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Did the Romans have rakes? Did the monks get muddy? Did the potato seem really, really weird when it arrived on our shores? This lively 'potted' history of gardening in Britain takes us on a garden tour from the thorn hedges around prehistoric settlements to the rage for decking and ornamental grasses today. It tracks down the ordinary folk who worked the earth - the apprentice boys and weeding women, the florists and nursery gardeners - as well as aristocrats and grand designers and famous plant-hunters. Coloured by Jenny Uglow's own love for plants, and brought to life in the many vivid illustrations, it deals not only with flowery meads, grottoes and vistas, landscapes and ha-has, parks and allotments, but tells you, for example, how the Tudors made their curious knots; how housewives used herbs to stop freckles; how the suburbs dug for victory in World War II. With a brief guide to particular historic or evocative gardens open to the public, this is a book to put in your pocket when planning a summer day out - but also to read in your deckchair with a glass of cold wine, when dead-heading is simply too much

This is the story of the greatest empire the world has ever known. Simon Baker charts the rise and fall of the worlds first superpower, focusing on six momentous turning points that shaped Roman history. Welcome to Rome as youve never seen it before awesome and splendid, gritty and squalid. From the conquest of the Mediterranean beginning in the third century BC to the destruction of the empire at the hands of barbarian invaders some seven centuries later, we discover the most critical episodes in Roman history: the spectacular collapse of the 'free' republic, the birth of the age of the 'Caesars', the violent suppression of the strongest rebellion against Roman power, and the bloody civil war that launched Christianity as a world religion. At the heart of this account are the dynamic, complex but flawed characters of some of the most powerful rulers in history: men such as Pompey the Great, Julius Caesar, Augustus, Nero and Constantine. Putting flesh on the bones of these distant, legendary figures, Simon Baker looks beyond the dusty, toga-clad caricatures and explores their real motivations and ambitions, intrigues and rivalries. The superb narrative, full of energy and imagination, is a brilliant distillation of the latest scholarship and a wonderfully evocative account of Ancient Rome.

Who is Radio 4's 'fourteen-stone budgie'? How did Phyllis Willis and Mavis Davis make announcer Charlotte Green lose her cool? What does 'Ruth' really think about The Archers? And who was the Spam Fritter Man, and what became of him? This guide answers these and many other questions about the world of Radio 4.

And Now on Radio 4 offers an enthusiasts guide to the shows that have made Radio 4 what it is, and also explores some of the wonderful corners of the networks history that are long forgotten by all but a few. Who, for instance, now recalls Ronnie Barkers starring role on Radio 4 in a sophisticated cabaret-cum-sketch-show called Lines from My Grandfathers Forehead? What about Spike Milligan's intimate, soul-bearing account of his upbringing in colonial India, Plain Tales from the Raj? And who now remembers that Start the Week was once hosted by Russell Harty, a bit of programming compared by one insider to letting Graham Norton run Newsnight. In order to reflect the way devotees listen to Radio 4, the book is organised not on simple chronological lines but in the form of a typical day. Chapter by chapter, the day evolves, from Farming Today, through the daily feast that is Today, through the morning menu of conversation, Womans Hour, documentary and comedy. Lunchtime brings The World at One. The early evening, of course, yields The Archers. And finally there's Book at Bedtime and Sailing By. An addictive mix of history, biography, anecdote and occasional useless fact, this is the perfect book for Radio 4 aficionados.

Accompanying a huge television event - the definitive television history of the most evil place in the history of the world, produced by BAFTA award-winning producer Laurence Rees, Auschwitz is published to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. All of us need to understand how Auschwitz was possible. We need to penetrate the mentalities of the perpetrators and understand why more than a million people were murdered in this one place. And there has never been a more appropriate time to try... Over the last ten years there has been an outpouring of scholarly research on everything from the camp's hospitals to escapes, from the original plans for the camp to the personnel files of the SS who worked there. What this new research on Auschwitz leads to is a fundamental shift in how we look at the camp - no longer an 'aberration' within the Nazi State but the logical conclusion of it. It's a story that isn't just about Germany but directly touches every country in Europe that endured Nazi occupation. Disturbing new research helps us answer the question - why did some countries give up their Jews to Auschwitz relatively easily whilst others - like Denmark - resisted? And the story is of huge relevance to the Allies. Why, for example, once the British and Americans knew of the existence of Auschwitz was little done to prevent the killing? From the Polish Priest who volunteered to be a hostage and was starved to death (and who has recently been made a Saint) to SS Doctors like Josef Mengele who conducted human experiments: from the Sonderkommandos - the prisoners who worked in the gas chambers - to the women forced to endure some of the most horrific conditions in the camp in order to survive; the drama and variety of the human stories is unique. Auschwitz includes interviews with former members of the Nazi party and victims of the regime and trial testimony of those who worked in the camp and will tell the story of the greatest act of mass murder in history.

In his highly acclaimed bestseller 'Auschwitz', author and broadcaster Laurence Rees tells the definitive history of the most notorious Nazi institution of them all. we discover how Auschwitz evolved from a concentration camp for Polish political prisoners into the site of the largest mass murder in history - part death camp, part concentration camp, where around a million Jews were killed. Rees uses Auschwitz as a window through which to examine the Holocaust in its broader context. He argues that, far from being an aberration, the camp was a uniquely important institution in the Nazi state, one that played a vital role in the 'Final Solution'. 'Auschwitz' examines the mentality and motivations of the key Nazi decision makers, and perpetrators of appalling crimes speak here for the first time about their actions. Fascinating and disturbing facts have been uncovered - from the operation of a brothel to the corruption that was rife throughout the camp. The book draws on intriguing new documentary material from recently opened Russian archives, which will challenge many previously accepted arguments. Auschwitz lay at the hub of a complex system of extermination that spread throughout Nazi Europe. Rees addresses uncomfortable questions, such as why so few countries under Nazi occupation protected their Jews and why the Allies did little directly to prevent the killing even after they knew about the existence of the camp. This is a story of murder, brutality, courage, escape and survival, and a powerful account of how a human tragedy of such immense scale could have happened.

'Battlefield Britain' will span nearly 2000 bloody and turbulent years of battles fought on British soil, from Boudicca?s uprising against the Romans in 61AD to the last battle fought on British soil at Culloden in 1746 and the Battle of Britain. Linking in with an innovative 8-part television series a major marketing event supported by English heritage this accompanying book is written by one of our foremost foreign correspondents Peter Snow and his son Dan Snow, a military historian. Each of the eight chapters tell the story of a different conflict - the men who fought, the weapons, the tactics and the effect on our history. With recourse to the latest research as well as carrying out reconstructions of the battle, Peter and Dan raise such questions as why were the troops fighting? and what was morale like? As well as a dramatic narrative telling the story of each battle, there are battle experience boxes where Peter and Dan try out a tactic used in the battle, finding out what it was like to stand behind a shield wall and face a cavalry charge, for example. One hundred stunning images are included such as computer-generated battleplans to illuminate the crucial turning points of each battle. And constructed photofits of the historical leaders of the battles bring to life such powerful men as William: son of a powerful Saxon dynasty, long-haired and handsome but ruthless to the core, he skinned enemies who taunted him with his humble origins in the tannery trade.

'Battlefields of the Second World War' is what every Richard Holmes fan has been waiting for. In this fascinating and brilliantly articulated study of the Second World War, he clarifies the complexities of four of its campaigns: El Alamein, Monte Cassino, Operation Market Garden (of which Arnhem formed a crucial part)and the RAF's bomber offensive against Germany. The book originates in his firm conviction that the sacrifices made by British service personnel are not properly understood. It uses eye-witness accounts to illuminate the horror, confusion and sheer enormity of war, and puts this in the context of the conflict's broader strategy.

