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Books > Social sciences > Warfare & defence
A brilliantly original exploration of our obsession with the end of the world, from Mary Shelley’s The Last Man to the Manic Street Preachers’ Everything Must Go.
For two millennia, Christians have anticipated the end of the world, haunted by the apocalyptic visions of the Book of Revelation. But over the past two centuries, these dark fantasies have given way to secular stories of how the world, our planet, or our species (or all of the above) might be annihilated.
In Everything Must Go – a cultural history of the modern world that weaves together politics, history, science, high and popular culture – Dorian Lynskey explores the endings that we have read, listened to, or watched, while perched on the edge of our seats with eyes wide, (mostly) loving every moment.
Whether with visions of destruction by nuclear holocaust or a mighty collision with a meteor, a devastating epidemic or a violent takeover by robots, why do we like to scare ourselves, and why do we keep coming back for more?
Deeply illuminating about our past, our present and – given the revelation that the end of the world has seemingly always been nigh – hopeful about our future, Everything Must Go will grip you from beginning to, well, end.
Key title in the new Uniform Legends series. Up close and personal
accounts of pilots who were there, first written in the 1960's when
many of the surviving British and German airmen were in or entering
their middle years
Wonderful account of one of the top Battle of Britain fighter
pilots. Written by one of the foremost military aviation authors
who was an RAF Officer himself and personally knew Lacey.
Over the last 30 years, Special Forces have become a key component
of the world's armed forces, often employing unconventional tactics
as part of airborne operations, counterinsurgency,
counterterrorism, hostage rescue, covert ops and intelligence
gathering. To carry out their role effectively, specific vehicles
have been developed for these elite units. Organized by type, the
book explores a wide range of vehicles, from the light utility
vehicles through mine-resistant protected vehicles (MRAP) to mini
bikes and quad bikes. Discover the Pinzgauer High-Mobility
All-Terrain Vehicle, a high clearance, all-wheel drive transporter
used by Delta Force and the New Zealand SAS; the fast, light Arquus
Scarab, a protected vehicle that can turn both the front and rear
wheels simultaneously, allowing it to move sideways like a crab;
the MRZR, used by the U.S. Marines for fast forward deployment and
off-road reconnaissance; the Toyota Hilux pick-up, which due to its
simplicity and rugged durability, has proved its worth in conflicts
from South America to Central Asia; and the Christini AWD
motorcycle, used by U.S. Navy SEALs in Afghanistan. Illustrated
with more than 100 photographs and artworks, Special Forces Land
Vehicles provides a detailed guide to the specialist vehicles used
by elite soldiers in the modern era.
An accessible chronicle of how the Israel-Palestine conflict originated and developed over the past century. The Shortest History books deliver thousands of years of history in one riveting, fast-paced read.
The ongoing struggle between Israel and Palestine is one of the most bitter conflicts in history, with profound global consequences. In this book, Middle East expert Michael Scott-Baumann succinctly describes its origins and charts its evolution from civil war to the present day. Each chapter offers a lucid explanation of the politics and ends with personal testimony from Palestinians and Israelis whose lives have been impacted by the dispute.
While presenting competing interpretations, Scott-Baumann examines the key flash points, including the early role of the British, the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948, the Six-Day War of 1967, and the Trump administration’s peace plan, pitched as “the deal of the century,” in 2020. He delineates both the nature of Israeli control over the Palestinian territories and Palestinian resistance―going to the heart of the clashes in recent decades. The result is an indispensable history, including a time line, glossary, and analysis of why efforts to restore peace have continually failed and what it will take to succeed. 45 B&W maps and images
Allied Fighters 1939-45 offers an highly-illustrated guide to
Allied fighter aircraft that fought in Europe during World War II.
Featuring all the main models flown by the Allied air forces from
1939 to 1945, the book offers a wealth of detail, including unit
markings, organization, numbers of aircraft flown by campaign and
exhaustive specifications for each model. The book is arranged
first by country and then chronologically by campaign so that every
aspect of the air war in Europe is covered. The guide features
fighters from throughout World War II, including early models, such
as the Morane Saulnier MS.406C.1, Hawker Hurricane Mk I and Fokker
D XXI, and the most advanced fighters of the period, such as the
Lavochkin La-7, P-51K Mustang and Gloster Meteor Mk I.The book also
covers aircraft that were used for air-to-air combat (Supermarine
Spitfire), ground attack (P-47 Thunderbolt), bomber escort (P-51B
Mustang), night defence (Bristol Beaufighter) and photographic
reconnaissance (P-38 Lightning). Packed with more than 200 profiles
and dozens of archive photographs of every major Allied fighter
aircraft, Allied Fighters 1939-45 is a core reference volume for
modellers and World War II aviation enthusiasts.
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