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American Politics For Dummies – UK
The simplest way to get to grips with the American political systemAmerican Politics For Dummies is an engaging and accessible guide to the inner workings of the U.S. government, cutting through the political jargon, to give you the facts. The book begins with the basics, including government structure and processes, and later covers current events that make the news.
The world of American politics can be bewildering to anyone not born and bred in the U.S.A. This plain-English guide is perfect whether you are a student or simply fascinated by the world’s most powerful democracy. From the electoral process to ‘special relationships’, you discover all you need to know with American Politics For Dummies.
• The birth of America – find out about the emergence of the US,from the ideas upon which America was founded to the creation
of the US Constitution
• Go government – understand the powers of the President, how Congress operates, the function of the Supreme Court and how
US laws are created and passed
• Party on – discover the ins and outs of elections and political parties, from the electoral process and the two-party system to the voting behaviour amongst Americans
• One nation, many identities – get to understand the workings of a truly multicultural society
• All the world’s a stage – grasp the grand strategy of the US to understand why the nation acts as it does in international politics
2014 kicks off the latest round of U.S. Congressional election and marks the beginning the 2016 Presidential election cycle. There will be headlines, there will be debate and there will be news. If you’re looking to keep up and understand it all, American Politics For Dummies is a great place to start.
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£13.20£16.10American Politics For Dummies – UK
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Twilight of Democracy: The Failure of Politics and the Parting of Friends
A FINANCIAL TIMES, ECONOMIST AND NEW STATESMAN BOOK OF THE YEAR 2020
‘The most important non-fiction book of the year’ David Hare
In the years just before and after the fall of the Berlin Wall, people from across the political spectrum in Europe and America celebrated a great achievement, felt a common purpose and, very often, forged personal friendships. Yet over the following decades the euphoria evaporated, the common purpose and centre ground gradually disappeared, extremism rose once more and eventually – as this book compellingly relates – the relationships soured too.
Anne Applebaum traces this history in an unfamiliar way, looking at the trajectories of individuals caught up in the public events of the last three decades. When politics becomes polarized, which side do you back? If you are a journalist, an intellectual, a civic leader, how do you deal with the re-emergence of authoritarian or nationalist ideas in your country? When your leaders appropriate history, or pedal conspiracies, or eviscerate the media and the judiciary, do you go along with it?
Twilight of Democracy is an essay that combines the personal and the political in an original way and brings a fresh understanding to the dynamics of public life in Europe and America, both now and in the recent past.
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Pearson Edexcel A level Politics: Covering the full A level in one book
This all-in-one textbook provides in-depth coverage of specification content and recent political developments and helps students to apply their knowledge through case studies, debates on key issues and practice questions.
– Includes all core and non-core political ideas, with key thinkers thoroughly integrated into the theory
– Provides complete guidance to the USA route of the specification
– Strengthens understanding by interweaving both historical context and contemporary examples, such as Brexit, into the text
– Builds confidence by highlighting key terms and explaining synoptic links between different topics in the specification
– Develops analysis and evaluation skills with ‘stretch and challenge’ activities
– Features practice questions with answer guidance onlineAvailable in print as Student Textbooks or in two digital formats:
Student eTextbooks are downloadable versions of the printed textbooks purchased on a copy-by-copy basis and allocated to the students in Dynamic Learning
Whiteboard eTextbooks are online, interactive versions of the textbooks for front-of-class teaching and lesson planningWe are seeking endorsement from Pearson Edexcel for the Student Textbook and Student eTextbook.
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Legacy of Violence: A History of the British Empire
A NEW YORK TIMES, NEW STATESMAN, HISTORY TODAY AND BBC HISTORY MAGAZINE BOOK OF THE YEAR
‘Masterly… This book is dynamite’ – ROBERT GILDEA, author of Empires of the Mind
**Shortlisted for the Baillie Gifford Prize**
A searing, landmark study of the British Empire that lays bare its pervasive use of violence throughout the twentieth century.
Drawing on more than a decade of research on four continents, Caroline Elkins reveals the dark heart of Britain’s Empire: a racialised, systemised doctrine of unrelenting violence, which it used to secure and maintain its interests across the globe.
When Britain could no longer maintain control over that violence, it simply retreated – and sought to destroy the evidence. Legacy of Violence is a monumental achievement that explodes long-held myths and deserves the attention of anyone who seeks to understand empire’s role in shaping the world today.
‘Not so much a history book as a book of historical significance’ BBC History Magazine
‘Riveting’ New Statesman
‘Crucial…as unflinching as it is gripping, as carefully researched as it is urgently necessary’ Jill Lepore, author of These Truths
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£13.00£16.10Legacy of Violence: A History of the British Empire
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The Shepperton Story
This exhaustive and affectionate history is crammed with information and rare pictures from the famous Shepperton Studios. From assistants to directors, producers, stars, prop men, production managers and studio executives, the author has interviewed over 200 industry people and has painstakingly researched the history of the studio site from its first recorded use in the Doomsday Book through its redevelopment as one of Britain’s first major film studios in 1932. The studio has housed classic movies featuring comedy great Will Hay, to blood-churning horrors starring Todd Slaughter through the studio’s covert use during the Second World War as a camouflage manufacturing plant and on to its reopening with great classics such as The Third Man, The Tales Of Hoffman, Dr Strangelove and I’m All Right Jack, and on to modern greats such as Flash Gordon, Alien, Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves, The Crying Game, Chaplin, Gladiator, Troy, Batman Begins, The Da Vinci Code and The Golden Compass. This is their story.
