Europe
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This is Your Everest: The Lions, The Springboks and the Epic Tour of 1997
‘A rollicking read and a mighty achievement’ – Donald McRae, The Guardian
The 1997 British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa is one of the most iconic in rugby history. Written off at home and abroad, Martin Johnson’s men were given no hope of success against the world champion Springboks in their own backyard. But a combination of brilliant coaching, astute selections and outstanding players laid the foundations for the touring side’s outstanding attacking mindset and brutal stonewall defence.
On the other side was a team expected to stamp their authority on the tourists and confirm their place as the best side on the planet. But with political, racial and economic scandals swirling around the Springbok camp, plus a rookie coach parachuted into office just before the tour began, the hosts were under huge pressure.
In a Test series that will go down in legend as one of the most compelling of all time, the sides could barely be separated. This is the inside story from both camps as they battle for supremacy, lifting the lid like never before as a huge cast of characters look back on those extraordinary weeks and the impact it had on their lives and careers thereafter. Hilarious, insightful and spine-chilling, Tom English and Peter Burns provide the perfect read for all Lions fans.
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Rugby Town: The Sporting History of D4
Dublin 4, probably best-known in sporting terms as the spiritual home of Leinster Rugby, has one of the highest densities of diverse sports clubs in all of Ireland. In this new work from Kurt Kullmann, a founding member of the Donnybrook, Ballsbridge and Sandymount Historical Society, the author explores the history of these clubs, creating a picture of the kaleidoscopic nature of Dublin’s sporting culture.
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£8.20£17.10Rugby Town: The Sporting History of D4
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No Borders: Playing Rugby for Ireland (Behind the Jersey Series)
Winner of Cross Sports Rugby Book of the Year 2016
From Jack Kyle’s immortals to Brian O’Driscoll’s golden generation, this is the story of Irish rugby told in the players’ words. Celebrated rugby writer Tom English embarks on a pilgrimage through the four provinces to reveal the fascinating and illuminating story of playing test rugby in the emerald green of Ireland – all the glory of victory, all the pain of defeat, and all the craic behind the scenes. But this is more than just a nostalgic look back through the years, it is a searing portrait of the effects of politics and religion on Irish sport, a story of great schisms and volatile divisions, but also as story of the profound unity, passionate friendships and the bonds of a brotherhood. With exclusive new interview material with a host of Ireland rugby greats, No Borders unveils the compelling truth of what it means to play for Ireland at Lansdowne Road, Croke Park and around the world. This is the ultimate history of Irish rugby – told, definitively, by the men who have been there and done it.
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Behind the Thistle: Playing Rugby for Scotland (Behind the Jersey Series)
Featuring the thoughts of more than 180 players who have represented Scotland since the very first Test match in 1871 all the way through to the present day, Behind the Thistle gives a unique insight into the drama and emotion of playing for Scotland in that most rarefied of environments – Test match rugby.
In this exhaustively research tome, David Barnes and Peter Burns provide inside access to more than 150 years of private moments in the changing room, on tour, on the training ground, during the tumultuous heat of battle itself, and lift the lid on numerous post-match antics.
This is the story of what it is really like to play for Scotland, revealing the sacrifices and joys experienced by those who have shed blood, sweat and tears in pursuit of glory in the navy blue jersey.
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The Northern Rugby Football Union. The Birth of Rugby League. 1895 to 1922: The Birth of Rugby League 1895-1922
On Thursday 29th August 1895, 21 of the leading rugby union clubs of Lancashire and Yorkshire met at the George Hotel in Huddersfield to discuss their long running disagreement with the rugby football union. Little did they know what was to follow. The clubs decided that they had suffered enough of the control of the southern gentry and formed their own northern rugby football union and split from the rugby football union. It was the beginning of a dispute that would continue for almost a hundred years. The new northern union thrived, and many clubs soon joined, however, with little coherent strategy or assistance from the union, many folded within a few years. The stronger clubs and the union itself survived those initial chaotic times and continued to create the structure and competitions that have evolved to create the game of rugby league football we know today. This new book illustrates the birth of the northern union in 1895 to the 1922 name change to the rugby league with hundreds of rare images of the early teams and individuals who had the courage to take that enormous leap in the dark.Read more
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The Red Roses: Behind the Scenes with the England Women’s Rugby Team
In January 2019, England’s Red Roses became the first fully-professional women’s rugby team in the world with one mission: win back the Rugby World Cup. In 2017, they lost the final 41-32 against New Zealand. With the 2021 tournament delayed by one year due to Covid, the team had five years to complete their mission and over three years as a fully professional side. As a professional unit, the Red Roses developed a game plan so forensic and impenetrable, they secured the longest winning streak in rugby union history.
The Red Roses headed into the 2021 Rugby World Cup as clear favourites. After a clean sweep in the pool stages, and big wins in the knock-out games, England faced New Zealand, the hosts, in the final. One year before, England had defeated them with record-breaking score lines on consecutive weekends and all eyes were on Sarah Hunter, England captain, with the expectation she would lift the trophy.
Yet in the final play of the game, New Zealand stole the victory so many saw as promised to England. The Red Roses will host the Rugby World Cup in 2025, and the stakes have never been higher. Can they finally win back the trophy?
