1
of
1
When We Ruled
'A history the world needs' Bettany Hughes
Brief Description
POETIC AND FIERCE - Olivette Otele, author of AFRICAN EUROPEANS THIS SWEEPING HISTORY RESTORES WOMEN TO THE CENTRE OF AFRICAN POLITICAL POWER... BOTH ACCESSIBLE AND RIGOROUS The Observer A RICH, SUMPTUOUS AND BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN TAPESTRY - Candice Carty-Williams, author of QUEENIE A SEARING, NOURISHING JOURNEY THROUGH...
Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
TEMPORARILY OUT OF STOCK
Please add to wishlist to be notified when back in stock
Sorry, we're currently out of stock of When We Ruled. Please add to your Wishlist and we'll send you an email as soon as it's back in stock.
Latest News
Romance for Spring - Groundbreaking!
Lizzy is sharing her top picks for Spring reads in the romance and romantasy genre...
The βFourth Wingβ graphic novel covers have been revealed
The covers for βFourth Wing, The Graphic Novel: Volume Oneβ have officially been revealed, with...
What the Book Hero team is excited for
With so many pre-orders coming in the last few months of the year, we asked...
Meet Reverie Puzzles: Puzzles Made for Book Lovers
Reverie Puzzles have arrived at Book Hero and they might just be the perfect puzzles...
New ACOTAR Puzzles Are Coming to Book Hero!
Pre-order Official ACOTAR Puzzles coming soon to Book Hero! From a trip to Velaris and...
See moreDiscover the reigns of twelve African queens and warriors from across the continent, from pioneering historian and writer, Paula Akpan.
Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and
still learning, it may not be perfect - your
feedback is welcome!
Description
POETIC AND FIERCE - Olivette Otele, author of AFRICAN EUROPEANS
THIS SWEEPING HISTORY RESTORES WOMEN TO THE CENTRE OF AFRICAN POLITICAL POWER... BOTH ACCESSIBLE AND RIGOROUS The Observer
A RICH, SUMPTUOUS AND BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN TAPESTRY - Candice Carty-Williams, author of QUEENIE
A SEARING, NOURISHING JOURNEY THROUGH A HISTORY THE WORLD NEEDS - Bettany Hughes, author of THE SEVEN WONDERS OF THE ANCIENT WORLD
PLEASE READ IT! - Philippa Gregory, bestselling author of NORMAL WOMEN
Discover the reigns of twelve African queens and warriors from across the continent, from pioneering historian and writer, Paula Akpan.
There are women who ruled vast swathes of the African continent. They led, loved and fought for their kingdoms and people and their impact can still be felt today. However, beyond the lands they called home, so few of us have heard their names.
From pre-colonial Nigeria to the rich plains of Rwanda, from Ancient Egypt to apartheid South Africa, historian Akpan writes the stories of these powerful queens and takes you on a spellbinding, enrapturing and immersive journey that is nothing short of revelatory.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781398719910
Publisher: Orion Publishing Co
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 23 April 2026
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Trapeze
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 30.0mm
Width: 128.0mm
Height: 196.0mm
Weight: 287g
Pages: 416
About the Author
Paula Akpan (she/her) is a Black British historian and writer who gained a distinction in her fully funded MA in Black British History and who has credits in Vogue, Teen Vogue, The Independent, Stylist, VICE, i-D, Bustle, Time Out London and more. This is her much-anticipated debut book.
Also by Paula Akpan
View all-
When We Ruled
βPOETIC AND FIERCEβ - Olivette Otele, author of African Europeans βA RICH, SUMPTUOUS AND BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN TAPESTRYβ - Candice Carty-Williams, author of Queenie βA SEARING, NOURISHING JOURNEY THROUGH A HISTORY THE WORLD NEEDSβ - Bettany Hughes, author of The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World βPLEASE READ IT!β - Philippa Gregory, bestselling author of Normal Women Discover the reigns of...PaperbackSold Out -
When We Ruled
'A searing, nourishing journey through a history the world needs' - Bettany Hughes, bestselling author of The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World 'Please read it!' - Philippa Gregory, bestselling author of Normal Women 'Poetic and fierce' - Olivette Otele, author of African Europeans 'An exciting and rich work for anyone who is curious about African history' - Paterson Joseph,...HardbackSold Out
More from History & Military
View all-
21% offSaving Elli
One child. Two years in hiding. Three lives in mortal danger. In Nazi-occupied Amsterdam, near Anne Frank's house, another Jewish girl is hidden. Her name is Elli. Her father has been executed at Mauthausen concentration camp. Her mother is fleeing for her life. Elli is next. To save her, resistance couple Frits and Jo Hakkens must risk everything, concealing her...Paperback$2600Elsewhere:$3799Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips Monday -
The Spy and the Traitor
The Spy and the Traitor by Ben Macintyre is a spellbinding Cold War thriller that unravels the true story of Oleg Gordievsky, a KGB double agent who risked everything to aid the British in the battle against Soviet oppression. In meticulously researched detail, Macintyre paints a vivid portrait of espionage, double-crossing, and unparalleled bravery, giving readers a riveting glimpse into...Paperback$2100Elsewhere:$2600Unit price /UnavailableBackorderShips early September -
New ReleaseSuicidal Empathy
The bestselling author of The Parasitic Mind shows why empathy in politics leads to civilizational collapse. What happens when a society elevates victimhood to a virtue and decides that punishment is cruel? You get the disease Dr. Gad Saad calls suicidal empathy. And the West may be terminally infected. In his new book, Suicidal Empathy, Saad unleashes a blistering critique...Paperback$3099Elsewhere:$3799Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips Monday -
20% off
Betrayal
βTom Bower is the Inspector Morse of investigative biographers, a fluent, phlegmatic storyteller and a master of intricacies.β Sunday Times The British Crown is in crisis, with constitutional threats at home and abroad. At a landmark moment in royal history, can King Charles overcome the scandals that blight the Royal family? Can the broken bonds between the Houses of Sussex...Paperback$2800Elsewhere:$3999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips Monday -
Man's Search For Meaning
Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl is a profound, thought-provoking memoir and psychological exploration that delves into the harrowing experiences of life in Nazi concentration camps, intertwined with the authorβs groundbreaking theories on existential psychology. The book is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, offering a beacon of hope and a roadmap for finding purpose...Paperback$1800Elsewhere:$2100Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips Monday -
Buy to WinNew ReleaseDad, I Want to Hear Your Story (Deluxe Edition)
Capture His Story, Honor His Legacy The Official Hear Your Story Collection Your dad's story is more than just memories-it's a journey filled with wisdom, experiences, and defining moments that shaped his life. Dad, I Want to Hear Your Story is a guided journal that gives him the chance to share those stories in his own words, creating a legacy...Hardback$4999Elsewhere:$5500Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips Monday -
Buy to WinNew ReleaseBiological War
There is an invisible weapon among us. By the time you know you are a victim, it has turned you into a killer. A blistering new non-fiction thriller from the Baillie Gifford shortlisted author of Nuclear War (200,000 copies sold). A lab accident, a bio-attack, a global pandemic, and the collapse of human society. In this essential new book, based...Paperback$3299Elsewhere:$4000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips Monday -
20% offDiscipline
Silence is complicity, but how do we confront the cost of speaking up? Sydney, May 2021. Ashraf is an academic whose career and personal life are in freefall. Hannah is a young journalist struggling to honour the voices of her community. When a Year 12 Al-Bayinnah College student is arrested for protesting a university's ties to an Israeli weapons manufacturer,...Paperback$3200Usually:$4000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips Monday -
Shattered Lands
'A sparkling debut by an outstanding young historian' β PETER FRANKOPAN 'This book is a revelation β¦ both original and important' β MISHAL HUSAIN A history of modern South Asia told through five partitions that reshaped it. As recently as 1928, a vast swathe of Asia β India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Burma, Nepal, Bhutan, Yemen, Oman, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, and...Paperback$3699Elsewhere:$4500Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips Monday -
SignedThe Chief and the Empire
The Chief and the Empire uncovers the extraordinary true tale of Te Tai Tokerau rangatira Te Pahi - the first influential MΔori leader to cross the Tasman - whose curiosity about the PΔkehΔ world forged alliances, saved lives, and ultimately cost him his own. On a visit to Sydney in 1805, Te Pahi was feted as a celebrity, building close...Paperback$3200Elsewhere:$3999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips Monday -
Women's Prize Winner
The Finest Hotel in Kabul
The story of a hotel. The story of a nation. When the Inter-Continental Kabul opened in 1969, Afghanistan's first luxury hotel symbolised a dream of a modernising country connected to the world. More than fifty years on, the Inter-Continental is still standing. It has endured Soviet occupation, multiple coups, a grievous civil war, a US invasion and the rise, fall...Paperback$3200Elsewhere:$4000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips Monday -
Goliathβs Curse
Goliathβs Curse by Luke Kemp offers a radical retelling of human history through the lens of collapse, delving into what this means for our uncertain future. This narrative spans from the dawn of our species to the urgent existential threats of the twenty-first century and beyond. It's grounded in the latest research and a comprehensive database of more than 440...Paperback$2999Elsewhere:$4000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips Monday
Why buy from us?
Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!
Service & Delivery
Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.
Auckland Bookstore
We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.
Our Gifting Service
Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.