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£20.10£23.80The Shepperton Story
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Irena’s Gift: An epic World War II memoir of sisters, secrets and survival
If we seal off the past, how will we ever know the truth?
In 1942, in Nazi-occupied Poland, a Jewish child was smuggled out of the Warsaw ghetto in a backpack. That child was Karen Kirsten’s mother, but she knew nothing about this extraordinary event until one day a letter arrived from a stranger.
Irena’s Gift weaves together a mystery, history and memoir to tell the story of a family torn apart by war. From the glittering concert halls of interbellum Warsaw to the vermin-infested prison where a Jewish woman negotiates with an SS officer to save her sister’s child, Irena’s Gift is about the lies we tell to survive and what happens when those lies unravel. It is about the remarkable resilience of three generations of women, and the sacrifices made for love.
‘One of the best second-generation Holocaust books ever published’ ARIANA NEUMANN
‘An extraordinary story of how secrets and lies can tear a family apart’ MAYA LEE
‘A story of love, healing, hope and humanity that will tug at your heartstrings’ SUE SMETHURST
‘A true story of extraordinary women, survival and sacrifice. A must read’ TARA MOSS
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Politics: Between the Extremes (Audio Download): Nick Clegg, Nick Clegg, Random House Audiobooks: Amazon.co.uk: Books
Politics has changed. Five years ago Britain had a coalition government built on compromise. Now the Conservatives rule unchallenged, a chasm has opened up between Left and Right and the centre ground is deserted.
Nick Clegg knows the volatile state of modern politics better than anyone else. Here he offers a frank and honest account of his experiences – from his spectacular rise in the 2010 election through his tumultuous years as Deputy Prime Minister to a brutal defeat in 2015 – in order to tell the inside story of this change and reflect on what it means for our future.
He writes candidly about his own mistakes – including the controversy around tuition fees – the tense standoffs within government and the sometimes bizarre challenges he faced. He lifts the lid on the arcane world of Westminster, offering startling insights into the hidden workings of government, and reflects deeply on the decision to enter coalition with the Conservatives.
In a rapidly and profoundly changing world, he argues that the long-term survival of progressive politics relies more than ever on the radical reform of our outdated political system. Whatever your political persuasion, if you wish to understand how Britain is run today you cannot afford to ignore this audiobook.
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Palestine: A Four Thousand Year History
This rich and magisterial work traces Palestine’s millennia-old heritage, uncovering cultures and societies of astounding depth and complexity that stretch back to the very beginnings of recorded history.Starting with the earliest references in Egyptian and Assyrian texts, Nur Masalha explores how Palestine and its Palestinian identity have evolved over thousands of years, from the Bronze Age to the present day. Drawing on a rich body of sources and the latest archaeological evidence, Masalha shows how Palestine’s multicultural past has been distorted and mythologised by Biblical lore and the Israel–Palestinian conflict.
In the process, Masalha reveals that the concept of Palestine, contrary to accepted belief, is not a modern invention or one constructed in opposition to Israel, but rooted firmly in ancient past. Palestine represents the authoritative account of the country’s history.
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Everything I Learned about Life, I Learned in Dance Class
Ultimate “Tiger Mom” Abby Lee Miller—the passionate, unapologetically outspoken, tough-as-nails star of Lifetime’s phenomenal hit Dance Moms and Abby’s Ultimate Dance Competition—offers inspirational, tough love guidance for parents who want to help their children succeed and for readers of all ages striving to become the best they can be.
If you want to help your kid reach the top, you can find no better coach than Abby Lee Miller. While some may criticize her methods, no one argues with her results. Her kids excel, her teams win, and her alumni go on to Broadway careers.
Organized by “Abbyisms,” her unique and effective philosophies on hard work, competition, and life, this straight-talking guide provides clear and proven advice for achieving success, from figuring out your child’s passion to laying the groundwork for an exciting future career. Abby answers tough questions from real moms, shares all the stories fans want to hear, and includes vignettes from shining alums who give their take on her unique approach and how it helped them make their dreams come true.
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A Long Petal of the Sea: The Sunday Times Bestseller
_____________THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER
THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
_______________‘A powerful love story spanning generations… Full of ambition and humanity’ – Sunday Times
‘One of the strongest and most affecting works in Allende’s long career’ – New York Times Book Review
_______________On September 3, 1939, the day of the Spanish exiles’ splendid arrival in Chile, the Second World War broke out in Europe.
Victor Dalmau is a young doctor when he is caught up in the Spanish Civil War, a tragedy that leaves his life – and the fate of his country – forever changed. Together with his sister-in-law, the pianist Roser, he is forced out of his beloved Barcelona and into exile.
