#274 The Arabs: A History (2009)

Author: Eugene Rogan
Title: The Arabs: A History
Genre: History
Year: 2009
Pages: 650
Origin: bought from Waterstones many moons ago
Nod Rating: 4 nods out of 5

 

Book buyers will all know the problem which is encountered from time to time: the book sale. In this instance, the Worm snapped up Eugene Rogan’s history The Arabs whilst greedily engaging in a 3 for 2 offer in Waterstones. However, the book was placed on the “To Read” pile and was promptly forgotten about. Months passed by, soon becoming years, and Rogan’s history gathered dust and yellowed pages. That was until the Worm’s hand, like a beaming light of power, plucked it from the pile and dusted it off for a read.

The Arabs: A History is an ambitious study, charting Arab culture and society across the past five hundred years. It begins with the fighting Mamluks of the early sixteenth century before ending in the turmoil in the Middle East in the early twenty-first century. Heavy concentration is given to the past two hundred years, including the rule of Muhammad Ali in Egypt, and more notably in the twentieth century. This covers the hold over the people by foreign empires – the British and French – and their replacement by a new kind of world politics: the Cold War. The period 1950 to 1990 is given high priority, with Rogan describing and analysing the rise of Arab nationalism and the new importance of oil and how it has shaped their relations with the western world.

Such a task – of charting a history both rich and divisive – seems a tall one to accomplish. However, throughout the read Rogan is an able pair of hands, guiding the reader through the tough differences and the shocking lows. A key feature of the narrative is the meddling of foreign hands into the affairs of the Arabs, including the Ottoman Turks and the western powers. The foundation of the Israeli state, by the power of these western powers, has created a smouldering sore in the region for the past seventy years. The legacy of this is clearly seen today, with the region of the Middle East and northern Africa in turmoil.

More so than a history of any other peoples on this planet, no history of the Middle East can definitely end. The scant five years since the publishing of Rogan’s book have seen the Arab Spring and several revolutions, altering the balance within the region and putting into question the future ahead.

However, such events cannot dismiss the high standard of work: painstaking research and a wonderful ability to write engaging prose. All of which gains Rogan’s book a positive 4 nods. Its failing is in its balance of material; can any history be definitive by neglecting the previous century of history before the sixteenth century? The Worm believes the answer is a firm “no”. But he urges anyone with an interest in the Middle East to pick up a book and dive right in.

Read more here

#272 America, Empire of Liberty (2009)

Author: David Reynolds
Title: America, Empire of Liberty: A New History
Genre: History
Year: 2009
Pages: 600
Origin: a borrowed read
Nod Rating: 4 nods out of 5

 

David Reynolds has made an accomplished career as an historian of the English speaking world, principally in the relationship between England the United States of America. Therefore, it is suitable that his book on American history sold by the bucket-load and received wide critical acclaim.

America, Empire of Liberty is billed as ‘a new history’. Yes, every new history book is generally a new interpretation of the past (bar all of those terrible Kindle historical reads that seem to proliferate like a disease), and it is interesting to read Reynolds' narrative. He highlights three key themes that are continually referred to throughout the book: Empire, Liberty and Faith. Empire connects with the formation of America (from Britain’s own empire), its conquering of the American continent, the belief in Manifest Destiny and its flexing of muscles on the world stage. The second theme Liberty refers to America’s awakening in the revolution against Britain, its adherence to a constitution, and its beacon status to the rest of the democratic world (as well as the charge of hypocrisy thrown at its door in the past century). Faith – the least interesting of the three – charts the various religious groups and dimensions that flocked to America to escape persecution, before helping shape the American dimension to the present day.

In many ways the book treads familiar ground, examining key points in American history: yes, the revolution, the Civil War, American’s expansion in foreign policy, the civil rights movement, and the Cold War. But throughout all of this Reynolds poses contradictory views in his chapters, such as ‘Slave or Free?’, ‘War and Peace’, and ‘Pride and Prejudice’. Furthermore, it is of interest in the shaping of the American presence or character, defined by these external forces and polar opposites, seen no more clearly than in America’s challenge to Soviet Russia in the second half of the twentieth century.

Reynolds writes in a clear and entertaining manner, making this read – without a doubt – one of the Worm’s most pleasurable experiences within the History field during the past year. New ground is not chartered, but in terms of American history “new” cannot be found in such an overwhelming environment of historical research. New interpretations, however, are always welcome. As such, Reynolds gains 4 golden nods from the Worm.


Listen to the Radio 4 series here

#271 The End of History? (1989)

Author: Francis Fukuyama
Title: The End of History?
Genre: Essay
Year: 1989
Pages: 20
Origin: read on the Kindle
Nod Rating: 3 nods out of 5

 

 

‘IN WATCHING the flow of events over the past decade or so, it is hard to avoid the feeling that something very fundamental has happened in world history. The past year has seen a flood of articles commemorating the end of the Cold War, and the fact that "peace" seems to be breaking out in many regions of the world. Most of these analyses lack any larger conceptual framework for distinguishing between what is essential and what is contingent or accidental in world history, and are predictably superficial. If Mr. Gorbachev were ousted from the Kremlin or a new Ayatollah proclaimed the millennium from a desolate Middle Eastern capital, these same commentators would scramble to announce the rebirth of a new era of conflict.’

So writes Francis Fukuyama. As the Cold War came to an end the old certainties were being bulldozed down. A new world had come into being, with the former ideas – political and social – being swept away. These vast changes led Francis Fukuyama to pen an influential essay, The End of History?.

Fukuyama’s essential point is that with the collapse of the Soviet Union has come the overwhelming triumph of liberal ideals, principally from the western democracies (USA and western Europe). He argues that these ideals indicate an end point of humanity’s progress and evolution, from ancient civilisation, across the feudalism of medieval times, towards the capitalism employed today. As he states:

‘What we may be witnessing is not just the end of the Cold War, or the passing of a particular period of post-war history, but the end of history as such: that is, the end point of mankind’s ideological evolution and the universalisation of Western liberal democracy as the final form of human government.’

