Search results for ""the history press ltd""

England is my home, and if someone asks me what I am German, Norwegian, Jewish or British I answer, I'm an Englishman.'In 1934, aged just 16, Louis Hagen was sent to Lichtenberg concentration camp after being betrayed for an off-hand joke by a Nazi-sympathising family maid. Mercifully, his time there was cut short thanks to the intervention of a school friend's father, and he escaped to the UK soon after. The Life of Louis Hagen' follows his adventures across the globe and the characters he met along the way, from the founder of the NHS to a Nobel Prize winner to one of the earliest animated-film directors, all told in lively and unflinching detail.Of the 10,000 men who landed at Arnhem, 1,400 were killed and more than 6,000 were captured a bloody disaster in more ways than one. Arnhem Lift' is Hagen's breathtaking and frank account of what it was like in the air and on the ground, including his daring escape from the German Army by

Read more less

The ''couch potato'' is an idler, the ''cabbage-head'' a dunce, Swede-bashers are stupid and you may as well give up life if you become a vegetable. A vegetable existence may imply dull monotony, but the human vegetable has sparked protests, threatened to topple a British government and almost triggered a revolution. From the Scottish Presbyterian campaign against the ''sinful potato'' to the class act that turned the carrot into a propaganda tool, from garlic inscriptions on Egyptian pyramids to Neolithic broad beans and medieval cabbage, and from the Dig for Victory campaign to their use in perfumes, The Curious History of Vegetables shows vegetables in a fascinating new light.

Read more less

Oxfordshire is the hive to which great artists, scientists, thinkers and warlords have swarmed for 2,000 years. You will be amazed at how many historical figures have enjoyed or suffered their defining moments in this exciting and interesting county.From flint arrowheads to RAF bases, from the Ridgeway to the M40 and from the Roman Conquest to the Cold War, this book tells the story of Oxfordshire's diverse people and their trades, triumphs and tribulations.The history of Oxfordshire is, indeed, the history of England in miniature, and Paul Sullivan shares it in all its glory in this well-researched book.

Read more less

Did You Know? Kildare's highest point is Cupidstown Hill near Kilteel. St Brigid, the patroness of Ireland, was buried in Kildare. When built, the magnificent Castletown House near Celbridge was the largest private residence in Ireland. The origins of Guinness can actually be traced to County Kildare, not Dublin. The Little Book of Kildare is a compendium of fascinating, obscure, strange and entertaining facts about this historic county.Here you will find out about Kildare's great houses and historic towns, its monastic heritage, its literary traditions and its famous (and occasionally infamous) men and women. Through quaint villages and bustling towns, this book takes the reader on a journey through County Kildare and its and colourful vibrant past.A reliable reference and a quirky guide, this book can be dipped into time and again to reve

Read more less

December 1941. After setting up one of the first resistance organisations in Vichy France and escaping over the Pyrenees into Spain, brothers Henry and Alfred Newton received devastating news. SS Avoceta, carrying their parents, wives and children to the safety of Britain, had been torpedoed by a German U-boat. All of their family were dead.From that moment on, the Newton brothers were consumed by revenge. Recruited by SOE, and known to everyone simply as the Twins, they returned to France and waged their own personal war against the Nazis. For nine months they lived on the edge before they were betrayed, and the net finally closed. They were caught by the Gestapo and tortured at the hands of the Butcher of Lyon, Klaus Barbie, before being taken to the dreaded Buchenwald concentration camp.In The SOE's Brothers of Vengeance, acclaimed historian Peter Jacobs reveals the full story of Henry and Alfred Newton. Drawing on personal archive

Read more less

A fascinating insight into how and why we are compelled to help others even when we've got nothing left to give.' Amy Beecham, StylistThis book is a powerful catalyst in showing helpers how to help themselves.' Suzy Reading, author of The Self-Care RevolutionIt goes well beyond reminding us of the importance of self-care and digs deep into unconscious beliefs and thinking patterns. I'm very sure that everyone could relate to the Super-Helper Syndrome.' Carers UKI wish this book had been available for me to read years ago. Besides explaining why super-helpers behave as they do, it's given me a healthier mindset and allowed me to reassess what boundaries around selflessness can look like.' Martine Croxall, BBC Television journalistThere's a type of person out there who is better at helping others than they are at looking after themselves. Maybe yo

