Politics, Philosophy & Society Books

Book SynopsisA heart-wrenching multigenerational family memoir by an excommunicated member of the Exclusive Brethren After coming out as gay, Craig Hoyle was excommunicated from the New Zealand Exclusive Brethren and forced to say goodbye to his family forever. The conservative sect was everything he'd ever known - a childhood where television, pop music, sports and even pets were against the rules. Joining public society - the 'worldlies' - for the first time, Craig sets out to meet his grandfather who was excommunicated in the 1980s and, using his diaries and letters, uncovers two centuries and seven generations of the family's tangled and often cruel relationship with the Brethren. Weaving their past with Craig's own upbringing in this secretive and oppressive religious group, Excommunicated charts the evolution of the Exclusive Brethren in New Zealand and the heartwrenching stories of a family torn apart.

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Book SynopsisIt is frequently said that we are living through the end of politics, the end of social upheavals, the end of utopian folly. Consensual realism is the order of the day. But political realists, remarks Jacques Ranciere, are always several steps behind reality, and the only thing which may come to an end with their dominance is democracy. In these subtle and perceptive essays, Ranciere argues that since Plato and Aristotle politics has always constructed itself as the art of ending politics, that realism is itself utopian, and that what has succeeded the polemical forms of class struggle is not the wisdom of a new millennium but the return of old fears, criminality and chaos. Whether he is discussing the confrontation between Mitterrand and Chirac, French working-class discourse after the 1830 revolution, or the ideology of recent student mobilizations, his aim is to restore philosophy to politics and give politics back its original and necessary meaning: the organization of dissent.Trade ReviewRancière's writings offer one of the few consistent conceptualizations of how we are to continue to resist. -- Slavoj Zizek

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Book SynopsisThe much anticipated follow-up to the bestseller that exposed the escalation of organised crime in New Zealand. Gangster's Paradise is about drugs, guns, gangs and money. Lots of money.A gang which took over a small rural town. A police officer shot and killed in a routine traffic stop. A port-worker who helped a gang whisk a shipping container off a wharf in the middle of the night. A crew of corrupt baggage handlers smuggling meth into the country during Covid lockdowns. A shooting inside a 5-star hotel in broad daylight. Turf wars, retaliation, and retribution: new gangs like the Mongols and Comancheros have brought with them better connections with international syndicates, challenging the established gangs like the Head Hunters - so dominant for many years - who have had to up their game in response. Jared Savage's bestselling book Gangland was about the evolution of gangs in New Zealand. Gangster's Paradise is about the deadly escalation.

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Book SynopsisEverything you need to know about recognising and diagnosing ADHD in women, and how to live a full and fulfilling life after When Julie Legg was diagnosed with ADHD at age 52, suddenly her life made sense. Bringing together her own experience along with research studies and personal stories from other Kiwi women with ADHD, this book is a go-to reference no matter where you are in your journey.It covers the different presentations of ADHD, understanding how the brain works, why girls are underdiagnosed, traits and triggers, the value of an assessment, choosing (or not) medication, freeing yourself from shame, and tips for living and thriving with ADHD.Dispelling myths and opening a lid on the real experiences of the one-in-twenty women who have found their own missing piece, The Missing Piece is an informative and empowering guide to knowing and loving yourself.

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Book SynopsisPressure for independence remains a major force in Scotland, but the case for it has changed substantially since the referendum of 2014. In the 2016 Brexit referendum, 60 per cent of the Scottish electorate voted to remain part of the European Union– the only part of the UK to reject Brexit so unequivocally. This new analysis takes into account a host of economic issues including deficit, debt, currency, energy (including North Sea oil and gas), pensions, mortgages and the financial sector. It weighs up the advantages of rejoining the EU single market, either as a full EU member or as a member of the EEA, with the disadvantages of a hard border with the rest of the UK. Independence would create opportunities, but it would also bring many thorny problems which the Scottish government, and the Scottish people, would have to face. Trade Review'After Brexit calmly and objectively takes readers through the key economic aspects of secession. In doing so, and in the matter-of-fact way it deals with economic reality, it almost feels like an act of subversion' * The Spectator *'Dedicated to the art of impartiality… this study of the economics of Scottish independence offers plenty of insights' -- Joyce McMillan * The Scotsman *'This well balanced look at Scotland’s view of independence following Brexit is an essential guide for anyone interested in politics and economics' * Scots Magazine *'While the effect of Brexit could lead to more support for independence… McCrone highlights several challenges he says independence would bring' * The Times *'I strongly recommend that it should be read by everyone interested in the facts of a debate that tends to go on and on' * Energy Voice *'In the debate over the economics of Scottish independence, no name resonates more loudly than that of Gavin McCron ... this study of the economics of independence offers plenty of insights, but no easy answers' * Scotsman Politics and Current Affairs Summer Edit *

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Book SynopsisThe islands of Scotland’s Outer Hebrides boast some of the most remote and spectacular scenery in the world. They also feature an astonishing range of mysterious structures – stone circles, beehive dwellings, holy wells and ‘temples’ from the Celtic and prehistoric eras. Over a twelve-day journey, Alastair McIntosh returned to the islands of his childhood to explore the meaning of these places. This book is a record of his pilgrimage – a walk through space and time, across a physical landscape and into a spiritual one. As he battled with his own ability to endure some of the toughest terrain in Britain, McIntosh met with the healing power of the land and its communities. Here he reflects on an extraordinary place and on the people he encountered along the way, and explores a vision of imaginative hope for humankind.Trade Review'A remarkable, highly readable yet scholarly book' -- Jim Corrigan * Faith and Freedom *'Fascinating, provocative and, occasionally, very funny' -- Joanna Kavenna * Times Literary Supplement *'One of the most fascinating books I’ve read for a long while, if maddeningly hard to categorise' -- David Robinson * Scotsman *'Poacher’s Pilgrimage is a book full of generosity, spry in its thinking and detailed in its observations' * Scotland on Sunday *'The language is almost poetic, reflecting the writer’s artistic gifts and his understanding of Celtic and pre-Celtic culture' -- David Thomson * Press & Journal (book of the week) *'His honesty is humbling ... he never skirts a question. He is on a mission, and having been Scotland's first professor of human ecology, he seems at times prophetic' -- Polly Pullar * Scottish Field *'If this sounds more serious than a Presbyterian church service, there is great fun to be found in Poacher’s Pilgrimage. McIntosh is an entertaining subversive' * The National *

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Book SynopsisTake your taste buds on an appetizing adventure with this mouth-watering collection of the best and most-authentic street food dishes. Long gone are the days of having to visit top-notch restaurants in order to try the excellent cuisine a country has to offer. With the soaring popularity of street food – ready-to-eat and portable, finger-licking dishes – you can stroll through bustling market stalls anywhere in the world and choose amazing dishes from foodie vendors that tempt you with their wonderful aromas and first-rate flavours. Head to the streets of Mexico for a buttery corn-on-the-cob or a tasty taco, to China for some sticky pork bao buns or walk the alleyways of Italy for arancini bites or a cooling scoop of gelato. When you’re looking to find a country’s most-loved foods, the options are varied, vibrant and inviting for everyone. As you delve into the recipes in this book, you and your kitchen will be transported to taste deliciously different street food and, with each chapter – from An Asian Adventure to Experience India, European Cuisine to Tastes of the Americas – you’ll discover how to create the exquisite yet everyday dishes that each culture does best.

