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TELEPHONE: 0207 474 2474 73664 QUEEN ANNE: The


Politics of Passion by Anne Somerset


History has often depicted Queen Anne as a pitiable figure. A poorly educated and chronically shy invalid, she endured no less than 17 pregnancies, all of which resulted in either miscarriage or heartbreakingly short-lived, sickly offspring. Yet despite all this she proved to be the most successful Stuart ruler. In


1702, 14 years after she, her sister Mary II and her husband William III ousted her father from the throne, she inherited the thrones of England and Scotland. Her triumphs included the Act of Union with Scotland and glorious victories over France, but it was her relationship with Sarah, wife of her military genius general, the Duke of Marlborough, which was to have the greatest effect upon her life. Political differences partly explain how Anne’s relationship with the wilful and outspoken Sarah deteriorated from passionate adoration to outright loathing, but it was Sarah’s public contention that the happily married Queen was in fact a lesbian, infatuated with another lady-in-waiting, Abigail Masham, that destroyed things. Losing the will to continue with the potentially ruinous war that the Marlboroughs and their allies wanted, Anne changed her ministers and embarked upon a peace process that many thought dishonourable but, with hindsight, was proved to be correct. Drawing upon both existing and a wide range of unpublished sources, Anne Somerset depicts the clashes of personality, party rivalries and behind-the-scenes intrigues with a clarity and vigour that this unsung monarch deserves. Queen Anne emerges as a woman whose good sense and unshakeable commitment to duty overcame tragedy, illness and backstabbing, setting her kingdom on the path to greatness. 626pp with eight pages of colour plates and family tree. £25 NOW £8


73563 MAGNIFICENT MRS TENNANT by David Wallace


Sub-titled ‘The Adventurous Life of Gertrude Tennant, Victorian Grande Dame’, this is a Yale University Press first edition. Gertrude Tennant’s life was remarkable for its length (1819-1918) but even more so for the influence she achieved as an unsurpassed London hostess. The salon she established when widowed in her early 50s attracted legions of celebrities, among them Gladstone, Joseph Chamberlain, Oscar Wilde, Mark Twain, Thomas Huxley, John Everett Millais, Henry James and Robert Browning. In her youth she had had a flirtation with Gustav Flaubert, and in her later years she became the redoubtable Mother-in-law to the explorer Henry Morton Stanley. Gertrude is placed not only at the heart of a multi-generational matriarchal family epic, but also at the centre of European social, literary and intellectual life for the best part of a century. 304pp with 39 illus. Two family trees.


$35 NOW £6.50 71478 BRILLIANT WOMEN: 18th Century


Bluestockings by Elizabeth Eger and Lucy Peltz During the 18th century, a remarkable group of women formed the Bluestocking Salon where women and men met to debate contemporary ideas and promote the life of the mind. The book pays tribute to the likes of artist Angelica Kauffman, historian Catharine Macaulay, early feminist Mary Wollstonecraft and many more women who used writing and portraiture to advance their work and their reputations in a period framed by the Enlightenment and the French Revolution. 159 pages 19.5cm x 25cm. 84 plates in colour and 64 in b/w. $50 NOW £3.75


73547 CLEOPATRA AND ANTONY by Diana Preston


On a stiflingly hot day in August 30BC, the 39 year old Queen of Egypt Cleopatra took her own life rather than be paraded in chains through Rome by her conqueror, Octavian - the first future emperor, Augustus. A few days earlier, her lover of 11 years Mark Antony had himself committed suicide and died in her arms. Preston shows their personal lives as an integral part of great military, political and an ideological struggle that culminated in the fully-fledged rise of the Roman Empire, joining East and West. Cleopatra’s lengthy affair with Julius Caesar linked the might of Egypt with that of Rome; in the aftermath of the civil war that erupted following Caesar’s murder, her alliance with Antony and his subsequent spilt with Octavian set the stage for the end of the Republic. 333pp, colour photos and map. 2009 US first edition. $26 NOW £9


72305 ROYAL PAINS: A Rogues’ Gallery of


Brats, Brutes and Bad Seeds by Leslie Carroll The bad seeds on the family trees of the most powerful Royal houses of Europe often became the most rotten apples. Lettice Knollys strove to mimic the appearance of her cousin Elizabeth I and even stole her man. The Duke of Cumberland’s sexcapades and subsequent clandestine marriage led to a law that still binds England’s royal family. Sexy and flamboyant, Princess Margaret became a royal cause célèbre and her star- crossed romance with a divorced courtier put the crown itself in the hot seat. Here are jealousies, lusts and betrayals. 391pp in paperback. Remainder mark. £10.99 NOW £5


