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A History of the Tudors in 100 Objects
by John MatusiakThis seminal period of British history is a far-off world in which poverty, violence and superstition went hand-in-hand with opulence, religious virtue and a thriving cultural landscape, at once familiar and alien to the modern reader. John Matusiak sets out to shed new light on the lives and times of the Tudors by exploring the objects they left behind. Among them, a silver-gilt board badge discarded at Bosworth Field when Henry VII won the English crown; a signet ring that may have belonged to Shakespeare; the infamous Halifax gibbet, on which some 100 people were executed; scientific advancements such as a prosthetic arm and the first flushing toilet; and curiosities including a ladies’ sun mask, ‘Prince Arthur’s hutch’ and the Danny jewel, which was believed to be made from the horn of a unicorn. The whole vivid panorama of Tudor life is laid bare in this thought-provoking and frequently myth-shattering narrative, which is firmly founded upon contemporary accounts and the most up-to-date results of modern scholarship."Everything you wanted to know about the Merrie England of the Tudors and some things you probably did not. If the Tudors seem far removed, they are also curiously modern. They had spectacles and metal prosthetic arms, while a “fuming pot” was but a prototype Air Wick. Matusiak’s mini essays accompanying the photographs are perfectly sculpted and the book is beautiful to hold." - Charlotte Heathcote, The Sunday Express
A Hard Local War: The British Army and the Guerrilla War in Cork 1919-1921
by William SheehanFOLLOWING years of discontent over Home Rule and the Easter Rising, the deaths of two Royal Irish Constabulary policemen in Soloheadbeg at the hands of the IRA in 1919 signalled the outbreak of war in Ireland. The Irish War of Independence raged until a truce between the British Army and the IRA in 1921, historical consensus being that the conflict ended in military stalemate. In A Hard Local War, William Sheeham sets out to prove that no such stalemate existed, and that both sides were continually innovative and adaptive. Using new research and previously unpublished archive material, he traces the experience of the British rank and file, their opinion of their opponents, the special forces created to fight in the Irish countryside, RAF involvement and the evolution of IRA reliance on IEDs and terrorism.
Ireland's Suffragettes: The Women Who Fought for the Vote
by Sarah-Beth WatkinsIreland's Suffragettes is a collection of biographical essays introducing the suffragettes who influenced Ireland's struggle for women's rights. Many of the women were political activists while others became militant suffragettes between 1912 and 1914. The struggle of the suffragettes is different to that of the UK, in that many Irish suffragettes were also included in the struggle for independence and the inclusion of women in the trade unions movement. Drawing on primary sources located in the National Archives and the National Library, Ireland's Suffragettes will bring to life not only the most famous names in the suffragette movement but also the other women who made women's rights their lives work.
The Blue Badge Guide's Liverpool Quiz Book
by Peter J. ColyerCelebrating Liverpool’s cultural heritage, world-class sport and unrivalled musical legacy, this quiz book invites you to come on a wide-ranging exploration of this vibrant city. Peel away its many layers in the company of one of Liverpool’s top Blue Badgetourist guides.These 22 tours will inspire you, your family, colleagues and friends to leap from page to pavement in the entertaining company of a local expert. Have fun!This book is a welcome addition to a series of regional quiz books written exclusively by Blue Badge guides – ‘Britain’s best guides’ – local, professional guides rigorously examined by the Institute of Tourist Guiding, the industry’s standard-setting body. World-renowned for their knowledge, interpretation skills and enthusiasm for their area!www.britainsbestguides.org
VCs of the First World War: The Naval VCs
by Stephen SnellingHere is a complete record of almost fifty men who won the Victoria Cross while serving in the Royal Navy during the First World War. They include the conflict’s youngest and oldest winners in operations ranging from the Atlantic to the coast of Africa, from the Straits of Otranto to the rivers of Mesopotamia. These awards were won in all manner of fighting ships, from disguised schooner to light cruiser, motor launch to submarine, and river steamer to battle cruiser. Following the established series style, The Naval VCs charts the lives and careers of the recipients and presents graphic accounts of the VC actions based on original material, much of it from eyewitness sources.
