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Genghis Khan: Life, Death, And Resurrection
by John ManGenghis Khan - creator of the greatest empire the world has ever seen - is one of history's immortals. In Central Asia, they still use his name to frighten children. In China, he is honoured as the founder of a dynasty. In Mongolia he is the father of the nation. In the USA, Time magazine, voted Genghis Khan 'the most important person of the last millennium'. But how much do we really know about this man? How is it that an unlettered, unsophisticated warrior-nomad came to have such a profound effect on world politics that his influence can still be felt some 800 years later? How he united the deeply divided Mongol peoples and went on to rule an empire that stretched from China in the east to Poland in the west (one substantially larger than Rome's at its zenith) is an epic tale of martial genius and breathtaking cruelty. John Man's towering achievement in this book, enriched by his experiences in China and Mongolia today, is to bring this little-known story vividly and viscerally to life.
The Great Wall: The Extraordinary Story Of China's Wonder Of The World
by John ManChina's Great Wall north of Beijing is one of the world's most famous sights. Millions every year climb the line of stone snaking over mountains. We all feel we know the Wall. But we are wrong. It is too big, too varied, too complex to be captured by a few images or a day-trip.Myths surround it. Many believe that the stone barrier marches across all China, that it has been in existence for over 2,000 years, and that it is the only man-made structure visible from the Moon. In fact, most of it is made of earth, and much of it is not there at all. It cannot even be seen from earth orbit, let alone the Moon. Estimates of its length vary from 1,500 to 5,000 miles. Even its name is deceptive - it is not an it, a single entity, but many walls (hence the uncertain length), built at different times. Yet behind the confusion are great simplicities. The many walls are united by two ideas - self-protection and unity - which go back to the First Emperor, who founded the nation in 221 BC. For 2,000 years, the Wall marked the border between China and nomadic peoples to the north and west. Mutual hostility inspired centuries of attacks, counter-attacks and Wall-building, until the northward spread of China in the 20th century made the Wall redundant.For this riveting account, John Man travelled the Wall from the far western deserts to the Pacific, exploring the grandest sections and many 'wild' ones. He is the first writer to describe two unknown walls in Mongolia. He covers two millennia of history, from the country's first unification to the present day, when the Great Wall, built and rebuilt over centuries of war, has become a symbol of tranquillity.
The Gutenberg Revolution
by John ManIn 1450, all Europe's books were handcopied and amounted to only a few thousand. By 1500 they were printed, and numbered in their millions. The invention of one man - Johann Gutenberg - had caused a revolution. Printing by movable type was a discovery waiting to happen.Born in 1400 in Mainz, Germany, Gutenberg struggled against a background of plague and religious upheaval to bring his remarkable invention to light. His story is full of paradox: his ambition was to reunite all Christendom, but his invention shattered it; he aimed to make a fortune, but was cruelly denied the fruits of his life's work. Yet history remembers him as a visionary; his discovery marks the beginning of the modern world.
Xanadu: Marco Polo And Europe's Discovery Of The East
by John Man**A SOURCE FOR MARCO POLO, A NETFLIX ORIGINAL SERIES**Marco Polo's journey from Venice, through Europe and most of Asia, to the court of Kublai Khan in China is one of the most audacious in history. His account of his experiences, known simply as The Travels, uncovered an entirely new world of emperors and concubines, great buildings - 'stately pleasure domes' in Coleridge's dreaming - huge armies and imperial riches. His book shaped the West's understanding of China for hundreds of years.John Man travelled in Marco's footsteps to Xanadu, in search of the truth behind Marco's stories; to separate legend from fact. Drawing on his own journey, archaeology and archival study, John Man paints a vivid picture of the man behind the myth and the true story of the great court of Kublai Khan.
