Imprisoning Mary Queen of Scots - The Men Who Kept the Stuart Queen

Imprisoning Mary Queen of Scots - The Men Who Kept the Stuart Queen written by

Mickey Mayhew and published by Pen & Sword Books - £20 - Hardback - Pages 224

Imprisoning Mary Queen of Scots covers the lives and careers of the men and women who

‘kept’ Mary Queen of Scots when she was a political prisoner in England, circa 1568/9-1587.

Mary’s troubled claim to the English throne - much to the consternation of her ‘dear cousin’

Elizabeth I - made her a mortal enemy of the aforementioned Virgin Queen and set them on

a collision course from which only one would walk away. Mary’s calamitous personal life,

encompassing assassinations, kidnaps and abdications, sent her careering into England

and right into the lap of Henry VIII’s shrewd but insecure daughter. Having no choice but

keep Mary under lock and key, Elizabeth trusted this onerous task to some of the most

capable - not to mention the richest - men and women in England; Sir Francis Knollys, Rafe

Sadler (of Wolf Hall fame), the Earl of Shrewsbury and his wife, Bess of Hardwick, and finally,

the puritanical nit-picker Sir Amyas Paulet. Until now, these nobles have been mere bit-

players in Mary’s story; now, their own lives, loves and fortunes are laid bare for all to see.

From Carlisle Castle to Fotheringay, these men and women all but bankrupted themselves in keeping the deposed Scots queen in the style to which she was accustomed, whilst fending off countless escape plots of which Mary herself was often the author. With the sort of twist that history excels at, it was in fact a honeytrap escape plot set up by Elizabeth’s ministers that finally saw Mary brought to the executioner’s block, but what of the lives of the gaolers who had until then acted as her guardian? This book explains how Shrewsbury and Bess saw their marriage wrecked by Mary’s legendary charms, and how Sir Amyas Paulet ended up making a guest appearance on ‘Most Haunted’, some several hundred years after his death. In that theme, the book also covers the appearances of these men and women on film and TV, in novels and also the various other Mary-related media that help keep simmering the legend of this most misunderstood of monarchs.

An excellent book looking at the various imprisonment of Mary Queen of Scots who

needed to be kept safe/imprisoned securely in order to be able to execute her. This

would obviously take a lot of work and commitment especially if you were the family

entrusted with keeping her captive. This would have big effect on some people who

had to look after her, both financially and with regard to the relationships, the captors

already had. This book was full of wide range of stories all quite interesting and I felt

not really the usual we get in these types of history books. I really enjoy this author

Mickey Mayhew’s writing, and although a little different to his previous book House

of Tudor was still just as good. I enjoyed the profiles of all the main people in the

back of the book along with an excellent bibliography. A book, very well worth a read.

The N64 Encyclopedia - Every Game Released for the Nintendo 64

The N64 Encyclopedia - Every Game Released for the Nintendo 64 written by

Chris Scullion and published by White Owl Books - £30 - Hardback - Pages 256

The fourth book in Chris Scullion’s critically acclaimed series of video game encyclopedias,

The N64 Encyclopedia is dedicated to the Nintendo 64, one of the most well-loved games

consoles ever released. Although the Nintendo 64 didn’t sell as well as some of Nintendo’s

other systems, and although it struggled in the shadow of the bold newcomer that was the

Sony PlayStation, everyone who owned an N64 was in love with it and the four-player

multiplayer it provided as standard. Despite its relatively small library, the Nintendo 64 had

a healthy number of groundbreaking titles that would revolutionise the way we played video

games. The likes of Super Mario 64, GoldenEye 007, Mario Kart 64 and The Legend of

Zelda: Ocarina of Time remain iconic in the eyes of video game fans 25 years down the line.

This book naturally contains those games, but it also contains every other game released for

the system, no matter how obscure. It also covers every game released in Japan, including

those for the ill-fated Nintendo 64DD add-on which never left the country. With over 400

games covered, screenshots for every title and a light-hearted writing style designed to make

reading it a fun experience, the N64 Encyclopedia is the definitive guide to a truly

revolutionary gaming system.

I have to say that this book is called an N64 Encyclopedia and to be honest it has to be.

I remember my parents moaning at me as a teenager for spending too much time on

my games consoles, so I thought I knew quite a bit about games, particularly the N64.

But the author Chris Scullion has an immense and comprehensive knowledge here,

and what’s more, the book is also packed with many hints, tips and facts. This book

is a dream for any fan of the N64 and it seems so many games made for the console.

This book has so much information about the games and together it’s supported by

so many pictures, graphics and screenshots. It’s a great book for gaming fans, who

will love this.

Killers, Kidnappers, Gangsters and Grasses

Killers, Kidnappers, Gangsters and Grasses - On the Frontline with the Metropolitan

Police written by DIck Kirby and published by Pen & Sword Books - £20 - Hardback -

Pages 240

In his latest thrilling book, much-published crime author Dick Kirby draws on his fast

moving policing service, much of which was with Scotland Yard’s Serious Crime

Squad and the Flying Squad. As if that was not enough he brings in accounts of fellow

coppers during the final decades of the 20th century to add a fresh dimension.

