The history of a nation in the objects that define it.
There are many ways by which the history of a nation can be defined: by places, people, its laws, politics, economics and culture.
Significant objects are another defining factor and it is through objects that this book aims to tell the history of Britain from prehistoric times to the modern age.
One hundred historically significant objects speak out as emblems of a particular event in Britain’s history - from the building of Stonehenge to the development of a vaccine for coronavirus; from a lock of hair preserved in Roman York to the British-made parachute used to decelerate the Perseverance Rover during its recent landing on Mars.
In the pages of this book are some of the iconic objects which will guide us through a truly unique history of Britain. Some were invented and developed in Britain, making history in themselves; many of these are quintessentially British. Others we simply adopted and allowed to forge a place for themselves in the story of our nation.
Let one of Britain’s best-loved history authors guide you through its history, object by object. Sections include Prehistory, the Bronze and Iron Ages, Roman Britain, the ‘Dark’ Ages, Vikings, the Middle Ages, the Tudors, Stuarts and Georgians, the Industrial Revolution, Victorians and the British Empire, World Wars 1 and 2, and the period in-between, and the post-war period.
Features hundreds of images and interesting facts alongside the story of each object.
