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Books > Humanities > History > History of specific subjects > Local history
What does it mean to deeply love a home place that haunts us still?
From Mark Twain to Grant Wood to Garrison Keillor, regionalists
from the Gilded Age to the Digital Age have explored the American
Gothic and the homegrown fatalism that flourish in many of the
nation's most far-flung and forgotten places. The Haunt of Home
introduces us to a cast of real-life Midwestern characters
grappling with the Gothic in their own lives, from promising young
professionals debating the perennial "Should I stay or should I go"
dilemma, to recent emigres and entrepreneurs seeking personal
reinvention, to faithful boosters determined to keep their
communities alive despite the odds. In The Haunt of Home Zachary
Michael Jack considers the many ways a region's abiding spirit
shapes the ethos of a land and its people, offering portraits of
others who, like himself, are determined to live out the unique
promise and predicament of the Gothic.
Wales has charmed visitors for centuries, and this collection of 45
intricate illustrations is a celebration of the country's unique
appeal. Featuring a range of picturesque vistas, from beautiful
beaches and rugged coastlines to mountainous national parks,
vibrant cities and medieval castles, each stunning scene is full of
intriguing detail sure to fire the imagination and make you reach
for your colouring pencils. There are absolutely no rules - you can
choose any combination of colours you like. Suitable for children.
If you love Wales, then you will love colouring it in!
Dorset has charmed visitors for centuries, and this collection of
intricate illustrations is a celebration of the county's unique
appeal. Featuring a range of picturesque vistas, from sandy beaches
and fossil cliffs to harbour towns and medieval castles, each
stunning scene is full of intriguing detail sure to fire the
imagination and make you reach for your colouring pencils. There
are absolutely no rules - you can choose any combination of colours
you like to bring these images to life. Suitable for children. If
you love Dorset, then you will love colouring it in!
Have you ever wondered about the people who lived and worked along
the canals? Have you ever caught a glimpse of something they might
have seen or an echo of something they might have heard? As the
Stroudwater Navigation and the Thames and Severn canal wind their
way from Framilode to Inglesham, they hold the stories of all who
lived and worked on them. From Jack spinning yarns as he legs
barges through the Sapperton Tunnel to Elizabeth swimming for all
she is worth in the Wallbridge gala, the stories in 'Tales from the
Towpath' span 250 years of life on the Cotswold canals. Mixing fact
and fiction, they bring the past to life and, like all the best
tales, appeal to children and adults alike. These original tales by
storyteller Fiona Eadie are complemented by the evocative
illustrations of local artist Tracy Spiers.
Exquisite hand-colored photographs taken in Savannah, Georgia,
between 1900 and 1930 display the city when horse-drawn carriages
traversed her shady streets, and bonneted women hitched their long
skirts to cross her wide thoroughfares. These nostalgic historic
images are preserved in a lovely souvenir book, or perforated for
removal. At 5" x 7" inches, they fit standard frames, ready to
proudly display, or to mail to friends.
The streets of Brighton and Hove have some incredible tales to
tell. In eight unique walks you will visit the grave of the
legendary Phoebe Hessel (who spent 17 years in the army disguised
as a man and lived to be Brighton's oldest resident), learn about
the remarkable rise and fall of Thomas Reed Kemp while exploring
the area that bears his name and discover a plaque to Tom Sayers,
who grew up in the slums of Brighton, to become the last great
bare-knuckle boxing champion. On the Old Steine, find out about The
Battle of Tar Tub, when the authorities attempted to stop Guy
Fawkes night celebrations and visit a cafe in a former Art Deco
tram shelter. With this book in hand you will visit Graham Greene's
favourite pubs and pass the location of one of the notorious Trunk
Murders of the 1930s to find out how one guilty man escaped
justice. Walking Brighton & Hove will surprise both seasoned
residents and first time visitors alike with the remarkable story
of how two sleepy fishing villages became today's vibrant city. * 8
illustrated walks * details on the best cafes & pubs *
information on local attractions, museums and galleries * maps - to
help you navigate
This lavishly produced book brings together an impressive amount of
new historical research which seeks to answer this question,
providing fresh interpretations of Leicester's history since 1800.
The chapters analyse the events, changes and characteristics that
have shaped the city and given it its distinctive identity. The
sights, sounds and smells of the city in the twenty-first century
are products of cumulative layers of history, layers which are
peeled back by a specially assembled team of historians, all of
whom have lived and worked in Leicester for many years. The result
is an important book which helps us to understand the city's past,
so that we may better understand the present and know how to
approach the future. Above all, this fascinating volume
demonstrates that Leicester is a quietly confident city built on
firm historical foundations of which Leicester citizens of today
can feel very proud.
