A captivating, surprising history of timekeeping and how it has shaped our world.For thousands of years, people of all cultures have made and used clocks, from the city sundials of ancient Rome to the medieval water clocks of imperial China, hourglasses fomenting revolution in the Middle Ages, the Stock Exchange clock of Amsterdam in 1611, Enlightenment observatories in India, and the high-precision clocks circling the Earth on a fleet of GPS satellites that have b...

«Decisamente affascinante: è il miglior libro di storia che ho letto da molti anni, il libro definitivo su questi straordinari oggetti che danno ordine alla vita di ogni giorno.»Jerry Brotton, autore di "La storia del mondo in dodici mappe"Sin dall’origine della civiltà, gli uomini hanno cercato di scandire il tempo, ma questo si è sempre ribellato al loro controllo. Gli orologi sono stati utilizzati nel corso della storia per conservare il potere, ...

The inspiring story of a pathbreaking 1919 flight and the courageous fliers who risked their lives to make aviation history.In 1919, in Newfoundland, four teams of aviators came from Britain to compete in “the Big Hop”: an audacious race to be the first to fly, nonstop, across the Atlantic Ocean. One pair of competitors was forced to abandon the journey halfway, and two pairs never made it into the air. Only one team, after a death-defying sixteen-hour flight, made...

A must-read for those intrigued by the ever-shifting landscape of unconventional warfare and its profound impact on contemporary global dynamics Throughout history, conflicts have given rise to unconventional forms of warfare, often propelled by personal, religious, tribal, or national ambitions. Historian David Rooney highlights pivotal figures such as the Maccabees, Napoleon, the Boer Wars, Michael Collins, Mao Tse Tung, T. E. Lawrence, Castro, Guevara, the Guerrillas of World War II, an...

A captivating, surprising history of timekeeping and how it has shaped our world.For thousands of years, people of all cultures have made and used clocks, from the city sundials of ancient Rome to the medieval water clocks of imperial China, hourglasses fomenting revolution in the Middle Ages, the Stock Exchange clock of Amsterdam in 1611, Enlightenment observatories in India, and the high-precision clocks circling the Earth on a fleet of GPS satellites that have b...

This penetrating biography tells the story of his life including his exploits in Norway and the early Commandos. It also uncovers new evidence revealing that his court martial was unjust.

The history of the world's most brutal surprise attacks: guerrilla warfare.Since man's earliest days, there has been conflict and, also from that point, unconventional forms of action where the norm was abandoned and the unorthodox employed. Here, historian David Rooney selects examples of the leaders who, for personal, religious, tribal, or national ambitions, have been trailblazers in this form of warfare.Tracing the origins of guerrilla theories back to ...

Joe Stilwell, known as Vinegar Joe” for his caustic personality, was stationed in Burma during World War II and famously differed in strategy from other commanders in his division. In retrospect analyses, it’s said that if he had gotten his way, the United States might have defeated the Communists in 1945 and changed the course of history.This meticulously-reached biography of Vinegar Joe presents an intimate account of his career, working as Chinese military leader Chiang Kai-she...

This book provides a political history of urban traffic congestion in the twentieth century, and explores how and why experts from a range of professional disciplines have attempted to solve what they have called ‘the traffic problem’.It draws on case studies of historical traffic projects in London to trace the relationship among technologies, infrastructures, politics, and power on the capital’s congested streets. From the visions of urban planners to the concrete realities of en...

A well written and in-depth overview of the life and literary accomplishments of Ronald Knox, the famous Catholic convert and apologist from England who was a major figure in the English Catholic literary revival in the first half of the twentieth century.Rooney presents a look at the full range of Knox's writings including his apologetics, detective fiction, satire and other genres, offering an intellectual portrait that is fascinating and engaging. He includes a heavy dose of samp...

The inspiring story of a pathbreaking 1919 flight and the courageous fliers who risked their lives to make aviation history.In 1919, in Newfoundland, four teams of aviators came from Britain to compete in "the Big Hop": an audacious race to be the first to fly, nonstop, across the Atlantic Ocean. One pair of competitors was forced to abandon the journey halfway, and two pairs never made it into the air. Only one team, after a death-defying sixteen-hour flight, made...

An absorbing historical biography of the couple wed amid the chaos of the Napoleonic wars and their adventures from Europe to Asia to South Africa.The manner of their meeting was unprecedented. In 1812, during the lawless mayhem that followed the capture of Badajoz, Spain, by Wellington, a fourteen-year-old Spanish girl sought the protection of Captain Harry Smith. They fell in love and married shortly after. From then on, their lives and careers were inextricably ...