Thomas Miller (4) (1807–1874)

Although published in 1850, and therefore lacking certain knowledge gained over time, this is nonetheless an entertaining account of England’s early history.

This is no stuffy textbook, and the narrative is engaging; however, the prose is at times too flowery.

The author has a novelist's imagination, which sometimes enhances the writing quality when he offers his interpretation of how such-and-such a person might have behaved in a certain situation. I like this approach on the most part, but didn’t appreciate the author’s occasional slip into melodrama:

“Oh, what heart-rending shrieks must that beautiful woman have sent forth!”

While I don’t like history books to be too dry or essay-like, I do expect them to be accurate and professionally written. Melodrama has no place here.

Holding back on graphic scenes is typical in pre-twentieth-century works, and this book is no exception:

“We will not pain our readers by describing this unparalleled butchery.”

These sorts of omissions always frustrate me. It leaves me wanting to know the finer details, no matter how gory. Sensitive readers could skip a paragraph if warned, and it feels like a cop out on the author’s part. A good historian should keep no info a secret.

That said, this author doesn’t strike me as a historian, but as a novelist interested in, and knowledgeable about, early history. Not that knowledgeable, though, as certain dates are wrong, such as Alfred the Great’s death, though perhaps this wasn’t known in the mid-nineteenth century.

So, while this book has a few minor faults, I enjoyed it in the most part. If you’re interested in early England, but don’t like dry historical accounts with excess footnotes, then give this a try.… (altro)