Read more less

GWR, LMS, LNER and SR: these initials arouse memories of the Cornish Riviera Express, the streamlined Coronation Scot, the streamlined Coronation with its beaver tail, and the Southern Electrics, yet three of these companies only enjoyed a life of 25 years.Colin G. Maggs, one of the country's leading railway historians, tells the story of how these Big Four companies came into being and their enormous success following the rundown of the railways during the First World War. The remarkable, if surprisingly brief, era of the Big Four saw great changes and achievements, including streamlining, speed records, electrification, diesel power, railway-owned buses and aircraft, and a real sense of cooperation between companies. The Story of the Big Four Railway Companies is a memorable illustrated history of their reign.

Read more less

Millions of people were held captive all over the world during the Second World War, including those in the armed services, who were captured and became prisoners of war, as well as many ordinary citizens, who were classified as enemy aliens potentially dangerous foreigners - and found themselves interned or deported overseas. The prisoners had hugely varied experiences based on their nationality, race, where they were captured and whether they were in the services or a civilian internee. For almost all, physical escape was impossible. But for many, plotting to break out of their camp or finding a form of escapism through other means music, art, writing or falling in love were sources of solace, hope and sometimes resistance.Captives, collated by experts from The National Archives, presents a variety of visual materials such as maps, photographs and drawings, alongside eye-witness accounts of capture and attempted escapes, to give a true picture o

Read more less

Bracknell is well known for being one of the ''new towns'' built after the Second World War to relieve the pressure of housing and industry in London but the history of Bracknell goes back much further than that.Early hunter gatherers, Iron Age people and Romans have all called Bracknell their home. Hidden in the royal hunting ground of Windsor Forest for many centuries, the village began to develop with the arrival of the railway. Local brickyards expanded, their output being used in many important buildings, both in Britain and abroad.In The Story of Bracknell, local historian Andrew Radgick sets about uncovering this near-forgotten history, producing a treasure trove of original research from newspaper archives and photographic collections, to personal accounts from residents and examinations of traditional tales associated with the area.Bracknell has a unique history, and this is its story.

Read more less

What was it like to be a child in England between the fifth and eleventh centuries?Who looked after children, how were they educated, what games did they play, and when did they have to take on adult responsibilities?What happened at birth, when were they weaned, what did they eat, how were they cared for, and how were they mourned if they died?In this ground-breaking book, Dr Sally Crawford teases out the world of the early medieval English child through a wide-ranging investigation of the archaeological, historical and literary evidence, including excavated cemeteries and settlements, medical texts, law codes and wills, annals, lives of the saints, and riddles, to paint a colourful picture of childhood in the Anglo-Saxon past.

Read more less

German Infantry Regiment 66 fought in most of the great battles on the Western Front in the First World War: Le Cateau, First Marne, Arras 1915, the Somme, Chemin des Dames 1917, the German March 1918 offensive, Chemin des Dames 1918, Second Marne and the Siegfried Line. This is the official regimental history, written in 1930 by Major Dr Otto Korfes, an officer in the regiment for most of the war and a Reichsarchiv historian.The German 66th Regiment in the First World War presents a unique insight into the German Army during the Great War, showcasing a perspective all too often ignored. Translated by German Army expert Terence Zuber, it includes maps and pencil sketches by the famed German war artist Döbrich-Steglitz. Containing a viewpoint that will add balance to anyone’s knowledge of the events of 1914–1918, this volume is a must-read for military historians and enthusiasts alike.

