From medieval fortresses and Viking strongholds to Japanese castles and modern-day luxury bunkers, castles have long captured our imaginations. Beyond their roles in warfare and defense, castles have served as powerful symbols of wealth, status, identity, and ambition.
Join award-winning historian and bestselling author Dan Jones for a conversation with Curt DiCamillo about Jones’ latest book, Castles: A Fortified History of the World—an ambitious, exploration of fortifications across continents and centuries. Drawing on years of research and his gift for storytelling, Jones traces the history of castle-building from the walls of Troy and the desert fortresses of the early Islamic caliphates to the castles of the Americas. Whether real or imagined—King Arthur and Count Dracula to Neuschwanstein and Disneyland—Jones explores how the idea of the castle has evolved alongside the structures themselves and why these enduring symbols continue to fascinate us.
Zoom Access
Click here to join the live broadcast: https://zoom.us/j/97723648264
The live broadcast will take place on December 11, 2026, 1:00-2:15p.m. Eastern Time. The program will be recorded, and registrants will receive a link to the video recording, which will be posted to this page.
Additional Information
Signed Books: Attendees who purchase the $48 bundled ticket will be mailed a signed (book-plated) copy of Castles ($35 value), in addition to gaining access to the virtual program. Book(s) will be sent by our partners at Porter Square Books (Cambridge, Mass.) two weeks after event; via Priority Mail throughout the U.S., except in Massachusetts (Media Mail). NOTE: Delivery is NOT guaranteed by Christmas.
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. Since 2025 he has been a member of the board of trustees of Historic Royal Palaces, a non-profit organization dedicated to managing and maintaining the unoccupied palaces of England.
Curt DiCamillo is American Ancestors' Curator of Fine Art. As part of the Education and Programming team, he curates the organization's large art collection, lectures around the world, leads heritage tours across Europe and America, and hosts the celebrated American Ancestors Art & Architecture webinar series. Before coming to American Ancestors in 2016, Curt was the CEO of the National Trust for Scotland USA and, before that, the manager of the conservation department of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.