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1066 & All That
Since its publication in October of 1930, this classic spoof on textbook history has sold four million copies worldwide and has itself become a part of humor history. This anniversary edition is a celebration of this uproarious satire's lingering appeal and is enhanced by brilliant new drawings by cartoonist Stephen Appleby.
Hardcover, 75th Anniversary, 167 pages
Published
September 1st 2006
by Methuen Publishing
(first published October 1930)
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Things this book doesn't explain about England.
(15) I’m somewhere between gutted and laughing my head off. All illusions about 1066 are now completely shattered as I’ve been here:
It’s Slade Hall and I’ve never been to a Hall before and Mandy was thinking of buying it, so I went along to pick out my bedroom and bathroom of which it has 14 and 7 respectively, and I’m gutted. You think it looks good there, don’t you? And it has this fabulous history going all the...more
(15) I’m somewhere between gutted and laughing my head off. All illusions about 1066 are now completely shattered as I’ve been here:
It’s Slade Hall and I’ve never been to a Hall before and Mandy was thinking of buying it, so I went along to pick out my bedroom and bathroom of which it has 14 and 7 respectively, and I’m gutted. You think it looks good there, don’t you? And it has this fabulous history going all the...more
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I really cannot describe the delightful depth of wit. One wouldn’t think that their roving narrative is morally probing, but I detected great commentary on religious intolerance (24-25, 43-44, 66, 87), as well as socially. William and Mary’s “Toleration Act, which said they would tolerate anything, though afterwards it went back on this and decided that they could not tolerate the Scots” (87). Insights on the Southsea Bubble (89, 91-92) are particularly applicable in light of present economicall...more
Having recently read extracts from Jane Austen's teenage satirical work The History of England, I thought it was time to re-visit this classic work, first published in 1930. Jane Austen's work on the same theme reminded me of how much I had enjoyed reading this book more than thirty years ago.
It is a quick read: sixty-two chapters in 123 pages, from Chapter 1, in which Caesar invades Britain, to the end of history, which according to Chapter 62, occurred after the Great War an...more
A blithe send-up of the sort of English history that was force-fed to generations of Britons. With test questions such as:
"Describe in excessive detail:
a) The advantages of the Black Death
b) The fate of the Duke of Clarence
c) A Surfeit"
In short, the more I read of British humor circa 1870-1960, the more I understand where Monty Python was coming from.
"Describe in excessive detail:
a) The advantages of the Black Death
b) The fate of the Duke of Clarence
c) A Surfeit"
In short, the more I read of British humor circa 1870-1960, the more I understand where Monty Python was coming from.
This is one of my favourite books of all time; silly, harmless, educated humour at its best. It plays on all of the English history that you would traditionally have been taught at school and promptly forgotten, presenting it in the slightly hazy jumble stereotypical of someone who went through the education system a little longer ago than they'd care to remember!
The humour is reminiscent of Monty Python, as is often said. But Seller & Yeatman are less absurdist, though the inherently chil...more
The humour is reminiscent of Monty Python, as is often said. But Seller & Yeatman are less absurdist, though the inherently chil...more
History, these authors point out, isn't really what happened: It's what's remembered. So that's why everybody out there has a garbled idea of the history of his or her nation, as Sellar and Yeatman present here of Jolly Olde Englande.
Most intriguing throughout is the framing of all English history in the guise of whether England was Top Nation at the time these events occurred. I'm sure every nation gauges its history by such a standard; knowing when and why one was Top Nation is impor...more
Most intriguing throughout is the framing of all English history in the guise of whether England was Top Nation at the time these events occurred. I'm sure every nation gauges its history by such a standard; knowing when and why one was Top Nation is impor...more
A completely irreverent look at British history. It is smart and funny, though I know that many of the jokes were totally over-my-head and I consider myself something of an amateur Anglophile. The book is 75+ years old and thus doesn't include the authors' take on World War II, though considering that they managed to poke-fun at all of the other wars that Britain had been involved with, I'm sure they would have found a way. Truly the authors were brilliant men.
However, this is NOT a...more
However, this is NOT a...more
For pheasant, read peasant throughout.
