History Books

Book SynopsisNew paperback edition - Between the end of the Soviet Union in 1991 and the new millennium, Russia went through a unique moment â genuine democracy. Fascinating book Kenneth MacInnes explores not just the 1990s â when he lived and worked in Russia â but the entire history of Russian democracy, from the earliest days right up to President Putin.

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Book Synopsis'A witty, lucid investigation into one of the great mysteries of our time' JONATHAN COE‘Should be read and enjoyed by readers on the left, right and centre’ David Edgerton, TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT  ________________________________________________Why do British politics so often play out on the Tories’ terms? What does this say about our democracy? In his revelatory book, Samuel Earle explores the roots of the current crisis and the real reasons for the Conservatives’ unsettling success, from their ruling-class origins in the eighteenth century and their disproportionate influence of the British press to their stranglehold over national identity. He sheds light on the Conservatives’ historic appeal among the working classes and why the Labour Party so often disappoints.Tory Nation describes the making of Britain through one party’s astonishing power ove

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Book SynopsisCharts Spartas rise from provincial village to regional superpower.

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Book SynopsisGabriele Esposito presents an overview of the history, organization and equipment of the military forces deployed by the nomadic peoples of the Eurasian steppes during the period from the appearance of the Huns in Eastern Europe to the death of Genghis Khan. Each chapter is devoted to a different group that played a prominent military role during Antiquity and the Middle Ages. Starting with the Huns of Attila, whose migration was one of the key factors behind the fall of the Roman Empire, he moves on to the Avars, who established a large state in Eastern Europe that contested with Charlemagne's Frankish Empire. Chapter three covers the Magyars, who terrorized most of Europe during the tenth century before creating the Kingdom of Hungary. Next are the Bulgars, who became the worst enemies of the Byzantine Empire in the Balkans but also created a flourishing state in the Volga region of Russia. The Khazars and the Alans share a chapter, as do the Pechenegs and Cumans-Kipchaks, while the

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

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Book SynopsisThe highly acclaimed story of an extraordinary trial - one of the last trials of a Nazi war criminal - and its wider implications for history, memory and justice, and the author's own family legacy

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Book Synopsis''No one is more authoritative on the history of Italian food and its culture and the influence it has had on the world, . . . an addictive read for anyone interested in the dolce vita.'' - Angela Hartnett''Food and culture of Italy come together in this fantastic and must-have book from John Dickie.'' - Giorgio Locatelli''If only we could all write as brilliantly on Italy and its food as John Dickie does. He may well know Italy and Italians better than they know themselves.'' - Stanley TucciThe new edition of the much-loved classic, with a fresh chapter that brings the surprising and moreish tale of the Italian way of eating right up to the present.Delizia! takes the reader on a revelatory historical journey through the flavours of the cities that shaped the Italian love for good eating. From the bustle of Medieval Milan, to the bombast of Fascist Rome; from the pleasure gardens of Renaissance Ferrara, to the putrid alleyways of nineteenth-century Naples. In rich slices of Italian life, Delizia! shows how violence and intrigue, as well as taste and creativity, went to make the world''s favourite cuisine. With its mix of vivid story-telling, ground-breaking research and shrewd analysis, John Dickie''s Delizia! is as appetising as the dishes it describes.

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Book Synopsis'Alpha has become a global phenomenon and, in this well-researched and compelling account, it has now found its historian.' —Professor Timothy Larsen (Wheaton College) for the Times Literary Supplement Alpha is a global phenomenon,  one of the most famous and controversial brands in Christian evangelization. Launched internationally in 1993, it has attracted wide public commentary over the decades, not only among churches but also in mainstream television, radio and newspapers such as TheEconomist and TheNew York Times. Even Elle and Fabulous have covered Alpha. Over a million participants attend the course every year and it has been a powerful driver of Christian innovation and resurgence in a secular culture.   Alpha’s presiding genius, Nicky Gumbel, has won plaudits as a new Billy Graham for the modern age. As Alpha prepares to mark its thirtieth anniversary in 2023, RepackaTrade ReviewA tale of vision, determination and extraordinary marketing . . . It's a fascinating story * The Sunday Times *It is a sympathetic picture, but not sycophantic. Space is given to the critics ... a well-written account of the early years of this significant and encouraging Christian enterprise. * Church Times *A good read . . . Atherstone writes well. * Baptist Times *A riveting and well-written story * Premier Christianity *Accessible and lucid . . . a thoroughly theological history, weighing the full range of views on Alpha, positive and negative * English Churchman *Meticulously researched * Life and Work *Fascinating and informative * Prophecy Today *Alpha has become a global phenomenon and, in this well-researched and compelling account, it has now found its historian. * TLS *It's a tale of vision, determination and extraordinary marketing. It's a tale of controversy too... And it's a tale that hasn't been told before, or not as a full history... It's a fascinating story and Atherstone tells it well. Clearly keen not to sensationalise, he keeps the tone calm and quotes critics as well as enthusiasts. * The Sunday Times * 'an accessible and lucid summary...Repackaging Christianity is a thoroughly theological history, weighing the full range of views on Alpha, positive and negative. Privileged archival access at Alpha International has permitted fascinating insight on the doctrinal discussion behind the well-manicured façade.' - English Churchman

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Book SynopsisA Guardian Best Book of 2020 A History Today Book of the Year, 2020Renowned historian Olivette Otele uncovers the untold history of Europeans of African descent, from Saint Maurice who became the leader of a Roman legion and Renaissance scholar Juan Latino, to abolitionist Mary Prince and the activist, scholars and grime artists of the present day. Tracing African European heritage through the vibrant, complex, and often brutal experiences of individuals both ordinary and extraordinary, she sheds new light not only on the past but also on questions very much alive today - about racism, identity, citizenship, power and resilience. African Europeans is a landmark celebration of this integral, vibrantly complex slice of European history, and will redefine the field for years to come.Trade ReviewThis is a book I have been waiting for my whole life. It goes beyond the numerous individual black people in Europe over millennia, to show us the history of the very ideas of blackness, community and identity on the continent that has forgotten its own past. A necessary and exciting read -- Afua Hirsch, author of Brit(ish)This is a book that all must read now. This story has been lived not just for centuries but for millennia, all the while being consistently suppressed, denied or untold. Searing scholarship and heightened humanity combine to illuminate, appal, explore and ultimately inspire -- Bettany Hughes, historian and broadcasterFascinating . . . One of the book's great pleasures is its cast of memorable characters [and] though this is a work of synthesis, it's an unusually generous and densely layered one -- The GuardianPeople of African heritage have contributed greatly to Europe's music, literature and more. But their achievements have long been overlooked . . . African Europeans works to bring more of this past to public attention -- Wall Street JournalFascinating. Otele reconnects us with the men and women who came from Africa to shape European history: rulers, diplomats, slaves and soldiers-above all, our ancestors -- Dan Snow, historian and broadcasterSuperbly researched . . . This richly layered history brims with stories of how African Europeans contributed to the culture, politics and language in the countries they lived in . . . This book is more than just the stories of interesting lives; it is also a careful study of the scholarship on these individuals -- ProspectA thrilling, informative read -- LSE Review of BooksA brilliant, important and beautifully written book that forces us to think about the past differently -- History TodayYoking together the ''African'' and the ''European'', too often treated as entirely separate categories, Otele skilfully invites her reader to navigate the multiple intersecting worlds inhabited by her characters. This is fundamentally reparative writing that undoes the cultivated ignorance around race and blackness in Europe and shows us what is irrefutably true that black history is European history, indeed, world history -- Priyamvada Gopal, author of Insurgent EmpireOlivette Otele is a scholar with a vivid intellect and a deep sense of right and wrong. African Europeans forces us to reassess the past so that we can imagine a different future -- Fiammetta Rocco, chief culture writer, The EconomistImportant, exciting and illuminating. Otele takes us through centuries of history we think we know, but shifts the lens onto those have been deliberately excluded from traditional historical narratives. This book will change how you look at the past and introduce you to wonderful characters with rich and revealing lives -- Janina Ramirez, historian and TV presenterRich in storytelling, discovery, question-making and a way forward, African Europeans covers no old ground. This is new and European history itself is not complete without this book -- Bonnie Greer, playwright, novelist and broadcasterA magisterial book brilliant, humane and gripping, and a call to arms for an end to violence and subjugation. Otele explores the individual lives of African Europeans against great shifts of history, and the result is a masterpiece -- Kate Williams, historian and broadcasterThe scope of Otele's research is awesome, as is her unflinching analysis of the shifting prisms through which African Europeans particularly women have had to contest their identities. Full of powerful stories with deep roots and livid scars, African Europeans is scholarly, revelatory and important -- Jessie Childs, author of God's Traitors and Henry VIII's Last VictimThe first survey this century of the fascinating 2,000-year-long history of Africans in Europe. Otele's masterful narrative weaves together the lives of prominent figures St Maurice, Jacobus Capitein, Manga Bell, Paulette and Jane Nardal with those of everyday people -- Hakim Adi, author of Pan-Africanism: A HistoryA nuanced, thoughtful retelling of the stories of African Europeans, with extraordinary scope. Otele triumphs in her commitment to countering the experiences of the privileged with those of the enslaved. This is a learned, impassioned and searingly important history -- Suzannah Lipscomb, historian and broadcasterAn extensive rendition of African European history from the third century to the 21st... A thorough, dynamic, accessible narrative that pulls together disparate strands into a unique, fresh history -- Kirkus ReviewsA dazzling history of Africans in Europe, revealing their unacknowledged role in shaping the continent . . . African Europeans is a landmark celebration of this integral, vibrantly complex slice of European history, and will redefine the field for years to come -- BookAuthorityMeticulously researched and beautifully written, this is an essential work of historical scholarship that is highly recommended for all public and academic libraries -- Library Journal

