Altri libri che potrebbero interessarti

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  Northerners: A History from the...

  Brian Groom

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  A Waterstones Best History Book of the Year 
  The bestselling history of the North of England as told through the lives of its inhabitants. 
  ‘Entertaining’ The Times 
  ‘Definitive’ The Mirror 
  ‘Highly readable’ Financial Times 
  A work of unrivalled scale and ambition, Northerners is the defining biography of northern England. 
  This authoritative new history of place and people lays out the dramatic events that created the north – waves of migration, invasions and battles, and transformative changes wrought on European culture and the global economy. In a sweeping narrative that takes us from the earliest times to the present day, the book shows that the people of the north have shaped Britain and the world in unexpected ways. 
  At least six Roman emperors ruled from York. The Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Northumbria was Europe’s leading cultural and intellectual centre. Cartimandua, Queen of the Brigantes, deserves to be as famous as Boudica. Neanderthals and Vikings, Central European Jews, African-Caribbeans and South Asians, have all played their part in the making and remaking of the north. Northern writers, activists, artists and comedians are celebrated the world over, from Wordsworth, the Brontes and Gaskell to LS Lowry, Emmeline Pankhurst and Peter Kay. St Oswald and Bede shaped the spiritual and cultural landscapes of Britain and Europe, and the world was revolutionised by the inventions of Richard Arkwright and the Stephensons. The north has exported some of sport’s biggest names and defined the sound of generations, from the Beatles to Britpop. 
  Northerners also shows convincingly how the past echoes down the centuries. The devastation of factory and pit closures in the 1980s, for example, recalled the trauma of William the Conqueror’s Harrying of the North. The book charts how the north-south divide has ebbed and flowed and explores the very real divisions between northerners, such as the rivalry between Lancashire and Yorkshire. 
  Finally, Brian Groom explores what northernness means today and the crucial role the north can play in Britain’s future. As new forces threaten the fabric of the UK again, this landmark book could scarcely be more timely. 
  This historical masterpiece by Brian Groom is a top pick for those who appreciate a deep dive into the social fabric of northern England. It's not just an autobiography of a region, but a travel through time, revealing the popular narratives and untold stories that have shaped its identity. 
  For fans of Rick Broadbent (Jessica Ennis), Tom Holland (The Rest is History), Simon Jenkins (The Celts), Andy Burnham (Head North), and Ian Mortimer (Medieval Horizons). 
  HarperCollins 2022

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  The Mythology of the Incas -...

  Odessa Nightshade

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  The mythology of the Incas is a fascinating tapestry of gods, legends, and rituals that shaped the spiritual and cultural identity of one of the most powerful civilizations in the Americas. Unlike written traditions found in other ancient cultures, Incan mythology was passed down orally, with each generation preserving and refining the stories that explained the origins of the world, the forces of nature, and the role of human beings in the cosmos. These myths were deeply intertwined with the daily lives of the Inca people, influencing everything from their agricultural practices to their political structures.  
    
  At the heart of Incan mythology was a complex belief system that divided the universe into three realms: Hanan Pacha, the upper world of the gods; Kay Pacha, the earthly realm of humans; and Uku Pacha, the underworld where spirits and ancestors resided. These realms were connected by sacred mountains, rivers, and celestial bodies, all of which were considered divine. The gods of the Incan pantheon, led by Viracocha, the supreme creator, played a central role in shaping the world and maintaining balance within these realms. Inti, the sun god, was revered as the divine ancestor of the ruling class, while Pachamama, the earth goddess, was honored for providing sustenance and fertility.  
    
  Rituals and ceremonies were essential to maintaining harmony between the natural and supernatural worlds. The Inca performed elaborate festivals, such as Inti Raymi, the Festival of the Sun, to honor their deities and ensure the continuation of prosperity. Priests and oracles played a crucial role in interpreting the will of the gods, often conducting sacrifices—both animal and human—as acts of devotion and appeasement. Sacred sites, including Coricancha in Cusco and Machu Picchu, served as centers of worship where offerings were made to the gods. 

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  High Tea and the Low Down - An...

