THE LONDON BOYS | DAVID BOWIE, MARC BOLAN & THE 60s TEENAGE DREAM

 

TITLE - THE LONDON BOYS | DAVID BOWIE, MARC BOLAN & THE 60s TEENAGE DREAM

WRITTEN BY - MARC BURROWS

GENRE - '60s BRITISH MUSIC/BIOGRAPHY

PUBLISHED BY - PEN & SWORD 

PUBLICATION DATE - 30TH OCTOBER 2022

“The London Boys” is a penetratingly thorough history of the deep but often turbulent friendship/rivalry between the nascent rock stars David Bowie and Marc Bolan, from their early years to their eventual first flush of fame. The introduction sets the scene with a depiction of the historic yet chaotic reconciliation of Bowie and Bolan on the latter’s TV show “Marc”, mere days before his death. The book evokes the shattered post-WWII London landscape that both Bolan and Bowie grew up in through vivid descriptions, and explores how the city and its rapid cultural development in the ‘60s shaped their future careers. 

On the whole, “The London Boys” is a very detailed and workmanlike biography of both legends, but also a deep and intoxicating (it may even be eye-opening to a millennial reader) social history of Britain and its cultural heritage and development, hugely influenced by American music. There are also some very entertaining footnotes in which many myths are busted. Special mention must be given to chapter nineteen which has a unique structure that got made this old Bowie fan giddily excited, but you’ll have to read it yourself to find out why. 

A dense, deep book but immensely scholarly and readable, with an uplifting ending (really, “the beginning”) “The London Boys” is an original, fabulous and moving, even slightly irreverent, addition to the written history of both artists, both of whom burst from the page so vividly that we get to know them better than ever.

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BLOG TOUR - THE FALL OF ROMAN BRITAIN AND WHY WE SPEAK ENGLISH

 

TITLE - THE FALL OF ROMAN BRITAIN AND WHY WE SPEAK ENGLISH 

WRITTEN BY - JOHN LAMBSHEAD 

GENRE - ROMAN BRITAIN/EUROPE IN THE THIRD & FOURTH CENTURIES 

PUBLISHED BY - PEN & SWORD BOOKS 

PUBLICATION DATE - AVAILABLE NOW 

In “The Fall of Roman Britain and Why We Speak English”, prolific author, tabletop wargaming buff and designer of the “Fourth Protocol” computer game (I fondly remember playing it!), John Lambshead, explores the end of the Roman Empire in Britain and the circumstances that led to its inhabitants speaking what would become the language we know today as English. This is a thorough and enlightening history of the “bit in between” the end of the Romans and the beginning of Britain.

In many ways an historical detective story, John Lambshead undertakes a forensic study using geological, archaeological, climatological and biological evidence to uncover the causes of Roman collapse and the origins of the British people. At the end of each themed chapter, he draws convincing conclusions from the evidence. The chapter dedicated to “Londinium” supplies a wealth of knowledge about the Roman origins and purpose of the city that would become London. Also, Lambshead writes powerfully well about the domino effect of climate change and leadership battles leading to the devastating crisis of the third century.

The story is tied up in a convincing narrative at the end of the book, along with a bibliography and a timeline of events, using the dates generally accepted to be correct. John Lambshead, like all the best historians, has a command of his subject so, whilst complex in parts, his book is rigorously researched, always engrossing and easy to read.

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BLOG TOUR - ROMAN BRITAIN'S PIRATE KING

TITLE - ROMAN BRITAIN'S PIRATE KING | CARAUSIUS, CONSTANTIUS CHLORUS AND THE FOURTH ROMAN INVASION OF BRITAIN 

WRITTEN BY - SIMON ELLIOTT 

GENRE - ROMAN HISTORY IN BRITAIN 

PUBLISHED BY - PEN & SWORD BOOKS

PUBLICATION DATE - AVAILABLE NOW 

Very much a story of the Roman Empire in transition, and a complex one at that, Simon Elliott’s “Roman Britain’s Pirate King” tells a convoluted yet riveting story worthy of a film plot, which eventually culminates in the fourth Roman invasion and occupation of Britain.

