Innovation: The History of England Volume VI

The History of England #6

by Peter Ackroyd

‘Ackroyd makes history accessible to the layman’ – Ian Thomson, Independent

Innovation brings Peter Ackroyd’s History of England to a triumphant close. In it, Ackroyd takes readers from the end of the Boer War and the accession of Edward VII to the end of the twentieth century, when his great-granddaughter Elizabeth II had been on the throne for almost five decades.

A century of enormous change, encompassing two world wars, four monarchs (Edward VII, George V, George VI and the Queen), the decline of the aristocracy and the rise of the Labour Party, women’s suffrage, the birth of the NHS, the march of suburbia and the clearance of the slums. It was a period that saw the work of the Bloomsbury Group and T. S. Eliot, of Kingsley Amis and Philip Larkin, of the end of the post-war slump to the technicolour explosion of the 1960s, to free love and punk rock and from Thatcher to Blair.

A vividly readable, richly peopled tour de force, it is Peter Ackroyd writing at his considerable best.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, British Literature, European History, Audiobook, Biography, World History

512 pages, Paperback

First published September 2, 2021

About the author

Peter Ackroyd CBE is an English novelist and biographer with a particular interest in the history and culture of London.

Peter Ackroyd's mother worked in the personnel department of an engineering firm, his father having left the family home when Ackroyd was a baby. He was reading newspapers by the age of 5 and, at 9, wrote a play about Guy Fawkes. Reputedly, he first realized he was gay at the age of 7.

Ackroyd was educated at St. Benedict's, Ealing and at Clare College, Cambridge, from which he graduated with a double first in English. In 1972, he was a Mellon Fellow at Yale University in the United States. The result of this fellowship was Ackroyd's Notes for a New Culture, written when he was only 22 and eventually published in 1976. The title, a playful echo of T. S. Eliot's Notes Towards the Definition of Culture (1948), was an early indication of Ackroyd's penchant for creatively exploring and reexamining the works of other London-based writers.

Ackroyd's literary career began with poetry, including such works as London Lickpenny (1973) and The Diversions of Purley (1987). He later moved into fiction and has become an acclaimed author, winning the 1998 James Tait Black Memorial Prize for the biography Thomas More and being shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 1987.

Ackroyd worked at The Spectator magazine between 1973 and 1977 and became joint managing editor in 1978. In 1982 he published The Great Fire of London, his first novel. This novel deals with one of Ackroyd's great heroes, Charles Dickens, and is a reworking of Little Dorrit. The novel set the stage for the long sequence of novels Ackroyd has produced since, all of which deal in some way with the complex interaction of time and space, and what Ackroyd calls "the spirit of place". It is also the first in a sequence of novels of London, through which he traces the changing, but curiously consistent nature of the city. Often this theme is explored through the city's artists, and especially its writers.

Ackroyd has always shown a great interest in the city of London, and one of his best known works, London: The Biography, is an extensive and thorough discussion of London through the ages.

His fascination with London literary and artistic figures is also displayed in the sequence of biographies he has produced of Ezra Pound (1980), T. S. Eliot (1984), Charles Dickens (1990), William Blake (1995), Thomas More (1998), Chaucer (2004), William Shakespeare (2005), and J. M. W. Turner. The city itself stands astride all these works, as it does in the fiction.

From 2003 to 2005, Ackroyd wrote a six-book non-fiction series (Voyages Through Time), intended for readers as young as eight. This was his first work for children. The critically acclaimed series is an extensive narrative of key periods in world history.

Early in his career, Ackroyd was nominated a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 1984 and, as well as producing fiction, biography and other literary works, is also a regular radio and television broadcaster and book critic.

In the New Year's honours list of 2003, Ackroyd was awarded the CBE.