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Book SynopsisFully revised edition with updated information on the surviving members of the orca pod.In 2014, marine biologist Dr Natalie Sanders joined the crew of the research vessel Silurian to seek out Britain's West Coast Community of orca and study them before we lose them forever. Though this orca pod has delighted scientists and whale watchers for years, we still know relatively little about them, and what we do know comes mostly from citizen science and chance encounters. But what is abundantly clear is that pollution, entanglement, military sonar and climate change continue to have an enormous impact on whales and dolphins and other marine life throughout the world's oceans.This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the marine world in this age of climate change. A captivating yet poignant account, it takes the reader from the Western Isles of Scotland to Vancouver Island and elsewhere. It also delves deep into the history of our relations with these beautiful and sentient creature

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Book SynopsisPatanjali’s Yoga Sutras is the key text of yoga. Yet for many contemporary practitioners, its deeper treasures remain either unknown or mired in obscurity. Ranju Roy and David Charlton focus on 18 of the most important sutras and show how each one illuminates the relationship between the body, the breath and the mind in a practical, clear and contemporary manner. The sutras are carefully deconstructed, put into context and then developed into ideas for practice. They examine the interplay of three key terms: support, direction and space. They suggest that only by taking support on something can you establish a clear direction; and only then can a space open up to grow into. This formula can be applied as successfully to the body (in asana) as to the breath (in pranayama) and the mind (through meditation). With illustrated asana sequences and suggested practices, Embodying the Yoga Sutra is both a practical as well as a deeply philosophical book. Roy and Charlton give readers a whole new vocabulary with which to understand yoga as a living, vibrant and dynamic tradition.Trade ReviewRanju and Dave are among the most experienced, insightful and dedicated yoga teaching duos you are ever likely to meet. Their depth of practical knowledge and natural genius for teaching make them perfect people to write a book like this. The fruit of a lifetime of inquiry and practice, this is a book that the world needs. -- Mark Singleton, author of Yoga Body (OUP) and Roots of Yoga (Penguin Classics)Unassuming, generous and brilliant, Dave and Ranju have been a steady source of inspiration for me for over twenty years. In this book, you are getting the no-nonsense, deep-reaching, honest, real-life yoga lived and breathed by these two wonderful teachers. Their delightful attitude and intelligent approach radiates in all their work. They teach from the heart with wit and wisdom: these are not the showmen of modern yoga, they are the real thing. -- Tara Fraser, Director Yoga Junction, author Total Yoga, Easy Yoga Workbook, Yoga Bliss, Astanga Yogafor You, and others

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Book Synopsis"...the panorama of a self-forgotten milieu." — Monopol "Toffs behaving badly: 1980s high society in photos." — The Times “The pictorial equivalents of Evelyn Waugh’s sentences.” — The New Yorker "Modest though he is, Dafydd’s photographs will endure for having perfectly captured a society on the brink of decline. Unmissable listening." — Country & Townhouse podcast "Wonderfully ironic, every point in the picture ignites and knows how to entertain very well." — Lovely Books “Dafydd catches those moments of genuine exhilaration, wealth and youth.” — The Hollywood Reporter “I wondered if the party guests I’d photographed were just re-enacting a nostalgic fantasy, an imaginary version of England that already no longer existed.” – Dafydd Jones Throughout the 1980s, award-winning photographer Dafydd Jones was granted access to some of England’s most exclusive upper-class events. Now, the author of Oxford: The Last Hurrah presents this irreverent and intimate portrait of birthday parties and charity balls, Eton picnics and private school celebrations. With the crack of a hunting rifle and a spray of champagne, these photos give an almost cinematic account of high-society England at its most riotous and its most vulnerable. Against the backdrop of Thatcher’s Britain, globalisation, the Falklands War, rising stocks and dwindling inherited fortunes, Jones reveals the inner lives of the established elite as they party long into the night-time of their fading world. Praise for Oxford: The Last Hurrah ‘Sublime vintage photographs...’ – Hermione Eyre, The Telegraph ‘In The Last Hurrah...we see familiar faces from British high society poised on the brink of adulthood.’ – Eve Watling, IndependentTrade Review"...the panorama of a self-forgotten milieu." - Monopol"Toffs behaving badly: 1980s high society in photos." - The Times"Society photographer Dafydd Jones on the special edition of his book capturing the Oxford of the 1980s." - Tatler“The pictorial equivalents of Evelyn Waugh’s sentences.” - Tina Brown, The New Yorker"In England: The Last Hurrah (ACC Art Books), photographer, Dafydd Jones, provides an inside look at the fan- tastical pomp and promenading of England’s upper crust from a bygone era." - Flaunt Magazine"Photo London offers a host of panels, book signings, workshops, and exhibitions—don’t miss Dafydd Jones’s “England: The Last Hurrah,” photographs that document the Eton picnics and tony birthday parties attended by the country’s upper echelons in the 1980s." - Airmail"Modest though he is, Dafydd’s photographs will endure for having perfectly captured a society on the brink of decline. Unmissable listening." - Country & Townhouse podcast"The image, along with others from the time, appears in a new book, England: The Last Hurrah (ACC Art Books), by photographer Dafydd Jones, who has worked for The Times, The Daily Telegraph and Tatler in a career that started in the 80s." - Waitrose Weekend"A nostalgic remembrance of things past, Jones's newest photo book, England: The Last Hurrah, is a brilliant pre-social media feed of saucy snaps that are sure to entertain." - Guest of a Guest"Dafydd Jones has been photographing the great and good at play for five decades…we sat down with Jones to discover more about his candid photography." - Digital Camera World"…presents this irreverent and intimate portrait of birthday parties and charity balls, Eton picnics and private school celebrations." - Antique & Collectors Trader"Learning on the job, Jones developed his signature style, blending charm, mayhem, and wit into a whirlwind tour of balls, regattas, hunts, polo matches and weddings. Now, Jones looks back one that pivotal era in the new book, England: The Last Hurrah (ACC Art Books)." - Huck"The photos taken by Dafydd Jones during his Tatler years are now brought together in a collection, England: The Last Hurrah, published by the English house ACC Art Book. We see teenagers smoking cigars, students throwing young women into fountains, splashing themselves with whipped cream and doing just about anything that comes to mind." - Vanity Fair France"Are the 'Bright Young Things' still enjoying the limelight? The party exploits of the gilded generation lit up the 80s with some even catching the attention of Hollywood - but as CLAUDIA JOSEPH finds out, for some those days now seem a world away." - The Mail on Sunday"With the empire mired in deep Brexit doldrums, perhaps a nostalgic dose of time travel is in order. Please, have a gander at The Last Hurrah." - Vanity Fair“Parties are a theater,” the photographer Dafydd Jones says. “And I just try to take photographs of the characters in that theater.” - Airmail“Photographer Dafydd Jones’s latest book, England: The Last Hurrah is a fly-on-the-wall account of eighties upper-class England at its most riotous and vulnerable.” - Amateur Photographer"...irreverent and intimate portrait of birthday parties and charity balls, Eton picnics and private school celebrations." - All About Photo"With a new volume of photos having just been published, we sat down with Jones to discover more about his candid photography and what has changed since he attended high society events in the early 1980s." - Digital Camera“Jones manages to flatter his subject in sometimes totally absurd situations, particularly because he photographs exclusively in black and white.” - Citizen K Magazine"Wonderfully ironic, every point in the picture ignites and knows how to entertain very well." - Lovely Books"Dafydd was at the heart of the social scene at Oxbridge and shows an indulgent and drunken crowd in the 80's. He appears to be entirely unnoticed and it is a great documentation of a wreckless age." - Photo Book Store"Photographer Dafydd Jones’ book, released earlier this year, takes stock of England’s ruling classes in all their champagne-soaked vulnerability." - CNN Style“Dafydd catches those moments of genuine exhilaration, wealth and youth.” - The Hollywood Reporter

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Book SynopsisShould we aim to maximize happiness? Are there characteristics that we should foster within ourselves? Why is it important to act morally? From the ancient Greeks to Sartre, from utilitarianism to the categorical imperative, Ethics: A Beginner’s Guide presents this vital topic of philosophy via its most influential thinkers and theories. With characteristic wit, philosopher Peter Cave steers us around well known and not-so-well known ethical traps – in the private sphere, in community life, and in relation to God and religion. As well as a guide to ongoing theoretical debates, Cave shows how the discipline helps us to confront topical controversies including those of the environment, abortion, and animal welfare. For anyone who questions how we ought to live, there is no better introduction to ethics and how it relates to twenty-first-century society.Trade Review“Rich, comprehensive and provocative, with illustrative examples that are original and stimulating… altogether a fine and authoritative introduction to the subject.” -- Michael Clark – Emeritus Professor of Philosophy, University of Nottingham“A must-read. It is thorough and complete, yet always accessible and entertaining, written in Cave’s signature sharp style. No matter what your background, this book will inform and challenge you – just as moral philosophizing should.” -- Andrew Pessin – Professor of Philosophy, Connecticut College“Readable and entertaining… With characteristic verve, Peter Cave surveys a wide range of topics and challenges readers to think their way through complex moral problems. For those seeking to make sense of life’s dilemmas, as well as for students enrolled in philosophy courses, this is an ideal guide.” -- Dan Cohn-Sherbok – Professor Emeritus of Judaism, University of Wales“A clear, comprehensive, and witty tour of the terrain.” -- William Irwin – Professor of Philosophy, King’s College Pennsylvania“Lucid, witty, erudite, and wise. This is more than a brilliant survey of ethical theories: it is an invitation to reflect on your life and to challenge your own settled views.” -- Raymond Tallis – author and philosopher“An excellent primer. Highly recommended!” -- A. C. Grayling