73109 CHARLOTTE AND LIONEL: A


Rothschild Marriage by Stanley Weintraub Heirs to the fabulous Rothschild banking empire, the cousins Charlotte and Lionel had an arranged betrothal. The beautiful 17-year-old Charlotte missed the social whirl of Frankfurt and Naples. Lionel’s circle of friends such as Rossini and Disraeli made it easy for Charlotte to set about creating one of the greatest cultural and political salons of the Victorian era. As an M.P. Lionel made full use of his access to money. After the Franco- Prussian war, Bismarck demanded not only the return of Alsace but also six billion francs. By no means a doctrinaire Liberal, Rothschild opposed Gladstone’s proposal to abolish income tax. He predeceased Charlotte who lived in retirement until her death in 1884. 345pp, illus and family tree. £7.99 NOW £4.50


73107 ARTHUR: The King in


the West by R. W. Dunning This intriguing volume traces the growth of the legend of King Arthur and his link with the West Country, bringing together archaeology, early and relatively recently written sources, tradition and myth. The book focuses in particular on the ancient Abbey of Glastonbury and the South Cadbury hill fort, one a possible link with the Dark Age


Arthur, the other well known for its exploitation of the hero king and the Grail legend. 96 paperback pages, colour photos. £14.99 NOW £4


73113 HELEN OF TROY: Goddess, Princess, Whore by Bettany Hughes


Immortalised by Homer in the Iliad and Odyssey, Helen of Troy is the mythical perfection of beauty, the woman who left her Greek husband Menelaus for the Trojan Paris, thus causing a major war. She has been portrayed as princess, high priestess, goddess, mother and whore, an agent of both life and death. Hughes examines literary and artistic portrayals from classical lyrics to flamboyant Romantic canvases. The seventh century historian Isidore identified the rape of Helen (some versions make it a real rape) as one of the 132 defining moments that shaped history. Dante, Shakespeare, Goethe, Berlioz and Tippett are among the numerous creative geniuses who have fallen under her spell. Hughes looks at Bronze Age texts and material remains to build up a picture of what she might have been like - the Hittites and Mycenaeans. 458pp, maps, timeline, b/w and colour photos. Apologies for sticker. £20 NOW £9


HISTORY


The world is ruled by letting things take their course.


- Laozi (Lao Tzu)


73933 BIRTH OF CLASSICAL EUROPE: A History from Troy to Augustine by Simon Price


and Peter Thonemann At every level from languages to calendars to political systems, we are the descendants of a ‘Classical Europe’, using frames of reference created by ancient Mediterranean cultures. This history of Classical Europe will travel from the so-called Minoan civilisation of Crete to the


later Roman Empire, from the middle of the second millennium BC to the 4th and 5th centuries AD. The geographical canvas stretches from Scotland to the Nile Valley, and from the Atlantic coast of Portugal to the mountains of Armenia. At the centre stand the ancient peoples of the northern Mediterranean basin, the Greeks and the Romans. The principal long-term developments in this period were driven by the people of the Aegean Sea, the southern Balkans and the Italian peninsula. The nine chapters of the book are structured chronologically. With no less than 34 maps and 31 illustrations and drawings such as one of the Athenian Acropolis on page 125, a colour plate showing a reconstruction of miniature fresco from Knossos circa 1600BC and another of a Bard singing of the past from a fresco at Pylos shortly before 1200BC are among the well-chosen illustrations. The authors demonstrate in fascinating detail how Greek and Roman élites put an enormous amount of effort into calling up or reinventing the past to suit the present. This controversial interpretation of what one might mean by the ‘birth’ of Classical Europe contains much of great interest in nearly 400 marvellous pages. US first edition, Penguin. $35 NOW £7


74041 IN BED WITH THE TUDORS The Sex Lives of a Dynasty from Elizabeth of York to Elizabeth I by Amy Licence


While not always without complications, childbirth for a modern, Western mother is a relatively safe experience. Five centuries ago it was frequently a life-threatening occasion, with no pain relief, minimal medical knowledge and with the Church and popular superstition playing a significant part. If you happened to be royal, there was an added complication - producing a male heir was essential. Not only was childbirth potentially fatal, but venereal disease, miscarriage and, if you were married to Henry VIII, getting your head chopped off were other attendant perils to procreation in Tudor times. In this look at an often overlooked but dynastically vital aspect of royal Tudor life, historian and teacher Amy Licence guides us through the birth of Elizabeth of York’s sons Arthur and Henry, Catherine of Aragon’s subsequent marriage to both of them and the birth of her daughter Mary, Henry VIII’s other five wives and his mistresses, and the respectively tragic and non-existent sex lives of his daughters Mary and Elizabeth. From fertility or otherwise, conception, pregnancy and into the delivery chamber, then on to maternal and infant mortality, each woman’s story is a blend of their specific circumstances and the moment in history in which they were expected to do their wifely and dynastic duty. The range of experience of these women could not be wider. Following Elizabeth of York’s six successful deliveries she died following a miscarriage 12 years after Prince Henry was born. Catherine of Aragon paid the price for bearing just a girl, and Anne Boleyn did the same but paid a much greater price. Jane Seymour provided the required son, but died shortly after his birth. Queen Mary was barren, but refused to believe it, going to her death believing herself to be with child, and Elizabeth I was famously married to her kingdom. A superbly crafted work of 256pp with 16 pages of colour illus. £20 NOW £7


