The Story of Britain

Gr 5—8—Arranged in chronological order, this volume has reduced nearly 1000 years of history into bite-size vignettes. While detailed time lines present ready facts, a highly fictionalized text tries to infuse action and adventure into events. The idea of presenting history as a never-ending story has appeal, but Dillon's use of the technique provides no room for debating interpretations of events. His writing is at times condescending and pedantic, most evident by his overuse of the phrase, "In those days," and in such sweeping generalizations as, "War changes things." Dillon cherry-picks versions of events to suit the "story." One glaring example is Richard III and the princes in the Tower; the king's complicity in the death of his nephews is hotly debated, yet here it is presented as the only story. The Scottish heroine Flora MacDonald is depicted as a lovelorn accomplice to Bonnie Prince Charlie, yet a simple fact check tells a more pragmatic tale. The author's attempt to present Britain as an ethnic melting pot constantly reinventing itself is only partially successful, particularly as he misses the opportunity to discuss the evolution of the Commonwealth after the demise of the Empire. However, it is the lack of any sources whatsoever that really undermines the authority of the book. This is too bad, because when Dillon writes critically and presents an overview of how historical events influence one another, the book becomes genuinely interesting.—Kara Schaff Dean, Walpole Public Library, MA