{"title":"Series: Brief Histories","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBrief Histories\u003c\/strong\u003e offers a captivating glimpse into diverse worlds, from the intricacies of modern technology to the rich tapestry of history and culture. Each title distils complex themes into accessible narratives, inviting readers to explore topics ranging from computing and design to philosophy and the mysteries of human experience.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis series balances depth with clarity, making it ideal for those curious about everything from speculative fiction to personal growth. Whether delving into the realms of fantasy, exploring cultural legacies, or contemplating the human psyche, readers will find thoughtful perspectives presented with engaging brevity.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"a-brief-history-of-atlantis-by-dr-stephen-p-kershaw-9781472136992","title":"A Brief History of Atlantis","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Atlantis story remains one of the most haunting and enigmatic tales from antiquity, and one that still resonates very deeply with the modern imagination. But where did Atlantis come from, what was it like, and where did it go to?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAtlantis was first introduced by the Greek philosopher Plato in two dialogues, the \u003ci\u003eTimaios\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eKritias\u003c\/i\u003e, written in the fourth century BC. As he philosophises about the origins of life, the Universe, and humanity, the great thinker puts forward a stunning description of Atlantis, an island paradise with an ideal society. But the Atlanteans degenerate and become imperialist aggressors: they fight against antediluvian Athens, which heroically repels their mighty forces, before a cataclysmic natural disaster destroys the warring states.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHis tale of a great empire that sank beneath the waves has sparked thousands of years of debate over whether Atlantis really existed. But did Plato mean his tale as history, or just as a parable to help illustrate his philosophy?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe book is broken down into two main sections plus a coda: firstly, the translations\/commentaries which will have the discussions of the specifics of the actual texts; secondly, a look at the reception of the myth from then to now; thirdly, a brief round-off bringing it all together.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46768385392876,"sku":"9781472136992","price":29.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/3507443482712.jpg?v=1756375760"},{"product_id":"a-brief-history-of-america-by-jeremy-black-9781472147387","title":"A Brief History of America","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe next in this series of admirably concise yet nevertheless comprehensive titles looks at the history of \u003cem\u003eall\u003c\/em\u003e Americans as well as America; its environmental history and its linkage to economic history; the political shaping of America; and America in the world, from being a colony to post-Cold War America.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBlack examines the environmental history of America and its linkage to economic history, crucially, the clearing of forests; the spread of agriculture; mineral, coal and iron extraction; industrialisation; urbanisation; and current and growing climate-crisis concerns.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHe explores the political shaping of America: indigenous American polities; free European and unfree African settlements; the creation of an American State, and its successes and failures from 1783 to 1861; Civil War; democratisation; the rise of the federal Government from the 1930s; the Civil Rights movement from the 1950s onwards, and tensions in more recent governance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe book considers America in the World: as a pre-colonial and colonised space; as a newly-independent power, then a rising international one, the Cold War and the USA as the sole superpower in the post-Cold-War world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThese key themes are tackled chronologically for the sake of clarity, beginning with the geological creation of North America, human settlement and native American cultures to 1500; the arrival of Europeans and enslaved Africans to 1770 - the Spanish and French in the Gulf of Mexico and Florida, the English and French, and the Dutch and Swedes further north.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe focus then shifts to settler conflicts with native Americans and between European powers leading to a British-dominated North America by 1770. Then the end of European rule and the foundation of an American trans-continental state. The section dealing with the years from 1848 to 1880 looks at the Civil War between North and South, reconstruction and the creation of a new society.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBetween 1880 and 1920, the United States became an industrial powerhouse and an international power, also a colonial power - the Philippines, Hawaii, Puerto Rico - and a participant in the First World War.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe interwar years, 1921 to 1945, brought turmoil: the Roaring Twenties; the growth of Hollywood; Prohibition; jazz; the Great Depression and the New Deal; finally the Second World War.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e1945 to 1968 was the American Age, brimming with confidence and success as the world's leading power, but also the ongoing struggle for civil rights.