In 1914, a new kind of war came about, bringing with it a new kind of world. World War One began on horseback, with generals employing bayonet charges to gain ground, and ended with attacks resembling the Nazi blitzkriegs. The scale of devastation was unlike anything the world had seen before: 14 million combatants died, a further 20 million were wounded, and four empires were destroyed. Even the victors' empires were fatally damaged.

An overwhelming disaster from which the world is still recovering, World War One can seem baffling in its complexity. But now Norman Stone, one of world's greatest military historians, has composed a dazzlingly lucid and succinct history of the conflict. Stone has distilled a lifetime of teaching, arguing, and thinking into this brisk and opinionated account of the fundamental tragedy of the 20th century.

• Audio Book completed 10 October 2020

The History and Legacy of the Controversial Conflict That Established Francisco Franco’s Dictatorship in Spain

“I've been in love (truly) with five women, the Spanish Republic and the 4th Infantry Division.” (Ernest Hemingway)

The Spanish Civil War: The History and Legacy of the Controversial Conflict That Established Francisco Franco’s Dictatorship in Spain examines one of the 20th century’s most important wars and how it affected the world. You will learn about the Spanish Civil War like never before.

REVIEW

An effective brief summary of this complex conflict, forming a solid foundation for more detailed study.

• Audio Book completed 11 October 2020

Past the rusted gates and untrimmed hedges, Hill House broods and waits….

Four seekers have come to the ugly, abandoned old mansion: Dr. Montague, an occult scholar looking for solid evidence of the psychic phenomenon called haunting; Theodora, his lovely and lighthearted assistant; Eleanor, a lonely, homeless girl well acquainted with poltergeists; and Luke, the adventurous future heir of Hill House. At first, their stay seems destined to be merely a spooky encounter with inexplicable noises and self-closing doors, but Hill House is gathering its powers and will soon choose one of them to make its own.

Shirley Jackson (1916–1965), a celebrated writer of horror, wrote such classic novels as We Have Always Lived in the Castle and The Bird’s Nest, as well as one of the most famous short stories in the English language, “The Lottery”. She has influenced such writers as Neil Gaiman, Stephen King, and Richard Matheson.

REVIEW

A spin tingling suspense filled tale of twists and turns. Psychological terror in a haunted house.

Audio Book Completed 21 October 2020

Sir Derek Jacobi reads a collection of tales from the master of ghost stories, M. R. James, whose stories have for many years inspired the BBC's A Ghost Story for Christmas TV adaptations. M. R. James was described as "a man who, in company with Sheridan le Fanu, is the best ghost-story writer England has ever produced".

REVIEW

Chilling short stories from a master of the genre. Perfect for dark evenings.

Audio Book Completed 25 October 2020

he Spanish Civil War has exerted a powerful impact on the historical imagination. Without question, the conflict was a key moment in the 20th century, a precursor to World War II, and an encapsulation of the rise of extremist movements in the 1930s, but it was also a complex narrative in and of itself, even as it offered a truly international theatre of war. It marked one of the seminal moments, along with the 1929 Wall Street Crash, between the two apocalyptic wars of the early 20th century, and since it occurred between 1936 and 1939, Spain proved to be a testing ground of tactics, weaponry, and ideology ahead of World War II. For the Allied powers Britain and France, Spain became a nadir of “appeasement”, yet, as the name suggests, the conflict had distinctly Spanish characteristics. The pressures that led to war were particular to the country, its social challenges, and its long and intricate history, and it was a conflict between two sides that included disparate elements like the clergy, socialists, landowners, and even anarchists. It is estimated that somewhere between 500,000-2,000,000 people were killed in the war.

Unlike World War II, the Spanish conflict attracted artists and writers, many of whom reflected upon events and even volunteered to fight. Pablo Picasso’s painting Guernica, journalist Martha Gellhorn’s reports, Robert Capa’s iconic photography, George Orwell’s Homage to Catalonia, and Ernest Hemingway’s For Whom the Bell Tolls are just some examples of the art and literature that documented the war, and 80 years later, the conflict and its causes still inspire musicians and writers.

Ultimately, the forces of reaction, led by General Francisco Franco, triumphed, and after his victory in 1939, Franco ruled Spain with an iron fist for 36 years. Thus, it’s only natural that Franco’s rapid yet unlikely rise to power in Spain came to define a country for several generations. Franco was influenced by the wider trends and forces of the 20th century, yet he would indelibly make his mark on Spain in his own right, and in the process become one of the most widely derided figures in contemporary history.