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Book Synopsis''Gripping history that also informs the present'' Sunday Times''Lively and original'' The Spectator''A spectacular achievement'' Dominic Sandbrook''Fast-paced, absorbing, insightful'' Simon Hall''Simply superb'' Kathryn OlmstedA celebrated British historian of US intelligence explores how the CIA was born in anti-imperialist idealism but swiftly became an instrument of a new covert empire both in America and overseas.As World War II ended, the United States stood as the dominant power on the world stage. In 1947, to support its new global status, it created the CIA to analyse foreign intelligence. But within a few years, the Agency was engaged in other operations: bolstering pro-American governments, overthrowing nationalist leaders, and surveilling anti-imperial dissenters in the US.The Cold War was an obvious reason for this transformation - but not the only one.

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Book SynopsisEvery voice raised against racism chips away at its power. We can't afford to stay silent. This book is an attempt to speak'The book that sparked a national conversation. Exploring everything from eradicated black history to the inextricable link between class and race, Why I''m No Longer Talking to White People About Race is the essential handbook for anyone who wants to understand race relations in Britain today. THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERWINNER OF THE BRITISH BOOK AWARDS NON-FICTION NARRATIVE BOOK OF THE YEAR 2018FOYLES NON-FICTION BOOK OF THE YEARBLACKWELL''S NON-FICTION BOOK OF THE YEARWINNER OF THE JHALAK PRIZELONGLISTED FOR THE BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE FOR NON-FICTIONLONGLISTED FOR THE ORWELL PRIZESHORTLISTED FOR A BOOKS ARE MY BAG READERS AWARDTrade ReviewThis is a book that was begging to be written. This is the kind of book that demands a future where we’ll no longer need such a book. Essential * Marlon James, author of Man Booker Prize-winning A Brief History of Seven Killings *One of the most important books of 2017 -- Nikesh Shukla, editor of 'The Good Immigrant'A book that's set to blow apart the understanding of race relations in this country * Stylist *An incisive and uncompromising commentator on the iniquities of oppression ... Comprehensive and journalistic, the book leaves a devastating trail of case histories, statistical and anecdotal evidence, personal stories and opinion about the manifestation of overt and covert racism ... Eddo-Lodge is a gifted writer, with a talent for bringing together debates around race, gender and class in a timely and accessible way * Times Literary Supplement *Daring, interrogatory, illuminating. A forensic dissection of race in the UK from one of the country's most critical young thinkers. Reni's penetrative voice is like a punch to the jugular. Read it, then tell everyone you know -- Irenosen Okojie, author of 'Butterfly Fish'I’ve never been so excited about a book. Thank God somebody finally wrote it … Blistering … Absolutely vital writing from one of the most exciting voices in British politics. A stunningly important debut … Fellow white people: It’s our responsibility as to read this book … This book is essential reading for anyone even remotely interested in living in a fairer, kinder and more equal world -- Paris LeesIt’s deep, it's important and I suggest taking a deep breath, delving in and I promise you will come up for air woke and better equipped to understand the underlying issues of race in our society -- Sharmaine Lovegrove * ELLE *A riveting deep-dive into the history and communication of race in Britain. From white-washing to intersectional feminism, it is an eviscerating and hugely educational read … This book is destined to become cult * Red *A wake-up call to a nation in denial about the structural and institutional racisms occurring in our homes, offices and communities * Observer *Laying bare the mechanisms by which we internalise the assumptions, false narratives and skewed perceptions that perpetuate racism, Eddo-Lodge enables readers of every ethnicity to look at life with clearer eyes. A powerful, compelling and urgent read * Ann Morgan, author of A Year of Reading the World *A strong assessment of our current conversations and the beginnings of a new framework for grappling with racism * Emerald Street *A seething take-down of commonly held attitudes towards race and racism in the UK and beyond ... Entirely essential … Eddo-Lodge reveals why anti-racist work should be a universal objective, even if racism isn’t a universal concern. The book is ultimately a defiance against the silencing of people of colour * The List *Eddo-Lodge is digesting history for those white readers who have had their ears and eyes shut to the violence in Britain’s past … An important shift that undermines the idea that racism is the BAME community’s burden to carry. The liberation that this book offers is in the reversal of responsibilities * Arifa Akbar, Financial Times *Eddo-Lodge accurately takes the temperature of racial discussions in the UK. In seven crisp essays, she takes white British people to task for failing to accept that “racism is a white problem” … She’s strong on the pervasive racial marginalisation of black people * Guardian *Thought-provoking (and deeply uncomfortable) ... What Eddo-Lodge does is to force her readers to confront their own complicity … Her books is a call to action ... What makes the book radical is the way it shifts the burden of ending racism on to white people * Sunday Herald *Searing … A fresh perspective, offering an Anglocentric alternative to the recent status-quo-challenging successes of Get Out and Dear White People. This book’s probing analysis and sharp wit certainly make us pray she will continue talking to white people about race * Harper's Bazaar *The black British Bible … I discovered more about Black British history in that one chapter than I ever did through my secondary school education ... I owe Reni for doing much of the hard work and instigating dialogue that I’ve never had time to do, often put off, or simply found too painful * Gal-Dem *‘Reni Eddo-Lodge is that rarest of delights – a young, working –class black woman from Tottenham with a voice in public life … This book is a real eye-opener when it comes to Britain’s hidden history of discrimination … A book like this matters now * Refinery 29 *Now it’s out of her head, it’s on the shelves and accompanied by a hugely successful regional tour that sees people of all colours, all races and all genders queuing up to ask questions, to share their own frustrations and to thank Reni for finally giving them a voice * i-D *Her searing examination of what it means to be a person of colour in Britain today covers a lot of ground, from the murder of Stephen Lawrence and the whitewashing of feminism to the casting of a black actress as Hermione in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child * Independent *Eddo-Lodge explores the nuanced ways in which racial prejudice continues and is ignored * Vogue *Vital dialogue from a powerful voice * Daily Telegraph *To anyone who has not thought much about the subject, what she finds will be a revelation … Impassioned and often moving … Undoubtedly essential * Ellah Allfrey, Spectator *This book has a vital role as a tool that people of colour can refer others to, particularly when called upon, yet again, to parrot the ABCs of racism ... This is the book to give your problematic family friend/neighbour/uncle … Marks the beginning of a national conversation that many have been trying to have for a long time * New Humanist *Shines a light on a conversation about race, racism and whiteness that must be had in every village, town and city in the UK and beyond. This is an absolute must-read -- Simon Blake, Chief Executive of the National Union of Students * Resurgence & Ecologist *The political book of the year – and one all your friends will be engrossed in * Pride Magazine *Fresh and challenging * Mslexia *

