Customer Reviews

A HISTORY OF THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING PEOPLES; 4 VOLUMES

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Like most histories covering an extended period of time, there are limits to the details that can be included. I have always found this particuluar history to be a convenient reference. The complete set is in four volumes and should be purchased as a set. Volume I, "The Birth of Britain." covers the period from the Roman invasion to the end of the Saxon period and the beginning of the Normans, ending with King Richard III and the War of the Roses. Volume 2, "The New World," covers the period from late Medieval period (starting with about the Tudor kings) up to arrival of William of Orange. Volume 3, "The Age of Revolution," picks up the tale from William of Orange up through the creation of the British Empire, and ends with the Napoleonic era and the Congress of Vienna. Volume 4, "The Great Democracies," covers more recent history. All volumes are well indexed and contain useful maps, genealogy tables. I have always found it to be a useful reference, both for checking back on some family history, and for keeping things straight when reading historical novels.

Th third volume of the incredible history series from Winston Churchill. The series, know as the History of the English Speaking Peoples is ambitious in scope. Volume 3 specifically deals with "The Age of Revolution". This includes the English Revolution of 1688, Napoleon at Waterloo, both Pitts, the War of 1812, the American Revolution, World War I, India and more. Wonderful series for any history or military buff, hard to find the really nice 1957 edition. These massive 2" thick books would be very expensive if produced today. I highly recommend this and the other two volumes.

The third volume of the set covers the period of the British Empire, with the expansion into Canada, India, etc. It starts with William of Orange, and ends with the Congress of Vienna after the defeat of Napoleon (you need Volume IV to go beyond that period). This is a good reference for students studying the history of the expansion of the empire. It includes such sidelights as the crash of the South Seas Company stock in 1721, which should serve as a warning to people investing in hot stocks (in a few months the stock value crashed about 90 percent, wiping out many investors). Alas, history tends to repeat itself.

Overall, the volume includes such things as the Spanish Succession, The Treaty of Utrecht, The House of Hanover, the Austrian Succssion, the Seven Years War, the American War for Independence, the French Revolution, Napoleon, and other topics of interest.

Even if you know little about the Wars of the Spanish Succession and the British politics of that era, the writing is great and sweeps you up in the realities of the period. Patience and curiosity are demanded of the reader. If you love history, you will love this book. If not...try something less detailed.