United Kingdom Books

I really enjoyed this book. I not only enjoyed the supernatural aspect of this book, but the history of the area was very intriging. The perfect Halloween treat!

This has to be the best ghost plantation book I have ever read.
Louisiana has been so covered, but this book has stories from Savannah all the way up the Carolina Coast where most of the slave importation and plantations existed. Creepy voodoo, interesting family slave tribe and French master histories, love tragedies, railroad ghost, historical photographs-- mysterious and wonderful-- I was surprised, reading it all in one night's sitting.

North has done something no author has done with regard to his subject in far too long; he actually took the time to look into it and put forth his own thoughts instead of regurgitating the works of others. (Most notably Stanley's "search for AS paganism") Just when I thought there was little ground left to break on the subject, along comes North's book and challenges long held and long overlooked aspects of Anglo Saxon pagan belief. From the onset of the book to the final chapter on Paulinus and the Stultus Error (which is brilliant I would like to add)I did not set this book down once. A must have for the student of Anglo Saxon culture and Theodisc Heathens alike. Brilliant work from a brilliant scholar. Wes thu Peter North hal!

While I found Mr North's overall view of Anglo Saxon Heathenry a bit short, his specific information and his comparitive knowledge and examples with the rest of the Germanic world is a treasure for todays Heathen/Asatruar. If you can spare the $, and are not new to Heathenry, get this book. You will be amazed at what hints of Heathenry survived in Anglo Saxon literature. Wes Heathens Hal! :-)

I had the privilege of being Dr. William A. Sessions' research assistant at Georgia State University, and I have never seen, before or since, a work of such outstanding scholarly research written in his unique style of combining scholarship with human insight -- making this work accessible to all, and extremely useful to the academic community. It is a fascinating story, well told--possibly the first academic "page-turner." This important biography is written with such insight and so compellingly one cannot put it down. It is an extraordinary work by a brilliant scholar who is also a marvelous writer.

The Earl of Surrey was the co-founder, along with Sir Thomas Wyatt, of modern English poetry; the whole procession from Spenser and Shakespeare down to Yeats and Eliot starts with Surrey and Wyatt. Surrey's most notable contributions were the creation of English blank verse and the development of the English sonnet from Italian models; without Surrey we should not have Shakespeare as we know him. Surrey was also a distinguished soldier and a loving husband, who was executed for treason at age twenty-nine.

The nineteenth century produced two excellent lives of Surrey, those of G. F. Nott and Edmond Bapst, the latter in French. The twentieth century had not done so well, as the principal accomplishment of Surrey's 1938 biographer, Edwin Casady, was translating Bapst's discoveries into English. William Sessions swings the balance the other way, his Henry Howard, the Poet Earl of Surrey being a magnificent tour of Surrey's life, his poetry, and his world.

Sessions offers the first fully integrated biography of Surrey, addressing his art, family, society, culture, religion, travels, and military career. The book is based on a massive amount of research, both archival and geographical, for Sessions visited virtually every site of importance in Surrey's life. The illustrations alone, some never published before or not properly identified, almost justify the cost of the book.

Sessions corrects many key facts of Surrey's unevenly documented career. He shows, for example, that Surrey was a moderate Protestant, whereas Nott, Bapst, and Casady simply assume that Surrey shared their own religious views--an approach complicated by the fact that Nott was a Protestant while the other two were Catholics. Getting Surrey's religion straight is absolutely essential to understanding a short life spent at the center of the escalating violence of the early Reformation. Finally, Sessions uses the full texts of the original documents concerning Surrey's downfall (instead of reading the published summaries), thereby untangling much of the mystery that occurred amid the religious strife, dynastic uncertainty, and naked ambition at the end of the reign of Henry VIII.

This book is an examination of the organization and armament of the British army from its crushing victory at Agincourt in 1415 to its defeat by French patriots at Castillon in 1453.

After a brief introduction (which includes a geneology of Anglo-French kings of the 14th and 15th Centuries and a useful chronology) the book discusses the battle formations, troop types, and social origins of Henry the Fifth's soldiery. Next the weaponry, armor, heraldry, and horses of the army are all discussed, albeit rather briefly. Following this is a brief summary of King Henry's campaign in France. After this are sections in discipline, logistics, training, experience of battle, and garrison life for Henry's troops, as well as brief sections on the navy and artillery of the English army of the Hundred Years War.

