Comprehensive Review of A Truly Tumultuous Period After living in England for 6 years and developing a consuming interest in British history from the CComprehensive Review of A Truly Tumultuous Period After living in England for 6 years and developing a consuming interest in British history from the Celts and Romans to Angles, Saxons, Danes, and Normans, and spanning the Plantagenet, Tudor, and Stuart dynasties, I've learned that the further you dig, the more you discover and want to understand. It's a never-ending process, so you have to keep some kind of focus or you'll be forever going down different rabbit holes on Wikipedia, from one page and link to the next.
So I won't attempt a proper review of this book. Suffice to say I was inspired to specifically seek out something on this period after stopping in the Nottinghamshire cathedral town of Southwell, and having dinner at The Saracen's Head, a coaching inn dating back to the 14th century, that had pictures of Charles I featured prominently, with this explanation:
"The unfortunate King Charles I entertained the Scottish Commissioners for dinner at the Saracens Head the night before surrendering to the Commissioners at Newark Castle. Charles believed he had secured sanctuary from Cromwell and the Parliamentarians. The Scottish Commissioners betrayed the King and handed him over to the Parliamentarians for a substantial fee."...more
My Favourite Willis Book - Short, Hilarious, and not even SF
This was an unexpected addition to my reading list. I had just real all the Oxford Time TrMy Favourite Willis Book - Short, Hilarious, and not even SF
This was an unexpected addition to my reading list. I had just real all the Oxford Time Travel series, and even though I had very mixed feelings about those books, I noticed this novella was on sale on Audible and decided to give it a try. I’m so glad I did, as this turned out to be my favourite book by her, which is pretty unusual based on what most other GR reviewers say. 
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Bellwether already scored points for me by not being bloated beyond reason. It was succinct, extremely funny, had a unique story about researchers studying the phenomenon of fads and chaos theory while working for a corporation dominated by absurd management “improvement� initiatives, and a gentle love story. For some reason every part of the story worked really well for me, without any of the plot irritations of the much longer Oxford Time Travel novels.
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It was easy for me to sympathize with the researchers and their struggles to maintain funding for their obscure research topics, and even moreso, Willis absolutely nailed the utter absurdity of corporate management, skewering it with precision, and producing comic gold. Having worked in a corporate environment for two decades but never having bought into the mentality at all, I found these parts of the novel laugh-out-loud funny as they rang so true.
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Then there was the most hilarious character ever, Flip the Admin Assistant from Hell, utterly lazy, unreliable, constantly complaining, and yet rude and contemptuous of everyone else with absolutely no grounds for it. Her relationship with the protagonist was just as funny, especially the way she was portrayed in the audiobook by Kate Reading. I can still hear her whiny, sarcastic, and jaded voice in my head, brilliant character, and far more important than she first appears....more
Curiosity and Genius Personified What more can I say that hasn’t already been said far more eloquently and insightfully by others over the centuries. LCuriosity and Genius Personified What more can I say that hasn’t already been said far more eloquently and insightfully by others over the centuries. Leonardo was a one-of-a-kind genius in so many fields that he defied all categories, and his personal character was just as complicated and fascinating. The best way to approach him was by listening to this excellent biography on audiobook, and watching Leonardo (2021), and 8-part Italian production in English starring Aidan Turner. He really captures to complex and insatiably curious character of Leonardo, and the storyline and period mesh very well with The Medici to give you a bigger picture.
My interest was initially piqued when I got drawn into the history of the Roman Republic and Empire, it was a natural progression to want to understand the later history of the Italian Renaissance, along with all the warring city-states and complicated power struggles of them with the Papal States, European Powers, and Eastern Orthodox Church. It’s just such a convoluted and fascinating mess, and yet despite all the power struggles and brutality and violence, it also gave birth to this incredible flowering of intellectual creativity that eschewed the narrow and dogmatic Medieval Christian mentality, and produced such artistic geniuses as Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Botticelli, and the stunning architecture, much inspired by classical Greek and Roman culture. ...more
A Compelling Revisionist Take on the "Serpent Queen" 
I discovered this book thanks to the recent Starz network drama series The Serpent Queen (2022), A Compelling Revisionist Take on the "Serpent Queen" 
I discovered this book thanks to the recent Starz network drama series The Serpent Queen (2022), played admirably by Samantha Morton. Catherine de Medici is regularly reviled as a ruthless, scheming woman who seized and maintained power through any means, including poisonings and witchcraft used against her own family and allies. However, this is a revisionist biography that points out, and rightly so, that the historical accounts of that period were mostly written by her rivals and enemies, and there is also the obvious element of resentment by powerful men at the time of the affront of a woman of those times daring to try and rule when their normal role was largely to have male children to ensure the succession of various dynasties, and not to have independent thoughts or (god forbid) actually be involved in the politics of the royalty and nobility.
