History Books

Book SynopsisBY THE SUNDAY TIMES NO.1 BESTSELLING AUTHORThe perfect gift for anyone who has ever wondered about the unpredictable origins and etymologies of our Christmas customs! For something that happens every year of our lives, we really don''t know much about Christmas. We don''t know that the date we celebrate was chosen by a madman, or that Christmas, etymologically speaking, means Go away, Christ. We''re oblivious to the fact that the advent calendar was actually invented by a Munich housewife to stop her children pestering her for a Christmas countdown. And we would never have guessed that the invention of crackers was merely a way of popularising sweet wrappers. Luckily, like a gift from Santa himself, Mark Forsyth is here to unwrap this fundamentally funny gallimaufry of traditions and oddities, making it all finally make sense - in his wonderfully entertaining wordy way.''Witty and revelatory. Blooming brilliant'' Raymond Briggs ''Everything we ever thought about Christmas is wrong! Great stuff'' Matthew ParrisTrade ReviewWitty and revelatory. Blooming brilliant -- Raymond BriggsEverything we ever thought about Christmas is wrong! Great stuff -- Matthew ParrisMark imparts knowledge about Christmas traditions from the essential to the (very) abstruse in wry and sardonic style. An effortless and enjoyable way to learn more about this fulcrum of our calendar -- Paul Smiddy, Former Head of pan-European retail research, HSBCMark Forsyth wears his considerable knowledge lightly. He also writes beautifully -- David Marsh, on 'The Elements of Eloquence' * Guardian *This year's must-have stocking filler ... the essential addition to the library in the smallest room is Mark Forsyth's The Etymologicon. -- Ian Samson * Guardian *With his casual elegance and melodious voice, Mark Forsyth has an anachronistic charm totally at odds with the 21st century (The Horologicon) * Sunday Times South Africa *[The Etymologicon is] a perfect bit of stocking filler for the bookish member of the family, or just a cracking all-year-round-read. Highly recommended. * The Spectator *As good as promised - could have been thrice as long -- Ben Schott, on 'The Elements of Eloquence'

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Book SynopsisAt a time when the world is searching for answers to extremism and polarization, The Centre Must Hold shows a more effective brand of politics.

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Book SynopsisHistory has pictured Elizabeth I as Gloriana, an icon of strength and power -- and has focused on the early years of her reign. But in 1583, when Elizabeth is fifty, there is relentless plotting among her courtiers -- and still to come is the Spanish Armada and the execution of Mary, Queen of Scots. We have not, until now, had the full picture.This gripping and vivid portrait of her life and times -- often told in her own words (and including details such as her love of chess and marzipan) -- reveals a woman who was insecure, human (''You know I am no morning woman''), and unpopular even with the men who fought for her. This is the real Elizabeth, for the first time.Trade ReviewA beautifully rounded portrait of both the woman and the queen . . . This is a masterful biography. -- Amanda ForemanA gripping story of Queen Elizabeth's last years, authoritatively researched and engagingly recounted by the leading Tudor historian of our age -- James Shapiro, author of 1599 and 1606One of the very best historians we have in the country . . . It is brilliant, vigorous history, and a triumph of storytelling and scholarship -- Jessie Childs * Telegraph *Guy's careful work with documents known and unknown, scattered throughout Europe's archives, allows him to paint a novel portrait of a complex - maybe even unknowable - queen -- John Gallagher * Guardian *The best biography ever written of the Virgin Queen - a revisionist, sensitive, compelling, majestic masterwork that you can't put down -- Simon Sebag-Montefiore * Evening Standard *A gripping story of Queen Elizabeth's last years, authoritatively researched and engagingly recounted by the leading Tudor historian of our age. It will be of special interest to anyone interested in the political world in which Shakespeare's Elizabethan drama is steeped-from anxiety over royal succession to England's costly war in Ireland -- James Shapiro, author of 1599 and 1606John Guy's Elizabeth presents a beautifully rounded portrait of both the woman and the queen. Thanks to Guy's prodigious use of previously untapped material, we see, for the very first time, the full panoply of ambition and insecurity, plotting and deceit that marked the middle years of her reign. This is a masterful biography. -- Amanda ForemanAs you'd expect from John Guy, this is a very good read, a vivid and fascinating warts-and-all portrait of the ageing Elizabeth, backed by meticulous research -- Claire TomalinOne of the very best historians we have in the country. Guy is in his element prising off the myths that are barnacled to the queen. It is brilliant, vigorous history, and a triumph of storytelling and scholarship -- Jessie Childs * Telegraph *John Guy is arguably the world's leading expert on Tudor history. When he writes a book, especially this, his first on Elizabeth's life, it should be taken very seriously as having something new to say, and so it does ... a wonderful book and a magisterial account of the latter half of Elizabeth's reign that calmly reassesses every claim and myth by simply reading all the original manuscript correspondence. The result puts the record straight, but it also allows Guy to produce a pacy and compelling story -- Jerry Brotton * Sunday Times *Guy pored through 250,000 manuscripts in his quest to understand the ageing Elizabeth. Intimidated by that mountain of parchment, most historians have tended to recycle the myths of Gloriana and Good Queen Bess. Not Guy. Guy is no ordinary historian. Few can match his ruthless obsession for accuracy. Between every line comes whispered reassurance: "You can trust me; I touched those documents." Guy the scholar melds perfectly with Guy the storyteller. Small tales are used to illustrate big issues. Under the weight of Guy's scrutiny, familiar myths crumble. The weight of evidence suggests that he understands Elizabeth better than any historian has -- Gerald DeGroot * Book of the Week, The Times *[A] most excellent biography. It puts a cruel but clarifying lends on the vain monarch's twilight years. She has never been more exposed than in Guy's tome. A contender for history book of the year -- John Lewis-Stempel * Sunday Express *What emerges from the author's great efforts to mine the archives for a truer picture is a more flawed Elizabeth - but perhaps a more human one * The Economist *John Guy, as eminent a Tudor historian as they come, has set himself the explicit task of correcting Strachey's colourful narrative of Elizabeth's old age. The result is 400 pages of outstandingly documented scholarly detail ... scholarship that should earn the respect of popular and expert reader alike -- Kate Maltby * Spectator *Superb ... John Guy persuades us that pretty much everything we think we know about Elizabeth is wrong -- Andrew Roberts * Wall Street Journal *There is a lot to like about this book. Energetic [in] tone... Guy is a lively guide ... Guy is especially good when describing the political machinations of Burghley and Walsingham ... [and] Guy gives us a clean sense of a man [the Earl of Essex] who was brilliant, vain, petulant and self-serving in equal measure * History Today *Enthralling... the book is also beautifully illustrated * Editor's Choice, The Bookseller *Guy is exceptionally good on how various myths took root -- Craig Brown * Mail on Sunday *Outstanding. This page-turning book is history, biography, scholarship personified, and a crystal-clear look at Elizabeth in the war years that erases the myths and presents the real woman. Absolutely one of the best biographies of Elizabeth ever * Kirkus (starred review) *With the remarkable advantage of access to long-buried and misfiled primary sources [...] the aging monarch receives a balanced treatment. [Gives] readers a fuller view of the confident, experienced, and adaptable queen * Publishers Weekly *The dean of living Tudor-era historians * Christian Science Monitor *Meticulously researched and highly readable revisionist biography. Recommended for lovers of British history and feminist biography * Library Journal *A fresh, thrilling portrait -- Stacy Schiff * New York Times *Oft portrayed as fierce, this reveals an Elizabeth I who is in fact fallible and insecure * New Day *Significant, forensic and myth-busting, John Guy inspires total confidence in a narrative which is at once pacy and rich in detail -- Anna Whitelock * Times Literary Supplement *The brilliance of Elizabeth: The Forgotten Years lies in the energy of its narrative, as well as in Guy's eye and ear for scene and conversation. To interweave all of this with the life of the queen is a formidable achievement. He has captured the complexity of contemporary politics. ... Most striking is Guy's portrait of Elizabeth -- Stephen Alford * London Review of Books *

