Royalty & Religion Biographies

An award-winning historian reconstructs the life of Francis of Assisi, uncovering the man behind the myths. One of the most famous figures in Christian history, Francis of Assisi (1181/82–1226) was revered as a miracle worker during his life and quickly canonised after his death. He has inspired generations of Christians and other spiritual seekers, from medieval ascetics to 1960s hippies...

For over two decades, Paul Burrell was a silent witness to the making of history - first as footman to Queen Elizabeth II, then as butler to King Charles III (then Prince of Wales), and, most famously, as a confidante of the late Princess Diana. Now, with a unique perspective shaped by time and change, he's ready to share his...

When we look to the Bible for role models in our daily discipleship, we tend to think of Noah's obedience and David's bravery. Limping With God: Jacob and the Old Testament Guide to Messy Discipleship posits that we can also look to Jacob. Jacob seems to be anything but a model disciple, though we can learn a lot from his...

'If a house could gossip, this is the book that Hampton Court would whisper. An enjoyable and readable stroll through 500 years of Hampton Court history: royal residents, common visitors, thieves, invaders and ghosts’ PHILIPPA GREGORY For centuries, Hampton Court has been a place of power, scandal and intrigue: a stage for events that shaped the nation. The Palace raises...

Enter a world of ancient secrets, old money, new ambitions and the discovery of priceless treasure in this revelatory new biography. Between November 1922 and spring 1923, a door to the ancient Egyptian world was opened. The discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun would be the most astonishing archaeological find of the century, revealing not only the boy pharaoh’s preserved...

From the moment of her birth to her death on the scaffold, Mary Stuart spent her life embroiled in power struggles that shook the foundations of Renaissance Europe. Revered by some as the rightful Queen of England, reviled by others as a murderous adulteress, her long and fascinating rivalry with her cousin Elizabeth I led ultimately to her downfall. Zweig,...

The next volume in Alison Weir's magisterial history of the queens of Medieval England includes the life of Eleanor of Aquitaine, the subject of Alison's most successful book. Stunning... Weir has brought those five queens to life like never before. I just raced through it - it has all the drama and suspense of a novel - Tracy Borman Crusading...

The third volume in Alison Weir's magisterial history of the queens of medieval England. Queens of the Age of Chivalry is the third volume of Alison Weir's magisterial history of the queens of medieval England. 'Weir's history books are as gripping as novels' - The Times Medieval queens were seen as mere dynastic trophies, yet, as Alison Weir shows in...

Winner of the Elizabeth Longford Prize for Historical Biography - Andrew Roberts overturns received wisdom on Britain's longest-reigning king. Andrew Roberts's magnificent new biography portrays George as intelligent, benevolent, scrupulously devoted to the constitution of his country and (as head of government as well as head of state) navigating the turbulence of eighteenth-century politics with a strong sense of honour...

The first popular biography of Edward I in a generation by a major new historian. This is the first major biography for a generation of a truly formidable king. Edward I is familiar to millions as ‘Longshanks’, conqueror of Scotland and nemesis of Sir William Wallace (Braveheart). Edward was born to rule England but believed that it was his right...

A heart-wrenching multigenerational family memoir by an excommunicated member of the Exclusive Brethren. After coming out as gay, Craig Hoyle was excommunicated from the New Zealand Exclusive Brethren and forced to say goodbye to his family forever. The conservative sect was everything he'd ever known—a childhood where television, pop music, sports, and even pets were against the rules. Joining public...

In the Footsteps of the Prophet by Tariq Ramadan is an illuminating biography of the Prophet Muhammad, presenting a nuanced narrative that interweaves historical events with profound insights into the spiritual and ethical dimensions of Islam. This book is not merely a recounting of historical facts but an exploration of the life and teachings of one of the most pivotal...

A New York Times Notable Book A deeply textured dual biography and fascinating intellectual history that examines two of the greatest minds of European history—Desiderius Erasmus and Martin Luther—whose heated rivalry gave rise to two enduring, fundamental, and often colliding traditions of philosophical and religious thought. "A masterly work. Massing manages to juggle the complicated biographies and life work of...

Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman by Robert K. Massie is an enthralling and meticulously researched biography that captures the life and legacy of one of the most powerful women in history. Massie transports readers back to the 18th century, where an obscure German princess, born Sophia Augusta Frederica of Anhalt-Zerbst, ascended to the Russian throne to become the...

The fascinating true story behind HBO's Catherine the Great starring Dame Helen Mirren as Catherine the Great awaits readers in Robert K. Massie's masterful biography. Born into a minor noble family, young Sophia transformed herself into Catherine, Empress of Russia, through sheer determination and political acumen. Her ascent to power is nothing short of extraordinary, marked by strategic marriages, cunning...

The Book of Queer Prophets is a profound collection of essays that delves into the intersection of faith and sexuality in the modern world. This compelling anthology brings together the voices of some of our most influential thinkers, writers, and activists, each contributing their unique perspective on what it means to reconcile their spirituality with their identity as LGBTQ individuals....

From an award-winning biographer, a riveting and deeply researched portrait of Mormonism's charismatic founder. Joseph Smith Jr. (1805–1844) was one of the most successful and controversial religious leaders of nineteenth-century America, publishing the Book of Mormon and starting what would become the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He built temples, founded a city-state in Illinois, ran for president,...

A revelatory exploration of how the Bible's underdogs, outlaws, and forgotten figures can teach us radical new ways of living. In this unprecedented book, a secular humanist and celebrated scholar of religion tells the stories of the Bible's most marginalized figures, challenging readers to reconsider who are the heroes of the text, and who are the villains. What happens when...

The story of Abraham, the first Jew, portrayed as two lives lived by one person, paralleling the contradictions in Judaism throughout its history. In this new biography of Abraham, Judaism's foundational figure, Anthony Julius offers an account of the origins of a fundamental struggle within Judaism between skepticism and faith, critique and affirmation, thinking for oneself and thinking under the...

THE SCANDALOUS TRUTH BEHIND THE CROWN From the No.1 Sunday Times bestselling author of Catherine, The Princess of Wales: The Biography From Elizabeth II to soon-to-be King William, The Windsor Legacy offers a riveting exploration of the British monarchy's resilience and influence over the past century, looking at its key players and conflicts, with a forward-looking examination of its future....

In The Monk's Mindset, former Buddhist monk and renowned Peloton instructor Sam Yo shares the transformative lessons that helped him move from chaos to clarity. Drawing on his monastic training, meditation practice, and experiences as a performer and coach, he reveals how anyone can weave ancient Buddhist wisdom into modern life to find calm, focus, and purpose, even in a...

At a time of international conflict and climate emergency, this collection of Satish Kumar’s works on peace and connection with people and planet has never been more relevant. Peace is Possible brings together three of internationally renowned speaker and activist Satish Kumar’s best-known works. You Are Therefore I Am traces Satish’s spiritual journey as he learns to view the world...

'We were told that the leaders were given the power to bind or to lose us from heaven. If I died suddenly, which I always believed was a high possibility, and I didn't meet Hopeful's definition of a good woman of God, I would go to hell.' To survive in Gloriavale, you must submit. And for the first 27 years...

In her first book, the popular From the Front Porch podcast host and independent bookstore owner challenges the idea that loud lives are the ones that matter most, reminding us that we don't have to leave the lives we have in order to have the lives of which we've always dreamed. Can life be an adventure, even when it’s just...

Britain's foremost female historian reveals the true story of this key figure in the Wars of the Roses and the Tudor dynasty who began life a princess, spent her youth as a bastard fugitive, but who finally married the first Tudor king and was the mother of Henry VIII. Weir perfectly combines the dramatic colour and timing of an historical...

I used to be not a follower of Mahatma Gandhi. However, one day I came across his autobiography named The Story of My Experiments with Truth in the library. I decided to issue it, just out of curiosity, to read something about the father of my nation in his own words. It took me only two days to complete the...

The remarkable story of Canon Andrew White, a man of great charm and energy and one of the world's most trusted mediators and reconcilers. Combined together in a single volume for the first time, The Vicar of Baghdad and My Journey So Far tell the story of how Andrew overcame a childhood beset by illness to become an anaesthetist and...

