I enjoyed this book very much. I approached the book as an intelligent but poorly informed person who wanted to learn more about England between the time the Romans left and the Normans arrived. Mr Wood delivers in each chapter a lively, informative and accessible snapshot of some aspect of English history, deftly weaving equal parts of fact, drama and what-it-is-like-to-be-a-historian. Although each chapter stands up very well on its own, I can't help but feel that this book needs a companion; something to place his various snapshots into the context of the broader sweep of Saxon history. If you know a little and want to learn more, get this book. But if you want a panorama of Saxon history, you will need to look elsewhere.