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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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  • Save 10%
    - The True Story Of A Real Fake
    by Frank Abagnale
    £8.99

    Now recognised as the nation's leading authority on financial foul play, Abagnale is a charming rogue whose hilarious, stranger-than-fiction international escapades and ingenious escapes - including one from an aeroplane - make CATCH ME IF YOU CAN an irresistable tale of deceit.

  • Save 14%
    - A Yaqui Way of Knowledge
    by Carlos Castaneda
    £9.49

    First book in the "Don Juan" series. The author meets Don Juan and is introduced to his magical world and philosophy by means of hallucinogenic plants and special exercises.

  • Save 15%
    by Niccolo Machiavelli
    £10.99

    Born in 1469, Niccolo Machiavelli undertook diplomatic missions to various courts, before his imprisonment and exile. To quote his own words, this book discusses "what a principality is, what kinds there are, how they can be acquired, how they can be kept and why they are lost".

  • Save 18%
    by Alexander T. Shulgin
    £20.49

    PIHKAL (Phenethylamines I Have Known And Loved) is a classic in the psychedelic genre by psychopharmacologist Alexander "Sasha" Shulgin, co-authored with his partner Ann, which provides details of his research, synthesis, and investigations into the use of a range of psychedelic compounds for the study of the human mind. The book focuses on phenethlyamines and explores their physical properties, dosages used, and duration of effects observed, and commentary.

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    by Michael Connelly
    £8.99 - 16.99

  • Save 24%
    by Nancy Pelosi
    £18.99

  • Save 14%
    by Marietje Schaake
    £18.99

  • Save 15%
    by Jintana Rattanakhemakorn
    £10.99

    Learn the basics of the Thai language quickly with this essential book! Reading & Writing Thai is the perfect way to begin learning the Thai language. It teaches you how to pronounce, read, and write all the sounds and letters, including the difficult tones. The book is specifically designed for beginners with no previous experience in studying or speaking Thai. This easy-to-use workbook shows you how to write and pronounce each letter correctly and then shows you how they are combined into syllables and words. Before you know it you'll be reading and writing complete sentences! The book comes with free audio recordings by native Thai speakers, allowing you to hone your pronunciation and listening skills. This comprehensive workbook and language guide for beginners includes: An introduction to all the sounds of the language including vowels, consonants and tones Exercises, quizzes and a final review section to reinforce the lessons in the book Free downloadable flash cards to help you learn the alphabet and basic vocabulary Free audio recordings by native Thai speakers Reading & Writing Thai is the perfect book for self-study or learning Thai with a teacher.

  • Save 14%
    by Bernie Sanders
    £9.49

    THE SUNDAY TIMES AND NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER'Galvanizing and uplifting' The Guardian'Bernie Sanders has changed US politics forever' Owen JonesIt's OK to be angry about capitalism. It's OK to want something better. Bernie Sanders takes on the 1% and speaks blunt truths about a system that is fuelled by uncontrolled greed, and rigged against ordinary people. Where a handful of oligarchs have never had it so good, with more money than they could spend in a thousand lifetimes, and the vast majority struggle to survive. Where a decent standard of living for all seems like an impossible dream.How can we accept an economic order that allows three billionaires to control more wealth than the bottom half of our society? How can we accept a political system that allows the super-rich to buy elections and politicians? How can we accept an energy system that rewards the fossil fuel corporations causing the climate crisis? How can we let it happen any longer? We must demand fundamental economic and political change. This is where the path forward begins.It's OK To Be Angry About Capitalism presents a vision of what would be possible if the political revolution took place. If we would finally recognize that economic rights are human rights, and work to create a society that provides them. This isn't some utopian fantasy; this is democracy as we should know it. Is it really too much to ask?

  • Save 24%
    by Ray Kurzweil
    £18.99

  • Save 14%
    by Yascha Mounk
    £9.49

  • Save 14%
    by George Monbiot
    £9.49 - 10.99

  • Save 16%
    by Ferdowsi
    £29.49 - 80.49

    A combination of myth and history, Shahnameh is a classic work by one of Persia's greatest poets. Written more than 1,000 years ago in a series of 50,000 elegant couplets, Ferdowsi's work protected the Persian collective memory and its language amidst a turbulent sea of cultural storms. Indeed, this beloved epic traces the storied history of the Persian people beginning with the origin myths of civilization and ending with the Muslim conquest of Iran in the seventh century. Featuring a preface by editor and Guggenheim Fellow Hamid Rahmanian, this lush translation by Ahmad Sadri renders the tale in highly accessible prose for contemporary audiences. Readers will be swept away by captivating adventures filled with superhuman heroes, magical creatures, heart-wrenching love stories, and centuries-long battles.

