The Historical Writers’ Association (HWA) has great pleasure in revealing the 2026 Crown Awards shortlists, celebrating the best in historical writing, fiction and non-fiction published during 2025–2026. There are three awards categories — HWA Gold Crown, HWA Non-fiction Crown, and HWA Debut Crown — and … Continue Reading
Features
The lost treasure of the Romanovs
Before they were moved to Ekaterinburg and execution, Nicholas II and his family crammed most of their remaining treasure in three jars, which … Continue Reading
The HWA Dorothy Dunnett Short Story Competition 2026 winner and shortlist
It gives us great pleasure to announce the winning and shortlisted stories in the 2026 Historical Writers’ Association (HWA) Dorothy Dunnett … Continue Reading
The hazards of being a biographer
Writing a biography, especially of someone who isn't already the subject of a published book, can mean searching for living relatives who may … Continue Reading
The HWA Dorothy Dunnett Short Story Competition longlist for 2026
We’re excited to announce the longlist for the 2026 Historical Writers’ Association (HWA) Dorothy Dunnett Short Story Competition: 25 impressive … Continue Reading
Interviews
Historia interview: Claire Hobson
On 29 May, Oak Apple Day, it'll be 396 years from Charles II's birth in 1630 and 366 since his restoration. To mark the occasion, Historia spoke to Claire Hobson, whose biography charts those 30 turbulent years that … Continue Reading
Historia interview: Carolyn O’Brien
Carolyn O’Brien’s new novel Rose & Renzo is set in 1930s Manchester and is deeply entwined with the radical politics of the time, the backdrop to a passionate coming-of-age story. Carolyn O’Brien talks to fellow … Continue Reading
Reviews
Review: Wuthering Heights – the film – and Catherine by Essie Fox
February, 2026 has given us the full Bronte with two retellings of Wuthering Heights. Kate Griffin, the author of several Gothic novels and lover of films set in the Victorian era, is the ideal person to review both … Continue Reading
Review: Samurai at the British Museum
Lesley Downer, author of The Shortest History of Japan, visits the Samurai exhibition at the British Museum and discovers that it's "an exhibition of treasures" which show that the samurai were patrons of the arts … Continue Reading