Bla, Bla, Bla 8.8 Summary Further Reading Chapter 9 Language, Class and Symbolic Capital 9.1 Introduction 9.2 What is Social Class? 9.3 Attitudes to Class 9.3.1 Social Class as Other 9.3.2 Representations of Social Class 9.3.3 Pittsburghese 9.4 Linguistic Variation 9.4.1 New York City 9.4.2 Norwich 9.4.3 Glasgow 9.5 Intersection of Social Class and Other Variables 9.5.1 Social Class and Gender 9.6 Social Networks 9.7 Communities of Practice 9.8 Symbolic Capital 9.9 Revising the British Social Class Model 9.9.1 Power and Access to Symbolic Capital 9.9.2 Capital in the Global South 9.10 Summary Further Reading Chapter 10 Global Englishes 10.1 Introduction 10.2 What Does Global English Mean? 10.3 Learning English 10.3.1 Two Models 10.3.2 ‘Lingua Franca Core’ 10.4 ‘Singlish’ 10.5 Indian English 10.6 Linguistic Marketplace 10.6.1 Call Centres and English 10.7 Linguistic Imperialism 10.8 What do Language Varieties Mean in the Global Context? 10.8.1 Language Repertoires 10.8.2 Discourse in Advertising and Linguistic Landscapes 10.9 Summary Further Reading Chapter 11 Projects 11.1 Introduction 11.2 Things to Bear in Mind with Data Collection 11.2.1 What is 'Data'? 11.2.2 Transcribing 11.2.3 Data Analysis 11.3 Projects Project 1 – Mini Dictionary Project 2 – Political Texts Project 3 – Your Own Many Voices Project 4 – Conversational Politics Project 5 – Expertise in the Media Project 6 – Representation of Gender Project 7 – Titles Around the World Project 8 – Identity Project 9 – Digital Detox Project 10 – Little Bits of Data Project 11 – Children’s Television Project 12 – Texts and Social Media Project 13 – Linguistic Landscapes Project 14 – Political Agency 11.4 Research Resources 11.4.1 Where to Find Published Research 11.4.2 Other Resources Further Reading Works Cited Index
£29.99
Ebury Publishing In Search of the Dark Ages
Book SynopsisUpdated with the latest archaeological research new chapters on the most influential yet widely unrecognised people of the British isles, In Search of the Dark Ages illuminates the fascinating and mysterious centuries between the Romans and the Norman Conquest of 1066. In this new edition, Michael Wood vividly conjures some of the most important people in British history such as Hadrian, a Libyan refugee from the Arab conquests and arguably the most important person of African origin in British history, to Queen Boadicea, the leader of a terrible war of resistance against the Romans.Here too, warts and all, are the Saxon, Viking and Norman kings who laid the political foundations of England: Offa of Mercia, Alfred the Great, Athelstan, and William the Conqueror, whose victory at Hastings in 1066 marked the end of Anglo-Saxon England. Reflecting the latest historical, textual and archaeological research, this revised and updated edition of Michael Wood's classic book overturns preconceptions of the Dark Ages as a shadowy and brutal era, showing them to be a richly exciting and formative period in the history of Britain.Trade ReviewIn Search of the Dark Ages, Michael Wood wrote the book for history on TV.—The TimesMichael Wood is the maker of some of the best TV documentaries ever made on history and archaeology.—Times Literary Supplement
£11.69
Amber Books Ltd Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphs Illustrated: A
Book SynopsisThe Ancient Egyptians used a hieroglyphic writing system that still resonates today for its graphic representation of things, people, pharaohs and concepts. These hieroglyphics were discovered by adventurers and archeologists in temples, tombs and on papyrus documents, telling of the everyday life, religion and history of this 5,000-year-old civilization. Some of the symbols were simple but represented something with a wider significance, such as the eye of Horus; other logographs might represent an animal, such as a snake, elephant or lion; while others, such as the Ba symbol of a bird with a human head, represented the human soul with the ability to travel to the afterlife using wings. The language grew and over time came to represent every facet of Ancient Egyptian life. This book allows the reader to piece together and read the symbols, to understand their meanings and use, and examines what they have taught the world about this most influential of early civilizations. In Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphs Illustrated, we learn more of the story of this rich ancient language and its development over thousands of years, and the story of their decipherment after the discovery of the Rosetta Stone. The book explores the key logograms for popular concepts such as ‘sun’, ‘house’ and ‘mountain’, as well