or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
 
 
More Buying Choices
66 used & new from £0.01
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
   
This Sceptred Isle : 55BC-1901
 
 
Share your own customer images
Search inside this book

This Sceptred Isle : 55BC-1901 (Paperback)

by Christopher Lee (Author)
4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
RRP: £14.99
Price: £10.29 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
You Save: £4.70 (31%)
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
In stock.
Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk. Gift-wrap available.

Want guaranteed delivery by Tuesday, November 17? Choose Express delivery at checkout. See Details
15 new from £7.45 51 used from £0.01
Other Editions: RRP: Our Price: Other Offers:
Audio Download (Unabridged) £15.13 £10.59
Library Binding (Audiobook,Box set) £146.81 £91.69 20 used & new from £45.00
Audio CD (Audiobook) £9.00 £7.93 17 used & new from £5.17
Audio Cassette (Audiobook) 10 used & new from £1.95

Frequently Bought Together

This Sceptred Isle : 55BC-1901 + This Sceptred Isle: The First British Empire 1702-1760 v.6: The First British Empire 1702-1760 Vol 6 (BBC Radio Collection) + This Sceptred Isle: Elizabeth I to Cromwell 1547-1660 v.4: Elizabeth I to Cromwell 1547-1660 Vol 4 (BBC Radio Collection)
Price For All Three: £26.34

Show availability and delivery details

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

This Sceptred Isle: The First British Empire 1702-1760 v.6: The First British Empire 1702-1760 Vol 6 (BBC Radio Collection)

This Sceptred Isle: The First British Empire 1702-1760 v.6: The First British Empire 1702-1760 Vol 6 (BBC Radio Collection)

by Christopher Lee
£8.05
This Sceptred Isle: Elizabeth I to Cromwell 1547-1660 v.4: Elizabeth I to Cromwell 1547-1660 Vol 4 (BBC Radio Collection)

This Sceptred Isle: Elizabeth I to Cromwell 1547-1660 v.4: Elizabeth I to Cromwell 1547-1660 Vol 4 (BBC Radio Collection)

by Christopher Lee
£8.00
This Sceptred Isle: The Age of Revolutions 1760-1792 v.7: The Age of Revolutions 1760-1792 Vol 7 (BBC Radio Collection)

This Sceptred Isle: The Age of Revolutions 1760-1792 v.7: The Age of Revolutions 1760-1792 Vol 7 (BBC Radio Collection)

by Christopher Lee
£8.55
This Sceptred Isle: Nelson, Wellington and Napoleon 1792-1815 v.8: Nelson, Wellington and Napoleon 1792-1815 Vol 8 (BBC Radio Collection)

This Sceptred Isle: Nelson, Wellington and Napoleon 1792-1815 v.8: Nelson, Wellington and Napoleon 1792-1815 Vol 8 (BBC Radio Collection)

by Christopher Lee
1.0 out of 5 stars (1)  £5.99
This Sceptred Isle: The Making of the Nation 1087-1327 v.2: The Making of the Nation 1087-1327 Vol 2 (BBC Radio Collection)

This Sceptred Isle: The Making of the Nation 1087-1327 v.2: The Making of the Nation 1087-1327 Vol 2 (BBC Radio Collection)

by Christopher Lee
5.0 out of 5 stars (1)  £6.74
› Explore similar items

Product details

  • Paperback: 672 pages
  • Publisher: Penguin; New Ed edition (3 Dec 1998)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0140261338
  • ISBN-13: 978-0140261332
  • Product Dimensions: 19.4 x 12.8 x 4.6 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 53,308 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    •  Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

Customers Viewing This Page May Be Interested in These Sponsored Links

  (What is this?)
   The Official 1911 Census opens new browser window
1911census.co.uk  -  The best place to get the records. Visit now, find your ancestors 
   Free 1901 Census Records opens new browser window
www.GenesReunited.co.uk  -  Search census records to help find out more of your family history! 
   This Sceptered Isle opens new browser window
Ask.com  -  Search for This Sceptered Isle Find This sceptered isle 
  
 

Product Description

Paul Donovan, Sunday Times.

'Wonderful…This Sceptred Isle has provided one of the greatest treats for listeners in recent years.' --This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition.


Product Description

Based on the award-winning Radio 4 programmes THIS SCEPTRED ISLE tells the fascinating story of British history from Caesar's invasion in 55BC to Queen Victoria's death in 1901. Using extracts from Winston Churchill's A HISTORY OF THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING PEOPLES plus accounts from contemporary chronicles and diaries, Lee's book focuses on the pivotal events and key characters that have shaped British history. Written in an accessible yet authoritative style. 'Has there ever been a more user-friendly means to the history of Britain' - The Spectator
See all Product Description
Inside This Book (Learn More)
Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
Search inside this book:

Tags Customers Associate with This Product

 (What's this?)
Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
 
(1)

