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History
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Slay
A groundbreaking and seminal chronicle of the hidden history and mythology of female dragon slayers from ancient world expert and author of Goddess with a Thousand Faces Jasmine Elmer.The dragon is a monster with a rich history of symbolism in almost every culture. In the stories that have been passed down through time, dragons lurk in the great wild, in dark, unknown and mysterious lands that exist on the periphery of human civilisation. Only the bravest of souls dare venture into the darkness to vanquish the dragon - and so often the tales have only shone light on the men. But what if there is so much more to this narrative? Jasmine Elmer shifts the spotlight to the daring and victorious female dragon slayers that have been written out of history. Combining historical research with mythological retelling, Slay is a celebration of the dragon - and the woman that conquered the monsters - that has never been done before.Slay is a distinctive and revelatory historical and mythological exploration of dragons, the stories and cultures around them, and the fierce women who slayed them.Praise for Goddess with a Thousand Faces'Fascinating, fun and thoughtful and enlightening' Jennifer Saint, author of Ariadne'A beautiful weave of history, myth and storytelling by one of our most exciting new classicists' Dan Snow, historian and TV presenter'Gorgeous. Jasmine Elmer has a fierce passion for these women, and this shines through in her writing' Lizzy Tiffin, author of Bad Girls of Ancient Greece'If you love history and feminist retellings, this is your next must-read' Rachel Blackmore, author of Costanza'Jasmine Elmer's sparkling debut offers up a refreshing, inclusive and powerfully feminist manifesto for what it means to be a goddess, ancient and modern' Emily Hauser, author of Mythica
£22.99
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Crucible of Light
'[An] authoritative, fascinating account . . . Crucible of Light underlines the complexity of relations, both individual and collective, between the Islamic world and Europe' The SpectatorFocusing on major turning points, individual stories, and key places, from Mecca to Cordoba, from Damascus to Venice, and from Vienna to Istanbul, Drayson tracks the themes that unite us - classical learning preserved in Islamic libraries, the enduring influence of Moorish architecture and design, the food we share, the goods we have traded, and the continuing dialogue between individuals and cultures that has permeated Europe's history and shaped its borders.It is a history that sweeps across cities and continents, from Spanish patios and palaces to Ottoman-inspired coffee houses in seventeenth-century London to the Mezquita in Cordoba, once a mosque, now a cathedral, the physical embodiment of the ongoing discourse that continues to shape European identity.'Absolutely fascinating. At a time when a historical Christian Nationalism and chauvinism are gaining ground, this book arrives as an essential corrective' Andrew Copson, Chief Executive of Humanists UK and author of Secularism: a Very Short Introduction'A treasure of a book, exploring the frequently misunderstood, often unsung, yet extraordinarily rich intertwining of Islamic and European culture over nearly one and a half millennia' Rebecca Wragg Sykes, author of Kindred
£14.99
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Rival Queens
___________________________________'Scintillating, provocative... An elegant synthesis of royal biography and political thriller.' Daily TelegraphA Times History Book of the Year: a story which inspired the Hollywood film MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS.Mary, Queen of Scots & Elizabeth I of England. Two powerful monarchs on a single island. Threatened by voices who believed no woman could govern.Surrounded by sycophants, spies and detractors. Accosted for their dominion, their favour and their bodies. Besieged by secret plots, devastating betrayals and a terrible final act. Only one queen could survive to rule all. ___________________________________'Brings us a fresh Mary, set in a gloriously rich context, a tragic heroine - irresistibly real and relevant... There isn't a line wasted in this taut, dramatic and utterly beguiling biography.' Charles Spencer author of Killers of the King: The Men Who Dared to Execute Charles I'The perfect combination of scholarship and storytelling, meticulous research and emotional insight, Kate Williams brings Mary vividly to life in all her complexities and contradictions.' Kate Mosse, author of The Burning Chambers'It takes a special kind of historian to turn an old story on its head. Eye-opening, provocative, this is the great rivalry re-imagined for the #MeToo generation.' Lucy Worsley
£11.99
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The Making of the Modern Middle East
Now updated with a new chapter on the 7 October attacks and more.A Sunday Times Paperback of the YearA Spectator and New Statesman Book of the Year'An illuminating and riveting read' - Jonathan Dimbleby'Arresting . . . excellent, doom-freighted' - The TimesJeremy Bowen, the International Editor of the BBC, has been covering the Middle East since 1989 and is uniquely placed to explain its complex past and its troubled present. In The Making of the Modern Middle East he offers a gripping and invaluable guide, showing how it came to be and what its future might hold.In part based on his acclaimed podcast, 'Our Man in the Middle East', Bowen takes us on a journey across the Middle East and through its history. He meets ordinary men and women on the front line, and their leaders, whether brutal or benign. He explores the power games that have so often wreaked devastation on civilian populations as those leaders, whatever their motives, jostle for political, religious and economic control.Clear throughout is Bowen's deep understanding of the political, cultural and religious differences between countries as diverse as Erdogan's Turkey, Netanyahu's Israel and Palestine, whether Hamas-controlled Gaza or the West Bank. His long experience of covering events in the region make this an extraordinarily powerful account of one of the world's greatest problems.
