Historical
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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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The Man Who Never Was: The Remarkable Story of Operation Mincemeat (Now the subject of a major new film starring Colin Firth as Ewen Montagu)
Now the subject of a major new film starring Colin Firth as Ewen Montagu in Operation Mincemeat.
In the early hours of 30 April 1943, a corpse wearing the uniform of an officer in the Royal Marines was slipped into the waters off the south-west coast of Spain. With it was a briefcase, in which were papers detailing an imminent Allied invasion of Greece. As the British had anticipated, the supposedly neutral government of Fascist Spain turned the papers over to the Nazi High Command, who swallowed the story whole. It was perhaps the most decisive bluff of all time, for the Allies had no such plan: the purpose of ‘Operation Mincemeat’ was to blind the German High Command to their true objective – an attack on Southern Europe through Sicily. Though officially shrouded in secrecy, the operation soon became legendary (in part owing to Churchill’s habit of telling the story at dinner). Ewen Montagu was the operation’s mastermind, and in his celebrated post-war memoir, The Man who Never Was, he reveals the incredible true story behind ‘Operation Mincemeat’.
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Behind the Silver Fern: Playing Rugby for New Zealand (Behind the Jersey)
Go behind the scenes with the world’s most successful sports team. This is a complete history of rugby’s most famous yet enigmatic team, the New Zealand All Blacks, told by the men who have had the honour of wearing the iconic black jersey. From the legendary 1905 ‘Originals’ all the way through to Richie McCaw’s record-breaking back-to-back World Cup champions of 2015, this is a history of the All Blacks like you have never experienced it before. Thanks to exhaustive archival research and exclusive new material garnered from a vast array of interviews with players and coachesfrom across the decades, Behind the All Blacks unveils the compelling truth of what it means to play for the team that has dominated Test match rugby for over a century – all the trials and tribulations behind the scenes, the glory, the drama and the honour on the field, and the passionate friendships and bonds of a brotherhood off it. Absorbing and illuminating, this is the ultimate history of New Zealand rugby – told, definitively, by the men who have been there and done it.
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Queen Consort: The Sunday Times Top Ten Bestseller: the Biography of Queen Consort Camilla
THE #2 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER
‘A gripping story of human frailty, love, loss, sadness, and tragedy’ Daily Mail
She is the most public and least understood woman in Britain. Diana called her a Rottweiler. Prince Harry said she was a villain. But spend two minutes with Camilla and you understand why Charles fell for her.
The relationship between King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort, is one of the most extraordinary, star-crossed love stories of the past fifty years. It has endured against all the odds, and in the process nearly destroyed the British monarchy.
In this compelling biography, Britain’s top royal author paints an intimate portrait of the Queen Consort, revealing for the first time why the King went against his mother and risked everything to have Camilla by his side.
Previously published as The Duchess.
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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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Please, Nurse!: A Student Nurse in the 1950s
Joan Lock’s warm and nostalgic account of her three years of training as a young student nurse in the early 1950s. Perfect for fans of CALL THE MIDWIFE.
When Joan Lock began her formal training as a young nurse in the 1950s, she was unprepared for the strict discipline and long hours which were to follow and quickly realised she was no Florence Nightingale. Her honest and humorous account of the next three years reveals her most intimate experiences of being a nurse: from dealing with temperamental surgeons to fighting off flirtatious patients.
Labelled a trouble-maker, Joan and her friends tested their strict Sisters’ patience as they climbed through windows, slept through lectures and broke every thermometer that passed through their hands. But through it all, Joan found herself touched by the people she met and their heart-warming stories.
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£7.50£8.50Please, Nurse!: A Student Nurse in the 1950s
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My Husband and I: The Inside Story of the Royal Marriage
A vivid and revealing portrait of the royal marriage of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip—perfect for fans of the popular Netflix TV series The Crown.When a young Princess Elizabeth met and fell in love with the dashing Naval Lieutenant Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark, it wasn’t without complications. The romance between the sailor prince and the young princess brought a splash of color to a nation still in the grip of post-war austerity. When they married in Westminster Abbey in November 1947, there were 3,000 guests, including six kings and seven queens. Within five years, as Queen Elizabeth II, she would ascend to the throne and later be crowned in front of millions watching through the new medium of television.
Throughout her record-breaking reign, she has relied on the formidable partnership she had made with her consort. Now, after 70 years of their marriage, acclaimed royal biographer Ingrid Seward sheds new light on their relationship and its impact on their family and on the nation.
