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Editor's Choice:
 STEPHEN CAMPBELL & MICHAEL COLE: A NEW HISTORY OF ITALIAN RENAISSANCE ART
Thames and Hudson HB
Stephen Campbell and Michael Cole introduce Italian Renaissance art in this easy-to-follow chronological survey. Drawing on the most recent scholarship, their book makes new approaches accessible to students and non-specialist readers, telling the story of art in the great centres of Rome, Florence and Venice while profiling a range of other cities and sites throughout Italy. The book uses a novel decade-by-decade structure, which allows students to follow the chronology easily, as well as enabling collaborative works to be discussed in their entirety, and ensuring that discussion of minor centres can be brought in as needed. It presents the classic canon of Renaissance painting and sculpture in full, while expanding the scope of conventional surveys by offering a more thorough coverage of architecture, decorative and domestic arts, and print media. Rather than emphasizing artists biographies, this new account concentrates on the works, discussing means of production, the places for which images were made, the concerns of patrons, and the expectations and responses of the works first viewers. Renaissance art is seen as decidedly new, a moment in the history of art whose concerns persist in the present. Dazzlingly ambitious and fiercely intelligent, this is very much a book of today, which seems destined to remain the survey of choice for years to come David Ekserdjian, Leicester University A fine and original new introduction to Italian Renaissance art, it generates new perspectives on the progress and parameters of an entire visual tradition Tom Nichols, University of Aberdeen. This is the kind of book that was kept under lock and key in my school library back in the late 1950s - those of us wishing to advance our education during the lunch hour and a half would seek refuge from the school bullies in the library. Many would read bound copies of Punch, others would play chess, still others would ask the librarian (a prefect) for the Art Treasures of the Prado from under the counter, most to look for paintings of nude women (or men - it depended on your bent). We had an encyclopedia at home, with a painting of Botticelli's Venus Rising, but that was it as far as fine art went. I studied renaissance art during my Open University years, and was captivated by the colours and the detail. The subject matter, too, was something I relished, being a confirmed believer. This new book is entrancing. It takes us on a journey through time, marking the developments decade by decade in a departure from the norm. I'm not one hundred per cent convinced this works. For me, an appraisal of each artist in turn rather than spread out through the decades would have worked better, but who am I to complain? In this utterly delightful work you can find the paintings, the sculptures and the architectural designs of the greatest renaissance painters, reproduced to a very high standard indeed, and it is a triumph of publishing. Comprehensive, scholarly and unmissable.
 RUSSELL HAYES: FORD CORTINA - THE COMPLETE HISTORY
Haynes Publishing HB
Once there was a Cortina on every British street corner, but now only a
handful of the four million made survive and the rest are fond memories. For 1962 the Cortina was rushed to sale as an economy car, but it rocketed to the top of the sales charts and stayed there for 20 years. To mark 50 years since the introduction of Ford's best-seller, this exhaustively researched history tells how it grew to be a worldwide success. With first-hand accounts from key people and evocative period photography, the design and development of all five generations of Cortina is explored in detail. I have been and always shall be a Ford driver. Yes, all right, there was a time when the Cossi brothers only had an Avenger in my price bracket, but it didn't last long in any case, and I was soon back behind the wheel of a Mk4 Cortina Estate Car with a number plate that was probably worth quite a bit: JOY822V, I think it was. How many girls called Joy would have given their all for such a plate? Not many, I guess, because girls don't seem to realise that it matters what make your car is. My first Ford was a 1955 four-door Prefect. It was my pride and joy, I paid just £25 for it (and £5 to insure it there and then so I could drive it away). They're all here, in this magnificent book, the Prefects, the Consuls, the Zephyrs, the Zodiacs, and probably the most successful production car series in the world - the Cortina. Our MkII was quite special, too, a MkII 1600E, with a vinyl roof - not many of those were made. Then some stupid woman in Watford pulled out of a junction whilst shouting at her kids in the back looking over her shoulder, and we were into MkIIIs. Quite a few of those graced our drive as I recall, but I craved a Mk4... This is a sensational book for Ford owners, and in particular those Ford owners who have been through the Cortina marques and still believe them to be the finest cars ever built.
 JENNIFER WORTH: CALL THE MIDWIFE - A TRUE STORY OF THE EAST END IN THE 1950s
Phoenix PB
Jennifer Worth came from a sheltered background when she became a midwife in the Docklands in the 1950s. The conditions in which many women gave birth just half a century ago were horrifying, not only because of their grimly impoverished surroundings, but also because of what they were expected to endure. But while Jennifer witnessed brutality and tragedy, she also met with amazing kindness and understanding, tempered by a great deal of Cockney humour. She also earned the confidences of some whose lives were truly stranger, more poignant and more terrifying than could ever be recounted in fiction. Attached to an order of nuns who had been working in the slums since the 1870s, Jennifer tells the story not only of the women she treated, but also of the community of nuns (including one who was accused of stealing jewels from Hatton Garden) and the camaraderie of the midwives with whom she trained. Funny, disturbing and incredibly moving, Jennifer's stories bring to life the colourful world of the East End in the 1950s. I grew up in the 1950s, and although I was aware of how bad things could be for poor people in rural England (in Brockworth, Gloucester), and how previous generations had had to thrown themselves on the mercy of the workhouses when they ran out of options, I was unprepared for the absolute hell and misery that Jennifer Worth portrays for us in the mind-boggling piece of social history. The graphic detail she supplies of childbirth is unsurpassed. Her character studies of the people she knew and worked with are quite breathtakingly beautiful. The stories range from miraculous to harrowing, and it's not for the squeamish. People expecting the gentle drama of the TV series may be shocked, but it's not a book you can put down - it's compelling, dramatic, life-affirming, and above all, readable. A superb memoir, bringing East End London of the 1950s into a shocking reality. Brilliant. If this had been a novel, it would have been my book of the month.
 KAREN FARRINGTON: GREAT VICTORIAN RAILWAY JOURNEYS
How Modern Britain was Built by Victorian Steam Power
Collins HB
A glorious insight into Britain over the last 150 years – its history, landscape and people – from the window of Britain’s many and magnificent railway journeys. Great British Train Journeys has been a hugely successful TV programme, which is now about to go into its third series on BBC2 in the spring of 2012. Much as Michael Palin built up a dedicated fan base for travel around the globe, so Michael Portillo has done likewise for lovers of trains in his explorations the length and breadth of the United Kingdom from the window of a train seat. Both charming and insightful, Michael again uses Bradhsawe’s guides, and now undertakes five unique journeys that were constructed by the Victorians from 1830-1900. Across 25 episodes he delve into this fascinating and colourful period of our history, and show how the modern British landscape was created from this Victorian legacy. From Windsor to Weymouth, Great Yarmouth to London, Oxford to Milford Haven, Berwick to Barrow, and finally Dublin to Belfast – Michael will go back in time to showcase areas of outstanding Victorian engineering and design across Queen Victoria’s dominions. Key parts of the programme and tie-in book will showcase how the world's very first fixed-track train in Merthyr Tydfil operated; how the world's first electric train service ran in Southend to it's famous pier; and he also celebrates the wide variety of lines that opened up trade and mobility to the Victorian classes. Travelling on a variety of existing, and in some cases restored, Victorian train lines, he meets their passionate supporters who lovingly work on them, and also looks at the modern landscape to tell the story of how each area was shaped by their Victorian forebears. Lavishly produced, this will once again be a 'must have' purchase for all train lovers, as well as those who simply want to find out their heritage and what is now available to view and travel upon in the 21st century to transport them back in time. Put aside your political differences and wallow in this fine piece of nostalgia, published to accompany the new series of Railway Journeys that is currently gracing our TV screens here in the UK. Portillo is a fine commentator, and even, occasionally, reveals a part of himself that almost, almost acknowledges the part played by his government in the destruction of communities by over-zealous conservative policies. He manages to find things to interest us, occasionally straying from the railway commentary but always returning to it, and he is an expert at drawing things out of the local people that might otherwise have remained unsaid. The book is an excellent companion to the new series, although I do have one complaint - there are far too many portraits of Portillo himself. He may have written the introduction, and he may present the programmes - but he didn't write the book, and he is not the subject of it. Far too many photos of Portillo sitting in a railway carriage which could be anywhere in Britain, really.
 SALLY BEDELL SMITH: ELIZABETH THE QUEEN
Michael Joseph/Penguin PB
As we celebrate her Diamond Jubilee, this brand new biography of Queen Elizabeth II is the first all-round, up-close picture of one of the most fascinating, enigmatic and admired women in the world. With exclusive access to the Queen's personal letters, close friends and associates, this intimate biography is a treasure trove of fresh insights on her public persona and her private life. Here we see Queen Elizabeth going about her daily duties, preparing for formal occasions, playing with her children at the Palace, crawling on her stomach to stalk deer, donning yellow Marigolds to wash up after Balmoral cookouts, and even changing a car wheel. Here we, at last, get to meet the leader, strategist, and diplomat; the daughter, wife, mother and grandmother - Elizabeth the Queen. Astonishing insights into the world of Elizabeth II, who celebrates her diamond jubilee this year. Bedell Smith doesn't pull any punches, and the world she describes could well be that of aliens on another planet, possibly because she is American and not British. We all know about the harsh, impersonal way the Royal Family brings up its children, and the confirmation that they are not really the same breed as us comes as no surprise except, maybe, to the author. It is a sad fact that the people of Britain revere most of the monarchy without bothering to find out about them, how they live, their lifestyles being as alien to ordinary people as in the days of the Russian revolution and the overthrowing of the Czar. Nothing much has changed here - the Royal family continues to live a privileged and remote existence from all but the very top circle, and although Elizabeth and the two young princes may present a more public face, this is all a public relations exercise. I think this book may be aimed primarily at the US market - there are no surprises for us in it, and it really only serves to illustrate how remote we are from the monarchy. There will be flag-waving and cheering in June, when the celebrations occur, but how many people will have read this brilliant insight into the real life and personality of the Queen by then? Not enough, I feel. Should be compulsory reading for everyone, and it may just change the way we feel about the Royals.
 RAINER METZGER: LONDON IN THE SIXTIES
Thames and Hudson HB
This beautifully illustrated book paints a multifaceted portrait of sixties London and explores the reasons why it became the epicentre of a cultural boom that resounded around the world and whose echoes can still be heard today. London in the 1960s was the embodiment of everything that was inspirational, innovative and progressive. Powered by the three key elements of youth, affluence and the mass media, the city became the hub of sixties pop culture, with its bold and creative spirit attracting an international cast of artists and luminaries in all fields, from pop music and fashion to literature and the visual arts. While a new aristocracy of rockstars and trendsetters ruled the roost, Pop art took a witty and detached view of contemporary consumerism and architecture looked towards a utopian future. Features a stellar array of artists, photographers, musicians, models, writers, designers and architects presented in context, including David Hockney, Francis Bacon, David Bailey, Alan Aldridge, Kenneth Tynan, Mick Jagger, The Beatles, Twiggy, Jean Shrimpton, Ron Heron, Richard Hamilton, Peter Blake, Lucian Freud, Dirk Bogarde, Julie Christie, Marianne Faithful, Michael Caine, Mary Quant, Bridget Riley, Diana Rigg and many, many more... This is a brilliant book, crammed with photos and facts about the beautiful people who made London the capital of the world in the 1960s. But we shouldn't forget that behind every stunning photograph there was a photographer and a publicist, and these people, just as much as the people they were pushing, made that London. It's difficult to see how everything changed after the 1960s, which was such a revoultionary decade in itself. One thing is for sure, everything did change, and the beautiful people simply became more cosmopolitan, seeking out new environments to dazzle and populate. A sensational collection of memories and images of the decade of the twentieth century. Terrific.
