The Odyssey is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It is one of the oldest extant works of literature still widely read by modern audiences. As with the Iliad, the poem is divided into 24 books. It follows the Greek hero Odysseus, king of Ithaca, and his journey home after the Trojan War. After the war, which lasted ten years, his journey lasted for ten additional years, during which time he encountered many perils and all his crew mates were killed. In his absence, Odysseus was assumed dead, and his wife Penelope and son Telemachus had to contend with a group of unruly suitors who were competing for Penelope's hand in marriage.The Odyssey was originally composed in Homeric Greek in around the 8th or 7th century BCE and, by the mid-6th century BCE, had become part of the Greek literary canon. In antiquity, Homer's authorship of the poem was not questioned, but contemporary scholarship predominantly assumes that the Iliad and the Odyssey were composed independently and that the stories formed as part of a long oral tradition. Given widespread illiteracy, the poem was performed by an aoidos or rhapsode and was more likely to be heard than read.Crucial themes in the poem include the ideas of nostos (νόστος; "return"), wandering, xenia (ξενία; "guest-friendship"), testing, and omens. Scholars still reflect on the narrative significance of certain groups in the poem, such as women and slaves, who have a more prominent role in the epic than in many other works of ancient literature. This focus is especially remarkable when contrasted with the Iliad, which centres the exploits of soldiers and kings during the Trojan War. Read more

Jana Petken presents “A Legion of Traitors,” the sixth and final instalment of “The Man from Section Five” series.As the war turns in Britain’s favour, Brin confronts old and new enemies and discovers someone close to him is a British traitor.Jameson finally breaks free of the torturer, Anton Ziegler, but is he walking into even greater danger when the SS takes him captive and extradites him to Berlin?MI5 continues to groom its double-cross agents in the lead up to Britain’s greatest deception against Germany, while the Germans use a legion of British traitors in their propaganda war against Russia.When the Scottish courts free Mary Boyle from prison, she leaps straight into an international conspiracy involving a neutral country. Can Brin save her from the Abwehr or will he leave her to her fate?A rollercoaster story of action and intrigue, I had trouble putting this one down.... Eoin Dempsey, Bestselling author of White Rose, Black Forest, and the Longest Echo.“Jana Petken is a master of WWII fiction. Well-researched, her books never disappoint. The Man from Section Five is a powerful and captivating suspense that grabs you from the first page and does not let go until the very end. A true page-turner.”… Kathryn Gauci #1 Bestselling author of The Secret of the Grand Hôtel du Lac. Read more

The Prince (Italian: Il Principe [il ˈprintʃipe]; Latin: De Principatibus) is a 16th-century political treatise written by Italian diplomat and political theorist Niccolò Machiavelli as an instruction guide for new princes and royals. The general theme of The Prince is of accepting that the aims of princes – such as glory and survival – can justify the use of immoral means to achieve those ends.From Machiavelli's correspondence, a version appears to have been distributed in 1513, using a Latin title, De Principatibus (Of Principalities). However, the printed version was not published until 1532, five years after Machiavelli's death. This was carried out with the permission of the Medici pope Clement VII, but "long before then, in fact since the first appearance of The Prince in manuscript, controversy had swirled about his writings".Although The Prince was written as if it were a traditional work in the mirrors for princes style, it was generally agreed as being especially innovative. This is partly because it was written in the vernacular Italian rather than Latin, a practice that had become increasingly popular since the publication of Dante's Divine Comedy and other works of Renaissance literature. Read more

A “marvelous” (Economist) account of how the Christian Revolution forged the Western imagination.   Crucifixion, the Romans believed, was the worst fate imaginable, a punishment reserved for slaves. How astonishing it was, then, that people should have come to believe that one particular victim of crucifixion-an obscure provincial by the name of Jesus-was to be worshipped as a god. Dominion explores the implications of this shocking conviction as they have reverberated throughout history. Today, the West remains utterly saturated by Christian assumptions. As Tom Holland demonstrates, our morals and ethics are not universal but are instead the fruits of a very distinctive civilization. Concepts such as secularism, liberalism, science, and homosexuality are deeply rooted in a Christian seedbed. From Babylon to the Beatles, Saint Michael to #MeToo, Dominion tells the story of how Christianity transformed the modern world.   Read more

