Gimson's kings and queens: brief lives of the forty monarchs since 1066

'Totally gripping - a factually accurate version of1066 And All That' - Boris Johnson

Gimson's Kings and Queenswhirls us through the lives of our monarchs - from 1066 and William the Conqueror right up to Queen Elizabeth II and the present-day - to tell a tale of bastardy, courage, conquest, brutality, vanity, vulgarity, corruption, anarchy, absenteeism, piety, nobility, divorce, execution, civil war, madness, magnificence, profligacy, frugality, philately, abdication, dutifulness, family breakdown and family recovery.

Written in Andrew Gimson's inimitable style, and illustrated by Martin Rowson,Gimson's Kings and Queensis both a primer and a refresher for anyone who can't quite remember which were the good and bad Edwards or Henrys, or why so-and-so succeeded to the throne rather than his second cousin.

Published in August 2015, to coincide with the moment (in September) when Elizabeth II will (barring accident or shock abdication) become the longest-serving English monarch ever,Gimson's Kings and Queenswill be the most entertaining and instructive book on the English monarchy you will ever read.