Countries & Regions
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The Boys of Winter: England’s 2003 Rugby World Cup Win, As Told By The Team for the 20th Anniversary 2023
THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER and must-read book for the Rugby World Cup 2023.England have been in four Rugby World Cup finals and only won one of them. In 2003, this team was the one that did it. And this is their story in their words.
The image of Jonny Wilkinson’s last-minute winning drop goal is etched deep into the nation’s consciousness – everyone knows where they were during that iconic moment on the 22nd November 2003. Twenty years on, with their achievement still unmatched, the affection and respect this band of brothers command is as great as ever. There is still no modern player as beloved as Jonny Wilkinson, no captain as celebrated and respected as Martin Johnson, and no coach as revered as Sir Clive Woodward. And there is no one with the aura and drive of Lawrence Dallaglio.
In The Boys of Winter, Dallaglio and writer Owen Slot tell the inside story of England’s triumphant 2003 Rugby World Cup through interviews with those involved, revealing how the team planned it and executed it; the iconic memories as well as the unseen moments.
But what has become of those heroes of our youth? This book also tells the story of how the tournament has shaped the lives of those involved, for better or worse. For many it was the pinnacle, for some a missed opportunity and for others a curse from which they never recovered.
– Includes never-before-seen interviews with the squad and coaching staff
– Reveals how the team planned and executed the 2003 Rugby World Cup win
– Uncovers for the first time the impact of the achievement on the players
– Explores why this success has never been repeated
This is the definitive account of a legendary sporting moment and an examination of the costs of our dreams.
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£9.10£20.90 -
The Common Reader: Second Series (Collins Classics)
HarperCollins is proud to present its incredible range of best-loved, essential classics.
The only advice, indeed, that one person can give another about reading is to take no advice, to follow your own instincts, to use your own reason, to come to your own conclusions.
In her second volume of essays, Virginia Woolf delves deeper into the delights of reading. Here, she explores the novels of Thomas Hardy and Daniel Defoe, and recounts the fascinating lives of Christina Rossetti and Mary Wollstonecraft. In ‘ How Should One Read a Book?’ she offers sage advice for the common reader, and sheds light on the lessons and pleasures literature can provide.
Published in 1932, The Common Reader: Second Series is a wise and illuminating companion collection to her 1925 First Series. Woolf’s enduring appeal and ideas continue to resonate with readers in the twenty-first century.
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The Complete War Walks
This one-volume edition comprises both Richard Holmes’ well-loved War Walks and War Walks 2. Dates such as 1066 and names such as Dunkirk often strike a chord of nostalgia, but the details of the historic events associated with them are forgotten. In The Complete War Walks Richard Holmes takes us on fascinating journey through time to visit twelve battlefields throughout Britain, Northern France and Belgium that mark crucial moments in Britain’s bloody and turbulent history. From Hastings to Dunkirk, Agincourt to The Somme, Richard vividly recreates the atmosphere of these key battles in our history. With his expert knowledge of weapons and warfare and using specially commissioned maps, Richard Holmes provides a brilliantly clear picture of the events which led up to each battle, the conflicts themselves, and the people who fought them. Using practical ‘views of the field’, he travels the battlefields as they exist today, pointing out their places of interest, paying tribute to the men who fought there, and bringing history to life. This book focuses on a selection of battles, six fought in Britain – or, in one case, on a struggle that straddled the Channel. A further six are set in a few hundred square miles of northern France and southern Belgium, a space so confined that a single day’s drive could take us across all our battlefields. Choosing the battles from a long list of potential candidates was far from easy, but a certain logic prevails. Battles that had far-reaching consequences, historically and politically, were brought to the forefront of the possible choices. In some cases, because of a battle’s importance, it entered part of an enduring mythology that demands attention. There were other obvious considerations that favoured certain battles over others: battles that were particularly decisive, or ones that were well documented, or have battlefields that remain striking today. I shied away from some battles that had already been described so well in print or on film, that I felt there was nothing new to add. In the twentieth-century France: Hastings, Agincourt, Bosworth, Naseby, The Boyne, Waterloo, Mons and Le Cateau, the Somme, Arras, Dunkirk, the Blitz and Operation Goodwood.Read more
£13.60£16.10The Complete War Walks
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The Empress Frederick Writes to Sophie Her Daughter: Victoria, Princess Royal and Later Queen of the Hellenes; Letters of German Royalty, 1889-1901
The letters of Empress Frederick shed light on German politics and society during the late 19th century, and the outlook Germany’s royal family held on matters domestic and foreign.
