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The Story of Britain: From the Romans to the Present: A Narrative History Paperback – Illustrated, November 17, 2006

by Rebecca Fraser (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 323 ratings
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“A beautifully written story, a box of delights, a treasure trove: final proof of truth’s superiority over fiction.”―Andrew Roberts

A sparkling anecdotal account with the pace of an epic, about the men and women who created turning points in history. Rebecca Fraser's dramatic portrayal of the scientists, statesmen, explorers, soldiers, traders, and artists who forged Britain's national institutions is the perfect introduction to British history.

Just as much as kings and queens, battles and empire, Britain's great themes have been the liberty of the individual, the rule of law, and the parliamentary democracy invented to protect them. Ever since Caractacus and Boudicca surprised the Romans with the bravery of their resistance, Britain has stood out as the home of freedom. From Thomas More to William Wilberforce, from Gladstone to Churchill, Britain's history is studded with heroic figures who have resisted tyranny in all its guises, whether it be the Stuart kings' belief in divine right, the institution of slavery, or the ambitions of Napoleon and Hitler. 154 illustrations
Previous page
  1. Print length
    848 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    W. W. Norton & Company
  4. Publication date
    November 17, 2006
  5. Dimensions
    6.1 x 1.5 x 9.2 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    9780393329025
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0393329025
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Resurrecting King Arthur and retelling the gloriously ironic tale of King Alfred . . . Fraser stokes the embers of pride in a past from which the British themselves have become emotionally detached, and in which an American audience will find much that is compelling."
― Publishers Weekly

"A work of history that gives a sense of who the six wives of Henry VII were without becoming bogged down in details demands great respect. . . . And only someone of her caliber could tell history so well and make it real to readers in Britain, America, and elsewhere."
― Michael Reagan, The Times Record

About the Author

Rebecca Fraser has worked as a researcher, an editor, and a journalist, and has written for many publications, including Tatler, Vogue, The Times, and The Spectator. She is the author of Charlotte Brontë and lives in England.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ 039332902X
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ W. W. Norton & Company; Illustrated edition (November 17, 2006)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 848 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780393329025
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0393329025
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.35 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.1 x 1.5 x 9.2 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 323 ratings

About the author

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Rebecca Fraser

Rebecca Fraser

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Rebecca Fraser is a writer and broadcaster who has worked as a publisher’s

editor and journalist.Her previous work includes a biography of Charlotte Bronte which put Charlotte in her proper context by examining her life within the framework of contemporary attitudes to women. Rebecca Fraser was President of the Brontë Society for many years . She wrote the Introduction to the Everyman Edition of Shirley and The Professor and is a contirbutor to the BBC History website. Her most recent book, The Story of Britain is a highly readable account of British history.It has been described as "an elegantly written,impressively well-­‐informed single-­‐volume history of how England was governed during the

past 2000 years."

Her new book The Mayflower: The Families, the Voyage, and the Founding of America, follows the families who sailed on the Mayflower and sheds new light on the perils of crossing the ocean and settling in the wilderness. But the story did not end with the Pilgrims treacherous transatlantic journey or their first uncertain years All settlers had to become linguists, traders and explorers, and yet not forget their roots

and customs from the old country.With the aid of new contemporary documents Rebecca Fraser brings to life the adventures

of an ordinary family,the Winslows, made less ordinary by their responses to the challenges of the New World.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
323 global ratings
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5 Stars
Two thumbs up!
Absolutely love this book! I haven't read many British history books before but this one is straightforward and is written really well. Additionally the author mentions all significant events that shaped the history of Britain.
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Top reviews from the United States

