Great Tales from English History

First in a three-volume exploration of English history from the historical consultant of Netflix's award-winning series, The Crown.

From ancient times to the present day, the story of England has been laced with drama, intrigue, courage and passion—a rich and vibrant narrative of heroes and villains, kings and rebels, artists and highwaymen, bishops and scientists. Now, in Great Tales from English History, Robert Lacey tells those remarkable stories as only a great writer can: combining impeccable accuracy with the timeless drama that has made them live for centuries.

This volume begins in 7150 BC with the intriguing life and death of Cheddar Man and ends in 1381 with Wat Tyler and the Peasants’ Revolt. We meet the Greek navigator Pytheas, whose description of the woad-painted Celts yielded pretanniké (the land of the painted people), which became the Latin word Britannia. We learn what the storytellers really meant when they described Lady Godiva's “naked” ride through town. And we discover the truth behind the tales of King Arthur and the infamous Hobbehod, later known as Robin Hood.

Packed with insight, humor and fascinating detail, Robert Lacey brings the stories that made England brilliantly to life. From Ethelred the Unready to Richard the Lionheart, the Venerable Bede to Piers the Ploughman, this is, quite simply, history as history should be told.

“Eminently readable, highly enjoyable.” —St. Louis Post-Dispatch

“Beautifully written, full of things you didn't know, and well worth a read if you want a new view on stories you thought you'd already understood.” —Living History