Global History

The remarkable history of the women who worked for Special Operations Executive across occupied Europe In the wake of the Nazi invasion of Europe, the tentative sparks of resistance in occupied countries were fanned by Britain's Special Operations Executive. Across the continent, SOE recruited women to "set Europe ablaze." Working as secret agents and saboteurs, these individuals bolstered resistance from...

Over the last 500 years, capitalism has produced a world that is highly interdependent and at the same time highly asymmetrical. These asymmetries were often established by violent means and are in many cases vigorously defended to this day. In his ambitious global history of capitalism, Friedrich Lenger charts the course of these developments, which have left no one unaffected...

Song Jiaoren (1882-1913) was early-twentieth-century China's greatest champion of constitutional democracy. Fleeing the police after a failed plot in 1904, the young revolutionary found refuge in Japan, where his eyes were opened to new political possibilities. Along with Sun Yatsen, he was one of the founders of the Nationalist Party, turning an underground organisation into a nationwide force. After the...

During the colonisation of Africa, European colonists set about creating game reserves in Africa, convinced that they would find in Africa a nature that no longer existed in Europe. After independence, and with the help of UNESCO and the WWF, African leaders continued to 'protect' the same nature — a nature that the whole world wanted to be pristine, wild,...

An examination of Japan's maritime resurgence in an age of strategic competition Leaning Seaward is the first book to examine Japan as a comprehensive maritime power in the twenty-first century and consider what that status means in an age of great power competition. Geoffrey F. Gresh argues that Japan has grown its maritime capabilities and influence across an array of...

An essential volume in the history of dance and its critical literature The French dance criticism of the Russian émigré André Levinson (1887–1933) set a new standard for the genre by regaling readers with a heady mix of formalist acumen, historical erudition, and aesthetic theory. Dance Today, first published in 1929, is Levinson’s most important book. An eloquent chronicle of...

A rich and immersive insight into the spectacular courtly festival culture of 16th and 17th century Europe. Court celebrations constituted elaborate and flamboyant spectacles intended to showcase cultural sophistication, military power, and technical expertise. Through carefully staged displays of marvel, feast, and horror, they were performative articulations of power. By reiterating local traditions, such events reinforced and consolidated local belonging....

The No. 1 Sunday Times and international bestseller - a major reassessment of world history in light of the economic and political renaissance in the re-emerging east For centuries, fame and fortune was to be found in the west – in the New World of the Americas. Today, it is the east which calls out to those in search of...

Evans describes how he came to be involved in the case, and reflects on the interaction of historical and legal rules of evidence. He recounts his discovery of how Irving falsified the documentary evidence on which he claimed to have based his account of Hitler, the Holocaust, the Allied bombing of Dresden, and other aspects of World War II, and...

By the presenter of the hit podcast EMPIRE The subject of a major exhibition at Kensington Palace throughout 2026 - The Last Princesses of the Punjab Sophia is the sort of remarkable, almost unbelievable untold true story that every writer dreams of chancing upon. A wonderful debut, written with real spirit and gusto. Anita Anand has produced a winner. William...

One of the government’s former behavioural scientists reveals how you can do what you want, whilst everybody tries to influence you into doing what they want. Influence makes you think what you think and do as you do. You use it to change the thoughts and behaviours of others – just as others use it to change yours. We have...

Instructors have made Worlds Together, Worlds Apart the #1-selling collegiate survey because its global-by-design narrative builds each chapter around big themes in world history. This approach allows most of the regions to be discussed in each chapter while focusing updates on cutting-edge global topics that students care about, such as gender, the environment, migration, and technology. The New Edition is...

Wordy is about the intoxication of writing; my sense of playful versatility; different voices for different matters: the polemical voice for political columns; the sharp-eyed descriptive take for profiles; poetic precision in grappling with the hard task of translating art into words; lyrical recall for memory pieces. And informing everything, a rich sense of the human comedy and the ways...

From rebels to writers, athletes to astronauts, join Kate Fox on an entertaining and eye-opening journey through the lives of these extraordinary women whose lives and achievements have too long been hidden. From Cartimandua, the forgotten Iron Age Queen of the North, to Woodbine-smoking football player Lily Parr, Kate, with her trademark wit and sense of fun, shows how these...

