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Magic, sorcery and witchcraft are among the most common themes  of the great medieval Icelandic sagas and poems, the problematic  yet vital sources that provide our primary textual evidence for  the Viking Age that they claim to describe. Yet despite the  consistency of this picture, surprisingly little archaeological  or historical research has been done to explore what this may  really have meant to the men and women of the time. This book  examines the evidence for Old Norse sorcery, looking at its  meaning and function, practice and practitioners, and the  complicated constructions of gender and sexual identity with  which these were underpinned. Combining strong elements of  eroticism and aggression, sorcery appears as a fundamental domain  of women's power, linking them with the gods, the dead and the  future. Their battle spells and combat rituals complement the  men's physical acts of fighting, in a supernatural empowerment of  the Viking way of life. What emerges is a fundamentally new image  of the world in which the Vikings understood themselves to move,  in which magic and its implications permeated every aspect of a  society permanently geared for war. In this fully-revised and  expanded second edition, Neil Price takes us with him on a tour  through the sights and sounds of this undiscovered country,  meeting its human and otherworldly inhabitants, including the Sámi with whom the Norse partly shared this mental landscape. On the way we explore Viking notions of the mind and soul, the  fluidity of the boundaries that they drew between humans and  animals, and the immense variety of their spiritual beliefs. We find magic in the Vikings' bedrooms and on their battlefields,  and we meet the sorcerers themselves through their remarkable  burials and the tools of their trade. Combining archaeology,  history and literary scholarship with extensive studies of  Germanic and circumpolar religion, this multi-award-winning book  shows us the Vikings as we have never seen them before.

Foreword by Kai Curry-Lindahl. The first book in English to describe Viktor Schauberger's prophetic work.

This latest German Army book by Jack Sheldon covers a shorter (three week) timeframe than his earlier works. After an introductory chapter tracing the development of the Hindenburg Line, the author concentrates on German aspects of the bitterly fought battle of Cambrai from 20 November to 6 December 1917.The narrative splits easily into two parts. First the defensive battle 20 29 November followed by the counter-attack which saw the German Army regain not only most of the ground lost in the opening phase but more besides. Detailed descriptions are given of the struggle for Flesquires Ridge and the see-saw battles for key terrain, including Bourlon Wood, as the German Army rushed reinforcements to the sectors under attack before we witness the German offensive.As with his other books full use is made of primary source material from the Munich Kriegsarchiv, the Hauptstaatsarchiv in Stuttgart, regimental histories and personal accounts. Of particular interest are the controversial interventions in operational matters of Ludendorf which were sharply criticised by Crown Prince Rupprecht. But for many the most fascinating aspect will be the experiences of the front line soldiers.

Major General Julian Thompson first wrote No Picnic when the momentous events of April - June 1982 were fresh in his mind. As Commander of 3 Commando Brigade, he was at the heart of the planning and conduct of the War. Under his direct command had been the Royal Marine Commandos and the two battalions of the Parachute Regiment who conducted the lion's share of the fighting.No-one therefore is better qualified to tell the extraordinary story of there-taking of the Falkland Islands from the Argentinians. The author, now a celebrated military historian, has revised his early book and added for this 25 Anniversary edition more of his own personal thoughts and impressions.It is all too easy to overlook just how perilous and risky a venture this expedition to the depths of the Southern Hemisphere was. Victory and defeat hung in the balance. Even those who feel they know about this most remarkable of wars will learn more from reading this classic account.

After the initial anticipation of great results for the Allied offensive that opened on 1 July, the French and the British had to consider their next moves. Haig made the fateful decision to reinforce perceived success at the centre and south of the British line (although Joffre, rightly, wished to continue the pressure at Thiepval). The result was a series of minor (if expensive) operations to provide a suitable base line for the next major British assault along the Bazentin Ridge, running approximately from east of Longueval to west of Bazentin le Petit Wood. Thus Ovillers, Mametz Wood and Tr nes Wood became prominent in Britain s military history. The French soon began to appreciate that the great success south of the river on 1 July was not going to achieve much more unless the front was extended southwards (impractical, given pressure at Verdun and limited manpower resources); or if advances could be made north of the river that would outflank the Germans to the south.Meanwhile Falkenhayn continued to believe in the imminence of British offensive action further north, in French Flanders, despite the fact that he was reassured time and again that there was no evidence for this and that in any case such an eventuality could be contained with reduced resources. Eventually the offensive in Verdun was halted, in late August Falkenhayn was removed after he had presided over increasing friction at the highest level on the Somme front amongst senior commanders; Ludendorff and Hindenburg took over and the genius of German defensive measures, Lo berg, arrived on the scene. This book covers actions at Ovillers, Pozi res (notably involving the Australians) Mametz, Delville Wood (South Africa s first great war time action in Europe), the bitter fighting at High Wood, all leading up to the great attack on the Somme on 15 September. This was the third such major effort by the British army and the first time since 1 July that the Allies had attacked simultaneously in strength. The book then looks at aspects of the fighting associated with this attack, in particular the role of the New Zealand Division and of the Guards Division around Les Boeufs.It then concentrates on the Anglo French boundary area (Guillemont and Combles) before considering French activity at Maurepas, Cl ry, Biaches and La Maisonette and the extension of the French front on 3 September, with fighting at Soy court, Lihons and Vermandovillers. The book ends with a review of the situation both sides found themselves in mid September, before the action continued its relentless grind at extraordinary cost in men and materiel.