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Book SynopsisA SPECTATOR AND SCOTSMAN BOOK OF THE YEAR''So well researched, pacily written and sympathetic to the Auld Cause that it almost makes one a Jacobite'' Andrew Roberts, SpectatorEnthralling . . . Throws us straight into the fresh air, heather, rain and midges of the Hebrides, followed by the swamps and creeks of North America . . . Full of unforgettable glimpses' The TimesThe year is 1746. The Jacobite rebellion has failed catastrophically and Scotland is reeling in the devastating aftermath of the battle of Culloden. Far to the west, on an island in the Outer Hebrides, twenty-four-year-old Flora Macdonald is woken in the dead of night by a messenger with urgent intelligence. Bonnie Prince Charlie is outside, begging for her help. With Flora''s assistance, the Stuart prince is disguised as an Irish maid and smuggled to the Isle of Skye, evading government troops. Flora's bravery and determination will see her immortalised in ballads Trade ReviewIn this enthralling book, which throws us straight into the fresh air, heather, rain and midges of the Hebrides, followed by the swamps and creeks of North America, Fraser fleshes out what for most of us is a sketchy and romanticised area of our general knowledge . . . Full of unforgettable glimpses * The Times *Flora Fraser’s new biography stylishly updates MacDonald’s story -- Nicholas Harris * The Mail on Sunday *Flora Macdonald has met her ideal biographer. Flora Fraser has a born grasp of the mists and tides of high feeling that swirl about her subject to this day. As in all her biographies, she conveys in scholarly fashion a spellbinding sense that rationality and romance are not remotely incompatible but may compose the heart of a life. -- Candia McWilliamFlora Fraser unpicks the whys and wherefores of what happened, the tragic outcome of their enterprise and how Flora Macdonald’s gifts as a survivor and shrewd operator came again and again to the rescue of her family … In the meticulous and deep-delving research for the hugely readable Pretty Young Rebel, Flora says she has built a picture of Flora Macdonald as sure of herself, uncowed by royalty, and egalitarian, a gracious, charming yet artful and grounded product of her island roots. * Press and Journal *Detailed and enjoyable … This is a full and always interesting book, a rich picture of Highland society at a time of change as well as a persuasive and always pleasing account of Flora’s life, a social study as well as a fine telling of a well-known tale, and of the less familiar story of the Scots who chose loyalty to the Crown in America -- Allan Massie * Scotsman *[Flora Macdonald’s] entire life story is interesting, as Flora Fraser shows in this thoroughly researched biography … Fraser tells the story of Flora Macdonald’s life very well, with sympathy, respect and understanding * Literary Review *[In] her well-researched and enthusiastic biography, Flora Fraser recounts Macdonald's life based on facts culled from published and archival sources on both sides of the Atlantic * New York Times *This is a full and always interesting book ... a fine telling of a well-known tale -- Books of the Year 2022 * Scotsman *Flora Fraser, in Pretty Young Rebel, tells the story of those days well and in some detail … Fraser is keen to underline the high personal risk Flora ran throughout … [Flora Macdonald] carried out her own mission with courage, daring and, as Flora Fraser reminds us, unfaltering good sense. * TLS *This new biography by Flora Fraser (who is named after her subject) intends to sift out a 'real Flora' from the spoil heap of sentimental history . . . Nothing in this book is more fascinating that what it suggests about the concept of loyalty . . . After plenty of enterprising research in Britain and in North Carolina, Fraser makes a fresh and exciting narrative * London Review of Books *Fraser's finely detailed and well-researched biography looks behind the legend to unveil a strong and determined woman -- June Sawyers * Booklist *This is one of those lives immortalized by a single decision … the skilful historian Flora Fraser has produced a detailed, dynamic account of her namesake’s colourful cameo role. It will hold surprises for anyone apart from those already utterly enveloped in the heathery Highland mists of this story … In Ms. Fraser’s hands, myth becomes thrilling reality … eye-opening … Ms. Fraser has done a remarkable job of explaining the glamour of this fascinating figure without diminishing it -- Catherine Ostler * Wall Street Journal *A riveting read ... thrilling, while based on intensive archival research as well as local knowledge and tradition ... Fraser's closely researched book not only strips away accretions and elisions, to reconstruct an iconic moment in history. She widens out the canvas to take in the marketing of memory and the creation of factoids ... masterly * Oldie *A lively and highly readable study of the iconic Jacobite heroine. -- Murray Pittock, author of CullodenThis affecting history gives due credit to the real woman at the centre of a captivating legend * Publishers Weekly *PRAISE FOR GEORGE & MARTHA WASHINGTON: Scrupulously researched ... Fraser paints a wonderfully detailed picture of American family life at the end of the pioneering colonial period. -- Kathryn Hughes * Mail on Sunday *Flora Fraser tells the story of a couple, a family and country with sympathy and huge skill ... She is a respectful biographer, scholarly, unshowy and unsensational * Sunday Telegraph *An intimate portrait of America's original power couple ... Impeccably researched and entertaining * The Lady *Elegant ... Fraser mines the sources available to her to reveal the depth of her subjects' attachment to one another * Literary Review *Flora Fraser has provided an insightful portrait in elegant prose with a dash of wit. The book is based on a mastery of the original sources and brings to life, with much imagination, a wonderful marriage in a period of revolution and war. It is written with a light touch, but is a serious account in every respect. This is a book worthy of its subject -- Robert MiddlekaufVivid and detailed ... Carefully researched and clearly argued * The Oldie *

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Book Synopsis**LONGLISTED FOR THE BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION 2021****SHORTLISTED FOR THE DUFF COOPER PRIZE 2021** **SHORTLISTED FOR THE JAMES TAIT BLACK PRIZE****FINALIST FOR THE 2022 PLUTARCH AWARD**D. H. Lawrence is no longer censored, but he is still on trial and the jury is still out on the verdict. Delving into the memoirs of those who both loved and loathed him, Burning Man follows Lawrence from the peninsular underworld of Cornwall in 1915 to post-war Italy to the mountains of New Mexico, and traces the author's footsteps through the pages of his lesser-known work. Wilson presents a complex, courageous and often comic fugitive, careering around a world in the grip of apocalypse, in search of utopia; and, in bringing the true Lawrence into sharp focus, shows how he speaks to us now more than ever. ''A work of art in its own right'' OBSERVER ''Utterly enthralling'' GEOFF DYER ''Brilliantly unconventional'' RICHARD HOLMES ''A red-hot, pTrade ReviewWilson’s Dantesque excursion detracts only marginally from the brilliance of her book. Her great strength is the aliveness of her writing, which constantly interweaves glowing phrases from Lawrence into its fabric -- JOHN CAREY * SUNDAY TIMES *D. H. Lawrence’s reputation has plummeted in recent decades. This defiantly positive biography sets out to rescue him from his critics and place him back on a literary pedestal * THE TIMES, 100 Best Books for Summer 2022 *[A] brilliant biography * THE TIMES, Best Paperbacks of 2022 *I cannot remember the last time one left me feeling so exhilarated, so challenged and absorbed ... Burning Man is a work of art in its own right, as wanton and as magnificently flawed as anything Lawrence ever wrote … The chorus of voices builds and builds. Sometimes ecstatic and sometimes shrill, it brings Lawrence alive in all his derangement: his ridiculousness as well as his glory; his perspicacity and his blindness … Wilson writes so brilliantly, and with such conviction. If you believe, as I do, that to live life well is to fail in ways that may be unimaginably huge, this strange and confounding book is for you -- RACHEL COOKE * OBSERVER *Not only does Frances Wilson revive her subject, she lifts the whole genre. Biography of this calibre is rare ... Our most original biographer * NEW STATESMAN *[Wilson] gives it to you straight … and leaves you to decide for yourself … This is a red-hot, propulsive book. The impression it leaves is of Lawrence not so much as a phoenix (his chosen personal emblem) rising from the flames, but of a moth coming too close to a candle and, singed and frantic, flying into and into and into the wick * THE TIMES *DH Lawrence’s reputation has plummeted in recent decades. This defiantly positive biography sets out to rescue him from his critics and place him back on a literary pedestal. “Her great strength,” John Carey said in his review of Wilson’s book, “is the aliveness of her writing" * THE TIMES, 100 Best Books for Summer 2022 *The challenge for any biographer of one Lawrence is to come to terms with his many contradictions - his rage, impotence, silliness and genius. This elegantly written, intelligent and witty account lays them all bare with admirable skill * EVENING STANDARD *Wilson tells the story well. It was a period of uncertainty, of bonds being shed and reforged; of the immense growth of Lawrence’s reputation -- PHILIP HENSHER * SPECTATOR *Wilson’s Guilty Thing, her life of Thomas De Quincey, is one of the finest recent literary biographies ... Burning Man is in the same league. … This is a book that performs a rare and laudable task: of saving a writer, posthumously, from himself. We are all beneficiaries of Wilson’s articulate and persuasive advocacy -- David Wheatley * Literary Review *Heady, entrancing, comedic… Outstanding … Without condoning Lawrence’s temper at all – quite the opposite, indeed – Wilson reveals an achingly flawed, ultimately sympathetic human being, who wrote mostly imperfect novels, but whose immense contribution to the twentieth-century literary scene is worth both acknowledging and commemorating. And whatever you have thought of Lawrence, or will think after reading this book, Frances Wilson’s Burning Man is a virtuoso performance in the art of biography-writing -- Gerri Kimber * TLS *A brilliantly unconventional biography, passionately researched and written with a wild, playful energy. Above all Frances Wilson’s great achievement is to liberate Lawrence from the old, heavy, moth-eaten “priest of love” mythology, instead breathing new life into his big novels as contemporary “autofiction”, and lovingly stoking the furious fires in his letters, poetry and short stories. A new Lawrence emerges: a thinker, travel writer and essayist of strange, absurd, irrepressible genius -- RICHARD HOLMES‘"How can biography do justice to Lawrence's complexities?" asks this book. Frances Wilson shows us exactly how. Hers is the most original voice in life-writing today -- LUCASTA MILLER, author of KeatsNo biography of Lawrence that I have read comes close to Burning Man in getting across both his unquenchable fire and his appalling ruthlessness. After reading almost every page, you think "what a monster!" but then at the same time "what an eye!" - for people, landscape, birds, the whole world really. It’s a wonderful book -- FERDINAND MOUNT, author of Kiss Myself GoodbyeDare we hope that Lawrence might soon assume his rightful place – neither messiah nor pariah – as a writer of boundless freshness, originality and breadth? If so Frances Wilson’s stimulating and utterly enthralling book will be seen to play a vital role in the long-awaited rehabilitation of the man who, in the words of poet Tony Hoagland, “burned like an acetylene torch/ from one end to the other of his life” -- GEOFF DYER[An] engrossing, entertaining and illuminating biography … Wilson, whose previous books include a compelling life of Thomas de Quincey, eloquently makes the case for Lawrence’s genius and the need for his revaluation -- Rosemary Goring * HERALD *This is in many ways a superb biography … Her writing about him is gloriously vivid * THE WEEK, Book of the Week *Meticulously researched and energetic … She converts this seemingly incendiary and unapologetic radical into a patron saint of passionate intensity … It is a job well done in illuminating Lawrence’s many complexities -- Nicholas Opfermann * REACTION, Books Digest *Wilson captures the ferocity and aggression of this driven author … Burning Man presents a rounded, empathetic portrait of Lawrence -- Martin Chilton * INDEPENDENT, Books of the Month *Beautifully written * THE TIMES *A vivid picture of a complex, difficult, haunted man whose art was driven by conflict * BBC HISTORY MAGAZINE *Thrillingly unusual ... If you want a cool, dispassionate biography, this is not it ... At times she seems to be almost channelling Lawrence, especially in her landscape descriptions, which are as good as Lawrence’s own. * DAILY TELEGRAPH *[A] witty and rigorous reappraisal of this divisive, divided figure * STANDPOINT *Frances Wilson's spirited defence of D. H. Lawrence is a work of art in its own right ... Burning Man is a work of both non-fiction and imagination, impeccably handled by a writer in command of her craft * NEW ZEALAND LISTENER *

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Book SynopsisThe extraordinary story of British junior officers in the First World War, who led their men out of the trenches and faced a life expectancy of six weeks.During the Great War, many boys went straight from the classroom to the most dangerous job in the world - that of junior officer on the Western Front. Although desperately aware of how many of their predecessors had fallen before them, nearly all stepped forward, unflinchingly, to do their duty. The average life expectancy of a subaltern in the trenches was a mere six weeks.In this remarkable book, John Lewis-Stempel focuses on the forgotten men who truly won Britain''s victory in the First World War - the subalterns, lieutenants and captains of the Army, the leaders in the trenches, the first ''over the top'', the last to retreat. Basing his narrative on a huge range of first-person accounts, including the poignant letters and diaries sent home or to their old schools, the author reveals what motivated theseTrade ReviewSuperb ... the most moving single book on the Great War that I have ever read -- Nigel Jones * Literary Review *Best research resource ever. Beautiful book -- Dan Stevens (Downton Abbey)Compelling -- Julian FellowesThis well researched book tells the harrowing story of the men - or adolescents, many of them -who unhesitatingly answered the call by War Minister Lord Kitchener for volunteers, and continued to answer it even after it became clear that the life expectancy of a subaltern in the trenches averaged only six weeks... Lewis-Stempel is excellent on life in the trenches... for all the horror and pity of their struggle, their legacy is our freedom. -- Andrew Roberts * MAIL ON SUNDAY *It is only rarely that a book deserves to be recommended unreservedly but John Lewis-Stempel's Six Weeks falls firmly into that category...This is a book that should be read by every young man who aspires to serve as an officer in the Army; it will educate him about how to behave in command of soldiers and about how to face the perils of war. * GUARDS MAGAZINE *woven with great narrative skill...presents an incomparable portrait of a generation * MILITARY TIMES *A superb study... Lewis-Stempel's marvelously evocative book is full of throat-catching moments... The result is the most moving single book on the Great War that I have ever read - and I have read many... his book pays the subalterns the respect they deserve by entering into their distant mindsets. -- Nigel Jones * LITERARY REVIEW *Diaries and letters convey the inspiring spirit of these young men. * SUNDAY TELEGRAPH *A hugely moving account * OXFORD TIMES *A poignant and detailed study on what life was like at the front. * GOOD BOOK GUIDE *One of the most important new studies of the Great War * CONTEMPORARY REVIEW *Every school pupil should read "Six Weeks" by @JLewisStempel before going on a First World War battlefield tour * Colonel Richard Kemp, former Commander British Forces in Afghanistan and author of 'Attack State Red' *

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Book SynopsisThis fascinating selection of photographs traces some of the many ways in which Sydenham and Forest Hill have changed and developed over the last century.

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Book SynopsisA detailed and accessible guide to all the major sites of Anglo-Saxon England, illustrated in full colour.

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Book SynopsisA time when butchers and executioners knew more about anatomy than university-trained physicians â travel back to a time of such unlikely remedies as leeches, roasted cat and red bed curtainsTrade Review'Readable and fascinating' -- Third Age Matters Magazine

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Book SynopsisThe Morris Minor is one of the great car designs, and it is part of the family history of thousands. Few cars can match the popularity, and the longevity of the Minor: this book tells its story.

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Book SynopsisThe first book to feature the lost country houses of the âGarden of Englandâ.

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Book SynopsisA fascinating, well illustrated and compact history of nursing in Great Britain. The author traces the story of nurses and the impact they have had on our society.

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Book SynopsisMichael Strachan tells the story of one of Scotland's great tourist attractions, with a wealth of previously unpublished images.

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Book SynopsisExplore the rich history of Beverley in this guided tour through its most fascinating historic and modern buildings.

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Book SynopsisNew paperback edition - A re-examination of Henry VIII's eldest daughter, Mary, and her relationship with her father.Trade Review'This scholarly and highly engaging book offers a genuinely fresh perspective on Mary Tudor, presenting her as far more than the tragic and ‘Bloody’ queen of legend. By exploring Mary through the lens of her relationship with her father, Henry VIII, the author provides a compelling new portrait of this much-misunderstood woman which is at once more sympathetic and believable than many established accounts. A stunning achievement.' -- Dr Tracy Borman, Joint Chief Curator of Historic Royal Palaces and author of numerous books'A wonderful début. Melita Thomas brilliantly explores the early life of Mary Tudor against a European backdrop. She traces the young princess’s relationship with her father Henry VIII, and convincingly argues that Mary was very much her father’s daughter – not just the pious girl but also the political animal. A powerful narrative filled with new insights.' -- Dominic Pearce author of Henrietta Maria'In addition to a very comprehensive selection of portraits and relevant buildings in the colour plates section, we are very well served in this book with a very detailed yet clear timeline of British and European events between 1485 and 1547 and a genealogical table at the front, plus to appendices at the back, one of European states and the other a Who's Who of important contemporaries. A reader could probably not ask for more.' -- The Bookbag"Melita Thomas’ research is impeccable, her arguments and theories are backed up by primary sources, including memoirs, letters and treaties. The focus is entirely on Mary, her relationships with her family and courtiers and the way her father’s policies and marriages affected her life. It examines every aspect of Mary’s life in impeccable detail; her education, court life, her relationships, health and daily routine. It is a sad tale, of a father who demanded absolute obedience, and never considered the consequences of his actions on the mental well-being of his children." -- www.historytheinterestingbits.com

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Lincolnshire has many well-known stories of the supernatural, among the best known of which is that of the Lincoln Imp. In this book author Daniel J. Codd explores the supernatural lore of Lincolnshire. It includes all manner of phenomena, from forgotten poltergeist incidents and village miracles to recent allegations of werewolf and yeti-type creatures seen in the wilds of Lincolnshire. There are many hitherto unpublished accounts such as reports of the ghost of a small man who appeared to builders renovating a house in Lincoln; a ghostly lady who approached a house in Skellingthorpe (whereupon previously unnoticed footprints were found in concrete outside the door); and a phantom Second World War soldier who crossed a road leading to his old house in Lincoln. There are also stories of UFOs, two tall humanoid figures seen crossing wasteland, monkeys and panthers running wild, and a smoky cross that allegedly appears outside Scunthorpe’s hospital when someone is about to die. Paranormal Lincolnshire takes the reader into the world of ghosts, spirits and poltergeists in the county, following their footsteps into the unknown. It captures the spectrum of ghosts, haunted places, UFOs, strange creatures and weird phenomena reported across the county, old and new. These tales will delight ghost hunters and fascinate and intrigue everybody who knows Lincolnshire.