When opportunity to seek refuge arises, they board a ship chartered by the poet Pablo Neruda to Chile, the promised ‘long petal of sea and wine and snow’. There, they find themselves enmeshed in a rich web of characters who come together in love and tragedy over the course of four generations, destined to witness the battle between freedom and repression as it plays out across the world.
A masterful work of historical fiction that soars from the Spanish Civil War to the rise and fall of Pinochet, A Long Petal of the Sea is Isabel Allende at the height of her powers.
_______________‘A masterful work of historical fiction about hope, exile and belonging’ – Independent Online
‘A defiantly warm and funny novel, by somebody who has earned the right to argue that love and optimism can survive whatever history might throw at us’ – Daily Telegraph
‘A grand storyteller who writes with surpassing compassion and insight. Her place as an icon of world literature was secured long ago’ – Khaled Hosseini
‘A novel not just for those of us who have been Allende fans for decades, but also for those who are brand new to her work: what a joy it must be to come upon Allende for the first time’ – Colum McCann
‘Allende’s style is impressively Olympian and the payoff is remarkable’ – Guardian
‘Epic in scope, yet intimate in execution’ – i
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The Plot: The Political Assassination of Boris Johnson
‘A riveting read that skips along at pace. Illuminating and concerning, it lifts the lid on the tawdry world of Westminster powerbroking’ Tim Shipman, The Times
The explosive behind-the-scenes account of the plot to bring down Boris Johnson
YOU THINK YOU LIVE IN A WORLD WHERE THE ELECTED ARE CHOSEN BY THE PEOPLE.
THINK AGAIN.
When Boris Johnson came to power in 2019, he did so with the largest Conservative majority since Margaret Thatcher. Rewriting the political map, he united a party and shattered Labour’s fabled red wall. And yet, just three years later, he was ousted by the same members who had once greeted his leadership so rapturously.
What had gone so wrong?
The Plot is the seismic, fly-on-the-wall account of how the saviour of the Conservative Party became a pariah. Told with unparalleled access, from multiple inside sources talking with astonishing candour, it reveals the shocking truth about powerful forces operating behind the scenes in the heart of Westminster and those who became the architects of a Prime Minister’s downfall.
This is the story of a damning trail of treachery and deceit fuelled by an obsessive pursuit of power, which threatens to topple the very fabric of our democracy.
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Quantum Computing since Democritus
Written by noted quantum computing theorist Scott Aaronson, this book takes readers on a tour through some of the deepest ideas of maths, computer science and physics. Full of insights, arguments and philosophical perspectives, the book covers an amazing array of topics. Beginning in antiquity with Democritus, it progresses through logic and set theory, computability and complexity theory, quantum computing, cryptography, the information content of quantum states and the interpretation of quantum mechanics. There are also extended discussions about time travel, Newcomb’s Paradox, the anthropic principle and the views of Roger Penrose. Aaronson’s informal style makes this fascinating book accessible to readers with scientific backgrounds, as well as students and researchers working in physics, computer science, mathematics and philosophy.Read more
£29.40£39.90Quantum Computing since Democritus
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Teaching Tenses: Ideas for Presenting and Practising Tenses in English
A comprehensive analysis of form and function, with suggestions for presentation and practice of structures in context and a review of common learner errors for each tense. Contains photocopiable material.Read more
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The Secret Teachings of All Ages
This key to the world’s esoteric traditions uncovers some of mythology, religion, and philosophy’s most fascinating and well guarded truths. It distils ancient and current teachings of approximately 600 scholars and is unrivalled in its beauty and comprehensiveness. The Sphinx’s riddle and Pythagorean astronomy doctrines are among the compelling topics, as are the pentagram’s symbolism, the meaning of the Ark of the Covenant, and the design of the American flag.
Manly P. Hall delves into the mysteries of Isis, as well as the occult aspects of mystic Christianity and other religions. Fascinating examinations include a wide range of subjects, including Kabbalah, alchemy, cryptology, and Tarot, as well as Masonry, gemology, and William Shakespeare’s identity. There are sixteen colour plates and 100 black-and-white photos on sixteen pages.Read more
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Dictatorland: The Men Who Stole Africa
A Financial Times Book of the Year
‘Jaw-dropping’ Daily Express‘Grimly fascinating’ Financial Times
‘Humane, timely, accessible and well-researched’ Irish Times
The dictator who grew so rich on his country’s cocoa crop that he built a 35-storey-high basilica in the jungles of the Ivory Coast. The austere, incorruptible leader who has shut Eritrea off from the world in a permanent state of war and conscripted every adult into the armed forces. In Equatorial Guinea, the paranoid despot who thought Hitler was the saviour of Africa and waged a relentless campaign of terror against his own people. The Libyan army officer who authored a new work of political philosophy, The Green Book, and lived in a tent with a harem of female soldiers, running his country like a mafia family business.
And behind these almost incredible stories of fantastic violence and excess lie the dark secrets of Western greed and complicity, the insatiable taste for chocolate, oil, diamonds and gold that has encouraged dictators to rule with an iron hand, siphoning off their share of the action into mansions in Paris and banks in Zurich and keeping their people in dire poverty.