Foreword by Sir Ranulph Fiennes Accompanying the extraordinary BBC2 series, this book recreates the worst journey in the world - to experience first hand the chilling truth behind the race to the South Pole. At the beginning of the last century, reaching the South Pole was the greatest terrestrial journey left to man. To get to the bottom of the earth, traversing the very worst of what the natural world had to offer, would be an achievement that would symbolize humanity's ultimate domination of nature. The stakes could hardly have been higher. By the spring of 1912 the race was over: Scott was dead and Amundsen, the victor, was on his way home. Ever since the debate has raged over whether Scott was an arrogant incompetent or whether he was the victim of bad luck - a rare set of meteorological circumstances. The Great Race attempts to answer the question by leveling the polar plateau and re-running the race in an experiment of unrivalled ambition. Two teams, selected from among the world's greatest adventurers, will be kitted out entirely in the style of the original expeditions. The difference will be that both teams will start at the same time and from points within ten km of each other. This means that for the first time it will be possible to see whether it was luck or judgement that led Amundsen to victory and Scott to his death. This book tells the incredible story of the original race, together with aspects of the modern-day race that shed light on Scott and Amundsen's achievements. It includes the diary of the British team leader and expeditionist Bruce Parry.

Britain's Best is the fascinating series from UKTV History featuring the best-loved historical sites in Britain. With a foreword by Alan Titchmarsh this book accompanies the series and presents 100 favourite historic places compiled from the viewer's votes and nominations. It takes the reader on a grand tour of Great Britain exploring the best of its Castles, Historic Houses, Palaces, Gardens and Religious Buildings. But a favourite doesn't have to be a lavish palace, a magnificant garden or a grand castle - the Best of the Rest includes all those other unusual places which defy categorisation, yet are dearly cherished.This essential book will help you rediscover the great historical places which are Britain's Best.

The Spanish conquest of the Americas in the sixteenth century was one of the most cataclysmic events in history. Spanish expeditions had to endure the most unbelievable hardships to open up the lands of the New World. Few stories, if any, in history match these for sheer drama, endurance and distances covered. In Conquistadors Michael Wood travels in the footsteps of some of the greatest of the Spanish adventurers from Amazonia to Lake Titicaca, and from the deserts of North Mexico to the heights of Macchu Picchu. He experiences first hand the reality of epic journeys, such as those made by Hernan Cortes, and Francisco and Gonzalo Pizarro, and explores the turbulent and terrifying events surrounding the Spanish conquest of the Aztec and Inca empires, as well as Orellana's extraordinary voyage of discovery down the Amazon and Cabeza de Vaca's journey across America to the Pacific. In Peru, as in Mexico, the conquistadors swept away the indigenous states, subjugating the native people, destroying their religion and culture. As well as bringing history alive with evocative text and stunning pictures, Michael Wood grapples with the moral legacy of the European invasion. The stories in this book are not only of conquest, heroism and greed, but of changes in the way we see the world - in our view of history and civilization, justice and human rights.

For nearly two thousand years after the last pharaoh ruled Egypt the wonders of this ancient culture remained hidden, seemingly lost and forgotten for ever. Then, in the late eighteenth century, Napoleon's invasion of the country sparked an explosion of interest in ancient Egypt that burns as strongly today as ever. The obsession with anything and everything Egyptian has inspired many to dedicate their lives to the search for treasure in Egypt's sands. All of these explorers, collectors and archaeologists can be loosely classified as 'Egyptologists' and this relatively new science has been blessed with more than its fair share of intriguing characters, some of whom, by virtue of their larger-than-life personalities, curious habits or spectacular finds, have come to dominate the story of the rediscovery of ancient Egypt - the story of this book. In 'Egypt: How A Lost Civilization was Rediscovered', highly respected author and archaeologist Joyce Tyldesley follows these real-life Indiana Joneses in their quest for the splendid monuments, tombs and artefacts that have unlocked many of the secrets of this mesmerizing civilization. From the nail-biting race to crack the hieroglyphic code to Howard Carter's dramatic discovery of the golden treasures in Tutankhamen's tomb - surely the most heart-stopping moment in the history of archaeology - we experience the excitement, emotion and intrigue of this gripping adventure story.

For nearly two thousand years after the last pharaoh ruled Egypt the wonders of this ancient culture remained hidden, seemingly lost and forgotten for ever. Then, in the late eighteenth century, Napoleon's invasion of the country sparked an explosion of interest in ancient Egypt that burns as strongly today as ever. The obsession with anything and everything Egyptian has inspired many to dedicate their lives to the search for treasure in Egypt's sands. All of these explorers, collectors and archaeologists can be loosely classified as Egyptologists and this relatively new science has been blessed with more than her fair share of intriguing characters, some of whom, by virtue of their larger-than-life personalities, their curious habits or spectacular finds, have come to dominate the story of the rediscovery of ancient Egypt. Together their work combines to become the story of the discovery of ancient Egypt - the story of this book. In Discovering Egypt, highly respected author Joyce Tyldesley follows these real-life Indiana Joneses in their quest for the splendid monuments, tombs and artefacts that have unlocked many of the secrets of this mesmerizing civilization. From the nail-biting race to crack the hieroglyphic code to Howard Carter's dramatic discovery of the golden treasures lying deep in the burial chamber of the boy king Tutankhamen - surely the most heart-stopping moment in the history of archaeology - we experience the excitement, emotion and intrigue of this most gripping story.

Following his TV series and book, Venice, Francesco da Mosto extends his exploration, this time taking in the whole country. He celebrates the art and beauty of Italy - its cathedrals, churches, palaces, opera houses, paintings, sculpture and music. It is a story of the Italy we all know and love, enhanced by the secret side of the country that only an insider can tell us. Francesco reveals the full glories of Renaissance Italy and the country's astonishing cultural diversity, which was only recently unified under one flag. The accompanying book, following the same format and style of its hardback predecessor, and illustrated with John Parker's stunning photographs, provides a detailed description of Francesco's cultural and artistic journey through Italy. Born into a distinguished family, with a Venetian father and a Sicilian mother, what better guide could there be than one who knows and loves this magnificent country?

Francesco's Venice, now available in paperback, is the extraordinary story of the life of this intriguing city, told by a descendant of an old and distinguished Venetian family. Francesco explores Venice's remarkable history, from the fifth century when the first settlers retreated to the safety of the lagoon and began to create their homes on its tiny islands, through its glorious years as a successful maritime nation, adept at trade, exploration, diplomacy and protecting its independence, to the fragile city of the twenty-first century.He vividly brings to life the places, events and people, including a colourful array of his own ancestors, that have sculpted this living theatre through the ages.Beautifully illustrated with stunning images by John Parker, Francesco's Venice celebrates the mesmerizing beauty and surpising strength of this unique city.

Britain's favourite steeplejack and industrial enthusiastic, the late Fred Dibnah, takes us back to the 18th century when the invention of the steam engine gave an enormous impetus to the development of machinery of all types. He reveals how the steam engine provided the first practical means of generating power from heat to augment the old sources of power (from muscle, wind and water) and provided the main source of power for the Industrial Revolution. In Fred Dibnah's Age of Steam Fred shares his passion for steam and meets some of the characters who devote their lives to finding, preserving and restoring steam locomotives, traction engines and stationary engines, mill workings and pumps. Combined with this will be the stories of central figures of the time, including James Watts - inventor of the steam engine - and Richard Trevithick who played a key role in the expansion of industrial Britain in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Why do some people find lasting fame for their achievements, whilst others lapse into obscurity? What makes an individual truly "great"? This work explores the lives of ten men and women who have influenced our history, and examines why they continue to spark international interest and admiration. In 2001, the BBC ran a poll in which the British public were invited to vote for their favourite Briton. This book lists the top 100 figures and explores the characteristics these men and women share, including an analysis of the key role that image management has played in their success. The book is extensively illustrated with images from the collections of the National Portrait Gallery

In the history of warfare, an elite group of men have attained almost legendary status through their courage, ambition and unrivalled military genius. In Warriors, acclaimed historian Frank McLynn focuses on six of the most powerful and magnetic leaders who have earned their place in the worlds imagination: Spartacus, Atilla the Hun, Richard the Lionheart, Corts, the Shogun and Napoleon. How did these mortal men rise to positions of seemingly invincible power? What were the motives, the personal strengths and sometimes weaknesses that drove them to achieve what no one else dared?In six powerful portraits, McLynn brilliantly evokes the critical moments when each of these warriors proved themselves in battle, changing their own lives, the destiny of their people and, in some cases, the history of the world. We discover what drove Spartacus to take on the might of Rome against incredible odds, and how the young Napoleon rose to power in dramatic fashion at the Siege of Toulon.This book is more than a collection of individual biographies. By examining the psychologies of these extraordinary men, McLynn builds up a convincing profile of the ultimate warrior. Accompanying a major BBC television series, this brilliant book takes us into the minds of the greatest warriors in history.

