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You are here: Category  > Biography & True Stories > Historical, Political & Military Biographies

Historical, Political & Military Biographies

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Historical, Political & Military Biographies

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Covering a rich and diverse cast of characters from spies to survivors and from royalty to rebels, here you’ll find our bestselling historical and political biographies. Fascinating portraits of figures who shaped our world and sealed the fate of many, these are life stories the legacy of which lives on.

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Our Best Historical & Political Biographies

The Women of Rothschild
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The Women of Rothschild
Natalie Livingstone
£25.00
Hardback
Agent Sonya
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Agent Sonya
Ben Macintyre
£8.99   £7.49
Paperback
Fall
Added to basket
Fall
John Preston
£9.99   £8.49
Paperback
A Promised Land
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A Promised Land
President Barack Obama
£35.00   £17.50
Hardback
Looking for Trouble
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Looking for Trouble
Virginia Cowles
£16.99
Hardback
A Queen for All Seasons
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A Queen for All Seasons
Joanna Lumley
£20.00   £17.99
Hardback
Shackleton
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Shackleton
Ranulph Fiennes
£20.00   £16.99
Hardback
Army Girls
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Army Girls
Tessa Dunlop
£20.00
Hardback
Diary of an MP's Wife
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Diary of an MP's Wife
Sasha Swire
£10.99   £9.49
Paperback
Becoming
Added to basket
Becoming
Michelle Obama
£12.99   £10.99
Paperback
Black Spartacus
Added to basket
Black Spartacus
Sudhir Hazareesingh
£10.99   £9.49
Paperback
Spymaster
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Spymaster
Helen Fry
£20.00   £16.99
Hardback
Spider Woman
Added to basket
Spider Woman
Lady Hale
£20.00
Hardback
George V
Added to basket
George V
Jane Ridley
£30.00
Hardback
Lady in Waiting
Added to basket
Lady in Waiting
Anne Glenconner
£9.99
Paperback
George III
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George III
Andrew Roberts
£35.00   £31.99
Hardback
The Diary of a Young Girl
Added to basket
The Diary of a Young Girl
Anne Frank
£8.99
Paperback
The Five
Added to basket
The Five
Hallie Rubenhold
£9.99
Paperback

New For 2021

The Red Prince
Added to basket
The Red Prince
Helen Carr
£20.00
Hardback
Traitor King
Added to basket
Traitor King
Andrew Lownie
£25.00   £21.99
Hardback
Ethel Rosenberg
Added to basket
Ethel Rosenberg
Anne Sebba
£20.00   £17.99
Hardback
Chief of Staff
Added to basket
Chief of Staff
Gavin Barwell
£20.00   £17.99
Hardback
Spider Woman
Added to basket
Spider Woman
Lady Hale
£20.00
Hardback
In the Thick of It
Added to basket
In the Thick of It
Alan Duncan
£25.00
Hardback
Spymaster
Added to basket
Spymaster
Helen Fry
£20.00   £16.99
Hardback
The Radical Potter
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The Radical Potter
Tristram Hunt
£25.00
Hardback
Heiresses
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Heiresses
Laura Thompson
£25.00
Hardback
Going with the Boys
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Going with the Boys
Judith Mackrell
£20.00   £17.99
Hardback
The Making of Oliver Cromwell
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The Making of Oliver Cromwell
Ronald Hutton
£25.00
Hardback
The Secret Royals
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The Secret Royals
Richard Aldrich
£25.00
Hardback
My Secret Brexit Diary
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My Secret Brexit Diary
Michel Barnier
£25.00
Hardback
Philip
Added to basket
Philip
Gyles Brandreth
£25.00   £21.99
Hardback
Mary Churchill's War
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Mary Churchill's War
Emma Soames
£20.00
Hardback
Oh, What a Lovely Century
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Oh, What a Lovely Century
Roderic Fenwick Owen
£20.00
Hardback
Dante
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Dante
Alessandro Barbero
£20.00
Hardback

