Alumni Authors

Published by IB Tauris ISBN: 978-0-7556-4162-8 Until the middle of the twentieth century Dubai had a small population and was little known, dependent on fishing and subsistence agriculture. Now it has an airport busier than Heathrow and is a world centre for container shipping. The transformation makes a dramatic, intriguing story and the author shows us how it happened. After reading History at Cambridge University, Keith Nuttall began a long career in maritime business and this lucid and detailed book expresses his familiarity with activity in the Gulf. Dubai, led by the astute and resourceful Shaikh Rashid al Maktoum, recognised early the importance of modernisation in a changing world. Dredging and bridge building enhanced movement and communication. Keith speaks of the ‘containerisation revolution’, driven by the American industrialist, Malcolm McLean, which simplified the movement of cargo and the transformation of ports. Shaikh Rashid’s strategy stimulated the development of the Jebel-Ali complex, which includes the modern port and airport with an ‘open skies’ policy. Investment, immigration, the development and transfer of skills and job creation were encouraged by ‘highly liberal financial and legal frameworks’. Continuing success was interrupted by the global financial crises of the 21st century and regional challenges. Systematic training and encouragement of young people to engage in entrepreneurial business activity will be necessary to strengthen recovery. Dubai has great advantages, not least its tourist industry, and chapter five has an entertaining list of activities for the region’s many visitors. It is a characteristic of this book that it is accessible for the layman and, I imagine, of great interest to the business professional. Charles Winder (Boys’ Division Staff, 1964-1999)

Published by Xlibris US ISBN 978-1796046755 This is principally a military history, based around the experiences of an Old Boy of Bolton Grammar School, Robert Gardner MC, who was a pupil at the school from 1900 to 1908 during its early years in Chorley New Road before it became Bolton School Boys’ Division in 1914. The book was written by an Anglo-American retired Professor in the USA in co-operation with his friend, John Gardner, younger son of the subject. The book skilfully interweaves Robert Gardner’s own experiences, especially by use of surviving letters he wrote from the Army to his mother, sister and friends, with the history of his regiment, the King’s Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment). Gardner’s academic record was outstanding, taking him - with the award of two Exhibitions - to Emmanuel College, Cambridge, where he took a Double First in Classics and won a two-year travelling scholarship to pursue research in Italy. This was interrupted by the outbreak of war and, with patriotism typical of the time, he immediately returned to England to enlist in an infantry regiment. The book covers not only the course of the war, but it also gives a clear account of the structure of the Army, explaining the regimental system and the subtleties of the hierarchy of the Army in which Cavalry Regiments were paramount in status, longstanding regular pre-war soldiers were favoured (the original British Expeditionary Force to France was exclusively made up of regulars) and those from Territorial regiments were not trusted at first. Losses of men in the first months of the war led to their progress and that of conscripted men. Robert Gardner had enlisted in a Territorial battalion of his regiment, resulting in his first few months being spent in the South of England guarding railways, but by mid-1915 they were in the trenches some 30-miles south of Ypres. From here on in the war, the progress of the battalion is covered by a mixture of its official history and Gardner’s letters. In all he was involved in trench warfare for a little more than two years since in 1915 he was recovering from a serious leg injury for some ten months, half of which time was spent back in France training new recruits and other soldiers returning from injury. Once back in the battalion he had two years of combat, receiving a number of promotions and being awarded the MC for ten months of exemplary service, mostly in the trenches. Reading the book corrected my misapprehension that being in a trench always led to ‘going over the top’, whereas much of the fighting was defensive and led to regular repairs of damage to the parapets from the previous day. The regular routine involved spells on the front line followed by recuperation some distance back. There were frequent changes in personnel following losses and transfers to other units. In this period of two years the battalion was involved in three major battles and by the end of the war it was in Belgium and Gardner was now its commanding officer, with rank of acting Lieutenant Colonel. He then had a number of months preparing his men for demobilisation, including education to help them fit back into normal life. For his own part he returned as a Don to Emmanuel where he had a distinguished academic career. I can thoroughly recommend reading the book which will certainly add to understanding the life that such men lived. David Shaw (Boys’ Division Staff, 1964-2002)

Reviews have been written over a number of years by a small group of people and we are glad that authors and publishers have continued to send books to us, written by Old Boltonians. It would be useful now to extend the number of reviewers. If any Old Boltonian or former member of staff would be happy to write an occasional review, please contact the Development Office, indicating your areas of interest. The Office will give you further details.

