Women in History

by Marian Broderick

€14.99

From every county in Ireland Bold, Brilliant & Bad draws together the stories of over 120 amazing Irish women. Marian Broderick is back to explore the histories of remarkable Irish Women in history. From creative craftswomen to singing sensations, poets to sporting champions.  From Lilian Bland to Maeve Binchy and from Anne O'Brien to Professor Sheila Tinney, these women paved the way for the future and made massive changes in their various fields. Meet the women from history who went against the grain and challenged the expectations of the world. There were and are a force to be reckoned with.  

by Caroline West

€14.99

'I found it fascinating - it's an integral part of the history of Dublin that has been lost to time for too long' - Rick O'Shea A feminist history of Europe's largest red-light district and an examination of the lives of the women who worked there. Tucked away in Dublin's north inner city, Monto - purported to be Europe's biggest red-light district from 1860 to 1925 with up to 1600 sex workers at any one time - made headlines for wild tales of debauchery. However, what happened to the women and girls within its brothels in life and death is less clear. This account balances the historical origins of Monto's rise and fall with an investigation into the inhumane and heartbreaking reality of the treatment of the women that worked there, while delving into the impact of class, sexual violence and British colonialism on the women's survival. West explores the stigma and violence the women and girls of Monto endured, and investigates the shocking claims surrounding their treatment by medical professionals. Weaving together oral histories, historical records, fashion trends and family memories, this book brings the women of Monto to life within its pages as it explores how they lived, worked, loved, dressed, mourned and built a tight-knit community.

by Louise Ryan

€19.95

From the inception of the National Health Service (NHS) in 1948, Irish women and men were actively recruited to train and work as nurses in British hospitals. By the 1960s approximately 30,000 Irish-born nurses were working across the NHS, constituting around 12% of all nursing staff. While many Irish families produced at least one nurse and many of those emigrated, so far there has been little recognition of the enormous contribution of Irish nurses to health care in Britain. Based on 45 interviews, this book tells the stories of Irish nurses in their own words using rich oral history and photographs. From the rigours of training to the fun of dancehalls, the book explores their life experiences as nurses and also as Irish migrants in British society.

by Annabelle Hirsch

€28.34

A WATERSTONES BEST BOOK OF 2023 This is a neglected history. Not a sweeping, definitive, exhaustive history of the world but something quieter, more intimate and particular. A single journey, picked out in 101 objects, through the fascinating, too-often-overlooked, manifold histories of women. Open up this cabinet of curiosities and you'll find objects that have been highly esteemed - even, like the Bayeux tapestry, fought over by nations - and others that are humble and domestic. Some (like a sixteenth century glass dildo) are objects of female pleasure, some (a thumbscrew) of female subjugation. There are artefacts of women celebrated by history and of women unfairly forgotten by it; examples of female rebellion and of self-revelation; objects that are inspiring, curious or (like radium-laced chocolate) just fundamentally ill-conceived. Through the variety and nuance in all these 101 objects, Annabelle Hirsch has created a new history - teeming, unexpected, witty and always illuminating. This overdue corrective reveals what a healed femur says about civilisation, what men have to fear from hat pins, and it shows that the past has always been as complicated and fascinating as the women that peopled it.

by Kay Caball

€19.99

As part of the controversial Earl Grey Scheme, this is the true story of the Kerry girls who were shipped to Australia from the four Kerry workhouses of Dingle, Kenmare, Killarney and Listowel in 1849 and 1850.Leaving behind scenes of destitution and misery, the girls, some of whom spoke only Irish, set off to the other side of the world without any idea of what lay ahead. This book tells of their 'selection' and their transportation to New South Wales and Adelaide, their subsequent apprenticeship, and finally of their marriages and attempts to rebuild a life far from home.

by Hayley Kilgallon

€23.99

After first emerging in the 1920s, ladies Gaelic football was soon sidelined; breathless women chasing after a football was just too unladylike for the powers that be. Despite this resistance, the sport became a popular novelty act at local carnivals. And when the Ladies Gaelic Football Association (LGFA) was founded in Tipperary in July 1974, fifty years of extraordinary growth were set in motion. From writing the rule book to a membership of nearly 200,000, the earliest All-Stars to game-changing partnerships, this definitive history captures that unstoppable journey to becoming a national sport and so much more. Lavishly illustrated and drawing from national, club and personal archives, UNLADYLIKE is for the players, the fans, the kit-washers, the sandwich-makers and the supporters alike, and confirms the best is yet to come.  

by Elaine Farrell

€13.99

The Number 1 Bestseller 'A captivating account of lives previously ignored' Sunday Independent 'An important, impeccably researched though eminently readable book that charts new territory' Irish Examiner * * * Ireland in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries was not a good place to be a woman. Among the wave of emigrants from Ireland to North America were many, many young women who travelled on their own, hoping for a better life. Some lived lives of quiet industry and piety. Others quickly found themselves in trouble - bad trouble, and on an astonishing scale. Elaine Farrell and Leanne McCormick, creators of the celebrated 'Bad Bridget' podcast, have unearthed a world in which Irish women actually outnumbered Irish men in prison, in which you could get locked up for 'stubbornness', and in which a serial killer called Lizzie Halliday was described by the New York Times as 'the worst woman on earth'. They reveal the social forces that bred this mayhem and dysfunction, through stories that are brilliantly strange, sometimes funny, and often moving. From sex workers and thieves to kidnappers and killers, these Bridgets are young women who have gone from the frying pan of their impoverished homeland to the fire of vast North American cities. Bad Bridget is a masterpiece of social history and true crime, showing us a fascinating and previously unexplored world. * * * 'I just loved it!' Ryan Tubridy 'Fascinating' Irish Times 'Rich in detail and thorough in research' New Statesman

by Caroline Criado-Perez

€15.08

*THE SUNDAY TIMES NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER* *OVER A MILLION COPIES SOLD* Discover the shocking gender bias that affects our everyday lives in this groundbreaking gift of a book. 'Nothing delights me more than a well-written and well-researched book that teaches you and never bores you' Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie 'HELL YES. This is one of those books that has the potential to change things - a monumental piece of research' Caitlin Moran Imagine a world where... · Your phone is too big for your hand · Your doctor prescribes a drug that is wrong for your body · In a car accident you are 47% more likely to be injured. If any of that sounds familiar, chances are you're a woman. From government policy and medical research, to technology, workplaces, and the media. Invisible Women reveals how in a world built for and by men we are systematically ignoring half of the population, often with disastrous consequences. Caroline Criado Perez brings together for the first time an impressive range of case studies, stories and new research from across the world that illustrate the hidden ways in which women are forgotten, and the profound impact this has on us all. Find out more in Caroline's podcast, Visible Women. 'A book that changes the way you see the world' Sunday Times 'Revelatory, frightening, hopeful' Jeanette Winterson

by Clodagh Finn

€17.99

This remarkable book provides an account of the history of Ireland like we've never seen before. Told through the prism of the lives of twenty-one extraordinary women, it offers an alternative vision of Irish history, one that puts the spotlight on women whose contributions have been forgotten or overlooked. From the oldest woman in Ireland, whose bones were found beneath the Poulnabrone dolmen, to the modern-day founder of a 3D printing company, this book introduces us to amazing women whose stories were shaped by the centuries in which they lived.   "An engrossing selection of capsule biographies of some of those whose work is well worth remembering," Five stars, Mary Carr, The Irish Mail on Sunday. "A brilliant way of bringing to life the lives of women who would otherwise be forgotten or who might not have been known at all. [Through Her Eyes] covers such an incredible spectrum of women; there are 21 extraordinary stories - and brilliantly told. Patrick Geoghegan, Talking History, Newstalk "This well-researched book looks at Irish history from the Neolithic to the digital era through the lives of 21 women. Standout figures include Lady Sligo, Hester Catherine Browne, who did much to help her tenants during the Great Famine, Letitia and Naomi Overend, who left their Airfield farm to the State, and Jemma Redmond, a biotechnologist who 3D-printed human tissues." Brian Maye, The Irish Times "I was delighted and learned so much from Through Her Eyes: a history of Ireland in 21 women. It will inform my next trip to Ireland when I will seek out those places associated with many of these remarkable women." Dr Dymphna Lonergan, Tinteán, Australia "Anyone with an interest in Irish history will be excited to have a new piece added to the puzzle. Through Her Eyes tells the tale of 21 women who helped shape modern Ireland, but whose names and whose accomplishments have been forgotten by most. Sunday Business Post "Clodagh Finn delivers a celebration of womanhood… rare, inspiring women whose message is clear for everyone out there - if you have a dream, seize it, and let the naysayers go hang." David Lawlor, Irish Daily

by Kunak McGann

€9.49

Need a reason to feel mná-some ? Look no further! This book celebrates Irish women and their extraordinary achievements, one day at a time. From stone-throwing suffragists and brilliant scientists to daring adventurers, controversial writers, record-breaking athletes, and global music icons—these are the Mná na hÉireann who defied the patriarchy and shaped their own destinies. Discover the unsung heroes and fearless trailblazers who forged Ireland's past and continue to inspire its future. You'll be prouder than ever of these remarkable women and their hard-fought victories!

by Sinéad McCoole

€24.99

Updated edition with many more biographies and a new introduction by the author. Spies, snipers, couriers, gun-runners, medics, women played a major role in the fight for Ireland's freedom, risking loss of life and family for a cause to which they were totally committed. This book highlights a time when vast numbers of Irish women were politicised and imprisoned for their beliefs, with a special emphasis on one prison, Kilmainham Gaol. They came from every class in society and all walks of life: titled ladies and shop assistants, doctors, housewives, laundry workers, artists and teachers. Some were married with children, others widowed and some mere schoolchildren. These are hidden stories that vividly recreate the characters, personalities and courage of Ireland's revolutionary women.

by Sean O'Driscoll

€12.75

'Fascinating . . . O'Driscoll's research is impressive' Ben Macintyre, The Times _____ The story behind the hit movie Baltimore, starring Imogen Poots. The astonishing story of the English heiress who devoted her life to the IRA. She grew up in a Chelsea townhouse and on a Devon estate. She was presented to the Queen at Buckingham Palace as a debutante in 1958. She trained at Oxford as an academic economist and had a love affair with a female professor (who was on the rebound from Iris Murdoch). At thirty, she commenced giving her inheritance away to the poor. In 1972, the deadliest year of the Northern Irish Troubles, she travelled to Ireland and joined the IRA. Sean O'Driscoll's Heiress, Rebel, Vigilante, Bomber tells the astonishing story of Rose Dugdale, who went on to become a committed terrorist, participating in a major art heist and a bombing raid on a police and army barracks; who kept a pregnancy secret for nine months in prison and gave birth there; and who ended up at the heart of the IRA's bomb-making operation during its deadly final spasms in the 1990s. Heiress, Rebel, Vigilante, Bomber is both the page-turning biography of a remarkable woman and a groundbreaking account of the inner workings of a terrorist organization. _____ 'It would be hard to overstate how good this book is . . . a fantastic read' Sunday Independent 'Superb . . . an even-handed and thrilling gallop through [Dugdale's] improbable life' Daily Telegraph 'Excellent' Michael McDowell, Irish Times 'Possibly the most extraordinary book you'll read this year' Irish Examiner 'Jaw-dropping' Joe Duffy 'Well-researched' Irish Times

by Brendan McNally

€22.04

'A delicious, gossipy and thoroughly engaging romp ... heartily recommended.' Tim Tate, author of Hitler's British Traitors and The Spy Who Was Left Out in the Cold 'A captivating page-turner ...' Helen Fry, author of Women in Intelligence Ambassador's daughter, Nazi love interest, Soviet spy, FBI most wanted. Accompanying her parents to Berlin in the 1930s, Martha Dodd knew almost nothing about Adolf Hitler or the Nazis. Yet almost overnight, she stepped into the spotlight, and found herself at the over-heated centre of Hitler's 'New Germany', befriending and dating several high-ranking Nazis, including the head of the Gestapo. An affair with a dashing Russian diplomat saw her recruited as a spy, and so began a long and tumultuous career in both Berlin and America, including attempts to infiltrate First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt's inner circle and playing a key role in Henry Wallace's disastrous 1948 presidential campaign. Betrayed by a Hollywood-hustler-turned-double-agent, Martha spent years under deep FBI surveillance - escaping twice - and went to ground in Cold War Prague, sad, lonely, rich and bored, living out her final decades in a Communist Sunset Boulevard. Largely forgotten, Martha Dodd began to emerge as an iconic historical figure in the early 2000s. While her scandalous behaviour and pro-Soviet leanings were never much in dispute, the actual matter of her guilt remained unresolved. Now, using recently released KGB archived information and FBI files, author and journalist Brendan McNally sets the record straight in Traitor's Odyssey, telling the full epic tale of Martha Dodd's life for the first time, casting her in a new and bright light.

