{"title":"Simon Jenkins","description":"\u003cp\u003eSimon Jenkins offers a compelling exploration of history, architecture, and culture, weaving detailed narratives that illuminate the stories behind places and events. His works range from sweeping historical overviews of America, Europe, and Britain to focused studies of iconic landmarks such as cathedrals and railway stations.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBlending travelogue with scholarly insight, Jenkins invites readers to experience the rich tapestry of heritage and conflict, from ancient Celtic times to modern military history. His books are a celebration of the past’s enduring influence on the present landscape and cultural identity.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"a-short-history-of-europe","title":"A Short History of Europe","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\nThe first concise yet comprehensive narrative history of Europe, \u003cem\u003eA Short History of Europe\u003c\/em\u003e by Simon Jenkins offers a captivating account of the continent's past. Spanning over two millennia, Jenkins encapsulates Europe's journey from a landscape dominated by warring tribes to a region characterised by peace, wealth, and freedom. The story unfolds through the twists and turns of historical events, starting with the grandeur of Ancient Greece and Rome, moving through the turbulence of the Middle Ages, the transformative era of the Reformation, the fervour of the French Revolution, and the devastation of the two World Wars, concluding with the complexities of the modern day.\n\nJenkins expertly weaves a tapestry of interconnected episodes and key figures who have shaped Europe's destiny. The narrative brings to life legendary personas such as Julius Caesar, Joan of Arc, the Duke of Wellington, and Angela Merkel. Alongside these figures, cultural icons like Aristotle, Shakespeare, and Picasso are examined, showcasing their contributions to the intellectual and artistic heritage of the continent.\n\nThrough meticulous attention to detail, Jenkins traces overarching themes that have influenced European history. From youthful ambition and the perils of religious conflict to the impact of geographical constraints and the menace of invasions, these themes are explored to shed light on the forces that have driven Europe's evolution. Jenkins excels in presenting complex historical periods in a clear and engaging manner, ensuring that readers gain a profound understanding of each epoch's significance.\n\nWhat sets \u003cem\u003eA Short History of Europe\u003c\/em\u003e apart is Jenkins' unique ability to condense centuries of intricate history into a single, accessible volume without sacrificing depth or nuance. The book covers a breadth of pivotal events and influential characters, providing readers with a holistic and insightful portrait of the continent's rich past. \n\nThis richly illustrated work is not just a recounting of historical facts but an authoritative narrative imbued with Jenkins' usual flair, colour, and perceptive analysis. Despite the vast importance of Europe's politics, economy, and culture, there has not been a concise yet thorough book like this one until now. \u003cem\u003eA Short History of Europe\u003c\/em\u003e is a timely and masterful addition to historical literature, perfect for both history enthusiasts and casual readers seeking to understand the continent's profound impact on the world.\n\nDiscover the captivating saga of Europe through Simon Jenkins' luminous storytelling, where each page offers a new revelation about the forces that have shaped the destiny of this remarkable continent.\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House Distribution","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45695219106028,"sku":"9780241352526","price":25.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9780241352526.jpg?v=1725622297"},{"product_id":"the-battle-for-the-falklands","title":"The Battle for the Falklands","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Battle for the Falklands\u003c\/em\u003e is a thoughtful and informed analysis of an astonishing chapter in modern British history from journalist and military historian Sir Max Hastings and political editor Simon Jenkins.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eTen weeks. 28,000 soldiers. 8,000 miles from home.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe Falklands War in 1982 was one of the strangest in British history. At the time, many Britons saw it as a tragic absurdity—thousands of men sent overseas for a tiny relic of empire—but the British victory over the Argentinians not only confirmed the quality of British arms but also boosted the political fortunes of Thatcher's Conservative government. However, it left a chequered aftermath and was later overshadowed by the two Gulf wars.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eMax Hastings' and Simon Jenkins' account of the conflict is a modern classic of war reportage and the definitive book on the conflict.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Macmillan Publishers New Zealand Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45719465230572,"sku":"9781529047806","price":24.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781529047806.jpg?v=1726127052"},{"product_id":"a-short-history-of-british-architecture-by-simon-jenkins-9780241674956","title":"A Short History of British Architecture","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe untold and revelatory story of why our country looks like it does, from the bestselling historian.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe architecture of Britain is an art gallery all around us. From our streets to squares, through our cities, suburbs and villages, we are surrounded by magnificent buildings of eclectic styles. \u003ci\u003eA Short History of British Architecture\u003c\/i\u003e is the gripping and untold story of why Britain looks the way it does, from prehistoric Stonehenge to the lofty towers of today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBestselling historian Simon Jenkins traces the relentless battles over the European traditions of classicism and gothic. He guides us from the gothic cathedrals of Lincoln, Ely and Wells to the 'prodigy' houses of the Tudor renaissance, and visits the great estates of Georgian London, the docks of Liverpool, the mills of Yorkshire and the chapels of south Wales.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe arrival of modernism in the twentieth century politicised public taste, upheaved communities and sought to reconstruct entire cities. It produced Coventry Cathedral and Lloyd's of London, but also the brutalist monoliths of Sheffield's Park Hill, Glasgow's Cumbernauld and London's South Bank. Only in the 1970s did the public at last give voice to what became the conservation revolution - a movement in which Jenkins played a leading role, both as deputy chairman of English Heritage and chairman of the National Trust, and in the saving of iconic buildings such as St Pancras International and Covent Garden.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eJenkins shows that everyone is a consumer of architecture and makes the case for the importance of everyone learning to speak its language. \u003ci\u003eA Short History of British Architecture\u003c\/i\u003e is a celebration of our national treasures, a lament of our failures - and a call to arms.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46193648533740,"sku":"9780241674956","price":63.