£12.99
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A Brief History of the Coast in 100 Objects
An immersive history of our coasts and the people who have shaped themThe coast means something different to everyone.It's a place of pleasure and reckless pursuits, of fishing, fearless endeavours and a crashing, rugged beauty. The coast is, and always has been, our first line of defence and our springboard to other cultures.Through the lens of 100 carefully selected objects, this treasure chest of a book delves into the myriad ways our coastlines have shaped, and been shaped by, our history, culture, and identity. From Roman lighthouses to rosary beads, knitted jumpers to Viking slave shackles, each object serves as a portal to a unique story.Sally Coulthard's engaging narrative goes far beyond the traditional seaside holiday to illuminate the coast's role as a first line of defence, a site of trade, and a catalyst for cultural exchange. Readers will discover how the coast has influenced our beliefs, economy, and even our domestic lives. And, looking out to sea, this book will show how Britain's story is anchored to those of our European neighbours and of faraway lands.From one of Britain's finest historians of material culture, this book vividly captures the enduring magic and significance of our shores. Whether it's smugglers' underpants or sailor's hoaxes, whale vomit or pickled puffin - it all washes up on the British coast…
£22.00
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Born
'a tumultuous rollercoaster through time, and achieves that most difficult of things: bringing the strange lives of our ancestors vividly to life.' - Alice Loxton, author of Eighteen and Uproar'Deeply researched, smart, poignant, and witty.' - Karen Bloom Gevirtz, author of The Apothecary's WifeWomen have been fighting for control over their bodies for thousands of years. From Neolithic hunter-gatherers to the reversal of Roe v. Wade, this is their story.Acclaimed cultural historian Lucy Inglis takes the reader on an epic journey through the stories of women over hundreds of thousands of years. From ancient Mesopotamian birthing practices to the lost contraceptives of Ancient Rome and the strange story of the feminists who fought for the right to forget childbirth, this is a truly sweeping history that explores the competing ideologies and lived realities that have shaped so many lives.Lucy Inglis charts the battle for control throughout history over reproduction, birth and women's bodies - a fight still raging in many places across the world. With birth rates falling and infant mortality in many societies on the rise once more, this bold and timely book raises vital questions about how we think about motherhood and pregnancy today. Lucy Inglis has spent over a decade researching the history of childbirth, drawing on new and unseen sources from a wide-ranging array of disciplines. Charting the powerful interests and dedicated scientists that have shaped women's maternal experiences, this is a must-read for anyone who wishes to understand how we all came to be here.
