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Great disasters always attract conspiracy theories and this is just as true of disasters at sea as it is of those on land or in the air. The sinkings of the Titanic and the Lusitania, two of the great maritime disasters of the twentieth century, have attracted more than their share of these theories. Was the sinking of the Titanic a plot by J. P. Morgan to remove opponents to his plan to create a US Federal Reserve Bank? Was the construction of the ship substandard? Was the ship that hit the iceberg that night even the Titanic at all? Might it not have been her sister Olympic instead? And was the Lusitania deliberately allowed to sail into harm’s way to provoke the US into joining the First World War? Was her name obscured so the U-boat captain did not know what ship he was firing on? And how much ammunition was she carrying aboard?In this book, maritime historian and ocean liner expert J. Kent Layton examines these and more conspiracy theories and helps lay them to rest.

The invasion of Ukraine in 2022 began a new episode in history and was surrounded by a miscellany of historical claims. This book is a succinct, up-to-date guide to the histories on offer about and from Russia, one that seeks to make sense of present issues and future prospects, as well as of the past. There is a heavy emphasis on war and international relations, but that is appropriate not only for the past but also for a present in which both are to the fore. Peter the Great (r. 1689-1725), an eager moderniser, was viewed as an un-Russian evil phenomenon in light of his denial of the divine identity of traditional Russian monarchy, his blasphemy, his theft of time from God when he changed the calendar, and his sacrilegious violation of the image of God in man when he forced men to cut off their beards.Vladimir Putin cuts off no beards, he is no moderniser; the fall of the Berlin Wall left him with an abiding mistrust of democracy and ‘People’s Power’. At Davos in 2000, American journalist Trudy Rubin asked a panel of top Russian officials: ‘Who is Mr Putin?’ None of them could answer, except to say: ‘He is the President of Russia.’ How did this KGB foreign intelligence officer become (temporarily) Trump’s favourite running dog of capitalism? To answer the question, we have to understand what Russia was. There is a continuity that will give us a clue about what it is and will become.

Pitched into the maelstrom of air fighting in the summer of 1940, twenty-four-year-old Gordon Olive barely lived to tell this extraordinary tale of courage and endurance. As Britain fought alone for its survival, ‘the Few’ of RAF Fighter Command took to the air grievously outnumbered, many reaching breaking point, exhausted physically and mentally by unreleting, intense combat.Gordon Olive flew the iconic Spitfire for over 125 missions above London and the south-east in the white heat of the aerial battle for supremacy of the skies. One of the most heavily engaged pilots of the Battle, he shot down ten enemy aircraft.This is his story of what it was like to dogfight with Messerschmitts at speeds of 400 mph, experiencing G forces close to blackout, at one moment to be drenched in sweat with exertion, the next to be freezing at 25,000 feet, to smell the cordite of your own fighter’s machine guns and feel cannon shells explode against the back of your armoured seat.Illustrated in colour with forty unique paintings of the aerial battle of summer 1940 by the author.

This book provides a fresh perspective on the lives of Henry VIII’s six wives by embarking on a journey through the manors, castles and palaces in which their lives were played out. This journey traces their steps to the Alhambra in Spain, childhood home of Katherine of Aragon; to the very room at Acton Court where Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII publicly dined; through the cobbled grounds of Hampton Court Palace, which bore witness to both triumph and tragedy for Jane Seymour; into the streets of Düsseldorf in Germany, birthplace of Anne of Cleves; among the ruins and picturesque gardens of St Mary’s Abbey in York where Catherine Howard and Henry VIII rested at the pinnacle of the 1541 progress; and to Gainsborough Old Hall in Lincolnshire, where Katherine Parr lived as daughter-in-law of the irascible Sir Thomas Brough.Each location is described in a fascinating narrative that unearths the queens’ lives in documents and artefacts, as well as providing practical visitor information based on the authors’ first-hand knowledge of each site. Accompanied by an extensive range of images including timelines, maps, photographs and sketches, this book brings us closer than ever to the women behind the legends, providing a personal and illuminating journey in the footsteps of the six wives of Henry VIII.

