{"product_id":"unruly-the-ridiculous-history-of-englands-kings-and-queens-9780593728505","title":"Unruly: The Ridiculous History of England's Kings and Queens","description":"\u003cb\u003e\u003cb\u003eINSTANT #1 \u003ci\u003eSUNDAY TIMES\u003c\/i\u003e BESTSELLER - \u003c\/b\u003eA rollicking history of England's kings and queens from Arthur to Elizabeth I, a tale of power, glory, and excessive beheadings by award-winning British actor and comedian David Mitchell\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"Clever, amusing, gloriously bizarre and razor sharp. Mitchell [is] a funny man and a skilled historian.\"―\u003ci\u003eThe Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eThink you know the kings and queens of England? Think again. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eIn \u003ci\u003eUnruly, \u003c\/i\u003e David Mitchell explores how early England's monarchs, while acting as feared rulers firmly guiding their subjects' destinies, were in reality a bunch of lucky bastards who were mostly as silly and weird in real life as they appear today in their portraits. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eTaking us back to King Arthur (spoiler: he didn't exist), Mitchell tells the founding story of post-Roman England up to the reign of Elizabeth I (spoiler: she dies). It's a tale of narcissists, inadequate self-control, middle-management insurrection, uncivil wars, and a few Cnuts, as the English evolved from having their crops stolen by the thug with the largest armed gang to bowing and paying taxes to a divinely anointed king. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eHow this happened, who it happened to, and why the hell it matters are all questions that Mitchell answers with brilliance, wit, and the full erudition of a man who once studied history--and won't let it off the hook for the mess it's made. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eA funny book that takes history seriously, \u003ci\u003eUnruly\u003c\/i\u003e is for anyone who has ever wondered how the British monarchy came to be--and who is to blame.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Crown Publishing Group (NY)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 10\/01\/2024\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780593728505\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 464\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 1.01lbs","brand":"David Mitchell","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44561411637429,"sku":"9780593728505","price":18.7,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0473\/0804\/6492\/files\/img_47689c9e-2aba-4ed2-b9e1-133173272268.jpg?v=1723525323","url":"https:\/\/pastforward.org\/products\/unruly-the-ridiculous-history-of-englands-kings-and-queens-9780593728505","provider":"Past Forward","version":"1.0","type":"link"}