History

The Last King of America: The Misunderstood Reign of George III

The Last King of America: The Misunderstood Reign of George III

  • Downloads：9146
  • Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
  • Create Date：2021-11-12 17:22:00
  • Update Date：2025-09-07
  • Status：finish
  • Author：Andrew Roberts
  • ISBN：B08XNB1RYY
  • Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle

Reviews

A J ，

This book is what we’ve been waiting for and an absolute masterpiece by Andrew Roberts。 Possibly his best work if not coming alongside his Churchill biography。 This is history at its best。 Roberts has able to paint a picture of George III in his times so that your really feel you ‘know’ him。 His arguments are solid as he looks to unpick the propaganda of Whig or American historians which has tainted the view of George to be seen as possibly one of England’s worst monarchs。 But was he on par with This book is what we’ve been waiting for and an absolute masterpiece by Andrew Roberts。 Possibly his best work if not coming alongside his Churchill biography。 This is history at its best。 Roberts has able to paint a picture of George III in his times so that your really feel you ‘know’ him。 His arguments are solid as he looks to unpick the propaganda of Whig or American historians which has tainted the view of George to be seen as possibly one of England’s worst monarchs。 But was he on par with King John or Richard II？ No， he couldn’t be further away from them。 George was a pious， patriot king of a limited monarchy and fulfilled the role excellently。 It speaks volumes of a man that people who knew him the most liked him the best。 Was he a tyrant？ It’s hard to see how， as Roberts argues if he was then he would have come down like an iron fist on the cartoons and press that freely were able to kick him and he would have vetoed acts of parliament he did not agree with。 He in fact left the press to it and never intervened on an act。 He was against slavery as his personal letters show。 He did not own one or profit from the trade。 He didn’t speak up in support of the abolitionists when it can to the debate， but again he was a limited monarch who did not intervene so history should not judge him harshly here。 This was in the backdrop of the French Revolution and following the Gordon Riots where people justifiably feared any rock to the status quo could have ended in disaster。 He was an advocate of religious freedom， free thought and liberty and a patron of academia and the arts。 It is a shame he didn’t support Catholic Emancipation， however he was a down to earth and approachable monarch。 He loved his people and they loved him。 The book is well written， the building of 18th century society by Roberts is utterly mind blowing and his conclusion is fantastic。 I loved it and couldn’t put it down。 。。。more

Helen ，

Rating based on an abridged audiobook。

Mat ，

TelRev5

Richard Cohen ，

Andrew Roberts has again benefitted by being given access to hitherto classified archives held by the Queen。 He has also ably mined the diaries of Frances Burney "Keeper of the Queen's Robes"。 His scholarship shows as does his humane but not uncritical sympathy with his subject who contrary to the musical "Hamilton" is no pantomime cut out。 Professor Roberts dissects the 28 accusations in the Declaration of Independence， 26 of which he proves to be false or exaggerated。 His description of the fi Andrew Roberts has again benefitted by being given access to hitherto classified archives held by the Queen。 He has also ably mined the diaries of Frances Burney "Keeper of the Queen's Robes"。 His scholarship shows as does his humane but not uncritical sympathy with his subject who contrary to the musical "Hamilton" is no pantomime cut out。 Professor Roberts dissects the 28 accusations in the Declaration of Independence， 26 of which he proves to be false or exaggerated。 His description of the five bouts of madness endured by the King is poignant and he comprehensively dismisses the false diagnosis of Porphyria。 George did suffer from intermittent episodes of manic depression or bipolar syndrome。 Nevertheless， he had a happy marriage although did not get much joy from his fifteen children。 He was the first Hanoverian Monarch who felt more English than German and was the last King who ruled as well as reigned。 The loss of the colonies is addressed with much erudition and there is a great deal that is new to be learned。 On the credit side， Napoleon's adventures were subdued under his reign。 I particularly liked the portraits of the fifteen Prime Ministers who served under George including the less well-known ones "Pitt is to Addington as London is to Paddington"。 In short， there is plenty here to commend to an academic historian and to the general reader alike。 。。。more