Social and cultural history Books

4599 products


  • The Kingdom of Women

    Bloomsbury Publishing PLC The Kingdom of Women

    5 in stock

    Book SynopsisIn a mist-shrouded valley on China''s invisible border with Tibet is a place known as the Kingdom of Women, where a small tribe called the Mosuo lives in a cluster of villages that have changed little in centuries. In a mist-shrouded valley on China''s invisible border with Tibet is a place known as the Kingdom of Women, where a small tribe called the Mosuo lives in a cluster of villages that have changed little in centuries. This is one of the last matrilineal societies on earth, where power lies in the hands of women. All decisions and rights related to money, property, land and the children born to them rest with the Mosuo women, who live completely independently of husbands, fathers and brothers, with the grandmother as the head of each family. A unique practice is also enshrined in Mosuo tradition--that of walking marriage, where women choose their own lovers from men within the tribe but are beholden to none.Trade ReviewA fascinating portrait of one of the world’s last matriarchal societies, a land without fathers or husbands, without marriage or divorce, written by an international corporate lawyer who ditched her hectic life to embrace this Shangri-La inside deepest China. -- Jan Wong, author of 'Beijing Confidential'A crisp account by a high-powered Singaporean lawyer of how she renounced her former life of fifteen-hour working days in a male-dominated corporate world to find her feminist soul in the last matriarchal ethnic group remaining in China. Full of insights and touching descriptions, this is one of the most accessible and concrete descriptions of the Mosuo, a group more analysed than understood, putting the humanity of this tribe at the forefront of their identity. -- Kerry Brown, author of 'CEO China and The New Emperors'A most engaging account of life among the matrilineal and matriarchal Mosuo tribe in China’s Yunnan province, but also a lament to a way of life now threatened by modernity and tourism. Full of detail and telling insights into gender roles, it will appeal to armchair travellers as well as to anthropologists and sociologists. -- Jonathan Fryer, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of LondonA refreshing and authentic portrait of a hidden society in patriarchal China. A must read for anyone studying women and alternative societies. -- HsiaoHung Pai, author of 'Scattered Sand'Table of ContentsList of Plates Acknowledgements Preface Prelude Map: Kingdom of Women 1. Arriving in the Kingdom of Women 2. Building a Mosuo Home 3. Going Native 4. Getting to Know the Mosuos 5. Becoming the Godmother 6. Hunting and Eating in Bygone Times 7. How the Mosuo Women Rock 8. The Men Rock Too 9. A Marriage That Is Not a Marriage 10. The Matrilineal Ties That Bind 11. The Birth-Death Room 12. On the Knife-Edge of Extinction Glossary

    5 in stock

    £14.24

  • Palestine

    Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Palestine

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisProfessor Nur Masalha is a Palestinian writer, historian and academic. He is currently a member of the Centre for Palestine Studies, SOAS, University of London. He is editor of the Journal of Holy Land and Palestine Studies. His books include: Expulsion of the Palestinians (1992); A Land Without a People (1997); The Politics of Denial (2003); The Bible and Zionism (Zed 2007); The Palestine Nakba (Zed 2012); and An Oral History of the Palestinian Nakba (with Nahla Abdo, Zed 2018).Trade ReviewNur Masalha has produced an impressive work that challenges those who are trying to erase the Palestinians from history. * International Socialism *The attention to detail, as well as the rigorous explanation is impeccable. Every reading, or re-reading, of this book, will provoke new contemplation. * Middle Eastern Monitor *A sharp, powerfully understated denunciation of Israel’s founding mythology. Masalha’s narratives provide ballast and backstory to the contemporary claims of the dispossessed. * Publishers’ Weekly *Masalha has done an extraordinary job, collating evidence from an abundance of rich sources, to give us a stunning narrative substantiating these identities. * Socialist Review *The most comprehensive English language history of Palestine to date. This book is a painstakingly researched and well-documented deconstruction of the myths too many Zionists and their western apologists have convinced the world to be factual history. * Counterpunch *Masalha has now admirably unearthed this forgotten Palestine. He settles securely and authoritatively into a narrative that commands respect and is not impaired by the passion behind it ... Masalha’s confidence that all will not be extinguished offers hope in the face of a still-uncertain future. He has written his history to encourage the survivors and to enlighten those who sympathise with them. He strives to keep alight the flame of Palestinian culture that, despite every attempt to snuff it out, still burns brightly in the poetry of Mahmoud Darwish and in the world he never left behind. * New York Times Review of Books *A work of broad and impressive scholarship. It fills a critical gap in our knowledge of Palestinian history and provides a long overdue corrective to traditional histories. * Ghada Karmi, author of Return: A Palestinian Memoir *This book by Nur Masalha is the fullest and richest text he has produced to date, bringing together his decades of work as a historian to produce a master narrative on Palestine. * Haim Bresheeth, SOAS, University of London *A significant contribution to the restoration of the history of ancient Palestine, written by a prolific indigenous historian of international repute. Brilliantly explicating the relationship between history and colonial ideology in Palestine, with this book Masalha puts Palestinian history back on track. * Hamdan Taha, archaeologist and former Deputy Minister for Tourism and Antiquities, Palestine *An amazing book, long overdue. A tour de force which demystifies the distortions and fabrications around Palestine and the people living in it. * Ilan Pappé, author of The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine *A masterpiece of history writing. It serves to set the record straight, methodically and rigorously debunking the myth that Palestine is a new concept. * Mazin Qumsiyeh, Founder and Director of the Palestine Museum of Natural History *This erudite, comprehensive study of Palestine explodes many myths. Essential reading for a proper understanding of the efforts to deny the deep historical rootedness of this name, and of its indigenous people. * Rashid Khalidi, Columbia University *Masalha’s meticulous and multifaceted coverage of the history of Palestine from the late Bronze Age to modern times is essential reading for all who hope to understand its people’s irrepressible struggle against occupation and exile. * Rosemary Sayigh, author of The Palestinians: From Peasants to Revolutionaries *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. The Philistines and Philistia as a Distinct Geo-political Entity: Late Bronze Age to 500 BC 2. The Conception of Palestine in Classical Antiquity and During the Hellenistic Empires (500?135 BC) 3. From Philistia to Provincia ‘Syria Palaestina’ (135 AD?390 AD): The Administrative Province of Roman Palestine 4. The (Three in One) Provincia Palaestina: The Three Administrative Provinces of Byzantine Palestine (4th?Early 7th Centuries AD) 5. Arab Christian Palestine: The Pre-Islamic Arab Kings, Bishops and Poets and Tribes of Provincia Palaestina (3rd?Early 7th Centuries AD) 6. The Arab Province of Jund Filastin (638?1099 AD): Continuities, Adaption and Transformation of Palestine under Islam 7. Between Egypt and al-Sham: Palestine during the Ayyubid, Mamluk and Early Ottoman Periods 8. Palestinian Statehood in the 18th Century: Early Modernities and Practical Sovereignty in Palestine 9. Being Palestine, Becoming Palestine: Rediscovery and New Representations of Modern Palestine and their Impact on Palestinian National Identity 10. Settler-colonialism and Disinheriting the Palestinians: The Appropriation of Palestinian Place Names by the Israeli State

    15 in stock

    £10.44

  • Mezcal

    Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc Mezcal

    5 in stock

    Book SynopsisIn Mezcal, two-time James Beard Award–winning author Emma Janzen explores what sets this cousin of tequila apart from the rest of the pack.*Nominated for the 2018 James Beard Foundation Book Award in the Beverage category* Produced in Mexico for centuries but little known elsewhere until recent years, mezcal has captured the imagination of spirits enthusiasts with its astonishing complexities. And while big liquor is beginning to jump aboard the bandwagon, most mezcal is still artisanal in nature, produced using small-batch techniques handed down for generations, often with agave plants harvested in the wild. Join author Emma Janzen as she presents an engaging primer on all things mezcal that includes:   Mezcal’s long and captivating history in Mexican culture The craft of distilling mezcal, from growing and harvesting the agave to roasting and grinding it, all the wa

    5 in stock

    £15.19

  • A Brief History of Indonesia

    Tuttle Publishing A Brief History of Indonesia

    5 in stock

    Book SynopsisTrade Review"The subtitle says it all: 'Sultans, Spices, and Tsunamis: The Incredible Story of Southeast Asia's Largest Nation.' Indonesia expert Hannigan offers a highly readable and entertaining narrative that highlights the many personalities who have shaped the nation -- and our perception of it. English pirates, Indian mystics, Chinese pilgrims, American surfers, Dutch spice barons join a cavalcade of Javanese royals, Balinese dancers and more." --Lonely Planet"…[Tim Hannigan's] books are charmingly free of pre-conceived notions of specialization. They entertain readers while offering sharp insights into Asian history." --PopMatters Magazine"Tim Hannigan presents Indonesia as a place of high drama, with a past marked by European trade battles, explorers like Magellan and Christopher Columbus, and waves of immigrants. He guides the reader through the reign of Sukarno (1945-1967) and others of lesser, but no less corruptible, reputation, to settle with guarded optimism with the current president, Joko Widodo, popularly known as Jokowi." --Foreword Magazine

    5 in stock

    £12.74

  • Korean Mind

    Tuttle Publishing Korean Mind

    5 in stock

    Book SynopsisUnderstanding a people and their culture through code words and language.

    5 in stock

    £12.59

  • Toward a Global Idea of Race

    University of Minnesota Press Toward a Global Idea of Race

    5 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    5 in stock

    £20.69

  • Sylvia Wynter

    Duke University Press Sylvia Wynter

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisTrade Review"[On] Being Human as Praxis is a major contribution to growing efforts to bring Sylvia Wynter’s critical thought to the fore of contemporary critical social theory. The collection secures Wynter’s status as a heretical intellectual insisting on the relevance of the radical Black/Caribbean decolonial tradition to the systemic crises of the early 21st century planet." -- Anthony Bayani Rodriguez * Antipode *"In their combination, and in their resonance with Wynter’s intricate and expansive opening meditation on race, science, and human being, these essays present a complex and coherent intellectual project, at once deeply rooted and generously rhizomic." -- Kaiama L. Glover * Contemporary Women's Writing *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments ix 1. Yours in the Intellectual Struggle: Sylvia Wynter and the Realization of the Living / Katherine McKittrick 1 2. Unparalleled Catastrophe for Our Species? Or, to Give Humanness a Different Future: Conversations / Sylvia Wynter and Katherine McKittrick 9 3. Before Man: Sylvia Wynter's Rewriting of the Modern Episteme / Denise Ferreira da Silva 90 4. Sylvia Wynter: What Does It Mean to Be Human? / Walter D. Mignolo 106 5. Still Submerged: The Uninhabitability of Urban Redevelopment / Bench Ansfield 124 6. Axis, Bold as Love: On Sylvia Wynter, Jimi Hendrix, and the Promise of Science / Katherine McKittrick 142 7. Strategic Anti-Essentialism: Decolonizing Decolinization / Nandita Sharma 164 8. Genres of Human: Multiculturalism, Cosmo-politics, and the Caribbean Basin / Rinaldo Walcott 183 9. From Masquerade to Maskarade: Caribbean Cultural Resistance and the Rehumanizing Project / Carole Boyce Davies 203 10. "Come on Kid, Let's Go Get the Thing": The Sociogenic Principle and the Being of Being Black / Demetrius L. Eudell 226 Bibliography 249 Contributors 275 Index 277

