Новият свят

A History of the English-Speaking Peoples #2

by Winston S. Churchill, Уинстън Чърчил (Автор), Елена Кодинова (Translator)

Четирите тома на „История на англоезичните народи” обхващат внушителен период от две хиляди години от римското нашествие до Първата световна война и се открояват като най-забележителното постижение в литературната кариера на Уинстън Чърчил. Това е изключително амбициозен проект, който не би бил по силите на обикновен човек или писател. Но, разбира се, Чърчил не е нито обикновен писател, нито обикновен човек, нито пък това е обикновен текст. Въпреки монументалния размах на този исторически труд, написан от най-големия британски държавник на всички времена, той остава като свидетелство за дълбочината и проникновението на един забележителен разказвач и историк.

„Между 1485 и 1688 г. английският народ започнал да се разселва по цялата планета. Той се изправил срещу мощта на Испания и я победил. Веднага щом била извоювана свободата в морето, се появили американските колонии. По западните брегове на Атлантическия океан израснали оживени и амбициозни общности, които с течение на времето щели да се превърнат в Съединените щати. Англия и Шотландия приели протестантската вяра. Двете кралства на Острова се обединили под скиптъра на шотландска династия. Водила се мащабна гражданска война заради спорове по принципни въпроси. Страната преживяла републикански експеримент, наложен от колосалната личност на Оливър Кромуел. Но по искане на нацията монархическата традиция била възстановена. В края на този период един холандски монарх съхранил протестантската вяра, парламентът поел уверено върховенството в държавните дела, Америка претърпяла бурно развитие и предстояло дълго и всеобхватно противоборство с Франция.”
Уинстън Чърчил, из предговора към „Новият свят”

„Иcтopиятa щe бъдe блaгocклoннa към мeн, зaщoтo cмятaм дa я нaпишa.”
cъp Уинcтън Чъpчил

„Taзи иcтopия щe ycтoи нa вpeмeтo нe caмo зaщoтo e нaпиcaнa oт cъp Уинcтън, нo и зapaди нeйнитe oчeвидни дocтoйнcтвa, пoвecтвoвaтeлнa мoщ и мъдpa пpeцeнкa зa пoлитикaтa и вoйнaтa...”
„Дeйли Teлeгpaф"

Genres: History, Nonfiction, World History, British Literature, European History, Historical, Audiobook

408 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1956

About the author

Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill, politician and writer, as prime minister from 1940 to 1945 and from 1951 to 1955 led Great Britain, published several works, including The Second World War from 1948 to 1953, and then won the Nobel Prize for literature.

William Maxwell Aitken, first baron Beaverbrook, held many cabinet positions during the 1940s as a confidant of Churchill.

Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC (Can), served the United Kingdom again. A noted statesman, orator and strategist, Churchill also served as an officer in the Army. This prolific author "for his mastery of historical and biographical description as well as for brilliant oratory in defending exalted human values."

Out of respect for Winston_Churchill, the well-known American author, Winston S. Churchill offered to use his middle initial as an author.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winston...

Reviews

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

AmblesideOnline Year 8. I continue my four year mission to read through Churchill's History of the English Speaking Peoples. I have a better but still murky understanding of the English Civil War and the role of the English Parliament now. My girls appreciate that I respond with more depth to their narrations.

[booklady · Rating 4 out of 5]

While many have found fault with his historical method, and others have critiqued his idiosyncrasies, Time itself will — I believe — prove the truth in the spirit of Winston's writing if not in the letter. For all his faults, I love him! Although his bust no longer adorns the Oval Office, my four volume set of Winnie's History of the English Speaking Peoples shall continue to adorn my bookshelves and be referred to whenever the subject of British history comes up. Sadly, I have never read them cover-to-cover, but I have enjoyed large sections from each of the volumes. Churchill is witty, wise and incisive with a love for the English speaking peoples, on both sides of the Atlantic(!), borne of his Anglo-American parentage.

