Ask a Historian

50 Surprising Answers to Things You Always Wanted to Know

By: Greg Jenner

Narrated by: Dan Schreiber, Greg Jenner, Janina Ramirez, Shappi Khorsandi

Why is Italy called Italy? How old is curry? How fast was the medieval Chinese post system? How do we know how people sounded in the past? Who invented maths?

Responding to fifty genuine questions from the public, Greg Jenner takes you on an entertaining tour through history from the Stone Age to the Swinging Sixties, revealing the best and most surprising stories, facts and historical characters from the past. From ancient joke books, African empires and the invention of meringues, to mummies, mirrors and menstrual pads—Ask A Historian is a deliciously amusing and informative smorgasbord of historical curiosities.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2021 Greg Jenner (P)2021 Orion Publishing Group

Critic reviews

"Jenner uses all the questions you never dared to ask about history as an excellent excuse to rummage around in some funny, fascinating, and downright peculiar corners of the past. Every page contains delights, and you will be illuminated and entertained in equal measure." (Lindsey Fitzharris, author of The Butchering Art)

"If history informs our future, Greg Jenner is one of the best informants out there. He is a natural story-teller, conveying complex ideas and events with pep, verve, and wit. For anyone who regularly asks the question 'Why?', this book is for you." (Susie Dent, author of Word Perfect)

Greg Jenner is a delight!

I enjoyed his wonderful and fun he makes history. Truly thought provoking and wonderfully paced.

Very interesting historical bits

I liked many of the questions and answers and the narration really conveyed the author's enthusiasm of the subject. One remark - some of the questions were very much based in UK history so if one is unfamiliar with the historical background one might not understand what this is about. ... other than that a very entertaining and informative book

I hope he does another volume (or ten)!

I’m really happy that Greg Jenner did the reading - such a nice voice and so funny. I’m a stickler for citations so I really appreciate that. I really do hope he’ll do more and more of these even though I know it’s hard work. I will buy every single one. Thanks Greg Jenner!

Amazing book

Greg Jenner is an excellent historian and I have enjoyed every one of his books. Even when I thought I had no interest in the subject he shows it in a way I end up finding fascinating.

Funny and informative at the same time

Even though many of the questions in this book are a bit narrow or more like a joke, Greg manages to teach so much history! And I laughed a lot!

best bonus content ever!

I never laughed so much during a history book. It keeps you engaged you don't want to "put it down"

Well worth a listen

If you like history that goes down rabbit holes and you prefer British accents, you’ll love this. You can feel the scholarly backbone while laughing at the humor. Would appreciate more references to how we know what we know, but otherwise a gem. Bonus content hugely entertaining and informative.

History is always entertaining with Greg Jenner!

This is a highly amusing and very informative book. There is an added extra in the brilliantly funny bonus chapter at the end of the audio book. I love listening to Greg Jenner read his books, host his marvellous podcast, and am just an all-round fan! A brilliant way to get kids interested in hisar.

Interesting and well written

I enjoy informational books and this one held my attention through to me end. I also liked the reader's voice, which is important in an audio book.

More like “Ask a British Historian”

I’m not sure why I felt this book would have been broader in perspective to what it was - a British and largely western, largely Christian view of answers related to world history. (in some instances I felt there was a too much Bible referencing, but then I did well to consider that perhaps, I was NOT the targeted audience). While I did find certain topics enjoyable and learned more than a few things, the vast majority of them felt rather clichéd. The answer on the Windrush generation for example, felt pretty hollow when many Caribbean people would have experienced the social narratives of those generations through West Indian literature - Samuel Selvon’s Lonely Londoners and George Lamming’s The Emigrants come to mind. But in fairness to Mr Jenner, it is a historian being asked and whoever heard of literature being reliable sources of history? The bonus material at the end was pretty jarring with all the laughter and chatting and then a somewhat predictable take with lack of diversity and an episode of retelling which made me reflect “oh, so THAT’S how the British Museum did it so nonchalantly; take a little something here, a little something there”. A fair performance but not something I would listen to again.