New Releases by Giles Milton

From internationally bestselling historian Giles Milton comes a gripping tale of exploration, survival, and geopolitical power in the Arctic Circle. The year was 1913. Charismatic explorer Vilhjalmur Stefansson was obsessed with a frozen speck of land in the Siberian Arctic: Wrangel Island. Believing whoever possessed it would control the future of the Northern Hemisphere—its air routes, its resources, and the global balance of power—he took an impossible gamble. Stefansson, born William Stephenson, had changed his name to sound more like the Viking forebears he idolized. Driven by a messianic zeal, he dispatched a small, ill-equipped venture to stake a colony in Britain’s name. It was a maneuver of brilliance, ego, and breathtaking hubris. What followed was a catastrophe of starvation, madness, and geopolitical risk. As winter locked the island in ice and rescue ships failed to arrive, tensions among the colonists spiraled toward despair. While diplomats from Great Britain, America, Canada, and the Soviet Union sparred and warships were made ready, the settlers were left to endure scurvy, polar bears, and the slow terror of abandonment. At the center of this epic saga stood one unlikely survivor—a twenty-three-year-old Inuit seamstress named Ada Blackjack, who would outlast them all. Empire at the Edge of the World is a sweeping and chilling tale of superhuman endurance, a man known as a visionary and trickster, and the human cost of his manic ambition. Bestselling author Giles Milton delivers a little-known slice of history perfect for readers interested in the great age of Arctic exploration. With the future of the Arctic once again up for grabs, it is also a story with the greatest possible relevance to today’s uncertain world.

En juin 1941, Hitler déclenche son attaque massive contre l’URSS. Pour Churchill et Roosevelt, une évidence s’impose : malgré son régime de terreur, il faut sauver Staline – ou perdre la guerre. Giles Milton raconte la naissance d’une alliance improbable, tissée de ruses diplomatiques, de séduction et de méfiance mutuelle. À partir d’archives déclassifiées, de lettres et de journaux intimes, il restitue brillamment la tension des échanges secrets entre les capitales alliées et dévoile les manœuvres qui ont permis d’atteindre à la victoire finale. Voici donc l’histoire vraie du groupe d’hommes et de femmes qui parvinrent à organiser la Grande Alliance : Churchill, Roosevelt et Staline, bien entendu, mais aussi le millionnaire Averell Harriman, qui pilotera le programme américain de Prêt-Bail, sa fille Kathy, jeune et brillante essayiste, et toute une équipe inoubliable de diplomates anglais, parmi lesquels Archie Clark Kerr, un anticonformiste aussi séducteur qu’il pouvait être insupportable. L’histoire populaire à son plus haut niveau.

A notável história verídica da missão secreta dos Aliados na Moscovo em tempo de guerra. No verão de 1941, quando Hitler invadiu a União Soviética, as forças de Estaline enfrentaram a possibilidade de uma derrota catastrófica, o que tornaria praticamente impossível a libertação da Europa pelos Aliados. Para evitar este desastre, a Grã-Bretanha e os Estados Unidos mobilizaram uma equipa de elite composta por diplomatas notáveis com a missão de manter o Exército Vermelho na guerra. Para o coração da Moscovo de Estaline, Roosevelt enviou Averell Harriman, o quarto homem mais rico da América, e a sua brilhante filha Kathy. Churchill enviou o imprudente, mas criativo bon vivant Archie Clark Kerr - e, ocasionalmente, ele próprio - para negociar com os operadores mais astutos do Kremlin. Juntos, este grupo improvável lutou contra o engenhoso e temperamental Estaline para tornar a vitória possível. Do autor bestseller Giles Milton, e baseado em diários, cartas e relatórios secretos surpreendentes e inéditos, O Caso Estaline põe a descoberto aquela que é a coligação mais improvável da História moderna. Os elogios da crítica: "Apresentado com extravagância, [este livro] conta com um elenco brilhante de oportunistas." Katja Hoyer, autora de Para Lá do Muro "Este livro pode ser lido como o argumento de um filme emocionante, mas onde cada palavra é exata e verificada." Andrew Roberts, autor de Churchill: Caminhando com o destino "Giles Milton, além de um excelente historiador, é também um contador de histórias nato. Esta é uma recriação soberba de uma aliança espantosa e improvável em tempo de guerra, vivamente trazida à vida neste livro viciante... Fabuloso." James Holland, historiador e autor "Uma narrativa rica que salta do microscópico para o universal e vice-versa." Dan Snow, historiador e autor "Giles Milton voltou a fazê-lo: uma história de intriga, risco e astúcia em tempo de guerra, que envolve três gigantes da história do século XX." Jonathan Freedland, autor de O Mestre da Fuga "Mais uma viagem de montanha-russa de Giles Milton. Infinitamente surpreendente." Anthony Horowitz, autor e argumentista britânico

