Into the grey, authoritarian East Germany of the 1980s the punk movement exploded, challenging the regime and ultimately helping to end it. Tim Mohr’s Burning Down the Haus is a history of the GDR’s punk revolution told by the people at its heart and was shortlisted for the 2020 Non-fiction Crown Award. He tells Historia […]
Historia interviews, 2020 Crown Awards shortlists: Jung Chang
Jung Chang, the historian whose acclaimed family biography, Wild Swans, has been translated into 37 languages but is banned in her native China, is shortlisted for the 2020 HWA Non-fiction Crown Award for Big Sister, Little Sister, Red Sister. Her book explores the lives of the influential Soong sisters, Ei-ling, Ching-ling and May-ling; three remarkable […]
Historia interviews, 2020 Crown Awards shortlists: John Larison
John Larison is the author of Whiskey When We’re Dry, a remarkable novel which, with its compelling voice, challenges the traditional values of the Western and which is shortlisted for the HWA Gold Crown Award. This is the fourth in Historia’s series of interviews with writers shortlisted for the 2020 Crown Awards. Congratulations on being […]
Historia interviews, 2020 Crown Awards shortlists: Elizabeth Macneal
Elizabeth Macneal’s acclaimed first novel, The Doll Factory, is shortlisted for the HWA Debut Crown Award for 2020. Historia talks to her in the third in our series of interviews with historical writers shortlisted for HWA Crown awards. The HWA Debut Crown celebrates new voices in historical fiction. Have you always been interested in history? […]
Historia interviews, 2020 Crown Awards shortlists: Anita Frank
Anita Frank’s first novel, The Lost Ones, is shortlisted for the 2020 HWA Debut Crown Award. She tells Historia about her love of history, the inspiration for her book – including big houses, spiritualism and the First World War – and passes on some tips for new writers. The HWA Debut Crown celebrates new voices […]
Historia interviews, 2020 Crown Awards shortlists: Andrew Taylor
Andrew Taylor’s The King’s Evil is shortlisted for the 2020 HWA Gold Crown Award. Set in Restoration London, it’s the third in his popular James Marwood and Cat Lovett series of historical crime novels. Andrew tells Historia about his book and how he feels about being shortlisted for this award. Congratulations on being shortlisted! What […]
Raising the Jacobite standard: Glenfinnan, 1745
On 19 August, 1745, a hastily-made red and white flag lifted in the breeze at Glenfinnan, at the north end of Loch Shiel in the Western Highlands of Scotland. It signalled the beginning of the Jacobite Rising of 1745 – but the chances of the flag’s ever being unfurled were in doubt until the last […]
Historia interviews: Alexandra Walsh
Author Alexandra Walsh talks to Historia about her books, writing, research, women’s friendships, and her links with historical figures