 ANNA KEAY: THE CROWN JEWELS - THE OFFICIAL ILLUSTRATED HISTORY
Thames & Hudson HB
The Tower of London has over two million visitors a year, with the Crown Jewels as its centrepiece. This paperback edition of the official illustrated history of the Crown Jewels, the most famous jewelry collection in the world, incorporates spectacular new photographs with stunning details. Accessible and up-to-date text, based on original research, includes the story of two of the largest and most famous diamonds in the world the Kohi-nûr and the Cullinan. This is the perfect souvenir for visitors to the Tower of London, as well as an ideal introduction for anyone interested in English history and monarchy. I have never had the good fortune to see the crown jewels in person, so this book is a unique opportunity to see them secondhand. More than that, Anna Keay reveals the intimate history behind each and every piece - (are all of these items really part of the Crown Jewels collection, I wonder?) in a magnificent timeline from before the birth of Christ. Some of the pieces are so intricately beautiful they are truly breathtaking. This is like seeing the collection in the company of a true expert, someone with an amazing breadth of historical and monarchic knowledge that you are in awe of her almost as much as you are in awe of the collection itself. Sumptuous.
 WILFRED OWEN: THE WAR POEMS
Chatto and Windus PB
This selection of Wilfred Owen's war poems contains an introduction by Jon
Stallworthy, which is aimed at a general audience, but is also academic enough
to be used in schools. Review by Kirsty Hewitt.
With 2014 marking the
centenary of the beginning of World War One, the remembrance of soldiers killed in the four year battle is becoming ever more poignant. A wealth of wonderful poets emerged from the First World War, among them the soldier and surgeon Canadian John McCrae, most famous for his poem ‘In Flanders Fields’, and Kent-born Siegfried Sassoon, whose poetry heavily satirised the high levels of propaganda being fed to the British public. Wilfred Owen is perhaps one of the most well-remembered, not just for his war poetry but also for the fact that he was killed in action just one week before the Armistice, which officially ended the First World War, was signed. The War Poems of Wilfred Owen, first published by Chatto and Windus in 2000 and edited by Jon Stallworthy, Professor Emeritus of English at Oxford University, is arranged chronologically. As well as some of Owen’s more famous poems - the harrowing Dulce et Decorum Est and the mournfully sad Anthem for Doomed Youth - many fragments, most of which were written in 1917 and published posthumously, have been included. Whilst the overriding theme in this collection is, of
course, the First World War, Owen deals with many sub-genres in his incredibly stark yet utterly beautiful writing. Some of the subjects to which he returns time and time again are the disabilities, both mental and physical, received by thousands of soldiers as a consequence of trench warfare, and the concept of war being little more than a futile exercise which succeeds only in killing the very best of men. He also wrote several lamentations in honour of the innocent soldiers killed in the many battles of World War One. Owen himself was sent to Craiglockhart War Hospital in Edinburgh in 1917, where he was diagnosed as suffering from shell shock. Here, Owen continued to write, gaining further inspiration from fellow patient Siegfried Sassoon. Along with each poem are a series of rather detailed notes, charting the location in which each was written, outlining the influences of other writers which Owen referred to in his own prose, and including important social considerations occurring at the time in which each poem or fragment was written. Stallworthy has also incorporated an incredibly detailed portrait of Owen’s life, both literary and personal. Such notes are invaluable to scholars, students and those merely interested in Owen’s poetry alike. Although The War Poems make up a rather slim volume, it is one which can be dipped into time and time again. (Review copyright © Kirsty Hewitt)
 WHAT'S THAT BIRD?
Dorling Kindersley PB
The perfect pocket guide to bird-watching for beginners. RSPB What's That Bird? is ideal if you struggle to tell a swift from a swallow. It's the perfect pocket guide for beginners but also a handy reference for the more seasoned bird-watcher. Featuring over 150 common European birds, habitat overviews show you what to look for where and commonly confused birds are shown side by side for quick comparison and identification. Become a successful bird-watcher in no time with RSPB What's That Bird? A real winner from Dorling Kindersley! How often have you seen a bird you don't recognise instantly and wondered what it was? What's the first thing you notice about it - it's size, its colour, its shape? This brilliant little book helps you to identify birds by colour, by size etc., and you'll wonder how you managed to survive without it. Beautifully illustrated, and pocket-sized, it's easily transportable whilst you're out with the dogs or just indulging in a wonderful country/city/coastal walk. Invaluable.
 JOE JUSKO: THE ART OF JOE JUSKO
IDW Publishing HB
Back in print! This book offers readers and fans a chance to witness Joe Jusko''s immense and phenomenal career from the past 25 years, offering glimpses of previously never-before-seen material from his files and sketchbooks, his enormously popular comic work, covers and illustrations from his book publishing career, as well as beautifully reproduced images of his personal favorites and insights into his life and creative process. Joe Jusko is, quite simply, utterly brilliant, the greatest of all fantasy/adventure painters, and this book showcases his work to perfection. Inspired by the great John Buscema and Frank Frazetta, his early work in high school exhibits such fantastic promise that it's difficult to believe that he was, for a time, a New York policeman. For me, his Vampirella paintings are the best there are. He makes her look like the girl next door you always fancied, totally beautiful and innocent-looking, yet seductive and at the same time unavailable. The same goes for his Tarzans, and his Dejah Thorises and John Carters, and it's no surprise to me that his paintings adorn the WARLORD OF MARS and WARLORD OF MARS DEJAH THORIS comics that have taken the world by storm in the run-up to the March 2012 release of the John Carter film. I've been raving about Joe Jusko's paintings (and his sequential comic book art too, of course), for more than ten years now, and this amazing book, more than 300 pages, contains some of his very finest work. He is modest and unassuming, raving himself about Buscema and Frazetta, and one of his pictures, of LA OF OPAR with JANE PORTER semi-naked on the altar (in a scene from THE RETURN OF TARZAN, and just how I imagined it when I first read it) is a trade-off with the inimitable FRANK CHO for a Cho piece he himself craved) and shown below, is just one of many highlights in this fantastic book. I'm used to handling and reviewing books by and about fantasy artists - just in the December issue I had the great Christopher Foss, and the month before the equally great DREW STRUZAN. This month also sees the amazing DYNAMITE ART OF ALEX ROSS, who's another personal favourite of mine. But this massive, heavyweight tome of Joe Jusko paintins is sublime - the icing on the cake. I knew the book would be stunning, I knew that most of the paintings in it would just blow me away. He is amazing, he is, for me, the people's fantasy painter. He is a living legend. Below are just a couple of paintings from the book. You'll understand what I mean when you see them, I guess... (This book is my FANTASY ART/GRAPHIC NOVELS AND COMIC BOOKS Book of the month, needless to say!). I have to say that this is the perfect excuse for me to able to exhibit a couple of Joe's stunning paintings as part of a review, in Books Monthly - I've waited for this moment since I discovered him all those years ago! A-ma-zing!