    15 in stock

    £20.69

  • Waves of Knowing

    Duke University Press Waves of Knowing

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisKarin Amimoto Ingersoll uses her concept of seascape epistemology to articulate an indigenous Hawaiian way of knowing founded on a sensorial, intellectual, and embodied literacy of the ocean that can provide the means for generating an alternative indigenous politics and ethics.Trade Review"Conveying the beauty and meaning of hee nalu to Hawaiians past and present, with water photos by her husband, Russell J. Amimoto, Waves of Knowing is an impassioned and informative call to surfers to be responsible to ourselves, our community and our shared, beloved sea." -- Mindy Pennybacker * Honolulu Star-Advertiser *"Despite the limitations of writing in the English language, Waves of Knowing is an elegant way of articulating an indigenous Hawaiian epistemology.... This book is a valuable contribution to the literature on indigenous methodology, and will also contribute to the growing literature in critical surf studies." -- Dina Gilio-Whitaker * Fourth World Journal *"Waves of Knowing is an intimate discussion of both external and internal realities found both in the politics of Hawaiʻi and within the author’s perception. Ingersoll eschews a colonial-variety, empirical world (knowledge without the nuance of dreams or intuition) and instead explores a dynamic, place-based, historic memory empowerment which becomes its own living archive. . . . Ingersoll works to re-code this fluid sensibility back into our thinking so feeling and emotion can respectfully re-enter our cognitive reality." -- Manulani Aluli Meyer * Indigenous Knowledge *“This beautifully written book makes a valuable contribution to articulating indigenous epistemologies, and offers concrete suggestions for how Kanaka Maoli ways of knowing can be translated into practices which empower indigenous and local knowledge and skills, affirm cultural identity, and care for both the land and seascapes.” -- Tui Nicola Clery * Pacific Affairs *"Waves of Knowing is an important contribution. . . . It helps us understand what has been lost but which is being recovered; it gives us insight into surfing and how new hybrid forms exist in the present but respect the past; and, most importantly, it helps give understanding of, and momentum to, ways of knowing our environment that provide critical alternatives to dominant epistemologies and the unsustainable and capricious economies they inform." -- John Overton * Asia Pacific Viewpoint *"As a methodological exploration into the ways in which personal history, cultural connectivity, imperial history, and commercialization of recreation can be woven through a story of encounters with (and in) a specific space, Waves of Knowing is a fascinating book." -- Philip Steinberg * Singapore Journal of Tropical Geography *"Although emphasized for practice-based or place-based education, the fields of philosophy, English, and history may also benefit from Ingersoll’s work, which is a brilliant example of an Indigenous way of knowing that is shaped from the epistemological complexity of the movement of the ocean through which insight into an ontologically formed Hawaiian identity is also provided." -- Amy Farrell-Morneau * Native American and Indigenous Studies *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments ix Introduction 1 1. He'e Nalu: Reclaiming Ke Kai 41 2. Oceanic Literacy: A Politics and an Ethics 79 3. Seascape Epistemology: Ke Kino and Movement 103 4. Ho'okele: Seascape Epistemology as an Embodied Voyage 127 5. Hālau O Ke Kai: Potential Applications of Seascape Epitemology 155 Epilogue 183 Notes 185 References 189 Index 197

    15 in stock

    £17.99

  • Living a Feminist Life

    Duke University Press Living a Feminist Life

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisShowing how feminist theory is generated from everyday life and the ordinary experiences of being a feminist, Sara Ahmed highlights the ties between feminist theory and living a life that sustains it by building on legacies of feminist of color scholarship and discussing the figure of the feminist killjoy.Trade Review"Fans of bell hooks and Audre Lorde will find Ahmed's frequent homages and references familiar and assuring in a work that goes far beyond Betty Friedan's The Feminine Mystique, capturing the intersection so critical in modern feminism." -- Abby Hargreaves * Library Journal *"Living a Feminist Life is perhaps the most accessible and important of Ahmed’s works to date. . . . [A] quite dazzlingly lively, angry and urgent call to arms. . . In short, everybody should read Ahmed’s book precisely because not everybody will." -- Emma Rees * Times Higher Education *"Living a Feminist Life is a work of embodied political theory that defies the conventions of feminist memoir and self-help alike. . . . Living a Feminist Life makes visible the continuous work of feminism, whether it takes place on the streets, in the home, or in the office. Playful yet methodical, the book tries to construct a living feminism that is neither essentialist nor universalist." -- Melissa Gira Grant * Bookforum *"Undeniably, Ahmed’s book is a highly crafted work, both scholarly and lyrically, that builds upon itself and delivers concrete, adaptable conclusions; it is a gorgeous argument, crackling with kind wit and an invitation to the community of feminist killjoys." -- Theodosia Henney * Lambda Literary Review *"Beautifully written and persuasively argued, Living a Feminist Life is not just an instant classic, but an essential read for inter­sectional feminists." -- Ann A. Hamilton * Bitch *"This book is about a wriggling out, a speaking out. And it teaches me to write, to think, like this — word twists word, and body to thought. Because for Ahmed, words make worlds and her book — the first after she left academia in feminist revolt — is full of bluesy world-play." -- Caren Beilin * Full Stop *"Living a Feminist Life is the perfect introduction to Ahmed’s academic work, if a general reader is unfamiliar with her. . . . For me, her lack of despair is the book’s strongest point. Ahmed’s work is as cutting and critical as it is joyful. There is a distinct hope and optimism for the future of diversity work – but still a demand for better." -- Evelyn Deshane * The F-Word *"Ahmed gifts us words that we may have difficulty finding for ourselves.... [R]eading her book provides a tentative vision for a feminist ethics for radical politics that is applicable far beyond what is traditionally considered the domain of feminism." -- Mahvish Ahmad * The New Inquiry *"Anyone at odds with this world—and we all ought to be—owes it to themselves, and to the goal of a better tomorrow, to read this book." -- Mariam Rahmani * Los Angeles Review of Books *"Living a Feminist Life offers something halfway between the immediacy and punch of the blog and the multi-layered considerations of a scholarly essay; the result is one of the most politically engaged, complex and personal books on gender politics we have seen in a while." -- Bidisha * TLS *"Especially compelling is Ahmed’s insistence that living as a feminist is not a sudden, euphoric escape from patriarchy and other structures of domination. Instead, it’s a lifelong project of chipping away at regimes that continue to exert considerable force. To practice feminism is therefore to encounter both frustration and widespread disapproval. It means, Ahmed warns, being seen as selfish, mean, and chronically dissatisfied—the bringer of discord to family dinners and professional meetings alike. For those of us willing to pay the price, Living a Feminist Life assures us we’re in good company." -- Susan Fraiman * Critical Inquiry *"Ahmed ... writes theory like nobody else.... Ahmed’s book is a feminist gift for its readers. You are invited to enjoy it, the rhythm and all." -- Leena-Maija Rossi * European Journal of Women's Studies *"It’s not easy being a feminist and Sara Ahmed has written a powerful, thought provoking and moving account of just what that means. But more than that, she provides us with a survival guide, some coping strategies combined with wisdom and inspiration. To read this book is to feel the warmth and strength of a sister(hood) wrapped around you." -- Heather Savigny * European Journal of Women's Studies *"Ahmed does for her readers what Audre Lorde did for her – document a way to live differently." -- Katherine Parker-Hay * Textual Practice *"[Ahmed's] prose style . . . is incantatory and quizzical, probing and playful. . . . Ahmed holds particular words up to the light and lets their unsuspected facets gleam, polishing their queer potential." -- Catherine Keyser * Public Books *"Living a Feminist Life hopes we can survive doing feminist theory, and energises us to do so." -- Clare Croft * Feminist Theory *“I live in south London, not far from where Sara used to lecture, so her work has always felt close, with an ability to touch and grasp—a quality academic feminist discourse often lacks. This book allows everyone to grasp, wrestle, and digest it, proving yet again that making theory accessible does not have to compromise quality. If anything, it’s quite the opposite.” -- Travis Alabanza * Out *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments ix Introduction. Bringing Feminist Theory Home 1 Part I. Becoming Feminist 19 1. Feminism Is Sensational 21 2. On Being Directed 43 3. Willfulness and Feminist Subjectivity 65 Part II. Diversity Work 4. Trying to Transform 93 5. Being in Question 115 6. Brick Walls 135 Part III. Living the Consequences 7. Fragile Connections 163 8. Feminist Snap 187 9. Lesbian Feminism 213 Conclusion 1. A Killjoy Survival Kit 235 Conclusion 2. A Killjoy Manifesto 251 Notes 269 References 281 Index 291

    15 in stock

    £20.69

  • This Divided Island

    Atlantic Books This Divided Island

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisSamanth Subramanian studied journalism at Pennsylvania State University and international relations at Columbia University. He has written for, among other publications, the Guardian, the New Yorker, the New York Times, Mint, the Far Eastern Economic Review, Foreign Policy, New Republic, Foreign Affairs, The National and The Hindu. His first book, Following Fish: Travels Around the Indian Coast, was published by Atlantic Books.Trade ReviewA remarkable book by one of India's most talented young writers of non-fiction... This Divided Island - balanced, observant, good-natured, discursive and frequently witty - is a searingly angry and deeply moving portrayal of the agonies of this conflict... This is a major work, containing oral testimonies from all sides of the conflict, and will stand as a fine literary monument against the government's attempt at imposed forgetfulness. -- William Dalrymple * Observer *In this extraordinary book, Subramanian exposes the fallibility of human beings, forcing us to see how superficial is the veneer of civilised life. This Divided Island is a book of our times, about us and about what we are capable of doing to each other. -- Roma Tearne * Independent *Excellent... The book leaves us with a tantalising sense of the ambiguity of peace and victory: of the new and incongruous conservatism of Sinhalese Buddhism. Subramanian withholds judgement, but the precision of the final descriptions is searing. -- Amit Chaudhuri * Guardian *Excellent, powerful... Subramanian tells this sorry story with verve and compassion, relentlessly tracking down survivors of, and witnesses to, Sri Lanka's agonies * Literary Review *Brutal majoritarians and ruthless insurgents have long monopolised our sense of Sri Lanka. Samanth Subramanian's sensitive account makes us aware of a missing human dimension. Exploring a war-ravaged landscape, he is bracingly alert to the role of ambiguity as well as ideology in human affairs. In This Divided Island, one of our finest young writers of non-fiction reveals the complicated lives lived in their shadow. -- Pankaj MishraThe powerful human stories in This Divided Island - told lucidly and vividly - show what Sri Lankans have won and lost * TLS *With the humility of a truly gifted writer, Samanth Subramanian sets out, not to find firm answers to the reasons behind Sri Lanka's civil war, but rather to be changed and opened up by his journey through this war-ravaged land. His journey becomes ours. The things he discovers, the people he meets, haunt us long after we have closed the pages of this sensitive, poignant book. -- Shyam SelvaduraiThere is only one word to describe this book: it's a masterpiece, a Book of the Year, even possibly the decade. -- Mani Shankar Aiyar * India Today *A tour de force. Written with journalistic prowess and integrity, the book succeeds in bringing the war uncomfortably close, so close you can smell the blood. -- Vaishna Roy * The Hindu *Like Philip Gourevitch's account of the genocide in Rwanda, We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed With Our Families, this is a superbly reported book. -- Rahul Jacob * Business Standard *This is narrative journalism at its most literary, diligently researched reportage presented with poetry and flair. -- Shehan Karunatilaka * Mint *The best book on the subject and, what is more, a book different in kind from nearly all that have appeared this far. -- Shyam Tekwan * Tehelka *

    15 in stock

    £11.69

  • A Short History of Queer Women

    Oneworld Publications A Short History of Queer Women

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisDispensing with the patriarchal bullshit, Kirsty Loehr exposes centuries of outrageous straightwashingTrade Review‘I absolutely adored it, quite literally couldn’t put it down once I started and devoured it in one sitting. It was heartfelt and hilarious, and full of so much love for, not just all lesbians, but all walks of the LGBT+ community. A real witty sucker-punch of lesbian history - reading it is like uncovering a secret; it’s shocking, romantic, infuriating, and all of it clawing at the pages with a need to finally be heard.’ -- Connie Glyn'Fast paced, fun, and delightfully filthy.' -- Kate Lister

    15 in stock

    £8.54

  • The Vocation Lectures

    Hackett Publishing Co, Inc The Vocation Lectures

    7 in stock

    Book SynopsisOriginally published separately, Weber's 'Science as a Vocation' and 'Politics as a Vocation' stand as the classic formulations of his positions on two related subjects that go to the heart of his thought: the nature and status of science and its claims to authority; and the nature and status of political claims and the.Trade Review[Owen and Strong] beautifully weave together the historical, philosophical, academic and personal circumstances that shaped Weber's world-view and these efforts reward the reader with a nuanced and thorough understanding. . . . Students, and even established academics, will benefit tremendously from this new edition. Rating: ***** --Jeffrey Roberts, University of Kent, in Political Studies Review