This publication speaks to the people of our planet, Urantia, and offers an organised record of mankind's origin, history and destiny. It tells about Deity; the organisation and administration of universes and the relation of the planet on which we live to the universe; the genesis and destiny of man and his relation to God and the teachings of Jesus...

A powerful and counterintuitive argument that we should welcome the current slowdown—of population growth, economies, and technological innovation. The end of our high-growth world was underway well before COVID-19 arrived. In this powerful and timely argument, Danny Dorling demonstrates the benefits of a larger, ongoing societal slowdown. Drawing from an incredibly rich trove of global data, this groundbreaking book reveals...

DIY YouTuber Alexandra Gater shows you how to creatively, inexpensively, and beautifully decorate your space in this inviting and accessible definitive guide to décor ideas for renters and new homeowners alike. "Alexandra Gater represents a new generation of apartment therapists who are teaching people how to make a great home at any size with any budget. Her new book is...

Much sought after since its original publication, Nga Puriri o Taiamai furnishes an essential history of New Zealand's most populous iwi. Nga Puriri o Taiamai was first published by the Polynesian Society in 1987 as The Puriri Trees are Laughing. A record of the political history of Nga Puhi tribal groups in the Taiamai and Te Waimate regions of the...

Follow in the footsteps of Vincent Van Gogh, from his birthplace in Zundert, Netherlands, to his last days in Auvers-sur-Oise, France, and explore the hidden inspirations behind the world-renowned artist’s most famous paintings in this beautiful art book and travelogue, illustrated with more than 250 black-and-white and full-colour images throughout. In 1990, two photographers and art enthusiasts, Danilo De Marco...

How an unknown German and an Englishman on opposite sides of WWI created a scientific revolution In 1916, Arthur Eddington, a war-weary British astronomer, opened a letter written by an obscure German professor named Einstein. The neatly printed equations on the scrap of paper outlined his world-changing theory of general relativity. Until then, Einstein's masterpiece of time and space had...

Brilliant - The Times Hugely informative and entertaining - New Scientist Put this at the head of your reading lists immediately - Eric Idle From the winner of the 2022 Royal Society Science Book Prize, a thrilling and thought-provoking account of the rise and fall of humankind. For the first time in over ten millennia, the rate of human population...

A brilliant recreation of the golden age of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Mercia – its landscapes, peoples, conflicts, power structures and political geography. The eighth century has long been a neglected backwater in English history: a shadowland between the death of Bede and the triumphs of Ælfred. But before the hegemony of Wessex, the kingdom of Mercia - spread across...

Published in 1967, Te Arawa was the major work by distinguished Rotorua historian, the late Don Stafford. This sumptuous new edition reproduces the complete history of the Arawa people from the arrival of the Te Arawa canoe until the late nineteenth century, and includes a new foreword by Professor Paul Tapsell.

Horouta is the definitive history of the descendants of the voyaging canoes that brought the first settlers from Polynesia to the lands that stretch from East Cape to northern Hawke's Bay. Assembled through painstaking historical and genealogical research over more than 70 years by Rongowhakaata Halbert and his family, the book includes extensive chapters based on oral and written history...

People have lost hope that peace is possible. Talking about peace seems too vulnerable, too naïve, too dangerous. We have resigned ourselves to this unending war as the only way forward. But we have tried this. We have tried war. The only war that is won is one that leads to peace. On paper, Aziz and Maoz should not be...

Are intellectuals merely the servants of special interests, or do they have a larger responsibility? In these wide-ranging essays, one of our most brilliant and fiercely independent public thinkers addresses this question with extraordinary eloquence. Edward W. Said sees the intellectual as an exile and amateur whose role it is 'to speak the truth to power' even at the risk...

The Truth About Empire comes from expert historians who believe that the truth, as far as we can pinpoint it, matters; that our decades of painstaking research make us worth listening to; and that our authority as leading professionals should count for something in today's polarised debates over Britain's imperial past. In the culture wars, the public's understanding of colonial...