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Book SynopsisBitter Fruit is a comprehensive and insightful account of the CIA operation to overthrow the democratically elected government of Jacobo Arbenz of Guatemala in 1954. This book has become a classic, a textbook case of the relationship between the U.S. and the Third World. It is a warning of what happens when the U.S. abuses its power.Trade ReviewSchlesinger and Kinzer have done the greatest service to truth and justice by presenting the untold story of the CIA coup. -- Carlos FuentesA special book. Impeccably researched and beautifully written, highlighting how much can still be learned from the 1950s experience. Perhaps some day history won't repeat itself. -- Susan Eckstein, Boston University; Past President, Latin American Studies Association, Harvard University David Rockefeller Center for Latin American StudiesThe reappearance of this small classic is most welcome and important. It helps us understand the disasters that misshaped U.S. and Central American relations after 1954, especially into the 1980s and 1990s. -- Walter LaFeber, Cornell UniversityThis work was and still is the most riveting account of the U.S. intervention in Guatemala in 1954, and is a testimony to the twisted logic of those immersed in a culture which sees all popular political movements as a threat whether in Guatemala or the rest of the world. -- Jennifer Schirmer

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Book SynopsisRome is not one city but many, each with its own history unfolding from a different center. Beginning with the shaping of the ground on which Rome first rose, this book conjures all these cities, conducting the reader through time and space to the complex and shifting realitiesarchitectural, historical, political, and socialthat constitute Rome.Trade ReviewRome from the Ground Up is an enthralling book. McGregor's sensitive, lively writing rises to the beauties of the city and, miraculously, does so with the same economy that characterizes Roman Baroque architecture. McGregor obviously sees Rome's most sublime realms and writes a sublime prose to match, as far away from Rococo ornament as it is from the Rome that is grubby, gruff, crowded, boorish and bureaucratic—and this is perfectly true to the city, for that remarkably pure vision that is the Rome of the imagination has always floated above the Rome of reality, certainly since the time of Cicero and Vergil, probably since Romulus emerged from his mud hut alongside the Forum stream. -- Ingrid Rowland, author of From Heaven to ArcadiaMcGregor has produced a guide to Rome like no other known to me. An astonishing feat of exposition and compression, Rome from the Ground Up would be immensely useful for any intelligent visitor in Rome for the first time. -- Anthony Grafton, author of Bring out Your Dead This intricate, literary traveler's guide explores the contiguous cities of Rome built on the Tiber floodplain over the centuries. McGregor, co-head of the University of Georgia's department of comparative literature, chronologically traces the successive periods of intense architecture and planning that helped Rome achieve strategic greatness, from the Etruscan management of the Tiber Island ford 3,000 years ago, to the city's unparalleled artistic stamp by Bramante and Michelangelo during the Renaissance, to Mussolini's monumental Fascist vision, to the precarious repairs heralding the Jubilee Year of 2000. The ancient historian Strabo remarked that while Greek cities were esteemed for their beauty and wealth, Rome excelled in the construction of roads, aqueducts and sewers, and on this theme McGregor dwells expertly, giving readers an excellent tour of ancient landmarks. As an official residence of emperors until the fourth-century displacement of the capital to Constantinople, Rome gushed with water in the form of baths and fountains; with the return of the popes from Avignon in 1377, the Vatican assumed prominence, and Bramante's restructuring of Old St. Peter's became a beacon for Rome's new mission. Here is a walking tour in stately, inviting prose that renders wonderfully manageable a massive history lesson for the intellectually curious and adept. * Publishers Weekly *A pleasing history of Rome from antiquity to the modern era, tied to monuments, buildings and other structures throughout the city...Well worth consulting before planning a tour of the Eternal City. * Kirkus Reviews *Where history, architecture, and travel find common ground is where this author dwells... The text, peppered with crisp illustrations, is recommended for the erudite traveler. -- Brad Hooper * Booklist *Rome from the Ground Up is splendid. It is an informative and intriguing introduction to the city, not only for those on their first visit but also for many who have been beguiled by the city but have wanted a guide to lead them step by step, illuminating buildings as they go, who may not need (nor want) the quantities of information supplied by a more thoroughgoing architectural guide. As such it fills a distinct need and has done it handsomely. I will certainly recommend it to our students-- and to anyone else heading to Rome. -- Alexander Purves, Professor, Yale University School of ArchitectureDespite the organized chaos of its streets and squares, Rome was not a planned city, but a group of cities that gradually became one. In Rome From the Ground Up, James H. S. McGregor describes how this happened in prose so clear you'll think it came from one of Rome's many springs. -- John Freeman * Milwaukee Journal Sentinel *McGregor has written an informative architectural history of Rome, a cumulative portrait that can serve as a walking guide to the city as well. Some have described Rome as a palimpsest, a metaphor McGregor believes is of limited use. Rome was not a sequence of cities built on top of another, but a series of power centers that shifted location across the Tiber floodplain over some 2800 years. The author begins at Tiber Island, with its river ford, and at the river port that served this most ancient of Romes. After an excellent description of the structures in the area and the activities that took place around them, McGregor relates the changes that have occurred in the region over the centuries. This successful formula is applied through the end of the 20th century in chapters on the Roman forums, the imperial palaces, the early Christian churches, the Vatican, the Renaissance City, and the Baroque expansion of Rome. -- Robert Andrews * Library Journal *This survey of Rome's past, as it evolved over 3,000 years from a string of small cities that sprung up along the Tiber into the seat of empire and finally today's city, is part history, part architecture, part travelogue...McGregor metaphorically digs into the soil beneath Rome's present-day monuments to 'reconnect the modern city with its ancient counterparts.' Each chapter considers the monuments in the order that a visitor would encounter them while walking through the city, resulting in a guide for the thoughtful traveler as well. Color photos, engravings, historical maps, architectural plans and drawings bring Rome's past to life. -- Christine Delsol * San Francisco Chronicle *An important addition to the already jam-packed library of books on Rome...Unlike the standard Baedecker guide--which leads the reader through meticulously detailed tours of specific sites--McGregor takes on the whole magnificent sweep of Roman history, from Romulus to Rutelli (to quote my cicerone friend). In a novel approach, he tells the city's story by taking you on a neighborhood by neighborhood visit, starting with the oldest part, the Tiber Island and the Ancient Port, and then moving slowly away from the river and into the Forum, the Imperial City, the Vatican, Trastevere and the Quirinale hill...Rome from the Ground Up provides just the kind of overarching structure that the visitor to Rome needs, either on the way to or back from the Italian capital. It is also a beautifully-written work, providing a prose that is a very fitting tribute to the sights that it describes. So while the politicians are slugging it out in buildings with glorious names like Palazzo Madama and Montecitorio, why not take an excursion through history, in the comfort of your own armchair? -- Michael Moore * US Italia Weekly *While no single book can ever do justice to such a city, McGregor's study provides an illuminating and practical introduction to Rome...For those lucky enough to find themselves in Rome for the first time, McGregor's integrated approach to the architecture, culture and history of the city would be a useful and reliable aid to understanding its manifold complexities. -- Peter Keegan * Bryn Mawr Classical Review *I can't really have a favorite book on Rome, can I? No, but...well, this comes close. In three hundred pages of clean, muscular prose, McGregor has done the almost impossible task of pulling the glories of this city together in a neat, readable, incredibly well informed study. He takes us through the history of Rome as reflected through its physical presence, as he briskly describes with a wonderful eye what we can still see around us, and how we can place these wonders into a coherent sense of the city. -- Robert Barret * SlowTravel *The author chronicles Rome's evolution over 3,000 years from a group of small cities along the Tiber River, showcasing the architecture, history and culture that made it what it is today. The lush images and maps are unusually rich for a paperback edition. Planning a trip to Rome this year? Be sure to slip this book into your valise. -- Steve Goddard * History Wire *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. Tiber Island and the Ancient Port 2. The Roman Forum 3. The Imperial City 4. Early Christian Churches 5. Vatican Revival 6. Renaissance in the River Bend 7. Baroque Expansion 8. The Survival of History Information Further Reading Acknowledgments Illustration Credits Index