£12.99
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The Big Hop
A non-stop flight across the Atlantic might seem routine today. But it is only possible because of those who went first.'Vivid and compelling' John Lancaster'A delectable serving of escapist nostalgia' The Times, Book of the WeekNewfoundland, 1919. Buffeted by winds, an unwieldy aircraft - made mainly from wood and stiff linen - struggled to take off from the North American island's rocky slopes. Cramped side by side in its open cockpit were two men, freezing cold and barely able to move, but resolute. They had a dream: to be the first in human history to fly, non-stop, across the Atlantic Ocean. But there were three other teams competing against them, and as the waves raged a few miles below, memories of wartime crashes resurfaced . . .Mining letters, diaries and evocative unpublished photographs, David Rooney's deeply researched account of this audacious contest shows how it was the airmen's thrilling wartime experiences that ultimately led them to the 'Big Hop', and brought old friends together for one more daring adventure.'Excellent… consists of colourful biographical sketches of the aviators who took part in the competition and thrilling accounts of their efforts' Daily Mail'A glorious romp through an overlooked part of aviation history, stuffed full of intriguing characters and white-knuckle courage' Sunday Times
£12.99
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A Day in the Life of a Gladiator
'You will love Harry Sidebottom's magnificent, blood-drenched study of the life of a gladiator … Was I not entertained? I absolutely was.' Dominic Sandbrook, The Times'Grippingly original' Tom Holland***A TIMES AND ECONOMIST BOOK OF THE YEAR***In ancient Rome, a single day could decide a gladiator's fate. Follow in their footsteps with bestselling author Harry Sidebottom.Take a seat at the feast on the eve of the games and watch as the men marked for combat enjoy their final meal.At dawn, Roman citizens rush to the Colosseum to see the spectacles: wild-beast hunts, public executions and carefully choreographed violence - all part of a good day's entertainment.Watch as the gladiators enter the arena - armour gleaming, shields locked, they step into the light, fighting not just for survival but for the favour of the crowd.Gripping, immersive and grounded in ancient sources, A Day in the Life of a Gladiator illuminates the reality of Roman life and death in all its glory. This is history as it happened - not in the marble halls of emperors, but on the blood-darkened sand of the arena.Previously published in hardback as Those Who Are About to Die.
£12.99
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An Accidental History of Tudor England
'Brilliant, unpredictable and endlessly fascinating' IAN MORTIMER'I love this book' TRACY BORMAN'Gunn and Gromelski cast a brilliant light into a lost world' SUSAN BRIGDENA unique new window onto Tudor life, told through ordinary people's untimely deaths. How did ordinary people live in Tudor England? This unique history unearths the ways they died to find out. Uncovering thousands of coroners' reports, An Accidental History of Tudor England explores the history of everyday life, and everyday death, in a world far from the intrigues of Hampton Court Palace, Shakespeare's plots and the Spanish Armada. Here, farming, building and travel were dangerous. Fruit trees killed more people than guns, and sheep killed about the same number as coalmines. Men stabbed themselves playing football and women drowned in hundreds fetching water. Going to church had its dangers, especially when it came to bell-ringing, archery practice was perilous and haystacks claimed numerous victims. Restless animals roamed the roads which contained some potholes so deep men could drown, and drown they did.From bear attacks in north Oxford to a bowls-on-ice-incident on the Thames, this book uses a remarkable trove of sources and stories to put common folk back into the big picture of Tudor England, bringing the reality of their world to life as never before.
£12.99
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The Everest Mystery
There is no mystery more compelling than the disappearance of British mountaineer George Mallory and Sandy Irvine, last seen 'going strong for the top' of Mount Everest on 8 June 1924.Mallory was a renowned climber; Irvine was a daring young sportsman embarking on the greatest adventure of his life . . . The question of exactly what happened to them on that fateful day has fascinated people for more than a century. Now, Irvine's great-niece Julie Summers and mountaineering historian Jochen Hemmleb have written a gripping account of the 1924 expedition from Sandy's perspective, challenging misconceptions regarding his role and the skills and knowledge of the two men.The narrative brings to life all the remarkable characters involved in the attempt and describes the extraordinary feats of endurance and planning needed to survive the extreme conditions on Everest. The authors also examine whether the two men reached the summit - becoming the first to do so - or died on the ascent. Were their bodies seen by Chinese expeditions in 1960 and 1975? What can we learn from the discoveries of Mallory's remains in 1999 and Sandy's boot and foot in September 2024?An intriguing detective story, The Everest Mystery is also a moving account of men pushing themselves to their limits in an attempt to make history.
