September 15, 2023
A British comedian and actor puts forth a goofy look at the English monarchs. "We seem to need the trappings of monarchical continuity in order to reflect contentedly upon ourselves, just as we need alcohol in order to socialize," writes Mitchell early on. "The English have more to fear from republicanism than most--we risk losing our skimpy sense of self....The English tradition of kings and queens has a lot riding on it and a lot to answer for." His opening monarch is Arthur, who, he argues, never existed, at least not in any of the guises that have been imagined for him. Describing who he might have been, the author writes, "someone like that, the idea goes, might have been the bit of real grit in the imagination oyster that turned into the Arthurian pearl. Personally, I don't think imagination oysters need real grit any more than metaphorical bonnets need real bees." There was a real Edward the Confessor, there was an Edward I, and there were Plantagenets and Tudors. In Mitchell's eyes, all of them were complex failures. Many were bloodthirsty--"Apart from seizing the throne and having his nephews murdered, Richard seems comparatively nice"--and many inept, many more, writes the author, were both. He closes his account at the end of the bloodiest periods of history, reminding us that while the Spanish Armada is a key moment in English memory, it's forgotten that Queen Elizabeth sent a fleet to Spain the next year with equally calamitous results. Indeed, because the book ends so early, one hopes for a sequel bringing us up to date. As it is, Mitchell's book is a sardonic, endlessly funny update to the classic 1066 and All That. An eye poke for stiff-upper-lip monarchists, but good for many grins among the less worshipful of England's royals.
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October 23, 2023
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.
November 1, 2023
Mitchell, not the author of Cloud Atlas but an acerbic British comedian and television commentator, takes us back in time to tell the raucous story of Britain's prehistory and the messy and bumbling founding of the monarchy. His account includes the rise and fall of Roman Britain, the introduction of Christianity, and the construction of Britain as a country up through the death of Elizabeth I in 1603. If this seems the stuff of a dry history text, it's not. Mitchell's writing is lively, funny, insightful, and wonderfully informative. He busts all kinds of common myths: King Arthur never existed; Viking helmets didn't have those big horns jutting out from them. Mitchell also makes the hard-to-remember, polysyllabic names of historical figures--Athelstan, Aelfgifu, Ceolwulf--not only memorable but significant. If Bill Bryson were to write a book about the early history of England, it might resemble this one. Absolutely wonderful.
COPYRIGHT(2023) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.