True stories of discovery Books

Book SynopsisA wonderfully quixotic, charming and surprisingly uplifting travelogue which sees Jack Cooke, author of the much-lovedThe Treeclimbers Guide, drive around the British Isles in a clapped-out forty-year old hearse in search of famous and not so famous tombs, graves and burial sites.Along the way, he launches a daredevil trespass into Highgate Cemetery at night, stumbles across the remains of the Welsh Druid who popularised cremation and has time to sit and ponder the imponderables at the graveside of the Lady of Hoy, an 18thcentury suicide victim whose body was kept in near condition by the bog in which she was buried. A truly unique, beautifully written and wonderfully imagined book.Trade Review‘An entertaining and strangely cheering read… full of fascinating stories’ – Country Life ‘A unique insight into Britain’s landscape’ – The Observer , '…utterly compelling – The Oldie Magazine ‘If a younger, more upbeat Bill Bryson was happy to travel Britain while using a hearse as a mobile home, this is the kind of book we’d get.’ – Reader review ‘Who’d have thought a trip in a hearse would be so enjoyable?’ – Reader review ‘A fantastic read for anyone who has loved spending a while looking through old graveyards and soaking up all the history within.’ – Reader review

Read more less

Book SynopsisLonglisted for the Andrew 2024 Carnegie Medal for Non-FictionThe shocking, never-before-told story of America's thalidomide victimsIn Germany on Christmas Day 1956 a baby girl was born without ears. She was the first victim of the notorious thalidomide epidemic. There would be over 10,000 more across 46 countries.For years the world believed the United States had avoided the catastrophe. After Frances Kelsey at the Food and Drug Administration became suspicious of the dangers of thalidomide in 1960, she led a successful fight to block its commercial approval.But now, having probed government and corporate archives and interviewed hundreds of key players, Jennifer Vanderbes reveals a darker truth that lay buried for decades. The toxic sedative ostensibly never sold' in America was widely distributed for over five years under the guise of clinical trials, reaching hundreds of pregnant women. Scores of American babies were, in fact, born with birth defects likely caused by the drug.WonderTrade Review‘Both a first-rate medical thriller and the searing account of a forgotten American tragedy. Drawing on six years of groundbreaking research and guided by a keen eye for the indelible detail and an unwavering moral conviction, Vanderbes has produced a shocking saga of pharmaceutical malpractice.’ Patrick Radden Keefe, author of EMPIRE OF PAIN ‘Narrative nonfiction at its most compelling.’ Margot Lee Shetterly, author of HIDDEN FIGURES ‘Thorough investigative work and lucid prose bring to life a little-known American tragedy … A compelling read.’ Abraham Verghese, author of CUTTING FOR STONE ‘A powerful and deeply reported book – Vanderbes’s dogged investigation has finally exposed the true scale of this public health catastrophe.’ Charles Graeber, author of THE GOOD NURSE and THE BREAKTHROUGH ‘Not only a page-turner, but a much-needed call for accountability and justice – an essential addition to our understanding of medical history.’ Megan O’Rourke, author of THE INVISIBLE KINGDOM ‘A deeply researched and chilling must-read.’ Publishers Weekly ‘Will leave you grateful for strong-minded scientists and epidemiology nerds — people who actually take the time to look at the data — and for dedicated pediatricians, parents who won’t take no for an answer and curious, persistent, investigative journalists like Vanderbes who can follow even long-buried and carefully hidden stories that need to be told.’ Washington Post ‘A significant work … The author weaves the various strands of her riveting tale together with aplomb, and she clearly explains even the most puzzling aspects of it.’Kirkus ‘Exhaustively reported… Vanderbes makes a complex and important story understandable, ending with an epilogue about thalidomide today. This is a medical must-read.’ Booklist ‘Vanderbes, previously a novelist, tells her story with verve, power, and empathy’ Harvard Public Health ‘Deft and thorough’ The Globe and Mail

Read more less

Book SynopsisA virologist's insight into how viruses evolve and why global epidemics are inevitableIn 1993 a previously healthy young man was drowning in the middle of a desert, in fluids produced by his own lungs. This was the beginning of the terrifying Sin Nombre hantavirus epidemic and the start of a scientific journey that would forever change our understanding of what it means to be human.After witnessing the Sin Nombre outbreak, Dr Frank Ryan began researching viral evolution and was astonished to discover that it's inextricable from the evolution of all life on Earth. From AIDS and Ebola to the common cold, Ryan explores the role of the virus within every ecosystem on the planet. His gripping conclusions shed new light on the natural world, proving that what doesn't kill you really does make you (and your species) stronger.Trade ReviewPraise for Virusphere: ‘A fascinating book that is well structured … absorbing … [and] makes an engrossing and fervent argument’ The Inquisitive Biologist Praise for Frank Ryan: 'Extremely well written … Frank Ryan has the page-turning and spine-chilling ability of a good novelist'Sunday Telegraph 'Ryan is very good at making technical matters comprehensible to the lay reader, but more impressive still is the away he conveys the intellectual excitement and elation of scientific discovery'Literary Review ‘Dr Ryan writes well in a difficult technical field, weaving the technicalities of scientific history, medicine, molecular biology and evolution into the human narratives … Very readable and disturbing’New York Times…

Read more less

Book Synopsis'Sometimes, 1+1 = changing the world. Cathy Newman's witty, warm history on the power of determined couples will make you look at your relationship and wonder, Could we be doing more this weekend than just going to IKEA?' CAITLIN MORAN

