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Byzantine Emperor Justinian
I, Emperor Justinian, welcome you to this website. Ciao!

Posted on: 3 October 2025

A focus on the history of Britain this month with half of the books peering back at the history of this island, and more precisely the English bit of it. The rest of the world is not totally neglected...

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Scandal in Konigsberg - review

Book cover for Scandal in Konigsberg - review

Posted on: 26 September 2025

How best to attract your attention? Tales of sexual debauchery: a priest encouraging his flock to disrobe and cavort about in the nude? Or perverse initiation rites involving brain-washed aristocratic...

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Posted on: 11 September 2025

This seems to be a month of big ideas, judging by the new history books (in the UK, hardback). Many are spanning the whole of human history, and the entirelty of the world. There are a few different...

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Captives and Companions - review

Book cover for Captives and Companions - review

Posted on: 5 September 2025

I said to myself β€œThis king would be worth 30 dinars in Oman in the [slave] marketplace, and the seven [companions] 160 dinars, and they have clothes worth 20 dinars, so that would bring us at least...

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I said to myself β€œThis king would be worth 30 dinars in Oman in the [slave] marketplace, and the seven [companions] 160 dinars, and they have clothes worth 20 dinars, so that would bring us at least 3,000 dirhams without any risk attached.”

Review of Justin Marozzi, Captives and Companions

Posted on: 25 August 2025

After my self awarded summer break I am a little late this month, but better late than never. An unusually high proportion dealing with the subject of slavery, coming at it from a few different...

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Counting - review

Book cover for Counting - review

Posted on: 24 August 2025

Do you really understand the number 13? Or the number 24? I would argue - and Benjamin Wardhaugh, author of Counting: Humans, History and the Infinite Lives of Numbers might cautiously back me up here...

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Posted on: 1 July 2025

The latest monthly roundup: new history books published in June in the UK (hardback). A bit less politics and a bit more in the way of ideas this month... A couple that I have my eye on...

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Summer of Fire and Blood - review

Book cover for Summer of Fire and Blood - review

Posted on: 27 June 2025

If there are any English Literature students out there looking for a subject for their dissertation, may I suggest: β€œWhy Harry Potter is an allegory of the Reformation with Harry Potter himself...

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The ideas of winter gave way to a period of action in early spring 1525 that was far more widespread and wide-ranging in its targets than anything that would be seen in western Europe before the French Revolution.

Review of Lyndal Roper, Summer of Fire and Blood

Posted on: 1 June 2025

New history books from last month in the UK, published in hardback. Something for everyone this time: witches, WW1, orchids, death and tequila! A couple that I have my eye on are: When We Ruled: The...

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The Celts - review

Book cover for The Celts - review

Posted on: 23 May 2025

I suspect most readers will have an impression of The Celts, but when you stop and think hard about what a Celt is, the edges of the definition blur and shift.1 Part of the reason for this is that the...

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