Oakpast Products

All products from this brand (113 total)

<p><strong>The Herero campaign from the perspective of one of the invaders</strong></p> <p>Germany's late development as a modern nation meant it missed the opportunity to colonise the most desirable parts of the world. In the 'scramble for Africa' Germany managed to secure a foothold in the east of the continent and also in the west, in the region that is present day Namibia. This inhospitable and difficult country was, of course, already in the possession of several indigenous tribes including the Herero and Namaqua among others. German settlers instituted a policy of land grabbing which ignored the claims and possessions of the indigenous tribes and armed resistance inevitably broke out. The Germans responded ruthlessly with a policy of virtual extermination. The natives fought an effective guerrilla war with, at one point, up to 19,000 German troops engaged until the conclusion of operations in 1908. This book contains a very unusual account of a young volunteer soldier's experience of this rarely described campaign of the early years of the twentieth century. Readers should note this is not an account from the Herero perspective. Appended to give historical context to this account is a short history of the campaign in South West Africa, 1915, during the First World War.</p> <p>Leonaur editions are newly typeset and are not facsimiles; each title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket; our hardbacks are cloth bound and feature gold foil lettering on their spines and fabric head and tail bands.</p>
<p>Hunting the buffalo and fighting Indians on the western frontier</p> <p> </p> <p>For millennia the great herds of North American bison (or buffalo as they were popularly known) had roamed the continental heartland followed by the indigenous Indian tribes whose own existence in every sense depended upon them. After the American Civil War, as the new railroads pushed from ocean to ocean, the herds of buffalo came in closer proximity to the ever increasing numbers of settlers intent on fulfilling the 'manifest destiny' of the American people by crossing and populating the nation. Now the political and economic potential of intensively hunting the buffalo became apparent. So the buffalo hunter, a resourceful opportunist armed with a long rifle, appeared across the western wilderness. This book, a highly regarded classic on its subject, was written by a frontiersman buffalo hunter and graphically describes his life of the Great Plains. These hunters heralded not only the end of the great herds of buffalo, but also the demise of the traditional way of life for the Plains Indian tribes. So, inevitably, this book also relates the authors experiences as an Indian fighter particularly against the Comanches. Despite our contemporary understanding of these tragic events, John Cook's narrative provides an entertaining and thrilling insight into a life lived in the Wild West in its heyday.</p> <p>Leonaur editions are newly typeset and are not facsimiles; each title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket; our hardbacks are cloth bound and feature gold foil lettering on their spines and fabric head and tail bands.</p>
<p>The story of Japan's premier naval commander and his greatest victory</p> <p>Togo Heihachiro was a gensui (admiral) of the fleet of the Imperial Japanese Navy in the early years of the 20th century. He is regarded as one of the most outstanding naval figures Japan has produced, earning him the title 'the Nelson of the East' from the Western press. This special Leonaur edition covers the career of Togo from his birth in 1848 to his first experience of naval conflict at the bombardment of Kagoshima, through his time as a naval student in Britain and to his early commands of small warships. Togo observed the Sino-French War of 1884-5 from the French side of the conflict and took an active part in the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-5, after which was promoted to the rank of rear admiral. In 1903 Togo was appointed Commander in Chief of the Combined Imperial Navy Fleet. It would during the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-5 that his command capabilities were fully realised, resulting in decisive Japanese victories at the battles of the Yellow Sea, at Port Arthur and at the pivotal Battle of Tsushima--which demonstrated that he was a naval strategist and commander of the fist rank. These famous events are, of course, described in some detail within these pages. The second book here was written by a nephew of Admiral Togo and describes the naval war against the Russians from the perspective of the Japanese, making it an ideal companion piece to the Togo biography. Contains illustrations and photographs not present in original editions.</p> <p>Leonaur editions are newly typeset and are not facsimiles; each title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket; our hardbacks are cloth bound and feature gold foil lettering on their spines and fabric head and tail bands.</p>
A two volume masterpiece on ancient warfare <br /> Little needs to be said here about the fascinating era of the Roman Empire of the first century B. C., or about one of the most outstanding military commanders in history, Gaius Julius Caesar. The military history of the period has always had its avid students and enthusiasts. It also has its notable historians and foremost among these was former soldier, Theodore Ayrault Dodge who was probably the first military historian to walk upon the ground on which all of the events about which he wrote in this classic work took place. Dodge's grasp of topography and its bearing on tactical issues makes this work indispensible. The Leonaur editors highly regard Dodge's works on the great captains of warfare through the ages and our edition of 'Warfare in the Age of Napoleon' is already available. 'Warfare in the Age of Gaius Julius Caesar' is our second offering in the series and it follows the model already established by its predecessor. Based on Dodge's academically groundbreaking work, 'Caesar, ' this unique two volume edition, like all of the author's 'great captains' series, benefits from numerous diagrams and maps that explain the campaigns, battles, marches, weapons, equipment, etc., in significant detail. The Leonaur editions have been substantially represented so that all the images-often small in the original editions-have been enlarged to the fullest degree to aid understanding. Volume one outlines the background of Rome at war and the significant contributions of its most outstanding generals up to the time of Caesar. It concludes in 50 B. C. Chapters on the formation of the Roman Army, it's weapons and tactics are also included. Highly Recommended. <br /> Leonaur editions are newly typeset and are not facsimiles; each title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket; our hardbacks are cloth bound and feature gold foil lettering on their spines and fabric head and tail bands.
