Breaking the German Enigma codes was not only about brilliant mathematicians and professors at Bletchley Park. There is another aspect of the story which it is only now possible to tell. It takes in the exploits of spies, naval officers and ordinary British seamen who risked, and in some cases lost, their lives snatching the vital Enigma codebooks from under the noses of Nazi officials and from sinking German ships and submarines. This book tells the whole Enigma story: its original invention and use by German forces and how it was the Poles who first cracked - and passed on to the British - the key to the German airforce Enigma. The more complicated German Navy Enigma appeared to them to be unbreakable.

'The best new narrative of the battle thus far, reflecting his gifts for fluent prose and moving quotations.' Max Hastings, Sunday Times No conflict better encapsulates all that went wrong on the Western Front during World War I than the Battle of the Somme in 1916. The tragic loss of life and stoic endurance by troops who walked towards their death is an iconic image - but this critically-acclaimed bestseller, on the four months of battle, shows the extent to which the Allied armies were in fact able to break through the German front lines again and again. In eight years of research, Hugh Sebag-Montefiore -- the author of Dunkirk -- has found extraordinary new material from Australians, New Zealanders, Canadians, and the British - from heartbreaking diaries and letters to hitherto unseen Red Cross files - recounting their experiences amid the horror of war. It has been hailed as the best book about the battle, which, though not an Allied victory, was the beginning of the slide towards German defeat.

Cuddle up and discover the magic of Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, Puss in Boots, The Elves and the Shoemaker and Little Red Riding Hood in this enchanting collection of five timeless fairy tales. Specially retold for little children, each beautifully illustrated story is the perfect length for reading aloud. Retold by Mary Sebag-Montefiore.

Forgotten Fairy Tales of Kindness and Courage breathes new life into a collection of once much-loved, now forgotten tales, beautifully retold by Mary Sebag-Montefiore. A disabled prince fights for his kingdom, and learns the importance of understanding others. A princess finds the courage to rescue her friend from goblins. A girl steps into the world of a book, only to find what it means to be herself. Full of magic and enchantment, these stories celebrate kindness, courage and the importance of being true to yourself. With a foreword by Dr Zoe Williams, NHS GP, TV presenter and health educator. Retold by Mary Sebag-Montefiore with a foreword by Dr. Zoe Williams.

Johanna Spyri’s Heidi is beautifully retold, following the exploits of the orphaned girl sent to live in the Alps with her grumpy grandfather. Part of Young Reading Series 2 for readers growing in confidence, with clear, engaging text and stunning original illustrations. Developed in conjunction with reading experts from Roehampton University. Retold by Mary Sebag-Montefiore.

The much-loved classic story by L.M. Montgomery, specially retold for children ready to tackle longer and more complex stories. From the day red-headed ‘Anne-with-an-e’ unexpectedly arrives at Green Gables, life is never the same again... Includes a short biography of the author and beautiful watercolour illustrations throughout. Part of the Usborne Reading Programme developed with reading experts. Adapted by Mary Sebag-Montefiore.

Hugh Sebag-Montefiore's Dunkirk: Fight to the Last Man tells the story of the rescue in May 1940 of British soldiers fleeing capture and defeat by the Nazis at Dunkirk. Dunkirk was not just about what happened at sea and on the beaches. The evacuation would never have succeeded had it not been for the tenacity of the British soldiers who stayed behind to ensure they got away. Men like Sergeant Major Gus Jennings who died smothering a German stick bomb in the church at Esquelbecq in an effort to save his comrades, and Captain Marcus Ervine-Andrews VC who single-handedly held back a German attack on the Dunkirk perimeter thereby allowing the British line to form up behind him. Told to stand and fight to the last man, these brave few battalions fought in whatever manner they could to buy precious time for the evacuation. Outnumbered and outgunned, they launched spectacular and heroic attacks time and again, despite ferocious fighting and the knowledge that for many only capture or death would end their struggle.

A reformed convict, a policeman bent on revenge and a lonely orphan come together in one of the great novels of the nineteenth century. Lives change for the better - or for the worse - against the turmoil of revolutionary France. Les Miserables is in Series Three of Usborne Young Reading, which combines good stories with easy reading text. Usborne Young Reading has been developed in consultation with Alison Kelly, formerly Principal Lecturer at the University of Roehampton. Retold by Mary Sebag-Montefiore.

The enchanting classic by Frances Hodgson Burnett retold for children growing in reading confidence and ability. Mary Lennox feels forlorn and lonely in her uncle's gloomy house on the moors. But behind an old ivy-covered wall is a garden, waiting to be discovered. Beautifully illustrated by Alan Marks, winner of the Carnegie Medal. Part of the Usborne Reading Programme developed with reading experts at the University of Roehampton. Based on the story by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Adapted by Mary Sebag-Montefiore.