Hidden Treasure is the stuff of dreams. Many of us have walked across country fields or along a beach and imagined that we've found something unusual, ancient and possibly of enormous value. These discoveries are windows into 'lost worlds' - treasured things become treasured insights. In Hidden Treasures the reader is engaged in the process of discovery as we follow real archaeological finds that provide us with a picture of our mysterious past. From Stone and Bronze Age Britain to Dark Age and Medieval Britain, the artefacts found reveal the way people like us lived in ancient and more recent times. A bronze bucket from the Dark Ages is part of a burial ritual, a signifying belief in a world of ancestral spirits - the Anglo-Saxon Valhalla. Through beautiful archaeological artefacts, such as iron swords, enamelled brooches, coin hoards, we piece together what the ancient site represented (a cemetery or fortress) and this leads us to discover the life of the people who lived there. Hidden Treasure contains valuable information on how to go about discovering ancient finds, and what to do with any artefacts you find.

"History clings tight but it also kicks loose" writes Simon Schama at the outset of this, his first volume of his epic two volume journey into Britain's past "Disruption as much as persistence is its proper subject. So although the great theme of British history seen from the twentieth century is endurance, it's counterpoint seen from the twenty-first must be alteration". Change - sometimes gentle and subtle sometimes shocking and violent - is the dynamic of Schama's unapologetically personal, grippingly written history, especially the changes that wash over custom and habit, transforming our loyalties. At the heart of his history lies a question of compelling importance for our future as well as our past: what makes or breaks a nation: to whom we give our allegiance and why ? And where do the boundaries of our community lie - in our hearth and home, our village oor city, tribe or faith ? What is Britain, one country or many, one culture or several ? has British history unfolded "at the edge of the world" or right at the heart of it ? All these themes are delivered to the reader in the stories which Schama loves to tell, and in a form that is at once traditional and excitingly fresh. The great and wicked are all here - Becket and Thomas Cromwell, Robert the Bruce and Ann Boleyn, but so are countless more ordinary lives - an Irish monk waiting for the plague to kill him in his cell at Kilkenny; a small boy running throgh the streets of Londonn to catch a glimpse of Elizabeth I. They are all caught on the rich and teeming canvas onwhich Schama paints his brilliant portrait of the life of our people "for in the end, history, especially British history with its sucession of thrilling illuminations, should be , as all her most accomplished narrators have promised, not just instruction but pleasure

"History clings tight but it also kicks loose" writes Simon Schama at the outset of this, his first volume of his epic two volume journey into Britain's past "Disruption as much as persistence is its proper subject. So although the great theme of British history seen from the twentieth century is endurance, it's counterpoint seen from the twenty-first must be alteration." Change - sometimes gentle and subtle sometimes shocking and violent - is the dynamic of Schama's unapologetically personal, grippingly written history, especially the changes that wash over custom and habit, transforming our loyalties. At the heart of his history lies a question of compelling importance for our future as well as our past: what makes or breaks a nation: to whom we give our allegiance and why? And where do the boundaries of our community lie - in our hearth and home, our village or city, tribe or faith? What is Britain, one country or many, one culture or several? Has British history unfolded "at the edge of the world" or right at the heart of it? All these themes are delivered to the reader in the stories which Schama loves to tell, and in a form that is at once traditional and excitingly fresh. The great and wicked are all here - Becket and Thomas Cromwell, Robert the Bruce and Ann Boleyn, but so are countless more ordinary lives - an Irish monk waiting for the plague to kill him in his cell at Kilkenny; a small boy running throgh the streets of Londonn to catch a glimpse of Elizabeth I. They are all caught on the rich and teeming canvas onwhich Schama paints his brilliant portrait of the life of our people "for in the end, history, especially British history with its sucession of thrilling illuminations, should be , as all her most accomplished narrators have promised, not just instruction but pleasure.

Change, sometimes gentle and subtle, more often shocking and violent-shattering ideals and shifting perspectives-is again the dynamic of this, the second volume of Schama's refreshing and compelling history of Britain. 'The British wars began on the morning of July 23 1637, and the first missiles launched were stools. They flew down the nave of St. Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh and their targets were the Dean and Bishop of Edinburgh...' The first round of the British wars had been fired, and fired on grounds of faith. over the next 200 years, other battles on other battlegrounds would be waged and would rage-both at home and abroad, on sea and on land, up and down the length of burgeoning Britain, and across three continents-Europe,America and India. Most of the British wars would be wars of faith - waged on wide-ranging grounds of political or religious conviction-between Republicans and Royalists, Catholics and Protestants, Tories and Whigs, colonialists and natives. Many of the British battles would be fought on battlefields far from Britain, as far afield as Quebec and Calcutta. Yet the wars of the British remain essentially British wars-fought by the British, for the British and between the British. But who exactly were the British and what were they fighting for ? The answers unravel as the the story of 'The Wars of the British' unfolds. It is a story of revolution and reaction, of inspiration and disillusion, of progress and catastrophe, of huge gains and massive losses, of battles fought against the odds, as when Robert Clive stood at Plassey, of James Wolfe fell at Quebec. At the heart of Schama's history lie questions of compelling importance for Britain's future as well as it's past.What makes or breaks a nation?To whom do we give our allegiance and why? And where do the boundaries of our community lie?All these questions unravel through the stories that Schama loves to tell, in a form at once traditional and excitingly fresh. The great and the unforgettable are here-Oliver Cromwell and Bonnie Prince Charlie, Christopher Wren and Guy Fawkes, but so, too, are countless more ordinary lives such as Olaudah Equiano, an African enslaved from boyhood.All are caught on Schama's rich and teeming tapestry of British life and history.

Change, sometimes gentle and subtle, more often shocking and violent-shattering ideals and shifting perspectives-is again the dynamic of this, the second volume of Schama's refreshing and compelling history of Britain. 'The British wars began on the morning of July 23 1637, and the first missiles launched were stools. They flew down the nave of St. Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh and their targets were the Dean and Bishop of Edinburgh...' The first round of the British wars had been fired, and fired on grounds of faith. over the next 200 years, other battles on other battlegrounds would be waged and would rage-both at home and abroad, on sea and on land, up and down the length of burgeoning Britain, and across three continents-Europe,America and India. Most of the British wars would be wars of faith - waged on wide-ranging grounds of political or religious conviction-between Republicans and Royalists, Catholics and Protestants, Tories and Whigs, colonialists and natives. Many of the British battles would be fought on battlefields far from Britain, as far afield as Quebec and Calcutta. Yet the wars of the British remain essentially British wars-fought by the British, for the British and between the British. But who exactly were the British and what were they fighting for ? The answers unravel as the the story of 'The Wars of the British' unfolds. It is a story of revolution and reaction, of inspiration and disillusion, of progress and catastrophe, of huge gains and massive losses, of battles fought against the odds, as when Robert Clive stood at Plassey, of James Wolfe fell at Quebec. At the heart of Schama's history lie questions of compelling importance for Britain's future as well as it's past.What makes or breaks a nation?To whom do we give our allegiance and why? And where do the boundaries of our community lie?All these questions unravel through the stories that Schama loves to tell, in a form at once traditional and excitingly fresh. The great and the unforgettable are here-Oliver Cromwell and Bonnie Prince Charlie, Christopher Wren and Guy Fawkes, but so, too, are countless more ordinary lives such as Olaudah Equiano, an African enslaved from boyhood.All are caught on Schama's rich and teeming tapestry of British life and history.

