EIGHTEEN: A HISTORY OF BRITAIN IN 18 YOUNG LIVES
INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER
WINNER OF BLACKWELL’S BOOK OF THE YEAR 2024
SHORTLISTED FOR WATERSTONES BOOK OF THE YEAR
A WATERSTONES PAPERBACK OF THE YEAR 2025
Macmillan | Hardback 15 August 2024 | Paperback (Pan) June 2025
‘Utterly, utterly brilliant. Fizzing with energy, wit and insight’ – Tracy Borman
At eighteen, life is full of what-ifs and why-nots. You have everything to look forward to – unless you’ve got the plague…
In Eighteen, Alice tells the story of Britain through eighteen remarkable people, each at the age of eighteen. There’s Empress Matilda, already changing the fate of nations, and a young Elizabeth Tudor facing deadly intrigue at court. There’s a student caught up in the outbreak of the First World War, a woman born without arms or legs making her living in Georgian London, and a rugby-mad teenager from a Welsh mining town who would become Richard Burton.
Filled with royals, explorers, writers and entertainers, Eighteen is a witty, original history that asks what these young lives can teach us about Britain today.
PRAISE
‘Smart, funny and should definitely be on your bookshelf’ – Greg James
‘Loxton is the leading historian of her generation’ – Dan Jones
‘Bursting with ideas and images’ – Philippa Gregory
‘Brilliantly original, wonderfully perceptive and full of rich insights’ – James Holland
‘Vivid, exciting, vibrant… Alice is a thrilling guide’ – Kate Williams
‘Riveting. A totally original concept, executed with flair and irrepressible enthusiasm’ – Jack Chesher
‘Simply a joy to read’ – Leah Redmond Chang
‘Alice Loxton heads the charge of an exciting new generation of historians’ – Jessie Childs
IN THE PRESS
Eighteen was named one of The Guardian’s biggest books to look out for in 2024. Alice discussed the book on Times Radio with Jane and Fi, on Virgin Radio, and on The Spectator’s Book Club podcast. She also wrote about young people and history for The Telegraph, The Times and The Spectator.
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