The History of England (Penguin Classics) [Mass Market Paperback]

Thomas Babington Macaulay (Author), Hugh Trevor-Roper (Author, Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 25, 2006 | Series: Penguin Classics

One of the greatest figures of his age, Thomas Babington Macaulay (1800-59) was widely admired throughout his life for his prose, poetry, political acumen and oratorical skills. Among the most successful and enthralling histories ever written, his "History of England" won instantaneous success following the publication of its first volumes in 1849, and was rapidly translated into most European languages. Beginning with the Glorious Revolution of 1688 and concluding at the end of the reign of William III in 1702, it illuminates a time of deep struggle throughout Britain and Ireland in vivid and compelling prose. But while Macaulay offers a gripping narrative, and draws on a wide range of sources including historical accounts and creative literature, his enduring success also owes a great deal to his astonishing ability to grasp, and explain, the political reality that has always underpinned social change.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 576 pages
• Publisher: Penguin Classics (April 25, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140431330
• ISBN-13: 978-0140431339
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #623,269 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully written, compelling history, August 19, 2000

By 

Donald J. Boudreaux - See all my reviews

This review is from: The History of England (Penguin Classics) (Mass Market Paperback)

My comment is brief: Thomas Babington Macaulay wrote with such brilliant clarity, such a command of facts, and such a deep understanding of society that even this abridged version of his magnum opus reads like a great novel. Macaulay's History of England is timeless.

40 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Great book in an unfortunate edition, August 29, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: The History of England (Penguin Classics) (Mass Market Paperback)

This book is a 500-odd page abridgement of Macaulay's magisterial History of England. T.B. Macaulay is one of the supreme victorian stylist, if not unquestionably the greatest. He is also one of the forefathers of modern liberalism. The prose is brilliant, and Macaulay has bettered his master, Scott, in his renderings of a bygone era. That much being said, we deplore the need to abridge this masterpiece. Five volumes might sound daunting, but Macaulay is entertaining enough to sustain our interest throughout the length of the book. The abridgements are so extensive that the introduction is reduced to 3 pages, and the recreation of the reign of King Charles II is entirely lost. Buy this book by all means, but if you can find the full version, give that a try. A wonderful companion to this book is Hume's History of England.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inspiration and Reality, July 6, 2001

By 

Bill Maudlin (Magna, UT United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The History of England (Penguin Classics) (Mass Market Paperback)

This was my first taste of Macaulay and I'm an aficianado! I was exhilirated by the accounts of English unanimity and activism in the face of a royal tyrant. I was refreshed by a volume of history that, for its honesty, scholarship and its spirit of freedom, was so unlike the many insipid, politically-correct, and poorly-argued texts of modern historians. I was inspired to read of an actual case of widespread resistance to arbitrary government which succeeded by its sheer tenacity employing, however, moderate and unfanatical means. I was enlightened by a view of the Highlander culture and Scottish scene generally(in the 70-odd pages of chapter 16) that had a very realistic feel to it and was a great antidote to the more fantastic intimations of the popular Mel Gibson movie regarding an earlier era in Scottish history. The descriptions of battles are detailed, interesting, and a needed reality check for those who have not experienced warfare and think of it as a big video game.

Although there was an unpleasant aspect of the book for me(Macaulay's views of Penn) that didn't quite ring true, this book is one of the truly classic histories of all time!