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Spitfire The History Of A Legend
THE 80TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN The Supermarine Spitfire was developed by R.J. Mitchell and his team for just one reason to intercept and shoot down enemy bombers from British skies. Lauded by the Chairman of Vickers as a real killer fighter , the Spitfire was so advanced that it proved a huge challenge to the British aviation industry. The project ran so late that it only began to arrive in significant numbers even as the Battle of Britain was beginning. It was during the Battle of Britain in 1940 that the Spitfire became an enduring legend and a symbol of the British fighting spirit, partnering with the Hawker Hurricane to defeat the might of Hitler s Luftwaffe and prevent invasion. From 1942-3 onwards, it would range and fight around the world, from Malta and North Africa to Soviet Russia and Burma, often taking on new roles like ground attack and bomber escort for which it had never been designed. Profusely illustrated with the pick of historic photographs, Spitfire The History of a Legend covers all the significant Marks developed during the Spitfire s operational service, explaining how the aircraft evolved to meet the challenges presented by the war s changing requirements and by the threat of new generations of Luftwaffe fighters. It also includes coverage of fascinating Spitfire variants including the Seafire, Seafang and Spiteful.Read more
£10.80£19.00Spitfire The History Of A Legend
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SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome
Mary Beard’s new book Emperor of Rome is available now
Ancient Rome matters.
Its history of empire, conquest, cruelty and excess is something against which we still judge ourselves. Its myths and stories – from Romulus and Remus to the Rape of Lucretia – still strike a chord with us. And its debates about citizenship, security and the rights of the individual still influence our own debates on civil liberty today.
SPQR is a new look at Roman history from one of the world’s foremost classicists. It explores not only how Rome grew from an insignificant village in central Italy to a power that controlled territory from Spain to Syria, but also how the Romans thought about themselves and their achievements, and why they are still important to us. Covering 1,000 years of history, and casting fresh light on the basics of Roman culture from slavery to running water, as well as exploring democracy, migration, religious controversy, social mobility and exploitation in the larger context of the empire, this is a definitive history of ancient Rome.
SPQR is the Romans’ own abbreviation for their state: Senatus Populusque Romanus, ‘the Senate and People of Rome’.
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£8.00£11.40SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome
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St Helens Pals War Diary
The Great War Diary of the St Helens Pals, the 11th Battalion South Lancashire Regiment, following their journey through France and Flanders from 1914 to 1918.Read more
£7.60St Helens Pals War Diary
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Stairways to Heaven: Rebuilding the British Film Industry
What has brought about the transformation of the British film industry over the last few decades, to the beginnings of what is arguably a new golden era? In the mid-1980s the industry was in a parlous state. The number of films produced in the UK was tiny. Cinema attendance had dipped to an all-time low, cinema buildings were in a state of disrepair and home video had yet to flourish. Since then, while many business challenges especially for independent producers and distributors remain, the industry overall has developed beyond recognition. In recent years, as British films have won Oscars, Cannes Palms and Venice Golden Lions, releases such as Love Actually, Billy Elliot, Skyfall, Paddington and the Harry Potter series have found enormous commercial as well as critical success. The UK industry has encouraged, and benefitted from, a huge amount of inward investment, much of it from the Hollywood studios, but also from the National Lottery via the UK Film Council and BFI. This book portrays the visionaries and officials who were at the helm as a digital media revolution began to reshape the industry. Through vivid accounts based on first-hand interviews of what was happening behind the scenes, film commentator and critic Geoffrey Macnab provides in-depth analysis of how and why the British film industry has risen like a phoenix from the ashes.Read more
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Suburban London Cinemas
Among the 50 historic cinemas featured are the Finsbury Park Astoria, the Maida Vale Picture House, the Shepherds Bush Pavilion, the West Ealing Kinema, the Woolwich Granada and Kilburn’s Gaumont State. Illustrated with 100 images, this well-researched and informative volume will delight all those who have fond memories of visiting some of London’s long-since vanished cinemas, as well as those that still remain in some form or another.
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£9.50£15.20Suburban London Cinemas
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Superpower China – Understanding the Chinese world power from Asia: History, Politics, Education, Economy and Military (Global Superpowers)
Superpower China – Understanding the Chinese world power from Asia
History, Politics, Education, Economy and Military
Developments in China have become a constant concern to the media and society over the last few years.
But what is the truth among the many future scenarios of this superpower which operates in the shadows? How do they tick in the most highly populated country in the world? What are their aims and how does the indigenous population think? What types of developments are they making and where are their strengths and weaknesses?
Make up your own mind about this aspiring world power by understanding the figures and facts behind this expanding economy. In order to make yourself a comprehensive picture about the current export world champions, it is necessary to take into consideration their history, politics, education systems, economy and their military.
In this book you will get a glimpse of all of the aspects that make China what it is today. It is only when you look at everything together that you can begin to understand China, the country and its aims.
About the Author of this book, Hermann Rupold:
Ever since he completed his studies in political science, more than 25 years ago, he has been interested in the marginal subjects revolving around politics, society and history. As a teacher, he likes to share his knowledge with his students, but is also able to reach a much wider range of people through his various publications.
In his books he concentrates mainly on the effects such subjects have on various sections of society but which are largely unknown. All of his publications are based not only on general scientific research but also encompass his own very personal experiences and knowledge.
Read the fascinating background information and knowledge about the “middle realm” and you will discover a whole new side of the superpower of the east.
Get your copy of this book today and discover…
- … how the country became a global superpower,
- … how this enormous empire is structured and how it works,
- … what to expect from China in the next few years.
Content of this book:
- About the author
- Preface
- The History of China
- The Current Political System in China
- The Education System in China
- China’s Economy
- China’s Military Forces
- Conclusion
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Take Me Back in Time to the 1960s: All the NEWS, SPORT, TV, CINEMA and POP MUSIC in chronological order (England’s past decades – all the news, sports and pop-culture in…
Travel Back in Time to the Swinging 1960s.
A comprehensive timeline of popular culture, news events, politics, football, television, cinema, fashion and pop music from England in the 1960s. This unique publication contains 270 pages of memories and nostalgia for people that lived in England between 1960 and 1969. From the days of Harold Macmillan, Bobby Charlton, Cliff Richard, black and white television, Hercules racing bicycles and Triumph Herald motorcars; through to the times of Harold Wilson, Georgie Best, the Rolling Stones, colour telly, Raleigh Choppers and Ford Capris, this book recaptures thousands of events, sights and sounds of everday life in the 60s. Read, enjoy and travel back in time to the decade of peace, love, victory in the football world cup, Z cars and The Beatles..Read more
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Tank Craft 2: Sherman Tanks British Army and Royal Marines Normandy Campaign 1944
With production in excess of 55,000 the Sherman tank was eventually in service with most Allied armies of the Second World War and by the time of the Normandy landings was the mainstay of Britain’s armoured battalions. In his second book in the TankCraft series, Dennis Oliver uses wartime photos and extensively researched, exquisitely presented colour illustrations to cover the Sherman tanks used by the units of the Royal Armoured Corps and the Royal Marines during the fighting in northern France. As with all the books in the TankCraft series, a large part of this work showcases available model kits and aftermarket products, complemented by a gallery of beautifully constructed and painted models in various scales. Technical details as well as modifications introduced during production and in the field are also explained as is the complex system of markings employed by British armoured regiments. This book will give the modeller all the information and knowledge required to recreate an authentic miniature representation of the tanks that fought from the beaches of Normandy, through the battles for Caen and on to killing fields of Falaise.Read more
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Tattoo: An Illustrated Miscellany
‘Beautiful, inspiring and informative’ – Bidisha
London tattoo legend Lal Hardy reveals the fascinating hidden world of tattoo, past and present.
With a wealth of previously unpublished photographs, details and anecdotes, Tattoo preserves many unique and valuable items of tattoo culture, including:
· Historical stencils and flash
· Customised machines, traditional hand-tools and animal-marking equipment
· Collector’s cards, bubblegum cards and transfers
· Memorabilia and tributes relating to tattoo legends such as George Burchett and The Great Omi
· Postcards, toys, ornaments, T-shirts and other merchandise
· Supply catalogues, magazines, books and art
· Rare ephemera – awards, badges, business cards, convention passes, postage stamps and hand-drawn signsLAL HARDY was born in London in 1958. He opened New Wave Tattoo in north London’s Muswell Hill when he was just twenty-one years old. Lal is part of an international community of highly respected tattoo artists. This is his sixth book.
MATT LODDER is an expert on body art and body modification. He is the author of Tattoo: An Art History and is Director of American Studies at the University of Essex.
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The 21 Escapes of Lt Alastair Cram: A Compelling Story of Courage and Endurance in the Second World War
A genuinely new Second World War story, The 21 Escapes of Lt Alastair Cram by David M. Guss is a riveting account of the wartime exploits of the Scotsman. It is a tale of courage in the face of extraordinary odds and a testament to one man’s dogged determination never to give up.
‘The greatest serial escaper of the Second World War’ – The Times
‘Endlessly fascinating. Cram’s story sizzles with adventure’ – Giles Milton, Sunday Times
In November 1941 Lt Alastair Cram was taken prisoner in North Africa as a devastating tank battle unfolded as Operation Crusader struggled to relieve Tobruk. His capture began a four year-long odyssey as he passed through twelve different POW camps, three Gestapo prisons and one asylum. Determined to regain his freedom, he became a serial escapee fleeing his captors no fewer than twenty-one times.
The most dramatic of these attempts was from Gavi, the ‘Italian Colditz’. This maximum-security prison built inside a thousand year old stone fortress was for the pericolosi, those classified as the ‘most dangerous’ prisoners due to their unrelenting desire to escape. It was here that Alastair met David Stirling, the legendary founder of the SAS, and cooked up the plan for the ‘Cistern Tunnel’, one of the most audacious but little-known mass escape attempts of the entire war.
______________‘Fascinating’ – Daily Express
‘An enthralling portrait of true courage’ Sunday Express S Magazine
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The Abrahamic Religions: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions)
In the book of Genesis, God bestows a new name upon Abram―Abraham, a father of many nations. With this name and his Covenant, Abraham would become the patriarch of three of the world’s major religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Connected by their mutual―if differentiated―veneration of the One God proclaimed by Abraham, these traditions share much beyond their origins in the ancient Israel of the Old Testament. This Very Short Introduction explores the intertwined histories of these monotheistic religions, from the emergence of Christianity and Islam to the violence of the Crusades and the cultural exchanges of al-Andalus.Each religion continues to be shaped by this history but has also reacted to the forces of modernity and politics. Movements such as the Reformation and that led by seventh-century Kharijites have emerged, intentioned to reform or restore traditional religious practice but quite different in their goals and effects. Relationships with states, among them Israel and Saudi Arabia, have also figured importantly in their development. The Abrahamic Religions: A Very Short Introduction brings these traditions together into a common narrative, lending much needed context to the story of Abraham and his descendants.
