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1outside's review against another edition
5.0
Apart from king Alfred and his immediate family I had very little knowledge about the Anglo-Saxon era of British history and that's why I chose this book.
It seems very well researched, it's concise considering the scope, and also well structured. Might be too impersonal in its style for some but I didn't mind.
Recommended read for anyone interested in this time period.
It seems very well researched, it's concise considering the scope, and also well structured. Might be too impersonal in its style for some but I didn't mind.
Recommended read for anyone interested in this time period.
poorlywordedbookreviews's review against another edition
informative
medium-paced
4.0
Sixteen hundred years ago Britain left the Roman Empire and swiftly fell into ruin. Grand cities and luxurious villas were deserted and left to crumble, and civil society collapsed into chaos. Into this violent and unstable world came foreign invaders from across the sea, and established themselves as its new masters. Here we trace the turbulent history of these people across the next six centuries, separating truth from the legend, and exploring how the foundations of England were laid.
A history of the Anglo-Saxons, that given a large part of my knowledge of this time comes from Bernard Cornwall, was badly needed! (No shade to his novels, but he’s taught us as many fact facts as he has twisted facts - cos you know everyone in existence shouldn’t be called Aethelsomething if the plot is to be followable!)
The author approaches the period chronologically, and whilst centred on England, incorporates details of the interconnected groups (Welsh, Franks, Danes, Scots etc) to place everything in broader context. The period was a time of clashing cultures, religious power, famine and plague, and brutally murderous Game of Thrones style power base struggles. It’s very readable, not dry at all, and comprehensive (relatively given the huge period it covers and the minimal historical evidence base for the period). However, unlike Bernard nothing can be done about the fact everyone is unhelpfully called Aethelsomething.
If you’re interested in the period it’s a great concise introduction.
jvanwago's review against another edition
informative
5.0
Coming into this book, I knew almost nothing about the Anglo-Saxons other than some vague understanding that they were somehow involved with early England. What I learned here was highly interesting and informative. Morris’ book takes 600 years of history and scant archeological record, and spins them into an engaging yarn.
This easily could have been a dry recounting, but Morris focused on one fascinating character at a time and used their story as a framework to tell the broader history. Morris is a fluid writer who expertly deploys dry humor as another tactic to enliven the history.
The Anglo-Saxons were first conquerors of the Roman Britons, presided over the darkest ages of British history, harried the few remaining native Britons and were in turn constantly attacked and weakened by Vikings. At the moment of their greatest weakness, they were finally conquered by the Viking-Franco hybrids known as the Normans. The Anglo-Saxons’ proto-Germanic evolved into Old English (the word “English” derives from one of the Anglo-Saxon tribes) and although they made several attempts to unify, true English kings were fleeting during this time.
This easily could have been a dry recounting, but Morris focused on one fascinating character at a time and used their story as a framework to tell the broader history. Morris is a fluid writer who expertly deploys dry humor as another tactic to enliven the history.
The Anglo-Saxons were first conquerors of the Roman Britons, presided over the darkest ages of British history, harried the few remaining native Britons and were in turn constantly attacked and weakened by Vikings. At the moment of their greatest weakness, they were finally conquered by the Viking-Franco hybrids known as the Normans. The Anglo-Saxons’ proto-Germanic evolved into Old English (the word “English” derives from one of the Anglo-Saxon tribes) and although they made several attempts to unify, true English kings were fleeting during this time.
paul_gibson's review against another edition
5.0
A very readable and absorbing account of the beginnings of England. The fact that the bibliography alone runs to 26 pages highlights the high level of research that has gone into writing this book. Well worth the effort to read.
declann's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
5.0
Love it