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The Human Tide: How Population Shaped the Modern World
by Paul Morland'Superbly explained' Washington PostEvery phase since the advent of the industrial revolution - from the fate of the British Empire, to the global challenges from Germany, Japan and Russia, to America's emergence as a sole superpower, to the Arab Spring, to the long-term decline of economic growth that started with Japan and has now spread to Europe, to China's meteoric economy, to Brexit and the presidency of Donald Trump - can be explained better when we appreciate the meaning of demographic change across the world.The Human Tide is the first popular history book to redress the underestimated influence of population as a crucial factor in almost all of the major global shifts and events of the last two centuries - revealing how such events are connected by the invisible mutually catalysing forces of population.This highly original history offers a brilliant and simple unifying theory for our understanding the last two hundred years: the power of sheer numbers. An ambitious, original, magisterial history of modernity, it taps into prominent preoccupations of our day and will transform our perception of history for many years to come.
This is Gomorrah: Shortlisted for the CWA 2020 Ian Fleming Steel Dagger award
by Tom Chatfield'Thriller writing at its absolute best' Chris Whitaker 'Gripping, intelligent and stylish' Sophie Hannah THIS IS GOMORRAH. An exclusive online marketplace where anything and everything is for sale. Guns and porn. Identities and elections. Lives and deaths.THIS IS HELL. The war on terror is no longer just fought on the ground. In Syria, Islamic Republic recruits are now learning to spread fear online. But they've left a clue to their deadly next move . . . THIS IS THE MAN WHO CAN STOP THEM.Lonesome hacker Azi Bello is nobody's idea of a hero. Except his skills have caught the attention of a mysterious espionage unit, who think he might have what it takes to stop this evil force. Sent on a mission which could cost him his life, Azi's ultimate destination is Gomorrah. But can he make it out alive?Praise for THIS IS GOMORRAH:'The classic twenty-first century thriller' Michael Ridpath'A swift and spiky view of modern dark web espionage' James Swallow'A techno-thriller with wit and style' Mick Herron 'A beguiling blend of riveting hacker lore, sharp dialogue and inventive action scenes' Sunday Times 'Tense . . . a well-told, fast-paced story packed with contemporary relevance' Adam HamdyWhat readers have said about THIS IS GOMORRAH:'Unputdownable''One of the best thrillers I have read so far this year' 'I am lost for words to describe just how spectacular this book is . . . a must read' 'This is one of the best books I have read so far this year, a clever rollercoaster of a ride and I cannot wait for the next book in this series''There was no way that I could predict some of the wild directions this thriller took. Totally exhilarating'
This is Gomorrah: Shortlisted for the CWA 2020 Ian Fleming Steel Dagger award
by Tom ChatfieldThe Dark Web is everywhere - and those who know where to look, and who to ask, can find anything. Drugs, guns, porn, ideologies, lives and deaths are all up for sale . . . and everything must go. Set in the technological underbelly of the 21st century, this conspiracy thriller follows elite hacker Azi Bello on a journey of discovery into the dark marketplace known as Gomorrah, within which the world's worst people trade lives and influence. Taking the reader between London, Berlin, Athens and Los Angeles, as well as into terrorist-controlled Syrian cities, THIS IS GOMORRAH explores what it means to win, and to lose, at the global game of ideology and power. A loner, charmer, idealist and connoisseur of other people's mistakes, Azi's life is spun around by a mysterious approach from a young Muslim woman called Munira, and before long his carefully crafted privacy comes crashing down. Munira is at her wits' end, a fellow hacker whose cousin has been recruited by terrorists, and who has unearthed a terrible conspiracy in her struggle to bring him home. She needs Azi's help and connections to track him down. But can she be trusted? Can Azi trust anyone when identities can be changed with just a few clicks. . ?(P)2019 Hodder & Stoughton Limited
All The Queen's Corgis: Corgis, dorgis and gundogs: The story of Elizabeth II and her most faithful companions
by Penny Junor'It is actually a serious book, but it had me laughing out loud several times on the Tube. All mothers should receive one for Christmas.' Marcus Berkmann, SpectatorEveryone who loves The Crown on Netflix will enjoy this celebration of Queen Elizabeth II and her beloved canine friends.The Queen has had corgis by her side ever since she was seven years old and persuaded her father to buy one for the family. She also has several dorgis (a cross resulting from an accidental liaison between one of the Queen's corgis and Princess Margaret's dachshund) and is a passionate breeder of gundogs.The dogs are the Queen's constant companions, travelling with her by air, road and rail, from one royal residence to another. She walks and feeds them herself, chooses names for them, and at the end of their days, buries them with personalised plaques to commemorate each individual. Penny Junor reveals the scraps and scrapes that the dogs have been involved in - the hierarchy amongst them, the corgis' feisty attitude to footmen and guests, gardeners and innocent passersby. This fascinating and affectionate look at the Queen and her most faithful companions is a book for dog lovers everywhere about what really makes our much-loved and longest reigning monarch truly light up.