by Clair Wills

€11.99

Non-Fiction Book of the Year 2024, Irish Book Awards Shortlisted for the TLS Ackerley Prize 2025 Longlisted for the Ewart-Biggs Prize 2025 How far would you go for the missing? Blending private and public history, cultural analysis, family memoir and autobiography, Clair Wills explores profound questions about memory, loss, motherhood and emigration. She traces a history of sexual secrecy through four generations of unplanned pregnancies in her own family, stretching from the 1890s to the 1980s and from the West of Ireland to Massachusetts, London and the English countryside, dramatizing the power of secret-keeping as a form of care, particularly between women, but also as violence and exclusion. At the heart of her search is a cousin who went missing from her own family, born in a Mother and Baby Home in the 1950s, and brought up in an institution. Wills asks not only what happened, but why? Why did families consent to the institutional care and control of unmarried mothers and their children? Why did the system make sense to ordinary families, and how can we make sense of it now? What questions should we be asking about guilt, blame, and responsibility? In order to uncover how people thought about illicit sex, illegitimacy, and institutions, Wills followed the tracks laid down in family stories and anecdotes. She interprets the gaps in stories - the missing bits-as places where the past was both preserved and disavowed. We are all born into families, whether or not we are allowed to belong to them. Wills asks us to undertake a radical reshaping of our idea of the family, and of the history of generation. We are all part of the historical archive-the remembering and forgetting is in us, whether we like it or not.

by Philippa Gregory

€13.56

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER'A lasting work of social history' THE TIMES'A genuinely new history of our nation' DAN JONES'This celebration of women is a triumph of popular history' SPECTATORFROM THE MULTI-MILLION BESTSELLING HISTORICAL NOVELIST COMES THE CULMINATION OF HER LIFE'S WORKDid you know that there are more penises than women in the Bayeux Tapestry?That the Peasant's Revolt was started and propelled by women, protesting a tax on women?Or that celebrated naturalist Charles Darwin believed not just that women were naturally inferior to men but that they'd evolve to become ever more inferior?These are just a few of the startling findings you will learn from reading Philippa Gregory's Normal Women. In this ambitious and ground-breaking book, she tells the story of our nation over 900 years, but for the very first time women - some fifty per cent of the population - are no longer invisible in this history of England, but are at its beating heart.Using research skills honed in her work as one of our foremost historical novelists, Gregory trawled through court records to find highway women, beggars and shepherdesses, through newspapers and diaries to find murderers and brides, housewives and pirates, female husbands and hermits. The 'normal women' you will meet in her pages went to war, ploughed the fields, campaigned, wrote, and loved. They rode in jousts, flew Spitfires, issued their own currency and built ships, corn mills and houses as part of their everyday lives They committed crimes, or treason, worshipped many gods, cooked and nursed, invented things and rioted. A lot. They built our society to be as diverse and varied as the women themselves. They are there in the archives - if you look - and they made our history.'You'll lose count of the number of things you learn about women and their skewed place in history as you read Philippa Gregory's stunning Normal Women … the book reframes the past … an essential read' INDEPENDENT, FIVE-STAR REVIEW

by Cat Bohannon

€18.85

A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER LONGLISTED FOR THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION 2024 SHORTLISTED FOR THE ROYAL SOCIETY TRIVEDI SCIENCE BOOK PRIZE 2024 FOYLE'S NON-FICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023 LONGLISTED FOR BLACKWELL'S NON-FICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023 ONE OF THE GUARDIAN'S BEST IDEAS BOOKS OF 2023 ONE OF THE TELEGRAPH'S FIFTY BEST BOOKS OF 2023 ONE OF PROSPECT'S BOOKS OF THE YEAR 2023 ONE OF DUA LIPA'S SERVICE95 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR '5 INSPIRING READS TO KICK START THE NEW YEAR' 'Funny and very important' Chris van Tulleken, bestseling author of Ultra-Processed People 'Educates and emboldens' Bonnie Garmus, bestselling author of Lessons in Chemistry 'Should revolutionise our understanding of human life' George Monbiot, bestselling author of Regenesis 'A vast and revolutionary history of female evolution' Sunday Times How did wet nurses drive civilization? Are women always the weaker sex? Is sexism useful for evolution? And are our bodies at war with our babies? In Eve, Cat Bohannon answers questions scientists should have been addressing for decades. With boundless curiosity and sharp wit, she covers the past 200 million years to explain the specific science behind the development of the female sex. Eve is not only a sweeping revision of human history, it's an urgent and necessary corrective for a world that has focused primarily on the male body for far too long. Bohannon's findings, including everything from the way C-sections in the industrialized world are rearranging women's pelvic shape to the surprising similarities between pus and breast milk, will completely change what you think you know about evolution and why Homo sapiens have become such a successful and dominant species, from tool use to city building to the development of language.

by Marian Broderick

€13.49

From patriots to pirates, warriors to writers, and mistresses to male impersonators, this book looks at the unorthodox lives of inspiring Irish women. In times when women were expected to marry and have children, they travelled the world and sought out adventures; in times when women were expected to be seen and not heard, they spoke out in loud voices against oppression; in times when women were expected to have no interest in politics, literature, art, or the world outside the home, they used every creative means available to give expression to their thoughts, ideas and beliefs. In a series of succinct and often amusing biographies, Marian Broderick tells the life stories of these exceptional Irish women.

by Dr Andrew Sneddon

€23.20

County Antrim, Ireland, 1711: Eight women were put on trial accused of bewitching and demonically possessing young Mary Dunbar, amid an attack by evil spirits on the local community and after the supernatural murder of a clergyman's wife. Mary Dunbar was the star witness in this trial, and the women were, by the standards of the time, believable witches - they dabbled in magic, they smoked, they drank, they had disabilities. A second trial targeted a final male 'witch' and head of the Sellor 'witch family'.With echoes of the Salem witch-hunt, this is a story of murder, of a community in crisis and of how the witchhunts that claimed over 50,000 lives in Europe played out on Irish shores. It plunges the reader into a world where magic was real and the power of the Devil felt, with disastrous consequences.

by Mona Chollet

€9.79

'Intriguing' - The Sunday Times 'A rousing read' - The Irish Times 'A bright light of Francophone feminism' - The New York Times Renowned journalist Mona Chollet recasts the witch as a powerful role model: an emblem of strength, free to exist beyond the narrow limits society imposes on women. Taking three archetypes from historic witch hunts - independent women, women who avoid having children and women who embrace ageing - Chollet examines how women today have the same charges levelled against them. She calls for justice in healthcare, challenging the gender imbalance in science and questioning why female bodies are still controlled by men. Rich with popular culture, literary references and media insights, In Defence of Witches is a vital addition to the cultural conversation around women, witches and the misogyny that has shaped the world they live in. With a foreword by Carmen Maria Machado and translated from French by Sophie R. Lewis.

by Marion Gibson

€12.76

'These stories of witchcraft, true and vividly told, demonstrate the potent reality of belief in evil and how in any era or place fear can be weaponised and marginal people, mostly women, labelled as wicked and dangerous. Together they comprise not just a history of witchcraft but a cautionary tale' Malcolm Gaskill, author of The Ruin of All Witches   'Thought-provoking and timely... Searing' Jessie Childs, The Times   In Witchcraft,  Professor Marion Gibson uses thirteen significant trials to tell the global history of witchcraft and witch-hunts. As well as exploring the origins of witch-hunts through some of the most famous trials from the Middle Ages to the eighteenth century, it takes us in new and surprising directions.Three women were prosecuted under a version of the 1735 Witchcraft Act as recently as 2018.   Professor Gibson also tells the stories of the 'witches' - mostly women like Helena Scheuberin, Anny Sampson and Joan Wright, whose stories have too often been overshadowed by those of the powerful men, such as King James I and 'Witchfinder General' Matthew Hopkins, who hounded them. Once a tool invented by demonologists to hurt and silence their enemies, witch trials have been twisted and transformed over the course of history and the lines between witch and witch-hunter blurred. For the fortunate, a witch-hunt is just a metaphor, but, as this book makes clear, witches are truly still on trial.  

by Hallie Rubenhold

€15.40

THE MULTI AWARD-WINNING NUMBER ONE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER A TIMES Top Ten Best True Crime book: 'Groundbreaking. Extraordinary' 'Terrific' Ian Rankin 'Gripping' NEW YORK TIMES 'At last, the Ripper's victims get a voice... An eloquent, stirring challenge to reject the prevailing Ripper myth' MAIL ON SUNDAY WINNER OF THE BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION ____________ Polly, Annie, Elizabeth, Catherine and Mary-Jane are famous for the same thing, though they never met. They came from Fleet Street, Knightsbridge, Wolverhampton, Sweden and Wales. They wrote ballads, ran coffee houses, lived on country estates, they breathed ink-dust from printing presses and escaped people-traffickers. What they had in common was the year of their murders: 1888. Their murderer was never identified, but the name created for him by the press has become far more famous than any of these five women. Now, in this devastating narrative of five lives, historian Hallie Rubenhold finally sets the record straight, and gives these women back their stories. ____________ PRAISE FOR THE FIVE 'Devastatingly good. The Five will leave you in tears, of pity and of rage.' LUCY WORSLEY 'Fascinating, compelling, moving.' BRIDGET COLLINS, author of The Binding 'An angry and important work of historical detection, calling time on the misogyny that has fed the Ripper myth. Powerful and shaming.' GUARDIAN 'Haunting' SUNDAY TIMES 'What a brilliant and necessary book' JO BAKER, author of Longbourn 'Beautifully written and with the grip of a thriller, it will open your eyes and break your heart.' ERIN KELLY 'An outstanding work of history-from-below ... magnificent' SPECTATOR 'Deeply researched' THE NEW YORKER **NOW BUY THE BRAND NEW WORK BY HALLIE RUBENHOLD: STORY OF A MURDER

by Hallie Rubenhold

€15.40

SOON TO BE STREAMED ON NETFLIX By the Baillie Gifford prize-winning and No. 1 Sunday Times bestselling author of THE FIVE 'A fascinating expose of the seamy side of eighteenth century life' MAIL ON SUNDAY 'Rubenhold's pages practically reek with smelly, pox-ridden Georgian Soho' GUARDIAN ------------------------------------------------------- In 1757, a down-and-out Irish poet, the head waiter at the Shakespear's Head Tavern in Covent Garden, and a celebrated London courtesan became bound together by the publication of a little book: Harris's List of Covent Garden Ladies. This salacious work - detailing the names and 'specialities' of the capital's sex-workers- became one of the eighteenth century's most scandalous bestsellers. Yet beyond its titillating passages lies a glimpse into the lives of those who lived and died by its profits - a tragicomic opera of the Georgian era, motivated by poverty, passionate love, aspiration and shame. In this modern and visceral narrative, historian Hallie Rubenhold reveals the story behind Harris's List of Covent Garden Ladies, and the legion of ordinary women whose lives in the sex trade history has chosen to ignore. 'Scrupulously researched' DAILY TELEGRAPH 'Crackles with drama and tension' GUARDIAN 'Compelling and ingenious' INDEPENDENT WHAT READERS ARE SAYING: 'This book is an absolute 'must'-read for any person interested in English social history' 5 **** 'Fascinating' 5 **** 'Brilliant. Full of intelligent insight which brings this period to vibrant life' 5 **** ________ **BUY THE AUTHOR'S BRAND NEW WORK, STORY OF A MURDER** 'Terrific' Ian Rankin 'I dare you to put it down' Lucy Worsley 'Fascinating' Val McDermid

