Tuesday 6 March 2012

FACTUAL REVIEW: Reprobates: The Cavaliers of the English Civil War - John Stubbs

Release Date: 26/01/12

SYNOPSIS:

This title describes the rise and fall of the Cavaliers before, during and after the English Civil War. "Dashing and daring, colourful, subtle and provocative ...stuffed almost to bursting-point with character and incident. Feasting on poems, diaries, plays, masques, letters and biographies, Reprobates introduces us to ...a flamboyant parade of chancers, dreamers, turncoats, heroes, idiots and hedonists who grab the reader's shoulders and force a drink on us as if in some dim-lit, tallow-smoked tavern of the 1630s".


REVIEW:

Whilst I am aware of the English Civil War, I have to say that I only really know the key points of the battles between the Cromwell’s Roundheads and Charles’ Cavaliers. So when I found out about this title from Penguin I jumped at the chance to get to hear about the events that not only lead up to the war, but also to get to know the key players and characters of both sides.

John Stubbs brings to the table not only beautifully researched as well as concise history of the time period, but he does it in such as a way as to grab the reader’s attention bringing it together with memorable points that will allow you to get to remember facts long after you’ve put the title down. It’s fascinating, the characters a true wonder of their age and when get the opportunity to bond with the past, a great many lessons can be learned.

All in, this title is one that I really enjoyed and is one that I’ll be recommending to others who want to conduct a bit more research, especially with the forthcoming titles to do with the Civil War such as Giles Kristian’s The Bleeding Land.

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