An early campaign of the long war for Europe <br /> This anonymously written account concerns itself with an early episode in Britain's struggle with the Revolutionary France that would shortly evolve into Consulate France and then the First Empire of the French under its charismatic emperor Napoleon Bonaparte. It was a period of almost continual warfare which embraced all the nations of Europe until the downfall of the Napoleonic era in 1815, some sixteen years after the events described in this book. This historical analysis is a rarity and certainly at the time it was written its author believed it to be unique. The British Forces employed came under the command of the Duke of York and were supported by Russian troops under Fersen and Essen, it was accompanied by a naval force which had considerable success particularly in the capture of enemy vessels. Whilst the campaign on land-with its battles at Bergen, Alkmaar and Egmont-is an interesting one for the student of the period it concluded indecisively in an armistice. The principal advantage for the British was that is was able to embark and could fight again another day. The campaign provided many British officers with valuable lessons which they would take account of, by not repeating this campaigns errors, during the long years of battle to come particularly on the Iberian peninsula. <br /> Leonaur editions are newly typeset and are not facsimiles; each title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket; our hardbacks are cloth bound and feature gold foil lettering on their spines and fabric head and tail bands.
An indispensible eyewitness account of the destruction of Napoleon's Grand Army <br /> The author of this remarkable book was an officer of the French Napoleonic army at the time of the emperor's ultimate folly-the invasion of Russia in 1812. A geographical engineer, he was appointed to viceroy Eugene de Beauharnais' command of the 4th Corps of the Grand Army-sometimes known as the Army of Observation or Army of Italy, in recognition of the origin of many of its troops and the vanguard or flank duties it invariably performed. Labaume served and fought with the army from when it was 400,000 strong until its apocalyptic end when, as one of only 4,000 men who had served for the entirety of the campaign in its principal engagements, he once again crossed the River Niemen into friendly territory. There are several well regarded first hand accounts of Napoleon's Russian campaign and while Labaume's might not be familiar to those interested in this period it is without doubt a substantial, detailed, well written narrative. It was one of the earliest works written by a survivor of the debacle of 1812 and was translated into English while Napoleon was in exile on the island of Elba. This Leonaur enhanced edition, with some original additions, gives modern readers the chance to discover the most comprehensive and relevant version of this important, authentic and essential source work. Includes battlefield maps drawn on the scene by Labaume. Recommended and invaluable. <br /> Leonaur editions are newly typeset and are not facsimiles; each title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket; our hardbacks are cloth bound and feature gold foil lettering on their spines and fabric head and tail bands.
Eight fantastic tales of the ghostly and bizarre <p></p> Aficionados of supernatural fiction are aware that its golden age was during the later Victorian and Edwardian eras. There was a huge public appetite for spine chilling tales and many magazines published their ideal form-the short story. This created opportunities for many writers to produce supernatural fiction. Among the huge number of stories published, some were exceptionally good and these came from the pens of those who became recognised masters of the form. Popular authors were often incredibly prolific and an individual writer's canon of supernatural fiction could be substantial. Almost every commercially minded writer wrote some supernatural fiction and many of the finest exponents of the craft were women. While Mrs. J. H. Riddell had much in common with her peers, she was highly regarded by some of the genres severest critics including the 'grand-master' himself, M. R. James. Charlotte Cowan was born in Ireland in 1832, the daughter of the High Sheriff of Antrim. She moved to London in 1855 and shortly thereafter married the civil engineer Joseph Hadley Riddell. As was often the practice at the time she subsequently wrote under her formal married name. Besides her career as a writer she was also a publisher, being part owner of the highly regarded literary periodical 'The St. Jame's Magazine.' This comprehensive Leonaur collection of Charlotte Riddell's strange stories comprises three substantial volumes to captivate both enthusiasts and collectors. This third and final volume of the Leonaur collected supernatural and weird fiction of Charlotte Riddell includes two novels 'The Disappearance of Jeremiah Redworth' and the well known 'The Uninhabited House' together with two novelettes, 'Diarmid Chittock's Story' and 'The Open Door.' Also included are five short stories, 'Walnut-Tree House, ' 'The Last Squire of Ennismore, ' 'Why Dr. Cray Left Southam, ' 'The Old House in Vauxhall Walk' and 'Conn Kilrea.' <br /> Leonaur editions are newly typeset and are not facsimiles; each title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket; our hardbacks are cloth bound and feature gold foil lettering on their spines and fabric head and tail bands.
