Amberley imprint: 2705 books

Not many people would claim to be saints, or alternatively, consider themselves entirely without redeeming qualities. Some are unquestionably worse than others, but few have been held in greater infamy than Richard Plantagenet, afterwards Duke of Gloucester and, later still, King Richard III. Richard’s...

'A paradise - tall, slender, grey-eyed, possessing an extreme pallor.' The contemporary view of Henry VIII's younger sister, Princess Mary Rose, as one of the most beautiful princesses in Europe, was an arresting one. Glorious to behold, this Tudor princess, with her red hair flowing loose to her...

Alarmstart (scramble) charts the experiences of the German fighter pilots in the Second World War, based on extensive recollections of veterans as well as primary documents, diaries and flying log books, with photographs from the veterans themselves, many never previously published. For anyone interested...

At the start of the First World War, little thought had been given to how aircraft would play a part in the conflict. The Royal Flying Corps consisted of five squadrons, one equipped with observation balloons and the others with aircraft. In fact, so advanced was Britain that its squadrons were the...

One way or another the Romans spent quite a lot of time in bed, in between conquering and civilising the known world. The men were intent on demonstrating their power and virility; the women were busy conceiving, delivering and raising as many children as possible, in order to keep Rome topped up...

Today, the sight of a helicopter speeding toward some destination is familiar enough, but take a moment to consider: is there a life at stake? Is someone in peril and on a knife edge of survival, and will the helicopter crew be selflessly placing themselves in the most dangerous of situations for...

Barnes Wallis was the most famous inventor and designer of the Second World War. Thanks to the film and book of The Dam Busters, he is still a household name today. His story is not just of the 'bouncing' bombs that destroyed the Mohne and Eder dams but also of the other devices he invented, from...

During the Second World War, Norfolk was truly on the 'front line'. Being so close to the Continent, air raids were frequent - Norwich in particular suffered badly - and invasion was a very real and persistent threat for the people of the county. The men and women of Norfolk took up positions in all...

At 10.15 a.m. on Saturday 3 June 1944, a shaft of sunlight fell across my board, sending a brilliant white reflection into my eyes. Bother, I thought, now the ink will dry too quickly … Moving so that the shadow of my head covered my work I became aware that Joe Smith and a military officer had...

'I was happy that Coventry was selected as a target, as it was an important military objective... The night was clear and flying was easy. Missing the target was practically impossible.' Field-Marshal Kesselring, describing the air raid of 14 November 1940. Between 1940 and 1942 the people of Coventry...

Manchester’s proud past can be well summed up in its headlines. Steven Dickens delves into the archives of the Evening News to discover the events and personalities that have made the city what it is today. From the dramatic effects of the First and Second World Wars on the city and its residents...

Basking in the summer sunshine of July 1914, the west coast of Wales seemed far away from a war on mainland Europe. However, its effects were soon felt, as within days the Territorial Army camped nearby were marched off to go to – well, no one knew quite where. As the years dragged on, nearly every...

On 1st September 1939 evacuee children arrived at Cirencester, the first of 'a sorry procession' to leave the cities for the comparative safety of the Cotswolds. By the end of the Second World War these figures had run into thousands and almost every district had been touched by the events of this...

The town, historically known as 'Rudgeley', is listed in the Domesday Book and it is thought that the name derives from 'Ridge lee', or 'the hill over the field'. This historic market town lies midway between Stafford, Cannock,Lichfield and Uttoexeter. Around Rugeley From Old Photographs offers a...