Downloads & Free Reading Options - Results

"I have written this Gossip not only for the edification of those to whom a portion, more or less, may be news, but for those who, like myself, have lived through the whole of Queen Victoria's reign, to whom the remembrance of things, almost forgotten, may bring pleasure and excite interest. The items, herein displayed, have been gathered from many sources, and their authenticity is guaranteed by giving the name of the authority whence they were taken, in very many instances ipsissima verba, as paraphrasing would rob them of their freshness and individuality. (From Author’s Preface) Gossip here should be understood as informal, unrestrained talk or writing, esp. about people or social incidents. (Shorter Oxford English Dictionary). John Ashton was an historian and a prolific writer, unjustly forgotten, of social mores, customs, and daily life of the English Regency as well as before and after. This book about Victoria’s early reign is the last of some thirty books about various preceding eras. The chapter titles here contain only a couple of the many interesting people and events contained in the chapter. - Summary by Author's Preface and david wales

Harold Ashton was the War Correspondent of The Daily News during the First World War and reported extensively on the British army’s involvement in the conflict. Whether working alongside the British troops that were fighting on the frontline or in the trenches or accompanying the massive logistics operation behind the lines – be it the transporting of munitions and supplies or seeing at first hand the work of the Royal Army Medical Corps – he reported on the successes and failures, the tragedies and victories over the course of the war. <br> <br> But this book of short stories shows another side of a war-weary reporter and another side of the war. Ashton has created a diverse selection of yarns, some maybe based on a vague semblance of fact whilst others are pure fiction but all of them reflect classic British humour to some degree. <br> - Summary by Steve C

In this brief book I have lifted a very small corner of the curtain of war, to tell of my adventures — a week in the North Sea, and a breathless score of days in Northern France. I have touched upon both Tragedy and Comedy as they came my way. The tragedy is terrible enough - I have put it down plainly and unvarnished. From Tragedy to Comedy, it is but a step, along the gloomiest corridor of life one sees the flash of the cap and hears the rattle of the bells. Otherwise, it would be unbearable. And if my little bell would seem to jangle out of tune, I cannot help it. The bell was there; now and again it rang, and some of us smiled at the music of it. (Extract from the Introduction of First From The Front) <br> <br> At the outbreak of the First World War, Harold Ashton became War Correspondent of The Daily News and almost immediately managed to join up with a Danish Sea captain who had been commissioned to transport food supplies from Denmark to various ports in England. After this North Sea adventure, he then made his way to Northern France and accompanied various military units, both British and French as they deployed into various sectors of the war zone. His reporting focused on the 'human interest' aspect of the events that he witnessed, and he provided his readers with a unique insight into many aspects of the military buildup, as he chronicled the early stages of what was eventually to be called, The Great War. - Summary by Steve C

The sketches and stories in this little volume must be read as fiction. But they are all, or nearly all, founded on fact, and built up from scenes and incidents I myself either witnessed or heard, first-hand, during my sojourn in France and Flanders as Special Correspondent for a London morning newspaper. <br> Private Pinkerton I met in the flesh several times—a gallant young English gentleman, if there ever was one, a cool and clever fighter, a dead shot, but shy as a schoolgirl when it came to the telling of his own adventures. I have rarely met a millionaire so engaging, so kindly, so well loved by 'the boys', but so courageous withal. (Extract from text Introduction)

5History of Bread: From Pre-Historic to Modern Times

By John Ashton

From ancient flatbreads cooked on hot stones to the fluffy loaves of the early 20th century, Ashton explores how bread rose alongside human civilization—its popularity evolving with shifts in agriculture, class, religion, and technology. From the temples of Egypt to the bakeries of Victorian England, each chapter slices into a new perspective on this everyday staple turned cultural icon. The book also kneads in odd bread laws, riots over pricing, and growing concerns about what was secretly being mixed into the dough. - Summary by Carrie Mae Streb