Eight historical adventure novels in a special four volume collection <br />During the eighteenth century the American frontier traversed the eastern woodlands, mountains and lakes of the continent. The 'flaming border' was a hostile land populated by the tribes of the Shawnees, Wyandots, Delaware's and others-fierce warrior peoples determined to maintain their dominance to stem the encroachment of the early European pioneers. These settlers were a new people, determined to cut back the wilderness, to create communities and farm the fertile soil. Ever since the 'white man' had set foot in the New World the dispute had raged in seemingly endless bloodshed. The French and their Indian allies had fought and lost their bid for the continent, but still the war between 'white' and 'red' raged. The border moved inexorably Westward and the land about the great Ohio and Mississippi Rivers was where the struggle would continue. Among the vanguard of the white men were intrepid backwoodsmen, scouts, trappers, hunters and those who-for adventure or vengeance-brought the fight to their Indian and renegade foes. Among these are this series' principal characters, Henry Ware, Paul Cotter and their companions. These novels by Joseph Altsheler-sometimes referred to as 'The Young Trailers' series-chronicle these extraordinary times as the background to the adventures of these remarkable young men. Altsheler was well regarded for high adventure set in American history and accurately encompassing actual personalities and real events. This Leonaur collection is available in soft cover and hard cover with dust jacket. Altsheler's 'Civil War' series and his 'French and Indian War' series are also available from Leonaur. <br /> This first volume contains the first two novels of the series, The Young Trailers and The Forest Runner is set on the Great War Trail in the vast green wilderness of early Kentucky .
Eighteen stories of the macabre and supernatural in this final volume from Mary Elizabeth Braddon <br /> Lovers of the Victorian fiction of Wilkie Collins know that to discover his female counterpart they need look no further than the works of Mary Elizabeth Braddon. She was a prolific author of the kind of dark melodrama much loved by her contemporary audience and her most renowned work, 'Lady Audley's Secret, ' has been often dramatised, filmed and, indeed, has never been out of print from the time of its original publication. Never was the accolade, 'The Queen of Sensation' so well deserved as it was by her. It is not unusual that a writer who produced so much material-and much of that with a flavour of the Gothic-should also turn her talents to the genre of supernatural and strange fiction, since there was much precedent for it among her literary peers and much appetite for it among the reading public. So it is, perhaps, unsurprising that this Leonaur collection of Mary Elizabeth Braddon's forays into the other worldly and bizarre runs to four substantial, satisfying volumes. <br /> The final volume of this bumper collection of Mary Elizabeth Braddon's forays into the world of the bizarre and world's beyond our own includes no less than eighteen different tales for her readers to enjoy. The novelettes 'His Secret, ' 'Herself' and 'The Ghosts Name' are accompanied by fifteen of Braddon's fabulous short stories including 'The Dreaded Guest, ' 'The Little Woman in Black, ' 'Eveline's Visitant, ' 'Wild Justice' and many others to relish by the fireside on a cold dark evening. <br /> This collection is available in soft cover and hardcover with dustjacket. Leonaur hardcovers are cloth bound with head and tail bands and gold foil embossed spines
Forty-four battles of the Napoleonic era in words and pictures <br /> Napoleon was one of the most significant figures in world history; a military and administrative genius, statesman and despot, he set Europe ablaze and his influence around the globe resounds to this day. While there is no real glory in warfare, the Napoleonic period, with its marching Imperial armies, plumes bobbing above casques and shakos, and martial figures in uniforms glinting with steel, brass or bronze, is an irresistibly romantic time that fascinates both serious students and casual readers. Great battles were fought across continents, from the heat of the Iberian Peninsula to the snows of the Russian steppe, from the sands of Egypt to the northern woodlands of the Canadian frontier. This world at war, on land and sea, has been chronicled in hundreds of books, from first-hand accounts by soldiers who knew its battles to the works of modern historians who know there is an eager readership. Today we are familiar with photographs of warfare, but in the early nineteenth century the visual documentation of wars was undertaken by a host of talented artists and illustrators, and it is their work that places this unique Leonaur four volume set above the ordinary. Compiled from the writings of well regarded historians and experts on the subject, these accounts were originally part of a multi-volume collection of essays on the battles of the entire 19th century. Each essay benefits from the inclusion of illustrations, diagrams and maps to support and enhance the narrative, many of which will be unfamiliar to modern readers. <br /> Battles covered in this first volume include Marengo, Copenhagen, Egypt, Janissary Rebellion, Laswaree &amp; Assaye, Pulo Aor, Austerlitz, Trafalgar, Jena, Maida, Walcheren and Albuera. <br /> Leonaur editions are newly typeset and are not facsimiles; each title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket; our hardbacks are cloth bound and feature gold foil lettering on their spines and fabric head and tail bands.
