A hugely original tour of Great Britain by acclaimed historian Graham Robb, taking a fresh look at the people, places and events which have – for better or worse – shaped a nation.'Robb has found a new format for writing history just as Craig Brown found a fresh way to write biography'– Alan Johnson'Rarely does history feel so beguiling'-The Observer'A treasure house of a book'-The SpectatorTaking you on a time-travelling adventure around the 'spindly, sea-wracked islands' we call home,The Discovery of Britainis history that's panoramic and intimate, poignant and shocking, seriously funny, and enlightening in the most surprising way.In the hands of the prize-winning author ofThe Discovery of France, and often from the unique vantage point of his bicycle, we encounter an entertaining cast of characters foreign and homegrown, drop in on places and events, and dwell on the successes and catastrophes across British history. From ancient settlements swallowed up by the sea and the creation
