Najnovšie - História strana 122 z 161

‘A gripping account of the cloak and dagger game played in Berlin and beyond by Britain’s shadow warriors. A knife-edge Cold War showdown. A game of secrets, masterfully told.’ – Damien Lewis, Sunday Times No. 1 Bestselling AuthorThe British Commanders’-in-Chief Mission to the Soviet Forces in Germany, better known as BRIXMIS, was arguably the most successful and enduring intelligence organisation of the whole Cold War. Its three-man teams maintained a permanent presence behind the Iron Curtain, patrolling East German soil every single day from 1946 until the fall of the Berlin Wall changed the face of post-war Europe.In a follow-up to The Deadly Game, Will Britten, a career Military Intelligence Officer, treats us to a fresh, and in places hard-hitting look at his experience as one of the last generations of Cold War warriors. Over the Wall details reconnaissance missions in the depths of the DDR, targeting by Stasi surveillance teams, and fascinating personal contacts with ‘the enemy’. Beyond this, he puts forward the shocking proposition that Moscow had almost certainly compromised BRIXMIS through their own agents operating within the wide US military system.Providing a rare insight into the activities of the GRU-staffed Soviet military teams deployed reciprocally in West Germany, Over the Wall ultimately poses an intriguing question: in the final balance whose missions were operationally more effective?

''Brilliantly illuminates the overlooked chapters of Black Tudor England'' Professor Corinne Fowler, The University of Leicester ''Encourages a deeper empathetic engagement with our shared past'' Professor David Olusoga, University of Manchester The groundbreaking art-history project John Blanke was a Black trumpeter to the courts of Henry VII and Henry VIII, captured in two images in Tudor artwork and court records showing him receiving wages and petitioning for a wage increase and gifts Inspired by this enigmatic figure, Michael Ohajuru, a London-based cultural historian, invited over 100 artists and historians to imagine John Blanke’s world. Now, these images and words – exhibited in the British Museum and the Met in New York, but never displayed on the internet – have been curated in a sumptuous art book. From its startling black and white pages leap out the diverse perspectives of the artists, who with contrasting styles, portray John Blanke variously, among many things, as a trumpeter, a saxophonist, a focused jazz musician, and a stylish trump card. By turns dazzling and intriguing, these different artistic renditions – along with rap music, poems and prose from historians – create a dazzling permanent embodiment of a noteworthy figure currently marginalised in British history. A lasting memento of the first person of African descent in British history for whom we have both an image and a record – and of an inspiring art and historical project. Reviews The John Blanke Project redefines historical exploration by merging practical scholarship with innovation and critical imagination. Anchored in social justice, it reveals the overlooked narratives of Black Tudor England, enriching our grasp of diversity and British identity. By blending art and history, it encourages a deeper empathetic engagement with our shared past, advocating for a more inclusive and equitable understanding of history. David Olusoga, Professor of Public History, The University of Manchester The John Blanke Project brilliantly illuminates the overlooked chapters of Black Tudor England, blending rigorous scholarship with creative vision. Its profound commitment to uncovering the full spectrum of our heritage challenges us to embrace a more diverse and inclusive narrative of British history. A landmark in historical exploration, this project transforms our understanding and appreciation of the past. Corinne Fowler, Professor of Colonialism and Heritage, The University of Leicester The John Blanke Project offers a transformative lens on British history, spotlighting the pivotal yet frequently overlooked roles of Black Britons in our shared heritage. This project stands shoulder to shoulder with my work on Ignatius Sancho, each amplifying the other, as we strive to paint a more inclusive and comprehensive portrait of our past. Paterson Joseph, British Actor and Author, Chancellor of Oxford Brookes University

For centuries, temples have functioned not just as places of worship but also social and cultural centres, offering both a connection to the divine and entertainment in the form of music and dance as respite from everyday life. In Dynasties of Devotion, Deepa Mandlik explores seven ancient temples across India and Cambodia, meticulously examines historical contexts and mythological stories associated with each temple.At the Kailasa Temple in Ellora, Maharashtra, she is struck by the visual representation of fertility and abundance - Goddess Lakshmi, elegantly sitting on a lotus, surrounded by four elephants showering her with rain. Through the dancing sculptures of Shiva and Parvati at the magnificent Brihadeeswara Temple in Tamil Nadu, Deepa reveals that this Chola dynasty temple was once a prestigious platform for Bharatanatyam with nearly 400 dancers and 250 musicians in residence.

