Best book about England?

Lynndie England?




Probably this one:

quote:

---

Lynndie England?

---

Ha, kind of spooky, actually.

Literally the last book I read was Zimbardo's Lucifer Effect, which discussed in-depth what happened at Abu Ghraib.

The Bible

London: The Novel

From amazon review "1124 page book of stories, some interrelated, some not, covering the sociological, geological, and architectural history of London, England."

Historical Fiction similar to James Michener

I read before visiting and it added a lot of dimension to the trip.

quote:

---

good survey from antiquity to modern times.

---

SAURM - by Edward Rutherford is the best I have read. Admittedly, I have only read a few strictly about the British Isles, but this one was good. I recommend it highly.
SARUM - not Sarum.

There are so many volumes of books in this tradition that it's difficult to know where to begin. There are also all kinds of sub-specialties that are worthy endeavors in themselves: the history of the development of English common law; the history of the English language; the history of the Bank of England; etc.

quote:

---

I'm currently reading Malachy McCourt's History of Ireland, which I've enjoyed so far. Has a much more conversational tone than your typical history book, which has been a nice change of pace.

---

If you are looking for something conversational and geared toward recent political debates, I would suggest Daniel Hannan's " Inventing Freedom: How the English-Speaking Peoples Made the Modern World " (2014).

If you are looking for the best, most critically well-received, popular book in recent years, I would suggest Robert Tombs's " The English and Their History" (2014).

For the historical classics from long ago, you might want to go with Macaulay's " The History of England from the Accession of James the Second" (1848), or Churchill's " A History of the English-Speaking Peoples" (1956-1958).

For a more modern update of this unabridged, multi-volume style, you might want to check out Simon Schama's " A History of Britain" (2000-2002). He also has a DVD series from BBC shows he made about the history of Britain.

quote:

---

Churchill's " A History of the English-Speaking Peoples" (1937-1958).

---

Seconding this. Churchill is such a great writer.

quote:

---

Churchill's " A History of the English-Speaking Peoples" (1937-1958).

---

I think this is what I'll go with.

Thanks for the suggestions.

quote:

---

Bryson wrote Notes from a Small Island when he decided to move back to his native United States, but wanted to take one final trip around Great Britain, which had been his home for over twenty years. Bryson covers all corners of the island observing and talking to people from as far afield as Exeter in the West Country to John o' Groats at the north-eastern tip of Scotland's mainland. During this trip he insisted on using only public transport, but failed on two occasions: in Oxfordshire and on the journey to John o' Groats he had to rent a car. He also re-visits Virginia Water where he worked at the Holloway Sanatorium when he first came to Britain in 1973. (He met his future wife while employed at Holloway.)

On his way, Bryson provides historical information on the places he visits, and expresses amazement at the heritage in Britain, stating that there were 445,000 listed historical buildings, 12,000 medieval churches, 1,500,000 acres (600,000 ha) of common land, 120,000 miles (190,000 km) of footpaths and public rights-of-way, 600,000 known sites of archaeological interest and that in his Yorkshire village at that time, there were more 17th century buildings than in the whole of North America.

Bryson also pays homage to the humble self-effacing fortitude of British people under trying times such as the world wars and Great Depression, as well as the various peculiarities of Britain and British English (such as not understanding, on his first arrival, what a counterpane was, and assuming it was something to do with a window. It is a British English word that means quilt.) Bryson also recalls first going into an English tobacconist's and hearing the man in front of him ask for "Twenty Number 6", and assuming that everything in Britain was ordered by number. A popular brand at the time was Embassy Regal Number 1, and in British English it is usual to ask for twenty (cigarettes) meaning a packet, not twenty of them.)

---