Bøger af Tom Holland

A revisionist, controversial account of Western history, sure to be widely reviewed and debated.

HERREDØMMET fortæller den dramatiske og vidtrækkende historie om, hvordan kristendommen – i fortsat kamp og dialog med filosofiske strømninger og konkurrerende trosretninger – blev grundkilden til de vestlige samfund, vores tænkemåde og værdier. Selv i en tid, hvor mange sætter spørgsmålstegn ved religion og tro, er vi alle i høj grad børn af kristendommen. Da den opstod for over 2000 år siden, var den en revolutionær kraft i en aldrig tidligere set skala: den mest radikale bevægelse, historien har kendt. Alle blev inviteret indenfor uanset køn, status og forudsætninger. Det var ikke den ydre storhed og magt, der talte, men den indre tro. Kristendommen vandt gennem tiden herredømmet over Vesten med sin forestilling om menneskers grundlæggende ligeværd. Den internationalt anerkendte historiker og forfatter Tom Holland sætter med sit dramatiske epos den kristne histories vigtigste scener og introducerer dens store personligheder og tænkere. Han viser, hvordan kristendommen i nyere tid er afgørende for vores tænkemåde: fra afskaffelsen af slaveriet over The Beatles og kærlighedsrevolutionen til #MeToo-bevægelsen. Kristendommen har sat sine spor overalt i vores kultur, selv i ateismen. ”Elsk, og gør, som du har lyst til”, opfordrede Augustin. ”All you need is love”, sang The Beatles.TOM HOLLAND, født 1968, er uddannet historiker ved Cambridge University. Han er kendt for sit store skønlitterære og faghistoriske forfatterskab. Det tæller bl.a. Rubicon, Persian Fire og In the Shadow of the Sword. Forfatterens bøger udkommer verden over.

'The Book that really held me, in fact, obsessed me, was Rubicon . . . This is narrative history at its best. Bloody and labyrinthine political intrigue and struggle, brilliant oratory, amazing feats of conquest and cruelty' Ian McEwan, Books of the Year, Guardian'Marvellously readable' Niall FergusonThe Roman Republic was the most remarkable state in history. What began as a small community of peasants camped among marshes and hills ended up ruling the known world. Rubicon paints a vivid portrait of the Republic at the climax of its greatness - the same greatness which would herald the catastrophe of its fall. It is a story of incomparable drama. This was the century of Julius Caesar, the gambler whose addiction to glory led him to the banks of the Rubicon, and beyond; of Cicero, whose defence of freedom would make him a byword for eloquence; of Spartacus, the slave who dared to challenge a superpower; of Cleopatra, the queen who did the same.Tom Holland brings to life this strange and unsettling civilization, with its extremes of ambition and self-sacrifice, bloodshed and desire. Yet alien as it was, the Republic still holds up a mirror to us. Its citizens were obsessed by celebrity chefs, all-night dancing and exotic pets; they fought elections in law courts and were addicted to spin; they toppled foreign tyrants in the name of self-defence. Two thousand years may have passed, but we remain the Romans' heirs.

In this 'thrilling. . .profoundly important book' (Christopher Hart, Sunday Times) and Sunday Times Top Ten Bestseller, the acclaimed author of Rubicon gives a panoramic-and timely-account of the rise of IslamIn the 6th century AD, the Near East was divided between two great empires: the Persian and the Roman. A hundred years on, and one had vanished for ever, while the other was a dismembered, bleeding trunk. In their place, a new superpower had arisen: the empire of the Arabs. So profound was this upheaval that it spelled, in effect, the end of the ancient world.But the changes that marked the period were more than merely political or even cultural: there was also a transformation of human society with incalculable consequences for the future. Today, over half the world's population subscribes to one of the various religions that took on something like their final form during the last centuries of antiquity. Wherever men or women are inspired by belief in a single god to think or behave in a certain way, they bear witness to the abiding impact of this extraordinary, convulsive age - though as Tom Holland demonstrates, much of what Jews, Christians and Muslims believe about the origins of their religion is open to debate.In the Shadow of the Sword explores how a succession of great empires came to identify themselves with a new and revolutionary understanding of the divine. It is a story vivid with drama, horror and startling achievement, and stars many of the most remarkable rulers ever seen.'A compelling detective story of the highest order, In the Shadow of the Sword is also a dazzlingly colourful journey into the world of late antiquity. Every bit as thrilling a narrative history as Holland's previous works, In the Shadow of the Sword is also a profoundly important book. It makes public and popular what scholarship has been discovering for several decades now; and those discoveries suggest a wholesale revision of where Islam came from and what it is' (Christopher Hart, Sunday Times)

'This is a wonderful, surging narrative - a brilliant and meticulous synthesis of the ancient sources . . . This is a story that should be read by anyone interested in history, politics or human nature - and it has never been better told' - Boris Johnson, Mail on SundayRome was first ruled by kings, then became a republic. But in the end, after conquering the world, the Republic collapsed. Rome was drowned in blood. So terrible were the civil wars that the Roman people finally came to welcome the rule of an autocrat who could give them peace. 'Augustus,' their new master called himself: 'The Divinely Favoured One'.The lurid glamour of the dynasty founded by Augustus has never faded. No other family can compare for sheer unsettling fascination with its gallery of leading characters. Tiberius, the great general who ended up a bitter recluse, notorious for his perversions; Caligula, the master of cruelty and humiliation who rode his chariot across the sea; Agrippina, the mother of Nero, manoeuvering to bring to power the son who would end up having her murdered; Nero himself, racing in the Olympics, marrying a eunuch, and building a pleasure palace over the fire-gutted centre of his capital.Now, in the sequel to Rubicon, Tom Holland gives a dazzling portrait of Rome's first imperial dynasty. Dynasty traces the full astonishing story of its rule of the world: both the brilliance of its allure, and the blood-steeped shadows cast by its crimes. Ranging from the great capital rebuilt in marble by Augustus to the dank and barbarian-haunted forests of Germany, it is populated by a spectacular cast: murderers and metrosexuals, adulterers and druids, scheming grandmothers and reluctant gladiators. Dynasty is the portrait of a family that transformed and stupefied Rome.

Of all the civilisations existing in the year 1000, that of Western Europe seemed the unlikeliest candidate for future greatness. Compared to the glittering empires of Byzantium or Islam, the splintered kingdoms on the edge of the Atlantic appeared impoverished, fearful and backward. But the anarchy of these years proved to be, not the portents of the end of the world, as many Christians had dreaded, but rather the birthpangs of a radically new order.MILLENNIUM is a stunning panoramic account of the two centuries on either side of the apocalyptic year 1000. This was the age of Canute, William the Conqueror and Pope Gregory VII, of Vikings, monks and serfs, of the earliest castles and the invention of knighthood, and of the primal conflict between church and state. The story of how the distinctive culture of Europe - restless, creative and dynamic - was forged from out of the convulsions of these extraordinary times is as fascinating and as momentous as any in history.

AF FORFATTEREN TIL DEN INTERNATIONALE BESTSELLER HERREDØMMET I sin forrige bog, "Herredømmet", fortalte forfatteren Tom Holland den dramatiske og vidtrækkende historie om, hvordan kristendommen blev grundkilden til de vestlige samfund, vores tænkemåde og værdier. I sin nye bog udforsker forfatteren en anden væsentlig grundkilde i vores kultur og historie: Romerriget."PAX. Krig og fred i Roms guldalder" er et fejende flot epos om verdensriget, da det var på sit højeste og kulminerede. Imperiet strakte sig fra Skotland til Arabien, omfattede op mod en fjerdedel af menneskeheden og var i det hele taget verdens hidtil rigeste og stærkeste.Tidsmæssigt begynder fortællingen i år 69 e.Kr. – året med ikke mindre end fire Cæsarer – og dækker syv årtier. Perioden Pax Romana afsluttes med kejser Hadrians død i år 138 e.Kr. Tom Holland portrætterer Rom i al sin begærlige pragt: Den ene levende scene følger den anden: ødelæggelsen af Jerusalem og Pompeji, opførelsen af Colosseum og Hadrians Mur – den sidste erobrerkejsers, Trajans, togter. Som en anden romanforfatter beskriver Holland både almindelige og excentriske romerske borgere, både slaver og magthavere. Bogens hovedpointe er, at nok var perioden relativt fredelig for indbyggerne i det store verdensrige, men freden havde rod i en hidtil uhørt militær vold og magtanvendelse over for de ydre naboer og fjender. Et forhold, der i længden inviterede til oprør og sammenbrud.Den britiske presse om ”PAX”:”Fremragende: dristig, ambitiøs og lidenskabelig.” Forfatter og historiker Peter Frankopan”En usædvanlig god fortæller med en glimrende sans for detaljer.” The Economist ”En bog, som fuldstændig forandrer læserens forståelse af verden.” Spectator ”Fortællende historieskrivning, når den er bedst.” The GuardianOm forfatteren: Tom Holland, født 1968, er uddannet i litteratur og historie ved Cambridge University. Han er kendt for sit store skønlitterære og faghistoriske forfatterskab, hvoraf "Herredømmet" tidligere er udkommet på dansk (2020). Forfatteren er vært i den populære podcast ”The Rest is History”.

