The Isles: A History

by Norman Davies

Written by one of the most brilliant and provocative historians at work today, The Isles is a revolutionary narrative history that presents a new perspective on the development of Britain and Ireland, looking at them not as self-contained islands, but as an inextricable part of Europe.

This richly layered history begins with the Celtic Supremacy in the last centuries BC, which is presented in the light of a Celtic world stretching all the way from Iberia to Asia Minor. Roman Britain is seen not as a unique phenomenon but as similar to the other frontier regions of the Roman Empire. The Viking Age is viewed not only through the eyes of the invaded but from the standpoint of the invaders themselves—Norse, Danes, and Normans. In the later chapters, Davies follows the growth of the United Kingdom and charts the rise and fall of the main pillars of 'Britishness'—the Royal Navy, the Westminster Parliament, the Constitutional Monarchy, the Aristocracy, the British Empire, and the English Language.

This holistic approach challenges the traditional nationalist picture of a thousand years of "eternal England"—a unique country formed at an early date by Anglo-Saxon kings which evolved in isolation and, except for the Norman Conquest, was only marginally affected by continental affairs. The result is a new picture of the Isles, one of four countries—England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales—constantly buffeted by continental storms and repeatedly transformed by them.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, British Literature, Ireland, European History, Scotland, Reference

1222 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

Ivor Norman Richard Davies FBA, FRHistS is a leading English historian of Welsh descent, noted for his publications on the history of Europe, Poland, and the United Kingdom. From 1971, Davies taught Polish history at the School of Slavonic and East European Studies (SSEES) of the University of London, where he was professor from 1985 to 1996. Currently, he is Supernumary Fellow at Wolfson College, Oxford. Throughout his career, Davies has lectured in many countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan, China, Poland, and in most of the rest of Europe as well.

The work which established Davies' reputation in the English-speaking world was God's Playground (1981), a comprehensive overview of Polish history. In Poland, the book was published officially only after the fall of communism. In 2000, Davies' Polish publishers Znak published a collection of his essays and articles under the title Smok wawelski nad Tamizą ("The Wawel Dragon on the Thames"). It is not available in English.

In 1984, Davies published Heart of Europe, a briefer history of Poland. Interestingly, the chapters are arranged in reverse chronological order. In the 1990s, Davies published Europe: A History (1996) and The Isles: A History (1999), about Europe and the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, respectively. Each book is a narrative interlarded with numerous sidepanel discussions of microtopics. In 2002, at the suggestion of the city's mayor, Bogdan Zdrojewski, Davies and his former research assistant, Roger Moorhouse, co-wrote a history of Wrocław / Breslau, a Silesian city. Titled Microcosm: Portrait of a Central European City, the book was published simultaneously in English, Polish, German and Czech. Davies also writes essays and articles for the mass media. Among others, he has worked for the BBC as well as British and American magazines and newspapers, such as The Times, The New York Review of Books and The Independent. In Poland, his articles appeared in the liberal Catholic weekly Tygodnik Powszechny. Davies' book Rising '44. The Battle for Warsaw describes the Warsaw Uprising. It was followed by Europe at War 1939-1945: No Simple Victory (2006). In 2008 Davies participated in the documentary film "The Soviet Story"

Some historians, most vocally Lucy Dawidowicz and Abraham Brumberg, object to Davies' historical treatment of the Holocaust in Nazi-occupied Poland. They accuse him of minimizing historic antisemitism, and of promoting a view that accounts of the Holocaust in international historiography largely overlook the suffering of non-Jewish Poles. Davies’s supporters contend that he gives due attention to the genocide and war crimes perpetrated by both Hitler and Stalin on Polish Jews and non-Jews. Davies himself argues that "Holocaust scholars need have no fears that rational comparisons might threaten that uniqueness. Quite the opposite." and that "...one needs to re-construct mentally the fuller picture in order to comprehend the true enormity of Poland’s wartime cataclysm, and then to say with absolute conviction ‘Never Again’." In 1986, Dawidowicz’s criticism of Davies’ historical treatment of the Holocaust was cited as a factor in a controversy at Stanford University in which Davies was denied a tenured faculty position for alleged "scientific flaws". Davies sued the university for breach of contract and defamation of character, but in 1989 the court ruled that it did not have jurisdiction in an academic matter.