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisOne of the non-fiction books of the year.' Andrew O' Hagan A powerful, evocative and deeply personal journey into the world of missing peopleWhen Francisco Garcia was just seven years old, his father, Christobal, left his family. Unemployed, addicted to drink and drugs, and adrift in life, Christobal decided he would rather disappear altogether than carry on dealing with the problems in front of him. So that's what he did, leaving his young wife and child in the dead of night. He has been missing ever since.Twenty years on, Francisco is ready to take up the search for answers. Why did this happen and how could it be possible? Where might his father have gone? And is there any reason to hope for a happy reunion? During his journey, which takes him all across Britain and back to his father's homeland of Spain, Francisco tells the stories of those he meets along the way: the police investigators; the charity employees and volunteers; the once missing and those perilously at risk around usTrade Review‘It had me rapt. A compassionate and dogged work of journalism and memoir that will stay with me.’ Maeve Higgins, author of Maeve in America ‘I was blown away by this book’s gentle wisdom and incredible research. You will love this amazing book.’ Megan Nolan, author of Acts of Desperation ‘A pilgrimage through the many heartlands of missing, told with the empathy of someone knows all too well the eternal loss of missing. One of those books you can’t put down, gripped by the need to get to the end of the story, as is Garcia himself. A read-it-in-an-afternoon book with a surprising ending that stays with you long after you’ve turned the last page.’ Jo Youle, CEO of Missing People 'This book is a fascinating insight into the complex layers of what it is to be missing and the deep reverberations felt by the families waiting for news. The author shines light on the myriad of issues that result in someone disappearing, with the compassion and empathy of someone with true lived experience.' Kirsty Hillman, Lost Contact supervisor at Missing People ‘This is a beautiful exploration of unresolved grief, and the power and tenacity of those the missing leave behind.’ New Statesman ‘The experience of reading If You Were There is like standing on a beach witnessing the tide pull in and out around you, the landscape forever oscillating between a close, intimate environment and a wide expanse, peopled, on this occasion, with swathes of the missing…’ Guardian, Book of the Day

Read more less

Book Synopsis*THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER*A GUARDIAN AND SUNDAY TIMES BOOK OF THE YEARAn astonishing book' James O'BrienA gripping, devastating read' Sunday TimesThe inside story of the UK's response to the pandemic from the Insight investigations unit at The Sunday TimesFailures of State recounts the extraordinary political decisions taken at the heart of Boris Johnson's government during the global pandemic.Fully updated and corroborated by hundreds of sources, this is the insider's account of how the government sleepwalked into disaster and tried to cover up its role in the tragedy. Thrillingly told, it exposes one of the most scandalous failures of political leadership in British history.A damning indictment' Alan Johnson, ObserverA devastating piece of journalism' Andrew MarrThis is a scandal' Piers MorganTrade Review‘An astonishing book that you absolutely have to buy … the nearest we’ll get to an inquiry.’ James O’Brien ‘Failures of State is a Christmas-at-Argos sized catalogue of the government’s errors, page after page filled with its mistakes, misjudgments and even its possibly actionable crimes.’ Jonathan Freedland, Guardian ‘This book is superb. Painful but necessary reading.’ Rachel Clarke ‘A masterpiece. This is one of the most important books of our time.’ Owen Jones ‘A brilliantly presented indictment of the UK’s fumbling attempt to meet the Covid challenge.’ Kazuo Ishiguro, Guardian ‘Failures of State is a gripping, devastating read. It’s a piece of first-class investigative journalism… this is a work of history. It’s witness. It’s also a kind of catharsis.’ Christina Patterson, Sunday Times ‘Incredibly reported and wildly damning … It is impossible to read Failures of State, the frequently jaw-dropping book by Sunday Times journalists Jonathan Calvert and George Arbuthnott, and not conclude that the British people deserved far, far better from the government’ Marina Hyde, Guardian ‘A frightening and detailed account of the failures of the last 12 months. Some of the revelations are sickening and shocking.’ Armando Iannucci, satirist and writer ‘A damning indictment’ Alan Johnson, Observer ‘Superb journalism … a truly remarkable book.’ Professor Devi Sridhar, Chair of Global Public Health ‘Buy it and read it so you’re never tempted to forget’ John Crace, Guardian journalist ‘A devastating new account of Year Covid exposes the Prime Minister’s utter failure to meet the nation’s greatest health crisis for a century.’ Paul Routledge, Daily Mirror ‘I cannot recommend this book enough’ David Schneider, comedian and writer

Read more less

Book SynopsisI went for a walk around the garden. A great tit warbled above a patch of coltsfoot. I felt a thousand discoveries awaited''Notes from a Summer Cottage by Nina Burton is a beautifully written nature memoir about the time spent renovating a cottage in the Swedish countryside, and all the species that she encountered her during her stay.Did you know that there are more ants altogether than the number of seconds that have passed since the Big Bang? And that in relation to their size, their anthill cities can be larger than London and New York? Or, that a bird's migratory instinct is so strong that an injured stork once escaped captivity and was found six weeks later having walked 150 kilometres, following the migratory path of his flock on foot? What begins with a renovation of a an old summer cottage swiftly turns into an exploration of nature, life and philosophy, in which Nina Burton reveals the inner lives and hitherto unknown habits of the animals with which she shares.Within the wal

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe true, eye-opening account of how the NHS has been failed and what we can do to save it.The NHS is an institution. But it's also a political football, kicked back and forth between politicians for the past 75 years. It's a burden to some and a potent vote-winner for others. It's a construct, framed in the media. It's a set of ideas and a logo. It's a workplace for many and the birthplace of almost all of us. It's become a valued part of our society, it is extraordinarily special and it's being destroyed.' The NHS is at crisis point. In the 75 years since it was founded on the dream of making healthcare accessible to everyone, its principles have been chipped away at and disregarded by successive political leaders. The result: an underfunded, understaffed, exhausted workforce, a decimation of patient services and the infiltration of privatisation within our public healthcare system. We are now in danger of losing what we have come to depend upon: the NHS is collapsing and a two-tierTrade Review‘Brilliant. Everyone who cares about the NHS should read this brilliant book’ – Peter Stefanovic ‘If you’re a campaigner for the NHS, this new book, Critical, is a must-read. And if you’re not a campaigner for the NHS, this new book, Critical, is a must-read. Be informed; be angry; fight.’ – Dominic Minghella ‘A fantastic read for anyone interested in what’s happening to our NHS’ – Jemma Forte ‘Recommended reading. Angry but not shouty, terrifically researched and written’ – Russ Jones ‘An incredibly important book about the demise of our NHS and what we must do to reverse the damage that’s being done to it. A sobering and important read. I can highly recommend it’ – Kit Yates ‘Exceptional … a must read’ – Grace Blakeley ‘Critical is a superb, concise, yet informative and passionate piece of work. It neatly outlines just why politicians and successive governments have vandalised and decimated our NHS. However, more importantly, it shows the reader that there is another way – and that there is also something still left to fight for.’ Canary ‘Julia Grace Patterson has written a book reminding us just why we need a well-funded, state-run NHS of the sort neither major political party in the UK now supports. She's right.’ Richard Murphy