    7 in stock

    £14.39

  • Zulu Shaman

    Inner Traditions Bear and Company Zulu Shaman

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisIn this rare window into Zulu mysticism, Vusamazulu Credo Mutwa breaks the bonds of traditional silence to share his personal experiences as a sangoma-a Zulu shaman. Set against the backdrop of post-colonial South Africa, Zulu Shamanrelays the first-person accounts of an African healer and reveals the cosmology of the Zulu. Mutwa begins with the compelling story of his personal journey as an English-trained Christian schoolteacher who receives a calling to follow in his grandfather''s footsteps as a shaman and keeper of folklore. He then tells the stories of his ancestors, including creation myths; how evil came to the world; the adventures of the trickster god Kintu; and Zulu relations with the fiery visitors, whom he likens to extraterrestrials. In an attempt to preserve the knowledge of his ancestors and encourage his vision of a world united in peace and harmony, Mutwa also shares previously guarded secrets of Zulu healing and spiritual practices: including the curing power of the sangomaand the psychic powers of his people.Trade Review“There is medicine for the soul here. One feels Credo Mutwa’s wonderful humanity and the genius of his people in these stories.” * Luisah Teish, author of Jambalaya and Carnival of the Spirit *“V. Credo Mutwa paints a stunning picture of the complex world of Zulu cosmology and traditions. The colorful array of stories and the science of healing he offers with humility take us into the heart of African ancestral wisdom. His courage in revealing to the world what would otherwise remain hidden commands respect and reverence.” * Malidoma Somé, author of The Healing Wisdom of Africa and Of Water and the Spirit *"Zulu Shaman is a special and fascinating glimpse into an all but vanished world." * SirReadaLot.org, February 2004 *"He weaves a rich tableau of mother godesses and tricksters amidst a climate of discrimination, urbanization and violence." * Eric Lerner, Ashe!, February 2004 *"Mutwa's friendly, personal writing is accesible, making the book suitable for general readers." * David Paulsen, New Age Retailer, May/June 2004, Vol.18 No.3 *". . . the rich amount of folklore and spiritual stories found throughout the book creates a very inviting atmosphere for the reader." * The Cauldron Brasil, October 2006 *"This book is a good addition to the knowledge of African spirituality as well as being a personal account that for sure will benefit the spiritual journeyman from all edges of the compass." * The Cauldron Brasil, Oct 2006 *“I cannot recommend this book enough and tell you to get it as soon as you can and delve into its depths to learn the ways of the Zulu shaman. It is unforgettable and I could easily read it over and probably will in the future.” * Jeffery Pritchett, The Church of Mabus *Table of ContentsZulu ShamanDreams, Prophecies, and MysteriesContents ACKNOWLEDGMENTS FOREWORD BY LUISAH TEISHEDITOR'S INTRODUCTION 1. The Way of the Witch Doctor The Illness Beginning the Cure The Sangoma's ApprenticeThe Lore of the Soul How a Sangoma Cures The Bone Oracle The Sangoma's Creative and Psychic Powers2. The Great Goddess The Tree of Life How Evil Came into the World Amarava and the Second People The Childhood of the Second People3. Of Goddesses and Gods The Four Winds of the Goddess How the Birds Saved the Earth Ngungi, the Crippled Smith of the Gods The Gift of the Magic Flower 4. Tales of the Trickster The Theft of Fire Kintu and the Cattle of the Sun Kintu and the Star Goddess The Trickster's Revenge 5. The Song of the Stars The Song of the StarsFire Visitors Extraterrestrial Beings Communion 6. The Common Origin of All HumanityCommonalities of Myth, Ritual, and CustomRoots and Commonalities of Language On the Family On Banishing Fear7. Dreams, Prophecies, and Mysteries On Sleep and Dreaming Prophecies On the Sacred Rock CarvingsScience and Religion A Path to Wisdom The Boundaries of Human LifeNOTES INDEX

    1 in stock

    £14.24

  • ISE A History of Europe in the Modern World

    McGraw-Hill Education ISE A History of Europe in the Modern World

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisA History of Europe in the Modern World delves into how Europe''s history has contributed to the development of the modern world and an increasingly global society.  The twelfth edition of this classic text links specific nations, movements, and landmark events in European history to broader historical themes and problems that have shaped the contemporary era.  Readers of this text will learn about Europe''s past within the context of key historical trends, including the rise of industry and a global economy; the development of science, technology, and new forms of knowledge; social, cultural, and political movements; evolving views of human rights; and the complex relations between European nations and the wider world.  Table of ContentsKramer/Palmer: A History of Europe in the Modern World, 12e List of Chapter IllustrationsList of Chronologies, Historical Documents, Historical Interpretations and Debates, Maps, Charts, and TablesPrefaceGeography, History, and the Modern WorldCHAPTER 1: The Rise of EuropeCHAPTER 2: The Upheaval in Western Christendom, 1300 - 1560CHAPTER 3: The Atlantic World, Commerce, and Wars of Religion, 1560 - 1648CHAPTER 4: The Growing Power of Western Europe, 1640 - 1715CHAPTER 5: The Transformation of Eastern Europe, 1648 - 1740CHAPTER 6: The Scientific View of the WorldCHAPTER 7: The Global Struggle for Wealth and EmpireCHAPTER 8: The Age of EnlightenmentCHAPTER 9: The French RevolutionCHAPTER 10: Napoleonic EuropeCHAPTER 11: Industries, Ideas, and the Struggle for Reform, 1815 - 1848CHAPTER 12: Revolutions and the Reimposition of Order, 1848 - 1870CHAPTER 13: The Consolidation of Large Nation-States, 1859 - 1871CHAPTER 14: Europe's Economic and Political Ascendancy, 1871 - 1914CHAPTER 15: European Society and Culture, 1871 - 1914CHAPTER 16: Europe’s Colonial Empires and Global Dominance, 1871 - 1914CHAPTER 17: The First World WarCHAPTER 18: The Russian Revolution and the Emergence of the Soviet UnionCHAPTER 19: Democracy, Anti-Imperialism, and the Economic Crisis after the First World WarCHAPTER 20: Democracy and Dictatorship in the 1930sCHAPTER 21: The Second World WarCHAPTER 22: The Cold War and Reconstruction after the Second World WarCHAPTER 23: Decolonization and the Breakup of the European EmpiresCHAPTER 24: Coexistence, Confrontation, and the New European EconomyCHAPTER 25: The International Revolt against Soviet CommunismCHAPTER 26: Europe and the Changing Modern WorldAppendix Rulers and RegimesIndexSuggestions for Further Reading

    15 in stock

    £53.99

  • Fashion Victims

    Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Fashion Victims

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisFrom insidious murder weapons to blaze-igniting crinolines, clothing has been the cause of death, disease and madness throughout history, by accident and design. Clothing is designed to protect, shield and comfort us, yet lurking amongst seemingly innocuous garments we find hats laced with mercury, frocks laden with arsenic and literally drop-dead gorgeous' gowns. Fabulously gory and gruesome, Fashion Victims takes the reader on a fascinating journey through the lethal history of women's, men's and children's dress, in myth and reality. Drawing upon surviving fashion objects and numerous visual and textual sources, encompassing louse-ridden military uniforms, accounts of the fiery deaths of Oscar Wilde's half-sisters and dancer Isadora Duncan's accidental strangulation by her long, fringed scarf; the book explores how garments have tormented those who made and wore them, and harmed animals and the environment in the process. Vividly chronicling evidence from Greek mytTrade ReviewDavid offers up gruesome examples that lend weight to a compelling, but never hectoring, polemic. In its own understated way, Fashion Victims provides an excoriating critique of early industrial capitalism. And it makes for a gripping (if sometimes meandering) read, often fascinatingly queer and curious ... This is an earnest and important book, generously illustrated and full of interest, retrieving heart-sinking horror from the historical record, and signposting a future that remains immensely troubling. -- Shahidha Bari * Times Higher Education *An innovative take on "killer style" ... Fascinatingly macabre. * Financial Times *Carefully researched and beautifully illustrated. * Daily Mail (Book of the Week) *[A] brilliantly illustrated and fascinating book. * Scotland on Sunday (Spectrum) *The book's breezy narrative and lavish design make it a delight for any reader ... With its shocking revelations and entertaining stories, all illustrated in glorious Technicolor, Fashion Victims is a history to die for. * Literary Review *Alison Matthews David has brass-tackled the subject [of fashion victims] … [She has] shown in gruesome detail many fashions that did — and still could — hasten their wearers to an untimely death. * The Spectator *Fashion Victims is certainly an eye-opener ... Readers will no doubt ... appreciate the images and historic prints included in this handsome and well-researched book. * The Artist's Chronicle *Meticulously researched and referenced, filled with interesting historical facts and anecdotes, Dr. Alison Matthews David narrates this dark journey through clothing with authority and precision that is light and joyful to read. Fantastic frock pictures and gruesome medical illustrations along with paintings, photographs and fashion plates help to bring the story alive. * ADDRESS: Journal for Fashion Criticism *Fashion Victims is a compelling and thought–provoking book with a great selection of illustrations. Matthews David has succeeded in creating an accessible academic text and important historical work, which dress historians will find invaluable. * The Journal of Dress History *[A] beautifully illustrated, accessible and highly thoughtful study. * History Today *Combining narrative verve with a brilliant selection of pictures, Fashion Victims is both an engaging read and a ‘useable history’. Meticulously researched, it wears its academic credentials lightly, and the story it tells is at once entertaining and startling. Fashion history will never seem quite the same again. * Caroline Evans, Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London, UK *No book explores fashion as a seductive pleasure that kills like Alison Matthews David’s Fashion Victims. With contaminated cloth, mercury-laden fur and toxic dyestuffs, poisoned fashion silently claims its victims - makers and wearers. This panoramic work outlines the hazardous substances used in fashion, both past and present. * Tanya Williams Wetenhall, The George Washington University, USA *In this provocative and beautifully-illustrated volume, Alison Matthews David spans past and present, producers and consumers, Europe and the United States, to explore the many ways that fashionable clothing and accessories harmed and sometimes killed. A fascinating read and essential backdrop to concerns about today’s globalized textile and garment production. * Clare H. Crowston, University of Illinois, USA *A highly engaging and thought-provoking book. Informative, entertaining and unsettling, Fashion Victims is a history of death by dress for fashionistas and scholars alike. Read it! * Susan J. Vincent, University of York, UK *Alison Matthews David’s Fashion Victims: The Dangers of Dress Past and Present examines fashion’s fearful past, when crinolines were a serious fire hazard (Oscar Wilde’s half-sisters found out the hard way) and the aniline dye in eyelash and eyebrow tinting was blinding style-savvy users. -- Alison Nastasi * Flavorwire *Fashion Victims: The Dangers of Dress Past and Present is not only a smartly written, in-depth and deeply interesting book, it is also an important work of historical research and sobering account of some of the very real, very deadly dangers that have lurked - and continue, in certain cases, to reside - in our closets and places of clothing manufacturing alike. * Chronically Vintage *Fashion historian David (Ryerson Univ., Toronto) examines how clothing caused death, disease, and madness during the 19th and early 20th centuries in France and North America, transmitting contagious diseases, emitting chemical toxins, and catching fire… compelling and sometimes disturbing … does make a case for reexamining our fashion consumption in the 21st century and how that consumption hurts the environment and people, especially those in developing countries where most apparel is now produced. * Library Journal *Focusing on the mid-1700s to the 1930s, the book is an astonishing and sometimes gory account of the ways in which clothing has killed, either by accident, by design, or through treacherous manufacturing conditions. This dark history is presented alongside a series of illustrations from the era, which show just how dangerous dressing could be. * Atlas Obscura *In gruesome and fascinating terms, Matthews David focuses on the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries, recounting ways people have literally died for fashion, from clothing that harbored germs or caught fire easily to poisonous arsenic in green dyes and mercury in fur hats. The conclusion draws parallels to the dangers of fast fashion, with its sweatshops and toxic industrial manufacturing processes. * Library Journal *David’s publication begs that we collectively examine the lengths we will go to for personal style … David probes this idea, noting that fashion has long been a marker of social status as well as moral compass, two things that were taken very seriously in times like the 19th century. Even today this still rings true, as we still make judgments about a person’s values based on their clothing choice, and luxury clothing and labels still act as a status signifier to separate us. Though we have moved past the times of arsenic imbued garments and lethal dyes, David also notes the deadly dangers of the creation of fashion of today. Workers in unsafe conditions with little other options but to take jobs working long hours doing the same thing day-in and day-out, with disastrous long-term effects, are not looked over by David. * Visionaire *Laden with colorful pictures, artwork, articles, newspaper clippings, and ads, Fashion Victims puts it all on the table in its artful and intelligent layout … the book is excellent for history enthusiasts and a must-have for anyone with an interest in fashion. * Please Pass the Books *We think of drop dead gorgeous clothes as deadly only for our wallets. But they can kill. And have … From hats laced in mercury to entangled scarves and easily inflammable fabric Matthews-David reveals the darkest side of fashion … Half-terrifying, half-fascinating, Fashion Victims is an eye-opener … beautifully illustrated too. * Beautiful with Brains, “4 New Fashion Books Every Fashionista Should Read This Fall” *The graphic design is impeccable ... Filled with colorful images, references to all collections, documents and works consulted, it is clear that the research has received well-deserved treatment from its editors. (Bloomsbury translation) * História: Questões & Debates *Table of ContentsIntroduction: Death by Fashion in Fact and Fiction 1. Diseased Dress: Germ Warfare 2. Toxic Techniques: Mercurial Hats 3. Poisonous Pigments: Arsenical Greens 4. Dangerous Dyes: A Pretty, Deadly Rainbow 5. Entangled and Strangled: Caught in the Machine 6. Inflammatory Fabrics: Flaming Tutus and Combustible Crinolines 7. Explosive Fakes: Plastic Combs and Artificial Silk Conclusion: The Afterlife of Fashion Victims Bibliography Index

    15 in stock

    £20.39

  • A Ukrainian Christmas

    Little, Brown Book Group A Ukrainian Christmas

    15 in stock

    Book Synopsis''A wonderful little book of recipes and stories'' - NIGELLA LAWSON''History, stories, recipes and beautiful illustrations'' - OLIA HERCULES''Christmas brings the indestructibility of hope in times of the greatest hopelessness. As long as we celebrate this holiday, we can neither be defeated nor destroyed. This is the message that Ukraine is trying to convey to the world. And this is what our book is about.''From Christmas music to gifts and food, as well as a look back through the country''s rich and troubled history through the perspective of the festive season, this beautifully illustrated and powerful book introduces readers to Ukraine''s unique Christmas traditions. In a country where East and West meet, this is a fascinating and unmissable guide to capturing the spirit of one of the most important times of year and a powerful reminder of the strength of holding on to your culture and beliefs, even as others try to take everything from y

    15 in stock

    £15.29

  • Empire of the Summer Moon

    Scribner Empire of the Summer Moon

    Out of stock

    Book SynopsisThe Epic New York Times Bestseller Finalist for the Pulitzer Prize Finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award A New York Times Notable Book Winner of the Texas Book Award Winner of the Oklahoma Book Award This stunning historical account of the forty-year battle between Comanche Indians and white settlers for control of the American West “is nothing short of a revelation…will leave dust and blood on your jeans” (The New York Times Book Review).Empire of the Summer Moon spans two astonishing stories. The first traces the rise and fall of the Comanches, the most powerful Indian tribe in American history. The second entails one of the most remarkable narratives ever to come out of the Old West: the epic saga of the pioneer woman Cynthia Ann Parker and her mixed-blood son Quanah, who became the last and greatest chief of the Comanches.

