A sparkling anecdotal account with the pace of an epic, about the men and women who created turning points in history. Rebecca Frasers dramatic portrayal of the scientists, statesmen, explorers, soldiers, traders, and artists who forged Britains national institutions is the perfect introduction to British history. Just as much as kings and queens, battles and empire, Britains great themes have been the liberty of the individual, the rule of law, and the parliamentary democracy invented to protect them. Ever since Caractacus and Boudicca surprised the Romans with the bravery of their resistance, Britain has stood out as the home of freedom. From Thomas More to William Wilberforce, from Gladstone to Churchill, Britains history is studded with heroic figures who have resisted tyranny in all its guises, whether it be the Stuart kings belief in divine right, the institution of slavery, or the ambitions of Napoleon and Hitler.
Review
A work of history that gives a sense of who the six wives of Henry VII were without becoming bogged down in details demands great respect. . . . And only someone of her caliber could tell history so well and make it real to readers in Britain, America, and elsewhere.--Michael ReaganResurrecting King Arthur and retelling the gloriously ironic tale of King Alfred . . . Fraser stokes the embers of pride in a past from which the British themselves have become emotionally detached, and in which an American audience will find much that is compelling
About the Author
Rebecca Fraser has worked as a researcher, an editor, and a journalist, and has written for many publications, including Tatler, Vogue, The Times, and The Spectator. She is the author of Charlotte Bronte and lives in England.