Military History Books

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Book SynopsisDrawing on documents, witness testimony and visual material from IWM's collections, this publication captures the importance and complexity of the Nuremberg trials.

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Book SynopsisSHUT UP & SIT DOWN RECOMMENDSThe greatest World War II board game of all time Shut Up & Sit Down2022 GOLDEN GEEK AWARDS BEST 2-PLAYER GAMELead your stalwart troops to victory in this epic two-player campaign, played out in the war's most infamous city. Stalingrad, 1942. Before you awaits a gruelling conflict in this cornerstone battleground. As the bullets and bombs tear the city asunder, only through wits and valour can you seize the cornerstone of the entire Eastern Front and change the course of history. A heavy burden rests on your shoulders. Every casualty suffered in battle will weaken your forces for the entire campaign. Every bomb blast and mortar shell leaves the very ground for which you are fighting in further ruin. Every inch lost to the enemy brings you closer to the jaws of defeat. Over the course of up to fifteen branching scenarios, you will decide the fate of Stalingrad and, perhaps, the war itself. Even though the consequences of your actions will persist, the ga

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Book SynopsisIn this highly anticipated follow-up to The Rifle, Andrew Biggio brings to light more untold stories from the quickly vanishing ranks of the veterans of World War II.Ordinary Men with Extraordinary PurposeThey are called the Greatest Generation, but they were also ordinary men, sharing in all of humanity’s weaknesses and flaws while responding to the call of duty. These are their unforgettable stories—first-person accounts from the last of the soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines who fought the most dreadful war in history, all collected by a veteran of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The idea was simple: travel across the country with a 1945 M1 Garand, the basic U.S. fighting rifle of World War II, ask combat veterans of that war to sign it, and listen carefully as the sight, touch, and feel of that rifle evoke a flood of memories and emotions. In this highly anticipated follow-up to The Rifle, Andrew Biggio once again reveals the astonishing effect his M1 Garand had on the old warriors who held it. The passage of time is swiftly snatching from us the last of those men, but the memories of those who remain are vivid and strong. It’s astonishing to see how grasping that rifle brings out those memories—good, bad, terrifying, and heroic. In Biggio’s riveting account, you will learn:• What it was like to fight for freedom in the various theaters of World War II • The obstacles these world-conquerors faced on returning home and how they overcame them • The special meaning these recollections hold for later combat vets, confirming the brotherhood of warriors • The importance to veterans of memory and respectWar and the weapons with which it is waged shape men forever. Biggio’s inspirational second collection is a must-read for anyone interested in the service and sacrifices of our veterans.

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Book SynopsisFor centuries, battleships provided overwhelming firepower at sea. They were not only a major instrument of warfare, but a visible emblem of a nation’s power, wealth and pride. The rise of the aircraft carrier following the Japanese aerial strike on Pearl Harbor in 1941 highlighted the vulnerabilities of the battleship, bringing about its demise as a dominant class of warship. This book offers a detailed guide to the major types of battleships to fight in the two World Wars. Explore HMS Dreadnought, the first of a class of fast, big-gun battleships to be developed at the beginning of the 20th century; see the great capital ships that exchanged salvos at the battle of Jutland, including the German battlecruiser Derfflinger, which sank the British battleship Queen Mary; find out about the destruction of HMS Hood, which exploded after exchanging fire with the Bismarck, which itself was sunk after a trans-Atlantic chase by a combination of battery fire and aircraft-launched torpedoes; and be amazed at the ‘super-battleship’ Yamato, which despite its size and firepower, made minimal contribution to Japan’s war effort and was sunk by air attack during the defence of Okinawa. Illustrated with more than 120 vivid artworks and photographs, Technical Guide: Battleships of World War I and World War II is an essential reference guide for modellers and naval warfare enthusiasts.Table of ContentsContents to include: World War I: Jaureguiberry 1896 Canopus 1899 Kearsarge 1900 Mikasa 1902 Tsessarevitch 1903 Dreadnought 1906 Schleswig-Holstein 1908 South Carolina 1910 Hercules 1911 Lion 1912 Wyoming 1912 Derfflinger 1913 Kongo 1913 Royal Oak (or Revenge) 1914 Texas 1914 Andrea Doria 1915 Queen Elizabeth 1915 Barham 1915 Canada 1915 Fuso 1915 Provence 1915 Nevada 1916 Bayern 1916 Royal Sovereign 1916 Courageous 1917 Ise 1917 Mississippi 1917 World War II: Hood 1920 Nagato 1920 Jaime I 1922 Rodney 1927 Lutzow/Graf Spee 1933 Gneisenau 1938 Dunkerque 1937 Scharnhorst 1939 Littorio 1940 Bismarck 1940 Prince of Wales 1940 Richelieu 1940 Yamato 1940 Vittorio Veneto 1940 Prince of Wales 1941 Tirpitz 1941 Howe 1942 Indiana 1942 Iowa 1943 Missouri 1944 Guam 1944 Vanguard 1946

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Book SynopsisIn the summer of 1940, the future of Britain and the free world depended on the morale and skill of the young men of Fighter Command. This is their story.The Battle of Britain is one of the most crucial battles ever fought, and the victory of Fighter Command over the Luftwaffe has always been celebrated as a classic feat of arms. But, as Patrick Bishop shows in this superb history, it was also a triumph of the spirit in which the attitudes of the pilots themselves played a crucial part. Reaching beyond the myths to convey the fear and exhilaration of life on this most perilous of frontlines, Patrick Bishop offers an intimate and compelling account that is a soaring tribute to the exceptional young men of Fighter Command.Trade Review‘I know of no more thoughtful nor yet more moving study of their achievement.’ Max Hastings, Sunday Telegraph ‘A living, breathing monument to the fighter boys.’ Craig Brown, Mail on Sunday ‘As a vivid chronicle of who the Battle of Britain pilots were, what motivated them, and why they were ultimately successful, “Fighter Boys” is unsurpassed.’ Daily Telegraph ‘No one reading this book can possibly doubt the heroism of those involved…there can’t be a finer history.’ James Holland, New Statesman ‘Powerful yet restrained, at times almost unbearably touching.’ T. J. Binyon, Evening Standard

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Book SynopsisThe first in a new in-depth nonfiction series examining the devastating terrorist attacks that changed the course of history from #1 New York Times bestselling author Jack Carr and Pulitzer Prize finalist James M. Scott, beginning with the 1983 Marine barracks bombing in Beirut. 1983: the United States Marine Corps experiences its greatest single-day loss of life since the Battle of Iwo Jima, when a truck packed with explosives crashes into their headquarters and barracks in Beirut, Lebanon. This horrifying terrorist attack, which killed 241 servicemen, continues to influence US foreign policy and haunts the Marine Corps to this day. Now, the full story is revealed as never before by Jack Carr and historian and Pulitzer Prize finalist James M. Scott. Based on comprehensive interviews with survivors, extensive military records, as well as personal letters, diaries and photographs, this is the authoritative account of the deadly attack. <

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Book SynopsisCreated during the Peace of Amiens, the nineteen regiments of cuirassiers that existed during the course of the 1e Empire were, after the Imperial Guard, perhaps the most famous and recognisable soldiers of the epoch. This book explores the long gestation of clothing and equipping the cuirassiers, the development of the arm from twelve regiments to twenty-one – if we include the carabiniers from 1811 – and how their clothing evolved across the period. As well as assessing the curiassiers, the story of the evolution of the uniforms of the carabiniers is also told. Much ink has been spilt on the two regiments and their uniforms, yet, as with the cuirassiers, precious little archive research has been carried out. This is one of a series of ground-breaking books which will be the defacto study of this perennially popular subject for historians, researchers, wargamers, re-enactors and artists. Using archive records to ‘set the record straight’, as well as contemporary illustrations and original items of uniforms, the author sets out to describe the uniform of every regiment of Napoleon’s army. Using archive sources found in the Archives Nationales and Service Historique du Armee de Terre in Paris, the author’s unrivalled research over a period of twenty years, will reveal exactly how, for the first time in over 200 years, Napoleon’s army was mounted, clothed and equipped. Having been granted to access to over 1,000 archive boxes, the author assesses how the regulations were adopted in practice. This vast resource, as yet untapped by the majority of researchers and historians for understanding the Napoleonic era in general, include the many regimental archive boxes preserved in the French Army archives. These sources provide, potentially bias free empirical data from which we can reconstruct the life story of a regiment, its officers and above all its clothing. What did trumpeters wear? Did cavalry regiments really have sapeurs? We answer these questions and present the reality of how regiments were dressed derived from diaries, letters, inspection returns, regimental accounts and even cases of fraud. For the first time, this unique series of books discusses the wide ranging 1806 uniform regulation and the more famous Bardin regulation which applied to all arms of the Army and explores the way in which regiments on campaign adopted and adapted their uniforms. For the first time since the days of Napoleon, we can say exactly what was worn by the French army.

