The English Civil Wars: 1640-1660
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Review
'If you want to be informed about that unfortunate period of English history, Blair Worden's crisp 160-pager may well be the best place to start.' (Nicholas Bagnall SUNDAY TELEGRAPH )
Product Description
The political upheaval of the mid-seventeenth century has no parallel in English history. Other events have changed the occupancy and the powers of the throne, but the conflict of 1640-60 was more dramatic: the monarchy and the House of Lords were abolished, to be replaced by a republic and military rule. In this wonderfully readable account, Blair Worden explores the events of this period and their origins - the war between King and Parliament, the execution of Charles I, Cromwell's rule and the Restoration - while aiming to reveal something more elusive: the motivations of contemporaries on both sides and the concerns of later generations.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The book has been well researched by the author and it shows in the wealth of detail and facts. It is complex in the sense it is not casual reading and you have to dedicate time to read this book which will be rewarded as you begin to understand the politics and the wheeling and dealing that went on over almost 20 years. It does not go into detail about the actual battles themselves, so perhaps if that is what you want from this book you'd be dissapointed. However if you are wanting to find out the reasons and the background to these turbulent times in English history this is a definite for your collection. It is well written.
29 of 31 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
A slim book that provides an excellent explanation of the English Civil Wars. If you want to understand the whys and wherefores of that period, this is for you. We see our modern ideas here and there but scattered around all parties and always bundled with what seems weird to us. Freedom of religion? Absolutely - that's provided you're not Catholic or Anglican. The book shows the whole period provides a classic example of the law of unintended consequences and reinforces the idea that Cromwell is the last person who should be commemorated outside Parliament, given his attitude towards it.
My one issue is that it's not strong on the narrative of events - you get a great explanation of why X happened, but the fact that X DID happen kind of gets taken as read. I guess if one wanted a strong narrative history as well, then the book would have got much bigger.
Buy it for an excellent, short, clear explanation - and the depressing conclusion that, in the end, nothing much came out of that period.
My one issue is that it's not strong on the narrative of events - you get a great explanation of why X happened, but the fact that X DID happen kind of gets taken as read. I guess if one wanted a strong narrative history as well, then the book would have got much bigger.
Buy it for an excellent, short, clear explanation - and the depressing conclusion that, in the end, nothing much came out of that period.
15 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is history as it should be written - clear, enjoyable, concise. For the first time I understand why they felt they needed to execute Charles I, and indeed the difference between the various Parliaments (Long, Short, Rump etc)of the time. Admirable.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
A great little book
This book summarises twenty extraordinary years of British history in a clear and very readable way. An excellent introduction to the Civil War.
Published 6 months ago by Ed
No use as an introduction to the topic
A disappointingly dry account of the civil war with a lot of dense, abstract language and no attempt to paint a picture. Read more
Published 8 months ago by R Bain
Good, but not quite as clear as some might lead you to believe
A simple 'popular history' style introduction to the English Civil Wars, Worden's book is, stylistically speaking, commendably easy reading. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Sebastian Palmer
Short and Sweet
If like me you know very little about our own Civil War and would like to learn more this is £9 190 pages and 5 hours well spent. Read more
Published 20 months ago by Baron Bass
Wins by a head
There have been several "short" books about the English Civil Wars in the last year- by John Miller and David Clark for instance. Read more
Published 23 months ago by DN PERKS
A Masterpiece of Concision and Precision
An authoritative and beautifully written narrative which enables the general reader to clearly understand the principal events of this complicated, confusing but vitally important... Read more
Published on 28 Sep 2009 by D. J. Mosley
The English Civil Wars
Although a small volume this book gives a clear and concise record of the Civil Wars. Everything I was curious about was easily found inthe index. Excellent.
Published on 10 Mar 2009 by Mrs. Josephine Jones
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