After his victory in the Spanish Civil War, Franco used political ideas and ideology as it suited him, though he did seem to advocate conservatism, militarism, Catholicism, and monarchism. Franco adeptly steered Spain through the Second World War and the Cold War without really committing the country to any specific engagements, but he still managed to secure support and backing from more powerful allies.

For the people of Spain, however, Franco was far from the benevolent figurehead he portrayed himself to be. Franco’s rule was vicious and spiteful, and persecution and oppression were ever present during his dictatorship.

REVIEW

Much of this is repeated from the publishers companion volume on the Spanish Civil War with Frano only appearing briefly throughout a brief narrative history of Spain during the 20th Century.

Audio Book completed 25 October 2020

This memoir was recently discovered and appears to have been written in the 1920s by someone who asserts that he was Jack the Ripper. This person is James Willoughby Carnac, and this memoir was written shortly before his death. It is an account of his entire life, including a few short months in 1888 when he became the murderer known to posterity as Jack the Ripper.

This book introduces a new suspect for the infamous murders in Whitechapel in 1888. There is information here that does not appear to be derived from contemporary newspapers or any other publications, and the descriptions of Tottenham in the 1870s, the visits to performances of Jekyll and Hyde, and the intricate geography of Whitechapel in 1888 are written with pin-point accuracy.

There is also a credible motive given for James becoming the murderer Jack, and also a reason for the end of the murders. Given the fact that the author also appeared to have knowledge about aspects of the case not in the public arena at the time, it could be that this actually is the autobiography of Jack the Ripper. Ultimately, it is up to the listeners to decide if they believe the mystery has been solved at last, but even if they end up deciding the account to be a work of fiction, it would still be one of the very earliest imaginings of the Ripper case, written in the early years of the 20th century, a fascinating piece of period writing and a worthy addition to the Ripper canon. Whatever side listeners come down on, there is no question that this book will be a source of much debate.

Audio Book Completed 1 November 2020

A second collection of tales from the master of ghost stories, M. R. James, whose stories have for many years inspired the BBC's A Ghost Story for Christmas TV adaptations. This volume includes 'A Warning to the Curious', 'The Stalls of Barchester Cathedral', 'The Mezzotint', and 'A Neighbour's Landmark'.

Audio Book Completed 6 November 2020

Penguin presents the unabridged, downloadable audiobook edition of Adolf Hitler: My Part in His Downfall, written and read by Spike Milligan.

At Victoria station, the R.T.O. gave me a travel warrant, a white feather and a picture of Hitler marked 'This is your enemy'. I searched every compartment, but he wasn't on the train....

In this, the first of Spike Milligan's uproarious recollections of life in the army, our hero takes us from the outbreak of war in 1939 ('it must have been something we said') through his attempts to avoid enlistment ('time for my appendicitis, I thought') and his gunner training in Bexhill ('there was one drawback. No ammunition') to the landing at Algiers in 1943 ('I closed my eyes and faced the sun. I fell down a hatchway').

Filled with bathos, pathos and gales of ribald laughter, this is a barely sane helping of military goonery and superlative Milliganese.

I was a teenager when I first read Spike Milligan's war memoirs and it is a joy to revisit them now, particularly read by Milligan himself, bringing life to the text. A wonderful mix of poetry and humour confirming the resistance of youth and humanity in general.

Audio Book Completed 9 November 2020

Mark Gatiss (Sherlock, Doctor Who, Game of Thrones) reads chilling tales by the unsung master of the classic ghost story: E. F. Benson.

There's nothing sinister about a London bus. Nothing supernatural could occur on a busy train platform. There's nothing terrifying about a little caterpillar. And a telephone, what could be scary about that?

Don't be frightened of the dark corners of your room. Don't be alarmed by a sudden inexplicable chill. There's no need for a ticking clock, a limping footstep, or a knock at the door to start you trembling. There's nothing to be scared of. Nothing at all.

Spine-chilling tales, perfect for cold dark Winter nights.

Audio Book Completed 16 November 2020

After seeing the film I bought the book. As ever, the book is better than the film. There is far greater detail regarding the political situation, both within the Congo and Internationally, that led to the events at Jadotville.

The book also covers the lead up to the siege and the period of imprisonment that was lightly brushed over on the film, which focused on a cinematic action led perspective, much of which was absent from the book.