No airforce in the Second World War would make more use of captured planes than the Luftwaffe. With this in mind, Jean-Louis Roba has undergone a considerable amount of work in tracking down hundreds of aircraft used by the Luftwaffe and illustrating their uses, careers and eventual fates. The book examines the full history of foreign planes in the Luftwaffe, from its inception in the prewar years to the end of the Second World War. More than just an account of the Luftwaffes use of captured aircraft, the book debunks myths about how prepared the Germans were for war in 1939, and shows how important even such an unreliable source of supplies as captured planes would become to the Luftwaffe. Translated into English for the first time, Robas investigative work is supported by over a hundred pictures of the planes themselves, and gives a rare opportunity to see British and American planes repainted in German colours and symbols.

In this sumptuous guide to twelve centuries of military development, Peter Connolly combines a detailed account of the arms and armies of Greece and Rome with his superb full-colour artwork. Making use of fresh archaeological evidence and new material on the manufacture and use of the weapons of the period, the author presents an attractive and impressive volume that is both scholarly and beautifully presented with illustrations that are, quite rightly, recognised as being the best and most accurate representation of how the soldiers from these formidable military empires appeared. Greece and Rome at War lucidly demonstrates the face of battle in the ancient world. Covering the wars between the Greeks and the Persians and the epic contest between the Romans and their most capable opponent, Hannibal, as well as organisation, tactics, armour and weapons, and much more, this excellent work brings the armies of Greece, Macedon and Rome vividly to life. This new revised edition contains a Preface by Adrian Goldsworthy.

This fourth volume contains a comprehensive listing of the Roman coinage of the period AD 284-337 together with background information on the history of each reign and the principal characteristic of its coinage. The catalogue is organised primarily by ruler with the issues then subdivided by denomination and by reverse legend and type.

This is a beautifully illustrated minature collection of traditional Irish legends for children.

Since its first publication in 1994 Richard Killeen’s Short History of Ireland has been widely accepted as the most accessible introduction to Irish history. It presents the history of Ireland in attractive double paged spreads, which can be quickly read to give an easy overview of the key events of Irish history. It is superbly illustrated with over 150 full colour photographs, paintings and drawings.Over the past 10 years almost 150,000 copies have been sold in English, French and German language editions. This new edition brings the story up to date including the days of the Celtic Tiger and the Good Friday agreement.

The first ever Bumper Book of Simplex Crosswords. Containing 300 Simplex crosswords, all newly-published in book form, the first ever Bumper Book of Simplex Crosswords has been compiled by Mary O’Brien.

Children will love this colouring book with a difference!

Ireland is a collection of 300 contemporary images of the beauties of Ireland, covering every one of the 32 counties.  The photographs are taken by two of the country’s leading landscape photographers, Peter Zoller and Michael Diggin.

Over forty-five years have elapsed since Derek Mahon announced his arrival at the forefront of Irish literary life with the release of Night-Crossing, but he remains an elusive figure.In the first comprehensive biography of Ireland’s greatest living poet, Stephen Enniss uncovers a remarkable personal story. Here he establishes the life circumstances which stimulated or provoked Derek Mahon into poetic response, detailing for the first time his troubled upbringing in Belfast, his youthful suicide attempt and his decades-long struggle with alcoholism. He sets Mahon’s poems against these personal struggles and in doing so reconnects the work to the life while also making a compelling case for the restorative power of art.Based on extensive archival research, interviews with Mahon himself, his family members, classmates, colleagues and others he is closely associated with, After the Titanic sheds new light on some of Ireland’s best-loved poetry.While Mahon is the central figure, the book also contributes to our understanding of the other giants of Irish poetry who came of age with him in the 1960s, Seamus Heaney and Michael Longley. ‘Derek Mahon is one of our greatest lyric poets; for all those who love his work, After the Titanic will be required reading.’Nicholas Grene, Professor of English Literature, School of English, Trinity College,  ‘Mahon is the most elegant yet daring poet of his generation, as this book reveals.’John Montague

Published by Boydell & Brewer Inc.