Paperbacks of the Year

House of Glass
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House of Glass
Hadley Freeman
£9.99   £8.49
Paperback
Black Spartacus
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Black Spartacus
Sudhir Hazareesingh
£10.99   £9.49
Paperback
Under Pressure
Added to basket
Under Pressure
Richard Humphreys
£9.99   £8.49
Paperback
Agent Sonya
Added to basket
Agent Sonya
Ben Macintyre
£8.99   £7.49
Paperback
Becoming
Added to basket
Becoming
Michelle Obama
£12.99   £10.99
Paperback
The Ratline
Added to basket
The Ratline
Philippe Sands
£9.99   £8.49
Paperback
Diary of an MP's Wife
Added to basket
Diary of an MP's Wife
Sasha Swire
£10.99   £9.49
Paperback
The Haunting of Alma Fielding
Added to basket
The Haunting of Alma Fielding
Kate Summerscale
£9.99   £8.49
Paperback
Dead Famous
Added to basket
Dead Famous
Greg Jenner
£9.99
Paperback
One of Them
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One of Them
Musa Okwonga
£8.99
Paperback
JFK
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JFK
Fredrik Logevall
£14.99
Paperback
The Mystery of Charles Dickens
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The Mystery of Charles Dickens
A. N. Wilson
£9.99
Paperback
Soldier
Added to basket
Soldier
Jay Morton
£9.99
Paperback
Queens of the Crusades
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Queens of the Crusades
Alison Weir
£10.99
Paperback
Fall
Added to basket
Fall
John Preston
£9.99   £8.49
Paperback
Sylvia Pankhurst
Added to basket
Sylvia Pankhurst
Rachel Holmes
£16.99
Paperback
Boris Johnson
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Boris Johnson
Tom Bower
£10.99
Paperback
The Glamour Boys
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The Glamour Boys
Chris Bryant
£9.99
Paperback
A Promised Land
A Promised Land
President Barack Obama
£35.00 £17.50
Hardback
10+ in stock
Available
The biggest book of the decade is a Presidential memoir like no other. Recounting Barack Obama’s journey to the White House in matchless, eloquent prose, A Promised Land is utterly essential reading.
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Our Best Historical Biographies

Shakespeare
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Shakespeare
Bill Bryson
£8.99
Paperback
Alexander Hamilton
Added to basket
Alexander Hamilton
Ron Chernow
£15.99
Paperback
Brunel
Added to basket
Brunel
Dan Cruickshank
£9.99
Paperback
Genghis Khan
Added to basket
Genghis Khan
Frank McLynn
£14.99
Paperback
Napoleon the Great
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Napoleon the Great
Andrew Roberts
£18.99
Paperback
Saladin
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Saladin
John Man
£9.99
Paperback
Thomas Cromwell
Added to basket
Thomas Cromwell
Diarmaid MacCulloch
£12.99
Paperback
Hitler
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Hitler
Ian Kershaw
£18.99
Paperback
I Am Dynamite!
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I Am Dynamite!
Sue Prideaux
£10.99
Paperback
'Cherry' Ingram
Added to basket
'Cherry' Ingram
Naoko Abe
£10.99
Paperback
Samuel Pepys
Added to basket
Samuel Pepys
Claire Tomalin
£10.99
Paperback
Mary Queen Of Scots
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Mary Queen Of Scots
Lady Antonia Fraser
£14.99
Paperback
Elizabeth of York
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Elizabeth of York
Alison Weir
£10.99
Paperback
Che Guevara
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Che Guevara
Jon Lee Anderson
£20.00
Paperback
Wellington
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Wellington
Richard Holmes
£12.99
Paperback
Frederick the Great
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Frederick the Great
Tim Blanning
£14.99
Paperback
Thomas Becket
Added to basket
Thomas Becket
John Guy
£10.99
Paperback
Rasputin
Added to basket
Rasputin
Frances Welch
£8.99
Paperback
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Penguin Monarchs Series

