Just recieved my copy and I confess to being rather disappointed and Schama'ed. Once again we seem to have a book that only is concerned with events in England. Ok, the roots of modern Britain's society developed in all concoring England, but the rest of Britain hardly gets a look in, except where convenient. It really is a shame as it takes the shine off what is otherwise a fine book. It would have been nice to see some reference to other regions. The majority of Welsh political history covering the best part of a thousand years up to Owain Glyndwr seemes to be summed up in about 2 paragraphs, and Scotland seems to fare little better. Ah well, we live in hope that we will get a History of Britain one day, till then I'll have to make do with two or three. One of 'Britain' and others to fill in the gaps.
Go he went, to put his foot where never before a foot was put.
Originally posted by MADOC: The majority of Welsh political history covering the best part of a thousand years up to Owain Glyndwr seemes to be summed up in about 2 paragraphs,
Bless 'em it can be very complicated for some of them... let alone some of the readers.
Edward I does not even get a mention in the index, bless i'm. But we do get Edward I (confessor)
There is a page on Brochs and the Llyn Cerig Bach Hoard but once the good old Alnglo Saxons arrive History, for the most part ends in the rest of Britain only the Vikings get a look in. I suppose it avoids any awkward questions over why we managed to fight off the A.S. and Normans for so long and they did'nt.
Go he went, to put his foot where never before a foot was put.
The llyn cerrig bach hoard was discovered during the war when a runway at RAF valley was being extended. Mention is made of the votive offerings (swords, spearheads, decorated shield, harnesses etc.)and bones found, and the slave chains (the fact that they were only recgnised after they had been used to pull a lorry out of the mud, not bad after 2000 years in the lake bottom, is not mentined). The offerings were dated from 500BC to 100AD The items can be seen in the National Museum of Wales, in Cardiff.
Go he went, to put his foot where never before a foot was put.
Nothing very new then. However, if they are agreeing to date the offerings up to AD100 then at least that means that they have ignored the old idea that everything must have been pre-Roman.
Still, I don't think I've been pursauded to part with my money (it does take a lot - as my wife will tell you).