The plates, by the talented Graham Turner, are detailed, attractive, and do a good job of supporting the text. Overall this is a worthy effort, covering all arenas of this topic concisely and readably. It should be highly useful to a wargamer or amateur military historian researching this era.

Henry V and the Conquest of France is a Great Book to read and look at the pictures. Top of the line on Henry the V

I loved this book. It wasn't a dry historical recap, but a very funny, interesting, and informative read. There were lots of extra tidbits sprinkled throughout the book about how life was back then, and that added to the enjoyment. The illustrations were terrific and enhanced the text. I highly recommend for junior high, and even for adults!

Henry VIII and his Chopping Block is a wonderful way to get kids to actually want to read history! It's all unbelievingly true. Henry VIII is a fun and funny way to learn about England's most famous king. What were his manners like(you may not want to know)? What were the secrets of his six wives? Get the chief executioner's tips on how to die. Read the Tudor Tatler, the newspaper of the time. Get the truth on how they dressed, what they did, what they ate, and...how they died. Read Henry's "Secret Diary". Be sure to read the "For the Chop" letters which tell the real storys on famous people who died because fat Henry lost his temper(quite normal, compared to other things he did).This first quality book is complete with HISTARICAL cartoon illustrations. Buy it today.

This is a comprehensive work that covers the history of the GHB, dance tune as well as military traditions, pibroch, and construction. This is a wonderful resource for pipers and anybody with an interst in the pipes; it is a thorough discussion of the GHB's history and music. And my fellow piping students will appreciate its discussion about practice chanters and tutoring methods throughout the ages. Incidentally, there is a fair amount of information on other pipes.

One of the best comprehensive examinations of the Highland pipes out there! Historical information is clear and unusually accurate, avoiding romance. Covers the development of the GHB and its attendant uses and traditions from its earliest appearances through the present day; truly an impressive work. Cannon's scholarship is unassailable.

This book took a time and a man, explained the truth of the time and captured my heart. Knowing there was King and how Mr. Reno went about proving his existance was interesting, intreeging, heart warming and fun. I can not wait for the next book!

"The Historic King Arthur" is perhaps not a book suited for first-time travelers through the murky forests of Arthurian history, searching for the reality behind fifteen centuries of myths and tales. It might be best to first read one or more other works dealing with this great mystery before tackling Frank Reno's highly detailed, deep-delving study of the ancient sources that shed light upon the question. That way, the journey through the writings of Gildas and Nennius and Geoffrey of Monmouth and various scribes and poets will not be quite so daunting. But make no mistake about it, once some fundamental grounding in the basics of the Arthurian quest has been obtained, then "The Historic King Arthur" (and its sequel, "Historic Figures In the Arthurian Age") should be read carefully. Reno minutely examines each source (and most of them are to be found with numerous variations) to lay out his case for his solution to the central questions of the Arthurian mystery: Who was King Arthur? Where did he live? When did he live? Who were his enemies? What was his role in history? And what was really his name?

Reno acts as a guide in this journey in search of historical truth, explaining his methods and logic in evaluating the evidence, but he does not rigidly insist upon the absolute truth of his conclusions. Frequently, he explains that there are other reasonable answers to the questions than the one he favors. Sometimes, such as in his analysis of the locations of many of the battles fought by Arthur (as described in Reno's "Historic Figures In the Arthurian Era"), he concludes that no single "best" answer is really possible. At times, his explanations are complex and subtle to the point where the reader may have difficulty following the path Reno is laying out. That is perhaps a natural consequence of the type of evidence that must be used and of the detail in which it is presented. Usually, however, Reno returns to the same subject of investigation later in the book to again address the questions and to clarify his answers. Thus, attention to detail on the reader's part is required and patience must be exercised as the author slowly builds his case.

And what are Reno's answers to what above I termed the central questions? He believes that Arthur was of a Roman-British background, operating as a high king primarily in Wales and the adjacent midlands, although also in southern England and northern Gaul, from the middle of the Fifth Century AD through the early portion of the Sixth. Reno contends that many of Arthur's campaigns were waged not against Saxon hordes fresh from Germany, but against Saxons who had been settled in Britain for one or more generations, these "English" Saxons being in league with leaders and forces of native British. And Reno believes that "Arthur" was a man known otherwise to history as Ambrosius Aurelianus and as Riothamus and finally as Arthurex, not a name at all but an epithet connoting his status as a great leader.

