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The Blood in Winter

A Nation Descends, 1642
Brief Description
A BOOK OF THE YEAR FOR: THE TIMES/SUNDAY TIMES, TELEGRAPH AND HISTORY TODAYA nation on the cusp of war. A king ousted from his capital by the people. A society on the brink of collapse. From Jonathan Healey comes a thrilling history about the months that... Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
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A thrilling political history about the months that brought England to the cusp of civil war, from the acclaimed author of The Blazing World

A thrilling political history about the months that brought England to the cusp of civil war, from the acclaimed author of The Blazing World

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

A BOOK OF THE YEAR FOR: THE TIMES/SUNDAY TIMES, TELEGRAPH AND HISTORY TODAY

A nation on the cusp of war. A king ousted from his capital by the people. A society on the brink of collapse. From Jonathan Healey comes a thrilling history about the months that sent England into civil war


‘An old-fashioned Westminster thriller . . . You could hardly find a more engrossing or exciting story’ DOMINIC SANDBROOK, SUNDAY TIMES

‘A rollicking history, packed with fire and excitement *****’ DANIEL BROOKS, TELEGRAPH

‘The House of Cards-ish drama remains gripping to the last’ LITERARY REVIEW

After years of tension between a king and his people, in 1641 England reaches a semblance of peace. Armies have disbanded, legislation has passed to ensure Parliament will continue to sit, and the people are tentatively optimistic. Radical politicians congratulate themselves on a stunning political victory. Royal servants are coming to accept an altered future.

Then comes winter. With it, chaos, protests, political deadlock, and eventually a remarkable attempt by King Charles I to destroy his opponents. On 4 January 1642 Charles marches on the small riverside city of Westminster at the head of an army, seeking to arrest five Members of Parliament. In doing so, he sets in motion a series of events that will lead to bloodshed and war, changing a nation forever.

Why did the English Civil War break out? The Blood in Winter tells the story of an English people's great political awakening, and of a nation that splintered into bloodshed at a terrifying speed. Jonathan Healey recreates the claustrophobic atmosphere of the day, with rowdy protestors in the streets and London blanketed in coal smoke. It is a story of remarkable but flawed characters, all faced with unpalatable choices, and a frightening picture of a society in profound distress.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781526672346

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 12 February 2026

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 432

About the Author

Born in Leeds in 1982, Jonathan Healey is a historian of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. He writes history from the bottom up, focusing on ordinary people – their lives, loves, culture and politics. He is Associate Professor in Social History at the University of Oxford, and was formerly picked as one of the winners of BBC Radio 3's New Generation Thinkers Competition.

Also by Dr Jonathan Healey

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  • The Blazing World
    'This is a wonderful book, exhaustively researched, vigorously argued and teeming with the furious joy of seventeenth-century life' THE TIMES 'A brilliant, bloody account of England's most dramatic century . . . Thrilling' TELEGRAPH ‘The most entertaining general history of seventeenth-century England I have read’ TOM HOLLAND The seventeenth century began as the English found themselves ruled by a Scotsman,...
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