{"title":"Books by Simon Jenkins","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"9781788168816","title":"The Celts","description":"A WATERSTONES BEST HISTORY BOOK 'Simon Jenkins, as ever, writes with clarity and insight' Times'One of the liveliest commentators in Britain, always worth reading and pleasingly contrarian' Jeremy Paxman, GuardianWho were the Celts? Were they a people, a civilisation, an empire, or a fiction of historical imagination? They flit as ghosts through Europe's ancient past, purported ancestors of the Irish, Welsh, Scottish, Cornish and Bretons.Yet they have never been identified with any one land, or with any one history or language.Simon Jenkins argues compellingly that the 'Celts' is a misleading concept, bundling together quite distinct peoples. The word keltoi first appears in Greek, applied generally to aliens or 'barbarians' - and theories of Celticism continue to fuel many of the prejudices and misconceptions that divide the British Isles to this day. Fascinating and increasingly relevant, who the Celts were - or weren't - goes to the heart of the ongoing argument over the future of a dis-United Kingdom.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43128107139250,"sku":"9781788168816","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781788168816.jpg?v=1786027262"},{"product_id":"9780241979006","title":"Britain's 100 Best Railway Stations","description":"\u003cb\u003eDiscover the architectural gems that are \u003ci\u003eBritain's 100 Best Railway Stations\u003c\/i\u003e in this \u003ci\u003eSunday Times\u003c\/i\u003e top 10 bestseller\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'This is a cracker . . . a beautiful book' Chris Evans\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt is the scene for our hopeful beginnings and our intended ends, and the timeless experiences of coming and going, meeting, greeting and parting. It is an institution with its own rituals and priests, and a long-neglected aspect of Britain's architecture. And yet so little do we look at the railway station.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSimon Jenkins has travelled the length and breadth of Great Britain, from Waterloo to Wemyss Bay, Betws-y-Coed to Beverley, to select his hundred best railway stations. Blending his usual insight and authority with his personal reflections and experiences - including his founding the Railway Heritage Trust - the foremost expert on our national heritage deftly reveals the history, geography, design and significance of each of these glories.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Beautifully illustrated with colour photographs throughout, this joyous exploration of our social history shows the station's role in the national imagination; champions the engineers, architects and rival companies that made them possible; and tells the story behind the triumphs and follies of these very British creations. These are the marvellous, often undersung places that link our nation, celebrated like never before.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'However spectacular the book's photographs, it's the author's prowess as a phrase-maker that keeps you turning the pages' \u003ci\u003eThe Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'An uplifting exploration of our social history' \u003ci\u003eGuardian\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43201658060978,"sku":"9780241979006","price":15.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780241979006.jpg?v=1786012840"},{"product_id":"9781788160896","title":"A Short History of England","description":"From the invaders of the dark ages to the aftermath of the coalition, one of Britain's most respected journalists, Simon Jenkins, weaves together a strong narrative with all the most important and interesting dates in a book that characteristically is as stylish as it is authoritative.A Short History of England sheds light on all the key individuals and events, bringing them together in an enlightening and engaging account of the country's birth, rise to global prominence and then partial eclipse.There have been long synoptic histories of England but until now there has been no standard short work covering all significant events, themes and individuals. Now updated to take in the rapid progress of recent events and beautifully illustrated, this magisterial history will be the standard work for years to come.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43205084643506,"sku":"9781788160896","price":11.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781788160896_911aa841-a3f6-4771-a717-8fcad417a39e.jpg?v=1786026908"},{"product_id":"9781846146640","title":"England's Thousand Best Churches","description":"Simon Jenkins has travelled the length and breadth of England to select his thousand best churches. Organised by county, each church is described - often with delightful asides - and given a star-rating from one to five. All of the county sections are prefaced by a map locating each church, and lavishly illustrated with colour photos from the Country Life archive. Jenkins contends that these churches house a gallery of vernacular art without equal in the world. Here, he brings that museum to public attention.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43400081768626,"sku":"9781846146640","price":50.