"While Britain was losing an empire it was finding itself". Award-winning historian Simon Schama completes his monumental three-volume history of Britain, which accompanies the acclaimed television epic. In The Fate of Empire, Schama illuminates the period of British history from 1770 to 2000 through a variety of historical themes and key British characters. Britain never had the kind of revolution experienced by France in 1789, but it did come close. In the mid-1770s the country was intoxicated by a great surge of political energy. Re-discovering England's wildernesses, the intellectuals of the 'Romantic generation' also discovered the plight of the common man, turning Nature into a revolutionary force. This power of the cult of nature enabled two things - to make man see and explore Britain in a way unimaginable a generation before, and to pit democrat cosmopolitans against patriots. From the politics of wildness, A History of Britain moves to the Victorian era and it's question of how to create a better world in the face of upheaval. As the Victorian era began, the massive advance of technology and industrialisation was rapidly reshaping both the landscape and the social structure of the whole country. To a much greater extent than ever before women would take a centre stage role in shaping society. From political campaigners like Harriet Stuart Mill to writers like Elizabeth Gaskell whose novels highlighted the plight of the industrial working class and Mary Seacole, the heroine and nurse of the Crimea War, 'Victoria's sisters' would from now on ensure that it was no longer purely a man's world. With industrialisation came the burgeoning of the British Empire, and in The Fate of Empire Schama charts the chequered life of the liberal empire from Ireland to India - the promise of civilisation and material betterment and the delivery of coercion and famine. By the late nineteenth century, Liberals realised that they had to abandon their strict adherence to laissez-faire economics or lose the working-class support to Conservative populism and renewed socialist radicalism. In the final chapter of Schama's history, he examines the overwhelming presence of the past in the British twentieth century and the struggle of leaders to find a way to make a different national future. As towering figures of the twentieth century, Churchill and Orwell in their different ways exemplify lives spent brooding, and acting on that imperial past, and most movingly for us, both writing and shaping it's history. Walking through the pages of A History of Britain is a succession of big and bold characters that illuminate these historical themes. Wordsworth, Burke, Queen Victoria are all here. But also the less known lives such as Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, the first woman doctor and Dadabhai Naoroji, who, in c.1890, became the first Asian MP.

"While Britain was losing an empire it was finding itself". Award-winning historian Simon Schama completes his monumental three-volume history of Britain, which accompanies the acclaimed television epic. In The Fate of Empire, Schama illuminates the period of British history from 1770 to 2000 through a variety of historical themes and key British characters. Britain never had the kind of revolution experienced by France in 1789, but it did come close. In the mid-1770s the country was intoxicated by a great surge of political energy. Re-discovering England's wildernesses, the intellectuals of the 'Romantic generation' also discovered the plight of the common man, turning Nature into a revolutionary force. This power of the cult of nature enabled two things - to make man see and explore Britain in a way unimaginable a generation before, and to pit democrat cosmopolitans against patriots. From the politics of wildness, A History of Britain moves to the Victorian era and it's question of how to create a better world in the face of upheaval. As the Victorian era began, the massive advance of technology and industrialisation was rapidly reshaping both the landscape and the social structure of the whole country. To a much greater extent than ever before women would take a centre stage role in shaping society. From political campaigners like Harriet Stuart Mill to writers like Elizabeth Gaskell whose novels highlighted the plight of the industrial working class and Mary Seacole, the heroine and nurse of the Crimea War, 'Victoria's sisters' would from now on ensure that it was no longer purely a man's world. With industrialisation came the burgeoning of the British Empire, and in The Fate of Empire Schama charts the chequered life of the liberal empire from Ireland to India - the promise of civilisation and material betterment and the delivery of coercion and famine. By the late nineteenth century, Liberals realised that they had to abandon their strict adherence to laissez-faire economics or lose the working-class support to Conservative populism and renewed socialist radicalism. In the final chapter of Schama's history, he examines the overwhelming presence of the past in the British twentieth century and the struggle of leaders to find a way to make a different national future. As towering figures of the twentieth century, Churchill and Orwell in their different ways exemplify lives spent brooding, and acting on that imperial past, and most movingly for us, both writing and shaping it's history. Walking through the pages of A History of Britain is a succession of big and bold characters that illuminate these historical themes. Wordsworth, Burke, Queen Victoria are all here. But also the less known lives such as Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, the first woman doctor, 'Mother' Mary Seacole, the forgotten Caribbean nurse and heroine of the Crimea War, and Dadabhai Naoroji, who, in c.1890, became the first Asian MP. Chapter breakdown: Chapter One: Forces of Nature: The Road to Revolution Chapter Two: Forces of Nature: The Road Home Chapter Three: The Queen and the Hive Chapter Four: Wives, Daughters, Widows Chapter Five: Food or Freedom Chapter Six: The Two Winstons Chapter Seven: Epilogue

From the award-winning Producer of The Nazis - a Warning from History Laurence Rees turns his gaze to the atrocities committed by Japanese soldiers in World War II. In his incisive but accessible study, Laurence confronts one of the most dramatic and important historical questions of the twentieth century - why did Japanese soldiers behave as they did? The Japanese treatment of allied prisoners in the Second World War is infamous. Yet, during the First World War, they fought on the Allied side and treated captured German soldiers with civility. 'Horror in the East' examines how this drastic change could have come about. Japan first turned to the West in the early 20th century, appearing to adopt Western values. But, with a rapidly increasing population and inadequate resources, those values proved difficult to support. One solution, favoured by many in the Japanese army and navy, was to build an empire. They encouraged the concept of the Emperoro as an all-powerful, 'living god' and believed they were only ultimately answerable to him. Elected Japanese politicians found it almost impossible to control them. On the 60th anniversary of the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbour in December 2001, this book probes the Japanese belief in their own racial superiority and the mentality that led them to contemplate suicide when they failed. Newly discovered archive together with specially shot film and interviews with Japanese eye witnesses - including perpetrators - makes this into a compelling portrait of war. From the team's interviews with Japanese eye witnesses, shocking stories of cannabalism, vivisection, rape, prostitution, starvation and slaughter are uncovered. Laurence goes back to the Japanese wars against the Chinese to discover why the Japanese took on the militarily superior Americans and why they thought they would win.

This new edition of Michael Wood's groundbreaking first book explores the fascinating and mysterious centuries between the Romans and the Norman Conquest of 1066. In Search of the Dark Ages vividly conjures up some of the most famous names in British history, such as Queen Boadicea, leader of a terrible war of resistance against the Romans, and King Arthur, the 'once and future king', for whose riddle Wood proposes a new and surprising solution. Here too, warts and all, are the Saxon, Viking and Norman kings who laid the political foundations of England - Offa of Mercia, Alfred the Great, Athelstan, and William the Conqueror, whose victory at Hastings in 1066 marked the end of Anglo-Saxon England. Reflecting recent historical, textual and archaeological research, this revised and updated edition of Michael Wood's classic book overturns preconceptions of the Dark Ages as a shadowy and brutal era, showing them to be a richly exciting and formative period in the history of Britain.

