THE REST IS HISTORY CLUB BOOK OF THE MONTH 'One of the most engaging and fascinating histories of Europe I've read for years.' DOMINIC SANDBROOK'Highly original and insightful' PD SMITH, GUARDIAN'Thrillingly unique, knowledgeable, perceptive and profound' IAN DUNTThe history of Europe told through twenty-nine key borders that define the past, present and future of our continentEurope's internal borders have rarely been 'natural'; they have more often been created by accident or force.In Borderlines, political historian Lewis Baston journeys along twenty-nine key borders from west to east Europe, examining how the map of our continent has been redrawn over the last century, with varying degrees of success. The fingerprints of Napoleon, Alexander I, Castlereagh, Napoleon III and Bismarck are all there, but today's map of Europe is mostly the work of the Allies in 1919 and Stalin in 1945.To journey to the centre of the story of Europe, Baston takes us to its edges, bringing to life the fascinating and often bizarre histories of these border zones. We visit Baarle, the town broken into thirty fragments by the Netherland-Belgium border, and stop in Ostritz, the eastern German town where Nazis held a rock festival. We meander the back lanes of rural Ireland, and soak up the atmosphere in the coffee houses of the Ukrainian city of Chernivtsi. Through these borderlands, Baston explores how places and people heal from the scars left by a Europe of ethnic cleansing and barbed wire fences, and he searches for a better European future - finding it in unexpected places.'An eye-opening read that combines Baston's travels along Europe's fault lines with incredible insights on how they got there in the first place.' KATJA HOYER'Beautiful. A true gem... [his] unique take on human nature through the history and heritage of the borderlands ends up being deeply moving.' - IRISH INDEPENDENT'Extraordinarily perceptive and original' ANTHONY SELDON'Refreshing and important' RAFAEL BEHR Read more

‘Unforgettable’ Independent‘Fresh and gripping’ TelegraphTHE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLEROn April 30, 1980, six heavily armed gunmen burst into the Iranian embassy on Princes Gate, overlooking Hyde Park in London. There they took 26 hostages, including embassy staff, visitors, and three British citizens.A tense six-day siege ensued as millions gathered around screens across the country to witness the longest news flash in British television history, in which police negotiators and psychiatrists sought a bloodless end to the standoff, while the SAS – hitherto an organisation shrouded in secrecy – laid plans for a daring rescue mission: Operation Nimrod.Drawing on unpublished source material, exclusive interviews with the SAS, and testimony from witnesses including hostages, negotiators, intelligence officers and the on-site psychiatrist, bestselling historian Ben Macintyre takes readers on a gripping journey from the years and weeks of build-up on both sides, to the minute-by-minute account of the siege and rescue.Recreating the dramatic conversations between negotiators and hostages, the cutting-edge intelligence work happening behind-the-scenes, and the media frenzy around this moment of international significance, The Siege is the remarkable story of what really happened on those fateful six days, and the first full account of a moment that forever changed the way the nation thought about the SAS – and itself.'The pre-eminent historian of the secret world . . . His books have set the gold standard for accurate historical reporting, but read like heart-pounding thrillers' Mick Herron‘Macintyre does true-life espionage better than anyone else’ John Preston Read more

Celebrating the 80th anniversary of VE Day, bestselling historians James Holland and Al Murray tell the unflinching story of the eight surrenders that brought victory to the Allies and ended the Second World War.‘A gripping, eye-opening and satisfying new account’ The Express_________From the Italian Alps to northern Germany, to London, New York, Washington and Tokyo, Victory ’45 tells the story of the extraordinary summer when the greatest conflagration the world had ever known finally came to an end after eight surrenders that heralded the Allied victory.Comprised of eight chapters based around each of those surrenders and the victory celebrations which followed, it will be rich in character and human drama with revealing stories and perspectives behind the end of the war not yet told before. Each chapter will follow the viewpoints of a number of key characters as they traverse these world-changing events – from ordinary servicemen and women and civilians to generals and political leaders.What took place during the negotiations of those surrenders and the terms that were agreed there would determine the directions the participating countries would take in the years that followed and ultimately the shape of our current world. Read more

