[b]Rating[/b]: 5 out of 5 stars Kathryn Warner’s account of the Black Death is a compelling and often upsetting read. She brings the unimaginable reality onto stark life with reference to real families and the tragedies they suffered. Given that there are very few written records of the time, I can only imagine that her research has been both challenging and extensive. I’ve enjoyed her approach to this heartbreaking story. The scene is initially set pre plague in the first months of 1348. Edward III is monarch and Britain is at war with France. Chaucer was a child and the detail about a select few individuals gives real texture to the setting. The rest of the book considers the plague county by county with family stories recounted in convincing and, I’m sure, authentic detail. As awful as it was, it’s the first time I’ve read a book about the Black Death that really hits home. I felt as if I got to know some of those affected and shared their distress and sense of fear as the.. Read more
NetGalley, Anita Wallas

"This has been another highly readable account by the author. His research includes many sources translated into English for the first time. It is a subject that I have read about previously, yet found much new information included. Highly recommended." Read the full review [link=https://historybookchat.blogspot.com/2025/04/battle-for-norway.html]here[/link]
History Book Chat

The Norwegian Campaign has been covered in many books and most try to package all the events into just one volume. Geirr Haarr's knowledge on the subject shines throughout. Despite being written in 2009, I would describe this book as an essential read on Norway and a fascinating one at that. Read the full review [link=https://historybookchat.blogspot.com/2025/04/german-invasion-of-norway.html]here[/link]
History Book Chat

[b]Rating[/b]: 5 out of 5 stars If you’re visiting Madrid, this is an ideal travel companion. It will certainly help any visitor to make the most of their stay, with invaluable information about the places of interest and some incredible places to eat. With such a vast selection of restaurants and bars, it’s always difficult as a stranger to know which to choose. My aunt lives in Madrid, right in the middle of the golden triangle and I mentioned some of the establishments to her. She was familiar with most of them and endorsed the author’s selection. The book is well laid out, so it’s easy to plan a visit and navigate an area using this guide. It’s packed with photos of buildings and areas of cultural interest and more than that, there’s a lot of information about the city of Madrid, how it developed and its significance in Spanish history. It’s more than a guide, packed with information and as an armchair visitor, with the colour plates, I felt as if I’d actually spent.. Read more
NetGalley, Anita Wallas

This is a fascinating book on the conflict written by an officer who clearly has a great deal of knowledge. It is interesting that he makes it very clear that Ukraine was invaded, rather than the suggestion that was made by the White House recently, that it was the other way around. The scene is well set before the detail on a number of battles during 2023. The narrative is packed with statistics that are not generally available, some of which are:- “The support package from the US for one F16 is the same cost as 27,637 155mm artillery shells.” “In August Crowd Funding purchased 10,000 drones” “ultimately in this year 100,000 drones of all types were manufactured and sent to the front” “In 2 months of fighting one Ukrainian Brigade had lost 50 of it 99 Bradley IFV”. The writer draws a number of parallels with the 2nd WW. As an example the initial drone strikes on Moscow are compared to the Doolittle raid on Tokyo. To me the book demonstrates the change in warfare that drones.. Read more
Brian Smyth - York Model Engineers Newsletter