A towering figure in the history of Jordan, King Hussein reigned for nearly half a century, from his grandfather's assassination in 1953 to his own death in 1999. In this fascinating biography, Nigel Ashton recounts the eventful life of the king who not only survived but flourished amidst crisis after crisis as ruler of a poor desert nation surrounded by powerful and hostile neighbors. Hussein skillfully navigated complicated relationships with the British, his fellow Arab leaders, the new bordering state of Israel, masses of dispossessed Palestinians within his kingdom, every U.S. president from Eisenhower to Clinton, and every British prime minister from Churchill to Blair. This book illuminates the private man, his key relationships, and his achievements and disappointments as a central player in the tough world of Middle Eastern politics.Ashton has had unique access to King Hussein's private papers, including his secret correspondence with U.S., British, and Israeli leaders, and he has also conducted numerous interviews with members of Hussein's circle and immediate family. The resulting book brings new depth to our understanding of the popular and canny king while also providing new information about the wars of 1967 and 1973, President Reagan's role in the Iran-Contra affair, the evolution of the Middle East peace process, and much more.
Nigel J. Ashton analyses Anglo-American relations during a crucial phase of the Cold War. He argues that although policy-makers on both sides of the Atlantic used the term 'interdependence' to describe their relationship this concept had different meanings in London and Washington. The Kennedy Administration sought more centralized control of the Western alliance, whereas the Macmillan Government envisaged an Anglo-American partnership. This gap in perception gave rise to a 'crisis of interdependence' during the winter of 1962-3, encompassing issues as diverse as the collapse of the British EEC application, the civil war in the Yemen, the denouement of the Congo crisis and the fate of the British independent nuclear deterrent.
This study brings together the expertise of an international group of scholars to survey the development of political and economic relations between Britain and the Netherlands from the Napoleonic era to the present day. It illuminates both the underlying refrain of harmony in international outlook, ideology and interests that often made for close co-operation between the two countries, and also their episodic instances of conflict. The contributors address topics ranging from Anglo-Dutch relations in the era of imperialism; the tensions created by Dutch neutrality in the First World; the challenges of the inter-war years; the role of the Dutch in British strategy during the Second World War; colonialism and decolonisation; and, most recently, bilateral relations in the European framework. Based on detailed research in British and Dutch archives, Unspoken Allies provides new insights into relations between two of the principal "amphibious" powers of Europe across the last two centuries.
For Britain, this study reveals that it was the Iraqi Revolution rather than Suez which led to a redefinition of strategy in the region, and a concentration on the defence of her oil interests in the Gulf.
The years 1955-59 were a vital transitional period for the Anglo-American relationship in the Middle East. British and American leaders sought to protect cold war and oil interests in the region against the background of a renaissance of Arab nationalism personified by the Egyptian leader Nasser. With the aid of extensive declassified official documentation, this study traces the British and American responses to the Turco-Iraqi Pact of 1955, the Suez crisis, the Syrian crisis of 1957, the outbreak of civil strife in Lebanon, and the Iraqi Revolution of 1958. It shows how the differing priorities of the two powers in the region promoted a patchwork of confrontation and cooperation over Middle Eastern questions. For Britain, this study reveals that it was the Iraqi Revolution rather than Suez which led to a redefinition of strategy in the region, and a concentration on the defence of her oil interests in the Gulf.
This paper explores the transformation of mental health services over recent decades asseses whether this can be compared to current policy aspirations for physical health care. Drawing on workshops with those involved in the changes and a review of published literature, the paper explores the context and factors that enabled change.
At last, we can say the word love at work. We can acknowledge what has been true all along: love is what works at work. Love has been just outside the office door for centuries. We have heard its knock, but we have said, not here . Some enlightened leaders have recently moved to, not yet . But finally, Nigel Cutts has said, now . In this beautiful book he has opened the door. He has done this because love is what produces results. People perform best when they are loved: when they are respected, when they can soar because of who they are their experience, their talents, their capacity, their intelligence is cherished. We all know this. Now we can stop believing the nonsense. We can stop putting off putting love on the top of the list of required expertise in leaders.
This is a collection of the author's articles spanning many publications and covering energy, materials, regulation, and supply chain. Most of the innovations in these areas we hardly notice and take for granted. Inside, you will discover little known facts about "the miraculous material," nuclear power, and digital supply chain networks. Some of the articles also address the "enemies of innovation," bad ideas and policies that undermine innovation and progress.
