Average Rating:

.

Singled Out: How Two Million Women Survived without Men After the First World War: How Two Million Women Survived Without Men After the First World War

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > Social and Economic History
by: Virginia Nicholson

June 05, 2008
Unlike a previous reviewer I thought there really was a representative cross section of women featured in the book, and the author came up with some quite obscure biographical details to bring the situations of women in the twenties and thirties alive. What comes across is the genuine sense of loss that some felt at being denied the chance of having a family, and the often ground-breaking successes they achieved once they decided to channel their energies in other directions. The last chapter which records these achievements is particularly uplifting, and the author herself conveys a quiet pride in what they did.

Average Rating:

.

McMafia: Crime Without Frontiers

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > Social and Economic History
by: Misha Glenny

April 03, 2008
This a frightening but fascinating book, which brings together the keen-eyed journalism Glenny displayed in the 1990s, with a tale of the kind of organised crime that touches us all, whether we know it or not.

Glenny tours the world, and wisely does not try his hand at thriller-writing as he does so. The stories, and their contexts, are fascinating enough to be simply laid out before us. In each case, the most compelling parts are the history and analysis of how that kind of crime took off, in that place and that time. While there are undercurrents that are common throughout, what stands out starkly are the location and era-specific details of the conditions that allow major crime to flourish. I would have liked to have seen something ... Read More:

Average Rating:

.

London: The Biography

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > Social and Economic History
by: Peter Ackroyd

August 21, 2008
Rambling, unfocused, poorly researched, and little real history. An enjoyable holiday read perhaps, but those looking to learn about the origins of this great city should look elsewhere. Most of the discussion centers on the 17th and 18th centuries and most of the anecdotes come from only two souces. The author could have taken the trouble to do a little more research! Very disappointing.

Average Rating:

.

The Gaol: The Story of Newgate - London's Most Notorious Prison

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > Social and Economic History
by: Kelly Grovier

July 10, 2008
A well researched, intelligent, thorough history of Newgate prison, beautifully presented. As someone who does not read a lot of factual books, I found this an enjoyable read. I got the book after listening to some of the "Book of the Week" episodes on BBC Radio 4. Who knew so much could go on behind a jails four walls, I certainly didn't!

Average Rating:

.

London in the Nineteenth Century: A Human Awful Wonder of God

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > Social and Economic History
by: Jerry White

January 03, 2008
This book sparked my interest in London's history generally because you can clearly relate the happenings and statistics in this book to our present times and recent past. A thoroughly enjoyable read, and I'm looking forward to reading his 20th century history of London.

Average Rating:

.

Eating For Victory: Healthy Home Front Cooking on War Rations (Official Wwii Info Reproductns)

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > Social and Economic History
by: Foreword by Jill Norman

September 06, 2007
The introduction to this book sets the scene of the wartime kitchen and beyond during rationing, and continues with reproductions of wartime leaflets. For content I would have given this book five stars but marked it down by one since I found some of the reproductions rather difficult to read due to poor quality - even with my super new reading glasses.

This book is not just a nostalgic look at the past but contains valuable nutritional advice which is as applicable today with the range of foods available to us as it was then.

Given the current economic climate and the need for us all to reduce food and energy waste, there are many useful tips to pick up from this book. Filling, wholesome food and a balanced diet is possible with good ... Read More:

Average Rating:

.

A Splendid Exchange: How Trade Has Shaped the World from Prehistory to the Present

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > Social and Economic History
by: William Bernstein

July 01, 2008
The introduction to this book sets the scene of the wartime kitchen and beyond during rationing, and continues with reproductions of wartime leaflets. For content I would have given this book five stars but marked it down by one since I found some of the reproductions rather difficult to read due to poor quality - even with my super new reading glasses.

This book is not just a nostalgic look at the past but contains valuable nutritional advice which is as applicable today with the range of foods available to us as it was then.

Given the current economic climate and the need for us all to reduce food and energy waste, there are many useful tips to pick up from this book. Filling, wholesome food and a balanced diet is possible with good ... Read More:

Average Rating:

.

Francesco's Italy

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > Social and Economic History
by: Francesco da Mosto

June 15, 2006
Thankfully i managed to record all four episodes of Francescos very entertaining Top to Toe series on Italy onto disc.

His ladish exploits in that gorgeous Alfa Spider made the series a more lite hearted affair to his magnificent Venice,and his influnce in being one of the oldest Venitian families opened doors into fabulous palaces and villas that are barred to all members of the public.
Naturally he could not spend too long in the north of the country but witnessing Lucca, Puccinis birthplace and Bolognia the oldest university in the world made what he did choose trully excelleny.Veronia was where Shakespeare based Romeo and Juiliet but Shakey never visited the place.

The highlite of the series for me was when he travelled further ... Read More:

Average Rating:

.

The Great Crash, 1929 (Penguin Business)

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > Social and Economic History
by: John Kenneth Galbraith

October 29, 1992
I found this book captivating, in a "gallows humor" sort of way.

Although written many years ago, and recounting events in the distant past, it should be required reading for anyone in the markets today. More specifically, it should have been required reading a year ago (mid 2007) for those invested in finance and property sectors.

Whether the malaise in those sectors (some stocks down 90%) spreads eventually to the general indexes remains to be seen.

Tony Loton, author --
DON'T LOSE MONEY! (in the Stock Markets)
Financial Trading Patterns

Average Rating:

.

The Road to Wigan Pier (Penguin Modern Classics)

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > Social and Economic History
by: George Orwell

April 26, 2001
Born and bred in Wigan.I had read 1984 and Animal Farm but had put off reading TRTWP until I was 50.
Orwell writes of the hopelessness of the masses and concludes that they accept their lot because of the "palliatives" of modern technology i.e.cheap clothing (dream of being Greta Garbo or Clark Gable) , alcohol,the movies, radio, the football pools etc.
The government massage and manipulate statistics to show unemployment levels and poverty to be a fraction as bad as they really are.
The middle-class believed that the poor should be instructed to spend their means tested allowance wisely eating tasteless but healthy food,wholemeal bread,oranges,raw carrots etc and to shun alcohol and tobacco etc.
Tell me as anything really changed or have we come ... Read More: