dk books

Customer Review:

Review by: Sean Brady, 29 May 2011

'From a million years ago, where there was extreme cooling known as the Ice Age, to the present day. This book covers the rich history of this isle, with detailed pictures of objects, figures and places from the time (notable pictures: Medieval weapons, Ely Cathedral and St. Paul''s). Some interesting notes I picked up on that still have some bearing today: the poll tax from Roman Britain and the revolts that followed its introduction; the ice sheeets that retreated around 10,0000 BCE, but may one day return. There''s also a reference guide to Monarchs & Rulers to the present day. My only small critcism would be the size of the text on the BEFORE and AFTER boxes: it''s a little small for those with poor eyesight. Well recommended for those that wish to gain insight into the rich tapestry of what shaped us and how we arrived here. I''ll end on the fact that in these digital times, with ebooks and readers, that sustainable forests are used to provide the paper to make these books. :o)'

Customer Review:

Review by: The Wilkin family, 23 May 2011

'What a fantastic book! A wealth of wonderful photographs that really add to your understanding of the topic. We also love the quote on each page, very useful. The information is very clearly presented and encourages you to read more. This book will be brilliant for helping with homework relating to a variety of subjects. We also loved the sections on more recent history which have sparked off many interesting discussions.'

Customer Review:

Review by: Becky Hartshorn, 22 May 2011

'This book is fantastic! It''s so detailed and the pictures make the experience of reading so real. This is ideal for children with any kind of British history project as it''s so simple to find what you''re looking for. It''s so easy to get absorbed in the information; you''ll be learning facts without even realising it!'

Customer Review:

Review by: Kathryn Poulin, 22 May 2011

'To begin with I must confess that I am a massive fan of the DK Eyewitness series of books. I love their travel guides and when my children were young the eyewitness books were their all time favorites. The History of Britain and Ireland even has my favorite historical figure on the cover: Elizabeth I. This tome goes above and beyond the normal Eyewitness Book. Beginning with Britain''s first inhabitants it creates a pictorial and narrative history that utilizes facts with photographs and illustrations to recreate Britain and Ireland''s amazing history for the reader. The book follows the history of these great islands chronologically. It is divided into six sections: Britons and Invaders Up to 1066; Medieval Britain 1066 - 1485; Tudors and Stuarts 1485 - 1688; Rise of Power 1688 - 1815; Industry and Empire 1815 - 1914; Modern Times 1914 - Present. Each section begins with a comprehensive timeline of the events that took place during that period. The political, military and social history of each period is covered in depth and of course are beautifully illustrated. For example, in the Tudor section there is a piece about Henry VIII, Religious Upheaval, Scottish Troubles, Elizabeth I, English Society Under the Tudors, Sailors and Privateers, The War With Spain, William Shakespeare (just to name a few) and a lovely two page spread on Tudor Life featuring pieces of jewellery, coinage and accessories including a pair of gloves. I cannot overemphasize the beauty of the illustrations included in this volume. I have a degree in history and I am completely passionate about history and I highly recommend this gorgeous book for young and old alike.'

Customer Review:

Review by: Michael, 21 May 2011

'For someone who''s been interested in history since primary school, it''s difficult to understand why others are not. I often hear that ''we'', not exactly sure who, should think of ways to interest young people in academic subjects. This book might be the answer for history. Taking such a vast sweep of the history of these isles, each topic only gets a double page spread. This means there is limited space to make an impact. The mix of presentation styles; quotes from those involved, a numbers based ''factoid'', timelines and references to related individuals or events, together with some truly amazing illustrations, breaks up the text and encourages you to read the limited amount that’s there. Obviously something has to give. Many important issues are omitted entirely and the political bias of the writer becomes evident (all history is political) so what is not there says as much as what is. But if the book encourages some readers to delve deeper on a subject that grabs their interest then they might, one day, get close to the truth on their own.'

Customer Review:

Review by: R Osman, 20 May 2011

'What a fabulous book. DK has once again managed to combine thoroughly informative information and stunning photographs to create an extremely practical and informative book. As a history student, I can attest that photographs and other visual sources are a most valuable historical source and thus I find that this book really helps me retain and understand the history of the UK effectively. Whether you simply want to dip in and find out quickly about a certain event, or want to fully understand a whole era of British History, the simple and pragmatic layout as well as extremely well written text, makes this book very easy to use for people of all ages. Finally, the ''before'' and ''after'' section on each page, puts the information into historical context. One would be surprised how much certain events of centuries ago can affect us today! In all, highly recommended.'