If you don't read any other history of Great Britain, read this one.

[Logan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This shed some light for me on an incredibly interesting period in English history: basically covering England in the 1600s, the wars between Catholics and Protestants, the backdrop to the Westminster Assembly (which was an incredibly tumultuous time) and all that happened after. Very fascinating and Churchill has an excellent grasp of the various mechanisms and motivations at play, even if he does have some biased areas himself.

[Simon Stegall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Churchill's general high-quality history continues in book 2 of his series. I am still impressed with his high-level analysis of the invisible forces of the times, and how they move people like chess on a board. He does a great job showing how certain aspects of Englishness (first developed Parliament in the West, first state-sanctioned Reformation in the Catholic world, etc) were products of several hundred years of national character and habit. He makes complex wars comprehensible and entertaining, and provides unique and extremely balanced perspectives on classic characters like Cardinal Wolesly and Oliver Cromwell. It's fun, it's smart, it's memorable. The good is all there.

However I have to dock a star. I began to get a bit annoyed with some idiosyncracies that I think it's fair to chalk up to the fact that the books were not written, but were dictated to secretaries while Churchill was an active MP trying to prevent the rise of Hitler. Lots of the book operates at a high level, with little detail, as it must, since it covers hundreds of years; but that being said, sometimes the lack of detail is crippling to a passage. Often Churchill will mention a location or an event and leave it with no explanation or summary whatesoever. I assume he thought the average reader would know about St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre, for example, so he just mentions it and moves on. However, I had to look it up to appreciate the significance. This would have been far more annoying if I were reading this in the days before the internet.

There are also some blatant grammatical errors (not many, but enough to raise some eyebrows), which again, I chalk up to dictation, and a few more obnoxious elements that simply didn't age well at all; the American slave trade is only mentioned in passing, for example, with no adequate treatment... although I'm sure he'll address it more in the next book, which actually deals with the founding of America, it still feels a little jarring for a modern reader. This is not to say Churchill isn't sensitive to cruelty- he declaims in very very strong language Cromwell's atrocities against the Irish- but a modern writer would obviously have included more censorious language when describing American slavery. It's a bit jarring to read a matter-of-fact description of such things.

Overall, Churchill's style has definite quirks. But the other side of that coin is that his history is never, never dull. So far I would unhesitatingly recommend this series to anyone who wants an entertaining and easy-to-read history of England and America, and who won't be offended by a few tics from an extremely idiosyncratic man, who was nonetheless one of England's greatest history-makers in his own right.

[Ray Campbell · Rating 3 out of 5]

The saga continues in this second volume of A History of the English Speaking People. In this book we go from the rise of the Tudors to the rise of the American Colonies and the Restoration of the monarchy. It is fascinating to see the development of rights and the evolution of the common man taking powers bit by bit over the centuries.

Churchill is clearly writing with the perspective of a leader who has seen the worst of what dictators can be. I've read other accounts of this period which aggrandize Cromwell. It is clear Cromwell was a significant part of the limited monarchy and recognition of rights of the common man which have given rise to freedom in the western world. It is possible to tell his tale in a favorable light. However, Churchill pulls no punches in pointing out that he was a dictator who employed brutality and extreme measures. Churchill's is a welcome and refreshing perspective. He also sees Henry VIII and Elizabeth in less favorable light than others I've read. He is not openly critical in the way he is of Cromwell, but he provides insight whenever any monarchs act in a dictatorial manner.

I was delighted and impressed by Churchill's first volume because I knew very little about Roman Britain. I am less impressed by this installment, though it is first class history, it is material with which I am somewhat familiar. For a reader unfamiliar with this period or people, this is certainly an outstanding survey, well researched and readable. However, the greatest strength of this book is Churchill's unique perspective, himself an historical figure. I look forward to the next in the series as Churchill connects the events of the past to the rise of the free world with all the rights, liberties and prosperity we enjoy today.