Davies holds a number of honorary titles and memberships, including honorary doctorates from the universities of the Jagiellonian University (since 2003), Lublin, Gdańsk and Warsaw (since 2007), memberships in the Polish Academy of Learning (PAU) and the Academia Scientiarum et Artium Europaea, and fellowships of the British Academy and the Royal Historical Society. Davies received an honorary DLitt degree from his alma mater the University of Sussex. Davies is also an honorary

Reviews

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not so much a history of the British Isles, strictly speaking, as it is an extensive historical reflection on national identity. It examines changing concepts of "England," "Britain," "Great Britain," "the British Empire," "the British Commonwealth," and "the United Kingdom."

Davies has two primary concerns. First, he challenges any and all assumptions that such titles for the island nation at any given point in its history are interchangeable or appropriately used at any given stage of its history. The particular focus of his challenge opposes assumptions of England's/London's superiority. His second concern regards what it means to be "British."

He works hard to devote as much attention to Scotland, Ireland, and Wales as most past histories (according to Davies) generally emphasize England. He follows the story of national identity from pre-historic through contemporary times (published March 2000). An updated version would already be welcome in light of 9/11, 7/7, the second Iraq war, the 2008 financial collapse, and continuing developments regarding the European Union.

As any good modern historian, Davies strives for objectivity but as he moves into the twentieth century, his political opinions begin coming through on issues like the place of the British monarchy, different twists on WWI and WWII, and - most clearly - GB's dependence on the USA.

Specific and complete historical narratives are lacking, as the point is not a strict historical account but historiographical thought on national identity. Even so, it's good to have such an expansive story with such a broad view.

[Luke McCallin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a history book--any book, really--that makes you look at the world differently when you're finished with it. I love a book even more that stays with you long after you have put it back on the shelf and, like a favourite friend, you can't resist popping back to, to look up something, anything, just to pick the book up again.

I consider myself fairly well versed in the history--or, as Mr. Davies would say--the 'histories' of my islands, but that was before reading The Isles. It is a work of great sensitivity, at times iconoclastic, sometimes witty, often incisive, invariably trenchant. Considering the centrifugal forces currently at work in the United Kingdom, reading this book with its lessons culled from over two thousand years of history helps to put things in some perspective, starting with the concept of 'identity'. Considering as well the vast span of time it covers, it retains its pace, its rhythm, and its relevance to today's events. There is also a fine set of maps and other appendices, like timelines, chronologies, genealogies, photos, even sheet music!

So much of this book is about identity: what it is, where it comes from, who makes it, what happens to it over time. In a way it is interesting this is such a treasured book to me, as it does merrily explode conceptions of what it means to be British, while exposing the debris of that identity to another--that of being European. To be 'European' is another identity--or layer of identity--that I respect and cherish. Having lived and worked in countries that could not resist their own centrifugal forces and that span themselves to their own--often messy--destruction, my instinct is to resist any moves to deconstruct my own country. Having lived and worked on Europe's borders, I see it first from the outside in, and thus I see it as something of a haven, something to be aspired to. Again, not something these days that many of my co-citizens of this European project would easily relate to.

The Isles is something of a balm to that feeling of being adrift, or at least it helps to put it in perspective. Far from being set in stone, the islands that make up the United Kingdom have always been a site and source of innovation and inspiration to those who live there, and I hope they always will be.

[Blossom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listened on audio and like it so much I bought a physical copy. I really appreciated the perspective of the author about the various historical events and individuals. It didn’t go as deep into individual events as some other books I’ve read in this area’s history but I imagine it is due to the fact that it covers not just England’s history but ‘the Isles.’
Gave a very good introduction to some other histories that I now want to delve into more fully: Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Germany, etc.
From the Introduction (and explains what I mean by 'the perspective' in this book; emphasis mine):

The Sceptred Isle was a book published to accompany the highly successful BBC Radio series in 1995-96. Liberally laced with trenchant extracts from Winston Churchill's History of the English Speaking Peoples (1954-6) [which is what started all this for me in the first place], its fifty-five episodes cover the two thousand years from Julius Caesar to Queen Victoria. Both the book and the radio series revealed the public's appetite for old-fashioned narrative history and for a comprehensive chronological framework to historical knowledge. Yet, as the adoption of Shakespeare's catch-phrase implies, the interpretation...is Anglocentric to a fault. It accepts without a word of hesitation that England is the only part of the Isles that counts and that British history is a mere continuation of English history.