What we learn from this alternative take is that Catherine faced some very difficult circumstances very early on in her initially privileged life as a Medici as the political winds of fate blew against her family, and she spent time raised as a hostage by her enemies. She was then forced into a dynastic marriage aimed to unite the Florentine and French powers, and her only way to survive was to get pregnant and produce a male heir, while having to endure the humiliation of her husband’s open love affair with his mistress Diane de Poitiers, who he treated as his personal confidant and partner, while keeping her pregnant with ten successive children. 
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Catherine then has to face a seemingly endless series of crises between rival factions within France, conflicts with the Spanish crown, and then most damaging is the massive rift in society that emerges with the Protestant Reformation and Hugenot rebellions against oppressive Catholic rule. She is forced to take sides against the Huguenots to preserve stability, but at great costs of lives and the loss of her own children to intrigue and illness and war. Throughout all the adversities, so remains determined, cool-headed (on the surface), and ruthless, when many other male leaders are vain, foolish, and hot-headed. This if anything makes her even more hated by her rivals and enemies, and certainly would explain why they would excoriate her later in the historical annals, and blame her for the infamous Bartholomew’s Day Massacre.


The book does pummel the reader with names and details that are quite overwhelming, so I ended up letting much of them just slide past me and try to just focus on the overall flow of events, as it’s impossible to really follow and remember each person’s allegiances, position, and motivations. 

The drama has apparently been green-lighted for a second season, which should cover the latter half of this book, and that is a very exciting prospect that I look forward to....more
A Hefty Thematic Approach to the Middle Ages Across Many Continents and Centuries
This is an ambitious attempt at a coherent, thematically-based overviA Hefty Thematic Approach to the Middle Ages Across Many Continents and Centuries
This is an ambitious attempt at a coherent, thematically-based overview of the Middles Ages in the British Isles, the kingdoms of Northern/Southern Europe, Arabian, Persian, and Turkish nations, and the Huns and Mongols, all in the engaging, entertaining, and understandable style that has made Dan Jones the Neil de Grass Tyson the of the history world, popularizing the incredibly tangled web of that period, looking at events not just through the deadly-dull litany of names, battles, successions, dynasties, alliances, and territories, but trying to draw out coherent themes such as the environmental, political, religious, scientific, and cultural elements that permeate all human history. 
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Is it all too much to digest? In my case I’ve been listening to history audiobooks covering most of the periods and regions and events that Dan Jones covers, so in a way it was a nice review and broader overview of what I had been learning about in discrete segments. He freely admits he has to breeze though hundreds of subjects that each are subject to whole fields of study, so has to summarize the most important themes and events without getting bogged down in the details, but still include loads of anecdotes on notable individuals and events to keep it relatable and interesting, and that is Dan Jones� forte. I was able to follow things and really put together the big picture, as much as that is possible.
However, if you are keen to know about individual empires or periods or leaders or religious movements, it’s probably better to pick books with a narrower focus. If you just enjoy the way Dan Jones can clarify the convoluted mess that is history, you’ll find this well worth a read/listen.�...more
Saga, Vol. 8: Unafraid to mix space adventure with difficult topics Originally posted at It’s been six months since I read Vol 7 of SSaga, Vol. 8: Unafraid to mix space adventure with difficult topics Originally posted at It’s been six months since I read Vol 7 of SAGA, and after moving to London last summer we recently popped into Forbidden Planet in Soho, and that store is an absolute treasure trove of SF comics, books, and other fan goodies. There are so many enticing comics on offer there, you could spend your entire salary in one wild shopping spree. When I saw Vol 8 of SAGA with Wild West cover art among the new releases, I knew I had to have it.
SAGA is my favorite comic series, because it is always pushing the envelope in terms of content, themes, gorgeously assured and sometimes shocking artwork, and characters so charming, honest and flawed that you can’t help but cheer for them. If you like intelligent, snarky, sometimes profane space opera with a vast cast of star-crossed lovers, bounty-hunters, humanoid robots, tabloid reporters, terrifying monsters, and oddball creatures all caught up in a galactic war between the technology-based Wings and magic-wielding Horns of Wreath and Landfall, this series is guaranteed to captivate.
