My top books of 2025
For the last two years I have been consistent in recommending 10 books each year, but this year I am a touch short, and for several reasons. Firstly, this year I tried to read my way through more of Diana Gabaldon but found it increasingly hard. The length of the books grew and grew, and…
My top 10 non-medieval historical fiction books
I am a medievalist at heart, but that doesn’t hold me back from enjoying plenty of historical fiction books from other time periods (though I have to admit to being slightly horrified as to what counts as ‘historical’ fiction on some lists – late 20th century, surely not? Yes I know I sound old.) In…
My top 10 books of 2024
This year started strong with the reading, but as it crept on and work got in the way, I found it increasingly more challenging to make the time to read. And yes, of course, if it is important enough you make time, but this year was a lot.
My thoughts on – Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol”
I have endless, unrepentant, unflinching affection for Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol”. Anyone who read last year’s post on Christmas movies will have a feel for this, but I wanted to dive a bit deeper.
Book review – Cynthia Voigt’s Kingdom series
My love of writing and my love of medieval history can both be traced back to one particular book, which I received for Christmas when I was 11 or 12 years old. It was a time in my life when I received many books as gifts – no complaints mind you – and I had…
My top 10 books of 2023
In no particular order, here are some of the books I have read and enjoyed this past year. There are many more I haven’t included, such as a few cheesy romance books I binge-read in early spring. 1. The Bookseller of Inverness, S.G. MacLean.I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this foray into…
Book review – Pathogenesis; How Germs Made History.
Pathogenesis, by Jonathan Kennedy (London, 2023). I have often found it curious that in the years since completing my PhD, my historical interests have veered away from the topic I studied for so long and towards completely different areas – though actually this may be more standard than not. One of the interests I developed…
My thoughts on – the great Sharon Kay Penman
While there are plenty of writers out there who have tackled the Middle Ages and indeed my favourite period of the Angevin kings of England, not one has done it as well as Sharon Kay Penman. I was first given one of her books when I was 16, and while it was seriously weighty -…
My thoughts on: medieval historical fiction
A list of favourite medieval historical fiction.
The Wandering Medievalist 