Famed for her charity work and promotion of social welfare, Victoria, Princess Royal – also styled as ‘the Empress Frederick’ – demonstrates a refined and sensitive soul. She is watchful and sensitive to political developments, both in Germany and elsewhere, and provides commentary and opinion on the events of her time. The letters were originally written in English – which is the language that Victoria and her daughter Sophie would habitually speak amongst themselves.
Thought lost amid the maelstrom of the Second World War, the letters of the Empress were salvaged by servants of a household ransacked during the conflict which devastated much of Europe. Thus, readers may gain insight into the period ranging from 1889 to 1901; these were the Empress’s mature years, wherein her wisdom and eloquence was at its height. Her views upon the retirement of Chancellor Bismarck, the rising ambitions of the headstrong Kaiser Wilhelm II, the elderly Queen Victoria of England, and others, are candidly spoken about. The book concludes on a tragic note; in great pain from the advanced stages of cancer, the Empress struggles to correspond with her beloved daughter, but nevertheless makes the greatest effort to do so.
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The Forgotten 500: The Untold Story of the Men Who Risked All for the Greatest Rescue Mission of World War II
The astonishing, never before told story of the greatest rescue mission of World War II–when the OSS set out to recover more than 500 airmen trapped behind enemy lines in Yugoslavia…During a bombing campaign over Romanian oil fields, hundreds of American airmen were shot down in Nazi-occupied Yugoslavia. Local Serbian farmers and peasants risked their own lives to give refuge to the soldiers while they waited for rescue, and in 1944, Operation Halyard was born. The risks were incredible. The starving Americans in Yugoslavia had to construct a landing strip large enough for C-47 cargo planes–without tools, without alerting the Germans, and without endangering the villagers. And the cargo planes had to make it through enemy airspace and back–without getting shot down themselves.
Classified for over half a century for political reasons, the full account of this unforgettable story of loyalty, self-sacrifice, and bravery is now being told for the first time ever. The Forgotten 500 is the gripping, behind-the-scenes look at the greatest escape of World War II.
“Amazing [and] riveting.”–James Bradley, New York Times bestselling author of Flags of Our Fathers
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£12.10 -
The Forgotten Tudor Royal: Margaret Douglas, Grandmother to King James VI & I
As the daughter and cousin of queens and the granddaughter and niece of kings, Lady Margaret Douglas was an integral part of the Tudor royal dynasty. A favourite of her uncle King Henry VIII and a close friend of Queen Mary I she courted scandal which saw her imprisoned in the Tower of London on more than one occasion. Against the orders of Queen Elizabeth I she plotted the marriage of her eldest son Lord Darnley to Mary, Queen of Scots with disastrous consequences. She came as close to the executioners block as she did to the throne of England, with some believing she had a right to be queen. A devout Catholic all her life, she lived at a time when religious division split the country in half yet she remained steadfast in her beliefs. A respected and revered lady on both sides of the border, Lady Margaret Douglas, later Countess of Lennox through her marriage, suffered much heartbreak and loss. Her husband and son were both murdered at the hands of the Scots and she outlived all her children. Despite these tragedies she never gave up on her dream of uniting the thrones of England and Scotland which was realised through her grandson King James VI/I. The story of her life is a remarkable tale of intrigue and survival and deserves to be more widely told.Read more
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The Great War for Civilisation: The Conquest of the Middle East
Robert Fisk’s bestselling eyewitness account of the events that have shaped the Middle East is alive with vivid reporting and incisive historical analysis.
The history of the Middle East is an epic story of tragedy, betrayal and world-shaking events. It is a story that Robert Fisk has been reporting for over thirty years. His masterful narrative spans the most volatile regions of the Middle East, chronicling with both rage and compassion the death by deceit of tens of thousands of Muslims, Christians and Jews.
Robert Fisk’s remarkable history is also the tale of a journalist at war – learning of the 9/11 attacks while aboard a passenger jet, reporting from a bombed-out Baghdad, interviewing Osama bin Laden – and of the courage and frustration of a life spent writing the first draft of history.