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Rugby Lives: The stories of 25 Welsh internationals in their own words
A collection of in-depth interviews from one of Wales’ best rugby journalists, looking back on the careers of 26 of Welsh rugby’s finest players.Read more
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Medieval Pets
An engaging and informative survey of medieval pet keeping which also examines their representation in art and literature. Animals in the Middle Ages have often been discussed – but usually only as a source of food, as beasts of burden, or as aids for hunters. This book takes a completely different angle, showing that they were also beloved domestic companions to their human owners, whether they were dogs, cats, monkeys, squirrels, and parrots. It offers a full survey of pets and pet-keeping: from how they were acquired, kept, fed, exercised, and displayed, to the problems they could cause. It also examines the representation of pets and their owners in art and literature; the many charming illustrations offer further evidence for the bonds between humans and their pets, then as now. A wide range of sources, including chronicles, letters, sermons and poems, are used in what is both an authoritative and entertaining account.Read more
£14.30£19.00Medieval Pets
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Gambling in Britain in the Long Eighteenth Century
English society in the eighteenth century was allegedly marked by a ‘gambling mania’, such was the prevalence and intensity of different forms of ‘gaming’. Gambling in Britain in the Long Eighteenth Century subjects this notion to systematic scrutiny, exploring the growth and prevalence of different forms of gambling across Britain and throughout British society in this period, as well as attitudes towards it. Drawing on a vast range of new, empirical evidence, Bob Harris seeks to understand gambling, its growth, and significance within the context of wider trends and impulses in society. This book asks what light gambling practices and habits shed back onto society and the values, hopes, and expectations that informed the lives of those involved. This is a book, therefore, as much about the character of British society in the long eighteenth century as it is about gambling itself.Read more
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The History of Gambling in England
This is a history of different types of gambling over the centuries in England, from cards to horse races. From the intro: “Gaming is derived from the Saxon word Gamen, meaning joy, pleasure, sports, or gaming—and is so interpreted by Bailey, in his Dictionary of 1736; whilst Johnson gives Gamble—to play extravagantly for money, and this distinction is to be borne in mind in the perusal of this book; although the older term was in use until the invention of the later—as we see in Cotton’s Compleat Gamester (1674), in which he gives the following excellent definition of the word:—“Gaming is an enchanting witchery, gotten between Idleness and Avarice: an itching disease, that makes some scratch the head, whilst others, as if they were bitten by a Tarantula, are laughing themselves to death; or, lastly, it is a paralytical distemper, which, seizing the arm, the man cannot chuse but shake his elbow. It hath this ill property above all other Vices, that it renders a man incapable of prosecuting any serious action, and makes him always unsatisfied with his own condition; he is either lifted up to the top of mad joy with success, or plung’d to the bottom of despair by misfortune, always in extreams, always in a storm; this minute the Gamester’s countenance is so serene and calm, that one would think nothing could disturb it, and the next minute, so stormy and tempestuous that it threatens destruction to itself and others; and, as he is transported with joy when he wins, so, losing, is he tost upon the billows of a high swelling passion, till he hath lost sight, both of sense and reason.” Gambling, as distinguished from Gaming, or playing, I take to mean an indulgence in those games, or exercises, in which chance assumes a more important character; and my object is to draw attention to the fact, that the money motive increases, as chance predominates over skill. It is taken up as a quicker road to wealth than by pursuing honest industry, and everyone engaged in it, be it dabbling on the Stock Exchange, Betting on Horse Racing, or otherwise, hopes to win, for it is clear that if he knew he should lose, no fool would embark in it. The direct appropriation of other people’s property to one’s own use, is, undoubtedly, the more simple, but it has the disadvantage of being both vulgar and dangerous; so we either appropriate our neighbour’s goods, or he does ours, by gambling with him, for it is certain that if one gains, the other loses. The winner is not reverenced, and the loser is not pitied. But it is a disease that is most contagious, and if a man is known to have made a lucky coup, say, on the Stock Exchange, hundreds rush in to follow his example, as they would were a successful gold field discovered—the warning of those that perish by the way is unheeded.”Read more
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The Gambling Century: Commercial Gaming in Britain from Restoration to Regency
Gambling captures as nothing else the drama of the “long eighteenth century” between the age of religious wars and the age of revolutions. The society that was confronted with games of chance pursued as commercial ventures also came to grips with unprecedented social mobility, floated by new wealth from new sources that created fortunes from trade in sugar, cotton, ivory, silk, tea, or enslaved human beings. Likewise, play for money was prominent in the
public imagination as money itself, deployed through an ever expanding and ever more sophisticated range of mechanisms, increasingly invaded public awareness, as when prospective spouses in period fiction were rated in terms of annual income as if they were municipal bonds. Similarly, the archetypal figure of the
gambler captured the imagination of the public in fiction, media, and politics. At the same time, new interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics – encouraged and bankrolled by those in power – fostered a new and unprecedented appreciation for mathematical probability and its applications, opening the possibility that games of chance might be pursued as a profitable commercial venture.The Gambling Century focuses like no previous work on those who enabled, facilitated, and profited from gambling, as well as on efforts to regulate or outlaw it. Using extensive archival material as well as printed sources, it follows its subjects from the Court to the coffeehouse, to private clubs and “at homes” in townhouses, all of which prefigure that quintessentially modern gambling space, the casino.
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Most Secret War (Penguin World War II Collection)
Reginald Jones was nothing less than a genius. And his appointment to the Intelligence Section of Britain’s Air Ministry in 1939 led to some of the most astonishing scientific and technological breakthroughs of the Second World War.
In Most Secret War he details how Britain stealthily stole the war from under the Germans’ noses by outsmarting their intelligence at every turn. He tells of the ‘battle of the beams’; detecting and defeating flying bombs; using chaff to confuse radar; and many other ingenious ideas and devices.
