An authoritative new history and analysis of the Wright Brothers' pioneering aircraft, from their triumph in 1903, through their string of achievements in the next decade, to their eclipse in the 1910s.

Orville and Wilbur Wright, two bicycle-making brothers from Dayton, Ohio, secured their place as the most famous names in aviation history when, on December...

Weaving together the accounts of the ancient historian Herodotus with other ancient sources, this is the engrossing story of the triumph of Greece over the mighty Persian Empire.

The Persian War is the name generally given to the first two decades of the period of conflict between the Greeks and the Persians that began in 499 BC and ended around 450. The...

In a last, desperate bid to stave off defeat, Japan's High Command launched the terrifying kamikaze attacks. This fully illustrated book examines Imperial Japan's last throw of the dice.

Fully illustrated throughout, Desperate Sunset examines the development and evolution of the kamikaze using first-hand accounts, combat reports, and archived histories.

By...

Published to coincide with the 80th anniversary of the start of World War II, this book tells the story of Case White, the German invasion of Poland in 1939.

The German invasion of Poland on 1 September, 1939, designated as Fall Weiss (Case White), was the event that sparked the outbreak of World War II in Europe. The campaign has widely been described as a...

From critically acclaimed Eastern Front expert Prit Buttar comes this detailed and engrossing account of the war on the Eastern Front as the German forces were driven back following the Battle of Kursk.

Beginning towards the end of the Battle of Kursk, Retribution explores the massive Soviet offensive that followed Operation Zitadelle, which saw depleted and...

An illustrated introduction to rites and traditions relating to death, funerary rites and commemoration, from Medieval times to the present day.

Death has been a source of grief and uncertainty for humanity throughout history, but it has also been the inspiration for a plethora of fascinating traditions. The covering of mirrors to prevent the departed spirit...

Titled after the wartime nickname for the part of North Korea that was the epicenter of a bitter struggle for air superiority over the Korean Peninsula, MiG Alley offers an in-depth analysis of the US Air Force's war in Korea, packed with interesting and exciting personal stories based on first-person testimony from both American and Soviet sources.

Of the...

This title charts the history of women's involvement in aviation, exploring how American and British women donned goggles and gloves to fly through a predominantly masculine world and onwards into an age of aviation equality.

This title explores the scope of women's activities in aviation, from the time of the Wright Brothers to the present day. After...

A brand-new narrative account of one of World War II's most exciting chase stories, the pursuit of the legendary German battleship, Bismarck.

Hunt the Bismarck tells the story of Operation Rheinübung, the Atlantic sortie of the Nazi Germany's largest battleship in May 1941.

Bismarck entered service in the summer of 1940. She was well-armed, with eight...

A highly illustrated study of the wars of Central and South America from 1900 through to 1970, featuring many rare and never-before-seen images.

Fully illustrated with a wealth of rare photographs, this fascinating story sheds light on seven decades of a continent in conflict that is rarely covered in English.

From the Banana Wars of the early 20th century...

General Douglas MacArthur ended World War II controlling one of the most powerful air forces in the world. This new history traces its development from its origins in the Philippines through to its eventual victory in the skies over Japan and its key role in the Korean War.

General Douglas MacArthur is one of the towering figures of World War II, and indeed...

An engaging introduction to the workings of church buildings and churchyards, explaining the integral elements of a working church and how they have changed over time.

The parish church is a symbol of continuity, a cornerstone of the urban and rural landscape, and a treasure trove often as rich in cultural history as any museum. This compact and accessible...

The debonair Special Operations Executive agent Richard "Dick" Mallaby was the first Briton to be sent to Italy as an SOE operative, parachuted unceremoniously into Lake Como in August 1943. Arrested and initially tortured by the Italian authorities, he managed to sweet-talk his way out of trouble and helped Marshal Pietro Badoglio and King Victor Emmanuel...

A detailed study of history and marine archaeology of an innovative late-World War II U-boat that currently lies as a wreck in the Potomac River.

Now in its final resting place at the bottom of the Potomac River in Maryland, the U-Boat U-1105 is unique among German World War II submarines. Technologically innovative, it was the only U-Boat to conduct a...

Using new material unearthed in French archives, Vietnamese-language publications, and the testimony of veterans, this book, now in paperback, offers a new perspective on the climactic French defeat at Dien Bien Phu which took place during the First Indochina War--the conflict that set the stage for the Vietnam War.

Following the end of World War II, France...

The story of the man who won the battle of Midway and avenged Pearl Harbor for the United States.

During the Battle of Midway in June 1942, US Navy dive bomber pilot Wade McClusky proved himself to be one of the greatest pilots and combat leaders in American history, but his story has never been told-until now.

It was Wade McClusky who remained calm when the...

An accessible and colorful illustrated narrative of the manufacturing and social history of a favorite British tipple.

Uncovering the mysteries of gin manufacture and production, as well as its fascinating history, this book is a complete guide to one of the world's drinks of choice.

Gin is a drink deeply rooted in our culture. From "Dutch Courage" to "Gin...