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    by Fuchsia Dunlop
    £10.99

  • Save 14%
    by Rory Stewart
    £9.49

  • Save 23%
    by Chris Anderson
    £16.99

  • Save 14%
    by Timothy Garton Ash
    £9.49

  • Save 14%
    by Andrew McAfee
    £9.49 - 20.99

  • by Richard Rudd
    £14.49

  • by Sophie Lewis
    £9.49

    What if family were not the only place you might hope to feel safe, loved, cared for and accepted?

  • Save 21%
    by Abdullah Yusuf Ali
    £13.49

    Complete and unabridged, this is The Qur’an in an elegantly designed, hardcover edition.

  • Save 26%
    by John Seymour
    £19.99

    Embrace off-grid green living and imagine a more sustainable future with the original guide to self-sufficiency. For over 40 years, John Seymour has inspired thousands to make more eco-friendly choices with his advice on living sustainably. The New Complete Book of Self-Sufficiency offers step-by-step instructions on everything from chopping trees to harnessing solar power; from growing fruit and vegetables, and preserving and pickling your harvest, to baking bread, brewing beer, and making cheese. Seymour shows you how to live off the land, running your own smallholding or homestead, and raising (and butchering) livestock.In a world of mass production, intensive farming, and food miles, Seymour's words offer an alternative: a celebration of investing time, labour, and love into the things we need. While we won't all be able to move to the countryside, we can appreciate the need to eat food that has been grown ethically or create things we can cherish, using skills that have been handed down through generations. This bestselling classic is a balm for anyone who has ever sought solace away from the madness of modern life.

  • Save 19%
    by Prof Helen (Professor of Political Economy Thompson
    £10.99 - 17.99

  • Save 27%
  • Save 23%
    by Pema Chodron
    £15.49

  • Save 23%
    - The Places that Inspired Middle-earth
    by John Garth
    £15.49

    An expertly written investigation of the places that shaped the work of one of the world's best loved authors, exploring the relationship between worlds real and fantastical.

  • Save 14%
    by Sharon Blackie
    £9.49

    A radical rewriting of the future for all women approaching their mid and elder years.'There can be a perverse pleasure, as well as a sense of rightness and beauty, in insisting on flowering just when the world expects you to become quiet and diminish.' Sharon BlackieFor any woman over 50 who has ever asked 'What now? How do I wish to age?' comes a life-changing new book showing how your second half may be your most dynamic yet.Rich with the combination of myth, landscape and eco-feminism that took her earlier work If Women Rose Rooted to cult status, Hagitude reclaims the mid-years as a liberating, alchemical moment - from which to shift into your chosen, authentic and fulfilling future. Drawing inspiration from mythic figures and archetypes ranging from the wise woman and the creatrix to the henwife and the trickster, as well as modern mentors, Sharon Blackie plots a liberating new path into elderhood.Hagitude is a radical rewriting of the future for all women in their mid and elder years, its pages rich with possibility, the promise of adventure and influence, and an emphasis on a woman's value and impact in the second half of life.

  • Save 20%
    by Daniel Goleman
    £11.99

    Put yourself back in control of your mind and your life with these meditation practices proven by neuroscientific research.In this modern digital age, many of us feel overwhelmed, panicked and short on time. The practice of meditation is an ancient and scientifically proven antidote to that frenzied feeling. Combining scientific expertise and spiritual wisdom, this is a practical guide on how it can help you feel calm and in control.With chapters on Breathing, Compassion and Worry, it is full of empirically proven and easy-to-follow exercises that will help you tackle mental obstacles, including issues such as self-doubt and negative thought patterns. This is a fresh perspective on meditation that will uplift and soothe your mind, whether you're new to it or not.PRE-ORDER THE LATEST BOOK FROM BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE, DANIEL GOLEMAN

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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