Pursuit of Local History Readings on Theory and Practice Book

Certainly a bit dated - considering it was published back in 1989, and so the premise of inter-related histories may have seemed a fresh and notable idea back then. Of course this also may be reflective of the English state of mind as well in not aligning English history relative to the interactions of the 4 nations. As it stands it is a good thesis and provides ample info to confirm the idea of the interacted histories of England, Ireland, Wales and Scotland, but surely one needs to be pretty aware of the histories in themselves as the author whisks through nearly a thousand years in 216 pages! Ofttimes casually, and all to briefly, discussing personages and events in an assumed manner. This is its primary downfall - not all of us are as versed and while I have read my share of English/Celtic histories it still became a real trial getting through certain sections, where the names and places were flying across the pages. A sentence alone might encompass what should be an entire book! - However that being said this book serves as a good introduction and review of the related histories of the British Isles and as long as one keeps that in mind it will serve as a stepping stone to other more elaborate works.