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[[Category:New Reviews|History]]__NOTOC__ <!-- INSERT NEW REVIEWS BELOW HERE-->{{Frontpage|isbn=1785633457|title=HistoryCharging Around: Exploring the Edges of England by Electric Car|author=Clive Wilkinson|rating=5__NOTOC__|genre=Travel|summary=Clive Wilkinson has a history of travelling by unconventional means with a preference for slow travel. As he neared his eightieth birthday the idea of exploring the edges of England in an electric car was not totally outrageous. In fact, it should be a pleasant holiday for Clive and his wife, Joan, shouldn't it?}}{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Paul Farley and Michael Symmons RobertsB09BLBP3P8|title=EdgelandsNeville Chamberlain's War: How Great Britain Opposed Hitler, 1939-1940|author=Frederic Seager

|summary=Around Received wisdom and simplified narrative often lead to misconceptions about history. One such is the middle scrubbing from the popular imagination of the last century and earlierearly days of World War II from 1939-40, books about known as the English countryside seemed very much in vogue. H.V. Morton's 'In Search of EnglandPhoney War'' . We remember Neville Chamberlain appeasing Hitler, war breaking out, and associated titles spring readily Churchill coming in to mindsave the day. Very little time is spent on this period in cultural reflections and yet, but there were a wealth of others, by authors who seemed intent on discovering the land for themselvesas Frederic Seager argues in this book, sometimes anxious to document it before it was goneof vital significance in how the war played out.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0224089021</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Jonathan Clark3756228711|title=A World By ItselfCDC: A History of the British IslesThe happy years with a spectacular IT 'Phenomena'|author=Hans Bodmer

|summary=As one who has always felt most at ease with the standard chronological approach to ''The history, driven by events and major personalities, I found the close-on 700 pages of this volume fairly demanding reading in places. It is divided into six parts, each by a different contributor with the editor himself writing the fourth. Each part is divided into Material Cultures, followed by essays on topics (not for all sections) on Religious Cultures; Religion, Nationalism and Identity; and Political and National Cultures. What we have, therefore, is an overview development of events from each period, more thorough in some instances than others, and a certain amount IT could fill books of theorizing on the general social, political and even artistic background. A straightforward history through the ages – it is notseveral hundred pages.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0712664963</amazonuk>}}''

{{newreview|author=Peter Hart|title=Gallipoli|rating=4Author Hans Bodmer is quite right about that.5|genre=History|summary=Early in 1915 the Allied Powers attempted He has chosen to seize tell us about the Dardanellesshort, capture Constantinople and eliminate Turkeybut explosive, who had joined history of the Central PowersControl Data Company, from the First World War. The campaign ended in failure and retreatCDC, yet for many years it was portrayed as a brilliant strategy undermined by bad luck and incompetent commanders. This painstakingly-researched account shows that this was not the casewhom he worked. It was more a matter of a wild scheme which was poorly planned and doomed from the start, compounding the Allies' problems by diverting large numbers of troops from attacking Germans on the Western Front, where they would arguably have been better employed. In his introduction he calls the eight-month exercise 'an epic tragedy with an incredible heroic resilience displayed by the soldiers', yet ultimately 's a futile and costly sideshow for all the combatants.' It was a huge drain on Allied military resourcesfascinating tale, involving nearly half told in a million troops, with the British Empire losing about 205,000 – 115,000 killed, wounded or missing mixture of technological summary and 90,000 evacuated sick – while the French lost 47,000, and the Turkish over 251,000wry anecdote.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1846681596</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Patrick Dillon Jeremy Dronfield and P J LynchDavid Ziggy Greene|title=The Story of BritainFritz and Kurt|rating=54|genre=Children's Non-FictionConfident Readers|summary=Author Patrick Dillon has put together a clearWe start with the pair of brothers Fritz and Kurt, well-written and beautifully concise story of Britaintheir muckers, summing up doing things any Jewish lad in 1930s Vienna would want to do – kicking things around the history of Britain and Ireland in a little over 320 pages. Significant eventsempty market place, ranging from helping the Norman Conquest neighbours, being dutiful when it comes to the South Sea Bubble, synagogue choir and groups of people ranging from highwaymen at a vocational school. Kurt has to make sure the Romantic poets, lamps are turned on at their very Orthodox neighbours' each dealt with in between 1 and 3 pages written in Dillon's chatty, easy to read style. There are also maps, including those of Friday night – the D-Day landings Sabbath preventing them for using anything nearly as mechanical and the Civil War battles, workmanlike as a timeline for each major period (Middle Ages, Tudors, Stuarts, Georgians, Victorians and Twentieth Century) and some gorgeous illustrations by former Kate Greenaway winner PJ Lynchlight switch.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1406311928</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Edward Pearce|title=Pitt But this is the Elder: Man of War|rating=3.5|genre=Biography|summary=William Pitt time just before the ElderAustrian leader is going to cave to Hitler's will, 1st Earl and instead of Chatham, and Prime Minister from 1766 having a national vote to 1768keep the Nazis out, has come down to us through the ages invite them in with open arms. ''Kristallnacht'' happened in Vienna just as much as the great eighteenth century equivalent of Winston Churchill, one of the great men of the British Empire in its earlier daysGermany, and as did all the man who led England triumphantly through the Seven Years War round-ups of 1756-63Jews. During These in their turn leave the 'year younger Kurt at home with his mother and sisters anxious to hear word of victories' in 1759an evacuation to Britain or the US, while Fritz and his father are, Quebec was capturedunknown initially to each other, packed off on the combined English and Prussian forces defeated the French at Minden, same train to Buchenwald and the army won a famous victory at Quiberon Baystone quarry there. For And us wondering how the titular event for the adult variant of all this, Pitt took – or was accorded by generations of historians – much of the credit.could come about…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1845951433</amazonuk>024156574X