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Book SynopsisThe Times' Best History Books of 2017Winner of the Gilder Lehrman Prize for Military HistoryWinner of the 2017 Caroline Bancroft History PrizeShortlisted for the Military History Magazine Book of the Year AwardNominated for the 2017 PEN Hessell-Tiltman'Extraordinary... Cozzens has stripped the myth from these stories, but he is such a superb writer that what remains is exquisite' The TimesAt the end of the Civil War, the American nation continued its expansion onto tribal lands, setting off a struggle that would last nearly three decades. Peter Cozzens chronicles the conflict from both sides in comprehensive and singularly intimate detail, bringing together a pageant of fascinating characters, including Custer, Sherman and Grant, as well as great native leaders such as Crazy Horse, Sitting Bull and Red Cloud. This is the tale of how the West was won... and lost.Trade ReviewExtraordinary... Few writers possess the descriptive talent that the immensity of the American west demands. * The Times *Peter Cozzens's sweeping, expert and appalling account of the murder of America's Indians * Spectator *A detailed recounting of random carnage, bodies burned, treaties broken and treachery let loose across the land. * New York Times *Truly epic and beautifully written * Tribune *Treachery on such an epic scale can bear many retellings, and this account stands out for its impressive detail and scope. * Washington Post *Cozzens does an exceptional job of examining the viewpoints of both sides, making heavy use of previously untapped primary sources... This is a timely and thorough book, presenting the story without hyperbole or histrionics. * New York Journal of Books *Peter Cozzens, one of our finest working historians, has taken on a massive chunk of Native American history and delivered it with power, style, and insight. He is above all a great storyteller. I have never read better, more concise, or more entertaining versions of the Little Bighorn story, Geronimo's wild run to glory, the Ute War, or Captain Jack's rebellion in the northwest. There is much wisdom here, and much good writing. -- S.C. Gwynne, author of EMPIRE OF THE SUMMER MOONMagnificent... This is a beautifully written work of understanding and compassion that will be a treasure for both general readers and specialists. -- Jay Freeman * Booklist (Starred review) *I've been waiting for an up-to-date, objective, and well-researched book on the Indian Wars, and Peter Cozzens' The Earth Is Weeping is all that and more - an elegantly written narrative of one of the great sagas in American history, and better than Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee. -- James Donovan, author of A TERRIBLE GLORYPeter Cozzens reminds us that tragedy, not melodrama, best characterizes the struggles for the American West...The Earth Is Weeping is the most lucid and reliable history of the Indian Wars in recent memory. -- Victor Davis Hanson, author of CARNAGE AND CULTUREIn sobering detail, Peter Cozzens has chronicled this dark chapter in our history. -- James M. McPherson, author of BATTLE CRY OF FREEDOMFor 25 years the United States Army and the native peoples of the West struggled for their destiny, and the region's, an oft-told story more tragic with each retelling. Peter Cozzens' The Earth is Weeping provides all that, and adds a missing perspective on the lives of ordinary people on both sides. -- William C. Davis, author of THREE ROADS TO THE ALAMOCozzens is an erudite storyteller, meticulous in his approach to documenting the west. * BBC History Magazine *

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Book SynopsisVolume 3 of the most celebrated war comic of all time, re-mastered and collected in a full size edition. THE GREATEST ANTI-WAR STORY EVER TOLD. This third volume of Pat Mills and Joe Colquhoun's masterpiece continues to tell the story of an ordinary soldier's experiences in World War One, including the vibrant re-mastered colour pages from the original comic.

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Book SynopsisFrom classicist James Romm comes a “striking…fascinating” (Booklist) deep dive into the last decades of ancient Greek freedom leading up to Alexander the Great’s destruction of Thebes—and the saga of the greatest military corps of the time, the Theban Sacred Band, a unit composed of 150 pairs of male lovers.The story of the Sacred Band, an elite 300-man corps recruited from pairs of lovers, highlights a chaotic era of ancient Greek history, four decades marked by battles, ideological disputes, and the rise of vicious strongmen. At stake was freedom, democracy, and the fate of Thebes, at this time the leading power of the Greek world. The tale begins in 379 BC, with a group of Theban patriots sneaking into occupied Thebes. Disguised in women’s clothing, they cut down the agents of Sparta, the state that had cowed much of Greece with its military might. To counter the Spartans, this group of patriots would form the Sacred Band, a corps whose history plays out against a backdrop of Theban democracy, of desperate power struggles between leading city-states, and the new prominence of eros, sexual love, in Greek public life. After four decades without a defeat, the Sacred Band was annihilated by the forces of Philip II of Macedon and his son Alexander in the Battle of Chaeronea—extinguishing Greek liberty for two thousand years. Buried on the battlefield where they fell, they were rediscovered in 1880—some skeletons still in pairs, with arms linked together. From violent combat in city streets to massive clashes on open ground, from ruthless tyrants to bold women who held their era in thrall, The Sacred Band recounts “in fluent, accessible prose” (The Wall Street Journal) the twists and turns of a crucial historical moment: the end of the treasured freedom of ancient Greece.Trade Review"Romm, a Bard College professor, has an unusual knack for writing about ancient history for general readers ... I was most stirred by a parallel narrative examining how the story of the Sacred Band both inspired the beginnings of the struggle for gay acceptance in the 19th century and was also long a source of discomfort for many professional classicists." —The New York Times, New & Noteworthy "[Romm] deftly pieces the story together ... Mr. Romm negotiates artfully in fluent, accessible prose. But he really comes into his own when describing the Sacred Band’s dramatic and elegiac end." —Wall Street Journal "An impressive achievement ... Romm illustrates how fantasies about the Sacred Band have captivated different ages ... [Thebes], late to emerge onto the Greek political scene, dreamed big; just not big enough." —Times Literary Supplement "Romm’s book not only details the history of the Sacred Band, but illuminates this murky and murderously internecine period of Greek history ... Romm has an eye for interesting characters—such as the sociopathic tyrant Jason of Pherae, who made his spear into a god." —The American Scholar "The Sacred Band of Thebes was founded to protect the Boeotian League, the federation of cities that Thebes led. The band was the first professional standing army funded by the state in Greek history ... it was founded on the principle that men so intimately devoted to one another would fight as a cohesive unit ... This fascinating period of Greek history is the subject of classicist James Romm’s new book The Sacred Band." —Humanities: The Magazine of the National Endowment for the Humanities "A vivid portrait of ancient Thebes ... A spirited, informative classical history from an expert on the subject." —Kirkus "In this excellent work, Romm ... convincingly argues that Thebes was as important as Athens and Sparta during the last century of its history ... Excellent vignettes of contemporary non-Thebans (particularly Xenophon, an Athenian student of Socrates who was an unabashed partisan for Sparta) enhance the narrative ... [The Sacred Band] is highly recommended and will appeal to fans of Thebes, by Paul Cartledge, as well as readers of LGBTQ+ history." —Library Journal "Romm lucidly describes the era’s complex power struggles and explains how the pro-Sparta bias of Xenophon, who wrote the only surviving contemporaneous account of “the era of Theban greatness,” has colored modern perceptions of Thebes. This is an eye-opening and immersive portrait of a little-known aspect of ancient history." —Publishers Weekly "Striking ... [a] fascinating unit." —Booklist"Lively and captivating ... this first full-length popular account dedicated to the “Sacred Band” performs a vital and overdue service: for classical history buffs, for readers interested in gay history and culture, and for anyone who appreciates a fascinating story, grippingly told." —Daniel Mendelsohn, author of An Odyssey: A Father, a Son, and an Epic "Bound by love, virtue, and valor, the Sacred Band of Thebes fought for Greek freedom and democracy, for more than a generation in a turbulent era ended by Macedonian conquest in 338 BC. James Romm has delved deep into the history and even the archaeology of this famous, little-understood corps of 300 lover-companions. The result is an exhilarating story of eros and power." —Adrienne Mayor, author of Gods and Robots and The Amazons "There are several famous 300s in human history but few deserve to be commemorated as does the Sacred Band of the ancient Greek city of Thebes — as James Romm, already very well known as a reviewer, translator, commentator and Herodotus expert, so amply demonstrates in this splendid, pioneering, indeed loving book." —Paul Cartledge, author of Thebes: The Forgotten City of Ancient Greece "Using contemporary language and interpreting through an enlightened sensibility, James Romm brings energy and relevance to an epic chapter of ancient history." —Mary Norris, author of Greek to Me: Adventures of the Comma Queen "James Romm has written a wonderfully readable book about one of the most fascinating and least known stories from the ancient world. Beginning with the Theban rebellion throwing off Spartan control to the destruction of the city by Alexander the Great, the tale of the rise and fall of Theban freedom resonates even today." —Philip Freeman, author of Alexander the Great "An immersive and deeply atmospheric story of strength and power – a power founded, above anything else, on love and belief. I can think of 300 reasons to recommend this book." —Daisy Dunn, author of The Shadow of Vesuvius: A Life of Pliny

