No. 32 - Charles I

by Christopher Hibbert

Started: August 22
Finished: August 26

Notes: I literally found this book. It was on the floor of a restaurant near a trash can. Since I was the only customer in the place at the time, I snagged the book, asked the waiters if it was theirs, then when they said "no," I took it home. The book's in good shape, barely read, so it's not as if it's in bad condition. I've never read any Hibbert, but I've heard he's a fun historian to read, not some boring scholar. Also, for years I've been meaning to read more about Charles I and the English Civil War. And, I've read so much fiction this year, I'm starting to feel I need to get back to some non-fiction. Here goes.

Mini review: Charles I is a sad, tragic figure, perhaps one of the most tragic real figures of history. This book starts great, full of stories of intrigue that would make Dumas jealous. Towards the end, though, it gets pretty heavy, bogged down with a lot of political history, a ton of names and the like. Still, a good read. One of the better history books I've read in a long while. The Scotch-Irish in me makes me want to shout, "Down with Oliver Cromwell!"