Before I begin my morning drone let me assure you that my 'Grump Factor' has reduced somewhat from yesterday when Typepad joined the 'yuuuuuge', secret conspiracy that has formed over the years to drive me mad. I don't quite know why it is so bloody-bloody irritating when one's computer plays up - but it is! Perhaps it's because all those 'square-heads' who (allegedly) understand how they work never stop prating about how 'wizzy-do' their products are being jam-packed full of the cleverest clever things since clever things were invented - by them, natch! So, one growls, how come your clever thing just stopped working? (By the way, thanks to JK for confirming in the comments to yesterday's post that Typepad was off the rails and it wasn't just me raving away up here in my attic!)
Enough of that because I want to tell you about the very 'bestest' history book I have ever read. I refer to The Story of Britain: From the Romans to the Present by Sir Roy Strong. Of course, it is not really the best history book I have ever read but it is truly excellent. Almost every other history book I have read has concentrated on one particular subject but this one is truly panoramic, as the title implies. I am still in the early stages but already I can discern, what Sir Roy sees clearly, the mostly gradual but sometimes explosive patina of a nation and a society evolving over time. His prose is clear and straightforward with no over-reaching philosophical formula to justify or criticise the events. It is a perfect example of that old American TV detective who demanded that people "just gimme the facts!"
It is a tale of two steps forward, followed by one step back but perhaps the most important factor was that we are an island and thus we were forever on the bubble, evolving and changing. Compare that to, say, Russia where, so to speak, 'stasis rules OK'! Christmas is approaching so put it on your gift list!
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