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Book SynopsisNew B-format paperback - âWe werenât afraid of the Allies as soldiers, but we were afraid of their materiel â it was going to be men versus machines.â Written from the âother sideâ and told through the words of the veterans, this book is a revelation.Trade Review‘Fascinating’ -- Daily Mail

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Book SynopsisFrom the author of the classic The Wizards of Armageddon and Pulitzer Prize finalist comes the definitive history of American policy on nuclear war—and Presidents’ actions in nuclear crises—from Truman to Trump.Fred Kaplan, hailed by The New York Times as “a rare combination of defense intellectual and pugnacious reporter,” takes us into the White House Situation Room, the Joint Chiefs of Staff’s “Tank” in the Pentagon, and the vast chambers of Strategic Command to bring us the untold stories—based on exclusive interviews and previously classified documents—of how America’s presidents and generals have thought about, threatened, broached, and just barely avoided nuclear war from the dawn of the atomic age until today. Kaplan’s historical research and deep reporting will stand as the permanent record of politics. Discussing theories that have dominated nightmare scenarios from Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Kaplan presents the unthinkable in terms of mass destruction and demonstrates how the nuclear war reality will not go away, regardless of the dire consequences.

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Book SynopsisFor the millions moved by Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl, here is Miep Gies's own astonishing story. For more than two years, Miep and her husband helped hide the Franks from the Nazis. Like thousands of unsung heroes of the Holocaust, they risked their lives every day to bring food, news, and emotional support to its victims. From her remarkable childhood as a World War I refugee to the moment she places a small, red-orange-checkered diary -- Anne's legacy -- into Otto Frank's hands, Miep Gies remembers her days with simple honesty and shattering clarity. Each page rings with courage and heartbreaking beauty.

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewTotally gripping … A fascinating, revelatory and surreal WWII story of almost incredible courage and unspeakable horror – how a Polish resistance fighter helped reveal the secret of the final solution from inside Auschwitz * Simon Sebag Montefiore *A remarkable book. Fairweather’s account is often harrowing; but it is an important account of the suffering and tragedy in Nazi death camps, told using many previously unpublished sources - and from a new perspective. * Peter Frankopan *Well-researched, well-written and searingly memorable, Jack Fairweather’s book reminds us of the capacity for nobility in the human soul in times of unimaginable peril * Andrew Roberts, bestselling author of ‘Churchill: Walking with Destiny’ *Few books have enthralled, incensed and haunted me as “The Volunteer” has done. There were times I felt compelled to set it aside. There were others when hours of reading passed in what felt like moments … This is a story that has long deserved a robust, faithful telling, and he has delivered it * Wall Street Journal *An extraordinary story * The Times *Superbly written and breathtakingly researched … a story of incalculable value delivered in the most compelling prose I have read in a long time * Sebastian Junger, #1 New York Times bestselling author and award-winning journalist *What distinguishes The Volunteer is Fairweather’s meticulous attention to accuracy … if it sometimes seems as though there is nothing left to uncover about the Holocaust, Fairweather’s gripping book proves otherwise * The Spectator *Combines the verve of a thriller with the detailed evidence of the sober, hideous truth -- Anne de Courcy * The Telegraph *A searing account … a fitting memorial to one of Poland’s greatest war heroes and a shaming indictment of the western allies’ failure to act * Sunday Times *A forceful narrative with unstoppable reading momentum, Fairweather has created an insightful biography of a covert war hero and an extraordinary contribution to the history of the Holocaust. * Starred booklist review *Witold Pilecki is one of the great—perhaps the greatest—unsung heroes of the second world war ... Jack Fairweather's meticulous and insightful book is likely to be the definitive version of this extraordinary life * Economist *An outstanding achievement ... a harrowing tale, revealing the depths of human depravity, redeemed by the shining courage and nobility of one of humanity's heroes. * Patrick Bishop, bestselling author FIGHTER BOYS *

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Book SynopsisThe untold story of how the First World War shaped the lives, faith, and writings of J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis. Giving an unabashedly Christian vision of hope in a world tortured by doubt and disillusionment, the two writers created works that changed the course of literature and shaped the faith of millions---now in paperback.

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Book SynopsisHarperCollins is proud to present its incredible range of best-loved, essential classics.The ancient Chinese art of warfare written by military strategist Sun Tzu in the 5th century BC.

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Book Synopsis"Compulsively readable laugh out loud history." Mary Roach Bomb-carrying bats. Poisoned flower arrangements. Cigars laced with mind-altering drugs. Listening devices implanted into specially-trained cats. A torpedo-proof aircraft carrier made out of ice and sawdust. And a CIA plan to detonate a nuclear bomb on the moon ... just because. In Nuking the Moon, Vince Houghton, Historian and Curator at the International Spy Museum, collects the most inspired, implausible and downright bizarre military intelligence schemes that never quite made it off the drawing board. From the grandly ambitious to the truly devious, they illuminate a new side of warfare, revealing how a combination of desperation and innovation led not only to daring missions and brilliant technological advances, but to countless plans and experiments that failed spectacularly. Alternatively terrifying and hilarious, and combining archival research with newly-conducted interviews, these twenty-six chapters reveal not only what might have happened, but also what each one tells us about the history and people around it. If 'military intelligence' makes you think of James Bond and ingenious exploding gadgets ... get ready for the true story.Trade ReviewThere's a lot of idiocy in these pages to admire, and all of it's given the gloss of Houghton's natural wit. * How It Works *A collection of tales sure to entertain as well as inform -- Gen. Michael Hayden, former director of the NSA and CIA, and New York Times bestselling authorHilariously skewers some of the military and intelligence community's weirdest, wackiest, and most outlandish plots, plans, and covert operations -- H. Keith Melton, co-author of SpycraftVince Houghton is a fresh new voice that will have you laughing out loud at some of the serious yet hysterical false starts in the history of the intelligence community. -- Jonna Mendez, former CIA Chief of DisguiseThese are amazing tales, and readers may ... be left pondering whether the book will be shelved among works of history or science fiction novels. -- Robert Wallace, co-author of SpycraftCompulsively readable laugh out loud history -- Mary RoachAlternately terrifying and hilarious...if 'military intelligence' makes you think of James Bond and ingenious exploding gadgets...get ready for the true story * Eye Spy *Makes you wonder what schemes the secret service are conducting right now. -- Alastair Mabbott * The Herald Magazine *Fascinating ... Houghton's history of drastic espionage failures is amusing, surprising and, at times, almost beyond belief * Daily Mail *