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERIn the second volume of his epic trilogy about the liberation of Europe in World War II, Pulitzer Prize winner Rick Atkinson tells the harrowing story of the campaigns in Sicily and ItalyIn An Army at Dawn—winner of the Pulitzer Prize—Rick Atkinson provided a dramatic and authoritative history of the Allied triumph in North Africa. Now, in The Day of Battle, he follows the strengthening American and British armies as they invade Sicily in July 1943 and then, mile by bloody mile, fight their way north toward Rome.The Italian campaign's outcome was never certain; in fact, Roosevelt, Churchill, and their military advisers engaged in heated debate about whether an invasion of the so-called soft underbelly of Europe was even a good idea. But once under way, the commitment to liberate Italy from the Nazis never wavered, despite the agonizingly high price. The battles at Salerno, Anzio, and Monte Cassino were particularly difficult and lethal, yet as the months passed, the Allied forces continued to drive the Germans up the Italian peninsula. Led by Lieutenant General Mark Clark, one of the war's most complex and controversial commanders, American officers and soldiers became increasingly determined and proficient. And with the liberation of Rome in June 1944, ultimate victory at last began to seem inevitable.Drawing on a wide array of primary source material, written with great drama and flair, this is narrative history of the first rank. With The Day of Battle, Atkinson has once again given us the definitive account of one of history's most compelling military campaigns. Read more

Book Six Coming January 2025Jana Petken continues her Brinley Knight series, ‘The Man from MI5’ with a fast-paced story that doesn't fail to shock and surprise its readers.“Petken delivers another compelling and evocative thriller has all the ingredients to keep readers enthralled from the first page to last. Epic in scope, it’s another winner.”…Alexa Kang, USA. Today Bestselling author of the “Rose of Anzio series.”Britain buckles under a Luftwaffe Blitz, but its population does not break.After Japan attacks Pearl Harbor, Brin accompanies Winston Churchill across the Atlantic for historic meetings with President Roosevelt. While in Washington D.C., he receives devastating news about a colleague and friend, and of a suspected German spy operating within section five’s top secret double-cross programme.Anton Ziegler, Gerhardt von Kessler's replacement in the Abwehr, possesses the same enthusiasm for his job as his predecessor. No one crosses him and lives.“From London, Paris and Berlin, Jana Petken brings a fast-paced story of action and intrigue. I had trouble putting this one down.”... Eoin Dempsey, Bestselling author of White Rose, Black Forest, and the Longest Echo. Read more

At its height Renaissance Florence was a centre of enormous wealth, power and influence. A republican city-state funded by trade and banking, its often bloody political scene was dominated by rich mercantile families, the most famous of which were the Medici. This enthralling book charts the family’s huge influence on the political, economic and cultural history of Florence. Beginning in the early 1430s with the rise of the dynasty under the near-legendary Cosimo de Medici, it moves through their golden era as patrons of some of the most remarkable artists and architects of the Renaissance, to the era of the Medici Popes and Grand Dukes, Florence’s slide into decay and bankruptcy, and the end, in 1737, of the Medici line. Read more

Did you know modern-day Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, is the first European city built with seismic safety in mind? And there is a very good reason for that! In 1755, Portugal was hit by an earthquake that would measure nine on the future Richter scale.Portugal, which is located in the Iberian Peninsula, has a rich history that dates to prehistoric times. The first settlers left amazing art behind in the form of rock carvings and rock monoliths. These first peoples never left their country but were integrated into the many societies that came to Portugal over time. There were Phoenician traders, Romans, Germanic tribes, Muslims from North Africa, and Hispanic peoples. This mix of ethnicities resulted in a unique language and culture of the medieval Kingdom of Portugal, and one might even say of the modern-day Portuguese Republic as well.Even though Portugal is probably best known for exploring the world during the Age of Discovery, the history of mainland Portugal is rarely described outside of the country. This is why the Age of Discovery is only briefly touched upon, as there are many other fascinating things to talk about instead that might be lesser known to readers. The purpose of this book is to familiarize English speakers with the events and personas that built the Portuguese kingdom, its overseas empire, and the state that Portugal is today.But rather than presenting dry facts, the pages of this book are interwoven with interesting facts and historical events that are little known to the world outside of Portugal itself. In this book, you will learn:Who were the first people that inhabited the Iberian Peninsula?What was the early culture and religion of the peninsula?Which civilization first discovered the shores of Portugal?How did trade with the Phoenicians develop the culture of the indigenous people?How did the Carthaginian and Roman wars shape the Iberian Peninsula?Why did the Germanic tribes invade the peninsula?Did the Iberian Peninsula thrive under Islamic rule?Why did the Christian kings of the north launch the Iberian Reconquista?How did Afonso I form the medieval Kingdom of Portugal?How did the House of Avis rise to power and start the golden age of Portugal?Why has Portugal always struggled to preserve its independence?What role did the House of Braganza play in the restoration of Portuguese independence?How did the empire end, and how did Portugal become a republic?Scroll up and click the “add to cart” button to learn all that and more! Read more