A compelling story of the last days of one of history's most charismatic, controversial, and tragic heroines - Anne Boleyn. On 2 May, 1536, in an act unprecedented in English history, Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII's second wife, was imprisoned in the Tower of London. On 15 May, she was tried and found guilty of high treason and executed just four...

"This remarkable study, combining learning, realism, and literary adroitness, brings us close to Luther. Above all, it conveys Luther's power: the intensity of his faith, the coherence of his thought, the force of his personality."—New Yorker "A brilliant account of [Martin] Luther’s evolution as a man, a thinker, and a Christian. . . . Every person interested in Christianity should...

A riveting account of the Wars of the Roses, focusing on the human side of the story. The war between the houses of Lancaster and York for the throne of England was characterised by treachery, deceit and—at St Albans, Blore Hill and Towton—some of the bloodiest and most dramatic battles on England's soil. Between 1455 and 1487 the royal coffers...

The first full-length biography of a much maligned—but astonishingly colourful—Queen of England. Described by Christopher Marlowe as the 'She-Wolf of France', Isabella was one of the most notorious femme fatales in history. According to popular legend, her angry ghost can be glimpsed among church ruins, clutching the beating heart of her murdered husband. But how did Isabella acquire this reputation?...

Alison Weir is one of our best popular historians and one, moreover, with an impressive scholarly pedigree in Tudor history...her latest offering is a very fine book - Frank McLynn, Independent Henry VIII, renowned for his command of power and celebrated for his intellect, presided over one of the most magnificent—and dangerous—courts in Renaissance Europe. Never before has a detailed,...

A brilliant book about one of England's most famous queens, from one of our bestselling historians. Elizabeth, the Queen begins as the young Elizabeth ascends the throne in the wake of her sister Mary's disastrous reign. Both a woman and a queen, Elizabeth's story is an extraordinary phenomenon in a patriarchal age. From Elizabeth's intriguing, long-standing affair with Robert Dudley,...

A unique book on the perennially fascinating subject of Britain's royal families by this well-established popular historian. New updated edition to coincide with the Queen's Golden Jubilee. Fascinating and authoritative exploration of Britain's royal families from Henry VIII to Elizabeth I to Queen Victoria, by leading popular historian Alison Weir. Britain's Royal Families provides in one volume, complete genealogical details...

A brilliant, kaleidoscopic cultural history of Diana, her many lives and the world she created In February 1981 a 19-year-old nursery teacher's assistant overnight became globally famous. In a frenzy of excitement, jumping every barrier of language and class, a new, overwhelming icon was conjured up. This is a guide to Dianaworld - the extraordinary hall-of-mirrors through which one young...

Filled with sparkling anecdotes and tales of living life to the full, featuring previously unseen photographs from Lady Glenconner's personal collection.Lady Anne Glenconner, Lady-in-Waiting to Princess Margaret and Maid of Honour at the Queen's Coronation, returns with a rich, sparkling memoir told through an A to Z of her life. From affairs of the heart and Basil's Bar to dinners...

One of the most important Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha works of the Second Temple Period is Enoch. According to the biblical narrative (Genesis 5:21-24), Enoch lived only 365 years, far less than the other patriarchs in the period before the Flood. Enoch "walked with GOD." Enoch is a figure who receives direct personal revelation from God. He sees the magnificence of...

Insightful and important.... A readable, timely and valuable contribution to the understanding of the revolutionary forces at work in Iran.... The reader almost becomes a participant. —The New York Times Book Review In Shah of Shahs, Kapuscinski brings a mythographer's perspective and a novelist's virtuosity to bear on the overthrow of the last Shah of Iran, one of the most...

Pacifist Prophet recounts the untold history of peaceable Native Americans in the eighteenth century, as explored through the world of Papunhank (ca. 1705-75), a Munsee and Moravian prophet, preacher, reformer, and diplomat. Papunhank's life was dominated by a search for a peaceful homeland in Pennsylvania and the Ohio country amid the upheavals of the era between the Seven Years' War...