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Book SynopsisPulitzer Prizewinner Hahn challenges deep-rooted views in the writing of American and African-American history. Moving from 18th-century slave emancipations through slave activity during the Civil War and on to the black power movements of the 20th century, he asks us to rethink African-American history and politics in bolder, more dynamic terms.Trade ReviewHahn has emerged as the pre-eminent historian of black politics in the apparently lost decades between the end of the Civil War and the stirrings of the modern civil rights movement… In The Political Worlds of Slavery and Freedom, Hahn explains that the decades after Reconstruction were far from a political vacuum for Southern blacks. Instead, black people worked to wring as much as they could from the promises of the Reconstruction years, then regrouped after the Confederate counterrevolution in 1877 and continued to organize… At the heart of Hahn’s critique is an attempt to recover African-Americans as political actors: to insist that, under slavery and ‘freedom,’ in the North and South, black politics was everywhere. This politics has been obscured in popular history, and even in academic circles, because it sits so poorly with two cherished myths about American history: that a commitment to freedom was a strand in the nation’s political DNA, and that black people have patiently pursued integration since 1776. Hahn wants us to be bolder in exploring the hidden corners of black history, to set aside the integrationist narrative in search of the totality of black experience. -- Nicholas Guyatt * The Nation *We tend to think of the history of slavery in the United States in terms of bright lines separating North and South, slave and free, pre- and post-Emancipation. But this view, says Pulitzer Prize–winning historian Steven Hahn, vastly oversimplifies a complex and labile situation. Building a case against the received understanding, Hahn argues passionately in the lectures that make up this collection that the boundaries of slavery were indistinct. There were slaves and owners in the North—he reproduces an 1851 notice warning the ‘Colored People of Boston’ to ‘Keep a Sharp Look Out’ for ‘Kidnappers and Slave Catchers’—and communities of free blacks and escaped slaves even in the South, as well as a patchwork of laws and practices that reigned west of the ever mobile frontier and elsewhere outside the country’s borders. Furthermore, the perception of enslaved blacks as a powerless and inchoate mass, passive recipients of their emancipation, is belied by evidence of organized action on such a scale that Hahn considers it tantamount to a great slave rebellion unrecognized because of white America’s paternalistic myopia then and since, an intriguing proposition that is bound to stir controversy within academia and beyond. -- Amanda Heller * Boston Globe *No one has explained the story of emancipation, and its grassroots politics, as well as Steven Hahn. He demonstrates that the Civil War was but one turning point in a long history of resistance, rebellion, and mobilization on the part of slaves, refugee freedmen, and new post-war citizens. He crystallizes W. E. B. Du Bois’ argument, rooting it in the kind of research Du Bois could never do in Jim Crow America. Freedom came; but more so, it was seized and converted into a black politics that forever reshaped America. -- David Blight, author of Race and Reunion: The Civil War in American HistorySteven Hahn brings a luminous originality to every historical subject he touches. The Political Worlds of Slavery and Freedom makes clear, once again, why he is one of the very best American historians writing today. -- Marcus Rediker, author of The Slave Ship: A Human HistoryIn this important book, Steven Hahn raises and confronts compelling questions about the political activism of slaves and freed people that have been previously either ignored or insufficiently addressed. Especially intriguing is Hahn’s discussion of a black political underground from the emancipation period to World War II. This book will generate a much-needed debate among all concerned with political and cultural divisions in our society. -- William Julius Wilson, author of More than Just Race: Being Black and Poor in the Inner City

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Book SynopsisThe Commentaries of Pius II (1405-1464), the only autobiography ever written by a pope, was composed in elegant humanistic Latin modeled on Caesar and Cicero. This edition contains a fresh Latin text based on the last manuscript written in Pius's lifetime and an updated and corrected version of the 1937 translation.Trade ReviewAeneas Sylvius Piccolomini, the Sienese humanist who became Pope Pius II, describes the election that brought him to the papal throne in a cold, mordant key that anticipates the Italian styles of Machiavelli and Guicciardini...For all his severity, Pius had a delightful way of describing cities and countryside. He could mock himself charmingly, as when he described his stay among the barbarian inhabitants of the British borders, who had never seen wine or white bread, and whose eager young women he refused to sleep with, as he stayed up all night for fear of bandits "among the heifers and nanny goats, who kept him from sleeping a wink by stealthily pulling the straw from his pallet." Pius's Commentaries, presented in a most elegant and informative way by Margaret Meserve and Marcello Simonetta, may well be the most entertaining work in the whole [I Tatti Renaissance Library] series. -- Anthony T. Grafton * New York Review of Books *