Read more less

Were prehistoric people like us? How did they live, what did they think and how did they see their world?3000 BC was a moment of great significance in the British Isles: Avebury, Stonehenge and many other major monuments were at vital stages in their construction and use, and writing often regarded as the ultimate hallmark of civilisation made its first appearance in Europe. In this revised and updated edition of Britain 3000 BC, Rodney Castleden uses the evidence of archaeological investigations to recreate the society, customs, economy, religion and ritual of Britain 5000 years ago, and to reveal the lost world of prehistoric people.From the well-built stone houses of Skara Brae on the Orkney Islands to the more primitive wooden huts of Honington in Suffolk, Castleden enters the dwellings and lifestyles of neolithic communities and delves into the nature of their society, their trading networks and positive obsession with death. Britai

Read more less

During the eighteenth century, ladies of high society kept handwritten notes on recipes, remedies, gardening and household advice in their personal House Books and it became fashionable to exchange their most successful tips with friends and neighbours. Very few of these fragile House Books have survived and this compilation celebrates two: one from Lady Talbot of Lacock Abbey and the other from Lady Louisa Conolly of Castletown House.In this collection you will find their herbal remedies for everything from coughs and colds to rickets, consumption and ‘preventing smallpox’, along with concoctions to ensure soft hands, improve the skin and ‘remove inhibitions’. There are also tips on cleaning and polishing, the best ways in which a garden should be laid out and the roles each servant should be expected to perform. Finally there is also a selection of their favourite recipes, including Cinnamon Spinach, Slipcoat Cheese and Pitchcocked Eels.This charming compilation is full of fascinating information and useful tips and gives an insight into the lives of those living in the grand houses of the eighteenth century.

Read more less

Games make up a huge part of childhood, and memories of specific games stay with us throughout our lives. They form an integral part of growing up and stimulate imagination and creativity. From hide and seek to complex card and board games, street games that require no equipment to elaborate rainy day amusements, we all have experience of entertaining ourselves as children.In this fascinating trip down memory lane Caroline Goodfellow explores the history of childhood games and how they have changed throughout the ages. From ancient board games to childhood pastimes of the Middle Ages through to the street games of the 1950s and ’60s and the experiences of children in the current decade, she delves into the differences between games over time and region.Bound to awaken pleasant memories, Games of Childhood Past transports the reader to another time, providing a nostalgic look at how we played.

Read more less

John F. Kennedy carried on a lifelong love affair with England and the English. From his speaking style to his tastes in art, architecture, theatre, music and clothes, his personality reflected his deep affinity for a certain kind of idealised Englishness.Setting his work against a backdrop of some of the twentieth century’s most profound events – the Great Depression, the Second World War, the Cold War and its arms race – noted biographer Christopher Sandford tracks Kennedy’s exploits in Great Britain between 1935 and 1963, and looks in depth at the unique way Britain shaped JFK throughout his adult life and how he in turn charmed British society.

Read more less

An exploration of the history and development of the dirigible airship from its humble beginnings in the late eighteenth century through to its current role as military command posts among other uses.Starting out as an unreliable experimental aircraft whilst aeronauts first began to learn the secrets of aerial navigation, the airship was remodelled in 1900 by Count Zeppelin to become a potent weapon of war. It was then transformed again into a short-lived solution to long-distance passenger air travel. With over 100 technical drawings and contemporary images of dirigible aircraft, Ridley-Kitts presents a comprehensive and fascinating history of the airship.Military, Naval and Civil Airships is a must read for those that wish to delve into the development of the aircraft for the first time and for airship specialists alike.

Read more less

On 7 May 1915, one of the most beloved and legendary liners of the North Atlantic was torpedoed by a German U-boat, taking 1,191 of her passengers and crew to an untimely demise. She had become a victim of the First World War, the most brutal conflict the world had yet seen.Lusitania: An Illustrated Biography is a comprehensive two-part look at her entire story, from her origins in the shipyards of Clydebank to her terrible, tragic end. It reveals her as she has never been seen before through words, historical photographs, and breath-taking computer animations.Volume One: Life of a Greyhound tells how Lusitania came to be built, shows her construction, discusses her technical marvels and reveals her incredible seven-and-a-half-year career. As you feel her magic stir in these pages, you will see why passengers travelled on her again and again, even after larger and more comfortable liners like White Star's Olympic and

Read more less

Stalin is quoted as saying One man's death is a tragedy, a thousand deaths is a statistic'. This is the story of a man who was determined to be neither.Kazimierz Tomasz Tomek' Hubert was 17 when the Germans invaded Poland in September 1939. Despite his young age, he was quickly deported to the Vorkuta Gulag in the Arctic Circle, for the crime of being the son of a military governor. Here he would survive torture, starvation and even the threat of cannibalism, before he managed to escape and set off on a 6,000km walk to freedom.In this moving tale of endurance against all odds, Andrew Hubert von Staufer traces his father's footsteps from the gulags of Siberia to flying Spitfires in air battles against the Luftwaffe. This is a remarkable account of the Second World War and its long-reaching impact.