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Book SynopsisThe breech-loading, single-shot .458in Martini-Henry rifle has become a symbol of both the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879 and the numerous battles in Egypt and the Sudan in 1884–85, but continued to be used by both British and colonial troops well into the 20th century. Its invention and introduction into British service were in direct response to the success of the Prussian Dreyse needle gun, which demonstrated that the breech-loading rifle offered faster loading, improved accuracy and superior range; significantly, the weapon could be loaded and fired from a prone position, thus offering the rifleman greater security on the battlefield. Due to the longevity of service, many Martini-Henry rifles survive today, both in museums and in private collections, and the weapon is highly prized by shooting enthusiasts. Featuring specially commissioned full-colour artwork and an array of arresting first-hand accounts and written by an authority on warfare in the Victorian era, this engaging study tells the story of the powerful Martini-Henry and its impact on the battlefield, from the Anglo-Zulu War to the opening months of World War I.Table of ContentsIntroduction /Development /Use /Impact /Further Reading /Index

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Book SynopsisOne of the unspoken assumptions of the Western world is that we are great defenders of human rights, a free press and the benefits of market economics. Mistakes might be made along the way, perhaps even tragic errors of judgement such as the 2003 invasion of Iraq. But the prevailing view is that the West is essentially a force for good in the wider world. Why Are We The Good Guys? is a provocative challenge of this false ideology. David Cromwell digs beneath standard accounts of crucial issues such as foreign policy, climate change and the constant struggle between state-corporate power and genuine democracy. The powerful evidence-based analysis of current affairs is leavened by some of the formative experiences that led the author to question the basic myth of Western benevolence: from schoolroom experiments in democracy, exposure to radical ideas at home, and a mercy mission while at sea; to an unexpected encounter with former Foreign Secretary Robin Cook, the struggles to publish hard-hitting journalism, and the founding of Media Lens in 2001.Trade ReviewCromwell displays his unbending commitment to follow the facts wherever they lead. Asks the questions about OUR leaders that polite society and the mainstream media will not go near. An indispensable tool of intellectual self defence. --David Miller, coauthor of A Century of Spin, cofounder of Spinwatch, Professor of Sociology at the University of Bath UK One of the beacons in a politically dark world is the light cast by a moral few who analyse and reveal how journalism works in the cause of power. David Cromwell has pride of place in this company. Every member of the public and every journalist with an ounce of scepticism about authority should read his outstanding book. --John Pilger, journalist and documentary maker

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Book SynopsisPsychology is everywhere. Our emotions and desires, the decisions we make on a daily basis - absolutely every aspect of the way we think and feel has been studied by psychologists. Through dozens of interactive puzzles, IQ tests, quizzes, jokes, puns and visual illusions, Ben Ambridge guides us through this wealth of research, showing us how we can better understand ourselves. Debunking tabloid speculation, revisiting old favourites such as the Stanford Prison Experiment and unearthing bleeding edge research unknown to the general reader, renowned psychologist Ben Ambridge blows away the received wisdom to reveal to enthusiasts and novices alike the psychology behind our daily lives. With wit and humour aplenty, he explains whether your blue eyes make you more or less trustworthy, how analogies can help cure cancer, whether Rorschach's famous inkblot tests really work, what your love for heavy metal (or Mozart) says about you, how psychology could help solve the obesity crisis and countless other revealing, entertaining and downright astonishing tests of your Psy-Q. Visit Ben's accompanying website, http://benambridge.wordpress.com/, and test yourself - and your friends.Trade ReviewBoth broad and deep, serious but lots of fun. Recommended -- Tim Harford, author of * The Undercover Economist *A clear and engaging explanation of many psychological phenomena you've vaguely heard of, and many more you'll be glad to learn about -- Steven PinkerClever, broad-minded and fun * Sunday Times *He has a trickster's charm of "How did he do that?" presentation and a stage magician's "Hey presto!" delight in revelation * Times *For all its easy-peasy, playful, tick-in-the-box larkiness, Psy-Q makes some very interesting points about the counter-intuitive nature of human psychology, and has a fresh and often iconoclastic take on even the most celebrated experiments -- Craig Brown * Mail on Sunday *A cornucopia of brain-teasers and other (psycho)logical delights that will challenge, surprise and amuse -- Guy Deutscher, author of 'Through the Language Glass'A readable, accessible and un-putdownable book that I managed to devour in an entire afternoon * The Bookbag *As I completed what Ambridge calls my "psych-odyssey", I did have a better understanding of myself * BBC Focus *A playful insight into the world of the human mind...Once finished with, it makes for great fun to turn psychologist and test friends and family and watch them sweat while you raise a brow uncomfortably * Irish Examiner *

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Book SynopsisA new edition to Arcturus''s growing list of non-fiction classics, On Happiness contains the Greek philosopher''s teachings about life and death, religion and science, happiness, friendship and morality. His views were influential on later scientists and philosophers, such as Isaac Newton, Thomas Hobbes and Karl Marx, given his thoughts on the value of scientific observation as the only way to prove theories and also his promotion of the idea that living a simple, modest life was the way to happiness.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Arcturus Classics series brings together high-quality paperback editions of classics works, presented with contemporary graphic cover designs. Together they make a wonderful collection which is perfect for any home library.

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Book SynopsisEdwin Lutyens' Memorial to the Missing of the Somme at Thiepval in Northern France, visited annually by tens of thousands of tourists, is arguably the finest structure erected by any British architect in the twentieth century. It is the principal, tangible expression of the defining event in Britain's experience and memory of the Great War, the first day of the Battle of the Somme on 1 July 1916, and it bears the names of 73,000 soldiers whose bodies were never found at the end of that bloody and futile campaign. This brilliant study by an acclaimed architectural historian tells the origin of the memorial in the context of commemorating the war dead; it considers the giant classical brick arch in architectural terms, and also explores its wider historical significance and its resonances today. So much of the meaning of the twentieth century is concentrated here; the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing casts a shadow into the future, a shadow which extends beyond the dead of the Holocaust, to the Gulag, to the 'disappeared' of South America and of Tianenmen. Reissued in a beautiful and striking new edition for the centenary of the Somme.Trade Review[a] moving and eloquent book * Literary Review *as a piece of architectural analysis it is impressive * The Spectator *Stamp has provided an invaluable, detailed and illuminating study * Guardian *the value of Stamp's book lies in its eloquent account of the genius of the vision of Edward Lutyens ... who created in the Monument to the Missing at Thiepval the central metaphor of a generation's experience of appalling loss. * Observer *This book is a gem...an eloquent, moving lament for the futile waste and industrialised killing of the First World War, and indeed of the 20th Century - an elegy which resonates powerfully today. * Sunday Telegraph *Much, much more than architectural history, for here, encapsulated in marmoreally angry prose, is an account of that collective act of mass murder, without parallel in history, known as the Great War. An unforgettable, passionate book. -- A.N. Wilson * Evening Standard *Perfectly formed and beautifully written, this book is a minor masterpiece, a paragon of its genre. It will move all but the hardest heart to tears at the folly, and the glory, that is man. -- Ross Leckie * The Times *

