About book Great Tales From English History, Vol 2: Joan Of Arc, The Princes In The Tower, Bloody Mary, Oliver Cromwell, Sir Isaac Newton & More (2005)
This is the third in a somewhat unintentional trio of books set (or partially set) in seventeenth-century England. It’s “somewhat” because once I got them all from the library, I decided to read them consecutively and see how such a thematic grouping affected my perception of them. Alas, all three have been somewhat disappointing. I find Elizabethan England fascinating, and I enjoyed the opportunity to learn more about the reigns of James I, Charles I, the Commonwealth, the Restoration, etc. However, I was expecting a little more depth from this book.I had actually intended to read Volume 1 first, but the titles as they were entered into the library’s database were identical, so this was the one that I put on hold. Oh well! I don’t hold that against it; this is also a fine period in English history, which in general I find so fascinating. The British Isles have been invaded so many times, and as Robert Lacey notes in his introduction, these events have gone a long way to defining Britain as a nation and shaping its people. Even after the Norman conquest caused things to settle down, England was far from a stable place: it seems like almost every monarch faced some sort of challenge or another. In fantasy, we often get this idea that most monarchs are firmly ensconced, with decades or centuries of ancestors on the throne (and sometimes, thanks to magical means, this is the case). Not so for England! And the various claimants might be related to each other in confusing and, frankly, disturbing ways.Lacey covers England from 1387 to 1687, beginning with Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales and concluding with Sir Isaac Newton. He spends most of his time on the Tudor and Elizabethan era, however, describing in some detail the break from Rome and the subsequent confusion over what sort of Protestant country England is, or if it is even Protestant at all. In many ways, I found Great Tales very helpful: I had a vague idea about certain aspects of this time period, such as the oppression of Catholics, but Lacey fleshed that out with specifics. Similarly, I learned about items that don’t always come up in, say, historical fiction: Lacey discusses the creation of the King James Bible, although that also features in Hell and Earth. This is definitely an enlightening book.So why do I say I expected more depth? Well, the stories are each quite short: most seem to be about five or six pages long. Lacey has broken up 300 years of English history into a series of very short vignettes—I could see each becoming perhaps a fifteen-minute episode to air on History Television. This is a perfectly legitimate decision on Lacey’s part, and it might well work for some people. However, I found that it prevented me from immersing myself in the narrative behind the story. I couldn’t get attached to the characters, if you will. As much as this book provided me with interesting facts, they are all presented in the form of mere anecdotes. I would be much better served reading several longer, more comprehensive stories about specific parts of English history.This disappointment is entirely a result of a difference between what I expected and what the book turned out to be, and it’s not because the book is poorly written. If you want a survey of England from the late fourteenth century up until Isaac Newton’s ascendancy to scientific stardom, then Great Tales from English History (Volume 2) will deliver. If you are looking for something that goes beyond the surface and presents specific tales at a more sedate pace, then I would recommend finding a book that focuses on that tale and getting it from your local library (or a nearby bookstore).
Ah, history. The torch of truth and the destroyer of prejudice (supposedly). I used to love history, just like reading a novel but with all the good parts. Authors like Robert Lacey try to make history read very much like a novel, and to a certain extent they succeed. The language is appropriate, considering it is a 'history-in-brief' book, while Lacey tries to make his book as informative as possible while maintaining the general appeal. I must admit that even though I like to think of myself as an 'expert' in the English history of this period, there were a lot of interesting facts that I did not know. What is really admirable though is that a long period is covered, and it is no easy feat to make a book of this sort.Lacey tries to be as unbiased as possible. He gives you the general facts, somebody's opinion about them, and then concludes with his own. His comments are usually the 'golden mean' between the contrasting opinions, sometimes neither condemning nor justifying. Lacey is a good historian in my opinion based on this fact, and partly on his ability to question. Like, for example, what really made the 'Glorious Revolution' glorious? The fact that any constitutional and parliamentary progress in England was literally theoretical? No, argues Lacey, it was the 'transformation in thinking'. And one cannot help but agree.One reviewer argued that Lacey does not get into enough depth, I do not think that is really an issue. I mean, if you want a detailed analysis on Hobbes' 'The Leviathan', read the book itself and do not blame the Historian for just mentioning it, especially books of this sort which advertise themselves as 'Great Tales From English History'. In that respect Lacey succeeded with flying colours. One should definitely not read this book as a basis for his/her history exam. You'll be as lucky as Italian footballers if you pass. One should read 'Great Tales of English History' as a charming and invaluably entertaining background.Lacey, like many others before him, proves that a book does not have to be fiction to be of this extraordinary level of general appeal and accessibility. Of course, he did have one of the most amazing histories of the world to write about...
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While preparing for my trip to London this summer, I decided it would be good to brush up on my English history. This book was perfect! This was my first time reading a book by Robert Lacey (I skipped over Vol. 1), but I plan to purchase Vols. 1 and 3 of this book. Lacey had a very enticing writing style, breaking down history into short little anecdotes. I particularly enjoyed the "mysteries" of the Lost Colony and the princes in the tower. Neither of these were stories I had heard before and I was intrigued. Although the end of the book got a bit dry, it's not Lacey's fault that things were less exciting in England. Overall, if you're looking for an interesting read about 15th-17th century England, this is the book for you!
—Lisa
This is an extremely readable book about historical figures in English history. The chapters were short, so the book lent itself easily to utilizing brief snatches of time. I've always been rather hazy on which monarchs came after which monarchs and where old Oliver Cromwell fitted in. I think anyone who reads this book would be favorably disposed to reading more English history if it were written in the same vein. I especially enjoyed the chapter on Joan of Arc which made her almost human. If history were taught in this fashion, it would be more popular with adolescemts. in my opinion.
—Sheldon