Published by Pen and Sword ISBN 978 1 52678 662 3

After centuries of productive contact between communities, catastrophe hit the known world. Pestilence came in waves, populations declined dramatically, the Roman army was helpless against it, political turmoil and civil conflict prevailed. In the chapter whose heading includes the words ‘Dark Age Europe’ Nick Collins records the catastrophe and its effects in vivid detail. The Roman Empire, immeasurably wealthy, was one of many civilisations unable to resist the impact of natural events. The Flood, recorded in Genesis ‘was an echo of the ending of the Ice Age’; Cretan civilisation was destroyed by an eruption ten times more powerful than the eruption of Vesuvius; when the River Sarasvati dried Indian achievements spread westwards. The world survives.

Through reading and travel the writer is familiar with sites and circumstances which illustrate the development and decline of civilisations. A historian by training, he spent his working life in shipping and the reader can imagine how his academic interest and travel illuminate each other. Maritime trade promotes contact, communication and the exchange of ideas. Ten thousand years ago there was movement between societies at the eastern end of the Mediterranean and archaeological exploration reveals ‘planning, organisation, skilled seamanship and seaworthy ships’. Sophisticated societies dependent on maritime trade developed five thousand years ago in the Indus-Sarasvati region. There were cities with large populations, gridiron street patterns, drainage systems and buildings whose design required advanced mathematics, including calculus. Underwater exploration continues to find new evidence of the way people lived.

The Roman Empire was “built on previous centuries of expanding maritime trade”. The Phoenicians were resourceful in trade and were renowned for their skill in engineering. The search for food led Greece into what we know as the Trojan War. From Crete Greece inherited skills in science, arts, drama and philosophy. In the ancient world there was impressive progress in medicine and surgery. This book is immense in breadth and detail. It is the first of three volumes which will lead to the present day. They reflect a lifelong interest and, in the acknowledgements, Nick mentions Richard Wilkinson and Alan Benson, who taught History at Bolton School during the 1960s and 1970s.

by Nigel Short (Class of 1983)

Published by Quality Chess ISBN 978-1784831592

In Winning English chess Grandmaster Nigel Short guides us through eight of his foremost tournament victories spanning several decades. Describing the drama and focusing in detail on each of his games, Nigel not only provides the reader with a narrative of how each event unfolded, but also thorough analysis of each of his games in the hope that we might find it instructive. Along the way, he shares his thoughts and pays tribute to many of his opponents. Chapters 1 to 8, each another tournament, follow chronological order, from Wijk aan Zee 1987 – two years after Short became the youngest ever Grandmaster at the time – to Anzali 2016 featuring a 51-year-old Short still rated in the top 100 players in the world. The first thing to like about Winning is its unusual format. Instead of choosing to write a “My Best Games” volume, or a themed book focussing on a particular attack or defence, Short has chosen to provide a game-by-game narrative of eight tournaments which he won and which he is “proud of in one way or another”. Describing each as a case study, he hopes that examining all the games from a tournament can give us a proper appreciation of how an event unfolds. His analysis of his own games is consistently objective, and he also provides excellent background and build-up to each of the tournaments. Tales of the host city and the event, about the locals and the price of alcohol, the standard of the opposition, the weather conditions, the late-night airport transfers, delayed opening ceremonies and indifferent organisers all add to the narrative, helping us understand the mindset of the Grandmaster as he approaches Round 1. And as a tournament progresses his approach is affected by his performance so far and the standings at the end of the last round.

Winning is also pleasant to read. Short’s writing is truthful, self-effacing at times, and humorous. In his introduction to Round 10 in Chapter 2 he openly explains why he took a pre-arranged draw with Mikhail Tal in Reykjavik, 1987; this is not forbidden in the Laws of Chess, but deemed inappropriate these days. On the subject of draws, I chuckled at Short’s description of Tallin/Parnu 1987 – “… could have been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize”, because of the number of high Elo rated players drawing against each other and not attempting to win in order to maintain their ratings. Short’s sense of humour is present throughout, including the boxing gloves cover photo and chapter headings – borrowed song titles from Queen, Bowie, The Beatles and Lene Lovich, amongst others. In summary, this book is for chess players. If you have read chess books before, you will like this one because it is full of games and analysis from England’s highest achieving chess Grandmaster. If you have not read a chess book before, this would be a good one to start with. Short has written an interesting and enjoyable book, and his brutally honest assessment of the games provides plenty to learn from. Paul Costello (Boys’ Division Staff and Leader of the Chess Club)

Charles Winder (Boys’ Division Staff, 1964-1999)