Book Reviews
Henry Reece, The Fall: Last Days of the English Republic
Henry Reece’s The Fall: Last Days of the English Republic has a simple premise: to provide a narrative account of the last eighteen months of the English republic, from the death of Oliver Cromwell in September 1658 to the restoration of the monarchy in May 1660.
Sally Coulthard, A Brief History of the Countryside in 100 Objects
Sally Coulthard’s 'A Brief History of the Countryside in 100 Objects' is just that: as the author herself says, it is ‘a history of the countryside, told through the filter of someone fascinated by the courage, charm and occasional callousness of my rural ancestors’.
Nicholas Radburn, Traders in Men
'Traders in Men' is eye-opening and thought-provoking; it is a brilliant synthesis of the available information in all its forms; and it is a firm reminder about the lengths the greedy will go to in the pursuit of wealth.
Templars: The Knights Who Made Britain, Steve Tibble
'Templars: The Knights Who Made Britain' is a welcome addition to the sizeable body of literature available on the subject. Its narrower focus and sober analysis of British affairs shines a light on the importance of the Templar Order's lesser-known members and their activities, and, as with all good primers, leaves the reader keen to branch out and read more.
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by Steven Port
Victory to Defeat, Richard Dannatt and Robert Lyman
'Victory to Defeat' asks a very simple, but rarely considered, question: how did Britain and her army go from victory in 1918 to crushing defeat at the hands of the same enemy in 1940?
Luck of the Draw, Frank Murphy
Frank Murphy's 'Luck of the Draw' tells his remarkable story of serving in the USAAF during the Second World War, of being shot down over Germany, and of his time spent in the famous prisoner-of-war camp Stalag Luft III.
Song: A History in 12 Parts, John Potter
In his book 'Song: A History in 12 Parts', John Potter takes us on a fascinating and enlightening journey through the history of song.
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by Steven Port
The Weimar Years, Frank McDonough
'The Weimar Years' is the story of clashing cultures and opposing outlooks, of international relations and internal explosions. It is, quite simply, a book that must be read.
Women in Intelligence, Helen Fry
Helen Fry's 'Women in Intelligence' is the work of years of incidental surprises and shocking discoveries made in the course of other research. It is, in essence, a compendium of the vast and complex array of roles undertaken by women working for the British secret services during the two world wars.
Alle Thyng Hath Tyme, Gillian Adler and Paul Strohm
Time is a strange thing: there's always either too little or too much of it; we can waste it or we can spend it; it slips through our fingers or lingers frustratingly. But however we experience it, time is ever-present. For most of us, it determines our days, our weeks, our years.