The Bishop's Pawn (Cotton Malone #13)
by Steve BerryThe first case of New York Times bestseller Steve Berry's iconic hero, Cotton Malone.History notes that the ugly feud between J. Edgar Hoover and Martin Luther King, Jr., marked by years of illegal surveillance and the accumulation of secret files, ended on April 4, 1968 when King was assassinated by James Earl Ray. But that may not have been the case.Now, fifty years later, former Justice Department agent Cotton Malone must reckon with what really happened on that fateful day in Memphis.It all turns on an incident from eighteen years ago, when Malone, a young Navy lawyer trying hard not to live up to his maverick reputation, is asked by Stephanie Nelle at the Justice Department to help with an investigation. He soon discovers that the Department and the FBI are at war over a hugely valuable rare coin - and a cache of secret files containing explosive revelations about the King assassination, information that could ruin innocent lives and threaten the legacy of the civil rights movement's greatest martyr.Malone's decision to see his first case through to the end - from the clear waters of the Dry Tortugas to the halls of power in Washington D.C. itself - not only changes his own life, but the course of history.
The Bishop's Pawn (Cotton Malone #13)
by Steve BerryThis audiobook is an expanded, annotated 'writer's cut' edition of The Bishop's Pawn, including fascinating behind-the-scenes commentary read by author Steve Berry. On the 50th anniversary of the death of Martin Luther King, comes the explosive new thriller from international bestseller Steve Berry that sees Cotton Malone return to his very first case.History notes that the ugly feud between J. Edgar Hoover and Martin Luther King, Jr., marked by years of illegal surveillance and the accumulation of secret files, ended on April 4, 1968 when King was assassinated by James Earl Ray. But that may not have been the case.Now, fifty years later, former Justice Department agent Cotton Malone must reckon with what really happened on that fateful day in Memphis.It all turns on an incident from eighteen years ago, when Malone, a young Navy lawyer trying hard not to live up to his maverick reputation, is asked by Stephanie Nelle at the Justice Department to help with an investigation. He soon discovers that the Department and the FBI are at war over a hugely valuable rare coin - and a cache of secret files containing explosive revelations about the King assassination, information that could ruin innocent lives and threaten the legacy of the civil rights movement's greatest martyr.Malone's decision to see his first case through to the end - from the clear waters of the Dry Tortugas to the halls of power in Washington D.C. itself - not only changes his own life, but the course of history.(P)2018 Macmillan Audio
Four Princes: Henry VIII, Francis I, Charles V, Suleiman the Magnificent and the Obsessions that Forged Modern Europe
by John Julius Norwich'Never before had the world seen four such giants co-existing. Sometimes friends, more often enemies, always rivals, these four men together held Europe in the hollow of their hands.' The colourful story of the four very different men who created our modern world: Henry VIII, Francis I of France, Charles V of Spain and Suleiman the Magnificent: popular history at its best from John Julius Norwich.Four great princes - Henry VIII of England, Francis I of France, Charles V of Spain and Suleiman the Magnificent - were born within a single decade. Each looms large in his country's history and, in this book, John Julius Norwich broadens the scope and shows how, against the rich background of the Renaissance and destruction of the Reformation, their wary obsession with one another laid the foundations for modern Europe. Individually, each man could hardly have been more different - from