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781846146640.jpg?v=1786029257"},{"product_id":"9780241352526","title":"A Short History of Europe","description":"\u003cb\u003eDiscover the history of Europe - from the Dark Ages to present day - by the author of the bestselling \u003ci\u003eA Short History of England\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEurope is an astonishingly successful place. But it would take volumes to tell its story, right? Wrong. From warring peoples to peace, wealth and freedom, Andrew Jenkins distils its evolution into this short, single-volume history.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFrom Greece and Rome, through the French Revolution to the Second World War and modern times. Taking in leaders such as Julius Caesar, Joan of Arc, Wellington and Angela Merkel.\u003cbr\u003eSharing stories of cultural figures like Aristotle, Shakespeare and Picasso.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eJenkins brings together the transformative forces and dominant eras into one chronological tale - all with his insight, colour and authority.\u003c\/b\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43406083195058,"sku":"9780241352526","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780241352526.jpg?v=1786012690"},{"product_id":"9780241747599","title":"A Short History of America","description":"\u003cb\u003e‘Jenkins sets about his task with infectious enthusiasm and draws out all the most important themes in America’s 250-year history' \u003ci\u003eThe Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn the two hundred and fifty years since its foundation, the United States of America has grown to become the world’s richest and most powerful union. How did this new nation come to dominate global culture, economics, politics and warfare?\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eInformed by years of close observation, bestselling author Simon Jenkins follows the extraordinary journey of America from before independence through revolution to Civil War, its emergence onto the international stage and the turbulence of the present day.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWe meet its most notable Presidents and see its most formative moments in a colourful and pacey narrative of a country often in turmoil, yet one that remains to many a land of freedom and a citadel of democracy with a story to inspire.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis is an essential read for anyone who seeks to understand the country that continues to shape our world.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":57682837963125,"sku":"9781405976688","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Hardback","offer_id":55896522326389,"sku":"9780241747599","price":25.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781405976688_7647e9f8-83e2-49d2-b7e0-e8d761d26f52.jpg?v=1792511671"},{"product_id":"9780241985359","title":"A Short History of London","description":"LONDON: a settlement founded by the Romans, occupied by the Saxons, conquered by the Danes and ruled by the Normans. This changeful place became a medieval maze of alleys and courtyards, later to be chequered with grand estates of Georgian splendour. It swelled with industry and became the centre of the largest empire in history. And having risen from the rubble of the Blitz, it is now one of the greatest cities in the world.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFrom the prehistoric occupants of the Thames Valley to the preoccupied commuters of today, Simon Jenkins brings together the key events, individuals and trends in London's history to create a matchless portrait of the capital. He masterfully explains the battles that determined how London was conceived and built - and especially the perennial conflict between money and power.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBased in part on his experiences of and involvement in the events that shaped the post-war city, and with his trademark colour and authority, Jenkins shows above all how London has taken shape over more than two thousand years. Fascinating for locals and visitors alike, this is narrative history at its finest, from the most ardent protector of our heritage.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Jenkins's handling of the preceding two millennia is clear and informative . . . there are also nuggets and insights . . . accessible, clear and readable' Rowan Moore, \u003ci\u003eThe Observer\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'A handsome book ... full of the good judgements one might hope for from such a sensible and readable commentator, and they alone are worth perusing for pleasure and food for thought' Michael Wood, New Statesman on \u003ci\u003eA Short History of England\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Any passably cultured inhabitant of the British Isles should ask for, say, three or four copies of this book for Christmas...I can imagine no better companion on a voyage across England' Max Hastings, Daily Telegraph on \u003ci\u003eEngland's Thousand Best Houses\u003c\/i\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56232154333557,"sku":"9780241985359","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780241985359_c947c8c4-bbba-4891-9160-c8171f2f59cb.jpg?v=1786012131"},{"product_id":"9781529047806","title":"The Battle for the Falklands","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e'Excellent' – \u003ci\u003eFinancial Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Stirring, impressively detailed' – \u003ci\u003eTime \u003c\/i\u003emagazine\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Battle for the Falklands\u003c\/i\u003e is a thoughtful and informed analysis of an astonishing chapter in modern British history from journalist and military historian Sir Max Hastings and political editor Simon Jenkins.