Other interests

The Safeguard of the Sea: A Naval History of Britain, Vol 1: 660-1649 and The Command of the Ocean: A Naval History of Britain: 1649-1815 by N.A.M Rogers

These are possibly the best history books I have ever read. N.A.M. Rogers tells a history of Britain from the point of view of her navy from 660 to 1815. He combines military history with diplomatic, social, technological, financial and more to provide a compelling account that emphasises not only how important the sea has always been to the British Isles. He dispels myths (for example, he demonstrates that Britain has been successfully invaded by sea, leading to a change of monarch, no less than nine times since 1066) while arguing that Britain's naval supremacy not only protected Britain but encouraged the development of modern institutions, including London's financial expertise. Absolutely marvellous books.

The Road to Verdun: France, Nationalism and the First World War by Ian Ousby

Everyone agrees that Verdun is a symbol. There is much less agreement on what it symbolises. Ian Ousby starts with the most personal of sources - the letters, diaries and memoirs of the fighting soldiers - and extends into a wide-ranging analysis of the French and their views on themselves from the Franco-Prussian War to the eve of the Second World War. On the way, he considers how the relationship between the nascent Germany and France influenced the course of history right up to the present day.