Harry H. Corbett: The Front Legs of the Cow
by Susannah CorbettHarry H. Corbett rose from the slums of Manchester to become one of the best-known television stars of the 20th century. Having left home as a 17-year-old Royal Marine during the Second World War, he fought in the North Atlantic and the jungles of the Pacific and witnessed first-hand the devastation wrought by the Hiroshima bomb. On his return home he wandered into the local theatre company and landed a starring role – The Front Legs of the Cow. Soon becoming a leading light in Joan Littlewood’s Theatre Workshop and a widely-respected classical stage actor, his life was changed forever by the television comedy Steptoe and Son. Overnight he became a household name as the series drew unparalleled viewing figures of over 28 million, with fans ranging from the working classes to the Royal Family. Naturally shy and a committed socialist, fame and fortune didn’t sit easily on his shoulders, and for the next twenty years, until his untimely death at the age of only 57, he had to learn how to be ‘’Arold’. Written by his daughter, Susannah Corbett, an actor herself, this is the first biography of Harry H. Corbett, the man who was once described as being ‘the English Marlon Brando’.
Shadows in the Sky: The Haunted Airways of Britain
by Neil ArnoldAlthough the saying, ‘Pigs might fly…’ may bring a smile to one’s lips, even stranger things have been reported as appearing in Britain’s skies over the centuries. Eye-witnesses have testified that various terrifying and bizarre forms have appeared in the skies, from ghostly planes, phantom airships and UFOs, to reports of sky serpents, celestial dragons, flying jellyfish, rains of fish (or blood, or metal, or frogs…) – even reports of a griffin seen over London! It also considers reports of haunted aircraft hangars and airfields. Shadows in the Sky compiles hundreds of accounts from the spine-chilling to the downright bizarre, that’ll keep your eyes fixed looking upwards!
War in 100 Events
by Martin Creveld‘War is a duel written large.’ How did we get from clubs and spears to machine guns and drone missiles? What led to the human race firing projectiles across a no-man’s-land, from straightforward warfare to spies and insurgency? Here renowned military historian Martin van Creveld has compiled a concise guide to the history of war in 100 key events, from 10,000 BCE to the present day: Stone Age ‘wars’; Vikings raids; medieval conflicts; revolutionary wars; Napoleonic wars; world wars; the Iraq war; women in war and much more. With intriguing facts and a worldwide range, War in 100 Events is an immensely entertaining volume for military buffs and laymen alike.
The Real German War Plan, 1904-14
by Terence ZuberThe Real German War Plan 1904-14 fundamentally changes our understanding of German military planning before the First World War. On the basis of newly discovered or long-neglected documents in German military archives, this book gives the first description of Schlieffen's war plans in 1904 and 1905 and Moltke's plans from 1906 to 1914. It explodes unfounded myths concerning German war planning, gives the first appraisal of the actual military and political factors that influenced it, proves conclusively that there never was a 'Schlieffen Plan' and reveals Moltke's strategy for a war against Russia from 1909 to 1912. Tracing the decline in the German military position and the recognition by 1913 that Germany would be forced to fight outnumbered on both the eastern and western fronts, it is an essential read for anyone with an interest in the First World War.
Five Million Tides: A Biography of the Helford River
by Christian BoultonFive Million Tides is the story of Cornwall’s Helford River from the Stone Age to the dawning of the twenty-first century. From prehistoric pioneers and their megalithic successors, this account goes on to expose a remarkable truth: the Helford became one of Europe’s most significant waterways during the Iron Age and Roman periods. Despite being mainland Britain’s southernmost safe haven, it has not always been a place of good fortune – once a thriving seat of Celtic Christianity the river would ultimately become more synonymous with lawless seafarers. Nor could it be relied upon for sanctuary from every storm, as the graves of mariners in its village churchyards attest. Although now overshadowed by its more famous sibling estuaries, the Helford is an enigmatic beauty of the family whose rich past deserves wider knowledge.
Tom Clarke: The True Leader of the Easter Rising
by Michael T. FoyLong overshadowed by fellow republicans Patrick Pearse and James Connolly, Tom Clarke was the man who made the Easter Rising possible. During an extraordinary life dedicated to Irish freedom he rose from humble origins and endured thirty years of struggle, imprisonment and exile before becoming a master conspirator in the Easter Rising. Endowed with a charisma and moral ascendancy, he held together a disparate group of followers and they, in turn, recognised his indispensable leadership by insisting that his name alone should have pride of place on the Proclamation. It was a gesture that, in a sense, guaranteed Clarke immortality; it also proved to be also his death warrant. But death held no terrors for Clarke who was to die satisfied in the belief that, with the sight of a tricolour flying over the GPO, he had changed the course of Irish history.