The first Jaguar was presented by William Lyons in 1935 and heralded a line of saloons and sports cars that would be celebrated throughout the world. After the Second World War, Jaguar Cars became established as a foremost manufacturer of innovative high-performance cars. From the launch of the XK engine and XK120 sports car in 1948, through the sensational arrival of the E-Type, icon of the 1960s, and the XJ6, the definitive Jaguar for more than twenty years, Jaguar continued to be a byword for speed and style. The company successfully navigated the tight bends of changing ownership against the backdrop of industrial unrest in the British motor industry. While other famous car marques were consigned to history, Jaguar renewed itself and met the challenges of new markets and tastes. Independent ownership under Sir John Egan in the 1980s was followed by a takeover by Ford and an expanded model range to include the S-Type and X-Type. In 2008 the company was sold again to Tata Motors of India and further widened with the development of the F-Pace SUV and the i-Pace, its first electric car.Award-winning motoring journalist Ray Hutton’s long experience and inside knowledge of the motor industry makes this book an essential companion to Britain’s most successful manufacturer of sporting luxury cars.

The Airbus A350 is a twin-engine, long-range, wide-body airliner, which was launched in 2006, partly in response to Boeing’s development of the 787 Dreamliner. It is available in two variants: A350-900 and A350-1000. Over 70 per cent of the airframe is constructed from carbon composites and aluminium alloys leading to a light structure which, when combined with the latest generation Rolls-Royce Trent XWB turbofans, has resulted in an aircraft with 25 per cent lower operating costs and a significant reduction in fuel burn and carbon dioxide emissions. The A350-900 first flew in June 2013 and entered service less than two years later. The stretched A350-1000 made its maiden flight in November 2016 and began commercial flights in February 2018. The A350 provides airlines with flexibility and versatility in the range/payload combinations that it offers and by September 2013, almost 1,000 aircraft had been ordered.In celebration of the aircraft’s tenth anniversary in commercial service, Nigel Richardson describes the evolution, design and development of the A350 through to its entry into service with major airlines and how it may further evolve in the future with high-quality illustrations and technical information.

Car production at Volvo began in 1926 in Stockholm with a prototype. By 1927 small goods vehicles based on the car designs were in production at Gothenburg, and heavier three-tonners were being produced by 1928.Already known for their robust cars, Volvo lorries first came to British roads in 1967 after Jim McKelvie, a former road haulier, saw the need for better trucks than UK manufacturers were producing at the time, and imported the Volvo F86 model as a 30/32 ton artic unit. The lorry was light, had a high power-to-weight ratio and provided incomparable comfort for the driver. It took the UK market by storm.This early import was the forerunner of later Volvo trucks across the entire range, with various models of bus chassis also being introduced to the UK markets. Volvo production has gone forward in leaps and bounds, today being a major player on the world stage.Though a relative newcomer to the UK scene, Volvos have gained a very large following. Lavishly illustrated with rare and unpublished photographs, Volvo Lorries traces their history in Britain from the early F86 imports of the 1960s to the FH16 750 bhp fleet flagships seen on the roads today.

It seems impossible to think that a company who imported their first passenger vehicle into Britain in 1972 would, less than twenty years later, take over what was once Britain’s largest passenger and commercial vehicle manufacturer. It is a testament to the quality of Volvo’s products that they are one of the most popular chassis on the road today.Covering Volvo from their entry into the UK market, this book gives an overview of all the models to enter the UK market. With a brief description of each chassis type and 180 photographs, all in colour and with informative captions, it showcases Volvo’s products in their operating heyday.

This is the definitive biography, and the first in twenty years, of Louis-Napoléon III, whose controversial achievements have notoriously divided historians. Here, pre-eminent Napoléon Bonaparte expert and Pulitzer Prize-nominated historian Alan Strauss-Schom focuses on his successor Louis-Napoléon, overshadowed for too long by his more romanticized forebear.Strauss-Schom employs years of primary source research to explore the massive cultural, social, economical, financial, international, and military impact of France's most polarizing emperor. Louis-Napoléon completely revolutionized the state and the economy, but amid gross financial scandals. His expansion of the French Empire was praised by the French military and resisted by the socialists. He expanded the railways to rival England's; created new transoceanic steamship lines and a modern navy; introduced a new banking sector supported by seemingly unlimited venture capital; and even oversaw the creation of the first large department stores.Napoléon III wanted to surpass the legacy of his famous uncle, Napoléon I. In The Shadow Emperor, Alan Strauss-Schom sets out his true legacy.

