An outstanding history of the trade routes that linked a civilisation’s wealth and wisdom to the world beyond
Diarmaid Ferriter’s history of modern Ireland chronicles the dramatic social, political and economic shifts that have taken place within a generation
Uwe Neumahr’s story of the journalists at the war crimes trial tackles thorny questions about bias and collective German guilt
The rivalry between Buffon and Linnaeus has lessons about disrupters and exploitation
Shifting the focus away from the Führer et al, Richard J Evans profiles lower-ranking Nazis who enabled the Holocaust
David Chaffetz makes a convincing case for why no other animal has had such a profound impact on human history
Book historian Sara J Charles takes a fascinating look at manuscript making in the Middle Ages
Donald Rayfield chronicles how the enclave annexed by Putin in 2014 has suffered centuries of invasion and ethnic cleansing
Two authoritative histories shed modern light on two centuries of medieval crusades
Chinese-British novelist Xiaolu Guo chooses East Sussex to explore themes of migration and memory
Medical historian Beth Linker provides a timely account of 20th-century America’s obsession with good posture
Catherine Fletcher’s history of the road-building prowess of the Romans
Two impressive new histories about the Balkan neighbours show how the traumas of the past have left deep traces in the present
A family history that exposes China’s authoritarian regime and an era of repression
Harald Jähner’s vivid history depicts Germany’s dizzying era of change — and its catastrophic finale
Tony Barber selects his best mid-year reads
Two books shed new light on the dynasties that laid the foundations of the modern European nation
Tiya Miles revisits the pivotal achievements of a woman who helped dozens escape slavery via the Underground Railroad
Carola Binder’s monetary history uncovers the deep entanglement of price rises and politics
Three books to help understand the challenges faced by new president Lai Ching-te and the dangers facing Taipei today
Clare Mulley’s biography of the heroic Elżbieta Zawacka and Poland’s turbulent history offers unique insights
Jon Savage’s dizzyingly detailed account of the shift in attitudes from the 1950s is a timely reminder of the value of today’s freedoms
Sergey Radchenko’s cold war history links Putin to Kremlin predecessors leading a Russia driven by empire, not ideology
A dramatic account of the 1961 Ashes is a compelling story of leadership, empire and class
Barbara Emerson examines how the two countries kept hostilities at bay and warns of the high-handedness of foreign imperialism