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Book Synopsis'A mesmerizingly fascinating tale, one astonishing adventure after another. I could not stop reading this beautifully written book.' Michael Finkel, author of The Stranger in the Woods'A unique history of a culturally and scientifically important netherworld most people barely know exists.' Booklist'An unusual and intriguing travel book ... A vivid illumination of the dark and an effective evocation of its profound mystery.'Kirkus (starred review) When Will Hunt was sixteen years old, he discovered an abandoned tunnel that ran beneath his house in Providence, Rhode Island. His first tunnel trips inspired a lifelong fascination with exploring underground worlds, from the derelict subway stations and sewers of New York City to sacred caves, catacombs, tombs, bunkers and anciTrade Review'A thrilling journey ... Underground will change the way you see the ground beneath your feet.' * The Herald *'Throughout this fascinating book he ties together the ancient and the modern, the familiar and the distant with remarkable deftness and sympathy.' * Literary Review *'Beautifully written. Hunt has attuned to the smells and textures of subterranean places (in the dark, visual comparisons don't get you very far) ... winningly obsessive history of our relationship with underground places.' * The Guardian *'Anthropology goes underground in Will Hunt's unclassifiably brilliant foray into human cultures beneath the skin of city streets and rural scapes ... Hunt leads us into illuminating depths and darkness.' * Nature *'Few books have blown my mind so totally, and so often. In Will Hunt's nimble hands, excursion becomes inversion, and the darkness turns luminous. There are echoes of Sebald, Calvino, and Herzog in his elegant and enigmatic voice, but also real warmth and humor. An intrepid—but far from fearless—journey, both theoretically and terrestrially.' -- Robert Moor, New York Times best-selling author of On Trails'Underground is, literally, a revelation. Hunt, a fearless, eloquent and truly insightful guide, takes us underground, around the world, from guerrilla art galleries, to ancient sacred chambers, to lost worlds inhabited by lost souls. In so doing, Hunt initiates us into a suite of subterranean mysteries that span geography, culture and time, awakening the dormant, but profound allure the underworld holds for us and, as he so persuasively demonstrates, for all of humankind.' -- John Vaillant, author of international bestseller The Tiger'Will Hunt has pulled off a stunning feat of reportorial magic with this book. He has taken what may be our worst fear—being underground, where many of us will spend eternity—and transformed it into a mesmerizingly fascinating tale, one astonishing adventure after another. I could not stop reading this beautifully written book.' -- Michael Finkel, author of The Stranger in the Woods'As a sunlight-craving claustrophobe, I’m not normally drawn to sewers or mine shafts plunged a mile into the earth, but Will Hunt is an irresistible guide. I followed Underground’s global tour of subterranean cultures with astonishment and joy, happy to meet a cast of cataphiles, compulsive diggers, ochre priests, spelunkers, and various seekers of the dark. I will never look at a hole in the ground in quite the same way again.' -- Justin Davidson, author of Magnetic City and architecture critic of NYMag'Will Hunt’s Underground left me, for days, wanting to go there—down, down, down, into the moisture and the mystery. It succeeds as reportage, as memoir, as historical survey and philosophical reflection. Hunt is a generous and literate moleman, beckoning us always to look lower.' -- Ted Conover, author of Newjack'Underground is for anyone who's ever peered into a crack in the earth and felt that peculiar blend of unease and curiosity. Read this and you will never look at the ground beneath you in the same way again.' -- Steve Rinella, author of Meat Eater'Hunt’s rich descriptions of dark and forbidden subterranean landscapes will raise goose bumps while offering a unique history of a culturally and scientifically important netherworld most people barely know exists.' * Booklist *'An unusual and intriguing travel book, into the world beneath the world we know ... As Hunt reveals the scientific, historic, literary, psychological, spiritual, and metaphorical qualities of his exploration, it begins to seem less idiosyncratic than universal, a pull that has persisted throughout civilization and a mystery that has yet to be solved. The underground may represent hell to some, but it has also provided spiritual solace for centuries ... A vivid illumination of the dark and an effective evocation of its profound mystery.' * Kirkus (Starred Review) *'Urban explorer Hunt serves as a genial guide to the clandestine communities, unexpected lives, and hidden histories existing in subterranean realms. … [Hunt] is always entertaining, and this brisk work, rife with intriguing characters and little-known traditions and communities, will leave many readers wanting to dig deeper into the worlds hiding beneath their feet.' * Publishers Weekly *'What is it about that unseen world beneath our feet that both calls to us and repels us at the same time? Are there secrets just beyond a rusted No Trespassing sign? Why do some of us seek to unseal the catacombs of the dead? In Underground Will Hunt explores the subterranean world in all of its historic and psychological grandeur. This tour de force just might make you want to pull on a pair of rubber boots and strap on a headlamp to get a peek at the places we've forgotten.' -- Scott Carney, author of New York Times bestseller What Doesn't Kill Us

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Book Synopsis''A hymn to hardware, charming, lyrical'' - The Sunday Times, BOOK OF THE WEEK''A paean to DIY'' - The Times''Strung together very agreeably, with dry wit and, dare I say it, considerable polish'' - Country LifeIn 2018 Tom Fort''s daughter-in-law took over a century-old hardware shop. The family dreamed of developing the shop into one that would become the centre of village life; that much did come true, but not in the way they had expected.Interweaving the evolution of the shop, its previous owners, the customers it serves and the items it sells, Rivets, Trivets & Galvanised Buckets offers a delightful study of community and shines a light on the eccentricities of ordinary people. Alongside, it presents a fascinating history of technological development; from who thought of screwdrivers to where the spirit level came from, who devised the process of galvanisation and what genius worked out that a sucti

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Book SynopsisA hilarious look at how the line between ''genius'' and ''extremely lucky idiot'' is finer than we''d like to admit.The more you delve into the stories behind history''s greatest names, the more you realise they have something in common: a mystifying lack of common sense. Take Marie Curie, famous for both discovering radioactivity and having absolutely zero lab safety protocols. Or Lord Byron, who literally took a bear with him to university. Or James Glaisher, a hot-air balloon pioneer who nearly ended up as the world''s first human satellite...From Nikola Tesla falling in love with a pigeon to non-swimmer Albert Einstein''s near-fatal love of sailing holidays, The Limits of Genius is filled with examples of the so-called brightest and best of humanity doing, to put it bluntly, some really dumb shit. These are the stories that deserve to be told but never are: the hilarious, regrettable and downright baffling lesser-known achievements of the menTrade ReviewKatie Spalding is one of those annoyingly talented writers. Funny, and with an absurd amount of obscure knowledge, The Limits of Genius is a must-read on how everyone is much, much stupider than they make out. What more could you ask for than a book that'll make you feel less of an idiot than Einstein? -- James Felton, author of 52 TIMES BRITAIN WAS A BELLENDThe Limits of Genius is a masterful combination of historical research and comedic storytelling, infused with erudition and judiciously dropped F-bombs. I laughed out loud on nearly every page. It is truly inspiring to read about the stupidity of geniuses. Thank you, Katie, for knocking these wunderkinds down a few pegs and making the rest of us feel smarter in the process. -- Justin Gregg, author of IF NIETZSCHE WERE A NARWHALWith wit and charm, each of Katie Spalding's stories in The Limits of Genius nudges, pushes and eventually shoves some of our most illustrious celebrity thinkers right off their pedestals. -- David McRaney, author of YOU ARE NOT SO SMARTThe Limits of Genius is a light-hearted and amusing account of some of history's most influential people. Even the brightest minds can produce some truly dim moments and this book doesn't hold back. -- Nick Caruso, New York Times bestselling author of DOES IT FART?A very funny, super interesting, and quite sweary look at history's great thinkers, examining all their quirks and foibles. -- Lucy PorterAn extremely entertaining book. The Leonardo chapter left me helpless with mirth and the Karl Marx one brilliantly tells my favourite "Karl Marx gets passed" anecdote better than any version I've ever seen. Smart and hilarious what's not to like. -- Otto English, author of FAKE HEROESSuch a great idea I wish I'd come up with it first. One of those books that makes you laugh so much you forget you're learning stuff. -- Jonn Elledge, author of The Compendium of (Not Quite) Everything