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE COSTA BIOGRAPHY AWARDMussolini was not only ruthless: he was subtle and manipulative. Black-shirted thugs did his dirty work for him: arson, murder, destruction of homes and offices, bribes and intimidation. His opponents including editors, union representatives, lawyers and judges were beaten into submission. But the tide turned in 1924 when his assassins went too far, horror spread across Italy, and antifascist resistance was born. Among those whose disgust hardened into bold and uncompromising resistance was a family from Florence: Amelia, Carlo and Nello Rosselli. Caroline Moorehead draws readers into the lives of this remarkable family their loves, their loyalties, their laughter and their ultimate sacrifice.Trade ReviewA gripping tale of intrigue… I was enormously moved * Observer *Expertly alternating vivid domestic detail with lucid exposition of the gradual evolution of totalitarianism… It feels like the book she was born to write -- Lucy Hughes-Hallett * Guardian *The creepy description by the author of the naivety of the good and the seductive powers of the bad touches a nerve. A Bold and Dangerous Family is a haunting reminder of the fragility of liberty and the dangers of complaisance -- Leanda De Lisle * The Times *Moorehead’s book, written with sensitivity, erudition and balance, is a fine tribute to the Rosselli family * Financial Times *Much has been written about life under fascist rule… But the study of a nation can never be as emotionally compelling as the study of a family… Expertly alternating vivid domestic detail with lucid exposition of the gradual evolution of totalitarianism, Caroline Moorehead allows her readers not only to know, but also to feel, how it was to endure fascist oppression… A prolific author who has always combined seriousness of purpose with a warm, human touch, she is drawn to good-hearted troublemakers… A Bold and Dangerous Family is animated by the evident admiration and affection she feels for her subjects. It feels like the book she was born to write -- Lucy Hughes-Hallett * Guardian *

Read more less

Book SynopsisWe are an astonishing species. Over the past millennium of plagues and exploration, revolution and scientific discovery, woman's rights and technological advances, human society has changed beyond recognition.Sweeping through the last thousand years of human development, Human Race is a treasure chest of the lunar leaps and lightbulb moments that, for better or worse, have sent humanity swerving down a path that no one could ever have predicted.But which of the last ten centuries saw the greatest changes in human history?History's greatest tour guide, Ian Mortimer, knows what answer he would give. But what's yours?Trade ReviewMortimer is an entertaining guide on this superb time-travel journey of human innovations -- Julia Richardson * Daily Mail *An ambitious study of the last millennium * Evening Standard *An excellent romp through the past millennium of British (and particularly English) history… Highly entertaining, well written and packed with lively characters and surprising facts. -- Ian Morris * BBC History Magazine *I loved this book... It will enable you to understand your past, your place in it and that of your ancestors as never before. A modern classic -- FIVE STARS, James Delingpole * Mail on Sunday *Provocative and enjoyable... Almost every page of this engaging book sets your mind racing -- Dominic Sandbrook * Sunday Times *

Read more less

Book Synopsis'The Admiral was quite certain that they were near land ... He promised to give a silk doublet to the first sailor who should report it'No gamble in history has been more momentous than the landfall of Columbus's ship the Santa Maria in the Americas in 1492 - an event that paved the way for the conquest of a 'New World'. The accounts collected here provide a vivid narrative of his voyages throughout the Caribbean and finally to the mainland of Central America, although he still believed he had reached Asia. Columbus himself is revealed as a fascinating and contradictory figure, fluctuating from awed enthusiasm to paranoia and eccentric geographical speculation. Prey to petty quarrels with his officers, his pious desire to bring Christian civilization to 'savages' matched by his rapacity for gold, Columbus was nonetheless an explorer and seaman of staggering vision and achievement.For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literTable of ContentsIntroductionFIRST VOYAGE: 1492–3General and Natural History of the Indies by Captain Gonzalo Fernandez de Oviedo, Bk. II, Chaps. 2–4Digest of Columbus's Log-Book on his First Voyage Made by Bartolome de las CasasThe Life of the Admiral by his Son, Hernando Colon, Chaps. 27–42Letter of Columbus to Various Persons Describing the Results of His First Voyage and Written on the Return JourneySECOND VOYAGE: 1493–6The Life of the Admiral by his Son, Hernando Colon, Chap. 43The Letter Written by Dr Chanca to the City of SevilleThe Life of the Admiral by his Son, Hernando Colon, Chaps. 51–64THIRD VOYAGE: 1498–1500The Life of the Admiral by his Son, Hernando Colon, Chap. 65Narrative of the Third Voyage of Christopher Columbus to the Indies, in which He Discovered the Mainland, Dispatched to the Sovereigns from the Island of HispaniolaThe Life of the Admiral by his Son, Hernando Colon, Chaps. 73–80 and 82–6Letter Sent by the Admiral of the Indies to the Governess of Don Juan of Castile in the year 1500, in which He Was Brought from the Indies a PrisonerThe Life of the Admiral by his Son, Hernando Colon, Chaps. 86 (cont.)–87FOURTH VOYAGE: 1502–4Letter Written by Christopher Columbus, Viceroy and Admiral of the Indies, to the Most Christian and Mighty King and Queen of Spain, Our SovereignsAccount by Diego Mendez of Certain Incidents on Christopher Columbus's Last VoyageThe Life of the Admiral by his Son, Hernando Colon, Chap. 108LIST OF MAPSThe Four VoyagesThe First VoyageThe Second Voyage (First Map)The Second Voyage (Second Map)The Third VoyageThe Fourth Voyage