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Book SynopsisA Kirkus Reviews Best Nonfiction Book of the YearA groundbreaking history that considers the attack on Pearl Harbor from the Japanese perspective and is certain to revolutionize how we think of the war in the Pacific.When Japan attacked the United States in 1941, its leaders, in large part, understood they were entering a war they were almost certain to lose. In a groundbreaking history that considers Pearl Harbor from the Japanese perspective, certain to revolutionize how we think of the war in the Pacific, Eri Hotta poses essential questions overlooked for the last seventy years: Why did these men—military men, civilian politicians, diplomats, the emperor—put their country and its citizens in harm's way? Why did they make a decision that was doomed from the start? Introducing us to the doubters, bluffers, and schemers who led their nation into this conflagration, Hotta brilliantly shows us a hidden Japan—eager to avoid war but fraugh

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Book SynopsisWe know more of Marcus Tullius Cicero (106–43 BC), lawyer, orator, politician and philosopher, than of any other Roman. Besides much else, his work conveys the turmoil of his time, and the part he played in a period that saw the rise and fall of Julius Caesar in a tottering republic.

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Book SynopsisIn his most influential work, the Metamorphoses, Ovid (43 BC–AD 17) weaves a hexametric whole from a huge range of myths, which are connected by the theme of change and ingeniously linked as the narrative proceeds from earliest creation to transformation in Ovid’s own time.

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Book SynopsisDio Cassius (Cassius Dio), ca. AD 150–235, was born in Bithynia. Dio’s work is a vital source for the last years of the Roman republic and the first four Roman emperors.

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Book SynopsisHow did Europeans three centuries apart respond to two mysterious beastsa living rhinoceros previously known only from ancient texts and a nameless monster's massive bones? Juan Pimentel shows that their reactions reflect deep cultural changes but also the enduring power of image and imagination to shape our understanding of the natural world.Trade ReviewSophisticated and provocative, this is an outstanding study of the possible ways of interpreting unknown beings through an examination of their multifaceted and presumed pasts, shedding light on the changing understanding of scientific forms over 300 years. -- Stéphane Van Damme, European University InstituteIn a series of brilliantly illuminating juxtapositions, between Renaissance and Revolution, between the worlds of the East and West Indies, and, above all, between the enterprises of analysis and description, Pimentel’s astute book shows how the work of imagination and of ingenious imagery has long played a decisive if neglected role in making natural knowledge. -- Simon Schaffer, University of CambridgePimentel’s inspired pairing limns how image and imagination shape our understanding of nature. -- Barbara Kiser * Nature *[A] fascinating book…Pimentel rather brilliantly describes his book as a ‘historical essay with a tentative and slightly provocative character’ (for which praise must be shared with Peter Mason, for his excellent translation). And if that isn’t a wonderfully tempting hook for the reader, then what is? The Rhinoceros and the Megatherium is part detective story reconstructing the scientific process, and part historical study of how people reacted to the hitherto unknown and unusual. The parallels drawn by Pimentel are beautifully constructed and drip from the page like honey: a section describing the sea voyages of the fossils mirroring the political and intellectual shifts of the periods is especially effective…He has adeptly and eloquently brought back to life not only these two much-marvelled-at beasts but the minds of the people who sought to explain them and the worlds in which they lived. -- Simon Underdown * Times Higher Education *A dazzlingly strange and resolutely readable dual biography…The Rhinoceros and the Megatherium becomes as much an interrogation of history and science as it is a chronicle of these two animals’ stories. -- Colin Dickey * Los Angeles Review of Books *Pimentel is an agile and amiable companion through his rich materials…Each half of Juan Pimentel’s fantastic binomial rewards reading in its own right. -- Lorraine Daston * Times Literary Supplement *For the student of history, this will be a valuable contribution. -- J. E. Grinnell * Choice *One of the strengths of [Pimentel’s] book is the attention it gives to the relationship between imagination and images—pictures of things seen and then made available to those who have not seen. -- Steven Shapin * London Review of Books *

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Book SynopsisThe poetry of Horace (born 65 BC) is richly varied, its focus moving between public and private concerns, urban and rural settings, Stoic and Epicurean thought. His Odes cover a wide range of moods and topics. Love and political concerns are frequent themes of the Epodes.

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Book SynopsisPlutarch (ca. AD 45120) wrote on many subjects. His extant works other than the Parallel Lives are varied, about sixty in number, and known as the Moralia (Moral Essays). They reflect his philosophy about living a good life, and provide a treasury of information concerning Greco-Roman society, traditions, ideals, ethics, and religion.

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Book SynopsisA Sunday Times ''Must Read'' book.Described by the Sunday Times as a gently studious Bill Bryson crossed with an upbeat and relaxed WG Sebald, Tide is a superb book... a delight to read. It is profound and powerful, and should win prizes.From Cnut to D-Day, the history and science of the unceasing tide is explored for the first time.Half of the world''s population lives in coastal regions lapped by tidal waters. Yet how little most of us know about the tide - a key force on our planet that has altered the course of history and will transform our future.Our ability to predict and understand the tide depends on centuries of science, from the observations of Aristotle and the theories of Newton to today''s supercomputer calculations. This story is punctuated here by notable tidal episodes in history, from Caesar''s thwarted invasion of Britain to the catastrophic flooding of Venice, and interwoven with a rich folklore that continues to inspire art and literature today.With Aldersey-Williams as our guide to the most feared and celebrated tidal features on the planet, from the original maelstrøm in Scandinavia to the world''s highest tides in Nova Scotia to the crumbling coast of East Anglia, the importance of the tide, and the way it has shaped - and will continue to shape - our civilization, becomes startlingly clear.Trade ReviewA spring tide of colour and historical anecdote laps over the more austere mudflats of the actual science. So much so that I find myself looking forward to the next piece of technical exposition -- Tom Whipple * The Times *Imagine, if possible, a gently studious Bill Bryson crossed with an upbeat and relaxed WG Sebald. It is a superb book... a delight to read. It is profound and powerful, and should win prizes. -- James McConnachie * Sunday Times *This fascinating book deftly explores the dramatic history, critical importance, and scientific wonder of the tides. Hugh Aldersey-Williams is a marvelous guide who takes the reader on a sweeping and thought-provoking adventure into the heart of one of the most captivating, mysterious, and elemental forces of nature -- Eric Jay Dolin, author of Brilliant Beacons: A History of the American LighthousePrepare for a voyage with the best of companions - Hugh Aldersey-Williams is a storyteller supreme, and he's found a subject worthy of his talents -- Edward Dolnick, author of The Clockwork Universe: Isaac Newton, the Royal Society, and the Birth of the Modern WorldScience writing at its best ... fascinating and beautiful -- Matt Ridley on 'Periodic Tales'Immensely engaging and continually makes one sit up in surprise -- Richard Cohen on 'Periodic Tales' * Sunday Times *Aldersey-Williams is full of good stories and he knows how to tell them well -- Graham Farmelo on 'Periodic Tales' * Sunday Telegraph *Engaging and thoughtful... Like some of the most compelling biographers, Aldersey-Williams partly inhabits his subject * Literary Review on The Adventures of Sir Thomas Browne in the 21st Century *Exposes new facts and ideas every other page -- Horatio Clare * Observer *Aldersey-Williams's corrective meshes a history of the science with tide-related technologies and tidally sculpted events. It's an eloquent ebb and flow * Nature *