In Vol 8, Marko, Alana, Hazel, Prince Robot, and Petrichor find themselves on a remote Wild West planet. The traumatic events on planet Phang are still lingering, and they are in desperate need of an emergency medical procedure (any more details would be a spoiler). Once again writer Vaughan is unafraid to tackle a sensitive subject with the opening panel. And while I thought this time the story sometimes felt like it was purely a vehicle for political debate and hurt the story’s momentum, I applaud his willingness to put his characters in contentious moral situations. It’s a trademark of the entire series, love it or hate it.
While Petrichor encounters some Wild West outlaws, Alana, Marko, and Hazel hitch a ride on a train and meet up a very unexpected new character that quickly bonds with Hazel. In fact, Alana has discovered some surprising new powers that may be connected to this. Finally Alana and Marko reach their destination and the doctor they’ve been seeking. The dialogue sounds like something from a TV talk show debate, but then that’s what Vaughan wants to talk about, so that’s what we get. I thought this part of Vol 8 dragged, as the characters debate the merits of their actions. Likewise, Petrichor and Prince Robot are another odd partnership and have many arguments over gender, war, and politics. I liked the story of Hazel and her new friend Kurti better. There were a number of poignant moments as they innocently discuss the world of adults, and this section will appeal to parents, siblings, and those aspiring to become one. Again, this part is very well-written and didn’t feel as forced as their earlier parts.
In the next chapter, we once again see what The Will has been up to, and he’s not in a good place. Seems that one of the many individuals he’s casually killed during his illustrious freelance bounty hunter career had a loved one who has tracked him down to exact revenge. This person has decided to really torture him by going through his old memories. We get to see some scenes from The Will’s childhood and early days as a bounty hunter with The Stalk. Artist Fiona Staples treats us to the ultra-violent action that the series generally features. I’m sometimes unsure if Vaughan & Staples show gruesome violence for the vicarious thrills, or as a technique to highlight that killing is not clean and anonymous like storm-troopers in Star Wars. Considering that his old sins are now catching up with The Will, I would hazard a guess its� the latter. Eventually, his tormentor unearths a very valuable secret from his memories, though it’s no secret to readers.
In the final chapter, we rejoin Upsher, the gay tabloid journalist, Ghus the little prairie-dog warrior with a sense of justice, and the innocent young son of Prince Robot, Squire. They have an adventure in the forest, seeking the fearsome Dread Naught, and Ghus and the young robot have some interesting discussions about what situations justify fighting and killing to protect yourself. Vol 8 ends on an upbeat note, quite the opposite of the dark final panels of Vol 7.
Now that the series has reached 48 episodes and eight volumes, it has settled down to a more thoughtful pace, and while I think it does lack the intensity of the first four volumes and over-indulges in overt political themes that didn’t really carry the story forward much, I think Vaughan feels that he’s earned the loyalty of readers enough to be able to explore such themes with less propulsive action and more discourse. Again, I really appreciate that SAGA is not about escapism, its about our messy world, war, injustice, intolerance, innocence and cruelty, and most importantly the decisions we must make each day to get to the next day. That’s what keeps the series relevant and fresh � it’s real and funny and heartbreaking, often in rapid succession. Give it a try if you haven’t yet.
Merged review:
Saga, Vol. 8: Unafraid to mix space adventure with difficult topics Originally posted at It’s been six months since I read Vol 7 of SAGA, and after moving to London last summer we recently popped into Forbidden Planet in Soho, and that store is an absolute treasure trove of SF comics, books, and other fan goodies. There are so many enticing comics on offer there, you could spend your entire salary in one wild shopping spree. When I saw Vol 8 of SAGA with Wild West cover art among the new releases, I knew I had to have it.
SAGA is my favorite comic series, because it is always pushing the envelope in terms of content, themes, gorgeously assured and sometimes shocking artwork, and characters so charming, honest and flawed that you can’t help but cheer for them. If you like intelligent, snarky, sometimes profane space opera with a vast cast of star-crossed lovers, bounty-hunters, humanoid robots, tabloid reporters, terrifying monsters, and oddball creatures all caught up in a galactic war between the technology-based Wings and magic-wielding Horns of Wreath and Landfall, this series is guaranteed to captivate.
In Vol 8, Marko, Alana, Hazel, Prince Robot, and Petrichor find themselves on a remote Wild West planet. The traumatic events on planet Phang are still lingering, and they are in desperate need of an emergency medical procedure (any more details would be a spoiler). Once again writer Vaughan is unafraid to tackle a sensitive subject with the opening panel. And while I thought this time the story sometimes felt like it was purely a vehicle for political debate and hurt the story’s momentum, I applaud his willingness to put his characters in contentious moral situations. It’s a trademark of the entire series, love it or hate it.