More tales of intrigue, horror and the world beyond <br />Lovers of the Victorian fiction of Wilkie Collins know that to discover his female counterpart they need look no further than the works of Mary Elizabeth Braddon. She was a prolific author of the kind of dark melodrama much loved by her contemporary audience and her most renowned work, 'Lady Audley's Secret, ' has been often dramatised, filmed and, indeed, has never been out of print from the time of its original publication. Never was the accolade, 'The Queen of Sensation' so well deserved as it was by her. It is not unusual that a writer who produced so much material-and much of that with a flavour of the Gothic-should also turn her talents to the genre of supernatural and strange fiction, since there was much precedent for it among her literary peers and much appetite for it among the reading public. So it is, perhaps, unsurprising that this Leonaur collection of Mary Elizabeth Braddon's forays into the other worldly and bizarre runs to four substantial, satisfying volumes. <br /> The entire, substantial novel, 'Gerard or The World, the Flesh and Devil'-originally published in two volumes-is accompanied here by one of Braddon's best short stories, and one that has appeared in many anthologies as an example of the finest stories of the genre, 'The Shadow in the Corner.' Braddon further establishes the reputation of women writers of her period as being the mistress's of the supernatural tale in the other three stories included in this volume-'Sir Philip's Wooing, ' 'The Scene Painter's Wife' and 'John Granger.' <br /> This collection is available in soft cover and hardcover with dustjacket. Leonaur hardcovers are cloth bound with head and tail bands and gold foil embossed spines.
Nursing on the Balkan front lines <p></p> At the outbreak of the First World War in 1914, the founder of the Scottish Women's Hospitals, Dr. Elsie Inglis, approached the British War Office with the suggestion that her organisation be permitted to travel to the front to work with the R. A. M. C. and other nursing organisations caring for wounded and sick soldiers. It was reported that the War Office official she met told her: 'My good lady, go home and sit still.' Fortunately for thousands of allied soldiers this was not the kind of advice that sat well with Dr. Inglis. Undaunted, her plans to contribute to the war effort pressed ahead and the first 200 bed Scottish Women's Hospital opened at Royaumont, France. In the course of the war thirteen more hospitals followed, in Corsica, France, Malta, Romania, Russia, Salonika and Serbia, staffed by volunteer doctors, nurses, orderlies and ambulance drivers. This unique Leonaur edition principally concerns the activities of the Scottish Women's Hospital unit in the Romanian Campaign, part of the Balkan theatre in the east, where fighting broke out in 1916 and was particularly savage as Romanian forces attempted to regain Transylvania from the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Written by one who experienced the campaign at first hand the book describes the work, deprivation and perils of those remarkable women who, driven by irrepressible conviction, undertook their humanitarian work far from home and often in conditions of extreme danger. To add perspective an extract describing the work of the Scottish Women's Hospitals throughout the region during the Great War is also included. Recommended reading for all those interested in nursing in wartime. <br /> Leonaur editions are newly typeset and are not facsimiles; each title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket; our hardbacks are cloth bound and feature gold foil lettering on their spines and fabric head and tail bands.
Scarlet Point's raid in Iowa <br /> In March 1857, after a particularly severe winter, a band of fourteen starving, renegade Wahpekute Santee Sioux led by Scarlet Point (Inkpaduta) descended on the settlements scattered along the north western Iowa frontier close to the Minnesota border. The Indians were desperate for food and, furthermore, sought revenge for outrages perpetrated against them by white settlers-including the murder of Scarlet Point's brother and his family. The killing spree that followed cost the lives of 35-40 settlers who were isolated on their own land holdings. At Spirit Lake the Indians also abducted four women and carried them into captivity. Notable among them was the fourteen year old, Abbe Gardner who survived to be ransomed during the following summer and subsequently wrote an account of her ordeal (is also available as a Leonaur edition). Two attempts were made by government forces to pursue the fleeing Indians from Forts Dodge and Ridgely, but tardy management, a delay in setting off and appalling weather in the form of almost impassable snowfall, meant both rescue and reprisal missions failed. The Spirit Lake raid and massacre was the last Indian attack to take place in Iowa. This unique Leonaur book brings together two accounts of this famous incident in the history of the settlement of the western frontiers of the United States of America. <br /> Leonaur editions are newly typeset and are not facsimiles; each title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket; our hardbacks are cloth bound and feature gold foil lettering on their spines and fabric head and tail bands.
Tales from a Mistress of the Gothic <br />Mary Shelley is possibly one of the most renowned women authors of all time. She is, of course, the literary creator of the iconic Frankenstein's monster and that alone has guaranteed it and her immortality rivalled only by Bram Stoker's Dracula in the pantheon of the bizarre. Beyond her most famous literary work, 'Frankenstein, ' she possessed an incredible creative talent, responsible for a dazzling collection of novels, short stories, essays, plays, biographies and travel books. Mary Shelley was an independent, free thinking woman, decades before her time, who strongly adhered the ideals of her father, the political philosopher William Godwin and her mother, the feminist and liberal Mary Wollstonecraft. She notoriously-for her time-became the mistress of the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, and she subsequently married him upon the suicide of his wife. Those familiar with 'Frankenstein' will not be surprised to find it within this special collection, but those for whom it will be a new experience will discover a superb work of fiction which towers above our perceptions of it from its familiarity through film and television. Fortunately, Mary Shelley did not confine her excursions into the other worldly, weird and Gothic to just this tale of the 'man-made' man. This two volume edition contains two novels and many shorter pieces in testament to Mary Shelley's talent for the literature of the macabre. <br /> In this the first volume the reader will discover the classic novel, 'Frankenstein' together with fourteen shorter pieces including, 'The Mortal Immortal, ' 'Valerius: the Reanimated Roman, ' 'The Mourner' and many others. <br /> Available in soft cover and hard cover with dust jacket. Leonaur hard covers are cloth bound, have taped headers and gold foil embossed spines for collectors.
