On an icy morning in Paris in January 1943, 230 French women resisters were rounded up from the Gestapo detention camps and sent on a train to Auschwitz--the only train, in the four years of German occupation, to take women of the Resistance to a death camp. The youngest was a schoolgirl of 15, the eldest a farmer''s wife of 68; among them were teachers, biochemists, salesgirls, secretaries, housewives and university lecturers. Six of the women were still alive in 2010 and able to tell their stories of the great affection and camaraderie that took hold among the group. They became friends, and it was precisely this friendship that kept so many of them alive.
     Drawing on interviews with survivors and their families, on German, French and Polish archives, and on documents held by WW2 resistance organisations, A Train in Winter covers a harrowing part of history that is, ultimately, a portrait of ordinary people, of bravery and endurance, and of the particular qualities of female friendship.

 

 

The Holocaust Chronicle, written and fact-checked by top scholars, recounts the long, complex, anguishing story of the most terrible crime of the 20th century. A massive, oversized hardcover of more than 750 pages, The Holocaust Chronicle: A History in Words and Pictures features more than 2000 photographs, many of which are in full color and most are published in book form for the first time. The 3000-item timeline of Holocaust-related events is unprecedented in its scope and ambition and detailed caption-text is rich with facts and human interest.

"Larson is a marvelous writer...superb at creating characters with a few short strokes."-New York Times Book Review
  
Erik Larson has been widely acclaimed as a master of narrative non-fiction, and in his new book, the bestselling author of Devil in the White City turns his hand to a remarkable story set during Hitler's rise to power.
 
The time is 1933, the place, Berlin, when William E. Dodd becomes America's first ambassador to Hitler's Germany in a year that proved to be a turning point in history.
 
A mild-mannered professor from Chicago, Dodd brings along his wife, son, and flamboyant daughter, Martha. At first Martha is entranced by the parties and pomp, and the handsome young men of the Third Reich with their infectious enthusiasm for restoring Germany to a position of world prominence. Enamored of the "New Germany," she has one affair after another, including with the suprisingly honorable first chief of the Gestapo, Rudolf Diels. But as evidence of Jewish persecution mounts, confirmed by chilling first-person testimony, her father telegraphs his concerns to a largely indifferent State Department back home. Dodd watches with alarm as Jews are attacked, the press is censored, and drafts of frightening new laws begin to circulate. As that first year unfolds and the shadows deepen, the Dodds experience days full of excitement, intrigue, romance-and ultimately, horror, when a climactic spasm of violence and murder reveals Hitler's true character and ruthless ambition.
 
Suffused with the tense atmosphere of the period, and with unforgettable portraits of the bizarre Göring and the expectedly charming--yet wholly sinister--Goebbels, In the Garden of Beasts lends a stunning, eyewitness perspective on events as they unfold in real time, revealing an era of surprising nuance and complexity. The result is a dazzling, addictively readable work that speaks volumes about why the world did not recognize the grave threat posed by Hitler until Berlin, and Europe, were awash in blood and terror.

In this "artful, informative, and delightful (book)" ("New York Review of Books"), Diamond offers a convincing explanation of the way the modern world came to be and stunningly dismantles racially based theories of human history. Photos.

The shocking story of one of the few people born in a North Korean political prison to have escaped and survived.

North Korea is isolated and hungry, bankrupt and belligerent. It is also armed with nuclear weapons. Between 150,000 and 200,000 people are being held in its political prison camps, which have existed twice as long as Stalin''s Soviet gulags and twelve times as long as the Nazi concentration camps. Very few born and raised in these camps have escaped. But Shin Donghyuk did.

In Escape from Camp 14, acclaimed journalist Blaine Harden tells the story of Shin Dong-hyuk and through the lens of Shin''s life unlocks the secrets of the world''s most repressive totalitarian state. Shin knew nothing of civilized existence-he saw his mother as a competitor for food, guards raised him to be a snitch, and he witnessed the execution of his own family. Through Harden''s harrowing narrative of Shin''s life and remarkable escape, he offers an unequaled inside account of one of the world''s darkest nations and a riveting tale of endurance, courage, and survival.