A história do dia mais longo, contada por aqueles que o viveram. O mundo mudou na fria manhã do dia 6 de junho de 1944, quando 156 mil homens, 7 mil navios e 20 mil veículos blindados partiram rumo à batalha que marcaria o início do fim da Segunda Guerra Mundial. Giles Milton, autor bestseller, revela-nos histórias de heroísmo individual num livro apaixonante onde relata os acontecimentos do Dia D - o desembarque das forças aliadas nas praias da Normandia, em França - através das palavras daqueles que lá estiveram nesse dia: aliados, alemães e franceses. O que diz a crítica: "Inspirador e comovente em igual medida, esta é história escrita na sua forma mais poderosa." Evening Standard "[Giles Milton é] o mestre da narrativa histórica." The Sunday Times "Primorosamente escrito... o melhor dos melhores." The Wall Street Journal "Giles Milton não é um escritor como os outros... Este é um relato exemplar, abrilhantado e enriquecido pelo discreto sentido de humanidade do autor." The Sunday Herald "Com a sua hábil forma de contar histórias, Giles Milton produziu uma narrativa enérgica e cheia de ação que dá nova vida às palavras e atos da extraordinária geração que se viu envolvida num dos dias decisivos da história ocidental." BBC History Magazine

From internationally bestselling historian Giles Milton comes the remarkable true story of the motley group of Allied men and women who worked to manage Stalin’s mercurial, explosive approach to diplomacy during four turbulent years of World War II. In the summer of 1941, Hitler invaded the Soviet Union, shattering what Stalin had considered an ironclad partnership. There were real fears that Stalin’s forces would be defeated or that the Soviet leader would once again strike a deal with Hitler. Either eventuality would spell catastrophe for both Britain and the United States. Enter W. Averell Harriman: a railroad magnate and, at the start of the war, the fourth-richest man in America. At Roosevelt’s behest he traveled to Britain to serve as a liaison between the president and Churchill and to spearhead what became known as the Harriman Mission. Together with his fashionable young daughter Kathy, an unforgettable cast of British diplomats, and Churchill himself, he would eventually manage to wrangle Stalin into the partnership the Allies needed to defeat Hitler. Based on unpublished diaries, letters, and secret reports, The Stalin Affair reveals troves of new material about the path to Allied victory, full of vivid scenes between celebrated and infamous World War II figures. Includes eight-page, black & white photograph insert.