73811 BLUE-WATER EMPIRE: The British in the


Mediterranean Since 1800 by Robert Holland For nearly 200 years the Mediterranean Sea lay at the heart of British seapower, what Winston Churchill termed “Britain’s first battlefield”. Although the British had been a strong military and trade presence in the region for some considerable time, following


Nelson’s overwhelming victory over Napoleon Bonaparte’s French Navy in the Battle of the Nile at Aboukir Bay in 1798 the Royal Navy became the undisputed master of the seaways and surrounding shores. Here many thousands of Britons spent their lives, their graves still visible from Gibraltar to Corfu and Malta to Palestine, Iraq and Cyprus. British power, symbolised by fortress colonies and fearsomely defended ports and attracted enemies and rivals and much local opposition, but gradually became an enduring part of the fabric of Mediterranean societies. The British in the Med have left many legacies in administration, law, culture, language and architecture. Holland notes that from Nelson’s victory to El Alamein and the Malta Convoys of WWII, the Mediterranean has shaped Britain’s destiny just as much as the other way round. He evokes the conflicts and friendships, military bands, tennis, churches, barracks, schools plus the disillusionment and hopefulness between the British and local societies often caught up in dramatic events, revealing a much more complex social structure than had before been supposed. 16pp of colour and b/w paintings and photos, 439pp. £25 NOW £8.50


73873 BRIEF HISTORY OF THE PRIVATE LIVES OF THE


ROMAN EMPERORS by Anthony Blond


A welcome reprint of the 1994 enjoyably monstrous, lively and amusing account of the Roman emperors. It is ancient history with all the boring bits taken out as effortlessly Blond provides a scandalous exposé of the life of the Caesars. Julius Caesar was an


arrogant charmer and a swank, while the revered Augustus was so conscious of his lack of height that he put lifts in his sandals. But they were nothing compared to Caligula, Claudius and Nero. Cicero revealed himself as a slum landlord in a letter to his friend Atticus. The loan of money at 48% by Brutus, ‘The noblest Roman of them all’, is a matter of Senatorial record. Augustus, friendless and bored in his old age, hoped his wife would find him a virgin for the afternoon. This enthusiastic book is ‘The personal view of an amateur and will therefore contain inaccuracies’. It is huge fun and written by a much-missed old friend of Bibliophile’s. 234pp in paperback. £7.99 NOW £5


73960 HISTORY OF


WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR by Jacob Abbott


William the Conqueror’s reign significantly transformed England. His subjects resented being ruled by a foreigner who relied entirely upon his army to keep them in subjugation and who suppressed their many revolts. The Norman Conquest was in fact the accession of William, Duke of Normandy to


the English throne. William claimed a ‘right’ to the throne and in those days it really was the right of the strongest. Born in Normandy and promised the throne of England by King Edward, William decided to invade the country after another contender for the crown took the throne. Chronicling the years from his illegitimate birth to his calamitous burial, Jacob Abbott’s enthralling narrative captures the young conqueror’s struggle, ambition and aspirations during his time in power. With a brief history of the Saxon and Danish kings of England and the Dukes of Normandy, along with many full page original engravings, this reprint of an 1899 book is great for anyone interested in the political struggles of the Middle Ages. 144pp in paperback. £9.99 NOW £5


73995 STORY OF ENGLAND by Michael Wood


For an island country of modest dimensions situated on the fringes of Europe, England’s influence on world history, culture, literature and politics has been disproportionately great. But how did the English people come about and develop their unique way of seeing the world? In order to answer that question, the historian, filmmaker and broadcaster Michael Wood took


an original and highly effective approach, exploring the national narrative from Roman times to the present day through the eyes of one place - Kibworth, a village in Leicestershire. Although its geographical location right at the very centre of England made it a symbolically good choice, it is a place remarkable for its ordinariness. What swung it for Wood though was the astonishing treasure trove of documents from the village held at Merton College, Oxford for the medieval period and a further wealth of documentation covering the industrial age from the mid-18th century onwards. Even so, little was known of the village’s pre-Norman times, and researching this period threw up some fascinating finds which explained much about how the village would later develop. An absolutely compelling tale of England in miniature with departing Romans, Viking and Saxon immigrants, Norman conquerors, the Black Death and famine, religious and political conflict, the Industrial Revolution, the Empire and two World Wars - all these made their indelible mark of this tiny community. 440 page paperback, b/w photos. £9.99 NOW £6


