In case you missed it, the final Drafting the Past episode of 2025 came out last week. It features calls from listeners sharing their favorite reads of the year (thanks to everyone who called in!). Hear it here:

This is the second time I've made a year-end episode list this (the first was in 2023), and I love them. As you know, I ask readers to call in and tell me the best history book they read this year—no other guidelines.

The results are fantastic—a completely idiosyncratic list of books. This year's list, for example, includes publishing dates ranging from 2025 to 1934. It includes popular narrative histories and niche academic works. There's even a historical fiction novel in there. I love hearing why readers chose these books, and I love adding books I hadn't heard of before to my own reading list. I hope you'll find some inspiration, too!

Believe it or not, this week kicks off the fifth season of Drafting the Past. I have some great interviews lined up, exciting new things to (I hope!) announce later this year, and massive amounts of reading to tackle to prepare for my conversations with guests. Thanks for being a listener, whether you've just found the show or you've been around since 2022. If you'd like to help me keep it going, tell a friend, and consider becoming a supporter on Patreon.

One more thing! If you're going to be at the American Historical Association conference this weekend in Chicago, keep an eye out for me! I'll be haunting the book exhibit, and I'd love to say hi. Plus, I'll have my recorder to ask you about the best writing advice you've ever gotten for a fun episode of Drafting the Past. (You can also find me Saturday morning at the "Engaging Storytelling" panel for the Sinclair Workshop on Historical Podcasting.)