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTen weeks. 28,000 soldiers. 8,000 miles from home.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe Falklands War in 1982 was one of the strangest in British history. At the time, many Britons saw it as a tragic absurdity – thousands of men sent overseas for a tiny relic of empire – but the British victory over the Argentinians not only confirmed the quality of British arms but also boosted the political fortunes of Thatcher's Conservative government. However, it left a chequered aftermath and was later overshadowed by the two Gulf wars.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eMax Hastings’ and Simon Jenkins’ account is a modern classic of war reportage and the definitive book on the conflict.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56303228813685,"sku":"9781529047806","price":18.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781529047806_d3ae1cce-7bb3-48db-a507-fb0d49036d54.jpg?v=1786021694"},{"product_id":"9780241452639","title":"Europe’s 100 Best Cathedrals","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eREADERS OF EUROPEAN HISTORY WILL LOVE THIS BEAUTIFULLY DESIGNED BOOK!\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"Simon Jenkins has provided a feast for both eyes and mind in this sumptuously illustrated guide to Europe's greatest cathedrals\" \u003c\/b\u003eJohn Barton, author of \u003ci\u003eA History of the Bible\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"As ever, Simon Jenkins is here the best sort of guide to some of Europe's greatest buildings and their settings: well-informed, elegantly opinionated and passionate\"\u003c\/b\u003e Diarmaid MacCulloch, author of \u003ci\u003eChristianity: The First Three Thousand Years\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEurope's cathedrals are magnificent. They outstrip palaces and castles. They are the most sensational group of structures anywhere in the world - which everyone should 'see before they die'. They are also hugely popular, most of them absolutely packed. They are humankind's greatest creations.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn \u003ci\u003eEurope's 100 Best Cathedrals\u003c\/i\u003e, Simon Jenkins has travelled the continent - from Chartres to York, Cologne to Florence, Toledo to Moscow and Stockholm to Seville - to illuminate old favourites and highlight new discoveries. Beautifully illustrated with colour photographs throughout, this joyous exploration of Europe's history tells the stories behind these wonders, showing the cathedral's central role in the European imagination. Readers will be inspired to make their own pilgrimage to all one hundred of them.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56311645667701,"sku":"9780241452639","price":30.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780241452639_dbc1e02d-f0b7-4221-8d73-ce26510d7e7f.jpg?v=1786012147"},{"product_id":"9781405961486","title":"A Short History of British Architecture","description":"\u003cb\u003e'Provocative, elegant, intriguing - Jenkins is a bold, imaginative writer, brilliant at challenging old assumptions and encouraging you to look at British architecture in a new light' Rory Stewart\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Clear and admirably concise...a brilliant, blistering polemic against the architectural depredations of the past century'  \u003ci\u003eThe Times \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe architecture of Britain is an art gallery all around us. From our streets to squares, through our cities, suburbs and villages, we are surrounded by magnificent buildings of eclectic styles. A Short History of British Architecture is the gripping and untold story of why Britain looks the way it does, from prehistoric Stonehenge to the lofty towers of today.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBestselling historian Simon Jenkins traces the relentless battles over the European traditions of classicism and gothic. He guides us from the gothic cathedrals of Lincoln, Ely and Wells to the ‘prodigy’ houses of the Tudor renaissance, and visits the great estates of Georgian London, the docks of Liverpool, the mills of Yorkshire and the chapels of south Wales.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe arrival of modernism in the twentieth century politicised public taste, upheaved communities and sought to reconstruct entire cities. It produced Coventry Cathedral and Lloyd’s of London, but also the brutalist monoliths of Sheffield’s Park Hill, Glasgow’s Cumbernauld and London’s South Bank. Only in the 1970s did the public at last give voice to what became the conservation revolution – a movement in which Jenkins played a leading role, both as deputy chairman of English Heritage and chairman of the National Trust, and in the saving of iconic buildings such as St Pancras International and Covent Garden.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJenkins shows that everyone is a consumer of architecture and makes the case for the importance of everyone learning to speak its language. A Short History of British Architecture is a celebration of our national treasures, a lament of our failures – and a call to arms.