Packed with dastardly details, this collection shares thrilling tales of spies from the ancient world of Sun Tzu to the latest cyber threats.From James Bond to Mata Hari, in scores of books and movies, and on the front pages of newspapers, spies have always captured our imagination. But what's the truth behind the fiction? The Secrets of Spies sheds light on the mysterious life of the spy, explaining the real-life origins of spying, examining some of histor...

A fascinating look at what might have happened had historical assassination attempts succeeded.If Hitler had died at any stage in the Second World War, would Germany have immediately sued for peace, or would the generals have taken over and fought a far more practical war than the obdurate Führer? Equally intriguing is the possible failed assassination attempt on General de Gaulle on British soil. Who, one wonders, was behind that scheme, and how would Anglo-French...

Frederick Maurice Crum (18791952) fought in the Second Boer War (18991902) in the Mounted Infantry, where he was wounded and taken prisoner. After peacetime service in India he retired due to the effects of his injuries, and became involved in the Boy Scout movement, founding the 7th Troop of Boy Scouts at Stirling in Scotland in 1909. On the outbreak of war in 1914 he rejoined the Rifle Corps and served with its 8th Battalion in France until 1919, specialising in trench sniping.Made up fr...

In this controversial new book, Adrian Gilbert reveals the real reason why Charles married Diana and how, through her, the Royal Family was reconnected with the line of King Arthur, the guardians of the Holy Grail. It's a story which goes back to Mary, the mother of Jesus, and Joseph of Arimathea, to the real King Arthur, ruler of Glamorgan and Pendragon of all Britain.Reinterpreting ancient sources in the light of recent discoveries, Gilbert takes the reader on a journey to Britai...

The story of King Arthur and the quest for the Holy Grail is well known; less so is that of the coming of Christianity to Britain at around the time of the Roman invasion. It is generally assumed that both these legends revolve around town of Glastonbury, yet the paucity of evidence for this assumption has always been troubling to those who like their history to be founded on fact. In this extraordinary book, Adrian Gilbert reveals the location to be not just of the true 'Avalon' or 'Glast...

A revolutionary book that explains the most enigmatic and fascinating wonder of the ancient world: the Pyramids of Egypt.In 1993, German robotics engineer Rudolf Gatenbrink discovered a sealed door within the Great Pyramid of Giza--a door left unopened for 4,500 years. With this discovery, Robert Bauval--who spent the decade prior to the discovery researching the pyramids--and Adrian Gilbert used astronomical data to reveal that more than just tombs, the pyramids w...

The Encyclopedia of Warfare is a chronological account of the development of warfare since the beginnings of recorded history. The book is organized in 10 chapters, each of which looks at a particular era in warfare from the ancient world to the present. Each chapter includes color maps of key campaigns, as well as commentary on battles, personalities, troops, and equipment. Sidebars throughout the main narrative focus on noteworthy aspects of the history of conflict. Through its ...

Join Adrian Gilbert on an exciting look at the Mayan Calendar and the many mysteries it holds. Discover why the year 2012 is predicted to be a year of exciting and extreme changes and the reasoning behind these changes. Learn why and how the ancient Maya, a people of exceptional astronomical skill and understanding, invented a calendar so accurate that it ends exactly when the Sun enters a specific portion of the Milky Way as it rises on the Winter Solstice, December 21, 2012, marking the ...

"In this era of AI and increasing automation, creativity is what sets us apart. Jeff and Staney DeGraff show us how to master the creative mindset." —Tan Le, Founder, EMOTIVNearly all of today's major innovation workshops and programs call on organizations to drive innovation. What they miss is that innovation comes from the personal creativity of individuals. And creativity doesn't require an advanced education or technical skills—all employees can be creative. Oft...

Why do some people effortlessly achieve financial success, yet others never do? You've worked hard to become financially successful, but you still feel frustrated. Unfortunately, rising inflation, rampant consumerism, and the growing length of retirement make this scenario all too common. A million dollars just isn't what it used to be. How can you finally stop worrying and begin enjoying the fruits of your success? In Spiraling Up, financial planner Steven Medland lays out a deceptively s...

The author of A Space Traveller's Guide to the Solar System shares 101 fascinatingly fun facts sure to change how you see outer space—and Earth.Did you know a compost heap generates as much energy as the Sun? Or that dung beetles use the Milky Way to navigate? Maybe you have not been into space but if you have then you will know that astronauts have feet as soft as babies! 101 Facts You Didn't Know About Space takes you on a wild journey around the...

"As wide-ranging, imaginative, and revealing as the maps they discuss, these essays . . . track how maps—interpreted broadly—convey time as well as space." —Richard White, Stanford UniversityMaps organize us in space, but they also organize us in time. Looking around the world for the last five hundred years, Time in Maps shows that today's digital maps are only the latest effort to insert a sense of time into the spatial medium of maps. Historians Kären Wi...