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“The birth of 'New War' in ItalyIt is easy to consider the Renaissance as a time of enlightenment typified principally…
by the artistic and scientific genius of Leonardo da Vinci and his peers; but giant leaps forward are never confined to one aspect of society and the application of new ideas is always adapted to various purposes and the meeting of differing objectives. The creation of modern political science by Niccolo Machiavelli is a prime example of how new ways of thinking and doing impacted on the advancement and securing of power. These changes were inevitably accompanied by significant developments in making war more effectively, strategically and tactically-with corresponding advances in weaponry and other equipage. This excellent book considers these developments through the changes to traditional military strategy and the use of infantry, cavalry and artillery, in both open battle and fortification and siege-craft, at the turn of the sixteenth century.”-Print ed.The Defence of Plevna, 1877. Written by One Who Took Part in It
By Frederick William Von Herbert. 2024
In "The Defence of Plevna, 1877," readers are transported to the heart of one of the most pivotal moments in…
European history. Set against the backdrop of the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878, this gripping narrative chronicles the epic struggle for the Bulgarian town of Plevna.As the Russian Empire seeks to expand its influence in the Balkans and challenge Ottoman dominance, the small garrison town of Plevna becomes the focal point of a fierce and relentless battle. Led by the indomitable Ottoman commander, Osman Pasha, the defenders of Plevna are faced with overwhelming odds as they confront the might of the Russian army.Against the backdrop of political intrigue, military strategy, and personal drama, the fate of Plevna hangs in the balance. Will Osman Pasha and his valiant defenders withstand the onslaught of the Russian forces, or will the town fall, signaling a turning point in the course of history?"The Defence of Plevna, 1877" is not just a tale of warfare, but a testament to the human spirit in the face of adversity. It is a story of courage, honor, and the enduring struggle for freedom and independence. This book is essential reading for anyone interested in military history, the Balkans, or the complex dynamics of 19th-century Europe.Root Around Britain
By Will Donaldson. 1993
Conveniently arranged in alphabetical order, from Abstractions (you'll find them on the Continent, of course') to Weather, Root Around Britain…
tells the story of a quest. A quest for the essence of Englishness; a quest for a new television series which Mr Root can sell to the fat man in Birmingham; a quest for a peerage and the right way to pay for it ('old money' or 'new money'?); and, finally, a quest for the means to humiliate a nosy neighbour. What could be more English than that?Rollaresque: The Rakish Progress of The Rolling Stones
By Simon Goddard. 2015
London 1962. Five young hooligans have formed a band and are on a collision course with the austere and intolerant…
values of post-war Britain. From their beginning in a scummy flat off the Kings Road to the notorious Redlands scandal, this is the anarchic rollercoaster ride of the Stones’ first five years.We follow our heroes in a rags-to-riches romp of sex, scandal, mischief and uproarious behaviour as they challenge the establishment, invent the archetype of the rebellious, parent-scaring rock star lothario and, eventually, receive their comeuppance from the powers that be. Presented with the audacious wit and bawdy humour of a vintage novel, complete with Dickensian illustrations, Rollaresque celebrates the young Stones in the grand English literary tradition of lovable rogues. This is the music biography reinvented as a ripping yarn.Renegade: The Lives and Tales of Mark E. Smith
By Mark E. Smith. 2008
The only way to appreciate the legendary musician Mark E. Smith is to encounter the man in his own words.'May…
be the funniest music book ever written' ObserverThe Fall are one of the most distinctive British bands, their music - odd,spare, cranky and repetitious - an acknowledged influence on The Smiths, The Happy Mondays, Nirvana and Franz Ferdinand. And Mark E. Smith IS The Fall.47 members have come and gone over the years yet he remains its charismatic leader, a professional outsider and all-round enemy of compromise, a true enigma. There have been a number of biographies of the legendary Smith, but this is the first time he has opened up in a full autobiography. For the first time we get to hear his full, candid take on the ups and downs of a band as notorious for its in-house fighting as for its great music; and on a life that has endured prison in America, drugs, bankruptcy, divorce, and the often bleak results of a legendary thirst.'A riot' Independent on Sunday 'Unbeatable' Time Out'Vicious' Daily Telegraph'Hilarious' Scotland on SundayReally Saying Something: Sara & Keren – Our Bananarama Story
