See moreA ridiculously funny book for adults from the multimillion-copy bestselling author of the Horrible Histories, perfect for fans of Unruly by David Mitchell.
If you could take just one history book to a desert island, this would be it. -- Conn Iggulden
This book makes you question everything you thought you knew about some of the most famous events in British history. -- Tracy Borman
Ah, Britain. So special. The greatest nation on earth, some say. And we did it all on our own. Didn't we?
Well... not quite.
As it happens Britannia got its name from the Romans, and for the past two centuries we have been ruled by Germans. As Horrible Histories author Terry Deary argues, nations and their leaders are defined by the enemies they make.
- Elizabeth I would count as a minor royal without the Spanish Armada
- Without the Nazis, Churchill would be remembered as an opposition windbag
- The surprisingly sadistic Boudica would be forgotten if it weren't for the Roman Ninth Legion
And after all, every nation sometimes needs a bit of unifying Blitz spirit (although in an ideal world, we wouldn't have accidentally let Corporal Hitler go in the first place).
The British have a proud history of choosing their enemies, from the Romans to the Germans. You might even say those enemies made Britain what it is today...
A History of Britain in Ten Enemies is a witty, whistlestop tour through the history of Britain that will have you laughing as you find out what they didn't teach you in school.