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Tony JudtJohn Henry Phillips|title=The Memory ChaletSearch

|summary=If Archaeology cannot be child's play, when you are inclined 're scraping in the dirt looking to take your cues from the weekly reviewsfind what you can find, as often knowing there should be something there but not always confident what. Archaeology must be a fair bit harder when you set out to find some specific thing. This book is a case of the witty poet Gavin Ewart once expressed the matterlatter, you will doubtless find currently articles as varied as; Russell Brand predicting our author promises to locate the imminent decline topic of the BBC, various interpretations of liberalism and how these struggle titular search. And he really hasn't made it easy for expression in Coalition Government policy. There are concerns too about himself – the legislation governing the internet and references back to the Sixties battles betweensearch area is a wide one, on the one handtarget might not exist any more – oh, the unbridled self-expression of the free market andit's underwater, when he cannot dive. Latching on to a particular D-Day veteran through helping the otherheroic old man's visit back to France, our author has promised to find the virtues of self-restraint in such matters as the re-examination of the Lady Chatterley triallanding craft that delivered him to Normandy, now fifty years agoand that he was lucky to survive when it sank from beneath him. An unusual and quite intriguing book, Death of The secondary aim is to erect a Piratememorial to everyone else aboard, about the development vast majority of intellectual property and piracy whom perished. Who else would make such promises to someone in radio touches on all these contemporary concerns in a dramatic way. It combines the history of modern broadcasting with a crime story and consequent trial.their nineties?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0393068609</amazonuk>1472146182

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Mary BeardB09F4CTKJR|title=Pompeii: The Life of a Roman TownFlights for Freedom|author= Steven Burgauer

|genre=HistoryHistorical Fiction|summary=The introduction does not spare It's the reader later stages of World War I and the horror of United States has just entered the conflict. Petrol Petronus is a volcanic (Vesuvius) eruption in young American who has signed up and joined the year 79 CE17 Aero Squadron. As This company was the local residents literally ran for their lives clutching what they could easily carry ' ... a deadlyfirst US Aero Squadron to be trained in Canada, burning combination of gases, volcanic debris the first to be attached to the RAF and molten rock travelling at huge speed ...' leaves the reader with an horrific mental imagefirst to be sent into the skies to fight the Germans in active combat. All But before that last minute panicking was in vain. No one could survive such an onslaught. Nature at her very worst indeedcan happen, Petrol has to master flying the notoriously difficult but majestic Sopwith Camel.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1846684714</amazonuk>

