The Hidden Diary of Samuel Pepys
When Samuel Pepys’ diary was first published 200 years ago it was an instant hit, but rumours soon spread about what had been cut and why.
Literature
Martin Crusius’ Armchair Voyage
The greatest early modern authority on Ottoman Greece was Martin Cruisius – a man who had never left Germany.
Jane Austen: A Partial and Prejudiced Historian
On the 250th anniversary of her birth, Jane Austen still has lessons for readers of history.
‘Epic of the Earth’ by Edith Hall review
Epic of the Earth: Reading Homer’s Iliad in the Fight for a Dying World by Edith Hall sees the signs of environmental collapse amid the adventures of Achilles.
‘Vietdamned’ by Clive Webb review
Can Vietdamned: How the World’s Greatest Minds Put America on Trial by Clive Webb rescue Bertrand Russell and Jean-Paul Sartre’s activism from irrelevance?
The Wild Hunt in England
The monks of Peterborough told strange tales of the Wild Hunt. Were they ghostly apparitions or wishful thinking?
‘The Brothers Grimm: A Biography’ by Ann Schmiesing review
The Brothers Grimm: A Biography by Ann Schmiesing brings folklore’s most famous double act out of the shadowy realm of legend.
Forgeries, Fakes, and Phantom Time
According to some, written history began in the 14th century. It may seem ridiculous, but the Phantom Time conspiracy theory has serious implications.
‘Man-Devil’ by John J. Callanan review
Man-Devil: The Mind and Times of Bernard Mandeville, the Wickedest Man in Europe by John J. Callanan revels in the making of the controversial satirist and philosopher.
New Year, Old Books
A new book for the new year is an old British custom, but an old book can be even better.