This imposing history of is less a recounting of British feats of arms than of the creation of a British nation by the wars in the British Isles—England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland. Beginning with the Roman conquest, James (The Rise and Fall of the British Empire) proceeds through the Anglo-Saxons and Normans into the Middle Ages, and then marches through the civil wars, the continental wars from 1689 through 1815 and the colonial conflicts (mostly won, except for the American Revolution). The entire second half of the book covers the two world wars and their aftermath, where the United Kingdom assembled in the first half of the book exhausted itself (though not without valuable results) in two global conflicts and the twilight of empire. While a valuable summation throughout, the real splendor of the book is in its illustrative examples of the context in which the fighting men (and eventually women) were raised, and the impact of their experiences on the larger culture. Consider that a medieval knight's warhorse cost far more than his armor, that the author's mother-in-law had rationing brought home to her by bloaters (a fish) for breakfast and that residual patriotism accounts for the current seller's market in works on the Special Air Service. Less charming are the tragedy of Anglo-Irish relations and the outrageous racism of Allied soldiers in England during WWII. The book's comparative emphasis on ground forces will rankle those who believe, justly, that it was the Royal Navy (and later the Royal Air Force) that transformed the nature of British military power. While not for people who insist on narrative and not for beginners on the subject, this big book will be worthwhile for everybody else with an interest in history. (Feb.)
