1066 And All That by W.C. Sellar
My rating: “1066 and all that” is no classic history book. It is a comedy of sorts, a book of puns for the historically enlightened. Quite a few of the jokes were certainly lost on me, yet it was a fun read in that particular style which exercises the brain in distinguishing the laughable from the truth. It lays excellent groundwork for anyone who cares to take interest in the different monarchs of England and Great Britain - as it spans from the Danes to practically the modern day (it was published in the 1930’s). Much as I found Douglas Adams (author of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy) to write with a particular sense of humour, here too - it’s a hoot until it’s too much of the “same ol’ same ol’”. The book is precisely the right length to avoid boredom or annoyance, and makes for a quick amusing read. (Needless to say the Folio Society edition is impeccable, amusingly illustrated and both the binding and the paper are of top notch quality.) View all my reviews