Jones was the man with the plan to save Britain and his story makes for riveting reading.Read more
£11.40£14.20Most Secret War (Penguin World War II Collection)
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Britain’s Most Eccentric Sports
Britain is a nation of good sports – literally, it turns out, given our country’s wonderful array of eccentric and bizarrely inventive pastimes. Yes, we know New Zealand are good at rugby, Brazil at football, while Australia and South Africa were countries specifically created for people who take sport far too seriously, but have those sporty nations ever produced a World Champion Pie Eater (OK, Shane Warne notwithstanding)? Has Brazil provided a F1 Pram Racing world champ? Has an Aussie won the World Nettle Eating Championship? A New Zealander tossed his way to Haggis Hurling domination? I can’t hear you Johnny Foreigner, and I’m choosing to interpret your silence as a ‘no’. Because the truth is, ladies and gentlemen of this great, mighty and resilient sporting land we call both Britain and home, we have provided year after year, true world champions in cheese rolling, competitive ploughing, medieval football re-enactment and pram racing. We may not have produced a Wimbledon Champion since the… er… the Wars of the Roses, but put down your Jules Rimet trophy Brazil, hand back your Rugby World Cup South Africa, and pick up your flonking stick – it’s time to learn about the sports that really matter.
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Lost Cars of the 1940s and ’50s
Sixty diverse cars, sixty fascinating stories, sixty contrasting specifications, just one uniting factor: they’re all forgotten, neglected or misunderstood classics.
Motoring in the 1940s and ’50s spanned from post-war austerity to the you’ve-never-had-it-so-good era. It was a time when engines gained more power, suspension became more cosseting, the chassis frame was rendered a thing of the past, and styling followed jet fighters and later space rockets. Many cars found success across the world, but others barely got off the ground and quickly vanished from our collective consciousness.
In Lost Cars of the 1940s and ’50s, award-winning author Giles Chapman presents an all-new selection of the intriguing strays of the car world. Rarely seen archive and contemporary images bring daring new designs, economy models and some extraordinary luxury cars back to life … even if they misfire once again in the process.
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£17.40£19.00Lost Cars of the 1940s and ’50s
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The Classic Car Spotters’ Guide: What to See at Britain’s Car Shows
Not so many years ago most of the cars featured in this book were familiar sights on Britain’s roads. Now, the remaining examples – the ones that weren’t crashed, bashed, thrashed, stolen or scrapped – are reminders of simpler times and simpler technology.
During Britain’s spring and summer, thousands of owners polish their cherished motors before driving them to classic car shows and lining them up for inspection by an adoring public. Cars that were once seen so often they blended into the street furniture are now rare enough to rub fenders with the more obvious classics of the age. There are 1.5 million older motors that are still regularly driven around Britain today, and The Classic Car Spotters’ Guide takes you through more than fifty prime examples, from Ford Cortinas and Austin 1100s to Borgward Isabellas and Austin Nash Metropolitans. Complete with rarity ratings and backstories for each one, this book is the perfect companion for your next event.
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£11.70£14.20 -
Atlas de Paris au Moyen-Age 2018: Espace urbain, habitat, société, religion et lieux de pouvoir
Paris ― 200 000 habitants en 1300 ― est la plus grande ville de l’Occident médiéval. Elle devient au xIIIe siècle la capitale du puissant royaume de France vers laquelle affluent intellectuels, hommes d’affaires et artistes. La croissance sans précédent de la cité n’a pas manqué de laisser une empreinte durable. Dans bien des quartiers, le tracé actuel des rues reflète les opérations de lotissement qui présidèrent à l’installation des nouveaux venus au cours du Moyen Age. Si peu d’édifices médiévaux sont aujourd’hui visibles dans leur quasi-intégrité, telles Notre-Dame ou la Sainte-Chapelle, beaucoup sont conservés de manière fragmentaire, comme le Louvre de Philippe Auguste, la salle des gens d’armes de la Conciergerie ou le réfectoire du couvent des Cordeliers. Ces vestiges ― et bien d’autres ― jalonnent la trame urbaine dont les aspects changeant au fil d’un millénaire sont restitués par les images anciennes. Entre la “ville idéale” rêvée par les rois et la cité grouillante aux maisons serrées les unes contre les autres, aux ruelles étroites et nauséabondes, se dessine le visage du Paris médiéval.Read more
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The Crusades Through Arab Eyes (Saqi Essentials)
European and Arab versions of the Crusades have little in common. For Arabs, the twelfth and thirteenth centuries were years of strenuous efforts to repel a brutal and destructive invasion by barbarian hordes. Under Saladin, an unstoppable Muslim army inspired by prophets and poets finally succeeded in destroying the most powerful Crusader kingdoms. The memory of this greatest and most enduring victory ever won by a non-European society against the West still lives in the minds of millions of Arabs today.Amin Maalouf has sifted through the works of a score of contemporary Arab chroniclers of the Crusades, eyewitnesses and often participants in the events. He retells their stories in their own vivacious style, giving us a vivid portrait of a society rent by internal conflicts and shaken by a traumatic encounter with an alien culture. He retraces two critical centuries of Middle Eastern history, and offers fascinating insights into some of the forces that shape Arab and Islamic consciousness today.
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£13.20£14.20The Crusades Through Arab Eyes (Saqi Essentials)
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The Viking Spirit: An Introduction to Norse Mythology and Religion
The Viking Spirit is an introduction to Norse mythology like no other. As you’d expect from Daniel McCoy, the creator of the enduringly popular website Norse Mythology for Smart People, it’s written to scholarly standards, but in a simple, clear, and entertaining style that’s easy to understand and a pleasure to read. It includes gripping retellings of no less than 34 epic Norse myths – more than any other book in the field – while also providing an equally comprehensive overview of the fascinating Viking religion of which Norse mythology was a part. You’ll learn about the Vikings’ gods and goddesses, their concept of fate, their views on the afterlife, their moral code, how they thought the universe was structured, how they practiced their religion, the role that magic played in their lives, and much more. With its inclusion of the latest groundbreaking research in the field, The Viking Spirit is the ultimate introduction to the timeless splendor of Norse mythology and religion for the 21st Century.Read more
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Bloody Aachen: The First German City Ever Besieged by the U.S. Army (Americans Fighting to Free Europe)
A fascinating account of the first German city ever besieged by the U.S. Army and the monumental battle that took place amongst its ruined walls.This book would be perfect for readers of George Feifer, Stephen E. Ambrose, and James Holland.