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£9.60£10.40Dictatorland: The Men Who Stole Africa
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The Presidents: 250 Years of American Political Leadership
Politics Home: Parliamentarians’ Top Books for Christmas 2021
‘A must read for political geeks’ – Saqib BhattiThere was a huge upsurge of global interest in US politics during the Trump presidency, culminating in the November 2020 election, the victory of the Democrat candidate Joe Biden and the subsequent, horrifying response in the storming of the US capitol. American politics is likely to remain deeply divided during the coming years, and also the focus of global attention – with Trump mobilising his base for 2024. But the transatlantic fascination with the role and office of the US President isn’t new at all, and in fact reaches all the way back to the birth of the United States itself.
The Presidents features essays, written by a range of academics, historians, political journalists and serving politicians, on all 46 American Presidents who have held the office over the last 230 years – from George Washington to Joe Biden. Each contributor has been carefully chosen based on expert knowledge of their subjects and personal connections, providing analysis of their subject’s successes, failures and influence. Any hagiographical writing is shunned in favour of a ‘warts and all’ perspective on each President and the impact they’ve had on US politics – past, present and future.
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Phonics Bumper Book Ages 3-5: Ideal for home learning (Collins Easy Learning Preschool)
Level: EYFS
Subject: EnglishAn engaging Phonics activity bumper book to really help boost your child’s progress at every stage of their learning!
Fully in line with the Early Years Foundation Stage, this English book provides reassurance whilst supporting your child’s learning at home.
Combining useful English practice with engaging, colourful illustrations, this Phonics bumper book helps to boost your child’s confidence and develop good learning habits for life. Each fun activity is designed to give your child a real sense of achievement.
Included in this book:
- questions that allow children to practise the important skills learned at school
- colourful activities that make learning fun and motivate children to learn at home
- helpful tips and answers so that you can support your child’s learning
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Be More Japan: The Art of Japanese Living
In love with all things Japan or looking to absorb a little Japanese wisdom into your daily life?
From the philosophies of ikigai and wabi sabi to kitsch karaoke nights and futuristic robot restaurants; traditional tea ceremonies and tranquil onsen dwellings to cosplay culture and J-Pop megastars; Japan is full of intriguing contradictions.
Though renowned for its ultramodern capital Tokyo – a sprawling neon-lit metropolis straight from the pages of a science fiction novel – Japan is still deeply rooted in ancient tradition. And while the country runs with clockwork precision, the cultural life of the inhabitants is transformed with the changing of the seasons, a testament to the enduring power of nature’s rhythms.
With each page alive with facts, history and inspiration, Be More Japan unlocks the secrets behind modern Japanese living – whether you’re eating sushi in London or enjoying the cherry blossoms in San Francisco. And if you’re dreaming of a future trip to Japan (or awaiting the 2021 Olympics) this book will get you closer to your destination before you’ve even departed.
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Rare Watches: Explore the World’s Most Exquisite Timepieces
Forewords by Jean-Claude Biver (CEO of Tag Heuer) and Aurel Bacs (Christie’s and Phillips auctioneers).This breathtaking book explores more than 50 of the rarest watches in the world, including unique examples of which only a single model exists. From watches that have set new records in auction houses, to feats of modern technology and engineering, via iconic models worn by figures such as Elvis Presley and James Bond, this book appeals to professionals, collectors and amateurs alike.
The photography in this book is published in collaboration with high-end auction houses and watch manufacturers, displaying some of the rarest, most expensive and sought-after watches in the world in incredible detail.
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Weird Walk: Wanderings and Wonderings through the British Ritual Year
The first book by iconic zine creators and cultural phenomenon Weird Walk. This is a superbly designed guide to Britain’s strange and ancient places, to standing stones and pagan rituals, and to the process of re-enchantment via weird walking.In this book is a radical idea. By walking the ancient landscape of Britain and following the wheel of the year, we can reconnect to our shared folklore, to the seasons and to nature. Let this hauntological gazetteer guide you through our enchanted places and strange seasonal rituals:
SPRING: Watch the equinox sunrise light up the floating capstone of Pentre Ifan and connect with the Cailleach at the shrine of Tigh nam Bodach in the remote Highlands
SUMMER: Feel the resonance of ancient raves and rituals in the stone circles of southwest England’s Stanton Drew, Avebury and the Hurlers
AUTUMN: Bring in the harvest with the old gods at Coldrum Long Barrow, and brave the ghosts on misty Blakeney Point
WINTER: Make merry at the Chepstow wassail, and listen out for the sunken church bells of the lost medieval city of DunwichRead more
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From the Ruins of Empire: The Revolt Against the West and the Remaking of Asia
Pankaj Mishra’s provocative account of how China, India and the Muslim World are remaking the world in their own image – shortlisted for the Orwell Prize 2013
SHORTLISTED FOR THE ORWELL PRIZE 2013
Viewed in the West as a time of self-confident progress, the Victorian period was experienced by Asians as a catastrophe. As the British gunned down the last heirs to the Mughal Empire or burned down the Summer Palace in Beijing, it was clear that for Asia to recover a new way of thinking was needed. Pankaj Mishra re-tells the history of the past two centuries, showing how a remarkable, disparate group of thinkers, journalists, radicals and charismatics emerged from the ruins of empire to create an unstoppable Asian renaissance, one whose ideas lie behind everything from the Chinese Communist Party to the Muslim Brotherhood, and have made our world what it is today.