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£16.70£18.00 -
The Jersey: The All Blacks: The Secrets Behind the World’s Most Successful Team
The phenomenal international number one bestseller with exclusive interviews with Richie McCaw, Steve Hansen, Beauden Barrett and Dan Carter, The Jersey is the definitive story behind the greatest sports team on the planet.
‘Extremely well written. Compelling, accurate, insightful and brilliant in the way it captures the New Zealand way’ – John Hart, former All Blacks coach.
With a better winning record than any other sports team in history, they stand head and shoulders above their nearest rugby rivals. How did a country of just 4.8 million people conquer the world?
Peter Bills, who has reported on international rugby for more than forty years, was given exclusive access to all the key figures in New Zealand rugby as he set out to understand the secrets behind the All Blacks success. Peter talked at length with ninety people, both in New Zealand and around the world, with intimate knowledge of what makes the All Blacks tick.
The Jersey goes to the heart of the All Blacks success. It is also an epic story of not just a rugby team but a nation, whose identities are inextricably linked.
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£11.40£12.30 -
The Princess Royal: From Princess Mary to Princess Anne (The Royal House of Windsor)
An engrossing account of the life of Princess Anne and how her role was shaped by the six women who served as Princess Royal before her.Ideal for readers of Gyles Brandreth, Ingrid Seward and Hugo Vickers.
To understand what it is to be a Princess Royal, the ‘doyenne of royal biographers’ Helen Cathcart skilfully portrays the lives of the foremost royal daughters from the days when princesses were ‘ladyes’ and the King’s eldest son was styled Prince Royal, through to our present Princess Royal.
There have been seven Princess Royals throughout British history, the inaugural of whom was Princess Mary, the eldest daughter of King Charles I and Queen Henrietta Maria, followed by Princess Anne (daughter of King George II), Princess Charlotte (daughter of King George III), Princess Victoria (daughter of Queen Victoria), Princess Louise (daughter of King Edward VII), and Princess Mary (daughter of King George V). The current holder of the title, Princess Anne, emerges from this background, clearly demonstrating how the role or Princess Royal has evolved over the generations into one of duty and personal achievement.
Drawing on royal letters, journals and associated material, the author’s fascinating pen captures the first four decades of Princess Anne’s life, from playful child and stylish teenager to champion rider and tireless campaigner for good causes. Along the way are royal engagements and regimental dinners, a love affair with a Dragoon and a terrifying kidnap attempt.
The Princess Royal is the definitive account of what it means to be the first and most royal of royal daughters and how Princess Anne is truly a Princess Royal for our times.
‘Wide acclaim as a royal biographer … objective, uninhibited and penetrating’ – Sunday Express
‘Helen Cathcart writes about royalty as if she were one of them’– The Daily Mail
‘The doyenne ofroyal biographers’ –The Daily Telegraph
‘A tireless chronicler of royalty’–The Guardian
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The Royal Puzzle Book: 300 Challenges and Teasers from Alfred the Great to Charles III
Test your knowledge of kings and queens by attempting to answer some 300 questions across 25 topics, from early kingdoms to the realms of England, Scotland and Wales and the British Royal Family of the modern era.
The topics range from Coronations to Sports and Pastimes – from the first English queen crowned in her own right to the only royal to have won an Olympic Medal. Do you know which country’s national anthem uses the same music as ‘God Save the King’? Whose corpse is said to have exploded in its coffin? What was Queen Victoria’s first name? These hundreds of puzzles are accompanied by a wealth of illustrations from the collections of the British Library. Accept the challenge and see how much more you can learn.
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£11.10£14.20 -
The Soong Sisters
“If the story of the Soong family were told as fiction, people would say it was fascinating but too improbable. . . . A dramatic human chronicle . . . engrossing.” —The New York Times Book Review
In the early twentieth century, few women in China were to prove so important to the rise of Chinese nationalism and liberation from tradition as the three extraordinary Soong sisters—Eling, Chingling and Mayling—who would each marry historic figures. Told with wit and verve by New Yorker correspondent Emily Hahn, a remarkable woman in her own right, the biography of the Soong sisters reveals the story of China through both World Wars. It also chronicles the changes to Shanghai as they relate to a very eccentric family that had the courage to speak out against the ruling regime. Greatly influencing the history of modern China, they interacted with their government and military to protect the lives of those who could not be heard, and appealed to the West to support China during the Japanese invasion.