The area of King's Cross has witnessed a dramatic transformation,
with a new city rising above, alongside and within some of the
country's most compelling railway heritage. The former Railway
Lands remain extraordinarily rich in historical features, yet those
who now reside, work, study, dine or play in this new world will
find their origins hard to decipher. The Great Northern Railway,
with its stations, goods depots, locomotive sheds, coal yards and
stables at King's Cross, served the needs of the ever-growing
metropolis, experiencing growth in the nineteenth century,
competition for trade, weakness between the wars, and the high age
of steam. After the demise of steam, the decaying industrial
landscape was colonised by a variety of new enterprises, invaded by
clubbers, contested by developers and the community, and captured
by artists and photographers. In The King's Cross Story Peter
Darley explores and illuminates the fascinating history of the
Railway Lands over the last 200 years, tracing the evolution of its
historical features through time and space.
Compiled by two highly respected authors and museum curators, this
richly illustrated book features 100 objects - ranging from a
Viking Thor's Hammer and Lord Nelson's funeral drape, to the
whistle used during the Christmas truce of 1914. Norfolk has
evidence of a substantially longer human past than any other part
of Britain. The discovery of the beautiful Happisburgh handaxe,
described inside, led to a find of further flint tools twice as old
as anything found elsewhere in the country. Each object tells a
fascinating story in its own right, adding depth and colour to the
chapters of Norfolk's history. The result is an illuminating visual
record, demonstrating the central role objects have in
understanding our past and revealing the often crucial role Norfolk
has played in the development of our national story.
The newest series from Globe features regional history with a true
crime twist! Written by true crime author-experts, each book
focuses on the most significant (and prolific) violent female
criminals from that state or region. Female killers are often
portrayed as caricatures: Black Widows, Angels of Death, or Femme
Fatales. But the real stories of these women are much more complex.
The author provides a look at the lives of at each killer through
primary source materials, including diaries and trial records.
Readers will be glued to their seats as they follow the killers
through broken childhoods, first brushes with death, and
overwhelming urges that propelled these women to commit these
heinous crimes. The kidnappings, murders, investigations, trials,
and ultimate verdicts will stun and surprise readers as they live
vicariously through the killers and the dogged investigators who
caught them.
The Peak District's pub heritage is as rich and tasty as the beer
that foams from the pumps, and via its inns, taverns and hotels we
can trace centuries of social history in one of the most beautiful
parts of Britain. This is the story of the packhorse men and lead
miners, shepherds and navvies, and the evolution of the traditional
Peak District pub from humble alehouse to the present day. We learn
about haunted pubs, themed pubs, estate pubs and temperance pubs,
as well as one or two pubs which are not what they seem at all.
There's an explanation of pub names and signs, revealing loyalties
to crown, church and squire; an introduction to a few pub heroes
and villains, rituals and merry-making; plus a slightly baffled
look at some odd pub pastimes involving toes, chickens and a hole
in a wall. Along the way we raise a glass to some of the many local
pubs that have been consigned to the great brewery wagon in the
sky, and see how others are adapting to the challenges of today -
from changing social patterns and lifestyles through to a global
pandemic - with small-scale brewing and pub shops, micropubs and
community ownership.
A rich, and indeed sometimes bizarre, thread of history weaves its
way through the Bristol story. Find out all manner of things, from
why a 'Bristol Diamond' would never be found in a jewellery shop to
why local by-laws restrict carpet beating to certain hours. Along
with a fresh look at city life past and present, these and many
more anecdotes will surprise even those Bristolians who thought
they really knew their city.
Wheal Jane was one of the greatest mines of the huge complex of
workings in the Chacewater area in West Cornwall. A re-opening of
Wheal Jane in 1969 coincided with the arrival in the area of John
Peck, who became its 'official' photographer, recording all aspects
of the work there until its final closure in 1992. This book
collects together those photgraphs.
This is the classic book on the ancient customs, crafts and
techniques of the Scottish Highlands. The past is evoked with a
fascinating blend of historical narrative and detail, with
descriptions of the fireplaces and furniture, the creels and cas
chroms which were a vital part of everyday life in the Highland
communities, but which have now become strange in the modern world
of machinery and technology. Highland Folk Ways vividly describes
the many aspects and artefacts of our ancestors' lives; the
clothes, cooking utensils, weapons, food and the implements for
fishing, farming and building are all meticulously depicted and
placed in historical context. The book has over 70 illustrations,
and is surely the definitive resource book for everyone who wants
to rediscover the lifestyle of the clansmen and crofters.
