Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We have not used OCR(Optical Character Recognition), as this leads to bad quality books with introduced typos. (2) In books where there are images such as portraits, maps, sketches etc We have endeavoured to keep the quality of these images, so they represent accurately the original artefact. Although occasionally there may be certain imperfections with these old texts, we feel they deserve to be made available for future generations to enjoy.

Discover the lavish beauty and fascinating history of the 40 most important and inspiring botanic gardens from across the globe. From the Renaissance gardens of Italy to the futuristic botanic gardens of Singapore, this gorgeous book tells the story of these unique institutions. It is a history of science and learning, of politics and national interests, of societal concerns and conservation. But, most of all, it is a compelling exploration of the power and possibility of the natural world, that we are still merely scratching the surface of. Expert garden historian Deborah Trentham has selected the world's most important gardens and delves deep into the history of these horticultural institutions - sharing stories of exploration, extraordinary plants and the scientific breakthroughs which have shaped these stunning gardens. Filled with rare and beautiful plants and incredible locations from around the globe - from Norway to Morocco, Kyoto to Kew, Brooklyn to Buenos Aires, and Madrid to Malaysia - this book will transport you to far-flung places and bygone eras, and consider the future of our botanical havens and the natural wonders they protect.

Many studies have covered aspects of military intelligence available to Britain and her allies during the Second World War. This distinguished book provides a succinct and authoritative survey of the vital role Ultra played in achieving final victory., When war began Britain was as ill-prepared in intelligence as armaments. Civilian scientists had discovered the principle of radar in the mid-1930s, but everything had to be learned from scratch in the heat of emergency. First signs of improvement came in mid-1941, when Ultra targeted naval vessels and bomber aircraft onto so many of Rommel's supply ships that the Africa Corps almost withered on the vine. From then on intelligence played an increasingly indispensable part in final victory. Ultra won the Battle of the Atlantic, driving U-boats back to coastal waters by June 1943. Ultra confirmed the whereabouts of the German tanks as Montgomery planned the breakthrough to Alamein. Only 'Bomber' Harris refused to give intelligence the credit it deserved; on the basis of new evidence this fascinating book strongly reinforces criticism this costly mistake.

The gripping account of how the IRA came astonishingly close to killing Margaret Thatcher KILLING THATCHER is the gripping account of how the IRA came astonishingly close to killing Margaret Thatcher and to wiping out the British Cabinet – an extraordinary assassination attempt linked to the Northern Ireland Troubles and the most daring conspiracy against the Crown since the Gunpowder Plot. In this fascinating and compelling book, veteran journalist Rory Carroll retraces the road to the infamous Brighton bombing in 1984 – an incident that shaped the political landscape in the UK for decades to come. He begins with the infamous execution of Lord Mountbatten in 1979 – for which the IRA took full responsibility – before tracing the rise of Margaret Thatcher, her response to the ‘Troubles’ in Ireland and the chain of events that culminated in the hunger strikes of 1981 and the death of 10 republican prisoners, including Bobby Sands. From that moment on Thatcher became an enemy of the IRA – and the organisation swore revenge. Opening with a brilliantly-paced prologue that introduces bomber Patrick Magee in the build up to the incident, Carroll sets out to deftly explore the intrigue before and after the assassination attempt – with the story spanning three continents, from pubs and palaces, safe houses and interrogation rooms, hotels and barracks. On one side, an elite IRA team aided by a renegade priest, US-raised funds and Libya’s Qaddafi and on the other, intelligence officers, police detectives, informers and bomb disposal officers. An exciting narrative that blends true crime with political history, this is the first major book to investigate the Brighton attack.

Although it offers an appropriately complex treatment of the American past, Boyer/Clark/Halttunen/Kett/Salisbury/Sitkoff/Woloch/Rieser's THE ENDURING VISION: A HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, 10th EDITION, requires no prerequisite knowledge from students. The approach is not only comprehensive, but readable, lively and illuminating. It is attentive to the lived historical experiences of women, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans and Native Americans -- that is, of men and women of all ethnic groups, regions and social classes who make up the American mosaic. This text seeks to encourage students’ spatial thinking about historical developments by offering a map program rich in information, easy to read and visually appealing. Visual culture -- paintings, photographs, cartoons and other illustrations -- is investigated throughout all chapters in the volume.

