Tag: history
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Book reviews by Steve Earles, November 2017
Military, Political & Social History Rebellion in the Reign of Charles II Written by Julian Whitehead Published by Pen & Sword History The Restoration is one of the most fascinating periods of history, and certainly a great favourite of mine. King Charles II (known with good reason as the Merry Monarch as is well known from…
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Various Artists – American Epic (5CD Box Set)
It might sound like a bit of a reach on the surface, but the first thing that listening to American Epic reminded me of was my university experience and how music like that which can be found on this box set changed my life. My first full-time year, I took – in addition to the…
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Book reviews by Steve Earles: October 2017
History, medical science, detection and crime Digging in the Dark: A History of the Yorkshire Resurrectionists Written by Ben Johnson Published by Pen & Sword History The progress of medical research depended on a supply of bodies for surgeons to learn their skills from in 18th and 19th-century England. The amount of legally proscribed bodies…
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A History of Heavy Metal by Andrew O’Neill
I think we’re going to see a lot of books about heavy metal in the near future. Hell, I’d like to write one! But any prospective authors will do well to top Andrew O’Neill’s ‘A History of Heavy Metal’. Firstly, it is seriously funny. On the strength of this book, I imagine Andrew’s stand-up show is well…
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Downcast Twilight – Under the Wings of the Aquila
Hailing from Russia, but with lyrics in English, Downcast Twilight are most accomplished musicians and could compete on any international stage. Their song-writing is strong, the tracks all cover various periods in history, and clearly a lot of work has gone into their production. It is death metal with folk influences, but really it has…
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Book reviews from Steve Earles: June edition
A Gentleman In Moscow By Amor Towles Published by Hutchinson In this humorous and beautifully written book we are introduced to a certain Count Rostov, an aristocrat who has survived the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution; and had spent the last four years in a suite in The Metropol, a magnificent hotel near the Kremlin (Suite 217 of…
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Book reviews from Steve Earles: Sea Power
‘Nelson’s Battles: The Triumph of British Seapower’ By Dr Nicholas Tracy Published by Seaforth A fine book, one that conveys not just the historical and technical details of Nelson’s battles but their very atmosphere. From St Vincent to Trafalgar, all Nelson’s battles are here. It’s a handsome, well-presented book, with many illustrations and maps to…
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Book reviews from Steve Earles: May edition
Encyclopaedia of Weird Westerns: Supernatural and Science Fiction Elements in Novels, Pulps, Comics, Films, Television and Games, second edition By Paul Green Published by McFarland, Introduction by Cynthia J. Miller I really enjoyed reviewing first edition of this book. The Weird Western is a truly fantastic genre, and the fact that this entertaining and informative book…
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Book reviews: naval history
Who’s Who In Nelson’s Navy: Two Hundred Heroes by Nicholas Tracy Published by Chatham Publishing This is a superb book. Beautifully written and presented, it tells the tale of two hundred officers of Nelson’s Navy, who fought against the French. Under Nelson the political divisions in the Royal Navy began to change for the officer class,…
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Book reviews: history and mythology
Castle Builders: Approaches to Castle Design and Construction in the Middle Ages by Malcolm Hislop Published by Pen & Sword Archaeology Castles are always a popular subject; witness Dan Snow’s excellent ‘Battle Castle’s TV series and book as proof. This is an excellent book on castles for both the enthusiast and the casual reader alike.…