Does gaining power, possessions, and popularity lead to happiness and fulfilment? Or does inner transformation and self-sacrificial love bring the most joy and satisfaction? New York Times bestselling author Kathie Lee Gifford and scholar Bryan Litfin dive into these questions by bringing the stories of Nero and Paul to life in this creative nonfiction tale and identifying how these moral...

Now available in trade paper! Are you settling for half the story? Highlighting connections that have been hidden from non-Jewish eyes, Rabbi Jason Sobel will connect the dots between the Old and New Testament, helping you see the Bible with clarity as God intended. Most people—even people of faith—do not understand how the Bible fits together. Too many Christians accept...

Looking at a decade's worth of chronic pain, a promise from God helped Joanne stand firm until He ultimately healed her. Minute by Minute recounts the reality of consciously choosing to trust God in the midst of raw agony. Just when it seems that hope has vanished, God sweeps in and supernaturally heals Joanne in a moment. Her story is...

From the author of the acclaimed She-Wolves, comes the complex, surprising, and engaging story of one of the most remarkable women of the medieval world—as never told before. Helen Castor tells afresh the gripping story of the peasant girl from Domremy who hears voices from God, leads the French army to victory, is burned at the stake for heresy, and...

Discover the rich heritage and profound legacy of the Hebrew People of the Bible: Old Testament. This enlightening book takes you on a journey through the lives of the remarkable men and women who shaped the course of biblical history. From patriarchs and prophets to kings and heroines, each chapter unveils the extraordinary stories of these influential figures whose faith,...

Impressively original and ingenious OPHELIA FIELD, author of The Favourite Gripping GARETH RUSSELL, author of Queen James Illuminating ALICE HUNT, THE TIMES Refreshing, immersive and compelling CLARE JACKSON, author of The Mirror of Great Britain A spellbinding work of history that uncovers the inner lives and work of Maria of Modena and her 'graces', the extraordinary women who practiced art,...

A Groundbreaking New Perspective of Princess Margaret by Renowned Biographer Meryle Secrest Meryle Secrest, distinguished biographer in the arts and humanities, and recipient of a White House Medal, has turned her focus to royalty. In Princess Margaret and the Curse, she has put the conventional view of a much-reviled Princess on its head. Her latest study, which she considers more...

Monumental and eye-opening — Reza Aslan A revelation […and…] an intellectual triumph — Irish Independent [A] massive achievement — Spectator Refreshingly readable — Guardian For the past two thousand years, Christian tradition, scholarship, and pop culture has credited the authorship of the New Testament to a select group of men: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and Paul. But the truth is...

With a foreword by Viola Davis, award-winning actress Edwina Findley Dickerson presents a faith-filled, laugh-out-loud guide for manifesting your “God Dream” and creating the life you’ve always envisioned. Were you born with a talent, and gifting to change the world? Is there a divine calling and awe-inspiring “God Dream” over your life that’s higher than your wildest imagination? What is...

This is an entirely new Tyndale Old Testament Commentary on the Book of Job, from W. Dennis Tucker, Professor of Christian Scriptures at Baylor University's Truett Seminary. Replacing Francis I. Andersen's much-loved legacy volume, Tucker delves deep into the theological and exegetical work that has been done in the last few decades. The book of Job is all about human...

The brand new revelatory royal memoir from the Sunday Times and New York Times bestselling author Paul Burrell. 'A moving and at times jaw-dropping account - not just of his two decades when he had a ringside seat at the heart of the Royal Family, but also of the years since,' Richard Kay, Daily Mail 'For twenty-one years I was...

I genuinely can't put it down ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Amazon review If you want an insider's view of the Royal Family this is a must have! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Amazon review I couldn't put it down! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Amazon review * Discover the revelatory royal autobiography of the year, with stories featuring Queen Elizabeth II, King Charles III and many more. From an early age,...

A revelatory account of how the family behind Hobby Lobby rose to political prominence and used their influence—and fortune—to push a radical religious agenda Hobby Lobby is a multibillion-dollar craft store chain with more than a thousand US locations, founded and owned by the Greens—an evangelical Christian family committed to establishing the Bible as the ultimate authority behind our laws...