the scandals of Henry's six wives to Charles's monasticism - but, together, they dominated the world stage. From the Field of the Cloth of Gold, a pageant of jousting, feasting and general carousing so lavish that it nearly bankrupted both France and England, to Suleiman's celebratory pyramid of 2,000 human heads (including those of seven Hungarian bishops) after the battle of Mohács; from Anne Boleyn's six-fingered hand (a potential sign of witchcraft) that had the pious nervously crossing themselves to the real story of the Maltese falcon, Four Princes is history at its vivid, entertaining best. With a cast list that extends from Leonardo da Vinci to Barbarossa, and from Joanna the Mad to le roi grand-nez, John Julius Norwich offers the perfect guide to the most colourful century the world has ever known and brings the past to unforgettable life.(P) 2017 Tantor
A Spark of Light: THE NUMBER ONE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER
by Jodi PicoultTHE #1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER 'A writer the world needs to be reading right now' The Independent'An apposite and nuanced novel... Picoult writes about an emotive, controversial issue with unflinching precision.' Red'A very special novel about a very difficult subject.' Grazia'Her intelligent, meticulously researched novels explore ethical dilemmas through heartrending, headline-grabbing scenarios' The Sunday TimesThe Center for women's reproductive health offers a last chance at hope - but nobody ends up there by choice.Its very existence is controversial, and to the demonstrators who barricade the building every day, the service it offers is no different from legalised murder.Now life and death decisions are being made horrifyingly real: a lone protester with a gun has taken the staff, patients and visitors hostage.Starting at the tensest moment in the negotiations for their release, A Spark of Light unravels backwards, revealing hour by urgent hour what brought each of these people - the gunman, the negotiator, the doctors, nurses and women who have come to them for treatment - to this point.And certainties unwind as truths and secrets are peeled away, revealing the complexity of balancing the right to life with the right to choose.
Dear Madam President: An Open Letter to the Women Who Will Run the World
by Jennifer PalmieriTHE NUMBER ONE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERDEAR MADAM PRESIDENT is an empowering letter from former White House Communications Director Jennifer Palmieri to the first woman president, and by extension, to all women working to succeed in any field. By using lessons learned during her experiences with Hillary Clinton, President Obama, and Elizabeth Edwards - to name a few - Palmieri through each chapter creates a forward-thinking framework of inspirational and practical advice for all women everywhere - from boardrooms to living rooms - who are determined to seize control of their lives, their workplaces, and their country. DEAR MADAM PRESIDENT will turn the results of the 2016 election into something incredibly empowering for future female leaders and independent thinkers everywhere.We haven't wrapped our heads around what it should look like for a woman to be in the job of President. Our only models are men. This of course was seen during the Hillary Clinton campaign, and no one knows this better than Jennifer Palmieri. While wildly disappointed by the outcome of the election, Palmieri optimistically argues in the book that the Clinton candidacy and all she experienced on the campaign trail - confusion, admiration, hate, love, acceptance, rejection - can now open the country up to reimagining women in leadership roles. And that is what Palmieri takes on in this book - redefining expectations for women looking to lead and creating a blueprint for women candidates and leaders to follow.
