{"product_id":"a-fiery-furious-people-9780099520030","title":"A Fiery  Furious People","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e*Chosen as a Book of the Year by \u003ci\u003eThe Times\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eHistory Today\u003c\/i\u003e and the \u003ci\u003eSunday Telegraph*\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWonderfully entertaining, comprehensive and astute.' \u003ci\u003eThe Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eGenuinely hard to put down.' \u003ci\u003eBBC History Magazine\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFrom murder to duelling, highway robbery to mugging: the darker side of English life explored.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSpanning some seven centuries, \u003ci\u003eA Fiery \u0026amp; Furious People \u003c\/i\u003etraces the subtle shifts that have taken place both in the nature of violence and in people's attitudes to it. How could football be regarded at one moment as a raucous pastime that should be banned, and the next as a respectable sport that should be encouraged? When did the serial killer first make an appearance? What gave rise to particular types of violent criminal  - medieval outlaws, Victorian garrotters  and what made them dwindle and then vanish? Above all, Professor James Sharpe hones in on a single, fascinating question: has the cou\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e[A] compendious, fine-grained … magisterial book … The outlaw's song has surely never been better rendered. * Times Literary Supplement *\u003cbr\u003eA deeply thoughtful and thought-provoking examination of violence in England from the Middle Ages through to the present day … genuinely hard to put down. * BBC History Magazine *\u003cbr\u003eThe richness of this wonderful book is testament to nearly 50 years spent working on the history of violence … a fascinating and rare example of a beautifully crafted scholarly work. * Times Higher Education *\u003cbr\u003eEntertaining and instructive. -- Books of the Year * The Times *\u003cbr\u003eDeeply researched, thoughtfully considered and vividly written … Read  it. * History Today *\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eA Fiery \u0026amp; Furious People\u003c\/i\u003e is often a sobering read … Sharpe’s empirically grounded argument is a powerful and persuasive one. * Literary Review *\u003cbr\u003eFascinating . . . James Sharpe draws on court records, verbatim accounts and bloodcurdling contemporary records to chronicle the changing aspects of brutality through the ages. * Daily Mail *\u003cbr\u003eA history of violence in England, from the Middle Ages onwards, this looks back to a time when violence was part of everyday life and asks what’s changed and why. -- Books of the Year * Sunday Telegraph *\u003cbr\u003eBrings the subject memorably to life -- Book of the Week * The Week *\u003cbr\u003eA vivid survey of our enthusiasm for violence … For a survey of violence, its pages overflowing with duelling, hooliganism, domestic abuse and even serial killing, Sharpe’s book is actually quite a cheering read. … The strength of Sharpe’s book lies in its anecdotes, with almost every page containing an arresting or colourful detail. -- Dominic Sandbrook * Sunday Times *\u003cbr\u003e[An] engrossing history of violence … You’ll leave battered and bruised, but with a better understanding of the darker side of our nation’s history * BBC Revealed Magazine *\u003cbr\u003eWonderfully entertaining, comprehensive and astute … This book is a welcome corrective to the reductive explanations and simplistic solutions favoured by populist politicians and fearmongering journalists. * The Times *\u003cbr\u003eSweeping and ambitious … packed with gripping anecdotes … Sharpe is a humane and clear-eyed guide to a series of intractable and timely questions. * Observer *\u003cbr\u003e[An] encyclopaedic history of violence in England. . . Sharpe's book will tell you much about the creativity of the human mind when it comes to conceiving of ways to mistreat others. -- Paul Kingsnorth * New Statesman *\u003cbr\u003eSharpe's eye for detail ensures that the shock value never dwindles -- Four star review, Francis Wheen * Mail on Sunday *\u003cbr\u003eOffers the reader a vivid and interesting insight into the history of violence in England. * LSE Review of Books *\u003cbr\u003eExamines a history of English violence from riots to highwaymen, and from executioners to serial killers. Mr Sharpe is a crime historian of many years and his book’s strength lies in its scope, which allows the reader to survey the changes and customs of English society. * Economist *\u003cbr\u003eA compelling and endlessly fascinating book examining the history of violence in England,\u003ci\u003e A Fiery and Furious People\u003c\/i\u003e is, like the best history books, one that contrasts our history to our present with startling effect – making this an immediate and gripping read. * Bookbag *\u003cbr\u003eA fascinating romp through history * Your Family History *\u003cbr\u003eSatisfyingly detailed, yet with a convincing overarching thesis. -- Books of the Year * History Today *\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Random House","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51017522118999,"sku":"9780099520030","price":999.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"url":"https:\/\/bookcurl.com\/products\/a-fiery-furious-people-9780099520030","provider":"Book Curl","version":"1.0","type":"link"}