'For far too long, 1953 has been thought of as a monochrome year; just another twelve months in the boring 1950s. Now Roger Hermiston explodes that theory by showing it all in all its most vivid colours. His is a gripping account of the death of Stalin, the discovery of DNA, Winston Churchill's stroke, Dwight Eisenhower's presidency and so much more will stay with readers long after they finish the last page...' - Andrew Roberts. January 1953 and it is eight years on from the most destructive conflict in human history, and the Cold War has entered its most deadly phase. An Iron Curtain has descended across Europe, hostilities between the US and the Soviet Union have turned hot on the Korean peninsula as the two powers clash in an intractable and bloody proxy war. Meanwhile the pace of the nuclear arms race has become frenetic. The Soviet Union has finally tested its own atom bomb, as has Britain, and now in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, the United States has detonated its first thermos-nuclear device, dwarfing the destruction unleashed on Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of WW2. For the first time, the Doomsday Clock is set at two minutes to midnight, with the chances of a man-made global apocalypse becoming increasingly likely. As the Cold War powers square up in political and military battles around the globe, every city has become a potential battleground and every citizen a target. 1953 is set to be a year of living dangerously. We read eagerly about the discovery by the brilliant young scientists Francis Crick and Chicago born colleague James Watson unravelling the double helix molecular structure of DNA, the young Elvis performing his unique blend of African-American blues, Christian gospel and country music with his unique gyrating hips, the Match of the Century between home side England, the inventors of football, and Hungary, the mystery men from behind the Iron Curtain who were the finest team in the world at the time, and sugar and sweets are finally freed from controls in Britain that year. Films and magazines informed us that for most young American couples an affordable, attractive home equipped with gleaming gadgets was within reach as the new American urban middle class developed and a rising tide of affluence which excluded black people in the South with segregation. There was talk of the abolition of the death penalty in the UK and it was a time of capitalism versus communism, supposed freedom versus assumed tyranny. Mistrust had deepened, political uncertainties abounded, and nuclear arsenals had mushroomed, shaped by an event way out in the Pacific Ocean in November 1952 with the largest explosion in the history of the planet. Written by the assistant editor of BBC Radio 4's Today Programme 1998-2010. 446pp.

Women's lives were transformed during the 100 years between 1850 and 1950. In 1850 a married woman was not legally entitled to own property or assets, and had to hand everything over to her husband, but by 1950 she could graduate from university and enter most professions, retaining control of her own earnings whatever her circumstances. This book about women's emancipation focuses on the women of Plymouth, from the six women MPs during this period, including Nancy Astor who was the first female MP, to the mother of six and wife of an unco-operative husband who informed a survey, "I haven't any outdoor clothes so I chat to neighbours and sit on the back step mending and darning". The Ladies' National Association, originally formed to combat the humiliating treatment of prostitutes, was active in Plymouth particularly in the Nonconformist and Quaker communities. Domestic abuse was a common problem, and in 1923 women were finally allowed to petition for divorce. Overcrowding was a problem and 5,000 people, mainly women, regularly used the public washhouses for washing and drying laundry. By the 1890s there were women's suffrage groups in every town throughout the country, but there was also a vociferous anti-suffrage lobby. Women were active in philanthropic causes and in late 19th century Plymouth there were four women guardians of the local workhouse, though unfortunately they were voted off the board when they refused to allow the children to go to the pantomime. In 1918 many women gave up their jobs to returning soldiers, but the potentiality for independence had been established. 202pp, paperback, photos.

'The Queen was very approachable. I felt that if I had met her in the street she would have talked to me, or to anyone for that matter. She seemed to be very interested, and seemed to have an unspoken understanding.' Having medals pinned on, trophy awards, on a Windsor walkabout during the Diamond Jubilee, receiving an MBE at Windsor Castle, performing for the Queen's birthday, being recognised for fund raising, official openings for example of the Perpetual Park in Henley-on-Thames or the Henley Royal Regatta Headquarters, here are members of the public who have been privileged to have met the late Her Majesty the Queen. 'The Queen asked Heather about going off to Afghanistan and me about my training for the World Championships in South Korea. She finished by saying she could see our rowing careers were still going very well. It did seem like quite a long chat which I enjoyed immensely and worth every second.' - Heather Glover MBE and Heather Stanning MBE, 2013. Lots of smiles and handshaking and never-before-seen photographs of Her Majesty at work, there is a colour page portrait of each contributor, a summary of what the Queen said in one paragraph, pithy quotes and memories galore, lifechanging moments of inspiration and wonderful anecdotes from 35 contributors who have shared the Queen's company as she has brought a smile to many faces. Her personality and sense of humour shine through and there are wonderful historical facts about The Queen's Watermen or the role of Mace Bearers, the Royal British Legion or MENCAP and the differences in meaning of OBEs. CBEs, KBEs etc. Each anecdote is written with its own integrity at its heart with no frills. Our Editor Annie Quigley has her own anecdotes! A wonderful way to say Thank You to our late monarch. With golden satin page marker, colour photos, 196pp.