[Noel Hume · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was fascinating at several different parts, but not the easiest to follow or understand. Especially towards the latter half- I did not really have the best idea of what was going on.
The content was interesting, but it would have been more beneficial to me if it was written more simply and straightforwardly.

[Phil Cotnoir · Rating 5 out of 5]

My but the man could write.

I picture him with a cheeky grin (while still holding his cigar of course) whenever he mentions the name Churchill.

This volume took us through the Renaissance, Reformation, and British revolutions of the 17th century. Kings beheaded, Kings restored, civil wars, Lord Protectors, Puritan killjoys, Catholic schemers (James II); and a discernible throughline amidst the chaos--the fallen depravity of mankind regardless of creed as well as the dawning embrace of a people's right to self-government.

I look forward to continuing the journey in volume three.

[Gina Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

As is to be expected with history, some parts were more exciting than others, but overall I very much enjoy Churchill’s histories. They’re informative and well written.

[Daniel Greear · Rating 4 out of 5]

A History of the English Speaking Peoples (Volume 2: The New World) by Winston S. Churchill:

First and foremost, it is once again a unique pleasure to read a history written by one of the greatest historical figures of all time. A History of the English Speaking Peoples is one of the crowning achievements of Churchill’s life. Most people know Churchill as the great statesman that he was, leading Britain in the dark days of World War II, defiant against the Nazis. Less people know him as a writer, which was his lifelong profession outside of politics. One wonders, how did Churchill have time for this? Let alone the fact that he wrote this history late in life when he was in eighties and after the War.

The second volume begins around 1500 AD and with the New World, or rather, worlds, as the Age of Exploration has begun in earnest and Europeans, particularly the Spanish and Portuguese, are discovering new trade routes to America, India, Africa, and Asia. England, a much reduced state from the 1300s and led under Henry Tudor, is playing catch up. The country has witnessed generations of plague, civil war, and other calamities. They are late to the game.

Enter in Henry VIII, one of the most infamous monarchs in all the history of the world. All know that he broke England away from Rome, as was the trend in Northern Europe during the Protestant Reformation, which, combined with the later Enlightenment and the aforementioned Age of Discovery, shaped the modern world we inhabit today. What must be understood about Henry VIII is that he did not break England away from the church because he only wanted a divorce. England had been drifting away from Rome for centuries, and Henry VIII was simply bold enough to do it. The Catholic Church was corrupt and oppressive, and people were fed up with it.

Much of this book is about growing pains as England is finding its identity in an ever-changing world. Throughout its pages, you see the wars of religion in the background, which England luckily avoided for the most part. Germany was devastated by the Thirty Years War, the deadliest until 1914. France oppressed the Huguenots. The Dutch, a fledgling Protestant nation, fought against stronger Catholic kingdoms for years.

England had its own share of problems. Queen Mary, Henry’s daughter through his Spanish first wife, bent the country back towards Catholicism and oppressed Protestants. Her sister Elizabeth turned the country back to Protestantism and oppressed Catholics. Elizabeth ruled for a long time, creating a prosperous if still shaky reign, where the crowning achievement was the defeat of the Spanish Armanda in the 1580s.

Elizabeth died without an heir, and so enters the Stuarts of Scotland to the English throne, uniting the two kingdoms into the Kingdom of Great Britain. James is remembered for the King James Bible and the founding of the first permanent settlement in the New World, Jamestown, Virginia. But, religious conflict and the rise of absolute monarches would overshadow the 1600s. Scotland becomes Presbyterian, an offshoot of Calvinism. England has the Anglican Church and a number of Catholics still. Additionally, Quakers and Puritans are in the mix and wield significant influence over people and politics.

