'History as you've never seen it before.' Dan Snow
Did you know that the history of the beard is connected to the Crimean War; that the history of paperclips is all about the Stasi; and that the history of bubbles is all about the French Revolution? And who knew that Heinrich Himmler, Tutankhamun and the history of needlework are linked to napalm and Victorian orphans?
In Histories of the Unexpected, Sam Willis and James Daybell lead us on a journey of discovery that tackles some of the greatest historical themes - from the Tudors to the Second World War, from the Roman Empire to the Victorians - but via entirely unexpected subjects.
By taking this revolutionary approach, they not only present a new way of thinking about the past, but also reveal the everyday world around us as never before.
Histories of the Unexpected : The Fascinating Stories Behind Everyday Things
Description
Table of Contents
1: The Hand 2: Gloves 3: Perfume 4: The Bubble 5: Shadows 6: Beards 7: Clouds 8: Dust 9: Clocks 10: Needlework 11: The Itch 12: Holes 13: The Bed 14: Dreams 15: Hair 16: The Paper Clip 17: Letters 18: Boxes 19: Courage 20: Mountains 21: Chimneys 22: Tears 23: Lions 24: Rubbish 25: Snow 26: Cats 27: The Smile 28: The Scar 29: The Lean 30: The Signature
Author Description
Dr Sam Willis is one of the country's best-known historians. His work takes him on adventures all over the world. He has made twelve TV series for the BBC and National Geographic, including The Silk Road, and has written fourteen books, most recently The Struggle for Sea Power: The Royal Navy vs the World, 1775-1782 and The Spanish Armada, a Ladybird Expert Book.
James Daybell is Professor of Early Modern British History at the University of Plymouth and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. He has written eight books and has appeared in a number of historical BBC TV documentaries.