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Peter Heather’s engaging survey of the religion reassesses its rise, from the ruins of the Roman empire to the shaping of modern Europe
A timely and erudite history traces our ambiguous attitudes towards moneymaking and laissez faire trade
A compelling study of leadership during conflict should be required reading for those who send soldiers to war
A timely memoir that shines light on the global roots of nationalism by tracing four generations of migration between Italy and England
Keiron Pim’s rigorous research puts the life of the itinerant writer in the context of war, upheaval and the end of empire
The historian digs deep into the country’s mythologies to put its president’s worldview in perspective
An epic account of a New York dynasty and its rise to political influence
Belying the gloom of traditional narratives of the early-Medieval age, many communities lived peaceful, cosmopolitan lives
An economic history of the last century recalls a period that improved and redefined the lives of billions — yet also enabled war and environmental destruction
A detailed unpicking of the illusion China’s rulers perpetuate that the country’s economic growth has been driven by reform
Ian Kershaw’s essays explore whether 20th-century leaders seized power through sheer force of personality or were mere opportunists
The Brazilian novelist blurred the boundaries between the everyday and the extraordinary in thought-provoking ways
His aversion to violence and his essential decency helped make Russia freer than at any time in its modern history
Jonathan Coe on a history of the complicated character and cultural clout of the West Midlands metropolis
How history and language have shaped the cultures of the capitals of Hungary and Austria
This history of the apocalyptic imagination, from Columbus to the French Revolution, shows how the desire for earthly annihilation was often expressed as hope for a better world
This new translation of the Russian-language novelist’s patriotic work hints at his future tests on the limits of Soviet censorship
This well-researched romp through the history of the capital’s private members’ clubs overturns many myths along the way
Daniel Pick explores the power and paranoia of psychological suggestion
Laura Mason on a pivotal moment that toppled a government — and the warning it offers for modern democracies
A forensic study delves into four figures who emerged from the second world war as West Germany’s richest businessmen
Sarah Churchwell homes in on ‘Gone With the Wind’ to unpick the romanticised history of the South, segregation and civil war
The lives of three 19th-century dissidents are explored through a thrilling mix of history, travelogue and biography
Two books, one by the ex-governor and another by professor Ho-fung Hung, offer insights into China’s savage repression of the former British colony
Victor Stater’s fascinating, entertaining history revisits one of the most preposterous conspiracy theories of all time
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