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Book SynopsisA superbly illustrated history of the Royal Navy's World War II monitors gunboats armed with a single, large-calibre gun turret and their roles and battles around the world. When World War II broke out, the Royal Navy possessed a sizeable fleet of battleships and battlecruisers. However, these formed the core of the battle fleets, and were rarely free to perform an equally vital mission the naval bombardment of targets ashore. In the first book to focus on the subject, naval expert Angus Konstam explains how the monitor, an unusual warship extensively used in World War I, found a new purpose. Although neither fast nor very well-protected, the monitors had a fearsome armament two 15in guns, the same calibre as many of Britain's battleships. Designed to outrange shore batteries, the monitors could supply flexible, deadly gunfire support to Allied forces ashore. The World War I-era Erebus and Terror were refitted and sent to war, while a new class, the Roberts class, joined them in 1941 and 1943. These warships saw action with the Eastern Fleet and were particularly useful in the Mediterranean, from supporting the campaign in North Africa to providing anti-aircraft defence in besieged Malta and Crete. They then joined the Allied landings from Sicily to Normandy. Illustrated with profiles, battlescenes and a cutaway of Roberts, this book also explains how naval gunfire support was conducted during the war.

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Book SynopsisA detailed new account of the British military campaign in Afghanistan from 2001 to 2014, based on the experiences of those who served.Following the 9/11 attacks, the British Government supported the initial US invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, and also committed troops to Kabul from 2002 onwards. However, following the expansion of ISAF southwards, Britain was drawn into a lengthy military campaign against a fierce insurgency.The British commitment to what became known as Operation Herrick saw a battlegroup from the Parachute Regiment deploy to Helmand Province in January 2006 with the hope they could leave in three years and without firing one shot. The reality was very different. From 2006 through to 2014, a succession of British brigade-sized task forces rotated through Helmand on six-month tours. When they finally withdrew in 2014, British forces had lost 456 killed and over 2,000 wounded, and the Taliban were resurgent.Sergio Miller

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Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE SUNDAY TIMES SPORTS BOOK AWARDS 2023 - SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT BOOK OF THE YEARSports Report is as much a 75-year history of sport as a BBC radio institution and Pat Murphy pays handsome tribute to a programme that is still followed affectionately by millions.For nearly 75 years, one BBC programme has been a constant factor in chronicling the way sport is covered, in all its many facets. It has been a window on the sporting world all over the globe packed tightly into every Saturday evening for the bulk of the year. First broadcast in 1948, Sports Report is the longest-running radio sporting programme in the world and one of the BBC's hardy perennials. Pat Murphy has been a reporter on the programme since 1981 and here he sifts comprehensively through the experiences of his contemporaries and those who made their mark on Sports Report in earlier decades.He hears from commentators, reporters, producers, presenters and the production tTrade ReviewThe living history of a huge part of all our lives - and there's no one in the world better to tell it than Pat Murphy -- Lee Child, bestselling authorOpens the doors to one of the great radio institutions and makes you realise how much effort and love goes into making it so special -- Dan WalkerPat’s reporting has always been engaging, expressive and arresting. Delighted his Sports Report book is just the same -- Mark PougatchThat opening tune always quickens the pulse. Out of the Blue, into the drama of the sporting day. Insight, interviews, inspirational -- Henry WinterIt was the opening theme tune that sucked you in – it’s synonymous with British sport and a staple diet of listening and watching sport on a Saturday afternoon. -- Joe Root, England CricketerFull of superb anecdotes, brilliantly told, marvellous characters. -- Jim RosenthalIf you have that sporting gene within you, it’s a book that soundtracks your life ... Every stage of that sporting cycle, that familiar tune, those familiar voices, coming at you through each beautifully researched page ... An absolute joy to read -- John InverdaleThis marvellous book will delight anyone who has ever shrieked or howled in response to something they heard on Sports Report, and that, surely, must be everybody. -- Mark Steel, comedianSports Report has run longer than Les Miserables and The Lion King put together. Patrick Murphy is the show’s perfect leading performer to tell its story from opening night in 1948 through the turbulent, exciting three-quarters of a century that followed, both on the fields of play and in the studio. -- Sir Tim RiceAn emotional, revealing opus to mark 75 years of the show. -- Henry Winter * The Times *A definitive history * Daily Mirror *A labour of love -- Adrian Chiles * BBC 5 Live *A lovingly curated, profoundly researched book about the history of the show. * The Telegraph *Pat Murphy does it proud... he skilfully weaves tales of the programme’s beginnings, the challenges it has faced over the years and the big stories that have been covered. * Late Tackle *It brings home the enormously long cast list of distinguished people who have reported or worked on the programme… Sports Report is a great institution and Pat’s book does justice to it. -- Lord King, former Governor of the Bank of England and Aston Villa supporterAn absolute joy of a book. A better Christmas present I cannot possible fathom -- Graeme SwannOf great interest to anyone wanting to gain an insight into how programmes are produced… a worthy addition to the books published recently commemorating the 100th anniversary of the BBC * Practical Wireless *Beautifully written. It brought back great memories of all my old friends at the best time of my life. -- Des LynamTable of ContentsPreface The Weekly Miracle The Beginnings Angus and Eamonn – The Odd Couple The Signature Tune Memorable Programmes 1948–1988 The Front of House In the Studio Moments to Savour At the Sharp End There were Some Laughs as Well Reading the Classifieds Gender on the Agenda – At Last! Memorable Programmes 1989-2021 Troughs Among the Peaks In Praise of Sports Report The Last Word Acknowledgements

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Book Synopsis1666 was a watershed year for England. The outbreak of the Great Plague, the eruption of the second Dutch War and the Great Fire of London all struck the country in rapid succession and with devastating repercussions.Shedding light on these dramatic events, historian Rebecca Rideal reveals an unprecedented period of terror and triumph. Based on original archival research and drawing on little-known sources, 1666: Plague, War and Hellfire takes readers on a thrilling journey through a crucial turning point in English history, as seen through the eyes of an extraordinary cast of historical characters. While the central events of this significant year were ones of devastation and defeat, 1666 also offers a glimpse of the incredible scientific and artistic progress being made at that time, from Isaac Newton''s discovery of gravity to Robert Hooke''s microscopic wonders. It was in this year that John Milton completed Paradise Lost, Frances Stewart posTrade ReviewAn impressively vivid account of an extraordinary piece of England's history. Rideal is particularly good on the great set pieces - the plague, the fire and (especially) the naval battles - which she brings to dramatic life with telling details * The Times *A book firmly anchored in the grain of contemporary accounts, sparking with the crackle of first-hand reports * Guardian *Sympathetic and sharp-eyed ... an enjoyable book about an exciting period of history * Daily Telegraph *Rideal's London pulses with humanity . . . It is Rideal's vivid and confident style, teamed with meticulous research and a curiosity for the quotidian that makes 1666: Plague, War and Hellfire a memorable, gripping and very satisfying read * Historia *Accessible and entertaining . . . a keen eye for engaging anecdote and historical personality * The Spectator *1666 is described brilliantly . . . a rollicking new book * Evening Standard *Bound to reveal secrets you won't have heard before * History Revealed *Gripping and beautifully written . . . extraordinarily vivid * BBC History Magazine *It's just extraordinary, just taking a single moment, albeit a very significant one in history and weaving in the political, the social the military history. But she writes like a novelist and has clearly done her research, it's a very scholarly book. I literally couldn't put it down * Tracy Borman, Open Book *

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Book SynopsisDon't believe what you've heard from the columnists and the critics: snowflakes won't end the world, they'll save it.

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Book SynopsisThe impact that the war had on the city of Sheffield.

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Book SynopsisMarcus Aurelius first action as Roman Emperor was to appoint his adoptive brother, Lucius Verus, as his co-emperor, even though he is often depicted as a wastrel. The author analyses why Verus succeeded against the Parthians where other emperors, before and after him, failed

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Book SynopsisAberdeen was the most frequently bombed city in Britain suffering 32 raids and 364 air raid warnings. As a result, Aberdeen was nicknamed the Siren City'.