A ridiculously funny history of Britain for adults from the multimillion-copy bestselling author of the Horrible Histories, perfect for fans of Unruly by David Mitchell.'Ram-packed with mind-blowing facts, hilarious characters, and little-known tales' Dan Schreiber'If you could take just one history book to a desert island, this would be it. Laugh out loud funny... Pure joy' Conn IgguldenAh, Britain. So special. The greatest nation on earth, some say. And we did it all on our own. Didn’t we?As it happens Britannia got its name from the Romans, and for the past two centuries we have been ruled by Germans. As Horrible Histories author Terry Deary argues, nations and their leaders are defined by the enemies they make.- Elizabeth I would count as a minor royal without the Spanish Armada- Without the Nazis, Churchill would be remembered as an opposition windbag- The surprisingly sadistic Boudica would be forgotten if it weren't for the Roman Ninth LegionAnd after all, every nation sometimes needs a bit of unifying Blitz spirit (although in an ideal world, we wouldn’t have accidentally let Corporal Hitler go in the first place).The British have a proud history of choosing their enemies, from the Romans to the Germans. You might even say those enemies made Britain what it is today...A History of Britain in Ten Enemies is a witty, whistlestop tour of British history that will have you laughing as you find out what they didn't teach you in school.'Playful, cheeky, and very clever, this is a book for anyone who ever wished there was a Horrible Histories for grown-ups' Kate ListerTerry Deary, UK's bestselling Children's & Young Adult Non-Fiction author since records began, Nielsen, September 2024. A History of Britain in Ten Enemies was an instant Sunday Times bestseller on release, 10 October 2024. Read more

A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER A “fascinating and very moving” (Aaron Sorkin, award-winning screenwriter of The West Wing and The Social Network) chronological timeline spanning from Biblical times to today that explores one of the most interesting countries in the world—Israel.Israel. The small strip of arid land is 5,700 miles away but remains a hot-button issue and a thorny topic of debate. But while everyone seems to have a strong opinion about Israel, how many people actually know the facts? Here to fill in the information gap is Israeli American Noa Tishby. But “this is not your Bubbie’s history book” (Bill Maher, host of Real Time with Bill Maher). Instead, offering a fresh, 360-degree view, Tishby brings her “passion, humor, and deep intimacy” (Yossi Klein Halevi, New York Times bestselling author of Letters to My Palestinian Neighbor) to the subject, creating an accessible and dynamic portrait of a tiny country of outsized relevance. Through bite-sized chunks of history and deeply personal stories, Tishby chronicles her homeland’s evolution, beginning in Biblical times and moving forward to cover everything from WWI to Israel’s creation to the disputes dividing the country today. Tackling popular misconceptions with an abundance of facts, Tishby provides critical context around headline-generating controversies and offers a clear, intimate account of the richly cultured country of Israel. Read more

‘The very grubby coalface of foreign policy … I found the entire book most horribly addictive’ Independent ‘One of the unexpected responses to reading this masterful study is amazement at the efforts the British and French each put into undermining the other’ Spectator A fascinating insight into the untold story of how British-French rivalry drew the battle-lines of the modern Middle East. In 1916, in the middle of the First World War, two men secretly agreed to divide the Middle East between them. Sir Mark Sykes was a visionary politician; François Georges-Picot a diplomat with a grudge. They drew a line in the sand from the Mediterranean to the Persian frontier, and together remade the map of the Middle East, with Britain’s 'mandates' of Palestine, Transjordan and Iraq, and France's in Lebanon and Syria. Over the next thirty years a sordid tale of violence and clandestine political manoeuvring unfolded, told here through a stellar cast of politicians, diplomats, spies and soldiers, including T. E. Lawrence, Winston Churchill and Charles de Gaulle. Using declassified papers from the British and French archives, James Barr vividly depicts the covert, deadly war of intrigue and espionage between Britain and France to rule the Middle East, and reveals the shocking way in which the French finally got their revenge. Read more