Elliott begins by setting the scene with a timeline of the various Roman dynasties that led up to the “Crisis of the 3rd Century” and the shift from Principiate to Dominate and the appointment of Diocletian as Emperor. The author is an expert on the often complex structure of Roman rule, and this is a bonus as we are taken on a whistle-stop tour of the many Roman emperors throughout this volatile period. He then goes on to explore the transitional period of the Roman military and navy, with a wealth of detail about their command structure, equipment, weapons and daily life. In the third chapter, Elliott examines how these changes affected Roman Britain, exploring the lasting legacies of the key players, including the very first Mint in Britain.

The ‘’meat” of the book recounts the turbulent rise and dramatic fall of Carausius and his establishment of a separate empire in Gaul and Britain in the 3rd century AD. The story of his downfall at the hands of Constantius Chlorus, who would then meet his own fate courtesy of Allectus after many twists of fate, wouldn’t be out of place in an episode of “Game of Thrones”. There is a lot of interesting detail about Britain, and especially the early occupation and layout of London, in this era.

Numismatics, the study of coins, has played an important role in the accurate sourcing of data for this period of history, and Elliott has devoted a whole chapter to it. There are also several colour photographs of coins in the colour plates section. Coins were a simple yet effective way for Roman leaders to cement their claims to power: one such object, the Arras medallion minted by Chlorus features the first ever visual representation of London. Conversely, reliable original written material is scarce, however Elliott makes skilful use of modern research. The book includes a beautiful colour plate section displaying Pen & Sword’s usual quality photo reproduction, featuring coins, replicas of ships, model soldiers in accurate dress and ancient sites. There is also an index and bibliography.

As Simon Elliott states in his introduction, the subject of his latest book is admittedly complex, and so he has structured it in such a way as to provide the reader with all the necessary background information before he tells the story itself. As I’ve come to expect from Elliott’s work the story is absorbing and fascinating; he has such a masterly command of history that I never felt lost in this book; it is a mix of forensic detail, deep analysis and intelligent conclusions. Just like his previous, iconoclastic book “Alexander the Great versus Julius Caesar” (see my review of this book here), “Roman Britain’s Pirate King” is a concise, absorbing and thoroughly researched triumph that shines a light on a little-known period of history and the people who created it. 

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CARRY ON REGARDLESS

TITLE - CARRY ON REGARDLESS

WRITTEN BY - CAROLINE FROST 

PUBLISHED BY - WHITE OWL/PEN & SWORD BOOKS 

PUBLICATION DATE - 30TH APRIL 2022 
 

“I was once a weak man”. 

“Well, once a week’s enough for any man”. 

This and many other pearls of wisdom are to be found in the evergreen National Treasure that is the Carry On films. A phenomenally successful legend of British cinema, now a mainstay of Bank Holiday telly, no entendre was ever knowingly left undoubled by the likes of Sid James, Barbara Windsor and Kenneth Williams. Many books have been written on them, but there’s always room for one more especially when they’re as good as Caroline Frost’s “Carry On Regardless”. (It takes its title from the fifth Carry On, which features Kenneth Williams taking a chimpanzee for a walk and attempting to hail a taxi only to be told by the driver -“I'll take you, but not your brother!”)

Frost takes a deep dive into the history of the Carry Ons from their genesis and early days in the late ‘50s, through its heyday in the ‘60s and it’s slow demise in the ‘70s, a decade which was certainly not the franchise’s golden age. She also examines the not-so-successful relaunch film “Carry On Columbus” and the many recent attempts to revive the series. Personally, I don’t think this should happen as a modern version could never match the sheer innocent fun of the originals. 

The Carry Ons rarely get any kind of serious appraisal as the general consensus has always been that they were and are very lightweight, offensive rubbish, guilty of every “ism” under the sun, that belongs in the unenlightened past and which have no place in the “woke” future. However, Caroline Frost discovers that the films were far more progressive than they are given credit for. 

