Customer Reviews

Churchill's History of the English-Speaking Peoples

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I thought I'd be smart. I thought I'd read the Commager abridgement of this work and get the essentials from the history without thousands of pages of needless verbiage or grandiloquence. After about 200 pages I realized the errors of my judgment and bought and read the entire 4 volume set. The reason is simple: If you are going to read Churchill, read Churchill! The unabridged version is much more enjoyable, rewarding, and readable.

Churchill's 'History of the English Speaking People's' is presented as all history should be presented- with a keen understanding of the events as they unfolded, an amazing ability to convey the motivations and passions of the people involved, and with a profound wit. Churchill effortlessly tells us the story of England from it's earliest settlement to the eve of World War I. His insights into such events as the Boer War, the Conflicts with Napoleon, and the American Civil War are unparrelled. If you want to learn more of how the Anglo-American world came to be this four volume set is more than worth a look.

Exhaustive, pithy, insightful, illuminating and in places funny as hell; it is rare to say of a four-volume work, "I couldn't put it down", but of Churchill's work I say it truthfully.

I studied English history in school and found the intertwining of "houses" and kings confusing and could never get their relationships organized in my mind.
Churchill's narrative style, along with the charts of the succession of royalty clarifies it for me. Further, knowing the succession provides "hooks" for mentally assigning other historical figures to particular eras, such as Becket, William Wallace and Joan of Arc.
It also tells the "rest of the story" for popularly well know stories such as the (fictional) Robin Hood era. "Everyone" knows that while Richard the Lion Hearted was imprisoned Prince John tried to take over the kingship, but was frustrated when Richard returned. However, how many people know that when Richard was mortally wounded in a subsequent battle he designated Prince John to become King, and that it was this King John who was forced to sign the Magna Carta?
True, this is an abridgement of Churchill's writings, but it is, nonetheless, Churchill's writings and remains fresh, direct and pungent.
Read this book!

If you can chose between the single volume and 4 volume versions, go for the later. It is definitely worth your time. Churchill's writing is as clear, witty and straightforward, as he was as a politician.

Churchill proves to be a great historian.

As a very busy mother of six, I don't think I would ever have time to read the complete four volume set mentioned by other reveiwers. In the Preface, Mr. Commager writes, "This book is not, after all, meant for scholars, who will go to the original, but for the large reading public which Churchill himself most wanted to reach..." This abridgement was perfect for me. I did read part of the original ten or twelve years ago when my husband was studying it for a college research paper. My favorite part was the way Mr. Churchill related the Norman Conquest. This section in the abridged version is just as delightful as I remember the original being.

"On September 28 the fleet came safely to anchor in Pevensey Bay. There was no opposition to the landing. The local "fyrd" had been called out this year four times already to watch the coast, and having, in true English style, come to the conclusion that the danger was past because it had not yet arrived had gone back to their homes."

Mr. Churchill's style is witty and refreshingly NOT PC! I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in a broad overview of English history.

I must agree with the previous reviewer - the full four volume set is an essential purchase; this edition is not. Lacking in pre-Norman invasion history (I read the stuff on Roman Britain in about ten minutes, which really isn't enough considering the importance of this period to the island's history, as well as that of its offshoots) and skewed towards American material when available (there's lots of material on the civil war - funny that, given Commager's previous efforts), this volume doesn't do justice to Churchill's marvellous volumes.

As for the book itself, whilst the underlying historiography of Churchill's history may no longer be fashionable (it's a bit too conservative for my liking), the quality of the writing more than makes up for such deficiencies.

I am not of Angle Saxon but rather of Slavic descent, but this is a truly interesting set of books that will keep your attention no matter your ancestral heritage. There are 3 significant observations I've made while reading the set of books: 1) his description of the English kings and queens is easy to follow and his characters are alive (except for the constant stream of nobility getting their heads cut off), not boring; 2) he also devotes a lot of the story to America, more than the other "colonies," and 3) his history of Britain during the time of the American Revolution is very skimpy, biased, and does not deal with the real issues America faced. The book is very poor in dealing with the American Revolution, but overall the book is essential and easy reading for the consumate history reader.

I got my book in the condition promised, and quicker than expected. I appreciated the detailed description of the condition of the book that was listed before purchasing. It was right on target. No surprises. I would not hesitate to order from the same seller again.

A clear, relativity unbiased history. I am using it in my Medieval history class and he does a wonderful job with barbaric England and Ireland.