Britain in Revolution

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Superb - Rated
This is the best account of the English Civil War since S R Gardiner wrote his history of it in the 19th Century. Proffessor Woolrych's final work is filled with impressive analysis and clear prose- the starting point for almost all historians who are searching for an account of an incident within the civil war- it should be on the bookshelves of anyone interested in the period. This is perhaps not a volume for those merely beggining on the period- it is long- but it is a volume for anyone interested in anything beyond the peripheral. For A-Level or Undergraduate students there is a clear narrative- which can be dipped into and elucidates many of the complexities of the era. For Graduates and Academics, the uncomplicated clear narrative deftly captures the complexities of the period and in my own field many times having read Woolrych as an introduction- I've gone back knowing more and noticed how his choice of words makes me understand my new expertise in a different way. Simply this is the best narrative account of the civil war available: it synthesizes present historical understanding with elegance and beauty. This is history as it was meant to be written. The style is up there with the best of Macaulay and Gibbon, the analysis sits easily with more modern interpretations- go out and buy it now.