{"title":"Books by Graham Smith","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"9781804992272","title":"Abolish the Monarchy","description":"\u003cb\u003e'A crucial, riveting polemic in support of one of the most precious things humanity has built - democracy itself' OWEN JONES\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Graham Smith shows what fools our rotten constitution makes of us, with a monarch as emblem of a country beset by nepotism, backhanders, chumocracy and inherited privilege. Read and rebel!' POLLY TOYNBEE\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWe're constantly told the same things about the monarchy:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBut the monarchy is good for tourism..\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt isn't! Evidence points to some royal weddings actually having a \u003cb\u003enegative impact\u003c\/b\u003e on inbound tourism.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBut the monarchy makes a big difference to charity..\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOf the approx. 1,200 charities with a royal patron, \u003cb\u003e74% had no contact\u003c\/b\u003e with their patron during the preceding year.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBut everyone loves the monarchy..\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA January 2023 poll showed \u003cb\u003esupport for the monarchy is down 55 percent.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eIt's wrong in principle and it doesn't work in practice. It doesn't have to be this way.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThey say Britain should be proud to have the mother of parliaments, to be a shining beacon of democracy and an example to other nations. But there's an elephant in the room.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAt the heart of power is a single family. They weren't elected but they live off the public purse. They aren't accountable to anyone, and yet between them they are privy to more government secrets than many cabinet ministers. Divinely appointed using a special hat, the head of the family is your superior, you his subject. Apparently he is guardian of our constitution - but we're also told he wouldn't dream of interfering in politics.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIf you accept the monarchy, you must accept the moral compromise that comes with it, from its erosion of the principle of equality to the secret interference in our laws. But the good news is that we don't have to accept it. True democracy is within our reach.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44203375657138,"sku":"9781804992272","price":11.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781804992272_ef3f3c15-751f-4fae-bf26-de832452ecd7.jpg?v=1786028330"},{"product_id":"9780521599689","title":"Nation-Building in the Post-Soviet Borderlands","description":"This book examines how national and ethnic identities are being reforged in the post-Soviet borderland states. The first chapter provides a conceptual and theoretical context for examining national identities, drawing in particular upon post-colonial theory. The rest of the book is divided into three parts. In Part I, the authors examine how national histories of the borderland states are being rewritten especially in relation to new nationalising historiographies, around myths of origin, homeland, and descent. Part II explores the ethnopolitics of group boundary construction and how such a politics has led to nationalising policies of both exclusion and inclusion. Part III examines the relationship between nation-building and language, especially with regard to how competing conceptions of national identity have informed the thinking of both political decision-takers and nationalising intellectuals, and the consequences for ethnic minorities. Such perspectives on nation-building are illustrated with substantive studies drawn from the Baltic states, Ukraine, and Belarus, Transcaucasia, and Central Asia.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56291385704821,"sku":"9780521599689","price":34.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780521599689_ae0ffb2c-9592-46be-88ec-702ffa44be6c.jpg?v=1786014169"},{"product_id":"9781509539253","title":"Can Democracy Safeguard the Future?","description":"Our democracies repeatedly fail to safeguard the future. From pensions to pandemics, health and social care through to climate, biodiversity and emerging technologies, democracies have been unable to deliver robust policies for the long term.    In this book, Graham Smith asks why. Exploring the drivers of short-termism, he considers ways of reshaping legislatures and constitutions and proposes strengthening independent offices whose overarching goals do not change at every election. More radically, Smith argues that forms of participatory and deliberative politics offer the most effective democratic response to the current political myopia, as well as a powerful means of protecting the interests of generations to come.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56301427622261,"sku":"9781509539253","price":9.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781509539253_f71649b5-826f-4639-9c2f-c985291d619c.jpg?v=1786021692"},{"product_id":"9781526140555","title":"Nudge, Nudge, Think, Think","description":"\u003cp\u003eHow can governments persuade their citizens to act in socially beneficial ways? This ground-breaking book builds on the idea of 'light touch interventions' or 'nudges' proposed in Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein's highly influential \u003ci\u003eNudge \u003c\/i\u003e(2008). While recognising the power of this approach, it argues that an alternative also needs to be considered: a 'think' strategy that calls on citizens to decide their own priorities as part of a process of civic and democratic renewal. As well as setting out these divergent approaches in theory, the book provides evidence from a number of experiments to show how using 'nudge' or 'think' techniques works in practice.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eUpdated and rewritten, this second edition features a new epilogue that reflects on recent developments in nudge theory and practice, introducing a radical version of nudge, 'nudge plus'. There is also a substantial prologue by Cass Sunstein.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56302528921973,"sku":"9781526140555","price":25.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781526140555_f8979490-4684-4d17-99dc-cb6fedb4a89f.jpg?v=1786034468"},{"product_id":"9781847973795","title":"Karting Explained","description":"Kart racing is a useful first step on the ladder to becoming a professional racing driver, teaching essential skills of track strategy, vehicle set-up and positive mindset.  Many top drivers continue to enjoy karting for fun and fitness.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56308291240309,"sku":"9781847973795","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781847973795_41047586-97a8-4068-a455-d86cb819e8c7.jpg?v=1786029383"},{"product_id":"9781853063428","title":"Suffolk Airfields in the Second World War","description":"This illustrated, action-packed book contains a full account of the part played by Suffolk's airfields during the Second World War. The history of each airfield is described, with details of the planes and the pilots who flew them, and the local civilians who worked alongside them.   The subject is brought vividly to life with detailed accounts, alongside photos of the airmen themselves and their aircraft. The build-up of the RAF air offensive after 1940, and the arrival of the huge USAAF Eighth Air Force in 1942, meant that by early 1945 in Suffolk alone, there were some 1300 aircraft flying from 32 airfields. This book details the history of these airfields - RAF or USAAF - and highlights the major wartime operations and the many and varied aircraft that comprised the operational squadrons. Numbered among them are the Blenheim, Wellington, Stirling, Lancaster, Liberator, Flying Fortress, Spitfire, Hurricane, Thunderbolt, Mustang and the Sunderland Flying Boat.   These, and the young airmen who flew them, made an immense contribution to the final defeat of the Third Reich, as Allied bombers and fighters flew increasingly larger raids across the North Sea and into the dangerous, smoke-filled skies of occupied Europe.   This is their incredible story.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56308484440437,"sku":"9781853063428","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781853063428_98cc9031-f5d0-4af8-8bbc-fff3b539c42b.jpg?v=1786029309"},{"product_id":"9781857944754","title":"London Buses a Living Heritage","description":"\u003cbr\u003eBinding: Paperback \/ softback","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56308557021557,"sku":"9781857944754","price":20.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781857944754_bff49c87-96a0-4126-81c3-4e14fc0e4670.jpg?v=1787748396"},{"product_id":"9781915445568","title":"We Need To Talk About Climate – How Citizens` Assemblies Can Help Us Solve The Climate Crisis","description":"Citizens’ assemblies bring the shared wisdom of ordinary people into political decision making on the climate and ecological crisis. They are increasingly being used at local, national and even global levels. But with what impact? Can they take us beyond the shortcomings of electoral and partisan politics? Can they make a real difference? This book explains why climate assemblies have captured the imagination of governments and activists alike, exploring the ways they can have a meaningful impact on climate politics.   This book charts the development of climate assemblies across Europe and beyond. It explores what ordinary people want, highlighting the ways in which assembly recommendations take us beyond current government policies and offer new visions and directions for change. It shows that not all assemblies are the same and that the context and design of climate assemblies have differed quite profoundly – as have their impacts on policy and public discourse. The book also lays out the key elements needed for climate assemblies to have sustained impact, providing essential insights for anyone wanting to run or advocate for them, and concludes with reflections on what we can expect from assemblies as they evolve.   The transition to net zero and climate resilient societies requires deep social and economic transformations that will have significant impacts on citizens’ choices and behaviours. Such a transition needs to engage the public directly and this book shows how climate assemblies can achieve this, allowing us to address the issues we all face together.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56309611659637,"sku":"9781915445568","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781915445568.jpg?v=1790607899"},{"product_id":"9781510756472","title":"Fighting Men of World War II - Allied Forces","description":"\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eFighting Men of World War II: Allied Forces\u003c\/i\u003e is the second part of a two-volume set (\u003ci\u003eAxis Forces\u003c\/i\u003e is also available) which sets out to examine in detail the weapons and equipment of the average soldier of the United States, Great Britain and its Dominions and Commonwealth, the Soviet Union, and the other nations like France and Poland who fought on despite being overrun in the early stages of the conflict. \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e In these pages we examine a broad range of general equipment that was used every day, including mess tins, water bottles, medical kits, radios, binoculars, goggles, entrenching tools and wire cutters. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e We give detailed specifications of weapons such as: pistols and revolvers, rifles, bayonets, fighting knives, hand grenades, flamethrowers, mortars and anti-tank weapons. The clothing sections include headgear, from the M1 helmet system to the Tam o’ Shanter and the Russian pilotka. We examine footwear as diverse as polished officers’ shoes, cavalry boots, paratroopers’ jump boots and felt overboots. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Uniform tunics, shirts, trousers, and greatcoats all receive attention, as do all-weather gear, gloves, ponchos, camouflage smocks and load-carrying vests. Numerous variations are shown, as are rank badges and other insignia. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Personal items too are included. We show cigarettes and lighters, letters and postcards home, magazines, gramophones, identity tags, mending kits and eating utensils. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Almost all of the items shown have not been featured in book form before and have been specially chosen from museums and private collections to form a unique reference source for the general reader, budding collector, military enthusiast, re-enactor, and modeller. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The fighting man is placed within the context of his unit organization, while carefully researched archive photos show him with his weapons and equipment in action. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The text, by seasoned military expert David Miller, is the result of painstaking research, backed up by his own military experience in the British Army, which has given him the necessary credentials to understand what the average fighting man’s needs and day-to-day preoccupations actually were. David has been assisted by editor Graham Smith, and the two of them have pulled together all these diverse elements to form one of the most definitive works of its kind.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56368957260149,"sku":"9781510756472","price":22.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781510756472_b6fccbda-c858-42c8-982e-ed296701a7ac.jpg?v=1786022080"},{"product_id":"9781510784598","title":"Fighting Men of World War II - Axis Forces","description":"\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eFighting Men of World War II: Axis Forces \u003c\/i\u003eis the first part of a two-volume set (\u003ci\u003eAllied Forces\u003c\/i\u003e is also available) which sets out to examine in detail the weapons and equipment of the average soldier of Germany, Japan, Italy, and the other nations like Finland, Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania, comprised the Axis forces. \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e In these pages we examine a broad range of general equipment that was used every day, including binoculars, goggles, radios, water bottles, fuel cans, medical kits, skis, wire cutters and detonators. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e We give detailed specifications of weapons such as pistols and revolvers, rifles, bayonets, fighting knives, hand grenades, landmines, flamethrowers, mortars and light artillery. The clothing sections include headgear, from the feathered hats of the Italian Bersaglieri sharpshooters to the redoubtable Stahlheim of the German troops. We examine footwear as diverse as polished officers’ shoes, cavalry boots, paratroopers’ jump boots and Japanese Tabi canvas shoes. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Uniform tunics, shirts, trousers and greatcoats all receive attention, as do all-weather gear, gloves, ponchos and shelter sections, such as the German Zeltbahn. Camouflage variations are shown, as are rank badges together with unit badges and medals. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Personal items too are included. We show cigarettes and lighters, letters and postcards home, campstools, fans, identity tags, mending kits and eating utensils. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Almost all the items shown have not been featured in book form before and have been specially chosen from museums and private collections to form a unique reference source for the general reader, budding collector, military enthusiast, re-enactor, and modeller. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The fighting man is placed within the context of his unit organization, while carefully researched archive photos show him with his weapons and equipment in action. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The text, by seasoned military expert David Miller, is the result of painstaking research, backed up by his own military experience in the British Army, which has given him the necessary credentials to understand what the average fighting man’s needs and day-to-day preoccupations actually were. David has been assisted by editor Graham Smith, and the two of them have pulled together all these diverse elements to form one of the most definitive works of its kind. \u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56368959062389,"sku":"9781510784598","price":23.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781510784598_6e72877c-27f5-4f2e-b728-7a1b4f3befaa.jpg?v=1786022297"},{"product_id":"9781788406598","title":"Blitz and Beyond: The New Romantic Revolution","description":"\u003cb\u003eAn exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the birth of the New Romantic music scene through the lens of a photographer who was there.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e While many musical styles have been labeled 'post-punk,' the New Romantic movement transcended the 'no future' ethos of the late 1970s like no other. In the dimly lit bars of Soho, a group of extravagant youths emerged, dressed in flamboyant and striking attire - ushering in a cultural moment that would define a generation.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Photographer Graham Smith was at its core, capturing over 500 extraordinary images that reveal this vibrant, groundbreaking scene in unparalleled detail.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e This book offers an intimate, behind-the-scenes perspective on a movement that visually shaped a decade and left a lasting influence on music and fashion. Featuring exclusive forewords boy George, Gary Kemp, and the late Steve Strange, this is the definitive photographic and narrative record of one of the most creative, bohemian, and influential movements of the late twentieth century.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56369168580981,"sku":"9781788406598","price":40.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781788406598_51fa0659-c3a2-4f58-9ec0-9ed0c7ec67ac.jpg?v=1786034106"}],"url":"https:\/\/backstory.london\/collections\/author-graham-smith.oembed","provider":"Backstory","version":"1.0","type":"link"}