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Book Synopsis'Thorough and engaging ... you can't understand England without understanding the BBC' New York Times 'Fascinating and informative' Daily Telegraph 'A dramatic tale of innovation and determination' Guardian In 1922, a tiny group of men and women came together to found the BBC, using what had been a weapon of war - Marconi's wireless - to remake culture for the good of humanity. Twenty years later, when George Orwell famously quit the Corporation, he decided he was done 'doing work that produces no result'. Yet the BBC is now one of Britain's most beloved institutions. Stars once fainted at the microphone; now a select few spend their Saturdays waltzing for the nation's entertainment in front of studio cameras. From Daleks to Desert Island Discs, the BBC has blazed a trail for British entertainment. Yet it has also always been at the forefront of global change, both breaking and covering the most important stories of the century on Panorama and BBC News. This is a stirring and monumental history of the British cultural stalwart which created modern broadcasting one hundred years ago.Trade ReviewAn impassioned defence [of] a national institution -- Dominic Sandbrook * Sunday Times *A tale of creative endeavour and technological innovation, beset by a constant tension between leading and following the audience * FT *A superb account ... David Hendy stages a cast of brilliant and sometimes flawed characters in a page-turning narrative. Quite simply wonderful -- Robert Gildea, Professor of Modern History at the University of OxfordA dramatic tale of innovation and determination ... at the dawning of what would turn out to be this country's biggest and most significant cultural institution -- Andrew Anthony * Observer *Extraordinary ... Hendy's stated aim is a kind of history from below: a counterpoint to Asa Briggs's magisterial five-volume account of British broadcasting history to 1974, which occasionally gave the impression that the story of radio and TV consisted largely in calm, besuited bigwigs gliding through boardrooms and Whitehall, setting policies and initiating parliamentary committees. Hendy, rather, wants to give a place to the people who actually did the work ... At times, Hendy succeeds magnificently -- Charlotte Higgins * Guardian *A fascinating and informative account of the BBC's first 100 years -- Robin Aitken * Daily Telegraph *Hendy ... combines a historian's sense of sweep with the eye for colour of the TV producer he once was * The Economist *David Hendy's history of the BBC is both engaging and fair ... it is very much the case for the corporation, but it is a case that needs to be made -- Allan Massie * Scotsman *A solid ... case for the BBC's survival -- Clive Davis * Times *Lucid and well-researched -- Rod Liddle * Spectator *Hendy tracks the Beeb from its chaotic formation and its pivotal, sometimes covert, roles during the Second World War through peaks and troughs ... packed [with] vivid tales -- Graeme Thomson * Radio Times *Sympathetic but never uncritical, a masterpiece of lucid presentation ... this is the authoritative, much-needed history of the BBC's first century - a century at the heart of British everyday life. I hope it does its bit to counter the vandals -- David Kynaston, historian and Visiting Professor at Kingston UniversityDavid Hendy's magisterial The BBC: A People's History is a truly wonderful book. Captivating, compelling, moving, and richly detailed it is both a ground-breaking and important history of our national broadcaster and one of the best things I have read on the transformation of British society, culture, and politics since the 1920s -- Matt Houlbrook, Professor of Cultural History at University of BirminghamAn appropriately large-scale account of the media giant at the very heart of British life ... Much of this history has been told before but never in such well-researched depth and sparkling detail * Kirkus *

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Book SynopsisUsing examples from art and literature, Frantzen explores the social, political and economic implications of both real and imagined depression. Is feeling blue a symptom of the death of progress? Was the suicide of David Foster Wallace a proverbial canary in a coal mine? Margaret Thatcher once declared that there is no alternative to the social order that we now reside within. Have we accepted her slogan as a fact, and is that why so many are on Prozac and other anti-depressants? Frantzen examines the works of Michel Houellebecq, Claire Fontaine and David Foster Wallace as he seeks out an answer and a way to formulate a new future oriented left movement.

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Book Synopsis'Feminism' wrote Marie Shear in 1986, 'is the radical notion that women are people'. But, simple and powerful though this definition is, feminism is not a single, clear narrative. It doesn't begin with a specific event at a particular moment in time, it can't be identified with any one political organization or movement, and it isn't defined by the contributions of a handful of great thinkers. Here, Professor Deborah Cameron unpicks the various strands that constitute one of history's most important intellectual and political movements. In her clear and incisive account, she discusses oppression, sexuality, violence, academic theory and practical activism, shows how feminism can be a way of viewing the world and provides an overview of its history. In an era of #metoo, pay gap scandals and online harrassment, it's impossible to deny that gender inequality is a fact of life. And as long as that continues to be true, we will need to understand and engage with the ideas and history of the feminist movement.Trade ReviewAn energetic primer on women's rights, both past and present. Cameron breaks key topics down in a clear and comprehensible way, without ever seeming patronising...The suggested reading at the end is a delight * Diva *Relevant to both general readers and veteran feminist scholars and activist...A lucid entry point into our current puzzling feminist moment * Times Higher Education *

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Book SynopsisWe dream in darkness. Yet light is everywhere, blazing its way through our lives and thoughts. We urgently need new ways to think of futures to save the planet, other species, and ourselves. What might happen when the lights go down?

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Book Synopsis'Bernie Sanders has changed US politics forever' Owen Jones The Sunday Times bestseller Bernie Sanders is one of the most influential voices in a global movement fighting injustice. He has dominated two Democratic primary races, and changed the political conversation around the world. But he began as an unknown underdog. So how did he get here? In this remarkable memoir, Sanders shows how a young man from Brooklyn, via Civil Rights demonstrations and a lifetime of independent politics, became one of the most radical voices in America. He provides a unique insight into the campaign that galvanized a movement, and shares experiences from the campaign trail as well as the ideas and strategies that shaped it. And, drawing on decades of experience as an activist and public servant, he outlines his vision for continuing this revolution.Trade ReviewPraise for Bernie Sanders: 'Gives us a glimpse of what politics could be like' -- Yanis VaroufakisA decent, honest person. It's pretty unusual in the political system. -- Noam ChomskySanders' success today shows that much of America is tired of rising inequality and these so-called political changes, and intends to revive both a progressive agenda and the American tradition of egalitarianism. -- Thomas PikettyOnly Bernie Sanders can break the power of capitalism -- Paul Mason

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Book SynopsisOur times of crumbling structures and decaying social bonds are often depicted as apocalyptic. This book takes the apocalypse as a metaphor to help us in the search for meaning in our everyday realities. Yes, the apocalypse is when social structures and institutions fall apart and we are terrified and suffocated by the debris raining down upon us. But “apocalypse" also means “revelation”. The very collapse reveals what dissipating institutions were constructed upon: where there ought to have been foundational common values, most often there is violence and raw power. Yet the values are there, too, and they can be found. This book is a guide to these values, showing how they can be of help to organizers and organizational dreamers.

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Book SynopsisThe concept of strategic assault of a Nation’s industrial and military base by air was heralded by Britain as far back as the immediate period before the start of WWI. However, stringent post-War economy ensured that the creation of Bomber Command in 1936 witnessed a daunting disparity between the aim of striking at an adversary’s ability to sustain itself on the Field of Battle and the means to do so. The initial three years of WWII left the Command very weak in both human and material terms. The navigational means with which to accurately guide the bombers to targets was almost completely lacking during this period, while the enemy defensive network inflicted serious casualty rates. The punishment handed out was accordingly minimal in effect. The resurgence of the Command’s fortunes coincided with the appointment of Sir Arthur Harris as C-in-C. The advent of the more efficient Lancaster and Halifax designs ensured a greatly increased bomb tonnage could be delivered. Electronic aids such as ‘Gee’, ‘Oboe’ and ‘H2’S’ ensured the task of locating targets was simplified. So it was that by 1944/45 the Third Reich’s industrial base was virtually rendered impotent.Table of Contents1 The Bomber as a Strategic Concept; 2 Girding up for Battle; 3 From Sublime Optimism to Harsh Reality; 4 ‘In the Dark-Literally’ (May-October 1940); 5 A Staccato Offensive? (October 1940-Mid-1941); 6 Descent into Crisis (July-December 1941); 7 ‘Area Bombing’: The Unavoidable Adaptation; (January 1942-December 1942); 8 ‘Pathfinders’: The Way Ahead; 9 ‘Terrible Swift Sword’: Battle of the Ruhr; 10 ‘The Specialists’: No. 617 Squadron (March 1943-April 1944); 11 Operation Gomorrah: A City Put to the Sword; 12 Peenemünde; 13 ‘Battle of Berlin’: A Major Rebuff?; 14 Berlin Diminuendo to Nuremberg’s Ghastly Conclusion; 15 The Transportation Plan: A Necessary Operational Retrenchment?; 16 The Die is Cast (August-December 1944); 17 Irreversible Breach in the Wall: No. 100 Group’s Electronic Magic; 18 ‘The Final Act’; Appendix I: Order of Battle on 15 December 1936; Appendix II: Order of Battle on 26 September 1939; Appendix III: Order of Battle on 4 March 1943; Appendix IV: Order of Battle on 19 April 1945; Bibliography; Index.

