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History & Society

History books allow you to travel back in time. They let you discover a whole different era than our own with different lifestyles, morale compases and crises. To understand history is to understand, who you are, and what you come from. It is the foundation of today’s society and culture. In Tales’ selection of history and society books you can investigate both religion, mythologies, and wars with competent authors and scholars giving their interpretation of how events happened as they did and how we ended up with today’s society. Are you ready to get wiser of both past and present?
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  • - Claiming Space in a Man-Made World
    by Leslie Kern
    £9.49

    Women - Reclaim the city!

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    by Lili Reinhart
    £10.99

    I seem to be your new favorite novel. One that keeps you up at night, turning my pages. Fingers lingering on me so you don't lose your place.

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    - Thriving in a World That Wasn't Designed for You
    by Jenara Nerenberg
    £10.99

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    - The Classic Bestselling Account of the Outbreak of the First World War
    by Barbara Tuchman
    £10.99

    Barbara Tuchman's The Guns of August is a spellbinding history of the fateful first month when Britain went to war.War pressed against every frontier. Suddenly dismayed, governments struggled and twisted to fend it off. It was no use . . .Barbara Tuchman's universally acclaimed, Pulitzer prize-winning account of how the first thirty days of battle determined the course of the First World War is to this day revered as the classic account of the conflict's opening. From the precipitous plunge into war and the brutal and bloody battles of August 1914, Tuchman shows how events were propelled by a horrific logic which swept all sides up in its unstoppable momentum.'Dazzling' Max Hastings'Magnificent' Guardian'Fascinating, splendid, glittering. One of the finest works of history' New York Times'A brilliant achievement' Sunday TelegraphBarbara Tuchman achieved prominence as a historian with The Zimmerman Telegram and international fame with the Pulitzer-Prize winning The Guns of August. She is also the author of The Proud Tower, Stilwell and the American Experience in China (also awarded the Pulitzer Prize), A Distant Mirror and The March of Folly. She died in 1989. The Proud Tower and The Zimmerman Telegram are published by Penguin.

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    - Discover How to Move On, Make Peace with Painful Memories, and Create a Life That's Beautiful Again
    by Lysa TerKeurst
    £11.49

    Forgiving What You Can't Forget is a remarkable book written by Lysa Terkeurst. Published in 2020 by Thomas Nelson Publishers, this book falls under the genre of self-help and spirituality. The story unfolds the journey of forgiveness, where the author beautifully guides the readers on how to move on from the past that haunts them. Terkeurst, with her eloquent writing, teaches us how to process what we've been through, to understand it, learn from it, and ultimately forgive those who hurt us. This book is a must-read for anyone seeking to free themselves from the burdens of their past. It's a journey of self-discovery, forgiveness, and the road to healing.

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    by Hunter S. Thompson
    £10.99

    The best, the fastest, the hippest and the most unorthodox account ever published of the US presidential electoral process in all its madness and corruption.In 1972 Hunter S. Thompson, the creator and king of Gonzo journalism, covered the US presidential campaign for Rolling Stone magazine alongside the establishment newsmen of Washington. The result is a classic piece of subversive reportage and a fantastic ride on the rollercoaster of Hunter's uniquely savage imagination. In his own words, written years before Watergate: 'It is Nixon himself who represents that dark, venal and incurably violent side of the American character almost every other country in the world has learned to fear and despise.'

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    by Henri Charriere
    £9.49

    A classic memoir of prison breaks and adventure - a bestselling phenomenon of the 1960sCondemned for a murder he had not committed, Henri Charriere (nicknamed Papillon) was sent to the penal colony of French Guiana. Forty-two days after his arrival he made his first break, travelling a thousand gruelling miles in an open boat. Recaptured, he went into solitary confinement and was sent eventually to Devil's Island, a hell-hole of disease and brutality. No one had ever escaped from this notorious prison - no one until Papillon took to the shark-infested sea supported only by a makeshift coconut-sack raft. In thirteen years he made nine daring escapes, living through many fantastic adventures while on the run - including a sojourn with South American Indians whose women Papillon found welcomely free of European restraints...Papillon is filled with tension, adventure and high excitement. It is also one of the most vivid stories of human endurance ever written.Henri Charriere died in 1973 at the age of 66.

