Author:BBC History Magazine
Who is the Downing of Downing Street? What did the first illuminated adverts in Piccadilly Circus advertise? Was Oliver Cromwell actually Welsh? Questions like these and many more are answered in this, the first ever miscellany from the editors of BBC History Magazine.
The Celebrated Pedestrian - the title refers to people in Victorian times who walked for sport - collects a wide variety of historical facts and curiosities, helping to uncover little-known truths (Who was the richest man who ever lived?) and debunk myths (Was there one man who survived both the sinkings of the Titanic and the Lusitania?) from ancient times to the present day.
Also including a collection of fascinating lists (Top 10 famous riots! Top 10 writers who were banned by the Vatican!) and 'This Day in History' features, The Celebrated Pedestrian is the perfect gift for trivia fans and history buffs alike.
The perfect Christmas book, compiled by the editors of BBC History Magazine. The Celebrated Pedestrian is a miscellany of historical facts and curiosities which uncovers little-known truths, debunks myths - or simply entertains.
—— The OldieEndlessly engrossing . . . Makes you realise how wrong most of us have been to take national anthems for granted, as if they somehow just appeared, rather than being the products of often fascinating history.
—— Reader's DigestFascinating . . . Totally exceeded my expectations. Giving it my highest possible recommendation. Go read it.
—— Ed Yong, 'Not Exactly Rocket Science' , National GeographicVery funny and entertaining and very informative.
—— Robert Elms , BBC LondonHilarious ... unforgettable ... will inspire deep thought over the meaning, construction and symbols of patriotism and national identity.
—— Times of IndiaA well-researched and diligent travelogue.
—— Daily MailAn entertaining journey.
—— Compass magazineA splendid book. It takes its place among classics of Balkan history
—— Norman StoneTim Butcher goes from strength to strength. I enjoyed every paragraph
—— Dervla MurphyInsightful, useful and delightfully written… A great book – one to be recommended to professional and amateur historian alike
—— General Sir David Richards, former Chief of the Defence StaffLucid, passionate, urgent
—— Rory MacLeanThis is first class history and in a year swamped with First World War centenary books, it’s the one you should read first
—— Andrew RobertsA compelling and fascinating read...a shadowy assassin brought to life by an writer who gets to grips with a century of Balkan intrigue
—— Kate AdieA marvellously absorbing book... A triumph of research, it will appeal to the layman and historian alike
—— Ian Thomson , Financial TimesExtremely well written, taut and evocative... Despite its complex subject, Butcher makes this an easy and engaging read with his breezy style and fascinating encounters
—— Misha Glenny , Daily TelegraphIlluminating... Butcher achieves something remarkable with Princip. He promotes him quite plausibly from mad man to everyman; a warning to the future whom the future foolishly forgot
—— Giles Whittell , The TimesArguably the most important story of the war
—— Michael Hodges , Mail on SundayAs a travel writer, Butcher takes some beating. He packs balls as well as ballpoints
—— John Lewis-Stempel , Sunday ExpressA triumph of storytelling... [A] highly original gem of a book
—— Victor Sebestyen , SpectatorInformative and powerful
—— John Horne , Irish TimesA page-turning exploration of how the forgotten past continues to inform the present... Important, and relevant
—— Oliver Poole , Independent on Sunday[Princip’s] story as Butcher now tells it has a resonance far beyond the Balkans
—— Iain Morris , ObserverElegant, horrifying and enlightening… A book which is not only a good piece of detective work, it is the finest contribution so far this year to the rapidly expanding literature on the Great War
—— Mark Smith , HeraldTim Butcher has produced the most imaginative and singular book on the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War to date. It is a lot more than a study of Princip… It is a piece of expeditionary journalism, an investigation in time, place and spirit, of the highest order
—— Robert Fox , ScotsmanA revealing insight into the mind and journey of the boy who escaped the narrow confines of his village, and whose political aspirations for his native country had such far-reaching effects on the world
—— Philippa Logan , Oxford TimesUtterly absorbing… If journalism is the first draft of history, Butcher marries both disciplines with boldness and originality – as well as sympathy for his shadowy subject
—— BBC History MagazineInsightful and entertaining, this blows the cobwebs off the history of that day
—— Evening Echo (Cork)Positive proof that fact can be as gripping as fiction…rich and timely… Amongst so many books published around the anniversary of the First World War, this one stands out
—— CGA MagazineA fascinating investigation… An absorbing read
—— Irish IndependentDespite its serious subject matter, the book is a rollicking read, full of amusing details and sarcastic humour
—— The EconomistA brilliant and haunting journey through the Balkans
—— Sinclair McKay , Daily TelegraphIn the centenary year of the death of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, what better read than Tim Butcher’s The Trigger
—— Paul Routledge , Tablet[A] fascinating and lively history
—— 4 stars , Daily TelegraphVery complex – but you will grasp it
—— William Leith , Evening StandardA fascination exploration
—— Mail on SundayHighly readable but profoundly researched, The Trigger represents a bold exception to the deluge of First World War books devoted to mud, blood and poetry
—— Ben Macintyre , The Timesa fascinating original portrait of a man and his country
—— Country and Town House