Books published by Amberley Publishing

In the 1800s, a shepherd's hut or living van would have been an unremarkable sight in many regions of rural Britain. By the 1970s most lay abandoned as farming methods and industry left them behind. Today the humble shepherd's hut is making a comeback and these quirky collectors' items are fast developing a cult status of their own. Original huts and living vans command high sums and replica huts are being built in high numbers to satisfy demand. However, many who see one, have one or want one know little of their origin or the differences between them. This beautifully illustrated book explores the differences and takes a look behind the door at what living and operating in these small mobile spaces was really like.

On the night of 14/15 April 1912, a brandnew, supposedly unsinkable ship, the largest and most luxurious vessel in the world at the time, collided with an iceberg and sank on her maiden voyage. Of the 2,208 people on board, only 712 were saved. The rest either drowned or froze to death in the icy-cold waters of the North Atlantic. How could this 'unsinkable' vessel sink and why did so few of those aboard survive?The authors bring the tragedy to life, telling the story of the ship's design, construction and maiden voyage. The stories of individuals who sailed on her, many previously known only as names on yellowing passenger and crew lists, are brought to light using rarely-seen accounts of the sinking. The stories of passengers of all classes and crewmembers alike, are explored. They tell the dramatic stories of lives lost and people saved, of the rescue ship Carpathia, and of the aftermath of the sinking. Never again would a large passenger liner sail without lifeboats for all. Despite the tragedy, the sinking of the Titanic indirectly led to untold numbers of lives being saved due to new regulations that came into force after the tragedy. Profusely illustrated, including many rare and unique views of the ship and those who sailed on her, this is as accurate and engrossing a telling of the life of the White Star Line's Titanic and her sinking as you will read anywhere. Made special by the use of so many rare survivor accounts from the eye witnesses to that night to remember, the narrative places the reader in the middle of the maiden voyage, and brings the tragic sinking to life as never before.

Fully illustrated, this book focuses on the First Generation (1964-1973) and the evolution of the Ford Mustang.

Launched in 1977, the V8 front-engine Porsche 928 Grand Tourer received widespread praise as an engineering masterpiece and won the European Car of the Year award in 1978. The Porsche 928 was so advanced that it continued in production, but with increased engine power, for eighteen years until 1995. Porsche 928 includes a detailed history of the 928 with updates on each model, including the little-known Special Editions, always beloved by the factory in Stuttgart. The book includes details of all European, USA and Canada models and the 928's technical developments, and also looks at the highly refined V8 engine and the subtle body changes. The book also provides information on servicing and parts - useful for those who are considering buying what the factory now calls a Classic 928. Lavishly illustrated with full colour photography, including original Stuttgart photos from Porsche, this is the essential book on the Porsche 928.

The story of the ultimate Honda power cruiser.

How to fly the legendary fighter plane in combat using the manuals and instructions supplied by the RAF during the Second World War. An amazing array of leaflets, books and manuals were issued by the War Office during the Second World War to aid pilots in flying the Supermarine Spitfire, here for the first time and using the original 1940s setting, they are collated into a single book. An introduction is supplied by expert aviation historian Dilip Sarkar. Other sections include aircraft recognition, how to act as an RAF officer, bailing out etc.

This novel, the result of extensive research by the author, expands the Jaws universe, and adds crucial backstory that enhances the experience of watching what many still consider to be the greatest movie ever made.

Matt MacNabb explores one of the most beloved and collectible franchises of all time.

A comprehensive new history of the infamous Vikings. Those men and women raided and traded their way into history whilst at the same time helping to build new nations in Scandinavia and beyond.

'We weren't afraid of the Allies as soldiers, but we were afraid of their materiel - it was going to be men versus machines.'

