A work of unrivalled scale and ambition, Northerners is the defining biography of Northern England.
Bringing to life waves of migration, invasions and battles, and transformative changes wrought on European culture and the global economy, Brian Groom's sweeping narrative shows that the people of the North have shaped Britain and the world in unexpected ways.
At least six Roman emperors ruled from York. The Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Northumbria was Europe's leading cultural and intellectual centre. Cartimandua, Queen of the Brigantes, deserves to be as famous as Boudica. Neanderthals and Vikings, Central European Jews, African-Caribbeans and South Asians, have all played their part in the making and remaking of the North.
Northern writers, activists, artists and comedians are celebrated the world over, from Wordsworth, the Brontës and Gaskell to L.S. Lowry, Emmeline Pankhurst and Peter Kay. St Oswald and Bede shaped the spiritual and cultural landscapes of Britain and Europe, and the world was revolutionised by the inventions of Richard Arkwright and the Stephensons. The North has exported some of sport's biggest names and defined the sound of generations, from the Beatles to Britpop.
Northerners also shows convincingly how the past echoes down the centuries and the North-South divide has ebbed and flowed. Finally, Brian Groom explored what northerness means today and the crucial role the North can play in Britain's future. As new forces threaten the fabric of the UK again, this landmark book could scarcely be more timely.
Hardback: 432 pages
Publisher: HarperCollins
ISBN: 9780008471200
Product Dimensions: 16 x 4 x 24.2 cm