Interview

‘I’d like to have met Baranamtara, the Queen of Lagash in the early 24th century BC.’

‘It is not the rich and seemingly powerful that make history, but the majority of humans.’

‘Looking at my native country from outside opened completely new ways of thinking.’

‘Being a careful analyst of history can help anticipate trends in the present and future.’

We ask 20 questions of leading historians on why their research matters, one book everyone should read and their views on historical drama …

‘We cannot ignore the long legacies of history.’

‘I change my mind – at least a little – after everything I read.’

‘History has taught me to be sceptical of facile explanations based on prejudice.’

‘As an immigrant, I wanted to understand the roots of my adopted country.’

‘No genre reveals as much about the human condition as military history.’