Scotland is one of the oldest countries in the world with a vivid & diverse past. Yet the stories & figures that dominate Scottish history
- tales of failure, submission, thwarted ambition & tragedy
- often badly serve this great nation, overshadowing the rich tapestry of her intricate past. Historian Neil Oliver presents a compelling new portrait of Scottish history, peppered with action, high drama & centuries of turbulence that have helped to shape modern Scotl&. Along the way, he takes in iconic landmarks & historic architecture; debunks myths surrounding Scotland`s famous sons; recalls forgotten battles; charts the growth of patriotism; & explores recent political developments, capturing Scotland`s sense of identity & celebrating her place in the wider world.

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As an antidote to more sober accounts of Scotland`s history, Ian Crofon offers a colourful chronology of the eccentric, the infamous, the bawdy, the horrific & the hilarious people & events that have spattered across the pages of our nation`s story. From the Royal High School riot to Marocco the Wonder Horse, from the War of the One-Eyed Woman to the MP cleared of stealing his ex-mistress`s knickers, A History of Scotland Without the Boring Bits

Includes:: a host of little-known tales that you won`t find in more conventional works of history, including the chatelaine who struck a general over the head with a leg of mutton, the cow that gave birth to fourteen puppies, the clan chief who ripped out the throat of his enemy with his teeth, the surgeon who was so fast with the saw that he inadvertently took off his patient`s testicles as well as his leg, the mathematician who calculated that the Christian religion would finally disappear in the year 3153. Ian Crofton`s alternative history of Scotland looks at the country`s seedy underbelly with a quizzical eye. It is full of the mischievous humour & lightly-worn scholarship so praised by the critics in his Dictionary of Scottish Phrase & Fable.

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` Spain is different` was for a long time the explanation proffered by historians when they sought to explain the course of the nation`s exceptionally rich & varied history. Spain was the only region in the medieval West (along with Sicily) to experience Islamic conquest; the first nation to lay claim to a global empire & the first to lose it; & the country in which the extreme forces of the Left & the Right were to act out one of the bloodiest confrontations Europe has known. Today, however, as Spain has become firmly integrated into the political & economic structures of the European Union, the long-held notion that the country is a nation apart no longer seems valid. Simon Barton probes the extent to which Spain should be regarded as an exceptional case & provides a highly-readable, lucid & balanced account of its vibrant & colourful history, from its origins to the present day. This second edition of a highly successful text has been revised & expanded in the light of new scholarship, & now features additional maps & figures. Barton brings the story right up to date with coverage of recent events, such as the 2004 Madrid bombings & the general election of 2008. ...

A History of the 20th Century in 100 Maps is a truly fascinating book, even for all of us in Stanfords who are well used to seeing interesting maps & posters! The 100 maps, many accompanied by additional photos & reproductions of posters or letters, show how the 20th century was a golden age of map-making & maps permeated almost every aspect of daily life. It was a century overshadowed by war but also marked by tremendous social & technological change to which millions of contemporary maps bear witness. Most were created for a specific & immediate purpose, & have never been reprinted or discussed, until now. From the first British concentration camps to the only Nazi labour camp on British soil, & from a trench map used at the Battle of the Somme to an escape & evasion map from the first Gulf War, this book explores the cartographic legacy of 20th-century conflict, from top-secret documents to mass propaganda. These 100 maps tell many stories, revealing changing social attitudes towards the unfamiliar & unconventional, from Jewish London at the turn of the century to women in the workplace, & from the Edwardian opium trade to gay London in the 1980s. The maps cover the peak of imperial pageantry as well as rapid post-war decolonisation, & they explore technological change from the expansion of the London Underground system to 1980s computer games. The book tells the story of a ` British` 20th century, but one which has been interpreted in the broadest possible sense, culturally & geographically. Informative descriptions put every map in a wider context & if you want to read about Edward Stanford’s contribution to 20th century mapping, it’s on page 67. ...

