Book Reviews
Pax, Tom Holland
Tom Holland's latest book, 'Pax', continues his epic journey through ancient Rome, from the Republic to the eventual decline and fall of the once-mighty empire. This time, it is the turn of Rome's heyday, from the suicide of Nero through to the accession of Antoninus Pius.
Victor D. Cha and Ramon Pacheco Pardo, Korea: A New History of South and North
For a long time, the people of Korea have found themselves, in so many ways, dominated by, and ignored or disregarded in favour of, the more powerful nations that surround them. In the twenty-first century, this is most certainly not the case. Now, for those keen on learning more about how the two Koreas, co-authors Victor D. Cha and Ramon Pacheco Pardo have released 'Korea: A New History of South and North', a perfect primer.
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by Steven Port
Rebecca Simon, The Pirates' Code
Pirates sit front and centre in the popular imagination. The Golden Age of Piracy, and the two seventeenth-century rounds leading up to it, features heavily in films, books, television series and video games; in fact, in every possible form of entertainment it has a solid, unmoving base, and interest in it has lasted far longer than the age of piracy itself.
The Eagle and the Lion, Adrian Goldsworthy
In 'The Eagle and the Lion' Adrian Goldsworthy has set out to achieve the almost impossible: to provide a complete history of the relationship between Rome and Parthia/Persia across seven centuries.
Robert Hutchinson, After Nuremberg
In 'After Nuremberg', Robert Hutchinson provides an entirely new interpretation of the American pursuit of 'justice' for Nazi war criminals, with surprising results.
Tony Spawforth, What the Greeks Did for Us
'What the Greeks Did for Us' is a personal, subjective, and selective look at ancient Greece through the lens of modern culture. And it's wonderful.
Jane Draycott, Cleopatra's Daughter
Cleopatra's Daughter tells the story of perhaps one of the most politically successful women operating in Rome's Late Republic and early Principate. But surprisingly, it is a story about which few people know anything.
Joseph Kessel, The Man with Miraculous Hands
The Man with Miraculous Hands is the incredible story of Heinrich Himmler's doctor, who claimed to have saved millions of lives by carefully timed requests. It has now been picked up by Hollywood, with the rotund Kersten played by Woody Harrelson in the upcoming film.
James Holland, The Second World War: An Illustrated History
'The Second World War: An Illustrated History' is a collaborative effort between bestselling historian James Holland and award-winning aviation artist Keith Burns, aimed at providing a complete history of the Second World War in a concise, engaging, and accessible format.
Caroline Dodds Pennock, On Savage Shores
'On Savage Shores' takes a fascinating look at the Atlantic World of the sixteenth century, but rather than adding to the voluminous literature about how the West 'discovered' the Americas, Caroline Dodds Pennock comes at the story from the other side: how the various Indigenous American peoples explored and experienced Europe. It is a novel, intriguing idea, and one that has been crying out to be written for years.