There are many contemporary photographs and interviews with surviving cast members who offer a firsthand insight into what it was really like on the set of a Carry On. Part academic critique, part nostalgia-trip, this is a scholarly yet fun book, highly recommended.

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LIFE & DEATH ON THE EASTERN FRONT | THE RARE COLOUR PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THE SECOND WORLD WAR

TITLE - LIFE & DEATH ON THE EASTERN FRONT | THE RARE COLOUR PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THE SECOND WORLD WAR 

WRITTEN BY - ANTHONY TUCKER-JONES & IAN STEWART SPRING 

PUBLISHED BY - PEN & SWORD BOOKS 

PUBLICATION DATE - AVAILABLE NOW 

Anthony Tucker-Jones and Ian Spring’s gorgeous book is a meticulously researched and arresting visual history of life on the Eastern Front of World War II, featuring an archive of colour photographs which provide an unprecedented insight into everyday wartime life.

The book begins with biographical detail of the various official (and unofficial) German and Russian photographers who took the photos at the time. Most of the photographs were taken using film made by the then up and coming manufacturer Agfa, which became widely popular both during and after the war. The shots have an honest, imperfect charm due to the limitations of the film.

Ian Spring’s stunning collection of over 30,000 colour photographs taken by Germans on the Eastern Front forms the backbone of this excellent book. The photos have a moving realism to them as they are naturally-posed records of the soldiers’ war experiences. Many of them are lighthearted with German soldiers posing and smiling for the camera, while others are incredibly poignant. There are even some shots of Hitler himself visiting the battlefield to the delight of the troops. Be warned that, as the book’s title suggests, there are scenes of death, both human and animal. 

The book is split into three parts, exploring the conflict on the ground, in the air and behind the lines. Anthony Tucker-Jones’ captions are full and detailed with a huge amount of technical information about armoured vehicles, fighter planes and weapons to satisfy the enthusiast. 

This is a beautifully produced book which is highly recommended for anyone interested in the history of WWII at a human level.

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THE UNOFFICIAL HISTORY OF THE BEANO

TITLE - THE UNOFFICIAL HISTORY OF THE BEANO 

WRITTEN BY - IAIN MCLAUGHLIN 

PUBLISHED BY - WHITE OWL/PEN & SWORD BOOKS

PUBLICATION DATE - 30TH MARCH 2022

The Beano has been a treasured stalwart of British culture for over 80 years, and Iain McLaughlin’s book is a splendid celebration of Britain’s longest-running comic. Furthermore, it is also relives the glory days of British comics with enthusiasm and depth. 

The Beano’s importance as a morale-boosting publication despite paper shortages during the Second World War is analysed with the strips gloriously lampooning real-life figures such as Hitler and Mussolini and even the characters themselves doing their bit for Britain. The creation and development of all the major Beano characters such as Dennis the Menace, Roger the Dodger, Minnie the Minx and The Bash Street Kids is thoroughly examined. Thoroughly researched and full of interesting nuggets such as the fact that the first issue had ten pages devoted to text stories, and that the Bash Street Kids’ headmaster was modelled after the Beano’s editor. Biographies of the artists and writers who created the comic being these lesser-known figures to life, and the book includes quotes and anecdotes from them. Each decade of the Beano’s life is analysed right up to the present day where it continues to go thrive. 

This is an unofficial history but the book is fully illustrated with photographs, and there is a full timeline and an index. This book is written with skill and knowledge, relating the whole Beano story from its birth right up to the present day. McLaughlin keeps the tone light throughout and writes with obvious affection for the comic, but this doesn’t detract from what is most definitely a work of scholarship. The book shows how the comic has survived the decades and adapted to the times while maintaining its core values of quality, fun stories and characters for everyone.

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BLOG TOUR - ALEXANDER THE GREAT VERSUS JULIUS CAESAR | WHO WAS THE GREATEST COMMANDER IN THE ANCIENT WORLD?