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Book SynopsisTerry Jones'' Barbarians takes a completely fresh approach to Roman history. Not only does it offer us the chance to see the Romans from a non-Roman perspective, it also reveals that most of those written off by the Romans as uncivilized, savage and barbaric were in fact organized, motivated and intelligent groups of people, with no intentions of overthrowing Rome and plundering its Empire. This original and fascinating study does away with the propaganda and opens our eyes to who really established the civilized world. Delving deep into history, Terry Jones and Alan Ereira uncover the impressive cultural and technological achievements of the Celts, Goths, Persians and Vandals. In this paperback edition, Terry and Alan travel through 700 years of history on three continents, bringing wit, irreverence, passion and scholarship to transform our view of the legacy of the Roman Empire and the creation of the modern world.Trade ReviewI have enormously enjoyed this book - it is very lively and really does get to grips with perceptions of the Barbarians. It's just what we need to readdress the balance and to put the Romans in their correct perspective. -- Barry Cunliffe, Professor of European Archaeology, University of OxfordJones laces the latest academic research with his own increasingly avuncular humour. Who says history can't be fun? In the hands of Professor Jones, how could it be anything else? -- ObserverI wish all historical books written by non-historians were so informed, and all books by historians so well written. -- Dr Walter Pohl, Head of the Institute for Medieval History Research, Vienna Academy of Sciences

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Book SynopsisUncovering the seminal theoretical work of Du Bois in developing a scientific" sociology through a variety of methodologies, this book examines how the leading scholars of the day disparaged and ignored his work. It exposes the economic and political factors that marginalized the contributions of Du Bois.Trade Review"The story of The Scholar Denied is much bigger than a professional insider's debate about founders; bigger than something that only the History of Sociology Section of the ASA should bother with. It is also bigger than questions about who to include on our syllabi, or what stories we tell of the University of Chicago. It is a wake up call about our own professional doxa. It is a call to be just a little more skeptical about those sociological standpoints that purport universality when are not-and can never be. And it is a call to be just a little more open to those standpoints that get occluded: standpoints which would otherwise lead us to real and valuable insights into the social world, just as did the work of Du Bois... The Scholar Denied is a powerful and persuasive plea to pay attention to those voices that might still be unwittingly relegated to the margins on the grounds of their ostensible particularism or subjectivism. And it is a reminder that the cost of such marginalization is not simply an ethical one, it is an epistemic one. And it is one that sociology cannot afford." -- Julian Go Berkeley Journal of Sociology "Helps rewrite the history of sociology and to acknowledge the primacy of W. E. B. Du Bois's work in the founding of the discipline." -- Diane Patrick Publishers Weekly "Aldon Morris takes a huge step forward in The Scholar Denied by placing Du Bois at the center of the sociological canon... Morris should be congratulated for providing us a mandate to both think differently about and conduct more work on the legacy of this brilliant scholar." -- Alford A. Young, Jr. Contexts "The Scholar Denied should be required reading for students of sociological theory and intellectual history. The book should spur new histories that do more than tack on Du Bois and other marginalized scholars as 'a kind of affirmative action,' but instead give their work its rightful, meaningful place in the canon... While Du Bois's relationship with academic sociology evolved over his nearly seven-decade career, at the end, his commitment to Truth remained. Morris deserves recognition for reminding us of this aspect of Du Bois's legacy, insisting that the discipline of sociology come to terms with its own truths." -- Monica Bell Los Angeles Review of Books "A fascinating study." Publishers Weekly "Dr. Morris' The Scholar Denied is a raucous and, at times, sobering and maddening romp through a segment of intellectual life of the early 20th century that, even to the modern ears of The Diaspora, frequently sounds all too familiar." -- Black Kos Daily Kos "Morris's book The Scholar Denied affords us insight into a historical moment when white audiences-especially within academia-often ignored, rather than sought out, the experiential expertise of black intellectuals. In particular, Morris details how white sociological and public audiences marginalized the scientific contributions of the sociologist W. E. B. Du Bois and other black social scientists working at the historically black Atlanta University in the early 1900s." -- Matthew Clair Public Books "Groundbreaking." -- Hilary Hurd Anyaso Northwestern "This well-crafted, meticulously researched, and theoretically serious work will command engagement from the disci- pline writ large... The Scholar Denied takes an enormous and sure-footed stride toward righting a great historic wrong." -- Lawrence D. Bobo The Du Bois Review "Groundbreaking ... A must-read ... the book promises to engender debate and discussion." -- Marshal Zeringue HEPPAS Books "An excellent addition to your library ... Morris has done outstanding work... I like to think that if DuBois were here, he would be proud to see it." -- Donna Davis Seattle Book Mama "This book thus contributes to the sociology of knowledge, including baleful insight into the racist origins of the very discipline itself... Essential." CHOICE connect "Provides a fascinating and challenging introduction to one of the towering intellects of the twentieth century, himself a potent proof against the inherent inferiority of African Americans, an assumption he devoted his life to disproving." -- Christopher N. Breiseth WhoWhatWhy "Magisterial study of WEB Du Bois' impact on sociology" SageTable of ContentsPreface Acknowledgments Introduction: Race and the Birth of American Sociology 1. The Rise of Scientific Sociology in America 2. Du Bois, Scientific Sociology, and Race 3. The Du Bois--Atlanta School of Sociology 4. The Conservative Alliance of Washington and Park 5. The Sociology of Black America: Park versus Du Bois 6. Max Weber Meets Du Bois 7. Intellectual Schools and the Atlanta School 8. Legacies and Conclusions Notes References Illustration Credits Index

