Showing results for "sam willis"

Discover the Unexpected Stories Behind World War IIDive into Histories of the Unexpected: World War II and explore the war through a new lens. Sam Willis and James Daybell reveal the surprising stories behind everyday objects and cultural icons, connecting seemingly unrelated topics to the major events of the era.From the role of carrots in wartime propaganda to the symbolism of Mozart, uncover the fascinating social...

Discover the Tudor era like never before with unexpected tales of everyday life!Dive into the intriguing world of the Tudors through a unique lens, exploring not just monarchs and battles, but also the surprising histories behind cannibalism, shrinking, bells, and hats. Uncover the fascinating connections between these seemingly ordinary subjects and the grand narratives of the Tudor dynasty.Is this for you? Absolutely, if you're a history enthusiast seekin...

France, early summer 1794. The French Revolution has been hijacked by the extreme Jacobins and is in the grip of The Terror. While the guillotine relentlessly takes the heads of innocents, two vast French and British fleets meet in mid-Atlantic after a week of skirmishing.The French, in ships painted blood-red and bearing banners proclaiming 'la République ou la mort!' are escorting an American grain convoy to Brest to feed a starving population. Their ships are manned by a mutinou...

Admiral John Benbow was an English naval hero, a fighting sailor of ruthless methods but indomitable courage. Benbow was a man to be reckoned with.In 1702, however, when Benbow engaged a French squadron off the Spanish main, other ships in his squadron failed to support him. His leg shattered by a cannon-ball, Benbow fought on - but to no avail: the French escaped and the stricken Benbow succumbed to his wounds. When the story of his 'Last Fight' reached England, there was an outcr...

Shipwrecks have captured our imagination for centuries. Here acclaimed historian Sam Willis traces the astonishing tales of ships that have met with disastrous ends, along with the ensuing acts of courage, moments of sacrifice and episodes of villainy that inevitably occurred in the extreme conditions. Many were freak accidents, and their circumstances so extraordinary that they inspired literature: the ramming of the Essex by a sperm whale was immortalized in Herman Melville's

The extraordinary story of the mighty Temeraire, the ship behind J. M. W. Turner's iconic painting.The H.M.S. Temeraire, one of Britain’s most illustrious fighting ships, is known to millions through J. M. W. Turner’s masterpiece, The Fighting Temeraire (1839), which portrays the battle-scarred veteran of Britain’s wars with Napoleonic France. In this evocative new volume, Sam Willis tells the extraordinary story of the vessel behind the ...

A fascinating naval perspective on one of the greatest of all historical conundrums: How did thirteen isolated colonies, which in 1775 began a war with Britain without a navy or an army, win their independence from the greatest naval and military power on earth?The American Revolution involved a naval war of immense scope and variety, including no fewer than twenty-two navies fighting on five oceans—to say nothing of rivers and lakes. In no other war were so many l...

Part of the ALL-NEW LADYBIRD EXPERT SERIES- Why was the Battle of the Nile so decisive in the French Revolutionary Wars?- Why did the French believe they were unassailable?- And why did Nelson and the British win?TRACK the revolutionary roots and dramatic turning points of the British Royal Navy's glorious victory over the French naval expedition to Egypt. From Napoleon's rise to prominence to Nelson's celebrated tactical leadership, discover ...

Uncover the Unexpected Stories Behind the Viking AgeDelve into the fascinating world of the Vikings with Histories of the Unexpected. This isn't your typical Viking history; explore the era through unexpected themes like hair grooming, break-ins, toys, and even teeth! Discover how these seemingly ordinary subjects reveal the vibrant, complex culture of the Norsemen.Sam Willis and James Daybell offer a fresh perspective, connecting seemingly unrelat...

Part of the ALL-NEW LADYBIRD EXPERT SERIES'Packs plenty of heft into its slender page count' HISTORY REVEALED- Why was the Battle of Trafalgar such an important British victory in the Napoleonic Wars?- How did the British fleet show their strength against the French and Spanish?- How did Nelson excel in his final battle?FOLLOW the daring strategy and brilliant leadership of Horatio Nelson in Britain's stunning triump...

Part of the ALL-NEW LADYBIRD EXPERT SERIES.____________Why did the Spanish launch their Armada on England?How did Francis Drake counter the Spanish threat?And why were so many ships lost at sea?In 1585 Spain was the most POWERFUL Empire in the known world.As tensions between PROTESTANT England and CATHOLIC Spain rose . . .SPAIN decided to INVADE ENGLAND.And launched the SPANISH ARMADAT...

Did you know that the history of the beard is connected to the Crimean War; that the history of paperclips is all about the Stasi; and that the history of bubbles is all about the French Revolution? And who knew that Heinrich Himmler, Tutankhamun and the history of needlework are linked to napalm and Victorian orphans? In Histories of the Unexpected, Sam Willis and James Daybell lead us on a journey of discovery that tackles some of the greatest historical themes but via entirely unexpecte...