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9780241674956.jpg?v=1739841577"},{"product_id":"a-short-history-of-london-by-simon-jenkins-9780241985359","title":"A Short History of London","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFollowing his bestselling short histories of England and Europe comes the final in the trilogy - \u003cem\u003eLondon\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eLondon\u003c\/em\u003e - a settlement founded by the Romans, occupied by the Saxons, conquered by the Danes and ruled by the Normans. This unremarkable place - not even included in the Domesday Book - became a medieval maze of alleys and courtyards, later to be chequered with grand estates of Georgian splendour. It swelled with industry and became the centre of the largest empire in history. And rising from the rubble of the Blitz, it is now one of the greatest cities in the world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFrom the prehistoric occupants of the Thames Valley to the preoccupied commuters of today, Simon Jenkins brings together the key events, individuals and trends in London's history to create a matchless portrait of the capital. Based in part on his own witness of the events that shaped the post-war city, and with his trademark colour and authority, he shows above all how London has taken shape over more than two thousand years. This is narrative history at its finest, from the most ardent protector of our heritage. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46304979255532,"sku":"9780241985359","price":30.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/3567133482274.jpg?v=1743130831"},{"product_id":"a-short-history-of-england-by-simon-jenkins-9781788160896","title":"A Short History of England","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom the invaders of the dark ages to the aftermath of the coalition, one of Britain's most respected journalists, Simon Jenkins, weaves together a strong narrative with all the most important and interesting dates in a book that characteristically is as stylish as it is authoritative.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eA Short History of England\u003c\/i\u003e sheds light on all the key individuals and events, bringing them together in an enlightening and engaging account of the country's birth, rise to global prominence, and then partial eclipse. There have been long synoptic histories of England, but until now there has been no standard short work covering all significant events, themes, and individuals.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eNow updated to take in the rapid progress of recent events and beautifully illustrated, this magisterial history will be the standard work for years to come.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Allen \u0026 Unwin","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46529519255788,"sku":"9781788160896","price":29.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/18138003482824.jpg?v=1749217787"},{"product_id":"the-celts-by-simon-jenkins-9781788168816","title":"The Celts","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Celts\u003c\/em\u003e by Simon Jenkins was a Waterstones Best History Book of 2022.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\"Simon Jenkins, as ever, writes with clarity and insight\" — \u003cem\u003eTimes\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\"One of the liveliest commentators in Britain, always worth reading and pleasingly contrarian\" — Jeremy Paxman, \u003cem\u003eGuardian\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWho were the Celts? Were they a people, a civilisation, an empire, or a fiction of historical imagination? They flit as ghosts through Europe's ancient past, purported ancestors of the Irish, Welsh, Scottish, Cornish, and Bretons. Yet they have never been identified with any one land, or with any one history or language.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSimon Jenkins argues compellingly that the 'Celts' is a misleading concept, bundling together quite distinct peoples. The word \u003cem\u003ekeltoi\u003c\/em\u003e first appears in Greek, applied generally to aliens or 'barbarians' — and theories of Celticism continue to fuel many of the prejudices and misconceptions that divide the British Isles to this day.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFascinating and increasingly relevant, who the Celts were — or weren't — goes to the heart of the ongoing argument over the future of a dis-United Kingdom.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Allen \u0026 Unwin","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46833604952300,"sku":"9781788168816","price":29.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/18217203482824.jpg?v=1758467479"},{"product_id":"a-short-history-of-british-architecture-by-simon-jenkins-9781405961486","title":"A Short History of British Architecture","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe untold story of why our country looks like it does, from the bestselling champion of national heritage, Simon Jenkins.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe story of Britain is revealed through its buildings, and yet the language of architecture is a mystery to all but a few. In this enlightening history, spanning castles and cathedrals to factories and railway stations, Jenkins translates the hidden narratives infused in the facades we walk past every day.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBritain's history has been formed by its politics, religion, and society, and these influences can be seen in the architectural styles that have shaped its landscape. From pre-Roman and the Middle Ages, to the Renaissance and the Industrial Revolution, Classical and Gothic styles surged and retreated from favour, only to then be challenged by a new player—Modernism, a style that reflected the stunning technological advances of the second half of the twentieth century.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn this narrative history, Simon Jenkins—the bestselling champion of our national heritage—introduces us to the singular, eccentric, and sometimes rather ordinary characters who shaped Britain. Jenkins teaches readers to see the world anew, demystifying the elitist language of architecture so that we can all appreciate the buildings around us.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House Distribution","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46840825184492,"sku":"9781405961486","price":30.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/006f88cc118d685763aeb4a8be3b194f.jpg?v=1758705884"},{"product_id":"englands-cathedrals-by-simon-jenkins-9781408706459","title":"England's Cathedrals","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e‘Inspired . . . encourages us to take a fresh look at the familiar’ - \u003ci\u003eThe Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eEngland's Cathedrals\u003c\/i\u003e are the nation’s glory. They tower over its landscape, outranking palaces, castles and mansions. They attract roughly half the nation’s population each year. For a millennium, they have been objects of pilgrimage for those seeking faith, consolation and beauty. Still, at the start of the twenty-first century, they remain unequalled in their size and splendour.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eMore than any other English institution, cathedrals reflect the vicissitudes of history and should be treasured as such. They are custodians of culture and of the rituals of civic life. They offer welfare and relieve suffering. They uplift spirits with their beauty. 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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?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis 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? 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They are humankind's greatest creations.\n \nIn Europe's 1oo 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. 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