Each of the chapters contains three sections: a snapshot overview, summary account of the time period, and sketch of how it has been portrayed in later writings and opinions. Quite an interesting book, I think!

[Dhsparkman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't like Norman Davies, but I have to give this book at least 4 stars.
Davies is another revisionist historian, but unlike most, he gives good justification for most of his revisions, and is a first rate historian when it comes to historiographical criticism. I think all history students should read the part of this book where Davies savages the previous historical writing about the United Kingdom. He obviously writes from a Celtic/catholic viewpoint, and one has to be careful when one reads him for this reason alone. But his criticism of previous histories of Britain and associated islands (one should NEVER call Ireland a British isle--"there's nothing British about it") and questioning of long-assumed positions is the stuff of which first class historiography is made, and well-received by me, whatever else Davies' faults are. If you want to understand how British history has been written, you need to read these sections.
The book is huge; this is never a fault with a good book. The fault lies with some of text which is superflous and only provides gristle to get in the way of the meat. Fictional accounts of isolated instances of British history should never have appeared in such a book. Davies' revisionist sallies against the walls of British historiography are worth wading through this nonesense though. He also writes as if he were supporting trends that he assumes will happen in the future, which comes more to partisan politics than to sound history.
This is not the book to read to come away from, saying one has completely learned British history from it. Davies is often too busy grinding his own axes to give time to the events and themes which need to be discussed. An example is his treatment of the Cornish language revival movement, which might be of interest to all 500 participants, but comes at the sacrifice of lots of European historical context which would have interfered with Davies`lashing of his pet peeves; protestants, Germanics, and royalty. But "The Isles: A History" is to be learned from, and it is a worthy read for many reasons.

[stl̓laqsšn̓ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’ve done it. I’ve slayed the beast.

The book is real great for the first half about. But Davies’ refusal to say anything even remotely critical about British Empire, about its effects on culture, the creation of whitness, etc. is unforgivable really. Had I know that he was gonna spend the last half of the book doing a deep dive into everything BUT colonialism. I would’ve never read it. The last 100 pages or so don’t sugarcoat that the UK is a US client state so at least he’s kind of honest. He also wrote the final chapter as if joining the EU was a done deal. Which, lol.

[Monty Milne · Rating 1 out of 5]

I’m sorry to say I found this a big disappointment. It starts off well enough – the early chapters on the prehistory of the British Isles are very good, brilliant almost...but it soon goes off, and gets so progressively bad that in the end I couldn’t finish it. The problem is that Professor Davies hates the English, and it really isn’t possible to write a decent history of the British Isles if at every point you relish a racist put down. I have read many of Davies’s books and, until now, loved them all. My disillusionment on finding that someone I have loved and admired actually hates me and all my tribe is therefore hugely upsetting. Until the English actually arrive the hatred is concealed, but the moment Hengist and Horsa swing on the scene we are treated to the poisonous invective of a seasoned Anglophobe.

It didn’t have to be like this. Jean Sans Terre – as none of his subjects called King John – was no more a Frenchman than I am (the Normans, or Northmen, were not of course ethnically French at all), yet Professor Davies rubs his Frenchified moniker in our English faces at every opportunity. And of course, he hates the Church of England – as an expression of English nationalism, of course he would. Davies loves all supranational non-English institutions, whether they are the Church of Rome or the European Union, as the flip side to his hatred of everything Anglo Saxon. I haven’t been so disappointed since watching Edward I’s Irish levies switch sides to the Jockinese in one of the battle scenes in the film Braveheart. Ah Professor Davies, I would follow you anywhere in your historical exploration of all things Polish or eastern European, but in this book – alas! - the cloven hoof peeps from under your Welsh hose, and you show yourself to be just another chippy Celt.

