After reviewing the first episode of Niall Ferguson’s new series last Sunday night, and managing to get it out within 15 minutes of the end of the programme, I had a look around online to see what other reactions it had generated.  To my amazement Niall Ferguson was actually trending on Twitter.  Blimey. Overall the

Niall Ferguson – Killer Apps to explain Western Civilization’s success In 1500 the world superpower was undoubtedly China. The Chinese Empire could fit out huge ships 10 times the size of the Santa Maria which travelled half way across the globe to bring back tribute to the emperor in Nanjing.  A beautiful manuscript survives of

Galerius – One of six simultaneous emperors (thanks to Wikipedia) I always imagine History Books Review listeners to be a young vibrant crowd of hip young gun slingers with smart trendy clothes, snazzy streetwise attitudes and great reproductive potential.  So I have a feeling that not many of you will remember the spoof soap opera

The Palace of Diocletian at Split From when he became president to his resignation, we know virtually every word that Richard Nixon said.  Acres of print have been covered in writing about him.  Many of his staff and close friends are still alive and have talked about him freely.  And yet the man is an

Being British I share Gibbon’s interest in events in Britain, but in reality what was going on elsewhere was a lot  more significant.  Indeed Carausius may well have calculated that he stood a good chance of getting away with his entire province larceny scheme because the emperors would be otherwise engaged elsewhere.  And at the

  Here’s something to look out for the next time you see footage on a documentary of the concentration camps in the Second World War.  You often see people being dusted with a powder.