A History of Britain, Volume 1

At the Edge of the World, 3000 B.C. - 1603 A.D.

By: Simon Schama

Narrated by: Timothy West

Length: 7 hrs and 57 mins

Publisher's summary

In this, the first volume of an epic history of Britain, one of the most popular and celebrated historians of our day brings the birth and growth of a nation to dramatic life with a wealth of compelling stories and vivid detail.

Simon Schama's narrative moves from the early tribes and invasions of the British isles to the Norman Conquest; through the religious wars and turbulence of the Middle Ages to the sovereignties of Henry II, Richard I, and King John; through the outbreak of the Black Death, which destroyed nearly half of Europe's population; through the reign of Edward I and the growth of national identity in Wales and Scotland; to the turbulent religious and dynastic conflicts of the Tudor age, culminating in the glorious reign of Elizabeth I. The theme of change - sometimes gentle and subtle, sometimes shocking and violent - emerges as the narrative's most powerful dynamic change that washes over custom and habit, transforming loyalties and boundaries.

A History of Britain also poses questions that have universal timeless resonance. What makes or breaks a nation? To whom do you give your allegiance and why? Where do the roots of your community lie - in your hearth and home, your village or city, your tribe, your faith? And, finally, what is Britain? One country or many, one culture or several? This is a touchstone for the present that reintroduces you to the past with stunning energy and clarity.

This is Volume 1 of A History of Britain. Don't miss Volume 2.

Don't miss Simon Schama, Clive James, Bernard-Henri Levy, and Anna Deavere Smith talking about art and politics at The New Yorker Festival.

©2000 Simon Schama (P)2000 BBC Worldwide

Critic reviews

• Nominee for Audio Publishers Association 2001 Audie Award, Audio, Licensed or Distributed

Potent and compelling. (AudioFile)

An even handed treatment of British history

I enjoyed this volume a great deal, the book was arranged in chronological order, from Roman Empire right down to the post-colonial era, a great book for people who want a concise history of the United Kingdoms and the British Empire. It showed both the glorious side as well as the dark sides, also you may want to find the Documentry version produced by the BBC.

I wish it were unabridged!

As a U.S. reader, I found this very accessible. I suspect those more familiar with Great Britain and its history would like it even better, particularly many of the geographic references that were lost on me.

I generally steer clear of abridged versions, and this book certainly confirms me in that general rule of thumb, because I was disappointed at several points to realize that we were picking up the story a century or more after the period we had just been discussing. On the other hand, I learned a great deal about what was happening in England before the Battle of Hastings (a period I had previously known almost nothing about) and I really enjoyed the discussions of Tudor England, the main outlines of which were already familiar. Thus, while I remain disappointed that the work is only offered in an abridged format, I recommend it anyway and I do plan to buy all three volumes.

A guide, but not thorough.

The narrator was excellent, but I was expecting something with more substance. Very good overall.

Brilliant

Engaging history as storytelling, hitting all the highlights. Never boring, with just the right amount of detail. I loved it.

Accessible to the lay-person.

I found it to be very helpful in understanding the recent history of Britain of which I am more familiar. To an American such as myself, British history as it is taught over here is extremely dull. This book is quite the opposite and has helped me to understand such issues as Ireland, the split from the Catholic Church and the formation of the Anglican Church. As a student of American history and politics, I enjoyed seeing the roots of what is so often taken for granted in our political institutions.

Written with clarity and zest

Schama is one of my favorite historians. Ordinarily I could not recommend anything abridged, but in his case, I think it works. He packs so much into his works ("Citizens" for instance) that you can easily get overwhelmed. By cutting this book down to size, it becomes easier to digest in an audio format, whereas listening to the thousand page original would be exhausting.

abridged but excellent narration

This was a wry, witty fast-moving summary of British history. Schama definitely does not shy away from the dark aspects – there were a few times I had to shut it off before bed – but if you like dark humor with your history, you will find it fascinating.

It was amazingly well-narrated as well – this might be one of my favorite audio books from a narration perspective. I suppose not surprising from a noted actor.

I look forward to consuming the other ones in the series. I may listen next to the unabridged version - it would be nice to have a bit more detail.

A delightful telling of the story of England through Elizabeth

Starting on prehistoric England the Roman and then Viking conquest are told followed by by William the conqueror. The Henry's are brought to life and finally the tumultuous time of Elizabeth and the Armada. Many details.

HUGE Disappointment

I bought this because it supposedly covered the very early history of GB, starting around 3000 BC. The period from the Battle of Hastings, 1066, to present day has been well covered. However, it seemed as though it took three sentences and a deep breath to get from 3000 BC to the mid-Roman period. What happened to Stone Hedge and its creators? Then a couple of more sentences to 1066. No mention of fact or myth Arthur, etc. Oh well! As noted to this point, vol. 1, it is a disappointment.

Disappointing

I suppose given its short length, I shouldn't have expected more, but this "history" is highly episodic. I was frustrated by the frequent jumps of coverage, completely missing out centuries and reigns. If you already know a lot of British history, this will be an interesting take on certain episodes, but it's not a "history" per se.