# Please recommend a short and easy history of Great Britain **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 17, 2026, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-recommend-a-short-and-easy-history-of-great-britain/1027745 "2026-02-17T14:41:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Briny\_Deep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/briny_deep/32/17188_2.png) [@Briny\_Deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briny_Deep)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2026, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-recommend-a-short-and-easy-history-of-great-britain/1027745/1 "2026-02-17T14:41:33Z")
It’s a big topic, but I’m looking for a little book. I have a few fairly serious histories of short periods in British history but am wanting a small reference guide to the eras, primarily as a companion to literature. Who was king during the fictional events of _Wuthering Heights_? When was Cromwell, and what happened to put him in charge? What was the Restoration, what was the Regency, who were the Plantagenets, who were Queen Anne and Queen Charlotte, why did Queen Mary (which one, again?) get sent to the Tower and why did George the Third go mad? I’m talking about at least a thousand years of rich history and I want a magazine article, right? I fully get that it’s a ridiculous ask. But I’ll ask anyway. Does anyone have a favorite _short_ history or perhaps an engaging reference book? ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2026, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-recommend-a-short-and-easy-history-of-great-britain/1027745/2 "2026-02-17T15:48:12Z")
It looks like most of what you are interested in would be covered by any of the numerous “History of the Kings and Queens of Britain” books out there. Even the shortest of those will hit all the topics in your OP. Dynastic succession really is the easiest way to get a solid footing on the chronology of British History. From there you can narrow your study to what most interests you. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2026, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-recommend-a-short-and-easy-history-of-great-britain/1027745/3 "2026-02-17T18:05:15Z")
[Jeremy Black, A Short History of Great Britain](https://www.amazon.com/Short-History-Britain-Jeremy-Black/dp/1472586662) [William Burns, A Brief History of Great Britain](https://www.amazon.com/Brief-History-Great-Britain/dp/0816077282) [Simon Jenkins, A Short History of England](https://www.amazon.com/Short-History-England-Jenkins-author/dp/1788160894/ref=sr_1_2?crid=15UTRGJSGGOV3&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.NYm9b2vD1Vakhu54nLXUK7CynJawyR2s9DrIt04_p1Q8kAOWQ0P1fhUVsBYWU8LEuYZIzjA0QnNUzRZ-49RIbP-iH90A3g4gvJEOYe0AYDKlQTxGWTEzayn-io-Sl9mKi-_c8rZTvKcHqiFjtICbcGRwV3mUFpH6LDaTqx2X69RbtMGujseu6lWwIZqAEMn08C6kLmfQjs9l-AphBKpE_I25_dsouncx6Ioa-KaUobc.GfhzUUBNSAqjD8OfreGbUz5kuO1EJ2Mt-0Rq_f7ywpE&dib_tag=se&keywords=simon+jenkins&qid=1771351390&s=books&sprefix=simon+jenkin%2Cstripbooks%2C302&sr=1-2) ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2026, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-recommend-a-short-and-easy-history-of-great-britain/1027745/4 "2026-02-17T18:14:05Z")
I get all my history from [1066 and All That](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1066_and_All_That) ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2026, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-recommend-a-short-and-easy-history-of-great-britain/1027745/5 "2026-02-17T18:21:33Z")
BBC had a radio mini series called **This Sceptered Isle** I am sure is still around. It deals mostly with big names and government programs, but it’s very accessible and covers a great deal. ---
**Author:** ![Dorjan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorjan/32/12440_2.png) [@Dorjan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dorjan)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2026, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-recommend-a-short-and-easy-history-of-great-britain/1027745/6 "2026-02-17T18:34:43Z")
“Cunk on Britain” Thank me later. Edited to add: I just realized you were looking for a book, but my recommendation stands 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Briny\_Deep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/briny_deep/32/17188_2.png) [@Briny\_Deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briny_Deep)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2026, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-recommend-a-short-and-easy-history-of-great-britain/1027745/7 "2026-02-17T20:37:31Z")
Thanks! May I ask, do you know/recommend these personally? ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2026, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-recommend-a-short-and-easy-history-of-great-britain/1027745/8 "2026-02-18T01:56:05Z")
Black’s Short History is part of a series from Bloomsbury that I’ve found to be very good. And truly short, like only 200 pages. I have not read this one in particular, but I think it fits your wants. The others are ones I found while searching and with decent reviews so I thought I’d pass them on so you could compare the descriptions.