Shaken and Stirred: A History of James Bond
For over half a century, James Bond’s mix of ‘sex, snobbery and sadism’ has proved enduringly popular, outlasting the Cold War that birthed him. Why?
History Matters
Thoughts, opinions and commentary on all things historical.
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Water Crises in the Ancient World
The need to manage the water supply has always been a driver of human history, argues Steven Mithen.
Beach Volleyball, Horse Guards Parade and the Accession Day Tilts
Mathew Lyons on why Horse Guards Parade was an appropriate location to host the Olympic beach volleyball.
In Pursuit of the Apocalypse
Christian apocalyptic literature and ecological predictions both anticipate the end of the world. Are they born of the same tradition, asks Jean-François Mouhot?
Prime Ministerial Firsts
Margaret Thatcher became Britain's first female Prime Minister on May 4th, 1979. Some other firsts claimed by those occupying the country's highest office.
Interview: Lucy Worsley
The author of Courtiers: The Secret History of Kensington Palace (Faber & Faber), and presenter of the BBC TV series, If Walls Could Talk: An Intimate History of the Home discusses her work with Paul Lay.
The History of Sexuality
Since the 1970s, feminists, gay activists and historians have been questioning the notion of sexual repression in the past. Anna Clark considers important recent studies on this most stimulating of subjects.
Changing the Way We Measure Time
Despite numerous attempts by radicals to reform the calendar, commerce usually decides how we measure time.
Eichmann in the Dock Again
The 50th anniversary of the trial and execution of the Final Solution’s master bureaucrat has inspired a number of books, exhibitions and films. How to they contribute to our understanding?
Galileo’s Telescopes: Seeing is Believing
Few events in history have proved as momentous as Galileo’s discovery of the moons of Jupiter. But would sharing his findings mean sharing his telescope?