Aachen saw some of the fiercest fighting of the Second World War. Through the determined defense of their city the citizens of Aachen held off the oncoming American forces for six weeks, giving the Nazis time to mobilize their troops for what would become the Battle of the Bulge. Had it not been for dogged resistance of these men and women the last great German offensive in the West might have never occurred, potentially ending the war in Europe could have ended six months and saving the lives of thousands.
Yet, Charles Whiting’s remarkable book, Bloody Aachen, is more than an account of a military operation. Through interviews with German and Dutch participants in the battle he builds an in-depth picture of who the defenders of the city were, informing us that many in this Catholic city were opposed to the Hitler regime and remained behind — against orders and against odds — determined to defend their homes, unwittingly aiding their Nazi enemies as they did so.
‘Whiting writes clear, hard-driving prose’ Kirkus Reviews
This book should be essential reading for all interested in this monumental siege which truly encapsulates the complex motives of the men and women who fought through the course of the Second World War.
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Norse Paganism Trilogy: Runes’ Secrets, Viking Magic, Mythic Wisdom. Unlock the Power of Odin’s Asatru Traditions and Unearth the Mysteries of the Norse Cosmos. (Mythology and…
???? EMBRACE THE MAGIC OF THE VIKINGS – Unlock the Secrets of Norse Paganism with an Exclusive Audio Bonus! ????
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Prepare to be captivated by the mesmerizing world of Norse mythology. This book is more than just an introduction; it’s your portal to a realm where myths spring to life. Delve into the roots of Norse beliefs, explore the realms of mythical creatures, and unveil the mysteries of their magical practices. From totemic magic to the cosmic wonders of Norse cosmology, you’ll uncover treasures beyond imagination.
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Enter the captivating tapestry of Norse paganism, where traditions and rituals come to life. Walk in the footsteps of ancient Vikings, experiencing their festivals, ceremonies, and spiritual awakenings. Through the pages of this book, you’ll gain profound insights into how Norse beliefs shaped their world. Crafted by expert Monica Roy, this essential guide invites you to embrace Norse spirituality and tap into its transformative power.
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Step into the realm of magic, where the power of runes and shamanic practices awaits your discovery. Unravel the mysteries of the Norse pantheon and decipher the Vikings’ sacred calendar. Deepen your connection with shamanism, cast runes with confidence, and explore the holidays and festivities that brought Norse mythology to life. This book empowers you to infuse the wisdom of runes and Norse magic into your modern life, awakening your inner Viking.
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✅Master the ancient arts of rune casting and shamanism.
✅Gain profound insights into the unique characteristics of the Asatru path.This is more than a journey; it’s a transformation of spirit and mind. The wisdom of the Vikings awaits, and your adventure begins now. Immerse yourself in the mystique surrounding Norse paganism, and unlock the enduring legacy of the Vikings.
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Whether you’re a seasoned seeker of spiritual truth or a curious explorer, the “Norse Paganism Trilogy” is your key to unlocking the extraordinary. It’s time to infuse your life with the power of ancient Norse wisdom.
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An Historical Map of Cambridge: University and County Town (Town & City Historical Maps)
A full colour map, based on a digitised OS map of Cambridge published in 1927, with its medieval, Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian past overlain and important buildings picked out. Cambridge is one of England’s two ancient university towns. It was an important trading centre for the Romans and then the Anglo-Saxons. The town was the location for a castle built on rising ground above the flood plain of the River Cam, by William I in about 1068. In about 1209 the first students of what was to become the University arrived from Oxford, and the first college (Peterhouse) was founded in 1284. The city (it became a city only in 1951) is home to some of the best-known and most familiar university buildings in the country including King’s College Chapel, the University Church and the Senate House, Trinity College’s Wren Library and the Victorian chapel of St John’s College. From the 16th century, many of the colleges created extensive grounds along both sides of the river, resulting in the famous Cambridge ‘Backs’ of today. But the town was also the county town of Cambridgeshire with a Shire Hall, and it developed its own identity and status as a town through various charters, with a guildhall to serve its local government. It transformed from a service economy supporting the university, with a substantial publishing presence, when, in the 19th century, it developed an industrial base (milling, malting, brewing, iron-founding, brick-making and cement manufacture); it also became a major railway centre. As a result, its suburbs expanded, especially to the east of the town centre. The historical map shows the sites of the town’s major buildings, both existing in 1927 and lost by then, its vanished medieval buildings, the site of the castle and shire hall. The map’s cover has a short introduction to the town’s history, and on the reverse an illustrated and comprehensive gazetteer of Cambridge’s main sites of historical interest.Read more
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Tudor History: A Captivating Guide to the Tudors, the Wars of the Roses, the Six Wives of Henry VIII and the Life of Elizabeth I (Key Periods in England’s Past)
If you want to discover the captivating history of the Tudors, then keep reading…Four captivating manuscripts in one book:
- The Tudors: A Captivating Guide to the History of England from Henry VII to Elizabeth I
- The Wars of the Roses: A Captivating Guide to the English Civil Wars That Brought down the Plantagenet Dynasty and Put the Tudors on the Throne
- The Six Wives of Henry VIII: A Captivating Guide to Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard, and Katherine Parr
- Elizabeth I: A Captivating Guide to the Queen of England Who Was the Last of the Five Monarchs of the House of Tudor
Five Tudor monarchs sat on the throne of England and Ireland from 1485 to 1603. The family earned their royal rights through strategic planning and battlefield prowess, and kept them because of intellect, strength and sheer determination. The Tudors, one of England’s most powerful and famous royal dynasties, knitted together a fragmented and small island nation that became one of the world’s financial, colonial and technological superpowers.
There is so much more to the story of these kings and queens than beheadings, political marriages and the reformation of the church – but those events remain some of the family’s most enthralling moments.
Some of the topics covered in part 1 of this book include:
- The Tudors of Wales
- The Wars of the Roses
- Catherine of Valois, Mother of the Tudor Dynasty
- Margaret Beaufort, Second Tudor Matriarch
- King Henry VII
- Arthur Tudor
- King Henry VIII
- Margaret Tudor, Sister of Henry VIII
- Mary Tudor, Queen of France
- The Birth of the Church of England
- King Henry VIII: Wives Two and Three
- King Henry VIII: The Last Three Wives
- King Edward VI
- The Nine Days’ Queen, Jane Grey
- Elizabeth Tudor
- Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots
- And much more!
Some of the topics covered in part 2 of this book include:
- A Short History of the House of Plantagenet
- Civil War in France
- England’s Loss and a King’s Illness
- Treason by the Duke of York
- The Battle of Northampton
- Margaret’s Army
- Mortimer’s Cross and the Battle of Towton
- York Takes the Throne
- The King in the Tower
- The Kingmaker Repents
- The Battles of Barnet and Tewkesbury
- The Death of a King
- The Final Plantagenet Kings
- Richard III and the Princes in the Tower
- The Battle of Bosworth
- The Foundation of the Tudor Dynasty
- Attempts on the Tudor Throne
- The Sainthood and Cult of King Henry VI
- The Legacy of the Wars of the Roses
- And much, much more!
Some of the topics covered in part 3 of this book include:
- Henry Tudor
- Catherine of Aragon
- Mistress Elizabeth Blount
- Mistress Mary Boleyn
- Anne Boleyn
- Anne of Cleves
- Mistress Mary Shelton
- The Wooing of Jane Seymour
- Catherine Howard
- The Culpeper Affair
- Katherine Parr
- More Theories on Henry Tudor’s Fertility
- The Illegitimate Children of Henry VIII
- And much more!
Some of the topics covered in part 4 of this book include:
- The Birth of a Future Queen
- From Princess to Lady
- Elizabeth and the Royal Stepmothers
- The Teenaged Princess
- A Flurry of Successions
- Queen Elizabeth I
- Sir Francis Drake and the Elizabethan Settlements
- Mary, Queen of Scots and War with Spain
- Arts and Culture in Elizabethan England
- The End of the Tudor Dynasty
- And much, much more!
So if you want to learn more about Tudor history, click the “add to cart” button!
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£13.10 -
A Photographic History of Dungarvan (The Waterford History Series)
“A pleasure to read, with more laughs than most history books”.This book is a photographic history of Dungarvan and the people who live in the town. A Dungarvan book, for Dungarvan people. The content originally appeared as the “Waterford County Museum Remembers” column in the Dungarvan Leader newspaper. These articles are now gathered together in one volume of almost 400 pages featuring over five hundred photos black and white photos from the museum archive. Factories, shops, politicians, streets, sports, trades, and music are just a few of the topics explored in the book. The introductions and captions are sometimes whimsical, often nostalgic but are packed with historical information gleaned from the author’s thirty-year involvement in local history.
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A Short History of England: Simon Jenkins
From the invaders of the dark ages to the aftermath of the coalition, one of Britain’s most respected journalists, Simon Jenkins, weaves together a strong narrative with all the most important and interesting dates in a book that characteristically is as stylish as it is authoritative.
A Short History of England sheds light on all the key individuals and events, bringing them together in an enlightening and engaging account of the country’s birth, rise to global prominence and then partial eclipse.There have been long synoptic histories of England but until now there has been no standard short work covering all significant events, themes and individuals.
Now updated to take in the rapid progress of recent events and beautifully illustrated, this magisterial history will be the standard work for years to come.
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£4.70£9.50A Short History of England: Simon Jenkins
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A Classless Society: Britain in the 1990s
“Superb” NICK COHEN, author of What’s Left?
“Tremendously entertaining” DOMINIC SANDBROOK, Sunday Times
“Like his previous histories of the Seventies and Eighties, A Classless Society is an extraordinarily comprehensive work. Turner writes brilliantly, creating a compelling narrative of the decade, weaving contrasting elements together with a natural storyteller’s aplomb… engaging and unique” IRVINE WELSH, Daily Telegraph
“Ravenously inquisitive, darkly comical and coolly undeceived… Turner is a master of the telling detail” CRAIG BROWN, Mail on Sunday
When Margaret Thatcher was ousted from Downing Street in November 1990 after eleven years of bitter social and economic conflict, many hoped that the decade to come would be more ‘caring’; others hoped that the more radical policies of her revolution might even be overturned. Across politics and culture there was an apparent yearning for something the Iron Lady had famously dismissed: society.
The ‘New Britain’ to emerge would be a contradiction: economically unequal but culturally classless. Whilst Westminster agonised over sleaze and the ERM, the country outside became the playground of the Ladette. It was also a period that would see old moral certainties swept aside, and once venerable institutions descend into farce – followed, in the case of the Royal Family, by tragedy.
Opening with a war in the Gulf and ending with the attacks of 11 September 2001, A Classless Society goes in search of the decade when modern Britain came of age. What it finds is a nation anxiously grappling with new technologies, tentatively embracing new lifestyles, and, above all, forging a new sense of what it means to be British.