The Second World War is a comprehensive history that chronicles all the major war fronts, encompassing the battles on land, at sea, and in the air. This engaging volume delves into the activities of resistance and partisan groups, the intricacies of espionage and secret intelligence, as well as the nuanced strategies and tactics employed during the war. Explore the pivotal...

The art of command is…to be the complete master, and yet the complete friend of every man on board; the temporal lord and yet the spiritual brother of every rating; to be detached and yet not dissociated. A Seaman's Pocket-Book, 1943 has found huge appeal with the British public. Presented in the same format, The Royal Navy Officer's Pocket-Book gathers...

For centuries following the fall of Rome, Western Europe was backward and benighted, locked into the Dark Ages and barely able to tell the time of day. Arab culture, however, was thriving and had become a powerhouse of intellectual exploration and discussion that dazzled the likes of British adventurer Adelard of Bath. The Arabs could measure the earth's circumference (a...

Another Kind of War is an accessible and comprehensive history of terrorism from ancient times to the present. In the years since 9/11, there has been a massive surge in interest surrounding the study of terrorism. This volume applies distinguished military historian John Lynn’s lifetime of research and teaching experience to this difficult topic. As a form of violence that...

All those interested in South Asia and its complex politics and culture should read this book - Pankaj Mishra The demise of Pakistan – a country with a reputation for volatility, brutality and radical Islam – is regularly predicted. But things rarely turn out as expected, as renowned journalist Declan Walsh knows well. Over a decade covering the country, his...

"Riveting stuff. Through the prism of his experience of the military elite, Fiennes presents a dazzling history of the world's best fighting units to amaze and enthral the reader." Damien Lewis, Bestselling author of Zero Six Bravo Inspired by the heroic wartime escapades of his father, as well as drawing on his own experiences in the special forces, acclaimed adventurer...

'Empathy is the currency of all music and Joe Mulhall does a great job of explaining how that quality has been used to generate solidarity for the struggle and sympathy for those who suffer injustice' — Billy Bragg While the global history of the dictatorships, oppression, racism and state violence over the last century is well known, the role that...

Nuremberg trials remain, after nearly half a century, the benchmark for judging international crimes. Using new sources, the story is retold, combining sweeping history with psychological insight.

An expansive history of Islam, tracing the 1400-year evolution of a diverse community of faith and its place in the modern world From its birth in seventh-century Arabia, Islam has been a faith on the move. In Worlds of Islam, James McDougall explores its origins and transformations from Late Antiquity to the digital age. Over the span of a thousand...

'Enthralling' Philip Ball'Ingenious' Sujit Sivasundaram In Tracks on the Ocean, Sara Caputo tells how our journeys around the globe became fixed lines on maps - and how journey lines themselves reshaped maps and the way that we view the world. From Captain Cook's route across the South Seas to the disorientating power of digital technology, the tracks we've left on...

From calls to arms to demands for peace, and from cries of freedom to words of inspiration, this stirring anthology captures the voices of prophets and politicians, rebels and tyrants, soldiers and statesman, placing them in historical context.With over a million copies already sold, this completely revised and updated pocket edition includes speeches by those that have truly shaped the...

When Joe Luc Barnes arrived in Moscow in 2014 as an English ‘governor’ to a six-year-old oligarch’s son, he expected Tolstoy-style dachas and polite tea. Instead, he found flashing blue lights, Champagne Sundays and an 85% approval rating for Vladimir Putin.Eight years, 60,000 miles and one full-scale invasion later, Barnes set out to discover how every former Soviet republic –...

An expansive history of Islam, tracing the 1400-year evolution of a diverse community of faith and its place in the modern world. From its birth in seventh-century Arabia, Islam has been a faith on the move. In Worlds of Islam, James McDougall explores its origins and transformations from Late Antiquity to the digital age. Over the span of a thousand...

A highly capable twin-engined destroyer, fighter-bomber, and night fighter, the Messerschmitt Bf 110 (unofficially the Me 110) was, in Hermann Goering's estimation, the pick of the Luftwaffe's offensive fighters. Drawing on the personal recollections of pilots and aircrew, as well as the individual histories of principal units and non-Luftwaffe operators, The Messerschmitt Bf 110 Story charts the aircraft's operational service...

