New Releases by John Man

A panoramic history of the roots of China and Mongolia’s historic rivalry—and why it matters today. The Great Wall of China—stretching from the arid rises of Gansu province to the cold waters of the Bohai Sea—remains an enduring symbol of Chinese might. And yet for all its grandeur, the Wall also marks a vulnerability: an ever-present reminder of old battlelines and never-ending tension with China’s northern neighbours. Travelling by sacred mountains and along forgotten trade routes, John Man journeys through China and Mongolia, tracing the contours of their uneasy shared histories. From the tumult of the Warring States Period to the present day, Man weaves a thrilling tale of battling warlords, imperial power plays, Soviet interference and contemporary political manoeuvring. Looking to the future of the region, Conquering the North canvasses the still fractious interplay of two rival cultures and the continuing struggle for Mongolian sovereignty as China continues to edge north.

‘The author brings together a wealth of information which has, until now, only been available in highly specialized academic journals and scholarly books’ – David Nicolle ''An astonishing array of themes and characters’ – John Man The Mamluks were, at one distinct point in history, the greatest body of fighting men in the world and the quintessence of the mounted warrior – reaching near perfection in their skill with the bow, lance and sword. Their story embraces many of the great themes of medieval military endeavour: the Crusaders and the deadly contest between Islam and Christendom, the Mongols and their vision of World Dominion, Tamerlane the Scourge of God and the rise of the Ottoman Empire whose own slave soldiers, the Janissaries, would be the Mamluks'' final nemesis. They entered the Islamic world as unlettered automatons and through a total application to the craft of the warrior they became more than soldiers. After a bloody seizure of power from their masters, the descendants of Saladin, they developed a martial code and an honor system based on barracks brotherhood, a sophisticated military society that harnessed the state''s energies for total war and produced a series of treatises on cavalry tactics, martial training, mounted archery and scientific and analytical approaches to warfare that more than compare to Sun Tzu''s Art of War, the Western Codes of Chivalry and the Bushido in their complexity, beauty of language and comprehensive coverage of the bloody business of war. Their story embraces many of the great themes of medieval military endeavour: the Crusaders and the deadly contest between Islam and Christendom, the Mongols and their vision of world dominion, Tamerlane and the rise of the Ottoman Empire whose own slave soldiers, the Janissaries, would be the Mamluks'' final nemesis.

An Illustrated Guide to One of the Greatest Events of World War II The Allied landing in German-occupied Normandy on June 6, 1944 was the greatest amphibious operation in military history. In the months that followed, German forces, outnumbered and outgunned, fought one of the most tenacious and skillful defensive campaigns of the entire war. This magnificent graphical reconstruction details the momentous events of the Normandy campaign from its conception through to the destruction of the German 7th and 5th Panzer Armies at Falaise and the Allied liberation of Paris. Included in The D-Day Atlas are: Disposition and movements of military units Plans and objectives of the commanders on both sides Nature of the Normandy terrain Role of Allied air interdiction and long-range naval fire support Movement of reserve units and supplies Activities of the French Resistance Follow troop movements and positions throughout the Normandy campaign to discover how the British, American, and Commonwealth troops reached victory.

Best Grandpa in the world notebook 120 Lined Pages 6 x 9 inches Makes a perfect gift for friends ,boyfriend,girlfriend,funs !This Best Grandpa in the world notebook notebook can serve as an all purpose notebook, journal, or diary that is handy for everyday use. You can use it as a school notebook, place to keep your daily to do lists, create grocery lists, keep track of appointments, journal, doodle, keep notes, and much more! This is not just a notebook. It serves as a multi purpose journal notebook with an awesome MATTE cover thatis durable and handy for daily use. MAKE IT YOUR FAVOTITE GIFT Lined pages 120 pages on white paper Perfect for use as a notebook, journaling, list-making, or anything else High quality glossy cover for a professional finish Perfect size at 6"x9"

