History

From Norman Davies, the acclaimed author of Europe: A History, comes the magical history of Europe's lost realms, selected as a Book of the Year by the Sunday Times, Daily Telegraph, New Statesman, Independent, Guardian and Financial Times. Europe's...

Who invented beds? When did we start cleaning our teeth? How old are wine and beer? Which came first: the toilet seat or toilet paper? What was the first clock?Every day, from the moment our alarm clock wakes us in the morning until our head hits our...

A powerful history of Jewish art collectors in France, and how an embrace of art and beauty was met with hatred and destruction“The depths of French anti-Semitism is the stunning subject that Mr. McAuley lays bare. . . . [He] tells this haunting saga in...

An Indie Next Selection for April 2022   An Indies Introduce Selection for Winter/Spring 2022 A Junior Library Guild Selection Both a celebration of the natural world and a memoir of one family’s experience during the Troubles, Thin Places is a gorgeous...

A powerful, impactful, eye-opening journey that explores through the Civil Rights Movement in 1950s-1960s America in spare and evocative verse, with historical photos interspersed throughout.In stunning verse and vivid use of white space, Erica Martin's...

It is a widespread prejudice of modern, scientific society that "magic" is merely a ludicrous amalgam of recipes and methods derived from primitive and erroneous notions about nature. Eros and Magic in the Renaissance challenges this view, providing an...

(Available after 3-20 days)Magic, miracles, daemonology, divination, astrology, and alchemy were the arcana mundi, the "secrets of the universe," of the ancient Greeks and Romans. In this path-breaking collection of Greek and Roman writings on magic and...

(Available after 3-20 days)The foundational work on shamanism now available as a Princeton Classics paperbackShamanism is an essential work on the study of this mysterious and fascinating phenomenon. The founder of the modern study of the history of...

Six Records of a Floating Life (1809) is an extraordinary blend of autobiography, love story and social document written by a man who was educated as a scholar but earned his living as a civil servant and art dealer. In this intimate memoir, Shen Fu...

A stunning portrait of the magnificent splendor and enduring legacy of ancient Persia  The Achaemenid Persian kings ruled over the largest empire of antiquity, stretching from Libya to the steppes of Asia and from Ethiopia to Pakistan. From...

The supreme chronicler of real-life espionage engagingly recounts a fantastically improbable and highly dangerous plot carried out by British spies to foil Nazi operations and change the course of the Second World War.   One April morning in 1943, a...

To have a color named after you is one of the highest accolades in fashion. Valentino Garavani is one such icon.   Since the founding of the House of Valentino in 1950s Rome, Garavani has been celebrated for the desirability of his designs. His stunning...

The Renaissance in Florence conjures images of beautiful frescoes and elegant buildings—the dazzling handiwork of the city’s skilled artists and architects. But equally important for the centuries to follow were geniuses of a different sort: Florence’s...

"Haute couture is like an orchestra, whose conductor is Balenciaga. We other couturiers are the musicians and we follow the direction he gives." - Christian Dior   The godfather of conceptual design, a master of shape, a true fashion game changer - all...

Little Book of Louis Vuitton is the pocket-sized and fully illustrated story of one of the world's most luxurious fashion houses.   Louis Vuitton's monogrammed bags have been seen on the arms of celebrities and royals alike for over 150 years. From the...

This richly illustrated entry in the stylish series tells the story of groundbreaking designer Christian Dior and the fashion house he founded.   Christian Dior's spectacular rise to the upper echelons of Parisian haute couture is one of the most...

The Little Book of Gucci tells the story of this historic yet flourishing house, and the visionary looks that have cemented its place in fashion history.   One of the oldest Italian fashion brands in existence today, Gucci was founded in Florence in 1921...

Little Book of Prada is the pocket-sized and beautifully illustrated story of the legendary fashion house. Understated elegance and luxury, technologically advanced fabrics and sublime originality of design are all hallmarks of the House of Prada. In...

"A woman can carry a bag, but it is the shoe that carries the woman" - Christian Louboutin   Among designers of luxury shoes, there is one whose designs are instantly recognizable: Christian Louboutin. His iconic red soles can be seen everywhere from the...

Little Book of Yves Saint Laurent is the pocket-sized and exquisitely illustrated story of 60 years of innovative fashion design.   An enigmatic, daring and astonishingly creative designer, Yves Saint Laurent is credited with the elevation of haute...