Local History

After travelling the whole world, can exploring a single map ever be enough? Adventurer Alastair Humphreys spends a year investigating the small map around his own home. Can this unassuming landscape, marked by the glow of city lights and the hum of busy roads, satisfy his wanderlust? Could a single map provide a lifetime of exploration?

At the meeting point of two great rivers, a city took shape—first as a gathering place, then as a port, and finally as one of America’s most distinctive urban landscapes. A Brief History of Portland traces that sweeping journey with cinematic clarity, revealing how water, timber, ambition, and community shaped a city unlike any other. From the Chinookan world that flourished along the Willamette and Columbia, to the muddy frontier settlement named by a coin toss, Portland’s early chapters unfold with the drama of a place discovering its purpose.

Welcome to the George Inn near London Bridge; a cosy, wood-panelled, galleried coaching house a few minutes' walk from the Thames. Consider this: who else has made this their local over the last 600 years? Chaucer and his fellow pilgrims almost certainly drank in the George on their way to Canterbury. Shakespeare may have popped in from the nearby Globe, and we know that Dickens definitely did. Mail carriers changed their horses here, while sailors drank here before sailing.

Situated in a barren desert landscape, Las Vegas exists for one reason—water. Popular as a waystation for travelers, the Las Vegas Valley attracted the attention of railroad visionaries at the end of the 19th century. After purchasing land from a local widow, the developers laid out a town in 1905. Vegas hasn’t slowed down since.

The essential guide to local government leadership.

Bloomsbury presents Island at the Edge of the World, written and read by Mike Pitts. 'The true and fascinating story of Easter Island and its amazing statues' KEN FOLLETT Where did they come from? How did they get there? Why did they carve the island’s colossal iconic statues – and how? What...

From the author's unique collection, witness newly restored images from long lost stereoviews, cabinet cards, postcards, and lithograph engravings. Join us on a visual journey to relive some of those moments, and discover a unique heritage through those faces and places. From the Soo to Ironwood, from Copper Harbor to Mackinaw Island—you'll never see the Upper Peninsula in quite the same way!

Born and raised in Hawai‘i by a father whose ancestors are indigenous to the land and a mother from the American South, Jessica Machado wrestles with what it means to be “local.” Feeling separate from the history and tenets of Hawaiian culture that have been buried under the continental imports of malls and MTV, Jessica often sees her homeland reflected back to her from the tourist perspective—as an uncomplicated paradise. Her existence, however, feels far from that ideal. Balancing her parents’ divorce, an ailing mother, and growing anxiety, Jessica rebels.

Brought to you by Penguin. The Civil War was the most traumatic conflict in British history, pitting friends and family members against each other and tearing down the old order. Award-winning historian Jessie Childs plunges the reader into the shock of the struggle through one of its most...

New Jersey has a fascinating history. The story of New Jersey spans its time as home to a variety of Native American tribes to an area coveted by the Dutch, Swedes, and English, and finally to its modern-day status as the Garden State.

The magnificent monolith the locals call “Uluru”, situated in the heart of Australia, hovers over a patchy bed of desert poplars and spinifex grasslands. The pleasant, but otherwise unexceptional, surroundings of the spellbinding sandstone landform only further accentuates its majesty - one that can be appreciated from a variety of angles.

For more than 20 years historians have expressed the critical need for a single-volume history of Appalachia in Virginia. Responding to this demand, the author of this text has woven together the various strands of the Appalachian experience into a sweeping whole.

The Natchez Indians: A History to 1735 is the story of the Natchez Indians as revealed through accounts of Spanish, English, and French explorers, missionaries, soldiers, and colonists, and in the archaeological record. Because of their strategic location on the Mississippi River, the Natchez Indians played a crucial part in the European struggle for control of the Lower Mississippi Valley.

From Puritan prayers to biotech breakthroughs, Boston has shaped the soul of a nation. In this vivid, cinematic journey through twenty defining chapters, author and narrator Derek Monaghan brings the city’s legacy to life—one rebellion, one invention, one heartbreak at a time.

Wyoming, a state often overshadowed by its majestic neighbors, holds secrets and stories that have remained untold for too long. But why, despite its significant role in the fabric of America, has Wyoming’s intricate history been left in the shadows? Unraveling the tales of this state requires a dive into its rich past, from the footsteps of Native Americans to the booming industries of the 21st century. And now, in this comprehensive history audiobook, you will journey through the heart of Wyoming and uncover the stories that have shaped its identity.

New Orleans is not just a city—it’s a symphony of survival, celebration, and soul. From its founding in 1718 to the rhythms of modern renaissance, this cinematic narrative traces the Crescent City’s journey through empire, fire, flood, and funk. Derek Monaghan brings history to life with vivid storytelling and emotional depth, exploring the city’s French and Spanish roots, its transformation under American rule, and the cultural fusion that birthed jazz, Mardi Gras, and Creole cuisine.

From frontier outpost to industrial titan, from abolitionist stronghold to cultural beacon—Cincinnati’s story is one of resilience, reinvention, and rhythm. In this cinematic nonfiction narrative, author Derek Monaghan guides listeners through ten immersive chapters that illuminate the Queen City’s evolution across centuries.

Dallas first grabbed the national imagination in 1936 when it hosted the Texas Centennial Exposition. Since then, the fascination with Big D has seldom flagged. If the assassination of President Kennedy in 1963 cast a pall over the city, the success of the Dallas Cowboys and the popularity of the television series Dallas revived the image of a glitzy, hustling metropolis at the center of the Sunbelt.

Author Shane Simmons explores tales of bravery, lore, and bizarre customs within the East Tennessee region. The mountains of East Tennessee are chock full of unique folklore passed down through generations. Locals spin age-old yarns of legends like Davy Crockett, Daniel Boone, and Dragging Canoe...

From sacred Lenape lands to the shimmering skyline of One World Trade Center, A Brief History of New York City traces the epic evolution of America’s most iconic metropolis. In ten immersive chapters, author Derek Monaghan blends historical depth with cinematic storytelling to explore the city’s origins, upheavals, and reinventions. Walk the cobbled streets of New Amsterdam, stand amid the chaos of the Draft Riots, and witness the birth of punk, hip-hop, and Harlem’s cultural renaissance.