This book examines the uniforms, equipment, history and organization of George Washington's Army. The chronology of the American Revolution (1763-1776) is summarized, and its major personalities introduced. Uniforms are shown in full illustrated detail.

The graceful winged form of the swan has inspired works of art from fairy tales to ballets, and its profile is recognized immediately by even the most cursory of bird admirers. Now the newest addition to Reaktion’s acclaimed Animal series examines the fascinating story behind this elegant bird. The natural history of the swan is surprisingly complex, as Peter Young reveals, delving into the bird’s habitat and feeding habits, the physiological details of the eight surviving species and several extinct ones, the bird’s power and endurance, and the formation flying that allows them to conserve energy and fly great distances with speed. Swan gives equal treatment to the long and rich role of the swan in human culture, from the Greek myth of Leda and the Swan to the bird’s portrayal in sculpture, furniture, and brand name logos. Young also details the challenges facing conservation efforts to protect swans from human consumption and material goods. An engrossing account, Swan will be a welcome addition to the bookshelf of all who admire this beautiful bird.

"Paintings: 1963-1980 is published in conjunct with the Peter Young retrospective at P.S.1 (June 24 through September 24) and is the official catalogue of the exhibition. The book contains 75 plates, featuring work Young made during the first two decades of his career in New York City and Bisbee, AZ, where he currently lives and works. Young first moved to New York in 1960 to study art history at N.Y.U., and went on to study painting at The Art Students League, studying under Steven Green and Estaban Vicente, and graduating in 1963. Young had his first solo show at the Nicolas Wilder Gallery in Los Angeles in 1968, and was included in the 1968 Whitney Biennial and in the 1972 Documenta. The P.S.1 exhibit marks the occasion of Peter Young's first retrospective." "The book features an introduction by PARC Foundation director David Deutsch, a foreward by P.S.1 director Alanna Heiss, as well as essays by Klaus Kertess and Ellen H. Johnson. Kertess's essay "Tribe of One" was written specifically for inclusion in the book, and Johnson's essay "Peter Young: A Chronology of the Work" was reprinted with permission of the Johnson Estate, originally published in Artforum in 1971."--BOOK JACKET.

The Peninsular war was not only one of the great periods in British military history, it was also a war in which guerillas exerted a major influence, and as such, has continued relevance today. Salamanca established Wellington as one of the great military commanders of any age and it is one of the battles which produced significant results. As well as the battle the campaign contains two of the most memorable sieges ever under-taken by British arms, those of Ciudad Rodrigo and Badajoz. This book, originally published in 1972, uses eye-witness accounts with the result that the reader can hear the principal characters explain their actions and see the battlefield through the eyes of the men who were there.

Botanical, a new series from Reaktion, is the first to integrate horticultural writing with a broader account of the cultural and social impact of plants. Oak, one of the first two books in the series, narrates the biography of the tree that since time immemorial has been a symbol of loyalty, strength, generosity, and renewal. Peter Young explores how the oak, native to the northern hemisphere and found in locations as diverse as the Americas and tropical Asia, has played an important role in state-building, art, folk tales, poems, and songs. Starting with the pagan societies that venerated the oak, Young examines how the tree was used in other religions, revealing how it was believed to be a gateway between worlds in Celtic mythology and later became sacred to Thor in Norse mythology. He follows the oak as it was adopted by many Western European countries as a national symbol, including England, France, and Germany. The United States Congress designated the oak as America’s national tree in 2004, and it is the state tree of Iowa, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, and Georgia. Individual oak trees have also gained historical importance, such as the Charter Oak in Hartford, Connecticut, which became a symbol of American independence. In addition to tracing the history of the tree itself, Young investigates oak as a wood used to make furniture, bridges, wine casks, homes, ships, weapons, and even the electric chair, and he describes how the tree has been used as a food source—its fruit, the acorn, was eaten in ancient Greece, ancient Iberia, and Korea, and it was a traditional food of Native Americans. Packed with information and beautiful illustrations, Oak tells the fascinating tale of this stately, durable member of the natural world.

The year 1642 witnessed the outbreak of the first English Civil War, which saw Royalist troops loyal to King Charles fight the Parliamentarians in several major battles and many sieges. Peter Young explores the tactics, equipment and organisation of the armies of both sides, drawing a compelling picture of what it must have been like for the men who lived and fought in England over 350 years ago. Chapters on fighting, cavalry, infantry, artillery and discipline examine the subject in depth, with many contemporary accounts, such as those of Royalist Captain, Richard Atkyns, who served in one of the most 'active' regiments of the war.

Tortoise is the first cultural history of these long-lived and intriguing creatures, which have existed for more than 200 million years. The book covers tortoises worldwide, in evolution, myth and reality, ranging across paleontology, natural history, myth, folklore, art forms, literature, veterinary medicine and trade regulations. The tortoise has been seen as an Atlas-like creature supporting the world, as the origin of music and as a philosophical paradox. Peter Young examines the tortoise in all these guises, as well as a military tactical formation, its exploitation by mariners and others for food, as ornament (in tortoiseshell), as a motif in art, and in space research. He looks at the movement away from exploitation to conservation and even the uses of the tortoise in advertising. As well as examples of species, illustrations from around the world include monuments, sculptures, coins, stamps, objets d’art, drawings, cartoons, advertisements and X-rays. The book will appeal not only to tortoise lovers but also to readers of cultural histories around the world. "Peter Young’s Tortoise, on the other claw, can be warmly recommended."—Jonathan Bate, The Times