Bloomsbury presents The Health Gap by Michael Marmot, read by Chris Courtenay.'Punchily written … He leaves the reader with a sense of the gross injustice of a world where health outcomes are so unevenly distributed' Times Literary Supplement'Splendid and necessary' Henry Marsh, author of Do No Harm, New StatesmanThere are dramatic differences in health between countries and within countries. But this is not a simple matter of rich and poor.A poor man in Gla...

Bloomsbury presents The Last Dynasty by Toby Wilkinson, read by Chris Courtenay.**'**A truly splendid read, richly detailed and powered by an unfailing gift for storytelling’ JOHN GUY'Superb and gripping' SIMON SEBAG MONTEFIOREA definitive and thrilling new account of the last great dynasty of ancient Egypt, from Alexander the Great to Cleopatra.When Alexander the Great arrived in Egypt, he overthrew...

Bloomsbury presents The Man Who Stopped the Sultan: Gabriele Tadino and the Defence of Europe by Edoardo Albert, read by Chris Courtenay.An extraordinary account of how one man defied the most powerful ruler of his age and in doing so changed the course of European history.Throughout the 16th century, wars raged across Europe as kings and republics jostled for wealth and power. Yet one man exceeded all these medieval princes of Christendom: Suleima...

Bloomsbury presents Aquinas at Prayer: The Bible, Mysticism and Poetry by Paul Murray OP, read by Chris CourtenayAquinas at Prayer draws attention to important aspects of Aquinas's life and work which have been all too often overlooked or forgotten.Today Aquinas is almost exclusively regarded as an outstanding scholastic philosopher and theologian. But what is little known is that Aquinas was, first and last, a teacher of ...

Bloomsbury presents How to Win Every Argument by Madsen Pirie, read by Chris Courtenay.In the second edition of this witty and infectious book, Madsen Pirie builds upon his guide to using – and indeed abusing – logic in order to win arguments. By including new chapters on how to win arguments in writing, in the pub, with a friend, on Facebook and in 140 characters (on Twitter), Pirie provides the complete guide to triumphing in altercations ranging from the everyday to the downrigh...

'A stunningly good and surely definitive biography of one of the most fascinating British engineers ever to have lived' JAMES HOLLANDBarnes Wallis is remembered for contributions to aviation that spanned most of the 20th century, from airships at its start to reusable spacecraft near the end. In the years between he pioneered new kinds of aircraft structure, bombs to alter the way in which wars are fought, and aeroplanes that could change shape in flight. Later wor...

Bloomsbury presents The Daily Reader for Contemplative Living by Thomas Keating O.C.S.O., read by Chris Courtenay.Thomas Keating was a Cistercian monk who founded the worldwide 'Contemplative Outreach', teaching people the art of meditation.This work brings together three prayer practices for each day of the year to enhance contemplative living. First, a brief "active prayer"; second, spiritual reading; and, third, Lectio Divina. The brief introductory prayer sentences are ...

Bloomsbury presents Nations in Arms: Five Armies That Made Europe by Barney White-Spunner, read by Chris Courtenay.A critical study of five historical armies that offers solutions for how contemporary forces need to change to deal with modern threats.The most important task of any government remains the defence of its state and its citizens. Traditionally governments have used armed forces to do this. World events and comparative peace in Europe si...

In The Story of Scandinavia, political scholar Stein Ringen chronicles more than 1,200 years of drama, economic rise and fall, crises, kings and queens, war, peace, language and culture.Scandinavian history has been one of dramatic discontinuities of collapse and restarts, from the Viking Age to the Age of Perpetual War to the modern age today. For a thousand years, the Scandinavian countries were kingdoms of repression where monarchs played at the game of being European p...

Bloomsbury presents Active Meditations for Contemplative Prayer by Thomas Keating O.C.S.O., read by Chris Courtenay.Thomas Keating was a Cistercian monk who founded the worldwide 'Contemplative Outreach', teaching people the art of meditation.This is a compilation of quotes from his books, to be perused in times of peace as well as crisis. His distinct voice offers solace and wise teaching on the method of Centering Prayer and how it can affect one's daily life. An inspirat...

Bloomsbury presents The Soviet–Afghan War by Gregory Fremont-Barnes, read by Chris Courtenay.An overview of the USSR’s bloody conflict in Afghanistan and its long legacy.The Soviet invasion of its neighbour Afghanistan in December 1979 sparked a nine-year conflict until Soviet forces withdrew in 1988–89, dooming the communist Afghanistan government to defeat at the hands of the mujahideen, the Afghan popular resistance backed by the USA and other powers. Gregory Fremont-Bar...

Bloomsbury presents The Mystery of Christ by Thomas Keating O.C.S.O., read by Chris Courtenay.Thomas Keating was a Cistercian monk who founded the worldwide 'Contemplative Outreach', teaching people the art of meditation. Following upon Open Mind, Open Heart, which presents a profound formation in Christian prayer, this book demonstrates the contemplative dimension of Christian worship. Here Father Keating recovers the deeper sense of the liturgical year and shares a theological an...