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    - The Rise and Fall of a World Power
    by Martyn Rady
    £10.99

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    - The Hidden Power of What You Say and What You Don't
    by L. David Marquet
    £13.49

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    by Andrew Hodges
    £9.49 - 11.99

    Includes a new foreword by the author and a preface by Douglas Hofstadter. Alan Turing was the extraordinary Cambridge mathematician who masterminded the cracking of the German Enigma ciphers and transformed the Second World War.

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    - Muslim Women on Faith, Feminism, Sexuality and Race
    by Mariam Khan
    £9.49

    It's Not About the Burqa is an anthology of essays by Muslim women about the contemporary Muslim female experience.

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    by Lucinda Riley
    £9.49

    The Moon Sister is the fifth instalment in the internationally bestselling The Seven Sisters series, by Lucinda Riley.

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    - From Lisbon and Porto to Santiago - Central, Coastal and Spiritual caminos
    by Kat Davis
    £14.99

    The Portuguese Way (Camino Portugues) is a 620km long-distance route from Portugal's capital Lisbon to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. This guide splits the route into 25 stages with two coastal options, and takes in historic and religious sites and stunning scenery. With information on preparation, planning and accommodation.

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    - The Complete and Definitive Edition
    by Robert Graves
    £13.49

    Features the labours of Hercules, the voyage of the Argonauts, Theseus and the minotaur, Midas and his golden touch, the Trojan War and Odysseus' journey home. This title draws on the entire canon of ancient literature, bringing together all the elements of every myth into one epic. It deals with the masterful work of literature.

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    by Will Durant & Ariel Durant
    £8.99

    A concise survey of the culture and civilization of mankind, The Lessons of History is the result of a lifetime of research from Pulitzer Prizewinning historians Will and Ariel Durant.With their accessible compendium of philosophy and social progress, the Durants take us on a journey through history, exploring the possibilities and limitations of humanity over time. Juxtaposing the great lives, ideas, and accomplishments with cycles of war and conquest, the Durants reveal the towering themes of history and give meaning to our own.

  • - Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness
    by Richard H. Thaler & Cass R. Sunstein
    £24.99

    Every day, we make decisions on topics ranging from personal investments to schools for our children to the meals we eat to the causes we champion. Unfortunately, we often choose poorly. The reason, the authors explain, is that, being human, we all are susceptible to various biases that can lead us to blunder. Our mistakes make us poorer and less healthy; we often make bad decisions involving education, personal finance, health care, mortgages and credit cards, the family, and even the planet itself.Thaler and Sunstein invite us to enter an alternative world, one that takes our humanness as a given. They show that by knowing how people think, we can design choice environments that make it easier for people to choose what is best for themselves, their families, and their society. Using colorful examples from the most important aspects of life, Thaler and Sunstein demonstrate how thoughtful choice architecture can be established to nudge us in beneficial directions without restricting freedom of choice. Nudge offers a unique new takefrom neither the left nor the righton many hot-button issues, for individuals and governments alike. This is one of the most engaging and provocative books to come along in many years.

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    - Volume I
    by Karl Marx
    £14.99

    'A groundbreaking work of economic analysis. It is also a literary masterpice' Francis Wheen, GuardianOne of the most notorious and influential works of modern times, Capital is an incisive critique of private property and the social relations it generates. Living in exile in England, where this work was largely written, Marx drew on a wide-ranging knowledge of its society to support his analysis. Arguing that capitalism would cause an ever-increasing division in wealth and welfare, he predicted its abolition and replacement by a system with common ownership of the means of production. Capital rapidly acquired readership throughout the world, to become a work described by Marx's collaborator Friedrich Engels as 'the Bible of the working class'.Translated by BEN FOWKES with an Introduction by ERNEST MANDEL

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    by Noam Chomsky
    £7.99