With beautifully designed flexicover and colour coordinated pages in red, orange, pale green and lilac, the book contains over 1,000 buildings including more than 50 additional projects, each accompanied with a single colour image, description, addresses, websites, phone numbers, whether exterior and or interior can be viewed, abbreviations whether they are commercial buildings, cultural, educational, government, public, recreation, religious, residential, sports, tourism or transportation buildings. Organised geographically by Oceania, Asia, Europe, Africa, North America, South America, there are hundreds of locator maps and one to three entries per page in this condensed travel edition contained in the 'Phaidon Atlas of 21st Century World Architecture'. We can see into places now out of bounds like the Russian Federation Copper House built by Sergey Skuratob Architects, a brightly green six story apartment block in the metal framework or Atrium Architects' Boarding School in Moscow with its portico-like structure on inclined columns supporting a cascade of inner staircases defining the lobby. A fantastic way to appreciate what we see when we are travelling. Remainder mark. 472pp, colour.
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122 Inventions that Changed the World, this extraordinary volume of drawings is taken from the collections at the American and European patent offices, the place where many everyday items we take for granted were registered as monopolies for their inventors. The first patent we would recognise as such comes from Florence in 1421, where the architect of the cathedral dome, Brunelleschi, registered a hoisting machine. It was not until 1884 that a fork was patented in Connecticut, though we are told that this convenient aid to polite eating first came to Europe in the dowry of an 11th century Byzantine princess. The first corkscrew to be patented was in 1795, and here a version where the shaft moves down through a collar is pictured, submitted for patenting in 1883. Patents for Games and Toys include the 1930 drawings for Mickey Mouse submitted by Disney, who originally called his invention "Mortimer" until his wife told him it was too pompous, and original sketches, with measurements, for the Barbie doll in 1961 and G.I. Joe in 1966. The year 1961 also saw the first Lego patents, with its inventor calculating that six 4 x 2 Lego bricks could fit together in 915 million ways. Kermit was patented in 1959, with the prototype being made from a green coat found in a rubbish bin. Laszlo Biro invented the ballpoint pen in 1945. Car airbags were registered in 1972, though they had been invented in an earlier form 20 years before, and the first effective bulletproof vests were patented in 1968. Moving into the computer age, the first Apple mouse was patented in 1984, and 1992 saw the arrival of the floppy disk. 144pp, over 120 original sketches with commentary.

Migration is one of the key issues of our time and this highly praised study steps back from current anxieties round the subject and looks at the whole picture in Europe since the end of World War II. The author discusses both economic migrants and those seeking asylum, examining the impact of a wide variety of forces driving the movement of peoples, from Irish nurses crossing the Irish sea to work in the newly-formed NHS to the controversies surrounding the people-trafficking in the English Channel today. The term 'migration' rather than 'immigration' suggests a two-way traffic and an unwillingness on the part of many migrants to close the option of returning to their birth-country. After the war there was a huge and chaotic movement of displaced people, with 17 million Europeans on the move. The Hungarian uprising of 1956, the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974, the disintegration of the Soviet bloc in 1989 and the upheaval of Yugoslavia in the 1990s were further events prompting mass migration. At the same time there was colonial migration of Moroccans to France and Indians to the UK. In the 21st century the rhetoric has changed as migrants are perceived as a possible threat. There are abundant instances of generosity on the part of nations and individuals, but there is also the "hostile environment" which was an aim of Theresa May's government. The author looks in detail at cases such as the Italian island of Lampedusa which took the brunt of Libyans escaping Colonel Gaddafi. Rarely has it been acknowledged that many asylum seekers are extremely resourceful and well-educated, with news reports dismissing them as a "wave" or "flood". The author believes that migration in Europe is multi-layered and open-ended, and is a testament to co-operation and cultural encounter. 548pp, photos, maps.

The Cold War spy Kim Philby lied and tricked his way through life and Hanning's masterful research lays bare the extraordinary hypocrisy in a tale as gripping as any thriller. It tells the extraordinary story of how Eleanor, a cultured American living in the espionage hotspot of 1950s Beirut, fell in love with the kindest of men. Unknown to her that man, Kim Philby, was under suspicion by the British and US intelligence services of having secretly signed up to help the Russians fight fascism in the 1930s, and of remaining in their pay at the height of the Cold War. Despite his mysterious past, Eleanor adored and married Philby, but the strength of their love was challenged as the net steadily closed in on him. His story may be familiar, but this angle breaks remarkable new ground and is an eye-opening tale of friendship, politics, love and loyalty which surpasses the best spy fiction and is a cautionary tale about the true costs of male privilege on the higher echelons of the British establishment. 408pp, paperback with 16 pages of photos and useful timeline. In the words of David Cornwell, aka John le Carré, 'The scale of Philby's betrayal is barely calculable to anyone who has not been in the business. In Eastern Europe alone, dozens and perhaps hundreds of British agents were imprisoned, tortured and shot.' Map. Paperback, 2022.

