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My history hero: James Baldwin

MY HISTORY HERO Singer, actor and author Michelle Gayle chooses James Baldwin 1924–87 IN PROFILE James Baldwin was a gay black American writer known for his novels, essays, plays and poems; he was also active in America’s civil rights movement. His two best-known works are his novel Go Tell it on the Mountain (1953), voted […]

In the next issue…

In the next issue… May issue on sale 13 April 2023 Crowning achievement Alice Hunt and Tracy Borman look back on the history of royal coronations as Britain prepares to crown Charles III Tudor London’s global vision Jerry Brotton describes how the city welcomed people from across the world Political conspiracies Phil Tinline reveals how […]

Prague in five places

HISTORIC CITIES Prague in five places The Czech capital’s streets are packed with history. Eleanor Janega selects five key sites that shed light on Prague’s storied past 1 Vyšehrad A castle of grave importance Legend has it that Prague was founded by a princess, Libuše, who met a ploughman named Přemysl; together they spawned the […]

Explore: Shepton Mallet Prison

EXPLORE… SHEPTON MALLET PRISON, SOMERSET Past misdemeanours In a bustling Somerset market town, the former jail provides a reminder of the harshness of historical penal treatment. Victoria Finlay explores four centuries of crime and sometimes lethal punishment Shepton Mallet Prison is an imposing building. Tall grey-stone walls ring its perimeter, dominating the centre of this […]

Art of darkness

PODCASTS Art of darkness Our podcast editor Ellie Cawthorne discusses a recent episode exploring the creation of rock art dating back tens of thousands of years – and what it meant to those who made it Every issue we highlight a recent edition of our podcast. You can find it along with more than 1,500 […]

History cookbook

TASTE Casatiello For centuries, the people of Campania, southern Italy have celebrated Easter with a slice of Casatiello – a bread enriched with meat and cheese. Its distinctive ring shape symbolises the crown of thorns worn by Jesus, and the eggs baked into it are secured by crosses. INGREDIENTS For the dough mixture: 600g plain […]

History on the airwaves

HISTORY ON THE AIRWAVES “Burke and Hare realised that Edinburgh’s surgeons would pay hard cash for bodies” Professor Lisa Rosner (pictured), historical consultant on a new radio series about the crimes of William Burke and William Hare, talks to us about their 19th-century murder spree Burke and Hare murdered at least 16 people in 1828. […]

Diary

Diary VISIT / WATCH / LISTEN By Jonathan Wright and Rhiannon Davies VISIT Radical vision The Rossetti generation – spearheaded by Dante Gabriel, his sister, Christina, and his wife, Elizabeth (neé Siddal) – defied the staid expectations of Victorian society, creating an explosion of paintings and poetry that celebrated romance and radicalism. Their Pre-Raphaelite years […]