 

TITLE - ALEXANDER THE GREAT VERSUS JULIUS CAESAR | WHO WAS THE GREATEST COMMANDER IN THE ANCIENT WORLD?
 
WRITTEN BY - SIMON ELLIOTT

PUBLISHED BY - PEN & SWORD BOOKS 

PUBLICATION DATE - AVAILABLE NOW 
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They are two of the most accomplished military leaders in history and both knowingly destined for greatness from an early age, but if you’ve ever wondered exactly which of them was the best - Alexander the Great or Julius Caesar - then this book will help you decide. 

In his quest to determine just who was the greatest military leader of all time, Simon Elliott’s book draws on surviving (but often exaggerated or incomplete) primary sources and the work of contemporary historians. An introduction sets out the structure of the book - each leader’s life and achievements considered in turn - and includes notes on terminology and timeline. Despite an admitted preference for Alexander, Simon Elliott covers each leader even-handedly. Starting with Alexander, he lucidly documents the almost continual conflict that led to Philip II (father of Alexander)’s reign. 

This is history at its most violent, a time of invasions, battles and intrigues when you could lose your throne to a member of your own family at the point of a blade. There is a wealth of detail on contemporary weapons and tactics and Elliott depicts the many battles with brutal drama. Five decisive battles and/or sieges are closely examined by the author as evidence of his military prowess. Similarly, with Julius Caesar, the author provides context to the Roman leader’s life with a chapter on the violent creation of the Roman Republic, (beginning with the legend of Romulus and Remus), a concise biography and a study of his major battles and campaigns. Elliott’s depiction of Caesar’s infamous murder is brutally compelling, and contains the heartbreaking fact that Caesar’s last act was to pull his toga over his head when he saw that his friend Brutus was one of his assassins.

 

 

In a climactic round of historical “Top Trumps”, Elliott ends the book with a summing up of his findings by directly comparing the leaders on factors such as brutality, conquests, strategic skills etc, and their enduring legacies. In short order, he reaches a perfectly logical conclusion - which I won’t spoil here. The book is further enhanced with annotated colour plate photographs of artefacts, maps, locations and models of soldiers in the armour of their time. There is also a bibliography, full index, and a striking, full colour dust-jacket.

If nothing else, then Simon Elliott’s book is a fresh reappraisal of the lives and legacies of two towering historical figures, with many myths exploded along the way. Elliott freely admits that we know, or at least think we know, more about Julius Caesar than Alexander, and indeed the former has always held more of a fascination for people. Simon Elliott’s excellent book certainly goes a long way towards redressing the balance by placing Alexander the Great in a wider historical context. Displaying an unprecedented depth of research into the structure of both leaders’ armies, their battles and campaigns, this book is indispensable for military and ancient history enthusiasts.

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About Dr Simon Elliott

Dr Simon Elliott is an award winning and best selling historian, archaeologist, author, broadcaster, Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Kent, Trustee of the Council for British Archaeology, Ambassador for Museum of London Archaeology, Guide Lecturer for Andante Travels and President of the Society of Ancients. He has published many well-received books on themes related to the ancient world, most recently the Amazon no.1 best-selling "Roman Britain’s Missing Legion", and frequently appears on broadcast media as a presenter and expert on ancient world and military themes.

QUEEN VICTORIA - HER LIFE AND LEGACY

TITLE - QUEEN VICTORIA - HER LIFE AND LEGACY 

AUTHOR - PAUL KENDALL 

PUBLISHED BY - PEN & SWORD 

PUBLICATION DATE - FEBRUARY 28TH, 2022 

Arguably Britain’s greatest ever monarch, Queen Victoria’s era is regarded by many as a golden age in British history, and it is hard to argue with that after reading Paul Kendall’s excellent pictorial history, “Queen Victoria - Her Life and Legacy”. 