By Sara Dallin, Keren Woodward. 2020
______________________________________'Engaging, entertaining, brilliantly recounted' Mirror 'Captivating . . . an incredible story' i paper__________________________________MUSIC, FAME AND A LIFELONG FRIENDSHIPSara Dallin…
and Keren Woodward met in the school playground when they were four. They went on to become international stars and inspired a generation with their music, DIY-style and trailblazing attitudes.Told with humour and authenticity, and filled with never-before-seen photos, Really Saying Something takes us behind the scenes of their early days, the world tours, party games with George Michael, a close friendship with Prodigy's Keith Flint, and hanging out with Andy Warhol in New York.This is a celebration of a life-affirming friendship, with an unbeatable soundtrack.__________________________________'Like something from a movie' Dermot O'Leary'A brilliant autobiography' Martin Kemp'A blast' Metro'What a nostalgia-fest' Kate ThorntonRapthology: Lessons in Life and Lyrics
By Jermaine Scott 32. 2019
'Groundbreaking... Part memoir, part guide, this is a must-have.' Independent'A worthwhile tutorial.' Evening Standard"Poetry and rap come from the same…
family. They're brothers. Just because you're good at one doesn't necessarily mean you'll be good at the other, but if you master both you'll be unparalleled."Rapthology is a masterclass in lyric writing. A spotlight into the craft and skill of what it takes to be an incredible artist by pioneering musician and artist, Wretch 32. Taking us through the songs which have shaped his career over the last two decades step by step, explaining what each song means to him, his own creative process, from the first flashes of inspiration to final edits and improvisation, right through to how popular and powerful his lyrics are.Part autobiography, part guide to creativity and part cultural history Rapthology is a blueprint to the music that matters.The Price of Water in Finistère
By Bodil Malmsten. 2001
'In the same way as there's a partner for every person, there's a place. All you have to do is…
find the one that's yours among the billions that belong to someone else, you have to be awake, you have to choose.' With this conviction in mind, acclaimed Swedish writer Bodil Malmsten abandons her native country at the age of fifty-five and settles in Brittany. At the heart of this memoir is the conviction that the happiness to be found in Finistère will not allow itself to be, cannot be, expressed in writing. Embroidered around this seeming paradox are poignant, outraged and thought-provoking observations on the widest range of subjects: how not to buy plants, the elicit pleasures of bargain-hunting, the misery of writer's block, social democracy, racism, tulipomania, the stubbornness of bank managers, the controlling of moles and slugs, death, political hypocrisy, the delights of wild weather. Malmsten's passion and humour shine through every episode she describes, however minor, offering the reader a window onto a solitary life at once touching, thought-provoking and, occasionally, hilarious.The Pie At Night: In Search of the North at Play
By Stuart Maconie. 2015
Factory, mine and mill. Industry, toil and grime. Its manufacturing roots mean we still see the North of England as…
a hardworking place. But, more than possibly anywhere else, the North has always known how to get dressed up, take itself out on the town and have a good time. After all, working and playing hard is its specialty, and Stuart Maconie is in search of what, exactly, this entails what it tells us about the North today. Following tip offs and rumour, Stuart takes trip to forgotten corners and locals’ haunts. From the tapas bars of Halifax to the caravan parks of Berwick Upon Tweed, from a Westhoughton bowling green to Manchester’s curry mile, via dog tracks and art galleries, dance floors and high fells, Stuart compares the new and old North, with some surprising results. The Pie at Night could be seen as a companion to the bestselling Pies and Prejudice, but it is not a sequel. After all, this is a new decade and the North is changing faster than ever. This is a revealing and digressive journey and a State of the North address, delivered from barstool, terrace, dress circle and hillside.Pet Shop Boys versus America