David W. Fichter
5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Historial Foundation For Travel in Britain.
Reviewed in the United States on March 25, 2015
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A good, fast read in preparation for travels in England. Lots of great stories anchored to the sites where they occurred. Narrative quality is good story telling. Rebecca Fraser is a good writer, albeit she has her favorite areas she expands on, it is all entertaining and highly informative. I studied English history in College where the books were as dry as the parchment they were transcribed from. Not the case with The Story of Britain. As a trained linguist I appreciate her attention to the transformations of language from Roman, Anglo Saxon, Dane and on. These efforts offer understanding to names that carry such portions as "Shire." In addition, one cannot read the history of Britain without reference to the arts and great poems and literature. Fraser also creates a fine list of artifacts to visit in each period that expands the quality of any trip to Britain.
18 people found this helpful
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Suzanna Byrne
5.0 out of 5 stars Old Chestnut: Good Companion. A Story worthy of its topic.
Reviewed in the United States on August 6, 2015
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The Story of Britain is precisely that: it is a story. This book is not intended to be a scholarly text but rather an "old chestnut" into which the interested history lover can dip, on whim, to check a detail or to simply enjoy the flowing prose and the uncomplicated style. I wish I had had this book when I was in high school or even college as it is a real pleasure to read, and my copy is already becoming "comfortably worn" from loving handling. It is also well-referenced and suggests further reading that is well within the reach of the history buff. The tables showing the family trees of the Kings and Queens of England are excellent, as is the list of Prime Ministers, and the Index that provides a useful quick reference tool.
This is an altogether excellent book and companion to the study of an especially full story of a unique country that has influenced the world in almost every corner.
2 people found this helpful
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Dana Huff
4.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating History
Reviewed in the United States on June 30, 2011
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Rebecca Fraser's comprehensive book The Story of Britain: From the Romans to the Present: A Narrative History delivers exactly what the title promises: Britain's history for approximately the last 2,000 years. With such vast subject matter, 800+ pages seems like an achievement in brevity. Fraser's chapters are divided by monarchs, and until the Prime Minister is established as leader, the chapters mainly focus on the monarchy. After the introduction of the Prime Minister, focus shifts to the Prime Minister, Parliament, and more general matters. Sprinkled among the hard history, Fraser shares stories some readers might consider trivial, but that are nonetheless entertaining. The monarchy comes off well in the narrative, as do Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher. The book overall has a sort of liberal bent, however, which the author takes no pains to disguise (this is not a criticism but an observation).

In all, the book was by turns delightful and intriguing, but I have some quibbles with it that prevent it from earning five stars. First, Fraser frequently neglects to use commas in situations when doing so would make her writing clearer. A reader should not have to re-read sentences two and three times when a simple comma could have clarified meaning. I know commas can be a style issue, but in nonfiction writing, I expect a more faithful adherence to grammatical and mechanical rules. If that sounds to English teacher school marmy, then I apologize, but above all, nonfiction should inform, and readers should not be distracted by punctuation errors as they are trying to understand what they're reading. Another quibble I have with the book is that I know Fraser made some errors. Case in point, she refers to Sputnik as a manned space craft. In another instance, she refers to great naval hero as Paul Jones. He was John Paul Jones. Minor? Perhaps. However one was his full name and the other was not. Fraser seems particularly weak when referencing American history, which makes sense given it is not the subject of her book--another example is the slogan "Fifty-four Forty or Fight," which Fraser renders "Fifty-four Fifty or Fight." Such inaccuracies may be minor, but they made me question the accuracy of everything else I read that I didn't know. From what I can tell, the book is largely accurate, but these issues did make me question.

In all, the book is a fascinating read about the history of a fascinating country, and setting aside the issues I had with it, I'm glad I read it. I learned a great deal from it, and it sparked some interest in eras I previously had not given much study to. I would recommend it highly to anyone interested in British history and/or culture. You might find it handy to read on the Kindle like I did: it's a chunkster if you have to prop it up in bed.
10 people found this helpful
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Me
5.0 out of 5 stars First few chapters do not do the rest justice
Reviewed in the United States on April 1, 2021
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After reading the first few pages, I was shocked by the ghastly English style that Rebecca used - as an example of how it reads, it is like this: Every sentence goes around the houses, was long winded, and only eventually, by means of various branches and asides, comes back to the main point, by the time of which you have lost the flow, and the perspective is lost. (If you like reading long-winded passages like this, you will love the start of the book!)

But do not despair - the rest of the book quickly improved until it was an absolute gem. It had me thrilled all the way to the end, and Rebecca is a wonderful historian and writer. It's probably the most-fun history book I've read, on a par with Peter Ackroyd, or Robert Tombs.
3 people found this helpful
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Hobart McShane
5.0 out of 5 stars The History of Britain a bit shortened
Reviewed in the United States on March 26, 2018
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A good read, though it could have been twice as long since so much information (twenty centuries worth) is covered in the book. Fraser is a good, capable writer. Her tales of Britain are well detailed and often amusing. I learned a great deal reading this book. All of the monarchs are touched on, some more than others. The peoples of the Island are described well and their developments are displayed with deftness and compassion. It is a well done work of history that is exciting most of the time and seldom leads to boredom.
14 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Lucca Canizela De Camargo
5.0 out of 5 stars Superb
Reviewed in Brazil on May 22, 2022
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Very informative book!
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Ovidiu Munjiu
5.0 out of 5 stars I am very pleased with this acquisition
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 6, 2020
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it is a very comprehensive book. finally I found a history book that presents in detail the historical data and is very well structured in stages
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SteveB
5.0 out of 5 stars the content is good, the paper is good quality
Reviewed in Canada on June 8, 2015
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Book arrived in pristine condition, the content is good, the paper is good quality.
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Ivanhoe Fats
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 7, 2016
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An excellent overview of English history
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Rich
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 9, 2014
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It was a gift to my Mother but she loved it!
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