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The American Civil War: An Enthralling Overview of the War Between States (U.S. History)
A nation divided, a war between brothers, and immense political and social consequences—the American Civil War is certainly one of the most famous conflicts in world history.Everyone has heard of the bloody conflict that cost the lives of over one million people. When people think of the Civil War, they think of Abraham Lincoln, the Emancipation Proclamation, and the North-South divide between the American states, but there is so much more to uncover about the American Civil War.
This book will dive into the details of the Civil War and explore what caused it, how it unfolded, and its short- and long-term consequences.
You will discover the following in this book:
- The socio-political situation of 19th-century America before the war
- Roots of the problem of slavery
- Abraham Lincoln and the creation of the Republican Party
- The infamous North-South divide
- Causes of secession and the beginning of the war
- Main actors on both sides, including Ulysses S. Grant, Jefferson Davis, and Robert E. Lee
- Military campaigns that shaped the four-year-long war
- The influential battles of Gettysburg, Chancellorsville, Vicksburg, and Fredericksburg
- The passing of the Emancipation Proclamation
- The assassination of President Lincoln
- Reforms and policies of post-war United States
- And much, much more!
Scroll up and click the “add to cart” button to begin unpacking the history of the US Civil War!
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£10.50 -
The Ancient Egyptians For Dummies
Unravel the history behind of one of the most fascinating ancient civilisations with this engaging, entertaining and educational guide to the ancient Egyptians. With a complete rundown of ancient Egyptian history and culture alongside insights in to the everyday lives of the Egyptians, you’ll discover how they kept themselves entertained, the gory details of mummification, the amazing creation of the pyramids, the deciphering of hieroglyphs and much more.Read more
£12.70£15.20The Ancient Egyptians For Dummies
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The Armchair General World War One: Can You Win The Great War? (The Armchair General, 2)
‘The Armchair General team has done it again. An absorbing read for Christmas.’
Peter Caddick-Adams‘Brilliant and immersive.’
Harry SidebottomThe second book in the Armchair General series, where YOU choose the fate of the First World War
________________________________
HISTORY IS WRITTEN BY THE VICTORS. WILL IT BE YOU?
TAKE THE HOTSEAT
Assume the role of real historic decision-makers: general, leaders, soldiers and intelligence officers of the Allied Forces during World War I.EXAMINE THE INTELLIGENCE
Explore eight key moments from the First World War, using real contemporaneous intelligence: including the July Crisis, the Battle of the Somme, and the Russian Revolution.CONSIDER THE SCENARIO & MAKE YOUR DECISION
From battlefields to the Royal Courts, each tactical and strategic decision you make leads to a different outcome.Will you follow the path of the past – or shape a new history…?
________________________________PRAISE FOR THE ARMCHAIR GENERAL SERIES
‘An original and exciting approach…The Armchair General adds enormously to our understanding of the conflicts’ JAMES HOLLAND
‘A reminder that history is a never ending now, a relentless and endless present that comes without the luxury of hindsight’ AL MURRAY
‘Wonderfully original…putting readers at the heart of the decision-making process and allowing them, literally, to change the course of history. This is counterfactual history at its very best’ SAUL DAVID
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The Band That Went to War: The Royal Marine Band in the Falklands War
The Royal Marines are renowned for their military skill and also for having one of the finest military bands in the world. These highly trained and talented musicians are equally at home parading at Buckingham Palace, playing at the Royal Albert Hall, or on the flight deck of an aircraft carrier in a foreign port. Why then when the Argentines invaded the Falklands in April 1982 did these superb musicians get involved in what became a serious and deadly military campaign? The answer is that, in addition to their musical expertise, the RM Band Service members are trained for military service and fully qualified in a multitude of military and medical skills, providing support to their comrades, the fighting commandos. The Band That Went to War is a graphic first-hand account of the Falklands War as it has never been told before. It describes the roles played by Royal Marine musicians in the conflict; unloading the wounded from helicopters, moving tons of stores and ammunition, burying their dead at sea and guarding and repatriating Argentine prisoners of war. These and other unseen tasks were achieved while still ready to provide morale boosting music to their commando brethren and other frontline troops. These men are not just musicians; they are Royal Marines.Read more
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The Battle of Gettysburg: A Brief Look at Lee, Lincoln, and the Bloody Turning Point in the Civil War
Explore the bloodiest battle of the Civil War, spanning three days of fighting in and around Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The Union victory at Gettysburg marked the beginning of the end of the Confederacy.Consider two men: Robert E. Lee and Abraham Lincoln. What motivated them? How did their decisions lead to the battle in that small town in Pennsylvania? What decisions led to the deaths of tens of thousands of Americans, nearly as many as all American casualties in Vietnam?
Learn about the disobedience, courage, and miscalculations that culminated in this crucial battle for the soul of this country.
