‘The Blood in Winter’ by Jonathan Healey.
A Nation Descends, 1642.
Dr. Jonathan Healey is Director of the MSc in English Local History and the Undergraduate Diploma in English Social and Local History at the University of Oxford. His new book The Blood in Winter: A Nation Descends, 1642 is described as a superb narrative history of the war which seeks not only to nuance these depictions, but also to add a fresh cast of supporting characters. From Clerkenwell prostitutes such as “Pocky-Faced Dall” to fire-and-brimstone preachers in England’s countryside, he unveils the ordinary men behind the war.
While his previous book, The Blazing World, offered a panoramic view of the revolutionary century, the narrower focus of The Blood in Winter gives him an opportunity to expand on the details of everyday life in uncertain times. The result is a book that bursts with character – a vivid reconstruction of England on the brink.
See the review by Diane Purkiss published in History Today Volume 75 Issue 8 August 2025.
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