Book store Blackwell’s has announced its Book of the Year for 2024.

The store has chosen Eighteen A History of Britain in 18 Young Lives by Alice Loxton as the winner

Blackwell’s say that author Alice Loxton is one of Britain’s most exciting young historians. She is an experienced writer and presenter, regularly presenting documentaries on History Hit, Channel 4 and the BBC, and has brought history to life for a very engaged audience on social media.

Eighteen delves into Britain’s past, exploring the country though eighteen notable figures at this formative age. Seamlessly blending big history with engaging stories of royalty, explorers, writers and entertainers, Alice Loxton builds a rich mosaic of Britain’s past, inviting readers on a journey of discovery.

Zool Verjee, Blackwell’s Commercial Manager, said: “We are extremely proud to present Eighteen by Alice Loxton as our Blackwells Book of the Year for 2024. In a year of exceptional and vibrant publishing, Eighteen stands out for the range of subjects covered, and for Alice Loxton’s lively and engaging writing style. We cannot wait to share this special book with more customers.”

Matthew Land, Blackwell’s Edinburgh said: “Playful but authoritative history is a genre which Alice Loxton is speedily making her own. The premise of this book – the tale of 18 people though history and what their life was like at 18 years of age (and what that reveals to us about that historical period and setting) – is a unique lens through which to present a version of British history.  The variety of the figures Loxton portrays make for an intriguing and vivacious account – this is history via vividly rendered snapshots of people whose stories demonstrate the themes and progress of our astonishing country.”

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Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.