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Seven Ages Of Britain

  • Feb 1, 2003
  • 2 min read

The history of Britain seen through the eyes of the powerful and wealthy has been told many times. But what about the rest of society? What was their experience of history in the 8,000 years before the emergence of modern society? Bettany Hughes moves the spotlight to the everyday lives of ordinary people: the unofficial history of Britain. In collaboration with of some of the country's top archaeologists and historians, Hughes pieces together the story of how the inhabitants of these islands evolved from the Stone Age to the Industrial Revolution.

REVIEWS

“Hughes is effortlessly brilliant.” The Times

“Bettany Hughes makes history tempting.”

Evening Standard

“Hughes is a natural television presenter…and the differences from Schama and Starkey are marked…she’s free of donnish mannerisms, and above all, happy to interview other historians rather than lecture uninterruptedly. Her outstanding gift is for conveying the frisson of connecting with individuals across millennia via the surviving clues, and this technique provides the programme’s stongest moments. “ The Sunday Times

“A fascinating new series…telegenic Bettany Hughes treads the delicate line between seriousness and accessibility…and even those with an aversion to history could find themselves drawn in.”

The Mail

“Bettany Hughes is to factual history what Charlotte Uhlenbroek is to natural history – the perfect televisual combination of brains and beauty.” The Mail

“Hooray! Archaeology without Tony Robinson, history with Bettany Hughes.”

Financial Times

“Wonderfully Refreshing” The Independent

“Hughes is easy on the eye…but she is also lucid and unfidgety. She doesn’t bubble with false enthusiasm…she doesn’t fill gaps in archaeological knowledge with conjecture. This straightforward history of our evolution is totally absorbing.”

The Times

“In Britain we seem to have a taste for women who are beautiful, intelligent and authoritative..Nigella Lawson, Rachel de Thame, Daisy Goodwin and Bettany Hughes.” The Times

“Don’t Miss. Telegenic historian Bettany Hughes fronts this well presented series. Well if Lawson can make a smelly kitchen erotic, why shouldn’t Hughes make stories of power sexy?”

The Evening Standard

“Bettany Hughes continues her fascinating series….” The Observer

“Hughes is an engaging, erudite presenter and the experts hauled in front of the camera have interesting comments to make. A guide to making history interesting.”

Time Out

"I congratulate all those involved in the making of Channel 4’s Seven Ages of Britain, without doubt the best history series of last year…To cram so much into seven episodes took pure genius. Oh, and if the history and photography weren’t enough to transfix me, then the presenter, Bettany Hughes, certainly did. The sight of her gliding through the ages like a mysterious beckoning siren, in dark flowing robes, made me listen to every word!"

14 Comments


mike
mike
Jan 27

This sounds absolutely captivating! It's so refreshing to see history explored from the perspective of ordinary people, delving into the unofficial narratives of Britain. Bettany Hughes seems to have a remarkable gift for making the past feel tangible and relevant, a true testament to her skill as a presenter. The reviews highlight how she effortlessly bridges the gap between scholarly insight and accessible storytelling, which is precisely what makes history so engaging. For anyone working with visual assets related to historical projects or presentations, you might find a tool like Merge JPG really useful for organizing and combining images seamlessly.

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mike
mike
Jan 27

This summary for "Seven Ages Of Britain" really highlights what makes Bettany Hughes so compelling – shifting the focus to everyday lives and connecting with history on a personal level. It's refreshing to see archaeological stories made so accessible and engaging, especially when moving beyond the usual narratives of power. It reminds me how important it is to document and share these rich historical accounts clearly. For anyone needing to process text like this for presentations or academic work, I often use the Markdown to DOCX Converter; it's incredibly useful for organizing notes and articles.

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mike
mike
Jan 27

This sounds like a truly captivating series! I've always been fascinated by everyday life in historical periods, especially those less documented than the grand narratives. Bettany Hughes' approach to illuminating the "unofficial history" of Britain, moving from the Stone Age to the Industrial Revolution through the lens of ordinary people, is brilliant. The reviews highlight her unique ability to connect with the past and make history accessible without sacrificing depth. It's refreshing to hear about an expert who draws in other historians rather than simply lecturing. For anyone looking to convert images for historical presentations or digital art, I found Converter PNG to SVG to be incredibly useful for crisp, editable results.

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mike
mike
Jan 27

This summary of "Seven Ages Of Britain" really highlights what makes it special – moving beyond the usual narrative of power and wealth to explore the everyday lives of ordinary people. It's truly insightful to see how Bettany Hughes, with her "outstanding gift for conveying the frisson of connecting with individuals across millennia," brings that unofficial history to life. The reviews clearly show her ability to make history engaging and accessible, which is no small feat. It reminds me how important strong impressions are, something I was thinking about recently when optimizing my own profiles. For anyone looking to make a great visual impact, you might find something like an Attractiveness Test helpful for choosing the best profile photos.

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mike
mike
Jan 27

This summary of "Seven Ages Of Britain" really highlights what makes Bettany Hughes so compelling. Shifting the focus to the everyday lives of ordinary people for 8,000 years before modern society is a brilliant approach to history, and the glowing reviews certainly back that up. It's refreshing to see history presented in such an engaging and accessible way, making those ancient connections feel so immediate. For anyone interested in bringing their own stories to life in a fun, visual way, much like Hughes brings history to life, you might enjoy checking out AI Cartoon Generator.

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Copyright © Bettany Hughes 2009

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