“[A] first-rate reportorial job on three distinguished women.” —Kirkus Reviews
“A spirited, well-informed book . . . a fascinating saga . . . Hahn skillfully interweaves the personal material which she has collected in abundance with some indispensable background knowledge of Chinese history.” —The AtlanticRead more
£9.00The Soong Sisters
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The Traitor of Colditz: The Untold Story of Britain’s Bravest Double Agent THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER
THE GRIPPING SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER
‘A vastly entertaining tale, bursting with astonishing stories and extraordinary characters … A fascinating read’ Sunday Telegraph
‘Brilliant … An amazing story, one I hadn’t heard too much about’ Dan Snow
IT IS THE DEPTHS OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR.
The Germans like to boast that there is ‘no escape’ from the infamous fortress that is Colditz.
The elite British officers imprisoned there are determined to prove the Nazis wrong and get back into the war.
As the war heats up and the stakes are raised, the Gestapo plant a double-agent inside the prison in a bid to uncover the secrets of the British prisoners. Captain Julius Green of the Army Dental Corps and Sergeant John ‘Busty’ Brown must risk their lives in a bid to save the lives of hundreds of Allied servicemen and protect the secrets of MI9.
Drawn from unseen records, The Traitor of Colditz brings to light an extraordinary, never-before-told story from the Second World War, an epic tale of how MI9 took on the Nazis and exposed the traitors in their midst.
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The Truth About Muhammad: Founder of the World’s Most Intolerant Religion
Muhammad: a frank look at his influential (and violent) life and teachings In The Truth about Muhammad, New York Times bestselling author and Islam expert Robert Spencer offers an honest and telling portrait of the founder of Islam-perhaps the first such portrait in half a century-unbounded by fear and political correctness, unflinching, and willing to face the hard facts about Muhammad’s life that continue to affect our world today. From Muhammad’s first “revelation” from Allah (which filled him with terror that he was demonpossessed) to his deathbed (from which he called down curses upon Jews and Christians), it’s all here-told with extensive documentation from the sources that Muslims themselves consider most reliable about Muhammad. Spencer details Muhammad’s development from a preacher of hellfire and damnation into a political and military leader who expanded his rule by force of arms, promising his warriors luridly physical delights in Paradise if they were killed in his cause. He explains how the Qur’an’s teaching on warfare against unbelievers developed-with constant war to establish the hegemony of Islamic law as the last stage. Spencer also gives the truth about Muhammad’s convenient “revelations” justifying his own licentiousness; his joy in the brutal murders of his enemies; and above all, his clear marching orders to his followers to convert non-Muslims to Islam-or force them to live as inferiors under Islamic rule. In The Truth about Muhammad, you’ll learn – The truth about Muhammad’s multiple marriages (including one to a nine-year-old) – How Muhammad set legal standards that make it virtually impossible to prove rape in Islamic countries – How Muhammad’s example justifies jihad and terrorism – The real “Satanic verses” incident (not the Salman Rushdie version) that remains a scandal to Muslims – How Muhammad’s faulty knowledge of Judaism and Christianity has influenced Islamic theology–and colored Muslim relations with Jews and Christians to this day. Recognizing the true nature of Islam, Spencer argues, is essential for judging the prospects for largescale Islamic reform, the effective prosecution of the War on Terror, the democracy project in Afghanistan and Iraq, and immigration and border control to protect the United States from terrorism. All of which makes it crucial for every citizen (and policymaker) who loves freedom to read and ponder The Truth about MuhammadRead more
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The Volunteer: The True Story of the Resistance Hero who Infiltrated Auschwitz – Costa Book of the Year 2019
One of the Sunday Times paperbacks of the Year 2020
One of the Financial Times best books of 2020‘Totally gripping’– Simon Sebag Montefiore
‘Pilecki is perhaps one of the greatest unsung heroes of the second world war … this insightful book is likely to be the definitive version of this extraordinary life’ — Economist
Would you sacrifice yourself to save thousands of others?
In the Summer of 1940, after the Nazi occupation of Poland, an underground operative called Witold Pilecki accepted a mission to uncover the fate of thousands of people being interned at a new concentration camp on the border of the Reich.
His mission was to report on Nazi crimes and raise a secret army to stage an uprising. The name of the detention centre — Auschwitz.