Charles I dissolved parliament and ruled alone for years. Parliament comes back with a vengeance and the English Civil War begins, Royalist (Cavaliers, where the University of Virginia gets its mascot, because of Virginia’s loyalty to the crown) vs. Parliament (Roundheads) and the kingdom falls into the chasm of destruction once more. Charles loses his head and Oliver Cromwell, a Puritan, becomes dictator. Cromwell’s rule is where much of the longstanding strife and oppression can be traced in Ireland, as his regime was brutal to the people there. Of course, oppressive regimes, even in England during this time and before, do not last forever.

Ultimately, the British as they are now called, decide they still want a monarch and Charles II becomes king. But that’s not all, the issue of religion is still there and the fear of a Papist monarch is too strong. Finally, as parliament becomes more and more powerful, one sees the budding of democracy and political parties, as the Whigs and Tories come to fruition. Strife begins to originate much more from ideals than simply religion.

Eventually, the book ends with James II, a Catholic, fleeing the country and his sister Mary, a staunch Protestant and wife of William, Duke of Orange in the Netherlands, becoming monarchs in the Glorious Revolution of 1688. James II, like his father, was in league with Louis XIV, greatest among French monarchs but hated and feared by the English people. At this point, England is securely situation with a strong and popular Protestant monarchy, a parliament with growing power, and a trade and sea empire on the rise. A man named John Churchill, son of Winston and ancestor to the author, makes an appearance and will play a much greater role in Volume 3.

All the while, the American colonies are growing, along with English outposts in India, the Caribbean, and northern Canada. Many hundreds of thousands of people inhabit the American Colonies including dissenters such as Puritans, Quakers, Scottish Highlanders, Dutch from conquered New York, and African slaves. The free people there already begin to have ideas of self-determination. I wonder what this will spell for the future? ;)

In conclusion, volume two is a great continuation of Churchill’s work, although I find it nowhere near as interesting as the first, The Birth of Britain. Churchill writes well, but, and I dare be critical of the man, seems to write more about the history of English speaking governments than people themselves. There isn’t much of a social history here. All said, this was beneficial to me in that this period English history may be one where I know the least about.

[Cliff M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Volume 2 of 4 of ‘A History of the English Speaking Peoples’ covers the period 1486 to 1688 - the so-called ‘Golden Period’.

The book is brilliant - no one writes history like Winston Churchill - but the history is horrible. No sooner has a new character appeared than they are being castrated and disembowelled in front of a cheering crowd on the orders of the king. The lucky ones get hanged… slowly. Why anyone would push themselves forward in such an environment is beyond me. This tendency to a violent death for anyone involved in the royal family and government made the death by natural causes of one King stand out, which is weird.

Sir Winston’s writing style is so brisk and breezy that in this single volume he manages to cover the rule of the Tudor and Stuart families; the Protestant Reformation; England's Civil War; the (so far) only execution of a monarch by order of in parliament (Charles the First); the ‘Commonwealth of England’ (a republican dictatorship under Oliver Cromwell); and the discovery of the Americas

Most versions of the New World come in at around 400 pages, but some paperbacks with smaller print sizes are closer to 300.

The weakness of a book like this is Sir Winston is writing about what he knows - the so-called ‘great leaders’, royal families, and their equally aristocratic - or at least land-owning - usurpers. The only time ordinary people get mentioned is when they are getting massacred on a battlefield - which happens far too often in this period of history (it was to reach an obscene zenith in the 20th century). I am none the wiser for reading two volumes of A History of the English Speaking peoples as to what ordinary people were doing at the time (other than being conscripted into armies).

I am moving straight onto volume 3 of 4.

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Volume II proceeds more slowly and deliberately than Volume I, covering fewer regimes in a greater number of pages. Henry VIII breaks with the Catholic Church, Richard II is a swine, and then Charles I tries to get the king’s mojo back, but his reign devolves into 12 years of “Personal Rule” and a dissolved Parliament, which then brings on Cromwell and the Roundheads, and the first standing commoner-officered army who end up reeking Puritan havoc on the land, and when finally the dust settles and the fires are quenched, Parliament has brought back a king, Charles II.