Review copy kindly supplied by Diamond Book Distributors
 THE DYNAMITE ART OF ALEX ROSS
Dynamite Entertainment HB
Alex Ross has made his home at Dynamite Entertainment for the past several years with the creation of his own universe in Project Superpowers. Having produced many other illustrations for Dynamite comic books like Green Hornet and Vampirella, and having reunited with his Marvels collaborator, Kurt Busiek, with Kirby: Genesis, there can be no argument that Alex Ross is as popular and dynamite as ever! Collecting all of Alex''s Dynamite cover and interior art in one complete hardcover volume, along with commentary and special bonus material, this is a package not to be missed! Alex Ross did the cover for the first issue of WARRIORS OF MARS comic. I recognised his style immediately, because he is one of the very best photo-realistic fantasy art painters in the world, and this is another amazing book, this time from DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT showcasing his brilliant portfolio of comic book characters and paintings. The spiel above refers to the book collecting all of his Dynamite cover and interior art in one complete volume, and yet I believe there may be another volume in the making, because it seems somehow incomplete. I know that his Superman and Batman paintings are for DC Comics, and that he's probably also done stuff for Marvel too, but there's a hint at the back of the book that there is more to come... Ordinarily this book would be my Editor's Choice for January - it just happens to come at a time when I have the amazing Joe Jusko book to hand, thanks to Diamond Book Distributors, and whilst I love Alex Ross's work, Joe would always win for me. No offence, Alex, just a personal preference! I used to rave about BORIS VALLEJO, and at the time he was producing his best work, with ERB covers for ACE BOOKS in the 1970s, he was untouchable. But the muscle-bound heroes and heroines of his later years, heavily influenced, I would guess, by his wife JULIE BELL, have lost him ground as Joe Jusko and younger artists have surfaced. I still love Boris. He is unique, and will possibly remain the most popular. But the new kids on the block, showcased in these two amazing volumes reviewed in this issue, are going to take some beating. ALEX ROSS is brilliant. JOE JUSKO is brilliant-plus, sort of like "A" grade and "A*" for Jusko. These are books I will pore over again and again, drinking in the beauty of the colours and the subject matter - here again, I have to say that Joe Jusko wins hands down, because the vast majority of his works are paintings - cover art, whilst Alex's art is more comic-book orientated. I am proud and privileged to own both, and to have both arrive in one package courtesy of my very good friends at DIAMOND BOOK DISTRIBUTORS was like a perfect dream. These are not just popular art, they're fine art. They are artworks the people want, the kind of paintings that influence their dreams. Nowadays comics and pulp fiction are acceptable literature. Back in the 1970s, they were frowned upon by the establishment and dismissed as second-rate. I believe it was Edgar Rice Burroughs and Frazetta and Boris's paintings that changed that perception and encouraged thousands of talented young artists to pursue their dreams. Two of the very finest artists working today are Joe Jusko and Alex Ross. These two fine art books showcase their talent, their commitment, and their pure genius.
Review copy kindly supplied by Diamond Book Distributors
 JIM SILKE: JUNGLE GIRLS
Flesk Publications Softback
These are the most fabulous, provocative creatures in the world of fiction, from H. Rider Haggard's She to Edgar Rice Burroughs' Jane, Hedy Lamarr's Tonedeleyo and the modern, bold, daring and dangerous beauties that prowl Silke's imagination. They're all here, the Jungle Goddesses, Queens and Slaves as well as their sisters in that happy madness of exotic femme fatales, Tropic Tramps, Dragon Ladies, Harem Damsels, and semi-clad Barbarians. It's not a history, but a celebration of that impossible, loony, glorious nonsense that Silke somehow finds essential.
Jim Silke is a man after my own heart - he describes the feelings he experienced as a teenager and young man, inspired by the imagery of film posters, by the pulp fiction stories and the heroines depicted on their covers, by the lure of the stars and starlets who fired his imagination. There isn't enough of Jim's personal biography in this wonderful book, but what there is enough of, is his stunning paintings, his visualisations of the girls and women who inspired him. I'm already an aficionado of the Jungle Girls genre, having recently reviewed Frank Cho's two Jungle Girl books from Diamond Entertainment. More than that, I remember  falling in love with Jane Porter as depicted by Mortelmans on the cover of the Four Square paperpack of THE RETURN OF TARZAN (see column left) way back when I was about eleven or twelve years old, when I first discovered Tarzan of the Apes. My Tarzan comics were coveted closely, and although Tarzan as a character always inspired me, it was Jane Porter in her bikini, sometimes being saved by her mate, sometimes acting on her own initiative and helping to defeat white hunters or evil natives, that caught my imagination. This was something sexual, something to appeal to an adolescent boy, just waking to the desires of the flesh. And when first Frank Frazetta and then Boris Vallejo (and now Joe Jusko, of course) started to do covers for Burroughs, my imagination ran wild. I was, it seems, living a parallel universe of inspiration and desire that first kindled Jim Silke's own imagination a few years earlier. I'm a good fifteen or so years younger than Jim, and didn't get to see those pulp fiction covers until much later in life, for they weren't generally available in the UK. I caught up, though, and how! And now, there are loads of brilliant, talented artists doing stunning covers and interiors for series by Burroughs, Stephen King, Red Sonja etc., and yet, looking through this brilliant book of Jim's, it's clear to me that he's one of the pioneers in this art form, and, coincidentally, one of the very best. I don't remember his name cropping up in anything I've read about Frank Cho's inspirations, but I wouldn't mind betting he has a copy of this book somewhere in his collection. The images of stars and starlets in Jungle Girl costume, and the imagined heroines by Jim are beautiful, inspirational, sensationally good. The collections of pulp fiction magazine covers and paperback covers are terrific, and the photos of 1930s and 1940s film stars in Jungle Girl costume, including a very sexy Maureen O'Sullivan as Tarzan's Jane, are fantastic. This is a journey down memory lane coupled with some of the very finest Jungle Girl paintings and illustrations I have ever seen. Jim, you're a genius!
