Product Description

Commemorating the seven hundredth anniversary of the enthronement of Robert I of Scotland, this book is intended as an everyman's guide to Scotland's famous hero king. The life of Bruce is one of the greatest comeback stories in history. Heir and magnate, shrewd politician, briefly 'king of summer' and then a desperate fugitive who nevertheless returned from exile to recover the kingdom he claimed, Bruce became a gifted military leader and a wise statesman, a leader with vision and energy. Colm McNamee combines the most up to date scholarship on this crucial figure in the history of the British Isles with lucid explanation of the medieval context, so that readers of all backgrounds can appreciate Bruce's enormous contribution to the historical impact not just on Scotland, but on England and Ireland too. It is designed to encourage popular reassessment of Bruce as politician, warrior, monarch and saviour of Scottish identity from extinction at the hands of the Edwardian superstate. Peeling back the layers of misconception and propaganda, the author paints an accurate, sympathetic but balanced portrait of a much beloved national hero who has fallen out of fashion of late for no good reason.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #154498 in Books
• Published on: 2006-11-16
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 332 pages

About the Author
Colm McNamee is the Senior Research Officer for the Boundary Commission for Northern Ireland. He studied at Queens' University, Belfast, and Worcester College, Oxford and has a DPhil in Medieval History. His previous publications include The War of the Bruces, published by Tuckwell Press in 1997, and reprinted by John Donald in 2005.

Customer Reviews

An excellent popular history
Colm McNamee describes the book as 'popular history' and so it is, but there is also a wealth of referenced material for those wanting to delve deeper. I particularly liked the genealogical tables at the back - so often simple things like this are missed out. There is also an excellent chronology at the beginning of the book, which helps to put the chain of events in perspective. This is a MUST read for anyone interested in this period of Scottish history. Although different in style, I came to this book immediately after reading Andrew Fisher's William Wallace and found that the two go well together. I enjoyed the excerpts from The Bruce by John Barbour. If I were to be critical about anything is would be the lack of detail about the Declaration of Arbroath (but this can be found elsewhere). A thoroughly good read.

Spectacular
This book is both very interesting and educational, lots of little known facts, myths broken and general interest. Dr McNamee writes a very easy to read yet informative text.

A excellent history
A very entertaining, knowledgable history of a key person in Scottish history. I couldn't put it down!