The Blazing World

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AN ECONOMIST AND NEW YORKER BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR • This engaging history of seventeenth-century England captures a revolutionary era marked by societal upheaval and the emergence of the modern world. It highlights a time when a radically democratic commonwealth seemed possible, as noted by Adam Gopnik in The New Yorker. The author convincingly argues that this turbulent period qualifies as truly ‘revolutionary’ due to its profound societal changes, not just political upheavals, and presents the narrative with wry humor and occasional bawdiness, as described by The Wall Street Journal. The century began with England under the rule of a Scotsman and concluded amid a Dutch invasion. Under James I, the nation faced terrorism and witch hunts, while his son Charles's reign descended into civil war, an army coup, and regicide. For a brief moment, England became a republic, witnessing fierce struggles over faith and an unprecedented assertion of parliamentary power. In the vibrant, plague-ridden streets of London, new, populist ideas emerged, challenging monarchical control. Despite its significance, this century remains less known than it should be, with myths surrounding key figures and events like the Gunpowder Plot and the Great Fire of London overshadowing the Civil War's complexities. Today, as the British constitution faces similar strains and ideological clashes echo past conflicts, the story of this fascinating century is