a concise history of britain from stonehenge to the atomic age

by F.E. Halliday

Widely praised when it first appeared, "England: A Concise History" is a superbly illustrated volume which presents the history of England in a form short enough to be grasped - and seen - as a whole. The author emphasizes the achievements and constructive features of English history - above all, the evolution of democratic institutions and the creation of a social order strengthened by extensions of liberty, tolerance and freedom of speech. He clearly identifies his central theme: the successful reconciliation of order and liberty in English life and society. Stonehenge, the Norman Conquest, Magna Carta, the Wars of the Roses, the Spanish Armada, the Civil Wars, the 'Year of Victories', Nelson and Trafalgar, Churchill, Thatcher - here are the key events, places and personalities of English history, brought together in the perfect introduction to a fascinating subject.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, British Literature, Travel

240 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1970

Reviews

[Walter Schutjens · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just to get an overview, a framework if you will. The book functioned well for that, the 20th century was severely lacking but the middle ages were a joy to read.

[DaveA · Rating 4 out of 5]

This gives some good background on the history of England from a British perspective. It is helpful to me, an American, to see this history from their perspective. I do have a few complaints, though. First, many items are brought up with a single word or sentence, assuming that the reader is British and knows the subject matter. I did not, and often felt I didn't understand. Second, in the last third of the book, many dealings with the US - especially the names of wars - are worded in a way that I couldn't relate it to the US history I learned in school. I did learn a number of things, though, that was not taught in school, so I'll take the bad with the good.

[Darren Sapp · Rating 5 out of 5]

A concise primer on the history of English with plenty of art and photos to enhance the narrative.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I initially bought this at an antique store to turn into an art book, but I couldn't bring myself to start tearing into it without reading it first. Now that I have, I don't know that I'll ever be able to use it for that purpose. English history has always interested me, and it was so helpful to get a brief overview from Stonehenge to the Atomic Age. Most of all, reading this book reminded me of the importance of learning history and looking at current events within the context of the broader narrative. Even if you don't read this book, read histories. Learn about how events all weave together. It's so helpful to have that Big Picture perspective.

[Readitnweep · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Concise history" is correct. It's so concise that the largest events in England's history are very brushed over, and the book moves on so quickly that it's difficult to take in anything. Because of this, I found it difficult to enjoy.

Another problem was the editorial comments. There were a lot of the author's personal opinions sprinkled in as fact - something I very much did not appreciate.

There are, however, a lot of very good illustrations, copies of art and photographs. Maps of England at the different periods would have been a helpful addition.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Delivers what it promises - a concise history of England, with 225 illustrations. I'd recommend this to anyone who's into English history. It doesn't take long to get through. The text is large, and often, the images take up more space than the text. It's worth a read, and useful for assignments on the same topic.

[Renée · Rating 2 out of 5]

Incredibly old-fashioned. Had to read this for a course in British history. When I got to Elizabeth's reign, I nearly laughed my head off (very appropriate for that time) when Halliday spoke of her intelligence as "almost masculine". I'm no lover of swear words, but WTF???

[Vladimir Grigorov · Rating 3 out of 5]

A concise history indeed. A quick and informative read for a foreigner like me.

I wished the most famous parts of the history to be be a bit more descriptive - Oliver Cromwell is mentioned twice, and both world wars occupy less than a page combined.

[Sherrie Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice easy to read book with enough detail for me to learn a few things I did not know!