£22.00
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A Hateful Decision
'This is history as it should be written: as page-turning and compelling as the best thriller, rich in human drama yet deeply researched and authoritative... superbly told with compassion, edge-of-seat tension and the deftness of a master story-teller.'JAMES HOLLAND'One the toughest decisions Churchill was forced to make. Abel Smith takes us right into the heart of the drama... Minute by minute chances slip away, and pride, fate and war collide. Utterly gripping.'AL MURRAY-Summer, 1940. Winston Churchill watches in horror as France falls to the Germans in just six weeks, completing the Nazi conquest of mainland Europe. He faces an urgent question: what will happen to the mighty French Navy? Under Hitler's control it presents a major threat, and could make the German advance unstoppable.With the Nazis closing in, Churchill orders Operation Catapult. By the end of one of the most agonising but necessary military operations of the war, the British will have destroyed a large part of the French Navy and nearly 1,300 French sailors will be dead.'This was a hateful decision, the most unnatural and painful in which I have ever been concerned... But no act was ever more necessary for the life of Britain and for all that depended upon it.'WINSTON CHURCHILLBased on extensive new research and rediscovered eyewitness accounts, A Hateful Decision tells for the first time the full story of the British attack on the French fleet at Mers el Kébir, on 3 July 1940.As we pass between the men on the ground and the ratcheting tension in the European corridors of power, this riveting book brings to life Churchill's darkest hour, and the act that demonstrated to the world how far Britain would go to win the war.-'Read this astonishing book on Churchill's darkest hour.'JOHN SWEENEY'A Hateful Decision reads like a thriller and is based on a mass of meticulous and original research. An invaluable contribution to the history of the Second World War.'JONATHAN DIMBLEBY'Meticulously researched and written with panache, A Hateful Decision sheds new light on one of the most compelling yet least known dramas of the Second World War. Authoritative and revelatory - a must read.'GILES MILTON
£22.00
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Goliath's Curse
A radical retelling of human history through collapse - from the dawn of our species to the urgent existential threats of the twenty-first century and beyond.** FEATURED IN THE NEW BBC SERIES CIVILISATIONS: RISE AND FALL **** THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER **'A brilliant, utterly convincing account of the evolution of human society and why we are probably reaching humanity's end days' HENRY MARSH'Absolutely essential reading for understanding why past civilisations collapsed, and how to protect our own from the same fate' LEWIS DARTNELLFor the first 300,000 years of human history, hunter-gathering Homo sapiens lived in fluid, egalitarian civilizations that thwarted any individual or group from ruling permanently. Then, around 12,000 years ago, that began to change.As we reluctantly congregated in the first farms and cities, people began to rely on novel lootable resources like grain and fish for their daily sustenance. And when more powerful weapons became available, small groups began to seize control of these valuable commodities. This inequality in resources soon tipped over into inequality in power, and we started to adopt more primal, hierarchical forms of organization. Power was concentrated in masters, kings, pharaohs and emperors (and ideologies were born to justify their rule). Goliath-like states and empires - with vast bureaucracies and militaries - carved up and dominated the globe.What brought them down? Whether in the early cities of Cahokia in North America or Tiwanaku in South America, or the sprawling empires of Egypt, Rome and China, it was increasing inequality and concentrations of power that hollowed these Goliaths out before an external shock brought them crashing down. These collapses were written up as apocalyptic, but in truth they were usually a blessing for most of the population.Now we live in a single global Goliath. Growth obsessed, extractive institutions like the fossil fuel industry, big tech and military-industrial complexes rule our world and produce new ways of annihilating our species, from climate change to nuclear war. Our systems are now so fast, complex and interconnected that a future collapse will likely be global, swift and irreversible. All of us now face a choice: we must learn to democratically control Goliath, or the next collapse may be our last.'An excellent survey of human history through the collapses of Goliath-like kings, states and empires' OBSERVER'A comprehensive overview of societal collapse, based on the analysis of dozens of cases spanning thousands of years from the Paleolithic to today. Highly recommended' PETER TURCHIN'A deeply sobering and strangely inspiring history of how societies collapse - and how we can still save ours. Read it now, or your descendants will find it in the ruins' JOHANN HARI'Like reading Thomas Piketty filtered through Mad Max' NEW YORK TIMES
£12.99
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Mining Men