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The Battle of Stalingrad Through German Eyes: The Death of the Sixth Army
Five months, one week and three days of hell. The German offensive to capture Stalingrad began in August 1942, using Friedrich Paulus’s 6th Army and elements of the 4th Panzer Army. The attack was supported by intense bombing that reduced much of the city to rubble. The battle degenerated into house-to-house fighting, as both sides fought for the city on the Volga. By mid-November, the Germans were on the brink of victory as the Soviet defenders clung on to a final few slivers of land along the west bank of the river. Then, on 19 November, the Red Army launched Operation Uranus, targeting the weaker Romanian armies protecting the 6th Army’s flanks. The ill-equipped Romanians were overrun and the 6th Army was cut off and surrounded. Hitler was determined to hold the city – the symbolic namesake of the Soviet leader – and forbade the 6th Army from attempting a breakout, insisting they be supplied by air instead; in February 1943, without food or ammunition, some 91,000 starving, lice-ridden Germans surrendered. The losses on both sides were eye-watering – the Soviets alone suffered something approaching half a million dead and more than 650,000 sick or wounded – and in his unique style author Jonathan Trigg reveals the human agony behind such statistics through the words of the Germans who were there. Was it all over after the surrender? Of course not. Death marches did for many: Landser Josef Farber remembered: ‘We set out with 1,200 men … about 120 were alive when we reached the camp.’ This was war at its rawest – this was Stalingrad.Read more
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The Battle of the Beams: The secret science of radar that turned the tide of the Second World War
‘Deeply researched and engagingly written’ The Times
‘Has the pace and style of a well-crafted thriller’ Mail on Sunday
‘Chock full of memorable characters and written with all the drama and pace of a Robert Harris thriller’ Rowland White, author of Harrier 809The radio war of 1939-45 is one of the great scientific battles in history.
This is the story of that war.Relying on first-hand accounts as well as papers recently released by the Admiralty, The Battle of the Beams fills a huge missing piece in the canon of WW2 literature.
It combines history, science, derring do and dogged determination and will appeal as much to fans of WW2 history as to those fascinated by the science behind the beams that changed our lives.
The British believed that, through ingenuity and scientific prowess, they alone have a war-winning weapon: radar. They are wrong. The Germans have it too.
They believe that their unique maritime history means their pilots have no need of navigational aids. Flying above the clouds they, like the seafarers of old, had the stars to guide them, and that is all that is required. They are wrong. Most of the bombs the RAF will drop in the first years of the war land miles from their target.
They also believe that the Germans, without the same naval tradition, will never be able to find targets at night. They are, again, wrong. In 1939 the Germans don’t just have radar to spot planes entering their airspace, they have radio beams to guide their own planes into enemy airspace.
Luckily there was one young engineer, Reginald Jones, helping the British government with their own scientific developments. In June 1940, when Jones quietly explained the beams the Germans had devised to a room full of disbelieving sceptics, Churchill later described the moment as like sitting in the parlour while Sherlock Holmes finally reveals the killer. Churchill immediately supported Jones’s efforts to develop radar technology that went on to help the Allies win the war.
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The Big Book of History Crosswords: 51 Themed Crossword Puzzles and Fun Facts for History Lovers
Think you know your history? This bumper collection of 51 fun, fiendish crossword puzzles will challenge your knowledge of everything from Ancient Rome to the Arab Spring, from the Aztecs to the internet, from the Stone Age to the Jazz Age, and from Timbuktu to outer space.
Spanning centuries and ranging across continents, each crossword has something for everyone – whether you’re a keen quizzer, fancy yourself as a history expert, or are just fascinated by our shared past. Test yourself on historic battles, ancient cultures, earth-shaking revolutions and amazing inventions; play against the clock, or just against yourself. Open up a whole world of historical discovery. Let’s get puzzling!
- Absorbing puzzles on a large 17×17 grid
- A wide variety of questions across 14 history themes
- Over 860 quiz-style clues
- Clues and crossword grid are conveniently on the same page for each puzzle
- Solutions provided at the back of the book
- Fun facts every 2 puzzles to teach you something interesting you didn’t know before!
- The perfect gift for adult history fans
- All puzzles are in British English
Get 19 FREE bonus crosswords with this book! As a thank you for purchasing this book, we are giving away 19 FREE crosswords in a printable format for you test your history knowledge on hundreds more clues. The download link is provided in the book.
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The Borneo Confrontation: Volume 1 – Indonesian-Malaysian Confrontation, 1963-1966: 44 (Asia@War)
The aftermath of the Second World War saw many colonial empires in a state of upheaval. In South East Asia, what had been armed resistance against the Japanese invaders and occupiers was now often turned into national liberation movements seeking independence from the European empires. The Second World War may have ended but this was anything other than an era of peace. This was an era in which Britain moved between successive crises in Palestine, Kenya, Cyprus, Suez and the wider Middle East, in addition to fighting a conventional war in Korea, maintaining a significant peacetime army in West Germany and Berlin, and honoring commitments to the South East Asia Treaty Organization.Volume 1 of Borneo Stand-off examines the background, context and origins of Britain’s military experience in post-Second World War South East Asia as Malaya transitioned from colony to the independent state of Malaysia, up to and including the Brunei Revolt of 1962, and sets the scene for the coming Confrontation – or Konfrontasi – with the Indonesia of Sukarno, buoyed by his recent successes against the Netherlands in the former Dutch East Indies.
Borneo Stand-off Volume 1: Seeds of the Confrontation and the Brunei Revolt of 1962 is illustrated throughout with photographs, and includes color artworks of the men, vehicles and aircraft of the era of Confrontation.