Reading of the long struggle between the supporters of centralized government (in the person of a king or queen) and supporters of decentralized government (in the persons of an elected parliament) puts me in mind of what is happening in America today and gives insight into some of the possible directions matters could take. I am supported by George Orwell (in his more optimistic London bombing days) when I say that it seems that whatever happens in America, the ultimate result will remain some form of republican government.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am enjoying this series but I struggled more with this one than the last. It was the section on James I and the English Civil Wars. Oddly enough, I enjoyed the bit on the Restoration, James II and the Glorious Revolution, although it ends with James II throwing away the seal and sailing away.

The most interesting part was the rise of the party system during the reign of Charles II. I don't think I had ever read that part of history before. Modern histories tend to ignore the Whigs and the Tories, maybe because the Whigs no longer exist. But I think it's an important part of British history because it was a transfer from religious based loyalties to party based loyalties. Although religion played a role in the early formation of the party system, politics soon became more important than religion. This was a major advance in civil society. It allowed people to argue ideas instead of religion. Religious arguments tended to be more life or death whereas politics evolved to be less fatal in differences.

In any event, I am grateful to Churchill's history. It is well researched and brings a perspective that I haven't encountered before. While not giving a full history of France, he does mention what is going on on the continent. The histories of France and Britain are so intertwined that it is negligent to ignore the French connection.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

So dependent on an existing knowledge of 1500-1700s British history that it's hard to follow without Wikipedia open. It's a basic retelling of the history that assumes you're already familiar with it, so I can't imagine who the intended audience is. A slog at times. Still, it's interesting to hear how Churchill sees this period in history.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The DRAMA! The betrayals! The MURRRRRRDER! The ignominious kings and desperate warfare between peoples! The REFORMATION!

I loved it!! He's such a brilliant writer! Leaving notes all over for my kiddo to enjoy or .. cringe about. 😂

Y8 here we come!!

[Clayton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was interested in learning more about the English Civil War and had this book on my shelf for a long time. I finally picked it up and read it. I enjoyed the book. I always heard what I felt would be Churchill’s voice while reading the text.

Churchill is deeply versed in the political and royal figures of the day. I found myself referencing Wikipedia frequently to gain some understanding of all the players he mentions in the book.

I suggest reading the book for Churchill’s grand prose and be ready to use Wikipedia and other sources to fill in the background.

[Ian Beardsell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to follow

[Cherif Jazra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very engaging book I highly recommend. It was my first, delving into the intricate threads shaping English rule in the 16 and 17th century. The focus of this volume is mostly on the kings and queen and their interactions with the House of Commons and lords, with which they often fought. From the start of the Stuart monarchy with Henry VII, the break wth Rome over the divorce of Henry VIII with Catherine in order to marry Ann Boleyn(which he later got rid of), the rules of queen Elizabeth and the fights with the Spanish, the first civil war, the era of dictatorship under Cromwell, the restoration and the final glorious revolution of 1688, the rise and fall of such men as Pym, Stafford, Shaftesbury (who was the philosopher John Locke's patron), and even an ancestor of Churchill. A great cast of characters! We see kings and queens, statesmen, generals and clergy, overtaken by the greatest religious upheaval in modern times Europe: the Reformation and the spread of Protestantism. This phenomena was of such huge consequence that it is impossible to overlook in any discussion about the transition out of the feudal and medieval age, towards the age of individual rights, democracy, constitutional governments and market and trade economies. I was very happy to hear the story in the words of Winston Churchill whose smooth, almost conversational style makes the ride on the historical train a delight. It has given me great background context for my readings in the history of political philosophy, which just started with John Locke's second treatise of government.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been reading this book at the rate of a few pages a day, like a textbook, so it has taken almost two months to finish. That pace was used deliberately to help me absorb the facts better. If you enjoy history and especially enjoy English history, this is a terrific book and I highly recommend it. My admiration for Winston Churchill, already great, has grown astronomically. This history was such an ambitious undertaking and he did it well.
The book is readable and interesting; Churchill focuses on events and years, but also the people, and the interactions between the people. If only I could retain a tenth of what I read!
An interesting plus for me is that in these turbulent political times, the series of English civil wars and religious disagreements(!) (the text starts with the Tudors and ends in 1688 after Oliver Cromwell and the restoration) gives me faith that the United States will find its way through our own turbulent times.
I plan to take a break from history and then order Vol III, the Age of Revolution.

