An Utterly Impartial History of Britain

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Not as funny as it thinks it is... - Rated
This book is not as funny as it thinks it is. In the preface the author claims it is very different from the classic 1066 and All That. I would agree. That one was funny and just the right length. This I found too long. About two thirds of the way through it was becoming a real slog. Yes, there were parts that made me snort with laughter, but by and large it was a bit tedious and I really had to dig in deep to force myself to finish it.

The history, man - Rated
It is a sad commentary on the teaching profession that so many English people find their own history so boring. The Irish, Welsh and Scots endlessly argue about their history and what it says about their current situation, but English people generally are pretty ignorant about what makes them, well, English. John O'Farrell has a mission to re-ignite some interest and understanding this actually quite gripping subject. He re he takes on the persona of an enthusiastic young-ish history teacher, probably wearing a wooly jumper, to re-tell the last 2000 years of British (or as he confesses, mostly English) history. He spices up the tale throughout with mock-dialogue, pop culture references and anachronous quips. Surprisingly this doesn't get wearing, though this is a long book. The story is fairly conventionally told, all kings and queens and great men, no space for revisionism and only odd flashes of explanation. Nonetheless it reads like a novel and throughout there is a firm insight into the arbitrary lottery of history. The book concludes at the end of the Second World War, undoubtedly Britain's `finest hour' and therefore on an upbeat and surprisingly nationalist note.

Accessible History - Rated
British history for me is endless dull school lessons spent gazing out of the window at the sports fields wishing I was out there. Don't ask me about what happened in the 1900 or so years of British history not covered by WWI, the industrial revolution or the cholera outbreak of the 1850s.

I have picked up and put down a number of different books on British history including Simon Schama's History of Britain and This Sceptred Isle, but have found them impenetrable never progressing beyond the Danelaw. This book however is very easy to read, (I am told) is accurate and funny (unfortunately all too rare in history books).

Tiresome - Rated
Just a pain to read - contains fake conversations throughout imagining what people might have said at the time. These are not funny and just get irritating. Missed opportunity.

Hilarious Potted History - Rated
I thoroughly enjoyed this hysterical "romp" through two thousand years of British History; its well over 25 years since I was at school and was taught at lot of this in History lessons, but its amazing how much you forget or just didn't take in first time around.

John O'Farrell has taken his time and done his research and writes with such interest and humour that its probably the first time i've giggled out aloud whilst reading a history book! I absolutely recommend this book to anyone, its an easy read, not stuffy or pretentious and really brings alive the wonderful, rich history of our small but definitely not insignificant British Isles.....