Gimsons Presidents

'Crisp and witty' Charles Moore, Spectator 'A brilliant survey of the occupants of the Oval Office' Daniel Johnson, Article 'Witty and succinct with splendid caricatures' Tibor Fischer, Critic A spirited and entertaining aide-memoire offering 44 short, fascinating accounts of each president, from George Washington and Abraham Lincoln to Barack Obama and Donald Trump, bringing the United States' political history to life as never before. Who can name the eight presidents before Lincoln, or the eight presidents after him? Historians tend to shed light on just a handful of leaders: Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and perhaps half a dozen others within living memory, leaving at least 30 holders of office if not in total darkness, then at least in deep shadow. Helping to bring these forgotten figures into the light, Andrew Gimson's illuminating accounts are accompanied by sketches from Guardian sartirical cartoonist, Martin Rowson, making this the perfect gift for all lovers of history and politics - the experienced and the novice, the serious and the silly. The Sunday Times bestselling Gimson's Prime Ministers and Gimson's Kings & Queens are also available.

A SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER A concise, sharp-witted and illuminating account of the lives of Britain’s prime ministers from Walpole to May, illustrated by Martin Rowson. For the reader who has heard of such giants as Gladstone and Disraeli, and has drunk in a pub called the Palmerston, but has only the haziest idea of who these people were, Gimson’s Prime Ministers offers a short account of them all which can be read for pleasure, and not just for edification. With Gimson’s wonderful prose once again complemented by Martin Rowson’s inimitable illustrations, this lively and entertaining aide-memoire and work of satirical genius brings our parliamentary history to life as never before. PRAISE FOR GIMSON'S PRIME MINISTERS: 'The most engaging and insightful account of PMs to have been published' Arthur Seldon, Standpoint 'Learned witty and wise, and splendidly illustrated' Tibor Fischer 'Hugely enjoyable' Tom Holland Gimson's Kings and Queens is also available.

NEWLY REVISED AND UPDATED A book for all lovers of history: the experienced and the novice, the serious and the silly. Gimson's Kings and Queens whirls us through the lives of our monarchs - from 1066 and William the Conqueror right up to Queen Elizabeth II and the present-day - to tell a tale of bastardy, courage, conquest, brutality, vanity, vulgarity, corruption, anarchy, absenteeism, piety, nobility, divorce, execution, civil war, madness, magnificence, profligacy, frugality, philately, abdication, dutifulness, family breakdown and family recovery. Written in Andrew Gimson's inimitable style, and illustrated by Martin Rowson, this is both a primer and a refresher for anyone who can't quite remember which were the good and bad Edwards or Henrys, or why so-and-so succeeded to the throne rather than his second cousin. 'The most entertaining and instructive book on the English monarchy you will ever read' Daily Telegraph

Since its first publication in 1962, Gimson’s Pronunciation of English has been the essential reference book for anyone studying or teaching the pronunciation of English. This eighth edition has been updated to describe General British (GB) as the principal accent, rather than RP, and the accompanying transcriptions have been brought into line with recent changes in pronunciation. This latest edition also includes completely rewritten chapters on the history of the language and the emergence of a standard, alongside a justification for the change from RP to GB. A further bonus to this important text is its extensive and attractive new Companion Website (www.routledge.com/cw/cruttenden), which now includes moment-by-moment commentaries on videos showing the articulation of all GB consonants and vowels in spoken phrases, as well as cross-referencing between the book and these videos. The Companion Website also includes new recordings of Old English, Middle English, and Early Modern English, and features links to recordings of recent and current GB with comments and transcriptions. Comprehensive yet accessible, Gimson’s Pronunciation of English remains the indispensable reference book for anyone for anyone with an interest in English phonetics.

THE MAKING OF A PRIME MINISTER 'My biography of the year' Michael Crick 'The scariest thing I've read since Silence of the Lambs' Ken Livingstone A brilliant and definitive biography of Boris Johnson, the politician who risked his career to lead the Brexit campaign, won the referendum, and finally became the new prime minister. In Andrew Gimson's acclaimed biography of the most colourful British politician of modern times, we are given a comprehensive portrait of the man. Despite tabloid controversies which led to him being dismissed from Michael Howard's shadow cabinet, Boris bounced back to win two terms as London mayor. It was a remarkable tribute to his huge personal popularity, and he was at the heart of things when London showcased itself during the 2012 Olympics. This updated edition of the book is a comprehensive insight into the dramatic political events of 2016. After Boris decided to join the Brexit campaign, which he led with Michael Gove, against all the predictions he secured a historic vote to leave the EU. Within a few tumultuous and unprecedented days, David Cameron resigned as prime minister, Boris was installed as favourite to succeed him - only for Gove to torpedo his challenge, and seemingly end his career. Yet when Theresa May took charge, she surprised many by appointing Boris as Foreign Secretary. Gimson's superb account not only takes the reader behind the scenes, it vividly brings to life one of the most extraordinary political careers in our history.

This rich new volume brings to light the versatility and accomplishments of the English architect, designer, and maker Ernest Gimson, a central figure in the Arts and Crafts Movement.

Politics Home: Parliamentarians' Top Books for Christmas 2021 'A must read for political geeks' - Saqib Bhatti There was a huge upsurge of global interest in US politics during the Trump presidency, culminating in the November 2020 election, the victory of the Democrat candidate Joe Biden and the subsequent, horrifying response in the storming of the US capitol. American politics is likely to remain deeply divided during the coming years, and also the focus of global attention - with Trump mobilising his base for 2024. But the transatlantic fascination with the role and office of the US President isn't new at all, and in fact reaches all the way back to the birth of the United States itself. The Presidents features essays, written by a range of academics, historians, political journalists and serving politicians, on all 46 American Presidents who have held the office over the last 230 years - from George Washington to Joe Biden. Each contributor has been carefully chosen based on expert knowledge of their subjects and personal connections, providing analysis of their subject's successes, failures and influence. Any hagiographical writing is shunned in favour of a 'warts and all' perspective on each President and the impact they've had on US politics - past, present and future.