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Interesting Narrative is a first-hand account of the horrors of slavery, published on the eve of the British abolition debate in 1789. The most important African autobiography of the 18th century, it recounts Equiano's adventures on land and sea. This edition's introduction surveys recent debates about Equiano's birthplace and identity.Trade ReviewThe appetite for Equiano and his memoir shows no signs of abating, as this new edition shows. * James Walvin, The Times *The book adds to the body of knowledge about a great man, Olaudah Equiano or Gustavus Vassa, The African. Students now have a wider chose of resources as they study his complex but interesting life. * Arthur Torrington, The Equiano Society *This book will change our assumptions about slavery and affect, and also change our sense of what works can be connected to this vast enterprise. It makes for what is sometimes surprising reading, but it also makes so much sense that the century will never again look quite the same as it did before this book. * George E. Haggerty, SEL Studies in English Literature 1500-1900 *This edition of Equiano's The Interesting Narrative, paired with Carey's introduction and explanatory materials, provides a text that is meaningful across educational levels and backgrounds. It should help to ensure that Equiano's text, with its relevance to multiple disciplines and areas of inquiry, does not again disappear from our awareness. * International Journal of African Historical Studies *

Read more less

Book SynopsisLONGLISTED FOR THE ALCS GOLD DAGGER FOR NON-FICTION'One of the mysteries I've long been fascinated by, and I am so grateful that Ravi Somaiya has cracked it open so brilliantly' David Grann, author of Killers of the Flower MoonA PLANE CRASH IN THE JUNGLE. A LEGENDARY STATESMAN DEAD. A TRAGIC ACCIDENT... OR THE ULTIMATE CONSPIRACY?For nearly sixty years, the circumstances surrounding the death of renowned diplomat Dag Hammarskjoeld have remained one of the Cold War's most tightly guarded secrets. Now, with exclusive evidence, investigative journalist Ravi Somaiya finally uncovers the truth. In 1961 the Congo was in crisis, fragmented and at war with itself. The streets of Leopoldville, the capital, were crawling with CIA operatives, MI6 agents and Soviet infiltrators. Belgian colonialists, Rhodesian white supremacists and corporate mercenaries massed in the south of the country. The chaos conspired to make it one of the most dangerous places on earth. UN Secretary General Dag Ha

Read more less

Book Synopsis''A roaring tale ... remains as vivid and exciting today as it was on publication in 1697'' GuardianThe pirate and adventurer William Dampier circumnavigated the globe three times, and took notes wherever he went. This is his frank, vivid account of his buccaneering sea voyages around the world, from the Caribbean to the Pacific and East Indies. Filled with accounts of raids, escapes, wrecks and storms, it also contains precise observations of people, places, animals and food (including the first English accounts of guacamole, mango chutney and chopsticks). A bestseller on publication, this unique record of the colonial age influenced Robinson Crusoe, Gulliver''s Travels and consequently the whole of English literature.Edited with an Introduction by Nicholas Thomas

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis''Thrilling, inspiring and informative page-turner.'' Walter Isaacson, author of The Code BreakerYou know what went wrong.This is the untold story of what went right.Few were ready when a mysterious respiratory illness emerged in Wuhan, China, in January 2020. Politicians, government officials, business leaders and public-health professionals were unprepared for the most devastating pandemic in a century. Many of the world''s biggest drug and vaccine makers were slow to react or couldn''t muster an effective response.It was up to a small group of unlikely and untested scientists and executives to save civilization. A French businessman dismissed by many as a fabulist. A Turkish immigrant with little virus experience. A quirky Midwesterner obsessed with insect cells. A Boston scientist employing questionable techniques. A British scientist resented by his peers. Far from the limelight, each had spent years developing innovatTrade ReviewThe race to develop a COVID vaccine is one of the most exciting dramas in medical history, and A Shot to Save the World is a thrilling account based on great reporting and access to all of the teams. An inspiring and informative page-turner. * Walter Isaacson, author of The Code Breaker *An appropriately breathless account of the business and scientific rivalries between researchers and companies behind the successful coronavirus vaccines. Zuckerman shows how a global catastrophe transformed the fortunes of tiny, visionary ventures, and huge pharmaceutical enterprises, as they raced to stem the pandemic's spread. -- Andrew Hill * Financial Times *Zuckerman conveys decades of complex scientific research in a gripping fashion. His focus on the slow burn of discovery makes for a fascinating angle and offers plenty of inspiration. The result is tough to put down. * Publishers Weekly *