This book is a visual document of the locations associated with Victoria’s reign, from her place of birth in Kensington Palace, to her death bed;  objects used by her and notable events. There is captivating photography throughout and while it may appear to be a superficial book on the surface, upon reading it becomes clear that this work is a thorough and scholarly history of Queen Victoria’s entire life. Each chapter has a short write-up about the history of the subject, and each passage has real historical depth. 

We get a vivid picture of Victoria’s life, especially her tentative, nervous and grief-laden early years when she assumed the throne aged just 18. Surviving several assassination attempts, she became a powerful monarch who ruled over one of the biggest empires the world had yet seen, creating many institutions and cultural changes which still resonate today. 

A very accessible book that can be understood and enjoyed by all ages, Paul Kendall’s “Queen Victoria - Her Life and Legacy” is richly informative and a joy to read. It is a fitting record of one of the greatest monarchs in British history.

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BLOG TOUR - BAR KOKHBA | THE JEW WHO DEFIED HADRIAN AND CHALLENGED THE MIGHT OF ROME

TITLE- BAR KOKHBA | THE JEW WHO DEFIED HADRIAN AND CHALLENGED THE MIGHT OF ROME 

AUTHOR -  LINDSAY POWELL 

PUBLISHED BY - PEN & SWORD BOOKS 

PUBLICATION DATE - OUT NOW 

There have been very few people throughout history of whom it can be said that their deeds continue to influence the world long after their time. It is argued by many that Shi’mon Ben Kosiba, aka Bar Kokhba (“Son of the Star”), was one such man, although the details of his remarkable life and impact are little known outside the Jewish faith. Yet the man and his achievements are still lauded and debated today.

Author Lindsay Powell takes a balanced, critical approach to the evidence. He visited ancient sites and uncovered long lost letters; there is a strong sense of discovery as Powell travels through the erstwhile Holy Land in search of his quarry. Bar Kokhba the man is revealed in these scholarly, thoroughly researched pages. Powell effortlessly depicts the turbulent era, with clear explanations of Hadrian’s swift rise to power, becoming an active and popular leader, and the background and history of Judea and the Jewish people; to this day, still a volatile part of the world.

Hadrian rebuilt the ruined Jerusalem, effectively in his own image, at the same time overturning many of the cherished precepts of the faith, causing resentment. Into this powder-keg, Shi’mon Ben Kosiba, a man not without faults, appeared almost out of nowhere, as there is little surviving biographical knowledge about him. He was swiftly accepted as the saviour of the Jewish faith and hailed as the “King Messiah”, fermenting armed resistance against Roman occupation. Destined to be beaten, Ben Kosiba nevertheless planted the seed that eventually led to a clarion call for the creation of a Jewish homeland. Powell also examines the aftermath of the war and its lasting effects on Judaism, including the diaspora and the beginnings of anti-Semitism throughout the following centuries.

 

Fully annotated illustrations, lush colour plates and maps bring the era to vivid life, while a chronology charts the history up to the modern era. There is also a section on relevant places to visit, a glossary of terms, a list of place names, both ancient & their modern equivalent, a bibliography and a comprehensive index. Lavishly produced with a striking cover, this is a heavyweight volume to treasure.

In his preface, author Lindsay Powell freely admits that his book cannot be the last word on the subject due to the limitations in the interpretation and quality of surviving research material, but I think he is being too modest. His book is scholarly and immensely readable; he has reinvigorated an important historical figure for the modern age. This is accessible history suitable for everyone; there’s even a Monty Python reference! The mark of a good history book is how well it tells you something you didn’t know, in which case this book is one of the best I’ve ever read. 

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lindsay Powell is a historian and writer who has a passion for the history of the Roman Empire. He is news editor of Ancient History and Ancient Warfare magazines. His appearances include BBC Radio, Dan Snow's HistoryHit, and History Channel. He is the author of AUGUSTUS AT WAR, EAGER FOR GLORY, GERMANICUS and MARCUS AGRIPPA from Pen and Sword Books. A graduate of the University of Aston in Birmingham, he is a veteran of The Ermine Street Guard re-enactment society. He divides his time between Austin, Texas and Wokingham, England.

