New History Books for Summer 2026
Our pick of new history books for Summer 2026. From the Bayeux Tapestry to Napoleon III, Elizabeth Barton to Benito Mussolini.
Archive
On Ocean Beach Beside the Cliff House Hotel in San Francisco (1902)
The Cliff House Hotel in San Francisco overlooked Ocean Beach – a place that drew crowds in hot weather. This colourised photograph shows people taking a 'sun bath'.
Teddy Boys and Teenage Dreams: The 1950s Youth Club
Emma Warren explains how the British youth club became an exciting and revolutionary place in the years after the Second World War.
The Lady of the Land: The Pioneering Life of Eve Balfour
Robert Ashton outlines the experimental researches of the English aristocrat, farmer, educator and organic farming pioneer Lady Eve Balfour
The Mysterious Origins of Antonio Vivaldi's Four Seasons
Vivaldi's 'The Four Seasons' is one of the most recognisable and beloved of all pieces of classical music. The author Hannah French investigates its origins
Iran's Stolen Revolution with Bozorgmehr Sharafedin and Yeganeh Torbati
The story of post-revolutionary Iran has been one of missed opportunities and of a government betraying its people, explain the authors of a new history of the period
The Haunting Magic of Tudor Buildings
In the nineteenth century the Victorians sought to emulate the charm and beauty of the Tudor home. Jonathan Glancey, author of Where We Live, argues that we should do the same
‘History is the best guide to the future we’ve got’ – Murray Pittock on Scottish Identity
Louis D. Hall talks to Professor Murray Pittock about the challenges he confronted while writing 'The Shortest History of Scotland'
Frederick Banting and the Discovery of Insulin
Dr Saira Hameed tells the story of Frederick Banting's transformative research on insulin – work that would save the lives of tens of millions of diabetics
Who Was The Venerable Bede and Why Does He Matter?
The Venerable Bede is one of the most significant figures in Anglo Saxon history. As Edoardo Albert explains, he was a scholar, an historian and a visionary
New History Books for June 2026
Our pick of new history books for June. From Alexander the Great to the Great Exhibition, the South Seas to Iran
Hans Welser and John Rayner: Experts of Cold War British Propaganda
Rory Cormac tells us about Hans Welser and John Rayner two British propaganda agents who operated from WW2 through the Cold War