I will not claim that I am yet wholly convinced of this "triad" equation of Ambrosius Aurelianus, Riothamus, and Arthur but, as the author himself points out, rejection of this total identity does not negate the validity of many parts of Reno's overall work. I found to be especial important Reno's conclusions regarding Cerdic, a "Saxon" king with a wholly Celtic name, and Cerdic's people, the West Saxons. If Reno is correct, our understanding of the Arthurian era must be substantially altered, with a consequence that the course of events becomes much more clear. I expect Reno's conclusions to be challenged - this is inevitable in a field where evidence is scant and subject to multiple interpretations - but at the very least he has provided us with a provocative, comprehensive portrait of man and era.

To my knowledge there is no other Arthurian study available to the general public that explores the ancient sources in such depth to provide answers to the old questions. If I might be critical of some peripheral features, I do wish that the index was somewhat more comprehensive and illuminating (given the complexity of the issues at hand, I found myself turning to the index again and again to go back to earlier points) and the maps, although numerous, sometimes lack the visual clarity that could have been achieved. Nonetheless, "The Historic King Arthur" and "Historic Figures In the Arthurian Era" are books that should be of great interest to anyone seriously interested in attempting to glimpse the real King Arthur.

This was the 3rd and final volume of this remarkable series. With the demise of so many fine old regimental bands from the British army, Gordon Turner with help from Kneller Hall, the army school of music, attempted to chronicle the fascinating history of these bands. Included are many fine photos, past and present. Extensive band histories are referenced throughout, with listings of bandmasters and directors of music, as well as regimental music played, and just general info. of importance. Many fine, rich stories are to be found here. The emphasis of this volume was on the bands of the Light Division and the Irish Regiments. Many others are included as well. All have colorful histories included with many references to bands and units long gone from the British army list. Included is a special CD played by the Band of the Royal Signals Corps which includes many of the regimental music listed in this work. The cover is a recent picture of the Band of the Light Division, now a single 47 piece band. All that remains of the bands of the Royal Green Jackets and Light Infantry. Soon this band will be changed yet again as the recent cuts will reduce it to a staff band of just 35. The title will be changed to the Band of the Rifles. A bland sounding title for sure! A sad loss for the many fans of this band over the years. This is niche book, highly recommended for those into military music, and British regimental bands in particular.

This was part of a comprehensive 3 vol. history of British military bands. The purpose was to document the history and pictures of these bands before many were downsized and amalgamated in the early 1990s. The book succeeds very well in accomplishing this goal. Lovers of military music will be saddened by how many of these bands are no more. Still, there is a lot here to enjoy. This volume covered mostly cavalry bands and staff bands. The color photos are great. Each band has its history, showing regimental music played, noteable events, famous bandmasters, etc. Considering how sketchy much of this history is, the author has done a fine job collecting what info. is available. Since these are out of print now the price tends to be high, but they are well worth collecting. The accompanying audio CD played by the band of the Royal Signals provides some of the appropriate regimental music for many of the bands listed. A true gem for the military music buff. The cover shows the massed bands of the Royal Armored Corps at one of their last occasions together during the Royal Tournament of 1991.

Now in an updated and revised second edition, Julian Friedmann's How To Make Money Scriptwriting offers the aspiring scriptwriter with a "user friendly" guide to identifying what audiences want and understanding their emotional needs; developing ideas for film and television drama; writing successful treatments and step outlines; pitching ideas and scripts; handling development meetings; negotiating contracts; protecting ideas, treatments and scripts; and establishing copyright. A highly recommended and comprehensive introduction, How To Make Money Scriptwriting is a kind of "how to" course in every aspect of the script writing process under one cover.

This book has all the agents' secrets and tricks that writers do not usually know. I don't know why Julian Friedmann has given all his insider's knowledge to his competitors, but it is good that he has. He even tells you how to fire your agent and do it yourself!

Hugh Gaitskell is largely a forgotten presence in the Labour Party of today but as Brian Brivati (intentionally or otherwise) manages to convey to the reader, this neglect may have something to do with the fact that this former British Labour Party leader had a style and a substance that has rarely been seen since. Although clearly not as sympathetic towards his subject as Gaitskell's earlier biographer, Philip Williams, he still leaves us with an impression of a man who was much misunderstood and maligned by many at the time in his own party.

