Unruly
The Ridiculous History of England's Kings and Queens
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4.4 • 31 Ratings
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- $13.99
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- $13.99
Publisher Description
INSTANT #1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER • A rollicking history of England’s kings and queens from Arthur to Elizabeth I, a tale of power, glory, and excessive beheadings by award-winning British actor and comedian David Mitchell
“Clever, amusing, gloriously bizarre and razor sharp. Mitchell [is] a funny man and a skilled historian.”―The Times
Think you know the kings and queens of England? Think again.
In Unruly, David Mitchell explores how early England’s monarchs, while acting as feared rulers firmly guiding their subjects’ destinies, were in reality a bunch of lucky bastards who were mostly as silly and weird in real life as they appear today in their portraits.
Taking us back to King Arthur (spoiler: he didn’t exist), Mitchell tells the founding story of post-Roman England up to the reign of Elizabeth I (spoiler: she dies). It’s a tale of narcissists, inadequate self-control, middle-management insurrection, uncivil wars, and a few Cnuts, as the English evolved from having their crops stolen by the thug with the largest armed gang to bowing and paying taxes to a divinely anointed king.
How this happened, who it happened to, and why the hell it matters are all questions that Mitchell answers with brilliance, wit, and the full erudition of a man who once studied history—and won’t let it off the hook for the mess it’s made.
A funny book that takes history seriously, Unruly is for anyone who has ever wondered how the British monarchy came to be—and who is to blame.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
British comedian Mitchell (Back Story) covers the oft-told history of English monarchs, from the mythical King Arthur up to the reign of Elizabeth I, in a cheerfully profane yet well-researched chronicle "that aims to be funny but not spoof, irreverent but not trivial." Pop culture references are sprinkled throughout; for example, William the Conqueror's undignified end receives a grumpy comparison to James Bond's surprising demise in No Time to Die. (That is, he exploded.) One amusing bit likens exasperated Magna Carta–wielding nobles in the 13th century and their inept ruler King John to a modern retired couple who desperately need a break from each other. The Tudors provide plenty of fodder; Mitchell describes the 1520 Field of the Cloth of Gold as a "great big camp international summit" in which both Henry VIII and Francis I of France "proclaimed a vacuous bromance." With a light tone and deep historical knowledge, Mitchell excavates a strong strain of absurdity running through the institution of the monarchy. This jocular account makes an old story feel fresh.
