Wales, a land of rolling hills, ancient castles, and enduring myths, holds a unique and deeply significant place in the history of the British Isles. While the familiar tales of dragons, heroic kings, and legendary battles captivate the imagination, there exists a far richer, more intricate narrative waiting to be explored—one filled with stories of resilience, creativity, and a steadfast cultural pride that has endured through centuries. Echoes of the Dragon's Land invites readers on an e...

In the quiet village of Wick, where life is usually simple and peaceful, something dark and sinister is lurking beneath the surface. When Amelia’s best friend, Isla, suddenly vanishes; her very existence erased from memories and social media, Amelia and her cousins are thrown into a modern-day fairytale, where danger and magic hide in plain sight.The Vanishing Pact is a spellbinding blend of old-world enchantment and modern technology. When Amelia and her cousins uncover the truth ...

From the very beginnings of Wales, its people have defined themselves against their large neighbour. Wales: England's Colony? shows, that relationship has not only defined what it has meant to be Welsh, it has also been central to making and defining Wales as a nation. Yet the relationship between the two nations has not always been a happy one and never one between equals. Wales was England's first colony and its conquest was by military force. It was later formally annexed, ending its se...

High and popular culture; family, race, gender and class relations; sexual attitudes and material conditions; science and technology - the diversity of social developments in Britain from 1945 to 2002 are thoroughly explored in this new edition of aclassic text.'Something of a tour de force... Without serious distortion or omission he moves dexterously through a wide variety of sources, ranging from poetry through film and novels to opinion polls.. it is astonishing how much he get...

Should England be independent from Scotland?May 1999. The Scots have their first opportunity in 300 years to elect their own parliament. In 2014 that referendum will finally take place.To many in England, the continuing rise of Scottish nationalism causes unease. Scotland could well choose to leave the United Kingdom. In this provocative polemic, Simon Heffer argues that England must let Scotland go. The lessons of trying to coerce Ireland should have been learnt: there is ...

This year marks the centenary of Harold Wilson's birth, the fiftieth anniversary of his most impressive general election victory and forty years since his dramatic resignation as Prime Minister. He was one of the longest-serving premiers of the twentieth century, having won a staggering four general elections, yet, despite this monumental record, his place in Labour's history remains somewhat ambiguous.By the end of his two periods in power, both the left and right of the party were...

Beloved, reviled – and not only by Glaswegians – Glasgow isn't just the Industrial Revolution nor the Victorian slums. Founded in the sixth century, its forebears pushed back the Romans.The roof of its cathedral, founded in the twelfth century, survived the Reformation. Its fifteenth-century university welcomed Adam Smith and the Enlightenment. It prospered from sugar, tobacco, cotton and slavery in the eighteenth century, and saw the rise of the R...

The House of Commons is increasingly held in contempt by the British public. From attending parties during the Covid-19 lockdown to taking payment for lobbying, MPs undermine their credibility by acting as if the rules they set for others should not apply to them. Still far from representative of the country they govern from the ancient and crumbling Palace of Westminster, MPs appear detached from the lives led by their constituents – conducting their business according to rules and proced...

Some of the most exciting writers in and from Wales consider the future of Wales and the UK and their place in it.What does it mean to imagine Wales and ‘The Welsh’ as something both distinct and inclusive? In Welsh (Plural), some of the foremost Welsh writers consider the future of Wales and their place in it.For many people, Wales brings to mind the same old collection of images – if it’s not rug...

My Scotland, Our Britain: A Future Worth Sharingis a highly personal account of Gordon Brown's Scotland, the nation he was born in, and our Britain, the multinational state that the Scots, English, Welsh and Northern Irish have created and share.Laying bare his family's ancestry over 300 years of the Union and explaining how it shaped his background, Brown charts what it was like growing up in Scotland in the 1950s and 1960s, and explains the influence of religion, education and Sc...

A lively and inviting history of Belfast—exploring the highs and lows of a resilient cityModern Belfast is a beautiful city with a vibrant tradition of radicalism, industry, architectural innovation, and cultural achievement. But the city’s many qualities are all too frequently overlooked, its image marred by association with the political violence of the Troubles.Feargal Cochrane tells the story of his home city, revealing a rich and complex history which ...

A polemical history of municipal socialism in London - and an argument for turning this capitalist capital red again.A polemical history of municipal socialism in London -- and an argument for turning this capitalist capital red again.London is conventionally seen as merely a combination of the financial centre in the City and the centre of governmental power in Westminster, a uniquely capitalist capital city. This book is about the third London - a social ...