Czy wiesz, że Stalin obrabował bank? Że zwłoki Charliego Chaplina zostały porwane dla okupu, a Agatha Christie zaginęła w tajemniczych okolicznościach na jedenaście dni? Jeśli dodać do tego Hitlera na haju, Churchilla mordującego owce i wieczerzę, na której podano ostatniego ptaka dodo, to stężenie absurdu wywołuje niedowierzanie i niekontrolowane głośne „serio?”. Giles Milton jest mistrzem narracji historycznej i w swojej książce szczegółowo opisuje sto najbardziej zwariowanych wydarzeń w dziejach. Historie te czyta się jak fikcję, ale są w stu procentach prawdziwe. Pełna szpiegów, łotrzyków, kanibali, poszukiwaczy przygód i niewolników książka „obejmuje” kilkaset lat i sześć kontynentów. Perfekcyjnie zbadane przez autora fakty rzucają nowe światło na najbardziej ekstrawaganckie i barwne postacie (i zwierzęta) w historii. GILES MILTON jest członkiem Królewskiego Towarzystwa Historycznego oraz autorem bestsellerowych książek historycznych, m in. Muszkatołowej wojny Nathaniela i Ministerstwa niedżentelmeńskich działań wojennych. Jego książki zostały przetłumaczone na ponad dwadzieścia języków i ukazywały się w odcinkach zarówno w audycjach radiowych BBC, jak i w brytyjskich gazetach. Został doceniony przez „New York Timesa” oraz „Time” jako pisarz, którego „niezwykłe badania dają zabawne i bogate w informacje spojrzenie na przeszłość”. Historia opowiedziana przez pryzmat ciekawostek, anegdot i absurdów to coś, co zapamiętasz na długo! Diana Chmiel, autorka bloga „Bardziej Lubię Książki” Łatwo przyswajalne kompendium historycznych dziwactw postaci sławnych i niesławnych. „KIRKUS REVIEWS” OKIEM WYDAWCY: Ze szkolnych lekcji historii najczęściej zapamiętywałem nie daty wojen punickich, ale fakty takie jak ten, że car Piotr I Wielki wprowadził podatek od noszenia brody. Ta książka zawiera wyłącznie takie ciekawostki. Historię pilota kamikadze, który przeżył dwie misje bojowe. (Czy to oznacza, że źle wykonał swoje zadanie czy wręcz przeciwnie?) I opowieść o „brytyjskiej Mulan” – kobiecie, która przebrała się za mężczyznę, by móc walczyć na froncie w czasie I wojny światowej. Prawdziwa bomba humoru i wiedzy, która sprawi, że już do końca życia będziesz błyszczeć w towarzystwie. SZYMON LANGOWSKI

Berlin, 1945. Le destin de la capitale allemande a été scellé en février, durant la conférence de Yalta : les puissances victorieuses États-Unis, Grande-Bretagne, France et Union soviétique divisent les ruines en quatre zones doccupation. Sur le papier, cela semblait une solution pragmatique. En réalité, une fois que les Alliés nont plus été unis par lobjectif commun de vaincre lAllemagne, ils nont pas tardé à retrouver leur hostilité davant-guerre. Le vernis de civilité entre Occidentaux et Soviétiques devait voler en éclats de manière spectaculaire à Berlin. Des systèmes rivaux, des idéologies contraires et des personnalités antagonistes ont fait de la capitale allemande un champ de bataille explosif. Berlin année zéro raconte la première bataille de la guerre froide comme jamais elle ne la été auparavant. Récit dune rivalité terrible, cest avant tout lhistoire dindividus imparfaits qui étaient déterminés à gagner. Giles Milton fait un travail magistral en nous donnant à comprendre les motivations et la pensée de tous les acteurs clés à chaque moment crucial. Une histoire dune tension inouïe, qui a eu une influence profonde, et souvent sous-estimée, sur le monde contemporain.

From a master of popular history, the lively, immersive story of the race to seize Berlin in the aftermath of World War II as it’s never been told before BERLIN’S FATE WAS SEALED AT THE 1945 YALTA CONFERENCE: the city, along with the rest of Germany, was to be carved up among the victorious powers— the United States, Britain, France, and the Soviet Union. On paper, it seemed a pragmatic solution. In reality, once the four powers were no longer united by the common purpose of defeating Germany, they wasted little time reverting to their prewar hostility toward—and suspicion of—one another. The veneer of civility between the Western allies and the Soviets was to break down in spectacular fashion in Berlin. Rival systems, rival ideologies, and rival personalities ensured that the German capital became an explosive battleground. The warring leaders who ran Berlin’s four sectors were charismatic, mercurial men, and Giles Milton brings them all to rich and thrilling life here. We meet unforgettable individuals like America’s explosive Frank “Howlin’ Mad” Howley, a brusque sharp-tongued colonel with a relish for mischief and a loathing for all Russians. Appointed commandant of the city’s American sector, Howley fought an intensely personal battle against his wily nemesis, General Alexander Kotikov, commandant of the Soviet sector. Kotikov oozed charm as he proposed vodka toasts at his alcohol-fueled parties, but Howley correctly suspected his Soviet rival was Stalin’s agent, appointed to evict the Western allies from Berlin and ultimately from Germany as well. Throughout, Checkmate in Berlin recounts the first battle of the Cold War as we’ve never before seen it. An exhilarating tale of intense rivalry and raw power, it is above all a story of flawed individuals who were determined to win, and Milton does a masterful job of weaving between all the key players’ motivations and thinking at every turn. A story of unprecedented human drama, it’s one that had a profound, and often underestimated, shaping force on the modern world – one that’s still felt today.