by Lisa Hilton

€21.75

'A sweeping, scintillatingly original, exciting exploration of writer, spy, power player, lover Aphra Behn' Kate Williams, historian and author of Rival Queens: The Betrayal of Mary, Queen of Scots 'Hilton to showcase[s] her skill for both historical and detective work and compelling, evocative writing . . . A sparkling and eye-opening account . . . compelling to read [and] refreshingly transparent . . . Her fresh ideas could open up exciting paths for future scholars' BBC History Magazine ---- A CLANDESTINE AFFAIR 'Whereas the Lady Henrietta Berkeley has been absent from her Father's house since the 20th August last past . . . AN OUTRAGEOUS ELOPEMENT . . . and is not yet known where she is, nor whether she is alive or dead. STOLEN LETTERS, SCHEMING SERVANTS These are to give notice That whoever shall find her, so that she may be brought back to her Father, the Earl of Berkeley, they shall have 200 Pounds Reward' SEX. SENSATION. CELEBRITY. This is The Scandal of the Century - and the true story of the author Aphra Behn, who used a shocking love affair to create the first English novel . . . ---- In 1682, a young woman in the throes of a passionate affair flees her parents' home in Surrey to seek a new life in London. A scandal in its own right, but this is no ordinary young woman: Lady Henrietta Berkeley is the daughter of one of England's most powerful men, and her lover is her own sister's husband. As news of this notorious adulteress spreads, her flight, capture and the lawsuit that follow tear through society as the scandal of the century. To Aphra Behn, England's first professional female writer - herself condemned as a scarlet woman of loose morals - Henrietta's trial would be more than a source of shock and intrigue: it would inspire her to write Love Letters Between a Nobleman and His Sister, an outrageous and bestselling political fiction and arguably the first novel in English literature. Aphra herself is an enigma, the facts about her life continually disputed. By revealing the story of these two rebellious and ruthless women, Lisa Hilton's new history offers a surprisingly original theory on the origins of one of England's most celebrated playwrights. Against the backdrop of seventeenth-century England, with its strict traditional conventions of love, duty and identity, The Scandal of the Century shows just how far both women will go to break free. --- 'Gloriously mind-boggling . . . This is a lively book' Spectator

by Lucy Worsley

€37.70

THE REMARKABLE TRUE STORY BEHIND THE BBC'S MISS AUSTEN, NOW IN A STUNNING CELEBRATORY EDITION WITH NEW INTRODUCTION AND EPILOGUE: THE PERFECT GIFT FOR ANY JANE AUSTEN LOVER Readers LOVE Jane Austen at Home: 'A "tour de force" which should be in the reading list of anyone who has either read the books or watched the film adaptations.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'This book is a delight . . . I will return to Austen's novels with a greater appreciation of the hardships and hopes of her heroines.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'I devoured this. Jane's story is told in vivid prose and a compassionate manner.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ------------- Where better to celebrate the 250th birthday of one of Britain's most beloved novelists than the very rooms from which she quietly changed the world? In this bestselling biography, Lucy Worsley travels from room to room, house to house, showing us how and why Jane Austen lived as she did, examining the places and spaces that mattered to her. It wasn't all country houses and ballrooms, but a life that was often a painful struggle. Jane famously lived a 'life without incident', but with new research and insights Lucy Worsley reveals a passionate woman who fought for her freedom. A woman who far from being a lonely spinster in fact had at least five marriage prospects, but who in the end refused to settle for anything less than Mr Darcy. Featuring a guided tour of all the best Jane Austen sites to visit specially written for this birthday edition, this gorgeous book is perfect for Austen fans everywhere. -------------- Critical acclaim for Jane Austen at Home: 'This is my kind of history: carefully researched but so vivid that you are convinced Lucy Worsley was actually there at the party - or the parsonage.' ― Antonia Fraser 'Jane Austen at Home offers a fascinating look at Jane Austen's world through the lens of the homes in which she lived and worked throughout her life. The result is a refreshingly unique perspective on Austen and her work and a beautifully nuanced exploration of gender, creativity, and domesticity.' ― Amanda Foreman 'A must for any Austenite.' ― Red magazine 'Brilliant and very moving, this book is a fascinating and original exploration of Jane Austen with lots of new material - Worsley brings Austen to life superbly, through her pages she is a flesh and blood woman, intelligent, powerful, contradictory, loving, loved. A magnificent book.' ― Kate Williams 'Rarely, if ever, will you encounter a historian so in command of their material. Truly, this is a dazzling exercise in persuasion, written with sense and sensibility.' ― Saturday Express 'Worsley offers us much that Austen's admirers wish to know... [she] is entirely convincing.' ― New York Times 'A sprightly new take on Austen's life.' ― Mail on Sunday Lucy Worsley 'is a great scene-setter for this tale of triumph and heartbreak' ― Sunday Times

by Anna Funder

€15.95

'Truly wonderful... Anna Funder has written another brilliant human portrait.' - Claire Tomalin A BLAZING, GENRE-BENDING MASTERPIECE FROM ONE OF THE MOST INVENTIVE WRITERS OF OUR TIME Looking for wonder and some reprieve from the everyday, Anna Funder slips into the pages of her hero George Orwell. As she watches him create his writing self, she tries to remember her own . . . When she uncovers his forgotten wife, it's a revelation. Eileen O'Shaughnessy's literary brilliance shaped Orwell's work and her practical nous saved his life. But why - and how - was she written out of the story? Using newly discovered letters from Eileen to her best friend, Funder recreates the Orwells' marriage, through the Spanish Civil War and WW II in London. As she rolls up the screen concealing Orwell's private life she is led to question what it takes to be a writer - and what it is to be a wife. Compelling and utterly original, Wifedom speaks to the unsung work of women everywhere today, while offering a breathtakingly intimate view of one of the most important literary marriages of the 20th century. It is a book that speaks to our present moment as much as it illuminates the past. 'Simply, a masterpiece. Here, Anna Funder not only re-makes the art of biography, she resurrects a woman in full. And this in a narrative that grips the reader and unfolds through some of the most consequential moments - historical and cultural - of the twentieth century.' Geraldine Brooks, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction

by Adam Zamoyski

€36.25

A Spectator Best Book of the YearTrawling through a vast family archive and arcane sources in half a dozen languages, Adam Zamoyski has revealed the dramatic life of his great-great-great grandmother, an uneducated, vulnerable girl cast into a man's world.Her aristocratic position enmeshed her in high politics and close encounters with Frederick the Great, Benjamin Franklin, Rousseau, Joseph II, Marie-Antoinette and Tsar Alexander I, and earned her the enmity of Catherine the Great. She lived through revolution and no less than five wars, in which her cherished homes were devastated, her possessions looted and her children scattered. Caught up in tempestuous love affairs which led her to nervous breakdown and the brink of suicide, exploited by her lovers, she remained undaunted and liberated herself through education. And, unusually for her time, she became a caring mother devoted to her children.She learned much by travelling extensively around Europe at a time of political and ideological change, and her observations, particularly on Georgian Britain, are remarkable. She gradually won the admiration of learned men and intellectual honours. She pioneered schooling for children of the poor and developed her own educational methods. Fascinated by the power of objects to kindle memories and arouse emotions, she was an avid collector of anything with a sensuous association and built two unique museums to act as teaching aids.This is a story of triumph over adversity and betrayal. It was not achieved by her looks: 'I have never been beautiful, but I have sometimes been pretty,' she wrote. It was achieved by force of character and resilience.

by Lizzy Tiffin

€21.75

You've heard all about the 'brilliant men' of ancient myth, but what about the scheming and scandalous women who were so often lost in their shadow?Bad Girls of Ancient Greece contains profiles of wayward wives, mad mothers, scandalous sisters and damsels, that quite frankly, caused others A LOT of stress in the ancient world.With the ever-growing popularity of mythological retellings, Lizzy Tiffin has written THE guide to all of the baddies of ancient Greece. This book stands as a reminder that us women really have been bad - in the best way possible - from the start.Written with humour and sass, Lizzy profiles the women in Greek myth and legend covering: mortals, goddesses, titans, nymphs (you name it, she's done it). Here you'll find the weird and wonderful escapades of the women we're often lead to believe were minor characters.Bad Girls of Ancient Greece is an accessible, intelligent, hilarious (sometimes spicy) guide to the women we love and know - Athena, Medusa, Aphrodite - and also those we may not, like Polyphonte, who was cursed with burning hot lust for a wild bear … imagine!So dive into the stories you thought you knew with Bad Girls of Ancient Greece as your illuminating guide…

by Joan Smith

€25.52

'Pacy, witty and authoritative' Jonathan Freedland'In her hands, ancient history becomes a vivid avenue of approach to a burning modern-world concern… a powerful and important book' Daily TelegraphA superb and illuminating history of Imperial Rome's most important women - dispelling the myths and misogyny that have distorted their reputations for over 2000 years.Writer, activist and journalist Joan Smith has worked for years to raise awareness of violence against women and girls, and has been instrumental in bringing the innate misogyny of the police to public attention. Unfortunately,She Was a Nymphomaniac reinterprets the bloody, violent story of twenty-three women closely associated with the Julio-Claudian emperors of Rome. Fewer than half a dozen of them can be said with any confidence to have died of natural causes.These were the wives, mothers and daughters of the emperors from Augustus to Nero, via their 'mad' relative Caligula. They were the most privileged women of their time, but their lives were overshadowed, dominated and controlled by these men. Raped, killed, ripped apart from their children and mostly airbrushed from history, Joan Smith brings their extraordinary and tragic stories back into focus. There are no nymphomaniacs here.Instead, the book pieces together the human stories, showing how they struggled for control of their lives at a time when both the law and culture were stacked against them. These women shared in a spirited, inspiring and sometimes reckless resistance to male authority.Smith brings to this history not only a fresh interpretation of the original texts but also an understanding of what we know now about the mechanics of domestic abuse. The way these women have been misrepresented for two thousand years speaks volumes not just about ancient misogyny but the origin and persistence of attitudes that continue to blight women's lives today.

by Emma Southon

€12.76

They said she was a tyrant, a murderer and the most wicked woman in history. She kicked her way into the male spaces of politics and demanded to be recognised as an equal and a leader. For her audacity, she was murdered by her son and reviled by history.  She was the sister, niece, wife and mother of emperors. She was an empress in her own right. And she was a nuanced, fearless trailblazer in the Roman world. The story of Agrippina - the first empress of Rome - is the story of an empire at its bloody, extravagant, chaotic, ruthless height.

by Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones

€24.65

'A thrilling biography, filled with the imperial ambitions and merciless intrigues' SIMON SEBAG MONTEFIORE Cleopatra: lover, seductress, and Egypt's greatest queen. A woman more myth than history, immortalized in poetry, drama, music, art, and film. She captivated Julius Caesar and Marc Antony, the two greatest Romans of the day, and died in a blaze of glory, with an asp clasped to her breast - or so the legend tells us. But the real-life story of the historical Cleopatra VII is even more compelling. She was the last of seven Cleopatras who ruled Egypt before it was subsumed into the Roman Empire. The seven Cleopatras were the powerhouses of the Ptolemaic Dynasty, the Macedonian family who ruled Egypt after Alexander the Great. Emulating the practices of the gods, the Cleopatras married their full-blood brothers and dominated the normally patriarchal world of politics and warfare. These extraordinary women keep a close grip on power in the wealthiest country of the ancient world. Each of the seven Cleopatras wielded absolute power. Their ruthless, single-minded, focus on dominance - generation after generation - resulted in extraordinary acts of betrayal, violence, and murder in the most malfunctional dynasty in history. Professor Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones offers fresh and powerful insight into the real story of the Cleopatras, and the beguiling and tragic legend of the last queen of Egypt. Praise for The Cleopatras: ' A great storyteller with an eye for detail, a vivid prose style, and a penchant for pop culture.' BARRY STRAUSS 'A real treat for those who relish epic histories of family power' SIMON SEBAG MONTEFIORE 'Admirably readable' ROBIN LANE FOX 'Unlocks the fascinating history of many queens' KARA COONEY 'A vivid account' ADRIAN DODSON

by Jane Sherron de Hart

€12.75

The definitive account of an icon who shaped gender equality for all women. In this comprehensive, revelatory biography - fifteen years of interviews and research in the making - historian Jane Sherron De Hart explores the central experiences that crucially shaped Ginsburg's passion for justice, her advocacy for gender equality, and her meticulous jurisprudence. At the heart of her story and abiding beliefs was her Jewish background, specifically the concept of tikkun olam, the Hebrew injunction to 'repair the world', with its profound meaning for a young girl who grew up during the Holocaust and World War II. Ruth's journey began with her mother, who died tragically young but  whose intellect inspired her daughter's feminism. It stretches from Ruth's days as a baton twirler at Brooklyn's James Madison High School to Cornell University to Harvard and Columbia Law Schools; to becoming one of the first female law professors in the country and having to fight for equal pay and hide her second pregnancy to avoid losing her job; to becoming the director of the ACLU's Women's Rights Project and arguing momentous anti-sex-discrimination cases before the US Supreme Court. All this, even before being nominated in 1993 to become the second woman on the Court, where her crucial decisions and dissents are still making history. Intimately, personably told, this biography offers unprecedented insight into a pioneering life and legal career whose profound impact will reverberate deep into the twenty-first century and beyond.

by Angela Merkel

€42.99

'A great accomplishment . . . A wonderful reflection of an extraordinary sweep of history' Barack Obama Timely, intimate and important, the long-awaited memoirs from one of the most influential leaders of our times For 16 years, Angela Merkel was Chancellor of Germany. She led the country through numerous crises, shaping both Germany and international politics with her actions and attitudes. In her memoirs, co-written with her long-time political advisor Beate Baumann, she reflects on her life in two German states - 35 years in the German Democratic Republic, 35 years in reunited Germany. More intimately than ever before, she talks about her childhood, youth, and studies in the GDR and the dramatic year of 1989, when the Berlin Wall fell and her political life began. She also shares recollections and insights from her meetings and conversations with the world's most powerful people. Discussing significant national, European, and international turning points, she shows how the decisions were made that shaped our times. Her book offers a unique insight into the inner workings of power - and is a compelling plea for freedom.

by Nicola Pittam

€14.00

'A moving and uplifting story of one woman's fight against the Nazis through her love of music. It will stay with you long after you've finished reading.' John Marrs, author of The One and The Marriage Act Former Polish teenage piano prodigy Mosha Gebert is teaching when the Nazis come for her. They kill her student, but she is taken to Majdanek concentration camp. There, Commandant Josef Hanke spots her and recognises her as the pianist he fell in love with years earlier. Hanke demands that Mosha play 'Ode to Joy' for him, but she refuses. She will never play in such a horrific place - or for such an evil monster. So begins a battle of wills and repeated torture. Even when Hanke causes her to lose her hearing, Mosha refuses to play. When her sister arrives in the camp, Hanke tries to use her as leverage but Mosha is steadfast in her hatred for Hanke and the Nazis. Even when her sister is subjected to worse punishment, Mosha does not waver. Instead of playing for Hanke, she begins teaching the women camp songs. Hanke finally turns his anger on Mosha, breaking one of her fingers. She convinces prison guard Elsa to smash the rest of her fingers with a rock. Mosha believes crippling herself is the only way for her to survive and triumph over Hanke, but what will this do to him? Will Hanke forgive her? Or will this last desperate act finally push him over the edge?

by Rick Stroud

€30.80

'A thrilling narrative that creates an extraordinary picture of female resistance' The Lady 'Fascinating' Kavita Puri, BBC History Magazine 'A fierce, intense picture of this aspect of the war . . . it will stay with me' Elizabeth Buchan, author of Two Women in Rome On the evening of 31 March 1916, a 23-year-old woman was led from her prison cell in occupied Brussels. She wore a long blue coat and walked 'like a soldier'. The chaplain asked if she would like a blindfold before her execution. 'I am not afraid of looking into the rifles,' she replied. 'I have been expecting this for a long time.'   This is not a traditional history of the First World War. It is the untold story of the women of the resistance in Belgium and occupied France during that conflict.     Rick Stroud describes how the actions of eight exceptionally brave women affected the course of the war. Before the Germans invaded, they were ordinary people: some, like Gabrielle Petit, were working-class; some, like Edith Cavell, were from the bourgeoisie; and some. like the Princess de Croÿ, were from the upper echelons of society. The youngest was only twenty-one. The women took enormous risks and produced extraordinary results: they established underground networks, transmitted coded information, carried out sabotage attacks and helped to repatriate Allied soldiers. What they did was dangerous and exhausting and the penalties were severe: three faced the firing squad.   Recounting their heroism and their inevitable tragedies, I Am Not Afraid of Looking into the Rifles is an enthralling story, beautifully told. In revealing the inspiring work of these remarkable women, Rick Stroud will introduce you to an entirely new version of the 'war to end all wars'.

by Sarah Percy

€14.50

From Boudicca to Ukraine, battlefields have always contained a surprising number of women. Tracing the long history of female fighters, 'Forgotten Warriors' puts the record straight, exploring how war became an all-male space, and getting to the bottom of why women were allowed to be astronauts a full thirty years before they were allowed to fight in combat. From the Mino, the all-female army that protected Dahomey from the West for two hundred years to the Night Witches, Soviet flying aces that

by Svetlana Aleksievich

€11.59

'A must read' - Margaret Atwood 'It would be hard to find a book that feels more important or original' - Viv Groskop, Observer Extraordinary stories from Soviet women who fought in the Second World War - from the winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature "Why, having stood up for and held their own place in a once absolutely male world, have women not stood up for their history? Their words and feelings? A whole world is hidden from us. Their war remains unknown... I want to write the history of that war. A women's history." In the late 1970s, Svetlana Alexievich set out to write her first book, The Unwomanly Face of War, when she realized that she grew up surrounded by women who had fought in the Second World War but whose stories were absent from official narratives. Travelling thousands of miles, she spent years interviewing hundreds of Soviet women - captains, tank drivers, snipers, pilots, nurses and doctors - who had experienced the war on the front lines, on the home front and in occupied territories. As it brings to light their most harrowing memories, this symphony of voices reveals a different side of war, a new range of feelings, smells and colours. After completing the manuscript in 1983, Alexievich was not allowed to publish it because it went against the state-sanctioned history of the war. With the dawn of Perestroika, a heavily censored edition came out in 1985 and it became a huge bestseller in the Soviet Union - the first in five books that have established her as the conscience of the twentieth century.

by Honor Cargill

€15.95

This is the story of Messalina - third wife of Emperor Claudius and one of the most notorious women to have inhabited the Roman world. According to the Roman historians Tacitus and Suetonius, the Empress Messalina was a sexually insatiable schemer. The tales they told about her - including a twenty-four-hour sex competition with a prostitute - have taken deep root in the Western imagination, but Messalina's real story is much more complex. In her reappraisal of one of the most slandered female figures of ancient history, Honor Cargill-Martin finds an intelligent, passionate and ruthless woman who succeeded in asserting herself in the overwhelmingly male world of imperial Roman politics. Rather than setting out to 'salvage' Messalina's reputation, she looks at her life in the context of her time. Above all, she seeks to reclaim the humanity of a life story previously circumscribed by currents of high politics and patriarchy.

by Nathalia Holt

€28.00

** TO BE READ ON BBC RADIO 4 BOOK OF THE WEEK FROM 23 JAN 2023 ** 'As much le Carr� as it is Hidden Figures.' AMARYLLIS FOX, author of Life Undercover 'A sweeping epic of a book [which] rescues five remarkable women from obscurity and finally gives them their rightful place in world history ... A book you won't regret reading. Five women you won't forget.' KATE MOORE, author of The Radium Girls 'As entertaining as it is instructive.' GENERAL STANLEY MCCRYSTAL The never-before-told story of a small cadre of influential female spies in the precarious early days of the CIA - women who helped create the template for cutting-edge espionage (and blazed new paths for equality in the workplace). In the wake of World War II, four agents were critical in helping build a new organisation now known as the CIA. Adelaide Hawkins, Mary Hutchison, Eloise Page, and Elizabeth Sudmeier, called the 'wise gals' by their male colleagues because of their sharp sense of humour and even quicker intelligence, were not the stereotypical femme fatale of spy novels. They were smart, courageous, and groundbreaking agents at the top of their class, instrumental in both developing innovative tools for intelligence gathering - and insisting (in their own unique ways) that they receive the credit and pay their expertise deserved. Adelaide rose through the ranks, developing new cryptosystems that advanced how spies communicate with each other. Mary worked overseas in Europe and Asia, building partnerships and allegiances that would last decades. Elizabeth would risk her life in the Middle East in order to gain intelligence on deadly Soviet weaponry. Eloise would wield influence on scientific and technical operations worldwide, ultimately exposing global terrorism threats. Meticulously researched and beautifully told, Holt uses firsthand interviews with past and present officials and declassified government documents to uncover the stories of these four inspirational women. Wise Gals sheds a light on the untold history of the women whose daring foreign intrigues, domestic persistence, and fighting spirit have been and continue to be instrumental to the world's security.

by John S. Croucher

€26.67

Women have played a vital role in the development of computing, although at times their participation has gone unrecognised. Their scholarly inventiveness and discoveries have provided a rich tapestry to add to the evolution of computer science in the world. It is important that these women be viewed through the lens of their time, placing their achievements in context throughout the past few centuries. These significant contributions by women date from the earliest times and this book brings together the stories of those who have left their mark, despite the significant hurdles they have faced. There are numerous tales of remarkable women in computing and their incredible achievements serve as an encouragement to others who have a yearning to follow in their footsteps. Although there are many women who deserve recognition in this way, including the much vaunted Ada Lovelace, Hedy Lamarr and Grace Hopper, there are others whose talent is undoubted although they have not received the plaudits they deserve. This book outlines the lives and work of talented women from different eras and countries. Inspired by the success of the author's book Women of Science, this volume will provide a valuable reference tool and starting point for those who wish to further expand their knowledge of these women who played such a vital role in the development of computers that have changed the way we live.

by Virginia Nicholson

€36.25

'No one else makes history this fun' AMANDA FOREMAN 'All the Rage sits you at the dressing table of history: a place of dreams, doubts, self-harm and hopes' SARAH DITUM, SUNDAY TIMES 'Wonderfully engaging' HARPER'S BAZAAR At the heart of this history is the female body. The century-span between the crinoline and the bikini witnessed more mutations in the ideal western woman's body shape than at any other period. In this richly detailed account, Virginia Nicholson, described as 'one of the great social historians of our time...' (Amanda Foreman) takes us to the Frontline of Beauty to reveal the power, the pain and the pleasure involved in adorning the female body. The Power Who determines which shape is currently 'all the rage'? Looking at how custom, colour, class and sex fit into the picture, this book also charts how the advances made by feminism collided with the changing shape of desirability. The Pain Here is Gladys, who had botched surgery on her nose; Dorothy, whose skin colour lost her an Oscar; Beccy who took slimming pills and died; and - unbelievably - the radioactive corset. The Pleasure Here are the 'New Women' who discovered freedom by bobbing their hair; the boyish, athletic 'Health and Beauty' ladies in black knickers; and starlets in bohemian beachwear. Among the first to experience true women's liberation were the early adopters of trousers. Encompassing two world wars and a revolution in women's rights, All the Rage tells the story of western female beauty from 1860 to 1960, chronicling its codes, its contradictions, its lies, its highs - and its underlying power struggle.

