Announcing the 2026 shortlist:
six great histories, brilliantly told.
We are delighted to present the Wolfson History Prize 2026 shortlist. Spanning nearly 3,000 years of human history, each of these six exceptional books sheds light on how societies are brought together – or driven apart – in the wake of profound change.
- In turbulent times – when the past itself is often bitterly contested – careful, thoughtful history is ever more important.
Paul Ramsbottom, Chief Executive, Wolfson Foundation
Meet the judges
- These remarkable six books remind us of the power of history writing, not just to uncover the past but to bring new perspectives and nuance to our understanding of the present.
David Cannadine, Chair of judges
Keep up to date with the prize
"Wisnom`s book offers a thrilling panorama of ancient Mesopotamian society"
Discover why ‘The Library of Ancient Wisdom: Mesopotamia and the Making of History’ by Selena Wisnom stood out to the #WolfsonHistoryPrize panel. @allenlanepr 📜
This week, our #ShortlistSpotlight turns to Selena Wisnom and ‘The Library of Ancient Wisdom: Mesopotamia and the Making of History’, shortlisted for the 2026 #WolfsonHistoryPrize.
For Selena, research goes beyond the pursuit of knowledge, extending into the re-creation of worlds now unfamiliar to us. Her panoramic view brings ancient Mesopotamian systems and culture vividly back to life.
Congratulations to Selena Wisnom and @allenlanepr 🎊
From electricity’s transformation of modern life to a thought-provoking collection of essays exploring the alternative worlds imagined by anti-colonial thinkers, these are the history books that have inspired Sam Wetherell.
Browse his selection on our @bookshop_org_uk page (linked in bio) 📚
📕 ‘Nature’s Metropolis’ by William Cronon
📕 ‘Black Reconstruction in America’ by W. E. B. Du Bois
📕 ‘Fin-de-Siecle Vienna’ by Carl E. Schorske
📕 ‘Disenchanted Night’ by Wolfgang Schivelbusch
📕 ‘Golden Gulag’ by Ruth Wilson Gilmore
📕 ‘Worldmaking after Empire’ by Adom Getachew
📕 ‘The Mushroom at the End of the World’ by Anna Lowenhaupt Tsing
📕 ‘Empire of Guns’ by Priya Satia
📕 ‘Impossible Engineering’ by Chandra Mukerji
“The richness of history lies in the many ways it can be explored.” We spoke with this year’s Wolfson History Prize shortlisted authors about the journeys that brought their subjects to life.
Get to know Sam Wetherell and the shortlisted book that has put him in the running for this year’s #WolfsonHistoryPrize in our Q&A (linked in bio). @headofzeus ⬇️
“One of the tasks of the historian is to comb through the historical darkness in search of the connecting threads between then and now.”
Listen to an extract of ‘Liverpool: A Story of Britain’ by Sam Wetherell and discover why it is a #WolfsonHistoryPrize shortlisted book. Full extract is linked in bio. @headofzeus 🎧
“Humane, distressing, and yet curiously optimistic”
In the words of the #WolfsonHistoryPrize judges: what makes ‘Liverpool: A Story of Britain’ by Sam Wetherell an outstanding work of history. @headofzeus 🏢
Our #ShortlistSpotlight series continues with ‘Liverpool: A Story of Britain’ by Sam Wetherell, another remarkable work shortlisted for the 2026 #WolfsonHistoryPrize.
For Sam, his research not only analyses Liverpool’s past but also projects what the future may hold for the UK at large.
Congratulations to @sampwetherell and @headofzeus 🎊
Which history books have shaped Lyndal Roper’s thinking? From astronomy and witchcraft to 16th-century millers, explore the works that have inspired her.
📕 ‘The Burning Earth’ by Sunil Amrith
📕 ‘The Astronomer and the Witch’ by Ulinka Rublack
📕 ‘Guru to the World’ by Ruth Harris
📕 ‘The Return of Martin Guerre’ by Natalie Zemon Davis
📕 ‘The Cheese and the Worms’ by Carlo Ginzburg
📕 ‘Burn This Letter’ by Susan Pedersen
📕 ‘Red, Red Robin’ by Alison Light
Browse her selection on our @bookshop_org_uk page (linked in bio) 📚