 ADAM HART-DAVIS: THE BOOK OF TIME
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE BIGGEST IDEA IN THE UNIVERSE
Mitchell Beazley HB
In The Book of Time we see how philosophers, religions and scientists have tried to explain time as everything from a perfect cycle to ever-increasing chaos. We see how time works in the natural world and in our own bodies and minds, and how we've tried to measure it - first with calenders, then with increasingly sophisticated devices, from the Ancient Indian ghati and to the latest atomic clock. And from Aristotle to Einstein, we explore how time has been essential for scientists in their quest to understand the universe and everything in it. Not forgetting the deliciously weird world of time travel, explaining what is fact and what is fiction. This is the kind of book that you can dip into or read in depth - but either way we promise time will just fly by... My brain is hurting - nothing happened in the past, because when it happened, it was now. Nothing will happen in the future, because when it happens, it will be now. The past doesn't exist, except in memory, and there is no future, because everything is now. Except, a huge number of people who have studied the concept of time, don't really believe that now exists either. This all points to the unmistakable fact that time itself doesn't exist at all... Confused? I don't believe you will be any less confused after reading this wonderful book by the inimitable Adam Hart-Davis - but it's a superb collection of current and past beliefs about time (sorry, I forgot, the past doesn't exist!), beautifully illustrated and totally engaging. A truly wonderful book on one of the most intriguing and inexplicable features of the world in which we live. Read it and experience the joy of learning what time really is... Superb, truly superb entertainment.
 1001 COMICS YOU MUST READ BEFORE YOU DIE
Cassell Illustrated Softback
Over the centuries, comic books and their offshoots, such as graphic novels, and bandes dessinees have evolved into a phenomenally popular, influential, and unique art form with which we can express our opinions, our fantasies, our nightmares, and our dreams. In short: comics are emphatically no longer just for kids. This diverse, constantly evolving medium is truly coming into its own in the 21st century, from Hollywood's blockbuster adaptations of super-powered caped crusaders to the global spread of Japan's manga and its spinoffs, and from award-winning graphic novels such as Maus and Persepolis to new forms such as online webcomix. But comics also have a long and rich history, dating back at least to the Swiss teacher Rodolphe Topffer in the early 19th century, and far earlier in China. 1001 Comic Books You Must Read Before You Die is the perfect introduction to this dynamic and globally popular medium. There have been other guides to the best comic books, but none has embraced every genre and scoured the globe to glean the very greatest works of sequential art, graphic literature, bandes dessinees, tebeos, fumetti, manga, manhwa, komiks, strips, historietas, quadrinhos, beeldverhalen, and plain old comics. This authoritative guide is organized according to the year of first publication in the country of origin. An opening section acknowledges pioneering pre-1900 masterpieces, followed by sections divided by decade, creating a fascinating year-by-year chronicle of the comics medium worldwide. A stonking great book on a subject dear to my heart - comics. At one time they were a dirty word, and there are still people who believe that comics are cheap and nasty, second-grade, second-class, cheap literature that has no place in our world. These people are wrong. This wonderful book is a celebration of a brilliant art form - just look at all the wonderful adventure films that have been inspired by comics - we would not have had Indiana Jones without comics, that's a certainty. I don't always agree with the author's choices - personal tastes have to come into any selection like this, of course, that's only natural. I was surprised, however, that there was no mention of RED SONJA, JOHN CARTER OF MARS, DEJAH THORIS, or the brilliant Marvel adaptations of the Stephen King classics THE STAND and THE DARK TOWER. But those would be my personal choices, and not the author's, and in any case, I am reading them before I die, so that's OK! The illustrations are superb, the descriptions are second to none - this is, as I say, a brilliant celebration of the comic book, comprehensive and entertaining. Absolutely stunning. Be warned, though, it's a massive book, and the softback binding isn't really up to the job - I've already had to shore mine up with magic tape. If you're planning on reading this book, take good care of it, because it could do with being a hardback, and is quite fragile in its softback state. Don't let that put you off buying it - it's great!
 CHRISTOPHER CHIPPINDALE: STONEHENGE COMPLETE
Thames and Hudson PB
This newly revised and enlarged fourth edition of Christopher Chippindales prize-winning classic account brings the story of Stonehenge right up to date. It describes in two new chapters the startling ideas and insights of the latest field research. In a radical reinterpretation, Stonehenge with its cold rocks is seen as the place of the dead, and another site over the horizon as the place of the living, built in wood, and complete with houses and paved ways. In another theory, Stonehenge is a place of healing. Alongside the quest to understand Stonehenge are the taxing practicalities of caring for a 4,000 years old site that was never designed to cope with a million visitors a year, and all you ever wanted to know about Stonehenge is catalogued in this humorously written, beautifully illustrated book. For me, Stonehenge is one of the most iconic monuments on Earth. True, I haven't seen the pyramids of Egypt or Mexico. I haven't seen the Taj Mahal, or the Empire State Building. I haven't seen the Great Wall of China. But I know, quite simply, that given a choice, I would opt for Stonehenge as the most important ancient site in the world. I think it is the fact we don't really know, for certain, what went on there that gives it that mystique. It is true that the latest theories (which are examined in this excellent book) by Mike Parker Pearson have some credibility. But I have been there, and I know for myself that there is an atmosphere about Stonehenge that defies description. It is always great to read a new work on Stonehenge. Apart from drawing together the latest theories and presenting the monument anew, I don't believe this particular book offers anything particularly new, but it is beautifully written, and there are many photos and diagrams I haven't seen before, and the thing is, it's comprehensive. Until we know for sure what Stonehenge was all about, this is as good as it gets - you don't really need another book on the subject, because this one has it all. Absolutely marvellous stuff.
