An Unofficial 'The Rest Is History' Reading List

By Episodes

654. The Ku Klux Klan: The Rise of Evil (Part 1)

March 23, 2026

How did the three iterations of the Ku Klux Klan come into being in 1866, 1915, and the late 1940s? What was the impact of the American Civil War and the Abolition of slavery in 1863 on the rise...
1 book
653. London’s Golden Age: The Shadow of the Madhouse (Part 4)

March 19, 2026

Who did Samuel Johnson fall in love with towards the end of his life, and why did it break his heart? How did it enrage his old friend James Boswell? And, why did he fear imprisonment in an...
2 books
652. London’s Golden Age: The Ghosts of Culloden (Part 3)

March 16, 2026

What adventures occurred during Samuel Johnson and James Boswell’s journey into the heart of Scotland? How was their trip a gateway to the history of Scotland’s union with England in 1707? And,...
2 books
651. London’s Golden Age: Sex and Scandal in Georgian Britain (Part 2)

March 12, 2026

Why was London such a cauldron of sexual scandal and political tumult in the 18th century? What licentious escapades did the infamous Scottish nobleman, James Boswell, get up to there? And, how...
2 books
650. London’s Golden Age: The Mad Life of Dr Johnson (Part 1)

March 09, 2026

Who was Samuel Johnson, the dominant literary celebrity of 18th century London and the man who wrote the Dictionary? Why did his friendship with James Boswell, a sex and celebrity obsessed, but...
4 books
649. The Fall of the Incas: The Last Emperor (Part 6)

March 05, 2026

With the Incan emperor on the run, and the Spanish divided, what atrocities would unfold in the final phase of this brutal conquest? Who would triumph, Francisco Pizarro or his brutal former...
5 books
648. The Fall of the Incas: Battle for the Sacred City (Part 5)

March 02, 2026

Three years into the conquest of the Incas, how did the Spaniards respond to the Incan uprising, lead by their puppet emperor Manco? How did the despicable behaviour of Pizarro and his men spark...
1 book
647. The Fall of the Incas: The King in the North (Part 4)

February 26, 2026

How did the Spanish conquistadors under Francisco Pizarro take advantage of the Incan civil War? Were they able to discover the glorious city of Cusco, with all of its riches? And, what terrible...
2 books
Greatest Paintings: The French Revolution - Millet's Angelus

February 25, 2026

Why was Jean-François Millet’s The Angelus considered highly controversial and politically divisive in pre-industrial 19th-century France? What do we know about his personal background, his...
0 books
646. The Fall of the Incas: Death to the Emperor (Part 3)

February 23, 2026

What happened to the emperor of the Incas after he was taken prisoner by the Spanish conquistadors? Did the formidable buccaneer, Francisco Pizarro, and his men succeed in discovering the treasure...
3 books
The Book Club: Wuthering Heights

February 20, 2026

Why does Emily Brontë's novel, Wuthering Heights, have such an enduring romantic association? Is Heathcliff a romantic lead, or an abusive antihero? Are the characters aspirational in any way, or...
12 books
The Fall of the Incas: Massacre in the Andes (Part 2)

February 19, 2026

What happened when the Spanish conquistadors lead by Francisco Pizarro came face to face with the ruthless emperor of the Incan Empire, Atahualpa? How did the Incas treat their strange, pale,...
2 books
645. The Fall of the Incas: Massacre in the Andes (Part 2)

February 19, 2026

What happened when the Spanish conquistadors lead by Francisco Pizarro came face to face with the ruthless emperor of the Incan Empire, Atahualpa? How did the Incas treat their strange, pale,...
0 books
Greatest Paintings: Age of Enlightenment - Raeburn's Skating Minister

February 18, 2026

How does Henry Raeburn’s Skating Minister represent both the Scottish Enlightenment and the Romantic movement? In what ways does subject Reverend Robert Walker’s personal history connect to the...
0 books
644. The Fall of the Incas: Empire of Gold (Part 1)

February 16, 2026

Why was the Spanish conquest of the Incas one of the most pivotal moments in world history? Who was Francisco Pizarro, the buccaneer behind this bloody event? And, what was the glittering Incan...
1 book
643. Rome’s Greatest Enemy: Carthage Destroyed (Part 4)

February 12, 2026

Three decades after the defeat of Hannibal, how had the Roman Empire managed to conquer vast swathes of the known world? Why did the predatory eyes of this terrifying behemoth turn once more to...
2 books
Greatest Paintings: The Ghost of Spain – Velázquez’s Las Meninas

February 11, 2026

Why does Diego Velázquez’ Las Meninas represent the fading Spanish Golden Age? How did he challenge the boundaries between viewer and artwork? And, in what ways does his defining style foreshadow...
1 book
642. Rome’s Greatest Enemy: Bloodbath in Africa (Part 3)

February 09, 2026

Would the Roman general Publius Cornelius Scipio successfully march on Africa? What happened when Hannibal and Scipio - the greatest commanders of their age - came head to head at the Battle of...
1 book
641. Rome’s Greatest Enemy: Hannibal’s Nemesis (Part 2)

February 05, 2026

What happened at the Battle of Ibera, a totemic though overlooked battle of the Punic Wars? With the forces of Carthage closing in on a depleted Rome, would a young Roman, Publius Cornelius Scipio...
0 books
The Arnolfini Portrait, with Laura Cumming

February 04, 2026

Why is Jan Van Eyck’s Arnolfini Portrait perceived as one of the greatest mysteries of the arts? What elements and symbolisms provoke debates about its identity and meaning? And, what do we know...
0 books