The international bestselling historian and host of the Unknown History podcast presents a ground-breaking account of the first 24 hours of the D-Day invasion told by a symphony of incredible accounts of unknown and unheralded members of the Allied—and Axis—forces. More than seventy-five years have passed since D-Day, the greatest seaborne invasion in history. The outcome of the Second World War hung in the balance on that chill June morning. If Allied forces succeeded in gaining a foothold in northern France, the road to victory would be open. But if the Allies could be driven back into the sea, the invasion would be stalled for years, perhaps forever. An epic battle that involved 156,000 men, 7,000 ships and 20,000 armored vehicles, the desperate struggle that unfolded on June 6th, 1944 was, above all, a story of individual heroics—of men who were driven to keep fighting until the German defenses were smashed and the precarious beachheads secured. This authentic human story—Allied, German, French—has never fully been told. Giles Milton’s bold new history narrates the day’s events through the tales of survivors from all sides: the teenage Allied conscript, the crack German defender, the French resistance fighter. From the military architects at Supreme Headquarters to the young schoolboy in the Wehrmacht’s bunkers, Soldier, Sailor, Frogman, Spy, Airman, Gangster, Kill or Die lays bare the absolute terror of those trapped in the front line of Operation Overlord. It also gives voice to those who have hitherto remained unheard—the French butcher’s daughter, the Panzer Commander’s wife, the chauffeur to the General Staff. This vast canvas of human bravado reveals “the longest day” as never before—less as a masterpiece of strategic planning than a day on which thousands of scared young men found themselves staring death in the face. It is drawn in its entirety from the raw, unvarnished experiences of those who were there. Includes Maps and Black-and-White Photographs

Als Lenin sein Hirn verlor: Wahre Geschichten aus dem Archiv, durch Zufall entdeckt Manchmal wirkt die Realität absurder als jede fiktive Erzählung: Hätten Sie beispielsweise gewusst, dass in Großbritannien einst ein Crossdresser für riesige Wetteinsätze sorgte? Oder dass Sir Arthur Conan Doyle ein Medium nach Agatha Christie suchen ließ? Der britische Historiker Giles Milton verbringt viel Zeit mit der Recherche in Archiven und stößt dabei immer wieder auf Spannendes, Erheiterndes und Befremdliches. In diesem Buch hat er die interessantesten historischen Anekdoten, über die er bisher gestolpert ist, zusammengetragen – alles wahr, alles unglaublich! - Von kurios bis spektakulär: Wahre Geschichten, wie man sie nicht erfinden könnte! - Zeitgeschichte, wie sie in keinem Lehrbuch steht – Anekdoten, die im Gedächtnis bleiben - Fundstücke aus der Archivarbeit: Wenn man bei der Recherche Informationen findet, nach denen man gar nicht gesucht hat - Ein originelles Geschenkbuch: so macht Geschichte Spaß! Stimmt das wirklich? Nächtliche Besuche bei der Queen und das Ende der Dodos Wer hätte gedacht, dass es einem Laien ohne kriminelle Vorgeschichte gelingen könnte, in den Buckingham Palace einzubrechen – und das gleich mehrmals? Ebenso unglaublich scheint, dass die Mona Lisa ihre Berühmtheit hauptsächlich einem Diebstahl verdankt. Und damit nicht genug an Kuriosem: Dodos sind nur ausgestorben, weil sie eine leichte Jagdbeute darstellten, obwohl sie geschmacklich eher eine Enttäuschung waren. Giles Milton fand in den Archiven der Welt noch viel mehr solcher aufsehenerregender Geschichten, die tatsächlich wahr sind.

