Toby Green is the 2020 winner of the Historical Writers’ Association Non-Fiction Crown Award for his ground-breaking book, A Fistful of Shells. Many years of detailed research culminated in this fascinating perspective on West Africa and its unique history, as he tells Richard Genet for Historia. I catch up with Toby over Zoom after the […]
HWA Crowns winners interviews: Andrew Taylor
Andrew Taylor is a historical crime novelist and won this year’s HWA Gold Crown Award for his book The King’s Evil. The novel is set in the late 17th century and is the third in his James Marwood series. Andrew talks to Historia about his book, the inspiration behind his main character and his favourite […]
Historia giveaway! The 2020 HWA Gold Crown Award shortlist
Historia’s final HWA Crowns giveaway is for all six books on the 2020 Gold Crown shortlist. It’s your chance to win six of the most outstanding historical novels published last year. And you’ve got up to four chances of winning. The Historia HWA Gold Crown 2020 giveaway is open from 2pm on 22 January, 2021, […]
Historia interviews, 2020 Crown Awards shortlists: Tim Mohr
Into the grey, authoritarian East Germany of the 1980s the punk movement exploded, challenging the regime and ultimately helping to end it. Tim Mohr’s Burning Down the Haus is a history of the GDR’s punk revolution told by the people at its heart and was shortlisted for the 2020 Non-fiction Crown Award. He tells Historia […]
The best historical books of 2020
This year reading became more important than ever to many of us. Fortunately, despite the restrictions, many superb books hit the shelves and screens. Historia has asked HWA authors to recommend their best historical books of 2020 (and a few old favourites). If you’re looking for Christmas reading for yourself, or ideas for presents, we […]
The HWA Crown Awards in an unusual year
This year’s HWA Crown Awards coverage in Historia has an exciting boost: guest contributions by four students from Bath Spa University who are studying publishing and journalism. They add fresh voices to Historia’s content and we hope that working with us will be useful to all four of them in their future careers. Our first […]
Historia interviews, 2020 Crown Awards shortlists: Jung Chang
Jung Chang, the historian whose acclaimed family biography, Wild Swans, has been translated into 37 languages but is banned in her native China, is shortlisted for the 2020 HWA Non-fiction Crown Award for Big Sister, Little Sister, Red Sister. Her book explores the lives of the influential Soong sisters, Ei-ling, Ching-ling and May-ling; three remarkable […]
The winners! The HWA Crown Awards 2020
At last, the winners of the HWA Crown Awards for 2020 are announced! After months of reading and making tough decisions, the judges have chosen the winners of the HWA Gold, Non-fiction and Debut Crown Awards out of a very strong submissions list. HWA Chair Imogen Robertson says: “We’re so sorry we aren’t able to […]