A history of Britain in Ten Enemies’

By Terry Deary

Published October 2024 by Penguin Transworld

Paperback published 24 April 2025

'Sunday Times' paperback non-fiction charts No.1 best-seller

A HISTORY OF THE BOOK

• Terry Deary is the UK's bestselling Children's & Young Adult Non-Fiction author since records began (Nielsen, September 2024). 
• A History of Britain in Ten Enemies was included in the i paper’s Best New Books for October and was one of the Telegraph’s Ten Books to Buy on Super Thursday (the most competitive day of the year for book releases). Publication week included a Daily Express interview and major author pieces in the Daily Mail (‘Why we all need enemies’) and on the Independent (‘The man who could have shot Hitler’, 3^rd most read piece on the site). Major interviews in ‘The Big Issue’ and ‘All about History’
• Blanket broadcast appearances included BBC Breakfast, BBC Radio 4 Today, BBC World Service, BBC Radio Tees, BBC Radio Newcastle, BBC Radio Wales.
• Live appearances included Warwick Words History Festival, York Georgian Festival, Chelsea History Festival, Durham Book Festival, Chiswick Book Festival, Oundle Festival of Literature and a signing tour of half a dozen Waterstones branches, culminating in the prestigious Waterstones Piccadilly Christmas signing event (alongside the likes of David Nicholls, Gyles Brandreth, Kate Mosse, Stanley Tucci, Stephen Fry and Tim Spector).
• The book was an instant Sunday Times bestseller on release, 10 October 2024, selling 40,000 copies in hardback over the Christmas period.
• This made it the second bestselling hardback history release of 2024, after Siege by Ben Macintyre.
• Waterstones included A History of Britain in Ten Enemies in their Best Books of 2024 at the end of the year.

COMMENTS AND REVIEWS

 'Packed with anecdotes, the kind which will delight history buffs and newcomers alike ... a whirlwind of fascinating, globe-traversing history ... a lively, wacky book, fizzing with energy and character ... entertaining and accessible.'

ALICE LOXTON, ‘Daily Telegraph’

 ‘Finally a book by Terry Deary that I don’t have to sneak into my children’s bedroom at night to steal once they’ve gone to asleep. And who better to tell us about Britain’s enemies than history’s greatest ally. Terry Deary has once again delivered a book ram-packed with mind-blowing facts, hilarious characters, and little-known tales.’

DAN SCHREIBER author of ‘The Theory of Everything Else’

 'If you could take just one history book to a desert island, this would be it. It is laugh-out-loud funny, but there is also a love of history and story here that is pure JOY.’

CONN IGGULDEN

 'Playful, cheeky, and very clever, this is a book for anyone who ever wished there was a Horrible Histories for grown-ups. A glorious romp through the history of Britain's enemies?’

KATE LISTER

 'Told with characteristic wit and verve, this book makes you question everything you thought you knew about some of the most famous events in British history. Not just an eye-opener, but a mind-opener.’

TRACY BORMAN

 Ever since Britain existed as a nation, we’ve chosen only the fiercest and most fascinating enemies, and we usually put up a pretty good fight. And luckily, only recently have we started to lose to them on penalties.

STEPHEN CLARKE, author of ‘1000 Years of Annoying the French.’

 ‘Terry Deary in his inimitable style somehow manages to keep it down to just ten enemies. Hopefully none of them are unfinished business!’

AL MURRAY, author of ‘Arnhem Black Tuesday’ (and special guest drummer on Horrible Histories)

Next in line will be 'Actually I'm a murderer' a murder-mystery will be published 6 June 2025 followed by 'Actually I'm a corpse' in June 2026. These mystery thrillers for adults will be published by Constable and Robinson.

December 2025 will see the production of my new play in a north-east theatre. Based on legends of the region.

Other new titles

'Horrible Histories - Toilets' was published by Scholastic 10 October 2024 ... and has been followed by 'Horrible Histories - Bath' and 'Horrible Histories - Glasgow' in April2025.

'13 Terrifying Tales' was published by Pegasus 28 August 2024.