 [[Category:History]]{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Simon Garfield0578761718|title=Just My Type: A Book About FontsThe Inspiring History of a Special Relationship|author=Nancy Carver

|summary=This book The church of St Mary Aldermanbuy had existed in the City of London from at least 1181, when it was first published in France mentioned in the late 1940s and was an instant successrecords. Sadly, Much praise is heaped upon it as we see from the back cover; but original church was destroyed in the line which resonates with me, is simply 'The Second Sex is required reading for anyone who believes Great Fire of London in equality1666.' I happily put my hand up It was rebuilt in Portland stone from a design by Sir Christopher Wren soon after the fire and then survived for that one, speakingcenturies until World War II, as when it happens - as a 'second sex' individualwas again ruined by bombs during the Blitz. It struck me But that wouldnwasn't it be interesting the end of its story: after a phenomenal fundraising effort, the stones from the church's walls were transported to also have Fulton, Missouri. There, in the grounds of Westminster College, the church was rebuilt and today serves as a male reviewer give this book his thorough and undivided attention?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>009949938X</amazonuk>memorial to Winston Churchill.

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Natalie Haynes1784385166|title=The Ancient Guide to Modern Life|rating=4|genre=History|summary=Haynes starts with the positive statement that we shouldn't throw the subject of ancient history straight Third Reich in the bin, so to speak. We should instead embrace it. It has lots to tell us if only we would listen. Chapter 1 entitled ''Old World Order'' certainly grabbed my attention with the line ... 'Can politicians really make a positive difference to our lives ...' In 2010 when the role of politicians is at an all-time low in the eyes of the voters, this is an excellent question to kick off with. We zoom right back in time and explore how the Athenians lived. Apparently they were rather forward-thinking and progressive people with ideas which could easily be put into use today. They also enjoyed true democracy. When Haynes was talking about politics generally I liked another sweeping statement of hers where she says ' ... that history teaches us we could offer our politicians a hefty pay cut and still get plenty of perfectly competent candidates.' My inner voice was shouting out - make an immediate start on that one please. I won't spoil all the delicious details which led up to this attention-grabbing statement but it really is food for thought.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1846683238</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Patricia Malcolmson and Robert Malcolmson (Editors)|title=Nella Last in the 1950s100 Objects: The Further Diaries of Housewife, 49|rating=4|genre=A Material History|summary=Nella Last wrote a regular diary for twenty-seven years. Two previous volumes, also edited by Patricia and Robert Malcolmson, deal with the Second World War and immediate [[Nella Last's Peace: The Post-war Diaries of Housewife 49 by Patricia Malcolmson (Editor), Robert Malcolmson (Editor)|post-War years]]. Now this third book starts with selections from 1950 and covers four years of social change as Britain moves into the reign of Elizabeth II.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1846683505</amazonuk>}} {{newreviewNazi Germany|author=Kwame Anthony Appiah|title=The Honor Code: How Moral Revolutions Happen|rating=3.5|genre=History|summary=In the Preface, Appiah believes that morality is an extremely important area of our lives as we live them today. He goes on by saying that it's all very well thinking about morality - our morals - our own code of living - but it's the ultimate action which truly matters. Well, I would certainly agree with that. And as Appiah digs deeper into his subject, he tells his readers that he was struck by similarities between, for example, ''the collapse of the duel, the abandonment of footbinding, the end of Atlantic slavery.'' In the following chapters he debates the issues of those three major areas of morality. They were, in short, moral issues on a very large scale.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0393071626</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Robert Temple|title=Egyptian Dawn: Exposing the Real Truth Behind Ancient Egypt|rating=3.5|genre=History|summary=This is latest book from Robert Temple in which he documents new theories on the Ancient Egyptians. There are some startling claims in the book, not least regarding the Pharaoh who built the Great Pyramid and the proposal that there were in fact two Egyptian civilisations that existed alongside each other in different parts of Egypt. If the author is correct in all of his assertions then it would certainly point to the location of amazing new archaeological discoveries and shine a new perspective on how we view the Ancient Egyptians and the Pyramids.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>071268414X</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Roy Vickery|title=Garlands, Conkers and Mother-Die: British and Irish Plant-LoreRoger Moorhouse