Read more less

Despite what journalists chose to highlight, the gas lamps in Woodhouse still had work to do because the streets were not empty of life. Some houses were boarded up but many – often next door – were still family homes, albeit in the last years of occupation. Shops were still open, the washing lines swung in the wind across the streets where the children were playing, the cats and dogs sunbathed on doorsteps. They were a fertile source for photographs.In the 1960s and 1970s the suburbs of Woodhouse were undergoing a sweeping transformation from groups of back-to-back terraces to late-twentieth century houses amid green spaces. Chronicling this period of change was a student with a camera.The Lost Back-to-Back Streets of Leeds tells the story of Woodhouse's shifting urban landscape through pictures and the meticulous research behind them. At their heart are not just houses and shops, but also the people who lived or worked in them in a time of such great change.

Read more less

The City of Light has long provided an allure for an artist’s keen eye, but within these pages Paris’s boutique stores, cosy cafes, old-world book shops, breathtaking landmarks and more are all waiting to be brought to life with your creativity.Discover tranquil pockets of beauty in the world’s most romantic city and take your imagination on a journey along its prettiest passages. Featuring intricate hand-drawn line illustrations and handy palette guides, this is the perfect book to help you unwind and colour the calm into your day.

Read more less

On 11 May 1944, just four weeks before D-Day, sixty-seven American heavy bombers dropped 168 tons of bombs on the sunlit French town of Épinal on the Moselle river. Unbeknownst to the aircrew of the Mighty Eighth', this was the temporary home of over 3,000 Indian prisoners of war and these bombs had just taken down the walls.The escapees took food and clothes and set off for the border. If they could make it to Switzerland, neutral territory, they would be safe. But between them and their goal were thousands of Nazis, collaborators and over 100km of French countryside.The Great Épinal Escape is the incredible story of the most successful escape of the Second World War. It is the story of how, during a period showcasing the worst of humanity a period marked by brutality, bloodlust and fascism ordinary people were able to demonstrate the best of humanity: resilience, support and a warm welcome. Ultimately, it is a story of hope.

Read more less

How good that the stories of these adventurous and wonderful women who made extraordinary journeys around the world have now come to light.'' Dame Joanna Lumley.Ferdinand Magellan, Francis Drake, Captain Cook the men who went round the world are household names.But what about the women?The Women Who Went Round the World sets the record straight, telling the stories of pioneering women and their extraordinary journeys around the globe. From sleeping with freshly cut heads in Sarawak to travelling through Siberia in the luggage cart of a rickety train, from welcoming an Aboriginal Australian into an eighteenth-century London home to being chased by a jeering mob in rural China, these are the tales of the remarkable women who've been missing from the history books until now.

Read more less

By the end of the notorious 1984/85 miners’ strike many wanted to forget their painful experiences. Many years on people are ready to look back and talk about what happened in Britain during this defining moment of industrial action.In this new and updated edition, Beverley Trounce, who worked in a pit village and whose father was a miner, delivers a candid account of this heroic struggle through the voices of people directly affected by the strike. Her research and contributions from ex-striking miners and activists cover the pickets, the collieries, the matter of simple survival through the extreme and grinding poverty of the time, the effects on the women and children involved and the wider community, as well as the aftermath and what its legacy means to people today.From a Rock to a Hard Place is a powerful and moving record of a divisive moment in history.