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Book Synopsis'Absolutely gripping from the word go' Alexis Conran, Times Radio'A convincing insight into the terror and adrenaline rush of war' Mail on SundayDamien Lewis's new bestseller tells the action-packed, riveting story of the band of mavericks and visionaries who made the SAS. Using hitherto untold stories and new archival sources, Damien Lewis follows one close-knit band of warriors from the SAS foundation through to the Italian landings - chronicling the extraordinary part they played as the tide of the Second World War truly turned in the Allies' favour.This is a narrative of wall-to-wall do-or-die action and daring, chronicling the exploits of some of the most highly-decorated soldiers of the twentieth-century.'A new book by historian Damien Lewis ... who has read through the letters, diaries and reports kept by the Mayne family and conducted interviews with its surviving members over the past ten years' Danielle Sheridan, Daily Telegraph'Read more about the characters as seen in SAS Rogue Heroes in Damien Lewis's book SAS Brothers In Arms' Ed Cullinane, SWNS'Damien Lewis, bestselling author, describes the extraordinary bravery of Paddy Mayne and, it seems strange to say, the humanity of Mayne ... Brilliant' Nihal Arthanayake, BBC Radio 5 Live'The depth of research is astounding'Belfast TelegraphTrade ReviewAbsolutely gripping from the word go -- Alexis Conran, Times RadioA convincing insight into the terror and adrenaline rush of war * Mail on Sunday *A new book by historian Damien Lewis ... who has read through the letters, diaries and reports kept by the Mayne family and conducted interviews with its surviving members over the past ten years -- Danielle Sheridan * Daily Telegraph *Read more about the characters as seen in SAS Rogue Heroes in Damien Lewis's book SAS Brothers In Arms -- Ed Cullinane, SWNSDamien Lewis, bestselling author, describes the extraordinary bravery of Paddy Mayne and, it seems strange to say, the humanity of Mayne ... Brilliant

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Book SynopsisOn April 2, 1982, Argentine armed forces invaded and captured the Falkland Islands, a British dependency in the South Atlantic long claimed by Argentina. In this comprehensive account, renowned naval historian Dr Edward Hampshire takes advantage of new sources to examine the Naval campaign that saw Britain eventually retake the islands. The Falklands Conflict was remarkable for many reasons: it was a hard fought, bloody and short conflict between a leading NATO power and one of the most capable armed forces in South America; it demonstrated the capabilities of a range of cutting-edge technologies including nuclear-powered attack submarines, Exocet missiles and Sea Harrier VSTOL aircraft; and it was fought many thousands of miles away from the Royal Navy''s home bases.In this illustrated study, renowned naval historian Dr Edward Hampshire draws upon the latest available sources to offer a comprehensive examination of the Falklands naval campaign. Blow-by-blow aTable of ContentsOrigins of the Campaign Chronology Opposing Commanders Opposing Forces Opposing Plans The Campaign Aftermath The Battlefield Today Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThe most iconic planes of WWII, the Supermarine Spitfire, Hawker Hurricane, DeHavilland Mosquito and the Avro Lancaster, were all powered by one engine, the Rolls-Royce Merlin. The story of the Merlin is one of British ingenuity at its height, of artistry and problem-solving that resulted in a war-winning design.Published to coincide with the 75th anniversary of VE Day and the 80th anniversary of the start of the Battle of Britain, Merlin is the extraordinary story of the development of the Rolls-Royce engine that would stop Hitler from invading Britain and carry the war to the very heart of Germany.The story of the Merlin engine encompasses the history of powered flight, from the ingenuity of the Wright Brothers to the horrors of World War I, and from the first crossing of the Atlantic to the heady days of flying in the 1920s. There is also the extraordinary story of the Schneider Trophy an international contest wherein nations poised on the precipice of war competed for engineering Trade ReviewPraise for Merlin ‘Merlin paints a finer, more detailed and complete portrait of the aero engine and the people who made it than almost any other single volume on the subject …Illuminating and entertaining’ Pilot magazine ‘To get deeper into the nuts and bolts of aviation, Graham Hoyland spent a year taking apart the story of the Merlin and putting it back together in a form that roars beautifully from the very start’ Simon Calder, Independent ‘A stirring account of how these hand-wrought machines, geared for speed and encased in elegant airframes … delivered us in 1940 … Merlin depicts a heroic age of smashed land, air and water speed records … and the extreme bravery of those pioneers, who incurred many fatalities. Hoyland marries the drama and excitement with a clear focus on the technical: he puts you in the cockpit and into the very guts of the machines … Anyone with a serious interest in engineering will find much to enjoy and appreciate.’ Colin Greenwood, The Spectator Praise for Graham Hoyland ‘Illuminating and entertaining’ The Times ‘A towering work full of twists and turns’ Independent ‘Richly enjoyable’ Daily Mail

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Book SynopsisDescribes and illustrates the full range of Dutch resistance groups and German and collaborationist counter-resistance groups during the Nazi occupation in 1940-45.The Nazi occupation of the Netherlands was a complex, varied and bloody affair. Well- documented is the initial capture by the Gestapo of a secret Dutch Special Operations Executive radio-operator who thereafter lured several parachuted agents to their deaths, but, the actual scope and complexity of the occupation was much greater than this. Large-scale civil resistance against the occupation began as early as February 1941, and 1943 saw assassinations, reprisals, and the development of various resistance groups the LKP National Assault Teams and some ''wild'' armed groups: the left wing RzV and the conservative OD. In addition, several overlapping Dutch organizations amalgamated in September 1944 into the NBS: ''Netherlands Interior Forces''. In return, the Germans created the collaborationist Landwacht sTrade ReviewThe story of the country's occupation is not a subject widely covered and this book redresses that in a highly informative way that goes beyond what the reader may think they already know. -- John Norris * Gun Mart & Militaria Mart magazine *I found this taught me a lot that I had not known before, so a good value addition to your references, and with artwork which is likely to attract many modellers with the inspiration/reference of some less familiar uniforms to try. -- Robin Buckland * Military Model Scene *'An abundance of books has been written about resistance and collaboration in the Netherlands during the Second World War, but not too many of them in English. Klaas Castelein from Duiven and Michel Wenting from Doesburg did write about it in English.' 'We realized that most books about resistance and collaboration had been written in Dutch. As a result, foreigners cannot disclose any information about this, yet its history is incredibly fascinating.' Wenting and Castelein sketch a balanced view: 'In some parts of the country the Resistance seriously contributed to the liberation, but in other parts they got passionately engaged in exacting vengeance on Germans and collaborators'. -- Piet Venhuizen * De Gelderlander *Table of ContentsFASCISM IN THE PRE-WAR NETHERLANDS Nationaal-Socialistische Beweging (NSB, National Socialist Movement) Nationale Jeugdstorm (NJS, National Youth Force) Nationaal-Socialistische Nederlandse Arbeiderspartij (NSNAP, National Socialist Netherlands Workers’ Party) Zwart Front (ZF, Black Front) and Nationaal Front (NF, National Front) Grauwe Vendels (GV, Grey Banners) THE MILITARY OCCUPATION, 1940–45 THE SECURITY APPARATUS General Commission for Security Local security forces: Nazification of the Dutch police Wachtmannen (Watchmen) Kontroll-Kommando (KK, Control Guard) Nederlandse Landwacht (LW, Home Guard) Landstorm Nederland (LSN, Territorial Defence Force) GROWTH OF THE RESISTANCE, 1940–44 Continuing the fight from Great Britain The ‘England Game’ Emergence of the first resistance movements: Communistische Partij Nederland (CPN, Netherlands Communist Party) Geuzen (‘Beggars’) Ordedienst (OD, Order Service) CS-6 Raad van Verzet (RVV, Resistance Council) Three women RVV fighters Landelijke Organisatie voor Hulp aan Onderduikers (LO, National Organizationfor Help to People in Hiding) The decisive general strike, April–May 1943 Landelijke Knokploegen (LKP, National Assault Teams) Prison raids OPEN WARFARE, FROM SEPTEMBER 1944 ALLIED LIBERATION OPERATIONS, 1944–45 GLOSSARY AND ABBREVIATIONS SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY INDEX

