Social History

'Marvellous . . . I read it with astonished delight . . . It is equally scholarly and entertaining.' - Jan Morris 'Quirky and compelling.' - The Times Once we've learned it as children, few of us think much of the alphabet and its familiar sing-song...

Luxury and Pleasure in Eighteenth-Century Britain explores the invention, making, and buying of new, semi-luxury, and fashionable consumer goods during the eighteenth century. It follows these goods, from china tea ware to all sorts of metal ornaments...

This book tells the story of freedom and explains how it is a uniquely 'British', rather than 'Western', invention. It shows how the inhabitants of a damp island at the western tip of the Eurasian landmass stumbled upon the extraordinary idea that the...

This book tells the story of freedom and explains how it is a uniquely 'British', rather than 'Western', invention. It shows how the inhabitants of a damp island at the western tip of the Eurasian landmass stumbled upon the extraordinary idea that the...

On 26 December 1960, 12,000 Ulster police and B Specials began one of their biggest manhunts. It was for Prisoner 1082 - Donal Donnelly - who had made a dramatic escape from the prison known as 'Europe's Alcatraz'. Using hacksaw blades, torn sheets and...

Apologies but we at Booksplease don't have a full description for this book.Book InformationISBN 9781909248304Author Constance B. HieattFormat HardbackPage Count 240Imprint Prospect BooksPublisher Prospect Books

The remarkable story of how Greek-speaking writers and thinkers sustained and developed the intellectual legacy of Classical Greece under the rule of Rome. In 146 BC, Greece yielded to the military might of the Roman Republic; some sixty years later,...

In 1688, a vast fleet of 463 ships, twice the size of the Spanish Armada, put to sea from Holland. On board was William of Orange with 40,000 soldiers - their objective, England. The Protestant William had been encouraged by a group of Church of England...

A rich and fascinating exploration of the Volga River and its vital place in Russian history-named a Best Book of 2021 by the Financial Times "A memorable journey into the heart of Russian social, political, and cultural history."-Jennifer Eremeeva,...

Matthew Dennison's elegant and magisterial biography of Her late Majesty, updated following the death of Elizabeth II and the accession of King Charles III. 'A worthy and balanced overview of the Queen's life. Dennison is especially good on her...

*An Evening Standard Must Read, Grazia Best Book of 2021 and Independent Debut Not to Miss*'Beautifully written, this is a book of real hope and connection' StylistDid you ever have a friend who made you see the world differently?Stan did, and his name...

*An Evening Standard Must Read, Grazia Best Book of 2021 and Independent Debut Not to Miss*'Beautifully written, this is a book of real hope and connection' StylistDid you ever have a friend who made you see the world differently?Stan did, and his name...

The most glamorous trains run by railway companies were the high-speed expresses, linking the major towns, cities and holiday destinations. They included overnight sleepers, fast mail trains, excursion specials and boat trains connecting with ocean...

On 24 May 1948, the Empire Windrush sailed from Kingston, Jamaica, to harbour at Tilbury Docks. It carried 1,027 passengers and some stowaways, and more than two thirds of them were West Indies nationals. On 22 June 1948 they disembarked onto the docks,...

Peace at last, after Lloyd George declared it had been 'the war to end all wars', would surely bring relief and a renewed sense of optimism? But this assumption turned out to be deeply misplaced as people began to realise that the men they loved were...

Glengarry, Upper Canada's first major Scottish settlement, was established in 1784 by Highlanders from Inverness-shire. Worsening economic conditions in Scotland, coupled with a growing awareness of Upper Canadas opportunities, led to a growing tide of...

'The Haunted' is the first truly comprehensive social history of ghosts. Using fascinating and entertaining examples, Davies places the history of ghosts within their wider social and cultural context, and examines why a belief in ghosts continues to be...

In this inspirational and practical guide to country life, passionate and hugely knowledgeable countryman Alan Titchmarsh explores the heritage of rural Britain, its landscapes and wildlife, its traditions, customs and crafts. The Lost Skills and Crafts...

Apologies but we at Booksplease don't have a full description for this book.Book InformationISBN 9780964818118Author AkilFormat PaperbackPage Count 301Imprint Lushena BooksPublisher Lushena BooksWeight(grams) 463gDimensions(mm) 213mm * 138mm * 19mm

A provocative and original history of the scientists and writers, artists and philosophers who took drugs to explore the hidden regions of the mind A New Yorker Best of the Week Pick "Jay is a leading expert on the history of Western drug use, and...

