This week's update features a digital atlas of the Roman empire, the First World War nurses who put on a pantomime and the intoxicating history of festive spices.
* Commercial advertising as propaganda in the First World War.
* Changing lives: gender expectations and roles during and after the First World War.
* Oh, yes they did!’ How First World War nurses put on a pantomime in the midst of the horrors of war ...
* The Hartlepool bombardment and how it unfolded on 16 December 1914.
* We need to talk about Arthur Shelby ...
* The First World War soldier who made a brooch for his sweetheart out of his thigh bone - that's one gift we hope we won't be getting under the tree this Christmas!
* Eighty moments that shaped the world.
* A metal detectorist has discovered a possible Bronze Age burial site while browsing on Google Maps.
* What colour were Dorothy’s shoes? The Wonderful Wizard of Oz as monetary allegory.
* Beautiful dark twisted fantasies: the world's most ancient trees in pictures.
* This medieval Tube map reveals a fascinating side to London.
* A digital atlas of the Roman Empire.
* Eleven classy insults with classical Greek and Latin roots.
* Archaeologists have unveiled a restored statue of Amenhotep III that was toppled in an earthquake more than 3,000 years ago at Egypt’s temple city of Luxor.
* Why is the study of kings and queens still relevant in our less than deferential age?
* Made in Birmingham: the self-deprecating nature of Brummies.
* The surprisingly recent Buckingham Palace tradition: the Christmas tree which appears beneath the famous royal balcony in the forecourt of the palace.
* Out of your noggin? Festive spices and their intoxicating history.
* Jane Austen in quotes: thirty tips for a successful life.
* Umbrellas have been around for more than 3,000 years but can they be improved?
* Supporting a career in heritage.
* Haven’t finished reading that bestseller? You’re not alone ...
* Thirsty? Go to a library, not a coffee shop.
* Fifty-one of the most beautiful sentences in literature.
* The Bookseller and The New York Times have recommended their books of the year, but which ones would you add to the list?
* Do you agree with Jeff Bezos that 'books are too expensive'?
* Will 2015 be the year of being brave in publishing?
Which history and publishing stories have you enjoyed reading this week?