|summary=For many centuries, plants have not only had practical uses as food, remedies, textiles and dyes, What is the first image that comes to mind when you think of the Third Reich? Hitler? A swastika? The Nazi salute? The gate to a concentration camp? None of these are comfortable images but have also symbolic they are emblematic of the Third Reich's fascist regime in all its iniquity. But some objects and folkloric meaning in many different culturesimages from that time may be less familiar to you. The term ''plant-lore'' In this short volume, Roger Moorhouse has been coined attempted to describe the profusion of illustrate the customs and beliefs associated with plants, and this book gathers together many period of the plant-lore traditions Third Reich through one hundred of Britain and Irelandits material artefacts.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1441101950</amazonuk> 

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Paul MathieuLun Zhang, Adrien Gombeaud, Ameziane and Edward Gauvin (translator)|title=The Masters of MantonTiananmen 1989: From Alec Taylor to George ToddOur Shattered Hopes

|genre=HistoryGraphic Novels|summary='Manton' is one I never really followed the events of those iconic names Tiananmen Square with much attention when it was playing out – someone in horse racing: the yard on second half of their teens has other priorities, you know. I certainly didn't know of the edge weeks of protests and hunger strikes from the students before the Marlborough Downs in Wiltshire massacre and currently the home birth of trainer Brian Meehan. But Paul Mathieu isnthe Tank Man image, I didn't looking at what's happening todayknow how the area had long been a venue for political protest, or even in the recent past; heand I didn's looking back at the men who made Manton t know more than a household name from when spit about the yard was built in 1870 through to George Todd's death in 1974people involved on either side. The first master was Alec Taylor – generally known as 'Old Alec Taylor', who came to Manton from Fyfield with This book is practically flawless in giving a string of classic winners to his name. He, his son, general browser'Young Alec', Joe Lawson and George Todd were s context for the great names whole season of protests back in just over a century at the yard1989.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0955389402</amazonuk>1684056993

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Geert Mak0648684806|title=An Island in TimeClara Colby: The Biography of a VillageInternational Suffragist|author=John Holliday

|genre=HistoryBiography|summary=In the mid 1990s journalist and author Geert Mak returned The path of Clara Dorothy Bewick's life was probably determined when her family emigrated to his native Friesland and took up residence in the village of JorwertUSA. His aim At the time she was to investigate the quiet revolution going on in the agrarian communities not just of Holland three-years-old but because of the whole of Europe.  This some childhood ailment, she wasn't going allowed to be an outsider's viewsail with her parents and three brothers. Mak grew up in the northern Dutch province; he spoke the language; he knew the games Instead, she remained with her grandparents, who doted on her and understood the people. In saw that she received a very real sense Mak was going home… good education, both in and finding that it scarcely existed any more.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0099546868</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Ian Mortimer|title=Medieval Intrigue: Decoding Royal Conspiracies|rating=4|genre=History|summary=Over the last few years Dr Mortimer has established himself as one of the foremost writers out of British historical biography covering the 14th and early 15th centuriesschool. However his previous books have been quite accessible to She was the general as well as the scholarly reader. This present volume is aimed more at only child in the latter audience, assuming as it does a detailed knowledge of King Edward II household and his successorsher childhood was glorious. This is hinted at in his introductionBy contrast, her family had become pioneer farmers in which he points out that 'history is the most conservative mid-west of all professionsthe United States and life was hard, as Clara was to find out when she and a radical historian is generally branded a maverick by her grandparents eventually went to join the mainstreamfamily.'|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1847065899</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Daniel Swift|title=Bomber County|rating=4|genre=History|summary=Bomber County is, of course, Lincolnshire where squadrons of Beaufighters Clara would only know her mother for a few months: she was married for fifteen years, Wellingtonshad ten pregnancies, Halifaxes seven surviving children and Lancasters were huddled died in hangars for combined raids against enemy targets in German occupied Europechildbirth not long after Clara arrived. As the war progressed the targets escalatedeldest girl, from attacks against the German Fleet, the industrial complex of the Ruhr a heavy burden would fall on Clara and later, with the aim of breaking enemy morale, the targets included the cities - including Hamburg, Berlin, Dresden and Cologne. Night after night, crews already warmly dressed in jerseys and thick woollen socks zipped themselves into flying suits and made their way towards the enemy coastWisconsin was a rude awakening. Conditions were cramped and the temperatures plummeted as they gained altitude flying by the light of the moon to their appointed destinations.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0241144175</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Richard Tarnas1783784350|title=The Passion of the Western MindThis Golden Fleece: Understanding the Ideas That Have Shaped Our World ViewA Journey Through Britain's Knitted History|author=Esther Rutter

