Product Description

In this book, John Bowle considers that the undoubted historical success of England has been a triumph, not of any commitment to abstract political principles, but rather to the absence of it; to a pragmatism maintained through the centuries within and relatively fluid and adaptable social order.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3185287 in Books
• Published on: 2000-05-04
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 536 pages

Customer Reviews

Incoherent and a little dull
I purchased this book, some time ago, with the unrealistic expectation of mastering English history through the reading of this one, relatively short volume. I was of course sorely disappointed: the narrative is badly written and completely lacks flair, while the arrangement of the facts is rather clumsy, the writer often tossing outlandish names across without explaining who and what these people are. This is felt especially in the sections dealing with the periods of Celtic and Anglo-Saxon rule, Bowle taking care to inform the reader of each and every obscure tribesman who ever vied for power, a sure recipe for a terrible muddle. This flawed selection guarantees that even after you're done struggling with the book, you won't remember much of the facts brought therein.

English history is full of grandeur and drama, none of which will be found in Bowle's book. After this disappointment, I realised that there could be no shortcuts, and sat down to read Churchill's timeless 'A History of the English Speaking Peoples'. His incomparable prose, not sparing the reader one inch of drama and excitement, is the sure way of getting acquainted with British history, and remembering something afterwards. So what if it's four volumes?