This compelling memoir starts with a boy's journey through the years of the 1930s-days of the rag and bone man, streer lamplighters, Hercule Poirot, and in the background, Hitler. Then life gets real,
Too often dismissed as the unready king—unprepared, ill-advised, and incapable of dealing with the military and political crises that faced the Anglo-Saxon kingdom, not least of which were a se
The inspirational story of Kathleen Ferrier, whose reputation as the greatest lyric contralto of the 20th century is something rarely disputed, is told here with compelling insight and perception. Dr
The 20th century saw two world wars and many other conflicts characterized by technological change and severity of casualties. Medicine has adapted quickly to deal with such challenges and new medical
Filled with fascinating factoids, this distinctive reference uncovers the hidden stories, curious histories, and comic coincidences behinds dozens of locations around the city of London. The sites ad
With a plot to grace any comic opera, the 1859-1872 "Pig War" broke out when an American living on a quietly disputed island in the Gulf of Georgia shot a British pig. The nearby Vancouver I
Norman Cross was the site of the world’s first purpose-built prisoner-of- war camp constructed during the Napoleonic Wars. Opened in 1797, it was more than just a prison: it was a town in itself, with
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
"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
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
In August 1914, Kitchener’s ‘Contemptible Little Army’ was highly professional, but small and equipped with only what it could carry. Facing it was a force of continental proportions
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
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
Following Nelson’s triumph at the Battle of the Nile, he was presented with an extraordinary diamond jewel by the Sultan of Turkey. The chelengk was the Ottomans’ highest reward for gallan
Discover the darker side of Antrim with this collections of spine-chilling tales from across the county. This spooky selection of stories includes the phantom coach of Dundermot Mound, Devil Worship a
In this new biography, published to coincide with the 100th anniversary of her execution, Mata Hari is revealed in all of her flawed eccentricity; a woman whose adult life was a fantastical web of lie
In 1922 the fledgling Irish Free State decided to replace the RIC with the Civic Guard (An Garda Síochána). This new Irish police force found itself dealing with an unsettled population, many of whom
On Sunday, October 5, 2014, the 75,000-strong crowd at Old Trafford for Manchester United’s game against Everton joined in with an extended version of a chant which echoed around the stadium. "We all
Hampton Court, 1522. Two young men, both heirs to an earldom, both rivals, both already inflamed with jealousy. In the hothouse atmosphere of Cardinal Wolsey’s luxurious palace their hatred grows and
Of the 2.3 million National Servicemen conscripted during the Cold War, 5,000 attended the secret Joint Services School for Linguists, tasked with supplying much-needed Russian speakers to the three s
The Falklands War is a story of occupation, fierce air battles, heavy naval losses and bitter encounters between ground forces amidst an inhospitable terrain and unforgiving climate. With complex poli
Rorke’s Drift in 1879 is undoubtedly the most famous of Britain’s imperial battles. With South Africa becoming a more popular tourist destination, never has there been a better time to visit this icon
RMS Titanic sank after colliding with an iceberg in 1912 and her story still fascinates people all over the world today. This stunning coloring book presents the ship in all her glory, dwelling on the
Why is Jesus a giant? Because he was the founder of Christianity, the largest religion in the world with 2 billion adherents; because Christianity is one of the five great religions of the world, with
Flying as an airline passenger is, statistically, one of the safest forms of travel. Even so, the history of civil aviation is littered with high profile disasters involving major loss of life. This n
With riveting facts, figures, quotes, and statistics from the high-flying world of aviation, From Airbus to Zeppelin has it all. D is for Desert Island Discs: just what would Dambuster Guy Gibson have
1849: when Charles Dickens discovers the corpse of an actor on the empty stage of a Manchester theater, Dickens himself becomes the number one suspect. But with the help of Superintendent Jones of Bow
The largest, most luxurious ship in the world, wrecked on her maiden voyage after colliding with an iceberg in mid-Atlantic, has become the stuff of legends. While everyone knows the new White Star li
Popular music in the 1920s called out for a guitar sound that was more dominant. Early experiments with steel cones or resonators, Hawaiian electric guitars, and the first Electric Spanish style 6-str
Mary Lindell, the Comtesse de Milleville, was British-born but a largely forgotten agent. She combined a passion for adventure with blunt speech and persistently displayed the greatest personal braver
Jack the Ripper is the quintessential Victorian serial killer, and the debate continues with regard to the number of his victims: were there just four or five, or more than nine of them? But there is
Discover the darker side of Ireland with this collection of spine-chilling tales from across the country. Within the pages of this book Tony Locke will take you on a journey through the magical land o
In 218, Hannibal Barca, desperate to avenge the defeat of Carthage in the First Punic War, launched an ambitious ground invasion of Italy. With just a small force, he crossed the Alps – a feat reckone
Everyone knows that Einstein was a genius, yet only a few people understand his work. In fact, he was just one of many brilliant scientists grappling with the deepest problems of theoretical physics d
This forgotten part of Tudor history is told here for the first time with all the passion and thrill of a novel, but this is no fiction—Henry VIII really did almost hand the throne to his beloved niec
The history of the London square begins in 1631 with the great name of Inigo Jones, whose houses and church in Covent Garden were both started in that year. Lincolns Inn Fields followed from 1638, tho
Now in his 60s, a former international executive with Microsoft Corporation and GlaxoSmithKline, Graham Satchwell, looks back on his time as a Transport Policeman across an impressive career. The book
Edward Jenner is a giant of modern medicine. Throughout history, smallpox had plagued humanity with disfigurement, blindness, and death. It was an incurable blight, the suffering of which Jenner helpe
On September 2, 1845, the convict ship Tasmania left Kingstown Harbour for Van Diemen’s Land, with 138 female convicts and their 35 children. On December 3, the ship arrived into Hobart. While the boo
In September, 1940, Britain is rife with rumors of dead Nazis washed up on the beaches of the southeast coast—their bodies charred as though burnt alive. James Hayward explores the truth behind the &q
