The Special Operations Executive (SOE) was one of the most innovative British creations of the Second World War. Its mission was to export resistance, subversion, and sabotage to occupied Europe and beyond, disrupting the German war effort and building a Secret Army which would work in the shadows to help defeat the Nazis. Potential agents were put through intensive paramilitary and parachute training, then taught how to live clandestinely behind enemy lines, to operate radios and write in secret codes. They lived in constant fear of arrest, and of betrayal by treacherous collaborators. This...

From workaday marigolds to handwear custom-crafted for the Queen, gloves perform many functions--insulation from the cold, protection from injury, and even ceremonial roles. Gloves have been used since prehistoric times, but in Britain their use as formal and fashionable items took off during Elizabeth I's reign, and played a surprisingly significant cultural role well into the nineteenth century. They were often given as precious gifts, used in coronation ceremonies, sent to indicate assent, or even to offer a formal challenge. This beautifully illustrated history, published in association...