ისტორია

A beautifully illustrated Flammarion history of Le Grand Hôtel and Café de la Paix — two Parisian institutions on the Place de l’Opéra since 1862, with a guest list spanning Proust, Wilde, and de Gaulle. An essential celebration of French luxury hospitality and la belle époque art de vivre.

The authoritative guide to Rosslyn Chapel — separating historical fact from popular legend about one of Scotland’s most extraordinary fifteenth-century buildings. Oxbrow and Robertson examine the intricate carvings and their real meanings with scholarly rigour and genuine engagement with the myths.

The definitive reference documenting over 400 tartans with full-colour illustration, clan histories, and cultural context. From disputed ancient origins to romantic Victorian reinvention, Zaczek and Phillips trace the full history of one of the world’s most recognisable design systems.

Georgian writer Levan Berdzenishvili’s remarkable testimony of Soviet Gulag imprisonment in the 1980s — a portrait gallery of poets, philosophers, and dissidents who maintained their intellectual lives in the camps. Vital historical document and profound meditation on preserving humanity under duress.

Peter Frankopan’s landmark work reframes the entire course of human civilisation through ecology and climate. Drawing on astonishing range, he argues that our relationship with the natural world has always been history’s defining force — essential reading for understanding our present crisis.

The definitive English edition of one of humanity’s oldest religious texts, reproduced in full colour from the Papyrus of Ani. Faulkner’s authoritative translation, accompanied by scholarly commentary, brings this 3,000-year-old guide through the afterlife to vivid, extraordinary life.

Uniforms of World War II by Andrew Mollo (Lorenz Books) — the uniforms of every major national force in the Second World War, from the Wehrmacht and the Red Army through the British, American, and Commonwealth forces to the Japanese Imperial Army and the Italian Regia Esercito, with full-colour illustrations and historical context for each national uniform tradition. A comprehensive reference for military history enthusiasts. Published by Lorenz Books.

The Japanese Myths by Joshua Frydman (Thames & Hudson) — one of the world’s great mythological traditions presented in its complete form: the creation of the islands from the cosmic ocean, the storm god Susanoo and the sun goddess Amaterasu, the descent into the underworld, the founding of the imperial dynasty. As rich, as strange, and as philosophically serious as the Greek or Norse myths — and significantly less familiar to Western readers. Published by Thames & Hudson.

The Rise of the Railways by DK — the extraordinary story of how the steam locomotive transformed the world in fifty years, reshaping economies, altering landscapes, creating cities, and changing the social fabric of every country it reached. From George Stephenson and the Rocket through the great Victorian railway builders to the golden age of steam and the transition to modern traction — comprehensive visual detail throughout. Published by DK.

Legendary Heroes: Myths and Legends from Around the World by DK — the great hero narratives of world mythology in a single beautifully illustrated volume: Hercules and Achilles, Gilgamesh and Arjuna, Beowulf and Roland, Sun Wukong and Maui. Greek, Norse, Celtic, Hindu, Aztec, African, Chinese, and Pacific traditions all receive generous treatment with the cultural context that makes the heroes’ actions meaningful. Published by DK.

Exploration: Map by Map by DK — the complete history of the age of exploration told through the maps that explorers made as they went: original maps from the world’s great cartographic collections, some beautiful, some wildly inaccurate, all historically fascinating. Expert commentary draws out what each map shows, what the mapmaker understood, and how geographical knowledge developed through the cumulative work of centuries. Published by DK.

Ancient Greece by DK — the complete story of the civilisation that created the foundations of the Western world, from the Bronze Age Minoans and Mycenaeans through the classical golden age of Periclean Athens to the Hellenistic world of Alexander the Great. Exceptional photography of sculpture, pottery, and architecture alongside maps, timelines, and profiles of the great figures. Published by DK.

Machines: A Visual History by DK — the complete story of human mechanical ingenuity from the earliest simple machines of antiquity through the complex systems that define contemporary life. Over three hundred machines profiled with technical drawings, photographs, and the engineering principles that make each one work — from classic mechanical devices through electrical and electronic machines to robotics and programmable systems. Published by DK.

Battles That Changed History by DK — eighty of the most consequential military engagements in human history, from Thermopylae and Marathon through Waterloo, Gettysburg, the Marne, Midway, and El Alamein, with maps, tactical diagrams, and authoritative analysis. Pre-battle strategic context, blow-by-blow accounts, and long-term historical consequences for each engagement. An essential military history reference. Published by DK.

Writers Who Changed the World by DK — eighty of the most consequential writers in world literature, from Homer and Murasaki Shikibu through Shakespeare, Cervantes, Goethe, Tolstoy, Woolf, and García Márquez. Genuinely global coverage — Eastern, Western, and African literary traditions receive equal attention. The ideal introduction to world literature organised by impact, and the perfect companion for building a serious reading list. Published by DK.

History: From the Dawn of Civilization to the Present Day by DK — six hundred pages spanning five thousand years and every continent, making the complete human past comprehensible through DK’s distinctive visual approach. Maps, timelines, profiles, and thousands of photographs connect events and civilisations that conventional narrative histories leave isolated. The essential one-volume world history. Published by DK.

The Military History Book by DK — every major conflict, every significant tactical innovation, and every landmark in the development of weapons and strategy, from ancient warfare through the twenty-first century. DK’s combination of expert text, maps, battle diagrams, and photography makes even the most complex campaigns comprehensible. An essential reference for students of military history. Published by DK.

Africa: A Visual History from the Ancient World to the Modern Age by DK — a comprehensive, visually magnificent account of African history from ancient Kush and Axum through the great empires of Mali and Zimbabwe, the colonial period, and contemporary nations. Corrects the standard Western neglect of African civilisation with the depth and visual richness the subject demands. Published by DK.