Gone, then, is communism, socialism and other theories. But, how well as Fukuyama’s essay held up over the past quarter of a century? Clearly, western liberal ideals remain dominant. Testament to this is the continuing superpower status of the United States of America, as well as the rapid growth of the European Union. But then again, cracks are apparent, particularly in the form of the current banking crisis. Furthermore, other ideals have taken a sharp focus, principally that of Islamic fundamentalism. Also, recent developments – such as the Russian seizure of Ukraninan land – flies in the face of the western democratic style. And this is without mentioning the new superpower, China, and how this will shape political relations in the decades ahead.

Of most striking note is the central belief that history never ends; history is spewed forth in a multitidue of events every single day. Fukuyama’s central argument that western liberal values indicate the end point of human development is a stunted one, especially when one considers the vast changes that have occurred in the last two hundreds alone, let alone the past thousand. The twenty-first century promises to bring more changes with it, especially within the sphere of technology. Political situations will continue to change and history will never end. But historical theories and statements – however odd and misguided (of which Fukuyama’s is not) – will continue to be spouted off by commentators and historians.

Read it here

#268 A Brief History of the English Reformation (2012)

Author: Derek Wilson
Title: A Brief History of the English Reformation
Genre: History
Year: 2012
Pages: 440
Origin: bought from the Works for £3.99
Nod Rating: 3 nods out of 5

 

This title is somewhat misleading. After all, what is “brief” in more than four-hundred pages of reading? Derek Wilson’s history of the English Reformation is incredibly detailed and well-researched, leaving the Worm satisfied of this choice of book from the discount store The Works.

However, the book does not fit the entirety of the English Reformation, tending to a particular focus on the Tudor monarchs of the sixteenth century. The Stuart monarchs and their equally immense problems (Civil War, religious upheaval, monarchs on the run!) are ignored, although Wilson addresses this issue in the book’s epilogue. Wilson’s key focus is in an attempt to show how England was transformed by the whims and tastes of the Tudor dynasty, by Henry VIII and his daughter by Anne Boleyn, Elizabeth.

The historian does an admirable job of putting in the essential events – along with analysis and historical assessment – alongside some interesting minor detail. He has a clear understanding of the major players and their motivations. A narrative is held onto, but it lacks greater depth. Yes, you declare aloud right now, but remember Mr. Worm, this is a “brief” history. Perhaps the remit was never there to dig deeper, but also recall yourselves that in four-hundred pages ample space was provided.

For anyone wanting to know more about the English Reformation in the Tudor period, Derek Wilson’s book is warmly recommended. Get down to the Works now, there might still be a cheap copy going!

Find out more about the historian here

#254 Elizabeth's Spy Master (2006)

Author: Robert Hutchinson
Title: Elizabeth’s Spy Master
Genre: History/Biography
Year: 2006
Pages: 350
Origin: bought from the Works for £2.99
Nod Rating: 3 nods out of 5

 

A few weeks previously the Worm read another Tudor based book written by Robert Hutchinson (Young Henry). The Worm was slightly unflattering with his review, concluding it with the words: ‘there is little need in anyone picking up a copy of Hutchinson’s book in a hurry’. In fact, the Worm was reluctant to return to any Hutchinson book anytime soon, however, both Young Henry and this book, Elizabeth’s Spy Master, were bought together. It tugged at the Worm’s heartstrings to leave the latter book on the shelves, consigned to the forgotten corners and untouched for many book reading years to come. So, guilt won out. But the Worm is thankful for this. Hutchinson’s Elizabeth’s Spy Master is a far superior book on many levels. Allow him to explain in greater detail.

The book is centred on the life and times of Sir Francis Walsingham. He is noted as one of the great statesmen of his age; alongside William Cecil and the Earl of Leicester he formed the bedrock on which the success of the Elizabethan state was built. He graduated up the slippery slope of politics until he became indispensable throughout the 1570s and 1580s, particularly in the administration of the country. However, it is within his role as “spy master” and thrawting Catholic plots in which he is popularly known. Hutchinson argues the case that Walsingham is ‘one of the great unknown heroes of English history. By right, he should rank with Horatio Nelson, the Duke of Wellington and even Sir Winston Churchill as one of the great patriotic defenders, against all-comers, of this island state.’

However, Walsingham appears not to have obtained his due by the public (although this is a different matter with historians and academics). Hutchinson believes this is due to him being ‘a man very much of the shadows’, and his book is an account of his shadowing doings and dealings.

The experience of reading the book is slightly jarring: it knows not if it is a biography or a history book analysing the period under question. Of course, Walsingham himself was tightly woven into the nation’s fortunes; as such, as with any political history, the reader must follow the great events. Hutchinson uses the Catholic plots against the country as a rough framework, building up a traditional biographical narrative as we reach the 1580s and the strife and drama of the Babington Plot. This in turn witnesses the trail and execution of Mary Queen of Scots, perhaps Walsingham’s greatest success. The defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588 serves as a climax, all before the death of the great man having tasted victory.

Due to much of the information on Walsingham’s personality and own thoughts are now seemingly lost to history, Hutchinson attempts to compensate by dragging the reader – kicking and screaming – into the dirty underworld of the age. This includes the torture exacted on Catholic missionary priests and the ghastly deaths and confessions extracted. Hutchinson is keen to highlight Walsingham’s role as the Tudor age’s answer to James Bond by concentrating on his spy network (devoting a section at the book’s conclusion to various people connected to this).

Elizabeth’s Spy Master is an engaging read. It shines the light on a man unknown to most, whose deeds were of high importance to an Elizabethan state that was delicately placed in a hostile world. You may not be in a hurry to buy a copy, but if anyone is browsing the titles available in a well-stocked Works they could do little better than pick up this book.

Buy it here

#251 Young Henry (2011)

Author: Robert Hutchinson
Title: Young Henry
Genre: History
Year: 2011
Pages: 330
Origin: bought from the Works
Nod Rating: 2 nods out of 5

 

Henry VIII remains a popular figure, both for historians and readers of history and fiction. It is easy to see why: a large man in both stature and life, full of drama and explosive events that include death and intrigue. Few English monarchs can rival him in terms of theatrics. Therefore, he is a figure – alongside his daughter, Elizabeth – in which historians can find a warm home. Robert Hutchinson is another one who has followed a well worn road.

The book’s intention is to chart an outline to the rise of power of the young Henry. Much information is given on Henry’s childhood: living with his mother and sisters, the death of his older brother, and then the coming to the throne on the death of his father in 1509 when in his eighteenth year. As a fully paid up member of the Tudor Enthusiasts, Hutchinson does an adequate job of painting a picture of those times in the early years of the sixteenth century.