“Deserves to become a classic” EDWINA CURRIE
“Rich and encyclopaedic” ROGER LEWIS, Daily Mail
“Excellent” D.J. TAYLOR, Independent
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The History of Europe in Bite-sized Chunks
An accessible and succinct account of the story of Europe from its ancient foundations to the twenty-first century, The History of Europe in Bite-sized Chunks details the events, personalities, ideas and disasters that have shaped our continent.
The book is broken down into six easily digestible chapters: Classical Antiquity (2600 BCE to 600 CE); Medieval (600-1500); Reform and Enlightenment (1500-1780); Age of Revolutions (1780-1914); the Wars (1914-45); and the Making of Contemporary Europe (1945 to present). It begins with the first ancient culture to emerge in Europe: the Minoans. It then proceeds chronologically to the present day, taking in not just significant historical events but also overarching social, technological and cultural trends and their impact.
Throughout the book there are mini-biographies of notable individuals (such as Julius Caesar, Catherine the Great and Napoleon Bonaparte) who have been most significant in European history. It is also packed with amazing facts, details and maps that will give the reader a vivid understanding of Europe’s past
With the prospect of Brexit looming in Spring 2019, there is no better time to get a handle on European history!
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Black England: A Forgotten Georgian History
‘The classic book on Black people in Georgian London’ DAVID OLUSOGA
‘Deeply researched, lucidly written and utterly fascinating . . . If you ever thought Black British history started with Windrush, read this book’ GREG JENNER
Georgian England had a large and distinctive Black community. There were special churches, Black-only balls, many became famous and respected. But all, whether prosperous citizens or newly freed slaves, lived under the constant threat of kidnap and sale to plantations. Black England tells their stories, bringing their triumphs and tortures to vivid life, revealing a dramatic forgotten chapter of our shared past.
‘Black England taught me more history than I ever learned at school. Gretchen Gerzina tells it as it was, so we know how it is . . . a book that will be relevant for ever’ BENJAMIN ZEPHANIAH
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Great Fire of London: A History from Beginning to End
Discover the devastating history of the Great Fire of London…
Free BONUS Inside!In the summer of 1666, London was one of the largest cities in Europe, with close to half a million people living in its narrow, congested streets. Many of these people lived in houses packed closely together, lacking even basic facilities such as clean water and sewage disposal. The previous year, these unsanitary conditions had contributed to the worst outbreak of plague since the Black Death in 1348. Around 15% of the city’s population died as the deadly disease spread unchecked for almost twelve months. Finally, by the summer of 1666, the threat of plague seemed to be receding, and London slowly began to return to normal. But then, the city was threatened by another deadly hazard: fire.
London was a tinderbox waiting to ignite. Many of the city’s wooden buildings were sealed with flammable pitch, their upper stories jutting out and nearly meeting across the streets. An unusually hot and dry summer had drained the city’s water supplies, and without an organized firefighting force, its citizens were left to fend for themselves. The stage was set for catastrophe, and in the early hours of Sunday, September 2, 1666, the spark was struck. A seemingly inconsequential fire ignited in a baker’s shop on Pudding Lane. Unchecked and underestimated, it would grow to become one of the most devastating disasters London had ever faced.
Discover a plethora of topics such as
- London: A City at Risk
- September 2: Pudding Lane
- September 3: The Fire Spreads
- September 4: A Change of Wind
- September 5 & 6: The Fire Dies Down
- Rebuilding
- And much more!
So if you want a concise and informative book on the Great Fire of London, simply scroll up and click the “Buy now” button for instant access!
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The Time Traveller’s Guide to Medieval England: A Handbook for Visitors to the Fourteenth Century (Ian Mortimer’s Time Traveller’s Guides)
Discover an original, entertaining and illuminating guide to a completely different world: England in the Middle Ages.
Imagine you could travel back to the fourteenth century. What would you see, and hear, and smell? Where would you stay? What are you going to eat? And how are you going to test to see if you are going down with the plague?
In The Time Traveller’s Guide Ian Mortimer’s radical new approach turns our entire understanding of history upside down. History is not just something to be studied; it is also something to be lived, whether that’s the life of a peasant or a lord. The result is perhaps the most astonishing history book you are ever likely to read; as revolutionary as it is informative, as entertaining as it is startling.
‘Ian Mortimer is the most remarkable medieval historian of our time’ The Times
‘After The Canterbury Tales this has to be the most entertaining book ever written about the middle ages’ Guardian
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Operation Pedestal: A Times Book of the Year 2021
The Sunday Times bestseller
‘One of the most dramatic forgotten chapters of the war, as told in a new book by the incomparable Max Hastings’ DAILY MAIL
In August 1942, beleaguered Malta was within weeks of surrender to the Axis, because its 300,000 people could no longer be fed. Churchill made a personal decision that at all costs, the ‘island fortress’ must be saved. This was not merely a matter of strategy, but of national prestige, when Britain’s fortunes and morale had fallen to their lowest ebb.
The largest fleet the Royal Navy committed to any operation of the western war was assembled to escort fourteen fast merchantmen across a thousand of miles of sea defended by six hundred German and Italian aircraft, together with packs of U-boats and torpedo craft. The Mediterranean battles that ensued between 11 and 15 August were the most brutal of Britain’s war at sea, embracing four aircraft-carriers, two battleships, seven cruisers, scores of destroyers and smaller craft. The losses were appalling: defeat seemed to beckon.
This is the saga Max Hastings unfolds in his first full length narrative of the Royal Navy, which he believes was the most successful of Britain’s wartime services. As always, he blends the ‘big picture’ of statesmen and admirals with human stories of German U-boat men, Italian torpedo-plane crews, Hurricane pilots, destroyer and merchant-ship captains, ordinary but extraordinary seamen.Operation Pedestal describes catastrophic ship sinkings, including that of the aircraft-carrier Eagle, together with struggles to rescue survivors and salvage stricken ships. Most moving of all is the story of the tanker Ohio, indispensable to Malta’s survival, victim of countless Axis attacks. In the last days of the battle, the ravaged hulk was kept under way only by two destroyers, lashed to her sides. Max Hastings describes this as one of the most extraordinary tales he has ever recounted. Until the very last hours, no participant on either side could tell what would be the outcome of an epic of wartime suspense and courage.
