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The Making of Oliver Cromwell

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The Making of Oliver Cromwell

By: Ronald Hutton
Narrated by: Michael Page
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About this listen

The first volume in a pioneering account of Oliver Cromwell - providing a major new interpretation of one of the greatest figures in history.

Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658) - the only English commoner to become the overall head of state - is one of the great figures of history, but his character was very complex. He was at once courageous and devout, devious and self-serving; as a parliamentarian, he was devoted to his cause; as a soldier, he was ruthless. Cromwell's speeches and writings surpass in quantity those of any other ruler of England before Victoria, and, for those seeking to understand him, he has usually been taken at his word.

In this remarkable new work, Ronald Hutton untangles the facts from the fiction. Cromwell, pursuing his devotion to God and cementing his Puritan support base, quickly transformed from obscure provincial to military victor. At the end of the first English Civil War, he was poised to take power. Hutton reveals a man who was both genuine in his faith and deliberate in his dishonesty - and uncovers the inner workings of the man who has puzzled biographers for centuries.

©2021 Ronald Hutton (P)2021 Tantor Europe Great Britain Historical Politicians Politics & Activism England War

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I found this book to be full of interesting facts and well researched detail. The narration was a little monotone, but an achievement with the level of detail that needed to be put across. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Recommended.

A little fry butfry but Excellent

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A good overall book about the man covering his personal, political and military life as well as a good general history of the English Civil War ..

Worth a listen to if you want a general introduction to the period .

Lots of details and dates

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I have been searching for a thorough and comprehensive biography of Cromwell for some years and was delighted to find this. It is well written and enormously detailed.
I did not enjoy listening to it because the narrator reads everything in exactly the same tone. whether he's detailing the attendees at a meeting or talking you through a battle, it all sounds the same and makes it hard to listen to.
I am about to start the second book and am hoping that it is better narrated.
I would still recommend this book as it is very informative but it could have been a lot more enjoyable with the right narrator.

Interesting but not enjoyable

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very stiff narration for me. Detail is amazing but I am not really the person for this level of historical detail of fighting forces but I appreciate it will suit some.

interesting but...

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Gripping. Fact filled novel, highly
Recommended, Hard to put down. A bargain book. Excellent read.

Excellent novel.

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Problem with Cromwell is that you can view him as a mean murderous religious zealot or a guy operating in the context of his time who at the end of the day brought parliamentary democracy to England - which was one hell of an achievement for an obscure bloke from East Anglia. I tend to lean slightly towards the latter. The author clearly strongly to the former. So it has an element of another Cromwell bashing tome about it. That said the performance is good and it is worth a listen. The only broadly balanced book either way that I have read on Cromwell is the Antonia Fraser one, and ironically she is a Jesuit.

Subject that polarizes

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Hutton has a great style, I found the book most interesting when describing Cromwell's life off the battlefield.

Very Good

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Good history good to know true history there is a Abbey near me and Crowell hump were he put the connans

that he was christen

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I liked the excellent narrator and a historical figure I knew very little about. However now I know a whole lot more.

An excellent portrait of a very controversial figure.

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Overall I enjoyed the book. I was a little disappointed in that at the end I still knew very little about what made Cromwell tick. I had hoped for more about the influences and writing of Cromwell. I think the conversation of Cromwell to Christianity and the puritans could have been probed a lot more as clearly they were key in making Cromwell. Nevertheless I did get a flavour of the factions in parliament and how the civil war went in regards to Cromwell.

Interesting but not too deep.

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