What are the best popular history books published in 2022 in the UK?
These are the best popular history books that we have read and reviewed on this site. The links take you to more details on each book below.
If you want to see all history books published in 2022 you can search our history books mini database. There are many more history books published than we are able to review!
Our highest rated history books of 2022
- Weavers, Scribes, and Kings: A New History of the Ancient Near East
Highly recommended 2022 history books
- The Mongol Storm: Making and Breaking Empires in the Medieval Near East
- Conquered: The Last Children of Anglo-Saxon England
- Charged: A History of Batteries and Lessons for a Clean Energy Future
- The Perfect Sword: Forging the Dark Ages
- Fury of The Vikings: Adventures in Time
- Uncommon Wrath: How Caesar and Cato's Deadly Rivalry Destroyed the Roman Republic
- The Lion House: The Coming of a King
- London in the Roman World:
- Phoenicians and the Making of the Mediterranean:
The Mongol Storm: Making and Breaking Empires in the Medieval Near East
The story of the Middle East in the thirteenth century - buffeted by the storm clouds of war unleashed by the Mongol Empire. Mighty empires were uprooted while the seeds of others were blown into new soil.
An excellent book, giving you a wide range of perspectives - much broader than the military textbook that I had initially expected / feared! It challenges you to think: what would you do if you were in the path of the Mongol storm?
★★★★☆
Conquered: The Last Children of Anglo-Saxon England
This is a fascinating description of what happened to certain Anglo-Saxon (and Anglo-Danish) individuals and families in the years immediately following the Norman Conquest of 1066.
By focusing on particular individuals and families, the author succeeds in drawing out some of the pathos and drama of a pivotal moment in English history.
★★★★☆
Charged: A History of Batteries and Lessons for a Clean Energy Future
Charged provides an in-depth but also accessible overview of the history of batteries. From car lead-acid starter batteries and AAs, to mobile phones and electric cars: how their mining and manufacture have impacted the world.
It is a calmly argued rather than a high voltage text, but nevertheless contains a powerful message for how we might navigate to a more sustainable world.
★★★★☆
Weavers, Scribes, and Kings: A New History of the Ancient Near East
Weavers, Scribes, and Kings: A New History of the Ancient Near East introduces us to a broad cast of ancient Mesopotamians - from regal families to regular folk. Podany tells their story starting in 3500 BCE and the invention of writing, and going up until 350 BCE and the arrival of Alexander the Great.
This is a brilliant “micro-macro” history book that almost magically conjures the ancient Near Eastern world back to life. I loved reading it and would make it compulsory reading for everyone else if I could!
★★★★★
The Perfect Sword: Forging the Dark Ages
The Perfect Sword is a finely crafted book that brings the earthy practicalities of Anglo-Saxon sword making to life - in the context of honing swords into ever more effective murder weapons, over the two or three thousand years since their invention.
If the thought of a finely wrought blade stirs the embers of your soul, then you are sure to love this book. If you are merely sword-curious, you will find a lot to like as well.
★★★★☆
Fury of The Vikings: Adventures in Time
Fury of the Vikings takes us through the three hundred year rampage of the Vikings, from Vinland in the West to the Land of Rus in the East, with a bit of Alfred the Great in the middle.
Told as a narrative history with re-imagined scenes from the past, it was written for kids but works just as well for adults!
★★★★☆
Uncommon Wrath: How Caesar and Cato's Deadly Rivalry Destroyed the Roman Republic
A highly readable account of late republican Rome, told through the lives of Julius Caesar and Cato the Younger. Osgood makes the case that it is these two together who bear most of the responsibility for the collapse of the Republic. Whether or not you agree with this view there is plenty to enjoy in this book.
It is also a timely story - a case study of political meltdown that is relevant today given the heat in politics, particularly in the United States.
★★★★☆
The Lion House: The Coming of a King
The coming of age story of Sulieman the Magnificent, told from an eyewitness perspective. And it is a great story, masterfully told - assuming the rather lyrical prose style doesn‘t put you off.
I would have no hesitation in recommending this to anyone with a passing interest in Ottoman or Renaissance history.
★★★★☆
London in the Roman World:
London in the Roman World takes us on a detailed archaeological tour through 360 years of Roman London.
I suspect this book will set the standard for overviews of Roman London for many years - the point of reference for budding academics and interested punters. While not an easy read, it will reward your perseverance.
★★★★☆
Phoenicians and the Making of the Mediterranean:
Find out what the Phoenicians did for us: from letters, to religion, to apotropaic art, in this survey of the early first millennium BCE Mediterranean.
While not an easy read it is a rewarding one, methodically unearthing this critical but neglected culture.
★★★★☆
