Britons Caught in the French Revolution
As Revolution broke out and turned to Terror, British citizens living in France found themselves transformed from friends of liberty to an enemy within.
History Today
‘The Picnic’ by Matthew Longo review
The Picnic: An Escape to Freedom and the Collapse of the Iron Curtain by Matthew Longo explains how Hungary came to play a key role in the collapse of communism.
The Prophecies of Merlin
As told by one medieval chronicler, Britain’s past and future had been prophesied by Merlin, who foresaw its rise, fall and conquest. Did the magician have warnings for the present?
Life and Land in Anglo-Saxon England
The Anglo-Saxons knew that life – and land – is precarious, which makes its gifts precious.
Columbine 25 Years On
Columbine marked the beginning of a new era of high-profile mass shootings in the US. Was the attack the inevitable outcome of lax controls and a culture of gun glorification?
‘Shakespeare’s Sisters’ by Ramie Targoff review
Shakespeare’s Sisters: Four Women Who Wrote the Renaissance by Ramie Targoff refutes the claim by Virginia Woolf, that the women of Tudor England left only empty bookshelves.
When Nostalgia Was Deadly
When it was first named in 17th-century Switzerland, nostalgia was a very real – and very dangerous – disease.
The Value of Wills to Historians
Wills in early modern England tell us much more than simply who left what to whom, and should not be discarded lightly.
‘How Finland Survived Stalin’ by Kimmo Rentola review
How Finland Survived Stalin: From Winter War to Cold War by Kimmo Rentola argues that political guile as much as military might stopped the Soviets in their tracks.
On the Spot: Ali Ansari
‘What is the most common misconception about my field? That it’s a sideshow of a sideshow.’