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56312288412021,"sku":"9781405961486","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781405961486_7469d1d8-9f9b-4a3d-9738-e192049226a2.jpg?v=1786019319"},{"product_id":"the-great-leeds-pub-crawl","title":"The Great Leeds Pub Crawl","description":"Join the Yorkshire Evening Post's award-winning beer writer Simon Jenkins on a criss-cross pub crawl through Leeds, calling in at dozens of popular watering holes.Along with descriptions of the beers, pubs and adventures the author encounters along the way, The Great Leeds Pub Crawl also contains fascinating asides about local history, the story of brewing in the city, and it suggests plenty of alternative routes to keep even the thirstiest pub-crawler satisfied.Comprehensively revised and updated, with even more magnificent colour photos, this is a book that no visitor to - or resident of - West Yorkshire's largest city can afford to be without. An ale trail with a difference, it looks at no less than 63 pubs in detail and many more in passing. This is an entertaining, informative and at times surprising tour of one of Britain's most vibrant metropolises.Whether you are after a quiet pint, a lively night out, a chat with friendly locals, the odd cocktail or a quality bite to eat, The Great Leeds Pub Crawl is the guide for you.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57483479155061,"sku":"9780993188251","price":13.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780993188251.jpg?v=1786178647"},{"product_id":"the-great-leeds-pub-crawl-1","title":"The Great Leeds Pub Crawl","description":null,"brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57487856828789,"sku":"9781780912349","price":9.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781780912349.jpg?v=1786355079"},{"product_id":"the-village-in-britain","title":"The Village in Britain","description":"A sweeping history of the British village, both rural and urban, which makes a compelling case for why we need to protect our local communities, from bestselling author Simon Jenkins'Jenkins is a bold, imaginative writer, brilliant at challenging old assumptions' Rory Stewart We are a nation of villages, from the rural, picturesque hamlets of Castle Combe and Clovelly, to the tight-knit urban communities of Leeds’ terraces and Cricklewood’s backyards. Villages link us with our past and are the stuff of art, poetry, folklore and song — and for many they offer a place of community and sanctuary. And yet Britain today is one of the most centralised political systems in Europe, with decisions on local matters made by national government and local communities feeling increasingly disempowered and disconnected.   In The Village in Britain, Simon Jenkins, bestselling author and former chair of the National Trust, delves into the past, present and future of this powerful national symbol, and argues that we need to find a way of embedding the qualities of the village into our modern lives. Through a sweeping history of the village, from its rural, medieval origins to its downfall in the industrial era and then its rebirth in both urban and digital spaces, he shows us that the village offers answers to the challenges that face so many communities today.   Using examples from literature, architecture, and culture, from the rural idylls of The Archers and Akenfield, to the campaigning work of Octavia Hill and Robert Owen, we see how the concept of the village has changed over time and why it continues to be an important part of the way we live, with benefits for people of all ages and interests. We see how the future of the village has been put at risk, including the closure of local pubs and shops, but also that a steady transformation is underway, as commuters and retirees bring villages a new sense of vitality.   This is an expert and fascinating journey through the rise and fall and potential rise again of the British village.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Hardback","offer_id":57499376222581,"sku":"9780241792957","price":25.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":57682642534773,"sku":"9781405984065","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}]},{"product_id":"englands-cathedrals","title":"England's Cathedrals","description":null,"brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57503768609141,"sku":"9781408706473","price":20.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}]},{"product_id":"the-bible-from-scratch","title":"Bible from Scratch","description":"Baffled by the Babylonians? Lost in Leviticus? Puzzled by the parables? Unsure of the difference between an epistle and an apostle?For anyone who finds the Bible a bit daunting, Bible from Scratch is the easy Bible guide you've been after. This beginner's guide to the Bible offers a lightning sketch of every book, using easy-to-follow graphics that explain clearly and simply what each one is really about. It provides helpful hints for understanding what each biblical writer was aiming to get across to his readers, and introduces all the famous people and events in the Bible story along the way.   Lively, witty and entertaining, it's the ideal starting point for anyone wanting to get better acquainted with the world's bestselling book but unsure where to start.   This handy guide to the Good Book uses cartoons, maps, speech bubbles and family trees to bring the Bible book by book to life. It covers every book in the Bible and introduces the famous faces, heroes and villains alike, plus the big events, miracles and other compelling stuff.   Whether you're new to the Bible or simply need to understand Philippians in two minutes flat to impress a Bible study, Bible from Scratch could be just the revelation you've been looking for.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57510083101045,"sku":"9781917596022","price":13.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}]}],"url":"https:\/\/backstory.london\/collections\/author-simon-jenkins.oembed","provider":"Backstory","version":"1.0","type":"link"}