    On Anarchism is an essential introduction to the Noam Chomsky's political theory.On Anarchism sheds a much needed light on the foundations of Chomsky's thought, specifically his constant questioning of the legitimacy of entrenched power. The book gathers his essays and interviews to provide a short, accessible introduction to his distinctively optimistic brand of anarchism. Refuting the notion of anarchism as a fixed idea, and disputing the traditional fault lines between anarchism and socialism, this is a book sure to challenge, provoke and inspire. Profoundly relevant to our times, it is a touchstone for political activists and anyone interested in deepening their understanding of anarchism, or of Chomsky's thought.'Arguably the most important intellectual alive' New York TimesNoam Chomsky is the author of numerous bestselling and influential political books, including Hegemony or Survival, Failed States, Interventions, What We Say Goes, Hopes and Prospects, Gaza in Crisis, Making the Future and Occupy.Nathan Schneider is the author of Thank You, Anarchy: Notes from the Occupy Apocalypse and God in Proof: The Story of a Search from the Ancients to the Internet.

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    by Noam Chomsky
    £13.49

    With exceptional clarity and power of argument, Noam Chomsky lays bare as no one else can the realities of contemporary geopolitics. Divided into four sections, originally published in the US only as individual short books, collectively selling over half a million copies, How the World Works covers:* What Uncle Sam Really Wants: the main goals of US foreign policy; the devastation caused abroad; the brainwashing at home* The Prosperous Few and the Restless Many: the new global economy; food and Third World 'economic miracles'; the roots of racism* Secrets, Lies and Democracy: the US, the CIA, religious fundamentalism; global inequality; the coming eco-catastrophe* The Common Good: equality, freedom, the media; the myth of Third World debt; manufacturing dissent

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    - Adventures in Modern Russia
    by Peter Pomerantsev
    £9.49

    A journey into the glittering, surreal heart of 21st century Russia: into the lives of Hells Angels convinced they are messiahs, professional killers with the souls of artists, bohemian theatre directors turned Kremlin puppet-masters, supermodel sects, post-modern dictators and oligarch revolutionaries. This is a world erupting with new money and new power, changing so fast it breaks all sense of reality, where life is seen as a whirling, glamorous masquerade where identities can be switched and all values are changeable. It is home to a new form of authoritarianism, far subtler than 20th century strains, and which is rapidly expanding to challenge the global order.An extraordinary book - one which is as powerful and entertaining as it is troubling - Nothing is True and Everything is Possible offers a wild ride into this political and ethical vacuum.

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    by Sandy Bodecker
    £35.49

    The first book on Nike s iconic DUNK SB, a mid-rise basketball court staple that has in the last two decades become a colourful (and often irreverent) icon of skate and street wear.

  • by Bhaktivedanta Swami A. C. Prabhupada
    £12.99

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    by Joan Didion
    £7.99

    Joan Didion's savage masterpiece, which, since first publication in 1968, has been acknowledged as an unparalleled report on the state of America during the upheaval of the Sixties Revolution.

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    by North Jonathan
    £15.49

    An expert visual history of military personnel, with 600 images of uniforms and contextual analysis.

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    by Ta-Nehisi Coates
    £9.49

    In the 150 years since the end of the Civil War and the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment (the abolition of slavery), the story of race and America has remained a brutally simple one. It is the story of the black body, exploited to create the country''s foundational wealth, violently segregated to unite a nation after a civil war and, today, still disproportionately threatened, locked up and killed in the streets. How can America reckon with its fraught racial history? Between The World And Me is Ta-Nehisi Coates'' attempt to answer that question.

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    by Betty Friedan
    £8.99

    The Feminine Mystique is a groundbreaking book by Betty Friedan, first published by Penguin Books Ltd in 2010. This influential piece of literature belongs to the genre of social science and feminism. Betty Friedan, a leading figure in the women's movement in the United States, her book is often credited with sparking the second wave of American feminism in the 20th century. The Feminine Mystique explores the idea of women finding personal fulfillment outside of their traditional roles. It's a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the social structures that shape our lives. Penguin Books Ltd is proud to have been part of bringing this important work to the public.

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    by Slavoj Zizek
    £13.99

    Looks at the question of human agency in a postmodern world. This book explores the ideological fantasies of wholeness and exclusion which make up human society.

