30-Second Ancient Egypt presents a unique insight into one of the most brilliant and beguiling civilizations, where technological innovations and architectural wonders emerge among mysterious gods and burial rites. Each entry is summarized in just 30 seconds using nothing more than two pages, 300 words and a single picture. From royal dynasties and Tutankhamun's tomb, to hieroglyphs and mummifi…
In 2012, Queen Elizabeth II will mark the 60th anniversary of her accession to the throne, a diamond jubilee that this book, written by former BBC Royal Correspondent Jennie Bond, commemorates. On February 6,1952, Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh, became Queen on the death of her father, King George VI. The reign that was to see major changes both in the country and Commonwealth and in …
Throughout the ages, people have been fascinated by other people--who are they, what do they do, how do they live? Archaeology seeks to answer those questions about the history of mankind by analysing the remains of the past.
Detailing the life and work of the influential political advocate draws on private papers and other untapped sources to cover his birth in 1869 through his upbringing in Gujarat, discussing his London education and decades as a lawyer in South Africa.
With the lives of millions lost, World War I still stands as one of the deadliest conflicts of all time. In this historical guide, discover the crucial acts that led to war, the devastating battles and the political figures who led our countries into peace. With authentic photographs, this is a must-read for all history enthusiasts.
Alfred Hitchcock is undeniably the world's most famous film director. His name has become synonomous with the cinema, and each new generation takes the same pleasure in rediscovering his films, which are now treasures of our artistic heritage.
For all the talk of the Civil War "pitting brother against brother," there has never before been a single book that traces the story of one family ravaged by that conflict. And no family could better illustrate the personal toll the war took than Lincoln's own. Mary Todd Lincoln was one of fourteen siblings who were split between the Confederacy and the Union. Three of her brothers fought, and …
The Chronicle of the Roman Republic examines the succession of kings, consuls, and tribunes who took Rome from a small fortified hilltop to the greatest empire of antiquity. Here we meet the builders of Rome - superstitious, brutal and utterly uncompromising, but often men of great honour and principle. Astonishingly, such men created one of the most civilized societies in the ancient world - a…
The author describes her experiences during China's Cultural Revolution, relating how she was "sent down" to the largest work camp in China, where she endured lies and betrayal until she was able to attend Madame Mao's university.
Noted historian Ian Talbot has written a new history of modern South Asia that considers the Indian Subcontinent in regional rather than in solely national terms. A leading expert on the Partition of 1947, Talbot focuses here on the combined history of India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh since 1757 and specifically on the impact of external influences on the local peoples and cultures. This text ex…
From Ancient Greece to the hunt and killing of Bin Laden, here are 110 incredible acts of bravery, courage and derring-do that have in one fell swoop changed the world.
The illustrated history reveals 65 people you've probably never heard of, but who helped shape the word as we know it. Muses and neighbors, friends and relatives, accomplices and benefactors--such as Michael and Joy Brown, who gifted Harper Lee a year's worth of wages to help her write To Kill a Mockingbird. Or John Ordway, the colleague who walked with Lewis and Clark every step of the way
Presents a history of the British royal family, focusing on the kings, queens, and family members of the House of Windsor, providing a pictorial history of the monarchy in the twentieth century.
When did language begin? How did early humans populate the globe? By looking closely at four of the most significant hominins ever discovered, the authors explain how Turkana Boy, Lapedo Child, Kennewick Man, and Iceman have influenced debates about the nature of the earliest members of the family Hominidae.
From humble origins in the provinces, Mao Zedong rose to absolute power, unifying with an iron fist a vast country torn apart by years of weak leadership, colonialism, and war. Both a canny tactician and a hardworking organizer, Mao parlayed the privations of the famous Long March and the success of his guerrilla army into a powerful cult of personality and a dominant position in the burgeoning…
The fate of Singapore was sealed long before the Japanese attack in December 1941. The blame lay with British Prime Minister Winston Churchill who refused to listen to warnings from military advisors to reinforce defences in Singapore/Malaya, convinced the Japanese would never dare to attack a 'white power'. Obsessed with beating German General Erwin Rommel, he poured into the Middle East massi…
Recounts the events of ten pivotal days that changed the course of American history.
Nelson Mandela is widely considered to be one of the most inspiring and iconic figures of our age. Now, after a lifetime of taking pen to paper to record thoughts and events, hardships and victories, he has opened his personal archive, which offers an unprecedented insight into his remarkable life and offers a unique access to the private world of an incomparable world leader. Journals kept on …
The miraculous and triumphant story of a young man who rediscovers not only his childhood life and home ... but an identity long-since left behind
Asking whether Churchill was as great a wartime leader as he has hitherto been made out, this book discusses the view of soldiers such as Alanbrooke, his wartime Chief of Staff, who thought Churchill better as a pragmatist than as a strategist. It also considers Churchill, the politician and talks about Churchill's upbringing.