A Short History of England - Softcover

Jenkins, Simon

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1846684633 ISBN 13: 9781846684630

Publisher: Profile Books, 2012

Synopsis

Which battle was fought 'For England, Harry and St George'? Who demanded to be painted 'warts and all'? What - and when - was the Battle of the Bulge?

In A Short History of England, bestselling author Simon Jenkins answers all these questions - and many more - as he tells the tumultuous story of a fascinating nation. From the invaders of the dark ages to today's coalition, via the Tudors, the Stuarts and two world wars, Jenkins weaves together a gripping narrative with all the most important and interesting dates in his own inimitable style.

Until now there has been no short history of England covering all significant events, themes and individuals: this bestselling book, published in association with the National Trust, will be the standard work for years to come.

About this title

About the Author

Simon Jenkins is the author of the international bestsellers England's Thousand Best Churches and England's Thousand Best Houses, the former editor of The Times and Evening Standard and a columnist for the Guardian. He is chairman of the National Trust.

Review

"Irish Times," October 13, 2011"Simon Jenkins has boldly written a unitary, continuous text, taking "England" as his subject. The boldness should not surprise us. He is a stellar public intellectual and the best newspaper columnist in the business: the wit, dazzle and scornful elan of his weekly Guardian pieces make them required reading..."A Short History of England" is intermittently enlivened by his passion for political analysis; the approach also reflects his architectural bent, as chairman of the National Trust and author of several invigorating surveys of houses and churches.""The Spectator," August 27, 2011"This is traditional, kings-and-things, great-men history with all its dates and famous quotations in place ... it's jolly good ... Jenkins has a newspaper columnist's aphoristic verve." "New Statesman," September 26, 2011"Full of good writing and lively anecdote... Simon Jenkins's "Short History of England," published in association with the National Trust, is a handsome book whose narrative gains strength as it goes through the Middle Ages and finds itself in the modern period. His account of the 20th century is full of the good judgements one might hope for from such a sensible and readable commentator, and they alone are worth perusing for pleasure and food for thought. Jenkins is especially good at analysing what he sees as the central idea - the balance between royal power and popular consent." "Kirkus Reviews," October 26, 2011 "The book is elevated by the author's engaging writing style, and he does a remarkable job with English royal history from 1066 to 1714, demonstrating how the individual kings and queens fit together into one coherent story...A broad, accessible history for those readers not well versed in English history." "City AM" (UK) September 15, 2011 "Dip into a chapter of an evening and let Jenkins sweep you through England's history, painting a vivid picture of this country's green and pleasant land." "Pros

About this edition

• Publisher: Profile Books
• Publication date: 2012
• ISBN 10: 1846684633
• ISBN 13: 9781846684630
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 352