David Brown was one of Britain's most innovative tractor manufacturers

The inside story of Leyland Tractors both past and present

In the 1960s, Japanese motorcycle manufacturers were eating into the markets in Europe and the United States with genuinely new designs and modern technology. In 1968, Honda dropped its four-cylinder bombshell in the form of the CB750, complete with electric starter, five-speed gearbox and front disc brake. More than that, it offered speed, convenience, reliability and oiltightness, features that were normally mutually exclusive. The first 'superbike' had arrived. In this book, Rod Ker tells the story of the Honda CB750 and its development during the 1970s. The author also covers the Four's subsequent rebirth as a classic, its present iconic status and includes buying advice for the twenty-first century.

The illustrated story of one of the world's most famous tractor brands - the International Harvester Tractors.

A prize-winning biography of one of the foremost intellects of the twentieth century: Claude Shannon, the neglected architect of the Information Age.

In the 1970s, Honda broke the mould again by creating a series of motorcycles that would rule the road for over forty years: the Gold Wing, Honda's premier touring motorcycle. From its super-smooth horizontally opposed engine to its faux tank and low centre of gravity, the Honda Gold Wing is a machine that combines reliability, comfort and style; it can take you hundreds of miles in one day. Through the 1980s and into the twenty-first century, the Gold Wing dominated the touring segment of motorcycling, originally being built for the American market and later being manufactured there. In this book, Peter Rakestrow tells the story of the Honda Gold Wing from the original engineering concept through to 1987, when Honda built the last four-cylinder Gold Wing. Covering detailed changes through the years, this book will appeal to buyers, restorers and collectors alike.

At its height in the late twentieth-century, the Soviet Armed Forces boasted one of the world's largest armies. Yet, in the twenty-five years that have passed since the fall of the Soviet Union, much of its material culture has fast disappeared. Soviet Military Badges: A History and Collector's Guide, therefore, offers the reader a timely tour of a little-known subject within the English language. In its pages are detailed the badges awarded to the officers and men of the Soviet Army, Navy, Air Force and Frontier Guards found during the Cold War era. Captured in full colour and accompanied by a wealth of archive photographs, this book examines such categories as sports badges, proficiency clasps, and awards for excellence from the start of the Cold War in 1949 through to the end of the USSR in 1991. Each section is observed in detail using the obverse and reverse views in order to identify and date each badge, in addition to charting the changes in design and manufacture encountered over time (often helping the reader identify the rarer and more valuable examples). Richard Hollingdale is a writer and academic historian specialising in the armies of the Eastern Bloc. He is a frequent contributor to The Armourer Magazine and has written numerous articles on the Soviet military and other Warsaw Pact nations. His earlier publication, Warsaw Pact Badges, offered the first detailed study of Eastern Bloc badges in the English language. Soviet Military Badges follows this tradition by presenting the reader with a detailed catalogue of Soviet badges that can be used as both a history and a collector's guide.

Pitched into the maelstrom of air fighting in the summer of 1940, twenty-four-year-old Gordon Olive barely lived to tell this extraordinary tale of courage and endurance. As Britain fought alone for its survival, 'the Few' of RAF Fighter Command took to the air grievously outnumbered, many reaching breaking point, exhausted physically and mentally by unreleting, intense combat. Gordon Olive flew the iconic Spitfire for over 125 missions above London and the south-east in the white heat of the aerial battle for supremacy of the skies. One of the most heavily engaged pilots of the Battle, he shot down ten enemy aircraft. This is his story of what it was like to dogfight with Messerschmitts at speeds of 400 mph, experiencing G forces close to blackout, at one moment to be drenched in sweat with exertion, the next to be freezing at 25,000 feet, to smell the cordite of your own fighter's machine guns and feel cannon shells explode against the back of your armoured seat. Illustrated in colour with forty unique paintings of the aerial battle of summer 1940 by the author.