Read more less

Did you know? A gravestone in the churchyard of St Edwards at Leek suggests that the deceased died at the ripe old age of 438! The ashes of Hanley-born Sir Stanley Matthews are buried beneath the centre circle at Stoke’s Britannia Stadium. The sun sets twice in Leek each summer solstice. Sarah Westwood from Lichfield was the last woman to be executed at Stafford Gaol, in 1844. The Little Book of Staffordshire is a compendium of fascinating information about the county, past and present. It contains a plethora of entertaining facts about Staffordshire’s famous and occasionally infamous men and women, its towns and countryside, history, natural history, literary, artistic and sporting achievements, customs ancient and modern, transport, battles and ghostly appearances. A reliable reference book and a quirky guide, this can be dipped into time and time again to reveal something new about the people, the heritage, the secrets and the enduring fascination of the county. A remarkably engaging little book, this is essential reading for visitors and locals alike.

Read more less

The second millennium of mankind has been characterised by almost incessant warfare somewhere on the face of the globe. The Art of War in Twenty Battles serves as a snapshot of the development of warfare over the past 1,000 years, illustrating the bravery and suffering mankind has inflicted upon itself in developing what we call the ‘Art of War’.Here military historian Anthony Tucker-Jones selects twenty battles that illustrate the changing face of warfare over the past thousand years – from the Viking shield wall to long bows and knights, the emergence of gunpowder and finally the long-range faceless warfare of today. This is a look at the killing game and its devastating impact.

Read more less

Have you ever wondered where your town or townland name came from? Do you want to know more about an Irish locality? Well if so this is the book for you.Featuring a comprehensive breakdown of the all available place names in their anglicised form and broken down into their relevant word or words this work by Tom Burnell will become the standard text for all those searching for authentic place-name information.In it the challenges of conflicting interpretations are tackled impartially and missing letters explored. It is an invaluable tool for researchers, amateur historians, the merely curious and general readers.

Read more less

‘Politics, family rivalries and political tensions are all stirred up to create a thrilling adventure … unputdownable!’ - Sharon Bennett Connolly, historian, and author of Defenders of the Norman Crown: The Rise and Fall of the Warenne Earls of SurreyApril 1219: Edwin Weaver finds himself at Tickhill Castle under false pretences. Earl Warenne wants Tickhill for himself and is convinced that a royal order for the castle to be handed over has been hidden, so he’s sent Edwin to find it and told him not to come back until he does. Frantic with worry about the danger to his family, Edwin is forced to lie to everyone around him while searching for a document that might not even exist.The situation escalates when a body is found and the earl musters armed troops to take the castle by force; Edwin must race against time to discover the crucial information so he can stop the violence and bloodshed. But his quest for the truth is more dangerous than he could possibly have anticipated, and he must endure tragic and wrenching loss before his duty is complete.

Read more less

Today, mountains are spaces for adventure: treasured places for people to connect with nature, encounter the sublime and challenge themselves, whether it be skiing in the Italian Alps or scaling the heights of the Matterhorn in Switzerland. Some regard our love of mountains as relatively new, claiming that before modern mountaineers planted flags upon the peaks, the average European was more likely to revile and avoid a mountainous landscape than to admire it.Mountains Before Mountaineering tells a different narrative. It reveals the way mountains inspired curiosity and fascination and how they were enjoyed in sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Europe. It gives voice to the early modern travellers who climbed peaks and passes with fear and delight; to the real mountaineers' who lived and died upon the mountain slopes; and to the scientists who used mountains to try to understand the origins of the world.This book invites you on a journey throu

Read more less

At the time of Elizabeth II’s accession, Winston Churchill was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Harry S. Truman was President of the United States and Joseph Stalin still governed the Soviet Union. It has often been said that she never put a foot wrong during her seven decades as monarch, and even those ideologically opposed to Britain and its governments have lauded her. Remarkably, she retained her relevance as sovereign well into her nineties, remaining a reassuring constant in an ever-changing world.Royal biographer Ian Lloyd reveals the woman behind the legend over seventy themed chapters. Drawing on interviews with relatives, friends and courtiers, he explores her relationship with seven generations of the royal family, from the children of Queen Victoria to Elizabeth’s own great-grandchildren. He also sheds light on some lesser-known aspects of her character, such as her frugality and her gift for mimicry. In addition, we see her encounters with A-listers, from Marilyn Monroe to Madonna, and her adept handling of several of the twentieth century’s most difficult leaders.Above all, Lloyd examines how the Queen stayed true to the promise she made to the nation at the age of 21, ‘that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service’.