Reviews:
‘Arrestingly original … this penetrating and disquieting book should be on the reading list of anybody who wants to understand where we are today’ John Gray, Independent
‘A riveting account that makes new and illuminating connections … deeply entertaining and deeply humane’ Hisham Matar
‘Fascinating … a rich and genuinely thought-provoking book’ Noel Malcolm, Sunday Telegraph
‘Provocative, shaming and convincing’ Michael Binyon, The Times
‘Lively … engaging … retains the power to shock’ Mark Mazower, Financial Times
‘Subtle, erudite and entertaining’ Economist, New Delhi
About the author:
Pankaj Mishra is the author of Butter Chicken in Ludiana, The Romantics, An End to Suffering and Temptations of the West. He writes principally for the Guardian, The New York Times, London Review of Books and New York Review of Books. He lives in London, Shimla and New York.
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Politics and the English Language (Penguin Modern Classics)
‘Politics and the English Language’ is widely considered Orwell’s most important essay on style. Style, for Orwell, was never simply a question of aesthetics; it was always inextricably linked to politics and to truth.’All issues are political issues, and politics itself is a mass of lies, evasions, folly, hatred and schizophrenia.When the general atmosphere is bad, language must suffer.’Language is a political issue, and slovenly use of language and cliches make it easier for those in power to deliberately use misleading language to hide unpleasant political facts. Bad English, he believed, was a vehicle for oppressive ideology, and it is no accident that ‘Politics and the English Language’ was written after the close of World War II.Read more
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African Designs from Traditional Sources (Dover Pictorial Archive)
These 378 linocut prints in crisp black-and-white designs reflect traditional work from Zulu, Masai, and dozens of other tribes. This pictorial archive includes masks, abstract motifs, and much more.Read more
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Treasury of Fantastic and Mythological Creatures: 1,087 Renderings from Historic Sources (Dover Pictorial Archive)
Drawing on fifty centuries of human history, this encyclopedic collection of images is filled with demons, monsters, animal-gods, totemic figures, and other supernatural beasts from the darker realms of man’s imagination. Works range from prehistoric rock paintings to the drawings of Max Ernst, from the masks of black Africa to the gargoyles of Notre Dame.Read more
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The Oxford History of World War II
Histories you can trust.World War Two was the most devastating conflict in recorded human history. It was both global in extent and total in character. It has understandably left a long and dark shadow across the decades. Yet it is three generations since hostilities formally ended in 1945 and the conflict is now a lived memory for only a few. And this growing distance in time has allowed historians to think differently about how to describe it, how to explain its course, and what subjects to focus on when considering the wartime experience.
For instance, as World War Two recedes ever further into the past, even a question as apparently basic as when it began and ended becomes less certain. Was it 1939, when the war in Europe began? Or the summer of 1941, with the beginning of Hitler’s war against the Soviet Union? Or did it become truly global only when the Japanese brought the USA into the war at the end of 1941? And what of the long conflict in East Asia, beginning with the Japanese aggression in China in the early 1930s and only ending with the triumph of the Chinese Communists in 1949?
In The Oxford History of World War Two a team of leading historians re-assesses the conflict for a new generation, exploring the course of the war not just in terms of the Allied response but also from the viewpoint of the Axis aggressor states. Under Richard Overy’s expert editorial guidance, the contributions take us from the genesis of war, through the action in the major theatres of conflict by land, sea, and air, to assessments of fighting power and military and technical innovation, the economics of total war, the culture and propaganda of war, and the experience of war (and genocide) for both combatants and civilians, concluding with an account of the transition from World War to Cold War in the late 1940s. Together, they provide a stimulating and thought-provoking new interpretation of one of the most terrible and fascinating episodes in world history.
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£11.10£12.30The Oxford History of World War II
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Greek Religion: Archaic and Classical (Ancient World)
“Greek Religion . . . already has the standing of a classic, and the publication of an English version, which incorporates new material and is in effect a second edition, demands a toast . . . Anyone who pretends to survey Greek religion must be phenomenally learned. Burkert is. His book is a marvel of professional scholarship.”
London Review of Books“This book has established itself as a masterpiece, packed with learning but also rich in ideas and connections of every sort. Its appearance in a good English translation is an event not only for Hellenists but for all those interested in the study of religion . . . nobody else could have produced an account of the subject of comparable range and power. This will be the best history of Greek religion for this generation.”
New York Review of BooksCover illustration: detail from an Attic vase, 450 B.C., showing a victory sacrifice (The Mansell Collection).
