Böcker av Simon Jenkins

READERS OF EUROPEAN HISTORY WILL LOVE THIS GIFT!"Simon Jenkins has provided a feast for both eyes and mind in this sumptuously illustrated guide to Europe's greatest cathedrals" John Barton, author of A History of the Bible"As ever, Simon Jenkins is here the best sort of guide to some of Europe's greatest buildings and their settings: well-informed, elegantly opinionated and passionate" Diarmaid MacCulloch, author of Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years__________________________Europe's cathedrals are magnificent. They outstrip palaces and castles. They are the most sensational group of structures anywhere in the world - which everyone should 'see before they die'. They are also hugely popular, most of them absolutely packed. They are humankind's greatest creations.In Europe's 100 Best Cathedrals, Simon Jenkins has travelled the continent - from Chartres to York, Cologne to Florence, Toledo to Moscow and Stockholm to Seville - to illuminate old favourites and highlight new discoveries. Beautifully illustrated with colour photographs throughout, this joyous exploration of Europe's history tells the stories behind these wonders, showing the cathedral's central role in the European imagination. Readers will be inspired to make their own pilgrimage to all one hundred of them.

The global powerhouse that is the United States of America is younger even than the British Museum, Guinness and the flushing toilet. In 2026 it will celebrate its 250th birthday. How did this vast land, long inhabited by diverse indigenous cultures, come to be dominated by English speakers? How has it grappled with the stark contradictions between its ideals of liberty and the grim reality of genocide and slavery?This extraordinary collection of fifty distinct states has weathered immense - and recent - challenges, including a Civil War that was still raging as the first London Underground station opened. How did this melting pot of peoples and ideas not only endure but rise to dominate global politics, commerce, culture and warfare? What insights does this rich history offer about an increasingly divided nation - and the world that moves to its rhythm?A Short History of America is rich with vivid characters - from arrogant conquistadors and idealistic revolutionaries to imperial presidents - and presents a narrative so astonishing it often feels like fake news. This is a gripping must-read for anyone seeking to make sense of our world today.

The 2023/24 edition of the drinker's essential guide to the brewers and beers of God's own county.

The author of the magisterial England's Thousand Best Churches turns his eye to England's cathedrals, with fascinating, personal - and often funny - insight into their history and their place in English life.

A gently satirical take on some of the weird and wonderful ways in which people express their religious attitudes and beliefs

A trawl through 63 cosmopolitan Leeds, calling in at dozens of popular watering holes. Along with descriptions of the beers, pubs & adventures The Great Leeds Pub Crawl also contains fascinating asides about local history, the story of brewing in the city, and suggests plenty of alternative routes to keep even the thirstiest pub-crawler satisfied.

The author has travelled the length and breadth of England to select his thousand best churches. Organised by county, each church is described - often with delightful asides - and given a star-rating from one to five. In this title, he contends that these churches house a gallery of vernacular art without equal in the world.

The history of Britain in the last thirty years, under both Conservative and Labour governments, has been dominated by one figure - Margaret Thatcher. Her election marked a decisive break with the past and her premiership transformed not just her country, but the nature of democratic leadership. In his 'argued history' Simon Jenkins analyses this revolution from its beginnings in the turmoil of the 1970s through the social and economic changes of the 1980s. Was Thatcherism a mere medicine for an ailing economy or a complete political philosophy? And did it eventually fall victim to the dogmatism and control which made it possible? This is the story of the events, personalities, defeats and victories which will be familiar to all those who lived through them, but seen through a new lens. It is also an argument about how Thatcher's legacy has continued down to the present. Not just John Major, but Tony Blair and Gordon Brown are her heirs and acolytes. And as the Conservative party reinvents itself as a viable political force once again, is the age of Thatcher finally over?