Even by comparison to the United States, the United Kingdom has had a brief and
fractious history. Its existence as an undivided entity lasted only for a disput
atious 125 years, and its future remains precarious.In The Four Nations, Frank W
elsh offers a lively narrative history of the four component parts of the Britis
h Isles-England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Moving from the Roman period, whi
ch first defined many of the current internal boundaries, through the present da
y, Welsh describes the history of each nation, their interactions, and the impac
ts of crises ranging from the Norman Invasion to the Protestant Reformation to t
he two world wars of the twentieth century. Along the way, Welsh questions many
cherished illusions and poses some awkward questions: To what extent were Scotla
nd, Ireland, and Wales victims of predatory English aggression? How serious is t
he frequently invoked specter of national fragmentation?Filled with illuminating
vignettes and provocative insights, The Four Nations is an accessible and compr
ehensive introduction to the troubled histories of the British Isles.
