{"product_id":"anatomy-of-a-nation-9781472131904","title":"Anatomy of a Nation","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFrom an obscure, misty archipelago on the fringes of the Roman world to history's largest empire and originator of the world's mongrel, magpie language - this is Britain's past. But, today, Britain is experiencing an acute trauma of identity, pulled simultaneously towards its European, Atlantic and wider heritages. To understand the dislocation and collapse, we must look back: to Britain's evolution, achievements, complexities and tensions. In a ground-breaking new take on British identity, historian and barrister Dominic Selwood explores over 950,000 years of British history by examining 50 documents that tell the story of what makes Britain unique.   Some of these documents are well-known. Most are not. Each reveal something important about Britain and its people. From Anglo-Saxon poetry, medieval folk music and the first Valentine's Day letter to the origin of computer code, Hitler's kill list of prominent Britons, the Sex Pistols' graphic art and the Brexit referendum ballot paper,\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eExtraordinary. Brilliantly researched and entertainingly told - history at its best\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e -- Iain Dale\u003cbr\u003eAn original, engaging and deeply researched journey through British history in the words of those who made it -- Dan Jones\u003cbr\u003eAn extraordinary new book . . . a wonderful gallop through the history of the nation . . . I enjoyed it enormously and I salute you, Dominic * White House Chronicle *\u003cbr\u003eAn incredible insight into the private lives of people * The Times *\u003cbr\u003eA glorious romp through the history of Britain, from the flooding of Doggerland to the Shipping Forecast, via Romans, Arthurian legend, witches and a bomb plot. A stunning achievement\u003ci\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e -- Claudia Gold, Historian and author of King of the North Wind: The Life of Henry II\u003cbr\u003eUnique, informative, and compelling ... unreservedly recommended * Midwest Book Review *\u003cbr\u003eWith a great deal of erudition and humour, Selwood manages to distil thousands of years of British history in a fiendishly clever way. A must for anybody trying to understand this most enigmatic of nations, be they a new arrival or someone who has lived in Britain before even the late Queen was on the throne -- Guy Walters, Historian and novelist\u003cbr\u003eThe range and rich diversity of material are the chief strength of this book . . . a readable and enjoyable narrative history * The TLS *\u003cbr\u003eA superb holiday pick . . . sparky, original, dip-in-able and full of fresh insights . . . a superb array of documents . . . cleverly chosen . . . combines barrister precision with historian instincts . . . a worthwhile endeavour, each and every word . . . your view of British identity and maybe your own will be different by the end. * QUAD magazine *\u003cbr\u003eErudite, surprising, and hugely entertaining, using texts, both familiar and less well known, Dominic Selwood provides us with a new way of viewing British history. A delight to read and full of new insights, in short readable chapters, this is something you will want to return to again and again -- Professor James WP Campbell\u003cbr\u003eOne of the great fallacies of our time is the idea that our identities, including our national and ethnic identities, are somehow innate and unchanging. Dominic Selwood deftly wields sharp tools to smash that idea to smithereens. \u003ci\u003eAnatomy of a Nation\u003c\/i\u003e uses \u003cb\u003ehistorical documents, sparkling wit and sharp insight\u003c\/b\u003e to help us understand where and how the British - the English in particular - learned to be British. With a deft handling of historical fact, the author shows us how the builders of Stonehenge, the friars who kept their library across the road from Newgate prison, the British first president of Israel and the readers of the Shipping Forecast created the globally oriented identity that is Britishness at its best. Reading this book helps us (British or not) understand who we are by teaching us the interaction between history, culture and identity; and doing it in a way that's \u003cb\u003ejoyous, decorous, educated and fun\u003c\/b\u003e. \u003cb\u003eThis is my kind of history\u003c\/b\u003e -- Dr Lynette Nusbacher, Historian and TV presenter\u003cbr\u003eStimulating ... ambitious ... wide and varied ... clear and lively ... sections on Northern Ireland and the Falklands War are judicious, balanced and well-argued * Soldier magazine *\u003cbr\u003eAn absorbing read . . . one of the joys of Selwood's writing is his cogent analysis . . . the exhaustive bibliography of sources attests to the depth of Selwood's research . . . an innovative history eruditely told * Law Society Gazette *\u003cbr\u003eDominic Selwood has found an enthralling way to recount the story of Britain: from Anglo-Saxon poems to the Sex Pistols, the Bayeux Tapestry to the last prophecies of Spitting Image, there is not a dull or dry moment in this book, but a wonderful, erudite, wide-ranging, and insightful account of the eclectic roots and development of British history and identity\u003ci\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e -- Dr Bijan Omrani, Historian and author of Caesar’s Footprints\u003cbr\u003eMany [chapters] reference British military actions at home and abroad . . . delve[s] into the context, importance and subsequent events that have come to define each conflict . . . shows the importance of the research Dominic Selwood has conducted. * Britain at War Magazine *\u003cbr\u003eDominic Selwood slices into complex histories with hugely significant documents as his scalpel. We are deftly led through the context that helps make sense of events and can see the carefully selected documents as the vital organs in the body of history dissected before us. \u003ci\u003eAnatomy of a Nation\u003c\/i\u003e is \u003cb\u003ea delightfully readable account of how history is written\u003c\/b\u003e and how the written word defines history -- Matthew Lewis, Historian and author\u003cbr\u003eA comprehensive survey of British history drawing on a vivid range of original texts * History News Network *\u003cbr\u003e[A] very current, thought-provoking reflection on what British history means today * Family Tree Magazine *\u003cbr\u003ean enthralling account of how the British mindset has evolved ... a vivid picture of the many profound influences that have shaped Britain and its collective psyche... complicated ideas are described and explained with great clarity ... I struggled to put the book down. * Freemasonry Today *\u003cbr\u003eBritain may be a country that has \"lost its way\" but history shows that solutions can be found ... The 50 documents are described in an accessible way that provokes an interest for scholars and casual history fans alike * Islington Gazette *\u003cbr\u003eSelwood chronicles Britain's past through a diverse - and sometimes unexpected - selection of historical documents * BBC HistoryExtra *","brand":"Little, Brown Book Group","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48739380592983,"sku":"9781472131904","price":13.49,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9781472131904.jpg?v=1720052073","url":"https:\/\/bookcurl.com\/products\/anatomy-of-a-nation-9781472131904","provider":"Book Curl","version":"1.0","type":"link"}