It was only after arriving at the camp that he started to discover the Nazi’s terrifying plans. Over the next two and half years, Witold forged an underground army that smuggled evidence of Nazi atrocities out of Auschwitz. His reports from the camp were to shape the Allies response to the Holocaust – yet his story was all but forgotten for decades.
This is the first major account to draw on unpublished family papers, newly released archival documents and exclusive interviews with surviving resistance fighters to show how he brought the fight to the Nazis at the heart of their evil designs.
The result is an enthralling story of resistance and heroism against the most horrific circumstances, and one man’s attempt to change the course of history.
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£10.40£12.30 -
The Wicked Wit of the Royal Family
The Wicked Wit of the Royal Family celebrates the flashes of fun and brilliance of the most famous family in the world.
There is no doubt that the British royal family is THE most famous family in the world. Watched and picked over in the media for everything from fashion choices to baby bumps, sporting achievements to nightclub preferences, there doesn’t seem to be a moment when they can escape public scrutiny. But, somehow, they still manage to maintain a sense of humour – and it’s those flashes of fun and brilliance that this book celebrates.
From Prince Philip’s gaffe-prone remarks (most of which appear ON camera rather than off) to the ‘in’ jokes shared by the knowing smiles of the younger royals and the Queen’s wickedly dry and often bitingly funny remarks; from Prince Charles’s asides to the Duchess of Cornwall to the self-deprecating smile of the Duchess of Cambridge and the belly laughs that appeal to Prince Harry. This book presents the other side of royal protocol and perhaps gives a glimpse of the real lives of this much-loved clan.
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£7.10£9.50The Wicked Wit of the Royal Family
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The Winter War: The Russo-Finnish War of 1939-40
On 30 November 1939, Soviet bombers unloaded their bombs on Helsinki, the capital of Finland. Stalin’s ultimatum, demanding the cession of huge tracts of territory as a buffer zone against Nazi Germany, had been rejected by the Finnish government, and now a small Baltic republic was at war with the giant Soviet military machine. But this forgotten war, fought under brutal, sub-arctic conditions, often with great heroism on both sides, proved one of the most astonishing in military history. Using guerrilla fighters on skis, even reindeer to haul supplies on sleds, heroic single-handed attacks on tanks, and with unfathomable endurance and the charismatic leadership of one of the 20th century’s true military geniuses, Finland not only kept at bay but won an epic, if short-lived, victory over the hapless Russian conscripts. Its surreal engagements included the legendary “Sausage Battle”, when starving Soviet troops who had over-run a Finnish encampment couldn’t resist the cauldrons of hot sausage soup left behind by their opponents – and were ambushed as they stopped to sup. Although by sheer attritional weight of numbers Stalin eventually prevailed over the Finns, their pointed resistance enabled their country to remain free, even as other countries fell one by one.
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£9.50 -
Throwing the Book
Wayne Barnes – one of the most-experienced international referees in history and criminal barrister to boot – uniquely lifts the lid on a lifetime of trying to keep the biggest names in the sport on best behaviour.
There aren’t many people who can say they’ve been the thirty-first man on the pitch during a World Cup humdinger, Grand Slam decider or Premiership and European Cup final; listened to the sobs of a 20-stone prop as he tries to belt out his national anthem; heard the crunch of bones after some of the mightiest hits known to the game; or been yards away from the greatest players of the last twenty years, doing almost impossible things with a rugby ball – especially when you’re a working-class lad from the Forest of Dean, wondering how you ever got there in the first place.
Candid, humble and warmly told, Throwing the Book is a definitive account of what it means to be a rugby referee and a love letter to the sport that has provided Wayne with so much. Covering his childhood days, family life, career highs and lows, side-step into law, as well as what’s next in store for Wayne both on and off the pitch, this book reveals the man behind the referee for the very first time.
Serious when it needs to be, but also rich in good humour and humanity, Throwing the Book is a memoir to remember.
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£21.79£25.00Throwing the Book
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TUDOR TEMPEST: The Untold Stories of the Six Wives of Henry VIII, Love, Lust, and Power in the Court of the Infamous King
“Tudor Tempest: The Untold Stories of the Six Wives of Henry VIII, Love, Lust, and Power in the Court of the Infamous King” by acclaimed historical biographer Angela Morris invites readers on an exhilarating journey through the captivating, turbulent, and often perilous world of Tudor England. In this meticulously researched and engaging work, Morris unveils the untold stories of the six remarkable women who shared their lives with one of England’s most enigmatic monarchs, King Henry VIII.Explore the multifaceted lives and complex fates of Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard, and Catherine Parr, as they navigated the treacherous waters of the Tudor court. With a keen eye for historical detail and a gift for storytelling, Morris breathes life into these historical figures, shedding light on their individual struggles, triumphs, and contributions to a transformative period in English history.