The first book in the New York Times bestselling Maze Runner series - now a series of major movies starring Dylan O'Brien! SEE THE FILMS. READ THE BOOKS. ENTER THE MAZE ... When the doors of the lift crank open, the only thing Thomas remembers is his first name. But he's not alone. He's surrounded by boys who welcome him to the Glade – a walled encampment at the centre of a bizarre and terrible stone maze. Like Thomas, the Gladers don't know why or how they came to be there – or what's happened to the world outside. All they know is that every morning when the walls slide back, they will risk everything – even the Grievers, half-machine, half-animal horror that patrol its corridors, to try and find out ... Book 1 in the #1 New York Times bestselling MAZE RUNNER series! Now a major film available to stream on Disney+ High-octane, dystopian YA adventure, perfect for fans of The Hunger Games and Divergent Five pulse-pounding books in the series! Loved The Maze Runner? Make sure to check out the sequel The Scorch Trials! Read more

A fearless act of journalism in 1960s Nigeria and the true story behind the international bestselling novel The Dogs of War.   The Nigerian civil war of the late 1960s was one of the first occasions when Western consciences were awakened and deeply affronted by the level of suffering and the scale of atrocity being played out in the African continent. This was thanks not just to advances in communication technology but to the courage and journalistic skills of foreign correspondents like Frederick Forsyth, who had already earned an enviable reputation for tenacity and accuracy working for Reuters and the BBC.   In The Biafra Story, Forsyth reveals the depth of the British Government’s active involvement in the conflict—information which many in power would have preferred to remain secret. General Gowon’s genocide of the Biafran people was facilitated by a ready supply of British arms and advice. Still tragically relevant in its depiction of global affairs, this powerful book also launched Frederick Forsyth to literary stardom by providing him with the background material for The Dogs of War.   The dramatic events and shocking political exposures, all delivered with Forsyth’s bold and perceptive style, makes The Biafra Story a compelling lesson in courage. Read more

The hidden truth behind the island of Spinalonga, as recorded in historical archives and as narrated by those who lived it. Twelve years of research and seven years of writing bring to light an earth-shattering story. On Spinalonga, the former Venetian fortress which is located to the northeast of the island of Crete in Greece, one of the most horrific scenarios of modern history will take shape. In 1946, in the midst of the Greek Civil War, dozens of women, children and elders are led to Spinalonga as lepers, without being sick and without even priorly undergoing medical examinations. Their unjust confinement is caused by two powerful men for financial and political interests. Amongst them is a young woman, Pipina. Pipina is the mother of two underage children. Her husband, Kostis, is a soldier in the battlefront. After Pipina's unjust confinement on leper island for eleven months, Kostis becomes a deserter and a great plan is devised for Pipina to escape the island and travel to Athens for medical examinations, where the great hoax of the two men will be revealed. Through the eyes of Pipina, the reader can see the true Spinalonga, its history, the real reasons behind the confinement of people on it, the everyday life of those confined. The book 'Spinalonga', tells a true story set in the past, is based on actual events, contains rare archives, photos, articles, documents and the story of a couple's great love and self-sacrifice in order to be with one another, while in the end justice prevails and love overcomes all obstacles and conquers all.“Spinalonga. The True Story”. Because truth and love always end in victory... Read more

The second book in the New York Times bestselling Maze Runner series - now a series of major movies starring Dylan O'Brien! SEE THE FILMS. READ THE BOOKS. ENTER THE MAZE ... Thomas was sure that escape from the maze meant he and the Gladers would get their lives back. But no one knew what sort of life they were going back to. The earth is a wasteland. Government and order have disintegrated and now Cranks, people driven to murderous insanity by the infectious disease known as the Flare, roam the crumbling cities hunting for their next victim ... and meal. Thomas can only wonder - does he hold the secret of freedom somewhere in his mind? Or will he forever be at the mercy of WICKED? Book 2 in the #1 New York Times bestselling MAZE RUNNER series! Now a major film available to stream on Disney+ High-octane, dystopian YA adventure, perfect for fans of The Hunger Games and Divergent Five pulse-pounding books in the series! Loved The Scorch Trials? Make sure to check out the sequel The Death Cure! Read more