Oliver is growing up in an orphanage... until the day he dares to ask for more. Suddenly, he is cast out into a world of colourful characters, in which he will have to keep his wits about him and even pick pockets to survive. A retelling of the classic story by Charles Dickens, for children growing in their reading confidence and ability. Part of the Usborne Reading Programme, developed with reading experts from Roehampton University. Based on the novel by Charles Dickens Retold by Mary Sebag-Montefiore

WRITTEN IN HISTORY celebrates the great letters of world history, creative culture and personal life. Acclaimed historian Simon Sebag Montefiore selects over one hundred letters from ancient times to the twenty-first century: some are noble and inspiring, some despicable and unsettling; some are exquisite works of literature, others brutal, coarse and frankly outrageous; many are erotic, others heartbreaking. The writers vary from Elizabeth I, Rameses the Great and Leonard Cohen to Emmeline Pankhurst, Mandela, Stalin, Michelangelo, Suleiman the Magnificent and unknown people in extraordinary circumstances - from love letters to calls for liberation, declarations of war to reflections on death. In the colourful, accessible style of a master storyteller, Montefiore shows why these letters are essential reading: how they enlighten our past, enrich the way we live now - and illuminate tomorrow.

WRITTEN IN HISTORY celebrates the great letters of world history, creative culture and personal life. Acclaimed historian Simon Sebag Montefiore selects over one hundred letters from ancient times to the twenty-first century: some are noble and inspiring, some despicable and unsettling; some are exquisite works of literature, others brutal, coarse and frankly outrageous; many are erotic, others heartbreaking. The writers vary from Elizabeth I, Rameses the Great and Leonard Cohen to Emmeline Pankhurst, Mandela, Stalin, Michelangelo, Suleiman the Magnificent and unknown people in extraordinary circumstances - from love letters to calls for liberation, declarations of war to reflections on death. In the colourful, accessible style of a master storyteller, Montefiore shows why these letters are essential reading: how they enlighten our past, enrich the way we live now - and illuminate tomorrow.

WRITTEN IN HISTORY celebrates the great letters of world history, creative culture and personal life. Acclaimed historian Simon Sebag Montefiore selects over one hundred letters from ancient times to the twenty-first century: some are noble and inspiring, some despicable and unsettling; some are exquisite works of literature, others brutal, coarse and frankly outrageous; many are erotic, others heartbreaking. The writers vary from Elizabeth I, Rameses the Great and Leonard Cohen to Emmeline Pankhurst, Mandela, Stalin, Michelangelo, Suleiman the Magnificent and unknown people in extraordinary circumstances - from love letters to calls for liberation, declarations of war to reflections on death. In the colourful, accessible style of a master storyteller, Montefiore shows why these letters are essential reading: how they enlighten our past, enrich the way we live now - and illuminate tomorrow.

Meet Anne Shirley, the red-headed orphan who just can't help getting into trouble. Adapted from L. M. Montgomery's classic story, this delightful picture book with charming illustrations on every page will introduce Anne to a new generation. Based on the novel by L. M. Montgomery. Retold by Mary Sebag-Montefiore.

'A compulsive page-turner... a triumph of brilliant storytelling... an instant classic that is an awesome, remarkable and exuberant achievement' Simon Sebag Montefiore Winner of the Wolfson History Prize and shortlisted for the Duff Cooper Prize In the summer of 1812 Napoleon, the master of Europe, marched into Russia with the largest army ever assembled, confident that he would sweep everything before him. Yet less than two years later his empire lay in ruins, and Russia had triumphed. This is the first history to explore in depth Russia's crucial role in the Napoleonic Wars, re-creating the epic battle between two empires as never before. Dominic Lieven writes with great panache and insight to describe from the Russians' viewpoint how they went from retreat, defeat and the burning of Moscow to becoming the new liberators of Europe; the consequences of which could not have been more important. Ultimately this book shows, memorably and brilliantly, Russia embarking on its strange, central role in Europe's existence, as both threat and protector - a role that continues, in all its complexity, into our own lifetimes.

The epic story of Jerusalem told through the lives of the men and women who created, ruled and inhabited it. Jerusalem is the universal city, the capital of two peoples, the shrine of three faiths; it is the prize of empires, the site of Judgement Day and the battlefield of today's clash of civilizations. From King David to Barack Obama, from the birth of Judaism, Christianity and Islam to the Israel-Palestine conflict, this is the epic history of 3,000 years of faith, slaughter, fanaticism and coexistence. How did this small, remote town become the Holy City, the 'centre of the world' and now the key to peace in the Middle East? In a gripping narrative, Simon Sebag Montefiore reveals this ever-changing city in its many incarnations, bringing every epoch and character blazingly to life. Jerusalem's biography is told through the wars, love affairs and revelations of the men and women - kings, empresses, prophets, poets, saints, conquerors and whores - who created, destroyed, chronicled and believed in Jerusalem. Drawing on new archives, current scholarship, his own family papers and a lifetime's study, Montefiore illuminates the essence of sanctity and mysticism, identity and empire in a unique chronicle of the city that many believe will be the setting for the Apocalypse. This is how Jerusalem became Jerusalem, and the only city that exists twice - in heaven and on earth.