It quickly becomes clear to the reader that Kirby and his colleagues practised their art in a markedly different style than that prevailing today. Corners were cut, regulations ignored and pettifogging rules trampled on in the wider public interest of bringing criminals to justice and preserving law and order. Above all the best senior detectives led fearlessly.

Kirby describes front-line policing where the public came first and the criminals a poor second. There are great stories of arrests, ambushes, fights and meeting informants in unlikely places.

Eyebrows may be raised at the book’s contents but many will feel that there is no place in the fight against serious crime for ‘woke-ness’ and political correctness and regret the passing of no-nonsense law enforcement.

This is the latest instalment of True Crime stories and thoughts from the remarkable Dick Kirby, a former serving police officer in the Scotland Yard Serious Crime Squad. I might be wrong but, I felt that this book was a bit more personal than his usual books, it is the same kind of book about gangs, villains and gangsters taking part in crimes he had been working on. But I felt like I was getting more opinions and thoughts from him, rather than an official line, which was nice to read. I enjoy Kirby books because you get the opinions of those on the front line, sometimes warts and all. Although things were done differently in those days, than they are in today’s policing. I would say most people would enjoy that mainly because it seemed people got things done and crimes solved, although we now know not all officers could be trusted. An easy to read book in a relaxed but written in an informed manner.

Voices of Russian Snipers: Eyewitness Red Army Accounts from World War II

Voices of Russian Snipers: Eyewitness Red Army Accounts from World War II

- written by Artem Drabkin & Andrey Ulanov and published by Greenhill Books

- £25 - Hardback - Pages 288 

‘Wiped out three Nazis in a shallow trench. But only got out by a miracle. The Germans

apparently guessed where my lair was and unleashed a hurricane of mortar fire … the

company had as good as buried me. Somebody saw a direct mortar hit on my lair.’

- Fyodor Dyachenko

‘The German snipers on the other side also engaged in stalking, especially stalking us women. They had no female snipers, just men’ - Antonina Kotlyarova

‘Dreadful death cries could be heard from the German trenches, where the enemy were bayonetting those of our wounded who had remained behind there’ - Klavdia Kalugina

‘Before firing I managed to get a good look at him through my sights. He was a young officer. He seemed to be looking straight at me and I shot him. But it was a human being! Then my feelings dulled and I went on killing the way we were supposed to’ - Antonina Kotlyarova

‘When we learnt on May 9th that the war was over, our joy knew no bounds […] I felt enormous relief when I heard the news of victory – now I wouldn’t need to kill anymore’ - Maria Bondarenko

With a wealth of first-hand testimonies, collected by Artem Drabkin, this is a unique collection of eyewitness accounts from the Second World War. The reminiscences of the Red Army snipers reveal fascinating details of life in Russia before the war, as well as the surprising commonality of the privation and unforgiving experience of frontline combat and the day-to-day starkness of sharpshooting.

The book includes testimony from celebrated snipers such as Fyodor Dyachenko, Alexander Romanyenko, Klavdia Kalugina, Antonina Kotlyarova and Maria Bondarenko.

This was a surprising book in that it was very informative about life in Red Army during the Second World War. I initially made the mistake of thinking it was one long account, but the book is a collection of first-hand accounts of various Russian snipers. Life in the was army, conditions, fighting in war, training and what I liked was the thought processed that was instilled in Russian snipers. I did think while reading this book that with current events going on the state of the Russian army does seem to have declined in recent decades. Also in one of the chapters, there is a ‘Best of the Best’ in terms of Russian snipers and how many kills are attributed to them. I enjoyed this book, and although I knew quite a bit about life as a soldier in the Red army, it was nice to read so many differing accounts, which was nice and refreshing with each chapter. Fans of the Eastern Front will enjoy this book.

Robert the Bruce - Scotland’s True Braveheart

Robert the Bruce - Scotland’s True Braveheart written by Phil Carradice and published

by Pen & Sword Books - £20 - Hardback - Pages 200

Robert the Bruce is a detailed account of the life and times of the Scottish hero and monarch. It covers

his life from childhood to death, looking at the political, social and military life of Scotland before,

during and after the time of Robert the Bruce.

The book looks at the relationship between The Bruce and people like Edward I and Edward II of England, William Wallace and the other contenders for the Scottish crown. The main thrust of the book is a chronological account of how The Bruce clawed his way to power, his struggles and battles and his eventual victory which gave Scotland independence and freedom from an acquisitive and warlike neighbour. It looks in detail at the murder of John Comyn, of which The Bruce stood accused, and the political ramifications of the killing.

Robert the Bruce was no saint. He was a ruthless, cunning warrior, a man of his times, dedicated to what he saw as his mission in life. Flawed he may have been but he was also a great King, a worthy warrior and a man who deserves to emerge from the shadow of William Wallace - a position to which he has been relegated ever since the film Braveheart.

