This book helps children understand the past through paintings, murals, sculpture, architecture, and everyday objects - much of it originally designed for placating the gods, bringing a successful harvest, observing traditions and rites, or increasing an individual's social standing. Each book is divided into thematic chapters such as how people lived, worked, socialized, fought wars, worshipped, and made new discoveries and conquests.
Rupert has written over 170 books, appearing on television and radio as a presenter and consultant. These have mostly been on history or military subjects, though in recent years he has been writing about ghosts, cryptozoology, UFOs and other paranormal subjects.
Rupert twitters under the name of "rupertmatthews" and has a page on FaceBook as "Rupert Matthews".
Rupert blogs about history at http://thehistorymanatlarge.blogspot.com/
and about ghosts, UFOs, unknown animals and other aspects of the unexplained at http://ghosthunteratlarge.blogspot.com/
Rupert was born in Dorking, England, in 1961 and was educated at his local Church of England junior school, then at his local grammar school. He later took up a career in publishing as an editor and writer. He went freelance in 1988 and since then has worked mostly as a writer, columnist and tv presenter. Rupert has established himself as a leading speaker to lunches and dinners, speaking on subjects as varied as RAF Bomber Command at War; Your Local Ghosts; How Medieval women led society; How the publishing industry works; The Arrowstorm; The Yeti is real!; The real King Arthur; and the biography of Father Christmas.
He now lives in Surrey, England, with his wife and daughter.