In Conquerors, New York Times bestselling author Roger Crowley gives us the epic story of the emergence of Portugal, a small, poor nation that enjoyed a century of maritime supremacy thanks to the daring and navigational skill of its explorers—a tactical advantage no other country could match. Portugal’s discovery of a sea route to India, campaign of imperial conquest over Muslim rulers, and domination of the spice trade would forever disrupt the Mediterranean and build the first global economy. Crowley relies on letters and eyewitness testimony to tell the story of tiny Portugal’s rapid and breathtaking rise to power. Conquerors reveals the Império Português in all of its splendor and ferocity, bringing to life the personalities of the enterprising and fanatical house of Aviz. Figures such as King Manuel “the Fortunate,” João II “the Perfect Prince,” marauding governor Afonso de Albuquerque, and explorer Vasco da Gama juggled their private ambitions and the public aims of the empire, often suffering astonishing losses in pursuit of a global fortune. Also central to the story of Portugal’s ascent was its drive to eradicate Islamic culture and establish a Christian empire in the Indian Ocean. Portuguese explorers pushed deep into the African continent in search of the mythical Christian king Prester John, and they ruthlessly besieged Indian port cities in their attempts to monopolize trade. The discovery of a route to India around the horn of Africa was not only a brilliant breakthrough in navigation but heralded a complete upset of the world order. For the next century, no European empire was more ambitious, no rulers more rapacious than the kings of Portugal. In the process they created the first long-range maritime empire and set in motion the forces of globalization that now shape our world. At Crowley’s hand, the complete story of the Portuguese empire and the human cost of its ambition can finally be told.Praise for Conquerors “Excellent . . . Crowley’s interpretations are nuanced and fair.”—The Christian Science Monitor “In a riveting narrative, Crowley chronicles Portugal's horrifically violent trajectory from ‘impoverished, marginal’ nation to European power, vying with Spain and Venice to dominate the spice trade.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review) “Brings to life the Portuguese explorers . . . perfect for anyone who likes a high seas tale.”—Publishers Weekly “Readers of Crowley’s previous books will not be disappointed by this exciting tale of sea battles, land campaigns and shipwrecks. . . . Crowley makes a good case for reclaiming Portugal’s significance as forger of the first global empire.”—The Daily Telegraph “Crowley has shown a rare gift for combining compelling narrative with lightly worn academic thoroughness as well as for balancing the human with the geopolitical—qualities on display here. The story he has to tell may be a thrilling one but not every historian could tell it so thrillingly.”—Michael Prodger, Financial Times “A fast-moving and highly readable narrative . . . [Crowley’s] detailed reconstruction of events is based on a close reading of the works of the chroniclers, notably Barros and Correa, whose accounts were written in the tradition of the chronicles of chivalry.”—History Today Read more

