“There’s no secret to making history come alive. Barbara Tuchman said it perfectly: ‘Tell stories.’ The pull, the appeal, is irresistible, because history is about two of the greatest of all mysteries — time and human nature.”

David McCullough

So that's what I do.

I'm Jacob. My stories run from the Bronze Age to the Panama Canal, but they're really all about the same thing: people, and what they did when the world changed around them.

Just seen me on stage? You're in the right place.

Watch the Talks See the Calendar
Jacob on stage in a large theatre, facing a full audience across two balconies

Three good places to start

See all the talks
Calendar · 2027

Where I'll be

If you're on board, come and say hello after a talk. I'm always happy to keep going.

Itineraries can change. Check the cruise line for the latest.

The Blog

Historian Jacob, on Substack

Some stories won't fit into a talk, however fast I speak. Those go here, along with whatever I've been reading and quietly arguing with.

Latest essay

Where the Hand of God Cannot Reach

An Englishman in Argentina reflects on the historic rivalry before the World Cup semi-final.

Read on Substack
Jacob leaning on fallen marble blocks at Ephesus, with the single standing column of the Temple of Artemis behind him
The Temple of Artemis, Ephesus. It used to be a Wonder of the World.
About

Hello, I'm Jacob.

I'm an Englishman who ended up living in Argentina. I'd love to tell you there was a grand plan. In truth, I fell for the history of South America, someone told me I'd never really understand it without Spanish, and by the time I'd learned the language I'd fallen for the country too.

I studied archaeology at Newcastle University and went looking for history with a trowel: digging in Jersey, working at the museum in Nairobi, and excavating on Zanzibar, where I also built 3D models of sites from photographs (photogrammetry, if you want to impress someone at dinner). These days I've traded the trowel for a microphone, but the questions are the same: who were these people, and what happened to them?

What I love most are primary sources: the letters, diaries, court records and complaints left by people who were actually there. I want to hear them explain what they did and why, in their own words. Most of them are lying, of course. That's half the fun.

From the audience

“From the moment he began, his captivating storytelling drew us in… His ability to weave humor, suspense, and insightful analysis into every moment kept the audience on the edge of their seats. We left feeling as if we had taken a journey through time — both informed and entertained.”

Alitza

“Jacob’s presentations were the highlight of my onboard cruise experience. They were extremely informative… I wish that Jacob had even more time for even more discussions.”

David

“Jacob is a great presenter. He’s obviously knowledgeable about his subjects and talks with great ease. He also inserts some humor into his talks, which is absolutely fantastic… I looked forward to these talks every day.”

Valerie

“I graduated with a degree in History and Political Science about 50 years ago. I have not experienced the degree of Jacob’s scholarship and engaging presentation style since that time.”

S.K. Lind
Book a Talk

Need a historian for the evening?

Run a library, museum, society or event? I give talks. Tell me about your audience and I'll tell you what I can do.

Any of the subjects on this site, pitched for whoever's in the room, from the people who've read everything to the ones who were dragged along. The second group are often my favourite. I'm happy to come to you, or to join you online from Buenos Aires.

Rates on enquiry.