In 480 BC, Xerxes, the King of Persia, led an invasion of mainland Greece. Its success should have been a formality. For seventy years, victory - rapid, spectacular victory - had seemed the birthright of the Persian Empire. In the space of a single generation, they had swept across the Near East, shattering ancient kingdoms, storming famous cities, putting together an empire which stretched from India to the shores of the Aegean. As a result of those conquests, Xerxes ruled as the most powerful man on the planet. Yet somehow, astonishingly, against the largest expeditionary force ever assembled, the Greeks of the mainland managed to hold out. The Persians were turned back. Greece remained free. Had the Greeks been defeated at Salamis, not only would the West have lost its first struggle for independence and survival, but it is unlikely that there would ever have been such and entity as the West at all.Tom Holland's brilliant new book describes the very first 'clash of Empires' between East and West. Once again he has found extraordinary parallels between the ancient world and our own. There is no competing popular book describing these events.

Humoristisk historieskrivning med værterne fra den ultrapopulæreengelske podcast ”The Rest is History”Spænd dine bedste gladiatorsandaler, og forbered dig på en forrygende rejse tilbage i tiden! De to hithistorikere fra den kendte podcast "The Rest is History", Tom Holland og Dominic Sandbrook, tager i bogen "... Og resten er historie" på en engageret og humoristisk rejse ned ad historiens hoved- og sideveje – og du er inviteret med!Fra Alexander den Store til Tolkien, fra vikingetiden til Watergate; Tom Holland og Dominic Sandbrook tager fat på de mest fængende øjeblikke i historien og besvarer alle de spørgsmål, vi ikke engang vidste, vi havde: Hvilken fest er historiens mest katastrofale? Hvorfor troede nazisterne, at de var efterkommere af Atlantis? Hvordan kunne en frisøraftale være tæt på at afsløre Churchills flugt fra et sydafrikansk fængsel?Uanset om det er at udvælge historiske figurer til deltagelse i et realityshow, finde frem til verdenshistoriens ti mest indflydelsesrige hunde eller debattere betydningen af storhed, er der intet, der er for småt eller for stort til, at Tom og Dominic kan nærstudere det."... Og resten er historie" er både oplysende og nytænkende historieskrivning. 56 nedslag i verdenshistorien, som uden tvivl vil få dig til at trække på smilebåndet.TOM HOLLAND, født 1968, er uddannet i litteratur og historie ved Cambridge Universitet. Blandt hans faglitterære bøger er ”Herredømmet” (2020) og ”PAX. Krig og fred i Roms guldalder” (2023) udkommet på dansk til store anmelderroser.DOMINIC SANDBROOK, født 1974, er ph.d. i moderne historie fra Cambridge Universitet. Han har skrevet adskillige bøger om efterkrigstidens politiske forhold i Storbritannien.

I sin forrige bog, HERREDØMMET, fortalte forfatteren Tom Hollandden dramatiske og vidtrækkende historie om, hvordan kristendommenblev grundkilden til de vestlige samfund, vores tænkemåde ogværdier. I sin nye bog udforsker forfatteren en anden væsentliggrundkilde i vores kultur og historie: Romerriget.PAX. KRIG OG FRED I ROMS GULDALDER er et fejende flotepos om verdensriget, da det var på sit højeste og kulminerede.Imperiet strakte sig fra Skotland til Arabien, omfattede op mod enfjerdedel af menneskeheden og var i det hele taget verdens hidtilrigeste og stærkeste. Tidsmæssigt begynder fortællingen i år 69 e.Kr.– året med ikke mindre end fire cæsarer – og dækker syv årtier. PeriodenPax Romana afsluttes med kejser Hadrians død i år 138 e.Kr.Tom Holland portrætterer Romerriget i al dets begærlige pragt.Den ene levende scene følger den anden: ødelæggelsen af Jerusalemog Pompeji, opførelsen af Colosseum og Hadrians Mur – den sidsteerobrerkejsers, Trajans, togter. Som en anden romanforfatter beskriverHolland både almindelige og excentriske romerskeborgere, både slaver og magthavere. Nok var perioden relativtfredelig for indbyggerne i det store verdensrige, men freden havderod i en hidtil uhørt militær vold og magtanvendelse over for deydre naboer og fjender. Et forhold, der i længden inviterede til oprørog førte til imperiets sammenbrud.

