1066 and All That: A memorable history of England by W.C. Sellar (PDF)

Description

A comic satire upon textbook history squeezing in all the history you can remember from the Olden Days and dashing Queen Woadicea to the reigns of the Eggkings (Eggberd, Eggbreth and Eggforth, and their mysterious Eggdeath), from the dreadful story of Stephen and his aunt Matilda to the Magna Charter, from the six burglars of Calais to the disillusion of the monasteries and the life of Broody Mary, from William and Mary, when England was ruled by an orange, to the Boston Tea-Party and the annoying confusion between Napoleon and Nelson, to the Peace to end all Peace. This light-hearted look at England and history provides a colorful commentary for all those with a curiosity for the past.

User’s Reviews

Reviews from Amazon users which were colected at the time this book was published on the website:

⭐Anyone British born before 1960, in the good old days of memorizing historical facts, would find this book hilarious. But most Americans wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between “truth” and a deliberate distortion of it. Even watching The White Princess and reading all the books about Henry VIII’s wives and reading Shakespeare’s history plays wouldn’t help. This is not Monty Python in prose. You should enjoy real history — big doses of it — before sampling an erudite parody such as this.

⭐No comment

⭐DO NOT BUY THE METHUEN PAPERBACK VERSION, which is very poor quality and basically unreable. However, the actual text is absolutely hysterical. (I have another hardback version.) FAIR WARNING: there’s a lot of fairly esoteric “inside baseball” and unless you’re something of a literary and Brit history wonk the humor can be largely inaccessible. There are laugh-out-loud puns and fractured literary and historical references on practically every page but if your studies and interests haven’t stuffed a substantial quantity of the underlying factoids in the old belfry along the way, you won’t get the jokes. An English public school grad will likely strangle laughing. An American (like me) or other origin will probably need to be something of a sponge for useless information with a minor in all things Brit. But if that describes you, I can just about guarantee this will become a favorite possession.

⭐I read this book when I lived in London in the 1960’s. It is very funny, very “English,” and very informative at the same time. My copy disappeared in various moves, years ago. Delighted to find that it is still available.

⭐Ok I got this because its a classic. And its the 75th Anniversary Edition! I must say its probably the quickest hardcover read I’ve ever accomplished. Not one day. One EVENING – and I still have time for baseball!! AND a review!! About the book – well its just plain silly. But we historians can appreciate that its HISTORICALLY SILLY! That said, you need to know some British history to enjoy much of the silliness, some of which I do, but not really enough. However, if you read fast, imagine a British narrator – its pretty darn funny. You can also spot the influences on future humor of Monty Python and even Shrek. If you care! But you don’t really need the hardcover, other than it’s nice and firm. . .

⭐A classic gem of parody and intelligent humor. I first discovered this “slim Volume” back in the late 50’s when it was read on late night radio by that giant of American speech and humor Gene Shepard.. This copy was a gift to a friend in the Northern UK who shares my delight in a well turned phrase , wry wit and proper English. He loved it. Delivery was fast and condition as described.I’m sure the creators of Monty Python were very familiar with the book. I cannot recommend it to any English speaker who constantly uses bizarre acronyms, walks around with an ear bud or finds hip hop meaningful. They would never get the jokes.

⭐I first read this in the ’60’s when it was going through a period of popularity, and it seemed really sharp. On revisiting it, I find it more banal, and not connecting with today’s world.

⭐I first read “1066” in 1973, while a student at Florida State Univ. I reread it recently and it is still the most humorous serious work I have ever read. I think that the best way to describe it is that it is Churchill’s “History of the English Speaking People” meets “Kids Say the Darnedest Things”.Its one weakness is that it was published in 1931. Think of all that is missing: the great depression, World War II, the fun-filled Middle East, the cold war, the moon landing, England’s lack of a space program, the current royal family, Peter Sellers.I highly recommend it to those who are seriously interested in expanding his/her understanding of history and getting a good laugh at the same time.

⭐My grandad bought this for me when I was 11, because it had brightened his schooldays, It did the same for me. It also expanded my vocabulary. Every time you read a sentence that doesn’t make you smile, it’s a signal that you need to read up on your (real) history. That must be a Good Thing, surely? I can’t think of a single sentence that is factually accurate. A real hoot. Don’t miss out! Buy one for your child.

⭐Still brilliant after all these years. The fun Sellars and Yeatman had in writing this classic sparkles up from every page. The fact that some of the gags are clunky and contrived adds to its charm. This is quintessentially English humour and required reading for everyone with a love of language, history and absurdity. Difficult to read without a smile.

⭐”whimsy” another reviewer sums it up perfectly.Perhaps it’s actually a humourous book, but i had expected an actual history of the subject matter. My mistake, apparently. With the play on words and the total borage of satire, it appears to be written only for professors who already know everything there is to know about the subject, and are sitting in their local, making jokes about the subject that only they will be able laugh at.

⭐My dad recommended this for my 14 year old son. He read it as a child and referred to it as possibly the Horrible Histories of its day. I think the fact that it is still in print despite being first published in 1930 is testimony to it being a special book. From the first pages my son has been sharing the humour of the book and I love the enthusiasm it has provoked in him. Knowing a little of the book we did challenge him to find the deliberate mix ups of facts before giving it to him, so that he wouldn’t make the mistake of taking the “facts” presented seriously. I’m sure some of it will go over his head as, despite a love of history, his historical knowledge still has many gaps but I think that just makes it a great book that he can enjoy now and grow into later. In the meantime he is growing his knowledge and having fun along the way. I would highly recommend this book.

⭐How could anyone who knows the slightest part of British History fail to recognise this book as the classic it has been for the last 83 years. Mind you, if you have been educated under the recent, enlightened, form of History, then you could be well adrift as it mocks everything about history as it was once taught. So maybe its age might not be the best encouragement. However, if you read at all or listen to debates or watch documentaries you will hear, see or read ‘bits’ from ‘1066 and All That’ quite regularly so fill your mind now, it’s a short read which you could get through in an hour. Laugh a lot and enjoy knowing all you really need to know about History. Definitely A Good Thing.

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