Birth History

The English-speaking peoples comprise perhaps the greatest number of human beings sharing a common language in the world today. These people also share a common heritage. For his four-volume work, Sir Winston Churchill took as his subject these great elements in world history. Volume 1 commences in 55BC, when Julius Caesar famously "turned his gaze upon Britain" and concludes with the Battle of Bosworth in 1485.

To an extraordinary extent we continue to live in the shadow of the classical world. At every level, from languages to calendars to political systems, we are the descendants of a “classical Europe,” using frames of reference created by ancient Mediterranean cultures. As this consistently fresh and surprising new audio book makes clear, however, this was no less true for the inhabitants of those classical civilizations themselves, whose myths, history, and buildings were an elaborate engagement with an already old and revered past - one filled with great leaders and writers....

'Simply amazing, so brilliantly written . . . almost intolerably exciting at times, and at others, equally poignant' ANTONIA FRASER 'A beautiful serpent of a novel, seductive and dangerous . . . consumes utterly - but the experience is all pleasure' SIMON SCHAMA 'She writes like a painter, and...

Penguin presents The Birth of the RAF by Richard Overy, read by Jonathan Keeble. The dizzying pace of technological change in the early 20th century meant that it took only a little over ten years from the first flight by the Wright Brothers to the clash of fighter planes in the Great War. A...

Inspired by Sarah DiGregorio’s harrowing experience giving birth to her premature daughter, Early is a compelling and empathetic blend of memoir and rigorous reporting that tells the story of neonatology – and explores the questions raised by premature birth. ‘Early is a definitive history...

A SPECTATOR BOOK OF THE YEAR ‘History that reads like biography that reads like a novel – a fluid narrative that defies expectations and plays against type’ New York Times ‘Brilliant and savage’ Philip Hensher An unprecedented history of the personality test conceived a century ago by...

Discover the spellbinding history of astrology and divination across the world. A History of Astrology, Divination & Prophecy traces the journey of astrology from its roots in the 3rd century BCE, when ancient Mesopotamians studied celestial bodies with the aim of predicting the future, through...

Trace the thought-provoking history of reproductive rights and the fierce global battle for bodily autonomy. From ancient herbal remedies to modern medical ethics, this eye-opening journey reveals how control over fertility has shaped societies, laws, and human lives. Perfect for your daily...

Read the story of Christ's birth from a while new vantage point...from the viewpoint of Heaven. The Birth is the third in the series The Chronicles of Heaven written by beloved storyteller Gene Edwards. The Birth has become the most popular rendering of the Bethlehem story. The drama begins in the eternals. Just before the birth of John the Baptist, the skies had turned to brass.

Brought to you by Penguin. Motherhood is a political state. Helen Charman makes a radical case for what liberated mothering could be, and tells the story of what motherhood has been, from the 1970s to the 2010s. When we talk about motherhood and politics together, we usually talk about isolated...

The 1828 presidential election, which pitted Major General Andrew Jackson against incumbent John Quincy Adams, has long been hailed as a watershed moment in American political history. It was the contest in which an unlettered, hot-tempered southwestern frontiersman, trumpeted by his supporters as a genuine man of the people, soundly defeated a New England "aristocrat" whose education and political resume were as impressive as any ever seen in American public life.

Arguing that rent gave birth to capital, this book shows us how rent's lost history has striking implications for capitalism's future.

The Birth House is the story of Dora Rare, the first daughter to be born in five generations of Rares. As a child in an isolated village in Nova Scotia, she is drawn to Miss Babineau, an outspoken Acadian midwife with a gift for healing. Dora becomes Miss B.’s apprentice, and together they...

Experience the ultimate medieval clash of kings where a single year of ferocious warfare completely rewrites history. Perfect for your daily commute, this epic narrative plunges you into the deep political fractures and succession crises of 11th-century Anglo-Saxon society. Listen as intense...

For many Americans, the birth certificate is a mundane piece of paper, unearthed from deep storage when applying for a driver's license, verifying information for employers, or claiming state and federal benefits. Yet as Donald Trump and his fellow "birthers" reminded us when they claimed that Barack Obama wasn't an American citizen, it plays a central role in determining identity and citizenship. The Birth Certificate: An American History traces the document's two-hundred-year history to explain when, how, and why birth certificates came to matter so much in the United States.

Step into the crossfire of rebellion with this immersive military history where everyday citizens risk death for freedom. Perfect for a gripping daily commute, this dramatic narrative transforms distant colonial battles into a tense, high-stakes fight for survival. Hear the cries of revolution...

Explore the gripping geopolitical history of a fractured subcontinent forever changed by violent mass migration. Perfect for a thought-provoking morning commute, this sobering narrative bridges the gap between distant political decisions and the lived realities of ordinary citizens. Immerse...

Trace the dramatic rise and ruin of Europe's most powerful royal dynasty in this epic historical narrative. Perfect for your morning commute, this sweeping saga transports you from the medieval Alps to the blood-soaked trenches of the First World War. Watch as minor counts use brilliant...

The Birth of the Republic of Ireland: The History of Ireland’s Split from the British Empire in the Early 20th Century analyzes the tumultuous events that marked Irish history during the early 20th century. You will learn about Ireland in the early 20th century like never before.

Discover the spellbinding history of astrology and divination across the world. A History of Astrology, Divination & Prophecy traces the journey of astrology from its roots in the 3rd century BCE, when ancient Mesopotamians studied celestial bodies with the aim of predicting the future, through...