The story of the last generation of British miners: fathers and sons, brothers and comrades, big hitters and broken men, strikers and scabs. 'A compelling, unflinching account…full of tales of tragedy, gallows humour and camaraderie' The TimesWhat happened to Britain's last generation of miners? Combining new personal interviews with extensive archival research, Emily P. Webber illuminates the extraordinary history of the industry once considered the backbone of Britain.By situating the miners' strike of 1984-85 in a longer history of the coalfields, we can understand why miners and their families fought so hard against pit closures, and what happened after the pit wheels stopped turning. Vivid, evocative and richly alive with minute detail, Mining Men explores what the mining industry once meant to its workers and their communities, and what Britain lost when it was gone.'Fascinating... An engaging history of post-war British mining' Daily Telegraph'Absorbing and enjoyable...an illuminating peek into the lives of those who risked everything to warm our hearths' The Herald
£12.99
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Stone Lands
'Superb' Telegraph'There's a real sense of peace and magic in this beautiful book' Daisy Buchanan'Utterly endearing' Dr James Canton'A fantastic book for weird walkers and megalith-obsessives alike' Weird Walk 'I was alternately gripped and moved to tears by this brilliant, exquisite memoir. . . I can't recommend it enough' Harriet EvansJourneying across Britain, from West Penwith and Avebury to the Lake District and Orkney, Stone Lands uncovers the magic and rich history of our incredible prehistoric standing stones. It conveys the delight that lies in tracking them down, as well as the solace these ancient places offer in times of darkness.A few months after discovering that her beloved husband, Stephen, had incurable cancer, Fiona Robertson began to write this book. A long-time megalith enthusiast, she found the ancient stones resonated with her more profoundly than ever as she faced the prospect of losing him. Set upright thousands of years ago, the megaliths are symbols of endurance and survival, standing in contrast to our ephemeral human lives. Infused with folklore, legend and mystery, they enchant the landscape and bring magic to our modern world. This enthralling memoir is woven delicately around great grief but is ultimately about embracing life, joy and ancient wonder - a luminous reminder of what it means to exist on this earth.Stone Lands is beautifully illustrated inside with stunning black and white line drawings by the illustrator and printmaker Philip Harris. Find out more about his work: www.philipharrisillustration.com'A reminder that the ancient stones can be sources of reassurance and solidity, even in our times of greatest upheaval and loss' Angeline Morrison'A very, very good read ... this is one to treasure' Blackwell'sStone Lands is 'assiduously researched, full of anecdotes and makes you look anew at these enduring landmarks' Country Life
£12.99
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Between the Waves
Longlisted for the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-FictionA Book of the Year in The Times, TLS and Prospect The definitive history of Britain's tumultuous relationship with Europe - as it's never been told before.'Thought-provoking' - The Sunday Times'Mesmerising' - LRB'A great big entertaining sweep of a book' - The Guardian'Excellent' - The Telegraph'Rich and incisive' - The Economist'Powerful, precise, morally engaged' - Rory Stewart'The authoritative political history' - David Kynaston'Sweeping and ambitious' - Helen LewisIn this lively history, acclaimed writer Tom McTague chronicles the battle of ideas, events and personalities that first took the country into the Common Market in 1973, only to take it out of the European Union in an explosive referendum a little over forty years later.A riveting story of the clashing ideals that have pulled at Britain's public imagination for more than seven decades, Between the Waves illuminates the conflicts between leading twentieth century politicians and the lesser-known actors in this great post-war drama: the Eurosceptic student radicals, Cold Warriors, eccentric billionaires and political strategists who turned the tide of history.Ultimately, this book raises that most elemental of questions: who are we?
£12.99
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The August Coup
'Lively and insightful' - The Times'A must-read for those fascinated by the decline and fall of the USSR and the emergence of a new Russia' - Mark Galeotti, author of Forged in War'Immensely well-researched and compellingly written . . . grips the reader from page one' - Andrew Roberts, author of Churchill: Walking with DestinyFrom the acclaimed author of Kremlin Winter and Blood on the Snow, a dramatic and expertly researched account of an extraordinary moment in Russia's recent history: the August Coup.In the summer of 1991, a group of eight plotters came together to overthrow Mikhail Gorbachëv, then the president of the USSR. These ruthless conspirators, who occupied positions of high office, declared a state of emergency to restore stability through authoritarian rule. The reality turned out to be a shambolic failure which hastened the fall of the USSR and a pivotal shift from communism to capitalism.Beginning with a minute-by-minute re-enactment of Gorbachëv's capture in his holiday home in Crimea, Robert Service follows the plot from its inception to its humiliating collapse. The troubling side effects of Gorbachëv's well-meant reforms in the Soviet Union - business fraud, government corruption, organized crime and interethnic conflict - increased exponentially, and a New Russia was born. Fathered by Boris Yeltsin, it brought lamentably less benefit to the Russian economy or its people than he had promised.Linking the years from the coup itself to today's Russia under Vladimir Putin, The August Coup is a thoroughly compelling and original chronicle of a moment that changed Russian and global politics forever.