By Chris Heath. 1993
No other pop group in recent history has faced fame with such intelligence, humour and shrewdness as the Pet Shop…
Boys. In 1991, the band toured North America for the first time shadowed by journalist Chris Heath and legendary rock photographer Pennie Smith. They visited fourteen cities in one month, confronting the American music industry and colliding with the likes of Liza Minnelli, Steven Spielberg and Axl Rose. This is more than a documentary of a tour; it is an unusually intimate portrait of two maverick British musicians always reluctant to compromise.‘There was a time when the Pet Shop Boys seemed to exist entirely on radio, television and in magazines. This is the other world of the Pet Shop Boys in concert, travel and backstage, as they bring their art and glamour to America. It’s funny too.’ Johnny Marr‘A brilliant book, to be read over and over again. How could anyone not love these men?’ NMEPet Shop Boys, Literally
By Chris Heath. 1990
The Pet Shop Boys are one of the most successful and unusual bands of the last five decades. They are…
the pop duo that proves pop music can be modern, ecstatic and playful as well as serious and intelligent, winning them legions of devoted fans throughout the world.In 1989, Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe invited journalist Chris Heath and photographer Lawrence Watson to shadow them around Hong Kong, Japan and the UK as they embarked on their first-ever tour. This book is the result: an immersive portrait giving access into the duo’s inner sanctum, showing them in brilliantly observed detail as they work, relax, gossip, argue and occasionally try to make sense of what they do.‘As clear a picture as could be wished for of the seething mass of elegant contradictions that is the Pet Shop Boys’ on-the-road experience.’ Independent on Sunday‘This superbly reported book transcends tired rock journalism cliché. It’s about what it means to be a pop star, what it means to be a Pet Shop Boy… how to love pop, hold it to a higher standard and subvert its expectations.’ Laura SnapesThe Perfect Pint: A Beer Lover's Handbook
By Andy Hamilton. 2018
With over 300 breweries opening in the UK every single year, why not swap 'a pint of the usual' for…
something more unusual? Andy Hamilton has tried hundreds, if not thousands, of pints from the avalanche of new flavours now available and has convinced commercial, craft and home brewers across Britain to share some of their top secret best recipes. - Learn how to taste - and talk - beer like the professionals.- Drink some of the finest ales made in Britain.- Find out the secrets of a perfect porter, an irresistible IPA, a super stout or that marvellous mild. An in-depth tour of beer and brewing, this is the essential companion for anyone who enjoys a decent British pint.Cheers!Pathlands: 21 Tranquil Walks Among the Villages of Britain
By Peter Owen Jones. 2015
'When we walk, we walk through two landscapes: an exterior land of trees, seas, cities, mountains and fields but we…
also follow the paths that lead into our own interior world.'This thoughtful, and beautifully written, book offers 21 circular walks. They span the length and breadth of the British Isles: Suffolk, Northamptonshire, Wiltshire, Wales, Staffordshire, Scotland, Sussex and Cornwall are just a few of the varied landscapes that they cover.As one of the prime 'walks correspondents' of The Sunday Times, Peter Owen Jones already has a loyal following. This book will only increase his audience, and will be both for those who love walking in the countryside and those who enjoy reading, and musing on it, in their armchair at home.Overpaid, Oversexed and Over There: How a Few Skinny Brits with Bad Teeth Rocked America
By David Hepworth. 2020
The Beatles landing in New York in February 1964 was the opening shot in a cultural revolution nobody predicted. Suddenly…
