With a new, additional preface by Reba N Soffer, this first volume of Sir Arthur Bryant's wonderfully readable History of Britain and the British People starts with the islands' geographical formation and ends with the close of the fifteenth century. The Atlantic flood cut Britain off from mainland Europe and made it an island. Colonisation in the form of a succession of sea-born invaders took place over thousands of years. There were nomadic peoples from Asia, Africa, Romans, Vikings, evangelists with their message of Christianity and Normans. Upon this foundation civilization was built. Bryant examines aspects of medieval life and finishes with the building of the last great medieval churches at the end of the fifteenth century. "REVIEW: 'A triumph. I have never before embarked on a large historical tome that has held me spellbound from beginning to end' (Daily Telegraph) "REVIEW: 'A triumph in the manner of Gibbon or Macaulay' (The Times) "REVIEW: 'A miracle of vivid, pithy compassion - a rich, majestic narrative' (Daily Express)

Sir Arthur Bryant was born in a house on the Royal Sandringham estate and served in the Royal Flying Corps in the First World War. He wrote hugely popular history books, reviving the neglected art of writing history as literature. His first historical biography, Charles II, was published in 1931, followed by Macaulay. Another popular work was his history of the Napoleonic Wars in three volumes. Bryant was knighted in 1954, made a Companion of Honour in 1967 and died in 1985.