Ruth Goodman and Peter Ginn have become familiar faces on BBC2 after their hugely popular and immersive time-travelling experiments, Victorian, Edwardian and Wartime Farm. But for their fourth series, and our accompanying book, they have joined forces with Tom Pinfold to take on their biggest challenge yet: going back to Tudor England to endure the harsh realities of working for an Abbey Farm.Peter, Ruth and Tom are trained historians, driven by new research and d...

During World War Two Britain had to look to the land to provide the produce it had previously shipped in from abroad, meaning huge changes on both the agricultural and domestic scenes. Accompanying an 8-part BBC series and written by the three presenters who spend a year living on a reconstructed farm from the era, Wartime Farm sets these changes within a historical context and looks at the day-to-day life of that time. Exploring a fascinating chapter in Britain's recent history, we see ho...

The Age of Railways was an era of extraordinary change which utterly transformed every aspect of British life – from trade and transportation to health and recreation.Full Steam Ahead reveals how the world we live in today is entirely shaped by the rail network, charting the glorious evolution of rail transportation and how it left its mark on every aspect of life, landscape and culture. Peter Ginn and Ruth Goodman brilliantly bring this revolution to life...

This clear, concise book offers a down-to-earth system for newcomers to the field of birding, using a proven formula that remains valid even among experienced birders. It trains the reader, step by step, in the art of observing birds, from assessing their general size and shape to pinpointing their diagnostic features, habitats and idiosyncrasies. Mastering these observation skills will help beginners use a field guide more effectively, thus launching them into the captivating world of bir...

The Legend of the Mango Aklan is a province in the island of Panay in central Philippines. One of its major fruit produce is the sweetly delicious mango, or mangga in Filipino. And so it goes that the Aklanons have a story about the first mango. In times gone by, there lived a couple named Daeogdog and Mabuot. They had a beautiful daughter called Aganhon. Aganhon, whose name means morning, was so much loved for she had a golden heart. She was very helpful to allher parents, the old, the si...

The Age of Railways was an era of extraordinary change which utterly transformed every aspect of British life – from trade and transportation to health and recreation.Full Steam Ahead reveals how the world we live in today is entirely shaped by the rail network, charting the glorious evolution of rail transportation and how it left its mark on every aspect of life, landscape and culture. Peter Ginn and Ruth Goodman brilliantly bring this revolution to life...

What were early kitchens like? How have they evolved over time? What factors have influenced their design? David Eveleigh takes you into the heart of the home and shows us why modern kitchens are the way they are. Everything you could wish to know about kitchens and their unusual history will be found with these pages.

TRAVEL BACK IN TIME WITH THE BBC'S RUTH GOODMANWe know what life was like for Victoria and Albert. But what was it like for a commoner - like you or me?How did it feel to cook with coal and wash with tea leaves?Drink beer for breakfast and clean your teeth with cuttlefish?Catch the omnibus to work and do the laundry in your corset?How to be a Victorian is a radical new approach to history; a journey b...

From the former director of GCHQ, learn the methodology used by British intelligence agencies to reach judgements, establish the right level of confidence and act decisively.Full of revealing examples from a storied career, including key briefings with Prime Ministers and strategies used in conflicts from the Cold War to the present, in How Spies Think Professor Sir David Omand arms us with the tools to sort fact from fiction.And shows us how to us...

“A vivid, entertaining and often comical portrait of life at court.” —Wall Street Journal“Compelling. . . . The rhythm of court life at Windsor or Balmoral is the backdrop to a rich human drama, a story of people existing in uneasy intimacy with the royal family.” — Daily Telegraph (London)Based on the letters and diaries of six members of Queen Victoria's household, Serving Victoria offers unique insight into the queen and her court. Seen through the eyes of her servants—i...

What was it like to live in a Victorian household? What time did the servants have to get up? What was the food like and who cooked it? How did the clothing differ for the different types of servants? How much did the servants get paid? This fascinating book takes you back in time and shows you what it was really like to live in Victorian times, for those both above and below stairs, and what sights and smells would be around you.

Looks at what it was really like in the first cafes, as coffee drinking became more popular. This book also deals with such questions as: what else did the shops sell? How did coffee shop life influence politics, the media and everyday life? We have all seen the hilarious depiction of Mrs Miggins' coffee shop in 'Blackadder', but what was it really like in the first cafes, as coffee drinking became more popular?