The Stuarts Book

Though they aren't as well known as the Plantagenets or the Tudors, the reign of the Stuarts (1603-1714) was a transformative period in English history and thus worth studying. This book provides a pretty good overview. Even though it focuses mainly on the political history of the time, it's not a dry or difficult read. It is not, however, very suitable for someone who doesn't already have some knowledge of English history, as there are a lot of offhand references to events and institutions that a reader with no background wouldn't be aware of. I had a few other issues with the book. It's poorly edited in places, and in particular Miller has an annoying habit of switching back and forth between names and titles when referring to specific people. He also gives short shrift to the queens of the era: the chapter on William and Mary mentions Queen Mary fewer than a dozen times, and the chapter on Anne focuses mostly on the activities of the key politicians and military leaders of her reign. But overall, it's a good survey of the era and worth reading.