My Mom Thinks She''s In Charge That''s So Cute notebook 120 Lined Pages 6 x 9 inches Makes a perfect gift for friends ,boyfriend,girlfriend,funs !This high quality My Mom Thinks She''s In Charge That''s So Cute notebook can serve as an all purpose notebook, journal, or diary that is handy for everyday use. You can use it as a school notebook, place to keep your daily to do lists, create grocery lists, keep track of appointments, journal, doodle, keep notes, and much more! This is not just a notebook. It serves as a multi purpose journal notebook with an awesome MATTE cover thatis durable and handy for daily use. MAKE IT YOUR FAVOTITE GIFT Lined pages 120 pages on white paper Perfect for use as a notebook, journaling, list-making, or anything else High quality glossy cover for a professional finish Perfect size at 6"x9"

The people of the first nomadic empire left no written records, but from 200 BC they dominated the heart of Asia for 400 years. They changed the world. The Mongols, today’s descendants of Genghis Khan, see them as ancestors. Their rise cemented Chinese unity and inspired the first Great Wall. Their heirs under Attila the Hun helped destroy the Roman Empire. We don’t know what language they spoke, but they became known as Xiongnu, or Hunnu, a term passed down the centuries and across Eurasia, enduring today in shortened form as ‘Hun’. Outside Asia precious little is known of their rich history, but new evidence reframes our understanding of the indelible mark they left on a vast region stretching from Europe and sweeping right across Central Asia deep into China. Based on meticulous research and new archaeological evidence, Emperors and Barbarians traces their epic story, and shows how the nomadic cultures of the steppes gave birth to a ‘barbarian empire’ with the wealth and power to threaten the civilised order of the ancient world.

Since the time of the ancient Greeks we have been fascinated by accounts of the Amazons, an elusive tribe of hard-fighting, horse-riding female warriors. Equal to men in battle, legends claimed they cut off their right breasts to improve their archery skills and routinely killed their male children to purify their ranks.For centuries people believed in their existence and attempted to trace their origins. Artists and poets celebrated their battles and wrote of Amazonia. Spanish explorers, carrying these tales to South America, thought they lived in the forests of the world’s greatest river, and named it after them. In the absence of evidence, we eventually reasoned away their existence, concluding that these powerful, sexually liberated female soldiers must have been the fantastical invention of Greek myth and storytelling. Until now.Following decades of new research and a series of groundbreaking archeological discoveries, we now know these powerful warrior queens did indeed exist. In Searching for the Amazons, John Man travels to the grasslands of Central Asia—from the edge of the ancient Greek world to the borderlands of China—to discover the truth about the truth about these women whose legend has resonated over the centuries.

Since the time of the ancient Greeks we have been fascinated by accounts of the Amazons, an elusive tribe of hard-fighting, horse-riding female warriors. Equal to men in battle, legends claimed they cut off their right breasts to improve their archery skills and routinely killed their male children to purify their ranks. For centuries people believed in their existence and attempted to trace their origins. Artists and poets celebrated their battles and wrote of Amazonia. Spanish explorers, carrying these tales to South America, thought they lived in the forests of the world’s greatest river, and named it after them. In the absence of evidence, we eventually reasoned away their existence, concluding that these powerful, sexually liberated female soldiers must have been the fantastical invention of Greek myth and storytelling. Until now. Following decades of new research and a series of groundbreaking archeological discoveries, we now know these powerful warrior queens did indeed exist. In Amazons, John Man travels to the grasslands of Central Asia, from the edge of the ancient Greek world to the borderlands of China, to discover the truth about the warrior women mythologized as Amazons. In this deeply researched, sweeping historical epic, Man redefines our understanding of the Amazons and their culture, tracking the ancient legend into the modern world and examining its significance today.