While Petrichor encounters some Wild West outlaws, Alana, Marko, and Hazel hitch a ride on a train and meet up a very unexpected new character that quickly bonds with Hazel. In fact, Alana has discovered some surprising new powers that may be connected to this. Finally Alana and Marko reach their destination and the doctor they’ve been seeking. The dialogue sounds like something from a TV talk show debate, but then that’s what Vaughan wants to talk about, so that’s what we get. I thought this part of Vol 8 dragged, as the characters debate the merits of their actions. Likewise, Petrichor and Prince Robot are another odd partnership and have many arguments over gender, war, and politics. I liked the story of Hazel and her new friend Kurti better. There were a number of poignant moments as they innocently discuss the world of adults, and this section will appeal to parents, siblings, and those aspiring to become one. Again, this part is very well-written and didn’t feel as forced as their earlier parts.
In the next chapter, we once again see what The Will has been up to, and he’s not in a good place. Seems that one of the many individuals he’s casually killed during his illustrious freelance bounty hunter career had a loved one who has tracked him down to exact revenge. This person has decided to really torture him by going through his old memories. We get to see some scenes from The Will’s childhood and early days as a bounty hunter with The Stalk. Artist Fiona Staples treats us to the ultra-violent action that the series generally features. I’m sometimes unsure if Vaughan & Staples show gruesome violence for the vicarious thrills, or as a technique to highlight that killing is not clean and anonymous like storm-troopers in Star Wars. Considering that his old sins are now catching up with The Will, I would hazard a guess its� the latter. Eventually, his tormentor unearths a very valuable secret from his memories, though it’s no secret to readers.
In the final chapter, we rejoin Upsher, the gay tabloid journalist, Ghus the little prairie-dog warrior with a sense of justice, and the innocent young son of Prince Robot, Squire. They have an adventure in the forest, seeking the fearsome Dread Naught, and Ghus and the young robot have some interesting discussions about what situations justify fighting and killing to protect yourself. Vol 8 ends on an upbeat note, quite the opposite of the dark final panels of Vol 7.
Now that the series has reached 48 episodes and eight volumes, it has settled down to a more thoughtful pace, and while I think it does lack the intensity of the first four volumes and over-indulges in overt political themes that didn’t really carry the story forward much, I think Vaughan feels that he’s earned the loyalty of readers enough to be able to explore such themes with less propulsive action and more discourse. Again, I really appreciate that SAGA is not about escapism, its about our messy world, war, injustice, intolerance, innocence and cruelty, and most importantly the decisions we must make each day to get to the next day. That’s what keeps the series relevant and fresh � it’s real and funny and heartbreaking, often in rapid succession. Give it a try if you haven’t yet....more
A Dense, Quirky Telling of 2,000 Years of London's Story This is quite an unusual and quirky and unforgettable book. It’s a long-form love poem to the A Dense, Quirky Telling of 2,000 Years of London's Story This is quite an unusual and quirky and unforgettable book. It’s a long-form love poem to the city over the past two millennia of its incredibly eventful and storied history. It does a great job of covering the city not chronologically like a bog-standard history book. Instead, it takes a loosely thematic approach, covering it from dozens of angles - the early native Britons era, then the Romans, Anglo-Saxons, Vikings, Normans, Middle Ages, Plantagenets/Tudors/Stuarts, then the Victorian and Imperial Age, Industrial Revolution, WWI, WWII Blitz, and then the Post-War years and Thatcher and up to around the turn of the century.


The book is far from even-handed and unbiased - Peter Ackroyd believes the city has a personality and spirit of its own, embedded in the millennia of history in the very mud, stones, brick, human detritus, and later concrete, steel, and glass. And each neighborhood of London has its own distinct identity, which reverberates and remains throughout different ages. It’s quite a fanciful concept, and while I wouldn’t deny it in a more conceptual sense, he actually seems to believe it in very literally. Apparently this theme runs through much of his other fiction and non-fiction works.
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What I found most interesting was reading the polarized reviews of this book by other GR readers. They fall mainly into two camps, which fall broadly into these polar opposite views:

�1) Ackroyd’s London is a brilliant and erudite book, brimming with amazing scholarship and chockablock with anecdotes, both entertaining and edifying. He is a genius and a national treasure.
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2) Ackroyd’s London in its later stages is clearly a middle-class English book promoting a xenophobic, Eurocentric view of Englands Imperial and Colonial legacy, glibly glossing over the exploitive nature of that time, and instead taking a cosy nostalgic view of England at its zenith of political and economic and cultural status, and offensive and insensitive as such.
