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eBook
Richard the Lionheart : in life and in legend
Blurton, Heather
Reaktion Books
, 2025
; English
; 200 Pages
The life of Richard I through the captivating stories told about him
Blurton, Heather
Reaktion Books
, 2025
; English
; 200 Pages
The life of Richard I through the captivating stories told about him
eBook
Marcus Aurelius : philosopher-king
Stephens, William O.
Reaktion Books
, 2025
; English
; 232 Pages
The gripping life, times, thought and legacy of Stoic emperor
Stephens, William O.
Reaktion Books
, 2025
; English
; 232 Pages
The gripping life, times, thought and legacy of Stoic emperor
eBook
Scipio Africanus: the first imperator
Hoyos, Dexter
Reaktion Books
, 2025
; English
; 256 Pages
A major new biography of the formidable Roman commander Scipio Africanus
Hoyos, Dexter
Reaktion Books
, 2025
; English
; 256 Pages
A major new biography of the formidable Roman commander Scipio Africanus
eBook
Alexander the Great : lives and legacies
Harrison, Stephen
Reaktion Books
, 2025
; English
; 233 Pages
A nuanced discussion of Alexander the Great’s life, personality, achievements and impact.
Harrison, Stephen
Reaktion Books
, 2025
; English
; 233 Pages
A nuanced discussion of Alexander the Great’s life, personality, achievements and impact.
eBook
Johannes Gutenberg: a biography in books
White, Eric Marshall
Reaktion Books
, 2025
; English
; 224 Pages
Pioneering printer Johannes Gutenberg’s true story, rightful recognition and enduring legacy.
White, Eric Marshall
Reaktion Books
, 2025
; English
; 224 Pages
Pioneering printer Johannes Gutenberg’s true story, rightful recognition and enduring legacy.
eBook
Brunelleschi and the moment of the Renaissance
Trachtenberg, Marvin
Reaktion Books
, 2025
; English
; 276 Pages
Filippo Brunelleschi is at once the most famous and most misunderstood architect of the Renaissance. The founding architect of the movement that led the way to modernity, his originality was not expressed in words or theory but rather in the materials he used, the scenography of space he engineered, the ingenuity of his designs, the exquisite workmanship of his detailing and the strikingly creative reworking of classical elements that make up his buildings. Marvin Trachtenberg offers a new view of Brunelleschi’s brilliant career as well as his life, guiding the reader through his most iconic works in Florence. In the process, this book sheds light on the driven, competitive culture of Renaissance Italy. This is an original, lively account of a key Renaissance figure.
Trachtenberg, Marvin
Reaktion Books
, 2025
; English
; 276 Pages
Filippo Brunelleschi is at once the most famous and most misunderstood architect of the Renaissance. The founding architect of the movement that led the way to modernity, his originality was not expressed in words or theory but rather in the materials he used, the scenography of space he engineered, the ingenuity of his designs, the exquisite workmanship of his detailing and the strikingly creative reworking of classical elements that make up his buildings. Marvin Trachtenberg offers a new view of Brunelleschi’s brilliant career as well as his life, guiding the reader through his most iconic works in Florence. In the process, this book sheds light on the driven, competitive culture of Renaissance Italy. This is an original, lively account of a key Renaissance figure.
eBook
Eleanor of Aquitaine : woman, queen and legend
Grant, Lindy
Reaktion Books
, 2025
; English
; 225 Pages
Eleanor of Aquitaine (1124-1204), the legendary queen of France and later England, has captivated historians for centuries. Heiress to the duchy of Aquitaine, wife to King Henry II and mother to Richard the Lionheart and King John, her life was marked by power, influence and myth. This concise, accessible history sheds new light on Eleanor, cutting through the hearsay and slander with a close reading of primary sources. It highlights the family bonds that shaped her power and identity, tracing her roots to the Loire rather than the Occitan south. Lindy Grant demonstrates that Eleanor's story is one of resilience: like Churchill, she saved England during a national crisis, though her political judgement could be equally erratic
Grant, Lindy
Reaktion Books
, 2025
; English
; 225 Pages
Eleanor of Aquitaine (1124-1204), the legendary queen of France and later England, has captivated historians for centuries. Heiress to the duchy of Aquitaine, wife to King Henry II and mother to Richard the Lionheart and King John, her life was marked by power, influence and myth. This concise, accessible history sheds new light on Eleanor, cutting through the hearsay and slander with a close reading of primary sources. It highlights the family bonds that shaped her power and identity, tracing her roots to the Loire rather than the Occitan south. Lindy Grant demonstrates that Eleanor's story is one of resilience: like Churchill, she saved England during a national crisis, though her political judgement could be equally erratic
eBook
The party's interests come first : the life of Xi Zhongxun, father of Xi Jinping
Torigian, Joseph
Stanford University Press
, 2025
; English
; 720 Pages
China's leader, Xi Jinping, is one of the most powerful individuals in the world—and one of the least understood. Much can be learned, however, about both Xi Jinping and the nature of the party he leads from the memory and legacy of his father, the revolutionary Xi Zhongxun (1913–2002). The elder Xi served the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) for more than seven decades. He worked at the right hand of prominent leaders Zhou Enlai and Hu Yaobang. He helped build the Communist base area that saved Mao Zedong in 1935, and he initiated the Special Economic Zones that launched China into the reform era after Mao's death. He led the Party's United Front efforts toward Tibetans, Uyghurs, and Taiwanese. And though in 1989 he initially sought to avoid violence, he ultimately supported the Party's crackdown on the Tiananmen protesters.
