The Making of Oliver Cromwell

By: Ronald Hutton

Narrated by: Michael Page

The first volume in a pioneering account of Oliver Cromwell - providing a major new interpretation of one of the greatest figures in history.

Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658) - the only English commoner to become the overall head of state - is one of the great figures of history, but his character was very complex. He was at once courageous and devout, devious and self-serving; as a parliamentarian, he was devoted to his cause; as a soldier, he was ruthless. Cromwell's speeches and writings surpass in quantity those of any other ruler of England before Victoria, and, for those seeking to understand him, he has usually been taken at his word.

In this remarkable new work, Ronald Hutton untangles the facts from the fiction. Cromwell, pursuing his devotion to God and cementing his Puritan support base, quickly transformed from obscure provincial to military victor. At the end of the first English Civil War, he was poised to take power. Hutton reveals a man who was both genuine in his faith and deliberate in his dishonesty - and uncovers the inner workings of the man who has puzzled biographers for centuries.

©2021 Ronald Hutton (P)2021 Tantor

Left out a bit

Sad to see the hero worshiping of a genocidal megalomaniac. His is the only statue I’d like to see removed.

good overview for students or serious history fans

This book is well-written and academic in a good way (meaning in-depth, not oversimplified). It's very focused, so I wouldn't necessarily recommend it for those who haven't already studied this period to some degree. It's also near impossible to follow unless you have a strong grasp of English geography, or are able to look at a map while listening.

Regarding some of the negative reviews here:

The claim that it's "way too detailed" makes no sense, unless that reviewer was complaining about Hutton's description of setting. Hutton often goes into great detail explaining landscape features, flora and fauna, and other atmospheric details you normally only get in a novel or pop history book. It's a bit excessive, but it makes the narrative more immersive.

Another person wrote that the book is "hero worshiping of a genocidal megalomaniac". This is nonsense. Hutton is about as objective as any biographer can be, and overall his depiction of Cromwell is far from flattering. He continuously notes Cromwell's disturbing love of killing, backwards belief that all his enemies are "evil", and his frequent attempts to take credit for battlefield successes he probably didn't deserve.

Real History

What a pleasant surprise. Ronald Hutton isn't just a fantastic writer, he is what every historian should be: open-eyed and open-minded.

Hutton asks the big questions: Who was Cromwell: pious Puritan or ruthless politician? And how did he become the Cromwell we know today from such humble, inauspicious beginnings?

Grounded in genuine scholarship, Hutton respects the limits of what we CAN know about Cromwell while also providing compelling insight into the composite descriptions of his life's events.

The result of this is a portrait far more complex and interesting than myth or ideology. I highly recommend this biography.

Fascinating Review of Oliver Cromwell

I knew little to nothing about Cromwell or the English Civil War. This book filled my void. My one criticism is that this autobiography ended too early. What happened to Cromwell after the end of the Civil War to his death? What legacy did he leave to England. And how did Cromwell effect the disputation between Church and State in Western Culture to this day?

honest and balanced

a good breakdown on who Oliver Cromwell was. Is neither pro or anti Cromwell, just looking for the truth of the man