Gardiner has no style.

He put his facts down much as he would have noted on a blue print the facts about an engineering project that he sketched.
The style of your article, which has much to be said for it as a magazine article, is not the best style for a book.
Now, this whole question of style--well, it's the gist of good writing.

There's no really effective writing without it.

Especially is this true of historical writing.

Look at X Y Z's writings.