Robert the Bruce - Scotland’s True Braveheart

Robert the Bruce - Scotland’s True Braveheart written by Phil Carradice and published

by Pen & Sword Books - £20 - Hardback - Pages 200

Robert the Bruce is a detailed account of the life and times of the Scottish hero and monarch. It covers

his life from childhood to death, looking at the political, social and military life of Scotland before,

during and after the time of Robert the Bruce.

The book looks at the relationship between The Bruce and people like Edward I and Edward II of England, William Wallace and the other contenders for the Scottish crown. The main thrust of the book is a chronological account of how The Bruce clawed his way to power, his struggles and battles and his eventual victory which gave Scotland independence and freedom from an acquisitive and warlike neighbour. It looks in detail at the murder of John Comyn, of which The Bruce stood accused, and the political ramifications of the killing.

Robert the Bruce was no saint. He was a ruthless, cunning warrior, a man of his times, dedicated to what he saw as his mission in life. Flawed he may have been but he was also a great King, a worthy warrior and a man who deserves to emerge from the shadow of William Wallace - a position to which he has been relegated ever since the film Braveheart.

This is a fantastic little book that takes a look at one of Scotland’s biggest heroes in Robert the Bruce, this book basically takes a chronological look at the life of Robert the Bruce. It looks at how he got on and communicated with the people of Scotland and the Scottish nobles who he would need to work alongside. The book takes us through the usual Scottish defeats and successes at a good but easy-to-read pace. This ranges from his early life, Edward Longshanks, Willam Wallace, Bannockburn and more. Now the author Phil Carradice is a favourite of mine because you always get a very good detailed book from him, maybe it’s because I’m big Scottish & Welsh history enthusiast. So I’m going to say this was a book I thoroughly enjoyed reading and would most definitely recommend it to others.

English Rebels and Revolutionaries

English Rebels and Revolutionaries written by Stephen Basdeo and

published by Pen & Sword Books - £25 - Hardback - Pages 288

Throughout history brave Englishmen and women have never been afraid to rise up

against their unjust rulers and demand their rights. Barely a century has gone by

without England being witness to a major uprising against the government of the day,

often resulting in a fundamental change to the constitution. This book is a collection

of biographies, written by experts in their field, of the lives and deeds of famous

English freedom fighters, rebels, and democrats who have had a major impact on

history. Featured chapters include the history of Wat Tyler’s Rebellion, when an army

of 50,000 people marched to London in 1381 to demand an end to serfdom and the

hated poll tax. Alongside Wat Tyler in this pantheon of English revolutionaries is Jack

Cade who in 1450 led an angry mob to London to protest against government

corruption. There are three chapters on various aspects of the English Civil War,

during which the English executed their king. Other rebel heroes featured include

Thomas Paine, the great intellectual of the American and French Revolutions;

Mary Wollstonecraft, author of The Rights of Woman; Henry Hunt, who, as well as

the Chartists after him, campaigned for universal suffrage; William Morris, the

visionary designer and socialist thinker; and finally the Suffragettes and Suffragists

who fought for women’s voting rights.

English Rebels and Revolutionaries throughout English history, the book is a collection separated into chapters written by individual experts and historians. The book is split into three sections, the Medieval Era, the English Revolution and the 18th Century, highlighting a number of individuals and events that happened in those times. I must admit I preferred the 18th Century section most as I had studied that at university, but the other two sections were just as good. It’s a very informative book and also very comprehensive in detail and facts. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and really enjoy these types of book. Highly recommended.

London A Fourteenth Century City and Its People

London A Fourteenth Century City and Its People written by Kathryn Warner

and published by Pen & Sword Books - £20 - Hardback - Pages 224

For the medieval period that was witness to a legion of political and natural disasters, the rise and fall of empires across the globe and one of the most devastating and greatest pandemics humankind has ever experienced, the fourteenth century was transformative.

Peering through the looking-glass to focus on one of Europe’s largest medieval cities, and the centre of an international melting pot on the global stage, this is a social history of England's (in)famous capital and its multi-cultural residents in the first half of the fourteenth century.

Using a rich variety of important sources that provide first-hand accounts of everyday life and personal interactions between loved ones, friends, foreigners and foes alike, such as the Assize of Nuisance, Coroners’ Rolls, wills, household accounts, inquisitions post mortem and many more, this chronicle begins at the start of the fourteenth century and works its way up to the first mass outbreak of the Black Death at the end of the 1340s. It is a narrative that builds a vivid, multi-layered picture of London’s inhabitants who lived in one of the most turbulent and exciting periods in European history.

Like the title says this book looks at life in 14th Century London, but from the average person’s level or viewpoint. What I loved about this book is the way it was written by the author Kathryn Warner, rather than chronologically year by year or decade by decade, the book looks at individual subjects in that century, for example, Health, Sanitation, Housing, Beer, Recreation and many more. But all this evidence and research is done through detailed research and first-hand accounts. The book is a fascinating read and a book that if you're a fan of English life, but especially London, you’ll really enjoy. Certainly, a book that enjoy social history. Would I recommend this book, hell yeah it’s one of my contenders for book of the year.