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The British Transport Commission Group: Former Thomas Tilling Companies in the 1960s
This fascinating and informative book looks at the Tilling Group of bus companies during the 1960s. These operated approximately half of the inter-urban and rural bus services in England and Wales, and were nationalised by Clement Attlee’s Labour Government in 1948 under the control of the British Transport Commission. Ownership passed to the Transport Holding Company Ltd in 1963, though the fleets remained under Tilling Group control. During the period covered by this book, the operators within the group had very standardised fleets, with the vast majority of their buses and coaches having Bristol chassis and Eastern Coachworks (ECW) bodywork. This was a result of these manufacturers also having been nationalised and controlled by the BTC and THC. However, some Tilling Group operators still had earlier vehicles with, for instance, AEC or Leyland chassis, which were acquired prior to the requirement for them to buy only Bristol products, whilst some also had coaches with Bedford or Ford Thames chassis built in the 1950s and 1960s. Unlike the BET fleets throughout England and Wales, most Tilling fleets also had highly standardised liveries, either of red with cream relief, or green with cream relief for their stage carriage buses, or the reverse of this for their coaches. There were some exceptions, though. The most obvious ones were Midland General and Notts & Derby, whose livery was an attractive dark blue and cream; as well as the Royal Blue coaches of Southern and Western National and the maroon and cream coaches of Thames Valley subsidiary South Midland. All Tilling Group companies became part of the National Bus Company in early 1969, and before long their traditional liveries became just a memory when the NBC imposed standard red or green liveries. Throughout most of the 1960s, Jim Blake travelled to these operators and photographed their vehicles, and spent many summer Saturdays at London’s Victoria Coach Station, where their service buses as well as express coaches could be seen. He was fortunate to capture much of this changing transport scene on film, and presents some of these photographs in this volume. Many have never been published before.Read more
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The Bus We Loved: London’s Affair With The Routemaster
In December 2005, London lost one its most famous symbols: the Routemaster bus – a bus designed and made in London, by Londoners for Londoners, which was to London what the gondola is to Venice. In terms of postcards, books, films and cheap souvenirs, and in the eyes of the world, the Routemaster represented the city just as much as Big Ben. It was the last bus to be have conductors as well as drivers, the last bus to ring familiar shouts that are at least a century old: ‘Fares please,’ ‘Full up inside but room on top,’ ‘Next stop the British Museum’! The last bus, in other words, to be a proper bus. In this fond history, Travis Elborough tells the story of the Routemaster’s invention, rise and decline, of the people who worked on it and of the enthusiasts who were mad about it. The streets will never be the same again.Read more
£6.50£7.60 -
The Civil War Volume I: Fort Sumter to Perryville
A narrative history of the American Civil War, which covers not only the battles and the troop movements but also the social background that brought on the war and led, in the end, to the South’s defeat.Read more
£8.50 -
The Clapham Train Accident: Causes, Context and the Corporate Memory Challenge
Clapham was a pivotal point in British railway history. Much technology had been invented and applied to accident prevention by 1988; much more was to come. The Clapham Train Accident considers Clapham in its wider context, using official reports and expert interviews to describe both the causes and the terrible effects. It looks beyond the railway to the external factors acting not only on British Rail, but also the government of the time, and considers the safety improvements that came about as a result. Finally, the book brings the story up to date and looks at why the lessons learned over thirty years ago still need to be retained in an industry where the baton of safety is all-too-easily dropped during re-organisation, re-branding and after the departure of those who lived through darker days to make ours shine more brightly. The concatenation of events, the errors, the reorganisations, the financial constraints, that led to Clapham could happen to any business in any industry. On the morning of 12 December 1988, they happened to the railway. The Clapham Train Accident will act as a cautionary tale for safety practitioners old and new, not just in rail, but also other safety critical industries. It will help readers think actions through to all consequences, helping them too to make safer decisions, particularly when changing a system, technology or method of workingRead more
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The Classic Car Spotters’ Guide: What to See at Britain’s Car Shows
Not so many years ago most of the cars featured in this book were familiar sights on Britain’s roads. Now, the remaining examples – the ones that weren’t crashed, bashed, thrashed, stolen or scrapped – are reminders of simpler times and simpler technology.
During Britain’s spring and summer, thousands of owners polish their cherished motors before driving them to classic car shows and lining them up for inspection by an adoring public. Cars that were once seen so often they blended into the street furniture are now rare enough to rub fenders with the more obvious classics of the age. There are 1.5 million older motors that are still regularly driven around Britain today, and The Classic Car Spotters’ Guide takes you through more than fifty prime examples, from Ford Cortinas and Austin 1100s to Borgward Isabellas and Austin Nash Metropolitans. Complete with rarity ratings and backstories for each one, this book is the perfect companion for your next event.
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£11.70£14.20 -
The Complete Illustrated History of the First & Second World Wars: With More Than 1000 Evocative Photographs, Maps and Battle Plans
This comprehensive history begins by looking at the origins of WWI and then chronicles the war a year at a time. The second half of the book details the history of WWII, from the rise of Hitler and the persecution of the Jewish race to the attacks on Pearl Harbor and the dropping of the atom bombs. All aspects of war are covered including war illnesses, espionage, propaganda and the atrocities on all sides. There are special features dedicated to the weaponry and tactics that shaped the wars. Written by experts in their field and illustrated with over 1000 photographs, battle plans and maps, it is a fascinating guide for both specialist and general readers.Read more
£16.70£19.00 -
The Complete MAUS, english edition: Art Spiegelman
The first and only graphic novel to win the Pulitzer Prize, MAUS is a brutally moving work of art about a Holocaust survivor — and the son who survives him
‘The first masterpiece in comic book history’ The New Yorker
Maus tells the story of Vladek Spiegelman, a Jewish survivor of Hitler’s Europe, and his son, a cartoonist coming to terms with his father’s story. Approaching the unspeakable through the diminutive (the Nazis are cats, the Jews mice), Vladek’s harrowing story of survival is woven into the author’s account of his tortured relationship with his aging father.
Against the backdrop of guilt brought by survival, they stage a normal life of small arguments and unhappy visits, studying the bloody pawprints of history and tracking its meaning for those who come next.HAILED AS THE GREATEST GRAPHIC NOVEL OF ALL TIME, THIS COMBINED, DEFINITIVE EDITION INCLUDES MAUS I: A SURVIVOR’S TALE AND MAUS II.