This highly illustrated new study tells the full story of the German light Panzers in World War II.The light Panzers that equipped the first Panzer divisions were originally intended as training or stopgap machines, suitable only until the arrival of the better-armed and -armoured PzKpfw III and PzKpfw IV. However, despite their limitations, they ended up playing key roles in the victorious campaigns waged by the German Army from 1939 to 1942.This highly illustrated title describes the development and organizational history of the PzKpfw I, introduced in 1934, and the PzKpfw II, introduced in 1936. It explains how the annexation of German-speaking Sudetenland in 1938 and, subsequently, of Czechoslovakia itself delivered an unexpected bonus for the Panzerwaffe in the form of two Czech Army light tanks, introduced into German service as the PzKpfw 35(t) and PzKpfw 38(t). It goes on to cover the considerable operational service of these tanks in Poland, France and the invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941. From late 1941 onwards, they were withdrawn from front-line service but the chassis were used until the end of the war for self-propelled artillery and tank destroyers.German armour expert Thomas Anderson draws on archival material, after-action reports and rare photographs in this comprehensive study of the German light Panzers that played a key role in the early years of World War II.

An epic, decade-long reported history of National Public Radio that reveals the unlikely story of one of America’s most celebrated but least understood media empires.Founded in 1970, NPR is America’s most powerful broadcast news network. Despite being overshadowed by the larger and more glamorous PBS, public radio has long been home to shows such as All Things Considered, Morning Edition, and This American Life that captivate millions of listeners in homes, cars, and workplaces across the nation. NPR and its hosts are a cultural force and a trusted voice, and they have created a mode of journalism and storytelling that helps Americans understand the world in which we live. In On Air, a book fourteen years in the making, journalist Steve Oney tells the dramatic history of this institution, tracing the comings and goings of legendary on-air talents (Bob Edwards, Susan Stamberg, Ira Glass, Cokie Roberts, and many others) and the rise and fall and occasional rise again of brilliant and sometimes venal executives. It depicts how NPR created a medium for extraordinary journalism—in which reporters and producers use microphones as paintbrushes and the voices of people around the world as the soundtrack of stories both global and local. Featuring details on the controversial firing of Juan Williams, the sloppy dismissal of Bob Edwards, and a $230 million bequest by Joan B. Kroc, widow of the founder of McDonalds, On Air also chronicles NPR’s daring shift into the digital world and its early embrace of podcasting formats, establishing the network as a formidable media empire. Fascinating, revelatory, and irresistibly dishy, this is a riveting account of NPR’s unlikely launch, chaotic ascent, and ultimate triumph—a must-read for anyone interested in the history of public radio and its impact on American culture.

'Exploring the past, bringing it to vivid life with wonderful prose . . . Pedder writes with perspicacity and sensitivity . . . We need more books like this' Observer   'Fascincating and engrossing' Literary Review   How did South Africa turn out the way it did? In Moederland - 'Motherland', in Afrikaans - Cato Pedder takes us on an eye-opening journey across four centuries, tracing the country's turbulent past and the rise and fall of apartheid (and her family's charged legacy) through the lives of nine very different women.   KROTOA is Khoikhoi translator to the newly arrived Dutch East India Company   ANGELA, a former slave from Bengal, climbs the ladder of settler society   ELSJE arrives from Germany aged 3, marries at 13, a mother at 15   ANNA, mistress of the Cape's grandest estate, regains control from her violent husband   MARGARETHA, uncompromising Afrikaner farmer, resists the abolition of slavery   ANNA loads her family on an ox-wagon and treks into the interior to elude the British   ISIE survives the Boer War to become wife of South Africa's Prime Minister and 'Mother of the Nation'   CATO escapes to England and the Quakers as white supremacy mutates into apartheid   PETRONELLA, returning to the Motherland, falls in love across the colour bar and risks everything to fight the system her grandfather set in motion.  