✦ NEW EDITION (SEPTEMBER 2024) ✦Ready to Read, Write, and Speak Italian in Just 30 Days?According to a recent Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Study: "Adults can learn a new language as easily as a child".. you only have to know how, so keep reading…Say “arrivederci” to lengthy learning hours, as our science-based method inspired by strategies from polyglots (who speak 5+ languages fluently), integrates 15-minute lessons tailored for adults on a hectic schedule, and easy-to-digest chapters to facilitate memorization.Here's what you'll get:Book 1: Learn The Essential Grammar Rules You'll Ever Need, with:Short, well-structured lessons designed to reach a CEFR-Level A2 (pre-intermediate) of language proficiency!50+ effective yet simple exercises that will turbocharge your Italian writing skills, helping you progress quickly.The 10% of the language you'll use 90% of the time in real-life conversations, no pointless memorization.Book 2: Elevate Your Conversation Skills for Seamless Interactions, with:600+ easy-to-memorize Italian words and indispensable phrases tailored for your everyday life.Everyday words and phrases to become comfortable in any situations: navigating, restaurants, shopping..Understanding the nuances between European and South American Italian, common words and slang.Book 3: Immerse in Interactive Content to Boost Your Language Skills, with:Authentic and engaging Short Stories + real-life dialogues that reflect everyday situations.Vocab lists highlighting the most crucial words in each story to enrich your vocabulary.A clear pronunciation guide to effortlessly sound like a native speaker.You thought that was it?Discover these 6 additional resources you’ll only find here:Full Audiobook Version ($50 Value)2 Travel Tips & Money-Saving Strategies eBooks ($30 Value)Pronunciation Audio with stories, phrases, words and dialogues ($30 Value)TOP 100 Most Common Words & Phrases List ($20 Value)Printable Flashcards ($25 Value)Practice Worksheets ($15 Value)Plus, get these 2 extra perks to guarantee your success:Learn Italian for Adult Beginners Video Course: Claim your access to 128 hours of Masterclass guided by a certified teacher ($297 Value)30-Day Study Plan: Unlock your accelerated progress and achieve your language goals ($47 Value)That's $620 worth of retail value for the price you see today! That's just a fraction of what traditional language schools are charging nowadays.To summarize: You’re getting this value-packed Italian learning bundle that includes:3 workbooks packed into 18 exclusive resources + Premium access to video & audio contentA modern science-based method to fast-track you to Italian fluencyScroll up, Click 'Buy Now' to join our 5,000+ students and kickstart your journey to fluency today. See you inside!DISCLAIMER: This book is entirely human-made, without any involvement of artificial intelligence (AI) tools or algorithms. Read more

A spirited history of the changes that transformed Europe during the 1,000-year span of the Middle Ages: “A dazzling race through a complex millennium.”—Publishers Weekly The millennium between the breakup of the western Roman Empire and the Reformation was a long and hugely transformative period—one not easily chronicled within the scope of a few hundred pages. Yet distinguished historian Chris Wickham has taken up the challenge in this landmark book, and he succeeds in producing the most riveting account of medieval Europe in a generation.   Tracking the entire sweep of the Middle Ages across Europe, Wickham focuses on important changes century by century, including such pivotal crises and moments as the fall of the western Roman Empire, Charlemagne’s reforms, the feudal revolution, the challenge of heresy, the destruction of the Byzantine Empire, the rebuilding of late medieval states, and the appalling devastation of the Black Death. He provides illuminating vignettes that underscore how shifting social, economic, and political circumstances affected individual lives and international events—and offers both a new conception of Europe’s medieval period and a provocative revision of exactly how and why the Middle Ages matter.   “Far-ranging, fluent, and thoughtful—of considerable interest to students of history writ large, and not just of Europe.”—Kirkus Reviews, (starred review)  Includes maps and illustrations Read more

In the nonfiction tradition of John Berendt and Erik Larson, the author of the #1 NYT bestseller The Lost City of the Monkey God presents a gripping account of crime and punishment in the lush hills surrounding Florence as he seeks to uncover one of the most infamous figures in Italian history. In 2000, Douglas Preston fulfilled a dream to move his family to Italy. Then he discovered that the olive grove in front of their 14th century farmhouse had been the scene of the most infamous double-murders in Italian history, committed by a serial killer known as the Monster of Florence. Preston, intrigued, meets Italian investigative journalist Mario Spezi to learn more. This is the true story of their search for--and identification of--the man they believe committed the crimes, and their chilling interview with him. And then, in a strange twist of fate, Preston and Spezi themselves become targets of the police investigation. Preston has his phone tapped, is interrogated, and told to leave the country. Spezi fares worse: he is thrown into Italy's grim Capanne prison, accused of being the Monster of Florence himself.Like one of Preston's thrillers, The Monster of Florence, tells a remarkable and harrowing story involving murder, mutilation, and suicide-and at the center of it, Preston and Spezi, caught in a bizarre prosecutorial vendetta. Read more

