Yorkshire is well known for its miners, pudding and cricket, but 'Yorkshire, A Very Peculiar History' scrapes beyond the surface and past the cliches. Featuring a host of characters from Yorkshire past and present, it's not all grit and grime! Tracing Yorkshire's history back through Roman and Viking rule, to the various tribes which populated the area in prehistoric times, this book covers the largest county in England from all angles. Featuring quirky tales of Yorkshire's crucial role in...

This year Queen Elizabeth II enjoys 60 glorious years as monarch with a Diamond Jubilee celebration to be held on 5th June 2012.Queen Elizabeth II, Her Story recounts the life of our Queen from her birth to present day. It is the story of a princess who became Queen and head of the Royal House of Windsor.* Birth of a Princess* The Little Princesses* Life in the Palace* Princess at War* Elizabeth becomes Queen* The Royla Family* Roya...

Exploring North Yorkshire's History - is a journey through the wonderfully varied landscape of North Yorkshire, and examines its rich history through contemporary colour photographs and words. North Yorkshire is England's largest county and being almost 100 miles wide and 65 miles long offers some of the country's most stunning scenery, from the breathtaking east coastline to the fabulous National Parks. Many of the areas we will explore throughout our journey have been designated Areas of...

'The best political weapon is the weapon of terror. Cruelty commands respect. Men may hate us. But, we don't ask for their love - only for their fear.'- Heinrich HimmlerThe Schutzstaffel, or SS - the brutal elite of the Nazi Party - was founded by Hitler in 1925 to be his personal bodyguard. From 1929 it was headed by Heinrich Himmler, who built its numbers up from under 300 to well over a million by 1945 as the SS grew to be the backbone of Nazi Germany, ta...

The incredible mysteries examined in this book will baffle and delight anyone fascinated by the inexplicable. Whether searching for the fabled Atlantis, trying to solve the horrific crimes of Jack the Ripper, or discovering the true identity of the man in the iron mask, this investigation of a world of mystery will intrigue and entertain.Join the author in the hunt for the crew of the Mary Celeste, or formulate your own theories on the existence of the yeti - and enjoy this fascina...

From the acclaimed military historian, a history of the outbreak of World War I: the dramatic stretch from the breakdown of diplomacy to the battles—the Marne, Ypres, Tannenberg—that marked the frenzied first year before the war bogged down in the trenches.In Catastrophe 1914, Max Hastings gives us a conflict different from the familiar one of barbed wire, mud and futility. He traces the path to war, making clear why Germany and Austria-Hungary were primarily to blame, and...

Mystery surrounds virtually every aspect of the Templar story, from their origins in the aftermath of the First Crusade, through their rise to supreme wealth and power - dominating medieval Europe for nearly two centuries - to their abrupt and dramatic suppression. Ferociously punished for alleged heresy and depravity at the beginning of the 14th century, their story is believed to have ended there, merely an interesting historical footnote. But did they, as many now believe, survive in se...

“It’s not easy to stay alive with a $1,000 bounty on your head.”In 1967, a bullet cost thirteen cents, and no one gave Uncle Sam a bigger bang for his buck than the 5th Marine Regiment Sniper Platoon. So feared were these lethal marksmen that the Viet Cong offered huge rewards for killing them. Now noted Vietnam author John J. Culbertson, a former 5th Marine sniper himself, presents the riveting true stories of young Americans who fought with bolt rifles a...

What was it really like to be at sea in the Navy with Nelson? Were the sailors excited about the Battle of Trafalgar, or suffering scurvy? How did life compare between those of a high range, and those who served them? What were conditions like below the decks, living among the rats and the filth? How did you cope if you suffered from sea sickness? This book takes you back in time to see, hear, smell and taste what life was really like for these brave sailors at sea.

Do you remember Pathé News?Taking the train to the seaside?The purple stains of iodine on the knees of boys in short trousers?Knitted bathing costumes?Then the chances are you were born in or around 1950. To the young people of today, the 1950s seem like another age.But for those born around then, this era of childhood feels like yesterday. This delightful collection...

Five figures gather round a shallow grave. They had all taken turns to dig. An adult sized hole would have taken longer. An innocent life had been taken but the pact had been made. Their secrets would be buried, bound in blood…Years later, a headmistress is found strangled, the first in a spate of gruesome murders which shock the Black Country. But when human remains are discovered at a former children’s home, disturbing secrets are also unearthed.Detect...

If you’ve ever wanted to know where the Underground’s station names come from, then this is the book for you! London by Tube is an essential read for anyone curious about London and its historic Underground. The book takes the reader on a fascinating journey around the Tube network to reveal the history behind the names of all 268 stations. Packed full of lively stories about the colourful characters and remarkable events connected to the places that bear these names, the book delves deep ...