Babies are born every day, but only once or twice in a lifetime, a child arrives who will inherit the throne. This summer, the nation watched as Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, delivered our future king. There have been predictions, expectations and a flurry of media attention around the new parents but apart from the flashing cameras and internet headlines, this is nothing new. Royal babies have excited interest before their births, for more than a millennium.When a queen or princess conceived, the direction of a dynasty was being defined and the health and survival of the child would shape British history. Amy Licence explores the stories of some of these royal babies and the unusual circumstances of their arrivals from the Normans to the twenty-first century. 1470 saw the arrival of Edward, a longed-for son after three daughters, born in sanctuary to Edward IV and his beautiful but unpopular wife, Elizabeth Wydeville; he was briefly King Edward V at the age of twelve, but would disappear from history as the elder of the two Princes in the Tower. In 1511, amid lavish celebrations, Catherine of Aragon gave birth to the future Henry IX, whose survival would perhaps have kept Henry from having six wives; alas, he was to die after just seven weeks. In 1817 came George, the stillborn son of Charlotte, Princess of Wales; had she not died as a result of the birth, she would have been queen instead of Victoria. This book explores the importance and the circumstances of these and many other arrivals, returning many long-forgotten royal babies to the history books.On 22 July 2013, the long wait for the royal baby came to an end. Almost a week past her official due date, the Duchess of Cambridge was admitted to St Mary’s hospital, Paddington, at 6 a.m. The Duke of Cambridge was at her side. On the hottest day of the year, the nation waited for news as the hours ticked past, with the press lined up on the pavement, where they had been for weeks. Finally, over ten hours later, the Duchess was delivered of a baby boy, weighing 8lb 6oz. In a departure from the usual protocol for royal announcements, the waiting media were informed by email before the formal notice was displayed on a golden easel outside Buckingham Palace. That night, the Duke of Cambridge, himself born in the Lindo wing thirty-one years ago, said, ‘We could not be happier.’ The new baby is the third in line to the throne; in fact it is the first time since 1894 that the monarchy has had three generations of royal heirs in waiting. As the last in a line of royal babies, stretching back for centuries, the new Prince will write the next chapter in the story of the Commonwealth.

Scania’s first venture into the British double-decker bus market came in 1973, when with partner MCW, based in Birmingham, they produced the ‘Metropolitan’ double-decker. In 1980, after a brief hiatus, Scania re-entered the British double-decker market with a chassis for bodying by all the major UK builder.Featuring a wonderful array of previously unpublished images, this book is a fond tribute to forty years of Scania double-decker buses on Britain’s roads.

The 1970 merger of Northern Pacific; Great Northern; Chicago, Burlington & Quincy; and Spokane, Portland & Seattle created a new super railroad spanning the northern and central United States over a 25,000-mile network. For twenty-five years, BN was one of United States’ premier railroads. In its first decade BN had its hands full, paring down duplicate lines and forming a cohesive system from all the predecessor railroads, as well as investing in the explosive growth of Powder River Basin coal shipments. By the early 1980s though, BN had clearly become its own railroad, decked out in uniform Cascade green and black paint. The BN of the 1990s experienced continued growth in intermodal, grain and coal traffic, along with adding more hues to the company colours.With wonderful original photographs, Mike Danneman takes a look at the last dozen years of the Burlington Northern before the merger with Santa Fe to form BNSF in 1995.

At the beginning of the Second World War Nazi Germany invaded and occupied Denmark and Norway, but left neutral Sweden alone. Less than a year later citizens from all three of those Scandinavian nations volunteered to join the Nazi Waffen-SS and go and fight on the newly formed Eastern Front against Stalin’s Soviet Union. By the end of the war in 1945 the number of Scandinavians who had fought in the Waffen-SS had reached the thousands. Casualties were high, but there were survivors and they returned home, often to face retribution and condemnation. As time marches on the veterans are passing away. This book is about the war they fought in their own words – their last testament before they are all gone.The motivation of these men was complex: many volunteered through a deep hatred of communism, particularly in light of Moscow’s invasion of Finland in the Winter War. Some simply believed in Hitler’s vision of a new world order, while others were just young men with a craving for adventure.The Scandinavian Waffen-SS, in various configurations, saw action on the Eastern Front from 1941 onwards – at the siege of Leningrad, in the cauldron of the Demyansk Pocket, in the Caucasus, and famously at Narva in Estonia and back into Germany itself with the remnants fighting to virtual extinction in the ruins of Berlin as the war came to a bloody close. For these men who had chosen the ‘wrong’ side, the war was certainly not over. Some fled to Germany, some returned home to recrimination and prison. Jonathan Trigg has interviewed some of the last survivors, who tell their story with absolute truthfulness: after so many years, they have nothing to lose. The interviews and images gathered within are vital historical documents.