Vixen (Jane Feather's V Ser.)
by Jane FeatherChloe Gresham wasn't expecting a warm welcome - after all, her new guardian was a total stranger. But when Sir Hugo Lattimer strode into Denholm Manor after a night of carousing and discovered he'd been saddled with an irrepressible and beautiful young ward, the handsome bachelor made it perfectly clear he wanted nothing to do with her. Chloe, however, had ideas of her own...Driven by dark memories to a tormenting despair, the last thing Hugo needed was an irritating, infuriating, unpredictable schoolgirl, especially one whose stunning beauty and natural sensuality challenged his self-control. Yet he owed it to the girl to turn her into a proper lady and marry her off to a wealthy young lord in London. And by God he would do it...if only he could resist the temptation to bring her to his bed...and if only he could keep her safe from those who would use an innocent young woman for shameless revenge.
Velvet (Jane Feather's V Ser.)
by Jane FeatherClad in black velvet and posing as a widowed French comtesse, Gabrielle de Beaucaire had returned to England for one purpose only - to ruin the man responsible for her young lover's death. But convincing the forbidding Nathaniel Praed, England's greatest spy master, that she would make the perfect agent for his secret service would not be easy. And even after Gabrielle had lured the devastatingly attractive lord to her bed, she would have to contend with his distrust - and with the unexpected hunger that his merest touch aroused.From the moment he met her, Nathaniel Praed knew that the alluring Gabrielle de Beaucaire spelled trouble. But though he fought her outrageously bold advances, he could not stem the turbulent hunger that swept through him when the tall, titian-haired vixen pressed her lips to his. Now, against his better judgement, she is in his employ. And as Europe trembles at a tyrant's war and sinister minds plot against them, Nathaniel and Gabrielle fing themselves at the mercy of an exquisite passion and a love that could save - or destroy - both their lives.
World History: A New Perspective
by Clive PontingConventional accounts of world history tend to focus on the rise of Western civilisation and concentrate on the story of ancient Greece, the Roman empire and the expansion of Europe. The histories of the great civilisations of China, India and Japan, and therefore the experience of the majority of the world's people, have been relegated to a minor place. World History adopts a radically different approach. Starting from the assumption that the human story has to be seen in the round, it examines the evolution of humans, their lives as hunters and gatherers and their eventual adoption of agriculture, before looking at the emergence of civilisation across the globe; in Mesopotamia, Egypt, China, the Indus Valley, Mesoamerica and Peru. It goes on to tell the story of the earliest empires, emphasising not just their differences but also their similarities. It explains how contacts were established between them and how technologies, ideas and the world's great religions travelled from one to another. It describes the great empires of Islam, of China and of the Mongols. Only towards the end of the story does Europe come slowly to dominate the world, against the background of technical innovations and social and economic change.
How We Lived Then: History of Everyday Life During the Second World War, A
by Norman LongmateAlthough nearly 90% of the population of Great Britain remained civilians throughout the war, or for a large part of it, their story has so far largely gone untold. In contrast with the thousands of books on military operations, barely any have concerned themselves with the individual's experience. The problems of the ordinary family are barely ever mentioned - food rationing, clothes rationing, the black-out and air raids get little space, and everyday shortages almost none at all. This book is an attempt to redress the balance; to tell the civilian's story largely through their own recollections and in their own words.
Long Lankin
by Lindsey BarracloughBeware of Long Lankin . . . When Cora and her little sister Mimi are sent to stay with their great-aunt in the isolated village of Bryers Guerdon, they sense immediately that they're not welcome. What they don't know is that the last time two young girls were at Guerdon Hall, their visit ended in a mysterious, violent tragedy.Something dark and evil has haunted the village for centuries. Now it has set eyes on its next victim, and it will stop at nothing to lay claim to her. With the help of local schoolboys Roger and Peter, Cora must uncover the horrifying secrets buried deep within Bryers Guerdon - before it is too late for Mimi.Bewitching and atmospheric, this is a truly stunning debut that will linger with you for days after the final, chilling pages.