The extraordinary story of St. Paul's Churchyard-the area of London that was a center of social and intellectual life for more than a millennium St. Paul's Cathedral stands at the heart of London, an enduring symbol of the city. Less well known is the...

Customs play an important part in all societies and offer fascinating insights into a country's history and culture. Scotland boasts a multitude of unique customs, many of which can be traced back to the times of the Druids, Celts and Romans. This...

We live in an age of obsession. Not only are we hopelessly devoted to our work, strangely addicted to our favorite television shows, and desperately impassioned about our cars, we admire obsession in others: we demand that lovers be infatuated with one...

Channel 4's The Mill captivated viewers with the tales of the lives of the young girls and boys in a northern mill. Focusing on the lives of the apprentices at Quarry Bank Mill, David Hanson's book uses a wealth of first-person source material including...

Apologies but we at Booksplease don't have a full description for this book.Book InformationISBN 9780451499363Author Adam NagourneyFormat HardbackPage Count 592Imprint Crown PublicationsPublisher Random House USA IncWeight(grams) 902gDimensions(mm) 242mm...

Few, if any, English-language critics have written as perceptively as Isaiah Berlin about Russian thought and culture. Russian Thinkers is his unique meditation on the impact that Russia's outstanding writers and philosophers had on its culture. In...

A sweeping germ's-eye view of history from human origins to global pandemicsPlagues upon the Earth is a monumental history of humans and their germs. Weaving together a grand narrative of global history with insights from cutting-edge genetics, Kyle...

A rich and stimulating exploration of one of our most maligned emotions and how it might actually help us flourish In the first book to argue for the benefits of boredom, Peter Toohey dispels the myth that it's simply a childish emotion or an existential...

On the great influence of a valiant lord: "The companions, who see that good warriors are honored by the great lords for their prowess, become more determined to attain this level of prowess." On the lady who sees her knight honored: "All of this makes...

Fife has always been one of Scotland's most distinctive counties. Though never a 'kingdom' in its own right, its geographical position as a peninsular county between the firths of Tay and Forth has helped maintain its self-contained identity through the...

When the Clyde Ran Red paints a vivid picture of the heady days when revolution was in the air on Clydeside. Through the bitter strike at the huge Singer Sewing machine plant in Clydebank in 1911, Bloody Friday in Glasgow's George Square in 1919, the...

This textbook offers a survey of the history of Central Europe since 1848, from the 'Springtime of Nations', through the world wars and communist period, to NATO and EU membership. With an emphasis on nation-building, it gives the reader a better...

'Life was a wordless battle of wits between us, with her keeping a sharp look-out for signs of neglect, and me trying to disguise my slovenliness by subterfuge. I became an adept at sweeping dust under the bed, and always used the same few pieces of...

In 1797 Jeremy Bentham prepared a map of poverty in Britain, which he called 'Pauperland.' More than two hundred years later, poverty and social deprivation remain widespread in Britain.Yet despite the investigations into poverty by Mayhew, Booth, and in...

From humble cottages and quintessential village houses to elegant manor houses, The Cotswold House is the first book to give a complete overview of the history, social and architectural, of the Cotswold home. Characteristic features tie all these...

Apologies but we at Booksplease don't have a full description for this book.Book InformationISBN 9781781724101Author Norena ShoplandFormat PaperbackPage Count 248Imprint SerenPublisher Poetry Wales PressWeight(grams) 340g

One of the New York Times' 100 Notable Books for 2023 A correspondent who has spent thirty years in Israel presents a rich, wide-ranging portrait of the Israeli people at a critical juncture in their country's history. Despite Israel's determined...

At a time when that 1960s notion of air travel as decadent and exceptional is experiencing an unexpected revival, this book ... could be the G&T in a plastic glass you need.' The SpectatorTravel writer Julia Cooke's exhilarating portrait of Pan Am...

Benjamin Britten was one of the outstanding British composers of the 20th century. He shot to international fame with his operas, performed by his own English Opera Group, and a series of extraordinary instrumental works. His music won a central place in...

Apologies but we at Booksplease don't have a full description for this book.Book InformationISBN 9781648450006Author Bill O'NeillFormat PaperbackPage Count 192Imprint Lak PublishingPublisher Lak PublishingWeight(grams) 195g