Showing titles in 20th Century

Perhaps thanks to TV period dramas, the popular imagination may picture the Edwardian era as an idyllic window between the wars, a time of manners and tea on the lawn. But below the surface lies a frenetic and often bizarre age where scientific leaps forward went hand in hand with belief in fairies, and secrets of sex, lies and murder simmered. Across 12 episodes, in this sequel to his Victorian Secrets, Stephen Fry uncovers some of the startling and unexpected hidden histories of the Edwardians.

Brought to you by Penguin. THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER A groundbreaking narrative history of the motivations and mentalities behind the Nazis and their supporters, from the bestselling author of THE HOLOCAUST and President Zelenskyy’s most-read book, HITLER AND STALIN. How could the Nazis have...

D-Day, 6 June 1944, the turning point of the Second World War, was a victory of arms. But it was also a triumph for a different kind of operation: one of deceit, aimed at convincing the Nazis that Calais and Norway, not Normandy, were the targets of the 150,000-strong invasion force. The deception involved every branch of Allied wartime intelligence - the Bletchley Park code-breakers, MI5, MI6, SOE, Scientific Intelligence, the FBI and the French Resistance. But at its heart was the 'Double Cross System', a team of double agents controlled by the secret Twenty Committee.

Are you ready for the truth about World War Two? In the first of an extraordinary three-volume account of the war on land, in the air and at sea, James Holland reveals not only the truth behind the familiar legends of the Second World War but he also unveils those lesser known events which were...

THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER A NEW YORK TIMES BEST BOOK OF THE 21ST CENTURY Now an FX TV series streaming on DISNEY+ 'Unquestionably one of the greatest literary achievements of the 21st century' Nick Hornby From the author of Empire of Pain – a stunning, intricate narrative about a notorious...

A Times and Waterstones Book of the Year 'A superb work of history' JAMES HOLLAND 'A thrilling account from a master of Second World War history' DAN SNOW A landmark history of the U-Boat war told through the experiences and recollections of the U-Boat crews themselves. Winston Churchill...

As Germany and then Japan surrendered in 1945, there was a tremendous hope that a new and much better world could be created from the moral and physical ruins of the conflict. Instead, the combination of the huge power of the USA and USSR and the near-total collapse of most of their rivals created a unique, grim new environment: the Cold War. For over 40 years the demands of the Cold War shaped the life of almost all of us. There was no part of the world where East and West did not ultimately demand a blind and absolute allegiance.

In this magisterial book, Roy Jenkins' unparalleled command of the political history of Britain and his own high-level government experience combine in a narrative account of Churchill's astounding career that is unmatched in its shrewd insights, its unforgettable anecdotes, the clarity of its overarching themes, and the author's nuanced appreciation of his extraordinary subject.

This second volume of the best-selling diaries of Henry 'Chips' Channon takes us from the heady aftermath of the Munich agreement, when the prime minister Chips so admired was credited with having averted a general European conflagration, through the rapid unravelling of appeasement, and on to the tribulations of the early years of the Second World War. It closes with a moment of hope, as Channon, in recording the fall of Mussolini in July 1943, reflects: 'The war must be more than half over.'

‘Deeply researched and fascinating’ The Guardian ‘[Rory Carroll is] an exceptionally gifted storyteller’ Max Hastings ‘A gripping read’ The i Paper ‘A thrilling account of one of the most unpredictable, memorable and poignant figures in our history’ Irish Times The Irish Times No...

Brought to you by Penguin. The early 1980s were the most dramatic, colourful and controversial in our modern history. Margaret Thatcher had come to power with a daring plan to reverse Britain's decline into shabbiness and chaos. But as factories closed their doors, dole queues lengthened and the...

'A rich treasure-chest of a book' ANTHONY HOWARD, Sunday Telegraph 'A spectacular history of the sixties' NICK COHEN, Observer 'Sandbrook's book is a pleasure to read ... he is a master of the human touch' RICHARD DAVENPORT-HINES, TLS 'Rivetingly readable' GODFREY SMITH, Sunday Times From the...

One April morning in 1943, a sardine fisherman spotted the corpse of a British soldier floating in the sea off the coast of Spain and set in train a course of events that would change the course of the Second World War. Ben Macintyre, bestselling author of Agent Zigzag, weaves together private documents, memories, letters and diaries, as well as newly released material from the intelligence files of MI5 and Naval Intelligence, to tell for the first time the full story of Operation Mincemeat.

Des Powell left school with no qualifications and little in the way of formal education. At nineteen he signed up to join the Parachute Regiment. Famously, the Paras is home to the UK military's second-toughest training regime after the SAS. Des Powell knows all about both. In fact, Des knows SAS selection better than anyone because he's done it twice. In SAS: Trial by Fire he tells the story of those gruelling tests: how Para training turned him into a soldier but, more crucially, how the SAS process turned him into a member of the elite.

Inside the Nobel Prize invites readers into one of the most extraordinary traditions in modern history—an award born from invention, controversy, and an unexpected act of legacy. More than a century after the first medals were presented, the Nobel Prize remains the world’s most famous recognition of human achievement, celebrating brilliance in science, literature, peace, and the pursuit of knowledge that makes life better for everyone.

No. 1 Sunday Times Bestseller Best-selling author Tom Bower reveals the making of a monarch – King Charles III King Charles faces many challenges as he succeeds his mother to the throne. Despite his hard work and genuine concern for the disadvantaged, King Charles III has struggled in the past...

Brought to you by Penguin. A sweeping and immersive history of modern Afghanistan from the one of the world’s leading war correspondents. In 1969, the luxury Hotel Inter-Continental Kabul opened its doors: a glistening white box, high on a hill, that reflected Afghanistan’s hopes of becoming...

As Assistant Private Secretary to four monarchs, 'Tommy' Lascelles had a ringside seat from which to observe the workings of the royal household and Downing Street during the first half of the 20th century. These fascinating diaries begin with Edward VIII's abdication and end with George VI's death and his daughter Elizabeth's Coronation. In between we see George VI at work and play, a portrait more intimate than any other previously published.  

The civil war that tore Spain apart between 1936 and 1939 and attracted liberals and socialists from across the world to support the cause against Franco was one of the most hard-fought and bitterest conflicts of the 20th century: a war of atrocities and political genocide and a military testing...

A Green Beret's gripping memoir of American Special Forces in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War.