William Wallace

By: Andrew Fisher

Narrated by: Angus King

By no means prepared by birth, education, or training for leadership, Wallace nevertheless rose to prominence during the Wars of Independence, leading forces which broke the sequence of English victories and re-energizing and inspiring his countrymen in the process. While others, ostensibly his betters, yielded and collaborated, Wallace set an example of constancy and perseverance and became the Guardian of Scotland. Even his terrible death in London in 1305 can be seen as a victory as it provided inspiration for the continuance of the struggle against English domination.

Despite Wallace's almost mythical status-boosted in no small part by the film Braveheart-present-day perceptions of him are not always based on the objective analysis of the historical facts. In this revised and expanded biography, Andrew Fisher investigates all the aspects of Wallace's life and character, treating him as a man of his time. The result is a more authentic picture of the greatest of Scotland's heroes than has been previously available.

©1986, 2002 Andrew Fisher (P)2022 Tantor

No fluff, no bluff

Wonderfully narrated. This biography of the life of William Wallace gives a vivid account of the politics, major players, and mindset of the era in which his character and ledge s were built. The author uses little to no embroidery regarding his subject which allows for a more realistic depiction of a man more shrouded in ledge d than the Scottish moors.

Like listening to paint dry…

It’s amazing how such an exciting story of an awesome man can be turned into one of the most boring books I’ve ever listened to. Definitely in the top ten. It wasn’t the narrator. He was great! Perfect voice for telling a story. The problem was the story: a lifeless, purely academic retelling of history and of a man that could’ve been so much more. Names, dates, events, are thrown at you, and it was hard (at least for me) to make sense of what was going on. This is the second book on Wallace that I’ve read that turns what could’ve been epic into something that makes you feel like taking a nap. Please God, give us a biography that makes us want to don a kilt and fight for freedom!