Product Description

From the dawn of civilization to the 20th century, A History of Britain: The Complete Collection re-animates familiar tales and illuminates overlooked aspects of England's past. Written and hosted by historian Simon Schama (the bestselling author of Rembrandt's Eyes and The Embarrassment of Riches), this monumental BBC production has been hailed by critics for its colorful--and controversial--approach.

Discarding timelines and tiresome lineages, History® provides a lively look at the personalities and cultures that infuse Britain's past and examines the impact of this extraordinary heritage on the modern nation. From India to Ireland, the Norman Invasion to the American Revolution, Schama spotlights the epic themes and towering figures that transformed an island at the edge of the world into the greatest empire on earth.

All 15 episodes of the landmark series are available on DVD in this comprehensive collector's set.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #30576 in DVD
• Brand: A&E
• Released on: 2008-07-29
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Box set, Color, DVD, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 5
• Dimensions: 1.00 pounds
• Running time: 900 minutes

Amazon.com
What do you get when you combine the resources and ethos of the BBC with the literary panache of one of the world's best narrative historians? The answer is Simon Schama's History of Britain television series. In this well-written and thoughtfully crafted survey, Schama, the bestselling author of books on European cultural history such as The Embarrassment of Riches and Citizens, has managed to be both conventional and provocative. He tells the official version of Britain's story--Roman Britain, the Norman Conquest, the struggles of the Henrys and Richards, Elizabeth I, Scottish rebellions and the English Civil Wars, the American Revolution, the growth of the British Empire, Queen Victoria, the industrial age, and Winston Churchill. But while sticking to a script familiar to anyone who sat up and listened during history class, Schama brings it all alive with memorable prose and presence--Simon de Montfort's rebel parliament is described as inaugurating the "union between patriotism and insubordination"; with Henry VIII, Schama says, "you could practically smell the testosterone." Schama is also particularly enlightening on the symbolism of buildings, memorials, language, and ceremonies, and on the complex relations between England and its Celtic and Catholic neighbors. If history must have gloss, then let it be presented like this. --Miles Taylor

Customer Reviews

Britain, from a certain point of view...
This 2008 repackaging of 2001's "A History of Britain", featuring Simon Schama as author and presenter, is not the standard history of Great Britain. Schama is no slave to historical convention and his 15-episode retelling explores British history from a slightly different point of view.

Schama's famous BBC series traces British history from Roman Britain through the death of Winston Churchill in 1965. His focus is not timeline oriented; many prominent players in British history rate no more than passing mention. Even the iconic Churchill has to share the last episode with Eric Blair, better known by his literary name of George Orwell. Instead, Schama seeks to identify the slow, difficult steps by which Britain became a constitutional monarchy with individual freedoms and the rule of law. Those steps are found in Roman Britain, in the endless dynastic and religious wars that defined the powers of the monarchy and parliament, in the disaster of the Black Death, and in the long political and military struggles to build a united British nation and then a British empire.

The episodes feature important archeological sites, castles, ruined abbeys, and other locations where important events took place. We meet the prominent personalities of the narrative through pictures, paintings, sculptures, tomb representations, and, rarely, reenactment. Schama narrates in person, stalking through ruins, landscapes and museums while delivering his rather blunt colloquial commentary.

"A History of Britain" is not for everyone. The thematic presentation may be hard to follow for those not already familiar with British history. Those wedded to a romantic vision of a storied past may find Schama's blunt disection of power politics to be off-setting. Schama's twitchy physical presence may be distracting for some viewers.

On the other hand, this telling of British history is engaging, realistic, and thought-provoking in getting at the heart of what it means to be British. The story is as much Scottish, Irish, and Welsh as English in coverage. Prominent personalities are shown in their full rounded humanity. The presention itself is polished work. "A History of Britain" is therefore highly recommended to fans of British history looking for a fresh angle.

Required viewing
Schama is one of the polarized things: you either like him or can't stand him. This set presents the history of the Britain by NOT trudging through endless timelines. Instead, the approach is taken wherein specific people or events are examined that characterize a particular episode in British history. From each section of the DVD you end up with an impression, or at least a feeling of what they time period is thought to be like, even if you can't remember the specifics. It covers all two millenia of history of this island. The final few minutes are memorable.

A History of Britain
I initially rented this series from NetFlix, and enjoyed it so much, that I decided this would be a great addition to my Library.
As a former British Subject, and a history buff, this package, had everything I wanted and more. It was very well produced and had lots of little items, that I hadn't been aware off.
I would recommend this to anyone, who is interested in British History.
Even when you go back hundreds of years ago, you can see how much of that History, matches what is happening today.
The package is well designed and at the price I paid, was more than well worth its price.
If you have a History buff in your family, this would make a great gift for them.