A People's History of Walthamstow
by James DiamondWalthamstow is well known as the home of William Morris, a former greyhound racing track and the boy band East 17. It’s also been home to communities of people for thousands of years. This history tells the unique story of Walthamstow from the area’s first Iron Age settlements to its Anglo-Saxon place names, medieval manors, agricultural hamlets and Victorian terraced housing. It includes the area’s history in the twentieth century as a suburb of London. The development of Walthamstow is told from the perspective of the people who have lived there and who have helped to shape the place known around Britain today. Their stories are captured using photographs and illustrations, which bring to life how they have lived and worked over the years.
Rachmaninoff: The Last of the Great Romantics
by Michael ScottThe musical child of Russia’s golden age, Sergei Rachmaninoff, was the last of the great Romantics. Scorned by the musical establishment until very recently, his music received hostile reviews from critics and other composers. Conversely, it never failed to find widespread popular acclaim, and today he is one of the most popular composers of all time.Biographer Michael Scott investigates Rachmaninoff’s intense and often melodramatic life, following him from imperial Russia to his years of exile as a wandering virtuoso and his death in Beverly Hills during the Second World War, worn out by his punishing schedule.In this remarkable biography which relates the man to his music, Michael Scott tells the colourful story of a life that spanned two centuries and two continents. His original research from the Russian archives, so long closed to writers from the West, brings us closer to the spirit of a man who genuinely believed that music could be both good and popular, a belief that is now triumphantly vindicated.
The Little Book of Leicestershire
by Natasha SheldonTHE LITTLE BOOK OF LEICESTERSHIRE is a compendium full of information which will make you say, ‘I never knew that!’ Contained within is a plethora of entertaining facts about Leicestershire’s famous and occasionally infamous men and women, its 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 in to 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.
Voices of Silence: The Alternative Book of First World War Poetry
by Vivien NoakesThe poetry of the First World War has determined our perception of the war itself. This volume features poetry drawn from old newspapers and journals, trench and hospital magazines, individual volumes of verse, gift books, postcards, and a manuscript magazine put together by conscientious objectors.
Norwich in 100 Dates
by Kindra JonesExperience 100 key dates that shaped Norwich's history, highlighted its people's genius (or silliness) and embraced the unexpected. Featuring an amazing mix of pivotal, social, criminal and sporting events, this book reveals a past that will fascinate, delight and even shock residents and visitors alike.
Mr Verdant Green: Nonsuch Classics
by Cuthbert BedeA cult college novel on its original publication in 1853, this is the funny tale of the adventures of a naive freshman, set loose on the dreaming spires of Oxford. This edition contains the author's original illustrations.
Remarkable Journeys of the Second World War: A Collection of Untold Stories
by Victoria Panton BaconThose who lived through the Second World War have many stories of bravery, sadness, horror, doubt and longing. Inspired by conversations with a wide range of veterans following the publication of her grandfather’s wartime memoir, Victoria Panton Bacon has gathered a moving collection of their experiences. Their recollections tell of a different time and reveal the courage, actions and sentiments of those whose wartime experiences changed the course of history; stories of ordinary people who lived under the long shadows cast by the war and whose young lives were changed irrevocably. Though many tales are sad, describing being sent into war and the loss of friends and family, there are also stories of joy and love found in the darkest of times. For them, war, the ultimate leveller, threw them into remarkable times, whether they were a merchant seaman, army officer, pilot, young Jewish girl, code breaker or Home Guard recruit. From one extraordinary story to the next, Remarkable Journeys of the Second World War immerses the reader in the lives of real people who lived through conflict.
Watching Skies: Star Wars, Spielberg and Us
by Mark O'ConnellMark O'Connell didn't want to be Luke Skywalker, He wanted to be one of the mop-haired kids on the Star Wars toy commercials. And he would have done it had his parents had better pine furniture and a condo in California. Star Wars, Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, E.T. The Extra Terrestrial, Raiders of the Lost Ark and Superman didn't just change cinema – they made lasting highways into our childhoods, toy boxes and video stores like never before. In Watching Skies, O'Connell pilots a gilded X-Wing flight through that shared universe of bedroom remakes of Return of the Jedi, close encounters with Christopher Reeve, sticker album swaps, the trauma of losing an entire Stars Wars figure collection and honeymooning on Amity Island. From the author of Catching Bullets – Memoirs of a Bond Fan, Watching Skies is a timely hologram from all our memory systems. It is about how George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, a shark, two motherships, some gremlins, ghostbusters and a man of steel jumper a whole generation to hyperspace.* *action figures sold separately.
