Rebecca Solnit on George Orwell
Rebecca Solnit has devoted her latest book to his life and work. It’s called Orwell’s Roses, and it was inspired by a visit she paid to his rural cottage, where…
Cloth and Complicity: Seth Rockman on Plantations, Textiles, and the Art of Weaving
Some people might think this book offers a smoking gun of complicity: Aha, those sanctimonious New Englanders were just as tied to slavery as the Southerners! But complicity seems too…
HistoryExtra podcast: History’s most mysterious manuscripts
What do exploding bats and amphibious galleons have in common? They're both fascinating features of some of the world's most mysterious manuscripts, as revealed by journalist and author Garry J…
Arthur Sze Named U.S. Poet Laureate
Acting Librarian of Congress Robert Randolph Newlen today named Arthur Sze as the new U.S. poet laureate. He succeeds Ada Limón, who has held the position since 2022. The winner of…
Not Just the Tudors: When Elves & Fairies Lived Among Us
In the mist‑shrouded Highlands, a quiet minister dared to trespass into forbidden realms. Convinced that fairies were not mere fables but a hidden nation with laws and lives of their…
History Extra podcast: What your hands say about you – according to history
What do your hands reveal about you? Historian Alison Bashford joins Elinor Evans to explore the extraordinary history of how people have interpreted the human hand. From ancient divination to…
HistoryExtra podcast: Untold LGBTQ stories of the National Trust
In 1895, when the National Trust was founded, homosexual acts of ‘gross indecency’ were still illegal in Britain. And yet, as Michael Hall reveals in his new book, A Queer…
HistoryExtra podcast: Going on strike in ancient Rome
Strikes and unions may seem like modern inventions, but they’ve existed for much longer than many of us realise. Historian Sarah E Bond talks to Jon Bauckham about how people…
Cautionary Tales – Powered By Orgasm: The Rise and Fall of a Sex Cult – with Ellen Huet
Run by the charismatic Nicole Deadone, OneTaste billed itself as a sexual wellness startup celebrating the power of female orgasm. But behind the celebrity endorsements and promises of healing, lay a darker reality. When Bloomberg…
Not Just the Tudors: How Poets Spoke Truth to Power
Throughout history, the words of poets have often ignited change or unsettled those in power. In England particularly, poetry has both celebrated and criticised the country's greatest triumphs and darkest hours. Professor…