History is about story, about what happened as well as why and when. This book tells some of the best stories - of the Thames Whale, the South Sea Bubble, Dick Turpin, the Boston Tea party through to Appeasement, Dunkirk, the 1945 election and Decoding DNA. These stories are all firmly placed in context, and supported by the latest historical research. So if you are looking for subject knowledge update on a period you feel a little unsure of, or just looking for a good read, or that kind of extra detail that brings a lesson to life, then look no further. Sometimes I find the short snippet approach - stories are on average 3 to 5 pages - a little frustrating, but there is plenty of supporting suggested reading for each story in the bibliography.