This Realm of England 1399-1688 (History of England, vol. 2)

This text, which is the second volume in the best selling History of England series, tells how a small and insignificant outpost of the Roman empire evolved into a nation that has produced and disseminated so many significant ideas and institutions.

The Eighth Edition incorporates more women's history, while continuing to provide balanced political and economic coverage with social and cultural history woven throughout.

I had to use this book for a class, but I found that I got about ten times more out of my instructor's lectures than this text. There really is very little to boast about here--it's basically just a mundane, watered-down history of England.

I hate to say it, but I was disappointed. I haven't studied much of English history, but even my limited knowledge was enough to know that this book is but a scratch on the surface. If you have to have this for a class, there's not much you can do, but if you're looking for a good history of England, keep looking.


An Entertaining... Textbook?   December 14, 2000
 8 out of 10 found this review helpful

The second in an informative and entertaining series on English history, this book is not a difficult read, even if it's required for class. An excellent overview of this time period for any student of English history- or the average reader. One of the few disappointments was the section in which Oliver Cromwell appeared. Absent was any mention of reasons why historians such as Maurice Ashley have labelled Cromwell as a "brave, bad man", or of the atrocities he instigated in Ireland. If your interest does not include the information on Cromwell, this is an excellent book, one I did not sell back after the semester was over!