 J KENT LAYTON: TRANSATLANTIC LINERS
Shire PB
Prior to air travel there was only one way to cross the Atlantic: by ship. By the late nineteenth century, steam ships dominated the transatlantic passenger trade, growing exponentially in size as maritime technology improved and as more immigrants poured from Europe into the New World. As the liners got bigger, the scope for luxury increased, so that a substantial part of ships such as Titanic would be given over to sumptuous dining saloons, lounges, smoking rooms and even gymnasia for the most affluent passengers. Meanwhile, the bulk of passengers, the poor migrants with one-way tickets to America, were efficiently arranged in small cabins with bunks in the bows and stern of the ship. This book is an introduction to the age of the superliner, from 1900 to the modern day, exploring changes in the liner's design and role over a century that saw competition between shipping lines and between nations. The author describes the history and design of such great ships as Lusitania, Olympic, Imperator, Normandie, both queen Elizabeths, both queen Marys and, of course, the legendary Titanic. He tells the story of the heyday of the great liners before immigration to America was curtailed, the many races for the Blue Riband speed record, the experiences of rich and poor passengers, the role of the liners as troopships and hospital ships during the world wars, and the decline in the Atlantic trade after the 1960s, since when most passengers have travelled by air. Whilst still at primary school, and aged about eight, I guess, I was asked, along with the rest of the class, to prepare a major project. Any subject of our choosing. I chose transatlantic liners, and I wrote to all the great shipping companies (aided by Mum and Dad), P&O, Cunard etc., and asked for their brochures and any information they could give me about their ocean-going liners. I ended up with so much material, I was overwhelmed. Even though I made it quite clear how old I was, and that it was for a school project, the people who responded treated me as though I was a serious author preparing to write a book about their liners. For a time I could cite, from knowledge, the tonnage and capacities of all of the great liners, the Queen Elizabeth (which was my favourite, for some reason), the Queen Mary, the Mauretania... Had this wonderful book been published then, I could have saved all my postage and simply bought this and used it to illustrate and populate my school project. I don't remember it being marked. It was wonderful doing it, and it is wonderful to be reminded of what was for me at the time, an all-consuming passion. A fantastic little book, well-illustrated and beautifully written. I wonder if J Kent Layton had to do the same project whilst at primary school? Stunning.
 COMPLETE ETIQUETTE FOR LADIES
Old House HB
“In conversing with gentlemen, try to not fall into the too common practice of talking to them nothing but nonsense...” First published in 1876, Complete Etiquette for Ladies aimed to instruct English women of all ages and situations on the finer points of proper comportment in Victorian society. Penned by Samuel Orchart Beeton – husband of the renowned cookery writer Isabella – it offers a view of ideal feminine conduct at once strikingly familiar and charmingly antiquated. Resolving such troublesome issues as how to display good sense when shopping, avoid busy-body neighbours and deal with disappointed affections, it also issues stern warnings: a reputation might be lost by such simple improprieties as offering a gentleman an opinion on financial matters, uttering the word ‘stomach’ to anyone other than a physician, or wearing ribbons at the breakfast table. Whilst we might still revere Mrs Beeton and hear her seminary book mentioned in almost every documentary and cookery programme about food, it seems that her husband, who might have worn the trousers in their relationship, is truly forgotten. This wonderful slice of social history is so archaic now that it serves only to illustrate how different are the times in which we live to those fantastic Victorians. This is a book to entertain, and it's sometimes hard to come to terms with the fact it was actually used in the education and instruction of young women. Brilliant.
 FROM KITCHEN TO GARRET
Hints for Young Householders
Old House HB
“I do not think that young married people quite comprehend how much of their comfort depends upon the domestic arrangements.” In nineteenth-century England, securing an advantageous marriage was an almost universal concern – but what happened after the confetti had settled? First published in 1887, this bestselling domestic handbook describes and advises how to avoid the perils awaiting couples setting up their home, from choosing a house and interior decoration to managing servants. At the time, From Kitchen to Garret encouraged popular interest in the nuances of domestic taste and economy; it now serves as a useful guide for those hoping to recreate Victorian decor, as well as giving a glimpse into an age when passions could be roused by wall-to-wall carpeting and a marriage destroyed by a husband’s indigestion.
 LEE JACKSON: WALKING DICKENS' LONDON
Shire PB
Written by the acclaimed historical novelist Lee Jackson, this book recreates the sights and sounds of Dickens’ London and provides a detailed itinerary for those keen to follow in the footsteps of ‘The Inimitable Boz’. Each of the eight walks conjures up forgotten scenes of London life – stage-coaches racing through the Borough; herds of cattle driven through suburban streets to reach Smithfield market; the uproar of a hanging outside Newgate Gaol – together with directions to the most atmospheric and intriguing parts of the Victorian metropolis which have survived into the twenty-first century. With the bicentenary of Dickens's birth this year, expect book after book examining his life, his loves, his books, and his places. I'm no expert, but I fancy that the vast majority of his books were set in or around London. Not the London we know today, of course - a huge percentage of it would have been open fields, hamlets and villages rather than the sprawling conurbations which became known as "London" during the second half of the twentieth century. This brilliant little book takes you on a non-stop journey through DIckens's London - excellently presented, with fascinating photos and illustrations of the places and people that Dickens would have recognised and used to people his books. Absolutely first class.
 NEIL STOREY: THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN
Shire PB
In the skies above south-east England in 1940, battle was waged between the men and machines of the Royal Air Force and Hitler’s Luftwaffe. At stake was air superiority, and the Germans intended this to be a first step in the invasion of Britain. Squadrons of Hurricanes and Spitfires – then among the best and most modern fighter aircraft in the world – took on the threat and, over a period of months, defeated the Luftwaffe, which ultimately withdrew. This fully illustrated history looks at the origins and events of the battle, but focuses especially on the men and women of the RAF and on the ordinary people of the nation, above whose heads the great battle for freedom was waged. Storey's account of the Battle of Britain is really excellent, everything you could want to know about the brief but bitter conflict that changed the direction of the war. Beautfilly written, with a stunning selection of rare photographs that illustrate perfectly the perils of modern warfare. The very best reference book on the Battle of Britain I have ever read.