Where is the head of Pancho Villa really buried? Did Butch Cassidy
die the way mainstream history says he did? Was the real Davy
Crocket a hero of historic proportions during the Battle of the
Alamo or a sniveling coward? Is the Lost Dutchman Mine real or a
total farce? These questions and many more will be explored in the
exciting book, Stand Off at High Noon. Controversy sells. There is
no doubt about it. Whether one is discussing the lives of
contemporary politicians or figures from our past, the public loves
to continuously debate the sincerity of these individuals and
subjects. Name recognition and the enduring popularity of these
historic characters is a great selling point for this volume. Most
people in the general populace are familiar with the names Davy
Crockett and the Donner Party (amongst the many others featured
within the pages) giving this work access to a wide and varied
audience. Fans and detractors of these characters alike will enjoy
the entertaining narrative and opposing opinions of the authors.
The South Downs has throughout history been a focus of English
popular culture. With chalkland, their river valleys and scarp-foot
the Downs have been shaped for over millennia by successive
generations of farmers, ranging from Europe's oldest inhabitants
right up until the 21st century. '... possibly the most important
book to have been written on the South Downs in the last
half-century ... The South Downs have found their perfect
biographer.' Downs Country
The newest series from Globe features regional history with a true
crime twist! Written by true crime author-experts, each book
focuses on the most significant (and prolific) violent female
criminals from that state or region. Female killers are often
portrayed as caricatures: Black Widows, Angels of Death, or Femme
Fatales. But the real stories of these women are much more complex.
The author provides a look at the lives of at each killer through
primary source materials, including diaries and trial records.
Readers will be glued to their seats as they follow the killers
through broken childhoods, first brushes with death, and
overwhelming urges that propelled these women to commit these
heinous crimes. The kidnappings, murders, investigations, trials,
and ultimate verdicts will stun and surprise readers as they live
vicariously through the killers and the dogged investigators who
caught them.
At the turn of the Twentieth Century, St. Louis, Missouri, was the
fourth largest city in the country. For years, it was the
westernmost metropolis, known for its manufacturing, beer, railroad
hub, music, baseball, World's Fair, and its romance with the
Mississippi. This collection of shocking stories ripped from the
headlines of the Gateway City's seamy past includes tales of
cholera epidemics, deadly newspaper-daily duels, ragtime racism,
and Spiritualism scuffles. Readers will also meet the formative
female figures behind the women's suffrage movement in St. Louis,
and discover how local brewers fought against Prohibition with the
help of America's favorite pastime-baseball.
Comprehensive and authoritative history of Corby and Great Oakley,
charting their growth and development from the early medieval
period to the present day. Lying in north Northamptonshire, close
to the borders with Leicestershire and Rutland, the neighbouring
parishes of Corby and Great Oakley were formerly part of the
ancient administrative division of Corby hundred. Both
remainedagricultural villages, typical of much of rural
Northamptonshire before 1932 when the landscape of the area was
dramatically altered by large-scale industrialisation associated
with the production of iron and steel following the discovery of
rich ironstone deposits to the north and east of Corby village.
Corby was most directly affected by these changes, with the parish
experiencing a dramatic rise in population after the Stewarts &
Lloyds Company chose toconcentrate their entire steel producing
operation there. Between 1932 and 1950, the increasing population
resulted in the hasty construction, firstly by the Stewarts &
Lloyds Company and later by the Corby UDC, of housing estates on
former agricultural land adjacent to the steelworks, before Corby
was designated a New Town in April 1950 and responsibility for it
passed to the Corby Development Corporation. From this point on,
Great Oakley was inexorablydrawn into the expanding new town as it
spread southwards, eventually being incorporated firstly into Corby
urban district in1967 and in 1993 into Corby Borough. Although
Corby is perhaps best known for the social problems or"New Town
Blues" that blighted it after the steelworks (the town's principal
employer) closed in 1980, this volume documents the lesser known
medieval and early modern history of Corby and Great Oakley; it
shows how generations of inhabitants utilised the rich natural
geology and the abundant woodland to supplement the local agrarian
economy, before examining in detail Corby's industrialisation,
physical and economic growth, post-industrial decline and
21st-century regeneration. Mark Page is Assistant Editor, Victoria
County History, Oxfordshire; Matthew Bristow is Research Manager,
Victoria County History.
The original editions of Curiosities of Bristol contained every
surprising fact the Victorian reader could wish to know about the
city's history. For the first time in more than 150 years, this
fascinating volume collects together the complete run of this
extremely rare publication. Every page is bursting with strange
tales of local interest: antiquities and relics, folklore and
magic, strange deaths, wicked murders and the complete history of
events such as the Bristol Riots of 1831, many of which are
infamous. Also including a visitor's guide to the city, and with
the addition of beautiful contemporary plates from Skelton's 1850
masterpiece Etchings of the Antiquities of Bristol, this book will
delight residents, visitors and lovers of curious tales alike.
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