Soixante-quinze ans ont passé depuis le débarquement de Normandie, la plus grande offensive par la mer de l’histoire de l’humanité. Ce jour-là, le 6 juin 1944, l’issue de la guerre s’est trouvée suspendue à un fil, car le succès ou l’échec de l’opération colossale du Débarquement ouvrirait la voie, ou non, à une victoire alliée. C’est l’histoire des soldats que raconte ici Giles Milton, ces hommes souvent très jeunes qui ont combattu jusqu’à la mort pour mettre fin à la Seconde Guerre mondiale. Pour évoquer le jour J, Milton rapporte les récits des survivants : le jeune conscrit allié, le défenseur d’élite allemand, le résistant français, les civils de Normandie. Depuis les stratèges des forces alliées jusqu’aux soldats de la Wehrmacht dans les bunkers du littoral, D-Day : les soldats du Débarquement décrit avec force la terreur absolue de ceux qui étaient pris au piège de la ligne de front de l’opération Overlord. Milton donne la parole aux personnes que l’on n’avait jamais entendues : la fille du boucher du village, la femme du commandant de panzer, le chauffeur du général – tous les protagonistes de cette bataille monstrueuse trouvent ici leur voix. Un ouvrage magistral. « Un récit exemplaire, animé par le sentiment d’une humanité commune subtilement exprimée par l’auteur. » Trevor Royle, The Herald « Incroyablement authentique, révélateur et magnifiquement écrit. Un tour de force captivant. » Damien Lewis Né en 1966, Giles Milton est spécialiste de l’histoire des voyages et des explorations. Il a publié plusieurs ouvrages de non-fiction, dont huit traduits en français aux Éditions Noir sur Blanc : La Guerre de la noix muscade (2000), Les Aventuriers de la Reine (2002), Samouraï William (2003), Captifs en Barbarie (2006), Le Paradis perdu (2010), Wolfram, un jeune rêveur face aux nazis (2012), Roulette russe (2015) et Les Saboteurs de l’ombre (2018). Trois romans ont été traduits chez Buchet/Chastel, Le Nez d’Edward Trencom (2007), Le Monde selon Arnold (2010) et Le cadavre était presque parfait (2016), ainsi qu’un recueil d’histoires inattendues, Les Miscellanées (Libretto, 2016). Giles Milton a également écrit trois livres pour enfants, dont deux illustrés par sa femme Alexandra. Il vit à Londres.

A ground-breaking account of the first 24 hours of the D-Day invasion told by a symphony of incredible accounts of unknown and unheralded members of the Allied – and Axis – forces. An epic battle that involved 156,000 men, 7,000 ships and 20,000 armoured vehicles, D-Day was, above all, a tale of individual heroics – of men who were driven to keep fighting until the German defences were smashed and the precarious beachheads secured. This authentic human story – Allied, German, French – has never fully been told. Giles Milton’s bold new history narrates the events of June 6th, 1944 through the tales of survivors from all sides: the teenage Allied conscript, the crack German defender, the French resistance fighter. From the military architects at Supreme Headquarters to the young schoolboy in the Wehrmacht’s bunkers, Soldier, Sailor, Frogman, Spy, Airman, Gangster, Kill or Die lays bare the absolute terror of those trapped in the front line of Operation Overlord. It also gives voice to those who have hitherto remained unheard – the French butcher’s daughter, the Panzer Commander’s wife, the chauffeur to the General Staff. This vast canvas of human bravado reveals “the longest day” as never before – less as a masterpiece of strategic planning than a day on which thousands of scared young men found themselves staring death in the face. It is drawn in its entirety from the raw, unvarnished experiences of those who were there.