'An indelible feat of reporting and an urgent read ... It's a privilege to read books like these' Te-Ping Chen, author of Land of Big Numbers 'A powerful reminder of the ways in which China's future depends on who controls the past' Peter Hessler A documentary filmmaker who spent years uncovering a Mao-era death camp; an independent journalist who gave voice to the millions who suffered through Covid; a magazine publisher who dodges the secret police: these are some of the people who make up Sparks: China's Underground Historians and their Battle for the Future, a vital account of how some of China's most important writers, filmmakers, and artists have overcome crackdowns and censorship to challenge the Chinese Communist Party on its most sacred ground - its monopoly on history. In traditional China, dynasties rewrote history to justify their rule by proving that their predecessors were unworthy of holding power. Marxism gave this a modern gloss, describing history as an unstoppable force heading toward Communism's triumph. The Chinese Communist Party builds on these ideas to whitewash its misdeeds and justify its rule. But in recent years, critical thinkers from across the land have begun to challenge this state-led disremembering. Using digital technologies to bypass China's legendary surveillance state, their samizdat journals, guerilla media posts, and underground films document a pattern of disasters: from past famines and purges to the ethnic clashes and virus outbreaks of the present. Based on years of research in Xi Jinping's China, Sparks challenges stereotypes of a China where the state has quashed all free thought, revealing instead a country engaged in one of humanity's great struggles of memory against forgetting - a battle that will shape the China that emerges in the mid-21st century.

This 9th edition of Martin Gilbert’s Atlas of Jewish History spans over four thousand years of history in 196 maps, starting with the worldwide migration of the Jews from ancient Mesopotamia and coming up into the first decades of the twenty-first century. It presents a vivid picture of a fascinating people and the trials and tribulations which have haunted the Jewish story, as well as Jewish achievements. The themes covered include: Prejudice and Violence – from the destruction of Jewish independence between 722 and 586 BC to the flight from German persecution in the 1930s. Also covers the incidence of anti-Semitic attacks in the Americas and Europe. Migrations and Movements – from ancient dispersals from the promised land, to new maps on the ingathering of exiles from Arab and Muslim lands from 1948, and from the break-up of the Soviet Union in 1992. Society, Trade and Culture – from Jewish trade routes between 800 and 900, the geography of the Jews of China, of India, to communal life in the ghettoes and the situation of world Jewry in the opening years of the twenty-first century. Politics, Government and War – from the Court Jews of the fifteenth century to the founding and growth of the modern State of Israel. This new edition now includes an additional 39 of Martin Gilbert’s maps, across the whole range of Jewish history, originally published across a range of publications, now gathered in this one volume for the first time. Over 50 years on from its first publication, this book is still an indispensable guide to Jewish history.

The graphic history of the Nazi attempt to destroy the Jews of Europe during the Second World War is illustrated in this series of 363 detailed maps. The maps, and the text and photographs that accompany them, powerfully depict the fate of the Jews between 1933 and 1945, while also setting the chronological story in the wider context of the war itself. The maps include: • Historical background – from the effects of anti-Jewish violence between 1880 and 1933 to the geography of the existing Jewish communities when the Nazi Party came to power • The beginning of the violence – from the destruction of the synagogues in November 1938 to Jewish migrations and deportations, the ghettos, and the establishment of the concentration camps and death camps throughout German-dominated Europe • The spread of Nazi rule – the fate of the Jews throughout Europe including Germany, Austria, Poland, Greece, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Russia, Denmark, Norway, France, Holland, Belgium, Italy, and the Baltic States • Jewish revolts and resistance – acts of armed resistance, fighting in the forests, individual acts of courage • Jews in hiding – escape routes, Christians who helped Jews • The death marches – the advance of the Allies and the liberation of the camps, the survivors, and the final death toll. This new edition now includes an additional 30 of Martin Gilbert’s maps, with many additional camp and ghetto maps, further illustrating the layout and organization of some of the most significant towns and cities affected by the Holocaust, especially useful to those visiting the sites.