I saw this book and requested a copy for review due to my interest in history, and particularly British history. Nothing has changed this country more than the British civil wars, and it is an area in which I have an interest, though I am not usually interested in war as a subject matter.
The Crabchurch Conspiracy deals with a small slice of life during the English civil wars, when Weymouth was taken out of Roundhead hands by the Royalists, all due to information and man-power from within the town.
My Review … By Joe Jenkins.
To be honest, I came to the book thinking that it would be another local history that would be of little interest to those not living in the area. I lived in Weymouth, where the book is set , for six months back in the late 80s, so had a feeling of the area. However, I couldn’t be further from the truth.
Not only is the book of interest to anybody with even a passing interest in the mid 17th Century, but it is also extremely well written, which is far from the norm when it comes to such books. Non-Fiction, particularly local non-fiction, is notoriously filled with errors and bad English, but The Crabchurch Conspiracy is not only well written, but is a joy to read.
What I like about he book is that it isn’t long for the sake of being long. Mark Vine has provided the information and not bolstered it up with boring narrative that does nothing but make the author look like they are just attempting to show how clever they are. Within the book, there are sections where other sources are provided, such as the diary of Peter Ince, a preacher of the time, but this isn’t overly done. However, for those who have an interest in this diary, it is provided in full at the end of the book.
This brings me to the additional information at the end of the book. As well as the previously mentioned diary, it also includes a mini-biography of the major players surrounding the Crabchurch Conspiracy, which I found extremely interesting. There are also may other sections giving further information.
In addition to this, the book has the added benefit of having the foreword written by Professor Ronald Hutton who is, in my opinion, the best source when it comes to this era of Britain’s shameful past.
If I were to find fault with the book, it would be very difficult, as it is an extremely good read. However, the paragraphs not being indented was not so good, though after a short time, I got used to this and didn’t even notice. of course there is also the misprint on the back cover where it says Dorset is England’s most beautiful County, as I think this should have said Somerset 😉
Overall, I would say that if you have an interest in history, Dorset, The West Country or good writing, then this is a book that you should read.
Where Do I Find It?
The book is available directly from the author, who you can contact on the Facebook page for the book. The official Crabchurch Conspiracy page … or from the website http://crabchurch.co.uk/