Product Description

There is an immense range of books about the English Civil War, but one historian stands head and shoulders above all others for the quality of his work on the subject. In 1961 Christopher Hill first published what has come to be acknowledged as the best concise history of the period, Century of Revolution. Stimulating, vivid and provocative, his graphic depiction of the turbulent era examines ordinary English men and women as well as kings and queens. Hill argued that the Civil War was driven by the conflict between the old feudal élites and the growing merchant classes. Society and the State are dissected alongside other aspects such as Protestantism and the rise of capitalism and the questioning of hitherto unassailable authorities such as the church and the law. Full of wit and insight, his treatment of what is regarded as one of England's most formative periods is one that is truly satisfying.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #99830 in Books
• Published on: 2001-10-12
• Binding: Paperback
• 368 pages

Synopsis
First published in 1961, this graphic depiction of a turbulent era in English history examines ordinary men and women as well as kings and queens. The author argues that the Civil War was driven by the conflict between the old feudal lites and the growing merchant classes. Society and the State are dissected alongside other aspects such as Protestantism and the rise of capitalism and the questioning of hitherto unassailable authorities such as the church and the law.

From the Back Cover
'This is a book we have all been waiting for - a history of the political and religious conflicts of the seventeenth century that is rooted in reality; and it will be a long, long time before this brilliantly lucid and forcefully argued book is bettered.' - J.H. Plumb, The Spectator.

The events that took place in Britain between 1603 and 1714 were perhaps the most decisive in its history - from revolution and civil wars to democratic theories and scientific innovations - and were to have incalculable effects throughout the world, particularly in North America. Of the historians of the period, Christopher Hill stands head and shoulders above all others. He argued that history is not about a narrative of events but about explaining what happened. So, in The Century of Revolution he succeeded in penetrating some of the most exciting and dramatic events in British history to explain what it all meant to the people who lived through them. A revolutionary history of a revolutionary time, this is a remarkable book, combining vivid description with provocative argument. As Hill notes in his introduction, 'What happened in the seventeenth century is still sufficiently part of us today, of our ways of thinking, our prejudices, our hopes, to be worth trying to understand.'

About the Author
Christopher Hill (1912-). Britain's foremost historian of the seventeenth century. He began his teaching career in 1934 at Oxford University, where he later became Master of Balliol College.

Customer Reviews

Truly excellent synthesis
Despite the large topic and relatively short length Christopher Hill's books is a magesterial overview of the period. He starts with a quote about the importance of 'things happening' over 'events' and he puts this philosophy to full use in the book; he pulls out key strands of the period and incisively examins them, while sticking to a readable and chronological outline. Truly excellent.