Max Hastings’ book ‘Abyss’ was a Sunday Times bestseller w/c 15-05-2023.
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The Seaside: England’s Love Affair
“…a fascinating barometer of the state of the nation right now, in the wake of austerity, Brexit and Covid.” – Travis Elborough
England’s seaside is made up of a striking variety of coastlines including cliffs, coves, pebbled shore, wide sandy beaches, salt marshes, and estuaries cutting deep inland. On these coastal edges England’s great holiday resorts grew up, developed in the early eighteenth century originally as spas for medicinal bathing but soon morphing into places of pleasure, entertainment, fantasy and adventure.
Acclaimed writer Madeleine Bunting journeyed clockwise around England from Scarborough to Blackpool to understand the enduring appeal of seaside towns, and what has happened to the golden sands, cold seas and donkey rides of childhood memory. Taking in some forty resorts, staying in hotels, caravans and holiday camps, she swims from their beaches and talks to their residents to delve into their landscapes, histories and contemporary plight.
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£11.90£19.00The Seaside: England’s Love Affair
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Tudor England: A History
A compelling, authoritative account of the brilliant, conflicted, visionary world of Tudor England
When Henry VII landed in a secluded bay in a far corner of Wales, it seemed inconceivable that this outsider could ever be king of England. Yet he and his descendants became some of England’s most unforgettable rulers, and gave their name to an age. The story of the Tudor monarchs is as astounding as it was unexpected, but it was not the only one unfolding between 1485 and 1603.
In cities, towns, and villages, families and communities lived their lives through times of great upheaval. In this comprehensive new history, Lucy Wooding lets their voices speak, exploring not just how monarchs ruled but also how men and women thought, wrote, lived, and died. We see a monarchy under strain, religion in crisis, a population contending with war, rebellion, plague, and poverty. Remarkable in its range and depth, Tudor England explores the many tensions of these turbulent years and presents a markedly different picture from the one we thought we knew.Read more
£12.30£14.20Tudor England: A History
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Thirsty Work: Matt Skinner
Serious but unpretentious, inspiring and fun, Thirsty Work celebrates wine and all that goes into making it and all who are involved in sharing it. Based on the way he teaches the subject of wine to his students at Fifteen, Matt Skinner breaks down all the information you need to feel confident when choosing and drinking wine. All the key topics in wine are covered – from how to taste to the key grapes; where and how wine is made to the range of styles – and his 24 “hour faces of wine” working around the clock, feature all the people who are involved in bringing wine to your table. In everyday terms, Skinner presents his subject on a unique and personal level.Read more
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The Ritz London: The Cookbook
AS SEEN ON TV
As featured on ITV’s ‘Inside the Ritz’ series
‘When you look at the dishes in this book, the photographs – it’s beyond beautiful. You wouldn’t need to cook a thing. You could just flick through these pages – it is a proper feast for the eyes.’ - Graham Norton
‘As sumptuous as Williams’s exquisite cooking, this is a magnificent volume. And a fitting tribute to one of the world’s great restaurants. The recipes aren’t simple but this is one of those books to immerse yourself in. Five-star brilliance.’ – Tom Parker Bowles, Mail on Sunday
‘Less a classic cookbook than a contemporary guide to gracious living… Subdividing its contents into four seasons, each is introed with a classic cocktail, and there are contributions from The Ritz’s stellar staff. But really this is Williams’s show, a masterclass in munificence…’ – British GQ
‘A real tour de force … Definitely the stand-out recipe book of the year for me.’ – The Caterer
‘John Williams’s food at the Piccadilly institution is revered. Now it has brought out the cookbook so you can recreate the magic at home.’ – ES Magazine
‘Part technical recipe book, part memoir. There are Williams’s memories of growing up in South Shields, the son of a trawlerman, who accompanied his mother on shopping trips to the butcher and developed a precocious taste for tripe and Jersey Royals. As for the recipes, certain classics are within the range of the dinner-party cook (salt-baked celeriac, for instance, or venison Wellington).’ – Telegraph
‘A work of art, full of recipes exactly as they are made in the Ritz kitchen, beautifully photographed by John Carey. Marvel at the sheer amount of work and skill that goes into each dish, the processes and the perfectionism – and maybe start with the recipe for scones on page 112.’ – hot-dinners.com
‘… As an exemplar of classic and timeless dishes, it is an invaluable book that lets the reader peer behind the screen of one of the capital’s most enduring institutions. For Williams’ anecdote on the eating habits of the late Margaret Thatcher, it is worth the cover price alone.’ – Big Hospitality
‘Distinctive cookbook… This upscale offering is wholly in keeping with its subject: elegant, carefully studied, and more aspirational than practical.’ – Publishers Weekly
The Ritz: The Quintessential Cookbook is the first book to celebrate recipes of the dishes served today, at lunch and at dinner. The book features 100 delicious recipes, such as Roast scallops bergamot & avocado, Saddle of lamb belle époque and Grand Marnier Soufflé, and is divided into the four seasons: spring, summer, autumn and winter.
The recipes reflect the glorious opulence and celebratory ambience of The Ritz; seasonal dishes of fish, shellfish, meat, poultry and game. Desserts include pastries, mousses, ice creams and spectacular, perfectly-risen soufflés. There are recipes that are simple and others for the more ambitious cook, plus helpful tips to guide you at home.
