Get it for less! Order it used

Have one to sell? Sell yours here

Search inside another edition of this book

Cromwell, Our Chief Of Men (Hardcover)

by Antonia Fraser (Author) "In the spring and on the eve of the seventeenth century, a son was born to Robert and Elizabeth Cromwell of Huntingdon ..." (more)

3.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)

Currently unavailable.
We don't know when or if this item will be back in stock.

Other Editions:	RRP:	Our Price:	Other Offers:
Hardcover (Book Club)			9 used & new from �3.75
Paperback (New Ed)	�11.99	�8.36	23 used & new from �5.00

Customers Viewing This Page May Be Interested in These Sponsored Links

(What is this?)

The Cromwell opens new browser window

BestWestern.co.uk/Cromwell_Hotel - 3 star Cromwell Hotel in Kensington with Best Price Promise guarantee!

The Cromwell opens new browser window

Ask.com - Search for The Cromwell Find The Cromwell

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

King Charles II

by Antonia Fraser

4.2 out of 5 stars (8) �7.66

The Gunpowder Plot: Terror and Faith in 1605

by Antonia Fraser

4.6 out of 5 stars (11)

God's Englishman: Oliver Cromwell and the English Revolution

by Christopher Hill

3.5 out of 5 stars (4) �11.89

Mary Queen Of Scots

by Antonia Fraser

4.2 out of 5 stars (12) �6.14

The Weaker Vessel (Women In History)

by Antonia Fraser

4.7 out of 5 stars (6) �6.58

› Explore similar items

Product details

Hardcover: 832 pages
Publisher: Weidenfeld & Nicolson (14 Jun 2001)
ISBN-10: 0297607790
ISBN-13: 978-0297607793

Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)

Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

Product Description

No Englishman has made more impact on the history of his nation than Oliver Cromwell; few have been so persistently maligned in the folklore of history. The central purpose of Antonia Fraser's book is the recreation of his life and character, freed from the distortions of myth and Royalist propaganda. Cromwell was a man of contradictions and surprising charm. The ruthless Psalm-singing General of the battlefields was also a country gentleman who, after his victory at Worcester paused to hawk in the fields nearby; the stern Puritan was also an exceptionally doting father; the most decisive and ruthless of commanders was also the passionate connoisseur of music; the strong man of England was prey to exhausting prolonged bouts of irresolution and as Lord Protector kept England on tenterhooks for a week while he wrestled with his conscience whether to accept the Crown. Of Cromwell's fitness for high office, both military and civil, this fascinating biography leaves no doubt. Under his rule English prestige abroad rose to a level unequalled since Elizabeth I. Yet - as Antonia Fraser's judicious assessment shows - his campaign in Ireland has cast a shadow over his reputation. As in all her books, Antonia Fraser combines a high standard of scholarship with a most exciting narrative. The result is a major biography in the finest tradition which displays great insight into this complex man and reveals a totally unexpected Cromwell far removed from the received stereotype Cromwell: Our Chief of Men is a fine achievement of scholarship and writing... a magnificent success' Sunday Telegraph A real attempt to present the man, warts and all' Times Educational Supplement.

About the Author

Lady Antonia Fraser has been writing bestselling history for more than 30 years. She is one of a family of writers led by her mother, Elizabeth Longford. Lady Antonia has six children, two of whom are writers. She is married to the playwright Harold Pinter.

Inside This Book (Learn More)
Browse and search another edition of this book.

First Sentence
In the spring and on the eve of the seventeenth century, a son was born to Robert and Elizabeth Cromwell of Huntingdon. Read the first page

Explore More
Concordance

Suggested Tags from Similar Products

(What's this?)

Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product)

oliver cromwell(6)

english civil war(5)

commonwealth(2)

history(2)

antonia fraser(2)

christopher hill(1)

military(1)

stuarts(1)

english history(1)

catherine of aragon(1)

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

	85% buy the item featured on this page: Cromwell, Our Chief Of Men 3.7 out of 5 stars (11)
	8% buy God's Englishman: Oliver Cromwell and the English Revolution 3.5 out of 5 stars (4) �11.89
	3% buy King Charles II 4.2 out of 5 stars (8) �7.66
	2% buy The English Civil Wars: 1640-1660 (Universal History) 4.8 out of 5 stars (4) �8.83

Explore similar items

Customer Reviews

11 Reviews

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

Average Customer Review

3.7 out of 5 stars (11 customer reviews)

Share your thoughts with other customers:

Create your own review

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An engaging popular biography, 22 Jun 2008

By	Geschichtsliebhaber (Oldenburg, Niedersachsen) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cromwell, Our Chief of Men (Hardcover)

Antonia Fraser's 'Cromwell, Our Chief of Men', at over 700 pages, is certainly monumental in proportion to its subject. Lady Antonia has succeeded in writing an engaging, comprehensive, and sympathetic biography of Oliver Protector that challenges us to re-examine this much-maligned giant of English (and indeed Scottish, Welsh, and Irish) history. Cromwell emerges as an affectionate husband, friend, and father, a sincere Christian, a tremendously effective military leader and, despite his Irish atrocities, a humanitarian genuinely committed to alleviating the lot of the masses.

