Books published by Reaktion Books

As he charts the history of language from the times of Homo erectus, Neanderthal humans and Homo sapiens through to the nineteenth century, when the science of linguistics was developed, Steven Roger Fischer analyses the emergence of language as a science and its development as a written form. He considers the rise of pidgin, creole, jargon and slang, as well as the effects radio and television, propaganda, advertising and the media are having on language today. Looking to the future, he shows how electronic media will continue to reshape and re-invent the ways in which we communicate.

The Dragon traces the history of ideas about dragons and asks what exactly it might be in our imaginations that appears to have necessitated such a creature for thousands of years.

Burned Alive challenges the accepted history of astronomy and shows how cosmology led Bruno bravely to his death.

All aboard for a delicious ride on nine legendary railway journeys! Food on the Move focuses on the culinary history of these famous journeys on five continents, from the earliest days of rail travel to the present, and includes recipes taken from historical menus and contributed by contemporary chefs.

Explores the riotous realm of marginal art to be found protuding from the edges of medieval buildings and in the margins of manuscripts.

In Ukraine: A Nation on the Borderland, Karl Schloegel presents a picture of a country which lies on Europe's borderland and in Russia's shadow. As well as exploring this present-day confrontation, Schloegel provides detailed, fascinating historical portraits of a panoply of Ukraine's major cities.

Zebra is a comprehensive and wide-ranging study of the natural and cultural history of this popular animal.

Ugliness: A Cultural History explores perceptions of ugliness through history, from ancient Roman feasts to medieval grotesque gargoyles, and from Dr Frankenstein's monster to the Nazi Exhibition of Degenerate Art. Covering literature, art, music and even Uglydolls, the book reveals how ugliness has long posed a challenge to aesthetics and taste.

Bountiful Empire: A History of Ottoman Cuisine examines the foodways of the Ottoman Empire as they changed and evolved over more than five centuries.

In The Greeks, Philip Matyszak illuminates the Greek soldiers, statesmen, scientists and philosophers who, though they seldom - if ever - set foot on the Greek mainland, nevertheless laid the foundations of what we call 'Greek culture' today.

In this ground-breaking book Alison Green provides the first critical history of visual artists curating exhibitions.

Niccolo Guicciardini's enlightening biography offers an accessible introduction to Newton's celebrated work in mathematics, optics and astronomy and to how Newton viewed these scientific fields in relation to his quest for the deepest secrets of the universe, matter theory and religion.

Dan Torre uniquely explores the natural, cultural and social history of cacti - with particular emphasis on how these remarkable plants have been represented in art, literature, cinema, animation and popular culture around the world.

A unique exploration of the biology and history of sheep, as well as their place in literature and the other creative arts.

A new, critical account of the life and work of influential French painter Paul Cezanne.

Lorna Piatti-Farnell describes the story of how this fruit (which is technically a berry) has become one of the most popular foods on the planet.

An exploration of how 'north' has been represented in art and literature.

A new critical biography of Leon Trotsky, a strong leader of Soviets and one of the most important figures of twentieth-century Communism. This biography delves deep into Trotsky's life and relationships to reveal and understand his complex character and actions.

In this comprehensive global history, Alan Mayne explores the evolution and meaning of the 'slum', from its origins in London early in the nineteenth century to its use to describe favela communities in the lead up to the Rio de Janeiro Olympic games in 2016.

Kiff Bamford traces the circuitous journey of Jean-Francois Lyotard life and work, unravelling the thrust of Lyotard's main philosophical arguments, his struggle with thinking and his confrontation with the task of writing and thinking philosophy differently.

Sting: From Northern Skies to Fields of Gold is the first book to examine the relationship between Sting's working-class background in Newcastle, his subsequent life and the creativity and inspiration behind his music.

Magnificent and mysterious, Tibet has been a source of fascination for outsiders for centuries, and its grand landscapes and vibrant culture have especially captivated photographers. But the country is both geographically and politically challenging, and access from the outside has never been easy. With this book, Clare Harris offers the first historical survey of photography in Tibet and the Himalayas, telling the intriguing stories of both Tibetans and foreigners who have attempted to document the region's wonders on film. Harris combines extensive research in museums and archives with her own fieldwork in Tibetan communities to present materials that have never been examined before--including the earliest known photograph taken in Tibet, dating to 1863. She looks at the experimental camera-work of Tibetan monks--including the thirteenth Dalai Lama--and the creations of contemporary Tibetan photographers and artists. With every image she explores the complex religious, political, and cultural climate in which it was produced. Stunningly illustrated, this book will appeal to anyone interested in the dramatic history of Tibet since the mid-nineteenth century and its unique entanglements with aesthetics and modernity.