John Farman - The Very Bloody History Of Britain (without the boring bits) (BBC)
"King Henry VI became the first sovereign to wear nappies" in 1422. So starts the brief chapter called "King of the Cradle" in which author John Farman summarizes the history of England from the accession of Henry VI through the conclusion of the War of the Roses. In four quick pages he sums up the highlights with hilarious descriptions that are the secret of his success as a writer of comedy. We learn, for example, that at Bosworth, Richard III "jauntily sported his crown into battle, got the worst of it, and at one point offered his kingdom for a horse." This of course is but one episode in the War of the Roses, "which seemed to be about whether red roses were nicer than white ones."
English history from prehistoric man through World War II. Funny as it is, this book summarizes the history of England very accurately. It also makes a point. Farman's humorous style reminds us that we are funny creatures. Motivated as we are by greed, lust, avarice, or even charity, honor, and true nobility, we do a lot of crazy things. Our actions make up the events that create history.
For this American who has taken great pains to learn English history from more sober authors, I found Farman's approach fresh, delightful, and still true to the facts. For any genealogist who wants a review of English history, this book offers delightful instruction.
Author: John Farman
Publisher: BBC Radio
Genre: history
Date: 1995
Duration: 3 hours
Reader: Peter Jones
Quality: 32kbps
Size: 42,1 Mb
Format: mp3
Language: English
Part 1-2 of 4
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