    Out of stock

    £23.19

  • The Stonemason

    John Murray Press The Stonemason

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisA stonemason''s story of the building of Britain: part archaeological history, part deeply personal insight into an ancient craft. In his thirty-year career, stonemason Andrew Ziminski has worked on many of our greatest monuments. From Neolithic monoliths to Roman baths and temples, from the tower of Salisbury Cathedral to the engine houses, mills and aqueducts of the Industrial Revolution and beyond, The Stonemason is his very personal history of how Britain was built - from the inside out. Stone by different stone, culture by different culture, Andrew Ziminski (with his faithful whippet in tow) takes us on an unforgettable journey by river, road and sea through our countryside showing how the making of Britain''s buildings offers an unexpected and new version of our island story.''My school history lessons were focused around flat pages of facts, events and royal personalities, but for me it was the material aspects of the past, the tangible remnaTrade ReviewThe author is a beguiling companion to the very bones of the Wessex landscape . . . I hope he has plenty left from his notebooks for another volume * Sunday Telegraph *In attempting to reconnect us to this continuous narrative of English history and architecture, Ziminski is undertaking something more profound than the charm of this delightful book first suggests. Delicate as the threads that tie us to the past can seem, thanks to work like Ziminski's, both as mason and as author, we can hope they will remain unbroken * Daily Telegraph *Andrew Ziminski is the man who rebuilt the West Country. For 30 years, this skilled stonemason has renovated some of Britain's greatest buildings . . . The author skilfully explains the history of these stones and - this is what makes his book so entertaining - relates them to jobs he has done . . . Ziminski is one of those lucky souls with rural X-ray spectacles. He looks at the countryside and sees a series of historical slides going back over several millennia . . . Ziminski has a wonderful way of describing the look and feel of stone . . . What a magician! * The Spectator *The author's eagerness to experience the past physically sets him apart from drier academic historians . . . Ziminski's writing is vividly evocative and craftsmanlike . . . it's a fascinating book and a wise one * Daily Mail *Like nurses, masons must know in detail about the lives of the buildings they care for. This intimate knowledge has given Andrew Ziminski unique insights into some of England's oldest and most beautiful structures. But this book is as much about people as mortar and stone. It's a conversation with the past, from which I learnt so much. My book of the year! * Francis Pryor, Time Team archaeologist and author of THE MAKING OF THE BRITISH LANDSCAPE *Thoughtful, observant and well-informed, as much at ease with words and emotions as with the stone he works with * History Today *A wonderful behind-the-scenes history, where time works on a different scale and stone is a living, breathing entity . . . by a master craftsman whose expertise connects him to the generations that came before him * BBC Countryfile Magazine *There are few reading pleasures that compare with a passionate expert describing their work, and Ziminski stands proudly in this field . . . Remarkable . . . Ziminski weaves together architecture, craft, landscape, archaeology and natural history, all the time keeping a sharp eye on modern everyday life around him * Literary Review *Most of us won't be jetting off to foreign adventures in the next few weeks, so there has probably never been a better time to discover or rediscover this magical land * The Times *This is a compelling book: part travel journal - paddling along misty streams in the South-West by canoe - part builder's manual - you learn about formwork and lateral thrust - and part hymn to the art of sustaining stone structures over centuries . . . it is rooted in the making of England and is a magical read * Evening Standard *[A] surrogate travel book, part memoir, part history, in which Andrew Ziminski describes his career as an itinerant craftsman. Refreshingly, he too recognizes how Eastern skills and styles arrived in Europe * Times Literary Supplement *In this delightful book about the places he's worked (from Wells Cathedral to Bath's Roman ruins) [Ziminski] reconnects us to our past * Daily Telegraph *Lyrical as much as it is factual and quickly grips the reader * The Langport Leveller *Enthralling . . . Along with riveting personal insights into this ancient craft, he immerses us in the past lives of the long-forgotten everyday craftspeople whose legacy is the buildings we so treasure today * Bookseller *

    15 in stock

    £10.44

  • A World of Many Worlds

    Duke University Press A World of Many Worlds

    15 in stock

    Book Synopsis A World of Many Worlds is a search into the possibilities that may emerge from conversations between indigenous collectives and the study of science''s philosophical production. The contributors explore how divergent knowledges and practices make worlds. They work with difference and sameness, recursion, divergence, political ontology, cosmopolitics, and relations, using them as concepts, methods, and analytics to open up possibilities for a pluriverse: a cosmos composed through divergent political practices that do not need to become the same. Contributors. Mario Blaser, Alberto Corsín Jiménez, Déborah Danowski, Marisol de la Cadena, John Law, Marianne Lien, Isabelle Stengers, Marilyn Strathern, Helen Verran, Eduardo Viveiros de CastroTrade Review"The strength of this book is its presentation and varied discussion of the omission of all of the 'other-than-human-persons' who comprise the heterogeneity of cultures that form worlds beyond the Anthropocene. . . . This book provides excellent fodder for readers to reflexively consider their individual roles in the global knowledge-making process, the outcomes they create (and are creating), and the frames within which they dwell." -- Sally A. Applin * Journal of International and Global Studies *“A World of Many Worlds is a rich and welcome collection of essays that offers a complex and exploratory response to a timely problematic. Its statement is forthright and hallmark....” -- Mat Keel * AAG Review of Books *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments vii Introduction. Pluriverse: Proposals for a World of Many Worlds / Mario Blaser and Marisol de la Cadena 1 1. Opening Up Relations / Marilyn Strathern 23 2. Spiderweb Anthropologies: Ecologies, Infrastructures, Entanglements / Alberto Corsín Jiménez 53 3. The Challenge of Ontological Politics / Isabelle Stengers 83 4. The Politics of Working Cosmologies Together While Keeping Them Separate / Helen Verran 112 5. Denaturalizing Nature / John Law and Marianne Lien 131 6. Humans and Terrans in the Gaia War / Eduardo Viveiros de Castro and Deborah Danowski 172 Contributors 205 Index 209

    15 in stock

    £18.89

  • Pollution Is Colonialism

    Duke University Press Pollution Is Colonialism

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisIn Pollution Is Colonialism Max Liboiron presents a framework for understanding scientific research methods as practices that can align with or against colonialism. They point out that even when researchers are working toward benevolent goals, environmental science and activism are often premised on a colonial worldview and access to land. Focusing on plastic pollution, the book models an anticolonial scientific practice aligned with Indigenous, particularly Métis, concepts of land, ethics, and relations. Liboiron draws on their work in the Civic Laboratory for Environmental Action Research (CLEAR)—an anticolonial science laboratory in Newfoundland, Canada—to illuminate how pollution is not a symptom of capitalism but a violent enactment of colonial land relations that claim access to Indigenous land. Liboiron''s creative, lively, and passionate text refuses theories of pollution that make Indigenous land available for settler and colonial goals. In this way, Trade Review“There are exceedingly few texts like this that ask from an Indigenous perspective: how might we consider relations between science and land and water and still practice ‘good’ science? Pollution Is Colonialism is at the leading edge of a significant turn in science and technology studies toward thinking with settler colonialism as a structure and terrain, and by bringing Indigenous studies into conversations with pollution, plastics, and lab sciences, this book makes a major contribution.” -- Candis Callison, author of * How Climate Change Comes to Matter: The Communal Life of Facts *“One of the most original and compelling books I’ve read in a long time, Pollution Is Colonialism is a truly exciting intellectual achievement. It argues for, and most importantly models, a decolonial scientific practice. A must-read book for anyone concerned about land relations.” -- Joseph Masco, author of * The Future of Fallout, and Other Episodes in Radioactive World-Making *“This important book challenges the very sense of what pollution is, demonstrating its deep entanglements with settler colonialism, and then generously offers us anticolonial feminist methods that might better take up pollution's colonial form. This book is a model of what engaged feminist anticolonial STS research looks like.” -- Michelle Murphy, author of * The Economization of Life *"To read Liboiron is to constantly be surprised, reeducated, alarmed, and moved to practice anticolonial methodologies and interrogate everything we know.... Liboiron has written a text for the ages." -- Kerri Arsenault * Orion *“If you seek a methodologically creative, provocative and politically engaged book that confronts you with your own scholarly practice, you should certainly pick up this volume.... Liboiron offers a model that exemplifies what engaged anticolonial feminist research practice should look like.” -- Cæcilie Kramer * Ethnos *“Pollution Is Colonialism provides desperately needed analytic clarity on this settler colonial present.... This book invites readers first and foremost to look at knowledge practices and forms of knowledge creation, to think about their land relations, and to recognize colonial land relations in their familiar, seemingly benign practices and techniques.” -- Anna Stanley * Antipode *“[Pollution Is Colonialism] should be required reading for researchers who are working in any type of laboratory setting.... I also believe that a more general audience will find this work interesting and thought provoking.” -- Jacqueline Stagner * International Journal of Environmental Studies *"Max Liboiron demonstrates how science can and should be informed by Indigenous ethics and ways of understanding relations. The result is a beautifully written text that is both a handbook on method and a call to rethink how we live our lives on occupied land." -- Joshua Bell * Smithsonian Magazine *"Although the book focuses on plastic pollution, it is relevant to all areas of science, because it illustrates the ways that colonialism can show up in the sciences. . . . I predict that it will inspire pragmatic yet profoundly ethical action during a time of dire news and institutional soul-searching. Untangling and resisting the Gordian knot of justifications, manipulations, and traditions that enable colonialism takes hard work and humility. I am grateful that Liboiron has written a primer to get us all started. It is rare that I read a book that so fundamentally shakes up my thinking." -- Katie L. Burke * American Scientist *"An emotive, immersed commentary of the state of knowledge, research, and ethics that concern us all as social scientists, whether or not we study plastics, or indeed, pollution." -- Vasudha Chhotray * Contributions to Indian Sociology *"Liboiron’s creative, lively, and passionate text refuses theories of pollution that make Indigenous land available for settler and colonial goals. Liboiron demonstrates that anticolonial science is not only possible but is being practiced in ways that enact more ethical modes of being in the world." -- Michael Svoboda * Yale Climate Connections *“Pollution is Colonialism is a generative, life-giving, critical text. . . . Students inside and outside of the academy, from diverse backgrounds across university, community, and government circles, must all pick up this book and learn from it.” -- Sarah Marie Wiebe * Environmental Politics *“I cannot remember the last time I read a scholarly book more compelling, persuasive, enjoyable, helpful, or important than Pollution Is Colonialism by Max Liboiron. . . . When you read it, you will have a honed sense of how you fit into the urgent collective work of unmaking colonial worlds, and an invigorated sense of how to get started.” -- Eugenia Zuroski * ISLE *“Provocative and highly readable, Pollution Is Colonialism challenges readers, specifically whites and settlers and particularly those who like to think of themselves as supportive of Indigenous people’s struggles, to consider how seemingly innocent or well-intentioned research methods, techniques, and modes of dissemination can reproduce dominant science. . . . Liboiron’s contribution is of great value for STS and adjacent fields.” -- Miriam Tola * Tecnoscienza *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments vii Introduction 1 1. Land, Nature, Resource, Property 39 2. Scale, Harm, Violence, Land 81 3. An Anticolonial Pollution Science 113 Bibliography 157 Index 187