___________________________________________________________________________‘The most affecting and successful narrative ever done about the Holocaust’Wall Street Journal
‘A brutally moving work of art’ Boston Globe
‘No summary can do justice to Spiegelman’s narrative skill’ Adam Gopnik
‘Like all great stories, it tells us more about ourselves than we could ever suspect’ Philip Pullman
‘A capital-G Genius’ Michael Chabon
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£13.00£16.10The Complete MAUS, english edition: Art Spiegelman
£13.00£16.10 -
The Complete Royal Air Force DAA (Defence Aptitude Assessment) Study Guide: With 140+ Official Style Practice Questions & Answers – Pass the RAF or Royal Navy DAA & Get Your…
What the successful DAA students who score highly first-time know, that maybe you don’t?
Are you keen to get into your desired Royal Air Force (RAF) or Royal Navy (RN) branch as soon as possible?
In order to land your dream job, serve the country, earn & save money, and begin the adventure of a lifetime?
We want to make that dream come true for you…
Yet sadly, you are directly competing against your fellow recruits in the exam – and you should aim to get into the top percentile of test takers, to ensure you get into the job role of your choice.
It’s not an easy assessment, but we’ve learned that low DAA scores are mostly down to a lack of preparation and a lack of understanding of the examined content.
We’ve provided all the up-to-date information you must know, as well as 140+ comprehensive practice questions and answers – to ensure you go into your Defence Aptitude Assessment feeling confident. Students who use our book increase their chances of passing first-time will by more than 80 percent.
Here’s exactly what you’ll be getting inside this study guide:
- Up-to-date content written by former military recruiters, for future RAF/RN personnel.
- Detailed chapters on all 6 aspects (Work Rate, Numerical Reasoning, Spatial Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning, Electrical & Mechanical Comprehension) and more!
- Over 140 hand-curated & never-seen-before practice questions that mirror the difficulty of the official assessment.
- Answers are given at the back of the book, so there’s no chance of you (or your child) cheating.
- Key information on how and where to take your DAA.
- Valuable tips for mastering each individual section
- Details on scoring, results & retakes…
- And so much more!
So, no matter whether you need practice and guidance with Work Rate or Numerical Reasoning – our highly-anticipated study guide will help you pass the Defense Aptitude Assessment faster and with real confidence – on your next attempt. So, if you want to pass your exam first time…
Scroll up and click “Add to Basket” now!
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£9.50 -
The Crucible of Islam
Little is known about Arabia in the sixth century, yet from this distant time and place emerged a faith and an empire that stretched from the Iberian peninsula to India. Today, Muslims account for nearly a quarter of the global population. A renowned classicist, G. W. Bowersock seeks to illuminate this obscure and dynamic period in the history of Islam―exploring why arid Arabia proved to be such fertile ground for Muhammad’s prophetic message, and why that message spread so quickly to the wider world. The Crucible of Islam offers a compelling explanation of how one of the world’s great religions took shape.
“A remarkable work of scholarship.”
―Wall Street Journal“A little book of explosive originality and penetrating judgment… The joy of reading this account of the background and emergence of early Islam is the knowledge that Bowersock has built it from solid stones… A masterpiece of the historian’s craft.”
―Peter Brown, New York Review of BooksRead more
£13.30The Crucible of Islam
£13.30 -
The Crusades Through Arab Eyes (Saqi Essentials)
European and Arab versions of the Crusades have little in common. For Arabs, the twelfth and thirteenth centuries were years of strenuous efforts to repel a brutal and destructive invasion by barbarian hordes. Under Saladin, an unstoppable Muslim army inspired by prophets and poets finally succeeded in destroying the most powerful Crusader kingdoms. The memory of this greatest and most enduring victory ever won by a non-European society against the West still lives in the minds of millions of Arabs today.Amin Maalouf has sifted through the works of a score of contemporary Arab chroniclers of the Crusades, eyewitnesses and often participants in the events. He retells their stories in their own vivacious style, giving us a vivid portrait of a society rent by internal conflicts and shaken by a traumatic encounter with an alien culture. He retraces two critical centuries of Middle Eastern history, and offers fascinating insights into some of the forces that shape Arab and Islamic consciousness today.
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£13.20£14.20The Crusades Through Arab Eyes (Saqi Essentials)
£13.20£14.20 -
The D-Day Visitor’s Handbook, 80th Anniversary Edition: Your Guide to the Normandy Battlefields and WWII Paris, Revised and Updated
Updated for the 80th anniversary of D-Day.For families of the heroes who fought on the beaches of Normandy during World War II, for fans of Saving Private Ryan, or for traveller interested in history, here is the complete guide to visiting one of the world’s most historic battlefields.
The D-Day Visitor’s Handbook includes everything you need to know to plan and make your visit to the site of the biggest seaborne invasion in history. This compact guidebook not only describes the most significant land invasion of World War II, but provides detailed battlefield maps and tours, identifies monuments and attractions, and locates museums and historical sites to make your planning easier and less stressful.
This guide provides everything you need ahead of your visit, including:
- Easy-to-follow maps and tours
- Where to stay, dine, and shop
- Lists of the best D-Day museums
- How to find war relics still at the battlefield sites
- Historical context for each site, including a description of military action there
- A special bonus guide to World War II history and sites in Paris
The D-Day Visitor’s Handbook contains a wealth of detailed information that is perfect for those considering travelling to France, anyone about to visit these sites, veterans, students of military history, and any others who wish to learn about the history of this legendary battle.
