1066 and all that

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

78124

Title

1066 and all that

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

A witty, satirical history of England that covers the period from the conversion of Britain to the end of the Great War. Written in a humorous, anachronistic style, the book presents major historical events, figures, and inventions as if they were trivial or absurd, often using puns and invented names to mock traditional historiography.

Summary up to 500 words

"1066 and All That" by Walter Carruthers Sellar and Robert Julian Yeatman is a satirical history of England spanning from the conversion of Britain to the end of the Great War. The authors adopt a humorous, irreverent tone, presenting major historical events, figures, and inventions as trivial or absurd through the use of puns, invented names, and anachronisms. The narrative mocks traditional historiography by depicting St. Augustine's conversion of England as a "Wave of Saints" and listing comical figures like St. Neot, who invented whisky. Early English kings are reduced to absurdity, such as Alfred the Cake and Ethelread the Unready, whose unpreparedness led to the payment of Danegeld. The book treats legendary figures like King Arthur as a "Weak King" who invented the British Navy and the Round Table to manage jealous knights. The text simplifies complex eras, such as the Norman Conquest, the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, the Civil War, and the Victorian age, often reducing them to punchlines or invented scenarios, like the Spanish Armadillo and the Great War being fought between Germany and America. The authors conclude that history effectively ends with the Great War. To engage the reader, the book includes a test paper assessing knowledge of the material, featuring questions about obscure topics like the Venomous Bead and the Laws of Infangthief. Through this playful approach, Sellar and Yeatman offer a comprehensive yet comedic overview of English history, emphasizing that the nation's journey to becoming the "top nation" was filled with memorable but ridiculous events.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

Download URL

https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/78124.epub.noimages

Local file path

data/epubs/pg78124.epub

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Categories

• History
• Humor