In 1864 the Austrian Archduke Maximilian went to assume a distant throne. The operatic episode ended in his death by firing squad, famously memorialised by Manet.
An elegant exploration of how British Prime Ministers, from Eden to Blair and beyond, have engaged in the Middle East under the misconception that they could help solve disputes because they... read more
The rise of Suleyman the Magnificent is told with a clever balance of the close (viziers, lovers, military commanders) and the distant (Venice, popes, emperors, Christendom and its interneci... read more
The heady world described by Waugh - but, besides the fun and aristocrats, there were men with shellshock, women reading for degrees, and a false sense of security as Hitler rose to power.
This is likely to be one of the best of the many books we will see about the context and impact of Covid, from the great social historian of postwar Britain. (The eponymous 'duty of care' is... read more
By looking at the surviving remains of eleven ships, from a prehistoeric prow to the propellor of an ocean liner, TM has written a fascinating maritme history of Britain.
The story of one of the most daring raids of WW2, after which 5 VCs were awarded. GW argues that the raid was misconceived and that its object was only attained by the astonishing bravery of... read more
After looking at the bleak trajectory of Erdogan's regime, DB argues that Turkey's democratic instincts and economic ties to Europe will win in the end.
The editor of the New Statesman takes a handful of news stories from the last two decades, and reflects on what they mean for England as a nation. A compassionate and readable analysis of h... read more
The cult which believed a band of politicians and celebrities were in fact cannibalistic paedophiles conspiring against Trump... Sommer investigates how such a farcical theory managed to gen... read more
Another outing for the spy hunter Jonas Merrick, which begins with a Russian agent defecting in Denmark. The retired MI5 agent, dragged away from his caravan and quiet life, is known by youn... read more