{"title":"Books by Neil Oliver","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"9780753826638","title":"A History Of Scotland","description":"\u003cp\u003eScotland's history gets a rewrite by archaeologist and historian Neil Oliver. How accurate are the accounts of Mary Queen of Scots's tragic demise or Bonnie Prince Charlie's forlorn cause? Oliver reveals a Scotland that forged its own identity with success, despite its union with England in 1707.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43204156784818,"sku":"9780753826638","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780753826638_dc4eeb61-d15f-4947-bfb5-a62c79a50fe3.jpg?v=1786015795"},{"product_id":"9781529176780","title":"Wisdom of the Ancients","description":"\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eTHE PERFECT READ FOR TROUBLED TIMES\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFrom the bestselling author of \u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Story of the British Isles in 100 Places\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003e comes this inspiring and beautifully written meditation on the wisdom inherited from our ancestors.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFor all we have gained in the modern world, simple peace of mind is hard to find. In a time that is increasingly fraught with complexity and conflict, we are told that our wellbeing relies on remaining as present as possible. But what if the key to being present lies in the past? \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn \u003ci\u003eWisdom of the Ancients\u003c\/i\u003e, Neil Oliver takes us back in time, to grab hold of the ideas buried in forgotten cultures and early civilizations. From Laetoli footprints in Tanzania to Keralan rituals, stone circles and cave paintings, Oliver takes us on a global journey through antiquity. A master storyteller, drawing on immense knowledge of our ancient past, he distils this wisdom into twelve messages that have endured the test of time, and invites us to consider how these might apply to our lives today. The result is powerful and inspirational, moving and profound.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43204681367730,"sku":"9781529176780","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781529176780.jpg?v=1786022351"},{"product_id":"9781804991398","title":"The Story of the World in 100 Moments","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e'Oliver is an evocative storyteller, vividly bringing his tales to life' BBC History\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFrom Genghis Khan's domination on earth to Armstrong's first steps on the moon, discover the 100 moments that defined humanity and shaped our world forever.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNeil Oliver takes us on a whistle-stop tour around the world and through a million years to give us this unique and invaluable grasp of how human history pieces together.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFrom the east to the west, north to south, these 100 moments act like stepping stones allowing us to make sense of how these pivotal events have shaped the world we know today.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIncluding many moments readers will expect - from the advent of the printing press to the birth of the internet - there are also surprises, and with them, some remarkable, unforgettable stories that give a whole new insight on our past.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFrom the bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eThe Story of the British Isles in 100 Places\u003c\/i\u003e, this is outstanding new history of how our world was made from 5000 BC to the present.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePraise for Neil Oliver\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Neil Oliver writes beautifully - bringing the past to life and letting us see ourselves in a new light.' - Professor Alice Roberts\u003cbr\u003e'Brilliantly demonstrates Neil's mastery of the broad sweep of British history and landscape.' - Dan Snow\u003cbr\u003e'Highly-crafted...a vivid, pungent history.' - \u003ci\u003eTLS\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Compelling' - \u003ci\u003eDaily Mail\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43205637800114,"sku":"9781804991398","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781804991398.jpg?v=1786028280"},{"product_id":"9781784165352","title":"The Story of the British Isles in 100 Places","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Everyone should have two copies - one for the car and one for the house to plan journeys. . . a reminder to think more about the places you pass and less about your route, because every British journey is through rich history.\" (\u003ci\u003eEdward Stourton\u003c\/i\u003e)\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFrom much-loved historian Neil Oliver, comes this beautifully written, kaleidoscopic history of a place with a story like no other.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe British Isles, this archipelago of islands, is to Neil Oliver the best place in the world. From north to south, east to west it cradles astonishing beauty. The human story here is a million years old, and counting. But the tolerant, easygoing peace we enjoy has been hard won. We have made and known the best and worst of times. We have been hero and villain and all else in between, and we have learned some lessons.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Story of the British Isles in 100 Places \u003c\/i\u003eis Neil’s very personal account of what makes these islands so special, told through the places that have witnessed the unfolding of our history. Beginning with footprints made in the sand by humankind’s earliest ancestors, he takes us via Romans and Vikings, the flowering of religion, through civil war, industrial revolution and two world wars. From windswept headlands to battlefields, ancient trees to magnificent cathedrals, each of his destinations is a place where, somehow, the spirit of the past seems to linger.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43206226116786,"sku":"9781784165352","price":11.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781784165352_eeae83d2-584e-4d32-84a8-9ccc874a2195.jpg?v=1786026157"},{"product_id":"9780753828861","title":"A History of Ancient Britain","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWho were the first Britons, and what sort of world did they occupy?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn \u003ci\u003eA History of Ancient Britain\u003c\/i\u003e, much-loved historian Neil Oliver turns a spotlight on the very beginnings of the story of Britain; on the first people to occupy these islands and their battle for survival. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThere has been human habitation in Britain, regularly interrupted by Ice Ages, for the best part of a million years. The last retreat of the glaciers 12,000 years ago brought a new and warmer age and with it, one of the greatest tsunamis recorded on Earth which struck the north-east of Britain, devastating the population and flooding the low-lying plains of what is now the North Sea. The resulting island became, in time, home to a diverse range of cultures and peoples who have left behind them some of the most extraordinary and enigmatic monuments in the world.