Shalahuddin al-Ayyubi—di Barat disebut Saladin—tetap menjadi tokoh paling ikonik pada zamannya. Pemersatu bangsa Arab dan penyelamat Islam dari Tentara Salib di abad ke-12, ia pahlawan terkemuka di dunia Islam. Kukuh menjaga keimanannya dan brilian dalam kepemimpinan, ia memiliki kualitas pribadi yang dikagumi oleh musuh Kristennya. Ia mengerti batas-batas kekerasan, penuh toleransi dan kemurahan hati sehingga banyak orang Eropa melihatnya sebagai contoh ideal sosok kesatria. Tapi, Saladin lebih dari sekadar pahlawan dalam sejarah. Sosoknya abadi sepanjang hayat, dan menjadi simbol harapan bagi dunia Arab-Islam usai terpecah belah. Berabad-abad setelah kematiannya, di berbagai kota—dari Damaskus sampai Kairo dan di luarnya, hingga Semenanjung Arab dan Teluk—Shalahuddin terus jadi simbol ampuh bagi perlawanan agama dan militer terhadap Barat. Sebagai pejuang, pembangun, pelindung kesusastraan, dan teolog, dialah pusat memori Arab dan tipe ideal bagi persatuan negara Islam. Biografi otoritatif ini menghadirkan sosok Shalahuddin dan dunianya begitu detail dan hidup. Menggambarkan sang tokoh menuju kekuasaan, perjuangannya menyatukan faksi-faksi Muslim yang terus bertikai, dan pertempurannya merebut kembali Yerusalem dan mengusir pengaruh Kristen dari tanah Arab, John Man mengeksplorasi kehidupan, legenda, dan warisan abadi sang pemersatu Islam sambil menarik signifikansinya untuk dunia saat ini.

In this authoritative biography, historian John Man brings Saladin and his world to life with vivid detail in "a rollicking good story" (Justin Marozzi). Saladin remains one of the most iconic figures of his age. As the man who united the Arabs and saved Islam from Christian crusaders in the twelfth century, he is the Islamic world''s preeminent hero. A ruthless defender of his faith and brilliant leader, he also possessed qualities that won admiration from his Christian foes. But Saladin is far more than a historical hero. Builder, literary patron, and theologian, he is a man for all times, and a symbol of hope for an Arab world once again divided. Centuries after his death, in cities from Damascus to Cairo and beyond, to the Arabian Peninsula and the Gulf, Saladin continues to be an immensely potent symbol of religious and military resistance to the West. He is central to Arab memories, sensibilities, and the ideal of a unified Islamic state. John Man charts Saladin''s rise to power, his struggle to unify the warring factions of his faith, and his battles to retake Jerusalem and expel Christian influence from Arab lands. Saladin explores the life and enduring legacy of this champion of Islam while examining his significance for the world today.

LEGENDA SANG PENAKLUK DARI MONGOLIA “Di mana gerangan Jenghis Khan? Ia tidak mati. Inilah yang terjadi: Seorang raja di sebuah negeri nun jauh memiliki putri seelok mentari. Jenghis Khan meminta perawan itu. Sang raja diam-diam berkata pada putrinya: ini sebilah pisau, sangat kecil dan tajam. Sembunyikan di balik pakaianmu, dan kala waktunya tiba kau tahu yang harus kaulakukan. Tatkala Yang Mulia Jenghis berbaring bersamanya, sang putri mengeluarkan pisau itu dan mengebirinya. Jenghis berteriak saat merasakan luka itu. Orang-orang bergegas masuk, namun Jenghis hanya berkata: bawa pergi gadis ini, aku ingin tidur. Jenghis terlelap dan tak pernah bangun dari tidur itu. Tetapi, bukankah Yang Mulia Jenghis akan menyembuhkan dirinya sendiri? Setelah pulih, ia akan terjaga dan menyelamatkan bangsanya" Dongeng rakyat Mongol, diadaptasi dari Owen Lattimore, Mongol Journeys Jenghis Khan adalah tokoh abadi dalam sejarah: pemimpin jenius, pendiri kerajaan darat terbesar dunia—dua kali lipat luas Romawi. Kematiannya yang misterius mempertaruhkan segalanya dalam bahaya, sehingga peristiwa itu tetap dirahasiakan sampai semua ahli warisnya berhasil mengamankan daerah taklukannya. Kerahasiaan menyelubungi dirinya sejak itu. Makamnya yang tak pernah ditemukan, dengan harta karun yang dibayangkan orang berada di dalamnya, terus jadi sasaran keingintahuan dan spekulasi. Di masa kini, Jenghis Khan kerap dianggap momok, pahlawan, dan manusia setengah dewa. Bagi umat Muslim, bangsa Rusia dan Eropa, dia seorang pembunuh massal. Namun di tanah kelahirannya, bangsa Mongol memujanya sebagai bapak bangsa; bangsa China menghormatinya sebagai pendiri dinasti; dan di kedua negara tersebut para pemuja mencari berkahnya. Buku ini lebih dari sekadar ulasan menarik tentang kebangkitan dan penaklukan Jenghis Khan. Penulisnya, John Man, menggunakan pengalaman langsung guna menyingkap pengaruh sang Khan yang terus lestari. Dialah penulis pertama yang menjelajahi lembah tersembunyi tempat Jenghis diperkirakan wafat, dan salah satu dari sedikit orang Barat yang pernah mendaki gunung keramat tempat Jenghis mungkin dimakamkan. Hasilnya, sebuah ulasan memikat tentang sang tokoh serta pelbagai “gairah” yang melingkupinya di masa kini. Dalam legenda, ritual, dan kontroversi, Jenghis Khan memang tak pernah mati.

