Trivia & Gift Archives - The History Press

Bloody, Brilliant Tudors

Thu, 11 Sep 2025 04:01:22 +0000

Did Henry VIII really plan to have Anne Boleyn’s beloved dog thrown out the window? Did Jane Seymour deliberately get her maids to look less attractive than her? Was Elizabeth I secretly a man? Did King Edward VI de-feather an eagle in an epic temper tantrum? Who is the most sighted Tudor ghost of all time? Did Elizabeth I really have no teeth? Did one of the most famous Tudor palaces really get knocked down to pay off gambling debts? Who were there Grey sisters, and why is theirs one of the saddest Tudor stories of all?

From Henry VII to Elizabeth I, this delightful book answers all these questions and more. Come with us as we delve into the people and places behind the Tudor myths & legends that are so world famous.

Through various tales exploring the whole of the glittering dynasty, we’ll learn about the lesser-known facts and figures behind these myths. Each reign serves up a wealth of fascinating historical stories to reveal the Tudor world in a new light.

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Irish History: Strange but True

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 04:01:18 +0000

We all know of of the various wars, the Famine and the pivotal events which have made the Ireland what it is today, but few know the stranger aspects of the nation’s past. From body snatchers, to pirate queens and Celtic vampires, Ireland’s hidden history is explored here in a book bound to thrill and astound you from the first page.

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Agatha Christie’s London

Thu, 28 Aug 2025 04:01:15 +0000

London had a special place in Agatha Christie’s heart. In her childhood, she would visit the capital to stay with her Auntie Grannie; as an adult, she owned several homes in the city. A re-occurring location in her stories, London is where Poirot and Hastings, and Tommy and Tuppence reside, and even Miss Marple cannot resist a trip up to town to do shopping in its department stores.

With this refreshing take on the Queen of Crime’s connections to the city in both her life and writing, Tina Hodgkinson follows in Christie’s footsteps, visiting her former homes, fashionable restaurants, luxury hotels and other London locations that she and her characters frequented. Discover the Apothecaries’ Hall in the City of London, where Agatha sat her medical exams, the hospital she worked in during the Second World War, the former headquarters of the ‘Detection Club’ and the theatres, where her plays were performed.

Christie wrote about the capital in every decade of her extensive literary career, and this detailed but accessible compendium will delight Christie fans both old and new.

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The Little History of Wicklow

Tue, 02 Sep 2025 04:01:37 +0000

County Wicklow’s landscape is dotted with pre-Christian sites – Baltinglass is known as the ‘Hillfort Capital of Ireland’. Saint Patrick landed here in 432 AD and the county also boasts ecclesiastical sites, the most impressive being Glendalough. Following the Anglo-Norman invasion of 1169-70, Normans occupied the lowlands, but native Irish inhabited the uplands, leading to conflict throughout the Middle Ages. Wicklow became the last county to be shired in 1606. However, Wicklow witnessed more violence through the seventeenth century and it was only after 1700 that the elite felt safe enough to build great houses such as Powerscourt and Russborough. Wicklow was in turmoil during the 1798 rebellion. Economic recovery was halted by the tragedy of Famine. Later in the nineteenth century, the Parnells led the Home Rule movement, the Land League and the Ladies’ Land League. The twentieth century saw war, revolution and hardship before better times arrived after 1960. This rich history is all covered in this accessible little book.

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The Little Book of the Isle of Wight

Thu, 28 Aug 2025 04:01:40 +0000

Did you know? A new species of cat-like dinosaur, yet to be named, was discovered on the Isle of Wight in 1988. Darwin began his world famous ‘On the Origin of the Species’ while staying at the Kings Head Hotel. There are 21 tourists to every Island resident. The Little Book of the Isle of Wight is a funny, fact-packed compendium of the sort of frivolous, fantastic or simply strange information which no one will want to be without. The Island’s most eccentric inhabitants, blood-curdling murders and literally hundreds of facts combine to make this required reading for locals and visitors alike. Illustrated with humorous cartoons and delivered with wit and flair, this captivating compendium is almost impossible to put down.

