A page-turning history of how a nation was defined by the people it welcomed or persecuted. Tudor and Stuart England through the eyes of incomers and exiles – and beautifully written

PHILIPPA GREGORY, author of Normal Women

A beautifully constructed and thought-provoking book that provides a fresh, vibrant perspective on the Tudor and Stuart age. As well as telling the wider story of immigration and exploration, of the forging of national identity, it brings to light an exquisitely drawn cast of characters – artists, merchants, musicians and more – whose lives intersected with the 'scepter'd isle' of Shakespeare

TRACY BORMAN, author of The Stolen Crown

This Little World is a compelling new survey of one of the most momentous periods in British history. She sets the reign of the Tudors and Stuarts in a truly global context, bringing a startlingly fresh perspective on the what at first glance seems a well-trodden path of historical study, with a combination of meticulous scholarship and a necessary revaluation of familiar sources, we are given a new way of understanding a critical period in history of these islands

RICHARD OVENDEN, author of Burning the Books

This Little World is the real thing: an urgent, compelling, and renewing history of Tudor and Stuart Britain which demands to be read. It is beautifully written and characterised by such empathy and humanity that everyone will enjoy it

TOBY GREEN, author of The Heretic of Cacheu