PETER ROOS

The prehistoric sites of Britain and Ireland are places of wonder and wondering Who made these structures What did they mean to them And what do they mean to us now Bestselling author Peter Ross journeys from midwinter at Stonehenge to midsummer at Sycamore Gap Along the way he encounters bog bodies in Dublin a wooden goddess in Edinburgh and a chalk giant in Dorset He asks what it is like to live within the great stone circle at Avebury what rituals occurred in an Anglesey tomb and what draws volunteers to care for the Uffington White Horse These objects and structures speak of the long human story They offer the comfort of recognition and the pleasure of mystery There is something about ancient places that fills a hollow in our souls Upon A White Horse is a celebration of landscape and people and all that is beautiful strange and old PRAISE FOR STEEPLE CHASING A delicious treat Financial Times A charming odyssey The Times Lovely lyrical whimsical elegiac TLS Engaging New Statesman A wonderful book Daily Telegraph

For many of its participants, the Second World War was the most intense period of their lives with horizons widened by grief, strangeness and excitement. Peter Ross, graduated from Trinity College, Dublin, to become a troop commander in Montgomerys Eighth Army. He took ship to Egypt and was active in the Western Desert campaign, concluding with El Alamein, a memorable and historic battle which marked the turning-point of the war. Hospitalized and awarded the Military Cross, Ross returned to take part in the D-Day landings, the liberation of Brussels and the advance on the Rhine. All Valiant Dust is a young Irishmans experience of war, vividly recounted with compassion and humour. Its painfully realized remembrance of the din and tempo of desert conflict, and much besides, documents extraordinary times.

The Sunday Times paperback bestseller and Waterstones Non-Fiction Book of the Month*Featuring a brand new chapter!*Never have the joys of exploring the churches and cathedrals of this country been so vividly conveyed as they are in this engaging and elegiac book. - New Statesman **BOOK OF THE YEAR pick 2023**A delicious treat- Financial Times **TRAVEL BOOK OF THE YEAR pick 2023**A charming odyssey- The TimesA wonderful book; thoughtful and challenging- Daily Telegraph *****A beautiful book- Gabriel Byrne Beautiful and brilliant. I loved it- Fergus Butler-Gallie From the author of A Tomb With a View - Scottish Non-Fiction book of the Year Churches are all around us. Their steeples remain landmarks in our towns, villages and cities, even as their influence and authority has waned. They contain art and architectural wonders - one huge gallery scattered, like a handful of jewels, across these isles.Award-winning writer Peter Ross sets out to tell their stories, and through them a story of Britain. Join him as he visits the unassuming Norfolk church which contains a disturbing secret, and Londons mighty cathedrals with their histories of fire and love. Meet cats and bats, monks and druids, angels of oak and steel.Steeple Chasing, though it sometimes strikes an elegiac note, is a song of praise. It celebrates churches for their beauty and meaning, and for the tales they tell. It is about people as much as place, flesh and bone not just flint and stone. From the painted hells of Surrey to the holy wells of Wales, consider this a travel book . . . with bells on.Praise for Peter RossRoss is a wonderfully evocative writer, deftly capturing a sense of place and history, while bringing a deep humanity to his subject. He has written a delightful book.- The GuardianFascinating . . . Ross makes a likeably idiosyncratic guide and one finishes the book feeling strangely optimistic about the inevitable. - The ObserverThe authors humanity has acted as a beacon of light in the darkness.- The Sunday Times

Adéntrese en un nuevo mundo de fascinación y deleite a medida que el galardonado escritor Peter Ross descubre las historias y las glorias de los cementerios. ¿Quiénes son los muertos marginados de Londres y por que David Bowie es su angel de la guarda? ¿Cual es la extraordinaria verdad sobre Phoebe Hessel, que se disfrazo de hombre para luchar al lado de su amor, y llego a vivir en los reinados de cinco monarcas? ¿Por que un cementerio de Bristol es el lugar perfecto para las bodas de los goticos?Todos estos dolorosos misterios -y muchos mas- tienen respuesta en Una tumba con vistas, un libro para cualquiera que haya paseado alguna vez por un campo de lapidas torcidas y se haya preguntado por las vidas y las muertes de quienes yacen debajo.Asi que abre la puerta oxidada, aparta la hiedra y echa un vistazo al interior..

