The Making of England: 55 B.C. to 1399

A History of England #1

by C. Warren Hollister

Book by Hollister, C. Warren

Genres: History, Nonfiction, British Literature, Medieval, Medieval History, Textbooks, School

363 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1966

About the author

A specialist in medieval English history, Charles Warren Hollister graduated with honors from Harvard University in 1951 and received his Ph.D. from UCLA in 1958. He was one of the founding members of the University of California Santa Barbara history department, where he taught until his retirement in 1994.

Reviews

[Matthew Dambro · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was actually a rereading for me. I first read this at Saginaw Valley College in 1973. I had just gotten out of the Navy and I was looking for something to believe in after all the death and destruction. I found it in Medieval History. It was far enough away that the recent past did not impinge upon it and it was safe. It helped bury the ghosts that a Hospital Corpsman carries around with him. I went on to grad school at SUNY Binghamton with Dr. Norman Cantor. For a while I supped with the gods. Then life happened and Law School at University of Michigan was the outcome. I cannot complain. The law paid the bills for a family and two ex wives. This was the standard undergraduate text back in the old days. Hollister is still considered a giant in English medieval history. It did my heart good to revisit it now in the twilight of my life. You can take this book to the bank. It has not been overturned yet. His writing is fluid and easy to understand for the poor undergraduate history majors. May God have mercy on their souls.

[sologdin · Rating 2 out of 5]

starts with Iberians who apparently evolved from ape-creatures before moving to the peninsula, which at one time was not separated from the islands by the channel. but then the waters came and now you transchannel iberians are screwed. then come the celts, who left their signature all across Europe. then came the bloody romans. then the romans left. then the germans came. then the danes. okay: now this admixture counts as vaguely 'English,' at least in linguistic terms. but then we get Vikings who had been living in northern france and spoke like frenchies. that takes us to the end of the text. maybe in the sequel it will be shown that the germans come back or something.

[Lauren Stoolfire · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Making of England, 55 B.C. to 1399 (A History of England #1) by C. Warren Hollister is a general history textbook that covers 1,454 years worth of English (or pre-English) history. It is an interesting place to start if you're interested in the topic. I wish it could have gone into more detail on a variety of the topics presented though. I did appreciate the included illustrations and that it provides a good bibliography for those interested in learning more.

[Dee W. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is by far the funniest history book I’ve read in awhile. Aside from the dry text aspect of most history books, this one is full of snarky comments galore! My favorite being, “And this daughter sported the highly original name of Matilda.” Everyone was named Matilda for like 500 years. The other highpoint was that the text made a point of reminding the reader that Henry III was afraid of thunder, and to this day when I think of poor Henry he sounds like the singing Prince out of Monty Python. Very amusing

[Charlene Mathe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This writer makes history hang together. Wonderful narrative with maps and illustrations, good mix of facts and detail, and most of all an integrating narrative that makes complex history comprehensible.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yes, I’m the kind of person who reads textbooks for fun.

[Ember Air · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great overview of the time period. Will definitely be reading the next volume.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well versed in the intricate swirls of individuals and their family circles from Rome to Richard II. As a man of my age ;-), I am left wondering why if lineage succession was of paramount importance and even led England into hundreds of years of strife (in the periods after this book covers) why was it not handled with more ‘scientific’ or even agricultural standards? I assume the silly serfs and farmers knew how to make their pigs and cattle have calves? Why were their kings not able to sire multiple heirs. If not pregnant with in a single calendar cycle, an issue should have come up? Some of these kings ruled for decades and then realized they had no heir? The Scandinavians (i.e. Normans & Danes who wreaked so much havoc) prior to lofty Christianity’s arrival, placed a huge emphasis on virility, with Freyr being its associated god. It would seem the kings of England 700 or 800 years later should have saved some money, stopped building so many Perpendicular Gothic Roman Catholic Churches and built a few wooden alters to Freyr in a local forest! In any event a through book on the period.

[Jeffrey Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

C. Warren Hollister put a lot of detail of the history of England into a compact work. Covering the period from 55 B.C. through 1399, he covers a lot of ground in English history. While at times it can be a tedious read, he does use humor to break up the monotony. Because this is a textbook designed for collegiate level courses, this book provides a good overview, though he doesn't spend a great deal of time covering any one topic or person in-depth. For instance, the Black Death, which decimated approximately 50% of Europe's population from 1347-1349 only warrants approximately two pages of text. Definitely not enough to understand the intricate nuances and specifics of the time, but enough to get a glimpse as to how this is important in English history and world affairs. Therefore, use this book as an overview to get acclimated to the topic, but understand that if you are interested in one aspect of English history, you will need to go elsewhere to find a more detailed accounting.

[Drew · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned more about history than from any other book I have ever read.

It covers a large period of history (-55 to 1399) in enough detail to understand how history progresses, including what each ruler was like, but not in enough detail to bore the reader.

I have had a hard time understanding other books covering ancient history so I suspect that the familiar location helped, as well as a specific starting point (the Roman invasion of illiterate Britain).

[Kellie · Rating 4 out of 5]

SO much information packed into too few pages. A good resource for general knowledge, but not enough for a deep dive into the history of England in this time period.

[Stuart Endick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I simply had to give a shout out to this book that I first read in a college medieval history course many years ago and have since reread for pleasure. It graces my bookshelves and I pull it down once or twice a year just to browse through. Apart from the exceptional writing, it is a gripping and lucid account of the development of England and its institutions which were an important element (of course not the sole element) in America’s own development. For anyone who loves nonfiction history, good writing, and values cultural literacy I cannot commend this book enough.

[Alex Csicsek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very glad I read this. A straight-forward political, religios, economic, and cultural history of England from Roman times through the end of the High Middle Ages that is accessible, interesting, and easy-to-read.

The authors do an excellent job explaining the importance not only of notable events but also of the even more influential development of trends. Readers walk away with more than enough dates and facts to store away into memory, but the true value is understanding that English history happened much less in fits and starts than in slow, nearly imperceptible developments over time. It is less important to remember the dates of sucession between mideval kings than to have a broad conception of the development of royal government; it's great to recall that Magna Charter was written in 1215 but even greater to understand how principles of individualism leaked their ways into the English consciousness. The Making of England provides you with both, and the result leaves you with a broad understanding of the projectory of English history on the cusp of the modern era.

[H.J. Swinford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderfully plain and easy text book on the early history of England. I am taking a British Isles History class that I am thoroughly enjoying. It is wonderful to not have to dread the at-home readings, either. This text is very readable and though not witty or tons of fun (no color pictures or anything) it certainly does the job and does it well. I find the information easy to retain as I read and each book (a 4-volume set from the beginning of recorded history to present) is quite small so diving into the opening pages doesn't feel like you're signing your life away to its reading.

[Kristin · Rating 2 out of 5]

The classic textbook for medieval English history. While Hollister paints a very thorough and detailed account of medieval English political and institutional history, I did not find it to be a great book to teach from. There is too much time spent on detail and not enough on interpretation. Next time around, I'll be looking for a text that is more accessible for my students.

[Nathan Balyeat · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent general history of England from prehistory to 1399. Hollister and his students (8th edition) have some gaps in their coverage and are misleading in other areas (such as the state of Jews in England). The problems are minimal and the book worth having as a general history.

[John · Rating 1 out of 5]

Rated: F

[Elynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

For a history book it is very well written.

[Oliver Bateman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This textbook offers the reader a good overview of English history. The authors infuse their narrative with much recent scholarship on the period.

[Megan]

The Making of England to 1399 (History of England (Houghton Mifflin Company : Eighth Edition), 1.) by C. Warren Hollister (2005)

[Jack Coleman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picked up at my Library book sale.
I love history and the book proved to be
very readable and informative.

[Mikayla]

The information is good, the organisation straightforward, and the text highly readable, but it presents a very male-centric view of history and barely touches on major female figures.

[Brittany Petruzzi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very helpful survey while reading through Bede and Malmesbury.

[James Violand · Rating 4 out of 5]

My edition is from 1971. Nothing has changed. A very good read. Clearly written history.

[Emily Carroll]

Fantastic for a background on early English history.

[Riversue · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book tells the basic story of England from the Romans to 1399> There is nothing outstanding about this version - it tells the most basic of outline.