In this readable and informative book, motoring expert Malcolm Bobbitt tells the story of one of the most iconic cars in motoring history. Designed as affordable and practical transport for French farmers travelling on either bad roads or ploughed fields, it also found its way into the fashionable quarters of Paris.This book shows how designers successfully achieved the specification for rugged and utilitarian design suitable for times of austerity while at the same time producing a truly classless car.The author explains the history of the car, conceived when Citroën was owned by the Michelin tyre company, and how the idea evolved. He covers the ingenious design aspects of the car, including the corrugated metal bonnet, hammock seats, push-pull gear lever and twin-cylinder air-cooled engine. Such was the success of the 2CV that it spawned variants such as the Dyane, Ami 6 and Ami 8 and the British-built Bijou, all of which are covered here.Illustrated with an evocative collection of high quality photographs and written by an authority on Citroën cars, this concise book tells you all you need to know about the famous 2CV.

With nearly 200 unique images photographed on the streets of Berlin by the author between 1959 and 1966, Berlin in the Cold War depicts a city which demonstrated the conflict between East and West at that time like no other. The photographs throw into focus the situation existing both before the building of the Berlin Wall, when anyone could move freely between the two halves of the city, and after its construction, when most Westerners could, with some difficulty, make the crossing. Allan Hailstone took many photographs during several visits in those years, some surreptitiously, despite restrictions placed on photography in East Berlin. These photographs provide a taste of this once dramatically divided city.

During the eighteenth and early years of the nineteenth century, the red tide of British expansion had covered almost the entire Indian subcontinent, stretching to the borders of the Punjab. There the great Sikh ruler Ranjit Singh had developed his military forces to thwart any British advance into his kingdom north of the River Sutlej. Yet on the death of Ranjit Singh, unworthy successors and disparate forces fought over his legacy while the British East India Company seized on the opportunity and prepared for battle. In the winter of 1845, the First Anglo-Sikh War broke out. From the start, the two-month campaign was marred by Victorian arrogance and bluster on the British side and personal ambition, intrigue and treason in the Sikh camp. Five keenly fought contests ensued, including the great battle of Ferozeshah where the British force found itself caught between two powerful Sikh armies and came close to destruction. Declining to retreat, Sir Hugh Gough, the British Commander-in-Chief, told his second in command: ‘My mind is made up. If we must perish, it is better that our bones should bleach honourably at Ferozeshah than rot at Ferozepore: but they shall do neither the one nor the other.’ The fate of the British Empire in India would be decided that day. Amarpal Singh writes a warts-and-all tale of a conflict characterised by treachery, tragedy and incredible bravery on both sides. In an innovative approach to history writing, the narrative of the campaign is accompanied by battlefield guides that draw on eyewitness accounts and invite the reader to take a tour of the battlefields, either physically or virtually. Fully illustrated with period drawings, modern-day photographs and new maps, The First Anglo-Sikh War gives a forgotten conflict the meticulous attention it deserves.

The appeal of the Beatles is everlasting. Millions of fans from all over the world continue to revel in the band’s eternal hits and their music stands out as one of Britain’s greatest cultural successes. This book takes the reader on a journey to the Fab Four’s home town of Liverpool and explores the significant sites and locations associated with the band’s unparalleled rise to stardom. We delve into the archives and uncover nostalgic images of Mathew Street, Strawberry Field and Penny Lane, as well as many other familiar landmarks and witness the changes that have taken place in the city through time.This book will appeal to any true Beatles fan who wishes to discover that little bit extra about the world’s most famous boy band.

How to fly the legendary fighter plane in combat using the manuals and instructions supplied by the RAF during the Second World War. An amazing array of leaflets, books and manuals were issued by the War Office during the Second World War to aid pilots in flying the Supermarine Spitfire, here for the first time and using the original 1940s setting, they are collated into a single book. An introduction is supplied by expert aviation historian Dilip Sarkar. Other sections include aircraft recognition, how to act as an RAF officer, bailing out etc.

Peter Robinson and Peter Cox embark on a thoughtful exploration of the rich and diverse history of the British hospitality industry. From the earliest Roman establishments to the refined hotels of today, they detail how historical events, cultural shifts, and technological advancements have continually reshaped the hospitality experience.Beginning in ancient times, the Romans introduced public lodging and communal bathing to Britain, setting the stage for future hospitality services. Medieval and Tudor hospitality revolved around monasteries and manor houses which were essential in providing shelter and sustenance. The Industrial Revolution brought new culinary traditions and the emergence of coaching inns and railway hotels, revolutionising travel and accommodation. European influences introduced fresh culinary techniques and service styles, raising the standards of British hospitality, while iconic establishments such as The Ritz and The Savoy set new benchmarks for luxury and service.Through careful research and with fascinating period images, this book offers a glimpse into the different eras of the multifaceted hospitality industry, weaving together stories of tradition, innovation, and the timeless human desire for connection and comfort.

