In Antony Cummins’ new work, the hidden life of Old Japan is brought to the fore using newly translated original documents from the times of the Samurai. Find out what fate befell a convicted criminal
Concorde’s first flight was on 2 March 1969, taking off from Toulouse for what was described as a ‘faultless’ maiden trip lasting 27 minutes. After that it took its place in history as surely the most
The Range Rover was introduced in 1970 and immediately turned the world of luxury cars on its head. Big, powerful and stylish, it was the first four-wheel drive car that was as happy cruising on tarma
All civilizations have faced the challenges and dangers of trading by sea: storms, bad weather, and the hazards of cliffs, headlands, reefs and sandbanks, threatening their safe passage into ports and
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
Over the years, Katherine Howard, Henry VIII’s fifth wife, has been slandered as a "juvenile delinquent," "empty-headed wanton," and "natural-born tart" who engaged
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
For three decades the Windrush was the maritime Zelig of the 20th century. Designed in 1930 in the Hamburg boatyard of a Jewish shipbuilder to ferry Germans to a new life in South America, it wasn'
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
In 1453, Richard, Duke of York, claimed the throne of England from his Lancastrian kinsman Henry VI, and set off a series of conflicts between rival branches of the English royal family, better known
In Ireland there are four provinces and, within these, are thirty-two counties. Each county and its people are unique, but the one thing they all have in common is their respect and regard for the &qu
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
Wallis Simpson was the woman who stole the king’s heart and rocked the monarchy—but she was not Edward VIII’s first or only love. There was Rosemary Leveson Gower, the girl he wanted
The Times on Cinema opens the Times’ and the Sunday Times’ vast archives of reviews and coverage of Hollywood’s most treasured films. Featuring many of cinema’s most revered cr
"War," wrote Cardinal Richelieu, "is one of the scourges with which it has pleased God to afflict men." Yet the prelate’s mournful observation scarcely begins to encapsulate
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
Eleven o’clock on the morning of November 11, 1918 heralded the end of a frightful era of bloody fighting and loss that affected every corner of the globe. However, upon the signing of the Armis
While the heroic exploits of ‘The Few’ of Fighter Command are rightly lauded, those of ‘The Many’ of Bomber Command remain overlooked. Night after night, the bomber crews ranged across Europe seeking
In 1943, as war raged along the Eastern Front, the German forces attempted to push further east in the brutal Operation Citadel, which saw one of the largest armoured clashes in history in the Battle
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
Churchill has gone down in history as one of the greatest leaders the world has ever known. From the day the Second World War was declared he stood out as the only man wanting to take offensive action
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
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
He was the son of a hereditary peer, one of the wealthiest men in Britain. At the age of 21 he founded The Film Society, and became a pioneering standard-bearer for film as art. He was a collaborator
London’s 100 Most Extraordinary Buildings reveals the stories behind the capital’s strangest and most enigmatic buildings. While some are open to the public—if you know who to ask&md
London’s 100 Strangest Places takes a sideways look at the capital, revealing the hidden stories, curious histories and sometimes comic associations behind dozens of sometimes quite familiar pla
The second millennium of mankind has been characterized by almost incessant warfare somewhere on the face of the globe. This book serves as a snapshot of the development of warfare over the past 1,000
From secluded mews to undiscovered cafes, flower markets, and tree-lined streets, prettycitylondon champions the quiet, gentle moments that allow you to escape in a huge capital city like London. If y
Journey alongside scientists, cinematographers and others who have visited the wreck in every expedition between 1985 and 2010. Their findings and equipment are analyzed, and there are photographs and
What are the items that symbolize the journey of women from second-class citizens with no legal rights, no vote and no official status to the powerful people they are today? And what are the objects t
The Harrier took to the skies in December, 1967. The McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II was the star of the Marine Corps in Operations Desert Storm, Iraqi Freedom, and Enduring Freedom. This book char
World War II saw the role of espionage, secret agents, and spy services increase exponentially as the world was thrown into a conflict quite unlike any that had gone before it. At this time, no one in
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
In this stunningly illustrated, detailed and deliberately entertaining book, John Laverick gives an insight into the exciting world of civil engineering, via 12 individual case studies. Originally cra
The Murder Gang recounts the remarkable true story of the elite group of renegade Fleet Street crime reporters who covered the most famous British murders between the mid-1930s and the mid-1960s, when
In February 1918, Lady Northcliffe, wife of the owner of The Daily Mail and The Times had the idea of raising funds for the Red Cross by asking women to give a pearl as a tribute to the dead and the w
Once hailed by John Osborne as "the greatest actor since Brando", latterly known as a ruined genius whose unpredictable, hellraising behavior was legendary, Nicol Williamson always went his
What is the connection between the number 13 and Jack the Ripper? Why was the number 18 crucial in catching Acid Bath murderer John George Haigh? And what is so puzzling about the number 340 in the ch
Roman Holiday is the heady tale of Rome during the 1950s and 1960s, when the cafes and nightclubs were filled with movie stars and film directors as Hollywood productions flocked to the city to film a