However, there is little in terms of a clear structure. The reader is invited to ramble through Henry’s childhood, ambling through various areas of early Tudor life with no real force; all before being bolted headlong into the political intrigue of Henry’s early years as king. The concluding chapters do not feel like any real conclusion at all, with various characters foisted on the reader with no end goal in sight. Perhaps the reason for this lies in the intention of the book: where does the historian cut the dividing line between Henry’s younger years and those of his elder self? Furthermore, for the reader, the drama comes in full force in those latter years, particularly from 1530 onwards.

Young Henry is a book that strives to bring the younger prince to life. But the truth is that this period has been done to death by many historians; in many cases, it has been achieved with greater success. Therefore, there is little need in anyone picking up a copy of Hutchinson’s book in a hurry.

#246 The Elizabethans (2011)

Author: A.N. Wilson
Title: The Elizabethans
Genre: History
Year: 2011
Pages: 370
Origin: bought brand spanking new
Nod Rating: 3 nods out of 5

 
For centuries, the Elizabethan age has been hailed as a Golden one. It was the time of glory, the Armada, Drake and Raleigh; it was the time of religious turmoil and upheaval, of massacres and great changes; it was the time that England composed itself and set the foundations of a world empire and greater successes. Therefore it is little wonder why time and again historians return to the Tudor period as one in which exciting and engaging writing is born. Furthermore, for conservative-hearted historians such as A.N. Wilson, it harks back to a time when England was “great” and a match for anyone.

Rather than take a narrative route throughout the Elizabethan period, Wilson has taken various events and characters in order to provide snapshots into the past. The book is divided into four parts: the beginning of the reign, the 1570s, the 1580s, and ‘the close of the reign’. Throughout all of this Wilson jots about the Elizabethan political map, discussing the Elizabethan religious settlement, Sir Francis Drake, the Armada and the folly of the Earl of Essex. During this the author treads familiar ground, re-wording familiar stories and conclusions. Of greater interest is Wilson’s turns down odd avenues and forgotten corners. This includes a chapter on ‘Elizabethan women’, Sir Philip Sidney, and the likes of Hakluyt and the Marprelate tracts.

Interestingly – and rather confusingly – Wilson kicks off his book not on the upbringing of Elizabeth and the poker hot political situation she found herself in, but instead with a chapter entitled ‘The Difficulty’ that concentrates on Ireland. Yes, Ireland was forever an issue during this period (similar to many others), what with it contributing to the general malaise of Elizabeth’s final years. But to kick-start his portrait of the age with Ireland is an odd choice. What with the second chapter dedicated to the colonising adventures (or is that misadventures?) of the New World, Wilson clearly sets the tone of imperialism and military at the heart of his study.

Such choices frustrate the reader who yearns to stride within Elizabethan England. The lack of any clear narrative bewilders, with Wilson keen to emphasise the impact of moderate contemporary thinkers rather than tackle the key events of the period. Due to this, The Elizabethans feels more akin to a companion-piece alongside other historical works that attempt to not only bring alive the age but also connect the dots that clearly need connecting if anyone is to have a true understanding of the late sixteenth-century.

Angering the Worm was Wilson’s continuing need to digress from the meat of the past, adding paragraphs (that needed stunting) of opinion rather than true debate. Having done a bit of research whilst typing up this review (yes, dear readers, the Worm goes full-hog) the Worm was assured to find that he was not alone in waving fist at Wilson’s written detours. In 2012 Richard J. Evans responded to a piece about Wilson’s short Hitler biography; Evans attacked the lack of original research, clear analysis and the use of personal biases. All of which makes an interesting read, if not a great historian.

Since the birth of this blog the Worm can count two – including this – reads from the hand of Wilson. The first centred on the second Elizabethan age, whilst now the original Elizabethan age has been concluded. The Worm is unlikely to return to Wilson for any future reading, barring that of an upcoming – and highly unlikely – third Elizabethan age. The Elizabethans is an animated read, but one of use only to Tudor buffs who have already visited weightier works.

Buy it here

#245 Tudor Rebellions (2008)

Author: Anthony Fletcher & Diarmaid MacCulloch
Title: Tudor Rebellions
Genre: History
Year: 2008
Pages: 200
Origin: read on the Kindle
Nod Rating: 3 nods out of 5

Tudor Rebellions has an interesting history. First published in 1968 by Anthony Fletcher, it has recently been given a face-lift by Diarmaid MacCulloch in order to bring about a revised fifth edition. It is a read full of debate for the Tudor enthusiast: firm on details and heavy on analysis.

The big rebellions of the Tudor age (1485-1603) are given space and evaluated in turn. The highlights of which include the 1497 Cornish Rebellion when the people of the west marched to London; the 1549 rebellions in which the Cornish (again) revolted against the changes in religion and when Kett led the men of Norfolk against the leaders of the day due to agrarian grievances and protest against poor local government; Wyatt’s rebellion of 1554 in which he hoped to do away with the Spanish-Catholic influence; the doomed 1569 rebellion when the Catholic lords of the country hoped to stem the tide of the Protestant religion; and then, of course, the utter failure of Essex’s pathetic rebellion against Queen Elizabeth at the tail-end of the Tudor period.

The historians give a narrative account of each rebellion before embarking on the heavier and worthier work of analysis of causes and effects. Similar themes are found within each of these events: protest about religion, of agriculture and economic hardships, as well as the myriad disputes in the localities around the country. Throughout history monarchs were able to withstand many of these problems when isolated on their own; when compounded together they caused explosive disturbances.

A continuing theme is the Tudor family’s quest to bring greater power into their hands. This paranoid and bad-blooded dynasty quelled those who disagreed with them within court circles, as well as attempted to subdue the northern and western subjects in the land. This plan was an outstanding success: from rebelling and waving their fists in 1497 and 1549 the Cornish never made a squeak again. They accepted their status, in which bit by bit their tongue and culture was eroded. Yes, the Tudors accomplished much, however, they failed in the lack of suitable heirs in which to continue their family line.