Athelstan (Penguin Monarchs)
Added to basket
Athelstan (Penguin Monarchs)
Tom Holland
£6.99
Paperback
Edward I (Penguin Monarchs)
Added to basket
Edward I (Penguin Monarchs)
Andy King
£4.99
Paperback
Oliver Cromwell (Penguin Monarchs)
Added to basket
Oliver Cromwell (Penguin Monarchs)
David Horspool
£6.99
Paperback
Charles I (Penguin Monarchs)
Added to basket
Charles I (Penguin Monarchs)
Mark Kishlansky
£4.99
Paperback
Henry V (Penguin Monarchs)
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Henry V (Penguin Monarchs)
Anne Curry
£4.99
Paperback
Elizabeth I (Penguin Monarchs)
Added to basket
Elizabeth I (Penguin Monarchs)
Helen Castor
£6.99
Paperback
Henry VIII (Penguin Monarchs)
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Henry VIII (Penguin Monarchs)
John Guy
£4.99
Paperback
James I (Penguin Monarchs)
Added to basket
James I (Penguin Monarchs)
Thomas Cogswell
£4.99
Paperback
Victoria (Penguin Monarchs)
Added to basket
Victoria (Penguin Monarchs)
Jane Ridley
£4.99
Paperback
Charles II (Penguin Monarchs)
Added to basket
Charles II (Penguin Monarchs)
Clare Jackson
£4.99
Paperback
Elizabeth II (Penguin Monarchs)
Added to basket
Elizabeth II (Penguin Monarchs)
Douglas Hurd
£4.99
Paperback
James II (Penguin Monarchs)
Added to basket
James II (Penguin Monarchs)
David Womersley
£4.99
Paperback
Henry II (Penguin Monarchs)
Added to basket
Henry II (Penguin Monarchs)
Richard Barber
£4.99
Paperback
Richard II (Penguin Monarchs)
Added to basket
Richard II (Penguin Monarchs)
Laura Ashe
£4.99
Paperback
Cnut (Penguin Monarchs)
Added to basket
Cnut (Penguin Monarchs)
Ryan Lavelle
£4.99
Paperback
Edward VI (Penguin Monarchs)
Added to basket
Edward VI (Penguin Monarchs)
Stephen Alford
£4.99
Paperback

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Our Best Political Biographies

Becoming
Added to basket
Becoming
Michelle Obama
£12.99   £10.99
Paperback
JFK
Added to basket
JFK
Fredrik Logevall
£14.99
Paperback
The Autobiography of Malcolm X
Added to basket
The Autobiography of Malcolm X
Alex Haley
£9.99
Paperback
Dreams From My Father
Added to basket
Dreams From My Father
President Barack Obama
£10.99
Paperback
Long Walk To Freedom
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Long Walk To Freedom
Nelson Mandela
£14.99
Paperback
Citizen Clem
Added to basket
Citizen Clem
John Bew
£14.99
Paperback
The Truths We Hold
Added to basket
The Truths We Hold
Kamala Harris
£9.99
Paperback
Team of Rivals
Added to basket
Team of Rivals
Doris Kearns Goodwin
£14.99
Paperback
Richard Nixon
Added to basket
Richard Nixon
John Farrell
£14.99
Paperback
Franklin D. Roosevelt
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Franklin D. Roosevelt
Robert Dallek
£16.99
Paperback
Margaret Thatcher
Added to basket
Margaret Thatcher
Charles Moore
£16.99
Paperback
Gorbachev
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Gorbachev
Prof. William Taubman
£16.99
Paperback
Benjamin Franklin
Added to basket
Benjamin Franklin
Walter Isaacson
£14.99
Paperback
Disraeli
Added to basket
Disraeli
Douglas Hurd
£10.99
Paperback
A View From The Foothills
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A View From The Foothills
Chris Mullin
£12.99
Paperback
David Lloyd George
Added to basket
David Lloyd George
Roy Hattersley
£14.99
Paperback
A Fortunate Life
Added to basket
A Fortunate Life
Paddy Ashdown
£9.99
Paperback
Free At Last
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Free At Last
Tony Benn
£16.99
Paperback

Our Best Military Biographies

Codebreaking Sisters
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Codebreaking Sisters
Patricia Owtram
£8.99
Paperback
War Doctor
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War Doctor
David Nott
£9.99
Paperback
First Man In
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First Man In
Ant Middleton
£8.99
Paperback
A Woman of No Importance
Added to basket
A Woman of No Importance
Sonia Purnell
£9.99
Paperback
Storm of Steel
Added to basket
Storm of Steel
Ernst Junger
£9.99
Paperback
Bravo Two Zero
Added to basket
Bravo Two Zero
Andy McNab
£9.99   £8.99
Paperback
The Unwomanly Face of War
Added to basket
The Unwomanly Face of War
Svetlana Alexievich
£9.99
Paperback
First Light
Added to basket
First Light
Geoffrey Wellum
£9.99
Paperback
Dispatches
Added to basket
Dispatches
Michael Herr
£9.99
Paperback
If This Is A Man/The Truce
Added to basket
If This Is A Man/The Truce
Primo Levi
£12.99
Paperback
Goodbye to All That
Added to basket
Goodbye to All That
Robert Graves
£9.99
Paperback
Forgotten Bastards of the Eastern Front
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Forgotten Bastards of the Eastern Front
Serhii Plokhy
£10.99
Paperback
Gurkha
Added to basket
Gurkha
Colour-Sergeant Kailash Limbu
£8.99
Paperback
A Moment of War
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A Moment of War
Laurie Lee
£8.99
Paperback
Last Witnesses
Added to basket
Last Witnesses
Svetlana Alexievich
£10.99
Paperback
Wellington
Added to basket
Wellington
Richard Holmes
£12.99
Paperback
The Railway Man
Added to basket
The Railway Man
Eric Lomax
£9.99
Paperback
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Our Best Royal Biographies

