Robert Bracey

In the early twentieth century there was a revolution in board games. Children’s games intended to teach morality were transformed into economic simulations aimed at adults. This book demonstrates how play and games reflect and shape our understanding of money, and explores the history of board games in the twentieth century. Why was a famous psychic so interested in the stock market? How did a feminist campaigner try to undermine capitalism with a game? And why has ‘German game’ become synonymous with a growing number of cafes all across the world dedicated to playing board games? Playing With Money will be published to accompany an exhibition at the British Museum, which opens in April 2019, drawing on the Museum’s collection of games and game money. In it Robert Bracey, curator of the exhibition, investigates how we think about money, and asks what mundane objects like games, and the universal experience of play, can tell us about society.

With a history of use extending back to Vedic texts of the second millennium BC, derivations of the name Mithra appear in the Roman Empire, across Sasanian Persia, and in the Kushan Empire of southern Afghanistan and northern India during the first millennium AD. Even today, this name has a place in Yazidi and Zoroastrian religion. But what connection have Mihr in Persia, Miiro in Kushan Bactria, and Mithras in the Roman Empire to one another? Over the course of the volume, specialists in the material culture of these diverse regions explore appearances of the name Mithra from six distinct locations in antiquity. In a subversion of the usual historical process, the authors begin not from an assessment of texts, but by placing images of Mithra at the heart of their analysis. Careful consideration of each example's own context, situating it in the broader scheme of religious traditions and on-going cultural interactions, is key to this discussion. Such an approach opens up a host of potential comparisons and interpretations that are often side-lined in historical accounts. What Images of Mithra offers is a fresh approach to the ways in which gods were labelled and depicted in the ancient world. Through an emphasis on material culture, a more nuanced understanding of the processes of religious formation is proposed in what is but the first part of the Visual Conversations series.

Money makes the world. For millennia, currencies have brought order (and disorder) to human society, directing trade, growing economies, developing national identities and religions-and spreading empires. More than ever, money's power to shape our character, our politics, and our daily lives is clear. This revelatory history of ten major currencies details how the trajectory of world civilization is bound up with the movement of money. From the earliest measures of precious metals to the global fiat currencies we use today, the evolution of the shekel, the drachma, the denarius, the florin, the franc, the mark, the rupee, the yen, the pound, and the dollar tracks closely with the rise and fall of influential rulers, governments, and imperial powers. These coins have acted as powerful symbols of political expression and continuity despite deeply disruptive social, economic, and political change. Rich with illustrations from the famous collections at the British Museum and elsewhere, this book charts the fascinating path of each coin as it has traveled throughout history.

""Eighteenth Century Studies And Other Papers"" is a collection of essays and articles written by Robert Bracey, a renowned scholar of eighteenth-century British literature and culture. The book includes a wide range of topics, such as literary criticism, historical analysis, and cultural studies, all of which are centered around the eighteenth century. The collection begins with a detailed examination of the works of Samuel Johnson, one of the most important literary figures of the eighteenth century. Bracey delves into Johnson's writing style, his use of language, and his contributions to English literature. The book also includes essays on other prominent figures of the era, such as Alexander Pope, Jonathan Swift, and Laurence Sterne. Bracey analyzes their works and their impact on the literary landscape of the time. In addition to literary criticism, the book includes essays on broader cultural and historical topics. Bracey discusses the role of women in eighteenth-century society, the impact of the French Revolution on British culture, and the changing attitudes towards slavery during the period. Overall, ""Eighteenth Century Studies And Other Papers"" provides a comprehensive and insightful look at the literary, cultural, and historical aspects of the eighteenth century. It is an essential read for anyone interested in this fascinating period of British history and literature. This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.