aBurntShip

                            Somerset: A Troubled Century 1600 - 1699 by Allan Bunyan (2021)                                     Photo of Taunton Castle , by Chris Jeanes, 2007,  courtesy of Wikipedia Commons and the photographer.  As I am hoping to visit Taunton and Bridgewater next month, thought that would start reading up about the history of Somerset during the 17th century, and this is the first book that I have chosen . 'Somerset A Troubled Century 1600-1699 ' is heartily recommended. The author has a great knowledge of the county,  has done some serious research, and the book is well footnoted. Some published local history work can be anecdote driven, even gossipy,  or just swamped with obscure details. This book demonstrates what can be achieved in the field, being both very informative, readable and  useful for anyone with an interest in 17th century history, whether from Somerset or elsewhere.  The authors which seem to have inspired  this writer are Diane Purkiss ( p

                 Monmouth biography by Laura Brennan, Pen & Sword Books                      This biography came out in 2018 and now available on kindle. Only two years after Anna Keay's extensive biography 'The Duke of Monmouth- The Last Royal Rebel'. I treated myself to the hardback version and noticed straight away it seems quite short, 133 pages text  ( excluding index and bibliography). The book has attracted some criticism due to errors, typos and poor editing. Which is a shame, because there is some valuable questions raised about the Duke of Monmouth and the 1685 Rebellion.   Although titled 'Life and Rebellion' , the book is  not a standard biography. The life of James, born in Rotterdam in 1649, to Lucy Walter, mistress to the young Charles II in exile and uncrowned, his initial promotion and rise to a leading Restoration figure,  even as illegitimate son to the king, only to be executed by his Uncle James II after leading a doomed rebellion, is extrao