[Simone · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a pleasure to listen to. The narrator is very competent, and manages to interpret the text with wit and meaning. The information in it is very extensive, and very well presented and balanced. Even though it comprised periods of history which I don't know much of, I was able to follow the main events and personages and learn a lot from it. Churchill's phrasing and writing is superb. There are various parts in which he seems to speak to the reader, in which he puts asides about current affairs and how certain events unfolded throughout history.

[Andrea Zuvich · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good and relatively brief overview of the time from Henry VIII to the Glorious Revolution of 1688. Some (not much) historical information contained herein is, granted, generally out-of-date now (due to more research having been done since the publication of the book) but on the whole, this book was well-written, interesting, and informative.

[Francisca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm fairly convinced that from 1457 till 1688, Wales did not exist.

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

First let me make clear that I did not read and am not reviewing any book in the collection other than this for one main reason: This is the volume (first-run Book of the Month Club that my father had) that I have on my shelf. Continuing that thought, it will probably be the last volume in the collection I shall read and review.
Simply, this is not at all what I expected. Given Churchill's reputation for elegance in his use of the English language I imagined a volume rich in depth and explanation of what it was that made the English-speaking peoples any different from any other in terms of cultural development. It was not there.
As a critic noted in a bi-fold from BOMC that accompanies the book, Churchill was not an academician nor is this a book an academic history in any way. As noted there and as is obvious from reading "The New World," Churchill's idea of history is centered on two things: the doings of English monarchs and nobles, as well as the Catholic, Anglican, and Presbyterian churches, particularly as they relate to how the monarchs rule. Social and cultural things (outside of religion) afoot in that era may as well not exist. Shakespeare? One mention. Marlowe. Nada. You get the idea.
So what does that leave us? The Stuarts and the English Civil War. Throw in a touch of Mary, Queen of Scots and that's the drive here. Henry VIII, Elizabeth and that cast of characters. Naturally, to place this history into any context requires a look at the break from Rome and the popes. While it is easy to think of the break from the Catholic Church as Henry VIII's way of getting divorce legalized, Churchill does do it justice by taking us through a triptych of what led to the schism. One factor was the rise of Protestantism after Luther posted his theses in what is now Germany. Another was the rise of English nationalism. Why should the English monarch and the church take marching orders from Rome or somewhere else in the Empire? Think of it as the Brexit of its times, but with history-changing results.
Work in the advent of the Puritans, who essentially forced the civil war (they certainly didn't all climb on the Mayflower to colonize North America) with Oliver Cromwell as their top general and then dictator, and we get the makings of a state that leans more heavily on representative governance than (admittedly without checking) pretty much anywhere in the developed world at the time.
Speaking of North America, this volume is titled "The New World," but that is misleading. Contemporary history regards that phrase being the provenance of the discovery of the Americas by and for Europeans, yet the colonies of those powers are hardly mentioned and herein play a scant role in the history being told. Not having Churchill nearby, one might extrapolate from the book's content that "The New World" referenced is less about the Americas and more about the changing powers of the English monarchy and the unprecedented rise (for its time, of course) of representative governance, not to mention the departure from the Catholic Church as the state religion.
Not a long read, but his English chauvinism, perhaps characteristic of a man who still thought and dreamed of the Empire as it was when he was younger, one on which the sun never set and was a dominant force, does shine through. And he is naturally proud of his family's place (and his namesake's place therein) in English history. In any event, this is not a critical book for one to read, but if you have a little time and want a quick run-through of that era, this may do nicely.

