Magna Carta in 20 Places

Derek J Taylor • £18.99
The History Press

For over 800 years, Magna Carta has inspired those prepared to face torture, imprisonment and even death in the fight against tyranny. But the belief that the Great Charter gave us such freedoms as democracy, trial by jury and equality beneath the law has its roots in myth. Back in 1215, when King John was forced to issue Magna Carta, it was regarded as little more than a stalling tactic in the bloody conflict between monarch and barons.

Here Derek J Taylor embarks on a mission to uncover the “golden thread of truth” that runs through the story of the Great Charter. On a journey through space and time, he takes us from the palaces and villages of medieval England, through the castles and towns of France and the Middle East, to the United States of the 21st century. Along the way, the characters who gave birth to the Charter, and those who later fought in its name, are brought to life at the places where they lived, struggled and died.

Tracing Your Great War Ancestors: Ypres & Gallipoli

Simon Fowler • £12.99
Pen & Sword

Part of the popular Tracing Your Ancestors series, these practical and informative handbooks are ideal guides for those whose ancestors served at Ypres or the Gallipoli campaign in the First World War.

Simon Fowler outlines the course of the campaigns and introduces the many historical resources that people can use to explore their history for themselves. He identifies the key sources for family historians, including The National Archives, the Australian War Memorial, the many online resources that researchers can turn to, as well as advice on the literature, archives, museums and monuments that may help people gain an insight into their ancestor’s story.

The Story of the Thames

Andrew Sargent • £9.99
Amberley Books

The Thames has witnessed the entire history of a country and its capital. The Story of the Thames looks at history from the river’s perspective, investigating how the life of the nation has affected the river and, in turn, how the river has been viewed by those who live along its length. In doing so it spans 500,000 years (longer than human history) and extends from source to mouth.

Beginning with geology and the ancient past, this book focuses on the social and economic changes exemplified in the life of the river, as well as touching on episodes of national and political history in which it was involved.

World War II: The definitive visual guide

Dorling Kindersley • £25
 DK

From the build-up of hostility in the years leading up to the war, through to the reverberations still felt in the aftermath, this is a compelling, accessible and immediate history of perhaps the most complex, frightening and destructive event in global history, World War Two.

Find out about key battles, political and economic forces, individual leaders and technological advances that influenced the course of the war. Cross-referencing appears throughout and timelines and global maps establish an overview of each year of the conflict, from the rise of Hitler and the Nazi party to Pearl Harbour, Hiroshima and the D-Day landings.

Packed with images, including rarely seen colour photographs and unforgettable first person accounts, this is a highly accessible account of history’s most devastating conflict.