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Book SynopsisThis pocket manual focusing on the most famous aircraft of all time presents an accessible collection of fascinating historical documents which give a unique insight into the Spitfire.Developed in 1938 from a Schneider trophy-winning design by the aeronautical engineer and designer R.J Mitchell, the Supermarine Spitfire went on to become the definitive Allied fighter of the Second World War, and ranks amongst the most famous aircraft of all time.This pocket manual presents an accessible collection of fascinating historical documents to help readers explore the technical and tactical developments relating to the design and use of this famous aircraft. Sources include the Air Ministry''s original specification for a single-seater day and night fighter, handling trials of the Spitfire prototype K-5054, squadron fighting tactics, pilot''s log books and pilot''s notes for the Mark V, air group reports and tactical papers.Collectively these give a unique insight into the Spitfire, ill

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Book SynopsisThe Great War was the first truly global conflict, and it changed the course of world history In this magnum opus, critically-acclaimed historian Peter Hart examines the conflict in every arena around the world, in a history that combines cutting edge scholarship with vivid and unfamiliar eyewitness accounts, from kings and generals, and ordinary soldiers. He focuses in particular on explaining how technology and tactics developed during the conflict - and determines which battles were crucial to its outcome. Combatants from every corner of Earth joined the fray, but their voices are rarely heard together. This is a major history of the conflict whose centenary is fast approaching. Published in paperback for the anniversary of the conflict, this is a pioneering and comprehensive account of the First World War, comparable to Anthony Beevor or Max Hastings.Trade ReviewImmensely readable ... Hart excels not only at making it intelligible but also at turning it into a gripping narrative, which includes extensive and moving quotations from soldiers and sailors who bore the consequences of their commanders' decisions and faced the realities of combat ... Hart's book will contribute to a sea change in our understanding of the war during the years of the centenary * Irish Times *Gripping ... I would highly recommend this book, not only for the honest appraisal of all the main characters and countries involved, but because it gives a voice to those who paid the ultimate price, often for no purpose whatsoever * Morning Star *A valuable, timely and highly readable overview of the Great War on all major fronts -- Professor Peter SimkinsThought provoking, erudite, yet eminently readable and entertaining: Peter Hart is a historian and author at the peak of his powers -- Richard Van EmdenRiveting...bold enough to bring a new clarity to a subject that has been obscured by a creeping barrage of re-interpretations over the years * Catholic Herald *Very impressive * Military History Magazine *The sheer level of detail Hart presents is astonishing...fascinating * Press Association *A refreshing and engaging read * Soldier Magazine *Gripping...I would highly recommend this book, not only for the honest appraisal of all the main characters and countries involved, but because it gives a voice to those who paid the ultimate price, often for no purpose whatsoever * Morning Star *

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Book SynopsisThis edition of a classic scrapbook is published to coincide with the 60th anniversary of the end of the World War II.

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Book SynopsisArrian's account of Alexander's life and campaigns, published as the Anabasis and its companion piece the Indica, is our prime source for the history of Alexander, told with great narrative skill. This edition features a new translation of both texts, introduction, notes, guide to military systems and terminology, maps and a full index.Trade ReviewMartin Hammond's new translation of the Anabasis and Indica of Arrian is another triumph for Oxford University Press' World's Classics ... it forms a perfect, handy paperback of the works that tell the modern world more about Alexander than any other source material ... It's an exceedingly well-done volume. * Open Letters Monthly *Hammond has done Arrian - as he did Thucydides in the same series in 2009 - proud a truly serviceable classroom edition at a very reasonable price. * Paul Cartledge, The Journal of Classics Teaching *Table of ContentsIntroduction ; Select Bibliography ; Chronology ; THE ANABASIS ; THE INDICA ; Appendix I: The Macedonian army: structures and terminology ; Appendix II: The Macedonian and Persian courts and Imperial administration ; Appendix III: Finance and linear measures ; Explanatory Notes ; Notes on the Greek text ; Index ; Maps

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Book SynopsisThe Price of Glory: Verdun 1916 is the second book of Alistair Horne''s trilogy, which includes The Fall of Paris and To Lose a Battle and tells the story of the great crises of the rivalry between France and Germany. The battle of Verdun lasted ten months. It was a battle in which at least 700,000 men fell, along a front of fifteen miles. Its aim was less to defeat the enemy than bleed him to death and a battleground whose once fertile terrain is even now a haunted wilderness. Alistair Horne''s classic work, continuously in print for over fifty years, is a profoundly moving, sympathetic study of the battle and the men who fought there. It shows that Verdun is a key to understanding the First World War to the minds of those who waged it, the traditions that bound them and the world that gave them the opportunity. ''Verdun was the bloodiest battle in history ... The Price of Glory is the essential book on the subject''  Sunday Times ''It has almost every merit ... Horne sorts out complicating issues with the greatest clarity. He has a splendid gift for depicting individuals''  A.J.P. Taylor, Observer ''A masterpiece''  The New York Times ''Compellingly told ... Alastair Horne uses contemporary accounts from both sides to build up a picture of heroism, mistakes, even farce''  Sunday Telegraph ''Brilliantly written ... very readable; almost like a historical novel - except that it is true''  Field Marshal Viscount Montgomery One of Britain''s greatest historians, Sir Alistair Horne, CBE, is the author of a trilogy on the rivalry between France and Germany, The Price of Glory, The Fall of Paris and To Lose a Battle, as well as a two-volume life of Harold Macmillan.Table of ContentsLa debacle; joffre of the marne; Falkenhayn; operation Gericht; the waiting machine; the first day; the fall of Colonel Driant; breakthrough; Fort Douaumont; De Castelnau decides; petain; the take-over; reappraisals; the Mort Homme; widening horizons; in another country; the air battle; the crown prince; the triumvirate; "May Cup"; Fort Vaux; danger signals; the secret enemies; the crisis; Falkenhayn dismissed; the counterstrokes; the new leader; aftermath;