My Husband and I reveals the challenges faced by Prince Philip as he accompanies the Queen in their many public appearances, and also offers insight into how their relationship operates behind closed doors. Throughout the years, there have been rumors of marital troubles, fierce debates over how to raise their children, and numerous family traumas—from scandalous divorces to shocking deaths—in the full glare of the public eye. But somehow, their relationship has endured and provided strength and inspiration to those around them. My Husband and I is not only a vivid portrait of an iconic marriage—it is also a celebration of the power of love.
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The Deals that Made the World: The Billion Dollar Deals and How They’re Changing Our World
‘The book to read’ GQ
‘A revelatory book’ John Lewis-Stempel
While the laws that guide our lives are written by the politicians we elect, much of the world around us – from the food we eat to the products we buy to the medications we take – is shaped by private negotiations and business deals few of us know about.
For twenty years, Peretti has interviewed the people behind the decisions that have altered our world, from CEOs of multinational corporations to politicians, economists, and scientists. In The Deals that Made the World, Peretti draws on his vast knowledge to reveal a host of fascinating and startling connections, from how Wall Street’s actions on food commodities helped spark the Arab Spring to the link between the AIDS epidemic in 1980s San Francisco and the subprime mortgage crisis of 2008. He proves a sure guide, combining both eye-opening on-the-ground reporting and a narrative flair that makes esoteric financial and business concepts clear and understandable.
Like Steven Levitt, Nassim Nicholas Taleb, Brad Stone, Michael Lewis, and Malcolm Gladwell, Peretti takes the ordinary and turns it inside out to give us a compelling new perspective on our lives and our world.
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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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The Duke: 100 Chapters in the Life of Prince Philip
The Archbishop of Canterbury called him ‘bloody rude’, courtiers feared he was ‘a foreign interloper out for the goodies’, daughter-in-law Sarah Ferguson found him ‘very frightening’ and the Queen Mother labelled him ‘the Hun’. Journalists have continually portrayed him as a gaffe-prone serial philanderer, with European outlets going way off-piste and claiming he has fathered 24 illegitimate children. Prince Philip says ‘the impression the public has got is unfair’, though there is no self-serving autobiography and his interviews with broadcasters or writers are done grudgingly. The Duke sets out to explore the man behind the various myths, drawing on interviews with relations, friends and courtiers and the Duke’s own words. It brings to life some rare aspects of his character, from a love of poetry and religion to his fondness for Duke Ellington and his fascination with UFOs. It also explains why for over seven decades he has been the Queen’s ‘strength and stay’ – and why he is regarded by many as a national treasure.
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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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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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Queen Elizabeth II The Life and Reign of Her Majesty – souvenir special issue, touching tribute, Commemorating her life and reign 1926 – 2022
In 2015, Queen Elizabeth II became the longest-reigning queen regnant and British head of state, just surpassing Queen Victoria’s reign of 63 years and seven months. Elizabeth II retained an extraordinary degree of public affection through good and bad times, through war and national celebration as princess and queen. This book brings to life many aspects of her personal story and accomplishments in a touching tribute to her life and reign as we say goodbye to a monarch who has ruled over generations of Britons.Read more
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Endgame: 2023’s new biography from the bestselling author telling the true story of the royal family and looking to the future for King Charles III after the death of Elizabeth II
The explosive new book from longtime royal journalist Omid Scobie and author of the international blockbuster Finding Freedom, Endgame a penetrating investigation into the current state of the British monarchy.
An unpopular king, a power-hungry heir to the throne, a queen willing to go to great lengths to preserve her image, and a prince forced to start a new life after being betrayed by his own family.
Queen Elizabeth II’s death ruptured the already-fractured foundations of the House of Windsor – and dismantled the protective shield around it. With an institution long plagued by incidents involving antiquated ideas around race, class and money, the monarchy and those who prop it up are now exposed and at odds with a rapidly modernizing world.
Relying on his vast experience as a royal reporter and over a decade of conversations and interviews with current and former Palace staff, trusted friends of the royals and even the family members themselves, Scobie pulls back the curtain on an institution in turmoil to show what the monarchy must change in order to survive.
This is the monarchy’s endgame. Do they have what it takes to save it?
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The People’s Game: How to Save Football: THE AWARD WINNING BESTSELLER
*WINNER OF BEST SPORTS WRITING AT THE SPORTS BOOK AWARDS 2023*
*Out now: Includes brand new material*
THE AWARD-WINNING SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER
‘Neville at his authentic best. [He] is the closest thing to a spokesman there is for English football.’ Sunday Times
‘Brilliant.’ Mail on Sunday
‘Gary Neville usually talks a lot of sense, and writes it too . . . Neville’s words are timely.’ Henry Winter, The Times
__________The beautiful game is under threat. The greed and selfishness of the biggest clubs is harming the sport, with smaller clubs struggling for financial survival and supporters being left behind.
