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A fascinating and nostalgic collection of over 40 wholesome recipes from the Second World War.At a time of shortages and rationing, British householders were faced with the daily challenge of providing nutritious meals for the family. This evocative compendium of recipes, illustrated with wartime propaganda notices, photographs and advertisements to give a real flavour of the time, can all be made with modern ingredients.You'll find warming soups, ingenious ways with tinned meat, delicious vegetable dishes using produce straight from the Dig For Victory allotment, clever puddings using leftover bread and jam, and – for those who like that sort of thing – some recipes for offal. Dishes such as Spinach Soup with Dumplings, Corned Beef Rissoles, Tomato Macaroni au Gratin and Coconut Orange Pudding not only recall the ingenuity and camaraderie of those wartime days, but also make truly mouth-watering meals for today’s family table.Now published at a bigger size with a beautiful new cover, this classic recipe collection makes the ideal gift for thrifty cooks, twentieth century history buffs, and anyone who wants to learn from Britain’s wartime ingenuity.

A moving anthology of First World War poetry, including well-known poets alongside some lesser-known voices.Reissued in a larger format with a new cover, this evocative collection brings you 80 poems from the First World War, from a broad selection of 24 poets including Wilfred Owen, Siegfried Sassoon, Isaac Rosenberg, Edward Thomas and Rupert Brooke. Also featured are less famous poets such as Leslie Coulson, the American poet Alan Seeger, and Charles Sorley, whom the midcentury Poet Laureate John Masefield considered the greatest loss of all the poets during the war. Many of the poets featured in the book were tragically killed during the war itself.Some of the classic war poems appear here, such as John McCrae’s ‘In Flanders Fields’, Wilfred Owen’s 'Dulce Et Decorum Est' and W. B. Yeats’s 'An Irish Airman Foresees His Death’, alongside some less familiar verse from soldiers such as ‘A Listening Post’ by R. E. Vernède and the heartbreaking ‘To My Daughter Betty’, penned by T. M. Kettle four days before the poet’s death in action in 1916.Together, the poems in this book give a powerful sense of the futility and horror of the war, with some lighter moments of beauty and cameraderie, and help to keep the memory of these fallen heroes alive.

An illustrated guide to the life and times of one of the most romantic and tragic figures in British history, Mary Queen of Scots.Taking you through the story of her life, it outlines Mary's early years as the Infant Queen before her childhood in France and her short-lived marriage to Francis I. It then moves on to her time in Scotland and her scandalous marriage to Lord Darnley and her abduction by her third husband, Lord Bothwell. It also covers her long years of imprisonment and ultimately her execution by her own cousin, Queen Elizabeth I, after being accused of treason.Reissued in a brand new hardback format and beautifully illustrated with images from the time of key sites, portraits and artefacts, this fascinating book uncovers the secrets of a tragic life and reveals why her story still resonates today. It's a must-read for any student of history or visitor to Britain.

Learn the secrets and mysteries of the Bayeux Tapestry, from its stunning embroidery to its elaborate storytelling. The history of the iconic Bayeux Tapestry is laid out in all its glory in this concise and colourfully photographed guide to this fascinating piece of living history. Trace the tapestry's long journey through being hidden, reappearing, changing hands and travelling across countries, all while keeping its vivid colours as it goes, and find out why some of its history is so hotly debated to this day.You can both delve into its intricate details, such as the fact that it's not a tapestry at all but a very long embroidery, and learn about the quirks of medieval living, as well as hover over with a bird's eye view, taking in the historical context of what such a huge undertaking would have meant at the time. The tapestry will take you through the Norman perspective on the lead-up to the Battle of Hastings and all the preparations that came with it – from ship building to battle dress and weaponry – as well as its violent conclusion and the infamous image of King Harold with an arrow in his eye.With allusions to Aesop's fables and even a depiction of Halley's Comet, the Bayeux Tapestry and the rich tapestry of human history that surrounds it will always spark our imagination. Both timeless and very much rooted in its time, enjoy the story of one of the world's most enduring textiles.

Published in collaboration with the National Churches Trust, this fascinating book is a sumptuous and authoritative photographic history of churches in England, as told through the objects inside them.Arranged chronologically from the Roman era to the present day, it covers a huge range of church objects including ornate fonts, beautiful stained glass windows, carved bench ends and rood screens, precious silverware and even church organs, and each piece has a fascinating story to tell. Within these pages, you'll discover:• The Hinton St Mary mosaic in Dorset, created in the early 4th century AD and showing the first depiction of Jesus Christ in Britain.• The full Norman repertoire of abstract geometrical forms displayed in the Tower Arch, St John’s Church, Northampton.• The Becket pilgrims represented in glowing medieval stained glass in Canterbury Cathedral.• Exquisitely carved misericords showing scenes from spiritual life through the year in Ripple church, Worcestershire.• Destruction and survival through the Dissolution of the Monasteries at Croyland, Lincolnshire.• Works of art in glass by William Morris and Edward Burne-Jones in Brampton, Cumbria.• Dame Elizabeth Frink’s intimate 'Walking Madonna' statue outside Salisbury Cathedral.With all of this and many other glorious treasures of England’s Christian history, it’s the perfect book for architecture enthusiasts, countryside explorers, dedicated churchgoers and anyone interested in the ongoing story of English churches.

A fascinating and nostalgic collection of over 40 wholesome recipes from the Second World WarAt a time of shortages and rationing, the British were challenged with providing nutritious meals daily for the family. This pocket-sized compendium of recipes is illustrated with contemporary propaganda notices, photographs and advertisements.Dishes such as Scotch Broth, Dumplings, Savoury Onions, Corned Beef Rissoles and Coconut Orange Pudding recall the ingenuity and camaraderie of those wartime days.Look out for more Pitkin Guides on the very best of British history, heritage and travel.