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Operation Bowler: The Audacious Allied Bombing Of Venice 21st March 1945. 1530 hours. Bursting through a hazy sky, dozens of Allied fighters and bombers sweep over German-occupied Venice. Their mission - destroy Germany's strategic outposts nestled along the port, while leaving the floating city unscathed. As bombs rained down upon Europe, flattening city after city, Venice - La Serenissima; home of Titian and Veronese; immortalised in the serene landscapes of Canaletto - remained sacrosanct. Its artistic and architectural treasure too considerable, too precious to risk destruction. But, as the push up through Italy reached its final, gruelling months, the Allies were confronted with a terrible dilemma. The ancient city of Venice was now closer and closer to the line of fire. As casualties mounted, the value of art, of history seemed diminished - just a month earlier Allied bombers had reduced the ancient hilltop abbey of Monte Cassino to a stony husk. In a gripping tale, bestselling author Jonathan Glancey reveals the thrilling history of Operation Bowler. Joining audacious Wing Commander George Westlake DFC and his elite team, Operation Bowler explores how an unlikely squad of pilots executed one of the most meticulous and complex air raids of the Second World War, sparing not only Venice, but its people.

Multi-million copy bestselling author Terry Deary shows you the history of the world through the eyes of Mr and Mrs Peasant (and their good friend Monsieur Guillotine...). A globetrotting, laugh-out-loud popular history for fans of David Mitchell. It is a truth universally acknowledged that the rich and powerful always look after their own and the working people are always revolting. But every now and again, a new group actually manages to seize power, and it changes history.Few enjoy the success of Ivaylo, the Bulgarian swineherd who managed to fight off the Mongols, slay the Tsar and marry his widow in the space of a year. But then, some rebels have more modest aims- Spartacus mainly wanted to go home to see his mum. Either way, we have much to learn from the tactics of revolutionaries gone by, like the two suffragists who posted themselves by Royal Mail to see the prime minister. (A first-class idea, though Downing Street declined the parcel.)From the peasants to the slaves, the martyrs to the mutineers, Revolting celebrates the resilience and determination of those who dared to challenge the status quo.

She Shapes History is a series of walking tours and vignettes that celebrate the accomplishments of women who made an impact on the small towns and big cities of Australia. Author Sita Sargeant has travelled the country to uncover tales of women who have so often been left out of the history books, to reframe well-known stories and let readers see the amazing histories around every corner of their own hometown or city. The book features 30 cities and towns from across the country; from Coober Pedy to Hobart, Hahndorf to Rockhampton, and all of the major cities in between, each place has its own indelible identity, and a myriad women who left their mark there. Whether it's the underworld queens who ran Kings Cross, the businesswoman of African heritage and single mother of four who became the first recorded woman to vote in an Australian election, or the pioneering activist who founded Meals on Wheels (and just happened to be in a wheelchair), there are countless funny, heartbreaking, inspiring, and eye-opening stories of women who lived and thrived in these disparate and often challenging landscapes. There are 18 city walks included, one for each of the major cities, with easy-to-follow maps with stops that relay stories of women who affected change there. The book will have a fun and engaging scrapbook feel, with breakouts and vignettes that highlight amazing women that have helped to shape history.

From warrior queens and the 300 to the Peloponnesian war, a major new history of the world's first superpower