As you delve into the pages of “Tudor Tempest,” you’ll be transported back in time to an era of political intrigue, religious upheaval, and shifting alliances. Morris expertly captures the essence of the Tudor court, where power struggles and ambition held sway, and where each wife’s journey was uniquely influenced by her own personality, background, and the demands of her tumultuous times.
“Tudor Tempest” is not only a historical biography but also a meticulously crafted work that takes you beyond the popular narratives and into the hidden corners of Tudor history. Explore keywords such as “Tudor dynasty,” “English Reformation,” “King Henry VIII’s marriages,” and “women in history,” and embark on an unforgettable literary voyage that unveils the captivating stories of these extraordinary women.
Morris’ vivid storytelling and deep historical insights make “Tudor Tempest” a must-read for history enthusiasts, avid readers, and anyone curious about the resilient and influential women who played integral roles in shaping the destiny of a nation. Whether you are a seasoned scholar of Tudor history or a newcomer to this fascinating era, Morris’ engaging narrative will draw you in, leaving you with a profound appreciation for the indomitable spirit of Henry VIII’s six wives.
Don’t miss your chance to discover the untold stories that lie beneath the surface of Tudor history. “Tudor Tempest” by Angela Morris is a captivating, informative, and thoroughly researched work that will immerse you in the rich tapestry of Tudor England, and is sure to become an Amazon bestseller for history and biography enthusiasts alike.
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£4.70 -
Victorian Murders
This book features fifty-six Victorian cases of murder covered in the sensational weekly penny journal the Illustrated Police Newsbetween 1867 and 1900. Some of them are famous, like the Bravo Mystery of 1876, the Llangibby Massacre of 1878 and the Mrs Pearcey case of 1890; others are little-known, like the Acton Atrocity of 1880, the Ramsgate Mystery of 1893 and the Grafton Street Murder of 1894. Take your ticket for the house of horrors.Read more
£9.10£10.40Victorian Murders
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War Doctor: Surgery on the Front Line
A powerful and intensely moving memoir by an NHS surgeon who volunteered in war zones, operating under the most extreme circumstances.
‘Brave, compassionate and inspiring – it left me in floods of tears’ – Adam Kay, author of This Is Going to Hurt
For more than twenty-five years, David Nott has taken unpaid leave from his job as a general and vascular surgeon with the NHS to volunteer in some of the world’s most dangerous war zones. From Sarajevo under siege in 1993, to clandestine hospitals in rebel-held eastern Aleppo, he has carried out life-saving operations and field surgery in the most challenging conditions, and with none of the resources of a major London teaching hospital.
The conflicts he has worked in form a chronology of twenty-first-century combat: Afghanistan, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Darfur, Congo, Iraq, Yemen, Libya, Gaza and Syria. But he has also volunteered in areas blighted by natural disasters, such as the earthquakes in Haiti and Nepal.
Driven both by compassion and passion, the desire to help others and the thrill of extreme personal danger, he is now widely acknowledged to be the most experienced trauma surgeon in the world. But as time went on, David Nott began to realize that flying into a catastrophe – whether war or natural disaster – was not enough. Doctors on the ground needed to learn how to treat the appalling injuries that war inflicts upon its victims. Since 2015, the foundation he set up with his wife, Elly, has disseminated the knowledge he has gained, training other doctors in the art of saving lives threatened by bombs and bullets.
War Doctor is his extraordinary story.
‘One of the most brutally vivid evocations of modern warfare that you will read . . . superb, unforgettable, simply written and painfully clear’ – Sunday Times
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£7.20£10.40War Doctor: Surgery on the Front Line
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Watching the Tree: A Chinese Daughter Reflects on Happiness, Spiritual Beliefs and Universal Wisdom
Author of bestselling ‘Falling Leaves’ weaves together for the same audience her own personal experiences with the best of Chinese philosophy.
Adeline Yen Mah, whose autobiography ‘Falling Leaves’ is an international bestseller, here interweaves her own experiences with her views on Chinese thought and wisdom to create an illuminating and highly personal guide for Western readers.
