I love the TV series 'A House Through Time' so I was really happy they produced this book to learn more and it didn't disappoint in anyway , I love social history and tying it into housing one of basic needs is a fantastic and unique way to learn more about our history, It's a fascinating and you will learn even more from this.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Having really loved all four series of the TV programme 'A House Through Time' I was looking forward to reading this book and it didn't disappoint. Although written prior to the latest series the book only makes tangential references to the properties featured and instead takes a broad brush approach which works well. Social history is tied up with housing and the two authors consider a logical trajectory from Roman times to the now and link our need for shelter to developments in housing. It's a fascinating read and well worth the effort.

I really enjoy the TV series on a House Through Time and thought this book by David Olusoga and Melanie Backe-Hansen would tell me more about residents and their stories… it didn’t. This was more like a history book and research sources which didn’t hook me in and I’m afraid I could not finish it.

A House Through Time is an engaging look at how Britain's homes and cities have changed over times, often in contradictory and confusing ways.

While I would have loved to have seen more at the beginning around how people could research the history of their own homes, the detail included here, and the clear passion that the authors have for the history they're discussing made the book shine.

I'll absolutely be recommending this for friends who are moving house soon so they can get to know their new homes well!

I loved watching the BBC television series, A House Through Time, presented by David Olusoga. I adore history and finding out about old houses, and had assumed this book tied into that with perhaps a little bit about how to go about researching the history of your own house. Although the first chapter does give lots of tips on how to do this, A House Through Time is pretty much what the title suggests - a social history of housing from Roman times to the present date. There are also a few references to the houses that featured in the TV series, where relevant.

Reading this book felt a lot like sitting in a time machine, watching as houses were built, knocked down and built over again. We moved rapidly through the medieval period, got slightly bogged down with Victorian slums, before speeding up again through the 20th century. The book is packed full of quirky facts - who knew that chimneys weren't invented until the 1200s? - and the fascinating lives of the people who influenced trends (both good and bad!) in house building.

Although A House Through Time was not quite what I was expecting, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Of particular interest to me was the section on the Victorian 'villas' (I grew up in one and this book explains a lot!), the back-to-back slums that my ancestors lived in, and how the cancellation of brick tax meant builders could go mad with different patterns and ornamentations. I had often wondered why this became a trend!

Recommended for anyone who loves old houses, history, and would like to research their own house's history.



Thank you to David Olusoga, Melanie Backe-Hansen and Pan Macmillan for my copy of this book, which I requested via NetGalley and reviewed voluntarily.