The One That Got Away - Junior edition
by Chris RyanThe heroic, real-life personal account of Chris Ryan's most famous mission, The One That Got Away, is now reworked for a new generation. Some authors just write about it. Chris Ryan has been there, done it - and here is the gripping real-life tale . . .During the Gulf War in 1991, Chris Ryan became separated from the other members of the SAS patrol, Bravo Two Zero. Alone, he beat off an Iraqi attack and set out for Syria. Over the next seven days he walked almost 200 miles, his life constantly in danger.Of the eight SAS members involved in this famous mission, only one escaped capture. This is his story . . .
The Origins of Asset Management from 1700 to 1960: Towering Investors (Palgrave Studies in the History of Finance)
by Nigel Edward MorecroftThis book explores the origins and development of the asset management profession in Britain as a distinct activity within financial services, independent of banks and stockbrokers. Specifically, it identifies the main individuals and institutions after 1868 who established the profession. The book draws a distinction between banks (short-term deposit-taking) and asset management (an investment service with longer-term objectives). It explains why some banks fail but asset management businesses generally do not. It argues that asset management has been socially useful and has had a beneficial impact on the development of securities markets by offering choices to savers as an alternative to banks, improving the efficiency of capital allocation, re-cycling excess savings productively and enabling a range of investors - from institutions to individuals - to benefit from thoughtful, long-term investing.
The Lady Grace Mysteries: Assassin (The Lady Grace Mysteries #1)
by Grace CavendishSince the death of her beloved mother, Lady Grace has become the Queen's favourite Maid of Honour. But even favourites have to obey the Queen's wishes - and the Queen wants Grace to be married. Choosing between her suitors - kindly old Sir Charles, flashy Sir Gerald and sweet, anxious Lord Robert - is easy for Grace: she doesn't want to marry any of them! When Gerald is found dead after the ball at which Grace should have picked her favourite suitor, suspicion falls on Lord Robert. But Grace has noticed that Sir Charles has been acting strangely - and that there is something odd about the body. With her friends Ellie the maid and Masou the acrobat, Lady Grace sets out to discover what really went on that night.
The Lady Grace Mysteries: Gold (The Lady Grace Mysteries #7)
by Grace CavendishPreparations for the wedding of one of Lady Grace's fellow Maids of Honour are interrupted when a shipment of gold, on its way to the Queen, is stolen! The culprit is a single masked horseman, all in black - or is it a gang of ruffians from the forest? The clues seem to point in several different directions and Grace, as Queen Elizabeth's trusty secret Lady Pursuivant, can't make head or tail of them. Could one of the newcomers to court be involved? And will Grace be able to help recover the fortune?
The Lady Grace Mysteries: The Lady Grace Mysteries (The Lady Grace Mysteries #8)
by Grace CavendishThe Queen and her Maids of Honour are spending the summer at a nobleman's estate, where a new manor house is being built. But the work has to stop when a mysterious spook appears. Could the ghost of a murdered Earl be haunting the site of his death? Grace begins to investigate and finds that there are many rumours about the ghost - and uncovering the truth could be dangerous . . .
The Lady Grace Mysteries: Intrigue (The Lady Grace Mysteries #9)
by Grace CavendishA PUZZLE ON THE STAGE!A new play: Intrigue, is just about to open in Whitehall. The play includes a very clever, convincing death scene, and Queen Elizabeth is desperate to see it before the rest of her country. But when the Queen and her court go to watch, the death scene is far too convincing - in fact, it's real! Richard Fitzgrey is murdered in front of the Queen!Leaf through the pages of the daybooke of Lady Grace, favourite Maid of Honour of Queen Elizabeth I, and enter a theatrical world full of mystery . . .
The Lady Grace Mysteries: The Jinx (The Lady Grace Mysteries #10)
by Grace CavendishIt's the height of summer and the palace is full of ambassadors and ladies from the Spanish court. When a visit to the famous St Bartholomew's fair is planned to entertain the guests, Grace jumps at the chance to get out for the day. Not everybody feels the same though and there's a lot of superstision amongst the ladies about the gypsies, fortune tellers and herbal medicine that will be at the fair. When a mysterious fire at the fair leaves Lady Sarah injured and a gypsy woman dead, it seems the ladies were right to be worried. But was the fire started on purpose? And can Grace get to the bottom of this mystery?