Celebrating the 80th anniversary of VE Day, bestselling historians James Holland and Al Murray tell the unflinching story of the eight surrenders that brought victory to the Allies and ended the Second World War.‘A gripping, eye-opening and satisfying new account’ The Express_________From the Italian Alps to northern Germany, to London, New York, Washington and Tokyo, Victory ’45 tells the story of the extraordinary summer when the greatest conflagration the world had ever known finally came to an end after eight surrenders that heralded the Allied victory.Comprised of eight chapters based around each of those surrenders and the victory celebrations which followed, it will be rich in character and human drama with revealing stories and perspectives behind the end of the war not yet told before. Each chapter will follow the viewpoints of a number of key characters as they traverse these world-changing events – from ordinary servicemen and women and civilians to generals and political leaders.What took place during the negotiations of those surrenders and the terms that were agreed there would determine the directions the participating countries would take in the years that followed and ultimately the shape of our current world.

<i>The Fiery Spirits</i> tells the story of the MPs in parliament and the protestors in the streets who played a pivotal role in the English Civil Wars. Through their stories, John Rees reveals the hidden history of the republicans who brought a desperate nation to the brink of revolution.<br><br>At the start of the English Civil Wars, very few could have imagined that the country would soon become a republic. Practically alone in his republicanism was Henry Marten, MP and future regicide. But he soon gathered around him a group of radical Parliamentarians that included William Strode, the parliamentary firebrand, Alexander Rigby, the formidable soldier, and Sir Peter Wentworth, descendant of a long line of opponents of monarchy. They formed the nucleus of a group that allied itself to a popular movement outside parliament to defeat the king politically and militarily.<br><br>In <i>The Fiery Spirits</i>, Rees tells how Marten and his radical allies overcame both moderate Parliamentarians and Royalists to change the face of England forever, establishing a kingdom without a crown.

The essential role of ethnographic thought in the Roman empire and how it evolved in Late AntiquityEthnography is indispensable for every empire, as important as armies, tax collectors, or ambassadors. It helps rulers articulate cultural differences, and it lets the inhabitants of the empire, especially those who guide its course, understand themselves in the midst of enemies, allies, and friends. In The Conqueror’s Gift, Michael Maas examines the ethnographic infrastructure of the Roman Empire and the transformation of Rome’s ethnographic vision during Late Antiquity. Drawing on a wide range of texts, Maas shows how the Romans’ ethnographic thought evolved as they attended to the business of ruling an empire on three continents. Ethnography, the “conqueror’s gift,” gave Romans structured ways of finding a place for foreigners in the imperial worldview and helped justify imperial action affecting them. In Late Antiquity, Christianity revolutionized the imperial ethnographic infrastructure by altering old concepts and introducing credal models of community. The Bible became a source for organizing the Roman world. At the same time, many previously unseen collective identities emerged across Western Eurasia in reaction to the diminution of Roman power. These changes deeply affected the Empire’s ethnographic infrastructure and vision of the world. Maas argues that a major consequence of these developments was the beginning of a sectarian age, as individuals and political communities came to identify themselves primarily in terms of religion as well as ethnicity. As they adjusted to changing ethnographic realities, Romans understood their place among the peoples of the world in new ways. Willingly or not, we continue to be recipients of the conqueror’s gift today.