Sub-titled 'Magnificent Ocean Liners and the Women Who Travelled and Worked Aboard Them', this is an engaging and anecdotal social history which explores how women's lives were transformed by the golden age of travel between Europe and North America. Transatlantic travel was the province of the great ocean liners and an extraordinary undertaking made by many women. Some travelled for leisure, some for work and others to reinvent themselves or find new opportunities. They were celebrities, migrants and millionaires, refugees, aristocrats and crew members whose stories have remained mostly untold until now. The ocean liner was a microcosm of contemporary society, divided by class: from the luxury of the upper deck, playground for the rich and famous, to the cramped conditions of steerage or third class travel. In first class you will meet A-listers like Marlene Dietrich, Wallis Simpson and Josephine Baker; the second class carried a new generation of professional and independent women like pioneering interior designer Sibyl Colefax. Down in steerage you will follow the journey of émigré Maria Riffelmacher as she escapes poverty in Europe. Bustling between decks is a crew of female workers including Violet 'The Unsinkable Stewardess' Jessop, who survived the Titanic disaster and Maida Dixson who reluctantly went to sea as a stewardess in 1937 and defied wartime torpedoes to escort evacuees to safety around the globe. And Austrian-born Hedwig Kiesler who embarked on the Normandie in 1937 and arrived in New York a week later as MGM's latest signing, renamed Hedy Lamarr. Here are the GI brides and their babies during Operation Diaper Run, newly married British born wives reunited with their husbands in America. Victoria Drummond MBE, Britain's first female seagoing marine engineer, is pictured with anti-aircraft guns in March 1942. Deck games, chic swimwear and swimming pools, formal evening dress, refreshments on deck, the interior designed by the Ritz Hotel recalling aristocratic country houses in the luxurious Aquitania and a poster for the Cunard Line are among the 16 pages of illustrations. 354pp with fairly large print and by the author of Queen Bees code 92482.

'Unpublished Letters to The Daily Telegraph', readers of the Letters Page will be fondly aware of the eclectic combination of learned wisdom, wistful nostalgia and robust good sense of humour that characterises its correspondence. Whether it's suggesting the sci-fi Vulcan salute as an alternative to the now-discouraged handshake, or a parable of political dysfunction drawn from shopping in Ikea, Bob Pringle from Shrewsbury writes about the subject of the nude and that Anthony Whishaw on his 90th birthday notes that he tends to work from imagination, not looking at flesh and blood as the artist works. 'Sadly, speaking as another born in the Thirties, I fell that's the case for a lot of us.' Mike Lloyd of Cheltenham writes 'SIR - if members of the eco-protest group Extinction Rebellion would like to make themselves useful, perhaps they could come and teach my young adult children how to recycle.' The impact of self-isolation, lockdown and coronavirus is particularly notable in the Family Trials and Tribulations section. Then there is A Year In Politics with Corbyn, Brexit, Megxit, VAR to Mar, Trump to Top Gear - no one escapes the hilariously whimsical and sometimes risqué musings. So long, and thanks for all the fish writes one reader about access to 'our fishing waters after Brexit.' 181pp to dip into time and again.

The Parliamentary sketch writer and theatre critic for the Daily Mail loves gossip as well as hymn-singing and cricket. His target is the plotters and schemers, the "technocrats who dehumanise our country's institutions". Western capitalism's élites are bemused - Brexit, Trump and maybe more eruptions to follow. Hillary Clinton calls the ingrates 'A basket of deplorables'; Tony Blair thought voters too thick to understand the question. Wigged judges stared down their legalistic noses at the pongy populace. Those people who know best, those snooterati with their faux-liberal ways are the Patronising Bastards. Their downfall is largely of their own making - their Sybaritic excesses, an obsession with political correctness, the prolonged rape of reason and rite. You find these show-ponies not just in politics and the old institutions, but also in high fashion, football, clean-eating foodies and where celebritydom hires PR smoothies to massage reputations and mislead, distort and twist. Political columnist Quentin Letts identifies these condescending creeps and their networks, their methods and their dubious morals and kebabs them like mutton. He is juicy on Richard Branson, Emma Thompson, Stephen Fry, Dan and Jon Snow, Sadiq Khan, Michael Eavis, Bono, Fiona Millar, Shami Chakrabarti, Nicholas Serota, Jean-Claude Juncker and his chapters include Boaty McVolteface, Cordon Bleuh, Harmful Harriet, Corporate Balls, Dismal Dons, and Top 100 Patronising Bastards. Shockingly hilarious. Fun images too (page 44), 305pp.