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The astounding account of one of the most important conflicts of World War Two — the fight for control of the Mediterranean Sea.An ideal book for fans of Ian Toll, James D. Hornfischer, and Craig L. Symonds.From Italy’s entry into the war in June 1940 to the surrender of the Axis forces in Tunisia in May 1943, the Mediterranean was a fiercely contested conflict zone as naval and aerial forces battled to secure vital supply lines.The British naval victory at Taranto was followed by the Luftwaffe’s decimation of Allied forces in Greece and Crete, and Rommel’s overwhelming tactical victories were eventually overcome through the Allied defense of Malta, which choked the advance of his Africa Korps and allowed Montgomery to eventually emerge victorious. For almost three years, the battle for the Mediterranean hung in the balance, upon which depended not only the fate of North Africa but victory or defeat in the war as a whole.Donald Macintyre, veteran U-Boat hunter, and renowned military historian, charts the course of this battle that was as prolonged and critical as the Battle of the Atlantic. In addition to providing an engaging account of the naval and aerial engagements that took place, Macintyre also offers thorough insight into the tactical and strategic issues at the supreme command level, where battle fleets, merchant fleets, and air fleets deployed in an attempt to throttle their opponents to death.The Battle for the Mediterranean should be essential reading for all interested in learning more about one of the longest but most important conflicts of World War Two.‘A story which should be read however many others are left unread’ Naval Review‘A tribute to the courage and endurance of all who fought in it — British, Germans, Italians alike’ The Evening News‘Achieves an excellent balance between the strategic and the operational features of the campaign.’ RUSI Journal Read more

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A dramatic account of some of the most notorious figures of medieval and Renaissance history who ruled from the Eternal City. It is sure to grip readers of John Julius Norwich, Tom Holland and Peter Ackroyd.The papal tiara has been worn by a number of infamous men through the course of its history.Some have been accused of murder, many have had mistresses, while others sold positions in the church to their followers or gave land and wealth to their illegitimate children.E. R. Chamberlin examines the lives of eight of the most controversial popes to have ruled over the Holy See, from the reign of Pope Stephen VI, who had his predecessor exhumed, put on trial and thrown in the Tiber, in the ninth century, through to Pope Clement VII, the second Medici pope, whose failed international policy led to the Sack of Rome in 1527.The Bad Popes explains how during these six centuries the papal monarchy rose to its greatest heights, as popes attempted to assert not only their spiritual authority but also their temporal power, only for it to come crashing down.“A magnificent piece of historic research and description” Los Angeles Times“A vital and important book” Washington Post“[Chamberlin] writes well, even elegantly. One fancies echoes now and then of Tacitus and Gibbon … an interesting historical essay” Daily Telegraph“One is sincerely grateful to Mr Chamberlin for a vivid book” Catholic Herald“Mr Chamberlin's book strikes me as being as near to the ideal as is reasonably possible: scrupulously fair, meticulously documented and written with style, liveliness and wit” The Bulletin Read more