Reviews

[Randall Wallace · Rating 2 out of 5]

Gladstone was liberal, Disraeli was conservative. Sundays were now spent playing a sport rather than being in church. In 1851, 25% of the English were agricultural, by 1911, it was 5%. Half the food was now imported. Half the working classes were considered impoverished. In 1873, “all of England was owned by less than 5% of its population.” Inflated tires on bicycles were invented in the 1880’s. The bike became the rage by 1900. The car would soon literally overtake them. King Edward VII dies in 1910, and George V takes over. WWI trenches reach a length of 25,000 miles. Britain’s WWI casualty figure was 350,000 dead. London was also bombed during WWI (the First Blitz); 300,000 would seek safety in the Underground at night. John Maynard Keynes agreed with the Germans that their WWI reparations were too harsh, and England was being short-sighted. Good call. Films created cultural change: they were the first entertainment affordable to lower- class men and women. Most British Conservatives thought Hitler was better than a communist while the Daily Mail applauded “his anti-Semitism.”

Churchill said Indians didn’t need democratic elections because he thought they weren’t ready for it. Patronizing racists only sees all non-white fathers as children and “not ready” to be considered adult. Hitler saw that no one stood up to Mussolini after he had invaded a fellow League member (Abyssinia), so he saw a green light for his own planned aggressive actions. Franco wanted a Catholic Spain free both of the secular and democracy. Opposition to Franco was biggest in Basque Country and Catalonia. Britain and the US did absolutely nothing to help the Republic against fascist Franco, proving that WWII wasn’t fought against fascism. Before 1938, the Germans had never thought of war with Britain. The Second Blitz of London goes from September 1940 to May 1941. Near the end of WWII, Churchill learned that the Nazi’s were running out of fuel and only had what oil they had through plunder. In 1948, the National Health Service was inaugurated. In 1952 George VI dies and is replaced by today’s Elizabeth II. Britain loses India. In 1955, Churchill retires as Prime Minister.Study the Sharpsville Massacre of 1960. “Bloody Sunday” in 1972 stripped the government of any moral authority. On page 266, Peter rightfully mentions how Pakistan’s and India’s borders were drawn by the British with no thought as to who lived where.

But Peter never mentions how Britain did the same arbitrary border thing in the Middle East with Sykes-Picot. Zero mention of the Sykes-Picot Agreement (whose careless boundaries have caused endless drama in the Middle East) in a six-volume book on England? Unbelievable omission. What’s up, Peter? There are many great books on this critical subject (Redrawing the Middle East, A Line in the Sand, A Peace to End All Peace). Also, Zero mention in this book of the starvation/genocide of over ten million Iranians during WWI by Britain’s intentional neglect? Extraordinary. “The Great Famine & Genocide in Iran” by Mohammad Gholi Majd should be read by all scholars of English history. In 1955, Churchill retires as Prime Minister. This Volume V Dominion book was just ok; I only learned two paragraphs of info from it. Volume I (Foundation) was hands down the best of this Ackroyd series.

[Nicki Markus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Innovation is a fitting and pleasing conclusion to Ackroyd's excellent History of England series. Perhaps in some ways it's the least interesting of the six volumes, so much of its action being within living memory, but there is still something new to learn from its pages. For me, some of the political discussion was less engaging, particular once we reached the period within my lifetime, but I did enjoy reading about when certain technologies and appliances we take for granted these days were first introduced, the advent of chain stores etc. In conclusion, this book neatly wraps up the series, which has been a great achievement for Ackroyd, and if you haven't read any of the volumes yet, I highly recommend all history buffs to start with book one and work your way through, as they are all well written and well researched.

I received this book as a free ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Tom · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the fifth volume of Ackroyd's history of England series. When I began reading them, I was impressed that, unlike many history books, the author didn't simply produce a chronology of political and military events, but shone a light on the culture of the period under review.

Sadly, this last volume spends much time on the intricacies of British political life during the 20th century and only the occasional brief foray in how people actually lived.

It's an ambitious project to cover the 'highlights' of any century, but more so for one as momentous as the 20th century and to do so in 462 pages, but, still how can you not even mention the great flu pandemic of 1918, or relegate the war in Iraq to one line?

The writing is more like sketches of vignettes for ' a moment in history' on television. While there is a long bibliography at the back, there are no references. There are few dates going from chapter to chapter. All of which raises the question, who is the intended audience for this book? You got me.

