Warrior Race: A History Of The British At War

Modern Britain is a nation shaped by wars. The boundaries of its separate parts are the outcome of conquest and resistance. The essence of its identity are the warrior heroes, both real and imagined, who still capture the national imagination: from Boudicca to King Arthur, Rob Roy to Henry V.

Drawing upon the latest historical and archaeological research, as well as numerous untapped resources, Lawrence James charts the full reach of the British military history: the physical and the psychological impact of Roman military occupation; the monarchy's struggle for mastery of the British Isles; the civil wars of the seventeenth-century; the 'total war' experience of twentieth-century conflict.

Balancing the broad sweep of history with an acute attention to detail, Lawrence James never loses sight of this most fascinating and enduring of subjects: the question of British national identity and character.