Read more less

Book SynopsisA translation of letters written by settlers in the Río de la Plata region of South America during the Spanish conquest in the sixteenth century.Trade Review“A contribution that is an essential new approach to the rigorous and non-ideological perception of the ‘River of the Silver’ during the sixteenth century and constitutes a great addition to Latin American postcolonial studies.”—Alejandro Solomianski Hispania“In The Improbable Conquest, Pablo García Loaeza and Victoria Garrett offer English readers an excellent and needed translation of little-known letters from the Spanish conquest of an immense territory—what is today Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, Paraguay, and Bolivia. These letters bring to light the historical background of the first interactions between Europeans and Native Americans of the Southern Cone. This book is a necessary tool for all Spanish American scholars, particularly those specializing in the first half of the sixteenth century and the Spanish and Portuguese discovery, conquest, and colonization of South America.”—Juan Francisco Maura,University of Vermont“Through the carefully selected letters of participants, Pablo García Loaeza and Victoria Garrett provide readers with an intimate understanding of the harsh realities of the Spanish conquest and settlement of the often ignored frontier of the Río de la Plata. The vivid voices of leaders of expeditions, clergy, a merchant/artisan, and a woman highlight the tragedy of conflict with indigenous peoples, starvation, a hostile environment, disease, and internecine conflict within the ranks of the conquistadors. This is a book that will provoke discussion and analysis by students in the classroom and in the public sphere.”—Noble David Cook,Florida International University“The Improbable Conquest offers a highly readable and informative glimpse into an understudied area of the Spanish conquest and colonization of the Americas. The editors deftly render the voices and concerns of a diverse Spanish population in the early years of the founding of the Río de la Plata—women, clergy, conquistadors, and governors—as a rich dialogue between the Spanish crown, church, local populations, and individual circumstances. The introduction provides a lively narrative of the historical context of the conquest, and the introduction to each primary source situates it within the complexities of colonization and scholarship on the topic. This book offers both scholars and students in a variety of disciplines a trove of primary sources and information.”—Kathleen Myers,Indiana University BloomingtonTable of ContentsContentsForewordPreface AcknowledgmentsChronologyIntroductionSelected Letters from the Río de la PlataPedro de Mendoza to Juan de Ayolas (April 21, 1537)Isabel Guevara to Princess Juana (July 2, 1556) Domingo de Irala to Emperor Charles V (March 1, 1545)Francisco Galán to Rodrigo de Vera (March 1, 1545)Juan Pavón to Martín de Agreda (June 15, 1556) Francisco de Andrada to the Council of the Indies (March 1, 1545)Martín González to Emperor Charles V (June 25, 1556)Domingo Martínez to Emperor Charles V (July 2, 1556)EpilogueGlossary of Spanish TermsBibliographyIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe extraordinary tale of Oskar Schindler, the Aryan who saved hundreds of Jews in Nazi-occupied Poland, is now legendary, but as Tom Keneally reveals in this absorbing memoir, luck and the dogged persistence of one of ''Schindler''s Jews'' were vital in bringing it to the world''s attention through his Booker Prize-winning novel, SCHINDLER''S ARK and the subsequent film, SCHINDLER''S LIST.Entertaining, inspiring and filled with anecdotes about the many people involved, from the survivors Keneally interviewed to Steven Spielberg and Liam Neeson, Searching for Schindler gives a revealing insight into a writer''s mind and the creation of a modern classic. It also traces what happened in the decades after the war to Schindler, his wife, and the people they rescued - including Leopold Pfefferberg, who made it his mission to repay his priceless debt to Schindler. Above all, it sheds renewed light on a fascinatingly flawed man, and an instance of exceptional humanity amid the Trade ReviewHad I read SEARCHING FOR SCHINDLER before making the film, I may have made it an hour longer. I owe you so much. The world owes you more. * Steven Spielberg *Keneally is incapable of writing a dull book. This memoir, listed as his 38th publication, is no exception * Andrew Riemer, Sydney Morning Herald *a fascinating absorbing book, replete with anecdote and a quality of writing that continues to mark Keneally out as one of our finest living authors * Herald *

Read more less

Book SynopsisFirst published as magazine articles in 1907, Bat Masterson''s illustrated collection of mini-biographies reveals fascinating details about legendary gunslingers Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, Luke Short, Bill Tilghman, Ben Thompson, and others. These colorful tales of history and adventure paint a vivid portrait of the Old West, a world of sharpshooters, cattle rustlers, and Dodge City justice.

Read more less

Book SynopsisNearly forty thrilling, first-hand accounts by men and women who are the modern heirs of the great explorers of previous ages.Trade Review'Breathtaking' - Adventure Travel MagazineTable of ContentsIntroduction: An Alliance with Adventure Polar: Ran Fiennes; Liv Arnesen; Borge Ousland; Pen Hadow; Mikael Strandberg Desert: Michael Asher; Jon Muir; John Hare; Arita Baaijens; Robert Twigger; Bruno Baumann Rainforest: Ghillean Prance; Sydney Possuelo; J. Michael Fay; Wade Davis; Meg Lowman; Martin Holland Mountain: Stephen Venables; Chris Bonington; Rebecca Stephens; Haraldur Sigurdsson; Karen Darke Ocean: Tim Severin; Henk de Velde; Jeff Macinnis; Jon Turk; Jason Lewis River: John Blashford-Snell; Robin Hanbury-Tenison; Lorenzo and Mirella Ricciardi; Wong How Man; Michel Peissel Under Sea, Under Land: George Bass; Andy Eavis; Jean-Francois Pernette Lost Worlds: Mark Norell; Tahir Shah; Franck Goddio; Johan Reinhard

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade ReviewDelightfully horrifying. * Popular Science *A delightful romp through a myriad of entertaining, arcane and obscure medical anecdotes. Fascinating and entertaining... a curious window into a vitalistic era of medical practice. -- Adrian Woolfson * Wall Street Journal *A witty account of bizarre medical tales from history. Read it, weep and be very grateful for modern medicine. * Daily Express *Blending fascinating history with cutting wit, surgical historian Thomas Morris mines the medical journals and explores some of the strangest cases that have perplexed doctors across the world. * Big Issue *A Ripley-esque collection of 'compellingly disgusting, hilarious, or downright bizarre' medical oddities... accompanied by the author's witty and often humorous, colloquial commentary. * Kirkus Reviews *

Read more less

Book SynopsisSpring 1958: a mysterious individual believed to be high up in the Polish secret service began passing Soviet secrets to the West. His name was Michal Goleniewski and he remains one of the most important, yet least known and most misunderstood spies of the Cold War. Even his death is shrouded in mystery and he has been written out of the history of Cold War espionage - until now. Tim Tate draws on a wealth of previously-unpublished primary source documents to tell the dramatic true story of the best spy the west ever lost - of how Goleniewski exposed hundreds of KGB agents operating undercover in the West; from George Blake and the ''Portland Spy Ring'', to a senior Swedish Air Force and NATO officer and a traitor inside the Israeli government. The information he produced devastated intelligence services on both sides of the Iron Curtain.Bringing together love and loyalty, courage and treachery, betrayal, greed and, ultimately, insanity, Trade ReviewThe larger than life story of one of the West's most productive Cold War counter-intelligence agents - a man who to the CIA's embarrassment turned out also to be a bigamist and a romancer who claimed publicly to be the last descendent of the Russian Czar and heir to his fortune. A made for Hollywood page turner, it's a fascinating read and highly recommended. -- SIR DAVID OMAND, author of How Spies Think: Ten Lessons in IntelligenceTotally gripping . . . a masterpiece. Tate lifts the lid on one of the most important and complex spies of the Cold War, who passed secrets to the West and finally unmasked traitor George Blake. -- HELEN FRY, author of MI9: A History of the Secret Service for Escape and Evasion in World War TwoA brilliant and gripping exploration of one of the last great espionage enigmas of the twentieth century. Unputdownable. -- TREVOR BARNES, author of Dead DoublesA wonderful and at times mind-boggling account of a bizarre and almost forgotten spy - right up to the time when he's living undercover in Queens, New York and claiming to be the last of the Romanoffs. -- SIMON KUPER, author of The Happy TraitorA highly readable and thoroughly researched account of one of the Cold War's most intriguing and tragic spy stories. -- OWEN MATTHEWS, author of An Impeccable Spy