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSubsequent years to 1992 brought crisis and recovery: Watergate, the Reagan years and the USA as the sole world superpower.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn bringing the book right up to the present day, Black looks at factors that divide American society and economy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Hachette New Zealand Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46832112206060,"sku":"9781472147387","price":29.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781472147387.jpg?v=1758365840"},{"product_id":"a-brief-history-of-london-by-jeremy-black-9781472146717","title":"A Brief History of London","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs the United Kingdom left the European Union, during a period of international and domestic turmoil, \u003cem\u003eLondon\u003c\/em\u003e found itself at a turning point. This critical moment presents an opportunity to look back, with a distinctive perspective, focusing on London in its national and, perhaps even more importantly, its international contexts, rather than on the city itself in isolation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIt is the interactions of London that Black considers, and he does so in order to address the question of why London became the foremost international city, how it sustained that position, and what its future holds.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe book is as much about economics and culture as it is about politics and society. It deals with migration, communications, empire, and cultural energy, rather than the mechanisms of parish vestries. London's earlier period is covered, but the principal focus is on the last half millennium, the period during which London became a major trader with the trans-oceanic world, and the ruler of trans-oceanic colonies, while the English language became an increasingly important cultural medium, one centred on London.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe book includes plentiful literary references, quotations from visitors, and boxes covering discrete topics, such as Jack the Ripper.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46832113909996,"sku":"9781472146717","price":27.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/3604693482712.jpg?v=1758366038"},{"product_id":"a-brief-history-of-protest-art-by-aindrea-emelife-9781849767828","title":"A Brief History of Protest Art","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eArt has always declared its dissatisfaction against the status quo. Throughout history, artists have used their art to criticise and protest against a range of injustices and inequalities. Their art is an act of defiance, but more importantly, it has given a voice to the marginalised.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis short but powerful book showcases the work of a range of artists from the last eighty years who have challenged traditional boundaries, spoken up for the powerless, and protested against those who seek to deny people their human rights. Exploring deeply political and critical art which uses irony, satire, subversion and provocation, it features responses to war, violence, oppression, gender and racial inequalities, the AIDS epidemic, LGBTQ+ rights, the Black Lives Matter movement, and the climate crisis, in a variety of media.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eA Brief History of Protest Art\u003c\/em\u003e reveals the important role of art in confronting political and social issues, and how it can help to change attitudes to create a better future.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46832118366444,"sku":"9781849767828","price":35.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/16319943482846.jpg?v=1758366363"},{"product_id":"a-brief-history-of-the-caribbean-by-jeremy-black-9781408713488","title":"A Brief History of the Caribbean","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eA concise history of the Caribbean's long and fascinating history, from pre-contact civilisations to the present day\u003c\/b\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a concise history, intended for travellers, but of inestimable value to anyone looking for an overview of the Caribbean and its mainland coastal states, with a focus on the past few centuries.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe history of the Caribbean does not make much sense without factoring in the cities—Pensacola, New Orleans, Galveston—and the ambitions of the states on its continental shores, notably the United States.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis account is grounded in a look at the currents and channels of the sea, and its constraints, such as the Mosquito Coast, followed by the history of 'pre-contact' civilisations, focusing on the Maya and the Toltec Empire.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWith the arrival of the Europeans, from the late fifteenth century to the early years of the seventeenth century, the story becomes one of exploration, conquest and settlement. Black charts the rise of slave economies and the Caribbean's place in the Atlantic world, also the arrival of the English—Hawkins and Drake—to challenge the Spanish.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHe examines the sugar and coffee slave economies of the English, French, Spanish and Dutch, also the successful rebellion in Haiti in the eighteenth century, and how the West Indies were further transformed by the Louisiana Purchase, the American conquest of Florida and the incorporation of Texas.