Read more less

For many years the first battle of St Albans was regarded as a ‘short scuffle in the street’. A.W. Boardman, the author of Towton 1461: The Anatomy of a Battle, proves this was not the case. Indeed, the battle was unique and a significant event in England’s medieval history.The street fighting was widespread, the town was pillaged in the aftermath, Henry VI was almost killed, and the battle’s political consequences proved so problematic for both sides that parliament used official propaganda to conceal the truth.St Albans was, along with other lesser-known battles of the early 1450s, the genesis of the Wars of the Roses, and it is probably the best-documented encounter of the period. The battle heralded the beginning of an intense blood feud that fuelled the civil wars between York and Lancaster for many generations. But what really happened in the streets of St Albans on 22 May 1455? What prompted Richard Duke of York and the Neville family to rebel against Henry VI? And who were the instigators of the conflict that caused the execution and deaths of a substantial portion of England’s nobility by the end of the fifteenth century?This book answers these questions and discusses the theories about St Albans following a detailed and multi-disciplined approach. A.W. Boardman reveals the anatomy of a battle hidden beneath the streets and alleyways of this modern city and explains the wider issues of the Wars of the Roses in northern England. Illustrated throughout with contemporary images, modern photographs and specially drawn battle maps, this new and fully updated edition is a thorough examination of the sources, the terrain and the military significance of the first battle of St Albans: a battle where the streets ran red with blood.

Read more less

Fenianism was the Irish separatist movement committed to winning Irish freedom through revolution. Defeated often, its tremendous resilience enabled it to rise time and again, phoenix-like, until it eventually inspired the 1916 Easter Rising, soon followed by an Irish War of Independence that finally established an Irish Free State.The Fenian Rising vividly describes the evolution of the Irish Republican Brotherhood and its American counterpart, the Fenian Brotherhood, two revolutionary organisations dedicated to overthrowing British rule in Ireland and establishing an Irish Republic. Led by James Stephens, nineteenth-century Ireland’s most important revolutionary, the IRB rapidly became an increasingly serious threat which Dublin Castle struggled unsuccessfully for years to suppress. Despite Stephens’s downfall in January 1867 the long-anticipated rising followed two months later.In spite of its failure, republicans snatched political victory from the jaws of defeat when in September 1867 the execution of the Manchester Martyrs galvanised every shade of Irish nationalism. Rising from the ashes, the IRB survived to eventually become what one historian has called the most enduring and successful revolutionary secret society in Europe.

Read more less

Edward Jenner is a giant of modern medicine. Throughout history, smallpox had plagued humanity with disfigurement, blindness and death. It was an incurable blight, the suffering of which Jenner helped to end.Surmising from the immunity of milkmaids that cowpox might be some defence against the ravages of smallpox, in 1793 he took some of the matter from a human case of cowpox and inserted it into the arm of a young boy. To test this, the first human-to-human vaccination, he subsequently inoculated the boy with smallpox itself, and found him to be immune from the disease. In 1979 smallpox was declared extinct.In this concise biography, Rob Boddice tells the story of Jenner’s life, his medical vision and his profound legacy. It is a story that encompasses revolutions in medical experimentation, public health provision and the prevention of other diseases, from anthrax to measles, but above all it highlights the profound impact that Jenner’s vision has had upon humanity’s battle against disease.

Read more less

Akhenaten has been the subject of radically different, even contradictory, biographies. The king has achieved fame as the world’s first individual and the first monotheist, but others have seen him as an incestuous tyrant who nearly ruined the kingdom he ruled. The gold funerary mask of his son Tutankhamun and the painted bust of his wife Nefertiti are the most recognizable artifacts from all of ancient Egypt. But who were Akhenaten and Nefertiti? And what do we actually know about rulers who lived more than three thousand years ago?It has been one hundred years since the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun, and although “King Tut” is a household name, his nine-year rule pales in comparison to the revolutionary reign of his parents. Akhenaten and Nefertiti became gods on earth by transforming Egyptian solar worship, making innovations in art and urban design, and merging religion and politics in ways never attempted before. Combining fascinating scholarship, the suspense of detective work, and adventurous thrills, Egypt’s Golden Couple is a journey through excavations, museums, hieroglyphic texts, and stunning artifacts. From clue to clue, renowned Egyptologists John and Colleen Darnell reconstruct an otherwise untold story of the magnificent reign of Akhenaten and Nefertiti.