A man searches for the sunken treasure he once protected as a sailor in WWII in this “thrilling action story” from the acclaimed historian (Tom Kasey, author of Trade Off). Murmansk, Russia, 1942. The HMS Edinburgh is sailing deep in Russian territory, a bulwark against Nazi invaders. Among the eight-hundred-strong crew is Mike Cox, a sixteen-year-old boy from the East End, London who is about to be thrown into the heat of war. A Russian ship approaches the Edinburgh with a very precious cargo—over a thousand tons of gold—as payment from the Soviet Union for the Royal Navy’s protection. Now the English ship is tasked with safeguarding a fortune as well as the Barents Sea. But when a German U-boat fires torpedoes at the Edinburgh’s hull, the crew must fight for their lives . . . and Mike is one of only a few survivors to escape from the wreck as the gold sinks eight hundred feet to the bottom of the sea. After making his way back to London, Mike finds himself more alone than ever. He starts training to become a diver with one objective in mind: to rescue that precious Arctic gold. But he’ll have to act quick—he’s not the only one looking for it . . .

"I have read everything written on Marco Polo, and John Man''s book is, by far, my favorite work on the subject. It''s not only an over-due and important historical study, it''s an entertaining ride every step of the way." — John Fusco, Creator of the Netflix original series Marco Polo The true history behind the Netflix original series Marco Polo, here is the remarkable story of the world''s most famous traveler, retracing his legendary journey from Venice to China, the moment East first met West. In 1271, a young Italian merchant named Marco Polo embarked on a groundbreaking expedition from Venice, through the Middle East and Central Asia to China. His extraordinary reports of his experiences introduced medieval Europe to an exotic new world of emperors and concubines, amazing cities, huge armies, unusual spices and cuisine, and imperial riches. Marco Polo also revealed the wonders of Xanadu, the summer capital of Mongol emperor Kublai Khan. Almost 750 years later, acclaimed author John Man traveled in Marco Polo''s footsteps to Xanadu then on to Beijing and through modern China in search of the history behind the legend. In this enthralling chronicle, Man draws on his own journey, new archaeological findings, and deep archival study to paint a vivid picture of Marco Polo and the great court of Kublai Khan.

Genghis Khan is one of history''s immortals: a leader of genius, driven by an inspiring vision for peaceful world rule. Believing he was divinely protected, Genghis united warring clans to create a nation and then an empire that ran across much of Asia. Under his grandson, Kublai Khan, the vision evolved into a more complex religious ideology, justifying further expansion. Kublai doubled the empire''s size until, in the late 13th century, he and the rest of Genghis’s ‘Golden Family’ controlled one fifth of the inhabited world. Along the way, he conquered all China, gave the nation the borders it has today, and then, finally, discovered the limits to growth. Genghis''s dream of world rule turned out to be a fantasy. And yet, in terms of the sheer scale of the conquests, never has a vision and the character of one man had such an effect on the world. Charting the evolution of this vision, John Man provides a unique account of the Mongol Empire, from young Genghis to old Kublai, from a rejected teenager to the world’s most powerful emperor.

