553
(7 votes, average 4.86 out of 5)
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By A L Berridge
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Monday, 01 March 2010 |
 Seventeenth century France has ‘been done’. Six years ago I tried to interest a television executive in a story of the period, and his reaction was ‘Great, let’s remake ‘The Three Musketeers’!’
Rarely has an age been so characterized by its fiction. For many people, mid-seventeenth century France is ‘The Three Musketeers’, with a possible nod in the direction of ‘Cyrano de Bergerac’. I could never hope to emulate masters of that stature, but it seemed to me a pity that so much wonderful history should be lost in their shadow.
I went in search of that ‘other’ France, and was amazed at what I found. Much of what I thought I knew was wrong: Cardinal Richelieu was a statesman rather than a villain, loyal Musketeer de Tréville joined a conspiracy with Spain against his own government, and gentlemen were more likely to wear armour into battle than silk coats and plumed hats. Much of what I discovered is hardly touched by Dumas at all: in the period between ‘The Three Musketeers’ and its sequel ‘Twenty Years After’ falls one of the most bloody and devastating conflicts Europe has ever seen – the Thirty Years War.
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497
(1 vote, average 5.00 out of 5)
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By Richard Cummings
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Friday, 08 January 2010 |
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McFarland & Company, the publisher, and I have agreed that the title of my new book will be Radio Free Europe's "Crusade for Freedom”: Rallying Americans Behind Cold War Broadcasting, 1950-1960.
It will be in the publisher's 2010 Autumn catalogue.
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483
(1 vote, average 4.00 out of 5)
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By Jonny Mardling
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Wednesday, 02 December 2009 |
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We've teamed up with our colleagues over at our sister site, HistoryDirect.co.uk to bring you the very best in gift ideas for your families and friends this Christmas. Whether your interest lies in the secrets of the ancients or your taste is much more recent, we should be able to help you making those all important gift selections. And if you're struggling to make your mind up, or would simply like to leave the decision to whomever you're buying for, we can help you there too!
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By Jonny Mardling
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Tuesday, 20 October 2009 |
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Peter Greenhill's "Heraldic Sketchbook" is a limited edition run of 500. This beautifully presented book contains exquisite sketches and notes on mediaeval heraldry and related subjects, accumulated over more than thirty years, for Peter Greenhll's work as an heraldic miniaturist.
A must have for all heraldry enthusiasts, this is not a 'how to do it' book but more 'how Peter did it'. Divided into eight comprehensive sections, it records in detail the kind of reference material that Peter considers necessary to carry out his job on a day to day basis. We bring you a selection of sample pages.
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By Jonny Mardling
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Tuesday, 13 October 2009 |
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 Hilary Mantel, author of 'Wolf Hall', discusses her Booker Prize winning novel at the Daunt Debates.
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