Read more less

The bustling metropolis of London is home to scores of unusual and unique places and spaces. In this feast of peculiarities, author David Long guides you off the beaten path and allows you under the skin of the hidden city that is modern-day London, revealing a new side to the capital you thought you knew.

Read more less

In the four provinces of Ireland there are thirty-two counties. Each county and its people have their own traditions, beliefs and folklore – and each one is also inhabited by the Sidhe: an ancient and magical race. Some believe they are descended from fallen angels, whilst others say they are the progeny of Celtic deities. They go by many names: the good folk, the wee folk, the gentle people and the fey, but are most commonly known as ‘the fairies’.These are not the whimsical fairies of Victorian and Edwardian picture books. They are feared and revered in equal measure, and even in the twenty-first century are spoken of in hushed tones.The fairies are always listening.Storyteller Steve Lally and his wife singer-songwriter Paula Flynn Lally have compiled this magnificent collection of magical fairy stories from every county in Ireland. Filled with unique illustrations that bring these tales to life, Irish Gothic Fairy Stories will both enthral and terrify readers for generations to come.

Read more less

Brian Cunningham’s popular first book, Under the Bonnet, was a colourful and humorous collection of memories of his time as a car mechanic in the 1970s and ‘80s. When he wrote it, he was sure he had put everything of interest down, but it turns out there were quite a few escapades he’d forgotten to mention. Time, then, for part two . . .When the Wheels Come Off is a joyous return, covering what he missed first time round: cars fixed and some broken, fads and crazes, crashes and scrapes and near misses, evolutionary dead-ends in technology, underhanded practices and downright skulduggery, run-ins with management, the tools used, the cars ‘stolen’ and scrapyards visited. A lively and engaging trip back to the workshop.

Read more less

Never before has the full history of Hatton Garden and its diamond and jewellery trade been revealed in such detail.Stories of individuals who made the community what it is today and events that are usually hidden from the public’s eye have been compiled by one of the Garden’s best-known jewellers, Vivian Watson FGA, who joined the family business in the 1960s, becoming the third generation of his family to work there. With a unique network of contacts, he has interviewed the great and the good.Richly illustrated from a private collection of hundreds of images and maps, this book will inform and entertain the reader on the secret world of diamonds and gems. Many will feel compelled to read it from cover to cover and others will enjoy dipping in and out.

Read more less

In 1935–37 America passed several Neutrality Acts, vowing never again to take sides in a European conflict. In 1938 public attitudes changed, with the American people beginning to favour Britain and turn against Germany – but what caused this shift of opinion?One reason was a tip-off received by the FBI on the eve of the Second World War, which led to the exposure of a Nazi spy ring operating right there in America. The FBI was able to bring the group to justice and launch a campaign to warn the American people about the Nazi threat to their shores and society.In Ring of Spies, Rhodri Jeffreys-Jones reveals how this case helped to awaken America to the Nazi menace, and how it skewed American opinion, thus spelling the end of US neutrality. Using evidence from FBI files he uncovers a story straight out of a detective novel featuring honey traps, fast cars and double agents.

Read more less

In three global conflicts and countless colonial campaigns, tens of thousands of black West Indian soldiers fought and died for Britain, first as slaves and then as volunteers. These all but forgotten regiments were unique because they were part of the British Army rather than colonial formations. All were stepchild units, despised by an army that was loath to number black soldiers in its ranks and yet unable to do without them; their courage, endurance and loyalty were repaid with bigotry and abuse.In Britain’s Black Regiments, Barry Renfrew shines a light on the experiences of these overlooked soldiers who had travelled thousands of miles to serve the empire but were denied recognition in their lifetimes. From British campaigns in the Caribbean to the Second World War, this is a saga of war, bondage, hardship, mutiny, forlorn outposts and remarkable fortitude.