[Sam · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've been collecting Ackroyd's History of England series in their chunky hardback forms since 2012, and when I look at the pile of volumes stacked atop each other on my bookshelf, I rather wonder; why? Why was I keeping this up? Ackroyd's work has occasionally charmed me (his slim sketchlike bio of Edgar Allen Poe and his thorough breakdown of the life and work of William Blake were two formative highlights) but just as often been intensely frustrating - his book on Shakespeare was an immense catalogue of loosely strung-together vagaries and speculations. Much of this series has, indeed, been excellent, and I would recommend the opening volume 'Foundation' to anyone seeking a "starter pack" on ancient and medieval England. But I've only ever reopened the subsequent books on occasion, or even, in volume five's case, sufferance. For a decade, Ackroyd has been trying to tell England's story in the same generalised tone, and while that may have worked when covering several thousand years in one introductory book, the net result has seemingly been to flatten English history - to tell it with an absolute minimum of perspective, lest he put off any prospective reader (the steadily decreasing critical profile of the books would seem to be the actual result of this insistence on sticking to a too-broad lens).

For me, the disappointment at 'Innovation''s conclusion remains bitter whenever I think about it, months after I put it down. Ackroyd chooses the election of Tony Blair's Labour Party and the Millennium as his stopping point, with not a word for any event beyond the year 1999, and his parting shot is a startlingly bitchy lament for how, when John Major left office, he "took the English language with him." The nostalgic rhetoric is one - annoying - thing; the decision to leave the subsequent twenty years untouched is something else entirely, not least when A) I'm convinced that the book was advertised as concluding at Brexit, and B) Ackroyd's examination of the upheavals, violence and fitful pushes towards greater social equity and justice of the previous century in this very volume were some of his best work in the whole series. For three hundred or so pages, Ackroyd gets back to what made the series so initially appealing - a careful balancing of attention between the shifting power dynamics of government and the concrete details of how common people have lived throughout England's history. But by the end, he gives up the attempt. Perhaps Ackroyd felt unequal to the challenge of summing up those latter-day events, or feared backlash from a readership that doesn't seem to really even be there for him anymore. The conclusion is a weak gasp either way.

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have been hanging out for this last instalment of Peter Ackroyd's history series for a while now, and I have to say, I felt a little let down. I thought the delay must have been due to his waiting to see the outcome of Brexit, given that's a major milestone for Britain, but no. His history ends twenty years ago at the the turn of the Millennium! With so much to talk about in this last decade, I thought that a wasted opportunity. Also, the publisher blatantly cutting costs on the book was disappointing - all the other volumes have beautiful colour plates, and ironically, in the century where colour is ubiquitous we have black and white newspaper print style pictures.

For all my complaints, I am glad to complete my set - it's been an excellent educative series. maybe Peter is saving up for a an addenda volume VII? I hope so.

[Brian Willis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Peter Ackroyd's decade long, six book chronicle of the history of England comes to close.

If you have read most of Ackroyd's non fiction books in the last two decades, you know that he loves to chronicle the long view and the short view. Plenty of brief, episodic chapters that read like hymns on a specific aspect of his book's subject, like an area of London, a characteristic or recurring motif with the river Thames, or stops on the Underground. The same is true here for cultural and social progressions from 1901-2000.

Ackroyd is still at his best when he can concisely condense a political issue into one or two pages, and the bulk of this book is definitely on Parliamentary figures and Prime Ministers. Social issues like The Beatles and washing machines and two up- two down housing get their mentions, but so do Churchill, Wilson, Heath, and Thatcher. The Queen barely makes an appearance though her father and grandfather are more present (probably not strategically the best idea to cover a still reigning monarch's personal life too closely). The book ends with the impact of Diana's death and the celebrations of 2000 over the Millenium Dome. If you want an overall synthesis of the development of English life (with a brief Irish interlude necessarily) in the twentieth century, the book stands up on its own.