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Well, like all things, I imagine the truth lies in-between, and moreover it depends on the perspective and views of the reader. The book is both really, so you will react to it accordingly, most likely. As an American expat who spent half his life in Japan, and only recently moved to the British Isles, I’ve been voraciously learning as much as I can about this complex and contentious legacy, trying to see the good and the bad, and putting things in their historical context but also understanding how the bad aspects of Imperial/Colonial rule most certainly are deserving of harsh criticism in this multicultural and multi-polar global era.
I think I can see both sides. I can say with certainty that I found the book very interesting to listen to, especially with its thematic, easily digested chapters that broke up a very long book. It never bored me, even though some of the florid writing did elicit some eye-rolling. It told me a lot about London I didn’t know, piqued my interest in the city even more, and provided much food for thought. In that sense, it was well worth the time I invested....more
The Most Famous Victorian Author, Then and Now After listening to 10 of Dicken’s best-known novels in abridged BBC Radio full-cast dramatizations, I fiThe Most Famous Victorian Author, Then and Now After listening to 10 of Dicken’s best-known novels in abridged BBC Radio full-cast dramatizations, I figured I was well prepared to enjoy a biography of his life, which is always a fascinating reveal of just how much author’s intertwine their own life experiences and personalities in various characters, along with the people they knew.
As Dickens has always been a famously keen observer of the humanity and Victorian society in particular, this was a perfect book to learn just how his own early experiences of child poverty in the workhouses where his father was thrown into the Marhsalsea Debtor’s Prison in Southwark when he was just a young boy. It colored his entire outlook on the hardships and cruelties of class society in Victorian England, and engendered a lifelong sympathy with the working and poor classes that he would champion throughout his life, even as he achieved success far beyond his humble beginnings and mingled increasingly with the upper classes.
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Dickens also shows what a driven and workaholic personality he had, writing constantly and late into the night, sometimes when the muse was upon him, and other times out of financial necessity and the unforgiving deadlines of his weekly installments for the literary journals he contributed to and later ran himself. He also continued to father children with his wife year after year, meaning more mouths to feed and then find places for in society as they grew up.
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As he got older, he also fell in love with a much younger actress and split with his wife, further complicating his life. He also discovered that his long-standing talent and passion for impersonations and reading his work was a commercial gold mine, and became one of the first media darlings of the era by doing dramatic readings from his works, including all the various accents and characters, to large and enthusiastic audiences.
Even as his health started to fail from the relentless pace of his readings and writing, he refused to give up or slow down, just another sign of his driven personality. He was a singular and towering figure in the Victorian literary canon, and also a hugely-influential public figure championing for social reforms for the poor and disadvantaged in a age of glaring gaps between rich and poor....more
The Abridged BBC 4 Radio Version Was Perfect for Me - A Sprawling Work in Full This is without question Dicken’s most dense and sprawling novel, with tThe Abridged BBC 4 Radio Version Was Perfect for Me - A Sprawling Work in Full This is without question Dicken’s most dense and sprawling novel, with the clever framing narrative of an interminable and impossibly drawn-out Court of Chancery case, Jardyce and Jardyce, that connects a huge cast of characters over 900+ pages. As I wimped out and opted for a mere taste of this dense masterpiece (and solid doorstopper) via a 5-hour abridged BBC 4 Radio full-cast dramatization, I feel I am not entitled to weigh in (pun-intended) on the full tome itself. In fact, I instead spent a pleasant hour some of my favourite GR reviewer’s thoughts on the book, which are as entertaining or more than the audio version, and provide as much insight at far less time-cost, that I find it too daunting and pointless a task for me to provide a review of my own. Instead, I’ll just say that it was a very interesting listen, but I am glad I didn’t dedicate the full 43 hours for the Full Monty, as I don’t have energy or patience or stamina for that, however worthy an endeavor it might be. ...more
Little Nell, a Heroic and Tragic Heroine of Dickens This was a lesser-known Dickens title to me, but has all the classic Dickensian themes and heroes/hLittle Nell, a Heroic and Tragic Heroine of Dickens This was a lesser-known Dickens title to me, but has all the classic Dickensian themes and heroes/heroines and villains, this time centered on the angelic Little Nell and her Grandfather, who are fighting to stave off poverty after they lose their Old Curiosity Shop to the usurious and villainous dwarf moneylender Daniel Quilip. There is a parallel story of Kip, a young boy who is Nell’s friend and servant, honest and loyal, who gets targeted by the evil Quilip out of sheer malice and jealousy. There are many dramatic twists and turns for the characters, and I imagine the full version was very detail-heavy as most of his novels are, but I listened to the abridged BBC 4 Radio full-cast dramatization, which was dramatically performed and just the right length for my interests. ...more