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£10.65£10.99 -
The Dead Sea Scrolls Uncovered: The First Complete Translation And Interpretation of 50 Key Documents Withheld For Over 35 Years
Parts of the Dead Sea Scrolls, previously withheld from the public due to their controversial nature. This work contains documents relating to early Christianity, the fall of the Temple in Jerusalem, the history of the zealots with interpretations alongside the original Hebrew transliterations.Read more
£2.90 -
The Deorhord: An Old English Bestiary
‘A dream! I learnt something new and fascinating on every page’ Lucy Mangan
‘If you love words, the weird and the wild, I guarantee you’ll crouch over this book like a dragon over gold’ Meg Clothier
‘Endlessly fascinating’ – the Spectator
Many of the animals we encounter in everyday life, from the creatures in our fields to those in our fantasies, have remained the same since medieval times – but the words we use, and the ways we describe them, have often changed beyond recognition…
Old English was spoken over a thousand years ago, when every animal was a deor. In this glittering Old English bestiary we find deors big and small, the ordinary and the extraordinary, the good, the bad and the downright baffling. From walker-weavers (spiders) and grey-cloaked ones (eagles) to moon-heads and teeth-tyrants (historians still don’t know!), we discover a world both familiar and strange: where ants could be monsters and panthers could be your friend, where dog-headed men were as real as elephants and where whales were as sneaky as wolves.
From the author of The Wordhord comes another delightful dive into the realm of Old English – words and creatures that will change the way you see the world.
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£12.30£15.20The Deorhord: An Old English Bestiary
£12.30£15.20 -
The Dust on the Throne: The Search for Buddhism in Modern India (South Asia in Motion)
Received wisdom has it that Buddhism disappeared from India, the land of its birth, between the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, long forgotten until British colonial scholars re-discovered it in the early 1800s. Its full-fledged revival, so the story goes, only occurred in 1956, when the Indian civil rights pioneer Dr. B.R. Ambedkar converted to Buddhism along with half a million of his Dalit (formerly “untouchable”) followers. This, however, is only part of the story. Dust on the Throne reframes discussions about the place of Buddhism in the subcontinent from the early nineteenth century onwards, uncovering the integral, yet unacknowledged, role that Indians played in the making of modern global Buddhism in the century prior to Ambedkar’s conversion, and the numerous ways that Buddhism gave powerful shape to modern Indian history.
Through an extensive examination of disparate materials held at archives and temples across South Asia, Douglas Ober explores Buddhist religious dynamics in an age of expanding colonial empires, intra-Asian connectivity, and the histories of Buddhism produced by nineteenth and twentieth century Indian thinkers. While Buddhism in contemporary India is often disparaged as being little more than tattered manuscripts and crumbling ruins, this book opens new avenues for understanding its substantial socio-political impact and intellectual legacy.
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£24.00£26.60 -
The Elite Few: A History of the UK Royal Marines
“The Elite Few: A History of the UK Royal Marines” is a book that traces the history of the Royal Marines from their origins in the 17th century to the present day. Written by Marc Ferrari, the book covers the Royal Marines’ role in major conflicts, such as the Battle of Trafalgar, the Falklands War, and the Gulf War, as well as their involvement in peacekeeping and humanitarian missions around the world.
The book also explores the Royal Marines’ unique training and selection process, including the grueling Commando Course and the Special Boat Service selection. It delves into the various roles and units within the Royal Marines, from the Commandos to the Band Service, and examines their traditions, mottos, and insignia.
“The Elite Few” provides a fascinating insight into one of the world’s most elite military forces. It highlights the courage, determination, and unselfishness that are the core values of the Royal Marines, and how they have earned their reputation as one of the toughest fighting forces in the world.
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£4.80 -
The End of the Spanish Civil War: Alicante 1939
The Spanish Civil War ended in Alicante. After Catalonia fell to the Hitler and Mussolini backed military rebellion of Franco’s Nationalists at the outset of 1939, the legitimate Republican government of Dr Negrín was faced with a choice between apparently futile resistance or unconditional surrender to the triumphant Nationalists. Choosing the path of continued defiance until they could force concessions or at least implement a mass evacuation of those Republicans most at risk in Franco’s new Spain, the government withdrew to Elda in the province of Alicante. However, their plans were thwarted by a new rebellion of Republican officers, led by Colonel Segismundo Casado, who resented Negrín’s reliance on the Communist Party and the USSR and believed themselves better equipped to negotiate a peace settlement with Franco. They were misguided, Franco had no wish, and ultimately no need to negotiate. Meanwhile, faced with the imminent risk of arrest by the new junta, the Prime Minister and his cabinet were forced to abandon Spain from the tiny aerodrome of Monóvar. A relatively quiet port on the eastern, Mediterranean coast of Spain, Alicante had remained at some distance from the frontlines throughout the fighting on the ground, but swiftly became a target for Italian bombers operating out of bases in the Balearic Islands. In May 1938, at the height of the air offensive, Italian bombers attacked the marketplace, causing a massacre as tragic as the events in Guernica, yet largely ignored by historians. As the war drew towards its conclusion, Alicante became increasingly significant as attention focused on the plight of the defeated Republicans. In the second half of March 1939, the fronts collapsed, and Madrid finally fell to the insurgents. Tens of thousands of refugees descended on Alicante in the forlorn hope of rescue by French and British ships that had been promised but which failed to materialise. Amid the tragedy, as the British and French governments declined to engage in any humanitarian intervention that might offend Hitler and Mussolini, a single hero emerged; Captain Archibald Dickson, the Welsh master of the Stanbrook who ditched his cargo and transported 3,000 refugees to safety in North Africa. On 30 March 1939, Franco’s vanguard, the Italian ‘Volunteer’ Corps under General Gastone Gambara, occupied a town already under the control of the Fifth Column. Two days later the Generalísimo issued a communiqué from his headquarters in Burgos, declaring that the war was over. The bulk of the Republicans surrounded and captured in the port were marched to an improvised internment camp, known as the Campo de los Almendros (Field of Almond Trees). They were then transferred to the infamous concentration camp at Albatera to share the fate of defeated Republicans across Spain and to undergo the programme of ideological cleansing of the new fascist authorities.Read more