£30.00
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How to Build a Spitfire
A unique homage to the fighter aircraft that won the Battle of Britain, marrying the story of how the author built a replica Spitfire in his garden with the plane's operational history.In April 2018 David Price, dedicated aviation museum volunteer and author of The Crew and Mosquito Men, decided to build a Spitfire replica in his back garden. In How to Build a Spitfire he juxtaposes the story of the ups and down of his own ambitious project to recreate an icon of British aviation with a narrative of the development of the Spitfire itself, focusing in particular on the production of the aircraft and its various component parts - including the Merlin engine. The story includes incredible testimonies from workers in the Supermarine factory in Southampton and in other Spitfire production facilities. Bringing together the sometimes light-hearted tale of a personal quest, enthusiastically pursued, with an authoritative account of the technical workings of a war-winning weapon, and the stories of the men who flew it, How to Build a Spitfire is a distinctive and affectionate homage to an enduring symbol of British engineering genius and national resilience.
£10.99
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This Way Up
A SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERA Waterstones Best Nature & Travel Writing Book 2025'Educational, smart and funny' Richard Osman'This book is superb' Charlie Brooker'Brilliant. Fascinating. Hilarious.' Jonn Elledge, bestselling author of A History of the World in 47 BordersThe debut book from the YouTube sensation and all-round cartographical nerds, The Map Men!Hello, we're the Map Men, and in the following pages we've selected what we believe to be some of the very best wrong maps. Some of them are decades old, some are centuries old and some are so recent they're being published today (or yesterday, if you're reading this tomorrow).They include world maps, colonial maps, corporate maps, Soviet maps, pioneer maps, news maps and maps whose intended use was hijacked for a French surrealist political movement in the 1950s. Whether you're an avid map junkie or simply 'map-curious', you will uncover a unique tale of adventure, error and unexpected humour in each chapter, as we attempt to answer the question: 'What on earth happened here?'So, ditch the compass (or disable location services) and set out on a journey with us, the Map Men, into a world of cartographic chaos and mappy mishaps.Because the worst maps are the best maps.
£10.99
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Three Revolutions
'Clever . . . Full of memorable details.' DOMINIC SANDBROOK, THE TIMES (HISTORY BOOK OF THE YEAR)'An engaging story of political odysseys.' TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT'A salve for our current reactionary times.' ANDREW HARTMANThe gripping, untold story of how six epic journeys launched the three communist revolutions that changed world history forever.From the streets of Petrograd during the heady autumn of 1917, to Mao's stunning victory in October 1949, and Fidel's triumphant arrival in Havana, in January 1959, the history of the twentieth century was transformed in dramatic and profound ways by the Russian, Chinese, and Cuban revolutions. In Three Revolutions, the stories of these epoch-defining events are told together for the first time. At the heart of each revolution was an epic journey: Lenin's 1917 return to Russia from exile in Switzerland; Mao's 'Long March' of 1934-35, covering some 6,000 miles across China; and Fidel Castro's return to Cuba in 1956 following his exile in Mexico. Told in tandem with these are the corresponding journeys of three extraordinary journalists - John Reed, Edgar Snow and Herbert L. Matthews - whose electric testimony from the frontlines of each revolution would make a decisive contribution to how these revolutions were understood in the wider world. Here, in Simon Hall's masterful retelling, these six remarkable journeys are brought vividly to life. Featuring a stellar cast, extraordinary drama and an epic sweep, Three Revolutions raises fundamental questions about the nature of political power, the limits of idealism and the role of the journalist - questions that remain of utmost urgency today.