A Wide-Ranging Coming-of-Age Tale in Victorian England This was Dicken's 3rd novel, coming after the success of Oliver Twist and it's strong social comA Wide-Ranging Coming-of-Age Tale in Victorian England This was Dicken's 3rd novel, coming after the success of Oliver Twist and it's strong social commentary on the plight of the poor and downtrodden in London, and this one is no different, though it does initially focus on a vicious and exploitive all-boys school in Yorkshire, before returning the story to London, and also has a long interlude featuring a traveling actors' troupe. I plan to listen to all of Dicken's major works in audiobook, and the full version of this is a hefty 35-hours, so I elected to go with the abridged full-cast dramatizations done by BBC Radio 4, which are excellent summations of the storylines that avoid some of the length of excess details and side-plots. This was a very enjoyable and engaging read, with all the usual Dickensian wicked villains, stout-hearted heroes and heroines struggling against many adversities, social satire of the upper classes, and strong criticisms of the inequalities of the social class structure. ...more
Dicken's Most Personal Coming-of-Age Tale This is considered Dicken’s most autobiographical novel, and his own personal favourite, likely for that reasDicken's Most Personal Coming-of-Age Tale This is considered Dicken’s most autobiographical novel, and his own personal favourite, likely for that reason. It bears some clear parallels to the story arcs of Nicholas Nickleby, though I actually found Nicholas to be more appealing as a hotheaded and passionate young man who had a strong sense of justice/injustice, whereas David often let the events of life carry him along, and lacked the agency to make his own fate at times, settling for what seemed expected of him, though he did grow through his experiences. It’s a very long and detailed story, and I don’t have the energy to do a full review (and is there any point in that), so suffice to say the abridged BBC 4 full-cast audio dramatization was the perfect format for me to enjoy the story and characters and setting without getting bogged down in the minutiae. ...more
A Classic Victorian Tale of Child Poverty, Crime, and Perseverance This was my very first time reading/listening to Charles Dickens, at age 48, despiteA Classic Victorian Tale of Child Poverty, Crime, and Perseverance This was my very first time reading/listening to Charles Dickens, at age 48, despite his pervasive influence on English Victorian literature and all the film and drama adaptations. I'm glad I waited to sample it in audiobook with the expert narration of actor Jonathan Pryce. It's his renditions of the foppish and arrogant upper classes, and sinister and brutish criminal underclasses, that brings the story and picture of Victorian society to life along with Dickens' vivid and dramatic story. It's one of his shorter novels, and apparently one of his most beloved, along with A Tale of Two Cities and Great Expectations. Since all of his audiobooks are available in the Audible Plus Catalogue, I'll be listening to them all in the winter months here in England, seems the perfect time to delve into his literary world....more
The First Modern History of the Political/Social Forces Behind War While Herodotus may have written the first coherent historical narrative in the WestThe First Modern History of the Political/Social Forces Behind War While Herodotus may have written the first coherent historical narrative in the Western canon, it took Thucycdides to write the first work of empirical 'modern' history in his clinical and analytical study of the political and social forces that drive men and nations to war, and an incredibly detailed picture of Athens and Peloponnesia's destructive war in 5th century Greece, which involved the Delian League (led by democratic Athens) and the Pelopponesian League (lead by oligarchic Sparta), spread over three stages and including proxy wars and a disastrous invasion of Sicily by Athens.
It's a ruthless study in Real Politik that strips away divine influence, political and philosophical ideals, and exposes the more base motives of human nature as they relate to the striving for power over others, the strategies of manipulation and coercion, and the ferocity of violence and cruelty that both individuals and city-states can unleash on each other due to fear and jealousy and hate and greed. It's often not a pretty picture, and lacks any of the whimsy of Herodotus, or interest in cultural practices. But it feels incredibly modern in sensibility, and very much in keeping with the political and military conflicts of nations in the modern era, which is profoundly disappointing if you were hoping that humanity would improve its behavior over the past 2.5 millennia.
As a listening experience, it can get a little wearying to hear one conflict after another, and so many place and individual names, but as a piece of political analysis it is extremely impressive and influential to this day, though it's message is far from hopeful, though perhaps useful as a cautionary tale....more
Having dived down the history rabbit hole with Great Courses audiobooks the past year, focused mainly on Mesopotamia, Greece/Rome, Britain, the Celts,Having dived down the history rabbit hole with Great Courses audiobooks the past year, focused mainly on Mesopotamia, Greece/Rome, Britain, the Celts, and the Italian Renaissance, it was a no-brainer I'd have to revisit The Histories after I bought it for uni in another lifetime and never got past the first chapter, 30 years ago. It was a very worthwhile listen, especially given the content as the first proper Western historical narrative based on travel, first-hand interviews, and research, though there is plenty of myth woven in as that was integral to Greek understanding of the world. As others have pointed out, it is equal parts storytelling, ethnography, cultural history, and a very detailed analysis of the Greco-Persian wars, with much insight.