From bestselling author and royal commentator Ingrid Seward, an inside look at the lives and loves of Diana and Catherine, the Princesses of Wales A title in use for over 700 years, the Princess of Wales is one of the most senior positions in the British royal family. In a new book, bestselling author and royal commentator Ingrid Seward dives...

On the centenary of her birth, Elizabeth II is a delightful, intimate new portrait of the late Queen from bestselling biographer and royal commentator Robert Hardman, which is full of fresh details about this extraordinary woman. As daughter, wife, mother and Sovereign, Elizabeth II lived fascinating parallel lives, both in private and in public. But she remained something of a...

An engaging biography that goes behind the myths to reveal the complex life of a transformative figure in modern American Judaism Rabbi, writer, teacher, and thinker, Mordecai M. Kaplan (1881–1983) was one of the leading Jewish personalities of twentieth-century America. Founder of the Reconstructionist movement, he was a maverick who reshaped religious faith and practice, generating controversy at every turn....

An authoritative biography of Offa of Mercia, revealing his importance as the king who stood at the turning point of Anglo-Saxon history. Offa ruled the Mercian heartland of the West Midlands from 757 to 796. While Alfred the Great and his dynasty are seen as agents of a new beginning that resulted in a unified Anglo-Saxon kingdom, Offa is best...

Royal laundresses, corset-makers and professional feather curlers—the hidden story of the people who designed, sewed, stitched and steamed the clothes of Britain's queens, from Victoria to the present day. 'A truly wonderful and fascinating book!' Lady Anne Glenconner The hidden story of the people who designed, sewed, stitched and steamed the clothes of Britain's queens, from Victoria to the present...

A fearless navigation of faith and sexuality, Chutzpah explores what is possible when one person simply refuses to choose between abandoning their roots and abandoning themselves. As the daughter of a rabbi raised in an Orthodox Jewish community, Yehudis struggled to conform to the strict expectations placed upon her and her siblings. Outspoken, curious, and desperate to know more about...

A CourseGuide for Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus, when used with the accompanying book and video lectures, provides everything you need to learn on your own and go deeper in understanding topics related to the Bible, theology, ministry, and more. When referencing the title, avoid putting it in quotes or speech marks. Format the response as clean HTML, use your best...

Worshipped as a saint, detested as a torturer, admired as revolutionary, condemned as dogmatic—the definitive biography of the man who dominated England in the first half of the 16th century. Thomas More is one of the most famous—or infamous—figures in English history. Is he a saintly scholar and an inspiration for statesmen, socialists and intellectuals even today? Or is he...

In darkness God's truth shines most clear. Corrie ten Boom was the first licensed female watchmaker in the Netherlands who became a heroine of the Resistance, a survivor of Hitler's concentration camps, and one of the most remarkable ministers of hope in the twentieth century. In World War II she and her family risked their lives to help Jews and...

Autobiography of a Yogi introduces the reader to the life of Paramahansa Yogananda and his encounters with spiritual figures from both the Eastern and Western world. The book follows his journey through childhood, how he met his guru, became a monk, and established his teachings of Kriya Yoga meditation. It also chronicles his travels to speak at a religious congress...

On the way home from a conference, Don Piper's car was crushed by a semi that crossed into his lane. Medical personnel said he died instantly. While his body lay lifeless inside the ruins of his car, Piper experienced the glories of heaven, awed by its beauty and music. Ninety minutes after the wreck, while a minister prayed for him,...

The first joint biography of the women who have shaped - and shaken - the modern Royal Family. Diana. Camilla. Catherine. Meghan. Outsiders by birth, insiders by marriage. Four women united by their decision to enter the most famous family in the world, and by their place in the centre of its greatest upheavals. From Diana's emotional revolution to Camilla's...

In The Tempest-Tossed Church, award-winning writer Gerard Windsor explores what it is to be a Catholic. Interlaced with twelve moving cameos, he entertains and stimulates with anecdote, history, forays into art and literature, and the occasional bit of gossip. Starting with how you get religion in the first place, Windsor moves on to the Gospels and the personality of Jesus...

