Whittlesea Mere - one of the wonders of Huntingdonshire! The historic county of Huntingdonshire has much to recommend it, and one of its lost treasures is brought back to life in this welcome updated and substantially expanded edition of a study first published in 1987. The Mere was the largest body of inland water in lowland England before its drainage in the 1850s, an action which brought to an end a long, rich and thriving history of fishing, reed-cutting and boating, control of which excited the interest of kings, and was fought over by medieval abbots and monks, 17th century drainers, local communities and rival landowners. Once drained, the Mere continued to influence farming practice, hindered the smooth running of the main railway line to the north and bequeathed to the nation in its surroundings two important nature reserves at Holme Fen and Woodwalton Fen. Now, in the 21st century, recognition of the area's unique ecological and educational potential has seen the creation of a major environmental restoration project, the Great Fen Project.

The Great, the Pious, the Fair; the Wise, the Lame, the Mad. Imprisoned, deposed, exiled. Excommunicated, assassinated; devout, debauched; loved, loathed - the Middle Ages produced a fascinating array of monarchs. From Britain to Russia, from Scandinavia to Sicily, from the 9th century CE to the completion of the Reconquista of Spain in 1492, Kings & Queens of the Medieval World explores the captivating stories of monarchs from all across Europe. Arranged thematically, the book groups the kings and queens by their achievements - military leaders, law-makers, religious reformers, patrons of the arts. These are stories of monarchs leading their armies into battle to expand or defend their territory, and of kings - and queens - going on crusade - both within Europe and to the Holy Land. These, too, are stories of, on the one hand, countries united by marriage, and, on the other, sons scheming against fathers in an effort to gain - and maintain - power. And yet these are also the stories of the people who constructed beautiful cathedrals, who founded universities and supported artists, of religious kings who were later canonised, of kings who created more just legal systems, established parliaments and permanent armies, and laid the foundations for more modern governments and societies. Featuring the major European dynasties, Kings & Queens of the Medieval World is a lively account of monarchs from Charlemagne to Alexander Nevsky to Ferdinand and Isabella. Illustrated with 180 colour and black-and-white artworks, photographs and maps, this is a colourful, accessible history.

For 46 days in the spring of 1884, Altoona had the honor of having a major-league baseball team, the Mountain City. For the next 115 years, despite the fact that baseball flourished here in the form of the game that the men of the Pennsylvania Railroad played, professional baseball floundered as six teams came and six teams left. Finally, in 1999, Altoona proved it could support a professional team when the Curve came to town. Since then, an impressive 10 percent of the town's population has shown up at every game, showing the love the community has for the national pastime.