Britain

Britain tells the story of the island of Great Britain from the withdrawal of the Roman legions in 410 AD, which heralded the onset of the so-called 'Dark Ages', to the post-imperial and ethnically diverse Britain of the start of the third millennium. With six chronological sections, it follows the major periods in the evolution of the island's civilization: Early Medieval Britain to 1066; Medieval Britain 1066-1485; Tudor and Stuart Britain; Hanoverian Britain; Victorian Britain; and 20th- and 21st-century Britain.

Britain's central narrative spine is fortified by a series of single-page 'capsule' biographies - twelve for each of the book's six sections - of the men and women who forged, moulded and transformed Britain over sixteen centuries. Furthermore, each section is prefaced by a timeline of key dates and events of the period. A practical work of reference, as well as an engrossing and richly informative read, Britain is an inclusive history of all three nations of the island of Britain: English, Welsh and Scots. It describes the inter-relationship between these three nations while also examining how events in Ireland have at times influenced the course of British history.

Hywel Williams is a historian with an enviable track record of writing books that inform as well as entertain. With Britain he has produced a concise history of Britain for a wide general readership: told with authority, energy and insight - and a zest for telling the many remarkable stories that underpin the decisive events of Britain's past.