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHe discusses the impact of Bolivar's rebellion in Spanish America, the end of slavery in the British Caribbean, and war between Mexico and America; also the defeat of the South by the Union, the American takeover of the Panama Canal project from France, and the Spanish-American War.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe first half of the twentieth century focuses on growing US power: intervention in Mexico, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Haiti and the Dominican Republic; Cuba as an American protectorate, and civil wars in Mexico.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe Cold War brought new tensions and conflict to the region, but the same period also saw the rise of the leisure industry. The last part of the book looks at the Caribbean today—political instability in Venezuela and Colombia, crime in Mexico, post-Castro Cuba—and the region's future prospects.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eA Brief History of the Caribbean\u003c\/i\u003e by Jeremy Black is an enriching resource that delves into the complexities of the region's history and current dynamics, making it an essential read for anyone interested in this diverse and vibrant area of the world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46832123216108,"sku":"9781408713488","price":29.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/15245573482689.jpg?v=1758366709"},{"product_id":"a-brief-history-of-the-pacific-by-jeremy-black-9781472146731","title":"A Brief History of the Pacific","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis brilliantly concise history of the Pacific Ocean succeeds in examining both the indigenous presence on the ocean's islands and Western control or influence over its islands and shores. There is a particular focus on the period from the 1530s to 1890, with a greater Western coastal and oceanic presence in the Pacific, beginning with the Spanish takeover of the coasts of modern Central America, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, and continuing with the Spaniards in the Philippines.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThere is also an emphasis on the very different physical and human environments of the four quadrants of the Pacific—the north-east, the north-west, the south-east, and the south-west—and of the 'coastal' islands, such as the Aleutians, Japan, and New Zealand, along with continental coastlines. The focus is always on the interactions of Japan, California, Peru, Australia, and other territories with the ocean, notably in terms of trade, migration, and fishing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBlack first examines the geology, currents, winds, and physical make-up of the Pacific, followed by the region's indigenous inhabitants up to 1520. He describes the Pacific before the arrival of Europeans, its history of settlement, navigation methods, and religious practices.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe focus then shifts from Easter Island to European voyages, from Magellan to Cook and Tasman, highlighting the challenges they faced, particularly the immense scale of the ocean. Black discusses the impact of these voyages on local people, including the presence of Russians in the Aleutian Islands.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFrom 1788 to 1898, outside control of the region grew, with the British laying claim to Australia and America to the Philippines. Western economic and political impacts manifested in sandalwood and gold rushes, and the coming of steamships accelerated this influence.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eTerritorial claims spread through figures like Willis and Perry and the Americans, including to Hawaii. Black examines the Maori wars in New Zealand and the War of the Pacific on the South American coast. Christian missionary activity increased, while Gaugin offered a different vision of the Pacific.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe period from 1899 to 1945 marked the struggle of empires, featuring the rise of Japan as an oceanic power and the Second World War in the Pacific as a critical moment in world history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOil-powered ships heralded the American Age from 1945 to 2015, leading to the end of the British Pacific. France maintained a role in regions like Tahiti and New Caledonia, but America established itself as the dominant presence. Black explores the political, economic, and cultural impacts, such as Polynesians attending universities in America and Australasia, the spread of rugby, and relatively little international tension, though some domestic pressures remained, including instability in Papua New Guinea and Fiji.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eA Brief History of the Pacific\u003c\/i\u003e concludes with an examination of these themes and events, offering a comprehensive overview of the region's complex history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46832124494060,"sku":"9781472146731","price":29.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/3604833482712.jpg?v=1758366858"},{"product_id":"a-brief-history-of-britain-1851-2021-by-jeremy-black-9781408713617","title":"A Brief History of Britain 1851-2021","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom the Great Exhibition's showcasing of British national achievement in 1851 to the opening ceremonies of the Olympics in Stratford in 2012 and on to Brexit, an insightful exploration of the transformation of modern Britain.