Rupert Matthews

The sinking of the Titanic on its maiden voyage in 1912 is one of the most dramatic stories in maritime history. The largest passenger steamship in the world, fitted with more advanced safety features than any of her rivals, she was proclaimed to be virtually unsinkable. Just how and why the Titanic foundered on such a beautiful April evening is the subject of this fascinating book. Author Rupert Matthews has written a highly readable account of...

Fought on 18 June 1815, the Battle of Waterloo was one of the most dramatic and decisive battles ever fought. Now in the bicentenary year of Waterloo, an experienced military historian takes a fresh look at this momentous conflict between Napoleon's celebrated grande armee and Wellington's battle-hardened veterans supported most notably by the Prussians but also the forces of the other Great Powers ranged against Napoleon, Austria and Russia. ...

The bitter Battle of Stalingrad was the turning point of WWII on the Eastern Front. The relentless and unstoppable German advances that had seen the panzers sweep hundreds of miles into Russia was finally brought to a halt at Stalingrad. The elite German 6th Army was first fought to a standstill, then surrounded and forced to surrender. For the first time in the war, the Germany army had been defeated on the field of battle. Before Stalingrad the...

At the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939, such was the build-up of men and materials in the RAF that Lincolnshire was already known as 'Bomber Country'. Its four main airfields-Hemswell, Scampton, Waddington and Cottesmore-were home to eight squadrons of Bomber Command under the legendary Arthur 'Bomber' Harris. To begin with, the task was to drop leaflets over Germany urging them to make peace and overthrow the Nazis. The bombing...

The great spectacles of ancient Rome have become proverbial for their cruelty, bloodlust and glory. In the arena, the games were savage and brutal. Gladiators fought each other to the death, wild animals were put to fight each other and criminals were executed by barbaric means. Military victories were marked by the Triumphs when generals paraded through the city, the defeated were sacrificed to the gods and food and wine was offered free of charge...

This comprehensive historical reference covers the Apostolic Succession from St. Peter to Pope Francis, plus a selection of Papal Bulls and teachings. The papacy is a unique religious office. Lasting two millennia, it is one of the oldest and most enduring institutions in the world. The line of authority linking the current pope to the ministry of Jesus Christ has continued unbroken over the centuries. “The Popes: Every Question Answered” presents...

This is the new Popular Reference edition of the fully-illustrated eBook, ISBN: 9781782122586. The bitter Battle of Stalingrad on the Eastern Front was the turning point of World War II. The relentless and unstoppable German advances that had seen the panzers sweep hundreds of miles into Russia was finally brought to a halt. The elite German 6th Army was first fought to a standstill, then surrounded and forced to surrender. Over 1.5 million people...

'Tell the Spartans, stranger passing by, that here obedient to their laws we lie.' One of the most remarkable actions in ancient or modern military history took place at Thermopylae in 480BC. Rupert Matthews has personally examined the battlefield in order to try to explain how 300 Spartans could hold at bay the hordes of the Persian Emperor Xerxes. This was no vain sacrifice; the delay gave breathing space for the Greek states to organise their defence,...

Poltergeists like causing havoc. They throw things around in people's homes and play tricks with lights and household appliances. Mysterious voices, insistent knocking and weird shrieking can announce their presence, or sometimes it's peculiar smells with no apparent source (the whiff of pipe tobacco or lingering perfumes from another age). One day you might even see a poltergeist as it turns into a full-bodied apparition before your eyes. But beware,...

Is Earth undergoing an alien invasion? In this thrilling examination of the UFO phenomenon, author Rupert Matthews assesses the growing threat of alien reconnaissance on Earth. From the earliest recorded sightings to the most recent encounters and abductions, the book sifts through the evidence and asks the crucial question: why do they come? Among the cases discussed in depth: . Caught on radar - the Rendlesham sighting . The crucial case - Roswell...