Once the preserve of the English, now, for nations the world over, summertime means cricket bats to be oiled, rain forecasts analysed and tea in the pavilion. Cricket has enthralled us since the seventeenth century. But what is it about the game that provokes such fervour? Award-winning sports author Gavin Mortimer calls together a cast of salt-of-the-earth Yorkshiremen, American billionaires and dashing Indian princes to tell the strange and remarkable tale of cricket's journey from medieval village sport of 'club-ball' to the global media circus graced by superstars from Denis Compton to Sachin Tendulkar. If you've ever wanted to know what a hoop skirt has to do with overarm bowling, why England fight Australia over a burnt bail, or how to avoid tickling a jaffa in the corridor of uncertainty, Mortimer chalks up a stunning century of tales in the first truly accessible global history of cricket.

From pre-Beatlemania instruments and outfits to the official announcement of the band's split, and beyond: here are 100 of the most famous or influential objects associated with the Fab Four. Authoritative commentary from distinguished rock music critic Brian Southall accompanies the photographs of each item, revealing its significance in the Beatles' history--whether it's a special place, landmark moment, career-changing achievement, or just a curious day in the life.

Published in collaboration with the National Churches Trust, this fascinating book is a sumptuous and authoritative photographic history of churches in England, as told through the objects inside them. Arranged chronologically from the Roman era to the present day, it covers a huge range of church objects including ornate fonts, beautiful stained glass windows, carved bench ends and rood screens, precious silverware and even church organs, and each piece has a fascinating story to tell. Within these pages, you'll discover: • The Hinton St Mary mosaic in Dorset, created in the early 4th century AD and showing the first depiction of Jesus Christ in Britain. • The full Norman repertoire of abstract geometrical forms displayed in the Tower Arch, St John's Church, Northampton. • The Becket pilgrims represented in glowing medieval stained glass in Canterbury Cathedral. • Exquisitely carved misericords showing scenes from spiritual life through the year in Ripple church, Worcestershire. • Destruction and survival through the Dissolution of the Monasteries at Croyland, Lincolnshire. • Works of art in glass by William Morris and Edward Burne-Jones in Brampton, Cumbria. • Dame Elizabeth Frink's intimate 'Walking Madonna' statue outside Salisbury Cathedral. With all of this and many other glorious treasures of England's Christian history, it's the perfect book for architecture enthusiasts, countryside explorers, dedicated churchgoers and anyone interested in the ongoing story of English churches.

"An enthralling and profoundly humane book that every civilized person should read." --The Wall Street Journal The blockbuster New York Times bestseller and the companion volume to the wildly popular radio series When did people first start to wear jewelry or play music? When were cows domesticated, and why do we feed their milk to our children? Where were the first cities, and what made them succeed? Who developed math--or invented money? The history of humanity is one of invention and innovation, as we have continually created new things to use, to admire, or leave our mark on the world. In this groundbreaking book, Neil MacGregor turns to objects that previous civilizations have left behind to paint a portrait of mankind's evolution, focusing on unexpected turning points. Beginning with a chopping tool from the Olduvai Gorge in Africa and ending with a recent innovation that is transforming the way we power our world, he urges us to see history as a kaleidoscope--shifting, interconnected, constantly surprising. A landmark bestseller, A History of the World in 100 Objects is one f the most unusual and engrossing history books to be published in years. “None could have imagined quite how the radio series would permeate the national consciousness. Well over 12.5 million podcasts have been downloaded since the first programme and more than 550 museums around Britain have launched similar series featuring local history. . . . MacGregor’s voice comes through as distinctively as it did on radio and his arguments about the interconnectedness of disparate societies through the ages are all the stronger for the detail afforded by extra space. A book to savour and start over.” —The Economist

Over 1000 years of royal history told through 100 fascinating objects. From the glory of coronation regalia to coins, from imposing statues to stamps, from distinguished medals to monuments, and from beautiful artworks to Edward VIII's abdication document, each item in this book has a fascinating story to tell. Ordered chronologically by monarch, from Alfred the Great to Queen Elizabeth II, this fully illustrated book takes a regal journey through the centuries. Discover the significance of each object – some famous, others more obscure – and how the royal ruler connected to it shaped the course of history in this celebration of the British monarchy. Featured are William I's eleventh century survey, more famously known as The Domesday Book; the world's first ever postage stamp, the Penny Black, with a cameo-style portrait of Queen Victoria; Edward VIII's abdication document; the written birth announcement of Queen Elizabeth II, placed outside Buckingham Palace as per royal custom; and many more.

Few music groups have been able to sustain a fan base over half a century that is as significant and devoted as those of the Beatles, and this entertaining guide to all things Fab Four rewards those fans with everything they need to know about the band in a one-of-a-kind format. Packed with history, trivia, lists, little-known facts, and must-do adventures that every Beatles fan should undertake, it ranks each item from one to 100. Fans of any generation will appreciate the songs, albums, places, personalities, and events that are relived and revealed from five decades of Beatles lore.

Authored by award-winning historian Jock Phillips, The History of New Zealand in 100 Objects is gripping, inclusive, often revelatory and deeply human. A colourful and characterful retelling of our shared past, relevant to today, particular to all of us. The sewing kete of an unknown 18th-century Maori woman; the Endeavour cannons that fired on waka in 1769; the bagpipes of an Irish publican Paddy Galvin; the school uniform of Harold Pond, a Napier Tech pupil in the Hawke’s Bay quake; the Biko shields that tried to protect protestors during the Springbok tour in 1981; Winston Reynolds’ remarkable home-made Hokitika television set, the oldest working TV in the country; the soccer ball that was a tribute to Tariq Omar, a victim of the Christchurch Mosque shootings, and so many more – these are items of quiet significance and great personal meaning, taonga carrying stories that together represent a dramatic, full-of-life history for everyday New Zealanders.