as more complex ideas such as Ajet, or ‘sun rising over mountains’; marvel at Tutankhamun’s full name as marked on his tomb, which is portrayed using a reed, a wave of water, a falcon, an ankh symbol, and a series of staffs; learn about the two outstretched arms of the Ka symbol, which represents the mortal life and soul of a person. Each of the graphically illustrated entries is accompanied by a description of the written form and an explanation of its meaning. Presented in a high-quality Chinese-bound format with accompanying illustrations, Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphs Illustrated provides a compact, easy-to-understand introduction to the writing system of Ancient Egypt.Table of ContentsSelected Contents: History of Language Scribe and Society Hieroglyphic alphabet Sign of the Times Reading the SymbolsLife and Land Sistrum, Bee Lotus, Tree of LifeReligion and Ritual Shen Ring, Menat, Winged Solar Disk, Djed ColumnPharaohs and Power Uraeus, Hedjet Crown, Crook & Flail, ObeliskRoyal Cartouches Khufu, Tuthmose I, Hatsepshut, Tutankhamun, Alexander, CleopatraGods and Myths Eye of Horus, Eye of Ra, Osiris, Ankh, Tyet, ShuAfterlife Seba, Ba, Duat, Ka, Mummy, IbKey Discoveries Narmer Palette, Abydos Kings List, Book of the DeadSelected Letters A – Vulture, B – Foot, D – Hand, F – Horned Viper, H – Twisted Flax, M – Owl, N – Ripple, T – Loaf of Bread, Z or S – Door bolt
£23.99
Anness Publishing Crusades The Complete Illustrated History of
Book SynopsisA fascinating account of the first, second and third campaigns to win Jerusalem, and the later crusades of 1200-1588 in Palestine, Spain, Italy and Northern Europe, from the Sack of Constantinople to the crusades against the Hussites
£13.50
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Caesars Gallic Wars
Book SynopsisA detailed, fully illustrated overview of Julius Caesar''s Gallic Wars, one of the most important conflicts of the ancient world.Julius Caesar was one of the most ambitious and successful politicians of the late Roman Republic and his short but bloody conquest of the Celtic tribes led to the establishment of the Roman province of Gaul (modern France). Caesar''s commentaries on his Gallic Wars provide us with the most detailed surviving eye-witness account of a campaign from antiquity. In this book, respected Roman military historian Kate Gilliver makes use of this account and other surviving evidence to consider the importance of the Gallic Wars in the context of the collapse of the Roman Republic and its slide toward civil war.Updated and revised for the new edition, with full-colour maps and new images throughout, this accessible introduction provides an important reference resource for the academic or student reader as well as those with a general interest
£11.69
Pan Macmillan Blood on the Snow
Book Synopsis'A terrific book about a terrifying subject by the best historian of Russia working today' - Michael Burleigh, author of The Third ReichIn Blood on the Snow, Robert Service returns to the subject that has formed the backbone of his long and distinguished career: the Russian Revolution.For Service, the great unanswered question is how to reconcile the two vital narratives that underpin the extraordinary but troubled events of 1917. One puts the blame squarely on Tsar Nicholas II and on Alexander Kerensky’s provisional government that deposed him. The other is the view from the bottom, that of the workers and peasants who wanted democratic socialism, not the Bolshevik dictatorship imposed by Vladimir Ilyich Lenin and his successors.Service's vivid and revisionist account spans the period from the outbreak of the First World War to Lenin’s death in 1924. In it, he reveals that key seeds of the revolution were s
£11.69
HarperCollins Publishers Britains Ghosts
Book SynopsisDiscover the stories of Britain''s greatest ghosts and ghouls with this spooky supernatural page turner, the perfect gift this Halloween.Supported by the National Trust, who look after many of the haunted locations.Beautifully atmospheric illustrations.Whether you believe in ghosts or not, these gripping accounts of eerie apparitions and paranormal activity are bound to capture your imagination. Brace yourself for a journey into the strange and supernatural world of some of Britain's most historic and atmospheric places as we uncover the dark secrets and untimely fates of the people who once inhabited them.From mansions, inns and abbeys to forests, lakes and marshes you'll encounter smugglers, headless horsemen, mummified cats, phantom dogs, persecuted witches and many a lady in white in these uncanny tales from beyond the grave.
