The White Ship is a short, very readable overview of the lives of the kings of England the Conqueror through the ascension of Henry II, with the largest focus on Henry I. While the title implies a focus on the White Ship disaster (and it does cover that event), it's largely a biography of Henry I.This is a good casual overview of early English history. However, it's a bit short for the amount of ground covered, with a large part of the last third being dedicated to the Anarchy. Being such a short work, huge pieces of history are glossed over or abbreviated. Names and events are brushed past in a hurry, and I feel more time could have been spent going in depth.

Anyone looking for a summary of English history from the mid-11th to mid-12th century will find a lot to like here, but one looking for a more in-depth work should look for a more academic text.