[Leon Markham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Winston Churchill: History of the English-Speaking Peoples Volume II: The New World

My wife bought me a set of these books as a first wedding anniversary present. I always meant to read them. I never got round to it.

The man who wrote "history will be kind to me, for I intend to write it" deserves to have his history read. So here we are.

I started with book 2 on the basis that it seemed interesting, and would give me a better chance of completing the set. Having read this, however, I don't think I needed to fear, and I am confident all four volumes will be completed before the year is out.

The Contradictory Churchill

Winston Churchill carries a great fascination for me, as he does for many of my countrymen. He is a somewhat contradictory figure. Even by the standards of his day he was something of a racist. He was a staunch imperialist. He made many poor decisions.
He did, however, make one very important good decision. I do not think it is an exaggeration to say that his principled standing against the evil of the Nazis changed the course of history.
I also find it fascinating that this arch-imperialist did a deal with the USA to defeat the Nazis which also gave away the British Empire. I am certain he must have known, at some level, this would happen.

The Prose

The prose is more accessible than I feared. I should not be surprised that Churchill writes in such an engaging way. The quality of the prose is one of the best things about this book.
It is adorable that he starts by explaining that the 16th century is the years that begin with 15. I should find this less confusing than his readers did.

I had not known of Erasmus and his contribution to the intellectual life of the United Kingdom. With that said, I suspect that you should not take this review as authoritative. Nor Churchill's view of the world.

Why Read This Now

We live in an era of dramatic change. It seems that the resurgent nationalist right is doing a better job of telling stories and framing the narrative.

Part of my interest in this book is that it offers a clear, positive narrative about what it means to be English, British and a member of the English Speaking Peoples. This is also a job that Billy Bragg's Progressive Patriot is trying to perform, if in a very different way.

The left needs better stories. Churchill, for all his faults, knew how to tell one.

Limitations

Ireland is really only touched on lightly. It is used as an example of the vileness and brutality of Oliver Cromwell. This is not a complete picture.

Churchill was writing a particular kind of history for a particular purpose. He wanted to bind the English-speaking world together. He succeeded in that aim. Whether that binding still holds is a question for our generation to answer.

===========================================================================

For 2026 I've decided to do a write up on every book I read.

In this age of LLMs, it seems like appreciation rather than creation is the uniquely human act. I also have a sense that some sort of book report will help me remember the lessons each book has to teach.

As always - the rating system is as follows:
***** - I'll read it again
**** - You should read it
*** - I'm glad I read it
** - I wish I hadn't read it
* - I wish it hadn't been written.

[Bryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

As Pamela can attest, Winston Churchill is one of my heroes. She even discovered the existence of the Churchill War Rooms Museum in London during our trip there, and gave me ample time to explore it, of which I took full advantage. For those who question my patriotism, Winston Churchill was an honorary U.S. Citizen, and some Presidents have adorned the Oval Office with Churchill’s bust, though not my man, Obama, for some reason.

From reading about Churchill’s life, I’ve recently transitioned into reading his works as an author. He is a good writer (he won the Nobel Prize in Literature) and during the latest lockdown, I ordered his 4 volume History of the English Speaking Peoples. The first volume was decent; it covered so much history that it was hard to keep my bearings. This volume, the second, is outstanding. It covers a much shorter historic timeframe than the first, allowing the reader to understand and sympathize with those Englishmen and Americans (the New World is colonized during the time period this book covers) who ‘strut their hour upon the stage’ in this book. I’m glad I purchased these books, and I’ll soon move on to the 3rd and 4th volumes.

[David Pyle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this volume of The History of the English Speaking Peoples intriguing, especially because within its pages I believe I found the impetus of this project. The close of the book sees the end of the reign of King James II; in both his reign and his father’s (King Charles II), distant forbears of the author (William and John Churchill) play significant parts.