The British Empire at war in the deserts of Egypt and the Sudan <br /> This special Leonaur edition combines into a single volume two works concerning the campaigns of the British Army in Egypt and the Sudan during the later Victorian era. The text is supported by maps sometimes absent in other editions of the text. The first work concerns the Egyptian Campaign of 1882, sometimes referred to as the Anglo-Egyptian (or Second Anglo-Egyptian) War. The motivation for the conflict arose from a military coup by Egyptian army officers against the Khedive, in the form of Tewfik Pasha, which led the British to believe their own essential interests in the region would be destabilised. In response a substantial naval and military force was despatched which resulted in the bombardment of Alexandria. The British army under Wolseley marched on Cairo and won a decisive victory at the Battle of Tel-el-Kabir which led to a period of occupation of the country. The second work in this substantial book concerns the various campaigns against the Mahdists of the Sudan from 1884 to their final defeat at Omdurman in 1898. This is well known period of British imperial history. Even casual students of the period are aware of the rise of the Mahdist movement, the siege of Khartoum held by the enigmatic General 'Chinese' Gordon, the slaughter of Hicks Pasha and his army, the abortive race to relieve Gordon and monumental battles such as El-Teb, Tamai, Abu Klea and Atbara. These were iconic times for the British Empire when 'the Gatling jammed and the colonel was dead' and the ferocious 'fuzzy wuzzy's' achieved the unthinkable and broke the British infantry square. Two excellent histories and highly recommended. <br /> Leonaur editions are newly typeset and are not facsimiles; each title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket; our hardbacks are cloth bound and feature gold foil lettering on their spines and fabric head and tail bands.
The collected Mrs. Gaskell-a cornucopia of Victorian horror and spectral visitations <br /> Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell (or as she was known 'Mrs. Gaskell') was born as Elizabeth Stevenson in Chelsea, London in 1810. Gaskell was a prolific author, writing short stories, novels and non-fiction of social history as well as a notable biography of Charlotte Bronte. It would have been unusual had she not also written ghostly tales, because she lived at a time when chilling tales were highly popular. Indeed she was persuaded to do so by Charles Dickens, an enthusiast for the form who had also encouraged several other writers to make forays into the genre. Perhaps inevitably Gaskell's scary, gothic fiction appeared in Dickens' magazine 'Household Words, ' a showcase also for several of her contemporaries. Gaskell's stories not only 'ticked all the boxes' commercially, but her ability ensured that her stories, well regarded in her own time, have endured as among the best examples of Victorian supernatural fiction. Apart from her supernatural writings Mrs. Gaskell is especially remembered today for her novels, 'Cranford' and 'North and South.' Volume two of Mrs. Gaskells gothic chillers includes the novel 'A Dark Night's Work, ' four novelettes 'Crowley Castle, ' 'Lizzie Leigh, ' 'Morton Hall, ' and 'Half a Lifetime Ago, ' and five short stories. <br /> Leonaur editions are newly typeset and are not facsimiles; each title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket; our hardbacks are cloth bound and feature gold foil lettering on their spines and fabric head and tail band
The fifth volume of a major work on warfare in the Napoleonic age <br /> The author of this substantial multi-volume history, Theodore A Dodge, was not only an historian of stature and note but also a soldier. He wrote several well regarded histories of the campaigns and battles of the Civil War and other works of military history. Perhaps his most outstanding achievement was a series of books, published under the umbrella title 'the Art of War, ' focusing on different historical periods as typified by their most notable military commanders-including the campaigns of Alexander, Hannibal and Caesar in the ancient world and the wars of the 17th and 18th century as fought by great captains including Gustavus Adolphus, Frederick and Marlborough. This volume is part of his in depth study of the Napoleonic period, which in its entirety was comprised of four huge volumes that benefited from the inclusion of almost 800 small scale uniform drawings, portraits of notable personalities and numerous theatre, campaign and battlefield maps. This retitled Leonaur edition has been revised to form volumes of approximately equal size reformatted to enable us to enlarge all the illustrations and maps for the benefit of the reader. This series is an excellent history of the campaigns and battles of the Napoleonic Age but it goes far beyond the historical record. Dodge critically examines the strategies and tactics of all the military commanders in such a clear and authoritative manner that the student of military history can clearly understand the errors of those about to suffer defeat and the expertise-or in the case of Napoleon Bonaparte, the military genius-of the victors. This is an invaluable guide to warfare in the age of Napoleon and is highly recommended. This fifth volume covers the final battles as Napoleons Grand Army reached his objective of the Russian capital. Smolensk, Valutino and Borodino preceded the untenable occupation of the Moscow followed by the retreat to the Beresina. In the Iberian peninsula the Duke of Wellington was inflicting reverses on the French at Salamanca and Vittoria. Napoleon's star was now waning and 1813 brought Lutzen, Bautzen, Dresden and Leipzig spelling the beginning of the end for the Napoleonic era. <br /> Leonaur editions are newly typeset and are not facsimiles; each title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket; our hardbacks are cloth bound and feature gold foil lettering on their spines and fabric head and tail bands.