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis revised and updated fourth and final volume in the concise \u003cem\u003eBrief History of Britain\u003c\/em\u003e series begins in the specially-constructed Crystal Palace, three times the length of St Paul's Cathedral, in Hyde Park at the beginning of the second half of the nineteenth century. The Great Exhibition it housed marked a high point of British national achievement, at the forefront of the Industrial Revolution, at the heart of a great empire, with Queen Victoria still to reign for fifty years. It was a time of confidence in the future, and exuberant patriotism for Britain's role in it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe beginning of the Second World War in 1939 marks a turning point because of the great change it heralded in Britain's global standing. At its peak, protected by the world's greatest navy, the British Empire stretched from Australasia to Canada, from Hong Kong and India to South Africa, and from Jamaica to the Falklands. Now the empire is no more: a fundamental change not only for the world, but also for Britain. The Second World War had been won, but it had exhausted Britain and marked the beginning of its national decline.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBlack links cultural and political developments closely—transport, health, migration and economic and demographic factors—in order to make clear how porous and changeable the manifestations of national civilisation can be, and to make sense of themes such as the triumph of town over country, Britain's international clout and the shift from the dominance of the market at the turn of the nineteenth century to the growing significance of the state.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eImportantly, he also looks at how public history has presented the nation's past, and how the changing and different ways we look at that past are central aspects of our shared history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46848211943660,"sku":"9781408713617","price":27.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/15246863482689.jpg?v=1758967560"},{"product_id":"a-brief-history-of-france-revised-and-updated-by-cecil-jenkins-9781472139511","title":"A Brief History of France, Revised and Updated","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen we think of France, we tend to think of fine food and wine, the elegant boulevards of Paris or the chic beaches of St Tropez. Yet, as the largest country in Europe, France is home to extraordinary diversity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe idea of 'Frenchness' emerged through 2,000 years of history, and it is this riveting story, from the Roman conquest of Gaul to the present day, that Cecil Jenkins tells in \u003cem\u003eA Brief History of France, Revised and Updated\u003c\/em\u003e. This book explores the forging of this great nation through its significant people, events, and fascinating culture.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAs Jenkins unfolds this narrative, he shows why the French began to see themselves as so different from the rest of Europe. 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Whether you are a long-term reader of Black's expansive history work or are interested in learning more ahead of a short city break or longer trip, this intriguing look at the history of Germany is an essential read.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46848212828396,"sku":"9781472145932","price":27.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/78c57a9e8d7580e244c41ffca1c75609.jpg?v=1759012631"},{"product_id":"a-brief-history-of-ireland-by-richard-killeen-9781849014397","title":"A Brief History of Ireland","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom the dawn of history to the decline of the Celtic Tiger, Ireland has been shaped over the centuries by many influences: geography, war, and the fight for liberty. \u003cem\u003eA Brief History of Ireland\u003c\/em\u003e is the perfect introduction to this exceptional place, its people, and its culture.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIreland has been home to successive groups of settlers — Celts, Vikings, Normans, Anglo-Scots, and Huguenots. 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The works included here offer a lens through which to understand and contextualise the political and cultural climate, while shedding light on the unique Black British experience.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eConstructed around contemporary thoughts on race, nationhood, citizenship, gender, class, sexuality, and aesthetics in Britain, \u003cem\u003eA Brief History of Black British Art\u003c\/em\u003e explores themes at the heart of Black British Art.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAt a time when representation of Black artists and the interrogation of the ethics of the art world have taken on a renewed urgency, this is a timely and accessible publication which celebrates Black artists in Britain and their outstanding contribution to art and global culture.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Thames and Hudson (Australia) Pty Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47362504917228,"sku":"9781849767569","price":35.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/16317353482846.jpg?v=1772884883"},{"product_id":"a-brief-history-of-british-south-asian-art-by-alina-khakoo-9781849768795","title":"A Brief History of British South Asian Art","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe presence of the South Asian diaspora in Britain reaches back to at least the seventeenth century, but the most significant period of migration came after the Second World War. 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