Dear Madam President: An Open Letter to the Women Who Will Run the World
by Jennifer PalmieriDEAR MADAM PRESIDENT is an empowering letter from former White House Communications Director Jennifer Palmieri to the first woman president, and by extension, to all women working to succeed in any field. By using lessons learned during her experiences with Hillary Clinton, President Obama, and Elizabeth Edwards--to name a few--Palmieri through each chapter creates a forward-thinking framework of inspirational and practical advice for all women everywhere--from boardrooms to living rooms--who are determined to seize control of their lives, their workplaces, and their country. DEAR MADAM PRESIDENT will turn the results of the 2016 election into something incredibly empowering for future female leaders and independent thinkers everywhere.We haven't wrapped our heads around what it should look like for a woman to be in the job of President. Our only models are men. This of course was seen during the Hillary Clinton campaign, and no one knows this better than Jennifer Palmieri. While wildly disappointed by the outcome of the election, Palmieri optimistically argues in the book that the Clinton candidacy and all she experienced on the campaign trail--confusion, admiration, hate, love, acceptance, rejection--can now open the country up to reimagining women in leadership roles. And that is what Palmieri takes on in this book--redefining expectations for women looking to lead and creating a blueprint for women candidates and leaders to follow.(P)2018 Hachette Audio
Anthem
by Noah HawleyThe first big novel of 2022: an epic literary thriller set where America is right now, in which a band of unlikely heroes sets out on a quest to save one innocent life - and might end up saving us all.The wheels are coming off in America. Opioid addictions accelerate unstoppably. Environmental collapse can be read in every weather report. Vigilante bands take over streets at night, wearing clownface makeup. The very idea of government, of citizenship, is challenged daily. And something is happening to teenagers across the country, spreading through memes only they know. At the Float Anxiety Abatement Center, in a suburb of Chicago, Simon Oliver is trying to recover from his sister's tragic passing. He breaks out to join a woman named Louise and a man called The Prophet on a quest as urgent as it is enigmatic. Who lies at the end of the road? A man known as The Wizard, whose past encounter with Louise sparked her own collapse. Their quest becomes a rescue mission when they join up with a man whose sister is being held captive by The Wizard, impregnated and imprisoned in a tower. Noah Hawley's new novel is a freewheeling adventure that finds unquenchable lights in dark corners. Unforgettably vivid characters and a plot as fast and bright as pop cinema blend in a Vonnegutian story that is as timeless as a Grimm's fairy tale. It is a leap into the idiosyncratic pulse of the American heart, written with the bravado, literary power, and feverish foresight that have made Hawley one of our most essential writers.(P) 2022 Hachette Audio
Rise and Kill First: The Secret History of Israel's Targeted Assassinations
by Ronen BergmanAN ECONOMIST BOOK OF THE YEAR'A gripping investigation of Israel's assassination policy' Sunday Times'Remarkable' Observer'Riveting' Daily Mail'Compelling' John le CarréWinner of 2018 National Jewish Book AwardFrom the very beginning of its statehood in 1948, the instinct to take every measure to defend the Jewish people has been hardwired into Israel's DNA. This is the riveting inside account of the targeted assassinations that have been used countless times, on enemies large and small, sometimes in response to attacks against the Israeli people and sometimes pre-emptively. Rise and Kill First counts their successes, failures and the moral and political price exacted on those who carried out the missions which have shaped the Israeli nation, the Middle East and the entire world.'Exciting, sometimes moving and always considered ... a stunning feat of research and a riveting read' Dominic Sandbrook, Sunday Times
Rise and Kill First: The Secret History of Israel's Targeted Assassinations
by Ronen Bergman'A gripping investigation of Israel's assassination policy' Sunday Times'Remarkable' Observer'Riveting' Daily Mail'Compelling' John le CarréWinner of 2018 National Jewish Book AwardThe Talmud says: "If someone comes to kill you, rise up and kill him first." This instinct to take every measure, even the most aggressive, to defend the Jewish people is hardwired into Israel's DNA. From the very beginning of its statehood in 1948, protecting the nation from harm has been the responsibility of its intelligence community and armed services, and there is one weapon in their vast arsenal that they have relied upon to thwart the most serious threats: Targeted assassinations have been used countless times, on enemies large and small, sometimes in response to attacks against the Israeli people and sometimes preemptively. In this page-turning, eye-opening book, journalist and military analyst Ronen Bergman - praised by David Remnick as "arguably [Israel's] best investigative reporter" - offers a riveting inside account of the targeted killing programs: their successes, their failures, and the moral and political price exacted on the men and women who approved and carried out the missions. Built from interviews with Israeli Prime Ministers as well as high-level figures in Mossad, and the country's military and intelligence services - Rise and Kill First includes never-before-reported, behind-the-curtain accounts of key operations, and based on hundreds of on-the-record interviews and thousands of previously unseen files. Bergman traces, from statehood to the present, the gripping events and thorny ethical questions underlying Israel's targeted killing campaign, which has shaped the Israeli nation, the Middle East, and the entire world.