History 17 When in Rome…


or Greece or Egypt! 73929 ANCIENT ROME AS


IT WAS by Ray Laurence Travel back in time to explore the city of Rome as it was in AD300, then the centre of the greatest empire on earth. Written in the style of a contemporary guidebook, there is a concise background to the history, politics and people of Ancient Rome, best places to visit like the forums of Julius Caesar and Augustus, the Temple of Jupiter, the Bath of


Diocletian, the gardens of Rome and the Subura. We learn that the Theatre of Pompey is closed at the time for reconstruction and that the Pantheon boasts the world’s largest dome. What to see and where to go in the surrounding areas, tips on how to find entertainment on a budget, practical considerations for the traveller, useful phrases and resources. A natty little guide with line art on every page, other illus, 160pp.


$16.95 NOW £5 73928 ANCIENT GREECE


AS IT WAS by Eric Chaline Written just like a modern day travel book, giving directions, ferry departures, sights to see in the surrounding areas, the publicly maintained gymnasia with running tracks, horse and chariot race tracks, baths and shops selling supplies for athletes was run, the fountain house, the public foundry and mint, around the Acropolis, this is a complete overview of the city and even


where to stay and eat when visiting these iconic sights. Plus tips on how to find entertainment on a budget and useful phrases. A book written to offer advice for travellers to Athens, the birthplace of democracy, in the year 415BC. The special coloured map introduces us to the Mediterranean world of the time with the spheres of influence of the Greeks, Carthaginians and Persians and how to make the most of your trip. ‘The city offers the visitor a wealth of attractions, from architecture to festivals, and from history to great sporting contests.’ Greek letters and numbers, temples and public buildings, accommodation, appreciating the arts of sculpture and painting, going to the theatre and the famous playwrights of the time, battle sites of the Persian wars like the Battle of Salamis and Marathon. 160pp. Many illus and maps. $16.95 NOW £5


73927 ANCIENT EGYPT AS


IT WAS by Charlotte Booth Travel back in time to explore the city of Thebes in 1200BC. Written in the style of a contemporary guidebook, here is a concise background to the history, politics and people of Ancient Egypt, the best places to visit such as the Temple of Luxor, the Temple at Karnak, all about domestic life and the armed forces, from Narmer to the


pyramids, to Aswan and Nubia and the temples at Abu Simbel, even entertaining on a budget, hunting, public squares, food and drink, shopping, medical treatments, crime and the law and useful phrases. 160pp, many illus, maps. $16.95 NOW £5


74325 AS IT WAS: Set of Three Buy all three and save more. ONLY £12


73964 IMPERIAL TOMBS OF CHINA by Lei Congyun, Yang Yang, Zhao Gushan


It is almost impossible to describe the wonders in this catalogue of the exhibition of the Imperial Tombs of China organised jointly by the People’s Republic of China and the Orlando Museum of Art. The mausoleums of China’s kings, emperors and aristocrats represent


an extremely important cultural phenomenon, an essential element in our understanding of Chinese history, the oldest continuous civilisation on earth. These resting places were filled with a wealth of elegant burial objects that have today become rare cultural relics. This beautiful book includes an astounding history of the mausoleums, dating from the Bronze Age Warring States period to the Qing era, the last of China’s imperial dynasties, and the totally incredible treasures they contain. There is also a comprehensive account of the Chinese emperors, for China became a unified national entity in 221 BC and was then to experience 2,000 years of imperial rule. The earliest objects found are from the tomb of Marquis Yi, ruler of the small state of Zeng, who was buried in 433 BC. The tomb held an incredible 15,404 burial objects made of bronze, lacquer, lead, tin, leather, gold, jade, bamboo, silk, hemp and ceramic. These included ritual vessels, musical instruments, weapons and armour, objects for use with horses and chariots and articles for daily use. One of the rarest archaeological finds, pictured in this sumptuous volume, is a set of bronze bells from the 5th century BC. Objects also included in this extraordinary exhibition, from the tomb of the King Cuo of Zhongshan, are a gold and silver inlaid pedestal in the shape of a tiger devouring a deer, a winged mythical creature, bronze halbards and bronze ritual vessels. There are artefacts from six tombs altogether - each one more astounding than the last. 165 pages 30.5cm x 23cm in superbly


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