A Right Royal Read

There is one aspect of English history that continues to fascinate readers and scholars alike, not just in the UK but far further afield - the British Monarchy. However, this is not entirely because of the central role that the sovereign has played in national politics through the centuries. More often than not, it appears to the interested reader and filmgoer that royals have not always behaved as they should.

Long-suffering Hera, her Heraion and votive statues

The first volume in a brand new series reporting on the archaeological work at Hera's Argive Sanctuary in the Peloponnese is published this month. Its release coincides with a number of other high-quality books that celebrate Greek architectural and sculptural achievements.

The spread of farming ... and language ... and genes ...

A collection of conference papers can provide a useful synthesis of the latest research on a hot topic ... or it can be notoriously out of date by the time it hits the press. Two new volumes, which focus on issues surrounding the spread of early farming, publish papers presented at symposia held in 1998 and 2001 respectively. The years have certainly passed, but don't worry, these papers are by no means redundant.

AFOB 2004

The Archaeological Fieldword Opportunities Bulletin is the bible for anyone planning to go on a summer dig. Compiled throughout the year by the staff of the world's largest archaeological organization, The Archaeological Institute of America, AFOB offers a comprehensive list of opportunities to excavate in the United States and abroad. From voluntary field schools to paid archaeological tours, AFOB provides all the details you need to make it happen. The 2004 issue will be published in December ... check out our website for an exclusive pre-publication offer.

Of all the new books that have passed over the desks of the Oxbow staff this month, these, for whatever reason, are the ones that grabbed their attention.

October Conferences

The Twenty-ninth Annual Byzantine Studies Conference will be held on Friday October 17 until Sunday October 19 at Bates College, Lewiston, Maine. This conference provides a forum for the discussion of current research on all aspects of Byzantine history and culture. The sessions are arranged thematically, and include: late Antique politics; Byzantine and post-Byzantine liturgy; the Monastery of Matejic: foundation, art, and architecture; Kariye Camii reconsidered; Constantinople 1453; the cult of the Saints; pastoral care and spiritual guidance; ecclesiastical councils; Byzantine law; Byzantine women; and monks and holy men. The David Brown Book Company will be there with lots of great books. Come say hello! The complete conference website can be found at:
http://www.byzconf.org/2003/

New Bargains from Boydell & Brewer and Four Courts Press

Last month, two well-known publishers of medieval studies decided to reduce the price of some of their books ... to create some very nice bargains for you. These books have only just been advertised in the Book News, so this is your first chance to get hold of them at the new sale prices.

New Releases: Introducing LARA from Lincoln

This new book on Lincoln offers a huge synthesis of the archaeology of the city as revealed by the excavations of the past fifty years.

Frankfurt

Four hundred years ago, Oxford's book buyers went to the annual book market in Frankfurt. There they met printers who had travelled from far and wide with carts laden with printed sheets. Books were bought as sheets and brought back to Oxford for binding.

Frankfurt's annual Book Fair is still the largest in the world, and it still attracts book-buyers from Oxford. Once again we will be there, on your behalf, combing the aisles - that means searching among the 350,000 titles exhibited on six thousand stands - for books to interest you. We are good at finding needles in haystacks!

This year - and for the first time on our own stand - we too will be exhibiting the wide range of books that we publish and distribute. We will have with us all the books that we have published in the last year, and we will be singing their praises to all comers. Who they may be, we cannot tell; booksellers, publishers, librarians, printers, all are there, prowling.

With so many people in one place, all focussed in one way or another on books, it is the place for us to be. Who knows what opportunities may arise? Who knows what deal will pay for the ticket home? By next week, we will know! - David Brown

New Catalogues

Volume 57 of the Oxbow Books News, Autumn 2003, has just been mailed to our European customers. It is also now available online in .PDF format. We have divided it into four parts to ease downloading, plus our latest bargain list, but please note that these files only list prices in pounds sterling:

• Method, Theory, Conservation, Prehistory, Egypt, the Near East, Asia
• The Greek and Hellenistic Worlds
• Etruscan Studies, Roman Empire
• Early Medieval, Anglo-Saxon, Medieval, Post Medieval

The David Brown Book Company has also recently mailed the US edition of Medieval World 2003. This huge catalogue contains more than 1,500 new and recently published books on all aspects of medieval history, archaeology, art, society, philosophy and literature, including the Viking world, the Anglo-Saxons, the Norman Conquest, the Byzantine Empire, Post-Roman Britain and Europe, the Islamic world and Early Christianity. As usual, you can pre-empt the postie by downloading various sections in .PDF format from our website: