Reviews for A History Of East Africa

The average rating for A History Of East Africa based on 2 reviews is 3.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2015-02-22 00:00:00 Francis Broderick There are many key notes occurring during the Tudor Dynasty: from the Battle of Bosworth to Henry VIII’s wives to the Spanish Armada. Although on a smaller scale; there were also some other notable events such as rebellions and uprisings amongst the citizens of England (does the ‘Pilgrimage of Grace’ ring a bell?). Anthony Fletcher and Diarmaid MacCulloch take a look at these in, “Tudor Rebellions” (revised 5th Edition). “Tudor Rebellions” begins with a chronology of events, a “Who’s Who” of key figures, and maps of the paths of the rebellions. These maps are definitely noteworthy as I have read hundreds of Tudor history books and don’t particularly recall such maps of the rebellions elsewhere. This flows into a psychological and sociological look into the setup of Tudor societies, what motivated them, and how/why the social classes were managed. Although a little bit dry for those not interested in such topics; Fletcher and MacCulloch’s writing is still accessible. Following is a chronological description of the rebellions which took place. Each of these is assessed in strong detail per the events, people involved, where they occurred, doctrines produced, any legal complexities, etc. It is clear that the authors conducted abundant research and again, I have not seen such a presentation focusing solely on the rebellions elsewhere. Not to mention, “Tudor Rebellions” differs by focusing more on the side of the citizens and protestors versus that of the government illuminating a whole new perspective and outlook. Each rebellion is followed by an analysis exploring various theories of the causes of these uprisings. The problem with this is that “Tudor Rebellions” reads like a college case study at this point. Fletcher and MacCulloch too often quote others and simply paraphrase previous studies versus offering their own input. This breaks up the work and slows the pace. “Tudor Rebellions” provides a vast amount of information and detail in a small space. Although that is a good thing for those seeking facts about the period; it can also be overwhelming and requires small breaks in order to take it all in and absorb the material. It isn’t that “Tudor Rebellions” isn’t easy-to-read per se; but it isn’t super fast, either. It is somewhat deceiving based purely on length. The third part of “Tudor Rebellions” attempts to explain why rebellions occurred logistically and economically in terms of high and low politics. Sadly, the thesis is lost, the argument is weak and the section is seemingly pointless in the text as it would make absolutely no difference on impact if it was absent. Luckily, “Tudor Rebellions” is then refueled by part four which features 24 primary documents ranging from articles to letters written by both key figures and rebels which provide a delightful insight into these historical events. The only issue with these supplements are the spelling (kept in its original) which makes reading slightly difficult. Fletcher and MacCulloch then provide some notes and a list of sources, as well. “Tudor Rebellions” is a great piece for an isolated look at the rebellions which took place during the Tudor dynasty. The coverage is informative and provides more depth than other books which merely mention these events. The text is somewhat slow; but it is certainly recommended for all readers who are interested in the Tudor times (but more so for those with some preexisting knowledge on the topic versus novice readers).

Review # 2 was written on 2015-01-22 00:00:00 Uyguyiu U�oipok Really interesting. It is amazing how few rebellions are taught in school. British history is convulsed by rebellions in almost every century yet our knowledge is generally confined to the civil wars and possibly the peasants revolt. Were I a cynic I might suppose that it isn't good to let the hoi polloi know that they don't have to take what is offered meekly......