    15 in stock

    £17.99

  • My Grandfathers Altar

    University of Nebraska Press My Grandfathers Altar

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisMy Grandfather’s Altar is an oral-literary narrative account of Richard Moves Camp’s family history and traditions.Trade Review“A profound recollection and a generous sharing of the experiences of holiness and power, humility and obligation, history and memory: a new classic in a long tradition of Lakota accounts of Lakota life.”—Philip J. Deloria, author of Becoming Mary Sully: Toward an American Indian Abstract“My Grandfather’s Altar provides a return to the spirituality of Lakota people in order for healing to occur for the current and future generations. . . . This book provides a contemporary perspective and contributes greatly to the spiritual or religious life of contemporary Lakota and non-Lakota people.”—Delphine Red Shirt, author of Turtle Lung Woman’s Granddaughter“An authentic and indelible biography filled with life lessons and loving tributes to those who taught and defined Richard Moves Camp, notably his powerful medicine men ancestors. . . . My Grandfather’s Altar is an engaging and remarkable gift for the next generations.”—Devon Mihesuah, Oklahoma Choctaw and editor of Henry Mihesuah's First to Fight“An excellent contribution to the literature on Lakota spirituality and worldview. Moves Camp tells his family’s story of well-regarded spiritual leaders from a grounded and insightful perspective. Most beautifully, he provides a compelling teaching about the importance of spirituality being linked to a way of life, an insight that provides us a healthy pathway for the future. . . . The whole volume resonates with truth and wisdom.”—Waziyatawin, author of Remember This! Dakota Decolonization and the Eli Taylor Narratives“If you want to know more about American Indians, read this book. It presents us with a deeply authentic voice of a traditional Lakota elder and spiritual leader; it is a narrative that displays the American Indian worldview in all its depth and complexity. . . . Richard Moves Camp’s story will be read for generations to come as a wonderful tool for holding onto important cultural truths.”—Tink Tinker, professor emeritus of American Indian cultures and traditions at Iliff School of Theology“Not since Luther Standing Bear has Lakota spirituality been portrayed with such sincerity. . . . Richard Moves Camp’s My Grandfather’s Altar evokes the everyday relevance of Lakota beliefs and values with true-to-life detail. In recounting his grandfather’s story and legacy through family history, Moves Camp shows the reader a Lakota way of doing things, a wouncage, that is as meaningful today as it was during the time of Crazy Horse.”—David Martínez, author of Life of the Indigenous Mind: Vine Deloria Jr. and the Birth of the Red Power Movement“My Grandfather’s Altar is a revelation of intergenerational Indigenous survival in the face of omnicide. . . . More than an autobiography, this is the story of the olówaŋ wičháša, or spiritual code, of generations of Lakota people immersed in lifeway knowledge who transmitted that knowledge even when it was outlawed by the U.S. government. . . . This book has the power to resonate and linger with you just like that.”—Christopher J. Pexa (Mní Wakháŋ Oyáte, Spirit Lake Dakota Nation), author of Translated Nation: Rewriting the Dakhóta Oyáte“Richard Moves Camp’s story is unique, significant, and moving. It is an important contribution to both the living oral tradition of the Lakota people and the scholarly canon. My Grandfather’s Altar is an engrossing read. . . . I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in Lakota culture, history, and ceremonial traditions.”—David C. Posthumus, author of All My Relatives: Exploring Lakota Ontology, Belief, and Ritual and coauthor of Lakȟóta: An Indigenous History“Richard Moves Camp provides a rich, powerful narrative based on his family’s experiences. This book gives us an intimate window into Lakȟóta spirituality and way of life. This is a Lakȟóta story told in a uniquely Lakȟóta way by those who experienced it firsthand. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in Lakȟóta past and present.”—Rani-Henrik Andersson, author of The Lakota Ghost Dance of 1890 and coauthor of Lakȟóta: An Indigenous History“This is a remarkable, honest, and heart-centered book. In everyday language, Richard Moves Camp narrates the oral traditions of the distinguished Chips family, a history of suffering, spiritual accomplishments, miraculous events, and successful healings. The context is colonialism, and the consequence is a multigenerational struggle to maintain sacred authenticity and living connections to the spirit worlds. It is an honor to read such a book, a rare treasure, revealing the deep truths of Lakota spirituality.”—Lee Irwin, author of The Dream Seekers: Native American Visionary Traditions of the Great PlainsTable of ContentsList of Illustrations Acknowledgments Editor’s Note Prologue Introduction 1. My Grandfather’s Altar 2. Wóptuȟ’a 3. Moves Camp and Horn Chips 4. Grandpa Sam 5. Present Times Epilogue Appendix: The Wóptuȟ’a Thióšpaye, a Family History Glossary Notes

    15 in stock

    £17.99

  • The Art of Darkness: The History of Goth

    Manchester University Press The Art of Darkness: The History of Goth

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisThis is the first comprehensive history of goth music and culture. John Robb explores the origins and legacy of this enduring scene, which has its roots in the post-punk era.Drawing on his own experience as a musician and journalist, Robb covers the style, the music and the clubs that spawned goth culture, alongside political and social conditions. Reaching back further into history, he examines key events and movements that frame the ideas of goth, from the fall of Rome to Lord Byron and the Romantic poets, European folk tales, Gothic art and the occult. Finally, he considers the current mainstream goth of Instagram influencers, film, literature and music.The art of darkness features interviews with Andrew Eldritch, Killing Joke, Bauhaus, The Cult, The Banshees, The Damned, Einstürzende Neubauten, Johnny Marr, Trent Reznor, Adam Ant, Laibach, The Cure, Nick Cave and many more. It offers a first-hand account of being there at the gigs and clubs that made the scene happen.Trade ReviewOne of Resident Music's Books of the Year 2023‘Magisterial’The Times‘A treat’Uncut‘This exhaustive book shows why the dark side is not dead and buried.’Mojo‘Gloriously knowledgeable and inclusive, rich with words like crystalline, lysergic, spectral, and stuffed with stories about the bands who changed your life as a teenager.’Irish Independent‘A feast for fans of the subculture’Hot Press'John Robb brilliantly illuminates the realm of imagination and dark beauty. Enter the other side of love. The kingdom of goth is within you.'Johnny Marr'An encyclopaedia of excitement - thanks to this book goth is undead.'Chris Packham'John Robb has written the definitive book on a scene that demands to be celebrated. Fascinating, thoughtful, surprising and freakishly detailed.'Grace Dent‘John Robb is an inexhaustible fact finding music sleuth, a sturdy writer and trustworthy guide’Henry Rollins'I could not stop reading about the birth, death and ghost of goth as it poured out of this extensively researched panorama of goth music and culture. Connect the dots, do that dance… while wearing black, of course.’Kid Congo'This is a glorious book, exploring Gothic from its historical roots to the cliches, caricatures and catcalling of the present age. The music, dance and fashion are sumptuously brought to life, but more than that, Robb manages to take us into the psyche, fantasies and imaginations of a plethora of fascinating goths. The go-to book on all things goth.'Janina Ramirez, author of Femina -- .Table of ContentsIntroduction1 Floorshow: a night out at the heart of 1980s goth2 The fall of Rome3 Deep in the forest: Europe’s Gothic history4 'Mad, bad and dangerous to know': the Romantics and the Gothic imagination5 Euro visions6 The devil has the best tunes7 Paint it black: the dark heart of the psychedelic sixties8 All the children are insane, or people are strange: the (un)holy trinity: The Doors/Velvets/Stooges9 Wham bam thank you glam: the dark side of glam rock10 Proto post-punk11 The punk wars12 'What was once unhealthily fresh is now a clean old hat': post-punk to a very Public Image13 Spellbound: Siouxsie and the Banshees14 Feel the pain: The Damned15 Ridicule is nothing to be scared of: Adam Ant16 New dawn fades: Manchester and Joy Division17 'The wreckers of western civilisation...': industrial music18 'I must fight this sickness... find a cure': The Cure19 The naughty north and the sexy south20 All we ever wanted was everything: Bauhaus21 Lord of chaos: a dark and beautiful playground: Killing Joke22 Release the bats! Nick Cave23 'I am not avant-garde I am a deserter': Blixa Bargeld, Einstürzende Neubauten and the reinvention of Berlin24 Voodoo idols: the ballad of Lux and Ivy25 First, last and always: how post-punk Leeds created goth and The Sisters of Mercy26 Vagabonds Bradford: New Model Army and Joolz27 Flowers in the forest: Southern Death Cult28 Wanted dead or alive: how Liverpool opened the doors to a new (North) West Coast sound29 Do you believe in the westworld? Theatre of Hate30 A new form of beauty: Virgin Prunes, Dublin: how Lypton Village changed a nation31 'Good poetry can still resonate louder than a thousand guns': Rammstein for grown-ups: Laibach32 At the gates of silent memory: Field of the Nephilim33 Darklands: how the dark energy infected indie34 'We sing to the gods to be free': American Gothic and the dark art of the American dream35 Trans Europe Express36 In the flat field, suburbs and satellite towns: the second coming of goth37 Apocalypse now! Goth's end daysIndex

    15 in stock

    £14.24

  • Christmas: A History

    Pan Macmillan Christmas: A History

    Out of stock

    Book SynopsisChristmas has been all things to all people: a religious festival, a family celebration, a time of eating and drinking. Yet the origins of the customs which characterize the festive season are wreathed in myth.When did turkeys become the plat du jour? Is the commercialization of Christmas a recent phenomenon, or has the emphasis always been on spending? Just who is, or was, Santa Claus? And for how long have we been exchanging presents of underwear and socks?Food, drink and nostalgia for Christmases past seem to be almost as old as the holiday itself, far more central to the story of Christmas than religious worship. Thirty years after the first recorded Christmas, in the fourth century, the Archbishop of Constantinople was already warning that too many people were spending the day not in worship, but dancing and eating to excess. By 1616, the playwright Ben Jonson was nostalgically recalling the Christmases of yesteryear, confident that they had been better then. In Christmas: A History, acclaimed social historian and bestselling author Judith Flanders casts a sharp and revealing eye on the myths, legends and history of the season, from the origins of the holiday in the Roman empire to the emergence of Christmas trees in central Europe, to what might just possibly be the first appearance of Santa Claus – in Switzerland! – to draw a picture of the season as it has never been seen before.Trade ReviewFlanders covers every aspect of Christmas . . . [Christmas] is . . . a catalogue of colourful information, and as surprising an assortment of items as any you might find heaped up under a tree. -- Lucy Hughes-Hallett * Observer *A well-researched account. There are more footnotes here than there are presents under a Rockefeller Christmas tree. Indeed, the book is stuffed with facts – enough to satiate even the most ravenous postprandial taste for quizzing. * Sunday Times *[An] entertaining biography . . . Following the fine tradition of light entertainment Christmas books, Judith Flanders provides lots of trivia . . . However, there is much more to it than that. Flanders is a respected social historian, best known for studies on Victorian life, and the strength of this warm book lies in its quiet erudition. * The Times *If you do want to think about the actual meaning of Christmas, why it still matters to us so much, the book you need is Christmas by the cultural historian Judith Flanders . . . which traces its “strange hybrid growth” all the way back to its origins. -- David Sexton * Evening Standard *A definitive, myth-busting new book . . . [Christmas] tells the full history of the festival that owes it beginning to Roman celebrations of the winter solstice with some fascinating revelations along the way. * The Lady *Who could say bah-humbug to this sprawling-yet-accessible history, which examines traditions with all the trimmings. * Sunday Independent *A superabundance of information about holiday practices, drawn not just from Britain, North American, the Commonwealth and Continental Europe (especially Germany), but from wherever Christmas is celebrated – even, at its most secular and idiosyncratic, in Japan. * TLS *Little escapes Flanders’s notice, as she reflects on the film It’s a Wonderful Life, the nation-binding importance of Britain’s annual carol concert from King’s College, Cambridge, or the financial dependence of local ballet companies on performances of The Nutcracker. Throughout, too, her writing remains brisk and witty: She alludes to the seasonal tradition of reading ghost stories, “while the children break their new toys around you.” * Washington Post *Judith Flanders . . . likes Christmas (I think), but she loves reality and its awkward, amusing facts. (A previous book of hers, Inside the Victorian Home, is deep, bright and encompassing.) * New York Times *This informative and entertaining history is an absolute delight. * Woman & Home *