Published by Boydell & Brewer Inc.

Prepared by the Commission for Building Fifty New Churches in London and Westminster.

Eighteen papers and six abstracts from the ninth symposium of the Association of Environmental Archaeology held at Roskilde, Denmark, in 1988.

Soldiers' first-hand accounts of Second World War active service invariably make inspiring and exciting reading but Mines, Bombs, Bullets and Bridges is exceptional for several reasons. First, Brian Moss's role as a bomb disposal specialist was especially hazardous. Secondly, he was in the thick of the action from the start, dealing with unexploded ordnance during the London blitz. He was then deployed as a frontline sapper to North Africa and onto Sicily before landing on Gold Beach on D-Day. Despite many close calls he was relatively unscathed until taken out by a butterfly bomb at Nijmegen. Fortunately, despite serious injury he lived, quite literally, to tell the tale but his war was over.While the Author's graphic account compares favourably with the very best wartime memoirs, it also has a unique element, namely examples of his outstanding artistic skill. It is truly remarkable that he not only managed to produce so many fine works under combat conditions and that he was able to draw such accurate maps from memory. His sketches and paintings bring a special dimension to this story.What a privilege it is to feast on the words and images created by this exceptionally brave and talented man.

German armoured vehicles continue to generate great interest among historians and military vehicle enthusiasts alike. Many of these lightly armoured vehicles were used for transporting soldiers and in the provision of medical care. Alexander Ludeke has devoted himself to the Radpanzertechnik in particular in this Fact File volume, providing a concise technical history of these German Military Vehicles.

Interest in the theft of cucumbers initially took precedence over news that war had been declared, but Stockport rallied quickly. Wakes week was cancelled, the local 6th Battalion of the Cheshires went to the Front and the town transformed half of its schools into much-needed military hospitals. Admirably, the remaining schools coped with double the number of children but education suffered little. At the time, Stockport was two towns; the millscapes around the Mersey and the Goyt and the wealthier genteel suburbs bordering the Cheshire countryside. Economy and efficiency in the use of food and fuel was preached in the local paper alongside advertisements for silks, satins, velvets, furs and evening gowns. The cotton and hatting trades, transport and agriculture, suffered badly from loss of resources and manpower but resisted the use of female labour with great hostility. Food, fuel and lighting restrictions caused problems and there were accusations of profiteering and hoarding. Always in competition with Manchester, Stockport folk did things their way. Following Zeppelin attacks on the east coast, street lights were ordered to be partially shaded.Manchester shaded its lights from the top, while Stockport shaded its lights from the bottom, causing confusion in the darkened streets below and prompting one wit to write that while Manchester was expecting attacks from Zeppelins, Stockport was clearly expecting attacks from submarines.However, despite much political and material disaffection, the townsfolk united firmly against the kaiser. This book is is a timely reminder of how the local community worked together to provide munitions for the war, food parcels and comforts for the troops while 'keeping the home fires burning.'

Bois de Fourcaux, a luxuriant woodland covering 75 acres, set in the area of the battlefields of the Somme, dominates the surrounding landscape today, as it did in the summer of the year 1916. Known to the British Army as 'High Wood', the invading Germans had occupied the wood as it proved to be a natural field fortification and a menace that had to be neutralized if the British were to find a way forward in their attempts to breach the trench systems of the German Army and break out into the 'Green Fields Beyond'. This insightful publication will take the battlefield visitor, and also those who are unable to visit the site, on a journey through the history of the battles for High Wood and its environs. It covers the most significant dates in the British Army's struggle to eject the invader and the Germans determination to hold that which they considered to be their new National Frontier. This is the story of the largely amateur British Army of 1916. Lessons were learned in the roaring furnace of the Somme that would transform the fighting ability of the British irrevocably: High Wood was at the epicentre of that learning process.The book contains detailed maps from the time of the High Wood battles using the excellent British Trench maps and, importantly, an explanation on the use of the numbered grid system, which enables the visitor to locate, to within 5 yards, the site of an action that took place 100 years ago.Photographs are also included to enhance the visitor experience. Join us for the journey

Falkland Islanders were the first British people to come under enemy occupation since the Channel Islanders during the Second World War. This book tells how islanders' warnings were ignored in London, how their slim defences gave way to a massive invasion, and how they survived occupation. While some established a cautiously pragmatic modus vivendi with the occupiers, some Islanders opted for active resistance. Others joined advancing British troops, transporting ammunition and leading men to the battlefields. Islanders' leaders and 'trouble makers' faced internal exile, and whole settlements were imprisoned, becoming virtual hostages. A new chapter about Falklands history since 1982 reveals that while the Falklands have benefited greatly from Britain's ongoing commitment to them, a cold war continues in the south Atlantic. To the annoyance of the Argentines, the islands have prospered, and may now be poised on the brink of an oil bonanza.