the youth of the richest, most powerful nation on earth was trying to emulate the music, manners and the modes of a rainy island that had recently fallen on hard times.The resulting fusion of American can-do and British fuck-you didn’t just lead to rock and roll’s most resonant music. It ushered in a golden era when a generation of kids born in ration card Britain, who had grown up with their nose pressed against the window of America’s plenty, were invited to wallow in their big neighbour’s largesse.It deals with a time when everything that was being done - from the Beatles playing Shea Stadium to the Rolling Stones at Altamont, from the Who performing their rock opera at the Metropolitan Opera House to David Bowie touching down in the USA for the first time with a couple of gowns in his luggage - was being done for the very first time.Rock and roll would never be quite so exciting again.Our World: Our OFFICIAL autobiography
By Little Mix. 2016
Celebrate Little Mix's first UK number-one album - Glory Days - by reading the full story of the girls' astonishing…
rise to pop super stardom. Our World is full of exclusive photos and inspirational stories about Jade, Perrie, Jesy and Leigh-Anne's unique friendship.Little Mix are the UK's most successful girl band. They first found fame - and each other - on The X Factor in 2011. Five years later they have gone from strength to strength, achieving huge global success. With three platinum-selling albums in the UK and over 14 million record sales worldwide, the band are both adored by their fans and critically acclaimed for their brilliant music. In this book the girls share the real behind-the-scenes story of both their personal lives and their success. They reveal the many highs - what it feels like to perform in front of thousands of people; the excitement of seeing your music soar to Number One around the world - but also the lows. Through it all the girls have had each other, and their incredibly close friendship has grown stronger and stronger as the years have gone by. Now the girls are like sisters, and in this book they share their journeys and how it feels for your dreams to come true.Brimming with exclusive photos, this book shares with us the girls' innermost secrets - their hopes and dreams for the future, their families, their relationships, their style advice and above all their friendship. This book is Little Mix's story in their own words and tells you everything you need to know about their lives both in and out of the spotlight.A shout-out to all fans of Rak-Su - this is their story, from where it all began to where they…
are now, full of exclusive stories and pictures. Make it a special day. Make it a Rak-Su day! __________Rak-Pack! Are you ready for our official story?As long as we've been friends, we've been creating our unique sound of soul, R'n'B, Hip-Hop, Latin and Caribbean music.Keeping the momentum going from our X-Factor journey, we are now performing at sold-out arenas, making more music and having fun!So why not join us on the adventure? Unrivalled access to never-before-seen photos, intimate stories, and behind-the-scenes info - in our first and only memoir!_________Ashley, Jamaal, Myles and Mustafa shot to stardom in 2017 as the first ever male group to win the X-Factor. Since then, the soulful boys have been topping the charts with their eclectic sound, performing at sold-out arenas, touring with global sensation Little Mix, recording their first album and most recently dropping their brand new hit single, Pyro Ting.Join Rak-Su on their journey from ordinary North-West London lads, to victors of one of the world's biggest talent shows in their one and ONLY! OFFICIAL memoir, Our Journey.One Place de l’Eglise: A Year in Provence for the 21st century
By Trevor Dolby. 2022
Escape to Languedoc in this poignant and transportative true account of life in a beautifully restored house in the south…
of France'Wonderful, exquisitely written, laugh-out-loud funny, profoundly moving. An utter joy and a treat to read from first to last' JAMES HOLLAND'Dolby writes with genuine emotion. He writes beautifully about life in a French village' DAILY MAIL___________An Englishman's home is his castle. But what if it's French?One Place de L'Eglise is a thousand-year-old Languedoc ruin. Leaky, crumbling, lacking basic amenities, it is ignored by the local villagers. But for Londoners Trevor and Kaz it is love at first sight. Over the years they turn the house into a home, navigating floods and freezing winters. Here, these two English find their place - their bar, their baker, their builder (ignore him at your peril).And gradually they learn slower joys - scents of thyme and lavender, warm sun on stone, nights hung with stars, silence in the hills, the secrets of fig jam.One Place de L'Eglise is a love letter - to a house, a village, a country - from an outsider who discovers you can never be a stranger when you're made to feel so at home.___________'Irresistible, a timeless story' MICHAEL PALIN 'Elegant, captivating, and sprinkled with self-deprecating humour. Dolby is a writer of abundant talent' PETER KERR, author of Snowball OrangesThe Old Man and the Sand Eel
