{"title":"Stephen Alford","description":"\u003cp\u003eWelcome to our collection of works by Stephen Alford, a distinguished author known for his insightful explorations into the rich tapestry of British history. Alford’s books delve deep into the intrigues, strategies, and triumphs of historical periods, offering readers a unique glimpse into the past.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn \u003cem\u003eAll His Spies\u003c\/em\u003e, Alford weaves a compelling narrative surrounding the espionage activities during the reign of Elizabeth I. His thorough research and engaging prose provide a vivid portrayal of the shadowy world of Tudor spies, making it a must-read for history enthusiasts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAnother enthralling book, \u003cem\u003eLondon's Triumph\u003c\/em\u003e, transports you to a pivotal moment in history when London rose as a global powerhouse. Alford intricately details the bustling economic and social transformations that marked the city’s ascent, capturing the essence of a vibrant and dynamic era.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIf you're fascinated by historical narratives that combine meticulous research with captivating storytelling, Stephen Alford's collection in the History \u0026amp; Military category is sure to enrich your understanding of past events while keeping you engrossed from start to finish.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"all-his-spies-by-stephen-alford-9780241423479","title":"All His Spies","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe untold story of Robert Cecil, the ultimate Tudor spymaster.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eRobert Cecil, statesman and spymaster, lived through an astonishingly threatening period in English history. Queen Elizabeth had no clear successor, and enemies both external and internal threatened to destroy England as a Protestant state, most spectacularly with the Spanish Armada and the Gunpowder Plot.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCecil stood at the heart of the Tudor and then Stuart state, a vital figure in managing the succession from Elizabeth I to James I \u0026amp; VI, warding off military and religious threats and steering the decisions of two very different but equally wilful and hard-to-manage monarchs. The promising son of Queen Elizabeth's chief minister, Lord Burghley, for Cecil, there was no choice but politics, and he became supremely skilled in the arts of power, making many rivals and enemies.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAll His Spies\u003c\/em\u003e is a wonderfully engaging and original work of history. Many readers are familiar with the great events of this tumultuous time, but \u003cem\u003eAll His Spies\u003c\/em\u003e shows how easily these dramas could have turned out very differently. Cecil's sureness of purpose, his espionage network, and good luck all conspired to keep England uninvaded and to create a new 'British' monarchy which has endured to the present day.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46343394459884,"sku":"9780241423479","price":68.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/26034123482273.jpg?v=1743994360"},{"product_id":"londons-triumph-by-stephen-alford-9780141978116","title":"London's Triumph","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe story of the individuals whose ambition and recklessness transformed London, England and the world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eLife in Europe was fundamentally changed in the 16th century by the astonishing discoveries of the New World and of direct sea routes to Asia. To start with, England was hardly involved, and London remained a gloomy, introverted medieval city. But as the century progressed, something extraordinary happened.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eStephen Alford's evocative, original, and fascinating new book brings to life the network of merchants, visionaries, crooks, and sailors who changed London forever.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eLondon's Triumph\u003c\/em\u003e is above all about the people who made this possible— the families, the guild members, the money-men who were willing to risk huge sums and sometimes their own lives in pursuit of the rare, exotic, and desirable. Their ambitions fueled a new view of the world— initiating a long era of trade and empire, the consequences of which we still live with today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46343595131116,"sku":"9780141978116","price":27.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/14583143482238.jpg?v=1743999680"},{"product_id":"all-his-spies-by-stephen-alford-9780141991832","title":"All His Spies","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe untold story of Robert Cecil, the ultimate Tudor spy-master.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eRobert Cecil, statesman and spymaster, lived through an astonishingly threatening period in English history. Queen Elizabeth had no clear successor, and enemies both external and internal threatened to destroy England as a Protestant state, most spectacularly with the Spanish Armada and the Gunpowder Plot.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCecil stood at the heart of the Tudor and then Stuart state, a vital figure in managing the succession from Elizabeth I to James I \u0026amp; VI, warding off military and religious threats and steering the decisions of two very different but equally wilful and hard-to-manage monarchs. The promising son of Queen Elizabeth's chief minister, Lord Burghley, for Cecil there was no choice but politics, and he became supremely skilled in the arts of power, making many rivals and enemies.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAll His Spies\u003c\/em\u003e is a wonderfully engaging and original work of history. Many readers are familiar with the great events of this tumultuous time, but \u003cem\u003eAll His Spies\u003c\/em\u003e shows how easily these dramas could have turned out very differently. Cecil's sureness of purpose, his espionage network, and good luck all conspired to keep England uninvaded and to create a new 'British' monarchy which has endured to the present day.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House Distribution","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46545134420204,"sku":"9780141991832","price":32.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/14720303482238.jpg?v=1749795684"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.live\/collections\/stephen-alford.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}