Byzantium (Penguin Books)

A fascinating and highly original history of the city and culture that was the bulwark of the West for a thousand years. Once a byword for imperial power, gold and international trade, Byzantium combined paganism and classical Greek and Roman learning with orthodox Christianity. Taking a new approach, Herrin focuses each short chapter around a theme such as a building, luxury silks, iconoclasm, and the crusades, or an individual. There will be a huge marketing campaign.