Don't let the length of this book put you off, it is very well written and a pleasure to read. Starting with the conquest of Britain by Julius Caesar to the present (1997), this book will captivate you all along the way. My only complaint (small at that) is the fact that in the later years (1750 and beyond), the author doesn't spend as much time as in the earlier years and you don't get the same detail and feel as earlier in the book. It is hard at times to follow who's who, but the charts in the front of the book are great aides and despite the fact that chapters often jump hundreds of years, overall the book flows well. Well worth your time!