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Unruly: The Ridiculous History of England's Kings and Queens

Written by:
David Mitchell
Narrated by:
David Mitchell

Unabridged Audiobook

Ratings
Book
9
Narrator
4
Release Date
October 3, 2023
Duration
11 hours 39 minutes
Summary
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.
Reviews
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Vicky W.

I’m a big Anglophile and this book was a breath of fresh air, lots of humor and great history. I wish he would do a similar book just about the Tudors. Loved the listen, btw, so did my husband who is really not into British history, but he’s learning!

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Owen K.

Entertaining and informative, as expected from David Mitchell.

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Anonymous

The perfection and accuracy we expect from Mitchell

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Paul H.

lovely book

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