    Out of stock

    £11.69

  • Warrior Queens & Quiet Revolutionaries: How Women

    Pan Macmillan Warrior Queens & Quiet Revolutionaries: How Women

    Out of stock

    Book SynopsisWarrior Queens & Quiet Revolutionaries is a celebration of unheard and under-heard women’s history.'Excellent . . . bursting with extraordinary women' - Anita Anand'Brilliant' - Daisy Buchanan“My hope is that this book will inspire as I have been inspired. It’s a love letter to the importance of history and about how, without knowing where we come from - truthfully and entirely - we cannot know who we are.”Within these pages you’ll meet nearly 1000 women whose names deserve to be better known: from the Mothers of Invention and the trailblazing women at the Bar; warrior queens and pirate commanders; the women who dedicated their lives to the natural world or to medicine; those women of courage who resisted and fought for what they believed; to the unsung heroes of stage, screen and stadium.It is global, travelling the world and spanning all periods of time. It is also an intensely moving detective story of the author’s own family history as Kate Mosse pieces together the forgotten life of her great-grandmother, Lily Watson, a famous and highly-successful novelist in her day who has all but disappeared from the record . . .Warrior Queens & Quiet Revolutionaries is accessible and fascinating in its detail. A beautifully illustrated dictionary of women, it is a love letter to family history and a personal memoir about the nature of women’s struggles to be heard and their achievements acknowledged. Joyous, celebratory and engaging, it is a book for everyone who has ever wondered how history is made.Trade ReviewOne brilliant woman writing about so many other brilliant women, this is a wonderful treasure chest of women’s lives, full of wit, verve and emotion . . . Warrior Queens & Quiet Revolutionaries is epic, unputdownable, gripping. I loved it. -- Professor Kate WilliamsExciting, hugely informative and, at times, shocking, Kate Mosse has cleverly woven close family detective work into a powerful panorama of the extraordinary achievements of a wonderful cast of women - both famous and hidden - down the millennia -- Professor Jonathan PhillipsA must have for history lovers and feminists . . . It's personal, detailed and pure joy * Glamour *Totally fabulous -- Laura Shepherd-RobinsonDon't miss this one! -- Natalie Haynes, bestselling author of Pandora's Jar and Stone BlindBrilliant -- Daisy BuchananExcellent . . . bursting with extraordinary women -- Anita AnandThis book is an inspiration. Make it a gift to your own Warrior Queens and Quiet Revolutionaries, and to the men who support them -- Kathryn Mannix

    Out of stock

    £15.29

  • Aston Martin: Made in Britain

    Quercus Publishing Aston Martin: Made in Britain

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisFrom bestselling author, racer and stunt driver Ben Collins - the man who was The Stig - comes a story of spies, speed and hard-driving genius: a driver's love letter to one of the world's best-loved machines.Aston Martin's first, wickedly fast models were forged at a time when Ferrari's premises at Maranello was nothing but a ploughed field. This book celebrates a century of innovators who kept the fire burning brightly for over a century, from the visionary pioneers Martin and Bamford to modern-day design guru Adrian Newey; from a glamorous web of pre- and post-war spies and racing drivers, to David Brown and the achingly beautiful DB models beloved of Bonds past and present.Ben Collins explores the car with the double-o prefix from a unique perspective behind the wheel, carving through country lanes in his father's V8 Vantage, driving Aston Martins in four James Bond movies and competing against them in the legendary Le Mans 24-hour race.Ultimately, this is a very British success story: of a triumph of engineering that has burned brightly from the Roaring 20s to the 2020s, and an iconic car that never says die.Trade ReviewThis pacy history of a legendary brand is a love letter to an era of gears and gasoline now accelerating towards its twilight * Financial Times *A must-read for any Aston Martin aficionado * Aston Martin newsletter *The 100-year story of the fast and fabulous motors in this super book, in which [Ben] also reveals his own first-hand experiences with the greatest of Britain's iconic cars * Weekend Sport *This bold novelisation could have turned out neither fish nor fowl, but instead has invented a new style of motoring book * Octane *A great read, covering the marque chronologically, from its creator's early days right up to the latest models. It's the story of a brand that refuses to die, despite the challenges it's faced over more than a century * Auto Express *This personal connection, delivered via Collins's own insight and light-hearted tone, helps Aston Martin: Made in Britain in its mission to stand apart from its competitors * Auto Sport magazine *Ben ('The Stig') Collins, racer and Bond stunt driver, is behind the wheel as we belt through a century of innovation from the pioneering 1920s to the David Brown model loved by 007 * Saga Magazine *Ben brilliantly writes about the roaring '20s to the present, enlightens us about the charismatic character of the marque and shares a multitude of interesting and humorous facts * Aston Martin magazine *[The perfect gift] for the petrolhead in your life * The Scotman *[Told] with a genuine affection ... a glorious tale of British seat-of-the-pants invention * Mail on Sunday *

    15 in stock

    £7.99

  • Classic Works from Women Writers

    Silver Dolphin Books Classic Works from Women Writers

    Out of stock

    Book SynopsisA fine collection of classic novels, short stories, poems, and essays from distinguished women writers. Women writers have been making their voices heard for centuries, but their works were not always taken seriously. Over time, as women gained more social and political freedom, these works have reemerged as subjects that are considered to be worthy of closer study. Classic Works from Women Writers is a collection of more than thirty novels, short stories, poems, and essays by prominent and lesser-known female writers since the 17th century. Included in this volume are groundbreaking works such as Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein; Agatha Christie’s The Mysterious Affair at Styles, the first Hercule Poirot novel; Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s short story “The Yellow Wallpaper” and her follow-up essay; and poetry from the likes of Christina Rossetti, Amy Lowell, and Sara Teasdale. The words of these authors offer a multitude of perspectives on different issues that affect not only women but the wider world as well.  

    Out of stock

    £19.99

  • Scottish Gaelic in Twelve Weeks: With Audio

    Birlinn General Scottish Gaelic in Twelve Weeks: With Audio

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisThis new 2023 edition includes an audio download link. Scottish Gaelic in Twelve Weeks has been written both as a self-tuition course for beginners and also for use within the classroom. You may want to learn Gaelic because of a general interest in Celtic or Scottish history and culture, or because it was the everyday language of your ancestors. The cynical observer may wonder if the exercise is worthwhile, when only 1.5 per cent of Scotland’s population speak the language. However, Gaelic is far from dead; in some parts of the Highlands and Western Isles it is the everyday language and it represents an important part of the United Kingdom’s cultural mix. There are Gaelic-learning classes in almost every area of Scotland. Each lesson in the book contains some essential points of grammar explained and illustrated, exercises, a list of new vocabulary (with a guide to pronunciation, using the International Phonetics Alphabet), and an item of conversation.

    15 in stock

    £13.49

  • Japan: A Short History

    Oneworld Publications Japan: A Short History

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisWhat is a shogun? Who were the samurai and what is the warrior code? What lies behind the Japanese work ethic? From the ancient tea ceremony to the boom and subsequent downturn of its economic prosperity, this uniquely concise introduction to Japan and its history surveys nearly 10,000 years of society, culture, economics and politics. Balancing economic and political information with new insights into the twin spheres of art and religion, Mikiso Hane offers authoritative coverage of all aspects of Japanese life. With a particular focus on the key events of the last 200 years, the author also pays special attention to the changing conditions of those whose history has been so frequently neglected - the women, the peasants, and the lowest order of untouchables. Well-rounded and enlightening, this informative account of Japan and its people will be greatly appreciated by historians, students and all those with an interest in this diverse and enigmatic country.

    15 in stock

    £9.49

  • A Curious History of Sex

    Unbound A Curious History of Sex

    Out of stock

    Book SynopsisAn eye-opening exploration of the weird and wonderful things human beings have done in pursuit (and denial) of the mighty orgasm, based on the hit Twitter account @WhoresofYoreThis is not a comprehensive study of every sexual quirk, kink and ritual across all cultures throughout time, as that would entail writing an encyclopaedia. Rather, this is a drop in the ocean, a paddle in the shallow end of sex history, but I hope you will get pleasantly wet nonetheless. The act of sex has not changed since people first worked out what went where, but the ways in which society dictates how sex is culturally understood and performed have varied significantly through the ages. Humans are the only creatures that stigmatise particular sexual practices, and sex remains a deeply divisive issue around the world. Attitudes will change and grow – hopefully for the better – but sex will never be free of stigma or shame unless we acknowledge where it has come from. Drawing upon extensive research from Dr Kate Lister's Whores of Yore website and written with her distinctive humour and wit, A Curious History of Sex covers topics ranging from twentieth- century testicle thefts to Victorian doctors massaging the pelvises of their female patients, from smutty bread innuendos dating back to AD 79, to the new and controversial sex doll brothels. It is peppered with surprising and informative historical slang and illustrated by eye-opening, toe- curling and hilarious images. In this fascinating book, Lister deftly debunks myths and stereotypes and gives unusual sexual practices an historical framework, as she provides valuable context for issues facing people today, including gender, sexual shame, beauty and language.

    Out of stock

    £11.69

  • Entanglement: The Secret Lives of Hair

    Oneworld Publications Entanglement: The Secret Lives of Hair

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisWinner of the Victor Turner Prize for Ethnographic Writing 2017 Journeying around the globe, through past and present, Emma Tarlo unravels the intriguing story of human hair and what it tells us about ourselves and society. When it’s not attached to your head, your very own hair takes on a disconcerting quality. Suddenly, it is strange. And yet hair finds its way into all manner of unexpected places, far from our heads, including cosmetics, clothes, ropes, personal and public collections, and even food. Whether treated as waste or as gift, relic, sacred offering or product in a billion-dollar industry for wigs and hair extensions, hair has many stories to tell. Collected from Hindu temples and Buddhist nunneries and salvaged by the strand from waste heaps and the combs of long-haired women, hair flows into the industry from many sources. Entering this strange world, Emma Tarlo tracks hair’s movement across India, Myanmar, China, Africa, the United States, Britain and Europe, meeting people whose livelihoods depend on this singular commodity. Whether its journey ends in an Afro hair fair, a Jewish wig parlour, fashion salon or hair loss clinic, hair is oddly revealing of the lives it touches.Trade Review‘Tarlo is excellent at elucidating the vanity, money, pain and revulsion that unattached hair can represent. Think you know hair? You’ll never see it in the same way again.’ * Independent *‘If you’re curious about your roots, you’ll enjoy exploring UK anthropology professor Emma Tarlo’s Entanglement a brilliant, comprehensive Baedeker to the billion dollar global hair trade.’ * Elle *‘By turns surprising, unsettling and disturbing but never anything less than absorbing…weaving in history, politics and science in an interlocking, mesmerising narrative that seems wholly appropriate to the subject’. * Literary Review *‘Brilliant...Entanglement tracks its subject doggedly through an almost infinite number of twists and turns.’ * Times Literary Supplement *‘Entanglement is dense with colourful characters and startling, unexpected information, which makes it both exhausting and delightful. Tarlo brings a lovely open-mindedness and a deadpan sense of humour to her writing.’ * New York Times Book Review *‘Tarlo uses an ethnographer’s eye to analyse the religious, social, cultural and commercial forces that drive the industry. Yet her book reads like a travelogue as we follow her through the temple towns of India, the hair factories of China, the sorting sheds of Myanmar and the salons of Europe and Britain… By employing an anecdotal yet vigorously researched approach, Tarlo succeeds in untangling a knotty topic while keeping the reader engaged through 400-plus pages. The result is a fascinating and authoritative work.’ * John Zubrzycki, The Australian *‘Interesting – and, at times strange’. * Times *'Clever, idiosyncratic…lively…full of amusing, “fancy that” information and arresting observations…what a rich subject Tarlo has chosen for her book’. * New Statesman *‘Wonderful…it’s not often a book gives you new eyes for your everyday world’. * The Oldie *‘I had no idea that a non-fiction book about hair could be quite so fascinating’. * The Pool *‘The questions she examines and the “secret lives of hair” that she exposes are fascinating… An engrossing investigation.’ * Library Journal, starred review *‘This is a book about the only crop we routinely harvest from our own bodies – hair. From that disconnection come amazing tales: histories of paupers and pedlars in Europe, vast global trades in wigs, poignant stories of chemotherapy and memorialisation...Tarlo has done an extraordinary job of reattaching hair to humanity.’ -- Daniel Miller, professor of anthropology, University College London, and author of Stuff and The Comfort of Things‘I will never think about hair the same way after reading Emma Tarlo’s brilliant, fascinating book!’ -- Valerie Steele, author of The Corset: A Cultural History, and director and chief curator, The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology‘A timely book that takes a fascinating journey through the business practices and politics of hair, and the questionable relationship between hair dealers, middle-men and the consumer.’ -- Professor Caroline Cox, author of How to be Adored‘Written in conversational prose with historical images, little-known facts, and an absorbing narrative woven throughout, this is a lively read that explores the fashion, industry, and history of hair, while untangling our own often-complicated relationship with this natural accessory. In an informative and often whimsical voice, Tarlo personalizes her research with vignettes about her own fascination with hair. From eccentric wig makers in China to hair hunters in India and customers in Europe, Tarlo takes us on an eye-opening journey that will make us wonder if our own hair doesn’t have a secret life of its own.’ * Booklist *‘In Entanglement Tarlo opens up a whole secret world of human hair, its diverse social meanings across cultures and the robust trade of it that has carried on for centuries across the world. She weaves in historical details that address issues of religion, symbolism, fashion and economy, and presents ethnographic encounters with a range of characters from Dakkar to Wenzhou, Chennai to New York – millionaire wig dealers, impoverished villagers sorting comb waste, temple officials and fashionable women – who all perform an important role in this ubiquitous but unseen trade. This book is for everybody who is curious about how a single object can become a sought after commodity around the globe. Entanglement is beautifully written and while based on rigorous academic research it eschews jargon and makes the fascinating story of hair the centrepiece of the narrative. A most rewarding and edifying read.’ -- Mukulika Banerjee, anthropologist, London School of Economics and Political Science