The Daily Show Presidential Twitter Library
by Trevor NoahAs seen on The Daily Show, an illustrated portrait of the Donald J. Trump Twitter account, with analysis and 'scholarly' commentary from the writers of The Daily Show and an introduction by Trevor Noah.In June 2017, just steps from Trump Tower in midtown Manhattan, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah opened The Donald J. Trump Presidential Twitter Library, a 4,000-square-foot museum space that gave the 45th president and his amazing Twitter legacy the respect they deserve. In the single weekend it was open to the public, the Library pop-up drew 7,500 visitors and had to turn away countless others.But the Presidential Twitter Library experience should not be limited to the elite coastal few. Not fair! All citizens, even the Mexican ones, should have the chance to see Donald Trump's tweets in their rightful context - organized and commented on in the fearless, hilarious, insightful voice of The Daily Show.This one-of-a-kind exhibition catalogue presents the Library's complete contents, including:The Masterpieces: In-depth critical appreciations of history's most important Trump tweets, from 'Very Stable Genius' to 'Covfefe' to 'Trump Tower Taco Bowl/I Love Hispanics!'The Greatest Battles: @realDonaldTrump's brutal Twitter campaigns against fellow Republicans, Diet Coke, women generally, and Kristen Stewart specificallySad! A Retrospective: a compendium of the many people, events and twists of fate that apparently made Donald Trump feel this human emotionTrumpstradamus: DJT's amazing 140-character predictions-none of which came true!The Hall of Nicknames: the greatest of Trump's monikers, from 'Lyin' Ted' to 'Low I.Q. Crazy Mika', accompanied by original caricature artworkTrump vs. Trump: You're going to want to sit for this one. Donald Trump has sometimes been known to contradict himself.Always the Best: the greatest boasts of the greatest boaster of all time, ever!Comprising hundreds of Trump tweets, and featuring a foreword by Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Jon Meacham, and even a place for readers to add their own future Trump tweet highlights - because he is making new Twitter history literally every day - The Donald J. Trump Presidential Twitter Library is a unique portrait of an artist whose masterworks will be studied by historians, grammarians, and mental health professionals for years to come.
The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe: How To Know What's Really Real in a World Increasingly Full of Fake
by Steven Novella'A fantastic compendium of skeptical thinking and the perfect primer for anyone who wants to separate fact from fiction.' Richard Wiseman, author 59 Seconds'Thorough, informative, and enlightening... If this book does not become required reading for us all, we may well see modern civilization unravel before our eyes.' Neil deGrasse Tyson, author of Astrophysics for People in a HurryIn this tie-in to their popular 'The Skeptics Guide to the Universe' podcast, Steven Novella, along with 'Skeptical Rogues' Bob Novella, Cara Santa Maria, Jay Novella and Evan Bernstein explain the tenets of skeptical thinking and debunk some of the biggest scientific myths, fallacies and conspiracy theories (anti-vaccines, homeopathy, UFO sightings, and many more.) They'll help us try to make sense of what seems like an increasingly crazy world using powerful tools like science and philosophy. The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe is your guide through this maze of modern life. It covers essential critical thinking skills, as well as giving insight into how your brain works and how to avoid common pitfalls in thinking. They discuss the difference between science and pseudoscience, how to recognize common science news tropes, how to discuss conspiracy theories with that crazy colleague of yours, and how to apply all of this to everyday life.As fascinating as it is entertaining, this page turner is your essential guide to seeing through the fake news and media manipulation in our increasingly confusing world.