“A thrilling account” of the brilliant, ruthless founder of the Mongol Empire (The Guardian). Genghis Khan is one of history’s immortals, alive in memory as a scourge, hero, military genius and demigod. To Muslims, Russians, and westerners, he is a murderer of millions, a brutal oppressor. Yet in his homeland of Mongolia he is the revered father of the nation, and the Chinese honor him as the founder of a dynasty. In his so-called Mausoleum in Inner Mongolia, worshippers seek the blessing of his spirit. In a supreme paradox, the world’s most ruthless conqueror has become a force for peace and reconciliation. As a teenager, Genghis was a fugitive, hiding from enemies on a remote mountainside. Yet he went on to found the world’s greatest land empire and change the course of world history. Brilliant and original as well as ruthless, he ruled an empire twice the size of Rome’s until his death in 1227 placed all at risk. To secure his conquests and then extend them, his heirs kept his death a secret—and secrecy has surrounded him ever since. His undiscovered grave, with its imagined treasures, remains the subject of intrigue and speculation. This is more than just a gripping account of Genghis’ rise and conquests. John Man uses firsthand experiences in China and Mongolia to reveal the khan’s enduring influence. He has traveled the length of the empire, and he spotlights the tension between Mongols and Chinese, who both claim Genghis’ spirit. He is the first writer to explore the hidden valley where Genghis is believed to have died, and one of the few westerners to climb the mountain where he was likely buried. This stunning narrative paints a vivid picture of the man himself, the places where he lived and fought, and the passions that surround him still. For in legend, ritual, and intense controversy, Genghis lives on. “[An] engrossing book.” —Booklist “A rattling good read.” —The Independent

Saigo Takamori adalah pemimpin Samurai terakhir. Kematiannya mengakhiri ratusan tahun tradisi Samurai sekaligus menandai kelahiran Jepang modern. Dia adalah sosok yang terjebak dalam paradoks: abdi yang setia kepada kaisar, namun juga pemimpin pemberontak; pejuang yang gagah perkasa, tetapi juga ahli puisi China. Samurai identik dengan prajurit utama. Dengan baju besi yang rumit, pedang tajam, dan prinsip kehormatan yang ketat, sosok Samurai menjadi ikon yang pengaruhnya masih terasa hingga saat ini. Ketenarannya mengilhami banyak film, novel, komik, video game, bahkan perkumpulan seni. Dalam buku ini, melalui kisah Saigo Takamori—sang Samurai terakhir—John Man mengungkapkan cerita yang sebenar-benarnya, bukan legenda belaka, tentang Samurai. Dari kelahirannya di bawah bayangan gunung berapi Sakurajima hingga kematiannya yang mulia dengan ritual bunuh diri seppuku, buku ini bagai layar sejarah yang menampilkan budaya, tradisi, dan norma-norma luhur Samurai. Dikemas dalam bingkai cerita nyata dan dirajut dengan gaya bertutur novel, inilah epos mengagumkan tentang Samurai terakhir, tokoh yang menjadi pendorong revolusi Jepang dan pada saat yang sama menjadi korbannya.

The Ninjas today are the stuff of myth and legend in comics, film and electronic games. But once they were real, the medieval equivalent of the SAS: spies, saboteurs, assassins. In their secrecy, under-cover skills and determination to survive, they were the opposite of the overt, self destructive samurai. Could they fly? Make themselves invisible? Of course not.It was just that their skills gave them a magical aura. As a result, martial artists and story-tellers have turned them into fantasy creatures, from James Bond to Mutant Turtles. In Ninja John Man goes in search of the truth. In a journey to the heartland of the ninjas, he takes us from their origins over 1,000 years ago, through their heyday in the civil wars that ended with Japan’s unification in 1600. But that was not the end of the ninja ethos. That re-emerged in World War Two as a little-known counterpart to Japanese militarism. Ninja ways live on in the real ‘last of the ninjas’, Hiroo Onoda, who held out in the Philippine jungle for 30 years.

In Xanadu did Kubla Khan A stately pleasure dome decree Kublai Khan lives on in the popular imagination thanks to these two lines of poetry by Coleridge. But the true story behind this legend is even more fantastic than the poem would have us believe. He inherited the second largest land empire in history from his grandfather, Genghis Khan. He promptly set about extending this into the biggest empire the world has ever seen, extending his rule from China to Iraq, from Siberia to Afghanistan. His personal domain covered sixty-percent of all Asia, and one-fifth of the world''s land area. The West first learnt of this great Khan through the reports of Marco Polo. Kublai had not been born to rule, but had clawed his way to leadership, achieving power only in his 40s. He had inherited Genghis Khan''s great dream of world domination. But unlike his grandfather he saw China and not Mongolia as the key to controlling power and turned Genghis'' unwieldy empire into a federation. Using China''s great wealth, coupled with his shrewd and subtle government, he created an empire that was the greatest since the fall of Rome, and shaped the modern world as we know it today. He gave China its modern-day borders and his legacy is that country''s resurgence, and the superpower China of tomorrow.