A note on the entire series: it's incredibly readable and very consistent with its focus and style. Every book ends and begins like the end or beginning of a chapter and not stand alone books, though they can be definitely read in that way. The first three books - through the Restoration - center more on the monarchs and politics of the age, because less material survives on "common lives". The last three - the Hanoverians through the Windsor age - convey much more material on social trends and cultural emergences, and sometimes steal the show. By the time of the Georges, less time is spent on the monarchy due to the hegemony of Parliamentary politics, though exceptions are made for matters that impacted social consciousness, like George III's madness, the death of Prince Albert, or Diana's death. These volumes can be read in big gulps or in little bitesizes, and Ackroyd's magisterial voice is present without but not without engagement. A great endeavor into the world of English life, and as an American, not without a little insight into our own. Superb. Surely a knighthood isn't far behind?

[Michael Reilly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the sixth and final volume of Ackroyd's narrative history of England. It covers 1900 to 2000, from the Boer War to the death of Princess Di.

Ackroyd give a good description of the politics of each period. He tracks the popular culture from flappers to Teddie boys to punk rockers. He deals with the two world wars and the endless battles over Ireland from the English point of view. He discusses their impact on English politics and daily life.

The politics of the first 30 years of the century are very complicated, at least for a foreigner. The Conservative Tories merged with the Unionist and then went back to being Tories. First the Tories, then the Liberals were the leading party. Labour was not a serious national party. Then Labour became a national party and gained power, and the Liberal party lost support. There was a parade of Prime Ministers, the most significant of whom seems to have been LLoyd George. Ackroyd does a solid job clearly laying out those political machinations.

During WW2 Churchill presided over a national unity government. After the war, the nation continued to go back and forth between liberal and conservative governments. It has always seemed to me that England's post WW2 politicians were relatively bland, with the important exception of Margeret Thatcher.

One theme that pervades the book is the importance of class in England. He quotes a Liberal MP, "The upper class despise the working people: the middle class fear them.". America has the same class barriers, but the English think about them and talk about them much more than we do.

At times this book starts to feel like a textbook where Ackroyd feels the need to drudge through certain topics, but he is still a lively and knowledgeable writer.

Bonus. In 1902 Lord Salisbury, a classic English conservative Prime Minister, described the mind set of real conservatives. "Whatever happens will be for the worse and therefore it is in our interest that as little should happen as possible" Today "Conservative" means something very different

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Full disclosure, I have not read the first five volumes of Ackroyd's History of England, but I don't think it's necessary. Innovation covers the history of England during the twentieth century. That being said, it felt very much like a large majority of the book is written through the viewpoint of interpretation through politics. A large portion of the book seems to address the constant waxing and waning of the various political parties, the prime ministers that stood for them and the inevitable changing of the guard when the people grew disenchanted with them. Many of the historical events are addressed by how the played out because of political maneuvering. If you enjoy politics, then this would make this perspective on history perfect for you. Many things, including two World Wars, the suffragette movement at the beginning of the century, arts, entertainment and culture feel largely glossed over. For a book that has the current head of the Royal family on the cover the royalty are barely addressed at all, except when there is a changing of a guard and how it affects political power. The other thing that seems apparent to me is the constant viewpoint of the English to view themselves as superior to everyone - other members of Europe, the United States, India, states in Africa, etc. They only seem to want to be involved in European groups if they don't have to make any personal sacrifices, but want to be seen as a leader and setting the tone. After throwing multiple countries on the Continent under the bus to Mussolini and Hitler to save their own skin (and because Communism is worse!) why would Europe want to concede anything to them? As someone who tends to find politics annoying, exhausting and self-serving I tended to find a lot of this book dry and not likely to be particularly flattering to England from the outsider's perspective.