Michael Wood goes in search of four of the most famous myths in the world: Shangri-la, the Golden Fleece, the Queen of Sheba, and the Holy Grail. These four romantic journeys take him to some of the remotest and most exciting places on earth including Western Tibet, the mountains of Georgia and the Caucasus, the plains of Southern Iraq, to the coasts of Ethiopia Yemen and the Horn of Africa. Michael asks the question: why do such legends still captivate us today? Over the last twenty years, from In Search of the Trojan War to his epic journeys in the footsteps of Alexander the Great and the Conquistadors, Michael Wood has taken the TV audience, and the reader, on romantic and compelling journeys into the past. In his new series and book In Search of Myths and Heroes he goes in search of four of the most famous myths in the world: Shangri-la, the Golden Fleece, the Queen of Sheba, and the Holy Grail. The journeys take him to some of the remotest and most exciting places on earth - to the fantastic landscapes of Western Tibet, to the mountains of Georgia and the Caucasus, to the plains of Southern Iraq, and to the coasts of Ethiopia Yemen and the Horn of Africa. The stories will also take in Greece and Turkey, India and Nepal, Egypt and Israel, and the world of Celtic Britain and the West of Ireland: What is the truth behind the medieval Indian legend of a lost civilisation behind the western Himalayas - a place where the ancient wisdom of humanity was preserved to save it from our future? The legend was immortalised in James Hilton's novel about Shangri-la, and by Hollywood in Frank Capra's movie Lost Horizon. But why do such legends still captivate us today? And was there a real Shangri-la? What lies behind the Bible story of the Queen of Sheba, King Solomon, and the Ark of the Covenant? The tale is found in both the Jewish Bible and the Muslim Koran, and the Queen of Sheba is still revered today in the sacred books of the Ethiopians, who claim her as the founder of their nation: but who was she? And why was the trade route from the Holy Land and Egypt to the Horn of Africa so important to the ancients? Where does the ancient Greek legend of Jason's search for the Golden Fleece come from? The tale is the ultimate quest, older even than Homer's Iliad and Odyssey. But was there really an expedition beyond the limits of the known world back in the mists of prehistory, before the Trojan War? And why is the hero's quest one of the core human stories, from the first literature on earth, to the latest Hollywood epic? What was the Holy Grail? How did the search for this ultimate religious symbol come to be connected with Arthur, the once and future king? Was there a real Grail? A real King Arthur? And why does the quest for the Grail, still obsess us even today, from New Agers and mystics to Monty Python and Indiana Jones? Illustrated with a wonderful series of specially commissioned photographs by the Himalayan author, photographer and mountaineer Steve Razzetti, Great Mysteries is at once a book of great journeys, a historical adventure, and an exploration of some of humanity's most enduring myths.

Originally written to accompany his groundbreaking TV series, Michael Wood's first book explores the fascinating and mysterious centuries between the Romans and the Norman Conquest of 1066. In this new 2001 edition, Michael Wood vividly conjures some of the most famous names in British history, such as Queen Boadicea, leader of a terrible war of resistance against the Romans, and King Arthur, the 'once and future king', for whose riddle Wood proposes a new and surprising solution. Here too, warts and all, are the Saxon, Viking and Norman kings who laid the political foundations of England - Offa of Mercia, Alfred the Great, Athelstan, and William the Conqueror, whose victory at Hastings in 1066 marked the end of Anglo-Saxon England. Reflecting recent historical, textual and archaeological research, this revised and updated edition of Michael Wood's classic book overturns preconceptions of the Dark Ages as a shadowy and brutal era, showing them to be a richly exciting and formative period in the history of Britain.

Five thousand years ago there began the most momentous revolution in human history. Starting in Mesopotamia, city civilization emerged for the first time on earth, to be followed in Egypt, India, China and the Americas. The ideals of these ancient civilizations still shape the lives of the majority of mankind. In Search of the First Civilizations (previously published as Legacy) asks the intriguing question: what is civilization? Did it mean the same to the Chinese, the Indians and the Greeks? What can the values of the ancient cultures teach us today? And do the ideals of the West - a latecomer to civilization - really have universal validity? In this fascinating historical search, Michael Wood explores these ancient cultures, looking for their essential character and their continuing legacy.

For thousands of years we have been enthralled by tales of Troy and its heroes. Achilles and Hector, Paris and the famed beauty Helen remain some of the most enduring figures in art and literature. But did these titanic characters really walk the earth? Was there ever an actual siege of Troy? In this extensively revised edition, historian Michael Wood takes account of the latest dramatic developments in the search for Troy. His wide-ranging study of the complex archaeological, literary and historical records has been brought up-to-date. Detailing the rediscovery in Moscow of the so-called jewels of Helen and the re-excavation of the site of Troy begun in 1988, which continues to yield new evidence about the historical city, In Search of the Trojan War takes a fresh look at some of the most excited discoveries in archaeology.

For thousands of years we have been enthralled by tales of Troy and its heroes. Achilles and Hector, Paris and the famed beauty Helen remain some of the most enduring figures in art and literature. But did these titanic characters really walk the earth? Was there ever an actual siege of Troy? In this new, extensively revised edition Michael Wood takes account of the latest dramatic developments in the search for Troy. A new preface, a new final chapter and an addendum to the bibliography bring his wide-ranging study of the complex, archaeological, literary and historical records up to date. Detailing the rediscovery in Moscow of the so-called jewels of Helen and the re-excavation of the site of Troy begun in 1988, which continues to yield new evidence about the historical city, this superbly illustrated book takes a fresh look at some of the most exciting discoveries in archaeology.

Michael Wood retraces Alexander the Great's amazing journey from Greece to India, searching for the truth behind the legend and experiencing the tremendous scale of his achievements. Using the ancient historians as his guides, Wood follows Alexander's journey as closely as possible, crossing deserts and rivers, from Turkey to war-torn Afghanistan. As the journey progresses, he recreates the drama of Alexander's epic marches and bloody battles. All along the way he finds proof of the survival of the legends surrounding Alexander, a leader whose life has excited the world's imagination for the 2,000 years.

Millions of Britons are drawn to the Mediterranean every year and whether they go for the beautiful scenery and relaxing beaches or the culture and architecture or food, none of it would be there were it not for geology. Forward-thinking geologist and television presenter Dr Iain Stewart, uncovers the hidden Mediterranean and brings a fresh and dramatic eye to geology to show just why it is that geology should be restored to its rightful place as the grandfather of sciences. From earthquakes and volcanoes to Roman architecture and cuisine, Dr Stewart discovers just how geology has shaped our lives and how we can expect it to affect us in years to come.

Marco Polo described India as "a land of wonders" in the 13th century, and his observation is no less true today. Everything about India is older, bigger, more colourful, more diverse and more intriguing than anywhere else. It is the land of a multitude of many armed gods and goddesses, home to the architectural splendours of the Taj Mahal, the Red Fort and Lutyens' Delhi. India is the worlds largest democracy, a nuclear power and a rising economic giant but also the worlds most ancient surviving civilisation, with unbroken continuity stretching back into prehistory. From the Buddha and Alexander the Great to Ghengis Khan, Akbar the Great and Mahatma Gandhi, India's history is a five-thousand-year epic. For half of that time India has been at the centre of world history and at the start of the 21st century, in the era of globalization, India has once again become a leading player on the world stage. In his landmark BBC2 series India, Michael Wood goes on six eye-opening journeys around the subcontinent to uncover the fabulous sights and sounds, the dazzling achievements and the dramatic history of the world's most influential civilization. This sumptuously illustrated book will be a magical mix of history and travelogue, and an unforgettable portrait of India past, present and future.

David Starkey's 'Monarchy' charts the rise of the British monarchy from the War of the Roses, the English Civil War and the Georgians, right up until the present day monarchs of the 20th Century. David Starkey's magisterial new book Monarchy charts the rise of the British crown from the insurgency of the War of the Roses, through the glory and dangers of the Tudors, to the insolvency of the Stuarts and chaos of the English Civil War, the execution of Charles I, the rule of a commoner who was 'king in all but name', the importing of a German dynasty, and the coming-to-terms with modernity under the wise guidance of another German, Victoria's Prince Consort Albert. An epilogue brings to story up to the present and asks questions about the future. The crown of England is the oldest surviving political institution in Europe. And yet, throughout this book Starkey emphasises the Crown's endless capacity to reinvent itself to circumstances and reshape national polity whilst he unmasks the personalities and achievements, the defeats and victories, which lie behind the kings and queens of British history. Each of these monarchs has contributed, in their own way, to the religion, geography, laws, language and government that we currently live with today. In this book,Starkey demonstrates exactly how these states were arrived at, how these monarchs subtly influenced each other, which battles were won and why, whose whim or failure caused religious tradition to wither or flourish, and which monarchs, through their acumen and strength or single minded determination came to enforce the laws of England. With his customary authority and verve, David Starkey reignites these personalities to produce an entertaining and masterful account of these figures whose many victories and failures are the building blocks upon which Britain today is built. Far more than a biography of kings and queens, Monarchy is a radical reappraisal of British nationhood, culture and politics, shown through the most central institution in British life.