Estonia, Latvia & Lithuania have been the battleground for neighbouring powers & the site of intense rivalry, but also interaction, between East & West. A History of the Baltic States masterfully traces the development of these three Baltic countries, from the northern crusades against Europe`s last pagans, & Lithuania`s rise to become one of medieval Europe`s largest states, to their incorporation into the Russian Empire & the creation of their modern national identities. Drawing upon the most recent scholarship, Andres Kasekamp pays particular attention to the tumultuous twentieth century, during which the Baltic States achieved independence, but also endured occupation by both the Soviet Union & Nazi Germany. Finally, he explores how the Baltic States recovered their statehood & transformed themselves into members of the European Union. Clearly & accessibly written, this is one of the first English-language books to provide a comparative survey of Baltic history. ...

The third volume of Steven Runciman`s classic, hugely influential trilogy on the history of the Crusades ` The whole tale is one of faith & folly, courage & greed, hope & disillusion` Steven Runciman`s triumphant three-volume A History of the Crusades remains an unsurpassed account of the events that changed the world & continue to resonate today. This final volume of the trilogy begins with the glamorous Third Crusade & ends with the ruinous collapse of the crusader states & the degeneration of their ideals, which reached its nadir in the tragic destruction of Byzantium. ` When historical events are written about with this sort of comm&, they take on not only the universality of a fairy tale but also a certain moral weight. Runciman writes both seductively & instructively about the dignity & beauty of different religious beliefs & about the difficulties of their co-existence` Independent ...

The second volume of Steven Runciman`s classic, hugely influential trilogy on the history of the Crusades ` There was magic about. Saladin himself was troubled by terrible dreams...` Steven Runciman`s unrivalled history of the Crusades is a classic of learning & vivid, compelling storytelling, which brilliantly brings to life the personalities, battles, massacres, triumphs & follies of these epochal events. In this second volume of his trilogy Runciman tells the story of the foundation of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, the disastrous, bloody Second Crusade & the inexorable rise of the crusaders` nemesis, Saladin. ` The pre-eminent historian of the Byzantine Empire & of the Crusades.. .a surefooted guide who could render the past visible & familiar` Daily Telegraph ` He tells his story plain.. .always pleasurable to read` Gore Vidal ...

The story of the most iconic railway company of the great age of steam. The initials `GWR` conjure an evocative picture of a Brunswick green locomotive hauling tea-&-cream- coloured coaches through a verdant West Country landscape. But the GWR was not just engines & trains. In this comprehensive history, Colin Maggs, one of the country`s foremost railway historians, tells of other, perhaps less well-known aspects of the company`s history. Its construction & expansion; the activities of its publicity department; its sea, air & road services. It was a caring cradle-to-the-grave employer & at Swindon provided a hospital, school, baths & recreational facilities. These, & other fascinating aspects of the company are all revealed in this accessible book illustrated with over 100 photographs & period posters, many in colour. ...

Over the centuries the Middle East has confounded the dreams of conquerors & peacemakers alike. This now-classic book, fully updated to 2009, follows the historic struggles of the region over the last two hundred years, from Napoleon`s assault on Egypt, through the slow decline & fall of the Ottoman Empire, to the painful emergence of modern nations, the Palestinian question & Islamic resurgence. For this fourth edition, Economist journalist & Middle East correspondent Nicolas Pelham has written an extensive new chapter examining recent developments throughout the Middle East, including the invasions of Iraq & Afghanistan, the situation in Iran, the continuing Arab-Israeli conflict & relations with the US under President Obama. ...

A History of the Pacific Islands is a wide ranging account of the peopling of the Pacific & the area’s impact on world history. The narrative spans nearly 50, 000 years & deals with an area (Melanesia, Micronesia & Polynesia) that makes up nearly a third of the globe’s surface. Steven Roger Fischer follows the development of the region from New Guinea’s earliest settlement to the modern-day statehoods of the Pacific, looking at the varied genealogy of the peoples themselves & the rich heritage resulting from multifarious succeeding invading peoples, as well as exploring the effect on the region of such global issues as whaling, pandemics, colonization, trade, war & nuclear testing. ...