Of high interest is the conclusion drawn from the lack of notable rebellions in the Elizabethan age. Fletcher and MacCulloch argue that there were four successful rebellions in the first half of the Tudor age: Henry Tudor’s victory at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485, the Amicable Grant of 1525 that proved a costly defeat for Wolsey, the overthrow of Protector Somerset in 1549, and Mary’s triumph in 1553 when it appeared that the political nation was conspiring against her succession to the throne. The historians note that such ‘rebellions have been ignored precisely because they were successful’; they future contest that the absence of such rebellions was due to the firm hand of the Elizabethan government in bolstering local Justices of the Peace and in continuing Henry VII’s centralisation of authority. Wyatt’s failure in 1554 meant that the gentry ‘learnt to channel their opposition through parliament’. Of course, Elizabeth was also provided with a religious war in which to stoke the fire of xenophobic and patriotic Englishmen. Either way, the authors are correct in stating that Elizabeth ‘bequeathed to her successor King James one of the most trouble-free kingdoms in Europe’.

Tudor Rebellions is a worthy read for any Tudor enthusiast. It is a great example of scholarly correspondence throughout a period of decades. Fletcher established a book of high importance; MacCulloch has attempted – and succeeded – in updating this read for the benefit of a modern audience. If only more historians united in such a manner, instead of trading blows with one another!

Buy it here 

#243 Iron Kingdom (2007)

Author: Christopher Clark
Title: Iron Kingdom – The Rise and Downfall of Prussia (1600-1947)
Genre: History
Year: 2007
Pages: 700
Origin: read on the Kindle
Nod Rating: 4 nods out of 5

 

Christopher Clark’s Iron Kingdom was one of those books that the Worm had been eyeing up for years. Always calling him on the bookshelves in various shops, it was forever picked up and toyed with, but the time needed could never be justified. Fast-forward to the summer of 2013 (O yes, the Worm is really that far behind in his book reviews): time was finally found.

But why waste such time on a history of the odd, disbanded state of Prussia? Well, for those exact reasons: that it was odd, and that it was disbanded. The Worm was curious to find out how it developed from a back-water insignificant land to become a major player on the European scene, providing the backbone to the German rise in the first half of the twentieth century. Few other countries have experienced such a sharp rise from nothing; the Worm needed answers.

Clark takes the reader on a journey, chiefly centred on the Hohenzollern family dynasty and their ability to collect titles and pieces of land in order to expand – in an absent minded way – a country of some importance. We are treated to personality analyses of the likes of the Great Elector and, of course, Frederick the Great. Clark is wonderful in weaving together a family story: of their arguments, values, and yet more arguments. The (almost) forgotten ones are also considered, with Clark adding a degree of humanity and an element of humour when needed. Consider the case of Frederick William I: ‘All in all: he was great in small things and small in great things.’  Furthermore, the careers and ideas of various administrators and politicians are examined (such as Stein and Hardenberg), whilst space is fittingly provided for the pivotal role of Bismarck – the Iron Chancellor – in shaping the German nation.

The military might of Prussia and its great victories and humiliating defeats are recounted. Previous historians have focused on Prussia’s thirst for glory, as if they were history’s Klingons. Friedrich von Schrotter once remarked that ‘Prussia was not a country with an army, but an army with a country.’ Clark is keen to continue this idea of a ‘metaphorical resonance of iron’, connecting the image of the Iron Cross with Prussian flags and military heroism. Such militarism has been attacked by many academics, with many joining the dots of Frederick the Great to the later Nazi leaders. The Second World War painted Prussia as a toxic brand; the British war-time minister Bevin once commented that just doing away with Hitler and Co. would not be enough to ensure a post-war peace: ‘It was Prussian militarism, with its terrible philosophy, that had to be got rid of from Europe from all time.’

Thankfully, Clark offers a fresh perspective on the inevitability thesis of war. He attempts to do away with the idea – trumpeted by A.J.P. Taylor, among others – that there was a clear connection from Frederick the Great to Bismarck and onwards to Hitler. One of the author’s central arguments is how Prussia was not the road to the destiny of German nationhood, nor that Prussia was the reason for Germany’s calamity, its obsessions with militarism, and pursuit of world wars. Rather that the nation-building reached in the late nineteenth century was the ‘undoing’ of Prussia and all that it had achieved in its history.

Interestingly, Clark attempts to define “Prussian-ness”. He states that it had ‘a curiously abstract and fragmented sense of identity’, with no shared sense of history, of language, or values. He adds:

‘The core and essence of Prussian tradition was an absence of tradition. How this desiccated, abstract polity acquired flesh and bones, how it evolved from a block-printed list of princely titles into something coherent and alive, and how it learned to win the voluntary allegiance of its subjects – these questions are at the centre of this book’.

Unfortunately, the book does suffer in areas. Much of Prussia’s social history is ignored, with Clark conforming to the old familiar route of dealing with a nation’s leaders. More frustratingly was the clear issue of pacing. For example, there is a heavy focus on 1813 and a build towards the climatic Battle of Waterloo, only for the big event to be glossed over in a couple of pages. Furthermore, the need to explore the Prussian state to its hideous endpoint in Hitler’s Germany appears forced and – again – rushed. Far better, perhaps, to have left the book in 1918 with the Kaiser’s demise and the end of the Hohenzollern link.

All in all, the Worm was thankful for finding the time to read Iron Kingdom. A fitting title for an iron-clad read based on an enigmatic and dazzling state that once flickered bright before being snuffed out into darkness.

Buy it here

#241 England: The Autobiography (2005)

Author: John Lewis-Stempel (ed.)
Title: England: The Autobiography
Genre: History
Year: 2005
Pages: 420
Origin: a Christmas present
Nod Rating: 2 nods out of 5

 

The tagline for Lewis-Stempel’s edited collection of sources boasts: ‘2,000 Years of English History By Those Who Saw It Happen’. For the pedant – of which club the Worm is a firm member – it is noticeable that many of these accounts are not contemporary: some being written many years later after actually occurring. However, the Worm will let the editor off of such minor faults; it is (a) Christmas (book), after all!

England: The Autobiography is an interesting idea. The gathering together of snapshots from English history cannot – surely – go wrong. It begins with Julius Caesar’s account of invading Britain in 55 BC, and concludes (rather disappointingly) with the 2005 cricket Ashes win. O, how history unfolds. For the most part the book travels a well-trodden path: the Battle of Hastings, the signing of Magna Carter, the Black Death, the Armada, the English Civil War, Waterloo, the Diamond Jubilee, the World Wars, the 1966 World Cup, Churchill, and Thatcher. How very ordinary, you may claim.