The final volume in Leonaur's Craig Kennedy series <br />In Craig Kennedy the American nation might justifiably lay claim to their own Sherlock Holmes, for here is a detective whose activities projected him into the modern age. Where Conan Doyle's famous character of a more gentle era relied on his superb powers of analysis, Kennedy is able to combine his own intellectual powers with the technological marvels of a new age. Arthur B. Reeve's classic 'Craig Kennedy' stories began appearing in 1910, ensuring him of a place as a dominant crime fighter for the emerging 20th century. Kennedy is perhaps the natural evolution of the 'great detective' and the reader cannot but imagine that Holmes would have embraced his newly created techniques with equal enthusiasm. Here in two related books the reader will discover the application of lie detectors, gyroscopes, seismographs and an arsenal of other equipment, both real and imagined, to the solving of crimes and the bringing of criminals to justice. <br /> This special Leonaur collection of the 'scientific' detective of Columbia University comprises seven substantial volumes, each in a colour coordinated cover. Leonaur hard backs are cloth bound, have fabric head and tail bands and feature gold foil lettering on their spines, so this may be the ideal way to collect and own the marvellous Craig Kennedy detective story series. <br /> In this final volume, the reader will find two more complete books of intriguing detective stories to enjoy-Constance Dunlap and Guy Garrick, originally published in 1911 and 1914 respectively, Kennedy does not make a personal appearance in these titles, but his methods and technology are used throughout. Within these pages enthusiasts can puzzle over many a dastardly crime and, of course, an equal number of brilliantly deduced solutions.
The final volume of an eight book collection from 'the grandfather of the ghost story' <br />Whilst many highly regarded writers have created collections of strange and supernatural fiction and several other authors are now primarily known for their literary efforts within this genre, the author of this large collection surely stands alone. Not only is his body of supernatural and gothic fiction extremely substantial, he wrote ghost and horror fiction if not exclusively then certainly as the subject matter of the overwhelming majority of his considerable literary output. His authorship of novels and stories of the other worldly began from the first part of the nineteenth century making him one of the earliest specialist exponents of the genre in the 'modern' period. He is widely regarded as a master of his craft, and it is certain that once he had set out to create a thrill or chill in the minds of his reader one was sure to follow! J. Sheridan Le Fanu was without doubt the premier writer of ghostly fiction during the Victorian age and his influence on the genre can be seen in the work of his peers and those who followed after. An Irishman, in 1861 Le Fanu became the editor of the 'Dublin University Magazine' and this gave his fiction ready access to the public. 'The House by the Churchyard' and 'Wylder's Hand' were originally published in the magazine. This special Leonaur edition of Le Fanu's weird and supernatural fiction runs to 8 substantial volumes and is possibly the most comprehensive collection of his work yet assembled. It includes his highly regarded novels and a plethora of shorter works designed to provoke fear and horror among his dedicated aficionados. <br /> This volume contains the novel A Lost Name, the novelette The Last Heir of Castle Connor, and six short stories: The Phantom Fourth; The Quare Gander; The Secret of the Two Plaster Casts; The Spirit's Whisper; The Vision of Tom Chuff and Some Gossip About Chapelizod. <br /> All volumes are available in softcover and hardcover with dust jacket for collectors. Leonaur hardcovers feature real cloth bindings, gold foil lettering on their spines and head and tail bands.
The final volume of this special Leonaur collection <br />If the genre of supernatural fiction were a windowless corridor there would be those authors who stood at the light of the door only to peep playfully within and those who ventured farther along it to where the light was dimmer and the fear more palpable. Inevitably, in this analogy, there would be those who occupied a place far from the light where the darkness was almost complete. There, perhaps, one would find the work of Guy de Maupassant. It is a place uncomfortable to occupy and, for some, to visit. It is difficult to know how much of the deep disturbance of the troubled and driven characters within these often erotic stories comes from the author's interest in psychology and how much inspiration came from his own proclivities. Certainly his self-penned epitaph 'I have coveted everything and enjoyed nothing, ' is revealing. In 1892 ravaged by syphilis, wracked by obsessions and paranoia the author attempted suicide by cutting his own throat. He was committed to a private asylum and died the following year. He was 42 years old. Guy de Maupassant is recognised as a giant of nineteenth century French literature, a protege of Flaubert, an inspiration to H. P Lovecraft, among others, and an acknowledged master of the short story-a form in which he was very prolific. Indeed, this special Leonaur three volume collection of his excursions into the supernatural and strange contains almost 140 stories. De Maupassant produced fine prose in an economical style for which he became famous, but some more recent translations have been criticised for having lost his essential elegance of style; to preserve the integrity of the writing as far as possible the Leonaur editors have utilised earlier translations. <br /> Volume three of this special three volume Guy de Maupassant collection of strange tales contains one novella 'The Heritage' and thirty seven fine examples of his shorter fiction, among these the reader will discover 'The Olive Grove, ' 'A Traveller's Tale, ' 'The Grave, ' 'A Queer Night in Paris, ' 'Moonlight, ' 'The Moribund.' 'The Horrible, ' 'The Man with Blue Eyes' and many more. <br /> Leonaur editions are available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket for collectors. Leonaur hardbacks feature real cloth bindings, gold foil lettering on their spines and fabric head and tail bands.&quot;
