Dominic Connolly

For 2,000 years the pope has been the acknowledged head of the Roman Catholic Church. As the direct successor of St Peter, he holds a unique position, ruling over millions of Catholics worldwide. Arranged in chronological order, the book covers all the major popes, from the first, St Peter, to Pope Clement VII, whose reign was marked by a rapid succession of political, military, and religious struggles – and Pope Leo XIV, the first head of the Catholic Church from the United States. Journey through time from the glories of Byzantium to the crusades, from the Avignon split papacy to the modern church, discover more about the most powerful men in Catholicism. Beautifully produced in traditional handmade binding and with 150 illustrations and artworks of popes from throughout Christian history, this book will fascinate anyone interested in the history of the Catholic church from the first millennium to the present day.

The history of Ireland is both complex and connected to the wider world: it was the first place in the British Isles to be settled by Christian monks, and has suffered internal strife, Viking invasion, Norman colonization, mass migration to the New World, civil war and eventually independence in the early 20th century. Today, Ireland is a dynamic country with a blossoming economy and culture. Arranged chronologically from ancient times to the 21st century, History of Ireland provides a pictorial exploration of a land that is well-known but often little understood. Discover the remains of the country?s many Iron Age hill forts, such as the atmospheric stone fort at Grianán Aileach; explore the first Christian colonies in the monastic settlement at Glendalough in County Wicklow; read of the legend of St Patrick, and stood atop a hillside and banished snakes from Ireland ? prompting all serpents to slither away into the sea; discover the Book of Kells, an illuminated manuscript of the Celtic Gospel written in the 9th century; learn about the Plantation of Ulster in the 17th century, where English and Scottish settlers established Protestant communities, causing lasting communal strife; understand the Easter Rising and the traumatic war for independence, which led to Ireland?s current political shape; and experience modern Ireland, a place of prosperity centered on the thriving city of Dublin. 180 photographs offering a pictorial history of the emerald isle Expert text provides a compact history of Ireland Will interest all with Irish ancestry or with an interest in the island

For centuries we have been fascinated with fairies, mythical beings often possessing intriguing magical powers to curse, trick or heal humans. In Fairies, discover the charming story behind our best loved magical characters, including the Fairy Godmother, Shakespeare’s Titania and the beloved Tinker Bell. For centuries we have been fascinated with fairies, mythical beings often possessing intriguing magical powers to curse, trick or heal humans. The label of 'fairy' has at times applied only to specific magical creatures with human appearance, magical powers, and a penchant for trickery. At other times it has been used to describe any magical creature, such as goblins and gnomes. In Fairies, discover the charming story behind our best loved magical characters, including the Fairy Godmother, Shakespeare’s Titania and the beloved Tinker Bell. Myths and stories about fairies do not have a single origin, but are rather a collection of folk beliefs from disparate sources. Various folk theories about the origins of fairies include casting them as either demoted angels or demons in a Christian tradition, as deities in Pagan belief systems, as spirits of the dead, as prehistoric precursors to humans, or as spirits of nature. Fairies is a pocketful of delight, packed with beautiful images and full of fascinating tales.