Product Description

First published in 1905, this beautifully written narrative sets out the history of Britain in chronological order from the Romans to the death of Queen Victoria.Written specifically for children, this centenary edition with its short chapters, simple words, enthralling character descriptions and magnificent paintings from the Palace of Westminster, presents history as a series of vivid stories that will capture the imagination of adults and children alike.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #203578 in Books
• Published on: 2007-03-01
• Format: Unabridged
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 520 pages

Review
"Our Island Story is...cutting edge. With its brave mix of truth and myth, it is impeccably postmodern." --The Economist, 20 August 2005

Time Out
"Its tight focus on the virtues of courage, wisdom and patriotism
keep it both valuable and relevant."

John Clare, The Daily Telegraph
"Our Island Story ... chimes with the Prince of Wales's campaign
to restore narrative and chronology to history teaching."

Customer Reviews

History that teaches and delights
'In this book you will find the story of the people of Britain', writes the author. She continues: 'The story tells how they grew to be a great people, till the little green island set in the lonely sea was no longer large enough to contain them.'

This is big, bold sweeping history, at once charmingly simple and accessible for children and sufficiently courteous and informative for adults. HE Marshall guides us through from the earliest myths about Albion and Brutus through to the death of Queen Victoria, taking in wars and rebellions, tyrants and outlaws, treachery and love, the evolution of our liberal democracy and the deaths of those who fought for the freedoms that we enjoy today. With a deftness of tone that most writers can only dream of, Marshall's prose is equal to the challenge of expressing tenderness for the Princes in the Tower, and pride for Boadicea - 'the Romans', she points out, 'did not understand that many of the women of Britain were as brave and as wise as the men, and quite as difficult to conquer.' It is unashamedly proud without ever sounding arrogant. We learn how all sorts of great moments or phrases have passed into our folklore and idiom - such as 'England expects' - and all is rendered with an impressive sense of chronological cohesion.

Which is of course topical and explains why this glossy centenary edition has been republished. At a time of great anxiety about how poor is the teaching of history in our schools, how it has become fragmentary and partial, this book shows just how history could foster a shared sense of national identity. As politicians and academics witter on pompously, unclear about how to deliver the most important elements in history - the chronology, which makes it intelligible, and the stories, which make it memorable - Our Island Story offers itself as an answer. For young and old alike, passionate, energised history is engaging and invigorating. Indeed, I've lost count of the number of people who have recommended this book to me, particularly parents who read their childhood copies to their children as an excuse to revisit it themselves, and it's been the subject of numerous newspaper and radio panegyrics in recent months. Our Island Story is perhaps more literature than history - I suspect HE Marshall would have preferred it to be thought of in this way - and as such it would have also pleased Sir Philip Sidney: it both teaches and delights.

Our Island Story - a great read
I bought this book at Christmas for my nine year old and was pleased to find that my eleven year old was captivated by it too. We enjoy reading books out loud as a family and this book makes a great read for sharing. Don't expect it to 'tie-in' with the random topic based school history curriculum, this book is a consecutive account that unashamedly includes an element of myth and magic.I don't think that my children had realised that a clear understanding of the English/ British succession was within their intellectual grasp before hearing this engaging narrative.Furthermore all those Edwards,Henrys and the rest now have a relevance in their minds that was not there before. My children can now see a clear causal link between that subject called 'history' and that thing called 'politics'. Sometimes it takes an exciting story to awaken knowledge and bring it to life. The book covers a very broad sweep of British history and I would recommend it for families to share.

Reasserting our history
Civitas have done this nation a great service in reprinting this beautifully written history of Britain. At a time when even Gordon Brown is questioning the very meaning of 'Britishness', this enchanting book provides us with a tale of a nation we should all be proud of.
It is the perfect antidote to the lifeless, fragmented history that most children receive today. With its spledid narrative and enticing characters, 'Our Island Story' should be a big hit with children and parents alike.