History Books > E History Books

Advantages: It is not really written by David Starkey
Disadvantages: Chapter documenting maps and sea bits are boring, but then I'm a girl.

...I" Its full title is Elizabeth I - "The Woman the Queen and Her Empire" and is a catalogue of the items that were displayed at the National Maritime Museum for the 400th death anniversary of the great lady. So completely different books. In fact, although it has David Starkey stamped all over it in big letters, the book is actually edited by Susan Dunn. Starkey was the guest Curator of the exhibition and I guess since he is more well known, the ...
...the items necessarily belonged to Elizabeth such as the handbags and bibles she received as gifts, there are also items here from the reign of Mary and Phillip, various lords' armour and embroidery done by Mary Queen of Scots. General life is also represented in the various Elizabethan coins and some tiny children's clothes. My favourite parts of this book are her childhood (because like Starkey, I think Elizabeth the Princess is twice more exciting ... Read review

Advantages: wealth of information on ancient migrations
Disadvantages: a large book to deal with

I will start the review off with a warning, this book is not a light read. Although aimed at the popular market rather that the dusty halls of academia, Oppenheimers book is not only large, at over 500 pages, but is brimming with scientific information and new theories. That said, if you find that questioning the accepted history of the birth of civilization, is worth the time and effort this book demands, then you will be richly rewarded. As a ...
...in South-East asia in ancient times, and their affect on the growth of civilization as we know it. There are not many authors, in the Western World anyway, who have tackled the issue from this geographical view point. Most books on the development of civilization, have a very occidental bias, and imply that all important migrations and technological break throughs have began in the west or middle east and been exported eastwards to the orient. Oppenheimer ... Read review

Advantages: Engaging style, good history, original sources quoted.
Disadvantages: A tendency to be revisionist just for the hell of it.

...iconic Queen With Two Crowns, Eleanor of Aquitaine, began about halfway into my A-Level studies in Medieval History, at which point the Angevin Empire became the central unit around which much of our work revolved. This 'Empire', as it is now termed, was never recognised as such during the reign of Henry II, at which time its power was at its zenith, but it was an extremely powerful force in the Western world during the twelfth and early thirteenth ...
...Queen, Eleanor. Eleanor has long been disparaged by historians as a 'whore', a 'very evil woman' and even as the fulfilment of one of Merlin's prophecies - 'the eagle of the broken bonds shall rejoice in her third nesting', the 'third nesting' here being usually conveniently taken to mean her third *son*, the dashing Richard the Lionheart. Throughout the middle ages, ballads of Eleanor's misdemeanours were already beginning to circulate, so that ... Read review

Advantages: Excellent account of unprecidented war trial
Disadvantages: Can be hard reading at times

INTRODUCTION After the fall of the Third Reich, the Allies of the United Kingdom, France, The United States and Russia were left with the issue of bringing the Nazi leaders to justice. Whatever they decided would set a precedent; no trial in history had previously been conducted for the top brass of a criminal regime. They understood the importance of any decision they made, as it would hold the key to how war criminals once defeated would ...
...of this ground breaking trial. It is hard to read these kinds of things objectively; for example, my own father served in the British 8th Army during the war, and I would have been a fair way up the regime's hit list, so I can't claim to be in any way neutral. However, I have tried hard to read this book looking from both sides of the trial. It is a great credit to the book that it enables you to do this to a fair degree. Perhaps more fairly that ... Read review

Advantages: Compelling true story, well written.
Disadvantages: None

Highly detailed account of the wartime experiences of a group of soldiers from the 101st Airborne's Easy Company. The book's very accessible style (it even includes maps at the front) and its highly compelling subject matter combine to make this an extremely worthwhile read. The inclusion of photographs in the book helps to remind the reader that this is a TRUE story, rather than just a TV show (which was also excellent). Especially striking is the ...
...though I won't elaborate as it would spoil the book if you haven't read it (or seen the TV series). Personally, I couldn't put this book down. The shattering, heart-rending journey these men go through over the course of 307 pages makes this book (for me) the ultimate page-turner. It left me with a sense of gratitude at the sacrifices and hardships these men went through, whilst feeling inspired that they still retained their friendship and humanity. ... Read review