Page 94 - History of War - Issue 18-15
P. 94
REVIEWS
CAVALIER CAPITAL: OXFORD IN THE
ENGLISH CIVIL WAR 1642
RECOMMENDEDREADING Writer John Barratt Price £19.99 Publisher H
AN ACCOUNT OF OXFORD’S ROLE IN THE CIVIL WAR – THE PO
LADY PEOPLE AND ITS POSITION AS THE NATION’S ‘ROYALIST CAPIT
CONSTANCE
LYTTON Every major confl ict has its share of untold Barratt
Subtitled ‘Aristocrat, stories and hidden histories. In the third book at all leve
Suffragette, Martyr’, of Helion’s Century Of The Soldier series, John Royalist f
this biography isn’t Barratt explores one such story, namely the role examining
just aimed at those of the city of Oxford during the English Civil War. of the gar
already interested in The book claims to be the fi rst such account soldiers a
feminism, but society to be published in 75 years and does a thorough the camp
in general at the turn job of it, covering all aspects from the effects of in which t
of the last century.
the civil war to the most prominent fi gures of the fought. B
time, right up to the fi nal siege that led to the fall writing is
of the city of Oxford. overly den
WHY DID THE The obvious caveat, of course, is that the similar bo
CHICKEN CROSS book will ultimately have more appeal to anyone tend to be
THE WORLD? with a specialist interest in or local to Oxford. the pages
Those dying to know However, as the story unfolds, you will soon maps and
will find everything they forget that – Oxford’s role in the war goes way as his account of Oxford is, the chapters are to
could wish to learn beyond the city limits. Oxford, as Barratt tells the point, each covering a different aspect of the
about chickens through it, was key for the Royalists, who would occupy city’s role or experience in the war, and making
history. Those unmoved the city and make it their ‘Royalist Capital’. It for a concise, easily digestible read.
to learn more can became the manufacturing centre of munitions Though not a suitable starting place for
feel assured they are and armoury, and it was also home to the king’s newcomers to the history of the English Civil
missing nothing.
court and operation of the Royalist government War, it’s a solid addition for anyone with
and administration. furthered interest in the subject.
EINSTEIN’S
MASTERWORK THE CRIME AND THE SILENCE:
Providing an engaging
evaluation of the
great scientist’s CONFRONTINGAMASSACRE
theories, Einstein’s
Masterwork is an Writer Anna Bikont Price £20 Publisher William Heinemann
ideal read for anyone
curious to fi nd out A CHILLING INVESTIGATION INTO ONE OF POLAND’SDARKESTSECRETSOFWORLDWARII
more about the man On 10 July 1941, almost the entire Jewish and resistance from the locals, she uncovered
behind the physics.
community in the town of Jedwabne, Eastern a terrible truth. Not only had the townsfolk
Poland, was rounded up and marched to a committed the mass murder under the
nearby barn. The men, women and children were instruction of their new German occupiers – who
WORLD HISTORY IN MINUTES then locked inside and the barn set ablaze. Not had recently forced out the Soviets – but they’d
Almost the paper equivalent of a Google one person survived. done so willingly. More than 900 people had
search, this book News of the massacre soon began to lost their lives in an orgy of killing that the barn
approaches 200 spread. Although the occupying Nazi forces burning had only been a part of. Others had
key events from had conducted similar atrocities elsewhere been bludgeoned, stabbed and drowned while a
thelast5,000 throughout the country, nothing had yet band played to cover up their screams.
yearsofhistory. If been witnessed on this scale. But there was This book, however, is more than a simple
nothing else, what’s something else about this mass killing that was account of an l I
omitted here is as peculiar. Something that would stay hidden for drove ordinary
interesting as what more than 60 years. to murder thei
is included.
Finally, in 2001, the sinister truth was neighbours, as
exposed when American historian Jan T Gross as their neighb
published Neighbors. His book claimed that children. It is a
THE GREAT the massacre had been committed not by Nazi portrait of a p
TRAIN ROBBERY death squads, as had been recorded, but by the still struggling
Some interesting victims’ fellow Poles. accept their ow
insights into how The book caused uproar in Poland. Counter past. And ultim
thecaseof one claims were made and a government investigation it’s about the
of Britain’s most was begun. Polish journalist Anna Bikont found sickness that
audacious robberies herself drawn into the debate and became within a comm
was solved, complete obsessed with uncovering the truth. Her book The where such a c
with input from Crime And The Silence is her account of how she has been com
some of the surviving went about that and what she discovered. This is a profo
investigating offi cers.
Over four years, through dogged investigative and haunting p
work conducted against a backdrop of omerta of work.
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