Lady in Waiting
Added to basket
Lady in Waiting
Anne Glenconner
£9.99
Paperback
Traitor King
Added to basket
Traitor King
Andrew Lownie
£25.00   £21.99
Hardback
Philip
Added to basket
Philip
Gyles Brandreth
£25.00   £21.99
Hardback
The Mountbattens
Added to basket
The Mountbattens
Andrew Lownie
£10.99
Paperback
Prince Philip Revealed
Added to basket
Prince Philip Revealed
Ingrid Seward
£20.00
Hardback
Queen Victoria
Added to basket
Queen Victoria
Lucy Worsley
£10.99
Paperback
Ma'am Darling
Added to basket
Ma'am Darling
Craig Brown
£9.99
Paperback
Young Prince Philip
Added to basket
Young Prince Philip
Philip Eade
£9.99
Paperback
The Quest for Queen Mary
Added to basket
The Quest for Queen Mary
James Pope-Hennessy
£10.99
Paperback
Scandals of the Royal Palaces
Added to basket
Scandals of the Royal Palaces
Tom Quinn
£20.00
Paperback
Elizabeth & Margaret
Added to basket
Elizabeth & Margaret
Andrew Morton
£20.00
Hardback
The Queen
Added to basket
The Queen
Matthew Dennison
£25.00   £21.99
Hardback
The Duke
Added to basket
The Duke
Ian Lloyd
£15.99
Hardback
Queen of the World
Added to basket
Queen of the World
Robert Hardman
£9.99
Paperback
Rebel Prince
Added to basket
Rebel Prince
Tom Bower
£9.99
Paperback
The American Duchess
Added to basket
The American Duchess
Anna Pasternak
£9.99
Paperback
My Husband and I
Added to basket
My Husband and I
Ingrid Seward
£9.99
Paperback

Great Books You Must Read

Our selection of classic paperbacks

The Diary of a Young Girl
Added to basket
The Diary of a Young Girl
Anne Frank
£8.99
Paperback
The Autobiography of Malcolm X
Added to basket
The Autobiography of Malcolm X
Alex Haley
£9.99
Paperback
Dreams From My Father
Added to basket
Dreams From My Father
President Barack Obama
£10.99
Paperback
Queen Victoria
Added to basket
Queen Victoria
Lucy Worsley
£10.99
Paperback
Long Walk To Freedom
Added to basket
Long Walk To Freedom
Nelson Mandela
£14.99
Paperback
Napoleon
Added to basket
Napoleon
Adam Zamoyski
£12.99
Paperback
If This Is A Man/The Truce
Added to basket
If This Is A Man/The Truce
Primo Levi
£12.99
Paperback
Thomas Cromwell
Added to basket
Thomas Cromwell
Diarmaid MacCulloch
£12.99
Paperback
Seven Pillars of Wisdom
Added to basket
Seven Pillars of Wisdom
T. E. Lawrence
£10.99
Paperback
This Boy
Added to basket
This Boy
Alan Johnson
£9.99
Paperback
Mao: The Unknown Story
Added to basket
Mao: The Unknown Story
Jon Halliday
£12.99
Paperback
Citizen Clem
Added to basket
Citizen Clem
John Bew
£14.99
Paperback
Caesar
Added to basket
Caesar
Adrian Goldsworthy
£14.99
Paperback
Margaret Thatcher
Added to basket
Margaret Thatcher
Charles Moore
£18.99
Paperback
Elizabeth
Added to basket
Elizabeth
John Guy
£10.99
Paperback
Churchill
Added to basket
Churchill
Roy Jenkins
£20.00
Paperback
God's Englishman
Added to basket
God's Englishman
Christopher Hill
£12.99
Paperback
Catherine de Medici
Added to basket
Catherine de Medici
Leonie Frieda
£12.99
Paperback
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