My greatest problem with Lady Antonia's account is that she seems torn between her like of Cromwell and her royalist convictions. This seriously plagues her description of the trial and execution of Charles I and Cromwell's agonising over whether to accept the crown in 1657. Lady Antonia concludes that the execution of the king was unlawful. So it certainly was, by the laws of the time; but by such standards the Nuremberg trials were equally unlawful. A sounder approach might have been to investigate the difficulties posed by a legal system that placed certain people above the law. Lady Antonia also refuses to give Cromwell credit for refusing the crown.

All in all, despite some downsides like the above, and some minor irritations (typographical errors and Lady Antonia's hostility towards the common comma), this is a well-written popular biography that is warmly recommended to all who wish to learn more (or, indeed, anything at all - as was the case with me) about the Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell.

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews

Was this review helpful to you?

Report this | Permalink

Comment Comment

34 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Cromwell, Our Chief of Men, 15 Feb 2002

By	bywater "John" (Birmingham UK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cromwell, Our Chief Of Men (Paperback)

I have read some excellent biographies of Oliver Cromwell, but Lady Antonia Fraser's book is easily the best of them. Whether she is talking about Cromwell's character, or his ability as a soldier/statesman, she puts the record straight against the many false views of Cromwell, and shows him to have been, for England, "our chief of men". That Cromwell erred is not glossed over, as she paints him as he really was, "warts and all", but Antonia Fraser truly captures the Christian heart of the man that is so often neglected by other historians. Given her Roman Catholic background her account of this great Protestant leader is a truly remarkable one. Her pages on the battles and sites of the Civil War are written as though she personally had visited each one. She excels at the strategic overview of the war policies of both sides as they fluctuated under the pressure of events. She is superb, too, on the political complexities Cromwell had to contend with under his Protectorate. This book is detailed and very readable and is in my view the best biography of Oliver Cromwell available.

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews

Was this review helpful to you?

Report this | Permalink

Comment Comment

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars an outstanding book of great depth, 8 Sep 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Cromwell, Our Chief of Men (Paperback)

Although I had my doubts about reading a 700 page history book, I must say that as soon as I picked it up it was almost impossible to put down. The book charts The life of Oliver Cromwell from birth right through the civil wars to the end of his life. Lady Antonia Fraser has written a book that goes into not inconsiderable detail, she takes her information from many sources and weaves them together to produce a book that you believe tells the real story. Throughout this book you can read the way England came into the great civil wars, How the people reacted and how the two sides fought, both against each other and within their own ranks. The book endeared itself to me for many reasons, The detail is fantastic and helps you to understand why things took place and not just how. If there is a criticism then I think it must be that Cromwell does come across very well, He does not seem to be this cruel military leader who mercilessly cut down the Irish and brought havoc on the land. In the end though I am forced to conclude that the book is incredibly well written and an outstanding read. The book brought out a desire in me to learn more about the civil war and Englands history which no other book has ever managed. Antonia Fraser hits the mark here, a fascinating read.

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews

Was this review helpful to you?

Report this | Permalink

Comment Comment (1)

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review

› See all 11 customer reviews...

Most Recent Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars A Very Good Biography of the Soldier turned Statesman
Cromwell - Our Chief of Men by Antonia Fraser is a very good book about the only head of state England has had in over a thousand years who has not been a monarch. Read more

Published 1 month ago by HBH

3.0 out of 5 stars A Tad Tedious, Not Fraser's Best
Cromwell: Our Chief of Men is clearly a very well researched book, and is full of useful information to anyone interested in Cromwell. Read more

Published 6 months ago by C. McNamee

5.0 out of 5 stars cromwell.
alot of book,and a good price, a very good read, delivered on time for a gift at christmas,would use this site again.

Published 11 months ago by Mrs. Alice D. Flagg

3.0 out of 5 stars Adequate history
History is generally written in 2 ways. Firstly for the newcomer to the topic a book turns these past events into an exciting narrative. Read more

Published 20 months ago by J. Duducu

4.0 out of 5 stars Very good...but long!
This book is initially a very daunting prospect. I found it quite easy to get into, though, and enjoyed the first third. Read more

Published on 2 Sep 2003 by PW

2.0 out of 5 stars Bit of a slog, but you'll get there in the end
I have read Antonia Fraser's work before but I wouldn't use this as an introduction to her work. I found that there was simply too much detail for my liking but it was nice to... Read more

Published on 24 Jun 2002

2.0 out of 5 stars In need of a good editor
This is huge bloated whale of a book that runs to 706 pages. It is the first and last book by Antonia Fraser that I shall read. Read more

Published on 22 Feb 2002

4.0 out of 5 stars A very detailed, but readable, biography
This book is a most accessible account of a complex man. The Author addresses the "whole man" - devoted family man, military genius, and autocrat. Read more

Published on 18 July 2000

› See all 11 customer reviews...

.jsOffDisplayBlock { display: block; } .jsOffDisplayInline { display: inline; } .jsOffVisibility { visibility: visible; } .jsOnDisplayBlock { display: none; } .jsOnDisplayNoneBlock { display: block; } .jsOnDisplayNoneInline { display: inline; } .jsOnDisplayInline { display: none; } .jsOnVisibility { visibility: hidden; } .jqOnDisplayBlock { display: none; } .jqOnDisplayInline { display: none; } .jqOnVisibility { visibility: hidden; } .jqOnDisplayNoneBlock { display: block; } .jqOnDisplayNoneInline { display: inline; }