by Deirdre Raftery

€19.99

For one hundred years, Kylemore Abbey has been home to the Irish Benedictine nuns, whose monastery in Flanders was destroyed during the First World War. Known in continental Europe as the Irish Dames of Ypres, the community was founded in 1665 and provided education to the daughters of elite Irish Catholics during the penal era. On arriving in Connemara in 1920, the Benedictines established a monastery and opened a boarding school. This book provides the first fully illustrated account of the Irish Benedictines and their monastery at Kylemore. It also charts the fascinating history of the castle, built by Mitchell Henry and later home to the Duke and Duchess of Manchester. The stunningly beautiful castle became a national landmark in the nineteenth century. The twentieth century saw the Benedictines develop the gardens, restore the Gothic Chapel and open the castle to the public. Meticulously researched with material from the Kylemore archives, this book provides a compelling account of a unique part of Irish history, while the images capture the life of the nuns, and the savage beauty of Kylemore and its surroundings under the Diamond Mountain.

by Sarah Clegg

€15.40

Shortlisted for the HWA Non-Fiction Crown Award 2023 The history of a demonic tradition that was stolen from women - and then won back again. 'Remarkable work... Extraordinary, meticulous detail' Literary Review 'Deftly fuses scholarly rigour, control of literary and archaeological sources' BBC History Magazine Creatures like Lilith, the seductive first wife of Adam, and mermaids, who lured sailors to their death, are familiar figures in the genre of monstrous temptresses who use their charms to entice men to their doom. But if we go back 4,000 years, the roots of these demons lie in horrific creatures like Lamashtu, a lion-headed Mesopotamian demon who strangled infants and murdered pregnant women, and Gello, a virgin ghost of ancient Greece who killed expectant mothers and babies out of jealousy. Far from enticing men into danger and destruction, these monsters were part of women's ritual practices surrounding childbirth and pregnancy. So how did their mythology evolve into one focused on the seduction of men? Sarah Clegg takes us on an absorbing and witty journey from ancient Mesopotamia to the present day, encountering a multitude of serpentine succubi, a child-eating wolf-monster of ancient Greece, the Queen of Sheba and a host of vampires. Clegg shows how these demons were appropriated by male-centred societies, before they were eventually recast as symbols of women's liberation, offering new insights into attitudes towards womanhood, sexuality and women's rights.

by Anne Chambers

€16.99

Grace O'Malley is the story of one remarkable woman's quest for survival and fulfilment, by land and by sea. In 1979, Anne Chambers' original biography of Ireland's pirate queen, airbrushed from historical record over the centuries, put her on the map once again. The biography became a milestone in Irish publishing and the catalyst for the restoration of Grace O'Malley to political, social and maritime history, as well as establishing her as an inspirational female role model. In the 40th anniversary edition of this international bestselling biography, drawn from rare contemporary manuscript records, the author presents Ireland's great pirate queen not as a vague mythological figure but as one of the world's most extraordinary female leaders. Political pragmatist and tactician, rebel, intrepid mariner and pirate, wife, lover, mother, grandmother and matriarch, the 'most notorious woman in all the coasts of Ireland', Grace O'Malley challenged and triumphed over the social and political barriers she encountered in the course of her long, pioneering life. This updated edition brings one of the world's first recorded feminist trailblazers to a new generation awakened to the global focus on gender equality as well as positive ageing.   Praise for Anne Chambers' Granuaile: 'Draws a vivid picture of the trailblazing pirate queen.' Irish Examiner 'You cannot be what you cannot see, and with women all too often airbrushed from history, the importance of this biography cannot be underestimated.' Orla O'Connor, Director, National Women's Council of Ireland 'A superbly researched work … it salvages the 16th century Mistress of the Western Waves from the rather frivolous folklore which surrounds her.' The Irish Times 'A historical reality which is equally if not more compelling than the legend.' Sunday Tribune 'Grace O'Malley … a woman who can truly claim to have been 400 years before her time ... and Anne Chambers' biography is as innovative as its subject.' Enda Kenny, former Taoiseach of Ireland

by Tracy Borman

€15.08

A FRESH ACCOUNT OF TWO OF ENGLANDS BEST-KNOWN QUEENS: PERFECT FOR FANS OF WOLF HALL AND SIX THE MUSICAL Pre-order Tracy Borman's new novel, The House of Boleyn, now! Readers LOVE Anne Boleyn & Elizabeth I: 'A wonderful book and one I'm sure I'll be reading again' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'This really is a triumph! . . . A lucid and fascinating account' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'So well written and meticulously researched' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ************************* Anne Boleyn is a subject of enduring fascination. By far the most famous of Henry VIII's six wives, she has inspired books, documentaries and films, and is the subject of intense debate even today, almost 500 years after her violent death. For the most part, she is considered in the context of her relationship with Tudor England's much-married monarch. Dramatic though this story is, of even greater interest - and significance - is the relationship between Anne and her daughter, the future Elizabeth I. Elizabeth was less than three years old when her mother was executed. Given that she could have held precious few memories of Anne, it is often assumed that her mother exerted little influence over her. But this is both inaccurate and misleading. Elizabeth knew that she had to be discreet about Anne, but there is compelling evidence that her mother exerted a profound influence on her character, beliefs and reign. Even during Henry's lifetime, Elizabeth dared to express her sympathy for her late mother by secretly wearing Anne's famous 'A' pendant when she sat for a painting with her father and siblings. Piecing together evidence from original documents and artefacts, this book tells the story of Anne Boleyn's relationship with, and influence over her daughter Elizabeth. In so doing, it sheds new light on two of the most famous and influential women in history. ***************************** Critical acclaim for Anne Boleyn & Elizabeth I: '(A)sensational book by one of our greatest and best-loved historians... Astoundingly good.' - Alison Weir 'Masterful, captivating, page-turning, this is solid gold history at its best.' - Nicola Tallis '(A) thought-provoking, impeccably researched, and moving account uncovering how Anne's family, intellect, and tragedy shaped Elizabeth I's extraordinary career.' - Gareth Russell 'Her extensive research... reveals them as the most dazzling female double act in history.' - Sarah Gristwood 'Incredibly well-researched, elegantly written, and overall genuinely ground-breaking,' - Estelle Paranque

by Leah Redmond Chang

€15.40

LONGLISTED FOR THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION WATERSTONES' BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: HISTORY The boldly original, dramatic intertwined story of Catherine de' Medici, Elisabeth de Valois and Mary, Queen of Scots - three queens exercising power in a world dominated by men. 'Alluring, gripping, real: an astonishing insight into the lives of three queens' ALICE ROBERTS 'Takes us into the hearts and minds of three extraordinary women' AMANDA FOREMAN 'Conveys the vitality of the past as few books do. An enviable tour de force' SUZANNAH LIPSCOMB Catherine de' Medici, Elisabeth de Valois and Mary, Queen of Scots lived together at the French court for many years - years that bound them to one another through blood and marriage, alliance and friendship, love and filial piety. When they scattered to different kingdoms, they would learn that to rule was to wage a constant war against the deeply entrenched misogyny of the sixteenth century. A crown could exalt a young woman. Equally, it could destroy her. Young Queens masterfully weaves the personal stories of these three queens into one, revealing their hopes, dreams, desires and regrets at a time when even the most powerful women lived at the mercy of the state.

by Nan Sloane

€21.75

"Compelling." The Guardian "An insightful and inspiring history." BBC History Magazine "A tantalising revelatory book." The House "Brisk and illuminating." Times Literary Supplement "A damn good read." Morning Star "Wonderful." The Chartist Uncontrollable Women is a history of radical, reformist and revolutionary women between the outbreak of the French Revolution in 1789 and the passing of the Great Reform Act in 1832. Very few of them are well-known today; some were unknown even in their own day. All of them contributed something to the world we now inhabit. At a time when women were supposed to leave politics to men they spoke, wrote, marched, organised, asked questions, challenged power structures, sometimes went to prison and even died. History has not usually been kind to them, and they have frequently been pushed into asides or footnotes, dismissed as secondary, or spoken over, for, or through by men and sometimes other women. In this book, they take centre stage in both their own stories and those of others, and in doing so bring different voices to the more familiar accounts of the period. These women and many others played a part in developing political ideas and freedoms as we know them today, and some fought battles which still remain to be won or raised questions that are still unresolved. These are their stories.

by Kate Summerscale

€11.59

FROM BRITAIN'S TOP-SELLING TRUE CRIME WRITER 'A wonderful book' HILARY MANTEL 'Gothic, dark and scandalous' SUNDAY TIMES SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2020 BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE LONGLISTED FOR THE CWA GOLD DAGGER FOR NON-FICTION It is 1938. As the shadow of fascism darkens over Europe, strange things are happening in Alma Fielding's suburban home in Croydon. Crockery flies off the shelves; stolen rings appear on Alma's fingers; and white mice scuttle out of her handbag. Nandor Fodor - chief ghost hunter for the International Institute for Psychical Research - arrives on the scene, determined to crack the case. As Fodor's obsession deepens, and Alma becomes ever more disturbed, the pair find themselves in a treacherous battle of wills . . . 'Prepare not to see much broad daylight, literal or metaphorical, for days if you read this' THE TIMES 'Nobody is better at unpicking stories of ghosts and murder than Kate Summerscale … Will stay with you for weeks' DOMINIC SANDBROOK, SUNDAY TIMES BOOKS OF THE YEAR 'As gripping as a novel. An engaging, unsettling, deeply satisfying read' SARAH WATERS 'A detective novel, a ghost yarn and a historical record rolled into one . . . Electrifying' i-PAPER 'It would be impossible to read this dry-eyed' SPECTATOR Note: There is a chance the book cover you receive may differ from the cover displayed here

by Sarah Wise

€29.00

Through the early twentieth century, the British Government locked away over 50,000 innocent people. Their 'crimes'? Being poor and unyielding. This is their story. A HISTORY TODAY BOOK OF THE YEAR 'Staggering… Wise's book bristles with injustices.' Sunday Telegraph, ***** By 1950, an estimated 50,000 people had been deemed 'defective' by the British government and detained indefinitely under the 1913 Mental Deficiency Act. Their 'crimes' were various: women with children born out of wedlock; rebellious teenagers caught shoplifting; those with epilepsy, hearing impairments and chronic illnesses who had struggled in school; and many who were simply 'different'. Forcibly removed from their families and confined to a shadow world of specialist facilities in the countryside, they were hidden away and forgotten - out of sight, out of mind. Through painstaking archival research, award-winning historian Sarah Wise shines a light on this shameful chapter. Piecing together the lives irrevocably changed by this devastating legislation, The Undesirables provides a compelling study of how early twentieth-century attitudes to class, gender and disability resulted in a nationwide scandal - and how they continue to shape social policy to this day. 'The heartrending stories Sarah Wise has unearthed beggar belief… beautifully researched and truly compelling.' Catherine Bailey, author of Black Diamonds

by Deirdre Finnerty

€14.00

'I read Bessborough in one sitting, veering from fury to devastation within a matter of pages. A vitally important book.' Louise O'Neill 'Vivid and powerful' CAELAINN HOGAN 'I loved this book for its sheer honesty' CATHERINE CORLESS 'A powerfully important book that demands to be read' Irish Examiner For over seventy years, Bessborough House, a grand country mansion on the outskirts of Cork city, operated as one of Ireland's biggest mother and baby institutions. Women and girls who walked up its stone steps were warned never to reveal their true identities and gave birth to babies they would not be allowed to keep. In Bessborough: Three Women. Three Decades. Three Stories of Courage, a trio of remarkable women confined there in the 60s, 70s and 80s, tell their truths. Their vivid accounts take us right inside the walls of the secretive institution and give us a deep insight into how their experiences impacted their lives afterwards. The result is a stark portrait of a system that split families apart -- and a moving account of love, loss and reconnection. 'Bessborough will break many a heart. Deirdre Finnerty tells the three stories with compassion, empathy and precision, resulting in an emotionally devastating, vital book' IRISH TIMES

by Lisa Lerer

€15.08

Women today are more equal than at any other time in American history. The #MeToo movement has transformed American workplaces. Christian power is weakening as the US grows increasingly secular. Democrats currently control Washington. And yet in this moment of growing equality and diminishing religiosity, women have lost one of the cornerstone achievements of liberal politics: the right to access an abortion. It's easy to characterise abortion politics as a familiar, decades-long battle- evangelicals against feminists, Republican states versus Democratic states, grassroots fighting elites. That kind of political thinking misunderstands the current moment. Abortion is, of course, about a right to terminate a pregnancy. But it's also the stage where the United States works through some of its most fundamental cultural and moral debates. In THE FALL OF ROE, two top New York Times journalists, Lisa Lerer and Elisabeth Dias, have written the definitive book on the end of Roe, revealing how the strategic battle over the most contentious topic in politics helps us understand the battle for control over America. THE FALL OF ROE looks at the playbook for how the religious right came to dominate American politics, a strategy that has vaulted anti-abortion activists into central roles in the conservative movement. And unless Democrats shift their strategy, it is those activists who will be the power brokers who determine the future of America. Furthermore, given that these debates and strategies have influence here and throughout the world, THE FALL OF ROE will be essential not only for understanding America but also informing our own future.