Hugh Gaitskell was a passionate orator who for much of his life, struggled with the twin impulses to on the one side conceal that passion in favour of reason and sense, and on the other, to realize that that same passion could be useful as a political weapon to disarm his opponents not just in his own party but also beyond in the Conservative and Liberal parties of his day. For much of his short political life, Brivati contends that when the former wasn't predominating, the latter could appear to disastrous party political consequences. The dispute over 'specs and false teeth' around the time of Gaitskell's one and only budget points to the stubbornness of a futile passion for the Atlanticist policies of the post war Attlee Government over what could have been a more reasonable accommodation with Nye Bevan as the Minister for Health and powerful ex-officio leader of the Left. Gaitskell then went on to foolishly support the expulsion of Nye Bevan for his controversial attempts to foist a left wing direction on the opposition when Labour left office in 1951. Brivati shows us that the always deeply complex and fascinating Gaitskell was at his most ineffective when his drive for what was `reasonable' could become a `passion' not justifiable by the facts that at other times he could be equally passionate to elicit both from himself and others.

However, another more effective and controlled passion dominates his years as leader of the Labour Party afte! r 1955. See in particular, Brivati's account of the 1956 Suez crisis, the defense debates/ of 1960-61 and the famous Common Market speech of 1962. These controversies contain some of Gaitskell's finest and most brilliant speeches, and with the proper access to the video and sound recordings, this would be self-evident to anyone who listened.

Brian Brivati has written a biography from the perspective of someone who likes distance from his subject - he wasn't born until two years after Gaitskell died. The ultimate achievement of this biography is that it is finely balanced between the 'hero' of Philip Williams'' richly documented 1978 biography, and the villain of Michael Foot's biography of his 'hero' Nye Bevan. Unlike Brivati, both Williams and Foot had the fortune or misfortune to have known Gaitskell personally. Where these two had been inspired to write dramatically diverse but equally passionate accounts, Brivati 's sense of balance leads him to weave a careful line in and around the two sides to Gaitskell's reputation - both then and subsequently. He therefore succeeds in dropping by at both camps. Unfortunately. this approach is likely to be infuriating to the supporters of both left and right for its seeming willingness to play the part of appreciative guest at both houses and to then show that what was offered was far from being the poisoned chalice that each side would like to claim of the other. As an admirer of Gaitskell to the point where I once lobbied hard to meet his first major biographer, Philip Williams, I have to admit to sharing in that infuriation whilst also rejoicing that by the end, the side Brivati chooses to leave us with, veers more conclusively towards the 'hero'. In the final analysis, it is his interpretation of the depressing years for the Labour Party subsequent to Gaitskell's death in 1963 which become their own justification for why it is still hard for some people to move beyond their fascination with Gaitskell's style, democratic socialist beliefs and rare ! sense of integrity. Brian Brivati is no less caught and trapped than Philip Williams and Michael Foot once were.....

Hugh Gaitskell was leader of the British Labour Party from 1955 till his tragic premature death in 1963. That period, in which Labour was continuously in opposition, was marked by internal strife between Right and Left within Labour's ranks, on such issues as nuclear disarmament, with Gaitskell representing the pro-Nato, Atlanticist wing of British social democracy.
Brivati's book is a model biography: balanced, historically-informed, and original. It portrays Gaitskell as a politician of immovable convictions about the proper end-state of a good society, and fewer fixed ideas about the means to achieve them. Most important, it relates Gaitskell's ideas to the changes in western society that have taken place since his death, and tries to assess his historical significance. And it compares him with his obvious successor, Tony Blair, who succeeded where Gaitskell failed in getting Labour to jettison its historic commitment to public ownership. Brivati sympathetically portrays Gaitskell's revisionism, which was 30 years ahead of its time; his irrevocable commitment to the values of western liberal democracy, an instinct that led to his courageous and historically vindicated stand opposing unilateral nuclear disarmament; and his insights into the political implications of what was then known as the Common Market. But Brivati also makes a telling point that Gaitskell's belief in equality and indicative planning has been rendered largely irrelevant by modern economic developments. There are still aspects of Gaitskell's political judgement that are timeless strengths and that stand out from this book. Brivati comments, "Gaitskell's revisionism offered a process of asking of each institution and relationship in our society: What is it for? Who [sic] does it benefit? Should it be changed?" That process of interrogation is an essential one for a healthy democracy, even if Gaitskell's criteria for answering those questions have been superseded by events. Moreover, Gaitskell, so far from his image of a dry technocrat, was a man of passion combined with a critical intellect. Though the collectivist ideology that informed his egalitarian principles has now (as Brivati again rightly comments) slipped into history, the wish for a more tolerant and gentle society has not. To that extent, Brivati's book is an inspiring as well as a scholarly and informative read.