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Book SynopsisAs head of the SS, chief of police, ''Reichskommissar for the Consolidation of Germanness'', and Reich Interior Minister, Heinrich Himmler enjoyed a position of almost unparalleled power and responsibility in Nazi Germany. Perhaps more than any other single Nazi leader aside from Hitler, his name has become a byword for the terror, persecution, and destruction that characterized the Third Reich. His wide-ranging powers meant that he bore equal responsibility for the repression of the German people on the home front and the atrocities perpetrated by the SS in the East. Yet, in spite of his central role in the crimes of the Nazi regime, until now Himmler has remained a colourless and elusive figure in the history of the period. In this, the first-ever comprehensive biography of the SS-Reichsführer, leading German historian Peter Longerich puts every aspect of Himmler''s life under the microscope. Masterfully interweaving the story of Himmler''s personal life and political career with the wider history of the Nazi dictatorship, Longerich shows how skilfully he exploited and manipulated his disparate roles in the pursuit of his far-reaching and grandiose objectives. In the process, he illuminates the extraordinary degree to which Himmler''s own personal prejudices, idiosyncrasies, and predilections made their mark on the organizations for which he was responsible - especially the SS, which in so many ways bore the characteristic hallmarks of its leader, and whose history remains both incomplete and incomprehensible without a detailed and intimate knowledge of its deeply sinister commander-in-chief.Trade ReviewNo biography can resolve all the disputed issues regarding the Holocaust. Longerich has done a great favor to the scholarly world by portraying in three dimensions a most unusual organization man. * Richard Breitman, American University, The American Historical Review *There have been several studies of this enigmatic man, but Peter Longerich's massive biography, grounded in exhaustive study of the primary sources, is now the standard work and must stand alongside Ian Kershaw's Hitler, Ulrich Herbert's Best and Robert Gerwarth's Hitler's Hangman: The Life of Heydrich as one of the landmark Nazi biographies. As the author of a celebrated study of the Holocaust, Longerich is better able than his predecessors to situate Himmler within the vast machinery of genocide. And he brings to his task a gift for capturing those mannerisms that are the intimate markers of personality. * Christopher Clark, London Review of BookS *[An] almost encyclopaedic coverage. * Jane Caplan, Times Literary Supplement *Longerich puts forth a thought-provoking argument * Paul Bookbinder, European History Quarterly *Table of ContentsPART I: HIMMLER'S EARLY YEARS; PART II: INSIDE THE THIRD REICH; PART III: THE ORDER; PART IV: INTO WAR: AMBITION AND DISAPPOINTMENT; PART V: THE GREATER GERMANIC REICH: LIVING SPACE AND ETHNIC MURDER; PART VI: DOWNFALL IN STAGES

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Book SynopsisThis is the book which marked Frederick Forsyth's transition from journalist to author. A record of one of the most brutal conflicts the Third World has ever suffered, it has become a classic of modern war reporting. But it is more than that. It voices one man's outrage not only at the extremes of human violence, but also at the duplicity and self-interest of the Western Governments ' most notably, the British, who tacitly accepted or actively aided that violence.

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Book SynopsisBrings to life the world of the medieval knight in a witty yet informative guide.Table of Contents1. A Knight’s World • 2. Training • 3. Becoming a Knight • 4. Arms, Armour and Horses • 5. Orders of Knighthood • 6. Recruitment and Retinues • 7. Tournaments and Feats of Arms • 8. Campaigning • 9. Crusade • 10. Mercenaries • 11. Ladies and Damsels • 12. Siege • 13. Battle • 14. Ransoms and Booty • 15. Piety and Memory

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Book SynopsisThis new volume straps the reader into the cockpit of the P-51B/C as the Mustang-equipped fighter groups of the ''Mighty Eighth'' Air Force attempt to defend massed heavy bomber formations from deadly Luftwaffe fighters charged with defending the Third Reich.Luftwaffe Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring admitted that the appearance of long-range Mustangs over Berlin spelled the end of the Jagdwaffe''s ability to defeat American daylight bombing. But the Mustang was far more than an escort -- it was a deadly hunter that could out-perform nearly every German fighter when it was introduced into combat. Entering combat in Europe in December 1943, P-51Bs and P-51Cs had advantages over German Bf 109s and Fw 190s in respect to the altitude they could reach, their rate of climb and top speed. Initially tapped for close bomber escort, Mustangs were quickly turned loose to range ahead of the bomber stream in order to challenge German fighters before they could assemble to engage theTrade ReviewChris Bucholtz, an accomplished author who has written for Osprey before, delves thoroughly into the development, introduction, and combat employment of this groundbreaking legendary fighter plane that came at a time when United States Army Air Forces (USAAAF) bomber losses due to lack of the escorting fighter’s range had risen at alarming rates. -- Todd Shughart * The Aviation Enthusiast *Table of ContentsChapter 1 In Battle The story of the Medal of Honor-earning mission of Col James Howard on 11 January 1944, in which he defended bombers single-handedly for 30 minutes and scored three victories, plus a probable. Chapter 2 Setting the Scene The development of the Merlin/Mustang combination, manufacturing, the P-51B/C’s introduction into combat and the transition of existing USAAF fighter units from the P-47 to the Mustang. Chapter 3 Path to Combat The careers of two Mustang pilots – Kelly Gross of the 354th FG, who went five months without a victory (but later became an ace) and named his plane ‘Live Bait!’ after the instructions given to him by his commanding officer, and William Whisner of the 352nd FG, who destroyed six of his eventual 16.4 German aircraft in a P-51B christened ‘Princess Elizabeth’ after he met the future monarch. Chapter 4 Weapon of war A brief technical appraisal of the P-51B/C, detailing its development and the weaponry it employed, including issues that needed to be resolved with its 0.50-calibre guns and fuselage tank, and performance differences between the P-51B/C and the later P-51D/K. Chapter 5 Art of War Examination of the various co-operative tactics employed for dealing with Bf 109 and Fw 190 escorts, Werfer-Granate 21-firing Bf 110s, Do 217s and Ju 88s, and Sturmbocke bomber-destroyer Fw 190s; “zoom-and-boom” energy attacks; and tactics for maintaining formation discipline when opposing high-speed diving attacks by German fighters. Chapter 6 Combat In this chapter, Mustang pilots discuss combat against the Bf 109, Fw 190 and bomber-destroyer types, as well as the declining quality of their opposition from ‘Big Week’ through to D-Day. Aftermath Appendices Acknowledgments Selected Sources Index

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Book SynopsisFrom the award-winning author of The Dictators, Richard Overy's The Battle of Britain: Myth and Reality is the best introduction available to a defining moment in British history. The extraordinary struggle between British and German air forces in 1940 was one of the pivotal events of the Second World War. How close did Britain really come to invasion during this time? What were Hitler and Churchill's motives? And what was the battle's real effect on the outcome of the war? 'It is harder to imagine a sounder and more succinct account of the Battle of Britain' Max Hastings, Evening Standard 'No individual British victory after Trafalgar was more decisive in challenging the course of a major war than the Battle of Britain ... the best historical analysis in readable form which has yet appeared on this prime subject' Noble Frankland, The Times Literary Supplement 'The Battle of Britain is hard to beat' Saul David, Sunday Telegraph 'Exemplary ... a compelling account' Boyd Tonkin, Independent 'Succeeds brilliantly ... along the way a lot of myths bite the dust' Time 'A captivating and brilliant analysis of the fragile circumstances of Britain's victory' Observer Richard Overy has spent much of his distinguished career studying the intellectual, social and military ideas that shaped the cataclysm of the Second World War, particularly in his books 1939 - Countdown to War, Why the Allies Won, Russia's War and The Morbid Age. Overy's The Dictators: Hitler's Germany, Stalin's Russia won the Wolfson Prize for History and the Hessell Tiltman Prize.Trade ReviewAs an objective reassessment of this most critical of struggles, cogently argued and concisely written, The Battle of Britain is hard to beat -- Saul David * Sunday Telegraph *A captivating and readable analysis of the fragile circumstances of Britain's victory * Observer *Succeeds brilliantly ... puts the battle in context, and along the way a lot of myths bite the dust -- Robin Knight * Time *Brilliant * The Economist *

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Book SynopsisOutwardly Nella's life was probably seen as ordinary; but behind this mask were a lively mind and a persistent pen - a pen that never gave up over almost three decades, reporting, describing, pondering, and disclosing. Nella, 55 when the war ends, writes of what ordinary people felt during those years of privation, hope and the re-building of Britain, providing a moving and inspiring account of the years that shaped the society we live in today. Her diary offers a detailed, moving and humorous narrative of the changing experiences of ordinary people at this time, and thoughts on the aftermath of war and whether 'peace' really meant peace, for everyone.Trade ReviewA vivid, intimate account of life in austerity Britain. Superb. -- David Kynaston, author of Austerity BritainA touching and startlingly frank portrait of adapting to life in post-war Britain. Truly fascinating. I enjoyed it as much as Nella Last's War. * Gilda O'Neill *Nella Last's Peace is extraordinary - tender, intimate, striking, heartbreaking and witty - it grants us the lovely and dignified privilege of knowing a stranger's heart. * A. L. Kennedy *Compassionate, gossipy, observant - Nella Last's long-awaited Peace Diaries deserve to be read not only for their intimate insight into the dislocated post-war world, but also for their continued portrayal of Nella herself. She is brave, lovable and a born writer. * Virginia Nicholson *Nothing could have been more 'ordinary' than the life of Nella Last, a middle-aged woman living in the north-west of England in the Attlee years, ground-down by ration books, post-war exhaustion and an uncertain future, and yet her eye for detail and penetrating interest in the people around her make her diary a social document of extraordinary interest and value. -- D. J. Taylor * Advance quote *Nella's eye for detail and penetrating interest in the people around her make her diary a social document of extraordinary interest and value. * D J Taylor *The diary has a certain universal quality that transcends the particular time and circumstances. My gut feeling is that Nella will come to be seen as one of the major twentieth-century English diarists. -- David Kynaston * Woman's Hour *It's not necessary to read Last's first volume to become immediately absorbed by her honest and heartfelt story. -- Nora Krug * The Washington Post *Nella Last may be the most prolific writer you've never heard of. It's not necessary to read Last's first volume to become immediately absorbed by her honest and heartfelt story. -- Nora Krug * Washington Post *

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Book SynopsisBy the Costa Award-winning author of Pure, a profound and tender tale of guilt, a search for atonement and the hard, uncertain work of loving.'The writing is near perfect. But the novel's excellence goes far beyond this . . . You read [it] . . . with your pulse racing, all your senses awake' Guardian'A beautiful, lambent, timely novel' Sarah HallAn ex-soldier and recovering alcoholic living quietly in Somerset, Stephen Rose has just begun to form a bond with the daughter he barely knows when he receives a summons - to an inquiry into an incident during the Troubles in Northern Ireland. It is the return of what Stephen hoped he had outdistanced. Above all, to testify would jeopardise the fragile relationship with his daughter. And if he loses her, he loses everything. Instead, he decides to write her an account of his life; a confession, a defence, a love letter. Also a means of buying time. But time is running out, and the day comes when he must face again what happened in that faraway summer of 1982.Trade ReviewThe theme is handled in a way that is bolder and more exquisitely menacing than anything he's done before . . . It's all real, and all fictional, gorgeously so. You read what might have been a perfectly commonplace story of failure and redemption with your pulse racing, all your senses awake . . . restrained, beautifully written -- Elizabeth Lowry * Guardian *I spent the first half of The Slowworm's Song in a sort of ecstasy, marvelling at Miller's masterful characterisation; his confident evocation of army life and sensitive depiction of the Troubles; the nuanced exploration of alcoholism; the clean, well-made prose style studded with moments of descriptive beauty . . . Stephen is an unforgettable character, and Miller has pulled off the miraculous feat of sketching a full human life in a few hundred pages -- Claire Lowdon * Sunday Times *A beautiful, lambent, timely novel that admits our worst capacities while insisting on accountability and our ability to improve. Andrew Miller is among those brave male writers steering a progressive course. Yet he remains, as ever, unique, visionary, a master at unmasking humanity * Sarah Hall *Gorgeously written . . . it approaches the Troubles from a unique angle . . . Since his debut, Ingenious Pain, Miller has shown a knack for historical immersion, and he continues to excel in it here -- Ethan Croft * Literary Review *The focused interiority of Stephen's narration, together with the slowburning fuse of a plot, make for a quiet intensity that stretches the nerves . . . this empathic and artful novel is about both the mysteries we are to ourselves, and the power of speech -- Stephanie Cross * Daily Mail *A painful yet beautiful novel . . . Miller is a wonderful storyteller, as comfortable writing about the Napoleonic wars as the Troubles . . . In this novel, Stephen's reckoning may be extreme but his message is universal -- Susie Mesure * Spectator *The multiple award-winning author of Pure returns with a tender, compelling and exquisitely written novel of extraordinary power . . . Exploring a brutal chapter in the unhappy and sometimes shameful history of Northern Ireland, this wonderful novel is also a story of atonement and redemption -- Edward Argyle * Daily Express *Miller tackles big themes and weaves a profound and poignant tale about shame, trauma and the possibility of redemption -- Lucy Popescu, Summer Reading * Tablet *Andrew Miller's gentle, beautifully crafted sentences belie the often brutal truths behind the narrative. The image of the slowworm, silent and sinister, finding its way into the precious earth, is set against a song of light and life that won't be silenced -- Victoria Barry * Scotsman *Andrew Miller is one of our finest writers. Few can match his sensitivity of touch, eye for telling detail and acute feel for setting . . . The passages describing Rose's military duty are impeccably researched and viscerally real -- Peter Carty * i *The sections detailing Stephen's army life, and particularly those covering his tour of duty in Belfast, are excellent: immersive in their detail and atmosphere . . . [Miller] has sufficient decorum, talent and sensitivity to do justice to his delicate subject matter -- Rob Doyle * Observer *His evocation of squaddie life rings absolutely true . . . It's deeply moving to see how this self-torturing individual gradually learns that he's surrounded by helpers, often in the unlikeliest of guises, while tiny flowers of grace spring up in stony places -- Suzi Feay * Tablet *There is no easy resolution, and that is why The Slowworm's Song . . . is so affecting. It is about truth, objective or otherwise, and about the attempts of flawed human beings to live with it -- Nicholas Clee * Times Literary Supplement *A poignant and profound tale of a man seeking atonement -- Joanne Finney * Good Housekeeping *A stunning work of fiction, a beautifully written tale of conflict and family fracture . . . The Slowworm's Song is a sublime reminder of how a great novel can have such a deep impact -- Martin Chilton * Independent *Moving and compassionate * Reader's Digest *It's difficult not to be moved by Stephen's heartfelt words as he comes face to face with what happened in that 1982 summer * Belfast Telegraph *It reads truer than memoir . . . A state-of-the-nation novel, in elegiac prose * New York Times Book Review *Expertly paced . . . as taut as a thriller . . . Miller, with his acute eye for detail and his practiced sense of timing, describes these Belfast streets and this soldier's experience so plainly and yet so evocatively that both become new again * Wall Street Journal *A stunning work of fiction, a beautifully written tale of conflict and family fracture . . . The Slowworm's Song is a sublime reminder of how a great novel can have such a deep impact. -- Martin Chilton * Independent *[A] painful yet beautiful novel . . . Miller is a wonderful storyteller, as comfortable writing about the Napoleonic wars as the Troubles . . . Stephen's reckoning may be extreme but his message is universal. -- Susie Mesure * Spectator *Few novelists are as virtuosic and as varied as Andrew Miller . . . Meticulous research, reinforcing the narrative, never swamping it, is another Miller trademark, so it's no surprise that his evocation of squaddie life rings absolutely true . . . It's deeply moving to see how this self-torturing individual gradually learns that he's surrounded by helpers, often in the unlikeliest of guises, while tiny flowers of grace spring up in stony places. -- Suzi Feay * Tablet *Andrew Miller is one of our finest writers. Few can match his sensitivity of touch, eye for telling detail and acute feel for setting . . . The passages describing Rose's military duty are impeccably researched and viscerally real. -- Peter Carty * i *Miller - a much-awarded writer stepping out of his comfort zone of omnisciently narrated historical fiction - has sufficient decorum, talent and sensitivity to do justice to his delicate subject matter. -- Rob Doyle * Observer *A tender, compelling and exquisitely written novel of extraordinary power . . . Written with searing honesty, [Stephen's story] is a confession but, above all, it is a letter of love. -- Edward Argyle * Daily Express *

