The English Civil War: The Essential Readings

Osprey Essential Histories #58

by Peter Gaunt

This book brings together twelve of the most influential articles on the English Civil War, including coverage of all the major debates on this key period in British history.

Genres: History, English Civil War, Military History, Nonfiction, Military Fiction, European History, British Literature

371 pages, Paperback

First published February 22, 2000

About the author

Educated at the Universities of Lampeter and Exeter, Gaunt has since held academic posts at a number of universities in England, Wales, and New Zealand.

A specialist in mid-17th-century Britain, he has published widely on military, political, and constitutional aspects of the 1640s and 1650s. He is also Chairman of the Cromwell Association.

Reviews

[Bill38silver]

This slim volume is a useful contribution to the huge selection of books on the subject of the turbulent mid-seventeenth civil war. It is a concise introduction to "the causes, course and consequences of the conflict" (to quote Osprey publishing blurb). It covers much ground from a military perspective, but the most interesting sections are those insights into the lives of individual people: soldier, citizen, country gentleman. Clearly, the war impacted on most of the population of England and Wales in a way that we can scarcely comprehend.

"Essential Histories", such as this one, do what they say on the cover. They usually provide insight and inspire the reader to delve more deeply into its subject area. It succeeds here.

[Adelino Jose Rodrigues Soares de Mello]

A simple, concise and well written guide. Very well-organized, easy and pleasant to read (except for the events themselves).

It looks at the more important circumstances of the Civil War.

If it is has any fault is that it pays very little attention to politics; only describes policies, events and human suffering any war produces. I like that, but politicking is inseparable from politics and some readers will think it lacks intrigue a lubricant of all historic happenings.

[Rick Rodrick]

Not Headline History

This book covers the entire 1642 to 1651 period as the title says but the view is close to the ground. The paths of the campaigns are presented. Maps sketch out what parts of the British Isles were under Parliament and Royal control. But all is discussed in terms of what was happening to the the people of England.

[Sean]

Reasonable effort for the series. Really only a history of the first English Civil War, with further fighting covered briefly as an epilogue.

Short narrative history bookended by good descriptors of military organisation, logistics, war policy and outcomes and the impact of the war on combatants and non-combatants. A decent effort for 90 illustrated pages!

[Stephen Fleet]

As per essential histories have delivered.
A great place to start when entering the world of the English Civil Wars.
This book follows the same format that other essential history books follow and is always the place I start my research.
An excellent overview of a very complicated subject, detailing not only milestones of the period and particular tactics and weaponry used; but also bringing the lives of soldiers and everyday folk to the fore.
I really enjoyed this book and look forward to enhancing my new found knowledge on the war without enemy.

[Declan Waters]

An historical period I have read about before and had some interest in (wargaming!) in the past, so I did bring a little background knowledge into this.

If you are expecting detailed descriptions of the battles this won't satisfy you, as - unlike other books in this series - there is a lot of discussion around the battles, and more about the English Civil Wars.

A useful addition to a period I am interested in and short enough to easily enable me to find the reference when I return to a wargaming ECW force.