    15 in stock

    £10.44

  • The Earth is Weeping: The Epic Story of the

    Atlantic Books The Earth is Weeping: The Epic Story of the

    15 in stock

    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 *

    15 in stock

    £13.49

  • The Hidden Ways: Scotland's Forgotten Roads

    Canongate Books The Hidden Ways: Scotland's Forgotten Roads

    4 in stock

    Book SynopsisShortlisted for the Edward Stanford Travel Writing AwardsIn The Hidden Ways, Alistair Moffat traverses the lost paths of Scotland - its Roman roads tramped by armies, its byways and pilgrim routes, drove roads and railways, turnpikes and sea roads - in a bid to understand how our history has left its mark upon our landscape. As he retraces the forgotten paths that shaped and were shaped by the lives of the now forgotten people who trod them, Moffat charts a powerful, surprising and moving history of Scotland.Trade ReviewOur ancestors walked everywhere, unless they lived by a river or loch and travelled by boat, or were rich enough to keep a horse or pony. So Moffat will walk. He will walk over much of Scotland, following, sometimes struggling to follow, old roads that are now sometimes hard to find. This book is the story of a dozen such walks. This is a splendidly rich book - a treasure-house of information, memories and speculation -- Allan Massie * * The Scotsman * *This fascinating and compelling narrative will leave you spellbound and in no time you'll be looking for your hiking boots and waterproofs . . . An absorbing and thought-provoking addition to the literature of Scotland's byways * * Countryfile * *The Hidden Ways makes us think about Scotland and its history in a completely different way . . . A truly fascinating read * * Sunday Mail * *Retracing and walking Scotland's lost paths makes Alistair Moffat reflect upon the country's history in a different sort of way . . . From Perthshire to Ballachulish, Moffat explores the land in a personal, inquisitive way and searches for evidence of the people who helped shape it * * Outdoor Photography * *A treasure trove of stories * * The Great Outdoors * *A fine history of the wild, walkable country * * Wanderlust * *Praise for The Great Tapestry of Scotland: 'Not just visually stunning but intensely moving and occasionally very funny * * The Times * *Praise for The Border: 'Quirky, learned and utterly absorbing -- ALLAN MASSIEPraise for The Scots: 'Truly fascinating * * Scotsman * *Praise for Scotland: 'A very readable, well-researched and fluent account * * Scotland on Sunday * *

    4 in stock

    £10.44

  • The Mystical Year: Folklore, Magic and Nature

    Quadrille Publishing Ltd The Mystical Year: Folklore, Magic and Nature

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisCelebrate spring and summer as a time of renewal with Flora the Roman Goddess of flowers and learn about balance in Litha.As the nights get longer, create beautiful garlands of herbs to ward off evil spirits. Explore the magic of each month, with mystical tips and practical projects, and delve into the annual cycle of a modern mystical year.With supersitions and sayings, crystals, birds and beasts, this is a book for the modern mystic that is accessible for everyone. Based on spirituality in nature, The Mystical Year reveals how to wind down, and celebrate the seasons with folklore, festivals and simple, creative projects for each month of the year.

    15 in stock

    £11.69

  • The Story of Yoga: From Ancient India to the

    C Hurst & Co Publishers Ltd The Story of Yoga: From Ancient India to the

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisHow did a venerable Indian spiritual discipline turn into a £20 billion-a-year mainstay of the wellness industry? What happened along yoga’s winding path from the caves and forests of the sages to the gyms, hospitals and village halls of the modern West? This comprehensive history sets yoga in its global cultural context for the first time, leading us on a journey from arcane religious rituals and medieval body-magic, through Christianity and the British Empire, to Indian nationalists and the twentieth-century West. Yoga has now become embedded in powerful social currents including feminism, digital media, celebrity culture, the stress pandemic and the quest for authentic identity. Shearer’s revealing history boasts a colourful cast of characters past and present, in an engaging tale of scholars and scandal, science and spirit, wisdom and waywardness. This is the untold story of yoga, warts and all.Trade Review‘This is a tale of what happens when East and West meet, and about a shift from the sacred to the secular. [Yoga’s] journey west gives Shearer a compelling cast of characters.’ -- The Sunday Times'Erudite, scholarly and engrossing.' -- The Sunday Telegraph'A clear-eyed, elegantly written and wonderfully informative history of yoga … Shearer’s remarkable book is a wide-ranging and rather sobering discussion on the nature of authenticity.’ -- Spectator‘Amid a sea of guidebooks, historian Alistair Shearer has provided a worthwhile counterpoint, [offering] advice as important as any guru’s techniques.’ -- Financial Times‘A quick-witted and erudite chronicle of the Hindu practice that is now a lucrative staple of “wellness” in the West.’ -- The Wall Street Journal‘This is a compelling history of how an amazing ancient art became an integral part of western life.’ -- The Irish Times‘Shearer … writes with exquisite sensitivity about the teacher-student relationship.’ -- Hindustan Times‘An ambitious book indeed … [with] a scholarly side, and a catchy journalistic verve.’'This is a fascinating survey not only for practitioners of the world’s burgeoning Wellness industry [but also] for general readers anxious about the fate of civilisation itself.' -- Asian Affairs Journal‘Erudite, informative and witty … I cannot over-emphasize the grace and humour of the text as well as its seriousness of purpose.’ -- Journal of the Scientific and Medical Network'The history of East meeting West through Yoga is as complex and enigmatic as it is important. Alistair Shearer unfolds the narrative with just the right combination of scholarly rigour and compelling prose.' -- Philip Goldberg, author of 'American Veda' and 'The Life of Yogananda'' "The Story of Yoga" offers an absorbing chronicle of the rise of yoga, tracing its evolution through history to its rapid global proliferation today, with insights into the challenges on the way ahead. Exceedingly accessible and engaging, this is the definitive account of the remarkable growth of one of the world's most popular and beneficial human activities.' -- Shashi Tharoor, author of 'Inglorious Empire''Frequently amusing, but always scholarly and engaging, Shearer's study deftly works it way through the history of yoga, from the purity of Patanjali's Sutras to the mix'n'match brands endorsed by modern celebrities.' -- John Zubrzycki, author of 'Empire of Enchantment: The Story of Indian Magic'

    15 in stock

    £12.34

  • Fake History: Ten Great Lies and How They Shaped

    Headline Publishing Group Fake History: Ten Great Lies and How They Shaped

    15 in stock

    Book Synopsis'A brilliant and important book ... Five Stars!' Mark Dolan, talkRADIO'An important new book' Daily Express An alternative history of the world that exposes some of the biggest lies ever told and how they've been used over time.Lincoln did not believe all men were created equal.The Aztecs were not slaughtered by the Spanish Conquistadors.And Churchill was not the man that people love to remember.In this fascinating new book, journalist and author Otto English takes ten great lies from history and shows how our present continues to be manipulated by the fabrications of the past.He looks at how so much of what we take to be historical fact is, in fact, fiction. From the myths of WW2 to the adventures of Columbus, and from the self-serving legends of 'great men' to the origins of curry – fake history is everywhere and used ever more to impact our modern world.Setting out to redress the balance, English tears apart the lies propagated by politicians and think tanks, the grand narratives spun by populists and the media, the stories on your friend's Facebook feed and the tales you were told in childhood. And, in doing so, reclaims the truth from those who have perverted it.Fake History exposes everything you weren't told in school and why you weren't taught it.Trade Review'A brilliant and important book ... Five Stars!' -- Mark Dolan, talkRADIO'An important new book' * Daily Express *'A wonderful dissection of some of history's heroes and villains who are unfairly castigated or wrongly glorified' * Scotsman *

    15 in stock

    £10.44

  • Wayward Lives, Beautiful Experiments: Intimate

    Profile Books Ltd Wayward Lives, Beautiful Experiments: Intimate

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD SHORTLISTED FOR THE JAMES TAIT BLACK PRIZE 2020 At the dawn of the twentieth century, black women in the US were carving out new ways of living. The first generations born after emancipation, their struggle was to live as if they really were free. These women refused to labour like slaves. Wrestling with the question of freedom, they invented forms of love and solidarity outside convention and law. These were the pioneers of free love, common-law and transient marriages, queer identities, and single motherhood - all deemed scandalous, even pathological, at the dawn of the twentieth century, though they set the pattern for the world to come. In Wayward Lives, Beautiful Experiments, Saidiya Hartman deploys both radical scholarship and profound literary intelligence to examine the transformation of intimate life that they instigated. With visionary intensity, she conjures their worlds, their dilemmas, their defiant brilliance.Trade ReviewOne of our most brilliant contemporary thinkers ... She's a theorist and writer who actually changes what's possible in my thought patterns -- Claudia RankineInfuses the history of black women and queer radicals with incredible life and urgency. She basically invents a new genre -- Carmen Maria Machado * New Statesman *I was inspired, surprised and deeply moved....[Hartman's] mode is intimate, radical and always alive to the details. -- Leslie Jamison * New York Times Book Review *This is scholarship as art * New Inquiry *Exhilarating....A rich resurrection of a forgotten history....[Hartman's] rigor and restraint give her writing its distinctive electricity and tension....This kind of beautiful, immersive narration exists for its own sake but it also counteracts the most common depictions of black urban life from this time. -- Parul Sehgal * New York Times *Ambitious, original... a beautiful experiment in its own right, to be set beside the many attempts at living free that Hartman here chronicles with a keen sense of history, imagination, and love. * Maggie Nelson, author of The Argonauts *Wayward Lives is a startling, dazzling act of resurrection... These remarkable black women were shamed, scorned, criminalized, studied, diagnosed and then erased from history. Yet now, Hartman challenges us to see, finally, who they really were: beautiful, complex, and multidimensional-whole people - who dared to live by their own rules, somehow making a way out of no way at all. * Michelle Alexander, author of The New Jim Crow *With urgency and compassion, Hartman rescues the lives of young black women from the margins of history. Wayward Lives is a series of adventure stories that take the reader through the travails and triumphs of a multitude of black women, as they negotiate the perilous path of self-discovery at the turn of the twentieth century. In her impeccably researched new book, Hartman breathes glorious life into these true survival tales with the precision and invention of a master storyteller. * Lynn Nottage, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Sweat and Ruined *Fantastic, really amazing ... daring -- Hari KunzruWayward Lives unsorts the archive looking for the errant, the unruly, the gorgeously disarranged paths of fugitive black girls. Fleeing from respectability, the good, the right and the true, the black girls that interest Hartman are everyday revolutionaries or what she calls 'chorines, bulldaggers, aesthetical negroes, socialists, lady lovers, pansies and anarchists.' This book is a love song to the wayward, a riotous poem, a lyrical homage to the minor. It changes the way we do history, the way we constitute the political, and makes resistance newly visible in the ordinary. This book changes everything. * Jack Halberstam, author of Female Masculinity and The Queer Art of Failure *Saidiya Hartman tells a mesmerizing story with a multitude of women as its heroines, lifting up invisible black seekers within the cities of one hundred years ago to the light of memory and tribute. She uses the weapons of lyric and literature to steal 'colored women' away from the grasp of white lawmen and the clinical gaze, and along the way gives history what it lacks and wants-black women as secret agents of destiny, deep lives from the unnamed crowd, and underground sinners as the true sponsors of social change. * Edward Ball, author of Slaves in the Family *A masterpiece... The wayward lives and beautiful experiments in which Professor Hartman is interested can only be described and illuminated in wayward and experimental ways-not in analytic detachment but by joining the experiment, by engaging in its hard-won freedoms, its autonomous profligacies, its shifting directions... Hartman radically reimagines the very idea of the portrait... A truly great and groundbreaking book. * Fred Moten, professor of performance studies, New York University *Lyrical and novelistic....This passionate, poetic retrieval of women from the footnotes of history is a superb literary achievement * Publisher's Weekly *How to honour the soft liquid rigour, the sharp vast tenderness, of a writer like Saidiya Hartman? ... For those of us who turn to the archive seeking comfort, looking for old ways of looking at new things, for redress to our subjugated history - this book is a balm and a pedagogic tool. Wayward Lives is a book that wants you to live. -- Imani Robinson and Ebun Sodipo * Wasafiri *Lyrical and highly readable ... Hartman opens a window onto a form of resistance less well documented than the protests led by organised labour and civil rights campaigners * Literary Review *

    15 in stock

    £11.69

  • Edinburgh: Mapping the City

    Birlinn General Edinburgh: Mapping the City

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisMaps can tell much about the story of a place that traditional histories fail to communicate. This is particularly true of Edinburgh, one of the most visually stunning cities in the world and a place rich in historical and cultural associations. This lavishly illustrated book features 71 maps of Edinburgh which have been selected for the particular stories they reveal about the political, commercial and social life of Scotland and her capital. Many are reproduced in book form for the first time. Together, they present a fascinating insight into how Edinburgh has changed and developed over the last 500 years, and will appeal to all those with an interest in Edinburgh and Scottish history, as well as anyone interested in urban history, architectural history, town planning or the history of cartography.

