Annals

Updated and expanded, this second edition of Bismarck and the German Empire, 1871–1918 is an accessible introduction to this important period in German history.

Providing both a narrative of events at the time and an analysis of social and cultural developments across the period, Lynn Abrams examines the political, economic and social structures of the Empire. Including the latest research, the book also covers:

• how Bismarck consolidated his regime
• the Wilhelmian period
• the factors that led to the outbreak of World War One.

With a new introduction and updated further reading section – including a guide to useful websites – this book gives students the ideal introduction to this key period of German history.

The term ‘science fiction’ has an established common usage, but close examination reveals that writers, fans, editors, scholars, and publishers often use this word in different ways for different reasons. Exploring how science fiction has emerged through competing versions and the struggle to define its limits, this Concise History:

• provides an accessible and clear overview of the development of the genre
• traces the separation of sf from a broader fantastic literature and the simultaneous formation of neighbouring genres, such as fantasy and horror
• shows the relationship between magazine and paperback traditions in sf publishing
• is organised by theme and presented chronologically
• uses text boxes throughout to highlight key works in sf traditions including dystopian, apocalyptic and evolutionary fiction
• includes a short overview and bullet-pointed conclusion for each chapter.

Discussing the place of key works and looking forward to the future of the genre, this book is the ideal starting point both for students and all those seeking a better understanding of science fiction.

Replica of 1893 edition by Macmillan and Co., Limited, London and New York.
 Elibron Classics. Oversize maps are available as a free download. 


Alfred Russel Wallace, OM, FRS (8 January 1823 – 7 November 1913) was a British naturalist, explorer, geographer, anthropologist and biologist. He is best known for independently proposing a theory of evolution due to natural selection that prompted Charles Darwin to publish his own theory. Wallace did extensive fieldwork, first in the Amazon River basin and then in the Malay Archipelago, where he identified the Wallace Line that divides the Indonesian archipelago into two distinct parts, one in which animals closely related to those of Australia are common, and one in which the species are largely of Asian origin. He was considered the 19th century’s leading expert on the geographical distribution of animal species and is sometimes called the “father of biogeography”.Wallace was one of the leading evolutionary thinkers of the 19th century and made a number of other contributions to the development of evolutionary theory besides being co-discoverer of natural selection. These included the concept of warning colouration in animals, and the Wallace effect, a hypothesis on how natural selection could contribute to speciation by encouraging the development of barriers against hybridization.