Sir Winston Churchill has an evident bias toward the Anglican Church, as opposed to the other options, not surprisingly. He does, however, clearly point out the hypocrisy of all sides in his accounting. It is astounding to see how large a part the broad sectarian divide played in the history of the Island Nation, beginning in Volume 1 with Celtic versus Christian, carrying through to the Catholic/Anglican/Puritan/Anabaptist conflicts in this book. In a sense, that whole conflict played a huge part in our nation’s founding (The United States of America).

It’s 1688 now and I’m excited to see the next volume unfold. Carry on, good sir!

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

This volumes covers The Tudor Dynasty, sorting out the mess of Henry VIII and the church. There is considerable coverage of the religious issues of the day. The Cardinal Wolsey episodes, the break with Rome, Martin Luther's impact in the world leading to the reformation. England's clash with Spain in the Spanish Armada, the beginning of the new frontiers in America as the Mayflower sets sail. The final quarter of the book deals with the English civil war, the Cromwell era, and as the political parties of the Whigs and Tories arrive on the scene as the Catholic King James II tries to bring back catholicism to England the people revolt as the book ends with the Revolution of 1688, keeping the catholic religion from being re-established in England. Oh and there are more wars. conquering, hangings and beheading's in case you wondered, this time around people were getting a bit fed up with arbitrary punishment. Liberty on the rise you say???

[Colin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am reading this celebrated work volume by volume. I think that this second volume - which broadly covers the Tudor and Stuart monarchies - is more convincing that the first volume. I say this because I detect Churchill's greater interest and engagement in the subjects covered, particularly the civil wars of the seventeenth century. Churchill's focus is high politics and the military campaigns. The narrative drives forward with purple prose and the reader gains a good understanding of the sequence of events. Absent is any real analysis of what was happening and of how the kingdom's economy and society developed. Moreover, the sources were limited and out-of-date at the time that the volumes were produced. Nevertheless, this is an enjoyable read and is worthy of attention for the story that is tells and for the perspective of the story-teller.

[Elizabeth Reid · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading many US history books, taking US history classes, and receiving a degree in history, I still have felt like something has been missing in my understanding of early American history. I decided that if I wanted to understand colonial Americans better I need to have a greater understanding of where they came from and why breaking away from Great Britain was so imperative.

Reading Churchill's books has greatly filled in what has been missing for me. I feel like I'm coming to understand the culture and thought of the British, both their positives and negatives, through this series.

I especially am understanding the years and YEARS of connections between church and state during the time frame of this book, something that was always rather hazy for me. However, I'm still trying to figure out if religion was political or if politics were religious...

[Joseph Ficklen · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of Churchill’s greatest qualities as a man is his generosity and respect for other men, even if he differs from them. He reflects this magnanimity in his historical writings, being able to recognize and convey the cunning of Richard III, the grandeur of Louis XIV, and the virtues of Charles I. However, he has little charity to spare for figures such as Oliver Cromwell and James II. They are constantly disparaged, questioned, cast in the blackest colors. Even their moral constancy is represented as obstinacy. Churchill seems to prefer more morally flexible characters like Charles II and his own ancestor the Duke of Marlborough. Churchill does wrong to Cromwell and James II. But in spite of this partisanship, I greatly enjoyed this volume, covering a period of history that Americans would do well to learn more about.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

For writing, for thoroughness of research, and for scope, this book is definitely 5 stars. Yet, the last third, about the Republic, the Restoration, and the Revolution became tiresome. The crux of all the conflict, personal rights vs. absolute rule was overlaid with constant religious intolerance. The final chapter was about as happy as this period could be in that a king was replaced without war and without execution or murder. (No spoiler alert necessary because this is history.) Churchill's ancestors made their appearance during this period; he handled their actions respectfully as would be expected. I did find the entire sections on the Tudor dynasty and the Civil Wars of the 17th century both familiar and fascinating.