    15 in stock

    £31.50

  • A Splendid Exchange: How Trade Shaped the World

    Atlantic Books A Splendid Exchange: How Trade Shaped the World

    5 in stock

    Book SynopsisA Splendid Exchange tells the epic story of global commerce, from its prehistoric origins to the myriad crises confronting it today. It travels from the sugar rush that brought the British to Jamaica in the seventeenth century to our current debates over globalization, from the silk route between China and Rome in the second century to the rise and fall of the Portuguese monopoly in spices in the sixteenth. Throughout, William Bernstein examines how our age-old dependency on trade has contributed to our planet's agricultural bounty, stimulated intellectual and industrial progress and made us both prosperous and vulnerable.Trade Review"'A highly entertaining read. Bernstein's enthusiasm for his subject and impressive organisation of a wealth of material enable him to plot with pace and verve... man's trading history.' Hugh Carnegy, Financial Times 'Timely and readable... The strength of Mr Bernstein's book is the analytical rigour that overlays the rollicking history.' Economist 'Superb... The chronological range of Bernstein's book is staggering... Graceful and insightful history with a delicate display of scholarship that conceals a vast erudition.' Paul Kennedy, Foreign Affairs"

    5 in stock

    £17.00

  • Samurai Women 1184–1877

    Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Samurai Women 1184–1877

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisFrom when the Empress Jingo-kogo led an invasion of Korea while pregnant with the future Emperor Ojin, tales of female Japanese warriors have emerged from Japan's rich history. Using material that has never been translated into English before, this book presents the story of Japan's female warriors for the first time, revealing the role of the women of the samurai class in all their many manifestations, investigating their weapons, equipment, roles, training and belief systems. Crucially, as well as describing the women who were warriors in their own right, like Hauri Tsuruhime and the women of Aizu, this book also looks at occasions when women became the power behind the throne, ruling and warring through the men around them.Table of ContentsIntroduction /Chronology Appearance and dress /The roles of the samurai woman in peacetime /The samurai woman in times of war /The samurai woman on the battlefield /Collecting/Museums/Re-enactment /Bibliography /Glossary /Index

    15 in stock

    £13.49

  • Bedlam: London and its Mad

    Simon & Schuster Ltd Bedlam: London and its Mad

    1 in stock

    Book Synopsis'Bedlam!' The very name conjures up graphic images of naked patients chained among filthy straw, or parading untended wards deluded that they are Napoleon or Jesus Christ. We owe this image of madness to William Hogarth, who, in plate eight of his 1735 Rake's Progress series, depicts the anti-hero in Bedlam, the latest addition to a freak show providing entertainment for Londoners between trips to the Tower Zoo, puppet shows and public executions. That this is still the most powerful image of Bedlam, over two centuries later, says much about our attitude to mental illness, although the Bedlam of the popular imagination is long gone. The hospital was relocated to the suburbs of Kent in 1930, and Sydney Smirke's impressive Victorian building in Southwark took on a new role as the Imperial War Museum. Following the historical narrative structure of her acclaimed Necropolis, BEDLAM examines the capital's treatment of the insane over the centuries, from the founding of Bethlehem Hospital in 1247 through the heyday of the great Victorian asylums to the more enlightened attitudes that prevail today.

    1 in stock

    £9.49

  • Jambusters: The remarkable story which has

    Simon & Schuster Ltd Jambusters: The remarkable story which has

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisThe Second World War was the WI's finest hour. The whole of its previous history - two decades of educating, entertaining and supporting women and campaigning on women's issues - culminated in the enormous collective responsibility felt by the members to 'do their bit' for Britain. With all the vigour, energy and enthusiasm at their disposal, a third of a million country women set out to make their lives and the lives of those around them more bearable in what they described as 'a period of insanity'. Jambusterstells the story of the minute and idiosyncratic details of everyday life during the Second World War. Making jam, making do and mending, gathering rosehips, keeping pigs and rabbits, housing evacuees, setting up canteens for the troops, knitting, singing and campaigning for a better Britain after the war: all these activities played a crucial role in war time.

    15 in stock

    £9.49

  • University of Oxford: A Brief History, The

    Bodleian Library University of Oxford: A Brief History, The

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisThe University of Oxford is the third oldest university in Europe and remains one of the greatest universities in the world. How did such an ancient institution flourish through the ages? This book offers a succinct illustrated account of its colourful and controversial 800-year history, from medieval times through the Reformation and on to the nineteenth century, in which the foundations of the modern tutorial system were laid. It describes the extraordinary and influential people who shaped the development of the institution and helped to create today’s world-class research university. Institutions have waxed and waned over the centuries but Oxford has always succeeded in reinventing itself to meet the demands of a new age. Richly illustrated with archival material, prints and portraits, this book explores how a university in a small provincial town rose to become one of the top universities in the world at the beginning of the twenty-first century.

    15 in stock

    £11.69

  • Medici Money: Banking, metaphysics and art in

    Profile Books Ltd Medici Money: Banking, metaphysics and art in

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisThe Medici are famous as the rulers of Florence at the high point of the Renaissance. Their power derived from the family bank, and this book tells the fascinating, frequently bloody story of the family and the dramatic development and collapse of their bank (from Cosimo who took it over in 1419 to his grandson Lorenzo the Magnificent who presided over its precipitous decline). The Medici faced two apparently insuperable problems: how did a banker deal with the fact that the Church regarded interest as a sin and had made it illegal? How in a small republic like Florence could he avoid having his wealth taken away by taxation? But the bank became indispensable to the Church. And the family completely subverted Florence's claims to being democratic. They ran the city. Medici Money explores a crucial moment in the passage from the Middle Ages to the Modern world, a moment when our own attitudes to money and morals were being formed.To read this book is to understand how much the Renaissance has to tell us about our own world. Medici Money is one of the launch titles in a new series, Atlas Books, edited by James Atlas. Atlas Books pairs fine writers with stories of the economic forces that have shaped the world, in a new genre - the business book as literature.Trade ReviewTim Parks proves a delightful guide to both the Florentine Renaissance and the family history of one of Europe's greatest dynasties. In Medici Money he wears his considerable learning with refreshing lightness, giving us a wise and witty meditation on money, art and power, Renaissance-style -- Ross King - author of Brunelleschi’s DomeParks brings a novelist's flair to his task and comes out as a hip and snappy narrator. * Independent on Sunday *A straightforward, readable, interesting and witty account of the rise and fall of one of the world's first banks ... A fasinating tale. * Glasgow Evening Times *Successfully captures the spirit of the age and brings alive the characters of Cosimo and Lorenzo, two men whose story remains as fascinating now as it was to their comtemporary friends and enemies. -- Tony Barber * Financial Times *Tim Parks retells the story with a hugely readable breadth and insight. -- Mark Archer * Spectator *Straight-forward, readable, interesting and witty account of the rise and fall of one of the world's first banks ... A fascinating tale. * Birmingham Post *Highlights the excesses and successes of the Florentine Renaissance and charts the glittering ascendancy of one entrepreneurial family against the backdrop of a unique Italian bank. * Good Book Guide *Successfully captures the spirit of the age, and brings alive the characters of Cosimo and Lorenzo, two men whose story remains as fascinating now as it was to their contemporary friends and enemies. * Financial Times *Parks, who is sceptical about bankers, writes about them with pace, wit and some passion. * Economist *A book which is as lively as it is learned. * Scotsman *Witty and penetrating ... Parks deftly unravels these complexities, illustrating both their benefits and the pitfalls with illuminating detail ... Tim Parks recounts the Medicis' story with an infectious enthusiasm. His own conjuring trick is to tell this grand saga, with all its chicanery, in a clear and lucid style. * Sunday Telegraph *Lucky for Italy that Tim Parks decided to live there and write about his new home. His books instruct and entertain. His acute sense of people and history now comes to grand fruition in his tome on the Medici, a gift to anyone who has been dazzled by Florence. Splendid reading -- Frances Mayes, author of Under the Tuscan SunAn erudite and profound examination of the Renaissance banking family. * BBC History Magazine *The fabulous banking boys...fascinating and intricate. * The Guardian *

    15 in stock

    £9.49

  • Delirious New York: A Retroactive Manifesto for

    Monacelli Press Delirious New York: A Retroactive Manifesto for

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisSince its original publication in 1978, Delirious New York has attained mythic status. Back in print in a newly designed edition, this influential cultural, architectural, and social history of New York is even more popular, selling out its first printing on publication. Rem Koolhaas's celebration and analysis of New York depicts the city as a metaphor for the incredible variety of human behavior. At the end of the nineteenth century, population, information, and technology explosions made Manhattan a laboratory for the invention and testing of a metropolitan lifestyle -- "the culture of congestion" -- and its architecture."Manhattan," he writes, "is the 20th century's Rosetta Stone . . . occupied by architectural mutations (Central Park, the Skyscraper), utopian fragments (Rockefeller Center, the U.N. Building), and irrational phenomena (Radio City Music Hall)." Koolhaas interprets and reinterprets the dynamic relationship between architecture and culture in a number of telling episodes of New York's history, including the imposition of the Manhattan grid, the creation of Coney Island, and the development of the skyscraper. Delirious New York is also packed with intriguing and fun facts and illustrated with witty watercolors and quirky archival drawings, photographs, postcards, and maps. The spirit of this visionary investigation of Manhattan equals the energy of the city itself.

    1 in stock

    £22.46

  • Fair World

    Papadakis Fair World

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisThe great World's Fairs and Expositions staged around the world since the mid-nineteenth century were among the largest and most dramatic cultural events ever staged. In both beneficial and detrimental ways, they affected the lives of tens of millions of people. Fair World tells the story of these extraordinary exhibitions from the Victorian period to the present day.Trade Review"an outstanding survey highly recommended for a range of collections, from general-interest to history and arts holdings. It packs in photos and in-depth details of the great world fairs and expositions, offering a coverage that provides details about each fair and its unique characteristics. The outstanding focus provides lively discussion of elements unique to each world fair, covering its features, promotion, attractions and impact on its audience. The drama and excitement of the fairs is captured in a fine oversized presentation packed with images and history!" - Midwest Book Review

    1 in stock

    £36.00

  • Bradshaw’s Handbook (Premium Edition)

    Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Bradshaw’s Handbook (Premium Edition)

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisA luxury facsimile edition of Bradshaw’s Handbook of 1863, the book that inspired the BBC television series ‘Great British Railway Journeys’. The original Bradshaw's guides had been well known to Victorian travellers and were produced when the British railway network was at its peak and as tourism by rail became essential. It was the first national tourist guide specifically organised around railway journeys, and this luxuryleatherbound facsimile edition is a true collector’s item, offering a glimpse through the carriage window at a Britain long past.

    15 in stock

    £25.49

  • An Illustrated History of Filmmaking

    Nobrow Ltd An Illustrated History of Filmmaking

    Out of stock

    Book SynopsisExplore the history of filmmaking in this detailed work from a new talent. Going back as far as prehistoric times, where cavemen played with light and shadow, through to the first cinemas and the creation of special effects, Boardman guides the reader on an epic filmmaking journey that covers cameras, directors, and stars through the ages. The book also speculates on the future of film, taking into account the popularity of the internet and streaming devices.

    Out of stock

    £15.29

  • Houses of the National Trust: The history and

    HarperCollins Publishers Houses of the National Trust: The history and

    3 in stock

    Book SynopsisFully revised and updated edition of the classic, stunningly illustrated guide to the cream of Britain’s historic country houses cared for by the National Trust, encompassing both interior and exterior design. This captivating book, fully revised and updated and featuring more NT houses than ever before, is a guide to some of the greatest architectural treasures of Britain, encompassing both interior and exterior design. This new edition is fully revised and updated and includes entries for new properties including: Acorn Bank, Claife Viewing Station, Cushendun, Cwmdu, Fen Cottage, The Firs (birthplace of Edward Elgar), Hawker's Hut, Lizard Wireless Station, Totternhoe Knolls and Trelissick. The houses covered include spectacular mansions such as Petworth House and Waddesdon Manor, and more lowly dwellings such as the Birmingham Back to Backs and estate villages like Blaise Hamlet, near Bristol. In addition to houses, the book also covers fascinating buildings as diverse as churches, windmills, dovecotes, castles, follies, barns and even pubs. The book also acts as an overview of the country's architectural history, with every period covered, from the medieval stronghold of Bodiam Castle to the clean-lined Modernism of The Homewood. Teeming with stories of the people who lived and worked in these buildings: wealthy collectors (Charles Wade at Snowshill), captains of industry (William Armstrong at Cragside), prime ministers (Winston Churchill at Chartwell) and pop stars (John Lennon at Mendips). Written in evocative, imaginative prose and illustrated with glorious images from the National Trust's photographic library, this book is an essential guide to the built heritage of England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

    3 in stock

    £23.43

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