£20.00£23.80The End of the Spanish Civil War: Alicante 1939
£20.00£23.80 -
The English Civil War in 100 Facts
The English Civil War pitted Parliament against the Crown following a breakdown in their relationship, ultimately caused by a struggle over power, religion and control. The Civil War split the country and resulted in the execution of Charles I and the exile of his son, and the English monarchy was replaced first by the Commonwealth of England and then the Protectorate. Oliver Cromwell dominated the politics of the new rule and still divides opinion today, with some seeing him as a brutal dictator and others seeing him as a hero of liberty. The English Civil War in 100 Facts examines the twenty years of intermittent warfare, covering the first, second and third wars, from the initial conflict with Charles I to the fight of Charles II’s supporters with the Rump Parliament. Dr Andrew Lacey guides us through some of the key figures and their stories as well as some of the key battles and politics in this period that drastically altered the structure of English rule.Read more
£7.10£8.50The English Civil War in 100 Facts
£7.10£8.50 -
The Enlightenment: An Enthralling Guide to a Period of Scientific, Political, and Philosophical Discourse in European History (Historical Periods)
Can you imagine how the world would be different today if there had been no Enlightenment era?The Age of Enlightenment, which lasted throughout the 18th century, brought about fundamental changes in people’s thinking and transformed the entire fabric of society.
Even ordinary people began to question the entrenched beliefs and dogmas. They wanted education, justice, freedom, and progress. They struggled to eliminate despotic rulers and desired to be governed by democratically elected representatives.
But how did this fundamental shift in thinking occur in a relatively short period? And who were the great thinkers and philosophers of that era who dared to go against the established authority of the church and the power of the autocrats? Are you curious about how the Enlightenment influenced the French and American Revolutions?
If so, this book holds the answers you seek.
You will also learn about the following:
- The ideals of the Enlightenment, including reason, individual freedom, and democracy;
- How the average person viewed the Enlightenment;
- The philosophy and impact of great thinkers like Rousseau, Locke, Hume, and Voltaire;
- How the American and French Revolutions brought about changes to the traditional monarchy;
- The massive progress in education, science, and social justice;
- A brief look at the Scientific Revolution and the inventions that changed history;
- The explosive growth of trade and commerce that reduced poverty and created wealth;
- The remarkable women who stood up for women’s rights;
- And much, much more!
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£3.00 -
The Factory that Became a Village: The History of the Royal Small Arms Factory at Enfield Lock (Lea Valley Series)
When Jim Lewis met the directors of the RSA Trust, the charity responsible for the concept and the running of Enfield Island Village, in January 2015, it was to discuss the commissioning of a book that would tell the story of the former government controlled Royal Small Arms Factory (RSAF) after privatisation and closure in 1987. However, during discussions it soon became clear, with the impending two-hundredth anniversary of the birth of the Enfield Lock armoury, that a unique opportunity existed to link the story of the RSAF site with the founding of the RSA Trust. And as one Trust director put it, this is the classic story of from swords into ploughshares. Surprising as it may seem, the story of the birth of the Enfield Lock armoury in 1816 and the methods of manufacture that then existed within the British small arms industry has never been completely told.
At the time of writing this book the author wanted, in the two-hundredth anniversary year of the founding of the RSAF, to commemorate the contribution made to our armed forces by the former workforce which, by their skills and dedication, helped keep Britain safe during times of world instability. Also I wanted to acknowledge the contribution made to our community by the four founding fathers of the RSA Trust that has benefited so many worthwhile good causes.
In a world full of increasingly depressing news it is uplifting to have the opportunity to write about a group of four local businessmen who had the vision, courage and tenacity to take on the mammoth task of rescuing a Grade II listed building that no sane entrepreneur would have contemplated taking on and turn it into a vibrant sustainable business for the benefit of the local community. The model created pays a service charge into a limited liability company, RSA IV, which in turn transfers the surplus to the not-for-profit RSA Trust which is then able to fund many community good causes.
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£11.80£17.10 -
The Finest Road in the World: The Story of Travel and Transport in the Scottish Highlands
Trains and stagecoaches stuck in the snow, wild storms driving sailing ships off course, traffic pile-ups on so-called ‘killer’ highways – stories abound about the horrors of travel in the Highlands and Islands, and have done for as far as the records go back.
James Miller tells the dramatic and sometimes surprisingly humorous story of travel and transport in the Highlands. Some of the figures in the story are familiar – General George Wade, Thomas Telford and Joseph Mitchell among them – but there are a host of others too, including the intrepid Lady Sarah Murray, who offered sound advice for travellers (‘Provide yourself with a strong roomy carriage, and have the springs well corded’).
This thought-provoking book will appeal to all who like stories of travel and transport, and are interested in how changing modes of transport have affected the ways of life in the Highlands and remain crucial to the modern life and the future of the region.
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£2.90