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

Everything you know about British history is wrong, unless your name is Norman Davies. The heck with "There will always be an England", according to Davies there never was an England. The very idea of "England" is a whiggish plot. And don't even get started on the idea of "Britain". But you should probably visit Wales if you have the properly reverent attitude.

A clearly written and enjoyable "one man's view" type of history.

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

A history of the British Isles and it's peoples, from a non anglo-centric perspective.

Many British people, let alone foreigners, don't understand the difference between Great Britain, the United Kingdom and England, believing them to be interchangeable at best. No wonder then that this tome begins with an attempt to unravel this knot of confusion and set things , from the off, on a more secure footing.
From there we are taken on a systematic history of 'the Isles' as an integral inseparable whole, with equal emphasis on the various 'native' Gaelic cultures as on the customary English narrative; this consists of an almost comprehensive discussion of the various strata left by each successive conquest as an incoming cultural influence.
The tone of this book is really a search for identity; A subversive attempt to explode the myths of English or British identity and dispel the official versions of British history as politically motivated constructs invented after the events. The breaking of the myth is that these Islands have always been a meeting point for diverse, often conflicting cultures, be it through trade, Empiricism, proselytism and/or conquest; from native Pict and Celtic tribes through Roman, Scandinavian, Saxon, Friesian and Norman we are the product of diverse interaction rather than any single cultural dominance, and the rise of the English (but really British) to the status of C19th World super power, influenced, but neither hindered nor negated the importance of Welsh, Irish and Scottish history. Britain is, by nature, a multi cultural concept shaped as much by successive invading historical cultures as by it's own conquests.
This is the best attempt that I know of at a comprehensive history of our islands that honors and acknowledges all that have lived and contributed here. As with all of Mr Davies' books it is spoiled somewhat by the over labouring of certain points and the sound of grinding axes in the background but that is a minor quibble. There is much a louder passion for prosaic subversive story telling and love of the subject that makes this a modern gem.

[Vanjr · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book cheaply (10 US dollars at a Half Price bookstore-list price was 19.99 pounds which is about 30 US dollars) without any idea of how good it was. I had no significant knowledge of the history of Britian or the Isles but hoped to learn. As I have read this book I have learned a significant amount but unfortunately for me this is a history book to "correct" what one has wrongly already learned-ie that which I had not learned. I am sure I missed a lot of what he was saying. So it is not a particularly good introduction to the topic if you have a week "history of britian" background such as I.

It was however very engaging and entertaining and had to be as long as it is. As a survey for that long it certainly leaves out a lot. It bills itself as a survey of the Isles, but it certainly seemed Ireland, the Welsh and Scotland could have been covered more. This is a secular history but religion is important and covered to some degree but I would have been interested in more about William Wilberforce and the abolition movement as well as Methodism and its roots.

Recommend-for those with a background of history of England/Great Britain or who want a broad overview. One point he nicely makes is that historians have become so focused and have such narrow fields of study that no one can look at a broad picture. It is important to study the trees in the forest, but it is important to study the forest as well.
While this book can be read in sections of time, the sections overlap and tie into each other.
Not recommended for a quick read or the faint of heart.

[Aaron Debattista · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a book of three halves, so to speak.

The early, prehistoric sections are lavished with Davies' love and attention. Despite the slightly twee imaginary place names bestowed on Britain, this section is interesting, though perhaps not quite as fascinating for most readers as it is to Davies. Roman britain gets a perfunctory treatment - to punish us you sense, for being more interested in it, than prehistoric Britain.

The second section, on the time of the Angles and the Saxons and the early English Kings is fascinating, well written and engaging. Were the entire book like this part, it would rate more highly.

Alas, sometime between Henry VIII and the Glorious revolution, Davies' interest in his subject matter begins to lag. The Victorian era is dealt with rapidly. By the time we get to the outbreak of World War 1 - a time when The Isles being written about are the homeland of the greatest Empire in the World and are in danger of being broken up politically through irish sepratism, this interest is exhausted - and the whole period from thence to yesterday is breathlessly summed up.

I finished wishing the Book was less ambition; a tale of England from the Angles to the Glorious Revolution, slightly expanded, would have been outstanding. As it is, the curious beginning and the perfunctory end detract badly from the product.

[Mary Brodd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Went looking for this book as part of my Brexit obsession - I realized I knew nothing about the history of England and Ireland's relationship. Spoiler - as always, history of weirder and more fractal than we've been led to believe in school. One interesting point I hadn't considered regarding Brexit - that's the *second* time England has yanked itself out of the larger community of Europe. Henry VIII throwing over the Catholic Church was the first. Not having fully understood just how closely the Catholic Church connected the upper/educated classes, I hadn't realized what a wrenching break that would be. (Also, speaking as an American hard-cider fan, I now know never to go to an Irish pub and order Strongbow!)

Other notes - I now know a bit more about the Commonwealth, and why the Irish don't have much time for Oliver Cromwell. The Civil War was actually a bunch of wars smashed together, including wars in Scotland over the status of bishops (!).

If for nothing else, read this book for his discussion of "English" vs "British." It should resonate if you've been reading about current events.

[Richard Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

For someone educated at an English school, this book is a useful corrective to the history taught there. I left having been taught nothing about the history of the rest of the British Isles not indeed pointed at any areas where I might study further for interest' sake. He goes into the history of the Isles with a broad brush and the book was and is a pointer to further reading and understanding. As someone who is perhaps genuinely British by family background (English, Scottish, Welsh with a little Cornish but no Irish that I can trace), I've always been hacked off at the lazy conflation of English with British and anything that can shift that perception is valuable.

[Penny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mr. Davies does a delightful job of bringing history to life in his clear, concise writing style and attention to detail. Rather than an endless drone of dates and figures, this book is full of rich illustrations, maps, charts, and even music notations which bring his subjects to life. He also scatters through vignettes of the "regular" people caught up in the history he discusses, clearly conveying the certainty that momentous events affected not only kings and princes but more poignantly the people they ruled.

I own three of Mr. Davies books and plan to own several more.

[David Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good informative read, hard to put down. I have read Norman Davies before and have found him to be a solid unbiased author. A good detailed history is given without trying to patriotically glorify it. With a keen interest in history i have learned a lot from this book and would recommend it to anyone willing to learn of the progressive development of all parts of the British Isles and Ireland. The History of England by no means overshadows that of Scotland, Ireland and Wales in this book.

[Othy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Rather disappointing. Davies' venture to write a history of group interaction turned very quickly into English-bashing. I think I've had enough of the English being made the bad-guys of history. Apparently even when they're being invaded by the Vikings they're still doing something horrible to a fringe group...

[Joel Dishman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think that Norman Davies may actually have captured heaven in a paperback. Time vanishes as the pages turn because our puny experience of hours is as nothing to the awesome gulf of history, so much of which has swirled about a former peninsula in the North Sea.

[Sarah - All The Book Blog Names Are Taken · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a slog this was for the last half or third. If you have followed my reviews for a while you know that my interest in European history and the UK and Ireland specifically drops off rather drastically after 1603 because at that point the world is too modern. But I plugged away at this because I wanted to finish the book. I kind of get the feeling Davies doesn’t like England all that much but maybe I was reading too much into what he was writing. The three stars is strictly for everything up to 1603. Two stars for everything after 1603 because my attention just cannot be held.

[Travis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic panoramic review of the history of The Isles (from prehistory through the 20th century), with plenty of commentary about the field of history, historiography, and the like.

Highly recommended for those interested in history, the Isles, or any of the resident countries or peoples (Ireland, Scotland, Wales, England, UK, Great Britain, Celts, Picts, Bretons, etc.)

[Ted Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful survey of Insular history. I would have liked more discussion of the social and economic experience of the peoples of the Isles.