The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe: How To Know What's Really Real in a World Increasingly Full of Fake
by Steven Novella'A fantastic compendium of skeptical thinking and the perfect primer for anyone who wants to separate fact from fiction.' Richard Wiseman, author 59 Seconds'Thorough, informative, and enlightening... If this book does not become required reading for us all, we may well see modern civilization unravel before our eyes.' Neil deGrasse Tyson, author of Astrophysics for People in a HurryAn entertaining and all-encompassing guide to skeptical thinking for the age of misinformation.In this tie-in to their popular 'The Skeptics Guide to the Universe' podcast, Steven Novella, along with 'Skeptical Rogues' Bob Novella, Cara Santa Maria, Jay Novella and Evan Bernstein explain the tenets of skeptical thinking and debunk some of the biggest scientific myths, fallacies and conspiracy theories (anti-vaccines, homeopathy, UFO sightings, and many more.) They'll help us try to make sense of what seems like an increasingly crazy world using powerful tools like science and philosophy. The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe is your guide through this maze of modern life. It covers essential critical thinking skills, as well as giving insight into how your brain works and how to avoid common pitfalls in thinking. They discuss the difference between science and pseudoscience, how to recognize common science news tropes, how to discuss conspiracy theories with that crazy colleague of yours, and how to apply all of this to everyday life.As fascinating as it is entertaining, this page turner is your essential guide to seeing through the fake news and media manipulation in our increasingly confusing world.(P)2018 Hachette Audio
Pilgrim Spy: My secret war against Putin, the KGB and the Stasi
by Tom ShoreThis is one of the great untold stories of the twentieth century.It is a first-hand account of a mission by an SAS soldier sent behind the Iron Curtain by MI6 to find someone who didn't necessarily want to be found and how, on a follow-up mission, he found himself manoeuvring against a mysterious KGB officer - one Major Vladimir Putin and a murder plot by Kremlin hardliners. If the plot had succeeded, it would have given the Russians the excuse they were looking for to roll out the tanks across East Germany, the Berlin Wall would not have fallen - and the map of Europe would look very different today.It tells of roof top chases, the interrogation of terrorists to gain vital information, a beautiful, East German female (who he suspected of being a Stasi spy), betrayal by people he trusted, an escape through forests pursued by enemy agents and ending in a climactic gun battle at Colditz castle, formerly used by the Soviets as a psychiatric hospital to detain dissidents.In James Bond novels, it is MI6 operators who carry out this type of work, but in reality, when facing a committed foe in an isolated and deadly environment, the intelligence agencies call upon members of the British Special Forces. This is the first insider account of how UK operators working undercover, do what needs to be done in order to protect the UK's interests abroad - revealing their hidden hand in world events.
Unlocking the Emperor's Door: Success, Tradition and Innovation in China
by Christopher SheedyOne man, one company, one country.If you are interacting with Chinese businesses, doing business in China, wanting to understand more about China, or simply wanting to see what can be achieved through passion, commitment, and integrity, this is the book for you. Unlocking the Emperor's Door documents the successes and failures of a man who has been at the heart of Chinese innovation for decades, told through the eyes of a Western business expert uniquely immersed in a culture that was once foreign to him.Demonstrating the impact of personal vision and persistence, a focus on driving business opportunities and a no-retreat philosophy, you will meet Li Jinyuan, the founder and Chairman of Tiens Group - known locally as Tianshi - and uncover his story of success, gain profound insight into a people and and better understand the nation which is driving the World economy.Set against the stunning and surreal backdrop of modern China, this rags to riches tale of triumph over tragedy, restless adaptation and individual courage in a complex system reveals truths about business in China which are vitally relevant today and will be essential tomorrow.Whether you are looking for information, inspiration, or innovation, you will find it in this book.
