Offshore Islanders Pb (Phoenix Giants) [Hardcover]

Paul Johnson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 6, 1995 | Series: Phoenix Giants

This edition looks back on 2000 years of English history and provides a radical interpretation of a remarkable people. The author applies his journalistic skills to an analysis of the evolution of the English nation, charting the growth of the state from the Dark Ages to the present day.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Paul Johnson was born in 1928. He edited the New Statesman in the 1960s and has written over forty books. His Modern Times, a history of the world from the 1920s to the 1990s, has been translated into more than fifteen languages. As well as a weekly column in the Spectator, he contributes to newspapers all over the world.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 448 pages
• Publisher: Phoenix Giants; 3rd edition (November 6, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1857993810
• ISBN-13: 978-1857993813
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,003,996 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Beginning with Modern Times (1985), Paul Johnson's books are acknowledged masterpieces of historical analysis. He is a regular columnist for Forbes and The Spectator, and his work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and many other publications.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Subjective, Polemical, and Magnificent, May 14, 2006

By 

D V (Toronto) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Offshore Islanders Pb (Paperback)

Paul Johnson never fails to entertain and inform at the same time. Johnson's account of English history is subjective and polemical yet magnificent in scope and synthesis. For the reader who wishes to gain an insight into the broad sweep of English history from Roman times to the (nearly) present, this book is a good place to start. To be sure, the same reader will need to look elsewhere for a clarification of many issues and a deeper understanding of certain important areas which the author fails to discuss at length or leaves out almost entirely. All the same, this book is sure to whet the appetite. (It is interesting to note that this book, as one of the earliest written by Johnson, displays a tendency towards a liberal or leftist interpretation of historical events and phenomena. This inclination was modified in the author's later life, as he moved rightward on the political spectrum in old age.)

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Historical Journalism at its best, January 6, 2009

By 

Edward F. Shimkus (La Luz, NM,) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Offshore Islanders Pb (Paperback)

If you have not done so, treat yourself to a journey as told by Paul Johnson. I first met Mr. Johnson in "A History of the American People," a 1000 page epic saga of the American people that begins with a spark that is the desire of peoples in the UK and Europe to seek a freedom to be and to do. A review of the additional 100 pages of source notes should convince anyone that Mr. Johnson has extensively researched his topic and has, at once, fairly and accurately presented US history employing multiple viewpoints.

I then turned to "Modern Times," Mr. Johnson's accounting of the development of the world from the 20s to the 90s. I soon came to learn

of Mr. Johnson's "A History of the British People." Immediately it occurred to me that, although I have heard the words Norman, Saxon, and all of this royal business all of my life, I had no idea who these folks were. Indeed, I came to appreciate that I really knew little of the Brits - our greatest ally, from whom the US predominantly issued. Sadly, however, I discovered that the "British People" had been out of print for some time.

Recently I learned that "A History of the British People" has been variously published under different names since it first appeared in 1972. Enter "The Offshore Islanders, England's People from Roman Occupation to the Present," the first edition published in 1972 which I found new at Amazon in hardcover for the modest cost of $25.00.

Amazon and its allied merchants continually delight me in providing a wide range of products, at reasonable pricing, tax free, and often without shipping charges. Where else is one able to go and immediately find such things as out of print volumes in new or excellent condition?

Let me wholeheartedly recommend the works of Paul Johnson to anyone who thirsts for accurate portrayals of the developments of peoples, their countries, and their societies. Secondly, if you are reading this, you already know that Amazon excels in its efforts to serve its customers. And finally, I unequivocally recommend Acipitor from whom I purchase "Offshore Islanders." The book was shipped to me promptly and I was only charged the postage for the shipping.

Oh, by the way, "Offshore Islanders" is exactly what I expected: wonderful!

Ed