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The Restless Republic
- Britain Without a Crown
- Narrated by: Lucy Tregear
- Length: 14 hrs and 3 mins
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The Restless Republic
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Summary
THE SUNDAY TIMES HISTORY BOOK OF THE YEAR 2022
WINNER OF THE POL ROGER DUFF COOPER PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION
SHORTLISTED FOR THE BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE
Eleven years when Britain had no king.
In 1649, Britain was engulfed by revolution.
On a raw January afternoon, the Stuart king, Charles I, was executed for treason. Within weeks, the English monarchy had been abolished and the ‘useless and dangerous’ House of Lords discarded. The people, it was announced, were now the sovereign force in the land. What this meant, and where it would lead, no one knew.
The Restless Republic is the story of the extraordinary decade that followed. It takes as its guides the people who lived through those years. Among them is Anna Trapnel, the daughter of a Deptford shipwright whose visions transfixed the nation. John Bradshaw, the Cheshire lawyer who found himself trying the king. Marchamont Nedham, the irrepressible newspaper man and puppet master of propaganda. Gerrard Winstanley, who strove for a utopia of common ownership where no one went hungry. William Petty, the precocious scientist whose mapping of Ireland prefaced the dispossession of tens of thousands. And the indomitable Countess of Derby, who defended to the last the final Royalist stronghold on the Isle of Man.
The Restless Republic ranges from London to Leith, Cornwall to Connacht, from the corridors of power to the common fields and hillsides. Gathering her cast of trembling visionaries and banished royalists, dextrous mandarins and bewildered bystanders, Anna Keay brings to vivid life the most extraordinary and experimental decade in Britain’s history. It is the story of how these tempestuous years set the British Isles on a new course, and of what happened when a conservative people tried revolution.
Critic reviews
"An exceptional book about an exceptional time." (John Adamson)
"Anna Keay has rescued a period of history which for many will have been uncharted territory.... An imaginative triumph." (A. N. Wilson)
"Deft, confident, deeply learned and provocative." (Rory Stewart)
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What listeners say about The Restless Republic
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 30-06-22
Brings history to life
Rolls forward in beautiful prose storytelling, giving effortless insights into both the day to day lives and loves of the main actors as well as the turbulent movements of the spirit of the age.
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Pat Glennon
- 10-02-24
Exceptionally researched and written
The book is one of the best history books I have listened to in recent years. The author has such an original approach, delving into the lives of an assortment of characters in a way that propels the narrative forward and enriches our understanding of the times far beyond what is offered in a traditional history.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 12-03-22
very interesting
found this book surprisingly good, as good as any fictional book. Interesting glimpses into all sorts of people.
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4 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- JDRS
- 02-09-23
Thoroughly recommended
Telling the story of the British republic through the lives of the individuals who experienced it made for an engrossing tale. I feel I have a clearer picture of life in the 1650s and a great insight into the many ways people adapt to the new and live through volatile times. A useful picture for our world today. The ultimate triumph of compromise and the middle way was a heartening conclusion.
The narrator was excellent. I could (and did) listen to Lucy Tregaron for hours on end.
I hope Anna Keay writes many more books. On this experience, I’d read every one.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amit
- 28-06-23
A great achievement
The story of a remarkable time in history told remarkably well. Very well sketched out characters who are all too human. It’s amazing how despite these events happening almost four hundred years ago, the people and their issues are deeply relatable. All of this is enhanced by the excellent narration.
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- hayley waterhouse``
- 17-01-24
A well rounded look at a underwritten part of history
This book shines a light on a part of history which is not taught in our schools or widely known despite being so significant in shaping the United Kingdom. Well read and well paced
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Amazon Customer
- 08-10-23
Fascinating Book
Superb book Anna, so interesting and very hard to put down as the twists and turns compel you to keep listening. Narration is first-class. Would whole heartedly recommend and I will definitely listen to this book again.
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1 person found this helpful
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- BoHoBaggins
- 30-01-23
Terrific
An engaging, interesting and enjoyable journey through this fascinating period in English and British history.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Amazon Customer
- 18-01-23
Fascinating history, beautifully read.
Great story of an understudied period, and the reading is excellent. The interweaving of different historical narratives really brings the world to life.
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- Rohan Kennedy-Turner
- 26-11-23
Vivid and fascinating
Absolutely fantastic, restless Republic makes history come alive through detailed biographical accounts of individuals living through this fascinating period. Wonderfully written and read.
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