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The Times on Cinema

Thu, 28 Aug 2025 04:01:52 +0000

The Times on Cinema opens The Times’ and the Sunday Times’ vast archives of reviews and coverage of Hollywood’s most treasured films. Featuring many of cinema’s most revered critics, including Philip French, Dilys Powell, Tom Shone and Kate Muir, whose award-winning journalism has often determined the success or failure of a film, the book spans seven decades of film criticism. Editor and critic Brian Pendreigh also complies a selection of the most infamously scathing reviews ever to grace the pages of The Times, as well as a collection of legendary interviews with iconic actors, actresses, directors and producers, who lay bare the secrets to their successes. Featuring a range of rare film stills from The Times’ collection, The Times on Cinema is the first book of its kind to make use of such an extensive archive, and is the perfect gift for all cinephiles.

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World War II: Book of Lists

Sun, 29 Jun 2025 04:01:21 +0000

Everything you ever wanted to know about the Second World War, from the highest-rated fighter aces to the most inventive escape equipment used to break out of Colditz; from army pay by rank to the largest battleships; from the most stirring speeches to the biggest tactical errors; from the strangest regimental mottoes to the plays most performed by ENSA; and from the dates each country joined the war to the most unlikely spies. All the major events and dates in the war are covered in detail, but equal emphasis is placed on the human experience of combat. Often poignant and always revealing, World War II: the Book of Lists offers a unique insight into the deadliest conflict in human history.

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Legends of the Stars

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 04:02:27 +0000

Have you ever wondered how the constellations got their names? Or wanted to know the stories of the gods and heroes immortalised in the night sky? In Legends of the Stars, Patrick Moore, Britain’s best-loved astronomer and presenter of The Sky at Night for over fifty years, re-tells some of the stories behind these star-groups, and explains how to look for them in the heavens. From the great hunter Orion to his nemesis the Scorpion, and from Pegasus the flying horse to Jason’s ship the Argo, he guides the reader through the celestial picture book, bringing alive some of greatest tales ever told. In an age when the ancient myths are seldom taught in schools, this is an ideal book for anyone who has ever gazed at the stars and asked themselves how the names of the constellations came about.

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The Art of Chopping and Burning Wood

Fri, 22 Aug 2025 04:01:53 +0000

How to get sparks back in your life and keep them burning. The blaze of a log fire on a cold night speaks to the heart in a way no other flame can. It has character and ever-changing form; it has vibrant colour and a balletic movement. Indeed, it was the flame that transformed the way life was lived on earth, but now that primary driver of evolution finds itself being extinguished in a modern world of microwaves, induction hobs and central heating. Gradually the flames are going out, as houses are now built without fireplaces, bonfires are banned, and schoolchildren are forbidden to use the Bunsen burner. But the sight of a flame remains as evocative as ever. Playing with Fire wants to inspire, and teach, looking at the history of fire and showing the wonders that the burning flame can conjure.

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Lost Cars of the 1960s

Cynthia Hamilton — Tue, 12 Aug 2025 04:01:21 +0000

Sixty diverse cars, sixty fascinating stories, sixty contrasting specifications, just one uniting factor: they’re all forgotten, neglected or misunderstood classics.
What is that car? Think you know it? Take another look; is it really what you remember? The 1960s may be regarded as the cradle of the classic car, but these are the tantalising ones that got away. Giles Chapman has assembled a line-up of contrasting automobiles here, which quickly became obscure. Each of the cars you’ll discover here tells an unusual story, and the endings are often surprising. In this turbulent decade, brave new engine technology was championed and then rejected, design trends suddenly exploded, and car-buyers became unpredictable. The cars in this book sometimes suffered as a result – although some of them were actually just plain odd! Lost Cars of the 1960s is the final part of a trilogy that includes Lost Cars of the 1940s and ’50s and Lost Cars of the 1970s, recording the intriguing sideshows of motoring history from around the world.

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