This is a fantastic little book that takes a look at one of Scotland’s biggest heroes in Robert the Bruce, this book basically takes a chronological look at the life of Robert the Bruce. It looks at how he got on and communicated with the people of Scotland and the Scottish nobles who he would need to work alongside. The book takes us through the usual Scottish defeats and successes at a good but easy-to-read pace. This ranges from his early life, Edward Longshanks, Willam Wallace, Bannockburn and more. Now the author Phil Carradice is a favourite of mine because you always get a very good detailed book from him, maybe it’s because I’m big Scottish & Welsh history enthusiast. So I’m going to say this was a book I thoroughly enjoyed reading and would most definitely recommend it to others.

In Furious Skies - Flying with Hitler's Luftwaffe in the Second World War

In Furious Skies - Flying with Hitler's Luftwaffe in the Second World War written

by Tim Heath and published by Pen & Sword Books - £25 - Hardback - Pages 280

When a proud Adolf Hitler revealed his new Luftwaffe to the world in March 1935, it was

the largest, most modern military air arm the world had seen. Equipped with the latest

monoplane fighter and bomber aircraft manned by well-trained and motivated crews, it

soon became evident that the Luftwaffe also possessed a high degree of technical

superiority over Germany’s future enemies.

Yet within just nine years the once-mightiest air force in the world had reached total collapse, destroyed in part by the very people responsible for creating it. By 1944, the Luftwaffe, wearied by aerial battles on multiple fronts combined with tactical mismanagement from the highest levels of command, were unable to match their enemies in both production and manpower. By this time the Luftwaffe was fighting for its survival, and for the survival of Germany itself, above the burning cities of the Third Reich, facing odds sometimes as high as ten-to-one in the air.

Told through the eyes of the fighter and bomber crews themselves, this book explores previously unpublished first-hand accounts of the rise and fall of one of the most formidable air forces in twentieth-century military history. It paints a haunting picture of the excitement, fear, romance intertwined with the brutality, futility and wastefulness that is war.

My hopes were high with this book having read 4-5 of Tim Heath’s books, in my opinion, if you need information on German WWII history or the Third Reich, there is nobody much better than Tim Heath. This particular book looks at the world of being a German pilot or part of the bombing crews in the Luftwaffe, hailed as an air force that was becoming the best in the world. The biggest problem though wasn’t really with the planes and pilots, it was with the German high command, mainly Hermann Goering. It has since been seen by historians and writers that the weak link was Goering, and this was evidenced in this book by the pilot community, where Goering may have been a celebrated pilot in WWI his tactical planning, his need to save face and addictions caused him to fail himself and the Luftwaffe.

This book gives excellent attention to the thoughts and opinions of German flyers, and I think

this is what echoes in all of Heath’s books, the ability to get first-hand accounts of real people

who are doing the work on the ground or experiencing the realities of what is going on in the

thick of events. I should also say that the fans who love to read about the technical details of

planes, equipment and weaponry will not be disappointed with this book. This has been

another thoroughly good book to read, very well researched and written in excellent detail.

This book is a must for anyone wanting to read about the Luftwaffe. A quality book.

Factory Girls - The Working Lives of Women & Children

Factory Girls - The Working Lives of Women & Children written by Paul Chrystal

and published by Pen & Sword Books - £25 - Hardback - Pages 272

Ever since there have been factories, women and children have, more often than not, worked in

those factories. What is perhaps less well known is that women also worked underground in coal

mines and overground scaling the inside of chimneys. Young children were also put to work in

factories and coalmines; they were deployed inside chimneys, often half-starved so that they

could shin up ever-narrower flues.

This book charts the unhappy but aspirational story of women and children at work through the Industrial Revolution to 1914. Without women, there would have been no pre-industrial cottage industries, without women the Industrial Revolution would not have been nearly as industrial and nowhere near as revolutionary.

Many women, and children, were obliged to take up work in the mills and factories – long hours, dangerous, often toxic conditions, monotony, bullying, abuse and miserly pay were the usual hallmarks of a day’s work – before they headed homeward to their other job: keeping home and family together.

This long overdue and much-needed book also covers the social reformers, the role of feminism and activism and the various Factory Acts and trade unionism.

We examine how women and children suffered chronic occupational diseases and disabling industrial injuries – life changing and life-shortening – and often a one-way ticket to the workhouse. The book concludes with a survey of the art, literature and music which formed the soundtrack for the factory girl and the climbing boys.

My word what a fantastic book about the history of women and children in the workplace really from the early civilisation times. Some of the conditions and standards in which both women and children had to work in were just crazy and disgusting, it beggars belief more weren’t killed on a regular basis. Especially children who were often forced into small, cramped and very dangerous positions often to eek out the minoucha of what was possible. I really enjoyed this book and I’ve learnt a lot as the author Paul Chrystal has written a very detailed and comprehensive account. I would say this book is fantastic and a must for anyone who wants to learn more about women or children in the workplace. I’m really looking forward to the second book in this pairing, and hope I get a chance to review it.