The first of a four volume collection of fantastic stories <br />H. Rider Haggard's ability to give his audience a good tale well told is not in question. He was one of the most popular authors of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and some of his novels are well known-at least by title-to almost everyone. His story of Ayesha-'she who must be obeyed'- has been filmed and in its day was one of the best selling novels ever. King Solomon's Mines, introduced the public to the little, wiry, white hunter Allan Quatermain. It too became instantly popular and the character went on to feature in a host of different adventures on the dark continent as well as on the silver screen several times. Leonaur have gathered together several Haggard collections for modern readers to enjoy. There is, of course, the two volume Ayesha quartet, but also the Quatermain series, the African Adventures series, the Historical Adventure series and the series of adventures set in the Ancient World. Irrespective of his central theme Haggard was never one to shy away from elements of the supernatural or fantastical, witches, ghosts, familiar spirits, god gorillas and the like appear unquestioned in even the most realistic of his stories. So it is less than surprising that Haggard also produced a body of work that positions itself uncompromisingly in the realms of the incredible. This special four volume collection from Leonaur gathers together those stories-each book featuring one novel and one or more shorter works-in a satisfying four volume set for his many aficionados to collect and relish. Available in soft cover and hard back with dust jacket. <br /> In volume one, the first story is the novel When the World Shook. The nations of the earth are tearing themselves apart during the Great War when our heroes sail to the South Seas-complete with shipwrecks, cannibals and exploding volcanoes-to discover the remnants of a lost race which has been held in suspended animation for a quarter of a million, years having reached advanced technology only to be brought down by barbarism. The shorter work, Doctor Therne examines the acceptance and dissention over vaccinations in medicine.
The general who thwarted the Spanish invasion of the British Isles <br /> The final years of the 16th century saw an emergent Dutch nationalism and a determination by the Dutch to throw off the yoke of Spanish occupation in their homeland. The English queen, Elizabeth, was not only well aware of the dangers of the presence of a Catholic super-power so close to her nation's shores, but had every sympathy with the cause of her Protestant neighbours. English volunteers soon flocked to the continent with her blessings to fight the Spanish in the Low Countries. This book describes the conflict there in fascinating detail, but also focuses on the military career of the finest English soldier of that time. Sir Francis Vere campaigned and fought for decades in this epic struggle, demonstrating a strategic and tactical talent equal to that of the enduringly famous British commanders of later generations. Ultimately Vere commanded the English Auxiliary Army. Much of this history is devoted to the battles for Dutch Independence, but it also covers the extraordinary British seaborne raid on Cadiz and the action known as 'The Island Voyage'. This volume concludes with a short account of the military career of Horace Vere, Francis' brother, who fought in the same cause. Contains maps and illustrations not present in the original edition of the text which was published as, 'The Fighting Veres'. <br /> Leonaur editions are newly typeset and are not facsimiles; each title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket; our hardbacks are cloth bound and feature gold foil lettering on their spines and fabric head and tail bands.
The general who thwarted the Spanish invasion of the British Isles <br /> The final years of the 16th century saw an emergent Dutch nationalism and a determination by the Dutch to throw off the yoke of Spanish occupation in their homeland. The English queen, Elizabeth, was not only well aware of the dangers of the presence of a Catholic super-power so close to her nation's shores, but had every sympathy with the cause of her Protestant neighbours. English volunteers soon flocked to the continent with her blessings to fight the Spanish in the Low Countries. This book describes the conflict there in fascinating detail, but also focuses on the military career of the finest English soldier of that time. Sir Francis Vere campaigned and fought for decades in this epic struggle, demonstrating a strategic and tactical talent equal to that of the enduringly famous British commanders of later generations. Ultimately Vere commanded the English Auxiliary Army. Much of this history is devoted to the battles for Dutch Independence, but it also covers the extraordinary British seaborne raid on Cadiz and the action known as 'The Island Voyage'. This volume concludes with a short account of the military career of Horace Vere, Francis' brother, who fought in the same cause. Contains maps and illustrations not present in the original edition of the text which was published as, 'The Fighting Veres'. <br /> Leonaur editions are newly typeset and are not facsimiles; each title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket; our hardbacks are cloth bound and feature gold foil lettering on their spines and fabric head and tail bands.