[Zack · Rating 3 out of 5]

Goodreads Giveaway - Peter Ackroyd moves things along at a breakneck speed, which is not surprising considering he has to cover nearly 100 years of British history (roughly 1900 to 2000). The primary focus is on the various governments and the two major wars during this span; there are some brief sections on other topics (the Falklands, the Beatles, Diana, etc.) but very little time spent on other cultural aspects of Britain - mostly just a couple of chapters which feel like lists (and on a personal note, I was very confused as to the time taken to mention programs which I'd never heard of, but Monty Python did not receive a single mention in the book - raises questions about Mr. Ackroyd's cultural radar). Mr. Ackroyd appears to be quite a lucid and playful writer, but much of that is hidden due to the volume of information he has to cover - in many instances this book can feel like reading an encyclopedia. This book is the culmination of Mr. Ackroyd's series on the history of Britain, so this clearly should not be the place to start your reading of his work. However, if you have read some of the other volumes of this series and found them to your liking, it is worth finishing so you can read this final installment.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book spans from the Boer War and Queen Victoria's death through to Diana, Princess of Wales' death in 1997. It is a busy and sometimes overwhelming century in English history. Certain figures, like Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher stick out, but for the longest time it was a blur to me. Innovation focuses on politics and society rather than royals (despite the cover), so I found that it balanced out my modern royal history really well. If you aren't familiar with English political parties, I would say 2-3 minutes of quick reading is all you need to follow this book. It is so rare to find comprehensive books that don't feel like they've been assigned for a secondary school or university course, and Ackroyd's book is anything but a textbook. 

If you are a dedicated reader of Ackroyd's History series or want to know more about England in the twentieth century, Innovation is the perfect book for you. (Particular for fans of The Crown who enjoy the royals but maybe could learn a bit more about the political side of things, like me...) 

[Henry · Rating 1 out of 5]

Awfully disappointing end to this previously brilliant and entertaining series. Ackroyd's first five volumes on the history of England were well-researched, characterized by an engaging narrative device of alternating perspective between between the big stories (kings and battles and wars) and the little ones; how people lived, where they lived, the long overlooked details of everyday life, sort of history from the inside out.
This last volume begins at the start of the 20th century and, unfortunately, Ackroyd falls victim to the polarized politics of our current times. This is far less history than it is Ackroyd's relentless emphasis on the evils of class division and serves more as a takedown of the Conservative Party. In one early chapter on the 1920s, he signals something along the lines of "wait till we get to the end of the century.....then we'll really let them have it". It's unnecessary (the late 20 century Tories do enough evident damage on their own), venomous, and constant. The tone of the history goes straight to Petulant without one stop. Blessedly, this is the last of the series.

[Christopher Dove · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the final book in Peter Ackroyd's six volume history of England. This looks at England in the 20th century. It's main emphasis is on the politics of the time but it also includes cultural trends. So chapter 39 looks at the rock bands of the sixties, primarily of course, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. The following chapter considers the England football team winning the 1966 World Cup. As a 65 year old man, the last quarter of this book describes events that I lived through and remember. It is quite strange the way that, for me, this book transforms in character. Initially, it is a history book describing events quite remote in time from me. Yet in the final few chapters it describes events that I once considered to be current affairs and already have an established view on. As ever, Ackroyd's prose is wonderful to read and he makes the sometimes complex areas of history easily accessible. Ackroyd can also be wonderfully quixotic in his choises of what he sees as important. So, for instance, when looking at cinema he highlights The Italian Job and the Carry On films. A great book and a fitting end to a wonderful series of books.

[Daniel Kukwa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've never sampled any of Peter Ackroyd's histories until now, and as this one covers the 20th century, I decided to give it a go. The result is...interesting. I'm a big fan of being concise, and I found most of the first half of this book to be a very concise & to-the-point overview of English history from the Edwardians to WW2...although one or two topics felt like more eccentric choices on the part of the author. However, I find this concise approach collapses somewhat after the war, and that topics from the Royals to Thatcher don't get the detail they deserve. Perhaps at this point there is simply too much to cover in one volume...and I do get the feeling this should have stopped with the NHS and the post-war consensus. Leave everything after 1951 to a second volume, with more room to breathe.

[Shuggy L. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Time line would have been helpful, informal writing style assumes knowledge of party politics. General discussions easy to read. Book references and subsequently referencing Wikipedia helpful.