With names like Snowdon, Ben Nevis or Scarfell Pike, Britains high places are at once romantic and rooted in the nations sense of identity. In Mountain, Griff Rhys Jones brings their stories to life. Travelling the length of the UK by journeying across the rooftops of Britain, Griff Rhys Jones will be exploring some of the most arduous and roughest mountain landscapes. It is a journey that will take him from the remotest areas of Northern Scotland to wilds of Dartmoor in the South West, and to some of the countries most beautiful, rugged and fascinating locations. While he experiences the flora, fauna, dramatic landscape and stunning seasonal shifts, Griff will be meeting the undiscovered mountain communities and the real people who inhabit Britain's highlands: shepherds, mountain rescue teams, scientists, farmers and artists the people who can deliver a real understanding and passion for the raw, natural beauty that has fascinated for centuries. He will also be bringing to life the history of epic battles, communities long gone and heroic struggles for survival. A lavish, fully illustrated book full of stunning imagery drawn from the magic BBC series of the same name - this is a labour of love, a personal journey of discovery and a lasting testament to some of the most exciting, unique and treasured parts of Britain.

Restoration Village accompanies the third series of the major BBC2 success story. This new series takes the story a step further, focusing on village buildings in the United Kingdom, once and future hearts of their rural communities, and is sure to inspire even greater passion and enthusiasm than that generated by the first two series.Peter Williams stunning and sympathetic photographs capture perfectly the essence of these varied buildings and Philip Wilkinsons lively text sets them in the context of their landscape and social background, and includes insights and comments from the people who are fighting for their restoration and will continue to do so whichever way the vote goes.

'Rough Crossings' is the astonishing story of the struggle to freedom by thousands of African-American slaves who fled the plantations to fight behind British lines in the American War of Independence. With gripping, powerfully vivid story-telling, Simon Schama follows the escaped blacks into the fires of the war, and into freezing, inhospitable Nova Scotia where many who had served the Crown were betrayed in their promises to receive land at the war's end. Their fate became entwined with British abolitionists: inspirational figures such as Granville Sharp, the flute-playing father-figure of slave freedom, and John Clarkson, the 'Moses' of this great exodus, who accompanied the blacks on their final rough crossing to Africa, wher they hoped that freedom would finally greet them.

Set against the backdrop of the American Revolution and its aftermath, Rough Crossings is the gripping, astonishing epic of the struggle for freedom by tens of thousands of slaves who believed that their future as free men and women was bound up with staying British, not becoming American. The decision to offer slaves who defected to the British their liberty began in military strategy, but it unleashed the greatest mass uprising in American history by tens of thousands of slaves - Americans who clung to the sentimental notion of British freedom even when they knew that the English were far from being saints when it came to slavery. With powerfully vivid story-telling, often spoken through the voices of the blacks themselves, as well as the white abolitionists who became their emancipators and protectors, Schama follows the odyssey of the escaped blacks into the fires of the war, the terror of potential recapture at the war's end, and into inhospitable Nova Scotia where thousands who had served the Crown were betrayed in their promises to receive land. Along the way, Rough Crossings keeps company with a cast of extraordinary characters: Granville Sharp, the flute-playing father-figure of slave freedom; David George, runaway slave and Baptist preacher; Thomas Peters, sergeant in the British Black Pioneers and the first true African-American politician. Most compelling of all, there is Lieutenant John Clarkson, young, passionate, resourceful and high-strung, the 'Moses' of this, one of the great Exoduses in British history. Clarkson's journal of the 'ingathering' in Nova Scotia, the ocean crossing and the harrowing experience of the first year in Sierra Leone is one of the most powerful documents of the history of liberty. Although the extraordinary story that unfolds in Rough Crossings would ultimately prove to be bitterly tragic, it was not without its moments of redemption, promises kept as well as betrayed. If there is heartbreak waiting in its pages there is also rejoicing. No one who reads it will ever feel the same way again about what it means to be British, American - and black.

Last year we fell in love with Francesco da Mosto in Venice. Get ready to fall in love all over again. This time in Paris, and in the company of Sandrine Voillet shes as chic, charming and elegant as the city she adores. To accompany the sumptuous and seductive BBC TV series of the same name, the book combines cultural history, travel and contemporary life in the most romantic city in the world.Travelling through 400 years of history we discover the extraordinary events and people who have shaped the City of Lights. Sandrine reveals and revels in the art, literature, music and architecture that are integral to Paris immortal beauty.

Terry Jones' Barbarians takes a completely unique approach to Roman history. No one nowadays would try to tell the story of the British Empire from the point of view of the British, but it's still the case that the story of the Roman Empire is always told from the perspective of Rome. Well, not any more! Accompanying a 4-part BBC2 series, also fronted by Terry Jones, this is the story of Roman history as seen by the Britons, Gauls, Germans, Hellenes, Persians and Africans. And suddenly the Romans don't look at all familiar. In place of the propaganda spectacles the Romans pushed on our noses, we'll see these people as they really were. The Vandals didn't vandalize - the Romans did. The Goths didn't sack Rome - the Romans did. Attlia the Hun didn't go to Constantinople to destroy it, but because the emperor's daughter wanted to marry him. Show an Asterix comic to an ancient Gaul and - surprise, surprise - he wouldn't realise that it was supposed to be about him. His life was more sophisticated than a Roman's, not more primitive. Terry Jones travels round the geography of the Roman Empire - through Europe and Africa - bringing wit, irreverence, passion and the very latest scholarship to transform a history that seemed well past its sell-by date, and make it relevant to living with the new American world empire.

We think we know all about the Romans, dont we? They gave us sophisticated road systems, chariots and the modern-day calendar, not to mention civilized society. And of course, they had to contend with barbarian hordes who continually threatened the peace, safety and prosperity of their Empire. But is this really true?Terry Jones Barbarians, now in paperback, takes a completely fresh approach to Roman history. Not only does it offer us the chance to see the Romans from a non-Roman perspective, it also reveals that most of those written off by the Romans as uncivilized, savage and barbaric were in fact organized, motivated and intelligent groups of people, with no intentions of overthrowing Rome and plundering its Empire.This original and fascinating study does away with the propaganda and opens our eyes to who really established the civilized world. Delving deep into history, Terry Jones and Alan Ereira uncover the impressive cultural and technological achievements of the Celts, Goths, Persians and Vandals. If you thought that highly developed religious philosophy and legal systems based on respect were Roman inventions, then think again. Far from civilizing the societies they conquered, the Romans often destroyed much of what they found.In this absorbing book, Terry and Alan travel through 700 years of history on three continents, bringing wit, irreverence, passion and the very latest scholarship to transform our view of the legacy of the Roman Empire and the creation of the modern world.

Was medieval England full of knights on horseback rescuing fainting damsels in distress? Were the Middle Ages mired in superstition and ignorance? Why does nobody ever mention King Louis the First and Last? And, of couse, those key questions: which monks were forbidden the delights of donning underpants... and did outlaws never wear trousers? Terry Jones and Alan Ereira are your guides to this most misrepresented and misunderstood period, and they point you to things that will surprise and provoke. Did you know, for example, that medieval people didn't think the world was flat? That was a total fabrication by an American journalist in the 19th century. Did you know that they didn't burn witches in the Middle Ages? That was a refinement of the so-called Renaissance. In fact, medieval kings weren't necessarily merciless tyrants and peasants entertained at home using French pottery and fine wine. Terry Jones' Medieval Lives reveals Medieval Britain as you have never seen it before - a vibrant society teeming with individuality, intrigue and innovation.