Wilfred Burchett went to Lisbon in 1974 to cover the military overthrow of the fascist dictatorship that had ruled the country for nearly five decades. Burchett’s on-the-ground reporting details the immediate aftermath of the coup and the civilian uprising that followed, which took its name, the Carnation Revolution, from the flowers demonstrators handed out to soldiers and placed in their rifle muzzles. The people’s victory began a transition to democracy. It prompted the withdrawal of troops from Portugal’s colonies, bringing independence to Guinea Bissau and soon to Angola, Mozambique and other colonial territories.<br><br>On the fiftieth anniversary of the revolution’s end, <i>The Captains’ Coup</i> offers an insightful, poignant narrative never before available in English from a journalist of international repute. The text is based on the author’s original typescripts, discovered recently in the National Library of Australia.<br><br>Included are a foreword and introductory essay that explore the political and journalistic significance of Burchett’s work. Illustrated by contemporary photographs and political posters, the volume is complemented by the editors’ annotations, providing essential historical context.<br><br>Also included is an afterword by historian and filmmaker Tariq Ali.

"In this masterly book, [Alfani] offers an insightful long-run perspective and fascinating lessons for the future. A must-read!"—Thomas Piketty, author of Capital in the Twenty-First CenturyA sweeping narrative that shows how the rich historically justified themselves by helping their societies in times of crisis, why they no longer do, and what that may mean for social stabilityThe rich have always fascinated, sometimes in problematic ways. Medieval thinkers feared that the super-rich would act 'as gods among men’; much more recently Thomas Piketty made wealth central to discussions of inequality. In this book, Guido Alfani offers a history of the rich and super-rich in the West, examining who they were, how they accumulated their wealth and what role they played in society. Covering the last thousand years, with frequent incursions into antiquity, and integrating recent research on economic inequality, Alfani finds—despite the different paths to wealth in different eras—fundamental continuities in the behaviour of the rich and public attitudes towards wealth across Western history. His account offers a novel perspective on current debates about wealth and income disparity. Alfani argues that the position of the rich and super-rich in Western society has always been intrinsically fragile; their very presence has inspired social unease. In the Middle Ages, an excessive accumulation of wealth was considered sinful; the rich were expected not to appear to be wealthy. Eventually, the rich were deemed useful when they used their wealth to help their communities in times of crisis. Yet in the twenty-first century, Alfani points out, the rich and the super-rich—their wealth largely preserved through the Great Recession and COVID-19—have been exceptionally reluctant to contribute to the common good in times of crisis, rejecting even such stopgap measures as temporary tax increases. History suggests that this is a troubling development—for the rich, and for everyone else.

"From Joyce Chaplin''s engaging, wide-ranging pages a fresh Franklin emerges." ?Stacy Schiff, Pulitzer Prize?winning author of The Revolutionary"[Chaplin''s] expansive claims for the Franklin stove?s importance click into place." ?Dan Piepenbring, Harper''s"A fascinating, innovative, inventive look at a fascinating, innovative man and his inventions." ?Charles C. Mann, bestselling author of The Wizard and the Prophet and 1491The surprising story of Benjamin Franklin?s most famous invention?and a new take on the Founding Father we thought we knew. The biggest revolution in Benjamin Franklin?s lifetime was made to fit in a fireplace. Assembled from iron plates like a piece of flatpack furniture, the Franklin stove became one of the era''s most iconic consumer products, spreading from Pennsylvania to England, Italy, and beyond. It was more than just a material object, however?it was also a hypothesis. Franklin was proposing that, armed with science, he could invent his way out of a climate crisis: a period of global cooling known as the Little Ice Age, when unusually bitter winters sometimes brought life to a standstill. He believed that his stove could provide snug indoor comfort despite another, related crisis: a shortage of wood caused by widespread deforestation. And he conceived of his invention as equal parts appliance and scientific instrument?a device that, by modifying how heat and air moved through indoor spaces, might reveal the workings of the atmosphere outside and explain why it seemed to be changing. With his stove, Franklin became America?s first climate scientist.Joyce E. Chaplin?s The Franklin Stove is the story of this singular invention, and a revelatory new look at the Founding Father we thought we knew. We follow Franklin as he promotes his stove in Britain and France, while corresponding with the various experimenters who discovered the key gases in Earth''s atmosphere, invented steam engines, and tried to clean up sooty urban air. During his travels back and forth across the Atlantic, we witness him taking measurements of the gulf stream and observing the cooling effect of volcanic ash from Iceland. And back in Philadelphia, we watch him hawk his invention while sparring with proponents of the popular theory that clearcutting forests would lead to warmer winters by reducing the amount of shade cover on the surface of the Earth. As the story of the Franklin stove shows, it?s not so easy to engineer our way out of a climate crisis; with this book, Chaplin reveals how that challenge is as old as the United States itself.