Luckily, the editor sees fit to expand on this. Particularly within the entertainment and sporting sectors: the Beatles, the Sex Pistols, Wimbledon, and the birth of football. As well as – more interestingly – the various taboos of history: Richard I massacring his Muslim prisoners, an anonymous court recorder from 1300 noting sex in the country, the torture of a Jesuit priest in the Tower of London during the close of the Elizabethan period, public executions at Tyburn, as well as the combination of prostitutes and peers in a gin-palace from 1800s London. Yes, much better.

History is – as they say – written by the winners. For the most part this signifies that English history is that of upper-class aristocrats and the gentry. Thankfully, Lewis-Stempel references the rise of the “common folk”, as shown in the Victorian period: the injustice of factories, the Peterloo massacre, the Manchester slums, and the Chartist movement. All of which serves to make this collection a well varied and balanced one.

Writers within this book range from George Orwell to Bede, from William Shakespeare to Sir Isaac Newton, from Guy Fawkes to Friedrich Engels, from Samuel Pepys to Max Hastings. Therefore, the reader is (mostly) in good company. All in all, England: The Autobiography is an interesting read and worthy of a place on any bookshelf. It should be relied upon as a reference book, rather than anything more. Lewis-Stempel has chosen some wise passages, if on the whole most being particularly uninspiring.

Buy it here

#238 The Ancient Greeks For Dummies (2008)

Author: Stephen Batchelor
Title: The Ancient Greeks For Dummies
Genre: History
Year: 2008
Pages: 320
Origin: read on the Kindle
Nod Rating: 2 nods out of 5

 

The Ancient Greeks For Dummies is the third of the For Dummies books consumed by the Worm during the summer of 2013. As with the other books, let us not kid ourselves that we are entering upon a highly enlightening read deserving of richly plump nods. 2 nods is all that is to be dished, as previously. But this is not to say that this book is not a worthwhile read.

The author – Stephen Batchelor – is a man who knows his ancient Greeks. He is a fitting guide through hundreds of years of dense history, highlighting the key areas and events. These range from ancient history and prehistoric civilisations (such as the Minoans and Mycenaneans), the onslaught of the Persians, the rise of Athens, the life-style of the Spartans, as well as the conquests of Alexander. As with the other For Dummies books, information moves beyond the narrative of history, with focus on other areas. This includes the home and family, architecture, as well as the famous Greek gods.

This completes the (un)holy trilogy of the For Dummies books (Tudors and Ancient Egyptians for the earlier two). The Worm feels as if he is repeating himself: nice reads, good for an introduction, but completely lacking in substance. It is another well eared 2 nods for the series, with no threat of taking any more. As for the Worm, he intends to go For Dummies hiatus for the remainder of the book-reading season. Overviews are all well and nice: but the real meat of words are needed to be ingested if he hopes to survive the coming winter.

Buy it here

#233 The Betrayal of Richard III (1959)

Author: V.B. Lamb
Title: The Betrayal of Richard III
Genre: History
Year: 1965
Pages: 110
Origin: bought in a charity shop for £2.99
Nod Rating: 3 nods out of 5

 

The discovery of Richard III’s body in a Leicester car-park has provoked debate and activity within this period of history. Lamb’s book, The Betrayal of Richard III, could just as easily fit in as a freshly published book in 2013, despite it being originally published in the 1950s.

Lamb attempts to do away with hundreds of years of whitewashing and Tudor propaganda. Instead of the villainous Richard who, as Shakespeare once wrote, murdered his brother, a king and his son, his wife, and nephews, the case of Richard’s innocence is put forward. The villainy lies not with Richard’s actions, but rather with the treachery of those he surrounded himself with.

The reader is shown the beginnings of Richard, his reign as king, his removal and then the succeeding historical writing that has painted the former king – arguably England’s last true king – in an unfavourable light. Lamb’s chapter ‘The Legend is Established’ looks at the histories of Polydore Vergil, whilst other chapters concentrate on Sir Thomas More and Shakespeare’s involvement in the traditional view of Richard as the scheming tyrant who got his just deserts.

It is refreshing to see the flipside to this established debate. However, such is Lamb’s blindness that annoyance is a constant factor within this read. Richard, no longer the villain, is taken to the extreme: portrayed as a saint. Let us read a few examples:

‘There is no truth in the story that the people turned against him; his downfall was brought about by a combination of adverse circumstances, the disloyalty of three discontented nobles, and one scheming woman.’

All of which ignores the importance and causes of the small rebellions against Richard, as well as the reasoning behind the Stanleys switch of allegiance between Richard and his successor, Henry Tudor. Also, we have this:

‘Entirely loyal himself, he was unable to recognise treachery in others or to deal with it with sufficient ruthlessness.’

This, the same Richard who had some of his closest advisors and friends – Hastings and Buckingham – alienated and then executed.

Lamb speaks of ‘facts’; but cannot see the woods for the trees. Furthermore, Lamb uses the defence of “no evidence” time and again. Yes, there may be minimal evidence for some of these events, but this does not mean the historian should simply shrug and move on. No, the historian – a historian who wishes to piece together the dots – must go beyond and attempt to weave together a narrative with the best information possible.

However, despite being a book ignored for its flaws, the book should be read and enjoyed for this very reason. There are many mistakes and annoyances, particularly in Lamb’s ignorance of reality. However, like a good pantomime, it is nice to have a read every now and then in which the Worm is shouting at the words running on the line.

Richard continues to have both his detractors and supporters. The recent find of his body will undoubtedly encourage more scholarly activity. Hopefully it keeps the same spirit of Lamb’s work, but instead injected with reason and intelligence.

 
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#230 The Tudors For Dummies (2010)

Author: David Loades & Mei Trow
Title: The Tudors For Dummies
Genre: History
Year: 2010
Pages: 360
Origin: read on the Kindle
Nod Rating: 2 nods out of 5

 

The Dummies series of books is seemingly everywhere. The trademark and standout yellow of its covers can be found in all good – and bad – bookshops, from high cost to the bargain basement. They have found success is taking dense subject matter and breaking it down for the unwashed masses in the hope of enlightening us all. There are around two-thousand (yes, two-thousand!!) titles in the series. It is a surprise to the Worm, then, that he has not gotten his mitts on one of them.

