Century Britain

From New York Times bestselling author Bernard Cornwell, the first exciting adventure in the world-renownedSharpe series, chronicling the rise of Richard Sharpe, a Private in His Majesty’s Army at the siege of Seringapatam. “The greatest writer of historical adventures today.”...

If ever you worry about children today, spare a thought for the people of 19th century Britain, when knife-crime was rife and gangs of children roamed the streets and countryside, committing countless horrendous crimes including murder.

Imagine you could travel back to the 14th century. What would you see? What would you smell? More to the point, where are you going to stay? And what are you going to eat? Ian Mortimer shows us that the past is not just something to be studied; it is also something to be lived. He sets out to explain what life was like in the most immediate way, through taking you to the Middle Ages. The result is the most astonishing social history book you are ever likely to read: evolutionary in its concept, informative and entertaining in its detail.

Imagine you could see the smiles of the people mentioned in Samuel Pepys' diary, hear the shouts of market traders, and touch their wares. How would you find your way around? Where would you stay? What would you wear? Where might you be suspected of witchcraft? Where would you be welcome? This is an up-close-and-personal look at Britain between the Restoration of King Charles II in 1660 and the end of the century.

“A TOUR DE FORCE . . . London tracks the history of the English capital from the days of the Celts until the present time. . . . Breathtaking.”—The Orlando Sentinel A master of epic historical fiction, Edward Rutherford gives us a sweeping novel of London, a glorious pageant spanning two...

""Exhilarating, exuberant, and rich,"" Katherine is an epic novel of a love affair that changed history—that of Katherine Swynford and John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, the ancestors of most of the British royal family (Austin Chronicle). Set in the vibrant fourteenth century of Chaucer and...

From New York Times bestselling author Bernard Cornwell, now available in paperback—bestselling historical novelist Bernard Cornwell brings life to one of the most spectacular naval battles in history with SHARPE’S TRAFALGAR. ""The greatest writer of historical adventures today.""...

Charles Dickens never sat on the throne, commanded an army or governed the British Empire. Yet few figures did more to shape the way Victorian Britain saw itself. He turned streets, prisons, workhouses, offices, schools, debt, childhood, hunger, ambition, hypocrisy, cruelty, laughter, Christmas and conscience into a national mirror. Through unforgettable characters such as Oliver Twist, Ebenezer Scrooge, David Copperfield, Pip, Little Nell, Mr Micawber, Jo the crossing sweeper and countless others, Dickens gave Victorian Britain a language for its own contradictions. Charles Dickens: The ...

Aerial combat brings a thrilling new dimension to the Napoleonic Wars as valiant warriors rise to Britain’s defense by taking to the skies . . . not aboard aircraft but atop the mighty backs of fighting dragons. When HMS Reliant captures a French frigate and seizes its precious cargo, an...

To live in 19th-century Britain was to experience an astonishing series of changes, of a kind for which there was simply no precedent. There were revolutions in transport, communication and work; cities grew vast; and scientific ideas made the intellectual landscape unrecognisable. This was an exhilarating time but also a horrifying one. In his new book, David Cannadine has created a bold, fascinating new interpretation of the British 19th century in all its energy and dynamism, darkness and vice.

This compelling book takes listeners on a unique voyage through time, offering bite-sized chunks of social history that delve into the cultural, political, and sporting landscapes of each decade. From the dawn of the new century to the eve of the new millennium, this bite-sized guide provides an insightful and engaging account of Britain’s transformation over 100 years. Each decade is explored in a dedicated chapter, allowing listeners to gain an understanding of the key events, societal shifts, and influential figures that shaped Britain.

The third installment of Bernard Cornwell’s bestselling series chronicling the epic saga of the making of England, “like Game of Thrones, but real” (The Observer, London)—the basis for The Last Kingdom, the hit BBC America television series. After achieving victory at King Alfred’s...

The classic novel about Paddington—who's now a major movie star! Paddington Bear had traveled all the way from Peru when the Browns first met him in Paddington Station. Since then, their lives have never been quite the same . . . for ordinary things become extraordinary when a bear called...

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER LONGLISTED FOR THE MAN BOOKER PRIZE NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY THE WASHINGTON POST Meet Harold Fry, recently retired. He lives in a small English village with his wife, Maureen, who seems irritated by almost everything he does, even down to how...

A brilliantly imaginative and poignant fairy tale from the modern master of wonder and terror, The Ocean at the End of the Lane is Neil Gaiman’s first new novel for adults since his #1 New York Times bestseller Anansi Boys. This bewitching and harrowing tale of mystery and survival, and memory...

Instant New York Times and National Bestseller “A triumph. . . . Winspear creates in Elinor White (the ‘White Lady’), a complex, endearing, achingly flawed hero. This is both fast-paced and thoughtful, bold and nuanced, a thriller that is thrillingly human. I loved it.” —Louise Penny...

With dazzling wit and astonishing insight, Bill Bryson—the acclaimed author of The Lost Continent—brilliantly explores the remarkable history, eccentricities, resilience and sheer fun of the English language. From the first descent of the larynx into the throat (why you can talk but your dog...

Based on a comprehensive, landmark investigation, this ground-breaking history reveals the true significance of the trade in enslaved Africans in Britain’s development as a modern nation. *ACCOMPANIED BY A MAJOR BBC DOCUMENTARY* They came from a wide range of backgrounds: plumbers as well as...

He was never meant to be Britain’s king. When George I arrived in 1714, he did so as a foreign ruler, chosen by law rather than love. He spoke little English, commanded little natural loyalty, and faced a kingdom still haunted by civil war, religious conflict, and the looming threat of a Stuart return. Yet when he died just over a decade later, the Hanoverian dynasty stood firm. This is the story of how that happened. George I: The Foreign King Who Secured Britain takes you inside one of the most misunderstood reigns in British history — a period defined not by charisma, but by crisis, ...

In a work of extraordinary narrative power, filled with brilliant personalities and vivid scenes of dramatic action, Robert K. Massie, the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Peter the Great, Nicholas and Alexandra, and Dreadnought, elevates to its proper historical importance the role of sea...