Read more less

Book Synopsis''A practical and positive guide to using tech to change women''s lives for the better'' -Caroline Criado Perez, author of Invisible Women: exposing data bias in a world designed for men''A powerful and inspiring call to action from one of Britain''s brightest minds''- Yomi Adegoke, award-winning journalist, author of Slay in Your Lane etc.Why are women so under-represented in the tech world?Why does this matter?What can we do about it? A book that asks essential questions and provides long-overdue practical solutions. Perfect for readers of Invisible Women.Why do so many of us - particularly women - feel the tech world is beyond reach? Women are woefully under-represented in tech - they represent roughly a mere quarter of the UK STEM workforce. This means an ever-increasing series of big decisions are made by a small number of people, mainly men.So what are the chalTrade ReviewAn exceptional person. * Guardian *An energetic presence with no-nonsense impact. * Telegraph *A powerful and inspiring call to action from one of Britain's brightest minds - She's In Ctrl asks all the right questions about women in tech and Imafidon sets about providing practical, long overdue solutions. -- Yomi Adegoke, award-winning journalist, author of Slay in Your Lane etc.A practical and positive guide to using tech to change women's lives for the better -- Caroline Criado Perez, author of Invisible Women: exposing data bias in a world designed for menAnne-Marie is one of the UK's brilliant minds and has been at the forefront of tackling the STEM gender gap by demystifying the subject and making it accessible and fun for all, regardless of gender or background. Her's is a voice to be listened to. -- June Sarpong, author of The Power of Women: why gender equality works for everyone

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn 1845 Captain Sir John Franklin led a large, well equipped expedition to complete the conquest of the Canadian Arctic, to find the fabled North West Passage connecting the North Atlantic to the North Pacific. Yet Franklin, his ships and his men were fated never to return. The cause of their loss remains a mystery. In Franklin, Andrew Lambert presents a gripping account of the worst catastrophe in the history of British exploration, and the dark tales of cannibalism that surround the fate of those involved.Shocked by the disappearance of all 129 officers and men, and sickened by reports of cannibalism, the Victorians re-created Franklin as the brave Christian hero who laid down his life, and those of his men. Later generations have been more sceptical about Franklin and his supposed selfless devotion to duty. But does either view really explain why this outstanding scientific navigator found his ships trapped in pack ice seventy miles from magnetic north?In 2

Read more less

Book SynopsisAustralia's favourite newsman brings his journalist's eye to bear on stories of mythical monsters, UFOs, paranormal events and unsolved mysteries from Australian folklore.

Read more less

Book Synopsis''You almost feel you are taking that trek with the party as Robert Macklin cites the obstacles - torrential river crossings, dense bush, the Snowy Mountains and more. Macklin covers Hume''s public and private life, emphasising his affinity with the country and rapport with the Indigenous people, as well as providing a portrait of the evolving colony.'' SYDNEY MORNING HERALDThe stirring untold story of a true Australian hero who opened up the nation.While English-born soldiers, sailors and surveyors have claimed pride of place among the explorers of the young New South Wales colony, the real pathfinder was a genuine native-born Australian. Hamilton Hume, a man with a profound understanding of the Aboriginal people and an almost mystical relationship with the Australian bush, led settlers from the cramped surrounds of Sydney Town to the vast fertile country that would provide the wealth to found and sustain a new nation.Robert Macklin, author of the criTrade ReviewTo Come * Canberra Times *This is an enjoyable, enlightening account that should be read by every thinking adult. * MC Reviews *For those who enjoy reading about Australian history, and the making of a nation, I highly recommend Hamilton Hume as an enjoyable and fascinating read. * The Reviewers blog *Our long history of putting a difficult problem out of our sight. * Crickey.com.au *You almost feel you are taking that trek with the party as Robert Macklin cites the obstacles - torrential river crossings, dense bush, the Snowy Mountains and more * Sydney Morning Herald, Newcastle Herald, Burnie Advocate, Western Advocate, Northern Daily Leader, North West Star, Ballarat Courier, Daily Advertiser, Bendigo Advertiser, Launceston Examiner *https://startsat60.com/stories/entertain/books/is-hamilton-hume-australias-greatest-explorer * Starts at 60 *a fine biography, a fitting tribute * Golden Plains Miner *Review * Redland City Bulletin *This book, which is anything but a dry history, brings the first 80 years of this settlement alive * Good Reading *Review * Dubbo Photo News *