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Book SynopsisFor 100 years, the world's oldest independent air force, the RAF, forged a distinguished record in military air operations from the First World War through to recent operations over Iraq and Syria. There is, however, a field of endeavour in which the Royal Air Force has excelled: selling its public image. Of the three armed services, the air force is the one perfectly placed to advertise its wares 'at home' with the facilities to accommodate large audiences, through scintillating flying displays with ever more impressive aircraft and large airfields with readily available facilities. Originally centred on the RAF station at Hendon in North London, the RAF held its first public 'Air Pageant' in 1920. A grand affair, it continued as an annual event until 1937 when it was succeeded by the widespread 'Empire Air Day' held at several RAF stations until war intervened in 1939. The RAF came to true military prominence during the Second World War, particularly the 'Battle of Britain'; this then became the focus of the celebration and commemoration. However, the Battle of Britain Displays constantly contracted, eventually to zero, but for much of their existence were the most impressive air shows around the globe.

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Book SynopsisThe "End of History" is over. The idea that Western liberal democracy was the "final form of human government" has been exposed as bluster: the old order is crumbling before our eyes. Angry anti-politics have arisen to threaten political establishments across the world. Elites have fallen into hysteria, blaming voters, "populism", Putin, Facebook... anyone but themselves. They are suffering from Neoliberal Order Breakdown Syndrome. Emerging from four years of interviews and debates on the popular global politics podcast Aufhebunga Bunga, The End of the End of History examines how the political consequences of the 2008 financial crisis have come home to roost. If Trump and Brexit shattered the liberal-democratic consensus in 2016, then the global pandemic of 2020 put a final end to the "End of History". Politics is back, but it's stranger than ever.

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Book SynopsisIn this headline-making book, Daniel Bergner turns everything we thought we knew about women's desire on its head. Drawing on extensive research and interviews with renowned behavioural scientists, sexologists, psychologists and everyday women, Daniel Bergner asks:- Do women really crave intimacy and emotional connection? - Are women more disposed to sex with strangers or multiple partners than either science or society have ever let on? - And is 'the fairer sex' actually more sexually aggressive and anarchic than men?Trade ReviewExplosive -- Zoe Williams * * Guardian * *Fascinating and controversial * * The Sunday Times * *This book should be read by every woman on earth. It should be handed out to pubescent girls... It is a must read for any person with even a remote erotic interest in the female gender... it is a revelation -- Tracy Clark-Flory * * Salon * *A new book that paints an unprecedented picture of female sexuality... [it] may strike fear in the heart of every heterosexual male * * Daily Mail * *What Do Women Want? adds both steam and explosives into the national conversation-or preoccupation-with what it means to be a woman today * * Vogue * *Bergner lays out the history of this brainwashing and then debunks it in his entertaining new book, What do Women Want?. He recaps ingenious studies that have plumbed our desires, including those we deny or hide from ourselves * * Elle * *Daniel Bergner has written a keenly intelligent book about a subject that often exceeds our intelligence: What Do Women Want? * * Gay Talese * *At last, we have a new perspective on the wilds of female desire, in rousing tableaux, as women, men, sexologists, bonobos, erotic gurus, and many others provide frank, vivid answers to the question that has haunted [us] for far too long: What do women want? The answer will fascinate all -- Diane Ackerman * * author of A Natural History of Love * *Accessible and informative prose... this page-turning book will have readers questioning some of their most ingrained beliefs about women, men, society, and sex * * Publishers Weekly * *It's everything you wanted to know about sex but didn't know to ask. Daniel Bergner upends long-standing myths about women and sex - everything from nature of attraction and pursuit to prevalence of taboo fantasies to monogamy itself * * New York Post * *Knits together anecdote, case study and scientific discovery to overturn some tenacious assumptions -- Emma Brockes * * Guardian * *A must-read for anyone who is interested in understanding what makes women tick -- Suzi Godson * * More Sex Daily * *Bergner tumbles many fallacies...Yet it is Bergner's portraits of women agonising about their own thwarted or failing desire that truly illuminate the book. He is a tender and eloquent chronicler -- Janice Turner * * The Times * *The possibilities are endless * * Psychologies (August Issue) * *Fascinating . . . Threatens to disrupt all the modern stereotypes of female sexuality * * Slate * *Shatters many of our most cherished myths about desire * * The Atlantic * *An excellent, accessible study -- Aidan Moffat * * Quietus * *What Do Women Want? by Daniel Bergner cites a number of studies that throw water on the notion that women have less active libidos than men or need intimacy to enjoy sex * * Irish Independent * *

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Book SynopsisShe Said is a wonderful celebration of the wit and wisdom of women through the ages.In it you’ll find writers, artists, politicians, actors, musicians, fashionistas, from Sappho to Beyoncé and Dorothy Parker to Carrie Fisher, all of whom have two things in common: brilliant minds and barbed wits that sting with their precision.Featuring women from as far back as 700 BC and right up to the modern day, the quotations and classic one-liners found here will inspire and delight, whether they are cheeky retorts from the outspoken, barbed reflections from the thoughtful or righteous indignation from the slighted.In the words of Elizabeth von Arnim (1866–1941), 'A woman's tongue is a deadly weapon and the most difficult thing in the world to keep in order.'Trade ReviewBrilliant book * Sunday Mirror S Magazine *

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Book SynopsisThe veritable tsunami of anxieties that are affecting individual lives, the increasingly dysfunctional nature of society and the potential catastrophes of global conflict and of climate change, have a common cause. The inability of capitalism or the state to respond to existential crises and internal contradictions is the cause of what William Briggs terms A Cauldron of Anxiety. Briggs defends a Marxist perspective that would challenge this and provides an optimistic vision for the future.

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Book SynopsisEducating and caring for a child with autism is a severely difficult task, too often associated with frustration and disappointment. As a result, the inner development of these children is at times considered to be beyond the reach of parents and carers.This book challenges that assumption, exploring case studies where therapy based on a holistic approach has resulted in marked improvements in the children's behaviour and social integration. With an extended holistic programme, autistic children discover inner self-awareness and self-recognition, leading to first steps in relationships and social skills. The authors describe in detail their own practical experiences, as well as the findings of other experts in the field. This new third edition covers recent developments in diagnostic methods and approaches to treatment, including new case studies and a new chapter looking at the sensory aspect of autism and Sensory Integration Therapy.Well-researched and movingly written, this book has an essential, positive message for all those involved in the care and education of children with autism.Trade Review'This is a very encouraging book for those dealing with autism, and though written for parents, caretakers and educators of the autistic child, there is much in it of importance for how we approach the needs of young children with even minor developmental difficulties.'-- Light Magazine'Well organized and clearly written. This book draws on the rich experience and insights of doctors gained over decades as well as individuals who experience autism themselves. We can be most grateful to have access to this first anthroposophical book in the English language devoted to autism.'-- Ingelore Maier, Journey for Anthroposophy'Bob Woodward sets out clearly and in a lively, readable style his ideas, methods and results. This book could form the basis of some lively discussion at parents meeting.'-- Anthea Hailey, Camphill Pages'We have much to learn from the teachings of Rudolf Steiner and Bob Woodward's application of them to working with children with autism. This book is an excellent introduction to the ideas and practice as they relate to autism.'-- Dr Lorna Wing, Camphill Correspondence'I would recommend this excellent well-researched book be on the bookshelf of every curative educator, therapist and doctor who is attempting to understand and care for those individuals who suffer from autism.'-- Jean Brown, Anthroposophical Medical Newsletter

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Book SynopsisThis much-loved book is a collection of over one hundred songs, some well known, some less known, collected over the years by experienced Waldorf teacher Brien Masters.They are graded for different ages from Class 3 (age 8) to Class 8 (age 14) and grouped into festivals and seasons. They include rounds and four-part songs, and musical notation for recorders and other instruments.This is a wonderful resource for Steiner-Waldorf class teachers, and any teacher or parent looking to introduce music to their classroom or home.Trade Review'This book is brilliant. It's perfect for Waldorf teachers, homeschoolers, and students alike. It is chock-full of simple, haunting pentatontic songs to sing or play on the recorder.'-- Amazon.com reader review