£11.69
Dorling Kindersley Ltd The World War I Book
Book SynopsisDiscover the key battles, tactics, technologies and turning points of the First World War - the epic conflict that was supposed to be the war to end all wars.Combining authoritative, exciting text and bold images The World War I Book explores the historical background to the war, its causes, all of the key events across the major theatres of conflict, and its aftermath.Using the original, graphic-led approach of the series, entries profile more than 90 of the key events during and surrounding the conflict - from the growing tensions between Europe''s major powers to the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the German invasion of Belgium, the endless slaughter in the trenches, the American entry into the war, the Russian Revolution, the Armistice, and the creation of the League of Nations.In this book, you can explore the following: -Key milestones of the First World War exploring the technologies, tactics, and turning points.<
£16.99
The History Press Ltd The Throne: 1,000 Years of British Coronations
Book SynopsisFrom the crowning of Charles III, thirty-nine coronations have been held in Westminster Abbey since the Norman Conquest. Only two monarchs – Edward V and Edward VIII – were uncrowned, and a further twenty or so Scottish monarchs were crowned elsewhere, usually at either Scone Abbey or Holyrood Abbey.In The Throne, Ian Lloyd turns his inimitable, quick-witted style to these key events in British royal history, providing fascinating anecdotes and interesting facts: William the Conqueror’s Christmas Day crowning, during which jubilant shouts were mistaken by his guards as an assassination attempt; the dual coronation of William and Mary in 1689; the pared-back ‘Half Crown-ation’ of William IV; and the televised spectacle of Elizabeth II’s 1953 ceremony.Detailing everything from the famous Coronation Chair made for Edward I and the Crown Jewels to the infamously uncomfortable Gold State Coach – this is a truly spectacular celebration of British culture and the ultimate pomp of royalty.
£15.29
Hodder Education Access to History for the IB Diploma: The move to
Book SynopsisExam board: International BaccalaureateLevel: IB DiplomaSubject: HistoryFirst teaching: September 2015First exams: Summer 2017Reinforce knowledge and develop exam skills with revision of key historical content, exam-focussed activities and guidance from experts as part of the Access to History Series.· Take control of revision with helpful revision tools and techniques, and content broken into easy-to-revise chunks.· Revise key historical content and practise exam technique in context with related exam-focussed activities. · Build exam skills with Exam Focus at the end of each chapter, containing exam questions with sample answers and examiner commentary, to show you what is required in the exam.
£21.84
Atlantic Books The Wisdom of Tea: Life Lessons from the Japanese
Book SynopsisFor more than 25 years Noriko Morishita has studied and practised the intricate rules of the famous Japanese Tea Ceremony, trying to master its complexities in order to find inner peace. In this vivid account of her experience of the universal trials and triumphs of adulthood, Morishita connects the core tenets of this ancient art with leading a fulfilling life, showing how we too may use mindfulness to achieve happiness.Trade Reviewdelightfully quirky . . . this is a book of wisdom and joy. -- Ciara Dossett * Daily Mail *a unique look into one woman's path toward self-acceptance as she learned to appreciate and enjoy the traditions-and the slower pace-of her culture. -- Susan Blumberg-Kason * Asian Review of Books *Table of Contents1: Learn that you know nothing 2: Don't think with your head 3: Focus your feelings on the now 4: Watch and feel 5: Look at many real things 6: Savor the seasons 7: Connect to nature with all five senses 8: Be here, now 9: Give it time and let nature do the rest 10: Things are fine as they are 11: Parting is inevitable 12: Listen for the voice within 13: When it's raining, listen to the rain 14: Growth takes time 15: Live int he moment with an eye to the future iv: Afterword v: Postscript to the Japanese paperback edition vi: Tea terms vii: About the author and translator i: Preface ii: Foreword iii: Introduction
