A History of England in 25 Poems by Catherine Clarke

A History of England in 25 Poems by Catherine Clarke

A delightful, thoughtful and original new way to understand England's history A Times Best Book of the Year 2025 A History Extra History Book of the Year 2025 'This is a marvellous idea, quite brilliantly realised. Catherine Clarke takes 25 poems [...] and uses them as windows into the English past, from politics and plagues to nature and nostalgia. Her book is a winning blend of jolly ballads and melancholy reflections, alive to the ways in which the meanings of England and Englishness are never fixed, always changing' - Dominic Sandbrook, The Times This is the history of England told in a new way: glimpsed through twenty-five remarkable poems written down between the eighth century and today, which connect us directly with the nation’s past, and the experiences, emotions and imaginations of those who lived it. These poems open windows onto wildly different worlds – from the public to the intimate, from the witty to the savage, from the playful to the wistful. They take us onto battlefields, inside royal courts, down coal mines and below stairs in great houses. Their creators, witnesses to events from the Great Fire of London to the Miners’ Strike, range from the famous to the forgotten, yet each invites us into an immersive encounter with their own time. A History of England in 25 Poems is a portal to the past; a constant companion, filled with vivid voices and surprising stories alongside familiar landmarks, and language that speaks in new ways on each reading. Catherine Clarke’s knowledge and passion take us inside the words and the moments they capture, with thoughtful insights, humour and new perspectives on how the nation has dreamed itself into existence – and who gets to tell England’s story.

Catherine Clarke is a Professor at the Institute of Historical Research, University of London, and Director of the Victoria County History of England. She was previously Professor of English Literature at the University of Southampton, where she remains a Visiting Professor.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780241765982
ISBN 10	0241765986
Title	A History of England in 25 Poems
Author	Catherine Clarke
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Hardback
Publisher	Penguin Books Ltd
Year published	2025-09-04
Number of pages	384
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.