A Child's History of England

Easy read! A real page turner

Dickens seems pretty fair in his assessment of the key figures historically with a bias only showing occasionally. A good representation of Cromwell and an off color opinion of James I are examples. His impression of Edward IV and Queen Elizabeth was right on target. Of course he is right to roundly condemn the vast majority of the kings especially Henry VIII, Charles the I and II AND the infamous James II. Dickens very scrupulously doesn't forget the abuses of the Barons during the reigns of the middle kings.
Dickens is right to emphasize the importance that religion played upon kings and kingdoms alike and does not shrink from depicting the intrigue, bloodshed and mayhem that a meddling foreign religious dignitary (the Pope) and his armies (Jesuits) inflicted on England and France and indeed much of Europe. Even parts of the Middle East were not exempted from Europes religious hegemony during the Crusades. Neither did Dickens fail to mention examples of backlash from persecuting Protestants even while showing his approbation for the obvious benefits of the immense work of Wycliffe which cannot be overstated. Above all, Dickens is careful to make mention of the noble qualities in individuals both Protestant and Catholic.
Truly this is "A Child's History of England" for by the time one has read most of this book they will have arrived at the conclusion that all of European history can be summed up in such a way that even a child could comprehend, even in a word..."war"; both foreign and domestic, waged against its own citizens and those without, with a level of barbarism that only a despot or a government could accomplish.