THE LAST DAYS OF HENRY VIII is a page-turning story of the murderous conspiracies at the Tudor court. And it announces the arrival of a major new talent in popular historical narrative. If you enjoyed Sebag Montefiore's STALIN, you will relish the grisly tale of England's most despotic ruler. Robert Hutchinson captures the terrifying world of his court, where even the most powerful men in the land could be brought down overnight. Henry VIII pioneered the modern show trial: cynical propaganda exercises in which the victims were condemned before the proceedings even opened. Henry VIII 'has no respect or fear of anyone in this world', wrote the Spanish ambassador to his court. He ruled England with Stalinist ruthlessness, executing (at a conservative estimate) 150,000 people from a population of less than 3 million souls. But after 35 years in power, he was a bloated, hideously obese, black-humoured old man, rarely seen in public. He had striven all his life to ensure the survival of his dynasty by siring legitimate sons, yet his only male heir was eight-year-old Prince Edward. It was increasingly obvious that when Henry died, real power in England would be exercised by a regent. The prospect of that prize spurred the rival court factions into deadly conflict. Aimed at the developing 'court intrigue' genre of popular history narratives, this is an easy read like John Guy's MARY, QUEEN OF SCOTS or David Starkey's recent biographies. However, Robert Hutchinson has spent several years in original archival research. He advances a genuinely new theory of Henry's medical history and the cause of his death; he has unearthed some fabulous eyewitness material and papers from death warrants, confessions and even love letters between Katherine Parr and the Lord High Admiral.

The Last Days of Henry VIII : Conspiracy, Treason and Heresy at the Court of the Dying Tyrant

History

Hutchinson, Robert

World

Weidenfeld Military

Elizabeth's Spy Master

Robert Hutchinson

<p>Caius Julius Caesar remains the most famous Roman - and indeed one of the most famous people - ever to have lived. In this new biography, the first for many years, Adrian Goldsworthy tells the story of the man who has inspired politicians, military leaders and philanderers throughout history. From the very beginning, Caesar's story makes dazzling reading. In his late teens he narrowly avoided execution for opposing the military dictator Sulla. He was decorated for valour in battle, captured and held to ransom by pirates, and almost bankrupted himself by staging games for the masses. As a politician, he quickly gained a reputation as a dangerously ambitious maverick. By his early 30s he had risen to the position of Consul, and was already beginning to dominate the Senate. His affairs with noblewomen were both frequent and scandalous - he slept with countless other men's wives, seduced both mothers and their daughters, and had love affairs with everyone from Brutus's mother to the beautiful and enigmatic Cleopatra. His greatest skill, outside the bedroom, was as a military commander. In a string of spectacular victories he conquered all of Gaul, invaded Germany, and twice landed in Britain - an achievement which in 55BC was greeted with a public euphoria comparable to that generated by the moon landing in 1969. In just thirty years he had risen from a position of virtual obscurity to become one of the richest men in the world, with the power single-handedly to overthrow the Republic. By his death, itself a spectacular event, he was effectively emperor of most of the known world.</p>

Caesar

Adrian Goldsworthy

Biographies & Memoirs

Why the British forces fought so badly in World War II and who was to blame. Gordon Corrigan's Mud, Blood and Poppycock overturned the myths that surround the First World War. Now he challenges our assumptions about the Second World War in this brilliant, caustic narrative that exposes just how close Britain came to losing. He reveals how Winston Churchill bears a heavy responsibility for the state of our forces in 1939, and how his interference in military operations caused a string of disasters. The reputations of some of our most famous generals are also overturned: above all, Montgomery, whose post-war stature owes more to his skill with a pen than talent for command. But this is not just a story of personalities. Gordon Corrigan investigates how the British, who had the biggest and best army in the world in 1918, managed to forget everything they had learned in just twenty years. The British invented the tank, but in 1940 it was the Germans who showed the world how to use them. After we avoided defeat, but the slimmest of margins, it was a very long haul to defeat Hitler's army, and one in which the Russians would ultimately bear the heaviest burden. This is a magnificent reassessment of Britain's War, from the policy decisions in the 1920s to the great battles and campaigns of 1939-45.

BLOOD, SWEAT AND ARROGANCE: The Myth's of Churchill's War

Gordon Corrigan

Military

Physical description; 383 p., [16] p. of plates : ill., maps ; 24 cm. Subjects; Zulu War, 1879. Zululand (South Africa) - History - To 1879.

Crossing the Buffalo: The Zulu War of 1879 (W&n Military)

Greaves, Adrian ( Ed. )

Africa

Whether storming the Iranian Embassy or conducting hearts and minds operations in Borneo, the activities of the SAS have provided some of the most fascinating stories and images in military history. This volume goes beyond the TV footage and newspaper front pages to provide a pictorial history of the SAS which details the events, training, equipment and weaponry used in their theatres of action. Ken Connor served with the SAS for 23 years and was responsible for setting up its anti-terrorist wing. This edition includes photographs from his personal archive as well as the regiment's archives.

Ghosts : An Illustrated Story of the Sas

Engineering & Transportation

Connor, Ken

Engineering

Fragile Armour: British Armoured Forces in the Second World War

Battle of the Bulge

Charles MacDonald

'The Mighty Hood', as she became known, was launched in 1918 to much public acclaim.  She was a magnificent ship: 860ft long and displacing 42,100 tons, Hood was one of the fastest capital ships in the world. Hood's peacetime role took her on goodwill visits around the world.  When war came in 1939, however, after 21 years without a major refit the Hood was in no shape to face Germany's modern, better armoured battleships. In action with the Bismarck on 24 May 1941, she exploded and sank with the loss of all but three of her crew.  Roger Chesneau's book investigates this tragic story, providing a lively mix of technical data and historical narrative.

Hood : Life and Death of a Battlecruiser

Roger Chesneau

Hindenberg and Ludendorff (Great Commanders)

JOHN LEE

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