The English Civil Wars cover art

The English Civil Wars

1640-1660 (Universal History)

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The English Civil Wars

By: Blair Worden
Narrated by: Leighton Pugh
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About this listen

A brilliant appraisal of the Civil War and its long-term consequences, by an acclaimed historian.

The political upheaval of the mid-17th 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 thoroughly enjoyable 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.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2022 Blair Worden (P)2022 Orion Publishing Group Limited 17th Century Europe Great Britain Military Modern War England Civil War Royalty

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All stars
Most relevant
Does what it says on the tin - a comprehensible summary of a complex conflict. Interesting to those focussing on a greater understanding of the conflict, not for those who want a suspense-filled narrative. Exactly what I was looking for to increase my understanding

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This is a book that is perhaps not good to listen to in the car as you need to concentrate on what is said and sometimes rewind 30s to catch a name or key point. But you do come out from listening to it with a broader vocabulary! The diction and presentation is clear, but you need a rough knowledge of the 17th century before listening as it is delivered at rapid pace.

A rapid but detailed summary

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I was hoping for more of what happened - but it’s really endless blah about politics and manages to bypass any military stuff - odd for a book with the word “war” in its title. Not particularly recommended as it’s too dry - narrator did a good job given the over-laboured material he had to work with

Well read but dull

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If you have any knowledge of the English Civil War at all this will add absolutely nothing. A short and simplified potted history. Not for anyone who has read any other book on this subject.

Extremely Basic

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I like to think of myself as reasonably intelligent and I read / listen to a lot of books. However, this book made me feel woefully inept at the English language. It was like it's the intention of the author to write every line using the most complex prose and language possible. Couple this with the narration speed and it resulted in a 5hr blur where I struggled to grasp what was happening and why. The book has a heavy focus on the numerous political and religious belief systems of the different factions at the time rather than diving into the characters, their moves and motives. I hoped for more of the latter with a dash of the former for some context. i felt that the balance of the book was off for my liking, although granted this is personal to me and may better suit someone else. The pace of the book moving through weeks, months, years in a couple of paragraphs left me clutching at subsections of a fragmented narrative without any real context. A challenging listen which prevented me from learning or understanding anything about the Civil Wars.

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