D-Day: 6 June 1944, the Normandy landings, and an incredible turning point in the war. Operation Overlord saw Allied forces land on the beaches of northern France, a staggering achievement and the res
On 16 August 1819 on St Peter’s Field, Manchester, a peaceful demonstration of some 60,000 workers and reformers was brutally dispersed by sabrewielding cavalry, resulting in at least fifteen dead and
Eldest son of the Prime Minister, with an outstanding academic record at Oxford, Raymond Asquith devoted his great talents to friendship, preferring conversation and literature to the struggle for wor
Reliable genealogical conclusions depend on reliable data. Central to any good investigation is an appreciation of where the data came from so that other investigator can re-examine it and re-establis
With a supporting text detailing the rich architectural and design heritage of the London Underground, this unique photographic collection provides a striking record of the subterranean city before fi
This is the story of two single-handed non-stop round-the-world voyages: Robin Knox-Johnston’s in 1968/9 and Ellen MacArthur’s in 2004/5. Although there were similarities (both voyages started and fin
July 1940 saw the collaborationist Vichy regime replace the French Republic after the country suffered heavily at the hands of the German onslaught during World War II. A small number of people sought
From the untold magic (and fear) of an uncle’s VHS recording of Close Encounters of The Third Kind to childhood crushes on Christopher Reeve, bedroom remakes of Return of The Jedi, meeting Darth
Celebrating a year of ‘Women & Power’ programmes throughout the Trust, this guidebook explores the roles of National Trust places in the women’s suffrage movement, through the people who lived and wor
To tie in with the release of Live and Let Die, Roger Moore agreed to keep a day-by-day diary throughout the film’s production, which would be published just ahead of the premiere in July 1
The iconic figure of Robert the Bruce has gone down through the centuries as one of the most remarkable leaders of all time. With equal parts tenacity and ruthlessness, he had himself crowned King of
It is no secret that the Antarctic is one of the most dangerous, forbidding places for explorers to step foot in. The terrain is treacherous, the wildlife predatory and the climate fatal if not adequa
To tie in with the release of his first James Bond film, Live and Let Die, Roger Moore agreed to keep a day-by-day diary throughout the film’s production which was published just ahead of the pr
Freighters of the 1950s and ’60s – with masts, booms & hatches – were the last of their generation. It was the end of an era, just before the massive transition to faster, more efficient containerized
The Allied invasion of Europe during summer 1944 was widely expected and it fell to the Axis intelligence services to provide High Command with advance warning of the precise date and place of the lan
Shirley Baker started to photograph the streets of Manchester and Salford in the early 1960s when homes were being demolished and communities were being uprooted. 'Whole streets were disappearing and
Mathilde Carré, notoriously known as La Chatte, was remarkable for all the wrong reasons. Like most spies she was temperamental, scheming and manipulative – but she was also treacherous. A dangerous
The Second World War is famed for being the conflict that changed the face of warfare, and it is the last that changed the face of the world. In addition to remembering those that passed away in those
When Hitler ordered the north of Nazi-occupied Norway to be destroyed in a scorched earth retreat in 1944, everything of potential use to the Soviet enemy was destroyed. Fifty thousand people were for
For all the richness and nuance of the English language there are some words that other languages simply do better—whether it’s an insult that just hits the spot, a phrase that beautifully
In late autumn 1968, callow youth Dorian Bond was charged with traveling to Yugoslavia to deliver cigars and film stock to legendary Hollywood director Orson Welles. The pair soon struck up an unlikel
The Albigensian crusade (1209–29) by the Catholic Church against the Cathar heretics of southern France is commonly ascribed to religious fanaticism. This book is the first to offer a dedicated
This book covers all aspects of the manufacture of "artillery," the shooting styles and the uses of medieval and Renaissance archery based upon contemporary manuscripts, preserved artif
From European favorites such as Mastichato Chios, which saved 2,000 Greeks from a bloody massacre at the hands of vengeful Turks, to legendary drinks such as Amarula, invented by African elephants; fr
The blaze of a log fire on a cold night speaks to the heart in a way no other flame can. It has character and ever-changing form; it has vibrant color and a balletic movement. Indeed, it was the flame
In this detailed book, Peter McCue reflects on the enormous range of paranormal phenomena to have been reported along Britain’s roads, and examines the theory that certain areas seem to be hot s
Operation Basalt was carried out by British commandos on the island of Sark on the night of October 3-4, 1942, intended to serve several purposes. The raid itself was a tactical success: a German pris
The murder of the Princes in the Tower is the most famous cold case in British history. Traditionally considered victims of a ruthless uncle, there are other suspects too often and too easily discount
The plot could have been inspired by Evelyn Waugh's Vile Bodies, but this is a real-life story of scandal, greed, corruption, and promiscuity at the heart of 1920's and 1930's high society
Stephen Poole worked on three of British Rail’s five geographical Regions and then for three of the BR business sectors, thereby experiencing a vast range of operational, business and management
When Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels was released in 1998, few would have prophesied the impact this low budget crime comedy would have. Almost overnight it became a cultural phenomenon, launched
