Oliver Cromwell (Very Interesting People) [Paperback]

John Morrill (Author)

Book Description

Series: Very Interesting People | Publication Date: October 15, 2007

Definitive, concise, and very interesting...From William Shakespeare to Winston Churchill, the Very Interesting People series provides authoritative bite-sized biographies of Britain's most fascinating historical figures - people whose influence and importance have stood the test of time. Each book in the series is based upon the biographical entry from the world-famous Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. The Very Interesting People series includes the following titles: 1.William Shakespeare by Peter Holland 2. George Eliot by Rosemary Ashton 3. Charles Dickens by Michael Slater 4. Charles Darwin by Adrian Desmond, James Moore, and Janet Browne 5. Isaac Newton by Richard S.Westfall 6. Elizabeth I by Patrick Collinson 7. George III by John Cannon 8. Benjamin Disraeli by Jonathan Parry 9. Christopher Wren by Kerry Downes 10. John Ruskin by Robert Hewison 11. James Joyce by Bruce Stewart 12. John Milton by Gordon Campbell 13. Jane Austen by Marilyn Butler 14. Henry VIII by Eric Ives 15. Queen Victoria by K. D. Reynolds and H. C. G. Matthew 16. Winston Churchill by Paul Addison 17. Oliver Cromwell by John Morrill 18. Thomas Paine by Mark Philp 19. J. M. W. Turner by Luke Herrmann 20. William and Mary by Tony Claydon and W. A. Speck

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

John Morrill is Professor of British and Irish History at the University of Cambridge and fellow of Selwyn College, Cambridge

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (October 15, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 019921753X
• ISBN-13: 978-0199217533
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #890,270 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #26 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Ethnic & National > Irish
  • #30 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Leaders & Notable People > Presidents & Heads of State
  • #42 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Leaders & Notable People > Political

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good concise study of Cromwell's life, December 11, 2008

By 

Mark Klobas (Tempe, AZ, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Oliver Cromwell (Very Interesting People) (Paperback)

There are few figures in English history as controversial as Oliver Cromwell. Born a member of the lower English gentry, he embraced Puritanism as a young man and won election to the "Long Parliament" in 1640. During the English Civil War he distinguished himself in military commands, and steadily rose to become second-in-command of the Parliamentary forces by the end of the conflict. Successful campaigns in Scotland and Ireland propelled him to the leadership of the English Republic. Though he refused the crown, he governed as Lord Protector until his death in 1658 created a vacuum that led to the restoration of the Stuart dynasty two years later.

Though Cromwell has been the subject of numerous biographies, John Morrill's book offers a concise assessment of Cromwell's life and legacy. Taken from the entry Morrill wrote on Cromwell for the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography Plus Index of Contributors (60 Volumes), it offers a good introduction to Cromwell's life by a leading scholar of the period. His section on Cromwell's ever-evolving reputation is particularly enlightening, offering his learned assessment of the many works on the Lord Protector. These qualities make this book a good starting point for anyone curious about Cromwell, as well as an excellent guide for further study of the man and his times.