£9.49
Penguin Books Ltd The Bolivian Diary
Book SynopsisTrade ReviewVivid and compelling * Economist *Guevara was a figure of epic proportions. These diaries, stark and moving, will be his most enduring monument * Observer *
£9.49
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Testament of Lost Youth
Book SynopsisVera Brittain is one of the twentieth century's most significant feminist and pacifist figures. Her 1933 best-selling First World War memoir, Testament of Youth, is acclaimed as one of the most important autobiographies of the last hundred years. Testament of Lost Youth is the first book to examine Vera's cossetted middle-class upbringing in once-fashionable Buxton, between 1905 and 1915. She condemned her ''provincial young ladyhood'' with remorseless fervour, but were her criticisms justified, or is there a more complex, nuanced story?Drawing on Vera''s own diary, letters, and a wealth of historical sources, Kathryn Ecclestone uncovers the hidden layers of Vera''s privileged early life. Her book challenges traditional portrayals to shed new light on the unique social atmosphere of Edwardian Buxton, Vera''s schooling and experience of university, her family, social and love life, before a harrowing journey through the First World War, where she lost her fiancé, adored brother and many
£21.25
Cornerstone The Barn
Book Synopsis'Haunting . . . The writing is often breathtaking, brutality amplified through perfectly crafted prose.' The Times'Extraordinary . . . Serious history and skillful journalism, but with the nuance and wallop of a finely wrought novel.' Washington Post'With a passion for truth and justice, and a fierce determination to dig for the secrets, Wright Thompson has produced an incredible history of a crime that changed America.' John GrishamHow forces from around the world converged on the Mississippi Delta to bring about the most consequential murder in US history. Emmett Till's murder is one of the most infamous in American history; a moment that, more than any other, awakened the world to the racism of the Deep South. Yet despite growing up just a few miles from where it happened, Wright Thompson knew nothing of it until he left Mississippi. This is no accident: the cover-up began at once, and it is ongoing. Over the course of five years' research, Thompson has learnt that almost every part of the standard account of Till's killing is wrong. In August 1955, after the two men charged with the murder were acquitted by an all-white jury, they gave a false confession to a journalist: one that was misleading about where the murder took place and who was involved. We now know that at least eight people were present, and many more complicit. And we now know precisely where it took place: inside a barn on a 36-square-mile grid called Township 22 North, Range 4 West. This book tells the story of that barn. It is the story of what really happened on the night of August 28, 1955, and of the individuals who have spent decades bringing the truth to light. And it is the story of the centuries-old forces that made that night inevitable: forces that, over the course of 200 years, transformed Township 22 North, Range 4 West from Choctaw land, to a slave plantation, to a sharecropper's farm, to the site of the most significant murder in US history. The result is a revelatory work of investigative reportage and a panoramic new history of white supremacy in America. It maps the road that the US and the world must travel to heal its oldest, deepest wound.
£11.69
Amberley Publishing Tattoos An Illustrated History
Book SynopsisA lavishly illustrated history of tattoos and their evolution which goes back hundreds, if not thousands, of years.