*A RADIO 4 BOOK OF THE WEEK, FINANCIAL TIMES BEST BOOKS OF 2025, SCOTSMAN BOOKS OF 2025, COUNTRY LIFE BOOKS OF THE YEAR 2025*Packed with anecdote and colour, its a surprisingly touching portrait of the countries - Financial Times, Best Books of 2025An insightful and engaging reflection on the appeal of the ancient - The TimesIm a card-carrying admirer of Peter Ross - Robert MacfarlaneThe prehistoric sites of Britain and Ireland are places of wonder and wondering. Who made these structures? What did they mean to them? And what do they mean to us now?Author of the bestseller Steeple Chasing and prize-winning A Tomb With A View, Peter Ross journeys from midwinter at Stonehenge to midsummer at Sycamore Gap. Along the way he encounters bog bodies in Dublin, a wooden goddess in Edinburgh and a chalk giant in Dorset. He asks what it is like to live within the great stone circle at Avebury, what rituals occurred in an Anglesey tomb and what draws volunteers to care for the Uffington White Horse.These objects and structures speak of the long human story. They offer the comfort of recognition and the pleasure of mystery. There is something about ancient places that fills a hollow in our souls.Upon A White Horse is a celebration of landscape and people - and all that is beautiful, strange and old.Ross scores highly on his intuitive interpretations of places and his non-judgemental observations of human nature; he is empathetic, but can stand back - Country LifeRoss is a wonderfully evocative writer, deftly capturing a sense of place and history, while bringing a deep humanity to his subject - Guardian

With these books an effort has been made to present the history of the whole of Long Island in such a way as to combine all the salient facts of the long and interesting story in a manner that might be acceptable to the general reader and at the same time include much of that purely antiquarian lore which is to many the most delightful feature of local history. Long Island has played a most important part in the history of the State of New York and, through New York, in the annals of the Nation. It was one of the first places in the Colonies to give formal utterance to the doctrine that taxation without representation is unjust and should not be borne by men claiming to be free-the doctrine that gradually went deep into the hearts and consciences of men and led to discussion, opposition and war; to the declaration of independence, the achievement of liberty and the founding of a new nation. It took an active part in all that glorious movement, the most significant movement in modern history, and though handicapped by the merciless occupation of the British troops after the disaster of August, 1776, it continued to do what it could to help along the cause to which so many of its citizens had devoted their fortunes, their lives. This is volume two out of three, covering the history of Kings County, Brooklyn and Queens.

With these books an effort has been made to present the history of the whole of Long Island in such a way as to combine all the salient facts of the long and interesting story in a manner that might be acceptable to the general reader and at the same time include much of that purely antiquarian lore which is to many the most delightful feature of local history. Long Island has played a most important part in the history of the State of New York and, through New York, in the annals of the Nation. It was one of the first places in the Colonies to give formal utterance to the doctrine that taxation without representation is unjust and should not be borne by men claiming to be freethe doctrine that gradually went deep into the hearts and consciences of men and led to discussion, opposition and war; to the declaration of independence, the achievement of liberty and the founding of a new nation. It took an active part in all that glorious movement, the most significant movement in modern history, and though handicapped by the merciless occupation of the British troops after the disaster of August, 1776, it continued to do what it could to help along the cause to which so many of its citizens had devoted their fortunes, their lives. This is volume one out of three, covering the general history of Long Island.

With these books an effort has been made to present the history of the whole of Long Island in such a way as to combine all the salient facts of the long and interesting story in a manner that might be acceptable to the general reader and at the same time include much of that purely antiquarian lore which is to many the most delightful feature of local history. Long Island has played a most important part in the history of the State of New York and, through New York, in the annals of the Nation. It was one of the first places in the Colonies to give formal utterance to the doctrine that taxation without representation is unjust and should not be borne by men claiming to be free-the doctrine that gradually went deep into the hearts and consciences of men and led to discussion, opposition and war; to the declaration of independence, the achievement of liberty and the founding of a new nation. It took an active part in all that glorious movement, the most significant movement in modern history, and though handicapped by the merciless occupation of the British troops after the disaster of August, 1776, it continued to do what it could to help along the cause to which so many of its citizens had devoted their fortunes, their lives. This is volume three out of three, covering the history of Nassau County, Hempstead, Oyster Bay, Suffolk County, Huntington and many towns more.