The outbreak of the Second World War came towards the closing stages of the 1939 cricket season. Hitler permitted us almost to complete an exceptionally interesting season, Sir Home Gordon, wrote in the Cricketer magazine, When shall we see the stumps pitched again?As the West Indies touring team canceled their last five matches and sailed home before the U-boat threat developed, the treasures at Lords, including the Ashes, were sent to a secret location for safekeeping. The Marylebone Cricket Club cancelled its tour to India - England played under the MCC banner then.During the ensuing conflict twelve test cricketers (five English, two South Africans, one Australian and one New Zealander) perished together with 130 first class players. In this superbly researched sequel to Final Wicket, covering cricketing fatalities during The Great War, this book reveals each mans career details, including cricketing statistics, and the circumstances of death. There is also a brief history of the game during the War. Arguably the period between the two world wars was the golden age of cricket, and this book honors those who made it so only to die serving their countries in a different way.
The year is 1955. A time when international travel is reserved for the privileged few, Andy Marshall, an 18 year old National Service conscript from Plymouth, finds himself posted to the other side of the world. Soon after his arrival at RAF Changi, Singapore, he is sent on detached duty to a staging post on a remote island in the South China Sea, close to the mainland of Borneo.His nine month tour of duty there is filled with a succession of bizarre experiences as he attempts to adjust to living and working with the 30-strong complement of Airmen, led by an eccentric Station Commander. Andy returns to Changi where his unusual exploits, both on and off duty, continue unabated. Throughout his service in the Far East, he is left to reflect on the wisdom of a last-minute marriage proposal prior to his departure from England.His two years of service for Queen and Country completed, he returns home to re-adjust to civilian life, only to discover the lengthy period of separation from his fiancée has had a profound effect on their relationship. Meanwhile, his thoughts are filled with memories of the his time overseas, particularly the camaraderie amongst his fellow men. A re-union of former colleagues takes place but with surprising consequences...A Long Way from Home is a work of fiction inspired by the author’s personal experiences. It paints a wickedly humorous and perceptive picture from an era when National Service was accepted almost without question. Given the continuing debate of the desirability of re-introducing some form of compulsory military service, this novel throws a light on how, over half a century ago, one young man coped a long way from home.
The recent development of ideas on biodiversity conservation was already being considered almost three-quarters of a century ago for crop plants and the wild species related to them, by the Russian geneticist N.!. Vavilov. He was undoubtedly the first scientist to understand the impor tance for humankind of conserving for utilization the genetic diversity of our ancient crop plants and their wild relatives from their centres of diversity. His collections showed various traits of adaptation to environ mental extremes and biotypes of crop diseases and pests which were unknown to most plant breeders in the first quarter of the twentieth cen tury. Later, in the 1940s-1960s scientists began to realize that the pool of genetic diversity known to Vavilov and his colleagues was beginning to disappear. Through the replacement of the old, primitive and highly diverse land races by uniform modem varieties created by plant breed ers, the crop gene pool was being eroded. The genetic diversity of wild species was equally being threatened by human activities: over-exploita tion, habitat destruction or fragmentation, competition resulting from the introduction of alien species or varieties, changes and intensification of land use, environmental pollution and possible climate change.
The story of the second half of Nigel's career as one of the most famous referees in World Rugby and one of only two Welsh referees ever to officiate at a Rugby World Cup Final, including the full story of his last Rugby World Cup in 2019.
This book provides details of the dart tournament results within the UK. The tournaments are located in England, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Besides tournament results, there are useful links to various dart websites for County darts, links to country's dart associations, dart manufacturers and a bibiliography of books and magazines published on darts.