Herodotus also gets full marks for repeated disclaimers that what he writes is true *to the best of his knowledge, based on what he has been told*, and that he tries to be as objective as any observer can be, despite all the intellectual and cultural assumptions and biases that inevitably creep in. He does a remarkable job, although it would be a brilliant experiment if there were a Persian Herodotus who could depict events from the other side. Now that would be turning the tables!
I have to admit that I wasn't able to give this one its full due as I listened in all different levels of attention (while "resting my eyes" and such), so not sure I have much more to offer, but I am certainly glad I read it now, at age 48, rather than back at age 18 in my first year at university. There is so much more life-experience I can draw on now to approach the material, its a far richer experience.
These are some excellent reviews that are far more comprehensive and interesting than my light effort, so check them out.
Brings Together Most Recent Theories on Origins of Celtic Peoples/Languages/Culture This is a very handy overview of the various theories of how the CeBrings Together Most Recent Theories on Origins of Celtic Peoples/Languages/Culture This is a very handy overview of the various theories of how the Celtic people, languages, and culture arose, background on the various population movements, historical kingdoms, and resurgence in interest in Celtic heritage in various countries. Covers some familiar territory with other things I've read, but good to have it all in one place, and Dr. Paxton is always enthusiastic on her topics....more
Incredibly Relevant to Our Times, When Democracy is Struggling I really enjoyed Prof Garland's "Greece and Rome: An Integrated History of the Ancient MIncredibly Relevant to Our Times, When Democracy is Struggling I really enjoyed Prof Garland's "Greece and Rome: An Integrated History of the Ancient Mediterranean", which was a really useful and innovative approach to understanding the two closely-linked cultures, something you don't usually see as most academics specialize in one or the other.
This course felt so relevant to our current global political woes as it made explicit reference and comparison to the rise of Trump in the US, and various struggles of democratic regimes around the world to handle the burden of governing in our increasingly complex and integrated global society. It's one thing for the Athenians with just 50,000 citizens and 200,000 slaves make decisions via direct democracy, but that model cannot work for 250 million Americans, and of course global geopolitical forces no longer respect borders, so the constant frustrations that citizens feel about their governments and feelings of apathy/disenfranchisement are understandable but perhaps inevitable.
As I was listening to this audiobook, living in the UK, Boris Johnson resigned over a series of scandals that eroded his support within the Tory party. He was succeeded by Liz Truss, who lasted a mere 45 days in office before being ousted due to an ill-conceived set of unfunded tax cuts. As of yesterday Rishi Sunak is the new PM, and while his wealth and privilege (partly due to his wife) may make it hard for him to credibly understand the plight of the have-nots, at least his background at Goldman Sachs and hedge funds and schooling at Stanford will perhaps translate to some basic financial knowledge. The Athenians would have felt no qualms about having someone with such an elite and wealthy pedigree, though in our modern age we do question such a background....more
A Great Overview of This Incredible City's History It's not possible to fully cover the history of London since Roman times two millennia back, but ProA Great Overview of This Incredible City's History It's not possible to fully cover the history of London since Roman times two millennia back, but Prof Bucholz does an excellent job in his 12hrs of mini-lectures, full of enthusiasm and insight into the political, military, cultural, scientific, religious, and architectural highlights that this wonderful city has to offer. As I am also an American and now expat living in London the past 5 years, I've seen so many of the places he is discussing, and specifically enjoyed visiting the Museum of London and Museum of London Dockyards the past few months repeatedly, so it was a perfect combination....more
The Most Momentous Event in the History of the British Isles Everyone with an interest in British history knows the date of 1066 and the invasion of WiThe Most Momentous Event in the History of the British Isles Everyone with an interest in British history knows the date of 1066 and the invasion of William the Conqueror of Normandy, and his victory over the Anglo-Saxon king Harold Godwinson. He was killed by an arrow in the eye at the Battle of Hastings, according to the famous Bayeux Tapestry.
