Review by Choice Review
Oliver Cromwell continues to arouse controversy more than 300 years after his death; certainly, he attracted enough admirers and detractors in his own time. But was he the "brave bad man" destined for hellfire (as the earl of Clarendon asserted)? Or did he deserve the encomium of his servant, John Maidston, who said that "a larger spirit has seldom dwelt in a house of clay?" Gaunt's biography will not solve the riddle of this enigmatic man, but it does provide the best introduction to the military career, political life, and historical debate surrounding Cromwell. In chapter 1 Gaunt sifts through Cromwell's dust, discussing--and discarding--the legends and canards purveyed by royalist detractors in his own time and later. He devotes five chapters to a chronological treatment of Cromwell's incredible rise: from obscure Huntingdonshire gentleman and cavalry captain in the Civil War to all-victorious Lord General, and finally, to his elevation as head of state as Lord Protector. The final chapter provides a balanced assessment of Cromwell as soldier, statesman, and private individual, with trenchant insight into the role of religion in Cromwell's life. Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and above. D. R. Bisson Belmont University
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Booklist Review
Gaunt introduces Oliver Cromwell by recounting the strong opinions still held about him, especially in Ireland, which Cromwell ruthlessly subjugated. Reviled by monarchists, too, the regicide and lord protector was posthumously hanged following the Stuart Restoration of 1660. Not until the late 1800s did his reputation rise, when a statue of him was erected in London. Facing such contrasts of appraisal, Gaunt makes an impressive attempt to present a balanced estimate of the man. He credits as genuine Cromwell's conviction of being guided by God's will in his decisions, which contemporary opponents disparaged as hypocritical cover for power lust. With this religious thread, Gaunt leads general readers through Cromwell's military role in the dramatic course of the English Civil War and the unstable political settlement he attempted to fashion following it. --Gilbert Taylor Copyright 2004 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Library Journal Review
Two brief biographies of Oliver Cromwell and Sir Francis Drake continue the winning new series published by NYU Press in conjunction with the British Library. Written by specialists, these bright, concise biographies are nevertheless accessible to general readers and young people, making them enormously valuable. Gaunt, the author of numerous books on Cromwell and the British Civil War, is an engaging writer who takes the reader through Cromwell's life, campaigns, and Protectorate. Readers learn the basics about Cromwell and more. Not just a Puritan but a God-driven man, Cromwell might well be compared to George W. Bush. There are few extant records about Cromwell, and historians hotly debate many of the earlier works written about him. This "Cromwell Lite" demythologizes much of that literature and sets the record straight. Similarly, cartographic historian Whitfield indicates that the 19th- and 20th-century romanticizing of Sir Francis Drake is well off the mark. Drake's reported family history appears bogus; he was a privateer, willing to destroy friends for the sake of his ambitions, certainly flamboyant, and ultimately a flawed man. Again, though compact, this is an exciting and wholly convincing interpretation of an important British figure. Highly recommended for both public and academic libraries.-Gail Benjafield, St. Catharines P.L., Ont. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Adult/High School-This biography is an excellent way to introduce readers to this dynamic personality who came to dominate the British Isles in the 17th century, rising from fairly humble beginnings to do so. His influence ran from military to political to religious. Gaunt appreciates the man for the kinds of reasons that will resonate with modern readers, especially Cromwell's liberal attitude toward religious belief and observance, at least within Protestantism. The concentration on this aspect of his greatness does rather miss the point that his importance comes from his role in his own time and his effect on posterity, but this is still a well-designed introduction to a fascinating and important figure. The book has mainly color illustrations and a map that readers unfamiliar with English geography will find useful.-Ted Westervelt, Library of Congress, Washington, DC (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