The Party's Interests Come First is the first biography of Xi Zhongxun written in English. This biography is at once a sweeping story of the Chinese revolution and the first several decades of the People's Republic of China and a deeply personal story about making sense of one's own identity within a larger political context. Drawing on an array of new documents, interviews, diaries, and periodicals, Joseph Torigian vividly tells the life story of Xi Zhongxun, a man who spent his entire life struggling to balance his own feelings with the Party's demands. Through the eyes of Xi Jinping's father, Torigian reveals the extraordinary organizational, ideological, and coercive power of the CCP—and the terrible cost in human suffering that comes with it.
Torigian, Joseph
Stanford University Press
, 2025
; English
; 720 Pages
China's leader, Xi Jinping, is one of the most powerful individuals in the world—and one of the least understood. Much can be learned, however, about both Xi Jinping and the nature of the party he leads from the memory and legacy of his father, the revolutionary Xi Zhongxun (1913–2002). The elder Xi served the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) for more than seven decades. He worked at the right hand of prominent leaders Zhou Enlai and Hu Yaobang. He helped build the Communist base area that saved Mao Zedong in 1935, and he initiated the Special Economic Zones that launched China into the reform era after Mao's death. He led the Party's United Front efforts toward Tibetans, Uyghurs, and Taiwanese. And though in 1989 he initially sought to avoid violence, he ultimately supported the Party's crackdown on the Tiananmen protesters.
The Party's Interests Come First is the first biography of Xi Zhongxun written in English. This biography is at once a sweeping story of the Chinese revolution and the first several decades of the People's Republic of China and a deeply personal story about making sense of one's own identity within a larger political context. Drawing on an array of new documents, interviews, diaries, and periodicals, Joseph Torigian vividly tells the life story of Xi Zhongxun, a man who spent his entire life struggling to balance his own feelings with the Party's demands. Through the eyes of Xi Jinping's father, Torigian reveals the extraordinary organizational, ideological, and coercive power of the CCP—and the terrible cost in human suffering that comes with it.
eBook
Frederick Douglass : a life in American history
Christian, Mark
ABC-CLIO
, 2025
; English
; 297 Pages
Meet one of the most influential men in the United States' history of emancipation and Black rights.
Chronicling Frederick Douglass's life in an accessible way, this biography engages with history and wrestles with biases, falsehoods, and unknown facts in order to tell Douglass's story as accurately as possible. Taking a comprehensive look at Douglass's life from birth to death, the book delves into Douglass's time as an enslaved African American, his escape, his experiences as a prominent orator and champion of Black rights, his writings and publications, and the influence he had on shaping society of the time. A detailed timeline allows students to quickly reference and recall major points in Douglass's history, and the book is further augmented by the inclusion of primary documents, which include samples of Douglass's own copious works, as well as words written about Douglass by his contemporaries. Readers will walk away with not only a better understanding of American history but an appreciation for Frederick Douglass's impact in his own time and his lasting relevance for all those who continue to fight for a more equal society today.
Christian, Mark
ABC-CLIO
, 2025
; English
; 297 Pages
Meet one of the most influential men in the United States' history of emancipation and Black rights.
Chronicling Frederick Douglass's life in an accessible way, this biography engages with history and wrestles with biases, falsehoods, and unknown facts in order to tell Douglass's story as accurately as possible. Taking a comprehensive look at Douglass's life from birth to death, the book delves into Douglass's time as an enslaved African American, his escape, his experiences as a prominent orator and champion of Black rights, his writings and publications, and the influence he had on shaping society of the time. A detailed timeline allows students to quickly reference and recall major points in Douglass's history, and the book is further augmented by the inclusion of primary documents, which include samples of Douglass's own copious works, as well as words written about Douglass by his contemporaries. Readers will walk away with not only a better understanding of American history but an appreciation for Frederick Douglass's impact in his own time and his lasting relevance for all those who continue to fight for a more equal society today.
eBook
Rudolf II : the life and legend of the mad emperor
Kaufmann, Thomas DaCosta
Reaktion Books
, 2025
; English
; 296 Pages
A reinterpretation of the Habsburgian ruler’s reign as exemplary rather than reclusive.
Rudolf II offers a fresh perspective on the Habsburg ruler, shedding new light on a reign often colored by myths of madness. Thomas DaCosta Kaufmann argues that, contrary to popular belief, Rudolf was not a passive recluse but an engaged monarch, navigating the complexities of state affairs with a moderate hand amid turbulent times. By contextualizing Rudolf’s interests in astrology, alchemy, and magic, this book offers new insights into the emperor’s support for scientific endeavors and his quest for power. Kaufmann also demonstrates that Rudolf’s assembling of the greatest Kunstkammer and painting collection of his time and his patronage of artists were essential elements of Renaissance rulership.
Kaufmann, Thomas DaCosta
Reaktion Books
, 2025
; English
; 296 Pages
A reinterpretation of the Habsburgian ruler’s reign as exemplary rather than reclusive.
Rudolf II offers a fresh perspective on the Habsburg ruler, shedding new light on a reign often colored by myths of madness. Thomas DaCosta Kaufmann argues that, contrary to popular belief, Rudolf was not a passive recluse but an engaged monarch, navigating the complexities of state affairs with a moderate hand amid turbulent times. By contextualizing Rudolf’s interests in astrology, alchemy, and magic, this book offers new insights into the emperor’s support for scientific endeavors and his quest for power. Kaufmann also demonstrates that Rudolf’s assembling of the greatest Kunstkammer and painting collection of his time and his patronage of artists were essential elements of Renaissance rulership.
