Give a History Book

The Give a History Book project was created by Give a Book’s patron Lady Antonia Fraser in 2017 as a way of spreading the joy of reading history. It was announced at the 2017  Chalke Valley History Festival.

Antonia Fraser is an esteemed historian whose works include Marie Antoinette: The Journey, and more recently The Case of the Married Woman: Caroline Norton: A 19th Century Heroine Who Wanted Justice for Women. Antonia discovered the pleasures of reading history books at a young age and turned that passion into a long-standing career giving back the pleasure of reading history books that first inspired her. This blend of a love of history and giving books thus created Give a History Book.

This year we sent out a mixed selection of fiction and non-fiction titles to many of the schools we work with, to inspire future generations with stories of individuals who made their mark on the world and changed it for the better. Whilst a non-fiction historical text focuses primarily on the facts and figures of the past, historical fiction allows the reader to explore the manners and social conditions of a period of history. These titles give young children the chance to identify with individuals from a different time and observe how they might have responded to their environment.

We are so thrilled with the quality of the history books-we love them and can’t wait to get them in circulation.

(St Eanswythe’s Primary-Breakfast Book Club)

The Give a History book bundles included the following titles. We would like to thank author Catherine Randall who helped with some of the choices:

Coming to England by Floella Benjamin,

After the War by Tom Palmer

Fantastically Great Women Who Changed the World by Kate Pankhurst

The White Phoenix by Catherine Randall

Dream Big Little Leader by Vashti Harrison

Little Leaders: Exceptional Men in Black History by Vashti Harrison

Little Leaders: Extraordinary Women around the World by Vashti Harrison

George and the Dragon by Christopher Wormell