Delightfully muddled book of English history as described by English people who have not had to pass a history test in quite some time.
"The Boston Tea Party
One day when George III was insane he heard that the Americans never had afternoon tea. This made him very obstinate and he invited them all to a compulsory tea-party at Boston; the Americans, however, started by pouring the tea into Boston Harbour and went on pouring things into Boston Harbour until they were qu...more
"The Boston Tea Party
One day when George III was insane he heard that the Americans never had afternoon tea. This made him very obstinate and he invited them all to a compulsory tea-party at Boston; the Americans, however, started by pouring the tea into Boston Harbour and went on pouring things into Boston Harbour until they were qu...more
This book actually requires a fairly thorough Classical education to understand all the jokes. You can get some of the jokes anyway, but you'll encounter many jokes that just stump you.
But the jokes are many per page. If you don't get more than a quarter of them, you'll get enough for many chuckles, the odd chortle, and maybe even a belly-laugh or two.
And you may even pick up a few bits of genuine British history, by mistake.
One point (you'll know when you...more
But the jokes are many per page. If you don't get more than a quarter of them, you'll get enough for many chuckles, the odd chortle, and maybe even a belly-laugh or two.
And you may even pick up a few bits of genuine British history, by mistake.
One point (you'll know when you...more
Janet
added it
I think I might have enjoyed it more if I'd read it when I was 16.
I say this for two reasons - 1. the humour is rather 'schoolboy' in style and also a bit dated now (the book was first published in 1930) and 2. my memory for school history is not sufficient for me to have enjoyed some of the references - and history was my favourite subject at school!
I have to say I was pretty disappointed with it. It had some gems but for me, they were few and far between.
I say this for two reasons - 1. the humour is rather 'schoolboy' in style and also a bit dated now (the book was first published in 1930) and 2. my memory for school history is not sufficient for me to have enjoyed some of the references - and history was my favourite subject at school!
I have to say I was pretty disappointed with it. It had some gems but for me, they were few and far between.
Robin
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
everyone who needs a laugh
Shelves:
take-to-a-desert-island
Funniest. Book. Ever.
I almost choked to death reading this for the first time in a Chili's in Nashville, TN. I had gone from work straight to a restaurant, and failed to take a book. So I ran through the Barnes & Noble and saw this one. I recognized the title from another book, where some of the characters had gone to see the play of the same name.
I was rolling before the book even kicked off, just reading the reviews. The very best one, and the one I use all the ti...more
I almost choked to death reading this for the first time in a Chili's in Nashville, TN. I had gone from work straight to a restaurant, and failed to take a book. So I ran through the Barnes & Noble and saw this one. I recognized the title from another book, where some of the characters had gone to see the play of the same name.
I was rolling before the book even kicked off, just reading the reviews. The very best one, and the one I use all the ti...more
Platoeatssouls
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
people who are bad with dates
Shelves:
theboxmarkeddone
I've always enjoyed history, but I have a terrible head for dates, which has made life difficult for me in terms of studying the subject. Fortunately there is this book, which has pared down British history to approximately 115 pages and two dates, both of which are (as the authors promise) exceedingly memorable.
It's written in a jaunty, friendly tone that would have Strunk and White grabbing their heads and shouting, but is just about right for a history book which hits only the ...more
It's written in a jaunty, friendly tone that would have Strunk and White grabbing their heads and shouting, but is just about right for a history book which hits only the ...more
I've been aware of this classic for many years, but have only now come across a copy of it. I found 1066 and All That to be fitfully funny; in many ways it's a product of its time and social context, and so is probably most amusing to someone who was a product of the English educational system through to the early 60s. Still, there are some fitfully funny moments, particularly the wry little one liners. ("For pheasant, read peasant throughout.")
This is one of those books that was so quoted so much by certain friends at college that it was very familiar. I don't think I'd read it before - for I was brought up short by it stopping prior to WWII - but it seems I'd absorbed much of it by osmosis. The style is very Wodehouse and therefore rather dated, with some phrases outrageous to the modern reader, but a fun way to pass an hour or so ... I read most of it while AliceF cooked dinner!
