Nigel Cawthorne

"I have committed many acts of cruelty and had an incalculable number of men killed, never knowing whether what I did was right. But I am indifferent to what people think of me." - Genghis Khan A spine-chilling chronicle of dictators and their crimes against humanity, Tyrants introduces the most bloodthirsty madmen - and women - ever to wield power over their unfortunate fellow human beings. From Atilla the Hun, who killed his own brother to rule the Hun Empire, to Adolf Hitler, mass murderer and instigator of the most devastating war the world has ever known, this book examines history's most infamous despots and tells in vivid detail the story of the lives they led, their ruthless climb to the top and the destruction and sorrow they left in their wake. Includes: - Herod the Great, King of Judaea - Pheidon of Argos, Tyrant of Athens - Richard III, King of England - Ivan the Terrible, Tsar of Russia - Napoleon Bonaparte, Emperor of France - Josef Stalin, Leader of the USSR - Fidel Castro, President of Cuba Unflinching in its coverage, Tyrants is a gripping and compelling portrait of the darker side of politics and power, revealing the strange and grisly stories behind the world's most infamous autocrats.

How did a former Austrian corporal in the Bavarian army with no apparent gift for leadership or strategy become the leader of one of the most civilized countries in Europe and turn it into a nightmare state? Even as Hitler's troops forged a relentless path across Europe, attempts were being made to find out what was going on in his mind. To an outside observer it was clear that, perhaps more than any other world leader in modern times, Hitler was living out his own pathological psychodrama on the global stage. This illustrated book presents revealing insights into one of the world's most murderous dictators. Nigel Cawthorne draws on sound psychological principles and the latest research into the causes and nature of aberrant personalities to discover what impelled him to commit such terrible atrocities.

The best political weapon is the weapon of terror. Cruelty commands respect. Men may hate us. But we don't ask for their love - only for their fear - Heinrich Himmler, leader of the Waffen-SS. The Waffen-SS were the armed division of the feared Schutzstaffel, and the private army of Adolf Hitler. They developed a reputation as brutal soldiers, willing to carry out any order, no matter how terrible. Fanatically devoted to Nazism and unswervingly loyal to the F hrer, they were committed some of the most horrific atrocities of World War II as they sought to enforce the racial policies of the Nazi state. In this unflinching and engrossing account, Nigel Cawthorne provides a detailed look at one of the most chilling organizations ever conceived by the human imagination. He examines their elite position under the Nazi regime, the superior weapons they were afforded, their involvement in the murderous crimes of the Holocaust, and the way they thrust their claws into every aspect of German life. Illustrated with reportage photographs, this is the story of the rise and fall of one of the most evil organizations the world has ever seen.

The British who volunteered to join Hitler's SS were a bunch of odd-balls, misfits, malingers, conmen, saboteurs and men who simply wanted to get out of prisoner-of-war camps so they could have access to beer and women. They were the most useless outfit in the German fighting machine - Dad's Army in Nazi uniforms.

Did you know that a child can be cured of the whooping cough by passing it under the belly of a donkey?The history of medicine in Britain is filled with the most bizarre and gruesome cures for many common ailments. Although enthusiastically supported by doctors of the time, many of these cures were often useless and often resulted in the death of the patient.But strange and alarming though many of the cures may seem, some of them did in fact work and provide the basis of much of the medicine we take for granted nowadays. The use of herbs by medieval monks was remarkably effective - and still is today.This highly entertaining and informative book will fascinate anyone who has ever wondered whether doctors really know what they are talking about - just don't try any of the cures mentioned at home!Or that weak eyes can be cured by the application of chicken dung - or alternatively be large draughts of beer taken in the morning?Or that the juice extracted from a bucketful of snails covered in brown sugar and hung over a basin overnight was once used to cure a sore throat?

An amusing look at all manner of ludicrous laws that used to govern London and in a surprising number of cases, still do

A short biography of Boris Johnson - his background, schooling, chaotic personal life and his irresistible rise.

A compelling guide to the bestselling author of all time, the aptly named Queen of Crime

Did you know that: It's against the law to check into a hotel in London under assumed names for the purpose of lovemaking? Under a statute of Edwards II all whales washed up on the shore belong to the monarch? Under a Tudor law Welshmen are not allowed into the city of Chester after dark?In THE STRANGE LAWS OF OLD ENGLAND, Nigel Cawthorne unearths an extraordinary collection of the most bizarre and arcane laws that have been enacted over the centuries. Some of the laws, incredibly, are still in force. It is still illegal to enter the Houses of Parliament in a suit of armour . . . This elegant and amusing book is perfect for everyone fascinated by the eccentric history of these islands.

A highly readable companion to the author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings saga

Dennis Nilsen seemed unremarkable – a quiet civil servant in North London. But behind the closed doors of his Muswell Hill flat, he harboured one of the darkest secrets in British criminal history. Over five years, he murdered at least 15 young men, driven not by rage, but by a desperate need for control – and for company. Inside the Mind of Dennis Nilsen goes beyond the horror of Nilsen’s crimes to uncover the complex psychological forces that shaped them. Through forensic analysis, behavioural profiling and insights from criminologists the book examines this killer’s fractured psyche and reveals how loneliness, repression and identity struggles turned man into monster. Chilling, thought-provoking and deeply human, this is not just a story of murder – it's a study of what happens when the mind turns inward and festers in the dark.