Amanda Cockrell looks at the history of accusations of communism as a political attack, particularly as they affected screenwriters in the US during the ‘Red Scare’ of the 1940s and 50s, and finds echoes today. Repression fears art, she concludes, and as writers it is our job to see that it does. Seventy-five years ago, […]
Hereward the Wake, man and myth
Who was Hereward the Wake? The author and historian Charles Moseley, whose book about the Fenland rebel has just been published, says the records are sparse. For Historia he writes about his quest for Hereward, appropriately for October – with the anniversary of the Battle of Hastings and St Etheldreda’s saint’s day just past. I […]
The 2026 HWA Crown Awards shortlists
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 six shortlisted books in each category. The books shortlisted for […]
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 they gave to trusted friends to guard. Two of these jars have disappeared from the record, their hiding places undiscovered. The Romanovs’ lost treasure inspired Mark Grenside’s latest thriller, he explains. In […]
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 Short Story Competition. The winning story in the 2026 HWA Dorothy Dunnett Short Story Competition The winner of the 2026 HWA Dorothy Dunnett Short Story Competition: Just A Couple Of Sparrows by Valerie HoareOur […]
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 have documents or stories that shed light on their life, as Jane Dismore explains. Then, once you find them, you have to persuade them to let you have those stories — or […]
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 pieces of historical short fiction which go through to the next round of judging. Congratulations to all the longlisted authors! The HWA Dorothy Dunnett Short Story Competition 2026 longlist: Miscellaneous Papers by Aeman Abbasi Shepherd’s […]
Thomas Cromwell, Oliver Cromwell, and the many links between them
What links Thomas and Oliver Cromwell, apart from the name? They were related, and for at least three centuries people have got the two confused. Both led dramatic changes to church and state. And, as Miranda Malins explains, there are other “uncanny historical parallels” between the two powerful statesmen. One of the Edwardian music hall […]