Change from aristocratic interests to fostering a democratic society. Current concerns: cost of social programs, how to be integrated with the EU.

H. G. Wells: "For us it was that Belgium was invaded and France in danger of destruction."

......
20th - 21st Century: Prime Ministers

1. Arthur Balfour 1902-1905. Edward VII (1841-1910) son of Queen Victoria b.1819 (1837-1901).

2. Henry Campbell-Bannerman 1905-1908 Liberal.

3. H. H. Asquith 908-1916 Liberal.

4. David Lloyd George 1916-1922 Liberal. George V (1865-1936). Reign: 1910-1936.

5. Bonar Law 1922-1923.

6. Stanley Baldwin 1923-1924, 1924-1929.

7. Ramsey McDonald 1924-1924 Labour.

Stanley Baldwin 1924-1929.

Ramsey McDonald 1929-1935 Labour. Edward VIII (1894-1972). Reign: 1936 (abdication).

Stanley Baldwin 1935-1937.

8. Neville Chamberlain 1937-1940. George VI (1895-1952). Reign: (1936-1952) .

9.Winston Churchill 1940-1947 WW2.

10. Clement Attlee 1945-1951 Labour.

Winston Churchill 1951-1955. Likened the Queen to the film industry.

11. Anthony Eden 1955-1957. Suez.

12. Harold McMillan 1957-1973. Queen Elizabeth II (1926-2022). Reign: (1952-2022). Had 15 prime ministers.

13. Douglas-Home 1963-1964. Queen Mother's friend.

14. Harold Wilson 1064-1970 Labour.

15. Edward Heath 1970-1974 EEC (EU).

Harold Wilson 1974-1976. Labour.

16. James Callahan 1976-1979. Labour. Economic Recession. Trouble Unions.

17. Margaret Thatcher 1979-1990. Frosty/Queen.

18. John Major 1990-1997. Say anything to the Queen.

Citizen's Charter (improve public services). Council Tax (replace Poll Tax).

Committed British troops to the Gulf War. Maastricht Treaty. Oversaw early 1990s economic crisis. Withdrew pound from the European Exchange Rate Mechanism (Black Wednesday).

Back to basics campaign. Privatized the railways, coal industry. Pivotal role creating peace Northern Ireland.

1995 resigned party leader. Internal divisions UK membership European Union, parliamentary scandals ("sleaze"). Economic credibility.

Reelected Conservative leader 1995, his administration remained unpopular, soon lost its parliamentary majority.

Labour Party pulled ahead Conservatives, every local election during Major's leadership, increased after Tony Blair became Labour leader in 1994.

19. Tony Blair 1997-2007. Labour. Born Queen’s reign.

20. Gordon Brown 2007-2010. Disastrous election performance Labour.

20. David Cameron 2010-2016. Youngest/Queen's PMs.

21. Theresa May 2016-2019.

Premiership dominated by Brexit, government's negotiations with the EU, Chequers plan, led to a draft Brexit withdrawal agreement.

Survived two votes of no confidence in December 2018, January 2019.

Draft withdrawal agreement rejected by Parliament three times, party's poor performance, local and European elections May 2019, resignation later that month.

22. Boris Johnson 2019-2022. "Getting Brexit done", COVID-19 vaccination programme, humanitarian support to Ukraine/Russian invasion.

23. Liz Truss 2022. Energy Price Guarantee, cap household energy bills £2,500/year.

Mini-budget proposed cutting taxation, abolishing the 45% rate of income tax, proposed Health and Social Care Levy, cutting stamp duty and the basic rate of income tax, cancelling rises National Insurance contributions/corporation tax.

Constructed Truss/Kwasi Kwarteng, Chancellor/Exchequer, funded by borrowing, intended to stimulate growth.

Mini-budget received badly financial markets, temporary spending measures/permanently cutting tax rates.

Blamed pound falling lowest ever rate against US dollar (US$1.033), prompted response from the Bank of England, bought up government bonds. Public reaction broadly negative.