Timed for the 250th anniversary of one of America?s most famous founding events: Paul Revere?s heroic ride, newly told with fresh research into little-known aspects of the story Americans have heard since childhood but hardly understoodOn April 18, 1775, a Boston-based silversmith, engraver, and anti-British political operative named Paul Revere set out on a borrowed horse to fulfill a dangerous but crucial mission: to alert American colonists of advancing British troops, which would seek to crush their nascent revolt.Revere was not the only rider that night, and indeed, he had completed at least 18 previous rides across New England and other colonies, disseminating intelligence about British movements. But this ride was like no other, and its consequences in the months and years to come?as the American Revolution morphed from isolated skirmishes to a full-fledged war?became one of our founding legends.In The Ride, Kostya Kennedy presents a dramatic new narrative of the events of April 18 and 19, 1775, informed by fresh primary and secondary source research into archives, family letters and diaries, contemporary accounts, and more. Kennedy reveals Revere?s ride to be more complex than it is usually portrayed?a loosely coordinated series of rides by numerous men, near-disaster, capture by British forces, and finally success. While Revere was central to the ride and its plotting, Kennedy reveals the other men (and, perhaps, a woman with information about the movement of British forces) who helped to set in motion the events that would lead to America?s independence.Thrillingly written in a dramatic, unstoppable narrative, The Ride re-tells an essential American story for a new generation of readers.

'Gripping' - Economist'A fascinating exposé' - Raja Shehadeh, author of Palestinian Walks'Path-breaking and brilliant' - Eyal Weizman, director of Forensic Architecture and author of Hollow LandTel Aviv, the Zionist project's 'White City', is said to have risen from the sands of the desert. Acclaimed worldwide for its architectural heritage and gleaming Bauhaus-inspired Modernism, it is ostensibly designed to be a safe home for the Jewish people. However, the reality of the city's establishment was very different. Hidden below its foundations are the remains of Jaffa – the 'Black City', a Palestinian city that was obliterated to make way for European-style architecture at the heart of a newly-formed Israel. Both a gripping narrative and a unique architectural record, White City, Black City shows that cities are made not only of stones and concrete but also of stories and histories – victors and losers, predator and prey. This new edition contains a postscript reflecting on the destruction of the Gaza Strip.

30 April 1924. At the Court of the King’s Bench in London, the highest court in the Empire, an English judge and jury heard the case that would change the course of India’s history: Sir Michael O’Dwyer, the former Lieutenant Governor of the Punjab – and architect of the infamous Jallianwala Bagh massacre – had filed a defamation case against Sir Chettur Sankaran Nair for having published a book in which he referred to the atrocities committed by the Raj in Punjab. The widely-reported trial – one of the longest in history – stunned a world that finally recognized some of the horrors being committed by the British in India. Through reports of court proceedings along with a nuanced portrait of a complicated nationalist who believed in his principles above all else, The Case That Shook the Empire reveals, for the very first time, the real details of the fateful case that marked the defining moment in India’s struggle for Independence.