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Book SynopsisPain, while known to almost everyone, is not universal. The evidence of our own pain, and our own experience, does not provide us with automatic insight into the pains of others, past or present. No matter how self-evident and ubiquitous the sting of a paper cut or the desolation of heartbreak might seem, pain is situated and historically specific. In a work that is sometimes personal, always political, Rob Boddice reveals a history of pain that juggles many disciplinary approaches and disparate languages to tackle the thorniest challenges in pain research. He explores the shifting meaning-making processes that produce painful experiences, expanding the world of pain to take seriously the relationship between pain’s physicality and social and emotional suffering. Ranging from antiquity to the present and taking in pain knowledge and pain experiences from around the world, his tale encompasses not only injury, but also grief, exclusion, chronic pain, and trauma, and reveals how knowledge claims about pain occupy what pain is like. Innovative and compassionate in equal measure, Knowing Pain puts forward an original pain agenda that is essential reading for those interested in the history of emotions, senses, and experience, for medical researchers and practitioners, and for anyone who has known pain.Trade Review‘How can we know the pain of others? If we have no access to their suffering, how can we hope to alleviate it? By an astute and complex analysis of the ways people experienced distress in the past and continue to do so in the present, Rob Boddice reflects on such questions. It will change the way we think about pain.’Joanna Bourke, Birkbeck, University of London‘Boddice illuminates the history of pain, one of the most fundamental biological mechanisms and cultural experiences of humankind. It is a rich history of the experience of pain, but also a history of its different conceptualizations, our ways of studying it, and its social dimensions. This is a book that will captivate scholars and scientists across disciplines.’Manos Tsakiris, Royal Holloway, University of London‘ambitious history of pain’Nature Table of ContentsPrologue Introduction: Disrupting a Definition 1. Scripting: The Politics of Knowledge 2. Experiencing: Objectivity versus Subjectivity 3. Worlding: Expressing and Managing 4. Suffering: Chronicity and Pain Syndromes 5. Commiserating: Sensing, Feeling, and Witnessing the Other in Pain 6. Contextualising : Pleasure and Punishment 7. Embodying: Nocebo/Placebo Conclusion: The Mutable Patient Epilogue

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Book Synopsis‘A book worth reading’ Andrew Marr, Sunday TimesThe Debatable Land was an independent territory which used to exist between Scotland and England. At the height of its notoriety, it was the bloodiest region in Great Britain, fought over by Henry VIII, Elizabeth I and James V. After the Union of the Crowns, most of its population was slaughtered or deported and it became the last part of the country to be brought under the control of the state. Today, its history has been forgotten or ignored.When Graham Robb moved to a lonely house on the very edge of England, he discovered that the river which almost surrounded his new home had once marked the Debatable Land’s southern boundary. Under the powerful spell of curiosity, Robb began a journey – on foot, by bicycle and into the past – that would uncover lost towns and roads, reveal the truth about this maligned patch of land and result in more than one discovery of major historical significance.Rich in detail and epic in scope, The Debatable Land takes us from a time when neither England nor Scotland could be imagined to the present day, when contemporary nationalism and political turmoil threaten to unsettle the cross-border community once more. Writing with his customary charm, wit and literary grace, Graham Robb proves the Debatable Land to be a crucial, missing piece in the puzzle of British history.Includes a 16-page colour plate section.Trade ReviewSorting out the fact from the fiction in this history is one of Robb’s tasks. He tackles some serious misconceptions about the borderland . . . Robb intercuts the past and present, the intimate and the impersonal, to wonderful effect. Few authors write so well about things lost and neglected – or have such sharp ears and eyes for the natural world -- Ian Jack * Guardian *Graham Robb is a remarkable writer . . . [his work] displays curiosity, intellectual vitality, wide-ranging sympathies, and a keen eye for unexpected detail. This new book will fascinate everyone with a knowledge of the geography, history, mythology and character of the Anglo-Scottish borderlands . . . No short review can do justice to the intelligence, charm, variety and sheer interest of this book. Read it, and you will be richly entertained and enlightened. * The Scotsman *A detective outing on native soil. Armed with energy, humour, a poet’s eye and a bicycle – all things his fans will be familiar with – Robb probes the received wisdoms of the past . . . His skill as a writer is to understand, without being fey, the fourth dimension: peeling back the modern landscape to find buried stories * The Times *Scholarly nonfiction written with novelistic flair . . . The Debatable Land was neither English nor Scottish but a law unto itself, and it became notorious as the centre of reiver violence . . . But Robb, like a conjuror, gradually shows us the Debatable Land as something else . . . his exploration of its history is punctuated by some terrific nature writing * Observer *It’s a book worth reading . . . it contains several glories, much fine writing and the odd (very odd) wonder. -- Andrew Marr * Sunday Times *This is a book written as much on the road as in the library . . . Robb’s book is both a scholarly work of revisionism and an entertaining read . . . One of the pleasures of this book is to watch Robb, like a frontier dodging reiver, slip between past and present, between manuscript and moor, between battlefield site and the 127 bus -- Michael Kerr * Daily Telegraph *Diverting asides animate Robb’s revelatory account of this oft-overlooked and understudied part of the United Kingdom . . . The Debatable Land ends with a brace of discoveries. The first is a key to understanding Ptolemy’s second-century map of Britain, hitherto thought inaccurate, which will surely be invaluable to future historians. The second is the earliest account told from a British point of view of a major battle in these islands. This is all fascinating. -- Alan Taylor * Literary Review *Graham Robb, apart from being a distinguished historian, biographer and literary critic, is one of our most accomplished travel writers . . . he bicycles with the speed and ferocity of a Scottish reiver through these lost flatlands of history -- Hugh Thomson * Spectator *An original and surprising book . . . he ranges with admirable ease over the centuries . . . Robb doesn’t move far from his new home, yet this is a travel book, with a journey in time as well as space . . . the twists and turns of imagined and reimagined history brood over this richly wonderful book -- Allan Massie * The Oldie *Travelogue, history and elucidation, this book is one of timely exploration. Going backwards, it goes forwards and there are many felicities along the way . . . The Debatable Land has excellent illustrations and indices. Elegant and with learning lightly worn, it is, in every respect, an exemplary and topical book, a perfect paradigm of its kind. -- Ross Leckie * Country Life *Innovative methodology, rejection of mythology, precise expression . . . such a wonderful book -- Harry McGrath * Scottish Review of Books *It is three-parts history (as you would expect of Robb’s historical pedigree) and one-part nature writing. A vision of a marginal place (or at least marginal to the urban centres, not to itself of course) through time, written against a backdrop of both the 2014 independence referendum and the 2016 Brexit vote -- Teddy Jamieson * Herald (Scotland) *Rising from this roving, poetic account, which dips in and out of memoir, anecdote and history, is a sense of loosely documented but fierce regional drama . . . Throughout, Robb unpicks ballads and legends – the stuff of old propaganda – with a warm but pleasingly sceptical approach. His search throws up surprises. Reading this book at times resembles a ramble through richly tangled terrain with a guide who is joyously diverted by discovery . . . Its paths deserve to be retaken slowly, chapter by chapter – but the walk is always worthwhile. -- Jenny McCartney * Mail on Sunday *This story is packed with enough mystery, violence, romance, and personal discovery to satisfy any fan of Walter Scott, Robert Louis Stevenson, or — for that matter—Bill Bryson . . . Both timely and timeless. * Village Voice *Table of ContentsSection - i: List of Illustrations Section - ii: List of Figures Section - iii: A Guide to Pronunciation Unit - 1: PART ONE Chapter - 1: Hidden Places Chapter - 2: Outpost Chapter - 3: Panic Button Chapter - 4: The True and Ancient Border Chapter - 5: ‘The Sewer of Abandoned Men’ Chapter - 6: Mouldywarp Chapter - 7: Beachcombing Unit - 2: PART TWO Chapter - 8: Blind Roads Chapter - 9: Harrowed Chapter - 10: ‘Loveable Custumis’ Chapter - 11: Accelerated Transhumance Chapter - 12: Skurrlywarble Chapter - 13: Exploratores Chapter - 14: Windy Edge Chapter - 15: ‘In Tymis Bigane’ Unit - 3: PART THREE Chapter - 16: 'Stob and Staik’ Chapter - 17: ‘Rube, Burne, Spoyll, Slaye, Murder annd Destrewe’ Chapter - 18: The Final Partition Chapter - 19: Hector of ye Harlawe Chapter - 20: Scrope Chapter - 21: Tarras Moss Chapter - 22: ‘A Factious and Naughty People’ Chapter - 23: Silence Unit - 4: PART FOUR Chapter - 24: Graticules Chapter - 25: The Kingdom of Selgovia Chapter - 26: ‘Arthur’ Chapter - 27: The Great Caledonian Invasion Chapter - 28: Polling Stations Chapter - 29: No Man’s Land Chapter - 30: The River Section - iv: Appendix Section - v: Chronology Section - vi: Notes Section - vii: Works Cited Index - viii: General Index Index - ix: Geographical Index Acknowledgements - x: Acknowledgements