by Suzanne Wrack

€16.79

Overpower. Overtake. Overcome. - Serena Williams Throughout history, every woman pulling on spikes, lacing up boots and picking up a racquet has been a rebel - and this explosive book aims to uncover the often hidden histories behind 50 of these incredible pioneers. From the first Black woman to be a professional softball player, Betty Chapman, to the iconic 'Battle of the Sexes' match won by Billie Jean King, and from trans trailblazer Laurel Hubbard to Emma Raducanu's unforgettable US Open win, award-winning sports journalist Suzanne Wrack celebrates sporting giants at the absolute top of their games.

by Sonia Purnell

€18.85

'A METICULOUS HISTORY THAT READS LIKE A THRILLER' BEN MACINTYRE, TEN BEST BOOKS TO READ ABOUT WORLD WAR II An astounding story of heroism, spycraft, resistance and personal triumph over shocking adversity. 'A rousing tale of derring-do' THE TIMES * 'Riveting' MICK HERRON * 'Superb' IRISH TIMES THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER In September 1941, a young American woman strides up the steps of a hotel in Lyon, Vichy France. Her papers say she is a journalist. Her wooden leg is disguised by a determined gait and a distracting beauty. She is there to spark the resistance. By 1942 Virginia Hall was the Gestapo's most urgent target, having infiltrated Vichy command, trained civilians in guerrilla warfare and sprung soldiers from Nazi prison camps. The first woman to go undercover for British SOE, her intelligence changed the course of the war - but her fight was still not over. This is a spy history like no other, telling the story of the hunting accident that disabled her, the discrimination she fought and the secret life that helped her triumph over shocking adversity. 'A cracking story about an extraordinarily brave woman' TELEGRAPH 'Gripping ... superb ... a rounded portrait of a complicated, resourceful, determined and above all brave woman' IRISH TIMES WINNER of the PLUTARCH AWARD FOR BEST BIOGRAPHY ***Sonia Purnell's new book KINGMAKER: PAMELA CHURCHILL HARRIMAN'S ASTONISHING LIFE OF SEDUCTION, INTRIGUE AND POWER is out now***

by Jung Chang

€15.07

*SHORTLISTED FOR THE HWA NON-FICTION CROWN 2020* Meet the three women who helped shape the course of modern Chinese history; a gripping story of sisterhood and betrayal from the bestselling author of Wild Swans. They were the most famous sisters in China. As the country battled seismic transformations these three women left an indelible mark on history. Red Sister rose to be Mao's vice-chair. Little Sister became first lady of pre-Communist Nationalist China. Big Sister made herself one of country's richest women. Big Sister, Little Sister, Red Sister takes us on a sweeping journey from exiles' quarters in Japan and Berlin to secret meeting rooms in Moscow, and from the compounds of the Communist elite in Beijing to the corridors of power in democratic Taiwan. By turns intimate and epic, Jung Chang reveals the lives of three extraordinary women who helped shape twentieth-century China.

by Meda Ryan

€13.49

Michael Collins and the Women Who Spied for Ireland is the first book to concentrate on the crucial role played by women in Collins's personal and working life. From his boyhood in an overwhelmingly female household in West Cork, women brought out the best in him and he brought out the best in them. Susan Killeen, his first girlfriend, remained a steadfast ally throughout his life. From 1917, his girlfriend, Madeline (Dilly) Dicker, helped to ease the burden of his huge workload as well as acting as a secret agent. Society ladies Moya Llewelyn Davies and Lady Hazel Lavery were conduits between Collins and the British Establishment and active participants in his work of espionage. In the final years of his life the true romantic passion between him and Kitty Kiernan is testified to by their frequent correspondence.These women, and many others who participated in the national struggle, women such as Kathleen Clarke, Leslie Price, Peg Barrett, Nancy O'Brien, Madge Hales and Collins' sister Mary Collins Powell, are woven into this fascinating narrative of Collins' life.

by Elizabeth Boyle

€15.40

'Like nothing else you will read' Hilary Mantel Top 25 History Books of the Year, The Times - the perfect gift for book lovers this Christmas! Every day a beloved father dies. Every day a lover departs. Every day a woman turns forty. All three happening together brings a moment of reckoning. Medieval historian Elizabeth Boyle made sense of these events the best way she knew how - by immersing herself in the literature that has been her first love and life's work for over two decades. Fierce Appetites is the exhilarating and deeply humane result. Not only does Elizabeth Boyle write dazzling accounts of ancient stories, familiar and obscure, from Ireland and further afield, but she uses her historical learning to grapple with the raw and urgent questions she faces, questions that have bedevilled people in every age. She writes on grief, addiction, family breakdown, the complexities of motherhood, love and sex, memory, class, education, travel (and staying put) with unflinching honesty, deep compassion and occasional dark humour. Fierce Appetites is captivating and original - as an insight into the mind and heart of a groundbreaking scholar, and as a wise and reassuring account of what it is to be human. _____________________ 'Wonderful . . . I laughed. I cried. I was blown away' The Times 'Pure nectar for the imagination' Irish Examiner 'Unusual, arresting and genuinely enriching' Irish Times 'I loved this luminous, radical book about bodies in time. It is a deeply personal history, that simultaneously brings medieval myth and poetry to breathing, bleeding life. An education for the mind and the heart' Clare Pollard 'Highly original . . . engagingly candid [and] thought-proviking' Irish Independent 'An eloquent plea for the value of curiosity and the life of the mind, standing up the robustness of scholarship against the frailty of individuals, the resilience of myth against brittle daily preoccupations. It's an agile story, irreverent, capacious and constantly surprising: like nothing else you will read' Hilary Mantel 'Bracingly honest, fiery, funny, scholarly, Fierce Appetites really is a wildly good book' Hilary Fannin 'Extremely intriguing . . . I found myself completely absorbed' Ryan Tubridy 'I absolutely loved this utterly original book. Immersing myself in Elizabeth Boyle's considerable brain was a true privilege, and the way she uses medieval narratives to unpick her own present was endlessly surprising and beautiful. I read it in two sittings, devouring her perspective on life, love, loss' Clover Stroud 'Fiercely smart, strange, surprising, unsettling, unflinching' Jennifer O'Connell, Irish Times 'An outstanding achievement. Fierce Appetites defies easy categorization, is brilliantly written and simply deserves to be read' Darach Ó Séaghdha 'Everything is illuminated, magnified, revisioned: sexual desire, motherhood, family. Her writing is unorthodox, unnerving, and very exciting' Tanya Shadrick

by Janina Ramirez

€15.40

THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER LONGLISTED FOR THE CUNDILL HISTORY PRIZE 'Revelatory' GUARDIAN 'A firecracker somehow captured between two covers' LUCY WORSLEY An instant bestseller and one of the most celebrated history books of the year, Femina reveals the power and influence of medieval women who have been written out of our history. From royalty and religion to fame and fury, see the medieval world - and the women erased from it - with fresh eyes. 'Absolutely brilliant and highly recommended' CAITLIN MORAN 'Femina is a ground-breaking history of the Middle Ages' SIMON SEBAG MONTEFIORE The instant Sunday Times bestseller, May 2023

by Kate Hodges

€18.20

Behind every great woman… is another great woman. Here, the extraordinary achievements, relationships and secret histories of 84 pioneering women are revealed in inspirational stories which together show the indomitable strength of womankind. From ground-breaking scientist Marie Curie to political activist Malala Yousafzai, from feminist author Virginia Woolf to the game-changing Billie Jean King; Connected Women creates a gigantic web of womanhood which celebrates the relationships between the world's most inspirational and influential women. Threading tales from across the globe and throughout history, the lives of innovative aviatrixes, gun-toting revolutionaries and women with incomparable intellects are revealed. Each woman is connected to the next, discovering the women behind the scenes; those who didn't get the credit for scientific discoveries, sporting achievements or acts of bravery when they were alive. Some names will be familiar, some might not, but all are equally important. With compelling story-telling and beautifully illustrated portraits, Connected Women is bold and engaging with a unique purpose: to uncover the links between 84 pioneering women. Featuring Michelle Obama, Gala Dalì, Emma Watson, Nina Simone, Frida Kahlo, Coco Chanel, Greta Garbo, Eleanor Roosevelt, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and many more pioneering women who have shaped the world we live in today.

by Margot Lee Shetterly

€14.00

NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE Oscar Nominated For Best Picture and Best Adapted ScreenplaySet amid the civil rights movement, the never-before-told true story of NASA's African-American female mathematicians who played a crucial role in America's space program.Before Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, a group of professionals worked as 'Human Computers', calculating the flight paths that would enable these historic achievements. Among these were a coterie of bright, talented African-American women. Segregated from their white counterparts, these 'colored computers' used pencil and paper to write the equations that would launch rockets, and astronauts, into space.Moving from World War II through NASA's golden age, touching on the civil rights era, the Space Race, the Cold War, and the women's rights movement, Hidden Figures interweaves a rich history of mankind's greatest adventure with the intimate stories of five courageous women whose work forever changed the world.

by Anna R. Beer

€15.40

Margery Kempe. Aemilia Lanyer. Aphra Behn. Lady Mary. Jane Austen. Warned not to write - and certainly not to bite - these women put pen to paper anyway and wrote themselves into history. 'Smart, funny and highly readable... a tour de force.' A.L. Kennedy Ever since Sappho first put stylus to papyrus, women who write have been labelled mad, undisciplined and dangerous. Funny and provocative, Eve Bites Back offers an alternative history of English literature. Placing the female contemporaries of Chaucer, Shakespeare and Milton centre stage, Anna Beer builds a vibrant new canon through Restoration wits, scandalous sensation novelists and medieval mystics. Delving into the lives and work of eight pioneers - Julian of Norwich, Margery Kempe, Aemilia Lanyer, Anne Bradstreet, Aphra Behn, Mary Wortley Montagu, Jane Austen and Mary Elizabeth Braddon - Beer uncovers the struggles and triumphs of these gamechangers, ground-breakers and genre-makers.