Read more less

Do you know how to trim your whiskers properly? With beards and moustaches more popular than ever, this delightful little book sets out to answer this pressing question. And if a trim is not required, then it will show you how to wax, polish and maintain your face furniture so that it is always in tip-top condition. Alongside these manly grooming tips is a guide to famous facial-hair aficionados, from Karl Marx to Des Lynam; a breakdown of styles; and a perambulation through hirsute history, including an explanation of why the beard was considered sacred by the ancient Greeks and slovenly by ancient Romans. So whether it’s the Handlebar or the Chevron; the Goatee or the Spade – peruse this book for hints and tips of how to handle your facial fuzz.

Read more less

Jim Cregan’s career as a rock guitarist, songwriter and producer has spanned over fifty years, touring and recording albums with stars such as Elton John, Cat Stevens, Family, Willie Nelson, Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel, Joe Cocker, The Gypsy Kings, and Katie Melua. However, he is perhaps best known for his forty-year association with Rod Stewart, not only as his guitarist but also being best friends and godfathers to each other’s children.In his autobiography Jim Cregan lifts the lid on his extraordinary life, recounting his experiences with music’s biggest stars, from his first band at the age of 14 playing in youth clubs in Poole to performing in front of 350,000 people in Rio de Janeiro. In And on Guitar . . . Cregan holds nothing back: from his early life and anecdotes about his family to shenanigans on the road and extraordinary tales of hedonism, love and loss, his stories feature a Who’s Who of music’s biggest stars.

Read more less

You could argue that Dennis Amiss’ seven-decade cricket career started the day he was born, when his parents named him after not one but two celebrated cricketers.Or maybe it started when he was 7, sneaking into the Birmingham Cooperative Society to play a few matches with his friends – as long as they avoided the groundskeeper!Or perhaps it was on 7 April 1958; not only his fifteenth birthday, but also his first day as a professional cricketer.Whatever day you start on, there’s no denying that Amiss has had an extraordinary career. He is one of England’s cricketing greats, with 100 first-class hundreds to his name and a place as one of Wisden’s Cricketers of the Year. Hugely well-respected on and off the pitch, he didn’t shy away from controversy, taking part in the 1982 ‘Rebel Tour’ of Apartheid South Africa, and somehow ending up in the midst of the battle between World Series Cricket and the England Cricket Board.Not Out at Close of Play is the story of how passion, commitment and practice – and no small amount of stubbornness! – took a boy from the backstreets of Birmingham to worldwide cricket stardom.

Read more less

Domesday Book is a statistical survey of England in 1086 A.D. it is a census of the population and productive resources of the country, of their value and of who held them. It was unmatched in Europe for many centuries, the product of a sophisticated and experienced English administration, fully exploited by the Conqueror’s commanding energy. Its name is known to everyone – and everyone can now have access to its text, and, within the limitations of contemporary scholarship, its meaning. It is difficult to exaggerate the important to local historians and archaeologists of the availability of a cheap edition of this fundamental source, for the first time in 900 years. The Domesday Survey was arranged by counties, or shires, and so is the Domesday Book Series. These are the ancient counties that survived with little change until 1974.

Read more less

Domesday Book is a statistical survey of England in 1086 A.D. it is a census of the population and productive resources of the country, of their value and of who held them. It was unmatched in Europe for many centuries, the product of a sophisticated and experienced English administration, fully exploited by the Conqueror’s commanding energy. Its name is known to everyone – and everyone can now have access to its text, and, within the limitations of contemporary scholarship, its meaning. It is difficult to exaggerate the important to local historians and archaeologists of the availability of a cheap edition of this fundamental source, for the first time in 900 years. The Domesday Survey was arranged by counties, or shires, and so is the Domesday Book Series. These are the ancient counties that survived with little change until 1974.

Read more less

Diamond-shaped funeral hatchments first came into vogue in the early 17th century, but are rarely used today. They are objects of considerable artistic merit, besides being of great interest and important to students of heraldry, genealogy and local history. This is the first volume of this valuable and attractive series in which those hatchments still surviving in Britain are recorded for the first time.

Read more less