Bristol is a major city and port in the south-west of England. In medieval times, it became the third largest city in the kingdom, behind London and York. Bristol was founded in the late Saxon period and grew rapidly in the 12th and 13th centuries. Initially, seaborne trading links with Ireland and France were particularly significant; later, from the 16th century onwards, the city became a focus for trade with Iberia, Africa, and the New World. This led to the growth of new industries such as brass manufacture, glass production and sugar refining, producing items for export, and processing imported raw materials. Bristol also derived wealth from the slave trade between Africa and the New World. The city has a long history of antiquarian and archaeological investigation. This volume provides, for the first time, a comprehensive overview of the historical development of Bristol, based on archaeological and architectural evidence. Part 1 describes the geological and topographical context of Bristol and discusses evidence for the environment prior to the foundation of the city. The history of archaeological work in Bristol is discussed in detail, as is the pictorial record and the cartographic evidence for the city. In Part 2, a series of period-based chapters considers the historical background and archaeological evidence for Bristol’s development from the prehistoric, Roman, and post-Roman eras through the establishment and growth of Bristol between about 950 and 1200 AD; the medieval city; early modern period; and the period from 1700 to 1900 AD, when Bristol was particularly important for its role in transatlantic trade. Each chapter discusses the major civic, military, and religious monuments of the time and the complex topographical evolution of the city. Part 3 assesses the significance of Bristol’s archaeology and presents a range of themes for future research.
Traces the history of good fortune traditions from sacred divination to modern gambling • Reveals how dice were originally considered sacred objects of divination and details the techniques and meanings of a dice oracle • Looks at medieval grimoires for fortune-telling and other divination traditions, including those using cowrie shells, bones, coins, cards, sticks, and stones • Examines how dice became a means of gaming and gambling and how gambling gave rise to specialized lucky charms Some believe that our future is predetermined, while others assert that we have free will and our future can take many different courses depending on our actions. In ancient times, it was believed that the will of the gods determined people’s lives, and divination or sacrifices to the gods could change or improve one’s future. Of the deities devoted to luck and the future, the Roman goddess Fortuna is most famous, having two shrines in Italy where divination was conducted under her guardianship. Tracing the history of the culture of good fortune from sacred divination to profane gambling, Nigel Pennick explores the many ways people through the centuries have sought to divine the future, ensure protection, and draw the full benefits from days of good omen. He shows how dice were originally considered sacred objects of divination and reveals the divinatory geomancy techniques and meanings of a dice oracle. In addition to dice, he looks at how cowrie shells, bones, coins, cards, sticks, and stones can be used to form meaningful patterns for interpretation and how these cultural divination practices were often accompanied by texts or oral traditions that explained the meanings of the patterns, such as the Chinese I Ching and the West African verses of the Sixteen Cowries. He also looks at medieval grimoires for fortune-telling, lottery books, and dice books. Exploring how dice became a means of gaming and gambling, the author details the forms of trickery and “crooked dice” used in games of craps by cheating gamblers and the Dream Books or Policy Books that served as oracles for those who played the “Numbers Racket.” He examines how gambling gave rise to specialized lucky charms, luck-ensuring rituals, and even mascots. He also explores the emergence of ideas of randomness as they relate to divination and magic. Revealing how divination and gambling are two sides of the same coin, the author shows how, whether you are a gambler relying on Lady Luck or a diviner querying the gods, we’re all looking to Fortuna in the quest for a better, richer life.
Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few' Seventy-five years on the unforgettable words of Winston Churchill ring as powerfully as they did in August 1940 when the young men of the RAF stood as the last line of defence against Hitler's far more powerful Luftwaffe.This emotional yet factual book describes the three and a half months (10 July 31 October 1940) battle day-by-day and covers the essential details of every one of the 540 young pilots who died in this critical campaign that saved Britain from invasion by the Nazis.Thanks to the authors painstaking research we are given a short biography of each pilots and learn of their actions and the manner of their deaths, their squadrons and planes.The result is a unique record and fitting memorial of the courage and sacrifice of this select band of heroes. The text is enhanced by photographs of the individuals themselves.
British Royal Navy Captain James Cook's voyages of exploration across and around the Pacific Ocean were a marvel of maritime achievement, and provided the first accurate map of the Pacific. The expeditions answered key scientific, economic, and geographic questions, and inspired some of the most influential images of the Pacific made by Europeans. Now readers can immerse themselves in the adventure through the collections of London's National Maritime Museum, which illuminate every aspect of the voyages: oil paintings of lush landscapes, scientific and navigational instruments, ship plans, globes, charts and maps, rare books and manuscripts, coins and medals, ethnographic material, and personal effects. Each artifact holds a story that sheds light on Captain Cook, the crews he commanded, and the effort's impact on world history. Showcasing one of the richest resources of Cook-related material in the world, this publication invites readers to engage with the extraordinary voyages--manifested in material culture--and their continuing significance today.
Three previous Brexits, each of which had a different cause and a different outcome, are analysed and contrasted to the current Brexit, begging the question "what happens next?
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