A History of Britain in Ten Enemies

A ridiculously funny history of Britain for adults from the multimillion-copy bestselling author of the Horrible Histories, perfect for fans of Unruly by David Mitchell.

''Ram-packed with mind-blowing facts, hilarious characters, and little-known tales'' Dan Schreiber

''If you could take just one history book to a desert island, this would be it. Laugh out loud funny... Pure joy'' Conn Iggulden

Ah, Britain. So special. The greatest nation on earth, some say. And we did it all on our own. Didn’t we?

As it happens Britannia got its name from the Romans, and for the past two centuries we have been ruled by Germans. As Horrible Histories author Terry Deary argues, nations and their leaders are defined by the enemies they make.

- Elizabeth I would count as a minor royal without the Spanish Armada
- Without the Nazis, Churchill would be remembered as an opposition windbag
- The surprisingly sadistic Boudica would be forgotten if it weren''t for the Roman Ninth Legion

And after all, every nation sometimes needs a bit of unifying Blitz spirit (although in an ideal world, we wouldn’t have accidentally let Corporal Hitler go in the first place).

The British have a proud history of choosing their enemies, from the Romans to the Germans. You might even say those enemies made Britain what it is today...

A History of Britain in Ten Enemies is a witty, whistlestop tour of British history that will have you laughing as you find out what they didn''t teach you in school.

''Playful, cheeky, and very clever, this is a book for anyone who ever wished there was a Horrible Histories for grown-ups'' Kate Lister


Terry Deary, UK''s bestselling Children''s & Young Adult Non-Fiction author since records began, Nielsen, September 2024. A History of Britain in Ten Enemies was an instant Sunday Times bestseller on release, 10 October 2024.

The ridiculously funny history of Britain for adults from the multimillion-copy bestselling author of the Horrible Histories, perfect for fans of Unruly by David Mitchell.

'If you could take just one history book to a desert island, this would be it. It is laugh out loud funny' Conn Iggulden, bestselling author of the Emperor series

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Ah, Britain. So special. The greatest nation on earth, some say. And we did it all on our own. Didn t we ?

As it happens Britannia got its name from the Romans, and for the past two centuries we have been ruled by Germans. As Horrible Histories author Terry Deary argues, nations and their leaders are defined by the enemies they make. You might even say those enemies made Britain what it is today...

For instance, did you know:

Elizabeth I would count as a minor royal without the Spanish Armada?
Without the Nazis, Churchill would be remembered as an opposition windbag?
And the surprisingly sadistic Boudica would be forgotten if it weren't for the Roman Ninth Legion?

After all, every nation sometimes needs a bit of unifying Blitz spirit, right? (although in an ideal world, we wouldn t have accidentally let Corporal Hitler go in the first place).

A History of Britain in Ten Enemies is a witty, whistlestop tour of British history that will have you laughing as you find out what they didn't teach you in school.

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'Ram-packed with mind-blowing facts, hilarious characters, and little-known tales' Dan Schreiber, author of The Theory of Everything Else

Packed with dinner-party-worthy anecdotes, the kind that will delight history buffs and newcomers alike Alice Loxton, The Telegraph

'Playful, cheeky, and very clever, this is a book for anyone who ever wished there was a Horrible Histories for grown-ups' Kate Lister, author of A Curious History of Sex

Told with characteristic wit and verve not just an eye-opener, but a mind-opener Tracy Borman, author of The Private Lives of the Tudors


Number 1 Sunday Times bestseller May 2025