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In this volume, the author has written a book whose value as pure history is no less than its interest as a study of four essentially ordinary people under extraordinary circumstances. He was the first to appreciate the complexity of George I, and he surveys the following three Georges with a similarly unjaundiced eye.Tags
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Member Reviews
Plumb provides the ages with a classic account of the four Hannover kings, their foibles and their legacy. This is a very warts and all inclusive sort of analysis and history has not proved to be in awe of the four gentleman nor their appearance nor their decisions. This was very much a period of augmentation and wealth so consequently the politics of the time are largely conservative as were the Prime Ministers including Sir Robert, who famously quipped I am no saint, no Spartan, no reformer.
Our beloved nemesis (in the United States) George III wound up being embraced by his people after his bouts of madness, his struggle and the convenient Reign of Terror in France. Love is fickle. Plumb broaches policy decisions and the internal show more dynamics making this a rather informative ingress and not simply a scandal sheet of palace intrigue. show less
Our beloved nemesis (in the United States) George III wound up being embraced by his people after his bouts of madness, his struggle and the convenient Reign of Terror in France. Love is fickle. Plumb broaches policy decisions and the internal show more dynamics making this a rather informative ingress and not simply a scandal sheet of palace intrigue. show less
I thoroughly enjoyed this brief history of the Georgian period even though I have read many books about George III and George IV. Lying on a beautiful beach on the Sea of Cortez in January was perhaps an unlikely spot to read such a book but the touch was just right. The 18th century was certainly a lively period in British history and while I agree that the influence of the monarchy was significant it does seem that the Georges stumbled along rather than knowingly influenced the course of history.
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Author Information
37+ Works 3,143 Members
British-born and educated historian John Plumb received his B.A. in 1933 from the University of London and his Ph.D. three years later from Cambridge University. After eight years as a research fellow at Cambridge, he became a member of the faculty and in 1966 professor of modern English history. During the same period and in the 1970s, he was a show more visiting professor in the United States at Columbia and at New York University. Plumb is the definitive authority on England's first prime minister, Robert Walpole, about whom he wrote a two-volume biography. Plumb presents a balanced study of the era of Whig supremacy and the earlier Hanoverian period, 1714--60. In addition to authoring books, Plumb has edited a number of multivolume works and has published numerous articles and book reviews. Says Crane Brinton, "Plumb writes firmly and well in the British academic tradition of his master, G. M. Trevelyan" (N.Y. Herald Tribune). (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Series
Belongs to Publisher Series
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- The First Four Georges
- Original publication date
- 1956
- People/Characters
- George I, King of Great Britain and Ireland; George II, King of Great Britain and Ireland; George III, King of the United Kingdom; George IV, King of the United Kingdom
Classifications
- Genres
- History, Nonfiction, General Nonfiction, Biography & Memoir
- DDC/MDS
- 942.07 — History & geography History of Europe England and Wales England Hanover 1714-1837
- LCC
- DA480 .P55 — History of Europe, Asia, Africa and Oceania Great Britain History of Great Britain England History By period Modern, 1485-
- BISAC
Statistics
- Members
- 233
- Popularity
- 140,345
- Reviews
- 5
- Rating
- (3.92)
- Languages
- Chinese, English
- Media
- Paper
- ISBNs
- 8
- ASINs
- 12
