Secret Britain
The Hidden Bits of Our History
Will be published approx. on 11. November 2010
Book
Paperback/Softback
336 pages
978-1-84854-199-3 (ISBN)
Description
Some of our most intriguing history is missing. Perhaps there has been a conspiracy, a cover-up? Or maybe some stories have been lost, forgotten or were just too embarrassing to talk about at the time? But now they are back, revealed in all their glory: secret passages, events, societies, loves, identities and even dark secrets of the grave.
After much sleuthing, Justin Pollard takes us into undisclosed historical waters to discover why the city of Burlington isn't on the map; how 'Agent Pickle' saved the lost treasure of Bonnie Prince Charlie; what Sir Thomas Overbury knew in 1613 that got him murdered with a poisoned enema and how Virginia Woolf sweet-talked her way aboard HMS Dreadnought dressed as Abyssinian Prince.
Secret Britain also reveals the tragic love story behind the Rolls Royce mascot; how agent Garbo managed to get an MBE and an Iron Cross; the sinister properties of the Hand of Glory; the lost smuggling ship Peggy; the Mystery Runner of Nos Galan; the extraordinary history of the Fairy Flag of Dunvegan; London's only Nazi war memorial and the secrets of the WWII Monopoly board.
After much sleuthing, Justin Pollard takes us into undisclosed historical waters to discover why the city of Burlington isn't on the map; how 'Agent Pickle' saved the lost treasure of Bonnie Prince Charlie; what Sir Thomas Overbury knew in 1613 that got him murdered with a poisoned enema and how Virginia Woolf sweet-talked her way aboard HMS Dreadnought dressed as Abyssinian Prince.
Secret Britain also reveals the tragic love story behind the Rolls Royce mascot; how agent Garbo managed to get an MBE and an Iron Cross; the sinister properties of the Hand of Glory; the lost smuggling ship Peggy; the Mystery Runner of Nos Galan; the extraordinary history of the Fairy Flag of Dunvegan; London's only Nazi war memorial and the secrets of the WWII Monopoly board.
Reviews / Votes
An endlessly fascinating book, and dull would he or she be who didn't find it hard to put down, once picked up . . . The really clever part is the tone, which is never facetious, always respectful to the subject matter, even when there is a faintly detectable Jeevesian smile to the prose. It is hard not to say: "Oh, just one more, then." * Guardian * Amusingly and energetically told...his best. Pollard has the QI knack of knowing what's funny or interesting * Spectator * The parts of our past they didn't teach in school * Express * 'Ideal for history buffs and fact lovers' * Scottish Sunday Post * Gems you won't have heard about at school * Daily Mail Scotland * I sometimes wish that my school history lessons had given a bit less time to important things such as the repeal of the Corn Laws and a bit more to the sort of by-the-way history told here . . . amusing * Sunday Telegraph *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Publishing group
John Murray Press
Product notice
Paperback (UK-B)
Illustrations
line drawings
Dimensions
Height: 197 mm
Width: 129 mm
Thickness: 23 mm
Weight
209 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-84854-199-3 (9781848541993)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
11/2010
John Murray Learning
€3.99
Available for download
Person
Justin Pollard read archaeology and anthropology at Cambridge. He is an historical writer and consultant in film and TV. His credits include the films Elizabeth and Atonement and the BBC TV Drama The Tudors, as well as more than twenty-five documentary series such as Channel 4's Time Team. He is a writer and researcher for QI and the author of seven books including The Interesting Bits and Charge!