The Blair Years is the most compelling and revealing account of contemporary politics you will ever read. Taken from Alastair Campbells daily diaries, it charts the rise of New Labour and the tumultuous years of Tony Blairs leadership, providing the first important record of a remarkable decade in our national life. Here are the defining events of our time, from Labours new dawn to the war on terror, from the death of Diana to negotiations for peace in Northern Ireland, from Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq, through to the Hutton Inquiry of 2003, the year Campbell resigned his position at No 10. But above all here is Tony Blair up close and personal, taking the decisions that affected the lives of millions, under relentless and often hostile pressure. Often described as the second most powerful figure in Britain, Alastair Campbell is no stranger to controversy. Feared and admired in equal measure, hated by some, he was pivotal to the founding of New Labour and the sensational election victory of 1997. As Blairs press secretary, strategist and trusted confidant, Campbell spent more waking hours alongside the Prime Minister than anyone. His diaires - at times brutally frank, often funny, always compelling - take the reader right to the heart of government. The Blair Years is a story of politics in the raw, of progress and setback, of reputations made and destroyed, under the relentless scrutiny of a 24-hour media. Unflinchingly told, it covers the crises and scandals, the rows and resignations, the ups and downs of Britains hothouse politics. But amid the big events are insights and observations that make this a remarkably human portrayal of some of the most powerful people in the world. There has never been so riveting a book about life at the very top, nor a more human book about politics, told by a man who saw it all.

This one-volume edition comprises both Richard Holmes' well-loved War Walks and War Walks 2. Dates such as 1066 and names such as Dunkirk often strike a chord of nostalgia, but the details of the historic events associated with them are forgotten. In The Complete War Walks Richard Holmes takes us on fascinating journey through time to visit twelve battlefields throughout Britain, Northern France and Belgium that mark crucial moments in Britain's bloody and turbulent history. From Hastings to Dunkirk, Agincourt to The Somme, Richard vividly recreates the atmosphere of these key battles in our history. With his expert knowledge of weapons and warfare and using specially commissioned maps, Richard Holmes provides a brilliantly clear picture of the events which led up to each battle, the conflicts themselves, and the people who fought them. Using practical 'views of the field', he travels the battlefields as they exist today, pointing out their places of interest, paying tribute to the men who fought there, and bringing history to life. This book focuses on a selection of battles, six fought in Britain - or, in one case, on a struggle that straddled the Channel. A further six are set in a few hundred square miles of northern France and southern Belgium, a space so confined that a single day's drive could take us across all our battlefields. Choosing the battles from a long list of potential candidates was far from easy, but a certain logic prevails. Battles that had far-reaching consequences, historically and politically, were brought to the forefront of the possible choices. In some cases, because of a battle's importance, it entered part of an enduring mythology that demands attention. There were other obvious considerations that favoured certain battles over others: battles that were particularly decisive, or ones that were well documented, or have battlefields that remain striking today. I shied away from some battles that had already been described so well in print or on film, that I felt there was nothing new to add. In the twentieth-century France: Hastings, Agincourt, Bosworth, Naseby, The Boyne, Waterloo, Mons and Le Cateau, the Somme, Arras, Dunkirk, the Blitz and Operation Goodwood.

In 1086, Domesday Book, perhaps the most remarkable historical document in existence, was compiled. This tremendous story of England and its people was made at the behest of the Norman king William the Conqueror. It was called Domesday, the day of judgement, because 'like the day of judgement, its decisions are unalterable'. In Search of the Roots of England is not only a study of the ancient manuscript but an attempt to analyse the world that Domesday Book so vividly portrayed. By skilful use of the Domesday record historian Michael Wood examines Norman society and the Anglo-Saxon, Roman, and even the Iron Age cultures that preceded it.

Michael Lewis' The Future Just Happened is for readers who have ever had the sneaking suspicion that the Internet is radically changing the world as you know it. While some people celebrate this and others bemoan it, Lewis has been busy investigating the reasons for this rapid change. Lewis' observations are piercingly sharp. He can be very funny in his portrayal of the way in which ordinary people are enacting the changes the Internet is facilitating in society, but remains thorough and insightful in his examination of the social consequences of these changes. An investigation of how new technology affects our lives. This book explores how digital technology and the Internet has changed the way we live. It argues that not only do we have the easiest access to more information than ever before, but that this has changed our attitudes to life

In his classic text on the First World War, distinguished military historian Correlli Barnett vividly illuminates the complex story of the First World War, a war that left millions dead and changed the face of the Europe forever. Drawing on accounts of ordinary soldiers as well as primary sources, Correlli Barnett tells the story of the war from the causes of the war through the long, bitter years of stalemate on the Western Front to the compromise peace in 1918. He follows the campaign through all theatres of war - land, air, sea - from the trenches to the strength of the civilians on the Home Front. Timed to coincide with the much-anticipated retransmission of the magnificent 26-part television series narrated by Sir Michael Redgrave, The Great War has been updated with a substantial new foreword by the series writers and historians Correlli Barnett and John Terraine to include the most recent scholarship on the First World War. 'The Great War...essentially invented the historical documentary. It is staggering, stunning, mesmerising. This is the measure not just for history on television, but for all factual programmes.' A.A Gill

The Invention of Childhood paints a vivid picture of the lives of children in Britain from pagan Anglo-Saxon times to the present day. Drawing heavily on primary sources, such as diaries, autobiographies, paintings, photographs and letters, the book will present a complete chronological history of the experience of children in Britain during the past 1500 years. We will learn the key elements that have shaped their lives down the ages and how this has differed as a result of gender, geography and ethnicity. The book relates children's lives to larger events in national and international history. Written by Hugh Cunningham - the Professor of History at the Universtity of Kent at Canterbury, and an expert on childhood history - the book accompanies a Radio 4 series presented by the highly respected children's author Michael Morpurgo. 'The Invention of Childhood' expands on a number of key themes from the radio series, including the idea of childhood as a distinct stage of life. Opinions on when childhood should start and end, and how it differs from adulthood have changed considerably down the centuries. And these inventions and reinventions of childhood (hence the title) have had a profound effect on children's lives. The prolonged childhood we enjoy in Britain today was a luxury few could afford in the past. This fascinating study will draw attention to the ways in which we may find childhood and children in the past quite similar to the present and to ways in which children's lives from the past seem to differ sharply from the lives children lead today.

Every year over 5000 royal engagements take place around the world, from the Queens famous summer garden parties to the mysterious world of the Privy Council and high-profile overseas tours. But little is widely known about the inner workings of the institution that lies at the very heart of the British nation.For the first time ever, The Monarchy takes the reader behind the scenes, meeting the people that keep the royal machine running like clockwork. With unprecedented access to the key players and organizations involved, The Monarchy follows the working life of the Queen over the course of a whole year, both home and abroad.Ever wondered who opens the Queens mail, who pays the bills, or even how the royals follow the score in the Ashes? Alongside such trivial matters sit weightier concerns, such as audiences with the Prime Minister, the formal honouring of bravery and excellence, and the sensitive issue of the royal response at times of controversy or crisis. Accompanying a major BBC1 television series, The Monarchy provides a fascinating insight into the public and private lives of this most familiar of families. Written by the Daily Mails royal correspondent, Robert Hardman, and lavishly illustrated with exclusive colour photographs, this book will appeal both to avid royal-watchers and anyone fascinated in the history and heritage of the United Kingdom.

To go alongside the 10-part BBC2 observational documentary series, is the first ever behind the scenes look at the British Museum. It will cover a year in the life of one of the world's great museums containing some remarkable collections of Egyptian, Roman and Greek treasures, including the Mummy of the priest Nesperennub, the Rosetta Stone and the famous sculptures of Parthenon known as the Elgin Marbles. Further to this we will see the famous Reading Room where Karl Marx worked and is still used by researchers and writers alike and the fantastic Great Court revamped by the architect Norman Foster. Looking after these great collections are some 800 people from scholars and archaeologists to conservators and exhibition specialists. Between them they must look after the collections, devise and plan the great shows, and manage a flow of 4.5 million visitors a year. Now for the first time, we will go behind the scenes at the Museum to see what makes this remarkable place work.