The case of Jack the Ripper and his savage serial killing and horrendous mutilation of five women in the East End of Victorian London is the greatest of all unsolved murder mysteries. For over 100 years the long line of candidates for the bloodstained laurels of Jack the Ripper has been paraded before us. Policemen and Ripperologists have tried in vain to put a name to the faceless silent killer. Richard Whittington-Egan, one of the founding fathers of the search, published, in 1975, his Casebook on Jack the Ripper, now eagerly sought after but long out of print and virtually unobtainable (except at mammoth prices), in which he documented the history, the crimes, the investigations and the investigators. He also included some fundamentally new discoveries and points, such as the real story of the kidney in Mr Lusk's renal post-bag, wrongly said to be that of Catherine Eddowes (Ripper Victim No. 4). The endless nightmare of Jack the Ripper has rolled on, unstoppable, and now Richard Whittington-Egan, in a completely revised and very considerably enlarged edition of the 1975 Casebook, has taken a new look, from a longer perspective, at the theories and the personages who advanced them, from the time of the murders right up to the present day.

Triumph Spitfire & GT6 is an exceptional piece of literature penned by the renowned author, John Nikas. Published in 2019 by Amberley Publishing, this book delves into the captivating world of automobiles, specifically focusing on the iconic models of Triumph Spitfire & GT6. Nikas, with his profound knowledge and passion for cars, takes the readers on an exhilarating journey through the history, design, and legacy of these classic British sports cars. The genre of this book is non-fiction, making it a must-read for car enthusiasts and history buffs alike. The author's meticulous research and engaging writing style make this book a riveting read, providing a deep insight into the world of these iconic cars. Published by Amberley Publishing, known for their diverse range of thought-provoking books, Triumph Spitfire & GT6 stands as a testament to their reputation. This book is a treasure trove of information and is sure to captivate its readers with its rich content and compelling narration.

The truth & the myths about the legless Battle of Britain fighter ace

In this readable and informative book, the author follows the development of the various MG T-Series models, including the prewar Midgets and the MG TC, TD and TF.

The complete letters, dispatches and chronicles that tell the real story of Anne Boleyn.

Merlin remains the most famous and familiar image of the magician we possess. In this new book, Arthurian expert John Matthews examines the many guises of Merlin.

'Dear Sister and Brother, death has been very busy gathering his harvest in this country,' wrote a soldier of the 80th Regiment from the brutal Anglo-Zulu War front in April 1879. 'War in all its horrors has been let loose.'Few wars have captured the imagination as much as this conflict, and foreign names like Isandlwana, Rorke's Drift and Gingindlovu have become entrenched in British military folklore. Eleven Victoria Crosses were earned during the epic bloody battle at Rorke's Drift. Isandlwana to Ulundi is a compelling narrative of Lord Chelmsford's invasion of Zululand to conquer Zulu king Cetshwayo's royal capital of Ulundi. Through soldiers' letters from a ferocious front, war memoirs and other literary sources, a vivid picture is painted of the course of the conflict, the pressures of war on individuals and units, and of the harsh conditions under which they lived, fought and died.

A fascinating insight, derived from a regular feature on the Robert Elms show, into some of the forgotten industries of London, lavishly illustrated throughout.

The incredible story of how the village of Lesmahagow has influenced the world in a variety of fields, from industry to espionage, throughout history.

The full inside story of the iconic Ford Transit by an acknowledged expert

Bitterne & West End Through Time is a unique insight into the illustrious history of this part of Hampshire. Reproduced in full colour, this is an exciting examination of Bitterne and West End, the famous streets and the famous faces, and what they meant to the people in this community throughout the 19th and into the 20th Century. Looking beyond the exquisite exterior of these well-kept photos, readers can see the historical context in which they are set, and through the author's factual captions for every picture and carefully-selected choice of images, the reader can achieve a reliable view of this area's history. Readers are invited to follow a timeline of events and watch the changing face of Bitterne and West End, as Keith Marsh guides us through the local streets. There is something for everyone here, whether they have lived in the area all their lives, or whether they are just visiting. It also shows how photography has continually evolved to keep up with an ever-changing society.

There is a lot of controversy over the history of Stilton cheese: its origins, who first made it, and who now has the rights to the name and recipe. Trevor Hickman has delved into the National Archives to explore the story of this famous cheese. In this new book on the subject, he sets down the facts of the cheese's origin, development and history to the present day. He explains how Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire became the centre for Stilton cheese production and emphasises its importance as a leading area of speciality food production.