Remember, Remember (the Fifth of November): Everything You've Ever Wanted to Know About British History with All the Boring Bits Taken Out

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

From civil wars to world wars . . . from the Black Death to the Bard to the Blitz, here is the sweeping saga of the storied history of Britain in bite-sized chunks.

Was Bloody Mary the same as Mary, Queen of Scots? How many King Henrys were there—and which was which? Who won the Wars of the Roses—and why does it matter anyway? From the darkest days of the Hundred Years War to the brutal religious battles of the sixteenth century to the eponymous age of Queen Victoria—on whose empire the sun never set—Remember, Remember captures the scope of British history from the Roman invasion to the end of World War II: a drama of blood, death, love, sex, and betrayal. And it does so in 150 concise, accessible and highly entertaining entries. It’s the perfect quick refresher for all the things we learned in school but may have forgotten since.

For lovers of all things British and for anyone who wants to know more about the country that once ruled America, here is an exciting, galloping tour of the rich, extraordinary story of Britain.

* November 5, 1605, is the notorious date when Catholic conspirators, including Guy Fawkes, allegedly attempted to blow-up the Houses of Parliament.

Judy Parkinson has worked in film and television and has written several notable biographies. She is the author of I Before E (Except After C): Old-School Ways to Remember Stuff. She lives and works in London.