A History of Britain in Ten Enemies

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‘If you could take just one history book to a desert island, this would be it. It is laugh-out-loud funny, but there is also a love of history and story here that is pure joy.' - Conn Iggulden

Ah, Britain. So special. The greatest nation on earth, some say. And we did it all on our own. Didn’t we? Well, as it happens Britannia got its name from the Romans, and almost none of the kings and queens of England were actually English. But then, as Horrible Histories author Terry Deary argues, nations and their leaders are defined by the enemies they make. The surprisingly sadistic Boudica would be forgotten if it weren't for the Ninth Legion, Elizabeth I a minor royal without the Spanish Armada, and Churchill an opposition windbag without the Nazis. Britain loves its heroes so much we have been known to pickle them in brandy to keep them fresh. And after all, every nation sometimes needs a bit of Blitz spirit (although no one wants to be the chap who captured Hitler and accidentally let him go). The British have a proud history of choosing their enemies, from the Romans to the Germans. You might even say they made Britain what it is today...