Your tags: Add your first tag
 
See most popular tags
 

Customer Reviews

10 Reviews
5 star:
 (8)
4 star:
 (1)
3 star:
 (1)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.7 out of 5 stars (10 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars British History for the common man !, 22 Jun 1999
By A Customer
If you are the kind of person for whom the word history evokes memories of dusty old school rooms and dull-as-ditchwater lessons taught by equally dull and dusty old men, then "This Sceptred Isle" is just the antidote you need. Based on Churchill's Nobel prizewinning "History of the English-speaking People" and covering the period from the first Roman visit to these shores up until the death of Victoria, the longest reigning monarch, this book is the best introduction to British history imaginable. The style is light and conversational without being superficial and the liberal use of passages from the great man himself as well as contemporary sources lend the book added interest and authority. A slight criticism is that the geneological trees in the back of the book could have been a bit more extensive and a useful addition would have been a set of time lines or a year-by year summary such as that contained in "The Oxford History of Britain", however, these are minor quibbles. "This Sceptred Isle" is not the definitive text but is a superb primer that gives the reader a clear and detailed overview so that they can decide which period they can focus on next. The layout stresses the gradual nature and continuity of historical developments mixing politics with the social history, science and philosophies of the age. All the famous historical figures are here along with some you may not have heard of but who nevertheless made essential contributions to the development of the nation. Who first proposed the idea of cabinet government ? And in whose reign ? Where do we get the office of the Exchequer from and which monarch started it ? When did the sinking of the White Ship occur and why was it such a disaster for Henry I ? Why was Thomas Beckett murdered and was the king to blame ? What would Henry VIII have done for a living if his older brother Arthur hadn't predeceased him ? Learn about the reasons for the start of the Civil War and then surprise yourself but realising that there was not one Civil War but two. Find out the origin of such expressions as "to turn a blind eye" and "read the riot act". Better than that, indulge yourself and get the 10-volume BBC cassette collection of the original radio series - exquisitely narrated by Anna Massey and also available from Amazon - and use the two together. If you don't know your Williams from your Edwards, or think that the Glorious Revolution was a communist plot, then you need "This Sceptred Isle". Matthew Salter
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
20 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful, insightful and FUN! way to brush up on history, 13 Dec 2000
By A Customer
This review is from: This Sceptred Isle: Volumes 1-10 (BBC Radio Collection) (Library Binding)
No more snoozing in history classes!! This audio CD set walks you by the hand through British history and gives you so much more than the dry facts. The readings from diarys of the time and also from Churchill's 'History of Britain' bring everything to life - you actually WANT to know what happens next! The reading by Anna Massey is just right - informative but alive.

This is a definite must for everyone who says 'Hmmm, Alfred - he was the one who burnt the cakes, wasn't he?'

Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Magnificent canter through two thousand years of Britain, 6 April 2008
By John Holland (Surrey, UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This magnificent book covers British history from the Roman invasion up to the death of Queen Victoria. As the partner to a BBC series, the style is more conversational than lecturing, and certainly held me captured throughout the centuries of brutal wheeling and dealing that describes British leaders and history.

If I have one criticism, it is the excessive quoting from Churchill's History of the English Speaking Peoples and quotations from letters throughout. Perhaps as a BBC series, this added to the reconstruction of history, but in a book this appears to pad the writer's story with too many words from the mouths of others.

This criticism aside, I was completely held by the book to complete my way through a a description of the historical and political background to the British state. With reasoning of the British approach to church, state, empire and religion placed beside the mundane roots of words and phrases, this book maintains depth without becoming too high-brow and speeds at a relentless pace through the twists of fate, power and brokerage that brought the British state to its twentieth century position.

Having been bored by history at school, I found this a refreshing way to learn about subjects I had ignored for may years.

Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)


Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars First Class
Thank you for the speedy delivery.
Also,C.D.'s arrived in excellent condition. Excellent price!
Published 1 month ago by Diane Bovington

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is a must read
This book is so old and battered it has started to lose pages and so the one I bought from amazon was a replacement. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Pauline Simpson

3.0 out of 5 stars Very informative but dry and with mixed writing style
My knowledge of British history is (was) scant, hence the decision to read this book. I was bowled over by the amount of information but have to confess that the style of writing... Read more
Published on 13 Jul 2001

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply the best book on British history I've ever read
The one thing we can never loose in Great Britain is our history. This book covers this enourmous subject in an informative and easy to read fashion. Read more
Published on 24 Sep 1999 by Paul

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful set of tapes
I was woefully ignorant about english history (having chosen to do geography at A level) I find the tapes a real treasure - absorbing, fascinating and relaxing - now I want to... Read more
Published on 1 Aug 1999

5.0 out of 5 stars Like a Fairy Tale - Only In Real Life!!
This book is fantastic, I did not study history and school and have since regretted it. I was going to study it at A' level, but thought I should read this book instead. Read more
Published on 31 May 1999

4.0 out of 5 stars Well written overview of British history.
Slick but inevitably superficial coverage of British History. Well written with attempts at expressing and explaining the main events with a smattering of detail. Read more
Published on 17 Jan 1999

Only search this product's reviews


Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 

   

Listmania!

Create a Listmania! list

Look for similar items by category

Look for similar items by subject









i.e., each product must be in subject 1 AND subject 2 AND ...

Feedback

Ad

Your Recent History

 (What's this?)

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.