Customer Reviews

Puritan and Cavalier: English Civil War

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This is a great introductory work to the complicated history of the English Civil War. The author does not spend a lot of time with events leading up to the conflict, but he fills in the reader with the necessary background before jumping into the action. The illustrations and numerous pictures are what make this little book so appealing. Its full of period prints and details.

As an American I think an understanding of this history provides a very important background to the States. There is no doubt in my mind that the issues debated and fought here would be factors in our own Revolution and and Civil War later on. The question of autocratic versus Parliamentry rule directly relates to the same questions we as a new nation would later face. The fact that we did not adequately address them early on would lead to our own Civil War. The innate mistrust of government and religious extremism in the United States today can all be traced back to this early period.

Those wanting military comparisons don't have far to look either. Strangely enough the King would more closely resemble our South, while the North certainly had Puritan tendencies. Prince Ruppert compares nicely almost with Jeb Stuart. Cromwell as a kind of Grant. And many Southeners saw themselves as dashing cavaliers from an earier time. We find a Washington on the Royalist side which would have significant meaning to our later events. I could go on but I think the reader will get the points I am trying to make.

A fine little book and a worthy introduction to this important history. There are many more complex histories of the period which the reader will be able to tackle after looking over this book. Highly recommended even for the casual reader who likes a good story about true events.

Barbary writes about the English Civil War in a way that makes you feel as though you are reading a novel. He describes the individuals involved in the war as if they were characters of a story, giving their history and traits. His wording of the battles allows you to envision the scenes as he depicts them. He provides pictures of prominent men and women who were figures in the war, maps of England, maps of battles, photocopies of paintings showing different battles, war propaganda, and interesting, small illustrations of cavalry exercises, English pike exercises, and a musketeer charging his musket. The maps of the battles are very useful in understanding exactly where the horses, dragoons, and foot soldiers were positioned during the battles, which as Barbary points out, were very important in determining who would win the battle. It's a smooth, interesting read. I highly reccomend it.