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1
Fall Out: A Year of Political Mayhem
by Tim Shipman -
2
A History of Britain, Volume III: The Fate of the Empire 1776–2000
by Simon Schama -
3
The Time of My Life
by Denis Healey -
4
The Road to 1945: British Politics and the Second World War
by Paul Addison -
5
Things Can Only Get Better: Eighteen Miserable Years in the Life of a Labour Supporter
by John O'Farrell
The best books on Modern British History, recommended by Andrew Hindmoor
The best books on Modern British History, recommended by Andrew Hindmoor
What will historians say about the latest period in British history? What has stayed the same, and what is vastly different from our parents’ generation? Andrew Hindmoor, professor of politics at the University of Sheffield and author of Twelve Days that Made Modern Britain, recommends books that give insights into contemporary British history.
The best books on Global History, recommended by Felipe Fernández-Armesto
Embracing global history allows us to see humans with a much clearer perspective. Historian Felipe Fernández-Armesto introduces us to some of the trailblazing books in the field, starting in the 2nd century BCE.
The best books on Dickens and Christmas, recommended by Robert Douglas-Fairhurst
When it was published on December 19th, 1843, Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol was an instant classic. As families settle in front of the fire to read it aloud on Christmas Eve, Oxford Professor of English Literature Robert Douglas-Fairhurst runs through the best of Dickens’s prolific writings about Christmas.
The Best Contemporary Fiction, recommended by Robert Eaglestone
The novel is no longer the king of the narrative arts, says the writer and academic Robert Eaglestone. Yet literature has never been more interesting. Here he discusses five excellent novels that exemplify current trends in contemporary fiction.
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1
Covert Action: Central Intelligence Agency and the Limits of American Intervention in the Post-War World
by Gregory Treverton -
2
Executive Secrets: Covert Action and the Presidency
by William J Daugherty -
3
MI6: The History of the Secret Intelligence Service 1909-1949
by Keith Jeffery -
4
The Mitrokhin Archive: The KGB in Europe and the West
by Christopher Andrew & Vasili Mitrokhin -
5
Rise and Kill First: The Secret History of Israel's Targeted Assassinations
by Ronen Bergman
The best books on Covert Action, recommended by Rory Cormac
The best books on Covert Action, recommended by Rory Cormac
Many of us live in democracies and believe in government transparency, but the truth is our leaders have considerable scope to engage in secret operations overseas. Rory Cormac talks us through five books on ‘covert action,’ and some of the countries that have embraced it as a policy tool.
The best books on Ancient Greece, recommended by Christopher Pelling
Ancient Greece’s legacy can be seen all around us, including in our political system — but many of us don’t know that much about it. Fortunately, we have someone who has devoted his life to studying this remote time and place to give us a reading list. Chris Pelling, Emeritus Regius Professor of Greek at Oxford, recommends his top five books on Ancient Greece.
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1
On War
by Carl von Clausewitz -
2
Yorck and the Era of Prussian Reform 1807
by Peter Paret -
3
L'or et le sang: Les buts de guerre économiques de la Première Guerre mondiale
by Georges-Henri Soutou -
4
Vessel of Sadness
by William Woodruff -
5
The Accidental Guerrilla: Fighting Small Wars in the Midst of a Big One
by David Kilcullen
The Best Military History Books, recommended by Hew Strachan
The Best Military History Books, recommended by Hew Strachan
It’s no longer enough for military history to be just about battles told from the the winning side. One of the great military historians of our time, Sir Hew Strachan, talks us through what makes a great military history.
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The Sorrow of Belgium
by Hugo Claus -
2
Belgium and the Congo, 1885-1980
by Guy Vanthemsche -
3
King Ottokar’s Sceptre
by Hergé -
4
The Legacy of Nazi Occupation: Patriotic Memory and National Recovery in Western Europe, 1945-1965
by Pieter Lagrou -
5
Souvenirs Pieux (Dear Departed)
by Marguerite Yourcenar
The best books on Belgium, recommended by Martin Conway
The best books on Belgium, recommended by Martin Conway
With a keen awareness of the vicissitudes of history and an ironic sense of national identity, Belgium is a country others could learn a lot from. Historian Martin Conway recommends some books to better understand Belgium/België/Belgique.
The best books on Sex in Victorian Literature, recommended by Claire Jarvis
We often assume the Victorians had puritanical attitudes to sex, but this was far from the reality. From familiar classics to neglected gems, Claire Jarvis—Stanford academic and author of Exquisite Masochism: Sex, Marriage and the Novel Form—selects the best books on sex in Victorian literature.
The best books on The European Union, recommended by Giles Merritt
The EU started life as a small trading bloc but now spans 28 (soon to be 27) countries with half a billion people. What can be done to help its institutions catch up with the new reality? Giles Merritt, author of Slippery Slope: Brexit and Europe’s Troubled Future, has some ideas.
The best books on Anthropocene Oceans, recommended by Jan Zalasiewicz
Geologist Jan Zalasiewicz tells us about the danger posed to oceans by the Anthropocene – and how we can work together to protect them
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1
The Brand Gap: How to Bridge the Distance Between Business Strategy and Design
by Marty Neumeier -
2
Brand Society: How Brands Transform Management and Lifestyle
by Martin Kornberger -
3
Ways of Seeing
by John Berger -
4
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind
by Yuval Noah Harari -
5
Chocolate Wars: From Cadbury to Kraft - 200 Years of Sweet Success and Bitter Rivalry
by Deborah Cadbury
The best books on Branding, recommended by Robert Jones
The best books on Branding, recommended by Robert Jones
To brand is human, says practitioner and professor Robert Jones. He recommends the five best books on branding.
The Best George Eliot Books, recommended by Philip Davis
George Eliot is all but synonymous with Victorian realism; for D H Lawrence, she was the first novelist to start ‘putting all the action inside.’ Here, Philip Davis, author of The Transferred Life of George Eliot, selects the best books by or about one of the greatest novelists of all time: ‘If you want to read literature that sets out to create a holding ground for raw human material—for human struggles, difficulties, and celebrations—read George Eliot’
The best books on Zombies, recommended by Greg Garrett
Zombies have returned with a vengeance in recent years, the secret to their undying popularity lying in their ability to embody many different kinds of menace, from social unrest to pandemics, financial insecurity to international terrorism. Greg Garrett, author of Living with the Living Dead, recommends five books to help you prepare for the zombie apocalypse
The best books on Ageing, recommended by Kathleen Taylor
Old age. We all hope to reach it, but there are big differences between a ‘good’ old age and one beset by dementia or Alzheimer’s. Neuroscientist and science writer, Kathleen Taylor, talks us through the latest science on ageing and the literary works that can give us a clearer picture of what it’s all about.
The best books on Continental Philosophy, recommended by Simon Critchley
What is the nature of human existence in the world? What should philosophy be concerned with as a discipline? Philosopher Simon Critchley introduces us to the landscape of continental philosophy.
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1
Christianity In The West 1400-1700
by John Bossy -
2
Salvation at Stake: Christian Martyrdom in Early Modern Europe
by Brad Gregory -
3
Martin Luther: Renegade and Prophet
by Lyndal Roper -
4
The Voices of Morebath: Reformation and Rebellion in an English Village
by Eamon Duffy -
5
For The Sake Of Simple Folk: Popular Propaganda for the German Reformation
by R W Scribner
The best books on The Reformation, recommended by Peter Marshall
The best books on The Reformation, recommended by Peter Marshall
On October 31st 1517, Martin Luther, an unknown friar in an obscure town in eastern Germany may or may not have posted a list of complaints to the door of his local church. His actions would lead to what was later called ‘the Reformation’ — a grisly period in European history that nonetheless paved the way for a more tolerant and pluralistic society. Peter Marshall, one of the period’s leading scholars, talks us through the best books on the Reformation.
Marina Warner on Fairy Tales
‘It’s a long time since ogres have seemed so absolutely real,’ says Marina Warner, author and long-time scholar of fairy tales. Which makes now as good a time as any to immerse ourselves in the twisted truths of the fairy tale realm, with Warner’s selection of the best books of, or about, other-worldly tales of mischief and subversion, dreams and laughter, ‘hope against hope’
Jim Baggott on Writing about Physics
Contemporary physics is so complex that no single physicist can be said to have a decent grasp of the full picture. This makes communicating physics a formidable challenge. Acclaimed popular science writer, Jim Baggott, talks us through this challenge by discussing his favourite physics books.
The best books on Oscar Wilde, recommended by Sos Eltis
Oscar Wilde cultivated an image of himself as an idle genius, dashing off masterpieces with a lazy brilliance. But below the glittering linguistic surface of his works, suggests Sos Eltis, lies an anarchic politics and a phenomenal analysis of power.
