Reviews

The English and their History by Robert Tombs

gigivu's review against another edition

informative

3.5

aarora's review against another edition

The author just ignores stuff he doesn’t like or that doesn’t align with his conservative imperial views. 

radbear76's review against another edition

4.0

A massive work that filled gaps in my knowledge of history, but was also slightly overwhelming given its scope.

twage04's review against another edition

2.0

Book starts strong but as it progresses closer and closer to the modern age the analysis of the historical outline becomes increasingly obnoxious in its apologia to the empire's artificial famines, wars of conquest, and general disregard for human life. The Irish potato famine is treated as overblown along with the mass starvation in Bengal in the 1940's. The author seems to think England blundered its way into empire and the profit motive was only one small part of this direction, despite glaring examples like forcing opium into China at the point of the bayonet. Its little surprise David Frum's praise is proudly displayed on the cover of the book.

cdvicarage's review

3.0

Not really finished but I've read enough for now.

beemini's review against another edition

3.0

3.5. I don’t read a lot (any) history survey books, so I have nothing to compare it to. I read 65% and stopped just after WWI because I have a good sense of what happens after that until current times. By far the longest history book I’ve ever read, and it seems to give a decent outline of 1500+ years of history.

amtaylor16's review

Will pick up again. 

ihorbook's review against another edition

3.0

Книжка добре написана і добре структурована, тому прочиталась швидко як на свої тисячу сторінок. Але як же бісили постійні відступи автора на тему "Англію в цій ситуації критикували, однак це незаслужено, тому що..." і далі різні виправдання, здебільшого "а ось на континенті було ще гірше". Сам він критикує щось в англійській політиці лише з того моменту, коли вибори почали вигравати лейбористи.

doubleeph's review

5.0

Superb page turner on English history

alastairherd's review against another edition

challenging informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

4.5

An incredible, but enormous book. Filled to the brim with fascinating facts and comparisons, it sweeps through over a thousand years of history.

I loved listening to this book in chunks over the year.