The Penguin Dictionary of Eighteenth century History and The Penguin History of Nineteenth century History (Penguin, £9.99 each in UK)

Very useful as works of reference, though probably more so to students and the average educated reader than to practising historians. The first volume extends its brief to writers such as Goethe, and to influential philosophers such as Fichte, as well as to soldiers and statesmen (there is no mention, by the way, of Henry Grattan). The second is more frankly political, and Irish readers may note that room is found for O'Connell, Parnell and Thomas Davis, though not for Isaac Butt. There are maps and tables of dates in both volumes.