Eric Russell Chamberlin Livres

An illuminating history of artefacts and the questions of ownership that surround them. This should be essential reading for readers of Robert M. Edsel, Noah Charney and Alice Proctor. Venice holds the Horses of Saint Mark, Berlin keeps the Nefertiti Bust, the Louvre in Paris exhibits Veronese’s Marriage at Cana, and London famously retains the Parthenon Marbles. None of these pieces of art were produced in the cities in which they now stand and debates about their ownership reverberate to this day. How did these objects come to stand in the cities that now hold them? And should one nation retain the historical treasures of another? E. R. Chamberlin’s fascinating book explores how historical sites across the globe have been pillaged by tourists, archaeologists and infamous conquerors such as Napoleon and Hitler, the looters par excellence. He examines how artefacts have become symbols of nationhood and how attitudes towards ownership of some of these objects have changed in the last few decades as developing nations attempt to regain control of their identities.

The stories of seven popes who ruled at seven different critical periods in the 600 years leading into the Reformation.

An enlightening social history of World War Two on the Home Front. 'Highly entertaining and informative' The Times 'Authentic and very comprehensive' Daily Telegraph What was it like to remain in Britain while husbands, fathers and children were on the frontlines fighting against the threat of Nazi Germany? How did the role of women and children change with the absence of these men during the war? E. R. Chamberlin's fascinating book transports the reader to life on the Home Front in Britain during the Second World War. Drawing on a vast array of contemporary sources, from personal memories of people who lived through it to newspaper reports and periodicals, Chamberlin charts the pain, fear, and boredom as well as the new sense of community that developed amongst those who lived through these years. Life in Wartime Britain uncovers how the men, women, and children who remained behind took on new roles in factories and farms, or became WRENs or members of the Home Guard, joining together to survive the seemingly endless bombing raids, and how they prepared for rebuilding the nation once victory came into sight. This book shines an important light on a much-understudied aspect of the Second World War and should be essential reading for all interested in this tragic period.

An enthralling social history of France during the Middle Ages.Perfect for readers of Ian Mortimer, John Julius Norwich and Frances Gies.Without doubt France was one of the wealthiest and most magnificent realms of the medieval world.Gothic architecture soared to the skies, troubadours sang romantic ballads and knights jousted for chivalric honour. Yet, this was also a land where peasants served their masters with little freedom, while war, pestilence and famine threatened their lives and those of their families.E.R. Chamberlin’s fascinating overview of medieval France introduces the reader to what life was like for these peasants and knights, how merchants were developing towns and guilds, in what ways Christianity imbued the thoughts of all people, and how art and architecture was developing throughout the land.Life in Medieval France is an essential book for anyone interested in learning more about both high and low society during this remarkable period.

An engrossing account of how ideas surrounding the rise of the Antichrist and the end of the world have dominated human thoughts for thousands of years. Perfect for fans of Tom Holland, Charles Spencer and Barbara Tuchman. Human beings living through turbulent times have always looked to explain their situations and the actions of seemingly evil people, from Emperor Nero to Charles Manson. Those from a Judeo-Christian tradition have found such explanations in a rich vein of prophetic literature in the Old Testament books of Ezekiel and Daniel as well as the Revelation of St. John in the New Testament. E.R. Chamberlin in this fascinating book charts the history of these two intertwined concepts: the Antichrist and millenarian expectations for the end of the world. He explores how these ideas have changed through the course of time, examining how such ideas developed during Biblical times, who has been feared as the Antichrist from ancient times through the medieval period to the twentieth century, and how these ideas continue to influence us in the modern day, whether we believe in Christianity or not. Antichrist and the Millennium is an extraordinary history of ideas that should be essential reading for all interested in understanding how human beings have sought to understand evil and explain what might happen after the apocalypse.

A wide-ranging and readable book that explores how our attitudes to physical remnants of the past have changed through time. Ideal for everyone interested in learning more about how heritage conservation has evolved. Preserving the Past focuses attention on the global preoccupation with preservation of the past and the many ways in which various governments, organizations and individuals have attempted to resurrect, recreate or retain ancient buildings and artefacts. E.R. Chamberlin discusses topics as diverse as the removal of London Bridge to the Arizona desert, the cleaning of Westminster Abbey, the excavation of Masada, the survival of the stately home, Colonial Williamsburg, the raising of Abu Simbel and the delicate craft of preserving works of art. We have a glimpse, too, of some of the pioneers of preservation - of William Morris, the Shah of Persia, and Henry Ford. Interviews, linked with documentary evidence, are used to throw light on the questions surrounding such subjects as the reconstruction of Warsaw, the Persepolis celebrations in Iran, the Elgin Marbles, the Crown of St Stephen and the Benin Bronzes, and the amazing growth of the antiques trade. In all, this book is a fascinating view not of the world we have lost, but of the world so many people are struggling to keep. 'A pleasant and humane ramble through the highways and byways of conservation' - June A. Sheppard, A Journal of Historical Geography

A lively and penetrating social history of the Renaissance. Perfect for readers who love the books of Ian Mortimer, Liza Picard, and Ruth Goodman. What were ordinary people doing while Michelangelo was painting the Sistine Chapel and Machiavelli was writing The Prince? This simple question has largely been ignored by the many historians of Renaissance art and intellectual life. E. R. Chamberlin's work spans from 1450 to 1650 and encompasses Italy, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and England, to reveal the true complexity of this remarkable period. From seamen to mercenaries, money-lenders to courtiers, Chamberlin reveals both the high and low culture of the age. He demonstrates how lives were shaped not only by the actions of leaders but also through the emergence of new technologies, scientific discoveries as well as the development of new religious and philosophical ideas. The Renaissance, although often remembered as a period of brilliant art, was an era of continuing medieval barbarity and death, where war, plague, famine and persecution ended the lives of countless men, women and children. "one of the best highly condensed introductions to the period" Library Journal Everyday Life in Renaissance Times is a perceptive and enlightening book that encourages the reader to challenge their preconceived ideas of this early modern era.