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles has been a powerhouse franchise ever since the debut of the indie comic book back in 1984. The TMNT have captivated kids and those young at heart for over thirty years now with several movies, multiple cartoon series, ongoing comics and one of the most extensive and playable toylines in history. The golden era of TMNT for many fans was from 1988 to 1995 and it’s that vintage era that this book aims to focus on. When you’re dealing with such an expansive franchise it’s essential to nail down a focus and the original cartoon and movies are still regarded by many fans as the definitive TMNT.In this book author, collector and pop culture historian Matt MacNabb, who runs NinjaTurtlesCollector.com, examines everything from the Playmates toyline to the more obscure product offerings – from fast food toys, food product, school supplies and trading cards to video games, VHS and books.

British Airways has an almost unique history. Spanning over a century from the first flight of Aircraft Transport and Travel Ltd from London to Paris in 1919 to the modern fuel-efficient aircraft of its current fleet, British Airways has proudly connected Britain to the World and the World to Britain. Over that journey through the rapidly evolving early years of pioneering aviation, taking days to cross continents with biplanes and seaplanes, through the post-war piston-engine luxury, the iconic jet age of the fabulous Boeing 707 and 747, the supersonic marvel of Concorde into the modern era of travel, British Airways has seen many historic events and carried literally billions of customers. Along the way that journey has generated vast amounts of treasured items, many of which are now displayed or stored at British Airways headquarters near Heathrow in its truly incredible museum, the Speedbird Centre. Much of the archive has true national importance and is kept as part of the nation’s heritage. From simple in-flight mementos to the Olympic torch, the items featured in this book represent just a flavour of that collection and bring decades of flight to life.

The football clubs from England and Wales that formed the English Football League in 1888 were part of the world’s oldest association of professional football clubs. Today there are 92 football clubs in the English Football League and Premiership and numerous other non-League football clubs, including many erstwhile League clubs, which are professional or semi-professional. From the start, the football clubs needed to house the large numbers of fans wanting to watch their local team and to charge them money for access and the clubs quickly became associated with their home ground. Today’s football grounds are a mixture of old and new, some still on their original site and using early stadium buildings amongst rebuilt structures, others starting from scratch in recent decades on new sites.In Football Grounds From the Air photographer Mark McNeill presents remarkable views of today’s football grounds in the English League and Premiership as well as a selection of non-League grounds. The remarkable diversity of these grounds becomes visible from the aerial perspective, from historic grounds in urban centres to modern out-of-town sites, from remnants of stands surviving from another age to state-of-the-art new stadiums, the fascinating views of the home of our national game will appeal to all football fans.

The Triumph Stag is said to represent both the best and the worst of the British car industry, with its ravishing good looks and exciting performance marred by development and quality problems. In this book, Triumph Stag expert Peter Robinson finally sets the record straight, providing a concise but revealing guide to the complex development of the Triumph Stag through to its current status as one of Britain’s most successful and sought-after classic cars.The book explores the early design concepts of Giovanni Michelotti and the enthusiastic reception by Triumph design and engineering chief Harry Webster. It also unravels the complexities of engine development and how problems with the mechanical injection system were bypassed with the use of twin carburettors. The book also covers the launch in the United States and how emissions and other problems led to the Stag being taken off the US market. However, despite all the development and reliability issues, as this book shows, the Stag went on to become one of Britain’s most desirable classic sports cars, with many of the early mechanical and technical problems being overcome by enthusiasts.Accompanied by black and white archive and modern colour illustrations, this book is an expert insider’s view of one of Britain’s most discussed classic sports cars.

For over seventy years the name Swissair stood for all things Swiss on the airways. The ‘flying arrow’ emblem of Switzerland’s national airline represented a company with deep financial reserves, enabling it to invest in the latest jets and the most modern technology. Yet from the 1970s onwards world events brought about a dramatic reversal in its fortunes. A new strategy of growth through investment in many other airlines misfired when these carriers became a loss-making burden, and the decision of the Swiss population to remain outside the European Economic Area restricted the airline’s opportunities for increasing passenger uptake. By 2001, in the wake of the collapse in traffic following the 9/11 atrocities, the carrier was reliant on government loans for its continued survival, and in 2002 Swissair ceased all operations, its routes and equipment being resurrected by rival Crossair. The humiliation did not end there. In 2007 Swissair’s entire former management board stood trial on charges relating to mismanagement, making false statements, and forgery.Commercial aviation author Charles Woodley has pieced together the story of Swissair’s rise to a glittering reputation for quality and reliability, and the factors leading to its downfall.

Launched in 2001, the second generation Mini, produced by BMW, was an instant success. Based on a design brief that stated that it could only be a Mini, the new car remained faithful to its heritage while offering numerous benefits, including increased size, engine power and performance. It also set new standards in refinement.In this readable book motoring expert James Taylor takes a multi-perspective look at the BMW Mini to give the reader a complete view of the many aspects of design, development, engineering and marketing that went into producing a highly successful range of new models under the Mini brand. The book explores how BMW has always been careful to retain the heritage of the original Mini and its variants as it continued to introduce subtle but significant changes to the three-door hatch while expanding its range of models to include the SUV Countryman and the Paceman. The book also covers the introduction of new engines and fuel options, including hydrogen and electric.Designed by an American for a German motor company but largely still built in Oxford, England, this is a complete picture of one of the world’s most successful cars.

This remarkable account tells the story of how, in its first two years, the First World War reduced Europe's mightiest empires to rubble, and cracked the foundations of the world.On a summer day in 1914, a nineteen-year-old Serbian nationalist gunned down Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo. In less than a month, a combination of ambition, deceit, fear, jealousy, missed opportunities and miscalculation sent Austro-Hungarian troops marching into Serbia, German troops streaming toward Paris, and a vast Russian army into war, with Britain as her ally. No one could guess what lay ahead: years of slaughter, physical and moral exhaustion, and the near collapse of a civilization that until that moment had dominated the globe.

No visitor to Edinburgh will miss the monument to Scotland's most famous dog, the little Skye terrier Greyfriars Bobby. This amazing dog, the most faithful in the world, kept vigil at his master's grave for fourteen long years. Many children's books, and three successful films, have been inspired by the affecting story of this little dog, said to be the most inspiring tale of love and loyalty ever heard. Every summer, Bobby's statue is surrounded by tourists from all over the world, some of whom weep profusely when they hear dog's pathetic story. In this book, the true story of Greyfriars Bobby will finally be told for the first time, using original sources. Was Bobby really the canine paragon of virtue he has been presumed to be, or was he an unconscious impostor, taking advantage of the notions about extreme canine fidelity that were current at the time? Includes 115 Illustrations

In this book of amazing oddities, the successor to his popular Cabinet of Medical Curiositiesand The Two-Headed Boy, Jan Bondeson explores various surprising and bizarre aspects of the history of medicine: Does people’s hair go white after a sudden fright; can the image of the killer be seen in the eyes of a murdered person; does the severed head of a guillotined person maintain some degree of consciousness? Giants, dwarfs and medical freaks are paraded in front of the reader, to say nothing of Johnny Trunley, the Fat Boy of Peckham, who was a sensation in Edwardian show business, and his various rotund rivals. In this book, Bondeson combines a historian’s research skills with a physician’s diagnostic flair, as he explores our timeless fascination with the freakish and bizarre people and events in the colourful history of medicine.

AMAZING DOGS tells the stories of some of the most extraordinary dogs in history. In the 1750s, the Learned English Dog was a sensation in London: this spelling and calculating Border collie was even thought to be a reincarnation of Pythagoras. The acting Newfoundland dog Carlo, active in London from 1803 until 1811, had plays specially written for him, involving tackling villains, liberating prisoners, and diving into artificial lakes on stage to save drowning children. Don the Speaking Dog, toured the world barking out words like 'Hungry! Give me cakes!' and had particular success in new York. Some of history's amazing dogs belonged to the canine proletariat: turnspit dogs ceaselessly running inside wheels to turn the roast meat, and terriers put into rat-pits, with bets laid on the number of rats killed. The champion terrier Billy killed 100 rats in five and a half minutes in 1823, a record which stood until 1863, when it was beaten by Jacko, another champion rat-killer. Another forgotten chapter in canine history are the once-famous dog collecting for charity in London's railway stations, with boxes attached to their backs. Lord Byron's rowdy Newfoundland dog Boatswain belonged to the opposite end of the canine social spectrum, as did the super-rich dogs inheriting money from their wealthy and eccentric owners. The book suitably ends with a chapter on dog cemeteries and dog ghosts.