|summary=With plaudits such as 'Ten years It was December and Esther Rutter was stuck in the makingher office job, writing to people she' d never met and a 'US Bestseller', this book has serious pedigreepreparing spreadsheets. It is a serious book in content alsoThe job frustrated her and even her knitting did not soothe her mind. At its very heart is January was going to be a time for making changes and she decided that she would travel the link between length and breadth of the disciplines of philosophyBritish Isles with occasional forays abroad, religion discovering and science. Small sentence, huge implications, Itelling the story of wool'm thinking right at s history and how it had made and changed the outsetlandscape. Where to begin? Well, all the chapters are usefully subShe'd grown up on a sheep farm in Suffolk -divided into bite'' a free-sized pieces. So, although this book may look daunting to some at first glance, range child on the subject matter can be broken down very easily. Therefore, it starts with a section headed farm'The Greek World View' - and as many might expectlearned to spin, covers Socrates, Plato knit and weave from her mother and Homerher mother's friend. This was in her blood.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>184595162X</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Jonathan Phillips1789017977|title=Holy WarriorsRonnie and Hilda's Romance: A Modern History of the CrusadesTowards a New Life after World War II|author=Wendy Williams

|summary=In this book, drawing on a wealth Ronnie Williams was the son of contemporary sources including chronicles, songs, sermons, travel diaries Thomas Henry Williams (known as Harry) and peace treaties, Ethel Wall. There's some doubt as well as the existing literature from earlier generations, Phillips explores to whether or not they were ever married or even Harry's birthdate: he claimed to have been born in depth the contradictions and the diversity of holy war1863, of friendships but he was already many years older than Ethel and alliances between Christians and Muslims, the launches of crusades against Christians, and calls for jihads against Muslimshe might well have shaved a few years off his age. In doing so he has written what is not so much For a general history, while the family was quite well-to-do but disaster struck in the 1929 Depression and five-year-old Ronnie had vividly brought to life adjust to a rich tapestry of figures and events, while devoting equal attention in very different lifestyle. One thing he did inherit from his father was his narrative need to the Christian be well-turned-out and Islamic point of viewthis would stay with him throughout his life. This traces the crusading impulse from He joined the conquest of Jerusalem army at eighteen in the First Crusade, launched by Pope Urban II in France in 1095, to today, and in the process helps us to understand the origins of some of the sensitivities which have led to many of the conflicts still raging in the world today1942.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>184595078X</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Martin Davidson1980891117|title=The Perfect NaziG Engleheart Pinxit 1805: Uncovering My SS Grandfather's Secret Past and How Hitler Seduced a GenerationA year in the life of George Engleheart|author=John Webley

|genre=HistoryArt|summary=Meet Martin Davidson. NowGeorge Engleheart was one of the leading portrait miniaturists of Georgian London, when I start my reviews like that, normally it means he's with a career lasting from the 1770s to the main character, but he's not hereRegency era. He's big in the world was also one of BBC History documentaries, and grew up in the UKmost prolific, half Scottish and half Germanpainting nearly 5, knowing that many 000 miniatures altogether (over twenty of his older relatives lived through the Second World War. Foremost among them was his German grandfather, Bruno Langbehn, who would have been being of fighting age - in his 30s - during the Third ReichKing George III). Nothing much was ever said about Bruno's own history during Throughout most of that time he carefully recorded the warnames of each of his clients, except for many inflammatory, rising comments by Bruno himself. It took the old man and subsequently transcribed them into what is referred to die for the truth to be admitted by Martin's mother - their forefather was in the SSas his fee book.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0670916161</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Robert Darnton1789016304|title=The Case for BooksWar and Love: Past, Present, and Future|rating=4|genre=History|summary=Reading a book, whether for study or relaxation, in the sitting room, in bed, on public transport, or almost anywhere else, has been one of everybodyA family's favourite activities for many a long yeartestament of anguish, endurance and not just by visitors and contributors to this site. (Therein lies a paradox, I hear you say). As Darnton points out devotion in his introduction, the good old-fashioned book was not destroyed by newspapers (or magazines, for that matter), any more than television destroyed radio, or the internet made people abandon TV.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>158648902X</amazonuk>}} {{newreviewoccupied Amsterdam|author=John Keegan|title=The American Civil WarMelanie Martin|rating=45