By Will Millard. 2018
'A wonderfully fluent account of how the strange magic of water and the beings that inhabit it can enchant and…
intoxicate' Chris YatesGrowing up on the Cambridgeshire Fens, Will Millard never felt more at home than when he was out with his granddad on the riverbank, whiling away the day catching fish. As he grew older his competitive urge to catch more and bigger fish led him away from that natural connection between him, his grandfather and the rivers of his home. That is, until the fateful day he let a record-breaking sand eel slip through his fingers and he knew that he had lost the magic of those days down by the river, and that something had to change. The Old Man and the Sand Eel is at its heart the story of three generations of men trying to figure out what it is to be a man, a father and a fisherman. It plots Will's scaly stepping stones back to his childhood innocence, when anything was possible and the wild was everywhere.***'[Will Millard] is a master wordsmith and his first book is a joyful testament to that' Isabelle Broom, Heat'[Will Millard] writes with a genuine sense of humility (...) humour and reflection' Kevin Parr, Countryfile 'Delightful and informative (...) beautifully drawn (...)The Old Man and The Sand Eel will be enjoyed by anyone who loves the challenge and mystery of baiting a hook and plopping it into the water' Spectator'This is post-modern nature writing that embraces beauty where it finds it and marvels at nature's tenacity (...) But there's more here than just fish. This is also a book about growing up, about how to retain a connection with those who raised you while forging your own identity - what to keep and what to discard. And it's about men. The strong surges of emotion that both draw them together and keep them apart, and the shared pastimes which recognise that intimacy and meaning aren't always accompanied by words' Olivia Edward, GeographicalMysterious Scotland: Enigmas, Secrets and Legends
By Michael Balfour. 1997
Mysterious Scotland presents an extraordinary array of the weird and wonderful heritage of the country. Michael Balfour examines strange stories…
from the moors, forests, rivers, holy wells and lochs, where - as well as the old legends and dark secrets which he prises out of palaces, castles and cathedrals - he finds monsters, ghoulies, unsolved murders and ancient cures.Investigating a land where the past is reflected in the present, the author has roamed all around Scotland, exploring standing stones, mermaid beaches and magic springs. He seeks out new theories about the prehistoric, Celtic and Pictish stones, carvings, tombs and brochs which are scattered across the country. Among his many wonderful discoveries, he unearths long-forgotten prophecies, puzzling tales from the bothies, consuming traditions and distillers' tricks, and finds evidence of the legendary Highland second sight. Not forgotten are the great historical figures who throng the pages, each making a unique contribution to Mysterious Scotland. This book is the perfect introduction to the amazing hidden history which permeates Scottish lives and landscape.My Town: An Artist's Life in London
By David Gentleman. 2020
David Gentleman has lived in London for almost seventy years, most of it on the same street. This book is…
a record of a lifetime spent observing, drawing and getting to know the city, bringing together work from across his whole career, from his earliest sketches to watercolours painted just a few months ago.Here is London as it was, and as it is today: the Thames, Hampstead Heath; the streets, canals, markets and people of his home of Camden Town; and at the heart of it all, his studio and the tools of his work. Accompanied by reflections on the process of drawing and personal thoughts on the ever-changing city, this is a celebration of London, and the joy of noticing, looking and capturing the world.'David has spent a lifetime depicting with wit and affection a London he has made his own' Alan Bennett 'He delivers a poetry of exultant concentration ... The surface fusion of the sensuous and the sharply modern is echoed by Gentleman's imagery' Guardian 'The artist and illustrator has been responsible for some of the most-seen public artworks in this country' The Times 'Perhaps the last of the great polymath designer-painters' Camden New Journal