Recent advances in Compressed Sensing theory has lead researcher to apply these techniques to the design of sampling systems which can sample spectrally sparse signals with a wide bandwidth below the Nyquist rate. Xampling is a framework proposed to design such Sub-Nyquist sampling systems. This work presents results and analysis of simulations of impairments in of such systems. The impacts of hardware impairments, choice of reconstruction algorithm, signal energy dynamic range and channel mismatches on system performance are studied. Results show that if a system is designed with a sufficient number of channels then it may be able to maintain performance despite impairment.

The name ''Samurai'' is synonymous with the ultimate warrior. With their elaborate armour, fierce swordsmanship and code of honour, the samurai have become iconic figures whose influence can still be felt today . From Kurosawa''s epic Seven Samurai to the figure of Darth Vader in Star Wars, to Manga comics and video games, the figure of the fighting samurai still inspires us today. In John Man''s new book we discover the truth behind the legend. From his birth in the shadow of the great volcano Sakurajima, to his glorious death by ritual suicide and disembowelment, Saigo Takamori was the ultimate Samurai leader. His fall brought about the end of hundreds of years of Samurai tradition and in many ways marks the birth of modern Japan. Saigo was a man trapped by paradox: a faithful servant to the emperor, and yet a leader of rebel troops; a mighty Samurai warrior, and also a master of Chinese poetry. His life, and ultimately his death, offer a window into the hundreds of years of culture and tradition that defined the samurai.

Les Huns sont des barbares. Ils boivent, mangent (de la viande crue) et dorment sur leur cheval. Ils sont si prodigieusement laids et tordus qu’ils ressemblent à des bêtes sauvages à deux pattes. Les Huns mutilent leurs enfants. Les Huns sont arriérés. Les Huns n’ont pas de religion. Les Huns ne changent jamais de vêtement. Ils puent. C’est du moins ce que racontent les auteurs romains à la mode au IVe siècle. Ils se fondent peut-être sur de simples ragots, mais peu importe, les citoyens de l’Empire frissonnent en imaginant ces tribus se déployer derrière leurs frontières, ce monde inconnu. Et si tout cela était faux ? Et si les Huns avaient été des nomades organisés, d’excellents artisans et de grands guerriers ? Et si Attila, celui qui deviendra leur chef, au début du Ve siècle, avait été un habile politicien utilisant des secrétaires et des traducteurs pour dialoguer calmement en grec ou en romain avec les sénateurs romains ? Un fin stratège louant ses hommes comme mercenaires à l’empire d’Occident d’une part et s’arrangeant pour se faire payer un tribut annuel par celui d’Orient ? Et si Attila, en imposant l’hégémonie hunnique aux peuples germains, avait été à deux doigts de créer le premier empire d’Europe centrale ?

In 1450, all Europe''s books were handcopied and amounted to only a few thousand. By 1500 they were printed, and numbered in their millions. The invention of one man - Johann Gutenberg - had caused a revolution. Printing by movable type was a discovery waiting to happen. Born in 1400 in Mainz, Germany, Gutenberg struggled against a background of plague and religious upheaval to bring his remarkable invention to light. His story is full of paradox: his ambition was to reunite all Christendom, but his invention shattered it; he aimed to make a fortune, but was cruelly denied the fruits of his life''s work. Yet history remembers him as a visionary; his discovery marks the beginning of the modern world.

**A SOURCE FOR MARCO POLO, A NETFLIX ORIGINAL SERIES** Marco Polo''s journey from Venice, through Europe and most of Asia, to the court of Kublai Khan in China is one of the most audacious in history. His account of his experiences, known simply as The Travels, uncovered an entirely new world of emperors and concubines, great buildings - ''stately pleasure domes'' in Coleridge''s dreaming - huge armies and imperial riches. His book shaped the West''s understanding of China for hundreds of years. John Man travelled in Marco''s footsteps to Xanadu, in search of the truth behind Marco''s stories; to separate legend from fact. Drawing on his own journey, archaeology and archival study, John Man paints a vivid picture of the man behind the myth and the true story of the great court of Kublai Khan.