But that event marks only the culmination of an extremely tumultuous period of English political history, with the crown in contention among multiple claimants since the powerful Edward the Confessor, who reigned from 1042-1066, had no heirs. Harold Godwinson was the brother-in-law to Edward, and also descended from Cnut the Great, a Danish prince who briefly untied the thrones on England, Denmark, and Normal from 1028-1035. Harold also had a brother named Tostig, who was so reckless that he was exiled to Norway. When Edward the Confessor dies, the opportunistic Tostig convinced the Norwegian King Harald Hardrada that he should invade England and seize the English crown. � Meanwhile, William, Duke of Normandy, had finally established control of Normandy after a bloody and protracted struggle with rival claimants and battles with France and Flanders. He was an illegitimate son of Duke Robert I of Normandy, and descended from the Viking Rollo (Hrolf), the latter being the strongest warrior from among the Norsemen who invaded northern France and settled among the Franks there. William was the cousin of Edward the Confessor, and felt he had a claim to the English throne, saying that Edward had promised it to him despite later naming Harold Godwinson as his heir on his deathbed.
Confused enough yet?
Is it clear that the terms “English�, “French�, and “Norman� have a lot in common with “Viking�, “Dane�, “Norsemen�, “Flemish�, and “Frank�. And that they are all battling for spoils, land, political power, trade. Not to mention that everyone seems to be related to each other in some way, whether it be by blood, marriage, or political alliance. And since they didn’t have legal documentation and last wills and testaments, basically any power vacuum caused by the death of a powerful monarch usually set in motion a struggle among rival claimants.
So Harald Hardrada of Norway invaded Yorkshire and Northumbria with Tostig, the latter hoping to reclaim is Earldom. Northumbria was mostly a mix of Danes and Anglo-Saxons, and they initially had some success. This presented the newly crowned King of England Harold with a serious dilemma, as he had been preparing to repel an invasion of the south coast of England by William Duke of Normandy. However, William was delayed by prolonged storms that prevented his fleet from making the crossing. So Harold (of Wessex) made the fateful decision to head north to confront the forces of Harald (of Norway). They met in the Battle of Stamford Bridge, and Harold prevailed, with both Harald and Tostig killed in the fighting.

However, with almost no time to recover, Harold learned that William had finally made the crossing and invaded the south coast of England. He forced this battle-weary troops to march south and confront the Norman army. A massive battle ensued, the fateful Battle of Hastings, which was hard-fought and closely matched, but William gained the victory when Harold was struck down with an arrow in the eye.
So all settled then? Not so fast.
William of Normandy may have proven victorious on the battlefield with a force of 7,000 Norman knights and mercenaries, but he was keen to take control of the entire British isles. This became known as the Norman Conquest, as he and his supporters back in Normandy then threw all their combined resources to completely conquer all of the Anglo-Saxon barons and dukes, one by one, crushing each with the most ruthless means possible, which often meant “harrowing� the land, namely burning all the crops, killing the livestock, and slaughtering any rival armies and murdering many civilians for good measure.
They then systematically took over and replaced the entire British aristocracy, build hundreds of castles to enforce their rule (castles previously being quite rare in the Isles), making French the language of the elite, and then creating a monumental land survey known as the Domesday Book in 1086 that recorded who owned every parcel of land at the time Edward the Confessor died in 1066 and then who owned it 20 years later. What it records is the wholesale transfer of land ownership to William, his brother Odo, and all his numerous Norman barons and knights and supporters, and complete disenfranchisement of the former Anglo-Saxon landowners. It’s a monumental change in British social organization and political power, and could only be achieved through repeated and ruthless suppression.
So now the picture is crystal-clear? Glad to hear it.
This unbelievably complex and volatile story is told in great details by Mark Morris, using primary sources as much as possible, and approached in a very academically-researched but readable format. It’s quite well done and you’ll learn a lot (maybe a bit overwhelming), and realize that nothing about those times was simple or straight-forward, and the impact of the Norman Conquest has affected British culture and society in profound ways for the millennia that followed unto the present day. ...more
Epic, Comprehensive Overview of An Incredible Era After joining both the National Trust and English Heritage and visiting dozen of stately homes, castlEpic, Comprehensive Overview of An Incredible Era After joining both the National Trust and English Heritage and visiting dozen of stately homes, castles, and Tudor-era listed building and villages, I decided to give this another listen as I am finally getting all the factions and major players straight in my head. It remains an incredibly chaotic, volatile, and fascinating study of Tudor and Stuart royal history.
If you want to know about the tumultuous and transformative events of the Tudor and Stuart dynasties and the incredible changes in medieval England and Europe, all told with enthusiasm and erudition by Prof Buckolz, and American who clearly has great affinity for the complexity and humanity of all the players in this violent, dramatic, and exciting historical stage, then this series of lectures is the perfect solution to your needs. I've been deep down the rabbit hole of British history of late, and this was a great addition to my knowledge, covering events both new and familiar with a depth and insight that kept things fresh and interesting. Highly recommended....more
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