This all changes with The Tudors For Dummies title in the series. At the helm of this book is a duo authorship of David Loades and Mei Trow. Loades is well known in Tudor-reading circles as a man who has researched and written heavily on the Tudor monarchs Henry VIII and Mary. Less well known to the Worm is Mei Trow: a historian and novelist who has appeared on documentaries as both expert and presenter. A dream-team of Tudor history? Let us find out.

The Tudors For Dummies devotes sections to the “Big Tudors” (Henry VII, Henry VIII, and Elizabeth), as well as one on the “Little Tudors” (the ill-fated Edward VI and Mary – deemed by the authors as the ‘Forgotten Tudors’). Furthermore, the book – like others in the Dummies series – devotes a section to ‘The Part of Tens’. This is a countdown list of ‘Tudor people’, of architecture, events, and other ‘Tudor firsts’.

The proceedings are all as to be expected: the Battle of Bosworth, the troubles of Henry VII’s reign with imposters and pretenders, the passing of the baton to the next generation, and his son’s desire to become a king feared by all. The section on Edward and Mary are of interest, with the author duo feeling enabled to go off the script and pick out some intriguing snippets of detail. But the main action is resumed with the section ‘Ending with Elizabeth.’ The reader is treated to her battles with religion and then the greater threat of the Spanish and their Armada fleet. The book is neatly wrapped up, with a short examination of the Tudors’ lasting legacy to Britain.

Although there is minimal detail, luckily the book is spruced up with anecdotes and appealing facts; all of which makes the reading experience a pleasurable one. Furthermore, Loades is unshackled from his usual academic sphere, adding a sense of personality to the chief Tudor protagonists. For example, how about this on Henry VIII: ‘Henry began his reign promisingly enough as a handsome, talented Renaissance prince with a 19-inch waist, but he became a bloated monster who terrified his subjects and whose soul the pope sent to hell’. Furthermore, we are also treated to the humour behind the relationship of Henry and Anne Boleyn: ‘Henry certainly fell for Anne, the daughter of a Kentish knight, longing, in his own words, to “kiss her pretty dukkys”. Dukkies meaning – of course – her breasts.

This is the first For Dummies read for the Worm. Although it failed to deliver the dizzy highs of inventive and authoritative history writing, it entertained and filled in gaps of knowledge. It is not comprehensive, but serves as a solid introduction to the Tudors of the sixteenth century. Therefore, the Worm will be back for more reads in the For Dummies series.

 

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#229 The Story of Writing (1995)

Author: Andrew Robinson
Title: The Story of Writing
Genre: Language
Year: 1995
Pages: 220
Origin: a tried and trusted library book
Nod Rating: 3 nods out of 5

 

‘Writing is among the greatest inventions in human history, perhaps the greatest invention, since it made history possible.’

This is the central argument within Andrew Robinson’s engaging book The Story of Writing. In the space of two hundred well-designed pages, Robinson manages to chart writing’s history: from the early days of cave paintings to its various branches and off-shoots. The Worm finds such boasting of ‘350 illustrations, 50 in colour’ as rather endearing; harking back to innocent times when colour was a feature that was useable as a bragging instrument. However, there is a greater seriousness within the print itself.

Robinson focuses on some of the key developments in writing. These include the story of the decipherment of the Rosetta Stone; extinct forms of writing (including cuneiform and hieroglyphs, as well as the interesting Linear B script); as well as those pesky undecipherable scripts such as Cretan Linear B, Etruscan inscriptions and the fabulously named Rongorongo. We chart the evolution of the alphabet, with a particular focus on Chinese and Japanese and how it exits within the media and society in the present day.

The reader is treated to various detours down confusing alleyways of human language, forever turning back upon Egyptian hieroglyphics (of which the author is assuredly obsessed). Like the splendid Bill Bryson, Robinson picks up the story of those daring adventurers who deciphered the ancient scripts in the Victorian period. These include the likes of such enigmatic names as Jean-Francois Champollion and Sir Henry Creswicke Rawlinson.

The Worm can safely say that he has never read a more authoritative and entertaining book on hieroglyphics. In fact, the Worm has never read a book on hieroglyphics; which makes the first sentence of this paragraph appear rather redundant. However, the Worm confidently states that the read caused much chin-stroking merriment that he will consider reading subsequent books on hieroglyphics; on which the author, Andrew Robinson, is clearly to thank. The Story of Writing is not a classic of a text, and perhaps – and quite rightly should be if research continues – it will be superseded within a time. However, it is an entertaining text that makes the throat utter glottal sounds of wonder at the discovery of the vast amount of facts that abound on every page. With the reader now knowing the Worm’s depth of hieroglyphic knowledge, they can be content with feeling secure that The Story of Writing can provide a nice introduction into this confusing, bamboozling and wonderful world.

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#223 The Medieval Anarchy: History in an Hour (2012)

Author: Kaye Jones 
Title: The Medieval Anarchy: History in an Hour 
Genre: History Year: 2012 Pages: 60 
Origin: read on the Kindle for 99p 
Nod Rating: 1 nod out of 5 

The Medieval Anarchy is one of those periods in history that get little to no coverage. The Tudors and the Nazis control the airwaves and the book shelves, proving to be the kings of historical popularity. But there are fascinating eras and figures off the beaten track for those adventurous readers ready to discover.

The Anarchy goes under other names, including the Worm’s favourite: Nineteen Years of Winter. It was an English civil war, breaking out on the death of Henry I (a son of William the Conqueror) in 1135. He bequeathed England to his daughter, Matilda, but on his death the key nobles fled to Henry’s nephew, Stephen, who seized the crown (there really should be more King Steves in history). Backed up by her husband and his French held lands, Matilda launched a war against Stephen to gain her inheritance, taking the best part of two decades until a stalemate resulted. An agreement was reached, with Stephen passing on the kingdom to Matilda’s son (another Henry); an event that occurred on Stephen’s death in 1153.

Jones does an adequate job of recounting the narrative of the civil war, stating some of the chief battles and main players. She consults the Anglo Saxon Chronicle which stated: ‘The earth bare no corn, for the land was all laid waste by such deeds; and they said openly, that Christ slept, and his saints. Such things, and more than we can say, suffered we nineteen winters for our sins’.

