There are many ways to approach history, and Joe Castello aims to whet 'Joe Public's' appetite with simple facts and figures arranged in a clear, linear fashion under the names of the kings and queens of England. He starts with the invasion of Julius Caesar and ends with accession of Queen Elizabeth II. Yes, this is history 'raw' rather than 'cooked' - but it's none the less appetising for that! Here in a digestible format are those glorious highlights of English history: the unification of England under the Saxon kings; the battles with France in the Middle Ages; the energetic awakening of the nation under Elizabeth I; the establishment of an empire overseas and much, much more... England's history is the smithy where our identities were forged, in the heat of battle and the cool waters of liberal enlightenment. We have become a well-tempered people, and the facts of our past, as presented here, show us the reason why.