A History of Britain in 21 Paintings

About the book

'The leading historian of her generation' DAN SNOW

'A champion of British heritage' LUKE SHERLOCK

'Alice Loxton has a brilliant talent for digging out history's most extraordinary stories and bringing them to life' JACK CHESHER

A LIVELY AND ILLUMINATING HISTORY OF BRITAIN FROM THE BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF ELEANOR AND EIGHTEEN, ALICE LOXTON

From an image carried by St Augustine when he landed on our shores in 597AD and a glittering portrait of a Tudor queen to Stubbs’ majestic rendering of Whistlejacket and L.S. Lowry’s depictions of daily life in Bolton, each painting in this transformative history illuminates key moments in our island's story. These are tales of foundation, revolution, upheaval and resilience.

Along the way, Loxton visits locations that have shaped the lives of these extraordinary works of art: a winding riverbank, a local supermarket, a secret mountain quarry, a bustling hospital. She is joined by a rich cast of characters, including conservators, pub locals and a fearsome dragon, and discovers the stories behind some of Britain's most fascinating myths (who really was St George? Did the people of the Middle Ages think the world was flat? What was the Pineapple Craze? Why do Scots wear tartan?).

This is a sweeping, joyful history that will inspire you to explore the wonders of Britain and change the way you look at paintings for ever.

More Praise for A History of Britain in 21 Paintings

'An entertaining tour of British history filled with delightful stories, witty anecdotes and an abundance of remarkable paintings' Terry Deary

'Warm, curious and full of wit, this is a history of great scope, brought vividly to life and delivered with considerable panache' Andrew Ziminski

'Alice Loxton is a boots-on-the-ground, nose-on-the-glass case sort of historian - she takes you immediately and vividly to some of the most interesting sights in Britain' Philippa Gregory

'A glittering jewel-box of a book' Sinclair McKay

'A pleasurable and quirky voyage through the hidden corners of British history' Simon Jenkins

'Alice Loxton is a national treasure just like the paintings she uncovers' Emily Hauser