For the first time since the Profumo scandal of the 1960s, the Astors’ own version of the events at Cliveden is told. Peter Stanford has been granted unprecedented access to Lady Astor, her private papers and her friends, as well as to many family members and key players in the drama.When Bronwen Pugh married into the celebrated Astor clan in 1960, she seemed to have the world at her feet. She was a media darling, BBC television presenter, the most celebrated model of her generatio...

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT CATHOLICISM, ALL IN ONE PLACEThis is your go-to guide to the Catholic faith. It covers the basics and history of Catholicism, the Catholic Church today and teachings and traditions. It is your comprehensive and essential account of Catholic doctrine, faith and history.On the world stage, Catholicism is the largest of the branches of Christianity with over 1.2 billion followers. How has the Catholic Church's message reached i...

'This biography restores Gaudí to life as one of the most original architects of all time...Stanford shows how the Catalan genius put his soul into everything he did.' Blake Morrison'This riveting portrait brings together as a compelling whole the triumphs and the tragedies of Gaudí's life.' Antonia Fraser'In daring to trace the complex connections between Gaudí's religious faith and his famous buildings, this is a...

'A heavenly book, elegant and thoughtful. Get one for yourself and one for the church-crawler in your life!' Lucy WorsleyChristianity has been central to the lives of the people of Britain and Ireland for almost 2,000 years. It has given us laws, customs, traditions and our national character. From a persecuted minority in Roman Britannia through the 'golden age' of Anglo-Saxon monasticism, the devastating impact of the Vikings, the alliance of church and ...

A thought-provoking reflection on the practice and history of pilgrimage, and a compelling exploration of its relevance today.Pilgrimage, a global ritual embraced by nearly all faiths, is one of civilization’s most enduring traditions. In this compelling book, author and journalist Peter Stanford reflects on the reasons people have walked along the same sacred paths through the ages. Through this history, Stanford explores how the experiences of the first pilgrims ...

This is a complete guide to the oldest institution in the Western world - the Catholic Church. Explore the essential beliefs and practices of the religion and delve into its long and fascinating history. From the significance of Rome and the importance of the Papacy, to current issues such as science, contraception and new movements within the faith, learn what it means to be Catholic today.NOT GOT MUCH TIME?One, five and ten-minute introductions to key principles to get yo...

Contemporary pilgrim Peter Stanford visits some of the most ancient religious sites in Britain, taking the spiritual temperature of our apparently secular and sceptical age.

The need to understand religion and the role it plays in our world has never been more pressing. The beliefs and actions of the planet's 2 billion Christians, 1.2 billion Muslims, 800 million Hindus and 700 million followers of other religions has an impact on every aspect of war and peace, ethics, politics, reproduction, family and social structure across every civilization and continent.50 Religion Ideas You Really Need to Know aims to lift the clouds of confusion surrou...

What does it mean to be a Catholic in today's world? What distinguishes the modern Catholic from anyone else? At a time when the Vatican provokes hostility by its opposition to contraception, abortion and the use of condoms in fighting AIDS, how many Catholics share its views? And if they don't, how can they in good conscience stay in the Church? These are among the many questions that writer and broadcaster Peter Stanford is addressing here. There is a whole spectrum of response in this e...

In this fascinating historical and cultural biography, writer and broadcaster Peter Stanford deconstructs that most vilified of Bible characters: Judas Iscariot, who famously betrayed Jesus with a kiss. Beginning with the gospel accounts, Peter explores two thousand years of cultural and theological history to investigate how the very name Judas came to be synonymous with betrayal and, ultimately, human evil.But as Peter points out, there has long been a counter-current of thought ...

A stimulating inquiry into one of the great religious mysteries – and what theologians, artists, writers, psychologists, priests, historians and people from all religions and walks of life have thought of heaven, where many of us still hope to go one day.The author writes: ‘While images of hell are firmly fixed in the human psyche, no parallel standard vision exists for heaven either within the Christian Church or more widely in the world’s various religious traditions…it has someh...

LONGLISTED IN THE INTERNATIONAL RUBERY BOOK AWARD 2012"...meticulously researched and written in a lively fashion...really engages us with the subject and [Beatrice's] wider family and times." Liz Broomfield, Libro Blog book“Not only sheds new light on a fascinating history but is a very good read as well.” Daniela Hooghiemstra, Biographer of Kees Boeke“Its clear literary style and dramatic storyline make it hard to put down … [also] surprisingly c...