An electrifying re-examination of one of the twentieth century's greatest unsung power players, from the bestselling author of A WOMAN OF NO IMPORTANCENAMED A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR BY THE GUARDIAN, TELEGRAPH, ECONOMIST, FINANCIAL TIMES, MAIL ON SUNDAY, DAILY EXPRESS, TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT, SPECTATOR, IRISH EXAMINER, LONDON STANDARD, NEW YORKER, POLITICO, APPLE BOOKS, TOWN & COUNTRY and OLDIE'Supremely enjoyable ... With a historian's eye for rigour, a journalist's for detail and a storyteller's for drama' FINANCIAL TIMES'Rich and riveting' GUARDIAN, BEST BIOGRAPHIES AND MEMOIRS OF 2024 'I've been gobbling up Kingmaker ... For years, Pamela's achievements were overshadowed by gossipy whispers about her past. Finally, she has a book that is worthy of her' ELIZABETH DAY'Exhilarating' MAIL ON SUNDAY, BOOKS OF THE YEAR 'Anna Karenina meets West Wing' IRISH EXAMINER, BOOKS OF THE YEARWhen Pamela Churchill Harriman died in 1997, the obituaries that followed were scathing - and often downright sexist. Written off as a social climber, her glamorous social life and infamous erotic adventures overshadowed her true legacy. Much of what she did behind the scenes to shape the twentieth century, on both sides of the Atlantic, remained invisible. That is, until now: with a wealth of fresh research, Sonia Purnell unveils for the first time the full, spectacular story of how Harriman left an indelible mark on the world today.There is practically no-one in twentieth-century politics, culture and fashion whose lives she did not touch. Her influence began at age twenty, when her father-in-law, Winston Churchill, engaged her as a "secret weapon" during World War II, wining, dining and seducing Americans over to the British cause against Hitler. It continued later in the US, where she hand-picked Bill Clinton from obscurity and vaulted him to the presidency. It extended further, over five decades and two continents, influencing figures like the Kennedys, Nelson Mandela, Truman Capote, Gianni Agnelli, Kay Graham, Gloria Steinem and Frank Sinatra.Written with the novelistic richness and investigative rigour that only Sonia Purnell could bring to this story full of sex, power, yachts, palaces and fabulous clothes, Kingmaker sets out Harriman's rightful place at the heart of recent history.****'Rigorous but rollicking' NEW YORK TIMES'An incredible story, beautifully told, of a remarkable woman whose political influence spanned Churchill to Clinton. Quite a woman, quite a read' ALASTAIR CAMPBELL'Superb and fascinating. I can't recommend it more' LADY ANNE GLENCONNER, bestselling author of Lady in Waiting'Fascinating and revelatory, written with great aplomb, insight and shrewd analysis. A triumph' WILLIAM BOYD'As compelling as its subject' TLS' Riveting and revelatory' THE NEW YORKER'An alluring new biography' THE ECONOMIST'Purnell's research is impeccable' SPECTATOR'Kingmaker is on to something important. Successful women are judged differently than men' AMANDA FOREMAN, GUARDIAN'Sympathetic, well-researched, busily peopled' OBSERVER BOOK OF THE DAY'Vivid' NEW STATESMAN Read more

OUT APRIL 2025! The iconic bestseller Prisoners of Geography, updated with brand new content to reflect the changing global geopolitical landscape since it was first published 10 years ago.*THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER*'I can't imagine reading a better book this year'Daily MirrorTim Marshall's global bestseller Prisoners of Geography showed how every nation's choices are limited by mountains, rivers, seas and concrete. Since then, the geography hasn't changed. But the world has.In this revelatory new book, Marshall explores ten regions that are set to shape global politics in a new age of great-power rivalry: Australia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the UK, Greece, Turkey, the Sahel, Ethiopia, Spain and Space. Find out why Europe's next refugee crisis is closer than it thinks as trouble brews in the Sahel; why the Middle East must look beyond oil and sand to secure its future; why the eastern Mediterranean is one of the most volatile flashpoints of the twenty-first century; and why the Earth's atmosphere is set to become the world's next battleground. Delivered with Marshall's trademark wit and insight, this is a lucid and gripping exploration of the power of geography to shape humanity's past, present – and future. 'Another outstanding guide to the modern world. Marshall is a master at explaining what you need to know and why.' Peter Frankopan Read more