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn the early hours of 15 April 1912, the Cunard steamship Carpathia receives a distress call from the new White Star liner Titanic. Captain Arthur Rostron immediately turns Carpathia northwest and sails full speed through the dark night, into waters laden with icebergs, on a rescue mission that will become legendary.Almost a century later, Carpathia''s wreck has finally been located. She''s over 500 feet down and only a few divers in the world can attain these depths. Among them is Englishman Ric Waring''s team. In this captivating and intensively researched story, we follow the dual narratives of Rostron and the daring rescue of the Titanic survivors by Carpathia, and of Waring''s team and their dangerous determination to reach the wreck. Rich in history and drama, the true story of Carpathia from her launching to the sensational events of 1912, World War I and beyond is a compelling narrative that moves at the page-turning pace of the very best fiction.Trade ReviewLudowyke's book is captivating and well-researched. * QWeekend *Ludowyke's book is captivating and well-researched. * QWeekend *This book, written and meticulously researched by the Sunshine Coast academic, will be enjoyed by a much wider audience. The reason is Ludowyke's charming way of breathing life into the scenes she writes about and the characters who form the focus of her narrative. * BW Magazine *This book, written and meticulously researched by the Sunshine Coast academic, will be enjoyed by a much wider audience. The reason is Ludowyke's charming way of breathing life into the scenes she writes about and the characters who form the focus of her narrative. * BW Magazine *Review TO COME * WHO Magazine *Review TO COME * QWeekend *This marvellous book recounts the many stories of this forgotten hero of the Titanic disaster. * The Daily Telegraph *a compelling narrative that moves at the page-turning pace of the very best fiction * Mildura Midweek *The dramatic and fascinating story * Law Society Journal *Beyond all the heroism and drama, this is ultimately a parable about a modest vessel which outclasses a superliner when it really counts. * Spectrum *

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe book features an appendix including the original Hebrew/Aramaic texts for the reader's reference.Trade ReviewThis book offers the best set of literary readings of Talmudic materials in English, and the best English introduction to the issues such readings entail, that this reviewer has seen. Choice This book goes well beyond the explanation of difficult Talmudic stories. It presents, indeed, an entirely innovative theory. Rubenstein's argument is not only important, but also, I think, persuasive. This book should not be allowed to go unnoticed: in a well-trodden field like Talmudic studies one rarely gets the feeling that a major breakthrough has been achieved. -- Sacha Stern Journal of Jewish Studies Rubenstein has produced a fascinating volume... Anyone who reads this book will find important new insights. -- Gary G. Porton Shofar This is a mature work, in which the author invested much labor and thought. The thoroughness, methodical diversity, and scholarly discretion can serve as a model of the demanding standards that are to be expected from serious research into rabbinic literature. -- Eliezer Segal Journal of the American Academy of Religion It analyzes several notable rabbinic stories in a fresh and detailed manner. -- Carol Bakhos Journal of Biblical Literature A distinctive and nuanced analysis of six narratives from the Babylonian Talmud... I would recommend this excellent book to Rubenstein's intended audience as well as anyone who is interested in the literary analysis of religious narratives... Rubenstein's analyses are careful and thorough, and he argues his points well. In addition, Talmudic Stories opens up a host of new challenges. -- Jonathan Schofer Hebrew Studies This work establishes Rubenstein as the leading scholar of narrative in the Babylonian Talmud. -- Marc Bregman Religious Studies ReviewTable of ContentsContents: Introduction *Torah, Shame, and "The Oven of Akhnai" (Bava Mesia 59a-59b) * Elisha ben Abuya: Torah and the Sinful Sage (Hagiga 15a-15b) * Torah and the Mundane Life: The Education of R. Shimon bar Yohai (Shabbat 33b-34a) * Rabbinic Authority and the Destruction of Jerusalem (Gittin 55b-56b) * Torah, Lineage, and the Academic Hierarchy (Horayot 13b-14a) * Torah, Gentiles, and Eschatology (Avoda Zara 2a-3b) * Conclusion

Read more less

Book SynopsisJournalist Susan Casey joins a strange band of surfer-scientists on a remote island off the California coast for some close encounters with the jaws of the world's most mysterious and fearsome predators in the New York Times bestseller, The Devil's Teeth: A True Story of Obsession and Survival Among America's Great White Sharks. Susan Casey was in her living room when she first saw the great white sharks of the Farallon Islands, their dark fins swirling around a small motorboat in a documentary. These sharks were the alphas among alphas, some longer than twenty feet, and there were too many to count; even more incredible, this congregation was taking place just twenty-seven miles off the coast of San Francisco.In a matter of months, Casey was being hoisted out of the early-winter swells on a crane, up a cliff face to the barren surface of Southeast Farallon Island-dubbed by sailors in the 1850s the devil''s teeth. There she joined Scot Anderson

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe seven chapters in this second of two volumes contain biographies of Irish women who were at the cutting edge of the aeronautical revolution that swept these islands in the early twentieth century. Their stories are told against the backdrop of Irish economic, social and political life. Some enjoyed a lavish and aristocratic lifestyle, while for others it was a struggle.Adelaide Pollock married into the wealthy Belfast Cleaver family. In 1929 she bought her own open-cockpit aircraft and undertook a return journey to India. This was followed by a transcontinental flight from New York to California.Galway born Shamrock Trench earned the distinction of becoming the first woman to earn an Aviator''s Certificate in the newly established Irish Free State.Cathleen Bryan hailed from County Wexford and operated a flying school and commercial aviation business in north County Dublin. She gave aeronautical experience to many and thus brought aviation to hundreds of Iris

