Product Description

This is a new edition of Hugh Kearney's classic account of the British Isles from pre-Roman times to the present. When this book was first published it was acclaimed as a unique account of British history, distinguished by its treatment of English history as part of a wider 'history of four nations'. Acknowledging the significance of England, it attempts to deal with the histories of Wales, Ireland and Scotland in their own terms, while recognising that they too have political, religious and cultural divides. In this new edition the author takes into account the recent historiographical renaissances in Wales, Ireland and Scotland and examines the rise of a new multi-ethnic Britain and its implications for 'four-nations' history. This book offers a valuable case-study of the complexities which lie behind nationhood in Europe and will be essential reading for all students of British and Irish history.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1615590 in Books
• Published on: 2006-07-27
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 380 pages

Review
‘… the immensity of Kearney's achievement in producing a genuinely pan-Britannic history of the four nations from the Celtic societies of the Iron Age to our troubled multicultural present.’ Times Literary Supplement

‘ … a challenging and, at times, provocative book.’ History Today

‘Kearney’s book should be widely used to educate those who think they know about British history when in fact they know only English history.’ The New York Review of Books

About the Author
Hugh Kearney is Amundson Professor Emeritus at the University of Pittsburgh. His previous publications include Strafford in Ireland: A Study in Absolutism (1959, repr. 1989) and Science and change 1500–1700 (1971).

Customer Reviews

A valuable perspective on the history of the British Isles.
Hugh Kearney argues that the history of the British Isles can not be properly understood by simply considering a single 'national' interpretation. The book covers Celtic society, the Roman invasion, Viking settlements, the Norman invasion, the English empire, the Industrial revolution and the growth of "ethnic politics". While interesting, it is not the easiest of books to read. This is a pity, because it gives a unique and valuable perspective on the history of the British Isles.