  Claire Craig Evans

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  A Transatlantic Adventure Fueled by Tea and Hedgerow Fruit 
  When American Claire Craig Evans married a charming British man, there was a cost for the snappy banter and countless offers of tea: she had to uproot life as she knew it and relocate to the UK. Who wouldn’t want to move to an enchanted island where mysterious women with dewy complexions made jam in thatched cottages with millennia-old lichen attached? 
  Sure, experienced American expats offered nuggets of wisdom (“Bring over a lifetime supply of taco seasoning!”) but they weren’t even mild comfort as Claire tried to avoid death, jail, and wayward sheep while learning to navigate zebra crossings and drive on the “wrong” side of the road. 
  The allure of a jet-setter lifestyle vanished as fast as Air India sent her Samsonite to Delhi instead of London Heathrow. Would more tea help her figure out how long she’d been wearing the single pair of underwear in her possession? (That was the jetlag talking. They do have underwear in the UK, too.) 
  Fans of Bridget Jones and Bill Bryson alike will enjoy High Tea and the Low Down, a keenly-observed memoir full of laugh-out-loud moments as Claire experiences the reality of English living. If she couldn’t even pass a pub quiz, how would she ever pass the infamous Life in the UK test, the high-stakes hurdle required to stay on British soil (and with her husband) indefinitely?

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  Teotihuacan Empire - The City of...

  Rolf Hedger

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  Teotihuacan, known as the "City of the Gods," remains one of the most enigmatic civilizations of ancient Mesoamerica. Its origins date back to around 400 BCE, when small settlements began to emerge in the Valley of Mexico. Over the centuries, these settlements merged, gradually forming what would become the largest and most influential city of its time. The exact reasons for its rise are still debated, but archaeologists believe that a combination of favorable geography, trade opportunities, and sociopolitical factors contributed to Teotihuacan’s emergence as a dominant power. 
  The valley’s rich volcanic soil provided fertile land for agriculture, supporting crops such as maize, beans, and squash. The region was also strategically located along key trade routes, allowing early inhabitants to engage in commerce with neighboring cultures. As the population grew, so did the need for organization, leading to the development of complex social structures. Unlike other civilizations that revolved around a single ruling dynasty, Teotihuacan appears to have been governed by a collective leadership, possibly a council of elites who controlled different aspects of city life. 
  One of the most intriguing aspects of Teotihuacan’s early history is the origin of its name. The Aztecs, who discovered the abandoned ruins centuries later, named it "Teotihuacan," meaning "the place where gods were born." This suggests that even in ancient times, the city held a sense of divine significance. Mythology and spiritual beliefs were deeply intertwined with its development, as seen in its grand temples and pyramids, which were aligned with celestial movements.

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  Mesoamerican Capitals - Cities...

  Rolf Hedger

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  From the mist-shrouded valleys of central Mexico to the glimmering highlands of Colombia, the ancient Americas witnessed the rise of extraordinary urban centers that would shape the destiny of countless generations. In "Mesoamerican Capitals: Cities of Stone and Gold," we embark on a journey through time to explore four of the most influential civilizations that rose to prominence long before European contact transformed the Western Hemisphere. 
  These weren't merely settlements but complex metropolitan hubs—centers of innovation, artistry, and power that rivaled their Old World contemporparts in sophistication and grandeur. Teotihuacan, with its monumental Avenue of the Dead and towering pyramids, once housed over 125,000 inhabitants in a masterfully planned cityscape that influenced cultures throughout Mesoamerica. The Toltec capital of Tula stood as a beacon of military might and cultural refinement, establishing patterns of rulership and religious practice that would echo for centuries. Monte Albán, crown jewel of the Zapotec civilization, commanded the valleys of Oaxaca from its mountain perch, while the Muisca Confederation created a network of urban centers across the Colombian highlands, their wealth in gold becoming the stuff of legend. 
  These weren't simply places where people gathered—they were the physical manifestations of worldviews, cosmologies encoded in stone and adobe. Each represented distinct approaches to urban planning, governance, and the relationship between the sacred and the profane. Their rulers wielded power through combinations of divine authority, military prowess, and control of vital trade routes that connected distant regions through complex networks of exchange. 
  As you turn listen to this book, you'll discover how these remarkable urban centers functioned as crucibles of innovation, where art, architecture, mathematics, astronomy, and religious thought flourished in distinctive ways.

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  The Peatlands of Britain and...

  Clifton Bain

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  Clifton Bain now completes his trilogy with this look at the Peatlands of Britain and Ireland. A source of fuel for many generations, they are now a haven for wildlife and plants as well as a storehouse of greenhouse gasses. Their social history is one of exploitation and the value of mending and restoring is a major theme of the book. Like its predecessors, The Peatlands of Britain and Ireland will be a sumptuous volume richly illustrated with photographs and with drawings by the wildlife artist Darren Rees.

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