 GREG STEVENSON: THE 1930s HOME
Shire PB
Introduces the homes that people fell in love with in the 1930s, and the
fixtures and fittings that went in them. With nearly hundred illustrations and
informative chapters on architectural styles, gardens, furnishings and
technology in the home, this book seeks to serve as an introductory guide to the
houses of the period. The latest in the Shire series of homes from various decades of the twentieth century. Walk through any traditional market town, seaside town or big city and you will be able to recognise the features that mark the architecture of these decades thanks to these wonderful books. Brilliant illustrations and a first-class commentary make this an invaluable source of information. If I were researching architectural styles of the twentieth century, this fantastic series of books would be my first port of call.
 100 PEOPLE WHO MADE HISTORY
Dorling Kindersley HB
Meet the people who helped shape the world we know today.
100 People Who Made History is no ordinary history book. Inventors and
explorers rub shoulders with political leaders, sports stars, and entertainers.
From Marco Polo to Marie Curie via Pele, this top 100 comes from all over the
world, taking in all types of people. Packed with engaging graphics and plenty
of unusual facts, each profile describes the major influences and tells true
stories about the movers and shakers from our history. Take a seat and meet the people that have changed our world and discover how
they did it. A wonderful concept, but there are, I fear, some glaring omissions. The world of literature and the arts is particularly sparse, whilst the world of science and invention is overdone in my opinion. This was a lost opportunity, I feel, and although it has been produced with all of DK's usual love and expertise, it is sadly incomplete in those areas I've mentioned.
 THE DARK AGES PART 1: THE 1066 HASTINGS CAMPAIGN
Pen and Sword Digital DVD
The Battle of Hastings in 1066 is with out a doubt one of the most
significant events in English history. In the aftermath of the battle, King
Harold s Saxon England was brutally swept away by the Conqueror to be replaced
by Norman Feudalism. With the decisive nature of the battle, it is often
forgotten just how narrowly Duke William succeeded. This DVD identifies and
examines those turning points in the 1066 Campaign and explains why Harold lost.
Not only is Hastings covered in detail but also the first battle of the campaign
against Harold Hardrarder s victorious Vikings at Fulford, Williams landing at
Pevensy, along with Harold s march north to victory over the Vikings at Stamford
Bridge. Vignettes provided by leading living historians help paint a vivid
picture of the men who fought the three battles, along with their weapons. In
their now well established and widely popular style, military historians Andrew
Duff and Tim Saunders examine events of the 1066 Campaign through the eyes of
experienced soldiers to bring fresh light on this classic English campaign.
Production notes: This subject of this production though better known than most
topics tackled by the BHTV team, has none the less benefitted from the formula
used in their other best selling DVDs, this includes location filming on the
three 1066 battlefields, high quality maps and diagrams, complimented by
excellent re-enactment footage and illustrative vignettes of life and battle in
1066. In addition, the presenters understanding and experience of warfare
provides a new insight into a campaign and battle that is often treated in
simplistic terms. In their widely acclaimed way, the team successfully re-tell
the story with insight but retain the essential drama of a campaign that could
have turned in Harold s favour at a number of points.
 THE DARK AGES: Part 2: THE VIKING INVASION OF WESSEX 878AD
Pen and Sword Digital DVD
In the year 878 AD Alfred, King of Wessex, faced the fourth and most serious
attempt by the devious Viking chieftain Guthram to seize the last remaining
Saxon kingdom. Thwarted in their conventional attempts in 871, 876 and 878 AD,
the Vikings stole away from their base in Gloucester and descended on Alfred s
court while they were celebrating Twelfth Night on the borders of wintery Wessex
at Chippenham. Alfred escaped but was driven into hiding in the Somerset
Marshes, while the Vikings fanned across Wessex. All seemed to be over for
Alfred and the Saxons! The King of Wessex then staged one of the most unlikely
recoveries to be found in all military history. It is, however, one full of
historical controversies, with historians from many backgrounds bending the slim
Dark Ages body of facts to breaking point and beyond to support their own
theories. Soldiers and military historians, Tim Saunders and Andrew Duff apply
the enduring principals of war and inherent military probability to take a fresh
look at the campaign and its hotly debated locations. The campaign climaxed in
the Battle of Eddington. This the most decisive and formative battle to be
fought on English soil and it led to Alfred becoming the only Englishman to be
known as The Great . Production notes: Filmed on location in the West Country
Somerset Marshes and Salisbury Plain, Tim and Andrew use their experience as
army officers to look at Dark Ages life and warfare and then examine the phases
of the Campaign with a purely military eye. Wth the help of maps, re-enactment
and diagrams, they explain the most likely course of events using their
knowledge of the enduring characteristics of warfare to flesh out the scant
information in an understandable and credible manner. Together they tell a story
that is as compelling as any in this Island s long history, as they range from
the first recorded Viking raid at Portland, through Guthram s first attempts at
invasion, to Chippenham and on to the Isle of Athelny deep in the fastness of
the marshes. Exploring the remains of the mighty and mysterious Selwood Forest,
they peel back a mix of legend, Saxon allegory and dubious historical analysis
to reveal the likely location of the gathering of the Saxon Army and the
decisive battle.
 BATTLE IN THE ATLANTIC
Pen and Sword Digital DVD
The Atlantic Ocean was during the Second World War one of the major theaters
of war. The Allied convoys transported millions of tons of goods and materials
across the Atlantic to England and through the North Sea to the Soviet ports.
The Battle of the Atlantic was not only the story of the German U-boats and
their opponents, it was also that of the great battle ships at that time:
Bismarck, Hood, Scharnhorst, Gneisenau, Rodney, King George V and the Tirpitz
are part of this moving chapter in naval history not forgetting the Aircraft
Carriers, Cruisers, Destroyers, Corvettes and many smaller vessels, all had a
considerable share in the outcome of the battle. This documentary film shows,
among others, unpublished Private film excerpts from German U-boat crews.
