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Summer of Blood
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More About the Author
Product Description
Review
‘Combines zest and flair with an acute historical intelligence. Bold. Surprising. Unputdownable’ David Starkey
Independent, Books of the Year, "an alliance of sound scholarship and sexy writing makes this first popular account of our most famous class war essential reading"
Book Description
Dan Jones reveals, as never before, the brutality of a summer when England was ripped apart.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
14 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This is a very readable and exciting book but at times there's too much action and not enough explanation. Jones never really explains who the so-called peasants were, where they came from, what they did. Although he briefly explains who Wat Tyler and John Ball were he brings Jack Straw into the story without any explanation whatsoever. It wasn't lacking in excitement (plenty of blood and gore) and it's good readable, popular history but it needs just a bit more detail.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I enjoyed the story told by Dan Jones and it is a well written book but I was surprised that Jones, who tells what might be described as "the standard version" of the revolt, makes no acknowledgement that there is an alternative version which says that the rebels were highly organised even before the revolt started and thus able to take action at very short notice (see e.g. "Born in Blood" by John J. Robinson). He must surely be aware of this version but does not mention it, even to demolish it. Yet the idea that the revolt had organisation behind it seems to fit the facts better than Jones' version. For example, when the king left the Tower to meet the rebels at Mile End, Tyler, Ball and Straw all spurned the chance to meet him (even though Jones seems to suggest that meeting Richard was the rebel leaders' main objective) and remained in the City. Why did they do this? Jones does not explain, merely commenting that they were "lingering around the tower and keeping a keen eye out for any sign of movement within". Surely the only logical explanation is that the rebels knew that they were going to be let in the Tower. They had no chance of storming it so why linger outside it, especially with a meeting with the king on offer? It makes no sense unless they had lines of communication into the Tower - and that of course suggests a more oganised rising than Jones would have us believe. Jones's explanation of why the drawbridge was lowered (that those within the heavily fortified Tower suddenly became defeatist and panicked) also makes no sense. I would also criticise Jones on the amount of speculation, e.g. when describing the meeting between Tyler and the king he says that they "stood face to face, each uncertain what to do next". What is the source of this? Jones does not say. One suspects speculation and the book is full of this. I still wait for a definitive telling of the fascinating story of the peasants' revolt.
22 of 25 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
As a medievalist with a particular interest in the reign of Richard II I approach "popular" books on the period with a sense of doom. How refreshing then to find one that is as well-researched as any academic study yet well-written and completely accessible to the non-specialist reader. This is a cracking story that should be on the summer holiday reading list of every politican to remind them that the people will only be pushed so far! In fact, it should be on everyone's reading list.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
A good read that left me wanting more
I really enjoyed this short book, which I read in the course of an afternoon.
It left me feeling I knew a bit more about the personalities of the young King Richard and... Read more
It left me feeling I knew a bit more about the personalities of the young King Richard and... Read more
Published 10 months ago by Mr. S. J. Truman
Highly speculative and biased
Having read both histories and fictional accounts of the Revolt, I'm hard pressed to say which category this book belongs in. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Jeffre Jackson
Not impressed
This could have been a very good book. It isn't. The author's stated opinion is that "the historian's most important duty" is to "tell, as accurately as possible, a cracking good... Read more
Published 16 months ago by Adam
Enjoyable and very informative
A very enjoyable and easy read whilst also being incredibly informative - I can't wait for his next book!
Published 23 months ago by Mr. Nicholas Cox
A bit of forgotten history
This tale of the Watt Tyler peasants revolt is a bit of forgotten history and it is refreshing to find the details of this event brought to life in this excellent book. Read more
Published on 8 April 2010 by Harryatharrogate
Summer of Blood-more like Summer of Terror
Dan Jones's Summer of Blood was a fun read. Normally when I find a history book written by a journalist, I put it back on the shelf and find another book to buy. Read more
Published on 25 Jan 2010 by Edward Rex
1381 Blockbuster
The graphic title of this book tells readers precisely what they are in for. Dan Jones takes an incident from a long neglected period of British history and narrates the story in... Read more
Published on 4 Nov 2009 by Steven Thompson
Intelligent, well-written and insightful account of a brutal period in...
As a teacher of history whose personal interest lies in the medieval era I was spellbound by Dan Jones' (no relation) account of this rarely visited, but highly significant... Read more
Published on 11 Oct 2009 by E. L. Jones
Elitism never sleeps...
Intended as a populist, narrative account with little in the way of source criticism, Summer Of Blood is readable and dramatic. Read more
Published on 8 Oct 2009 by Kane 1381
Dissapointing
Dissapointing - the book is very focused on the events with little context provided. What further hurts the story-telling is the bias of the author in favor of the monarchy BUT he... Read more
Published on 6 Oct 2009 by Adil Ehsan
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