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    - What the Cycles of History Tell Us About America's Next Rendezvous with Destiny
    by William Strauss
    £14.99

    The Fourth Turning, a captivating book by acclaimed author Neil Howe, is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the cyclical patterns that have shaped human history. Published in 1997 by Random House USA Inc, this thought-provoking book delves into the concept of recurring generational cycles that have influenced the course of history. The genre of this book is hard to pin down, as it blends elements of history, sociology, and futurism, making it a unique addition to any bookshelf. Neil Howe's insightful analysis and compelling narrative make The Fourth Turning a fascinating read. Don't miss out on this book from Random House USA Inc, a publisher renowned for its diverse and high-quality publications.

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    by Ernest Hemingway
    £8.99

    Looking back not only at his own much younger self, but also at the other writers who shared Paris with him - James Joyce, Wyndham Lewis, Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald - he recalls the time when, poor, happy and writing in cafes, he discovered his vocation.

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    - And the Making of the Modern World
    by Jack Weatherford
    £13.99

    New York Times Bestseller • The startling true history of how one extraordinary man from a remote cornerof the world created an empire that led the world into the modern age.The Mongol army led by Genghis Khan subjugated more lands and people in twenty-five years than the Romans did in four hundred. In nearly every country the Mongols conquered, they brought an unprecedented rise in cultural communication, expanded trade, and a blossoming of civilization. Vastly more progressive than his European or Asian counterparts, Genghis Khan abolished torture, granted universal religious freedom, and smashed feudal systems of aristocratic privilege. From the story of his rise through the tribal culture to the explosion of civilization that the Mongol Empire unleashed, this brilliant work of revisionist history is nothing less than the epic story of how the modern world was made.

History
The concept history covers a large range of topics all with its different focus. On top of Tales’ history books list, you find history books giving their in-depth view of some of World History’s most tragic events in modern time - World War 1 and World War 2. The two world wars affected most of the world and so many people lost their lives to them - both soldiers and civilians. The wars changed the world forever, and to understand how and why you need to dive into one of our many brilliant history books about the historic wars, giving you all the analysis and nuances you need - because we all know history books best, when they are thorough and give us new perspectives on historical events. 
If you instead are interested in politics during different historical periods, our selection of history books also contains that. The political system of a nation is a defining factor for how the citizens are treated and what conditions of life they have. The political factors can also lead to crises and wars, and in that way politics can make its mark on a whole historical era, but it can also lead to better times, giving the citizens better conditions and possibilities of social mobility. If you are interested, you will find all the history books in english right here. 
If you want to travel back to the fascinating Antiquity you should try reading the classics The Iliad and The Odyssey by Homer. However they can be hard to understand in their original form. That is why we recommend you to dive into Stephen Fry’s fascinating interpretations of the antic classics. The works of the Antic Greeks, especially Homer, have that special kind of universality that all the classics refer to, even though the lyrics are about ancient mythological heroes such as Achilleus and Heracles (better known as Hercules) and their challenging adventures. The historical tales leave the reader with universal morales of life. In Stephen Fry’s version called Heroes the tales are giving a modern language and new relevans - especially for young people. 
It is also important to teach your kids about our common history and that is why you also find history books for kids in Tales’ wide selection. 

Society
A society is formed by a community of individuals and has gone through many changes throughout history. The history of our society has gone through many different stages, and in order to contain this diversity Tales’ collection has a rich amount of societal books from different time periods. You can find society books concerning and analyzing all from the traditional society, the modern society, and the post-modern society to the humanistic society. 

Educational textbooks
If you study history or social science Tales’ collection of History and Society is the perfect place to find your next educational textbook. History is one of the most important humanistic disciplines educating the future historians and museum inspectors. Without historians there will be nobody to investigate the historical data and texts and no one to evaluate them critically, and most importantly there would be no one to arrange history and the historical sources. Without them we would in fact lack a lot of vital information about who we are and what we come from, and we would not have the same ability to learn from history, which would be a great loss. That is why you need to start your journey as a history student in Tales’ selection of history books. 
Social science is also a cornerstone in understanding who we are and why we act as we act. As a social science student you should dive into our selection of societal books in order to get inspired for your next case study. 

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