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The Defiant: A History of Football Against Fascism
The Defiant: A History of Football Against Fascism uncovers the role that footballers and fans have played in the fight against fascism and the far right. Follow the path of football activism from the turbulent 1920s to the culture wars of the 21st century. What role did footballers play in World War Two? How did a Portuguese Cup Final help bring down Western Europe’s longest-running dictatorship? What impact did the football community have in bringing the atrocities of Latin America’s cruellest dictators to global attention? Football historian and author Chris Lee shines a spotlight on the roles of players, fans, coaches and officials in the fight against the dictatorships of Mussolini, Hitler, Franco, Salazar and authoritarian states in Latin America, bringing us an intriguing cast of rebels, partisans, spies and activists. Featuring interviews with leading authors and academics, fans and progressive football clubs, The Defiant shows that football and politics cannot be separated and asks what the future holds.Read more
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The Defiant: A History of Football Against Fascism
The Defiant: A History of Football Against Fascism uncovers the role that footballers and fans have played in the fight against fascism and the far right. Follow the path of football activism from the turbulent 1920s to the culture wars of the 21st century. What role did footballers play in World War Two? How did a Portuguese Cup Final help bring down Western Europe’s longest-running dictatorship? What impact did the football community have in bringing the atrocities of Latin America’s cruellest dictators to global attention? Football historian and author Chris Lee shines a spotlight on the roles of players, fans, coaches and officials in the fight against the dictatorships of Mussolini, Hitler, Franco, Salazar and authoritarian states in Latin America, bringing us an intriguing cast of rebels, partisans, spies and activists. Featuring interviews with leading authors and academics, fans and progressive football clubs, The Defiant shows that football and politics cannot be separated and asks what the future holds.Read more
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Lost at Sea: The Jon Ronson Mysteries
Frequently hilarious, sometimes disturbing, always entertaining, these fascinating stories of the chaos that lies on the fringe of our daily lives will have you wondering just what we’re capable of.
This updated edition of Lost at Sea includes the complete text of Frank: The True Story that Inspired the Movie.
Jon Ronson has been on patrol with America’s real-life superheroes and to a UFO convention in the Nevada desert with Robbie Williams. He’s met a man who tried to split the atom in his kitchen and asked a conscious robot if she’s got a soul.
Fascinated by madness, strange behaviour and the human mind, Jon has spent his life exploring mysterious events and meeting extraordinary people. Collected from various sources (including the Guardian and GQ) Lost at Sea features the very best of his adventures.
Portions of this book have appeared previously, in slightly different form, in Out of the Ordinary, What I Do, the Guardian and GQ.
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£10.40£12.30Lost at Sea: The Jon Ronson Mysteries
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The Other Hollywood: The Uncensored Oral History Of The Porn Film Indust ry
A raucous and revealing oral history of the birth of the adult film industry, The Other Hollywood peels back the candy coating to let the true story be told — by the stars, movie makers, and other industry players who lived it. And what a story it is: Through hundreds of original interviews, contemporary newspaper accounts, police reports, court testimony, and more, Legs McNeil and coauthors Jennifer Osborne and Peter Pavia trace today’s billion-dollar industry from its makeshift, mob-connected origins to the Internet age. Along the way we encounter porn stars such as Linda Lovelace, John Holmes, Traci Lords, and Savannah — along with countless mainstream stars, politicians, FBI agents, and more.
Epic, hilarious, and moving, The Other Hollywood contributes to the porn industry the one thing missing in all previous accounts: a vivid, tragicomic, irresistible humanity.
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Code of Conduct: Why We Need to Fix Parliament – and How to Do It
THE INSTANT TOP TWO SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERCronyism, nepotism, conflicts of interest, misconduct, lying. Is this the worst parliament in history?
Leading MP Chris Bryant tells the inside story of misconduct in parliament, and outlines how we can help solve it.‘Takes a bulldozer to the crumbling edifice of parliamentary standards’ JAMES O’BRIEN
‘Absolutely riveting. I read, I blink, I gasp’ REVEREND RICHARD COLES
‘Vital. It should serve as a wake-up call to all of us’ ALASTAIR CAMPBELL
‘A lively, forensic, engrossing, sometimes entertaining, often disturbing and always unflinching interrogation of what’s gone wrong with our legislature’ ANDREW RAWNSLEY, OBSERVERThe extraordinary turmoil we have seen in British politics in the last few years has set records. We have had the fastest turnover of ministers in our history and more MPs suspended from the House than ever. Rules have been flouted repeatedly, sometimes in plain sight. The government seems unable to escape the brush of sleaze. And just when we think it’s all going to calm down a bit, another scandal breaks.
Having spent years as Chair of the Committees on Standards and Privileges, Chris Bryant has had a front-row seat for the battle over standards in parliament. Cronyism, nepotism, conflicts of interest, misconduct and lying: politicians are engaging in these activities more frequently and more publicly than ever before. The result? The work of honest and accountable MPs is tarnished. Public trust is worn thin. And when nearly two thirds of voters think that MPs are out for themselves, democracy is in trouble.
It is time for a better brand of politics. Taking us inside the Pugin-carpeted corridors of Westminster, from the prime minister’s office to the Strangers’ Bar, Code of Conduct examines how parliament has got into this mess and suggests how it might – at last – get its house in order.