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✦ NEW EDITION 2025 ✦🇮🇹 Master Italian with Confidence from Absolute Beginner to Advanced Speaker, and Reach CEFR-Level C1 (Advanced) 🇮🇹Say “Ciao” to lengthy learning hours, as our science-based method inspired by strategies from polyglots (who speak 5+ languages fluently), integrates 15-minute lessons tailored for adults on a hectic schedule, and easy-to-digest chapters to facilitate memorization.This 8-in-1 Value-Packed Bundle includes:Book 1: Beginner level 15-minute lessons & interactive exercisesBook 2: Intermediate level 15-minute lessons & interactive exercisesBook 3: Essential words and phrases to use everyday!Book 4: More useful words and phrases to enrich your dialoguesBook 5: Beginner & intermediate level short stories with translationBook 6: Advanced level 15-minute lessons & interactive exercisesBook 7: Advanced level dialogues and conversations to perfect your skillsBook 8: Advanced level short stories with translationElevate Your Conversation Skills for Seamless Interactions, with:Short, well-structured lessons designed to reach a CEFR-Level C1 (Advanced) of language proficiency!150+ effective yet simple exercises that will turbocharge your Italian writing skills, helping you progress quickly.The 10% of the language you'll use 90% of the time in real-life conversations, no pointless memorization.2,000+ easy-to-memorize Italian words and indispensable phrases tailored for your everyday life.Everyday words and phrases to become comfortable in any situations: navigating, restaurants, shopping..Understanding the nuances between European and South American Italian, common words and slang.Authentic and engaging Short Stories (with English translation) + real-life dialogues that reflect everyday situations.Vocabulary lists highlighting the most crucial words in each story to enrich your vocabulary.A clear pronunciation guide to effortlessly sound like a native speaker.You thought that was it?Discover these 6 exclusive bonuses you’ll only find here:Audiobook Version ($69 Value)2 Travel Tips & Money-Saving Strategies eBooks ($30 Value)Pronunciation Audio with stories, phrases, words and dialogues ($30 Value)TOP 100 Most Common Words & Phrases List ($20 Value)Printable Flashcards ($25 Value)Practice Worksheets ($15 Value)Plus, get these 2 extra bonuses to Guarantee your Success:Learn Italian for Adult Beginners Video Course: Claim your access to 128 hours of Masterclass guided by a certified teacher ($297 Value)30-Day Study Plan: Unlock your accelerated progress and achieve your language goals ($47 Value)That's $850+ worth of retail value for the price you see today! That's just a fraction of what traditional language schools are charging nowadays.To summarize: You’re getting this value-packed Italian learning bundle that includes:8 books packed into 18 exclusive bonuses + Premium access to audio contentA modern science-based method to fast-track you to Italian fluencyScroll up, Click 'Buy Now' to join our 5,000+ students and kickstart your journey to fluency today. See you inside!DISCLAIMER: This book is entirely human-made, without any involvement of artificial intelligence (AI) tools or algorithms. Read more

A fresh and acclaimed account of the Spanish Civil War by the bestselling author of Stalingrad and The Battle of Arnhem To mark the 70th anniversary of the Spanish Civil War's outbreak, Antony Beevor has written a completely updated and revised account of one of the most bitter and hard-fought wars of the twentieth century. With new material gleaned from the Russian archives and numerous other sources, this brisk and accessible book (Spain's #1 bestseller for twelve weeks), provides a balanced and penetrating perspective, explaining the tensions that led to this terrible overture to World War II and affording new insights into the war-its causes, course, and consequences. Read more

The classic memoir of the Italian city left in chaos by the Nazis is “[a] masterpiece . . . elegiac and furious, and frequently hilarious” (The New York Times).   “Vivid, lucid, elegant, often funny,” Naples ’44 is the starkly human account of the true cost of war as seen through the eyes of a young, untested man who would never again look at his world the same way (The New York Times Book Review).   With his gift for linguistics, Norman Lewis was assigned to the British Intelligence Corps’ Field Security Service, tasked with reforming civil services, dealing with local leaders, and keeping the peace in places World War II had devastated.   After a near-disastrous Allied landing at Salerno, Italy, Lewis was stationed in the newly liberated city of Naples. But bringing the city back to life was unlike anything he had been prepared for. Much of the populace was far from grateful, stealing anything they could, not only from each other but also from those sent to help them. Local vendettas and endless feuds made discerning friend from Nazi collaborator practically impossible, and turned attempts at meting out justice into a farce. And as the deprivations grew ever harsher, a proud and vibrant people were forced to survive on a diet of prostitution, corruption, and a desperate belief in miracles, cures, and saviors.   But even through the darkness and chaos, Lewis evokes the essential dignity of the Neapolitan people, their traditions of civility, courage, and generosity of spirit, and the indefatigable pride that kept them fighting for life during the greatest calamity in human history.   Praised by Graham Greene as “one of the best writers . . . of our century,” Norman Lewis presents a portrait of Naples that is a “lyrical, ironic and detached account of the tempestuous, byzantine and opaque city in the aftermath of war” (Will Self). His Naples ’44 “reads like prose . . . sings like poetry” (The Plain Dealer). Read more