I can't really believe that I am giving a history book 5 stars. It was a subject that bored me to tears in school and never came alive for me in the way that this clever work does. I can only thank the author for presenting so much detail in such an enjoyable way around many events I had only a basic headline knowledge about. I had to force myself to stop going off in other directions to explore more or I would never have finished it. However, although I doubt I will read this from cover to cover in full again, I will certainly be dipping in and out to follow up on the multitude of references which caught my interest. I loved the way Higgs' sense of humour came across throughout as well - something else I have never known in a history book. Perhaps I should read more after all?