La minuscola isola di Run è un puntino insignificante nell’arcipelago indonesiano. Lunga appena due miglia e larga mezzo miglio, è remota, tranquilla e, di questi tempi, largamente ignorata. Eppure, 370 anni fa, il raccolto di noce moscata di Run (una libbra della quale poteva fruttare un profitto del 3200 per cento quando arrivava in Inghilterra) la trasformò nella più redditizia delle Isole delle Spezie. Nell’Europa dell’epoca la noce moscata veniva infatti ritenuta una vera e propria panacea a livello medico, e soprattutto era essenziale per rallentare la putrefazione delle carni o per coprire il puzzo del cibo andato a male. Tutto questo provocò una guerra commerciale tra l’onnipotente Compagnia olandese delle Indie orientali e la Corona britannica. Il risultato dei combattimenti fu che la Gran Bretagna cedette Run all’Olanda ma in cambio ricevette Manhattan. Ciò portò non solo alla nascita di New York ma anche all’inizio dell’Impero britannico.L’accordo fu dovuto in particolare alla tenacia di un uomo. Nathaniel Courthope e il suo piccolo gruppo di avventurieri furono inviati a Run nell’ottobre del 1616 e per quattro anni tennero a bada la massiccia e di gran lunga più potente Marina olandese. L’isola della noce moscata è incentrato sullo straordinario scontro tra Courthope e il governatore generale olandese, Jan Coen, e sul brutale destino dei marinai che correvano verso Run e negli altri angoli dei mari del Sud a caccia degli enormi profitti del commercio delle spezie. Scritto con lo stile e il fascino di un romanzo storico ambientato in mare, ma basato su una ricerca rigorosa, L’isola della noce moscata racconta un’epopea che ha avuto un’influenza profonda sulla storia dell’Europa e del mondo.

Au printemps 1939, une organisation très discrète est fondée à Londres, surnommée "l’armée secrète de Churchill" : elle a pour objectif de détruire la machine de guerre d’Hitler, au moyen d’actes de sabotage spectaculaires. Les opérations de guérilla qui devaient frapper au cœur du Troisième Reich étaient dirigées par six hommes atypiques. Churchill les avait choisis pour leur créativité et leur mépris des convenances. Millis Jefferis et Stuart Macrae s’occupèrent d’organiser les activités et de produire à grande échelle de nouvelles armes secrètes. Cecil Clarke était un ingénieur fou qui avait passé les années 1930 à inventer des caravanes futuristes ; c’est lui qui élabora la bombe destinée à assassiner le favori d’Hitler, Reinhard Heydrich. William Fairbairn était un retraité corpulent à la passion peu commune : il était le spécialiste mondial des techniques d’assassinat sans bruit. Avec son comparse Eric Sykes, il avait pour mission d’entraîner les hommes parachutés derrière les lignes ennemies. Menée par Colin Gubbins, un fringant Écossais, cette organisation fut si efficace qu’elle changea le cours de la guerre. À l’aide de documents d’archives classés Secret Défense jusqu’à ce jour, Giles Milton nous livre avec son humour anglais irrésistible le récit invraisemblable de cette guerre contraire à toutes les règles du vrai gentleman.

"Originally published in Great Britain as The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare by John Murray (Publishers)"--Title page verso.

Mistrovský vypravěč historických příběhů Giles Milton nám v této knize servíruje další bizarní události z nedávné i vzdálenější historie, mnohdy jen těžko uvěřitelné, ale přesto pravdivé. Věděli jste, že se Churchill během druhé světové války připravoval zaútočit na Německo pomocí biologických zbraní, které by zemi učinily neobyvatelnou na několik desetiletí, a obětoval tomu ovci, a to nejednu? Nebo že mozek Vladimira Iljiče Lenina je nakrájený na 30 000 tenkých plátků? Slyšeli jste o tom, že se v Londýně stavěla věž, která měla svou výškou předčit pařížskou Eiffelovku? A představte si, že Spojené státy měly svého císaře! Zní to neuvěřitelně, ale přesto je to tak – historie zkrátka píše příběhy, které by nevymyslel ani ten nejkreativnější spisovatel. Druhá část knihy, kterou Milton v originále nazývá Fascinující poznámky z historie pod čarou, tak přináší dalších padesát příběhů, které se čtou jedním dechem, a čtenář se díky nim dozví leccos z toho, co se už nevešlo do hodin dějepisu. *** Giles Milton je celosvětově známý spisovatel a historik. Narodil se v Buckinghamshiru a vystudoval Bristolskou univerzitu. Proslavil se svými bestsellery v žánru popularizované historie, které byly přeloženy do dvaceti jazyků. Je autorem projektu Fascinující poznámky z historie pod čarou, jejíž součástí jsou knihy Když Hitler bral kokain a Stalin vyloupil banku a Když Lenin přišel o mozek a Churchill obětoval ovci, které česky vyšly v Nakladatelství JOTA. Napsal také tři romány a tři knížky pro děti. Žije střídavě v jižním Londýně a Burgundsku a je ženatý s výtvarnicí a ilustrátorkou Alexandrou Miltonovou. Má tři dcery. *** „Giles Milton je muž, který umí udělat z historie událost a nechává ji ožít... Skvělá inspirace pro všechny, kdo věří, že dějiny mohou být vzrušující a zábavné.“ The Times „Giles Milton ve své knize předkládá naprosto srozumitelná fakta o historických zvláštnostech, které se vážou ke známým i méně známým událostem.“Kirkus Reviews „Padesát historických příběhů, které váš učitel dějepisu pravděpodobně přeskočil.“The Washington Post „Podivnější než fikce? To je možné, ale život téměř vždy tvoří bizarnější osoby a nepředvídatelnější události, než si většina spisovatelů vůbec dokáže představit.“CounterPunch