It’s time to fix football.
__________Football is the people’s game. A sport accessible to everyone and enjoyed by millions around the world.
But football is broken. Beneath the glamourous sheen of the Premier League, it’s a game that’s rusting and rotten. The growing influence and wealth of the biggest teams is harming the game, leaving fans out of pocket and smaller clubs clinging to survival. The European Super League, which looked to eradicate competition in favour of guaranteed profits, was just the beginning.
This isn’t what football is about. Something’s got to change. Enough is enough.
Gary Neville has had a front-row seat in football for over 30 years, witnessing the sport at every level – as a player, a coach, a pundit and an owner. Most of all, he’s a fan. Shocked by the state of the game, Gary looks to find out how we got into this mess, who’s responsible, and what we can do about it.
The People’s Game is Gary’s vision for a brighter future. Drawing on interviews with those at the epicentre of the sport’s biggest issues – from the role of ownership to the lack of funding in the football league, the rise in racism, ownership models and the future of the women’s game – he explains how football has sleepwalked into this mess and offers a new path forward. With stories from his own playing career, as well as insight into some of the biggest footballing decisions in recent history, this is a total look at the game today.
This is a passionate, personal and critical account of how football lost its soul, and what we can do to get it back.
__________Read more
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At Home with the Queen: Life Through the Keyhole of the Royal Household
Behind the scenes of the private world at the heart of royalty, as revealed by a distinguished royal commentator.
This is the real story of what goes on inside the royal palaces, as witnessed by members of the royal staff and household past and present. Buckingham Palace is effectively an independent kingdom with its own rules and customs, now explained by Brian Hoey. Hundreds of anecdotes reveal the conditions in which the staff live and work and also their relationship with the Royals they serve.
How does one get a job as personal footman to the Queen? Why does Prince Charles still have to send a note to her Page of the Backstairs requesting a meeting with his mother? How much do members of the household earn? Why does the Queen hate men in three-piece suits? Why are the Queen’s bedsheets six inches longer than Prince Philip’s? Why do her maids have to vacuum walking backwards? Why doesn’t the Queen allow square ice-cubes to be put in her drinks?
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Battle of Brothers: You’ve heard from one side – now read the full, true story of the royal family in crisis
The Sunday Times and New York Times bestseller
‘THE ROYAL BOOK OF THE YEAR … You’ve read their side of the story, now read the real story’ Daily Mail
THIS CRISIS IS AS BIG AS THE ABDICATION – SAYS LACEY, HISTORICAL ADVISOR TO THE CROWN.
The world has watched Prince William and Prince Harry since they were born. Raised by Princess Diana to be the closest of brothers, how have the boy princes grown into very different, now distanced men?
From royal expert and bestselling author Robert Lacey, this book is an unparalleled insider account of tumult and secrecy revealing the untold details of William and Harry’s early closeness then estrangement. It asks what happens when two sons are raised for vastly different futures – one burdened with the responsibility of one day becoming king, the other with the knowledge that he will always remain spare.
How have William and Harry each formed their idea of a modern royal’s duty and how they should behave? Were the seeds of damage sowed as Prince Charles and Diana’s marriage painfully unraveled for all the world to see? In the previous generation, how have Prince Charles and Prince Andrew’s lives unfolded in the shadow of the Crown? What choices has Queen Elizabeth II made in marshalling her feuding heirs? What parts have Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle played in helping their husbands to choose their differing paths? And what is the real, unvarnished story behind Harry and Meghan’s dramatic departure?
In the most intimate vision yet of life behind closed doors, with the family’s highs, lows and hardest decisions all laid out, this is a journey into royal life as never offered before.
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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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Gunpowder and Geometry: The Life of Charles Hutton: Pit Boy, Mathematician and Scientific Rebel
August, 1755. Newcastle, on the north bank of the Tyne.
In the fields, men and women are getting the harvest in. Sunlight, or rain. Scudding clouds and backbreaking labour. Three hundred feet underground, young Charles Hutton is at the coalface. Cramped, dust-choked, wielding a five-pound pick by candlelight. Eighteen years old, he’s been down the pits on and off for more than a decade, and now it looks like a life sentence. No unusual story, although Charles is a clever lad – gifted at maths and languages – and for a time he hoped for a different life. Many hoped.