Story Of A MurderThe long-awaited new book by the #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of THE FIVE, the feminist retelling of the historical true-crime story of infamous wife-murderer Dr Crippen in Edwardian England, brought to justice by an extraordinary group of music hall women. THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER The new page-turning, feminist retelling of the historical true-crime story of infamous wife-murderer Dr Crippen, brought to justice by an extraordinary group of women. FROM THE AWARD-WINNING, SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING HISTORIAN AND AUTHOR OF TRUE CRIME SENSATION THE FIVE- THE WOMEN KILLED BY JACK THE RIPPER, WINNER OF THE BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION. 'Thoughtful, humane, gripping. The kind of popular history you devour in one sitting' Sunday Times, Dominic Sandbrook 'A finely layered portrait of a hypocritical Edwardian society' Financial Times 'An exceptional achievement. I was gripped from the very first page' The Secret Barrister, Sunday Times bestselling author 'I couldn't put it down' Bonnie Garmus, bestselling author of Lessons in Chemistry 'Under her pen, history comes alive' Professor Dame Sue Black No murderer should ever be the keeper of their victim's story... On 1 February, 1910, vivacious music-hall performer, Belle Elmore, suddenly vanished from her north London home, causing alarm among her circle of female friends, the entertainers of the Music Hall Ladies' Guild who demanded an immediate investigation. They could not have known what they would provoke- the unearthing of a gruesome secret, followed by a fevered manhunt for the prime suspect- Belle's husband, medical fraudster, Dr Hawley Harvey Crippen. Hiding in the shadows of this evergreen tale is Crippen's typist and lover, Ethel Le Neve - was she really just 'an innocent young girl' in thrall to a powerful older man as so many people have since reported? In this epic examination of one of the most infamous murders of the twentieth century, prizewinning social historian Hallie Rubenhold gives voice to those who have never properly been heard - the women. Featuring a carnival cast of eccentric entertainers, glamorous lawyers, zealous detectives, medics and liars, STORY OF A MURDER is meticulously researched and multi-layered, offering the reader an electrifying snapshot of Britain and America at the dawn of the modern era. PRAISE FOR STORY OF A MURDER- 'Gripping and eye-opening' I-news, Book to Watch Out For 'Reads like a great thriller. I inhaled it' Bella Mackie, bestselling author of How to Kill Your Family 'A unique combination of sleuthing, storytelling and compassion' Lucy Worsley, bestselling author and historian 'Fascinating. It's about time Belle became the hero of her own story' Val McDermid, bestselling author of the Karen Pirie series 'As compelling as any crime drama' S J Parris, bestselling author of the Giordano Bruno series 'I had my hand over my wide-open mouth...I can't recommend it more- I will be thinking about it for a very long time. Rachel Joyce, bestselling author of The Homemade God 'Takes us beyond the world of Dr Crippen into the lives impacted by him and the society in which he moved. Terrific' Ian Rankin, bestselling author of the Rebus series 'Compelling to the very last page' Denise Mina, award-winning author of Reese's Book Club pick, Conviction 'Does for the Crippen Murder case what THE FIVE did for the victims of Jack the Ripper. Forensic research and insistent sympathetic writing. I loved it' PROFESSOR DAVID WILSON, BBC 1, The Crime Squad 'Breathtaking. Rubenhold has not only produced a thrilling reassessment of a notorious crime, but an impressive portrait of an age' Spectator

The Gods Of New YorkFrom the bestselling author of The Bronx is Burning, a superlative account of the New York at a dramatic turning point in its historyNew York City entered 1986 as a city reborn, with record profits on Wall Street sending waves of money splashing across Manhattan and bringing a once-bankrupt and reeling city back to life. But it also entered 1986 as a city divided. Nearly one-third of the city's Black and Hispanic residents were living below the poverty line. Thousands of New Yorkers were sleeping in the streets - and in many cases addicted to drugs, dying of AIDS, or suffering from mental illness. The manufacturing jobs that had once sustained a thriving middle class had vanished. Long-simmering racial tensions were boiling over.Over the next four years, a singular confluence of events - involving a cast of outsized, unforgettable characters - would widen those divisions into chasms. Ed Koch. Donald Trump. Al Sharpton. The Central Park Five. Larry Kramer. Spike Lee. Rudy Giuliani. Howard Beach. Tawana Brawley. The Preppy Murder. The Tompkins Square Riots. Jimmy Breslin. Ivan Boesky. Do the Right Thing, Wall Street, crack, the AIDS epidemic, Black Monday and, of course, ready to pour gasoline on every fire - the tabloids.In The Gods of New York, bestselling author Jonathan Mahler tells the story of these outsized characters and of these convulsive, defining years. It's an exuberant, kaleidoscopic, and deeply immersive portrait of a city in transformation, one whose long-held identity was suddenly up for grabs- Could it be both the great working-class city, drawing in and lifting up immigrants from around the world and the money-soaked capital of global finance? Could it retain a civic culture - a common idea of what it meant to be a New Yorker - when the rich were building a city of their own and vast swaths of its citizens were losing faith in the systems that were intended to protect them? New York was one thing at the dawn of 1986; it would be something very different as 1989 came to a close. This book is the story of how that happened.

