Includes more than 30 maps, plans and illustrations The fall of Singapore, the “Gibraltar of the East”, struck by the Imperial Japanese troops during the lightning Malaya campaign of 1942 was a great shock to the Allied cause during the Second World War. No less a person than Prime Minister Winston Churchill assessed it as the “worst disaster” and the “largest capitulation” in British military history. 85,000 British, Indian and Australian troops were marched into the captivity with 50,000 others who had been captured already in the campaign, their fate was to be a barbaric fate in the hands of the Japanese. Their commanders were to be made scapegoats and pilloried for not stopping the disaster, but the true blame in large part lies elsewhere... Australian General Henry Gordon Bennett’s account of the disaster is a gripping defence of his part in the campaign. Sent troops who were ill-equipped, with no experience, and little proper training; the Singapore command attempted to defend their position. Impregnable from seaborne assault, the walls, bastions and fixed positions were no help against the inland advance of the Japanese and with few antiquated fighters to protect them against the heavy air bombardment the Gordon Bennett and his men struggled against the odds. Starved of reinforcements, withheld in Australia and Great Britain, the men and their commanders had to do the best with what they had. In this fascinating book it would seem like the island fortress was doomed from the start in spite of the misguided high hopes of the high command.

This is a biography of Bennett, the founder, editor and publisher of the New York Herald. After many failed attempts at starting a newspaper, Bennett began the Herald in May 1835. Bennett was known for a lot of journalism "firsts," including the pay-in-advance policy for advertisers, adding illustrations produced from woodcuts, and, in 1839, being granted the first exclusive interview with a United States President, Martin Van Buren. While the Herald was officially independent in its politics, Bennett endorsed William Henry Harrison, Zachary Taylor, James K. Polk, Franklin Pierce, and John C. Frémont. He supported James Buchanan as tensions rose over slavery and endorsed John C. Breckinridge for the 1860 presidential campaign, then shifted to John Bell. He promoted George B. McClellan in 1864. Bennett favored the Union, although he opposed Abraham Lincoln, he later took the lead to turn the president into a martyr after his assassination. He favored most of Andrew Johnson's Reconstruction proposals. By the time Bennett turned control of the Herald over to his son James Jr. in 1866, it had the highest circulation in America. However, under the younger Bennetts' stewardship, the paper declined, and, after his death, it was merged with the New York Tribune.

Over the past two decades, there have been a series of events that have brought into question the concept and practice of free expression. In this new book, Winston provides an account of the current state of freedom of expression in the western world. He analyses all the most pertinent cases of conflict during the last two decades - including the fatwa against Salman Rushdie, the incident of the Danish cartoons and offended celebrities - examining cultural, legal and journalistic aspects of each case. A Right to Offend offers us a deeper understanding of the increasingly threatening environment in which free speech operates and is defended, as well as how it informs and is central to journalism practice and media freedom more generally. It is important reading for all those interested in freedom of expression in the twenty-first century.

Ever wondered where the sayings we commonly use originate from? Sometimes the things we say, if we really think about it, make absolutely no logical sense. Why on earth has a cat got my tongue? Why does a wall have ears? And why the heck are my ears burning? Why would I possibly want to break a leg? If you think you know the answers, you might be close but have no cigar and if you don’t want to wake up on the wrong side of the bed or even worse, wait until you kick the bucket then you may want to step up to the plate and read on. Now I certainly don’t want to read the Riot Act on you and I think by hook or by crook if you read this book you’ll be happy as Larry and as pleased as Punch. I don’t want to be a clever clogs but by and large I think you’ll have a field day with what you’ll discover, if you catch my drift?

Interviewing for Journalists focuses on the central journalistic skill of how to ask the right questions in the right way. It is a practical and concise guide for all print and online journalists – professionals, students and trainees – who write news stories and features for newspapers, magazines and online publications. In the age of digital journalism, where computer-based research is easily available, this new edition seeks to emphasise the value of getting out there, engaging with people directly and building relationships to create original and meaningful media content. Interviewing for Journalists highlights the many different approaches to interviewing, from vox pops and press conferences to news interviews and in-depth profiles. This third edition features brand new interviews with some of the most successful journalists in the industry, including Camilla Long of The Sunday Times, Heidi Blake of BuzzFeed UK, Brian Viner of the Daily Mail and award-winning freelance writers Cole Moreton and Stephanie Rafanelli. It covers every stage of interviewing, such as research, fixing interviews, structuring questions, body language, how to get vivid quotes and how to handle challenging interviews. The third edition of Interviewing for Journalists includes: advice on how to carry out face-to-face, telephone and online interviews; tips on taking notes, shorthand and recording interviews; guidance on dealing with different interviewees, such as celebrities, politicians and vulnerable people; interviewing tasks to put your journalistic skills into practice; a discussion of ethical and legal issues by Professor Tim Crook of Goldsmiths, University of London.