Книги, похожие на «Calder Walton, Empire of Secrets: British Intelligence, the Cold War and the Twilight of Empire»

In one of the most explosive and hotly debated books of the past year, Sir Peregrine Worsthorne presents a reactionary and playful look at the origins, evolution and demise of the aristocracy and what we can expect to replace them.Every country has the aristocracy it deserves; so what does it say about Britain that it is in the process of removing the last vestiges of political power from one of the most ancient hereditary aristocracies in the world, and one, moreover, whose record of public service has been impeccable?The word aristocracy has many connotations, some good, some bad, and Britain's aristocracy has in the past earned most of them in some degree or another. But Sir Peregrine Worsthorne, one of our most influential and respected political commentators, argues that not only does the good far outweigh the bad, but that our aristocracy has contributed mightily to our stability and prosperity, and that without it we would have neither.In this passionately argued and highly original essay Worsthorne forcefully demonstrates the shallowness of those who would celebrate the abolishment of hereditary peers in the House of Lords. For though many now forget it, Britain once had an upper class which was the envy of the world, and which, crucially, 'had enough in-built authority – honed over three centuries – and enough ancestral wisdom – acquired over three centuries – to dare to defy the arrogance of intellectuals from above and the emotions of the masses from below; to dare to resist the entrepreneurial imperative; to dare to try to raise the level of public conversation; to dare to put the public interest before private interests; and to dare to shape the nation's will and curb its appetites.’

A historical book, written in Latin by Paolo Diacono in the eighth century after Christ, tells the story of the Lombard people who left Scandinavia to reach Italy and reign there for over two centuries. Today, Milan is the capital of that region which bears the name of Lombardy, the land of the Lombards. The story is interesting even if the conquest Franca takes away the taste of the happy ending. On TV and fantasy there are stories that seem drawn from the events of this people, the life of Grimoaldo, King of the Lombards is worth a novel on its own It starts with the departure from Scandinavia and the legend of the name. Then follows a story of the long march towards Italy. A brief digression on San Benedetto with two unimportant poems, then the arrival of Italy, the description of the peninsula, Alboino, his exploits, Rosmunda and Elmiche who kill Alboino. The ten years of anarchy of the dukes, Autari and Teodolinda Catholic princess of the Bavari, Astolfo, second husband of Teodolinda, Rotari the King of the Edict and the first body of Lombard laws, after Roman law a first example of organic legislation, very important for the future history of legal law. This is followed by Grimoaldo's extraordinary adventure with the escape from captivity, intrigue, the Duchy of Bemevento and the conquest of the throne. Then Grimoaldosc defeats Franks and Byzantines, deceives the Avars .... Then go from king to king until the other human event, that of Liutprando and his family. A compelling and evocative story useful to understand today's Italian divided between north and south.