Criticised by International Monetary Fund, POTUS Joe Biden, Labour Party, many Truss's party, Michael Gove and Grant Shapps.

24. Rishi Sunak 2022/present. 4/20/24

Britain’s Conservative Party sweeping setbacks on Friday 5/3/24 in local elections, viewed as barometer for how the party will perform in a coming general election, key test for embattled prime minister, Rishi Sunak. NYT.

25. Keir Starmer 7/1/2024
.....
.....
Related Books
Catharine Arnold: Edward VII: The Prince of Wales and the women he loved.
Theo Aronson: The King in Love. Edward VII. Lily Langtry, Daisy Greville, Alice Keppel and Others.
Jeremy Black: A History of Britain 1945 to Brexit (2010). BCCLS.
Andrew Marr: The Making of Modern Britain (2010). Amazon.
Kershaw: To Hell and Back: Europe 1914-1949.
H. G. Wells: Mr. Britling sees it Through (1916)

Notes
The Zabern or Saverne Affair was a crisis of domestic policy which occurred in the German Empire at the end of 1913.

[MookNana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This history of 20th century England is accessible and comprehensive, but comes across as almost antiseptic. The recitation of facts seems competent enough, but there's little life in the text. That may be due to the fact that these eras have been dramatized in Downton Abbey, The Crown, and countless films and therefore dry prose cannot help but pale in comparison.

The sections about life and culture were more interesting than the political discussions but there was a curious unevenness to what was discussed. I swear there were more words devoted to Lonnie Donnegan than the Holocaust.

This format probably worked much better for earlier eras for which sources and histories are much more scarce. It's not unreadable, exactly, just...uninspiring.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lively recounting of a century of English history from the aftermath of the Boer War to Y2K. This book includes information about the change of monarchs (although more on princess Diana than Queen Elizabeth) and governments as well as changes in fashion, music, and art. From the big picture items such as the two world wars to the small picture of life in the ever expanding suburbs this book was full of fascinating details. Well researched and written in an easy to read style with a few pages of black and white photos this book covers a lot of history, highlighting different aspects of British life and the myriad of changes that happened during this century. I received a copy of this book through the Goodreads First Reads giveaways.

[Emanuele Gemelli · Rating 3 out of 5]

And so it ends a ("a" not "the") long story of the British Island narrated in 6 volumes; I must say that here you can really see how the author is shaping the story he is telling by his own preferences: otherwise, I would not understand why Harry Potter had so much influence instead of, I do not know, the Satanic Verses. Or selecting random music groups (yeah, ok, the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, but little else) as examples of cultural influence. The previous volumes seemed less prone to personal sensitivities or, maybe, I am totally wrong and this is the way authors are writing "a" story and we should be always weary to make it "the" story. All in all, still a good overview of the Britons recent history

[Sorin Hadârcă · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although it is coined as the history of England (not UK) there's definitely something great about this nation. Once again, Peter Ackroyd delivered the final volume with equal attention for detail, understanding of the undercurrents and an eye for the future.

Volume 6 ends with the millennium but Brexit as a post-historical event cannot be understood if we fail to take into account the foundational reluctance to get into EU. The islanders like to look at the continent from the outside.

I liked very much that Innovation described a very human history of England. Beatles, teddy boys, theatres and Harry Potter are part of it, just as the tea mugs portraying Lady D are. Britain ended its empire, it is still a kingdom that's united. I wonder for how long.

[John Sinclair · Rating 3 out of 5]

BOOK REVIEW ⭐️⭐️⭐️
This is the final installment of Ackroyd’s The History of England series (part VI). I enjoyed it, but despite the cover, the royals feature only obliquely here (as is fitting in the development of English politics over the centuries, Parliament and PMs are highlighted). I must admit missing the Royals. I’m glad to have read the entire series.

