History & Humanities

Why do disasters happen and can they ever be predicted or prevented? From natural mega-eruptions to terrifying man-made catastrophes, read what the expert investigators have to say about these lethal real-life disasters. Even if you want to, you will not be able to lo... read more

1661 is a year of destiny for France and its young King, Louis XIV. Cardinal Mazarin, the prime minister who has reigned throughout the king's early years, lies dying. As a fierce power struggle develops to succeed him, a religious brotherhood, guardian of a centuries old secret, al... read more

From Buddha and Muhammad to King and Mandela, from the discovery of fire to the invention of the World Wide Web, and from Romeo and Juliet to Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, this is a thorough and thoroughly entertaining compendium of important people and events.

The one illustrated book that tells the complete, heart-stopping story of the legendary ship.
"A fantastic book... The 882-1/2 answers in this book truly are amazing -- both for the scope of information they cover as well ... read more

In a BBC poll in 2002, Isambard Kingdom Brunel was voted the second-greatest Briton of all time, only eclipsed by Churchill. It's often claimed that that through his ships, bridges, tunnels and railways Brunel played a critical role in creating the modern world. In the ... read more

Kith is Jay Griffiths's passionate polemic in defence of childhood. In Kith, Jay Griffiths seeks to discover why we deny our children the freedoms of space, time and the natural world. Visiting communities as far apart as West Papua and the Arctic, as well ... read more

Vikings at War presents a sumptuous depiction of how the Vikings waged war: their weapons technology, offensive and defensive warfare, military traditions and tactics, their fortifications, ships and command structure. It also portrays the Viking raids and conquest campaig... read more

Why is Nelson a pocket GIANT? Because he was a brilliant and charismatic war-leader. Because he was a superb naval tactician. Because he saved Britain from Napoleonic invasion. Because he was a 'hero'.

Edward Jenner is a giant of modern medicine. Throughout history, smallpox had plagued humanity with disfigurement, blindness, and death. It was an incurable blight, the suffering of which Jenner helped bring to an end. Surmising from the immunity of milkmaids tha... read more

With intricate cut-paper collages that reveal the insides of some of the world's most fascinating structures, this book shows how the purpose of these buildings greatly influenced their designs, locations, and materials used in construction. Full color.

The Diary of Anne Frank is one of the most famous - and bestselling - books of all time. Yet the girl who wrote it remains an enigma. The real Anne Frank has been lost, hidden behind the phenomenon that her posthumously published Diary produced. This concise biograp... read more

Why did the sacking of rugby player Israel Folau over his social media posts become one of the nation's most polarizing controversies? How could one man's religious views activate so many people in modern Australia? And what does the sides people found themselves on tell us... read more