"A capacious, illuminating and thickly populated portrait of Britain in a year of drama that marked the end of one era and the start of another" --David Kynaston, author of Modernity Britain "Battles, balls, Byron, and the birth of modern history - Stephen Bates chronicles them all with insight, wit and grace" --Robert Lacey, co-author of The Year 1000 " 1815 is both panoramic in scope and wonderfully readable. It brings an entire age triumphantly to life" --Lucy Lethbridge, author of Servants "The story, powerfully told, of a year that left behind it a sense that the world had changed, and changed irrevocably" --David McKie, author of Bright Particular Stars "An illuminating portrayal of a pivotal year for the nation" -- The Daily Telegraph "Bates offers a portrait of the country in a pivotal year: that of Waterloo. The result is refreshingly kaleidoscopic. His climactic summary of the battle is the best thing about it" -- The Sunday Telegraph "This very entertaining portrait of Britain exactly 200 years ago is made especially enjoyable by the author's persistent penchant for picking out entertaining and unlikely detail. Bates writes in a beguiling way'" -- Glasgow Herald "Full of juicy anecdotes and broad-brush characterisations. The narrative is exuberant and informal, but there's enough serious stuff here to make it educational as well as entertaining. enthralling'" -- The Tablet "A wonderful whistle-stop tour of gambling, sport, literature and science, from Jane Austen to Humphrey Davy" -- The Good Book Guide.