£12.99
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Crossing the Wine-Dark Sea
'Brilliant ... enthralling and profoundly relevant' Salman Rushdie 'Joyful, illuminating and engaging ... required reading for anyone interested in translation' Madeline Miller How do we give old words new voices? What must a translator lose - and what might she gain - when she moves between languages, bringing ancient stories to modern life? Emily Wilson has spent a lifetime wrestling with these questions: here, she invites us to consider the meaning and messages of translators from antiquity to today - and gives a wholly fresh insight into her own work on Homer. From shifting depictions of Helen of Troy to Cardi B and Athenian comedy, Han Kang's novels and Rome's love of Greek culture, Crossing the Wine-Dark Sea is a playful and fascinating voyage into the promise, possibility and constant renewal of classical literature.
£12.99
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Advance Britannia
'There isn't a better history of the Second World War than this' David Edgerton By 1942, Churchill faced a vastly different war than the one he'd inherited from Neville Chamberlain. Britain was no longer alone; the Soviets were now an unlikely ally in the East, and Pearl Harbor had finally pushed America into action. Yet the scale of violence remained unchanged. On average, seven British men, women and children were killed every hour of the Second World War. The country would never be the same again. In Advance Britannia, historian Alan Allport reveals the war as it was lived - from the battlefields to the ration books, in the War Ministry and in the air raid shelters. Mixing social history with dramatic storytelling, this is a definitive account of the war that reshaped the world.
£14.99
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Operation Pimento
August 1943: Adam Hart's great-grandfather Frank Griffiths is the only survivor of Operation Pimento, a secret World War 2 mission to disrupt supply lines from Italy into Nazi-occupied France.Though seriously injured, Frank embarks on a perilous, 1,200-mile, 108-day escape across France, Switzerland and Spain. August 2022: Adam Hart retraces his great-grandfather's epic journey, meeting descendants of people who'd risked their lives to help Frank, while learning much about his own powers of endurance. Acclaimed by Andy McNab as 'A wartime classic', Operation Pimento is a vivid account of a young man's quest to discover more about a man he'd never met but always knew to be a hero.
£12.99
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The Generals
'The function of the general is not to fight the battle, but to direct it.' Adolph von Schell'No man is fit to command another that cannot command himself.'Robert E. Lee'Leadership is a potent combination of strategy and character. But if you must be without one, be without strategy.'Norman Schwarzkopf'Be an example to your men, in your duty and in private life. Never spare yourself.'Field Marshal Erwin RommelWith the planet in turmoil there is considerable global interest in the record of military commanders in various combat zones throughout the ages. What made them successful? Why have they become military legends? How much is it to do with their strategic abilities, leadership qualities or force of personality? What can we learn?Following the successful approach of Iain Dale's The Prime Ministers, The Presidents and The Dictators, military experts, academics, historians, commentators, political journalists and serving politicians share valuable insights into sixty-nine key military leaders who've shaped not only the history of our tumultuous world, but the present too.
£30.00
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The Traitors Circle
When the whole world is lying, someone must tell the truth. Berlin, 1943. A group of high-society anti-Nazi dissenters meet for a tea party one late summer afternoon. They do not know that, sitting around the table, is someone poised to betray them all to the Gestapo - revealing their secret to the Nazis' most ruthless detective. They form a circle of unlikely rebels, drawn from the German elite: two countesses, a diplomat, an intelligence officer, an ambassador's widow and a pioneering headmistress. Meeting in the shadows, rescuing Jews or plotting for a future Germany freed from the Führer's rule, what unites them is a shared loathing of the Nazis, a refusal to bow to Hitler and the courage to perform perilous acts of resistance. Or so they believe. How did a group of brave, principled rebels, who had successfully defied Adolf Hitler for more than a decade, come to fall into such a lethal trap? And who betrayed them? Undone from within and pursued to near-destruction by one of the Reich's cruellest men, they showed a heroism that raises a question with new urgency for our time: what kind of person does it take to risk everything and stand up to tyranny?PRAISE FOR THE ESCAPE ARTIST:'Thrilling' Daily Mail'Gripping' Guardian'Heartwrenching' Yuval Noah Harari'Magnificent' Philip Pullman'Excellent' Sunday Times'Inspiring' Daily Mail'An immediate classic' Antony Beevor'Awe inspiring' Simon Sebag Montefiore'Shattering' Simon Schama'Utterly compelling' Philippe Sands'A must-read' Emily Maitlis'Indispensable' Howard Jacobson
£12.99
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