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New history books in Jan 2026 (and Dec 2025)

by Anthony Webb, 8 February 2026

I have combined January and Decemeber to give myself a break over xmas. However it turns out that there was not much out in December anyway and a much greater number in January so it worked out well. A few that caught my eye are:

  • Exit Stalin: The Soviet Union As a Civilization, 1953-1991, by Mark B. Smith. Charting the attempt to fulfill the promise of socialism, this looks like a balanced and insightful account.

  • First Kings: Forged by Vikings in England and Norway, by R. A. J. Waddingham. The second history book written by my now retired ex-boss: I watch his progress with considerable interest. Is it any good? I hope so!

  • Surviving Rome: The Economic Lives of the Ninety Percent, by Kim Bowes. I'm always curious about the Roman have-nots, and the have-not-muches - what was life really like?

  • Becoming Arab: The Formation of Arab Identity in the Medieval Middle East, by Yossef Rapoport. This book addresses a question I have never really been able to get a handle on - what does it mean to be Arab and when did people switch over from what it was they indentified as previously?

Click the book covers to see a zoomed in image and links to Amazon if you like to buy your books there.

The Six Loves of James I
Money and the Making of the American Revolution
The Desire for Syria in Medieval England
The Indian Caliphate: Exiled Ottomans and the Billionaire Prince
Exit Stalin: The Soviet Union As a Civilization, 1953-1991
A Shellshocked Nation: Britain Between the Wars
The Oak and the Larch: A Forest History of Russia and Its Empires
The Black Cross: A History of the Baltic Crusades
Worlds of Islam: A Global History
First Kings: Forged by Vikings in England and Norway
Surviving Rome: The Economic Lives of the Ninety Percent
The Killing Age: How Violence Made the Modern World
The Man Who Stopped the Sultan: Gabriele Tadino and the Defence of Europe
Prague: The Heart of Europe
Becoming Arab: The Formation of Arab Identity in the Medieval Middle East
Berenice: Queen in Roman Judea
Borneo: The History of an Enigma
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The full list:

  • ๐Ÿ“• The Six Loves of James I
  • ๐Ÿ“˜ Money and the Making of the American Revolution
  • ๐Ÿ“” The Desire for Syria in Medieval England
  • ๐Ÿ“— The Indian Caliphate: Exiled Ottomans and the Billionaire Prince
  • ๐Ÿ“• Exit Stalin: The Soviet Union As a Civilization, 1953-1991
  • ๐Ÿ“˜ A Shellshocked Nation: Britain Between the Wars
  • ๐Ÿ“” The Oak and the Larch: A Forest History of Russia and Its Empires
  • ๐Ÿ“— The Black Cross: A History of the Baltic Crusades
  • ๐Ÿ“™ Worlds of Islam: A Global History
  • ๐Ÿ““ First Kings: Forged by Vikings in England and Norway
  • ๐Ÿ“’ Surviving Rome: The Economic Lives of the Ninety Percent
  • ๐Ÿ“™ The Killing Age: How Violence Made the Modern World
  • ๐Ÿ“˜ The Man Who Stopped the Sultan: Gabriele Tadino and the Defence of Europe
  • ๐Ÿ“” Prague: The Heart of Europe
  • ๐Ÿ“— Becoming Arab: The Formation of Arab Identity in the Medieval Middle East
  • ๐Ÿ“• Berenice: Queen in Roman Judea
  • ๐Ÿ“˜ Borneo: The History of an Enigma

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