History & geography corner

Cancel the American mind Greg Lukianoff , Ricky Schlott Why bother refuting your opponents, when you can simply take away their platform or their career? First Amendment attorney Greg Lukianoff collaborates with Ricky Schlott to show how the trend of intolerance on American college...

Is the river alive? Robert MacFarlane At its core is a revolutionary idea: that rivers are not just materials for human use, but living things—and should be recognized as such in fiction and law. Inspired by activists, artists, and legislators from the emerging "rights...

The siege Ben McIntyre On April 30, 1980, six heavily armed gunmen stormed the Iranian embassy in Princes Gate, overlooking Hyde Park in London. They took 26 hostages, including embassy staff, visitors, and three British citizens. A tense six-day siege followed as millions of...

Who is the government? Michael Lewis Government is a vast and complex system that citizens pay for, revolt against, rely on, ignore, and celebrate. It is also our shared resource for addressing society's biggest problems. It is made up of people, mostly unrecognized and...

Chernobyl Roulette Serhiy Plokhy On February 24, 2022, the first day of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, armored vehicles approached the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in northern Ukraine. This was the shortest route to the capital, and a particularly reckless plan after the disaster...

The coming storm Gabriel Gatehouse “A brilliant, slightly terrifying novel about outcasts, misinformation and manipulation” - The Guardian "A superb storyteller" - The Telegraph "Gabriel wades into the dark depths of our American lives, armed with his trademark British charm. He emerges with a...

speaking in tongues J.M. Coetzee , Mariana Dimopoulos This is a book about languages, what they can and can't do. In this conversation between a Nobel laureate and a pioneering translator, provocative ideas emerge about the evolution of language and the challenge of translation....

People of deceit Tabitha Stanmore The Cunning People transports us to a time when magic was used to solve everyday problems—as well as some of deadly importance. “A wonderful book, written with intelligence and vigor.” Malcolm Gaskill, author of The Desolation of All Witches...

Cold War world Vladislav Zubok Why did the Cold War erupt so rapidly after World War II? How did it escalate so rapidly, spanning five continents over six decades? And what led to the spectacular collapse of the Soviet Union? In this comprehensive guide...

What is freedom of expression? Fara Dabhoiwala “Freedom of expression!” is a resounding cry around the world, yet its meaning today is more contested than ever. Many cultures view it as dangerous: in China, India, and the Islamic world, unorthodox views on politics, sex,...

The Golden Throne Christopher de Bellaigue Istanbul, 1538. The greatest of the Ottoman sultans is at the pinnacle of world power, while his family and his future are at the mercy of their own dynastic law: whichever of his five sons succeeds him must...

America, America Greg Grandin The story of the United States' unique sense of self was shaped by the South—just as the looming giant to the North indelibly marked the story of Latin America. In this stunning and original new interpretation of the New World,...

Allies in war Tim Bouverie A remarkable history of the alliance that won the war and made the peace, by the author of the Sunday Times bestseller Appeasing Hitler "A stunning achievement. A gripping, wide-ranging, and engaging narrative... absolutely brilliant." - James Holland After...

Historians and historical writing in the Arabian Peninsula in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries AH Author: Muhammad Abdullah Al-Za'arir The book highlights the important role played by historians from the Arabian Peninsula in documenting the history of their countries during the twelfth and thirteenth...

Al Qawasim in Oman Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi In 2021, I wrote a book titled "The Decisive Word: On the History and Genealogy of the Qawasim," which took forty years to research. In those days, I was unable to write about...

Explorers and Discoverers Author: Hussein Hamad Hussein Al-Faqih The book in our hands presents a translation of the essence of various types of human sciences; geography, history, and anthropology together, by men who provided these sciences and knowledge about the other world that was...

History of Applied Sciences in Islamic Civilization Author: Hussein Hamad Hussein Al-Faqih The contribution of Muslims to applied sciences had a significant impact on the development and enrichment of these sciences. They were pioneers in many fields, including medicine, geography, navigation, astronomy, mathematics, geology,...

Tales of Zanzibar Author: George Bateman A collection of folk tales commonly spoken in Zanzibar, translated from Swahili into English by George W. Bateman, the book ranges in literary style and narrative from the general tale to the cumulative tale, which relies on the...

The story of geographical discovery Author: Joseph Jacobs Geographical discovery was concerned with the gradual advancement in knowledge of the civilizations of the nations surrounding the Mediterranean, in those vast expanses of land extending in all directions. The task of geographical discovery was limited...

Spread of myths Author: Mary D. Jones - Larry Flaxman The book highlights the urgent need to delve deeper into the importance of ancient symbolism as part of humanity's past and present. It is at the core of our very selves and represents an...