|summary=While before reading this book I considered myself Melanie Martin read about what happened to be vaguely familiar with the major facts about the American Civil Dutch Jews in occupied Amsterdam during World War – the fight to liberate the slavesII and was entranced by what she discovered, particularly in ''The Diary of Ann Frank'' but then realised that her own family's stories were equally fascinating. A hundred and seven thousand Jews were deported from the well-known battles, and city during the towering figures such as Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S Grantwar years, but only five thousand survived and Robert E Lee – I was keen Martin could not understand how this could be allowed to learn more about the war and get an happen in-depth view of it from a renowned historiancountry with liberal values who were resistant to German occupation. After finishing Most people believed that the occupation could never happen: even those who thought that the Germans might reach the bookcity were convinced that they would soon be pushed back, I certainly consider myself that the Amsterdammers would never allow what happened to be far better informed on escalate in the military, and tactical, side of thingsway that it did, but found it a little lacking in certain other areas such initial protests melted away as the causes and effectsorganisers became more circumspect. It's an atrocity on a vast scale but made up of tens of thousands of individual tragedies.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0712616101</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=David Howarth1908745819|title=We Die Alone|rating=5|genre=Biography|summary=Consider taking a five day sail in a small fishing boat the height of the North Sea from Shetland, to try and establish, train and supply some potentially vital anti-German resistance in the far, far north of occupied Norway, your homeland. Imagine the sight of heavy naval parades where you intended to land, as galling proof that your intel is ages out of date. Ponder too the fact that you get reported to the Nazis due to the most ridiculous slight of fortune. All your colleagues are dead or captured, your equipment blown up with your trawler to keep it safe from Jerry hands, half your big toe has been shot off, and you're forced to go on the run in one of Europe's last, and coldest, wildernesses. And you have no idea whatsoever quite how bad this scenario is going to get.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1847678459</amazonuk>}} {{newreviewSurfacing|author=Norman Rose|title=A Senseless Squalid War: Voices From Palestine 1890s - 1948Kathleen Jamie

|summary=The reappearance of Sometimes when people suggest that you read a certain book, they tell you ''this one has your name on it''A Senseless. Mostly we take them at their word, Squalid Waror not, but rarely do we ask them why they thought so unless it turns out that we didn't like the book. That' in paperback will afford wider access s a rare experience. People who are sensitive to the balanced and detailed scholarship of Prof Norman Stone. This is hearing a sad story of the Palestinian Mandate retold through the viewpoints of politicians and proponents; Arabbook calling your name, Jewishrarely get it wrong. In this case, British, French, German and AmericanI was told why. It energetically conveys an understanding The blurb speaks of the character author considering ''an older, less tethered sense of figures as disparate as David Ben Gurion, Richard Crossman, Haj Amin and David Lloyd Georgeherself.'' Older. Organisations, conferences and sticking points are deftly expoundedLess tethered. It does That's not lose sight the overarching motives and machinations a bad description of International Politicswhere I am.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1845950798</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Paul Addison|title=No Turning Back: The Peacetime Revolutions Add to that my love of Post-War Britain|rating=4.5|genre=History|summary=In the opening chapter Addisonnatural world, a child of the 1940s, starts by comparing the leaders those aspects of the peacetime administrations poetic and lyrical that did are about style not form, and substance most to change the face of Britain after 1945all, about connection. Of course, this book had my name on it. The first, Clement Attlee, It was a modest, unassuming, even uncharismatic personality, yet he still led a genuinely radical and reforming governmentwritten for me. It would have found its way to me eventually. As the second, his admirer Margaret Thatcher, would point out in her memoirs, not only did he achieve a great deal, but he did I am pleased to have it fall onto my path so because of, or perhaps despite, being all substance and no showquickly.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0192192671</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Jonathan Green0857058320|title=Murder in Lord Of All the High Himalaya|rating=4.5|genre=Politics and Society|summary=The Himalayan mountains mean many things to different people. To the people of Tibet, trapped under the atheist occupiers from China, who ran the Dalai Lama out in the 1950s in their consuming urge for lebensraum and mineral mining, they are a near-impenetrable barrier, protecting their country from history's prior ravages, but keeping people who want out, very much in. To rich Westerners, they are a sparkling challenge - a task of the highest order, a box to tick on the way to self-fulfilment - something to be climbed, because they're there.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1586487140</amazonuk>}} {{newreviewDead|author=Brian W Pugh, Paul R Spiring Javier Cercas and Sadru Bhanji|title=Arthur Conan Doyle, Sherlock Holmes and Devon: A Complete Tour Guide and Companion|rating=4|genre=History|summary=''The Hound of the Baskervilles'' is one of the most famous mystery novels of all, and also one of the most famous English novels set in Devon. This alone would probably give more or less enough material for an entire book on connections between the story and the location which inspired it. Yet the authors have found several more links between the county, and Conan Doyle alongside those associated with him. The result has revealed much information of which even I, who have lived in the county nearly all my life, was previously unaware.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1904312861</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Jenny Diski|title=The SixtiesAnne McLean (translator)

