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45 ratings, 3.91 average rating, 10 reviews
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published
2008
(first published 1994)
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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 83)
Read in August, 2007
I so don't like having to choose an edition I didn't read. But the insides of the book would be the same, wouldn't they?
This is a real history book. Written in literate English by someone who knew how to communicate. Interestingly (well, to me it was) it was mostly written before the second world war, but not published until after. Volume one goes way, way back to the beginning of Britain. Churchill writes about the Romans, King Arthur, the War of the Roses, Magna Charta, the Norman Con...more
This is a real history book. Written in literate English by someone who knew how to communicate. Interestingly (well, to me it was) it was mostly written before the second world war, but not published until after. Volume one goes way, way back to the beginning of Britain. Churchill writes about the Romans, King Arthur, the War of the Roses, Magna Charta, the Norman Con...more
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This book was written by Churchill in 1957. I have always been fascinated by the Plantagenet kings. The first Plantagenet was Henry II-1154-89. He married Eleanor Aquitaine and inherited lots of French provinces. He was the one that "did in" Thomas Beckett. A quote from the book: "To contempories he was best known as Henry Fitz-Simmons; but he carried into English history the emblem of his house, the broom, the Planta Genesta, which later generations were to make the name of ...more
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I love how Churchill uses language. The way he can use multiple meanings of words is uncanny. He was a master. I've never read a book that sent me to my dictionary more than this one and have never been more rewarded by my word searches. I don't have any examples in my memory and I'm not about to go through the books right now just to satisfy the curiosity of some drugged out guitar player.
Really good book and incredibly 'readable' for non-history folks. It was a little tricky navigating some of the British punctuation (omission of commas for clarity, specifically).
The book begins with Briton still under the Pax Romana and ends with Elizabeth I. Fascinating information and thorough, but not too mired down in details.
The book begins with Briton still under the Pax Romana and ends with Elizabeth I. Fascinating information and thorough, but not too mired down in details.
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It rather rushes through the Celtic and Roman era of Britain, not really getting stuck in until we get to Henry II as the 'first true king' of Britain.
It kinda sucks the Celts didn't write their history down.
It kinda sucks the Celts didn't write their history down.
Who knew that Winston Churchill was an historian on top of being Prime Minister?
This book is very detailed and scholarly and good. More than I wanted to know about Enland, but I'm glad I read it.
This book is very detailed and scholarly and good. More than I wanted to know about Enland, but I'm glad I read it.
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Read in June, 2007
recommends it for:
Fiction readers interested in Britain
Bad historian, great story-teller. With pre-medieval Britain the latter is more important anyway.
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Read in January, 1970
I loved this book because i tis beautiful written and compellingly told.
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This is the best history book I have ever read.
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books-i-own (on 1 person's shelf)
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