The Story of Britain
From the Romans to the Present
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5.0 • 2 Ratings
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- £2.99
Publisher Description
'A triumph' INDEPENDENT
'A thought-provoking and indispensable book' DAILY MAIL
'An instant classic ... I have been reading it with unalloyed admiration and delight' EVENING STANDARD
Roy Strong has written an exemplary introduction to the history of Britain, as first designated by the Romans. It is a brilliant and balanced account of successive ages bound together by a compelling narrative which answers the questions: 'Where do we come from?' and 'Where are we going?'
Beginning with the earliest recorded Celtic times, and ending with the present day of Brexit Britain, it is a remarkable achievement. With his passion, enthusiasm and wide-ranging knowledge, he is the ideal narrator. His book should be read by anyone, anywhere, who cares about Britain's national past, national identity and national prospects.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Ambitiously conceived and executed, this saga traces an island nation's slow rise to greatness--and subsequent decline. From the arrival of the Celts around 700 B.C. through Margaret Thatcher and beyond, the richly detailed narrative chronicles, in 72 brief chapters, the great events and people that shaped the character and destiny of Britain. Sir Roy, a former director of London's Victoria and Albert Museum, is a competent and lively guide; his brisk pace comfortably accommodates the general reader. More than 300 color illustrations enhance the text, though the absence of maps is puzzling. The story describes how a succession of mighty legacies--Roman, Anglo-Saxon, Viking, Norman--together forged a distinct British people with their own national mythology. The empire rose to its apogee during the Victorian era, with one-fifth of the globe under its sway. The history of Britain in our own century is one of "universally accepted Christian ethical values" yielding to consensus politics and postindustrial consumer culture.