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Book SynopsisWhen The Hunger Games series began in 2008, many commentators lumped it in with other young adult genre fiction. But The Hunger Games was always more political. It’s since become the defining story for a generation that’s grown up with economic crisis and never ending war. An uber-rich ruling class gorge themselves in their gleaming high-tech Capitol, while working people are left behind to survive in exploited districts. Revolution is a forgotten hope kept at bay by brutal policing, aching poverty, and rigid class segregation. Suzanne Collins' dark vision has only become more relevant as The Hunger Games generation are thrown into an arena of increasingly brutal competition from which it seems like there is no escape, amid the climate crisis, global pandemics, rampant inequality, authoritarianism, media misinformation, and violence and cruelty as TV spectacle. It's no wonder the story continues to resonate. Stay Alive uses the story to shed light on our own age of extreme inequalities and climate collapse, in which elites use state power, compliant media, and violent spectacle to pacify their populations. The elite endgame is leading us towards our own version of Panem, an authoritarian state order we’ll call Capitolism. The world is catching fire. Elites have no intention of burning with us. And yet there is hope, which Michael Harris finds for his readers in revolution and radical solidarity, in the anti-authoritarian, empathetic, cooperative politics of a generation that has no choice but to rebel.

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Book SynopsisChildren need to experience nature, and gardening is a good way to encourage them to engage with the earth, plants and animals.Gardening classes, as taught in Steiner-Waldorf schools from Class 6 to Class 10, help children develop many important skills, including sensory perception and motor skills, as well as an understanding of ecology and agriculture. How can such a complex subject be taught well and effectively?In a clear structure -- which includes the history of school gardens, aspects of child development, and practical help on teaching methods, lesson planning for different age groups, and maintaining the garden itself -- Birte Kaufmann offers many useful tips and suggestions for new or developing gardening teachers.

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Book SynopsisI will teach them literature, poetry, culture. I will teach them The Waste Land ! I will be the Best Teacher Who Has Ever Lived!Or so the Secret Teacher thinks. On his first day at an inner-city state school things don't quite go to plan . . . His students are an unruly mob stuffed with behavioural issues, but somehow, the Secret Teacher needs to enthuse them with a love of books. Or at least keep them sitting at their desks until the end of the lesson. And then he's got to deal with marking, OFSTED, educational consultants, spreadsheets, personal statements, school trips, strikes, class, race, love, death, birth, manhood, dry cleaning, the end of literary culture . . .This is a vivid account of the Secret Teacher's first few years in the classroom. Here he celebrates the extraordinary teachers he has worked with, and the kids: bolshie, bright, funny and absolutely electric.

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Book SynopsisLeading-edge empirical observations are increasingly difficult to reconcile with 'scientific' materialism. Laboratory results in quantum mechanics, for instance, strongly indicate that there is no autonomous world of tables and chairs out there. Coupled with the inability of materialist neuroscience to explain consciousness, this is forcing both science and philosophy to contemplate alternative worldviews. Analytic idealism - the notion that reality, while equally amenable to scientific inquiry, is fundamentally mental - is a leading contender to replace 'scientific' materialism. In this book, the broad body of empirical evidence and reasoning in favor of analytic idealism is reviewed in an accessible manner. The book brings together a number of highly influential essays previously published by major media outlets such as Scientific American and the Institute of Art and Ideas. The essays have been revised and improved, while two never-before-published essays have been added. The resulting argument anticipates a historically imminent transition to a scientific worldview that, while elegantly accommodating all known empirical evidence and predictive models, regards mind - not matter - as the ground of all reality.

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Book SynopsisBeginning with the election of Donald Trump ("The Loneliest Man in the World") and expanding back and forth into American history, surveillance, violence against the individual, the denormalizing of misogyny and the rehumanizing of public space. The ultimate focus of the book is climate and feminist activism, bringing Solnit's trademark deep analysis to bear on a range of contemporary crises. And again, and spectacularly, she shows us how to hope.

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Book SynopsisOfficial art book of the Marvel's Midnight Suns video game, packed with interviews with the creative team behind the game, as well as stunning concept art created during the development process. When the demonic Lilith and her fearsome horde unite with the evil armies of Hydra, it's time to unleash Marvel's dark side. As The Hunter, your mission is to lead an unlikely team of seasoned Super Heroes and dangerous supernatural warriors to victory. Can legends such as Doctor Strange, Iron Man, and Blade put aside their differences in the face of a growing apocalyptic threat? If you're going to save the world, you'll have to forge alliances and lead the team into battle as the legendary Midnight Suns-Earth's last line of defence against the underworld. Marvel's Midnight Suns - The Art of the Game captures the creative process of this much-anticipated game. The exclusive concept art and in-game renderings created by the talented development team-creating the game in collaboration with Marvel-are shown in glorious detail in this lush, hardback volume. Characters, locations, gadgets, weapons, monsters, enemies, and much more are all accompanied by unique insights from the artists and developers behind the game. So step into the world of Marvel's Midnight Suns - and rise up against the darkness!

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Book SynopsisWhat if meeting new people were a gift, not a burden? How might we transform our lives if we set aside our fear of outsiders? When Will Buckingham's partner died, the shock of his grief told him to withdraw. Instead, he sought solace in throwing open the door to new people; travelling the world - from Birmingham to Myanmar - seeking out stories of loneliness, exile and friendship, from classical times to the modern day. Drawing from his travels, as well as insights from philosophy, anthropology, history and literature, Hello, Stranger is a powerful antidote to loneliness and xenophobia, and a heart-warming story of the power of kindness and compassion.Trade ReviewFollowing a personal tragedy, Will Buckingham propels himself out, alone, into the world, to explore what it means to be a stranger - the joys and pitfalls, the perennial truths. A glorious book, fabulously learned and funny, and filled with all manner of stirring stories * Philip Marsden, author of The Summer Isles *A treasure trove of all the possibilities strangers can be to each other. Read, learn and savour * Madeleine Bunting, author of Labours of Love: The Crisis of Care *Buckingham provides a map for others to follow, showing that when we show kindness to strangers, we may be entertaining angels unawares * John Paul Flintoff, author of How to Change the World (School of Life) *Humane and heart-warming -- Caroline Sanderson * Bookseller *A moving memoir of finding solace * Economist *Very excellent -- Reverend Richard Coles * BBC Radio 4 Saturday Live *

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Book Synopsis‘Deeply thoughtful and compassionate ... Don't Turn Away is a fine book and is accessible for the seasoned psychiatrist and general reader alike.’ The British Journal of Psychiatry As Featured on BBC Woman's Hour 'Deeply thoughtful and compassionate' Susie Orbach, author of In Therapy 'A book with the power to move and inform . . . [Campling] is an expert in "intelligent kindness".' Gwen Adshead, author of The Devil You Know 'Fantastic new book from Penny Campling - 5 stars' Dr Kate Lovett, former Dean, Royal College of Psychiatrists Over the course of her 40-year career, psychiatrist and psychotherapist Penelope Campling has worked with patients from all walks of life, from survivors of abuse to ICU doctors struggling under the strain of Covid-19. She has seen many positive changes in how we approach mental health – and yet she is increasingly troubled by the state of our health services. Too often those suffering from serious mental illness are being neglected, locked away, even abused. In Don't Turn Away Campling takes us into the therapy room, offering unique insight into how we treat those in distress. She shows us how the progress made in a more optimistic era of psychiatry is fast being eroded; how our struggling healthcare system often fails those who need our support; and how crucial it is in today's uncertain world that we do not turn away. Candid, compassionate and, above all, hopeful, Don't Turn Away is a story of troubled minds and how we try to heal them. '[An] insightful, important book . . . an exhibition of what could be possible and an invitation to act to deliver that vision.' Kathryn Mannix, author of Listen 'A lucid and much-needed articulation of the frustration shared by so many struggling to keep the NHS afloat' Iona Heath, BMJ 'As a GP I wish I could send patients to Penelope Campling; as someone worried about failing mental health services, I wish she were in charge.' Gavin Francis, author of Adventures in Human Being 'An important book, moving and honest… stands out in its field of psychotherapist memoirs' Beth Guilding, TLS 'This book oozes compassion and kindness and made me want to be a more understanding doctor.' Kate Milton, British Journal of GP PracticeTrade Review‘Deeply thoughtful and compassionate’ Susie Orbach, author of In Therapy ‘A book with the power to move and inform . . . [Campling] is an expert in “intelligent kindness”.’ Gwen Adshead, author of The Devil You Know 'Fantastic new book from Penny Campling - 5 stars' Dr Kate Lovett, former Dean, Royal College of Psychiatrists [An] insightful, important book . . . an exhibition of what could be possible and an invitation to act to deliver that vision.’ Kathryn Mannix, author of Listen ‘A lucid and much-needed articulation of the frustration shared by so many struggling to keep the NHS afloat’ Iona Heath, BMJ ‘As a GP I wish I could send patients to Penelope Campling; as someone worried about failing mental health services, I wish she were in charge.’ Gavin Francis, author of Adventures in Human Being ‘An important book, moving and honest… stands out in its field of psychotherapist memoirs’ Beth Guilding, TLS ‘This book oozes compassion and kindness and made me want to be a more understanding doctor.’ Kate Milton, British Journal of GP Practice