[Stephen Coates · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is a history of the British Isles from a time revealed only by archaeology to the present day. He starts off the book with annoyance that libraries don’t have separate classifications of English and British history whereas they do have classifications for this histories of Wales, Scotland and Ireland. He also writes of his annoyance with the variety of terms used and misused for the British Isles and instead advocates using "The Green Isle" for Ireland including Northern Ireland and "Albion" for the Island comprising England, Wales and Scotland. So far, valid points. However, he then expresses a disdain for recognised names not just of the isles but of modern names for counties, towns and other localities such that in describing the early history of the isles, his alternate naming of locations where events occurred poses a challenge for any reader attempting to determine exactly where these events took place.

The history itself begins with the earliest settlements of the Picts and the Celts, noting that modern Celtic rituals have little to do with the actual rituals practiced by the Celts when they were a distinct people. He then covered the Roman conquest and administration and the chaos and lawlessness that prevailed after their departure, the arrival of the Saxons, Angles and other Germanic tribes who fought, settled in and integrated with existing populations in what is now England, how they coalesced and drove the Celts or at least their leadership to the north, west and south west, what is now Somerset, Devon and Cornwall, but who left very little in the way of written records of that time. He then described attacks by the Vikings which, although brutal, were also accompanied by settlement to the extent that the Norwegians and Danes with some contribution by the Swedes, conquered most of England excepting only the Kingdom of Wessex. He also noted that the English at the time were Christian and the Dane pagans who, over time, converted and settled.

He then describes the next and final conquest of the Isles, by the Normans in 1066 which established French control over much of the Isles although King Alfred remained King of Wessex. The book then dispenses with the myth that King Alfred beat the French whereas the Normans, like the Vikings, Danes and others before, were gradually absorbed into the English population. By 1169 the French, via England conquered much of Ireland including the Welsh March and subsequently, the Plantagenets (English + Normans + Aquaitines etc) fought and lost to the French (i.e. the Paris region) and thus lost lands in France. This separation of Plantagenet run England with a French-speaking elite from France itself was long lasting and significant. The book then covered the Magna Carta, a significant point in the long-running tussle for power between kings and barons who were more unruly in the north and the beginnings of parliament in the 13th century.

The book then cited several prominent academic books on the history of England/Britain which overly emphasised its Englishness and independence although this was a time during which there was only the Catholic Church in Western Europe and English rulers all spoke French. The book also thoroughly debunked the Robin Hood legend. This was followed by a discussion of the 100 years war at the beginning of which parts of France were nominally subject to King of England as the King of England had claims on the Kingdom of France, France then being only the Aquitaine (Gascone) region as there were separate kingdoms in what is now France. At the end of the war, the King of England held onto Calais but lost the rest of France, and it was clear to both sides that England could never conquer France and vice versa.

This was followed by a discussion of the Crusades, especially the second Crusade during which England forces stopped in and helped Portugal en route, leading to a long alliance between the two countries and how infighting within the Crusader armies didn’t help their cause. Next, the book discussed the English King Etienne/Stephen who subsequently became the King France and his successor Henri Plantagenet, who, because he needed to travel between England and France was required to reform the judiciary, tax collection and other aspects of his administration.

The book then thoroughly refuted the major myth in English history that King Alfred had "thrown off" the Vikings, Germans etc. and that the Tudors had "thrown off" the French and the Catholic Church, recording that, instead, the French nobles, through generations, became English speaking and the English language developed into one that could be used for government and legal documents. It stressed that, pre-reformation, the Catholic Church was the church and asserted that modern historians have mostly been anti-Catholic and overly English focussed. The book gave a thorough account of Henry VII, Henry VIII, Mary and Elizabeth I. This was followed by a discussion of the rise of Protestantism and resultant anti-popism as well as appearance of non-conformist churches, the confrontation between Charles I and parliament, the Puritans, Oliver Cromwell, Shakespeare, the republic and the re-establishment of the monarchy with William of the House of Hanover, and Mary which, in turn, was followed by the merger of England and Scotland accompanied by the merger of their respective parliaments.