During the past 16 years, acclaimed author and documentary-maker Laurence Rees has met and interviewed a large number of former Nazis, and his unique insights into the Nazi psyche and the Second World War have received enormous praise. Following the success of Rees's bestselling 'Auschwitz', this substantially revised and updated edition of 'The Nazis - A Warning from History' tells the powerfully gripping story of the rise and fall of the Third Reich, At the heart of the book lie compelling eyewitness accounts of life under Adolf Hitler, spoken through the words of those who experienced the Nazi regime at every level of society. An extensive new section on the Nazi/Soviet war (previously published in Rees's 'War of the Century') provides a chilling insight into Nazi mentality during the most bloody conflict in history. Described as 'one of the greatest documentary series of all times' 'The Nazis - A Warning from History' won a host of awards, including a Bafta and an International Documentary Award. The accompanying book broke new ground in our understanding of the Nazi regime and was praised for 'getting to the heart of the most troubling and elusive questions of Germany before and during World War Two'. The dramatic and incredible story that unfolds in these pages, once read, is not easily forgetten.

This is the story of the Reformation and its lasting legacy in effect how Protestantism created the modern world. It is a story of a revolution which has affected nearly every person in the West, and nearly every country in the world. It is a revolution which exists in every aspect of our everyday lives influencing the very fabric of our existence: from what we do for a living, to who we vote for, from who we go to war with, to how we see ourselves as individuals and as a nation. Its impossible to underestimate the impact of the Reformation. When Luther nailed his 95 theses to the church in Wittenburg in 1517 he was calling not just for the reform of the corrupt Church but for an entirely new way of thinking challenging the established authority for the first time. 'The Protestant Revolution' to go alongside the BBC series of the same name will explore the radical forces he unleashed and will examine the social impact of the Protestant Revolution, how it shaped family life, as well as the scientific, cultural, economic and political revolutions it brought about.

The World at War is the definitive television work on the Second World War. It set out to tell the story of the war through the testimony of key participants from civilians to ordinary soldiers, from statesmen to generals. First broadcast in 1973, the result was a unique and irreplaceable record since many of the eyewitnesses captured on film did not have long to live. The programmes producers committed hundreds of interview-hours to tape in its creation, but only a fraction of that recorded material made it to the final cut. For more than 30 years the interviews have never been allowed to be published until now. The well-known names interviewed for the series include Albert Speer, Karl Wolff (Himmlers adjutant), Traudl Junge (Hitlers secretary), James Stewart (USAAF bomber pilot and Hollywood star), Anthony Eden, John Colville (Parliamentary Private Secretary to Winston Churchill), Averell Harriman (US Ambassador to Russia) and Arthur Bomber Harris (Head of RAF Bomber Command). Highly respected historian and bestselling author Richard Holmes has skilfully woven this valuable original material into a compelling narrative, creating a truly phenomenal oral history of the Second World War.

In this riveting book, political journalist Peter Snow and military historian Dan Snow bring to life the most intense and bitterly fought battles of the 20th century - from the apocalyptic terrain of the Western Front to the desert landscape of Iraq. Punctuated by powerful eyewitness testimony, their compelling and often shocking narrative highlights the strategy of military commanders as well as the experience of men on the frontline. "20th Century Battlefields" looks back at the most violent century in history and examines the challenges facing armed forces in the future.

War, bloodshed, invasion and progress: Britain has had a fascinating and turbulent history. In This Sceptered Isle, Christopher Lee combines all these ingredients to create a comprehensive and approachable history of Britain from 55BC to 1901AD. From the Dark Ages which followed the Romans' departure, through the great flowering of culture in medieval times and the gradual evolution of the modern state, to the making of an empire and the huge changes brought about by the industrial revolution, This Sceptered Isle brings almost 2000 years of history vividly to life. Christopher Lee's compelling book focuses on the key events and personalities that shaped Britain and tells the story of what makes us British. Wonderfully accessible and authoritative without being dry, this is the history book that we have all been waiting for. Essential reading whether your interest is Britain's past, present or future.

In 'This Sceptred Isle - Dynasties', Christopher Lee tells the stories of the most powerful families that have shaped the history of the British Isles over the past thousand years; families which, through their wealth and ambition, were influential at the highest level and many of which were older and more powerful than the monarchy itself. Before the Norman Conquest, the Godwines counted the Earl of Wessex among their number, the eleventh-century king-maker responsible for putting Edward the Confessor on the throne. The Percys' from their great estates and holdings in the north of England, raised their own armies to defend the king's realm from invasion. The Cecils, prominent in public life from the time of William, the first Baron Burghley, confidant of Elizabeth I, to the present day, produced a dynasty of statesmen, politicians, soldiers, academics, advocates, a Nobel Laureate and even an Olympic gold medalist. These and many other influential famailies, including the Churchills, the Cavendishes and the Norfolks are represented, as well as several powerful Scottish and Irish clans. Finally, there is a consideration of those, who, in a wholly new arena, have continued the tradition of dynastic power through the twentieth century and into the twenty-first: the so-called 'media barons'. 'This Sceptred Isle - Dynasties' is a fasinating survey of the fluctuating fortunes of a privileged elite; their loyalties tested and rewarded, honours bestowed and withdrawn, their successes and failiures, their adulteries, scheming, intrigue, bloody battles, murderous plots and shocking executions - stories that reveal the true powers behind the throne.

In "This Sceptred Isle - Twentieth Century", Christopher Lee looks back on the extraordinary changes and events that have made up the last hundred years of British history, bringing the story of our island right up to date. The twentieth century has been called 'the fastest moving century of all' in which the unprecedented advances in medicine, travel, mass communication and social equality completely transformed the lives of ordinary people. For Britain, this was also the century that witnessed intense activity abroad - the terror of two World Wars and the dismantling of the British Empire - and some of the most memorable milestones at home, such as the birth of the Labour Party, the suffragette's campaign for women's right to vote and the formation of the Welfare State. In this lively and entertaining book, Christopher Lee provides a comprehensive overview of the key political cultural, social and economic events that have shaped out recent past, as well as highlighting the scientific innovations, such as the discovery of penicillin and the splitting of the atom, that have secured Britain's reputation as a key player on the world stage. "This Sceptred Isle - Twentieth Century", the eagerly anticipated sequel to the award-winning "This Sceptred Isle", will fascinate anyone who has ever wanted to find out more about the Britain of recent generations, and provides an accessible and timely chronology of twentieth-century Britain as we enter a new millennium.

Adam Hart-Davis, one of the nation's favourite TV presenters, returns to our screens with a tour through the Top Ten developments of each of the great civilisations of the past. From the Egyptians to the Romans, Babylonians to the Arabs, Adam takes us on an epic history of the world, looking at some of the great legacies left to us by ancient cultures. What The Past Did For Us accompanies a major 9-part new format autumn show, in which Adam is the anchorman who leads us through the history of inventions while testing some of these in the studio. The accompanying book is an entertainingly written history of ancient cultures, capturing Adam's enthusiasm for the subject. Adam tells the story of the Chinese inventors who came up with the mariner's compass, paper money and gunpowder right through to the Ancient Indians who, according to Einstein 'taught us how to count' as well as giving us the 12-month calendar year and 7-day week.

This new landmark series and book tells the story of some of the worlds greatest modern battles and the experiences of the men who fought in them - from heroic leaders to humble foot soldiers. These battles are the crucial turning points in modern history. Battles shaped the world we live in today and to understand them is to understand the conflicts that dominate the worlds headlines. The battles will be placed in the context of the war in which they played a crucial part. Ex war-correspondent Peter Snow (who covered the majority of these battles) and his son, military historian Dan Snow, will reveal the intricacies of these crucial battles - the strategies, the weapons, the tactics and their impact.A series of compelling narratives will bring to life the vast landscapes of modern warfare and give an extraordinary overview of events. We will discover what strategy the leaders and their armies employed e.g. in 1918 on the Western Front, Field Marshal Haig unleashed a massive onslaught of tanks, planes and artillery together for the first time, eventually causing the Germans to sue for peace.Peter and Dan will also look at the perspective of the men on the ground, both in the events leading up to the battle and on the field itself. Why were they fighting? How were they fighting? The emotions and experience of the ordinary soldiers will be brought into sharp relief using dramatized testimony.Peter and Dan will discover how new technology played a part in the final outcomes: how the very first use of smart weapons - satellite surveillance and laser guided weapons - obliterated Iraqi forces in the first Gulf war in 1991.