` While Britain was losing an empire, it was finding itself...` The compelling opening words to ” The Fate of the Empire”, set the tone & agenda for the final stage of Simon Schama`s epic voyage around Britain, her people & her past. Spanning two centuries, crossing the breadth of the empire & covering a vast expanse of topics
- from the birth of feminism to the fate of freedom
- he explores the forces that shaped British culture & character from 1776 to 2000. The story opens on the eve of a bloody revolution, but not a British one. The French Revolution never quite crossed the Channel, though its spirit of fiery defiance & Romantic idealism did, sparking off a round of radical revolts & reforms that gathered momentum over the coming century
- from the Irish Rebellion to the Chartist Petition. The great question of the Victorian century was how the world`s first industrial society could come through its growing pains without falling apart in social & political conflict. Would the machine age destroy or strengthen the institutions that held Britain together, from the family to the farm? And if the British Empire helped to make Britain stable & rich, did it live up to its promise to help the ruled as well as the rulers? On the way to answering these questions, ” The Fate of the Empire” makes stops at both celebrations, like the Great Exhibition, & catastrophes, like the Irish potato famine & the Indian Mutiny. Amidst the military & economic shocks & traumas of the 20th century, & through the voices of Churchill, Orwell & H. G. Wells, it asks the question that is still with us
- is the immense weight of our history a blessing or a curse, a gift or a millstone around the neck of our future? It is a vast compelling epic, made more so by the lively storytelling & big bold characters at the heart of the action. But alongside flamboyant heroes, like Nelson & Churchill, Schama recalls unsung heroines & virtually unknown enemies. Alongside the grand ideas, he exposes the grand illusions that cost untold lives. Schama looks head on at the facts & asks, ` What went wrong with the liberal dream?` The answers emerge in ” The Fate of the Empire”, which reveals the living ideals of Britain`s long history, `a history that tied together social justice with bloody-minded liberty`.



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This candid assessment, covering over 2000 years of Cambodian history, focuses on transformations & historic implications of myths surrounding these changes. In this clear & concise volume, author David Chandler provides a timely overview of Cambodia, a small but increasingly visible Southeast Asian nation. Praised by the ” Journal of Asian Studies” as an ”original contribution, superior to any other existing work”, this acclaimed text has now been completely revised & updated to include material examining the early history of Cambodia, whose famous Angkorean ruins now attract more than one million tourists each year, the death of Pol Pot, & the revolution & final collapse of the Khmer Rouge. The fourth edition reflects recent research by major scholars as well as Chandler`s long immersion in the subject & contains an entirely new section on the challenges facing Cambodia today, including an analysis of the current state of politics & sociology, & the increasing pressures of globalization. This comprehensive overview of Cambodia will illuminate, for undergraduate students as well as general readers, the history & contemporary politics of a country long misunderstood. ...

It has been said that the twenty-first century will be China`s century. Such a remark highlights the importance of being informed about China`s long & tumultuous history. J. A. G. Roberts traces the main course of that history, from the earliest times, through the centuries of imperial government, to the present day. Chapters on China`s imperial history identify the main political & economic changes, whilst introducing key social themes. Turning to the modern period, Roberts then traces the dramatic events of the Opium Wars, the 1911 Revolution & the Republican era. The book ends with a detailed discussion of China under Communist rule & a wide-ranging review of new developments, including China`s economic achievements & its costs. Thoroughly revised & expanded in the light of the latest research, & now featuring a helpful chronology, this up-to-date, authoritative overview of China`s past is ideal for students & general readers alike. ...

An alternative insight into the cycling revolution Have you ever wondered why the leader`s jersey at the Tour de France is yellow? Where Graeme Obree`s record-breaking bike ` Old Faithful` got its nickname? Or the role of bloomers in bicycle design? Find out in this absorbing & quirky look at the history of cycling & the development of bike-related design through 100 pivotal objects. Charting the journey from the laufmaschine to the Brompton, through the early prototypes & the two-wheeled toys of the aristocracy, to the speed machines we know today. Filled with fascinating photographs & illustrations, immerse yourself in the history of cycling
- from the boneshaker via the bicycle powered washing machine, to cuddly lions & ball bearings.
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The history of modern Denmark is essentially the story of how a once extensive & diverse empire slowly fragmented under the changing circumstances of the times. In this introductory guide, Knud J. V. Jespersen traces the process of disintegration & reduction which helped to form the modern Danish state, & the historical roots of Denmark`s international position. Beginning with the Reformation in the sixteenth century, Jespersen explains how the Denmark of today was shaped by wars, territorial losses, domestic upheavals, new methods of production, & changes in thought. Thoroughly revised & updated in light of the most recent research, this second edition

Includes:: new discussions of the Danish Enlightenment, Denmark`s role in World War II, the Cartoon Crisis of 2006 & current NATO debates, bringing the diverse & turbulent history of the country right up to the present day.

