A Fine Night for Tanks: The Road to Falaise

On 7 August 1944, the Canadian Army, reinforced with British Army units, sent four armored columns south of Caen to close the Falaise Gap. Driving through the night, the British tanks reached their objectives behind German lines and linked up with their Canadian compatriots. In the German counter-attack that followed, the British smashed the elite Tiger-equipped Wittman Troop. Using eyewitness accounts from tank crews and infantry, Ken Tout reveals how Totalize was a resounding Allied success.

History

Tout, Ken

Military

History Pr Ltd

The Battle of the Somme: A Topographical History

GLIDDON, Gerald

Europe

This anthology depicts how Christmas has been celebrated by the British across 2000 years. It includes the legend of how Arthur pulled the sword from the stone one Christmas Day in the 6th century, and Kipling's verse on the Christmas Spirit. Readers can sense Simon Minc'd Pye's disgruntlement as he sends out a plea for the restoration of games and special foods banned by the Puritan Parliament; share the Christmases of the famous diarist Samuel Pepys, who let his wife stay in bed after she "sat up till four this morning seeing her mayds make mince pies"; wonder at Charles Dickens's vivid recollections of his boyhood celebrations and his delight in the present of a jumping frog; revel in a small boy's attempt to sell left-over cake from his grandfather's shop to the masters of a grand London house; learn how Queen Victoria and Prince Albert spent their Christmases together; and see Thackeray's dismay at the proliferation of Christmas books. The book also offers recipes for a horn of mead and Mrs Beeton's original Christmas cake; traditional carols, the "Ballad of Christmas Ghosts", reminiscences of winter sports, village mummers and traditional farmhouse festivities, and the story of origins of the Christmas cracker and other Christmas customs.

The Great British Christmas

The Arctic: A History

Focusing on the human inhabitants of the Arctic and their struggle for existence, this book describes the history and culture of ethnic groups such as the Inuit and Samoyed tribes, from the Stone Age to the 1990s. In addition the text looks at the impact of European, American and Russian explorations and the attempts to forge a trade route through north-west or north-east passages - including those by the 16th-century explorer Willem Barentsz, and by Henry Hudson, whose name lives on in Hudson Bay. It also describes the exploration and exploitation of the region by the West and Russia, including the effects of the whaling industry, fur trading, ivory trading, and the mining of coal and drilling of oil. The strategic and scientific importance of the Arctic region, and the resultant race between East and West to control and colonize this apparently barren region is also given due regard.

VAUGHAN, Richard

World

The Porsche 911 is, arguably, the most successful sportscar of all time. Launched in 1963 and still in production over 35 years later, this simple, effective design has outlasted its contemporaries and defied its critics. Despite continuous development, it retains its distinctive character and is still one of the best known and most desirable vehicles on the road. Meredith's enthusiastic and expert account of this machine uses 220 archive photographs to show the car's history and explain how it has gained its reputation. He recalls the Porsche 356, the 911's remarkable precursor, and he describes the conception of the new car in the early 1960s and the design and engineering philosophy of Butzi Porsche, whose brainchild it was. Since the 911's conception, it has been subjected to intense development, which has enhanced its refinement and performance, improved the handling and level of equipment, and incorporated the latest technological innovations. Nevertheless, the soundness and elegance of the original design are undeminished. As the author demonstrates, the 911 on the road or on the racetrack, in standard form or as a turbocharged racer, is such an exciting, efficient machine that it has stood the test of time and become an icon of style as well as automobile engineering. Laurence Meredith goes some way towards demystifying the 911's enduring appeal, offering insights for Porsche enthusiasts and for all those keen to understand the famous career of this definitive sportscar.

Porsche 911

Engineering & Transportation

Meredith, Laurence

Automotive

This is a narrative history of the great voyages of discovery. The author starts his survey with a portrait of medieval Europe, its economy, its geography and the developments in naval architecture and design that made the great voyages possible. From there, he goes on to consider in detail the voyages of Henry the Navigator, Columbus, da Gama, Cabot; the Portuguese spice empire in Asia (which is contrasted with the simultaneous rise of the Mogul Empire) and the opening up of both South and North America. The culmination of these navigational efforts was the circumnavigation of the earth by Magellan and the opening up of successful Pacific trade routes. A final chapter considers the impact of European expansion, its effect on the European world view and economy and the challenges to the Spanish and Portuguese from the Dutch, English and French.

New Worlds: The Great Voyages of Discovery 1400-1600

Fritze, Ronald H.

Castles are hugely appealing to all who love history, architecture, archaeology, heritage and landscape. Newcomers to the study of castles as well as more experienced researchers should find Stephen Friar's companion informative, knowledgeable and wide-ranging. It contains over 1000 entries on English and Welsh fortifications from the Bronze Age to the present. If you are not sure just what a "motte and bailey" castle was, or whether the Romans left any fortified building during their occupation of Britain, this is the book you need. Stephen Friar uses his vast knowledge of all aspects of castles to explain things succinctly and clearly for the non-specialist. In addition, the companion is illustrated and has an index of castles, lists of addresses and further reading. Entries cover early fortifications such as Bronze Age hillforts, Roman fortifications, signal stations, medieval, Tudor and Napoleonic castles and fortifications, siege warfare, beacons, telegraph systems, modern fortifications such as military roads, pill boxes, watch towers, and romantic revival castles such as Castell Goch and Castle Drogo.

The Sutton Companion to Castles

FRIAR, Stephen

Every bit as mysterious as the Whitechapel murders themselves, the "Ripper Diaries" have intrigued and infuriated both historical researchers and the "Ripperologists" since they first came to light in 1992. Either one of the most sensational finds of the 20th century or one of its most brilliant literary hoaxes, the diary of Jack the Ripper has created its own tangled and tortuous history. It is this history which Keith Skinner, Seth Linder and Caroline Morris disentangle in a work of literary sleuthing which offers a reassessment of the evidence and insight into the personalities involved in Ripper research.

Ripper Diary: The Inside Story

Skinner, Keith

Linder, Seth

Morris, Caroline

James Lucas takes a comprehensive look at the German Army (das Heer) as it evolved during the Second World War. In particular the book focuses on its origins in the post-Versailles Treaty era and its resurgence under the Nazi regime; training and organization during the war years; equipment, vehicles and weapons; uniforms, ranks and insignia etc. He also describes the parts played by the Waffen-SS and the airborne arm of the service, the Fallschirmjager. Although neither force was strictly army, both fought as ground troops under Army commanders. Illustrated with almost 200 photographs and line drawings, this is an indispensable and fascinating guide to one of the most feared armies of the twentieth century.

German Army Handbook 1939-1945

LUCAS, James

Confucius is one of the most important figures in Chinese history, the philosopher-founder of an intellectual, ethical tradition that has shaped a quarter of the world's population. Often overlooked outside his native country, in this study Confucius is revealed to be an outspoken and uncompromising man within the context of a China 2,500 years ago. A contemporary of Buddha, Confucius was the illegitimate son of a retired soldier and a teenage concubine. He had a passionate belief in respect for others and it was this belief which underpinned his life and teachings. He advised the famous figures of his day, gaining their respect along with the undying enmity of those whose paths he crossed. He was equally proud of both achievements, saying that if the evil people of the world liked him, he was doing something wrong. Confucius established many ideas that are taken for granted today. His theories became the foundation of one of the world's first civil services and established enduring social structures throughout Asia.

Confucius: A Biography

Biographies & Memoirs

CLEMENTS, JONATHAN

Historical

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