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New history books in June 2024

by Anthony Webb, 1 July 2024

Nearly all of the 12 popular history books (published in the UK) I found from June 2024 are focussed on Europe, except for a near miss with a history of Jersulem, and a work on history and human biology. But within this geographical boundary there is fair amount of variety - I've picked out some specific examples below the cover images...

Click the book covers to see a zoomed in image and links to Amazon if you like to buy your books there.

Sexed: A History of British Feminism
History Hit Guide to Medieval England: From the Vikings to the Tudors - and Everything in Between
Jerusalem Through the Ages: From Its Beginnings to the Crusades
Vertigo: The Rise and Fall of Weimar Germany
To the Ends of the Earth: How Ancient Explorers, Scientists, and Traders Connected the World
The Fall: Last Days of the English Republic
Italy Reborn: From Fascism to Democracy
Civilisation, An Unnatural History: How Human Nature Shaped Our Past and Imperils Our Future
Inside the Stargazer's Palace: The Transformation of Science in 16th-Century Northern Europe
Spycraft: Tricks and Tools of the Dangerous Trade from Elizabeth I to the Restoration
How the West Became Antisemitic: Jews and the Formation of Europe, 800–1500
Medieval Saints and Their Sins: A New History of the Middle Ages Through Saints and Their Stories
cover image

book cover

[title]

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[publish date]


A few that I have my eye on:

  • How the West Became Antisemitic: Jews and the Formation of Europe, 800–1500, by Ivan G. Marcus. This one looks a bit more 'scholarly' than your typical popular history book, but the topic is one that I would like to know about, on the assumption that the origin point of antisemitism was not inherent in the origin Christianity itself

  • Spycraft: Tricks and Tools of the Dangerous Trade from Elizabeth I to the Restoration, by Nadine Akkerman, Pete Langman. With the dual purpose of finding out what was done back then and also which of the more benign tricks might still be useful today 🙂 - perhaps I can teach them to / try them on my kids?

  • Sexed: A History of British Feminism, Susanna Rustin. Going from the 18th century to the present day, my assumption is that this will be well written and engaging - and with the sort of subject that you think you will probably know all about, but actually find that you don't that much.

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