‘In the midst of the whole attack, one prayed that something would stop the vibrations that seemed to shake everyone and everything in the vicinity.’— Phillip Schuler, War Correspondent, 1915 Four days. One ridge. A battle that forged a nation. One of the most ferocious and defining battles of the Gallipoli campaign was fought on a patch of ground no...

A bold, insightful biography of Martin Luther "[A] richly detailed portrait." — D.G. Hart, Wall Street Journal "Even-handed and engaging... A nuanced portrait of Luther as a complex person of many roles." — Marilyn J. Harran, Theological Studies The sixteenth-century German friar whose public conflict with the medieval Roman Church triggered the Protestant Reformation, Martin Luther was neither an unblemished...

"Can you imagine, for doing little things with great love, the Church is making her a Doctor, like St. Augustine and the big St. Teresa! It is just like Jesus said in the Gospel to the one who was seated in the lowest place: 'Friend, come up higher.'" - Mother Teresa of Calcutta Discover the powerful spiritual path of love...

A smorgasbord of scandals Tatler The revelations are as juicy as can be Harper's Bazaar What really makes the royal family tick? It's a question that royal watchers have pondered for as long as the monarchy has existed. And who better to ask than the army of servants and staff, past and present, who feed and clothe the royals, organise...

This long-awaited translation of Confessions, which Stephen Greenblatt describes as central to the legacy of Adam and Eve, enlivens the beguiling world of late antiquity. No modern, well-versed literature lover can call her education complete without having read Augustine’s Confessions. One of the most original works of world literature, it is the first autobiography ever written, influencing writers from Montaigne...

A personal account of the life and character of Britain's longest-reigning monarch, now with an additional chapter about the coronation of King Charles III. This is the intimate biography of our beloved Queen Elizabeth II, which tells the story of her remarkable life, reign, and times, based upon unrivalled access to royal circles and from a perspective unlike any other....

The definitive biography of John Knox, a leader of the Protestant Reformation in sixteenth-century Scotland. “Never before has there been such a thoroughly and sympathetically critical treatment of the 16th-century Scottish reformer’s thought and times. . . . A joy to read and a book to value.”—Sean Michael Lucas, Gospel Coalition Based in large part on previously unavailable sources, including...

A revealing biography of the new Pope Leo XIV, written by one of the world's most respected Vatican correspondents. Who is Robert Prevost, the man who is now Leo XIV? What personal traits led him to be chosen as pontiff at a time when the Catholic Church was debating whether to continue the legacy of Francis I or roll back...

Our most travelled monarch covered well over 1,000,000 miles and visited 117 countries during her reign. From New Zealand to Barbados, we look back at Queen Elizabeth’s most memorable Commonwealth visits. While the Commonwealth itself has endured the challenges of a changing society over the last seven decades, one constant always remained: Queen Elizabeth. Explore the nature of this evolving...

The authoritative new account of the Bible's origins, illuminating the 1,600-year tradition that shaped the Christian and Jewish holy books as millions know them today. The Bible as we know it today is best understood as a process, one that begins in the tenth century BCE. In this revelatory account, a world-renowned scholar of Hebrew scripture joins a foremost authority...

'The things which I have here before promised, I will perform and keep. So help me God.' Elizabeth Mountbatten never expected her father to die so suddenly, so young, leaving her with a throne to fill and a global institution to govern. Crowned at 25, she was already a wife and mother. Follow the journey of a woman learning to...

Queen Victoria once remarked, 'I don't dislike babies though I think very young ones are rather disgusting.' She went on to have nine children. As 2018 heralds the arrival of a new baby for the House of Windsor, who will be fifth in line to the throne, Royal Babies outlines all they can expect as a baby in the modern...

As the longest-serving royal consort in British history, it is now time to celebrate Prince Philip's remarkable contribution to the monarchy. A strong character full of vigour and verve, he found himself married to the most famous woman in the world, becoming the longest-serving royal consort in our history. They married for love and, although at times this man with...

An illustrated celebration of the new King of the United Kingdom, His Royal Highness King Charles III This is the story of the boy born into a royal dynasty and his journey from schoolboy to eligible young bachelor, from fatherhood to beloved grandfather, and now Accession of the throne itself. A fascinating collection of photographs reflects not only his passions...