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THE POPE'S GREATEST ADVERSARY | GIROLAMO SAVONAROLA

TITLE - THE POPE'S GREATEST ADVERSARY | GIROLAMO SAVONAROLA

AUTHOR - SAMANTHA MORRIS 

PUBLISHED BY - PEN & SWORD

 A lively and intelligent young man who was hungry for knowledge, Girolamo Savonarola’s unrequited love for the “girl next door” led him to depression and a hatred of corruption in the Church and the profligate ways of the rich. Resolving to take Holy Orders after hearing a friar delivering a passionate sermon, he set out on the path which would eventually lead him into conflict with Italy’s most powerful rulers and a brutal public execution, the grisly details of which we are not spared in these pages. 

“The Pope’s Greatest Adversary - Girolamo Savonarola” by Samantha Morris is aptly titled. A powerful orator who over-reached himself, he caught the public imagination at an incendiary and God-fearing time in history, and was said to preach with a “voice of thunder” as he predicted cataclysmic events, one of which ostensibly came true and only added to his power. One could argue that Savonarola was a kind of Renaissance Rasputin, who also had a swift rise to influence and power, had both powerful friends and enemies and met a brutal end. Was Savonarola a positive force for change or simply a clever demagogue? The speed and simplicity with which he was able to oust the ruling Medici family and effectively rule Florence seems incredible to our modern eyes, but these were very different times.

And what are we to make of the “Bonfire of the Vanities” - public burnings in which thousands of works of art and literature were destroyed for being ungodly in the eyes of Savonarola and his cronies. A complicated and imperfect man, then, but an important one; certainly he was considered dangerous enough for Pope Alexander VI to attempt to silence and then excommunicate him. By the time of his downfall, Savonarola had obviously begun to believe he was untouchable. 

Fully illustrated with paintings of Savonarola and photographs of relevant locations in Florence, this is a concise and vivid slice of history. Featuring a colourful cast of characters including everyone’s favourite hedonists, the Borgias, (a singular family on which Samantha Morris has previously written very successfully), it is a solid biography of a remarkable man who still divides opinion today.

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THE MAKING OF TOMB RAIDER

If you trembled with terror as the T-Rex thundered towards you, prayed you would reach the end of a level with only a sliver of health or tried to lock the elderly butler in the freezer, then this rigorous unofficial history of the birth of Tomb Raider and its sequel is the book for you. 

I vividly remember loading up Tomb Raider for the first time and being dumbstruck by its atmosphere and realism. It cost around £40 which was a fortune back in 1997, but I still have it and play it. This was something nobody had seen before; it required an entirely new sklllset from the player. The freedom of movement, though limited by today’s standards, was mind blowing. Once it clicked, I lost hours of my life inside its world. 

Released in the time of the Spice Girls, Tony Blair and Britpop, Tomb Raider quickly became a global phenomenon. Author Daryl Baxter has interviewed every member of the creative team behind the games (including Lara’s voice artists) and vigorously verified every fact so this is the definitive, true story. The book is richly illustrated with iconic images from the games and rare, original drawings of schematic outlines for the levels. There is plenty of detail on the technology used to code the game and also a chapter on the music and its composer. 

Very much a nostalgia-fest for anyone who loves the game, the book reminds the reader of a simpler time when video games were made by talented amateurs rather than money-driven committees. It is a book written by a fan for fans, and is a joy to read. 

S.O.E. IN DENMARK

This concise history of SOE operations in Denmark is split into two parts, the first being an historical narrative of the creation and operation of the Danish SOE organisation, and the second being a series of appendices which go into greater detail about the SOE agents, a rundown of the wireless communications between Denmark and the UK, air and sea operations etc. 

There is also a particularly satisfying section on the various acts of sabotage carried out by the Danish Resistance. The story of this important yet largely unknown chapter of World War II is told lucidly and without sensationalism; written by an unknown Staff Officer in SOE’s Danish Section prior to disbandment in 1946, it is a vital addition to the history of SOE and the canon of wartime history.