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Book SynopsisThe Sunday Times Bestseller and #1 international bestseller'A moving and bittersweet story' Sun Keeping My Sister’s Secrets by Beezy Marsh is the heartwarming true story of three sisters and their fearless fight to survive the hardships of poverty and war - by whatever means necessary.Born into a close-knit working class family in the slums of London’s Waterloo, Eva, Peggy and Kathleen are three remarkably different, but very loving sisters. Desperate to escape their violent father, they find different ways to survive. Beautiful Kathleen escapes into marriage with an abusive man, and during the horrors of the Second World War, falls in love again - this time with an American GI. Peggy, serious and studious, is appalled by conditions in the factories and becomes a communist, desperate to help her fellow workers. The rebellious sister, Eva, will do anything to protect her family - even if it means breaking the law to put dinner on the table.Living closely together, the sisters support each other through thick and thin - their story is a moving tale of unconditional love, the one constant in a changing world.Trade ReviewA moving and bittersweet story * The Sun *

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Book SynopsisExam board: AQA; OCRLevel: 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

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Book SynopsisAt the end of the 1970s, Manchester seemed to be sliding into the dustbin of history. Today the city is an international destination for culture and sport, and one of the fastest-growing urban regions in Europe. This book offers a first-hand account of what happened in between.Arriving in Manchester as a wide-eyed student in 1979, Andy Spinoza went on to establish the arts magazine City Life before working for the Manchester Evening News and creating his own PR firm. In a forty-year career he has encountered a who’s who of Manchester personalities, from cultural icons such as Tony Wilson to Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson and influential council leaders Sir Richard Leese and Sir Howard Bernstein.His remarkable account traces Manchester’s gradual emergence from its post-industrial malaise, centring on the legendary nightclub the Haçienda and the cultural renaissance it inspired.Trade Review‘Every great city needs a great chronicler. We are lucky to have Andy. Read on.’Lemn Sissay‘This is a fabulous, compelling book with a cast of larger-than-life characters. First as observer, then as participant, Andy has enjoyed a ring-side seat in the renaissance and development of Britain's most exciting city.’Michael Crick‘Andy Spinoza knows the real story.’Jon Savage'The strength of the book is its immediacy. I think he also considers it a book not just about Mancunians but for them too. It is a love letter to his adopted city.'Jon Talbot, Literary Review'The author draws the “key players” in the rebirth of modern Manchester with a vividness that might have eluded a conventional historian.'Jonathan Derbyshire, Financial Times'A flamboyant hybrid, conveying the nitty-gritty of municipal politics and private-public property deals with the zest and wit of the best journalism. [...] it is likely to become a touchstone for all chroniclers of modern Manchester.'Andrew Martin, Times Literary Supplement'Elegantly interweaving his own biography with that of the city, Spinoza narrates with panache the story of how the place once known as Cottonopolis has reinvented itself.' Julian Coman, The Observer'A personal and sociological look at how its fortunes changed, featuring encounters with all the expected characters like Tony Wilson and even Alex Ferguson.'Eoghan O'Sullivan, The Irish ExaminerOne of their best music books of 2023‘Beautifully written – a great read that feels important. The musical thread through the different eras is persuasive without feeling forced. This is an inspiring personal story, in which the power of Manchester rises from the page.’Paul Unger, Editor, Place North West'A compelling retelling of the origin story of the original modern city.'Thom Hetherington, Manchester Art Fair'It’s a fantastic book.'Ian King, Sky News'You’ve got to buy a copy of this book, it’s a great read... It really embraces the Manchester we see out of our windows today. The stories in it are just fantastic.'Phil Trow, BBC Radio Manchester'Manchester unspun sorts the truth from the spin of the city’s stories to reveal a remarkable journey, describing the hubris,scandal, money and politics which played out during its remarkable reinvention.'John Robb, Louder than War 'As books about Manchester go, there are plenty to choose from, but there are few as well sourced, well written and expansive as this one.'Michael Taylor, The Business Desk NW'Andy Spinoza has had a front row seat to the transformation of this city, and it really comes across in his magnificent book.'Dr Vikas Shah MBE, author of Thought Economics'This is a fantastic book for anybody interested in Manchester's unprecedented modern renaissance.'Thom Hetherington, founder of Landing Light 'What a great read! At last someone who was there and knows, telling a fascinating story of a city’s rebirth. Wonderfully written too. I couldn’t put it down once I’d started.'Mike Pickering, musician and DJ 'Overall, Spinoza's memoir is very well written and he offers an antidote to the deficient journalism we have suffered over the popular music history of Manchester and its story as Britain's "second city".'Richard Witts, Popular Music -- .Table of ContentsIntroduction: how a city got high on music page Place names: a stranger’s guide 1 The city calls 2 A meeting in Moon Grove 3 Dirty old town 4 All the news not fit to print 5 A fiend dropping in 6 Left turn, U-turn 7 Village people and rock-star developers 8 Haçienda hitman 9 Cash E-conomy 10 Simply regeneration 11 Planet Hulme, city conversations 12 Suited, booted and branded 13 Manc mafia on the Med 14 PR potholes on the road to hell 15 Football, fashion and food 16 University challenge 17 The Haçienda must be built 18 The merchandising of memory 19 Pop and politics, Wilson and Burnham 20 Devolution and dissent 21 Who wants to live in a city without culture? 22 ‘Intention: To restore a sense of place’ Index

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Book SynopsisTaking us from the beginning of our story to the present day, A Cold Spell examines how ice has shaped our thoughts, actions and societies and what it means for us that it is rapidly disappearing from our planet''A warm-hearted tale of the bizarre, something to cuddle up with in the bleak midwinter . . . Astonishing'' THE TIMES ''Bracingly original . . . As the earth warms threateningly, there could hardly be a more pertinent time for a story like this' MICHAEL PALIN''A book of limitless fascinations'' OLIVIA LAING''Brightly written, nimbly researched and really quite delightful'' LITERARY REVIEWIce has confounded, delighted and fascinated us since the first sparks of art and culture in Europe and it now underpins the modern world. Without ice, we would not feed ourselves or heal our sick as we do, and our towns and cities, countryside and oceans would look very different. Science woul

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Book SynopsisThe Liverpool & Manchester Railway was Britain's first mainline, inter-city railway; opened in 1830 it was at the cutting edge of railway technology. Engineered by George Stephenson and his team - John Dixon, William Allcard, Joseph Locke - the project faced many obstacles both before and after opening, including local opposition and the choice of motive power, resulting in the Rainhill Trials of 1829. Much of the success of the line can be attributed to the excellence of its engineering but also its fleet of pioneering locomotives built by Robert Stephenson & Co. of Newcastle. This is the story of those locomotives, and the men who worked on them, at a time when the locomotive was still in its infancy. Using extensive archival research, coupled with lessons learned from operating early replica locomotives such as Rocket and Planet, Anthony Dawson explores how the locomotive rapidly developed in response to the demands of the first inter-city railway, and some of the technological dead ends along the way.

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

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Book SynopsisThe platformer is one of the most well-loved video game genres ever, having entertained players for over 40 years. Jumping For Joy is a celebration of everything platform games have to offer, spanning their entire history. The first part of the book is a complete guide to every platform game starring Mario, Nintendo's mascot and the most popular video game character of all time. With nearly 80 games featured in this section, it's the definitive history of a true gaming hero. There are always two sides to every story, though, so the second part of the book focuses on every one of the 50+ platformers starring Sonic the Hedgehog, Mario's former rival. After this it's the book's main course: a huge 100-page section detailing 50 other iconic and notable platform games covering the entire history of gaming, from the days of the Atari 2600 and ZX Spectrum all the way up to the Nintendo Switch, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. Whether you're a long-time veteran of platform gaming or a newcomer who wants to learn more about one of the most entertaining genres in video games, this is the perfect book for you. And there are some bad jokes in there too, if that's your thing.

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