Rise and Fall: A History of the World in Ten Empires
by Paul StrathernRise and Fall opens with the Akkadian Empire, which ruled over a vast expanse of the region of ancient Mesopotamia, then turns to the immense Roman Empire, where we trace back our western and eastern roots. Next Strathern describes how a great deal of western classical culture was developed in the Abbasid and Umayyid Caliphates. Then, while Europe was beginning to emerge from a period of cultural stagnation, it almost fell to a whirlwind invasion from the East, at which point we meet the Emperors of the Mongol Empire . . .Combining breathtaking scope with masterful concision, Paul Strathern traces connections across four millennia and sheds new light on these major civilizations - from the Mongol Empire and the Yuan Dynasty to the Aztec and Ottoman, through to the most recent and biggest Empires: the British, Russo-Soviet and American. Charting 5,000 years of global history in ten succinct chapters, Rise and Fall makes comprehensive and inspiring reading to anyone fascinated by the history of the world.
Rise and Fall: A History of the World in Ten Empires
by Paul StrathernFrom the Akkadian Empire to modern-day America, Rise and Fall charts the history of the world through its ten greatest empires. Through these we examine humanity's will to power in forms both infamous and poorly understood, and trace the evolution of the imperial impulse as it moves from the blunt military aggression of the ancient empires to the subtle but far-reaching cultural influence of today's superpowers.We encounter empires in all their contradictions - like the Mongol Empire, the largest land empire the world has ever seen, and yet also the most short-lived. Rise and Fall also reveals striking, often completely unrelated historical parallels: pyramids found not just in Egypt but also in Babylon, Mexico and China; unmistakable echoes of the infant discovered in a basket myth which occur in the Old Testament, the Akkadian origin myth, as well in Hinduism. Above all, we see how the ambition of imperial greatness everywhere - from the Roman emperors to Hitler - is rooted in dreams of utopia and immortality.Every empire contains the seeds of its own destruction: so what precisely is social progress? Who benefits from it, and who suffers? Rise and Fall reminds us that the progress of humankind takes many forms, and that - perhaps - the systems we take for granted today are far from being the only or inevitable course of future civilisation.
Rise and Fall: A History of the World in Ten Empires
by Paul StrathernA dazzling new history of the world through ten major empires.Rise and Fall opens with the Akkadian Empire, which ruled over a vast expanse of the region of ancient Mesopotamia, then turns to the immense Roman Empire, where we trace back our western and eastern roots. Next Strathern describes how a great deal of western classical culture was developed in the Abbasid and Umayyid Caliphates. Then, while Europe was beginning to emerge from a period of cultural stagnation, it almost fell to a whirlwind invasion from the East, at which point we meet the Emperors of the Mongol Empire . . .Combining breathtaking scope with masterful concision, Paul Strathern traces connections across four millennia and sheds new light on these major civilizations - from the Mongol Empire and the Yuan Dynasty to the Aztec and Ottoman, through to the most recent and biggest Empires: the British, Russo-Soviet and American. Charting 5,000 years of global history in ten succinct chapters, Rise and Fall makes comprehensive and inspiring reading to anyone fascinated by the history of the world.(p) 2019 Hodder & Stoughton Ltd
The Black and Tans: The British Special Police In Ireland (History Press Ser.)
by Richard BennettA history of the infamous British temporary policemen sent to Ireland during the Irish War of Independence in the early 1920s.They could arrest and imprison anyone at any time. They murdered civilians. They wore a strange mixture of dark green tunics, khaki trousers, black belts, and odd headgear, including civilian felt hats. The Irish named them after a famous pack of wild dogs on County Limerick—The Black and Tans.Although they were only a small proportion of British forces in Ireland, they were the toughest, the wildest and the most feared. They knew nothing and they cared nothing about Ireland. They were sent there in March 1920 by Lloyd George’s coalition cabinet to make Ireland “a hell for rebels to live in.”Richard Bennett’s book is an accurate and authoritative account of an ugly and harrowing period in Anglo-Irish history—a period that the English have struggled to forget, and that the Irish cannot help but remember.
