Many people are sceptical of Mokyr's idealist take on the Industrial Revolution, but even if you are suspicious, The Enlightened Economy is still a tremendous book. I think this review in JEL gives the correct flavour. It says the comprehensiveness is a curse, but from that you

Crafted around 1860, this gold “book” unfolds into a bracelet. Each floral-adorned panel set with emeralds, diamonds, and rubies, spelling out 'souvenir' (French for 'memory').

The only problem with Joel Mokyr winning the Nobel Prize in economics is that people will realize where I get all my ideas from. In my book Peak Human, I cite him 35 times – and open the entire book with a quote from him.

Medieval baby walker.

In a remarkable archaeological find, researchers in Türkiye 🇹🇷 have uncovered an ancient iron mask believed to have been worn by a Roman cavalryman approximately 1800 years ago. These rare facial coverings were used during parades, training exercises, and sometimes even in

The title page of Vitruvius' 'Ten books on architecture' printed in 1567, one of the books shown to Lynda Mulvin's MA in Art & Architecture students from UCD for their class on The Grand Tour #TitlePageTuesday

Even more worrying than the decline in literacy is the total lack of interest in learning. People are so eager to never have to think, read or study again. The human brain is a remarkable thing and they are weary of it. Ignorance can be cured, but incuriosity is death.

“There is no surer foundation for a beautiful friendship than a mutual taste in literature.” P.G. Wodehouse, born 15th October 1881

One of only two English medieval crowns still in existence is the tiny coronet of Margaret of York, Duchess of Burgundy. She was the daughter of the Duke of York, Richard Plantagenet and sister of Kings Edward IV and Richard III. It measures just

I’d somehow missed The Great Philosophers when it was first broadcast by BBC in 1987, but it’s available now both on iPlayer & YouTube. youtube.com/playlist?list=…

Hurrah for the end of everything being various shades of grey.

A fabulous 5 star review of Women Who Ruled the World: 5000 Years of Female Monarchy from a Maria Theresia in Vienna: ‘First rate. I could have used this book in 1740 when the War of the Austrian Succession was started purely due to my sex. It’s a heavy book, filled with

"Lire n’est pas se retirer du monde. C’est entrer dans le monde par d’autres portes." Bernard Pivot

Thrilled about this

La versión en español de mi libro 'The Cultural Power of Medieval Monarchy' de Routledge History, Heritage Studies & Archaeology ya tiene cubierta. Y es preciosa. En Rialp 📚 han hecho un gran trabajo

The world’s largest library of lies has good news about fake news bigthink.com/high-culture/t…

The Golden Rule of understanding history

Then, on January 6th is a new six-week course on Early Medieval Brittany A.D. 800-1100 medievalstudies.thinkific.com/courses/early-… #HistoryMatters

My piece celebrating yesterday's Nobel prize fusionaier.org/2025/a-richly-…

How do I love and hate? I don’t know. I do know why, though…