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Historic places across the country have shaped England & the world beyond. They are hotbeds of invention, industry & creativity & they bring our nation`s story to life. In 2017 Historic Engl&, supported by specialistinsurers Ecclesiastical launched the Irreplaceable: A History of England in 100 Places campaign, designed to celebrate England`s remarkableplaces. Guided by public nominations & a panel of expert judges, including Professor Robert Winston, Mary Beard, George Clarke, David Olusoga, Baroness Tanni Grey Thompson & Bettany Hughes, we compiled a list of 100 places where remarkable things have happened & shaped our collective identity as the country we are today. The book, like the campaign, is divided into ten categories ranging from Music & Literature, through Science & Discovery to Power, Protest & Progress. The final 100 selected places are all contained within this gloriously illustrated book. From the observatory in Greenwich where the modern measurement of time began, to England`s oldest inn carved into the sandstone in Nottingham, the choices are surprising, intriguing & enlightening. Some are well-known & others are less familiar, but all deserve to be celebrated as landmarks in England`s history. The book explains why each of these 100 places is so important. The result is a unique history of England chosen & told by the people who live here. ...

In this concise history of Ethiopia, Harold Marcus surveys the evolution of the oldest African nation from prehistory to the present. This study demonstrates that there is more to Ethiopia`s existence than colonial logic. It shows how geography, economics & culture have served to unite Ethiopians against fractionalisation. For the updated edition, Marcus has written a new preface, two new chapters & an epilogue, detailing the development & implications of Ethiopia as a Federal state & the war with Eritrea. This fascinating book is incredibly in depth in it`s contents, with over three chapters on Haile Sellassie’s reign:1. Beginnings, to 12702. The Golden Age of the Solomonic Dynasty, to 15003. The Decline of the Solomonic Dynasty, to 17964. Political & Economic Transformations, to 18555. Imperial Resurrection, to 18776. Imperial Consolidation, to 18897. The Defeat of European Imperialism, to 18978. Menilek`s State, to 19169. Ras Tafari, to 193010. Haile Sellassie, to 193611. Haile Sellassie, to 195512. Haile Sellassie, to 197313. The Revolution, to 197714. The Failure of the Revolution, to 199115. The New Rulers, to 199516. Peace & War, to 2000 The book also has a glossary, bibliography & superb index for all the future visits the books will inspire you to make. ...

Take an illustrated journey through 5, 000 years of fashion, from Stone-Age furs to flamboyant flounces, corsets & 1970s sequins. Each page features full page illustrations to pore over & information on how styles were developed as each new era defined fashion for itself. This is a book no fashion or history lover should be without. ...

Henrik Meinander paints a brisk & bold picture of the history of Finland from integrated part of the Swedish kingdom to autonomous Grand Duchy within the Russian empire, gradually transformed & maturing into a conscious nation, independent state & skilful adapter of modern technology. The main geographical context for his study is the Baltic region, & the author links his analysis to structural developments & turning points in European history. The book blends politics, economy & culture to show how human & natural resources in Finland have been utilized & the impact its cultural heritage & technological innovation have had on its development. In a departure from most conventional approaches, Meinander gives greater emphasis to recent & contemporary events. In other words, he puts Finland into a range of historical contexts in its Baltic & European settings to highlight how both together have formed Finland into what it is at the beginning of the twenty-first century. ...

The ingredients, cooks, techniques & tools that have shaped our love of food. We all love to eat & most of us have a favourite ingredient or dish. In today`s world we can get the food we want, when we want it, but how many of us really know where our much-loved recipes come from, who invented them & how they were originally cooked? In this book William Sitwell, culinary expert on BBC2`s `A Question of Taste` & editor of Waitrose Kitchen magazine, takes us on a colourful, whirlwind journey as he explores the fascinating history of cuisine. This book is a celebration of the great dishes, techniques & above all brilliant cooks who have, over the centuries, created the culinary landscape we now enjoy. Any lover of fine food who has ever wondered about the origins of the methods & recipes we now take for granted will find A History of Food in 100 Recipes required reading. As well as shining a light on food`s glorious past, there are contributions from a glittering array of stars of British cuisine, including Marco Pierre White, Delia Smith, Heston Blumenthal, Nigella Lawson & Jamie Oliver. In an incisive & humorous narrative, Sitwell enters an Egyptian tomb to reveal the earliest recipe for bread & discovers the greatest party planner of the Middle Ages. He uncovers the extraordinary & poetic roots of the roast dinner & tells the heart-rending story of the forgotten genius who invented the pressure cooker. & much, much more. ...