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Book SynopsisIn the glorious, boozy party after the first World War, a new being burst defiantly onto the world stage: the so-called flapper. Young, impetuous, and flirtatious, she was an alluring, controversial figure, celebrated in movies, fiction, plays, and the pages of fashion magazines. But, as this book argues, she didn't appear out of nowhere. This spirited, beautifully illustrated history presents a fresh look at the reality of young women's experiences in America and Britain from the 1890s to the 1920s, when the "modern" girl emerged. Linda Simon shows us how this modern girl bravely created a culture, a look, and a future of her own. Lost Girls is an illuminating history of the iconic flapper as she evolved from a problem to a temptation, and finally, in the 1920s and beyond, to an aspiration.Trade Review"To read Simon's social and literary history of flappers is to feel . . . the relief of the loosening of corsets, the excitement of the shimmy and tango in the dance hall, the thrill of smoking, the bliss of escape from detested chaperoning rules, and the swooning effect of watching Rudolph Valentino on the silent screen."--Times "[An] entertaining new book from the front lines of feminism. . . . We think of flappers as flirty, rebellious young women given to snappy one-liners, short dresses, and flat chests. We rarely give credit to these bright young things as the women who shed their mother's Victorian corsetry and prudish notions about sex and scotch. Simon's engaging history explores this seminal postwar moment, exploring the evolution of these radical young girls (Simon calls them 'girls' in a good way) from 'a problem to a temptation, and finally, in the 1920s and beyond, to an aspiration.'"--Sarah Murdoch "Toronto Star " "[A] fascinating study of the phenomenon known as the flapper."--Tony Rennell "Daily Mail, a "Top History Pick" " "[A] deftly written and meticulously researched cultural and experiential history. . . . Simon makes clear that the flappers' quest for agency, influence, and new opportunities remained, at times, 'as chimerical as Neverland.'"--History Today "Simon's new book of flappers seeks to understand their history. She shows that, though often caricatured in the media as frivolous, vain girls, flappers were more likely to be ambitious, modern young women who dreaded that they would end up like their mothers. They wanted the vote, a well-paid and fulfilling job, and sex. Much more sex. Echoing the flappers' joy and exuberance, Simon's history positively sizzles on the page. It is a story of booze, dance, and danger."--BBC History Magazine "Using sources from popular culture and from people of the time, Simon asserts that the image of the flapper did not appear out of a single historical moment but rather was invented over the decades. The flapper did not limit its impact to fashion and women's attitudes, but also intersected with debates about race, immigration, politics, and the like. Simon's book is an excellent and very accessible narrative on the flapper and will be of interest to anyone fascinated with gender and the history of the late-nineteenth to early-twentieth century."--Kyle McMillen "New Books Network " "Social anxieties have a way of coalescing around young women's bodies, Simon demonstrates in Lost Girls, her riveting, deeply-researched counter-history of the flapper. Behind the beads, the bob, the fringe, and the Charleston, there is a much darker story to be told."--Lauren Elkin, author of Fl neuse: Women Walk the City in Paris, New York, Tokyo, Venice, and London "Lost Girls finds an irresistible history of many girls. They longed to be modern, New Women, and in the Jazz Age, transgressive flappers. They wanted to dance, go to the movies, dress freely, work, be independent, and even vote. Arrayed against them were parents, scientists, politicians, and an imprisoning cult of motherhood. Simon, with verve and wit and eloquence, shows us their battles, scars, and victories--a vibrant legacy for the twenty-first century."--Catharine R. Stimpson, New York University "For Simon, the origins of the flapper of the 1920s are to be found in the social constructs and literature of the nineteenth century--as limned by writers such as Mark Twain, who was fascinated with adolescent and sometimes prepubescent girls, whom he dubbed 'angelfish.' Female adolescents fascinated US thinkers and leaders, most notably for their importance as the future wives and mothers of the nation. For nineteenth-century and early-twentieth-century American society, it was critical to control these wonderful young women so they could become the good mothers and wives that the nation needed. Simon sees the flappers of the 1920s as a reaction against the restrictions of the late nineteenth century. The upheaval of the post-WW I period made the existence of the flapper possible. Coupled with Joshua Zeitz's Flapper, Lost Girls provides a complete account of the young women of the 1920s and their origins. . . . Recommended."--Choice "The flapper is famous for her style, not her substance. . . . But the history of the flapper goes back further than such pop narratives would have us believe. In her book Lost Girls, historian Simon traces the prehistory of the term, and positions the eventual emergence of these wild gals as the end of a generation-long cultural wrangling over female adolescence and female power. . . . Simon also deftly illustrates the ways that American and British society created the conundrum represented by the flapper."--Nina Renata Aron "Timeline " "Simon's new book, Lost Girls, is not about this visceral fantasy of loose girls in drop waists. Instead, it's a careful, sometimes gritty look at exactly how British and American women rose from a Victorian world of corsets and social constraints to one in which they could at least imagine they wielded as much power as men. . . . It's clear she is a gifted researcher, and each piece of information she provides seems to bloom with nuance and careful understanding of the time, place, and people she writes about."--Washington Independent Review of Books "Rich in surprise connections and creepy quotes, Lost Girls illuminates a modernist aspiration to blur gender and age that was simultaneously abetted and repressed by a deeply confused society."--Times Literary Supplement "'The iconic, mythic, post-war flapper, ' writes Simon in her involving social history of the phenomenon, 'emerged from a culture obsessed with the adolescent girl: as a problem, a temptation and finally, in the 1920s and beyond, an aspiration.' . . . Lost Girls is a scholarly treatise on what at first glance would seem a frivolous subject. . . . Simon has come up with a great deal of fascinating information and her research is impressive."--Moira Hodgson "Wall Street Journal "

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Book SynopsisAt an auction in Edinburgh in 2010, the sale of an old walking stick belonging to a British officer, Captain Gill, shed new light on one of the mysterious crimes of the Victorian era. Captain William Gill and his companions, the noted Arabist Professor Edward Palmer of Cambridge University and a young naval lieutenant, Harold Charrington, were killed in an ambush by Bedouin in the Sinai Desert in 1883. The trio had been tasked with informal diplomacy in the region, specifically to prevent the Arab sheikhs from joining the Egyptian rebels and to secure their non-interference with the Suez Canal. The gruesome murders shocked late-Victorian Britain, and led to pressure from the Queen, Parliament and the Press for the British government to launch a manhunt for the killers in a vast desert area with mountainous terrain. This book traces the story behind the murder of the three men, uncovering the reason for their journey to the desert, the story of the murder itself and the backlash home in England. It shines light on a fascinating, forgotten crime, as well as on early intelligence operations in the Middle East.