Who Am I?: The story of a London art studio for asylum seekers and refugees
by Tania KaczynskiWhen everything is lost, imagination is the only place of true freedom. The New Art Studio, co-founded in 2014 by art psychotherapist Tania Kaczynksi, is a unique space in London set up as a lifeline for refugees and asylum seekers so they can experience art therapy in a relaxed, informal atmosphere. Who Am I? is a poignant look at the state of the dispossessed, and at how creating art can provide a last bastion of hope for those who have lost everything. Alongside the unique and touching artwork of the studio’s members are their true stories of bravery, loss and redemption.
The Times on Cinema
by Brian Pendreigh‘It is up to the Great Film Critic in the Sky to deal with Life of Brian.’ Penelope Mortimer LETTERS TO THE EDITOR In 1958, The Times referred to Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo as ‘not an important film or even major Hitchcock’. In 2012, they reported that it had been declared the best film of all time. Cinematic history is filled with hindsight; filled with tales of the ‘underdog’ being talked down only to rise triumphantly – nobody thought The Wizard of Oz or Titanic would be remotely successful. But they were. In The Times on Cinema, celebrated film author and journalist Brian Pendreigh throws open the archives on one of Britain’s favourite pastimes. From the Fatty Arbuckle scandal in the 1920s to the infamous Oscars mix up of 2017, from Harry Potter to James Bond, cinema’s most revered and sharp-tongued critics line up to review and retell some of the world’s most famous films and infamous events.
Dark Rosaleen: A Famine Novel
by Michael NicholsonDark Rosaleen is a story of love, murder and betrayal, of a failed rebellion and a national scandal. Sir William McCauley was appointed Director of the Famine Relief Programme at a time when hunger raged across Ireland and antipathy towards the plight of the Irish infused the politics of Britain. Kathryn, William’s daughter, was forced to join her father, and felt no sympathy until the very scale of the tragedy became all too obvious. Joining the underground, she preached insurrection, stole food for the starving and became the lover of the leader of the rebellion. Known as Dark Rosaleen, the heroine of banned nationalist poem, she was branded both traitor and cause celebré. This is her story.
Great Train Robbery Confidential: The Cop and the Robber Follow New Lines of Enquiry
by Graham SatchwellIn 1981, Detective Inspector Satchwell was the officer in charge of the case against Train Robber Tom Wisbey and twenty others. The case involved massive thefts from mail trains – similar to the Great Train Robbery of 1963 where £2.6 million was taken and only £400,000 ever recovered. Thirty years later their paths crossed again and an unlikely partnership was formed, with the aim of revealing the truth about the Great Train Robbery. This book reassesses the known facts about one of the most infamous crimes in modern history from the uniquely qualified insight of an experienced railway detective, presenting new theories alongside compelling evidence and correcting the widely accepted lies and half-truths surrounding this story.
Bloody British History: Somerset
by Andrew MayHorrors of the caves! The ghastly true story of the Cheddar cannibals! Twilight of the Empire! Romans, Saxons and the legends of King Arthur! Swords against the Vikings! The Somerset heroes who defied the Norse hordes! Martyrs, murderers, pirates and mad scientists – Somerset’s strangest residents revealed! Death storm! The terrible toll of the Great Storm of 1703! Spies in Somerset! Containing more than two thousand years of Somerset history, thrill to stunning true stories of battles and bloodshed, executions and exorcisms, sinister Templars and Victorian sex cults! With more than 60 illustrations plus an eight-page colour section, you’ll never see the county in the same way again!
Radical or Redundant?: Minor Parties in Irish Politics
by Liam WeeksWhile the type of small political party In Ireland has varied, their fate, it seems, has not. Although some enjoy a brief time in the sun, termination is the long-term prospects for all minor parties. The usual pattern is a speedy ascent, an impact on the political system including a time in government, followed by a prolonged termination. This book examines this pattern of evolution for minor, or small, parties in Irish politics. As the Irish state has changed, so too have the types of parties that have emerged. With the first-time entry of the Greens into government in 2007, their wipeout in 2011, the termination of the Progressive Democrats in 2009, and the failure of a new party to emerge despite the on-going financial crisis, the time is ripe for this analysis.