What are the 50 key events you need to understand to grasp British
history?
If you could choose the 50 things that define British history, events of
significance not only in themselves, but in their importance to wider
themes running through our past, what would they be? Hugh Williams has
made that selection, and the result is a fascinating overview of
Britain's past.
He refines British history into a series of key themes that represent a
crucial strand in our history, and pinpoints the seminal events within
those strands - Roots, from the Roman invasion to Britain's entry into
the Common Market; Fight, Fight and Fight Again, from the Battle of
Agincourt to the Falklands War; The Pursuit of Liberty, from the Magna
Carta through the Glorious Revolution to the foundation of the NHS; Home
and Abroad, from Sir Francis Drake and Clive of India to the arrival of
the SS Empire Windrush; and All Change, from Chaucer and the English
language to the invention of the jet engine.
With great clarity, simplicity and a zest for the marvellous stories
that underpin many of these events, Hugh Williams explains the linkage
between each one and its importance in the progress of British history
as a whole. Along the way, he has some fascinating tales to tell, making
this a highly enjoyable read as well as a perceptive insight into our
shared past, and vital for anyone who wants quickly and enjoyably to
grasp the essential facts about Britain's history.