Fully updated edition of the biggest-selling popular science book of the 21st century explaining the Earth, the universe, and everything in between. In this fully revised and updated edition of the best-selling popular science book of the 21st century, Bill Bryson makes complex subjects clear and compelling for everyone with an interest in the world around them. NOW FULLY REVISED...

A Spectator Best Book of the Year; An Aspects of History Best Book of the Year; An Engelsberg Ideas Best Book of the Year Five hundred years ago, Thomas Wolsey endowed in Oxford a foundation he called Cardinal‘s College. Henry VIII, the monarch who dismissed and ruined him, re-established it as Christ Church later in his reign as an institution...

Offers a transformative reading of the Marxist tradition by uncovering its connections to the institutions and practices of worker education. For the past hundred years, "vulgar Marxism" has been the go-to insult among socialist and communist intellectuals, a shorthand for the ways Marxist theory could go wrong. But why would thinkers advocating for working-class emancipation use "vulgarity" as an epithet?...

Since its first publication in 2007, John H. Arnold’s What is Medieval History? has established itself as the leading introduction to the craft of the medieval historian. What is it that medieval historians do? How – and why – do they do it? Arnold discusses the creation of medieval history as a field, the nature of its sources, the intellectual...

In this timely revision of their beloved number one Western Civ text, authors Joshua Cole and Carol Symes help students see the relevance of history to their own lives and concerns. New material helps students think critically about the emergence of Western ideals, such as democracy and equality, and their intersection with the invention of race and other forms of...

The powerful writings and art of Jews living in the Warsaw Ghetto Hidden in metal containers and buried underground during World War II, these works from the Warsaw Ghetto record the Holocaust from the perspective of its first interpreters, the victims themselves. Gathered clandestinely by an underground ghetto collective called Oyneg Shabes, the collection of reportage, diaries, prose, artwork, poems,...

'A talented writer with much to say' BBC History Magazine 'Witty and accessible' - Angela Saini 'A vital piece of work in our challenging times' - Roma Agrawal 'Stunning' - Dan Hicks Uncivilised challenges the powerful brand of Western civilisation, which is filled with accepted wisdoms like 'knowledge is power', 'time is money', and 'justice is blind'—ideas that we rarely...

A celebrated Israeli author explores the roots of the divide between religion and secularism in Israel today, and offers a path to bridging the divide. "A thoughtful social, political, and philosophical examination of Judaism. . . . A cogent consideration of the place of religion in the modern world."—Kirkus Reviews The Wondering Jew explores Zionism, which began as a movement...

The declaration of the Republic of China in 1912 signalled an entirely new era. Not only did the revolution of 1911–12 bring about the fall of the Qing dynasty, it also brought an end to the entire series of dynasties that had marked Chinese history for over two millennia. Radical reforms since 1901 had culminated in the ending of the...

A fascinating retelling of the first banking and financial collapse in eighteenth-century France. The Scottish economist John Law has been described as the architect of modern central banking. His "System," established in Regency France between 1716 and 1720, saw the founding of a bank issuing paper money and the establishment of state commercial and colonial enterprises aimed at consolidating public...

The first authoritative account of the Hell-Fire Clubs, who joined them, and which notorious legends about them are true The Hell-Fire Clubs scandalised eighteenth-century English society. Rumours of their orgies, recruitment of prostitutes, extensive libraries of erotica, extreme rituals, and initiation ceremonies circulated widely at the time, only to become more sensational as generations passed. This thoroughly researched book sets...

The struggle between Rome and Carthage in the Punic Wars was arguably the greatest and most desperate conflict of antiquity. The forces involved and the casualties suffered by both sides were far greater than in any wars fought before the modern era, while the eventual outcome had far-reaching consequences for the history of the Western World, namely the ascendancy of...

'Empathy is the currency of all music and Joe Mulhall does a great job of explaining how that quality has been used to generate solidarity for the struggle and sympathy for those who suffer injustice' - Billy Bragg 'A beautiful account of how music has unified, healed and inspired humanity during some of history's darkest days. Illuminating, uplifting and important'...