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Book SynopsisFor over 70 years, from 1643 to 1715, LouisXIV fought a series of increasingly bitter warswith the Dutch, the Spanish, the British andthe Austrians. During his long reign Francewas the foremost power in Europe and the kingused his military and economic strength toexpand French territory to the north into theLow Countries, to the Rhine, and south to thePyrenees. To enable this expansion, and defendit against the powerful armies that combinedto oppose him, he depended on a select groupof exceptional commanders remarkable menclose to the throne, who held the prestigioustitle of Marshal of France. These are thedistinguished soldiers James Falkner focuses onin this perceptive and original study, and theircolourful careers and long-reaching campaignsgive us a fascinating insight into the Europeanwarfare of the period and into their relationshipwith their master, the Sun King.Among them are Turenne, the pre-eminentcommander of the early years of Louis'sreign; Luxembourg who never lost a batt

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Book SynopsisThe unsung and remarkable stories of the women who held London''s East End together during not one, but two world wars.''Inspiring tales of courage in the face of hardship'' Mail on Sunday''Inspiring . . . Takes you back to a time of community and helping one another'' 5***** Reader Review''It made me laugh and gasp in equal measure'' 5***** Reader Review______Meet Minksy, Gladys, Beatty, Joan and Girl Walker . . .While the men were at war, these women ruled the streets of the East End. Struggling against poverty to survive, and fighting for their community in our country''s darkest hours.But there was also joy to be found. Across the East End the streets were alive - you need only walk a few steps for a smile from a neighbour or a strong cup of tea.From taking over the London Underground, standing up to the Kray twins and crawling out of bombsites, The Stepney Doorstep SocietyTrade ReviewThe remarkable story of the women who ruled the East End through the Blitz. A lively authentic social history, the book centres around five formidable working-class women . . . a hair-raising, but always warmhearted tale * My Weekly *Kate Thompson's interviews with east London's wartime matriarchs offer an important glimpse into a vanishing world * Sunday Express *Kate Thompson writes books that make you laugh and make you cry, sometimes at the same time. You cannot put them down. I advise you to read them all! -- Anita DobsonKate Thompson's study of five working-class women who lived through the blitz shows how informal collectives can provide lasting support and inspiration . . . [a] fascinating account * Guardian *Inspiring tales of courage in the face of hardship * Mail on Sunday *Astonishing * Radio 5 Live *Crammed full of fascinating stories * BBC 2 Steve Wright *Untold stories from wartime Blitz * Woman's Weekly *Britain's forgotten army * Daily Express *Celebrates the lives of tough wartime matriarchs * ITV News *Formidable women * Take a Break *

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Book SynopsisBetween 58 and 50BC Caesar conquered most of the area now covered by France, Belgium and Switzerland, and twice invaded Britain. This is the record of his campaigns.Caesar''s narrative offers insights into his military strategy & paints a fascinating picture of his encounters with the inhabitant of Gaul and Britain, as well as offering lively portraits of a number of key characters such as the rebel leaders and Gallic chieftains. This can also be read as a piece of political propaganda, as Caesar sets down his version of events for the Roman public, knowing that he faces civil war on his return to Rome.Table of ContentsThe Conquest of GaulIntroduction1. Roman politics in the late Republic2. Gaul and its inhabitants3. The course of the war4. Caesar the man5. Caesar as author6. Preface to second editionSuggestions for Further ReadingCaesar the Conquest of GaulBook I: The Expulsion of Intruders1. Repulse of the Helvetii (58 B.C.)2. Expulsion of Ariovistus from Gaul (58 B.C)Book II: The Conquest of the Belgic Tribes1. Collapse of the Belgic coalition (57 B.C.)2. Piecemeal conquest of the Belgic tirbes (57 B.C.)Book III: The First Rebellion1. Unsuccessful campaign in the Alps (57 B.C.)2. The fight on the Atlantic coast (56 B.C.)3. Victorious campaign in Aquitania (56 B.C.)4. Indecisive campaign against the Morini (56 B.C.)Book IV: Invasions of Germany and Britain1. Massacre of the Usipetes and Tenctheri (55 B.C.)2. The first crossing of the Rhine (55 B.C.)3. The first invasion of Britain (55 B.C.)Book V: The Second Rebellion1. The second invasion of Britain (54 B.C.)2. Destruction of Sabinus' army by the Eburones (54 B.C.)3. Attack by the Nervii on Cicero's winter camp (54 B.C.)4. Widespread revolts in northern and central Gaul (54-53 B.C.)Book VI: Operations Near the Rhine1. The Treveri routed (53 B.C.)2. The second crossing of the Rhine (53 B.C.)3. Customs and institutions of the Gauls4. Customs and institutions of the Germans5. Devastation of the country of the Eburones (53 B.C.)Book VII: The Rebellion of Vercingetorix1. The opening stage (52 B.C.)2. Siege and capture of Avaricum (52 B.C.)3. Roman reverse at Gergovia (52 B.C.)4. Vercingetorix's defeat in open warfare (52 B.C.)5. Siege and capture of Alesia (52 B.C.)Book VIII: The Final Rebellion1. Hirtius' preface2. Revolts of the Bituriges, Carnutes and Bellovaci (52-51 B.C.)3. The last encounters; capture of Uxellodunum (51 B.C.)4. Civil war impendsNotesAppendicesI. The TextII. The Roman ArmyIII. Chronological Outline of the Career of CaesarGlossary of Persons and PlacesIndex to MapsMaps:1. Northern Gaul2. Southern Gaul3. Principal tribes of South-east Britain4. The siege of Alesia

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Book SynopsisHe found a country broken by the Civil War, but the totems of indestructible Spain survive: the Christ in agony, the thrilling flamenco cry-the pride in poverty, the gypsy intensity in vivid whitewashed slums, the cult of the bullfight, the exultation in death, the humour of hopelessness-the paradoxes deep in the fiery bones of Spain.Trade ReviewHe has a nightingale inside him, a capacity for sensuous, lyrical precision * Guardian *One of the great writers of the last century whose work conjured up a world of earthly warmth and beauty * Independent *Out of a winter in Southern Spain, Mr Lee has spun a magnificent book, outstanding even in a field where the competition is oppressively brilliant' * New Statesman *

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Book SynopsisPaul Kennedy is among the world's best-selling and most influential historians. Raised in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, he took his doctorate in Oxford and began work shortly afterwards for the first great historian of WW2, Sir Basil Liddell Hart. He now teaches at Yale, and is the author or editor of nineteen books, including The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers (translated into over twenty languages), and Engineers of Victory: The Problem Solvers Who Turned the Tide in the Second World War.Trade ReviewConsistently original ... An important contribution to our understanding -- Michael Beschloss * The New York Times Book Review *His refreshing study ... asks the right questions, disposes of clichés and gives a rich account of neglected topics -- David Edgerton * Financial Times *Colourfully and convincingly illustrates the ingenuity and persistence of a few people who made all the difference * Washington Post *

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Book SynopsisPaul Kennedy''s classic naval history, now updated with a new introduction by the authorThis acclaimed book traces Britain''s rise and fall as a sea power from the Tudors to the present day. Challenging the traditional view that the British are natural ''sons of the waves'', he suggests instead that the country''s fortunes as a significant maritime force have always been bound up with its economic growth. In doing so, he contributes significantly to the centuries-long debate between ''continental'' and ''maritime'' schools of strategy over Britain''s policy in times of war. Setting British naval history within a framework of national, international, economic, political and strategic considerations, he offers a fresh approach to one of the central questions in British history. A new introduction extends his analysis into the twenty-first century and reflects on current American and Chinese ambitions for naval mastery.''Excellent and stimulating'' CorrTrade ReviewThe Rise and Fall of British Naval Mastery is the best single-volume study of Britain and her naval past now available to us. -- Jon Sumida * Journal of Modern History *As soon as it appeared in 1976, Paul M. Kennedy's magisterial survey of the historical role and significance of British seapower was recognized by serious naval historians as a work of first importance ... This is by far the most important survey of British Naval history since Sir Herbert Richmond's Statesmen and Sea Power (1946), and in some ways it is more important ... the whole book displays an immense historiographical grasp of a calibre that broad surveys seldom attain. The author's unfailing powers of discernment are further revealed by a sparkling and apt quotation on practically every page. -- Daniel A. Baugh * International History Review *

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