Adeline Yen Mah was born in Tianjin, and through the conversations and wisdom of her grandfather and aunt learnt a great deal of traditional Chinese thought, history and religion. Through her father’s second marriage to a Eurasian woman, and their subsequent move to Hong Kong, she learnt more about the Chinese attitudes to business and to family, and the strength of the Chinese in exile.
Since living in London and California, Adeline Yen Mah has studied Chinese thought, looking at both the strengths and weaknesses which it gives those who follow it and now, in ‘Watching the Tree’, she takes us on a journey through the Chinese language, religions and history, using both Chinese proverbs and her own experiences, to bring to us an understanding of the richness of China and the ways that we can take and use some of the wisdom for ourselves in the West.
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£9.50 -
Waterloo: Wellington’s Victory and Napoleon’s Last Campaign
THE GREATEST OF BATTLES
The defining military engagement of the nineteenth century. The epic battle that forever ended one man’s dreams of a European empire unified under his rule.
THE GREATEST OF RIVALS
Weaving together an immense array of original sources to reveal personalities, forces and nations, this epoch-defining conflict would ultimately be remembered for the showdown between two of history’s most legendary commanders: the Duke of Wellington, and Napoleon Bonaparte.
THE DEFINITIVE ACCOUNT
Divided into three parts, Christopher Hibbert masterfully depicts first Napoleon and his rise to power, then a portrait of Wellington and the allied armies, and lastly the steps leading up to and the battle itself, the final clash on the fields of Waterloo.
A gripping, succinct and panoramic survey of this legendary battle, the history surrounding the conflict, and the personalities that defined both the battle itself, and a generation.
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£7.00£9.50 -
What a Thing to Say to the Queen!: Charming anecdotes from the House of Windsor – Updated edition
This specially updated edition, released to mark the passing of the late and much-missed monarch, is a collection of warm, amusing recollections from the royal household celebrating the lighter side of palace life.
‘What do you do?’ a guest inquired of the Queen at a Buckingham Palace garden party. ‘I had no idea what to say,’ the Queen told friends afterwards.
As the longest reigning monarch of this realm, the Queen represented stability, hope and continuity. We loved her because she was always there, didn’t make a fuss and was dedicated in her duty even in old age. But alongside her stoic and sensible exterior, she was also renowned for a playful and keen sense of humour, as seen when she delighted audiences all around the world by inviting Paddington Bear for tea to celebrate her Platinum Jubilee.
How exactly did the Queen reactwhen she found her footman draped in her jewels? What did she do to amuse herself to while away the hours spent sitting for her portrait? How did she respond when faced with a plate full of Mexican food?
This characterful, illustrated book answers these questions and poses many more in its affectionate celebration of the diverse personalities of the House of Windsor. Gathered together in this amusing tribute are a compendium of stories which provide access to the unique world of the royals.
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£7.80£9.50 -
Winston Churchill & The Queen: An Unlikely Friendship
A light-hearted look at royal life during the beginning of Queen Elizabeth the Second’s reign and the final days of Churchill’s prime ministership. How did two people from two different generations come to be such good friends?This readable and relatable Churchill-Queen Elizabeth II book talks to the reader instead of lecturing them. The moment you become immersed in the first pages, you are transported back to what it must have felt like for a young queen to suddenly lose her father and have the elderly Churchill step in to guide, assist, and comfort her, and also tell a great many jokes along the way!
There is a reason why Sir Winston Churchill consistently tops the lists of greatest human beings of all time, and every time it happens it must warm Queen Elizabeth’s heart. Despite the 52 year age gap, the monarch and possibly the best Prime Minister Britain will ever have, cemented a friendship of a lifetime as they continued to bring the United Kingdom out of its post-war slump.
This book is not for history buffs, although it is historically accurate; it’s a book about friendship and how these two famous people found so much about which to talk and laugh about (with the occasional disagreement thrown in for good measure).
The more you read about Churchill and the Queen’s many interactions through the years, the more it is easy to see why theirs was not an unlikely friendship at all.
With dozens of interesting facts and never-before-noticed details and observations, not only is this book hard to put down and easy to read, but it also offers the reader a tiny glimpse into royal and parliamentary life in a post-world war Britain.
Finally, a history book about two fascinating people for fans of friendship everywhere!
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£5.70