High Stakes: Britain's Air Arms in Action, 1945–1990
by Vic FlinthamAfter the dust of World War II had settled, the military position of the UK was far from straightforward. It was of course allied to the USA and part of NATO, but it was at odds with the former in maintaining an Empire and the two nations also had competing oil interests in the Middle East. The UK's engagement in war after 1945 was thus a strange mixture ranging from homeland security through insular actions within the colonies or protectorates to preserve empire - to playing a major role in confronting the USSR. The types of active involvement of the RAF, Fleet Air Arm and Army Air Corps between 1945 and 1995 include the following, with examples.Maintaining Local Stability - Greece, Netherlands East Indies. Maintaining Empire - Malaya, Kenya. Defending Empire - Borneo. Defending Interests - Suez, Kuwait. Homeland Security - Northern Ireland, air defence. Confrontation - Berlin Airlift, Korea. Covert Action - Albania, strategic reconnaissance. Humanitarian and Peacekeeping- Jordan, Cyprus. Development of Deterrent - Bombs, bombers and missiles.
One Leg: The Life and Letters of Henry Wiliiam Paget, First Marquess of Anglesey, K.G. 1768–1854
by The Marquess of AngleseyLetters and unpublished material contribute to this dramatic, humorous, and romantic biography of the heroic nobleman written by his descendant. Henry William Paget, first Marquess of Anglesey, was born more than twenty years before the French Revolution. Like his famous contemporary the Duke of Wellington, he became a legend during his lifetime. As a youth he was in one scrape after another; in his forties he figured in a celebrated elopement and duel which caused much scandal; but he is best known for his greatness as a cavalry leader. His brilliant timing of the charge of his &“heavies&” at Waterloo averted disaster in the first crisis of that battle. Having lost a leg by one of the last shots fired on that sanguinary day, he was later known as One-Leg Paget. Anglesey was twice lord-Lieutenant of Ireland. He was still in high office two years before his death at the age of sixty-five. Among the famous figures prominent in this absorbing story are the Prince Regent, Queen Victoria, Sir John Moore, Lord Melbourne, Daniel O&’Connell and, of course, the &“Iron Duke,&” with whom Anglesey was often at odds but of whom in old age he became a very close friend.
Shot in the Tower: The Stories of the Spies Executed in the Tower of London During the First World War
by Leonard SellersThe number 1 best book about spies in Britain. As listed by Dame Stelle Rimington Ex-Director-General of M.I.5.The first reaction to Leonard Sellers fascinating account of the spies who were executed in the Tower of London during the First World War is likely to be one of amazement at their ineptitude. Not one of them seems to have had any proper training or any idea of how to set about the job. This, of course raises the intriguing question: how many others were there who did know what they were up to and managed to escape detection? However, thanks to the more liberal attitude now prevalent regarding access to hitherto 'sensitive' material and to years of dogged research by Len Sellers, the remarkable, but somehow pathetic, stories of the eleven foreign agents who were caught and subsequently shot in the Tower for espionage can now be told. In these days when a mind-boggling array of equipment is available for the assimilation and transmission of supposedly secret information their antics strike one as little short of farcical, but for their efforts, inspired, it seems, more often by greed than patriotism, these men paid the ultimate price and paid it in the most historic site in Britain.Whether they deserved their fate, or indeed the niche in history which this book gives them, is for the reader to decide. What cannot be denied is that their collected histories make remarkable reading.