Book excerpt: 'History is indeed little more than a register of the crimes, follies and misfortunes of mankind.' Edward Gibbon The history of England is a full and fascinating one, but all too often one gets caught up in finding out about one era, or daunted at the prospect of trying to discover more from such a vast expanse of information. In A History of England in a Nutshell, John Mathew provides readers across the range with a work covering England's interesting (and often bloody) history in concise yet enthralling detail. From the first century BC when the Romans reached England's shores, through to Queen Victoria's reign and the height of the British Empire, this book will give you a comprehensive - and more importantly, comprehensible - retelling of England's history. Whether you wish to read straight through and follow the twists and turns of a kingdom being forged over the centuries, or to dip into sections of interest, it will engross and inform alike.