The saviour of the sewers – The National Archives

The online bookshop is preparing for its summer sale. This year we have a good collection of history and military titles with a sprinkling of interesting biographies (not of under-20...

I virtually come from a cycling dynasty. My grandfather was a keen member of the Cyclists Touring Club and undertook some amazing cycle tours of the Alps all carefully documented...

An iPod malfunction on the drive up to Stratford which froze the playlist in an endless loop of tracks beginning with ‘A’ has resulted in me having Aces High stuck...

I am just back from visiting my mother in New Zealand. I would say I was revitalised and totally ready for the Christmas rush (hand me that tinsel) but, although I...

Just like the kids whining from the back seat ‘Are we there yet?’ (showing my age I suspect: children today are probably little mice, thumbs a-flutter, absorbed in their phones),...

Welcome to the new year. After the copious amounts of food, visits to relatives, unwanted presents and overexcited children, one can start gathering up the cards for recycling and drinking...

For historians and archivists, diaries are treasure troves. We look at diaries kept as part of the Mass Observation project…

I have always been amazed at the courage of women who served in the Second World War…

We have stocked up on a range of titles on all aspects of the life and work of Britain’s most famous playwright…

From Tudor tales to First World War diaries, we share books for the May bank holidays…

In need of some inspiration for your summer wardrobe? Check out this bundle of great fashion books…

Last summer I took a canal boat from Hilperton to Bath. Inspired by this, I've put together a list of books about watery adventures…

What is in a name? Well, your family history for starters…

I don’t usually devote the whole blog to a single book, but 'Dadland' by Keggie Carew is something special…

After my last blog on 'Dadland' I received some great recommendations for other titles, which I am going to share with you…

As it is nearly Halloween, this month’s selection of books offers an overview of crime through history…

Fresh from watching the ITV series Victoria, I am minded to explore the lives of England’s queens…

As the romantics among you will have noticed it will soon be Valentine’s Day…

BBC One’s new period drama Taboo, set in 1814, is a far cry from any Austen novel…

To think that what lies beneath us holds answers to historical mysteries is exciting, but to find a king in a car park was miraculous…

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