Read more less

Book SynopsisDiscover why Britain''s remaining marginally wild equine herda are facing extinction in their semi-natural habitats, and how we might protect them.Explore informally, during rendezvous with expects, inspiring facets of a landscape partially shaped by the ancestors of Britain''s modern-day native houyhnhnms.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Ship Beneath the Ice is the extraordinary story of how the world’s most famous shipwreck was found, told by the search's Director of Exploration.Trade ReviewAs thrilling as any tale from the heroic age of exploration . . . Bound’s account is a triumph. The storytelling is piano-wire taut, the writing saturated with polar moodiness * Sunday Times *Bound has a natural flair for storytelling and his narrative cracks along with the pace of a well-crafted thriller . . . Captivating and engrossing -- Mail on SundayThe story of Shackleton’s Endurance is one of the most extraordinary in the history of exploration. This is more than just an astonishing sequel. It is a tale just as powerful, and one which redefines the meaning of impossible -- Sir Michael PalinGloriously written . . . Written with the verve of a thriller, Bound's narrative deftly weaves together his voyages and Shackleton's . . . Bound is blessed with a poet's ear for richly evocative language -- Times Literary SupplementThe juxtaposition of the original Shackleton expedition with the quest to find the wreck of the Endurance is utterly compelling -- Professor Alice Roberts, Sunday Times bestseller author of Ancestors and TV PresenterUtterly spellbinding and a rollercoaster of a story. This gripping tale of international collaboration at its best oozes the steely resolve of a modern explorer and is a massive accolade to all involved in bringing the Endurance back into our lives -- Pippa Wordie, granddaughter of James Wordie, the geologist and chief scientist on the EnduranceAn enthralling tale of an extraordinary venture which brings Shackleton’s epic story bang up to the present day -- Camilla Nichol, Chief Executive, UK Antarctic Heritage TrustBound's passion . . . for the most unexplored geography on Earth is evident on every page. His writing blends the required scientific explanations with what touches on poetry . . . Captivating * Daily Mail *Mensun Bound tells [his] story with passion and flair . . . Evocative * Washington Post *An acclaimed book -- ObserverRemarkable . . . Bound’s account has a bittersweet intensity -- The Australian

Read more less

Book SynopsisMensun Bound is a leading maritime archaeologist who has discovered many of the world's most famous shipwrecks. Artefacts that he has raised can be found on permanent display in over a dozen museums worldwide. His excavations have featured in many documentaries and were the subject of a four-part series by the Discovery Channel entitled Lost Ships. He founded the first academic unit for maritime archaeology in England and from 1992 to 2013 was the Triton Fellow in Maritime Archaeology at St. Peter's College, Oxford University. He is a Trustee of the Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust and was Director of Exploration on the 2019 and 2022 expeditions to locate Shackleton's Endurance. The Ship Beneath the Ice is his first book.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Cato Street Conspiracy was the most sensational of all plots aimed at the British state since the Gunpowder Plot of 1605. This book tells this dramatic but neglected story with cinematic vividness, episodic range, and a tragic denouement that undermines our romantic fantasies about Regency England.Trade Review'In his gripping new book, Vic Gatrell rescues the Cato Street conspirators from “the enormous condescension of posterity”, and reconstructs in enthralling detail the world of low taverns, debtors' prisons and radical extremism from which they came. This is a brilliantly written masterpiece that triumphantly succeeds in restoring humanity and dignity to its subjects.' Richard J. Evans, author of The Pursuit of Power: Europe, 1815–1914'Conspiracy on Cato Street explores in gripping detail the plot of February 1820 to assassinate the whole cabinet and start a revolution the year after the Peterloo massacre. Gatrell sympathises as much as possible with the desperation the doomed plotters felt that drove them to such a decision. The plot was the most murderous for over two centuries - since the gunpowder plot - and here finds its perfect historian.' Andrew Roberts, Books of the Year, BBC History Magazine'A finely researched account' Best 50 Books of 2022, Daily Telegraph'Enriched by Gatrell's observation that “the inequalities and deprivations that moved the conspirators, and the privileged interests and powers that contained them, still operate,” this is a fine-grained study of political extremism in action.' Publishers Weekly'Gatrell's intense study of the men's lives - and what brought them to believe that violently overthrowing the government could solve their problems - is forensic and vivid in its detail.' Stephen Bates, BBC History Magazine'This is micro-history at its richest and its most penetrating. More than giving us a social history in a few lives, Gatrell has told us a human story with the depth of a novel.' D. H. Robinson, The Critic'an engrossing study.' Kathryn Hughes, Sunday Times'a panoramic and thrilling study of an overlooked part of British history.' Catherine Ostler, Daily Telegraph'Gatrell asks all the right questions of his subject, and his answers are sound and illuminating.' David Keymer, Library Journal [starred review]'Terrific … the richest account of the Cato Street conspiracy ever written.' Marcus Nevitt, The Spectator'Gatrell writes passionately as a radical historian championing the underdog and castigating inequality.' William Anthony Hay, The Wall Street Journal'… (a) gripping account.' History Today'There is no better guide to metropolitan high and low life than Gatrell … [In] an enthralling classic of London history, [he] eschews what he sees as the stifling pieties of labour history in favour of individual character and lived detail, professing a Dickensian empathy for the 'muddled attitudes, slogans and resentments' of ordinary Londoners … Cato Street is underdog history at its purest.' Robert Poole, Times Literary Supplement'Vic Gatrell tells this sorry story with zest and sympathy … Conspiracy on Cato Street follows the trail of his Hanging Tree (1994), City of Laughter (2006) and The First Bohemians (2013) in its capturing of Regency London in all its gaiety, violence, sexual sprawl and, above all, searing poverty. His trigger finger trembles with passion as he takes aim at the romantic curricles-and-crinolines view of the period … Gatrell says at the beginning of his salutary and often startling account that 'a book of this kind cannot help speaking to the present.' Ferdinand Mount, London Review of Books'Vic Gatrell is that rarest of people; an academic historian steeped in the archives who can write the most beautiful prose. Conspiracy on Cato Street brings his trademark erudition and style to bear … [in this] wonderful book.' Jason McElligott, Irish TimesTable of ContentsPart I. The simple tale: 1. The Cato Street conspiracy: what happened; 2. Arrests and reactions; Part II. Taking its measure: 3. Interpreting the conspiracy; 4. What they were up against; 5. What they believed; 6. Fantasy, myth, and song; 7. Rebellion's habitats; Part III. Thistlewood: his story: 8. A terrorist in the making: 1774-1816; 9. The Spa Fields insurrection: 1816-17; 10. Thistlewood unhinged: 1818-19; 11. Peterloo in London: 1819-20; 12. Edwards the spy: 1819-20; Part IV. Ordinary Britons: 13. Conspirators and others; 14. Wives, marriages, children; 15. Men of colour: Wedderburn and Davidson; Part V. Executions: 16. Trials and verdicts; 17. May Day at Newgate; 18. Epilogue: Géricault goes to Cato Street; Historiographical note; The trial reports.

Read more less