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Book SynopsisEstablishes the existence of a special radical trajectory spanning four continents and linking Beirut, Cairo, and Alexandria between 1860 and 1914. This book shows that socialist and anarchist ideas were regularly discussed, disseminated, and reworked among intellectuals, workers, dramatists, Egyptians, Ottoman Syrians, and others in these cities.Trade Review"A dazzling array of published and archival sources in Arabic, Ottoman, Italian, French, and English." Arab Studies Journal "Effectively disputes tired and old paradigms... An essential contribution to the literature of the origins of left-wing radicalism." -- Fraser Ottanelli European LegacyTable of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction 1. The Late Nineteenth-century World and the Emergence of a Global Radical Culture 2. The Nah.a, the Press, and the Construction and Dissemination of a Radical Worldview 3. Theater and Radical Politics in Beirut, Cairo, and Alexandria 1860--1914 4. The Construction of Two Radical Networks in Beirut and Alexandria 5. Workers, Labor Unrest, and the Formulation and Dissemination of Radical Leftist Ideas Conclusion: Deprovincializing the Eastern Mediterranean Appendix Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisExamining the industry of reproductive technology from the perspective of the consumer, this book scrutinizes the staggering array of medical options available to women and men with fertility problems and assesses the toll - both financial and emotional - that the quest for a biological child often exacts from would-be parents.Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction: From Personal Experience to Research 1. Consuming Technologies 2. Confronting Notions of Normalcy 3. The Embattled Body 4. Genes and Generations 5. Experiencing Risks 6. Taking Action 7. Selling Hope 8. Decisions about Donors 9. Embodied Technology 10. Shifting Gears 11. Redefining Normalcy 12. Women Rethinking Parenthood 13. Rewriting the Family 14. Performing Gender

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Book SynopsisInspired by a landmark exhibition mounted by the British Museum in 1963 to celebrate five eventful centuries of the printed word, this book offers a consideration of writings that have "made things happen" in the world, works that have both nudged the course of history and fired the imagination of countless influential people.Trade Review"If Oprah would only join the ranks of Cervantes's fans, he'd have a chance at today's bestseller list." -- Brigitte Weeks, Washington Post Book World "Every Book Its Reader reminds us that books, in all their myriad forms, are necessary equipment for living." -- Los Angeles Times "These essays...occupy a corner of the grand salon of the history of ideas." -- Amanda Heller, Boston Globe "'Affection, laughter, argument'--aptly characterize the work of this great contemporary celebrant of the common, and the uncommon reader, Basbanes." -- Michael Dirda, Weekly Standard "First-rate reporting...[EBIR] allows us to step away from our myopic fixation on writers and consider the reader." -- Karen Long, Cleveland Plain Dealer "No living person has thought more about the extraordinary power of books than Nicholas Basbanes." -- Ellis Henican, Newsday "[An] admirably wide excursion into literature, history and biography." -- Kathleen Burke, Smithsonian Magazine "Nicholas Basbanes is the Pied Piper of bibliophiles." -- John Harper, Orlando Sentinel

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Book SynopsisThis is the first ethnohistory of Siberia to appear in English, tracing the history of the native peoples from the Russian conquest onwards. James Forsyth compares the Siberian experience with that of the Indians and Eskimos in North America and the book as a whole will provide readers with a vast corpus of ethnographic information previously inaccessible to Western scholars.Trade Review'James Forsyth's work … is very timely. Just when the world is becoming aware of Siberia's peoples, we are presented with a compendium of information relating to them. The scope is vast.' The Historical Association Journal'… (an) extremely useful, introduction to a subject that, as Russia's centre of gravity shifts east, will become very important.' Norman Stone, Aberdeen University Review'Forsyth's book is imperative for anyone interested in Russian or world history, and would appeal to specialists and non-specialists alike.' Canadian-American Slavic Studies'In this ambitious synthetic effort Forsyth has drawn together an impressive array of material hitherto unavailable in English … While Forsyth's narrative and interpretation are unparalleled in English, the illustrations, detailed table of contents, and comprehensive index and bibliography alone make the work an essential reference for Siberian history.' Nationalities Papers'… this book is a considerable achievement and is essential reading for everyone interested in Siberia.' Scottish Slavonic Review'… this is a highly commendable work.' Slavonic ReviewTable of ContentsList of illustrations; List of maps; Preface; Acknowledgements; Note on spellings and terms; 1. Siberia 'discovered'; 2. Siberia invaded: the seventeenth century; 3. Central and north-east Siberia in the seventeenth century; 4. The Mongolian and Chinese frontier in the seventeenth century; 5. Russia's north Asian colony; 6. The eighteenth century; 7. Expansion in the north Pacific; 8. Siberia in the Russian empire: the nineteenth century; 9. Colonial settlers in Siberia: the nineteenth century; 10. The Far East in the nineteenth century; 11. The Russian Revolution and civil war in Siberia; 12. The native peoples, 1917–1929; 13. Soviet Siberia in the 1930s; 14. Soviet Russia's Far East in the 1930s; 15. Soviet Siberia after 1941; 16. The native peoples of Siberia after 1945; 17. Siberia in the 1980s; Bibliography; Index.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Speiser's work is both insightful and accessible."--H-Net Review "[Speiser] offers a new insight into the unique situation of the two former enemies now practicing cohabitation in a European context."--Journal of Contemporary History "Speiser's monograph is valuable because he thoroughly covers a subject that has received little treatment."--Journal of Modern History "Speiser breaks entirely new ground. The assessment of the impact of British public opinion on servicemen's attitudes toward Germany is particularly well done. The extensive use of the German archives is commendable."--Ian F. W. Beckett, editor of Citizen Soldiers and the British Empire, 1837–1902"Speiser provides a well-researched, lively account of how, not always successfully, after 1945 the British attempted to use their Rhine Army to win German hearts and minds. In addition to its value as a historical narrative, Speiser's work throws out issues of direct contemporary relevance."--Clive Emsley, author of Soldier, Sailor, Beggarman, Thief: Crime and the British Armed Services since 1914

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Book SynopsisThis book explores the influence of oral poetry on Somali politics. By reconstructing the history of the Somali nationalist resistance movement, mainly through the use of political oratory in verse form by its leader, Sayyid Mahammad 'Abdille Hasan', the 'Mad Mullah' of British history, Said Samater shows how an indigenous resource can be harnessed in a non-literate society, not only as a medium of mass communication but also as a tool for acquiring political power. He traces the intimate correlation between language, politics and oral poetry and seeks to suggest to students of African societies ways of examining indigenous forms of communication used by traditional African creators of large-scale organisations in the absence of writing, to influence public opinion. The book is an important contribution to the history of the Horn of Africa and its new material on the role of oral literature in a non-literate society will interest linguists, sociologists and anthropologists, as well as Table of ContentsPreface; Introduction; 1. Elements of Somali pastoral oratory: Prose; 2. Elements of Somali pastoral oratory: Poetry; 3. Occupation and resistance: The rise of the Somali Dervishes; 4. Poetic oratory and the Dervish movement; 5. Myth and the Mullah; Notes; Bibliography; Index.