The Lady Grace Mysteries: The Lady Grace Mysteries (The Lady Grace Mysteries #11)
by Grace CavendishWhen the Court clockmaker, Mr Urseau, is found dead in his workshop - a dagger in his chest and a key clutched in his hand - rumours start flying. Was the murderer his young assistant? Or maybe his wife? Both could be after Urseau's private treasure. And where is the key from? What is it for?Lady Grace, Queen Elizabeth's own Lady Pursuiviant, is determined to get to the bottom of all these questions. But things get even more complicated when Grace discovers that a mysterious clock was delivered to the palace on the day Urseau was killed . . .
The Lady Grace Mysteries: Loot (The Lady Grace Mysteries #12)
by Grace CavendishWhen the crown jewels are stolen from a locked room in the castle right under Queen Elizabeth's nose - she's furious and asks Grace, her secret Lady Pursuivant, to investigate. This is the toughest mystery Grace has had to solve yet. The thief must be amongst them in the palace . . . Can Grace figure out their identity before it's too late?
Diaries Volume Two: Power and the People (The Alastair Campbell Diaries)
by Alastair CampbellPower & the People covers the first two years of the New Labour government, beginning with their landslide victory at the polls in 1997. This second voume of Campbell's unexpurgated diaries details the initial challenges faced by Labour as they come to power and settle into running the country. It covers an astonishing array of events and personalities, progress and setbacks, crises and scandals, as Blair and his party make the transition from opposition to office.
The Unreliable Life of Harry the Valet: The Great Victorian Jewel Thief
by Duncan Hamilton17 October 1898.An impossibly daring jewellery heist aboard a train at Paris's Gare du Nord station captures the attention of the world.Who would have dared to pull off such a feat?Award-winning writer Duncan Hamilton reveals the true story of Harry the Valet, the notorious crook who was the scourge of Victorian London.Harry conned and stole his way into high society, living a life of excess in London's best hotels and hang-outs. Dressed in bespoke suits and handmade shoes, Harry outwitted Scotland Yard with his trademark guile and panache.With dozens of pseudonyms, no fixed address and a knowledge of his city that allowed him to hide in its shadows, Harry seemed almost invisible. Until, blinded by love, he carried out the robbery that would prove his downfall.
The War That Never Was
by Duff Hart-DavisFor the very first time, The War That Never Was tells the fascinating story of a secret war fought by British mercenaries in the Yemen in the early 1960s. In a covert operation organised over whisky and sodas in the clubs of Chelsea and Mayfair, a group of former SAS officers - led by the irrepressible Colonel Jim Johnson - arranged for a squadron of British mercenaries to travel to the remote mountain regions of the Yemen, to arm, train and lead Yemeni tribesmen in their fight against a 60,000-strong contingent of Egyptian soldiers. It was one of the most uneven running battles ever waged; the Egyptians fielded a huge, professionally-trained army. The British fought back at the head of a ragtag force of tribal warriors and, ultimately, won. Egypt's President Nasser described the battle in the Yemen as 'my Vietnam'. It's a fascinating, forgotten, and rip-roaringly entertaining pocket of British military history, much in the spirit of Ben MvIntyre's bestselling Agent Zigzag and Operation Mincemeat.
The Ghost of Lily Painter
by Caitlin DaviesThe first time Annie Sweet sees 43 Stanley Road, the house is so perfect she almost feels as though it has chosen her. But with her husband seeming more distant, and her daughter wrapped up in her friends and new school, Annie is increasingly left alone to mull over the past. She soon becomes consumed by the house and everyone who has lived there before her, especially a young music hall singer called Lily Painter, whose sparkling performances were the talk of London. As Annie delves further into the past she unravels the case of two notorious baby farmers, who cruelly preyed on vulnerable unmarried mothers. And until she solves the mystery at the heart of the scandal, the ghost of Lily Painter will never be able to rest.Basing her story on true events, Caitlin Davies skilfully blends fact and fiction to bring to life part of our sinister past. Spanning an entire century, from the journals of an Edwardian police inspector to a doomed wartime love affair, The Ghost of Lily Painter is a gripping and poignant novel.