When Ronald Reagan took office in January 1981, the United States and NATO were losing the Cold War. The USSR had superiority in conventional weapons and manpower in Europe, and it had embarked on a massive programme to gain naval preeminence. But Reagan already had a plan to end the Cold War without armed conflict. In this landmark narrative, former...

This work tells the story of ancient libraries from their very beginnings, when books were clay tablets and writing was a new phenomenon. Classicist Lionel Casson takes us on a tour from the royal libraries of the Ancient Near East, through the private and public libraries of Greece and Rome, down to the first Christian monastic libraries. He explains what...

Scholars and laymen alike have long projected their fantasies onto the great expanse of the global North, whether it be as a frozen no-man’s-land, an icy realm of marauding Vikings, or an unspoiled cradle of prehistoric human life. Bernd Brunner reconstructs the encounters of adventurers, colonists, and indigenous communities that led to the creation of a northern "cabinet of wonders"...

One of the Financial Times' Best Books of 2019: Economics One of the Evening Standard's Best Books of 2019 Finalist for the PROSE Award in Archaeology and Ancient History, Association of American Publishers The fall of the Roman Empire has long been considered one of the greatest disasters in history. But in this groundbreaking book, Walter Scheidel argues that Rome's...

The first general history of early modern Wales in more than a generation. Early Modern Wales c.1536–c.1689 assimilates new scholarship and deploys a wealth of original archival research to present a fresh picture of Wales under the Tudor and Stuart monarchs. It adopts novel perspectives on Welsh identity and allegiance to examine epochal events, such as the union of England...

A history of the continent-spanning Armenian print tradition in the early modern period Early Modernity and Mobility explores the disparate yet connected histories of Armenian printing establishments in early modern Europe and Asia. From 1512, when the first Armenian printed codex appeared in Venice, to the end of the early modern period in 1800, Armenian presses operated in nineteen locations...

On 9 October 1967, Ernesto Che Guevara, Marxist guerrilla leader and hero of the Cuban Revolution, was captured and executed by Bolivian forces. When the Guevara family learned from the front pages that Che was dead, they decided to say nothing. Fifty years on, his younger brother, Juan Martin, breaks the silence to narrate his intimate memories and share with...

December 1862 drove the United States toward a breaking point. The Battle of Fredericksburg shattered Union forces and Northern confidence. As Abraham Lincoln's government threatened to fracture, this critical moment also tested five extraordinary individuals whose lives reflect the soul of a nation. The changes they underwent led to profound repercussions in the country's law, literature, politics, and popular mythology....

The end of World War II led to the United States' emergence as a global superpower. For war-ravaged Western Europe, it marked the beginning of decades of unprecedented cooperation and prosperity that one historian has labelled "the long peace." Yet, half a world away, in China, Indonesia, Vietnam, Korea, and Malaya, the fighting never really stopped, as these regions sought...

A celebration of beer—its science, its history, and its impact on human culture. “Curatorial eminences Rob DeSalle and Ian Tattersall serve up a potent scientific brew. . . . A marvellous paean to the pint, and to the researchers probing its depths.” — Barbara Kiser, Nature “Forced to choose between this book and a pint of hazy IPA, I would...

“Jeff Pearlman breaks down Tupac’s life like a veteran sportswriter examining a dynasty. This detailed look at his life is the work of a writer who understands the ego of greatness.” —Chuck D “Pearlman delivers rich, engrossing, and fascinating new details about Shakur’s life and legacy—not just once or twice—but throughout each lively page...This is the type of needed journalism,...

The 20th Century brought revolutionary changes to our world and our lives: the human population of the world tripled, space travel became a reality, two world wars and a host of other conflicts were fought, and huge advances in science, technology and communication resulted in the globalised world we know today. Enormous steps were made in wiping out widespread discrimination,...

The Next World War takes readers behind the scenes of the most dangerous era of international tensions since the end of the Cold War, as countries and military forces prepare for potential large-scale combat on a scale unseen since 1945. From the corridors of power in Washington, Whitehall, Moscow and Beijing to the new frontlines of conflict in Ukraine, Taiwan,...