The Gordons in Afghanistan and South Africa <br /> Charles Martin's riveting recollections of his time as a soldier in the ranks of the 92nd, the Gordon Highlanders in the latter part of the nineteenth century during the reign of Victoria, the Queen Empress, is an excellent example of the military first-hand account and will please any student of the period. Martin's service covered the years from the middle of the 1860s to the middle of the 1880s. This meant he accompanied his regiment to the Indian sub-continent and with them played a full, active and perilous part in the Second Afghan War. Martin's was an Afghan War at the sharp end and he provides us with an essential account of infantrymen fighting on the ground in this particularly inhospitable environment. The exploits of the highlanders at Kandahar are, of course, well known and Martin covers this period in detail. After the war the Gordons took passage to South Africa where the survivors of so many hard fought battles with the Afghans were faced with the outbreak of the First Boer War and were fated to take part in the disaster that was the Battle at Majuba Hill. On this exposed ground many a brave highlander fell to the ruthless efficiency and superb marksmanship of the Boers. Martin missed being on the hill by the merest coincidence. The sergeant who took his place was killed among his comrades. Martin graphically records the tragedy of Majuba and examines the cause of the appalling outcome using the first hand accounts of two men who fought there-this is a doubly interesting part of this book since these accounts have rarely appeared in print else where. <br /> Leonaur editions are newly typeset and are not facsimiles; each title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket; our hardbacks are cloth bound and feature gold foil lettering on their spines and fabric head and tail bands.
The life of one of the most notable of Napoleon's marshals <p></p> There are few students of the Napoleonic epoch who require much introduction to the character of Marshal Ney. In an empire of many courageous men who would stand at the emperor's side, Ney was one of the most charismatic and outstanding. Though he rose to the highest rank, he ever had the sensibilities of a cavalryman and with his raw courage, blunt manner, ruddy complexion and habit of exposing himself to the heart of the action he justifiably earned his sobriquet, 'the Bravest of the Brave.' As with most of the soldiers who were closest to Napoleon, Ney was present on many fields of conflict throughout the period of the Napoleonic Wars, but it is perhaps telling that for many it is the image of Ney standing in the snows of the disastrous retreat from Moscow, among the very last men of the rearguard fending off the harassing Cossacks, that resonates in the mind. Ney it was too who continually hurled himself among the futile waves of massed cavalry as they tried to sweep Wellington's infantry of the ridge at Waterloo. And it was Ney, of course, perhaps finally a victim of his own reckless impulses, who faced the firing squad for his volte face and support for Napoleon during the fateful 'Hundred Days.' This biography by Atteridge is a well regarded classic and an essential addition to any library of the Napoleonic era. <br /> Leonaur editions are newly typeset and are not facsimiles; each title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket; our hardbacks are cloth bound and feature gold foil lettering on their spines and fabric head and tail bands.
The Naval Brigade of the cruiser H. M. S. Terrible in the Victorian age <br /> The battles of the Nile and Trafalgar in the opening years of the 19th century demonstrated that the Royal Navy was an unbeatable international force. The lessons of that period were so well understood by the world that the British navy did not fight another major battle on the high seas until Jutland during the First World War. Britain ruled the waves for a century as the nation's imperial and colonial aspirations were fulfilled and the Royal Navy became a de facto international police force. The larger wars of the century were fought on land and demanded little of British naval resources. Naval guns and their expert gunners, however, were a valuable asset that could be deployed to significant effect almost anywhere the British Army was engaged. Naval Brigades were created and went on to see action in the Crimea, the Indian Mutiny, the Zulu War, the Boer War and towards the close of the 19th century as part of the force dispatched to China to suppress the Boxer uprising and relieve the beleaguered legations in Peking. This unique Leonaur two-in-one volume contains exciting narratives of the brigade of H. M. S. Terrible, a cruiser of the 'Powerful' class, during the Second Boer War, where it played a significant role in the relief of Ladysmith, and in China during the Boxer Rebellion. Also included is an interesting description of the initiatives which led to the building of the 'Powerful' class. <br /> Leonaur editions are newly typeset and are not facsimiles; each title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket; our hardbacks are cloth bound and feature gold foil lettering on their spines and fabric head and tail bands.
The second of two volumes containing the complete Tales of the Wonder Club <p></p> Tales of the Wonder Club was originally published as three volumes between 1899-1900 and all three books are present in this special Leonaur two volume set. These tales are unusual for late 19th century works; most of the stories are gothic with elements of the supernatural, weird, bizarre, horror or fantasy and some commentators have likened them to the work of J. Sheridan Le Fanu. An acknowledged 'grandfather of the supernatural, ' Le Fanu's work was typical of the early to mid-nineteenth century and the author of these volumes has paid homage to the master, in much the same way as did M. R. James, another fine writer of supernatural fiction. The potentially uninspiring pseudonym of the author of these well regarded books, 'Dryasdust, ' is used humorously, and with a nod to Sir Walter Scott; in fact Dryasdust was not his only nom-de-plume, he also wrote under the name M. Y. Halidom though he was in reality Englishman, Alexander Huth. In the period leading to the outbreak of the Great War, Huth wrote a number of supernatural novels, one of them, coincidentally, with the same title as that classic of the modern ghost story, The Woman in Black. <br /> Included in volume 2 are: The Three Pauls, The Waxen Image, The Chieftain's Destiny, A Tale of the French Revolution and The Gipsy Queen. <br /> Leonaur editions are newly typeset and are not facsimiles; each title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket; our hardbacks are cloth bound and feature gold foil lettering on their spines and fabric head and tail bands.