Myth meets history in a blockbuster retelling of the Persian Wars from multi-award-winning author of Rubicon and Persian Fire Tom Holland, lavishly illustrated by Jason Cockcroft. "The Persians are coming..." Hearing these words, Gorgo of Sparta is plunged into a dangerous world of vengeful gods and invincible heroes. For a mighty empire threatens Athens, Sparta and all who stand in its path... Calling on the ancient power to transform into a wolf and the blood of Zeus that runs through her veins, Gorgo must lead her nation in one of history's greatest wars. Multi-award-winning author Tom Holland and acclaimed illustrator Jason Cockcroft boldly weave myth and history in this dramatic tale of Greeks and Gods. Gripping and powerful, this extraordinary illustrated novel will be treasured by readers young and old. Ideal for fans of Percy Jackson, Neil Gaiman and Kevin Crossley-Holland, and the mythical retellings of Madeline Miller, Pat Barker and Stephen Fry, this is a book to be read again and again.

Make room Herodotus, stand down Bede, pipe down Pepys . . . There's a new history book in town. Pre-order your copy now.From the chart-topping podcast The Rest is History, a whistle-stop tour through the past - from Alexander the Great to Tolkien, the Wars of the Roses to Watergate. The nation's favourite historians Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook take on the most curious moments in history, answering the questions we didn't even think to ask:- Did the Trojan War actually happen?- What was the most disastrous party in history?- Was Richard Nixon more like Caligula or Claudius?- How did a hair appointment almost blow Churchill's cover?- Why did the Nazis believe they were descended from Atlantis?Whether it is sending historical figures to Casa Amor in a series of Love Island, ranking history's most famous eunuchs and pigeons (including Winky, the unsung hero of the Second World War), or debating the meaning of greatness, there is nothing too big or too small for Tom and Dominic to unpick.So run your Egyptian milk bath, strap up your best Spartan sandals, and prepare for a journey down the highways and byways of the human past. . .

A Fresh Look at RomansHow does a corporate reading of the Apostle Paul's greatest contribution to the New Testament unfold? As a Divine Marriage Covenant.Tom Holland's commentary on Paul's letter to the Romans is not just another commentary. He has a thesis to establish and he goes about his task with powerful argument, incisive exegesis and clear theology.- Dr Robert Strivens, Principal, London Theological SeminaryHolland's clearly stated exegetical conclusions will be of interest to those both within and outside of the perspectives of evangelical exegesis, particularly for his sustained corporate reading of Romans as well as his specific challenges to New Perspective arguments . . . Holland has very interesting perspectives to offer.- Prof Florence Morgan Gillman, University of San DiegoTom Holland has written a thought-provoking book that will undoubtedly be fruitful for many teachers and preachers. More than any other commentator on Romans so far, he uncovers the Old Testament roots of the letter and shows the impact of Paul's thoughts upon the Christian church today.- Dr Rob van Honwelingen, Theological University, Kampen, NetherlandsFor retail promotional poster, email: posters@apiarypublishing.com

A Fresh Look at RomansHow does a corporate reading of the Apostle Paul's greatest contribution to the New Testament unfold? As a Divine Marriage Covenant.Tom Holland's commentary on Paul's letter to the Romans is not just another commentary. He has a thesis to establish and he goes about his task with powerful argument, incisive exegesis and clear theology.- Dr Robert Strivens, Principal, London Theological SeminaryHolland's clearly stated exegetical conclusions will be of interest to those both within and outside of the perspectives of evangelical exegesis, particularly for his sustained corporate reading of Romans as well as his specific challenges to New Perspective arguments . . . Holland has very interesting perspectives to offer.- Prof Florence Morgan Gillman, University of San DiegoTom Holland has written a thought-provoking book that will undoubtedly be fruitful for many teachers and preachers. More than any other commentator on Romans so far, he uncovers the Old Testament roots of the letter and shows the impact of Paul's thoughts upon the Christian church today.- Dr Rob van Honwelingen, Theological University, Kampen, NetherlandsFor retail promotional poster, email: posters@apiarypublishing.com

