Featuring a foreword by Ben Ainslie, Olympic gold medal winner, this book reveals the stories behind the apparatus used by sailors and navigators. It tells how: Frenchman Boulanger produced the first binoculars in 1859; and William Armstrong devised the yacht winch. It also covers: screw propellers; radio telephones; fibreglass boat, and more.

The early Scottish kingdom underwent a fundamental transformation between the tenth and twelfth centuries. This book on early medieval Scottish history considers how and why the Scottish kingdom was changed at this time. It looks at the role of individuals who initiated or influenced this process.

Juan and Eva Peron formed a charismatic partnership, arousing passionate emotions in Argentina during the 1940s and '50s. Juan Peron's rise to power began in 1943 when he helped organise the successful coup of pro-Axis army officers. Eva, a former actress and subject of scandal, became increasingly influential, securing the vote for women.

Omar Khayyam was a brilliant, controversial 11th century Persian mathematician and astronomer. This title tells the story of how a book of poetry has provided delight and fascination for centuries. It looks at the world of early Islamic Persia and the literary and artistic scene in England in the second half of the 19th century.

Years ago Garth Groombridge recorded the changing scene in Teddington, Twickenham and the Hamptons - focusing particularly on buildings that were due for demolition. He uses his photographs to travel back in time - to a period when these Thames-side communities were a lot more 'villagey'. This title takes you on a trip down the memory lane.

What the initials AAA stand for? Which chemical is used to decaffeinate coffee? What Ginseng tea is? Who invented the patent still? What Xynisteri denotes? This book addresses these questions.

When Britain declared war on Germany in 1939, football came to a halt. Stadiums were given over to military, most players joined up. Then it was realised that if victory was the national goal, soccer could help - and football went to war. This book captures the atmosphere of the time and tells the story of a unique period in football's history.

Helps us take a tour round a courtly palace and peep around each door, as we encounter the kitchens, the bakery, the laundry, the bedrooms, the gardens and the privvies. This book describes the different lifestyles of the court, and the people who served them.

Quiet killers

History of football

Beginning with an account of the blitz in Wales, and ending with more than fifty personal stories from Welsh people who were touched by the war both at home and abroad, this book offers a portrait of the principality between 1939 and 1945.

A disastrous history of Britain

Born in 1916 into an Irish Catholic family, Jennie Hawthorne spent her formative years in the heart of the East End, in a truly multicultural community. The anecdotes in this title are suffused by the sights, sounds and smells of the East End in the 1920s and '30s. It aims to serve as an evocation of a bygone age.

Why and how does religion fuel fighting, death and destruction? This is the central question addressed here. This book examines the history of religious violence, looking at patterns and causes, consistencies and aberrations. It also looks at the relationship between religion and politics.

In 1914, the Royal Navy was the largest in the world, as the 'two power standard' meant that it had to be equal to the combined strength of any two other fleets. Yet, the Royal Navy had also suffered from almost a century without war. This handbook tells the story of how the 'Senior Service' adapted to the demands of war.