'An illuminating book for the interested citizen as well as for those making policy' HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON'An important, crystal-clear account of contemporary global geopolitics... Essential reading' PETER FRANKOPAN'An excellent short guide: concise, informed, and full of insight' SIR LAWRENCE FREEDMAN We have entered a new Cold War. The contest between America and China is global and unbridgeable, and it encompasses all major instruments of statecraft - economic, political and military. It has its tinder box: Taiwan. And both protagonists are working hard to draw allies to their side from across the world. We stand at its beginning. But this Cold War is nothing like the conflict between the Soviet Union and the West which defined the second half of the twentieth century. We need new ideas to navigate its risks and avoid a globally devastating hot war. In this urgent and necessary book, Robin Niblett argues that only by looking back can we learn the lessons to guide us through this new reality: he goes through the ten ways in which the New Cold War is different and offers five rules for navigating its onset. How we manage this contest will determine not only whether there is still space for international cooperation to deal with our many global challenges, from the climate emergency to the technological revolution, but also who will lead the twenty-first century and, quite simply, the course of all our futures. Read more

THE #1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERThe riveting, deeply personal account of history in the making?a record-breaking, critically acclaimed no.1 bestseller.'Gorgeously written, humorous, compelling, life affirming' Justin Webb, Mail on SundayIn the first volume of his presidential memoirs, Barack Obama recounts his journey from a young man searching for his identity to the 44th president of the United States, describing in strikingly personal detail his political education and landmark moments of his first term.Reflecting on his presidency, Obama takes readers from his early political dreams to his Iowa caucus victory and the historic night of November 4, 2008, when he became the first African American president. It is the story of one man’s bet with history, the faith of a community organizer tested on the world stage.Obama is candid about the forces that opposed him at home and abroad and bearing the expectation of a generation buoyed by messages of “hope and change”, and unafraid to reveal self-doubt and disappointment. Yet he never wavers from his belief that inside the great, ongoing American experiment, progress is always possible.This beautifully written and powerful book captures Barack Obama’s conviction that democracy is not a gift from on high, but something founded on empathy and common understanding and built together, day by day Read more

An indispensable guide to understanding the Israel–Palestine conflict, and how we might yet still find a way out of it. 'Ilan Pappe is the most original, radical and hard-hitting of Israel’s "new historians".' Avi Shlaim, author of Three Worlds The devastation of 7 October 2023 and the horrors that followed astounded the world. But the Israel–Palestine conflict didn’t start on 7 October. It didn’t start in 1967 either, when Israel occupied the West Bank, or in 1948 when the state of Israel was declared. It started in 1882, when the first Zionist settlers arrived in what was then Ottoman Palestine. Ilan Pappe untangles the history of two peoples, now sharing one land. Going back to the founding fathers of Zionism, Pappe expertly takes us through the twists and turns of international policy towards Israel–Palestine, Palestinian resistance to occupation, and the changes taking place in Israel itself. Read more

OUT APRIL 2025! The iconic bestseller Prisoners of Geography, updated with brand new content to reflect the changing global geopolitical landscape since it was first published 10 years ago.THE NO.1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER A SUNDAY TIMES BOOK OF 2023 A WATERSTONES PAPERBACK OF THE YEAR 2023 Space: the biggest geopolitical story of the coming century – new from the multi-million-copy international bestselling author of Prisoners of Geography and The Power of GeographySpy satellites orbiting the Moon. Space metals worth billions. Humans on Mars within our lifetimes. This isn't science fiction. It's astropolitics. We're entering a new space race – and it could revolutionise life on Earth. Space: the new frontier, a wild and lawless place. It is already central to communication, economics, military strategy and international relations on Earth. Now, it is the latest arena for human exploration, exploitation – and, possibly, conquest. We're heading up and out, and we're taking our power struggles with us. China, the USA and Russia are leading the way. From physical territory and resources to satellites, weaponry and strategic choke points, geopolitics is as important in the skies above us as it is down below. If you've ever wondered if humans are going back to the Moon, who will benefit from exploration or what space wars might look like, the answers are here. With all the insight and wit that have made Tim Marshall the UK's most popular writer on geopolitics, this gripping book shows how we got here and where we're going, covering great-power rivalry; technology; commerce; combat in space; and what it means for all of us down here on Earth. This is essential reading on power, politics and the future of humanity. Praise for The Future of Geography:'A voyage of galactic discovery' The Mail on Sunday'[An] engaging exploration of power politics in space' Irish Independent'A superb survey of planetary politics' The Sunday Times'Deeply thought-provoking' BBC Sky at Night'Marshall is an engaging writer, good at explaining the science as well as the politics, and with an eye for a telling fact' Lawrence Freedman, The New Statesman'Written with insight and great wit, this is an essential take on power, politics and the future of humanity from the UK's most popular writer on geopolitics.' The Daily Telegraph'In the latest instalment of his popular books on the meaning of geography, Marshall looks to the stars and the new frontier where astropolitics will be the new geopolitics' Financial Times*The Future of Geography was a No.1 Sunday Times non-fiction paperback bestseller w/c 1st Oct 2023 for 5 weeks. Read more