Zwingli by F. Bruce Gordon is a major new biography of Huldrych Zwingli—the warrior preacher who shaped the early Reformation. Huldrych Zwingli (1484–1531) was the most significant early reformer after Martin Luther. As the architect of the Reformation in Switzerland, he created the Reformed tradition later inherited by John Calvin. His movement ultimately became a global religion. A visionary of...

From the prizewinning Jewish Lives series, a masterful new biography of Theodor Herzl by an eminent historian of Zionism "An excellent, concise biography of Theodor Herzl, architect of modern Zionism... An exceptionally good, highly readable volume." —Publishers Weekly, starred review "An engrossing account of a leader who, by converting despair into strength, gave an exiled people both political purpose and...

From the prizewinning Jewish Lives series, an illuminating biography of the great Amsterdam rabbi and celebrated populariser of Judaism in the seventeenth century. Menasseh ben Israel (1604–1657) was among the most accomplished and cosmopolitan rabbis of his time, and a pivotal intellectual figure in early modern Jewish history. He was one of the three rabbis of the “Portuguese Nation” in...

Every map tells a story, and this book tells the incredible history of our world through maps. From Babylonian tablets to digital mapping, the world has evolved rapidly, along with the ways in which we understand and depict it. In this time, cartography has not only kept pace with these changes but has often driven them. In this fully revised...

An air of mystery surrounded Marcel Caux, one of Australia's last surviving veterans of World War I, prior to his death in August 2004. He was unknown to most Australians until four years ago when he suddenly emerged as a veteran of World War I. The Department of Veteran Affairs said he had wished to retain some anonymity until that...

The gripping story of a pioneering anthropologist whose exploration of Aztec cosmology, rediscovery of ancient texts, and passion for collecting helped shape our understanding of pre-Columbian Mexico. Where do human societies come from? The drive to answer this question inspired a generation of archaeologists and treasure-seekers who, following Darwin, began to look beyond the Bible for the origins of civilisations....

From the prizewinning Jewish Lives series, a new biography of the seminal twentieth-century historian and thinker who pioneered the study of Jewish mysticism and profoundly influenced the Zionist movement. Biale . . . not only captures Scholem’s scholarship, but also his personal involvement in the major issues, conflicts, tragedies, and triumphs of Jewish life during the last century. . ....

Uncover the mysteries of the past with this exciting, comprehensive guide on world history. History books are often filled with long descriptions, complex facts, and stories that can bore even the most enthusiastic history buffs. In World History 101 you’ll skip those tedious details and focus on engaging lessons that will impress any kind of historian. From Julius Caesar and...

SHORTLISTED for ACT Book of the Year RUNNER-UP in the Frank Broeze Memorial Maritime History Book Prize 2019 'An apparition of an adult wandering albatross comes into view. A small flutter and powerful wings arch upward in a slow, poised descent to feed the waiting mouth. Fluffy chicks, half-grown, huddle close to the grass. One strides over to a neighbouring...

The War in Afghanistan was the longest military conflict in American history. In a diverse collection of primary documents, this book explores the evolving legacy of the war and its impact on the countless lives it changed forever. Following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, the United States spent almost 20 years at war in Afghanistan until it officially...

A clear and concise book that charts the development of the US Armoured Divisions from a green, untested force into a battle-hardened war-winning army. The Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO) saw the first operational deployment of US armoured divisions in World War II. The experience proved chastening for the 1st Armored Division when it suffered defeat at the hands of...

How Enlightenment Europe rediscovered its identity by measuring itself against the great civilizations of Asia. During the long eighteenth century, Europe's travellers, scholars, and intellectuals looked to Asia in a spirit of puzzlement, irony, and openness. In this panoramic book, Jürgen Osterhammel tells the story of the European Enlightenment's nuanced encounter with the great civilizations of the East, from the...

A phenomenal oral history of World War II using interviews from the classic The World at War TV series. The World at War is the definitive television work on the Second World War. It set out to tell the story of the war through the testimony of key participants— from civilians to ordinary soldiers, from statesmen to generals. First broadcast...