After the failure of Britain’s latest air-defence destroyers in the 1982 Falklands War, a public controversy began over an alternative: The S90 ‘Short Fat’ frigate designed and proposed by Peter Thornycroft and David Giles. This is the almost incredible but well-documented story of the author’s 40-year-long hard-fought battle with naval authorities and governments on both sides of the Atlantic, to prove the virtues of his designs which they had rejected on the basis of theory rather than fact, and then eventually to win substantialcompensation after they covertly infringed his patents in two new classes of warship. With a Foreword by the late Admiral Lord Hill-Norton, Former Chief of the Defence Staff; Technical Appendices; Glossary and Dramatis Personae.

Explore the good, the bad, and the ugly of the United States history Looking for the essentials of more than 200 years of United States history? Starting at the early civilizations, U.S. History For Dummies covers the growing pains of a new nation. Brush up on the major wars, from fighting against each other to fighting the world. And discover the major people and events that shaped the country. Stay in the know, with coverage of timely topics like climate change, Covid, and the January 6th Capitol riot. Then, when you're ready, challenge yourself with free online chapter quizzes. With history covering the start of the U.S. to the 2024 election, learn how this nation came to be what it is today. Read engaging accounts of the major events in the history of the United StatesLearn about important historical figures who shaped the nationDiscover the background of the big issues that Americans faceExplore important wars and iconic cultural momentsFREE 1-year access to chapter quizzes online! Whether you're a history buff eager to delve into the history of the United States or a student searching for a guide to help them with their studies, U.S. History For Dummies has you covered with clear, easy-to-understand information.

Discover the rich history of Britain''s millennia-old network of pathways, and it will be impossible to take an unremarkable walk again. . .''An essential read for those who love walking'' Jackie Morris, author of The Lost Words and The Lost Spells''Cornish’s book delves back in history and is written with a sense of urgency'' Mail on Sunday''[Cornish''s] passion for walking, natural beauty and the abundant history of these old ways shines through'' Times–Hundreds of thousands of miles of ancient paths crisscross our land. Whether Iron Age footsteps or Anglo-Saxon mercenary trails, Railway Age tracks or Home Army defences, they reveal a hidden story. Jack Cornish has spent years walking and recording these forgotten routes and The Lost Paths is his history of the people who created and walked these ways. From sheep drovers to Cornish miners to workhouse wanderers, this tale of the land beneath our feet brings our past to life and puts its future squarely in our hands.–PRAISE FOR THE LOST PATHS‘A rallying cry to reclaim lost routes and preserve this precious resource for future generations’ Walk Magazine‘Fascinating’ Country Walking‘A celebration of an ancient network and a rallying cry to reclaim what has been lost and preserve it for future generations’ The Best of UK‘[A] fascinating history of path-making and path-taking . . . our guide excels at historic story-telling . . . Cornish’s celebration of our grand wealth of history ways, and the different motivations for walking over the centuries, is a worthy clarion call for us to keep treading paths – so we don’t lose our way . . . ‘ The Oldie‘A lively account of millennia of movement, and a call to action to preserve an endangered heritage’ Inkcap Journal

Desert islands are the focus of intense geopolitical tensions in East Asia today, but they are also sites of nature conservation. In this global environmental history, Paul Kreitman shows how the politics of conservation have entangled with the politics of sovereignty since the emergence of the modern Japanese state in the mid-nineteenth century. Using case studies ranging from Hawai''i to the Bonin Islands to the Senkaku (Ch: Diaoyu) Isles to the South China Sea, he explores how bird islands on the distant margins of the Japanese archipelago and beyond transformed from sites of resource extraction to outposts of empire and from wartime battlegrounds to nature reserves. This study examines how interactions between birds, bird products, bureaucrats, speculators, sailors, soldiers, scientists and conservationists shaped ongoing claims to sovereignty over oceanic spaces. It considers what the history of desert islands shows us about imperial and post-imperial power, the web of political, economic and ecological connections between islands and oceans, and about the relationship between sovereignty, territory and environment in the modern world.