|summary=In ''Lord Of All the last few years, there have been many books of varying length about Dead'' is a journey to uncover the 60sauthor's lost ancestor's life and death. Most of them are relatively self-contained histories of Cercas is searching for the meaning behind his great uncle's death in the decadeSpanish Civil War. Manuel Mena, often fairly liberal in adopting their signposts as to when Cercas' great uncle, is the figure who looms large over the era began and endedbook. (Blame Philip LarkinHe died relatively young whilst fighting for Francisco Franco's famous poem forces. Cercas ruminates on why his uncle fought for this dictator. The question at the confusion, I hear you say)centre of this book is whether it is possible for his great uncle to be a hero whilst having fought for the wrong side.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1846680042</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Charlotte Moore0008294011|title=HancoxHow to Lose a Country: The 7 Steps from Democracy to Dictatorship|author=Ece Temelkuran

|summary=Hancox is the large imposing house A little while ago a friend asked me if I thought that we were living through what in rural Sussex where Charlotte Moore was brought up, and where she still lives. Although its origins are not fully documented, according years to local records it certainly existed come would be discussed by A level history students when faced with the mid-15th century, its name probably derived from that of John Handcocks, one of question ''Discuss the early ownersfactors which led to.. .'' In I agreed that she was right and wasn't certain whether it was a good or bad thing that we didn't know what is basically part family history and part biography of the house itself, the author traces its story back all 'this' was leading to lawyer John Dounton, the first owner about whom nothing substantial is known, who made extensive alterations to it in 1569. It then passed through the hands of several families until her ancestors acquired it in 1888I think now that I do know. In 1900 one We are in danger of them let losing democracy and whilst it to the Church 's a flawed system I can't think of England Temperance Society a better one, particularly as a drying-out house for the 'inebriatesbenevolent dictator', but the arrangement was terminated in 1907 and the family moved back inis as rare as hen's teeth.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0670915866</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Frances Woodsford1788037812|title=Dear Mr BigelowThe Fraternity of the Estranged: A Transatlantic Friendship|rating=4|genre=Autobiography|summary=Meet Mister Bigelow. He's elderly, living alone on Long Island, New York, with some health problems but more than enough family and friends to get him by, and still a very active interest The Fight for Homosexual Rights in yachting, regattas and more. Meet, too, Frances Woodsford. She's reaching middle-age, living with her brother and mum in Bournemouth, and working for the local baths as organiser of events, office lackey and more. I suggest you do meet them, although neither ever met the other. Despite this they kept up a brisk and lively conversation about all aspects of life, from the late 1940s until his death at the beginning of the 60s. And as a result comes this bookEngland, of heavily edited highlights, which opens up a world of social history and entertaining diary1891-style comment.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0099542293</amazonuk>}} {{newreview1908|author=Peter Ackroyd|title=Venice: Pure CityBrian Anderson|rating=45