 SEA WARFARE IN THE NORTH ATLANTIC
Pen and Sword Digital DVD
The North Atlantic was the main battleground for the German submarines. From
early 1942, the Anglo-American convoys ran through the northern route between
Iceland and the ice-free ports of Murmansk and Archangel in Russia. The
destruction of these massive supplies was one of the main tasks of the German U
- boats. Aircraft Carriers, Cruisers, Destroyers, Corvettes and many smaller
escort vessels were involved in the Atlantic battles and the North Sea and
played their part in the outcome. Land-based sea planes, reconnaissance and
support aircraft were also significantly involved in the fighting. In the spring
of 1943 the battles reached a climax. U - boats and convoy escorts faced each
other in a bitter struggle.
 GUDERIAN TANKS FROM PANZER I TO KONIGSTIGER
Pen and Sword Digital DVD
The man who breathed life into the German Tanks HEINZ GUDERIAN was the
Creator and Tactician of the German Tank operations. The brilliant strategist
developed the attack tactics of the German Tanks - Divisions. The key successes
in the campaigns against Poland, France, the Balkans and from 1941/42 in the
Soviet Union and North Africa can be credited to the Panzer troops set up by
GUDERIAN. From Panzer I, the KING TIGER ( TIGER II ) and the PANTHER to the
various assault guns, Tank Hunter vehicles and self propelled guns, these are
just a small selection of the many fascinating Wehrmacht vehicles that feature
in this film The military career of General Colonel Heinz Guderian began in the
Great War and ended on 29 March 1945, for health reasons. The legendary Tank
General of the Second World War was highly respected by all sides for his
expertise in the development and construction of tanks.
 RAFE BATES: LEST I FORGET - A CHEQUERED LIFE
Matador HB
Lest I Forget could be described as a very different sort of memoir. Rafe
Bates has lived a full, adventurous and varied life in widely divergent
countries and circumstances and he brings his extraordinary experiences vividly
to life in his straightforward, readable and intimate style so that the reader
is able to share his understanding and experiences. The first section covers his
childhood before (and into) the traumatic experiences as a boy in wartime
southern England. Written with vividness and accuracy we learn of a youth
obsessed with aircraft, watching his fighter-pilot friends and heroes fighting
and dying to save their country in the Battle of Britain as seen from his front
lawn in Sussex. He often went off on his bicycle to reach crashes before anyone
else. This part is a penetrating and uniquely accurate account of the air war as
observed by an independent and adventurous youngster who was in the thick of it.
Partly to evade the risks of total war in which peaceable people were attacked,
Rafe was taken on a six-week voyage to Cape Town. The journey was made at the
height of the U-boat campaign to sink all shipping in the Atlantic, and the risk
of being torpedoed that year was about 50%. His ability to survive eventually
allowed him, after spells back in England, Switzerland and Ireland, to lead an
enterprising and adventurous life as a 'bushwacker' farmer in the thriving
former colony of Rhodesia, which leads him to make some forthright comments on
the behaviour of successive British governments. Later, in South Africa, Rafe
designed and built houses in the beautiful Drakensberg Mountains, before
designing and building the remarkable 'Batesmobile' in which he won the
incredibly tough long-distance mountain road race - the 'Roof of Africa'. After
this achievement he moved to Cape Town with his family, where he conceived and
built the 16M aluminium alloy schooner 'Long John Silver' in which they sailed
away from Africa for good. This period of his life changed when he sold his
beloved yacht and engaged in forestry and other works in Scotland. Having
exceeded retirement age, he eventually settled on one of the volcanic Azores
islands in mid-Atlantic, where he now lives and writes and, as he says, 'savours
his memories'. Although this unique book relates the author's adventures and
enterprises, it is also a personal and candid account, laced with humour and
sometimes with great sadness. Rafe's deep instinctive affinity with our natural
world, his life-long love of remote places and the logical conclusions he forms
as a result of his wide experiences come through, and might be said to be the
real strong point of Lest I Forget, which puts this work into a class of its
own. You shouldn't skim this book; read it carefully.
 LEON BENNETT: THE FALL OF THE RED BARON
Helion HB
Fighter pilot Manfred von Richtofen (the Red Baron) lacked innate aerobatic
ability. As a tyro, he attempted to solve this problem through denial, going so
far as to sneer at stunting as pointless. Great War air combat experience proved
quite the reverse, and so we would anticipate a short and sad fighting life for
the fellow. Yet the Red Baron became the Great War's single greatest scorer, as
measured by total victories. How did he do it? This book is concerned with
tactics, especially those tactics used by the Red Baron and his opponents. It
offers the how and why of Great War aerial combat. The author leans heavily on
his expertise in engineering and aerodynamic techniques to explain this, with
his reasoning presented in a readable, non-mathematical style. Absent are both
the usual propaganda-laced Air Service reports and psychobabble. Offered instead
is the logic behind Great War aerial combat; i.e., those elements determining
success or failure in the Red Baron's air war. Gunnery experience led to the
machine gun as the weapon best suited for aerial combat. Joined with a suitable
aircraft, the extremely successful Fokker diving attack resulted. In reaction,
effective defensive techniques arose, using forms of shrewd tactical cooperation
by two-seater crews: pilot and gunner. These are detailed. Numbers mattered,
establishing the level of assault firepower. Tactics of machines flying together
in formation are given, as well as those of 'formation busters', intent upon
reversing the odds and turning large numbers into a disadvantage. A pilot's
nature and emotions had much to do with choosing between the options defining
tactics. What were the aces like? How were tactics tailored to suit personality?
What traits made for the ability to grapple with a jammed machine gun? A dozen
high achievers are examined in terms of tactics and background. In a fascinating
study Leon Bennett covers all of these aspects of WWI aerial combat, and more.
Similarly, the author turns his attention to examining the cause of von
Richtofen's death, employing the tools of logic, rather than merely except one
of the many conflicting eyewitness reports as truth. In doing so, much testimony
is exposed as unlikely. The bullet scatter to be expected from ground
anti-aircraft fire matters greatly, and is developed, along with the odds
against lone riflemen hoping to hit a fast-moving low altitude target. The most
dangerous altitude for front-line crossing is established. The author concludes
by rating the possibility of a rifleman downing the Red Baron as quite realistic
- certainly as likely as any of the more celebrated possibilities. This is an
important book, offering a groundbreaking account of WWI aerial tactics, and a
thorough examination of the final combat and death of the Red Baron.
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