Christianity’s Bloody History in Japan
Japan has had a vexed relationship with Jesus ever since European missionaries arrived on its shores. Banned until 1873, successive leaders have asked whether love of the ‘two Js’ is compatible.
History Today
‘Confinement’ by Jessica Cox review
Confinement: The Hidden History of Maternal Bodies in Nineteenth-Century Britain by Jessica Cox looks at the engine of the Victorian population boom: motherhood.
The Flies, Fleas and Rotting Flesh of Medieval Monks
Repulsive revelations of bodily infestations were viewed by some in medieval Europe as proof of sanctity. But for most, parasites were just plain disgusting.
The Beer Hall Putsch: What Hitler Learnt
In the aftermath of the Munich Beer Hall Putsch of November 1923, Hitler was in prison and the Nazi Party banned. But its failure taught him valuable lessons.
Four Historians Tell Us a Ghost Story
There are ghosts in the archives. Floating nuns, joy-riding cyclists and things that go bump in the night. Four historical ghost stories and their meanings.
The Rise and Fall of Mein Kampf
Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf was an unexpected bestseller, whose success rose and fell with its author.
On the Spot: Erik Linstrum
‘In the US, people often think of British history as quaint or niche, instead of a central force in the making of global modernity.’
‘Europe and the Roma’ by Klaus-Michael Bogdal review
Klaus-Michael Bogdal’s Europe and the Roma: A History of Fascination and Fear is a history of a people’s battle to tell their own story on their own terms.
‘Fool’ by Peter K. Andersson review
Fool: In Search of Henry VIII’s Closest Man by Peter K. Andersson is the first full length study of William Somer’s life and posthumous mythos.
On the Spot: Janina Ramirez
What will future generations judge us most harshly for? Failure to write on vellum.