Secret Britain

An endlessly fascinating book, and dull would he or she be who didn't find it hard to put down, once picked up ... The really clever part is the tone, which is never facetious, always respectful to the subject matter, even when there is a faintly detectable Jeevesian smile to the prose. It is hard not to say: "Oh, just one more, then." -- Guardian Amusingly and energetically told...his best. Pollard has the QI knack of knowing what's funny or interesting -- Spectator The parts of our past they didn't teach in school -- Express 'Ideal for history buffs and fact lovers' -- Scottish Sunday Post Gems you won't have heard about at school -- Daily Mail Scotland I sometimes wish that my school history lessons had given a bit less time to important things such as the repeal of the Corn Laws and a bit more to the sort of by-the-way history told here ... amusing -- Sunday Telegraph