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Book SynopsisOriginally published in 1975, The Machiavellian Moment remains a landmark of historical and political thought. Celebrated historian J.G.A. Pocock looks at the consequences for modern historical and social consciousness arising from the ideal of the classical republic revived by Machiavelli and other thinkers of Renaissance Italy. Pocock shows thatTrade Review"The Machiavellian Moment reinterpreted the entire history of political ideology in early modern England and America."--T. H. Breen, New York TimesTable of ContentsIntroduction to the Princeton Classics edition vii Introduction xxiii Part One Particularity and Time: The Conceptual Background I The Problem and Its Modes A) Experience, Usage and Prudence 3 II The Problem and Its Modes B) Providence, Fortune and Virtue 31 III The Problem and Its Modes C) The Vita Activa and the Vivere Civile 49 Part Two The Republic and its Fortune: Florentine Political Thought from 1494 to 1530 IV From Bruni to Savonarola Fortune, Venice and Apocalypse 83 V The Medicean Restoration 114 A) Guicciardini and the Lesser Ottimati, 1512-1516 VI The Medicean Restoration 156 B) Machiavelli's Il Principe VII Rome and Venice A) Machiavelli's Discorsi and Arte della Guerra 183 VIII Rome and Venice B) Guicciardini's Dialogo and the Problem of Optimate Prudence 219 IX Giannotti and Contarini: Venice as Concept and as Myth 272 Part Three Value and History in the Prerevolutionary Atlantic X The Problem of English Machiavellism: Modes of Civic Consciousness before the Civil War 333 XI The Anglicization of the Republic A) Mixed Constitution, Saint and Citizen 361 XII The Anglicization of the Republic B) Court, Country, and Standing Army 401 XIII Neo-Machiavellian Political Economy The Augustan Debate over Land, Trade and Credit 423 XIV The Eighteenth-Century Debate: Virtue, Passion and Commerce 462 XV The Americanization of Virtue: Corruption, Constitution and Frontier 506 Afterword 553 Bibliography 585 Index 601

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Book SynopsisProvides a key to Egypt in all its layers - ancient and modern, Greek and Roman, and Christian and Islamic. This title gives an account of history that followed - from Greek and Roman conquests, the rise of Christianity, Arab-Muslim triumph, and Egypt's incorporation into powerful Islamic empires to Napoleon's 1798 invasion.Trade Review"Robert L. Tignor's ambitious Egypt: A Short History stretches from the Predynastic age to the present, tying the various periods together in a continuous 5,000-year narrative to create a lengthy history told in a short book... Tignor writes with an easy, assured style, and his history becomes more focused and more authoritative as it progresses. He tells us it was conceived as an alternative guidebook for discerning tourists wishing to learn about more than just pyramids and pharaohs: as such--as an enjoyable book written by someone who clearly knows and loves Egypt and the Egyptians--it serves its purpose very well."--Financial Times "[T]horough, engaging, and accessible... Concise and yet engagingly vivid, this outstanding little book should be enjoyed by any reader interested in Egypt or Middle Eastern history."--Joan W. Gartland, Library Journal "Ambitious in scope, Egypt: A Short History provides an informative and readable account for the interested general reader."--Anthony Gorman, Times Higher Education "[O]ne could not write a better account of Egypt's history--a gift from a master historian at the conclusion of his career."--Henry E. Chambers, Middle East Journal "If you love Egypt, then this book is an excellent introduction to its multi-faceted history and culture."--Ancient Egypt "Senior history Tignor presents an elegant yet accessible survey that carries readers from predynastic times to the present. Illustrated with 25 color plates, two maps, and six figures, this work aims to please the sophisticated reader whose objective is to learn the broad contours of Egyptian political, economic, and religious history... [S]tudents, tourists, travelers, and businesspersons alike will find this a useful text."--Choice "[An] excellent summation of the flow of Egyptian history."--Morris L. Bierbrier, Egyptian Archaeology "Tignor's book has arrived on bookshelves at a most fortuitous time, when the number of ... general readers seeking information about Egypt is greatly enlarged, given the extensive media coverage of the 'Arab spring' of 2011. In Egypt: A Short History, this audience will find an invaluable guide to the impulses that have stirred Egyptians in both the recent and the distant past."--Paul Sedra, Journal of World History "Clear prose, personal vignettes from his own travels to Egypt, perspectives and scenes familiar to any tourist in Cairo and Alexandria, and fine scholarship are all brought together in a book that could easily become a reference title for future generations, a title to be consulted by all those wishing to travel to that magical land."--Lavinia Stan, European LegacyTable of ContentsList of Illustrations vii Credits ix Preface xi CHAPTER ONE The Land and People 1 CHAPTER TWO Egypt during the Old Kingdom 26 CHAPTER THREE The Middle and New Kingdoms 51 CHAPTER FOUR Nubians, Greeks, and Romans, circa 1200 BCE-632 CE 80 CHAPTER FIVE Christian Egypt 105 CHAPTER SIX Egypt within Islamic Empires, 639-969 122 CHAPTER SEVEN Fatimids, Ayyubids, and Mamluks, 969-1517 146 CHAPTER EIGHT?Ottoman Egypt, 1517-1798 174 CHAPTER NINE Napoleon Bonaparte, Muhammad Ali, and Ismail: Egypt in the Nineteenth Century 196 CHAPTER TEN The British Period, 1882-1952 228 CHAPTER ELEVEN Egypt for the Egyptians, 1952-1981: Nasser and Sadat 256 CHAPTER TWELVE Mubarak's Egypt 282 CONCLUSION Egypt through the Millennia 311 Notes 321 Bibliography 327 Index 347

