Castles - by Dan Jones (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

From New York Times bestselling historian Dan Jones, a grand and sweeping history of the world, told through over three thousand years of iconic fortifications

Castles have been built to defend humanity for millennia--from the walls of Troy in the Bronze Age and the desert bastion of Krak des Chevaliers in Syria; to Windsor Castle and the Tower of London; to Himeji in Japan and Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina. They have inspired terror and passion, foiled conquering forces, and been deployed as the ultimate expression of wealth, status, and supremacy.

In Castles, Jones leads readers on a journey through the many eras of castle-building and across continents as each stronghold tells a unique story of power, politics, and survival, revealing the shifting tides of warfare, the rise and fall of empires, the resilience of people under siege, and the flourishing of new ideas.

Blending rich storytelling, deep research, and beautiful original illustrations, Castles is an epic story of why humans build fortifications and how they powerfully capture our imagination. With Jones's trademark scholarship and flair, he shows how defiance, endurance, and ambition have been carved into the landscapes we've inherited.

Review Quotes

"Castles brilliantly shows how myth, scholarship and material history intertwine.... Jones recount[s] the full span of human history as a story of fortifications, from "a scattering of bones and turf" on the perimeter of an ice age settlement to the doomsday bunker that reportedly lies beneath Mark Zuckerberg's deluxe Kauai compound." --New York Times Book Review

"Detailed and highly readable social and military history... After reading Castles, one can only wonder what shape civilization would have if, instead of castles, our ancestors had built more bridges." --BookPage

"Jones is a first-rate historian with an impressive narrative gift, an excellent eye for the telling detail, and a nimble ability to connect the dots. These skills are abundantly apparent in Castles, whose subtitle, "A Fortified History of the World," aptly describes the book's ambition." --Air Mail

"A dynamic history of castles and other fortifications... readers are regaled with historical anecdotes about individuals connected to the sites, as well as in-depth descriptions of the sites' intended purposes and subsequent uses.... [Jones] offers a lively and engaging book that will capture the imaginations of castle enthusiasts everywhere." --Library Journal

"A leisurely global history of castles and fortifications... Jones's loose-limbed confection of military history, archaeology, and cultural study come[s] equipped with both hair-raising war stories and colorful characters. The result is an entertaining tour of some of the world's most iconic structures and dramatic sagas." --Publishers Weekly

"[An] entertaining, fact-filled history of fortifications... vividly described in a breezy, absorbing writing style that's buttressed by meticulous research... A fascinating look at the human impulse to protect and defend homes, communities, and nations." --Kirkus, starred review

About the Author

Dan Jones is the New York Times bestselling author of Henry V, Powers and Thrones, Crusaders, The Templars, The Plantagenets, Wars of the Roses, and Magna Carta, as well as the Essex Dogs trilogy of novels. He is the host of the podcast This Is History: A Dynasty to Die For and has produced, written, and presented dozens of TV shows, including the popular Netflix series Secrets of Great British Castles. As of 2025, he is a member of the board of trustees of Historic Royal Palaces, an organization dedicated to managing and maintaining the unoccupied palaces of England.