£14.39
Hodder Education Access to History: Mao's China 1936–97 Fourth
Book SynopsisExam board: AQA; Pearson EdexcelLevel: AS/A-levelSubject: HistoryFirst teaching: September 2015First exams: Summer 2016 (AS); Summer 2017 (A-level)Put your trust in the textbook series that has given thousands of A-level History students deeper knowledge and better grades for over 30 years.Updated to meet the demands of today's A-level specifications, this new generation of Access to History titles includes accurate exam guidance based on examiners' reports, free online activity worksheets and contextual information that underpins students' understanding of the period.- Develop strong historical knowledge: in-depth analysis of each topic is both authoritative and accessible- Build historical skills and understanding: downloadable activity worksheets can be used independently by students or edited by teachers for classwork and homework- Learn, remember and connect important events and people: an introduction to the period, summary diagrams, timelines and links to additional online resources support lessons, revision and coursework- Achieve exam success: practical advice matched to the requirements of your A-level specification incorporates the lessons learnt from previous exams- Engage with sources, interpretations and the latest historical research: students will evaluate a rich collection of visual and written materials, plus key debates that examine the views of different historians
£26.97
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Milk: A 10,000-Year History
Book SynopsisMark Kurlansky's first global food history since the bestselling Cod and Salt; the fascinating cultural, economic and culinary story of milk and all things dairy – with recipes throughout While mother’s milk may be the essence of nourishment, it is the milk of other mammals that humans have cultivated ever since the domestication of animals more than 10,000 years ago. Today, milk is a test case in the most pressing issues in food politics, from industrial farming and animal rights to GMOs, the locavore movement and advocates for raw milk, who controversially reject pasteurisation. Profoundly intertwined with human civilisation, milk has a compelling and surprisingly global story to tell, and historian Mark Kurlansky is the perfect person to tell it. Tracing the liquid’s diverse history from antiquity to the present, he details its curious and crucial role in cultural evolution, religion, nutrition, politics, and economics.Trade Review[A] wonderfully wide-ranging study -- PD Smith * Guardian *[A] rich, fascinating and comprehensive history ... [A] highly readable volume, stuffed with colourful historical facts from all corners of the globe and epochs * Spectator *A feat of investigation, compilation and organization ... Altogether a complex and rich survey, Milk! is a book well worth nursing. * Wall Street Journal *A treasure trove of fascinating details * The Times *The sort of book that Proust might have written had Proust become distracted by the madeleine ... you step away from this book with a new vantage on history * New York Times Book Review *
£10.44
River Books The Informal Imperialist
Book SynopsisA fascinating and historically significant glimpse of the life of the Burmese in late 19th century. Diaries, journals, court documents are all harvested to give a thrilling account of a surgeon's life in Burma.
£16.10
St. Martin's Publishing Group While Israel Slept
Book Synopsis
£23.25
Historic Environment Scotland Skara Brae
Book SynopsisThe Neolithic village known as Skara Brae was continuously occupied for about 300 to 400 years, before being abandoned around 2500 BC. Despite severe coastal erosion, eight houses and a workshop have survived largely intact, with their stone furniture still in place. This is the best-preserved settlement of its period in northern Europe, and thousands of artefacts were discovered during excavations of the site. Who lived here? How did they live? And why did they ultimately abandon the village? In this lively account, Dr David Clarke, who led major excavations at Orkney's Skara Brae, describes the details of the site and explores some of the enigmas posed by this extraordinary survival.
£7.50
Rydon Publishing Wales: 2020
