Promotional Information

From murder to duelling, highway robbery to mugging, a compelling exploration of seven centuries of violence in England.

About the Author

James Sharpe was Professor of History at the University of York from 1997 until his retirement in 2016. He is a leading social historian, with a particular interest in the history of crime. He has published widely on the subject and is a committee member of the International Association for the History of Crime and Criminal Justice. His books include Instruments of Darkness- Witchcraft in England 1550-1750 (1996) and Dick Turpin- the Myth of the English Highwayman (2004).

Reviews

[A] compendious, fine-grained … magisterial book … The outlaw's song has surely never been better rendered.
*Times Literary Supplement*

A 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*

The 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*

Entertaining and instructive.
*The Times*

Deeply researched, thoughtfully considered and vividly written … Read it.
*History Today*

A Fiery & Furious People is often a sobering read … Sharpe’s empirically grounded argument is a powerful and persuasive one.
*Literary Review*

Fascinating . . . James Sharpe draws on court records, verbatim accounts and bloodcurdling contemporary records to chronicle the changing aspects of brutality through the ages.
*Daily Mail*

A 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.
*Sunday Telegraph*

Brings the subject memorably to life
*The Week*

A 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.
*Sunday Times*

[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*

Wonderfully 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*

Sweeping and ambitious … packed with gripping anecdotes … Sharpe is a humane and clear-eyed guide to a series of intractable and timely questions.
*Observer*

[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.
*New Statesman*

Sharpe's eye for detail ensures that the shock value never dwindles
*Mail on Sunday*

Offers the reader a vivid and interesting insight into the history of violence in England.
*LSE Review of Books*

Examines 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*

A compelling and endlessly fascinating book examining the history of violence in England, A Fiery and Furious People 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*

A fascinating romp through history
*Your Family History*

Satisfyingly detailed, yet with a convincing overarching thesis.
*History Today*