The best books on Humanism, recommended by Andrew Copson
Humanist ideas are not a recent phenomenon, but have been around for millennia, says Andrew Copson, chief executive of Humanists UK. He explains why it’s worth making a positive choice to be a humanist and recommends a great humanist reading list.
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1
The Divine Comedy: Inferno, Purgatorio, Paradiso
by Dante Alighieri -
2
Art and Illusion: A Study in the Psychology of Pictorial Representation
by E.H. Gombrich -
3
Leonardo da Vinci: i documenti e le testimonianze contemporanee
by Edoardo Villata -
4
The Literary Works of Leonardo da Vinci
by Jean Paul Richter -
5
Leonardo da Vinci
by Kenneth Clark
The best books on Leonardo da Vinci, recommended by Martin Kemp
The best books on Leonardo da Vinci, recommended by Martin Kemp
Every generation has its own Leonardo, and for many he remains a man of mystery. Martin Kemp, Emeritus Professor in Art History at Oxford and the author of the recently published Mona Lisa: The People and the Painting, helps us identify the non-mythical Leonardo. What might Leonardo be doing were he alive today, in our own digital age?
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Greek Thought, Arabic Culture
by Dimitri Gutas -
2
Great Medieval Thinkers: Avicenna
by Jon McGinnis -
3
Avicenna's 'De Anima' in the Latin West
by Dag Nikolaus Hasse -
4
Maimonides in His World: Portrait of a Mediterranean Thinker
by Sarah Stroumsa -
5
The Teleological Ethics of Fakhr al-Dīn al-Rāzī
by Ayman Shihadeh
The best books on Philosophy in the Islamic World, recommended by Peter Adamson
The best books on Philosophy in the Islamic World, recommended by Peter Adamson
Arabic philosophy was hugely influential during the Islamic Golden Age; at one point, the Persian polymath Avicenna’s influence outstripped that of Aristotle. But a strong tradition has continued in the centuries since, explains Professor Peter Adamson, as he selects five of the best books on the subject.
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Ordinary Men: Reserve Police Battalion 101 and the Final Solution in Poland
by Christopher Browning -
2
Jews, Germans, and Allies: Close Encounters in Occupied Germany
by Atina Grossmann -
3
A Brief Stop on the Road from Auschwitz
by Goran Rosenberg -
4
Dissonant Lives: Generations and Violence Through the German Dictatorships
by Mary Fulbrook -
5
Stasiland: Stories from Behind the Berlin Wall
by Anna Funder
The best books on Modern German History, recommended by Hester Vaizey
The best books on Modern German History, recommended by Hester Vaizey
In the 20th century, Germany suffered defeat in two world wars and withstood two kinds of dictatorship. Yet today it is Europe’s strongest economy. Hester Vaizey, fellow of Clare College, Cambridge, and author of Born in the GDR, selects five brilliant books on a tumultuous century.
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The Confessions
by Augustine (translated by Maria Boulding) -
2
The Cult of the Saints: Its Rise and Function in Latin Christianity
by Peter Brown -
3
Mother of God: A History of the Virgin Mary
by Miri Rubin -
4
Mohawk Saint: Catherine Tekakwitha and the Jesuits
by Allan Greer -
5
Between Heaven and Earth: The Religious Worlds People Make and the Scholars Who Study Them
by Robert Orsi
The best books on The Saints, recommended by Simon Yarrow
The best books on The Saints, recommended by Simon Yarrow
Heroes are universal to human culture and, in Christian culture, they manifested themselves as saints. Historian Simon Yarrow recommends the best books to understand the saints, from their widespread appearance in late antiquity to their continuing influence in modern America.
The best books on Military Strategy, recommended by Antulio Echevarria II
Texts about military strategy take us back into the mists of time but what it is, and what the nature of war is, remains hotly debated. Antulio Echevarria II of the US Army War College talks us through key books, both old and new, on military strategy.