The Holy And The Broken THE HOLY AND THE BROKEN When dehumanisation and destruction become the norm, the cycle must be broken. For over twenty years, Ittay Flescher has worked as an educator, journalist and peacebuilder in Melbourne and Jerusalem. When he woke up on the morning of October 7, 2023 to the sounds of rocket sirens over Jerusalem and later saw the devastation of Gaza in response, the grief and sadness that engulfed him - and so many others - compelled him to ask: how can we find a way forward? Following years spent facilitating dialogue between Jews, Muslims and Christians, Ittay believes that peace can only be found if we are willing to empathize with the pain of others. The Holy and the Broken challenges Palestinian and Israeli leaders, citizens and their supporters across the world to imagine a different reality; to look at history with a different eye; and to search for moments of engagement rather than resentment in the narratives of the past that each side tells about itself. Ultimately, it is a story that aims to comfort the troubled and trouble the comfortable. Praise: 'Courageous and considered. Ittay nurtures the tender, fragile shoots of peace. The world could do with more people like him' Paul Kelly, Australian singer-songwriter and guitarist 'A book of rare insight and compassion, The Holy and the Broken offers the one thing we thought we'd lost after October 7: a glimmer of hope for meaningful lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians' Bram Presser, author of The Book of Dirt 'This is a thoughtful and thought-provoking book, heartfelt and honest. You do not need to agree with everything Flesher has to say to find the book moving and challenging' Michael Gawenda, former editor in chief, The Age 'This ability to empathize with the suffering on both sides is a core value of Flescher's reconciliation work, and the underpinning to many of the options he outlines' Dr Anne Sarzin, Jwire 'As challenging and as contemporary as it is compassionate. In a world broken by war and polarisation, Ittay offers peaceful possibilities and nuanced perspectives' Rabbi Ralph Genende OAM, author of Living in an Upside-down World 'The Holy and the Broken breaks new ground. Yet what makes it truly singular is its consistent humanity, and its centring of ordinary Israelis and Palestinians' John Lyndon, executive director, Alliance for Middle East Peace 'This account of the writer's devotion to peacebuilding in our war-torn region is a shining testament to what can and should be done by those who can imagine a future peace. It lights a candle in an age of darkness!' Sari Nusseibeh, author of Once Upon a Country: A Palestinian Life 'When you finish it, you will not only know more about what's happening between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, but you will also know more about yourself' Maoz Inon, Israeli peacemaker and social entrepreneur 'A powerful testament to the possibilities of reconciliation and mutual empathy during conflict, what sets this book apart is its commitment to showcasing the experiences of the diverse individuals involved - especially the integral, yet frequently overlooked, stories of women. By highlighting the gender dynamics at play, Flescher enriches our understanding of the conflict and underscores the importance of supporting a world where more voices are heard and valued' Sheila Katz, CEO, National Council of Jewish Women 'When I picked this book up, I erroneously believed I already "understood" much about the ongoing, collective trauma of Palestinians and Israelis. But this thoughtful and deeply compassionate book shattered that illusion. By the time I put the book down, I was not the same person' Miriam Anzovin, creator of Daf Reactions and Jewish Lore Reactions