by Jung Chang

€15.07

Discover the extraordinary story of the woman who brought China into the modern age, from the bestselling author of Wild Swans In this groundbreaking biography, Jung Chang vividly describes how Empress Dowager Cixi - the most important woman in Chinese history - brought a medieval empire into the modern age. Under her, the ancient country attained virtually all the attributes of a modern state and it was she who abolished gruesome punishments like 'death by a thousand cuts' and put an end to foot-binding. Jung Chang comprehensively overturns the conventional view of Cixi as a diehard conservative and cruel despot and also takes the reader into the depths of her splendid Summer Palace and the harem of Beijing's Forbidden City, where she lived surrounded by eunuchs - with one of whom she fell in love, with tragic consequences. Packed with drama, fast-paced and gripping, it is both a panoramic depiction of the birth of modern China and an intimate portrait of a woman: as the concubine to a monarch, as the absolute ruler of a third of the world's population, and as a unique stateswoman. 'Powerful' Simon Sebag Montefiore 'Truly authoritative' New York Times 'Wonderful' Sunday Times **Shortlisted for the James Tait Black Biography Prize**

by Ben Macintyre

€12.76

THE SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLER Discover the incredible true story of WW2's most extraordinary spy - from the bestselling author of The Spy and the Traitor. 'His best book yet' The Times ________________ From planning an assassination attempt on Hitler in Switzerland, to spying on the Japanese in Manchuria, to preventing nuclear war (or so she believed) by stealing the science of atomic weaponry from Britain to give to Moscow, Ursula Kuczynski Burton conducted some of the most dangerous espionage operations of the twentieth century. Born to a German Jewish family, as Ursula grew, so did the Nazis' power. A fanatical opponent of the fascism that ravaged her homeland, she was drawn to communism as a young woman, motivated by the promise of a fair and peaceful society. She eventually became a spymaster, saboteur, bomb-maker and secret agent. In Agent Sonya, Britain's most acclaimed historian vividly reveals the fascinating tale of a life that would change the course of history. Classic Ben Macintyre - a gripping ride, based on meticulous research, that reads like a novel - this is the greatest spy story never told. ________________ 'Macintyre has found a real-life heroine worthy of his gifts as John le Carré's nonfiction counterpart' New York Times 'This book is classic Ben Macintyre . . . quirky human details enliven every page' Clare Mulley, Spectator 'She is the strongest character of all in Macintyre's bestselling series of wartime tales . . . I raced through the pages to keep up with the plot' Julian Glover, Evening Standard BEN MACINTYRE'S NEXT BOOK COLDITZ: PRISONERS OF THE CASTLE IS AVAILABLE TO BUY NOW!

by Rosemary Sullivan

€14.50

THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER'Hums with living history, human warmth and indignation' New York TimesLess a mystery unsolved than a secret well keptThe mystery has haunted generations since the Second World War: Who betrayed Anne Frank and her family? And why?Now, thanks to radical new technology and the obsession of a retired FBI agent, this book offers an answer. Rosemary Sullivan unfolds the story in a gripping, moving narrative.Over thirty million people have read The Diary of a Young Girl, the journal teenaged Anne Frank kept while living in an attic with her family and four other people in Amsterdam during World War II, until the Nazis arrested them and sent them to a concentration camp. But despite the many works - journalism, books, plays and novels - devoted to Anne's story, none has ever conclusively explained how these eight people managed to live in hiding undetected for over two years - and who or what finally brought the Nazis to their door.With painstaking care, retired FBI agent Vincent Pankoke and a team of indefatigable investigators pored over tens of thousands of pages of documents - some never before seen - and interviewed scores of descendants of people familiar with the Franks. Utilising methods developed by the FBI, the Cold Case Team painstakingly pieced together the months leading to the infamous arrest - and came to a shocking conclusion.The Betrayal of Anne Frank: A Cold Case Investigation is the riveting story of their mission. Rosemary Sullivan introduces us to the investigators, explains the behaviour of both the captives and their captors and profiles a group of suspects. All the while, she vividly brings to life wartime Amsterdam: a place where no matter how wealthy, educated, or careful you were, you never knew whom you could trust.

by Jackie Kohnstamm

€26.60

Jackie Kohnstamm's mother rarely talked about what had happened during the war and had kept little evidence of her early life. It was only after her uncle and aunt had died that Jackie inherited an archive of material relating to the family back in Germany. Jackie's mother had managed to get out of Berlin in 1936, following her brother and sister who had already escaped. But Jackie's grandparents had remained. One night, on a whim, Jackie Googled her grandparents' names. What she found felt like a sign: four days earlier two Stolpersteine ('stumble stones') had been laid in their names outside the house in Berlin where they had once lived. Someone had commissioned this memorial to her grandparents. Each listed their name, year of birth, date of deportation to Theresienstadt and date of their murder by the Nazis. Here, then, was the first step, and what followed was a remarkable story of loss, discovery and memory.

by Wendy Lower

€15.07

A shocking and timely reminder of the role Nazi women played in the Holocaust, not only as plunderers and direct witnesses, but on the Eastern Front. History has it that the role of women in Nazi Germany was to be the perfect Hausfrau and a loyal cheerleader for the Führer. However, Lower's research reveals an altogether more sinister truth. Lower shows us the ordinary women who became perpetrators of genocide. Drawing on decades of research, she uncovers a truth that has been in the shadows - that women too were brutal killers and that, in ignoring women's culpability, we have ignored the reality of the Holocaust. 'Shocking' Sunday Times 'Compelling' Washington Post 'Pioneering' Literary Review

by Kevin Corrigan Kearns

€18.99

In Working Class Heroines acclaimed historian Kevin C. Kearns brings us the voices of the forgotten women of Dublin's tenements. If it weren't for his work the lives of these everyday heroines would be lost forever. Based on 30 years of research spent interviewing and recording the life stories of the working-class women of Dublin, it covers the squalid tenement days of the early 1900s, through the mid-century decades of 'slumland' block flats, and into the 1970s when deadly drugs infiltrated poor neighbourhoods, terrifying mothers and stealing away their children. What emerges is an intimate and poignant celebration of the mammies and grannies who held the fabric of family life in an environment of hardship and, often, cruelty. Through vivid tales of how they coped with grinding poverty, huge families, pitiless landlords, the oppressive Church, dictatorial priests, feckless and often abusive husbands, these remarkable women shine with astonishing dignity, wit, pride and a resilient spirit, despite their struggles. Working Class Heroines gives voice and pays tribute to the long silent, unsung heroines who were the indispensable caretakers of both family and community, and remains one of the most important Irish feminist documents of our times. "The ordinary woman has long been absent from our national narrative. I think we should be grateful that Working Class Heroines exists, and we can benefit now from listening to these voices.' Ellen Coyne, The Sunday Times "Those of us who know and love Dublin owe Kearns a huge debt". Roddy Doyle   Praise for Kevin Kearns' other unique oral histories of Dublin The Legendary "Lugs" Branigan: Ireland's Most Famed Garda 'A revealing portrait not just of a passionate and dedicated public figure, but also of a society undergoing great and constant change.' The Irish Independent Ireland's Arctic Siege: The Big Freeze of 1947 This story might have come from some Polar Expedition. It is almost unbelievable that such conditions could exist in Ireland.' The Irish Times The Bombing of Dublin's North Strand, 1941: The Untold Story 'What shines through is the courage and goodness of ordinary people, untrained for such catastrophe, in their attempts to save and help their fellow Dubliners.' The Irish Times Dublin Tenement Life: An Oral History 'Among the finest books ever written about Dublin.' The Sunday Tribune 'This is truly an admirable book, capturing echoes of a vanished world. It is only by reading this book that I was enabled to re-imagine the society which the respondents recalled to Kevin Kearns during what must have been many hundreds of hours of patient interviewing.' The Irish Times 'This book will long stand as the definitive social history of Ireland's gulags, where the poor were herded together in conditions worse than animals and will hopefully serve as further inspiration to those who still campaign for decent housing for all our citizens.' Joe Duffy 'Those of us who know and love Dublin owe Kearns a huge debt.'  Roddy Doyle Dublin Voices: An Oral Folk History 'This book is a goldmine of tiny details. The narrative voices that speak from every page of this book do so in an unfiltered language entirely their own.' The Sunday Times

by Angela Y. Davis

€11.59

Ranging from the age of slavery to contemporary injustices, this groundbreaking history of race, gender and class inequality by the radical political activist Angela Davis offers an alternative view of female struggles for liberation. Tracing the intertwined histories of the abolitionist and women's suffrage movements, Davis examines the racism and class prejudice inherent in so much of white feminism, and in doing so brings to light new pioneering heroines, from field slaves to mill workers, who fought back and refused to accept the lives into which they were born. 'The power of her historical insights and the sweetness of her dream cannot be denied' The New York Times

by Kate Summerscale

€8.96

FROM BRITAIN'S TOP-SELLING TRUE CRIME WRITER 'Extraordinary' PHILIPPA GREGORY, DAILY TELEGRAPH 'Grippingly suspenseful' SUNDAY TIMES When the married Isabella Robinson was introduced to the dashing Edward Lane at a party in 1850, she was utterly enchanted. He was 'fascinating', she told her diary, before chastising herself for being so susceptible to a man's charms. But a wish had taken hold of her, and she was to find it hard to shake. . . In one of the most notorious divorce cases of the nineteenth century, Isabella Robinson's scandalous secrets were exposed to the world. Kate Summerscale brings vividly to life a frustrated Victorian wife's longing for passion and learning, companionship and love, in a society clinging to rigid ideas about marriage and female sexuality. 'I'm all admiration: she has turned a sepia photograph, curling and tattered, into a film that runs through the mind in glorious and unimpeachable Technicolor' RACHEL COOKE, OBSERVER 'Summerscale strikes non-fiction gold for the third time' INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY 'Moving, compelling and brilliantly executed' DAILY TELEGRAPH BOOKS OF THE YEAR 'Summerscale's brilliance lies not only in recognising the power of a particular story, but in charting, with beautiful precision, its strange echoes and reverberations' CRAIG BROWN, MAIL ON SUNDAY Note: There is a chance the book cover you receive may differ from the cover displayed here

by Anita Anand

€11.59

WINNER OF THE PEN HESSELL-TILTMAN PRIZE 'Reads like something from a thriller…colourful, detailed and meticulously researched' Sunday Times 'Gripping from start to finish' Peter Frankopan, author of The Silk Roads Hundreds of peaceful civilians were slaughtered in the Amritsar Massacre of 13 April 1919, after British troops opened fire without warning. According to legend, Udham Singh was among the injured that day, and he vowed to take revenge. More than twenty years later, in a Westminster hall, he fulfilled that promise when he gunned down in cold blood the man ultimately responsible, Sir Michael O'Dwyer. But what happened in the intervening years? In this sweeping narrative that takes the reader across four continents, Anita Anand separates reality from myth to reveal Singh's astonishing story. She brilliantly pieces together his movements, discovering surprising new links that take us from Jazz Age New York to the shady world of international spy rings. The Patient Assassin shines a devastating light on one of the Raj's most horrific events, but reads like a taut thriller. 

by Angela Bourke

€12.75

In 1895 twenty-six-year-old Bridget Cleary disappeared from her house in rural Tipperary. At first, some said that the fairies had taken her into their stronghold in a nearby hill, from where she would emerge, riding a white horse. But then her badly burned body was found in a shallow grave. Her husband, father, aunt and four cousins were arrested and charged, while newspapers in nearby Clonmel, and then in Dublin, Cork, London and further afield attempted to make sense of what had happened. In this lurid and fascinating episode, set in the last decade of the nineteenth century, we witness the collision of town and country, of storytelling and science, of old and new. The torture and burning of Bridget Cleary caused a sensation in 1895 which continues to reverberate more than a hundred years later. Winner of the Irish Times Prize for Non-Fiction

by Caryn Rose

€14.00

Patti Smith arrived in New York City at the end of the Age of Aquarius in search of work and purpose. Through her poetry, her songs, her unapologetic vocal power, and her very presence as a woman fronting a rock band, she kicked open a door that countless others walked through. No other musician has better embodied the "nothing-to-hide" rawness of punk, nor has any other done more to nurture a place in society for misfits of every stripe. Why Patti Smith Matters is the first book about the iconic artist written by a woman. The veteran music journalist Caryn Rose contextualizes Smith's creative work, her influence, and her wide-ranging and still- evolving impact on rock and roll, visual art, and the written word. Rose goes deep into Smith's oeuvre, from her first album, Horses, to acclaimed memoirs operating at a surprising remove from her music. The portrait of a ceaseless inventor, Why Patti Smith Matters rescues punk's poet laureate from "strong woman" clichés. Of course Smith is strong. She is also a nuanced thinker. A maker of beautiful and challenging things. A transformative artist who has not simply entertained but also empowered millions.