Originally published in Great Britain in 2010 separately as ''When Churchill slaughtered sheep'' and ''When Stalin robbed a bank'' by John Murray (Publishers).

Originally published under the titles: When Hitler took cocaine and When Linin lost his brain.

''Giles Milton is a man who can take an event from history and make it come alive . . . an inspiration for those of us who believe that history can be exciting and entertaining'' Matthew Redhead, The Times Did you know that Hitler took cocaine? That Stalin robbed a bank? That Charlie Chaplin''s corpse was filched and held to ransom? Giles Milton is a master of historical narrative: in his characteristically engaging prose, Fascinating Footnotes From History details one hundred of the quirkiest historical nuggets; eye-stretching stories that read like fiction but are one hundred per cent fact. There is Hiroo Onoda, the lone Japanese soldier still fighting the Second World War in 1974; Agatha Christie, who mysteriously disappeared for eleven days in 1926; and Werner Franz, a cabin boy on the Hindenburg who lived to tell the tale when it was engulfed in flames in 1937. Fascinating Footnotes From History also answers who ate the last dodo, who really killed Rasputin and why Sergeant Stubby had four legs. Peopled with a gallery of spies, rogues, cannibals, adventurers and slaves, and spanning twenty centuries and six continents, Giles Milton''s impeccably researched footnotes shed light on some of the most infamous stories and most flamboyant and colourful characters (and animals) from history. (Previoulsy published in four individual epub volumes: When Hitler Took Cocaine, When Stalin Robbed a Bank, When Lenin Lost His Brain and When Churchill Slaughtered Sheep.)

Pulau Run adalah sebuah pulau kecil yang terpencil, sepi, dan terabaikan di tengah ribuan pulau-pulau Indonesia lainnya. Namun, siapa sangka bahwa ternyata pulau ini pernah ditukar dengan Manhattan, sebuah pulau yang terletak di sebelah selatan ujung Sungai Hudson, satu dari lima kota bagian yang membentuk Kota New York. Pada awal abad ke-17 M, panen rempah-rempah mengubah Pulau Run menjadi pulau yang paling berharga dari kepulauan rempah-rempah lainnya di Nusantara. Hal ini mendorong perebutan sengit dan berdarah-darah antara Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie (VOC) dan sekelompok tentara Inggris yang dipimpin oleh seorang kapten pemberani, Nathaniel Courthope. Hasil dari perebutan tersebut adalah satu penawaran paling spektakuler dalam sejarah: Inggris menyerahkan Pulau Run ke Belanda, dan sebagai imbalannya Inggris diberi sebuah pulau lain, yakni Manhattan. Buku ini mengisahkan petualangan brilian, perang dan kebiadaban, navigasi yang belum terpetakan, dan sebuah eksploitasi dunia baru yang menggiurkan. Pulau Run adalah cerita menakjubkan ihwal magnet rempah-rempah Nusantara dalam sejarah kekuasaan kolonial.

In this marvellous collection of fascinating footnotes, Giles Milton delves into the little-known stories from history. Covering everything from adventure, war, murder and slavery to espionage, including the stories of the female Robinson Crusoe, Hitler''s final hours, Japan''s deadly balloon bomb and the emperor of the United States, these tales deserve to be told.