Rio (Lynne)
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
library-book,
dry-english-historical-humor
This is a quick read. If you know English history, you will get a small kick out of this book making fun of all the English monarchs. It is very witty and filled with dry humor. The book is about the "big" famous things that happened in history and how many people remember it (which isn't always accurate) like singing the wrong lyrics to a song.
Classic comic history of the UK up to the end of the first World War. Much of it's fun is by mis-stating facts, almost in the style of schoolboy/girl howlers. Great fun, and of course you only have to remember two dates. 1066 is in the title and the other is 1666, the great fire of London.
I picked this up in Oxfam a couple of weeks ago. I have read it before, a long time ago, and all I could remember was that the Cavaliers were wrong but romantic, while the Roundheads were right but repulsive.
This book contains all the memorable bits of English history, from the time that we were Top Nation; somewhat garbled and full of jokes, puns ("There was in Queen Victoria's reign a famous inventor and poet called Oscar Wilde who wrote very well but behaved very beardsley;") a...more
This book contains all the memorable bits of English history, from the time that we were Top Nation; somewhat garbled and full of jokes, puns ("There was in Queen Victoria's reign a famous inventor and poet called Oscar Wilde who wrote very well but behaved very beardsley;") a...more
This book drove me mental, and I wish it hadn't. I wish I had been able to appreciate its silliness without being driven crazy by all the incorrect dates and facts. I do appreciate what the author was trying to do, but apparently I'm too much of an obsessive history nerd to make it more than several pages into something like this without wanting to tear my hair out. It's a shame.
I forgot about this one until browsing through shelves.
This was a fairly hysterical look at history which I've actually read several times (it's a very quick read). It always gets at least a chuckle from me.
In fact, I think I'll go look for my copy right now. Excuse me.
This was a fairly hysterical look at history which I've actually read several times (it's a very quick read). It always gets at least a chuckle from me.
In fact, I think I'll go look for my copy right now. Excuse me.
The first part of this irreverent look at English history is funny, but in later chapters it becomes dated and politically incorrect. Not surprising when you consider it was first published in 1930, but it seems odd to still see it in 'best of' lists.
This is one I don't even lend out unless I am sure it will be appreciated. An all-time favourite in whatever edition (the first edition was left in a taxi cab and lost), an absolute riot I found, oddly enough, in the back of a taxi in a strange city...
This is a great book for any lover of European History... one who doesn't mind the mockery. I really enjoyed it and thought of all the wonderful history teachers I had who would also enjoy the book. It's light reading and is easy to pick up and put down.
Hilarious, though probably better to read a little at a time, and also if you have some vague idea of real English history. Ever since reading this I have wanted to write an American version, called, naturally, 1776 and All That.
This is one of those books that is only funny if you know the actual history of the events. "Woadicia" will mean nothing to someone who knows nothing of Boadicea or the celtic preference for wearing woad into battle.
Still a funny book.
Still a funny book.
I have to re-read this periodically because it makes me laugh. And, as I have discovered since first reading it some 30 years ago, the more English history you know the funnier it is. It is a book for grinning and laughing out loud over.
One of the funniest books I've ever read. It helps to know a little bit about British history, but even if not--this book should scare teachers witless. It's what the authors "remember" from their classes in history... oh, my!
Just about the funniest book I've ever read. Imagine Bertie Wooster in the classroom. Helps to have a smattering of English history tucked away somewhere in your noggin. Best read at the bumbling end of a long, hard semester.
The perfect toilet reading - great for dipping into for a giggle - but I find the voice childish, singsong and samey far more often than actually humorous. However, there are gems which make it totally worth reading.
Erik Graff
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
English lit high schoolers
Recommended to Erik by:
Mr. Silkowski
Shelves:
literature
This is a satire about English history textbooks written in the late twenties. My senior year English literature teacher in high school thought it hysterically funny, recommending it to his students.
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“With the ascension of Charles I to the throne we come at last to the Central Period of English History (not to be confused with the Middle Ages, of course), consisting in the utterly memorable Struggle between the Cavaliers (Wrong but Wromantic) and the Roundheads (Right but Repulsive).”
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