The remainder chapters of the book are more topical than chronological and they cover the rise of religious tolerance following the religious wars of the 17th century, the 19th century emancipation of the slaves and, although incrementally, the Catholics, and the disestablishment movement. The was followed by a discussion of the Civil List which gave rise to the Civil Service which was British, not just English, the evolution of parliaments, Westminster, Dublin Edinburgh and Belfast, the rotten boroughs and their eventual abolition, and John Wilkes’s campaign for electoral reform, followed by peerage, aristocracy and the monarchy itself. Then the book discussed the industrial revolution and how the union of England, Scotland and, to a much lesser extent, Wales and Ireland created a larger area within which there was free trade which, along with an established financial system helped facilitate the industrial revolution. This, in turn was followed by discussions of land enclosures and their displacement of the poor, many of whom emigrated to Canada, the USA and Australia, the development of the railways.

The final chapters discuss the expanding use and standardisation of the English language, sports (almost all sports were created in Britain), British law, units of measurement, relations with Europe and Britain after 1900 and the end of the empire.

The book attempts to and largely succeeds at being magisterial. It has been comprehensively researched and is well written. It challenge a number of widely-believed myths and, most significantly, challenges the almost universally yet inappropriate conflation of English and British history. Because of its size, it is probably best read using an e-reader although the reader is advised that he or she will be finished at 75% as the last quarter of the book is taken up with the references.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This may appear to be an epic of a book (and based on its size it is) it doesn't feel that way when you're reading it. Davies begins by setting out what he aims to do, which is to give one man's view of the history of the British Isles in all its many forms. He points out that this is not an objective work and is unlikely to be considered suitable by 'academic standards' but in my opinion it is a superb start to learning the long complicated history of Britain. Davies incorporates the histories of the all the countries that have been a part of, are still a part of or have influenced the Isles in a coherent, readable and most importantly a chronological manner, showing the interactions between the different people, places and events.

Davies also discusses the discrepancies and deficiencies in how British history has been and continues to be taught, including the ever present confusion/inter-changing between 'British' and 'English'. Although at times Davies seems to be English-bashing, his point is not that the English are always bad or wrong but that English history, culture and beliefs have over-ridden those of the other nations within the Union/Empire/Commonwealth. This may have been acceptable in the past, however, Davies points out that this should no longer be the case and that the historical and cultural wealth of the Isles would be far greater if all its constituent nations were treated equally and not as the defeated nations that they have been.

Although the book does lack a lot of the detail that other histories include, Davies has still produced a comprehensive and thorough account of the long long history of the Isles and includes many references and notes that can be used for more detailed research on specific people, places, events and eras. Overall a great read that shows the many sides of the British Isles, both past and present.

[John Newton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a big commitment at 1000+ pages, but if you are interested in British history, it's worth the effort. At every step, Davies highlights what has been left out of the main story—often that means the Irish, Scottish, and Welsh, as the history of England is treated as synonymous with the history of Britain. Beyond that, though, the French or German origins of different monarchs has been downplayed, as have the cultural and commercial ties that link the British Isles to the rest of Europe. (If you leave Scotland's history out of your main narrative, it's also easy to ignore the long ties between France and Scotland.) Davies tries to correct the record.

I don't have a degree in British history, but I have long gravitated towards books on English history. I think if you pick this up as your first broad survey of the history of Britain, it could be somewhat confusing, not understanding what Davies is responding to—the record he is trying to correct. That said, even if you don't have any specific English-history context, much of what Davies does is make readers rethink assumptions and ways of thinking about history generally. In the British context, he ponders why contemporary Britons identify with the Celts, but not the Romans or the Vikings, who are portrayed as marauding hordes not settlers who lived in Britain for centuries. How nationalism distorts our understanding of the past is relevant beyond England, even if how it expresses itself varies from place to place. (And for Davies it's not just English nationalism that's problematic, the Celtic revival of the 19th century is perhaps even more problematically unmoored from any historical reality).

All in all, a commitment but one that pays off, and may make you rethink much of what you thought you knew about Britain, and also how we understand the past in not just the context of the Isles but beyond them too.

[Lance · Rating 4 out of 5]

I spent a couple of years in Scotland while I was in the U.S. Navy. While the Navy sucked, Scotland was great. Being over there for what was, in essence, a short time, I didn't quite get familiar with all the nuances of the culture. Some Scots would deride the "lowlanders," saying they weren't really Scots. I'd catch on the television programs that Scots were considered the "comic releif." For some reason, Cornwall and Wales considered themselves, for the most part, separate and apart from England. This book brings together all the tribal factions, empires, and other ethnic origins that make up what is now called Britain (even though the author detests that appellation.) The significance of Beowulf became clearer, and it's origins are now thought to be historical. After reading this I began to understand the disparity I saw when I was over there. This book does have an agenda though. It is stated at the beginning and at the end of the book. It was published at a time when Britain wasn't yet part of the European Union, and it emphasizes their closer relationship with Europe and encourages membership in the EU at the expense of relations with the U.S. Because of the agenda, I give it 4 stars.

[Susu · Rating 3 out of 5]

This history of The Isles paints a broad sweep of development from early man to modern times. The history is very much dominated by English history with Scotland and Ireland in supporting roles. Apart from the historical events the author returns to the topic of naming conventions and an overview of historical works - both aspects take on a life of their own and tempt the reader to skip pages. Generally the author expects the reader to already be well versed in facts and having at least an idea on historical works - but the main reason to pick up a book like this is to get the overall picture and not to read essay-like criticism of other historical works you'll never pick up. The book does deliver on its basic promise. But for a book that claims to cover all history in the British Isles - well, it doesn't do much except lining up rough facts and giving of the impression of still neglecting all but the central English core. It raises expectations that are perhaps impossible to fill. Fat book with a few new insights, falling short of its self-proclaimed goal.

[Czarny Pies · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a big fan of Davies and regret that he wasted his time with this dubious project. This format is somewhat unusual. English language historians often write the history of other European countries by drawing parallels to British history. Instead Davies writes the history of the Isles through parallels to Poland. Strangely enough he makes this curious piece of legerdemain work.

The problem is that Davies makes some loopy decisions as to what to include in his book. The growth of labour unions, the women's suffrage movement, and dissenter churches get almost no mention. There are better surveys of Britain and better books by Davies to read. This one is best left untouched.

[Kjersti · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a monster of a book. I'm glad I had already read many British histories and take some courses in the subject before picking up this book...I may have gotten lost in all the details that Davies provides otherwise. That said, the author does present a fresh perspective on history of the British isles region and brings attention to peoples, topics, etc. that reader may not have been exposed to before. If you are brave and want to read a comprehensive, in depth history, this is the book for you.

[Chris Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this as a 40 hour audio book. I actually set it to double speed and did it in 20 hours. The guy is a slow talker. It was very interesting from prehistory to present but most people will not care for this. He did a good job of tying the myths and history together of that region and relating it to the rest of the world a little. I would recommend this book to any history geek who just like to hear vast amounts about history. If you are a normal sort of person and watch Desperate Housewives, you are going to be bored out of your mind.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.7 have just re-read this and find it slightly less impressive than i had before, i think because there is so much great history being written now and 'isles' looks a little conventional and leaden in comparison. still, davies is a stalwart guide to monarchs, uprisings and battles, with better coverage of wales, scotland and ireland than often happens, at least during some periods. but he gives precious little social, economic, cultural reference - never a mention of the changing position of women, for example. the only comparison to anywhere else is occasionally to france.

[Moominboy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always been a fan of N.Davies and this book didn't disappoint. As usually he gives a great historical synthesis of many different aspects. History of Scots, the Welsh and the Irish is not put aside either. The narrative is captivating and the book doesn't feel dry at all. It is not strictly an academic book, it's more popular history but it is detailed enough for everybody to learn something from it. And to remember it afterwards.

[John Bentley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the most up to date and detailed history of the UK as one could get.
It has no hidden agenda others than to inform of events precisely. It is a brilliant reference book for anyone interested in the origins of the people of the British isles and I have used it as such in writing my novel The Royal Secret from the days of the Druids to King Arthur, the Tudors, Shakespeare and the foundation of the America; the New Atlantis - the utopian dream of Francis Bacon. America's would be King.