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£7.13 -
British Politics For Dummies, 2nd Edition
Your updated and revised guide to British politicsSo, you want to be knowledgeable about British politics but don’t know where to start? You’ve come to the right place! British Politics For Dummies is your essential guide to understanding even the trickiest questions surrounding politics in the UK. In no time, you’ll have the confidence to discuss the ins and outs of past and present elections, political leaders, parties and ideologies.
Packed with understandable information on the origins, history and structure of the UK parliamentary system, British Politics For Dummies offers a fascinating glimpse into the rollercoaster world of politics. Explaining everything from key political ideologies and the spread of democracy to the current election process and the differences between political parties, this hands-on, friendly guide is an ideal companion to British politics and elections.
- Includes expanded coverage of coalition governments, devolution and independence efforts
- Provides updated information on UKIP and Britain’s place in Europe
- Serves as a helpful guide to elections and British political parties―electoral systems, voting behaviour and trends and the role of pressure groups and the media
- Offers a fascinating examination of British politics on the world stage
Whether you want to get to grips with British politics and government or build your knowledge beyond the basics, this updated edition of British Politics For Dummies is the place to start.
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£13.30£15.20British Politics For Dummies, 2nd Edition
£13.30£15.20 -
Sing As We Go: Britain Between the Wars
Sing As We Go is an astonishingly ambitious overview of the political, social and cultural history of the country from 1919 to 1939.
It explores and explains the politics of the period, and puts such moments of national turmoil as the General Strike of 1926 and the Abdication Crisis of 1936 under the microscope. It offers pen portraits of the era’s most significant figures. It traces the changing face of Britain as cars made their first mass appearance, the suburbs sprawled, and radio and cinema became the means of mass entertainment. And it probes the deep divisions that split the nation: between the haves and have-nots, between warring ideological factions, and between those who promoted accommodation with fascism in Europe and those who bitterly opposed it.
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Praise for the series:‘Scholarly, objective and extremely well written. A masterclass . . . Heffer’s eye for the telling detail is evident on almost every page.’ Andrew Roberts, 5*, Telegraph
‘Gloriously rich and spirited . . . colourful, character driven history.’ Dominic Sandbrook, Sunday Times
‘Enlightening . . . Robust opinion, an eye for telling detail and a gift for bringing historical figures alive.’
History Books of the Year, Daily MailRead more
£27.10£33.30Sing As We Go: Britain Between the Wars
£27.10£33.30 -
Islamic History: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions)
Does history matter? This book argues not that history matters, but that Islamic history does. This Very Short Introduction introduces the story of Islamic history; the controversies surrounding its study; and the significance that it holds – for Muslims and for non-Muslims alike.Opening with a lucid overview of the rise and spread of Islam, from the seventh to twenty first century, the book charts the evolution of what was originally a small, localised community of believers into an international religion with over a billion adherents.
Chapters are also dedicated to the peoples – Arabs, Persians, and Turks – who shaped Islamic history, and to three representative institutions – the mosque, jihad, and the caliphate – that highlight Islam’s diversity over time.Finally, the roles that Islamic history has played in both religious and political contexts are analysed, while stressing the unique status that history enjoys amongst Muslims, especially compared to its lowly place in Western societies where history is often seen as little more than something that is not to be repeated.
Some of the questions that will be answered are:
· How did Islam arise from the obscurity of seventh century Arabia to the headlines of twenty first century media?
· How do we know what we claim to know about Islam’s rise and development?
· Why does any of this matter, either to Muslims or to non-Muslims?ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.
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£6.00£8.50 -
Introducing Islam: A Graphic Guide (Graphic Guides)
Islam is one of the world’s great monotheistic religions. Islamic culture, spanning 1,500 years, has produced some of the finest achievements of humanity. Yet the religion followed by a fifth of humankind is too often seen in the West in terms of fundamentalism, bigotry and violence- a perception that couldn’t be more wrong.
Introducing Islam recounts the history of Islam from the birth of Prophet Muhammad in the 6th century to its status as a global culture and political force today. Charting the achievements of Muslim civilisation, it explains the nature and message of the Qur’an, outlines the basic features of Islamic law, and assesses the impact of colonialism on Muslim societies.
Ziauddin Sardar and Zafar Abbas Malik show how Muslims everywhere are trying to live their faith and are shaping new Islamic ideas and ideals for a globalised world.Read more
£4.50£8.50 -
Mountbatten’s Samurai: Imperial Japanese Army and Navy Forces under British Control in Southeast Asia, 1945-1948
‘This is an important book that uncovers some remarkable secrets… Connor is an outstanding historian of wartime Asia and he tells his story well.’ Richard J. Aldrich, author of GCHQ: The Uncensored Story of Britain’s Most Secret Intelligence Agency.
Six weeks after Japan’s surrender in August 1945, British and Japanese troops were fighting side-by-side against nationalist revolutionaries in ‘peacekeeping’ operations in Indonesia and Vietnam. In Java, Dutch civilians cheered as their former jailors, members of the infamous kenpeitai rescued them from what had seemed certain death at the hands of armed mobs. In November 1945 a Japanese Army officer was recommended for a British Distinguished Service Order (DSO) for services rendered to South-East Asia Command after his troops helped restore order and save thousands of civilian lives.