Book SynopsisAmazing and Extraordinary Facts: Wales takes you on an absorbing journey around Wales to unearth the adventures, inventions, legends, firsts and birthplaces that have shaped the unique history of Wales. From the ancient mines of the Great Orme to the Severn crossing, the tsunami of the 1600s to the Turlough Lake, from bog snorkelling to Tom Jones' phone box, this intriguing compendium of facts and stories will give you a captivating insight into the Land of Song and the ideas and events that have shaped the individual identity of this remarkable country. Brief, accessible and entertaining pieces on a wide variety of subjects makes it the perfect book to dip in to. The amazing and extraordinary facts series presents interesting, surprising and little-known facts and stories about a wide range of topics which are guaranteed to inform, absorb and entertain in equal measure.Table of Contents Introduction 08 Archaeology 10 A Cast of Mistaken Identity 10 Pontnewydd Cave 11 Cantre'r Gwaelod 12 A Monumental Neolithic Building Project 14 Architecture 18 The Castle Capital of Europe 18 The Severn Crossing 23 'High'ways 26 The Big Apple 28 Culture and Customs 33 Saint David 33 Welsh Lovespoons 36 The Red Dragon 39 Mari Lwyd 41 National Costume 43 Nicknames 45 Cawl, Welshcakes and Bara Brith 47 Laugharne 50 Wonderland 52 National Parks 52 S.O.S. Save Our Sands 54 Island Life 57 The Great Deluge 62 Going Underground 64 Movers and Shakers 66 The Legend of Madoc 66 The Flying Welshman 68 CQD 70 The Stepney Spare Wheel 74 Robert Recorde 76 Art, Literature and Language 78 Land of Song 78 Cofiwch Drywerin 80 The Mabinogion 82 The Treachery of the Blue Books 84 Art Underground 86 Famous Last Words 88 Salem 90 National Eisteddfod of Wales 92 Hall of Fame 95 Gwyr-Y-Bwelli-Bach 95 Gelert 98 The Life of Brian 100 Hywel Dda 102 Aneurin 'Nye' Bevan 104 Tom Jones' Telephone Box 106 Hub of Industry 112 The Great Orme 112 Roman Occupation 114 Black Gold 116 Little Hell 118 The Penydarren Loco 120 Rebecca and Her Daughters 122 Women's Role in a Dangerous Industry 125 Fun and Games 128 Cnapan, Bando, and Pêl-Law 128 Weird Sports 130 Llanelli 9 - New Zealand 3 131 The Great Orme Tramway 134 Arthur Linton 135 Index 138
£8.99
Society of Antiquaries of Scotland The Archaeology of Finlaggan Islay
£36.00
Penguin Books Ltd The Conquest of Gaul
Book SynopsisBetween 58 and 50BC Caesar conquered most of the area now covered by France, Belgium and Switzerland, and twice invaded Britain. This is the record of his campaigns.Caesar''s narrative offers insights into his military strategy & paints a fascinating picture of his encounters with the inhabitant of Gaul and Britain, as well as offering lively portraits of a number of key characters such as the rebel leaders and Gallic chieftains. This can also be read as a piece of political propaganda, as Caesar sets down his version of events for the Roman public, knowing that he faces civil war on his return to Rome.Table of ContentsThe Conquest of GaulIntroduction1. Roman politics in the late Republic2. Gaul and its inhabitants3. The course of the war4. Caesar the man5. Caesar as author6. Preface to second editionSuggestions for Further ReadingCaesar the Conquest of GaulBook I: The Expulsion of Intruders1. Repulse of the Helvetii (58 B.C.)2. Expulsion of Ariovistus from Gaul (58 B.C)Book II: The Conquest of the Belgic Tribes1. Collapse of the Belgic coalition (57 B.C.)2. Piecemeal conquest of the Belgic tirbes (57 B.C.)Book III: The First Rebellion1. Unsuccessful campaign in the Alps (57 B.C.)2. The fight on the Atlantic coast (56 B.C.)3. Victorious campaign in Aquitania (56 B.C.)4. Indecisive campaign against the Morini (56 B.C.)Book IV: Invasions of Germany and Britain1. Massacre of the Usipetes and Tenctheri (55 B.C.)2. The first crossing of the Rhine (55 B.C.)3. The first invasion of Britain (55 B.C.)Book V: The Second Rebellion1. The second invasion of Britain (54 B.C.)2. Destruction of Sabinus' army by the Eburones (54 B.C.)3. Attack by the Nervii on Cicero's winter camp (54 B.C.)4. Widespread revolts in northern and central Gaul (54-53 B.C.)Book VI: Operations Near the Rhine1. The Treveri routed (53 B.C.)2. The second crossing of the Rhine (53 B.C.)3. Customs and institutions of the Gauls4. Customs and institutions of the Germans5. Devastation of the country of the Eburones (53 B.C.)Book VII: The Rebellion of Vercingetorix1. The opening stage (52 B.C.)2. Siege and capture of Avaricum (52 B.C.)3. Roman reverse at Gergovia (52 B.C.)4. Vercingetorix's defeat in open warfare (52 B.C.)5. Siege and capture of Alesia (52 B.C.)Book VIII: The Final Rebellion1. Hirtius' preface2. Revolts of the Bituriges, Carnutes and Bellovaci (52-51 B.C.)3. The last encounters; capture of Uxellodunum (51 B.C.)4. Civil war impendsNotesAppendicesI. The TextII. The Roman ArmyIII. Chronological Outline of the Career of CaesarGlossary of Persons and PlacesIndex to MapsMaps:1. Northern Gaul2. Southern Gaul3. Principal tribes of South-east Britain4. The siege of Alesia
£10.44