Edward Trencom ha ido dando tumbos por la vida, confiando en su infalible nariz para convertir la tienda familiar en la más célebre fromagerie de Inglaterra. La suya no es una nariz corriente, sino una nariz larga, aguileña y provista de un característico abultamiento redondeado sobre el puente: la misma nariz que ostentan todos los hombres de la familia Trencom. Un buen día, Edward tropieza con un cajón lleno de papeles viejos y su vida se vuelve del revés. Descubre espantado que nueve generaciones de su familia han cono-cido finales trágicos por culpa de sus narices. Cuando se pone a investigar, se ve envuelto en un enigma bizantino sin apa-rente solución. Y como sus infortunados antecesores, es perseguido por fuerzas hostiles cuya identidad y propósito son un completo misterio.

"Imaginez la projection constante de gigantesques boules incandescentes dans un ciel chauffé au rouge, des nappes de pétrole en combustion sur la mer Égée, l’air empuanti par une odeur nauséabonde, pendant que des nuages étouffants, des cendres et des étincelles passent au-dessus de nous – et vous n’aurez encore qu’une petite idée de la grandiose et épouvantable scène de dévastation qui se déroule sous nos yeux." 1922. Smyrne, l’actuelle Izmir, conquise par la Grèce à la fin de la Première Guerre mondiale, est reprise par les Turcs qui se déchaînent contre la "ville infidèle", plongeant près de deux millions de personnes dans l’une des plus grandes catastrophes humaines du XXe siècle. Recourant à des récits de témoins et aux souvenirs de survivants, Giles Milton restitue l''ampleur de cet épisode tragique de l''histoire des relations entre l’Orient et l’Occident. Né en 1966 dans le Buckinghamshire, le journaliste et écrivain anglais Giles Milton est spécialiste de l’histoire des voyages et des explorations. Il collabore à de nombreux journaux, en France et à l’étranger, et est l’auteur de plusieurs essais : Les Aventuriers de la Reine, Captifs en Barbarie (Noir sur Blanc, 2002 et 2006). Son premier roman, Le Nez d’Edward Trencom, est paru en 2007 aux Éditions Buchet/Chastel.

When the frozen corpse of Ferris Clark is found in the Greenland ice, forensic archaeologist Jack Raven is hired to investigate. He is suspicious from the outset. The corpse is not only naked, but in an absolutely pristine state. As Jack unravels the mystery of Ferris Clark''s final hours, he uncovers a dark and terrible past. He also finds himself caught in a race against time. There is a murderer on the loose and Jack alone can stop the killings. But first he must solve the greatest riddle of all. How did Ferris Clark die? And why? WHEN THE PRESENT IS AS CHILLING AS THE PAST Frankenstein meets Fatherland in the debut thriller by internationally bestselling author, Giles Milton.

Giles Milton ci racconta come avventurieri, pirati e mercanti di spezie abbiano cambiato la carta geografica del mondo percorrendo mari e deserti inseguendo i luoghi in cui si trovava la noce moscata, indispensabile per rallentare la putrefazione delle carni.,

''It reads like fiction, but it is, astonishingly, history'' The Times In 1917, an eccentric band of British spies is smuggled into newly-Soviet Russia. Their goal? To defeat Lenin''s plan to destroy British India and bring down the democracies of the West. These extraordinary spies, led by Mansfield Cumming, proved brilliantly successful. They found a wholly new way to deal with enemies, one that relied on espionage and dirty tricks rather than warfare. They were the unsung founders of today''s modern, highly professional secret services. They were also the inspiration for fictional heroes to follow, from James Bond to Jason Bourne.

Frost-coated silence, a chill winter’s night. All is quiet in the big dark barn. All is quiet except for a squeak. A squeakity-squeak in the big dark barn. “Daddy, Daddy, Daddy!” squeak two baby owls. “Please, Daddy, please, can we learn how to fly?” In this lyrical story about two baby owls impatient to grow up, stunning collage paintings perfectly capture the warmth and energy of the irresistible babies as they stretch and grow and prepare to test their wings.