Robert Poole

Robert Poole is author of 'Earthrise: a Short History of the Whole Earth' (2nd edition, 2023), a critically acclaimed book about the first views of the Earth from space and their impact, particularly on the environmental movement. He has also written essays on the 1968 cult science fiction film '2001: A Space Odyssey', most recently in the 'Limiting Outer Space' collection (2018).

He also works on British history. His book 'Peterloo: the English Uprising' (OUP, 2019) a key episode in the history of British democracy, subject of a film by Mike Leigh. He is co-author of the graphic novel, 'Peterloo: Witnesses to a Massacre' (New Internationalist, 2019) and was consultant historian to the Peterloo 2019 commemoration programme in Manchester, www.peterloo1819.co.uk

In 2012 he was consultant historian to the 400th anniversary commemorations of England's biggest peacetime witch trial, the Lancashire witches in 1612. His book 'The Wonderful Discovery of Witches in the County of Lancashire' (Carnegie, 2011) includes all the original sources.

Robert has lectured and broadcast widely and has held visiting researcher posts at the Sorbonne University, the University of Paris-Nanterre, Durham University Library, Gladstone's Library, Hawarden, and the National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC.