Adrian Historian Phillips Books

Explore the British countryside with the experts—no organization is better suited to such a tour than the National Trust, the custodians of some of the most beautiful stretches of land and coastline. First, this book covers cultural life and the changing British landscape, including key ancient monuments; wildlife, covering past and present flora and fauna—with features on how to identify key native species; and conservation. Next, all the regions of Britain are covered—South West, South, South East, London, East of England, Central England, North East, North West, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Each region will have an overview of its particular countryside and its development, plus recommended walks, photostories of particular sites through the seasons, and how to "read" the countryside features. From the thousand-year-old limbs of the yew trees near Crom Old Castle, Northern Ireland to the lake of bluebells on the Isle of Wight, this is a dazzling celebration of the land. Stunning photography comes not only from the National Trust but a range of top photographers, including Joe Cornish of Working the Light and David Noton of Waiting for the Light .

Appeasement ultimately failed in all its objectives, merely delaying World War II by a year. Its true consequence was to embolden Hitler and Mussolini, leading them to perceive Britain as weak and hesitant to confront aggression. The pivotal moment in the Czech crisis of September 1938 occurred when Wilson met Hitler alone, leaving him convinced that Britain would not intervene to defend Czechoslovakia. The subsequent dismemberment of Czechoslovakia marked not the end but a continuation of appeasement. Chamberlain's Anglo-German Declaration was a reflection of his vanity, yet both he and Wilson believed it genuinely secured "peace for our time." Their pursuit of a bilateral friendship with dictators blinded them to alternative strategies, such as collaborating with France, the Soviet Union, or the U.S. to confront the aggressors. They also resisted full rearmament, which would have prepared the economy for war—policies advocated by Winston Churchill, their staunch opponent. Churchill was despised by both men, who could not accept his view of Hitler as an unyielding enemy of peace. Their animosity toward Churchill stemmed from a long-standing rivalry, revealed for the first time in this account. Lacking practical diplomatic experience, Chamberlain and Wilson misjudged the dictators, failing to recognize that Fascist leaders operated under different principles than democratic politicians. The disastrous outcomes of their appease

that has fascinated the public for decades. Unwilling to accept the idea of the twice-married American as future Queen of England, the government was determined to pressure the King into giving up Mrs. Simpson and, when that failed, into giving up his crown. The King's phone lines were tapped by his own government, dubious police reports poisoned Mrs Simpson's reputation, and threats to sabotage her divorce were deployed to edge the King towards abdication.The hopeless attempts of the King's allies, particularly Winston Churchill, to keep him on the throne were dismissed as sinister conspiracy, whilst the King wrecked his own chances with wildly unrealistic goals and ill-thought-out schemes that served only to frame him as erratic and unreliable as a monarch. As each side was overwhelmed by desperation and distrust, Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin fought to steer events to a smooth conclusion.In this fascinating behind-the-scenes account of the royal abdication crisis of 1936, Adrian Phillips reveals the previously untold story of the hidden political machinations and insidious battles in Westminster and Whitehall that settled the fate of the King and Mrs Simpson.

Budapest has it all: spectacular architecture, award-winning cultural festivals, Michelin-starred restaurants, historic thermal baths and business-friendly hotels. The authors are winners of the British Guild of Travel Writers Best Guidebook Award and share their enthusiasm for the city in an engaging and witty style. Thoroughly updated, the third edition of Budapest is packed with up-to-the-minute information on hotels, cafés, bars and restaurants, as well as new walks. It provides travellers with all they need on where to stay, eat and drink, and what to see and do.