A FINANCIAL TIMES, I PAPER AND STYLIST BOOK OF THE YEARIn his absorbing book about the lost and the gone, Peter Ross takes us from Flanders Fields to Milltown to Kensal Green, to melancholy islands and surprisingly lively ossuaries . . . a considered and moving book on the timely subject of how the dead are remembered, and how they go on working below the surface of our lives.- Hilary MantelRoss is a wonderfully evocative writer, deftly capturing a sense of place and history, while bringing a deep humanity to his subject. He has written a delightful book.- The GuardianThe pages burst with life and anecdote while also examining our relationship with remembrance.- Financial Times (best travel books of 2020)Among the years most surprising "sleeper" successes is A Tomb with a View. In a year with so much death, it may have initially seemed a hard sell, but the authors humanity has instead acted as a beacon of light in the darkness.-The Sunday TimesFascinating . . . Ross makes a likeably idiosyncratic guide and one finishes the book feeling strangely optimistic about the inevitable.- The ObserverRoss has written [a] lively elegy to Britains best burial grounds.- Evening Standard (*Best New Books of Autumn 2020*)One of the non-fiction books of the year.- The i paper (*2020 Best Books for Christmas*)Brilliant.- Stylist (*Best Christmas books for Christmas 2020*)Never has a book about death been so full of life. James Joyce and Charles Dickens wouldve loved it - a book that reveals much gravity in the humour and many stories in the graveyard. It also reveals Peter Ross to be among the best non-fiction writers in the country. - Andrew OHaganFor readers of The Salt Path, Mudlarking, Ghostland, Kathleen Jamie and Robert Macfarlane. Enter a grave new world of fascination and delight as award-winning writer Peter Ross uncovers the stories and glories of graveyards. Who are Londons outcast dead and why is David Bowie their guardian angel? What is the remarkable truth about Phoebe Hessel, who disguised herself as a man to fight alongside her sweetheart, and went on to live in the reigns of five monarchs? Why is a Bristol cemetery the perfect wedding venue for goths? All of these sorrowful mysteries - and many more - are answered in A Tomb With A View, a book for anyone who has ever wandered through a field of crooked headstones and wondered about the lives and deaths of those who lie beneath.

Adéntrese en un nuevo mundo de fascinación y deleite a medida que el galardonado escritor Peter Ross descubre las historias y las glorias de los cementerios. ¿Quiénes son los muertos marginados de Londres y por que David Bowie es su angel de la guarda? ¿Cual es la extraordinaria verdad sobre Phoebe Hessel, que se disfrazo de hombre para luchar al lado de su amor, y llego a vivir en los reinados de cinco monarcas? ¿Por que un cementerio de Bristol es el lugar perfecto para las bodas de los goticos? Todos estos dolorosos misterios -y muchos mas- tienen respuesta en Una tumba con vistas, un libro para cualquiera que haya paseado alguna vez por un campo de lapidas torcidas y se haya preguntado por las vidas y las muertes de quienes yacen debajo. Asi que abre la puerta oxidada, aparta la hiedra y echa un vistazo al interior...

Daniel Corkerys The Hidden Ireland: A Study of Gaelic Munster in the Eighteenth Century, has had sustained appeal since its publication in 1925. There Corkery used literary evidence to sustain a picture of relieved poverty and oppression, spiritual counterpart to the social and economic conditions described by the Victorian chroniclers Froude and Lecky. In 1969 Professor Louis Cullen exposed Corkerys uncomplicated view of the period, coloured by the early twentieth-century national revival, in this classica revisionism (the name whereby historians interpret Irelands mythologies). Here Cullen suggests a closer investigation of the Irish poets milieux, from which emerges a richer, more subtle pattern than that imposed by earlier generations. This important text, supplemented with a new Postscript and English-language translations of the poetry cited, is now available to the general reader, literary critic, historian and student of Irish affairs alike.