Reflecting on the Past
A valedictory column provides a chance to reflect on a decade grappling with what history is and how it should be written.
Suzannah Lipscomb
Historical Omertà
Menopause is an inescapable fact of life. Why is history silent on it?
Christmas with the Tudors
The end of the year was a time for fasting, feasting and poking fun at the status quo.
Written in Heraldry
Lions are noble; unicorns pure. Knowing how to decipher heraldry reveals the aspirations – and humour – of the regal past.
Explicit Content
Rude words are a constant, but their ability to cause offence is in flux. Historians should know their flim-flam from their fiddle-faddle.
Matters of Importance
There are several obstacles between Tudor women and their biographers. Bypassing them is a slow but necessary process.
Mind the Authority Gap
History books by men are bought in far greater quantities than those by women. Why?
The Continuity of Community
The support and camaraderie of close-knit communities were a double-edged sword. Nothing was private and reputations could be ruined at the twitch of the curtain.
A Ventriloquist Act?
Recent studies show the benefits and limitations of giving voice to the thoughts of our predecessors.
Fishing for the Facts
E.H. Carr’s belief that the histories we get depend on the questions we ask is more relevant than ever.