#bibliophile #book #bookish #booklover #books #books2021 #booksofinstagram #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagrammers #bookworm #goodreads #homelibrary #instabook #instabooks #reader #readers #reading #readingroom #readersofinstagram #bookreview
2021📚 74/84

[Pete Maguire · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m not sure if it’s become I’m so very familiar with so many of the events in this volume that I found it underwhelming. Most of the events are captured but they seem lacking. I think some of the spirit of the actual populace is not evident. It seems to run out of steam and the timelines get muddled as he jumps back and forth in the narrative. Still the series as a whole is a worthy run through if the history of England so still worth a read if not just to direct you to look at key moments in more depth

[Josh Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is volume 6 of 6, so I stuck with it even if it felt far less engaging than the others. Maybe it is that this is history that feels less “historical,” or that Ackroyd’s own opinions end up feeling more grating when he’s talking about things I myself have experienced (and have opinions about) too. The last several chapters felt like that part of a high school history class where the teacher races to catch up to the present (and makes mistakes along the way, like about “George W Bush’s bombing of Iraq in 1998”). Even so, I’m glad I stuck it through to the end.

[Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

The last of this lengthy book series. It's on the best there is, I think the author peaked around book two or book three, but it provides a necessary conclusion. The main problem with this one is the lack of space, so a great deal is missed out and it feels very rushed from beginning to end. Sandbrook's NEVER HAD IT SO GOOD, for example, was bigger than this book but covered only a period of six or so years in the 1960s. The emphasis is on politics with a little royalty and a little culture added to the mix, but it does have a choppy feel at times. Still enjoyable, though.

[Tim James · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve had each of these volumes given to me for my birthday over the years and the hardbacks now all sit on my bookshelf. I have thoroughly enjoyed them all but I enjoyed this the least. The problem is there is too much to pack in. Having said that I felt it was far to heavy on the politics and became a bit of a chronology through the prime ministers . Difficult choices to m make, I agree on what to put in and what to leave out but not sure he got it quite right. OverLl the 6 volumes were fantastic

[Lora]

Innovation covers England history from the time of queen Victoria's death until the death of princess Diana in 1997. Really doesn't mention the royal family that much. Just enough so you relate what's going in the royal family to what's going on in England. This is the first book I've read by Peter Ackroyd. I am looking for to reading the previous books In this series.

I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher and/or author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very easy to read (partly because I've lived through half of it!), a fitting conclusion to this series. Similar in feel to Andrew Marr's History of Modern Britain, but updated (it ends at the Millennium). Some analysis, but mainly commentary, albeit, well researched commentary. Every reader will probably feel he's over-emphasised some things and under emphasised other, but that is the writer's privilege.

[GERRY BUY · Rating 2 out of 5]

The last of Ackroyd's series on the history of England and by far the worst.
The others in the series are well written and entertaining. This one is rambling and disjointed. As it recounts events of his own time it illustrates all his own biases and prejudices. even his facts are suspect...Paris was liberated by "free Spanish" forces. Margaret thatcher was not instrumental in the waging of the first Gulf War. This was a very disappointing read!

[Derek Bridge · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ackroyd's history concludes with a gallop through the twentieth century. People come and go; some people come without proper introduction - you just have to know who they are. And the detail, the minutiae of encounters for example, is so much greater, corresponding to a century of mass journalism. It's interesting to see what themes he discerns in such fresh meat. A well-written, informative series.

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a great easy book for anyone wanting to know basic history of Great Britain in the 20th Century. This book does not go into great detail of any one event but may pique your interest into wanting to read more about that incident. There are 63 Chapters, but don't let that scare you. Most chapters are only 6-8 pages.

[Bodil · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book. I am afraid that I still don’t feel that I have the hang of British 1900:ies politics, but much more now than from other books I’ve read on this. And also something of peoples’ life and popular culture.
I really hope that he will write something about the first decades of the 21st century! I won’t be alive towards the end of it, and I fear, neither will he.

[Jeffrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I give the whole series 4.5 stars and enjoyed reading the first 5 volumes, but found this final volume tedious. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that the large events in this time period are fairly familiar (as are the popular culture discussions from the mid-twentieth century on), and if so, it may be more enjoyable to younger readers or newer audiences as time goes by.