J.H. Plumb, the real deal...

 A nifty little exposition from the age of walpole through to Waterloo.

painted with a broad brush with interesting tidbits thrown in.

e.g. The mob burned Proestleys house beczuse he advocated slavery instead of destitution.

Napoleon marched on Moscow with a personal vendetta against the Tsar.

This is the stuff left out of most histories which in the end must be about individuals and their desires as well as the big picture