This is the story of RMS Titanic. In this authoritative and highly illustrated guide we explore what was the largest passenger steamship in the world when she set sail on her maiden voyage from Southampton on 10 April 1912. Just four days later she struck an iceberg and sank, resulting in the deaths of 1,517 people in one of the worst peacetime maritime disasters in history.

Here we see how the ship was built, reveal what life was like above and below deck, uncover details of the fatal accident and the aftermath – and consider the world’s fascination with the subject ever since.

Divorced, beheaded, died; divorced, beheaded, survived.

For over four centuries, popular imagination has been gripped by the story of King Henry VIII and his six wives – and by the tangled web of passion and intrigue that lies behind it. Henry’s desperate hope for a son, a male heir for the throne of England, drove him until his death.

This attractive guide looks at the King, each of his wives and the background of religious change that surrounds their stories. From Henry’s first marriage to his brother’s widow Catherine of Aragon until the end of his life with Catherine Parr and three heirs, this guide tells these stories with fascinating facts, artworks, illustrations and colour photographs.

Perfect for students of history and anyone with an interest in one of England’s most famous monarchs and his six wives. Look out for more Pitkin Guides on the very best of British history, heritage and travel.

What constituted a secret or a scandal in times gone by? This entertaining title in this new series gives an overview of the times and attitudes to ‘secrets’, and what was meant by a ‘scandal’.

This book uncovers revelations of royal bedchambers, courts, spies and plots, financial scandals, dynastic tangles, and the exploits of both regal villains and so-called saints.

From the rule of absolutist kings to the more prudish Victorians, scandals can be linked to many a royal personage with often dramatic impacts on reigns and history. Exposing the secrets of both the private and public lives of these past rulers, Royal Secrets and Scandals guarantees to amuse and surprise.

This useful guide will take you round the most important sights and provide you with practical information to help you travel around the capital. Look out for more Pitkin Guides on the very best of British history, heritage and travel, including other titles in our popular City Guides series.

The reign of Richard III was one of the shortest in British history, yet he remains one of the most enigmatic and controversial personalities who occupied the throne.

 This informative guide traces the life of Richard and his seemingly contradictory qualities, of loyalty and perfidy, generosity and self-interest, honesty and manipulation. From his initial position far down the line of succession to his position as Lieutenant-General of the North and move to the throne in 1483, Richard’s story is fascinatingly explored. Sections engagingly cover the controversies surrounding Richard such as the Princes in the Tower and the Battle of Bosworth.

In February 2013, a skeleton uncovered in the ruins of Grey Friars Church in Leicester was identified as the remains of Richard III. The remains found were proved to be Richard’s ‘beyond reasonable doubt’ through DNA tests. But what was this man really like? A ruthless manipulator, or a tragic figure? Michael St John Parker’s guide delves into the life of Richard with colour photographs, illustrations and artefacts.

Oxford – an eclectic mix of the ancient university colleges, cobbled streets and dreaming spires. But also a modern city with theatres, galleries, bookshops, cafes, pubs and restaurants. Today’s tourist can enjoy them all. A guide to help the Spanish visitor explore Oxford and its university – a city with over 40 ancient colleges tightly interwoven, each a part of the other. It looks at the ancient beauty of cobbled streets, neat quadrangles, bell towers and slim spires. Look out for more Pitkin Guides on the very best of British history, heritage and travel, including other titles in our popular City Guides series.

Oxford – an eclectic mix of the ancient university colleges, cobbled streets and dreaming spires. But also a modern city with theatres, galleries, bookshops, cafes, pubs and restaurants. Today’s tourist can enjoy them all. A guide to help the French visitor explore Oxford and its university – a city with over 40 ancient colleges tightly interwoven, each a part of the other. It looks at the ancient beauty of cobbled streets, neat quadrangles, bell towers and slim spires. Look out for more Pitkin Guides on the very best of British history, heritage and travel, including other titles in our popular City Guides series.

Oxford – an eclectic mix of the ancient university colleges, cobbled streets and dreaming spires. But also a modern city with theatres, galleries, bookshops, cafes, pubs and restaurants. Today’s tourist can enjoy them all. A guide to help the Chinese visitor explore Oxford and its university – a city with over 40 ancient colleges tightly interwoven, each a part of the other. It looks at the ancient beauty of cobbled streets, neat quadrangles, bell towers and slim spires. Look out for more Pitkin Guides on the very best of British history, heritage and travel, including other titles in our popular City Guides series.

Corporal Eric Gunton of the Royal Engineers, landed on Gold Beach on 8 June 1944, carrying his camera into the aftermath of battle. His photographs, though lost until 2005, are an evocation of life in Normandy in the months after D-Day, seen through the eyes of an Englishman who married a Frenchwoman and lived the rest of his years in France.

The current feline tenant of 10 Downing Street, Larry, has captured the nation’s hearts with his public appearances and witty Twitter feed.

Larry the Chief Mouser comes from a long line of cats in UK government. For over 200 years this government has used cats to rid their buildings of mice. For a long time the animals remained unofficial, but then in the 1930s government departments started to apply to the treasury for a feline upkeep allowance. The cats thus became ‘official’ members of government and, as it turned out, well loved.

There are many funny stories linked to these cats: Home Office cat ‘Peter the Great’ became a celebrity in 1958 when the public issued concerns that he wasn’t being paid enough; Peter’s successor, unusually a female Manx cat, was considered to have a ‘diplomatic background’ and thus gained a pay rise! More recent cats include Chief Mouser Larry, who appeared at David Cameron’s resignation speech, and the Foreign Office cat Palmerston, who has a substantial Twitter following.

Including letters and memos held by The National Archives, plus photographs of the cats themselves, this book takes a fresh approach to what goes on at Whitehall.

What is the origin of the stories of the Round Table, of Excalibur and the Holy Grail, of Sir Launcelot and Guinevere? And where was Camelot?

King Arthur’s name has echoed down the centuries, conjuring up rich images of mystery and power, chivalry and romance. But did he exist at all? There is no evidence to prove he reigned in the fifth and sixth centuries; no eye-witness accounts of his coronation and no reliable manuscripts outlining his deeds.

This full-colour guide examines the facts of the legends in the tantalising puzzle of King Arthur and his knights. Learn about the origins of the Round Table, the cult of chivalry and conflict between knights, and Arthur’s shape-shifting half-sister Moran le Fay. From the origins of Arthurian legend to the new phase in the Arthurian cyce in the romantic revival of the early nineteenth century, read about the tantalizing puzzle that is King Arthur.

Look out for more Pitkin guides on the very best of British history, heritage and travel.