Brenda Ralph Lewis is a writer whose fascination with Scottish history and culture permeates her extensive body of work. With a deep understanding of her chosen subject, she returns to it at every opportunity, with each exploration being a labor of love. Her writings offer an insightful glimpse into the richness of Scotland's heritage.
Featuring more than 250 setts, Tartans is a comprehensive guide to the ancient tartans of Scotland and Ireland, along with many other tartans adopted by organizations and regions around the world. For anyone interested in tracing their Celtic roots or investigating Scottish clan tartans, this is the perfect pocket reference guide.
A highly-illustrated, entertaining account of English royal history from 1066 to the present that explores the scandals behind each royal dynasty, from the 'accidental' murder of William II to American divorcee Meghan Markle, highlighting the individuals honoured with the crown of England-and those unfortunate enough to cross their paths.
Using hundreds of extracts from his speeches and writings, this engrossing biography brings Churchill the man into focus. Honest and accurate--even about his misjudgments--it encompasses everything from his childhood, military service, and work as war correspondent, to his political activity, leadership during World War II, and role in the Cold War. His personal life is covered, too, including his marriage, children, and struggle with "Black Dog" depressions.
"A psychiatrist presents a compelling argument for how human purpose and caring emerged in a spontaneous and unguided universe. Drawing on years of wide-ranging, intensive clinical experience, and his own family experience with cancer, the author helps the reader to understand how people cope with random adversity without recourse to supernatural belief. In fact, as he explains, coming to terms with randomness, while initially frightening, can be liberating and empowering. Realizing that the universe is fundamentally random is not usually the cause of nihilism, apathy, or feelings of pointlessness about life. Written for those seeking a scientifically sound yet humanistic worldview, the book examines science's inroads into the big questions claimed by religion and philosophy. Dr. Lewis shows how our mistaken intuitions about purpose are entangled with assumptions that life events happen for an intended reason and that the universe has inherent purpose. Integrating disparate scientific fields, he shows how not only the universe, life, and consciousness could have emerged and evolved spontaneously and unguided - so too could purpose, morality, and meaning. There is persuasive evidence that these qualities evolved naturally and unmysteriously in humans, as conscious, goal-directed social animals. While acknowledging the social and psychological value of progressive forms of religion, the author respectfully deconstructs even the most sophisticated theistic arguments for a purposeful universe. Instead, he offers an evidence-based, realistic yet optimistic, compassionate worldview"-- Provided by publisher
"This wide-ranging book looks at the reality of pirates' honor among thieves, from the ancient world right up to the pirates of today's cargo ships or luxury yachts in the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea. "The History of Pirates" also examines the actions and pirate ethics of less famous pirates and their eras, such as the Japanese pirates of the 13th-16th centuries and Zheng Yi and his wife's pirate alliance in 19th century China. With features on particular pirates such as Blackbeard and William Kidd and how the pirate code evolved into today's merchant shipping contracts, "The History of Pirates" illuminates the broader historical and geographical scope of piracy and provides a fascinating introduction to the reality of life on board a buccaneer ship." --Publisher description
"When the men went off to the front in World War II, a huge vacuum was left behind in the family, in the workplace, and in society at large. Women soon stepped into the breach in the factories, on the farms, in transport and public services, as well as in auxiliary military services, intelligence and espionage. Women endured the hardships of separation and rationing, as well as aerial bombardment, arrest, interrogation and perhaps imprisonment in a labour camp. Socially, women gained new skills and acquired a new sense of freedom, independence and equality, which they would take with them into the post-war world. From a German pin-up to American photographers, from Japanese women's police to all women British orchestras, from Soviet women typists in the field to German pilots, from prisoners of war to secret agents, Women at War in World War II is a testament to these courageous and capable women and their experience, in both Allied and Axis countries. Included are first-person accounts, from the London air-raid warden to nurses caught in the raids on Pearl Harbor to flight technicians in Toronto." -- Goodreads.com
From the Tudors to the Habsburgs to the Windsors, from Vlad the Impaler to Princess Diana, Kings and Queens of Europe is illustrated throughout with 400 colour and black-and-white photographs, genealogies and artworks, and offers a lively, highly varied portrait of European monarchy.
From the string of popes who were poisoned, deposed and mutilated by rivals for the papacy in the early middle ages, to the controversial neutrality of Pope Pius XII during WW II, this history reveals many of the scandals and secrets of the pontiffs.
An Illustrated History
Provides an informative account of Churchill's life.
