Book Suggestion: Two Histories of England

Two Histories of England by Jane Austen and Charles Dickens

During his reign, Lord Cobham was burnt alive, but I forget what for.—From Jane Austen's The History of England

I must say that for a Queen who made all those fine speeches, of which I have confessed myself to be rather tired, about living and dying a Maiden Queen, Elizabeth was 'going' to be married pretty often.—From Charles Dickens's A Child's History of England

The rarely seen, unconventional works of literary history featured in this volume offer fascinating insight into two of England's most beloved authors. Jane Austen wrote The History of England in 1791 when she was only sixteen years old, as a self-described "partial, prejudiced & ignorant Historian." Her witty, precocious, and decidedly biased take on four centuries of the country's monarchy parodies the educational agenda for young girls of her time—and hints at the more subtle satire that will define her later work.