by Allyson McCabe

€31.89

A stirring defense of SinÉad O'Connor's music and activism, and an indictment of the culture that cancelled her. In 1990, SinÉad O'Connor's video for "Nothing Compares 2 U" turned her into a superstar. Two years later, an appearance on Saturday Night Live turned her into a scandal. For many people-including, for years, the author-what they knew of O'Connor stopped there. Allyson McCabe believes it's time to reassess our old judgments about SinÉad O'Connor and to expose the machinery that built her up and knocked her down. Addressing triumph and struggle, sound and story, Why SinÉad O'Connor Matters argues that its subject has been repeatedly manipulated and misunderstood by a culture that is often hostile to women who speak their minds (in O'Connor's case, by shaving her head, championing rappers, and tearing up a picture of the pope on live television). McCabe details O'Connor's childhood abuse, her initial success, and the backlash against her radical politics without shying away from the difficult issues her career raises. She compares O'Connor to Madonna, another superstar who challenged the Catholic Church, and Prince, who wrote her biggest hit and allegedly assaulted her. A journalist herself, McCabe exposes how the media distorts not only how we see O'Connor but how we see ourselves, and she weighs the risks of telling a story that hits close to home. In an era when popular understanding of mental health has improved and the public eagerly celebrates feminist struggles of the past, it can be easy to forget how O'Connor suffered for being herself. This is the book her admirers and defenders have been waiting for.

by Kate Pankhurst

€26.10

_______________ AN INCREDIBLE 4-IN-1 COLLECTION OF THE FIRST FOUR FANTASTICALLY GREAT WOMEN BOOKS: Fantastically Great Women Who Changed the World Fantastically Great Women Who Made History Fantastically Great Women Who Saved the Planet Fantastically Great Women Who Worked Wonders _______________ 'Significantly more engaging and inspiring than the rival Rebel Girls' GUARDIAN 'It's hard to imagine any group of primary-aged children who wouldn't be inspired' BOOKSELLER 'An absolute must-have for every young person's bookshelf' HUFFINGTON POST _______________ The perfect gift for curious children who want to learn all about the world's most FANTASTICALLY GREAT WOMEN! The complete collection of Kate Pankhurst's bestselling Fantastically Great Women series brought together in stunning hardback with gold foil and a cover that folds out into a FANTASTICALLY GREAT poster. Including the stories of 56 women from throughout history and around the world with new and original content for this special edition! No DREAM is too BIG if you just believe in yourself. And these strong, ambitious and FANTASTICALLY GREAT women prove it. They've conquered the tallest mountains, made game-changing discoveries, stood up for women's rights and protected our beautiful, fragile planet. Discover the inspirational lives of just some of the extraordinary women who have transformed people's expectations of what women can do in this stunning gift collection. Featuring illustrated timelines and all the women from Kate Pankhurst's adored picture books, from Frida Kahlo to Jane Goodall, and some new faces too. Get ready to meet courageous racing car driver Eliska Junkova who whizzed to victory and became the first woman to win a Grand Prix and the influential composer Chiquinha Gonzaga, the first woman conductor in Brazil. Perfect for reading at bedtime, these empowering stories will encourage you to BE BOLD, AIM HIGH and NEVER GIVE UP. How will YOU change the world?

by John Burke

€10.99

The third book in the Little Library series. When your collection is complete, you’ll have a little library – and big knowledge! Discover the REVOLUTIONARY that was CONSTANCE MARKIEVICZ! Constance Markievicz grew up in Co. Sligo in the late 1800s, and she had a dream: she wanted Ireland to become free and the people to be treated fairly. She spent her life working to make these things happen. With rebellion in the air, she was asked for advice on how a lady should dress. Her answer? ‘Dress suitably in short skirts and strong boots, leave your jewels in the bank and buy a revolver.’ And the Easter Rising began …

by Lilly Workneh

€28.00

A PARENTS' FAVORITE PRODUCTS TILLYWIG AWARD WINNER 2022 The fourth installment in the New York Times bestselling Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls series, featuring 100 barrier-breaking Black women and girls who showcase the spirit of Black Girl Magic. Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls: 100 Real-Life Tales of Black Girl Magic, edited by award-winning journalist Lilly Workneh with a foreword by #BlackGirlMagic originator CaShawn Thompson, is dedicated to amplifying and celebrating the stories of Black women and girls from around the world; features the work of over 60 Black female and non-binary authors, illustrators, and editors; is designed to acknowledge, applaud, and amplify the incredible stories of Black women and girls from the past and present; and celebrates Black Girl Magic around the world. Amongst the women featured from over 30 countries are tennis player Naomi Osaka, astronaut Jeanette Epps, author Toni Morrison, filmmaker Ava DuVernay; aviator Bessie Coleman, Empress Taytu Betul, journalist Ida B. Wells, and many other inspiring leaders, champions, innovators, and creators. Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls: 100 Real-Life Tales of Black Girl Magic is published by Rebel Girls, a global, multi-platform empowerment brand dedicated to helping raise the most inspired and confident global generation of girls through content, experiences, products, and community. About Black Girl Magic CaShawn Thompson, a proud third-generation native of Washington, DC, came up with the concept "Black Girls Are Magic" when she was a little girl growing up with her mother, grandmother, and aunts. It sprang forth fully formed from the mind of a poor little Black girl who didn't yet have the words to describe the brilliance she saw in the women in her family, but had heard countless tales of fairies, witches, and magicians. It was just magic to her. And it still is. Black Girls Are Magic became wildly popular in 2013 after CaShawn began using the phrase online (it was later shortened to the hashtag #BlackGirlMagic) to uplift and praise the accomplishments, beauty, and other amazing qualities of Black women.

by Sarah Webb

€15.29

A book for everyone who dreams of changing the world. From fearless aviator, Lady Mary Heath, the first woman in the world to parachute from an aeroplane, to Margaret Bulkley, the 18th-century surgeon who lived as a man, meet 28 remarkable Irish women who have taken the world by storm. You may have already heard some of their names, like Countess Markievicz and Mary Robinson, but others, like Anne Sullivan, Lilian Bland or Anna Haslam, may be new to you. Packed with fun, fascinating facts and stunning, full-page illustrations, this book celebrates the trail blazers who have shaped the world we live in. Ready to walk in their footsteps? A world of bravery and discovery awaits you. Made by two remarkable women, author Sarah Webb and illustrator Lauren O'Neill.

by Roxane van Iperen

€12.76

Perfect for readers of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, Cilka's Journey and The Librarian of Auschwitz - this is the international bestselling and life-affirming true story of female bravery and surviving the horrors of Auschwitz. NEW YORK TIMES Bestseller and WINNER of the Opzij Literature Prize 2019 They knew their survival depended on each other. They had to live for each other. It is 1940 and the Final Solution is about to begin. The Nazis have occupied The Netherlands but resistance is growing and two Jewish sisters - Janny and Lien Brilleslijper - are risking their lives to save those being hunted, through their clandestine safehouse 'The High Nest'. It becomes one of the most important safehouses in the country but when the house and its occupants are betrayed the most terrifying time of the sisters' lives begins. This is the beginning of the end. With German defeat in sight, the Brilleslijper family are put on the last train to Auschwitz, along with Anne Frank and her family. What comes next challenges the sisters beyond human imagination as they are stripped of everything but their courage, resilience and love for each other.

by Jane Robinson

€30.80

'What a lot we have to thank Barbara Bodichon and her circle for. She was a charismatic but self-effacing woman so she would at the very least have been perplexed by the idea of being a role model. But I can't think of a better one for today.' - Literary Review 'Lively and well researched ... [Bodichon] was a vital cog in the wheel of social change for women. Her energy is contagious.' The Times Jane Robinson is brilliant at putting the women back into history and her biography of Barbara Leigh Bodichon, a Victorian feminist we should all be grateful to, is as entertaining as it is necessary.' - Daisy Goodwin 'Jane Robinson's admiration of [Barbara's] achievements, and her incisive and immersive approach to writing her life story, ensures that her subject catches the sun.' - Times Literary Supplement 'An overdue tribute to an unsung feminist pioneer . . . Robinson gives a buoyant, skilfully managed account that is undeniably moving.' - Financial Times You have probably not heard of Barbara Leigh Smith Bodichon but you certainly should have done. Name any 'modern' human rights movement, and she was a pioneer: feminism, equal opportunities, diversity, inclusion, mental health awareness, Black Lives Matter. While her name has been omitted from too many history books, it was Barbara that opened the doors for more famous names to walk through. And her influence owed as much to who she was as to what she did: people loved her for her robust sense of humour, cheerfulness and indiscriminate acts of kindness. This is a celebration of the life of the founder of Britain's suffrage movement: campaigner for equal opportunity in the workplace, the law, at home and beyond. Co-founder of Girton, the first university college for women, a committed activist for human rights, fervently anti-slavery, she was also one of Victorian England's finest female painters. Jane Robinson's brilliant new book shines a light on a remarkable woman who lived on her own terms and to whom we owe a huge debt.

by Kate Strasdin

€18.20

The hidden fabric of a Victorian woman's life told through her unique scrapbook. In 1838, Anne Sykes was given a diary on her wedding day. Using it to collect snippets of fabric, she created a record of her life and times. Nearly two hundred years later, the diary fell into the hands of fashion historian Kate Strasdin who spent the next six years unravelling the secrets contained within its pages. Piece by piece, she charts Anne's life and times. Fragments of cloth become windows into Victorian life: pirates in Borneo, the complicated etiquette of mourning, poisonous dyes, the British Empire in full swing, rioting over working conditions and the terrible human cost of Britain's cotton industry. Through the evidence of waistcoats, ball gowns and mourning outfits, Strasdin lays bare the whole of human experience in the most intimate of mediums: the clothes we choose to wear. 'Flawless' Amber Butchart 'Fascinating' Clare Hunter 'Irresistible' The Times

by Katy Hessel

€15.08

**Now available to pre-order, Katy Hessel's new book, How to Live An Artful Life** WATERSTONES BOOK OF THE YEAR 2022 THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES AND NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER 'A long overdue, revisionist history of art by the brilliant Katy Hessel . . . Never stuffy or supercilious, Hessel's book is a revelation and an important first step towards redressing the balance of an art world in which women have been sidelined, stepped over and trampled upon for far too long.' REFINERY29 'An extraordinary achievement that will have a disruptive cultural legacy and help deter-mine the landscape for years to come.' HARPER'S BAZAAR 'Katy Hessel is a brilliant chronicler of the overlooked. I am so thrilled this book exists as an empowering, enlightening guide to the unforgettable vision of these brilliant artists. Essential reading.' ELIZABETH DAY 'Will change the history of art . . . thank God.' TRACEY EMIN 'I was not aware how hungry I was for this book until I dropped everything and ate it from cover to cover. I was not aware how angry I was that this book did not exist until it existed. It's an urgently needed, un-put-downable, joyful, insightful, glorious, perspective-shifting revision of the Story of Art.' ES DEVLIN __________________________________ How many women artists do you know? Who makes art history? Did women even work as artists before the twentieth century? And what is the Baroque anyway? Have your sense of art history overturned, and your eyes opened to many art forms often overlooked or dismissed. From the Cornish coast to Manhattan, Nigeria to Japan, this is the story of art for our times - one with women at its heart, brought together for the first time by the creator of @thegreatwomenartists. __________________________________ 'A spirited, inspiring, brilliantly illustrated history of female artistic endeavour . . . The Story of Art Without Men should be on the reading list of every A-level and university art history course and on the front table of every museum and gallery shop.' LAURA FREEMAN, THE TIMES 'Passionate, enthusiastic and witty . . . I wish I had had this book as a teenager' THE I Sunday Times bestseller, January 2023