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewA significant book that clearly shows the importance and vastness of the clandestine intelligence-counterintelligence war on the Eastern Front. . . . Stephan's thorough and imaginative research, and his patient analysis and interpretation of the documents and memoirs he has unearthed, set a standard that other historians working on intelligence should emulate."" - American Historical Review;""An indispensable account of this dimension of the war on the Eastern Front, and a valuable primer for all those who wish to understand how to conduct intelligence and counterintelligence operations. Needless to say this topic is of immense relevance to American forces and intelligence agencies today.""- Parameters;""Likely to remain the standard book on the subject for years to come. Professional historians, intelligence officers, and the public will find it a rewarding and informative read.""- Journal of Intelligence History;""A reasoned argument backed by extensive research that raises intelligence-counterintelligence studies to a more scholarly level. . . . A powerful view of Soviet counterintelligence efforts--the best we are likely to see for some time to come.""- Journal of Military History;""Stephan's thorough, accurate, and objective study provides unprecedented detail and keen insights on one of history's most illusive subjects. It is destined to become the standard work in this field.""- David M. Glantz, author of The Battle for Leningrad;""Stephan's book demonstrates how the Soviets adroitly manipulated both German intelligence and counter-intelligence in masterfully staged strategic deception operations. It chronicles timely lessons for contemporary intelligence professionals and should grace the libraries of today's intelligence services.""- John J. Dziak, author of Chekisty: A History of the KGB;""Should be read by anyone interested in the history of intelligence or of World War II.""--John Ferris, author of Intelligence in the Second World War""Stephan's thorough, accurate, and objective study provides unprecedented detail and keen insights on one of history's most illusive subjects. It is destined to become the standard work in this field.""- David M. Glantz, author of The Battle for Leningrad;""Stephan's book demonstrates how the Soviets adroitly manipulated both German intelligence and counter-intelligence in masterfully staged strategic deception operations. It chronicles timely lessons for contemporary intelligence professionals and should grace the libraries of today's intelligence services.""- John J. Dziak, author of Chekisty: A History of the KGB;""Should be read by anyone interested in the history of intelligence or of World War II.""- John Ferris, author of Intelligence in the Second World War

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Book SynopsisContinuing his magisterial account of the Eastern Front campaigns, David M. Glantz focuses here on the Red Army's operations from the fall of 1943 to April 1944. Glantz chronicles the Soviet Army's efforts to further exploit their post-Kursk gains and accelerate a counteroffensive that would eventually take them all the way to Berlin.Trade ReviewA revisionist history of the highest order. No serious student of the history of the Eastern Front during the Battle for Belorussia can afford to ignore it.""- Michigan War Studies Review;""This book is a must-read for those interested in the operational details of Eastern Front battles and understand military history jargon.""- Slavic Review;""This book is an especially important contribution to David Glantz’s many books on the Red Army in World War II. The in-depth level of analysis of military operations in Belorussia as the Red Army gathered its strength authoritatively fills [a] gap in our knowledge.""- Russian Review;""For a ‘forgotten’ series of offensives, Glantz leaves readers with few unknowns and an overwhelming number of knowns, making The Battle for Belorussia one of the most important books of the year.""- Stone & Stone World War II Books;Praise for the work of David Glantz:""A superb historian and a brilliant detective.""- New York Review of Books;""Glantz is the world’s top scholar of the Soviet-German War.""- Journal of Military History;""Indisputably the West’s foremost expert on the subject.""- The Atlantic;""Glantz’s unrivalled command of Soviet sources has produced a body of work that has fundamentally revised our knowledge of the Eastern Front in World War II. By providing a comprehensive, accurate perspective on the war the Soviet Union fought, he has almost single-handedly corrected a one-sided German focus that distorted western understanding.""- Slavic Review;""The appearance of any book by David Glantz is an event of the first magnitude.""- World War II;

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Book SynopsisA Welshman among the English, a nonconformist among Anglicans and a self-made man in the patrician corridors of power, David Lloyd George, the last Liberal Prime Minister of Great Britain, was the founding father of the Welfare State and was as great a peacetime leader as Churchill was in war. In this fascinating biography of an authentic radical, Roy Hattersley charts the great reforms - the first old age pension, sick pay and unemployment benefit - of which Lloyd George was architect, and also sheds light on the complexities of a man who was both a tireless champion of the poor, and a restless philanderer who was addicted to living dangerously.

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Book SynopsisBorn almost a hundred years ago in Vienna - the cultural heart of a bourgeois Mitteleurope - Eric Hobsbawm, who was to become one of the most brilliant and original historians of our age, was uniquely placed to observe an era of titanic social and artistic change. As the century progressed, the forces of Communism and Dadaism, Ibiza and cyberspace, would do battle with the bourgeois high culture fin-de-siècle Vienna represented - the opera, the Burgtheater, the museums of art and science, City Hall. In Fractured Times Hobsbawm unpicks a century of cultural fragmentation and dissolution with characteristic verve and vigour.Hobsbawm examines the conditions that created the great cultural flowering of the belle époque and held the seeds of its disintegration, from paternalistic capitalism to globalisation and the arrival of a mass consumer society. Passionate but never sentimental, Hobsbawm ranges freely across his subject: he records the passing of the golden age of tTrade ReviewEric Hobsbawm wrote with extraordinary wit, grace and power, qualities evident in this posthumously published collection -- Richard J Evans * Guardian *Reveals on every page [Hobsbawm's] characteristic boldness of interpretation, astonishing range and versatility * Fractured Times *

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Book SynopsisIn the first two volumes of his bestselling Liberation Trilogy, Rick Atkinson recounted how the American-led coalition fought through North Africa and Italy to the threshold of victory. Now he tells the most dramatic story of all - the titanic battle for Western Europe. D-Day marked the commencement of the European war''s final campaign, and Atkinson''s riveting account of that bold gamble sets the pace for the masterly narrative that follows. The brutal fight in Normandy, the liberation of Paris, the disaster that was Market Garden, the horrific Battle of the Bulge, and finally the thrust to the heart of the Third Reich - all these historic events and more come alive with a wealth of new material and a mesmerizing cast of characters. With the stirring final volume of this monumental trilogy, Rick Atkinson''s remarkable accomplishment is manifest. He has produced the definitive chronicle of the war that unshackled a continent and preserved freedom in the West.

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Book Synopsis''A masterpiece ... a moving image of post-war Poland, and the first breathing of one of the essential voices of the twentieth century... the master of literary reportage'' The Times Literary SupplementWhen the great traveller-reporter Ryszard Kapuscinski was a young journalist in the early 1960s, he was sent to write about the farthest reaches of his native Poland. The resulting essays brought together here reveal a place as strange as any of the distant lands he visited on foreign assignments: caught between ties to the past and dreams of escape, a country on the edge of modernity.''Kapuscinski trascends the limitations of journalism and writes with the narrative power of a Conrad or Kipling or Orwell'' Blake MorrisonTrade ReviewA peculiar genius with no modern equivalent, except possibly Kafka -- Jonathan MillerKapuscinski trascends the limitations of journalism and writes with the narrative power of a Conrad or Kipling or Orwell -- Blake Morrison

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Book SynopsisRelive everything car-related in Britain in the 1980s with Giles Chapman.

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Book SynopsisGiles Chapman investigates the fascinating motoring history of the 1950s

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Book Synopsis* A reissue of the vivid, compellingly researched biography of one of history's most celebrated martyrs - translator of the Bible William Tyndale, published to coincide with the 400th anniversary of the publication of the King James Bible

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