A rollicking tour of the English country home after World War II, when swinging London collided with aristocratic values As the sun set slowly on the British Empire, its mansions fell and rose. Ancient families were reduced to demolishing the parts of their stately homes they could no longer afford, dukes and duchesses desperately clung to their ancestral seats, and a new class of homeowners bought their way into country life. A delicious romp, Noble Ambitions pulls us into these crumbling halls of power, leading us through the juiciest bits of postwar aristocratic history—from Mick Jagger dancing at deb balls to the scandals of Princess Margaret. Capturing the spirit of the age, historian Adrian Tinniswood proves that the country house is not only an iconic symbol, but a lens through which to understand the shifting fortunes of the British elite in an era of monumental social change.

First Published in 2004. Four things dominated the life of the mediaeval noble: warfare, politics, land and family. It is with these central themes that this book is concerned. It encompasses the whole of the upper segment of the late medieval society; examines the relation of social status and political influence; describes the noble household and council; examines in detail the territorial and familial policies pursued by great landholders; emphasises the inter-relationship of local and national affairs; is arranged thematically, making it ideal for student use and has implications for the whole medieval period.

This radical reinterpretation of Ottoman and Arab influences on horsemanship and breeding sheds new light on English national identity, as illustrated in such classic works as Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels and George Stubbs's portrait of Whistlejacket.

The Two Noble Kinsmen is loosely based on Chaucer's "The Knight's Tale." But it's not your traditional remake--it's just as hard to understand as Chaucer's original! If you are having trouble understand the play, then let BookCaps help with this modern translation. If you have struggled in the past reading Shakespeare, then BookCaps can help you out. This book is a modern translation of The Two Noble Kinsmen. The original text is also presented in the book, along with a comparable version of both text. We all need refreshers every now and then. Whether you are a student trying to cram for that big final, or someone just trying to understand a book more, BookCaps can help. We are a small, but growing company, and are adding titles every month.

Celebrating the stunning beauty of English silver crafted over three centuries, A Noble Feast offers unique insight into the developments that took place in eating and drinking habits in Stuart, Hanoverian, and Victorian England. Foreign influences, not only from France, Spain, and Italy but also from the New World, figure prominently in the customs of the tabletop during this period of English history. Drawing on colorful details from menus, cookery books, and anecdotes about the owners of these magnificent silver tablewares, Christopher Hartop shows how the silver reflects burgeoning prosperity in Restoration London and global expansion of the British Empire in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Through examples taken from the Gans Collection--one of the leading silver collections in the United States--Hartop documents the confidence in artistic endeavor as well as in trade and industry that typified the age. With works by such celebrated masters as Paul de Lamerie, Paul Storr, Robert Garrard, and Rundell, Bridge & Rundell, the collection offers a veritable feast of silver splendor, here highlighted by lush color illustrations and an updated catalogue.