Accessible Overview of British History

books:


	• Sarum: The Novel of England Edward Rutherfurd Gramercy, 2004 - 912 pages average customer review:based on 124 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Interesting saga and history lesson

Rutherfurd uses an interesting formula for telling the entire history of this area of England. He starts with several families during the age of primitive man, weaves a tale of their lives, then fast-forwards several decades, where we pick up on the lives of their descendants. This is repeated over and over, with the timeline jumping forward anywhere from 50 to 150 years each time. We learn what is happening in England with regard to invasions, wars, cultural growth, and politics at each stage. Eventually we arrive at modern times, still following these same families. What a great way to learn history! The book does not have a great plot, but is well worth reading if you'd like to increase your understanding of the rich tapestry of England's history. I had previously read Rutherfurd's LONDON, and while (of course) the country's history was the same, the issues that most affected the city of London were at different time periods in the history of England from those that affected the area around Salisbury (Sarum). I highly recommend both books.

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A "Living" History

This is a much more enjoyable way to gain an appreciation of the complex web of English history than reading history books. After all, it is more palatable AND memorable to observe the lives of individuals and families rather than just kings and battles, even if most of them are fictional! Like its language, the country's history has varied and tangled roots that, like the book, span millennia.

Mr. Rutherford display not only a grasp of the events of England's past, but its important themes and cultural strands. He bravely suggests origins and purposes of Stonehenge, and also suggests how such disparate peoples as Viking and Norman invaders ultimately blended into the human landscape. The centrality of the rise and fall of a city's cathedral provides an excellent focal point. I give him particularly high marks for the way he follows several lineages over many centuries, showing how some family characteristics pass through the generations but the top dog spot changes over time. Thankfully he provides a genealogical chart to help us follow the lines of descent!

The scope, depth, and creativity of Mr. Rutherford's novel is truly impressive. Few books of this length hold the reader so well. My usual concern about where the historical facts end and the fabrication begins pertains to this book like others of its genre, so it is not a substitute for a rigorous study of "real history", if that what you seek. It is, however, far more entertaining and perhaps, in the final analysis, insightful that many traditional history books. Unless you are cursed with a short attention span or an affinity for trite plots, this book will not disappoint.

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Accessible Overview of British History

I'm a working mother, so I don't have as much time to read as I'd like, and when I do have time, I find that I prefer lighter fare. My family will be traveling to the UK this summer, so I picked up this book hoping to brush up on my British history in a format that I would actually complete.

The book lived up to my expectations. I really liked the way it covered different generations, because the transitions between eras made it easy to put the book down and not end up reading all night. I also liked the sense of the sweep of history that it conveyed, and the sense of how small the individuals were against the sweep of time. And, by giving me stories of normal people responding to large historical events, it made it easy for me to get a sense of what the Magna Carta is about and who all the different important kings were, and more.

I'm now trying "London," by the same author!

I found the stories light and enjoyable, but not stunningly compelling and sometimes clichéd - hence the 4 stars instead of 5.

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Smilar in style to James Michener

The author writes in a style very similar to James Michener; a saga spread across centuries.
Easy to read, a good book for cold winter days in front of a warm fire.

reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

A masterpiece that is breathtaking in its scope, SARUM is an epic novel that traces the entire turbulent course of English history. This rich tapesty weaves a compelling saga of five families who preserve their own particular characteristics over the centuries, and offer a fascinating glimpse into the future.

From the Paperback edition.

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