Along the way, John Williams shares his culinary philosophy and expertise. For any cook who has wondered how they do it at The Ritz, this book will provide the answers. There will be plenty of entertaining tales about the hotel and unique glimpses of London’s finest kitchen beneath ground.
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£28.50£38.00The Ritz London: The Cookbook
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The Marriage of Heaven and Hell: A Facsimile in Full Color (Dover Fine Art, History of Art)
This vivid facsimile of Blake’s romantic and revolutionary publication offers a concise expression of his essential wisdom and philosophy. His distinctive hand-lettered text is accompanied by 27 color plates of his stirring illustrations.Read more
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The Unknown 1930s: An Alternative History of the British Cinema 1929-1939 (Cinema and Society)
A group of film historians chart a map of 1930s British cinema. They reassess the films, stars, genres, and directors omitted from accounts of the decade, and they evaluate its forgotten and recently discovered films. The book includes assessments of the British shocker and the British musical, popular 1930s genres, and views of cinema and national identity.Read more
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Private Life in Britain’s Stately Homes: Masters and Servants in the Golden Age (Brief Histories)
The Victorian and Edwardian eras in the run-up to 1914 marked the golden age of the English country house, when opulence and formality attained a level that would never be matched again. The ease of these perfect settings for flirtation and relaxation was maintained by a large and well-trained staff of servants. Although those ‘in service’ worked very long hours and had little personal freedom, many were proud of their positions and grateful for the relative security these gave. Indeed, the strictly hierarchical world below stairs could be more snobbish than that of a house’s owners. Michael Paterson skilfully and entertainingly explores the myths and realities of this vanished world, both upstairs and down.Read more
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Stairways to Heaven: Rebuilding the British Film Industry
What has brought about the transformation of the British film industry over the last few decades, to the beginnings of what is arguably a new golden era? In the mid-1980s the industry was in a parlous state. The number of films produced in the UK was tiny. Cinema attendance had dipped to an all-time low, cinema buildings were in a state of disrepair and home video had yet to flourish. Since then, while many business challenges especially for independent producers and distributors remain, the industry overall has developed beyond recognition. In recent years, as British films have won Oscars, Cannes Palms and Venice Golden Lions, releases such as Love Actually, Billy Elliot, Skyfall, Paddington and the Harry Potter series have found enormous commercial as well as critical success. The UK industry has encouraged, and benefitted from, a huge amount of inward investment, much of it from the Hollywood studios, but also from the National Lottery via the UK Film Council and BFI. This book portrays the visionaries and officials who were at the helm as a digital media revolution began to reshape the industry. Through vivid accounts based on first-hand interviews of what was happening behind the scenes, film commentator and critic Geoffrey Macnab provides in-depth analysis of how and why the British film industry has risen like a phoenix from the ashes.Read more
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Bad Taste: Or the Politics of Ugliness
A timely critique of consumer culture which captures this image-obsessed moment in history, perfect for fans of Zadie Smith’s Feel Free and Jia Tolentino’s Trick Mirror.
This book is not a taste, nor an anti-taste, manual.
This is an interrogation of the importance we place on seemingly objective ideas of taste in a culture that is saturated by imagery, and the dangerous impact this has on our identities, communities and politics. This book is dedicated to understanding the industries of taste. From the food we eat to the way we spend our free time, Olah exposes the shallow waters of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ taste and the rigid hierarchies that uphold this age-old dichotomy.
How did minimalism become a virtue, and who can afford to do it justice?
When did blue-collar jackets become a fashion item?
Who stands to gain from the distinction made between beauty, and sex?
Bold, original and provocative, Bad Taste is a revelatory exploration of the intersection between consumerism, class, desire and power, and a rousing call-to-arms to break free from the restrictive ways we see those around us.
‘Nathalie Olah is one of the sharpest social critics of the post-crash era and Bad Taste doesn’t disappoint.’ Sarah Jaffe
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£15.20£18.00Bad Taste: Or the Politics of Ugliness
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Glam Italia! 101 Fabulous Things to Do in Rome: Beyond the Colosseum, the Vatican, the Trevi Fountain, and the Spanish Steps: 2 (Glam Italia! How To Travel Italy)
Tired of long lines and lame tours? Discover a superior Roman vacation with fewer crowds and way more culture.Does the idea of a tedious sightseeing tour make you want to stay in the hotel? Would you choose hunting down undiscovered gems over sweaty buses any day? After three decades traveling to the Eternal City, private tour guide Corinna Cooke knows how to make travel experiences fresh and unique. Now she’ll show you how to avoid the lines and embrace the authentic Roman vacation.
Glam Italia! 101 Fabulous Things to Do in Rome is your perfect guide for avoiding clichéd tours and discovering fascinating attractions within walking distance of the city’s historic center. Packed with entertaining stories and historical facts, Cooke uses her expert knowledge to make your trip truly come to life. With tons of entries on little-known locations and suggestions of how to get the most out of each, this is the book youneed to get an Italian experience you’ll never forget.
In Glam Italia! 101 Fabulous Things to Do in Rome, you’ll discover:
- Where to take the best Instagram photos that your friends and family will love
- How to avoid overwhelming crowds and replace them with uncharted sights and sounds
- The best markets for food, souvenirs, art, and fashion to help you shop like a local
- How to find the city beneath the city for a truly unique Italian adventure
- Hilarious and fascinating ghost stories, histories, travelogues, and much, much more!
Glam Italia! 101 Fabulous Things to Do in Rome is your essential tour book for a trip you’ll treasure forever. If you like vacations as unique as you are, then you’ll love Corinna Cooke’s breezy and engaging guide to Italy’s historic capital.
Buy Glam Italia! to experience the real Rome today!
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£14.80
