Book Review – The Time Travel Handbook by James Wyllie, Johnny Acton and David Goldblatt

Hardback by Profile Books, £12.99 (ebook £8.99)

The trouble with history is that there’s so much of it – which is why books that cut straight to the highlights are such a smart (and popular) idea. The Time Travel Handbook transports you back to 18 major world events using the format and language of a travel guide.

You’ll find out what to eat, where to stay and what to wear for occasions ranging from the eruption of Vesuvius to the Beatles’ Hamburg gigs. It’s incredibly well-researched – if you ever wanted to know the precise ingredients of stuffed dormice or what exactly was in Xanadu, you’ll find out here.

Sometimes the detail can be overwhelming and topics fall a bit flat, but when it works, it really works. The horrific evocation of Charles I’s execution, for instance, is so vivid you can hardly wait to jump back in the time machine and be whisked to the next, past big thing.