‘The Japanese may be so deployed and…drastic action including shooting should be taken against any who refuse’. Admiral Mountbatten (to War Office), Kandy, 24 August 1945.
‘The men concerned are surely Japanese prisoners-of-war and if the War Office, in order to evade compliance with the Geneva Convention, have decided to call them something else, this should not…avoid responsibility for decent treatment.’ Foreign Office, London, 18 March 1946.
In August 1945 Britain accepted responsibility for the care and repatriation of over 750,000 Japanese military personnel in Southeast Asia. Short of manpower and resources in Burma and Malaya, and with its French and Dutch Allies’ colonial territories of Indo-China (FIC) and the Netherlands East Indies (NEI) embroiled in revolution, Britain found it expedient to press the Japanese-who were denied Prisoner of War (PoW) status-into military operations in support of European colonial interests and then ignore repatriation commitments by deliberately retaining over 100,000 as mass, unpaid labour.
‘[A] stain which would blemish the honor of the United Kingdom…’ General Douglas MacArthur, Tokyo, March 1947.
Mountbatten’s Samurai reveals a Britain struggling to match Great Power status and obligation without a Great Power budget or capability in Southeast Asia in the face of strong criticism from the US State Department in Washington, General Douglas MacArthur’s SCAP GHQ Occupation headquarters in Tokyo, the International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC), the Japanese Government and even the Vatican.
‘A perceptive and shrewd analysis of the prolonged and secret diplomatic stand-off between London and Washington over Britain’s post-war use of tens of thousands of surrendered Japanese in combat operations in support of European colonial interests in contravention of the Geneva Convention, and later as deliberately retained, unpaid labour in breach of the Potsdam Agreement’. (Publisher’s Catalogue)
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£28.50 -
Folklore and Symbolism of Flowers, Plants and Trees [Illustrated Edition]
2012 Reprint of 1960 Edition. Exact facsimile of the original edition, not reproduced with Optical Recognition Software. In this unique and fascinating book, two collectors of pictorial symbols tell the story of flower symbolism, explaining its religious, magical and legendary significance and revealing hundreds of curious and little know facts. This is an essential work for folklorists, for artists and designers in all fields, for botanical and gardening specialists, and for all those who would be familiar with the hidden language of flowers, plants and trees. Profusely illustrated.Read more
£9.00 -
The 48 Laws Of Power: Robert Greene (The Modern Machiavellian Robert Greene)
THE MILLION COPY INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER
‘If power is your ultimate goal, this is the book you need’ The Times
Amoral, cunning, ruthless, and instructive, this piercing work distils three thousand years of the history of power into forty-eight well-explicated laws. As attention-grabbing in its design as it is in its content, this bold volume outlines the laws of power in their unvarnished essence, synthesizing the philosophies of Machiavelli, Sun-tzu, Carl von Clausewitz, and other great thinkers.
Some laws require prudence (“Law 1: Never Outshine the Master”), some stealth (“Law 3: Conceal Your Intentions”), and some the total absence of mercy (“Law 15: Crush Your Enemy Totally”), but like it or not, all have applications in real-life situations.
Illustrated through the tactics of Queen Elizabeth I, Henry Kissenger, P T Barnum, and other famous figures who have wielded – or been victimised by – power, these laws will fascinate any reader interested in gaining, observing or defending against ultimate control.
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£15.99£18.99 -
2023 Social Media Content Planner: Consistently Better Content
2023 Social Media Content Planner: Consistently Better ContentSave time and produce consistently better social media content with the 2023 Social Media Content Planner. Spend as little time as possible getting the best possible results.
Take the headache out of Social Media content creation, week in and week out. What’s included:
- 2023 social media trends and how this will impact your social media posts and ads
- Social media content planning workbook. Complete this to gain clarity on your marketing messages
- How to establish social media content pillars with 95 ideas (including suggested post descriptions and ideas of what images/videos to use)
- 400+ prompts for social media posts (at least one for every day of 2023!)
- Tips on writing social media post descriptions
- Guidelines on running social media paid ads
- A week to view diary including bank holidays from Ireland, UK & US
- Resource web page with €240/£210/$247 worth of helpful tools including a Social Media Content Planning Calendar Template, a Building Your Bio Blueprint & an invitation to a live Social Media Masterclass in February 2023 (with playback).
Our testimonials say it all…
This is like an encyclopedia of tips and knowledge. Little things like profile and cover pics sizes, “national day of”…for every month to add some fun to your posts. A full diary for the year as well. So much knowledge at your fingertips when you own this planner. (Sinead, Social Media Freelancer)
This book does exactly what it says, it is a brilliant guide to help navigate and plan out social media campaigns. 5 stars from me. (J Forde, Transformation Coach).
This is not just a book it’s a tool that you use daily to succeed in your Social media strategy! (A Mallett, Entrepreneur)
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£9.50