Dive into 'The Wolf-Girl, the Greeks and the Gods: a Tale of the Persian Wars', a captivating novel by renowned author Tom Holland. Published in 2023, this enthralling tale takes you on an unforgettable journey through the tumultuous times of the Persian Wars. Holland's masterful storytelling and vivid descriptions bring to life the ancient world, its heroes, villains, and the gods they worshipped. This book belongs to the historical fiction genre, and it's a must-read for anyone with a penchant for history and mythology. Published by the esteemed Walker Books Ltd, this book is a testament to their commitment to bringing high-quality literature to readers worldwide. The book is available in English.

Crucifixion, the Romans believed, was the worst fate imaginable, a punishment reserved for slaves. How astonishing it was, then, that people should have come to believe that one particular victim of crucifixion - an obscure provincial by the name of Jesus - was to be worshipped as a god. Dominion explores the implications of this shocking conviction as they have reverberated throughout history. Today, the West remains utterly saturated by Christian assumptions. As Tom Holland demonstrates, our morals and ethics are not universal but are instead the fruits of a very distinctive civilization. Concepts such as secularism, liberalism, science, and homosexuality are deeply rooted in a Christian seedbed. From Babylon to the Beatles, Saint Michael to #MeToo, Dominion tells the story of how Christianity transformed the modern world.

"Challenging, unsettling and infuriating, Dr. Holland's tour de force cannot be ignored."Dr Peter Head, University of Cambridge, UK.What if we've been reading scripture the wrong way?In the individualistic West, it is commonly assumed the Bible is about me and my relationship with God when, as many now agree, it is addressed primarily to the believing community. Written for the non-academic reader, in this updated version of his earlier book, Contours of Pauline Theology, Tom Holland makes a compelling case that in losing this emphasis, critical aspects of the community's central role in God's plan for humanity were inadvertently pushed into the background. This has caused us to not only misread key texts but also to experience far less than what scripture promises regarding our life as a Spirit-filled people.Holland shows how recovering the communal, Hebraic mindset of the New Testament writers and the Passover-New Exodus storyline on which they relied can help us see scripture, our life together in Christ, and our identity as individuals in an amazing new light!"Missing Lenses offers non-specialist biblical readers a concisely written, yet amazingly informative text from an evangelical, Reformed perspective concerning a major issue in New Testament Studies: the recovery of the corporate, Hebraic backdrop under-girding earliest Christian thought. Serious Bible study participants from many traditions will enjoy engaging with this volume."Dr Florence Gillman, University of San Diego, CA, USA.

In this dazzling portrait of Rome's first imperial dynasty, Tom Holland traces the astonishing century-long story of the rise and fall of the Julio-Claudians-Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, and Nero. Capturing both the brilliant allure of their rule and the blood-steeped shadows cast by their crimes, Dynasty travels from the great capital rebuilt in marble to the dank and barbarian forests of Germany. Populated by a spectacular cast: murderers and metrosexuals, adulterers and Druids, scheming grandmothers and reluctant gladiators, it vividly recreates the world of Rome after Julius Caesar. A tale of rule and ruination, Dynasty is the story of a family that transformed and stupefied the western world and that continues to cast a mesmerizing spell across the millennia.

A thrillingly panoramic and incredibly timely account of the rise of Islam, from the acclaimed author of Rubicon and Persian Fire. The evolution of the Arab empire is one of the supreme narratives of ancient history, a story dazzlingly rich in drama, character, and achievement. In this exciting and sweeping history-the third in his trilogy of books on the ancient world-Holland describes how the Arabs emerged to carve out a stupefyingly vast dominion in a matter of decades, overcoming seemingly insuperable odds to create an imperial civilization aspects of which endure to the present day. With profound bearing on the most consequential events of our time, Holland ties the exciting story of Islam's ascent to the crises and controversies of the present.

This is a book that will challenge your ideas and comfort your mind, that will make you cross and yet give you peace. It is a book that respects your views yet introduces you to something that is entirely new. That will make you laugh and then cause you to cry.In this fast-moving book, you are introduced to a group of people who soon become your friends. They are like the neighbors next door and you will soon recognize them in the characters that you meet in its pages. You will hear their arguments and challenge their claims. You may even hear your own voice being added to those of the group discussions.