This splendid and timely book will be invaluable to those visiting the battlefields, sites, museums, memorials and cemeteries of the D-Day Normandy landings. It is intended for those planning and leading school groups and similar parties but is also ideal for individual/family visitors.Rather than list every site etc it provides realistic itineraries to the best places in the Normandy area. Even these are flexible to allow party leaders suitable discretion.The author provides helpful information for each site such as its context in the War, visitor orientation, the narrative (the essential facts to engage, inform and entertain), suggested activity and relevant photos and maps.This combines to make every visit of maximum benefit and interest and yet reduce the workload of the party leaders.There are also valuable tips for lunch breaks, free time ideas and other helpful pointers.

For readers with family ties to Manchester and Salford, and researchers delving into the rich history of these cities, this informative, accessible guide will be essential reading and a fascinating source of reference. Sue Wilkes outlines the social and family history of the region in a series of concise chapters. She discusses the origins of its religious and civic institutions, transport systems and major industries. Important local firms and families are used to illustrate aspects of local heritage, and each section directs the reader towards appropriate resources for their research. No previous knowledge of genealogy is assumed and in-depth reading on particular topics is recommended. The focus is on records relating to Manchester and Salford, including current districts and townships, and sources for religious and ethnic minorities are covered. A directory of the relevant archives, libraries, academic repositories, databases, societies, websites and places to visit, is a key feature of this practical book.

This book tells the story of an incredibly capable naval aircraft, based primarily on the words of those who flew and maintained it. Beginning with the Lynx's entry into service in 1976, it goes on to discuss its remarkable performance in the Falklands War. Here it was used in both its primary roles of anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare, as well as several others for which it had never been designed, such as Airborne Early Warning and anti-Exocet missile counter measures. The Lynx has been continuously employed in the Gulf from 1980 until the present day. What is not generally known is the fact that these aircraft were responsible for effectively destroying the Iraqi navy, sinking over fifteen warships in a matter of a weeks. All related operational details are included here. Also included are accounts of operations conducted around the world, including anti-drug interdiction, Arctic deployments, Search and Rescue, hurricane relief, as well as a few notable mishaps. Also described is the development of the aircraft from the Mark 2 to the current Mark 8 (SRU), bringing the narrative fully up to date.Although only a snapshot, the stories narrated here offer the reader a real understanding of the capabilities of an aircraft with a truly remarkable history of service.

Rare photographs from SS sources illustrating the armoured formations which took part in this titanic struggle. Includes rare images of the Panther in action.

Both Sides of the Wire is the first in a new series of battlefield guides that looks at the fighting on the Western Front, chiefly in the sectors in which the British Expeditionary Force was engaged. In these books, Nigel Cave and Jack Sheldon will look at engagements from both the allied and German perspective; at the end of each chapter there will be a tour section so that readers can place themselves in the best vantage points to follow the action that is described on the ground and which is directly related to the narrative account that will form the bulk of each chapter. This book deals with the Somme up to and including the first day or two of the infantry assault on 1 July. In addition to the familiar British sector, the authors intend to cover those parts of the Somme battlefield that were (largely) fought over by the French. Although there is much to see of the French Sector, it is generally poorly served by published guides despite the fact that there are numerous signs of the Great War of the ground, many accessible to the public.With the concentration on 1st July and the subsequent months, there is relatively little about what happened on the Somme from the establishment of the line there in October 1914 to the summer 1916 offensive. For example, this involved extensive mine warfare, of which very few traces remain, but for which there is excellent contemporary mapping and some useful accounts. Because of the considerable amount of literature already available on the British sector of the Somme, the authors will be concentrating on particular aspects - areas selected include: Gommecourt (56th London Division); Serre (the French attacks of June 1915); the Heidenkopf; raids prior to I July around Beaumont Hamel; the Schwaben Redoubt, the German defence plan and what happened on the day; the Glory Hole and the fighting there from December 1914; the area around King George s Hill, near Fricourt; the attacks and counter attacks at Montauban on 1 - 3 July 1916; a very successful limited German assault at Feuilleres in January 1916; the line at Dompierre and Fey, in particular mine warfare (and also some coverage of the brief tenure of the line in this area by the British in the autumn of 1915).The book is aimed at anyone with an interest in the war, in the Somme in particular and, whilst acting as a guide, it will also be of value to those who cannot get to the Somme themselves, with the authors aiming at a more balanced understanding of what happened and explaining the outcomes at the various locations.