|summary=Among Peter Ackroyd's recent works are 'biographies' Originally passed in 1885, the law that had made homosexual relations a crime remained in place for 82 years. But during this time, restrictions on same-sex relationships did not go unchallenged. Between 1891 and 1908, three books on the nature of London homosexuality appeared. They were written by two homosexual men: Edward Carpenter and John Addington Symonds, as well as the heterosexual Havelock Ellis. Exploring the margins of society and studying homosexuality was common on the river Thames. Now he gives similar treatment to VeniceEuropean Continent, basically a history but enlivened with his elegantbarely talked about in the UK, literary styleso the publications of these men were hugely significant – contributing to the scientific understanding of homosexuality, and what a previous reviewer has called his love beginning the struggle for recognition and equality, leading to the milestone legalisation of 'psychogeographical investigation'same-sex relationships in 1967.x|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0099422565</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Benedict Gummer1910593508|title=The Scourging Angel: The Black Death in the British IslesApollo|author=Matt Fitch, Chris Baker and Mike Collins|rating=4.5

|summary=The mid-fourteenth century was an unsettled time This incredible graphic novel is a love letter to the Moon landings and the passion for England. It was an age which saw the first phases of the protracted Hundred Years’ War with Francesubject drips off every Apollo by Matt Fitch, Chris Baker and Mike Collins. This is a story we know well and the Scottish war because of independencethis, which came the authors take a few narrative shortcuts knowing that we can fill in the blanks. These shortcuts are the only downside to an end with the capture of King David IIbook. As if these events were not enough, in 1346 there was the first case If you've ever read a comic book adaptation of a man in Europe contracting an unknown disease film you will be familiar with the slight feeling that rapidly swept across the continent, claiming the lives of millions, there are scenes missing and one medieval chronicler noted that 'the bodies looked like dialogue has been trimmed. This is a macabre lasagne: corpses piled row upon row separated only by layers of dirt'graphic novel that could easily have been three times as long and still felt too short.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0099548836</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Mary Beard1786331047|title=The ParthenonRace to Save the Romanovs: The Truth Behind the Secret Plans to Rescue Russia's Imperial Family|author=Helen Rappaport|rating=4.5

|summary=Despite The basic facts about the proliferation deaths of populist historians in print Nicholas and on televisionAlexandra, Professor Mary Beard continues to be a voice apart. Her conversational style some of writing belies the academic research which were deliberately obscured at its heart. This is serious history written as engagingly as a detective story.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1846683491</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Peter Beaumont|title=The Secret Life of War: Journeys Through Modern Conflict |rating=5|genre=Politics and Society|summary=Peter Beaumont is the Foreign Affairs editor at The Observertime for various reasons, have long since been established. He joined For the paper last few months of their lives in 1989 Russia the former Tsar and has spent much of the intervening time dealing with the kind of 'foreign affairs' that is better described as 'war reporting'Tsarina, their children and few remaining servants were held in increasingly squalid, humiliating captivity. 'The Secret Life of War' is a distillation of his years To prevent them from being rescued, in July 1918 the field. It is a book ill-served by both its title revolutionary regime had them all shot and its coverbayoneted to death in circumstances which, except maybe insofar as both might serve to sneak it onto once the bookshelves of those who really need to read itnews was confirmed beyond all doubt, but probably wouldn't choose to do so were it more accurately wrappedhorrified their relatives in Europe.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0099520982</amazonuk>

{{newreview|author=Nick Barratt|title=Lost Voices from the Titanic: The Definitive Oral History|rating=4.5|genre=History|summary=As Barratt points out in the opening pages, there are literally thousands of titles available about the sinking of the Titanic, at the time the largest, most expensive and most luxurious ship ever built. His aim in this volume is Move on to bridge the gap between another forensic examination of how it sank, [[Newest Home and yet another re-run of what he calls the familiar stories of heroism and tragedy from literature in the public domain to provide the human story behind the disaster.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1848091516</amazonuk>}}Family Reviews]]