Charles Hutton, astonishingly, would actually live the life he dreamed of. Twenty years later you’d have found him in Slaughter’s coffee house in London, eating a few oysters with the President of the Royal Society.
By the time he died, in 1823, he was a fellow of scientific academies in four countries, while the Lord Chancellor of England counted himself fortunate to have known him. Hard work, talent, and no small share of luck would take Charles Hutton out of the pit to international fame, wealth, admiration and happiness. The pit-boy turned professor would become one of the most revered British scientists of his day. This book is his incredible story.
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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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Hunter Killers: The Dramatic Untold Story of the Royal Navy’s Most Secret Service
HUNTER KILLER: a submarine designed to pursue and attack enemy submarines and surface ships using torpedoes.
HUNTER KILLERS will follow the careers of four daring British submarine captains who risked their lives to keep the rest of us safe, their exploits consigned to the shadows until now. Their experiences encompass the span of the Cold War, from voyages in WW2-era submarines under Arctic ice to nuclear-powered espionage missions in Soviet-dominated seas.
There are dangerous encounters with Russian spy ships in UK waters and finally, as the communist facade begins to crack, they hold the line against the Kremlin’s oceanic might, playing a leading role in bringing down the Berlin Wall. It is the first time they have spoken out about their covert lives in the submarine service.
This is the dramatic untold story of Britain’s most-secret service.
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Before and After: The incredible and heartbreaking true stories of victims of a notorious adoption scandal
‘Captivating and emotional’ 5* reader review
‘A riveting and heart wrenching read’ 5* reader review
From the 1920s to 1950, Georgia Tann ran a corrupt baby business at the Tennessee Children’s Home Society in Memphis. She offered up more than 5,000 orphans tailored to the wish lists of eager parents – hiding the fact that many weren’t orphans at all, but stolen sons and daughters of poor families, desperate single mothers, and women told in maternity wards that their babies had died.
In Before and After, many survivors set out to trace their roots and find their birth families. Before and AFter includes moving and shocking accounts of the ways in which adoptees were separated from their first families. Often raised as only children, many have joyfully reunited with siblings in the final decades of their lives. There are stories of first meetings that are all the sweeter and more intense for time missed, and of families from very different social backgrounds reaching out to embrace brothers, sisters, and cousins.
*Inspired by the No.1 bestselling novel Before We Were Yours*
WHAT READERS ARE SAYING ABOUT BEFORE AND AFTER
‘What a truly amazing book’ 5* reader review
‘Riveting’ 5* reader review
‘A real tear-jerker’ 5* reader review
‘Powerful’ 5* reader review
‘Beautifully written and so absorbing’ 5* reader review
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TACITUS ON BRITAIN AND GERMANY.
RO60138569. TACITUS ON BRITAIN AND GERMANY. 1948. In-12. Broché. Etat d’usage, Couv. légèrement passée, Dos abîmé, Pliures. 174 pages. Texte en anglais (English).. . . . Classification Dewey : 420-Langue anglaise. Anglo-saxonRead more
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Queen Elizabeth II’s Guide to Life
A timely celebration of the many attributes our Queen brings to the nation – fortitude, stoicism, diplomacy, family values, sense of fun and style among them.
Queen Elizabeth II – Britain’s longest-serving monarch, Supreme Governor of the Church of England and the Head of the Commonwealth – has reigned over us for a record-breaking sixty-seven years. Now in her ninety-fourth year, this timely celebration sheds new light on the myriad attributes and personal qualities she brings to the nation.
From fortitude in the face of adversity to standing as the nation’s ambassador all over the world, no one could doubt the work ethic that powers this remarkable woman, even into her nineties. Equally, her love of family – from her rock of over sixty years’ marriage, Prince Philip, to her great grandchildren – shines through. But what are the secrets of her success? How does she still approach her day-to-day with such vitality and aplomb, even when culture and society are changing rapidly all around her?
The Queen on fame: When an MP commented that it must be a strain meeting so many strangers all the time, the Queen smiled, ‘It is not as difficult as it might seem. You see, I don’t have to introduce myself. They all seem to know who I am.’
The Queen on fashion: In the late sixties when Mary Quant and the mini skirt came to epitomize all that was fashionable, Princess Anne suggested her mother might also consider shortening her hemline. The Queen was adamant, ‘I am not a film star.’
The Queen on family: As Great Britain’s most famous great grandmother, it is no surprise that the Queen values family life. ‘Marriage gains from the web of family relationships between parents and children, grandparents and grandchildren, cousins, aunts and uncles.’
