Latest Reviews
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.
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.
Peter Stothard, Crassus
Since the days of Plutarch, if not before, Marcus Licinius Crassus has been viewed as the ultimate exemplar of folly and dishonesty in the super-rich.
Sally Coulthard, Fowl Play
Coulthard's book is the rarest of volumes: it is both entertaining and serious. Its message is delivered through marvellous little morsels of information, wrapped in wonder and seasoned with a healthy sprinkling of fun.
Maria Golia, A Short History of Tomb-Raiding
Maria Golia’s 'A Short History of Tomb-Raiding' provides just that: a history of tomb-raiding in Egypt, from the time of the ancients through to the present day. This is a grown-up, holistic account of tomb-raiding, with a relevance and immediacy that is as unusual as finding that fabled cache of gold.
Mission France, Kate Vigurs
In 'Mission France', Kate Vigurs tells the story of ordinary women in extraordinary circumstances, whose courage contributed in real and significant ways to the liberation of France.
The Worst Military Leaders in History, John M. Jennings and Chuck Steele (eds)
'The Worst Military Leaders in History' takes the reader on a whistle-stop tour of 15 of the world’s most disastrous commanders, from Crassus to Custer, in an original, inverted take on an old topic.
Duel Without End, Stig S. Frøland
In Duel Without End, Stig Frøland explores the never-ending battle between humans and microbes in a fascinating voyage of discovery, breakthroughs, and setbacks. From Homo sapiens’ arrival in the world to the latest battles with Covid, Frøland charts the history of disease, covering all the 'big-hitters' of past and present as well as those mysterious illnesses with no known microbial cause.