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Pendulum Of War: Three Battles at El Alamein
by Niall Barr -
2
The Desert War: The Classic Trilogy on the North African Campaign 1940-43
by Alan Moorehead -
3
Rommel
by Desmond Young -
4
Montgomery and the Eighth Army
by Bernard Montgomery and Stephen Brooks (ed) -
5
The Most Dangerous Enemy: A History of the Battle of Britain
by Stephen Bungay
The best books on El Alamein, recommended by Simon Ball
The best books on El Alamein, recommended by Simon Ball
Churchill hailed the Allied victory at the Battle of El Alamein as “the end of the beginning” for Hitler in World War II. But in that very same speech, he downplayed its significance. Historian Simon Ball separates clichés from facts and chooses the best of the vast number of books written about El Alamein, the Desert War and World War II in general.
The best books on The Vikings, recommended by Eleanor Rosamund Barraclough
The Vikings discovered America and traded slaves in Baghdad. They sometimes buried their dead in ships, but probably did not burn them. And they did not wear horned helmets. Historian Eleanor Barraclough separates myth from reality and recommends the best Viking books.
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English Society 1660-1832
by Jonathan Clark -
2
The History of Parliament: The House of Commons, 1715-1754
by Romney Sedgwick ed. -
3
Jacobitism and the English People, 1688-1788
by Paul Monod -
4
1715: The Great Jacobite Rebellion
by Daniel Szechi -
5
France and the Jacobite Rising of 1745
by Frank McLynn
The best books on Jacobitism, recommended by Murray Pittock
The best books on Jacobitism, recommended by Murray Pittock
The failure of the Stuarts to win back the English or Scottish throne changed the course of history, enabling the buildup of a highly centralized British state and, possibly, America’s war for independence. Murray Pittock chooses the best books on Jacobitism, the 18th century phenomenon that nearly overthrew the British government.
The best books on Populism, recommended by Cas Mudde
After a tumultuous year in politics, ‘populism’ is on everybody’s lips. But what is it? Is it good or bad for democracy? How is it that populist movements often have superrich leaders? Political scientist and longtime populism observer Cas Mudde recommends the best books on populism.
The Best Charles Dickens Books, recommended by Jenny Hartley
He was the most popular novelist of the Victorian era, a convivial family man who always championed the underdog. But he also harboured dark secrets that only came out after his death. Jenny Hartley recommends the best books by and about Charles Dickens and discusses Dickens the phenomenon, past and present.
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In the Name of Eugenics: Genetics and the Uses of Human Heredity
by Daniel Kevles -
2
The Nazi Connection: Eugenics, American Racism, and German National Socialism
by Stefan Kuhl -
3
Eugenic Nation: Faults and Frontiers of Better Breeding in Modern America
by Alexandra Minna Stern -
4
The Hour of Eugenics: Race, Gender, and Nation in Latin America
by Nancy Leys Stepan -
5
Heredity and Hope: The Case for Genetic Screening
by Ruth Schwartz Cowan
The best books on Eugenics, recommended by Philippa Levine
The best books on Eugenics, recommended by Philippa Levine
The term ‘eugenics’ elicits queasiness amongst those who associate it with the Nazis. But Winston Churchill, George Bernard Shaw and Margaret Sanger were among its many proponents in the interwar period. Why? Philippa Levine, professor of history at the University of Texas, explains.
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Caught in the Web of Words: James Murray and the Oxford English Dictionary
by K. M. Elisabeth Murray -
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The Collected Papers of Henry Bradley
by Robert Bridges -
3
The Surgeon of Crowthorne: A Tale of Murder, Madness and the Oxford English Dictionary
by Simon Winchester -
4
The Study of Language in England, 1780-1860
by Hans Aarsleff -
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The Scholar's Daughter
by Beatrice Harraden
The best books on The Oxford English Dictionary, recommended by Peter Gilliver
The best books on The Oxford English Dictionary, recommended by Peter Gilliver
It's a dictionary that seeks to document any word that exists—or ever existed—in the English language and track its evolution over time. Lexicographer Peter Gilliver chooses books to help understand the enormous undertaking that is the Oxford English Dictionary.
The best books on Nature of Reality, recommended by Andrew Briggs
When addressing the really fundamental questions in science, researchers must assume that there is an objective reality to describe. But the nature of that reality may be more subtle, allowing space for the existence of God, says Andrew Briggs, professor of nanomaterials at Oxford University.
The best books on Modern China, recommended by Rana Mitter
In October 1911, China’s last imperial dynasty fell. The legacy of that revolution remains deeply ambiguous in today’s People’s Republic. China scholar Rana Mitter tells us about the country’s tumultuous changes from 1911 to the present day.