In this book Karen Dolby unpicks the key elements that make the Queen so special to – and so loved by – the nation and presents a guide to how you too could put into practice some of Her Majesty’s traits to help overcome adversity, find inner strength and present yourself as wonderfully considered and calm, even when all about you seems in chaos.
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£4.20£9.50Queen Elizabeth II’s Guide to Life
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Queen Elizabeth II: The Life, Times, and Glorious 70 Year Reign of England’s Iconic Platinum Monarch (1926-2022) – Her Fight for the Palace, House of Windsor, and Royal Papers…
Do you want to know everything there is to know about Queen Elizabeth II?
Queen Elizabeth II died in 2022, at the age of ninety-six. She was the longest reigning British monarch in history and her death leaves a gaping hole in the British royal family. The queen’s death sent the nation into mourning. The queen will be remembered for her long reign, her dedication to her country, and her love for her family.
This book tells the story of one of the most iconic and fascinating women in history. Elizabeth II has been a part of the British monarchy for over 70 years and her reign has seen some incredible changes. Read all about her life, times, and glorious reign in this comprehensive book.
In 1926, a young woman named Elizabeth Alexandra Mary was born to King George V and Queen Mary of England. She was the third child and second daughter of the royal couple, and she would go on to inherit the throne after her father’s death in 1936. Elizabeth would reign as Queen of England for 70 years, becoming one of the longest-serving monarchs in English history.
She would also come to be one of the most beloved. Even early in her reign, Elizabeth proved herself to be a strong and capable leader, helping to guide the country through World War II. After the war ended, she set about rebuilding England’s shattered economy and creating a new social welfare system. She also worked to strengthen the monarchy’s ties to the people, visiting all corners of her country and earning the affectionate nickname “the People’s Queen.”
Throughout her long reign, Elizabeth has faced many challenges – including divorces, scandals, and even an attempted assassination. But she has always remained dignified and steadfast, earning the respect and admiration of her subjects. In 2002, Elizabeth became the longest-reigning British monarch in history, leaving a lasting legacy as one of England’s most iconic monarchs.
Read everything there is to know about the life of Queen Elizabeth II. Grab your book today!
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The Celebrated Captain Barclay: Sport, Money and Fame in Regency Britain
On 1st June 1809 Captain Robert Barclay undertook what was then the greatest sporting feat ever attempted – to walk 1000 miles in 1000 hours for 1000 guineas. Six weeks later, exhausted and on the verge of collapsing, he completed his challenge and instantly became the most famous sporting figure of Regency times. Gentleman, pugilist, athlete, trainer and soldier – Captain Barclay’s life was reckless, extravagant and thrilling. Enormous sums of money were won and lost on him and he himself earned several fortunes, though he was to die in deranged poverty. His remarkable story opens a window on the world of 18th century sport – a rough, dangerous and often corrupt world driven by money.Read more
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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 Royal Line of Succession: Official Souvenir Guide
The Royal Line of succession can be traced back over 2,000 years of British history. This book includes the genealogies of Britain’s Royal Families, from the days of the Kings of Wessex in the 6th century to the present day, together with brief introductions to each historical period and change of dynasty. It is an invaluable guide to this fascinating subject.Read more
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A Victorian Lady’s Guide to Life
In this delightful and engagingly eccentric treasury of life lessons, redoubtable Victorian Elspeth Marr (1871-1947) reflects on the fundamental topics of life as well as the nuts and bolts of everyday living.
Part journal, part commonplace book, among many gems you will find enlightenment and advice on everything from Dreams to Garlic; Patriotism to Wrinkles.
Written throughout her life but only discovered after her death, by her great-great nephew, Christopher Rush, Elspeth’s (known as Aunt Epp) journal was never intended for publication but her style of writing and the subject matter she covers nonetheless reaches a universal audience. Not afraid to put forth views on the big topics – religion, evolution, and ethical issues – she also tackles the nuts and bolts of living – food, sex and health.
Vital, refreshingly frank and always amusing, A Victorian Lady’s Guide to Life provides a wealth of sound advice.
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Emperors, Kings & Queens: The History of Connections, Marriages and Feuds Between the Royal Families of Great Britain and Europe
Drama, plotting and intrigue – the history of Europe’s rulers plays as well as any soap opera or film. Now learn all about the history of connections, marriages and feuds between the royal families of Great Britain and Europe. The book is presented chronologically, with accessible text, stunning illustrations and key ‘stats’ (royal connections, marriages and children of rulers), to clearly untangle the complicated relationships and events.Read more
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Chronicle of the Royal Family
Reports the events from 865 to 1991 with accounts and illustrations from contemporary documents relating to the British monarchyRead more
£0.60