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Book Synopsis'Magnificent ... this book is unlikely to be surpassed' TelegraphThis is the first major history of the Himalaya: an epic story of peoples, cultures and adventures among the world's highest mountains.SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2020 DUFF COOPER PRIZEAn epic story of peoples, cultures and adventures among the world's highest mountains: here Jesuit missionaries exchanged technologies with Tibetan Lamas, Mongol Khans employed Nepali craftsmen, Armenian merchants exchanged musk and gold with Mughals.Featuring scholars and tyrants, bandits and CIA agents, go-betweens and revolutionaries, Himalaya is a panoramic, character-driven history on the grandest but also the most human scale, by far the most comprehensive yet written, encompassing geology and genetics, botany and art, and bursting with stories of courage and resourcefulness.'Magisterial' The Times'His observations are sharp...his writing glows' New York Review of BooksSHORTLISTED FOR THE 2021 BOARDMAN TASKER AWARD FOR MOUNTAIN LITERATURETrade ReviewMagnificent ... a far-reaching, compendious and elegantly turned examination of a region and its peoples, this book is unlikely to be surpassed * Telegraph *A magisterial account of the complex human history of the greatest mountains on Earth ... fascinating ... scrupulously and movingly detail[ed] ... Douglas weaves a far richer tapestry, showing how this is a sacred landscape influenced by very worldly concerns * The Times *A panoramic history of the region ... Such a complex range of subjects is not easy to press into a coherent narrative ... Douglas ... does so with extraordinary aplomb ... rigorous and informative ... highly readable ... never lacking freshness and rich in compelling detail * Literary Review *A scholarly yet entertaining synthesis of hundreds of years of history ... [Douglas] portrays not only nuns and monks but also courtesans, mountaineers, kings, horse-traders, tea merchants, spies, architects, botanists, soldiers and politicians from Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet, Sikkim, China and India - as well as from Britain, the British Raj, American, Russia and continental Europe ... a labour of love twenty-five years in the making * Financial Times *In the suitably immense Himalaya, Ed Douglas logs the achievements and travails from Paleolithic times to the present day of the peoples who have laboured in and around Asia's mountain spine ... enlivening Himalaya's history with a host of minor characters ... Such unsung endeavours are a delight ... The research is impressive ... always authoritative ... Anyone with a serious interest in the Himalayan region will want to buy it and will find it invaluable * Times Literary Supplement *

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Book SynopsisFear and fascination set wasps apart from other insects. Despite their iconic form and distinctive colours, they are surrounded by myth and misunderstanding. Often portrayed in cartoon-like stereotypes bordering on sad parody, wasps have an unwelcome and undeserved reputation for aggressiveness bordering on vindictive spite. This mistrust is deep-seated in a human history that has awarded commercial and spiritual value to other insects, such as bees, but has failed to recognize any worth in wasps. Leading entomologist Richard Jones redresses the balance in this enlightening and entertaining guide to the natural and cultural history of these powerful carnivores. Jones delves into their complex nesting and colony behavior, their unique caste system and their major role at the centre of many food webs. Drawing on up-to-date scientific concepts and featuring many striking colour illustrations, Jones successfully shows exactly why wasps are worthy of greater understanding and appreciation.

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Book SynopsisTHE OFFICIAL STORY OF A MUSICAL ICON - TOLD IN FULL FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HIS OWN WORDS'Funny, smart and heartbreaking. Incredible... go listen to it or read it.' Robbie Williams'The most entertaining music memoir since Elton John's Me... This is George O'Dowd in all his exhausting glory.' Observer'Joyously indiscreet' Daily Mail'I went to a lot of trouble to create Boy George and then I went through a whole battle for years about not wanting to be him. But now I enjoy and embrace it in a way that I wasn't able to as a young person.... I'm finally learning to be George Alan O'Dowd from Eltham.'Karma is the definitive autobiography from the incomparable Grammy, Brit and Ivor Novello award-winning lead singer of Culture Club and LGBTQ+ vanguard: Boy George. Told in his inimitable style, Karma tells the story of the charismatic frontman - the drama, the music, his journey of addiction and recovery, surviving prison, meeting legends like David Bowie, Prince and Madonna, and the highs and lows of a life lived in the spotlight and in the headlines.This is the explosive and searingly honest account of Boy George's life as a child growing up in sixties London, coming out to his Irish Catholic family and exploring his sexuality through the hedonism of the seventies - the glam rock and punk rock revolution that birthed Culture Club - and the heydays of the nineties, to finally embracing the man and artist that he is today. With all the humour, honesty, sarcasm (and hats!) that you'd expect, Karma gives us a unique insight into Boy George's incredible story and the true evolution of a music icon.'Culture Club is always going to be one of those lovers I go back to. I've railed against it and that Boy George character I created. For years I convinced myself I was a creature of habit, unchangeable, immovable. But eventually you have to look in the mirror. Not looking for spots, looking for something deeper. Why the hell am I here? I would say life is the point of life.'

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Book SynopsisOne of the common features of communist regimes is the use of art for revolutionary means. Posters in particular have served as beacons of propaganda - vehicles of coercion, instruction, censure and debate - in every communist nation. They have promoted the authority of state and revolution, but have also been used as an effective means of protest. This is the first truly global survey of the history and variety of communist poster art. Each chapter is written by an expert in the field and examines a different region of the world: Russia, China, Mongolia, Eastern Europe, North Korea, Vietnam and Cuba. This beautifully illustrated, comprehensive survey will appeal to a wide audience interested in art, history and politics.Trade Review"On the centenary of the Bolshevik Revolution, Ginsberg has edited a comprehensive presentation of the often vivid propaganda that, for the eyes of hundreds of millions in a pre-social media age, celebrated and condemned the likes of Castro, Mao, Lenin, Stalin, and the apparatchiks who tried to implement their theories and schemes. . . . Over 330 illustrations demonstrate the range and the scope beyond the U.S.S.R. and the P.R.C., with chapters on Korea, Mongolia, Eastern Europe, Vietnam, and Cuba put in context with scholarly essays that cross-reference recurring themes."-- "Spectrum Culture" "Radiant. . . . A visual feast and an illuminating global study."-- "Publishers Weekly" "The first major survey of communist poster art considers the visual legacy of propaganda graphic design in nations around the world."-- "Hyperallergic" "This volume presents and analyzes communist posters from around the world. . . . The images are of high quality throughout. The specific posters were chosen to highlight important artistic and political features of this type of communication within the social and political milieu. Particularly compelling is the discussion of posters and dissent in Eastern Europe. . . . This volume is an important addition to the work on communication and legitimation in communist countries. . . . Recommended."-- "Choice"Table of ContentsIntroductionRussia/Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, 1917–91Mongolian People’s Republic, 1924–92Eastern Europe, 1945–91People’s Republic of China, 1949–Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, 1948–Socialist Republic of Vietnam, 1945–Republic of Cuba, 1959–ReferencesBibliographyNotes on ContributorsPhoto AcknowledgementsIndex

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Book Synopsis'Fascinating' - Eamon Dunphy'Meticulously researched' - Sunday Independent'A wonderful account of the special relationships between Ireland and the USA' Bertie AhernThe links between Ireland and US presidents extend much further and deeper than JFK: from Andrew Jackson in 1829 to Woodrow Wilson in 1913 and Joe Biden in 2021, Ireland's sway in the White House is hugely significant.Spanning the centuries, from the American Revolution to the birth of the Irish Republic and JFK's heady glamour, The Green and White House takes in political machinations and the firebrands who pushed for freedom, justice and peace for Ireland.For centuries, Irish emigrants crossed the Atlantic by boat, but an intense diplomatic bromance has seen American commanders-in-chief returning to remote Irish villages via Air Force One and armoured limousines. Each homecoming turns local people into international media darlings, but this transatlantic courtship has secured Ireland an annual invite to the White House - something no other nation can rival.The Green And White House takes a wry look at the special relationship one tiny nation shares with the world's greatest superpower.

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Book SynopsisSinner and Saint is the inspirational story of Martin Murray, St Helens' flawed yet favourite son. A promising amateur teenage boxer, Murray was drawn into a life fuelled with drugs, alcohol and street fighting. By the age of 24, he had completed four jail sentences, one of them in a notorious Cypriot prison. He still managed to win the ABA welterweight title in 2004 - while on the run! The reintroduction of boxing back into his life and a settled family life proved to be his saviour. Turning pro in 2007, Murray went on to win the Commonwealth and British middleweight titles, and challenged for the world title on no fewer than four occasions. Murray pulls no punches as he recounts his story in the most intimate and vivid way - a rollercoaster life ultimately redeemed through his success in boxing.

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