The Anarchy is little known when compared to England’s seemingly de-facto Civil War, the one waged in the seventeenth century that resulted in the beheading of Charles I. But there is value within this era, including England’s first queen and leading female in politics (Matilda) as well as disagreement and discord between the chief nobles of the country. Both of these features are given greater credence in that popular of dynasties, the Tudors, that it is a shame that similar attention cannot be paid here.

Ultimately, the book does what it says in its title: History in an hour. Such a remit, then, does not bode well for those wanting an in-depth analytical look into the past and the key events that happened. However, the Worm finds it hard to find a difference between this particular book on the Anarchy when compared with a Wikipedia article. If anything, the Wikipedia articles holds greater treasure for the interested reader, allowing hyperlinks to all and sundry (and the Wikipedia-surfers amongst us will attest to whittling away hours clicking on link after link). Therefore, the reader is best keeping their one pound and logging onto the information-highway for all their needs. People still say “information-highway”, right?

#220 The French Revolution (2009)

Author: Peter Davies
Title: The French Revolution
Genre: History
Year: 2009
Pages: 170
Origin: bought in a second-hand bookshop
Nod Rating: 2 nods out of 5

In terms of famous (or is that, rather, infamous) revolutions, the French Revolution has a strong claim to be top of the list. Yes, you may point to the Russian Revolution and the rise of the Communists as one with lasting ramifications for the global picture in the twentieth century, or even dust off England’s very own “Glorious Revolution” of 1688; but in terms of power and romance, the French Revolution comes out on tops. Plus, it has one lasting, blood-curdling symbol: that of the guillotine.

Despite this awareness of the revolution’s importance, the Worm was none the wiser over its actual course and main players. Therefore, he was thankful in picking up Peter Davies’ ‘Beginner Guide’ on the revolution (with the intention of moving upwards to meatier works, including that of Simon Schama’s Citizens). In under two-hundred pages Davies – using his expertise within this period of history – recounts the problems with the Old Regime, the origin and causation of the revolution in 1789, as well as the successive waves of revolution throughout the 1790s. These include the liberal revolution (1790-92), the growth of war and terror (92-94), the counter revolution, the Thermidorian Reaction (94-95), the resulting Directory (95-99), all before the usurpation and elevation of Napoleon Bonaparte.

It is no overestimation to state that this decade is one of frantic change and upheaval, the likes of which would cause lesser historians to recoil in terror. Davies, however, manages to sum up the main events in an easy and affable manner. Of course, substance of an enjoyable and engaging narrative was beyond the remit of such a book, but the author does pull a few tricks out of the historical hat in the form of pithy quotes and the analysis of key turning points.

Debate has raged for more than two hundred years regarding the revolution. In the 1790s it took form between two heavyweights in Thomas Paine and Edmund Burke, whilst during the nineteenth century it was contested between conservatives and liberals, leading us into the twentieth century with the rise of Marxist perspectives. Our vantage point in 2013 provides no shade from such deliberations, and thankfully in this so-called “post-ideological” age the French Revolution continues to rattle the cages; such a question is given space in this book in Davies’ final chapter, ‘The French Revolution today’. Davies turns to the words of Jean Baudrillard in his analysis of France’s relationship with its past: ‘This is a country that lives too much from commemorations and from a patrimony of symbolic inheritances. Now it is in the process of congratulating itself about the Revolution. .The French live in cultural incest.’ And in keeping its tag as the world’s “number one” revolution, thankfully it will not die a death anytime soon.

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#219 Eichmann and the Holocaust (1963)

Author: Hannah Arendt
Title: Eichmann and the Holocaust
Genre: Political
Year: 1963
Pages: 130
Origin: from a second-hand bookshop in Cornwall
Nod Rating: 4 nods out of 5

‘It was sheer thoughtlessness that predisposed him to become on the greatest criminals of the period.’

And so states the subheading on the cover of Hannah Arendt’s influential analysis of the trail of the infamous Adolf Eichmann some fifty years ago. In many ways, it is in the running for the much used tag “trial of the century”, such is the colour of its background and meaning for the post-war world.

Eichmann had been hiding in South America since the end of Nazi Germany’s defeat, before being captured by Israeli agents and taken home to face trial in an Israeli court for crimes against humanity. Eichmann was found guilty and subsequently hung in 1962. Clearly, Eichmann is not the most well-known of Adolfs – Herr Hitler wins hands down on this score – however, he is in the public conscious in relation to the Nazi top brass. Arendt’s book reveals that this is perhaps not the case, but Eichmann’s big, trumpeted trial in the early 1960s has etched out a place in history otherwise not deserved.

For Arendt – a Jew who fled Hitler’s Germany – it could be seen as a time for reckoning. However, throughout her engaging flow of words is an attempt to dig deeper and go beyond the meaning and reactions of the surface feeling. Eichmann is not portrayed as the stereotypical Nazi: hatred for all and a quench to conquer; but rather as a simple man attempting to impress his superiors by following orders. She paints a picture of Eichmann as a man who bears no guilt or responsibility, as he was ‘doing his job’. As this slim volume’s book highlights, it such ‘thoughtlessness’ of the effect of these actions that led to the slaughter of millions.

The meme born from this study is harrowing when pondered: the ‘banality of evil.’ It is clear that evil is related to such consuming terms as passion and damnable hatred; but it opens up links to the humdrum, the ordinary and dull. It means that corruption of the soul – as occurred under Nazi rule – can happen at any time, any place and in any one, and that what has come in the past can easily come to pass again. As Arendt writes: ‘The reflection that you yourself might have done wrong under the same circumstances may kindle a spirit of forgiveness.’

Focus is given to those many – thousands – who opposed Hitler’s regime. They include two peasant boys who were drafted into the SS at the end of the way but who refused to sign; they were sentenced to death and on the day of their execution they wrote a final letter to their families: ‘We two would rather die than burden our conscience with such terrible things. We know what the SS must carry out.’ Such actions are those who heroes, and as such, should always be remembered. However, the life and career of Eichmann is all the more compelling for its lack of heroics and its dedication to doing a good job; such obedience can bring forth wickedness and evil. It is a theme returned to again and again in the post-war period, most notably in the Milgram experiment. There is a real fear that such “little Eichmanns” can be found around us, leading to the downfall of civilizations.

This engaging book contains selections from a five-part article of Arendt’s used in The New Yorker during the early months of 1963 and then converted in a larger book (titled Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evil). Penguin put the book together as part of a larger series of ‘Great Ideas’, stating that: ‘Throughout history, some books have changed the world. They have transformed the way we see ourselves – and each other. They have inspired debate, dissent, war and revolution. They have enlightened, outraged, provoked and comforted. They have enriched lives – and destroyed them.’ Arendt’s analysis is sandwiched in-between the likes of heavyweights Confucius, Plato, Voltaire and Francis Bacon. It is to the author’s credit that her work stands toe-to-toe with these other captivating reads. Furthermore, the series has given the Worm a particular mission when scouting the second-hand bookshops of the land: a collection to find, behold and devour.

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#217 Winter King (2011)

Author: William Penn
Title: Winter King – The Dawn of Tudor England
Genre: History
Year: 2011
Pages: 380
Origin: bought from Waterstones
Nod Rating: 4 nods out of 5

Television is currently in the thralls of a Tudors love-fest. There are repeats of the gratuitous drama The Tudors, documentaries on the discovery of the body of Richard III, whilst the BBC is currently showing the series The Winter Queen charting the life of Elizabeth Woodville. Perhaps of more worthy interest than the rest of these programmes was William Penn’s documentary focusing on the reign of the very first Tudor, Henry VII.

Now, regular readers of this blog will have come across a fair few reviews on the Tudor period over the past year. Of notable interest was S.B. Chrimes forensic detail on the administrative functions of Henry VII’s reign, whilst Starkey put in his usual flamboyant shift in an attempt to breathe life into the early life of Henry VIII. William Penn’s own look at Henry VII is a combination of both of these writing personalities: substance of detail, as well as style of entertaining the reader.

Henry VII is a monarch usually in the shadows, jealously looking at the posterity accorded to his son (Henry VIII) and granddaughter (Elizabeth I) – both being known as the “bigger” Tudors. Henry is painted as the Winter King in connection to the end days of his kingship in which popular legend has colour leaving the court and country, ready to be reignited once again with the blossoming coming of the summer king, Henry VIII.

Penn takes the position that Henry’s reign was dominated and dictated by what had come before, namely the chaos and confusion of the Wars of the Roses. Mindful of his modest origins, Henry is paranoid and never stable on his throne, having to face threats from left, right and centre. Interestingly, many other histories - including a particular book that the Worm is currently reading - such threats are noted as having been stopped by 1499 with the death of the great pretender, Perkin Warbeck. However, Penn highlights other threats – notably the Earl of Suffolk – to continually bring home the message that Henry’s hold on the crown was never secure. This dynasty, which would go on to hold the imagination of historians for centuries upon centuries, hung by a thread at many points in Henry VII’s declining years. It rested on the shoulders of his youngest son (and we all know that he would go on to achieve some very interesting feats).

As well as the psychological aspect, Penn is keen to chart the financial functions of Henry’s court. In particular, the extracting exploits of Henry’s advisors Dudley and Empson. Their dodgy dealings highlighted the wrongs of Henry VII’s end years, and their bloody removal in the early stages of Henry VIII’s reign were a sure sign that the winter was over.

Penn manages to bring to life a period of history that has been overshadowed in the grander scheme of the Tudor dynasty. As earlier stated, Chrimes managed to dissect the reign with a scholarly eye; Penn – despite holding such lofty credentials – attempts an accessible history within his book. In doing this, he undoubtedly succeeds. From the shadows Henry VII is brought into focus. The question now is, can Penn take on another monarch – perhaps one of greater fame – to paint a book of greater standing. The Worm waits with, as always, baited breath.

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#210 The American West (1994)

Author: Dee Brown
Title: The American West
Genre: American History
Year: 1994
Pages: 420
Origin: bought from Waterstones
Nod Rating: 4 out of 5

A subject that has long fascinated historians and writers alike, the Wild West evokes images of cowboys, guns and Indians. For the Worm it was a fictional place in which the usual rules – and the law – did not apply. An open land of endless miles, where one could become a ranger, a sheriff, or a thief: all with little regard for “real” history. The myths of this time have been used, abused and reused by countless fiction writers and Hollywood filmmakers: including cinema’s first milestone (The Great Train Robbery) and one of its lowest depressing slump (Will Smith’s Wild Wild West).

But, this land was once a real place. It is set in a real time, that of the nineteenth century. Despite Britannia ruling the waves, this century truly belongs to America: from a newly formed country it expanded westwards – as part of the much trumpeted Manifest Destiny – until it embraced a continent and spanned two oceans, setting itself up to become a world superpower. The West, then, is integral to the story of America’s rise. And, who better to recount this rise than a writer whose reputation is cemented by the famous work Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee?

Except, that is, Dee Brown’s The American West is not a recounting of America’s rise to glory. It is not a narrative, rather a series of chapters on particular events and themes that show America’s West, warts and all. It is not set through the viewpoint of the white-American intruder, but rather through the eyes of all who set foot in this land. Space is provided for the true cowboys of this time, as well as the innovative and daring adventures involving the cattle-trade. Furthermore, the rise of many boom towns are noted (including the infamous Dodge City), and, of course, the villains and modern-Robin Hoods of the period (notably that of Billy the Kid).

However, the book earns its applause in the attention devoted to the fortunes (or should that be misfortune?) of the various Amerindian (or Native American) tribes. Despite a terrible pattern setting in with each of these tribes (promises, broken promises, rebellion, and then death), Brown shows a keen eye in embracing these tribes and customs; all of which provides a heart that holds this book together. Those that stick in the Worm’s mind include Red Cloud (of the Sioux) and the Nez Perces tribe – and their intriguing leader, Joseph. It is a shameful period in American history, of which the lessons have not yet been fully learnt.

The interesting introduction reveals Brown’s earlier fascination with the American West. He recounts his time as a serviceman in the Second World War, using his time stationed in America to collect as many photographs of the past as possible. This led to a series of books, which in turn inflamed Brown’s career since then. It is little wonder that the tribes are given such emotional depth, considering Brown’s own involvement with the history of this time.

As Brown notes at the book’s end, the story ‘of the American West never really comes to an ending’. He discusses how each new generation will view the West through a fresh set of eyes, leading to renewed analysis and debate (as well as bad Hollywood movies). It is a fitting ending from a historian who values his source material and the lives who have come before. Hopefully, this period and land will have such mindful writers of the calibre of Brown in the future.


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