Three stunning volumes that examine the classic civilizations of ancient Rome, Greece and Egypt.
Explore the magnificent architecture and art of the ancient world, from the temples, tombs and pyramids of Egypt to the Parthenon, the Pantheon and the Colosseum, together with a wealth of information on sculpture, vase painting, frescoes, hieroglyphs and mosaics.
Discover the pantheon of gods, goddesses and spirits that occupy the worship of each civilization, and their myths and legends.
Study the politics and philosophies, the great rulers, politicians and warriors, as well as philosophers, artists and playwrights of the time.
Beautifully depicted in over 1300 photographs, illustrations and maps.

18 cm x 23 cm x 6 cm boxed set.

In this comprehensible and accessible introduction, Helen Nicholson, leading specialist in the history of this legendary medieval order, gives a full account of the Knights of the Order of the Temple of Solomon, bringing the latest findings to a general audience. The Order was founded in the twelfth century, in Jerusalem, at the height of the Crusades as a fighting force. It soon became powerful throughout Europe; eventually so rich and influential that it challenged the might of kings. In a terrible wave of violence the Order was persecuted into extinction. Since then numerous theories have emerged, from tales of the Holy Grail to Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code and other novels. Putting many myths to rest, Nicholson's vibrant history of these storm troopers of the papacy proves even more revelatory than the legend.

Three beautiful volumes exploring the mythologies of the world's ancient civilizations in one classic boxed set: a journey into the myths and legends of Greece, Rome, Egypt, the Celts, the Norse, India, China, Japan, the Native Americans, Inuit, Aztecs, Incas and the Maya.
Each book is designed to be easy to use, with an A-Z format of key characters, locations, significant events, stories and symbols, and copious cross-references.
Over 1900 alphabetical entries in total describe the central mythical figures of each culture and their importance to the civilization of the time, as well as commentary on the enduring relevance of many legends.
Includes special features on significant themes such as deities and sacred spirits, traditional rites and rituals, epic journeys and heroic combats, and creation myths.
Beautifully illustrated with over 1,500 evocative images spanning two millennia of fine art from the ancient world to the present day.
Timeless in scope and appeal, this comprehensive reference collection offers unparalleled insight into the tales of ancient and indigenous cultures across the globe and throughout history.

18 cm x 23 cm x 6 cm boxed set.

100 years on from the loss of the supposedly unsikable White Star Line vessel, interest in the history of the ship, its passengers and crew, and its ill-fate maiden voyage remains intense whilst the wreck continues its inexorable decay at the bottom of the North Atlantic.
From its launch through to its tragic demise following a collision with an iceberg, it's all here in this superbly illustrated bookazine and postcard pack. Packed full of archive photographs and newspaper clippings which tell the story in words and pictures of the ship that has held us enthralled since its sinking in 1912.
21 cm x 30 cm 64 page softcover with 6 postcards.

The history of the Freemasons has remained shrouded in mystery and suspicion. In this unbiased and classic account, the historian Jasper Ridley separates myth from truth and tells the real story of the society from its origins amongst the masons working upon the great cathedrals of the Middle Ages down to the modern day. Through the last three hundred years, Freemasons have exerted their influence at some of the most crucial turning points in history, including the French and American Revolutions. Among the members are many great names, including Frederick the Great, Mozart, George Washington, Winston Churchill and Oscar Wilde, as well as high ranking members of the English royal family. Assiduously researched and brilliantly written, this is a lucid and scholarly work that brings clarity to the Masonic legend.

For centuries the Celts held sway in Europe. Even after their conquest by the Romans, their culture remained vigorous, ensuring that much of it endured to feed an endless fascination with Celtic history and myths, artwork and treasures. An authority on the Celtic peoples and their culture, Peter Berresford Ellis presents an overview of their world. With his gift for making the scholarly accessible, he discusses the Celts' mysterious origins and early history, and investigates their rich and complex society. His use of recently uncovered finds brings insights into Celtic kings and chieftains, architecture and arts, medicine and religion, myths and legends.