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThrough what is revealed by the artefacts of the past, Neil Oliver weaves the epic story - half a million years of human history up to the departure of the Roman Empire in the Fifth Century AD. It was a period which accounts for more than ninety-nine per cent of humankind's presence on these islands.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt is the real story of Britain and of her people.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43400095695026,"sku":"9780753828861","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780753828861_762359ac-8be2-4cc8-b328-63c66c46a133.jpg?v=1786015874"},{"product_id":"9780141035598","title":"Amazing Tales for Making Men out of Boys","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDiscover inspiring stories of heroism, adventure, endurance and survival from throughout history. \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCaptain Robert Falcon Scott didn't start out life as a hero. In fact, as a boy he was considered small, frail and shy. So what was it that turned this ordinary man into a legend?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Through his gripping account of how this modest naval officer became Scott of the Antarctic, Neil Oliver vividly relates the awe-inspiring tales of brave men that inspired Britain's greatest hero, including Nelson, Sir John Moore, and the Demons of Camerone.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAnd alongside these epic stories of courage, fortitude and sacrifice, Oliver recounts how the spirit of Scott lives on - from Neil Armstrong and the Apollo 13 mission, to the SAS and the Battle of Mirbat.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYoung and old alike will enjoy reading these brave stories of men who understood - as Scott always did - that it was more important to die a hero than live a coward's life.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e 'A joy from start to finish'\u003c\/b\u003e \u003ci\u003eSunday Telegraph\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'A great book . . . I shall treasure it'\u003c\/b\u003e Sir Ranulph Fiennes\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'A must-have collection'\u003c\/b\u003e \u003ci\u003eThe Times \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56224326615413,"sku":"9780141035598","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780141035598_926aa428-7eee-49ee-bb06-4aefb115152d.jpg?v=1786011726"},{"product_id":"9781529177558","title":"Hauntings","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e' Haunted is a wonderful book: part history, part rumination on life, and, of course a haunting book about ghosts .... beautifully written, fascinating, deeply moving and thought-provoking.' -\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cb\u003eJames Holland\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'A proper page-turner .... A fascinating tangle of witches and mermaids, drowned fishers and dead warriors, ghostly planes and spectral horses .' - Christopher Somerville, author of \u003ci\u003eShips of Heaven\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'One of the most enjoyable books on the paranormal I've read. Neil Oliver creates a bucket list of places to visit, perfect for both paranormal investigators and history buffs alike.' - Nick Tyler, author of \u003ci\u003eHaunted Yorkshire\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e.......................................................................................................................................................................\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFor longer than recorded history there have been tales of spirits and of places where our hackles rise and our skin turns cold.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBestselling historian Neil Oliver travels the British Isles on a deliciously spine-chilling tour that spans several centuries and explores more than 20 sites - castles, vicarages and towers, lonely shorelines and forgotten battlefields - to unpick their stories..\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOliver invokes his family's history alongside that of kings and queens past as he probes why our emotions and senses are heightened in certain locations where the separation between dimensions seems gossamer thin. Our landscape is riven with these places, creaking from the weight of the secrets they hold, the echoes of tragedy and dark deeds . From Inverness to Devon, Co Dublin to Norfolk, \u003ci\u003eHauntings \u003c\/i\u003ecasts an enjoyably eerie glow with stories that, told generation after generation, are inextricable from place - and considers why they matter.\u003cbr\u003e.............................................................................................................................................................................................................\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'Oliver is an evocative storyteller, vividly bringing his tales to life' \u003ci\u003eBBC History Magazine\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56303695364469,"sku":"9781529177558","price":11.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781529177558_24db0bed-d4f2-4c9d-bfda-a6912d7f3c0d.jpg?v=1786022404"},{"product_id":"9781780222820","title":"Vikings","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Vikings famously took no prisoners, relished cruel retribution, and prided themselves on their blood-thirsty skills as warriors. But their prowess in battle is only a small part of their story, which stretches from their Scandinavian origins to America in the west and as far as Baghdad in the east.   \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAs the Vikings did not write their history, we have to discover it for ourselves, and that discovery, as Neil Oliver reveals, tells an extraordinary story of a people who, from the brink of destruction, reached a quarter of the way around the globe and built an empire that lasted nearly 200 years.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDrawing on the latest discoveries that have only recently come to light, Neil Oliver goes on the trail of the real Vikings. Where did they emerge from? How did they really live?  And just what drove them to embark on such extraordinary voyages of discovery over 1000 years ago? VIKINGS will explore many of these questions for the first time in an epic story of one of the world's great empires of conquest.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56312797036917,"sku":"9781780222820","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781780222820_8b966076-0e96-4a79-9310-f089db043dac.jpg?v=1786024189"}],"url":"https:\/\/backstory.london\/collections\/author-neil-oliver.oembed","provider":"Backstory","version":"1.0","type":"link"}