Hellraisers: The Life and Inebriated Times of Burton, Harris, O'Toole and Reed
by Robert Sellers'God put me on this earth to raise sheer hell.' Richard Burton'I was a sinner. I slugged some people. I hurt many people. And it's true, I never looked back to see the casualties.' Richard Harris'Booze is the most outrageous of all drugs, which is why I chose it.' Peter O'Toole'I don't have a drink problem. But if that was the case and doctors told me I had to stop I'd like to think I would be brave enough to drink myself into the grave.' Oliver ReedThis is the story of four of the greatest thespian boozers who ever walked - or staggered - off a film set into a pub. It's a story of drunken binges of near biblical proportions, parties and orgies, broken marriages, drugs, riots and wanton sexual conquests. They got away with it because of their extraordinary acting talent and because the public loved them. They were truly the last of a breed, the last of the movie hellraisers.
Lost Voices from the Titanic: The Definitive Oral History
by Nick BarrattStarting from its original conception and design by the owners and naval architects at the White Star Line through construction at Harland and Wolff's shipyards in Belfast, Nick Barratt explores the pre-history of the Titanic. He examines the aspirations of the owners, the realities of construction and the anticipation of the first sea-tests, revealing that the seeds of disaster were sown by the failure to implement sealed bulkheads - for which the original plans are now available. Barratt then looks at what it was like to embark on the Titanic's maiden voyage in April 1912. The lives of various passengers are examined in more detail, from the first class aristocrats enjoying all the trappings of privilege, to the families in third-class and steerage who simply sought to leave Britain for a better life in America. Similarly, the stories of representatives from the White Star Line who were present, as well as members of the crew, are told in their own words to give a very different perspective of the voyage.Finally, the book examines the disaster itself, when Titanic struck the iceberg on 14 April and sunk hours later. Survivors from passengers and crew explain what happened, taking you back in time to the full horror of that freezing Atlantic night when up to 1,520 people perished. The tragedy is also examined from the official boards of enquiry, and its aftermath placed in a historic context - the damage to British prestige and pride, and the changes to maritime law to ensure such an event never took place again. The book concludes by looking at the impact on those who escaped, and what became of them in the ensuing years; and includes the words of the last living survivor, Millvina Dean.
For Love and Courage: The Letters of Lieutenant Colonel E.W. Hermon from the Western Front 1914 - 1917
by E. W. HermonLt Colonel E.W. Hermon died in a hail of bullets on the 9th April 1917, the first day of the Battle of Arras, leading his men of the 24th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers into the attack. Like hundreds of thousands of others in the Great War, he gave his life for his King and country. He was shot through the heart, one bullet slicing through the papers in his top pocket, including the four-leaf clover his wife had given him for good luck. His final words to his Adjutant were 'Go on!' before he sank to his knees and died almost instantaneously. He was carried from the battlefield by his faithful soldier servant, Buxton, and now lies buried in the Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery at Roclincourt, three miles from Arras. This could have been the end of the story but he left a testament of his life and ideals in a unique and hitherto unknown and unpublished collection of long and detailed letters he wrote to his darling wife and his children, 'the Chugs'. Now, nearly a century after his death, he speaks to us of a past, less cynical life, where selflessness, honour, duty and courage were admired above all else. His own courage was officially recognised as he was mentioned in despatches three times and posthumously awarded the D.S.O.The letters have been transcribed and edited by Hermon's granddaughter Anne Nason with the guidance and historical advice of James Holland, the distinguished historian and writer. Peter Caddick-Adams, who works alongside Richard Holmes at Cranfield University, believes the letters to be unique in their candour and context since Hermon was Battalion Commander and thus his letters were not censored.