A landmark history of the alliance that won the war and made the peace by the Sunday Times-bestselling author of Appeasing Hitler‘An astonishing achievement. Compellingly told, immensely wide-ranging and utterly fascinating … Superb’ JAMES HOLLANDAfter the fall of France in June 1940, only Britain stood between Hitler and total victory. Desperate for allies, Winston Churchill did everything he could to bring the United States into the conflict, drive the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany apart and persuade neutral countries to resist German domination.By 1942, after the German invasion of Russia and the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the British-Soviet-American alliance was in place. Yet it was an improbable and incongruous coalition, divided by ideology and politics and riven with mistrust and deceit. Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin were partners in the fight to defeat Hitler, yet they were also rivals who disagreed on strategy, imperialism and the future of liberated Europe.Allies at War is a fast-paced, narrative history, based on material drawn from over a hundred archives. Using vivid, first-hand accounts and unpublished diaries, we enter the rooms where the critical decisions were made, revealing the political drama behind the military events. Ambitious and compelling, Allies at War offers a fresh perspective on the Second World War and the origins of the Cold War.‘The best book I have ever read about the politics of the Second World War’ TIM SHIPMAN Read more

A prequel to the New York Times bestselling Maze Runner series - now a series of major movies starring Dylan O'Brien! SEE THE FILMS. READ THE BOOKS. ENTER THE MAZE ... The world has ended: the earth is scorched, and fever rages through the population. Out of the chaos, a boy emerges with the power to change everything: Thomas. This is the start of his story. An electrifying Maze Runner prequel, The Fever Code holds all the answers: How did WICKED find the Gladers? Who are Group B? Whose side are Thomas and Teresa really on? Lies will be exposed. Secrets uncovered. Loyalties proven. You'll never see the truth coming ... A prequel to the #1 New York Times bestselling MAZE RUNNER series - starting directly before the events of The Maze Runner The Maze Runner, The Scorch Trials and The Death Cure are all major films available to stream on Disney+ High-octane, dystopian YA adventure, perfect for fans of The Hunger Games and Divergent Five pulse-pounding books in the series! Make sure to check out James Dashner’s other prequel to the Maze Runner series, The Kill Order! Read more

If the European Union applied to become a member of the European Union it would be rejected as undemocratic. Can the European Union foster greater democracy in Europe, and so protect the dispersal of power, personal freedom and the rule of law? Willit improve our shared lives and increase sense of being useful citizens? Rejecting both nostalgia for the nation state and thoughtless optimism, Larry Siedentop sets out to explore the practical implications of government on a continental scale. He draws on his expertise as an historian of liberal theory to produce an analysis of Europe's various political economies. In creating a framework for thought, this is sure to be a key work in the long deferred debate on Europe. Read more

An eminent historian looks to the present and future of Afghanistan as the U.S. withdraws from the longest war in its history. THE BROOKINGS ESSAY: In the spirit of its commitment to high-quality, independent research, the Brookings Institution has commissioned works on major topics of public policy by distinguished authors, including Brookings scholars. The Brookings Essay is a multi-platform product aimed to engage readers in open dialogue and debate. The views expressed, however, are solely those of the author. Available in ebook only. Read more