This is an interesting read, not just for this period of history in the Congo but the emergence of the Irish Republic onto the international stage.

If you either see the film or read the book, read the book.

Paperback Completed 16 November 2020

Ever since horror leapt from popular fiction to the silver screen in the late 1890s, viewers have experienced fear and pleasure in exquisite combination. Wheeler Winston Dixon A History of Horror is the only book to offer a comprehensive survey of this ever-popular film genre. Arranged by decades, with outliers and franchise films overlapping some years, this one-stop sourcebook unearths the historical origins of characters such as Dracula, Frankenstein, and the Wolfman and their various incarnations in film from the silent era to comedy sequels. A History of Horror explores how the horror film fits into the Hollywood studio system and how its enormous success in American and European culture expanded globally over time.

Dixon examines key periods in the horror film - in which the basic precepts of the genre were established, then banished into conveniently reliable and malleable forms, and then, after collapsing into parody, rose again and again to create new levels of intensity and menace. A History of Horror brings over 50 timeless horror films into frightfully clear focus, zooms in on today's top horror Websites, and champions the stars, directors, and subgenres that make the horror film so exciting and popular with contemporary audiences.

After a slow start, this review of the cinematic horror hits its stride with the classic Universal films through to Hammer. Taking an interesting detour through the international world of horror including J-Horror and K-Horror Dixon winds up with an assessment of the recent trends in horror and predicts where the future of the genre lies.

An informative introduction to the history of the horror film.

Audio Book Completed 24 November 2020

Burning Chrome (1986) is a collection of short stories written by William Gibson. Most of the stories take place in Gibson's Sprawl, a shared setting for most of his cyberpunk work. Many of the ideas and themes explored in the short stories were later revisited in Gibson's popular Sprawl trilogy.

This fictional recreation of the Battle of Shiloh in April 1862 is a stunning work of imaginative history, from Shelby Foote, beloved historian of the Civil War. Shiloh conveys not only the bloody choreography of Union and Confederate troops through the woods near Pittsburg Landing, Tennessee, but the inner movements of the combatants' hearts and minds.

Through the eyes of officers and illiterate foot soldiers, heroes, and cowards, Shiloh creates a dramatic mosaic of a critical moment in the making of America, complete to the haze of gun smoke and the stunned expression in the eyes of dying men.

Shiloh, which was hailed by The New York Times as “imaginative, powerful, filled with precise visual details...a brilliant book” fulfills the standard set by Shelby Foote's monumental three-part chronicle of the Civil War.

• Audio book completed 9 December 2020

When John Hanley makes his lonely journey home from London for Christmas in 1956, his train is delayed due to snow in Shropshire. His wife has left him. He thinks his father won't notice if he doesn't arrive. Waiting for the last train, alone on the platform, a chance encounter with a stranger changes his life forever.

Intended for those seeking a traditional short ghost story to listen to by the fire on those dark winter nights...

• Audio book completed 21 December 2020

NIGHTMARES BECOME REAL, AND THE DEAD WALK THE EARTH!All the monsters from man's worst nightmares come alive in this set of fast-playing horror miniature rules based on the Origins-nominated Song of Blades and Heroes mechanics. Fight zombies, vampires, mad slashers, ghosts, werewolves, witches and other monstrosities straight out of the folklore and horror movies. Hunt for them - before they hunt YOU! Fear and Faith includes: rules for vampires, werewolves, ghosts, demons and zombies; A tactical system where your decisions matter; Weapons like silver blades, stakes, chainsaws, shotguns, assault rifles, vials of holy water, grenades and more; Game stats for characters from Victorian novels, researchers of the occult, chainsaw-wielding maniacs, minions of space gods, and the dread Zombie Elephant; 6 scenarios and simple campaign rules.

Review: I enjoyed reading these rules and can't wait to get some figures on the table, be they classic gothic horror ot a zombie apocalypse.

• Paperback completed 26 December 2020

Ebenezer Scrooge is not a fan of Christmas. In fact, he dislikes most things, but especially people. Bah humbug!

But one Christmas Eve he is visited by the spirits of Christmas Past, Christmas Present and Christmas Yet to Come, and so begins a transformational evening for the mean and miserly man.

Charles Dickens' seasonal story is eloquently narrated by award-winning actor Hugh Grant.

• Audio Book completed 28 December 2020